Trail Runner Nation

On November 7, 2015, Don Freeman toed the line of the 15th annual Rio Del Lago 100 Endurance Run on a whim, with a strong base and years of experience, but with little focused training. He created a specific race day strategy and then executed the plan with the discipline of a seasoned Yogi. Andy Jones-Wilkins, Sally McRae, and a surprise visit from Ann Trason join The Nation to find out how a plan and execution can help anyone looking to accomplish the extraordinary.

Ultrarunning champion and coach, Ian Sharman, joins The Nation to announce his Golden Ticket Race Series of Western States 100 qualifying races. We also explore the following: U.S. Skyrunning Series How to determine the right coach for you Heart Rate training Pitfalls to avoid Judging your intensity Keys to successful downhill running.

Photographer, musician, ultra runner, dirtbag, 7-time Hardrock 100 finisher, Howie Stern joins The Nation to talk about caring for your trail running dogs hydration dog pace canine nutrition verbal leash how to dirtbag 101 trail / ultra photography

Ultra Race Director and Covergirl, Candice Burt, joins The Nation for our first edition of our Audio Magazine. Tune in to hear more about: How to dress for wet/cold weather "Where the Wild Things Are" Time to Get Strong Training Your Diaphram article Progressing from 100 milers to 200 milers Check out: Candice's Blog Candice's Races

Author, Nutritionist, endurance athlete and coach, Matt Fitzgerald, joins the Nation to talk about what motivates us and how to train our brain to push our limits to a higher level. In his new book, "How Bad Do you Want It: Mastering the Psychology of Mind Over Muscle", he relates exciting stories of athletes that have pushed beyond their mental limits to achieve extraordinary results. As Matt relates what recent studies in neuroscience has taught us and how we can incorporate that into our training. This is all woven into a dozen heart-pounding stories of endurance athletes.

Marty Dugard is a runner, he coaches the JSerra High School Running Lions Cross Country teams, and is a New York Best-Selling author of over 14 books. So it made sense for him to put pen to paper and speak about something he is passionate about. But he did it from a different angle than most. His book "To Be a Runner doesn't refer to becoming a better runner - or even a runner at all. It is about the process of seeking that better version of ourselves through the daily, mind-altering discipline of challenging personal limits." Coach Dugard captures some of the essence of WHY we run: what motivates us, what hurts us, what drives us to wake up before the sun and race up a hill to reach a summit that cannot be seen with a headlamp. If you are a runner, you will find a kinship with this book. If you aren't a runner, you will understand why people run. Keep Pushing...Always! Check out his other books HERE

The Ultra Race of Champions, UROC, is being held in Auburn, CA tomorrow. This nomatic race is very unique. We visit with race directors, Francesca Conte and James Gill, to find out more about this race and what they are creating. For other races by Francesca and James, visit Bad to the Bone Click here to register

Dr. Phil Maffetone rejoins The Nation after the release of his new book, The Endurance Handbook: How to Achieve Athletic Potential, Stay Healthy, and Get the Most Out of Your Body. Phil brews up a cozy cup of his fat-burning coffee (for non-coffee drinkers, try Phil's Shake) to talk about rhythm of music, life and its importance in efficient running. Phil's Two-Week Test Phil's Music Site Five-Minute Power Break

Warren Pole sits down with TRN and reaches deep into the grab bag. What do cat walks, crusty leather suits and ropes with knots doing on a podcast about trail running? We do our best to tie it all together. Article on Breathing

Founder of Altra Running, Golden Harper, joins us to talk about how running injuries motivated him to innovate a different shoe and then begin a new shoe company that is competing against the giants in the business. Golden knows something about running. Between the ages of 10 and 14, Golden ran 5 marathons, debuting with a State Record 3:08 performance. He followed that up with a 2:57 performance that was good for a National Best for age 11. At age 12, he ran the St. George Marathon in 2:45:34, setting a world best. In addition to competitive running, Golden grew up working in the family's specialty running store where he educated other runners on proper gait and fitting them in the correct running shoes. Golden continued his passion by earning a degree in Exercise Science: Fitness & Wellness with a Business Management emphasis from BYU. Golden tells his story of how he used his home toaster oven to delaminate traditional shoes and re-engineer them to help others prevent injuries. Today Altra is one of the top shoes in the trail and ultra community. Some of the first modified shoes they made: Kenyan Runner in Slow Motion Anton Krupika video of running Altrarunning.com Golden's Blog Altra Running Blog