Running Inside Out Podcast

_[NOTE: Due to poor producer skills, this episode was nearly lost to time. But thanks to some more experience, better audio editing tools (Thanks Patrons!) and quite a bit of luck... I think something was able to salvaged here. Happy to be able to share the stories from this night with you. Sorry for any residual poor audio quality. It remains the fault of the producer and not the panelists!) _ Way back in 2018... Mort Nace and Medved once again gathered a distinguished panel of runners, assembled an interested community and provided a comfortable space for many stories to be told.  Jason Vidmar, Michael Burke, Nate Huckle, Katie Ghidiu and Joy Valvano shared their running stories with us. From broken bladders, spontaneous 50ks, near death coaching experiences to professional outdoor parenting tips. Jason Vidmar's storied running career spans the peeks of Powder Mills Park, to the depths of the Barkley Fall Classic, around the hills of the Georgia Death Race and has left footsteps all over the Adirondacks. Trail Dad is always up for an adventure and often comes away with some entertaining anecdotes. Katie Ghidiu is fast. She has run a sub 5 minute mile (4:55), a sub 3 hr marathon (2:58) and a sub 24 hour 100m (2:39). She Ran cross country and track at Fairport HS and University of Notre Dame. With regards to trail racing she has a 3rd and a 1st at Ontario Summit Trail Marathon; A 1st place at Sehgahunda Trail Marathon, a 1st at Wakely Dam 55k, 3rd and 5th places finishes at Twisted Branch 100k, and sub 24 hour at her first 100 miler in Burning River 100M, 23:39. She is also an Adirondack 46er and likely has a lot of dirt on Nate Huckle. Nate Huckle is a running coach, a mentor, an ultrarunner, an ADK46er and a raconteur.  Go on a run with him and he'll likely start telling you a story that before you know it, has held your attention for more hours and miles than you intended (or were willing) to run! Michael Burke has run more than 70 races in and around the Rochester area. While doing so he has found time to raise his family outdoors (not actually, but you know) and help found a charity that assists local families affected by cancer. Find Mike on the trails and he is more than likely to chew your ear off (again, not actually, but with like stories and jokes and stuff) Joy Valvano started running ultras back when it was considered crazy. More crazy than today. Her running consisted of often taking up road trip adventures with her running friends to races like Bull Run Run (10 times!!) and even 100 milers like Haliburton and Vermont. But her running isn't all in her past, Joy has recently run Twisted Branch 100k. Originally a runner for some alone time and a bit of fitness, Joy has found herself spending more and more (and more) time in the woods. Special Guests: Jason Vidmar, Joy Valvano, Katie Ghidiu, Michael Burke, Mort Nace, and Nate Huckle.

A small change in the format here... A "Who Knows?!" episode of RIO. Clara and I ramble through Oatka Park and I describe a little bit of what's going on with this here podcast.

Scott Magee, Race Director of Twisted Branch 100k joins. We chat about what it's like to not be on the internet, taking unintentional breaks (ahem cough, cough) and of course Twisted and Frozen Branches. There was a time when Scott didn't run a lot. Then he did run a lot. And as often happens to many of us in the trail running community, the desire to give back and contribute to community became so overwhelming that Scott up and created a 100k race. Starting with a map of the Bristol Hills Branch and stoked by a love of running, community and the Finger Lakes Trail (and of course, the prodding of others), Scott created Twisted Branch as a contribution to the running community. I created Running Inside Out in much the same manner. Hearing so many stories out on group runs and at races, thinking those stories should be saved and shared (and of course, the prodding of others.), Running Inside Out Podcast was a way to have our stories be shared and celebrated. But lo, these 8 years later, what's it like to shepherd these things along while feeling somewhat disconnected? Also, why does Frozen Branch exist? What even is it? And after 7 iterations, does Twisted Branch still have any tricks up its sleeve (it does.) How do you make changes to something so familiar that everyone has come to love? Special Guest: Scott Magee.

In this episode we wander around the surprisingly busy Genesee Valley Park with Charlie Granger. Charlie is heading to Western States this year! But he’s been out west before this… Angeles Crest 100 was his first hundred miler. He’s from the San Gabriel mountains, so you know, it just made sense. As for locally, you may have seen Charlie around Twisted Branch 100k, Many on the Genny or maybe most recently at Cayuga Trails 50k. This was a fun experiment of a podcast, Charlie and I participate in a quite eventful day at Genesee Valley park and chat about how his training is going, how he plans (or doesn’t) for these big events and just some life things in general. And as you’ll see, both of us have a bit of a fun time trying to remember, well… anything from the past. So feel free to shout into the air as you hear us stumble through a bunch of “thought exercises” Special Guest: Charlie Granger.

Mark Valites ran the across New York State a few months ago. He set the first known Supported FKT (Fastest Known Time) running East to West on the NY Finger Lakes Trail. It’s 584 miles… ish. Who’s counting? And two of the main people that were along for the ride (and let’s face it, driving the bus) were John Ghidiu and Christy Post. We recount the highs and lows and lows of Mark's trip on this "hidden gem" of a trail. Christy, in addition to being an excellent runner (think, Muddy Sneaker, Mendon Trail 50 K, Many on The Genny, Breakneck Point, Twisted Branch), is also the recently minted Director of Marketing for the FLTC, Finger Lakes Trail Conference, the organization that does so much to ensure the Finger lakes Trail exists… and is really amping up their game to help everyone learn about this awesome trail that crosses the near entirety of New York. Super excited for a lot of what Christy is working on. John is … well… you’ll find out. John does a lot of things and the intros are already long enough. I’m not trying to sell him short. He just uses different words than I would use. So you should hear his. Anyway, in this episode, we’re going to talk about Mark’s FKT and some surprising outcomes from said adventure. Special Guests: Christy Post, John Ghidiu, and Mark Valites.

Todd and Sara ran their first marathon together. Like step by step together. At Disney. They do lots of things together. Except train for their marathon. Todd did many of his long runs with Rochester Running Company group runs (and more than a few Thursday runs with me and the group at ThreeHeads Brewery.) Sara likes to run alone. But yet they did their first marathon together. How? Well… let’s find out! Special Guests: Sara Brotsch and Todd Brotsch.

Josh Frankel and I get together to chat about bad decisions, good friends and combining the two can lead to really great times. We spend some time talking about how Josh got running and then we get into how he ended up doing longer distances by recapping the timeline of Josh’s races. And Josh has been in a lot of the good ones. From 5ks through half and full marathons and the onto ultras including the fabled hundred miler. (The alternate title for this episode was “I’m signed up for another one this year… but then, we uncovered the surprising truth of his favorite distance to run!) Special Guest: Josh Frankel.

Mitch’s race history reads like a guy who REALLY wants to win races. Who REALLY wants to get the most out of himself. Also, he doesn't really run ultras. And yet, his dream race is Leadville 100. Yes, a hundred miler out in Colorado. A race he surely had little chance of finishing, let alone winning. Why was that his dream race? And why are his dreams so long and 12,000 feet elevation? Maybe that's how he thought he could compete... at a higher level. [Cue Who Music] 😎 Special Guest: Mitch Ball.

Clem Chung tells about how he got started running somewhere around 2017, the things involved in planning self supported marathons and his “four year plan” to finish a hundred miler which culminated in his attempt at Mighty Mosquito 99 and striving to engineer the perfect run Special Guest: Clement Chung.

Abby McCarthy returns after what we discovered was a nearly 4 year absence from the podcast. She has a done a lot during that time. Including the Georgia Death Race, Ode to Laz Backyard Ultra… Twice and Mt. Hood and Cruel Jewel 50 milers. Oh yeah, she also hiked the entire Pacific Crest Trail and ran every street in Rochester. And certainly some other stuff that she forgot about. Special Guest: Abby McCarthy.

It’s been a few years in the making, but Garth Howell is finally on the podcast! James Castiglione comes along for the ride, as he would say. We cover some brief introductory topics such as a little bit about James and Garth got the way they are, and how we all met. Run Groups folks. Run Groups. And then we dig into Garth’s latest feat, Twisted Branch 100k. Special Guests: Garth Howell and James Castiglione.

Tom and Alyson Tighe got into Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon AND Western States in 2019. Almost too Perfect. Then 2020 happened. CANCELED! And now it's 2021 and racing is back! You won't believe what this couple is planning to do! [🙄 End clickbait description 🙄] Spoiler, They're doing all 3! Special Guests: Alyson Tighe and Tom Tighe.

Ellie Pell is back! (For some of you, it might seems like maybe she never left 🤣 ) Well, not only is Ellie back on the podcast, she is also back racing. She has banged out wins at Many on The Genny AND FL50s in the last month. But more importantly, she running around Rochester! That's right. She's left Gorges Ol' Ithaca for the ROC! Listen in as Ellie and I chat about the latest and greatest going on in her running world! Photo Credits: Cover Art - Ron Heerkens at Goat Factory Media Fireside Banner - Shea Coleman (Running MOTG), Ellie Pell (in situ), Laura Howard (Hamstrings and Heartstrings on the Twisted Branch Trail) Special Guest: Ellie Pell.

We stretch our mic cables all the way out to Ithaca, NY to chat with Pete Kresock. This episode has been a long-time coming and I'm super happy to finally have a chat with Pete. Pete is an ultra-runner and local scene advocate. Pete keeps is pretty real and always has an interesting take on things. He's done at least one 100 miler every year since 2015 and is very frequently at many of the smaller trail races. In this episode Pete and I cover Twisted Branch, Virgil Crest, the FLRC challenge, Race FOMO, as well diversions such as Star Wars and water fountain serendipity. Special Guest: Pete Kresock.

We've gathered the braintrust together to discuss all manner of things from Current Events to gear to beer. Mike Welden, Jamie Hobbs and Daven Oskvig sit in their respective corners in my sunroom, crack a few cold ones and share stories of what was, what is and what could be. Special Guests: Daven oskvig, Jamie Hobbs, and Mike Welden.

Black Lives Matter. Racism is real.

Phil Nesbitt phones in from “down south” to talk about what’s it’s like to be super fit and have no races to show it off. Heh. Kidding. Sort of. More importantly, Phil and I talk about the current state of the parks and the impact of COVID from his perspective at the NYS Park Police. We also talk about this being the year of his first 100 miler and what community, races and race directors mean to us. Special Guest: Phil Nesbitt.

Podcast inception! It’s a podcast within a podcast as Chris and Jeremy from We Run the Desert Podcast join to chat about the left coast, podcasting, running in 100 degree heat in May. It was a fun chat where we got to know each other a little bit and maybe brought two side of the country a little closer together. Many thanks to Jamie Shenck who had this idea and basically made it happen by relentlessly nagging me on by every means possible until I finally gave in. (Kidding, of course 😇) Thank You, Jamie!

Chris Patterson is back on the podcast and we talk about how to keep active and healthy (mentally and physically) without group, runs, motivating races and all those other 'normal things' we used to take for granted. What can we control these days? Chris is founder of Apex Performance Coaching. He is Level 1 coaching certified from USATF, Level 2 Coaching Certified from Road Runners of America, an uncannily, metronomic marathon pacer and even he is learning a little about running these days. Special Guest: Chris Patterson.

After years of discussing it, Greg and I finally reach out through the void and connect with each other for a recoring. (See, good things CAN happen in quaratine) In this wide ranging conversation, we discuss things like homework, stock investments, puzzles, beer, normalcy, the generosity of our community... oh... and some running. Special Guest: Greg Casto.