Roots Running

A couple months ago I (Sean) noticed a perfectly curated, simple instagram post recapping all the major ultra running events from the previous weekend. A couple clicks later I found myself on Substack reading the full edition of The Ultra Minute, a newsletter written and curated by Ken Seals. Ken was gracious enough to join us for a conversation about creating an audience, capturing the past present and future of ultra running, his...

On this edition of the rundown Alvah and Sean breakdown Al's experience at the Hellbender 100 mile outside of Ashville, NC. Alvah was able to buckle down and finish in the face of some pretty violent stomach issues, chafing, and blisters. Al's advice: respect the distance. The boys also shared more reflections on Cocodona, the validity of mandatory gear for races, and some hot (and lukewarm) takes on ultra running at large....

Arlen Glick joins the fellas to talk all things BEAST coast, the recently released Aravaipa film 'The Chase' featuring Arlen as one of five runners, his decision to have ACL surgery after 12 years and 30,000 miles of running without an acl, and his love of fishing. Big thanks to Arlen for joining us for nearly two hours! We cannot wait to see the how he continues to demolish expectations and write his own unique path in the sport o...

Beast Coast Alumni and old friend Rachel Lemcke joins Sean for a conversation about the value of personalized one on one coaching for athletes of all levels, her approach to coaching and being more than just a training programmer, to her own journey as an athlete over the past year navigating health issues and identity as a competitive athlete.

Check out Right Mind Running Company to learn more about one on one personalized coa...

Roots Fam! Coming off a second place and golden ticket finish at the Canyons 100k, joining Sean on the podcast this week is none other than the YOUNG and Fit , Hans Troyer.

Hans stormed onto the ultra scene in 2024 performing at an elite level in some of the most competitive races in the US. Sean and Hans chat about his experience with trail running culture, his passion for training and working hard, desire to compete and see ju...

In this episode, Sean Cate and Al discuss the evolution of trail running, focusing on how media coverage and technological advancements are shaping the sport. They delve into upcoming races, particularly the Promise Land and Canyons 100K, sharing personal insights and predictions about the competition. The conversation also highlights the importance of community when it comes to retail running stores, and more.

Highlights

02:47 G...

Alvah and Sean welcome Caleb Bowen to the show this week!

If you enjoyed the show please follow, save, give us a review and feel free to send any questions or comments our way either in the comments section of the podcast or via instagram.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Caleb Bowen and His Journey

03:03 Growth of the Ultra Running Community in West Virginia

06:03 The Impact of Running on Local Communities

09:09 The Allure o...

This episode of Roots is brought to you by hard work and determination. 

Sean and Al are joined by Butch Slabach, a Virginia native coming hot onto the scene and throwing down some impressive times on classic Virginia ultra races, as well as out west with some of the best athletes in the sport. The fellas talk about Butch’s unorthodox intro into trail and ultra running, his time at the Virginia Tech Ultra Club, moving out to Oregon ...

Joining the Roots Running pod, none other than THE Dr. David Horton. Not a single person that we know of has influenced more people to become true runners and ultra-runners as Horton. Not only that, Dr. Horton started this decades before youtube, social media, and podcasts.

This episode features a sweeping view of the sport of ultra running from JFK 50 miler in 1979, winning the first two Hardrock 100's, to the mind blowing...

Tough fam! We apologize dearly for the whiplash, as our last episode led both all of us to believe we were continuing on with the WTGGT podcast with renewed vigor. The truth is, today's episode will be the final edition of When The Going Gets Tough.

After reflecting on our passions and desires. Adam and I decided the best thing for us both would be to say no to a good thing (continuing WTGGT) in order to say yes to better t...

This episode of When The Going Get’s Tough is brought to you by Lee Jarvis Coaching™️

Lee joined the boys this week to discuss his winter training block in anticipation of the Black Canyon’s 100k coming up February 8th, 2025. Lee shares insights into how his training differed on this block, and what his head space is going into the race. 

Lee also shares advice for those interested in their first marathon *cough* Adam *cough*...

This episode of When The Going Get’s Tough is brought to you by blood, sweat and determination. Sean recaps his first week of the training program under Adam’s supervision and shares what went well and what will be tweaked. Short and sweet today. 

Attached here is the document outlining Adam’s program for Sean if anyone is looking for a simple training plan that can easily fit into a busy schedule, while hitting all the i...

This episode of When The Going Get’s Tough is brought to you by blood, sweat and determination. Adam discusses the details of Sean’s weightlifting program he has to follow for 90 days, and if he succeeds, Adam will train for a marathon with Sean for the late summer/fall. 

Attached here is the document outlining Adam’s program for Sean if anyone is looking for a simple training plan that can easily fit into a busy schedule, while h...

Adam and Sean reconnect for a much needed reflection on the 2024 season, discuss how their goals and expectations for last year held up to reality, and look ahead to the 2025. 

We would like to thank everyone who supported us with their listenership this year. This year we took some big leaps forward and a few steps back, as is the natural rhythm of life. Overall we are really happy and proud to continue this endeavor as we seek t...

Sean and Lee Jarvis sit down to debrief Sean’s performance at the Hellgate 100k this past weekend. The fellas sat down just one day post race to discuss what went well, how the training worked and what might have been done differently. 

Sean placed 5th at this years Hellgate with an official time of 11:31:55, a small PR over his time from 2022. 

What is more remarkable is that Sean spent less than 50 miles of his training blo...

On this weeks episode Sean Cate and special guest Alvah Ferguson breakdown Sean’s unorthodox training block for the upcoming Hellgate 100k. Additionally the fellas announce their upcoming new podcast exclusively dedicated to Trail and Ultra Running news, Trail Talk. 

The second half of the podcast covers Sean and Alvah’s most notable performances in ultra running for the 2024 year. 

Thanks for listening and being apart of the tou...

On today's episode the boys get real about how they approach Holiday season and cold winter days in terms of training and eating.

Most people experience weight gain and a significant decrease in physical activity due to shorter days, cold weather, and abundance of holiday parties where the food might be delicious, but not necessarily nutritious. Adam and Sean give their mindset and practical tips on how to stay active and reduce ...