Dirt And Vert

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, your hosts David and Matt are pulling back the curtain on their latest adventures, serving up fresh insights and hard-won lessons from the trails!

We're diving deep into the World's Fair Ultras in Knoxville, TN – imagine running around that iconic Sun Sphere! Plus, we're reliving the highs and lows of Western States, the grind of Mid-State Mile, and the sweltering challenges of Yet...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're bringing you an incredible story that truly embodies the spirit of endurance, family, and grit! We're honored to sit down with Michael and Nicholas Leo, a dynamic father-son duo whose journey in ultra running is nothing short of inspiring.

Michael shares his path from various sports to finding his calling in running, while Nicholas, inspired by his dad, started pounding the pavem...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, get ready for a story that will move your heart and inspire your soles! We're honored to sit down with Tyson, Clay, and Johnny, three inspirational runners who embarked on an extraordinary journey: running across Tennessee for a cause that means the world to them – raising awareness and funds for Callie, a young girl with a rare medical condition.Clay shares his powerful personal transformati...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're lacing up and hitting the trails with Ginny Smith, a prominent race director for Bad Beard Events and an ultra runner who’s all about building community, one stride at a time!

Ginny takes us on her inspiring journey from pounding pavement to embracing the trails after moving to Chattanooga. She opens up about the wild ride of becoming a race director – from the early challenges to le...

Alright, get ready for an episode that's as wild as a zombie apocalypse (and as inspiring as crossing a state on foot)! This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're welcoming the awesome duo, Jon Cox and Becca Jones from BMFJ Events and the infamous Mid-State Mile! Becca and Jon takes us on a truly unique running journey – from initial motivation to survive a zombie apocalypse (seriously!) to finding joy in the grit of ult...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, it's a special episode with your hosts, David, Matt, and Mary, as we dive into our recent race experiences, the highs, the lows, and the grit it takes to keep showing up!

Matt's sharing all the secrets behind his incredible course record at Johnston Woods – 60.9 miles of pure determination! We'll get into his fueling strategies and what it took to push past the limits. Mary opens u...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're lacing up and diving into the incredible journey of Kyle Kraeft, an ultra runner who knows a thing or two about pushing through when everything screams "STOP!"

Kyle takes us back to his very first steps into the ultra world, sharing the raw, real challenges he faced in those early races and the hard-earned lessons that shaped him. We'll hear about his leaps to longer di...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're diving deep into the world of grit and grace with the phenomenal Shannon Wheeler! She's not just an ultra runner; she's a force of nature who's tackled some of the toughest races out there.

Shannon takes us on her incredible journey, from finding solace in running in her mid-30s to crushing races like the Cruel Jewel 100 (which she compares to childbirth – you know it was...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're tackling a story that's a touchdown for the running community! We're hanging out with Chris Stangle, a former football player who traded his helmet for a headlamp and is now not only crushing ultra marathons but also orchestrating some seriously awesome races!

Chris takes us on his unexpected journey from the gridiron to the grueling world of ultras, sharing how he discovered...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're strapping on our headlamps and hitting the trails with Nick Bianchini, a true force of nature who went from battling wildfires to crushing ultra marathons! 🔥

Nick's journey is a wild ride, and he's not holding back. We're talking about how he traded the smoke and flames for sweat and dirt, using running as his escape and his freedom. He opens up about his battles with ad...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're hanging out with Katie Baksa, a total rockstar who's gone from kicking soccer balls to crushing marathons (like, Olympic Trials level crushing!). But her story isn't just about speed and PRs; it's a hilarious and inspiring look at a messy, beautiful journey of a runner who's not afraid to chase big dreams (and maybe stumble a little along the way - that humbling 5K story is gold!).

Katie...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're diving deep into the heart of the trail running community with a very special guest: Terry Chiplin, the driving force behind the US Trail Running Conference!

Terry shares his personal and inspiring journey into running, from his childhood in England to the transformative landscapes of Colorado. We'll hear about the spark that ignited his passion for the sport and how that passion...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're joined by Kristian Morgan, an ultra runner whose journey is nothing short of epic. And get this – he currently holds the second fastest time in BOTH directions on the Appalachian Trail and he's going back in 2025 for another attempt!

Kristian takes us on his incredible adventure, from tackling the legendary Appalachian Trail to his relentless pursuit of the Fastest Known Time (FK...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're joined by the incredibly inspiring Lindsey Sexton, a two-time No Business 100 finisher whose journey proves that strength and resilience can conquer any obstacle.

Lindsey takes us on her remarkable path, from her early days starting a cross-country team in high school to facing down breast cancer and emerging to complete ultra marathons. We'll hear about her motivations, the chal...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're bringing you an extraordinary live update from the road! We're checking in with Kallup McCoy II, an inspiring indigenous runner who's embarking on an epic journey across America, a feat accomplished by few indigenous runners since 1928.

Kallup is sharing the raw, real-time experience of this incredible endeavor. We'll hear about the challenges he's facing, the unwaver...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're joined by Alec Cline, an ultra runner who just has the fastest 50 mile top performance time currently this year.

Alec's journey is a wild ride, and he's sharing all the details. We're talking about the switch from pavement pounding to trail racing, the mind-bending challenges of ultra racing, and how he learned to push through the pain when his body was screaming "ST...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're joined by the one and only Michael Wardian, an endurance athlete who's not just a runner, he's a legend. He holds multiple FKT's and American Records.

Michael takes us on his incredible journey, from his early days hitting the pavement to becoming a record-breaking ultra marathoner. We'll dive into his experiences at iconic races like the Boston Marathon, the brutal Badwater, and the his...

Alright, buckle up, Dirt and Vert listeners! This week, we're chatting with a badass ultra runner who just crushed the Southern States 200, taking home third overall and leaving them in the dust. That's right, we're talking about the incredible Ashlie Ithurburn!

Ashlie's journey is a wild ride, and she's taking us all the way from those "boring" old road races to the gritty, glorious world of ultra mara...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're diving deep into the world of grit and camaraderie with Cory Clark, a runner whose journey proves that transformation is always within reach.

Cory takes us from his high school athletic days to his full-blown love affair with ultra running, a world where mental fortitude is just as crucial as physical endurance. We talk about the challenges he's faced, from battling injuries to p...