Run The Riot Podcast
Run The Riot Podcast is a podcast dedicated to ultrarunning, ultra runners, trail runners, and endurance athletes, their mindset, methods, and accomplishments. Check out our website at http://www.theriot.run Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runtheriotpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/runtheriot
Episodes
February 7, 2026 • 79 mins
In this episode of the Run the Riot Podcast, David sits down with ultrarunner Melanie Mathews for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about grit, setbacks, and what it really takes to stay in the game of ultrarunning.
Melanie’s running story starts long before ultra racing. Growing up on a Nebraska farm, she learned hard work, discipline, and toughness early—qualities that later carried her from road races to trail running and in...
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January 28, 2026 • 18 mins
In this episode of the Run the Riot podcast, David Theriot discusses the common trap of waiting until one feels ready to take action. He emphasizes that readiness is often a feeling that can delay progress, and instead encourages listeners to take action to build momentum. Through personal anecdotes and examples from ultra running, he illustrates how starting small can lead to significant changes and growth. The episode serves as a...
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January 24, 2026 • 76 mins
In this episode of Run the Riot, David sits down with Katie Gunvalson, an ultrarunner known less for traditional races and more for her relentless pursuit of Fastest Known Time (FKT) efforts. Katie shares her journey from road marathons to multi-day ultrarunning challenges that test not just fitness, but resilience, problem-solving, and mental toughness.
Katie opens up about repeatedly falling short on major FKT attempts — inclu...
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January 16, 2026 • 60 mins
On this episode of the Run the Riot Podcast, ultrarunner and coach David Theriot sits down with Chris Avery, an ultrarunner on a mission that sounds impossible at first glance: running an ultra marathon every day for an entire year while circumnavigating the perimeter of the United States.
What makes Chris’s story so compelling isn’t just the miles — it’s how it all started. No running background. No love for the sport. Just a wil...
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January 14, 2026 • 15 mins
In this episode of the Run the Riot Podcast, we discuss the concept of the 'pain cave' in ultra running, inspired by a conversation with Philip Klinkner. We emphasize the importance of mental preparation and creating a supportive environment before facing challenging races. We share insights on how to mentally prepare for tough moments, using mantras, motivational quotes, and past successes to build resilience. We encourage listene...
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January 10, 2026 • 73 mins
In this episode, we catch up with ultrarunner Phillip Klinkner, a blue-collar beast who’s chasing big goals, grinding out tough training blocks, and trusting the process as he heads into a huge year of ultra racing. From battling brutal foot issues at Hennepin 100, to a breakout 17:10 performance at the Dreadmill 100, to planning an all-out push for 200 miles at Last Dot Standing — Phil is on a mission.
You’ll hear us talk trainin...
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December 31, 2025 • 19 mins
The Skill Every Ultrarunner Needs in the New Year
The start of a new year brings motivation, fresh goals, and big plans—but for ultrarunners, that energy can be a double-edged sword.
In this episode of the Run the Riot Podcast, we talk about one of the most important (and overlooked) skills in ultrarunning: training patience. This isn’t about doing less—it’s about doing the right things at the right time so you can stay healthy, ...
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December 23, 2025 • 13 mins
Life doesn’t always give us a choice in what happens — but it does give us a choice in how we respond.
In this Midweek Motivation, we talk about what it really means to choose joy, even when life feels heavy. Not pretending things are easy. Not ignoring pain. But choosing gratitude, perspective, and faith in the middle of hard circumstances.
This message is a reminder that joy isn’t a feeling reserved for perfect seasons. It’s a ...
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December 20, 2025 • 66 mins
Jeff “Bronco Billy” Browning returns to the Run the Riot podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on staying competitive in ultrarunning for decades, not just seasons. From rebuilding after tendonitis to preparing for Cocodona 250 and another run at Western States, Jeff shares practical insight every ultrarunner and ultrarunning coach can learn from.
This episode covers what it really takes to manage big ultra racing goals, recov...
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December 7, 2025 • 64 mins
This week on the Run the Riot Podcast, we’re hanging out with ultrarunner Mason Phillips — and what a story this guy brings to the trail! From growing up in California to working remote trail systems in Alaska, Mason’s path to ultrarunning is as rugged and adventurous as the mountains he trains in. At just 26, he’s already crushed a 100-miler at Rio Del Lago and took on the monster that is the Moab 240 — and did it with grit, creat...
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November 19, 2025 • 15 mins
This week, we’re talking about something most of us don’t slow down long enough to consider — identity. Not the surface-level kind. The deep, heart-level “who am I, really?” kind.
A moment at a men’s retreat opened my eyes to how quickly we define ourselves (and others) by what we do. Someone called me “the ultra guy,” and while that’s part of my story, it’s not who I am. That pushed me into some honest reflection.
In this episod...
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November 17, 2025 • 80 mins
Chad Bruce is back on the podcast, and this time he’s fresh off the Mammoth 200 — 200+ miles through the high country of the Eastern Sierras. From long stretches of soul-sucking gravel to alpine climbs and a thunderstorm finish that tested every ounce of grit, Chad takes us inside what it really takes to finish a race like this at age 52.
We talk about how his training has shifted with age, what gear and nutrition worked (and what...
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November 12, 2025 • 11 mins
Welcome back, friends! After a busy season, it’s time for a reset. Today isn’t about perfection — it’s about taking the next step.
What we talk about:
When life gets full and priorities shift
Why stopping for a season doesn’t mean failure
Recap: a powerful men’s retreat and lessons on identity
Family updates (Jennifer’s knee surgery + travel softball chaos)
Why the Heartland 100 got pushed — and why th...
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September 30, 2025 • 78 mins
In this episode of Run the Riot, we reconnect with Peter Defty, a pioneering force behind the fat-adapted movement in endurance sports. Peter is the man behind Vespa and OFM (Optimized Fat Metabolism), and today, he shares powerful insights into how ultrarunners can unlock performance, recover faster, and sustain longevity by training their bodies to burn fat as a primary fuel source.
We dive into:
Peter’s first 100-miler at ...
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September 19, 2025 • 74 mins
In this episode of Run the Riot, ultrarunner Andrea Moore shares how a post-Boston road runner became a desert-loving, mountain-climbing 200-miler—finding joy, grit, and community along the way. We talk about the fire-shortened Oregon 200 experience, redemption arcs at Moab 240 and Tahoe 200, and what it really takes—physically, logistically, mentally—to string together Cocodona 250, Monster 300, and Summit 200. Andrea opens up abo...
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September 3, 2025 • 14 mins
Ever feel stuck? Like you’ve drifted too far off course and don’t know how to get back?
In this Midweek Motivation, we talk about the power of one sentence — and how it can be the spark that changes everything. Inspired by Run the Riot athlete Phil Klinkner, this short episode unpacks the moment he stood still in the woods, took a deep breath, and said out loud:“Something has to change.”
Whether you’re battling self-doubt, stuc...
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August 29, 2025 • 71 mins
In this episode of Run the Riot, we sit down with Christopher Ange from Sulphur, Louisiana. Chris shares his journey from growing up in Lake Charles surrounded by Cajun and Sicilian culture to becoming a passionate ultrarunner and race director.
We talk about:
His early days running the Crescent City Classic with his dad.
Pacing a friend at his first 50K and discovering the trail running community.
Founding the No...
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August 22, 2025 • 83 mins
In this episode of Run the Riot, we dive deep into the powerful story of Phil Klinkner, an everyday guy with an extraordinary mindset. From growing up with the nickname "Fatty" to transforming into a determined ultrarunner who finished the Badger 100, Phil’s journey is raw, real, and undeniably inspiring.
Phil opens up about:
His early days growing up in a trailer park in Wisconsin
Discovering confidence through martial...
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August 12, 2025 • 18 mins
Feeling stuck in your training? Wondering if all those miles and early mornings are actually getting you anywhere?
In this episode of Midweek Motivation, I’ll remind you that you’re further than you think — in running and in life.
We’ll talk about:
Why progress often feels invisible until you look back
How to recognize the ground you’ve already covered
The “messy middle” and why it’s where strength is built
...
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July 12, 2025 • 82 mins
This week on the Run the Riot Podcast, we’re joined by ultrarunner and ultrarunning coach Jackson Wolf, fresh off the legendary Badwater 135. We catch up with Jackson as he bounces between major ultras, pacing gigs, and planning his next adventures, including new races with Rougarou Running.
Jackson shares:
• A raw recap of his 2024 Badwater 135 experience
• Thoughts on struggling with sleep deprivation at Badwater, despite succ...
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