The Midpacker Podcast Freetrail - Hosted by Troy Meadows

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.



Looking for 1:1 Ultra Running Coaching? Check out Troy’s Coaching Page HERE



You can now support the MidPacker Pod on ⁠Patreon⁠.



Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.



Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? ⁠LINK HERE⁠



"If I say, okay, I'm not going to take on this race because I'm just going to wait for this to stop. I don't know when it's going to stop. So there's no point."



In this episode Troy Meadows talks with Jen Laughlin.

Jen is a mom, marketer, trail runner, and social media manager for Aravaipa and Squirrel's Nut Butter. She shares her journey into trail running and ultra distances, as well as her passion for engaging with the trail running community. Jen's work with social media started with Dirtbag Runners and Squirrel's Nut Butter, where she offered her services for free. She later joined Aravaipa and Run Steep Get High as a social media manager. Jen's enthusiasm and genuine support for others have made her a valuable asset to these brands. Jen discusses her experience as a mother and how she balances parenting with her running goals. She shares that while she is a competitive person by nature, she prioritizes being present for her children and doesn't focus on achieving top race times. Jen also opens up about her physical challenges due to perimenopause, including weight gain, sleep issues, and pain. Despite these challenges, she remains determined to continue running and participating in races. In this final part of the conversation, Jen and Troy discuss the challenges of menopause and how it affects running. They talk about the importance of giving oneself grace during this time and the need for more research on hormone replacement therapy. Jen shares how her running has changed and how she has embraced a slower pace. They also discuss their favorite craft beers and trails in the Phoenix area.



Jens Links

IG - @jenlaughlin_18

@squirls_nut_butter

@aravaiparunning



Things we talked about on the show

Coldwater Rumble

Javelina Jangover

IG - @DirtBagRunners

Black Canyon 100k

Squirrel’s Nut Butter

Chris Thornley

Aravaipa

Run Steep Get High

Mogollon Monster

Tusheers 100k 

Altitude RX

Church Music From the Shop

Hazy Little Things

Made West Hazy 

Burial Bear

Find Your Burial Bear Name

Fonta Flora Brewery

Skyline Regional Park

Verrado Stairs - Victory Steps

If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.



Sponsor Links: 



Run Trail Life⁠

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.



⁠Freetrail⁠ 

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.



MidPacker Pod Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠

Troy Meadows Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠Strava⁠

Freetrail Links:⁠ Freetrail Pro⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠YouTube





Jen Laughlin, marketer, trail runner, social media manager, AeroVipa, Squirrel's Nut Butter, Dirtbag Runners, Run Steep Get High, engagement, community, motherhood, parenting, balancing responsibilities, running, competitive mindset, perimenopause, physical challenges, menopause, challenges, running, grace, hormone replacement therapy, slower pace, craft beer, Phoenix area

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.



Looking for 1:1 Ultra Running Coaching? Check out Troy’s Coaching Page HERE



You can now support the MidPacker Pod on ⁠Patreon⁠.



Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.



Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? ⁠LINK HERE⁠



"I got to run a Horton race while it's still a Horton race and Promised Land is kind of his baby."



In this episode, Troy Meadows and Matt Van Delsem AKA MVD discuss Troy's preparation for the Promised Land 50K race and the history of the event. 

They also highlight the Annual Freetail Memorial Day fundraiser that is centered around Freetrail member Ari Sonnenberg and the Endurance Feat he does every year on Memorial Day Weekend to honor the fallen soldiers in his life.  The fundraiser supports the Wounded Warrior Project and this year there is a big focus to align with running brands that are doing Memorial Day sales to support the cause.

In the second part of the show they unpack all things Promise Land. The race is known for its old-school vibe and challenging course, with over 7,000 feet of elevation gain. They mention the legendary race director, David Horton, who has a long list of accomplishments in the ultra running world. The conversation covers past winners and course records, and Troy expresses his excitement for participating in the race. Troy discusses the Promise Land 50K race and his goals for the event. He talks about the technicality of the course and the challenges it presents. Troy shares his training approach and his plan to enjoy the race as a long training run for future events. He discusses his nutrition strategy and the importance of staying hydrated.

Success for Troy is defined by enjoying the race, engaging with the ultra running community, and finishing in good shape.



MEMORIAL DAY FUNDRAISER LINKS

DONATE HERE

Ari’s Links 

Episode #9 of the Midpacker Pod

Apple

Spotify

Freetrail Articles:

Remembrance

Austerity and Endurance: Dutch Mt Trail FKT

Sitting With Consciousness



Things we talked about on the show.

Promise Land

Hell Gate

GrindStone 100 miler



Dave Horton

Clark Zealand



Troy’s Nutrition for Promise Land

Gu Roctane Sumit Tea

Precision Hydration

Torq

Spring Awesome Sauce



If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.



Sponsor Links: 

⁠Run Trail Life⁠

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.

⁠Freetrail⁠ 

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.



MidPacker Pod Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠

Troy Meadows Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠Strava⁠

Freetrail Links:⁠ Freetrail Pro⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠YouTube



Promised Land 50K, race preparation, Wounded Warrior Project, fallen soldiers, old-school vibe, challenging course, David Horton, race history, past winners, course records, Promise Land 50K, race goals, course technicality, swag, training approach, nutrition strategy, hydration, success

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.

Looking for 1:1 Ultra Running Coaching? Check out Troy’s Coaching Page HERE

You can now support the MidPacker Pod on ⁠Patreon⁠.

Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.

Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? ⁠LINK HERE⁠



"I started getting messages from a lot of other guys and dads who were like, hey man, I love seeing somebody who looks like me."

Today on the pod Troy Meadows sits down with Chris Morrison, a stay-at-home father, ultra runner, and content creator, shares his journey of sobriety and how running has played a role in his recovery. He started running in 2012 after completing rehab for alcoholism and found it to be a healthy goal to pursue. Initially focused on road races and PR times, Chris eventually discovered the world of ultra running and trail running, which allowed him to prioritize the joy of running and being in nature over performance. 

As a content creator, Chris documents his running journey on Instagram, where he has built a community of like-minded individuals, particularly fathers and larger runners, who appreciate his relatable and authentic content. In this part of the conversation, Troy and Chris discuss the relatability of Chris's running videos and the experiences of being a runner. They also touch on the topic of women's safety while running and the different perspectives and experiences that people have. 

Chris shares his experience of being voted the best pacer in the world and talks about his role as a pacer in races. They also talk about the Man Against Horse race and the unique format of humans and horses competing against each other.

Chris Morrison shares his experience of running ultras and his upcoming goal of running his first 100-mile race. He discusses the challenges and rewards of trail running, the importance of training and preparation, and the mindset needed to overcome low points during a race.

Chris emphasizes that ultra running is accessible to everyone, regardless of their athletic background or time constraints.

He encourages others to pursue their goals and reminds them that it's never too late to start.



Chris’s Links

IG - @chrismorrison_runs



Things we talked about on the showUltraSignup Best Pacer

Michelle Schroff - @waddellrunninglady

Aravaipa 

Pass Mt 50k

Whiskey Basin

Man Against Horse 50 miler

Pete Mortimer - @pjmortimer

Burro Days

Saddles 100

If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.

Sponsor Links: 

⁠Run Trail Life⁠

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.

⁠Freetrail⁠ 

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.



MidPacker Pod Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠

Troy Meadows Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠Strava⁠

Freetrail Links:⁠ Freetrail Pro⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠YouTube



Chris Morrison, stay-at-home father, ultra runner, content creator, sobriety, running journey, road races, PR times, ultra running, trail running, nature, Instagram, community, relatable, authentic, running, relatability, women's safety, pacer, Man Against Horse race, ultra running, trail running, 100-mile race, training, preparation, mindset, accessibility

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.



Looking for 1:1 Ultra Running Coaching? Check out Troy’s Coaching Page HERE



You can now support the MidPacker Pod on ⁠Patreon⁠.



Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.



Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? ⁠LINK HERE



⁠In Episode 2 of Trailing Indicators Corinne Shalvoy, Troy Meadows, and Matt Van Dalsem discuss various topics related to trail and ultrarunning from the perspective of their position in the pack Front, Middle, and Back respectively.

They share their personal approaches to setting goals, including time-based goals and mindset goals. They also discuss the importance of adjusting goals during a race and staying mentally strong. When it comes to fueling, they talk about their individual preferences and strategies, including homemade nutrition, aid station options, and experimenting with different fueling methods.

They emphasize the importance of knowing yourself and finding what works best for you. In this conversation, the speakers discuss their approaches to fueling during long-distance races. They share their strategies for consuming calories and carbohydrates per hour, as well as their preferences for different types of fuel, such as gels, bars, and liquid calories. They also discuss the importance of training their stomachs to handle different fueling strategies and the need for experimentation during long training runs.

The speakers also touch on the topic of drop bags and offer tips for packing essential items, such as extra batteries, headlamps, anti-nausea medicine, and sunscreen. They emphasize the importance of being self-sufficient and having a backup plan in case the aid station options don't work out.

Finally, they remind listeners to be respectful and patient with aid station volunteers and to not let any issues with drop bags ruin their race experience.



Corinne’s Links

@corinne_shalvoyage

Corinnes’s Coaching Page



Troy’s Links

@troyontherun

Troyontherun.com

Troy’s Ultra Coaching Page



MVD Links

@mvd_trailrunner



If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.



Sponsor Links: 

⁠Run Trail Life⁠ - Run Trail Life Brings you casual apparel that lets you show off your love of trail running and ultrarunning while giving back to ensure that everyone has access to the beauty of nature for generations to come. With each item purchased, we donate $1 to Runners for Public Lands.

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.



⁠Freetrail⁠ - Bring Trail Culture with you everywhere you go and join an amazing community of extraordinary trail runners. Freetrail Pro membership is just $96 a year, giving you access to the Freetrail Slack community, training plans, weekly office hours, and so much more. 

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.



MidPacker Pod Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠

Troy Meadows Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠Strava⁠

Freetrail Links:⁠ Freetrail Pro⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠YouTube



race day goal setting, race day nutrition, fueling strategies, time-based goals, mindset goals, adjusting goals, mental strength, homemade nutrition, aid station options, individual preferences, fueling, long-distance races, calories per hour, carbohydrates per hour, gels, bars, liquid calories, training, stomach training, experimentation, drop bags, essential items, self-sufficiency, backup plan, aid stations, respect, patience

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.

Looking for 1:1 Ultra Running Coaching? Check out Troy’s Coaching Page HERE

You can now support the MidPacker Pod on ⁠Patreon⁠.

Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.

Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? ⁠LINK HERE⁠

In this episode Troy Meadows talks with Brooks Bash.Brooks shares his running journey, including his transition from triathlon to trail running and his aha moment when he fell in love with trail running. He also discusses his experience of running 100 marathons in 100 days as a way to promote his startup, Earthy. Brooks talks about the challenges in the supplement industry and the mission of Earthy to provide clean and transparent organic supplements. Brooks Bash discusses his journey to completing 100 marathons in 100 days to raise money for Earthy, and the mental and physical challenges he faced. He also shares his upcoming participation in the Speed Project, the Unsanctioned Race from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. He also talks about the importance of managing all aspects of life and the support he receives from his partner. Brooks emphasizes the value of therapy in maintaining a healthy relationship and finding balance. He shares his plans for future challenges, including the John Muir Trail and the Grand Canyon, and encourages listeners to follow their own passions and listen to their inner calling.

Takeaways


Transitioning from one sport to another can lead to unexpected passions and opportunities.


The supplement industry lacks regulation, and it is important to prioritize transparency and integrity when creating products.


Setting ambitious goals and breaking them down into smaller, manageable steps can lead to incredible achievements.


Support from loved ones and the community is crucial in pursuing challenging endeavors.


Finding balance between work, family, and personal passions is an ongoing process.





Brooks Links 

IG - @brooksbash

Earthy Energy

- USE CODE MIDPACKER FOR 25% OFF -



West Coast Tour Canada to Mexico

100 marathons in 100 days

LA Marathon

The Speed Project

JMT

Grand Canyon R2R2R

Fastest Known Time

Santa Monica Mt.

If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.

Sponsor Links: 

⁠Run Trail Life⁠ - Run Trail Life Brings you casual apparel that lets you show off your love of trail running and ultrarunning while giving back to ensure that everyone has access to the beauty of nature for generations to come. With each item purchased, we donate $1 to Runners for Public Lands.

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.



⁠Freetrail⁠ - Bring Trail Culture with you everywhere you go and join an amazing community of extraordinary trail runners. Freetrail Pro membership is just $96 a year, giving you access to the Freetrail Slack community, training plans, weekly office hours, and so much more. 

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.



MidPacker Pod Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠

Troy Meadows Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠Strava⁠

Freetrail Links:⁠ Freetrail Pro⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠YouTube

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.

Looking for 1:1 Ultra Running Coaching? Check out Troy’s Coaching Page HERE

You can now support the MidPacker Pod on ⁠Patreon⁠.

Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.

Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? ⁠LINK HERE



⁠In this episode, Troy Meadows interviews Andy Pearson, VP of Creative at Liquid Death. They discuss Andy's journey to running, his high-pressure job, and the balance between work and family life. 

They also delve into Andy's unique approach to creativity and how Liquid Death's unconventional marketing strategies have garnered attention. Andy shares his perspective on dealing with negative feedback and the importance of creating joy in everything they do. Andy Pearson discusses how he balances training with his responsibilities as a parent, work and getting in his training. He also shares his experience of orienteering with his son and the impact it has had on their relationship. 

The conversation then shifts to the Barkley Marathons and the unique challenges it presents. Finally, Andy talks about the Vol State race and the support he received from road angels along the way. In this conversation, Andy Pearson discusses the dangers of running Vol State and shares his experiences running on country roads and the challenges of dealing with traffic. He discusses his excitement for Western States and the coincidence of both him and Dom getting selected in the lottery.

They also discuss Between Two Pines the Trail Running Comedy Podcast that Andy does with Dom Grossman and the fun they are having rifting with the guests that they have on each month.

He also mentions his idea for a fundraising event, running 100 miles by completing laps on a dirt path in a park to support his daughter's preschool.



Takeaways


Andy's journey to running started later in life, and he found success in ultra running despite not having a background in track or cross country.


Creativity is Andy's superpower, and he approaches it by being counterintuitive and contrarian.




Dealing with negative feedback is part of the process, and it can be used as fuel for improvement.




Orienteering can be a fun and engaging activity to do with children, fostering a love for adventure and navigation.


The Barkley Marathons is a grueling and unconventional race that tests participants both physically and mentally.




Training for Western States can be challenging, and injuries can impact preparation.




Fundraising through running can be a creative way to support local organizations.





Andy’s Links

IG @ievenshotthis

IG @betweentwopinespodcast



Things we talked about in the show

Liquid Death

Death Dust

Liquid Death Snowboard Bit

Barkley MarathonsVol State Race

Hots

Western States

Between 2 Pines

B2P Episode with Craig Thornley

Ray Miller Trail -  Pt. Magu SP Malibu CA



If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.



Sponsor Links: 

⁠Run Trail Life⁠ - Run Trail Life Brings you casual apparel that lets you show off your love of trail running and ultrarunning while giving back to ensure that everyone has access to the beauty of nature for generations to come. With each item purchased, we donate $1 to Runners for Public Lands.

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.



⁠Freetrail⁠ - Bring Trail Culture with you everywhere you go and join an amazing community of extraordinary trail runners. Freetrail Pro membership is just $96 a year, giving you access to the Freetrail Slack community, training plans, weekly office hours, and so much more. 

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.



MidPacker Pod Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠

Troy Meadows Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠Website