Start Where You Are Running and Ultrarunning

Erin Quinn
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Running
  • Updated Weekly

This show helps new ultrarunners get to their first or their next ultramarathon start line. Erin loves everything ultra and will get you inspired to get out and start training for your first 50K or 50 miler or even 200+ mile distance with her tales from the trail.

  1. 4d ago

    Episode 29. Iron Deficiency In Endurance Athletes: What You Need to Know

    Iron Deficiency in Endurance Athletes — What You Need to Know Somewhere along the ultramarathon journey, host Erin Quinn lost sight of one crucial metric: iron. In this episode, she dives deep into iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia among endurance athletes — especially female runners, up to 45% of whom may be affected. Erin breaks down why iron matters (hint: it's tied directly to oxygen delivery and performance), how endurance training accelerates iron loss through hemolysis, sweat, and inflammation, and why menstruating and plant-based athletes face even greater risk. She also shares her own wake-up call — a summer of unexplained fatigue, heart palpitations, and hills that suddenly felt impossible — that led to a shocking blood test result. You'll learn the symptoms to watch for, the difference between iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia, how it's diagnosed, and what treatment options (from dietary changes to supplements to infusions) look like. Knowledge is power — don't let iron be the blind spot in your training. Start where you are, but make sure you start. Follow Erin Quinn, @erinquinnultraruncoach for more tips and training and everything Ultra. To contact Erin and learn more about her 1:1 online ultrarunning coaching go to erinmaryquinn.com or just shoot her an email at erinmaryquinn@gmail.com She'd love to hear your thoughts, comments, and any stories you'd like to share or topics you're interested in having her cover on the podcast. Start Where You Are, But Start!

  2. Sep 2

    Episode 28. The Power of the S.O.S. and Race Reports!

    In this episode, host Erin Quinn takes you inside her fourth finish of the legendary Survival of the Shawangunk's (SOS )— a grueling triathlon combining a 30-mile road bike, three lake swims, and nearly 20 miles of trail running through the mountains of New Paltz, NY. Erin shares an honest, in-the-moment race recap, including an unexpected battle with IT band and hip flexor pain from mile one, and the mental tools she used to keep moving forward anyway. Beyond the race story, Erin breaks down why keeping a training log and writing a post-race report is one of the most valuable tools in an endurance athlete's toolbox. She walks through how to set both performance and process goals, how to reframe negative thoughts mid-race, and how rooting for other runners can lift your own performance. Whether you're prepping for your first ultramarathon or your fiftieth, this episode is packed with real, practical mindset strategies for showing up on race day — messy training and all. For 1:1 coaching inquiries you can reach out to Erin via email erinmaryquinn@gmail.com or on her website erinmaryquinn.com For a link to her Race Report Forms she provides to athletes just click here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BQB_k4QIzmOL3HzjxqRiIiCGcgZPh3U2thF-qGCnuAM/edit?usp=sharing

  3. Aug 26

    Episode 27. How to Handle the Taper Tantrums

    Taper time can feel like an emotional rollercoaster — exciting one minute, anxiety-inducing the next. In this episode, ultrarunning coach Erin Quinn breaks down five practical strategies to help you navigate the mental side of tapering before a big race: proof (looking back at your training log for confidence), positive self-talk (reframing fear and self-doubt), projects and people (using extra time and energy wisely), performance enhancers (understanding adrenaline, nerves, and those weird pre-race twinges), and practice gratitude (a mindset shift that works whether you're feeling great or terrified). Drawing on her experience as a 15-time ultramarathon finisher and coach, Erin shares personal stories — from prepping for the Bigfoot 200 to dealing with mysterious pre-race injuries — and reminds listeners that no matter how race day goes, who you become through the training process is what really matters. Whether you're gearing up for your first ultra or your fiftieth, this episode will help you handle the taper tantrums with more confidence and calm. If you want to schedule a discovery call for Erin's 1:1 Ultrarunning Coaching you can reach out to her at erinmaryquinn@gmail.com or go to her website at erinmaryquinn.com Start Where You Are, But Start!

  4. Aug 19

    Episode 26. Back to School, Back to You!

    It's back-to-school season, and coach Erin Quinn is here to help you channel that "clean slate" energy into your own goals. In this episode, Erin gets personal about how trail and ultrarunning became her lifeline through the hardest parts of parenting — from the anxiety of that first school bus to dropping her kids off at college. She shares how running gave her an outlet, a community, and a sense of identity beyond being a mom, and makes the case that investing in your own training is one of the best things you can model for your kids. Whether you're aiming for your first 5K or your next ultra, Erin offers real talk and encouragement to help you pick a goal, put it on the calendar, and start where you are — this September.

  5. Aug 12

    Episode 25. Doing Hard Things (and Doing them Again!)

    Episode 25: Doing Hard Things (and Doing Them Again) Coming to you live from the beach on her birthday, ultrarunning coach Erin Quinn tackles a myth that trips up even the toughest endurance athletes: that once you've conquered a hard thing, it gets easier. It doesn't. Erin unpacks the physiology and psychology behind repeatedly choosing discomfort — from her own training for the Survival of the Shawangunks Triathlon to lessons from athletes who've run 100-plus miles and still show up nervous at the start line. Along the way, she talks about why getting outside and moving in nature matters more than ever, what she calls "deepening the toughness groove," the role failure plays in building resilience, and why gratitude for what your body can do beats obsessing over how it looks. Plus, stories from Cocodona 250, the Bigfoot 200, and a mantra that carried her through 200+ miles: "You have everything inside you that you need." Start where you are. But make sure you start. If you're interested in Erin's 1:1 online coaching you can contact her at erinmaryquinn@gmail.com or at @erinquinnultraruncoach or at erinmaryquinn.com

  6. Aug 5

    Episode 24. Run by Feel: Why RPE Is the Ultimate Metric for Ultrarunners

    Ever felt like you were flying on a run — only to check your watch and discover you were barely moving? That's exactly what happened to host and ultrarunning coach Erin Quinn at mile 189 of the Bigfoot 200. She felt like she was running a 9-minute mile. She was running a 14. And that moment perfectly illustrates why RPE — Rate of Perceived Exertion — might be the most powerful training tool you're not fully using. In this episode, Erin breaks down what RPE is, where it came from (shoutout to Swedish researcher Gunnar Borg and his 1960s effort scale), and why it outperforms heart rate and pace for trail runners and ultramarathoners. Because when you're 80 miles into a race, climbing at altitude in the heat, with your quads breaking down and your stomach turning — your watch can't tell you what your body already knows. You'll learn: Why heart rate monitors and pace data fall apart on trails and in ultrasThe 1–10 RPE scale and what each zone actually feels like (including Erin's "ugly running" zone 10)How heat, altitude, fatigue, and even an annoying text message can throw off your data — but not your perceived effortWhy RPE gives athletes a sense of autonomy and body awareness that no metric can replaceHow to apply RPE to summer training when heat and humidity are tanking your pace and spiking your heart rateErin also draws a surprising parallel between RPE and ditching the scale — and shares why she hasn't known her own weight in 15 years. Whether you're coming back from injury, deep in ultramarathon training, or just trying to survive August runs in the humidity, this episode will help you tune into the metric that matters most: how hard you are actually working, on that day, in that body. Start where you are — and trust what you feel. Interested in one-on-one coaching with Erin? Reach out at erinmaryquinn@gmail.com or find her on Instagram @ErinQuinnUltrarunCoach.

  7. Jul 29

    Episode 23. Good Enough is Great: The Real Secret to Ultramarathon Training

    The Perfect Ultramarathon Training Plan (Spoiler: There Isn't One) Wouldn't it be nice if you could follow a flawless training plan from start to finish and arrive at the start line perfectly prepared? Coach Erin Quinn is here to tell you the truth: life happens — and that's okay. In this episode, Erin breaks down the three things that will actually make your ultramarathon training as strong as it can be: A plan built for you — your base fitness, your goals, your lifestyleConsistency — showing up 80–85% of the time beats heroic one-off performances every timeWriting down your wins — learning to reframe setbacks as progressErin shares stories from her own 100-miler training block (back spasms, a last-minute trip to NCAA swim nationals, and more), plus real wins from her athletes navigating nerve flare-ups, sharp knee pain, extreme heat, and altitude — and how they all made it to the start line anyway. Whether you're training for your first 50K or your fifteenth ultra, this episode will help you give yourself some grace — and remind you that the most important thing is to start where you are. Erin encourages listeners to reach out to her with comments at erinmaryquinn.com (or leave them here!) If you're interested in applying for her 1:1 coaching you can reach her at that same email address to set up a free consult, or go to her website at erinmaryquinn.com or message her on Instagram @erinquinnultraruncoach

  8. Jul 22

    Episode 22. The S.O.S. Survival of the Shawangunk's

    What if the most meaningful race of your life wasn't the biggest one — but the one closest to home? In this episode, host Erin Quinn celebrates the 40th anniversary of the SOS — Survival of the Shawangunk's — a one-of-a-kind grassroots triathlon in New Paltz, New York that goes bike, run, swim, run, swim, run, swim, run through some of the most stunning terrain in the Northeast. Erin shares the full story: the race's origins with founder Don Davis, her years of watching from the sidelines as a journalist and fan, her humbling first attempt at the Cape Cod offshoot (complete with a cop car sweeping her in dead last on the bike), a sprained ankle two weeks before race day, and the moment she finally crossed the finish line and heard the words — "You are a survivor." This one is for anyone who has ever stood on the outside of something intimidating and wondered, "Could I actually do that?" In this episode: What makes the SOS unlike any other triathlon in the worldThe history of a 40-year community institutionTraining on borrowed bikes, clip-in shoe disasters, and humble pieWhy local, grassroots events deserve your supportHow to work your weaknesses and do something scary🔗 Learn more: [sostriathlon.com The GunksCast with Jeff Weiss & Glenn Lapolt, specifically they're deep dive into the race, its history and competitors in Episodes 1-9 [thegunkscast.com]📧 Coaching inquiries: erinmaryquinn@gmail.com | or on her website at erinmaryquinn.com

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About

This show helps new ultrarunners get to their first or their next ultramarathon start line. Erin loves everything ultra and will get you inspired to get out and start training for your first 50K or 50 miler or even 200+ mile distance with her tales from the trail.

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