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. 2d ago

    Episode 15. The Forever Athlete

    Host Erin Quinn, a professional ultrarunning and USA Swim coach and 14-time ultramarathon finisher, unpacks the “aging athlete” conversation by reframing it as the adult or “forever” athlete and arguing that age is one limiting factor—not the factor—while attitude is often the biggest limiter. She shares her own journey through chronic injury, pregnancy and postpartum years, raising three kids, and slowly returning to trails, emphasizing not comparing yourself to a younger self or others and resisting shortcuts and performance-enhancing-drug hype aimed at middle-aged athletes. Quinn highlights advantages of age—trial and error, perspective, experience, knowledge, curiosity, and sometimes more time—and encourages gratitude, self-assessment, and building performance through sleep, hydration, electrolytes, nutrition, strength training, and smarter training to pursue goals from a first 50K to age-group success. To apply to train with Erin for her 1:1 online run coaching go to www.erinmaryquinn.com To contact her, ask a question, leave a comment go to erinmaryquinn@gmail.com Start Where You Are, But Start!

    20 min

  2. May 27

    Episode 14. The Race I Don't Like to Talk About

    Erin Quinn has finished 14 ultramarathons — including the Moab 240 and Cocodona 250 — but race number 15 is the one she doesn't like to talk about. In this raw and deeply personal episode, Erin shares the full story of her DNF at the Tahoe 200: a 200-mile race around Lake Tahoe that she trained for despite recovering from a femoral stress fracture, battling severe altitude sickness starting at 7,600 feet, and running on little sleep after traveling across the country. From the first steps on the ski slopes of Heavenly, Nevada to a tearful phone call from a cheap motel room, Erin holds nothing back. This is the story of what it takes to toe the start line of a 200-mile race, what it feels like when everything falls apart, and how a DNF can still make you a better athlete — and a better coach. Whether you're an ultrarunner, an aspiring one, or you just know what it feels like to fall short of a big goal, this episode is for you. Start where you are — but make sure that you start. To inquire about Erin's 1:1 Ultrarunning Coaching email her at www.erinmaryquinn.com or on her website www.erinmaryquinn.com

    1h 12m

  3. May 20

    Episode 13. The Underrated Advantage-- Working your Weaknesses

    Episode 13: The Underrated Advantage — Working Your Weaknesses What if the thing you avoid most in training is exactly what will make you a stronger runner? In this episode of Start Where You Are: Running and Ultrarunning, host and professional ultrarunning coach Erin Quinn dives into one of the most overlooked aspects of endurance training: working your weaknesses. It's easy to default to what we're good at — but real growth happens outside the comfort zone. Erin shares her personal struggles and breakthroughs with heat training, speed work, hiking integration, strength training, and cross-training — and why each one made her a more resilient, well-rounded ultramarathon athlete. Whether you're training for your first 50K or your tenth 200-miler, this episode will challenge you to take an honest inventory of your weaknesses and turn them into your greatest competitive advantage. Topics covered: heat training · speed work · hiking · strength training · cross-training 🎙️ Coaching inquiries: erinmaryquinn@gmail.com | erinmaryquinn.com

    26 min

  4. May 17

    Bonus Episode: Spicy Takes on Cocodona 250

    **Spicy Takes on the Cocodona 250 | Bonus Episode In this bonus episode, host Erin Quinn digs into the historic 2025 Cocodona 250 — a 250-mile ultramarathon from Black Canyon City to Flagstaff, Arizona — and she has a lot to say. Rachel Entrekin won overall with a new course record of 56 hours and 9 minutes, becoming the three-time Coco Queen and making headlines on ESPN, CBS News, and the BBC. Erin breaks down the women's and men's fields, how her pre-race predictions held up (two out of three ain't bad), and the wild stories that unfolded across 250 miles of desert, mountains, and rock. This episode covers: Rachel Entrekin's record-breaking overall win and what it means for ultrarunningCourtney Dauwalter, Mika Thewes, Heather Jackson, Meg Eckert, and the stacked women's fieldDNFs from Cam Hanes, Manuela Valesca, and others — and Cam's raw podcast recapThe heartbreaking news of a runner's death mid-raceNavajo Nation runners Greg Secatero and Brandan Boxie making historyThe Mingus Basketball Association, (MBA) courtesy of the Distance to Empty podcastSix-time finishers Andy Glaze, Jeff Garmire, and moreScott Jurek, bone broth, and a vegan-carnivore pacer duoAnn Trason's moving tribute to Rachel's runA celebration of the grit, community, tragedy, and joy that makes ultrarunning unlike anything else. 🎧 Start Where You 'Are, But Start! To learn more about Erin's 1:1 Online Ultrarunning Coaching go to www.erinmaryquinn.com. If you want to send a comment or just say "hi," email her at erinmaryquinn@gmail.com

    30 min

  5. May 12

    Episode 11. Embrace the Suck

    Episode 11: Embrace the Suck Ever have one of those runs where nothing goes right — and it never gets better? Coach Erin Quinn is here to tell you those are the runs that matter most. In this episode, Erin breaks down the bad run — what it actually is, why it's different from a hard workout, and why every ultrarunner needs to collect a few of them. From legs that feel like cement pillars to bargaining with yourself on mile three, Erin shares the good, the bad, and the ugly of running when your body just didn't get the memo. You'll learn why finishing a terrible run builds the mental toughness that carries you through the lowest miles of an ultramarathon — and why the suffer bus might just be your best training tool. In this episode: What separates a bad run from a hard runHow bad runs build your "toughness groove"Why getting it done — no matter how slow or ugly — counts doubleErin's own recent suffer fest (hint: she thought about calling 911)Whether you're training for your first 50K or your tenth 100-miler, this one's for you. Start where you are — but start. To learn more about Erin's 1:1 online run coaching go to www.erinmaryquinn.com To contact her with comments or questions or just to say "hi," you can email her at erinmaryquinn@gmaill.com Follow her on social media @erinquinnultraruncoach

    15 min

  6. May 4

    Episode 10. The 5 C's of Ultrarunning

    Episode 10: The 5 C's of Ultrarunning What does it really take to become an ultrarunner? In this finale of the Beginning Ultrarunning series, host and professional ultrarunning coach Erin Quinn breaks down the five big dial movers she calls "The 5 C's" — Consistency, Comparison, Curiosity, Coaching, and Commitment. Erin gets real about what ultrarunning actually looks like: the blisters, the chafing, the cow dung, and the moments your body screams at you to stop — and why it's still one of the most beautiful, raw, and rewarding experiences you can have. She shares her own journey from barely crawling across a 50K finish line to completing the grueling Moab 240, and the mindset shifts that made it all possible. Whether you're lacing up for your first ultra or looking to level up your training, this episode will remind you that the trail doesn't care about your pace — it just asks you to show up. In this episode: Why consistency beats perfection every timeHow comparison steals your potential before you even beginThe questions that will keep you curious and in love with the sportWhy hiring a coach was Erin's single biggest game-changerWhat real commitment looks like, day in and day outStart where you are — but make sure that you start. You can learn more about Erin's 1:1 online run coaching at www.erinmaryquinn.com If you want to contact her directly she'd love to hear from you erinmaryquinn@gmail.com Follow her on Instagram or Facebook @erinquinnultraruncoach

    13 min

  7. Apr 30

    Cocodona 250 Race Preview & Report Special Episode

    Podcast Host, Erin Quinn, also an ultrarunner and ultrarun coach takes you through her Cocodona 250 race experience in 2024 while also previewing the 2026 course for runners, pacers, crew members and everyone who is interested in learning more about his 250-mile foot race from Black Canyon City to Flagstaff Arizona. This is a fun, unfiltered race preview and report that will get listeners edified and excited about the race. To learn more about Erin's 1:1 online ultrarunning coaching go to www.erinmaryquinn.com You can always reach out to her at erinmaryquinn@gmail.com or follow her on social media @erinquinnultraruncoach

    44 min

  8. Apr 28

    Episode 9. Start Where You Are: Your First (Or Next) Steps into Trail Running

    In Episode 9 of Start Where You Are Running & Ultrarunning coach Ultra Run Coach Erin Quinn delivers a complete beginner's guide to trail running. Topics include: how to find trails using apps like AllTrails, understanding trail types (rail trails, carriage roads, single track.) Managing pace expectations off-road, measuring progress on trails, gear (and why you probably don't need new shoes), and embracing the mindset shift from road to trail. Perfect for beginner runners, road runners, and anyone looking to explore the outdoors on foot. Erin would welcome any comments that you have and if you would like to apply for her 1:1 online run coaching you can go to her website www.erinmaryquinn.com or reach out to her at erinmaryquinn@gmail.com or DM her @erinquinnultraruncoach

    22 min
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5
out of 5
8 Ratings

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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