299 episodes

Discussing issues of interest to the local, national, and international endurance community.

Most Pleasant Exhaustion Most Pleasant Exhaustion

    • Sports
    • 4.8 • 35 Ratings

Discussing issues of interest to the local, national, and international endurance community.

    Episode 292--Tobacco Road Relay Race Report!

    Episode 292--Tobacco Road Relay Race Report!

    This week, we talked all about our experience at the Tobacco Road Relay over the weekend. TRR is an event that Erik and George helped win in 2022 in its inaugural year, and this year, they were back to give it another go on a three-person team with their friend Lee. The course had changed a great deal, though, and the race director--Ken Sevensky, the race director of the Blue Ridge Relay--put together a great event. We talk all about our running, our fueling, and of course, our gear, as we made our way as a three-person team over the 75-mile course in central North Carolina.

    • 1 hr 8 min
    Episode 291--Sweat Testing at Elemental Altitude!

    Episode 291--Sweat Testing at Elemental Altitude!

    This week, we visited our friend and sponsor Elemental Altitude to do some sweat testing! Both Michelle and George spent an hour on the treadmill to see how much fluid they would lose and how salty their sweat was. The results met our expectations in some ways, but in other ways, we were surprised by what we found.

    • 42 min
    Episode 290--Mount Mitchell Heartbreaker Race Report with Doug Olsen!

    Episode 290--Mount Mitchell Heartbreaker Race Report with Doug Olsen!

    This week, we talked to Doug Olsen. Doug recently finished the brutal Mount Mitchell Heartbreaker 50-mile race, which traverses three massive climbs and includes 12,000 feet of gain and loss over the course. Along the way, he summited Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the eastern United States. Doug talked to us about his training, the challenges he faced along the way, his gear, and his [surprising] nutrition.

    • 56 min
    Episode 289--The Cove 50K and The Ten!

    Episode 289--The Cove 50K and The Ten!

    This week, we discussed George's recent run at a new trail race, the Cove 50K. We also talked about the amazing performances at The Ten, a time-trial-style race in California where eight men ran under 27:00, Nico Young set a new collegiate record, and a woman (Tigise Gebreselama) ran under 30:00 for the first time on American soil.

    • 55 min
    Episode 288--Shamrocks and Shout-Outs!

    Episode 288--Shamrocks and Shout-Outs!

    In this week's short episode, we talked about all of the people we know that are racing over the weekend, and we heard a bit about Michelle's experience at the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach, VA.

    • 51 min
    Episode 287--The KICKR Treadmill and Lululemon's Further!

    Episode 287--The KICKR Treadmill and Lululemon's Further!

    This week, we caught up on everyone's training, and we discussed George's test of the new KICKR Treadmill! We also talked about our takeaways from Lululemon's Further event, where Camille Herron set fourteen new ultra-running records.

    • 1 hr 11 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
35 Ratings

35 Ratings

McWettyRunner ,

For Avid Runners!

Great podcast for those who love to run! The hosts are knowledgeable and personable, and they run a whole whole lot, so their advice is tried and true.

JustinDugan ,

Fantastic podcast

I feel like I am part of the running community while listening to this podcast. The information is always accurate and very in depth. I know I can trust George, Patrick and Michelle to serve up a great perspective and an engaging show.

R Gavin Cole ,

For 18 Years I Have Been Doing This All Wong!

George Darden is the Host of “The Most Pleasant Exhaustion” Podcast and you will not find a more passionate runner, coach and endurance athlete. In this podcast- George, Patrick Ollinger (co-host and co-coach) and Michelle (sometimes Co-host and client) break down everything endurance. You get...race reports, news, athlete interviews, age group interviews, product reviews, shoe info, book reviews, and best of all, solid advice that will help you understand how endurance training really works.

George and Patrick are accomplished High School and Collegiate runners. George has a successful history with Triathlon (that includes several trips to Kona). Both Patrick and George have competed in some of the premier road races around the Country. They are both Boston Qualifiers and are active with the Atlanta Track Club. At 44 years of age, George recently ran a 2:36:15 at the 2019 Flying Pig Marathon and Patrick won the 2019 Atlanta Publix Half Marathon with a time of 1:12:25. They are also both professional coaches, but in this podcast, that is understated (This is not one of those “hidden advertisement” types of podcasts).

In the last year, I have been listening to this show on my way to work. This fall I have been employing their training advice and after only a few long runs it is becoming clear that I have been doing this all wrong for 18 years. Periodization, intensity, recovery, hydration, nutrition, and sleep (right Patrick?)- It must all must work together.

I think you will enjoy The Most Pleasant Exhaustion.

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