This past weekend, several records fell at the Tunnel Hill 100-miler, including the women's 50-mile world record, the women's 100-mile world record, and the women's 100K national record. Allison ran the marathon--setting a course record in the process!--so she was on-hand to watch it all go down. This week, she shared with us all that she saw while…

This past weekend, George and Michelle ran the New York City Marathon! As they made their way across the five boroughs with more than 59,000 other people, they experience the intensity and enthusiasm that makes the New York City Marathon a truly one-of-a-kind event. This week, we talked about how it felt to toe the starting line, to run the race, a…

We've talked a lot about the New York City Marathon this season since both George and Michelle are running it, and the race is finally upon us! We talked about final prep, the pros that will be there, and our plans for the weekend! (Make sure to tune in next week for the race report!) We also talked about the stunning course records at the first 20…

Who talks about a 5K and a 24-hour race in the same podcast? We do! This week, we discussed the IAU 24-hour World Championship that saw Sarah Webster set a new world record for the distance. We also gave our thoughts on the online frenzy around Camille Herron that preceded the race. Before we got into all of that, though, we checked in with Michell…

This past weekend was HUGE for endurance events, and we started with the most important one: the Hartford Marathon! Allison reported to us how it went, gave us the details on the course, and described the challenges she faced. We then talked about the Chicago Marathon, where among other things, Conner Mantz set a new American record in the men's ma…

This week, we caught up on several pieces of news in the world of distance running, including Courtney Dauwalter's first pro marathon, Killan Jornet's completion of States of Elevation, Connor Mantz's attempt on the AR this weekend at the Chicago Marathon, and the upcoming Athlos track meet in New York City. We also caught up on Michelle's training…

It has been more than two weeks since George, Allison, and Michelle got together, so we spent this week catching up on a few things. First, we discussed Allison's interview with Jeff Garmire that we published last week. Despite being incredibly tired from his incredible self-supported record on the Appalachian Trail, Jeff had some insightful things…

This week, Allison interviewed her friend and brand new *self-supported* FKT-holder for the Appalachian Trail, Jeff Garmire! Jeff's accomplishment was amazing; not only did he do the entire trail in 45 days, 8 hours, and 37 minutes, but he did it without any help at all. This meant that he had to solve any problems that cropped up along the way, wh…

This week, we discussed a few different things happening in the endurance sporting world, and as usual, we offered our takes on them. We started by talking about the men's and women's marathons at the World Championship, both of which ended in sprint finishes! We went on to discuss the unfortunate recent doping positive of UTMB OCC winner Joyline C…

This week, we celebrated Allison's being officially named to Team USA for the World 50K Championship by going back over a few things that Bobby Norwood said during our interview last week. We also analyzed some of the results from Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB), one of the biggest and most prestigious ultra races in the United States. Finally, we…

This week, we got to talk to Bobby Norwood, who recently completed the 2025 Leadville Trail 100. Bobby told us all about his preparation, his fueling, and the race itself. Miles on the trail? A lot. Carbs consumed? So, so many. Twisted ankles? Alas, yes. We got the fully story.Most Pleasant Exhaustion tarafından oluşturuldu

This week, we spent some time talking about the amazing run that Sibusiso Kubheka had at the Adidas Chasing 100 project, but we wondered what the purpose of the event may have been. In addition, we spent a little more time talking about shoes--particularly ahead of UTMB this weekend--and we discussed what the decision to go pro may mean for 800m ru…

With Michelle out of town, Allison and George talked this week about Sunday's Leadville 100, which saw both the men's and the women's course records fall. In addition, we reviewed a piece of research that looked at the calorie burns of runners who have just completed a 100-mile race, and we talked about a recent NYT article that explored the broade…

This week, we spent some time catching up with one another. We started by hearing about Michelle's early experiences as a new Zwift user, which has included getting to know herself as a cyclist and becoming a part of the Zwift community. We then talked a bit about what we left out of our coverage of the USATF Championship last week, and we couldn't…

This week, we dove deep into the results of the 2025 USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships. We covered all of the distance events in depth--from a 16-year-old qualifying for the US team in the men's 800 to a 35-year-old finally winning her first US championship in the women's 10,000--but we also touched on the drama in the sprints, the disappoi…

Do you wish that there was more transparency in track and field? So does Allison, and she talked about it on this week's podcast! As usual, we discussed the latest goings on in the endurance sports world--this time, it was the end of the men's Tour de France, the start of the Tour de France Femmes, and the upcoming USA Track Championship--but we mi…

We are back from summer vacation, and we talked this week about Michelle's trip to volunteer at the Hardrock 100, the recent news that marathon world record holder Ruth Chepng'etich has been provisionally suspended for taking a masking agent, and the passing of a coaching legend, Joe Vigil.Most Pleasant Exhaustion tarafından oluşturuldu

This week, we heard about everyone's different experiences at the Peachtree Road Race, then we talked a bit about Faith Kipyegon's recent attempt to break 4:00 in the mile. We discussed John Kelly's unfortunate end to his attempt to reset the Fastest Known Time on the AT, and we finished by talking about how the Western States Endurance Run unfolde…

It's the only men's Tour de France Preview you need! This year, Justin Dugan was back for the sixth year in a row to talk about what we expect to see at the men's Tour de France in 2025! The stages, the contenders, the stories, and of course, the predictions . . . we have it all!Most Pleasant Exhaustion tarafından oluşturuldu

We can't seem to get enough of John Kelly's FKT attempt on the Appalachian Trail, and we shared a few final thoughts about it before he finishes in the next couple of weeks. We also discussed Faith Kipyegon's upcoming attempt to break 4:00 for the mile, and we offered our predictions for the Western States Endurance Run this weekend. Of course, wit…

This week, we talked about the new standards released by the Boston Athletic Association that will add time to a runner's BQ if they ran on a downhill course. We also caught up with John Kelly's Appalachian Trail run, the latest from the NCAA Track and Field Championship, and the new of the cancellation of the final Grand Slam Track event of the ye…

Summer is an exciting time to be a fan of distance running, and there are so many things happening right now! Michelle and Allison got together this week and talked about everything from the Peachtree Road Race Expo to John Kelly's progress on the Appalachian Trail, with a bit of professional track and marathon-ing in between. And Allison shared ne…

This week, we were joined by up-and-coming ultrarunner Hans Troyer. Hans recently earned a vaunted Golden Ticket by finishing second at the Canyons 100K, thereby giving him entry into this month's Western States Endurance Run. Hans is a native of Georgia--like us!--and we got to talk to him about the highs and lows that he has experienced in his sh…

This week, we spent some time talking about John Kelly, the ultra runner and triathlete who is aiming to take down Tara Dower's new AT record. We also discussed the recent non-DQ of a runner at the Black Canyon 100K--a race that Michelle ran!--and the controversy that has resulted. In between, we discussed the changes to the Grand Slam Track format…

The Adidas Atlanta City Games is a unique track meet, and Allison got to have a front row seat! This week, she told us all about the performances that stood out to her and the athletes that she got to interview as part of the event. Before that, we got an update on whether there's going to be a 2025 World 50K Championship, and we talked a bit about…

This week, we caught up on the latest happenings, both in our lives and in the endurance world! We discussed the last St. George Ironman event, college graduations, Michelle's recent trip to Denver and her new bike, and our experience watching and thoughts on the Cocodona 250.Most Pleasant Exhaustion tarafından oluşturuldu

This week, we discussed a wide variety of topics, including George's recent trip to Tahiti, our initial impressions of the Puma Fast-R 3, and a few more words on Faith Kipyegon's attempt to break 4:00 in the mile. We spent most of our time talking about the various records that were set at the London Marathon, this week's Cocodona 250, and the rece…

This week, Michelle and Allison caught up on a wide variety of things--everything from Western States qualifying to Faith Kipyegon's upcoming attempt to be the first woman to break four minutes for the mile. They also discussed Michelle's first impressions of the new Puma supershoe and Allison's recent 5K PR!…

This week, we discussed two recent races: the Boston Marathon on 4-21-25 and the Mad City 50K on 4-12-25. We started with Boston, offering our thoughts and analysis on a record-breaking day. We then heard from Allison about her stellar performance at the Mad City 50K, where she finished fourth and likely secured her spot on the US World 50K Champio…

This week, we dived back into a few topics that inspired our listeners to send comments in the last few weeks. Why is there so much pollen?" we recently asked. We now have the answer. "How much should we talk about our training at work?" Some folks gave us their takes. We also talked about a few topics--like sodium bicarbonate and ketone supplement…

This week, we spent a lot of time discussing the 10,000 meters--whether it was The Ten from last weekend or the upcoming Save the 10,000 effort from Kara and Des--but we also found time to discuss our favorite April Fools jokes and our picks for the Final Four.Most Pleasant Exhaustion tarafından oluşturuldu

This week, Allison, George, and Michelle discussed George's resolution to go without caffeine. Have there been side effects or withdrawals? Is it a net benefit to his life and his training? We discussed all of those things. Of course, we began by catching up with one another, especially since Allison is in here peak week and we're moving into outdo…

This week, Allison, Michelle, and George discussed the brilliant performance of Matthew Richtman and this year's Los Angeles Marathon, where he ran the seventh-fastest time that any American man has ever run in the marathon. After that, we discussed the most recent edition of Barkley Marathon, including how the race unfolded and why George is not a…

This week, we talked about George's race at the Marin Ultra Challenge 50-Miler. The conversation was split into two pieces: one before the race and one after the race. In the first part, we discussed his training and his mindset going into the race, and in the second part, we got all the details on how it actually went. At the end of the podcast, A…

This year, the USATF Half-Marathon Championship took place as part of the Atlanta Marathon and Half-Marathon. Allison, George, and Michelle all took part in varying capacities, and they got together after the weekend to talk about the pro races, the conditions, the course, and the event as a whole.Most Pleasant Exhaustion tarafından oluşturuldu

This week, Michelle and Allison got together to discuss a variety of recent news inside the world of track and field, including the recent disqualification of Raj Pannu for wearing illegal shoes at the US 100-Mile Championship, the US Indoor Track and Field Championship, and the inaugural season of Grand Slam Track. More than anything, though, they…

Last week, we heard about the last few few things Michelle had to do to get ready for the Black Canyon 100K. This week, we heard all about the race! And to help tell the story of Michelle's accomplishment, she brought along her sole crew member, Eric, and the pacer that they gained in the hotel lobby, Hilary! It took a boatload of determination to …

This week, we got to hear about Michelle's final preparations before she ran the Black Canyon 100K in Arizona on February 8. We'll hear about what she has packed, how she plans to pace herself, the shoes she's going to wear, and what her mindset is heading into the race. Tune in for Part Two next week!…

When Tara Dower last joined us on the Most Pleasant Exhaustion Podcast (Episode 293), she was on her way to scout some parts of the Appalachian Trail in Maine. Since then, she set the record for the fastest known time on the Trail, she became a professional runner, and she moved to Colorado. This week, we got to talk to her about her whirlwind last…

Have you heard of Heart Rate Variability, or HRV, and wondered what it is? Have you seen it on your watch or in your training log and not known what it means or how it can be used? We have the podcast for you! This week, we discussed what it is, how to interpret it, and how to use it, and what to do if you want it to change.…

This week, we considered a recent Wall Street Journal article that described the increasing number of Gen Z runners who are taking on the marathon. We had a slightly different take on the phenomenon than the WSJ! We also talked about the new Puma Project 3, and we offered our ideas on whether the revived Marathon Project will be successful.…

On the day that most Americans abandon their New Years resolutions, the whole crew got together to talk about how we are doing on our resolutions so far. We also talked about how we're getting along in the cold weather, and we reviewed the new race from the Atlanta Track Club, the Polar Opposite Peachtree!…

This week, the Most Pleasant Exhaustion crew got together to talk about how 2024 went--including the information from their Spotify Wrapped and Strava Year in Review!--and what exciting things we have planned for 2025.Most Pleasant Exhaustion tarafından oluşturuldu

What's it like to race 240 miles? (No, not a typo.) That's what Thomas Odom did in October, and he came on the podcast to tell us all about it. The gear, the crew, the challenges, and the fueling . . . he shared it all.Most Pleasant Exhaustion tarafından oluşturuldu

This week, Allison was back to tell us all about her experience at the 100K World Championship race in Bengaluru, India! We heard about the course, the team dynamics, the crew setup, and the race itself. Allison was able to finish 3rd on Team USA by taking 12th overall and 3rd master. She won her age group to boot!) That was good enough to help the…

This week, George shared his experience with the Valencia Marathon! We talked about his shoes, his nutrition, and his trip overall, and we learned about the difficulties he faced along the way.Most Pleasant Exhaustion tarafından oluşturuldu

Looking for the perfect gift for the endurance athlete in your life? We have suggestions! This week, Erik, George, and Michelle offered their suggestions for holiday gift-giving for 2024. We spent the entire year eyeing new releases and trying various things, and we offer our unfiltered thoughts on the budget items, reasonable items, and reach item…

This week, Allison Mercer--a part of the extended MPE family!--came on the podcast to talk about her upcoming race at the 100K World Championship on December 7! George also has a race coming up--the Valencia Marathon on December 1--so we talked a bit about that, too! Travel plans, goals, preparation, nerves . . . we considered it all.…

Our aim was to preview the New York City Marathon this weekend, but we ended up talking about a variety of things including the food sensitivity test that George recently took.Most Pleasant Exhaustion tarafından oluşturuldu

Ruth Chepngetich broke the women's marathon world record by nearly two minutes at the Chicago Marathon. In this installment of the podcast, we talked all about how she did it, where she came from, and what it's like to be a distance running fan when such mind-blowing performances seem to be happening more and more often. We also spent a small amoun…