Episode 46: Alex Minor - Rabid Raccoon Course Record, Black Canyon Lessons, and What It Takes to Run Up Front

Episode 46: Alex Minor - Rabid Raccoon Course Record, Black Canyon Lessons, and What It Takes to Run Up Front

In this episode of the Blueprint to Ultra podcast, Steve and Jeff interview Appalachian trail standout Alex Minor, winner of races like the Hurricane 100K and holder of the Rabid Raccoon 100 Mile course record (15:42:57). Alex shares how he transitioned from road/track running at Marshall into trail ultras during COVID, influenced by training partners like Caleb Bowen and Dan Green. We discuss why the Hurricane 100K looped format and community keep him coming back, and Alex explains how Black Canyon 100K became his lowest—and most educational—race, teaching him to prepare for terrain, build smarter race plans, and dial in fueling. We talk about getting a sodium sweat test, increasing sodium and carbs, and how he balances training (typically 60–80 miles, ~11 hours with vert) while running a shoe store and managing life commitments.Join us and don't forget to hit subscribe and like. You know, you could subscribe before you even start watching, because if you have read this far, well, we are friends now. So yeah, give us a like and subscribe. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. We would love to hear from you. Connect with Alex on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alminor3 [https://www.instagram.com/alminor3/] Check out Country Roads Running and Walking on IG: @countryroadsrunning [https://www.instagram.com/countryroadsrunning/] Shop: https://countryroadsrunning.com/ [https://countryroadsrunning.com/] Connect with us on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@blueprint_to_ultra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/blueprint_to_ultra] Looking for a coach? Work with Jeff: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jwultrarunning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.jwultrarunning.com/] Work with Steve: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/ [https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/]

Episode 45: James Bragg - You have one shot at the race you were training for in a given year.

Training for an ultra takes a long time and a lot of hard work. We show up for a race and things don't always go to plan. On the show we talk with James Bragg about how we can practice a positive mental attitude, how negativity spreads, and how you can snap out of a downward spiral. As James reminds us, we have one shot at a race. You train for a specific race on a calendar year and that race, in that year, will never happen again. Sure, you can run it again next year, but for this year, the one you trained for, there is one shot. We talk about all of that and dig into the Hellbender 100, Rim to River, and a coaches' corner on how to manage race week and the stupid taper. Join us and don't forget to hit subscribe and like. You know, you could subscribe before you even start watching, because if you have read this far, well, we are friends now. So yeah, give us a like and subscribe. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. We would love to hear from you. Connect with James on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@jamesb__runnin [https://www.instagram.com/jamesb__runnin/] Connect with us on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@blueprint_to_ultra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/blueprint_to_ultra] Looking for a coach? Work with Jeff: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jwultrarunning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.jwultrarunning.com/] Work with Steve: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/ [https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/]

Episode 44: Mandy Wainfan - Injured? Whatever you do, just don't tell me I can't run.

On today's show, we welcome Dr. Mandy Wainfan, a sports-focused chiropractor and endurance running specialist at Performance Place Sports Care, to discuss common running injuries and how to treat and prevent them. Mandy shares how she transitioned from NCAA track and cross country into trail running and ultras, including racing Black Canyon and completing two 50Ks and a 100K. The conversation covers plantar fasciitis (including true vs nerve-mediated “fake” cases), IT band syndrome, patellar tendinopathy, low back pain, and Achilles tendinitis, with emphasis on load management, hip internal rotation mobility, and strength training. We also discuss when it’s appropriate to keep running, when to seek professional help (especially if symptoms persist beyond 4–6 weeks), and why runners might choose a sports chiropractor versus a PT.Join us and don't forget to hit subscribe and like. You know, you could subscribe before you even start watching, because if you have read this far, well, we are friends now. So yeah, give us a like and subscribe. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. We would love to hear from you.Connect with Mandy IG: @p2sportscare [https://www.instagram.com/p2sportscare/] ⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/p2sportscare/]Website: ⁠https://www.p2sportscare.com/ ⁠ [https://www.p2sportscare.com/ ] YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Performance-Place-chiropractor⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@Performance-Place-chiropractor] Connect with us on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@blueprint_to_ultra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/blueprint_to_ultra] Looking for a coach? Work with Jeff: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jwultrarunning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.jwultrarunning.com/] Work with Steve: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/ [https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/]

Episode 43: Josh Coleman - From his first ultra in 2023 to the Triple Crown of 200s, Cocodona, and the importance of always moving forward.

Josh Coleman’s ultrarunning journey is short, but goes real long. According to UltraSignup, he didn’t even begin running ultras until 2023. Just two years later, he completed the legendary Triple Crown of 200s — finishing the Bigfoot 200, Tahoe 200, and Moab 240 all within the same calendar year. He’s also a Boston Marathon qualifier and recently completed his first Cocodona 250, covering 250 miles across Arizona in 85:53:07 for a 39th-place overall finish.But this episode goes far beyond racing.After losing his wife Erin in a tragic car accident in 2022, Josh turned to running as a way to process grief, honor her memory, and rebuild his life with purpose. He shares that journey in his book, Moving Forward: Running With Grief, where he challenges the idea that we’re supposed to simply “move on” from loss and instead explores what it means to carry love and grief forward together.In this conversation, we dive into the addiction and allure of 200s, Cocodona 250, the mental and physical suffering that ultrarunning takes us through, recovery, resilience, grief and healing, and how running can change you.This is a powerful conversation about endurance in every sense of the word. Join us, and don't ever forget. You can still learn something from your mom.Don't forget to hit subscribe and like. You know, you could subscribe before you even start watching, because if you have read this far, well, we are friends now. So yeah, give us a like and subscribe. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. We would love to hear from you. Connect with Josh on IG: ⁠⁠⁠@joshrunadventures⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/joshrunadventures/] Moving Forward, Running with Grief on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Moving-Forward-Running-With-Grief/dp/B0GZ8GGSS9/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0] Connect with us on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@blueprint_to_ultra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/blueprint_to_ultra] Looking for a coach? Work with Jeff: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jwultrarunning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.jwultrarunning.com/] Work with Steve: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/ [https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/]

Episode 42: Alex Kuhlman - I want to do something that most in that room wouldn't be willing to try.

Alex decided he wanted to run his first 100 mile race before he had even finished his first marathon. Hired a run coach and started 2026 with two 100s on the calendar. The Zion 100 in April and Javelina 100 in October. We asked him why running a 100 was so important to him and it was simple, unvarnished truth. " I wanted to be confident that, you know, if I was sitting in a room with people, like I did something that most, like everybody in that room wouldn't be willing to try." We dig into his Zion 100 with what went well and what didn't go as planned, training challenges and the race itself. Then we jump over to taking what he learned from Zion and what he is taking with him to Javelina. The episode is full of a lot of solid tips for you to add to your own blueprint as you are planning your next race. We invite you to listen in. Join us, and don't ever forget. You can still learn something from your mom.Don't forget to hit subscribe and like. You know, you could subscribe before you even start watching, because if you have read this far, well, we are friends now. So yeah, give us a like and subscribe. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. We would love to hear from you. Connect with Alexon IG: ⁠⁠@second_half_strong [https://www.instagram.com/second_half_strong/] Connect with us on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@blueprint_to_ultra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/blueprint_to_ultra] Looking for a coach? Work with Jeff: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jwultrarunning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.jwultrarunning.com/] Work with Steve: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/ [https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/]