But also… Trail running podcast

Host Celeste Fong talks with Raquel Brainard, Kristen Amick, and Emberleigh Luce about their weekend at the Lake Waramog ultras — Raquel's surprise 50K win, first-ultra experiences, and what race day actually felt like. They cover pacing and fueling strategies, aid-station hijinks, injuries and recovery, and the camaraderie that makes ultra running addictive.

Host Celeste Fong welcomes back Greg Smith for a candid recap of the Sleeping Giant 50K. They break down the brutal technical headwall, race results, changing conditions, and the logistics of racing crowded park trails.They dive into gear and shoe choices, blister fixes, pacing strategy, and using the race as training for the upcoming Manitou's, with practical tips on poles, aid stations, and crew support.Conversation wanders into personal stories about parenting, volunteering, local Connecticut trail recommendations, and the highs and lows of ultra racing.

The Idiots join host Celeste Fong as she shares her recent health scare that led to surgery, getting the all clear to start training again and trying to plan races for the year. The group debates whether she should attempt the 112-mile Cut race or drop to the 50-miler, discussing fitness, injury risk, fueling struggles, pacers and crew, plus upcoming races and volunteer plans.

In this episode Celeste Fong talks with Marcy Ritsick about her shock discovery from an at-home DNA test, learning she was donor-conceived and half Ashkenazi Jewish, searching for and meeting her biological father, and the ripple effects on her family, identity, and medical history. They discuss the emotional fallout, the loss and rebuilding of relationships, finding community and chosen family through running and advocacy, and how Marcy moved forward with resilience.

Host Celeste Fong and guest Mommy Craigery recount his wild experience at the Krispy Kreme Challenge in Raleigh: a 2.5-mile run to the donut shop, eating a dozen glazed donuts, and a 2.5-mile run back. The episode covers the chaotic donut pit, cold and windy conditions, surprisingly edible-but-exhausting results, friends’ antics (including one who ate 18 donuts), and the charity-driven spirit behind the event. They close with reflections on the aftermath, travel delays, and the humor of making — and surviving — terrible life choices.

Host Celeste Fong sits down with Michael Lo Presti to trace his running journey from a late '90s start to 141 marathons and ultras, the discovery of a birth defect and aortic aneurysm, and his open-heart surgery and recovery. Together they discuss his return to endurance racing—including six-day and multi-day loop events—tattoos as storytelling, the supportive running community, and his message to "live urgently."

Host Celeste Rong talks with Rick Amernick about the two-decade history of the DC Capital Striders, their focus on giving back, and the community they built through group runs, volunteering, charity events, shoe demos, and partnerships. The episode covers memorable races, volunteer programs, holiday and scavenger runs for charity, how to join or start local group runs, and the real-life stories of runners whose lives were changed by the club.

Host Celeste Fong talks with Rick Amernick, founder of the DC Capital Striders, about how a chance Meetup listing in 2006 grew into a large running community and 501(c)(3). Rick recounts early runs on the National Mall, expanding to DuPont and trail runs, partnerships with brands and organizers, and fundraising efforts like a Haiti benefit race. The episode highlights community-building through running, learning the sport as an adult, and how small actions turned into lasting impact, incorporating both trail culture and charitable initiatives by 2009.

Host Celeste Fong talks with ultra runner John Calabrese about trail and ultra racing — the highs, the DNFs, the gear, and the tight-knit (sometimes cult-like) running community. The conversation also wanders into food and film: pizza and competitive-eating dreams, favorite horror movies like The Blair Witch Project, true-crime and cult anecdotes, and the strange, hilarious moments that happen on and off the trails.

Host Celeste Fong talks with ultrarunner Taylor Verville and her pacer Mike Martineau about Taylor’s recent Devil’s Den 30-hour race in Bradford, Vermont — her course-record performance (about 89 miles), pacing strategies, nutrition, temperature swings, and lessons from a past collapse at Notchview. The episode explores both runner and pacer perspectives, the race community and charity behind the event, upcoming goals like reaching 100 miles, and the mental approach Taylor uses to stay focused: forward movement, fuel, and hydration.

Veteran sports reporter Lori Riley sits down with Celeste Fong to share her journey from print newsrooms to the trails, covering UConn, high school sports, and memorable local runners. They discuss how running changed her life, the evolution of women’s sports, and the personal stories that make reporting meaningful. Listen for candid reflections on locker-room culture, reporting challenges in the digital age, uplifting race day characters, and emotionally charged topics like transgender youth in sports.

Greg Matthei shares his experiences with addiction, meeting his wife and changing his life for the better (although running ultras is idiotic)

This young lady schools me on determination, persistence and strength. If Cassie is representative of the next generation of ultra runners, our sport will be in good hands.