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Where are runners actually supposed to run?

The sidewalk keeps you away from cars—but it’s uneven, cracked, and sometimes feels like it’s actively trying to trip you. The road is smoother—but now you’re sharing space with distracted drivers. Single-track trails are beautiful—but roots, rocks, and technical terrain bring their own risks. And multi-use paths seem like the perfect solution… until a cyclist blows past without warning.

In this episode of the **I Don’t Know Running Podcast**, Lewis and Mitch break down the good, bad, and frustrating parts of the surfaces runners use every day.

We talk about sidewalk wipeouts, close calls with cars, why Lewis has become more selective about technical trails, and a couple of recent encounters with high-speed cyclists on shared paths.

There may not be one “best” place to run. Sometimes it comes down to knowing the risks, making a good judgment call, and remembering that almost every place we run is being shared with somebody else.

**What’s your preferred running surface: road, sidewalk, single track, or multi-use path? And what’s your worst close-call story?**

Thanks for listening to the **I Don’t Know Running Podcast**, where we share what we’ve learned, what we’re still figuring out, and what we just don’t know.

Thanks for listening to the **I Don't Know Running Podcast**.

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You train for months. You survive the race. You cross the finish line, grab your medal...and discover you're officially a FINSHER.

Yep. Missing the "I."

And somehow, that's only the beginning.

This week on the I Don't Know Running Podcast, we're diving into some of the funniest, strangest, and most unbelievable race-day mistakes we've seen.

We're talking about thousands of misspelled finisher medals, runners getting medals featuring the wrong city, marketing ideas that probably should have gone through one more round of proofreading, and the wonderfully bizarre Barkley Marathons tradition of choosing a "human sacrifice."

Then we get to the mistakes runners make themselves—including what happens when you start celebrating before you've actually crossed the finish line.

Some of these mistakes became controversies. Some became instant collector's items. And some might actually make the race more memorable than if everything had gone perfectly.

🎙️ In this episode:
• The 2026 River Bank Run "FINSHER" medals
• Milwaukee's accidental "MARTHON" medals
• The Great North Run's wrong-city ribbon
• The controversial "One Nation, One Race" merchandise
• Barkley Marathons and the Human Sacrifice
• A race decided by a premature celebration and just 0.2 seconds
• The high school finish-line celebration that resulted in a DQ

What's the funniest or strangest race-day mistake you've ever experienced?

Let us know in the comments!

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Western States gets the attention, the massive lottery numbers, the elite fields, and the biggest spotlight in ultrarunning. But does that actually make it the greatest 100-mile race—or is Hardrock the more demanding, more exclusive, and more unforgettable challenge?

In this episode, we compare two of the most iconic races in the sport. We break down the entry process, lottery demand, field sizes, altitude, elevation gain, course records, and the completely different experiences each race creates.

We also dive into this year’s Hardrock 100, including Ludovic Pommeret’s age-defying performance, Courtney Dauwalter’s painful march to another victory, Tara Dower’s incredible Western States–Hardrock double, and the dramatic final finisher who kissed the rock with less than six minutes remaining.

Western States may be the Super Bowl of ultrarunning—but is Hardrock its Everest?

Let us know: If you could only run one, which would you choose?


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Marathon #180 is complete... and somehow it turned into one of the most memorable races yet.

After months of medical setbacks, almost no training, and serious doubts heading into Alaska, I was convinced this was going to be another difficult marathon. Instead, the Mayor's Marathon in Anchorage became a reminder that running isn't always about fitness or finishing times.

Sometimes it's about adapting.
Sometimes it's about the people you meet.
And sometimes it's about simply proving to yourself that you can still keep moving forward.

In this episode, we talk about:

Why Alaska almost didn't happen
The medical issues leading into race day
The strategy that unexpectedly worked
The fellow 50 Stater who helped make the final miles disappear
Why the Mayor's Marathon is one of the most underrated races in the country
Marathon #180 and the countdown to completing all 50 states

With only South Dakota, Georgia, and Hawaii remaining, the finish line of this journey is finally coming into view.

If you've ever stood on a starting line wondering whether you belonged there, this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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The 2026 Western States 100 wasn't just another edition of America's most iconic ultramarathon—it completely rewrote the history books.

Jim Walmsley's legendary course record that many thought might stand for years? Gone.

Courtney Dauwalter's iconic women's record? Gone too.

Four men ran faster than the previous course record. Jennifer Lichter became the fastest woman in Western States history in her very first 100-mile race. Meanwhile, trail-running legends Jim Walmsley and Kilian Jornet never even reached the finish line.

In this episode of the *I Don't Know Running Podcast*, we're breaking down one of the most astonishing days ultrarunning has ever seen.

We'll discuss:
• How Vincent Bouillard became the first runner ever under 14 hours.
• Jennifer Lichter's record-breaking debut and what it means for women's ultrarunning.
• Hans Troyer's fearless early attack that changed the entire race.
• Why so many favorites—including Walmsley and Jornet—ended with DNFs.
• The incredible depth of both the men's and women's fields.
• And the question everyone is already asking...

Will Courtney Dauwalter come back to reclaim her Western States crown?

If you love trail running, ultramarathons, or simply witnessing history in our sport, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

🎧 New episodes every week from the *I Don't Know Running Podcast*.

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A hot race forecast sends a lot of runners into panic mode.

Suddenly they're running in sweatshirts, avoiding air conditioning, cutting back on water, and trying to cram heat training into the final two weeks before race day.

But does it actually work?

In this episode of the I Don't Know Running Podcast, we dive into one of the most misunderstood topics in endurance sports: heat training.

We discuss:
🏃 Why last-minute heat training usually backfires
💧 The difference between heat adaptation and dehydration
🔥 When heat acclimation actually works
⚠️ The real risks of severe dehydration and heat illness
📉 Why most runners would benefit more from better sleep, hydration, and consistent mileage
🎯 Practical strategies for handling hot race conditions safely

Most importantly, we introduce a simple rule:

If you don't know what you're doing... just don't.

Sometimes the smartest race strategy isn't finding a miracle solution—it's slowing down, adjusting expectations, and respecting the conditions.

What about you? Have you ever changed your race plan because of a hot forecast? Have you had a race fall apart because of the heat?

Let us know in the comments.

#Running #MarathonTraining #HeatTraining #RunningPodcast #Marathon #Ultrarunning #EnduranceSports #RunningTips

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A high school relay team wins the state championship... or so everyone thought.

At the North Carolina High School State Championships, Mallard Creek's anchor runner crossed the finish line with a comfortable lead and raised his hand in celebration. Moments later, officials disqualified the team.

Not for a false start.
Not for an illegal handoff.
Not for leaving his lane.

For raising his hand before the finish line.

The decision erased the relay victory and changed the outcome of the entire state championship meet, sparking a nationwide debate about sportsmanship, celebration, and whether officials got this one right.

In this episode, Lewis and Mitch break down the video, the rule, the reasoning behind the disqualification, and the bigger question:

Where is the line between celebrating and taunting?

🎙️ The I Don't Know Running Podcast

#Running #TrackAndField #HighSchoolTrack #RelayRace #RunningPodcast #Sportsmanship #TrackNation #CrossCountry #DistanceRunning #IDKR

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When you sign up for a race, you expect a measured course, water stations, timing chips, and a finish line waiting for you.

But that's not always what happens.

In this episode of the I Don't Know Running Podcast, we dive into some of the biggest race disasters in running history—from marathons that were too short to count as Boston Qualifiers, to races that disappeared entirely after collecting entry fees.

We also discuss empty water stations, open-course nightmares, ghost races, virtual race pivots, and how runners can spot potential red flags before signing up.

Some race stories are inspiring.

These are not those stories.

🎙️ Topics include:

Short-course marathon scandals
Lost Boston Qualifiers
Ghost races and canceled events
Empty aid stations
Open-course racing risks
Back-of-the-pack horror stories
How to spot a shady race before race day

Have you ever had a race go completely wrong?

Let us know in the comments.

#IDontKnowRunning #RunningPodcast #Marathon #BostonQualifier #RaceDay

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