Take Off Your Shoes

Welcome to a brand new episode with my first-ever repeat guest: Katie Asmuth. She was my first-ever guest two years ago, and it felt like a great moment to catch up with her and get a glimpse into the changes she’s been facing, her full-circle moment at UTMB, her gratitude through it all, and so much more. It was an episode that was emotional, but also, to me personally, inspiring and, most importantly, honest. I hope you feel similarly, and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! If you liked this episode and want to hear more from Katie, make sure to listen to The Trail Network Podcast also check out my first conversation with her. The Trail Network Podcast Take Off Your Shoes: Katie Asmuth (1st ever episode!) Follow Katie on Instagram Follow Take Off Your Shoes on Instagram and send me your thoughts! Thank you for being here, and take great care!

Welcome to a brand new episode of Take Off Your Shoes with my guest Nick Thompson. This was not the most typical episode, but it was one I’ve been looking forward to recording for a long time. To some of you, this Nick may be a new name because while he’s an incredibly accomplished runner, he’s better known as the CEO of The Atlantic. If you’re wondering how he could have had the time to come onto my show, listen until the end of the episode, where I actually ask him this exact question. The thing that stuck with me most after our conversation was what he said about the importance of truly caring about the thing that you’re doing in the moment, but once it’s done, moving on. He quoted, “On to Cincinnati.” A truly important skill to learn, and one of those things that is much easier said than done. We talked about how, in life, it’s hard to get neat answers to things, and how some questions will remain unanswered. This is true for the questions he’d like answered about his father’s life. The same is also true of his own motivations at times, and how complicated they can be to articulate. While this may be a step outside of the ultra runners I’ve been having as guests, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this conversation, Nick’s self-reflection, and the way he conveys his emotions and thoughts in and around running and, of course, life. Thank you, Nick, for your time and for our conversation. It's been a very hectic, but beautiful summer, which is why I put the podcast on hiatus for a bit. I'm hoping to be back with a more regular program soon enoug h and I genuinely appreciate each and every one of you for listening. Send me a DM for your thoughts and next guest ideas on Instagram Follow Nick on Instagram Nick's memoir: The Running Ground Check the show's budding Youtube channel !

Welcome to a brand new episode of Take Off Your Shoes. My guest today is Toni McCann! After all my conversations, I jot down a few words to remind me of the feeling I had during and after the conversation, which usually allows me to reflect back on it more easily. After this one, I wrote "heartwarming." I am really grateful to Toni for her openness, humbleness, and willingness to share her thoughts and experiences around finding a new home in France, finding the right reasons, her "why" around running and chasing goals, and how she has dealt with and is still dealing with external pressures. We talked about letting go of perfection while still striving for excellence, finding joy and excitement in the sport, and what it means to feel at home somewhere you chose to grow roots. This was the type of conversation that made me feel so incredibly grateful that I get to do this. I was smiling and laughing throughout, and later on just kept feeling this warmth, for which I am truly thankful. Toni, thank you so much for your openness and for sharing this conversation with me. I hope you all enjoy listening. You can now watch the episode on YouTube Follow Toni on Instagram Send me your thoughts on Instagram Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being here and listening.

Welcome to a brand new episode of Take Off Your Shoes! My guest today is the one and only Rachel Entrekin! I’ve been told before that my conversations feel like therapy sessions for my guests. To be clear, I am not a therapist, but I always feel happy to hear that I allow them to share and perhaps work through things in the meantime. More than anything, I appreciate their candor, vulnerability, and openness. This conversation with Rachel felt like a therapy session for me. Getting to know her and seeing how she has shifted her mindset to embracing hard things, in and outside of running, and how she started seeing them as moments of practice, hit home in a way that’s hard to put into words, especially how I’ve been reacting to some recent events. One thing that I don’t think I’ll forget easily was her description of how we can choose who we are in the face of a challenge, and how we can take ownership of our responses. I think, and hope you all agree, that the challenges we take on in the realm of (ultra)endurance go beyond the physical. I truly believe the mental side we hear about can be beautifully exemplified by Rachel’s words and actions. It’s not necessarily about pushing through and never giving up, but about who we choose to be and how we choose to show up when things get inevitably hard, whether in a race or, hopefully, when we’re able to translate our learnings into our real life. Thank you, Rachel, for this wonderful conversation, and I hope it also speaks to you while listening. Must read: Rachel's Substack Follow Rachel on Instagram Follow and DM me your thoughts on Instagram Other incredible interviews Rachel's been on, which have inspired me: Choose Strong #126 Rachel Entrekin | Two-Time Cocodona 250 Champion Rest Day | Rachel Entrekin Interview, Francois D'Haene's 2026 Season & Free Agency News I’ll Have Another Episode 624 The Trail Network Podcast Episode 78 The Trail Network Podcast Episode 69

Welcome to a new episode of Take Off Your Shoes! I’ve been taking some time away, and I’m back with a wonderful guest: Adam Merry! It was amazing getting to talk to him. Heading into it, I already knew he would be very open, and indeed he was very generous and vulnerable, which I truly appreciate.We talked about how it feels to juggle being a father of now two boys, being a partner, being a full-time employee, and chasing running at the highest level. He also explained what he’s training towards and what it means to him to have a North Star worth focusing on and striving for. Adam shared how balancing the steps towards that goal looks with changing life events, such as having kids, evolving those goals, and fitting them into the next chapter of life.He underlined the importance of having a strong support system that starts with Julianne, the Boulder Boys, and many other people by his side in his process towards the big, lofty goals he always sets.With the North Star goal being… well, you’ll have to listen to find out! Follow Adam on Instagram . Listen to him slay the guitar on his incredible album: String Dance ! Tune in to the Boulder Boys Show and watch them on Youtube ! Lastly, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Leave a review and shoot me a DM on Instagram .

Hello and welcome to another episode of Take Off Your Shoes! I am back with a brand new episode with Zoë Rom! It would take me more than a few posts to describe all that she does, but to sum it up, she’s a very passionate, multi-talented creator, writer, and runner.I resonated a lot with juggling multiple things at the same time and how she had a period where she was putting off her well-being, thinking one day she’d pay for the consequences but that today she would spread herself thin. She then asked herself:“What does balance look like for me, now?”To me, it seems like hers is a balancing act of wonderful things she’s doing all at the same time, which she says she’s lucky to love.Getting a glimpse into how her mind works and the passion she brings to the things she has created and continues to create was truly inspiring.To do all she does justice, we would have needed many more of these conversations, but I truly feel like I got to know Zoë in a great way.I’m sure you’ll find this one inspiring and entertaining. Follow Zoë on Instagram Make sure to listen to Your Diet Sucks I'd love to know what you thought of this episode, how it made you feel, and what it made you think of. Let me know in the comments below or send me a DM !

Happy New Year everyone! Welcome to a new epsiode of Take Off Your Shoes with my guest today: Ryan Montgomery! This was a very open conversation with Ryan, where we touched not only on where he is now and what he’s currently focusing his energy on, but also on what drives him and what’s next for him. I intended this conversation to be a deeper dive into who Ryan is, building on the wonderful conversations he’s already had with some amazing podcasters. I truly enjoy conversations where there isn’t a predetermined roadmap, but rather an intention to be open and, where possible, vulnerable. I appreciate Ryan for allowing us to do exactly that. I hope you enjoy listening! Make sure to DM me your thoughts on Instagram Follow Ryan and Out Trails on Instagram Here's the list of the podcast episodes where Ryan was a guest on, which I've listened to before this conversation: For The Long Run "Ryan Montgomery on Unlocking a Mind, Body, and Environmental Connection Through Professional Running" Freetrail "Ryan Montgomery | Always Learning " Trail Running Nation "A Different Discussion with Ryan Montgomery " The Trail Head "Ryan Montgomery on Pride, Balance and Western States, Plus Diana Fitzpatrick on WSER's Evolution" Borderlands Trail (+ Ultra) Running: "Ryan Montgomery: 10 Minutes with a Legend in the Making | Pre Western States 2025"

My guest today is the incredibly thoughtful and self-reflective Abby Hall . Our conversation was an open look into how she feels, how she acts, and what she believes. She shared how she now finds joy in going all in on her goals and dreams, choosing when to work, when to adventure, and how to be intentional in this small window of her life. We also explored what it means to care deeply about her craft, and how falling short of her goals can reflect the depth of that care. One moment that really stayed with me was her explanation of how she uses visualization in tough moments by calling on her "best self". I found this incredibly inspiring. I am very grateful to Abby for this conversation and for her openness. I hope you enjoy listening. Follow Abby on Instagram Follow this show on Instagram What did you think about this episode? Please leave your comments down below!

Welcome to a new episode of Take Off Your Shoes, with my guest Mike McMonagle, aka shitinthewoods! "I was looking forward to having something else be unequivocally my highest priority." The contagious passion and love he has for the sport and his craft is dwarfed only by his love for his son Monte. This was a very special conversation, a true catch-up with some background questions thrown in for good measure to get a fuller “picture” (pun intended) of Mike. I had a blast getting to know him during UTMB and getting to witness him at work first hand, and this conversation pulls the curtain back even further on his reflections around being a photographer, a father, a runner, and a very active member of the community. A few takeaways I had from this wonderful convo were that 1) being a parent will be an indescribable experience which I’m really looking forward to yet still have no idea about, and 2) allocating time to the things you care about and value is one of the most important things we can do in life. Thank you so much for this catch-up, Mike, and I cannot wait to chase runners again together in Chamonix. Make sure to follow shitinthewoods Leave a comment and send me your thoughts on Instagram I truly appreciate you taking the time to listen and read this. Take care and until next time!

Welcome to another episode of Take Off Your Shoes! Today's conversation is with the wonderful Lucy Bartholomew! I was very inspired after our conversation with her, not because of her accomplishments but because of her attitude and how she overcomes moments of doubt and struggle while staying true to her why. She’s not one to shy away from asking and answering tough questions, and I truly appreciate her openness. One key takeaway for me was how she defines herself not by the things she’s doing, but by the values she holds: curiosity, community, and joy. We talked about the self-imprisonment imposed by the smiley face, how she sometimes isolated herself because her image had become tied to it. I’m very grateful to her for opening up about the pressures around the public image of a happy, smiling Lucy, hopefully helping people become more aware and start changing this pervasive narrative around “always being happy.” She might also have a surprise announcement waiting for you 👀 Thank you, Lucy, for your generosity, curiosity, and authenticity. Thank you for reading this, and I hope you enjoy listening to our convo! Follow Lucy on Instagram Share your thoughts with me

Welcome back to a brand new episode of Take Off Your Shoes. After a long summer break, I’m back and stoked to introduce my guest, Dani Aravich . While she might be a “budding” trail runner, she’s also a Paralympian, having competed in both the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games , and now she’s preparing for the upcoming Milano Cortina Games. Of course, she’s far beyond her athletic achievements. What stood out to me most was her encouragement of curiosity and her ability to create a space where all questions are welcome. Having been on the business side, the media side, and the athlete side of the sports she’s involved in, she brings a truly unique perspective to her work and advocacy. This was an incredibly meaningful conversation where I got to learn a lot, and I’m very grateful to Dani for it. I cannot wait for you to listen. Make sure to leave your comments below and let me know what you thought! Also, be sure to follow ⁠Dani on Instagram⁠ Check out what she and her team are doing with ⁠Culxtured⁠ ! ⁠Follow the show on Instagram,⁠ and share with a friend who you think might like this episode. Thank you very much for taking the time to listen; it means a lot. Take care, and until next time!

Welcome to the 20th episode of Take Off Your Shoes! My very special guest for this special episode is Dani Moreno. I am very grateful for Dani’s openness and admire how self-reflected she was which showed in the beautiful ways she worded her experiences in and around the sport that she fell in love with again as well as her path of navigating injury and the myriad of emotions it brought up as well as the valuable lessons she learned. Some of the best parts of the conversation were the tangents she took, allowing me to get an even better glimpse into her life. She is versatile, caring, very passionate, and very dedicated to her craft. She'll be toeing the line this Saturday at Broken Arrow 46k for her place in Team USA, and I’ll be cheering for her and applauding her for the curiosity she’s bringing to the start line. I left this conversation smiling ear to ear, and I’m sure you will too. Follow and send your support to Dani on Instagram Listen and subscribe to The Sub-Hub Podcast with Dani and Emkay Sullivan. Shoot me a DM with your thoughts about this episode! Photo credit: Cody Mathison

Hello and welcome to another episode of Take Off Your Shoes! My guests today are—that’s right, plural—the power couple: Tabor and Eli Hemming! This episode was exactly what I was looking for when starting this podcast: to get to know the people in this sport, who they are beyond the sport. We discussed the importance of being multi-dimensional, not just as athletes but as people. We explored how they’re intentional with their time, balancing friends, family, farm work, coaching, and trail running. They also openly shared their feelings about Tabor’s father’s recent diagnosis, highlighting how fleeting life can be and the value of embracing every moment. I was truly inspired by the maturity of their approach to life and sport, and I hope you will find them equally inspirational. Tabor, Eli, thank you so much for such an amazing conversation. Hope you enjoy listening. The Hemming Way - their Substack The Hemmings - their Youtube Channel Follow Tabor on Instagram Follow Eli on Instagram Shoot me a DM for your thoughts and comments! Photo Credit: Ryan Thrower

Welcome to a new episode of Take Off Your Shoes! My guest this week is Marianne Hogan. Before anything else, she’s known for her contagiously positive attitude, and it was a pleasure getting to know her like this. I realized that this attitude is centered in gratitude, in putting enjoyment of the moment and of the sport as a first-order condition. This mentality allowed her to keep the joy at the forefront even when becoming a full-time athlete and leaving her job in HR behind. Learning more about her experiences with injuries, how she’s toeing the line between pushing her limits and knowing when to stop, and how this is an ongoing learning process, was very insightful. I really loved getting to discover her nomadic lifestyle, allowing her to fully immerse herself in the places she travels to, experiencing the people and the places in a more meaningful way. If I am to take one thing away, though, it’s the importance of self-belief, of trying and shooting your shot. Setting goals for yourself, for your sake, and continuing to work towards them. This conversation was chock-full of inspiration and just very fun overall to chat with Marianne. Thank you Marianne for the conversation, and thank you all for listening! Photo credit: Thibaut Baronian Follow Marianne on Instagram Send me your thoughts on Instagram

Hello and thank you so much for tuning into another episode of Take Off Your Shoes! Today I’m so happy to be sharing my conversation with Arden Young ! She was an incredible conversation partner, and I’m so grateful for her openness when talking about her ongoing struggles with the word “elite”, as well as the juggling act that is having two demanding careers: professional ultra runner for Norda and dentist! We talked about her unconventional start to running, even though she wasn’t the most athletic of her four sisters, and her path to becoming a professional athlete. I really appreciated her thoughts around becoming her own cheerleader and having self-belief, while also balancing being critical enough to push herself forward and taking time to celebrate her own wins. She also said something that really stuck with me: “You have to make running work for your life and not make your life work for running.” For her, running is very important, but it should always stay fun, and she keeps reminding herself that it’s for her mental and physical health. I especially loved opening up about our respective partners and how they’re not in the ultra-endurance world. There’s something beautiful about having someone who tries to support our dreams, even if they don’t fully understand them at all times. It was such a fun conversation, and I really admired her outlook on the sport, the balance she’s able to strike, and just her candor. Thank you Arden for the conversation, and I hope you all enjoy it! Follow Arden on Instagram Check out YMR Track Club on Instagram Send me your thoughts and comments on Instagram Photo credit: Moe Lauchert

This was a really fun conversation with Jessica Brazeau (who graciously accepted my invitation just a couple of days after her race in Chianti), where I not only got to know her but also got a peek behind the curtain of how she holds the Brazeau-Walmsley team together. She opened up about her feelings surrounding the move to France. She shared the struggles of uprooting an established life, seeking a new community, and how things turned around, in large part thanks to Simon Gosselin and his partner, who helped them turn their little chalet into a home in a French Alpine village. While she’s not used to talking much about her own running, I got to learn her story, how she found trail running largely through its community, and where she is now, signed with Hoka. I know you will love this one! Make sure to follow Jess on Instagram Let me know what'd you think of this conversation on Instagram PC: Marzelle van der Merwe Ham

Thank you for tuning in to a new episode of Take Off Your Shoes! I'm super happy to be sharing my conversation with Hilary Yang! You might know her as an amazing photographer, the race director of The Mammoth, or the co-founder of the Women's Trail Running Fund… just a few of the many hats she wears, all stemming from her love and passion for storytelling. We talk about how the WTF became a reality, and the beauty and 'privilege' of being able to give grants to creators to tell their own stories. Hilary opens up about the ups and downs of being self-employed, how she got there, and how she and her husband Billy are managing it. We also discuss her longtime dream of running the Hardrock 100 (happening very soon!) becoming a reality, as well as the LA wildfires and how, amidst this tragedy, she was deeply moved by the community coming together, and so much more! She gave me timely advice that I will carry with me: "Be intentional with your time." I'll try to keep that in mind when choosing what to do, and hopefully, you all will too. I hope you enjoy and take something away from this conversation I was lucky enough to have. Thank you, Hilary, for taking time out of your crazy schedule for this chat, and thank you all for listening. Follow Hilary's journey to Hardrock 100 at her Youtube channel Listen and subscribe to the Trail Network Podcast Send me your thoughts on Instagram!

Hello and welcome to a new episode of Take Off Your Shoes! I’m very happy to be sharing my conversation with Chris Andrews. An up-and-comer for most of you, Chris has such a unique story, and it was really fun and interesting getting to learn all about it. His excitement for the sport and his desire to help others experience what he’s getting out of running—the release, the happiness, the joy—is really inspiring. Being the same age underlined the effect of these conversations for me: While I cannot fully understand or relate to the crazy feats he’s able to accomplish, I can relate to his passion and the joy he finds in running. He’s racing in just 3 weeks at the Canyons 100k, where I’ll be rooting hard for him. He has a really bright future, and I’m very excited to see what that future looks like. Hope you all enjoy it! Follow Chris on Instagram Follow Take Off Your Shoes on Instagram Leave a rating and review wherever you’re listening, and thank you so much for listening!

Welcome to another episode of Take Off Your Shoes I am so stoked to share my conversation with Emily Hawgood! Talking to her just lifts my mood—and I’m sure it’ll do the same for you when you listen to our conversation. It’s really inspiring to see how she chooses to stay positive. As she put it, “The more positive you can be, the happier you will be.” Getting to learn about her background and her experience of moving across the globe to find a new place she calls home really resonated with me, and we delved into our mutual experiences. From her childhood to where she is now, from her own running to her coaching philosophy—we covered a whole range of topics. We also talked about her family, her chosen family of friends, and of course her team at Adidas Terrex . I’m also proud to say that I took her advice and dialed things back a bit—and I feel much healthier now. It was a super fun conversation, and I got to learn so much about her. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I had fun recording it! Photo credit: Luke Webster Follow Emily on Instagram Follow this show on Instagram Other incredible podcasts she was a guest on: Trail Network Podcast Freetrail Running Long - A trail and ultra running talk

Hi everyone and welcome to a new episode of Take Off Your Shoes! I am super happy to share my conversation with Leah Yingling with you all! It was a super fun convo where i got to not only learn about her past, her relationship with her twin sister, her husband Mike, her own podcast with Katie Asmuth, Rachel Drake and Hilary Yang Trail Network Podcast, but also about her ever evolving sense of why and her ongoing self-challenge of taking more risks and becoming ‘less even keeled’. We also talk about (rather timely) family planning and the nuances and the intricacies around it and the balancing act of a career outside of sport, a career as a competitive professional trail runner and wanting to accomplish a very long time coming goal of starting a family with Mike. She just announced a few days ago that they are indeed expecting a child later this year and I am super happy for the next chapter of her (and their) life. This conversation just made the time fly by and I had a blast getting to know Leah better, I hope you all do to! Go follow Trail Network Podcast wherever you’re listening to podcasts Make sure to follow Leah on Instagram Follow Take Off Your Shoes on Instagram and send me your thoughts! I appreciate each and every one of you so, so much! Photo credit: Mike Mcmonagle