Matt Shinn began his 888k race at The Infinitus Trail Races. That's 888 kilometers/552 miles at the Infinitus Trail Races in Vermont from May 16-26. Please send him your best wishes, mojo, stretch, prayers, vibes, whatever you've got. He has worked and trained and he is ready. Also, his partner Hannah Hawley will be supporting him because as we all…

If you are easily offended, well, you won't like Sean very much, and maybe this isn't the podcast for you. Be warned, Sean may have topped himself in how inappropriate one can get on the podcast. If you're aren't easily offended, well, then, you're welcome for the laughs. Meghan and Sean discuss Sean's recovery from a broken leg. Sean explores miss…

Meghan checks in with Sean to see how is feeling after his skiing accident. Sean reports that he broke his tibia and describes his accident, surgery, and stay in the hospital. Sean ponders his plans for the remainder of the year and is cautiously optimistic about his rehab and prognosis for the fall. Thanks to Coach John Harris for filling on our l…

Welcome to a another episode of Comfortably Uncomfortable: Not Another Running Story. In this episode, we discuss the experiences of being an athlete and the surprising injuries that come with it. John Harris, an experienced podcaster and athlete, steps in to fill for our co-host Sean Meehan's unexpected absence. Sean's unfortunate skiing accident …

Sean gets hit in the head and seeks an Arborist to tell him he's not at fault. Meghan discusses her love of horror movies. Sean discusses Gleaming the Cube and Dr Giggles. The discussion moves into summer plans, camping in Acadia and trying to fit all of the fun into life. Sean discusses how race lotteries in December start to influence the summer …

Back in time... enjoy our first episode! This is where it all began. Our very first podcast is born! Welcome! Sean and Meghan talk about where their lives are now, why this podcast is important, and they make a decent attempt to recreate the conversations they have during long runs. Outtake song: Drive by Truckers, We Ain’t Never Gonna Change…

We continue profiling stories from the mid pack and bring mid pack athletes onto the podcast. In this episode Meg and Sean down with Marc Kelly a Connecticut ultrarunner and Sean's friend. Marc lets us into his “why” and his internal motivation and how he stepped up his training in recent years and with renewed focus has created a world he loves be…

Coaches Meghan, Sean, and Sam talk with Chris Wristen founder of Mass Ultra. Chris created Mass Ultra covers ultra races in Massachusetts. Chris talks about moving to Massachusetts with his wife and how he used his education in journalism and background to help him become a part of the ultra running community. He discussed how the ultra community a…

Chaos, laughter, and fun continue with the whole ZenduranceNow Gang! Coaches Meghan, Sean, and Sam talk about their favorite full length records. We hope you have as much fun listening as we did recording this. This is part 2 of 2. Outtake Song: "Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Part 2" Pink FloydZenduranceNow

We have a great podcast for you! Chaos, laughter, and fun with the whole ZenduranceNow Gang! Coaches Meghan, Sean, and Sam talk about their favorite full length records. We hope you have as much fun listening as we did recording this. This is part 1 of 2. Outtake Song: "Songbird," Fleetwood MacZenduranceNow

You are in for a big treat. Join us for this special Christmas podcast episode with Finn Meehan. Finn was coached by his dad, our very own Coach Sean. Finn talks about his first 5k and then about his most recent 5k when he beat his previous time by 10 minutes!! Finn made us laugh so much and even told very embarrassing stories about his dad that ha…

Meghan and Sean sit down with the amazing Race Director and athlete Amy Rusiecki. We talk about how she was introduced into the ultra/trail running community and her personal accomplishments in the sport. We discuss how Amy went from running the Bill Koch Ski League to becoming the race director of the Vermont 100 mile and 7 Sisters trail races. We…

Meghan and Sean sit down and catch up with Coach Sam after his amazing success at the Javelina Jundred 100 mile race. Sam brought with him a very special guest; his daughter, pacer, and crew Sophia. During this conversation with Sam and Sophia we talk about how the race unfolded and Sophia’s roll in helping Sam achieve his goals in Arizona. Sam bat…

Sean has been dealing with some illness and injury that most likely resulted from his lack of recovery after an intense racing season. Pivot to "What to Watch." Meghan discussed the movie "Nyad" on Netflix and how it really inspired her. Sean’s discussed "Welcome to Wrexham" on Hulu. They next discuss recent events in endurance sports including iss…

Coaches Meghan and Sean talk with Coach Sam prior to his run at Javelina Jundred 100 mile race in Arizona. After a brief talk about what Sam’s plans are to successfully execute we get into how Sam approaches his "taper" also known as pre race prep and chill. Sam takes us through his weeks prior to the race and how he deals with the drop in running …

ZenduranceNow Coaches Meghan, Sean, and Sam discuss training older athletes. The discussion ranges from hormones, bone density, supplements, and just general health. They address modifications in training protocols for older athlete and how strength and mobility become a bigger focus to stimulate and regulate hormone changes. The discussion also cl…

Meghan and Sean talk in depth about the bike crash that almost killed her in June of 2006. This is a very special and emotional episode for Meghan. Sean delves into the physical, mental, and emotional sides of Meghan's trauma. They talk in depth about what happened during and immediately following the crash. Meghan shares how this has reshaped her …

Meghan and Sean talk in depth about the bike crash that almost killed her in June of 2006. This is a very special and emotional episode for Meghan. Sean delves into the physical, mental, and emotional sides of Meghan's trauma. They talk in depth about what happened during and immediately following the crash. Meghan shares how this has reshaped her …

Meghan and Sean discuss Sean’s first "Did Not Finish" aka DNF. Sean recently DNF’d at Jigger Johnson 100 mile in the White Mountains. Sean shares his mindset going into the race, and how the wheels came off the bus. Meghan also digs into why what may seem like a failure sometimes is not. And how those failures actually make for stronger athletes. T…

Meg and Sean sit down and talk with Philip Carcia. Phil is an avid hiker best know for his hiking “projects” in the Whites of New Hampshire. After a brief introduction we discuss his motivations for his experiences as a long distance hiker. His “practice” and vision was drastically changed with the death of his father. Sean and Phil discuss how the…

Meghan and Sean sit down and talk with Philip Carcia, the Humble King of the White Mountains. Phil is an avid hiker best know for his hiking “projects” in the Whites of New Hampshire. After a brief introduction we discuss his motivations for his experiences as a long distance hiker. His “practice” and vision was drastically changed with the death o…

Coaches Meg, Sean, and Sam sit down and talk about Sean's goal of 10+ years... Western States 100 mile. Coach Sam was also in California for the Western States as he was supporting his daughter Sophia. This is a story about working towards and committing to a goal. This being the 50th Anniversary of Western States made the journey all the more swee…

Meghan and Sean sit down with Meghan’s father Marshall Collins on his birthday and talk running from his perspective. He shares with us humbling stories and humor, beating Amby Burfoot only to realize Amby was at a distinct disadvantage, trying to beat legendary Patti Catalano, and unfortunately sharing the same track as Olympic medal winner Rick W…

Sean and Meghan talk about the media they are currently enjoying including what they are reading, watching, and listening to. Meghan immediately triggers Sean with her choice of reading material and later triggers him again with a discussion about masculinity in media. They discuss the merits of Ted Lasso and masculinity as portrayed in sporting me…

Our very own Sean Meehan is running Western States 100 mile in California today! Please send him great energy, mojo, prayers, well wishes- whatever works for you. Sean and Meghan talk mental health and fitness. This includes: the connection between mind and body and the stigma that exists around mental health and how this is changing as education b…

Meghan and Sean talk with Matt Shinn and Hannah Hawley. Matt and Hannah met while Matt was thru hiking the Appalachian Trail. They are now married and share a love for the outdoors. The conversation starts off with shared experiences at The Endurance Society’s Infinitus races that took place 2 weeks ago in Vermont. The conversation continues with t…

Sean gets hit in the head and seeks an Arborist to tell him he's not at fault. Meghan discusses her love of horror movies. Sean discusses Gleaming the Cube and Dr Giggles. The discussion moves into summer plans, camping in Acadia and trying to fit all of the fun into life. Sean discusses how race lotteries in December start to influence the summer …

Sean and Meghan talk STRESS. They discuss how they deal with stress and how stress manifests in their lives. Sean discusses his training as both stress relief and an increased source of stress. Meghan and Sean discuss being introverted or extroverted and its role in stress manifestation and management. Meghan shares a story about how kids can ruin …

Sean and Meg sit down to talk about getting to and from races and how to prep and travel. Sean provides an initial race recap of Traprock 50k and intro to the race season. The discussions set out on how to pick and choose crew and pacers and what expectations should be for both support team and racer. Sourcing from personal experiences they go over…

Meghan and Sean welcome Coach John Harris to the podcast. John is a long time member of the ZenduranceNow crew. He is a Navy Veteran, coach, podcaster, cancer survivor, and all around solid human. We discuss trauma, endurance sports, exercise, and recovery. John delves into how he came into sport and his identity within it and how it is evolving as…

Before you start singing Queen and Bowie sit down with Sean and Meghan as they discuss pressure. Speaking from both personal experiences in life, racing, and in professional capacities they walk through some common manifestations of personal anxiety. The delve into how they address issues within themselves and while coaching. As a bonus Meg has Sea…

Meghan, Sean, and Sam get together to discuss goals and struggles that they are going through. Amongst the chaos of their typical conversation Sean gets a little punchy but it’s counter balanced by Sam’s zen persona. Meg continues to try to keep the train on the tracks and the discussions to the goals and struggles topic despite Sean’s typical bant…

Meghan and Sean sit down with Vinny Capp from Happily Running https://www.happilyrunning.com They discuss how Sean met Vinny and through his involvement with Laurel Highlands and putting on that race during the pandemic. Vinny has been involved in the race community for many years and we have discussions about how he got into long distance Race Dir…

Meghan and Sean welcome fellow coach Mindy Randall from Forward Motion Run Coaching. Mindy is a fellow endurance junkie and has crossed paths with Meghan over the past 6+ years. Sean and Mindy also discover that they are both training for the Jigger Johnson Ultramarathon in August. Mindy talks about her journey as a mid-pack runner, to veterinary m…

Meghan, Sean, and Sam each play songs that they love. The group talks about the songs and laughter commences. Playlist for you to decide for yourself: APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/zendurancenow-mix-vol-3/pl.u-76oNNdmIdre74 SPOTIFY:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7JSPcgzBzFNt5YgMBp0fql Thin Lizzy Cowboy Song James McMurtry Choc…

Meghan and Sean talk cults. The discussions center around fitness and diet related cults. They talk about their personal experiences with in and around these cults as a layers on the fitness world. Sean discusses some of his dietary changes that were derived from cult like diet systems. Meghan tell some stories of her cultish experiences with yoga.…

Sometimes in the course of a podcast Meghan or Sean will get distracted and veer hard off topic. This episode is really no different. Meg and Sean catch up a little after his vacation. They then go and address some listener submitted questions: recovering from illness and training, how to come back after a long layoff, staying motivated as a back o…

Join Coaches Meghan, Sean, and Sam as we talk about everything Grateful Dead, favorite movies, life and it's chaos, how Meghan finds her Zen, and yelling at our athletes (not really.) Sam seems to really enjoy poking Meghan and Sean and making them argue. If you live in Massachusetts and need a good massage therapist Sam is your man https://samfarn…

Meghan starts with a quote from Cory Reese and his recent book, Stronger than the Dark. In a strange twist Sean is also reading a book, The Brave Athlete: Calm the F**k Down and Rise to the Occasion. We discuss pre-race anxiety and how that feeling manifests in everyday life. After several more digressions the topic of the podcast: Recovery is fina…

*trigger warning* We talk about suicide and mental health in this podcast. We have a different podcast today. I was very shaken by two recent child suicide attempts in my circle. Also, as I signed on to record this podcast with Sean I learned about the recent hate fueled shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs. And while editing this podcast I learn…

What is this? Sean is a Furry? Sean and Meghan talk about race volunteering and local race communities. Introducing your kids to the crazy world of endurance athletics. Sean volunteered as a trail marshal for Amy Rusiecki’s Mt Tom trail race. Check it out here https://beastcoasttrailrunning.blogspot.com/?m=1 Meg went surfing again and it’s quite po…

*Note from Sean: I incorrectly state that NH has no ultras outside of Ghost Train and that Ghost Train was the only NH 100 miler. However, Jigger Johnson 100 miler just announced itself. I am looking forward to hearing more about this.* Meghan and Sean and revisit grit as suggested by podcast listener after his experiences during his most recent ul…

Sean and Meghan chat about Sean's recent Grindstone 100 mile race and training specificity. Sean gives a solid recap of a great race including race logistics and mishaps. Meghan delves into her new love of winter surfing and why her training isn’t geared towards any specific goal. And as always Sean and Meghan disagree on the meaning of the word "s…

Meghan and Sean sit down with the infamous Sarah Keddell. Sarah regales them with her tales of life on the trails and worldly adventures. Sarah explains to us her unconventional journey to and through endurance athletics from Army Medic to Massage Therapist. Sarah's most recent adventures include Kilimanjaro and to K2 base camp in Nepal. Sarah desc…

Meg and Sean just chat it up again. They talk for a little bit about getting the kids back to school and last year of the summer trips. Turns out Sean isn’t the biggest fan of camping. Meg got to spend some time without kids in the White Mountains in New Hampshire and worked a bit on her hiking. Sean had a big weekend in the Vermont in the Green Mo…

Meghan and Sean have a catch up conversation. It’s been a little bit since Sean and Meg were able to converse. They dive right into old school phone sex and sex worker discussion. Seems pretty normal. Will Meghan run a marathon, will she be able to qualify for Boston? We talk a little about her recovery from her surgery and progressing towards goal…

Meghan and Sean get together and chat with Sara Simmons a long time ZenduranceNow athlete. Sara is coached by Sean and explains how that came about. She also delves into how her perceptions of her abilities has changed while being coached by ZenduranceNow coaches. She explains her past experiences and injury history and how our initial focus was ge…

Meghan and Sean sit down and check in with friend and runner Joshua White. Josh is a ultra runner living in Vermont where he resides as a Chief Medical Officer in a local hospital. Josh discusses with us his practices for homesteading and how he utilizes his land, animals, and provides for his family through hunting, farming, and foraging. Josh exp…

Sean and Meghan talk mental health and fitness. This includes: the connection between mind and body and the stigma that exists around mental health and how this is changing as education becomes more prevalent. The importance of empathy and compassion while dealing with mental health is stressed. Meghan and Sean discuss some of their personal experi…

When you spend a lot of time outside weird things are bound to occur- right? At least this is what Sean and Meghan are telling themselves. Please join us for our listener submitted stories. We laugh a lot and there's a lot of head shaking. Here's a list of the stories that were told: John LennonDeath Race HallucinationsSean’s Virgil CrestMatt’s poo…