Dirt And Vert

Ginny Smith never planned to be a race director. When Rock Creek's owners asked her in Chattanooga, her answer was simple: "No. I just run." A decade later, she's the woman behind Bad Beard Events — and in this episode of the Dirt and Vert podcast, with David Compton & Mike Taylor filling in for Matt, she tells the whole story: how she inherited some of the oldest trail races in the Southeast, and why she's now handing them to Aravaipa Running without letting go of what made them matter.

Ginny walks through the wild ownership saga of the Rock Creek race series — from the original owners to Camping World nearly shutting it all down, to her cousin Ted of Gearhead Outfitters stepping in to save it. She explains how a beard logo on the River Gorge race became Bad Beard Events (yes, the irony of a woman running a company with an aggressive beard logo was the point), and what it takes to keep races like Stump Jump — one of the oldest trail races in the country at 27 years — alive across two mountains with no cell service and supplies hauled in by ATV.

This is also a masterclass in what race directing actually costs. Ginny talks about running every department of a business by herself, marking the Signal Mountain loop seven times in two days because people kept tearing the flagging down, serving on the SORBA, Trust for Public Land, and Tennessee River Gorge Trust boards, and the fear every race director knows: that one runner's first race experience depends entirely on you. Then she takes the hardest listener question head-on — "Are you a sellout?" — and explains why trusting Jamil Coury and Aravaipa, keeping the races local, keeping prices the same, and staying through 2027 isn't walking away. It's making sure the races outlive her.

Whether you're into ultramarathon training, dreaming of directing your own trail race, or you just love the grassroots side of this sport, this conversation is about the people who build the start lines the rest of us get to stand on — and why the finish line hug matters more than the finish time.

Sarah June didn't grow up a runner. She grew up a gymnast — until doctors thought she'd broken her back and the pain took the fun out of it. After college, she traded cigarettes and late nights for running shoes: every time she craved a smoke, she went for a run instead. Her first goal was a two-mile loop around a lake in Rochester, Minnesota. It took months. Then she accidentally signed up for a trail 5K, placed second without knowing races had places, and got hooked.

In this episode of the Dirt and Vert podcast, David and Matt dig into Sarah's evolution from reluctant runner to ultramarathon coach, strength coach, and FKT holder. She opens up about the races that broke her — a Black Canyon 100K DNF in a snowstorm at 47 miles, freezing in 30-degree wind while her watch auto-paused because she was moving too slow to register, and a Mogollon Monster 100 DNF at mile 70 after sitting in an aid station for two and a half hours, out of sodium, spiraling mentally until she called her husband and told him she was broken.

But this isn't a sob story. It's a masterclass in the endurance athlete mindset. Sarah talks about the race she's proudest of — Saddles 100, where she pulled herself out of mental lows, battled heat exhaustion, and walked the final ten miles to the finish — and her life-changing 247-mile Maricopa Loop FKT, completed in 84 hours and 17 minutes with an umbrella in 95-degree heat and a crew that never left her side. She breaks down the unsexy details that decide 100-mile races: ultra running nutrition, remembering your sodium capsules, changing your shoes before your feet turn into sausages, lining up pacers early, and why crewing an ultra well matters as much as training for one.

Whether you're deep into ultramarathon training, chasing your first FKT, or just trying to understand why anyone runs 100 miles through the mountains, Sarah's story is proof that the outcome you want isn't always the experience you need — and that the experience is what makes you dangerous next time.

In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast, David, Matt, & Mary are joined by our good friend, fellow race director, and the creative force behind Yeti Trail Runners, Jason Green.

With the first-ever joint ECA and Yeti event—the Smoky Mountain 24 Hour Challenge—just around the corner, we sit down to talk about how a shared love for the Appalachian spirit and Dolly Parton sparked the creation of this massive new race.

The core of this episode is a complete masterclass in ultra crewing. Drawing from decades of combined experience as both runners and race directors, we break down exactly what not to do when crewing a 100-miler. We talk about the dangers of overloading a fatigued runner with choices, the importance of preloading GPS maps, and why giving your runner too much empathy at mile 80 can end their race. We also dive into the emotional side of the sport, sharing our personal "whys," how hitting rock bottom led us to the trails, and why the ultra community's relentless support is the ultimate antidote to a disconnected world.

In this episode of the Dirt & Vert trail running podcast, we sit down with ultra runner Joey Patoray to talk about his unbelievable journey into endurance sports. If you are searching for ultramarathon motivation, mindset strategies for overcoming trauma, or tips on running 100-mile races, this episode delivers.

After a traumatic construction accident left him fighting for his life in the hospital for 31 days with six surgeries and twelve blood transfusions, Joey went from being unable to walk to the parking lot to finishing the legendary Leadville 100 ultramarathon in under 24 hours. We dive deep into his gritty mindset for endurance training and how he leverages extreme trail running challenges to unplug from life and build resilience. Joey shares the raw reality of pushing the human body to its absolute limit, including running the Georgia Death Race on a fractured foot, surviving the brutal humidity of the Cherokee 130K with three hernias, and crushing a 171-mile PR at a 48-hour timed race. Discover what it takes to stop making excuses and tackle the hardest backyard ultras and point-to-point endurance events on the East Coast and beyond.

Inside the Episode, We Break Down:

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🏥 The Comeback: Fighting back from near-death to running 100-milers and refusing to settle for mediocrity.

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🏔️ Leadville vs. Cherokee: Why the brutal humidity, slick rocks, and running with three hernias at the Cherokee 130K made Leadville feel like a breeze.

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🦴 Running on Broken Bones: Grinding out 51 miles of the Georgia Death Race on a fractured foot because quitting wasn't an option.

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⏱️ Backyard Mindset: Overriding a blown plantar fascia by digging a massage gun into his heel every 4 miles to hit 108 miles—just in time to make it to his kid's birthday party.

In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast, Matt and I sit down with an amazing runner, coach, and longtime friend of East Coast Adventures: Leslie Cockrell.

We first met Leslie back at the 2023 Fort Frenzy 12-hour, and since then, she has been an absolute fixture in our running community. Leslie takes us through her entire progression—starting out running during COVID, jumping into a 22-mile mountain retreat in Glacier National Park, and diving headfirst into the ultra scene with a 52-miler and two 100-mile finishes in her very first year of racing.

We talk about the hard physical lessons learned along the way: fixing severe glute imbalances, navigating waist-deep water in Florida mangrove swamps at the Vero Beach Octopus 50K, and pacing her husband Jeremy through the brutal climbs of the Cherokee 70K. Leslie also gets real about her first DNF at the Great Divide, opening up about the mental traps that convince us to quit, why the regret of stopping hurts ten times worse than the physical pain, and how failing forward gives you the belief to tackle your next 100.

Key Topics

Leslie's journey from casual runner to ultra marathoner

Training and race preparation for ultras

Lessons learned from race experiences and DNF moments

Importance of community and support in ultra running

Heat training and race day strategies

Balancing personal development and athletic goals Leslie's transition from rodeo to ultrarunning

Crewing experiences and lessons learned

The emotional and physical challenges of ultramarathons

The importance of community and support in racing

How to handle a DNF and learn from it

Race directing and creating positive race experiences

Balancing coaching with personal racing goals

The mental strategies for endurance sports

The significance of race environment and organization

Leslie's future race goals and motivations

In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast, David & Matt sit down with an absolute grinder, good friend, and recent champion of the Inkom Last Man Standing: Brian Baker.

Brian opens up about the road that brought him into this sport. After a devastating 2021 ATV accident on his family farm broke his pelvis, fractured his spine, and claimed the life of his senior firefighter and close friend Pat Mahan, Brian was left battling heavy survivor's guilt. He turned to suffering to cope—first putting his head down to complete a full year of daily CrossFit Hero WODs in Pat's honor, and eventually taking that drive to ultra running, where he found a deeper path to Christ and learned to stop using suffering as a punishment.

We dive deep into the brutal reality of the short-loop format at Midstate Mile and Inkom Last Man Standing, where you have to line up every 20 minutes and make the conscious choice to suffer again. Brian shares his massive progression from 70 miles at Midstate Mile in 2025 to throwing down 127.6 miles over 39 hours and 40 minutes at Inkom Last Man Standing to take the overall win. We break down the danger of the "micro-quit" on the climbs, how an impromptu crew of friends helped him stay in the fight, and the raw emotion of taking that solo victory lap knowing the work finally paid off.

In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast, Matt and I sit down with a longtime friend in the Southeast trail community, and two-time No Business 100 finisher, Keith Overbay.

Keith’s journey is one a lot of us can relate to—starting out in his 30s to get back into shape after a divorce, finding the trail community through Nashville's Dirtbags group, and eventually tackling brutal 100-milers like No Business and Cruel Jewel. But earlier this year, Keith went through something none of us saw coming. While casually riding his bike through Nashville to cheer on friends at the marathon, he felt a bad side stitch that turned out to be a spontaneous collapsed lung.

We dive deep into Keith’s medical scare, the reality of having a tube put in your chest and getting surgery to rough up lung tissue, and the patience it takes to rebuild after back-to-back setbacks. We also talk about the mental grit required to survive 32 hours of hallucinations on a 100-mile course, learning to stop making excuses during 24-hour loops, and why ultra running is the single greatest tool for emotional growth and problem solving.

Key Takeaways

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Finding the Outlet: How a life pivot and divorce in Keith’s 30s sparked a return to running that eventually led straight into the ultra community.

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The Spontaneous Pneumothorax: The wild story of riding a bike, feeling what seemed like a minor cramp, and ending up in the ER with a collapsed lung requiring surgery and chest tubes.

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Listening to Your Body: Recognizing when something isn't normal pain, trusting your gut, and seeking medical care before a bad situation turns deadly.

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Hallucinations at Mile 80: What happens to the mind after 30 hours in the woods—from imaginary hot dog carts to seeing pirate ship masts in the trees.

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Problem Solving for 30 Hours: Keith’s perspective on why ultra running isn't just physical—it’s an ongoing test in staying patient, troubleshooting issues, and keeping a positive mindset.

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No Business 100: Looking back at the grit, weather, and deep relationships that make finishing a mountain 100 so meaningful

In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast, David & Matt sit down with fellow East Coast Adventures running team member, athlete, and coach Taylor Williams. Taylor shares her unfiltered story of stepping into the ultra world, from running her first 50K at Firewater to tackling one of the most brutal mountain races on the East Coast—the Cherokee.

Taylor pulls back the curtain on her massive training block leading into this year's Cherokee 130K, the mental hurdle of stepping onto the course alone, and navigating high heat, extreme humidity, and severe chafing that ultimately brought her day to a halt at mile 61. We dive deep into why a DNF doesn't define who you are, the power of leaning into a mentorship under Mary Cates, and how stepping out of your comfort zone builds lasting grit and grace.

Learn more about Taylor and coaching here:

https://www.endurecoach.com

email: endurecoachingknox@gmail.com

Key Takeaways

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The Cherokee Experience: What it truly takes to prepare for and face 10,000+ feet of climb in the middle of summer humidity.
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Overriding Imposter Syndrome: How Taylor moved past self-doubt to embrace huge miles, solo training runs in the Smokies, and leading other runners as a coach.
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The Reality of a DNF: Why walking away with gas left in the tank teaches you where your real boundaries are and sets the stage for future growth.
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Power Hiking Mastery: The strength of using the uphill as a tool to control heart rate and manage fatigue late in an ultra.
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Grit & Grace in Action: How finding a running family transforms your mindset on race day and keeps you grounded when things get tough.

In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast, Mike and I sit down with legendary ultra runner, coach, podcaster, and former race director Aaron Saft. Aaron called in live from his truck while towing his camper across the country to prepare for the Rocky Mountain Slam—giving us an authentic, unfiltered look into a career that spans over two decades in endurance sports.

Aaron takes us way back to the early, pre-UltraSignup days of the sport, when paper registrations, cash on race day, and low-cut hiking boots were the norm. We dive into his vast resume—from winning sub-ultra trail national championships to completing the Grand Slam and Bigfoot 200—and talk about his annual "Misogi" challenges, like running a calendar club challenge that capped off with a food-poisoning-fueled Christmas day effort. Aaron also shares the terrifying time he stood eye-to-eye with a 10-foot brown bear at the Canadian Death Race, why a high-carb strategy doesn't work for every stomach, and how decades of trail miles have deepened his relationships with his family and friends.

Key Takeaways

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Before the Tech Era: What trail racing looked like in the early 2000s, handing out Janji gear before it was cool, and how the sport has evolved from paper sign-ups to live-streamed commercial events.

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The Canadian Death Race Encounter: Standing 6 feet away from a 10-foot brown bear with two cubs, sprinting 40 miles into the race, and trading a coin to a ferryman to cross a glacial river.

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Annual Misogi Challenges: Why Aaron sets one challenge a year with a 50% chance of failure—and how he survived running a 172-mile week in December through a bout of severe food poisoning.

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Nutritional Pivot for Older Athletes: Learning that high-carb intake isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, and why incorporating fats and proteins early can save an aging gut.

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Grieving a DNF: Why every runner needs a grace period to process a failed race, make a "what went right vs. wrong" list, and use the community to problem-solve.

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The Intrinsic 'Why': Why true motivation comes from the deep, unfiltered connections forged with family and crew out in the dark miles.

In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast, we sit down with two-time Cherokee Ultra 130K finisher Aden Rogers. Aden is one of only four runners to earn the coveted Cherokee double buckle, and her story from this year's race is a masterclass in relentless forward progress.

Aden breaks down her journey into trail running—from picking up the sport to find time for herself as a mom to winning her very first 100-miler at Pinhoti. We go deep into her experience on the Cherokee course this year, where brutal heat and humidity forced her to battle extreme dehydration and stomach issues starting at mile 15. Aden shares what went through her mind on the dark stretch of Doc Rogers Road, how she navigated the fine line between safety and quitting, and why she refuses to give up on herself when things get dark.

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The Cherokee Double Buckle: Aden breaks down what it took to finish one of the toughest mountain courses on the East Coast for the second time.

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Battling the Heat: Managing severe dehydration and humidity, dealing with stomach issues from mile 15, and finding a way to keep moving forward.

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The Dark Miles: The mental strategy Aden used on the Doc Rogers Road section when quitting felt like the only option.

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Refusing to Give Up: Why Aden believes hardships in life and running are temporary, and how pushing through dark moments builds lasting strength.

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Pinhoti to Cherokee: Reflections on her background, from winning her first 100-miler at Pinhoti to tackling brutal technical vert.

In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast, get ready for a one-on-one conversation with a runner who has been absolutely lighting up the ultra scene over the last couple of years—Kristen Soinski.

Fresh off the Chasing Democracy 250—a massive 250-mile journey run from the Statue of Liberty to Washington D.C. alongside Harvey Lewis and Greg Armstrong—Kristen pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to cover huge point-to-point distances in 90-plus degree heat. We talk about her start in middle school running, taking a five-year break from the sport, and her wild leap into ultras where she dropped a staggering 154 miles at her very first backyard ultra at Ohio's Backyard. Kristen shares how running became a vessel for navigating heavy personal grief, why she refuses to let a bad mile define her day, and the hilarious behind-the-scenes moments of foraging mulberries and accidentally buying sea moss jelly on the road with Greg and Harvey.

This week on the Dirt & Vert Podcast, Matt and I are sitting down with a runner who has been on an absolute, unhinged hot streak lately: Josh LaCrone. Josh is a paramedic, a dad, and the reigning course record holder at our very own Fort Frenzy, where he threw down a massive 113.15 miles on a notoriously brutal trail.

What makes Josh’s story completely insane is that Fort Frenzy was only his second ultra ever. After navigating some tough personal times, Josh set a wild goal to run a 100-mile race every single month—and he’s actually doing it. We talk about the steep learning curve of trail elevation, battling recurring rhabdo, and a recent, wild experience at the Matakwa 24 where he got bit by a baby copperhead at 11:00 PM, went to the ER, left against medical advice, and came straight back to the trail to finish the race and grab his buckle. We also deconstruct his performance at Blackbeard, where he threw down a spectacular 14-hour hundred on pure asphalt, proving he has the elite speed to completely mix it up with the top tier of the sport.

This week on the Dirt & Vert Podcast we have a guest who is redefining what it means to go the distance—Cody Taylor. Cody’s path is wild: he went from being a touring, major-label new metal drummer to a full-time endurance athlete and coach.

If you think a standard 100-mile race is tough, try dropping yourself onto a 550-mile trail completely unsupported—carrying a 50-plus pound pack, filtering your own water, and surviving a 50-hour push with nothing but a pocket full of pepperoni and zero sleep. We dive deep into his record-breaking FKTs on the Bruce Trail and the International Appalachian Trail, the brutal learning curve of packing a heavy bag incorrectly, and what it’s like to battle raw hallucinations and panic attacks in the deep backcountry. This conversation is a true masterclass in grit, constant self-reinvention, and what happens when you step up to a starting line with absolutely nothing to prove.

We are just two weeks out from Father's Day weekend, and that means it's time for a family reunion at the notorious Mid-State Mile in Franklin, Tennessee. To get our runners mentally locked in, we sit down with two legendary champions who know exactly what it takes to survive the "murder mile": Aaron Dana and Eric Kienle.

This conversation is a total masterclass for anyone stepping onto this course for the first time. Aaron and Eric strip away the illusions of the race on paper and dive straight into the brutal reality of the trail—the steep incline of Myers, the technical quad-burning descents, and the thick canopy that traps 90-degree heat and humidity deep into the night. We deconstruct our own fumbles from year two, trade notes on time-saving gear hacks like elastic Caterpie laces, and talk about how to mentally manage a strict 20-minute loop without letting a pity party or false strength from other runners take you out of the game.

This week on the Dirt & Vert Podcast, we are bringing you a heavy-hitting episode packed with prestige, mindset, and some serious backyard ultra strategy. Hosts David and Matt are joined by two of the absolute animals on the USA Backyard Ultra team: the legendary Harvey Lewis and the powerhouse Mark Dowdle.

Fresh off their massive battle at the BPN Last Man Standing event, Harvey and Mark are joining forces—and going head-to-head—at Tennessee’s notorious Mid-State Mile in Franklin. They dive deep into why they are stepping out of their comfort zones to face 340 feet of grueling elevation gain per loop, how they handle the intense external pressure of media-heavy races, and the specific mental shifts required when the quitting mindset starts sounding reasonable.

Mark shares his transition from college lacrosse to running after being inspired by a David Goggins podcast, while Harvey reflects on his incredible longevity in the sport, having run ultras longer than Mark has been alive. We deconstruct the unique format of Mid-State—where you have a strict 20 minutes to complete 340 feet of elevation gain and loss—and exchange veteran advice on managing body temperature in 90% humidity. From Harvey's 3-minute classroom naps to Mark's relentless "Calendar Club" training blocks, this conversation is a masterclass in locking down your mental game and building a bulletproof crew.

We get a lot of questions about how to get into race directing, how to host fundraisers for charity, and what it actually takes to put on your very first 5K or 10K. In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast, David, Matt, and Mike Taylor break it all down into a simple, high-level roadmap.

We start the day catching up on Mike and Matt's longest 50K ever at the Stump Jump anniversary race—a beautiful, well-marked course where they threw up a thousand times, survived on green and red Gatorade, and battled some classic race director lies about the actual distance to the next aid station. Then, we dive into the nitty-gritty of race directing. From navigating monthly city agenda permits and securing liability insurance policy to choosing a major hosting platform like RunSignUp and finding a local photographer to capture the memories, we share the fumbles we went through so you don't have to.

What happens when a group of six runners—some of whom just met—piles into an RV to run 340 miles through the desert? Whitney Dancaster and Peter Haggemeier take us inside their recent journey through The Speed Project.

​In this episode, we learn how the team navigated the "OG Route," alternating 10K segments while battling extreme winds and high-desert heat. Peter and Whitney discuss the intense bond formed in the "Petri dish" of a cramped RV, the surrealism of seeing the Vegas lights after two days of effort, and the unique challenges of self-crewing a race where the only rule is to just keep moving.

What does it look like to have 107 races and 104 trophies? For Rachel Entrekin, it looks like a duffel bag full of hardware under the bed and a life recently transformed by professional running contracts.

In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast, we sit down with Rachel to discuss her transition from a Doctor of Physical Therapy to a full-time professional athlete. Rachel takes us through her "prolific" racing schedule, her shift from road marathons to the mountain trails of Colorado, and the incredible 10-hour improvement she made at Cocodona 250 just by fixing her fueling strategy. She also shares one of the most harrowing (and hilarious) "rookie mistake" stories in ultra history involving a heat wave, a bad case of chafing, and a very poorly timed application of Icy Hot.

Key Takeaways

The Pro Pivot: How Rachel leveraged her success in 2025 to sign professional contracts and leave her 40-hour PT job.

The Cocodona Breakthrough: A deep dive into how she shaved 10 hours off her time through better fueling and altitude training.

The Multi-Day Mindset: Lessons from Matt Shepard on why you should sleep when you're tired rather than sticking to a rigid plan.

Gear & Humility: Why she traded Old Navy shorts for technical gear like Teregnota and Norda to survive the triple-digit distances.

The "Why": Why Rachel runs "because her life is too easy," using the sport as a practice ground for resilience.

What happens when you trade the high-stress world of Tesla for a career in Sales Engineering? For Sierra DeGroff, it meant finding the mental space to become one of the most dominant forces in the ultra-running community.

In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast, we sit down with the 2026 Umstead 100 Female Champion to deconstruct her journey from a Michigan track athlete to the top of the ultra podium. Sierra gets real about her transition from the marathon distance to the grueling world of 100-milers, sharing the "nitty-gritty" of her Umstead race strategy and the nutrition plan that kept her fueled for a first-place finish. We explore the central theme of her career: how improving her work-life balance didn't just make her happier—it made her faster.

Most ultra runners encounter their toughest moments when the race pushes them to the limit—and Kirk Cherep’s story is no different. From a lightning-fast win in his first ultra to a heartbreaking DNF at the grueling No Business 100, Kirk’s journey is a vivid reminder that in this sport, humility is part of the adventure.

In this candid episode, the founder of Trailblazer Running shares the "nitty-gritty" of race strategy, the wrestler-to-runner pipeline, and the insider secrets to creating community-driven races in Indiana. We dive into the unique challenge of a "Trail Golf" ultra—where strokes matter more than time—and how to manage the staggering 10,000 feet of elevation gain at the Knobstone 50. Whether you’re chasing your first 50K or dreaming of a hundred-miler, Kirk’s insights on mental toughness and technical race design provide the ultimate blueprint for the modern trail runner.