Join Miranda and Jon as they discuss Run-cations (a portmanteau of Run and Vacation!) and Miranda's recent experience running the Tour du Mont Blanc.

Links:

• More than Miles: Why Runcations are a Rising Travel Trend article on Outside
• Eric Lee's Blog on Adventures and National Park Runs

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Miranda and Jon dive into the world of "runcations" – vacations centered around running adventures – sharing experiences from Tour de Mont Blanc and discussing what makes these journeys both challenging and transformative.

• Runcations can take many forms: destination races, multi-day trail adventures, national park runs
• Different styles suit different runners – from luxury accommodations to more rugged experiences
• Community and shared experiences are central to what makes runcations special
• The Tour de Mont Blanc crosses through France, Italy, and Switzerland with distinct cultural experiences in each
• Running through multiple countries allows you to experience dramatic differences in trail marking, food, and architecture
• Finding balance between challenge and enjoyment is key – it's not about racing but experiencing
• Technical skills like downhill running may require practice before tackling alpine trails
• Flexibility matters – sometimes taking a gondola or shuttle enhances rather than diminishes the experience
• Proper fueling becomes crucial when running multiple big days back-to-back
• Switzerland has the best homemade ice cream and the most whimsical trail decorations

Find a group of people who you want to spend four or five days with running. Plan a runcation. Make it happen. You won't regret it. Be open to the experience, be open to how it changes you and how it shapes you, and enjoy the journey.

Thanks for listening to Running With Problems. Follow us on Instagram @runningwithproblems. DM us there with questions in text or audio messages! Or email us at podcast@runningwithproblems.run.

Hosted by Jon Eisen (@mildly_athletic) and Miranda Williamson (@peaksandjustice). Edited by Jon Eisen. Theme music by Matt Beer.

Join us as we chat with Aaron Lozier, who comes back to the podcast after attempting the LA Freeway for the second time. Last time, he had to be rescued via helicopter. Listen in to hear how the second attempt goes.

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After being dramatically rescued from the LA Freeway last year, Aaron Lozier returns to share his redemption story on one of Colorado's most formidable mountain challenges. The LA Freeway isn't a highway in Los Angeles—it's a brutal 35-mile technical traverse connecting Longs Peak to Arapaho Peak across at least 19 summits, featuring exposed ridgelines and class five climbing sections.

Aaron takes us through his year-long journey from failure to success, detailing how he processed the shame of rescue and rebuilt his approach through extensive scouting trips and mindset work. His story reveals profound lessons about preparation, as he meticulously studied routes, developed personal rules like "if you find yourself on unexpected fifth-class terrain, you're off route," and assembled the perfect three-person team for his second attempt.

The expedition itself unfolds like a thriller, from strong early progress to hallucinations and near-breakdowns during the 36-hour journey. Aaron candidly shares moments of doubt when facing technical sections in darkness ("at night, it's an abyss"), water challenges solved by his teammate's brilliant syringe innovation, and the infamous "jump" section that everyone mysteriously forgets exists. His vulnerability in describing mental struggles brings us directly onto those exposed ridgelines alongside him.

What makes this story truly special is Aaron's evolved perspective on achievement. Rather than focusing on proving critics wrong, he embraced "proving people right"—honoring those who believed in him. This shift transformed his experience from personal redemption into shared accomplishment, creating a powerful framework for approaching our own challenges.

Listen now to experience this remarkable comeback story that will inspire your own relationship with failure, preparation, and the mountains that call to us despite their difficulties.

Thanks for listening to Running With Problems. Follow us on Instagram @runningwithproblems. DM us there with questions in text or audio messages! Or email us at podcast@runningwithproblems.run.

Hosted by Jon Eisen (@mildly_athletic) and Miranda Williamson (@peaksandjustice). Edited by Jon Eisen. Theme music by Matt Beer.

Jon Rea joins Miranda and Jon for an honest and open conversation about the problems he's encountered along his journey to become a pro runner.

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Elite ultrarunner Jon Ray takes us on an emotional journey through triumph and devastating setbacks in this raw, honest conversation about the mental side of competitive running.

After methodically building his ultrarunning career to achieve a top-10 finish at Western States, Ray faced a brutal sequence of injuries that derailed his 2023 season. Rather than hiding behind easy platitudes, he opens up about the psychological toll of these setbacks—from the shock of a sudden ankle sprain at Gorge Waterfalls to the crushing disappointment of a stress fracture diagnosis that sidelined him during a carefully planned sabbatical dedicated to training.

The conversation dives deep into the psychology of competitive running, exploring how Ray made intentional decisions to increase his investment in the sport over time. His reflections on internal versus external motivation reveal profound insights about what drives elite performance: "The amount of effort you can put in is different if you're going for first place than if you're going for 38th place," he notes, highlighting how competitive context shapes our capacity for suffering.

Perhaps most valuable is Ray's discussion of injury processing techniques developed with his sports psychologist. By mentally revisiting traumatic moments and analyzing decisions without self-judgment, he's found a path toward acceptance rather than bitterness. His current approach of "no forecasting"—avoiding negative projections about his running future while facing potential career-threatening complications—offers wisdom for anyone navigating uncertain recovery.

Ready for an unfiltered look at what it really takes to pursue running at the highest level? Listen now and discover why Jon's parting advice—"Don't take too much advice from other people. Do your own independent thinking"—might be the most important lesson for your own running journey.

Thanks for listening to Running With Problems. Follow us on Instagram @runningwithproblems. DM us there with questions in text or audio messages! Or email us at podcast@runningwithproblems.run.

Hosted by Jon Eisen (@mildly_athletic) and Miranda Williamson (@peaksandjustice). Edited by Jon Eisen. Theme music by Matt Beer.