Trail running doesn't always mean running an ultramarathon. From trail 5ks to marathons, there's a growing interest in middle distance trail events. Andy Wacker is making this space a more vibrant and welcoming community for runners.

Andy Wacker is a professional runner who excels on the track, road, and trail. He is the 2019 world Mountain Running Champ, 2016 US Trail Half Marathon Champ, 2015 US Trail 50k Champion, and a two-time NCAA XC All-American.

Andy seeks longevity in the sport and embraces a seasonal training approach to keep him running strong across different distances and disciplines.

These days, Andy is growing the trail running community as the founder of The Trail Team, a group of elite and sub-elite athletes that work together in Boulder, Colorado. The Trail Team aims to professionalize the sport and create more opportunities for runners everywhere.

In this episode, Andy and I talk about:

Andy's running journey from his first trail race in 2013 (which made him temporarily quit trail running) to now
The mindset shift from track running to trail running and finding freedom from obsessing over splits
Andy's unique approach to training and leaning into challenges
How Andy focuses on a seasonal approach and a cross-over model so that athletes can run on the roads and the track
How Andy is running for longevity in the sport
Why Andy loves sub-ultra races: Trail running isn't only ultrarunning, and sometimes it's a great idea to focus on middle distance races
Supporting sub-elite and professional runners through media storytelling, mentorship, and trail camps
Andy's plans for the Track Team in 2024

If you're looking to run through many seasons of life, you'll get inspired by this episode!

Links & Resources from the Show:

Thank you MOBO board!

Invented by renowned physical therapist Jay Dicharry, MOBO helps you stabilize your stance with an innovative rocker board that’s set up on two fins. The design effectively forces you to drive your big toe into the board to improve your stability. I was pretty arrogant going into my first session on the MOBO Board. How hard can it be to balance, right? Well, I was humbled pretty quickly!

Even if you’re a good runner, better balance, stability, and proprioception is going to help you have a more powerful stride and prevent more running injuries. You’ll learn how to improve the efficiency of the kinetic chain from your hip to your big toe. Because as Jay likes to say, it’s not just how strong you are, but how well you use that strength.

I was recently at a weekend physical therapy workshop (lol I was the only running coach) and learned how important (and rare) this simple movement is. Save 10% with code STRENGTHRUN10 at checkout at moboboard.com.

Thank you AG1!

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One scoop per day is what I’ve been doing to help me fill in any nutrition gaps in my diet. It also provide a nice boost of energy and focus throughout the day. With all 3 of my kids in school, I know I need to support my immune system or else I’m getting sick and can’t train.

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Andy Wacker: Exploring Longevity, Seasonal Training, and Supporting Trail Runners

The Strength Running Podcast