Running Buddies featuring Ray Zahab

On this episode of Running Buddies, we talk with acclaimed Canadian explorer and ultrarunner Ray Zahab. Ray discovered his newfound passion for extreme endurance in 2004 when he unexpectedly won his first race, a 100-mile ultramarathon in the Yukon. Since then, he has traversed some of the world's most unforgiving landscapes on foot, including a 7,500 km trek across the Sahara Desert and grueling expeditions through the Gobi, Atacama, and polar regions. Zahab explains that preparing for these remote ventures demands intense planning, ranging from high-fat nutritional adaptations for self-contained Arctic crossings to intricate water caching in arid deserts. Throughout his polar travels, he emphasizes the invaluable survival skills and generational wisdom shared with him by local Inuit communities. Beyond personal athletic feats, Zahab finds his true purpose as an educator and founder of the non-profit organization impossible2Possible, which takes youth ambassadors on fully funded, experiential learning expeditions. Reflecting on shifting media landscapes, he notes how modern technology and social platforms make sharing expeditions instantaneous compared to the massive film crews of his early career. Recalling terrifying moments like baboon confrontations in Namibia and breaking through Arctic ice, he jokingly admits that he spends roughly 80% of his career "running scared". Ultimately, Zahab encourages listeners to step out of their comfort zones, embrace the possibility of failure, and discover their true human potential. Follow ray on Instagram @rayzahabCheck out impossibe2possible at: https://www.impossible2possible.com/Partners:THN Labs - THN make energy gels in Canada with minimal ingredients. If you're running long and want to actually know what you're eating, hit them up at thnlabs.com.Code: RSP15Hettas - Performance footwear for womenShop HereCode: HCN-RUNSCAREDSupport the showSubscribe to Running Scared Media wherever you get your podcasts for more episodes!RunningScaredMedia.comEmail us at: [email protected] us:Instagram @runningscaredmediaJoin our FB Running Group 

“If I had to describe Badwater 135 in one word, it would be: Inferno.” - Mike WardianUltra-marathon legend Mike Wardian, a 4-time USATF Ultra Runner of the Year, has shattered records and pushed boundaries across the globe. But nothing compares to the brutal challenge of the Badwater 135—a grueling 135-mile race through Death Valley, where temperatures soar to 130°F, starting at the lowest point in the U.S. and climbing to over 8,000 feet.Inferno is an immersive docudrama that plunges you into Mike's punishing journey as he battles searing heat and relentless fatigue, while his crew fights to keep him on his feet. Part true story, part dramatized experience, this Running Scared jogcast captures every intense moment of the raceSupport the showSubscribe to Running Scared Media wherever you get your podcasts for more episodes!RunningScaredMedia.comEmail us at: [email protected] us:Instagram @runningscaredmediaJoin our FB Running Group 

On an isolated island, four components of a gene-altering formula have been hidden. Colonel Ken Capstone deploys his best runner to retrieve the parts: you. Codename: Jack Rabbit. But the island is undergoing unimaginable changes - the flora and fauna are mutating and seem to be acting to protect the components you need. With the aid of the grizzled Capstone and brilliant Dr. Malcolm Burr you will traverse through jungle terrain, over waterfalls and into caves to complete the mission. Be warned, not everything on this island is as it seems.This is also the week 4 story in our Six Feet and Running Challenge!Support the showSubscribe to Running Scared Media wherever you get your podcasts for more episodes!RunningScaredMedia.comEmail us at: [email protected] us:Instagram @runningscaredmediaJoin our FB Running Group 

Haliburton is done, and everything about the next training block just changed.This episode breaks down the new program heading into the second 50K on November 15 — a fourth gym day added specifically because of what Haliburton exposed, and the lessons from that race that reshaped how this block is built.The ScheduleRunning Days— Tuesday: Easy run, 45–60 minutes (30 in cutback/taper weeks)— Wednesday: Hill intervals, 45–60 minutes, building from 4 up to 6 rounds of climb-and-descent— Friday: Recovery run— Saturday: Nothing for the first few weeks, then progressively added sessions to build fatigue heading into Sunday's long run — simulating what the body feels like deep into race distance— Sunday: Long run, starting at 60 minutes and building to 4.5 hours at peak, then tapering downGym Days— Tuesday: Strength A — lower body, downhill/eccentric-specific (step-downs, single-leg control, tempo lunges)— Thursday: Strength B — posterior chain + core (glutes, hamstrings, planks, rotational work)— Saturday: Strength C — full-body durability (calves, tibialis, ankles, single-leg stability)True Course is a trail running and ultramarathon show for the mid-pack — working professionals and weekend warriors, not the sponsored elite. Part of the RSM Podcast Network. New episodes every other Thursday.Your true course is never the line you planned. It's the one you actually run.TO SAVE BIG on shoes, nutrition and a whole lot more. ACCESS our AFFORDABILITY FLYER at runningscaredmedia.com Partners:THN Labs - THN make energy gels in Canada with minimal ingredients. If you're running long and want to actually know what you're eating, hit them up at thnlabs.com.Code: RSP15Hettas - Performance footwear for womenShop HereCode: HCN-RUNSCAREDSupport the showSubscribe to Running Scared Media wherever you get your podcasts for more episodes!RunningScaredMedia.comEmail us at: [email protected] us:Instagram @runningscaredmediaJoin our FB Running Group 

On todays instalment of Sole Sisters, Justine and Kylie introduce their "Roll to Run" concept. Inspired by the viral "Roll for Sandwich" series and tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons, the hosts create tiered lists to determine their running partners, locations, times, and fueling options. They use dice rolls to blind-rank various challenges, ranging from pleasant solo runs to difficult tasks like hill repeats or achieving a Strava local legend status. Throughout the discussion, they debate the fairness of digital versus physical dice and share personal anecdotes about their experiences with fitness and gaming. The episode finishes off with the hosts performing their own rolls, resulting in randomized assignments they must complete and film for their audience. TO SAVE BIG on shoes, nutrition and a whole lot more. ACCESS our AFFORDABILITY FLYER at runningscaredmedia.com Partners:THN Labs - THN make energy gels in Canada with minimal ingredients. If you're running long and want to actually know what you're eating, hit them up at thnlabs.com.Code: RSP15Hettas - Performance footwear for womenShop HereCode: HCN-RUNSCAREDSupport the showSubscribe to Running Scared Media wherever you get your podcasts for more episodes!RunningScaredMedia.comEmail us at: [email protected] us:Instagram @runningscaredmediaJoin our FB Running Group 

On todays show Ari sits down with Chelsea Grant, a world-class athlete and DECA champion, who discusses the rapidly growing landscape of fitness racing. Grant explores the distinctions between major platforms like Hyrox, which focuses on large-scale endurance, and DECA, which emphasizes smaller, community-driven events and high-intensity output. Throughout the conversation, she details her transition from competitive hockey to functional fitness, highlighting the vital role of specialized coaching and data-driven race strategies. As a professional trainer and business owner, she advocates for a training philosophy rooted in consistency and enjoyment, viewing competitions as a celebratory display of hard work. TO SAVE BIG on shoes, nutrition and a whole lot more. ACCESS our AFFORDABILITY FLYER at runningscaredmedia.com Partners:THN Labs - THN make energy gels in Canada with minimal ingredients. If you're running long and want to actually know what you're eating, hit them up at thnlabs.com.Code: RSP15Hettas - Performance footwear for womenShop HereCode: HCN-RUNSCAREDSupport the showSubscribe to Running Scared Media wherever you get your podcasts for more episodes!RunningScaredMedia.comEmail us at: [email protected] us:Instagram @runningscaredmediaJoin our FB Running Group 

Nine months of training came down to one day at Haliburton Forest — and it didn't go the way it was planned.In this episode, Adam Melnick tells the full story of race day: a strong first 35 kilometers, followed by a stretch where his body pushed back hard enough that walking wasn't a strategy, it was the only option left. He breaks down what actually happened out there, what he got wrong in his preparation, and what carried him through when things got difficult — including the people who showed up to crew him at exactly the moment he needed it most.This episode also marks a turn for the show: with Haliburton complete, the build now shifts toward the second 50K on November 15, carrying forward everything this first race exposed.Your true course is never the line you planned. It's the one you actually run — and this is the episode where that stops being a tagline and starts being true.New episodes every other Thursday. Part of the RSM Podcast Network.TO SAVE BIG on shoes, nutrition and a whole lot more. ACCESS our AFFORDABILITY FLYER at runningscaredmedia.com Partners:THN Labs - THN make energy gels in Canada with minimal ingredients. If you're running long and want to actually know what you're eating, hit them up at thnlabs.com.Code: RSP15Hettas - Performance footwear for womenShop HereCode: HCN-RUNSCAREDSupport the showSubscribe to Running Scared Media wherever you get your podcasts for more episodes!RunningScaredMedia.comEmail us at: [email protected] us:Instagram @runningscaredmediaJoin our FB Running Group 

As host Adam approaches race day, he discusses his plan and where it can all fall apart!TO SAVE BIG on shoes, nutrition and a whole lot more. ACCESS our AFFORDABILITY FLYER at runningscaredmedia.com Partners:THN Labs - THN make energy gels in Canada with minimal ingredients. If you're running long and want to actually know what you're eating, hit them up at thnlabs.com.Code: RSP15Hettas - Performance footwear for womenShop HereCode: HCN-RUNSCAREDSupport the showSubscribe to Running Scared Media wherever you get your podcasts for more episodes!RunningScaredMedia.comEmail us at: [email protected] us:Instagram @runningscaredmediaJoin our FB Running Group 

How did a construction industry executive end up training for a 50-kilometer trail race he never planned to run?In this first episode of True Course, Adam Melnick shares the real origin story — the decision that started it all back in January, the road to Haliburton Forest, and the honest why underneath a season most people would assume he'd talk himself out of.No elite background. No shortcuts. Just one real amateur build, told as it happens.True Course follows a working professional's ultramarathon season in real time — training that works, plans that fall apart, and conversations along the way with coaches, athletes, and experts who understand what it actually takes to go the distance.Your true course is never the line you planned. It's the one you actually run.New episodes every other Thursday.Six Feet and Running Registration: HereTO SAVE BIG on shoes, nutrition and a whole lot more. ACCESS our AFFORDABILITY FLYER at runningscaredmedia.com Partners:On Trail Nutrition - On Trail Nutrition, high-energy protein bars built for the outdoors. No crashes, no junk, just steady fuel for your hikes, rides, and long days. Check them out at ontrailnutrition.com and fuel your next adventure.Link: HERECode: RUNNINGSCARED10THN Labs - THN make energy gels in Canada with minimal ingredients. If you're running long and want to actually know what you're eating, hit them up at thnlabs.com.Hettas - Performance footwear for womenShop HereCode: HCN-RUNSCAREDSupport the showSubscribe to Running Scared Media wherever you get your podcasts for more episodes!RunningScaredMedia.comEmail us at: [email protected] us:Instagram @runningscaredmediaJoin our FB Running Group 

Meet Adam Melnick, your host of Running Scared Media's new podcast, True Course. Adam is not an elite runner. He hasn't completed multiple 50 and 100 mile races, but he's fallen in love with trail running and now wants to share that journey with you! He is a self proclaimed mid-pack athlete whose path to the trail ran through a Sprint Triathlon, a bodybuilding stage, and the Highland Games before ultras ever entered the picture True Course works on a simple premise: endurance sport reveals who you actually are.— True Course follows one real athlete season in real time, alongside conversations with coaches, race directors, nutritionists, and fellow amateurs who found something true about themselves out on the course.Follow the True Course podcast:Instagram @truecoursepodcastYouTube @TrueCoursePodcastSupport the showSubscribe to Running Scared Media wherever you get your podcasts for more episodes!RunningScaredMedia.comEmail us at: [email protected] us:Instagram @runningscaredmediaJoin our FB Running Group