Start Where You Are Running and Ultrarunning

What happens when a wrong turn adds bonus miles to a marathon—and a time goal suddenly feels out of reach?This week on Start Where You Are Trail and Ultrarunning, host Erin Quinn shares her Pocantico Hills Trail Marathon race report from Rockefeller State Park Preserve in Sleepy Hollow, New York. From gorgeous fall foliage and rolling carriage roads to a navigation mishap and one tough final climb, the race reminded her that mental strength isn’t just about pushing through pain. It’s about adapting, finding gratitude, and letting the trail running community lift each other up. And yes—even with a detour, Erin managed to beat last year’s time by one minute!Erin also wraps up her three-part strength training for ultrarunners series with practical guidance on fitting strength work into a race calendar: when to lift heavy, when to scale back, and how to maintain strength as a goal race approaches.Plus, she previews Running the Moab 240, coming to Patreon on November 27, with stories and behind-the-scenes insights from her 253-mile adventure.For coaching inquiries, visit erinmaryquinn.com or email [email protected] where you are—but make sure that you start.

In Part 2 of this series on strength training for ultrarunners, coach Erin Quinn breaks down five essential movement patterns — pull, push, hinge, squat, and carry — that every trail and ultra runner should incorporate into their routine. Building on the bodyweight foundations from Episode 36, Erin explains how adding weighted exercises just 2–3 times a week (in as little as 15–30 minutes) can significantly reduce overuse injuries, improve running economy, and keep you on the trails instead of the sidelines.You'll learn practical examples of each movement pattern you can do at home with minimal equipment — dumbbells, kettlebells, bands, and stairs — along with guidance on rep schemes, progressive loading, and how to make strength training a non-negotiable part of your training plan. Erin also shares her own experience of overcoming chronic overuse injuries after adding structured strength work, including during a year and a half that included two 200-plus mile races and a 100-miler.Plus, Erin announces the upcoming launch of her book Running the Moab 240, serialized on Patreon beginning Black Friday.You can contact Erin at erinmaryquinn@gmail or at erinmaryquinn.com

In the first episode of a three-part series on strength training, Erin Quinn gets back to basics — bodyweight exercises you can do anywhere, no gym or equipment required. If you've been meaning to add strength work to your running routine but keep putting it off, this episode is for you.Erin covers why strength training is one of the best things you can do to stay durable and injury-resistant as an ultrarunner, how to start even if you've never lifted a weight, and why the bar to entry is lower than you think. She shares her own journey from strength-training skeptic to believer, and walks through a full set of bodyweight exercises — from push-ups and planks to glute bridges, squats, lunges, calf raises, Romanian deadlifts, and more — that you can do in your living room, driveway, or even while folding laundry.The message is simple: start where you are. Pick three exercises, do them two to three times a week for 10–15 minutes, and you'll be feeling stronger in a month. Next week, Erin will talk about how to add weights to take it to the next level.To learn more about Erin's 1:1 Coaching you can email her at [email protected] or go to her website https://erinmaryquinn.com/ and click "Apply to Coach with Erin"@erinquinnultraruncoach For a list of exercises Erin mentioned in this episode go to:https://bit.ly/4em6G7R

If you've ever felt the stigma of hiking during an ultramarathon, this episode is for you. Host and ultrarunning coach Erin Quinn breaks down why hiking isn't a cop-out — it's a critical skill every trail runner needs to master.We cover:When to switch from running to hiking — it's not about a specific grade, but a combination of terrain, climb length, fatigue, and effort costThe physical benefits — hiking engages different muscles, reduces impact, and preserves your body for the long haulThe dangers of hiking too much — once you settle into a hiking rhythm, restarting the run takes extra effort, and cutoffs wait for no oneHow to practice — pick a trail, walk it once, then gradually add running sections until switching between the two feels naturalReal race examples — from the Beastmaker in the Hudson Valley to the Cats Tail Trail Marathon and CocodonaWhether you're tackling your first 50K or lining up for a hundred-miler, learning when to hike and when to run could be the difference between a finish and a DNF.If you'd like to learn more about Erin's 1:1 online Trail & Ultrarunning Coaching email her at [email protected] or go to her website https://erinmaryquinn.com and fill out the "apply to coach with Erin" form. Whatever you do, make sure that you start where you are, but you start!

This week on Start Where You Are Trail and Ultra Running, Erin breaks down the dramatic cancellation of the Moab 240 — where 70 runners, pacers, and volunteers were stranded at the Bridger Jack Aid Station atop a canyon rim as Hurricane Rachel unleashed flash floods, wind, and chaos across the course. She defends the race directors at Destination Trails, pushes back on the Monday-morning quarterbacks on Reddit, and makes the case for being a fan, not a critic.Then, Erin pivots to a topic that's been hiding in plain sight for many endurance athletes: iron deficiency anemia. She shares her own diagnosis story, explains how ultra runners lose iron through foot-strike hemolysis, sweat, and GI micro-tears, and breaks down the American Society of Hematology's newly updated ferritin guidelines — which doubled the minimum threshold for women from 15 to 30 nanograms per milliliter.Finally, Erin makes the pitch for fall running. With crisp air, blazing foliage, and two months before holiday stress kicks in, October is the ideal time to start. As always: start where you are, but make sure you start.To learn more about Erin's 1:1 Online Trail and Ultrarunning Coaching you can reach out to her at [email protected] or at her website www.erinmaryquinn.com

In this episode of Start Where You Are Trail and Ultrarunning, host and ultrarunning coach Erin Quinn delivers a detailed, mile-by-mile course preview of the Moab 240 — which she affectionately calls the Moab 253. Having completed the race twice, Erin walks listeners through every section of the course, from the early miles on Moab's residential streets to the brutal climbs of Shay Mountain, the hallucination-inducing stretch past mile 160, and the technical final descent of Porcupine Rim.Along the way, she shares hard-won lessons on gear strategy, crew logistics, sleep management, and mental resilience. She covers what to expect at each aid station, how to handle unpredictable desert weather, when to pick up your poles, and why carrying backup headlamps is non-negotiable. Whether you're toeing the start line this year, crewing a runner, pacing a friend, or just following the tracker from home, this episode is your essential guide to one of ultrarunning's most epic events.To Apply to Coach with Erin for her 1:1 Ultrarunning Coaching just fill out the application at https://erinmaryquinn.com/ To contact her, ask questions, or just connect with her you can reach out via email [email protected] Where You Are, But Start!

How do you run 26 miles through the Catskills when you haven't been on the trails in months, your iron levels are barely functional, and a nor'easter is bearing down on race morning? You take what the day gives you.Ultrarunning Coach and podcast host, Erin Quinn, said she'd never do another race in the Catskills after Manitou's Revenge. A few days later, she signed up for the Cats Tail Trail Marathon anyway. In this episode, she recaps the full experience — 7,000 feet of climbing, four summit ascents, stone chimney scrambles, and a torrential downpour that turned the trails into mud rivers. She breaks down the gear, the nutrition, and the mental training that got her to the start line after an iron deficiency diagnosis, and shares stories of the incredible runners she met along the way — from a Russian giant named Ivan to a bleeding-but-still-helpful stranger on the descents off Cornell. Plus: why there's simply no easy way through the Catskills, and the John Burroughs quote that reminded her why she keeps coming back.To learn more about Erin's 1:1 online trail & ultrarunning coaching go to erinmaryquinn.com or reach out to her at [email protected] Where You Are, but Make Sure That You Start!

When the People Who You Love Don't Get Your Ultrarunning Training for an ultramarathon is a massive commitment — and not everyone in your life is going to get it. In this episode, Erin breaks down how to handle the three types of people you'll encounter when your ultrarunning dreams don't align with their worldview: anonymous critics on social media, coworkers and acquaintances who crack jokes at the watercooler, and — hardest of all — close family and friends whose lack of support can really sting.From blocking trolls to neutralizing awkward office conversations to giving grace to loved ones who may be scared or simply don't understand, Erin shares personal stories (including a brutal Reddit experience during a femoral stress fracture recovery) and practical strategies for protecting your peace while pursuing what you love. Plus: why you need to be your own number one fan, how to find your people when you don't live in an ultrarunning hub, and a reminder that the trails, the stars, and the trees are always cheering you on.Whether you're deep in a training block or just starting to dream of your first ultra, this one's for anyone who's ever felt misunderstood for choosing to run.To apply for Erin's 1:1 online coaching go to this link https://bit.ly/4hqOZEL Email her at [email protected] or visit her website at erinmaryquinn.com

Episode 30: Readiness Is a Myth — The Four Principles of Start Where You AreIn this milestone 30th episode, Erin breaks down what "Start Where You Are" really means — both on the trail and off. She shares her four guiding principles: conquering the "starting scaries," building (and rebuilding) your running base, starting where you are beyond running, and escaping the comparison sabotage that holds us all back.Along the way, Erin gets personal — from quitting smoking one minute at a time, to showing up terrified and underprepared for her first 50K in the Moab desert, to facing imposter syndrome launching this very podcast. She also shares how curiosity and a willingness to "do it scared" can unlock everything from writing to ultra running to starting something brand new.Plus, Erin announces an upcoming in-person workshop for female runners in New Paltz, NY — "Running Yourself Back to Life" on October 17th.To reserve your seat for this workshop just email [email protected] orVenmo to reserve a seat (Program Fee $85) @erinquinn70Whether you're lacing up for the first time or chasing your next ultra, this episode is your reminder: you don't have to be ready. You just have to start.

Iron Deficiency in Endurance Athletes — What You Need to KnowSomewhere along the ultramarathon journey, host Erin Quinn lost sight of one crucial metric: iron. In this episode, she dives deep into iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia among endurance athletes — especially female runners, up to 45% of whom may be affected.Erin breaks down why iron matters (hint: it's tied directly to oxygen delivery and performance), how endurance training accelerates iron loss through hemolysis, sweat, and inflammation, and why menstruating and plant-based athletes face even greater risk. She also shares her own wake-up call — a summer of unexplained fatigue, heart palpitations, and hills that suddenly felt impossible — that led to a shocking blood test result.You'll learn the symptoms to watch for, the difference between iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia, how it's diagnosed, and what treatment options (from dietary changes to supplements to infusions) look like.Knowledge is power — don't let iron be the blind spot in your training.Start where you are, but make sure you start.Follow Erin Quinn, @erinquinnultraruncoach for more tips and training and everything Ultra. To contact Erin and learn more about her 1:1 online ultrarunning coaching go to erinmaryquinn.com or just shoot her an email at [email protected] She'd love to hear your thoughts, comments, and any stories you'd like to share or topics you're interested in having her cover on the podcast.Start Where You Are, But Start!