The TalkIN Distance Podcast

In this episode, we dedicate some time to the conversations that don't always happen in the world of distance running. We explore the challenges runners often face but may struggle to talk about openly. From navigating injuries and managing pressure and anxiety to understanding disordered eating and healthy fueling, Our goal is to try to bring some of these important topics to the surface by sharing some of our experiences and discussing great advice that has been passed down to us along our coaching careers.

In this episode we give a recap of the 2026 IHSAA State Meet, then we transition to the importance of the post-season no matter where you are currently at in the landscape of Indiana high school Cross Country. Finally, we preview a bit of new content that may be making its way to our new Patreon.

In this episode, we discuss the upcoming IHSAA State Cross Country Championships. We talk about the teams and individuals that will converge on LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course on Halloween 2026, and how things may shake out when the dust settles.

In this episode, we focus in on the Columbus North Bulldogs special 2025 season. The Boys were Nike XC Town Twilight champs, IHSAA State champs, NXR Midwest champs, and finished 8th at NXN. Coach Sluder talks about the training, mindset, and community support that made their 2025 campaign so successful.

In this episode, we talk through some of the top storylines facing the sports of XC and Track in Indiana this Spring season. Topics include the new IHSAA transfer rule, The additional IHSAA-mandated summer moratorium, and the Indoor HSR State Finals.

Today on the podcast we welcome in Coach Ryan McMaster. Coach McMaster is the Head Coach of both the Boys and Girls XC programs at Ben Davis High School. We ask him about how it felt to watch his Boys team make it to the IHSAA State Meet for the first time in 25 years, the rich program history at Ben Davis, and the many mentors that have helped him in his coaching journey.

Today we got to catch up with Coach John Arredondo. Coach A has led the Valparaiso Girl's XC program for 17 seasons. We ask him about what makes the Valpo program special, his memories of a magical 2023 State Meet, and even dive into some music suggestions toward the end of our conversation.

In this episode we tackle what priorities we have in the offseason. We sift through a variety of topics, including having individual meetings with athletes, taking time for yourself to recharge, maintaining motivation for coaches and athletes, and making adjustments for the always-eventful winter weather.

In this episode we discuss the most recent Class Cross Country vote. We try to answer why, after decades of debate, it still seems like such a polarizing issue. Also, we look around the state after week 4, and share some exciting sponsorship news.

In this episode we talk about Week 3, which featured some blazing fast times around the state. We also give some recognition to some of the performances around the state that we have been able to witness early on this season.