The way they tell it, this whole idea for a new podcast came on a run up Waterline Road maybe three or four years ago.
The three running buddies – Nick Hilton, Dylan Belles and Will Baldwin – batted around all manner of subjects related to training, to shoes, and to races in a witty, sometimes sarcastic banter. They mused that their deep thoughts would make a good podcast someday.
That day is today. The three friends, two of whom still call Flagstaff home, have launched “Mind Your Miles,” a podcast that can be found at all the usual venues. All three are current or former elite runners, all now coach through the online site V.02 Marketplace and all have had experience working in specialty running stores.
Most important, though, all are engaging, opinionated and informative.
Only five episodes in, the podcast already has tackled such topics important to runners as mileage-vs-time, the pros and cons of GPS watches, shoes, strength training, long, slow distance-vs-fartleks, race-day mistakes and how to set up your season to peak at the right time.
They get into the weeds, the minutia, of running, so “Mind Your Miles” might not be for the casual runner. But those recreational runners (a certain notorious website forum calls them “hobbyjoggers”) who are serious enough to regularly race and hire coaches will learn a lot from the trio.
As Belles said in the opening podcast, what they hope separates “Mind Your Miles” from multitudes of other running podcasts is specificity.
“I find that people (on podcasts or online coaching) talk about training in abstract ways,” he said on the podcast. “I’ve found that we get to the point where we talk more directly and actionable because we, as coaches, and we, as runners, spend a lot of time trying to learn and apply those things. I find it increasingly hard to find information that is applicable and not just skimming the surface.”
Already, the three podcasters have developed distinct roles. Hilton, who formerly was associated with Run Flagstaff but has since moved to Phoenix and works as a sales rep for Hoka, sort of assumes the role of the genial host keeping things on track. Belles, a two-time Olympic trials marathoner, is the earnest one quick with advice based on research. And Baldwin comes off as the low-key jokester who knows his running but doesn’t take things too seriously.
Here’s an example from an Episode 4 discussion on choosing the best running shoes for your particular situation:
Baldwin, tongue-in-cheek: “You want to On shoes with the stretchy laces. Don’t tie them up. You’re going to look so good going through the airport. So what (if) you’ve got a bunch of rocks and stuff in your shoes. You’re not trying to run fast; you’re trying to look good.”
Turning serious, Baldwin added: “Go to a specialty shoe store and try them out. It seems like a goofy thing to say that you should wear comfortable shoes that fit your foot, but we do (recommend that).”
Belles: “Don’t try to find the lightest, fastest shoe on the floor. I want people to get into a show that’s comfortable, supportive and lasts a long time.”
Baldwin: “Support! I hate that word. You never know what people mean by support.”
The talk soon turned to so-called super shoes with carbon plates or rods and innovative foam. While the other two seemed skeptical that super shoes would not provide support for the average, non-elite runner, Hilton disagreed: “We’re on now the fifth generation of this and it’s not light and flimsy by any means.”
It will be interesting to see where “Mind Your Miles” goes from here and whether the trio will feature guests. In any case, it’s worth a listen.
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