EPISODE · Nov 25, 2025 · 24 MIN
Above the Plateau
from Free Outside · host Jeff Garmire
I get back into the rhythm after my little sabbatical and dive into a packed rundown across the endurance world. I start with the history and results of the JFK 50, why JFK himself helped create 50 milers, and how the Kennedy Cup still defines the military competition at the race. Then I shift to the NCAA cross country championships and go deeper into what name, image, and likeness changes have done to college sports. I explain why the development pipeline in running is shrinking, why teams are becoming more shallow, and what that means for the future of American distance running.I talk through some of the wild course cutting I saw, break down the top finishers in the men’s and women’s races, and then move on to a little Montana segment. Montana State won the Brawl of the Wild, Montana won the food drive, and both towns raised over a million pounds of food. It was a good reminder that community efforts still matter.From there I get into the study I have been wanting to talk about. It looks at the long term ceiling for sustainable human endurance output and why 2.5 times your basal metabolic rate seems to be the upper limit over months. I explain what that means for ultras, FKTs, and training, and why more is not always better even if you are fueling well. There is a real plateau to what we can sustain, and I compare that to my own seven week Appalachian Trail push.Janji, CS Coffee, and Garage Grown Gear help power the show!Chapters00:00 Intro04:00 JFK 50 recap10:00 NCAA cross country and NIL fallout18:00 Course cutting and race depth23:00 Montana updates and food drive27:00 The metabolic ceiling study38:00 Sponsors and closingSubscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.comSupport this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutsideBuy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSFEmail me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at [email protected] the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outsideWebsite: www.Freeoutside.comInstagram: thefreeoutsidefacebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside
What this episode covers
I get back into the rhythm after my little sabbatical and dive into a packed rundown across the endurance world. I start with the history and results of the JFK 50, why JFK himself helped create 50 milers, and how the Kennedy Cup still defines the military competition at the race. Then I shift to the NCAA cross country championships and go deeper into what name, image, and likeness changes have done to college sports. I explain why the development pipeline in running is shrinking, why teams are becoming more shallow, and what that means for the future of American distance running.I talk through some of the wild course cutting I saw, break down the top finishers in the men’s and women’s races, and then move on to a little Montana segment. Montana State won the Brawl of the Wild, Montana won the food drive, and both towns raised over a million pounds of food. It was a good reminder that community efforts still matter.From there I get into the study I have been wanting to talk about. It looks at the long term ceiling for sustainable human endurance output and why 2.5 times your basal metabolic rate seems to be the upper limit over months. I explain what that means for ultras, FKTs, and training, and why more is not always better even if you are fueling well. There is a real plateau to what we can sustain, and I compare that to my own seven week Appalachian Trail push.Janji, CS Coffee, and Garage Grown Gear help power the show!Chapters00:00 Intro04:00 JFK 50 recap10:00 NCAA cross country and NIL fallout18:00 Course cutting and race depth23:00 Montana updates and food drive27:00 The metabolic ceiling study38:00 Sponsors and closingSubscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.comSupport this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutsideBuy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSFEmail me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at [email protected] the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outsideWebsite: www.Freeoutside.comInstagram: thefreeoutsidefacebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside
NOW PLAYING
Above the Plateau
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
No similar episodes found.