It made sense to start our "what we are listening to" series with a Moretrail favourite - Ten Junk Miles hosted by Scott Kummer. TJM was the first podcast I was put on to when I started my trail running journey and has stayed in my rotation to this day.

Scotty is a legend of the trail running scene founding the flatlander ultraunners in Chicago and race directing the Sugar Badger trail series. We know him best though for his podcast - Ten Junk Miles! 

One of the things we love about Ten Junk Miles (and there are many!) is that it aims to be the running friends you don't always have around. Its a podcast for runners by runners but not always about running and aims to recreate the experience of being on a group run with friends and the conversations that ensue.

In its current form the show has 3 main formats for you to choose from.

The Long Run...

The ‘long run’ is a one on one longer form interview style of episode with interesting people in the trail and ultra world. Scotty approaches the interviews as if he was chatting with the guest whilst jogging along a scenic trail focussing far more on who they are as a person rather than going in depth on their training miles or race nutrition. Its certainly a refreshing take and Anton Krupicka even remarked on his episode he couldn't believe he had been talking on a podcast for so long! (Long Run #102 for those wanting to listen!)

Meet the Nation...

Scotty also does a “Meet the Nation” episode where he does a short 20-30 min interview with a listener of Ten Junk Miles. Its cool to get a quick glimpse into the day to day runners who follow the sport and definitely adds a refreshing and unique touch to the world of trail running podcasts. 

The Gang Show...

The final and our favourite is “The Gang Show”. Whilst the gang has changed over the years the format has stayed the same. Scotty’s goal with the gang show is to provide you with the “running with friends” experience you may not be able to have in real life. Lace up your shoes, pop your earbuds in and listen along as a group of runners chat about the things runners chat about in an informal style group show that seems to have no topic off limits. After a while you really start to feel a part of the group and the gang show has definitely helped as pass through more than our far share of slow ‘junk’ miles on our weekly long run. 

So bring the gang along for your next trail run and give Ten Junk Miles a go. Drop a comment with what you think and if you happened to find episode 2… let us know! 

Recommended Episode:

Grant Maughan - Long Run #63

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