Today’s episode starts off with something I might just turn into a regular segment: Trail TMZ. We dig into the controversy surrounding William Goodge's run across Australia and the data that has people wondering—from heart rate anomalies to 55 mph GPS spikes. Then we take a brief detour into the Camille Herron Wikipedia saga and my lingering sadness that she never came on the show.
But the real highlight is a deep conversation with Aaron Fleisher, a fellow five-time Cocodona 250 finisher. We talk about his journey from stage racing and thru-hiking into the world of 200s, and how he found success (and beer) on trail. We get into hallucination stories, racing strategies, sleep theories, and the evolution of Cocodona over the past five years. Plus, Aaron breaks down his experience at Tour de Géants and what it’s like to compete in a race that makes U.S. ultras look like casual jogs.
We wrap up with some trail name lore (“Food Boobs,” and "Loophole") and ponder how Cocodona became the most community-embraced ultra in the U.S. Oh, and yes—there might be a bumper sticker involved that says "Cocodona sucks, tell your friends."
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Chapters
00:00 – Trail TMZ: Goodge, Cockrell & the Controversy
03:30 – Camille Herron, Wikipedia & Podcast Rejections
06:00 – Introducing Aaron Fleisher & Cocodona Beginnings
10:00 – Beer, Sandals & Surviving the Inaugural Year
14:00 – Sleep, Strategy & Hallucinations at 200 Milers
19:00 – Through-Hiking Mentality in Ultras
23:00 – Tour des Géants: Europe’s Wildest Ultra
28:00 – Cultural Clash & Why Tour Felt Life-Changing
32:00 – Cocodona’s Future & Becoming a Community Race
36:00 – Trail Names, Reflections & Last Person Standing
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Keywords
Cocodona 250, ultrarunning, trail running, 200 mile race, Jeff Garmire, Aaron Fleisher, Free Outside Podcast, thru hiking, Tour des Geants, Tour de Glaciers, ultramarathon, trail TMZ, William Gooch, running across Australia, watchmuling, heart rate zone, hallucinations ultrarunning, beer mile, food boobs, trail names, Aravaipa Running, Cocodona recap, trail race strategy, sleep in ultras, ultra running controversy, elite trail running, long distance running, through hiker mindset, adventure racing, Grand to Grand, 200 milers, ultra endurance, running gossip