Stay ConnectedOnce competitors and Olympic teammates, now friends and podcast partners, Des Linden and Kara Goucher share their hot takes about all things running with a little bit of life-stuff sprinkled in too. Come for the insights on running and stay for the inspiration from two legends in the sport. No filter needed.
This podcast is presented by Brooks Running.
Copyright: © 2023
This is fun one. Recorded a few weeks ago, Des and Kara start with a mini-preview of the World Championships in Budapest, which is even more interesting now that we know the results. Then, they turn to an in-depth discussion of what it's like to be in the drug testing pool as an elite athlete.
From mixing it up on the ones and twos (and we aren't talking about turntables) to the nuts and bolts of the whereabouts filing system, you get all of the gory details, including their favorite war stories. Des and Kara are huge advocates of clean sport so they view this process as a necessary part of the job, and one that's manageable if you accept it.
This episode is dedicated to the show's sponsor @tcsglobal and to all of the doping control officers (DCOs) out there doing this not-so-glamorous work for clean sport. May you all get good samples and win the lottery some day.
You can't have a Nobody Asked Us episode without a pet update. In the intro, Des gives in an update on her puppy Rivers, and Kara details the history that led to a Bearded Dragon joining the Goucher household. Hi Margot!
Then, Des and Kara wade into the deep end to discuss recent track and field controversies involving New Gen Track & Field, potential hot weather at the US Marathon Trials in Orlando, and race bibs. Kara finds herself speaking for "The Man" (aka USATF) as Des tries to bring balance to the discussion about heat at the Trials. Who knows what the temps will be in Orlando in February, but we know it was a little frigid in hell on the day this was recorded ;).
No... we aren't talking about petty criticism about pets, but rather pets as the perfect antidote for petty criticism while in the public eye. Des and Kara start by commiserating over what it's like to face public criticism and how it's evolved both pre and post social media. They recap their first memories of being affected by such criticism and talk about their various coping strategies through the years, including the potential satisfaction of watching their follower counts drop after an especially controversial post. Who could possible get mad about a bird with a backpack anyway?!?
Then, they turn their attention to the best possible coping mechanism - time with their pets. Des talks about her two dogs including new puppy Rivers, and Kara shares her love affair with her four pets - two dogs and two cats. If you aren't a pet lover, then this episode might not be for you. Don't be too mad though... not everything has to be about you anyway ;).
This episode begins with Des and Kara commiserating over their hatred for midwestern, summer horse flies, and in true Des fashion, she finds a way to gain inspiration from them. Would you expect anything less from one of the most gritty and tenacious athletes of our time?!?
Then, your hosts meander through a fun episode discussing the World Championships marathon and how it's different from the Olympics or a World Marathon Major. From field sizes to racing dynamics and the water station setup... they take you behind the scenes. Plus, this includes a discussion of the two of them racing together in the 2009 World Championships in Berlin with a bonus preview of the US marathon team set to line up in Budapest in August.
Swifties and track nerds rise up! Fans of the Notorious B.I.G too. Oh, and lovers of puppies and those with July birthdays... this episode is for all of you!
Kara recaps her experience at the Taylor Swift concert in Minneapolis. Des talks about her challenges reading the big "E" without glasses and trying to decide on the perfect puppy name.
Then, they give you an event by event breakdown of the US Track Championships coming up at the end of this week (July 6th to July 9th). The intrepid among you will listen to the end and then participate in their prediction contest on the YouTube channel. To enter, pop over there, subscribe, and then drop a comment with the 6 winners across the 1500m-5000m-10000m events plus the winning time for the women's 10K for your chance to win a yet-to-be-named, amazing prize. You have until July 6th at 5 pm PST to enter!
In this episode, Des and Kara pay tribute to their support teams. As an athlete, you can't do it alone. It takes a village... you need agents, sponsors, coaches, family, medical providers, pacers, teammates, and, for Des and Kara, their husbands too.
In this one, we learn the helpful and a little bit of the not so helpful from each member of the teams that helped make them champions. Plus, we learn that Des and Kara might secretly be pursuing careers to support the next generation in different ways. Which is more likely to be a coach? Agent? Or, paid cheer squad? Listen to find out!
Listeners keep saying that the title is wrong, that everyone asked Des and Kara to start a podcast. That may or may not be true, but one thing that is definitely true: USATF and World Athletics didn't ask for this episode. They won't be listening even if they should. In it, Des and Kara talk about the state of the sport and how to draw in more fans.
From small crowds and missing stars at the recent LA Grand Prix to confusing Olympic Qualifying standards and the highly inflated USATF CEO salary, they talk in depth about the challenges for the sport and then give ideas for growing it.
As a bonus, you get their live reaction to learning of Faith Kipyegon's new 1500m world record and a classic Kara "rant" at the end that you won't want to miss. Someone put these two in charge!
You might think that two marathoners and a decathlete have nothing in common, and well, you'd be wrong. There's broadcasting, photo shoots, national teams, doggos, track 1500s, and eventually marathons too(?).
On this episode, 2 x World Champion and Olympic silver medalist Trey Hardee joins his future marathon coaches for a wide-ranging conversation that covers the ups/downs of his career, the mental side of his 10-event sport, and the very difficult transition to retirement from track and field. Trey opens up about his struggles with mental health that nearly spiraled out of control for him while calling the US Championships last summer.
There are intense moments in this one, but it is a really fun episode too. Thank you to Trey for being so open and honest about it all.
This episode has a little something for everyone. Des and Kara start by swapping medical war stories including the backstory behind Des's recent hand injury. Spoiler alert: She nearly lost her thumb in a boating accident but is going to be ok!
Then, they jump into recaps of Boston and London where you get their takes on Emma Bates, Hellen Obiri, Sifan Hassan, Conner Mantz, Scott Fauble, Eliud Kipchoge, and so much more. Plus, you hear how Des felt about her race in Boston.
At the end, Des and Kara give you a little insight into the life of an elite athlete starting with how both handled downtime after a marathon and then how they transitioned back into full training. It's clear that the rapport between these two is building so you don't want to miss this one!
In this episode, you hear the audio from Des and Kara's live episode recorded in Boston at the Brooks Hyperion House. In this conversation, Des and Kara announce the new presenting sponsor for the podcast - TCS Global - and then dig into stories from their book tours and from their long histories with the Boston Marathon.
Fun anecdotes include Des telling us about the moment she knew she had arrived as an athlete in Boston. Spoiler alert: there was a security guard, a table, and dancing involved. Plus, Kara shares a poignant story from her first time watching the Olympic Trials from the sideline in 2020 and the emotion of it all. Listen in for those two stories and so much more. Thank you to everyone who came out to support Des and Kara in Boston for this first live taping!
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