Best Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker Podcasts (2025)

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Training Tuesday: Avoiding Common Race Mistakes 1:02:45

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24h ago1:02:45

1:02:45

From pre-race anxiety and cramming in too much last minute work to starting out too fast, we cover the most common ways people screw up their races!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Episode 527: Current Trends in Running 1:19:10

4d ago1:19:10

1:19:10

Some might be considered “hot” takes, others are decidedly lukewarm. But these are the trends we’re noticing (and not always loving) in running right now!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: Overtraining 1:05:53

8d ago1:05:53

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Don’t skip past this one just because you aren’t running 100 mile weeks! Overtraining can happen to anyone, regardless of training volume. Here are the signs, symptoms, and causes, with some fixes and preventions thrown in for good measure.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Episode 525: May Q&A 1:24:02

13d ago1:24:02

1:24:02

Your questions have been stacking up so we’re diving into them today! Highlights include: Supershoes Marathon Prep When to “retire” Why warm ups matter! Pre-race excusesBy Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: Handling the Heat 1:01:54

15d ago1:01:54

1:01:54

The heat and humidity has arrived. How should we go about accounting for this in training?By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: How to Build a Training Plan (for Brakken) 1:17:44

22d ago1:17:44

1:17:44

Last week we decided that Brakken needs to suck it, sign up for a race, and start training seriously. Today, we build him a 16 week training plan designed to address all the deficiencies he’s developed over the past few years of half-assed training.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: BK is Overseas and Just Really Needs to Race 47:14

30d ago47:14

47:14

After completing just 2 races in the past year, it is time for Brakken to sign up, show up, and get back to racing!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Episode 521: Rich Ryan 1:51:56

1M ago1:51:56

1:51:56

For the past 25 years, Rich has never stopped pursuing his goal of becoming the best runner and athlete possible. Why has he now, at the age of 39, seemingly reached new heights of fitness?By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: The Best Long Runs (for most people) 1:04:35

1M ago1:04:35

1:04:35

The Long Run is a staple of life for many distance runners. It is also pretty demanding on the body. Here are our favorite “bang for your buck” options!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Episode 519: Darla O’Connor Pt 2 1:24:06

1M ago1:24:06

1:24:06

Darla returns to talk injuries, rehab, holding on to fitness through cross training, and refusing to ever give back or back down.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: The Best Trail & Mountain Workouts 1:10:50

1M ago1:10:50

1:10:50

Can you just do classic track workouts on the trails? Sure. But sometimes you need something specifically designed for your off road racing needs!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Episode 517: The Best WORST Bang For Your Buck Workouts 1:42:17

2M ago1:42:17

1:42:17

On Tuesday we covered the workouts that give you solid fitness benefits with very little recovery costs. Today we are taking the opposite stance: workouts that are crazy costly but have the potential for big improvements to your fitness and/or confidence!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: The Best “Bang for Your Buck” Workouts 1:07:57

2M ago1:07:57

1:07:57

Minimum recovery costs; maximum fitness gain. These are the workouts we find to be most repeatable, manageable, and enjoyable! We choose multiple options each for Speed, Threshold, and Tempo sessions.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Episode 515: Play to Your Strengths 1:46:53

2M ago1:46:53

1:46:53

Running is hard! Are you playing to your strengths as a runner or just banging your head against the wall?By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: Back From Vacation 58:09

2M ago58:09

58:09

Kirk was in California crushing marathon workouts and big mountain runs. Brakken was in Sweden… cross training?By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Episode 513: Scott Frey - Cerebral Performance 1:44:51

2M ago1:44:51

1:44:51

Scott H. Frey, Ph.D., Ed.M., is an award-winning scientist, mentor, and lifelong endurance athlete. For the past 30 years, he led a research program that focused on understanding the relationship between the brain and human performance and is now applying his methods to endurance athletes around the world. Visit cerebralperformance.com to learn mor…

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Episode 512: Michael Wardian 1:27:35

2M ago1:27:35

1:27:35

Professional runner and Guinness World Record holder Michael Wardian talks goals, recent runs and races, and his work with World Vision on a clean water initiative.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: Get to Know Your Stride 24:45

3M ago24:45

24:45

When pace, gps or hr fails you during a race, having a metronome stride you can fall back on to ensure that you are pacing correctly is a huge advantage!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Episode 510: Sean Roach 1:51:14

3M ago1:51:14

1:51:14

Sean is the founder and owner of Emergence Physical Therapy Strength and Running Performance Center in Redmond, Oregon, an ultra runner, and a holder of multiple Master’s power lifting records.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: Lessons From Intervals 57:01

3M ago57:01

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Workout One: 12x 1000m w/ 1:00 float recovery. Workout Two: 10x 200m w/ 150m jog recovery. Both workouts didn’t quite go as planned and adjustments had to be made during. What do you take away from a workout that goes awry?By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Episode 508: Non-Running AMA (mostly) 1:19:55

3M ago1:19:55

1:19:55

Life and personal questions, generated randomly, answered by us? Sounds like Long Run material!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: Don’t Let Training Get in the Way of Racing! 1:01:56

3M ago1:01:56

1:01:56

“I probably shouldn’t do this cool local race because it doesn’t fit in with the training block I’m currently in.” Sound familiar? Let’s chat it out!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Episode 506: Derek Rubis Pt 2 1:22:17

3M ago1:22:17

1:22:17

You asked and we delivered! Three years after our last chat with Derek about his journey with running and his battle with colon cancer, he rejoins the show to update us on his life, health, and running.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: A Conversation About Training & Goals 59:21

3M ago59:21

59:21

We take some time to talk through racing goals and pick each other’s brains about the training needed to accomplish them!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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The Race Brain Crew Are Back! | Catching Up on Hyrox & OCR 1:26:07

3M ago1:26:07

1:26:07

We’re back after a brief hiatus! In this episode, we catch up on everything happening in the world of Hyrox, OCR, and even Jack’s championship performance at the Goofy Games. Is OCR dying? What’s the future of Race Brain? We get into it all. 00:08 - Welcome Back! Where We’ve Been 01:22 - The Evolution of Race Brain & OCR’s Decline 07:36 - The Futur…

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Episode 504: Matt Fitzgerald - Chasing Mastery 1:37:19

3M ago1:37:19

1:37:19

Matt joins us to talk about: After three years of dealing with Long COVID, going from zero miles per week to racing a 100k Adapting his training to accommodate his body’s “new rules” His new book: Chasing MasteryBy Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: How We Think About Mileage 56:04

4M ago56:04

56:04

Far too many runners choose their training volume based on what others are doing. This is how we think about the appropriate volume to train at!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Episode 502: Reminders Part Two 1:41:02

4M ago1:41:02

1:41:02

We continue from where we left off last week with Kirk taking the lead on his most impactful takeaways from our early episodes.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: How We Think About “Early Season Races” 59:27

4M ago59:27

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How we approach them, our strategy, our training adjustments, and our expectations.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Episode 500: Five Years of Reminders 1:44:54

4M ago1:44:54

1:44:54

We have had the opportunity to listen to so many incredible individuals impart knowledge, wisdom, and warnings over the past 500 episodes. Today we recap some of the best lessons we’ve learned from others since starting this podcast.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: 8 Mini Topics 1:10:32

4M ago1:10:32

1:10:32

Our current practices for injury prevention. How to implement hill work and at what grade of steepness. How Lactate Threshold HR and pace change over time. When to time trial and when to race. Plus more!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: How We Think About “Strength Training” 1:00:34

4M ago1:00:34

1:00:34

Why should runners lift? What is really considered strength training when it comes to endurance running? How often do we think a runner should lift? Do we prioritize performance or prevention of injury? And much more!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Q&A: Your Questions Answered! 1:37:03

4M ago1:37:03

1:37:03

By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: How We Think About “Choosing a Running Shoe” 1:10:20

4M ago1:10:20

1:10:20

This isn’t us telling you what shoes to get. We’re not telling you what shoes we think are “good”. There is really no such thing as a “good” or “bad” shoe these days; just a shoe that does or doesn’t work well for your foot and purpose. Today we discuss how to decide what shoes are likely to be a good match for your feet, your stride, and your terr…

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OCR World Championships Bracket 1:25:54

5M ago1:25:54

1:25:54

This week, the RB squad ranks the best "world championships," diving into controversies, competition quality, and what truly makes a championship stand out. [00:08] Welcome to the Episode "Ranking OCR World Championships begins." [05:36] Metal Games Drama "A controversial event with surprising outcomes." [11:33] Women’s Race Controversy "A tied fin…

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Episode 497: Cam Bostock 1:25:51

5M ago1:25:51

1:25:51

Cam is a renowned endurance athlete, through hiker, and all around outdoor adventurer. In 2024, between completing the Pacific Crest Trail and several other adventures, he slept outdoors more than indoors!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: How We Think About “Off Season / Base Building” 1:14:04

5M ago1:14:04

1:14:04

This is episode three in a series of Training Tuesdays explaining our rationale behind the way we think about and execute various pieces of our training. Today: How to approach your Off Season.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Updating the Men's Top OCR Athletes List 1:20:35

5M ago1:20:35

1:20:35

Join Rich Ryan, Bracken Crocker, and Jack Bauer on the Race Brain Podcast as they dive into the highly anticipated updated rankings for the greatest male obstacle course racing athletes of all time. This episode is packed with debates, blind comparisons, and in-depth discussions on the legends who shaped the sport. [0:00] Welcome & Overview [1:15] …

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Episode 495: Ian Floyd - Pt 2 1:46:30

5M ago1:46:30

1:46:30

Ian completed two of the tougher 100 mile races in the US this past year, despite never running a race longer than 65 miles prior. Today we chat about persevering, staying the course, and putting one foot in front of the other when you absolutely do not want to.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: How We Think About “Speed Development” 1:06:54

5M ago1:06:54

1:06:54

This is episode two in a series of Training Tuesdays explaining our rationale behind the way we think about and execute various pieces of our training. Today: Speed Development for distance runners. How much, when to do it, and how to know what exactly you need as a runner.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Updating the Women's OCR All-Time Rankings. 1:07:10

5M ago1:07:10

1:07:10

In this episode, we dive deep into the Top Women's OCR Rankings of All Time! [00:00] Intro & Focus on Women's Rankings [02:15] Lindsay Webster’s Dominance [20:30] Alyssa Petrova Climbs the Ranks [40:45] Career Longevity vs. Peak Performance [1:15:10] Vision for a GOAT Roundup Event Do you agree with our picks? Drop your thoughts below! ⬇️ #OCR #Hyb…

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Episode 493: Setting Our 2025 Goals 1:05:37

5M ago1:05:37

1:05:37

We lay out our training and racing goals & aspirations for the coming season!By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Training Tuesday: How We Think About “Warming Up” 57:29

5M ago57:29

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We’re kicking off a series of Training Tuesday episodes explaining our rationale behind the way we think about and execute various pieces of our training. Today: the Pre-Race Warm Up. Most people do far too little. Some people do way too much. Either way, we’re not telling just telling you HOW to warm up, we’re telling the REASON we believe you sho…

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The OCRAs! Celebrating the Best of 2024 1:05:31

5M ago1:05:31

1:05:31

Follow HYROX Rundown presented by Race Brain to catch the Hybrid Racing Awards 👇 https://open.spotify.com/show/62SiSBqkKt1Q1yOf8D2KnX?si=dNW7mMYRQqKHICLVvIAdBA In this special episode of Race Brain: The OCR Show, Rich Ryan, Brakken Kraker, and Jack Bauer host the fourth annual OCR Awards, where we honor the standout performances, moments, and athle…

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Episode 491: Our 2024 Year In Review 1:36:20

5M ago1:36:20

1:36:20

One of us did a lot of running and racing. The other did a lot of rehabbing and dreaming about racing. We both learned a ton.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Episode 490: Austin Smeenk 1:42:20

6M ago1:42:20

1:42:20

The world record holder in the 400m and 800m, Austin competed at the 2016, 2020, and 2024 Summer Paralympic Games, winning a gold and a bronze medal in Paris 24.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Dylan Scott: Training, Racing, and the Hybrid Raccoon Mindset 57:15

6M ago57:15

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In this episode, we sit down with Dylan Scott, the reigning DEKAFIT World Champion and HYROX North American Champion, to discuss his training philosophy, racing strategies, and what it takes to balance elite competition with life as a father and coach. Dylan shares his approach to hybrid fitness, why he believes fitness is fitness, and how he maint…

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Training Tuesday: Mini Q&A 1:06:04

6M ago1:06:04

1:06:04

We discuss our recent training, team racing strategy, fueling during stage racing, and our reactions to the training principles David Roche implemented during his build to the Leadville 100.By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker

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Two New DEKAFIT Champs During an Exciting Weekend of Racing. 1:23:53

6M ago1:23:53

1:23:53

Support RB on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/racebrainThe DEKAFIT World Championships brought out the best in hybrid racing, and we’re here to break it all down. From the men’s and women’s elite performances to the surprising strategies, transitions, and chaotic finishes, this was a season finale to remember. We analyze the races, celebrate the …

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Training Tuesday: Is Your Running Relationship a Healthy One? 1:02:00

6M ago1:02:00

1:02:00

How often should you look forward to your runs? How often should you feel good during a run? How should running (or missing a run) affect your daily life? Does race performance affect your self worth?By Kirk Dewindt & Brakken Kraker