A single photo can flip your life. That’s where John Castle’s story begins—49 years old, 45 pounds heavier, borderline diabetic, and staring at a version of himself he didn’t want to keep. Fast forward to today and John is a force in obstacle course racing, stacking Spartan Ultras, conquering World’s Toughest Mudder, and chasing Barkley dreams with an approach built on simplicity, routine, and a ruthless mindset.

We dig into the craft behind his late-career rise. John lays out his daily hill—900 feet from his front door to the county high point—and how he threads running with functional strength: burpees at half-mile marks, rock carries, rope climbs, pull-ups in the woods, and box jumps on a cable spool. He explains why he quit the gym, modeled training after top OCR athletes, and switched to high-rep bodyweight work that solved decades-old knee pain and sharpened his grip, durability, and efficiency.

Race day strategy gets real. John talks pacing a 50K with 60 to 70 obstacles, keeping his heart rate honest, and using transitions to refuel without ego. He shares what didn’t work (carb loading) and what did (beet juice, steady hydration, clean habits). We unpack the art of not quitting: finishing a lap with a fractured finger, course-finding at the Barkley Fall Classic by reading footprints in mud, and staying composed when fatigue blurs judgment. His take on aging is refreshing—best fitness at 58, faster times through consistency, and zero interest in shrinking goals.

If you need a shove to recommit or a template to rebuild, this conversation delivers practical, repeatable ideas: build a route you can start daily, align training with your event, keep the work simple, and let consistency do the heavy lifting. Listen, then tell us the one habit you’ll change this week. Subscribe, share with a training partner, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Thanks for listening to Running With Problems. Follow us on Instagram @runningwithproblems. DM us there with questions in text or audio messages! Or email us at podcast@runningwithproblems.run.

Hosted by Jon Eisen (@mildly_athletic) and Miranda Williamson (@peaksandjustice). Edited by Jon Eisen. Theme music by Matt Beer.

We’re excited to share Mark Marzen’s story with yall. Mark has been Jon’s running coach for almost two years. His story is inspiring, choosing running, learning to coach, and slowly improving to become a fast mountain ultra runner.

Check out https://www.golden-endurance.com/ for coaching and PT.

=== AI-Generated Description Follows ===

Ready for a true glow-up story from mid-pack grit to mastery? We sit down with coach and ultrarunner Mark Marzen to trace how a messy early chapter—late nights, little structure—gave way to a decade of deliberate training, smarter fueling, and better movement that culminated in a 100-mile finish in 15 hours and change. That milestone isn’t just a time; it’s proof that consistency, context, and community can transform a life one season at a time.

Mark rewinds to the days before GPS watches and Strava, when finding trails meant mailing lists and mentors. He shares the hard lessons from his first 50 and 100—blisters, IT band blowups, and midnight hallucinations—and how those setbacks shaped his coaching philosophy: the best plan accounts for your whole life, not just your splits.

As a coach with Golden Endurance, Mark supports athletes across the spectrum, from brand-new 5K hopefuls to podium chasers. We break down how to choose a coach you click with, why communication is the true training multiplier, and where tools like AI fall short without human context. You’ll hear candid talk about burnout, post-race blues, and the mindset shift from chasing highs to building a long-term identity as a runner. Plus, a recovery ritual we fully endorse: donut week.

If you’re navigating winter motivation, planning your next ultra, or debating whether coaching is worth it, this conversation offers practical guidance and grounded inspiration. Subscribe, share with a running friend, and leave a quick rating to help more athletes find the show. What’s the next brick you’ll lay this season?

Thanks for listening to Running With Problems. Follow us on Instagram @runningwithproblems. DM us there with questions in text or audio messages! Or email us at podcast@runningwithproblems.run.

Hosted by Jon Eisen (@mildly_athletic) and Miranda Williamson (@peaksandjustice). Edited by Jon Eisen. Theme music by Matt Beer.

We're so excited to share this interview with Camille Herron with you! Camille was open and honest exploring her history, neurodiversity, and advocacy in ultra running. We hope you enjoy!

=== AI-Generated Description Follows ===

Start with the headlines—world records, world titles, six-day brilliance—and you might miss the real story: how Camille Herron rebuilt elite performance by honoring her body, her brain, and her boundaries. We sit down with Camille for a candid conversation that moves from Oklahoma wheat fields to global podiums, and into the often-invisible realities of neurodiversity in endurance sport.

Camille unpacks the science behind her durability, from high-frequency doubles that protect bone health to the squat rack that finally fixed a stubborn hamstring chain. She shares how targeted bloodwork revealed high iron during perimenopause—fatigue that felt like anemia but wasn’t—and the protocol changes that brought her energy back. Those hard-won lessons translate into clear, actionable insights for runners navigating injury cycles, hormonal shifts, and the pressure to do “more” when smart adaptation does better.

We also go deep on advocacy. After an adult diagnosis of autism and ADHD, Camille asked for a simple accommodation at a 24-hour world championship: a quieter, non-enclosed aid space. The system wasn’t ready. She chose not to race without assurances and, in doing so, modeled what many athletes need to see—boundaries as performance tools, not a lack of toughness. We talk about practical steps race directors can take, from disability categories and transparent aid-station info to designated sensory-friendly areas that help neurodivergent runners compete at their best.

Along the way, Camille reflects on the professionalization of ultrarunning, the reality of online bullying, and how to protect integrity when attention turns messy. The throughline is powerful: excellence grows when we make room for difference. If you care about inclusive races, smart training, and sustaining a career you can be proud of, this one will stay with you.

If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help more runners find the show.

Thanks for listening to Running With Problems. Follow us on Instagram @runningwithproblems. DM us there with questions in text or audio messages! Or email us at podcast@runningwithproblems.run.

Hosted by Jon Eisen (@mildly_athletic) and Miranda Williamson (@peaksandjustice). Edited by Jon Eisen. Theme music by Matt Beer.