The Better Podcast
Episodes
Episode 59: New Year, New Subtractions?
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It's that time of year. Many of us want some shit to change,... how do we go about it? By adding stuff to do? Or by subtracting?
Episode 58: Skimo Gold interview about The Book!
01 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This one is a little different! Travis Macy and Cam Smith had me on the Skimo Gold podcast to talk about Badass Class: The Real Life Guide to Traini...
Episode 57: Holidays, USA Skimo Olympics, VO2max training
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hot damn, it's the most complicated time of the year! Joe and Matti talk about how to get through the holidays, Joe's experience at the Skimo World Cu...
Episode 56: Stimulants, Adaptation, and Systems!
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Weeooo! Between Matti's third kid and Joe's racing comback, this is a wild one! WE talk about caffeine, stimulants, social media, chihuahuas(?), and a...
Episode 55: Guardrails!
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do we make sure that the amount of training is right? That it's not too much? That it's enough? Matti and I talk about the different ways of monit...
Episode 54: The Return! Broken bones, aging athletes, and Joe's new BOOK!
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hot damn, it's been a minute. We're back and fired up talking about Matti's summer, Joe's new book, and lots of side-tracks of thoughts on how to help...
Episode 53: On the benefits of competition
19 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Catching up, ranting a little, you know, the usual. We talk about the challenges (but also benefits) of strong competition, why progress isn't a buf...
Episode 52: Unbound Gravel prep with Matti and Uri
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Oh Unbound, you crazy beast! We talk about why Unbound is cool even if you don't like gravel (Joe), how to not die on your first ultra (Matti), and ho...
Episode 51: Nutrition with Uri Carlson
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a while since we've had Uri on, but she's one of the originals, back from Episode 8! If there's one theme here it's probably "mastering th...
Episode 50: Mental Map Vs. Reality
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Matti talk about the dangers of not challenging assumptions, the importance of using reality as a place to make training decisions, and you, k...
Episode 49 with Matti: Random Show
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Whew, it's been a minute, but we're back! Today Matti and I catch up about not being bulletproof, philosophy shifts, and how workouts don't happen i...
Episode 48 with Matti: Catching up, and Compassion
07 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After catching up on each other's fall shenanigans, we talk about how to have self-compassion for ourselves while maintaining high standards.
Episode 47 with Cam Smith: Croissants, Injuries, and Lessons from Elite Skimo
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Cameron "Cam" Smith is an elite skimo racer and mountain runner. We talk about him coming back from an ACL tear in February 2023, what Americans need ...
Episode 46 with Kylee Van Horn: Nutrition for Skimo!
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Kylee sat down and talked about the nutritional differences between summer sports and skimo. How to hydrate, how to fuel, and even hour to tac...
Episode 45 with Brynne Goldberg: Athletes and Mental Health
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brynne and Joe sit down to talk about athlete mental health, athlete identity, anxiety, and working on how to turn down the dial on t...
Episode 44: Coaching Joe
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matti sits down and interviews Joe about Joe's training and what it's like working with a coach for the first time in several years!
Episode 43: EK Sports Interview with Eric Kenney
24 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Joe sits down and chats with Eric Kenney from EK Endurance Coaching!
Episode 42: Influences of Coaching
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Matti go through their years of coaching and discuss what books, coaches, classes, and friends have been the greatest influences on their coac...
Special Episode 41: Lordy, Lordy, Joe turns Forty!
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Friends sit down with birthday man Joe for a personal interview and a window into his brain!
Episode 40: Underfueling, GI issues, and more with Kylee Van Horn of Fly Nutrition
28 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Joe talks with special guest Kylee Van Horn of Fly Nutrition about what happens when you start eating enough for training, strength and nutrition, und...
Episode 39: Joe Learns Enduro, Matti Crushes Gravel
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Matti are back diving deeper into Joe's first enduro mountain bike race and the skills learned racing, and Matti's experience at Unbound Grave...
Episode 38: Bike Racing and Carbs for Athletes
21 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Gravel and mountain biking racing is here and Joe and Matti talk about the challenges (good and bad) that come with pushing your skills on a bike, alo...
Episode 37: Fitness kills... the competition.
14 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Should you break the bank on that new bike? Or is that money better spent elsewhere, or even saved?! Joe and Matti talk skimo gear, bikes, and trainin...
Episode 36: Pelvic Floor and the Athlete
26 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are the benefits of a strong pelvic floor? What even IS a pelvic floor? Join Joe and Matti as they discuss with Quinn, a Doctor of Physical Thera...
Episode 35: Training When Not Young
17 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you get fast and stay fast when you are not super young?... While also beating the young guns! Joe and Matti dig into the biological, social, a...
Episode 34: Joe, Matti, and Morning Routines
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Matti answer a listener's question about morning routines. They dig into morning workouts, sleep, alcohol, screen time, food, and much more!
Episode 33: Joe, Matti, and Ownership
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Matti chat about ownership and how owning your training plan will lead to the best results. They dive into the patterns, habits, and mindset t...
Episode 32: Joe, Matti, and the Holidays
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wondering how to balance the holidays with training? All those cookies... so much alcohol... too much togetherness! Joe and Matti will calm your impen...
Episode 31: Joe's Process
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Matti discuss Joe's athletic journey and his process for getting back to training. They dive into injuries, athletic identity, coaching philo...
Episode 30: Joe, Matti, and Summer Lessons
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Matti have a fun chat to recap this summer and all the lessons learned along the way. Including Joe's mindset shift brought on by mountain bik...
Episode 29: Joe, Matti, and Concepts
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Matti discuss some general concepts that relate to many different areas in life, including training. These patterns can help us have clarit...
Episode 28: Joe, Grace, and Rea Kolbl
25 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Grace are joined by Rea Kolbl - gymnast turned runner turned obstacle course racer turned skimo racer! She shares her unique perspective on ...
Episode 27: Joe, Grace, and Sarah Cookler
28 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Grace talk with badass athlete, Silverfork skimo coach, race director, and emergency room PA, Sarah Cookler. They chat about Sarah's backgr...
Episode 26: Coach Jaime, Kevin Clarke and Bryan MacGurn
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Coach Jaime Brede talks with two of her athletes, Kevin Clarke and Bryan MacGurn. They highlight the value of planning, consistency, communication, en...
Episode 25: Joe, Brad and Nikki LaRochelle
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Joe talks with badass mountain athletes and parents, Brad and Nikki LaRochelle. The three dive into how Brad and Nikki juggle training, endurance goal...
Episode 24: Joe, Matti, and Andy Rowe
04 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Matti are joined by Andy Rowe. And yes, he is Matti's big brother! Andy went through an incredible journey to health and is here to tell his c...
Episode 23: Joe, Grace, and Rob Coppolillo
19 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Grace talk with mountain guide, author, and skimo friend, Rob Coppolillo. They cover Rob's background in guiding, his impressive publications,...
Episode 22: Joe, Grace, and Jaime Brede
26 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Grace talk with SEA and Team Summit coach and endurance athlete Jaime Brede. They dive into Jaime's background, racing at the pro/elite level,...
Episode 21: Joe, Matti, and Relationships
16 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Matti discuss relationships and training. They cover it all, from communication tips, setting expectations, being ok with some selfishness, a...
Episode 20: Joe, Grace, and Brooke Haynes
10 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Grace talk to SEA athlete, Brooke Haynes about her path to becoming an athlete in her late 20's. Together they chat about balancing training ...
Episode 19: Joe, Grace, and Kylee Van Horn
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode will fuel your body and soul. Joe and Grace sit down with sports dietitian extraordinaire Kylee Van Horn from Fly Nutrition. Together...
Episode 18: Joe, Grace, and Doug Stenclik
27 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Doug Stenclik, from Cripple Creek Backcountry, Wild Snow, and the Totally Deep Podcast, joins this episode to talk skimo gear, tell some comical race ...
Episode 17: Joe, Matti, and High Fat Low Carb
20 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Matti debate the High Fat Low Carb nutrition trends and their impact on athlete performance. They do a deep dive into what really happens in t...
Episode 16: Joe, Grace, and Dirk Friel
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Grace talk with Dirk Friel, Co-Founder and Chief Evangelist at Training Peaks. Get excited for winter and learn how Training Peaks can help op...
Episode 15: Joe, Matti, and Dopamine
06 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Eat your heart out science nerds! Joe and Matti review a podcast about dopamine and apply their learnings to optimize endurance sport and training. Jo...
Episode 14: Joe, Grace, and Chris Knerl
30 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Grace talk to Chris Knerl, Strength Coach and Performance Manager at Howard Head Sports Medicine, about strength philosophies, strategies, an...
Episode 13: Joe, Matti, and Injuries
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Matti discuss injuries; everyday habits to prevent them and what to do about niggles (little pains that could turn into big injuries if not ad...
Episode 12: Joe, Matti, and The Two Week Break
16 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As the summer training and race season comes to an end, do you need to take a two week break? Joe and Matti explore the benefits of seasonal breaks an...
Episode 11: Joe and Grace and Ram Mikulas
09 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Joe and Grace talk to USSMA Board President, Ram Mikulas about how the sport of skimo gets to be included in the Olympics. Also, Grace dominates The R...
Episode 10: Joe and Grace and Off Season Stoke
01 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Joe and Grace talk about off season training, how to use poles while running, and the smoke factor.
Episode 9: EK Endurance Coaching
26 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we sit down with Erik Kenney from EK Endurance Coaching, professional multi-sport coach based out of Boulder, CO with a focus on triat...
Episode 8: Nutrition with Uri Carlson
03 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we sit down with Uri Carlson, a local dietician and badass bike racer to chat about nutrition, bike racing, documentaries, and a whole...
Episode 7: The Process, with Liam Doran
22 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we talk to Liam Doran, a professional action sports photographer. One of the things I really appreciate about Liam is that things don’...
Episode 6: The World Is On Fire
13 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week's topics include submissive urination (in dogs), the importance of setting boundaries when life and work are stressful, different ways of co...
Episode 5: What's Cooler Than Being Cool?
09 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
COVID Contemplations: What are the best podcast? When should you take a rest week? Can I out-drink someone who weights 40 pounds more than me? ...
Episode 4: Sam O'Keefe
09 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The last of our archived episodes from 2018. Sam O'Keefe joins us in top-secret SEA headquarters. One of my favorite things about Sam is that he d...
Episode 3: Jaime Brede
09 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Another one from the vaults! We recorded this podcast live when Coach Jaime Brede joined the squad. We talk about her background, food, her athlet...
Episode 2: On Badassery
06 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about the definition of Badass, using performance for weight loss, and a little bit off happiness!
Episode 1: The Backstory
03 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast has been an idea for a long time. I'm recording this intro on July 4th 2020, but this episode was actually recorded on June 23rd 2018. ...