On Your Left with Trails of Mississippi

Episode 35 of On Your Left with Matt Clem features a true legend of Mississippi running, Greg Gearhart.

Growing up in Roanoke, Virginia, Greg was cut from every sports team he tried out for, eventually finding his place in band and Scouts. After graduating from Virginia Military Institute in 1978 with a degree in Civil Engineering, he moved to Mississippi to help build Grand Gulf Nuclear — and along the way, discovered a pas...

What does 200 miles through the Colorado mountains actually do to you?

On Episode 34 of On Your Left, Matt Clem sits down with elite ultrarunner Bethany Madson and Jackson Wolf of Rougarou Running and Coaching to break down their experience at the Summit 200.

They get into the reality behind the miles: brutal terrain, sleep deprivation, fueling, race strategy, the mental grind, and those unforgettable moments that only come when yo...

On Episode 33 of On Your Left, host Matt Clem sits down with ultrarunner, coach, race director, and entrepreneur Walker Higgins for a conversation that goes far beyond running.

Walker’s story is one of transformation. After getting sober at a young age, he found a new purpose through endurance sports, channeling the determination that changed his life into conquering some of the world’s most demanding ultramarathons. Fr...

On this episode of 'On Your Left, Matt welcomes Ronny Chane, a lifelong skateboarder, BMX racer, small business owner, and outdoor enthusiast whose story stretches across more than four decades. Ronny first picked up skateboarding and BMX in the very same week in 1983. After stepping away for many years, he came back during that exact same week35 years later. Now he's sharing those passions with his two sons, Seven Chane, 8, an int...

Matt sits down with Jonathan Ray and Kelsey Ray to preview this weekend’s Big Butts Trail Race. They walk through the 100k, 100k relay, 50k, and 25k and what it takes to host a big trail weekend with close to three hundred runners expected. Plus, returning100k champion Peter Kazary joins the conversation to share his experience on the course and what he’s looking forward to this year. All signs point to a fantastic week...

In this episode, Matt sits down with Claire Jungling from RunStrong to spotlight the upcoming “Rez Loop Challenge” on June 6. Joining them is Nancy Hines, who began running in her 60s and is now tackling her longest challenge yet. Nancy shares her inspiring journey from her first 8K to aiming for 24 miles on race day. We’ll talk about the power of starting late, pushing boundaries, and finding community on the tra...

In tonight’s episode, Matt welcomes Shane Adams and Bernie Brenneman, the driving forces behind MagRidge BMX, right here in the studio. We dive into the inspiring story of how MagRidge rose from the site of an old landfill—the “North Lagoon”—to become Mississippi’s only BMX track.

For over a decade, MagRidge has fostered a growing BMX community for riders of all ages. We’ll talk about thei...

This week on On Your Left, the crew breaks down Matt Clem’s epic attempt at the legendary Cocodona 250, a grueling ultramarathon stretching from Black Canyon City, Arizona to Flagstaff, Arizona. Battling brutal heat, destroyed feet, exhaustion, and severe sleep deprivation, Matt pushed himself 180 miles into one of the toughest races in the world before ultimately stepping off the course.

But this episode is not about failure...

In this episode, we welcome Bethany Madson—the mom of two who just shattered the 100-mile course record at the Mississippi 100 Trail Race.

Bethany’s journey began in high school cross country and track, but it was after her second daughter was born that she truly embraced trail running. Starting in 2018 with a six-hour ultra, she steadily grew her distance. After a brief hiatus, she returned stronger—tackling her...

In this episode, Matt sits down with Zach McRaney from the South Mississippi Trail Alliance. They dive into all the exciting initiatives the Alliance has been working on to expand outdoor recreation in the region. A highlight of the conversation is the upcoming “Rattlesnake Rumble,” Mississippi’s only gravel bike race. The event offers distances up to 100 miles and will take place in the scenic Pine Belt area on A...

In this special Coaches’ Corner episode of On Your Left, Matt Clem sits down with Mary Swayze, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Board-Certified Orthopedic Specialist, and Level 2 USA Triathlon Coach. This is not surface-level advice, this is real, earned insight from someone who has lived it at a high level.

Mary brings over a decade of clinical experience and elite endurance performance to the table. A former Division I soccer pl...

As MS 50 race week arrives, On Your Left with Matt Clem brings the story full circle. One year after the show’s first conversation about this iconic race, Matt sits down with ultra running veteran Mike, who is preparing to attempt his staggering 249th 100 mile finish.

Joining via Zoom from Santa Fe, New Mexico is Mike’s wife and trusted crew chief, Sandra Bullock Smith, author of Crewing an Ultra Runner: Start to Finish...

In this episode of On Your Left, we're thrilled to welcome Chris Mixon, an endurance athlete who has been making waves in the trail running community since 2019. Based in Jackson, Mississippi, Chris is not only a dedicated real estate agent, but also a husband, father of three, and the founder of the Jackson Trail Club.

Beyond his athletic endeavors, Chris also serves as a pastor at Fondren Church. He has achieved impressive finish...

Matt Clem is joined by a group of trail and ultra running friends for a laid back, festive conversation as they gather right before Christmas. Together, they look back on the miles, adventures, and lessons from the past year, talk through goals and intentions for the year ahead, and embrace the holiday spirit with plenty of laughter, stories, and a little friendly shenanigans.

This episode is all about community, gratitude, and rem...

In episode number 21 of the On Your Left Podcast, Matt Clem sits down with runner Ricky Morgan to share an inspiring story of change, resilience, and self rediscovery. After a long struggle with weight and body image, Ricky found trail running and it transformed everything. What began as a simple effort to get healthier has turned into a passion that helped him lose a significant amount of weight, gain confidence, and completely sh...

In episode number 20 of the On Your Left Podcast, Matt Clem sits down with the first and second place finishers of this year’s Pinhoti 100. It was a hard-fought race with Peter Kazery leading for most of the course, only to be passed by first-time 100 miler Jake Russell in the final stretch. Both athletes share the mental battles, strategy decisions, and raw moments that defined their race day.

Joining in studio is first-tim...

In episode 19 of On Your Left Podcast, host Matt Clem reconnects with Johnny Davis, Board President of the Tri-County Mountain Bike Association. Since his last appearance in episode 2, Johnny and his team have been hard at work shaping Mississippi’s mountain biking scene—from the Original Trails in Ridgeland to The Quarry in Brandon and Big Butts in Clinton. Johnny also shares his own inspiring transformation from being...

On this episode of On Your Left, Matt Clem sits down with ultra athlete and Sharman Ultra coach Liza Howard to talk about what it takes to prepare for the 100-mile season both mentally and physically. Liza shares her best tips for endurance athletes looking to train smarter, recover faster, and stay grounded through the highs and lows of ultra running.

Beyond her athletic achievements, Liza is the Executive Director and Founder of...

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