Dirt Nap Diaries

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Dirt Nap Diaries

Brittany Olson

24 episodes

2 days ago

New Year’s resolutions get a bad rap. And honestly? They don’t deserve it. In this episode, we’re talking about why wanting more for yourself is not the issue, why cynicism isn’t wisdom, and why we need to stop yucking other people’s yums. This is encouragement with a little spice, plus some real talk on how to actually keep a resolution by focusing on the process instead of the outcome. In this episode, we talk about: Why New Year’s resolutions aren’t the problem and why being dismissive abo...

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Health & Fitness

All content for Dirt Nap Diaries is the property of Brittany Olson and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

New Year’s resolutions get a bad rap. And honestly? They don’t deserve it. In this episode, we’re talking about why wanting more for yourself is not the issue, why cynicism isn’t wisdom, and why we need to stop yucking other people’s yums. This is encouragement with a little spice, plus some real talk on how to actually keep a resolution by focusing on the process instead of the outcome. In this episode, we talk about: Why New Year’s resolutions aren’t the problem and why being dismissive abo...

Show more...

Health & Fitness

Episodes (20/24)

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 23: New Year’s Resolutions Aren’t the Problem: Being a Dickhead About Them Is

New Year’s resolutions get a bad rap. And honestly? They don’t deserve it. In this episode, we’re talking about why wanting more for yourself is not the issue, why cynicism isn’t wisdom, and why we need to stop yucking other people’s yums. This is encouragement with a little spice, plus some real talk on how to actually keep a resolution by focusing on the process instead of the outcome. In this episode, we talk about: Why New Year’s resolutions aren’t the problem and why being dismissive abo...

3 days ago

51 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 22: When Shit Goes Sideways: Safety, Scars, and Still Chasing Big Dreams

Trail running is unpredictable. Weather changes. Bodies change. Plans fall apart. And sometimes, even when you do everything “right,” things still go wrong. In this episode of Dirt Nap Diaries, I talk about what happens when something scary or traumatic happens on the trail and how you find your way back instead of letting fear take the thing you love. This isn’t a fear-based safety episode. It’s a real conversation about preparation, perspective, and rebuilding trust with yourself after a ha...

1 week ago

40 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 21: How to Schedule Your Running: Building a Week You Can Repeat

In this episode of Dirt Nap Diaries, I’m breaking down how to schedule your running in a way that actually fits real life. We’re talking about weekly structure, why four days of running works for most everyday trail runners, and how to stop overthinking your training when your schedule is already full. This is not about building the perfect plan or doing more. It’s about creating a repeatable week that supports your life, your energy, and your long-term goals. We also talk about how to handle...

2 weeks ago

43 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

You’re Not Lazy, You’re Tired: A Trail Runner’s Guide to Sustainable Training

In this episode, we talk about: Why feeling unmotivated does not mean you are lazyThe difference between being tired and making excusesHow lack of margin and recovery shows up as “low motivation”Why I don’t coach motivation and why it is not part of the 4MsA simple self-check to tell if you need rest or accountabilityHow to adjust training without losing momentumWhy consistency matters more than intensityHow these lessons apply beyond running and into everyday lifeThe 4Ms Blueprint mentioned ...

3 weeks ago

47 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 19: Your Watch Is Being Dramatic: A Trail Runner’s Guide to Chill

If you have ever opened your Garmin or Coros app and immediately questioned your entire life, this episode is for you. Today we are talking about the data your watch throws at you. VO2 Max. HRV. Sleep scores. Training readiness. Whether it thinks you are productive or overreaching. And how most of it is distracting at best and harmful at worst. This episode walks you through why so many of these metrics are unreliable and can hurt your trail running, how they mess with your confidence, and wh...

1 month ago

50 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 18: Aid Station 101: Snacks, Chaos, and Getting In and Out Fast

In this quick-hit episode, we’re talking all things aid stations — what they are, how they work, and how to move through them without getting stuck in the snack vortex. Inside this episode: What an aid station actually isWhy they look chaotic but somehow feel comfortingHow to get in and out quicklyThe most common things that slow runners downWhat first-timers never expectWhy bringing your own electrolytes can save your raceHow to treat an aid station like a pit stop, not a loungeSimple mindse...

1 month ago

24 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 17: The Ups and Downs of Trail Running: How to Move Efficiently on Every Hill

Climbing, descending, and hiking — it’s all part of trail running, but most runners don’t actually train how to do each one efficiently. In this episode, I’m breaking down the mechanics and mindset of running uphill and downhill so you can move stronger, softer, and smarter on every kind of terrain. We’ll talk about: How to use your glutes, hamstrings, and calves for power without burning outWhat “going up easy” really means (and why it’s not about pace)How to handle downhill fear without ove...

1 month ago

59 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 16: How to Actually Run Easy: Where Endurance Really Starts

Most runners think they’re running easy… but they’re not. In this episode, I break down what “easy effort” really means, why it’s one of the most important parts of your training, and how running too hard too often might actually be slowing you down. We’ll talk about: How to tell if your “easy” is too hardWhy slowing down helps you get stronger and fasterThe science behind building an aerobic base (without getting technical)The real reasons runners struggle to slow down — ego, time, and compa...

1 month ago

42 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 15: Permission to Rest: Why Doing Less Sometimes Moves You Forward

If you needed a sign to rest—this is it. We glorify the grind so much that rest starts to feel like weakness. But the truth? Rest is the work. It’s where your body adapts, your energy rebuilds, and your love for running gets protected from burnout. In this episode, I’m diving into the mindset, the guilt, and the reality of taking time off—especially for runners juggling full lives, families, jobs, and everything in between. Because sometimes the hardest thing to do is nothing. You’ll hear abo...

1 month ago

36 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 14: What Are We Running For: When the World Feels Heavy

This week’s episode isn’t about splits, fueling plans, or training blocks. It’s about the world outside the trailhead — a world where SNAP benefits are being cut, rent keeps climbing, healthcare is unaffordable, and people are losing the safety nets that keep them alive. I know… that’s not light. But pretending everything’s fine feels fake. So today, I’m talking about privilege, humanity, and perspective — and how even something as simple as our ability to run is a form of privilege. We...

2 months ago

33 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 13: Running Is Not That Serious: Lessons From the Party in the Desert

In this episode of Dirt Nap Diaries, I’m coming off one of my favorite weekends of the year — Javelina Jundred. The desert, the costumes, the chaos, and the community. I had five athletes out there running everything from the 100-miler to the 31K, and y’all… this weekend reminded me exactly why I love this sport. My good friend and Run Tri Bike co-owner Jason Bahamundi says, “Running is not that serious.” And after a weekend surrounded by glitter, grit, and grit, I couldn’t agree more. Becaus...

2 months ago

26 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 12: Race Strategy: How to Run Smart on Any Trail, at Any Distance

In this episode of Dirt Nap Diaries, we’re talking about how to build a race strategy that actually works—for yourdistance, your terrain, and your life. Whether you’re toeing the line for your first 10K on dirt, training for a trail marathon, or running your next 50K, having a plan can make the difference between feeling scattered and feeling strong. I’ll walk through pacing, fueling, mindset, and what to do after you cross the finish line—because every runner deserves a race plan that helps ...

2 months ago

49 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 11: The Season of Meh: When You Just Don’t Have It (and You’re Not Sure Why)

In this episode of Dirt Nap Diaries, I’m talking about the season of meh — that weird in-between space where you’re showing up, but everything just feels off. You’re not injured. You’re not overtrained. You just… don’t have it right now. And maybe you don’t even know why. If your runs feel flat, your lifts feel heavy, or you’re questioning why you even started — you’re not alone. This isn’t about motivation. It’s about being human. And it’s completely normal. As a women’s trail running coach,...

2 months ago

44 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 10: Building Your Race Season: How to Choose Races That Actually Mean Something

In this episode of Dirt Nap Diaries, I’m breaking down why your race season doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s — not your friends’, not an influencer’s, and definitely not the elites chasing Golden Tickets. We’ll talk about what it really means to be emotionally invested in a race — the kind that gives you that fire-in-the-belly feeling and keeps you lacing up when life’s chaotic. Because when your heart’s in it, the time and money you invest feel worth it. And when it’s not? Training ju...

3 months ago

48 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 9: Training Runs Are Practice: Why Everything Counts on the Long Run

Your long runs and training races aren’t just about building fitness—they’re dress rehearsals for race day. This is where you test your gear, fuel, hydration, socks, sports bras, packs, and even how fast you can get in and out of an aid station. In this episode of Dirt Nap Diaries, I’m breaking down why practicing all the little things now saves you from big problems later. Because no one wants to DNF over a pair of socks, a sports bra that doesn’t work, or a fueling strategy that blows up yo...

3 months ago

45 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 8: Out of Control: Trail Running When the World Feels Heavy

Feeling stuck in rage scrolling and late-night binge eating? In this episode of Dirt Nap Diaries, women’s trail running coach Brittany Olson shares why focusing on controllables—like trail running, strength training, fueling, and rest—keeps everyday trail runners grounded when life and politics feel out of control. As a women’s trail running coach, I’ll share my own story of binge eating since the election, how I used to turn to alcohol in these hard seasons, and the swaps I’m using now to pu...

3 months ago

36 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 7: When Finishing Isn’t the Win: The DNF I Didn’t See Coming

In this episode of Dirt Nap Diaries, I’m sharing the story of my Mogollon Monster 100 — the miles I did cover, the moment it all fell apart, and why calling it a “comeback” doesn’t sit right with me. Sometimes strength looks like pushing through, and sometimes it looks like knowing when to stop. This one’s about resilience, change, and what a DNF can teach us both on and off the trail. What you’ll hear in this episode: How the day started strong — perfect weather, solid legs, and smooth climb...

3 months ago

1 hour 3 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 6: The invisible part of training: How to really recover

What if I told you the hardest part of training isn’t the miles, the climbs, or the workouts—it’s the recovery? In this episode of Dirt Nap Diaries, I’m breaking down what recovery after big efforts actually looks like. Whether it’s your first 10K, a monster long run, or an ultra that leaves you wrecked, recovery isn’t wasted time—it’s where the adaptations actually happen. I’ll share how to stop rushing back too soon, why gadgets don’t replace the basics, and what recovery looks like when yo...

4 months ago

32 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 5: The weight we carry: Running through the heavy

How many more? Before safety is not a privilege. In this episode of Dirt Nap Diaries, I’m digging into the heaviness we’re carrying right now—school shootings, women’s rights, safety on the run, and why “thoughts and prayers” aren’t enough. As a women’s trail running coach and ultra runner, I’ll share how privilege shows up on and off the trail, why access does not mean equality, and how everyday trail runners can use controllables, gratitude, and joy to keep moving forward when life feels im...

4 months ago

37 minutes

Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 4: Your watch is lying to you: Ditch the data (RPE vs HR)

Are you letting your watch boss you around? 😏 In this episode of Dirt Nap Diaries, I’m breaking down why RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) beats heart rate training for trail runners every single time. Numbers can be useful, but they don’t always tell the truth—especially in the heat, on climbs, or when life stress shows up. I’ll share stories from my own athletes who’ve been trapped by their HR zones (and the ones who try to go hard every run), why your watch is lying to you, and how learning...

4 months ago

22 minutes