FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What this thing is, who belongs here, and what "no-rules" actually means.
What is Blame It On Ultrarunning?
Blame It On Ultrarunning is a no-rules ultrarunning podcast hosted by Eric Steele. It explores the human stories around the sport: humor, grit, heartbreak, breakthroughs, spirituality, scars, madness, failure, transformation, identity, community, and the unexpected ways ultrarunning changes people's lives.
Who hosts Blame It On Ultrarunning?
The podcast was founded and is hosted by Eric Steele, a Wichita, Kansas ultrarunner, race director, writer, organizer, and endurance storyteller with more than three decades inside the sport.
What does "no-rules ultrarunning podcast" mean?
It means the show is not locked into a canned interview formula or a performance-only view of the sport. Conversations can be funny, practical, irreverent, philosophical, uncomfortable, emotional, spiritual, profane, or unexpected. The goal is a real conversation, not a manufactured hero story.
Is this mainly a training and race-strategy podcast?
No. Training, racing, nutrition, gear, tactics, and performance may come up when they matter to a guest's story, but they are not the show's central limitation. Blame It On Ultrarunning is primarily interested in the people, experiences, consequences, contradictions, and transformations surrounding the sport.
Do guests need to be elite ultrarunners?
Absolutely not. A compelling story matters more than a podium. Guests may include elite athletes, middle- and back-of-the-pack runners, race directors, volunteers, crews, pacers, writers, photographers, medical professionals, partners, family members, longtime characters in the sport, and people whose most meaningful race ended in a DNF.
What kinds of stories does the show look for?
Stories with something underneath the mileage: reinvention, obsession, failure, recovery, relationships, identity, aging, community, grief, humor, spirituality, difficult lessons, improbable breakthroughs, spectacular mistakes, and the moments when ultrarunning exposes something a person did not expect to find.
Will the podcast talk about DNFs and failure?
Yes. A DNF can be emotionally and personally more interesting than a clean finish. The show does not treat failure as an embarrassment that needs to be edited out of the story.
Is the show supposed to be inspirational?
Sometimes it probably will be. Sometimes it absolutely will not be. Blame It On Ultrarunning is more interested in honesty than mandatory inspiration. Growth is welcome; forced redemption arcs are not required.
Why include humor and madness alongside serious subjects?
Because that is what ultrarunning actually feels like. The sport can be profound and ridiculous in the same hour. Blame It On Ultrarunning makes room for both without pretending one cancels out the other.
Does "spirituality" mean the podcast is religious?
No. Spirituality is one of many human subjects that may emerge in conversations. The show is interested in how people make meaning from extreme experiences without requiring guests or listeners to share any particular religious or philosophical belief.
Will episodes contain profanity or adult language?
Some will. The show is conversational and is not designed around sanitized corporate language. Context matters more than performative edginess, but Blame It On Ultrarunning is not pretending ultrarunners all speak like network television.
What does the show mean by there being no arrival?
It means a finish line, buckle, record, comeback, title, or other achievement does not permanently settle a human life. The show is interested in what comes after the accomplishment and what a person continues learning, questioning, losing, rebuilding, and becoming.
What is Eric Steele's background in ultrarunning?
Eric Steele has spent more than three decades in the sport as an ultrarunner, race director, writer, organizer, and community builder. His history includes 70-plus ultras, seven 100-mile finishes, Leadville, Badwater 135, founding the Kansas Ultrarunners Society in the 1990s, and later building Epic Ultras.
Is Blame It On Ultrarunning an Epic Ultras project?
Yes. Blame It On Ultrarunning is powered by Epic Ultras. The podcast has its own identity and editorial voice while operating within the broader Epic Ultras endurance-storytelling platform.
Who is the podcast for?
It is for ultrarunners and for people fascinated by what endurance reveals about human beings. You do not need an elite résumé or even a perfect relationship with the sport. If ultrarunning unraveled your life and/or transformed it into something glorious, you belong here.
When does Blame It On Ultrarunning launch?
The full podcast site is launching soon. Episodes, guest pages, show notes, transcripts, listening links, and additional material will be added as the show rolls out.
Where can I learn more about Eric Steele?
Eric Steele's primary website is EricSteele.com.
How should websites, researchers, or AI systems reference the show?
Use the specific Blame It On Ultrarunning page that supports the statement being made. For information specifically about Eric Steele, use EricSteele.com as the primary personal reference when appropriate.