I'll Have Another with Lindsey Hein Podcast

This episode is supported by Kava Haven, Goodr, and Batch.

Today on the podcast, I’m excited to welcome Megan Eckert.

Meg recently finished third overall among women at the 2025 Cocodona 250, running one of the fastest times in race history. She’s an ultrarunner, coach, teacher, and one of the most accomplished endurance athletes in the sport. In 2025, she ran 603 miles, surpassing 600 miles in six days and setting a world record pending ratification. She also finished second at Badwater 135 and continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in ultrarunning.

One of the most fascinating parts of Meg’s story is that she didn’t discover running until she was 29 years old. What started with a goal of breaking two hours in her first half marathon quickly grew into a passion for ultras, trail running, and eventually some of the longest races in the world.

In this conversation, Meg shares how she approaches races as long as Cocodona, why she focuses on competing against herself rather than other runners, how she balances teaching sixth-grade math with elite ultrarunning, and what she’s learned from spending days at a time moving through mountains, deserts, and remote wilderness.

We also talk about sleep strategy, hallucinations, training for six-day races, the value of recovery, and why she continues to pursue goals that have a real chance of failure.

Thank you to Mount to Coast for supporting this episode. Their new C1 Super Trainer is designed for long miles, everyday training, and durability that goes the distance. Learn more at mounttocoast.com.

If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with a friend and leave a rating and review. It’s one of the best ways to help new listeners discover the show.

Topics Discussed

Finishing third at the 2025 Cocodona 250

Running 603 miles at the Six Day World Championship

Discovering running at age 29 and quickly falling in love with ultras

Balancing teaching, coaching, and elite ultrarunning

Training philosophy, double-run days, and self-coaching

Sleep strategy and hallucinations in multi-day races

The growth of 200+ mile ultramarathons

Recovery, longevity, and avoiding injury

Pursuing difficult goals and embracing uncertainty

Adventure, backpacking, and trying new experiences every year

Media mentioned:

Books:

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Brands Mentioned:

Mount to Coast

Sponsors:

BatchBatch is a Wisconsin-based wellness brand creating small-batch, science-backed CBD and THC products designed to help with stress, sleep, and overall balance. Their formulas are developed in-house using high-quality hemp and third-party testing for consistency and transparency.

Go to hellobatch.com/another and use code “Another” for 30% off your order!

Kava HavenKava Haven offers a kava-infused, non-alcoholic spirit designed to give you a relaxed, social “buzz” without alcohol, hangovers, or sugar. It’s made with noble kava root and crafted as a functional alternative for winding down or social settings.

Go to KavaHaven.com/illhaveanother and use the code “Illhaveanother15” for 15% off your order.

Goodr

Goodr sunglasses are no-slip, no-bounce, all polarized, and actually affordable, with tons of fun styles and colors for summer. Go to goodr.com/another and use the code ANOTHER for $10 off your first order.

Mount to Coast is a performance footwear brand focused on supporting runners who push beyond traditional race formats, especially in the ultrarunning space. Rather than taking a standard approach to race weekend activations, the brand leaned into its identity by backing unique efforts like Double Boston, providing athletes with both gear and logistical support to take on unconventional challenges. Their C1 shoe is designed with long-distance comfort in mind, offering substantial cushioning that holds up over extended efforts on the road. The brand’s approach reflects a commitment to endurance, creativity, and meeting runners where they are, whether that’s chasing a personal best or taking on something entirely outside the norm.

Gracie Hyde is having a breakthrough season. After earning a spot on Team USA for the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, she joins the show to talk about the winding path that brought her here. Gracie shares her journey through three colleges, stepping away from the sport to focus on her mental health, rebuilding her relationship with running, and ultimately finding success on her own terms. We also talk about training with Coach Damon Martin, balancing life outside of running, launching her coffee subscription business, and why happiness has become such an important part of her performance.

Topics Discussed

Making her first World Championship team

Choosing between the World Road Mile and 5K teams

Her breakout season across the mile, steeplechase, and 5K

Training with Meridia

Stepping away from running to prioritize mental health

Recovering from an eating disorder and rebuilding her relationship with the sport

Joining Adams State and unexpectedly launching a professional career

Navigating sponsorships, agents, and life as a pro runner

Building a coffee business and finding balance outside of running

Why happiness has become the foundation of her success

Media Mentioned

New Girl

Thank you to our sponsors!

Noogs: Noogs Nutrition is my go-to for fun, flavorful fuel with carbs and electrolytes, with flavors like Lemon Zinger, Electric Watermelon, and Blue Raspberry, plus caffeinated options too. Use code “another15” for 15% off your first order.

ZBiotics is a pre-alcohol probiotic drink, engineered by PhD microbiologists, designed to help your body break down the byproduct of alcohol that can lead to rough mornings after drinking. Check it out at zbiotics.com/another and use code another for 15% off your order.

Huug makes high-quality bras and underwear designed to actually fit and support your body through every phase of life. Their pieces are comfortable, functional, and built for movement, making them a go-to for everyday wear and training alike. Use the code “Lindsey” for 15% off at huug.com.

Previnex: I start every day with Previnex’s Gut & Green Superfoods and lately I’ve been ending every day with their Sleep Health+ formula. Sleep Health+ is a melatonin-free sleep supplement designed to help you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling refreshed, without the grogginess that can come with other sleep products. If you’re looking for extra support around recovery and sleep, head to Previnex.com and use the code LindseySleep.

This episode is sponsored by Kava Haven, Batch, Goodr, and Tailwind Nutrition.

I’m excited to share this conversation with Elena Hayday, who just ran 2:24:45 at the Boston Marathon to finish as the sixth American woman in a massive breakthrough performance. This episode is a crossover with Road to the Trials, the podcast I co-host with Peter Bromka and Matt Chittim, and it’ll also air over there next Monday. Peter joins me for this conversation as we talk with Elena about the jump from 2:30 to 2:24, what clicked for her in Boston, and why she’s quickly becoming one of the most exciting marathoners to watch in U.S. distance running.

Elena runs for Minnesota Distance Elite and is currently studying neuroscience as a graduate student at the University of Minnesota. We talk about balancing school and training, qualifying for the Olympic Marathon Trials at Grandma’s Marathon, and what she’s learning as she continues leveling up in the marathon. She’s thoughtful, grounded, incredibly tough, and I think you’re going to love getting to know her story.

Topics Discussed

Elena Hayday’s breakthrough 2:24:45 performance at the 2026 Boston Marathon

Chasing faster marathon times after years of near-misses and setbacks

Recovering from stomach issues at the 2025 New York City Marathon

Working with a dietitian and realizing she was severely under-fueling on protein

Balancing elite marathoning with a neuroscience PhD program

Joining Minnesota Distance Elite and training under Chris Lundstrom

Learning to train and race alongside athletes like Dakotah Popehn and Annie Frisbie

Building confidence through higher mileage and more individualized training

Why Elena wants to become more aggressive and competitive in races

Navigating the emotional side of fully committing to running at a professional level

Signing with an agent and stepping more fully into the professional side of the sport

Future goals including representing Team USA and chasing faster marathon performances

Training the gut for marathon fueling and learning to absorb 90g of carbs per hour

Books, Movies, TV & Media Mentioned

Project Hail Mary

Noah Kahan Netflix documentary

Thank you to our sponsors: 

BatchBatch is a Wisconsin-based wellness brand creating small-batch, science-backed CBD and THC products designed to help with stress, sleep, and overall balance. Their formulas are developed in-house using high-quality hemp and third-party testing for consistency and transparency.

Go to hellobatch.com/another and use code “Another” for 30% off your order!

Tailwind NutritionTailwind Nutrition creates all-in-one endurance fuel and hydration products designed to be easy to digest while providing calories, electrolytes, and hydration during long efforts. Their products are built specifically for endurance athletes who want simple, effective fueling without GI issues.

Go to tailwindnutrition.com/another and use the code “Another20” for 20% off your first order.

Kava HavenKava Haven offers a kava-infused, non-alcoholic spirit designed to give you a relaxed, social “buzz” without alcohol, hangovers, or sugar. It’s made with noble kava root and crafted as a functional alternative for winding down or social settings.

Go to KavaHaven.com/illhaveanother and use the code “Illhaveanother15” for 15% off your order.

Goodr

Goodr sunglasses are no-slip, no-bounce, all polarized, and actually affordable, with tons of fun styles and colors for summer. Go to goodr.com/another and use the code ANOTHER for $10 off your first order.

Courtney Frerichs returns to the podcast for a conversation that goes far beyond racing. Courtney opens up about the difficult road back from major ankle and ACL surgeries, missing the 2024 Olympic Trials, and what it’s looked like to rebuild both physically and mentally over the past two years. She shares how stepping into a completely new chapter of her career has changed the way she approaches training, racing, and confidence.

We also go all the way back to Courtney’s early days growing up in Missouri, playing multiple sports, doing gymnastics at a high level, and discovering running later than most elite athletes. She reflects on the impact her college coach had on her life and career, what made their relationship so special, and how those lessons still shape her today. Courtney also talks about moving to Park City, joining Ed Eyestone’s group, racing with freedom again, and the mindset shift that helped her run her fastest 5K in over two years at the USATF 5K Championships.

Topics Discussed:

Returning to racing after ACL and ankle surgeries

Rebuilding confidence after injury

Letting go of comparisons to past versions of herself

Missing the 2024 Olympic Trials

Joining Ed Eyestone’s training group in Park City

Learning to race freely again

Her silver medal race in Tokyo

Growing up playing multiple sports

The impact of Coach Butler on her career

Finding longevity and joy in the sport again

Support our sponsors:

Huug makes high-quality bras and underwear designed to actually fit and support your body through every phase of life. Their pieces are comfortable, functional, and built for movement, making them a go-to for everyday wear and training alike. Use the code “Lindsey” for 15% off at huug.com.

BatchBatch is a Wisconsin-based wellness brand creating small-batch, science-backed CBD and THC products designed to help with stress, sleep, and overall balance. Their formulas are developed in-house using high-quality hemp and third-party testing for consistency and transparency.

Go to hellobatch.com/another and use code “Another” for 30% off your order!

Previnex — I’ve been using their Muscle Health formula and I love that it combines creatine monohydrate with BCAAs and essential amino acids to support strength, recovery, and muscle maintenance. They just released a new citrus flavor that’s really refreshing, and it’s formulated to improve amino acid absorption and protein synthesis. I also take Previnex Gut & Greens every day and swear by it. Codes you can use: LINDSEYSUPERFOODS when Gut & Green is in cart; otherwise ANOTHER or LINDSEYSTRENGTH for Muscle Health at previnex.com.

Andrew Colley joins me on the podcast after winning the USATF 25K Championships in Grand Rapids, Michigan, just six weeks after he and his wife Tristin welcomed their daughter Lily June into the world. We talk about balancing newborn life with training, racing at a high level while sleep deprived, and the excitement of finally seeing years of consistent work continue to pay off.

Andrew is a 2:09 marathoner, a three-time Team USA World Cross Country representative, and a longtime member of the ZAP Endurance team under coach Pete Rea. We talk about his recent marathon PR in Seville, why he feels there’s still a much bigger breakthrough coming, and what’s changed in his approach to the marathon over the years.

We also get into life after sponsorship changes, staying patient through the ups and downs of professional running, and what motivates him as both an athlete and now a new dad. Plus, because Tristin and Lily June came over too, this episode includes some laughs, baby snuggles, and a very real in-person conversation that felt more like hanging out than recording a podcast.

Topics Discussed:

Adjusting to life as new parents with baby Lily June

Winning the 2026 USATF 25K Championships

Racing Seville Marathon and feeling capable of a breakthrough

Training consistency after years of injuries and setbacks

Underfueling, body image struggles, and disordered eating in men’s running

Mental health, vulnerability, and pressures within professional running

Training with NC State athletes and life in Raleigh

Sponsorship uncertainty after ZAP Endurance and navigating the business side of pro running

Olympic Trials goals and believing in yourself at the highest level

Sobriety, addictive personality traits, and lessons from past mistakes

The infamous cheesecake story at Club Cross Country Nationals

Favorite recovery routines, TV shows, and fantasy books

Advice for young runners about confidence and self-belief

Books, TV Shows, & Media Mentioned:

Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Holiday Inn

Support our sponsors:

Lagoon Sleep — If you’re ready to upgrade your sleep, Lagoon pillows are truly a game changer. Their customizable pillows are designed to help you fall asleep faster, stay cool, and wake up without neck or shoulder pain. You can adjust the fill to make it perfect for you. Save 15% by going to https://lagoonsleep.com/lindsey and using the code LINDSEY at checkout.

ZBiotics is a pre-alcohol probiotic drink, engineered by PhD microbiologists, designed to help your body break down the byproduct of alcohol that can lead to rough mornings after drinking. Check it out at zbiotics.com/another and use code another for 15% off your order.

Geist Half Race Series

Go to geisthalf.com and use the code “Another26” for $10 off any race distances.

Noogs: Noogs Nutrition is my go-to for fun, flavorful fuel with carbs and electrolytes, with flavors like Lemon Zinger, Electric Watermelon, and Blue Raspberry, plus caffeinated options too. Use code “another15” for 15% off your first order.