It was Adam Goucher's birthday last week. He turned 50. Happy birthday Adam(!) and thank you for prompting the introspection that is a theme throughout the episode. 

It starts with the introspection of hitting age milestones as Kara and Des discuss how it felt hitting 30 and 40 and how they might feel hitting 50. Then, they talk about the introspection of retirement, including how it felt for Kara to retire from running and how she might think about retiring from this latest phase of her career. Des joins in with some hilarious conjecture about disappearing altogether once she is done with the sport. Along the way, they also reflect on journey of their friendship evolving from competitors to podcast cohosts who share a similar perspective on the sport.

Next, the episode turns to introspection on the state of the sport after the latest slate of world records in the men's indoor mile and the men's half marathon. What does it all mean and what are the sources of these jumps in time across the board? Does sodium bicarbonate have anything to do with it and how should we think about the push for professionalism at younger and younger ages? Des and Kara struggle to understand it all but don't just bring the doom and gloom to this one.

Finally, the episode wraps with an UPLIFTING top 5, sponsored by Lever Movement. To get 20% off on your Lever Movement system, use the code NOBODYASKEDUS at levermovement.com. Support them and support the pod!

 

If you can't get excited about track from listening to these two talk, then you should have your head examined and your pulse checked! Their enthusiasm for the sport is contagious.

In this episode, they start with life updates including recent travels for them both. Des updates us on her trip to Kona and on her Boston prep, and Kara shares about her recent trips for broadcasting. Colt had an amazing opportunity to chase a mile PR at the Armory Track in NYC with the NBC cameras rolling, and Kara gives us the full rundown. Operation #DestroyColt has been officially retired out of necessity!

They then turn to all of the recent indoor track action from NB Indoors and Millrose, where the times have been so very FAST, including two world records set by Americans. The discussion includes all of the big names... Hiltz, Morgan, McClain, Houlihan, Kessler, Nuguse, Hocker, Fisher, and so many more. If you missed the races, get your updates here. If you watched, listen in to hear Des and Kara's takes on it all. The track year (and the podcast year) is off to an amazing start.

 

 

 

"I could be wrong, but I know I'm not." - Kara Goucher.

You know it's a good episode when Kara drops that quote. 

In this episode, Des and Kara cover a topic that you DID ask for. They give you their hot takes on the return of Shelby Houlihan from her 4-year ban. As you might expect, it is complicated, so find some paper towels and put them under those armpits... it gets warm-ish in here over the second half of the episode.

First, they recap an amazing weekend in Houston with their perspectives on all of the races, including those that aren't getting enough attention - Erika Kemp's 2:22 and Weini Kelati's second American record. And yes, they give Conner Mantz his flowers too while covering "the shove" and talking about what his race might mean for his confidence in future marathons. Can he be the one to break through for the American men in a World Major?

Then, they shift the discussion to Shelby Houlihan's return covering everything from their initial reactions to her ban and now to the media coverage of her "comeback." As you might expect, this is a difficult topic to cover, but Des and Kara do not shy away from discussing all sides of it. Agree or not, the hope is that we can all turn now to just seeing her race.

As usual, this episode ends with a top 5 that includes a special shout-out to the new Glycerin 22 coming soon from Brooks. You can pre-order yours here to support them and the pod: https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/womens/shoes/road-running-shoes/glycerin-22/120434.html?dwvar_120434_color=020

 

 

What a race weekend in Houston! Des and Kara were so happy to be a part of it, including our largest live show yet with 500 people in attendance on Saturday. Thank you to everyone who came out for the show and to Brooks Running and the Houston Marathon team for the hospitality all weekend. 

In this episode, Des and Kara give you predictions for the races in Houston, which are even more fun now that we know the actual results. Then, they go behind the scenes of the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston, where Des and Kara made the Olympic team together. They walk you through what they were thinking at each point in the race that day and how it felt for Kara to make her second team and Des her first. Note: you will have to watch the YouTube to see the pics that they reference.

We close with a Q&A from the audience (with great audio this time!), and of course, a Top 5. Stay for their big annoucement near the end and for the hilarious banter throughout. 

Welcome to Season 3 of Nobody Asked Us with Des and Kara presented by Brooks Running!

This is a FUN and INFORMATIVE episode to kick off 2025. Des and Kara start with their usual catch-up banter, updating us on their holiday and New Year activities. Des shares her excitement about another Boston start line coming in April. Kara gives updates on her running with dystonia. They both share hot-takes on the new Aaron Rodgers documentary on Netflix, so mark that off on your 2025 bingo card. Plus as a bonus, they give other TV and movie recs for your TV-binging needs. 

Then, they turn to a detailed, discussion on running contracts, shedding light on some of the reasons you might see a spate of runner retirements on your social feeds. They talk about contract structures, terms, timelines, and the reasons why contracts end. Ultimately, running is business just like any sport, so it is helpful to understand what might be going on behind the scenes in some of these discussions.

Finally, they wrap with a preview of the live show coming up in Houston and finish with the first Top 5 of the year. Happy New Year everyone!

The most important link you need today is this one: https://performingartshouston.org/events/nobody-asked-us-with-des-kara-2025-01-18-400-pm/.

Go get your tickets for the Houston live show coming up on Saturday, January 18th at 4 pm!

Beyond that, listen to this feel-good episode with Kara and her sisters to round out 2024. Happy New Year everyone!

Any good Nobody Asked Us episode will make you laugh AND cry, and this one is no different.    For this latest installment, Des and Kara cover a hodgepodge of topics, mostly by catching up on their personal lives, and you will learn something new about each of them along the way. Or, maybe you knew about Bougie Des and Homebody Kara already?!   Kara talks about her experiences having her knee drained (!) and watching Colt crush it at the National Junior Olympic XC Championships, while Des gives us the play-by-play on her adventures living the Kiwi-trail life in New Zealand.   Kara shares an emotional moment buying Colt a souvenir for his race, and Des laments her inability to manage the technical downhills like her adventurous counter-parts.    Come for the advice on parenting a young athlete and stay for the tips on maintaining your Delta status OR for the intel on Des's ultra-marathon aspirations OR the BIG announcement about Houston Marathon weekend at the end of the Olipop Top 5. I promise you will not regret listening to this episode... and you're welcome.   There will be one final episode in 2024, coming on December 31st, as Des interviews Kara with her sisters!   Thank you to our sponsors for this one - Brooks Running and Olipop. Support them to support us: 

• Get your fresh pair of Brooks Glycerin Max at brooksrunning.com.
• Get your Olipop fix, use code NOBODYASKEDUS for 15% off at drinkolipop.com.

We have a very special guest for this episode, and you won't want to miss it! In fact, this might be the episode to watch on YouTube if that isn't your normal routine. [Don't forget to hit subscribe while you are there.]

Introducing... Natalie Steele, Des's older and taller and wiser(?) sister!

She joins the show to spill all of the dirt on Des while gushing on her a little bit too. You get an inside peak into their lives as sisters as Kara asks all of the questions you might want to know, including:

• Who was the biggest troublemaker as a child?
• Who had the most boys after her?
• How much did they fight over the landline phone before caller ID?!?
• How were they as teammates on the high school soccer team together?
• What did she think of Des moving away to Arizona State and the Michigan?
• What's it like as a spectator for Des at big races from the Olympics Trials to winning Boston?
• What would surprise us to know about Des?
• Where did they get the adventure travel genes?
• What is she most proud of about Des's journey?

This one is full of so many laughs and all of the feels. Get to know Des in a whole new way through Natalie's eyes!

For this one, we send a special thanks to Brooks Running for being the best presenting sponsor a podcast could have. Go stock up on your favorite Brooks shoes to support the podcast!

And don't worry... Kara's sister episode is coming as the last episode of 2024, releasing on December 31st (Season 2, episode 40). Stay tuned...

Oh my... where do we start with this episode goodness?!?

The highlight of this episode is the long-awaited podcast face-off between Des and her arch-nemesis Dakotah Popehn, nee Lindwurm. They trash talk with all of the intensity of two cats playing with a furry ball before licking each other clean. Combine that with Kara's Minnesota accent showing out in the presence of another Minnesotan, and you can imagine that this episode gets as heated as a cozy, warm blanket on a cold winter's day. Yes, it's amazing...

Dakotah gives us the inside scoop on her race and recovery from NYC, and she takes us back down memory lane to talk about qualifying for the Olympics, what it would have meant to her late mother, and what it was like racing in Paris. Plus, she stares down Des while talking about taking at shot at her 50K record. Kara + Des + Dakotah... what more could you want?! 

How about another half-episode complete with their hot takes on Matt Choi, the venues for Grand Slam Track, an Olipop Top 6, and the very first bleeped words ever on Nobody Asked Us? (Thank you Des for that). All of this adds up to an episode that you just can't miss. 

Thank you so much to our sponsors for this episode. To support them and in turn support the podcast...

• Get your very own, fresh pair of the new Brooks Glycerin Max or the new Brooks Adrenaline 24 at brooksrunning.com.
• Send some love to TCS for all they do to support the NYC Marathon and our sport. Tag @tcsnorthamerica in posts about the pod. 
• To get your Olipop fix, use code NOBODYASKEDUS for 15% off at drinkolipop.com.
• Lift yourself up with a new Lever system from Lever Movement. Use code NobodyAskedUs for 20% off on their site: https://levermovement.com/collections/lever-store.

In addition, here is the RW article that Des mentioned on Dakotah: https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a60401977/dakotah-lindwurm-emerges-with-unshakeable-self-belief/

First of all, we have to give a massive shout-out to TCS for hosting the Freshy Fresh in their space, right behind the NYC Marathon finish line. They were amazing hosts and also amazing title sponsors for the race, contributing to all of the vibes of the day. We also love how they are using technology to upgrade the runner, the spectator, and the at-home audience experience in so many ways. Plus, they are huge supporters of the podcast, and we love them for it. Thank you TCS!

This episode was recorded just a few hours after Des crossed the finish line and Kara exited the broadcast booth where she called the race on the world feed. The takes and reactions are as fresh as they can be. You get a full breakdown of Des's amazing race and the overall results, plus a quick recap of editor Chris's race in the main field.

Des gives insight into the race within the race - Dakotah v. Des - which she won, and shares the inevitable, NYC-souvenir-sweatshirt purchase that Ryan just couldn't resist for her. Like any freshy fresh, you will feel like you were in NYC yourself, and what a beautiful and amazing day for racing it was.

Editor's note: this was filmed outside near the finish line so there is some background noise which I cleaned up the best I could. It is a hallmark of the freshy fresh episodes, and if that's not your thing, feel free to skip this one and wait for the full NYC recap coming up in a few weeks. 

Live from the Brooks Hyperion House in NYC... it's Nobody Asked Us with Des & Kara!

For those running on Sunday (tomorrow), we highly recommend you listen today or on your way to the start. This one is jammed with tips to get your mind and body ready for this NYC Marathon course. Plus, you get some bonus content on Halloween costumes vs. NYC fashion, the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, and what Des and Kara used to think when racing each other. Thank you to our live audience for all of the great questions!

Also, thank you to our sponsors for this episode. To support them and in turn support the podcast...

• Get your very own, fresh pair of Brooks Glycerin Max or the new Brooks Adrenaline 24 at brooksrunning.com.
• Download the TCS NYC Marathon app to to track all of your favorite runners including Des and Chris.
• To get your Olipop fix, use code NOBODYASKEDUS for 15% off at drinkolipop.com.
• Save 30% on your first subscription order & receive a free six pack of Ketone-IQ with https://ketone.com/NOBODYASKED.