David Roche

15:12:30 🧡 11 days ago, there was zero chance I was going to race Leadville. I was still processing my very public failure at Western States. I just wasn’t ready. @drmeganroche disagreed. She told me that I was not only ready to race…I was ready to chase history again. As soon as she convinced me to go from a “hard no” to a “soft maybe,” she said that she couldn’t sleep from excitement. How cool is that? She believed in me so much that it impacted her REM cycles. That was the push I needed to go for it. Leadville 2025 was just going to be about sharing as much love as I possibly could, while also totally obliterating myself. I didn’t make a spreadsheet. I just shared last year’s, and said to add 30-60 minutes. I genuinely didn’t think a record was remotely possible. Love goes a long way. Megan paced me the last 23 miles, my partner in obliteration. As we flowed at mile 95, I got emotional. “You saw this is me when I couldn’t see it in myself.” She responded, “I’m so proud of you” for the 800th time. Implied: TAKE A GEL AND GO FASTER. @run.doctor paced the 15 miles before that, fresh off his course record at the Ouray 100. I don’t have any videos of us kissing, but I promise that I wanted to when he dumped ice water on my head at mile 70. Mom, Dad, Leo, and Ollie rounded out the crew, bringing the belief, yogurt pouches, and trucks. Ollie’s middle name is “Hope” after Hope Pass, the crux of the race. Leadville magic is real. I’m not sure where this came from. But then I think back to mile 57, descending off of Hope Pass. Hundreds of racers stopped on the out-and-back course… and they said they loved me. I screamed it back: I LOVE YOU ❤️ Thank you, for everything. P.S. Failure is cool 😎

After her heart cath procedure, the cardiologist warned me that @drmeganroche might be very out of it and unable to communicate. I was so scared, but trying to put on a strong face as they wheeled her into the room. She put my mind at ease right away. “Thank you thank you thank you,” she said, as she showed almost compulsive kindness and gratitude to the nurses. Then she made some jokes that I WILL NOT be repeating here, but they were outstanding. You can get a PG taste of it in this video, where she was having her first sips of apple juice and requested a lot more of it (she had not been allowed to eat for almost a day before going under, and that goes against our high carb principles). That’s Megan. She’s so kind, so warm, so funny. I don’t think she remembers this at all. But to me, it shows her beautiful soul better than almost anything. We are still looking for answers about her autoimmune heart condition, with some hopeful leads on new medications that could change everything. There is hope! And I will be holding onto that belief for her with every ounce of strength I have. She has no control over it though—she was dealt an unfortunate genetic hand in this way, while having the most incredible gifts in almost every other way I can think of. Anyone who has gone through these types of medical challenges gets it. It sucks. It’s also beautiful in ways that are so distinctly Megan. She makes the best of every situation, with belly laughs (and sometimes belly tears) that make everyone around her feel so loved. After a few days in the hospital, I love her even more. Now, I have competition with a bunch of nurses and doctors who love her too 💙❤️🧡

My toxic trait 💅

This iconic photo of @rachel__entrekin summarizes it all. She totally reset what was possible at the Cocodona 250, going for it from the first step. I think that it’s one of the coolest performances in sports history. I only know Rachel in passing, but I’ve seen personally that she is so incredibly kind and warm. As a coach, I want to learn everything she shares about what she did (@precisionfandh please give us ALL the fueling details). As a fan, I just want there to be 75 documentaries that I can watch 75 times apiece while running on the treadmill, dreaming of being more like Rachel. What’s possible in the future of trail running? I don’t know. But it’s going to be so freaking fun to find out where Rachel takes it. And maybe I’m most excited to see what happens for the thousands (millions?) of people she inspires 🙏 Legendary photo by @somerrunner 🤯

Sometimes, you’ve gotta scream with joy at 5 AM MT! This morning, @allie_ostrander was 5th at the US 5k champs in 15:17 (way under 5 min/mile pace!) 💪🦖 To so many people (including Megan and I), Allie is one of the most inspiring people in the world. She works so hard (sometimes doing 2-hour cross training sessions twice per week in addition to the running) and she takes big swings. But lots of athletes work hard and take big swings. What separates Allie is how she is so open in the process, and how that openness lifts up a whole community along the way. I remember watching a video she filmed in eating disorder treatment back before I was her coach. I was so blown away by how she put herself out there while she was going through it. She didn’t just change lives. She saved lives. And she keeps showing people that we can share our journeys while we are going through it, rather than waiting for a neat narrative to unfold in the future. Our kids have been watching AllieO videos since they were born, and I think they’re going to be way stronger, funnier, and more resilient because of it 🙏 GOOOO ALLIE!!! As her mom said in the video, MOVES TO BE MADE 🔥

“So proud of you. I love you so much.” Mile 76 of Leadville, @drmeganroche picks me up to pace to the finish. She was less than 9 months postpartum, and she knew this was going to be one of the hardest efforts of her life too. I wish I knew how many times she said those words to me in the next 24 miles. We did things out there that I’m really proud of. I’m 99.9% sure that what happened next will be my all-time athletic peak, and that’s all because of Megan (and hopefully we did something that inspires other runners along the way). My eyes are watery right now because Megan and I got to share it together. When I’m on my final breaths, I want to look back on this video and think of what she did for me. Also, the most marriage line ever said is “I’ll just say things. Don’t respond” 😂🧡

From college track to golden ticket in less than a year! @ellaneym is going to Western States after her awesome run at the Canyons 100k, 11 months after running the 3k steeple on the track 😭🎫 I first heard about Ellaney from Tina Weissauer, who told me that she was “a breath of fresh air,” kind and curious…and also a total beast. Ellaney listed her biggest goals: finding joy, not losing sight of her “why,” and celebrating other athletes. The sport is so lucky to have her as a rising star. Even if she never excels in a race again, I guarantee that excellence will follow for everyone she interacts with. Some people are just a rising tide. That being said, she will excel. She’s ahead of schedule, but monsters don’t follow timetables. Godzilla wasn’t waiting patiently for the next subway stop! WATCH OUT WORLD 🦖

We’re all here for a cosmic blink. When I was a kid, I was overwhelmed by that thought. After a teenage existential crisis, I realized that most people are probably screaming right beneath the surface every time they think of that same impermanence. That was comforting, but also sad in its own way. So I decided that I didn’t want to play it “cool.” (Not that I’d be able to pull that off anyway.) If you’ve seen me out in the wild, hopefully you’ve felt some extra boost of shared humanity, or at least gotten a laugh at my expense. At first, people might call you “weird,” later “childish,” after that “unprofessional” (even if you reach the top of your profession!). I think that’s all part of it. If it’s a choice between dying childish and unprofessional or dying grown-up and respected by strangers, I know which way I’m going. I try to avoid being serious on the internet too often. I’m not sure of anything. But if there’s one thing I’m almost sure of, it’s this: we won’t regret making people feel a little bit more loved 💛 LOVE YOU GUYS 🫶

On episode 120 of The Marathon Podcast, @jesstonn talked about belonging on the world stage. It’s safe to say she does. Listen to the full episode if you want to learn more about how she trains to run these world-class performances! Cover photo: @heartbreak.bos #themarathonpodcast #bostonmarathon

How can you prepare for the extreme muscular demands of longer events, especially when you enter into the unknown of ultra distances? Our big coaching theory: strategic use of downhill running causes eccentric muscle contractions that act as a shortcut to muscular resilience and strength, even in flatter races. We call them “Just Say No To Rhabdo” workouts. THESE WORKOUTS COME WITH RISK. Only consider using the principles in this video after building up gradually over time, ideally at the direction of a coach. Downhills can be dangerous for the same reasons that they can be beneficial. Not only can excessive downhill stress lead to injury, it can be extremely harmful to long-term health if not applied properly. Never increase vert by an excessive amount in a single training session (training can cause rhabdo too). Ultra endurance is weird. “Just Say No To Rhabdo” workouts are weird sessions for weird events. We love you all! HUZZAH! P.S. Please be safe 💛💙🧡 Directed by @codybare_ 🦖 Presented by @thefeed @wahoofitnessofficial @runjanji 🙏

WHAT JUST HAPPENED? 🦖🦖😭 @jesstonn establishes herself as an all-time legend with the Boston Marathon American Record by over a minute in 2:20:49. @a_vestri ran 2:24 for a PR in a preview of her legendary future ahead. We left dinner with Jess’s amazing family on Saturday, and as soon as we got out of earshot, @drmeganroche said “I feel so full of love” as we practically skipped down Boylston. Before such a big race, Jess took the time to greet every fan like they had been best friends for life. This couldn’t happen for a better person. After the race, Amanda described watching Jess make history just up the road and crying with excitement as she finished. As I told Megan after our first coaching conversation, Amanda is made of different stuff. I don’t know exactly when it’s going to happen, but when it does, every young runner is going to think about “running like Amanda.” Jess and Amanda are @brooksrunning teammates, and seeing them chase big dreams while lifting everyone else up is what it’s all about 💙💛 It was one of the most special weekends of our lives—those streets are paved with grit and love. I already can’t wait to come back. (But no pressure, Jess and Amanda—you can scream in a bar at 11 AM with us if you want to do another race 😂)

Leo learned to walk a few days ago, right? It all moves so fast and so slow at the same time. In a couple years, when he gets upset with us, I just know he’s going to take our Strava segments for revenge 😂🧡❤️💙