John Robert - Running ultras blind | Trailing Off

John Robert is legally blind and runs ultras. He ran cross-country in college on a tether, ran Boston in 2025 where the crowd was so loud he could not hear his guides, and now does most of his miles alone. We talk about guiding, looped courses, Merrill's Mile on a Ranger base landing strip, and why he will not accept being called an inspiration. In this episode: @oryfrazier Listen to the full show: Spotify: https://www.oryfrazier.com/go/spotify Apple Podcasts: https://www.oryfrazier.com/go/apple-podcasts Chapters 0:00 Intro 2:02 John, Robert, and southern formality 7:02 Wrestling, track, and college cross country 8:22 His first ultra: 12 hours, 50 miles 9:32 Never more than a quarter mile from an aid station 15:32 Running alone when you are blind 18:02 Boston 2025: too loud to hear his guides 20:02 World majors versus small races in the woods 26:02 Running in the dark, and the yard he ran into 28:12 The tether, and following the runner ahead 32:02 Dream races: rail trails, no roots and rocks 38:02 The podcast he makes for high school coaches 41:52 Why he will not be called an inspiration 50:52 The mental grind of lap after lap 56:02 Merrill's Mile, and going back for six hours 1:00:02 Ice climbing, and never learning how to rest 1:08:22 Zoning out on a track, locked in on trail 1:09:12 What is next: Talking Rock, Merrill's Mile, Blue Ridge 1:14:02 Wide toe boxes and stack height John Robert - Running ultras blind