In 2017, the C Tolle Run team decided to switch over to an audio-only podcast format. Instead of doing a traditional interview-style show over Skype, we came up with the idea to record Carrie and a guest while they went for a run. As a runner myself, I know the kinds of crazy, deep, personal, and often crazy conversations that occur during the course of a 10 mile run.

As the guy responsible for capturing the audio on one of these runs, however, I was a little worried. Even if we were recording people walking, we'd have issues with wind. What are we supposed to do with people running? All of that movement is a recipe for poor audio quality.

Another issue we have is that we haven't quite hit the jackpot with sponsors yet, so I needed to find a suitable solution while running on a tight budget.

If you're reading this, you're probably looking for a good solution for a similar set of circumstances. Let me save you the time and show you what I came up with!

What didn't work

In order to get to a point where we were capturing usable audio, we experimented quite a bit. Here was our first setup:

Take 1 included our guests using a Sony lavalier microphone with a standard, flimsy wind guard attached to it.

We quickly discovered that the Auray Fuzzy Windbuster wind guards provided a night and day difference in ability to block out wind. However, the guards did not stay attached to the microphones all that well, which is obvious if you listen to our episode with Gabe Grunewald.

In addition, because of all the movement that occurs from running, we would frequently hear rhythmic bumping and rubbing due to the cords pulling in odd places on the runners.

What does work

Transmitting the signal

Our primary goal was to get the highest quality signal we can get with the most minimal amount of equipment possible. We figured that the easiest way to do that is to switch to headset microphones.

We now use the Sony ECM322BMP Professional Headset Microphone. In our most recent on the run episode with Kirk DeWindt, both Kirk and Carrie found the headsets to be relatively comfortable, and after a couple minutes, they didn't even notice they were wearing them.

One word of warning: make sure whatever headset mic you purchase is compatible with your wireless system. I can't give a direct Amazon link to our wireless system since we bought it 7 years ago, but the modern comparison would be the Sony UWPD11/30 Lavalier Microphone, Bodypack TX and Portable RX Wireless System. We went through 3 different headset mics before just giving in and dropping the money for the mic that was compatible with our "ancient" system.

Regardless of which headset mic you get, the key piece to cutting down on wind noise is the Auray Fuzzy Windbuster wind guards. Buy at least 6 of these little guys, they are worth every penny. (Pro tip: we went through 2 of these buggers before we got smart and put some gaffer's tape around the base of the wind guard to keep it attached to the neck of the mic.)

The position of the transmitter pack seems to not really be an issue for us, so long as:

• The antenna has a good line of sight to the receiver
• The cable connecting the headset and transmitter gets a little slack
• They don't place the transmitter in the same pocket as a phone

We purchased wireless microphone belts to hold our packs, mostly so we didn't have to fuss with people wondering where the transmitter should go, but those are totally optional.

Receiving the signal

Ideally, we are working to get the receiving end down to a point where Carrie can strap it onto herself and record as she travels around the world.

Currently, the receiving rig is powered by yours truly, following the guests on a bike roughly 10-20 feet back The receivers for the wireless mics are plugged into a Zoom H4n recorder. All three components are strapped into a repurposed water bottle holder (pictured above, which doubles as a great indicator to my personal fashion sense).

Once I turn on the recorder, I immediately hit record and lock it before even plugging in the microphones. My biggest fear is losing audio, and since these things can record hundreds of hours at a time, I'd rather scrub through the audio in post than risk forgetting to hit "go" once the runners are ready.

Next Steps

Currently, our rig is limited to the two inputs of the H4n. The next two things I'd love to tackle are live streaming the audio to my phone so I can do a Facebook Live stream, and recording more than two people at once.

If you have any ideas how I can stream the audio off of a Zoom H4n into an iPhone, or how I can best record multiple people at once, let me know on Twitter and I'll give it a shot!

Also, I'll keep this blog post updated as we refine this system. If you have any suggestions on how I can improve it, give me a shout on Twitter.

One last note: those links above are Amazon Affiliate links. Feel free to strip that code off if you are offended by those types of things.

There was quite a bit of drama surrounding Gabe's dominant victory in the 3000m this past weekend, but now that the dust has settled and the proper rulings have been made, Gabe can finally call herself a National Champion.

Gabe is easily one of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. We've only met three times, but when we got to her place to interview her, she greeted us with hugs and genuinely seemed interested in how we were doing. I couldn't be happier for Gabe, and best of luck in Poland! (And if you ever figure out the secret sauce to your ridiculous kick, please let us all know.)

Sometimes, the simplest videos are the best. All we needed was Carrie and 6 minutes of tape to make what will ultimately become one of our most-watched episodes.

I love this ab workout as well. Carrie said she typically doubles each workout so it ends up being 1 minute per exercise instead of 30 seconds. I'm proud to say I can keep up with most of the extended version; I actually love doing old-school crunches. It's Katie's maintenance routine filled with planks and bridges that kill me.

I'm so proud of Carrie for finishing her first marathon. Documenting the entire process was fun in and of itself, but being able to bike the entire course to watch her along the way was really something.

My job on race day was to bike around the course and get Carrie at key points. I ended up biking just under 50 miles that day. I didn't start to hurt until I crossed into St. Paul on Lake Street, but the real pain kicked in when the rain began to pour in the afternoon. Shannon ended up having to pick me up about 2 miles from home because I was so tired and covered in sand.

I had the pleasure of switching roles and being in front of the camera this time. I can honestly say that I have, at one point, used all of these apps to become a better athlete, and I actually use two of them (Runmeter and Check The Weather) on a daily basis.

It was also nice to get a little plug in for the Jed Mahonis Group as well.

I think this is C Tolle Run at its best: short, informative videos that present valuable information in a unique way. I love filming and editing these pieces together, and I hope we get the chance to do more of them in the future.

Stay tuned for the abundance of high-quality bloopers at the end.

As everyone knows, people's attention spans these days are quite small. Bearing that in mind, we usually try to keep episodes under 4 minutes. In this case, however, it seemed like the length of the episode didn't really matter much. Kirk and Carrie have great chemistry in front of the camera, which you can really catch at the end of the outtake we show at the end of the episode.

Plus, the content in this episode is great for anyone training for a marathon, half marathon, or even 5k. Strengthening your hips and core is unbelievably important for staying injury-free.

It's funny how these "day in the life" type episodes shake out; we usually go into it with no idea what we're gonna do, and come out of it with a polished episode that gives a great look into Carrie's life.

Even if you're not interested specifically in Carrie's progress toward her first ever marathon, you'll love the back-and-forth banter she has with her husband, Charlie. Seriously funny stuff.

The Get in Gear Races were the first we attempted to cover when we started C Tolle Run. The reason we merely "attempted" to cover it was because the rain was pouring so hard that year, we didn't want to risk ruining our camera.

I missed out on last year's Get in Gear, but I'm really glad they brought us back this year. This was the first warm day we've had in Minnesota since October 2012, and it was awesome to be able to play out in the sun for a while. I think most of the participants we interviewed would agree; the vast majority of people around the finish line had huge smiles on their faces.

I really enjoyed cutting the first part of the episode. It's always nice to try out new techniques. The one regret I had from this episode was not keeping a consistant white balance. If you watch very closely, there are a few clips that look a little "cool" (meaning there is a bluish/purplish tint). Oh well, even after 123 episodes, we're still not perfect.

But, like Carrie said, "C Tolle Run fans don't judge."

Let's be honest: any video where Ruby says she wants a "baby daddy" instead of a "baby brother" or "baby sister" is gonna be pretty solid.

I love doing these "day in the life" segments, and I'm pretty sure our audience loves them too. I set the video to automatically publish at 8am, and due to technical issues, I didn't get to post it to ctollerun.com until 10am. By the time we went live on our website, we already had 20 views and a like.

I hope we start branching into more segments like this with other high-profile athletes. I bet it'd be a huge draw.