What does it actually take to run 60 miles a week, lift heavy multiple times a week, and still show up for HYROX competitions — without falling apart?

Joe Mello figured it out the hard way. He grew up playing baseball in the Bay Area, hated running his whole life (it was literally used as punishment at practice), and then one November day in Austin decided to sign up for a marathon happening in February — with zero race experience. That's just who he is: all or nothing.

Now Joe runs high mileage, lifts heavy, competes in HYROX, and works at Heart and Soil Supplements — where nutrition isn't just a hobby, it's his job. In this conversation we get into all of it: how he structures his week, how he fuels that kind of training load, what his supplement stack actually looks like, and the mindset behind doing more than most people think is possible.

We also get into:

• What HYROX actually is and why it appeals to people who love both running and lifting

• The running vs. lifting tension — and why Joe thinks most runners have it wrong

• How to fuel early morning long runs when eating at 4am sounds impossible

• The animal-based diet explained simply — and how it applies to endurance training

• Organ meats: do you actually have to eat them, or do supplements cover it?

• Why Joe thinks starting with shorter races is the advice he'd give his past self

• The 50K he ran with nothing but a jar of honey — and what happened around mile 25

Joe is the kind of person who jumps in before he's ready and figures it out on the way. If that sounds familiar, this one's for you.

Follow Joe on Instagram: @joe_mello

Follow Evan on Instagram: @evan_blakeney

Heart and Soil Supplements: heartandsoil.co

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it helps more runners find the show. And subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Until Next Time: Just Keep Running