Singletrack

In this episode we talk with Jenn Hughes (Managing Editor) and David Callahan (Managing Partner) at Ultrasingup.

Almost all of you know about ultra signup. You use the platform to sign up for races, to check entrants lists, and to scroll through past results. But you might not know that Ultrasignup is expanding in a lot of interesting ways.

We talk about their plans to transition from being a "passive" to more "active" member of the trail and ultra running communities. We learn more about the newly established content arm of the platform, how they are trying to integrate with technological advances outside of the running world including the whole web3 eco system, and much much more.

Timestamps:

• (1:50) - Jenn's professional and endurance sports background
• (6:45) - David's professional and endurance sports background
• (10:06) - Comparing and contrasting the past, present, and future of Ultrasignup
• (14:23) - Creating more opportunities for trail running creators
• (16:18) - Improving the experience between race registration and race day
• (19:01) - Where Ultrasignup fits in the trail running media landscape
• (22:52) - Beta testing message boards at Ultrasignup
• (27:01) - Content and media inspiration for Ultrasignup's new direction
• (30:05) - How Ultrasignup is thinking about the opportunities in Web3
• (34:33) - Race data, how Ultrasignup can help race directors
• (40:00) - Ultrasignup content that is resonating with readers right now
• (44:34) - Matchmaking runners and races
• (47:46) - How Ultrasignup positions itself against other registration platforms
• (50:52) - What's most exciting about Ultrasignup right now
• (52:55) - Whether different scoring systems on Ultrasignup, ITRA, etc will be reconciled
• (57:09) - What Ultrasignup will look like in 2030

Links:

• Ultrasignup Newsletter
• Ultrasignup Forum

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #7 - Mark Gainey | Co-Founder of Strava, Trail Running, Athlete Creators
• #3 - Jimmy Daly | Social Media, Content Creation, Branding For Trail Runners

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It is Canyons 100K race week and this is the 4th installment in our "Coaching Call" mini series, which premiered in January. Over the last 4 months, Ryan Ghelfi (trailsandtarmac.com) and I have been publicly recording our monthly coaching calls so that you can follow the leadup to my race, get insight into a typical athlete-coach relationship in ultrarunning, and hopefully pick up some tips and tricks for your own training.
 
 In this episode, we recap the last 6 weeks of training, discuss the final preparations during race week,  strategy for the early and later stages of the race, some of the news aspects of the race this year including the relationship with UTMB, and we conclude with a little bit of speculation for the competitive side of the event.
 
 Timestamps:

 - (0:14) - Race week, Canyons 100K media hype
- (1:51) - Starting the race too hard
- (3:36) - Whether there is any logic to starting a race at an unsustainable pace
- (5:56) - The benefits of executing training long runs at race-specific effort
- (14:28) - Update on the last 6 weeks of training
- (16:13) - Whether relatively limited vert this training block has been an issue
- (22:40) - Best practices coaching athletes during a race week
- (26:16) - Expected course conditions and whether adjustments will be made
- (29:11) - First half race strategy
- (39:09) - Second half race strategy
- (42:14) - The benefits of running conservatively for the majority of the race
- (46:12) - Canyons becoming a UTMB race
- (49:07) - Canyons gear policy
- (52:59) - Race speculation, predictions


Links:

• Trails and Tarmac
• Follow Ryan on Instagram

 Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #55 - Coaching Call #3 | Injury, Recovery Process, SkiMo Cross Training
• #41 - Coaching Call #2 | Canyons 100K Progress, Training Partners, Coaching A Trail Team
• #30 - Coaching Call #1 | Setting The Table For The Canyons 100K

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I am joined once again by frequent co-host Brett Hornig to preview the last race of the 2022 Golden Ticket Series - the Canyons 100K - taking place in Auburn, CA this coming weekend.

We cover what’s it going to take to be successful, the likely conditions on race day, analysis of the men's and women’s fields, and our golden ticket predictions. Let's go!

Timestamps:

• (1:59) - Canyons 100K hype
• (3:27) - An opportunity for the new generation of ultrarunners
• (6:03) - Is this one of the deepest/most competitive American races ever?
• (10:40) - How this race might unfold, what it will take to win or podium
• (24:28) - Analyzing the training of top competitors
• (28:42) - Projected course conditions
• (34:31) - Men's field analysis and predictions
• (54:03) - Women's field analysis and predictions

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #62 - Long Run Archives #3 | Betting In Ultrarunning, Next Great Trail Running Towns, Golden Ticket Series Ideas
• #53 - Long Run Archives #2 | Ultrarunning Analytics, Elite DNF Debate, 3:47 Downhill Mile, Magda What If
• #43  - Long Run Archives #1 | Jim Walmsley What Ifs, Black Canyon 100K Preview, Full-Time Ultrarunning

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Addie Bracy is a running coach, mental performance consultant, and professional trail runner for Nike based in Denver, CO. Addie recently published a book titled “Mental Training for Ultrarunning” and that’s where we focus this conversation. We cover lots of topics from the book including the importance of finding your why, managing stress responses, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, the benefits of self talk and more.

Timestamps:

• (1:02) - Addie's athletic and academic background
• (4:24) - The growing recognition for mental training in sports
• (5:48) - Is it possible to quantify the relationship between mental coach and athlete?
• (7:43) - Do most athletes practice mental skills in the leadup to races?
• (9:39) - Using mental skills to cover the gap between physical preparation and race day demands
• (12:45) - Can mental skills be trained?
• (16:41) - The importance of starting with why
• (20:01) - Recognizing values before determining your why
• (23:52) - Why negative behaviors need to be replaced and not just abandoned
• (28:05) - Valuation of fatigue
• (31:00) - Motivation is an action not a feeling
• (34:30) - Deliberate practice for mental skills 
• (37:18) - The importance of vulnerability in mental training 
• (42:00) - Vulnerability in professional athletes
• (44:11) - The performance benefits of positive self-talk
• (46:50) - The benefits of creating a "heroic alter ego"

Links:

• Follow Addie on Instagram
• Get coached by Addie
• Strive Mental Performance
• Addie's book "Mental Training For Ultrarunning"

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #37 - Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary
• #61 - Tim Tollefson | Mammoth Trail Fest, 2022 Western States 100, Running Sponsorships, Running Psychology
  
  
  

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Timestamps:

• (1:45) - greatest seasons ever in ultrarunning (Ann Trason, 1998)
• (5:13) - grand slam, what used to be competitively important in ultrarunning
• (9:19) - states with the least and most golden ticket winners
• (15:48) - easier to make money in ultrarunning during the Montrail Cup years?
• (24:35) - how and where the golden ticket series should be expanded
• (28:36) - improvements in ultrarunning media coverage
• (38:55) - hot take removing sponsor spots for more golden ticket spots
• (41:53) - a separate elite field race for Western States?
• (44:19) - are Missoula, MT and Salt Lake City, UT the next great trail towns?
• (48:05) - if a brand paid for it, where would you live year round for training?
• (50:59) - do altitude tents work?
• (54:46) - you need a recruitment strategy to build a trail town
• (56:40) - indicators for/how pro contracts should be awarded in ultrarunning
• (61:32) - whether to actively recruit from the college ranks for pro ultrarunning
• (65:55) - betting in ultrarunning
• (69:40) - kierin racing in Japan
• (76:22) - does betting increase the number of fans of ultrarunning?
• (78:14) - strava find of the week
• (83:56) - whether pro athletes have competitive advantage using shoe prototypes 

Links:

• How Utah Became A Fertile Ground For Pro Runners
• Cycling’s Billion Dollar Races - The Fascinating World Of Japanese Keirin
• Michael Owen's Twitter Thread On Pro Ultrarunning
• Trails and Tarmac

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• Long Run Archives #1 | Jim Walmsley What Ifs, Black Canyon 100K Preview, Full-Time Ultrarunning
• Long Run Archives #2 | Ultrarunning Analytics, Elite DNF Debate, 3:47 Downhill Mile, Magda What If
  
  

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Tim Tollefson a professional runner for Hoka based in Mammoth Lakes, CA.

Tim probably needs no introduction, but of course he is one of the most decorated mountain ultra trail runners of all time, most notably with podium finishes at the 2015 CCC, 2016 UTMB and then again at the 2017 UTMB which most ultra historians would say was the most competitive 100 miler ever in our sports history. 

In this conversation, we talk about his focus these days on the Western States 100, his new role in the sport as a Race Director for the Mammoth Trail Fest taking place this September, his thoughts on athlete-brand relationships, and the importance of training for mental aspects of the sport.


Timestamps:

• (2:30) - introducing the Mammoth Trail Fest
• (6:26) - festival type format for ultra racing
• (7:46) - exciting features of the Mammoth Trail Fest
• (9:46) - race permitting, economic benefits
• (12:38) - affiliating with a larger race series
• (15:16) - relationships with fellow race directors
• (17:33) - inspiration for race directing
• (19:07) - going full-time on race directing
• (21:38) - whether work gets in the way of running
• (24:30) - creating stability for professional runners 
• (27:16) - whether performances improve going full-time
• (30:34) - brainstorming the training day to day of a full-time runner
• (33:34) - improvements to the athlete-brand relationship
• (39:02) - the black box of athlete contracts
• (41:47) - curiosity for UTMB
• (46:44) - whether the Western States - UTMB double is possible
• (51:50) - how training will look different for the 2022 Western States 100
• (56:40) - whether false humility is an issue in our sport
• (60:48) - identifying and acting on mental burnout
• (64:26) - whether the psychological works quiets the mind
• (67:59) - mental approach continued

Links:

• Mammoth Trail Fest
• Follow Tim on Instagram

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #52 - Mike Foote | Race Directing, Skyrunning Speculation, Future Of Ultrarunning Events, UTMB Influences
• #51 - Anton Krupicka | Trail Running Culture, Pro Athlete Lifestyle, Influence, Self-Reflection
• #50 - Tom Evans | Pro Ultrarunning Playbook, UTMB 2022, Trail Running Teams

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Chris Chavez is the founder of Citius Mag, a road running and track and field media company providing original running news, analysis, videos, newsletters, podcasts and humor to fans of the sport.

At the start of 2022, Chris made the decision to leave this long-time position as a writer at Sports Illustrated in order to go “all-in” on Citius Mag.

Chris and I talk about building a running media company, his mission for Citius Mag, and what the operation looks like.

Given his perspective on the sport, we also spend quite a bit of time talking about the entertainment value of running, whether it can go mainstream, what it will take to increase the number of fans, and more.

If you like the blending of running and business, running and media, or running and community - you will enjoy this episode. I hope to have Chris on the pod again soon because we only covered about half the topics I had on tap for us.
 

Timestamps:

• (1:08) - overview of Citius Mag
• (3:28) - the inspiration for Citius Mag
• (8:44) - balancing Sports Illustrated and Citius Mag for years
• (12:25) - skills that helped him go all-in on Citius Mag
• (15:15) - what he's able to do with Citius Mag now that he's all-in
• (21:04) - business models for Citius Mag
• (26:07) - what the Citius Mag team looks like
• (30:00) - the long-term vision for Citius Mag
• (32:52) - whether running could get more mainstream fans
• (41:02) - whether running leaders are in alignment about how to grow
• (46:32) - what running will look like 10 years from now
• (50:01) - advice for the trail and ultrarunning media 

Links:

• Follow Citius Mag on Instagram
• Follow Citius Mag on Youtube
• Follow Citius Mag on Twitter
• Magic Boost

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #1 -  Dylan Bowman | Future Of Trail Running, Pro Athlete Opportunities, Freetrail
• #3 - Jimmy Daly | Social Media, Content Creation, Branding For Trail Runners
• #20 - Zoe Rom | Trail Runner Magazine, Running Journalism, Diversity Talks
• #26 - Sam Parsons | How To Build A Trail Running Team

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Last week I once again lit the beacons and let folks know I'd do another AMA if there were enough questions. In this second edition, I answer the following questions:

• What does the East Coast need to do to progress trail running?
• What is on your trail running media wishlist?
• What can we do to make ultrarunning events more exciting to follow or watch?
• What is something you would like to see changed in our sport?
• What else is on your ultrarunning wishlist?
   

Timestamps:

• (0:17) - the biggest issue for the east coast trail running scene
• (1:56) - the competitive advantages of east coast trail running
• (3:05) - rural locations over metro locations for training
• (4:18) - combining reality tv format with underdog narrative for new ultrarunning content
• (5:36) - someone influential needs to make more films of east coast races and FKTs
• (8:03) - a new member of the media crew at ultra races
• (9:17) - more data for race commentators and fans to use
• (10:39) - stop putting the sport of ultrarunning down
• (12:25) - burning man for ultrarunning

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #19 - Ask Me Anything | Golden Ticket Series, Professional Trail Runners, Ultra Training
  
  

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In this episode we talk with Buzz Burrell, a co-founder of fastestknowntime.com, a tracking website that has been cataloging  the modern FKT movement here in the United States and abroad, to my knowledge, for the better part of the last decade. While there is no governing body for FKT certification, fastestknowntime.com has acted as the informal arbiter of these records. 

We spend the majority of the conversation getting into the details about the recent sale of fastestknowntime.com to Outside Magazine earlier this month. 

But there’s a lot more to Buzz that’s interesting that we delve into at various points. For example, he’s been trail and ultra running since the late 1960s and has set a wide array of fastest times and first attempts at many classic routes here in the United States including the Colorado Trail and John Muir Trail. And in addition to his work on the FKT site, he has also been an athlete manager for La Sportiva and Brand Director for Ultimate Direction and will be joining Ultrarunning Magazine next month as a regular columnist.

Timestamps:

• (1:50) - what it was like being in the trail and ultra scene before it was popular
• (5:18) - slow growth on the professional side of trail and ultra running
• (11:13) - whether the growth of the FKT community is good
• (19:07) - description of fastesknowntime.com
• (21:09) - the inspiration for building the website
• (23:12) - whether there were always business aspirations for the website
• (24:42) - the pros and cons of full-time versus part-time investment
• (30:06) - why the website was sold in 2022
• (34:39) - the assets that Outside Magazine was most interested in
• (36:29) - audience numbers for the website
• (37:40) - improvements coming to the website
• (39:48) - whether the people working on the site should be community experts
• (42:46) - objections to the sale to Outside Magazine
• (45:36) - the realities of social media and content businesses in trail running
• (50:42) - requests for startups in the trail and ultra running space
• (51:58) - favorite guests on the FKT podcast
• (55:59) - Lazarus Lake

Links:

• Fastest Known Time Website
• Outside Magazine acquires fastestknowntime.com

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #7 -  Mark Gainey | Co-Founder of Strava, Trail Running, Athlete Creators
• #8 - Larissa Rivers | Trail Running Stores, Sports Marketing, Strava
• #3 - Jimmy Daly | Social Media, Content Creation, Branding For Trail Runners
  
  
  
  

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Sarah Keyes is an ultra runner, race director, and trail running community organizer (among many other roles) based in Saranac Lake, NY.

In this conversation, we talk about the trail running and overall mountain sports scene in the Adirondack Mountains, her role as race director of the Whiteface Mountain events, her role at ITRA, how to get more involved in our sport beyond training and racing, and much much more.

Timestamps:

• (1:13) - trail running background
• (4:58) - thoughts on training and racing out of her car
• (9:57) - lifestyle in the Adirondack Mountains
• (18:00) - the influence of Olympic cities and towns like Lake Placid, NY
• (22:08) - race directing the Whiteface Mountain series
• (28:48) - brainstorming other cool mountain races in the northeast
• (34:11) - sorting out all the the championship events in trail running
• (43:48) - understanding the role ITRA plays in our sport
• (52:28) - what motivates Sarah to get involved in our sport at deeper levels
• (54:13) - how to get more active in your own trail running community

Links:

• Whiteface Vertical Weekend
• Video - Dawn Patrol
• La Sportiva Video - Sarah Keyes
• Live Performance - Rodrigo y Gabriela
• Bowling Alone
• Follow Sarah on Instagram
• Get coached by Sarah
• ITRA

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #52 - Mike Foote | Race Directing, Skyrunning Speculation, Future Of Ultrarunning Events, UTMB Influences
• #37 - Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary
  
  

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Jasmin Paris is professional trail runner for Inov-8 based in the United Kingdom.

Her racing resume is significant with an overall win at the 2019 Spine race, a fastest known time on the Bob Graham Round, a top-10 finish at 2016 UTMB, and way more. Most recently, she completed 3 laps, also known as a “Fun Run”, at the vaunted Barkley Marathons in Tennessee’s Frozen Head State Park.

Due to Jasmin’s media schedule, we only had 20 minutes to chat but we covered good ground including what inspired her to line up for Barkley, what her physical and mental preparation looked like, the keys to completing a fun run, whether she has plans to return next year or beyond, and what other events and routes in the United States interest her.

Timestamps:

• (1:32) - will Jasmin return to Barkley soon?
• (1:52) - what inspired her Barkley attempt
• (4:12) - what her training looked like for Barkley
• (6:47) - sleep deprivation training?
• (8:32) - mentally preparing for Barkley
• (10:46) - whether her mental toughness is innate or trained 
• (12:57) - balancing high-level ultra training and performance with work and parenting
• (14:38) - the keys to completing 3 laps at Barkley
• (17:11) - what she would do differently next time around
• (18:44) - other United States races and routes that appeal to her

Links:

• Follow Jasmin on Twitter
• Read Jasmin's Blog
• Footage of Jasmin at the 2019 Spine Race

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

Support the show

Timestamps:

• (1:26) - recap of February training accomplishments
• (8:02) - injury discussion
• (16:01) - how to think about next steps and future training 
• (25:00) - Skimo and other alternative sports during recovery 
• (30:44) - increasing popularity of Skimo among American ultra runners 
• (38:26) - standing is training?
• (43:56) - March and April training outlook for Canyons

Links:

• Follow Ryan Ghelfi on Instagram
• Trails and Tarmac Website
• Watch this conversation on Youtube

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #41 - Coaching Call #2 | Canyons 100K Progress, Training Partners, Coaching A Trail Team
• #30 - Coaching Call #1 | Setting The Table For The Canyons 100K
• #17 - Ryan Ghelfi | Post Sponsorship Athlete Life, Trail Running Teams, UTMB, FKT Scene

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

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Garrett Heath is a professional runner for Brooks.

Garrett has demonstrated impressive range over the last couple of decades and with world-class PRs in events from the 1500m to the 10k, he has been a threat every time he steps on a starting line. As a three-time champion of the famed Edinburgh XC race, his gutsy racing style has carried him to victory over some of the world’s most legendary runners including Mo Farah. 

I reached out to Garrett a couple of weeks ago after seeing an announcement that he was making the switch to trail running. Maybe it’s up for debate, but in my mind he is the highest level track athlete to ever cross over. The dude is legit.

In this conversation, we cover all the basics - what motivated him to make the change, why now, whether he will be coached and who his training partners will be, and what his race schedule will look like in 2022. 

Given his background with the famed Brooks Beasts training group in Seattle, we also have a long back and forth about what it would take to build similar type of team in the ultra world. We get his perspective on being a full-time runner, the pros and cons of the lifestyle, and whether he recommends it. And we talk about perceptions of the trail and ultra world outside our bubble and what it might take to recruit more professional athletes like Garrett into the sport.

Timestamps:

• (2:01) - running background
• (4:00) - motivation to switch to trail running
• (8:03) - why now for trail running
• (11:03) - tentative 2022 racing schedule
• (13:26) - coaching and training partners
• (17:33) - training camps
• (20:35) - Brooks support
• (23:00) - Brooks Beasts, full-time running discussion
• (40:05) - conditions to build a trail running team
• (46:46) - outside perceptions of trail and ultra running

Links:

• Garrett Heath beats Mo Farah at 2016 Great Edinburgh XCountry
• Brooks Beasts
• Follow Garrett on Strava
• Follow Garrett on Instagram

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #39 - Hillary Allen | Brooks Running, Out And Back, Recovery Process Mindset, 2022 UTMB
• #40 - Lee Sackett | Brooks Running, Running Industry Careers, Running Culture Talk
• #42 - Sarah Cummings | Wasatch Trail Scene, Brooks Running, JFK 50, Lessons From Injury

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

Support the show

Timestamps:

• (1:39) - ideas to make ultra races easier to analyze and fun to follow
• (12:59) - should elite ultra runners be penalized for DNFs?
• (22:43) - Strava find of the week: 3:47 downhill mile 
• (32:38) - what if Magda Boulet had switched to ultra running during her prime?
• (40:33) - what if Sally McRae didn't get a golden ticket to Western States in 2014?
• (50:39) - new 50K world record 

Links:

• The Lickskillet Downhill Mile
• Billy Yang - Sean O'Brien 50 Mile Film

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• Long Run Archives #1 | Jim Walmsley What Ifs, Black Canyon 100K Preview, Full-Time Ultrarunning

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

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Mike Foote is a Professional Athlete for the North Face and Race Director of the Rut Mountain Runs based in Missoula, MT.

Timestamps

• (1:33) intro to ultrarunning
• (4:38) Wasatch 100 reminiscing 
• (8:53) success formula
• (11:57) durability is speed in the mountains 
• (13:21) being an early American competitor at UTMB
• (16:39) North Face sponsorship, long-term relationship
• (23:06) Missoula, MT trail running scene
• (29:56) directing the Rut 50K
• (34:35) grassoots versus standardized Ultrarunning events 
• (41:06) race-directing inspiration
• (44:42) anticipating changes to the Ultrarunning event space
• (46:57) live coverage ideas 
• (53:02) saturation of Ultrarunning events, race directing skills 
• (57:27) skyrunning traction in the United States 
• (62:37) state of United States Skimo

Links

• Follow Mike on Instagram
• The Rut 50K
• 61,000 Feet
• North Face Profile

Additional Episodes You May Be Interested In

• #17 Ryan Ghelfi | Post Sponsorship Athlete Life, Trail Running Teams, UTMB, FKT Scene
• #37 Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

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Anton Krupicka is a Professional Mountain Athlete for La Sportiva based in Boulder, CO.

Timestamps

• (1:14) - considering Black Canyon for Western States Golden Ticket attempt
• (3:30) - appreciations for other mountain sports
• (6:00) - identifying with the sport of mountain ultra trail running, but not the scene
• (9:04) - influences in other sports
• (11:29) - the mindsets of the top athletes
• (14:11) - excitement about technical backcountry missions
• (18:31) - debate about the (lack of) desire to influence 
• (25:53) - what a typical day looks like for Anton
• (29:25) - whether life is still in alignment with passions
• (33:07) - sponsor expectations
• (34:53) - social media impact on attention
• (38:26) - what life could look like 5 or 10 years from now
• (41:20) - debate about changing elements of the sport
• (45:31) - the one regret of his ultrarunning career
• (51:26) - speculating about the 2008 Western States 100
• (55:26) - Boulder versus Salt Lake City

Links

• Anton's Linktree Profile
• Anton's Instagram Profile
• 60 Songs That Explain The 90s
• Unbreakable
• Longs Peak Triathlon

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #41 -Lee Sackett | Brooks Running, Running Industry Careers, Running Culture Talk
• #25 - Kyle Richardson | FKT Scene, Intersection Of Music And Movement, Trail Running Culture
• #16 - Logan Williams | Trail Running Philosophy, Athlete Sponsorships, Why We Run

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

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Tom Evans is a Professional Mountain Ultra Trail Runner for Adidas Terrex and Red Bull based in the Birmingham, UK area.

Over the last 3-4 years, Tom has become one of the best athletes in our sport with notable performances at some of the most important races including a win at the 2018 CCC and a sub-15 hour podium finish at the 2019 Western States 100.

What stands out to me, however, is his level of commitment to the sport and the depth to which he prepares for each event. I believe his all-in, full-time approach represents the cutting edge that will become the norm for professional athletes in our sport by the end of the decade.

Timestamps

• (3:02) - knee injury and recovery process
• (11:55) - how to approach the day to day of recovery
• (14:35) - the role of sponsors in the recovery process
• (24:21) - what professional ultra running looks like
• (34:04) - the competitive advantage of training full-time
• (41:14) - creating an environment to make success inevitable
• (46:35) - benefits of training groups
• (49:27) - thoughts on trail running teams
• (53:27) - preparing for the 2022 UTMB
• (61:46) - whether pro ultra runners will need to specialize in distances and terrain
• (64:16) - learning from athletes in other sports

Links

• Follow Singletrack on Instagram
• Follow Tom Evans on Instagram
• Tom Evans' "Road to recovery" Episode #1
• Knees Over Toes Guy
• Tom Evans on the Sweat Elite Podcast

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #26 - Sam Parsons | How To Build A Trail Running Team
• #19 - Ask Me Anything | Golden Ticket Series, Professional Trail Runners, Ultra Training

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

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In this episode, we meet with Reid Coolsaet, a Professional Trail Runner for Salomon based in Hamilton, Ontario.

Reid burst onto the mountain ultra trail running scene in 2021 with a win at the Quebec Mega Trail 110K, competed at the Black Canyon 100K earlier this month, and will be lining up for the Canyons 100K in April and the Western States 100 in June.

Prior to his venture onto the trails, Reid had an extremely successful career in road marathoning. He holds a 2:10:28 marathon PR and represented Canada in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.

It’s been talked about recently to no end, but indeed our sport is only getting more competitive and professionalized and Reid’s entrance is just the latest proof point. 

One thing that struck me about Reid was his openness and willingness to talk about any issue in the sport whether it was related to compensation as a professional athlete, training methodology, drug testing, or anything else. It made for an interesting and engaging conversation and I hope that shines through here.

Timestamps

• (2:58) - Reid's running background
• (10:59) - The lifestyle of a full-time professional marathoner 
• (17:21) - How Reid became interested in mountain ultra trail running
• (31:10) - The perceptions of trail and ultra running among runners in other disciplines 
• (36:54) - What it will take to recruit more elite road running athletes to our sport 
• (40:40) - Reid's experience in the mountain ultra trail running world so far
• (54:09) - Drug testing conversation 
• (57:02) - How Reid will prepare for the Western States 100 in June 

Links

• Reid's blog
• Reid's coaching business
• Follow Singletrack on Instagram here

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #26 - Sam Parsons | How To Build A Trail Running Team
• #22 - Nick Coury | Negative Splitting Ultramarathons, 24 Hour American Record, Aravaipa Running

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• Patreon

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In this episode, we talk with the 2nd place male finisher at the 2022 Black Canyon 100K, Scott Traer.

Scott is based in the Phoenix, AZ area via Boston, MA and not only punched his ticket to Western States this coming June, but also ran the 4th fastest time in course history at the age of 40. In addition to race analysis, we also talk about the New England trail running scene, his recent media work with Aravaipa Running, his Run Fastah coaching business, and more.

Timestamps

• (1:01) - Scott explains his unusual running apparel 
• (2:30) - Scott talks about the "Chasing Gold" interview series he hosted for Aravaipa Running
• (5:09) - Scott's background in ultra running and his trail running beginnings in New England
• (13:00) - Scott reflects on running the 4th fastest time ever on the Black Canyon 100K course and securing a golden ticket to the Western States 100
• (26:52) - Scott's coaching philosophy and how he got into the profession
• (30:04) - What's exciting Scott most about ultrarunning right now

Links

• Scott's coaching business
• Chasing Gold Interview Series
• Watch the full interview on Youtube here
• Follow Singletrack on Instagram here

Additional Episode You May Enjoy:

• #45 - Golden Ticket Talks | Trueheart Brown, Black Canyon 100K 1st Place Male
• #44 - Golden Ticket Talks | Jeff Colt, Black Canyon 100K 3rd Place Male

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• Patreon

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In this episode, we talk with the 3rd place female finisher at the 2022 Black Canyon 100K, Anne-Marie Madden.

Anne-Marie is a Salomon-sponsored trail runner based in Vancouver, BC. In addition to race analysis, we talk about how she got into Mountain Ultra Trail Running, life in Vancouver, opportunities to grow our sport through better urban planning, the influence of social media, and much more.

Timestamps

• (1:53) - How Annie-Marie started trail running
• (6:37) - Why Vancouver, BC is a great place to be a trail runner
• (12:28) - Would Anne-Marie ever entertain being a full-time ultra runner?
• (14:44) - Why Anne-Marie chose the Black Canyon 100K
• (18:56) - Her strategy and execution to secure a golden ticket
• (28:20) - Initial thoughts on training and expectations for Western States
• (30:08) - The progress we've made increasing the number of female trail runners
• (36:06) - The connections between urban planning and trail running
• (38:47) - What she's changed her mind about with ultrarunning 
• (41:21) - How our sport will look different in 2030, social media issues

Links

• Follow Singletrack on Instagram
• Watch the episode on Youtube
• Follow Anne-Marie on Instagram
• The Happy City by Charles Montgomery
• A Philosophy of Regional Planning by Benton MacKaye

Additional Episodes You Might Enjoy

• #39 -  Hillary Allen | Brooks Running, Out And Back, Recovery Process Mindset, 2022 UTMB
• #37 - Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary
• #31 - Dani Moreno | Sub Ultra Trail Racing, Golden Trail Series, Overcoming Burnout, Female Participation

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

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In this episode, we talk with the 4th place female finisher at the 2022 Black Canyon 100K, Taylor Nowlin.

Taylor is a Professional Trail Runner for Adidas Terrex based in Spokane, WA. In addition to race analysis, we talk about how she got into Mountain Ultra Trail Running, life in Spokane, WA, how she organizes training and races alongside her other career in nursing, advice she has for female athletes entering the sport, and way more.

Timestamps

• (2:44) - introduction to trail running
• (4:53) - multi-year golden ticket journey
• (7:23) - Spokane, WA is a trail running city
• (10:38) - balancing running and nursing careers 
• (14:16) - Black Canyon 100K recap
• (25:35) - preparation for Western States
• (29:50) - advice for up and coming female trail runners
• (38:44) - you don't have to always run trail to be a trail runner

Links

• Watch the full episode on Youtube
• Follow Taylor on Instagram
• Follow Singletrack on Instagram

Additional Episodes You Might Enjoy

• #39 -  Hillary Allen | Brooks Running, Out And Back, Recovery Process Mindset, 2022 UTMB
• #37 - Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary
• #31 - Dani Moreno | Sub Ultra Trail Racing, Golden Trail Series, Overcoming Burnout, Female Participation

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

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In this episode, we talk with the 3rd place male finisher at the 2022 Black Canyon 100K, Jeff Colt.

Jeff is a Professional Trail Runner for On Running based in Carbondale CO. In addition to race analysis, we talk about his entry into the sport while working in the hut system of New Hampshire ’s White Mountains, his multi-year path to a golden ticket which included near misses at the 2018 and 2019 Bandera 100Ks, his unorthodox training philosophy, his thoughts on the East coast trail scene, and much more.

Timestamps

• (3:55) - introduction to trail and ultra running
• (6:01) - working in the White Mountains Hut System
• (9:49) - White Mountains Hut Traverse FKT
• (15:04) - describing New England trail running scene
• (21:04) - training in Carbondale, CO
• (26:48) - his unorthodox approach to training for ultras
• (30:14) - missing golden tickets in 2018 and 2019
• (37:36) - Black Canyon 100K race strategy and execution
• (54:51) - ranting against coaching culture in ultra running

Links

• Watch the full episode on Youtube here
• Follow Singletrack on Instagram
• Follow Jeff on Instagram

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #38 - Taggart VanEtten | Road Ultrarunning, Midwest Scene, 100 Mile World Record Attempt
• #29 - Sabrina Stanley | Madeira Island Reflections, UTMB 2022, Adidas Trail Team
• #12 - Jack Kuenzle | FKT Scene, Sponsored Trail Runners, Brand Relationships

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• Patreon

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The Golden Ticket Talks are back! In this episode, we talk with the 1st place male finisher at the 2022 Black Canyon 100K, Trueheart Brown.

Since Trueheart is likely a new name to most ultrarunning fans, we cover a lot of ground in this episode including his background in the sport, his home and training base in Flagstaff, AZ, how he prepared for Black Canyon, his expectations leading into the race, his execution on race day, his current thoughts on Western States and more.

Timestamps

• (2:29) - endurance sports background
• (6:32) - wildland firefighting
• (8:43) - training in Flagstaff, AZ
• (11:00) - training philosophy
• (12:29) - Black Canyon preparation and execution
• (28:34) - initial thoughts on Western States
• (36:54) - connecting dots between cycling and running

Links

• Watch the interview on Youtube
• Follow Singletrack on Instagram

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #21 - Dave Stevens | Run Rabbit Run, Winter Training, Canadian Trail Running Scene
• #5 - Karl Meltzer | UTMB, Utah 100 Miler, Making A Career From Mountain Ultra Trail Running

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• Patreon

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This episode is part of a brand new mini-series we are calling the "Long Run Archives" in which I am joined by Brett Hornig, a fellow ultra runner and coach at Trails and Tarmac to riff on some of Ultrarunning’s most intriguing news, ideas, and questions. You know those highly entertaining long run conversations you have with friends you wish you could have hit the record button on? These episodes will attempt to recreate those moments.

Timestamps

• (4:13) - Is it a competitive advantage to be a full-time professional ultrarunner?
• (17:31) - What if Jim Walmsley had never missed that mile 93 turn at the Western States 100?
• (33:46) - Black Canyon 100K preview
• (69:52) - Ultrarunning hot takes
• (73:18) - Big trail running news
• (78:31) - Great Strava finds 

Links

• Watch the episode on Youtube
• Follow Singletrack on Instagram
• Get coached by Brett at Trails and Tarmac

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #37 - Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary
• #19 - Ask Me Anything | Golden Ticket Series, Professional Trail Runners, Ultra Training
• #17 - Ryan Ghelfi | Post Sponsorship Athlete Life, Trail Running Teams, UTMB, FKT Scene

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• Patreon

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Sarah Cummings is a Professional Trail Runner for Brooks based in Park City, Utah.

We talk about her introduction to the trail world after a significant collegiate and post collegiate career on the roads, her experience and lessons learned rehabbing from a traumatic hamstring injury that could have ended her running career altogether, how she landed in Park City, her thoughts on the Wasatch trail running scene, her 2022 racing plans and more.

As you all know, I think the Wasatch has the potential to be the next American cultural hub for trail running. In fact, one of my big predictions is that by 2023 this will be the place in the same way that Mill Valley carried the banner in the mid 2010s and how Flagstaff did the same in the late 2010s. I think there’s been a gap to fill for a few years, especially since the pandemic started. And I think its anyones for the taking, so why not Salt Lake? I mention that here because I think Sarah is becoming one of the great ambassadors for our region and her influence (along with others) will help make it happen fast.

Timestamps

• (1:44) - running background
• (6:02) - choosing Park City, UT to lifestyle and training
• (9:47) - training philosophy
• (11:37) - hamstring injury, recovery process, healing mindset 
• (22:17) - JFK 50 victory
• (27:17) - Brooks sponsorship
• (31:29) - the question of full-time running
• (35:21) - excitement about SLC/PC running scene
• (39:30) - subjectivity of trail running
• (44:46) - increasing access to trail running

Links

• Follow Singletrack on Instagram
• Follow Sarah Cummings on Instagram
• Follow Sarah on Strava

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy

• #39 -  Hillary Allen | Brooks Running, Out And Back, Recovery Process Mindset, 2022 UTMB
• #37 - Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary
• #31 - Dani Moreno | Sub Ultra Trail Racing, Golden Trail Series, Overcoming Burnout, Female Participation

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

Support the show

This is the second episode in a monthly series we are calling the “Coaching Call”.

For context - In April, I will be lining up for the Canyons 100k. Ryan Ghelfi, the Head Coach at Trails and Tarmac, is going to help me prepare.  We decided to take it a step further by working in total transparency. Our calls will be recorded and the training log will be viewable 24/7 for you to analyze. Be sure to listen to our first episode in this series, if you haven't already.

In this conversation, we recap the first month of our athlete-coach relationship and talk specifically about goal setting, training partners, and what we are doing to prepare for the demands of the course. Towards the end of the conversation, we also dive into some coaching industry-specific topics like athlete load and what it would look like to coach a co-located trail team.

Timestamps

• (2:25) - stating goals for the Canyons 100K
• (11:46) - reviewing January training and forecasting February training
• (34:59) - the ideal number of athletes to coach
• (45:12) - what it would look like to coach a trail running team

Links

• Get coached by Trails and Tarmac
• Email Ryan (info@trailsandtarmac.com)
• Follow Ryan Ghelfi on Instagram
• Follow Singletrack on Instagram
• Watch the episode on Youtube
• Follow Finn on Strava
• See the Canyons 100K training log here

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: 

• #30 - Coaching Call #1 | Setting The Table For The Canyons 100K
• #17 - Ryan Ghelfi | Post Sponsorship Athlete Life, Trail Running Teams, UTMB, FKT Scene

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

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In this episode we talk with Lee Sackett, a Product Manager for the Blue Line Innovation Footwear team at Brooks Running. 

The first half of our conversation focuses primarily on work, life, and career trajectory in the running industry. The second half dives into a flowy conversation about running culture, growing participation, increasing the entertainment value, and making connections with other sports to raise the level of creativity and perspective in our community.

As you all know, I love having conversations with people on the business side of the sport. Lee is also just a great thinker, running advocate, and overall inspiring human being. I would be shocked if you don't feel compelled to go run 10 miles after this one. Happy listening!

Timestamps

• (1:44) - interesting people in ultrarunning
• (11:04) - Lee's work at Brooks Running
• (22:10) - how Lee got into the running industry
• (32:36) - advice for others that want to have a career in the running industry
• (38:48) - additional, outside influences Lee brings to the running industry
• (43:00) - riffing on the intersection of running and art
• (53:53) - why Lee does a lot of cycling, the influence it's had on his perspectives
• (62:20) - thoughts on the growth of running

Links

• Follow Singletrack on Instagram

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #25 - Kyle Richardson | FKT Scene, Intersection Of Music And Movement, Trail Running Culture
• #18 - Moe Lauchert | Outdoor Entrepreneurship, Representation In Trail Running, Growing The Sport
• #16 - Logan Williams | Trail Running Philosophy, Athlete Sponsorships, Why We Run

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

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Hillary Allen is a professional trail runner for Brooks, a co-host of the Trail Society podcast, and author of  a new book titled "Out And Back: A Runner's Story Of Survival Against All Odds".

In addition to announcing her sponsorship change from the North Face to Brooks, we also dig into the details of her new book and specifically examine issues like health care for professional athletes, the importance of mindset in the recovery process, risk aversion, her perspective going all-in on trail running after entertaining a career in academia, as well as her 2022 racing plans which include UTMB.

Timestamps

• (1:02) - sponsorship change
• (6:47) - 2022 racing schedule
• (14:54) - health care for professional trail runners
• (18:02) - importance of mindset in the recovery process
• (25:47) - risk aversion
• (27:45) - choosing between pro mountain running and academia
• (32:27) - touring her book, van life
• (37:18) - overtraining syndrome, impact on pro athletes and sponsors

Links

• Watch the episode on Youtube
• Follow Singletrack on Instagram
• Out and Back: A Runner's Story of Survival Against All Odds
• Follow Hillary Allen on Instagram

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #42 - Sarah Cummings | Wasatch Trail Scene, Brooks Running, JFK 50, Lessons From Injury
• #37 - Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary
• #31 - Dani Moreno | Sub Ultra Trail Racing, Golden Trail Series, Overcoming Burnout, Female Participation
• #29 - Sabrina Stanley | Madeira Island Reflections, UTMB 2022, Adidas Trail Team
• #23 - Abby Hall | Running and Design, Full-Time Professional Athlete Life, Flagstaff

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

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Taggart VanEtten is an endurance athlete based in Central Illinois. 

In addition to having one of the best names in our sport, Taggart made a big splash on the ultra scene in 2021. We talk about those race experiences, but also dig into how his background has influenced the type of training he does, what attracted him to our sport, why he's leaving for a bit, his thoughts on sponsorship, the culture of our sport, and way more. 

While Taggart is returning to the road marathon scene in an attempt to qualify for the Olympic Trials in 2024, be on the lookout for his eventual return to ultrarunning. He is one of the most confident, determined athletes I have come across. And as you will find out in this conversation, he has lofty goals left to pursue.

Timestamps

• (1:51) - running and triathlon background
• (4:41) - 100 Mile WR attempt, switch to OTQ attempt
• (7:11) - whether Taggart can get the 50 mile, 100K, and 100 mile WRs
• (8:55) - OTQ motivations, ultrarunning burnout
• (12:14) - sources of confidence
• (13:26) - cultural differences between triathlons and ultramarathons
• (15:03) - why Taggart isn't afraid of anyone
• (17:15) - why Taggart trains alone
• (18:21) - training philosophy, mindset, and lifestyle
• (24:28) - nobody cares, work harder, internal motivation
• (29:44) - sponsorship thoughts, full-time running thoughts
• (31:47) - midwest ultrarunning scene, lack of media coverage, road ultras
• (36:29) - negative splitting thoughts
• (39:32) - why more elite endurance athletes don't do ultras
• (42:42) - 100K WR excitement
• (45:15) - Taggart explains his best tweets
• (49:17) - what's on tap when Taggart returns to ultras in 2024

Links

• Follow Taggart on Twitter
• Follow Taggart on Instagram
• Follow Singletrack on Instagram
• Watch the episode on Youtube

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #26 - Sam Parsons | How To Build A Trail Running Team
• #22 - Nick Coury | Negative Splitting Ultramarathons, 24 Hour American Record, Aravaipa Running

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

Support the show

Corrine Malcolm is a Professional Trail Runner Adidas Terrex, a Co-Host of the Trail Society podcast, a coach at Carmichael Training Systems and in general, one of the more involved people in our sport.

We talk about the good and the bad of growth in our sport, especially relating to brand-building, race organizing, drug testing, and the overall professionalization of ultra running. We dig some coaching and running science topics like racing frequency, off-season execution, and her research-related wishlist. Corrine also talks about how she got involved on the media side of the sport and offers her thoughts on doing commentary, evolving race coverage, and all the personalities in our community.

Timestamps

• (1:12) - ultrarunning brands jockeying for control
• (12:37) - concerns about the Quartz program
• (22:08) - frequency of racing for elite ultrarunners
• (27:00) - off seasons for ultrarunners
• (30:29) - as the race distance increases, female runners get stronger
• (35:12) - why testosterone may be a disadvantage in ultrarunning
• (37:23) - why elite ultrarunners don't pace better
• (41:45) - unanswered questions in ultrarunning research
• (47:27) - how Corrine got into ultrarunning media
• (53:57) - ultrarunning personalities in media
• (60:50) - recruiting more female runners to ultrarunning
• (65:22) - changing race cutoff times to attract more athletes
• (67:33) - presentation expectations for male versus female sponsored athletes

Links

• Quartz Program
• Team Matryx
• Follow Corrine on Instagram
• Corrine's personal website
• Follow Corrine on Twitter
• Corrine's articles on IRunFar
• Get coached by Corrine

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #39 -  Hillary Allen | Brooks Running, Out And Back, Recovery Process Mindset, 2022 UTMB
• #31 - Dani Moreno | Sub Ultra Trail Racing, Golden Trail Series, Overcoming Burnout, Female Participation

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

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In this episode we talk with Adam Merry. Adam is a professional Trail Runner for Saucony based in Golden, CO.

We reflect on his performance at the recent Bandera 100K, increasing representation in our sport, all the usual questions I have about the state of our sport because Adam is so tuned in, and more.

Adam is a great dude and one of the most mission-oriented people in our sport I have come across. I think it will shine through in this episode.

Timestamps

• (1:44) - running background
• (3:26) - Bandera 100K preparation, race execution
• (13:08) - whether Western States is still the goal, what's next
• (17:43) - ultrarunning media talk, brand investments
• (21:26) - social issues in trail running
• (27:28) - the training switch away from more is better
• (29:43) - continuing education as a coach
• (33:39) - organizing life to prioritize ultrarunning
• (38:36) - being a fan of ultrarunning
• (42:04) - outside influences on ultrarunning
• (46:57) - partnership with Saucony
• (54:25) - long-term thinking, self-belief

Links

• Follow Adam on Instagram
• Follow Adam on Strava
• Get coached by Adam
• Watch the episode on Youtube
• Follow Singletrack on Instagram

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #25 - Kyle Richardson | FKT Scene, Intersection Of Music And Movement, Trail Running Culture
• #18 - Moe Lauchert | Outdoor Entrepreneurship, Representation In Trail Running, Growing The Sport
• #16 - Logan Williams | Trail Running Philosophy, Athlete Sponsorships, Why We Run

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

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Welcome back to another episode of the Golden Ticket Talks in which we meet with the overall winner of the Bandera 100K, Jonathan Rea. Jonathan is currently unsponsored athlete - maybe that will change soon - based in Boulder, Colorado.

In addition to race preparation, analysis, and aftermath, Jonathan and I talk about some of the parallels between trail running and his first love of baseball, the mindset and community-based strategies he leverages to execute good race performances, how his work on environmental policy influences his involvement in our sport, thoughts on competition and sponsorship in our relatively niche sport, and more.

Jonathan strikes me as one of the more cool, calm, and collected runners I’ve come across. It’s a personality that I think bodes well for consistently good performances in our sport. Be on the lookout for a top-10 performance at Western in June. It would not surprise me one bit.

Timestamps:

• (2:04) - athletic background in baseball, not running
• (6:29) - similarities between baseball and ultra running 
• (11:06) - why Jon avoids most social media platforms
• (13:18) - why Bandera over other golden ticket races
• (17:33) - why  Jon doesn't travel to a lot of races
• (21:47) - physical and mental training philosophies, race frequency
• (27:06) - memorable parts of Bandera
• (29:21) - thoughts about competition, teamwork
• (36:24) - preparation for Western States
• (38:10) - doubting ultrarunning talent
• (43:03) - ultrarunning sponsorship

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In this episode, we talk with the 2nd place male finisher at the 2022 Bandera 100k, Tyler Fox. Tyler is based in Lander, WY and has been quietly crushing some of the top mountain ultra trail races across the American West including the Bear 100,  Bighorn 100, Never Summer 100k, and Speedgoat 50k to name a few.

In addition to the recap of his race at Bandera and his initial thoughts on Western States, we talk about his coaching business and the state of that profession in our sport, the trail running scene in Lander, WY, what’s exciting and concerning him most about the trajectory of our sport, and the issue of eating disorders among trail runners. 

Multiple listeners of the show reached out beforehand to note that Tyler may very well be the most underrated athlete on the American scene right now and I think I agree. I’m excited to see what Tyler can do at Western States this coming June. 

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In this episode, we talk with the 2nd place female finisher at the 2022 Bandera 100k, Ellie Pell. Ellie is an East Coaster based in the Finger Lakes region of New York where she has put up strong results on the local circuit, as well as at the JFK 50 in recent years. 

In addition to the recap of her race at Bandera and her initial thoughts on Western States, we talk about her mental approach to ultras, the East Coast trail running scene, a relatively new media establishment - the Trails Collective - that caught my attention, and more. 

Ellie dropped a lot of memorable quotes in this one that I’ll be thinking about for some time. Her approach to racing is interesting, and I think it will bode well at Western States. We will see! As an East Coast expat, I will certainly be rooting for her.

Timestamps:

• (1:16) - immediate golden ticket reaction
• (2:54) - this one is for the beast coast 
• (6:31) - why the east coast doesn't get more trail running recognition
• (9:01) - why Ellie chose Bandera
• (14:52) - racing style, Bandera reflections
• (22:53) - Western States thoughts 
• (26:05) - mental approach to ultrarunning
• (34:55) - ideas to raise the profile of east coast trail running
• (38:27) - trails collective
• (44:21) - expectations for Western States

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This episode is the first in a series we are calling “Golden Ticket Talks” where we interview the first and second place male and female finishers at each of the 2022 Golden Ticket races.

In this episode we talk with the winner of the Bandera 100k, Marianne Hogan. Marianne is based in Montreal, Canada and runs for Salomon.

In addition to the recap of her race at Bandera and her initial thoughts on Western States, we talk about the trail running scene in Quebec, her work as a guide for a paralympic athlete at the Tokyo games, her history in the sport including a 4 year stretch of injuries that led to a triumphant return this past fall at Ultra Trail Cape Town, and more.

I love seeing East Coast athletes like Marianne shine. Expect her to be a top competitor at Western States in June. 

Support the show

Dani Moreno is a professional Trail Runner for Hoka and Rabbit based in Mammoth Lakes, CA.

In this conversation, we talk about her how she overcame burnout during her college years to launch a successful career in the mountain running world, life in Santa Barbara and Mammoth Lakes, her partnerships with Hoka and Rabbit, the sub ultra trail racing scene here in the United States and abroad over in Europe, her thoughts on increasing female participation and mentoring the next generation of elite female athletes in our sport, and much more. 

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Additional episodes you might enjoy:

#42 - Sarah Cummings
#39 - Hillary Allen
#37 - Corrine Malcolm
#29 - Sabrina Stanley
#23 - Abby Hall

Support the show

This is the first episode in a monthly series we are calling the “Coaching Call”.

For context - In April, I will be lining up for the Canyons 100k. Ryan Ghelfi, the Head Coach at Trails and Tarmac, is going to help me prepare.  We decided to take it a step further by working in total transparency. Our calls will be recorded and the training log will be viewable 24/7 for you to analyze.

Here is how these episodes will work.

At the beginning of each month, we will hop on a call to recap and analyze the training from the previous 4 weeks. It will be like any normal check in call of ours, except it will be recorded. Nothing will be held back. You will get total insight into my goals, how the workouts are going, what’s working, what isn’t working, what I'm concerned about, and questions I have.  There will be 6 total episodes including a pre-race and post-race call through the end of April.

Hopefully you can see yourself in these conversations and apply some of the topics that we cover to your own training.

In future episodes we will be entertaining audience questions, so reach out on social with topics you’d like us to cover. I will also link in the show notes to Ryan's social channels as well as the Trails and Tarmac website in case you want to get in touch.

In this first episode we kick off our coaching relationship that officially starts on January 3rd. We look into how I’m feeling, how training will be structured, strategies to stay focused, how to think about goal setting and more. Enjoy!

Timestamps

• (3:05) - why we are publicizing these coaching calls
• (4:16) - a rundown of Finn's running history, the coaching relationship
• (8:09) - the performance benefits of public accountability
• (11:10) - why Finn chose the Canyons 100K
• (13:25) - the challenges to producing a consistent training block over multiple months
• (28:07) - training learnings to date
• (38:18) - what listeners can expect in future episodes

Links

• Get coached by Trails and Tarmac
• Email Ryan (info@trailsandtarmac.com)
• Follow Ryan Ghelfi on Instagram
• Follow Singletrack on Instagram
• Follow Finn on Strava
• See the Canyons 100K training log here

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: 

• #41 - Coaching Call #2 | Canyons 100K Progress, Training Partners, Coaching A Trail Team
• #17 - Ryan Ghelfi | Post Sponsorship Athlete Life, Trail Running Teams, UTMB, FKT Scene
  
  

Support the show

 Sabrina Stanley is a professional Mountain Ultra Trail Runner for Adidas Terrex. 

In this episode, we talk about her recent race at Madeira Island and position in the sport, the focus on UTMB in 2022, how she thinks about race preparation and recovery, and life on the Adidas trail team. 

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Additional episodes you might enjoy:

#42 - Sarah Cummings
#39 - Hillary Allen
#37 - Corrine Malcolm
#31 - Dani Moreno
#23 - Abby Hall

Support the show

Dave Dombrow and Kevin Fallon are the co-founders of Speedland, a new trail running brand on the market. 

In this conversation, we explore their backgrounds in the running industry at Nike, Under Armour, and Puma and how those experiences informed the mission at Speedland. 

We then get into the work they are doing at Speedland and how they are re-positioning their primary product (the SL:PDX) as a piece of equipment, instead of a shoe. 

We also get into their general philosophies on differentiation and communicating value, how they determine their target persona, the advantages and disadvantages of starting a new brand in our sport, and the lessons of the entrepreneurial journey so far. 

Support the show

Joe Vennare is the co-founder of Fitt Insider, a platform for fitness and wellness operators that includes a podcast, newsletter, jobs board, and early stage fund that invests in related companies. 

We spend the first part of the conversation exploring Joe’s background in the industry, how he is building the business, and how he thinks about the intersection of media and entrepreneurship. 

We then transition into a discussion of relevant companies in the fitness and wellness space that trail runners might be interested in like wearable technology, supplements, and stuff like that. 

We conclude the conversation with advice Joe has for listeners interested in building media, e-commerce, and event businesses in our sport.

Support the show

Kyle Richardson is a musician and professional mountain athlete for Black Diamond and La Sportiva based in Boulder, CO.

In this conversation, Kyle shares interesting perspectives on Boulder, the FKT scene,  and the intersection of music and movement. We talk philosophy. We go back and forth on a sort of artistic wishlist for trail running. And way more. It's all rolled into one big conversation about the cultural direction of our sport.
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Additional episodes you might enjoy:

#40 - Lee Sackett
#18 - Moe Lauchert
#16 - Logan Williams

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Sam Parsons is one of the co-founders of Tinman Elite, a professional running team based in Boulder, CO.

We spend the vast majority of this episode going through the playbook for how to build a running team and what that model would look like in the world of mountain ultra trail running.

For Salt Lake area listeners, you know we’ve tried this before. And for fans of the sport, you know we’ve had forms of this before like with the Coconino Cowboys. There is still a gap to fill though.

I hope this conversation fires up someone somewhere to try again. Let's go!

Timestamps

• (1:46) - the story of Tinman Elite
• (4:01) - speculating on the potential for trail running teams 
• (7:09) - the Tinman playbook for recruiting team members
• (12:17) - how Tinman coordinates training, racing schedules
• (17:34) - why aspiring pro runners still default to the roads and track
• (22:54) - how Sam would grow the sport of trail running
• (26:47) - Adidas internship
• (32:17) - brand marketing inspirations for running teams
• (34:08) - how Tinman creates content for social media
• (46:08) - lessons from Tinman for the next trail running team

Links

• Watch the episode on Youtube
• Follow Singletrack on Instagram
• Follow Sam Parsons on Instagram
• Tinman Elite

Additional Episodes You May Be Interested In:

• #49 - Reid Coolsaet | Olympic 2:10 Marathoner Switches To Mountain Ultra Trail Running
• #40 - Lee Sackett | Brooks Running, Running Industry Careers, Running Culture Talk
• #19 - Ask Me Anything | Golden Ticket Series, Professional Trail Runners, Ultra Training
  
  
  

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Karl Meltzer returns to the podcast to discuss the details of the new Speedgoat-UTMB race partnership. We also talk about his latest 100 mile victory and speculate on whether there will ever be a golden ticket race in Utah. Enjoy!

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In this episode, we meet Abby Hall. Abby is a professional trail runner for Adidas Terrex based in Flagstaff, AZ. 

We talk about the intersections between running and her previous career in design, her decision to become a full-time athlete, sponsored life and the changing relationship between athlete and brands, her move from Boulder to Flagstaff, some non-running topics like DIY housing and van projects, and then look forward to what’s on tap in 2022. 

I was a fan of Abby before this conversation. I’m an even bigger fan now. I think you will be too. 

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Additional episodes you might enjoy:

#42 - Sarah Cummings
#39 - Hillary Allen
#37 - Corrine Malcolm
#31 - Dani Moreno
#29 - Sabrina Stanley
#23 - Abby Hall

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We don’t always do emergency podcasts, but when we do it’s because something big has happened in the ultra running world.

In this episode, we talk with Nick Coury. Nick is less than 48 hours removed from setting the American 24 hour running record of 173.015 miles at the Desert Solstice event down in Arizona.

While the intention of this episode was to do a deep dive on Nick’s record performance at Desert Solstice, we actually only touch on it briefly. Early on in the conversation, we started following threads on Nick’s mental training strategy and negative splitting philosophy, as well as his role building Aravaipa Running that were too compelling to gloss over.

I mention it towards the end of the episode, but I’m genuinely glad this episode went the way it did. Nick will give you a lot to think about in your training after listening to this one. Enjoy!

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Zoe Rom is a Mountain Ultra Trail Runner and the Editor in Chief at Trail Runner Magazine. 

In this conversation we talk about:

- Zoe's journalism and running backgrounds
- Issues related to diversity in our sport
- Trail Runner Magazine
- How to lean into curiosity and find interesting stories
- What good writing and journalism looks like

I personally learned a ton in this conversation. It was great to have Zoe on!

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Dave Stevens is a trail runner based in Nelson, British Columbia.

In this conversation, we cover:

-  The Nelson, BC trail running scene
- Dave's background in the sport and his training philosophy
- His Run Rabbit Run experience
- whether he would entertain life as a full time athlete
- Some of the constraints on being a Canadian runner trying to compete in the states

This was one of the first conversations we’ve had on this podcast really focusing on the athlete and the performance side of the sport. I hope you like it. 

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In this episode we talk with Moe Lauchert. Moe is a photographer and videographer based here in Salt Lake City. He’s worked for trail running brands like Patagonia and Satisfy and something tells me I am catching him at the very early stages of a notable career. We talk about:

• Athlete sponsorship
• Increasing representation in trail running
• How to grow the sport of trail running
• How to be an entrepreneur in the outdoor industry

This one was recorded in studio, we go long - about 2 hours, have a bit to drink, and only talk peripherally about running at times. But it was an authentic conversation, there’s a lot of life talk in there, and almost all of it is applicable to our sport if you think about it. Moe just might become a regular on the show. 

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Additional episodes you might enjoy:

#40 - Lee Sackett
#25 - Kyle Richardson
#16 - Logan Williams

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Last week I lit the beacons and let folks know I'd be willing to be an AMA if there were enough questions. To my surprise, a fair amount came through. Nice! So, I hit the record button a couple of days ago and answered some of them. In this first edition, I cover:

• How I ended in up Salt Lake City
• What I think the next big thing in ultra running will be
• What I want to see added to the trail running community here in Salt Lake
• How to link up with other runners and join groups
• My vision for the next few years of Singletrack

And way more. Let me know what you think. I will do more of them if there is more demand. And if there's a lot of demand, I might even start a second episode each week that follows the talk show/call-in format that's popular in other sports like baseball and football. Let me know!

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Ryan Ghelfi is the Founder of Trails and Tarmac, one of the more prominent coaching businesses in our sport. He has also run professionally for Nike and Hoka One One. And he’s a great thinker in our sport, which is the primary reason why I wanted to have him on the podcast.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What the transition looks like after sponsored athlete life ends
• His thoughts on team-based ultra running
• The benefits of bringing runners together to do workouts
• His thoughts on UTMB and the boomerang effect it had making him want to embed more in the American West. 
• FKT culture
• The Ashland, Oregon running scene

Enjoy!

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