Singletrack

Doug Mayer is an author, journalist and founder of the trail running tour company, Run the Alps and past producer of the NPR show Car Talk. Doug lives in Chamonix, France, has run the UTMB race twice, and recently wrote a book titled “The Race The Changed Running: The Inside Story of UTMB". In this conversation, we discuss the nature of soul sports, the founding story of the UTMB, the backgro...

Matt Feldhake is the Marketing Director for Aravaipa Running. Matt joins the podcast to discuss visions for Cocodona 250, the progress made around live-streaming events in our sport, and pitching trail running to different audiences. Discounts: Aravaipa Running - use code Singletrack10 at checkout on Ultrasignup for 10% off registration to one of their Flagstaff Sky Peaks races on 10/7. Rabbit - u...

This is the first episode in a series called Eurotrack where I’m joined by Katie Schide and Brett Hornig to analyze key races on the European ultra-trail running circuit. In this inaugural episode, we talk about the athletes that American fans might overlook, the key training hubs in the region, the races that matter most on the continent, and differences in training, racing, and sports media over...

Cole Watson and Brett Hornig join the podcast to recap Cole's win at the Canyons 100K this past weekend. Discounts: Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website ( https://www.runinrabbit.com/discount/SINGLETRACK20 ) to get 20% off your next order HVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website ( https://hvmn.com/SINGLETRACK20 ) to get 20% off your next order Trails...

Catherine and Michel Poletti are the Co-Founders of the UTMB race series in Chamonix, France. They join the podcast to discuss their vision for trail running over the last two decades, their history with ITRA and the Ultra Trail World Tour, partnering with Ironman and building the UTMB World Series, and their opinions on where our sport is heading in the years and decades to come. Timestamps : 0:5...

In this episode, I am joined by Brett Hornig and Leah Yingling to preview the 2023 Canyons 100K. We analyze the course, talk about what it's going to take to be successful, note some of the interesting storylines around the event, and make our predictions for the female and male top-3 finishers this year. Timestamps: (0:32) - excitement and context for this race (8:40) - course analysis  (23:...

Welcome to "Point to Point", a recurring episode of Singletrack  recapping the news that came across my radar in the world of trail and ultra running in the last week. Timestamps: (0:30) - Golden Trail Series - Eurosport media deal (2:10) - Ethics of running contracts (4:10) - Canyons by UTMB, Sunapee Scramble (5:40) - UTMB pregnancy policy (6:40) - Personal updates Discounts: Rabbit - u...

Eric LiPuma is a professional trail runner based outside of Burlington, VT preparing for the Canyons 100K later this month. In this conversation, we talk about the intersection of running and design, what "making it" looks like in our sport, the rising popularity of the trail running world championships, and receiving inspiration from other sports to make our community even greater. Disc...

I am joined by Brett Hornig to recap the Lake Sonoma 50, discuss the new UTMB-Outside live-streaming partnership, and debate the practicality of gambling, leagues, and agents in pro trail running. Discounts: Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website ( https://www.runinrabbit.com/discount/SINGLETRACK20 ) to get 20% off your next order HVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on...

6 spots for the USA 80K Mountain & Trail Running Team are on the line in a certified barn burner of a race this coming Saturday at the Lake Sonoma 50 and I’m joined by Brett Hornig and Leah Yingling to break it all down.  We analyze the course, talk about success factors, note the interesting storylines, and make predictions for the female and male top-3 finishers this year. Who’s making the U...

Brian Metzler is an award-winning sports journalist, writer, and photographer from Boulder, Colorado, who has produced storytelling content for publications like Outside, Trail Runner, Runner’s World, Competitor, and Sports Illustrated , as well as several books, including “Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture and Cool of Running Shoes”  and “Trail Running Illustrated”. We discuss the value of e...

John Kelly is a professional endurance athlete and now 2-time finisher of the Barkley Marathons. In this conversation, we get his thoughts about the media attention and public perception surrounding Barkley, what draws the general public to our sport, his views on using intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation for high performance, creating the ideal Barkley athlete, and why he’s interested in going...

This is the first episode of a new series we are calling "Trail Tea". These episodes take the candor of group chats and pull them into the audio realm. In this edition, I am joined by Jack Kuenzle, Dan Curts, and Abby Levene. We discuss pro runner social media, boring trail running media, exclusive trail races, faith in the gear review industry, pro runners on Strava, and whether we shou...

Sabrina Little is a Philosophy Professor and Professional Ultrarunner based in Newport News, VA. Sabrina is also a regular columnist for IRunfar and we spend the majority of this conversation discussing a recent post she wrote about what it might look like to be a good fan, as well as a bad fan, of ultra running during this era of significant change in our sport. Discounts: Rabbit - use code Singl...

I am joined by Brett Hornig to debate whether the culture has groomed elites to be passive about their career prospects, the biggest scams in our sport, whether it's harder to get to the top or stay at the top as a pro athlete, and why fans fixate on fast times instead of good competition. Discounts: Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website ( https://www.runinrabbit.com/di...

Dani Moreno is a professional trail runner for Adidas Terrex based in Mammoth Lakes, CA. She returns to the Singletrack Podcast to discuss sponsorship changes, her history and insights from navigating the athlete brand relationship over the course of her career, and her racing schedule for 2023. Discounts: Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website ( https://www.runinrabbit.com/d...

Allie Ostrander is a professional runner for Nnormal based in Seattle, WA. Allie has notched many accomplishments on the track winning 3 national collegiate titles in the steeplechase, running professionally for the Brooks Beasts, and winning the 3K event at the 2020 Millrose Games among accolades while also demonstrating impressive versatility winning the famous Mount Marathon race in 2017. Allie...

Jason Koop is the Head Coach of Carmichael Training Systems Ultrarunning. In this conversation, we talk about whether and how the increasing professionalization of ultrarunning is changing the ways athletes train and race and generally commit their livelihood to the craft, the potential for professional co-located trail running teams, doping and the policies that should be put into place as soon a...

Michael Brandt is the CEO and Co-Founder of HVMN, a nutrition company that makes exogenous ketone products for endurance athletes. We talk about what exogenous ketones are, how they benefit endurance athletes, how they can be incorporated into daily nutrition schedules, and what the future looks like for their usage in the trail and ultrarunning scene. Timestamps: (2:13) - Running a 50K at Burning...

I am joined by Brett Hornig to talk about some of our takeaways from Black Canyon, prize money and professional support in ultrarunning, emerging storylines for Western States, the future of live-streaming, the future of pacers and crew at race, and which sports outside of trail running produce the best athletes for our world. Discounts: Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website...

In this episode, I am joined by Brett Hornig and Leah Yingling to preview the 2023 Black Canyon 100K. We analyze the course, talk about what it's going to take to be successful, note some of the interesting storylines around the event, make our predictions for the female and male top-5 finishers this year, and respond to listener comments, questions, and hot takes around the event. Timestamps...

Anthony Costales is a trail runner based in Salt Lake City, UT preparing for the 2023 Black Canyon 100K. Guest Links: Follow Anthony on Instagram Follow Anthony on Strava Discounts: Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website ( https://www.runinrabbit.com/discount/SINGLETRACK20 ) to get 20% off your next order HVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website ( https://hv...

Cole Watson is a professional trail runner based in Folsom, CA preparing for the 2023 Black Canyon 100K. Guest Links: Follow Cole on Instagram Follow Cole on Strava Discounts: Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website ( https://www.runinrabbit.com/discount/SINGLETRACK20 ) to get 20% off your next order HVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website ( https://hvmn.com...

Sarah Biehl is a trail runner based in Columbus, Ohio preparing for the 2023 Black Canyon 100K. Guest Links: Follow Sarah on Instagram Follow Sarah on Strava Discounts: Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website ( https://www.runinrabbit.com/discount/SINGLETRACK20 ) to get 20% off your next order HVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website ( https://hvmn.com/SINGLE...

Keely Henninger is a professional trail runner for Altra based in Portland, OR preparing for the 2023 Black Canyon 100K. Guest Links: Follow Keely on Instagram Follow Keely on Strava Freetrail Experts Trail Society Podcast Discounts: Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website ( https://www.runinrabbit.com/discount/SINGLETRACK20 ) to get 20% off your next order HVMN - use code Sin...