Singletrack

In one of the most action-packed weekends of ultrarunning in recent memory, we followed Tarawera, Black Canyon, and the Barkley Marathons as they unfolded simultaneously. Jeff Colt joins the show to break it all down. We also cover the PTRA’s advisory vote on pacing at championship-level races, crowdfunded prize purses, Outside Interactive’s profitability, the 603 Endurance sale to Marathon Sports...

Finn Melanson, Brett Hornig, and Leah Yingling provide in-depth analysis, commentary, and predictions for the competition at this year’s Black Canyon 100K. Timestamps: 02:12 Black Canyon 100K Storylines 05:35 Training Strategies and Race Day Tactics 10:13 Course Characteristics, Projected Weather Conditions  19:06 Race Execution and Aid Station Strategies 35:33 Women's Field Analysis 58:40  M...

This is the February 9th, 2026 edition of Singletrack News. Timestamps: 01:28 Golden Trail World Series Schedule Announcement 05:44 Sky Running Series Announcement 09:17 Tarawera 102K 12:54 New UTMB Race at Snowbasin 17:25 David Goggins signs up for Cocodona 19:31 Debate on Pacer-Free Golden Tickets 22:41 Diadorra's Sub Four Mile Challenge Announcement 25:33 Prize Money News 27:56 Open Athlet...

In this conversation, Sabrina Stanley reflects on returning to competition after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the peak of her ultrarunning career. She recounts the medical uncertainty that followed her initial diagnosis, the surgeries, chemotherapy, and ongoing immunotherapy that reshaped more than a year of her life. Stanley discusses racing again while still in recovery, including her...

In this episode, Olympic medalist Molly Seidel reflects on the aftermath of success at the highest level of the sport. She discusses the pressures of elite marathoning, why that model became unsustainable, and the personal decisions that led her away from the roads. The conversation touches on injury, identity, sponsorship, social media, and the early stages of her transition into trail running. T...

In the first-ever edition of Singletrack News, Finn Melanson and co-host Alyssa Clark break down the biggest stories in trail running from the past week. We start with Sabrina Stanley’s return to racing after a year away from the sport, react to Molly Seidel’s decisive leap into trail running, and discuss what it means to see Courtney Dauwalter carrying the Olympic torch as trail running’s profile...

In this episode of the Singletrack Podcast, I sit down with Andy Blow, CEO and founder of Precision Fuel & Hydration, for a wide-ranging conversation about what athletes at all levels still get wrong about fueling and hydration in ultrarunning.  A note up front: Precision Fuel & Hydration is a major partner of the Singletrack Podcast — a partnership we’re proud of and want to fully disclos...

In this edition of Long Run Archives, we talk about: Arlen Glick’s departure from Craft Sportswear, whether mental toughness is often overstated, and that physical fitness is what truly wins races, the idea of "super-domestiques" in ultra, Ben Dhiman vs the Boulder Boys, and media narratives around 200-mile "specialists". Chapters: 00:00 — Arlen Glick’s Departure from Craft 06:...

Brett Hornig and Mike McMonagle join the show to reflect on the 2025 Ultrarunner of the Year and Trail Runner of the Year rankings, plus some way-too-early hype for our showdown at this year's Bear 100. Partners: Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/) Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for...

In this annual State of Singletrack episode, Finn Melanson sits down with longtime collaborator Scott Hickenlooper to reflect on where Singletrack has been, what defined 2025 from multiple angles, and how the business, media projects, and personal priorities are evolving heading into 2026. The conversation covers why the State of Singletrack format exists, how Finn thinks about transparency and bu...

Rachel Entrekin joins the show to discuss how 200 mile racing strategy has changed, what it now takes to compete at the front of the sport, and her transition to being a full time professional in the sport. Timestamps: 01:15 Burrito League, community running, and doing silly things for fun 06:30 Transitioning to life as a full-time professional runner 12:00 Recovery, sleep, and why high mileage fe...

Finn Melanson, Brett Hornig, and Alyssa Clark comment on some of the most pressing issues in trail running today - including whether Hardrock is “cooked,” the debate around separate starts at races like UTMB, and what the future holds for the World Trail Majors. Partners: Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/) Precision Fue...

In this episode of the Singletrack Podcast, I chat with sport scientist and physiologist Geoff Burns to unpack one of the biggest open questions in trail running right now: why shoe technology hasn’t produced a single, decisive “Vaporfly moment” on the trails - and whether it ever will. Geoff explains why trail running is fundamentally different from road running when it comes to performance gains...

What actually changed with David Roche’s YouTube content and why did it work when so many running vlogs and films don’t? In this episode of the Singletrack Podcast, I’m joined by running filmmaker and YouTube creator Jeff Pelletier for a deep, behind-the-scenes conversation about how trail running content is evolving and what Roche’s Western States series revealed about the platform. We break down...

Our annual Ultrarunning Year in Review is here! I'm joined by Brett Hornig and Leah Yingling to break down everything that defined the sport this year: the performances that reshaped the hierarchy, the storylines that sparked debate, and the trends that may permanently change how ultrarunning operates heading into 2026. Topics include: The biggest ultrarunning storylines of 2025 Breakout perf...

Big news from Singletrack and Massif Running — we are the new owners and race directors of the Antelope Island Buffalo Run. Sign up here . One of Utah’s most iconic trail races, the Buffalo Run has been a cornerstone of the Wasatch trail running community for nearly 20 years. Founded by longtime race director Jim Skaggs, the event has always been about more than racing — it’s been a spring running...

Scott Frey of Cerebral Performance joins the show for a deep dive into the next frontier of athletic performance. Scott believes the biggest breakthroughs of the coming decade won’t come from physiology alone, but from the brain and psychological sciences - and that belief anchors this conversation. Partners: Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made...

Nick Thompson joins the show to talk about use cases for AI in ultra-trail running, the concept of technology doping, urban design for run commuting, his new book The Running Ground, and some of his fairly low-key favorite races in the sport -including the Escarpment, the Twisted Branch 100K, and more. Chapters: 02:00 The Intersection of AI and Ultra Running 05:10 Exploring the Role of Technology...

Brett Hornig and Jeff Colt return to the show to discuss the advent of the "Vertical" Backyard Ultra and recap the results at Ultra Trail Cape Town and the JFK 50, which took place this past weekend. Partners: Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made ( https://nordarun.com/ ) Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first or...

First up, Tim Tollefson returns to the show. In some ways, trail running is still having its “What Are We Even Doing?” moment. Through that lens, we take a look at the UTMB era, the rise of pro circuits, what the pros care about, and what happens when a grassroots sport takes bigger steps towards big-time structure. After that, I'm joined by Alyssa Clark for a roundup of trail running busines...

Jim Walmsley returns to the Singletrack Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation. We walk down memory lane, reflect on the World Championships, dig into his insights from Western States and UTMB, riff on his idea for a “Black Shorts Series,” and explore his training theories for success in the constantly evolving world of ultra-trail running. Partners: Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, faste...

Will Murray joins the Singletrack Podcast fresh off his dominant, course-record victory at the 2025 Javelina Jundred. Partners: Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made ( https://nordarun.com/ ) Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order ( https://livemomentous.com/ )  deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on t...

David Roche returns to the Singletrack Podcast fresh off his 12:18, second-place performance at the Javelina Jundred. In addition to the race report, David dives into how high-carb fueling, recovery science, and fearless pacing are rewriting what’s possible in trail and ultrarunning, why overtraining and under-fueling are essentially the same thing, how athletes like Will Murray, Canyon Woodward,...

After setting a course record at 2025 Javelina Jundred, Tara Dower joins the Singletrack Podcast to talk about the strategy behind perhaps her biggest win yet — and how she’s using it to fuel a Western States comeback in 2026. Partners: Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made ( https://nordarun.com/ ) Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkou...

Finn Melanson and Brett Hornig share their observations from all the racing action at yesterday’s Javelina Jundred. They discuss Tara Dower’s massive course-record performance, how all three men’s podium finishers — Will Murray, David Roche, and Canyon Woodward — shattered the previous marks, and what it all means for the Western States 100 Golden Ticket Series. They also analyze this year’s lives...