The Steep Stuff Podcast

Send us Fan Mail From the rugged trails of rural New Mexico to NCAA Division I running and now the competitive mountain racing scene, Emily Clarke's journey represents a thoughtful evolution in running specialties that many athletes aspire to navigate. Fresh off her selection to the 2025 Trail Team Elite roster and a second-place finish at Way Too Cool 50K, Emily joins us to share the insight...

Send us Fan Mail Step onto the trails with Oakley Olson, the collegiate steeplechase specialist turned mountain running phenom who's rapidly ascending to the top of the trail running world. Fresh from her selection to the 2025 Trail Team Elite, Oakley shares the remarkable journey that took her from soccer fields to mountain summits. Oakley reveals how a two-mile time trial during soccer prac...

Send us Fan Mail The 2024 Golden Trail Series kicks off in Japan with the technically challenging Kobe Trail race, and we've got the complete preview to get you ready for all the action. This 21K mountain course packs a serious punch with nearly 7,000 feet of climbing across four increasingly difficult loops, culminating in a brutal final climb that will separate the contenders from the prete...

Send us Fan Mail Hawk Call might be the son of OCR legend Hobie Call, but he's rapidly making a name for himself as one of America's most promising mountain runners. After finding success on the track at Utah Valley University with a 14:42 5K PR, Hawk initially followed his father's footsteps into obstacle course racing. However, the explosive growth of trail running soon captured h...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Alison Rudy, a rising star in the mountain running community who's challenging conventional paths to success in the sport. From her home base in Leadville, Colorado—elevation 10,000 feet—Alison is crafting a remarkable career focused on sub-ultra distances and uphill dominance. Our conversation weaves through Ali's fascinating background as a "third culture kid...

Send us Fan Mail In this enlightening conversation with ultrarunner Jazmine Lowther, we explore the dynamic intersection of elite performance, career transitions, and authentic living in the mountain sports world. Jazmine takes us inside her recent move from The North Face to Arc'teryx, revealing the emotional complexity of brand identity for professional athletes and the forward-thinking ath...

Send us Fan Mail Few athletes embody the perfect balance between professional intensity and joyful participation quite like Garrett "The Parrot" Corcoran. A mechanical engineer with degrees from UC Berkeley who now develops sustainable jet fuel, Corcoran brings the same methodical approach to trail running that he applies to his technical work - but with a crucial difference: he never fo...

Send us Fan Mail Sydney Petersen's meteoric rise in the trail running world is a testament to what happens when natural talent meets mountain passion. From walking on to Colorado State University's team to signing a professional contract with Brooks Trail Runners in just one competitive season, her journey exemplifies the beautiful transition many athletes experience when moving from tra...

Send us Fan Mail Meet the architect behind American trail running's most influential collegiate program. Josh Eberly, head coach of Western Colorado University's trail running team, has created something truly unique in the running world: the only dedicated collegiate trail running program in the United States. What began as a small experiment has evolved into a powerhouse that's re...

Send us Fan Mail In a special one-year anniversary celebration of the Steep Stuff Podcast, host James Lauriello sits down with mountain running sensation Bailey Kowalczyk for a revealing conversation about her remarkable journey from track athlete to three-time RUT 28K champion. Bailey takes us through her formative years in upstate New York, where weekend family hikes in the Adirondacks unknowing...

Send us Fan Mail Joan DeLeon's path to becoming one of trail running's most exciting talents defies conventional narratives. From the concrete streets of Waco, Texas, to stunning the mountain running world by beating Joe Gray at A-Basin, his journey combines raw talent with refreshing authenticity. Growing up without mountains or trails, DeLeon's running foundation came through summ...

Send us Fan Mail From track star to mountain master, Dan Curts path to the pinnacle of sub-ultra trail running defies conventional wisdom. While many elite athletes flock to western training hubs like Boulder or Flagstaff, Kurtz has embraced the harsh New England winters and technical terrain of his Northeast home. "Four below this morning," he mentions casually, "but that teaches y...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to transform from a competitive tennis player into one of trail running's most exciting uphill specialists? Remy Leroux shares his remarkable journey with refreshing candor and scientific precision in this wide-ranging conversation about the evolution of mountain running. Fresh off his impressive third-place finish at the Big Alta 50K against elite competiti...

Send us Fan Mail Big Alta 50K & 28K Race Companion with Co-Host, Nick Tusa Use code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.us Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod Follow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa

Send us Fan Mail When Gwen Rudy tore her ACL last February, followed by ankle surgery in June, few would have predicted she'd be competing for an Olympic spot just months later. Yet here she is, relocating to Europe for six weeks to help Team USA secure their continental qualification for ski mountaineering's Olympic debut in 2026. From her home in Leadville, Colorado at 10,000 feet elev...

Send us Fan Mail Mountains aren't just for conquering—they're for conversations and connections. In this deeply personal episode, trail running legend Rickey Gates opens up about his journey from competitive racer to what he calls a "conceptual runner," someone who approaches running as a form of artistic expression rather than pure athletic pursuit. Rickey takes us back to his...

Send us Fan Mail Trail running defies easy categorization, and Jane Maus embodies this truth perfectly. From soccer fields to technical mountain ridges, Jane's athletic journey has been anything but conventional. In this revealing conversation, she takes us behind the scenes of her recent Black Canyon 100K experience, where stomach issues forced her to drop at mile 46 despite running alongsid...

Send us Fan Mail Announcing our Guest of Honor & Live Podcast Guest for our 1 Year Birthday Bash at Colorado Running Company  Use code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.us Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod Follow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa

Send us Fan Mail Christopher Fisher's journey from Texas football fields to the highest Himalayan peaks represents one of the most remarkable transitions in mountain sports. In this candid, wide-ranging conversation, Chris reveals how his greatest "failure" – dropping out of Navy SEAL training – became the catalyst that ultimately propelled him toward extraordinary achievement. With...

Send us Fan Mail The discussion heats up as we explore the dynamic landscape of trail running free agency in 2025! With the sport evolving rapidly, we delve into exciting athlete moves, brand strategies, and the implications of these changes for the athletic community. Guest Nick Tusa joins us to share his insights on the marketplace for talent, emphasizing the significance of strategic signings a...

Send us Fan Mail Step into the world of trail running with Alex King, an innovative sub-ultra athlete who is reshaping the landscape of running apparel. In a recent episode of the Steep Stuff Podcast, Alex opens up about his journey—from grappling with the intricacies of running injuries to launching his trail running brand, Terignōta. Discover how Alex translated his personal struggle with expens...

Send us Fan Mail The Steep Stuff Podcast is Turning One ! Come celebrate with us - this Saturday, March 29th at 8am at the Colorado Running Company in Colorado Springs  We will be having a : - Group Run (2 distances)  - Refreshments, Provided by Ultimate Direction   - Gear Demo and Giveaway from Ultimate Direction (Get a first look at the new Race & Ultra Vests dropping this month !) - Naak Bo...

Send us Fan Mail Running isn't just a sport; it's a canvas for creativity and individuality. Join us for an invigorating conversation with Kyle Richardson, an athlete renowned for his FKTs yet equally passionate about the art of running. In this episode, Kyle dives deep into his unique journey from Texas to Boulder, where his early love for running, music, and the outdoors shaped his mul...

Send us Fan Mail Join us in this inspiring episode of the Steep Stuff Podcast, where we uncover the transformative vision of Tava Lodge, set to elevate Colorado Springs as the next hotspot for trail runners. Morgan Weinberg and Melissa Stapanowich, two of the pioneering co-founders, share their passionate pursuit to create a community hub that welcomes runners of all abilities. They envision Tava...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for an inspiring conversation with Flannery Davis Love, an athlete who reveals her fascinating journey from soccer to becoming a two-time FKT holder on Longs Peak and an Olympic trials contender. Flannery discusses the unique mindsets athletes need in pursuit of their goals and how important it has been for her to navigate the shifting identities that come with competing a...