The Trail Network Podcast

Tommie Runz joins Hilary Yang just days after finishing his first Western States Endurance Run to reflect on one of the biggest experiences of his running career. They talk about the path that brought him from road marathons to trail ultras, how his journey through sobriety continues to shape the way he approaches racing, and what it was like to adapt when race day didn't go according to plan....

Western States delivered one of the most memorable weekends in the race's history, and Katie Asmuth and Leah Yingling are still processing everything they witnessed. From Jenn Lichter's remarkable course record in her 100-mile debut to the incredible depth of both the women's and men's fields, they reflect on the performances that stood out, the lessons learned from pacing and crew...

Western States weekend is finally here. Hilary Yang, Katie Asmuth, and Leah Yingling catch up from Olympic Valley after one of the busiest weeks of the year, sharing everything from Broken Arrow and TrailCon to Here for the Women's Race events and the excitement building ahead of race day. They also break down the storylines they're most excited to follow at this year's Western States,...

Western States season has arrived. This week, Hilary Yang and Leah Yingling sit down for a candid catch-up ahead of one of the biggest stretches on the trail running calendar. They talk about Hilary's pregnancy journey, Leah's life balancing training and motherhood, and the realities of staying connected to the sport through changing seasons of life. The conversation also dives into Broken...

Ellaney Matarese thought she was taking a gap year before medical school. Instead, she found herself falling in love with trail running and earning a Golden Ticket to the 2026 Western States 100 less than a year after running her first ultra. In this conversation, Ellaney shares her journey from Harvard track athlete and neuroscience graduate to one of the sport's most intriguing new talents....

Precision Fuel & Hydration sports scientist Emily Arrell joins Rachel Drake for a deep dive into the world of endurance fueling. Emily shares what it was like to crew Rachel Entwistle during her record-breaking run at Cocodona 250, the nutrition strategies that helped make it possible, and why preparation starts long before race day. They also unpack Rachel’s recent race at Madeira, discuss sw...

Episode 108 brings all four hosts back together for a rare catch-up episode, and the conversation covers everything from ambitious running goals to the realities of trying to fit training into already full lives. Hilary shares the experience of premiering Raise the Bar , her feature-length film celebrating the women of Western States and the athletes who continue to push the sport forward. Rachel...

After a few chaotic weeks away from the mic, Katie is back and catching up with Leah on everything that’s unfolded lately, from her son's type 1 diabetes diagnosis to the emotional whiplash of balancing family crisis with training, racing, and everyday life. It’s an honest conversation about what happens when running suddenly takes a backseat, and how both of them are navigating UTMB build-up...

After a couple missed recording attempts and a very full few weeks, Leah and Hilary finally sit down to catch up. Hilary shares her pregnancy news and what the last few months have looked like balancing training, work, commentary, and just trying to survive the first trimester. The conversation also dives into Cocodona, Rachel Entrekin’s massive performance, the growing momentum behind women’s ult...

After a chaotic lead-up that included travel stress, illness, childcare logistics, and a race that almost didn’t happen, Rachel and Tyler Green made it to Madeira… and ended up delivering two standout performances on one of the most technical courses in the sport. In this episode, Hilary sits down with both Rachel and Tyler to unpack what it actually looked like behind the scenes. This isn’t just...

This week’s catch-up episode leans into where the sport is right now and how quickly everything seems to be evolving. With Rachel off racing in Madeira, Katie, Leah, and Hilary sit down to unpack a stretch of racing that felt bigger than usual. From the ACG takeover at Gorge to the growing presence of brands, media, and storytelling in trail, there’s a clear shift happening in how races are experi...

Robyn Lesh is one of the most interesting athletes in trail running right now because of how quickly she’s figuring things out and the results that are coming with it. A former competitive sailor and MIT-trained engineer, Robyn came into trail running without a traditional background in the sport. In just a few years, she’s gone from learning how to pace her first ultras to racing at the front of...

There isn’t one way into trail running, and Shea Aquilano is a perfect example of that. In this episode, Hilary sits down with Shea to talk through her path from Midwest soccer player to professional trail runner based in Boulder. Without the traditional track or cross country background, she built her way into the sport through curiosity, patience, and a willingness to figure things out in real t...

Plans shift quickly this time of year, and this episode reflects that in real time.
 Katie and Leah catch up on how their race schedules have evolved over the past few weeks, including a pivot away from Madeira and a move toward more local racing. What started as a clear plan has turned into something more flexible, shaped by travel, timing, and everything else happening alongside training.
 With...

Episode 100. Two years of conversations, 50+ guests, and a whole lot of growth. In this milestone episode, Katie Asmuth, Leah Yingling, and Hilary Yang take a step back to reflect on the journey of the podcast, the evolution of the sport, and where things are heading next. They dive into the biggest moments in trail running right now, including the electric women’s race at Chianti, the continued d...

Jon Albon and Henriette Albon join the Trail Network Podcast after their double victory at Transgrancanaria to talk about life and racing as one of trail running’s most accomplished couples. Jon is a former obstacle course racing world champion turned top trail ultrarunner, and Henriette is one of the sport’s toughest and most thoughtful competitors, known for her smart pacing and resilience in lo...

Leah Yingling sits down with Western States champion Caleb Olson for a conversation centered around nutrition, fueling, and the realities of balancing elite trail running with everyday life. Caleb, a Salt Lake City–based ultrarunner and Precision Fuel & Hydration athlete, shares how he approaches fueling both in training and on race day, including the strategies that helped support his Western...

Katie Asmuth hosts a head to head Black Canyon 100K recap with Jenn Lichter and Anne Flower. Jenn is a Missoula, Montana-based trail runner stepping into her 100K debut after establishing herself as a fearless, high-intensity racer at shorter distances, now racing with Nike ACG. Anne is a Colorado Springs-based ultrarunner known for her strength and composure in longer events, newly racing with HO...

Hilary Yang sits down with Katie Asmuth for a Tarawera recap from New Zealand, where Katie lined up chasing a Western States Golden Ticket on her 40th birthday. They talk travel logistics, a race day that turned into a wet, muddy survival mission, and how the technical terrain changed pacing, fueling, and decision-making. Katie also shares what she learned, how she’s processing the outcome, and wh...

Leah Yingling and Hilary Yang are fresh off a whirlwind weekend at Black Canyon, where they were on the mic for the Mountain Outpost livestream and got a front row seat to the start of the North American Golden Ticket chase. They zoom out on what made this weekend feel like a turning point, from the depth of the women’s field and how close the front end is getting across genders, to how much racin...

This week, Cristina Regalado joins the Trail Network Podcast. Cristina is a recent recipient of a Gu-supported entry into WSER and a fixture in the Salt Lake City trail scene, tirelessly working for increased inclusion on the trails with Women of the Wasatch and Wasatch Trails Collective. On this episode, Cristina shares what lining up at the Western States Endurance Run this summer means to her,...

Katie and Hilary catch up at the start of February as the year suddenly feels like it’s moving fast. The conversation touches on creative momentum, making space for meaningful work, and the mix of excitement and nerves that comes with big plans falling into place. They reflect on racing as both a personal challenge and a mirror for life, especially in seasons where energy, priorities, and perspect...

Tabor Hemming is a professional trail runner for adidas TERREX and Precision Fuel & Hydration who lives and trains in a remote mountain town in Colorado on her family’s multi-generation cattle ranch. Raised on the ranch and rooted in endurance sport from a young age, Tabor brings a rare mix of grit, curiosity, and independence to her career. She and her husband, fellow professional runner Eli...

This week is a trio catch-up with Hilary Yang, Leah Yingling, and Rachel Drake on what life looks like right now in a season that feels maxed out. Rachel shares the reality of balancing anesthesia training, motherhood, and breastfeeding on the job, plus how being a mom has shaped the way she shows up for patients and families. They also dig into training when time and energy are limited, including...

Emily Cameron joins the show to talk about building a career as a photographer and filmmaker in trail and endurance sports, from her roots in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to life in Athens, Georgia. Emily shares her background as a 2016 Olympic Trials qualifier in swimming and how that shaped her relationship with time, training, and burnout, plus the pivot into triathlon and eventually storytelling. T...