Women of Distance

Dani Moreno is a world class trail runner and ambassador of the sport, just recently off of a significant victory at the Broken Arrow 46k... significant for many reasons, including that it was her first race back after a series of freak-accident injuries that have plagued her past two years. Those injuries, and the experiences and growth that came with them, had a profound impact on her perspectiv...

Sarah Carter is a woman who has crafted a sense of self belief that has carried her forward when it would have been easy to turn around - and just two weeks ago, it carried her to a career highlight second place at the Broken Arrow 46k (running 24 minutes faster than last year's race). Her path has never been easy, and this episode is a deep dive into Sarah's history through sport, lessons...

Welcome to the Women of Distance Preview Series for the Western States 100, featuring 12 athletes from the WSER women's elite field! These women have a variety of experience across a broad time frame, from the defending champion, to a long list of previous top tens, to first 100 miler ever - and in this episode you'll hear about all of it! In order of appearance, you'll hear from: -Abb...

Sydney Petersen was the top American female in her first time racing the Zegama Aizkorri 42k last week! While she considers herself a newcomer to the trails, she's found a transformative sense of belonging in the sport and the community. Sydney is patient and purposeful; always seeking ways to learn, grow, and challenge herself. In this episode we discuss where that comes from, her ideas for l...

Lindsey Dwyer just finished her second 250-mile race at the Cocodona 250 where she was 5th female - finishing seven hours faster than her first race the year before! The women's field at this year's race was impressive, as were the stories being written along the way. Lindsey is no stranger to contending for the overall podium, and in this episode we dive into her history in the sport (mos...

Sarah Humble is fresh off a Golden Ticket earning performance at the Canyons 100k, and is already preparing for her debut at the Western States Endurance Run! In this episode, we get to know her story through sport - where she learned early to love the process in lieu of the results. Her more recent entry into ultrarunning has been driven by curiosity, problem solving, and learning through the com...

Lindsay Allison, Jane Maus, and Helen Mino Faukner just returned from the Maderia Island Ultra Trail where they each claimed a podium finish in their respective races - 110k, 80k, and 56k! This isn't the first time they've traveled together, competed, trained, and supported each other - and it's easy to see a close friendship forming over the past year+; while at the same time, they&#3...

There was a lot of excitement when Makena Morley made her trail running debut late last year, and that excitement is only building as she came back for the Spring season and won/broke the course record in her second ultra last weekend: The Canyons Endurance Runs 50k! An accomplished road runner from Montana, she counts many of the best American trail runners as her close friends - and their influe...

Sarah Morrison is our 2026 100k road National Champion, running 7:17 at the Mad City Ultras to notch one of the fastest times by an American woman, ever, in her first 100k! In this episode, we get to know Sarah's story through running - from an impactful beginning in high school, to collegiate competition at Villanova, to taking a full break from the sport post-collegiately, and ultimately dis...

At the intersection of talent, hard work, patience, and gratitude, you'll find Bailey Kowalczyk - and she's just getting started, again. With a strong background in track, as well as road running, Bailey discovered both a talent and a love for trail running in 2020, quickly making a name for herself as one of the best. But, in the midst of that rise, 2025 brought her a series of injuries a...

Tayler Peavey ran her first trail race just a year and a half ago, and has since been consistently developing her strength and skills to compete as one of the best short trail athletes in the U.S. - just recently off a win at the Big Alta 28k and second at Gorge Waterfalls 30k. Coming from a background in track and road before trying her hand on the trails, it's not been a smooth or perfect pr...

In this special episode we're connecting with Emkay Sullivan, Grayson Murphy, Mary Daniels, and Rachel Tomajczyk for a conversation on pregnancy and motherhood in sport. I want to thank these women for sharing their personal experiences, observations, and learnings so openly. Listeners will appreciate that while these women compete within the same sport, their paths have been unique and varied...

"Someone I loved once gave me a box of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift." -Mary Oliver Trail running IS the path that led Sylvie Abel to a place of confidence, gratitude, and freedom. A path she had to carve out of darkness. Sylvie is fresh off of an exciting race at the Big Alta 100k, where she finished third in a very tight race across the podium - cit...

Lindsay Allison has been consistently rising with the tide of elite women in trail and ultrarunning. From falling in love with the style of trail running and it's community at a critical time in her life - to elite and world class racing as a professional runner for Altra; the sport has been an avenue for exercising freedom, self discovery, and healing. Behind the scenes of an externally succe...

Ellaney Matarese just finished seventh at the 2026 Black Canyon 100k, competing with an experienced and world class field in her first 100k race ever... with only about six months of trail experience behind her! At 22 years old, Ellaney has a fascinating story. She is full of confidence, curiosity, and depth - and only just getting started! You can find and follow Ellaney at   ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠inst...

Holly Ranson is fresh off of a golden-ticket-earning performance at the Tarawera 102k, where she finished fourth in a highly competitive women's race! She is also the Australian women's record holder in the 24-Hour event, silver medalist at the IAU 24 Hour World Champs last summer, and Australian women's backyard-ultra record holder! In this episode, we get to know who Holly is behind...

Heather Jackson is a legend in endurance sport, who needs no introduction by way of accomplishments. What makes her most interesting and inspiring, however, is who she is amidst and between the accomplishments. This is a longer conversation as we unpack that depth, and who she's still becoming as a masters athlete in her third phase of elite competitive sport. In the first half of this episode, La...

Welcome to The Black Canyon 100k Women's Elite Field Preview - presented by SOAR Running! On Women of Distance, our race previews are different: You'll hear from a deep field of athletes including those you may already recognize, those you may not - but should, and even familiar faces who are new to this race or distance. You won't hear outside opinions, analysis, or predictions - but...

Welcome to The Black Canyon 100k Women's Elite Field Preview - presented by SOAR Running! On Women of Distance, our race previews are different: You'll hear from a deep field of athletes including those you may already recognize, those you may not - but should, and even familiar faces who are new to this race or distance. You won't hear outside opinions, analysis, or predictions - but...

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." -Arthur Ashe Tina Muir has worn many hats in her life: professional athlete, podcaster, author, advocate, activist, mother... she is a woman who leads by example; making a deep impact on the world and community around her by simply taking the initiative to say something, and start something. In this episode, Lauren and Tina discu...

Shelby Houlihan began her 2026 season by running, and winning, two sub-ultra trail races on the past two consecutive weekends - generating a lot of interest, excitement, and questions about her entry into a new aspect of the sport. At Women of Distance we're not just here for the hot results and latest news... we're here for the depth. This is Shelby's story - her full story - in her o...

Anna Gibson drops by this week to teach us all about Skimo ahead of it's debut in the 2026 Winter Olympics next month! In this episode, Lauren and Anna discuss her entry into the sport and rapid learning curve in the lead up to qualifying for and competing in the Olympics, as well as how her trail experience and fitness translates. She explains the Olympic format specifically; the course, the...

Jess Brazeau had a heck of a year in 2025 - consistently stepping into deep international competition in trail and mountain running, at a variety of different distances, and consistently proving to herself that she belongs there. But Jess isn't defined by her running alone - she's also a community builder, a conscious and connected consumer, a public lands advocate, and someone who cares d...

"Change comes first from saying something, then following that with action." This is a special episode featuring the women of Team USA for the 2025 50k road world championship. This is not a "preview" episode, but rather a panel discussion about the state of road-based ultrarunning under the current IAU system. The 2025 championship was scheduled to be held on December 7th in N...

Jade Belzberg never viewed herself as an athlete, let alone a professional - making a career out of sport. In fact even now, she describes herself as a writer, before a runner. Yet over the past year, she's raced everything from the VK to the 100k, with snowballing success - most recently, ending the year with a win at the JFK 50 Mile (the first Canadian woman to do so) and the fourth fastest...