Singletrack

Finn Melanson

Singletrack is a podcast covering the professional trail and ultrarunning scene.

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493 episodes
Updated July 21

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Episodes493

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May 7, 2022 · 1 hr 18 min
Cocodona 250, Mammoth Trail Fest, Super Shoe Influences, Strava Finds (Long Run Archives #4)
Timestamps: (0:29) - Running stores (2:39) - Cocodona 250 (15:29) - Mammoth Trail Fest (22:20) - Super shoe influence on running sponsorships (34:53) - Peter Bromka tweet (44:32) - Kilian Jornet's thoughts on competitive trail landscape (52:38) - Sound Running for the ultra and trail scenes (62:28) - Early Western States chatter (67:20) - Strava finds of the week Links: Trails And Tarmac Cocodona 250 Mammoth Trail Fest Peter Bromka Tweet How Super Shoes Are Upending Running's Sponsorship Model Who Is Who In Trail Running Sound Running Tracklandia Valley Uprising Jack Kuenzle Aleksandr Sorokin Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #62 - Long Run Archives #3 | Betting In Ultrarunning, Next Great Trail Running Towns, Golden Ticket Series Ideas #53 - Long Run Archives #2 | Ultrarunning Analytics, Elite DNF Debate, 3:47 Downhill Mile, Magda What If #43 - Long Run Archives #1 | Jim Walmsley What Ifs, Black Canyon 100K Preview, Full-Time Ultrarunning #40 - Lee Sackett | Brooks Running, Running Industry Careers, Running Culture Talk #12 - Jack Kuenzle | FKT Scene, Sponsored Trail Runners, Brand Relationships Support the show
May 1, 2022 · 1 hr 1 min
Jared Hazen | Canyons 100K Analysis, Western States Vision, Coaching and Sponsor Changes
Jared Hazen is a professional mountain ultra trail runner for Salmon based in Flagstaff, AZ. Jared joins the podcast to talk about his 3rd place finish at the 2022 Canyons 100K, his golden ticket to the Western States 100 this June, as well as much more. We also talk about his entry in the sport at a relatively young age, his sponsorship change earlier this year, what it’s like being a full-time ultra runner, what his long-term goals are in the sport, and what it’s been like being a part of the Coconino Cowboys. Timestamps: (0:38) - early thoughts on the 2022 Western States 100 (1:45) - ultimate goals at Western States (3:30) - his mindset at 19 deciding to go all-in on ultrarunning (5:47) - early influences in the sport (7:35) - persistence making running the main thing (9:30) - whether he still subscribes to his early running philosophies (11:20) - whether he would ever consider doing a road marathon (12:52) - the story behind how he met Jim Walmsley (14:45) - Coconino Cowboys reflections (18:39) - reflecting on a couple years of racing struggles (24:38) - working with Jason Koop now (27:57) - whether he enjoys being coached (29:14) - what prompted the sponsors change from Hoka to Salomon (33:32) - what it’s like ultrarunning full-time (39:18) - how he chooses races, thoughts on specialization (42:41) - confidence for the Canyons 100K (44:49) - Canyons 100K analysis (50:04) - reflecting on running 14:26 at the 2019 Western States 100 (52:09) - Is 13:59 possible at Western States? (53:24) - lessons for Western States (56:15) - miscellaneous questions Links: Follow Jared on Instagram Follow Jared on Strava Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: TBD Support the show
Apr 30, 2022 · 51 min
Jazmine Lowther | 2022 Canyons 100K Course Record, Western States Golden Ticket, UTMB Aspirations
Jazmine Lowther is a mountain ultra trail runner based in Nelson, BC. She recently set a course record at the 2022 Canyons 100K and punched her ticket to the Western States 100 this June. In addition to race analysis and expectations for her summer slate of racing (which also includes UTMB-CCC), we get to know her background as a mountain sports athlete, what it's like to live and train in Nelson, what her long-term goals in ultrarunning are, how she thinks about racing, philosophical musings, climate change activism and much more. Timestamps: (1:24) - living and training in Nelson, BC (2:49) - training partners in Nelson (4:53) - where to ski, run, climb in Nelson (8:26) - explaining the Valhalla Traverse (10:02) - her background in mountain sports (16:02) - mountain sports influences (20:44) - going all in one one sport versus practicing multi-sport (23:52) - the ultimate goals, the end game with ultrarunning (25:00) - not feeling 100% heading into Canyons 100K (28:15) - racing style at Canyons 100K (30:43) - whether she is a leader or a follower (33:48) - challenges of racing Western States and CCC this summer (34:26) - initial thoughts on Western States (36:01) - confidence in her abilities (37:43) - whether he Canyons performance changes her goals (41:21) - professional career in biology (45:47) miscellaneous questions Links: Follow Jazmine on Instagram Follow Jazmine on Strava Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #46 - Golden Ticket Talks | Taylor Nowlin, Black Canyon 100K 4th Place Female #32 - Golden Ticket Talks | Marianne Hogan, Bandera 100K 1st Place Female #21 - Dave Stevens | Run Rabbit Run, Winter Training, Canadian Trail Running Scene Support the show
Apr 29, 2022 · 52 min
Golden Ticket Talks | Leah Yingling, Canyons 100K 2nd Place Female
Leah Yingling is a professional trail runner for Salomon based in Salt Lake City, UT. In addition to preparation for the Canyons 100K, her race analysis, and expectations for Western States in June, we also talk about her multi-year odyssey for a golden ticket, how she is able to perform so consistently in such an unpredictable sport, what its like having a life partner that is just as passionate about ultrarunning, the benefits of training on the Wasatch Front, and more. Timestamps: (1:35) - the multi-year quest for the golden ticket (2:44) - what it feels like to hit big ultrarunning milestones and to reset goals (4:10) - introduction to ultrarunning (6:47) - collegiate ultrarunning teams (7:15) - why Leah moved to Salt Lake City (8:57) - why Salt Lake is a great place to be a trail runner (11:03) - the consistency of Leah’s ultrarunning results (14:38) - the benefits of being dialed on the logistical side of the sport (19:44) - lessons applied from the 2021 Canyons 100K (22:40) - developing the confidence to race strategically (25:29) - comparing the last 10 miles of her race at Bandera to her race at Canyons (29:49) - takeaways from the 2022 Canyons 100K (32:11) - expectations for Western States (33:34) - how she will train for Western States in Salt Lake (35:36) - early thoughts on the women’s field at Western States this year (38:12) - ultrarunning career goals outside of Western States (40:40) - the benefits of having a life partner that is equally stoked about ultrarunning (45:31) - her “why” for ultrarunning (48:30) - miscellaneous questions Links: Follow Leah on Instagram Follow Leah on Strava Leah's interview on IRunFar Leah's interview on Ultrarunner Podcast Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #63 - Addie Bracy | Mental Training For Ultrarunning #42 - Sarah Cummings | Wasatch Trail Scene, Brooks Running, JFK 50, Lessons From Injury #37 - Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary Support the show
Apr 28, 2022 · 58 min
Adam Peterman | Canyons 100K Recap, Western States Decision, Rise In The Sport
Adam Peterman is a professional trail runner for Hoka based in Missoula, MT. This past weekend, Adam set a new course record at the Canyons 100K in Auburn, CA. In addition to race analysis and reflection on the big decision he has to make this week either accepting entry to Western States or instead focusing on UTMB-CCC later this summer, we discuss many aspects of his background, overall running life, and rapid ascension in the sport of mountain ultra trail running. Timestamps: (2:41) - what it's like having a partner who is also an accomplished trail runner (4:56) - working with and being mentored by Mike Foote over the years (7:56) - whether he would ever consider full-time ultrarunning (10:53) - motivations for getting into ultrarunning following career at UC Boulder (13:14) - whether he is influencing friends in the road and track ranks to convert (16:07) - why he went under the radar in 2019 and 2020 despite sub ultra trail running success (19:06) - whether he intended to race Canyons from start to finish (20:13) - whether he expected to share miles with fellow front runners (23:46) - whether he practices mental skills in the leadup to races (28:32) - biggest takeaways from Canyons 100K experience (30:18) - how he think about moving up in race distance (32:53) - whether he is leaning towards Western States or CCC right now (34:57) - whether he will race in a similar style at these future events (37:30) - which race (WSER or CCC) best suits his skillset (41:52) - whether he anticipated all this success when he first entered the sport (43:09) - whether he thinks a lot about being the best, being one of the best (45:47) - envisioning a Strava segment world tour (46:58) - what the next few years might look like for Adam (49:13) - going for a road marathon PB at some point (51:11) - his "why" for ultrarunning Links: Follow Adam on Instagram Follow Adam on Strava "Let Your Mind Run" by Deena Kastor Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #54 - Garrett Heath | Switch To Trail Running, Pro Lifestyle, Running Teams, Brooks Beasts Support the show
Apr 27, 2022 · 55 min
Golden Ticket Talks | Rod Farvard, Canyons 100K 4th Place Male
In this episode, we talk with the 4th place male finisher at the 2022 Canyons 100K, Rod Farvard. Rod is based in Mammoth Lakes, CA. In addition to race analysis and expectations for the Western States in June, we also talk about his background in ultrarunning, his former life on the competitive triathlon scene, how he thinks about training, and much more. Timestamps: (1:09) - Initial thoughts on the golden ticket experience (3:52) - Getting into ultrarunning at age 19 (6:27) - Experience in the competitive triathlon world (7:48) - Triathlon influences that carry over to ultrarunning (10:59) - How ultrarunning is trending towards being more calculated (14:54) - Thoughts on multi-sport training for ultras (17:10) - Living and training in Santa Barbara and Mammoth Lakes (22:43) - Rod's history of chasing golden tickets (25:38) - Changes in race strategy over the years (27:06) - Canyons 100K analysis (38:41) - Preparing for the Western States-UTMB double (40:35) - Biggest takeaways from the Canyons 100K (41:48) - Lessons from DNFing Western States in 2021 (49:30) - Rod's why for ultrarunning (51:52) - What else Rod has changed his mind about in ultrarunning over the years Links: Follow Rod on Instagram Follow Rod on Strava Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #31 - Dani Moreno | Sub Ultra Trail Racing, Golden Trail Series, Overcoming Burnout, Female Participation Support the show
Apr 21, 2022 · 1 hr 5 min
Jenn Hughes & David Callahan | The State Of Ultrasignup
In this episode we talk with Jenn Hughes (Managing Editor) and David Callahan (Managing Partner) at Ultrasingup. Almost all of you know about ultra signup. You use the platform to sign up for races, to check entrants lists, and to scroll through past results. But you might not know that Ultrasignup is expanding in a lot of interesting ways. We talk about their plans to transition from being a "passive" to more "active" member of the trail and ultra running communities. We learn more about the newly established content arm of the platform, how they are trying to integrate with technological advances outside of the running world including the whole web3 eco system, and much much more. Timestamps: (1:50) - Jenn's professional and endurance sports background (6:45) - David's professional and endurance sports background (10:06) - Comparing and contrasting the past, present, and future of Ultrasignup (14:23) - Creating more opportunities for trail running creators (16:18) - Improving the experience between race registration and race day (19:01) - Where Ultrasignup fits in the trail running media landscape (22:52) - Beta testing message boards at Ultrasignup (27:01) - Content and media inspiration for Ultrasignup's new direction (30:05) - How Ultrasignup is thinking about the opportunities in Web3 (34:33) - Race data, how Ultrasignup can help race directors (40:00) - Ultrasignup content that is resonating with readers right now (44:34) - Matchmaking runners and races (47:46) - How Ultrasignup positions itself against other registration platforms (50:52) - What's most exciting about Ultrasignup right now (52:55) - Whether different scoring systems on Ultrasignup, ITRA, etc will be reconciled (57:09) - What Ultrasignup will look like in 2030 Links: Ultrasignup Newsletter Ultrasignup Forum Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #7 - Mark Gainey | Co-Founder of Strava, Trail Running, Athlete Creators #3 - Jimmy Daly | Social Media, Content Creation, Branding For Trail Runners Support the show
Apr 20, 2022 · 1 hr 3 min
Coaching Call #4 | Canyons 100K Final Preparations
It is Canyons 100K race week and this is the 4th installment in our "Coaching Call" mini series, which premiered in January. Over the last 4 months, Ryan Ghelfi (trailsandtarmac.com) and I have been publicly recording our monthly coaching calls so that you can follow the leadup to my race, get insight into a typical athlete-coach relationship in ultrarunning, and hopefully pick up some tips and tricks for your own training. In this episode, we recap the last 6 weeks of training, discuss the final preparations during race week, strategy for the early and later stages of the race, some of the news aspects of the race this year including the relationship with UTMB, and we conclude with a little bit of speculation for the competitive side of the event. Timestamps: - (0:14) - Race week, Canyons 100K media hype - (1:51) - Starting the race too hard - (3:36) - Whether there is any logic to starting a race at an unsustainable pace - (5:56) - The benefits of executing training long runs at race-specific effort - (14:28) - Update on the last 6 weeks of training - (16:13) - Whether relatively limited vert this training block has been an issue - (22:40) - Best practices coaching athletes during a race week - (26:16) - Expected course conditions and whether adjustments will be made - (29:11) - First half race strategy - (39:09) - Second half race strategy - (42:14) - The benefits of running conservatively for the majority of the race - (46:12) - Canyons becoming a UTMB race - (49:07) - Canyons gear policy - (52:59) - Race speculation, predictions Links: Trails and Tarmac Follow Ryan on Instagram Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #55 - Coaching Call #3 | Injury, Recovery Process, SkiMo Cross Training #41 - Coaching Call #2 | Canyons 100K Progress, Training Partners, Coaching A Trail Team #30 - Coaching Call #1 | Setting The Table For The Canyons 100K Support the show
Apr 19, 2022 · 1 hr 10 min
2022 Canyons 100K Preview | The Last Western States Golden Ticket Race
I am joined once again by frequent co-host Brett Hornig to preview the last race of the 2022 Golden Ticket Series - the Canyons 100K - taking place in Auburn, CA this coming weekend. We cover what’s it going to take to be successful, the likely conditions on race day, analysis of the men's and women’s fields, and our golden ticket predictions. Let's go! Timestamps: (1:59) - Canyons 100K hype (3:27) - An opportunity for the new generation of ultrarunners (6:03) - Is this one of the deepest/most competitive American races ever? (10:40) - How this race might unfold, what it will take to win or podium (24:28) - Analyzing the training of top competitors (28:42) - Projected course conditions (34:31) - Men's field analysis and predictions (54:03) - Women's field analysis and predictions Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #62 - Long Run Archives #3 | Betting In Ultrarunning, Next Great Trail Running Towns, Golden Ticket Series Ideas #53 - Long Run Archives #2 | Ultrarunning Analytics, Elite DNF Debate, 3:47 Downhill Mile, Magda What If #43 - Long Run Archives #1 | Jim Walmsley What Ifs, Black Canyon 100K Preview, Full-Time Ultrarunning Support the show
Apr 16, 2022 · 52 min
Addie Bracy | Mental Training For Ultrarunning
Addie Bracy is a running coach, mental performance consultant, and professional trail runner for Nike based in Denver, CO. Addie recently published a book titled “Mental Training for Ultrarunning” and that’s where we focus this conversation. We cover lots of topics from the book including the importance of finding your why, managing stress responses, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, the benefits of self talk and more. Timestamps: (1:02) - Addie's athletic and academic background (4:24) - The growing recognition for mental training in sports (5:48) - Is it possible to quantify the relationship between mental coach and athlete? (7:43) - Do most athletes practice mental skills in the leadup to races? (9:39) - Using mental skills to cover the gap between physical preparation and race day demands (12:45) - Can mental skills be trained? (16:41) - The importance of starting with why (20:01) - Recognizing values before determining your why (23:52) - Why negative behaviors need to be replaced and not just abandoned (28:05) - Valuation of fatigue (31:00) - Motivation is an action not a feeling (34:30) - Deliberate practice for mental skills (37:18) - The importance of vulnerability in mental training (42:00) - Vulnerability in professional athletes (44:11) - The performance benefits of positive self-talk (46:50) - The benefits of creating a "heroic alter ego" Links: Follow Addie on Instagram Get coached by Addie Strive Mental Performance Addie's book "Mental Training For Ultrarunning" Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #37 - Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary #61 - Tim Tollefson | Mammoth Trail Fest, 2022 Western States 100, Running Sponsorships, Running Psychology Support the show
Apr 9, 2022 · 1 hr 28 min
Betting In Ultrarunning, Next Great Trail Running Towns, Golden Ticket Series Ideas (Long Run Archives #3)
Timestamps: (1:45) - greatest seasons ever in ultrarunning (Ann Trason, 1998) (5:13) - grand slam, what used to be competitively important in ultrarunning (9:19) - states with the least and most golden ticket winners (15:48) - easier to make money in ultrarunning during the Montrail Cup years? (24:35) - how and where the golden ticket series should be expanded (28:36) - improvements in ultrarunning media coverage (38:55) - hot take removing sponsor spots for more golden ticket spots (41:53) - a separate elite field race for Western States? (44:19) - are Missoula, MT and Salt Lake City, UT the next great trail towns? (48:05) - if a brand paid for it, where would you live year round for training? (50:59) - do altitude tents work? (54:46) - you need a recruitment strategy to build a trail town (56:40) - indicators for/how pro contracts should be awarded in ultrarunning (61:32) - whether to actively recruit from the college ranks for pro ultrarunning (65:55) - betting in ultrarunning (69:40) - kierin racing in Japan (76:22) - does betting increase the number of fans of ultrarunning? (78:14) - strava find of the week (83:56) - whether pro athletes have competitive advantage using shoe prototypes Links: How Utah Became A Fertile Ground For Pro Runners Cycling’s Billion Dollar Races - The Fascinating World Of Japanese Keirin Michael Owen's Twitter Thread On Pro Ultrarunning Trails and Tarmac Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: Long Run Archives #1 | Jim Walmsley What Ifs, Black Canyon 100K Preview, Full-Time Ultrarunning Long Run Archives #2 | Ultrarunning Analytics, Elite DNF Debate, 3:47 Downhill Mile, Magda What If Support the show
Apr 1, 2022 · 1 hr 14 min
Tim Tollefson: Mammoth Trail Fest, 2022 Western States 100, Running Sponsorships, Running Psychology (Sunday Conversation)
Tim Tollefson a professional runner for Hoka based in Mammoth Lakes, CA. Tim probably needs no introduction, but of course he is one of the most decorated mountain ultra trail runners of all time, most notably with podium finishes at the 2015 CCC, 2016 UTMB and then again at the 2017 UTMB which most ultra historians would say was the most competitive 100 miler ever in our sports history. In this conversation, we talk about his focus these days on the Western States 100, his new role in the sport as a Race Director for the Mammoth Trail Fest taking place this September, his thoughts on athlete-brand relationships, and the importance of training for mental aspects of the sport. Timestamps: (2:30) - introducing the Mammoth Trail Fest (6:26) - festival type format for ultra racing (7:46) - exciting features of the Mammoth Trail Fest (9:46) - race permitting, economic benefits (12:38) - affiliating with a larger race series (15:16) - relationships with fellow race directors (17:33) - inspiration for race directing (19:07) - going full-time on race directing (21:38) - whether work gets in the way of running (24:30) - creating stability for professional runners (27:16) - whether performances improve going full-time (30:34) - brainstorming the training day to day of a full-time runner (33:34) - improvements to the athlete-brand relationship (39:02) - the black box of athlete contracts (41:47) - curiosity for UTMB (46:44) - whether the Western States - UTMB double is possible (51:50) - how training will look different for the 2022 Western States 100 (56:40) - whether false humility is an issue in our sport (60:48) - identifying and acting on mental burnout (64:26) - whether the psychological works quiets the mind (67:59) - mental approach continued Links: Mammoth Trail Fest Follow Tim on Instagram Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #52 - Mike Foote | Race Directing, Skyrunning Speculation, Future Of Ultrarunning Events, UTMB Influences #51 - Anton Krupicka | Trail Running Culture, Pro Athlete Lifestyle, Influence, Self-Reflection #50 - Tom Evans | Pro Ultrarunning Playbook, UTMB 2022, Trail Running Teams Support the show
Mar 31, 2022 · 58 min
Chris Chavez: Citius Mag, Building A Running Media Company, Creating Running Fans (Sunday Conversation)
Chris Chavez is the founder of Citius Mag, a road running and track and field media company providing original running news, analysis, videos, newsletters, podcasts and humor to fans of the sport. At the start of 2022, Chris made the decision to leave this long-time position as a writer at Sports Illustrated in order to go “all-in” on Citius Mag. Chris and I talk about building a running media company, his mission for Citius Mag, and what the operation looks like. Given his perspective on the sport, we also spend quite a bit of time talking about the entertainment value of running, whether it can go mainstream, what it will take to increase the number of fans, and more. If you like the blending of running and business, running and media, or running and community - you will enjoy this episode. I hope to have Chris on the pod again soon because we only covered about half the topics I had on tap for us. Timestamps: (1:08) - overview of Citius Mag (3:28) - the inspiration for Citius Mag (8:44) - balancing Sports Illustrated and Citius Mag for years (12:25) - skills that helped him go all-in on Citius Mag (15:15) - what he's able to do with Citius Mag now that he's all-in (21:04) - business models for Citius Mag (26:07) - what the Citius Mag team looks like (30:00) - the long-term vision for Citius Mag (32:52) - whether running could get more mainstream fans (41:02) - whether running leaders are in alignment about how to grow (46:32) - what running will look like 10 years from now (50:01) - advice for the trail and ultrarunning media Links: Follow Citius Mag on Instagram Follow Citius Mag on Youtube Follow Citius Mag on Twitter Magic Boost Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #1 - Dylan Bowman | Future Of Trail Running, Pro Athlete Opportunities, Freetrail #3 - Jimmy Daly | Social Media, Content Creation, Branding For Trail Runners #20 - Zoe Rom | Trail Runner Magazine, Running Journalism, Diversity Talks #26 - Sam Parsons | How To Build A Trail Running Team Support the show
Mar 26, 2022 · 13 min
Ask Me Anything #2 | Reality TV For Ultrarunning, Burning Man For Ultrarunning, Binge-Watching Ultras
Last week I once again lit the beacons and let folks know I'd do another AMA if there were enough questions. In this second edition, I answer the following questions: What does the East Coast need to do to progress trail running? What is on your trail running media wishlist? What can we do to make ultrarunning events more exciting to follow or watch? What is something you would like to see changed in our sport? What else is on your ultrarunning wishlist? Timestamps: (0:17) - the biggest issue for the east coast trail running scene (1:56) - the competitive advantages of east coast trail running (3:05) - rural locations over metro locations for training (4:18) - combining reality tv format with underdog narrative for new ultrarunning content (5:36) - someone influential needs to make more films of east coast races and FKTs (8:03) - a new member of the media crew at ultra races (9:17) - more data for race commentators and fans to use (10:39) - stop putting the sport of ultrarunning down (12:25) - burning man for ultrarunning Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #19 - Ask Me Anything | Golden Ticket Series, Professional Trail Runners, Ultra Training Support the show
Mar 20, 2022 · 59 min
Buzz Burrell: Modern FKT Movement, FKT.com Sale To Outside Mag, Trail Running Business (Sunday Conversation)
In this episode we talk with Buzz Burrell, a co-founder of fastestknowntime.com, a tracking website that has been cataloging the modern FKT movement here in the United States and abroad, to my knowledge, for the better part of the last decade. While there is no governing body for FKT certification, fastestknowntime.com has acted as the informal arbiter of these records. We spend the majority of the conversation getting into the details about the recent sale of fastestknowntime.com to Outside Magazine earlier this month. But there’s a lot more to Buzz that’s interesting that we delve into at various points. For example, he’s been trail and ultra running since the late 1960s and has set a wide array of fastest times and first attempts at many classic routes here in the United States including the Colorado Trail and John Muir Trail. And in addition to his work on the FKT site, he has also been an athlete manager for La Sportiva and Brand Director for Ultimate Direction and will be joining Ultrarunning Magazine next month as a regular columnist. Timestamps: (1:50) - what it was like being in the trail and ultra scene before it was popular (5:18) - slow growth on the professional side of trail and ultra running (11:13) - whether the growth of the FKT community is good (19:07) - description of fastesknowntime.com (21:09) - the inspiration for building the website (23:12) - whether there were always business aspirations for the website (24:42) - the pros and cons of full-time versus part-time investment (30:06) - why the website was sold in 2022 (34:39) - the assets that Outside Magazine was most interested in (36:29) - audience numbers for the website (37:40) - improvements coming to the website (39:48) - whether the people working on the site should be community experts (42:46) - objections to the sale to Outside Magazine (45:36) - the realities of social media and content businesses in trail running (50:42) - requests for startups in the trail and ultra running space (51:58) - favorite guests on the FKT podcast (55:59) - Lazarus Lake Links: Fastest Known Time Website Outside Magazine acquires fastestknowntime.com Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #7 - Mark Gainey | Co-Founder of Strava, Trail Running, Athlete Creators #8 - Larissa Rivers | Trail Running Stores, Sports Marketing, Strava #3 - Jimmy Daly | Social Media, Content Creation, Branding For Trail Runners Support the show
Mar 17, 2022 · 1 hr 10 min
Sarah Keyes: Northeast Trail Running Scene, Whiteface Mountain Races Directing, ITRA (Sunday Conversation)
Sarah Keyes is an ultra runner, race director, and trail running community organizer (among many other roles) based in Saranac Lake, NY. In this conversation, we talk about the trail running and overall mountain sports scene in the Adirondack Mountains, her role as race director of the Whiteface Mountain events, her role at ITRA, how to get more involved in our sport beyond training and racing, and much much more. Timestamps: (1:13) - trail running background (4:58) - thoughts on training and racing out of her car (9:57) - lifestyle in the Adirondack Mountains (18:00) - the influence of Olympic cities and towns like Lake Placid, NY (22:08) - race directing the Whiteface Mountain series (28:48) - brainstorming other cool mountain races in the northeast (34:11) - sorting out all the the championship events in trail running (43:48) - understanding the role ITRA plays in our sport (52:28) - what motivates Sarah to get involved in our sport at deeper levels (54:13) - how to get more active in your own trail running community Links: Whiteface Vertical Weekend Video - Dawn Patrol La Sportiva Video - Sarah Keyes Live Performance - Rodrigo y Gabriela Bowling Alone Follow Sarah on Instagram Get coached by Sarah ITRA Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #52 - Mike Foote | Race Directing, Skyrunning Speculation, Future Of Ultrarunning Events, UTMB Influences #37 - Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary Support the show
Mar 14, 2022 · 21 min
Jasmin Paris: 2022 Barkley Marathons Reflections (Sunday Conversation)
Jasmin Paris is professional trail runner for Inov-8 based in the United Kingdom. Her racing resume is significant with an overall win at the 2019 Spine race, a fastest known time on the Bob Graham Round, a top-10 finish at 2016 UTMB, and way more. Most recently, she completed 3 laps, also known as a “Fun Run”, at the vaunted Barkley Marathons in Tennessee’s Frozen Head State Park. Due to Jasmin’s media schedule, we only had 20 minutes to chat but we covered good ground including what inspired her to line up for Barkley, what her physical and mental preparation looked like, the keys to completing a fun run, whether she has plans to return next year or beyond, and what other events and routes in the United States interest her. Timestamps: (1:32) - will Jasmin return to Barkley soon? (1:52) - what inspired her Barkley attempt (4:12) - what her training looked like for Barkley (6:47) - sleep deprivation training? (8:32) - mentally preparing for Barkley (10:46) - whether her mental toughness is innate or trained (12:57) - balancing high-level ultra training and performance with work and parenting (14:38) - the keys to completing 3 laps at Barkley (17:11) - what she would do differently next time around (18:44) - other United States races and routes that appeal to her Links: Follow Jasmin on Twitter Read Jasmin's Blog Footage of Jasmin at the 2019 Spine Race Support Singletrack: Patreon Support the show
Mar 14, 2022 · 1 hr 9 min
Coaching Call #3 | Injury, Recovery Process, SkiMo Cross Training
Timestamps: (1:26) - recap of February training accomplishments (8:02) - injury discussion (16:01) - how to think about next steps and future training (25:00) - Skimo and other alternative sports during recovery (30:44) - increasing popularity of Skimo among American ultra runners (38:26) - standing is training? (43:56) - March and April training outlook for Canyons Links: Follow Ryan Ghelfi on Instagram Trails and Tarmac Website Watch this conversation on Youtube Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #41 - Coaching Call #2 | Canyons 100K Progress, Training Partners, Coaching A Trail Team #30 - Coaching Call #1 | Setting The Table For The Canyons 100K #17 - Ryan Ghelfi | Post Sponsorship Athlete Life, Trail Running Teams, UTMB, FKT Scene Support Singletrack: Patreon Support the show
Mar 11, 2022 · 1 hr
Garrett Heath: Switch To Trail Running, Pro Lifestyle, Running Teams, Brooks Beasts (Sunday Conversation)
Garrett Heath is a professional runner for Brooks. Garrett has demonstrated impressive range over the last couple of decades and with world-class PRs in events from the 1500m to the 10k, he has been a threat every time he steps on a starting line. As a three-time champion of the famed Edinburgh XC race, his gutsy racing style has carried him to victory over some of the world’s most legendary runners including Mo Farah. I reached out to Garrett a couple of weeks ago after seeing an announcement that he was making the switch to trail running. Maybe it’s up for debate, but in my mind he is the highest level track athlete to ever cross over. The dude is legit. In this conversation, we cover all the basics - what motivated him to make the change, why now, whether he will be coached and who his training partners will be, and what his race schedule will look like in 2022. Given his background with the famed Brooks Beasts training group in Seattle, we also have a long back and forth about what it would take to build similar type of team in the ultra world. We get his perspective on being a full-time runner, the pros and cons of the lifestyle, and whether he recommends it. And we talk about perceptions of the trail and ultra world outside our bubble and what it might take to recruit more professional athletes like Garrett into the sport. Timestamps: (2:01) - running background (4:00) - motivation to switch to trail running (8:03) - why now for trail running (11:03) - tentative 2022 racing schedule (13:26) - coaching and training partners (17:33) - training camps (20:35) - Brooks support (23:00) - Brooks Beasts, full-time running discussion (40:05) - conditions to build a trail running team (46:46) - outside perceptions of trail and ultra running Links: Garrett Heath beats Mo Farah at 2016 Great Edinburgh XCountry Brooks Beasts Follow Garrett on Strava Follow Garrett on Instagram Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: #39 - Hillary Allen | Brooks Running, Out And Back, Recovery Process Mindset, 2022 UTMB #40 - Lee Sackett | Brooks Running, Running Industry Careers, Running Culture Talk #42 - Sarah Cummings | Wasatch Trail Scene, Brooks Running, JFK 50, Lessons From Injury Support Singletrack: Patreon Support the show
Mar 11, 2022 · 1 hr 2 min
Ultrarunning Analytics, Elite DNF Debate, 3:47 Downhill Mile, Magda What If (Long Run Archives #2)
Timestamps: (1:39) - ideas to make ultra races easier to analyze and fun to follow (12:59) - should elite ultra runners be penalized for DNFs? (22:43) - Strava find of the week: 3:47 downhill mile (32:38) - what if Magda Boulet had switched to ultra running during her prime? (40:33) - what if Sally McRae didn't get a golden ticket to Western States in 2014? (50:39) - new 50K world record Links: The Lickskillet Downhill Mile Billy Yang - Sean O'Brien 50 Mile Film Additional Episodes You May Enjoy: Long Run Archives #1 | Jim Walmsley What Ifs, Black Canyon 100K Preview, Full-Time Ultrarunning Support Singletrack: Patreon Support the show