Singletrack

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Jim Walmsley Returns to Talk Western States, Course Records, and the Next Era (Sunday Conversation) Jul 02, 2025

Show notes

Jim Walmsley returns to the Singletrack Podcast for a live, in-person conversation from our Olympic Valley, CA studio during Western States week—only this time, he’s not lining up to race.
In this exclusive interview, Jim opens up about his decision to bow out of the 2025 Western States 100, offering insight into what went into that choice and where his mind and body are at as one of the most iconic runners in the sport. Whether it’s lingering fatigue, long-term goals, or a strategic reset, Jim shares what fans need to know.
We also talk about the future: Will he be back at Western States in 2026 or beyond? What would it take to pull him back to the start line in Olympic Valley? And what does he still hope to accomplish at this race?
In the second half of the conversation, Jim brings his deep course knowledge and competitive experience to bear in analyzing this year’s men’s field. Who are the biggest threats? What splits might signal a historic performance? Are we on the cusp of seeing another course record—or perhaps a completely new racing style emerge?
Jim is not just a generational athlete, but also one of the sharpest minds in ultrarunning. This episode is part reflection, part analysis, and part look forward—an essential conversation for anyone invested in the past, present, and future of the Western States 100.

Partners:

Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)
Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)

Additional Links:

Follow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube
Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube

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Caleb Olson | 2025 Western States 100 Champion (Interview) Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

Caleb Olson joins the Singletrack Podcast crew in our Auburn, CA, studio to recap his victory at the 2025 Western States 100.

Partners:

Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)
Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)

Additional Links:

Follow Leah on Instagram, Strava, Twitter
Follow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube
Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube

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Abby Hall | 2025 Western States 100 Champion (Interview) Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

Abby Hall joins the Singletrack Podcast crew in our Auburn, CA, studio to recap her victory at the 2025 Western States 100.

Partners:

Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)
Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)

Additional Links:

Follow Leah on Instagram, Strava, Twitter
Follow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube
Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube

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Des Linden: Is Her Trail Running Chapter Just Beginning? Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

Des Linden joins us live in Olympic Valley the week before the 2025 Western States 100 for a wide-ranging conversation about her deepening relationship with the trail and ultrarunning scene.
In this episode, we dig into Des's recent adventures off-road — from training with Ruth Croft in New Zealand, to participating in the Western States Training Camp last month, to her pacing duties this year for Joe McConaughy. With each step into the trail world, Des seems to be signaling that this chapter of her career is just getting started.
We talk about whether Des envisions a full pivot to trail running, what she still wants to accomplish on the roads (including any future marathons), and how events like Tunnel Hill 50 in November fit into her overall vision for the next few years.

Partners:

Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)
Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)

Additional Links:

Follow Leah on Instagram, Strava, Twitter
Follow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube
Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube

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Hayden Hawks on the Hot Seat / Western States Special (Long Run Archives #29) Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

We’re live in Olympic Valley, CA for a special Western States Week edition of Long Run Archives, with pro trail runner Hayden Hawks joining regular co-hosts Brett Hornig, Jeff Colt, and Finn Melanson in the Singletrack Podcast studio for a wide-ranging, spirited conversation on the state of trail and ultrarunning, as well as Hayden's status in the sport.

Partners:

Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)
Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)

Additional Links:

Follow Leah on Instagram, Strava, Twitter
Follow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube
Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube

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Is This Marianne Hogan’s Year to Win Western States? Jun 25, 2025

Show notes

Marianne Hogan is one of the fiercest and most resilient athletes in the world of ultra-trail running. With podium finishes at both Western States and UTMB, she’s already proven she can perform on the sport’s biggest stages. But that elusive win — that signature victory — still hangs just out of reach.
Live from our Olympic Valley studio in the week leading up to the 2025 Western States 100, Marianne sits down to talk about her ongoing pursuit of greatness in a sport where comebacks are often part of the path.
In this conversation, we explore what it’s going to take for her to not only return to the Western States podium but to stand on top of it. We ask: Is this the year? And if so, what does she think it will take — physically, mentally, and tactically — to win?

Partners:

Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)
Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)

Additional Links:

Follow Leah on Instagram, Strava, Twitter
Follow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube
Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube

Support the show

Abby Hall Is Back at Western States—Against the Odds Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

In this special live episode of the Singletrack Podcast, we sit down with Abby Hall in our Olympic Valley studio just days before the 2025 Western States 100. Abby’s path back to the start line of this iconic race is anything but typical—and it’s a story of resilience, determination, and a little bit of fate.
After enduring a traumatic injury in 2023 that sidelined her from the sport she loves, Abby made a courageous return to racing at UTMB last summer before chasing golden tickets across two continents this past spring. We unpack her gritty performances at the Black Canyon 100K and Chianti Ultra Trail, and how an unexpected turn of events ultimately secured her spot on this year’s Western States start line.

Partners:

Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)
Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)

Additional Links:

Follow Leah on Instagram, Strava, Twitter
Follow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube
Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube

Support the show

2025 Western States 100 Women's Field Preview | Analysis, Storylines, Predictions Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

Finn Melanson, Brett Hornig, and Leah Yingling provide in-depth analysis, commentary, and predictions for the competition at this year’s women's field at the Western States 100. With big names like Katie Schide (2024 Champion) and Courtney Dauwalter (2023 Champion) not returning, the fight for the win is wide open. Tune in as we break it all down and get you hyped for race day.

Partners:

Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)
Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)

Additional Links:

Follow Leah on Instagram, Strava, Twitter
Follow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube
Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube

Support the show

Underdog No More? Rod Farvard’s Quest After Nearly Toppling Jim Walmsley Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

Rod Farvard joins the Singletrack Podcast live from our Olympic Valley, CA studio during Western States race week to discuss what it really takes to compete at the highest level in trail and ultrarunning—and why he may be the biggest threat to the Western States crown in 2025.
In 2024, Rod turned heads by going toe-to-toe with one of the sport’s greatest athletes, Jim Walmsley, at the Western States 100. His fearless front-running and relentless pace put him on the radar of fans and competitors alike. Now, with another year of focused training, refined systems, and added motivation, Rod returns with something to prove—not just that he belongs, but that he’s ready to win.
In this conversation, we dive deep into the mindset and lifestyle of a modern pro trail runner. Rod pulls back the curtain on the level of commitment and precision it takes to not just go pro, but stay pro. We explore the pressures of high-stakes racing, the tactical demands of the Western States course, and how he's evolved as an athlete over the past 12 months.

Partners:

Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)
Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)

Additional Links:

Follow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube
Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube

Support the show

2025 Western States 100 250 Men's Field Preview | Analysis, Storylines, Predictions Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

Note - we had audio issues during parts of this episode. Working to resolve those ahead of our remaining shows this week. Thanks for your patience!

Finn Melanson, Brett Hornig, Jeff Colt and Leah Yingling provide in-depth analysis, commentary, and predictions for the competition at this year’s Cocodona 250.

Partners:

Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)
Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)

Additional Links:

Follow Jeff on Instagram, Strava, Youtube
Follow Leah on Instagram, Strava, Twitter
Follow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube
Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube

Support the show

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