Singletrack

Latest Episodes:

Abby Hall's Inspirational Journey To The 2024 UTMB Aug 21, 2024

Show notes

Abby Hall’s journey to the 2024 UTMB start line is, in my opinion, one of the most compelling storylines of this year’s race.
It’s been a while since she was last on the podcast—roughly about two years ago, around this same time, before the same race. This hiatus was not due to a lack of interest on my part. I closely follow her career across various social media platforms; she’s an exceptional writer and excels at documenting the life of a professional trail runner.

In our conversation, we cover everything that has happened in the past 15 months and what it took for her to return to the sport’s biggest stage. I believe you’ll find the discussion highly valuable. Abby is a generous conversationalist who skillfully connects her experiences to the interests of the audience.
Timestamps:

01:30 Introduction and Recapping 2022/2023 timeline
04:53 The Challenges of Recovering from a Major Injury
08:23 Rehabilitation and the Full-Time Job of Recovery
16:14 The Emotional Impact of Injury and the Role of a Sports Psychologist
23:08 The Complexities of Self-Responsibility in the Recovery Process
26:21 The Importance of Building Relationships with Supportive Team Members
30:12 Personal Rituals and Ceremonies in the Recovery Journey
33:28 Inspiring Others Through Social Media
42:50 Finding Joy in the Process of Training and Racing
55:47 Setting Goals and Staying Focused on Your Passion

Partners:

Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Rabbit - use code Singletrack10 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 10% off your next order.
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Pillar Performance - use code Singletrack15 at checkout on their website (https://pillarperformance.shop/) to get 15% off your next order.

Additional Links:

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Tom Evans | Kenyan Running Influences, Social Media Outlook, New UTMB Approach Aug 20, 2024

Show notes

Tom Evans returns to the Singletrack Podcast to talk about the influence of work and travel in Kenya on his ultrarunning career, how he plans to bounce back from last year's UTMB, his new approach to social media and in-person engagements before race day, and some of the latest training and racing science he's incorporating into his 2024 schedule.
Timestamps:

(1:35) - influence of the military and Iten, Kenya on his ultrarunning career
(11:50) - greediness, selectivity, being realistic about racing performance prospects
(30:42) - perils of media engagements, social media, distractions and their impact on race day performance
(48:43) - training questions around specificity, double-labeled water test, exogenous ketones, traveling with a rice cooker

Partners:

Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Rabbit - use code Singletrack10 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 10% off your next order.
deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.deltagketones.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order.
Pillar Performance - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout on their website (https://pillarperformance.shop/) to get 15% off your next order.

Additional Links:

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Jim Walmsley: Western States Reflections, Summer Olympics Reactions, UTMB Outlook (Sunday Conversation) Aug 18, 2024

Show notes

Jim Walmsley returns to the Singletrack Podcast to talk about his upcoming title defense at Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc (UTMB), final takeaways from his win at the Western States 100 in June, observations from spectating this year's Hardrock 100, whether he would ever do a full season on the Golden Trail series circuit, and how his career in ultrarunning has progressed to date both from training and race standpoints.
Timestamps:

00:00 The Increasing Competitiveness of Western States
09:02 The Importance of Mental Strength in Racing
15:19 Considering the Golden Trail Series
18:22 Adjusting Strategies for Future Races
22:50 The Challenges of the UTMB Course
27:56 Keeping Training Private for Focus
33:25 Approaching UTMB with Caution
35:30 Considering the World Trail Championships
39:31 The Longevity of a Successful Career
49:29 Finding Inspiration in Other Sports

Partners:

Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Rabbit - use code Singletrack10 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 10% off your next order.
deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.deltagketones.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order.
Pillar Performance - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout on their website (https://pillarperformance.shop/) to get 15% off your next order.

Additional Links:

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Exploring Appalachian Trail History and Endurance Records with Warren Doyle (Sunday Conversation) Aug 11, 2024

Show notes

This conversation with Warren Doyle might need a bit of context if you’re not well-versed in the long-distance thru-hiking scene in North America. Warren is a prominent figure in the Appalachian Trail community. While there's some debate about the exact beginning of the modern fastest known time (FKT) scene on the AT, Warren's impressive 1973 record of 66 days and change is widely considered a significant milestone.

Warren’s contributions to the trail are extensive. Over a 45-year period, he led eight large-group “circle” expeditions with near 100% completion rates. He founded the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association and established the Appalachian Trail Institute, which has helped thousands of hikers achieve their thru-hiking goals. He has also played a key role in preparing notable figures like Jenn Pharr Davis and Liz Derstine for record-setting endurance attempts, and has advised many other prominent endurance athletes, including Karel Sabbe.

I’m excited to have Warren on the show for several reasons. First and foremost, my deep love for the AT and my ongoing quest to understand its history. Warren has been a central figure in shaping the trail’s scene over the past 40 to 50 years. In our conversation, we’ll explore topics like the nature of endurance records on long trails, the purpose of the AT, social change, the impact of the outdoor industry on thru-hiking culture, the relationship between government and nature, and much more.

Regardless of your familiarity with the scene, I think you’ll find this episode engaging. Warren is a vibrant and generous conversationalist, and I’m sure you’ll gain a lot from our discussion.

Timestamps:

02:00 Introduction and Backlash on the AT
10:34 The Commercialization of the Outdoor Industry
17:48 The Relationship Between the Trail and the Government
25:22 The Importance of Substantive Conversations on the Trail
40:10 Regulations and Policing of Mount Katahdin
44:39 The Amateur Aspect of Endurance Hiking
47:26 The Role of Support Crews in Endurance Record Attempts
01:03:36 Challenges of Reintegrating into Society after the AT
01:11:54 Embracing a Wilderness State of Mind
01:17:04 Supporting Dreams and Moving Forward
01:24:05 The Role of a Social Change Educator
01:31:55 Concerns about the Future of the Appalachian Trail

Sponsors:

Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Rabbit - use code Singletrack10 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 10% off your next order.
Pillar Performance - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout on their website (https://pillarperformance.shop/) to get 15% off your next order.
deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.deltagketones.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order.

Additional Links:

Warren's Website, Outside Feature

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Backyard Ultra Olympics, Disrupting Western States 100 Elite Field, Moonshot Ultrarunning Ideas (Long Run Archives #18) Aug 02, 2024

Show notes

Brett Hornig and Jeff Colt join the Singletrack Podcast for another edition of the Long Run Archives. We talk about the prospect of the backyard ultra format being added to the Olympic games, insights for trail runners from the Tour de France, a Western States 100 with no automatic returning top-10 runners, the value of increasing popularity in fastest known time attempts, and speculate where top runners like Zach Miller and Courtney Dauwalter might race next.
Timestamps:

00:00 Imagining the Backyard Ultra Format in the Paris Olympics
08:28 Tour de France Nutrition Strategies for Trail Running
27:29 Training Partners vs. Crew Service
39:40 Changing the Invitation System for Western States
44:40 The Impact on Race Dynamics and Strategies
48:04 The Role of Team Support and Camaraderie
53:51 Improving the World Trail Majors' Team Format
1:15:09 Harnessing the Power of Self-Talk in Sports Performance
1:31:50 The Strava Pro Badge Purge
1:35:34 The Worth of Increasing the Popularity of the FKT Scene

Sponsors:

Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Rabbit - use code Singletrack10 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 10% off your next order.
Pillar Performance - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout on their website (https://pillarperformance.us/) to get 15% off your next order.
deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.deltagketones.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order.

Additional Links:

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Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Twitter, Youtube, and Patreon

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Nick Bare: Growing Trail Running, Hybrid Athlete Model, Western States Experiences (Sunday Conversation) Jul 28, 2024

Show notes

This episode was recorded live at Singletrack’s Olympic Valley studios ahead of the 2024 Western States 100.
We were joined by Nick Bare and even though this was technically a pre-race interview, so much of what we talked about was only peripherally related to the event, so similar to the Scott Jurek and Sally McRae conversations from that week I wanted to save it for a stand-alone podcast a few weeks on.
Specifically, we talk about creating portals online for people to find the sport of trail running, what it means to be a hybrid athlete, some of his favorite books about mental and physical strength, how to make our sport cooler or more memorable, his advice for athletes and creators from a content marketing standpoint, and what’s exciting him about a race like Western States.
Sponsors:

Brooks - check out their new Cascadia 18 shoe and High Point apparel collection (https://www.brooksrunning.com/singletrack)
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
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Sally McRae: Nike Trail Running Start, Pro Trail Runner Business Considerations, Western States Stories (Sunday Conversation) Jul 22, 2024

Show notes

This episode was recorded live at Singletrack’s Olympic Valley studios ahead of the 2024 Western States 100.
We were joined by Sally McRae who probably needs no introduction. Sally is another person I've wanted to talk with since the inception of this podcast and even though this was technically a pre-race interview, so much of what we talked about was only peripherally related to the event, so similar to the Scott Jurek conversation I wanted to save it for a stand-alone podcast a few weeks on.
Specifically, we talk about the trajectory of her career starting with her Nike trail contract signing in the mid-2010s, how to think about the business side of trail running as a creator or athlete, and some of her favorite Western States 100 stories dating back to some of those great Billy Yang films a few years ago.
Sponsors:

Brooks - check out their new Cascadia 18 shoe and High Point apparel collection (https://www.brooksrunning.com/singletrack)
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 20% off your next order.
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Additional Links:

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2024 Hardrock 100 Recap Jul 16, 2024

Show notes

Brett Hornig and Leah Yingling join Singletrack to recap the 2024 Hardrock 100. We talk about the amazing performances from athletes like Courtney Dauwalter and Ludovic Pommeret, Leah's experience working on the livestream, Brett’s fan experience, Finn’s time creating content around the lead runners, the history and culture of this race, top storylines and insights from the weekend, and what the future of this race might look like after such another historic year of individual and cumulative performances.

Sponsors:

Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
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Additional Links:

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Scott Jurek: Western States 100 Reflections, Ultrarunning History, Next Steps (Sunday Conversation) Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

This episode was recorded live at Singletrack’s Olympic Valley studios ahead of the 2024 Western States 100.
We were joined by Scott Jurek who probably needs no introduction. Scott is someone I've wanted to talk with since the inception of this podcast and even though this was technically a pre-race interview, so much of what we talked about was only peripherally related to the event, so I wanted to save it for a stand-alone podcast a few weeks on.
Specifically, we talk about his history in the sport, some of the mental and emotional aspects of being an elite athlete, how someone of his stature in the sport grapples with athletic mortality, and some of his favorite stories with fellow competitors over the years.
*Note the audio jumps a bit at a few points in the conversation. I think this was due to the poor internet connection at our studio during the livestream. - Finn
Sponsors:

Brooks - check out their new Cascadia 18 shoe and High Point apparel collection (https://www.brooksrunning.com/singletrack)
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 20% off your next order.
deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.deltagketones.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order.

Additional Links:

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2024 Western States 100 Recap Jul 02, 2024

Show notes

Brett Hornig and Dani Moreno join Singletrack to recap the 2024 Western States 100.

We talk about the amazing performances from athletes like Jim Walmsley and Katie Schide, Brett's experience working on the livestream, Dani and Finn's experiences crewing top runners, whether there's a definitive training and racing playbook for this event, noticeable innovations in crewing, nutrition, and topical cooling, and what the future of this race might look like after such a historic year of individual and cumulative performances.

Sponsors:

Brooks - check out their new Cascadia 18 shoe and High Point apparel collection (https://www.brooksrunning.com/singletrack)
Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 20% off your next order.
deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.deltagketones.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order.

Additional Links:

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Follow Dani on Instagram, SubHub, Website

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