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Latest Episodes:

2026 CCC Preview | Analysis, Storylines, Predictions + Toni McCann Interview Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

Brett Hornig joins me in our Chamonix studio to preview the men's and women's fields at the 2026 CCC, part of the UTMB World Series Finals.
In both fields, we cover top storylines and what to watch for, we answer some listener mail about the race, provide analysis of top contenders, categorize who we see as candidates for the win, for the podium, and the top 10, and we make bold predictions across a number of other fun categories.

At the end of the preview, we transition to a pre-race interview with Toni McCann - a past CCC and OCC champion - who is lining up again at CCC. We get insights into her state of mind heading into her third straight appearance at this World Series final.

Partners:

Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains

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2026 UTMB Preview | Analysis, Storylines, Predictions Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

Note: Kilian Jornet and Jim Walmsley are, unfortunately, out of UTMB this year. This information became public shortly after the recording of this podcast.

Brett Hornig joins me in our Chamonix studio to preview the men's and women's fields at the 2026 Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc (UTMB).
In both fields, we cover top storylines and what to watch for, we answer some listener mail about the race, provide analysis of top contenders, categorize who we see as candidates for the win, for the podium, and the top 10, and we make bold predictions across a number of other fun categories.

Partners:

Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains

Support the show

Caleb Olson | 2026 UTMB Pre-Race Interview Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

Caleb Olson joins us in our Chamonix studio a little over a week out from his debut at UTMB.

Partners:

Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains

Support the show

Lauren Gregory On Racing OCC, YouTube Life, And The Tove Category Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

Lauren Gregory joins us in our Chamonix studio a week ahead of her debut at OCC.

Partners:

Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains

Support the show

Rachel Entrekin Reflects on UTMB, Racing Without Pacers, And Being On Team Intuition Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Rachel Entrekin joins us in our Chamonix studio a little over a week away from her first start at Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc.

Partners:

Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains

Support the show

Hans Troyer Reflects On Western States, Racing In Europe, And Showman Mentality Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Hans joins us in our Chamonix studio a little over a week out from the start of CCC.

Partners:

Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains

Support the show

Jack Kuenzle on Coaching Elites for Western States and UTMB Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Jack Kuenzle returns to the show, this time wearing the coaching hat. Among other topics, we cover the opportunities and limitations of using large language models in training, self-coaching vs. hiring a coach for elite athletes, the pacing plan behind Max Jolliffe's Badwater course record, Western States vs. UTMB build differences, and the case for training levers beyond running.

Partners:

Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains
Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes

Support the show

2026 UTMB Power Rankings (Long Run Archives #42) Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

Disclaimer: We recorded this episode a few days before the news broke that Courtney Dauwalter is racing UTMB.

Brett Hornig joins the show for a preview-before-the-preview of UTMB 2026. We each bring our top 5 storylines heading into the biggest week in trail running, put out our current power rankings for the men's and women's fields, and play a round of Buy or Sell on the boldest claims for each of the championship races (UTMB, CCC, OCC).

Partners:

Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains
Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order
Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes

Support the show

David Ayala on Hardrock, Flow State, and the Art of Dismissing Fear (Sunday Conversation) Aug 09, 2026

Show notes

David Ayala is a Professor of Mathematics at Montana State University and an amateur ultrarunner who most recently finished 3rd at the 2026 Hardrock 100.

Until recently he'd never owned a watch. He has no social media. What he does have is a faculty webpage full of trip reports, written in LaTeX, for unsupported FKTs on the Wind River High Route, Sierra High Route, and Teton Center Punch, documented with a remarkable level of transparency.

In this Sunday Conversation, we talk about training for flow state, why he calls competition "oblique collaboration," the huckleberry analogy, and whether he'll ever race again.

Partners:

Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains
Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order
Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes

Support the show

Sophie Woods | Via Alpina FKT Aug 07, 2026

Show notes

Sophie Woods just ran the length of the Alps faster than anyone in recorded history. Starting in Trieste, Italy on July 4 and finishing in Monaco on August 1, she covered the Via Alpina, 2,018 kilometers and 117,614 meters of climbing across eight countries, in 28 days, 17 hours, and 59 minutes, beating the previous overall record by more than seven days.
In this conversation, Sophie takes us inside the effort: the highs and lows, what she ate, how she paced certain sections, her sleep strategy, and how she handled setbacks like wildfires, bugs, and course reroutes.
We also discuss her background as a London-based hairdresser, seven years living in a camper van, her IVF journey, three finishes at Tor des Géants, and a podium debut at the Winter Spine Race that she credits with giving her a whole new level to dig from. Plus what she learned from other multi-week specialists and whether she's really lining up for PTL just weeks after this FKT.

Partners:

Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains
Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes

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