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Mike Foote: Race Directing, Skyrunning Speculation, Future Of Ultrarunning Events, UTMB Influences (Sunday Conversation) Mar 04, 2022

Show notes

Mike Foote is a Professional Athlete for the North Face and Race Director of the Rut Mountain Runs based in Missoula, MT.
Timestamps

(1:33) intro to ultrarunning
(4:38) Wasatch 100 reminiscing
(8:53) success formula
(11:57) durability is speed in the mountains
(13:21) being an early American competitor at UTMB
(16:39) North Face sponsorship, long-term relationship
(23:06) Missoula, MT trail running scene
(29:56) directing the Rut 50K
(34:35) grassoots versus standardized Ultrarunning events
(41:06) race-directing inspiration
(44:42) anticipating changes to the Ultrarunning event space
(46:57) live coverage ideas
(53:02) saturation of Ultrarunning events, race directing skills
(57:27) skyrunning traction in the United States
(62:37) state of United States Skimo

Links

Additional Episodes You May Be Interested In

#17 Ryan Ghelfi | Post Sponsorship Athlete Life, Trail Running Teams, UTMB, FKT Scene
#37 Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary

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Anton Krupicka: Trail Running Culture, Pro Athlete Lifestyle, Influence, Self-Reflection (Sunday Conversation) Mar 02, 2022

Show notes

Anton Krupicka is a Professional Mountain Athlete for La Sportiva based in Boulder, CO.
Timestamps

(1:14) - considering Black Canyon for Western States Golden Ticket attempt
(3:30) - appreciations for other mountain sports
(6:00) - identifying with the sport of mountain ultra trail running, but not the scene
(9:04) - influences in other sports
(11:29) - the mindsets of the top athletes
(14:11) - excitement about technical backcountry missions
(18:31) - debate about the (lack of) desire to influence
(25:53) - what a typical day looks like for Anton
(29:25) - whether life is still in alignment with passions
(33:07) - sponsor expectations
(34:53) - social media impact on attention
(38:26) - what life could look like 5 or 10 years from now
(41:20) - debate about changing elements of the sport
(45:31) - the one regret of his ultrarunning career
(51:26) - speculating about the 2008 Western States 100
(55:26) - Boulder versus Salt Lake City

Links

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

#41 -Lee Sackett | Brooks Running, Running Industry Careers, Running Culture Talk
#25 - Kyle Richardson | FKT Scene, Intersection Of Music And Movement, Trail Running Culture
#16 - Logan Williams | Trail Running Philosophy, Athlete Sponsorships, Why We Run

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Tom Evans: Pro Ultrarunning Playbook, UTMB 2022, Trail Running Teams (Sunday Conversation) Feb 25, 2022

Show notes

Tom Evans is a Professional Mountain Ultra Trail Runner for Adidas Terrex and Red Bull based in the Birmingham, UK area.
Over the last 3-4 years, Tom has become one of the best athletes in our sport with notable performances at some of the most important races including a win at the 2018 CCC and a sub-15 hour podium finish at the 2019 Western States 100.
What stands out to me, however, is his level of commitment to the sport and the depth to which he prepares for each event. I believe his all-in, full-time approach represents the cutting edge that will become the norm for professional athletes in our sport by the end of the decade.
Timestamps

(3:02) - knee injury and recovery process
(11:55) - how to approach the day to day of recovery
(14:35) - the role of sponsors in the recovery process
(24:21) - what professional ultra running looks like
(34:04) - the competitive advantage of training full-time
(41:14) - creating an environment to make success inevitable
(46:35) - benefits of training groups
(49:27) - thoughts on trail running teams
(53:27) - preparing for the 2022 UTMB
(61:46) - whether pro ultra runners will need to specialize in distances and terrain
(64:16) - learning from athletes in other sports

Links

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

#26 - Sam Parsons | How To Build A Trail Running Team
#19 - Ask Me Anything | Golden Ticket Series, Professional Trail Runners, Ultra Training

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Reid Coolsaet | Olympic 2:10 Marathoner Switches To Mountain Ultra Trail Running Feb 24, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, we meet with Reid Coolsaet, a Professional Trail Runner for Salomon based in Hamilton, Ontario.
Reid burst onto the mountain ultra trail running scene in 2021 with a win at the Quebec Mega Trail 110K, competed at the Black Canyon 100K earlier this month, and will be lining up for the Canyons 100K in April and the Western States 100 in June.
Prior to his venture onto the trails, Reid had an extremely successful career in road marathoning. He holds a 2:10:28 marathon PR and represented Canada in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.
It’s been talked about recently to no end, but indeed our sport is only getting more competitive and professionalized and Reid’s entrance is just the latest proof point.
One thing that struck me about Reid was his openness and willingness to talk about any issue in the sport whether it was related to compensation as a professional athlete, training methodology, drug testing, or anything else. It made for an interesting and engaging conversation and I hope that shines through here.
Timestamps

(2:58) - Reid's running background
(10:59) - The lifestyle of a full-time professional marathoner
(17:21) - How Reid became interested in mountain ultra trail running
(31:10) - The perceptions of trail and ultra running among runners in other disciplines
(36:54) - What it will take to recruit more elite road running athletes to our sport
(40:40) - Reid's experience in the mountain ultra trail running world so far
(54:09) - Drug testing conversation
(57:02) - How Reid will prepare for the Western States 100 in June

Links

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

#26 - Sam Parsons | How To Build A Trail Running Team
#22 - Nick Coury | Negative Splitting Ultramarathons, 24 Hour American Record, Aravaipa Running

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Golden Ticket Talks | Scott Traer, Black Canyon 100K 2nd Place Male Feb 19, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, we talk with the 2nd place male finisher at the 2022 Black Canyon 100K, Scott Traer.
Scott is based in the Phoenix, AZ area via Boston, MA and not only punched his ticket to Western States this coming June, but also ran the 4th fastest time in course history at the age of 40. In addition to race analysis, we also talk about the New England trail running scene, his recent media work with Aravaipa Running, his Run Fastah coaching business, and more.
Timestamps

(1:01) - Scott explains his unusual running apparel
(2:30) - Scott talks about the "Chasing Gold" interview series he hosted for Aravaipa Running
(5:09) - Scott's background in ultra running and his trail running beginnings in New England
(13:00) - Scott reflects on running the 4th fastest time ever on the Black Canyon 100K course and securing a golden ticket to the Western States 100
(26:52) - Scott's coaching philosophy and how he got into the profession
(30:04) - What's exciting Scott most about ultrarunning right now

Links

Additional Episode You May Enjoy:

#45 - Golden Ticket Talks | Trueheart Brown, Black Canyon 100K 1st Place Male
#44 - Golden Ticket Talks | Jeff Colt, Black Canyon 100K 3rd Place Male

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Golden Ticket Talks | Anne-Marie Madden, Black Canyon 100K 3rd Place Female Feb 18, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, we talk with the 3rd place female finisher at the 2022 Black Canyon 100K, Anne-Marie Madden.
Anne-Marie is a Salomon-sponsored trail runner based in Vancouver, BC. In addition to race analysis, we talk about how she got into Mountain Ultra Trail Running, life in Vancouver, opportunities to grow our sport through better urban planning, the influence of social media, and much more.
Timestamps

(1:53) - How Annie-Marie started trail running
(6:37) - Why Vancouver, BC is a great place to be a trail runner
(12:28) - Would Anne-Marie ever entertain being a full-time ultra runner?
(14:44) - Why Anne-Marie chose the Black Canyon 100K
(18:56) - Her strategy and execution to secure a golden ticket
(28:20) - Initial thoughts on training and expectations for Western States
(30:08) - The progress we've made increasing the number of female trail runners
(36:06) - The connections between urban planning and trail running
(38:47) - What she's changed her mind about with ultrarunning
(41:21) - How our sport will look different in 2030, social media issues

Links

Additional Episodes You Might Enjoy

#39 - Hillary Allen | Brooks Running, Out And Back, Recovery Process Mindset, 2022 UTMB
#37 - Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary
#31 - Dani Moreno | Sub Ultra Trail Racing, Golden Trail Series, Overcoming Burnout, Female Participation

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Golden Ticket Talks | Taylor Nowlin, Black Canyon 100K 4th Place Female Feb 17, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, we talk with the 4th place female finisher at the 2022 Black Canyon 100K, Taylor Nowlin.

Taylor is a Professional Trail Runner for Adidas Terrex based in Spokane, WA. In addition to race analysis, we talk about how she got into Mountain Ultra Trail Running, life in Spokane, WA, how she organizes training and races alongside her other career in nursing, advice she has for female athletes entering the sport, and way more.
Timestamps

(2:44) - introduction to trail running
(4:53) - multi-year golden ticket journey
(7:23) - Spokane, WA is a trail running city
(10:38) - balancing running and nursing careers
(14:16) - Black Canyon 100K recap
(25:35) - preparation for Western States
(29:50) - advice for up and coming female trail runners
(38:44) - you don't have to always run trail to be a trail runner

Links

Additional Episodes You Might Enjoy

#39 - Hillary Allen | Brooks Running, Out And Back, Recovery Process Mindset, 2022 UTMB
#37 - Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary
#31 - Dani Moreno | Sub Ultra Trail Racing, Golden Trail Series, Overcoming Burnout, Female Participation

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Golden Ticket Talks | Jeff Colt, Black Canyon 100K 3rd Place Male Feb 16, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, we talk with the 3rd place male finisher at the 2022 Black Canyon 100K, Jeff Colt.
Jeff is a Professional Trail Runner for On Running based in Carbondale CO. In addition to race analysis, we talk about his entry into the sport while working in the hut system of New Hampshire ’s White Mountains, his multi-year path to a golden ticket which included near misses at the 2018 and 2019 Bandera 100Ks, his unorthodox training philosophy, his thoughts on the East coast trail scene, and much more.
Timestamps

(3:55) - introduction to trail and ultra running
(6:01) - working in the White Mountains Hut System
(9:49) - White Mountains Hut Traverse FKT
(15:04) - describing New England trail running scene
(21:04) - training in Carbondale, CO
(26:48) - his unorthodox approach to training for ultras
(30:14) - missing golden tickets in 2018 and 2019
(37:36) - Black Canyon 100K race strategy and execution
(54:51) - ranting against coaching culture in ultra running

Links

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

#38 - Taggart VanEtten | Road Ultrarunning, Midwest Scene, 100 Mile World Record Attempt
#29 - Sabrina Stanley | Madeira Island Reflections, UTMB 2022, Adidas Trail Team
#12 - Jack Kuenzle | FKT Scene, Sponsored Trail Runners, Brand Relationships

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Golden Ticket Talks | Trueheart Brown, Black Canyon 100K 1st Place Male Feb 14, 2022

Show notes

The Golden Ticket Talks are back! In this episode, we talk with the 1st place male finisher at the 2022 Black Canyon 100K, Trueheart Brown.
Since Trueheart is likely a new name to most ultrarunning fans, we cover a lot of ground in this episode including his background in the sport, his home and training base in Flagstaff, AZ, how he prepared for Black Canyon, his expectations leading into the race, his execution on race day, his current thoughts on Western States and more.
Timestamps

(2:29) - endurance sports background
(6:32) - wildland firefighting
(8:43) - training in Flagstaff, AZ
(11:00) - training philosophy
(12:29) - Black Canyon preparation and execution
(28:34) - initial thoughts on Western States
(36:54) - connecting dots between cycling and running

Links

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

#21 - Dave Stevens | Run Rabbit Run, Winter Training, Canadian Trail Running Scene
#5 - Karl Meltzer | UTMB, Utah 100 Miler, Making A Career From Mountain Ultra Trail Running

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Jim Walmsley What Ifs, Black Canyon 100K Preview, Full-Time Ultrarunning (Long Run Archives #1) Feb 09, 2022

Show notes

This episode is part of a brand new mini-series we are calling the "Long Run Archives" in which I am joined by Brett Hornig, a fellow ultra runner and coach at Trails and Tarmac to riff on some of Ultrarunning’s most intriguing news, ideas, and questions. You know those highly entertaining long run conversations you have with friends you wish you could have hit the record button on? These episodes will attempt to recreate those moments.
Timestamps

(4:13) - Is it a competitive advantage to be a full-time professional ultrarunner?
(17:31) - What if Jim Walmsley had never missed that mile 93 turn at the Western States 100?
(33:46) - Black Canyon 100K preview
(69:52) - Ultrarunning hot takes
(73:18) - Big trail running news
(78:31) - Great Strava finds

Links

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

#37 - Corrine Malcolm | State Of The Sport, Ultra Running Commentary
#19 - Ask Me Anything | Golden Ticket Series, Professional Trail Runners, Ultra Training
#17 - Ryan Ghelfi | Post Sponsorship Athlete Life, Trail Running Teams, UTMB, FKT Scene

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