The Freetrail Podcast with Dylan Bowman Worlds Champs Trailgating: Uphill Recap & Short Trail Preview with Christian Allen
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Sep 25, 2025 
Christian Allen, a professional trail runner and member of the All Conditions Gear racing department, shares his insights after racing the uphill 6k. He discusses the chaos at the start and his strategic positioning to avoid bottlenecks. Reflecting on his fourth place finish and contributing to Team USA's bronze medal, he explores the emotional journey and future goals. The conversation also covers mental preparation, comparisons between cross country and trail racing, and predictions for the upcoming short trail race.
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Escaping The Funnel Was Key
- Christian Allen avoided the mid-course funnel by going out hard to escape the chaos on the singletrack.
- He stayed near the lead to avoid being caught in the back-pack mayhem and it paid off with a top-five finish.
Runnability Favors Turnover And Economy
- Christian Allen credits leg turnover and running economy for uphill success on runnable VKs.
- He says extremely steep power-hiking sections favor athletes with a schemo/sky background, not his running style.
Fourth Place As Motivation
- Christian felt mixed joy and regret after finishing fourth, valuing the learning from his first Worlds team experience.
- He framed the result as fuel to build toward future podiums rather than a final judgment.