Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!Timestamps:(1:39) - ideas to make ultra races easier to analyze and fun to follow(12:59) - should elite ultra runners be penalized for DNFs?(22:43) - Strava find of the week: 3:47 downhill mile (32:38) - what if Magda Boulet had switched to ultra running during her prime?(40:33) - what if Sally McRae didn't get a golden ticket to Western States in 2014?(50:39) - new 50K world record Links:The Lickskillet Downhill MileBilly Yang - Sean O'Brien 50 Mile FilmAdditional Episodes You May Enjoy:Long Run Archives #1 | Jim Walmsley What Ifs, Black Canyon 100K Preview, Full-Time UltrarunningSupport Singletrack:PatreonSupport the show

Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!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 SkimoLinksFollow Mike on InstagramThe Rut 50K61,000 FeetNorth Face ProfileAdditional 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 CommentarySupport Singletrack:PatreonSupport the show

Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!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 CityLinksAnton's Linktree ProfileAnton's Instagram Profile60 Songs That Explain The 90sUnbreakableLongs Peak TriathlonAdditional 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 RunSupport Singletrack:PatreonSupport the show

Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!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 sportsLinksFollow Singletrack on InstagramFollow Tom Evans on InstagramTom Evans' "Road to recovery" Episode #1Knees Over Toes GuyTom Evans on the Sweat Elite PodcastAdditional 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 TrainingSupport Singletrack:PatreonSupport the show

Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!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 LinksReid's blogReid's coaching businessFollow Singletrack on Instagram hereAdditional 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 RunningSupport Singletrack:PatreonSupport the show

Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!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 nowLinksScott's coaching businessChasing Gold Interview SeriesWatch the full interview on Youtube hereFollow Singletrack on Instagram hereAdditional 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 MaleSupport Singletrack:PatreonSupport the show

Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!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 issuesLinksFollow Singletrack on InstagramWatch the episode on YoutubeFollow Anne-Marie on InstagramThe Happy City by Charles MontgomeryA Philosophy of Regional Planning by Benton MacKayeAdditional 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 ParticipationSupport Singletrack:PatreonSupport the show

Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!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 runnerLinksWatch the full episode on YoutubeFollow Taylor on InstagramFollow Singletrack on InstagramAdditional 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 ParticipationSupport Singletrack:PatreonSupport the show

Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!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 runningLinksWatch the full episode on Youtube hereFollow Singletrack on InstagramFollow Jeff on InstagramAdditional 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 RelationshipsSupport Singletrack:PatreonSupport the show

Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!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 runningLinksWatch the interview on YoutubeFollow Singletrack on InstagramAdditional 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 RunningSupport Singletrack:PatreonSupport the show