The Freetrail Podcast with Dylan Bowman

This interview is part of Freetrail's coverage of the 2025 Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB). Our shows and athlete interviews are hosted by Dylan Bowman who sits down to talk with some of the favorites who are racing this year.   In this interview, Dylan talks to professional runner, Abby Hall (Adidas Terrex). Abby is the 2025 Western States Champion, throwing down what was one of the greatest ever races earlier this summer. After years of injury, Abby inspired us all when she crossed the line at Placer High School in 1st. Last year, Abby marched it in to finish in Chamonix. Will her trail karma reward her with a great result this year?   Make sure to tune into all of Freetrail's coverage leading into the 2025 UTMB. All shows hosted by Dylan Bowman, with special guests listed below:   Friday August 22nd: Top 10 Storylines of the 2025 UTMB with Tim Tollefson Saturday August 23rd: OCC Preview Show with Dani Moreno Sunday August 24th: CCC Preview Show with Hayden Hawks Monday August 25th: UTMB Preview Show with Sally McRae Tuesday August 26th: Final Predictions Show with Corrine Malcolm & Keith Byrne Wednesday August 27th: TDS Recap Show with Ryan Sandes & Martina Valmassoi  Thursday August 28th: OCC Recap Show with Corrine Malcolm and Ryan Montgomery Friday August 29th: We’ll provide photo and video coverage of the race for the Freetrail social channels. Make sure to follow along here and @runfreetrail on Instagram. Saturday August 30th: UTMB Instant Reactions + CCC Results Show with Jim Walmsley & Sally McRae Sunday August 31st: UTMB Week recap with Corrine Malcolm   Make sure to play Freetrail's own fantasy trail running at https://fantasy.freetrail.com/events and pick 10-deep for OCC, CCC & UTMB for a chance to win sweet prizes including Freetrail swag and special items from our partners HOKA, SunGod and more!   Our 2025 UTMB coverage is brought to you by HOKA, the best people and products in the trail running business. The show is also made possible with support from Red Bull & SunGod. We're grateful for their support!  HOKA Make sure to check out the HOKA Mafate 5, the shoe Hayden was wearing during his interview and the CCC Preview show recordings today! The Mafate 5 is a shoe with plush cushioning for tough terrain. A pinnacle product for technical trail, the Mafate 5 goes the extra mile with more cushioning and protection than ever before. Built tough for mileage chasers, this tenacious trail runner helps maintain control during long haul efforts with our Rocker Integrity Technology™ and protects from trail debris with an optional ankle gaiter. Finished with a soft, springy foam just underfoot and impact-absorbing foam near the sole, the Mafate 5 is grounded in aggressive Vibram® Megagrip traction lugs. No doubt, this is the shoe our team will be wearing on the trails all week in Chamonix! SunGod   A longtime friend of Freetrail, we’re grateful for SunGod’s support of Freetrail’s UTMB coverage this year! SunGod makes performance eyewear worn by the world’s top trail running athletes.   Use code FREETRAIL10 off SunGod products at https://sungod.avln.me/c/xfOAIzPFAeSd   Freetrail Pro members receive a deeper discount on SunGod, available after you sign up at https://freetrail.com/pro   Red Bull   Thanks to one of Dylan’s longest sponsors for supporting our coverage of UTMB. To get your daily dose of epic adventure content, follow @redbulladventure. Make sure to also check out the latest season of Red Bull’s How to Be Superhuman podcast for immersive stories of incredible achievements in trail running and beyond.   Freetrail Links:  Website | https://freetrail.com/ Freetrail Pro | https://freetrail.com/pro/ Patreon |   / dylanbowman   Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/runfreetrai... YouTube |    / @freetrail   Freetrail Experts | https://freetrail.com/experts/   Dylan Links:  Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dylanbo/?hl=en Twitter | https://twitter.com/dylanbo?lang=en LinkedIn |   / dylan-bowman-06174380  

This interview is part of Freetrail's coverage of the 2025 Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB). Our shows and athlete interviews are hosted by Dylan Bowman who sits down to talk with some of the favorites who are racing this year.   In this interview, Dylan talks to professional runner, Rod Farvard (HOKA) for a pre-race interview in advance of UTMB. Rod lives and trains in Mammoth Lakes, California. Rod was the breakout star of the 2024 Western States 100, throwing down an incredible performance to take second place behind champion Jim Walmsley, and had a disappointing DNF in 2025. He comes to Chamonix with a spiritual approach to his upcoming lap around Mont Blanc.   Make sure to tune into all of Freetrail's coverage leading into the 2025 UTMB. All shows hosted by Dylan Bowman, with special guests listed below:   Friday August 22nd: Top 10 Storylines of the 2025 UTMB with Tim Tollefson Saturday August 23rd: OCC Preview Show with Dani Moreno Sunday August 24th: CCC Preview Show with Hayden Hawks Monday August 25th: UTMB Preview Show with Sally McRae Tuesday August 26th: Final Predictions Show with Corrine Malcolm & Keith Byrne Wednesday August 27th: TDS Recap Show with Ryan Sandes & Martina Valmassoi  Thursday August 28th: OCC Recap Show with Corrine Malcolm and Ryan Montgomery Friday August 29th: We’ll provide photo and video coverage of the race for the Freetrail social channels. Make sure to follow along here and @runfreetrail on Instagram. Saturday August 30th: UTMB Instant Reactions + CCC Results Show with Jim Walmsley & Sally McRae Sunday August 31st: UTMB Week recap with Corrine Malcolm   Make sure to play Freetrail's own fantasy trail running at https://fantasy.freetrail.com/events and pick 10-deep for OCC, CCC & UTMB for a chance to win sweet prizes including Freetrail swag and special items from our partners HOKA, SunGod and more!   Our 2025 UTMB coverage is brought to you by HOKA, the best people and products in the trail running business. The show is also made possible with support from Red Bull & SunGod. We're grateful for their support!  HOKA Make sure to check out the HOKA Mafate 5, the shoe Hayden was wearing during his interview and the CCC Preview show recordings today! The Mafate 5 is a shoe with plush cushioning for tough terrain. A pinnacle product for technical trail, the Mafate 5 goes the extra mile with more cushioning and protection than ever before. Built tough for mileage chasers, this tenacious trail runner helps maintain control during long haul efforts with our Rocker Integrity Technology™ and protects from trail debris with an optional ankle gaiter. Finished with a soft, springy foam just underfoot and impact-absorbing foam near the sole, the Mafate 5 is grounded in aggressive Vibram® Megagrip traction lugs. No doubt, this is the shoe our team will be wearing on the trails all week in Chamonix! SunGod   A longtime friend of Freetrail, we’re grateful for SunGod’s support of Freetrail’s UTMB coverage this year! SunGod makes performance eyewear worn by the world’s top trail running athletes.   Use code FREETRAIL10 off SunGod products at https://sungod.avln.me/c/xfOAIzPFAeSd   Freetrail Pro members receive a deeper discount on SunGod, available after you sign up at https://freetrail.com/pro   Red Bull   Thanks to one of Dylan’s longest sponsors for supporting our coverage of UTMB. To get your daily dose of epic adventure content, follow @redbulladventure. Make sure to also check out the latest season of Red Bull’s How to Be Superhuman podcast for immersive stories of incredible achievements in trail running and beyond.   Freetrail Links:  Website | https://freetrail.com/ Freetrail Pro | https://freetrail.com/pro/ Patreon |   / dylanbowman   Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/runfreetrai... YouTube |    / @freetrail   Freetrail Experts | https://freetrail.com/experts/   Dylan Links:  Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dylanbo/?hl=en Twitter | https://twitter.com/dylanbo?lang=en LinkedIn |   / dylan-bowman-06174380  

Dive into the thrilling build-up to the 2025 Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, where excitement runs high! Hear about the rise of American and Kenyan athletes and the historical significance of the race. Youth participation is on the rise, offering shorter races for inclusivity. Explore the changing landscape of ultra-distance racing, including the shift toward sub-ultra events. Key athletes share their training strategies and competitive insights as they prepare for the event. Anticipation is palpable for the iconic race, with unique stories emerging from both veterans and newcomers.

This interview is part of Freetrail's coverage of the 2025 Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB). Our shows and athlete interviews are hosted by Dylan Bowman who sits down to talk with some of the favorites who are racing this year.   In this interview, Dylan talks to professional runner, Dani Moreno (Adidas Terrex). Dani lives and trains in the East Sierra, and has raced OCC here in Chamonix multiple times. Dani is an incredible trail athlete, with impressive shorter distance trail podiums under her belt. She’s stepping up in distance this year to the 100k at CCC. We love Dani and wish her the best!   Make sure to tune into all of Freetrail's coverage leading into the 2025 UTMB. All shows hosted by Dylan Bowman, with special guests listed below:   Friday August 22nd: Top 10 Storylines of the 2025 UTMB with Tim Tollefson Saturday August 23rd: OCC Preview Show with Dani Moreno Sunday August 24th: CCC Preview Show with Hayden Hawks Monday August 25th: UTMB Preview Show with Sally McRae Tuesday August 26th: Final Predictions Show with Corrine Malcolm & Keith Byrne Wednesday August 27th: TDS Recap Show with Ryan Sandes & Martina Valmassoi  Thursday August 28th: OCC Recap Show with Corrine Malcolm and Ryan Montgomery Friday August 29th: We’ll provide photo and video coverage of the race for the Freetrail social channels. Make sure to follow along here and @runfreetrail on Instagram. Saturday August 30th: UTMB Instant Reactions + CCC Results Show with Jim Walmsley & Sally McRae Sunday August 31st: UTMB Week recap with Corrine Malcolm   Make sure to play Freetrail's own fantasy trail running at https://fantasy.freetrail.com/events and pick 10-deep for OCC, CCC & UTMB for a chance to win sweet prizes including Freetrail swag and special items from our partners HOKA, SunGod and more!   Our 2025 UTMB coverage is brought to you by HOKA, the best people and products in the trail running business. The show is also made possible with support from Red Bull & SunGod. We're grateful for their support!  HOKA Make sure to check out the HOKA Mafate 5, the shoe Hayden was wearing during his interview and the CCC Preview show recordings today! The Mafate 5 is a shoe with plush cushioning for tough terrain. A pinnacle product for technical trail, the Mafate 5 goes the extra mile with more cushioning and protection than ever before. Built tough for mileage chasers, this tenacious trail runner helps maintain control during long haul efforts with our Rocker Integrity Technology™ and protects from trail debris with an optional ankle gaiter. Finished with a soft, springy foam just underfoot and impact-absorbing foam near the sole, the Mafate 5 is grounded in aggressive Vibram® Megagrip traction lugs. No doubt, this is the shoe our team will be wearing on the trails all week in Chamonix! SunGod   A longtime friend of Freetrail, we’re grateful for SunGod’s support of Freetrail’s UTMB coverage this year! SunGod makes performance eyewear worn by the world’s top trail running athletes.   Use code FREETRAIL10 off SunGod products at https://sungod.avln.me/c/xfOAIzPFAeSd   Freetrail Pro members receive a deeper discount on SunGod, available after you sign up at https://freetrail.com/pro   Freetrail Links:  Website | https://freetrail.com/ Freetrail Pro | https://freetrail.com/pro/ Patreon |   / dylanbowman   Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/runfreetrai... YouTube |    / @freetrail   Freetrail Experts | https://freetrail.com/experts/   Dylan Links:  Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dylanbo/?hl=en Twitter | https://twitter.com/dylanbo?lang=en LinkedIn |   / dylan-bowman-06174380  

This interview is part of Freetrail's coverage of the 2025 Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB). Our shows and athlete interviews are hosted by Dylan Bowman who sits down to talk with some of the favorites who are racing this year.   In this interview, Dylan talks to professional runner, Hayden Hawks (HOKA). Hayden lives in Utah, but spends much of his summer with his family training in France. Injury took Hayden out of the Western States 100 in June, but he’s feeling strong heading into UTMB. After two wins at CCC including the 2024 CCC, Hayden has performed better than almost anyone on these trails. He DNF’d at the 2019 UTMB, but has spent the past 6 years learning how to train and race here. Can he take the win on the full loop around the mountain this year? No doubt he enters the race as one of this year’s favorites.    Make sure to tune into all of Freetrail's coverage leading into the 2025 UTMB. All shows hosted by Dylan Bowman, with special guests listed below:   Friday August 22nd: Top 10 Storylines of the 2025 UTMB with Tim Tollefson Saturday August 23rd: OCC Preview Show with Dani Moreno Sunday August 24th: CCC Preview Show with Hayden Hawks Monday August 25th: UTMB Preview Show with Sally McRae Tuesday August 26th: Final Predictions Show with Corrine Malcolm & Keith Byrne Wednesday August 27th: TDS Recap Show with Ryan Sandes & Martina Valmassoi  Thursday August 28th: OCC Recap Show with Corrine Malcolm and Ryan Montgomery Friday August 29th: We’ll provide photo and video coverage of the race for the Freetrail social channels. Make sure to follow along here and @runfreetrail on Instagram. Saturday August 30th: UTMB Instant Reactions + CCC Results Show with Jim Walmsley & Sally McRae Sunday August 31st: UTMB Week recap with Corrine Malcolm   Make sure to play Freetrail's own fantasy trail running at https://fantasy.freetrail.com/events and pick 10-deep for OCC, CCC & UTMB for a chance to win sweet prizes including Freetrail swag and special items from our partners HOKA, SunGod and more!   Our 2025 UTMB coverage is brought to you by HOKA, the best people and products in the trail running business. The show is also made possible with support from Red Bull & SunGod. We're grateful for their support!  HOKA Make sure to check out the HOKA Mafate 5, the shoe Hayden was wearing during his interview and the CCC Preview show recordings today! The Mafate 5 is a shoe with plush cushioning for tough terrain. A pinnacle product for technical trail, the Mafate 5 goes the extra mile with more cushioning and protection than ever before. Built tough for mileage chasers, this tenacious trail runner helps maintain control during long haul efforts with our Rocker Integrity Technology™ and protects from trail debris with an optional ankle gaiter. Finished with a soft, springy foam just underfoot and impact-absorbing foam near the sole, the Mafate 5 is grounded in aggressive Vibram® Megagrip traction lugs. No doubt, this is the shoe our team will be wearing on the trails all week in Chamonix! SunGod   A longtime friend of Freetrail, we’re grateful for SunGod’s support of Freetrail’s UTMB coverage this year! SunGod makes performance eyewear worn by the world’s top trail running athletes.   Use code FREETRAIL10 off SunGod products at https://sungod.avln.me/c/xfOAIzPFAeSd   Freetrail Pro members receive a deeper discount on SunGod, available after you sign up at https://freetrail.com/pro   Freetrail Links:  Website | https://freetrail.com/ Freetrail Pro | https://freetrail.com/pro/ Patreon |   / dylanbowman   Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/runfreetrai... YouTube |    / @freetrail   Freetrail Experts | https://freetrail.com/experts/   Dylan Links:  Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dylanbo/?hl=en Twitter | https://twitter.com/dylanbo?lang=en LinkedIn |   / dylan-bowman-06174380

Jennifer Lichter is a pro trail runner for The North Face, living in Missoula, MT. In 2023, Jenn was 4th at the Short Trail World Championships, landing her on the international radar in a big way early in her career. This season, Jenn has taken her game to a new level, winning and setting course records at both Broken Arrow 46k and Speedgoat 50k. In this episode, Jenn shares her personal story for the first time - a remarkable journey of living on the streets of Bogota, Colombia, to being adopted by an American family, and later blossoming into a global trail running superstar.    Follow Jenn on Strava     Sponsors:   Use code freetrail10 for 10% off Speedland Footwear Grab a trail running pack from Osprey Use code FREETRAIL25 for 25% off your first order of NEVERSECOND nutrition at never2.com Go to ketone.com/freetrail30 for 30% off a subscription of Ketone IQ   Freetrail Links: Website | Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | YouTube | Freetrail Experts     Dylan Links: Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Strava

Ben Gibbard, the frontman of Death Cab for Cutie and an avid trail runner, shares his journey balancing music and ultra-running. He discusses life on tour, the emotional connection to revisiting old songs, and the evolving music industry landscape. He reflects on his experience running the challenging Western States 100, highlighting his relationship with coach Gary Robbins. Ben also talks about his collaboration with Speedland on a new trail shoe and the trials he faced during the race, showcasing the community spirit of ultrarunning.

EmKay Sullivan and Dani Moreno, co-hosts of the SubHub podcast that highlights sub-ultra distance trail running, join to discuss Kilian Jornet's ambitious "States of Elevation" project. They recap the recent Speedgoat 50k results and introduce Milimani Runners, Kenya's pioneering pro trail team. The conversation dives into emerging East African talents and the competitive landscape leading up to the prestigious Sierre-Zinal race, exploring the dynamics of trail running and the evolving role of sponsorships.

Ben Dhiman, an American pro runner for Asics living in France, shares the highs and lows of his running journey. He dives into his impressive wins at Ventoux and Lavaredo, where he set a course record. Ben opens up about dealing with personal loss and the disappointments of DNFs at UTMB. He also discusses his goal of breaking the sub-30 10k barrier, the training he documents on Substack, and the mental resilience required for competitive racing. With a lighthearted take on cultural differences, he shows what it means to thrive in the sport.

Rachel Entrekin, a rising star and two-time Cocodona 250 champion, shares her inspiring journey from Alabama to record-breaking successes. She discusses grappling with newfound fame, the transformative challenges of endurance racing, and her experiences at Cocodona 250. Rachel highlights the joys of community in ultrarunning, the realities of being unsponsored, and her ambitions for the future. Alongside her running, she touches on how her life in Colorado has shaped her approach to training and competition.