The Trailhead

This week, Corrine and Buzz talk about what it takes to become a sponsored athlete—is it really just follower count? Corrine interviews Jenn Hughes, former editor-in-chief of UltraSignup News about her experience facing dragons and searching for joy during the blizzard year of Tor des Géants. You can read Jenn’s article “How to Tame a Dragon” at UltraSignup News. Then, Buzz interviews Ultimate Direction ultrarunner Jeff Colt, about the difference between New England trails and Colorado trails, seeking balance, and how the pandemic actually helped him get to where he is today. The Trailhead Podcast is a production from UltraSignup News. This episode is presented by Ultimate Direction. Use promo code “Trailhead25” for 25% off at Ultimate Direction.

This week, Buzz and Corrine get real about how they tackle injury and the healing process. Then, Corrine interviews Emily Halnon about the emotional crash she experienced after running her dream race, the Hardrock 100. Emily first wrote about this in "The Runner's Low" for UltraSignup News. Later, Buzz gives Steven from Georgia some tips on training for race day elevation when you don’t live at altitude. The Trailhead is an UltraSignup production. This episode is presented by Sidas. Use promo code “Trailhead20” for 20% off your purchase at Sidas.com.

This week, Buzz and Corrine talk about the Pro Trail Runners Association (PTRA), a non-profit based in Switzerland that Corrine helped found. Corrine interviews Andrew Drummond, from Run the Whites, about our UltraSignup News article “Rock hopping with Run the Whites,” and his ultra-journey from helping Scott Jurek set an FKT to putting the White Mountains back on the map. Buzz then talks to two of our Keep Trail Running Weird award winners: Mike Melton who won the Most Tenacious and Jen Golbeck who has inspired thousands to start running (at any pace) and won our Most Inspirational. She even inspires Buzz along the way! You can find Jen on Instagram at Jen Runs With Dogs. The Trailhead is a production from UltraSignUp . This episode is presented by Ultimate Direction. Use promo code “Trailhead25” for 25% off Ultimate Direction.

This week is a fun one! Buzz and Corrine discuss the best trail runners of 2022. You can read Buzz's Top 10 Cliff's Notes here: https://news.ultrasignup.com/the-best-of-the-best-2022/  Corrine interviews ultrarunning champion Arlen Glick about his fantastic race season and training in less than ideal situations. (You can read our article on him here: https://news.ultrasignup.com/not-to-be-ignored/.) Then, Buzz interviews three of our Keep Trail Running Weird award winners: Mike Smith—MOST MILES RACED. Shannon Brandl—BEST RACE DAY FAIL Joel Gartenberg—FAVORITE TRAIL WEIRDO Follow and subscribe—help us build our listenership! Presented by Sidas. Use promo code “Trailhead20” for 20% off at Sidas.com.      

We’re back for Season 2! Buzz and Corrine talk “best of the year” 2022 and run through their 2023 predictions. Corrine predicts an increase in tibial stress reactions (due to carbon shoe proliferation) and Buzz admits that he’s run FKTs in shoes he bought at K-Mart! Corrine interviews Allie “Mac” McLaughlin about her amazing 2022 race season. And they discuss her 1-year-old best friend, how injury episodes have allowed her to grow in other ways, and what’s next for the extreme athlete. We wrote about Allie in September in a piece titled “Sprinting down and flying above the world’s biggest mountains.” Then, Buzz drops the hard truth on our caller, Nick, who wants to PR in the marathon after running his first 100-miler.  Follow and subscribe—help us build our listenership to forever and beyond! Presented by Ultimate Direction. Use promo code “Trailhead25” for 25% off Ultimate Direction.

***NEW PODCAST*** This ain't your normal Trailhead! We'd like to introduce a new podcast that we thought you might enjoy, UltraData. Matt Abbott walks us through how to develop an algorithm to rank UltraSignup’s races by difficulty. Along the way, he brings in some guests (Jeff Pelletier, Riley Brady, Arlen Glick, & Corrine Malcolm) to discuss what makes different races hard for them and to react to iterations of the ranking. We hope you enjoy it!   The Trailhead podcast will be back to its regular episodes in January!

Illegal drugs are cropping up in the running world again; Buzz and Corrine talk testing and their own performance enhancing strategies. Then Corrine interviews Anita Cardinal, a Cree activist and lawyer, about running, resilience, and representation. Finally, Buzz and caller Jane brainstorm how to get back to ultra-distances after having a baby - with a focus on letting go of outcome and simply enjoying the journey.     We’ll be back! Season 2 starts in January, so stay tuned for our next release.   Presented by Ultimate Direction and with support this week from Sidas. Use promo code “Trailhead25” for 25% off Ultimate Direction and “Trailhead20” for 20% off Sidas.

Corrine and Buzz chat about the recent Backyard World Championships and how it’s possible to set a world record and DNF at the same time?! Corrine talks to elite marathoner Peter Bromka about balancing parenting and the long run, diving into his popular article “The Endurance Dad Dilemma.”  Then Buzz talks with runner Brianne about how to stay positive during long races, sharing favorite run-tested mantras that work. Presented by Ultimate Direction and with support this week from Sidas. Use promo code “Trailhead25” for 25% off Ultimate Direction and “Trailhead20” for 20% off Sidas.

Corrine and Buzz talk about “crushing” and “dominating” on the trails with writer and pro-athlete Meg Mackenzie who penned the thought provoking article “Annihilate That Course and Obliterate Your Competition.” Does using violent language influence our sport experience? The UltraSignup community had heated reactions to the online article; listen in and add your opinion. Then Buzz helps Matt from Issaquah, WA decide how long to rest after a big ultra-effort. Plus, Buzz’s favorite go-to recovery activity. Have a question about trail or distance running? Send your question to news@ultrasignup.com for a chance to chat with Buzz on an upcoming episode.   Presented by Ultimate Direction and with support this week from Squirrel’s Nut Butter. Use promo code “Trailhead25” for 25% off Ultimate Direction or Squirrel’s Nut Butter.

Description: Corrine and Buzz break down Kilian Jornet’s exhaustive new blog recapping his 2022 training with micro-details including his workouts, nutrition, sleep, stress and more. Are there usable tips for a “normie” runner or is Kilian simply from another planet? Next, Corrine talks to writer and runner Jared Beasley about the quiet, but seductive appeal of the backyard race phenomenon. His piece, “Everyone’s Got A Shot at a Backyard, Right?” looks at the enigmatic format and how an average runner can get (happily?) sucked in. And Buzz talks to Isabella from L.A. about shin splints and offers a range of tips and tricks to help. Have a question about trail or distance running? Send your question to news@ultrasignup.com for a chance to chat with Buzz on an upcoming episode. Presented by Ultimate Direction and with support this week from Tailwind Nutrition.