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In this week's edition of Singletrack News, I'm once agan joined by Alyssa Clark, calling in from Paris on her way to Diagonale des Fous. 

We discuss Courtney Dauwalter's open call for 2027 racing and project ideas, the Hardrock lottery, highlights from The Mammoth, the triple crown record watch at the Moab 240, a few other key races on the schedule including Kodiak and Défi des Couleurs, and we close with Vinny Mauri's remarkable treadmill marathon training, Dakota Jones' upcoming run around the Great Salt Lake, and trail brands at Paris Fashion Week.

Partners:

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• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

Links:

• Where The Water Was

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Joe McConaughy returns to Singletrack, fresh off his fastest known time on the John Muir Trail, one of the world's premier FKT routes. 

The JMT runs 221 miles through California's Sierra Nevada from Happy, with more than 46,000 feet of climbing and nearly all of it above 8,000 feet. It's often called America's most famous trail and is named for the influential environmentalist John Muir.

The conversation covers Joe's full experience on the route, where he stands among the sport's multi-day legends, and what he's learned and experienced across three attempts in six years, including his encounter with the third man factor during his 2024 run (fascinating).

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Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made

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This week I'm joined by Alyssa Clark, just back from Mammoth Trailfest. 

We talk about what Tim Tollefson has built there, the 13-year-old who podiumed the Ascent, and where Mammoth fits in the fall 2027 competitive picture. I share my weekend crewing and pacing at the Bear 100, where Kristin Johnson ran 18:50:37 to break the women's course record by over an hour and a half.

It was a big FKT week too: Joe McConaughy's new supported John Muir Trail record, Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz on the GR20, new unsupported marks on the White Mountains 100, and Lindsay Webster on the Presidential Traverse, several tied to Andrew Drummond's $10K bounty purse.

On the business side, we try to make sense of UTMB's 2027 changes to direct qualification and a Trail Waves piece applying game theory to the Run Rabbit Run purse. We close with results from around the world and a 2009 Brett Maune passage on throwing away the other person's timesheet.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
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• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made

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As the voice behind Talk Ultra and one of trail running's most prolific photographers, Ian Corless has been monitoring and contributing to the development of our sport since the early 2010s. 

In this three-and-a-half-hour conversation, we cover the new Run Rabbit Run's $100K prize award, the impact of Ben Dhiman's 18:16 UTMB win, which pros are most at risk in the current era, the post-COVID podcast glut, the skyrunning golden age and other key historical markers that have influenced the current era.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

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Singletrack News is back from its summer break, and I'm joined by Alyssa Clark, fresh off a podium finish at TDS. 

We discuss Katharina Hartmuth's Tor des Géants course record victory, Meg Eckert's 636-mile six-day world record, course records at Run Rabbit Run, the IAU 100K World Championships, and the Barkley Fall Classic. 

On the business side, we break down Salomon's title partnership with the Ironman World Championship and what it could mean for trail, plus the status of the Western States course change coming in 2027. 

We close with a preview of the Mammoth 200 with picks, share the best things we found on the internet, and a remembrance of two athletes our community tragically lost this month - Kalie McCrystal and Ida Emilie Robsham.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
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• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made

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Brett Hornig and Jeff Colt join the show for another packed edition of the Long Run Archives. We discuss the news that Run Rabbit Run will pay $100,000 to each winner in 2027 and 2028, whether Mike McKnight should have raced Tor, Dakota Jones' latest article, "The Stone Age", and whether Ben Dhiman's UTMB recap needed more relatability, the CCC golden ticket class headed to Western States, and close with content finds: Shelby Houlihan's Skechers deal, On's move into soccer, Nick Fowler's self-supported PCT record, and the most unglamorous victory in endurance sports history.

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Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

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Will Peterson joins the show to provide in-depth analysis, commentary, and predictions for the competition in this year’s elite fields at this year's Tor des Géants.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order 
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

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Ben Dhiman returns to the show a week removed from his landmark victory at the 2026 Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc (UTMB).

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order 
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

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Caleb Olson joins us in the studio fresh off his 3rd place finish at the 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB). We reflect on his race execution, what this means for his career, and his next steps. 

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Rachel Entrekin joins us in the studio fresh off her 2nd place finish at the 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB). We reflect on her race execution, what this means for her career, and her next steps. 

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Our coverage of the 2026 UTMB World Series concludes with a recap of Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc. Brett Hornig joins me in studio to reflect on dominant victories by Ben Dhiman and Blandine L'Hirondel, thrilling races in both fields to round out the podiums, and final takeaways from the biggest week in trail running.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Another thrilling race at the UTMB World Series Finals here in Chamonix. Brett Hornig and Finn Melanson hop back on the microphones to recap the highlights from CCC.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
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Lauren Gregory joins us in studio to recap her victory at OCC. 

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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What did we just witness? Brett Hornig and Finn Melanson break down one of the most exciting races in recent memory..maybe of all time? That was wild. 

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Anton Krupicka returns to the podcast. We riff on his recently resurfaced 2010 Western States goal sheet, killing or reviving the running avatar, time spent with Colin Haley in Patagonia, advice to the current generation of professional ultrarunners, and inspiration versus obligation on start lines. 

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Michael Versteeg returns to the podcast. This time we get into leaving Satisfy, Trofeo Kima, races as "cruise ships for outdoor athletes," adventure in a fully explored world, health and food as revolutionary acts, and why it shouldn't take trauma to appreciate life. 

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
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• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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A legend of the sport, Joe Grant joins us in our Chamonix studio. We discuss the early days of UTMB and Tor des Géants, his relationship with Roch Horton and stories from the Kroger’s Canteen aid station at Hardrock, the influence of Matt Carpenter on his approach to ultrarunning, and why he thinks running media too often puts the act of running ahead of the landscapes it moves through.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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In what (hopefully) has become an annual UTMB week tradition, Max Jolliffe joins us in our Chamonix studio for another long-form conversation.

We discuss insights from his course-record win at Badwater, why he might skip Cocodona next year for a backyard ultra, his continued fascination with the Barkley Marathons, and closes with some reflections on religion and spirituality.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Leah Yingling returns to UTMB three years after an impressive 8th place debut finish back in 2023.

In this conversation we discuss her history of racing in Chamonix, adapting to a rapidly professionalizing sport, why success here equates to rejecting complacency, hiring Jack Kuenzle, balancing peak training with parenthood, and some of her predictions for the deepest women’s field ever.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Brett Hornig joins me in our Chamonix studio to preview the men's and women's fields at the 2026 OCC, part of the UTMB World Series Finals.

In both fields, we cover top storylines and what to watch for, we answer some listener mail about the race, provide analysis of top contenders, categorize who we see as candidates for the win, for the podium, and the top 10, and we make bold predictions across a number of other fun categories.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Brett Hornig joins me in our Chamonix studio to preview the men's and women's fields at the 2026 CCC, part of the UTMB World Series Finals.

In both fields, we cover top storylines and what to watch for, we answer some listener mail about the race, provide analysis of top contenders, categorize who we see as candidates for the win, for the podium, and the top 10, and we make bold predictions across a number of other fun categories.

At the end of the preview, we transition to a pre-race interview with Toni McCann - a past CCC and OCC champion - who is lining up again at CCC. We get insights into her state of mind heading into her third straight appearance at this World Series final.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Caleb Olson joins us in our Chamonix studio a little over a week out from his debut at UTMB.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Note: Kilian Jornet and Jim Walmsley are, unfortunately, out of UTMB this year. This information became public shortly after the recording of this podcast.

Brett Hornig joins me in our Chamonix studio to preview the men's and women's fields at the 2026 Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc (UTMB).

In both fields, we cover top storylines and what to watch for, we answer some listener mail about the race, provide analysis of top contenders, categorize who we see as candidates for the win, for the podium, and the top 10, and we make bold predictions across a number of other fun categories.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

Support the show

Lauren Gregory joins us in our Chamonix studio a week ahead of her debut at OCC.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Rachel Entrekin joins us in our Chamonix studio a little over a week away from her first start at Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Hans joins us in our Chamonix studio a little over a week out from the start of CCC.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Jack Kuenzle returns to the show, this time wearing the coaching hat. Among other topics, we cover the opportunities and limitations of using large language models in training, self-coaching vs. hiring a coach for elite athletes, the pacing plan behind Max Jolliffe's Badwater course record, Western States vs. UTMB build differences, and the case for training levers beyond running.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

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Disclaimer: We recorded this episode a few days before the news broke that Courtney Dauwalter is racing UTMB.

Brett Hornig joins the show for a preview-before-the-preview of UTMB 2026. We each bring our top 5 storylines heading into the biggest week in trail running, put out our current power rankings for the men's and women's fields, and play a round of Buy or Sell on the boldest claims for each of the championship races (UTMB, CCC, OCC).

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order 
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

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David Ayala is a Professor of Mathematics at Montana State University and an amateur ultrarunner who most recently finished 3rd at the 2026 Hardrock 100.

Until recently he'd never owned a watch. He has no social media. What he does have is a faculty webpage full of trip reports, written in LaTeX, for unsupported FKTs on the Wind River High Route, Sierra High Route, and Teton Center Punch, documented with a remarkable level of transparency. 

In this Sunday Conversation, we talk about training for flow state, why he calls competition "oblique collaboration," the huckleberry analogy, and whether he'll ever race again.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order 
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

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Sophie Woods just ran the length of the Alps faster than anyone in recorded history. Starting in Trieste, Italy on July 4 and finishing in Monaco on August 1, she covered the Via Alpina, 2,018 kilometers and 117,614 meters of climbing across eight countries, in 28 days, 17 hours, and 59 minutes, beating the previous overall record by more than seven days.

In this conversation, Sophie takes us inside the effort: the highs and lows, what she ate, how she paced certain sections, her sleep strategy, and how she handled setbacks like wildfires, bugs, and course reroutes.  

We also discuss her background as a London-based hairdresser, seven years living in a camper van, her IVF journey, three finishes at Tor des Géants, and a podium debut at the Winter Spine Race that she credits with giving her a whole new level to dig from. Plus what she learned from other multi-week specialists and whether she's really lining up for PTL just weeks after this FKT.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes

Additional Links:

• Follow Sophie Woods on Instagram
• Centurion Coaching

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Three weeks after Jennifer Lichter set a new course record at Western States, her coach John Fitzgerald joins the Singletrack Podcast to break down how it happened. Fitzgerald coaches an elite squad out of Missoula for Carmichael Training Systems, and this year he guided Jen to the win along with Jeff Mogavero and Adam Peterman into the men's top ten.

We get into the philosophy underneath the results: why consistency is a trainable skill, why willpower is a resource you can spend too early, and what he means when he says success is rented. Fitzgerald explains the mental shift that took Jen from a mountain 50K specialist to a 100-mile course record holder, the on-course training camps that prepared his athletes for every crux of the Western States course, race-day fueling improvisations, downhill running as a skill, and his case for simplicity in a sport chasing every new gadget and lab test.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

Additional Links:

• Coaching Profile
• Instagram: @ackfitz

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Wright Thompson is a senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine who has profiled some of the greatest athletes and coaches of all time, including Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Steve Kerr, Pat Riley, Caitlin Clark, and Dan Gable. He's also the author of 3 books: "The Cost of These Dreams", "The Barn", and "Pappyland". 

In this conversation, we discuss optimization versus beauty in sports, sports as vehicles for self-understanding, why fame freezes people at the emotional age they got it, and where the tortured artist myth comes from before ending on mortality and legacy.

Note - in case you're not interested, we spend the first 20 ish minutes of the conversation talking about our shared appreciation for music and certain artists and bands before getting into the aforementioned part of the conversation.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order 
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

Support the show

Brett Hornig co-hosts for another classic edition of the Long Run Archives. We share our biggest takeaways from this year's Hardrock, reflect on the biggest moments from the first half of 2026, and feature the latest ultra-focused products that have caught our attention. Finally, we close with a brief interview of Ryder Jay, who won the U-18 NTN Eagle race at Broken Arrow last month.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order 
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

Support the show

Tom Evans is back on the show! We last chatted after UTMB last year, so there was a lot of ground to cover: recapping the first half of 2026, his most recent treadmill workout, which garnered a lot of commentary on Instagram, the "why now" for Hardrock, his analysis of the competitive field here, and his reflections on how he's prepared for the opportunity. Thanks as always for tuning in.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Janji - running apparel that goes the distance
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order 
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

Support the show

Two course records, a rookie champion, and a men's podium almost nobody predicted. Brett Hornig and Leah Yingling join me in Auburn to recap the 2026 Western States 100: Vincent Bouillard clawing back from ten minutes down at Forest Hill, Jennifer Lichter winning in her first 100-miler, the deepest women's top 10 in race history, plus buy-or-sell and our biggest questions for next year.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Jennifer Lichter joins us in our Auburn, CA studio shortly after her course record victory at the 2026 Western State 100. 

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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David Roche returns to the show a few days ahead of the 2026 Western States 100.

Across 2024 and 2025, he put on one of the most memorable shows in our sport's history. He took us behind the scenes of his buildup to Javelina, Leadville, and Western States, fighting for wins and course records while running training experiments on himself.

This year he's back at Western States, on the ground as a coach for athletes like Hans Troyer, Ellaney Matarese, and Justin Grunewald.

We were lucky to get him in the studio for a long-form conversation, where we peppered him with questions on training, fueling, heat mitigation, and race strategy for the Western States 100.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Finn Melanson, Brett Hornig, Jeff Colt, and Rod Farvard provide in-depth analysis, commentary, and predictions for the competition in this year’s men's field at the Western States 100. 

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Zach Miller is one of the greatest, most entertaining, and most thoughtful runners of his generation. It's a treat to have him in the studio ahead of Western States, a race he has patiently waited to run for over a decade.

Miller is coming off a memorable 2nd place golden ticket performance at the Canyons 100K, a race where he reunited with Hayden Hawks for yet another classic duel in their storied rivalry, which dates back to the 2016 TNF 50 in San Francisco.

We also catch up with Zach on other topics, including his regular IRunFar column, his trusty North Face hat, and his reflections on this stage of his career as a professional ultra-trail runner.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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One of the most exciting and versatile athletes in our sport, Tara Dower joins us in the studio to reflect on this year’s mission to race the vaunted Western States-Hardrock double. 

There’s a bit of a “revenge” narrative at play here as illness forced her to DNF at last year’s Western States and she was the very first person on the wait list at last year’s Hardrock, even suiting up for the start line the morning of the race in hopes that magic would happen. Ultimately, the stars didn’t align. But now it’s here. 

We talk a lot about her process approaching the double, but also ask her about other interests in the sport, life in Durango, performance mantras, and her ability to dig remarkably deep in so many of these races.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Jennifer Lichter is the newest star in ultra-trail running. She's been winning important races since her breakout at The Rut 50K in 2021, but it was only about 18 months ago that the wider world caught on and she became a household name. 

Since the start of 2025 she's beaten top fields to win the Transgrancanaria Marathon, Broken Arrow 46K, Speedgoat 50K, Black Canyon 100K, and Gorge Waterfalls 50K. Western States is her first time toeing the line for 100 miles, yet many already make her a favorite to win. Can she pull it off? 

In this conversation we trace her path here, dig into what the buildup actually looked like, and talk through her strategy for handling the spotlight at the North American Super Bowl of ultrarunning. Hope you enjoy.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Finn Melanson, Brett Hornig, and Leah Yingling provide in-depth analysis, commentary, and predictions for the competition in this year’s women's field at the Western States 100. 

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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Kilian Jornet is the greatest trail and mountain runner of all time. He joins the show coming off a 3rd place finish at last year’s event, certainly questing for a victory in this year’s edition. He is the 2011 champion of Western States and debuted here in 2010 - the famous “Unbreakable” edition where he dueled with Geoff Roes and Anton Krupicka all day before landing on the podium in 3rd. Suffice it to say, Kilian has a storied history at this race. It’s not that often we get the privilege to speak with Kilian, so we also used this opportunity to have a broader conversation getting his insights on various state of sport topics. Hope you enjoy. 

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

Support the show

Scott Jurek is one of the greatest ultramarathoners of all time. His career ushered in an era of professionalism that enabled many that came after him to pursue this sport as a full-fledged career. 

Since 2024, we have had Scott in the studio for long-form conversations during Western States week. At this point, it’s become one of our favorite traditions. Sometimes we talk about the state of the sport, sometimes we reflect on key moments in his racing career, and other times we just shoot the breeze. 

In this one, we talk about Scott’s experience at Cocodona this year, his relationship with Dean Potter, pacing Brian Morrison in 2006, and whether ultrarunning is in a “golden age” right now.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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In this episode we share our final "power rankings" for both the men's and women's races. Stay tuned for additional, in-depth previews of both elite fields later this week.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

Support the show

Simply put, Lotti Brinks is one of the best ultrarunners in the sport right now.

Over the last 2 years, she’s secured multiple top 10s at CCC, wins at Way Too Cool and Desert Rats, and a course record at the Gorge Waterfalls 100K this past spring that heralded her arrival into the upper echelon of the sport.

This is her second time at Western States. She was here in 2024, placing 14th in 18:53. But many expect her to be a podium contender in 2026.

Since this is our first ever interview with Lotti on Singletrack, we use the opportunity to learn more about her: her background, what motivates her pursuit of excellence in the ultra world, being coached by the great Tyler Green, and her race-day goals.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

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These are the times! Hans Troyer joins us in the studio for his first-ever (longer form) appearance on the Singletrack Podcast. 

Hans has had an exciting recent build to Western States, including a win at the Twisted Fork 30K and a training camp in Flagstaff with the Hoka team. Beyond that, on the biggest stages of the sport, he is on a roll demonstrating his greatness with a course record victory at the Black Canyon 100K back in February and an impressive win at JFK late last year. 

Hans took 8th place at his debut here last June, but expectations are higher for his return. Many consider him one of the favorites for the win here and part of the cohort of superstars that could break the fabled 14-hour barrier on the course. 

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 

Support the show

Francesco Puppi is a professional trail runner for Hoka based outside of Lake Como, Italy. For many fans of the sport, his debut at the 100-mile distance and Western States has been long-anticipated. It's finally here and we cover the usual topics around preparation, mentality, and racing strategy for the current moment, but I also take the opportunity to ask him about current anti-doping efforts in the sport, European vs American trail media, and lessons learned from other superstars in our sport. 

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Janji - running gear that goes the distance
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

Support the show

Brett Hornig and Jeff Colt join the show to unpack Tom Evans' wild treadmill workout, our Western States sleeper picks, the ski brands entering the trail market, Broken Arrow hype, and whether the athlete-media landscape is changing.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Janji - running gear that goes the distance
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

Support the show

We discuss Gerda Steyn's "comfortable" Comrades record (and George Kusche's not-so-comfortable victory finish), Aaron Kubala's Tahoe 200 course record, Rod Farvard and Martina Valmassoi's dominant UTMB Andorra wins, Western States withdrawals from Keely Henninger and Seth Ruling, our Broken Arrow storylines to watch, Terignota's wild financials, athletes on the move (Canyon Woodward to Patagonia), Tudor's luxury trail play, and our favorite content of the week.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Janji - running gear that goes the distance
• Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order 
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

Support the show