Community Trail Running: Recent Episodes
Adam Lee
Always 15 minutes or less and featuring useful and entertaining guests. Trail running is inclusive, adventurous, and fun. So is this podcast. This podcast is part of the Community Trail Running newsletter and extends the trail running community for your listening pleasure.
communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Jason Burns has always been a curious individual and so the opportunity to spotlight the people he’s met over the years was one he had to embrace. His home province of Saskatchewan has a wealth of talent and stories. The stories he learned were ones that he knew would have an audience. That’s how the SaskatchewRun Podcast came to be and now it’s a project that is fulfilling and meaningful for Jason. It was awesome hearing all about him and why he does what he does!
My SaskatchewRun appearance:
Our new theme music:
Massive shoutout to A Brothers Fountain! The Colorado based indie band has allowed us to use their song “Get Your Ass Outside” as our theme music. How cool is that?! I’m so grateful to Justin Fountain for responding to my email so quickly and being so generous and of course to the rest of the band, AJ Fountain, Ryan Guillen, Roel (Ro) Calvillo, Graham Good, Chris More, Bret Rindt, Trevor Davis and Zach Baumann. We even let the song play out at the end of this episode so you can appreciate how damn good it is!
The Miller Minutes:
The final episode before my Fat Dog 120 journey was supposed to drop this Thursday. Now Andrew and I will be chatting about what to do when your goal suddenly disappears. We are thinking of all those people directly affected by the fires.
The show is always around 10 minutes and features Andrew coaching me towards my goals. He does it in a way that zooms out beyond just me and there are lessons for everyone in there. Here is last month’s episode to get you caught up:
Support Community Trail Running
Community Trail Running is an independent podcast, newsletter and community project. Support the work by subscribing, sharing an episode or grabbing a CTR shirt.
[Shop CTR] · [Start Here]
Credits
Hosted and produced by Adam Lee. Theme music “Get Your Ass Outside” by A Brother’s Fountain(!). Used with permission.
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Sheena and I go to a lot of races together. She has been there and supported me over and over, and I’m always so grateful for it! So I absolutely love these resort style races where she has access to the amenities the entire time I’m on the trails playing. It’s nice to know she’s having a great time enjoying all kinds of fun as well! Panorama has lots of great things to do, and we had so much fun going back to The Wildness for their second year. We are already excited for year 3!
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The Last Episode:
The Miller Minutes:
More about The Wildness:
Support Community Trail Running
Community Trail Running is an independent podcast, newsletter and community project. Support the work by subscribing, sharing an episode or grabbing a CTR shirt.
[Shop CTR] · [Start Here]
Credits
Hosted and produced by Adam Lee. Theme music by Paolo Argentino.
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Celeste Ramage has made it a mission to let men know they can find support. It’s so personal to her because her partner Chad Evans suffered in silence and alone, and ultimately ended his own life tragically at the age of 34. She’s found strength and meaning in connecting with the running community and supporting Heads up Guys through “Chad’s Day for Change”, an urban trail race in Edmonton, Alberta (August 8, 2026). She was open and honest, and I’m so grateful to her for coming on the show and sharing as she did. It’s wonderful we have people like Celeste looking to make change even in the shadow of tragedy.
The Last Episode:
Miller Minutes:
Shirts for sale:
I’m so excited and grateful to get Community Trail Running shirts for sale on the Spry website! Spry is located in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It’s an awesome retail shop that caters really well to trail runners. I work in the back for the distribution company “Rock Gear Distribution”. So this is a really cool partnership, and I’m so excited for it. Grab your shirt here!
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Well friends, this week’s guest is the best-looking guest I’ve ever had…
OK, now I’m done with the hosting myself jokes ;)
I’ve been having an absolute blast producing this show and the other shows here on the network. This journey has been so much fun. I’ve got to meet so many amazing people, and the fact that we continue to grow around here tells me the future is still just as exciting as it’s ever been. The philosophy hasn’t been very complicated; we highlight good people, and we say yes to opportunity. That’s kinda been the way I’ve moved through the world, and it shines through with CTR. Today was a great opportunity to let you know a bit more about myself, and I hope you won’t mind the format.
Did you know that less than 3.5% of podcasts make it to 200 episodes?! Thank you for the constant support and for making us one of those 3.5%!
*source - https://podmatch.com/report
The Last Episode:
The Miller Minutes:
Crossing Lines:
Shirts for sale:
I’m so excited and grateful to get Community Trail Running shirts for sale on the Spry website! Spry is located in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It’s an awesome retail shop that caters really well to trail runners. I work in the back for the distribution company “Rock Gear Distribution”. So this is a really cool partnership, and I’m so excited for it. Grab your shirt here!
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Another year of awesome Trail Running Film Festival screenings has come and gone, and did we ever have a great time! My partner in crime, Jeannine Avelino, and the Executive Producer of the festival, Mathias Eichler, join me to wrap our season. It’s a blast chatting about what we got up to and how it all came together. I loved working with Jeannine and hearing about the film selection process, and learning about where the festival is at from Mathias was great as well. Enjoy!
Our sponsors this year:
5 Peaks - Stoked Ultra/Scramble
Odlum Brown
Coast Mountain Trail Running
Sinister Sports
Black Lung Ultra
Runderwear
7 Summits Snacks
Golden Ultra
RunGo App
Spry Active
Morgan Exercise Physiology
Relentless 24
The Last Episode:
The Miller Minutes:
Crossing Lines:
Shirts for sale:
I’m so excited and grateful to get Community Trail Running shirts for sale on the Spry website! Spry is located in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It’s an awesome retail shop that caters really well to trail runners. I work in the back for the distribution company “Rock Gear Distribution”. So this is a really cool partnership, and I’m so excited for it. Grab your shirt here!
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Holly Grahn is passionate about helping athletes maximize their performance. The mental side of the sport is her specialty, and after she found ways to get more out of herself, she knew she wanted to do this for others as well. Leading Edge Hypnotherapy is her business, and she loves helping athletes get the most out of themselves. It was really fun to hear why she’s so passionate about it, and it was great to get some insight into how hypnotherapy works. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did!
Check out her app.
The Last Episode:
Crossing Lines:
The Miller Minutes:
Shirts for sale:
I’m so excited and grateful to get Community Trail Running shirts for sale on the Spry website! Spry is located in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It’s an awesome retail shop that caters really well to trail runners. I work in the back for the distribution company “Rock Gear Distribution”. So this is a really cool partnership, and I’m so excited for it. Grab your shirt here!
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Sean Carberry fell in love with trail running and wanted to get as involved as he could. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? It’s amazing how common some of the threads are in our sport, but how different people’s backgrounds can be. Sean was a great interview; he is passionate, knowledgeable, and fun to talk to. He shared about his role with the Perseverance Trail Run and the Cumberland Community Forest Association.
Shoutout to Foveo and Derek Kaufman!
The Last Episode:
Crossing Lines:
The Miller Minutes:
Trail Running Film Festival:
Crowsnest Pass Screening:
Shirts for sale:
I’m so excited and grateful to get Community Trail Running shirts for sale on the Spry website! Spry is located in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It’s an awesome retail shop that caters really well to trail runners. I work in the back for the distribution company “Rock Gear Distribution”. So this is a really cool partnership, and I’m so excited for it. Grab your shirt here!
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Dan Bourget is a self-proclaimed one-trick pony. And that trick is trails. He’s always on them. Whether it be running, racing, or volunteering, there is no place he would rather be. That’s how he ended up with his role at Devil’s Ladder, and he couldn’t be happier working with the small team of passionate race crew! It was a ton of fun hearing about him and his experience volunteering (his first time was at Western States), and I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did!
Shoutout to Foveo and Derek Kaufman!
The Last Episode:
The Trail Running Film Festival:
The Miller Minutes:
Crossing Lines:
Shirts for sale:
I’m so excited and grateful to get Community Trail Running shirts for sale on the Spry website! Spry is located in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It’s an awesome retail shop that caters really well to trail runners. I work in the back for the distribution company “Rock Gear Distribution”. So this is a really cool partnership, and I’m so excited for it. Grab your shirt here!
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Heather Anderson just wanted training partners and to bring runners together. She set out to create a safe space for anyone who wants to run, and now she’s loving the result. Body Art Run Club is giving her motivation, and she enjoys seeing the growth already. It was fun hearing about why she wanted to start the group and her insights into her community!
The Trail Running Film Festival:
The Last Episode:
Shirts for sale:
I’m so excited and grateful to get Community Trail Running shirts for sale on the Spry website! Spry is located in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It’s an awesome retail shop that caters really well to trail runners. I work in the back for the distribution company “Rock Gear Distribution”. So this is a really cool partnership, and I’m so excited for it. Grab your shirt here!
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Courtney McQueen loves trail running and everything around it. That’s why Run Like a Girl was born and she continues to grow it today. She loves to make the sport welcoming and inclusive and is always looking to support the community. Her passion was evident and it was a lot of fun learning all about Run Like a Girl and herself!
The Last Episode:
Crossing Lines:
The Trail Running Film Festival:
Shirts for sale:
I’m so excited and grateful to get Community Trail Running shirts for sale on the Spry website! Spry is located in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It’s an awesome retail shop that caters really well to trail runners. I work in the back for the distribution company “Rock Gear Distribution”. So this is a really cool partnership, and I’m so excited for it. Grab your shirt here!
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Stag Leap Running is a non-profit trail running resource in Fernie, BC. They host group runs and races and love spreading the joy of trails. Lauren Boudreau and Jessica Gamey are honoured to carry on the legacy of Abi Moore, who was the founder of Stag Leap and died tragically in a motor vehicle accident. The loss was heavy, but Lauren and Jessica are sharing Abi's love of trails as they continue to bring people together. It was lovely to chat with them and hear about what they do in the cool little mountain town of Fernie, and I think you will enjoy the chat as much as I did!
Huge shoutout to the Fernie Trails Alliance, Stag Leap loves you!
Please subscribe! We are closing in on 2,000 subscribers, and I appreciate you helping with the push!
The Last Episode:
Crossing Lines:
The Trail Running Film Festival:
Shirts for sale:
I’m so excited and grateful to get Community Trail Running shirts for sale on the Spry website! Spry is located in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It’s an awesome retail shop that caters really well to trail runners. I work in the back for the distribution company “Rock Gear Distribution”. So this is a really cool partnership, and I’m so excited for it. Grab your shirt here!
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Carrie Scherkus and Lisa Sweetman work great together and the opportunity to direct the Ontario 5 Peaks races was one they cherished. The races mean so much to them and they wanted to keep that feeling going for the next wave of trail runners. They really want to make new runners comfortable while offering a fun challenge and environment for those who have more experience. It’s all about creating access to the trails for folks and they are so excited to get the season going and welcome runners as race directors for the first time!
We are getting closer and closer to 2000 subscribers. Help us get there!
Vancouver Trail Running Film Festival:
The Miller Minutes:
The Last Episode:
Shirts for sale:
I’m so excited and grateful to get Community Trail Running shirts for sale on the Spry website! Spry is located in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It’s an awesome retail shop that caters really well to trail runners. I work in the back for the distribution company “Rock Gear Distribution”. So this is a really cool partnership, and I’m so excited for it. Grab your shirt here!
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Hans Kristian Smedsrød Engdahl wanted to tell this story and managed to find a way to do so within his own means and on his own time. He loved that athletes were training in his hometown and how amazing both the terrain and the runners were. It was a passion project that people are loving, and Hans is thrilled that it’s out there.
Help me get to 2000 subscribers and sign up today!
Film Description:
Unpacking the secret training method of the mountain endurance athletes in Romsdal, Norway, and their journey to succeed at the iconic 100 mile foot race Western States Endurance Run 2024.
The Last Episode:
Trail Running Film Festival:
Shirts for sale:
I’m so excited and grateful to get Community Trail Running shirts for sale on the Spry website! Spry is located in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It’s an awesome retail shop that caters really well to trail runners. I work in the back for the distribution company “Rock Gear Distribution”. So this is a really cool partnership, and I’m so excited for it. Grab your shirt here!
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Carrie Highman is so passionate about telling stories that she and her partner, Tim, live the “van life” so that they can be mobile enough to tell them all the time. When the chance came to work with Stephanie Case and Sophie Grant, they were all over it. An emotional journey followed and Carrie is proud of the offering they’ve put out together. It’s part of the online film selection and I hope you enjoy hearing about it as much as I did!
Film Description:
Off Course is an intimate documentary about ambition, uncertainty, and the unpredictability of trying to create a family while living at the edge of human endurance.
The film follows two elite ultrarunners, Stephanie Case and Sophie Grant, who are deeply familiar with risk, suffering and control.
In the mountains, effort leads to outcome; preparation leads to progress. But when their lives take an unexpected turn, they are confronted with a journey where timelines collapse, certainty disappears and no amount of discipline can guarantee an outcome.
Set against the extremes of endurance sport, the film takes viewers through the highs and lows of iconic races such as the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, the Hardrock Hundred and Tor des Geants, while exploring moments of vulnerability off the trail that are rarely seen or spoken about. Off Course is a powerful reflection on letting go of control, redefining success, and learning to endure when the path forward is anything but clear.
Shirts for sale:
I’m so excited and grateful to get Community Trail Running shirts for sale on the Spry website! Spry is located in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It’s an awesome retail shop that caters really well to trail runners. I work in the back for the distribution company “Rock Gear Distribution”. So this is a really cool partnership, and I’m so excited for it. Grab your shirt here!
Trail Running Film Festival:
The Last Episode:
Crossing Lines:
The Long Run:
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Allie Mac had long thought about this project, but it took a while for all of the pieces to come togheter. Max Haimowitz was the right filmmaker for the job, and they teamed up to make the project as they envisioned. It was fun hearing about how it came to be and some of the pressure that came with creating it. I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did!
Film Description:
Allie races herself up and down the iconic Tombstone formation in Moab, UT. One version of Allie runs the full ascent and descent, relying on endurance. The other sprints up and BASE jumps off. Through clever camera trickery, we see Ultra Runner Allie vs. BASE Jumper Allie…which is faster? This short film captures the duality of ascent and descent, showcasing human power vs. gravity. The clock doesn’t lie, who will win?
Shirts for sale:
I’m so excited and grateful to get Community Trail Running shirts for sale on the Spry website! Spry is located in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. It’s an awesome retail shop that caters really well to trail runners. I work in the back for the distribution company “Rock Gear Distribution”. So this is a really cool partnership, and I’m so excited for it. Grab your shirt here!
The Last Episode:
Crossing Lines:
The Miller Minutes:
Trail Running Film Festival:
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Edisa Zorilla kept showing up at her local Protect Our Winters meetings and events so often that they asked her to be involved. Her passion for the outdoors and sharing those spaces made her a perfect fit for the organization. She loves that she can be involved with her community and make a difference in the city of Edmonton. Making a difference at home and finding ways to preserve our awesome outdoor spaces keeps Edisa working hard with POW, and I loved hearing all about why she is involved.
Protect our Winter's will be at the Edmonton Trail Running Film Festival! Come see us all on Thursday May 14 😁
I hope you enjoy the show as much as I did. Edisa was a great guest, and it was awesome to hear about why she wants to make a difference. Check out the POW event coming up this weekend!
The Last Episode:
Tickets to our screenings:
Crossing Lines:
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Patrick O’ Leary tried to get into the Dipsea many times, and once he finally did, his love only grew. The chance to make the race more diverse and showcase where the sport wants to go was one that he leaped at. It was great hearing about his motivation for the story and some of the challenges they faced along the way. It was great chatting with another passionate creator and film festival entrant!
Film Description:
Trail running is disappointingly homogenous, yet the Bay Area is home to a diverse population and some of the best trails in the US. This film follows five young runners from across the Bay Area as they take on the oldest, and perhaps the most unique, trail race in the US, the iconic Dipsea race. Its unique handicap start makes it ripe for improving access to the sport.
Our screenings:
The Last Episode:
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Billy Barraclough has a deep connection with fell running and so he wanted to tell the story in a specific way. Everything came together for him with the production of “Fellsman,” and now he gets to tell the story that honours the style of running and the region that mean so much to him. It was great hearing about why he wanted to tell this story, and I’m excited to share it today!
Film Description:
‘Fellsman’ is a portrait of young fell runner Sonny Ashton-Fitch. The project follows Sonny during the spring season as he trains for the annual Three Peaks Fell Race. The work is an exploration of Sonny’s relationship with the fells that surround him, the landscape that unfurls under foot and the animals he passes. The film reflects on what it means to be a Yorkshireman, how it feels to push your body to its limit and the freedom that comes with an ability to run all over the Dales.
From a small village at the base of the North Yorkshire Dales, Sonny has grown up with the fells in his back garden. Ingleborough, Pen-y-Ghent and Whernside stand tall above the rest, and since the age of 12 Sonny has spent any spare time running their steep untamed contours. An unusual fell runner at 6 foot 6, Sonny is a talented athlete who pushes his rangy frame to its limit up the fells and let his legs go loose on technical descents – picking up a speed propelled by gravity that relies on confidence of stable footing.
Defined by the steepness of the mountains that are ascended, fell running is a quintessentially amateur British sport that exists in the humblest scale across Northern England.
Our screenings:
The Last Episode:
The Long Run:
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Milo wants to make sure we link to Born to Adapt, so that’s where we start, and I’m pumped to share our conversation about his film festival entry, We Belong. Milo was a part of the festival in 2023, so it was exciting for me to see him involved once again. I enjoy his insightful thoughts on what made the project exciting for him and why he wanted to tell the story.
It’s gonna be another great year of films at the festival!
Film Description:
Featuring On Running para athlete Zach Friedley and 2x paralympian Dani Aravich, this film tracks the rise of para-athletes in the mountains as trail running races update their policies. The story focuses on Jahir, an Ecuadorian runner born with one leg, as he targets the UTMB OCC race. Through his eyes and with insights from UTMB race organizer, we witness the evolution of trail running and the vital importance of representation on the course.
Trail Running Film Festival Screenings:
The Last Episode:
Crossing Lines:
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Dick’s is a burger joint in Seattle. One of those IYKYK burger chains, and the thought of running a marathon between their 5 locations while consuming something at each one is daunting. Dylan tells us why he wanted to tell this story and how it came together. It’s a silly run, but comes from a deep place of meaning, and it was great to hear more about the project.
Film Description:
26.3 Miles. 5 Dick’s. 5 Meals. 1 wild tradition to honor a friend, and give back to the outdoors. Learn about Seattle’s most unique marathon, and the touching story behind it.
Screenings:
The Last Episode:
The Miller Minutes:
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
It’s film fest week on the podcast. I’m always excited to chat with the filmmakers behind the stories we feature during the Trail Running Film Festival. This is a pleasure for me as I get to get excited for festival season and spread the word about what these great creations are all about! We’re starting with “Becky Bates, Not a Running Story”. Scot Proudfoot and Lukas Neemeth joined me and it was great hearing all about it!
Film Description:
Becky Bates entered the world of ultra running at the age of 50. Famously claiming to not be a runner, in reality, she’s one of the best in her class. We follow Becky as she trains for her 3rd Hardrock 100 at the age of 62.
I hope you will enjoy the conversation as much as I did and come back tomorrow for the next interview!
Screenings:
The Last Episode:
Listen where you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Yannick Vézina is the host of Pas Sorti du Bois, the Canadian Podcast Awards winner of Outstanding Francophone Series, and he joined me to chat all about himself and his show. It was so awesome hearing about his love for the trails and how much he enjoys his show and the community. I really love that his show and ours both won awards, as I think it shows what great shape our sport is in here in Canada. After speaking with Yannick, it’s obvious how much he loves this space!
I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did. I’m so excited and proud to be a part of this great community, and it’s because of folks like Yannick!
The Miller Minutes
Pumped to be back with Andrew again, as we work towards Fat Dog 120. This month, we catch up on how February went, how March is looking, and why I need to run a 100k event in June. I love working on The Miller Minutes with Andrew!
The Last Episode
The Trail Running Film Festival
Next week on the show
As the official media partner of the Trail Running Film Festival, we are incredibly excited to feature the filmmakers here on Community Trail Running, and we will start that next week!!
Monday, March 9 - Friday, March 13, you can expect an episode every day. We will get you excited and ready for the coming festival season. We can’t wait!
Listen where you listen
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Fred Jeffery is always outside. It’s a huge part of his life, and so the opportunity to host races and bring the community together is one that he takes very seriously. That’s why he helped start the Hillbilly Hustle and why he gets involved with so many events in his hometown area of Nanaimo, BC. They continue to grow in popularity and Fred is always excited about getting more people out. This event sounds like a great and challenging time. A perfect combo!
I hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did. Fred was so fun to chat with. I can’t wait to see him at Fat Dog this year, and I’m thrilled to be sharing a little bit about him and the Hillbilly Hustle!
The Last Episode:
The Trail Running Film Festival:
Listen where you listen
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Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Runner finds trails, runner finds trail running, trail runner finds trail running community, and trail runner wants to grow and give back to the trail running community. The story may be similar, but that doens’t make it any less awesome!
For the crew behind North Sun Ultra, the idea was to bring that community together in the city of Edmonton proper. They love that their trail race starts downtown and offers runners a singletrack paradise. Conor Hadley and Hadley Mann are two of the race directors and were kind enough to join me and chat all about the event. They shouted out the awesome job the Edmonton Mountain Bike Alliance does and how grateful they are for all their hard work, and they gave us a great idea of what their event is all about!
We’ve got a contest going on our IG page now because the North Sun Ultra folks were kind enough to give us a couple of bibs to give away. So get over there and see if you can win an entry into this great-sounding race!
The North Sun Ultra crew will be at the Trail Running Film Festival in May, and we’re super excited for that season as it quickly approaches.
The Trail Running Film Festival
The Last Episode:
Listen where you listen
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Luke Tuttle loves exploring and sharing about his explorations. He loves the act of finding new places, and he loves the dopamine hit he gets from hitting “publish” on the articles he writes about these amazing places. It’s how he’s ended up with so much content at Ultrarunning Destinations and a book as well. He’s always looking for the next adventure, and he enjoys researching his new run locals as much as he enjoys actually running them. He just wants people to share in the fun!
Luke was a great guest, and it was really fun hearing him chat about his passion project. I’m sure you will like this interview as much as I did, and you will be checking out his adventures before you know it!
The Last Episode:
The Miller Minutes:
Trail Running Film Festival:
Listen where you listen
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Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
I love the way Raziq Rauf writes and so I’m very excited that he is releasing a book this spring! This is Running will be his debut book and it was awesome to hear about it, and get an update on how is Running Sucks publication is going. Raz has a fun and unique perspective which excites me for the book. I’ve even made sure to order an extra copy so I can do a giveaway with our awesome little bookshop here in Crowsnest Pass (Tuesday’s Bookshop).
I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did, and you can learn a bit more about Raz (albeit from a few years ago) on the past episode we did together:
The Miller Minutes:
The Miller Minutes is back as Andrew and I get ready for Fat Dog 120!
The Last Episode:
Trail Running Film Festival:
Listen where you listen
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Rene Unser has been bringing people together on the trails through PACE. She has a great team around her, which has PACE providing coaching and race events in the Kelowna area of BC, Canada. She loves being around her team and she loves sharing her love of trail running with as many people as she can. They currently host 3 races, and they are working on a new high alpine event for 2027.
You’re gonna be interested in checking out these events, and I hope you enjoy the conversation with Rene as much as I did. She was insightful and passionate and I hope to check out one of these events soon!
The Last Episode:
The Trail Running Film Festival:
Listen where you listen
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Craig Lewis and his wife Michelle, are the folks behind Running Tales. The UK-based publication loves to tell the extraordinary story behind everyday runners. Craig is a passionate person who loves learning more about the people running around him and sharing those stories through their podcast and written articles. It was awesome hearing how Craig and I have very similar stories in a lot of ways, and I’m excited to share our chat today!
Craig had me on his show a little while back which was a lot of fun for me:
You can see the written article here:
The Last Episode:
The Trail Running Film Festival:
Listen where you listen
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Jeff and Warren Dudar are the race directors behind Prairie Sky Running. The brothers started Prairie Sky Running with Beaver Flats 50 (registration opened this morning at 7am for the 10th anniversary!), and now have a second race, Reesor 50. They love the sport and getting people together, and they do so in a lighthearted manner. The races are tough and fun. They look to make memorable experiences and I really enjoyed hearing about how they get there!
They are also passionate about growing the sport. They started Prairie Harriers to help youth get into the sport. Prairie Harriers is a cause near and dear to them and it was really awesome to hear the impact they are having on Saskatchewan trail running!
The Miller Minutes
It’s back! I’m so excited to be working with Andrew Miller on Fat Dog 120. He’s a great coach to run with, and I’ll be leaning heavily on him to prepare for August 7!
Fat Dog 120 Episode:
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Please help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Fat Dog 120 is set for August 7-9 in Manning Park, BC, and it will be my first crack at this distance!
I’m terrified and excited. A great spot to be.
Erik Bird is the Race Director, and his journey to directing this race is a fun one to hear. His passion for the sport and the area drives him, and the race offers a remote and breathtaking ultra-challenge. Erik is proud of all the work Fat Dog does on the area trails, and it’s gonna be amazing getting to explore them. I can’t wait to run it and I am so excited to share this chat!
The Miller Minutes
It’s back! I’m so excited to be working with Andrew Miller on Fat Dog. He’s a great coach to run with, and I’ll be leaning heavily on him to prepare for August 7!
The Trail Running Film Festival
Shout out your favourite shop:
We’re running a contest for the film festival where you tell us your favourite run shops, and we give them free tickets to the show!
Thank you for the support and downloads. It means a lot! I’m thrilled to grow this project with all of you.
Listen where you listen
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Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
I am so excited to run towards a 100-mile finish in 2026! I am even more excited to be working with Team Run Run coach Andrew Miller once again to do so! He and I worked together while I trained for Moab Run the Rocks this past year, and so I’m really grateful Andrew wants to work with me some more towards my biggest goal ever. Andrew is also running 100-mile races this year, for the first time in a while, so I’m pumped we’re going to be going through similar journies at the same time. We invite you along with us and hope you will find it educational. We received a lot of great feedback from Moab, so I think this 100-mile training story will be a popular one as well!
Early Bird Tickets:
Shout out your favourite shop:
The last episode:
Thank you for the support and downloads, it means a lot! I’m thrilled to grow this project with all of you.
Listen where you listen
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Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Merry Christmas and happy holidays my friends. It’s an exciting day around here, and it’s time for our holiday special episode. The third year! The holiday special is when former guests share their funny trail running stories with all of us, and it’s something I greatly appreciate they take the time to do! This year is a set of fantastic stories that I know you will all enjoy and probably relate to.
Big thanks to our guests, here’s who you will hear from:
Jeannine Avelino
Cory Jennerman
Kirsti & Shep
Peter Cudmore
Jason Bahamundi
Jay Tinsley
Amy Reynolds
Allison Powell
Big Shout out to Brian Gallant, Shelley Chen, and Craig Lewis for sharing their stories as well!
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support. We continue to do the thing and see where we end up, and it’s pretty fun doing this all together. Upwards and onwards friends.
Sincerely,
Adam Lee
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Samuel Matte-Thibault is the Event Director for Événements Harricana and the only paid employee. So Event Director means all the jobs. And he wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s incredibly passionate about bringing the community together, he loves having a cause behind all the races, and he’s excited for the 2026 calendar.
His description of the events they host is great to hear, and I think you’re gonna be intrigued by what they’re doing in Quebec. The races sound like large celebrations of the sport in beautiful and challenging locations.
He’s even offering a chance to join him and thousands of trail runners at UTHC in 2026. Check out our IG page for contest details and find out how you can win a bib and accommodations!
Trail Running Film Festival:
Get your early bird tickets before January 1 and save $10!
Canadian Podcast Awards:
The Last Episode:
Thank you for the support and downloads, it means a lot! I’m so pumped to grow this thing with all of you.
Listen where you listen
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Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Mauro Campanelli and Steve Connor are the passionate folks behind Straw Dog Racing, the group that organizes Sulphur Springs Trail Race, the Western States Qualifier in Hamilton, Ontario. They are inspired to make their event as fun as possible and ensure runners have a great experience, no matter what distance they decide to tackle. It was so much fun for me to hear how much they care and how much they think about all the details. They even work through a substantial wait list each year to try and get as many runners as possible to the start lines. It’s all about the vibe!
Crossing Lines has been heavily involved in this event over the years, and so it was really awesome to have Mauro and Steve on the show to chat more about it! I hope you like the interview as much as I did, and make sure to check out the Crossing Lines podcast to hear the impact they are having as well!
Crossing Lines Latest:
The Natasha Swartley Episode:
Trail Running Film Festival:
Tickets for the film fest are on sale now!
We will be in Vancouver at the amazing Rio Theatre on Thursday April 2, and we can’t wait to hang out with you! Get your early bird tickets before Jan 1 and save $10.
We’re number 1:
Thank you for the support and downloads, it means a lot! I’m so pumped to grow this thing with all of you.
Listen where you listen
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Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Natasha Swartley wears many hats, but she never seems to be as happy as when she’s wearing hats that have to do with trails. As a medic or a runner, she loves being out there and getting the best out of herself and others. After working many years in the Navy, her leadership skills and no BS attitude allow her to be organized and supportive in her role as a Trail Medic. She is the lead medic at many events, and her role is growing and expanding in 2026.
I had so much fun chatting with Natasha. I think she could be a motivational speaker. I know she’s motivating people during their running races already! I hope you find our conversation as fun as I did.
Crossing Lines:
The last episode:
Episode 1:
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Community Trail Running is presented by Altitude Sports!
Peter Cudmore met Red Isle Trail Running partner Kris at a race in 2023 and decided right away that they wanted to showcase what Prince Edward Island had to offer trail runners through their own event. They are a few years into the journey, they’ve added a few more events, and they’re pumped to be sharing trail running vibes with fellow islanders and travellers alike. Peter just wants to give the community an event he would want to participate in.
🔥💯Shop now at Altitude Sports and enjoy up to 20% off your first order with the promo code “communitytrailrunning”.
Click here to order 👉https://bit.ly/altitude-communitytrailrunning
Conditions apply: Valid for a limited time on regular-priced items. Cannot be combined with other offers or the member discount. One use per customer.
I really enjoyed hearing what the maritime island is all about, and it definitely makes me want to check out some trails out there. The next time we visit Sheena’s family on the coast, a road trip and some running may be in order!
Crossing Lines Podcast:
The Last Episode:
Canadian Podcast Awards:
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers. Help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Community Trail Running is presented by Altitude Sports!
A big reason why Jeremy Rolle was drawn into the sport of trail running was the community around it. It was so much fun for him to be a part of it and that’s where his vision for sharing the sport with others starts. He just wants people to enjoy trail running as much as he does. As he continunes to expand what Heads or Trails does, fun will always be the motivating factor, and he hopes the community will continue to show up and enjoy it, one event at a time.
🔥💯Shop now at Altitude Sports and enjoy up to 20% off your first order with the promo code “communitytrailrunning” Click here to order 👉https://bit.ly/altitude-communitytrailrunning
Conditions apply: Valid for a limited time on regular-priced items. Cannot be combined with other offers or the member discount. One use per customer.
I really enjoyed chatting with Jeremy and hearing what motivates him. The story of him sweeping roads for a triathlon he hosted gives us some good insight to the level of care he’s putting forward. I hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did!
The previous episode:
The episode with Carol-Ann Rolle:
The episode with former RD Kara:
Canadian Podcast Awards
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Community Trail Running is presented by Altitude Sports!
Kristian Andres and his wife Nicole are passionate outdoor people who just want to get people on the trails. They both work in healthcare and know the benefits of outdoor activity, and that’s why they started organizing events. Although the races at Trails of ‘Toba weren’t the first activities they organized, they are certainly popular today! Kristian loves to run and push himself, and provide that opportunity for others as well. It was really fun hearing all about it!
🔥 Shop now at Altitude Sports and enjoy up to 20% off your first order with the promo code “communitytrailrunning”. Click here to order 👉 https://bit.ly/altitude-communitytrailrunning
Conditions apply: Valid for a limited time on regular-priced items. Cannot be combined with other offers or the member discount. One use per customer.
You’re gonna be planning your next trip to Manitoba before the end of this episode I’m sure! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
And yes, today is our 4th Anniversary at CTR! We launched in November of 2021 and I’m so grateful for all of you to come along for the ride.
Last week on The Long Run:
Canadian Podcast Awards
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
It was so good to have Shep and Kirsti on the cast once again. It’s always a treat to chat with them, and we were even lucky enough to chat in person at the famous Rum Runner in Coleman, Alberta.
They told us all about the High Five, which is summarized awesomely in this post from Shep on IG:
The High Five consists of peakbagging Turtle, Coulthard, Crowsnest, Tecumseh, and Bluff mountains. Shep was the first to attempt it, and as such, he owns the FKT. Shep and Kirsti both shared great stories from the day and how the challenge went, including taking off from Spry and having some great pacers along the way. I am sure you will enjoy the interview as much as I did!
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Join the Community Trail Running Crew! Never miss an episode or post and be part of the community.
Jon Ritter is a virtual physical therapist who specializes in ankle and foot care. He’s passionate about the outdoors and getting on the trails. This passion, combined with his education, enables him to work with individuals he has plenty in common, which fuels his work and growth. He loves the feeling that comes with helping others achieve their goals and it’s evident he really enjoys what he does. I hope you will enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
I really appreciate you all being here and growing this thing together. Thank you for all of your support.
Last week’s episode:
Crossing Lines recap:
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
I get the pleasure of working with Amy Reynolds and her skin care products through my real-life job at Rock Gear Distribution. runOn™ (a skin repair and antichafe) is one of those products. It’s a product that I really like, as it works well and is 100% natural. So I jumped at the chance to chat with Amy about runOn™ here on the show! It’s always fascinating to hear where the motivation comes from and how the business ends up where it is. We’ve even been partnering with a bunch of races lately, so you may have even received some! (If you did, feel free to comment what you think about it!) Amy was open and a lot of fun to chat with. I hope you enjoy the show as much as I did.
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Brennan Fawcett finished in second place at the Divide 200. Everything contained in that sentence is impressive, and yet it’s not the most impressive part of his time on course. Brennan and his pacer had an encounter with a couple of campers who will forever be grateful for the racer/pacer combo (even if they weren’t showing it at the time). I’m not sure “defend campers from bear” was on the map at km200, but they figured it out, and I hope you love the tale as much as I did!
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Janelle Schultz met Amy Alain, and it was an instant friendship. Both of them loved to run trails and foster community. Amy had a profound impact on Janelle in a short amount of time. Sadly, Amy was diagnosed with cancer shortly after the two met and passed away. Janelle and Amy’s partner, Phil, started Amy’s House in her honour for those having to stay in Edmonton for cancer treatment. They have two houses and are working on a third, as families are staying nonstop and appreciative of the home to stay in. “Run On Edmonton” helps support that, and it’s incredibly important to Janelle.
I loved this chat and learning more about it. This run is doing a great deal of good for people facing such difficult circumstances. I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did.
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
I want to share some more about the amazing Galiano Island after yesterday’s episode with Kirsten Evanish of The Galiano Gallop, and since we’ve had so many new subscribers since July 2022, it makes sense to dip into the archive and share this once again. I will also share a podcast episode from the vault. I think this will pique your interest in the island and running there!
An island meant for trail running
Galiano Island is a singletrack paradise. The ease with which you can get onto the trails and run is unparalleled, and the vistas offered up are second to none. The island is the perfect spot for a trail-running weekend. With great food, accommodations, and other entertainment available, a weekend on Galiano is a weekend you won’t regret. The island has something for everyone!
The Galiano Trails Society is a huge reason for the amazing trail running network. They help build and maintain the network of trails up and down the island. On the podcast, I speak to two board members of the Society about what the Society does and how the network of island trails continues to grow. Those board members are Vilupti Corlis and Jesse Keefer and they also shared a few other things they love about the island. I’ve already covered some of this in a written piece that went up last week:
You can get the podcast anywhere you listen:
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Youtube: Click Here
I also had a couple of close running friends, Jeff Radomsky and Chris Shier, join me for a running weekend on the island. I included some of their feelings about what it was like to run on the island. It was a ton of fun to put this series together, as Galiano is a special place and I love being able to share it with anyone on any level. Listen to this podcast, read the written piece, and book your trip to Galiano. You won’t be disappointed!
Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
It’s so cool to see the Galiano Trails Society announcing their first trail race! Set for September 28, 2025, on gorgeous Galiano Island, the Galiano Gallop will feature a kids' race, 6 K, and 10 K courses on some amazing island trails. Kirsten Evanish is the race director, and she is so stoked to be highlighting the trails and the work GTS does. As a former member of the society and a lover of the trails on Galiano Island, I am so excited for this announcement, and I have high hopes for where this all goes. I hope you all enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
James Duvall wanted to be able to raise money while being active outside of events. He found events would allow folks to collect money for important causes, but he wanted to carry that over to training and every day life. Trifundit was born, and now they are growing and looking for more ways to get involved and help great causes raise even more. It’s turned into a family affair for James and he couldn’t be happier. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did!
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
It’s always fun to explore with my wife Sheena, I’m always appreciative when we get to go check out a new race together. We did this in June when we went to “The Wildness” stage race at Panorama Resort. This was especially cool because Sheena doesn’t run, so it meant she’d have a whole resort to keep her entertained while I was on course at this event, how fun!
I was thrilled to take on the beautiful and challenging course, and even more so when I was able to think about Sheena enjoying a coffee, taking a sightseeing chairlift ride, or riding the awesome mountain coaster. It was great knowing we were both enjoying our days in different ways, and it was really cool coming together at the finish line and celebrating the rest of the day together!
Registration for the 2026 Wildness opens at 9:00 am Wednesday August 13 (tomorrow!!!)
We’re even more stoked because we get to give out an entry to next year’s race! Just check out the post on Instagram and enter there. All you need to do is comment and tag someone you think would like the event, super easy! The winner will also get a sweet Rossignol water bottle and running hat, as will four others. So even if you don’t win the main prize, you can still get some awesome Rossy swag. Get over and enter while you can!
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Cory Jennerman, co-owner of Run Guides, knew the beer mile event was quirky and fun, and he also knows how to bring people together to have a good time. This combo has led to some memorable events in Vancouver for runners and drinkers, and running drinkers(?) through “Vancouver Beer Mile”. Whatever you want to call the participants, they certainly show up and enjoy the events that Jennerman hosts. After seeing the success of the “horizontal” beer mile, Cory decided that some vert needed to be involved, and that’s how the vertical beer mile started.
Hearing about these events and what Cory does to put them on was so much fun. He’s incredibly passionate about making this a good time for people, the event is so unique, and he is such a good storyteller that this episode will have you laughing, I’m certain of it. I know Cory had me cracking up!
I hope you all enjoy the chat as much as I did. Let me know what you think! Are you signing up to beer mile, horizontal or vertical style?
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Chantelle and I were super stoked to have Jacob Puzey on the latest episode of The Long Run! Jacob is a race director of many events, including the 5 Peaks race series, and he reached out recently with some race cancellations happening and wanted to chat with us about the back-end of races and how those sorts of decisions are made. He also sheds some light on what his event costs look like, including this cool breakdown of his expenses:
Jacob also let us know that his insurance claim from the 5 Peaks race that was cancelled has been approved. It’s the first time they’ve used that, and it allows the event to refund all the runners. This is an expense, of course, that made the race more expensive to begin with, so it’s awesome that they were able to use it and get it approved! Would you mind paying a few more dollars up front if it meant you get a refund due to cancellation? It seems smart to me!
We’re super stoked you were able to join us for this episode with Jacob. We’re grateful to have you all here and for your support. We look forward to working more together. If you missed the last episode, catch up now:
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
6 Cities.
18 Performers.
850 Viewers.
$1,500 Raised for Jasper.
What a damn year!
Thank you all for coming out. We celebrated our amazing sport and community in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Crowsnest Pass, Jasper, and Canmore!
Not only did we bring our community together, but we highlighted local performers as well. We had burlesque performers, magicians, theatre artists, go-go dancers, and musicians. We highlighted local films, we spoke with local runners, and we raised $1500 for Jasper as they rebuild after the devastating wildfires last year. 850 of you showed up, and we’re so grateful to all of you for doing so.
I have to thank my wife, Sheena, for her amazing support with all of this. She’s always eager to help and be a part of it. All our volunteers were awesome, and especially our friends Sabrina and Jason, for once again hosting us and volunteering. Their hospitality is something we are forever grateful for. And my good friend Jeannine is the reason why this thing happens. She does everything! She’s a crusher, a rockstar, and I don’t deserve her help, but I sure am glad I have it.
At the Trail Running Film Festival, Mathias and Amanda are great to work with. They’re excited about building the festival, and I’m grateful for our relationship. They’re always open to ideas, they jumped at the chance to help Jasper, they’re always eager to hear what we’re up to, and I look forward to working with them more in the future.
This year was incredible, and a big reason for that is our amazing sponsors and supporters:
5 Peaks - Stoked Ultra/Scramble
Odlum Brown
Ski Uphill/Run Uphill
Coast Mountain Trail Running
Well Health Medical and Longevity
Sinister Sports
Golden Ultra
7 Summits Snacks
Black Lung Ultra
Distance Runwear
RunGo App
Rviita
Honourary sponsor - Crowsnest Pride Society
Totem Ski Shop
Habitat for the Arts
The Legion
Jasper Volunteeer Fire Fighter Brigade!
We are so thankful for all of their help and for the opportunity to represent them in so many communities. It’s an honour for us and one we don’t take lightly. We love bringing everyone together and we can’t wait to do it again next year!
Did you make it out to a show? What did you think? Let us know, we’re hoping to hear from you as we want to improve this thing every year. I want to make this event one that you circle on your calendar, so help us make it as good as we possibly can!
Planning for 2026 starts now. We hope to see you there.
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Brittany Peterson loves the outdoors and loves helping runners achieve their goals. So when she had the opportunity to be a part of BC’s latest stage race, The Wildness, she jumped at it. Now people are signing up to participate in the two-day event at the beautiful resort, taking place June 27-29, and final preparations are underway. Brittany, the entire crew, and the resort are all super stoked to be hosting trail runners, and they want to see the event grow in the future. They have a vision and they hope to make Panaorama Resort a trail running destination. I had such a blast hearing Brittany chat about how beautiful this race is, and how they want to grow it. I’ll be watching closely and cheering their progress on!
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Chris Fenlon MacDonald loves challenging himself through endurance sports and he especially loves the community that makes up endurance sports. That is why he’s created the Relentless 24 in Canmore, Alberta. A 24-hour event at the beautiful Nordic Centre. Although this year has to be postponed due to some labour issues in the province, this event will be worth the wait for next year. I hope you enjoy hearing from Chris as much as I did!
The Miller Minutes
I’m so excited to be chatting with Coach Andrew again for the Miller Minutes! Moab Run the Rocks was a ton of fun and I really liked working with Andrew as I got ready for it. I’m excited to move into summer with Andrew and see what we can accomplish at my summer races. This episode Andrew gets me back into the swing of things and lets us know how others in my shoes can get back to being active when they’ve slowed down a bit.
Trail Running Film Festival Tickets
We have one show left! It’s this week in Canmore and we can’t wait to hang out.
- Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Entertainment: Magician Magic That Will
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Christian Roy owns Canadian Skyline Adventures in Jasper, Alberta. He absolutely loves getting people out on the trails and into nature. He’s always found nature a healing part of his life and wants to share that with as many others as possible. He accidentally found his way into trail running, but it’s been intentional ever since. The chance to be out there and showing off the great trails around his home is something he cherishes and looks forward to. I really enjoyed the conversation and hearing about why he loves it as much as he does. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Get your film fest tickets
We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Kimberly Stark owns multiple businesses in Jasper and has chased ultra distances on the trails. She loves to see what she is capable of and push herself as close to her max as she can get. It’s something that’s always driven her and that drive has led to a lot of success. It was such a blast and an honour to hear more about her and why pushing herself has been important to her.
It was also awesome hearing about the Bear’s Paw Cafe, Ursidae Lair, Lostlands Cafe, and her work on the Volunteer Fire Brigade. The fire brigade is one of the organizations our Trail Running Film Festival screening in Jasper is raising funds for, and so I was thrilled for Kim to share some information about what they do. We’re also raising funds for Habitat for the Arts, and the Legion!
This was a ton of fun for me and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Make sure to get your tickets for the screening in Jasper and we can hang out and raise some funds at the same time!
Get your film fest tickets
We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Brandon Regier is a huge fan of running. He loves it so much he’s made it his career and he chases huge goals on the weekends too. He’s also a proud new father and someone who values time with family. He was a pleasure to chat with and I’m so glad Chantelle made this happen! Drop by Runners Soul in Lethbridge and meet him yourself.
We learned a lot about why he loves the sport, some advice he has for people thinking about it, and all kinds more! He’s another legend of Lethbridge and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as Chantelle and I did.
Speaking of Chantelle and I…
The Trail Running Film Festival
Chantelle is my guest in Crowsnest Pass this Saturday May 3 at Frank Slide Interpretive Centre! I’m so excited for my new hometown show and to hang out with trail runners all over Alberta.
Edmonton, we will see you Thursday!! Calgary, see you on Friday!! Get your tickets:
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Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
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Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
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Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
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Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
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Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
It’s so great to chat with Trevor Soll from the Jasper Canadian Rockies Half Marathon! Trevor has been race directing for 30 years and he enjoys the people and providing a challenging event. The Jasper event is this weekend and Trevor is excited to welcome 1300 runners for the event. The course sounds stunning, and it’s a great way to head back to the town and be part of the revival after last year’s fire. Learn more about this awesome sounding race and get involved!
Get your film fest tickets
We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!
-
Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
-
Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
-
Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
The Raven 50 in Whitehorse, Yukon, has had a journey of it’s own since its inception. The current iteration is set to be directed by Natalie Thivierge after long time race director John Carson handed the reigns over. We are thrilled to have them both on this episode and hear the story about this race and its evolution! The race sounds absolutely stunning, and it raises funds for great causes! They have also taken reconciliation seriously and looked to work with all communities involved in their event.
“That kind of really hit me. It's like, wow, we need to do better. And runners have a voice. Runners are amazing advocates.” - John Carson
Natalie is also head of Fireweed Runners! She looks to get young girls active and prioritizes mental health. They join group runs on truth and reconciliation day and have camps as well. It’s a project near and dear to Natalie!
It was awesome having these two on the podcast. We’re super grateful for their time and we also have a very exciting contest!!
Win your way to the Yukon and Raven 50!
Get your tickets
We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!
This year will be our biggest and best yet and we can’t wait to hang out and celebrate our community with all of you.
2025 Community Trail Running Tour Dates
-
Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
-
Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
-
Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Suddenly our shows are around the corner and it’s nearly go time, so Jeannine Avelino and I are getting you all set for our 6 screenings! We’re so excited for this year, from the great films to our amazing sponsors, we're gonna have an absolute blast getting together and celebrating our sport!
Our sponsors this year
5 Peaks - Stoked Ultra/Scramble
Odlum Brown
Ski Uphill/Run Uphill
Coast Mountain Trail Running
Well Health Medical and Longevity
Sinister Sports
Golden Ultra
7 Summits Snacks
Black Lung Ultra
Distance Runwear
RunGo App
This tour wouldn’t be possible without these amazing sponsors. Because of this great support, we get to invite magicians, burlesque performers, musicians, and more to be a part of our celebrations. I’m so grateful to be able to make this tour what it is and I can’t wait to share it with all of you!
Get your tickets
We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!
This year will be our biggest and best yet and we can’t wait to hang out and celebrate our community with all of you.
2025 Community Trail Running Tour Dates
-
Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre
-
Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
-
Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
-
Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Moab Run the Rocks
I’ve officially completed my first stage race, desert race, and Transrockies Race, and I’m so damn grateful to have taken part. What a party in the desert!!! A massive thank you to Houda and the entire Transrockies group, they know what’s up and I’m honoured to have been included in Moab Run the Rocks. Three days of trails and community was really cool to be a part of and I have to recommend trying a stage race to anyone who’s curious. It’s different and all kinds of fun. This group knows what they are doing so if you’re gonna try one, you will not be disappointed if you sign up for one of their races. They know how to celebrate community so check them out!
Win your way into the Golden Ultra Stage Race
You have to be intrigued by this point, right?! Come to one of our Trail Running Film Festival screenings in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Crowsnest Pass, Jasper, and Canmore and you can win your way into the Golden Ultra! We’re so stoked that Houda hooked us up with an entry to this incredible sounding event at each show, and we can’t wait to get one of you off to Golden, BC. Get your tickets while you can and come join us in celebration of our amazing sport. You might just win some really cool stuff while you’re there. Ticket links just below.
The Miller Minutes
I got to work with coach Andrew Miller as a I prepared for Moab Run the Rocks. It was a blast working with him and getting ready for the big weekend. We touched base once a month and it was fun to give everyone a glimpse into what it’s like working with a coach. Andrew did an awesome job of zooming out during each episode and giving general advice for all runners while using what we were doing together as an example. I’m so pumped to keep working with Andrew towards more goals!
Trail Running Film Festival Preview Week
Now you want to know what TRFF is all about and lucky for you, that’s all we did here on the show last week! We had all 6 filmmakers featured here on CTR. It was so fun to hear from each of them about their films, and I love getting everyone stoked for the film fest. Check these episodes out if you haven’t already:
CTR presents the Trail Running Film Festival
We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!
We will keep this page updated and you will want to pay attention as we announce our sponsors and entertainment! This year will be our biggest and best yet and we can’t wait to hang out and celebrate our community with all of you.
2025 Community Trail Running Tour Dates
-
Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre
-
Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
-
Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
-
Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Elite Heart is all about body positivity and Jordan Marie Whetstone is super excited for this film to release. She is always working towards creating a more inclusive and diverse sport through her films. It was a ton of fun chatting with her for the second year in a row and we’re definitely better off having such an amazing creator in our space!
When a body challenged woman starts running, she enters a 100 mile race to help bring representation to a space lacking diversity and body positivity. Elite Heart features Callie Vinson, who once weighed 377lbs and put her health first and is now training to compete in a 100 mile trail race while promoting body positivity, representation, accessibility, diversity and inclusivity at a race where the environment and culture is changing in the right direction. She attempts the Western States Endurance Run 100 and brings the heart of the back of the pack runners to this stage. Will she make it? Or is getting to the start line the celebratory moment?
Get your tickets now at trailfilmfest.com!
Hear Jordan’s interview from last year:
Did you miss the last preview episode? Don’t worry, here it is!
Are you in Western Canada? Come to one of our shows!!!!
CTR presents the Trail Running Film Festival
We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!
We will keep this page updated and you will want to pay attention as we announce our sponsors and entertainment! This year will be our biggest and best yet and we can’t wait to hang out and celebrate our community with all of you.
2025 Community Trail Running Tour Dates
-
Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre
-
Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
-
Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
-
Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Anna Brannon had to deal with a tornado to get her first major production over the finish line (I’ll show myself out later). She was great to chat with as the challenges the crew faced were tough but they managed to get everything done and we’re grateful to show it as part of the film fest. This week continues to fly by and we’re having so much featuring all of these awesome filmmakers!
Missouri isn’t a place most people think of when they think of ultra running. But it’s here on the rolling hills and chunky karst terrain where race director Shalini Bhajjan has built Terrain Trail Runners, a community of long distance ultra trail runners. On April 15th, 2023, three members of this community set out to complete Shalini’s toughest race and run 100 miles through the Ozark Foothills in Wildwood, MO. What started out as a beautiful day quickly turned into a weather nightmare when a tornado touched down 10 minutes from where the race was being hosted. Tough calls were made and limits were tested, ending in a finish that no one saw coming.
Make sure to get your tickets at trailfilmfest.com so you don’t miss out!
Last episode:
CTR presents the Trail Running Film Festival
We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!
We will keep this page updated and you will want to pay attention as we announce our sponsors and entertainment! This year will be our biggest and best yet and we can’t wait to hang out and celebrate our community with all of you.
2025 Community Trail Running Tour Dates
-
Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre
-
Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
-
Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
-
Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Tony Dispasquale was excited to feature We Run Long and even more thrilled it turned into what it did! I love hearing about all the Trail Running Film Festival selections from filmmakers like Tony. They all seem most excited about the fact the stories they tell are being shared and the groups featured get the recognition they deserve.
The inaugural Camp We Run Long brought together BIPOC trail runners from all over the country for three days of workshops, community and the West Line Winder trail races. Founded in 2021, WRL is a community of Black, Indigenous and People of Color runners seeking to expand their presence in a sport that they don’t often see themselves in. WRL works to honor Indigenous lands and amplify diversity at races by partnering with race directors and running brands each year. The 2024 camp was sponsored by Altra Running and Freestone Endurance.
Don’t miss your chance to see the Trail Running Film Festival and buy your tickets now!
Crossing Lines starts March 12
I’m so excited to be collaborating with Crossing Lines and helping push this podcast into the world! Here’s a little bit to know about it:
Crossing Lines is an initiative to remove barriers to participation for People of Colour in the Ultra Endurance space. The Crossing Lines Podcast will amplify diverse voices in the running scene while featuring interviews of people from our diverse community and some hot takes on everything from gear and races to the future of running.
Kortnee Borden, Matt Geofroy, Meddy Andrews and James Koka are friends and hosts of The Crossing Lines Podcast. They are long time friends and long distance runners talking about running, run culture and life while having some laughs along the way. Lace up and join us as we take up space.
A huge thank you to Kort, Matt, Meddy, and James for trusting me and including me on this project. This is going to be fun!
Make sure you are subscribing here so you don’t miss episode 1 on Wednesday, March 12!
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
It’s double header day on the podcast as we continue the Trail Running Film Festival preview week with Alexandre Chambet’s “The Pointe Pessey”. Alexandre was super excited to chat about the film and I enjoyed hearing about the reasons why he wanted to tell this story. It’s a lot of fun chatting with people all around the world about our awesome sport and I’m so glad I get to share it with all of you!
Community Trail Running is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
In her village of Le Grand-Bornand, in France, nestled at the foot of the Pointe Percée, Iris is preparing for a challenge that resonates far beyond the summits: to set a record climb on the mountain she’s cherished since childhood. Between intense training sessions and silent doubts, Iris draws on her roots, her memories and her determination for her attempt.
Narrated by her twin brother with a mixture of humor and tenderness, the film paints the portrait of an inspiring woman torn between the expectations of others and her deep love for this little-known mountain. Through her journey, we discover a quest for freedom, resilience in the face of adversity, and a reflection on what it really means to “reach a summit”.
Be sure to get to trailfilmfest.com for more information about tickets and hosting!
Did you miss the last preview episode? No problem, here you go:
The Miller Minutes
I’m all set to run in Moab, I’ll be on a plane tomorrow! Andrew has been coaching me along the way and The Miller Minutes have been a ton of fun to work on with him. Episode 5 will drop in a few short hours so in the meantime, catch up here:
Listen where you listen
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
It’s fun to preview The Trail Running Film Festival here at CTR and today we continue the fun chatting with Candice Burt and David D’Angelo of “Halfway to Crazy”. It’s great to hear some of the challenges that they faced and I love hearing from all the filmmakers about what goes into making these features that we enjoy watching with each other so much! We’re going to have a great time gathering for the tour this year because of these great films and I can’t wait to hang out with a bunch of you myself to watch all of them!
What happens when you push your body to try and run 60+ miles a day, over and over again? Ultra runner Candice Burt finds out as she attempts the fastest time on the entire length of the 800 mile Arizona Trail.
This journey ends up being not so much about the record, but what happens when things start to fall apart as she pushes her body to the edges of what’s physically and mentally possible. Follow along as Candice explores the depths of her mind, and ultimately the meaning of success.
We will continue to have these great filmmakers on all week long so stay tuned! Get over to trailfilmfest.com for your tickets now so you don’t miss out on the party!
Yesterday we started coverage with Matt Green:
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Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
It’s Trail Running Film Festival Preview week here on the podcast and we’re so excited to launch it with Matt Green’s “Talk to Frank”. Here is the movie description from the trailfilmfest.com:
My name is Frank, and I’m a cocker spaniel from Manchester. My story began when I moved in with Maleek, my human. He wasn’t in a great place—having just finished a four-year sentence, he found himself transitioning from one prison to another: the COVID lockdown and a debilitating depression. I gave him no choice; he had to start walking me. One walk led to another, and soon we were running. Before he knew it, we were on our way up Pen Y Ghent, his first mountain. The mountains are his spiritual home, he needs them just as much as I do. His ambition is to run in the Alps. To push his boundaries and tackle a route higher and further than he has ever been before. So that’s our plan. Together we are going to go to the Alps, we’re going to see the peaks, the ridges, the summits, and we’re going to heal together.
This week we will feature all six filmmakers on the podcast, so be sure to tune in every day to hear their awesome stories!
The Long Run
The latest episode of The Long Run was a great chat with Wayne Cassidy all about the Tajik Mountain Traverse, a wild sounding stage race in Tajikistan:
Food Fight Friday
The latest episode of Food Fight Friday was a blast as always. We had Troy Meadows of the Midpacker Pod on as our guest:
Crossing Lines
I’m so excited for this collaboration. The Crossing Lines Podcast will feature great guests and hot takes, all the while pushing for more diversity and inclusion in the ultra/trail running scene. This is gonna be great and we launch next Wednesday March 12!
The Miller Minutes
Episode 5 of The Miller Minutes is part of this episode as we chat about Moab Run the Rocks, it’s this weekend! My training has gone well and now it’s time to see how it goes. A massive thank you to Andrew for coaching me and I can’t wait to put it into action this weekend.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Wayne Cassidy's Tajik Mountain Traverse is an awesome sounding race that takes place in the Mountains of Tajikistan. It offers runners a unique mix of history, culture, and natural beauty. The race is designed to challenge endurance athletes and immerse them in the culture of the Tajik people.
"The Tajik people are just some of the warmest, most hospitable people," Wayne shares. "Strangers will be inviting you to come in for tea. That’s just an amazing experience to have." The event takes runners through an environment steeped in history, from the ancient Silk Road to the footsteps of explorers like Alexander the Great and Marco Polo.
The nine-day format is a blend of adventure and cultural exploration, with participants dealing with high altitude mountain passes and enjoying stunning turquoise lakes. Wayne describes it as a beautiful and majestic place. It’s clear that the location is one he loves and a key feature that sets this race apart.
Wayne hopes to see growing participation in the future, with the aim of including more and more athletes from around the world, all drawn to this hidden gem in Central Asia. The race already garners interest from international runners, with the goal of creating a community that shares both the passion for endurance sports and an appreciation for the unique cultural heritage of Tajikistan.
It was awesome to have Wayne on and learn more about this place and his race! Chantelle and I enjoyed it thoroughly, and you can even catch an article that Chantelle has prepared in the next edition of Canadian Running Magazine!
What do you think of the race? Is it something you’d want to check out? Let us know what you think!
Did you catch The Long Run before this episode? If not, here it is so you can stay up to date!
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
"Individual actions are good, but it's not enough. We need to work together and create collective actions."
Dakota Jones is passionate about our climate and making a positive difference. This is why he got involved with Footprints Running Camp. The camp looks to empower local community members and help them push forward their climate action plans. The camp takes place yearly and this year Dakota was in Las Vegas attempting to break the American 100 mile record as a way to fundraise for the camp. Although the record attempt didn’t quite go according to plan, awareness was still raised and Jones was able to continue pushing this camp into the world. It’s a project that’s very close to his heart and gives people the power to make change where they live.
"Footprints is about using community to try to do something for the community.”
You can learn more about the fundraiser here.
Dakota was great to chat with and the camp was featured during the Trail Running Film Festival a few years back:
Food Fight Friday
The latest episode went up and we even had a guest!
The Long Run
Comes back next week as Chantelle and I have another great episode lined up. If you didn’t catch the latest one, here it is again:
Trail Running Film Festival
We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!
We will keep this page updated and you will want to pay attention as we announce our sponsors and entertainment! This year will be our biggest and best yet and we can’t wait to hang out and celebrate our community with all of you.
2025 Community Trail Running Tour Dates
-
Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre
-
Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
-
Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
-
Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Thank you to our latest paying subscriber!
Massive thank you to Sean Sharp for putting his hard-earned cash into this thing. It means the world to me!
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I really just enjoyed treating creativity like silly putty and stretching it and grasping it and molding it in different ways.”
Angela Hollowell is the type of person to just go ahead and do something rather than wait for someone else to do it. This has led her to writing newsletters and hosting podcasts about various topics, including Melanin MVP, which she dubs “the ultimate destination for women of color athlete news stories”. I learned what Angela was doing through Run Tri Bike, as she is working with them now. I love the opportunity to spread the word about anything they are up to and Angela’s show is a great one to feature! She really enjoyed the way the relationship came to be.
“Jason was so gracious with his time, so gracious with his knowledge and just really supportive of what I was doing. ... We released our first episode in January of this year. I'm super happy about it. ... It's really good to be in an ecosystem. This is my first time being a part of a podcast network and that's really nice."
Angela was a great guest and I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did! Be sure to let us know what you think in the comments!
Trail Running Film Festival
We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!
We will keep this page updated and you will want to pay attention as we announce our sponsors and entertainment! This year will be our biggest and best yet and we can’t wait to hang out and celebrate our community with all of you.
2025 Community Trail Running Tour Dates
-
Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre
-
Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
-
Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
-
Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Food Fight Friday
This is always so much fun! I have a great time with Jason of Run Tri Bike on this segment. It’s silly and brings me joy. Have a watch!
The Long Run
Last week our latest episode of the Long Run went up as well! Huge shoutout to Chantelle Erickson for taking over the intro hosting duties while I dealt with some technical issues. I thought she was a natural! I also thought our guest Marlinda Bedonie was awesome and we were so grateful to chat with her and hear some of her story.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“While I was doing the Spine, even though I was on my own on the Pennine Way, it felt like I had the other Black Trail Runners around me.”
What started as a reluctant attempt to stay active quickly became a passion for Rebecca Devereux. Her journey was fast and within three years she was standing on the cusp of one of Britian’s most grueling races. The Winter Spine Race is notoriously difficult. It also had a really convenient finish line just a few minutes from Rebecca’s house. It was a challenge she couldn’t resist and so she was in.
Community Trail Running is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
As much as the race was about personal triumph, it was also about community. Black Trail Runners had been crucial to her growth in trail running. When she first stood at the start line of a race a year into her running journey, she was the only person of colour. It was an experience that left her feeling isolated, despite being used to predominately white spaces in her career and community. The disconnect sat with her until she met Sabrina Pace-Humphries at a talk and heard more about Black Trail Runners. That sense of solidarity gave Rebecca the strength she needed, knowing that she wasn’t just running for herself. This new community gave Rebecca energy and a sense of belonging in the sport, and this helped her push herself into such a challenging race.
"I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Black Trail Runners. I wouldn’t have been in that race. I wouldn’t be on this podium. They’ve been such an important part of my running journey.”
It was awesome chatting with Rebecca and hearing her story. It’s so incredible how fast she’s taken to the sport and amazing to think what else she might accomplish! I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Trail Running Film Festival
We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!
We will keep this page updated and you will want to pay attention as we announce our sponsors and entertainment! This year will be our biggest and best yet and we can’t wait to hang out and celebrate our community with all of you.
2025 Community Trail Running Tour Dates
-
Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre
-
Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
-
Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
-
Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Food Fight Friday
The latest episode went up and we are so excited to be sponsored by 7 Summits Snacks!
The Long Run
Last week our latest episode of the Long Run went up as well! Huge shoutout to Chantelle Erickson for taking over the intro hosting duties while I dealt with some technical issues. I thought she was a natural! I also thought our guest Marlinda Bedonie was awesome and we were so grateful to chat with her and hear some of her story.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Our ancestors would pass messages along by running from community to community. To this day, we still teach that, especially to our youth.”
Apologies for the late release, I had some major technical issues to sort through!
For Marlinda Bedonie, running is more than a sport. It’s a way of life, a cultural tradition, and a means of connecting with her community. As an Indigenous ultrarunner, mother of four, coach, and health advocate, Marlinda has worked running into every aspect of her life. Through her work with Native Women Running and Renew Earth Running, she is inspiring others to move. Not just for themselves, but for something greater.
“Our medicine is out on the land. Our traditional foods that we pick, that we harvest, it’s all connected… I just take it one step at a time. I don’t always know what’s ahead, but I know that I’m running for more than just myself.”
Marlinda was a fantastic guest and we really enjoyed hearing her story. These Long Run episodes have been so rewarding to dig deeper with our guests, and we’re so grateful they’ve been able to come on and share! What do you think of the episode?
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“For us, coffee was such an essential part of those trips. We would even think about, while planning the trip, 'Okay, where are we going to drink coffee? Where's the spot going to be?"
Alexander Häberlin loves a good cup of coffee. So much so that it was often the sole focus of outdoor adventures. Where would they drink the coffee? What did they need to pack for it? Along with his partner Phillipe, the duo set out to ensure those adventure coffee’s were as tasty and convenient as possible. This led to No Normal Coffee, a coffee paste in a tube that you can eat on its own or add water and drink. The product's success has come quickly, and now the team is looking to get into as many hands as possible. For those who love coffee and the outdoors, No Normal Coffee is banking on their product being exactly what they want.
“We wanted to create a product that works in those moments when things are exciting, challenging, and not normal—because an adventure is only an adventure if it’s not normal. We wanted a coffee that’s just as ready for the unexpected as the people who use it."
It was a great chat with Alexander and really fun to learn about the business. There are so many interesting challenges he mentioned and I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did!
Trail Running Film Festival
We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!
We will keep this page updated and you will want to pay attention as we announce our sponsors and entertainment! This year will be our biggest and best yet and we can’t wait to hang out and celebrate our community with all of you.
2025 Community Trail Running Tour Dates
-
Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre
-
Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
-
Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
-
Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Food Fight Friday
This is always so much fun! I have a great time with Jason of Run Tri Bike on this segment. It’s silly and brings me joy. Have a watch!
The Long Run
Chantelle Erickson and I are back next week with the long run! I’m really enjoying working with her, these episodes are quite enjoyable as we get the opportunity to dig a little deeper with our guests. It’s been fantastic to see the downloads pile up as well. The first 3 episodes are 3 of the best performing episodes CTR has ever put out. Thank you!
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I assumed that there were tons of women running. You know, we’re so good at this, it feels like there is something really there, especially in this mental aspect. So I’d assume it’s at least a 50/50 gender ratio, probably at all the races. And learning that it wasn’t, I kinda had to stop and take a pause and think why that might be.”
Rachel Bambrick loves the sport of ultra running and just wants to make it a more accessible place for all involved. When she realized there weren’t as many women as men running she set out to change that. It’s an important cause to her and just over a year in, things are going really well for Women in Ultrarunning. They are growing the organization as well as the amount of women running and that is something Rachel takes a lot of pride in!
“I wanted to make an educational series where folks could come learn about the sport. And I thought that might help open some doors and get more women involved. Then from there, we really started to transform into a community. People were coming to events and recognizing folks from previous events, making friendships, forming those connections. I was getting questions about if we had gear that people could wear at races. And from there, I kind of had to take a step back and think, okay, I think there's something more here than I initially thought.”
I really enjoyed chatting with Rachel and I think you will enjoy the conversation as well! Let us know what you think in the comments.
The Long Run
The Long Run returns this month. I can’t wait to work with Chantelle Erickson some more. This show has been a great opportunity to dive deep with our guests and share some important conversations and topics. I’m really enjoying working with Chantelle, and I’m looking forward to doing plenty more shows together!
2025 Community Trail Running Trail Running Film Festival Tour Dates
We’re so excited to have 6 shows with all of you this spring! Starting in April in Vancouver and ending in June in Canmore, get yours now so we can hang out and celebrate our amazing sport together!
-
Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre
-
Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
-
Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
-
Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Am I ever thinking about I want to die? Yeah, maybe. But the point is, I'm not alone. I'm not alone.”
Chris Chan got into running simply because he was looking to be active and needed something other than soccer. He didn’t know he’d be getting into something so important to his life, and so fulfilling.
He also didn’t realize what a learning journey it would be. Finding supportive people who had similar interests was one thing, but learning about men’s mental health and how that was missing from his life was something else entirely. His involvement with the Mustache Miler certainly propelled that forward, and having a great community within 5 Peaks and his North Burnaby Runners also did as much. Chris also had a cancer diagnosis in his journey which made finishing his latest marathon in Victoria, all the more special.
“I just said, I'm going to walk past the finish line. I don't care about the time. But what I care about is in the moment I feel I'm alive. I feel I'm back to normal when I cross the finish line.”
This chat was so much fun. Shoutout to Jeannine Avelino for recommending Chris, I’m so glad she did and we got to chat. It was awesome and inspiring hearing about his mental health journey. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did, make sure to comment and let us know!
The Miller Minutes
Episode 3 of The Miller Minutes is part of this episode as well! It’s so much fun working with Andrew Miller as I train for Moab Run the Rocks. I’m enjoying putting out this segment and giving you all a little glimpse into what it’s like working with a run coach. Andrew has been great to work with, we’re making great progress towards Moab and I think the next couple of months will be awesome as we get into crunch time. These episodes get posted on their own on the first Wednesday of the month as well!
Food Fight Friday
Jason Bahamundi and I will be back with the next episode of Food Fight Friday at the Aid Station this week. It’s always so much fun working with him and this segment is just lighthearted and goofy, it’s right in my wheelhouse!
The Long Run
The Long Run returns this month. I can’t wait to work with Chantelle Erickson some more. This show has been a great opportunity to dive deep with our guests and share some important conversations and topics. I’m really enjoying working with Chantelle, and I’m looking forward to doing plenty more shows together!
2025 Community Trail Running Trail Running Film Festival Tour Dates
We’re so excited to have 6 shows with all of you this spring! Starting in April in Vancouver and ending in June in Canmore, get yours now so we can hang out and celebrate our amazing sport together!
-
Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre
-
Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
-
Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
-
Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I’m a facilitator of other people’s stories in trail running. Everyone has a unique journey, and that’s what makes each episode special.”
Troy Meadows is a dad, husband, marketing executive, and passionate ultra-runner. He’s been trail running for over a decade and not only is he an athlete but also a storyteller who loves amplifying the voices of those around him. His podcast, The Midpacker Pod, part of the Free Trail Network, celebrates the mid and back-of-the-pack runners and showcases their stories. He wants to create a space where runners of all levels are seen and heard. Troy’s approach is both relatable and tactical, offering insights for runners at every stage of their journey.
“It’s all about showing up every single week and being consistent, not just in running but in life… There’s a never-ending supply of amazing people doing exceptional things on and off the trails. It’s a privilege to share their stories.”
The Midpacker Pod is a must-listen. Check out Troy on his show and you will hear the passion immidieately. He features great guests that you will relate with and the show is one you will be happy to add to your rotation. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did and make sure to let us know in the comments!
2025 Community Trail Running Trail Running Film Festival Tour Dates
We’re so excited to have 6 shows with all of you this spring! Starting in April in Vancouver and ending in June in Canmore, get yours now so we can hang out and celebrate our amazing sport together!
-
Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre
-
Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema
-
Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre
-
Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
-
Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion
-
Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace
Food Fight Friday
The latest Food Fight Friday at the Aid Station with Jason Bahamundi was a blast as usual. I’m enjoying the chance to work with Jason and the Run Tri Bike Mag team, and this segment is the kind of light-hearted stuff that’s really enjoyable to work on, especially with Jason. Let us know what you think and if you have some food ideas for the future!
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I was still in the porta potty when the gun went off.” - Jacob Puzey
Merry Christmas and happy holidays my friends. It’s an exciting day around here, and it’s time for our holiday special episode. The holiday special is when former guests share their funny trail running stories with all of us, and it’s something I greatly appreciate they take the time to do! This year is a set of fantastic stories that I know you will all enjoy and probably relate to. We have the following awesome people sharing with us:
Jeannine Avelino
Nick Lade
Allison Powell
Jason Bahamundi
Jacob Puzey
Raziq Rauf
Shelley Chen
We didn’t get to record our chat with Shelley in Edmonton but I can assure you she was an incredible guest speaking on behalf of Project Love Run.
Dawna Jodoin
It’s been an incredible 2024, and we’re already on pace to top it in 2025. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support. We continue to do the thing and see where we end up, and it’s pretty fun doing this all together. Upwards and onwards friends.
Sincerely,
Adam Lee
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I run for a purpose now, and that purpose has continued to evolve over the years.”
Jay Tinsley wasn’t always a runner but the sport certainly stuck with him once he embraced it. The sense of community that followed is what has kept Jay around, and all he wants to do is share that with others. As a leader of Black Men Run Trail and Ultra Running Fanatics (TURF), Jay's mission is to bridge the gap between the road and trail running communities, encouraging others to embrace the joys of trails. His efforts to introduce trail running to more members of BMR reflect his belief in fostering connection and adventure:
“How can I get the rest of my guys, who pretty much stick to the roads, to feel that sense of community in the trail world as well?”
Jay creates many events and opportunities through BMRTURF (he runs the Phoenix chapter) to get off the roads and onto the trails. Even though his community is strong and supportive, he still worries from time to time that people aren’t hearing his message. "I have irrational anxiety that no one will show up," Jay joked, only to note that his community "always shows up."
I had such a great time chatting with Jay. It’s clear he’s supportive and passionate about this sport, and wants to get as many others involved as he can. I love that attitude and can’t wait to see where Black Men Run Trails and Ultra Running Fanatics go from here.
Trail Running Film Festival Contest!
With early bird tickets now on sale and excitement growing for our 2025 tour dates, we thought it would be the perfect time for a ticket giveaway. We’ve announced the details on both IG and FB, and it’s super easy to enter!
We are so excited for our 2025 @trailfilmfest dates. We can't wait to hang out with all of you once again!Last year we had so much fun and this year we're looking to do it even better. We're getting the fire stoked with this contest and we need your help spreading the flames. 🔥 So here's how to enter:- Share this post to your feed or stories (1 entry)or- Tag your friends in this post (1 entry per person tagged)or- Share a photo from last year and tag us (3 entries)It's that simple! 👏The contest closes this Sunday at 11:59, so start entering. See you in 2025 friends!Vancouver - Thursday April 3Edmtonton - Thursday May 1Calgary - Friday May 2Crowsnest Pass - Saturday May 3Jasper - Saturday May 17Canmore - Thursday June 5Thank you all for the constant support, we can't wait to hang out with you all! 🥰
Food Fight Friday
The latest Food Fight Friday at the Aid Station with Jason Bahamundi was a blast as usual. I’m enjoying the chance to work with Jason and the Run Tri Bike Mag team, and this segment is the kind of light-hearted stuff that’s really enjoyable to work on, especially with Jason. Let us know what you think and if you have some food ideas for the future!
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Finish line. All the vibes at the finish line, whether it's tears or laughter or appreciation, you cannot replicate that feeling. Whether you're the runner or you're the race director.” - Jodi McNeill
Jodi McNeill and Norm Nadon have been running for a long time and they’ve had the sport be an even bigger part of their lives than most, having run a retail shop for a while. The one constant love in the sport they both share is the love of community. The opportunity to share that with others and grow their own is one they both embrace as the hosts of the Gotta Run Racing Podcast. The podcast was something that was on their radar for quite some time, and all it took was the pandemic to kick it into gear.
“The funny thing is that I always wanted to do a podcast even before we sold our store, and I bought all the equipment, I threw it in the closet, and that's where it was for a year. And then the pandemic, we sold our store and I said, okay, now's the time. And thanks to YouTube, how do you edit? How do you produce? How do you market? I learned on YouTube. And yeah, that's how it came to the podcast today.” - Norm Nadon
Jodi and Norm were kind enough to have me on their show as well, which you can find here! Make sure to listen to both shows and let us know what you think. I had a blast learning more about them and I equally enjoyed getting the chance to share some more about myself on the Gotta Run Podcast.
The Trail Running Film Festival is coming to Jasper
The Trail Running Film Festival is back, and we are hosting 6 shows this year! I’m incredibly excited to be returning to Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Canmore, and Crowsnest Pass. And we’ve just nailed down our 6th show, the one we’ve been hinting at, as we’re headed to Jasper in 2025! It will be a fundraiser show to help recover from the terrible wildfires earlier in 2024. We’re so pumped to be working with Jasper Community Habitat for the Arts to bring the festival to Jasper. All proceeds from this specific show will be split between the Habitat for the Arts and the Jasper Volunteer Fire Brigade. We saw the Run for Jasper had raised funds for the brigade through that event and thought it was a great idea.
A massive thank you to Mathias, Amanda, and everyone else at the Trail Running Film Festival for donating the license for this show. It truly will be every dollar raised going back into the community. Tickets are on sale now and if you can’t make it but want to donate, we have a donation option on the site as we’d love to raise as much as we can for these Jasper groups. It’s an iconic Canadian outdoor space and the Trail Running Film Festival seems like a great fit and way to help the revival of that great community.
I can’t wait to hang out with you all again, celebrate our amazing sport, and grow this festival to provide an even more fun and entertaining evening for everyone involved. Our early bird tickets are on sale now for the newly announced Jasper show, as well as Vancouver at the Rio, Edmonton at the Garneau, and Crowsnest Pass at Frank Slide. They are $25 and will go up to $30 on January 1, and they will be $35 at the door. So you might as well save a few bucks while you can.
We are so damn excited to have 5 Peaks and the Stoked Scramble/Stoked Ultra back as our Platinum sponsor this year. They have been incredible to work with as they are so supportive and so encouraging and have been since day 1. They love this event as much as we do and we’re super grateful to Jacob Puzey for all the support. They give us so many goodies to give away as well, it means the world to us!
We also have Black Lung Ultra from Nordegg, AB coming on as a sponsor for our tour. Last year they got involved with our Alberta shows and had so much fun they are getting even more involved this year! Their race sold out in its inaugural year back in September, and we’re pumped to help them sell out again in 2025! A massive thank you to Petrea, Nick, Michael, and Brandon for their constant encouragement and support.
We will likely announce some more sponsors in the coming weeks, we’ll have guests to announce, and we’re working on fun acts like the surprise burlesque opening act we had in Vancouver in 2024. We want to lean into the word “festival” and do that by including local artists and performers, so we can continue to spotlight our amazing communities.
I’m so pumped to be working with Jeannine Avelino again on all of this. She’s such an incredible community member and human being and I’m lucky to have her involved. And of course, my wife Sheena is always helping and finding ways to add value to our shows. I’m grateful to her. We have a small but mighty team and we plan on showing what we can do to make 2025 your favourite year yet! Get your tickets now.
The Miller Minutes #2
This was our second meeting and I had a bit of a struggle this month as a storm blew snow in for nearly a week straight. I’ve not had to deal with weather like that for quite some time, and shoveling snow every day was a challenge I forgot about! So this challenge and the challenge of figuring out my personal time with my new job have been tough but I’m feeling good about it. Andrew Miller is a great coach who keeps me positive so we just keep moving forward toward the goal!
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Recovery is a huge part of my life today. Without that, I would be completely fucked, for the lack of better words. Running is just an extension of my recovery. It keeps me mentally sane. It keeps me physically healthy. It keeps me goal-oriented and motivated. It's just another one of those tools that I use to stay healthy, stay fit, be a better person, and live a good life.”
Lee Murphy may use running as a tool like many others do, but he may push it a little further than the average person. Lee is the Canadian Backyard Ultra champion after running an incredible 456 km (68 yards) at the event in October. He’s driven and able to push himself to great lengths, but at the root of it is simply a desire to live healthy and move his body. Staying healthy and staying social is also why he loves running, as running is often where he finds time to socialize outside of a busy work and family schedule. Through all of that, he just wants to see what his body can do in this crazy sport.
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“Years ago when I just finished my first 100 miles or first 100k and three years later be thinking about doing 400k and 500 kilometers and 600k. You know that's why I call it an illness, it's like a progressive illness because it gets worse and it never gets better.”
Lee has a great sense of humour to go along with his incredible spirit to always push further. I really enjoyed our conversation and I think you will enjoy his insights as well. Let us know what you think and if you are considering a backyard-style race!
The Long Run
Episode 3 with Matt Geofroy and Kortnee Borden of Crossing Lines went up last week and we are honoured to share a bit of their story. The downloads have piled up and Chantelle and I are excited to bring you three more episodes starting in January. In the meantime, make sure to check out the latest episode if you haven’t already:
Food Fight Friday
The latest episode of Food Fight Friday with Jason Bahamundi went up over the weekend as well. This is always a lot of fun for me as Jason and I get to joke around and do the light-hearted segment together. It’s a nice break and just fun to have some laughs with him. The latest episode was Black Friday themed and we had as much fun as we always do:
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
"We're definitely trying to remove barriers to get more people to the start line. At the essence, that's it. Whatever those barriers happen to be, we're doing our best to try to remove those." - Matt Geofroy
Crossing Lines is an initiative focused on increasing representation and breaking down barriers for people of colour in the ultra-trail running community. Two of the co-founders, Matt Geofroy and Kortnee Borden, joined us to chat about the group and how they were inspired. They spoke about how much Parkdale Roadrunners meant to them and wanted to bring that inclusivity and energy to trail and ultra running.
Crossing Lines is looking to get more people of colour to start lines by addressing knowledge gaps, logistical challenges, and financial obstacles that might deter potential runners. The group collaborates with race directors to advocate for better diversity practices. They also organized a group of 30 athletes at Run Woodstock who competed in various distances. They had a chance to really absorb the whole experience on the Sunday morning after everyone had run when they organized a group brunch.
"Seeing everybody there on Sunday morning after the race, just so happy and trading stories. It was amazing. We had people from New York, New Orleans, BC, Toronto, and Barcelona, all connected. It was just phenomenal." - Kortnee Borden
It was an honour for us to have Kortnee and Matt on the cast to share about Crossing Lines. We’re grateful for their time and think you will enjoy the show as much as we did!
Learn about “Water First” here.
More about representation in Trail Running:
Running Industry Diversity Coalition
Racial Diversity in Trail Running Study
More Long Run’s:
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I really enjoy the act of creating. I mean, running, I love running. I like the physical exertion part of it, but then I really value the creation that I can do with writing. So I find that's just a really helpful way to process the race for me and then to be able to share something of my experience with others.”
Jade Belzberg has been journalling since she was 5 years old so when it comes to putting her thoughts onto paper (or the screen), she’s a seasoned veteran. She’s also a seasoned champion when it comes to trail running, as her resume includes a bunch of very impressive finishes. Two silver medals at the recent Canadian Mountain Running Championships are part of that impressive resume, and Jade mentioned that moving back to Canada and learning who the strong competition is here has been a bit of an adjustment. She’s made that adjustment and been able to stay within herself. Keeping calm and level-headed is how she competes.
“I'm super excited. I'm super motivated, but I don't feel like I get a lot of… I'm not someone who gets like a runner's high after, and I'm all stoked after the run. It just feels like another part of my day, which I really value. But I feel pretty level throughout the day. Because it was so new when I was first starting out, there were more endorphins attached to it. That's pretty rare these days. And even going into races, I'm a really... I'm quite calm compared to my competitors. And that's just how I like it. I think I thrive better with that.”
Jade was a ton of fun to chat with. She’s just getting through a move and her and her partner have twenty animals they take care of as well! To say she has been busy while competing is an understatement and I’m grateful she was able to take some time and chat. I think you’ll enjoy the conversation as much as I did, make sure to let us know!
The Long Run
Episode 2 with Keeley Milne was another huge success. Chantelle Erickson and I are grateful Keeley came on and shared her story and we’re thrilled these episodes have been received so well. Next week we have Crossing Lines on the podcast and we can’t wait to share that one with you. The downloads have piled up and we’re excited to keep them coming. Make sure to check out Keeley’s episode if you haven’t already:
Food Fight Friday
I enjoy doing these shows with Jason Bahamundi. The latest episode I got to honour my father by choosing three “meals” he used to make. Jason had fun answering and shouted out a dish his dad made as well. It was so much fun!
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I kind of always thought if you hear yourself say someone should do that, it's a good sign, that you should be doing that. If you'd read that or listen to that or want that, someone else probably would as well.”
Bradley Houghton realized there was a need that could be filled in the New Zealand trail running scene. As someone who loves the sport, he wanted to shine more light on all the amazing races across the country. So he started Trail Running NZ and it’s been growing ever since. The growth is a happy accident of sorts, as he got into trail running because a road marathon didn’t go so well, and he thought a trail ultra couldn’t be any worse. The rest, as they say, is history, and now Bradley is a big part of the coverage of trail running in his home country.
“I found myself, the more I kind of drill into something the more obsessed I get with it and so it's like you want to cover more. But you don't want to start sending three emails a week. So it kind of naturally gets a bit bigger. But really, it's all about the results.”
Bradley was a ton of fun to chat with. It took us a while to record together as the time difference between us was a challenge. But it was worth the wait to hear all about his substack and why he started it! I’m sure you will enjoy the episode as much as I did, and make sure to let us know.
The Long Run
Episode 2 with Keeley Milne was another huge success. We’re grateful Keeley came on and shared her story and we’re thrilled these episodes have been received so well. The downloads have piled up and we’re excited to keep them coming. Make sure to check out Keeley’s episode if you haven’t already:
Ep. 120 The Long Run. Featuring Keeley Milne
“I knew that I was going to die and that was made very clear to me by people in the hospital and by a doctor that I had seen. And I knew I had very limited time. I was having a lot of seizures. Whenever alcohol got out of my system, I would have a seizure. So I was having to drink, even though I didn't want to.”
Read full story
Food Fight Friday
I enjoy doing these shows with Jason Bahamundi. We have a great time being goofy together and the latest episode was no different!
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“There's a lot of peace in the backcountry. So you find yourself completely by yourself. You may come across lots of animal tracks. Those are some of my favorite things. It's just peaceful and it's wild.”
Sarah Nurcombe coaches trail running and Nordic skiing athletes in my new neck of the woods, Crowsnest Pass. The opportunity to interview someone in person was one I could not pass up and so it was an honour to chat with Sarah at our “Bushtown” kitchen table. She’s been in The Pass for 20 years and it was great to hear a bit about why she loves it so much. She also loves coaching athletes and she’s found it very rewarding to be a positive part of someone’s journey. That’s also been the case with her group runs where she gets to see so many people flourish.
“Those aha moments. They suddenly either have a breakthrough, they suddenly understand something that they'd never understood before about running. And just to see confidence build in people, like the confidence, the camaraderie, right. They often meet people that they end up running trails with. I see them later on the trails running together. So those have been super rewarding for me.”
I’m so glad Sarah was able to meet in person and I look forward to hosting more people at the kitchen table in the future! I’m sure you will enjoy learning about Sarah as much as I did. Be sure to let us know!
It’s the debut of “The Miller Minutes”! Coach Andrew Miller and I are working together as I get ready for Moab Run the Rocks. It’s a segment I’m really excited about as we will chat for five minutes on the first Monday of each month and give you all a glimpse of what it’s like to work with a running coach. Andrew will break down what I’m doing and why I’m doing it so we understand his thought process of building my program. It’s informative and fun and make sure to let us know what you think as we work towards Moab! These episodes will get posted individually on the Wednesday after each release.
Andrew was a guest on Community Trail Running in the past and you can listen to that episode and learn more about him:
The Long Run
Episode 2 with Keeley Milne was another huge success. We’re grateful Keeley came on and shared her story and we’re thrilled these episodes have been received so well. The downloads have piled up and we’re excited to keep them coming. Make sure to check out Keeley’s episode if you haven’t already:
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I knew that I was going to die and that was made very clear to me by people in the hospital and by a doctor that I had seen. And I knew I had very limited time. I was having a lot of seizures. Whenever alcohol got out of my system, I would have a seizure. So I was having to drink, even though I didn't want to.”
Keeley Milne has faced difficult challenges in life. She’s persevered through dark times to lead the life she does today. She’s incredibly grateful for the support she’s had to get there and through that support she’s lived a sober life for the last 11 + years. She recognizes that everyone’s journey is different, but that everyone deserves another chance.
“I guess that is, it's never ever too late and it's always worth it. There are people that care and will help even if you don't know them. It doesn't have to be AA, there's people out there, there's 24 hour hotlines that people will get you through until you can see somebody else. There are, there, there are people out there who care. And It's really never too late, no matter how many bridges you burn, no matter what you've done.”
Keeley has done nothing but fall more in love with the sport of running during the last 11 years and is looking to attempt a 200 miler in Alberta. She’s always enjoyed challenging herself which is why she’s also working towards becoming a librarian, a childhood dream she’s getting closer to accomplishing. She’s also appreciated being an active mom to her son and having family in her life.
All of it has given Keeley a unique perspective for her writing at Canadian Running Magazine. Chantelle and I were really grateful to have her on and share so openly about her struggles and triumphs. Her story is an inspiring one, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Alcohol addiction support:
https://helpwithdrinking.ca/
Alberta Addiction Support
Treatment for Alcohol Problems: Finding and Getting Help
More Long Run:
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“I loved the medium of podcasting. I'd been a writer for my whole professional career. I loved radio and I loved this whole podcasting thing that was going on. I just didn't have an idea for a podcast.”
Cherie Louise Turner has always enjoyed writing and telling stories, and she hosts a narrative-style podcast that perfectly suits her style. The Women’s Running Stories Podcast has evolved since she started it (including the name) and she’s enjoyed collaborating with others along the way. Collaboration is something that she’s embraced recently and is looking forward to doing more of that going forward. At the root of it though, she really just loves spotlighting amazing women.
“I mean, lucky me and lucky anybody else who's covering women because there's so many great stories that just aren't even told yet. And I have learned so much just listening to these stories”
Cherie was a joy to chat with. She’s thoughtful and passionate and it was fantastic listening to her share a bit of her story. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Make sure to let us know!
Follow Cherie’s 5k under 20 minutes journey here!
The Long Run
Thank you to all of you who tuned into episode 1 of The Long Run! It was a great success, and we were so honoured to have Tarrant Cross Child as our first guest. I’m thrilled to be working with Chantelle Erickson! We’re excited to bring you episode two this coming Monday, October 28! We have the awesome Keeley Milne on the podcast and you are gonna wanna tune in. Don’t miss it!
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Matt Trappe has worked with many running brands over the years. The experience has led to a base of knowledge and the writing process is something that he enjoys and excites him. So the chance to take his experience and share it with the world is something that intrigued him and “A Matter of Brand” is the result! Matt writes about his observations in the industry and hopes to push the whole industry forward. It’s an exciting time in trail running and Matt is loving sharing his thoughts.
“I have a lot of ideas. I have a lot to say. And I feel like I'm just unlocking myself and opening up my brain to the world. And writing has been a lot of fun to do that. So I started the Substack just to riff on things I was thinking about, discovering, maybe learning about myself anyway within the world of branding, marketing, and particularly running. And the writing process makes me really clarify my thoughts and fully think through things from, whatever perspective or whatever take I have on the topic. And I really enjoy it.”
I enjoyed my conversation thoroughly with Matt. I enjoy reading “A Matter of Brand” too, and so it was great to meet the person behind the words and learn a bit more about his inspiration. I hope you will enjoy the conversation as much as I did and let us know what you think!
The Long Run
Thank you to all of you who tuned into episode 1 of The Long Run! It was a great success, and we were so honoured to have Tarrant Cross Child as our first guest. I’m thrilled to be working with Chantelle Erickson! We’re excited to bring you episode two on October 28! We have the awesome Keeley Milne on the podcast and you are gonna wanna tune in.
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“When looking for stuff to wear that didn't always look like I was on a workout, I found that the material wasn't quite right, or it looked too sporty, or a lot of men's clothing is just sort of ugly or bland or banal, and I wanted to add some life to it. So I came up with a concept that is the opposite of athleisure wear. It's something that I call leisletic. And so basically, it is a way for you to go out into the wilderness, to hide in plain sight in society, and to look like you were never working out to begin with.”
Elliot Matson wanted to do something different with Folklord and that’s exactly what he’s done. Taking trail running clothing and putting his own stamp on it, Matson is creating clothing that is fun and effective. This is how he stands out in such a crowded market, and the fact he designs the clothing himself is a point of pride and creativity in his life. He’s been enjoying the creative process as well as the reward of seeing people use the clothing he’s created.
I spent a year building this brand from the ground up, from the design of it to the art direction, to the writing, to the actual manufacturing of everything until it was in my hands, let alone in someone else's. When I see people actually running in it and doing what I intended to have it be done, you know, it's so cool to see that and to see people really liking it and being excited about it.”
You can get 10% off Folklord with the code “Community”. Unfortunately, they are only in the US right now, but when Canada comes on board, Elliot will let us know!
We hope you let us know what you think about the episode. I had a great time chatting with Elliot and learning more about Folklord. I hope you did as well and you will take a look at his cool company!
The Long Run
Thank you to all of you who tuned into episode 1 of The Long Run! It was a great success, we are so honoured to have Tarrant Cross Child as our first guest and I’m so thrilled to be working with Chantelle Erickson! We’re excited to bring you more like this in the future.
Food Fight Friday
The latest episode was fun as always. I really like doing this show with Jason. I was as mature as always when it came to making my choices for my foods this week:
Food Fight Friday is always a blast with Jason Bahamundi of Run Tri Bike Mag. We have a great time giving each other 3 aid station options where the other person has to decide which they will eat right away, which they will carry along the route, and which they will chuck in the bush.
Read full story
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I would run all through there when I was younger and my grandfather knew I'd love to run, he would get me to round up the horses. So I'd have to go spend some time out there in the buttes rounding up the horses and bringing them into the corral. So it was actually out there where he really realized I loved running.”
Tarrant Cross Child grew up running and credits his grandfather, Dan Weasel Moccasin, for encouraging him to take it more seriously. It was his grandfather who bought him his first pair of shoes, and his grandfather also brought him to his first track meet. That encouragement from family and his love for the sport was all the more important as Tarrant went through life.
His journey led down some dark paths, eventually to the point where Tarrant attempted suicide. Thankfully it wasn’t his time to go, and a year long rehab program, where he was able to run and dial into that love of running again, followed. What’s come of his second life is truly remarkable. Tarrant is an ambassador for the sport in many ways, including running “Prairie Run Club”, which helps Indigenous youth get involved in the sport. Running has been a life changer and saver for Tarrant, and he wants to share that as much as he can.
“When I was in rehab, I was gifted a pair of gently used shoes. Celeste didn't have any money. We're just barely making it by. I was on social assistance. We had nothing. So the shoes that were gifted to me while I was in rehab were like a lifeline. It just meant so much on two levels. One, that somebody from the outside was thinking about me. And then number two is that I can now run in a good pair of shoes. And that gave me that inspiration to be able to get out, to keep running to the shed, to keep running over to the train, to the tracks. I started hearing about the youth suicide crisis in Indigenous communities. So I thought, you know what, since running's helped me, maybe it'll help them.”
That inspiration is where it all started for Tarrant and Prairie Run Club. He’s been working on it ever since he finished his rehab and today the group is doing more than he could have ever imagined. Tarrant has created a group that shares hope with his community and it was all accomplished through the sport of running. He’s a truly incredible person making a difference in the world each and every day. We salute Tarrant and all he has done, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for him, his family, and the incredible Prairie Run Club.
Tarrant was an incredible first guest for us on the Long Run. We’re so grateful he shared his time and story with us and we hope you enjoy hearing it as much as we did. Make sure to check out Prairie Run Club and find out how you can get involved!
You can learn more about National Truth and Reconciliation day here:
The Indigenous Foundation
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Government of Alberta information
Government of Canada information
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“The long run is all about uncovering the runner behind the run.”
Chantelle Erickson is a Lethbridge, AB-based marathoner, ultrarunner, and coach with Personal Peak. She’s also a certified personal trainer, pre-and postnatal fitness specialist, and freelance group fitness instructor with her own company, Be Well Chantelle. She’s also my new co-host on “The Long Run”! We are very excited to be working together and it’s nearly time to share episode 1 with you all. Before we do that, we thought we’d preview the show this week and give you all an idea of what to expect.
“We talk so much about people's accomplishments and their goals, and it's all about the race strategy and the race itself. I think the long run is just all about sort of deconstructing and decomposing who the actual person behind that is.”
Monday, September 30 we are set to debut the show and I hope you will all tune in and let us know what you think. We’d love any feedback and we’re always open to suggestions. So reach out and let us know what you think already, and make sure to come back next week and do the same.
Get to know Chantelle a bit better from our previous episodes:
Food Fight Friday
The latest episode was fun as always. I really like doing this show with Jason. I was as mature as always when it came to making my choices for my foods this week:
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
It’s a special episode, so we’re doing things a little different here on a Thursday. We’ve got the winner of the Divide 200 Allison Powell on the podcast! Allison is also a fellow substack author and I’m so excited she was able to chat about her experience in Southern Alberta. She was a lot of fun to chat with, and it was very insightful to hear her talk about the race.
“Then the rain came in. And it just became a real mental battle. I don't think I've ever felt so low in a race. I've wanted to quit maybe a few times. But usually it's just like, “Oh, I'm tired. I wish I could be done. Oh, my legs hurt. It'd be nice to be over.” And this was like, “I think I'd rather be dead than take another step on this race course.”
Huge congrats to the amazing Allison Powell, it was awesome to hear her chat about her amazing accomplishment and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
The Long Run - Coming September 30
I’m super excited to be launching “The Long Run” with Chantelle Erickson! We will be premiering the show on September 30, and you can look forward to 5 additional episodes coming out on the last Monday of each month. We are excited to work together and do a bit of a deeper dive with our guests. The shows will be 45 - 60 minutes and we’re incredibly excited about our guests. More information to come in the weeks that follow, including some of those guests. Stay tuned!
Food Fight Friday
Our next episode will come out this week. The latest episode was fun as always. I really like doing this show with Jason:
Check out our fun and lighthearted side project and let us know what you think!
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I finish something and then I get to a next level and I'm like ”Oh, well, what else could I do?” I can get a master's degree. Like, oh, I got that. I guess I could get a PhD and I got that. And you know running, it goes like that too. I think I can do a 50k. Oh I did it I wonder what else I could do? I don't start out looking for something big, it's just kind of like okay let's go to the next thing let's do a little more.”
Michelle Goldberg loves to push herself and she loves helping others push themselves as well. The psychologist and coach loves trail running and ultras and the way she gets to see what she is capable of. This thirst for continuing to move forward has also led her to co-host a podcast “Let’s Run That Again”, where she and her co-host get to interview runners about races that didn’t go well. They deep dive into DNF’s in order to help people learn and move on.
“Some people, they would, you know, death before DNF. But I think in our culture and in our society, the notion of struggling and allowing ourselves to struggle is so looked down upon, which I think is ridiculous because it should just be okay to say, this is hard. I'm trying to figure this out. To be able to sit with it and work through it, that's how we thrive, you know?”
Michelle was great to chat with, I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Make sure to let us know what you think of the episode!
The Long Run - Coming September 30
I’m super excited to be launching “The Long Run” with Chantelle Erickson! We will be premiering the show on September 30, and you can look forward to 5 additional episodes coming out on the last Monday of each month. We are excited to work together and do a bit of a deeper dive with our guests. The shows will be 45 - 60 minutes and we’re incredibly excited about our guests. More information to come in the weeks that follow, including some of those guests. Stay tuned!
Food Fight Friday
Our next episode will come out this week. The latest episode was fun as always. I really like doing this show with Jason:
Check out our fun and lighthearted side project and let us know what you think!
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Lots of women contacting us through Instagram messaging asking “how do they join our group”, which we hadn't really considered or thought about. So we came up with a plan and decided that we just wanted to be this motivational group who had a safe space for people to go out and enjoy the trails, no matter what your ability and support each other. So we created the badass chicks race team.”
Tanya Seal-Jones loves doing hard things. She also loves supporting and encouraging other women to do hard things. This helped lead to the Bad Ass Chicks Run Trails group being started. Being part of the group is something Tanya really enjoys, as is the fact she has registered for the Divide 200 starting tomorrow in Southern Alberta. A huge challenge and a chance to push herself into the unknown, it’s something she’s looking forward to.
“One of the girls from the Badass Chicks asked me if I had ever heard of the Divide 200 and I googled it and and thought it looked really fun so I signed up and got in the lottery.”
Tanya is also raising money to help animals get vet care, which you can read more about here. She was a lot of fun to chat with, I’m excited to follow her through the insane 200 mile race and I hope you will too. Let us know what you think of the show!
The Long Run - Coming September 30
I’m super excited to be launching “The Long Run” with Chantelle Erickson! We will be premiering the show on September 30, and you can look forward to 5 additional episodes coming out on the last Monday of each month. We are excited to work together and do a bit of a deeper dive with our guests. The shows will be 45 - 60 minutes and we’re incredibly excited about our guests. More information to come in the weeks that follow, including some of those guests. Stay tuned!
Food Fight Friday
The latest episode was fun as always. I really like doing this show with Jason:
Check out our fun and lighthearted side project and let us know what you think!
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“It was just eyeopening and being out there and meeting the community within running is also what got me hooked. So I was in from there.”
Liz Myers was into the sport the moment she was introduced to it. It was challenging and the people were inviting. This quickly became a full-blown love of the sport as she ran more and was introduced to trails. Fast forward only a few years and she finds herself coaching athletes and hosting a running podcast. She wants to be around the sport as much as possible and introduce others to it in any way she can. She believes everyone has a story and loves that our sport is made up of so many great people.
“I want other people to have the opportunity to share their stories. It could be a back-of-the-pack, mid-pack, elite front runner. I don't care. I don't care how fast you go. I don't care how slow you go. No matter what, we all have a story within how we got into running or during our running.”
Liz was great to chat with and it was awesome to turn the mic around on her as she recently had me on her show:
Let us know what you think of this latest episode, I hope you like it as much as I do!
Thank you Steve!
Huge shout out to our latest paid subscriber Steve! It’s a massive honour when any of you put your hard earned cash into this thing and I’m so grateful any time you can. So thank you Steve and thank you to all of you for supporting in all the ways that you do. It’s so much fun growing this thing with all of you and I’m pumped to keep moving forward. Speaking of…
The Long Run - Coming September 30
I’m super excited to be launching “The Long Run” with Chantelle Erickson! We will be premiering the show on September 30, and you can look forward to 5 additional episodes coming out on the last Monday of each month. We are excited to work together and do a bit of a deeper dive with our guests. The shows will be 45 - 60 minutes and we’re incredibly excited about our guests. More information to come in the weeks that follow, including some of those guests. Stay tuned!
Food Fight Friday
The latest episode went up last Friday, I really like doing this show with Jason:
Check out our fun and lighthearted side project and let us know what you think!
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I have to sing this from the rooftops that this is a safe place, come here, be with us. You're welcome all the time.”
Ally Gregory loves running. It’s something that has resonated with her for a long time and the opportunity to share the sport and expose others to it is something she also loves. This is why she started CUSS running (Curious Ultrarunners Secret Society). She knew she had the knowledge and skills to pull off hosting events and so she went forward with CUSS and the rest is history! Now she’s making a difference in trail runners lives through the Chicago area and enjoying the safe space she created.
I had so much fun chatting with Ally and learning all about here and CUSS. I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as I did! Let us know what you think and if you’ve had a chance to make it out to any CUSS events!
The Long Run - Coming September 30
I’m super excited to be launching “The Long Run” with Chantelle Erickson! We will be premiering the show on September 30, and you can look forward to 5 additional episodes coming out on the last Monday of each month. We are excited to work together and do a bit of a deeper dive with our guests. The shows will be 45 - 60 minutes and we’re incredibly excited about our guests. More information to come in the weeks that follow, including some of those guests. Stay tuned!
Food Fight Friday
The latest episode went up last Friday, I really like doing this show with Jason:
This week’s episode has Jason giving me three chocolate bar choices at a middle of the day aid station during a hot 100 KM race. Who wouldn’t want full size chocolate bars with no water or wipes to clean up after, right?!
Read full story
The next episode comes this week!
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“The U.S. team was full, and Ryan Kerrigan and I were really good buddies, and we'd always talked about maybe creating a Canada team because I'm a dual citizen. Because there wasn't a Canada team. And I knew that the International Skyrunning Federation, they wanted to keep growing. So I was like, “Hey, let's make a team. Let's make a Canada team.”
Naia Tower Pierce loves Skyrunning. The sport and the competition are a big part of it, but the fact the 21-year-old is pushed physically in beautiful mountain landscapes is also a huge part of the equation. When the opportunity to start a youth Team Canada arose, she jumped at it, excited at the notion of growing the sport in one of the two dual-citizens home nations. She coached and competed for the first year and by year two was strictly coaching. It’s a role she has embraced, all because of her love of the sport and wanting more people to experience it.
“When I was 15, all of a sudden I met all these other people who just loved dying on mountains. And at the end of the day you're on the start line and no matter if you were first or last it was about the sport itself and it was you against the mountain. I think that's awesome and just beautiful.”
Naia was a lot of fun to chat with and learn some more about what she’s up to with Skyrunning and Team Canada. I’m sure you will enjoy the conversation as much as I did, make sure to let us know what you think!
The Long Run - Coming September 30
I’m super excited to be launching “The Long Run” with Chantelle Erickson! We will be premiering the show on September 30, and you can look forward to 5 additional episodes coming out on the last Monday of each month. We are excited to work together and do a bit of a deeper dive with our guests. The shows will be 45 - 60 minutes and we’re incredibly excited about our guests. More information to come in the weeks that follow, including some of those guests. Stay tuned!
Food Fight Friday
The latest episode went up Friday, I really like doing this show with Jason:
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“As a slow pitch player, I really like to sucker the guys into running on me because I have a small arm but I have a cannon. So I'd be in the outfield and I'd be like “yeah, go go” and then I'd gun him down at second base and I'd be like “sorry you tried.”
Kate Olson organizes 150 run clubs around L.A. on her website and IG page, into a handy list for folks to know what’s happening all over the city, which is amazing. Because she is so thorough with it all, it enables folks to join runs they may not have before, because the information is more accessible. This is all fantastic, she’s getting more and more people running on the roads and the trails. But even more fun than that for me was the quick baseball tangent we got to go on. She loves playing defense as she grew up at second base and loved to dive all over the field. These days she doesn’t play as much baseball (but she’ll still throw you out), as she’s fully invested in running. It’s a big part of her life and the joy she gets from it is why she strives to make it accessible for others.
“Somewhere along the line, someone had noticed I started running with people and they asked me if I knew more clubs. They had a friend, a woman who wanted to run, but not alone. So I was like, I know this, I'm going to figure this out for you.”
Kate is full of ideas and a very creative person. She loves running long races and crewing her friends as well. I’m looking forward to seeing what she gets up to moving forward, as she doesn’t seem like the type to sit still! I hope you all enjoy our conversation as much as I did.
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“When I got out here (British Columbia), I met so many athletes and I was like, you know what? I got to go 100% into the sports nutrition world. I'm just too passionate about it. So yeah, what's changed from when I started to now is I just take on athletes.”
Carol-Ann Rolle loves to trail run and is a passionate Dietitian. As a competitive athlete, she was fascinated by learning more about diets and knew the field was something she wanted to be involved with. She is always learning, meeting new clients, and growing as a runner. She’s thrilled she gets to work with people and help them achieve their goals, especially all the while doing something she enjoys so much.
“I was fascinated by how much nutrition could elevate performance. Seeing the difference it made in my own athletic journey, I was hooked. I knew I had to dive into this field and help others unlock their full potential. So now I combine my passion for nutrition with my love for endurance sports like trail running, anything to do with triathlon, guiding others to fuel their adventures and reach new heights.”
Carol-Ann was a lot of fun to chat with. I loved her energy and how positive she was. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I do and I hope you will let us know!
Check out Beast of Big Creek.
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I think I could put on something that's really what I'm looking for. You know, it's like if you don't see something out in the world, you go and create it, right? So that's kind of what it was about.”
Kirk Cherep started Trailblazer Running because he wanted to create events that he would love. He wanted to bring runners together to participate in the kind of event that he would be interested in participating in himself. He’s created these events and they are even giving back to the community through the Trail Mix Fund and sponsoring youth runners. Being on the trails means so much to Kirk that he wants to share it with as many others as he can.
“I have this saying whenever I out in a beautiful place, “Oh, this really fills up my soul right now.” We get so much out of those places. We should be giving back to them. So I like to do things that are helping give back to the land or help build the trails that we're on, or take care of the flora and the fauna that's in the areas that we're running through.”
Kirk was a lot of fun to chat with and I’m glad he came on to share a bit of what he’s all about. Trailblazer Running sounds like they have some great events and I hope the new event is a blast for everyone! Let us all know what you think of the show and Trailblazer Running!
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“It was 2016 when I was showing up at races and no one looked like me”
Verna NezBegay Volker started Native Women Running because she wanted to make the sport more inclusive and see more people who looked like herself at race events. She didn't know what to expect when she started the group and it's been so successful that it's now her full-time job. Creating a safe space for native women is something Verna takes pride in as she wants to share stories and ensure opportunities for people.
“We went from 50 runners to, what 33.1k now? And my goal was to always give everyone a platform. As native people we do a lot of storytelling. People have asked me why it's grown so much. And all I simply say is I just share stories. That's it.”
Native Women Running is popping up in more and more places. We've met people running for the group here in Vancouver and I'm so impressed with their growth. It's awesome what Verna is doing for our sport as she is getting native women out and truly making the sport more inclusive every day. It's easy to get involved, just check out their IG page and go from there! I'm so excited to share this conversation and I hope you’ll let us know what you think.
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Running's my first and always has been my main love. So let's just go all in with it and do it where I love the most, which is on the trails. And so far it's been working out pretty well.”
Heidi Frehlich loves the trails and she loves to compete. This passion for the sport has her working behind the scenes for Sinister Sports and trail running as a pro for Brooks. She recently won Slay the Dragon 50k and she’s training for Squamish 50 mile, as well as working behind the scenes getting the Sinister Sports season in full gear. She’s driven to succeed and hungry to win, but she also loves what the sport is all about. That’s why her entire life seems to revolve around the sport, and she’s excited to keep that going.
“I'm really working on building my name as an athlete. I'm pretty new to the game and pretty young and haven't quite had the chance to put my name, even toe the line at any of these big races yet. I'm excited to just kind of build those connections with everyone else out there and really integrate myself more into the international community.”
Heidi was so much fun to chat with. I had the pleasure of meeting her at the Crowsnest Pass screening of the Trail Running Film Festival, and I also got to see her at the Sinister 7 Relay race this past weekend. It’s so much fun to meet people in real life after having them on the show, so that was fantastic. I hope you enjoy the conversation we had as much as I did!
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Dawna Jodoin of Bush Babes and Bros loves trail running. She coaches, she organizes clinics, and she’s a race director. Even though it involves a ton of computer time, she still loves being the one to get people onto trails and help them discover Vernon, BC and the surrounding area. This passion for the sport is what has kept her going for so long and why she’s excited for the future. She just loves the sport and supporting athletes so much, it’s part of who she is.
Dawna was a pleasure to chat with and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Make sure to check out Bush Babes and Bros to see what they are all about and let us know what you thought of our chat!
Trail Trash Podcast
I chatted with the folks over at the Trail Trash Podcast which was just released today!
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“100 mile races definitely feel like a lifetime already, 200 miles at some point, you've just been there your whole life. Like, this is what you do, this is my job. I live in Tahoe and I hike these trails. I will preface by saying that I normally have very standard hallucinations, but this time I did see a moving stegosaurus.”
Aum Gandhi recently completed the Jurassic Park version of the Tahoe 200. Aum is no stranger to the 200 mile distance, but he’s still learning and experiencing new things each time he’s out there. He’s working towards the Triple Crown of 200 milers, with Bigfoot 200 next on the docket. It was a blast chatting with him about what it’s like being out there for 200 miles. He’s humble and funny about the experience which I really love.
When it comes to really loving something, Aum definitely feels that way about being out on the trails, but he also has as much passion for his role at Run Tri Bike. Aum is all about pushing the sport forward through the voices of everyday athletes, as Run Tri Bike believes there is a place at the start line for everybody and every body.
“There's always the correction. People say, “I don't have a story” and I tell them wrong. Everybody has a story. And we just want to give that space to everybody and, you know, just have fun while we're doing it.”
Aum was a treat to chat with, I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. I love that I get to work with Aum and Jason on Food Fight Friday because it’s fun and it means I get to stay in contact with these two. Let us know what you think of the show in the comments!
Food Fight Friday with Jason Bahamundi
I’ve given Food Fight Friday its own section here on the website and it will publish as its own separate podcast now. You will still get notified when it goes up, but it should make everything more organized and clear from my end. I’m hoping this will make things more obvious for you the reader/listener and add to the experience. The show has been a ton of fun as Jason and I give each other 3 ridiculous aid station food choices and we have to decide which we’d eat, which we’d carry, and which we’d toss. Check out the latest and let us know what you think:
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Jason Bahamundi and I are officially doing “Food Fight Friday at the Aid Station” twice a month now, and I’m going to post these segments properly on my side as well. This episode I get to bring the food choices to Jason, and as I did last time, I’ve stayed north of the border for my inspiration
For those who haven’t caught it yet, Jason and I have to decide whether we will carry, toss, or eat three food choices.
Today, Adam presented three choices to Jason. The three options are all based out of Newfoundland and are:
1- Fish and Brewis: this dish is made with salt cod and hard tack (bread) along with scrunchions (salted pork)2- Fries, Dressing and Gravy: a dish that is equivalent to leftover American Thanksgiving with French Fries instead of turkey.3- Newfoundland Snowballs: soft chocolate fudgeballs made with sugar, melted butter, milk, oats, coconut and coconut oil.What did Jason decide and which would you eat, carry or toss?
You will be able to download these as podcasts as well, so you can take this in through video or audio, whatever your preference. Check out Run Tri Bike Mag through this link and let us know if you are enjoying it and any other comments you may have!
Check out the previous episodes we’ve done so you’re all caught up:
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Our vision is that sports nutrition should taste amazing. Not that it should taste good. It should taste amazing. There's no reason why it shouldn't. And so we're on this quest to bring functional sports nutrition to folks and we're doing that in the realm of chocolate.”
Kristyn Carriere has spent her life working in chocolate. So when 7 Summits Snacks was launched, she knew what she was doing when it came to creating the product but selling the product was a whole new endeavor. How hard can it be to sell chocolate right?
Hard.
Like most things actually, it turned out to be much harder than anticipated. 200 stores from coast to coast in Canada later, Kristyn and the team are finding their way, but it’s been tougher than she expected. She’s a runner as well so the challenge of finding their way has been a welcome one, even if it’s more than she expected.
“The competition out there in both the chocolate and the nutrition space is huge so building a brand has been a lot harder than I thought and convincing folks that chocolate is actually a functional food or can be a functional food is also way harder than i expected it to be. So there's lessons every week when i'm just like “oh yeah I can't take it for granted that everyone's like me and just thinks that chocolate is the best thing on earth”. They'll eat chocolate flavored stuff. But the thought of having a chocolate bar is still a huge barrier for a lot of folks mentally. Just based on our programming as children and being told like, oh, this is only a treat. So we're trying to break down really deep belief systems for folks and just reeducate them that it can be a functional food as well.”
Kristyn was so much fun to chat with as I loved how open she was about competing in the space, especially after having such an emotional launching of the business. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did and you will think about chocolate a little different now that 7 Summit Snacks is changing the game!
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Jason Bahamundi and I are officially doing “Food Fight Friday at the Aid Station” twice a month now, and I’m going to post these segments properly on my side as well. The latest episode brings us together after Jason crewed 50 miles of Aum Gandhi’s Tahoe 200 and I just finished 9 laps of the Grouse Grind Challenge. So we were both a little punchy and probably in the perfect headspace for this conversation!
For those who haven’t caught it yet, Jason and I have to decide whether we will carry, toss, or eat three food choices.In today’s show, Jason presented Adam with these options:• French Toast with maple 🍁 syrup and powdered sugar that has to be eaten without utensils.• Two-day-old gas station sushi that has been sitting in the sun because the volunteer forgot to put it on ice.• A sloppy Joe that has been ‘spiced’ with a ghost pepper and there are no napkins to wipe your hands or mouth after you’ve eaten it.What are you choosing to eat, toss, or carry? Does it match our choices?Next week I get to turn it around on Jason and I’ll present him with three choices. I’ll be searching “Coast to Coast” up here in the great white north for my food options, maybe you have some ideas of your own?!
You will be able to download these as podcasts as well, so you can take this in through video or audio, whatever your preference. Check out Run Tri Bike Mag through this link and let us know if you are enjoying it and any other comments you may have!
Check out the previous episodes we’ve done so you’re all caught up:
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“We go for the run and then I see them enjoying themselves and then they come back for another run and that's when I know like, okay, this was a good thing. And then I'm glad they stuck with us and I'm glad that we had this event to help draw new people. It's a great sport and everybody should give it a try sometime in a non-pressure situation.”
Jeannine and I have been friends since we worked together at CTV and if you asked us both about trail running when we first met at the station many years ago, I’m not sure we would have had much to say! We both got into the sport around the same time and it made our friendship grow, which I’m so grateful for! Not only did our friendship grow, but I got to see Jeannine find and create community in the sport, which has been so inspiring. It’s awesome we’ve both found a home in the sport, and to be able to work together to bring the Trail Running Film Festival to 5 different locations was an honour for me. It’s also an honour for me anytime I can get out and join a group that Jeannine has organized, which I got to do over the weekend with the Ice Cream and Donut Run Club. It was so fun to join so many people and know that Jeannine plays such a big role in it all. She just wants to share the sport and I love that.
“As a back-of-the-pack runner, mid-pack runner, I don't feel comfortable when people just go and never look back. It's like, why am I joining a club? So I like that that's a big part of our group runs so that everybody feels welcome and comfortable. We've had new people join us and thank us like, “oh wow, I've always hesitated joining clubs but I'm really glad I joined yours because like I feel welcomed and I'm still with you guys I'm still not I'm not lost in the woods.”
Check out more about ICDRC and follow Jeannine or her media page along while you’re at it. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. I always love chatting with Jeannine and to be able to record episode 100 with her is something I’m really pumped for! Let us know what you think and if the ICDRC is something you’d like to try!
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Words still to come as the Alberta tour has put us a bit behind. In the meantime, I wanted to share this great with Desirèe Houle and at least give you her website and IG links!
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“It's going to be a challenge and yes, it's scary, but I know it's going to be a lot easier than being a race director. And I think it's important that runners know that and really appreciate race directors because it's a lot of hard work. And we're so lucky that there are so many races that we can now pick from.” - Susan Lowe-Wylde on running the Minotaur after directing it for many years
Susan and Ian Lowe-Wylde own spry in Blairmore, Alberta, which is in the Crowsnest Pass region of Alberta. With Rocky Mountains on one side and prairie land on the other, the couple of 40 years love the variety of terrain in the region. They are always looking for adventure as they love being the ones that know the spots nobody else does. This passion and drive for the outdoors is a big reason why they love calling the Crowsnest Pass region home. They’ve witnessed a lot of change and growth over the years and their proud they’ve been part of that growth. The pass is becoming more and more popular with trail runners which has been good for their shop, and the fact they are so involved in the community means runners and outdoor enthusiasts get many opportunities to interact with them. Susan and Ian wanted to make a difference for runners and their downtown with spry, and they had to trust the process to get there. It wasn’t easy in the beginning.
“Our mindset is that, yeah, you know what? (The store’s) probably not making money right now. We don't care. We're gonna make it great. So we just, we bought the right stuff and we did it the right way, even though there wasn't really a return on it for quite a few years. And I think now, now it is a really good, curated selection of stuff for running and, and hiking and climbing. And it's an interesting mix, it didn't just happen overnight.” - Ian Lowe-Wlyde
Susan and Ian were really fun to chat with. A couple that’s been together for 40 years knows each other so well and it was fun getting their history from both of them. They’re all about getting outdoors and sharing that love with others and we definitely benefit from having folks like this in our community! I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did and it gets you excited for all the film festival dates this week! I’m so excited to partner with Sinister Sports in Crowsnest Pass and of course to get started with our shows Tuesday in Edmonton!
Alberta Trail Running Film Festival tickets available
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) $25
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“So Fitzy, of course, sleeps in. He's like, “hey, where's my ride, Houda?” I'm like, “it's already gone, Fitzy.” He's like, “how am I going to get there?” So long story short, Fitzy made his way from the bottom of the mountain, hiked to the very top. It's 12,500 feet, so it's cold, right? He didn't bring nothing but a onesie, right? A onesie. That's all he brought. Cowboy boots and cowboy hat.” - Houda
Kevin “Houda” McDonald and Michael “Fitzy” Fitzpatrick call Canmore, Alberta, home and have become great friends. A big part of that friendship is their mutual love of trail running. Houda is a race director for many races including the 5 Peaks Alberta races and the Transrockies races and Fitzy created Canmore Trail Culture. They are also a blast to chat with as they play off each other and their stories. It’s evident they’ve known each other for a while and shared some laughs along the way! It was entertaining chatting with them, to say the least, and it was also nice to hear a bit about why they enjoy the sport so much.
“In Canmore, there wasn't really anywhere to meet people. So I wanted to kind of create something that, somebody new to town could come and, get to know the trails and hopefully meet people. I think the community that we've created in the trail running community has been pretty special. For myself, some of my best friends I met through the group. That's what keeps me here is, just the people that I've met, and also the world class trails around this area.” - Fitzy
I’m really looking forward to our show in Canmore. The opportunity to partner with artsPlace is really cool and it’s gonna be great hanging out with trail runners in the Rockies! Our amazing sponsors also have some race entries up for grabs as we’re incredibly grateful for the support of 5 Peaks, Stoked Scramble, Stoked Ultra, and the Black Lung Ultra. There will be Näak for the first 12 people through the doors and a chance to win a Näak prize pack. Run Uphill/Ski Uphill have been kind enough to donate a few gift cards. And on top of all of that, Houda is also giving us entires to Golden Ultra and Moab Run the Rocks to giveaway. It’s gonna be a blast, get your tickets…
Alberta Trail Running Film Festival tickets available
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) $25
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
I've always kind of taken charge and tried to get everybody involved. I think it was an opportunity to be the first face that someone sees when they showed up in those early days and, reminding them that, you're welcome here. You don't have to be super fast. You don't have to be an accomplished runner. It's a privilege to give someone that opportunity and welcome them into a space because you'll see all the time people show up for the first time. And a year from then, they're starting their own running groups. They're hosting community events. It's utilizing the massive space to allow anyone to be a part of that community.
Seger Brown loves bringing the community together and celebrating the outdoors. This is why he is a run leader with YYC Run Crew and he loves the outdoors so much that he also advocates for protecting our wild spaces through POW Canada. Seger is an outdoor lover through and through. The way he speaks about what it means to him to be in the outdoors and sharing that with others makes it clear that it’s a big part of his life. They are labours of love for Seger and something he looks forward to, just as much as he looks forward to a day in the mountains. The mountains and wild areas of Alberta are special to Seger which is also why he wants to protect them.
“If there's one thing that Albertans love, it's our beautiful national parks. Those amazing mountain parks like Kananaskis, Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, all the way down to the beautiful farmlands and trails of the south like Crowsnest Pass where all these amazing races are held. We just want to protect those spaces so that our kids and our grandkids can continue to do these awesome mountain activities.”
Seger was a great guest who was thoughtful and inspiring. I’m grateful he had the time to chat and I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did!
Read more about POW Canada
Learn about YYC Run Crew
I’m excited to see some folks from the YYC Run Crew at the Trail Running Film Festival screening on Wednesday, June 5 at Globe Cinema! Doors are at 6 pm and the show starts at 7 pm. We have Evan Birch and his crew from the Speed Project as our live guests, and we will screen his new documentary “Running Forward” as part of the evening too! Our amazing sponsors also have some race entries up for grabs as we’re incredibly grateful for the support of 5 Peaks, Stoked Scramble, Stoked Ultra, and the Black Spur Ultra. There will also be Näak for the first 24 people through the doors and a chance to win a Näak prize pack! It’s gonna be a blast get your tickets…
Alberta Trail Running Film Festival tickets available
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) $25
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“There's a window of tolerance. All changes, whether they actually are physical changes to our muscles, or to the cells of our brain, all these changes kind of find that window of tolerance between mild and moderate levels of stress. That's the sweet spot for change. And so what I want to create for my clients is some distress, but mild to moderate levels of stress. Where they're going to have the greatest chance for change. Now I'm going to give them tools and support them in those things, so usually by the time we're ready to bridge that out, hopefully I've done my job and they're really ready and they want to, and it seems just like a natural process.”
Landon Hildebrand is a Registered Psychologist and trail runner living in Edmonton, Alberta, who loves his job and especially the opportunity to work with athletes. Being an athlete himself means that he’s able to relate with his competitive clients. Through relating and his experience, Landon knows how to help athletes get results.
Not only does he love working with athletes in his office, but he also loves volunteering at trail races, where Approach Psychology will often run aid stations. How cool is that?! An aid station with all the physical aid you need, with the added benefit of mental aid as well! I love that idea and it brings me joy just thinking about it. Joy is something Landon strives for with his athletes.
“Success should, in my mind, be both measured by how well they're doing in their races or activities, but also how much joy they're experiencing during it. That is the number one thing I'm looking at is I really want to increase the joy. Because being on the podium is cool, but only because it's fun. I don't think it actually proves anything in the world. The joy needs to be the number one factor for us.”
I really enjoyed the conversation with Landon and the insight he shared. The mental side of our sport is one I really enjoy hearing more about. It’s fascinating and doesn’t seem to be as explored as much as the physical side, which makes it all the more intriguing to me! I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did and if you’re in Alberta and interested in working with Landon or anyone at Approach Psychology, reach out to them.
Alberta Trail Running Film Festival tickets available
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) $25
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“It's a beautiful setting, great sense of pride in the local community. And we're in a time where people are more inclined to get outside test their boundaries and enjoy themselves. Sports and entertainment is a great way to attract a visitor who has a similar ethics to the one that the community already possesses there and that's why we feel it's a great fit for this region and this place.” - Nick Lade
The entire group putting together the Black Lung Ultra in Nordegg, Alberta, are excited about bringing people to the community through sport and entertainment. In fact, that’s their whole plan to bring tourists and people to the region, to highlight it through the lens of sport and entertainment. I love this idea and it’s awesome they’ve created an ultra-distance trail race as their first event in the region. Chatting with Nick Lade and Mike Williams about the race and what the area means to them was fun and insightful. They’re focused on creating a great event that showcases the area and want to ensure that runners leave satisfied and want to come back for more. They know it will be the runners that determine whether the event is a success or not.
“I mean, I don't think we get to determine that, right? It's the people running it that are going to give us that feedback, right? We've talked a lot about, you know, let's make sure we're well organized, nobody gets lost, nobody gets seriously injured, and people have a great time. I think that's going to be the biggest thing, make sure as many of the racers that we have come out this year come back and they tell their friends.” - Mike Williams
I had a fantastic time chatting with Nick and Mike. I’m really excited for them and their race, and I’m just as excited that Black Lung Ultra is sponsoring the Trail Running Film Festival screenings in Edmonton, Calgary, and Canmore. Yes, you can win a free entry to the race! You need to be at the film festival though, so get your tickets now!
Alberta Trail Running Film Festival tickets available
I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) $25
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
Community Trail Running is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
ICYMI over the weekend I posted about the shows I’ve been on recently:
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“The part that I enjoy the most about it is seeing athletes through from goal creation to looking at a year plan and then getting into the nitty gritty of individual workouts. What systems they're working on to develop aerobic and develop your muscular that you need for the demands of whatever your goal is. I love that whole process of it.”
Joedy Dalke and coaching have gone together quite naturally over the years. He’s coached various activities to different crowds and once he gained the knowledge and experience on the trails, coaching trail runners through Attitude over Altitude was another natural step. He loves the opportunity to connect and support athletes as they work towards their goals and he loves gathering groups and watching them progress. This is why he enjoys his “Pain Train” Thursday night runs so much. Pain Train hosts runners for various work outs and he loves watching runners get stronger over time. It’s a point of pride for the Calgary coach.
“I just see these athletes doing these workouts week by week, and I see the improvements, and often they don't really see it. But it's a really cool experience for me to be guiding them through the workouts and then seeing that fitness develop or the skill develop on technical trails or whatever it is and be able to let them know like, “hey, by the way, you're really improving.” And sometimes people just don't know until they're told.”
Joedy was a ton of fun to chat with. I loved hearing why he enjoys Calgary so much and how much joy it brings him to work with athletes. You can learn more about his coaching at the Attitude over Altitude website and see his YouTube channel here. I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did, let us know what you think!
Alberta Trail Running Film Festival tickets available
I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) $25
Naaksquad - Try it and get 15% off
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“The more that society in general has sort of moved away from your traditional ties. Sometimes people don't attend the church their parents did, or they don't have a community association, or like Joel moved across the country or myself moving from Winnipeg. You don't have those gathering places that you once did. So I think there's work, there's home, and that third place is where you can find belonging.” - Gavin Harmacy
Gavin Harmacy and Joel Desgreniers own two shops, one in Squamish, BC, and the other in Canmore, AB. Both are mountain towns and both are places where Ski Uphill/Run Uphill offers all the goods you need to explore. More importantly, though, both are places where the community can unite. Whether gearing up for the next adventure or sitting around and spinning yarn with like-minded individuals, the shop is meant to bring people together. They love to serve their communities and they also take their role in the outdoor industry seriously. They enjoy the outdoors and want to ensure it’s as enjoyable for future generations.
“How do we make this a more sustainable and less of a fast fashion thing? Because there's a lot of brands out there that say the opposite, and when you're seeing glaciers on weekends on long runs and you see how fast they melt, you can't just be like, “I'm going to go buy that latest shirt that's in the latest color.” So as retailers, it's a very interesting crossroads right now.” - Joel Desgreniers
Joel and Gavin were great to chat with. They were insightful and honest and I really appreciate the insight into what they’re doing with Ski Uphill/Run Uphill. It’s a tough market to compete in and the shops that stick around seem to serve their community in more ways than just sending you out the door with gear. Joel and Gavin have embraced their communities and encourage anyone to get out and explore. Their communities have also embraced them and know exactly where to start their next exploration.
Alberta Trail Running Film Festival tickets available
I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) $25
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Naaksquad
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I couldn't do it without my wife and a whole host of volunteers, of course, dedicated volunteers that have been with me from the start. It is really a labour of love.”
Bryan Wallace started running later in life but enjoyed it thoroughly. We loved the challenge and the community. So as he got older and his body wasn’t able to keep trail running, he started hosting runners and putting them through tough challenges with Rivers Edge Running Series. It’s something he is enjoying and that’s led him to organize three different races. Each one is unique and an opportunity for trail runners to come together and push themselves, including “Hill of a Run” which was recently hosted at Rabbit HIll Snow Resort.
“We basically run up and down the hill on snow after they're closed. We go for a 5K, two loops, 10K, four loops, or see how many times you can go in six hours. 160 m elevation gain it's just a small hill and the record in six hours is 19 loops which is quite significant. We get more people doing the six hour then the shorter distances.”
Bryan was fun to chat with and he loves the chance to share Debbie’s (his wife) baked goods and the trails on their property. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
Alberta tickets available
I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) $25
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Naaksquad
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today.
If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link (CTR15 for 15% off), I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
"It's good for the series. It's good for the sport. It's good to give athletes a shot in other places, to actually expand the series a bit. We made an effort to expand in Asia. North America in particular is somewhere we're really focused on. Really happy that we have Andrew's Meet the Minotaur race.” - Etienne Rodriguez
The Skyrunner World Series has 21 races in 14 countries, including Meet the Minotaur in Alberta, Canada. The series works in a few different ways with local races to expand, as partnerships generally form through mutual interest. It was interesting hearing about how the group expands the series into new places and how much management goes into that. Even though the series is large they still deal with the same issues and stresses that most race organizers deal with.
“Everything is so fast paced. If you're at an event, you have to have, you know, the images straight away, you have to press release in, you have to have the ranking done, you have to have the video cut, you have to do so many things as soon as possible. So that is also a big pressure.” - Seana Forbes
It was fantastic to have Seana and Etienne on the cast and chatting about the series. I like how they work with local races and race directors to expand their series, it’s awesome they’ve been able to expand so much this way. They are working hard to bring a vision to reality and I love the fact the vision includes athlete development. There was a lot to unpack here and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Shoutout Anastasia
Thank you to our first founding member Anastasia from Washington! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you folks putting your hard earned dollars into this thing and I’m so grateful for the support. Pumped to keep growing this with all of you.
Alberta tickets available!
I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Naaksquad
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today. If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link, I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“It's really unique to this area, Western Canada, because you're surrounded by boreal forest. You have a huge river called the Athabasca River that flows beside this park. You have sand everywhere and it's pretty compacted for the most part, but there's parts on the hills that have eroded a bit and it's like sand dunes. It's old ancient sand dunes underneath that boreal forest. I brought a friend up there and we were running on the weekend. It was a long run. I said, wouldn't it be neat to have a race up here?”
Monty McNiece loves being outdoors and he loves helping others get out there as well. That’s why he started the Klondike Ultra at Fort Assiniboine Sandhills Wildland Provincial Park. Monty enjoys the unique nature of the park and the chance to feature it through the sport that’s so important to him was an opportunity he could not pass up. He describes the park as very quiet and the trail network needing some TLC. So he thought that was a natural way to get more involved and work with the park to showcase what’s really there.
“I thought if we can create better trails and work with Alberta parks more people are going to go up there. And you see it, you see it on Strava. Now more and more people are running the trails up there. There's a lot of equestrian users as well, but, but more and more trail runners. It's neat to see, right?”
Registration will be closing soon, so check it out while you can!
Monty was really fun to chat with. He’s so passionate about putting on a good event and he lit up speaking about how much fun it is for him to see people finishing and accomplishing their goals. I had a blast hearing him chat more about this event and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! Will you be adding Klondike Ultra to your list?
Alberta tickets available!
I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Naaksquad
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today. If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link, I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Vancouver, I'm so excited to hang with you!”
Mathias Eichler is the Executive Director of the Trail Running Film Festival and he will be here in Vancouver, BC for our Thursday April 4 screening! It was fantastic to catch up with him about how the festival is going. We touched on the quality of the films, what it means to have Brooks as a title sponsor, where he sees the festival going, and what he's looking forward to about seeing a screening here in Vancouver. He mentioned how exciting it is for him to see the festival in another city and feel the local vibes, like what we’ve created here.
“You've really taken the ball and sort of figured out a way of how you want to interpret what the Trail Running Film Festival means for your community. And I hope I can preserve that, right? I hope that I can find hosts and sort of build relationships with them that they continue to want to be able to do this in their way.”
We have enjoyed the process of producing an event for you all and this film festival is a real blast to work on. We’re grateful for those who are coming out and we can’t wait to celebrate our amazing sport with you all. Hope to see you all tonight!
Vancouver tonight is the night!
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Sheena’s Burlesque is in the house as our opening act…
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC, and to have Sheena’s Burlesque producing our opening act! We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, some great giveaways, the awesome Deanne McDoom as our guest, and of course our opening act! Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30/$35 at the door.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
RunGo
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Alberta tickets available!
I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Naaksquad
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today. If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link, I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“We're (Lethbridge, AB) a huge arts community and a huge sports community and so it's a really cool mix to be able to mix the arts and sport. So just excited to see some returning faces and hopefully some new ones too. What stands out to me from the event last year was all the socializing that happened before and after the film started. I just loved seeing that. I love seeing people out in the foyer, all the sort of chit-chatter and people, you know, getting excited.”
Chantelle Erickson is always growing her community. When she sees a demand for something that isn’t offered, she’s all over it. This is why she is a coach, she has a website, she’s a writer, she hosts the film festival as part of the Lethbridge Sport Council, and she does all that while training and running big distance events. She recently completed “Moab Run the Rocks” and had rave reviews about the event. Through all of this, she is a beacon of positivity and continues to push forward sharing the sport and the space she loves, and making friends along the way.
“I actually went the wrong way on the first day of the course because I was way too busy meeting other Canadian friends at the race briefing. I'm in the back socializing at race briefing while they're giving (directions) and just “pay attention to this tomorrow and pay attention to that” while I was I wasn't not listening but I wasn't listening. So I missed my turn on day one too busy making other Alberta friends!”
Chantelle is an awesome human and I really enjoy the chance to chat with her. Her energy is infectious and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! Chantelle is pumped for her showing of the Trail Running Film Festival and we sure are excited to get rolling this week as well!
Vancouver Trail Running Film Festival tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Sheena’s Burlesque is in the house as our opening act…
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC, and to have Sheena’s Burlesque producing our opening act! Meadow Phorical, Ronnie Canela, Sugar Lestrange, and Sheena herself have been working hard on the routine, themed “welcoming a new trail runner” and it’s a blast. We can’t wait to share it with all of you at the Rio Theatre Thursday, April 4, 2024. The doors open at 6 and the show starts at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe!
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, the awesome Deanne McDoom as our guest, and an amazing show opening act by Sheena’s Burlesque! Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30/$35 at the door.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
RunGo
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Alberta tickets available!
I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Naaksquad
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today. If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link, I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I just decided this is going to be kind of part of my life mission, to try to just be an open book and share my struggles and share the triumph over them, and help people realize that there is life outside of that. That's kind of how we got to be where we are now. I work a lot with people in recovery still to this day. And, just want to keep spreading the word that recovery is possible and we do recover.” - Yassine Diboun
Yassine Diboun was addicted to drinking in his early 20’s and the addiction affected himself and everyone around him. Things got quite rough for Diboun but he was eventually able to get himself into rehab and turn the corner. It’s not the most direct path into trail and ultra running, but Yassine found peace and solace through running which helped him in recovery. Suddenly Diboun finds himself looking back over 20 years to reminisce about the no-so-good ole days, a challenging past that remains there, through hard work and dedication to his sobriety. He’s also become an open book over the years, looking to help people in recovery and show them there is light at the end of the tunnel. It’s an inspiring story and a story that filmmaker and good friend of Yassine’s, Steven Mortinson, felt a lot of pressure to tell right.
“Being a good friend with Yassine, it's incredibly stressful because you've got this big weight. You want to tell it right.vYou don't want to mess it up. And so it was a lot of responsibility on me, I feel like, to just tell It true to Yassine.” - Steven Mortinson
Steven nailed it as this film is fantastic, and Yassine agreed. It’s a great glimpse into a real struggle from someone who we now know as a completely different person. It offers hope without judgment and I hope you all enjoy the film and this conversation as much as I did. Come on out to the film festival and see for yourself!
You can also check out Yassine’s Wy’East Wolf Pack here.
Vancouver Trail Running Film Festival tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Sheena’s Burlesque is in the house as our opening act…
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC, and to have Sheena’s Burlesque producing our opening act! Meadow Phorical, Ronnie Canela, Sugar Lestrange, and Sheena herself have been working hard on the routine, themed “welcoming a new trail runner” and it’s a blast. We can’t wait to share it with all of you at the Rio Theatre Thursday, April 4, 2024. The doors open at 6 and the show starts at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe!
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, an awesome guest, and we will be announcing our show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30/$35 at the door.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
RunGo
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Alberta tickets available!
I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Naaksquad
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today. If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link, I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Through our program, “Running on Native Lands Initiative” to bring land blessings and land acknowledgments to life at these events, at races, but also go beyond that and really bring communities together, bring awareness to Indigenous peoples, bring awareness to Indigenous stewardship, the lands, the history, the people connected to them, even if they were displaced or not there presently. But also just an access point to continue those conversations of what does justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, accessibility, affordability, and safety look like when we are trying to create these safe spaces, inclusive spaces within the running and outdoor industry.”
Jordan Marie Whetstone is passionate about community and storytelling. The opportunity to tell Yatika Starr Fields's story at the Western States 100 and also work to bring the first land acknowledgment to the race is something Whetstone was excited to document. She and her husband created a beautiful film on a limited budget and found a great subject to follow in Yatika. This film is one of my favourites so far as it’s absolutely stunning and the storytelling is fantastic. Jordan wants her work to have an impact on people and brands.
“That's the whole purpose of why we wanted to create this series was to spark these conversations to get people uncomfortable, especially if it does make them uncomfortable and to sit with that and to ask them, what's making me feel uncomfortable? How can I sit with this and process, but take it in a proactive way and in a positive way to do better, to unlearn or relearn…
…how can we be a good relative to each other, how can we grow our community together as a collective and how can we just be good humans?”
Jordan is also the founder and organizer behind Rising Hearts. The “Know to Run” series continues with more great people featured that you can follow along with. They are looking for funding for episode 3. I’m looking forward to catching these and whatever else they get up to, as “Know to Run: Yatika” is so good, they’ve got me hooked on waiting for the rest! Come check it out at any of our Trail Running Film Festival screenings, we can’t wait to hang out.
CTV Morning Live appearance
Jeannine and I will also be on CTV Morning Live on Thursday March 28, at 7:40 am pacific. Tune and hear more about our upcoming screening of the Trail Running Film Festival!
Vancouver Trail Running Film Festival tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Sheena’s Burlesque is in the house as our opening act…
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC, and to have Sheena’s Burlesque producing our opening act! Meadow Phorical, Ronnie Canela, Sugar Lestrange, and Sheena herself have been working hard on the routine, themed “welcoming a new trail runner” and it’s a blast. We can’t wait to share it with all of you at the Rio Theatre Thursday, April 4, 2024. The doors open at 6 and the show starts at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe!
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, an awesome guest, and we will be announcing our show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30/$35 at the door.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
RunGo
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Alberta tickets available!
I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Thank you to Run Tri Bike Magazine for the fireside chat
It was an honour to chat with Jason Bahamundi and Aum Gandhi on their 100th fireside chat. We had a ton of laughs while chatting about the podcast, the film festival, food, and whatever else we went on about :) I’ll attach the podcast episode when it drops; below is the live video. Enjoy!
Naaksquad
I enjoy the Naak products, even if the sauces took a few tries to grow on me. They get the job done and they don’t give me any issues, and isn’t that the point? So I applied to be part of the squad to get a discount on the products I plan on using a bunch. Reach out to me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! They give me a referral code, so I’m including that today. If you’re gonna check it out, click through this link, I appreciate it.
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“We were kind of in the thick of her going to her first couple trips to Mexico. We were alongside her when she first went there and everything, so yeah, it was really interesting. I think it would have been pretty easy to lean into some cliches about loss and grieving and going to find out about people in your family, and I think I think we avoided those pretty well.” - Stephen Kersh
Rabbitwolf Creative’s Ryan Sterner and Stephen Kersh were thrilled about the opportunity to work with Laura Cortez on a North Face film project. Laura pitched her FKT mission while seeking to learn more about her Mexican heritage after her father’s passing. Ryan and Stephen did a scouting trip with Cortez and her husband before going back for the FKT attempt. They had to deal with the challenges of shooting in a foreign country and working at an elevation they never had in the past. Despite the challenges they enjoyed working with Laura and the opportunity to tell a small part of her story. Both filmmakers mentioned the human behind the attempt is always the most interesting part of the story, and where they place their focus.
“We want to make a compelling film for people who aren’t fans of the sport and I think that that means, it's like Stephen said, developing a character that you are interested in learning about whether or not they succeed or whether or not they fail. So that's always the goal with everything that we do.” - Ryan Sterner
Chatting with these two and hearing more about their film was a lot of fun. It’s beautiful and I’m excited to watch it with all of you at one of our screenings! Laura is a great subject and I enjoyed following her FKT attempt. I hope you will as well :)
Live with Run Tri Bike Magazine
Come hang out on Tuesday, March 26 at 5 pm Pacific on any of the Run Tri Bike Mag socials, and join the conversation!
CTV Morning Live appearance
Jeannine and I will also be on CTV Morning Live on Thursday March 28, at 7:40 am pacific. Tune and hear more about our upcoming screening!
Vancouver Trail Running Film Festival tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Sheena’s Burlesque is in the house as our opening act…
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC, and to have Sheena’s Burlesque producing our opening act! Meadow Phorical, Ronnie Canela, Sugar Lestrange, and Sheena herself have been working hard on the routine, themed “welcoming a new trail runner” and it’s a blast. We can’t wait to share it with all of you at the Rio Theatre Thursday, April 4, 2024. The doors open at 6 and the show starts at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe!
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, an awesome guest, and we will be announcing our show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30/$35 at the door.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
RunGo
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Alberta tickets available!
I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“There's a lot of people that talk about running being their therapy, and the the line that I like to use now is running can be complementary to therapy. But I think, you know, seek it out. Seek out support in any way, shape or form. If you feel as though you're alone in this, you're not. It's shared experience. We're not meant to do this alone. We're not meant to do it in isolation. Mental health (issues), all these things that people experience, it wants us alone. So don't let it get you alone.”
Evan Birch is an ultra runner and former emergency first responder in the dispatch communication field. The trauma from that job took its toll on Evan, who eventually found himself having panic attacks at work (or in his car in the parking lot at work) due to the overwhelming stress of the job. This led him down a mental health journey of self-discovery that’s been difficult but rewarding for the Calgary runner. Not only has he been able to get a handle on his mental demons, he’s been able to share his story and help others understand that it’s OK to not feel OK.
Evan is running the “Speed Project” starting on Monday, March 25, which is a solo venture from the Santa Monica Pier to Las Vegas. He’s doing this to raise funds for “Bigger than the Trail” which advocates and raises money for mental health. He’s looking forward to the challenge of running 300 miles as well as the opportunity to raise some money for a cause near and dear to him. All of this allows him to accomplish his goal, which is to help anyone he can so they don’t struggle like he did.
“I've said it multiple times, even if one person seeks out help or care or some other form of reaching out to anybody, it doesn't have to be therapy it can be a friend, it can be a family member, not all of us need therapy I recognize that, but just some form of support. I've had so many people in the few talks that I've done on my journey coming up to me and saying “me too” and giving me a hug. There's so many moments or people messaging me saying, “you know I listened to your podcast episode and you know I actually went and reached out for therapy for the first time ever today because of what you talked so openly about.”
I’m so grateful that Evan had the time to come on and chat and that he’s such an open book about his mental health. It’s awesome to have someone who wants to help folks as much as he does, and championing such a great cause is something I really love to see. I hope you enjoy the episode as much as I do and if you’re struggling, that’s OK! You can always reach out, I’m here.
Alberta tickets available!
I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please share the podcast anywhere you post :)
Vancouver Trail Running Film Festival tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Sheena’s Burlesque is in the house as our opening act…
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC, and to have Sheena’s Burlesque producing our opening act! Meadow Phorical, Ronnie Canela, Sugar Lestrange, and Sheena herself have been working hard on the routine, themed “welcoming a new trail runner” and it’s a blast. We can’t wait to share it with all of you at the Rio Theatre Thursday, April 4, 2024. The doors open at 6 and the show starts at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe!
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, an awesome guest, and we will be announcing our show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30/$35 at the door.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
RunGo
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Listen where you listen
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I grew up in Montreal and maybe we prioritized culture and arts and music and late nights. But from an early age, I really felt the alure towards the mountains. Now I'm living in North Vancouver and with endless trails in the backyard, I'm able to pursue my love for exploring the trails and wilderness. But in between those two things, I've had a few key experiences in my life that are guiding what I'm working on and also RunGo's mission which is to encourage people to explore their world and prioritize their well-being.”
Noah Bloom has found a way to make two of the things he loves come together in an app that he and Craig Slagel founded. RunGo, which is a sponsor for our Vancouver screening of the Trail Running Film Festival, is an app that’s the most popular running app for discovering the best routes in the world with turn-by-turn voice navigation. They’ve done partnerships where the app guides you through races, highlighting important features along the way, like trail names, distance to aid stations, and even alerting you if you’re off course. The app never runs ads and they pride themselves on providing an experience, not simply trying to collect people’s data. They look to form strong relationships with folks to achieve growth.
We're recently focusing our growth more on our partnerships and by supporting creators. By partners, I mean like cities and hotels, often luxury hotels around the world to develop outdoor fitness programs. And creators like run groups, coaches, run specialty retailers, fitness influencers, race organizers. To give them the best and only tools out there to really personalize maps and routes, let them share more easily with their audience, and make it simple and not a nuisance for people to use these routes and maps. And they can use it on RunGo or via a unique custom route file for any device.
Noah was a wonderful guest to chat with, it was a great time hearing his story and how excited he and all of RunGo are for their future. I hope you enjoy the episode and you can let us know what you think about it and the app! We’re so pumped to have RunGo on board a sponsor for the Trail Running Film Festival.
Please share the podcast anywhere you post :)
Vancouver Trail Running Film Festival tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Sheena’s Burlesque is in the house as our opening act…
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC, and to have Sheena’s Burlesque producing our opening act! Meadow Phorical, Ronnie Canela, Sugar Lestrange, and Sheena herself have been working hard on the routine, themed “welcoming a new trail runner” and it’s a blast. We can’t wait to share it with all of you at the Rio Theatre Thursday, April 4, 2024. The doors open at 6 and the show starts at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe!
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, an awesome guest, and we will be announcing our show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30/$35 at the door.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
RunGo
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Alberta tickets available!
I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) $25 (members receive a discount)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Sarah's story was really surprising to me. We all make judgments about people, it's a very natural human thing to do. We go and we look at people and we create a story in our mind about who they are and what they do and where they come from and blah blah blah. Part of this process for me of filmmaking is to challenge that in me and there were things that I thought I knew about Sarah, I assumed maybe, and I was totally wrong, and I just I just love that process.”
Dom Bush is an introspective filmmaker who takes pleasure in telling a good story, even if that story touches on subjects we don’t talk about much. That’s why he and Sarah Gerrish connected as Sarah’s story includes not only being an ultra trail runner but also the fact she had both her ovaries removed by the time she was 36. The resulting challenge makes for compelling storytelling but also important stories for others who find themselves in a similar situation. Dom appreciated the opportunity to tell the story while being cognizant that he was telling a story about something he wouldn’t experience personally.
“The only way that we're going to come into direct contact with that subject is when our partners go through it. And we want to take that seriously. We want to be people who are thoughtful of the women who are in our lives. And I guess we felt like we wanted to challenge some of the guys as well to sit down and watch this and take the subject matter seriously. But we were very aware that we certainly weren't going to understand it in the way that Sarah does and some of the women would.”
Dom was a pleasure to chat with as I enjoyed how thoughtful he was and how evident it is that he loves storytelling and filmmaking. I’m excited Red Needle is part of the Trail Running Film Festival and can’t wait to watch it with all of you!
Canmore on sale today!
Canmore tickets are on sale now for artsPlace members and on March 15 for non-members! Calgary, Edmonton and Crowsnest Pass are on sale now as well. I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) Tickets on sale March 13/15 (members receive a discount/non-members $25)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Vancouver tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, an awesome guest, and we will be announcing our show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30/$35 at the door.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
RunGo
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Please share the podcast anywhere you post :)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“In 2015, I think the first the first group that came, we had maybe six people showed up. We ran some intervals at Quarry Lake and it was kind of fun, we had a beer afterward and really from there it just it it it's grown and grown. I mean it's become a real fixture here in Canmore.”
Dr. Andy Reed started Dirt Bag Runners Bow Valley because he wanted some help to stay motivated while training. He didn’t realize that his group would be a weekly fixture for so many in the running community of Canmore, Alberta when it started, but he’s thrilled to be a part of it now. He’s quick to mention others who contribute and how everybody together makes Canmore special to him. He’s also quick to mention that his runs cater to all levels and he creates them with being social in mind.
“We have a huge variety of different abilities from, I mean we have ex-Olympic champions and world cup cross country skiers who come out and basically run away from everybody else and then we got new runners come out and hang out more at the back. We cater to everybody, I try and design the workouts so that we all pretty much stay together. It's very sociable even if you're not the fastest person out there. You're not gonna get left behind, we're together pretty much the whole time. We run for about an hour, we go all year round and we pride ourselves in that we've never actually missed a Thursday since we started.”
Dr. Reed is also a coach who has athletes all over the world and he simply loves the trail and outdoor community. It was a pleasure to chat with him and I’m excited to meet him and as many others as possible in Canmore on Thursday, June 6, as tickets to the Trail Running Film Festival at artsPlace go on sale this week! We’ve made sure to start the films at a time that gives all the dirtbags a chance to run and hang out with us 😁
Run Tri Bike Magazine feature
I’m really glad that Jason Bahamundi and I have met! He was awesome to have on the podcast and they recently featured me on their platform. Head over there to get the whole thing:
Finding Joy on the Trails: Adam Lee’s Trail Running Journey
The Road to Trail Running
In 2012, Adam moved from Victoria to Vancouver and found himself signing up for the local BMO half marathon, initially attracted by the idea of meeting new people. Little did he know that this decision would be the catalyst for a profound love for running. He became addicted to chasing times and participating in organized events every month, but it wasn’t until 2015 that he discovered the trails.
Adam recalls signing up for a local mountain eight-kilometer trail race. He mentioned, “It was marketed as Canada’s toughest 8k because how many 8ks are there. When I got there the atmosphere and everything hooked me immediately.” He instantly fell in love with the experience. Having grown up mountain biking in Ontario, the trails felt like a natural fit. The atmosphere, camaraderie, and scenic beauty of trail running captivated him. He realized that trail running wasn’t just a physical challenge but a holistic experience that allowed him to connect with nature and a supportive community.
Canmore on sale this week!
Canmore will come online on March 13 for artsPlace members and on March 15 for non-members. Calgary, Edmonton and Crowsnest Pass are on sale now as well. I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) Tickets on sale March 13/15 (members receive a discount/non-members $25)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Vancouver tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, an awesome guest, and we will be announcing our show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30/$35 at the door.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
RunGo
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I spent the first 20-something years as an amputee, both not knowing what was possible, but also not knowing that my prosthetics hurting me every single day wasn't normal… …It took me two decades to learn that. So my goal with my platform is to make sure that specifically amputees, but para athletes or anybody else know that there's ways to overcome these obstacles and for amputees knowing that pain isn't normal. There's ways to fix this.”
Brian Reynolds is looking to be the inspiration he missed out on earlier in life. He’s on a mission to help amputees and para athletes get all the information he didn’t have. He wants to make it possible for amputees to learn how to run great distances, or simply after their children. He also loves to take on big challenges, and the hooks of Leadville had set themselves deep in Reynolds trail running physche from his previous experience at the event. When his name was drawn in the lottery, he didn’t hesitate to get after it.
“I love Colorado. I love the mountains. I love the small little town atmosphere where just everybody is into the race. I worked the event a year, I crewed for somebody the next year, and then I put my name in the lottery because it usually takes a few years to get in. I was like, “if I start putting my name in the lottery now, by the time I'm actually ready to run it, I'll get in.” Then I got in on the first year, it was like, “Oh no, now I can't say no.” And, you know what? I like big goals and may as well go from a marathon to an ultra. And we may as well make the ultra at altitude and 100 miles. I have a great community around me, whether it's training partners, coaches, family. I was just like, I'm going to go for it.”
Check out the trailer here!
Brian is excited to have the film included in the festival to help him spread his message. I had a great time chatting with him and learning more about amputee athletes and I’m grateful he came on to share! Come out to the Trail Running Film Festival and check out the film for yourself, you’ll be happy you did!
Check out Episode 78 with the filmmaker Michael Grasela:
Vancouver tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
RunGo
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Calgary early bird tickets on sale now!
I’m so excited to get Calgary online! Get your $20 early bird tickets this week only! Edmonton and Crowsnest Pass are on sale now as well. Canmore will come online March 13 for artsPlace members and March 15 for non-members. I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) Regular Price $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) Monday, March 4 $20 early-bird tickets. Regular Price $25 starts Monday, March 11
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) Tickets on sale March 13/15 (members/non members)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“He really wants to pave the way for the advocacy for para-athletes to say “hey you're not just gonna be on the couch all day, you can actually go out there and compete” so I think just that in itself is so powerful that like anytime I can tell his story and help push it into the world, I think that's just kind of the most rewarding part of that. At the end of the day, this guy probably can outwork three people at a time and it's just crazy to watch it from a friend perspective but also from a storytelling perspective.”
Michael Grasela is a filmmaker and runner who wants to share Brian Reynold’s story. Brian is a double amputee below-the-knee athlete. Brian and Michael have become good friends over the years as both share a love of running and both want to amplify the message that amputees can accomplish great things. Reynolds is a strong road runner but had very limited experience running on trails. So when he told Grasela that he wanted to run Leadville, the idea to document the journey was not far behind.
“When he told me about going out to Leadville to run it, I was just like, I got to come with you. This is going to be a good one to see what's happening because he's not a trail runner, he doesn't really run on the trails because of the way his legs are built. So it's a lot of different challenges that we were going to find out in the moment. It was kind of curious for me as a runner, but also just like, “hey, this is going to be a great story no matter what happens in this race, we're going to find out something new about you today, right?”
Check out the trailer here!
Michael was a lot of fun to chat with. It was great hearing how he got into filmmaking and he’s incredibly passionate about the opportunity to inspire. He has some plans in the works for another project with Brian that he’s excited about and I’m excited the next episode features Brian! Come back Wednesday to hear Brian’s interview about the film and you’ll be even more excited for the Trail Running Film Festival screenings.
Subscribe if you don’t already and you’ll be sure to get the post as soon as it goes up:
Vancouver tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
RunGo
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Calgary early bird tickets on sale today!
I’m so excited to get Calgary online! Get your $20 early bird tickets this week only! Edmonton and Crowsnest Pass are on sale now as well. Canmore will come online March 13 for artsPlace members and March 15 for non-members. I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) Regular Price $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) Monday, March 4 $20 early-bird tickets. Regular Price $25 starts Monday, March 11
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) Tickets on sale in March
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“This gentleman, he was training and he said, “Hey, show up at my parents' ranch. I'm running a five-mile loop, run as much or as little as you want during the night, just would love to have company. If you could bring your favorite aid station food item, that'd be great.” So there was about 20 of us that showed up. Some people ran one loop, other people ran a couple loops and then sat down cracked open a beer cheered on the rest of us, and there was about four or five of us that ran until three four in the morning.”
Gretchen Walla is a race director in Washington who loves the community and taking opportunities when they present themselves. As can be the case, sometimes being involved in a community presents opportunities and Gretchen has seized those over the years to grow our trail-running community. She’s been involved with several race organizations, The Trail Running Film Festival, and of course she operates Walla Trails and Community. While touring with The Trail Running Film Festival Gretchen got to meet so many passionate folks around the U.S. and that opportunity to meet such excited trail runners grew her love for the sport and community even more.
“The stories we have from that U.S. tour, we were like this poor indie rock band that was showing up at shows, sometimes playing for seven people and then other times sold out shows like Cleveland, Ohio. Shout out to the Cleveland community. But it was so much fun because I got to meet so many different trail-running groups all over the US.”
Road trip to the trail mecca of Cleveland anyone? Gretchen was a blast to chat with. She’s passionate about what she does and our community is bigger and stronger because of her contributions! I really enjoyed the chat and I hope you do too.
Gretchen is also proud to be involved with Trail Sisters.
Win tickets to the Film Festival with Route Arrows!
Our friends at Route Arrows are giving away two tickets to the film festival. Head over to their post and tell your trail-marking story to enter.
Vancouver tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder and Race to be Named
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Calgary early bird tickets on sale next week!
I’m so excited to get Calgary online as well! Tickets are on sale for some of our Alberta shows. Edmonton and Crowsnest Pass are on sale now. Canmore will come online a little later. I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) Regular Price $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) Monday, March 4 $20 early-bird tickets. Regular Price $25 starts Monday, March 11
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) Tickets on sale in March
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“We changed everything to just literally say “the voice of the everyday athlete” and then we started asking people instead of waiting for them to come to us. We went out after them and we said your story matters, tell us your story.”
Jason Bahamundi is one of the folks behind Run Tri Bike Mag and he is passionate about sharing the voice of the everyday athlete. A trail runner who enjoys pushing himself, Jason is equally driven with his publication. Along with his two partners, the three set out to help endurance athletes by telling stories and showing people there are many ways to get the best out of ourselves. This commitment to the everyday athlete has resulted in growth for the magazine, and Bahamundi finds joy in not just chasing growth numbers, but truly connecting with people. He wants to continue to merge growth with connection and help as many people as possible recognize that their stories matter.
“I want to help millions of people. I get that in order for me to help millions of people, I got to start with one. But if my vision is only one person, that's too small. I'm a big dreamer. We're going to help millions of people. We're going to share this everywhere. And so that's our guiding light.”
Jason was a great interview and I loved hearing more about Run Tri Bike Mag as well as learning more about Jason and why he’s so driven. Please share the episode! Let us know what you think and reach out to Jason and the crew with your story, I know they would love to feature you.
Thank you for sharing this podcast as much as you do!
Episode 75 with Andrew Fairhurst was our first episode with over 300 downloads in the first week!
Win tickets to the Film Festival with Route Arrows!
Our friends at Route Arrows are giving away two tickets to the film festival. Head over to their post and tell your trail-marking story to enter.
Vancouver tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder and Race to be Named
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Alberta Film Fest tickets
Tickets are on sale for some of our Alberta shows. Edmonton and Crowsnest Pass are on sale now. Calgary and Canmore will come online a little later. I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) Regular Price $25 (Early girds sold out in just over 72 hours!)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) 1-week of $20 early-bird tickets going on sale soon. Regular Price $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) Tickets on sale in March
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“It's 33 and a half kilometers long, 2,900 meters of climbing and about 90% off trails. You're on trails, but really you're not on commonly used trails. You're up on ridges, you're running down scree slopes, up scree slopes, truly, truly running in the mountains.”
Crowsnest Pass is home to “Meet the Minotaur”, Canada’s only official Skyrunner World Series event, directed by Andrew and Erin Fairhurst. The Skyrunner tag means runners will be cruising summits and truly experiencing mountain running. This partnership has been great for the race but it’s not where the race started. The original races gave runners choices at certain points on the course on which challenge they wanted to face. These days the course is standardized and has runners come from all over the world. It’s something that Andrew cherishes and he loves sending runners into the incredible Crowsnest Pass mountains.
“My favorite thing is honestly seeing the racers at the start line with this look of trepidation on their face maybe some of them doubting themselves or just outright fear. A lot of people don't realize what they're getting into. But then when I see these people come across the finish line, lots of tears of joy, some tears of true sadness,but lots of tears of joy or just people cannot believe what they've done.”
This race sounds incredible. Andrew loves what he does and bringing runners to Crowsnest Pass is something that brings him joy. That joy is reciprocated as Meet the Minotaur has plenty of supporters and I for one can’t wait to try this race someday! Let us know what you think, will you be Meeting the Minotaur?
Alberta Film Fest tickets
Tickets are on sale for some of our Alberta shows. Edmonton and Crowsnest Pass are on sale now. Calgary and Canmore will come online a little later. I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) Regular Price $25
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) 1-week of $20 early-bird tickets going on sale soon. Regular Price $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) Tickets on sale in March
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Vancouver tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder and Race to be Named
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Thank you to our latest paying subscribers Anastasia and Andrew!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I came into the running world as a hater of running. When I was a kid growing up, I played a lot of soccer and a little bit of rugby, but I always hated the running part. And so then when my husband and I found out that we were pregnant with triplets, we decided to pick one thing outside of our marriage and our kids. To this day, I still don't really understand why I picked running because I still hated it at that time. But it was life-changing for sure because I met a great group of people.”
Laura Sherrer-Townsend doesn’t know why she got into running, but she’s never looked back either. The Edmonton race director found a sense of community and belonging and has engrained herself in the local running scene. Her race, Survivorfest, is a 6 H, 12 H, and 24 H, timed event that she loves organizing because she gets to see the athletes bond throughout the race. That’s been rewarding for her and the race itself raises funds and awareness for Saffron Centre, which is a centre that supports sexual assault victims. This centre and its programs are also what she supports while running towards her goal of 50 ultras by 50 years old. It’s an important cause for Laura.
“Things would have been different for me if something like that had been in my school. Or even when I went to friends when I was young and told them what had happened, they would have been able to support me through that and send me to the right individuals to talk about that. But instead, I kept it a secret for quite a long time. And so I thought this could be a life changer for these kids. I instantly thought that this needs to happen in every school.”
Laura is passionate about community and running, and I was grateful to chat with her and hear a bit of her story. I’m incredibly excited to meet her in person in Edmonton for the Trail Running Film Festival!
Alberta Film Fest tickets on sale today!
A big step for us as tickets are finally going on sale for some of our Alberta shows! Edmonton, and Crowsnest Pass are on sale today. Calgary and Canmore will come online a little later. I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) Limited (50) $20 early-bird tickets on sale Feb. 5 at 11 am. Regular Price $25
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) 1-week of $20 early-bird tickets going on sale soon. Regular Price $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) Tickets on sale in March
Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Vancouver tickets available
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder and Race to be Named
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
Naak
Mum’s the Word
Thank you to our latest paying subscribers Anastasia and Andrew!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“It was kind of a bike, a mountain bike community but not a running community at all. And I just thought, you know, it'd be cool to put on a trail race out here. It'd be a cool way to kind of immerse myself in the sport a little bit more and kind of give back.”
Devin VansCoy fell in love with trail running and the community. He wanted to immerse himself even more and so he started organizing races. It started with his stage race, stage race, and now includes “Elevated Trail Racing”, which is a series of four more races. He’s enjoyed creating courses and bringing runners to a few small Oregon towns. The amount of work that goes into race directing has been eye-opening but Devin finds it’s all worth it once race day rolls around. The opportunity to be with the community that he loves so much is his favourite part of it all.
“My favorite part by far of race directing is the race itself, having them come in and getting their bibs and having them be all happy and excited for the race and then having them come in and finish and share a beer with them. You know, just the social aspect that trail racing has after the race.”
Devin’s races sound like a lot of fun, he doesn’t have any cutoffs during his events and keeps them open until everyone is done, and he loves sharing a celebratory drink of any type at the finish line with runners. I hope you enjoy the conversation, I certainly did, and let us know what you think!
Learn more about the Oakridge Triple Summit here.
Learn more about Elevated Trail Racing here.
Follow Devin here.
Trail Running Film Festival tickets now available!
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder and Race to be Named
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
Naak
Alberta Film Fest tickets going on sale February 5!
A big step for us as we’re bringing the film festival to Edmonton, Calgary, Canmore, and now Blairmore! I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) Limited (50) $20 early-bird tickets on sale Feb. 5. Regular Price $25
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) 1-week of $20 early-bird tickets going on sale soon. Regular Price $25
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) Tickets on sale in March
Friday, June 7, 2024, Blairmore (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale Feb. 5
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Everyone is welcome from the elite athlete to somebody doing their first trail race to somebody doing their first ultra, someone starting in the trail community, somebody that's retiring from running. We really support all those racers. Sustainability means a lot to me. Community means a lot to me.”
Kara Leinweber is a trail runner and race director, for Lewiston Ultra Events, who is community-driven and focused. It’s clear she’s very passionate about putting on events and ensuring they have a purpose. It was awesome hearing her speak about doing everything with intention. It was also awesome having her drop some news about a potential new 100-mile race! You might think that’s the only news she dropped during the interview, but you’d be wrong. This one’s a doozy and I’m so happy Kara and I got to chat about her trail life and what’s important to her when it comes to trail races.
“I wouldn't say the course (Shuswap) is a reflection of me, but I would say it's a reflection of what I look for when I participate in an event or an ultra. When I go to sign up for an event, one of the first things I'm looking at is, I like viewpoints. I really do. Exposure is my thing. It's not everybody's thing. Single track, not old quad roads.
I feel like if I was to say something reflects me accurately, it would probably be my start finish line area. I think this is very accurate. I have the best playlist. I have been told that so many times!”
Kara was a blast to chat with. I can’t wait to hear what you all think of this episode and if you’re excited for the new races?!
You can learn more about the decision to put Shuswap Ultra on hold here.
Sign up and learn more about BC Backyard here.
Sign up and learn more about Moose Mountain here.
Marathon Shuffle registration opens February 1
Ean Jackson, from episode 30 (chatting about the amazing Sunshine Coast Trail) reached out to let me know registration is opening for the Marathon Shuffle on February 1. You can read more about the event here.
Trail Running Film Festival tickets now available!
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder and Race to be Named
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
Naak
We’re bringing the films to Alberta
A big step for us as we’re bringing the film festival to Edmonton, Calgary, Canmore, and now Blairmore! I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) Limited $20 early-bird tickets on sale Feb. 5!
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema)
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Blairmore (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports)
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Kirsti Dolson and Matt Shepard are very passionate about trail running and that passion shines through in the way they approach their jobs with Sinister Sports. These two want to create special events for people to celebrate their love of trails, and that mentality is shared with the entire Sinister team. All they want to do is make your experience awesome. And Sinister has plenty of opportunities to make your experience awesome as they host a bunch of different races and camp, all varying in length, difficulty and whether you’ll be above ground or not. Yes, Sinister even hosts an underground race in an old mine! Whatever you sign up for, their collective goal is. the same. Make it awesome.
“Something iconic that Sinister has is just the energy that we bring. Because I mean our whole team is made up of people like us that are passionate about the role that they have, and then they're tied to the running community, and they get to be a part of this thing. It's a dream job to support the thing that you love.” - Matt Shepard
“We want our races to be an event. We recognize that it's not only racers that are showing up on the race weekends. It is also their crew, their family, their friends, the volunteers, the spectators. It is an enormous crowd of people above and beyond those that are at the start line. And we want everyone to feel as a part of the race as the racers are. So that's why we have that energy and we create it to be a whole spectacle of a weekend.” - Kirsti Dolson
It was so awesome to hear all about what Sinister is up to, and how Kirsti and “Shep” are involved. I can’t wait to run the Sinister 7 relay this summer and I hope you will enjoy checking out what these awesome folks are up to!
I’m even more excited to be highlighting what Sinister Sports is up to because we are working together to bring the Trail Running Film Festival to Crowsnest Pass as well! Friday, June 7, will be the date and we’re just working to finalize the venue. I’m so excited to be hanging out with so many of you awesome folks and finding more community. Stay tuned for more details of this latest show!
Speaking of the Trail Running Film Festival…
Trail Running Film Festival tickets now available!
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder and Race to be Named
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
Naak
We’re bringing the films to Alberta
A big step for us as we’re bringing the film festival to Edmonton, Calgary, Canmore, and now Blairmore! I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema)
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (artsPlace)
Friday, June 7, 2024, Blairmore (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre)
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“There are options, there are different programs, there are all these things that, I feel like they should be talked about, because I probably would have reached out or tried to find a way to figure out why I was drinking so much or how to stop drinking so much earlier if I would have actually known that there were options out there.”
Coree Woltering has done incredible things on the trails. He’s won races and set FKT’s. He also celebrated 2 years of sobriety on Oct 31, 2023 and that’s what our chat centred around. It was awesome to have Coree be so open about his journey and I appreciated him giving us so much insight. Everybody has a different relationship with alcohol, and Coree just wanted people to know there are resources available to help. He talked about how the programs available helped him and how they can help others.
“Not everybody needs to be sober. And, that's totally fine. I don't care if people are sober or not, to be completely honest. But, if you're someone that's struggling with it, then absolutely reach out. Don't be afraid to get help for it.”
It’s a great accomplishment for Coree and I’m thrilled we got to chat about it. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Let us know what you think in the comments.
Trail Running Film Festival tickets now available!
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder and Race to be Named
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
Naak
We’re bringing the films to Alberta
A big step for us as we’re bringing the film festival to Edmonton, Calgary, and Canmore! I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Ziedler Hall)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema)
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (artsPlace)
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Starting January 1st for $20, you can join the Runnin Rich Vert Challenge, and we're going to track your vertical gain throughout the year… And it had to be a vert challenge because Richard was all about the vert.”
Tommy Mlazgar is a passionate trail runner, a burgeoning race director, and a grieving friend. We touched on all 3 of these topics in our interview and I’m very grateful for Tommy to come on and share. The race directing is about Run Saysutshun, a race on Saysutshun island, in Nanaimo, BC, that features many distance and time options, including up to 24 hours. His passion for getting others on the trails and spending time out there himself is also prevalent in the passing of his best friend Richard Booth. The two spent many hours trail running together and when Richard passed suddenly in December, Tommy, with the help of a few others, organized the Runnin Rich Vert Challenge to honour and help raise funds for Richards’s family. The way people have responded has been heartwarming for Mlazgar.
“Community is, there's no other community like it. The trail running community, especially is just, it's wild. You form these bonds with people that, you can only really form through sport, I think, and that's the power of sport. And, I love it. Huge fan.”
I’m a huge fan too, especially of what Tommy is up to. Check out more about Run Saysutshun and/or sign up for Runnin Rich Vert Challenge. Let us know where you’re favourite spots for vert are and consider checking out Saysutshun this June for the race. Maybe you can go further than you ever have!
“I'm excited to see some people just push and see how far they can go. I can't remember the exact number we had last year but I want to say we had, close to half a dozen people, probably more, that ran further than they ever had before.”
Trail Running Film Festival tickets now available!
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $30.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder and Race to be Named
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
Naak
We’re bringing the films to Alberta
A big step for us as we’re bringing the film festival to Edmonton, Calgary, and Canmore! I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Ziedler Hall)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema)
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (artsPlace)
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
THANK YOU FOR HELPING PASS 1,000 SUBSCRIBERS!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Happy holidays friends. Thank you for a wonderful year! I hope you have a great time with family, friends, and on the trails during your downtime, and of course, I wish all of you the best in 2024. Upwards and onwards!
Onwards and upwards isn’t always a reality though, and sometimes things go sideways. And that’s where today’s episode comes in! We have guests from the past (and even a few from the future) sharing some of their funny trail running stories and it’s a super fun holiday listen. I’m so grateful for everyone to have shared their time and stories and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.
A huge thank you to the guests who had time to share:
Jeanelle Hazlett
Jeannine Avelino
Chantelle Erickson
Andrew Miller
Kirsti Dolson
Matt Shepard
Renee Janssen
Kara Delwo:
Tommy Mlazgar
Joanne Lee Smith
Comment about your own funny trail running stories and we can keep the lighthearted good times going!
Early Bird Tickets available for one more week!
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Buy your tickets here.
Tickets are on sale now for $25 and go up to $30 on January 1, so pick’em up for your holiday shopping and save a few bucks.
Our local sponsors:
5 Peaks
Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder and Race to be Named
Distance Runwear
Ridgeline Athletics
Peaks N Valleys
Beast of Big Creek
Heads or Trails
Naak
We’re bringing the films to Alberta
A big step for us as we’re bringing the film festival to Edmonton, Calgary, and Canmore! I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Ziedler Hall)
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema)
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (artsPlace)
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
Thank you for the support friends we are less than 5 away from 1,000 subscribers!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Staying true to helping people who can't afford the race registration fees and helping the BIPOC and the queer community get to a start line. That's where we're staying focused”
Renee Janssen is a trail runner and race director living in Oregon. Her racing company, Go Beyond holds a bunch of events and that’s where the idea of starting a charity has its roots. The Trail Mix Fund was born during the pandemic because people couldn’t afford to enter virtual races, Go Beyond wanted to remove the financial barrier, and other people wanted to donate funds for entries. It all came together and now the fund is helping get people to start lines at all kinds of events, including events that aren’t Go Beyond. It’s a great way to help make the sport more accessible and awesome that they took the ball and ran with it. Renee enjoys each story of people they’ve helped and how it’s helped pick people up.
“They want to represent. They're an Asian person who is tired of being at races and not seeing other faces like theirs. And they're just like, this is an opportunity for them to make a change and they want to become ambassadors of this whole thing and spread the word to other people in their communities. So I like that too.”
The Trail Mix Fund is growing and is a great way to help people get into racing. I hope you enjoy the chat and learning more about Renee and the Trail Mix Fund as much as I did!
Early Bird Trail Running Film Festival tickets on sale now
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
Yes, I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways (like Naak!), another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’re going to want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, your tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $25 and go up to $30 on January 1, so pick’em up for your holiday shopping and save a few bucks.
Buy your tickets here.
We’re bringing the films to Alberta
And a big step for us as we’re bringing the film festival to Edmonton, Calgary, and Canmore! I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but it’s looking like our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema)
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (artsPlace)
Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
Thank you for the support friends we are so close to 1,000 subscribers!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I think it's why we've been successful in the past few years. The fact that we are obsessed by the quality, right? We listen to our community. I am a runner myself. All our employees run, so we're super into it. We have that obsession of delivering the best products.”
Minh Pham and his business partner started Naak in 2016 and have found success in the highly competitive running nutrition market, although it’s not always been easy. Over the years they’ve managed to find success by listening to their customers, working with their athletes, and continuously looking for ways to improve. This “obsession” is what Minh believes makes Naak successful, and he had a very driven message that he shared when he thought about the journey so far.
“There's going to be a lot of up and downs, a lot of lessons learned, a lot of failures, but it's like an ultra, right? I think that we can do the comparison with an ultramarathon. A lot of up and downs, but at the end, if you have the perseverance, if you believe in what you do, if you are curious enough and if you are motivated enough, you're going to make it.”
Minh is super passionate about Naak and the conversation was interesting for me, I enjoyed learning more about his company! I have to apologize as I called him Ming at the end of the episode and that was my mistake.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I do and let us know in the comments below what you think.
We’re also incredibly excited to have Naak products on hand for the first 2 dozen folks through the door at the Vancouver screening of the Trail Running Film Festival!
Early Bird Trail Running Film Festival tickets on sale now
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
Yes, I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways (like Naak!), another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’re going to want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, your tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $25 and go up to $30 on January 1, so pick’em up for your holiday shopping and save a few bucks.
Buy your tickets here.
We’re bringing the films to Alberta
And a big step for us as we’re bringing the film festival to Edmonton, Calgary, and Canmore! I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but it’s looking like our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema)
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (ArtsPlace)
Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
Thank you for the support friends we are so close to 1,000 subscribers!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I need to be outdoors. And I feel like most people need to be outdoors. I see that in my kids, and I see that in most people in society. But I love seeing how much nature can impact people. It is unlike anything else.”
Jacob Puzey is the owner and director of 5 Peaks. 5 Peaks hosts trail races in BC, Alberta, and Ontario and Jacob has local race directors who help ensure the races speak to the locals in each area. It was very insightful to hear from Jacob about how races come to life, what costs go into hosting, and how the permitting process can play out. He touched on so much more than just that and I’m grateful for his candor. 5 Peaks, like all of us, is doing there best to keep costs down, but today’s environment is a challenge.
“We tried really hard to not increase costs unnecessarily. And we actually haven't for three years. But the cost of everything, food, gas, storage, shipping, swag, you know, toilets, medics, everything has gone up.”
Jacob is definitely in trail running for the love of it. As a labour of love, 5 Peaks touches many who trail run in Canada. They are fun for the whole family and a big part of that is because Jacob’s creating those events with having fun with his family in mind.
“I love being on-site on race day, and my kids love attending the races. They love running the races. They love passing the finisher swag out at the end. I mean, when we're there, we're there at 6 a.m. So, if we go to a race, it's usually a road trip, so to speak. Surprisingly, even my five-year-old son, he can't wait to get up before the sun comes up. His favorite thing to do is break down boxes, and they like to work at the merch tent. Even my kids like doing different things. It's their favorite. It's like Christmas.
5 Peaks races are a great time and here in BC the race lineup will have something to challenge runners of all levels:April 6 - Alice LakeMay 4 - Golden EarsJuly 20 - Cypress MountainAugust 31 - Whistler BlackcombSeptember 14 - Mount SeymourThis year, Season Pass holders will get an exclusive 5 Peaks running towel. It's also a family-friendly event with 3 km and 1 km kids races at each event. Head over to www.5peaks.com to learn more.
5 peaks is the gold sponsor of the Trail Running Film Festival!
Early Bird Trail Running Film Festival tickets on sale now
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
Yes, I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again (like 5 Peaks!), we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’re going to want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, your tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $25 and go up to $30 on January 1, so pick’em up for your holiday shopping and save a few bucks.
Buy your tickets here.
We’re bringing the films to Alberta
And a big step for us as we’re bringing the film festival to Edmonton, Calgary, and Canmore! I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but it’s looking like our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (ArtsPlace)
Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
Please like (me), rate, share, and subscribe wherever you do those things (Now on Facebook)
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
Thank you for the support friends we are so close to 1,000 subscribers!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“That Film Fest was awesome, man. Kudos to you for putting that on and creating, well, not only more community in Vancouver for trail running but also to help trail running filmmakers. It's so unique. And to bring that to Vancouver was super special. So I'm stoked for next year.”
Adam Stevens loves filmmaking and trail running. He talked about his passion for both and how they both came into his life when he was looking to make a change. From there that hobby turned into a career and Adam is constantly releasing new material and challenging himself on the trails. One of those challenges was running and filming his experience at TranSelkirks. It’s a multi-stage event and Adam had to learn how to manage his body for an entire week.
“Day 2 I was like, oh, I'm actually feeling pretty good. No s**t. It's day two. And there was a lot of climbing that day, not quite 2200m, but pretty close. And, I was suffering for like 10 K and I was not feeling too well. So that was a bit of a wake up call for day three to be like, okay, I gotta like chill out and make sure I can get through this.”
Adam was a great guest and I enjoyed hearing from him about his experience running and filming. You can see the film he submitted to the Film Festival for consideration here. It’s a great piece and should get you pumped for The Trail Running Film Festival!
Early Bird Trail Running Film Festival tickets on sale now
Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.
Bring your noisemakers!
Yes, I’m so excited to host all you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday April 4, 2024 with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.
We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, another awesome guest, and a secret show opener that you’re going to want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, your tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud and let’s rock the Rio together!
Tickets are on sale now for $25 and go up to $30 January 1, so pick’em up for your holiday shopping and save a few bucks.
Buy your tickets here.
We’re bringing the films to Alberta
And a big step for us as we’re bringing the film festival to Edmonton, Calgary, and Canmore! I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. We’re still finalizing contracts with theatres, but it’s looking like our dates will be:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary
Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore
Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
Thank you for the support friends we are so close to 1,000 subscribers!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
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“When I was going into this event and knowing the season I had and knowing the fitness that I had been working on, I had this silent confidence, but I didn't really voice it to anyone that like, okay, if I have like the best day ever, I think a podium is possible.”
Jeanelle Hazlett is one of those people who run like they’re having the best day ever, every day. This is relatable and I love it! So it was especially great to hear how her race at Javelina turned into one of those best days ever. Jeanelle finished 2nd and really enjoyed her experience in the desert. From the funky atmosphere of the race to how she executed, Jeanelle was a big fan of Javelina. Her interview is a ton of fun and her insight into how to have a great race was awesome.
“I think this race was a really big reminder of, if you want the race that you want, you have to do the things you need to do. Many of us sometimes get caught up in the excitement of the race and forget to take the gels that we know we need to take or hydrate the way we know we need to hydrate or, you know, take a second and douse yourself with water. Take a minute to do those things you know you need to do to allow your body to do what you're asking it to do.”
Big fans of Jeanelle around here and make sure you check out her previous episodes if you haven’t already:
Special episode and exciting news coming Friday!
Adam Stevens is on the podcast for a special edition this Friday! The filmmaker and trail runner joins me for a great conversation, including chatting about his experience at TranSelkirks. We will also have a big announcement on that podcast that I’m excited to share!
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
Thank you for the support friends we are so close to 1,000 subscribers!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
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“The first hundred miles are just a warm-up. You're sort of discovering how your body is feeling on the day. Okay, how are my legs? Did I rest enough? How's my taper? Getting a feel for, how is your body going to allow you to perform? It's hard to force it, and just really settling into a rhythm. And then the second hundred miles is where you can start to lay it on thicker.”
Jeff Pelletier had an incredible result at Moab 240 recently and did so by running his own race. The filmmaker is a helluva trailrunner and his story from Moab was really insightful and fun to listen to. Jeff talked about his race strategy including foot care, proper pacing, fuelling, and a few more things. And important to note, on top of everything, he documented the whole thing for a film he hopes to release in the new year! Suffice it to say, it was a big race for Jeff personally, and he has taken some new motivation and lessons going forward.
“I could have easily found 5, 10, even 15 minutes of time. And part of that might have been being a little bit more aggressive in the back half of the race when it came to the aid stations and things like that. Maybe even cutting back on my sleep time a little bit, adjusting to the way the race was playing out. And so for me, that was a lesson. I think I'm at the point now in my running career where I can start to lay it on the line a little bit more, take some chances.”
Make sure to follow Jeff along on IG and YouTube so you don’t miss any of his updates! I’m super stoked to have had him on and hope you all enjoy the chat as much as I did.
Last week was also about Moab 240 as we heard from Heather “Koko” Scott:
Javelina Jeanelle
Next week we’re back again! Lots of awesome folks have been available, so we’re gonna keep rolling out the episodes. Jeanelle Hazlett is back on the cast talking about her 2nd place finish in the 100k Javelina Jundred!
Help me hit 1,000 subscribers
Growing this with all of you has been incredibly fun and rewarding. This community is truly special, and I’m grateful to be a part of it. We’re getting so close to 1,000 subscribers and my goal is to get there by the end of the year. Please sign up if you haven’t already, I greatly appreciate it!
So close to 1,000! Thank you for your support 💪
Big news and special episode dropping December 1
Even more content and good times are coming… STAY TUNED
Previous episode with Jeff:
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
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“My goal was to have a really strong first 67 miles. That's your solo miles. And I really wanted to run that and run it strong and build myself a really nice buffer.”
Heather Scott, or as most call her "Koko”, recently finished Moab 240 in 111:06:05 and she managed to finish strong because of her preparation and getting some extra sleep when she knew she needed it. She certainly had some ups and downs out there which included smashing her first 67 miles and later in the race dealing with hallucinations that were stronger than any she had previously encountered. Throughout it all she managed to enjoy it as much as she could and had a fresh mental start with each of her pacers. She’s incredibly humble about her accomplishments (thankfully she considers herself a runner now at least!), and after finishing this race wants to help other women kick ass.
“I'd love to see more women in 200’s, more women in 100’s. Women are natural born endurance athletes, I'm gonna be 47, so you're not too old and in fact you know we're kind of in our prime. So I'll just use this time to help some more girls get out on the course and and keep traveling the world.”
This was a really great chat and Koko’s passion for adventure and helping others was inspiring! Hat tip to Pargol for introducing Heather and me for the interview. Check it out and let us know what you’re up to these days as well.
We’re getting really close to 1k subscribers Sign up now and help us push through!
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
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“A huge part of the newsletter is me finding interesting stories in the running world and, talking to them, and seeing what's up, and getting insights from them because there's some super interesting people in the running world.”
Raziq Rauf has fun with his writing. It’s clear from the name of his publication “Running Sucks”, but it’s also clear in the way he covers the sport. His writing is fun, but it also resonates. He finds great subjects and the joy he has telling their story comes through in his writing in a wonderful way. I was super excited to have him on the podcast to chat about his Running Sucks life and it was great to get some insight from him.
“It sucks in the moment. I talk about running sucking in the moment. I think everybody, when they finish a run after the fact, they're really pleased that they did it. It's very rare for someone to regret having run, but in the moment, running sucks. And a big part of the newsletter is finding ways of and showing other people ways of making running suck less.”
You will enjoy following and subscribing to Raziq’s Running Sucks, so get over there and do it.
Year 3 begins
It’s hard to believe we are beginning year 3, but here we go. As always, I have to thank you all for the amazing support you’ve shown. It’s a privilege to hang out with you all every two weeks and it’s something I don’t take for granted. Thank you all for being here. And of course, a massive thank you to Francisco, Roslyn, and Sabrina for putting your hard-earned dollars into this. You’re amazing.
Community Trail Running is pushing hard to hit 1000 subscribers! Help us hit our goal and subscribe today!
Let me know what you think of the latest music track.
And want a comical throwback? Here is episode 2 (the first with a guest). My guest was awesome and I’m happy I’ve grown since ;)
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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay
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“I believe in people more than they believe in themselves. I genuinely want it, want it as much what my clients do, if not more.”
Joanne Lee Smith is a trail running health coach who is incredibly passionate about the opportunity to coach people and she also is a very positive person in general. It was a pleasure to hear her talk about how she coaches and how satisfying it is to see her clients accomplish great things. Joanne coaches people in a solution-focused way and that was fascinating to learn more about. Joanne is the kind of person you feel like you’ve known forever when you talk and she really just wants to share her knowledge with people pressure-free. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
“Just book a session, you know, completely free. The best way is to find out and experience it for yourself because no words can explain it unless you've experienced it.”
Housekeeping
Yes, the Trail Running Film Festival is back for another year! We will have more details on the 2024 screening in Vancouver very soon, until then, creators submit!
Shoutout Sabrina, our latest paid subscriber!
The support around here is incredible and I’m constantly blown away by it. Thank you all for subscribing, liking, rating, sharing, messaging, saying hi, and just being yourselves in general. And an absolutely massive thank you to the folks forking out hard-earned cash. I’m forever grateful! This continues to be so much fun for me.
November is year 3!
Incredible how fast the time goes, isn’t it? Our next episode will be the start of year 3 and I’m excited to see where we go. This year was pretty amazing and I think we’re gonna keep that momentum rolling!
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
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“Sometimes when we try positive thinking, our brain's going to call b**t on us and it doesn't work.”
Tanya Bottomley is a Mindset Coach from New Zealand and she absolutely loves her job. Tanya gets a thrill helping others achieve their goals and I really enjoyed her no-nonsense approach. I find it helpful when someone can strip down a conversation to what’s meaningful and focus on what’s truly important and Tanya really struck me as someone who coaches in that manner. She also struck me as someone who is super passionate about what she does and that is always inspiring. I found her advice about possibility vs positiviity very interesting and helpful.
“Your brain will call b**t on you. You know, mantras are great. Stand in front of the mirror and try and tell yourself you're beautiful. If you don't feel beautiful, it's not going to work.
But if you can find something along a continuum of possibility, like, “I can”. I can learn to feel great about myself, then we've got somewhere to go instead of in a circle in our head where your brain's like, “no, that's not true”.
Tanya loves to talk running and mindset anytime, anywhere you can find her. So check out her pages, reach out, and see if you would be a fit together!
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay. (Year 2)
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“I view the finish line area kind of like my kitchen of my house, you know, you've just finished something incredibly hard. Go and help yourself to a burger that’s cooking on the barbecue and go help yourself to a beer in the fridge.”
It’s always great to have Myke Labelle on the podcast and the most recent experience was no different. It’s Myke’s 4th time on the show (despite my claim otherwise during the interview) and it was great to hear about the new 50-mile course and how he had a chance to get out on the course a bit more than in previous years. I also enjoyed chatting about my experience, and it’s always just a fun conversation when he’s on. He is so passionate about the event and celebrating our amazing sport. It’s contagious!
“What was really cool this year too, and I saw lots of video of this is the amount of spectators on course this year. I don't, again, because I'm stuck in my little bubble, you know, I don't get to see all that stuff. That was so cool to see the number of people dressed up in dinosaur costumes and stuff like that.”
This race is so much fun. I can’t recommend it enough. If you’re looking for a challenging September run in 2024 make your way to Finlayson Arm and see what Myke and the Coastline crew are up to. You will be so happy you did.
Myke also has the Vancouver Island Trail Running Series you can sign up for and the Kusam Climb. So check those out too!
Credit to Matt Cecill for the photo of Myke. Check out the full gallery here.
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
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Jodi and Karine Isenor are the organizers of “Nova Scotia Trail Running” and they’ve been doing so for over a decade! Besides luring people to their starts lines by offering delicious homemade cookies, they also offer up all kinds of distances throughout the year and different formats like “Backyard” style. I was thrilled to chat with Jodi about the races and challenges they face along the way. It was also enjoyable to hear about the state of trail running on the East Coast, what Jodi’s favourite part of race directing is, and what his favourite course is.
“The Capes 100 course. It's beautiful. It has exposed high ground with great views of the ocean and of the Mabou Highlands. It's hands down, in my opinion, the best trail network in the province. It's all beautifully taken care of single-track. It's a network of about 30 kilometers, which is maintained by the Mabou Hiking Trails group and it's in an amazing part of the province, not just scenery-wise, but the locals, and they're not even runners, but they're just curious to see what is going on in their community. We befriended a bunch of locals and that's just a super fun part of it as well.”
Nova Scotia Trail Running has 7 races from February to November and it’s clear that Jodi and Karine are very passionate about these races and this community. If you’re on the East Coast and looking to run, find out what race(s) are for you and sign up!
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
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“I definitely was planning to chase the record. You know, the course is in better condition this year. It seemed like it'd be possible.”
Beating a personal best is always a great outcome. To beat a personal best by 18 hours would seemingly be one of those great outcomes. To beat the course record along the way by 8 hours is a pretty sweet cherry on top. All of that is what happened to Bigfoot 200 champ Mika Thewes recently. Mika blazed through the difficult course (though she mentions conditions were great for record chasing this year) and landed atop the podium (she also made sure to point out that all three women on the podium beat the previous course record). She is super humble and it was really fun hearing about the race from the champ. She had words of encouragement for anyone thinking about taking on a long race like Bigfoot 200.
“I'm not going to say it's easy or anything like that, but it's not as intimidating as you might think. You know, the volunteers are also great out there and they want everyone to succeed, and they're super helpful. And, you know, if you learn just how to manage, it's just about managing yourself, really managing your feet, your sleep, your stomach. If you can get all that under control, I think really anyone could, if they put in a little bit of training, can tackle it.”
I hope you enjoy hearing from Mika as much as I did, it was a great time and I appreciate her taking the time to chat with us. Good luck to her during her upcoming Canadian 200 miler, The Divide 200!
Andrew Miller Coaching Giveaway
Friend of the show and trail running coach Andrew Miller reached out to me recently as he wants to give away a month of free coaching and we’re launching that today! Head over to this link and get yourself entered into the draw. Andrew was a great guest and you can listen to his interview and see if you think you two would be a good fit!
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
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Ryan Teigen has been a runner for a long time and his desire to work on the mental side of training with athletes comes from his own experiences. He had struggled with his mental game while running in college and sought out ways to improve. This led him down the rabbit hole, so to speak, to the point where today he is the Lead Performance Coach for Perseverance Performance. He has really enjoyed his journey into coaching and has found it very rewarding.
“It’s just really cool to see the science in action and just see how it impacts somebody’s life. I’ve had athletes who have come out of complete ruts. They were burnt out or they just had this wall where they couldn’t get past a specific barrier. It’s not gonna be a quick fix. But, when you have that breakthrough, you’re gonna look back and say “Yes, everything we just did is totally worth it.”
Ryan is passionate about what he does and he’s eager to work with those who want to train their mental game. Check out his site and see if it’s a fit for you, there is no harm in spending 30 minutes chatting with him to see if it’s a fit!
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
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“It’s just been an absolute roller coaster 3 months. Lots of work, lots of fun, and lots of mistakes as well, but hopefully we’re learning from them, we’re getting better from them.”
Sometimes you know you have a good idea but it’s not until you put it out in the world that you realize how good it really is. This is the case for Into Ultra which just recently launched and has been caught up in a whirlwind of support. It’s a great problem to have for an organization. Into Ultra helps get more people ultrarunning by covering the costs for those less able to afford it. Basil Heaney is a Co-Founder of the group and tells me they want to get more people involved in ultra running and right now that means making the sport more accessible.
“We launched and essentially we’re trying to support people to get into ultra running who can’t afford it. That could be race entries, or coaching, or kit, or courses. It’s not a cheap thing to get into ultra running as we all know, particularly when you get into the longer stuff.”
Into Ultra is UK based (and they plan to stay that way) and just getting started. The vision is to find ways to break down barriers for as many people as possible to get into the sport and I truly love this idea. Working towards making our sport as inclusive as possible is a great thing and I’m excited to see where Into Ultra goes!
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“The conference is more about inviting people to come in and have conversations about taking leadership.”
Terry Chiplin has been organizing the US Trail Running Conference for 11 years now. The conference has changed a lot over the years, now with a focused theme each year and the idea is the conference is a platform for all involved to grow the sport. This year that platform is taking place in Mukilteo, WA, from October 18-20 and the theme is creating sustainable events within trail running. Terry is excited about the group getting together and seeing what happens.
“We do everything in the one room. We have the meetings, the presentations, the discussions and the expo all happen in one room. We deliberately set it up this way so that people get really connected. It’s not just about, “Oh hi, I like your product”. You end up having really deep meaningful conversations.”
Terry is really proud of how far the conference has come and is really excited at the prospect of where it can go. He’s looking for the next leaders to step forward and take the conference into the future but he's enjoying the journey too. The future is seemingly bright for trail running and the conference will continue to find ways to celebrate and evolve the sport.
Find out more and get involved here.
If you’re heading to the conference, let me know! I’d love to hear from you and perhaps we can meet up :)
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
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“My goal is to break generational poverty in the downtown communities and help newcomers, BIPOC folks, have access to these opportunities through sports.”
Vincent Kuber is the type of person who knows an opportunity when he sees it. When he saw an opportunity to make the running scene in his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, more inclusive and more inviting, he ran with it. When he received pushback and didn’t feel welcome in the entire scene, he pushed harder. He’s wired this way and it certainly seems like the community of Hamilton is a better place for his presence. His tenacity drives him and it was incredible to hear about his passion for the community.
“As an opportunist and also having to deal with this type of stuff all my life, I’ve learned to take that information, yeah it hurts, but it’s nothing new to me, I’m kind of numb from that now, but what I usually do is come back stronger with more force and more of what I’m doing vs bowing my head down and walking away and leaving the space to how they want it. Which is kind of private.”
Vincent has built a great community in Hamilton and he loves helping others. Steel Town Athletic Club is the club that he runs and how he reaches into his community. Not only do they have several runs each week that are inclusive and diverse, but the club also helps young people play basketball, and go hiking and he’ll soon be training track athletes. Vincent is doing everything he can to remove barriers for people so they can get out and enjoy activities. We chatted shortly after he got back from running the Minotaur Skyrace and the interview was so much fun for me. I hope you enjoy what he has to say as much as I did.
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
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Roslyn Braun and her father Randall own Route Arrows, a company that specializes in route marking. Whether it's road cycling, road running or trail running, Route Arrows has what you need to mark the way. Randall had participated in many events over the years, where some were marked better than others, and finally decided he had to offer a better solution. When Roslyn was old enough to start contributing herself, she did just that.
I've never really thought about the business potential of route marking until chatting with Roslyn. It was a fascinating conversation as it was really cool to hear what they are looking to accomplish as well as how much time and thought goes into creating route marking that works.
"We’re just trying to make that job a little bit easier for them (race organizers). Hearing their stories and helping them make their jobs just a little bit easier is what is energizing. There’s so much potential because my dad is an inventor, he’s constantly innovating and we’re working together to create things that are totally new or a better version of what’s being used."
Roslyn is passionate about what she does and the opportunity to work with her father is something she also cherishes. Route Arrows is a company that wants to grow and find its way to a start line near you, and Roslyn is working hard to make it happen. I really enjoyed the conversation and I'm excited to follow the company and see where they end up!
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
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“Helping people see that running is just a chance to go have fun. It's a chance to go see what you’re capable of, but there is no obligation to do certain things, especially, just because you’ve done them in the past, It doesn’t mean you need to do it again in the future.”
Andrew Miller has been trail running for 15 years and has been the youngest ever to win Western States (2016) along the way. He’s also a coach who loves to volunteer and give back to the community in any way that he can. His wealth of experience comes through many ups and downs over the years, including after winning Western States and feeling unexpected pressure. He’s realized how he finds joy in the sport and he loves the ability to share his experience through coaching.
“It just gets me excited. Seeing people do races, especially people who are running an ultra or a new distance for the first time. Also, I like numbers. I like building training plans. I could look at running numbers all day long. So for me, that works out pretty well.”
Andrew was a great guest and I really enjoyed hearing about his trail running journey so far. You can check out his website and what he has to offer as a coach. Reach out to him and see if it’s a good fit for your trail running goals here.
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
800 Subscribers! Like, share, subscribe and comment
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Myeloma Ride
Thanks to those who donated to the 2023 Richmond @myeloma_canada Fundraising Ride! Our team raised nearly $6,000 and the event was a great success as well, raising a touch over $84,000. Myeloma is a blood cancer made by bone marrow and people living with Myeloma, like my friend Misty, are able to prolong and improve their quality of life through treatments like chemotherapy but there is no cure and those treatments often cause other adverse effects on the body.If you can help out the cause with a donation, we would be incredibly grateful!
Donate here!
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“From the first day I went out I had a blast out on the trails meeting new trail runners and I was hooked.”
Sean Symes has gone full circle with Toronto Trail Runners, from chasing leads while discovering new trails to leading groups of wide-eyed trail runners. He’s clearly passionate about the community and the sport and I had a fantastic time learning more about trail running in the city of Toronto.
Toronto is a former home of mine and a place I really enjoy, so learning about the trail running culture there was a lot of fun! Toronto is a multicultural city that celebrates its diversity and Sean takes pride in how inclusive Toronto Trail Runners is. It’s important to him as a Black Person to show other Black People that they are represented.
“Being a Black runner, there’s not too many Black People in trail running, in the trail running community. So I think it’s also good to have representation, especially in the city of Toronto, a lot of minorities might not feel comfortable joining trail sessions. So I think it’s important as myself, being a Black Person, to be a lead there to show people that there’s inclusivity on the trails.”
Toronto Trail Runners sounds like a great group to get out with and I’m going to have to look them up next time I’m spending some time in that wonderful city!
“Don’t mess with the Don” is another project Sean is working on. They organize clean-ups in the Don Valley which is a place they love to run. They are accomplishing great things and you should totally check out the website!
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
Like, share, subscribe and comment
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Myeloma Ride
I'm thrilled to be riding in the 2023 Richmond @myeloma_canada Fundraising Ride.Myeloma is a blood cancer made by bone marrow and people living with Myeloma, like my friend Misty, are able to prolong and improve their quality of life through treatments like chemotherapy but there is no cure and those treatments often cause other adverse effects on the body.If you can help out the cause with a donation, we would be incredibly grateful!
Donate here!
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I know what those runners go through. What they have to do in order to succeed is just mind-boggling. So my favorite part is every year from 9 a.m. Saturday till 9 a.m. Sunday for 24 hours, I'm at the finish line. Everybody who finishes, I congratulate, high five, hug, I give the medals. I have goosebumps right now just thinking about it. It’s amazing.”
Jakob Herrman is an experienced trail runner who has run an incredible amount of races. This has led to a base of knowledge that the Swiss-born trail runner has used extensively for his race-directing practices, particularly his own race, the Swiss Alps 100. This race has evolved over the years and these days offers many different distances, and disciplines… You can literally hang glide as part of the Swiss Alps 100.
“The fun part is we have a tracker for every single participant for safety. And every ten seconds, the position is updated and you have a big map. You see all these points where everybody is. It's super interesting. And it's kind of funny because once in a while you see somebody falling down really fast and I'm like, I hope it's a flyer, not some runner falling down the cliffs.”
Thankfully it’s just been the fliers so far!
Jakob was an awesome guest and the Swiss Alps 100 sounds absolutely amazing. It’s definitely on my list now and hopefully, I can make it happen sooner than later! I hope you enjoy the conversation and are as intrigued about this race as I am.
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
Like, share, subscribe and comment
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“We almost sold out the Rio this year in a relatively short time so I think we can sell it out next year. We just need to know where to focus our energy.”
Today we are looking back at the Trail Running Film Festival and putting a bow on the whole thing with Jeannine Avelino. Jeannine was a huge part of putting the event together and I’m incredibly grateful for her help and support! It was great to chat with her about the event from our different perspectives, as she was able to enjoy the show from the crowd. We’re both super happy with how the event went and are looking forward to next year already! Jeannine loved being in the crowd with all those other trail runners and feeling at home in the community.
“I loved hearing the reactions to the movies, you know? Just watching it alone, I just hear my reactions, but seeing or hearing everybody react to it the same was as I did. Just laugh at the little things or anything that is relatable to you when you’re out on the run, like “I know how that feels”, that was pretty cool.”
We’re so honoured to have hosted this thing and been able to play a tiny little part in our trail-running community. From all of us, thank you so much for all the support and for showing up. Next year we do it again, and we do it even better :)
Please like, rate, share and subscribe!
You can learn more about our live podcast guest Filsan and PLR here!
Our amazing sponsors from the night:
5 Peaks
Distance Runwear
Beast of Big Creek
Ridgeline Athletics
Thursty Elk Trail Race
Heads or Trails
Conquer The Vedder
Blumaka
Finlayson Arm Races
Social YVR
Harbour YVR
Galiano Trails Society
The podcast is available where you listen to podcasts:
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Photo Gallery from Adam Stevens Visuals
So grateful to have Adam Stevens on hand!
Feel free to download and share. Please tag us all and we can help you share them!
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
The 2023 Trail Running Film Festival has officially come and gone from Vancouver, BC, and it was an incredible honour to host over 340 trail runners at the historic Rio Theatre. We enjoyed the amazing films together, raised some money for BC AdventureSmart, played some games and won some prizes, and we were so grateful to have Filsan Abdiaman of Project Love Run on hand as our special guest for the evening.
The chat with Filsan was great, it was fantastic to learn about Project Love Run. I’ll admit we were both a bit nervous doing this live in front of everyone, but I think it was informative and I’m grateful for Filsan joining us and telling us a bit of her story, how Project Love Run came to be, and what’s been rewarding for her.
“Project Love Run is about celebrating different stories. It is about celebrating both difference and growth. Project Love Run in 2016 looks nothing like it does today. We’re forever learning and unlearning in community and I think that’s the best thing about Project Love Run, that constant evolution and growth.”
I feel very fortunate to live in a part of the world where there is so much opportunity for people to get on the trails in spaces they feel safe. The more people that are out there on the trails, however, they are out there on the trails, is good for all of us. It helps keep our spaces public and the more demand we have for outdoor spaces, the more outdoor spaces we will get. I’m inspired by any of you out there organizing groups and it was very inspiring to hear Filsan talk about PLR.
You can learn more about Filsan and PLR here!
Our amazing sponsors from the night:
5 Peaks
Distance Runwear
Beast of Big Creek
Ridgeline Athletics
Thursty Elk Trail Race
Heads or Trails
Conquer The Vedder
Blumaka
Finlayson Arm Races
Social YVR
Harbour YVR
Galiano Trails Society
The podcast is available where you listen to podcasts:
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Photo Gallery from Adam Stevens Visuals
So grateful to have Adam Stevens on hand!
Feel free to download and share. Please tag us all and we can help you share them!
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Every step of the way we are building community and we are delivering. I’ve not heard anybody that’s been disappointed.”
Mathias Eichler is back! The man who wears all the hats puts on the Trail Running Film Festival Executive Producer hat as we chat all about the festival, which is happening here in Vancouver, BC, tonight! The Rio Theatre is set to host us with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We have 9 great films to watch, awesome door prizes, a 50/50 in support of SAR, and even some special treats courtesy of Tailwind Nutrition for the first people in the theatre, so show up early! Mathias was a great guest to chat with and he is super pumped about what the film festival represents.
“We are staying true to our mission. I think the perfect balance would be inspiration and challenge. You need inspiration, you need that feeling of excitement and hype… The other piece though is you want to be challenged… You want to be confronted with reality as well.”
Click here for tickets!
Our sponsors include:
5 Peaks
Distance Runwear
Beast of Big Creek
Ridgeline Athletics
Thursty Elk Trail Race
Heads or Trails
Conquer The Vedder
Blumaka
Finlayson Arm Races
Social YVR
Harbour YVR
Galiano Trails Society
I can’t believe the big night is finally here! I can’t wait to see you all at the theatre tonight. It’s going to be a blast to celebrate our community together. Say hi if you see me and I hope you all have a great night out.
There is also…
Film Festival Special Guest Filsan Abdiaman
We’re so excited to chat with Filsan Abdiaman as our special guest! Filsan started Project Love Run which is “a running collective for all self-identified womxn seeking a space to connect with others and their own minds and bodies”. We can’t wait to learn more at the film festival. The film festival is going to be a great time and I can’t wait to hang out with all of you!
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“At the Big Creek campground, just above Lake Cushman, which sits above Hoodsport, which sits above the Hood Canal, which is right on the edge of the Olympic Mountains, on the Southeastern side of the Olympic Penninsula, right by the staircase entrance of the Olympic National Park, about an hour away from Olympia WA, which sits about halfway between Seattle and Portland, in the Pacific Northwest, of the West coast of North America.”
Mathias Eichler is the Rock Candy Running Race Director and The Beast of Big Creek is one of their events happening in Hoodsport, WA, on Saturday, August 5! The Beast is also a sponsor for our screening of the Trail Running Film Festival which happens tomorrow here in Vancouver, BC! Mathias is the Executive Director for the film festival and we will chat about that tomorrow on the podcast. Today’s episode is about this incredibly fun-sounding race. The race itself sounds incredible and Mathias really loves to bring the community together as an RD.
“To provide that experience for runners. Being able to create these adventures that people can have and safely have, and enjoyable to them. Allowing them to push themselves in that way. I think that’s super rewarding and something I value extremely. “
The race itself has two options, a shorter forest loop and a longer summit route. The summit route takes runners up into the alpine and offers up plenty of challenges. The event sounds like a total blast and I’m registered myself. I can’t wait to get down there and see what this race is all about!
Remember to check out tomorrow’s episode as well when Mathias and I chat about the film festival.
Film Festival - 6 pm Tuesday, April 18 at the Rio Theatre
Click here for tickets!
Our sponsors include:
5 Peaks
Distance Runwear
Beast of Big Creek
Ridgeline Athletics
Thursty Elk Trail Race
Heads or Trails
Conquer The Vedder
Blumaka
Finlayson Arm Races
Social YVR
Harbour YVR
Galiano Trails Society
We’re busy getting ready for The Big Night! Tuesday, April 18 at the Rio Theatre where the doors will open at 6 pm and the show starts at 7 pm.
Click here for tickets!
We have 9 great films to watch, awesome door prizes, a 50/50 in support of SAR, and even some special treats courtesy of Tailwind Nutrition for the first people in the theatre, so show up early!
There is also…
Film Festival Special Guest Filsan Abdiaman
We’re so excited to chat with Filsan Abdiaman as our special guest! Filsan started Project Love Run which is “a running collective for all self-identified womxn seeking a space to connect with others and their own minds and bodies”. We can’t wait to learn more at the film festival. The film festival is going to be a great time and I can’t wait to hang out with all of you!
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“They’re all the small moments that I realized that I trail ran for. Those small moments, not necessarily for running itself.”
Milo Zanecchia wanted to capture all the moments on a run when we aren’t running. We all know how distracted we can get on runs, for all kinds of reasons, but did you ever really think about how it all adds up? Milo’s film “The Reality of Running” features these moments in a beautiful way. It’s brilliant to watch, made me laugh out loud, and conveys all the feels of a full day on the trail, in a tight 3-minute package. I love it and it was clear from chatting with Milo he knew what he wanted to accomplish with the film. He loves the outdoors and the opportunity to showcase them, and certainly advises anyone chasing their dreams to do so with gusto.
“Make time for the projects you really believe in. It’s easy to get distracted by the money and the paycheque, and those are really important because they help you buy the gear and the equipment and everything that is necessary for these passion projects. Ultimately, the passion projects are the ones that open up doors to clients that you want to work with.”
Milo has some other ideas for future films and is thrilled to be included in the Trail Running Film Festival in the meantime. He was a lot of fun to chat with and I’m excited to follow him along as he seems like an easy person to cheer for. Come on out on Tuesday, April 18 at the Rio Theatre and see his film “The Reality of Running”.
Film Festival - 6 pm Tuesday, April 18 at the Rio Theatre
Click here for tickets!
Our sponsors include:
5 Peaks
Distance Runwear
Beast of Big Creek
Ridgeline Athletics
Thursty Elk Trail Race
Heads or Trails
Conquer The Vedder
Blumaka
Finlayson Arm Races
Social YVR
Harbour YVR
Galiano Trails Society
We’re busy getting ready for The Big Night! Tuesday, April 18 at the Rio Theatre where the doors will open at 6 pm and the show starts at 7 pm.
Click here for tickets!
We have 9 great films to watch, awesome door prizes, a 50/50 in support of SAR, and even some special treats courtesy of Tailwind Nutrition for the first people in the theatre, so show up early!
There is also…
Film Festival Special Guest Filsan Abdiaman
We’re so excited to chat with Filsan Abdiaman as our special guest! Filsan started Project Love Run which is “a running collective for all self-identified womxn seeking a space to connect with others and their own minds and bodies”. We can’t wait to learn more at the film festival. The film festival is going to be a great time and I can’t wait to hang out with all of you!
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“For me, it started with a sketchbook. I’m dyslexic, so for me, reading and writing have always been a little bit more difficult and so when I wanted to share these wild crazy experiences outside, I didn’t do it through essays or a lot of words or poetry. It was always through sketches."
Max Romey learned how to express himself through his artistic side. Now his creations are inspiring the artistic side of trail runners and outdoor lovers all over the world. Max Romey Productions produced “Footprints Running Camp” and was able to blend the world of trail running and idea building at this unique conference. Max has a really fun way of blending sketches and film and part of his drive comes from inspiring others through things like The Trail Running Film Festival. His passion for the outdoors is evident and he adores the trail-running community.
“Having that community behind means everything. There’s probably more road runners on earth, but the trail runners, they’re down to earth, they get something. When you’re out in these places, you have this connection that I haven’t found anywhere else. And I’ve been lucky enough to look.”
Max is a positive person to chat with and I really enjoyed chatting with him. It was fun to hear some challenges he faces but also what made him want to create the way he does. His film is fun and beautiful so you will want to check it out.
You can catch Max’s film “Footprints Running Camp” Tuesday, April 18 at the Rio Theatre. Speaking of…
Film Festival - 6 pm Tuesday, April 18 at the Rio Theatre
Click here for tickets!
Our sponsors include:
5 Peaks
Distance Runwear
Beast of Big Creek
Ridgeline Athletics
Thursty Elk Trail Race
Heads or Trails
Conquer The Vedder
Blumaka
Finlayson Arm Races
Social YVR
Harbour YVR
Galiano Trails Society
We’re busy getting ready for The Big Night! Tuesday, April 18 at the Rio Theatre where the doors will open at 6 pm and the show starts at 7 pm.
Click here for tickets!
We have 9 great films to watch, awesome door prizes, a 50/50 in support of SAR, and even some special treats courtesy of Tailwind Nutrition for the first people in the theatre, so show up early!
There is also…
Film Festival Special Guest Filsan Abdiaman
We’re so excited to chat with Filsan Abdiaman as our special guest! Filsan started Project Love Run which is “a running collective for all self-identified womxn seeking a space to connect with others and their own minds and bodies”. We can’t wait to learn more at the film festival. The film festival is going to be a great time and I can’t wait to hang out with all of you!
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“She's so positive. She's wise. And she is so strong. She's so tough. And she inspires me. So yeah. It was an easy decision to pick Nettie to make my first movie.”
Jessica Vandenbush chose Aneta (Nettie) Zeppetella to feature in her first film and it was a great decision. The film is super fun and Nettie is a character you will fall in love with. Jessica’s film is beautifully shot and it was great to hear a bit about the challenges she faced as well as what lies ahead! It was also really awesome to hear about her inspiration.
“I was so inspired by the genre in the first place. Watching those trail running movies at the film fest changed my life. And when I came around to wanting to make a movie that really helped women feel possible in our sport, no matter where they come from, no matter how old they are, no matter having a family, having a career, no matter if they had mountains to train on. I wanted to make a movie about this beautiful woman I knew.”
Jessica also has an independent print issue trail running magazine called “Eat Clean Run Dirty”, which you can check out here.
Nettie From Ohio
By Jessica Vandenbusch
Aneta (Nettie) Zeppetella is an Ohio Ultrarunner tackling some of the least-Ohio-style terrain (Western States, Fat Dog 120, Hurt) and working to inspire more women in her area to tackle long distances.
You can catch “Nettie from Ohio” at the Rio Theatre on Tuesday April 18. Doors open at 6 pm and the show starts at 7 pm. About the show…
Film Festival - 6 pm Tuesday April 18 at the Rio Theatre
Click here for tickets!
Our sponsors include:
5 Peaks
Distance Runwear
Beast of Big Creek
Ridgeline Athletics
Thursty Elk Trail Race
Heads or Trails
Conquer The Vedder
Blumaka
Finlayson Arm Races
Social YVR
Harbour YVR
Galiano Trails Society
We’re busy getting ready for The Big Night! Tuesday, April 18 at the Rio Theatre where the doors will open at 6 pm and the show starts at 7 pm.
Click here for tickets!
We have 9 great films to watch, awesome door prizes, a 50/50 in support of SAR, and even some special treats courtesy of Tailwind Nutrition for the first people in the theatre, so show up early!
There is also…
Film Festival Special Guest Filsan Abdiaman
We’re so excited to chat with Filsan Abdiaman as our special guest! Filsan started Project Love Run which is “a running collective for all self-identified womxn seeking a space to connect with others and their own minds and bodies”. We can’t wait to learn more at the film festival. The film festival is going to be a great time and I can’t wait to hang out with all of you!
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Every single person, start to finish, is treated like they won the race, like they’ve been the most important person there. That’s a part of our DNA. Making sure that every single person that comes across the finish line feels celebrated.”
Coast Mountain Trail Running is a finely tuned machine at this point. The group has been putting on events in British Columbia for quite some time, and they’ve got it down as well as a participant could hope for. Gary Robbins and Geoff Langford are the two Race Directors for CMTR, and on top of their love for trail running events, they also have a passion for multisport events. That’s how they came up with Conquer the Vedder, the SUP, gravel bike, and trail run event coming to Cultus Lake May 27-28. This will be the second year for the event, and 2 years is about how long a race takes to put together, from concept to race day.
“That's always a two-year window and that's what I say to anybody who reaches out asking about the event side of things. Your best-case scenario is 18 months and that would need some luck and some connections. But you need to give yourself a 2 year window to bring something to life because the permit process and everything that goes along with it, and especially coming to a new community, a lot of relationships need to be established and a lot of new stakeholders need to be identified and connected with.”
Gary was great to chat with and it was fun to learn a bit more about how this event came together. I’ve always loved the events that CMTR puts on and so I was thrilled to be able to chat on the podcast and have Conquer the Vedder as a sponsor for the Vancouver screening of the Trail Running Film Festival!
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Film Festival - 6 pm Tuesday April 18 at the Rio Theatre
Conquer the Vedder is a proud sponsor of our Vancouver screening of the Trail Running Film Festival!
Click here for tickets!
Our other sponsors include:
5 Peaks
Distance Runwear
Beast of Big Creek
Ridgeline Athletics
Thursty Elk Trail Race
Heads or Trails
Blumaka
Finlayson Arm Races
Social YVR
Harbour YVR
Galiano Trails Society
We’re busy getting ready for The Big Night! Tuesday, April 18 at the Rio Theatre where the doors will open at 6 pm and the show starts at 7 pm.
Click here for tickets!
We have 9 great films to watch, awesome door prizes, a 50/50 in support of SAR, and even some special treats courtesy of Tailwind Nutrition for the first people in the theatre, so show up early!
There is also…
Film Festival Special Guest Filsan Abdiaman
We’re so excited to chat with Filsan Abdiaman as our special guest! Filsan started Project Love Run which is “a running collective for all self-identified womxn seeking a space to connect with others and their own minds and bodies”. We can’t wait to learn more at the film festival. The film festival is going to be a great time and I can’t wait to hang out with all of you!
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“It's one thing to prepare and succeed. It's another thing that's even more fulfilling to help others prepare and succeed”.
Dave Melanson is the 5 Peaks Race Director here in British Columbia. He’s been around the series for years and describes taking the role as a natural transition. It certainly sounds that way as his love for the trail community and hosting events is evident. Dave was an awesome guest who is clearly stoked to help 5 Peaks continue its excellence in hosting trail events, now into its 25th year.
“We can see what people want and give them more of that. More trails, more mountains. Good stuff.”
Dave got into what the 5 Peaks series in BC has in store for runners. From the season starter at Alice Lake, to his favourite course in Whistler, and he’s super excited for the season finale party at Mt. Seymour. The series sounds like a ton of fun and the 5 Peaks team is a polished group ready to host runners and show them an amazing time. The series has 5 stops:
April 15 - Alice LakeMay 6 - Golden EarsJuly 22 - Cypress MountainAugust 26 - Whistler BlackcombOctober 28 - Mount Seymour
5 Peaks is also the gold sponsor for our Vancouver screening of the Trail Running Film Festival happening Tuesday, April 18 at the Rio Theatre. The doors will open at 6 pm and the show starts at 7 pm. Come early to meet Dave and some other 5 Peaks ambassadors! They will make it easy to learn more about them and sign up for their races. You won’t want to miss out, so get your tickets now!
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“It’s just incredible to be around the stoke that so many BIPOC folks have for being in the mountains. It’s a privilege to be able to help them overcome some of the barriers and intimidation that people experience.”
Safder Raza is a trail runner originally from Pakistan who calls Vancouver, BC, home these days. He got into trail running after seeing a few trail runners while he was orienteering and since then he has finished on a 50-mile podium! His passion for the outdoors was only overmatched by the passion he has for helping others like himself get outdoors. He does this with a group called “Colour the Trails.” Colour the Trails advocates for inclusive representation in the outdoors.
Safder leads a 12-week trail running course with Colour the Trails throughout the summer. It’s not just about trail running itself, but everything around it, from teaching the 10 essentials to nutrition tips. He loves leading the trail runners but also noted that Colour the Trails is all about the outdoors, not just trail running.
“We also do skiing events that are happening right now that it’s ski season. We do a lot of mountain biking events and hiking, bird watching, and all sorts of things in the outdoors.”
Safder was a lot of fun to chat with and his joy was contagious. I had a lot of fun learning about Colour the Trails and Safder’s love of the outdoors. I think you will too!
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Film Festival episodes start next week
Perhaps you noticed, but it’s been a minute since we last posted around here. That’s because we’re busy getting ready for the Vancouver screening of the Trail Running Film Festival! Tuesday, April 18 at the Rio Theatre where the doors will open at 6 pm and the show starts at 7 pm.
Click here for tickets!
Starting next Monday, March 27, we’re gonna start the hype train around here and share some awesome interviews with filmmakers and our amazing sponsors! There is so much fantastic content, we might even be dropping episodes twice a week ;)
Film Festival Special Guest Filsan Abdiaman
We’re so excited to chat with Filsan Abdiaman as our special guest! Filsan started Project Love Run which is “a running collective for all self-identified womxn seeking a space to connect with others and their own minds and bodies”. We can’t wait to learn more at the film festival. The film festival is going to be a great time and I can’t wait to hang out with all of you!
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“When I first started researching, I didn't really see many people like me out on the mountains.”
Deon Barrett has started True North Project because he wants to inspire. Barrett started TNP in January 2022 when his research showed that 6,098 people have summited Mt. Everest and 10 of those were Black People. The reason this particular project made sense to him was because of its grandeur. Barrett wants to inspire on the biggest stage and I think it’s incredibly noble that he wants to be that beacon because to get to this point is pretty incredible. He’s had some dark days in his past. The darkness included an attempted suicide. Barrett found the outdoors quite therapeutic in his recovery but he didn’t find there were many visible Black People in the industry to draw inspiration from.
“There's not a lot of, I would say, people of inspiration doing that for the younger generation, especially within the outdoors community. So that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to open the doors, talk from a personal standpoint and experience and show them that they can find their own passion within the outdoors. Because I have.”
Deon gives some insight into his training as well as the cost of an Everest expedition in our chat. His plan is to get up the mountain by the 2025 season. His passion for the project is evident and it’s clear he’s already an inspiring individual. Enjoy the conversation, I know I did!
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Trail Running Film Festival Tickets
We will announce the winners of the contests this week!
We are slowly rolling out our Sponsor announcements as well. The support here has been incredible. This really is an amazing place in the world to live and trail run. I’m incredibly grateful for it. Watch for more announcements in the coming weeks and get your tickets while you can!
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
After the announcement last week it only made sense to get a quick podcast in about the Trail Running Film Festival coming to Vancouver, BC, on Tuesday April 18 at the Rio Theatre! Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
Buy your tickets now!
I’m incredibly excited to host and celebrate this wonderful community with a bunch of amazing trail runners. It will be fun to hang out in a different context with everyone and be in a room full of awesome, together :)
The films will document the culture of trail running and the festival is committed to promoting inclusivity, adventure, wilderness, art, and diversity across the trail and ultra community. The theatre has a capacity of 420 and it should be a great time for all of us trail runners to get together and celebrate our incredible sport together. Vancouver is a very active hub in the trail running world and the event will give the community a chance to come together and celebrate trail running on the big screen and in the same room.
Buy your tickets now!
If you want to support this newsletter and podcast and get your tickets in one neat and tidy transaction, subscribe to an annual subscription now!
Contest Time!
Let’s get this rig rolling and give away some tickets, shall we?!
3 ways to win
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Subscribe for free (your name goes in the draw with all the other free subscribers)
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Upgrade to a monthly paid subscription (only those who have paid subscriptions are entered in their own draw)
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Enter the contest on Instagram
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You must be following
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communitytrailrunning
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trailfilmfest
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riotheatre
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Follow those three accounts and mention your trail-running friends in the contest posts. Tag a friend and get an entry, it’s as easy as that!
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“That's the part I'm enjoying the most right now, is just being able to kind of experiment and tell the stories I want to tell the way I want to tell them.”
Jeff Pelletier has been trail running for over a decade and he’s been creating videos about his adventures since 2018. In that time he’s wracked up tens of thousands of followers and made some pretty inspiring content to consume! Whether he’s running a crazy race, fastpacking a beautiful trail, or covering someone else’s FKT attempt, Pelletier enjoys the challenge of telling the story in an interesting way. He’s also learned over the years what kind of running makes for the easiest content creation.
“I would say, just really simply, the longer the race, the easier it is to tell a story with video. When you're trying to run fast, and by fast, I mean even in a 50 kilometer race, it's really difficult to be filming and messing around with gear, because you're worried about losing precious minutes. Whereas in, say, a 200 miles race, where you're out there for four days, minutes don't matter as much. So it's okay to maybe stop and film something or to mess around with camera batteries here and there. Definitely the longer the race, the less pressure I feel in terms of the clock.”
Jeff talked about the difference in stress when he is filming himself as opposed to someone else. He also got into how much trail running has changed since he started and what he thinks about the state of the sport currently. It was awesome that he came on the cast and I hope you all enjoy the interview as much as I did.
Please like, rate, subscribe, and share!
It all helps in the world of online algorithms. Thank you for your support.
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Tickets will be available incredibly soon, stay tuned!!!
Galiano Trails Society is hiring: Trail Building and Maintenance Coordinator
I’m honoured to have joined the Galiano Trails Society board of directors! It’s a brand new role for me, and I will have some more to tell you all about it soon. But in the meantime, we are hiring and I must share the job posting with you all! Please share with anyone that you think would appreciate it.
Start Date: February, 2023Term: One Year Contract with possible extensionTime Commitment: Two 8-hour days per month on average with some flexibilityApplication Due Date: January 31, 2023
THE GALIANO TRAILS SOCIETY is a registered charity dedicated to the development and enjoyment of hiking trails on Galiano Island.
The Society is currently seeking a capable, Trail Building and Maintenance Coordinator (the "Coordinator") who has the skills to both organize and lead volunteer and summer student work parties, and undertake heavy-lift trail construction work, including clearing fallen trees by chainsaw and moving and laying gravel.
The ideal candidate will have experience building trails, be knowledgeable about good forest management practices; be able to operate a chain saw; can coordinate, lead and train volunteers and summer students; and has all applicable licenses and permits, including a Workers Compensation Board account, and liability insurance.
The Coordinator will be expected to work with the Trails Society Board to create, manage and report on an annual schedule for trail building and maintenance indicating at what stage of the project each trail is at; and, manage the general trail sites and working conditions, such as erosion and siltation control, barricades, signs, and maintenance of foot traffic past the site.
Please apply by January 31, 2023 by sending your CV and cover letter to:galianotrailssociety@gmail.com
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“What we've tried to do is work with events and work with media to try and represent the sport in the way that we would like it to be, which is one that actually represents the population as a whole.”
Sonny Peart is a co-founder of Black Trail Runners. Peart recognized that Black people were underrepresented in trail events across the UK and decided to do something about it. The group didn’t have any expectations of where it would lead, they just wanted to take action.
“We've been surprised because when we started this, we had no idea where it was going to go. It just felt as though something should be done and if anyone was going to do it, it might as well be us. So a few of us got together and started this.”
Black Trail Runners first move was asking races to include reporting ethnicities that were signing up for races. Through the data they found that although about 5.5% of the UK identifies as Black, less than 1% of runners at trail events were Black. Peart explained this stems from Black people having less access to the trails (both geographic and economic), being less skilled as a result of the lack of access, and being underrepresented in trail running marketing and media. Black Trail Runners is working on these issues in many ways and they really just want to make it possible for Black people to get on the trails.
“We have regular, free social runs with qualified run leaders around the country in the UK. And we also put on what we call trail taster events, which is an opportunity for people to, yes, go out for an inclusive, lead, run, but also to take part in workshops, learn skills, whether that's around navigation or gear or running technique or whatever it happens to be. And an opportunity for people to experience the trails in a relaxed, inclusive environment where they feel safe. They don't have to worry about being accepted or not.”
Black Trail Runners on Strava
Black Trail Runners on Instagram
Black Trail Runners on LinkedIn
Sonny shared a lot more about the organization and what he’s training for himself, including running the London Marathon for Sporting Equals and taking a crack at Wendover Woods 100. Super grateful he took the time over the busy holiday season to chat and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Galiano Trails Society is hiring: Trail Building and Maintenance Coordinator
I’m honoured to have joined the Galiano Trails Society board of directors! It’s a brand new role for me, and I will have some more to tell you all about it soon. But in the meantime, we are hiring and I must share the job posting with you all! Please share with anyone that you think would appreciate it.
Start Date: February, 2023Term: One Year Contract with possible extensionTime Commitment: Two 8-hour days per month on average with some flexibilityApplication Due Date: January 31, 2023
THE GALIANO TRAILS SOCIETY is a registered charity dedicated to the development and enjoyment of hiking trails on Galiano Island.
The Society is currently seeking a capable, Trail Building and Maintenance Coordinator (the "Coordinator") who has the skills to both organize and lead volunteer and summer student work parties, and undertake heavy-lift trail construction work, including clearing fallen trees by chainsaw and moving and laying gravel.
The ideal candidate will have experience building trails, be knowledgeable about good forest management practices; be able to operate a chain saw; can coordinate, lead and train volunteers and summer students; and has all applicable licenses and permits, including a Workers Compensation Board account, and liability insurance.
The Coordinator will be expected to work with the Trails Society Board to create, manage and report on an annual schedule for trail building and maintenance indicating at what stage of the project each trail is at; and, manage the general trail sites and working conditions, such as erosion and siltation control, barricades, signs, and maintenance of foot traffic past the site.
Please apply by January 31, 2023 by sending your CV and cover letter to:galianotrailssociety@gmail.com
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“It is the real deal. It is hard, but it's gorgeous. The views are incredible. You get to see some of those beautiful coastal mountain views. We do it on the summer solstice every year. So there's snow, which is always a fun piece to add in there.”
The Kusam Klimb is under new race direction, as friend of the podcast and race director Myke Labelle and his crew at Coastline Endurance have taken over the event. The Kusam Klimb is famous for “Bill’s Trail” and was originated to help the struggling village of Sayward, BC, bring in some money. That original goal, to help the community during tough times, is still the focus for Coastline. They are simply doing their Coastline thing, making the event run like a well-oiled machine, and runners know they will have an enjoyable experience.
“Nothing they've done is wrong. It's just adding that kind of, I call it the Coastline Endurance touch, to it to make things better or cleaner, just around the edges. Because I told them this when I met with them. I said, you guys are sitting on a gold mine here. This is probably one of the best events around because of what it is and the culture that it's created.”
The Klimb is sold out for 2023, but the event still needs volunteers and it’s worth getting to know it now so you can be prepared for the 2024 edition!
The conversation with Myke was great. He shares some insight into the business approach that the race series has to consider as well as how to keep the event true to its original intention. It’s always a treat to have Myke on the cast and this episode is no different.
Please like, rate, subscribe, and share!
It all helps in the world of online algorithms. Thank you for your support.
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Galiano Trails Society is hiring: Trail Building and Maintenance Coordinator
I’m honoured to have joined the Galiano Trails Society board of directors! It’s a brand new role for me, and I will have some more to tell you all about it soon. But in the meantime, we are hiring and I must share the job posting with you all! Please share with anyone that you think would appreciate it.
Start Date: February, 2023Term: One Year Contract with possible extensionTime Commitment: Two 8-hour days per month on average with some flexibilityApplication Due Date: January 31, 2023
THE GALIANO TRAILS SOCIETY is a registered charity dedicated to the development and enjoyment of hiking trails on Galiano Island.
The Society is currently seeking a capable, Trail Building and Maintenance Coordinator (the "Coordinator") who has the skills to both organize and lead volunteer and summer student work parties, and undertake heavy-lift trail construction work, including clearing fallen trees by chainsaw and moving and laying gravel.
The ideal candidate will have experience building trails, be knowledgeable about good forest management practices; be able to operate a chain saw; can coordinate, lead and train volunteers and summer students; and has all applicable licenses and permits, including a Workers Compensation Board account, and liability insurance.
The Coordinator will be expected to work with the Trails Society Board to create, manage and report on an annual schedule for trail building and maintenance indicating at what stage of the project each trail is at; and, manage the general trail sites and working conditions, such as erosion and siltation control, barricades, signs, and maintenance of foot traffic past the site.
Please apply by January 31, 2023 by sending your CV and cover letter to:galianotrailssociety@gmail.com
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I'm the one who gets our staff to execute. I oversee our staff, our trail crew, our trail director, our marketing team, and everybody, and also help to ensure that our organization is moving forward, that we're not staying stagnant.”
Deanne Cote works with the North Shore Mountain Bike Association’s board of directors to execute their vision, “Trails for all and trails forever”. Trails forever is a decent description of North Vancouver in general, and the NSMBA has a lot to do with that! They don’t quite maintain the entire system on the north shore, but they are always looking to add to the existing network and ensure the current network is smooth like butter. They’ve been doing this for 25 years now! We are very fortunate to have an organization like this working so hard on our home trail network.
“Our main purpose is to advocate for the trails, hopefully, get more new trails as well as maintain the existing trails.
We tend to hire more trail crew every year because we do require lots of maintenance out on those trails. We're always recruiting new builders and volunteers. This past year, we put in over 15,000 hours of trail work on our network.”
Deanne has some great tips for all trail users as well. The conversation was enjoyable as it was nice to learn about the organization a bit more, including how they and the entire mountain biking industry are working towards more inclusivity, and what the NSMBA has planned for 2023.
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Galiano Trails Society is hiring: Trail Building and Maintenance Coordinator
I’m honoured to have joined the Galiano Trails Society board of directors! It’s a brand new role for me, and I will have some more to tell you all about it soon. But in the meantime, we are hiring and I must share the job posting with you all! Please share with anyone that you think would appreciate it.
Start Date: February, 2023Term: One Year Contract with possible extensionTime Commitment: Two 8-hour days per month on average with some flexibilityApplication Due Date: January 31, 2023
THE GALIANO TRAILS SOCIETY is a registered charity dedicated to the development and enjoyment of hiking trails on Galiano Island.
The Society is currently seeking a capable, Trail Building and Maintenance Coordinator (the "Coordinator") who has the skills to both organize and lead volunteer and summer student work parties, and undertake heavy-lift trail construction work, including clearing fallen trees by chainsaw and moving and laying gravel.
The ideal candidate will have experience building trails, be knowledgeable about good forest management practices; be able to operate a chain saw; can coordinate, lead and train volunteers and summer students; and has all applicable licenses and permits, including a Workers Compensation Board account, and liability insurance.
The Coordinator will be expected to work with the Trails Society Board to create, manage and report on an annual schedule for trail building and maintenance indicating at what stage of the project each trail is at; and, manage the general trail sites and working conditions, such as erosion and siltation control, barricades, signs, and maintenance of foot traffic past the site.
Please apply by January 31, 2023 by sending your CV and cover letter to:galianotrailssociety@gmail.com
CTR has our first paid subscription
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“We ended up getting horribly lost and all four of us came close to dying of exposure that night. My buddies and I made a pledge there and then after we kind of were saved, that we come back the next year and knock off the whole 180 km in one push.” - Ean Jackson
Ean Jackson has been wrapped up in the Sunshine Coast Trail for quite some time now. What started as a group challenge has turned into a lifelong relationship for the Powell River, BC, based trail runner. Jackson was the very first to finish the run in one attempt (though it wasn’t the first attempt, because that one didn’t go so great) and these days he updates the website for the Sunshine Coast Trail and offers up help and advice to any trail runners who reach out.
His passion and love for the trail is clear as is the work the Powell River Parks and Wilderness Society (PRPAWS) puts into making the trail so great. Because the trail offers so much variety, it’s hard for Ean to choose any favourite area.
“Some sections are on the ocean, some are on mountaintops, some sections are on mossy green tunnels where old logging roads passed over 100 years ago. Some sections follow rushing rivers. It's it's really hard to pick one section as my favorite…”
Ean was a great guest who just loves this trail. I loved the chance to learn more about it from him. It was wild to learn about this hut-to-hut possibility so close to Vancouver, and to find out that staying in the huts is free was very surprising. I’m going to have to check it out, I know this much, and the shuffle event sounds like a great reason to get over there and see some of the trail!
Watch XSNRG here
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“I'm fortunate to have great staff and we all use the stuff. If we use it and we like it and it works, we can sell it. It's not rocket science, right?” - Dave Cressman
Distance Runwear has been operating for over 11 years now. Located in Vancouver, and North Vancouver, BC, as well as online, Dave and Meghan Cressman, started the shop when they recognized an opportunity to differentiate their running shop from the others. They didn’t need to be bigger to be better, in fact, just the opposite. The reason they’ve found success is they sell what they know.
“That's partly why we've stayed small, is it enables us, or forces us really to be very focused on the things we do bring into the store because we just don't have a lot of space to just display things for the sake of displaying things. And that's probably been the lesson. We need to keep moving forward and we need to cut the cord if something's not working and then go and find that next thing or focus more on the things that we know work for us. That's enabled us to kind of stay relevant as well because we're always hunting, we're always searching for the new things.”
Dave was great and he gave a fantastic glimpse into what they’ve done to stick around for over a decade. Distance Runwear is open all week for your last-minute shopping needs! ;)
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Kara Delwo of the Fraser Valley, BC, is passionate about putting on a great event. So when the race director spoke about hosting trail running races it was clear she wants to leave every single runner with fond memories. Her company “Heads or Trails” just opened registration for the Bear Mountain Trail Race (8km, 12km, 21km on May 13, 2023) and the Bear Mountain mountain bike race (11km or 23km on May 14, 2023). Delwo is pumped to welcome trail runners to Bear Mountain once again, and participants can expect a great atmosphere at any of her events.
“I've always really focused on pushing other people to achieve great things and to celebrate their actual achievements. I care a lot about the integrity of the event. Making sure that it's something that people get there and there's the wow factor and they want to come back. It's not just something that they show up to, race and leave. It's a full spectacular event.”
Heads or Trails hosts 3 trail running races (1 of which is still a mystery, but coming in August of 2023) and 3 mountain bike races. It’s the first year that Delwo is running the events on her own under the Heads or Trails brand, and she is excited to expand her footprint in the trail running community. The races are always accepting volunteers so send them a message if you want to get involved!
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Blumaka Konnect get their independent lab results
Stuart Jenkins was a guest back in episode 18 and we chatted all about the Blumaka Konnect insoles. The idea with the insoles is your feet don’t slip inside the shoes. They were awaiting independent testing results and those results have arrived. They were good. Really good! My anecdotal discoveries with the insoles so far have me believing these things can make a difference. I’m really hopeful an elite will get their hands on these and think so too.
The Trail Running Film Festival is accepting entries
The Trail Running Film Festival is open for submissions until January 7! I’m super excited to be bringing this event to Vancouver and helping executive producer Mathias Eichler with anything else I can along the way. You may remember Mathias from episode 10 of the podcast. He’s an RD down in Olympia, Washington, and he is super passionate about this community.
So I’m calling out to any and all of you who are creators, please submit your work to the festival! It’s a great opportunity to showcase everything that is great about this community. If you’re interested in bringing the festival to your city, get on that now too! If you’re a run club, or a run shop, or just a straight-up trail running fan, this is a great opportunity to bring the community together and have a great time. Thank you all so much for helping me with this!
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
The opportunity to listen to a coach and one of their runners talk about a common subject is something I’m enjoying immensely so far. It’s fun to hear from both sides and this week’s podcast features this dynamic as Couch to Summit coach James Stewart joins us along with one of his runners, Brian Clements. James and Brian are chatting all about their Bremners Winter Vancouver Vertical Kilometre Series taking place on the North Shore of Vancouver, BC. The winter series is virtual (though the pair chat about some exciting news for the next summer series) and they have 5 courses (with 15 segments) ready to go. Runners competing on those 5 courses aren’t just competing for the fastest climb either as they made sure the series was more interesting than that. As a coach, James wanted to make sure all of his runners felt as though they were a part of the series:
“Brian's an incredible athlete, but he's not ever going to be setting the fastest times. But he's more than capable of doing like 50 or more VK's over a four month stretch, no problem. So I guess I was thinking about how do I reward someone like Brian and keep them interested in the series. So with the power ranking format we have, it's just the way that we reward people who put the most effort into the series and we give them rewards and challenges to aim for and that has actually spurned forward some really epic feats of endurance…”
Learn more about the series and register
Check out James and his coaching
Follow Brian on Strava
It was awesome to get to hear a bit about both of these passionate trail runners and how excited they are for this winter challenge. Are you going to sign up? Are there VK challenges where you run? Let us know!
Join the Discord
With Twitter doing it’s thing I’ve started a Discord channel. I’m hoping to maybe get some live chats and such going when a few more people sign up. You know, actually use it the way people do! So if that’s something you’re interested in, head on over and check it out. It’s also got a chat feature so that we can type to each other just like any other old school chat :)
Other places to listen
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
“Personally speaking, it's been a creative outlet that I didn't know I needed. But beyond that, the best thing about doing the show has been getting to know all these people and hearing their stories.”
Chasing Cutoffs is a fun and creative trail-running podcast that Ben Mead hosts. The Olympia, Washington trail runner has been hosting the show since April of 2022 and features back-of-the-pack inspiration. The inspiration to start the show came from a disappointing DNF of his own, and during reflection of said DNF, he wondered why there wasn’t a show that featured stories from runners like himself. Chasing Cutoffs was born, and we are all better off for it!
“I attempted a 50 miler earlier this year, my very 1st 50-mile attempt out in Arizona, and it was a complete and utter disaster. DNF and on the day after I'm walking around in a daze, pretty darn disappointed and thinking “there's got to be a podcast about this, about being super slow, about being either DNF or DFL, or why is there not a show about this experience?”
Ben was a great guest and we got into all kinds of things, like some of the challenges he faced that he didn’t expect, what some of his favourite things about hosting are, and he even takes time to talk about producer “Daisy” and what it’s like having a co-worker that doesn’t contribute much. This interview is informative and entertaining and I’m so grateful that Ben took the time!
Join our Discord channel
Come join us on Discord! I don’t know what I’m doing on there yet, but it’s another way we can interact, and that seems good to me.
Dear Adam
I received one question from the recent callout from Andrew Giles of Edmonton, Alberta. Andrew, thank you so much for taking the time to submit a question! There were two race directors that were more than happy to respond to your question, which was very kind of them, and we definitely appreciate it here at the newsletter. Here is Andrew’s question:
Dear Adam,
I’m a solid mid to back of the pack runner. Most prizing is geared to the front of the pack which I never am - what should races do to encourage folks like me? Or should we just run simply for the joy of it? - Andrew Giles, Edmonton
Matthias Eichler of Rock Candy Running in Olympia, WA was a previous guest on the show and was more than happy to offer up what he does as an RD and podcast host:
Dear Andrew,
Short answer:"... or should we run simply for the joy of it?"Is there another way to run?Longer answer:Here are my suggestions and what I am personally working on as RD and podcaster:- On race day have raffles for all bib holders. That way prizes, especially valuable things like sponsored gear, can be more easily distributed among all the runners participating.
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Create races where coming in first isn't the only focus. For example, we had two endurance events where people can run short loops for 6, or 12 hours. Yes, there will be someone who has run the most loops, but everyone who races their own race and has a different goal. As a race director, this format really allows us to celebrate every achievement by every runner and not just the folks who make it on the podium.
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Highlight stories of the everyday runner, don't just talk about the pro athletes. That way more folks feel empowered to participate in our sport.
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Tell stories of adventure runs and FKT (Fastest Known Time) route. There is so much more to running than just putting on a bib.
Mathias Eichler
Rock Candy has “SATURNALIA” coming December 17, 2022. Register now and see what Rock Candy races and Mathias are all about!
Andrew, I’ve got one more for you. Look for another response from another race director next episode! Myke Labelle of Coastline Endurance and race director for Island Trail Series has also been on the show previously and was kind enough to offer up a response as well.
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Music by REDproductions from Pixabay.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Happy Anniversary
It’s hard to believe it’s been 12 months of newsletters and podcasting, yet here we are! Thank you all so much for coming along for the ride so far, the growth has been far larger than I would have ever hoped for and all of your support has been incredible. Your support has helped me achieve the goal of putting out material every two to three weeks.
When I started last November, my pie-in-the-sky goal was one subscriber a day and we have blown past that. We just cracked the 600-subscriber mark! A huge part of the subscription surge came when Substack featured the newsletter as part of their ”On Substack”, which was cool to be a part of. Substack recommendations also brought in a lot of subscriptions, which is when other writers on Substack recommend the newsletter. Huge thank you to Cole Noble, Sarah Lavendar Smith, Ron White, and James Maynard for currently recommending the newsletter, and anyone else who has at various times over the past year. Various other places that subscribers have come from include Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (other people’s accounts, the newsletter does not have FB). Twitter proved to be very fruitful when I sent direct messages asking followers if they subscribed and provided a link if they didn’t already. This is something I do now every couple of weeks, but I didn’t do it for the first several months, so it led to a huge surge of subscribers. LinkedIn and Reddit have provided some clicks (a whole bunch from Reddit), but no subscriptions.
The podcast
Being featured on Substack also gave the podcast a big boost to download numbers. The boost in downloads after being featured was small in the beginning but snowballed after 2 episodes. Since being featured the downloads on each episode have tallied up faster for the most part. Substack shows that 28 episodes were published over the past 12 months. Two of those were trailers and two of those were descriptions of what the show is all about (one for Ultrapostie and one for Community Trail Running). These episodes have been collectively downloaded nearly 4700 times.
One of the first episodes that received a lot of traction from Reddit was Episode 12 with Scott Snell:
Scott is a super humble guy and one hell of a runner, and his story seemed to resonate with Reddit folks as it was downloaded over 150 times in the first 24 hours. Reddit can be a bit hit-and-miss for posts (I’m learning which posts do better than others on the platform), but the American trail runner was definitely a hit over there, as were the most two recent episodes, that featured Search and Rescue information.
Podcast analytics
Americans are downloading the podcast more than anyone else. 48% of listeners call the USA home and 30% of listeners are fellow Canucks. Our friends in the UK account for a nickel’s worth of that percentage pie and finally, Germany and France are worth 2% and 1% respectively. All of you are downloading episodes about 90 times in the first 7 days. Episodes have been allegedly downloaded in 49 other countries. That’s pretty cool!
Having downloads come from so many different countries is fun to see and the way people have been listening is interesting to delve into as well. I was surprised by how few people listen to podcasts on Spotify (2%), and how many listen in the browser (59%). Apple podcasts had a smaller share than I expected (20%) and Overcast (3%) actually beat out Spotify. Don’t forget to rate and subscribe to the podcast on your preferred listening app, it really helps!
The fact that you are all listening and supporting from all over the world means a lot. It’s very fun to be a part of this community and find ways to bring value and increase our love of the sport. The love for this sport, and the passion to share knowledge that all of the guests brought this year can’t go understated. The reason the show gets downloaded is because of these awesome people and I will forever be grateful!
Anatomy of a podcast
Before the show ever gets downloaded, there is a whole lot of production that goes on. Each 15-minute episode is the culmination of hours of work.
Preproduction involves reaching out to potential guests and finding a match. Sometimes it can come together really fast and others it takes a little longer. Once a guest is solidified, the focus turns to research on the person and the subject. Most of the questions and the introduction are sent to the guest the day before the recording. This helps ensure our 15 minutes of interviewing is as informative as it can be and it helps me ensure all the research was correct before recording.
The recording is definitely the most fun and shortest part of the process. I use zoom for ease of use. Generally, we chat a bit before recording to go over anything that needs addressing (I don’t think a single guest has changed anything to this point), and then I start my timer and the recording. I try and start wrapping up sometime after the 10-12 minute mark to make sure we are wrapped with plenty of time. This is an area that I always need to focus on to ensure we stay 15 minutes or less. I remind the guests once we are done recording when it will be posted and that takes care of recording day.
Post Production has a few steps which start with editing. Editing can be pretty simple (removing some umms and ahhs) but it gets more complicated if I was bad with my timing. I look to edit out repeat information and that sort of thing. The goal with editing is to go unnoticed (like a good umpire!) and I really try to keep it to a minimum.
After editing I write the newsletter post that will be used as the “podcast notes”. This includes making sure everything is linked properly. I’ll create graphics from photos that guests have provided and use that in the post as well. That graphic can be used in various formats for social media and for the Youtube version of the podcast. I set the release time for Monday at 3 am (Pacific) and start promoting! Promoting is done over all the social media accounts mentioned above and most of the time the guest will share on their feeds as well.
The podcast has been a ton of fun and something I’ve really enjoyed doing. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I still am figuring it out as we go, but it seems to be finding its feet, and that’s quite exciting.
Going paid
I’ve turned on the option to pay after careful consideration. If you contribute to the newsletter you will help the growth and evolution of the community. Nothing is going paywalled, as that’s not the point, but for those who want to contribute, the option is there and income would allow the show to grow and get better on the technical side as well. I’ll make sure to send you a thank you note in the post to wherever you call home (I can also mail you a potato if you’d prefer, and we can test that theory).
Paid membership or not, the plans for year two are simple, to continue creating content and adding value to one of our favourite things, the trail running community. The goal, in the beginning, was every two weeks and that still feels like a good pace. I might go heavier on podcasts as opposed to written pieces, as I’ve really enjoyed them. The written pieces have been fun too, but I need to ensure I’m writing something interesting and not just publishing for the sake of it. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve written so far and I will not force it. One of my favourite written pieces was the two-parter about why you all love to trail run:
Excerpt:
We’ve headed up another climb before we know it and Mandy mentions how much she loved the discomfort of running at altitude in Pattee Canyon in Missoula and Jeff shares a story about running the JFK 50 miler and letting runners pass so he could enjoy the ridgeline views of the Appalachian Trail. We continue over the technical terrain and Jeff speaks again.
“For me, trail running is all about being disconnected and unplugged from the artificial digital world that we are pulled into through most of our day. Being on the trail allows you to disconnect from all of that by simply allowing you to connect to the natural world around you. You are able to connect to who you are, how you were created to be, to live, to breathe and to exist. It isn't an escape, so much as it provides freedom to be.”
Excerpt:
We’re making our way over technical singletrack with rocks, roots, and bridges. This has a distinct Pacific North-West vibe all of a sudden. I introduce myself to the newest runner I’ve come across, Sandra Louie (Burnaby, BC). She must have overheard the conversation or just knew exactly what to talk about.
“On the trails, you aren't so concerned with pace and time but more on your effort. I take in the beauty around me and appreciate the vistas. It's really a great feeling being in the woods and running mountains. The terrain can be quite different in the summer vs winter and even spring and fall so you can run the same trail but it will be different!”
These pieces were so much fun because I got to read what trail running means to so many of you, and then had the privilege of weaving them together in some kind of coherent manner. This community is so passionate about the outdoors that it constantly encourages me to be better. Thank you all for making Community Trail Running part of your running life.
Highlights from the year
I wanted to highlight a few pieces as part of the year in review that I really enjoyed, and I’ve linked a few above already, so here are a few more:
This was another crowd-sourced piece that I thoroughly loved putting together. 31 trail runners from 7 different countries gave their best tips for trail runners and I organized the list into 4 groups (Rookies, Sophomores, Regulars, and Veterans). Once again it was a blast to see what you all had to say and then find a way to make it all make sense for the readers. This piece certainly took time to put together, nearly 40 hours, but it was worth it. All of your tips were great and I think the piece made a lot of sense in the way it was put together. The feedback for this one was awesome!
This podcast featured Katie Mills, Hilary Spires, and Tara Holland after they finished 1,2,3 at Whistler Alpine Meadows 100km race. It was a super fun challenge for me to host a podcast with three guests at once, and the women were fantastic in sharing their stories of race day. I actually felt like I was part of their group on the course at points during this interview. It’s not easy to interview multiple subjects and I certainly gained a huge amount of respect for those who do it on the regular. Having said that, I’m looking forward to more opportunities of interviewing multiple subjects!
I could put a link to pretty much every piece here as I really did enjoy this whole year, but that’s not the point :-) You have all been so incredible with your support, it’s easy to want to put out more material. This has been a fun journey and I’m stoked to keep on keepin’ on with you all. Onwards and upwards into year 2!
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support.
You. Are. The. Best.
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Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
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We know from last week with BC AdventureSmart Executive Director Sandra Riches that when we adventure into the backcountry, there is a basic checklist we should take care of:
"We want you to follow our three T’S. We want you to trip plan, train, and take those essentials with you.”
Sandra continues the conversation this week and gets into some winter-specific tips for those adventures. She tells us about Avalanche Canada, an “industry cousin” that provides incredible winter/avalanche education and she also tells us what to expect from BC AdventureSmart in the coming months as we finish our conversation from last week. This will help explain her enjoyment of the “current” weather in the interview. Things change fast, don’t they?
Sandra was a fantastic guest and I’m grateful for all the great information she passed along. BC Search and Rescue Association is a great follow on Twitter and that is how I was able to connect with Sandra, so check out the profile! AdventureSmart is an excellent resource with trail-running-specific tips, but also tips for any other outdoor activity you may be participating in where Search And Rescue may be deployed.
SAR is entirely volunteer, and we are incredibly fortunate to have them so that we can play out there. They risk their lives for us to play and that’s pretty damn awesome. If there is anything we can all do to make sure they get called out as infrequently as possible, we should.
“We hope, we say this respectfully, that you never see any of those 3000 volunteers. Ideally, they don't want to meet you. You don't want to meet them in the best-case scenario. However, they're great people, don't get me wrong. You do want to meet them in another sense because they're amazing and trained and skilled and highly professional. Unpaid professionals.”
Thank you SAR volunteers everywhere!
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Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
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The three T’s are simple enough, aren’t they?
-
Trip Plan
-
Train
-
Take Essentials
BC AdventureSmart Executive Director Sandra Riches joined me for a two-part chat and we talked all about AdventureSmart and its mission. She gives some great tips on what we can all do out there to ensure we are being as smart and prepared as possible, and she also gets into how they create the education that they do. They have an incredible amount of data available to them and by using this data they are able to generate outdoor education that makes sense.
“That collection of data allows all of us, SAR groups, individual members, BC Search and Rescue Association, myself at BC AdventureSmart to jump into that data and look and see what's going on. What's happening, what's consistent, what's seasonal, what is regional. How do we pull out of that and create outdoor education?”
Sandra was a fantastic guest and I’m grateful for all the great information she passed along. BC Search and Rescue Association is a great follow on Twitter and that is how I was able to connect with Sandra, so check out the profile! AdventureSmart is an excellent resource with trail running specific tips, but also tips for any other outdoor activity you may be participating in where SAR may be deployed.
SAR is entirely volunteer, and we are incredibly fortunate to have them so that we can play out there. They risk their lives for us to play and that’s pretty damn awesome. If there is anything we can all do to make sure they get called out as infrequently as possible, we should.
“Our main objective is to increase awareness for outdoor enthusiasts so that we can reduce the number and severity of search and rescue calls in the province of BC.”
Let’s all do our part to help out this great cause, no matter where we are in the world, shall we?
Part two:
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Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
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If you’re not running as much, then you might as well strength train! The running offseason is an opportunity to make gains in other places and friend of the podcast Kylie Morgan of “The Morgan Method” joined us again to chat about this and had some other great information she passed along. Kylie is always a wealth of information but it was also nice to hear about her personal recovery from knee surgery. It was a long road and Kylie was ecstatic to finally toe the line at the 2022 Squamish 23k race. She gives some great perspectives and tips on how to get through such a long recovery.
“Get the small things sorted before they become big things. Don't keep running through an injury. A couple of days off now is a whole lot better than a couple of weeks off later. It's not going to kill your training.”
Kylie was on the podcast back in episode three and chatted about the benefits of strength training in general. It was a great chat and she had plenty of interesting information to pass along!
Don’t forget to submit your questions for the mailbag piece! Get over there now and submit, there is a google form you can fill out :)
We will be back next Monday with Part 1 of 2 with the Executive Director of BC AdventureSmart, Sandra Riches.
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Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Matt Chittim’s excitement is palpable for the new Patreon site, Relay, where he and 8 other running content creators have combined forces to put out at least 20 pieces of various running media each month. The site is entirely paywalled and their goal is simple, to be the best place on the internet for running content. They are setting out to do this by constantly releasing high-quality material through collaboration.
“Ultimately, I have full faith this is going to work for a very simple reason. The people on the team.”
Kara Goucher, Peter Bromka, Lindsey Hein, Zoë Rom, Mike "Kofuzi" Ko, Stefanie Flippin, Carolyn Su, Marcus Brown, and Matt make up the Relay team. The first week of content that Relay created is open for free on the website and will remain that way, so you can get a feel for what they are doing. Check it out for yourself, it’s certainly ambitious and exciting and I’m curious to see how they do! What do you think about it all? Are you interested in a format like this?
The ability to pay for the exact content we want to see is pretty powerful and it seems the world is embracing this. It’s still relatively new though, and people are building new habits, so to see what works and what doesn’t is fascinating. Trail running is in a fascinating place itself as an industry, so all of this could change rapidly and often. It’s going to be a fun ride!
Click above and submit to the mailbag of sorts!
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Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Get full access to Community Trail Running at communitytrailrunning.substack.com/subscribe
Coast Mountain Trail Running’s “Whistler Alpine Meadows” event has a 100-kilometre race that has over 6,000m of climbing and today’s episode features the top three women! Katie Mills, Hilary Spires, and Tara Holland finished 1, 2, and 3 respectively, and shared stories of their time together and apart on the trails of Whistler. They are inspirational and funny and I had an absolute blast listening to these awesome women!
“Instead of freaking out that I was gonna be caught by somebody or whatever, I was kind of hopeful that I'd have a bit of company for the last bit. But it also makes you push in a different way because I knew how strong she was uphill. And I knew that she has really good finishing abilities.” - Katie on the difference between running ahead of friends vs. non-friends.
Who did you go for a trail run with last? Do they know about Community Trail Running? Let them know now!
Hilary has now been on the show two episodes in a row, so a huge shoutout to her! Hilary cracked everyone up talking about how competitive she can be and, as previously mentioned, she hosts the podcast “Trail Running Women”. You absolutely should listen now, so here are a couple of episodes of Trail Running Women featuring today’s guests, Katie Mills and Tara Holland!
“I wanna be on the podium with these two. I really didn't want someone else to catch me. So that made a difference to me.” - Tara on the extra motivation of running with Katie and Hilary.
Hilary is going to run this interview on her podcast as well, so make sure to subscribe to both! I also made the “editorial decision”(lol) to run this interview in full length here, since it’s running on Trail Running Women as well and I felt it should be consistent on both. It’s well worth the few extra minutes, I promise.
“I am a ruthlessly competitive person, like I'll hold your head underwater to win kind of bad-competitive.” Hilary is an open book on the podcast!
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Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
Katie briefly mentions “Salomon Trail Labs” as well. If you’re local to the Vancouver area, check out this awesome running group. It’s so much fun and will be starting up around Halloween:
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
I’m taking submission again from you, so please check out the latest article:
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It’s likely fair to say those runners who sign up for the Finlayson Arm ultra wouldn’t want easy kilometres anyway. Well, perhaps, a single easy kilometre, but Race Director Myke Labelle made sure those didn’t make the cut! Making the cut wasn’t hard for Hilary Spires, in spite of Myke’s efforts, as she won the 100km race in 2021. Both of these awesome people were kind enough to preview the upcoming races at Finlayson Arm on the latest edition of the podcast. Finlayson Arm is a blast to run that really has a unique feel to it.
“The way the course is set up, that kind of out and back format really kind of lends (itself) to a really intimate, friendly feeling event.” - Myke Labelle
Want to volunteer at this years event? Check’em out on IG (Coastline Endurance)
It’s friendly and feels like a celebration out there a lot of the time, but it is definitely going to push you around. Hilary talked about how she won the race in 2021 and some of the challenges that she faced along the way. She had some great advice for those getting ready to take the event on here in 2022.
“If you don't focus on running the mile that you are in and just break down the course, I think the hugeness of it will eat you up.” - Hilary Spires
Hilary on IG
Hilary coaching “Rugged Conditioning”
Hilary's podcast “Trail Running Women”
Every subscription makes a difference. We’re growing this community together, thank you!
Good luck to all of those who are running Finlayson Arm this weekend, you’re gonna have a blast. Enjoy the celebration of all your training! Matt Cecill visuals made a great video about the race a few years back that is always worth a watch:
Myke was awesome enough to chat with us all about this race on episode 4 of the podcast:
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Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
“We take down barriers for women and we can change lives by doing so.”
Sophie Power is empowering women runners everywhere through SheRACES. SheRACES is “A global network of champions, driving change to support female athletes.” Sophie founded SheRACES after being photographed while running 2018 UTMB and breastfeeding her newborn child at an aid station. She wanted the option to be able to defer, as she already had to miss the event once, and even though she was able to run the race and breastfeed, many women would not be able to. Sophie said she really wants to address the start line for women.
“I wanted to understand why women aren't on the start lines and see how I could work with race directors to get more women on the start line, give us a better experience when we're racing, and also really start respecting our competition as one that's separate from the male competition and making sure that the female winner is equally valued as a male winner.
Sophie’s passion for the sport and working to make it as great for everyone as possible is infectious. The future of the sport is in better shape because of efforts like Sophie’s to prioritize equality. It was awesome for her to take the time and chat, even with the European 24 hour championships less than 3 weeks away!
SheRACES has a great website that features all the great work they are doing and how you can get involved as well. Check it out and see how your local races stack up. Race directors are some of the most welcoming and positive people who are always looking to make their events more inclusive and successful and you can always reach out and let them know about SheRaces.
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Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
Lastly, I’m accepting entries for your favourite trail races until the end of August!
Get on over there and hit me up, so I can share them with our awesome community.
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
An insole that ensures your foot doesn’t slide inside the shoe.
Sounds simple, right?
It is! It’s also unique as Blumaka has created this product and was recently featured on “The Athletic”. This is where I found out about the product and I was immediately fascinated. The San Francisco Giants are a team that is generally known in Major League Baseball as a team to be at the front of the pack when it comes to analytics and development. So when it was them involved, I was piqued. The player, Mike Yastrzemski had some interesting thoughts and the article itself had a ton of great information, none more interesting to me, than this blurb:
“How much force is lost with normal insoles? Blumaka isn’t ready to make any concrete claims yet. But Yastrzemski has done some tests of his own in the team’s biomechanics lab at San Francisco’s spring training complex. “We have some things where we can look at our rotational acceleration” in his swing, the outfielder says — rotational acceleration is measured in G-forces — and he noticed a jump of 5-7g with the insoles versus without. According to Blast Motion, the MLB average rotational acceleration is 17g. - From “The Athletic - Why Mike Yastrzemski and the Giants are sold on special insoles: ‘If you’re slipping, you’re losing’
I had to know more and when I reached out to Blumaka, they were happy to get Stuart on a podcast so we could chat a bit about it!
Stuart Jenkins has been running for decades, including winning some major marathons, and he’s been innovating in the shoe industry the entire time, Blumaka is the latest. Stuart loves trail running and prefers it to road running, he even talks about how it influences where he purchases a home. It’s a great conversation with Stuart about him and the product, and you’ll find more interesting bits from the man who once ran for 22 years, 1 month, and 1 day straight!
“You're not making anything 20% or 30% better, but you're making it a little better. Why do all baseball players wear batting gloves? Babe Ruth had a lot of home runs without a batting glove, but somebody figured out you're going to have less slipping in your hands if you have a glove on your hands.”
Find out more about Blumaka here.
It’s not all baseball talk, I promise :) Check it out and see if the insoles make you curious at all. Let me know what you’re thinking in the comments! I have a pair that Blumaka sent me and have been giving them a go myself. They are very receptive to feedback and really want to hear from runners, so if you do get them, give them as much feedback as you can!
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Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Whether you are challenging for the top spot or finding the cutoffs a challenge, cursing Gary Robbins during one of his events is a rite of passage. So you will have to guess if that’s Jeannine Avelino’s quote (finished 2019 Squamish 50k with less than 4 minutes to spare) or Jeanelle Hazlett who said it (won the 50 mile in 2019 and finished 2nd in the 50 k in 2018). Of course only one of them said it, but it almost doesn’t matter who it was, does it?!
Jeannine has plenty of experience on these trails and has simplified the race in order to tackle it.
“I'm treating it as three main climbs, which is Galactic, the Climb Trail, and the Mountain of Phlegm, which, after looking at the elevation gain, it's really nothing compared to the other two. But at 40 km in, it feels like twice, three times that. It's also pretty technical. A good mix of technical and runnable trails. It's pretty fun.“
Jeannine’s “Everything but Weddings”.
Jeannine on “Chasing Cutoffs” podcast.
Jeanelle is coaching Jeannine and will be following her closely as she tackles the course. Jeanelle is not running herself this year but has some pretty vivid memories of how tough this course can be.
“It can be hot. It's relentless. There are lots of roller coaster elements to this course. I'll never forget running and the feeling like my feet were going to blow up leaving Far Side because it's just so up and down that by the end of it, everything is smashed.”
Work with Jeanelle at Ridgeline Athletics.
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Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
Squamish is a tough course and so much fun with the atmosphere that Coast Mountain creates. Coaches can help you prepare for these kinds of tough weekends. Jeanelle is an awesome runner and coach, and she was on the podcast to talk about coaching for Ridgeline Athletics previously:
Jeannine is a good friend of mine and has provided the newsletter with her input several times, including her trail running tips for trail runners:
Best of luck to all those running Squamish this weekend! It holds a special place in my heart after I finished the 50/50 in 2021. You can read all about that here:
Don’t forget to submit your race recommendations to me as well!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Everyone craves a big plate of pasta and tall glass of wine while running an ultra, right?! Sarah Lavender Smith of Colorado Mountain Running and Living chats about one of the most memorable aid stations she’s ever encountered, as well as shares her experience volunteering at mile 58 of the Hardrock 100 and how she used that experience to strategize for her own 100 miler, the High Lonesome 100. Even though Sarah has run countless ultra events, she still experienced a first at the High Lonesome 100!
“I took up ultras in the early 2000s after a decade of road running. I've done like 100 ultras. I've never puked. It's like losing your virginity, puking in an ultra. It's the thing everyone does at some point. And I finally, like the full on uncontrollable yawn. Just horrible.”
We paint lovely pictures on the podcast! ;-) Sarah is a great guest and follow, both on Substack and social media (IG and Twitter). She’s also written a book “The Trail Runner's Companion: A Step-by-Step Guide to Trail Running and Racing, from 5Ks to Ultras.” I reached out after she wrote “Anatomy of an Aid Station” and knew I had to chat with her about it!
“I would pinpoint one runner and latch onto him or her and say, “Hey, I'm your helper. Let me know what you need.“ I would stick with that person and do everything I could to help that person, whether it was helping them get their shoes off and change their socks and deal with their gross feet or getting them food or wrapping. Those were just some of the things that made it special.”
Check it out and let me know some aid station stories of your own in the comment section! Thank you to those that submitted your questions for Sarah, it’s always appreciated. We didn’t quite answer them all, but the best aid station memory that Sarah shared made up for it…
Next week the podcast is back! We’re getting ready for Squamish 50 and we’ve got the first multi-guest show coming to preview the weekend. This podcast will take place of the written piece that would usually come. Guests have been awesome and generous, so we’re gonna roll with it!
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Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
Don’t forget to recommend your recent favourite races!
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Galiano Island is a singletrack paradise. The ease with which you can get onto the trails and run is unparalleled, and the vistas offered up are second to none. The island is the perfect spot for a trail-running weekend. With great food, accommodations, and other entertainment available, a weekend on Galiano is a weekend you won’t regret. The island has something for everyone!
The Galiano Trails Society is a huge reason for the amazing trail running network. They help build and maintain the network of trails up and down the island. On the podcast, I speak to two board members of the Society about what the Society does and how the network of island trails continues to grow. Those board members are Vilupti Corlis and Jesse Keefer and they also shared a few other things they love about the island. I’ve already covered some of this in a written piece that went up last week:
You can get the podcast anywhere you listen:
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
I also had a couple of close running friends, Jeff Radomsky and Chris Shier, join me for a running weekend on the island. I included some of their feelings about what it was like to run on the island. It was a ton of fun to put this series together, as Galiano is a special place and I love being able to share it with anyone on any level. Listen to this podcast, read the written piece, and book your trip to Galiano. You won’t be disappointed!
Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Addie Bracy is a Mental Performance Consultant, and so much more. She’s a professional runner, she’s a cofounder for OUTrun which connects and supports LGBTQ+ individuals, she is a Runners Alliance ambassador, which highlights harassment on the trails, and she’s the author of “Mental training for ultra running”.
She was kind enough to join me on the podcast and talk about how she got to where she is today and we even got to a listener's question from Twitter. It was a great chat and I think you will enjoy everything she had to say! She is really excited about getting to share what she has learned and make it accessible.
“My main goal was to make that information very accessible. The book was mainly the first project I did after school. I want this to be distributed as much as it can be. So that's been kind of the motive the last few years.”
“I think sometimes people just want to not have those negative thoughts and they think that if they do, then, okay, well, I'm having this negative thought about this situation and it kind of spirals from there. Obviously, it's hard to come back from that, but in reality that's normal.”
Here you can follow Addie’s Instagram and Twitter pages.
Her personal practice is Strive Mental Performance and her run coaching is Sharman Ultra Coaching.
Her insight into mental performance is really fun to listen to. She’s been featured on many other podcasts and you may end up going down the rabbit hole to find more!
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
31 trail runners from 7 different countries sent me their trail running tips and I shared them all last week in the written newsletter. This week is the podcast version!
The reaction to the post has been fantastic as other runners have reached out and told me how much they enjoyed it, and some have even commented on their own tips!
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
This episode goes over some favourite tips and I add some personal anecdotes. I had so much fun reading every single submission and it was a treat to put them all together and share them!
Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Hello and welcome to the Community Trail Running Newsletter!
Sorry for the mass of emails the last couple of days, everything should be back to normal after this. Things are going to look slightly different around here with a new logo and name, but everything else is business as usual.
“Community Trail Running” is more straight-forward than “Ultrapostie thoughts in my head”. Simple as that. I’d like to grow the community here and a simple name that gets straight to the point is a more direct path.
Mission Statement
Inform, entertain, and inclusively serve as an online extension of the trail running community.
This is what the newsletter will continue to be all about.
Posts will still come out on the same days. Mondays for podcasts and Wednesdays for written pieces, with the occasional extra thrown in. I’m absolutely loving getting the opportunity to share with all of you!
A huge thank you to SK Designs for the new logo. I love it and the few variations I have. I will cycle through all of them I’m sure!
If you enjoy my newsletter, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running newsletter it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Hello and welcome to the Community Trail Running Podcast! An extension of the trail running community and always 15 minutes or less. We’ll feature useful and entertaining guests and the show will be inclusive, adventurous, and fun. Subscribe today, join the community and let’s grow this together.
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Scott Snell ran 254.167 miles (409.04 km) in just under 62 hours (finishing 62 yards) to capture the Capital Backyard Ultra title on May 28, 2022. An absolutely incredible feat that he accomplished without a crew!
Scott faced some highs and lows but managed to outlast a talented and deep field. His lows were tough and although he didn’t have any crew on hand, he explained there is always one person he knows that will tell him what he needs to hear.
“I called my wife and I was like, look, I think I'm going to quit. I'm done. I'm tired of this. And she reminded me that the reason I was there, what I said I was going to do was keep going until either I’m the last one or until I time out, whichever comes first.”
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Scott spoke glowingly of his wife’s support and about what Lazarus Lake has meant to ultra running. Laz was helping Scott get a few winks of sleep since he didn’t have a crew on hand. The famous race director also wrote a really awesome race update going into the 59th yard that you should read for yourself. It’s so cool how inspired Laz was seemingly feeling from Scott’s run. Scott is an easy guy to cheer for! Follow along and cheer him on as well here on his IG page.
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
You are going to share a lot of personal information with your running coach if you want to benefit the most from the relationship and tutelage. Sharing all of this with someone is a huge act of trust and so it’s crucial that you and your coach have a great relationship. Personal Peak coach Chantelle Erickson preached the importance of a connection with her athletes during our interview.
“I mean, that's how we help you. And where I coach, I rejig programs all the time. It's pretty much every week I'm rejigging something. And it's those kinds of flexible things. Being able to communicate and just listen to your athletes.
I'm here to coach a person's goals and dreams. I'm here for them and to keep them on track with their goals.”
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Chantelle is living in Lethbridge, AB these days, and was a great guest who is clearly passionate about helping others. She was a terrific interview! The interview went so well and so fast that I didn’t get to the submitted questions, and for that, I apologize!
Perhaps you can reach out on her IG page and ask her a question!
Chantelle’s Instagram
Chantelle’s Personal Peak coaching page
A reminder I still want your best two trail running tips!I’m accepting entries until the end of May and the article will be published on the first day of summer. Thank you to all of you that have submitted so far, it could be a record as far as participation and that’s amazing!
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Mathias Eichler is involved in trail running in all kinds of ways, as he runs and hosts a podcast (Singletrack), so directing a race doesn’t seem like much of a stretch for the man now calling Olympia, Washington, home. We had a chance to chat about his Rock Candy Running races which run from July to December in and around Olympia.
“It’s something very new and I’m super excited about it and I’m putting everything I have into it. "
Mathias is a super creative guy and the opportunity to create a race from scratch is something he loves. It was so fun to hear the passion he has for these races and I’m sure it’s going to be a complete blast to take part in any of them. It’s clear he’s invested himself in these races in a big way.
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Rock Candy Running Schedule:
July 23 - Beast of Big Creek (Half marathon and 7m)
August 6 - Little Backyard Adventure (6 hour challenge)
September 17 - Rock Candy Mountain Run (12 hour challenge)
December 17 - Saturnalia (10km)
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Nutritionist Kristen Yarker shared great information about how to eat while training. She tells us how to ensure our body is recovering and getting enough out of what we eat to help us make forward progress!
“Aiming for a good 6 servings of vegetables or fruit a day is an important one. And the next one is just getting enough food (or calories) in general. The third one is hydration. If you’ve arrived at your training already dehydrated, you can’t make up for that.”
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
Kristen runs a team of registered dieticians, she’s written a cookbook, she is well versed in all things nutrition, and in this chat, she shared a wide range of sports nutrition information. She is a wealth of knowledge and also, a really easy person to chat with! I hope you enjoy the chat and the information as much as I did.
Click here to read Kristen’s nutrition website
Click here to read her Instagram
I was also once again able to take some questions from Twitter!
I absolutely love being able to share your questions as I love to be able to provide the information you are thinking about :) So watch out and follow me on the various channels, so you can get your questions in there in the future as well!
Where do you think trail running is going? I talked about this in the intro of the podcast, but I recently posted some thoughts on this in a newsletter post. Mostly though, I wanted to hear from you! Where do you think it’s going?
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
When Gary Robbins and Eric Carter seek you out to work with them, you’re probably a pretty good athlete and an even better person. The two of them operate Ridgeline Athletics and added Jeanelle Hazlett as their first outside coaching hire in 2018. She’s been helping people become better trail runners and athletes as a Ridgeline coach ever since.
Getting better at anything requires practice and discipline. A coach can focus your practice so you are taking the most direct route to your goal. Jeanelle tells us about providing that focus for her athletes who are looking to become better trail runners.
“The most exciting thing has been really getting to know my athletes. What makes them tick and trick. They’re like, “I didn’t even mention this to you and yet you knew.” It’s the coaches intuition that gets to become the primary thing which is pretty exciting.”
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
The conversation was a lot of fun and provided some great insight into what a trail running coach thinks about. I’m also certainly looking forward to the PNW Trailrunners group runs. I hope to see some of you out there!
Jeanelle’s Instagram
Ridgeline Athletics Website
PNW Trailrunners Website
I trained with Ridgeline Athletics in 2021 for the Squamish 50/50. I absolutely loved it and I feel that I learned more in 9 months of full-time coaching with them than I had in the previous 7 years of running.
Obviously, you can reach out to Jeanelle with any questions you have, and feel free to comment below if you have any for me as well!
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Erick Thompson is the creator of “Fifty”, a trail running documentary. He told me the challenges of making a great documentary. The doc is about his journey to, and completion of, his first-ever 50 miler, along the HBC Heritage Trail:
“I Love this trail. It’s really interesting and it’s just beautiful. There are some great spots on it.”
Erick has a great connection with the HBC Trail and really enjoyed running and showcasing it.
He was a great guest and it was fun to hear what a challenge it can be to run and document at the same time. I loved how Erick mentioned Monet painting the same scene multiple times and how he feels the same way attempting to showcase the HBC Heritage trail.
Erick had a great crew and it really motivated him to stick to his training. He didn’t want to let them down on the big day! Check out Erick’s Twitter and Youtube.
If you listen to your podcasts elsewhere, here are some links:
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
This trail running podcast is fun and inclusive. It features interviews with wonderful people who will share helpful and entertaining information. I promise it will be 15 minutes well spent and you will look forward to the next episode!
I wanted to create a trailer for the podcast as some of the players have the option to highlight one. My wife Sheena (she’s also a makeup and hair superstar!) was kind enough to take me out for a photoshoot recently as well. So now I have a new logo for the podcast and some promotional material to milk a whole “post” out of ;)
I certainly appreciate all of you being here and supporting the newsletter. It’s been really fun so far as the writing side and the podcast side start to find their feet.
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Listen to the first episode about who I am here.
The podcast has been a lot of fun for me. I love the opportunity to chat and learn from all of the guests, and the challenge of keeping the interview short is also enjoyable. You’ve all been incredibly kind with your feedback and I could not be more grateful. I appreciate every bit of it so always comment on anything you are thinking.
I have to once again thank Mimi Jamieson, Kylie Morgan, Myke Labelle, Ty Holtan, and Carl “Professor” Stanfield for chatting with me. Every one of these people has been so kind to give up their time and eager to share some information with all of us, and I think we’re all a bit happier that they did!
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Have you ever thought of a goal that was utterly ridiculous, but just “real” enough to want to go for it? Carl “Professor” Stanfield is going for it. Well, he’s hiking for it. Just how many miles is he looking to cover? Does that matter if he literally can’t stand up in the morning?
What a goal he has. 11,000 miles (17,703km). Carl joined me for a conversation while hiking (that’s what happens when you need to cover 30 miles (48.5km) a day (recorded Monday February 28, 2022) and he was feeling great. I have to thank his cousin Nathan Franklin, who I met on Reddit, for pointing out the crazy quest Carl is on. What a great tip! I’m so happy that I was able to have this conversation and share it with all of you. Follow Carl along on his Instagram page.
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
The chat was fantastic, however, due to the fact he was hiking beside a road while he had reception, there is a bit of background noise here and there. I don’t think it distracts from Carl’s awesome story at all, but you all deserve the heads up.
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Ty Holtan stood in the rain at the 2021 Squamish 50 for an absurd amount of time, and covered a ridiculous amount of distance to take great photos of you trail running. He does this all the time! Why would he do that? He is an ultra trail running photographer.
Ty has a couple of degrees (Kinesiology and Exercise Science and Human Kinetics) and he’s taken photos for a bunch of big companies you know (like Lululemon and Redbull). His Instagram page is a great follow and I think you will find our conversation interesting!
I met Ty at a Coast Mountain Trail Running event and quickly realized he is an easily approachable and friendly photographer. I was super happy when he was willing to chat and tell us a bit more about what it’s like to be a trail running photographer. I loved that he mentioned his gear is not that heavy and then reveals it’s about 40lb. Good thing he’s packing all kinds of “highly crushable” food to keep him going! Ty talked about the 2021 Squamish 50 being a recent highlight for him, and it certainly was for me as well!
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
It goes without saying, but all the photos in this post are Ty’s. They are awesome! If you are interested in working with him, reach out.
Ty was a great guest and I hope you enjoy our conversation. I’d love to hear what you think in the comments.
It’s been really nice to interview people about things they are passionate about and knowledgeable about. I’m having so much fun learning from everyone and producing these podcasts. I’m grateful for my guests to have spent some time chatting with me, and to each and every one of you who has tuned in and listened. Thank you.
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Create a tough course and memorable trail running event for all that take the start line. That’s what Myke Labelle manages to do, year in and year out. He’s a race director extraordinaire! How does he create those memorable events?
Myke directs the Vancouver Island Trail Series and the Finlayson Arm (or Finny) Races. With registration opening today for the series (Monday, February 14, 2022), Myke was kind enough to join me and chat about the race. I went longer than I’m aiming to, and we certainly could have kept going! But I’m trying to keep to a style idea here so my apologies for going slightly long.
Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
The most important thing (to me) is greeting every finisher. It is vitally important that I spend that 5, 10, 15 seconds with someone when they cross the finish line, because they’ve just had whatever expereince that they may have had, but they’ve also take the time out of their weekend, out of their lives to train for your event, and it’s important for me to recognize that. - Myke Labelle
Myke is a wonderful guy and is out to make his event as amazing for everyone as humanly possible. This race is a favourite of mine and really feels like a unique event to take part in. I can’t recommend it enough.
Click to read more about coaching services from Myke, as well as the Finlayson Arm races and the Vancouver Island Trail Series!
I was also excited to take some questions from Twitter for the first time:
Thanks to all of you that submitted and I apologize if I couldn’t get to yours. Time goes so fast!
As mentioned in the introduction of the podcast, I’m still taking submissions for “What does trail running mean to you?” Check that post out after if you haven’t submitted it already, and let me know!
Finally, Human powered is a documentary by Matt Cecill about the 2018 version of the Finlayson Arm races and is a super fun watch. Whether you are running the race or not, the video is a great use of your time. Myke and I flew through our conversation so fast, we didn’t even get to talk about it! You’ll be ready for a run after you watch :)
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Kylie Morgan of the Morgan Method hits me with some incredible facts about strength training. One 30-minute workout each week can reduce our risk of heart attack or stroke by a crazy percentage! Just how much do you think it is?
Kylie was super fun to chat with and had all kinds of great notes like this prepared for our chat. She has a Bachelors's and a Master’s Degree in Exercise Science with a particular interest in cardiovascular physiology. She’s worked in the fitness industry for a long while and she absolutely loves trail running, yoga, snowboarding, and strength training! I think you’ll find her informative and the conversation fun. I certainly did! Spotify: Click Here
Google Podcasts: Click Here
Apple Podcasts: Click Here
Youtube: Click Here
You should check out her website here. She has a free yoga program for trail runners you can check out here. And you can keep up to date on her informative IG feed here.
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
Mimi Jamieson of “Answers Within Hypnotherapy” talks about how we can literally reprogram our trail running mind. Flip the switch and turn off the pain. Can it be that simple?!
Mimi is the very first guest on the podcast! She is a BA graduate of Psychology, and a Hypnotherapist and Sex therapist from Victoria, BC. I know Mimi from a few years back, as I was having trouble sleeping and decided to give hypnotherapy a try. I learned a lot and found it very helpful, and also was intrigued by what it might do for a runner. Mimi was kind enough to indulge me, and I think you’ll enjoy the information.
She explains what is actually going on during a hypnotherapy session, in particular, tapping into our subconscious mind. I hope you enjoy the show as much as I enjoyed my conversation with Mimi!
Listen on Spotify here
Google Podcasts here
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com
This trail running podcast will be fun and inclusive. It will feature interviews with all kinds of guests (think hypnotherapy to world record hiking attempts) and always be around 15 minutes. The idea is to leave everyone wanting more.
I’m trying something new today! Episode 1 of the podcast is up, and I hope you’ll indulge me and take a listen. I also hope the rookie behind the microphone won’t send you frantically clicking the close tab screen…
This episode is a natural follow to the first newsletter post, as I just tell a bit about myself and what I’m hoping to cover on the podcast. The podcast will have the same idea as the newsletter of being inclusive and fun, as I hope to involve as many of you as possible. The podcast will usually be about 10 minutes as well, short and to the point. I’m hoping it will just be a little reprieve through the week.
Google podcasts click here
So please, take a listen and comment below what you would like to hear, or anything else you can think of. Thank you again for stopping by and I’m pumped to keep this thing growing.
Music by Skilsel from Pixabay
If you enjoy the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communitytrailrunning.substack.com