Singletrack Cascaudio

Singletrack is live from Chamonix for UTMB. Well, sort of. Keith Laverty is calling in from the (almost) finish line during the biggest event in trail running, UTMB week. Keith is sharing his experiences crewing his runners, navigating the Alps for the first time, and some personal impressions of the atmosphere in town. We’re hyped! This is big! LINKS Keith Laverty – Seattle Running Coach on Team Run Run Keith Laverty on Instagram UTMB live coverage GUESTS ON SINGLETRACK Alex Borsuk Hasenohr ran TDS 2021. Andrea Löw ran CCC 2021. Moritz auf der Heide was signed up for OCC this year but is injured. Matt Urbanski ran CCC in 2016 and DNF’ed this year’s TDS. Maria Dalzot ran OCC in 2021 and is running CCC this year. Krissy Moehl won UTMB, in 2013 – the first UTMB ever. Hannes Namberger came in 6th last year at UTMB and is running in 2022, and sort of my secret favorite to win it all. Eva Sperger DNF’ed UTMB in 2019 and 2021 and Is running this year’s race and is clearing in it for redemption. Connect with S

Lifelong runner, co-founder of the apparel brand Rabbit, and Santa Barbara Running Company co-owner Monica DeVreese joins Singletrack this week to share her personal journey into running. Monica talks about her transition from roads to trails and later ultra distances and getting picked from the waitlist for this year’s Western States. LINKS Monica DeVreese on Instagram Santa Barbara Running Company Rabbit Cover photo by JC Joson Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram Twitter Website

Beast of Big Creek 2022 DFL Champions Dawn Golden and Jacque Hooyer are in the house. They join Singletrack to chat about training routines, how they decide on what races to run, and their major marathon projects for this fall. And of course the main conversation is around racing up and down the trails of Mt. Ellinor, joys and cheers at the aid station, and that special feeling of finishing last, but still being celebrated as winners. LINKS Dawn Golden on Instagram Jacque Hooyer on Instagram Beast of Big Creek will be back for 2023. Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram Twitter Website

Matt Urbanski is back on Singletrack and he’s calling in from freakin’ Chamonix. Jealous! Matt just ran the Hardrock 100 and is here to share what it means to toe this extraordinary start line for the first time and run alongside the legends of our sport. We chat about what makes a race so remarkable that people want to sign up for it year after year. And of course I had to ask Matt a bit about the atmosphere in Chamonix in these last few weeks before the biggest event in trail and mountain runnings. LINKS Team Run Run Matt Urbanski – running coach Team Run Run on Instagram Cover photo by Teddy Bross Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram Twitter Website

In this episode we take a new look at the difference between trail races in Europe and North America. German trail runner Steve Auch joins us and share his experience running the Zugspitz Trail, Lavardo, and Squamish and The Rut. His dream race, is and will be Western States, until the lottery gods finally grant him his wish. LINKS Steve Auch’s website Steve Auch on Instagram Steve Auch on Strava Cover photo by Brian McCurdy Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram Twitter Website

Fresh off a fantastic race Brent Miller joins me to talk all about the Beast of Big Creek. It was an incredible day of racing and I loved hearing Brent stories from the trails, that I, as the race director didn’t experience just sitting in camp waiting for runners to cross the finish line and hoping everything would go smoothly. Thanks to all the runners, volunteers, helpers and sponsors who made this incredible event happen. We’re already excited for 2023. LINKS Brent Miller on Instagram Brent Miller on Strava Beast of Big Creek photo gallery Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram Twitter Website

This week we're traveling back to the Alps with Lauren Head. To be precise, we're heading to the magical, wonderful Dolomites. Lauren shares her story as she runs Lavaredo Ultra Trail around Cortina d'Ampezzo and rewards herself with all the gelato and pizza. LINKS Lauren Head on Instagram Lavaredo Ultra Trail Cinque Torri Beast of Big Creek on UltraSignup Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram Twitter Website

It is almost time to race. Beast of Big Creek is just around the corner and I couldn’t be more excited. To share a bit of the history of the race and what makes it such so a special event, I have fellow podcaster, trail runner, and Olympia local Ben Mead with me this week. Thank you Kevin Hayward State Farm, Tailwind Nutrition, and Wildernest Outdoor Store for sponsoring the 2022 Beast of Big Creek. And thanks to Olyfed and Club Oly Road Running for the year-round support. LINKS Ben Mead’s Chasing Cutoff Rock Candy Running‘s Beast of Big Creek Beast of Big Creek on UltraSignup Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram | Twitter | Website

Just nine days before the race Melissa Tucker got the call off the wait list and got to fulfill her dream to run Western States. This week on Singletrack she shares how she dealt with being undertrained, how she was not being able to eat due to the heat and how she still made it to Auburn in one piece. Melissa is also the new race director for Secret Beach in Gold Beach, Oregon and we chat about the challenge and beauty of putting on a race right on the beach. LINKS WS Twitter announcement of Melissa getting picked off the wait list Melissa Tucker on Instagram All Terrain Adventures, Melissa’s racing company Secret Beach on Instagram Secret Beach on UltraSignup Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram | Twitter | Website

In this episode of Singletrack I am chatting with Tomasz Drybala from Poland. He’s a long, long, long distance runner, motivational speaker and book author. Searching for a new direction, Tomasz discovered running, and through it a new perspective on life, while covering huge distances in Asia, the UK, and Poland. LINKS Tomasz Dryballa’s website Flow Up – the book The US Tour Electric Cable Car Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram | Twitter | Website

Historian, Bavarian, author and ultra runner Andrea Löw joins Singletrack to talk about running as balance to lots of work and a full life. She shares adventure stories from multi-day races in Mozambique and Australia, the festival feeling at UTMB - CCC and the joy of spontaneously signing up for a local overnight 50 Miler. LINKS Andrea Löw’s blog Andrea Löw on Instagram Andrea Löw on Twitter Andrea Löw on Asics Frontrunner Team Cover photo credit: Canal Adventure Rock Candy Running's Summer Races

Just a handful of runners finished this year’s Mount Baker Ultra race and Jeremy Anderson was one of them. He joins Singletrack to talk about one of the nuttiest racing days the Pacific Northwest has seen in awhile. Jeremy shares his motivation to find that flow state while running long in the mountains. And we talk about the practical preparation and planning required to keep one safe. LINKS Jeremy Anderson on Strava Jeremy Anderson on Instagram Mount Baker Ultra Mount Baker Ultra race director Daniel Probst on Singletrack Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram | Twitter | Website

Adam Lee, “Substacker” and fellow trail podcaster joins me this week on the show. In between interval training sessions he talks about discovering trails in Vancouver, BC and launching a newsletter for the trail running community, and a podcast, where I was guest on a couple of weeks ago. LINKS Adam Lee on Substack Adam Lee on Instagram Ultrapostie, with yours truly La Sportiva – Vento Joshua Tree Skincare – CBD recovery salve Electric Cable Car – a commentary on the evolution of the mountain sport trail running Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram | Twitter | Website

Riley Nachtrieb joins Singletrack to share her incredible journey to set a new FKT on the Olympic Discovery Trail. This 135 mile trail leads from Port Townsend long the northern side of the Olympic Peninsula to La Push and the Pacific Ocean. Riley has been dreaming of completing this project for several years and a couple of weeks ago she did just that. LINKS Riley Nachtrieb on Instagram Riley Nachtrieb on Fastest Known Time Arc’teryx Aerios 30 Pack Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram | Twitter | Website

This week I am joined by Eva Sperger - mountain athlete, ultra runner, psychotherapist from München, Germany. She’s part of the Salomon Trailrunning team, the German Ultratrail Champion, and she stood on many podiums across the Alps. Eva takes us from the Zugspitze to Mont Blanc and we talk about her incredible high-alpine mountain project from last year, and her preparation and training for big races all over the Alps. As a psychologist she brings a unique focus to her training and we talk about the all important mental game especially during a race when things go sideways. LINKS Eva Sperger on Instagram Eva’s practice Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram | Twitter | Website

Nick Coleman from the Miles, Mountains and Brews podcast joins Singletrack to share his personal story of pain, perseverance and triumph. His journey takes us to a military base in Germany, a DNF at Badger, and a climb up Mt. Hood in freezing cold winter conditions. LINKS Miles, Mountains & Brews podcast Miles, Mountains & Brews on Instagram Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram | Twitter | Website

Alex Bond is back on Singletrack and after his season kickoff race, the Yakima Skyline 50K he has stories to tell and questions to ask. This race is not an easy one but Alex’s training was on point. So, what do you do during the a race when the doubts start creeping in? How do you respond and fight back when things turn out the way you hoped? And how do you pick yourself up afterwards and look into the future? LINKS Alex Bond on Singletrack Alex Bond on Instagram Alex Bond on Strava Yakima Skyline by Rainshadow Running Connect with Singletrack on: Instagram | Twitter | Website

German pro trail running athlete Moritz auf der Heide joins us from Innsbruck, Austria today talk about his stellar performance at the Madeira Island Ultra Trail trail marathon. We talk about balancing priorities as a pro athlete, training philosophies and the real challenge of the shorter race distances. LINKS Moritz auf der Heide on Instagram Moritz auf der Heide on Strava Madeira Island Ultra Trail Cover photo by Raphael Weber

Gretchen Ta is back to talk injury recovery, race directing and giving back to the trail community. She shares the origin story of this fun and gnarly race outside Bremerton and what it takes to put on this community celebration at Green Mountain year after year. LINKS Dirty Turtle website Dirty Turtle on UltraSignUp Dirty Turtle on Facebook Fall Trail Work Parties with Evergreen Turtle Rockets

This week Brian Morrison from Seattle shares some insights into the challenges of running a brick and mortar running store and what it takes to turn the dream of a 100 Mile race in the Teanaway Country into reality. These first few years of this epic race were bumpy, but if you’re looking for a truly tough race in a truly beautiful place you gotta check out the Teanaway Country 100. LINKS Fleet Feet Seattle Teanaway Country 100