The Steep Stuff Podcast

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Chris Fisher just came back from a three-month Ecuador adventure that started with almost no plan and turned into a full-on human-powered volcano mission. From a base in Quito at high altitude, he links long bike days with climbs on Ecuador’s biggest volcanoes, chasing a “Big Ten” style objective that becomes nine summits once he decides an actively erupting peak is a hard no. We get into what the miles actually feel like, including a brutal opening push to Cayambe and the reality of riding loaded on highways where the risk is out of...

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The Gorge Waterfalls 30K brings a rare mix of speed and strength: runnable trail, road sections where pace changes can stick, and late climbs that punish anyone who goes out too hot. We’re in Hood River with Alexa Aragon for a pre-race conversation about stepping up to 18 miles, testing her limits against a deep women’s field, and using one early-season start line to guide an entire summer of trail running goals.

We talk training through an unusually warm winter, when less snow means more time on the trails and fewe...

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A course that makes you hammer 5:15 pace on the road, then immediately asks you to thread technical trail like you still have fresh legs, is not a “standard” trail race. Gorge Waterfall 30K is built to punish hesitation, and that’s exactly why we wanted to sit down with Grant Colligan before the gun goes off.

We talk through why Grant originally saw Gorges as a chill rustbuster after a disrupted winter, and how that plan changes fast when a deep, aggressive start list shows up. Grant breaks down what makes this r...

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A great race can change your season, but it can also expose every weakness you’ve been dodging. We’re joined by Mason Coppi for a Gorge Waterfalls 30K pre-race talk that goes deeper than predictions, getting into what it really takes to show up ready when the course is fast, punchy, and technical and the men’s field is stacked.

Mason shares how he’s building Hello To Running, coaching everyone from couch-to-5K athletes to runners competing at the highest level. We dig into why training theory transfers across trail ru...

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A fast 30K can be more intimidating than a steep ultra, especially when the trail begs you to push from the opening minute. James sits down with Robin Vieira Brower ahead of the Gorge Waterfalls 30K to talk about what makes the Columbia River Gorge such a special place to race: lush, sea-level air, deceptively technical singletrack, and that mix of speed and flow that punishes overreaching early.

We get into the nuts and bolts of trail running training from Bend, Oregon, where Robin balances dirt-road speed work with mountain days...

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A stacked start line, a rolling course that never lets your legs settle, and a late climb that can flip the whole day on its head. That’s why the Gorge Waterfall 30K feels like more than “just” an early-season trail race, and why I wanted Tyler McCandless back on Steep Stuff for a pre-race check-in. Tyler comes from a deep road and track background, but he’s been sharpening his trail running range, and this two-hour sub-ultra effort asks for the full toolkit: speed, strength, patience, and smart decisions when everyone around you want...

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A five hour push across Boulder’s Flatirons sounds like a hard trail run until you add exposed scrambling, solo climbing up to 5.7, and the kind of off trail linkups where every boulder wants your ankles. We sit down with Caleb Hardaway, a new La Sportiva mountain running athlete, to unpack how he set the FKT on Jerry Roach’s Top 10 Flatirons linkup and why that time was built months before the clock ever started.

Caleb walks us through the route’s moving parts: choosing a clean style, climbing and downclimbing effici...

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A great trail race isn’t a distance on a flyer, it’s a line you cannot stop thinking about. I sit down with Connor and Alice, the founders and race directors behind Mountain Tiger, to unpack how a “run it because it’s beautiful” mindset turned into one of the most talked-about mountain races in Donner Summit, California near Lake Tahoe. We get specific about what makes their course work: a point-to-point route that links two ski areas, hits four summits, and avoids the usual trap of adding awkward mileage just to land on a...

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Big Alta didn’t just crown winners, it showed how quickly short trail racing in the U.S. is leveling up. Rachel & James break down a heat-impacted weekend where the 28K delivered a course record and the 50K produced tight battles that came down to execution. Rachel shares what the Big Alta course feels like at speed, why the exposure changes everything late, and how she approached racing while pregnant, chasing smart goals and still competing hard.

From there, we go global with skyrunning and the World Skyrunner Series, starting with th...

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Breaking news with a human pulse: we sit down with Kyle Richardson to unpack his move to Arc’teryx and what it means for the future of mountain running, creative projects, and the gear we trust on steep ground. From FKTs to film, Kyle’s vision thrives where art meets endurance, and this partnership gives him the tools, team, and runway to make it real.

We dive into why the fit works beyond logos. Kyle describes a culture where designers, marketers, and athletes are climbers, skiers, and runners first—people who obsess...

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A Harvard biologist who loved salamanders, a Wisconsin grad-year racer chasing deeper fields, and a Montana transplant who found her stride on steep, technical trails—Maya Rayle's story is a study in smart risk and joyful grit. We sit down to chart her rapid rise from track speed to mountain savvy, including a breakout podium at The Rut 28K and a fresh selection to the Trail Team.

Maya unpacks what it’s really like to be recruited to an Ivy through likely letters, how she balanced organismal and evolutionary biology with Divi...

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A re-release with a purpose: we’re celebrating Zach Erickson’s selection to the 2026 Trail Team Elite and unpacking the gritty, honest road that got him there. Zach grew up in Idaho Falls chasing every ball sport, found running in middle school, and lived the BYU dream—until a chronic hip injury benched him for a year and eventually cut him from the roster… twice. What followed wasn’t a comeback montage; it was a mindset shift. He let go of fear, built gratitude into his daily training, and said yes to trails on a nudge...

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You can feel the moment a runner starts to outgrow the track and get pulled back toward the mountains. That’s where we meet Paul Knight, newly selected for the 2026 Trail Team Elite and fresh off D2 Indoor Nationals, where a strength-focused block for the 10K unexpectedly sharpened his 3K and 5K speed too. We dig into what that kind of fitness means when you’re eyeing trail racing and skyrunning, where the pace changes constantly and the terrain demands more than clean splits.

Paul grew up in Durango, Colorado, with the...

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A stress fracture can either end your momentum or teach you how to build a career that actually lasts. I’m joined by Elise Coates, fresh off being named to the 2026 Trail Team Elite squad, and her story is a rare blend of high-performance ambition and real-world perspective. She’s the only Canadian on the new elite squad, based on Vancouver Island, and she’s chasing the tricky middle ground where track speed meets mountain durability.

We get into how a soccer background turned into an obsession with racing tactics, why the 80...

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The NCAA doesn’t last forever, but the hunger to train, compete, and belong to a team doesn’t magically disappear at graduation. That’s where Grace Strongman is right now: a Colorado School of Mines standout, a materials engineer, and one of the newest additions to Trail Team Elite, stepping into trail racing with equal parts confidence and curiosity.

We trace Grace’s story from growing up in Kansas City in an all-sports household to discovering cross country in high school, nearly quitting on day one, and then getting pulled in by th...

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A late-race surge, a flow-state descent, and a new home with the bird—this conversation with Jane Moss is pure momentum. We kick off with Black Canyon 50K where Jane, still two weeks removed and sore in all the usual places, explains how a volume-first, low‑workout block set her up to race by feel. She breaks down the risk of going out hot, the mental game of tuning out hype, and the moment she finally spotted the leader’s hat and decided to chase. It’s a masterclass in pacing, patience, and trusting...

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A helmet for the whole race. Crumbly rock. Big exposure. And somehow a course record anyway. We’re joined by Kalie McCrystal fresh off her win at the Quattro Refugios Sky Race in Bariloche, Argentina, and she walks us through what made the day click, from setting the pace early to chasing a time goal when the gap opened up. If you love skyrunning, mountain running, and the gritty details that separate a good day from a great one, this conversation delivers.

We also zoom out to the bigger arc of Ka...

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You can feel the momentum from the first minute: a year after his last visit, Alex King returns with a bigger warehouse, a stronger brand story, and the same stubborn commitment to making trail running gear people can actually afford. We dig into the founder’s rollercoaster—$75k days, quiet slumps, and the steady routine that carries him through both—and why he refuses to chase competitors or rent attention with paid ads. Instead, Alex lays out a different model: build products that solve real problems, price them honestly, and publish your numbers so cus...

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Big news meets bigger mountains. We sit down with Robin Vieira Brower to unpack her dual signing with Oiselle—as a professional athlete and the brand’s director of marketing—and explore how one decision can reset what’s possible for women in endurance sport. Robin opens up about the timing, the “duality” behind the announcement, and why showing the whole athlete matters just as much as splitting seconds on course.

We trace Oiselle's roots back to 2007, their return to trail, and a fresh strategy that prioritizes the moments around the moment: trai...

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The path from a bumpy summer to a national kit isn’t straight, and that’s exactly why this conversation hits. We sit down with Canadian trail standout Josh Potvin to unpack a season that tested his patience, his calf, and his mindset—then set him up to go bigger. From the rocky, runnable rhythm of Canfranc to the endless descent of hard-packed switchbacks, Josh explains how terrain specificity can scramble podium math and why wearing your country’s colors feels different than chasing points in a sponsor kit.

We open up the h...

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Want to see a kid light up after nailing a steep climb? We sat down with pros Joseph Gray, Annie Hughes, and Dreama Walton to unpack how a three-day Colorado Springs Trail Running Camp turns second through eighth graders into confident movers and thoughtful trail stewards. Set in the shade of North Cheyenne Canyon, the camp blends short runs, hands-on drills, and creek-side cool-downs with simple lessons on leave no trace, hydration, sunscreen, and gear that actually fits the terrain.

We dig into why starting young matters. While many U.S...

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Big news drops: we’re adding two late-season mountain classics to the Cirque Series calendar and turning it into a true coast-to-coast slate. Jay Peak in Vermont brings 7.1 miles with 3,044 feet of climbing and a rugged, two-peak ridge that blends flowy running with real technical spice. One week later, Mount Baldy in Southern California delivers 9.1 miles and 3,926 feet of vert over the iconic Devil’s Backbone, cresting Mount San Antonio at 11,000-plus feet with the Pacific on the horizon and LA at your back.

We break down what makes each venue spec...

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Start with a helmet-required skyrace where five to six hours at altitude is just the warm-up, then jump to an Olympic mixed relay finish decided by seconds. That’s the energy we ride as we unpack a month that felt like a full season: Four Refugios fireworks, Anna Gibson and Cam Smith nearly nabbing a medal, and a Black Canyon weekend that proved how fast trail running has become.

We break down why Kelly McChrystal’s course record matters beyond a single win—technical fluency, risk management, and South American depth are re...

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What if getting cut—twice—was the best thing that ever happened to your running? We sit down with 2025 Collegiate National Trail Champion Zach Erickson to unpack how a BYU distance runner rebuilt his confidence, found joy on steep terrain, and turned setbacks into podiums at races like Snowbird and the Pikes Peak Ascent.

Zach brings a candid look at pressure inside an elite NCAA program, the chronic pelvis injury that sidelined him for a year, and the mental spiral that came with fearing failure. Then the story bends: friends nudge him...

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Skyrunning on American granite hits different. We sat down with race director Tom Hooper of 603 Endurance to unpack why the Kismet Cliff Run belongs at the center of a revitalized Skyrunner USA—and how the Northeast became a proving ground for steep, technical racing that rewards guts as much as VO2.

We get specific about Kismet’s design: fast beachside start at Echo Lake, a brutal haul to Cathedral and Whitehorse, slick slabs, exposed ridgelines across the Moats, and a descent that taxes every ankle. Tom traces the race’s locals‑only roo...

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Start lines are loud, data is messy, and mountains don’t care about your watch. We sat down with coach and ultrarunner Addison Smith to sort the signal from the noise: when to trust rate of perceived exertion, when heart rate zones help, and how to train for races that start cool, turn hot, and punish mistakes. Addison opens with a candid Black Canyon 100K recap—pacing with restraint, GI trouble in the middle miles, and the stubborn choice to keep fueling until the legs came back—then flips it into a toolkit you ca...

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What happens when raw talent, relentless prep, and an unfiltered voice collide with a sport increasingly driven by optics? We sit down with elite trail runner and coach Michelino Senseri to talk wins, world teams, a headline-grabbing Grand Teton FKT, and what the culture gets wrong—and right—about mountain running today. It’s an honest, funny, and deeply practical conversation that moves from emus on leashes to cameras on social trails, from pacer debates at Western States to how influencer marketing is reshaping who gets seen and paid.

Michelino opens up abo...

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Steep grades, sharper ideas, and zero fluff—this conversation with Jackson Cole tracks a season where grit meets growth. We start with the highlights: a win at Cirque Series Alyeska, more Cirque podiums at Killington and Grand Targhee, a strong Rut 28K, and a proud top‑26 at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships short trail. Then we zoom out to what shaped it all: a two‑week, 1,100‑mile bikepacking trip across New Zealand’s South Island that built deep aerobic strength and reconnected Jackson with the Southern Alps, from Aspiring and Aoraki’s glaciated...

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Big changes hit short trail running, and we’re here for all of it. We kick off The Substack with Rachel Tomajczyk to unpack the new Golden Trail World Series calendar, the late surge into Asia, and why a four-race-plus-final format forces athletes to rethink everything from training blocks to travel budgets. With no US stop on the GTWS schedule and Quebec Mega Trail standing alone in North America, the balance of power and opportunity shifts—especially for American athletes trying to build a season without burning out on flights.

We pull...

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Introducing The Sub Stack, The News Show for all Things Short Trail 

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You press play for stoke, but stay for substance. We sit down with legendary endurance athlete and coach Travis Macy to unpack ski mountaineering’s Olympic debut, the rise of Skimo Gold as “SportsCenter for Skimo,” and how smart storytelling can turn niche talents into household names. From the first shotgun blast at Leadville to adventure racing across continents, Travis connects the dots between joyful beginnings and professional systems that actually grow a sport.

We dig into the sprint and mixed relay—how three minutes of mayhem can hinge on a flawless...

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The mountain weekend Flagstaff has been waiting for just showed up with big legs and bigger lungs. We sit down with race director Aaron Barber to unpack how Flagstaff Sky Peaks evolved from a “nice race in the pines” into a full three-day festival at Arizona Snowbowl, built around steep ski runs, high-altitude ridgelines, and a finish-line scene right by the lodge. From a Friday uphill lung-burner to Saturday’s slate with a 2,500-foot opening climb, fixed-time vert loops, and distances from 5K to 50 mile, to a Sunday point-to-point that tops out near 11,500 feet...

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The voice you hear at the steepest start lines has a story—and a system. We sit down with Goldy, the announcer behind the Cirque Series and the force behind the Beehive Bandwagon, to unpack how a kid who DJed camp dances became the guy who turns finish lines into goosebumps. From a fateful Red Bull gig to years across X Games, Dew Tour, and trail races, he shares how preparation, empathy, and restraint shape the sound of an unforgettable race day.

We explore the craft that most people never see: st...

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Want to know how an elite mountain runner designs the very supplements he trusts on race day? We sit down with Momentous VP of Innovation, Matt Chorney, to connect the dots between steep trail performance, clean ingredient sourcing, and the certifications that actually protect athletes. Matt’s story stretches from New Hampshire’s rugged roots to Jackson’s endless access, and he brings that same blend of grit and curiosity to building products that stand up in pro and collegiate locker rooms.

We dig into the difference between “third-party tested” and true third...

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A high-stakes relay, a new Olympic sport, and two athletes who refused to blink. We sit down with Cam Smith to unpack how he and Anna Gibson qualified Team USA for the ski mountaineering mixed relay—beating Canada when it mattered most—and how an underdog mindset became their superpower. Cam’s story delivers a rare inside look at Olympic prep when your sport is making its debut: recruitment gambles, selection races, and the art of saying no to media so you can say yes to training.

Cam explains how he recrui...

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What does it take to race on the edge, fix your flaws, and build a season that holds up under pressure? We dive deep with Mason Copi, fresh off a blistering run at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships and a domestic campaign that turned him from underrated to undeniable. Mason opens up about starting fast when the course rewards it, working the early road section, and the moment when cramps hit yet belief held. You’ll hear how teammates on the course and a fired-up Team USA on the sidelines fueled ea...

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A world champion who won’t let algorithms define her worth—Grayson Murphy joins us for a candid, sharp, and hopeful conversation about racing, health, and the future of trail running. From life in Bozeman to the first time grizzlies changed a solo run, we open with place and presence, then dive straight into how she built Wild Strides Paper Co, why multiple identities make better athletes, and how part-time sustainability work keeps her grounded in real-world impact.

Grayson breaks down her pivot from mountain classic mastery to the short trail lear...

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A young ultra runner with a mountain kid heart and a pro’s mindset—Coleman Cragun brings the heat. We dig into how he went from SUU walk-on to stacking top finishes at Canyons, Broken Arrow, Speedgoat, and Mammoth in his first year of ultras, and how mentorship from trail legend Hayden Hawks is shaping every decision. The honesty of their training partnership, from blunt fitness assessments to choosing the hardest race fields, has helped Coleman skip the usual trial-and-error and focus on the skills that actually win races.

Black Canyon 100K is...

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Money is moving up the mountain, and the Northeast is ready for it. We sit down with Tom Hooper of 603 Endurance to unpack how a new partnership with Marathon Sports unlocks bigger prize purses, stronger production, and a smarter sponsor model that gives each race its own brand identity. Sunapee Scramble returns as the U.S. Mountain Running Championship with a $30,000 purse from Brooks and Team USA selection on the line. Loon Mountain leans into its legendary Upper Walking Boss with $20,000 backed by Darn Tough and likely more on the way. Ragged brings...

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Trail running deserves sharper storytelling than recycled podium posts. We open the books on Steep Stuff: what we botched in 2025, what finally clicked, and how we’re going big on short trail in 2026. James and guest host Francesco get specific about the pivot from clunky Zoom reels to clean Riverside workflows, a fresh brand identity, and a quality-first mindset that actually scales. The result is a clear plan: show up at Broken Arrow, The Rut, Cirque Series stops, and championships with interviews, previews, and expert analysis that make racing feel immediate and worth fo...