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The Trail Network Podcast

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The Trail Network Podcast brings the untold stories of magical moments amongst trail runners to life. These stories of runners on and off the trail capture the spirit of trailrunning and the power of friendship and connection.
93 Episodes
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Katie and Hilary catch up at the start of February as the year suddenly feels like it’s moving fast. The conversation touches on creative momentum, making space for meaningful work, and the mix of excitement and nerves that comes with big plans falling into place. They reflect on racing as both a personal challenge and a mirror for life, especially in seasons where energy, priorities, and perspective are shifting.The episode centers on Katie heading to Tarawera 100K on her 40th birthday, sharing an honest look at preparation, mindset, and what it means to show up fully without knowing how the day will unfold. From trusting training to staying flexible and present, it’s a reminder that sometimes the goal is simply to be in it and let the experience shape what comes next.A big shout out to our sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.
Tabor Hemming is a professional trail runner for adidas TERREX and Precision Fuel & Hydration who lives and trains in a remote mountain town in Colorado on her family’s multi-generation cattle ranch. Raised on the ranch and rooted in endurance sport from a young age, Tabor brings a rare mix of grit, curiosity, and independence to her career. She and her husband, fellow professional runner Eli Hemming, train, race, coach athletes, and create content together through their podcast Hemming and Hawing and their YouTube work, offering an honest look at life as elite athletes outside the traditional running hubs.In this episode, Tabor joins Katie to talk about her path from collegiate running to professional trail racing, why patience and maturity matter when choosing race distances, and how living far from the spotlight has shaped her approach to training and competition. They dive into her build toward Black Canyon, lessons from injury and misdiagnosis, the mental energy required in ultrarunning, racing as a social and developmental tool, and why saying no to the next “big thing” can be just as powerful as saying yes. The conversation also touches on FKTs, long-term athlete development, partnership in marriage and sport, and what it really means to build a sustainable life in trail running.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
This week is a trio catch-up with Hilary Yang, Leah Yingling, and Rachel Drake on what life looks like right now in a season that feels maxed out. Rachel shares the reality of balancing anesthesia training, motherhood, and breastfeeding on the job, plus how being a mom has shaped the way she shows up for patients and families.They also dig into training when time and energy are limited, including run commuting, postpartum patience, and why consistency matters more than big mileage. Hilary reflects on burnout after a packed year and the decision to step back from RDing The Mammoth so she can focus on the creative work that truly lights her up. The episode closes with a bigger conversation about defining success in trail running beyond visibility, choosing races and brands that align with your values, and keeping the sport rooted in joy and community.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
Emily Cameron joins the show to talk about building a career as a photographer and filmmaker in trail and endurance sports, from her roots in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to life in Athens, Georgia. Emily shares her background as a 2016 Olympic Trials qualifier in swimming and how that shaped her relationship with time, training, and burnout, plus the pivot into triathlon and eventually storytelling. The conversation dives into how she broke into the creative world through COVID-era portrait projects, the reality of cold emailing for work, what she has learned about trust and access when documenting athletes, and how Trailfolk came to life with Tara Dower and a crew that became part of the story. Emily also talks about creative problem solving at events and setting boundaries with social media to protect her own creative vision.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
Ryan Montgomery joins Katie Asmuth for an in person conversation from Mammoth Lakes during a training week as he returns from ankle surgery. Ryan shares his long arc in the sport from early hundred milers and adventure driven running to a breakout competitive chapter that included a Golden Ticket and a top 10 at Western States. They talk about what it looks like to address a long term injury, how he is approaching 2026 with a renewed pull toward big adventure and FKTs, and why curiosity and relationships have shaped his path. Ryan also opens up about identity, community, and the mission behind OutTrails, plus how business school and a growing interest in representing athletes fits into the bigger picture of building a sustainable life in and beyond sport.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.
Hilary Yang and Katie Asmuth ring in 2026 with a candid reflection on a year of big swings, scary projects, and imperfect comebacks. Hilary shares what it was really like to train for and finish Hardrock while directing the Mammoth 200 and creating her first major film, and Katie talks about racing her way back from injury, ending the year with a win at Javelina, and heading into Tarawera with a quieter but deeper confidence. Together they unpack failure, burnout, aging in sport, and why connection, collaboration, and doing the scary thing anyway will be their guiding themes for the new year.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
In this episode, Katie Asmuth and Leah Yingling reflect on a full year of The Trail Network Podcast and a year that reshaped the trail running landscape. They look back on standout moments from the sport and the show, from pregnancies and comebacks to breakthrough performances, surprise podiums, and the rise of longer distances like 200-mile races. The conversation touches on storytelling in trail running, why live coverage and long-form narratives are changing how fans connect to athletes, and how rankings, sponsorships, and community support influence the modern professional runner. They also explore accessibility in trail running, from sub-ultra distances to grassroots races, and share thoughts on training races, recovery, fueling, and setting the tone for the year ahead. It’s a reflective, wide-angle look at where the sport has been and where it’s headed.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
In this episode, Katie and Leah sit down for a two-host chat that blends life updates with what is happening across the trail and ultra world. They touch on postpartum running, baseline fitness, and how to fit training into real life, including vacations and busy family seasons. The conversation moves through Trail Runner of the Year and Ultra Runner of the Year, why rankings and UTMB index actually matter for pros, and how road races like CIM are shaping trail performances and golden ticket prep. This is a fun one, enjoy!This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
All four hosts land in one virtual room for the first time in a while, and the episode feels like exactly what the trail community loves about this show: honest life updates, the chaos and joy of parenting and training, and the juggling act of big dreams alongside real-world constraints. The conversation moves through work, family, film projects, postpartum shifts, inspiration, and the long game of returning to form. There's laughter, some exhaustion, a lot of heart, and a shared sense that running evolves with every season of life. The episode captures the feeling of being in transition — rebuilding, rethinking goals, planning races, and remembering why this sport continues to anchor each of them. It’s a warm, open catch-up that invites listeners to take a deep breath, embrace their own season, and keep moving forward in whatever way is possible right now.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠. Go to ⁠pfandh.com⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
This catch up episode leans into the messy, real side of being runners, creatives, and parents while the race season quiets down. Hilary, Katie, and Leah talk openly about what it looks like when running has to take a back seat to big projects, work, and family, how social media and Strava can shape or strain our relationship with the sport, and why it sometimes feels better to keep parts of life offline. They get into gut and health struggles, postpartum recovery, travel with a baby, planning around lotteries and pregnancy deferrals, and why timing big goals to the right season of life matters. It is an honest look at building a life that makes room for both big dreams and real constraints, and finding ways to stay connected to running even when the mileage is low.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠. Go to ⁠pfandh.com⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel joins Hilary Yang and Katie Asmuth for a candid, thoughtful conversation about rebuilding her relationship with running and stepping into the trail world with intention. She opens up about the long recovery from a broken patella, the emotional work that reshaped her approach to training, and how her anthropology background influences the way she sees sport and culture. Molly shares why trail running feels like the right place for her joy, creativity, and durability right now, how Austin and Flagstaff each support a different side of her life, and what it has meant to find a healthier balance outside of racing. She also reflects on dropping out of the New York City Marathon to protect her progress, learning the logistics of ultras, and future trail goals with equal parts humility and ambition. It’s a grounded, refreshingly human look at an athlete redefining success and finding the confidence to build a career on her own terms.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A big shout out to our new sponsor Precision Fuel & Hydration. Go to pfandh.com to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
Hilary returns to the podcast after a whirlwind stretch directing the Mammoth events and traveling through Hong Kong and China to film her new documentary project. She’s joined by filmmaker Carrie Highman, her co-director on the upcoming film, for a conversation centered on storytelling, women’s experiences, and the impact of bringing outdoor narratives to life with intention. Carrie reflects on her career and the themes that have shaped her work, from Free to Run, which highlights the barriers faced by women in Afghanistan, to her newest film Off Course, premiering at the Banff Film Festival and exploring the intersection of infertility, identity, and ambition. Together, Hilary and Carrie discuss what it means to create work that inspires women, how filmmaking connects to the spirit of trail running, and why telling honest stories still matters.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A big shout out to our new sponsor Precision Fuel & Hydration. Go to pfandh.com to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
Fresh off Javelina, Leah and Katie set the scene with the weekend’s energy, from a record-setting women’s race to Katie’s own 100K win. The conversation moves quickly into what’s actually working in modern ultras: smarter cooling, sharper crew transitions, and staying present when plans go sideways. Addie Bracy joins with a clear, grounded look at how deliberate heat prep and simple mantras carried her to a golden ticket, and why decoupling identity from outcomes can revive a career. She also shares what’s ahead at SageStone Adventure Lodge, the OutRun community, and her coaching lens heading toward Western States.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
Katie Asmuth and Leah Yingling take the mic for a co-host deep dive, opening with a look at Freetrail’s new Big Alta 100K and how it could shape spring racing before reflecting on Kodiak’s UTMB North America Majors and the fatigue of a long season. The conversation moves into racing strategies for inaugural courses, the balance of data and intuition, and what they’ve learned from pacing, crewing, and commentary. Listeners also get a closer look at both athletes—their paths into trail running, perspectives on sponsorship, favorite gear, and the goals driving their next chapters. It’s a relaxed, personal, and insightful episode that captures the friendship, honesty, and love of the sport that define The Trail Network Podcast.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
Hilary, Katie, and Leah kick back for a post–Mammoth 200 catch-up. Hilary debriefs year one of directing and alpine 200 (weather reroutes, why mandatory gear mattered, and the real talk on volunteer power and community buy-in). Katie shares end-of-month racing plans at Javelina 100K (plus a little live-stream cameo energy), and Leah opens up about her gradual, low-pressure return to running and the joys/realities of new-mom life. It’s a cozy, candid, all-corners-of-trail running episode.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
On this episode of The Trail Network Podcast, host Katie Asmuth sits down with Rachel Entrekin — winner and course record holder of the inaugural Mammoth 200 (46:50). Rachel is fast becoming the modern face of 200-mile racing, blending big-miles durability with smart, minimalist systems. Katie and Rachel dig into how she approached Mammoth (from training blocks to aid-station efficiency), what she learned racing alongside elite competition, and the simple rule that anchors her mindset: don’t quit on the uphill. You’ll also hear practical takeaways on fueling with real food, foot care fixes, when (and when not) to sleep, and how she’s navigating sponsorship while choosing races that light her up.Media Linked:Rachel’s blog:How to Run a Multi-Day Race – Another dumb running blogThis episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
In this episode of The Trail Network Podcast, hosts Leah Yingling and Rachel Drake share their excitement for the World Mountain & Trail Running Championships taking place in the Pyrenees in Spain. Drawing from their own experiences representing Team USA, they talk about what makes Worlds so special—its blend of culture, competition, and camaraderie.They highlight the standout athletes to watch across the vertical, classic, short, and long trail races. This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
All four Trail Network hosts — Katie Asmuth, Leah Yingling, Hilary Yang, and Rachel Drake — open the episode with life updates and a debrief on a wild-weather Run Rabbit Run weekend, digging into what went wrong for many athletes and how U.S. races handle (or don’t handle) mandatory gear. They trade practical strategies for racing in bad conditions, from smarter crewing and real waterproof layers to training in the weather you fear. Then Rachel sits down with Megan Roche — double doctor, mom of two, coach, and the 2025 Run Rabbit Run 50-mile champion — to talk about her “growth and grace” mantra, rebuilding after pericarditis and two pregnancies, lower-mileage success (about half her pre-baby volume), cross-training, and why patience and pelvic-floor PT matter. Megan shares how she balances competitive fire with motherhood, the joy of pacing, and what’s next as she eyes longer distances. The crew closes with quick takeaways: prepare early, layer smart, size up shoes, and let mindset lead the day.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
On this episode of the Trail Network Podcast, hosts Leah Yingling and Rachel Drake welcome Carolina Rubio-MacWright, a New York City–based lawyer, immigrant, mother, and advocate for marginalized communities. Carolina shares her remarkable story of balancing advocacy, family, and running, culminating in her recent finish at UTMB in just over 45 hours.The conversation explores her work supporting immigrant communities, her perspective on making trail running more inclusive, and the powerful ways individuals can create meaningful change. Carolina also reflects on what it meant to “close the loop” at UTMB and how her personal journey has shaped her impact both on and off the trails.This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
The Trail Network crew — Rachel Drake, Leah Yingling, Hilary Yang, and Katie Asmuth — reunites to unpack standout moments from UTMB week and to celebrate Rachel’s newest arrival, Chloe Gloria Green. They discuss women’s race coverage and why CCC stole the show, the chaos and beauty of mountain weather management, and how surprising results opened the door for breakout performances. The conversation shifts to a thoughtful debate about finishing versus DNF from an athlete’s point of view, A, B, and C goals that evolve mid-race, and why context matters. Rachel shares a powerful, joyful birth story, Leah gives a peek into newborn life as an ultra-fan, and the team previews upcoming guests and projects.Topics coveredUTMB takeaways: women’s coverage strides, CCC drama, Ruth’s Triple Crown, weather as the main characterBreakout results and shoutouts across CCC and UTMBFinish vs DNF: athlete autonomy, changing goals, and seasons of sportA, B, and C goals explained and how they shift mid-raceRachel’s birth story and meeting ChloeNewborn life updates, community support, and kid-friendly adventuresGear notes: soft carriers and being outdoors with babiesThis episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!
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