The Trail Network Podcast

This episode is made possible by Arc’teryx. In this week's episode, Leah Yingling and Rachel Drake sit down and talk about some happenings in their lives, Rachel's recent graduation and move to Salt Lake City, and sharing takeaways from the Western States training camp. Arc’teryx took their obsessive design approach and applied it to the most important point of contact with the mountains: your feet. Because when you’re out there, every step matters. Introducing the Sylan Shoe, which features a propulsive rocker, grippy Vibram outsole, and a cushy midsole to help you cover those mountain miles. What we talked about: 2:30- All of the changes in Rachel’s life 6:35- Leah’s updates 7:55- Western States training camp 19:15- How Rachel has balanced parenting and training for Wester States 23:20- Some of the training runs and workouts they did at Western States 33:40- Looking ahead to the Western States race! Show notes: Follow The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Trail Network Podcast is edited and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network⁠⁠

This episode is made possible by Arc’teryx. Today, Katie Asmuth chats with Eszter Csillag. Eszter is a professional ultrarunner for Hoka and the mom of two girls, and just defended her PhD in art history this year. We recorded in person at our Airbnb in Old Town Auburn at Western States Training camp which really kicks of Western States season! Today, we learn about Eszter’s background with running, how we worked together for 3rd at 4th at Western States last year. She spoke about the attempt at Western States and UTMB in the same year, what she thinks about failure, and the races she has dominated since then. Eszter shares about what she calls “the machine” - the community of help that it takes to make this all happen. We hope that you enjoy this episode and that you’ve caught Western States fever like both of us! Arc’teryx took their obsessive design approach and applied it to the most important point of contact with the mountains: your feet. Because when you’re out there, every step matters. Introducing the Sylan Shoe, which features a propulsive rocker, grippy Vibram outsole, and a cushy midsole to help you cover those mountain miles. What we talked about: 2:45- Racing Western States 3:30- Her intro into the sport 6:55- How her family has shifted to allow her to chase her dreams in the sport 15:00- Western States 2023 22:05- What’s different for Eszter heading into Western States this year 25:35- How she made a comeback after a tough race at UTMB last year 27:30- Receiving a PhD in art history 29:55- Fighting for equality for women in sport Show notes: Follow The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Trail Network Podcast is edited and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network⁠⁠

This episode is made possible by Arc’teryx. Today, Rachel and Hilary sit down with Sally McRae for a soul-filling conversation. We talk about balancing careers with family, staying true to your north star in life, and the power of knowing who you really are.  We hope that you come away from the conversation feeling inspired to live each day as fully as possible! Arc’teryx took their obsessive design approach and applied it to the most important point of contact with the mountains: your feet. Because when you’re out there, every step matters. Introducing the Sylan Shoe, which features a propulsive rocker, grippy Vibram outsole, and a cushy midsole to help you cover those mountain miles. During the month of May, ⁠join the Arc’teryx Run Free Challenge on Strava⁠, and run, walk, or otherwise cover 40 total miles to be entered to win one of 40 pairs of the new Sylan shoes.  What we talked about: 3:30- Our connection to Sally 10:30- Motherhood and sport and how that has shaped her career 57:10- Sally’s family and the team they have built together 1:12:00- Words of wisdom for Western States Show notes: Sally's Website Follow The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Trail Network Podcast is edited and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network⁠⁠

This episode is made possible by Arc’teryx. Today, Leah chats with Careth Arnold. Careth is a professional runner for Altra and is based in Colorado. She is a mother, an artist, a horticulturist, and recently she earned a Golden Ticket to Western States by finishing 4th at the Canyons 100k. In this episode, we chat about her ultrarunning journey and what it really means to balance being a mother while striving to be her best on the trails. Arc’teryx took their obsessive design approach and applied it to the most important point of contact with the mountains: your feet. Because when you’re out there, every step matters. Introducing the Sylan Shoe, which features a propulsive rocker, grippy Vibram outsole, and a cushy midsole to help you cover those mountain miles. During the month of May, join the Arc’teryx Run Free Challenge on Strava, and run, walk, or otherwise cover 40 total miles to be entered to win one of 40 pairs of the new Sylan shoes.  What we talked about: 2:30- Introduction to Careth 6:05- Jumping into the trail and ultra running world 8:15- Recapping here tough and transformational year of 2023 13:45- Running postpartum 19:50- What her current training is looking like 27:00- Snagging her Western States Golden Ticket 28:35- Her training heading into Western States Show notes: Follow The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Trail Network Podcast is edited and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network⁠⁠

Welcome back to the Trail Network podcast. Today, Katie, Hilary, Leah, and Rachel sit down for another heart to heart episode. We just jumped right into this episode about Katie finding joy pinning a bib for the first time in 10 months and Rachel's travel mishap and trying to get to Madeira. We also chatted about all of the insane racing that went down last weekend, like Golden Trail Series event, Ultra Trail Mount Fuji, and the throw down at Canyons and how we think the livestream coverage could have been much better. The bulk of the conversation is about how we can all hold media coverage accountable so that viewers can enjoy equal coverage of the men’s and women’s races. Let's dive right in. What we talked about: 2:30- Katie’s first gravel race 8:05- Rachel’s travel troubles to Madeira 11:30- Golden Trail Series 17:30- The Canyons Endurance Runs and a conversation on media coverage for women 52:00- What we're loving! Show notes: Follow The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to Osprey for supporting The Trail Network Podcast. Check them out at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Osprey.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Trail Network Podcast is edited and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network⁠⁠

Welcome back to The Trail Network podcast. On this week's episode, we get together to catch up about what's been going on since the last time we chatted. We hear from Hilary about her race at Leona Divide, Rachel about her upcoming race at Madeira, and we hear about Katie's first gravel race. We also dive into some thoughts on coaching and figuring out what works best for you.  We hope that you enjoy this episode! What we talked about: 1:40- Hilary’s 55k race 10:50- Training your gut for your fueling strategy 14:20- Training for the heat of races 24:10- The camaraderie of trail running 37:10- Should you have a coach? Show notes: Follow The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to Osprey for supporting The Trail Network Podcast. Check them out at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Osprey.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Trail Network Podcast is edited and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network⁠⁠

In this episode, we have a nice heart-to-heart about all of the happenings in our lives. Katie talks about her new gravel biking career and her difficult decision to withdraw from Western States 100 miler this year. Leah shares about how she listens to her body as she is recovering from FURTHER and honoring the time that it takes from such a monumental effort. Hilary talks about her 200 mile race later this summer and how she is balancing training with all of her creative work. Rachel shares about the season that she is in with parenting, an upcoming move to Salt Lake City, and training for Western States. What we talked about: 1:55- Katie’s decision to not race at Western States 9:15- Katie’s biking adventures 14:55- How Leah is feeling coming off of FURTHER 22:15- Hilary’s upcoming 200 mile race 30:35- Some hallucinations on the trails 32:10- Caffeine in trail races 35:00- Training and racing the same event as your partner 37:35- Rachel’s upcoming move and Western States Show notes: Follow The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to Osprey for supporting The Trail Network Podcast. Check them out at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Osprey.com⁠⁠⁠ The Trail Network Podcast is edited and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network⁠⁠

On this episode, we dive into Rachel's win at the Gorge 30k last weekend. We talk about how she fueled her day and some of the ways that we adapt our nutrition needs depending on the race length and conditions. We also talked about some of our go-to pre-race meals. We shared some of our thoughts on paying attention to your body and your perceived effort while training and the importance of running your own race no matter what. We hope that you'll take away some useful tips for your own races! What we talked about: 2:30- Rachel’s big weekend 8:30- How media has changed in the sport 11:25- Fueling strategies 30:50- Rachel’s takeaways from the Gorge Waterfalls 30k 33:15- Overdoing it in races 35:15- Pre-race meals 38:40- Caffeine before races 42:55- Things we’re loving Show notes: Follow The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Trail Network on ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to Osprey for supporting The Trail Network Podcast. Check them out at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Osprey.com⁠⁠⁠ The Trail Network Podcast is edited and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network⁠⁠

Today, Katie Asmuth is joined by Maddie Giegold. Maddie is a chief emergency medicine resident at UCSF and also a trail runner. She is passionate about wilderness medicine and event medicine. She loves trail running, gravel cycling, jumping into cold bodies of water, sleeping outdoors, flowers, and double-fisting ice cream. She is also a junior ranger at 19 national parks and wilderness areas. In this episode, we talk about experiences with medical direction in races such as The Mammoth Trail Fest and the Lululemon FURTHER event. She'll also be at Western States and Broken Arrow this year. We talk about the challenges of medical response in remote areas where resources are limited. We also talk about her passion for merging her life as a trail runner with emergency medicine. What we talked about: 2:20- Where school and life have taken her 3:40- Finding the love for trail running and goals looking ahead at her trail running career 8:00- Combining her love for racing and medicine 15:35- Limitations to medical practice during ultra races 21:25- Her role at FURTHER 26:50- Making the decision to allow a runner to keep going versus pulling them from the race 31:20- How FURTHER could change the landscape of medical directing during ultra races Show notes: Follow The Trail Network on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Trail Network on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ Thank you to Osprey for supporting The Trail Network Podcast. Check them out at ⁠⁠⁠Osprey.com⁠⁠ The Trail Network Podcast is edited and produced by ⁠⁠⁠Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network⁠⁠

Welcome back to the Trail Network! Today, Leah sits down in person with professional runners and partners Adam Peterman and Erin Clark from Montana. Erin is a Nike sponsored athlete and one of the hardest racers that we know. She most recently had a win at the 2023 Lake Sonoma 50 miler and a 7th place finish at the 2022 CCC. Adam is a Hoka sponsored athlete with an undefeated track record in ultramarathons including wins at Western States and the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships.  On this episode, we dive into the past year of their mutual ups and downs, their relationship as two professional athletes, and what has been giving them confidence these days. We also talk about Adam’s return to racing, most recently his battle with Devin Pancake at the Buffalo Run 50k this past weekend in Salt Lake City. We hope that you enjoy this conversation! What we talked about 3:10- Adam’s comeback to racing 7:25- Erin’s past year of training and injuries 10:35- Where Erin finds confidence amidst injury 13:00- Handling the highs and lows in running and their relationship 17:10- How they influence each other’s training 20:40- Finding confidence from their training 24:15- Comparing yourself to your previous self when returning from injury 27:00- Proudest moments while supporting each other Show notes: Follow The Trail Network on ⁠Instagram⁠ Subscribe to The Trail Network on ⁠YouTube⁠ Thank you to Osprey for supporting The Trail Network Podcast. Check them out at ⁠⁠Osprey.com⁠The Trail Network Podcast is edited and produced by ⁠⁠Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network⁠⁠

In this episode, Rachel is joined by Francesco Puppi and Matt Daniels. These two just finished first and second at the Chuckanut 50k, both breaking the previous course record set by Max King. In this episode, they talk about their head to head battle at the Chuckanut 50k and what transpired over the race. They talk about what it was like to be so close to a competitor for such a long time and the special connection that they developed by racing one another. What we talked about: 1:25- Catching up with Matt and Francesco and how they are feeling coming off of the race 3:40- What’s next for Matt, racing at the Gorge Waterfalls 100k 4:50- What’s next for Francesco, racing Lake Sonoma 6:20- Their rivalry origin story 9:15: Francesco’s race plan for Chuckanut 50k 11:45- Matt’s race plan for Chukanut 50k 14:20- The breakdown of their head to head 21:50- The value of having each other to compete against 24:00- The connection in trail running 28:20- Their reflections on their experience going head to head Show notes: Follow The Trail Network on Instagram Subscribe to The Trail Network on YouTube Thank you to Osprey for supporting The Trail Network Podcast. Check them out at ⁠Osprey.comThe Trail Network Podcast is edited and produced by ⁠Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network⁠ Photo Credit: Somer Kreisman

In this episode, Hilary is joined by Leah Yingling and her husband and partner in crime Mike McMonagle as they dive into her recent experience racing at Further, Lulelemon’s ultra running event. They take a closer look at what goes into both running and crewing a six day race, dissect a few mid-race breakdowns, and both Mike and Leah share with us some top tips that they’ve learned from this crazy experience that we can all apply to our own races! What we talked about: 1:25- Leah running FURTHER 8:55- Mike’s role in FURTHER 12:25- Leah’s race strategy 2:20- Mike’s experience being on Leah’s crew 28:55- Lowest moments throughout the race 34:55- Leah’s mentality during the race 43:45- Lessons learned from the FURTHER event Show notes: Learn more about the FURTHER event here Follow The Trail Network on Instagram Subscribe to The Trail Network on YouTube Thank you to Osprey for supporting The Trail Network Podcast. Check them out at ⁠Osprey.com⁠ The Trail Network Podcast is edited and produced by ⁠Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network⁠

The Trail Network is hosted by ultra runners Leah Yingling, Rachel Drake, Katie Asmuth, and Hilary Yang. Together, they bring the untold stories of magical moments amongst trail runners to life. These stories of runners on and off the trail capture the essence and heart of trail running, and the power of friendship and connection. You’ll find inspiration, community, and a reminder of why we run. In this episode, you’ll hear the why behind the Trail Network Podcast and a backstory of all of the hosts running journeys! What we talked about: 1:15- The why behind The Trail Network Podcast 5:20- Katie’s story with trail running 7:25- Hilary’s story with trail running 10:00- Rachel’s story with trail running 12:40- Leah’s story with trail running 19:15- Rachel’s recent success at Black Canyon and balancing training with her life 23:10- Katie’s injury battles 29:40- Leah’s race at Lululemon’s FURTHER Show notes: Follow The Trail Network on Instagram Subscribe to The Trail Network on YouTube Thank you to Osprey for supporting The Trail Network Podcast. Check them out at ⁠Osprey.com⁠The Trail Network Podcast is edited and produced by ⁠Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network⁠