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From the folks who bring you Happy Endings Trail Crew. Dylan, Stephanie and Andrew talk about how they started Happy Endings and the vision they have for building the community around trail running even stronger.
179 Episodes
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This week we’re taking it back to where it all began. While the crew is busy, we’re dipping into the archives and replaying the very first episode of HappyCast — the one that sparked the Happy Endings Trail Crew and everything that’s grown from it. In this throwback, you’ll hear the full origin story: how a chaotic weekend at Rocky Raccoon brought three underprepared runners together, the debut of the infamous beaver costume, the birth of the “weed wobble,” and the moment we realized this c...
When brutal weather forced Cactus Rose to relocate to the unforgiving hills of Camp Eagle, most runners hesitated—but not Houston’s own Madeline Green. With no aid stations, no crew, and endless miles of mud, rain, and lightning, she pushed through 105 miles of chaos to become the only female finisher of one of Texas’ toughest ultramarathons. In this episode, Stephanie and Andrew dive into Madeline’s mindset—how she handled a last-minute course change, two nights alone on the trail, and the m...
Stephanie returns fresh off her 30-hour adventure at the Ghost Train Trail Races in New Hampshire, sharing what it took to push through 115 miles of near-perfect conditions, unexpected challenges, and one of her strongest performances yet. From the mental battle of deciding to go beyond 100 miles to the moment she realized she was on track for the second-fastest female finish in race history, this episode dives deep into what it means to truly test your limits. Andrew and Stephanie catch up o...
This week on the HappyCast, we have a special (very) late night episode and a small reunion of sorts that quickly becomes unhinged as we have Aaron Kubala of Speed Project and Moab 240 Pool Boy fame join to talk about his latest undertaking - The Ultra Gobi. Andrew and Aaron sip on some wine all throughout and try to stay on track to talk about this latest undertaking. This is a 400km race through the Gobi Desert in China that traverses the ancient Silk Road. Aaron was able to not only finish...
Host Andrew Marvin is joined by guest host Isabella Campos-Janovick for Part 2 of our Mammoth 200 Roundtable, featuring two finishers of the inaugural race: Steve Epifano and Amber Bouge. Together they unpack what it was like to take on 200 miles through unpredictable Sierra weather, endless climbs, and the unique camaraderie that forms when everyone is just trying to make it to the next aid station. Steve shares his perspective as both an athlete and coach—balancing recovery, directing his o...
The Happy Endings Trail Crew sits down with five incredible athletes who took on — and conquered — the inaugural Mammoth 200. Hosts Andrew Marvin and Stephanie Stonebraker guide a lively roundtable filled with stories of grit, community, and chaos from this first-year 200-miler in the Eastern Sierras. From wild weather and sleepless nights to Taco Bell recovery runs, this episode captures what it means to survive (and love) a race that pushes every limit imaginable. Guests Rachel Entrekin, Ke...
Stephanie takes us to New Jersey for her 22nd state on the journey to all 50 with the Wild Goose Trail Festival 100-miler. What could have been a solo grind turned into a full-on adventure of community, resilience, and unexpected friendships. With her original pacer getting injured, Stephanie found last-minute support in Andrew Bondarev, who drove in to help keep her on track through the long night. Along the way, she also met Fra Balbi, a non-binary runner taking on their first 100K, after c...
This week on HappyCast, Stephanie sits down with returning guest Andrea Moore—fresh off an unbelievable streak of six 200-milers this year alone, including the Arizona Monster, Cocodona, Oregon 200, and the grueling Summit 200 in Colorado. Joined by guest host Rachel Moore, the conversation dives into the infamous “MonsterDona” combo, what recovery really looks like between back-to-back ultras, and the unique challenges of pushing through brain fog, altitude, and steep climbs. Andrea opens up...
This week on the HappyCast, Stephanie sits down with returning guest Liesl Standish and her pacer, Julie Benoit, to dive into Liesl’s unforgettable journey at the Run Rabbit Run 100. From the moment the weather turned to rain, hail, and near-freezing temps, this race tested every ounce of grit and determination. Liesl shares what it felt like to shuffle through the night wrapped in a space blanket, the toll of soaked gloves and cold hands, and how sheer perseverance pushed her forward when qu...
After several years away from race directing, Rob Goyen is rising back into action with his new company, Rise Racing Co. In this episode, Andrew and Stephanie catch up with one of HappyCast’s very first guests to hear how Rob has spent his time away, why he chose to step back, and what ultimately pulled him back into the trail running scene. From his early days building Trail Racing Over Texas (TROT) to the ideas now fueling Rise Racing, Rob reflects on the lessons learned and the community h...
Sometimes the hardest part of ultrarunning isn’t the miles—it’s just getting an episode recorded. After multiple attempts, the HappyCast crew finally sits down with Lisa Decker and Shashi Reddy to share their stories from two of Laz Lake’s infamous journey races: Vol State and Heart of the South. Both are 300+ mile tests of grit, resourcefulness, and pure stubbornness, and their experiences run the gamut from roadside naps to navigating storms and heat rash with Dollar General t-shirts. Lisa ...
In this week’s HappyCast, Andrew and Stephanie sit down with returning guest Aimee Jacobs fresh off her run at the Leadville 100, joined by her pacer and close friend, Mel (“DJ Melly Mel”). From San Antonio to the Colorado Rockies, Aimee recounts her buildup to one of the most prestigious 100-mile races in the country, the challenges of training at altitude, and the unforgettable experience of racing at elevation. Mel shares how their friendship grew from early morning base runs to supporting...
In this episode of the HappyCast, Stephanie and Andrew sit down with ultrarunner Rachel Millman, whose race résumé spans mud-soaked DNFs, monster climbs, and fearless returns to the start line. Rachel takes us inside her recent finish at the Ouray 100, a beast of a race boasting over 40,000 feet of elevation gain, where she crossed the line just 23 minutes before the final cutoff. From navigating steep, loose terrain to staying upright during nighttime descents, she shares how grit—and a litt...
In this episode of HappyCast, Andrew and Stephanie are joined by Elliott Waldock — fresh off the Summit 200, one of the most rugged and high-altitude 200-mile races in the U.S. With Dylan notably MIA (possibly launching a Chipotle-based fight club), Andrew drinks wine and scrolls Elliott’s Instagram to dive deep into his running past, landing fortuitously on his very first 100-miler: Brazos Bend. What follows is a hilarious, nostalgic, and surprisingly heartfelt look at Elliott’s journey from...
This week on HappyCast, we welcome Melissa Perez—trail runner, graduate student, community leader, and self-proclaimed lover of the f-word—for a raw and powerful conversation about what it means to run scared and come out the other side stronger. Hot off her recent finish at the notoriously tough High Lonesome 100, Melissa shares how altitude, hyponatremia, and mental fatigue collided in the Colorado mountains—and why this race stands out as one of the most transformative of her life. Joined ...
In this heartfelt and deeply personal episode of HappyCast, Andrew and Stephanie sit down—just the two of them—for a rare one-on-one reflection. Fresh off completing her 21st 100-miler, Stephanie opens up about her emotional journey through the Vermont 100. From navigating recovery and divorce to running the race entirely without audio, she shares what made this one of the most transformative experiences she’s ever had on trail. Stephanie takes us mile by mile through Vermont’s historic cour...
This week on the HappyCast, we change things up a bit and focus on the business side of running and the colorful apparel it brings by having Elliot Matson, creator and founder of Folklord, join us to tell us all about his up-and-coming business. Folklord and its mythological and storytelling approach to running apparel has been popping up all over the country, and it’s definitely something that’s hard to miss. We talk about Elliot’s colorful and unique approach to selling his products,...
In this special fourth appearance, Wes Plate returns to HappyCast with a full breakdown of the inaugural Copper Kings 100—Montana’s newest hundred-mile race and his most ambitious project yet. With co-hosts Stephanie and Andrew, Wes opens up about what it took to bring this dream to life: from months of preparation and a jam-packed U-Haul to navigating stormy skies, deadfall-filled trails, and the high-stakes logistics of a remote mountain race. Spoiler: not even a lightning storm during the ...
In this hilariously unfiltered and surprisingly heartfelt episode, Stephanie recaps her post-Cruel Jewel adventure at the Great Divide 100 in Colorado with guests Ben Bridgeman and Liesl Standish. After a last-minute pivot to avoid altitude overload, Stephanie takes us through her thought process behind picking this particular race just three weeks after finishing one of the most brutal 100-milers in the Southeast. With loops at a “mild” 9,200–9,800 ft elevation and a deceptively runnable cou...
In this special women-led episode of HappyCast, Stephanie teams up with guest co-host Ben Bridgeman to spotlight the incredible performances at this year’s Achilles Hill ultra event. The spotlight shines brightly on Jaclyn Lovelady, Alisa Hardy, and Lisa Decker—three powerhouse women who not only swept the competition but redefined what grit and community mean on the trail. From setting new course records to creating new divisions (hello, ruck champion!), the ladies brought fierce determinati...
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