October 21, 2022

#481 - Canyon Woodward: Championship Trail & Ultra Runner and Force for Good

1 hour 2 minutes

Today on the podcast we have one of the most fascinating people I have even spoken with - Canyon Woodward. Canyon is a championship level trail and ultra runner, political campaign manager, and climate activist. Canyon’s new short film, RURAL RUNNERS, is an intimate look into what it takes to show up, rain or shine, and how to balance running for yourself and running for your country. The film follows Maine State Senator Chloe Maxmin’s House & Senate runs, as well as Canyon’s demanding trail running career. It’s a unique pairing of affairs - a fun, relevant and inspiring story that humanizes the political process and extends beyond the dark state of party politics. It’s also about avoiding burnout - a common occurrence on the campaign trail - by prioritizing self-care, and bringing a bit of joy and purpose to everything we do.

Canyon and Chloe also co-authored Dirt Road Revival, a fascinating book that details their work together and a path forward for important political work in rural communities.

Here are some of Canyon's amazing recent race and FKT results:

10/01/22 - The Naturalist 30k // 2:15, 1st Overall // Franklin, NC

8/26/22 - Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc // 25:08, 48th Overall // Chamonix, France

7/14/22 - S.C.A.R. // 13:33, Unsupported and Overall FKT // Great Smokies National Park, NC

7/01/22 - Art Loeb Trail // 5:38, Unsupported and Overall FKT // Shining Rock Wilderness, NC

5/21/22 - Sun Mountain 50k // 4:04, 1st Overall // Winthrop, WA

8/8/21 - USATF 50K Trail Championship // 5:18, 5th Overall // Danbury, NH

5/14/21 - Cruel Jewel 100 (106mi, 30,000 ft of elevation gain) // 22:36, 1st Overall (Course Record) // Blairsville, GA

3/20/21 - Assault on Blackrock // 1:06:21, 1st Overall (Course Record) // Sylva, NC

1/18/20 - Tsali Frosty Foot 50k // 3:57, 1st Overall // Almond, NC

10/5/19 - The Naturalist 50k // 5:02, 1st Overall // Franklin, NC

4/20/19 - Hellbender 100 Miler (24,000+ ft of elevation gain) // 23:22, 3rd Overall // Asheville, NC

1/20/19 - Tsali Frosty Foot 50k // 4:10, 2nd Overall // Almond, NC

You can learn more about Canyon at and watch RURAL RUNNERS at www.dirtroadorganizing.org and www.canyonwoodward.com.

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By Matt Chittim

4.8

493493 ratings