If you've ever spent too much money on trail running shoes and wondered whether any of them are actually worth it, this episode is for you.

I sit down with Inky Steve, a guy who has tracked 44 pairs of running shoes across 6,000 miles on Strava, to get his most honest verdicts on the shoes he'd recommend to his best friend, the ones he regrets, and the models brands should have never stopped making.

For ultra runners and trail runners who take their gear seriously and want real talk and not sponsored opinions.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

1. Nike Next % from 2020
2. Hoka Mafate X
3. gb ultras
4. Speedland

Presented by Kiprun.

1. 02:06 Inky Steve's Top Five Running Shoes
2. 06:09 The Importance of Shoe Longevity and Functionality
3. 08:56 Brand Preferences and Shoe Mileage
4. 14:06 Lifestyle Shoes vs. Performance Shoes
5. 20:00 Honest Shoe Reviews
6. 24:15 Number One Trail Shoe Recommendation
7. 28:09 Hoka Mafate X Shoe for 50 Milers
8. 30:50 The Importance of Running Shoe Drainage
9. 34:09 The Ultra Running Experience
10. 38:50 The Impact of Shoe Design on Performance
11. 44:20 Shoe Iterations: What to Keep and What to Scrap

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Presented by Kiprun.

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Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.

And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android

Trail running doesn’t have journlists and no one’s holding the sport accountable. I think memes might be the closest thing we’ve got and that’s just one of the 10 things on my mind this week..

This week I pulled up a chair with a pile of gear and just talked: race season fandom, scrappy brands worth knowing, the shoes I'm fired up about right now, and the two-hour long run philosophy I'm using in training for Paris Eco Trail.

For ultra runners and trail runners who are in it for the culture, the gear, and everything that makes this sport unlike anything else.

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1. 01:23 ACTUAL trail running
2. 10:48 Ultratrail Race Season
3. 13:39 Running to "Overcome"
4. 16:23 Ciele Athletics
5. 18:39 Trail Shoe Design
6. 24:05 Scrappy Trail Running Brands
7. 30:37 Meme Culture
8. 35:08 Tommie Runz
9. 36:21 Taylor Bodin (dirt division) + Josh Bouton (meta endurance)
10. 38:27 Inky Steve, Stan Van Kemmel, Bryce Carlson, Sam Lohse

Presented by Kiprun.

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Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.

And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android

If you've ever wondered how running brands like Ciele Athletics reshaped the culture of modern running, this episode explores the moment performance gear started becoming identity.

Jeremy Bresnen, cofounder of Ciele Athletics, walks through the brand’s origin story—from a hats-only startup in Montreal to one of the most recognizable names worn by runners across road, trail, and ultra distances. Along the way, he reflects on the shift that happened in the 2010s when people weren’t just running anymore—they were runners.

For trail, road, and ultra runners curious about how modern running brands changed the culture of the sport.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

Presented by Kiprun.

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Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.

And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android

If you've ever wondered what it takes, mentally, physically, and emotionally, to push the human body further than most people can imagine, this one's for you.

I sit down with Camille Herron, one of the most decorated ultra runners alive, to talk about what keeps her going when everything falls apart, the two-hour long run training philosophy that changed how she prepares for 100-mile races and beyond, and what it really felt like to set the 24-hour world record in Albi, France.

For ultra runners who want to understand the mental game at the highest level and take something real back to their own training.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

Presented by Kiprun.

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Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.

And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android

If you've ever wondered how ultra running nutrition changes when races stretch beyond a single day, this episode reframes race day nutrition to better address multi-day endurance races.

Jesse Rich, nutritionist to elite ultrarunners, explains why traditional fueling advice breaks down during multi-day endurance efforts. As sleep deprivation, calorie deficits, and digestive fatigue accumulate, runners must think beyond electrolytes and gels and begin considering deeper nourishment ideas like how the body burns calories during mult-day events, how long it takes to absorb them again, and how sleep, recovery, and caffeine timing all affect performance.

For ultrarunners preparing for multi-day races like The Speed Project or anyone curious about how the body fuels extreme endurance.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

Presented by Kiprun.

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Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.

And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android

If you've been following the recent surge in ultra running records, Anne Flower’s name has suddenly been everywhere from the Leadville 100 course record to a 50-mile world record and a dominant win at Javelina Jundred.

But her rise isn’t sudden. Anne has been grinding for years while building a demanding career as a physician in Colorado Springs. She reflects on her training philosophy, how she approaches ultrarunning through the lens of medicine, and what she’s thinking heading into Black Canyon 100K against one of the fastest fields in the sport.

For trail and ultrarunners interested in elite training, racing strategy, and the mindset behind record-level performances.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

Presented by Kiprun.

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Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.

And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android

If you’ve been following ultra trail running, Francesco Puppi has long been a name serious fans recognize—but his 2025 wins at CCC, The Canyons 100K, and Chianti 47K put him squarely on the radar of the broader American audience.

Puppi brings a rare mix of mountain strength and marathon speed, making him a contender whenever he toes the line. In this episode, we talk about his racing philosophy, why courses like Black Canyon suit his strengths despite their technical sections, and what it takes to consistently compete at the front of the sport’s biggest races.

For trail and ultrarunning fans who want to understand how elite athletes approach racing at the highest level.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

Presented by Kiprun.

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Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.

And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android

If you’ve noticed the rise of running apparel that reflects the culture and spirit of the sport—not just performance metrics—designer and runner Alex Zono is part of that shift.

Recorded at Paris Fashion Week, Alex joins Josh Rosenthal and Sam Lohse to talk about designing gear for runners who love the sport from dirtbag trail adventures to racing at the front of events like Black Canyon 50K. He shares the mindset behind his “Running is My Best Friend” collection, how trail culture influences his design philosophy, and why he’s still planning to line up at Black Canyon with the intent to compete.

For trail and ultrarunners interested in how running culture, design, and performance intersect.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

Presented by Kiprun.

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Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.

And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android

If you’ve noticed the rise of high-end running apparel, you may also feel the tension it creates inside a sport rooted in dirtbag simplicity.

Recorded at Paris Fashion Week, Josh Rosenthal sits down with Inky Steve, Sam Lohse, Mike Kratzer, and Simon Freeman (co-founder of Like the Wind) to unpack why fashion-forward running brands are gaining momentum, what actually happens at Paris Fashion Week for runners, and why this unusual, decentralized B2B event matters more to the future of running culture than most runners realize.

For trail and ultrarunners curious about how running apparel, culture, and the business of the sport are evolving.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

Presented by Kiprun.

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Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.

And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android

If you’ve ever wondered how the running industry shapes the gear ultrarunners depend on, this episode explores why paying attention to the business behind the sport actually matters.

Paul Mellor, founder of creative agency Mellor&Smith and producer working on a new documentary about Barkley Marathons creator Lazarus Lake, joins Josh to unpack how outdoor brands compete for attention, why Nike’s return to trail running feels different this time, and what separates unforgettable running brands from those that quietly fade away.

For trail and ultrarunners curious about how the running industry influences the gear, culture, and future of the sport.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

Presented by Kiprun.

----

Find us at Borderlands.cc and sign up for the newsletter.

Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.

And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android