Community Trail Running

It’s Trail Running Film Festival Preview week here on the podcast and we’re so excited to launch it with Matt Green’s “Talk to Frank”. Here is the movie description from the trailfilmfest.com:

My name is Frank, and I’m a cocker spaniel from Manchester. My story began when I moved in with Maleek, my human. He wasn’t in a great place—having just finished a four-year sentence, he found himself transitioning from one prison to another: the COVID lockdown and a debilitating depression. I gave him no choice; he had to start walking me. One walk led to another, and soon we were running. Before he knew it, we were on our way up Pen Y Ghent, his first mountain. The mountains are his spiritual home, he needs them just as much as I do. His ambition is to run in the Alps. To push his boundaries and tackle a route higher and further than he has ever been before. So that’s our plan. Together we are going to go to the Alps, we’re going to see the peaks, the ridges, the summits, and we’re going to heal together.

This week we will feature all six filmmakers on the podcast, so be sure to tune in every day to hear their awesome stories!

The Long Run

The latest episode of The Long Run was a great chat with Wayne Cassidy all about the Tajik Mountain Traverse, a wild sounding stage race in Tajikistan:

Food Fight Friday

The latest episode of Food Fight Friday was a blast as always. We had Troy Meadows of the Midpacker Pod on as our guest:

Crossing Lines

I’m so excited for this collaboration. The Crossing Lines Podcast will feature great guests and hot takes, all the while pushing for more diversity and inclusion in the ultra/trail running scene. This is gonna be great and we launch next Wednesday March 12!

The Miller Minutes

Episode 5 of The Miller Minutes is part of this episode as we chat about Moab Run the Rocks, it’s this weekend! My training has gone well and now it’s time to see how it goes. A massive thank you to Andrew for coaching me and I can’t wait to put it into action this weekend.

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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay

We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!

If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)

Wayne Cassidy's Tajik Mountain Traverse is an awesome sounding race that takes place in the Mountains of Tajikistan. It offers runners a unique mix of history, culture, and natural beauty. The race is designed to challenge endurance athletes and immerse them in the culture of the Tajik people.

"The Tajik people are just some of the warmest, most hospitable people," Wayne shares. "Strangers will be inviting you to come in for tea. That’s just an amazing experience to have." The event takes runners through an environment steeped in history, from the ancient Silk Road to the footsteps of explorers like Alexander the Great and Marco Polo​.

The nine-day format is a blend of adventure and cultural exploration, with participants dealing with high altitude mountain passes and enjoying stunning turquoise lakes. Wayne describes it as a beautiful and majestic place. It’s clear that the location is one he loves and a key feature that sets this race apart​.

Wayne hopes to see growing participation in the future, with the aim of including more and more athletes from around the world, all drawn to this hidden gem in Central Asia. The race already garners interest from international runners, with the goal of creating a community that shares both the passion for endurance sports and an appreciation for the unique cultural heritage of Tajikistan​​.

It was awesome to have Wayne on and learn more about this place and his race! Chantelle and I enjoyed it thoroughly, and you can even catch an article that Chantelle has prepared in the next edition of Canadian Running Magazine!

What do you think of the race? Is it something you’d want to check out? Let us know what you think!

More from The Long Run:

"Individual actions are good, but it's not enough. We need to work together and create collective actions."

Dakota Jones is passionate about our climate and making a positive difference. This is why he got involved with Footprints Running Camp. The camp looks to empower local community members and help them push forward their climate action plans. The camp takes place yearly and this year Dakota was in Las Vegas attempting to break the American 100 mile record as a way to fundraise for the camp. Although the record attempt didn’t quite go according to plan, awareness was still raised and Jones was able to continue pushing this camp into the world. It’s a project that’s very close to his heart and gives people the power to make change where they live.

"Footprints is about using community to try to do something for the community.”

You can learn more about the fundraiser here.

Dakota was great to chat with and the camp was featured during the Trail Running Film Festival a few years back:

Food Fight Friday

The latest episode went up and we even had a guest!

The Long Run

Comes back next week as Chantelle and I have another great episode lined up. If you didn’t catch the latest one, here it is again:

Trail Running Film Festival

We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!

We will keep this page updated and you will want to pay attention as we announce our sponsors and entertainment! This year will be our biggest and best yet and we can’t wait to hang out and celebrate our community with all of you.

2025 Community Trail Running Tour Dates

* Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre

* Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema

* Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre

* Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre

* Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion

* Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace

Thank you to our latest paying subscriber!

Massive thank you to Sean Sharp for putting his hard-earned cash into this thing. It means the world to me!

Listen where you listen

Spotify: Click Here

Google Podcasts: Click Here

Apple Podcasts: Click Here

Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay

We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!

If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)

The next episode of Community Trail Running will drop tomorrow, so in the meantime, I thought I’d share a video from the past with you. We’ve made our way to the back of the vault, removed all the dust, and uploaded this thing in all its glory. When I say the past, I mean nearly 25 years ago, back when I was in high school in Orillia, Ontario. We had a mountain bike team and I had to make a video for Communication class (shoutout Mr. Noble). If you like poorly framed video, bad audio, questionable transitions, and a lack of general direction, this video is for you!

Have any awesome embarrassing stories or videos in your past? Good, I don’t feel so bad! Feel free to share all about them with us in the comments…

“I really just enjoyed treating creativity like silly putty and stretching it and grasping it and molding it in different ways.”

Angela Hollowell is the type of person to just go ahead and do something rather than wait for someone else to do it. This has led her to writing newsletters and hosting podcasts about various topics, including Melanin MVP, which she dubs “the ultimate destination for women of color athlete news stories”. I learned what Angela was doing through Run Tri Bike, as she is working with them now. I love the opportunity to spread the word about anything they are up to and Angela’s show is a great one to feature! She really enjoyed the way the relationship came to be.

“Jason was so gracious with his time, so gracious with his knowledge and just really supportive of what I was doing. ... We released our first episode in January of this year. I'm super happy about it. ... It's really good to be in an ecosystem. This is my first time being a part of a podcast network and that's really nice."

Angela was a great guest and I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did! Be sure to let us know what you think in the comments!

Trail Running Film Festival

We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!

We will keep this page updated and you will want to pay attention as we announce our sponsors and entertainment! This year will be our biggest and best yet and we can’t wait to hang out and celebrate our community with all of you.

2025 Community Trail Running Tour Dates

* Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre

* Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema

* Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre

* Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre

* Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion

* Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace

Food Fight Friday

This is always so much fun! I have a great time with Jason of Run Tri Bike on this segment. It’s silly and brings me joy. Have a watch!

The Long Run

Last week our latest episode of the Long Run went up as well! Huge shoutout to Chantelle Erickson for taking over the intro hosting duties while I dealt with some technical issues. I thought she was a natural! I also thought our guest Marlinda Bedonie was awesome and we were so grateful to chat with her and hear some of her story.

Listen where you listen

Spotify: Click Here

Google Podcasts: Click Here

Apple Podcasts: Click Here

Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay

We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!

If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)

“While I was doing the Spine, even though I was on my own on the Pennine Way, it felt like I had the other Black Trail Runners around me.”

What started as a reluctant attempt to stay active quickly became a passion for Rebecca Devereux. Her journey was fast and within three years she was standing on the cusp of one of Britian’s most grueling races. The Winter Spine Race is notoriously difficult. It also had a really convenient finish line just a few minutes from Rebecca’s house. It was a challenge she couldn’t resist and so she was in.

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As much as the race was about personal triumph, it was also about community. Black Trail Runners had been crucial to her growth in trail running. When she first stood at the start line of a race a year into her running journey, she was the only person of colour. It was an experience that left her feeling isolated, despite being used to predominately white spaces in her career and community. The disconnect sat with her until she met Sabrina Pace-Humphries at a talk and heard more about Black Trail Runners. That sense of solidarity gave Rebecca the strength she needed, knowing that she wasn’t just running for herself. This new community gave Rebecca energy and a sense of belonging in the sport, and this helped her push herself into such a challenging race.

"I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Black Trail Runners. I wouldn’t have been in that race. I wouldn’t be on this podium. They’ve been such an important part of my running journey.”

It was awesome chatting with Rebecca and hearing her story. It’s so incredible how fast she’s taken to the sport and amazing to think what else she might accomplish! I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.

Trail Running Film Festival

We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!

We will keep this page updated and you will want to pay attention as we announce our sponsors and entertainment! This year will be our biggest and best yet and we can’t wait to hang out and celebrate our community with all of you.

2025 Community Trail Running Tour Dates

* Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre

* Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema

* Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre

* Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre

* Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion

* Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace

Food Fight Friday

The latest episode went up and we are so excited to be sponsored by 7 Summits Snacks!

The Long Run

Last week our latest episode of the Long Run went up as well! Huge shoutout to Chantelle Erickson for taking over the intro hosting duties while I dealt with some technical issues. I thought she was a natural! I also thought our guest Marlinda Bedonie was awesome and we were so grateful to chat with her and hear some of her story.

Listen where you listen

Spotify: Click Here

Google Podcasts: Click Here

Apple Podcasts: Click Here

Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay

We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!

If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)

Food Fight Friday at the Aid Station presented by @7summitssnacksSince 7 Summits Snacks as the presenting sponsor, @communitytrailrunning decided we should chops to eat, carry or toss chocolate based products.The choices presented were:• Chocolate Almonds• Chocolate Milk• Chocolate CricketsWhat did @cooktraineatrace choose to do with the options? What would you do?Do you want be a guest and get some 7 Summits Snacks bars for joining us? DM us your interest and we will get you on the schedule.Another option is to answer the Food Fight Friday rankings in the non-live weeks and you’ll be entered into a monthly giveaway of4 Endurance Bar Explorer boxes.—-Mentioned in this episode:@75santino@troyontherun@valruns4margs

“Our ancestors would pass messages along by running from community to community. To this day, we still teach that, especially to our youth.”

Apologies for the late release, I had some major technical issues to sort through!

For Marlinda Bedonie, running is more than a sport. It’s a way of life, a cultural tradition, and a means of connecting with her community. As an Indigenous ultrarunner, mother of four, coach, and health advocate, Marlinda has worked running into every aspect of her life. Through her work with Native Women Running and Renew Earth Running, she is inspiring others to move. Not just for themselves, but for something greater.

“Our medicine is out on the land. Our traditional foods that we pick, that we harvest, it’s all connected… I just take it one step at a time. I don’t always know what’s ahead, but I know that I’m running for more than just myself.”

Marlinda was a fantastic guest and we really enjoyed hearing her story. These Long Run episodes have been so rewarding to dig deeper with our guests, and we’re so grateful they’ve been able to come on and share! What do you think of the episode?

“For us, coffee was such an essential part of those trips. We would even think about, while planning the trip, 'Okay, where are we going to drink coffee? Where's the spot going to be?"

Alexander Häberlin loves a good cup of coffee. So much so that it was often the sole focus of outdoor adventures. Where would they drink the coffee? What did they need to pack for it? Along with his partner Phillipe, the duo set out to ensure those adventure coffee’s were as tasty and convenient as possible. This led to No Normal Coffee, a coffee paste in a tube that you can eat on its own or add water and drink. The product's success has come quickly, and now the team is looking to get into as many hands as possible. For those who love coffee and the outdoors, No Normal Coffee is banking on their product being exactly what they want.

“We wanted to create a product that works in those moments when things are exciting, challenging, and not normal—because an adventure is only an adventure if it’s not normal. We wanted a coffee that’s just as ready for the unexpected as the people who use it."​

It was a great chat with Alexander and really fun to learn about the business. There are so many interesting challenges he mentioned and I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did!

Trail Running Film Festival

We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the Trail Running Film Festival once more. As you may or may not have heard, we are also a media partner and official podcast of the film festival, so we’re pretty excited about that too!

We will keep this page updated and you will want to pay attention as we announce our sponsors and entertainment! This year will be our biggest and best yet and we can’t wait to hang out and celebrate our community with all of you.

2025 Community Trail Running Tour Dates

* Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre

* Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema

* Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre

* Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre

* Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion

* Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace

Food Fight Friday

This is always so much fun! I have a great time with Jason of Run Tri Bike on this segment. It’s silly and brings me joy. Have a watch!

The Long Run

Chantelle Erickson and I are back next week with the long run! I’m really enjoying working with her, these episodes are quite enjoyable as we get the opportunity to dig a little deeper with our guests. It’s been fantastic to see the downloads pile up as well. The first 3 episodes are 3 of the best performing episodes CTR has ever put out. Thank you!

Listen where you listen

Spotify: Click Here

Google Podcasts: Click Here

Apple Podcasts: Click Here

Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay

We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!

If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)

“I assumed that there were tons of women running. You know, we’re so good at this, it feels like there is something really there, especially in this mental aspect. So I’d assume it’s at least a 50/50 gender ratio, probably at all the races. And learning that it wasn’t, I kinda had to stop and take a pause and think why that might be.”

Rachel Bambrick loves the sport of ultra running and just wants to make it a more accessible place for all involved. When she realized there weren’t as many women as men running she set out to change that. It’s an important cause to her and just over a year in, things are going really well for Women in Ultrarunning. They are growing the organization as well as the amount of women running and that is something Rachel takes a lot of pride in!

“I wanted to make an educational series where folks could come learn about the sport. And I thought that might help open some doors and get more women involved. Then from there, we really started to transform into a community. People were coming to events and recognizing folks from previous events, making friendships, forming those connections. I was getting questions about if we had gear that people could wear at races. And from there, I kind of had to take a step back and think, okay, I think there's something more here than I initially thought.”

I really enjoyed chatting with Rachel and I think you will enjoy the conversation as well! Let us know what you think in the comments.

The Long Run

The Long Run returns this month. I can’t wait to work with Chantelle Erickson some more. This show has been a great opportunity to dive deep with our guests and share some important conversations and topics. I’m really enjoying working with Chantelle, and I’m looking forward to doing plenty more shows together!

2025 Community Trail Running Trail Running Film Festival Tour Dates

We’re so excited to have 6 shows with all of you this spring! Starting in April in Vancouver and ending in June in Canmore, get yours now so we can hang out and celebrate our amazing sport together!

* Vancouver, BC – Thursday, April 3 | Rio Theatre

* Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema

* Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre

* Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre

* Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion

* Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace

Listen where you listen

Spotify: Click Here

Google Podcasts: Click Here

Apple Podcasts: Click Here

Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay

We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!

If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)