AFB, Anna, and Phred welcome back ultrarunner, musician, and all-around adventurer Liz Derstine. Liz last appeared on Episode 112 talking about her Appalachian Trail FKT, and this time the conversation is about her PCT FKT attempt and her new film Ridgeline. We drift into the strange and wonderful overlap between running, hiking, and music.

The group talks about balancing creative life with endurance pursuits, from touring with bands to chasing big miles on trails like the Pacific Crest Trail. Liz shares stories from her PCT hike, including desert night hiking, hauling liters of water between sources, and the occasional terrifying snow crossing. Along the way the Cultra crew discusses FKTs, gear organization systems, and the ultrarunning community's habit of generously sharing knowledge with newcomers.

There's also a brief memorial for the dearly departed Cultra Karaoke Hotline (thanks, Google), and a discussion of Liz's current composing projects and newsletter Pink Feathers, where she writes about the intersection of music and endurance adventure.

Watch Liz's film Ridgeline

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Closing music by Suno

Outro music by Nick Byram

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Anna, Fred, Josh, and AFB sit down with Amy Rusiecki, the longtime race director of the legendary Vermont 100 Endurance Run. Amy shares the behind-the-scenes realities of directing one of the oldest 100-mile races in the country and how she ended up becoming one of the most respected organizers in the sport. If you love a great story, you've stumbled into a whole pasture of them, like opening the gate and finding the World's Largest Cow waiting for you.

Amy talks about her early days in endurance sports, how she transitioned from competitive XC skier and ultrarunner to race director, and the complicated logistics of managing hundreds of runners, horses, volunteers, and aid stations across rural Vermont. The group dives into the balancing act of preserving the history and culture of the Vermont 100 while adapting to the modern ultrarunning world. So many great stories!

The conversation also covers the volunteer ecosystem that keeps ultras alive, the unique runner-horse dynamic at VT100, how races survive in an era of permits and land management challenges, and why community is still the heart of the sport.

Amy shares how The Vermont 100 Endurance Run has long supported Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, a nonprofit that provides year-round sports and recreation opportunities for people with disabilities. Proceeds from the race help fund adaptive programs like skiing, cycling, paddling, and trail running throughout Vermont.

Of course, it wouldn't be Cultra without some tangents along the way, gear talk, race directing war stories, and the usual Northeast trail running chaos.

Amy also reflects on what makes the Vermont 100 special, what runners often don't see behind the curtain, and why the race continues to matter to so many people in the ultrarunning community.

If you've ever run, volunteered at, or dreamed about the Vermont 100, this episode pulls back the curtain on one of the most iconic races in the sport, and the origin story of Cultra

Learn more about how to support Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sport

Vermont 100

Beast Coast Trail Running

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Intro music by Nick Byram

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Art and Phred dive into treadmill survival strategies, including Phred's classic 1:05 reset method, the magic of a 15% incline, and the universal truth that starting too fast indoors is a bad life choice. Art is eyeing a March 15 return to running, sharing some winter miles at Lincoln Woods and the awkward reality of snowshoeing.

The conversation rolls into the chaos of the Umstead 100—a brutally simple crushed gravel grind with a registration process that sells out in minutes and legends like Mike Smith stacking up finishes. Music talk hits peak Cultra with Grateful Dead vibes and "Time Warp" from The Rocky Horror Picture Show landing right in the cadence sweet spot. Cultra Bot drops some Barber shop…

As always, the show is powered 112% by listeners, with Patreon support helping upgrade the audio. Support is good.

Umstead 100

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Outro music by Nick Byram

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This week the Cultra Crew AFB and Anna G. talk with Josh Sprague — founder of Orange Mud — about building gear, starting businesses, and adventure racing.

Josh grew up on a Kansas farm selling rubber band guns and raising 4-H pigs before working at Walmart and Goodyear. In 2012 he started Orange Mud after getting frustrated with hydration packs that didn't work for runners. By 2014 he quit corporate life and went all in.

We also talk adventure racing, the multi-sport sufferfest of running, biking, paddling, and navigating with map and compass plus gear design, heat management, and why Josh only creates products when they're actually better.

Josh also runs 7 Clay and Anvil and Acre, all while keeping Orange Mud independently owned.

Adventure, entrepreneurship, gear nerdery, and the usual Cultra nonsense.

Orange Mud

US Adventure Racing Association USARA

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Outro music by Nick Byram

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Ellie Pell joins AFB, Phred, and Anna G talkin desert DNFs, frozen suffering, Barkley chaos, Olympic trivia, and women's running research, all in classic Cultra style.

Ellie's Black Canyon DNF

Ellie breaks down her early exit at the Black Canyon 100K after a mile-4 muscle cramp shut things down. Contributing factors: hydration, pacing, and warm-up. Or was it just the body doing what it do?

Frozen Snot Report

Anna G recaps the brutally cold Frozen Snot Trail 1/2 Marathon—boulder fields, shortened distances, and legendary volunteers.

Barkley, Big Races & The Sport's Direction

Is trail running evolving, or being packaged? The group dives into what growth means for culture, community, and authenticity.

Cultra Matic: Winter Olympics

They name all 16 winter sports and invent new ones (ski jump biathlon, endurance figure skating, full-contact 50K speed skating). How to bring Ultra events to the Olympics.

Research & Real Talk

Ellie shares insights from her weighted vest study on postmenopausal women and as we discuss female participation in trail running. AFB updates listeners on shoulder recovery and the podcast's continued return to weekly episodes.

Black Canyon 100k Results

Frozen Snot

Jared Beasley's Book

Connecticut Forest & Parks

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Outro music by Nick Byram

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Cold. Wind. Frozen stream crossings. Dumb ass decision making, or genius?

AFB recaps the Real King of Pain in Glastonbury, CT where thigh-deep icy water turned solid led to DQs (sorry Alex, Besic, and Bill), and winter racing felt more like a survival course. Josh and Shan hit Belltown AS, Mark Kelly (in shorts) and fast Tony D braved the road freeze, and Anna G tackled Frozen Snot, and Evil Becky wins Frozen Heart 900 because of course she did.

Special guest Ryan Danby reports back from the Frozen Heart 900 and shares his ultra origin story, CT kid turned multi-100 mile finisher at Anchor Down Ultra 24 Hour. He's already signed up again. Because apparently once isn't enough.

The crew debates big-money race acquisitions, grassroots trail culture, backyard ultra curious, bear encounters, bad snowshoe customer service, cats destroying sleep, and Fred's escape plan to Mexico. Apparently AFB and Fred each have 3 cats, and Ryan has 1 dog; so at least you learned something.

Plus we close with 112 Forever

Support the show. Support local races. Keep paddling.

Connecticut Forest and Parks Author Jared Beasley

Frozen Heart 900

Anchor Down Ultra

Fleet Feet Grows Connecticut Footprint with Acquisition of Marathon Sports Glastonbury

Marathon Sports Acquires six03 Trail Races and Cranmore Mountain Race

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Outro music by Nick Byram

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Martin Janoschek drops in to talk AMC life, from winter leadership courses to stewarding ski trails at Cardigan Lodge. The crew dives into backcountry ski setups (tele, AT, splitboard), ski-leash lessons learned the hard way, and why lodges feel extra magical when it's stupid cold outside.

Anna and Josh recap deep-freeze winter hikes in New Hampshire, sharing hard-earned lessons on pacing, layering, keeping food from freezing, and why slow groups can be colder than you expect. Things get real with a sketchy Mount Cardigan after-dark decision, hypothermia talk, and when turning around is actually the win.

Plus: Cultra-Matic makes a comeback as the crew tries to rattle off the 10 Essentials from memory, AMC education gets some love, Patreon supporters get shouted out, and ultrarunning legends, big donations, and big race plans round out the episode.

Cold weather, good decisions, and a little Cultra chaos.

https://amcnh.org/ AMC New Hapshire

AMC Winter School Feb 27- March 1

Amber Lynn Constant and an amazing January in the Whites!

Video of Free Solo of Taipei 101

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Outro music by Nick Byram

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Art and Phred talk winter survival mode: dodgy road conditions, shoulder rehab, fitness dips, and why flexible training beats heroic stupidity this time of year. We also review a Canadian Trail Running (Fishing) Magazine article about How to Be a Lifelong Runner. And take a quick yard sale dive into Skimo, just before we thank our Patreons. We finish with a dope Suno generated 112 song.

• Art's snowy van saga + recovery update
• Winter marathon training reality checks
• Cut 112 is happening sign up, crew, pace, or suffer responsibly
• The Real King of Pain run incoming (stream crossings + party, home by kickoff)
• Snowy trails vs rocks: pick your poison
• SKIMO hits the Olympics trail runners invading winter sports
• Running long-term: avoid dumb injuries, run happy, not wrecked
• Burrito League envy and community run shenanigans
• Shoutouts to the Cultra crew Patreons grinding through winter miles

Bottom line: stay active, stay kind, don't take yourself too seriously, and we'll see you out there.

Link to How to Be a Lifelong Runner

Link to Burrito League

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Intro music by Nick Byram

Outro Music by Suno

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The Cultra Crew welcomes New Hampshire–based author and risk management executive Ty Gagne for a wide-ranging conversation on mountain rescues, decision-making, and human behavior in the backcountry. How can we have fun, and live to tell about it?

Why This Episode Matters

Whether you're an ultrarunner, hiker, or weekend adventurer, this episode digs into the uncomfortable but essential truths about preparedness, accountability, and how quickly things can go wrong in the mountains we love. We also open with some details about the Vermont 100 Lottery, and close with some Patreon love!

Hosts: AFB, Anna G, Josh G

Episode Highlights

• Ty Gagne's 2008 Franconia Ridge experience and how it changed his relationship with risk
• What mountain rescues reveal about human decision-making under stress
• Key themes from That's Where You'll Find Me, The Last Traverse, and The Lions of Winter
• Experience vs. expertise: why time in the mountains doesn't always equal good judgment
• The role of ego, optimism, and groupthink in backcountry incidents
• Leadership and communication failures that commonly precede emergencies
• Practical takeaways for runners, hikers, and winter athletes in the White Mountains

Thank you to Forrest from The Mountain Wanderer Maps and Books for lending me your personal copy of Lions of Winter!

Learn more about Ty Gagne at https://www.fullconditionsnh.com/ty-gagne-about

Follow Ty on Instagram @fullconditionsnh

Vermont 100 Info

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Outro music by Nick Byram

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Phred recaps finishing the Across the Years Ultra in Arizona, logging another 100-mile effort and marking his 19th consecutive year with a 100-mile finish. The crew swaps ultra lore, legendary runner sightings, and stories from the deep end of endurance running. Plus we shout out our Cultra Fam. Then we go from hot to cold.

The conversation shifts into winter running survival mode, covering traction options, screw shoes, Gore-Tex debates, layering strategies, and knowing when to run, walk, or rethink bad ideas on ice.

They also preview the Real King of Pain trail run, discuss cold-weather mistakes, alternative winter sports, and even fire-building skills required for upcoming winter races.

Topics Covered

• Across the Years Ultra recap
• Fred's 19 straight 100-mile finishes
• Ultrarunning legends & absurd mileage
• Winter traction: spikes, screws, Yaktrax
• Layering rules that (mostly) work
• Gore-Tex pros & cons
• Real King of Pain trail preview
• Winter survival & fire-building

Coming Up

Next episode features an interview with Author Ty Gagne on decision-making in extreme winter conditions.

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Outro music by Nick Byram

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