This week’s catch-up episode leans into where the sport is right now and how quickly everything seems to be evolving.

With Rachel off racing in Madeira, Katie, Leah, and Hilary sit down to unpack a stretch of racing that felt bigger than usual. From the ACG takeover at Gorge to the growing presence of brands, media, and storytelling in trail, there’s a clear shift happening in how races are experienced, marketed, and consumed. It’s not just about who wins anymore. It’s about how the sport shows up.

The conversation naturally moves into what that means for athletes. The pressure that comes with bigger platforms, the reality of bad race days, and the challenge of staying grounded when expectations keep rising. There’s an honest look at how pros navigate performance swings, sponsorship dynamics, and the mental side of showing up again after things don’t go to plan.

They also touch on the increasing overlap between road and trail, with more athletes moving between disciplines and finding breakthroughs by doing things differently. It’s less about choosing one lane and more about building a broader version of what it means to be an endurance athlete.

As always, it circles back to real life. Training interruptions, family logistics, travel fatigue, and finding small ways to keep showing up anyway. It’s a reminder that even at the highest level, there’s no perfect formula. Just people figuring it out as they go.

This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.

A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.