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Meet Oakley Olson, a rising star in the trail running world who's breaking barriers between collegiate track and mountain racing. Fresh from her NCAA steeplechase season and now a Trail Team Elite selection for 2025, Oakley joins us just days before tackling both the Vertical Kilometer and 23K races at Broken Arrow Skyrace.

Oakley's story is remarkable – from showing up at her first trail camp in worn-out road shoes to finishing top-10 at the US Mountain Running Championships within months. Speaking from the Trail Team camp in Grand Lake, Colorado, she shares how this supportive community transformed her understanding of the sport. "I had no idea what Broken Arrow was, what a running vest was, or what trail running shoes were," she laughs, describing her bloody-legged introduction to mountain terrain just a year ago.

When the conversation turns to race strategy, Oakley reveals a mature approach beyond her experience level. Drawing from her NCAA racing background, she plans to start conservatively at Broken Arrow rather than getting caught in the frantic early pace. "I'd rather be the hunter than the hunted," she explains, a strategy that served her well at Snowbird last year against seasoned professionals.

Most powerful is Oakley's motivation – she runs for her two younger brothers who have Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Wearing a lime green ribbon on her shoes, she pushes through difficult moments by remembering their daily struggles. "When it got so hard, the only thing that got me through was thinking about my two younger brothers and how that's how they feel every day walking up a staircase," she shares with heartfelt emotion. Her family will be waiting at the aid station atop the Vertical Kilometer, making a potential Team USA qualification even more meaningful.

Listen now to this inspiring conversation with an athlete whose genuine passion, strategic intelligence, and heartfelt motivation are quickly making her one of trail running's most compelling figures. The future of American mountain running looks brighter with Oakley Olsen on the scene.

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Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello

Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod

Use code steepstuffpod for 25% off your cart at UltimateDirection.com!