Christian Meier returns to the Singletrack Podcast to discuss one of the most ambitious talent development initiatives the sport has ever seen: Salomon's Next Gen program, which he leads as Head of Performance Programs.

The first section covers how this role came about, what it looks like day to day, and why trail running's elite development infrastructure has lagged so far behind other endurance sports for so long. Christian takes us inside the Annecy selection camp, the evaluation process that combined lab testing, field assessments, and individual interviews, and the hard decisions involved in selecting nine athletes from seventeen candidates.

The conversation then moves into the architecture of the program itself. What full-season integration with Salomon's performance structure means for a 20-year-old athlete on a Tuesday in March, what the financial picture looks like for the athletes, and how much autonomy they have over their own competitive calendars. We also compare Next Gen to Andy Wacker's Trail Team and what the spectrum of approaches to elite development tells us about what these athletes need.

From there, Christian draws on his cycling background to examine what the marginal gains framework imports into trail running and where it breaks down. We discuss injury philosophy, the risk of burnout in high-performance development environments, what mental progress looks like and how you measure it, and how Christian thinks about building identity resilience into athletes who are still figuring out who they are.

The final section pulls back to the questions that matter beyond this program. Whether deeper talent pipelines produce competitive parity at the top or just raise the floor, whether trail running ever develops the kind of specialized team roles that define professional cycling, and whether Christian is trying to build something Salomon owns or something the whole sport adopts.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Janji - premium trail running apparel
• Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order 
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

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Marathon des Sables is underway in the Moroccan Sahara, and this year's field is one of the most talked-about in recent memory. Ryan Sandes, Magda Boulet, Maryline Nakache, Ludo Pommeret, Des Linden, and yes, Harry Styles are all on course across six stages and 155 miles of largely unsupported desert racing.

Salomon made waves this week with the launch of their "Next Gen" program, a structured athlete development pathway for trail runners aged 18 to 25. Nine athletes were selected from 17 invitees through a rigorous process including lab testing, performance trials, and interviews. They get the full pro treatment: coaching, camps, nutrition, mental performance support, and international race entries. Christian Meier will lead the program. With Trail Team and Trail House already in the conversation stateside, we ask whether anything in the US compares.

Will Peterson also announced an AT FKT attempt this spring, going northbound and self-supported, targeting 50 to 55 miles per day. Given his resume on the Long Trail and White Mountains, this is the most credible attempt of 2026 so far.

We also cover:

• Biel Barros breaking the Speed Project Solo record (340 miles in 67:15)
• A full preview of Gorge Waterfalls, Lake Sonoma, Calamorro Skyrace, and the UTMB weekend races
• Injury updates on Katie Schide, Caleb Olson, and Francesco Puppi (who ran a 38-minute VK in a cast)
• Canada moving locations for it's national trail championships through 2028
• What French elite trail runners actually earn, per a new survey of 74 athletes

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Janji - premium trail running apparel

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This week on Singletrack News, Finn Melanson and Alyssa Clark cover one of the wildest race cancellations in recent memory, a brewing sponsorship controversy, a landmark change at one of ultra running's most iconic events, and a full roundup of results from Crown King, Buffalo Stampede, and the Arizona Monster 300.

Timestamps:

• 02:54 Antelope Island Buffalo Run Cancellation
• 05:51 Trailhouse Announces New Head Coach
• 08:59 Emma Bates Controversy
• 11:40 Cocodona 250 Lottery System
• 14:46 Trail Super Shoe Power Rankings
• 17:43 Crown King, Buffalo Stampede Race Results
• 20:42 London Marathon Two-Day Format
• 23:40 UTMB Parenthood Policy
• 26:21 Content Finds of the Week
  
  

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Janji - premium trail running apparel

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In this episode, Rachel Entrekin returns to the show immediately following her 3rd place finish at Chianti by UTMB and gives a firsthand account of one of the most dramatic finishes of the season.

We start with the moment everyone’s talking about: Courtney Dauwalter’s decisive late-race surge. Rachel walks us through how the race unfolded from the front, what it felt like to be running all day shoulder-to-shoulder, and what made Courtney’s final move so shocking even to the athletes in the race.

From there, we zoom out to what this performance means for Rachel’s trajectory. We discuss the narrative around her being a “200-mile specialist,” the pressure she felt coming into the race, and why this result felt like a long-overdue validation of her ability across distances.

We also break down the competitive dynamics at the front of the field, including what makes both Courtney Dauwalter and Ingvild Kaspersen uniquely difficult to race against, and why Chianti stands out as the most competitive - and most enjoyable - race of Rachel’s career so far.

In the second half, we get into the performance details: fueling breakthroughs (including a surprising shift toward gels), gear choices, and how improved nutrition may be unlocking a new level of speed and durability. We close with a look ahead to Cocodona and what this race might signal about Rachel’s ceiling in 2026.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Janji - premium trail running apparel

Support the show

In this week’s edition of Singletrack News, we break down a massive weekend of racing across Chianti by UTMB, Chuckanut 50K, and Big Alta, highlighted by Golden Tickets awarded at Chianti and a highly anticipated showdown between Courtney Dauwalter and Rachel Entrekin. We discuss the winners, key performances, roll-down implications, and what it all means for the rapidly taking shape Western States field, along with early-season signals from some of the sport’s top contenders.

Elsewhere, we dig into one of the most interesting new concepts in the sport: the “Trail House”, a Boulder-based initiative aiming to create a pipeline for post-collegiate runners into professional trail running, with built-in support, structure, and storytelling.

We also cover:

•  Lotti Brinks accepting a Western States Golden Ticket via roll-down from CCC 
•  François D’Haene’s 2026 schedule and his decision to center the season around an FKT attempt on the GR20
•  The “Hardcore Harry’s” challenge, a last-person-standing-style event that has athletes running 80+ km on consecutive days 
•  A grassroots “Community Traverse” stepping in to support runners after the Northern Traverse disruption 
•  A wild FKT story out of North Carolina involving a broken wrist and a finish anyway 
•  Previewing the Arizona Monster 300 and what to expect from one of the most extreme races on the calendar 

And our content picks of the week, including a new long-distance route in the UK and a broader conversation around “right to roam” and trail access.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Janji - premium trail running apparel

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In this episode, Centurion Running founder James Elson joins the show to unpack one of the most complex moments in trail running right now.

We examine the collapse of high-profile events like Dragon’s Back and what it reveals about the economics of modern race organization - including rising operational costs, participant trends, and why certain race formats may no longer be sustainable. James also shares a behind-the-scenes look at how race directors actually think about pricing, no-show rates, and business viability. 

In the second half of the conversation, we turn to UTMB and its growing influence on the sport. We discuss the tradeoffs between scale and safety, the risks of removing qualification standards, and whether the current growth model is aligned with the long-term health of trail running. We also explore who is ultimately responsible for runner preparedness, the role of media and culture in shaping expectations, and whether UTMB is, for now, still a net positive for the sport.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Janji - premium trail running apparel
• Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order 
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

Support the show

In this week’s edition of Singletrack News, we break down a major development in the UK trail running scene after Ourea Events - the organizers behind races like Dragon’s Back, Cape Wrath Ultra, and the Northern Traverse - announced they are ceasing trading, putting several iconic races in jeopardy and leaving athletes uncertain about the future of some of the sport’s most ambitious point-to-point events.

We also discuss confusion surrounding UTMB’s new broadcast partnership with FloSports. After speculation online that UTMB races could move behind a paywall, organizers clarified that the UTMB livestream will remain free, with FloSports serving as a simulcast partner in the United States.

Elsewhere, we dig into UTMB’s 2026 live broadcast schedule, which includes 10 races across the World Series - but notably excludes Golden Ticket events like Chianti and Canyons.

We also cover:

• UTMB CEO Fabrice Perrin raising concerns about “ambush marketing” in trail running
• The debut of the Big Alta 100K in Marin Headlands
• Previewing the Chianti by UTMB Golden Ticket battle
• Courtney Dauwalter lining up at Tenerife Blue Trail as an early season test
• Nike recruiting ultrarunners for a 15-week research residency at the Nike Sports Research Lab
• And our content picks of the week, including a conversation between Harry Styles and Haruki Murakami on how running fuels creativity

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Janji - premium trail running apparel
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

Support the show

In this edition of Long Run Archives, Finn Melanson is joined by Brett Hornig and Jeff Colt for a wide-ranging conversation about some of the biggest debates circulating in trail and ultrarunning right now.

We begin with a viral moment from the sport: Charlie Lawrence being called out to run a backyard ultra. Could a 100K record holder actually threaten the backyard ultra world record, or is the discipline too specialized for that kind of crossover? The group discusses what determines success in the backyard format and why the event continues to fascinate runners across disciplines.

Next, we explore a provocative question making the rounds online: are elite trail runners boring? Are influencers better storytellers than professional athletes, or is that narrative missing the point? Along the way we discuss historical tensions between performance and storytelling in the sport and what audiences actually respond to.

In the second half of the episode, we unpack two recent race controversies:

• Ultra Trail Snowdonia’s major course change after registration opened
• The possibility that the historic JFK 50 Mile could move from its traditional course due to funding disputes

What responsibility do race organizers have when circumstances force major changes after runners have already committed?

Finally, we play a round of Overreaction / Underreaction, reacting to statements like:

• Molly Seidel is already a Western States podium contender
• Jen Lichter could enter the top echelon of the sport with a Western States win
• Crowdfunded prize purses may surpass traditional race payouts
• Kilian Jornet could still win both Western States and UTMB in the same season

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Janji - premium trail running apparel
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 
• Momentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order 

Support the show

This is a crossover episode from Conversational Pace. Brett Hornig interviews me about my LA Marathon experience + we speculate a bit in the second half about the future of CP. 

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains 
• Janji - premium trail running apparel
• Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes 

Support the show

In this week’s edition of Singletrack News, controversy erupts around the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia 100K after organizers announced a major course change - which removes roughly 2,000 meters of climbing from the originally advertised route - after the race had already sold out. 

We also discuss the uncertain future of the historic JFK 50 Mile, which could relocate from Washington County, Maryland, for the first time in more than 60 years after the county ended hotel-tax funding that traditionally covered police and medical services. 

Elsewhere, we break down Kilian Jornet’s 2026 season preview, including his plans to race Sierre-Zinal, Western States, and UTMB, and what he said about the training stimulus from last year’s States of Elevation project.

We also cover:

• A chaotic finish at the USATF Half Marathon Championships after lead runners were sent off course
• The Los Angeles Marathon, where the men’s race came down to 0.18 seconds at the line
• Speedgoat by UTMB adding a new uphill race
• Transgrancanaria, where Jon Albon and Henriette Albon claimed victories in brutal weather
• Lotti Brinks and Sean Riedel winning Way Too Cool 50K
• New athlete signings - Hunter Leninger (Only Fans) and Tessa Chesser (Merrell)
• Hayden Hawks’ pivot to Canyons 100K and what it could mean for Western States
• Cirque Series teasing a new championship format
• Prize money across major trail series surpassing €1.15 million

Plus, we share our favorite content from the week, including Francesco Puppi’s latest vlog about his background, training philosophy, and upcoming projects.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order (https://www.precisionhydration.com/planner/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=singletrack)
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/singletrack)
• Janji - premium trail running apparel (https://janji.com/pages/singletrack)

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