When my friend and almost neighbor ran Western States this past month I knew I had bring the podcast back out of hibernation and have him on the show. Here’s my chat with Jan Vleck from Olympia Washington, one of the oldest runners to have ever finished Western States. This one’s special.

• Jan on Strava

Connect with Singletrack on:

• Singletrack.fm
• Instagram

Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

Marcel Höche is back on the show and he’s calling in from Japan with an update on his never ending racing season. We talk what races he’s ran in between finishing is masters degree and he gives us an behind the scenes look at his exciting new business venture: Sunn Nutrition, a brand new high carb drink mix.

• Marcel on Singletrack
• Marcel Höche on Instagram
• SUNN. Nutrition

Connect with Singletrack on:

• Singletrack.fm
• Instagram

Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

This weekend is a massive weekend of trail racing with several high profile events all over the world. The Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB is happening in Auburn, California, and unlike last year, there’s no livestream. I sit down with Jeff Pelletier, king of trail storytelling to discuss the history and the challenges for current version of livestreams and we talk about some ideas on how to move forward. If you’re missing sitting the livestream this week, put this conversation in your ears and head out on run.

• Jeff Pelletier’s website
• Jeff Pelletier on Instagram
• Jeff Pelletier on Youtube

Connect with Singletrack on:

• Singletrack.fm
• Instagram

Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

Michael Eaton, Brooks Trailhead store manager and host of the Trail Running Film Festival in Seattle joins me to share his person running journey from cross country in his youth back in Kentucky to this year’s training block for OCC in Chamonix. We chat about the challenges of life, the highs and lows that come with that, and the peace that can be found in the dedication to a daily training regiment. Michael also shares some details about the Seattle show of the Trail Running Film Festival. Get your tickets!

• TRFF in Seattle
• Brooks Trailhead
• Michael Eaton on Instagram
• Michael Eaton on Strava
• Brooks Trailhead on Instagram

Connect with Singletrack on:

• Singletrack.fm
• Instagram

Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

Exciting announcement incoming! Rock Candy Running’s Beast of Big Creek joins the Vert Running Series for the 2025 season. Scott Sowle is on the show to share the news and give us the details. Let the racing season in the PNW kick off!

• Beast of Big Creek
• Vert Running Series
• Scott Sowle on Singletrack

  Connect with Singletrack on:

  • Singletrack.fm
  • Instagram

  Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

   

Friend of the show Alex Bond is back and we’re chatting about the fate of Outside. The company formerly known as America’s best outdoor magazine and now just a shell of itself with lots and lots of tech under the hood. The news about the latest rounds of layoffs paired with the news they are buying another technology provider puzzles us and Alex and I are here to chat about it. This is a requiem of sort.

• Outside is Done?
• Outside Buys More Tech
• Alex Bond on Singletrack

Connect with Singletrack on:

• Singletrack.fm
• Instagram

Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

This special episode was made possible through the amazing support from Tailwind Nutrition. Maggie Guterl is back as Singletrack co-host on this second episode of a two-part series dedicated to the wonderful, crazy, and often endlessly long world of Backyard Ultras. This week we chat with Sam Harvey and Harvey Lewis. We take a deeper look at the motivations, strategies and principles that can bring you success at this race format that’s growing in popularity all over the world. Talking to these champions of the sport I find myself in awe of what humans are able to achieve… and I find myself scanning UltraSignup for the nearest Backyard Ultra event.

Thank you Tailwind for partnering with Singletrack to share the stories of these incredible people of our sport.

• Sam Harvey’s website
• Sam Harvey on Instagram
• Harvey Lewis on Instagram
• Living Ultra with Harvey and Kelly on Youtube
• RunUp4Water – Kilimanjaro
• Backyard Ultra
• Tailwind Nutrition
• Part 1: ‘Believe in What’s Possible’, with Fiona Hayvice and Courtney Dauwalter

Connect with Singletrack on:

• Singletrack.fm
• Instagram

Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

This special episode was made possible through the amazing support from Tailwind Nutrition. Maggie Guterl joins Singletrack as co-host on this first episode of a very special two-part series dedicated to the wonderful, crazy, and often endlessly long world of Backyard Ultras. We bring two champions of the sport, Courtney Dauwalter and Fiona Hayvice to the mic to share insights, strategies, and laughter on how to approach these events, how to master them, and most of all how to have fun at them. Backyard Ultras are popping up everywhere, maybe even nearby where you live, or dare I say, maybe in your backyard?

Thank you Tailwind for partnering with Singletrack to share the stories of these incredible voices of our sport.

• Fiona Hayvice on Instagram
• Courtney Dauwalter on Instagram
• M.A.S.H. Backyard Ultra on Instagram
• Backyard Ultra
• Tailwind Nutrition

Connect with Singletrack on:

• Singletrack.fm
• Instagram

Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

It’s the first episode of 2025 and Francesco Puppi, who needs no introduction, joins me for a candid conversation about the state of the trail running media and it’s influence on our sport. We also talk about the message behind Nike’s ad for the Olympic Games and how a new generation of athletes are redefining what participating and winning in a sport really means. People like Francesco are why our sport is so incredible special. What a way to kick off the new year!

• Francesco Puppi on Instagram
• Francesco Puppi’s website
• That Nike Ad ‘Winning isn’t for Everyone‘

Connect with Singletrack on:

• Singletrack.fm
• Instagram

Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

Tim Tollefson wears many hats and came to Singletrack with important business. Tim is newly on the board of directors for Runners for Public Lands. The environmental organization just recently shared the uncomfortable news that our trails and trail races may be significantly impacted this coming year and beyond by the U.S. Forest Service budget and staffing shortfalls. Luckily for us, Tim is a man with a plan and offers hands on experience, and with that solutions and ideas on how we can get involved. It's high time for trail runners to take action.

• Tim Tollefson on Instagram
• Mammoth Trail Fest website
• Runner’s for Public Lands – Call to Action

  Connect with Singletrack on:

  • Singletrack.fm
  • Instagram

  Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!