The Steep Stuff Podcast

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The fastest races can be the most revealing, especially when they’re your first start back after injury. We sit down with a Quebec-based Brooks athlete ahead of the Sunapee Scramble to talk about what it really feels like to open a season in June, how to race without a perfect taper, and why “no pressure” still turns into a hard charge once the gun goes off. If you love trail running, mountain running, and the messy reality of rebuilding fitness, this one is packed with practical detail. 

We break down the Sunapee Scramble course like racers do: a two-loop format, a brutally steep first climb, and the kind of conditions where mud can erase even the best plans. You’ll hear how packs form early, why staying connected without leading can be a winning move, and how power hiking habits can help or hurt depending on grade and terrain. We also get into gear decisions for wet trails, including shoe options, traction, and the reality that sometimes the course is slick no matter what you wear. 

Then we zoom out to the bigger season. Broken Arrow brings altitude concerns, confidence questions, and a reminder that mindset matters as much as physiology when you’re climbing near 3,000 meters. We talk scheduling, world championship goals, and training sessions that actually translate to steep trail performance: sustained threshold climb efforts, smart downhill work for eccentric strength, and pacing choices that keep you racing strong late. If you enjoy the show, subscribe, share it with a training partner, and leave a quick review so more trail runners can find us.

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One muddy ski slope can turn a championship race into a traction test, and Mount Sunapee is exactly that kind of day. We sit down with rising mountain runner Rena Schwartz for a quick, honest pre-race check-in before the US Mountain Running Championships, where the stakes include confidence, experience, and a real shot at Team USA.

Rena talks about how wild it feels to be back a year later, especially since last year was basically her first true trail race. We get into what’s changed since then: more consistent running, working with coach David Roach, and learning how to approach a stacked field without pretending you have every answer. She shares why she’s treating Sunapee as a chance to practice racing itself, the emotions, the decisions, and the moments where you choose to push or stay controlled.

We also go deep on the details that decide outcomes on the East Coast: mud, slick grass, water, and the shoe choice that can make you brave or cautious on the descents. Rena breaks down her move from Salomon roots to the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro and what she still doesn’t know about that setup when conditions get sloppy. We round out with her summer plans, including Broken Arrow (VK and 23K), the reality of managing knee pain after a 50K, and her exciting news about joining the Green Racing Project.

If you’re into mountain running, trail racing strategy, and the behind-the-scenes choices athletes make before a big start line, you’ll get a lot out of this one. Subscribe, share it with a training partner, and leave a review with your best tip for racing in the mud.

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Two loops can turn a “simple” mountain race into a full blown tactics problem, especially when the second lap gets more technical and the weather hints at mud. We’re joined by Taylor Peavey ahead of the US Mountain Running Championships to talk through the nerves and excitement of stepping into her first true mountain classic and why that unknown is exactly what makes it worth chasing. 

We get into real race strategy: how measured pacing on loop one can still keep you in position, where moves tend to happen once the course steepens up, and how to stay open minded while racing against a deep field. Taylor also shares how she thinks about course previewing, arriving a couple days early, and handling East Coast style trails that have a reputation for being slick and unforgiving. 

Footwear talk gets specific, because on a rainy championship day your shoe choice is part of your plan. Taylor compares what she’s liked in the Nike ACG Ultrafly and why she’s considering a lower profile option like the Nike Kiger for better control on steep descents. We also zoom out to the season, from Broken Arrow to Sierre Zinal, and what a Team USA opportunity and racing in Canada could mean for building experience ahead of bigger world team goals. 

If you’re into mountain running, trail racing tactics, technical descending, and the training mindset that holds up when the race gets chaotic, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a training partner, and leave a review with your best mud racing tip.

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The East Coast trail running season flips on fast, and suddenly you’re staring down wet descents, ski-slope climbs, and a start line packed with people who have nothing to lose. We sit down with mountain runner and race director Aimee Kohler right before Sunapee to get practical about how you actually prepare for a short, brutally competitive mountain race when life is already full. She’s coming off injury, rebuilding fitness in a compressed training block, and still managing a spring race directing calendar that leaves “balance” feeling like a myth. 

We dig into what makes a two-loop course tricky, why loop one can bait you into going out too hot, and how Amy thinks about positioning so she can attack when the second loop gets longer and more technical. She calls out the glades descent as the make-or-break section and shares how she’s approaching pacing with restraint early so she can hammer late. If you love skyrunning, mountain running, and East Coast trail racing, you’ll recognize the stakes: the moment you hesitate, the field swarms. 

Then we go full gear nerd, from traction and outsole feel to what Amy plans to race in (Hoka Zinal 3) and what she trains in when the miles get longer. We wrap with her summer schedule and big goals, including Whiteface, Loon, Escarpment, and Grindstone 50K with UTMB OCC qualification on the horizon, plus a look behind the curtain at Running Kind events and the logistical chaos of directing a Backyard Ultra where you can’t predict the finish time. Subscribe, share this with a training partner, and leave a review, then tell us: do you race loop one conservative or go on the attack?

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A neck surgery is not part of any training plan, but it became the center of Dan Curts offseason and the lens for everything that came after. We sit down with Dan ahead of Mount Sunapee to talk about what recovery actually feels like when your body is “cleared” but not fully back, from tightness and numbness to the strange details you never expect. It is an honest look at health, patience, and how quickly confidence can wobble when consistency gets interrupted. 

From there, we get practical about mountain running training. Dan explains why he changed coaches, why the rebuild started with strength and volume instead of flashy workouts, and how he is trying to upgrade the aerobic engine that can get exposed in longer high-intensity efforts. We also go deep on technical downhill running, including his take on fear, focus, and why the best “hack” for better descending is still time on the terrain, especially when you are tired. If you care about trail running performance, skyrunning skills, and smart endurance training, there is a lot here to steal. 

We close with race-day thinking for Sunapee, what the bigger prize purse changes, and what Dan wants from the day beyond a result. Then we look ahead to Marathon du Mont Blanc, possible FKT dreams like the Presidential Traverse, and the real-life question of where to live to train with the right climbs and the right people. If you enjoyed this, subscribe, share it with a training partner, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

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That moment when a trail points straight down, the mud is slick, and your brain says “absolutely not” but you go anyway, laughing the whole way. That’s the vibe of our pre-race sit-down with Gabby DeAngelis as Sunapee race week finally arrives, and it’s also a perfect window into why New England trail running hooks so many people.

We talk with Gabby about her unconventional path into the sport, from four years of college soccer at Siena to discovering she actually loved track workouts, then heading back to New Hampshire for grad school and running for the University of New Hampshire. She shares how hiking in the White Mountains shaped her comfort on technical terrain, why agility from soccer translates so well to rocky trails, and how she’s approaching this season while coming off a knee injury.

Then we get practical: what makes the Sunapee course feel so “vintage Northeast,” how the two-lap format changes your head game, and why the steep descent can be both terrifying and ridiculously fun. Gabby also explains what it means to be part of the Marathon Sports trail team, what she’s racing in for shoes (Altra Mont Blanc Carbon), and which White Mountains routes she keeps coming back to, including a Mount Adams scramble and a redemption run after a missed turn.

If you’re into trail racing, skyrunning, the White Mountains, or the growing New England mountain running scene, you’ll leave with course insight, mindset tools, and a reminder that sometimes the real opponent is the route itself. Subscribe, share this with a trail friend, and leave a review with your favorite technical descent story.

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Two loops can mess with your head in a way a single climb never will, and Mount Sunapee is the perfect example. We sit down with Courtney Coppinger to get specific about what wins a mountain classic style race: how hard to push the first climb, where the real separation happens on lap two, and why the steep grass start is the fastest way to ruin your day if you get greedy. If you love mountain running, trail racing, and short high-intensity climbs with technical descents, this one is pure gold. 

Courtney walks us through the training that matches the course, especially the underrated skill of descending hard and then turning around to climb again. We talk race-simulation workouts, effort control, and the mindset shift of racing like an underdog even when people expect you to be up front. We also get into footwear strategy for Mount Sunapee, including why low-to-the-ground trail shoes with serious lugs matter when the downhill gets fast and messy. 

Then we zoom out to the bigger scene: Courtney’s breakout spring in China, what she learned from WMRA World Cup racing, and what it is like serving on the WMRA athletes commission with topics like environmental impact and the complicated path toward Olympic recognition. Finally, she lays out a packed summer that includes Broken Arrow, TrailCon, a first skyrace in Peru, ETC during UTMB week, and a bold plan for the Golden Trail finals. 

If you enjoy deep race strategy and practical mountain running training advice, subscribe, share this with a friend who loves steep trails, and leave a review. What part of a two-loop race breaks you first, the second climb or the second descent?

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Sunapee is the kind of mountain race that exposes everything you try to hide, especially your downhill. We sit down with Remy LaRue to get specific about what changed in his training since last season, why he finally feels more prepared for the Sunapee Scramble, and how technical trail skills can make or break a two-loop race when the pace goes nuclear from the gun.

We talk through the messy reality of getting to the start line healthy, including Remi’s Achilles issues last winter and the foot and big-toe injury that hit mid-race last year. From there, we get practical about improvement: how he’s building faster technical descents through repetition on rugged terrain, staying mentally engaged on downhills during easy runs, and developing the confidence to be efficient instead of cautious. It’s a conversation about trail running performance that goes beyond workouts and into decision-making, risk, and skill.

Strategy and gear get their own spotlight. Remy shares how he thinks about positioning when the first loop leader is often not the winner, what it feels like to race from too far back, and how he plans to balance an aggressive start with a strong second lap. We also get nerdy about shoes for wet, muddy trails, including why he might race in the Brooks Cascadia 19 for grip and stability even if it’s heavier than the “optimal” choice. Plus: double-loop-specific training tweaks, the Golden Trail Series calendar, Quebec Mega Trail excitement, and what a big result would mean.

If you like deep trail running talk that’s honest, tactical, and useful, hit play. Subscribe to the podcast, share this with a training partner, and leave a review so more mountain runners can find us.

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A championship race can mess with your head before it ever tests your legs. We’re back with Mason Cobi on the eve of the US Mountain Running Championships at Mount Sunapee, and we get real about the early season weirdness: stacked fields, unknown fitness, and the uncomfortable shift from “underdog” to “the guy people watch” on the start line. Mason breaks down how he thinks about pressure, why being keyed off can be a disadvantage, and how he’s learning to race from a more established position without abandoning what made him dangerous in the first place. 

From there we go deep on mountain running tactics for a two loop course. We talk aggressive starters, when to let someone go, and how a simple pacing cap and a quick systems check can keep you from redlining early. Mason shares what he learned last year about respecting competitors, choosing the right moment to move, and why improved downhill running can completely change your options on race day. If you love short trail racing, this is the kind of practical strategy talk you can steal immediately. 

Then the conversation takes a turn to road speed and controlled chaos with the full Boston Marathon story. Mason shows up planning a victory lap after Gorge, decides to race anyway, and surprises himself with an OTQ and a huge PR. We also get into the experimentation side of endurance performance: super shoes, trail shoe choices for mud versus dry conditions, and the pros and cons of testing supplements like sodium bicarbonate and Nomeo, along with a clear warning about what not to try on your A race. 

If you’re training for a mountain race, a marathon, or both, hit play and come race-nerd with us. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves tactics, and leave a review. What’s one decision you want to make smarter on your next start line?

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Your backyard peak can be more than a workout, it can be a measuring stick for an entire community. We’re joined by Kelsey Quinn from La Sportiva marketing plus athletes Anton Krupicka, Jason Dorias, and Tom Goth to unpack the La Sportiva Green Mountain and Grandeur Peak Challenge, running May 15 through June 15. The goal is simple and addictive: chase the fastest uphill time, stack the most summits, or just get in the game and let the mountain sharpen you. 

We get into why Green Mountain in Boulder has become a daily ritual for so many trail runners, from its proximity to town to the sheer number of ways you can climb it. Anton shares the kind of long-view perspective only years of repeats can create: how the trail has rerouted over time, how pre-Strava “ghost times” still shape the lore, and why breaking 30 minutes remains a real marker in mountain running. 

Then we shift to Grandeur Peak in Salt Lake City, a steep, clean effort that functions like a perfect vertical kilometer and a favorite training tool for ski mountaineers. Tom and Jason talk routes, strategy, and the local history of FKTs and early Strava rivalries, including why the West Grandeur line is such a magnet for uphill specialists and why poles often win the day. We also cover the prizes, including $750 cash for the fastest man and woman, awards for the most completions, and raffle entries for anyone who participates. 

If you’re near Boulder or the Wasatch Front, this is your excuse to learn the route, test your pacing, and add your name to the story. Subscribe, share this with a training partner, and leave a review if you want more conversations like this.

Details For Grandeur 

You have from May15 to June15 to complete the Grandeur Peak West Climb segment.

• The fastest single ascent (trailhead → summit) for both Male & Female during this timeframe will receive $750 cash each!
• The most verified summits during event window (Top 3 Most Completions) during this timeframe will receive $500 | $350 | $150 each!
• Every registered participant will be entered for a chance to win a pair of La Sportiva Mountain Running shoes (5 total) + other prizes!

Dates:

The challenge runs from May 15 to June 15, 2026.

Details for Green 

The Challenge:

You have from May15 to June15 to complete the Green Mountain via Amphitheater/Saddle Rock/Greenman Trail segment.

• The fastest single ascent (trailhead → summit) for both Male & Female during this timeframe will receive $750 cash each!
• The most verified summits during event window (Top 3 Most Completions) during this timeframe will receive $500 | $350 | $150 each!
• Every registered participant will be entered for a chance to win a pair of La Sportiva Mountain Running shoes (5 total) + other prizes!

Dates:

The challenge runs from May 15 to June 15, 2026.

To Sign up  for the Green Mountain Challenge - >  Register

To Sign up for the Grandeur Peak Challenge -> Register

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