The Steep Stuff Podcast

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What does it take to race on the edge, fix your flaws, and build a season that holds up under pressure? We dive deep with Mason Copi, fresh off a blistering run at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships and a domestic campaign that turned him from underrated to undeniable. Mason opens up about starting fast when the course rewards it, working the early road section, and the moment when cramps hit yet belief held. You’ll hear how teammates on the course and a fired-up Team USA on the sidelines fueled each surge and why chasing the podium sometimes means accepting the crash.

Then we get practical. Mason breaks down how he transformed downhill running from a fear response into an advantage using exposure reps on technical segments and a simple “monster truck” form cue. He shares the training blueprint that keeps him healthy while racing often: threshold work for speed and lactate clearance, high aerobic volume buffered by the bike, and minimalist strength focused on hips, glutes, calves, and soleus. No fluff, no gimmicks—just the boring, repeatable work that lets you push hard again next week. We also explore how rising U.S. depth—think Taylor, Cam, Christian—lifts everyone, turning rivalry into fuel.

Looking ahead, Mason maps an ambitious 2026: sharpening for the USATF Half in Atlanta, testing range at the Boston Marathon, mixing mountain classics like Big Alta and Gorge, and stepping into the unknown at Speedgoat 50K to build muscular endurance and dial nutrition. He’ll chase a WMRA team spot at Sunapee and aim for an Olympic Trials qualifier at CIM, answering the bigger question of how fast a sub-ultra mountain runner needs to be now. We close with a candid look at free agency—why sponsorship timing is tricky, what autonomy enables, and how to keep betting on yourself when the budget says camp and the goals say compete.

If this conversation moved you, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves mountain running, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find these stories. Your support helps us bring you deeper conversations with the athletes shaping the sport.

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A world champion who won’t let algorithms define her worth—Grayson Murphy joins us for a candid, sharp, and hopeful conversation about racing, health, and the future of trail running. From life in Bozeman to the first time grizzlies changed a solo run, we open with place and presence, then dive straight into how she built Wild Strides Paper Co, why multiple identities make better athletes, and how part-time sustainability work keeps her grounded in real-world impact.

Grayson breaks down her pivot from mountain classic mastery to the short trail learning curve: higher volume, more zone 2, poles, and a smarter fueling plan. She walks us through the Crohn’s diagnosis that finally explained 18 months of confusion, and how treatment helped her trust her body again. There’s craft here too. She details the simple-yet-brutal mountain classic formula—empty the tank to the top, descend like a technician—and why short trail requires an entirely new toolkit. Along the way, we unpack selection for Worlds, the value of a coach on-site, and the friendships that keep her inspired.

We also tackle the business of being an athlete. Grayson draws a clear line between athlete and influencer, shares how brands dropped her for “low engagement” after winning Worlds, and explains why she now avoids deals that hinge on reach. The conversation expands to prize purses, athlete support, and the Olympic question—what trail format would resonate, and what professionalization must include: appearance fees, better visibility, and real anti-doping. It’s a blueprint for a healthier sport and a braver career.

If this resonates, follow Grayson on Instagram, check out Wild Strides Paper Co, and share this episode with a friend who loves trail running. Leave a rating and review, hit subscribe wherever you listen, and tell us: should trail be in the Olympics?

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A young ultra runner with a mountain kid heart and a pro’s mindset—Coleman Cragun brings the heat. We dig into how he went from SUU walk-on to stacking top finishes at Canyons, Broken Arrow, Speedgoat, and Mammoth in his first year of ultras, and how mentorship from trail legend Hayden Hawks is shaping every decision. The honesty of their training partnership, from blunt fitness assessments to choosing the hardest race fields, has helped Coleman skip the usual trial-and-error and focus on the skills that actually win races.

Black Canyon 100K is the target, and Coleman breaks down the pillars of his prep: specificity on fast desert singletrack, back-to-back long runs, sweat testing to dial sodium and fluids, and the art of not leading when the opening miles go hot. He shares how he’ll choose between carbon and non-carbon shoes, why pacing by effort and heart rate matters when Bumble Bee changes the race, and how he structures 5,000-calorie days to stay durable in heavy blocks. The goal is simple and bold: keep the leaders in sight, stay patient, and make a real run at a golden ticket to Western States.

We also look ahead to a season that may pivot on one result. If he punches a ticket, Western States becomes the centerpiece—with OCC as the UTMB-week balance. If not, CCC offers a bigger Alpine canvas. Coleman’s excited by Sierre-Zinal for speed, by Cedar City’s high-low training ecosystem, and by the sport’s growing professionalism that could one day let him run full time. He’s coaching, refining, and choosing the hard line: race the best, learn fast, and build a name the right way.

If you’re into trail running, heat management, fueling strategy, Western States lore, or the mentor-mentee dynamic shaping the next generation, you’ll love this one. Subscribe, share it with a friend who lives for golden ticket drama, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show.

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Money is moving up the mountain, and the Northeast is ready for it. We sit down with Tom Hooper of 603 Endurance to unpack how a new partnership with Marathon Sports unlocks bigger prize purses, stronger production, and a smarter sponsor model that gives each race its own brand identity. Sunapee Scramble returns as the U.S. Mountain Running Championship with a $30,000 purse from Brooks and Team USA selection on the line. Loon Mountain leans into its legendary Upper Walking Boss with $20,000 backed by Darn Tough and likely more on the way. Ragged brings a three-day stage race and a $30,000 purse from Altra, while Cranmore gets fresh momentum tied to a new trail-forward retail hub in North Conway.

We go inside the business: why retail distribution changes the ROI for brands, how prize money can reshape athlete contracts, and whether this surge signals a sustainable path or a temporary splash. We talk logistics and legacy—permitting realities in New England, course character across Sunapee, Loon, Cranmore, Kismet, and Ragged—and the growing pipeline from NCAA track and cross-country to the mountains. If you care about the sport’s future, you’ll want the full take on appearance fees, what elites owe in promotion, and the rising urgency of credible anti-doping as purses climb.

This is a candid, ground-level look at how trail running grows up without losing its edge: steep grades, slick roots, and real money on the line. Hit play, share it with a friend who loves mountain running, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show. Your feedback keeps these conversations going and helps the sport take its next step.

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Trail running deserves sharper storytelling than recycled podium posts. We open the books on Steep Stuff: what we botched in 2025, what finally clicked, and how we’re going big on short trail in 2026. James and guest host Francesco get specific about the pivot from clunky Zoom reels to clean Riverside workflows, a fresh brand identity, and a quality-first mindset that actually scales. The result is a clear plan: show up at Broken Arrow, The Rut, Cirque Series stops, and championships with interviews, previews, and expert analysis that make racing feel immediate and worth following.

We talk about the gaps in trail running media and how to close them—more curiosity, fewer safe takes, and real coverage of prize money, anti-doping, and the business forces shaping athletes’ careers. The goal isn’t just reporting results. It’s star building. If more fans know why Christian Allen, Ana Gibson, or Lauren Gregory matter, the sport grows and athletes land better contracts. That means tighter formats, smarter co-hosts who’ve raced at the top, and video storytelling that highlights training, tactics, and personalities long before a breakout podium.

You’ll also hear what’s next for the platform: a new show under the Steep Stuff umbrella, on-site commentary and interviews, and a revamped approach to awards that gives short trail its own spotlight. We get personal about balancing training with production, why breathwork and calmer stimulus make workouts cleaner, and how structure beats hustle when you’re building something real. The promise we keep coming back to: this is the worst the product will be. From here, coverage, quality, and community presence only rise.

If you care about where short trail is heading—and how media can help it get there—press play, share it with a friend who loves mountain running, and leave a quick rating or review so we can keep building this together.

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A late start, a canceled senior season, and a move to Bozeman turned Lucy Kolpa from a soccer defender into one of trail running’s most compelling rising names. We dive into how she traded splits for summits, built a durable engine without a coach, and learned to treat races as a celebration of big mountain days rather than a verdict on her identity.

Lucy opens up about the moments that shaped her: walking on to DIII cross country with no high school PRs, discovering how sleep, hydration, and structure turbocharge confidence, and finding freedom in objective‑based long runs. She explains why winters aren’t an off‑season—downhill days, backcountry tours, and finally cracking skate skiing add massive aerobic volume with minimal impact, sharpening technique and resilience for steep, technical courses.

We break down her 2025 near‑podiums at Broken Arrow and The Rut, the surprise of holding her own at Sierre‑Zinal, and a 2026 plan centered on the Broken Arrow 23K, Beast of Big Creek in the Skyrunner World Series, and a return to The Rut 50K. Lucy shares her simple weekly framework: two quality sessions, one big mountain long run, and lots of truly easy miles, plus yoga and light strength to keep IT bands happy. We also get real about ambition and authenticity—how to chase sponsorship and bigger stages without losing the underdog mindset that makes training fun and sustainable.

If you love mountain running, Bozeman culture, or stories of steady, joyful progress, Lucy’s journey will light a fire. Listen, share with a friend who needs a nudge to get outside, and leave a quick review to help more trail fans find the show.

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The spark wasn’t love at first stride. Tayler Tuttle Peavey once hated running, chose softball, and struggled through PE miles—then found a coach who spoke the language of physiology and a path that led from Georgia to Colorado and, ultimately, to USATF national titles on the trails. We sit down to unpack how a hip labrum surgery, a health-first rebuild, and a sustainable coaching approach turned doubt into momentum and a breakout 2025.

Tayler takes us inside the pivotal transfer from Georgia to CU Boulder, the up-and-down college years, and the moment she realized roads weren’t the only way forward. She traces her first steps into trail racing—second at the Moab Trail Half after two years without a start—then the return to win Moab, a Twisted Fork statement, and a USATF 50K crown on runnable terrain that matched her strengths. We dig into Broken Arrow’s shortened VK, the chaos of mass starts, and the strategic lessons she can’t wait to apply when she lines up for the 23K.

Training with David and Megan Roche, Taylor’s blueprint centers on durability: weekly rest days, individualized intensity, and a mix of track, road, and trail sessions to keep speed sharp while building technical skill. She shares how she uses heart rate as a guide rather than a governor, why cross-training tools like Zwift, the elliptical, and stairs are staples, and how she keeps winter work efficient without unnecessary risk. Looking ahead, she’s targeting the two-to-three-hour sweet spot—30K mountain races, Broken Arrow 23K, and a potential Golden Trail schedule—while staying selective with travel and open to the right sponsorship fit as she moves full time into the sport.

We also talk bigger picture: how short trail can grow by inviting mass participation at accessible distances, why community and media coverage matter, and how the rising wave of D1 talent is raising the competitive bar. If you care about the future of mountain, trail, and sub-ultra racing—and the mindset it takes to thrive—this conversation delivers both inspiration and a practical playbook.

Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a quick review so more listeners can discover the show.

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Best of 2025 - Ryan Becker Fan Favorite Episode 

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Best of 2025 - Jane Maus Fan Favorite Episode 

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