The Steep Stuff Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

Join us Thursday - Sunday at the Broken Arrow Vendor Expo at the Sidas booth! 

You can also hang with us Thursday 6/18 at the Mountain Tiger Group Run at Donner Summit

Create a Rendezvu Account  @rendezvu

Use code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.us

Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello

Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod

Follow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa

Send us Fan Mail

$102,200 on the line, a Nike livestream, staggered elite starts, and a start list so deep we joke we’d need a hundred pre-race interviews to cover it. Broken Arrow 23K is lining up like a mini all-star event for trail running and mountain running, and we’re here to call the shots before the gun goes off.

We dig into why this prize purse matters and why we want payouts like this to become the benchmark for marquee races that draw international talent. Then we get practical: 14.25 miles, about 4,500 feet of climbing, a lot of fast running, and the late-race terrain where things can finally get spicy. We also talk broadcast and logistics, including the staggered starts for elite women and men and what that means for how the race unfolds and how you should watch it.

From there, it’s pure storyline season. On the women’s side we’re fired up about Ninka Brinkman’s return, McKenna Morley’s step up into a brutally stacked field, and the long list of podium-level threats who could turn this into a total coin flip. On the men’s side we look at the tacticians and the burners, what happened last year, and why Elhousine Elazzaoui, Patrick Kipngeno, and a rising American contingent make the tactics just as interesting as the fitness. Finally, we lock in our top-five picks for both races and explain exactly what would have to happen for our calls to be right.

If you’re watching Broken Arrow 23K live, listen first, make your own picks, and come back to tell us what we got wrong. Subscribe, share this with a trail running friend, and leave a review so we can keep bringing the hype with better and better coverage.

Contact our CoHost Steve Taylor for Commercial Insurance Needs

Direct - (970)-384-8338

Email - [email protected]

Create a Rendezvu Account  @rendezvu

Use code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.us

Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello

Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod

Follow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa

Send us Fan Mail

Two loops can turn a fast mountain race into a straight up psychological experiment. Broken Arrow 46K is the perfect example: you rip a demanding first lap, punish your quads on the descent, and then get asked to climb back into the pain cave all over again. We’re back with Steve Taylor to preview how this ultramarathon-style trail race really plays out when pacing mistakes start compounding and the second loop becomes the only thing that matters.

We dig into the stakes, including the prize money, and then get specific on the men’s field: why Eli Hemming looks like the clear favorite, what it would take for someone like Chad Hall to actually break him, and how racers like Noel Williams, Brian Whitfield, and Cole Campbell fit into the front pack math. We also go deep on sleepers and high-variance names, from Jared Hazen’s upside to under-the-radar threats like Matt Chorney, Matt Zupan, Mikey Mitchell, and Nicholas Turko. If you like race strategy, we talk through where separation is likely to happen and why this course rewards patience more than ego.

Then we shift to what might be the main event: the women’s race. We make the case that the women’s field is deeper, talk Rachel Drake’s form, Dani Moreno’s toughness coming off injury, and why Jasmine Louther and Leah Yingling make the triple crown storyline so interesting. We also debate whether the women can dip under last year’s winning time and what kind of day it takes to earn a podium at Broken Arrow 46K.

Subscribe for more race previews, share this with a friend who’s lining up at Broken Arrow, and leave a review if you want more picks, more sleepers, and more honest takes. Who’s on your podium and what’s your spiciest prediction?

Contact our CoHost Steve Taylor for Commercial Insurance Needs

Direct - (970)-384-8338

Email - [email protected]

Create a Rendezvu Account  @rendezvu

Use code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.us

Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello

Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod

Follow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa

Send us Fan Mail

Broken Arrow isn’t just another race weekend anymore, it’s the point in the season where trail running feels like it snaps into full focus. Steve Taylor joins me to talk through why this stop has exploded into a true international destination in North America, how the venue and spectator access change the vibe, and why the growing prize purse keeps pulling the fastest names into one start list. If you’re tracking the road from Broken Arrow to Western States, Hardrock, and UTMB, this is the moment where storylines start to lock in.

We zoom in on the Broken Arrow Ascent and get specific about what makes this course weirdly brutal: the full-gas ski hill start, the fast road and singletrack sections that reward speed strength, and the reality that a “vertical” can still punish you for racing like it’s a 3-minute effort. We talk pacing, tactics, and why this format can favor athletes with big VO2 engines, while still demanding legit climbing legs once the lactic hits and the finish gets close.

Then we get into the fun debate: is this the race of the roadies, or do mountain specialists still own the day? We dig into the crossover trend, what it does for the sport’s visibility, and why trail running remains a skill even on runnable terrain. From the stacked women’s matchup to the men’s field depth and our podium picks, you’ll walk away with clear names to watch and a sharper sense of how the Ascent is likely to unfold. If you like the breakdown, subscribe, share the episode with a trail buddy, and leave a quick review.

Contact our CoHost Steve Taylor for Commercial Insurance Needs

Direct - (970)-384-8338

Email - [email protected]

Create a Rendezvu Account  @rendezvu

Use code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.us

Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello

Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod

Follow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa

Send us Fan Mail

Someone finally closes the gap on you mid-race. You don’t know if it’s one runner or the whole field. Your legs are fading on a rocky climb, the descents are muddy and technical, and every choice feels expensive. That’s the moment where champions either tighten up or stay clear headed. We talk with 2026 U.S. Mountain Running Champion Maya Rayle just days after her win to find out what she told herself, what she did tactically, and why she never let the race turn into a panic spiral. 

We break down the Sunapee course in practical trail running terms: how she handled an aggressive start, where she felt strongest, and why the descents were actually the highlight. Maya shares what it looked like when Elisa caught her, how she managed the pass without giving up contact, and how subtle terrain changes like trail sections, fire roads, and long downhills shape pacing in mountain running. If you care about race strategy, downhill running technique, and staying composed under pressure, this recap delivers real, usable lessons. 

Training talk gets equally honest. Maya explains being self-coached, balancing preparation with field ecology research in remote Montana, and using winter backcountry skiing and Nordic skiing to build aerobic volume without forcing a rigid weekly mileage plan. We also dig into Missoula’s low-key but highly athletic culture, the value of supportive training partners, and how she’s thinking about the transition to Broken Arrow and representing Team USA in Canada. 

If this conversation helps you rethink your own trail running training or race mindset, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. What’s the hardest part for you: the climb, the descent, or staying calm when the race changes?

Follow Maya on IG - @maya_rayle

Create a Rendezvu Account  @rendezvu

Use code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.us

Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello

Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod

Follow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa

Send us Fan Mail

Post Sunapee Interview from Sunapee Mountain in NH - Mason was interviewed by the commentary team, Rachel Tomajacyk, James Lauriello, Remi Leroux & Corinee Shalvoy 

Create a Rendezvu Account  @rendezvu

Use code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.us

Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello

Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod

Follow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa

Send us Fan Mail

One wrong turn can end your day, or it can reveal what you’re made of. Right after the U.S. Mountain Running Championships, we link up with Ares Reading in the airport for a quick, honest debrief on how he ran himself into fourth place and onto Team USA, right behind names like Christian Allen, Dan Curts, and Mason Coppi.

We walk the race from the opening climb to the moment Ares, Mason, and Christian all followed the wrong markers into the woods, and the split-second mental scramble that followed. Ares explains how he settled back in, where he regained ground, and why the technical downhills are still the biggest separator for him. If you care about mountain running, trail racing tactics, and what actually changes performance week to week, this conversation gets specific fast.

We also dig into training with coach Matt Daniels, including fatigue resistance sessions, long hill reps, and a hill ladder workout designed to simulate pushing hard on tired legs. Ares shares how getting dropped on technical descents at Canyons flipped a switch, why he’s leaning into more technical downhill practice, and what he’s most excited about next at Broken Arrow and beyond, with international goals on the horizon.

If you’re chasing your own breakthrough, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a trail friend, and leave a review so more runners can find the show.

Follow Ares on IG - @ares_reading

Create a Rendezvu Account  @rendezvu

Use code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.us

Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello

Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod

Follow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa

Send us Fan Mail

2026 USATF Mountain Running Championship - Sunapee Scramble Live Stream Audio

Hosts

James Lauriello - @jameslauriello

Remi Leroux - @remi_leroux

Corinne Shalvoy - @corinne_shalvoyage

Rachel Tomajczyk - @rachrunsworld

All Rights - Six03Endurance & Marathon Sports 

Create a Rendezvu Account  @rendezvu

Use code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.us

Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello

Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod

Follow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa

Send us Fan Mail

Sunapee is the kind of short trail race that exposes everything you skipped in training. Two loops. Steep ski-area grades. A second lap that turns sloppy and technical. And if the forecast holds, wet rock, roots, and mud that can rip shoes right off your feet. That’s why we’re so fired up for the Sunapee Scramble and the US Mountain Running Championships, where a national title and Team USA selection spots are on the line. 

We walk through the course in plain language, then get specific about what actually wins here: when to push the first climb, why patience matters before the second loop, and how East Coast terrain changes the game for athletes coming from smoother, faster trails. We also dig into the “complete runner” trend in mountain running, where pure aerobic engine is not enough and technical descending skill plus race-day decision-making can flip the results in minutes. 

Then we name names. We talk women’s contenders and the wide-open opportunity created by who’s not on the start list, plus the men’s field with proven killers, risky front-runners, and a few dark horses who could turn this into a breakout performance. We also touch on prize money and what it means for sustainable growth in professional trail running. 

Subscribe for more mountain running previews, share this with a friend who loves short trail chaos, and leave a review with your podium picks so we can debate them after the race.

Contact our CoHost Steve Taylor for Commercial Insurance Needs

Direct - (970)-384-8338

Email - [email protected]

Create a Rendezvu Account  @rendezvu

Use code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.us

Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello

Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod

Follow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa

Send us Fan Mail

Mud, pressure, and a two-loop course that punishes impatience. We sit down with Oakley Olson as she heads into Sunapee for the US Mountain Running Championships, fresh off finishing her time at Florida State and moving back to Utah where altitude and technical trails feel like home again.

Oakley walks us through what NCAA training in the ACC gives her heading into trail running season, then breaks down Twisted Fork in Park City: a great venue, a stacked vibe, and weather that turned the day into a cold, sliding mess. That experience tees up the questions every trail runner asks before a rainy championship: Which shoes actually hold in mud, how many pairs do you pack, and how do you stay composed when footing is gone and time no longer matters?

The conversation goes deeper when Oakley explains what a Team USA spot means to her, shaped by growing up a military kid and living overseas. We also dig into the skills that make her dangerous on a course like Sunapee: fearless descending rooted in steeplechase, patient tactics for loop two, and the mindset shift from imposter syndrome to believing you belong on the start line. She closes with a clear theme for race day: be the hunter, not the hunted.

If you care about mountain running, trail racing strategy, and the mental side of competing when the field is deep, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend chasing big goals, and leave a review with your best tip for racing in the mud.

Follow Oakley on IG - @oakleyolson

Create a Rendezvu Account  @rendezvu

Use code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.us

Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello

Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod

Follow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa