Women of Distance

Emily Schmitz is fresh off of a podium finish at the UTMB World Series Final - placing third amongst a deeply competitive field of women.

With a history of top finishes at OCC, CCC, World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, and more - Emily races with a quiet confidence, leading by instinct and curiosity rather than expectation.

In this episode, we discuss how that curiosity has guided her path through life as well as how it allowed her to stay connected to her own experience at UTMB; racing to the top while also enjoying and absorbing the journey.

Find and follow Emily at: instagram.com/emilys.chmitzFind this episode, and follow all things Women of Distance at:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/womenofdistance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*Women of Distance is proudly supported by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Open Fuel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!On a mission to provide the quality sports nutrition you need, without the trash and waste you don't - check out their products and their mission at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠openfuel.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code: WOD for 20% off your order, every time!⁠⁠*Women of Distance is also kept caffeinated by our friends, and fellow trail runners, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.summit-roasters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code WOD15 for 15% off your order every time!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We'd love to see Women of Distance listeners supporting those, supporting us. Thank you!

Meghan Canfield has a rich history in distance running - including but not limited to qualifying for four Olympic Marathon Trials, representing Team USA on nine consecutive 100k World Championship teams, ten Top Ten finishes at the Western States 100; she is a 2025 inductee of the Ultrarunning Hall of Fame, and most recently - women's champion of the 65-69 age group at UTMB!

In this episode, we talk through how her upbringing and early days in the sport laid the foundation and principles that have guided her through a long and healthy career - still unfolding. We also discuss how she's adjusted her training and approach over time, how she views the changes in the sport over time, and breakdown a full recap of her race at this year's UTMB.

Find more about Meghan's story, and her coaching information at: zenithcoaches.com

And on social media at: instagram.com/runningmegleg

Find this episode, and follow all things Women of Distance at:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/womenofdistance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is proudly supported by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Open Fuel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

On a mission to provide the quality sports nutrition you need, without the trash and waste you don't - check out their products and their mission at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠openfuel.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code: WOD for 20% off your order, every time!⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is also kept caffeinated by our friends, and fellow trail runners, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.summit-roasters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use code WOD15 for 15% off your order every time!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We'd love to see Women of Distance listeners supporting those, supporting us. Thank you!

Wieke De Boer is an experienced ultrarunner and backpacker, with a lifelong connection to the Grand Canyon - she's also a mother, a teacher, and my friend; the one who introduced me to running in the canyon and still the only person I've ever done the double crossing with.

On August 28th, she set out for two nights in the canyon, completing a Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim trip in a familiar place as her first ever solo backpacking trip. On August 29th as she traversed the majority of the R3 route from Bright Angel Campground to the North Rim, and back, she was caught in multiple storms that led to a massive flash flood through Bright Angel Creek - ultimately devastating the area and taking two lives.

Her story is nothing short of incredible - in the way she made observations and made decisions, alone in the backcountry, that ultimately saved her life. This is her telling of her history with the sport, the Grand Canyon, and the experiences of that day.

Find this episode, and follow all things Women of Distance at:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/womenofdistance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is proudly supported by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Open Fuel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

On a mission to provide the quality sports nutrition you need, without the trash and waste you don't - check out their products and their mission at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠openfuel.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code: WOD for 20% off your order, every time!⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is also kept caffeinated by our friends, and fellow trail runners, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.summit-roasters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use code WOD15 for 15% off your order every time!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We'd love to see Women of Distance listeners supporting those, supporting us. Thank you!

Lexi Jackson just took 4.5 hours off the women's course record at the Jigger Johnson 100 mile - one of the world's most grueling trail races, through the White Mountains of New Hampshire... and a race she viewed as relatively easy as compared to some of the other things she's done and been through recently.

A crusher of gnarly FKTs of all varieties and big mountain racing, her path into sport was unconventional. In this episode, we discuss how she found running and what it meant to her; the confidence she developed; her path into mostly solo and unsupported trail adventure; developing community; the personal connection with FKT projects - and we go into full detail of her experience setting the Direttissima FKT (self-powered connection of the 48 4,000+ footers of New Hampshire) and winning the Jigger Johnson 100 in record time.

Check out Lexi's full FKT history here - it's impressive: https://fastestknowntime.com/athlete/lexi-jackson

Find and follow all things Women of Distance at:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/womenofdistance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is proudly supported by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Open Fuel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

On a mission to provide the quality sports nutrition you need, without the trash and waste you don't - check out their products and their mission at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠openfuel.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code: WOD for 20% off your order, every time!⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is also kept caffeinated by our friends, and fellow trail runners, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.summit-roasters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use code WOD15 for 15% off your order every time!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We'd love to see Women of Distance listeners supporting those, supporting us. Thank you!

Kaylee Frederick is the OVERALL champion of the 2026 Eastern States 100 mile (the first woman in history to do so), as well as the first woman to break 24 hours - running 23:09:48 on the challenging Pennsylvania course!

At 21 years old, this was Kaylee's second time completing the Pennsylvania Triple Crown: Hyner 50k, World's End 100k, and Eastern States 100mile in a single summer. This year though, she earned the Queen of the Mountain title, as the fastest woman and fastest PERSON to complete the three (and then some).

Last summer, she shared her full story on Women of Distance which you can listen to here. From her first ultra at age 14, to the youngest finisher of the Badwater 135, to the youngest competitor at last year's IAU 24-Hour World Champs... Over the past year, she's changed and grown in a lot of different ways.

In this episode, we talk about that, and the racing it produced for her this Summer!

Find and follow Kaylee at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/frederick.kaylee

Find and follow all things Women of Distance at:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/womenofdistance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is proudly supported by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Open Fuel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

On a mission to provide the quality sports nutrition you need, without the trash and waste you don't - check out their products and their mission at ⁠⁠⁠⁠openfuel.co⁠⁠⁠⁠

 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code: WOD for 20% off your order, every time!⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is also kept caffeinated by our friends, and fellow trail runners, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.summit-roasters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use code WOD15 for 15% off your order every time!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We'd love to see Women of Distance listeners supporting those, supporting us. Thank you!

Last week, Caroline Himbert traversed the John Muir Trail in the fastest known unsupported female time in history. This trail covers 223 miles and 42,000+ feet of elevation gain across some of the most rugged and remote terrain in the western U.S.

This is her second time completing and setting the unsupported record on the route, bettering her own time from last summer by more than 12 hours! In this episode, we unpack all the details of both attempts - how she did it, what she learned about the trail and about herself, what fears she carried and how she moved forward anyway. We also spend time discussing her entry into the sport via thru-hiking (solo) as a young adult, and the journey that ultimately brought her to chasing records amongst some of the best mountain athletes in the world.

Read Caroline's FKT report and all about the history of the route at https://fastestknowntime.com/route/john-muir-trail-whitney-portal-ca

Find and follow Caroline at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/im_earthcake

Find and follow all things Women of Distance at:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/womenofdistance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is supported by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Open Fuel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - as was Caroline's record!

On a mission to provide the quality sports nutrition you need, without the trash and waste you don't - check out their products and their mission at ⁠⁠⁠openfuel.co⁠⁠⁠

 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code: WOD for 20% off your order, every time!⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is also kept caffeinated by our friends, and fellow trail runners, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.summit-roasters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use code WOD15 for 15% off your order every time!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We'd love to see Women of Distance listeners supporting those, supporting us. Thank you!

Maria Guy just became the fastest woman, by more than eight hours, to complete the Millwood 100 FKT - a gnarly and challenging route through the Wasatch mountains of Utah, totaling 102 miles and 36,000 feet of vertical gain.

She completed the route in 34 hours, 18 minutes during one of the hottest weekends of the year, while stopping to breastfeed her 10 month old along the way... Her only goal being to challenge herself, share the miles, and leave a mark on a community that has left its mark on her.

In this episode, get to know who Maria is - an immigrant, a mother, a badass mountain athlete who only discovered her athletic passion and talent a few short years ago, and so much more. Of course we take a deep dive into the FKT itself as well - what it entails, how she prepared, how the day(s) unfolded, and what it meant to her.

Find and follow Maria at ⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/mariabguy

Find and follow all things Women of Distance at:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/womenofdistance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is supported by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Open Fuel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

On a mission to provide the quality sports nutrition you need, without the trash and waste you don't - check out their products and their mission at ⁠⁠openfuel.co⁠⁠

 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code: WOD for 20% off your order, every time!⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is also kept caffeinated by our friends, and fellow trail runners, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.summit-roasters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use code WOD15 for 15% off your order every time!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Trolley House, medium roast, is my top choice.)

We'd love to see Women of Distance listeners supporting those, supporting us. Thank you!

Joanna (Fortier) LiPuma just completed her 100 mile debut at the Vermont 100, where she placed second female in a particularly strong and exciting field - running 18:16 across 15,000ft of vert and descent. (Also besting her 100k-winning split from the year before, en route!)

Just one week later, she wore high heels to her wedding!

Joanna is a woman who came into the sport at her own pace, taught herself confidence in the mountains in her own way, and built a community and life that she loves while developing elite performance and competitive drive.

Find and follow Joanna at ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/jfortier603

Find and follow all things Women of Distance at:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/womenofdistance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is supported by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Open Fuel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

On a mission to provide the quality sports nutrition you need, without the trash and waste you don't - check out their products and their mission at ⁠openfuel.co⁠

 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code: WOD for 20% off your order, every time!⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is also kept caffeinated by our friends, and fellow trail runners, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.summit-roasters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use code WOD15 for 15% off your order every time!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Trolley House, medium roast, is my top choice.)

We'd love to see Women of Distance listeners supporting those, supporting us. Thank you!

Dani Moreno is a world class trail runner and ambassador of the sport, just recently off of a significant victory at the Broken Arrow 46k... significant for many reasons, including that it was her first race back after a series of freak-accident injuries that have plagued her past two years.

Those injuries, and the experiences and growth that came with them, had a profound impact on her perspectives and who she is both inside and outside of sport. In this episode, we walk it back to her entry into athletics, discovering her innate competitive drive, and the journey that ultimately brought her to this next chapter and next level.

Find and follow Dani at ⁠⁠instagram.com/dan_yell_a

and substack.com/@thetraildiaries

Find and follow all things Women of Distance at:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/womenofdistance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is supported by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Open Fuel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

On a mission to provide the quality sports nutrition you need, without the trash and waste you don't - check out their products and their mission at openfuel.co

 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code: WOD for 20% off your order, every time!⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is also kept caffeinated by our friends, and fellow trail runners, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.summit-roasters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use code WOD15 for 15% off your order every time!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Trolley House, medium roast, is my top choice.)

We'd love to see Women of Distance listeners supporting those, supporting us. Thank you!

Sarah Carter is a woman who has crafted a sense of self belief that has carried her forward when it would have been easy to turn around - and just two weeks ago, it carried her to a career highlight second place at the Broken Arrow 46k (running 24 minutes faster than last year's race).

Her path has never been easy, and this episode is a deep dive into Sarah's history through sport, lessons learned through hard experience, and character developed along the way.

Find and follow Sarah at ⁠instagram.com/sarah_carter_xc

Find and follow all things Women of Distance at:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/womenofdistance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is supported by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Open Fuel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

On a mission to provide the quality sports nutrition you need, without the trash and waste you don't - check out their products and their mission at openfuel.co

 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code: WOD for 20% off your order, every time!⁠⁠

*Women of Distance is also kept caffeinated by our friends, and fellow trail runners, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.summit-roasters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use code WOD15 for 15% off your order every time!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Trolley House, medium roast, is my top choice.)

We'd love to see Women of Distance listeners supporting those, supporting us. Thank you!