Singletrack

• John Kelly Breaks Down Barkley Marathons & His Upcoming Appalachian Trail FKT Attempt

  Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!John Kelly returns to the Singletrack Podcast, this time to reflect on the 2025 Barkley Marathons and the insights he has gained from the notorious event over the past decade. He then dives into announcing and discussing his plans to attempt the fastest known time on the Appalachian Trail later this year.Timestamps:(0:00) - the difficulty of the 2025 Barkley Marathons course(1:36) - the importance of a "pipeline" of Barkley finishers(10:13) - the intentions of Lazarus Lake and Carl Laniak(14:58) - Barkley is not an orienteering event(23:00) - Brett Maune course record reflection(25:02) - whether Barkley will still be relevant after the Laz era(26:10) - Appalachian Trail FKT announcement(33:30) - the difficulty of beating the current fastest known time(37:21) - Appalachian Trail influences(43:14) - opportunities for improvement in the record approach(46:28) - building out support team(50:53) - how much it takes to prepare(01:04:15) - mental performance strategy(01:06:22) - final thoughtsPartners:Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)Additional Links:Follow John on Instagram, Strava, WebsiteFollow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube, and PatreonSupport the show

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  1:14:01
• Big Alta Breakout, Jim Walmsley's Evolution, Barkley Insights (Long Run Archives #24)

  Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!We've got another classic edition of the Long Run Archives on deck, but it's been a minute. We've been fully immersed in all things Barkley Marathons, working hard to bring a few key projects to the finish line.Two big shoutouts here:First, The Finisher, a long-form documentary about Jasmin Paris’ three-year journey to become the first female finisher at the Barkley. Huge credit and gratitude to Jules Campanelli, Drew Darby, and Rob Fisher, who worked tirelessly to bring this piece to life. We wrapped it up in great form last week.Second, we turned around a 2025 Barkley recap vlog to get a window in this year’s event as quickly as possible. That’s now live on the Singletrack YouTube channel, thanks to the excellent work of my friend and colleague, Roo Smith.Anyways, in this edition of the Long Run Archives, Brett and I chat all things Big Alta, Chianti, Barkley, and Crown King before closing with the best stuff we found on the internet this week. Enjoy!Timestamps:(1:33) - Big Alta(25:14) - Chianti(41:41) - Barkley Marathons(64:06) - Courtney Dauwalter + Crown King(76:42) - Best Stuff We Found On The InternetPartners:Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)Additional Links:HypershellFollow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube, Coaching, PatreonFollow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube, and PatreonSupport the show

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  1:31:11
• The Next Great Ultrarunning Film? (The Chase: A Cocodona 250 Story)

  Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!In this episode, I'm joined by ultrarunning filmmaker Dylan Harris for a special conversation.Dylan is the director of an upcoming film called "The Chase", which tells the story of the epic six-way battle for victory at the 2024 Cocodona 250, featuring Jeff Browning, Harry Subertas, Michael Versteeg, Joe McConaughy, Arlen Glick, and Michael McKnight. We've had almost all of these guys on the pod before — some of my favorite characters in the sport — and it was incredible to see how this film captured the unique blend of their personalities and racing styles at a premier multi-day event like Cocodona.In this conversation, Dylan and I start and finish by discussing the potential for more content like this in the ultrarunning space, which was awesome. But even more so, we spend the bulk of our time diving deep into each of the featured athletes, adding another compelling layer of insight to the film’s storytelling.Timestamps:(2:05) - Unbreakable inspirations, making more films with good storytelling prioritized(19:26) - Arlen Glick, Michael Versteeg, Joe McConaughy, Michael McKnight, Jeff Browning reflections(85:17) - final thoughtsPartners:Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)Additional Links:"The Chase" Film TourDylan HarrisInaugural Year, The Long Way HomeFollow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube, and PatreonSupport the show

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  1:34:45
• Is This Wearable About To Revolutionize Ultrarunning? (Long Run Archives #23)

  Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!Finn Melanson and Brett Hornig convene for another edition of the Long Run Archives. They talk about business ideas for trail running, the rise of breathing sensors in training and racing contexts, Grand Slam Track, the continued golden ticket chase at Tarawera, the final year of Pine to Palm, and the Barkley Marathons.Timestamps:(0:00) - business ideas for trail running(17:43) - breathing sensors(35:28) - Grand Slam Track(44:45) - Nnormal(57:07) - Tarawera(68:49) - Pine to Palm(87:09) - Barkley Marathons(91:02) - records that won't be broken anytime soonPartners:Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/) Additional Links:UCI ArticleTymeWearBeth McKenzieAndrew Thompson - Concepts for SuccessAndrew Thompson - Barkley Race Report Follow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube, Coaching, PatreonFollow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Youtube, and PatreonSupport the show

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  1:39:41
• Has Ultrarunning’s Next Phenom Already Arrived? (Caleb Olson Interview)

  Text us your thoughts about this episode or ideas for future episodes!Caleb Olson returns to the show to discuss his dominant win at the Transgrancanaria Classic this past weekend. We dive into his conscious transition in racing style from hunter to race leader, the pack dynamics with Jon Albon and Josh Wade, the unique challenges of the TGC course, whether he feels different after such a significant career victory, and what might be next for him in 2025.Timestamps:(2:35) - small talk, in-person recording debacle(5:27) - impact of Tom Evans not racing, being overlooked(8:45) - the psychology of dictating the race, how he made that shift(13:53) - working with Jack Kuenzle, training approach, being Strava "dim"(22:39) - staying motivated to lead the race, pack dynamic with Jon and Josh(38:52) - race mantras, the interest and courage to evolve as a pro(56:05) - unique challenges of the Transgrancanaria course(63:50) - final reflections, what's nextPartners:Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/) Additional Links:Caleb's TGC FootageFollow Caleb on Instagram, Strava, SubstackFollow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Twitter, Youtube, and PatreonSupport the show

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  1:18:55

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