Singletrack
Finn Melanson
Singletrack is a podcast covering the professional trail and ultrarunning scene.
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Top 10 Singletrack Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Singletrack episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Singletrack for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Singletrack episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Robin Thurston | MapMyRun, Connected Fitness, Outerverse, Future Of The Outdoor Media Industry
Singletrack
09/14/22 • 53 min
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Robin Thurston is the CEO of Outside, the largest media company in the outdoor industry by orders of magnitude. In this conversation, we discuss Robin's entrepreneurial background building MapMyRun into the largest running community in the world, the state of connected fitness, putting a price tag on running-related and other outdoor media, the "Outerverse", and how Robin thinks about preserving the authenticity of acquired brands like fastestknowntime.com.
Sponsors:
- Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/discount/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order
- HVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://hvmn.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order
Links:
Timestamps:
(1:46) - connected fitness, MapMyRun origins, outdoor industry background
(10:36) - the state of connected fitness/running, progress made in this space
(15:24) - incorporating reward cycles into running/outdoor industry products
(18:04) - micro-transactions in running products and services
(20:39) - Outside shop
(22:37) - putting a price tag on running content, building utility into consumption
(28:04) - thoughts on if and when the majority of consumers will accept premium content models
(30:39) - whether the recent layoffs at Outside are a strike against these optimistic business models
(35:58) - whether and how to rally major industries players off the major tech media platforms
(38:32) - Outerverse conversation, screen time, alternatives within Web3
(43:23) - practical examples of the Outerverse in action
(47:23) - how to preserve the quality, authenticity, and trust of acquired brands like fastestknowntime.com
(50:36) - recruiting running and other outdoor creators to the platform
(52:35) - final calls to action
Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:
- #58 - Buzz Burrell | Modern FKT Movement, FKT.com Sale To Outside Mag, Trail Running Business
- #28 - Joe Vennare | Technology For Ultra Runners, Trail Running Media Companies, Business Advice
- #20 - Zoe Rom | Trail Runner Magazine, Running Journalism, Diversity Talks
- #7 - Mark Gainey | Co-Founder of Strava, Trail Running, Athlete Creators
- #3 - Jimmy Daly | Social Media, Content Creation, Branding For Trail Runners
08/02/22 • 63 min
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Michael McKnight is a professional trail runner for Salomon based in Logan, UT.
You may recognize Michael as one of the top athletes on the 200 mile racing scene and we do talk a bit about that towards the end of the episode, but this conversation delves a fair bit into the philosophical as well as Michael reflects on being outspoken on social media on a whole array of issues, managing a coaching business through turbulent economic times, and the takeaways from working on the corporate side of the sport in many capacities.
We also talk about and build up some hype for Michael’s next project - and what I believe is one of the most unique events our sport has seen in a while - a head to head battle for the Arizona Trail FKT taking place in October.
Discounts:
- Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/discount/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order
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Timestamps:
- (3:06) - experience and takeaways working for Altra in customer service, events, and athlete management
- (18:32) - motivations for the move from Altra to Salomon, getting into coaching
- (28:19) - living and training in Logan, UT
- (34:53) - social media, being outspoken about certain hot topics in our sport
- (41:31) - specializing, building a career around 200 mile races
- (47:00) - whether a playbook is forming for how to run 200 milers
- (52:51) - Arizona Trail FKT showdown
Links:
Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:
- #73 - Joe McConaughy | Cocodona 250 Win, Long Trail FKTs, Coaching Ultra Runners
Long Run Archives #14 | More UTMB Controversy, Iconic 2010s Race Performances, Hardrock 100 Hype
Singletrack
12/11/23 • 101 min
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Finn Melanson, Brett Hornig, and special guest Jeff Colt talk about UTMB parting ways with Corrine Malcolm, the latest, Hardrock 100 and Black Canyon 100K start lists, reactions to the new Strava messaging feature, race performances that defined the 2010s, and lower-key races that we want to see gain popularity.
Timestamps:
- 02:00 - Introduction and UTMB Parting Ways with Corrine Malcolm
- 06:47 - Speculating UTMB's Future in North America
- 27:43 - Discussion on Hardrock 100 and Black Canyon
- 45:26 - Discussion on Shoe Innovation and Replication
- 52:35 - Introduction of Strava Messaging Feature
- 59:41 - Memorable Race Performances from the 2010s
- 01:05:02 - Impact of Media on Trail Running
- 01:19:18 - The Role of Storytellers in the 2020s
- 01:21:19 - Up and Coming Races in the Next 3-5 Years
- 01:28:52 - Race Ideas: Starting Point and Distance Challenge
Sponsors:
- Naak - use code SINGLETRACK15 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 15% off your purchase.
- Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 20% off your next order.
- Oladance - use code ST at this link (https://oladance.com/ST) to get $30 off the Oladance OWS2 headphones.
- Brooks Running - check out their High Point clothing collection and new and improved Cascadia 17 shoe at this link (https://www.brooksrunning.com/singletrack).
- Kodiak Cakes - use code Singletrack15 at checkout on their website (https://kodiakcakes.com/singletrackpodcast) to get 15% off your next order.
Additional Links:
Cole Watson | Canyons 100K Champion
Singletrack
05/02/23 • 56 min
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Cole Watson and Brett Hornig join the podcast to recap Cole's win at the Canyons 100K this past weekend.
Discounts:
- Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/discount/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order
- HVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://hvmn.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order
- Trails and Tarmac - get $120 off your first 3 months of coaching (https://trailsandtarmac.com/get-in-touch/)
Additional Links:
- Follow Cole on Instagram, Strava, Personal Website
- Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Twitter, Youtube, and Patreon
- Follow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube, and The Feed
Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:
- #192 - Cole Watson | 2023 Black Canyon 100K Pre-Race Interview
- #77 - Cole Watson | 2022 Western States Pre-Race Interview
09/14/23 • 79 min
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Jim Walmsley joins the podcast to talk about the major takeaways from his UTMB win, the impacts of moving to France last year, how he's managed his career to date and his path to going full-time pro, as well as his thoughts on whether the UTMB system works for elite athletes in our sport.
Timestamps:
- (1:01) - preparing for a golden ticket chase at Nice Côte d'Azur
- (2:59) - reflecting on career longevity, how he's stayed elite for so long
- (9:09) - curiosity, continuing education in ultra-trail running
- (16:00) - biggest areas of improvement for Jim and for other elites at UTMB
- (25:16) - contextualizing this win, benefits of moving to France for preparation
- (34:17) - key parts of the blueprint for UTMB success
- (49:02) - the other American men have the best chance to win UTMB in the next few years, what's next for Jim
- (59:15) - how Jim creates meaning around his career, how he feels about the overall UTMB system
- (65:26) - miscellaneous questions
Sponsors:
- Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 20% off your next order.
- Feetures - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://feetures.com/) to get 20% off your next order.
- Kodiak Cakes - use code Singletrack15 at checkout on their website (https://kodiakcakes.com/singletrackpodcast) to get 15% off your next order.
- Oladance - use code ST at this link (https://oladance.com/ST) to get $30 off the Oladance OWS2 headphones.
- Pillar Performance - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout on their website for 15% off your next order. American listeners - use this link. International listeners - use this link.
- Maurten - head over to their website (https://www.maurten.com/) and shop for gels, bars, and drink mixes.
- Brooks Running - check out their High Point clothing collection and new and improved Cascadia 17 shoe at this link (https://www.brooksrunning.com/singletrack)
Links:
07/20/23 • 77 min
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In this episode, I'm joined by David Hedges and Jack Kuenzle.
You may have already seen it in the news, but David recently set a new supported and overall FKT on the Nolan's 14 route in Colorado, finishing in a time of 39 hours, 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
Jack joins the conversation as a member of his crew and pacing team and together we break down his effort, strategy, philosophy around choosing personal projects versus formal racing goals, and the impact of the effort in the broader community.
**One thing to note - there are moments of profanity in this episode, please keep that in mind if you find that off-putting or aren’t in the best environment to listen to such banter.
Sponsors:
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Links:
08/16/23 • 91 min
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On August 4th, 2023 I set an unsupported fastest known time on the 100 mile wilderness section of Maine's Appalachian Trail.
In an effort to pay it forward to anyone interested in testing their limits on this route in the future, I recorded this trip report with Xander Keiter, who is a fellow HMW enthusiast and owner of the fastest known supported and overall time on the route.
Xander and I discuss the history of the route, what makes it special and intriguing, where it fits in the broader context of the New England trail running scene, how I prepared for the run, what went well, what went poorly, and what might be next.
Sponsors:
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- Kodiak Cakes - use code Singletrack15 at checkout on their website (https://kodiakcakes.com/singletrackpodcast) to get 15% off your next order.
- HVMN - use this link (https://hvmn.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 30% off your first subscription to their Ketone IQ product.
- Feetures - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://feetures.com/) to get 20% off your next order.
Timestamps:
- (3:29) - what makes the 100 Mile Wilderness so intriguing, what draws trail runners to the route
- (22:52) - how I prepared for the 100 Mile Wilderness
- (30:17) - how I fared on each section, what execution looked like
- (67:58) - post-run reflections, contextualizing the 100 Mile Wilderness, future plans
Sample Gear Used:
- Speedland GS:Tam
- Kogalla RA Adventure Light
- Maurten Gel 100
- Salomon Adv Skin 12L Pack
- Leki Ultra Trail FX One Poles
Links:
- Xander Keiter on From The Backcountry Podcast
- 100 Mile Wilderness Fastest Known Time Page
- Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Twitter, Youtube, and Patreon
Brett Hornig | 2022 Javelina Jundred Recap
Singletrack
11/07/22 • 71 min
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Frequent co-host Brett Hornig joins the podcast to talk about his 4th place finish at the 2022 Javelina Jundred.
Brett talks about being a student of the sport, the conversations he had in the leadup with experienced professionals, how his philosophy around 100 mile training has evolved, how he oriented his lifestyle for this training block, the "why" behind the nutrition, supplements, and gear he used on race day, the race recap, and final thoughts on how this result affects his mindset moving forward.
Sponsors:
- InsideTracker - go to (https://info.insidetracker.com/single...) to get 20% off your next order.
- Kodiak Cakes - use code Singletrack15 at checkout on their website (https://kodiakcakes.com/) to get 15% off your next order
- Gnarly Nutrition - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://gognarly.com/) to get 20% off your next order
Links:
Timestamps:
- (2:20) - whether he was surprised by a top finish at the Javelina Jundred
- (5:32)- being a student of ultrarunning, conversations with the pros about Javelina
- (8:18) - 100 mile training philosophies
- (21:53) - orienting life around preparation for Javelina, additional training block insights
- (27:58) - nutrition, supplements, gear for Javelina
- (41:19) - Javelina race recap, lap by lap
- (55:49) - whether this race result increases confidence, belonging among elites
- (64:27)- final thoughts
Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:
- #140 - Long Run Archives #7 | Olympic Ultra Running, UTMB World Series, Race Coverage Ideas, Agents
- #104 - Long Run Archives #6 | Future of Trail Running Content, USATF Debates, Unusual Athlete Sponsorships, Joe Gray Versus Kilian Jornet
- #94 - Long Run Archives #5 | Western States Reactions, Zach Miller Return, Arizona Trail Duel
- #72 - Long Run Archives #4 | Cocodona 250, Mammoth Trail Fest, Super Shoe Influences, Strava Finds
- #62 - Long Run Archives #3 | Betting In Ultrarunning, Next Great Trail Running Towns, Golden Ticket Series Ideas
- #53 - Long Run Archives #2 | Ultrarunning Analytics, Elite DNF Debate, 3:47 Downhill Mile, Magda What If
- #43 - Long Run Archives #1 | Jim Walmsley What Ifs, Black Canyon 100K Preview, Full-Time
10/21/22 • 12 min
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Matt Daniels is a professional trail runner for Nike based in Boulder, CO lining up for the 2022 Javelina Jundred.
Sponsors:
- InsideTracker - go to (https://info.insidetracker.com/singletrack) to get 20% off your next order.
- Kodiak Cakes - use code Singletrack15 at checkout on their website (https://kodiakcakes.com/) to get 15% off your next order
- Gnarly Nutrition - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://gognarly.com/) to get 20% off your next order
Timestamps:
- (1:03) - Boulder trail running group/team
- (3:56) - catching up on UTMB-CCC experience
- (6:22) - fitness, confidence heading into Javelina
- (8:26) - estimating what it will take to podium this year
- (9:58) - Western States, golden ticket interests
- (11:12) - shoe choice for Javelina
Links:
Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:
- #143 - Annie Hughes | 2022 Javelina Jundred Pre-Race Interview
- #142 - Stefanie Flippin | 2022 Javelina Jundred Pre-Race Interview
- #141 - Nick Coury | 2022 Javelina Jundred Pre-Race Interview
02/22/23 • 123 min
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I am joined by Brett Hornig to talk about some of our takeaways from Black Canyon, prize money and professional support in ultrarunning, emerging storylines for Western States, the future of live-streaming, the future of pacers and crew at race, and which sports outside of trail running produce the best athletes for our world.
Discounts:
- Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/discount/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order
- HVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://hvmn.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order
- Trails and Tarmac - get $120 off your first 3 months of coaching (https://trailsandtarmac.com/get-in-touch/)
Timestamps:
- (4:35) - recapping Black Canyon
- (12:11) - what makes a race so competitive
- (18:27) - livestream hypotheticals
- (27:03) - competitive fluidity of ultra races outside of Western States
- (34:00) - prize money debate, supporting professionals
- (48:31) - Western States golden ticket discussion, emerging storylines
- (82:32) - getting rid of pacers and crews
- (95:42) - future of livestreaming discussion
- (111:12) - which athletes from other sports make the best ultrarunners
Additional Links:
- Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, Twitter, Youtube, and Patreon
- Follow Brett on Instagram, Strava, Youtube, and The Feed
Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:
- #182 - Long Run Archives #9 | True Fans Of Trail Running, 100 Mile Hot Takes, UTMB World Series
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FAQ
How many episodes does Singletrack have?
Singletrack currently has 381 episodes available.
What topics does Singletrack cover?
The podcast is about News, Ultra Running, Running, Podcasts, Sports and Sports News.
What is the most popular episode on Singletrack?
The episode title '2023 Javelina Jundred Pre-Race Interviews | Preston Cates, Tara Dower, Riley Brady' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Singletrack?
The average episode length on Singletrack is 61 minutes.
How often are episodes of Singletrack released?
Episodes of Singletrack are typically released every 2 days, 7 hours.
When was the first episode of Singletrack?
The first episode of Singletrack was released on Jun 15, 2021.
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