Podcast
Singletrack
Hosted by Finn Melanson · EN
Singletrack is a podcast covering the professional trail and ultrarunning scene.
57episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How John Fitzgerald Coached Jennifer Lichter to a Western States Course Record
4d ago01:05:48Tap to summarizeThree weeks after Jennifer Lichter set a new course record at Western States, her coach John Fitzgerald joins the Singletrack Podcast to break down how it happened. Fitzgerald coaches an elite squad out of Missoula for Carmichael Training Systems, and this year he guided Jen to the win along with Jeff Mogavero and Adam Peterman into the men's top ten.We get into the philosophy underneath the results: why consistency is a trainable skill, why willpower is a resource you can spend too early, and what he means when he says success is rented. Fitzgerald explains the mental shift that took Jen from a mountain 50K specialist to a 100-mile course record holder, the on-course training camps that prepared his athletes for every crux of the Western States course, race-day fueling improvisations, downhill running as a skill, and his case for simplicity in a sport chasing every new gadget and lab test.Partners:Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next orderJanji - running apparel that goes the distanceRaide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever madeKodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes Additional Links:Coaching ProfileInstagram: @ackfitzSupport the show
Transcribe →ESPN's Wright Thompson on the Cost of Athletic Greatness (Sunday Conversation)
6d ago01:11:09Tap to summarizeWright Thompson is a senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine who has profiled some of the greatest athletes and coaches of all time, including Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Steve Kerr, Pat Riley, Caitlin Clark, and Dan Gable. He's also the author of 3 books: "The Cost of These Dreams", "The Barn", and "Pappyland". In this conversation, we discuss optimization versus beauty in sports, sports as vehicles for self-understanding, why fame freezes people at the emotional age they got it, and where the tortured artist myth comes from before ending on mortality and legacy.Note - in case you're not interested, we spend the first 20 ish minutes of the conversation talking about our shared appreciation for music and certain artists and bands before getting into the aforementioned part of the conversation.Partners:Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next orderJanji - running apparel that goes the distanceRaide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever madeMomentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes Support the show
Transcribe →Hardrock 100 Recap, 2026 Mid-Season Review + $15 Lactate Gels? (Long Run Archives #41)
1w ago01:42:40Tap to summarizeBrett Hornig co-hosts for another classic edition of the Long Run Archives. We share our biggest takeaways from this year's Hardrock, reflect on the biggest moments from the first half of 2026, and feature the latest ultra-focused products that have caught our attention. Finally, we close with a brief interview of Ryder Jay, who won the U-18 NTN Eagle race at Broken Arrow last month.Partners:Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next orderJanji - running apparel that goes the distanceRaide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever madeMomentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes Support the show
Transcribe →Tom Evans | 2026 Hardrock 100 Pre-Run Interview
3w ago01:03:30Tap to summarizeTom Evans is back on the show! We last chatted after UTMB last year, so there was a lot of ground to cover: recapping the first half of 2026, his most recent treadmill workout, which garnered a lot of commentary on Instagram, the "why now" for Hardrock, his analysis of the competitive field here, and his reflections on how he's prepared for the opportunity. Thanks as always for tuning in.Partners:Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next orderJanji - running apparel that goes the distanceRaide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever madeMomentous - use code SINGLETRACK for up to 35% off your first order Kodiak Cakes - my favorite oatmeal and pancakes Support the show
Transcribe →2026 Western States 100 Recap
4w ago01:09:44Tap to summarizeTwo course records, a rookie champion, and a men's podium almost nobody predicted. Brett Hornig and Leah Yingling join me in Auburn to recap the 2026 Western States 100: Vincent Bouillard clawing back from ten minutes down at Forest Hill, Jennifer Lichter winning in her first 100-miler, the deepest women's top 10 in race history, plus buy-or-sell and our biggest questions for next year.Partners:Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next orderNorda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever madeRaide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains Support the show
Transcribe →Jennifer Lichter | 2026 Western States 100 Champion
4w ago00:43:29Tap to summarizeJennifer Lichter joins us in our Auburn, CA studio shortly after her course record victory at the 2026 Western State 100. Partners:Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next orderNorda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever madeRaide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains Support the show
Transcribe →David Roche on the Cool-Year Revolution, the High-Carb Era, and the Odds of a Sub-14 at Western States
Jun 2500:54:24Tap to summarizeDavid Roche returns to the show a few days ahead of the 2026 Western States 100.Across 2024 and 2025, he put on one of the most memorable shows in our sport's history. He took us behind the scenes of his buildup to Javelina, Leadville, and Western States, fighting for wins and course records while running training experiments on himself.This year he's back at Western States, on the ground as a coach for athletes like Hans Troyer, Ellaney Matarese, and Justin Grunewald.We were lucky to get him in the studio for a long-form conversation, where we peppered him with questions on training, fueling, heat mitigation, and race strategy for the Western States 100.Partners:Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next orderNorda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever madeRaide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains Support the show
Transcribe →2026 Western States 100 Men's Field Preview | Analysis, Storylines, Predictions
Jun 2501:43:13Tap to summarizeFinn Melanson, Brett Hornig, Jeff Colt, and Rod Farvard provide in-depth analysis, commentary, and predictions for the competition in this year’s men's field at the Western States 100. Partners:Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next orderNorda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever madeRaide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains Support the show
Transcribe →Zach Miller | 2026 Western States 100 Pre-Race Interview
Jun 2400:51:41Tap to summarizeZach Miller is one of the greatest, most entertaining, and most thoughtful runners of his generation. It's a treat to have him in the studio ahead of Western States, a race he has patiently waited to run for over a decade.Miller is coming off a memorable 2nd place golden ticket performance at the Canyons 100K, a race where he reunited with Hayden Hawks for yet another classic duel in their storied rivalry, which dates back to the 2016 TNF 50 in San Francisco.We also catch up with Zach on other topics, including his regular IRunFar column, his trusty North Face hat, and his reflections on this stage of his career as a professional ultra-trail runner.Partners:Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next orderNorda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever madeRaide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains Support the show
Transcribe →Tara Dower | 2026 Western States 100 Pre-Race Interview
Jun 2400:35:34Tap to summarizeOne of the most exciting and versatile athletes in our sport, Tara Dower joins us in the studio to reflect on this year’s mission to race the vaunted Western States-Hardrock double. There’s a bit of a “revenge” narrative at play here as illness forced her to DNF at last year’s Western States and she was the very first person on the wait list at last year’s Hardrock, even suiting up for the start line the morning of the race in hopes that magic would happen. Ultimately, the stars didn’t align. But now it’s here. We talk a lot about her process approaching the double, but also ask her about other interests in the sport, life in Durango, performance mantras, and her ability to dig remarkably deep in so many of these races.Partners:Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next orderNorda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever madeRaide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains Support the show
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