A great race can change your season, but it can also expose every weakness you’ve been dodging. We’re joined by Mason Coppi for a Gorge Waterfalls 30K pre-race talk that goes deeper than predictions, getting into what it really takes to show up ready when the course is fast, punchy, and technical and the men’s field is stacked.

Mason shares how he’s building Hello To Running, coaching everyone from couch-to-5K athletes to runners competing at the highest level. We dig into why training theory transfers across trail running, marathon training, and even ski mountaineering, plus what coaching beginners teaches you about the fundamentals that matter most. Then we lock onto Gorge Waterfalls 30K, a course that demands constant changes in effort, smart pacing, and durability when the climbs never let you settle into a rhythm.

We also talk openly about the pressure of racing as a free agent in trail running, where travel costs, sponsorship opportunity, and prize money can make every start line feel like a gamble. Mason explains how he’s thinking about hydration, early-race excitement, and the “two-hour zone,” especially while managing a recent runner’s knee flare-up. We close with a look ahead to Boston Marathon plans and how mindset swings are part of the sport for all of us.

If you enjoy detailed race strategy, honest coaching insight, and trail running talk that doesn’t dodge the hard parts, subscribe, share this with a running friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. What’s your Gorge Waterfalls 30K pacing rule when the course is punchy and fast?

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