Singletrack

Finn Melanson

Singletrack is a podcast covering the professional trail and ultrarunning scene. read less
SportsSports

Episodes

2024 Barkley Marathons Recap | Jasmin Paris Makes History, Five Runners Finish, Lazarus Lake Report
Mar 26 2024
2024 Barkley Marathons Recap | Jasmin Paris Makes History, Five Runners Finish, Lazarus Lake Report
This episode was recorded in-person at Brooks HQ in Seattle, Washington with Joe McConaughy at the Brooks Trail Team training camp shortly after the 2024 Barkley Marathons. We recount Jasmin Paris’ finish and the historical significance of that moment for our sport, the impact of 5 finishers this year, what makes Barkley so interesting, Joe’s race recap with training, nutritional, and racing insights for future editions, and reflections on a few other memorable moments across the 3 day stretch.Timestamps:(2:08) - Jasmin Paris (14:15) - Impact of 5 Finishers(36:32) - Joe's Barkley Report - Crew, Training, Nutrition, Gear, Racing(68:32) - Final Thoughts, Lazarus Lake, Barkley ThoughtsSponsors: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.Brooks Running - check out their High Point clothing collection and new and improved Cascadia 17 shoe at this link (https://www.brooksrunning.com/singletrack).deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.deltagketones.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order.Links:Jared Campbell BlogMedia In The Wilderness by Lazarus LakeFollow Joe on Instagram, Strava, CoachingFollow Singletrack on Instagram, Strava, YoutubeSupport the show
Long Run Archives #16 | Lululemon FURTHER Recap, Multi-Day Race Strategy, Ultrarunning Research
Mar 17 2024
Long Run Archives #16 | Lululemon FURTHER Recap, Multi-Day Race Strategy, Ultrarunning Research
Brett Hornig and Leah Yingling join Singletrack to recap the Lululemon-backed FURTHER event which took place outside of Palm Springs, CA about a week ago. It was equal parts interesting from performance, research, technology, marketing, and lifestyle standpoints and we touch on a lot of that in this episode through the lens of Leah’s experience logging 400 miles over the 6-day event and Brett helping crew her during that time frame. Specifically, we recap her race experience, talk about the multi-day race strategies she picked up over the 6 days, and learn about some of the ultrarunning-related research that was conducted and when that will be available for public consumption.No doubt many of you were glued to the live tracker for all the athletes out there, Mike McMonagle’s photo journalism, and some of the reporting from Outside and IRunFar. Hopefully, this episode adds another interesting angle to one of the more unique events we’ve seen in the running sphere in at least a few years.Timestamps:01:00 Initial Thoughts and Event Background08:34 Cognitive Tests and Mental Performance10:29 Preconceptions vs. Reality of a Multi-Day Event23:02 Training Volume and Performance37:56 Sleep Strategies43:28 Medical Support, Managing Injuries49:10 Wearable Technology - Core Temp, Glucose, Etc01:09:47 Insights from Shoe and Apparel Tech, Biomechanics Feedback01:17:05 The Purpose and Impact of Further01:26:37 The Mental Game in Multi-Day Events01:32:39 Post-Event Recovery and Future Races, Final TakeawaysSponsors: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.Brooks Running - check out their High Point clothing collection and new and improved Cascadia 17 shoe at this link (https://www.brooksrunning.com/singletrack).deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.deltagketones.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order.Links:Follow Leah on Instagram,  Strava, TwitterFollow Brett on Instagram, Strava, YoutubeFollow Singletrack on Instagram, Strava, YoutubeSupport the show
Christian Meier | Pro Trail Running vs Pro Cycling, Norwegian Training Methods, Finding New Athletic Peaks
Mar 15 2024
Christian Meier | Pro Trail Running vs Pro Cycling, Norwegian Training Methods, Finding New Athletic Peaks
Christian Meier is a professional trail runner for Salomon and an entrepreneur based in Girona, Spain. In this discussion, Christian shares insights on the contrasting levels of professionalism in cycling and trail running. He delves into the integration of Norwegian training techniques into ultra-trail running, achieving excellence across diverse sports disciplines, and his diverse array of business endeavors beyond his athletic pursuits.Timestamps:01:30 Level of Preparation in Ultrarunning vs Cycling10:02 Tactics in Ultrarunning23:34 Increasing Level of Preparation in Ultrarunning27:01 Staying Power in Ultrarunning29:06 Norwegian Training Methods in Ultrarunning38:37 Commitment to High Performance, Athletic Peaks 56:25 Balancing Athletics and Business, Managing Business Ventures01:12:43 Efficiency and Time Management01:15:42 Upcoming Races and Final ThoughtsSponsors: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.Brooks Running - check out their High Point clothing collection and new and improved Cascadia 17 shoe at this link (https://www.brooksrunning.com/singletrack).deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.deltagketones.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order.Links:Follow Christian on Instagram, Strava, Chance, Overland, La FabricaFollow Singletrack on Instagram, Strava, YoutubeSupport the show
Automating Ultrarunning Hydration Strategy And Execution | Meridith Cass (Nix Biosensors)
Mar 7 2024
Automating Ultrarunning Hydration Strategy And Execution | Meridith Cass (Nix Biosensors)
Meridith Cass - the Founder-CEO of Nix BioSensors - joins the show to talk about the self-health movement, the latest technology behind hydration intelligence, and the prospect of completely automating your hydration strategy and execution at an ultra-trail race like the Western States 100. One thing to note before we get started - Singletrack has no financial partnership with Nix, but if you’re interested in trying out their products after listening to this episode feel free to use the code Singletrack15 for 15% off your order on their website.Timestamps:2:10 The Importance of Self-Health and Personalized Health Management5:15 Accuracy and Meaningful Metrics in Biosensing8:34 Personalized Feedback and Dynamic Recommendations10:05 The Limitations of Intuition in Hydration Management12:26 The Impact of Dehydration on Performance14:17 How the Nix Patch Works and Measures Sweat15:06 Refining Hydration Plans with Patch Data17:30 The Nix Index and Environmental Conditions21:05 The Value of Wearing the Patch Before and After Workouts23:42 Triangulating Data with Other Sensors25:04 Accuracy of Recommendations and Tolerable Error Rate27:24 The Role of the Patch in Changing Consumer Purchasing and Brand Marketing29:30 Granularity of Electrolyte Profile Data31:06 The Future of Hydration and the Role of the Nix Patch37:09 The Impact of Nix on Personalized Purchasing Decisions39:39 The Need for Lab-Based Sweat Tests and the Role of the Nix Patch41:00 Exciting Research in Sweat Science and Partnerships with Researchers42:27 Automating Hydration Strategies with the Nix PatchSponsors: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.Brooks Running - check out their High Point clothing collection and new and improved Cascadia 17 shoe at this link (https://www.brooksrunning.com/singletrack).deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.deltagketones.com/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next order.Links:Connect with Meridith on LinkedIn, WebsiteFollow Singletrack on Instagram, Strava, YoutubeSupport the show
Mary Kate Shea | Building World-Class Running Events, Pro Athlete Recruitment, Boston Marathon Insights
Feb 7 2024
Mary Kate Shea | Building World-Class Running Events, Pro Athlete Recruitment, Boston Marathon Insights
Mary Kate Shea, serving as the Senior Director of Pro Athletes for road race events at the Boston Athletic Association, holds a pivotal role in recruiting and facilitating the experience of hundreds of professional runners at marquee events like the Boston Marathon, BAA 10K, and BAA 5K annually. With her extensive expertise in pro athlete recruitment, event management, sponsorship, and sports marketing, I found it compelling to invite her to discuss the merits of her position and explore how the implementation of (more) dedicated, full-time roles like hers could benefit the world of mountain ultra trail running on a larger scale. Our conversation delves into the essential elements of building and maintaining world-class running events, highlighting the critical role she plays in the process. We also explore how pro athletes are researched, recruited, compensated, and supported at races such as the Boston Marathon, offering valuable insights and takeaways for athletes, event operators, and media personnel in the trail running community.Timestamps:(1:17) - ultrarunning origins, Ann Trason story(8:59) - building a world-class running event, the importance of elite athlete recruitment(21:12) - the traits of a good athlete recruiter and manager, ecosystem of athlete recruiters(40:19) - what the position looks like from a year-round standpoint, how athletes are supported 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.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:Follow Mary Kate on LinkedInBoston Athletic Association WebsiteFollow Singletrack on Instagram, Strava, YoutubeSupport the show
Ben Blankenship | American Olympian Enters The Ultrarunning Scene
Jan 26 2024
Ben Blankenship | American Olympian Enters The Ultrarunning Scene
🗣️ “The more I’m exposed to better athletes and better people and their unique things, the more obsessed they are. The more it drives their day-to-day, it drives their minute-to-minute, and nothing else kinda matters.”Widely recognized as one of America’s best middle-distance runners in the 2010s, Ben Blankenship joins the Singletrack Podcast to talk about his move into ultra-trail running, racing the Rabid Raccoon 100 miler in March, the nature of obsession and the willingness to push limits at the top of the sport, the allure of the dirtbag runner lifestyle, and his experience at the 2015 UTMB watching the likes of David Laney, Tim Tollefson and Zach Miller throw down.Timestamps:(1:21)  - witnessing the 2015 UTMB with Nike Trail (5:17) - running background, the opportunities he seized to build a career(9:46) - the psychological builds of elite runners, bougie versus dirtbag distinctions(17:02) - how to watch running (21:10) - grappling with a running career at a crossroads(24:03) - being coached by Ryan Hall, trail running training (30:04) - Rabid Raccoon 100, testing the ultra scene, Grayson Murphy's influence(36:47) - Endless Mileage ProjectSponsors: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.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:Follow Ben on Instagram, Strava, Twitter, Endless Mileage ProjectFollow Finn on Instagram, Strava, YoutubeSupport the show
Sam Parsons | The Trials And Tribulations Of Professional Running
Jan 20 2024
Sam Parsons | The Trials And Tribulations Of Professional Running
Sam Parsons returns to provide an update on Tinman Elite, a professional running team based out of Boulder, CO. We get into the challenges of building, maintaining, and growing the team, influencing the greater professional culture in running, and reflections on Sam’s athletic mortality and what the future might hold for him. Note - Earlier this month we reposted a conversation with Sam from November 2021 that queues this one up nicely. Go check it out, if you haven't already.  Timestamps:(0:48) - there's still no co-located ultra-trail running team (3:24) - the wins and losses for Tinman Elite over the last 2 years(9:06) - why it's still worth it(11:54) - the dark side of discipline(19:26) - the requirements to keep at it in yours 30s(29:20) - changing the culture of pro running(34:38) - rivalries in running, recruiting runners with fire(44:34) - stock up or stock down, the next road runner to go to trail, next stepsSponsors: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.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:Follow Sam on Instagram, StravaFollow Tinman Elite on Instagram, YouTube, Website Follow Finn on Instagram, Strava, YoutubeSupport the show