Borderlands Trail and Ultra Running9 Jun

Why Western States is America's Most Important Race | More than a Run

Western States 100 occupies a different place in trail running than almost any other race. Months before the starting gun, runners and fans are already studying the field, imagining the canyons, debating contenders, and wondering what story will emerge from Auburn.

This episode explores why Western States feels bigger than a race. From Jim Walmsley and Kilian Jornet to Wendell Robie, Rucky Chucky, and the old buckle holders still working aid stations, Josh makes the case that Western States belongs in the same conversation as The Masters and the Kentucky Derby.

Not because of the sport, but because of what happens when greatness, history, place, and uncertainty all meet in the same event.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.

Topics / Timestamps

01:54 Elite Runners vs 'Participation Runners'
08:05 The Course as Character
11:14 The Importance of The Course
13:54 The Importance of Rucky Chucky
16:12 The Dual Nature of the Race
19:58 The Spirit of American Trail Running
22:09 The Unfolding Drama of Race Day

Resources / Links

Related Episodes

Presented by Kiprun.

----

Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.

Watch on YouTube

Read on Substack

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(319)

Karl Meltzer | Speedgoat, UTMB, and Trail Running’s Boom

Trail running has exploded into a global business, and Karl Meltzer somehow ended up at the center of it. HOKA turned his Speedgoat nickname into one of trail running’s defining shoes, Red Bull paid h...

17 Aug 1h 2min

Harvey Lewis | The Mind Behind the Ultras

Ultrarunning eventually becomes a mental problem. The body hurts, the race stops going to plan, and the question becomes what the best ultrarunners understand about continuing when quitting makes sens...

13 Aug 39min

Harvey Lewis | The Man Behind the Ultras

Harvey Lewis is one of ultrarunning’s most accomplished endurance athletes, but the more interesting question might be how a high school civics teacher from Ohio became capable of doing any of this. B...

10 Aug 34min

Ciele Athletics and the Rise of Running Culture

Ciele helped change what running looked like, but the more interesting story is what sat underneath the aesthetic. This episode is for runners curious about how a hat brand became part of running cult...

4 Aug 15min

Satisfy x Adidas: Who Won the Circle Pit Backlash?

The Satisfy x Adidas collaboration became one of the loudest moments in running, but almost none of the conversation was about the shoe. It became a fight over price, fashion, authenticity, and what r...

28 Jul 19min

This is Trail Running Without Mountains.

Trail running in the Midwest looks different. No mountain towns. No towering peaks. Just a different kind of commitment. On the drive to Harvey Lewis's house, Josh and Sam Hartman explore what it mean...

21 Jul 31min

What If Your Best Running Is Still Ahead?

Hardrock 100 gave aging trail runners something many of us didn't realize we needed: hope. Ludovic Pommeret broke the course record at 50. Courtney Dauwalter won again and still walked away chasing so...

16 Jul 22min

They Refuse to Make Toy Shoes. | Inside HOKA's Culture Strategy

HOKA has become one of the few running brands to cross into culture without losing credibility with runners. If you're building a brand, launching new products, or wondering how companies grow without...

13 Jul 29min