Welcome back to Trail Snacks.
May you find some entertainment for your recovery and rest day here!
Quote of the week: Seth Ruling “I’m on my Katie Schide program”
Reads
I’ve been slack in the reading department. Now that I have stopped using X, sometimes the other algorithms don’t serve up articles or blog posts from publications, brands or athletes.
I’ve also stalled a little on Substack, I’m not finding myself excited open the app. If you find something new and exciting please send it over.
Zoe Rom can always be relied upon for linking current political moments with running. Her latest offering explores the impact of the Trump tarrifs on the sport. Ultrarunning is a sport that isn’t at all cheap, so this will only push taking part further from those who are on the financial cusp.
However it may also encourage folks to keep their gear longer, repair it or buy used which can only be a good thing for the environment.
https://www.irunfar.com/how-tariffs-could-reshape-the-cost-and-culture-of-running
Podcasts
We hear a lot about Jim Walmsley.
Those who have been in the sport for the last decade have seen a few different versions of the champion and as much as the “community” probably doesn’t want to admit it, we have matured too. If Jim of 2016 was here today, I doubt he would cop as much flack for his flash as he did back then.
Calling your shot is the in thing in 2025 and as with many things, Jim was ahead of his time.
But this isn’t about Jim, it’s about his better half, Jess Brazeau. It was great to hear her two cents of 2016 Jim!
Here the host dives into the story behind how Jess got into the sport, how she chooses races and how she really felt about that infamous move to France.
Remember when Michelle Obama said she wasn’t exactly on board with her husband running for President, well this is the trail running equivalent! And as we are with Michelle, Jess we are all grateful for your commitment and sacrifice.
Jess is a great athlete in her own right and it’s great to finally see her getting the attention she deserves.
Hannah throws down
I really enjoyed this conversation with Adidas Terrex athlete Hannah Allgood.
She details her entry into the sport and her steady and super impressive improvements over the past 5 years or so.
I’m not always a big fan of the Choose Strong podcast, I skip more episodes than I listen to, but this one with Andy Glaze is pure gold. As someone who also has a shift worker, emergency services job, and often plays time management Tetris to fit everything in, I appreciated his honesty and commitment to his running. Without pushing a “no excuses” or “stay hard” approach, he explains why his running is important to his mental and physical health and why he documents his “mid pack” adventures.
YouTube
If you managed to watch anything on YouTube lately that wasn’t race related, I salute you! But there was a few content bombs that dropped in the past few weeks.
That Craft Ad! You watch it, you tell me what you think!
Scotty Hawker is documenting his comeback from injury. He dropped his first video in the series about two weeks ago. It’s raw and honest and as much as I hate to say it, brave. I think we have all flicked through photos looking for the most flattering photos of ourselves to post on social media, where we feel like we look the fittest or the strongest. Most of us wouldn’t have the guts to post something if we didn’t feel like we looked or felt our best. So yeah it’s Brave.
And then there are the “road to Western States” video series that are all popping off. It’s cool to see athletes letting fans of the sport behind the scenes a little bit and start to create their own stories rather than have brands tell them for them. But I have questions, where are the ladies? Whilst I’m here for the year of the Boulder Boys, this isn’t the year of only male driven content!
The best so far is The Year of the Boy.
The Boulder Boys content has been popping off and this video is so good. The music is fire, the editing is engaging and even though I knew the result, I kept on watching.
Adrian McDonald has also launched his own series which I’m keen to follow as he is an athlete that doesn’t get much attention since he focuses on Leadville for so long.
And of course there is the Roche content. It’s not my jam, but you guys make up your own minds about it.
Always looking for fresh, interesting new content, send it my way and I’ll share it too! Let’s help encourage those making things and giving it a go.