Borderlands Trail and Ultra Running

Епізоди

• Western States 2026 Analysis | 10 Things I Couldn't Stop Thinking About 29.06.2026 28хв

  Western States 2026 is over. The course records have been set, the winners crowned, and the internet has already moved on. This isn't another race recap. It's a cultural breakdown of what Western States revealed about trail running, its media, and where the sport is headed next.From Dylan Bowman becoming the voice of trail running, to Hans Troyer's fearless pacing, to why Thomas Cardin exposed a storytelling gap, Josh shares the ten ideas he couldn't stop thinking about after the biggest weekend in trail running. Along the way, he asks whether Western States has outgrown its broadcast and why the next frontier isn't better cameras, but better context.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.Topics / Timestamps01:05 Dylan Bowman is the Voice of Trail Running/Racing04:10 The Broadcast Knows Where Everyone Is09:05 We Don't Care About Places, We Care About Stories11:38 We Interviewed the Wrong People16:14 Whose Job is it to Find Tomorrow's Stories?20:21 Hans is the Rabbit I Was Asking For21:53 American Men Ran it Like Old Days at UTMB22:46 The Race has Outgrown the Broadcast26:23 The Next FrontierResources / Links8 Bit Trail RunningBorderlands.ccSubwhateverRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• Trail Running Culture Doesn't Scale | Bob Crowley's Response 22.06.2026 22хв

  Western States and UTMB are often framed as opposite visions for the future of trail running. One protects through limits. The other protects through growth. But after publishing an episode on that tension, I received an unexpected response from Bob Crowley, former President of the International Trail Running Association (ITRA).Bob argues that both sides may be focused on the wrong thing. What follows is a conversation about culture, stewardship, local races, and whether the values that built trail running can survive success. Somewhere along the way, the debate stops being about Western States and UTMB and becomes something much bigger.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.Resources / LinksWestern States Wants to Protect, UTMB Wants to GrowBob's Full Op-edBorderlands.ccLa French TrailRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• Western States Wants to Protect, UTMB Wants to Grow 19.06.2026 17хв

  Western States and UTMB have become the two most influential institutions in trail running, but beneath the debate over lotteries, race series, and growth is a deeper question: when something becomes successful, how do you protect it?Josh explores why UTMB believes trail running is important enough to scale globally while Western States believes it's important enough not to. Along the way, he examines scarcity, culture, the hidden cost of success, and whether the thing worth protecting was ever the race itself.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.Topics / Timestamps01:33 Two Philosophies of Trail Running03:19 Is Growth in Trail Running Corruption?06:13 The Scale Problem in Trail Running11:06 What Cultre are We Protecting in Trail Running?15:50 The Supply Chain of Trail Running CultureResources / Links8 Bit Trail RunningJosh Rosenthal on IGBorderlands.ccLa French TrailRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• Wasatch 100 & Bear 100: When Ultra Running Just Hurts 16.06.2026 14хв

  Wasatch 100 and Bear 100 are two of the hardest races in ultra running. Michael Whiteside ran both just three weeks apart, and what stayed with me from this conversation wasn't the accomplishment. It was the way he talked about suffering, expectations, and the moment he realized he wasn't going to feel better.What follows is less a race report and more a conversation about endurance. Crew guilt, self-doubt, late-race bargaining, and the strange acceptance that sometimes arrives when the problem in front of you can no longer be solved. Somewhere in the middle, Michael offers one of the best descriptions of ultra running I've heard: it wasn't hard, it just hurt.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.Resources / LinksBorderlands.ccLa French TrailRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• The Trail Running Sea of Sameness | Nike ACG, Nostalgia, and the Cost of Optimization 12.06.2026 28хв

  Modern trail running shoes are better than they've ever been. So why do so many runners still find themselves drawn to older designs like the Nike ACG LDV?Josh and Inky use one nostalgic shoe to explore a bigger question: what happens when an industry spends years optimizing toward the same answer? Somewhere between old Nike catalogs, modern trail shoes, and a sea of increasingly similar products, they uncover why certain designs still stop us in our tracks.Shout out to Marty from Global Sales Guys who talks about the Sea of Sameness in outdoor retail.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.Resources / LinksThe Mountain That Made ACGInky's Article about theROCKERRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningI Was Wrong About KiprunPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• Why Western States is America's Most Important Race | More than a Run 09.06.2026 23хв

  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 / Timestamps01:54 Elite Runners vs 'Participation Runners'08:05 The Course as Character11:14 The Importance of The Course13:54 The Importance of Rucky Chucky16:12 The Dual Nature of the Race19:58 The Spirit of American Trail Running22:09 The Unfolding Drama of Race DayResources / Links2026 WSER Entrants ListLive on Course - LoC by BorderlandsBorderlands.ccLa French TrailRelated EpisodesTrail Running Loves Winners, Does it Love Competitors?Ultra Running isn't Just RunningPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• Why Trail Running Hides Competition 04.06.2026 17хв

  Trail running culture loves winners. That's obvious. The sport builds documentaries about them, fills Instagram feeds with them, and spends months debating who will win Western States. But the more Josh thinks about it, the more he wonders whether trail running is actually comfortable with the competitive mindset that creates those winners in the first place.As Western States season begins, this conversation explores the difference between the participation version of trail running and the elite version, why those two worlds often get conflated, and what we miss when we use the values of one to understand the athletes competing in the other.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.Topics / Timestamps00:00 Two Sports Sharing One Start Line02:51 The Values That Make Champions05:49 Elite, Professional, and Why It Matters08:38 What Trail Running Rewards11:26 Telling an Inward Story About an Outward Competition14:22 Do We Actually Want Competitors?Resources / LinksBorderlands.ccSalt Lake Foothills Trail Races Josh Rosenthal on IGRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• What Happens When Running Becomes Your Job? | Jacob Puzey 25.05.2026 19хв

  Professional running can quietly turn into pressure, performance, sponsorship obligations, and constant visibility. This episode with Jacob Puzey is for runners who have felt burnout creeping into the thing they once loved and want to rediscover simplicity, rhythm, and freedom in running again.After twenty years as a professional runner, coach, race director, and sponsored athlete, Jacob reflects on what happened when the pressure finally disappeared. What starts as a conversation about road running slowly becomes something much deeper about identity, aging, social media, routine, and why signing up for hard things still matters even after competition stops mattering.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.Topics / Timestamps00:43 Rediscovering the Joy of Running07:41 The Journey Back to Running11:39 The Transition from Competition to Personal Growth14:50 The Journey to Scholarship and Running19:20 The Importance of Commitment in RunningResources / LinksSalt Lake Foothills Trail Races Josh Rosenthal on IGBorderlands.ccLa French TrailHigh TonesSubwhateverRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• The Race That Makes Trail Running Real 21.05.2026 18хв

  Trail running usually becomes real for people at a local ultra, not while watching UTMB or Western States online. The parking lot at 5am with 53 runners, one exhausted race director, and volunteers giving up their Saturday to help strangers keep moving is still the clearest entry point into the sport. This episode is for the runners who believe the soul of trail running still lives there.Josh explores why the local 50K may be the most important layer in trail running, how participation precedes fandom in ultra culture, why authenticity in trail running still feels earned instead of performed, and why the small grassroots races that built the sport are becoming increasingly fragile in the modern era of spectacle, prestige, and professionalization.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.Topics / Timestamps02:52 The Turning Point of the Race03:57 The Ecosystem of Trail Running07:45 The Local Ultra: An Introduction to Trail Running Culture11:22 The Challenges of Local Trail Races18:00 The Importance of Local Races in Trail RunningResources / LinksSalt Lake Foothills Trail Races Josh Rosenthal on IGBorderlands.ccLa French TrailHigh TonesSubwhateverRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• What SATISFY Reveals About Trail Running 18.05.2026 9хв

  Trail running culture melted down this weekend after a Satisfy x Adidas event triggered accusations of cringe, elitism, rich-kid cosplay, and the death of authenticity. But the backlash revealed something much deeper about where trail running is headed and why so many runners reacted emotionally to it.In this episode, Josh explores why the footage felt so disconnected online, why Satisfy exposes contradictions already present inside trail running, and how the sport may already be transforming into something larger than athletics alone. From Cocodona and expensive race culture to meme accounts, identity signaling, and the rise of trail running media, this conversation is about the growing tension between authenticity, aesthetics, status, and culture inside modern trail running.This one’s for the trail runners trying to understand what the sport is becoming and why that question suddenly feels so uncomfortable.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.Topics / Timestamps00:00Resources / LinksSalt Lake Foothills Trail Races Josh Rosenthal on IGBorderlands.ccLa French TrailHigh TonesSubwhateverRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• Can Trail Running Stay Human? 12.05.2026 45хв

  Trail running is getting bigger fast. Bigger races, bigger brands, bigger media, and more money entering the sport every year. What happens to trail running culture as all of that growth accelerates? And will the human side of trail running we all love survive?Recorded in Stockholm at Klättermusen headquarters, Josh sits down with Gonz Ferrero, CEO of Klättermusen, and Billy White, founder of Sörmlands 100, to talk about UTMB, independent trail races, elite sport versus dirtbag culture, why trail running still feels different from road running, and who actually gets to shape what the sport becomes from here.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.Topics / Timestamps00:05 The Growth of Trail Running00:24 The Evolution of Trail Running13:19 The Personal Connection to Trail Running33:33 The Diverging Paths of Trail Running37:38 The Future of Trail Running: Balancing Elite and Everyday ExperiencesResources / LinksKlattermusen Sormlands Trail RaceSalt Lake Foothills Trail Races Josh Rosenthal on IGBorderlands.ccRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningUltra Runners Need More Than Normal LifeWhy Running Changes You with Raz RaufPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• Can Trail Running Handle Growth? 07.05.2026 20хв

  Cocodona 250 exposed something trail running still doesn’t totally want to admit: the audience is already here, but the fan experience still hasn’t caught up. After spending more than 13 hours inside the livestream tracking viewer behavior in real time, Josh breaks down why thousands of people kept tuning in while constantly disconnecting from the coverage itself.This conversation goes deep on audience churn, race orientation, commentary drift, storytelling, and why trail running media still relies too heavily on goodwill from diehard fans. Not from the outside looking in, but from someone who desperately wants this sport to become easier to share with the people around him.This one’s for trail runners, ultra fans, and anyone who wants the viewing experience to evolve alongside the sport itself.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.Resources / LinksSalt Lake Foothills Trail Races Josh Rosenthal on IGBorderlands.ccLa French TrailHigh TonesSubwhateverRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• Why Fueling Stops Working During Ultras 04.05.2026 44хв

  Ultra running nutrition is getting more extreme. More carbs, more precision, more pressure to “get it right.” But if you’ve ever had your stomach shut down mid-race, you know something isn’t adding up. This episode is for runners trying to fuel better without breaking their body in the process.I sit down with Chris Bellamy, engineer, ultra runner, and founder of Yanaa, to explore the hidden cost of the high-carb movement, what it’s doing to gut health, and why real food might be the missing piece. We get into the tension between performance and health, and what elite athletes are actually doing when it matters.This is for ultra runners who want to perform without sabotaging their system.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.Resources / LinksWhite Paper - From Health to PerformanceSalt Lake Foothills Trail Races Josh Rosenthal on IGBorderlands.ccLa French TrailHigh TonesSubwhateverRelated EpisodesAn Elite Coach Reframes Fueling for UltrarunnersPre-Race Nutrition for UltrarunnersNutrition Myths for UltrarunnersPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• Why Ultrarunning Feels Necessary 27.04.2026 20хв

  Ultra running promises performance, progress, and control. But for a lot of people, it’s filling a gap that normal life doesn’t. This episode explores what ultra running actually gives people and why it becomes something they need, not just something they do.Joshua Landvatter and Kaden Coleman are attempting four 100-mile races in one summer. They both have real lives, real responsibilities, and no interest in chasing podiums. What comes out of this conversation is something deeper than training or racing, and it reframes what this sport really is.This one’s for runners who feel like comfort isn’t enough and are looking for something more.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.Topics / Timestamps00:00Resources / LinksSalt Lake Foothills Trail Races Josh Rosenthal on IGBorderlands.ccLa French TrailHigh TonesSubwhateverRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on Substack
• Why Ultrarunners Keep Going When Their Body Says Stop | Matt Johnson 20.04.2026 26хв

  Why do some people keep going when everything says stop? If you’ve ever hit a breaking point in endurance sports and wondered what actually determines whether you quit or keep moving, this conversation is for you. This episode explores the real mechanics of the ultrarunning mindset, beyond training or toughness.Matt Johnson has spent a lot of time at that edge, where the body is failing and the decision gets simple but brutal. Instead of motivation, this conversation gets into what actually happens in that moment, the thoughts, patterns, and behaviors that allow someone to keep going when stopping feels inevitable.This one’s for runners and endurance athletes trying to understand what really happens at their limit. Follow the show for more conversations like this.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.Resources / LinksSalt Lake Foothills Trail Races Josh Rosenthal on IGBorderlands.ccLa French TrailHigh TonesSubwhateverRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on SubstackListen on any podcast platformBelong one Wylder, our community layer - iOS or AndroidMore at borderlands.cc
• How People Become Ultrarunners (No Clear Path) 14.04.2026 38хв

  Nobody plans to become an ultra runner. There’s no clear path into the sport, no obvious starting point, and most people don’t grow up anywhere near it. So how do people actually find their way here?In this conversation, Josh sits down with Emory Atterberry, founder of Hyperlyte Liquid Performance, and rising ultrarunner Cade Michael to explore how three people from the same unlikely place all ended up in the sport. What emerges is a deeper look at rebellion, isolation, and why some people feel pulled toward something harder.This one’s for anyone trying to understand where ultrarunners really come from. Subscribe for more conversations that go deeper into the culture of the sport.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.Topics / Timestamps00:00 The Journey to Becoming an Ultramarunner01:34 The Journey to Ultrarunning12:55 The Spirit of West Texas15:58 Transitioning from Football to Ultra Running25:16 The Mosaic of Inspiration in Running33:12 The Journey to Ultrarunning: Growth and TransformationResources / LinksHyperlyte Liquid PerformanceSalt Lake Foothills Trail Races - May 30Josh Rosenthal on IGBorderlands.ccLa French TrailHigh TonesSubwhateverRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on SubstackListen on any podcast platformBelong one Wylder, our community layer - iOS or AndroidMore at borderlands.cc
• The Problem With Professional Trail and Ultra Running 10.04.2026 11хв

  Trail running is growing fast, but is it actually scaling? If you’ve ever felt like the sport looks bigger than it is, or struggled to follow it as a fan, this episode breaks down why. This is for runners and industry insiders trying to understand what’s really happening beneath the surface of trail running’s growth.Josh unpacks the difference between participation and fandom, why brand investment is propping up the pro layer, and what’s missing for the sport to become something people actually follow. Western States and UTMB become the proving ground for a bigger question that could define the future of trail running.This one’s for the runners who love the sport and want to understand where it’s actually headed.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.Topics / Timestamps00:11 - The Illusion of Growth in Trail Running02:05 - Understanding the Growth of Trail Running03:33 - The Emergence of Fandom in Sports06:58 - The Disconnect Between Fans and Athletes08:18 - The Evolution of Running Culture10:38 - The Importance of Fandom in SportsResources / LinksSalt Lake Foothills Trail Races Josh Rosenthal on IGBorderlands.ccLa French TrailHigh TonesSubwhateverRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningWhy Trail Running Feels Like Skateboarding but Isn'tPresented by Kiprun.----Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.Watch on YouTubeRead on SubstackListen on any podcast platformBelong one Wylder, our community layer - iOS or AndroidMore at borderlands.cc
• Why Running Changes You (It’s Not Just Fitness) with Raz Rauf 08.04.2026 49хв

  Trail running and running culture go beyond training plans, races, and performance. Raziq Rauf explains why running isn’t just a sport, but a reflection of identity, place, community, and modern running culture.Raziq is the author of This Is Running and writes the newsletter Running Sucks. In this episode, we talk about running as culture, not just competition: place, community, creativity, solitude, fashion, consumerism, and why a run can change the person who started it. We also get into Haruki Murakami, narrative writing, run clubs, The Speed Project, and the strange modern shift from running as a sport to running as a lifestyle.This episode is for runners who care about the meaning of the sport, not just the metrics.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.Topics / Timestamps00:00 - The Deeper Meaning of Running01:12 - The Meaning of Running15:19 - The Evolution of Running Culture16:43 - Shifting Perspectives on Running Culture25:02 - Running as a Radical Act30:50 - The Intersection of Running and Self-Improvement43:01 - Exploring Creativity in Running46:05 - The Solitude of Running and CreativityResources / LinksRaz Rauf on IGRunning SucksThis Is Running, Raz's new bookThumbnail photo by Carly PalmourJosh Rosenthal on IGBorderlands.ccLa French TrailHigh TonesSubwhateverRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningWhy Trail Running Isn't SkateboardingPresented by Kiprun.----Find us at Borderlands.cc and sign up for the newsletter.Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android
• A Risk Most Running Brands Wouldn’t Take 06.04.2026 25хв

  Kiprun used to feel like an entry-level running brand, not one serious runners would put in the same conversation as the best trail running shoes in the sport. If you’re curious how a brand changes that perception and what it looks like when a running company genuinely reinvents itself this episode is for you.Josh sits down with Inky Steve to break down the shift they’re seeing at Kiprun through the Kipsummit Max, Kipsummit Race, and the broader portfolio now taking shape under Decathlon. They get into stigma, design, price, performance, and why this feels less like a one-off good shoe and more like a brand returning with a completely different level of intent.This one’s for runners who care about shoes, design, and where the culture is moving.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.Topics / Timestamps00:00 - The Rise of Kiprun04:33 - The Transformation of Kiprun Shoes09:37 - The Evolution of Trail Running Shoes15:27 - Running Shoes and Innovations18:58 - Kiprun's Kipsummit Race Shoe21:06 - The Evolution of Trail Running ShoesResources / LinksKiprun Kipsummit RaceKiprun Kipsummit MaxJosh Rosenthal on IGBorderlands.ccLa French TrailHigh TonesSubwhateverPresented by Kiprun.----Find us at Borderlands.cc and sign up for the newsletter.Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android
• Ultra Running Exposes Who You Really Are (wtih Mike Kratzer) 01.04.2026 35хв

  Ultra running reveals what happens when race plans fail, training falls apart, and things don’t go the way we want. Running helps strip away all the things we distract ourselves with and forces us to stand face to face with them.In this conversation with Mike Kratzer, a former DJ turned runner, we explore what happens when there’s nothing left to hide. From quitting drinking without rock bottom to rejecting the sameness of modern running culture, this is about what running reveals when you stop trying to be someone and just are.This one’s for runners who enjoy running culture and thinking about running on a deeper level beyond performance.Listen, and if this resonates, share it with someone who needs it.Presented by Kiprun.Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.Topics / Timestamps00:15 - Exploring the Essence of Running06:07 - The Transition from Music to Running11:18 - The Decision to Quit Drinking23:26 - Exploring Influencers and Individuality in Running31:36 - The Evolution of Running and CreativityResources / LinksThe confusing case of Camille Herron’s alleged Wikipedia editsBorderlands.ccMike Kratzer on IGJosh Rosenthal on IGLa French TrailHigh TonesSubwhateverRelated EpisodesUltra Running isn't Just RunningMike Kratzer + Tom Reynolds at UTMB20 Minutes with Mike KratzerNils Arend, TSP Founder----Find us at Borderlands.cc and sign up for the newsletter.Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android