This week on the Free Outside Podcast, I’m joined by Allison Mercer to talk about one of the strangest weekends the running world has seen in a while.

Allison was in Atlanta covering the US Half Marathon Championships, but before the reporting even started she paced a marathon, took a hard fall at mile 16, finished the race covered in blood, and ended up getting stitches. Somehow that still wasn’t the craziest thing that happened.

We break down the controversy from the championship race where the lead women followed a vehicle the wrong direction late in the race, how it affected the results, and why the reaction online got so heated. We also talk about what actually happened behind the scenes and why these situations are more complicated than they look on social media.

After that we catch up on everything else happening in running right now, Black Canyon course records, Western States storylines, FKTs starting to heat up for the season, and Allison somehow explaining Barkley and FKTs to Olympic champion Cole Hocker over breakfast.

It’s a mix of running news, chaos, and a little bit of perspective from two people who spend way too much time thinking about this sport.

Thanks for watching and supporting the show.

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Chapters

00:00 Marathon Weekend Recap

03:45 Race Day Chaos and Injuries

06:49 The Aftermath of the Race Incident

10:01 Social Media Reactions and Accountability

12:57 Understanding the Race Dynamics

15:43 The Impact of the Incident on Athletes

18:45 Community Response and Support

21:50 Reflections on Empathy and Accountability

24:47 Looking Ahead: Future Races and Events

37:20 Emerging Trends in Running and Relatability

40:48 Ultra Runner of the Year Predictions

45:32 Growth of FKTs Globally

52:21 The Race Purse Controversy

56:40 Excitement for Race Season and Recommendations

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

Anthony Lee joins the Free Outside Podcast for a deep, honest conversation that starts in Vancouver, Washington (not Canada) and runs all the way to Boulder, Colorado, and 30 completed 100-milers.

Anthony opens up about growing up sedentary, finding fitness through family, and the non-linear reality of turning your life around. We talk about bad decisions, real consequences, therapy, and the support system that helped him rebuild. Then we shift into what he does best, racing hard mountain ultras like Ouray 100 and Hurt 100, and why he keeps choosing the toughest courses.

We also get into travel, his engagement story in Japan (yes, the ring lived in a fanny pack for two weeks), sponsorship, and how it actually happens, plus what Anthony would fix in trail running right now, from social media noise to making the sport more welcoming and more diverse.

Topics we cover

-Growing up in Vancouver, Washington and finding running later than most

-Setbacks, consequences, and the role of therapy and family support

-Moving to Colorado after winning High Lonesome 100

-Why Anthony loves 100 milers (and why his race schedule is “chaotic”)

-Favorite races, Yurei 100, Hurt 100, and what makes them special

-The mental checklist for surviving low points in ultras

-Engagement in Japan and traveling outside of race season

-Diversity in trail running, barriers to entry, and representation

-Sponsorship, persistence, and building a career as an athlete

-What’s next, Golden Ticket races, Western States, Hardrock, and maybe Barkley

Follow Anthony online: https://www.instagram.com/anthonyclee94

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Chapters

00:00 From Vancouver to Boulder: A Journey Begins

08:50 Finding Fitness: The Shift from Sedentary to Active

14:06 Overcoming Challenges: The Road to Trail Running

20:37 Love and Support: The Engagement Story

24:05 Racing Passion: The Ultra Running Experience

29:53 Exploring the Challenge of Ultra Races

34:02 Mental Strategies for Endurance Racing

35:06 The State of Trail Running: Community and Inclusivity

38:17 Diversity in Trail Running: Progress and Challenges

42:24 Personal Experiences and Representation in Running

47:13 Future Goals and Aspirations in Running

50:11 The Journey to Sponsorship in Running

55:23 How Running Transformed My Life

57:41 Community and Support in Running

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Jacob Banta has spent years photographing the fastest runners in the sport.

Now he’s racing them.

After grinding as a privateer photographer, ski instructor, and self-sponsored athlete, Jacob earned a Golden Ticket at Terrawera 100K and punched his way into Western States.

Follow Jacob Online: https://www.instagram.com/banta.visuals/

Thumbnail photos from

Ryan Thrower: @ryanthrower

Jacob Banta: @banta.visuals

We talk about:

-Losing money to chase the Golden Ticket

-What elites actually do behind the scenes

-Brain injuries from motocross

-Why he stopped looking over his shoulder

-The psychology of racing for position

-Being a “pro exerciser”

-And whether mayonnaise is the real performance enhancer

This is the story of someone who didn’t choose one lane, ignored his 7th grade coach, and built a life around movement, creativity, and trying really hard.

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Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com

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Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com

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Jeff Galloway passed away on February 25, 2026 at age 80. He was a 1972 U.S. Olympian and the creator of the Run Walk Run method, the simple idea that made running feel possible for millions of people, from first time 5K runners to marathoners and ultrarunners.

This episode starts with a short monologue about what Jeff’s legacy means, and why inspiration is not always about being the fastest. Sometimes it is about making the sport accessible, lowering the fear, and giving people a repeatable way to show up. I also share a line that has stuck with me, “fill your dash,” the idea that everything we do lives in that small space between the year we are born and the year we die.

Before the replay, I read a piece Jeff sent me, “A Philosophy of Running,” where he writes about meaning, community, and why endurance can change a life. Then I roll straight into our full conversation from Month of Jeff. We talk about the post-goal low after the Olympics, building a life around helping others run, the origins of Run Walk Run, and how Jeff kept refining his method through decades of coaching and data.

Rest in peace, Mr. Galloway. Thanks for teaching the world that running can belong to everyone.

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

The conch shell blew at 5 a.m. and the 2026 Barkley Marathons began, this time in the anti clockwise direction and on Valentine’s Day.

In this episode, I break down my full loop at Barkley, from the chaotic descent off Chimney Top to the long climb up Rat Jaw, the prison tunnel, Little Hell, navigation errors, and the final push back to camp just under 14 hours.

I also share some of the lesser known history of the race, including how the Barkley nearly disappeared in 2006 before a Tennessee Senate resolution preserved it at Frozen Head State Park. A race born as a joke about a failed prison escape has become one of the most respected endurance tests in the world.

This was a strong field. The weather was ideal. The direction was reversed. And for me, it ended with a fall, a hairline rib fracture, and a hard earned lesson.

Barkley is never just about finishing. It is about small navigation wins, brutal climbs through thick leaves, and seeing how close you can get to your edge.

And this year, it was also about spending Valentine’s Day collecting book pages with Allison.

Sixteen books. Fourteen hours. One broken rib.

The price we pay for love.

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We recorded this one on the drive home from Frozen Head State Park to Bozeman, while the mud is still on the shoes and the bruises are still fresh. Allison finally gets to talk about the last three months of secret training, the stress of learning map and compass, and what it is like to go from “I might get lost” to “I just found every book” in the same day.

Find Allison's Substack: https://allisonhardingpowell.substack.com/

We walk through the whole loop from the 6 a.m. start, the chaos at the first book, the long climb up Rat Jaw, and the moment it became clear the time cutoff was slipping away. Then it turns into something better than a time goal, a full team effort with the “Overtime Eight,” eight runners from around the world who worked together, found every page, and finished the loop together, hands on the gate.

If you are curious about Barkley, this is a first-timer perspective on what matters most: why you want it, how to balance vert and navigation, how hard the book hunting really is, and why accessible calories can be the difference between moving and melting.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Journey Overview

12:02 Balancing Work and Training

17:20 Race Day Experience and Strategy

28:34 Climbing Ratt Jaw and Race Reflections

34:41 Navigating Challenges on the Course

46:45 The Power of Group Dynamics

54:03 Preparing for the Unexpected

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Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

Ski mountaineering is officially coming to the Olympics, and if you’ve never watched skimo before, this episode is your crash course.

I’m joined by Max Valverde, former U.S. skimo athlete and NBC Olympic commentator, to break down how the sport works, why the Olympic version is so different from traditional backcountry skiing, and how the U.S. somehow snuck into medal contention at the last possible moment.

We talk sprint races that last three minutes, transitions that decide medals in seconds, why these athletes are basically redlining past max heart rate, and how trail runners will instantly recognize the engine required to compete at this level. Max also explains the Cam Smith and Anna Gibson story, why transitions matter more than fitness alone, and what to watch for when the races go live.

If you’re into trail running, endurance sports, or just want to understand what you’re watching when skimo debuts on the Olympic stage this February, this episode gives you everything you need.

Chapters

04:21 Why ski mountaineering is in the Olympics

05:05 What skimo is and how it differs from traditional racing

06:55 Sprint vs mixed relay explained

08:45 How the U.S. qualified at the last possible moment

11:40 Cam Smith and Anna Gibson’s breakout race

14:10 Why transitions decide races

17:05 Boot packs, skins, and six-second chaos

20:15 How mistakes cost medals

23:10 Favorites and podium contenders

26:40 Mixed relay medal math and U.S. upside

30:30 Race strategy and pacing across heats

34:15 Why skimo works as an Olympic spectator sport

38:05 Calling the Olympics from NBC

41:00 Final thoughts and wrap-up

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In 1988, before the 100-mile version existed, before the conch shell start became legend, before the documentaries and global fame, one man proved the Barkley Marathons could be finished.

Frozen Ed was the first person to ever finish the Barkley. Not the 100-miler. The original three-loop race that no one thought was possible.

In this episode we talk about:

– What Barkley was really like in the 80s

– The story of Tom Possert and the missed summit

– How the book pages became part of the race

– When the 100-mile version was born

– The Soviet invasion year

– The prison apprehension story

– How the course has evolved and gotten harder

– Why Laz says he’s not trying to make it the toughest race in the world

– The real energy cost of Barkley

– And why endurance athletes need to protect their hearts

This is a history lesson, a philosophy lesson, and a reminder that Barkley has always lived at the limit of what’s possible.

If you love the mystique of Barkley, this is required listening.

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Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com

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Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure