Most runners think a backyard ultra is crazy.

Lukas Janulitis looked at that format and decided it wasn't hard enough.

Try a Last Skier Standing, an event where athletes skin uphill 1,200 feet every hour, ski back down, and repeat until only one person remains. That means battling sleep deprivation, sub-zero temperatures, brutal winds, hallucinations, and the mental challenge of not knowing when it will end.

In this episode, Lukas shares his experiences at Last Skier Standing, Bubba's Backyard Ultra, Swiss Alps 100, and Cruel Jewel 100. We discuss sleep deprivation, nutrition, heat training, problem-solving during races, New Hampshire mountain culture, and his upcoming attempt at the New Hampshire Appalachian Trail FKT.

Topics include:

-Last Skier Standing

-Backyard ultras and sleep deprivation

-Swiss Alps 100

-Cruel Jewel 100

-Nutrition and race strategy

-Training for multi-day endurance events

-Hallucinations and mental resilience

-The New Hampshire AT FKT

-Why people keep pushing their limits

If you've ever wondered what happens when someone decides to stay awake for days while skiing uphill, this conversation is for you.

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

Western States 2026 delivered one of the most memorable races we've ever seen.

Instead of doing a mile-by-mile recap, Allison and I hand out our completely unofficial Western States Awards. We talk about the biggest performances, the most impressive comebacks, the heartbreaking DNFs, the smartest race tactics, and the moments that made this year's race so special.

From Vincent Bouillard proving that a full-time HOKA employee can beat the world's best, to Jen Lichter's incredible debut, Hans Troyer's aggressive race, Canyon Woodward's performance, Molly Seidel's first 100 miler, and everything in between—we break down the biggest stories from one of the fastest and deepest Western States fields ever assembled.

Whether you watched every minute of the livestream or are just catching up, this episode is a fun look back at one of the biggest weekends in trail running.

Topics include:

• Vincent Bouillard's historic win

• Jen Lichter's course record

• Biggest surprises and disappointments

• Our favorite performances

• The future of Western States

• Why this race may never be repeated

• FKT updates and what's next in trail running

If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe to the channel. Every week we bring you trail running, ultrarunning, FKT, and endurance stories from the people pushing the sport forward.

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

Ann Trason won Western States 100 fourteen times. Fourteen. 14 time western states winner!

Long before live streams, social media, sponsorships, and modern ultrarunning, Ann was redefining what was possible in endurance sports. She wasn't just competing against other women. She was competing with the best runners in the world, period.

In this conversation, we don't spend much time reliving race results or championship performances. Instead, we talk about the stories behind the sport, the evolution of ultrarunning, aging, recovery, community, curiosity, and what endurance means after the records become history.

Ann shares thoughts on Western States, staying active later in life, finding joy in new challenges, and why curiosity continues to drive her decades after becoming one of the greatest ultrarunners of all time.

If you're newer to trail running, this is a chance to hear from one of the athletes who helped build the sport. If you've been around a while, it's a reminder of where many of the traditions and stories we love today came from.

Topics:

Winning Western States 14 times

Ultrarunning in the early days

Competing in a male-dominated sport

Aging and staying active

Recovery and longevity

Community and friendships through running

Cocodona and modern ultrarunning

Finding purpose after peak performance

Why curiosity never goes away

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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

I came to Europe planning to run the Zugspitz 100, a mountain 100-miler around Germany's highest peak.

Three hours before the start, the race directors announced that thunderstorms would force a major course change. The 100-mile race became a 100K, helmets were no longer required, aid stations changed, and my planning suddenly went out the window.

In this episode, I recap the entire experience, from hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc and exploring Munich to racing through the German Alps on an overnight course featuring 18,500 feet of elevation gain. We talk about stomach issues, Red Bull-fueled survival, technical descents, heat, meeting runners from around the world, and why this trip became more about experience than performance.

Topics:

-Zugspitz Ultratrail recap

-Last-minute course changes

-Racing in Germany

-Tour du Mont Blanc recovery

-Technical alpine running

-Heat management and fueling mistakes

-Why travel changes races

-Experience vs outcome goals

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

Zach Hauer went from collegiate track athlete to entrepreneur, Open Fuel co-founder, Javelina 100 runner, and now Cocodona 250 finisher.

In this conversation, we dive into Zach's first experience at the 250-mile distance, the highs and lows of Cocodona, sleep deprivation, aid station mistakes, and why he immediately wanted to come back after finishing. We also discuss building Open Fuel, modern endurance sports marketing, trail running culture, the balance between optimization and fun, and why Zach carried a Walkman during one of the biggest races in ultrarunning.

Topics include:

-Cocodona 250

-Javelina 100

-Open Fuel

-Building a nutrition company

-Sleep deprivation and racing

-Trail running culture

-Social media and marketing

-The future of ultrarunning

-Why people become obsessed with 200-mile races

-Walkmans, unicycles, and bad business ideas

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

I finally made it to Europe. And I did the Tour Du Mont Blanc!

After spending years building it up in my head as complicated, intimidating, and full of opportunities to embarrass myself, I decided to jump into the deep end and hike the Tour du Mont Blanc.

Over three days, I crossed France, Italy, and Switzerland, climbed more than 30,000 feet, slept in mountain refugios, drank an irresponsible amount of espresso, and somehow got bitten by an Italian fox.

In this episode, I recap the entire adventure, from getting lost in Geneva Airport to watching the sunset from Le Brévent above Chamonix. Along the way, I share what surprised me most about the Alps, why I put off Europe for 35 years, and how the things that scare us are often much easier than we imagine.

Topics:

Tour du Mont Blanc recap

Early season conditions and snow

Hiking through France, Italy, and Switzerland

Refugio culture

Traveling solo in Europe

The Italian fox incident

Espresso, croissants, and mountain passes

Lessons from 100 miles around Mont Blanc

If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend.

Read the full Tour du Mont Blanc trip report:

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

What happens when nine experienced hikers flee their tent in the middle of a Siberian winter, leaving behind their boots, gear, and any chance of a normal explanation?

In 1959, the Dyatlov Pass Incident became one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in outdoor history. A group of young hikers set out into the Ural Mountains and never returned. When rescuers finally reached the scene, they found a tent cut open from the inside, strange injuries, missing gear, and more questions than answers.

Joining me is Kevin Goldberg from the Distance to Empty podcast as we break down what actually happened, the evidence, the most popular theories, and a few theories that are probably not supported by science.

We discuss avalanches, military testing, Soviet secrecy, hypothermia, survival decisions, and of course whether a Yeti may have been involved.

This episode is a little different from the usual Free Outside conversations, but if you love the outdoors, adventure stories, and unsolved mysteries, you're going to enjoy this one.

Let us know what you think happened at Dyatlov Pass.

#DyatlovPass #OutdoorMystery #FreeOutsidePodcast #DistanceToEmpty #Hiking #Backpacking #TrueCrime #AdventureStories

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

Before Jade Bellsberg was winning races and competing against some of the best trail runners in the world, she was a writer filling notebook after notebook with stories.

In this conversation, Jade shares her unconventional path into ultrarunning, from crewing the Barkley Marathons before she'd ever run an ultra, to tackling Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim, building a coaching business, pursuing FKTs, and eventually becoming a professional trail runner.

We talk about why she still identifies as a writer first, how she balances competition with enjoyment, the mental side of racing, working with a sports psychologist, coaching athletes, and why consistency matters far more than talent.

We also dive into her unique life outside of racing, including how she and her husband somehow manage a household with 21 animals while traveling to races around the world.

This was one of my favorite conversations recently because it's a reminder that there is no single path into trail running. You never know where curiosity, consistency, and a willingness to try something new might lead.

Follow Jade and check out her writing, especially if you enjoy thoughtful reflections on running, racing, and the outdoors.

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure