It was a full week in Olympic Valley for TrailCon and Auburn for the Western States Endurance Run. My first time at these events, but not the first time in these towns. While I approached TrailCon as a work event, I – while donning my media badge – spend Western States mainly crewing my friend and observing from the sidelines. For most Americans Western States is the most important trail event on the global racing calendar. My perspective is shaped and influenced by my previous experiences in Chamonix – I ran OCC in 2024 – and in Cortina running Lavaredo last year. Both are really large and maybe the most important trail events in the Alps (and in UTMB’s case, the world). Western States is historic and it was undoubtably a special experience to witness it firsthand this year. A somewhat rare point to point route, with a reasonable sized entry field for a single race. But it’s hardly comparable to a UTMB event that has thousands of runners and spectators in a mountain town for an entire week. Western States did have more media crew than runners this year. And it famously has an incredible number of volunteers to runners ratio, with lots aid stations to support. To experience how my friend was “taken care of” at check in by folks who have been with the organization for many years is awe-inspiring.

The people who make Western States happen each year are all generous and welcoming. Behind it all is a nonprofit organization run by many volunteers who care deeply about this event and its history. These are folks who are eager to share their stories with every interaction. No wonder those who get a lucky chance to toe the line get hooked and want to come back year after year.

The challenge lies in the reality of the race route itself.

Olympic Valley – the starting point of the race – felt pulsating and alive during TrailCon just a couple days prior, but on Friday the day before the race during runner check-in, the Western States expo had shrunk to a much smaller area and the rest of the “village” (corporate resort, really) feels almost abandoned and shuttered. No one actually lives there year round.

The race starts on Saturday 5am, just around dawn. Runners shuffle to the starting line past dark shop windows, coffee is served nearby out of massive urns. Hoka the title sponsor projects an impressive laser show on the imposing rock face above the village. The gondola stands still due to high winds. As runners nervously gather, the elites with the media teams, take up the space and attention. Someone, Craig Thornley the race director I assume, says a few words I can’t make out over the excited chatter of the spectators who gather along the jeep track leading to the first climb up to the famous escarpment. A gun goes off – this is America after all – and the runners race past me carried by the loud cheers of their friends and family. As fast as this all begins, it’s already over. There’s an impressive amount of experience on display in the efficiency of the setup and tear down. (Less than an hour after the gun goes off the starting line is completely broken down and there’s barely a sign that several hundreds runners, and hundred more spectators had gathered to participate and witness the start of this historic event.)

As the runners quickly disappear into the early morning light I’m left with hours of nothing to do but listen to Corinne and Dylan on the livestream conjuring up another historic day not the Western States trail. Hundreds of cars are all trying to leave in a hurry and clog up the parking lot exit and road towards Truckee. Noticing this I abandon my plan to follow them down the valley and inspired by the excitement of the moment I instead choose to go on a run myself. I want to breathe the fresh mountain air one more time before I ascend to the dusty lower elevations of Foresthill, eventually Auburn, and soon after already back home.

The first half of the race is somewhat challenging to access for a first time spectator. It requires hours of driving, and a good knowledge of dirt road navigation (I should’ve had a guide with me as I was not going to subject my rental car to the narrow mountain roads with potholes). Foresthill, the first place I choose to reconnect with the proceedings of the race is a small commercial strip in a sleepy town that turns into a full blown street fair during the race. Brands, spectators, and – of course – an official aid station brings the area alive and creates an incredible festival for the few hours runners make their pit stop in town. Brands “buy out” the restaurants and coffee shops along the drag and generously offer free food and beverages. I feel incredible welcomed by the hospitality of everyone celebrating the race and its runners battling the miles in the canyons. And yet I end up not engaging with the local community at all. I park, meet up with some of my friends and acquaintances, cheer on the runners I wait for and leave shortly after. What is Foresthill, but an aid station stop along the Western States course, I couldn’t tell you.

Once in Auburn, which I had been last for the Canyons Endurance Runs a few years ago (an event that finishes right in the downtown area, by the way) I make my way to the famous Placer High School and I feel like a pilgrim on hallowed grounds. This is the place everyone keeps talking about, and where history is written year after year. I ran past this athletic field on my previous time in town, but this time I enter the famous tartan track. The sun is slowly setting, the place is buzzing with excitement and the ongoing chatter of the livestream. Dozens of volunteers provide (free, with a donation) food and beverages and I feel taken care of. No need to find a local restaurant to refuel. I am reminded of my kids’ high school events – on steroids (not literally, Western States now provides the most stringent doping controls in the US trail running scene). At the Western States finish line you feel the weight of history and yet it feels familiar and homey. The experience of that famous American “Friday Night Lights” football game, just it’s trail running. When the first runners arrive the place erupts in emotions. And not just the manufactured ones of small town high school pride. But the fact that this race year after year attracts the best runners from around the world who dream of crossing that finish line on this perfect American high school track breaks my brain a bit, but in a good way. This is sort of Christmas in July for sports fans. The small town feel on a high school track every American spends their youth on, but with that big global Super Bowl attention of international runners breaking records year in year out. It truly is a magnificent thing to witness and I understand why every American trail runner so deeply connects with this moment.

Once the top runners etched their name into the Western States history books I say ‘good night’ to my friends and call it a day. I drive back to my hotel and curse that their Wi-Fi has Youtube Live blocked. Shouldn’t they know that on that weekend everyone in the area is glued to the livestream following this event unfold. Maybe I should mention that on the comment card?

My friend is out there somewhere in the canyons, puking up Mountain Dew, abandoning his A goal, but hanging on. I’m glad he’s not having to rely on me to crew him. I brought his luggage down the mountain and have a hotel room and shower ready for him. But he’s self-sufficient and likes to grind these races solo. There’s something special about this. And now that we’re looking at a ‘golden hour’ finish I get to sleep a few more hours in my comfortable hotel bed.

The next morning I drive back to Auburn, stroll over to Robie Point and wait for my friend to emerge from the American River below. We run together to the track and I let him take the “victory lap” by on his own – he deserved it.

Fast forward, he’s showered, buckle in hand, and we’re leaving the track for a final time. Now we’re on the hunt for some celebratory food and drinks in town. Time to refuel and relax a bit before heading back to the airport in Sacramento being homeward bound. As I drive him through town, we’re surprised and somewhat shocked that downtown Auburn feels deserted. Restaurant after restaurant is closed. Yes it’s a Sunday afternoon, but it’s also Western States weekend – North America’s most important trail running event. And we are in the self-appointed ‘Endurance Capitol of the World’. Mind you, that historic track is just an easy walking distance from downtown (Maybe not walkable after you’ve just run 100 miles, but walkable nonetheless). But where is everybody? I wonder. Why doesn’t this massively important event spill out into the streets of the city it has made famous? Yes, Western States doesn’t have a main street finish the way UTMB has their setup in Chamonix by the Paroisse Saint Bernard du Mont-Blanc on the Place du Triangle or for Lavaredo’s finish along the Corso Italia right by the Basilica dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo in Cortina. In these towns every restaurant and hospitably establishment is having their best week of the year. You feel connected to the place you visit. Even North American side on my travels to Kodiak Big Bear felt more alive than this and Whistler, well, Whistler seems to never sleep. In Auburn, the Italian restaurant I had visited back when I ran Canyons is closed. The diner just a couple of blocks beyond that is closed too. No one seems to be walking down the streets just an hour after the conclusion of the awards ceremony.

We finally find a place with a “welcome runners” banner, and while the food is enjoyable and plentiful, the atmosphere feels subdued and calm, not celebratory and fun. We seem to be the only Western States runners/tourists in the place. As we leave Auburn keep wondering why that self appointed ‘endurance capitol of the world’ isn’t able to connect this world class event closer to their city’s community. For someone who loves to travel and experience local culture this feels like a huge bummer. Yes, I experienced community among the friendly faces and people who make this event happen. And yes, finishing on that high school track connects one to a very uniquely American piece of culture, that I all fully recognize. And no, I am not laying the blame on anyone’s feet here – neither the race organization or the city’s. Maybe I’m just observing the differences in my trail running adventures.

And I suppose I do get an answer as to why the Euros when they are coming over to race in California always end up at In-N-Out Burger.

This paragraph Matt Trappe shared in his TrailCon wrap post made me want to do some more digging:

Something is up at Näak. Talk on the floor at TrailCon was that their US operations are no more. Another nutrition brand even seemed to call into question whether they might be able to fulfill their UTMB commitments. Huge yikes and opportunities abound for Precision, Never Second, Skratch, GU, etc.

I found CEO William Walcker’s LinkedIn post from just before TrailCon:

To better support our continued brand growth and scale effectively in the US, we are transitioning our B2B operations from a direct-sales & delivery approach to an indirect, distributor-led model.

So it seems (as it so often is with these stories) there’s some truth to Matt’s rumor: Näak is winding down its direct US business and transitioning to a distributor model. Essentially the business will be outsourced to a third party. Not uncommon for international business to struggle trying to get a foot on the ground in the highly competitive and very large US market.

What seems to be debunked (based on some stories I hear) is that Näak has larger problems and is struggling with their UTMB partnership. I suppose they wouldn’t tell the media if this would be the case, but they seem to be committed to continue this relationship.

Näak announced their sponsorship of trail mega superstar Courtney Dauwalter just a few month ago. This came shortly after – friend of Courtney – Mike Ambrose (who had left NNormal in February of 2025) took on the US country manager role for Näak. That job will now wind down in a couple of month according to CEO Walker’s post.

‘Media Pass’ is back on Trail Talk with Aaron Shimmons (Youtube/Audio):

Fresh off TrailCon in Olympic Valley, Aaron sits down with Mathias Eichler and Krissi Polentz, both on the ground for the week, to unpack what it actually revealed about the business and media of trail running. Does the sport have any real journalism left, or just hype men waiting on the next shoe drop? Why are the biggest brands behaving like teenagers fighting over a valley? Is the live stream gold rush ever going to pay off, or are we quietly repeating the mistakes that hollowed out the bike industry? And now that TrailCon has won its June date, does it actually know what it’s for?

It’s a good one.

Extra credit: if you’re looking for links to some of the talking points, check out the ECC archive from the last few days.

Matt Trappe created the unofficial evening programming I had bemoaned was missing at TrailCon this year.

I manifested a mashup of Auteur Sportif and MoB into a brand house. Adam Copeland called it the Trappe House but I was calling it MoB Garage. It was low-key by design but also a big leap of faith. I booked a huge house on a hunch and went for it. The goal was a more intimate gathering of people (as opposed to logos) in an offline and personal setting, devoid of panels, crowds, booths and social media.

I was invited to the Sunday session but hadn’t been in town yet, so I missed it. Reading now the recap it seemed like these gatherings were a hit and I hope I can make it to one next year.

Matt also shares the sentiment about TrailCon as a whole that I had been expressing:

I love this event so much but I think it can be even better. Despite the public being welcomed it is still an echo chamber of brands and industry. We need more “regular” runners. I’d like to see breakout sessions that create smaller conversations vs public Q&A sessions. More intimate back-and-forth dialogue encourages all the questions and connections vs. just a couple isolated Q’s by the brave few willing to raise their hand. We can also continue to strive to bring more diverse voices to the conversation. One goal this year was not to repeat people on panels and I do think that was done well but going forward I want to involve more voices not only from a diversity angle but also geographically and socioeconomically. A friend who is newer to trail views it solely as an affluent sport and, while current data does back that up, I came up in this world when it was anything but affluent and I think it’s important to keep that irreverent dirtbag spirit alive.

I especially appreciate Matt also struggling with how to label the “regular” runners as he calls them.

An interesting tidbit Matt has in his “notes” section at the bottom of that long post – its worth scrolling down, I promise:

Something is up at Näak. Talk on the floor at TrailCon was that their US operations are no more. Another nutrition brand even seemed to call into question whether they might be able to fulfill their UTMB commitments. Huge yikes and opportunities abound for Precision, Never Second, Skratch, GU, etc.

Aside from the fact that there are very few runners I know who actually like Näak this could be the first big explosion in our sport. Some folks are already asking and worrying about that dreaded bike industry comparison. And those “some folks” in this instance were Ian MacGregor, CEO of SkratchLabs, so maybe he knows something we don’t – yet.

Full of doubt, and surrounded by doubters Francesco Puppi runs Western States and finishes second in his Western States debut and 100 mile race debut. His write up is a fun read:

My experience at the 2026 Western States 100 served as a reminder that things don’t need to be perfect, they just need to be good enough. As athletes, we spend way too much time questioning the quality of our training, wondering whether what we’re doing is actually enough to meet the expectations we have for our performances. It’s hard to define exactly what “good enough” means, because it inevitably changes depending on the person and the situation.
…
We are our best data points, but at the same time we use our best days as the reference for how we expect to perform all the time, under every circumstance. Which is just the wrong expectation.

Some good wisdom right there, not just for training and racing but for life in general.

‘I Won (Again)’ is a fantastic video (In German Bavarian – good luck Youtube auto dubbing) of Hannes Namberger claiming his 4th title and new course record at Lavaredo Ultra Trail this past weekend. Philip Reiter was the man behind the camera pulling off such a quick turnaround and incredible short film.

Until we get a proper livestream at Lavaredo this will have to do.

Addendum: The video shows and talks about how Hannes runs over 105K with fellow racers Andreas Reiterer and Tobias Geiser, then takes the lead on the final downhill and few kilometers arriving in town almost 10 min faster than the two who chose to share second place holding hands. 10min, in just over 10K… that’s nuts. Congrats Hannes.

Quick summary of what actually happened from Tom DeVries on LinkedIn:

Meta auto-enrolled REI into an AI ad program, altered a real vendor photo, and ran it for nearly a week without REI knowing.
…
The program is called Advantage+ Creative. Opting out requires navigating three separate settings panels. And there are reports of it re-enabling after you turn it off.
…
 It seems like Meta no longer values having the trust of their customers. This is exactly the kind of action that destroys it. It’s quite sad.

I don’t jump up here to defend REI, big companies are responsible for the programs they are participating. Of course they got duped by META, but in the end someone somewhere in the organization didn’t care.

Also, and somewhat related, here’s John Gruber running a post titled: ‘Why is Meta Destroying its Engineering Organization?’. This AI shit is really doing a number on these people, Jebus.

I’m so glad so many of our businesses are relying on tools like WhatsApp and Instagram to market, communicate and promote their products… what a fun time to be alive.

Logistically TrailCon is the logical bridge between two great American trail events: Broken Arrow and Western States. Placed in the days between, and in the same resort village TrailCon tries to bring the American trail community together – both brands and normal runners (I need a better word for this, I hate to call them just “consumers”). With a mix of fun activations and business-focused panels TrailCon tries to meet both stakeholders and keep them entertained, engaged, and happy.

It’s a good concept. A great and obvious idea that needed to happen. There’s no better place and time on the calendar for the American trail running community to come together.

This year I went for the first time wearing my film festival hat, and bringing my journalist’s notebook. Did I have fun? Yes. I met tons of people, made connections, and achieved my goals. Will I come back – most likely also yes. It’s THE place to be and maybe even a better place for trail-related conversations and meetings than TRE. You don’t have to wade through road runners to find your people and I mean, it’s definitely in a more beautiful location.

My setup was light, I didn’t have a booth, and so evaluating the success of my trip based on ROI I can say it was worth it.

On a more objective level did I find places that were lacking and things to improve on, yes. But I’m hopeful, as ‘Raccoon Media Group’ – the entity behind TrailCon which has the conference experience, and has lots if it also has deep pockets. TrailCon is a long game, I would wager.

Where TrailCon struggled this year (and I am told last year as well) is a clear definition – and communication – for who it’s for. Is it for professionals working in the trail running space or is for the public, just regular trail runners? Were there enough offerings to entice either group to come back?

• There were no evening activities.
• A few workshops and hands on experiences would help the overall attraction.
• No products were announced. Which made sense looking at the product release calendar, but the media there struggled trying to find a narrative to “write home about”.

Maybe there should be two clearly defined tracks one can jump in between and choose events, workshops, and activities from. TrailCon clearly could use more public participation, and it would benefit from conversations with real meat on them, not just surface level “podcast panels” in the blazing sun. Things are trending in the right direction and I don’t get the feeling that the folks who steer the ship are standing in their way to make this what it can become. I’m encouraged and inspired to think more about this platform and how it can be used in the future to expand and build upon.

Many people had wondered about this when Ourea Events closed up shop earlier this year that UTMB might step in and take over one of their events. Today we’re getting the confirmation from the newly renamed ‘Skyline Scotland by UTMB’ Instagram account:

Commenting on the announcement, Skyline Scotland founder Shane Ohly said:
“This is the start of a new chapter for Skyline Scotland, and a big step forward for trail running in Scotland. We had been in conversation with UTMB World Series since 2021. Over that time, we’ve built a really strong relationship with a shared ambition to create genuinely world-class trail-running experiences.

The official UTMB website doesn’t seem to be ready yet, but the reel suggests a next iteration making a comeback in September 2027. I will update the ECC events calendar once I have all the info.

Clare Gallagher sharing a first-hand account for Trailrunner:

For the top finishers selected for post-race drug testing, the rules are simple: Pee in a cup (at least 90 mL, at a sufficient concentration) and you’re free to go. However, that’s easier said than done after you’ve finished top ten at Western States.

Alright, alright, I give Outside a lot of grieve, but this article was fantastic. What an incredible look “behind the curtain”.

We’re a month out for the official return of the Skyrunner World Series to the United States. Beast of Big Creek is 1 August and we still have some bibs to give away. In the lead up to the event Skyrunner World Series sponsor Merrell is hosting a Strava Vert Challenge and you should join.

Take on the Merrell x Strava Vertical Challenge, marking the return of elite skyrunning to the U.S. and inspired by the relentless ascent of the Beast of Big Creek—North America’s only stop on the 2026 Skyrunner® World Series.

Let’s go!

Martin Biela still working on trying to reverse-engineer the UTMB Index and fully get the details on how it actually works:

Beginning of last week a Calculation details view appeared on every runner’s profile — no announcement, no blog post. Click the big blue UTMB Index card, or any category card, and a panel folds out showing exactly how that number was built, row by row.
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Here’s what the rule turns out to be: your UTMB Index is governed by two mechanics that the panel shows but never explains. A clock that ages every result on a fixed schedule, and a floor that stops your weaker races from dragging you down. Once you can see both, the index stops being a verdict handed down from above and becomes something you can actually read — and plan around.

The mechanics behind it all are a bit over my head, but it’s good to get a better understanding of how this all works. Especially if you’re a pro runner and that Index is important for your livelihood, having a better understanding can help you make better decisions. Although, you should probably refrain from running and optimizing for a number – cause that’s certainly NOT what trail running is supposed to be all about.

From their FAQ for the new product:

Team Subscriptions let groups or organizations purchase multiple Strava annual subscriptions and share them with their teammates. You’ll receive unique codes that recipients can redeem to unlock the full Strava experience for a year.

No tech company has ever not offered an “enterprise” model = selling a version of their product to businesses and hoping that the corporate expense departments will forget about the annual subscriptions renewing.

Here’s Raziq’s TrailCon recap:

There were repeated comparisons to skateboarding, and I reject them wholeheartedly based on the simple fact that skateboarders are cool. Skating is an anti-establishment subculture. Skaters challenge societal norms simply by using the built environment (parking lots, stairs, railings) for a secondary, often-destructive recreational activity.

I loved my few days at TrailCon, but I also admit that I am not cool – my kids keep reminding me. I loved being outdoors in the mountains – and not stuck in a nondescript trade show hall. I love the conversations and interactions I had with folks all week. But yes, I agree with Raziq’s point, the sport of trail running has room to grow. And TrailCon has room to move beyond the feeling of being an expanded podcast panel turned into a trade show into something that feels like it more organically reflects the full diversity of our sport. Give it time, and invite the right partners to help you nurture it.

What started out as just a newsletter for the French outlet was recently expanded to include a full website where their articles can be accessed (and linked to!). Naturally still in French, so use the translation tool of your browser. This is a very welcome addition to our trail media landscape.

After this massive week Jonathan Levitt posts his follow up thoughts on his blog. One thing he points out which I sort of forgot about:

I did not hear a single real panel conversation about how AI is changing the way runners find the products they buy.
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That felt like a miss.

He’s right, there wasn’t much talk. Maybe because trail running doesn’t happen in the echo chamber of tech investing and tech reporting but is closer to the real world. And there AI is largely hated and rarely useful.

In fact, spending a week not hearing about AI felt refreshing.

Sure, at the ‘Second Nature’ mixer on Wednesday morning folks shared their vibe-built industry disrupters, but none of these project felt like they had any real impact on our sport yet.

Josh watched the livestream. I usually do as well, but this year I had the opportunity to be onsite and follow the race live. It’s a complete different experience. And yet, I agree with several of Josh’s takes here:

Technology has largely solved the “where” problem. Storytelling still has to solve the “who” problem. Commentators had issues knowing who was on screen and sometimes they had issues knowing why those on screen mattered.

There were several moments when the livestream commentators responded to nothing but the ticker refreshing, which I also have on my phone. Is there no better way to give these folks insight information? And if there is not, why’s no one else starting their own live commentary? Just for diversity’s sake.

John Sugden shares some quick recap charts for this year’s Western States race:

Imagine telling someone that three men would go under 14 hours, four under the course record, and none of them would have been named Jim, Kilian, Hans, Hayden, Zach, or Adam?

There will be plenty of debates on how the masterminds (nerds) of our sport so completely misread the men’s field in their predictions ahead of the race, but this is for another time. John charts highlight the way both the men’s and women’s races unfolded. What a fascinating year it was to be on the ground as supposed to glued to the livestream.

I previously mentioned the app Western States released a few month ago in the lead up to the race. Now with just a few hours before race start it’s worth reminding folks to download the app to follow along. For folks who aren’t wanting to install an app on their phone, or want to view the data in their browser there’s a web view as well. in Some of the data and the way it is displaying it will be quite fascinating to explore during the actual race. This might be a good alternative for folks who don’t want to watch the livestream.

Nutrition brands were a-plenty at TrailCon but I got get the impression that things felt a bit dialed down from the past two years at TrailCon when the onslaught of new hydration brands promoting all kinds of magical numbers and gains felt almost nauseating. Good, let’s be more reasonable, and healthier.