By Mathias Eichler
The Skyrunner World Series is back in the USA!
Join us at Beast of Big Creek and race Mount Ellinor with us.
Almost as clockwork and as often as UTMB announces a new events to their World Series Aravaipa Running announces another race series acquisition:
Aravaipa Running is proud to announce that seven events formerly a part of Calico Racing officially join its calendar for their 2027 editions, marking a major commitment to fostering the Nevada running community. Aravaipa currently operates one event in Nevada, Jackpot Ultras, and this addition expands its statewide offering to eight annual races.
So not a completely new state “conquered”, but still, the relentless expansion/assimilation continues. Are race directors who are selling their events just “tired of the grind” and are looking to offload their properties?
Chhabi R Pokhrel for Everest Today:
Nirmal “Nimsdai” Purja, the Nepal-born mountaineer who compressed the pursuit of the world’s fourteen eight-thousanders from years into months, died in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan on 30 July 2026. He was 43.
9 other climbers were swept off the mountain and perished in this avalanche. Mountaineering is inherently dangerous and this tragic event will have follow stories over the next few month digging into the decisions that went into this particular expedition. And while the mountaineering world needs to process the accident, it’s also worth remembering, and processing along with it, the allegations that surfaced a few years ago around the person that was Nimsdai.
Michael Kobold calls Nimsdai “the Harvey Weinstein of mountaineering”:
Only a small handful of Nepalis, however, are aware of a dark secret the world-famous mountaineer jealously guards by any means, including intimidation and overt threats of violence. Despite these coercive measures, the fact that Nirmal Purja is also a serial sexual predator, who across a timespan lasting more than twenty-five years has victimized countless women and even young boys, will soon be the subject of intense international media scrutiny, with Western journalists working feverishly to be the first accredited members of the press to break the story by filing articles with some of the world’s biggest news outlets. It is now certain that within a few days, the mainstream media will report on Nirmal Purja’s predatory behavior.
The NYT picked up this story a few years ago, shortly after he rose to fame through his Netflix documentary and the follow up book. This very much cooled his rise to fame in the Western world, not sure what came from him in the region he’s considered one of the most well-known people on earth.
Nimsdai broke records and reset what people thought was possible in mountaineering. But “separating the art from the artist” might work for the record books it won’t for the victims he leaves behind.
I’ve been chatting with Josh off and on the air for a while now about this and what better place to try something than ‘Beast of Big Creek’. Since I got nothing else to do… luckily I don’t have to do much here. Borderlands is gathering data points for their new LoC system:
We’re trying to answer a much more fundamental question: How do humans naturally describe what’s happening during a race and we need help from real people in the field.
We’ll invite volunteers [runners, crew members, spectators, photographers, volunteers, anyone already at the event] to send short qualitative observations throughout the day whenever they want using what every language they want.
This won’t immediately result in any outward facing display of coverage of the event, but hopefully will create some datapoints and is a good information gathering opportunity to see how this can be rolled out for real. Stay tuned for update on all this.
Also, if you’re in the area, want to stop by during race day and help us cover the event, do sign up to be part of our field team and join the “experiment”.
Like the Wind announces in-person gathering in London:
We are hoping that Run Culture: Live (aka RCL) will be the first in a series of annual gatherings around storytelling, art and community. So if you are in or near London or you can swing a trip to the city (it’s really worth visiting, I promise!) then we’d love to see you there.
Run Culture:Live is happening right the week after UTMB hoping to keep international folks a bit longer in the (wider) Europe.
The Steep Stuff Podcast is covering the Beast Skyrace all week long (I removed the emojis from the quote):
My chat with James is out already – give it a listen while you travel to town. I cannot wait to welcome you to the Olympic Peninsula.
In lieu of actual doping controls we get folks writing long Substack posts. Not sure this is the answer, but certainly adds to the overall conversation. The key piece that sticks out to me in Kilian’s post is this one:
During Cocodona of this year, I took prednisone before heading up Mt. Mingus to help prophylactically ward off the allergy-related breathing problems I had faced in years past and sucked down some puffs from my inhaler with regularity. Before the race I contacted Aravaipa to inquire about the potential need for a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for these medications and was told that I didn’t need one. Did I do something wrong during the race? I don’t think so, and I did my due diligence. But it was the same category of drug for which Chepngeno lost her career. Even seemingly clear cut cases can involve shades of gray.
Woof. Joe McConaughy mentioned Kilian’s inhaler usage on the latest episode of Singletrack. Now we know the details around it.
If you’re a race director what do you do with this information?
Announced on Instagram:
Need a Red Light For Your Ultra? Petzl’s Got You Covered!
New 2026 rules? No problem. We’ve developed a 5g red filter clip for your headlamp. We’re giving it to you for free.
What an incredible service Petzl’s providing here. Kudos to their generosity and ingenuity.
Incredible promo reel for the UTMB Finals in less than a month.
What? Nothing, just me over here trying to get something out of my eyes.
Episode 350 with Joe McConaughy and Scott Sowle:
This week’s chat with PNW’s North Bend Trail Fest race director’s Joe McConaughy and Scott Sowle provides me with the perfect distraction from my own race prep for Beast to discuss the news of the moment: doping among influential trail runners. Joe shares his elite athlete perspective and we discuss the challenges for race directors trying to navigate the seemingly insurmountable financial challenges to provide doping controls at our events.
Also: come race in the PNW. Our trails are awesome, Mount Ellinor and Mount Si are calling you!
The Skyrunner World Series formerly invites you:
Next week, all eyes turn to Mount Ellinor in Washington State’s Olympic Mountains for Beast of Big Creek — North America’s only 2026 Merrell Skyrunner® World Series race. With 22 km of racing and over 1,600 m of climbing, expect raw uphill effort, technical descending, and rugged PNW atmosphere in full force. But it’s not just about the race — there’s a full weekend of activities and activations to get stuck into, from shoe testing and a pre-race run to the athlete presentation. Here’s everything you need to know.
If you’re racing with us, or just want to know what you’ll be missing you, this round up is for you.
This literally just in – and courtesy of Trail Talk: German Katharina Hartmuth posts a new record on England’s Lake District’s famous Bob Graham Round in 14:11:58* – unofficial time, still needs to be ratified – Katharina literally JUST finished as I am typing this.
Wow! Spending a few days in the San Juans for Hardrock must’ve been some good prep for this.
Mile & Stone has the quote from Isabelle Viseux Poletti:
“Fundamentally, there is nothing new. These are issues we have been working on for many years and they are the subject of a number of meetings with the town hall. In terms of form, I would say that it is not in our values to resolve our issues through the press; the method surprised us somewhat.”
She continues responding to the mayor’s various various points:
Reducing the brand expo? “We have been discussing this since April. There is indeed a small area that we will not occupy this year, but it is not a radical change.” The lack of interest from Chamonix residents in the event? “There are people who reject it and criticize it, that was already the case ten years ago, but there are also many people who are very happy. After the article, we received a lot of messages from Chamonix residents who do not identify with these comments, including from some local business owners.” Measures to bring fewer people, including a rotation or limitation system?”We are on public roads, so we do not have the power to ban people. On the other hand, we try to raise awareness and explain that it is possible to follow the races without necessarily coming in person, particularly through our live broadcasts, and we will continue doing so.”
Reducing the number of races, particularly at night? “There has been no new race in the Chamonix valley since 2016 and the creation of the MCC. As for night races, we are talking about ultra formats, which by definition are also run at night. But the question is not whether races take place at night or not, it is knowing where there is an objective and real disturbance; depending on that, we will make the necessary adjustments. But once again, none of this can be reduced to absolute truths.” Have the two parties spoken since the mayor’s interview? “It will happen soon, but not yet,” replies the UTMB director.
This is all pretty much in line with what I expected. UTMB is framing this in two ways: a saber rattling by a new boss in town eager to make an impression as well as them internally already working on addressing anything that is worth addressing.
Again, the biggest area of recent growth, which it’s also something somewhat outside their power is the explosion of various activation efforts by brands. And if you think back at when UTMB first made the announcement against ambush marketing you realize how long they’ve been aware of this issue.
Though as a fan I cannot wait to see what ACG has planned for this August.
Yesterday in 90+ degree weather, mid-week through typical awful rush hour traffic I headed to Seven Hills Running in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle, Washington for UltraSignup’s annual Dirt Circus. I was joined by handful of other race directors, a selection of techs and sales reps from various shoe brands. Over 300 other runners who came – despite the heat – for an evening to mingle, win a few giveaways, and run with their community. It was hot, and it was wonderful.
Back in 2023 UltraSignup announced their new idea with the following words:
Dirt Circus is an UltraSignup event series featuring our local race directors, running stores, and celebrating our running community. This is where runners and race directors meet, kinda like UltraSignup.com, but live and in person. Come along and join the spectacle.
I was skeptical at first – “shouldn’t USU focus on upgrading their platform rather than put on roadshows” was my thinking – and I wasn’t alone. But now after having been at the event these past two years I gotta admit: I am a believer.
Dirt Circus is a simple concept that truly celebrates and showcases the best our sport has to offer: participation.
It’s a welcome reminder of what this thing we’re doing is all about. What folks love most about our sport is the simplicity. You put on a pair of shoes and go on a run. Yes, we love all that elite spectating at big races, brand’s releasing new and exciting products, the media spectacles with the podcasts and livestreams – all these things are fun and fuel our passion. But at the heart of our trail running, is the simple action of heading out the door in search for some dirt.
My days as a trail runner might be filled with high stakes conference calls, countless email negotiations, and an endless digestion of media reports, but for most folks running is a hobby that means being excited about the newest shoe drop – in their futile hope that it finally makes them faster – and the simple joy of just getting some miles in.
This is what Dirt Circus reminded me of. After coming off a few massively important days at TrailCon and Western States, and amidst the high stakes preparation of the Skyrunner World Series returning to the US, this evening at Seven Hills was a nice reprieve – despite the oppressive heat. More of this, please.
Find the next Dirt Circus event near you.
DCRainmaker with the first takes:
Garmin announced today that it has acquired TrainingPeaks & TrainHeroic (TrainHeroic was part of TrainingPeaks). Garmin hasn’t announced how much it spent, or really much else except that it did. As you can see below, the press release is pretty thin on details. Still, I’ve got some thoughts about what this means for consumers and the industry alike.
The press release (posted in Jay’s article) is thin with details.
It’s also not very clear as to why Garmin might’ve wanted to buy Training Peaks.
…it seems logical that Garmin is looking to see if it can increase its subscription revenue, possibly via putting coaching aspects (plans or otherwise) into some sort of Connect+ bucket, or perhaps just keeping it standalone.
So we’re left waiting and wondering. And folks who’ve been using Training Peaks can now look forward to the uncertainty on what will happen to their tool and platform. This is very much becoming the norm in the tech software space.
US Skyrunning covers Beast of Big Creek in their newsletter this week. Executive Director Ryan Kerrigan:
“Elevated, the race will be” said Ryan Kerrigan, Coach with US Skyrunning. “Previously US athletes generally had to cross the pond to find world level skyrunning competition. Now US athletes will have the opportunity to host their greatest rivals and strongest athletes in the sport on home soil.
“I’m tired of hearing- ‘skyrunning is a European sport, maybe it should stay there.’ We’ve got the mountains, we’ve got the athletes and now we’ve got the race courses to match. Skyrunning is a global sport and next week the world spotlight will be right here with The Beast!”
Let’s get this show started, shall we?
Sage Canaday has been on a heater lately calling folks out and trying to work through these grey area doping issues as our sport professionalizes:
…However the issue with banned performance enhancing drugs in endurance sports isn’t just about winning prize money or making an Olympic team. It’s about honesty and integrity and mutual respect for all runners in a race.
Here we have a sport that’s growing in popularity and still – hopefully forever – let the amateurs toe the same line as the elites. The calls are now getting louder to bring doping controls to the top races where prize money is on the line and much prestige to be gained. Most races are still without any doping controls. There are many runners who aren’t elites in the strictest sense but are influential their own right, and sometimes place high on podiums. They, like in the instance Sage refers to, might event coach other runners and recommend certain treatment plans. On top of all this we have WADA rules which are strict, but not perfect.
Sage continues his post:
I don’t have all the answers to this. I realize taking certain drugs (not all are created equal at all!) can be a very personal and a very nuanced thing for individuals. I believe in enforcing existing rules and WADA/USADA code for competitive races…but I also realize testing is very limited and expensive…
So I’d like to open this up to a constructive discussion of possible solutions and hear other’s thoughts and feelings around this. It can help shape the future and culture of our sport as individuals in the community may see it from very different perspectives.
Doping controls are already a costly and thorny issue. We are far away from even having a handle on the actual elite end of our sport, but this issue needs to be addressed nonetheless. And it will need some of the top players in our sport to not to put their heads in the sand but take a stand and speak out.
Why this topic is blowing up right now is not because some hobby jogger from the back of the pack got caught cheating, but that “self declared non-elites” are actually reaching podiums, receiving sponsorships, and are influential in the sport with their behavior and opinions. This puts them on the same playing field as elites, therefore they need to be adhere to the same rules as elite runners.
Some weeks you don’t have time to record your own podcasts, so you rely on a little bit of help from your friends. Aaron Shimmons invited me and Robin Vieira Brower to discuss the return of skyrunning to the US. We chat about how it all happened and what it means for the athletes to have skyraces back on home soil.
We are so back! As they say.
Announced today:
Runners for Public Lands (RPL) is thrilled to announce that it has joined Outdoor Alliance, the national coalition of organizations advocating for human-powered outdoor recreation. As the 10th member of the Outdoor Alliance, Runners for Public Lands will strengthen the voice of runners alongside nine of the country’s most powerful outdoor recreation organizations working together to protect public lands and waters.
It’s great to see RPL grabbing a seat at this table giving us trail runners a bigger voice for political advocacy.
I mean, surprise?!
Why not, let’s throw out a last minute prize purse, shall we?
€4,000 are up for grabs at [the Skyrunner World Series] only North American stop on their 2026 Series.
*M/W*
1: €800
2: €500
3: €350
4: €200
5: €150Plus earn your change for a ticket to the Finals at [Marató dels Dements, Host of the 2026 MSWS Skymasters] in Spain in November [of this year].
I mean… let’s go?
Announced today via Instagram:
[Bad Beard Events] is officially joining Aravaipa Running!
This series has been the heart of Chattanooga trail running since Stump Jump and River Gorge were founded in 2001. Ginny Smith, who has directed these races for almost a decade, is staying on as Series Director to keep leading the way alongside the same local crew and volunteers.
The races, the trails, and the traditions aren’t changing. Our goal is to keep the unique character of these seven events while elevating the runner experience, all while continuing Bad Beard’s commitment to the local non-profits that protect Chattanooga’s backyard.
The Aravapia expansion continues. All jokes about monopolies and comparisons to UTMB have already been made. What I wonder: what’s the draw here? For years US race directors have been operating proudly as independent entities, building their statewide race series and happily operating on their own. Now this nationwide consolidation is happening. And there’s only one player being able to take advantage of it all: Aravaipa. I wonder what this says about the financial viability of the events space of our trail running ecosystem.
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