What's Next? Life Updates & the Future of Trail Running Women

A little catch-up on life, training, injuries, and where my head is at—and a little teaser of what's coming next for the podcast. Stay tuned - Introducing a new assistant coach and future coaching Q&A episodes!  If you want your questions answered first - send them to [email protected] Find us at @trailrunningwomenpod    

The future of the podcast :) 

Kaz has a PhD in human behaviour and MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology, and has studied our power to perform when faced with adversity. Passionate about helping people believe in themselves she explores what is it about our fears, courage, resilience, and mindset, that drives us to succeed or sabotages us? And Kaz loves to run far.   Her trail running journey started in Chamonix, France with the Mont Blanc Marathon and UTMB races. Favorite adventures include Tahoe 200 (3rd F), Moab 240 (2nd F), Ouray 100 (1st F), Tot Dret, Italy (3rd F) and Across the Years (420 miles in 10 days – 3rd F), plus successfully completing 1 crazy loop of The Barkley Marathons, and most recently finishing Last Annual Vol State, a 500K continuous and self-supported race across Tennessee. Follow the new pod insta @trailrunningwomenpod !! Find Kaz @mountainkaz

Emma K. Wagner is a mental performance consultant (MPC) finishing up her Master's degree in sport and exercise psychology at Springfield College. She works in the endurance sport space, specifically with ultramarathon runners, trail runners, and triathletes. She has worked at mammoth trailfest and will be back this year! She will be working in Colorado Springs in the fall with Summit Sport Psychology.  We cover all things mental game and how to handle your mind mid race  Find her @emmawagner.mpc Find us @trailrunningwomenpod

We are back with Jeff the foot specialst! We tackle listener quesetions on all things feet + running.   

Liz is an accomplished ultra runner who also broke the three-hour barrier in the marathon. In this episode, we dive into how she got there—and it wasn't a smooth or easy path. Her journey of accepting that it will hurt, and learning how to respond to that pain, is something every runner can take something from, no matter the distance More from Liz @runningtherockies More from Me @trailrunningwomenpod and @hilsport55  

Race Recap of Orcas Island 100 Mile! I recorded this as soon after the race as possible, so forgive the slightly foggy details—post-100-mile brain mush is real. Race Highlights Distance: 100 miles Elevation Gain: ~8,000 meters / 26,000 feet Result: 2nd place female, 10th overall Hallucinations: 2 Brits: 2  Moms: 3 Shoutouts Huge thank you to my amazing crew and pacers, Hollie and Katie!! 

It's Orcas 100 week! 🎉 In this solo episode, I'm diving into what it looks like to train for a 100-miler while raising kids — including listener Q&A. We'll talk about squeezing in long runs during ski season, balancing work and life, gear, and everything else that goes into getting to the start line feeling ready. Find us @trailrunningwomenpod More from me @hilsport55

Rene Unser is a coach, race director, and accomplished trail runner who's taken on countless ultras, including multiple stage races. We talk about how training evolves as you grow — not just as an athlete, but as a person — and the lessons that come with that process. Her passion for building community led to PACE Trail Running, now home to some of BC's best races, clinics, and coaching. She was an absolute blast to chat with. @reneruns @trailrunningwomenpod https://www.pacetrailruns.com

 Ria Xi is a Chinese-born ultrarunner attempting to become the first human to run across Asia and Europe on the Silk Road—20,000 kilometers from Vladivostok to Lisbon. After burning out from her tech career in Silicon Valley and struggling with mental health challenges, she discovered running as a path back to meaning. Within a year, she went from barely finishing a half marathon to setting FKTs on the Via Francigena and Camino de Santiago, and becoming the first person to run Egypt's 539km Sinai Trail. In May 2026, she'll begin a 14-month journey across 17 countries, building what she calls the "Planetary Run Club"—a community-driven project centered on human connection in a dividing world.   Follow her journey at @whereisriax. Her Go Fun me is below!  https://gofund.me/ce935eb43 Find me @hilsport55 and @trailrunningwomenpod