Episode 139: Revisiting the pursuit of excellence with Western States champ Abby Hall

Trail Society teamed up with our Feisty Media sister podcast, Another Mother Runner, for a special episode recorded in Tahoe ahead of Western States. This episode originally dropped on the Another Mother Runner feed on Friday, June 26, 2026, and we're sharing it with you all here because we loved the conversation.Another Mother Runner host, Sarah Bowen Shea, is joined by Trail Society's Corrine Malcolm to talk with Stephanie Irving, 64, who was the second oldest woman at the Western States 100-mile, after a decade of entering the lottery, and is the co-founder of Wild Woman Trail Runs. In this in-person episode recorded just days before the big race, Steph and Corrine detail:what’s so special about "States"the magic of a women’s-only running race like Wild Womanhow to stop thinking about age as an impedimentfueling advice for long trail racesthe value in going before you're ready—whether in a race or life!Before Steph joins the conversation around 11:55, Corrine sheds some light on the history of Western States.Follow Us:FeistyFest Details and Registration: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/@[email protected] our Partners:Use the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.comUse code TRAILSOCIETY for 15% off any Vacation Races event at https://www.vacationraces.comGood Ranchers: Subscribe and get $25 off your first order with the code IRON at goodranchers.com rabbit: Visit https://www.runinrabbit.com/ use code: JULYTRAIL10 for 10% off.Mentioned in this episode:TifosiJuneUse the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.com

This week, ahead of Western States this weekend, we're revisiting and re-airing our conversation with last year's champion Abby Hall — about growth, grit, and what it means to chase excellence over a long period of time.They talk about:Abby's evolution through a decade in the sportHow she found her footing in ultras and her relationship with the 100-mile distanceAnd, of course, the long road and many setbacks before last year's winWhat does it mean to care deeply, race boldly, and keep showing up? There's a vulnerability to racing at the highest level and a tension women often face between being competitive and being perceived as too much. Follow Us:FeistyFest Details and Registration: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/@[email protected] our Partners:Use the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.comUse code TRAILSOCIETY for 15% off any Vacation Races event at https://www.vacationraces.comGood Ranchers: Subscribe and get $25 off your first order with the code IRON at goodranchers.com rabbit: Visit https://www.runinrabbit.com/ use code: JULYTRAIL10 for 10% off.Mentioned in this episode:TifosiJuneUse the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.com

This week, Corrine Malcolm and Hillary Allen catch up after Hillary’s muddy, unpredictable day at Unbound Gravel 200 and use it as a jumping-off point to talk about adaptability, uncertainty, and what happens when a season stops following the original script. Why and how Unbound became a part of Hillary's seasonHow the race unfolded in wild lightning storms and epic mudWhat shifting to more bike training has taught herFollow Us:FeistyFest Details and Registration: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/@[email protected] our Partners:Use the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.comUse code TRAILSOCIETY for 15% off any Vacation Races event at https://www.vacationraces.comProBio: Use code Trail20 for 20%-off orders (30%-off + free shipping w/ subscriptions) at https://www.probionutrition.com/rabbit: Visit https://www.runinrabbit.com/ use code: JULYTRAIL10 for 10% off.Mentioned in this episode:TifosiJuneUse the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.com

This week Corrine Malcolm is joined by Kate Veronneau, the director of women’s strategy at Zwift, a former professional cyclist, and one of the major driving forces behind the growth of women’s cycling and the huge success of the Tour de France Femmes.How Kate went from pro cyclist to creating real opportunities and pathways for women to become professional cyclistsWhat it takes to build better systems for female athletesWhy investing in women's sports is both the right thing to do and good businessFrom backing and building the Zwift Academy and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift to storytelling, sponsorship, and the future of women’s sport, it may be more about cycling but the lessons apply to all female athletes and runners. Kate will also be headlining this fall's FeistyFest — a three-day festival for active women.What's possible when people stop waiting for the change they want to see and start building it?Follow Us:FeistyFest Details and Registration: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/@[email protected] our Partners:Use the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.comUse code TRAILSOCIETY for 15% off any Vacation Races event at https://www.vacationraces.comGood Ranchers: Subscribe and get $25 off your first order with the code IRON at goodranchers.com rabbit: Visit https://www.runinrabbit.com/ use code: JULYTRAIL10 for 10% off.Mentioned in this episode:TifosiJuneUse the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.com

This week, Corrine Malcolm and Keely Henninger open up the Coaches Corner for a listener-driven grab bag of training questions.How to find the right trail shoe without wasting a ton of moneyWhat the path into coaching can actually look likeWhy the real “magic formula” for improvement is usually a lot less glamorous than people want it to be.They also talk through high-volume training, stage-race prep, strength work for ultrarunners, immune function and RED-S, and the very real emotional crash that can follow a big race. It’s a practical and wide-ranging episode with specific advice for the regular trail runners trying to train smarter, recover better, and make sense of all the noise.Follow Us:FeistyFest Details and Registration: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/@[email protected] our Partners:Use the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.comUse code TRAILSOCIETY for 15% off any Vacation Races event at https://www.vacationraces.comProBio: Use code Trail20 for 20%-off orders (30%-off + free shipping w/ subscriptions) at https://www.probionutrition.com/rabbit: Visit https://www.runinrabbit.com/ use code: JULYTRAIL10 for 10% off.Mentioned in this episode:TifosiJuneUse the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.comTifosiJuneUse the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.com

This week, Corrine Malcolm is joined by one of the most exciting short-course racers on the circuit, Dani Moreno. Podiums at OCC, USATF trail national championships at the 50K and half-marathon, Broken Arrow and UTMB Major wins, Dani's also dealt with catastrophic injuries and setbacks.They talk about:The path from collegiate running to outdoor guiding to professional trail racing — and the feeling of being "lost" after collegeHow stepping away from structured performance helped Dani reconnect with joyDealing with injuries and setbacks in the processAnd why the current generation of women in trail racing are showing everyone that it's cool to careCheck out Dani and EmKay Sullivan's SubHub podcast for all things sub-ultra mountain and trail running.Follow Us:FeistyFest Details and Registration: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/@[email protected] our Partners:Use the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.comUse code TRAILSOCIETY for 15% off any Vacation Races event at https://www.vacationraces.comGood Ranchers: Subscribe and get $25 off your first order with the code IRON at goodranchers.com rabbit: Visit https://www.runinrabbit.com/ use code: JULYTRAIL10 for 10% off.Mentioned in this episode:TifosiJuneUse the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.com

It's a timely subject: This week, Corrine Malcolm and Hillary Allen dive into not just the physical side of injury, but the mental skills needed.With Hillary dealing with her own injury right now, she's put a lot of time and thought into building a practical injury toolkit:Normalizing the mental struggle athletes go throughReframing your goalsControlling what you can controlAnd building a recovery identity & communityInjury can disrupt identity, routine, and motivation — but dealing with injuries is also incredibly common for runners. Let's learn together to work on the skills we need during these periods.Follow Us:FeistyFest Details and Registration: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/@[email protected] our Partners:Use the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.comUse code TRAILSOCIETY for 15% off any Vacation Races event at https://www.vacationraces.comProBio: Use code Trail20 for 20%-off orders (30%-off + free shipping w/ subscriptions) at https://www.probionutrition.com/rabbit: Visit https://www.runinrabbit.com/ use code: JULYTRAIL10 for 10% off.Mentioned in this episode:TifosiJuneUse the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.com

This week, Corrine Malcolm sits down with Canadian runner Jenny Quilty to talk about curiosity and why she balances epic mountain events with flat fast racing. If you don't know Jenny yet, you should! She's won some of the most famously hard races on the circuit.They talk about:Why she picks races by feel and what she wants to do — even if that means skipping UTMB this yearHow her relationship with running has changed over timeMixing up the courses, terrain, and trainingAnd, of course, the topic on everyone's mind this week: Did Rachel Entrekin's win at Cocodona 250 change the game for the 200+ distance? Did her race give you JOMO or FOMO?Follow Us:FeistyFest Details and Registration: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/@[email protected] our Partners:Use the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.comUse code TRAILSOCIETY for 15% off any Vacation Races event at https://www.vacationraces.comGood Ranchers: Subscribe and get $25 off your first order with the code IRON at goodranchers.com rabbit: Visit https://www.runinrabbit.com/ use code: JULYTRAIL10 for 10% off.Mentioned in this episode:TifosiJuneUse the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.com

Do you know your sweat rate? Or how much sodium you should be replacing as the weather gets hotter? That's what today's episode is for!This week, Corrine Malcolm and Keely Henninger dive into all things hydration as the season and the sun heats up. They break down:Osmolality and what it means for training and racingHow to do some basic sweat testing at homeAnd, of course, balancing hydration with carb intake and fueling!As the miles and temps rise, managing sodium, water, and calories — without GI issues! — can seem like an unsolvable puzzle. Here are some practical tips for building a plan to hold up as you hit start lines this summer.Follow Us:FeistyFest Details and Registration: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/@[email protected] our Partners:Use the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.comUse code TRAILSOCIETY for 15% off any Vacation Races event at https://www.vacationraces.comProBio: Use code Trail20 for 20%-off orders (30%-off + free shipping w/ subscriptions) at https://www.probionutrition.com/rabbit: Visit https://www.runinrabbit.com/ use code: JULYTRAIL10 for 10% off.Mentioned in this episode:TifosiJuneUse the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.com

This week, Corrine sits down with Lizzy Fowler for a conversation about identity, resilience, and rebuilding after life splits into "before" and "after." They talk about Lizzy’s traumatic brain injury in college, the long process of learning to live in a body and brain that felt unfamiliar, and how ultrarunning became a way to test her edges, find flow, and begin trusting herself again.The two also dig into trauma and sexual assaultWhy she chose to share her story and work with Take Back the NightAnd how taking on the John Muir Trail became about far more than sportIt’s a conversation about disruption, self-discovery, and the versions of ourselves we become when everything changes.Follow Us:FeistyFest Details and Registration: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/@[email protected] our Partners:Use the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.comUse code TRAILSOCIETY for 15% off any Vacation Races event at https://www.vacationraces.comGood Ranchers: Subscribe and get $25 off your first order with the code IRON at goodranchers.com rabbit: Visit https://www.runinrabbit.com/ use code: JULYTRAIL10 for 10% off.Mentioned in this episode:TifosiJuneUse the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.com