341: 'Race Director Stringbean', with Joe McConaughy

On the eve of one of America's largest ultra trail race, the Black Canyon Ultras, Mountain Outpost announces another new initiative: 'Race Purse'- a crowdfunding platform for prize purses for elite runners. In recent months Black Canyon, and Aravaipa have gotten under increased scrutiny for not offering any prize money at all. This new project, seemingly outsourcing the solution created lots of chatter online and Krissi is joining me to try to make sense of it all. LINKS Krissi on Singletrack Krissi on Instagram Race Purse by Mountain Outpost On Electric Cable Car: Black Canyon Ultras Prize Money On Electric Cable Car: Jamil Coury is the most powerful person in Trail Running Get more: Singletrack.fm Rock Candy Running Trail Running Film Festival Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

Joe McConaughy has achieved a lot in his life already, but this year he's going to embark on two new and daunting adventures : fatherhood and race directing. I don't know which one's harder, but we chat about both and a lot more on this episode of Singletrack. LINKS Joe's coaching website Joe on Instagram Youth Trail Project Vert Running Series Get more: Singletrack.fm Rock Candy Running Trail Running Film Festival Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

Austin is taking the big leap into self-employment and joins me on Singletrack to chat about his new business Point to Point Photography. As a trained photographer with years of experience making connections in the outdoor industry Austin is ready to step behind the lens and share his vision of running on trails in wild places with the world. LINKS Austin on Instagram Point to Point Photography Get more: Singletrack.fm Rock Candy Running Trail Running Film Festival Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

This week we're opening the much anticipated registration for Beast of Big Creek. Who better to help me launch all this than the person who reached out first when I wanted to get Beast on the radar of The International Skyrunning Federation. Ryan Kerrigan is the executive director of Skyrunning USA and on Singletrack we chat about the history of skyrunning and the process it took to bring the Skyrunner World Seriers back to the US. 2026 will be an exciting time in short and steep trail racing. LINKS Beast of Big Creek Skyrunning USA International Skyrunning Federation Skyrunner World Series Get more: Singletrack.fm Rock Candy Running Trail Running Film Festival Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

Nicholas Triolo wrote my favorite book of 2025: 'The Way Around' and he's back on Singletrack to chat about it. We discuss the process of writing, the inspiration for the stories, and what a great travel books are meant to do for the reader. You'll think different about that loop in the woods next time you head out on your run, I promise. LINKS Nicholas's website Nicholas's blog Nicholas's book 'The Way Around' Get more: Singletrack.fm Rock Candy Running Trail Running Film Festival Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

Alex Bond joins Singletrack for one last hurrah of 2025 - and yes, I am fully aware that I'm posting this already in 2026. So, a first hurrah of 2026. We're chatting about the world of trail and mountain running over the past year and looking ahead and the new one. Hope it will be a happy one for y'all! LINKS Alex Bond on Strava RE/Run 2025 on Electric Cable Car Get more: Singletrack.fm Rock Candy Running Trail Running Film Festival Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

It's the end of 2025 and I'm joined by special guest Krissi Polentz to chat about this past year in trail running. What stood out? What were the big stories and big misses that shaped out sport and culture? We're taking a look at the players that speak, the businesses that spend money, and the movers that have shape our sport this past year. And of course, we're making some predictions for what this all will mean for the coming one. Happy Holidays and thanks for being part of the ride. LINKS Krissi's website: The Runetarian Krissi on Instagram Cover photo by Mike McMonagle Connect: Singletrack.fm Rock Candy Running Trail Running Film Festival Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!  

Very special guest Morgan Powell joins Singletrack to help me unveil the poster art for the Trail Running Film Festival's Global Tour 2026. We chat about the inspiration behind the artwork and get to know Morgen, the artist and athlete behind it all. LINKS Morgan Powell's design studio: Unthaw.co More of Singletrack on Singletrack.fm. Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your daily source for all things trail running and mountain culture.  

Almost exactly a year after Alex Rienzie first chatted with me on Singletrack he's back with an update on the legal case that kept the trail running community on perpetual whiplash for the entire year of 2025. Now with a full pardon in hand, Alex can share what really went down behind the scenes of Michelino Sunseri's FKT run on the Grand Teton. This is a story that takes us way beyond the mountains and the trails and into court rooms and board rooms and yes, all the way to the White House. What a bonkers story that makes one feel like up is down and down is up. LINKS Racing Grand Teton – the film Alex Rienzie on Instagram Alex Rienzie on Singletrack Connect with Singletrack on: Singletrack.fm Instagram Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!

Steve joins the show from Bavaria, Germany and we're taking about the sentiment and response in the German trail running community after the announcement from a couple of weeks ago that Zugspitz Ultra Trail would join the UTMB World Series. Steve shares his personal history with the event and his thoughts and concerns about the future of this beloved annual gathering in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. We also chat about his race City & Trail in Alpenstadt on 16. May 2026. An event that previously was a stop of the German National Series of the Golden Trail Series. But even after losing that partnership the event is still growing, and is still attracting top runners from the region. And finally as it is timely we talk about Steve's long held dream to run Western States. With 128 tickets in the lottery, is it his turn this year? LINKS Steve's comments on Zugspitz on Youtube City und Trail 2026 Steve on Singletrack Connect with Singletrack on: Singletrack.fm Instagram Brought to you by Electric Cable Car - your trail and mountain news!