Taylor Stack won an NCAA steeplechase title at Western Colorado University and, after a break from competition, signed a professional contract with Brooks following a 4th-place finish at Broken Arrow. Sydney Petersen competed for Colorado State University and, after steady collegiate growth, placed 7th at Broken Arrow and also signed with Brooks. In this episode, you will meet these inspiring athletes and see how they support each other in chasing their dreams of representing Team USA.

Taylor Bacon, Sophie Seward, and Courtney Bouchet sit down for the battle of the 50ks and recap a weekend of racing. On April 12th, Sophie raced the Mad City road 50k in Madison, Wisconsin, which served as the Road 50k US Championship race. The next day, her Front Range Elite teammates Taylor Bacon and Courtney Bouchet raced the Gorge Waterfalls trail 50k just outside of Portland, Oregon. They all ran the same distance, but how similar were these races really?

This week we return with Shalaya Kipp for part II of a double episode.

We dive deep into her research studies, spanning from the ground reaction forces of the steeplechase to the energetics of super shoes. Shalaya also discusses her more recent work investigating the impact of sports bra tightness on breathing energetics, how much work an athlete is doing to breathe during exercise. Other topics discussed: her current postdoctoral work at the Mayo Clinic and the energy cost of stroller running. We have so much to learn from Dr. Shalaya Kipp!

If you are a 40+ Master's athlete who has been in endurance sport for a long time and are interested in her latest study, find more here: www.mayoclinic.org/athlete

Link to Shalaya's publications: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Kipp+S&cauthor_id=38350462

This week we sat down with Shalaya Kipp for part I of a double episode.

We discuss her journey making the 2012 Olympic team in the steeplechase after a full collegiate season, running through two pregnancies and postpartum, and how many ways running has weaved its way through her life. Bonus, you’ll hear about Shalaya’s favorite waffle recipe! Stay tuned for episode II where Shalaya discusses her research, exercise physiology including supershoes and the impact that sportsbras have on respiratory volume.

Bonus Episode! Today on Conversation Pace with Front Range Elte we are wrapping up Women's History Month chatting with our own Fort Collins Olympian, Libbie Hickman! Libbie was a standout distance runner who represented the United States in the 10,000 meters at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Over the course of her career, she competed in three World
Championships- the 5,000 meters in 1995 and 1997, and stepping up to the 10,000 in 1999.
Libbie ran collegiately here at Colorado State University and made history in 1997 becoming the first American woman in 14 years to win the Bolder Boulder.
She has so many great lessons to share with us and this feels like the perfect way to wrap up our appreciation for the many amazing women who have contributed to the improvement in women's sports.

Her Olympic journey had its share of setbacks. She first qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1988, simply happy to have made the final. By 1992, she was on an upward trajectory but suffered her first major injury, ironically, while balancing training with photo shoots for press coverage, including her first Runner’s World cover. The injury kept her from competing in the trials.

The 1996 Olympic Trials proved even more heartbreaking. She missed making the team by a fraction of a second, an experience that tested her resilience. As an alternate, she went through all the motions, sizing for opening ceremony outfits, uniforms, and even the iconic Olympic ring, fully aware that she wouldn’t be competing. The experience was painful, and there were moments when she couldn’t hold back tears.

By 1996, she had developed significantly as an athlete, making sacrifices and dedicating herself fully to the sport. But after coming so close, she wasn’t sure if she had the strength to commit to another four-year cycle. It was after long discussions with her coach, Damien, and her husband, Walter, that she realized what truly drove her: the love of competition. In the end, she decided the journey itself mattered more than the fear of falling short. That mindset carried her all the way to the 2000 Olympic Games where her dedication paid off and she represented the USA in the 10,000m.

We hope you enjoy this bonus episode!

This week we chat with Tyler McCandless- mostly about his upcoming 10k at The TEN, put on by Sound Running on March 29 in San Juan Capistrano, CA.

Tyler McCandless moved to Fort Collins a few years ago but has been in the running scene for quite some time. He has a personal best of 2:12:28 in the marathon. His athletic journey began on the soccer field at the age of four, but his path shifted when he joined his high school track team to improve his fitness for soccer. In his first track meet in 2002, he ran a 4:56 mile in a dual meet, sparking a passion for running that would define his career.
What he discovered in 2002, and continues to love about the sport today, is the simplicity of its formula: consistency, dedication, positivity, and strong inner belief can lead to extraordinary results and the achievement of ambitious goals. He ultimately transitioned from soccer to cross country and track, concluding his high school career with a still-standing school and PIAA District XI record of 9:13 in the 3200m.
In college, he showed steady improvement each year, culminating in All-American honors in the 10K in his final race wearing a Penn State uniform in 2010. After earning both a BS and MS in Meteorology in five years, he moved from State College, PA, to Boulder, CO, to complete his PhD while continuing to compete on the roads.
In his marathon debut in 2010, he ran 2:17, securing a spot at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Since then, he has competed in distances from the mile to the marathon, achieving career highlights such as a runner-up finish at the 2017 USA Marathon Championships and appearances in four Olympic Marathon Trials.

https://www.soundrunning.run/ten

This week, we sit down with Maggie Shafer to talk about how she and her partner decided to go for baby number four, how she’s balancing training during this pregnancy, and the lessons she’s learned from each of her pregnancies when it comes to running and training.

It’s wild to think how much things have changed in just a short time. When AnnMarie had her kids, pregnancy often meant the end of a running career- but now, the conversation is shifting. We think it’s important to reflect on that progress and keep pushing the conversation forward to support future generations of runners.

And what better time than Women’s History Month?

Video: It's a girl/boy???

5280 One Mile Challenge

Taylor's first 100 miler! And its an epic one. The High Lonesome 100 is a rugged, high-altitude race that weaves through the Sawatch Range of the Colorado Rockies.

With over 23,500 feet of climbing and a high point of 13,150 feet, this course is no joke.

Taylor talks about how she got into the race, her mindset leading up to this undertaking, and her training plan of course.

The joy in her voice is apparent and we are stoked to cheer her on every (985,722,309,458,249) step(s) of the way!