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Ever wonder what happens when one of America's most talented track athletes fully commits to the trails? Liam Meirow joins us fresh off his win at the Y East Trail Fest 28K to share exactly that journey.

Growing up in Summit County, Colorado, Liam's path wasn't initially pointed toward running - he dreamed of becoming a professional skateboarder or snowboarder. After finding success in high school running, he pursued a collegiate career at Oklahoma, where despite dedication, he never quite reached his full potential. The true breakthrough came after graduation when the pressure lifted and freedom entered his training approach.

"When you feel good and there's no stress, things just come easier," Liam explains, describing how his post-collegiate mindset shift led to remarkable performances. After joining Bowerman Track Club's elite team in Portland and working for Nike, Liam gradually transitioned to trail running. The pivotal moment arrived in 2023 when he made Team USA for the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Austria, placing as the top North American.

What makes this conversation particularly illuminating is Liam's candid discussion of the mental challenges elite athletes face. After signing with Nike and experiencing early success, the 2024 season brought struggles and disappointment, including missing the World Championship team. Through this adversity, Liam rediscovered his fundamental motivation: "The rock's always there. You just have to block out that other stuff and bring it back."

Today, Liam balances track workouts with trail adventures, mixing distances from 28K to 50K while keeping his training fresh and motivating. As the sport of trail running grows and evolves, his perspective on maintaining its soul while embracing professional opportunities provides valuable insight for where we might be headed.

Have you been overthinking your running? This episode might just inspire you to reconnect with the joy and freedom that made you fall in love with the sport in the first place.

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Special Announcement - Live Podcast at the La Sportiva Summer Run Series with Special Guest - Anton Krupicka

RSVP will be going live soon, so mark your calendars !

When : Thursday, September 11th

Where: La Sportiva Store, Boulder Colorado

Time: 5:00pm event start

5:30pm run start

6:45pm Live Podcast

DM me on Instagram with any questions !

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Jane Maus' trail running journey embodies perseverance against formidable odds. After multiple extended injury layoffs that nearly ended her running career, she's emerged as one of America's premier mountain athletes. Her remarkable comeback culminated in earning a coveted spot on Team USA for the World Trail Running Championships in Canfranc, Spain this September.

The conversation reveals how strategic racing propelled Jane to success at the fiercely competitive Broken Arrow 46K. Despite rolling her ankle just days before the race, she executed a flawless race plan—conservatively pacing the first lap to stay within the top ten, then maintaining steady effort while others faded. This fourth-place finish, behind only some of the sport's biggest names, secured her selection to represent her country on the global stage.

Beyond race results, Jane offers refreshing perspective on injury management that resonates with runners at all levels. "I thought I was the only one consistently taking time off and working through these things," she shares, "but then talking to other runners and people on start lines—it's extremely common." This realization helped transform her approach to training, embracing quality over sheer volume.

The conversation shifts to her exciting summer plans—training in Wyoming's mountainous terrain while attempting the Grand Teton FKT (Fastest Known Time). This ambitious goal, despite never having climbed the Grand before, exemplifies her thoughtful approach to progression in the sport. She's balancing high-performance racing with adventure, strategically adjusting her schedule to optimize her World Championship preparation.

Her victory at the Cirque Series Snowbird race highlights another dimension of her racing prowess. Competing in her hometown against a stacked field, Jane describes the unique camaraderie she shared with fellow competitor Alexa Jornsten as they pushed each other up the brutal climb. Together they broke the "curse" of the course preview, demonstrating that mental barriers often fall when approached with the right mindset.

What's your approach to balancing competitive goals with adventure? Follow Jane's journey toward the World Championships and beyond by subscribing to the Steep Stuff Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

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Two of trail running's most beloved podcasts collide in this dynamic exploration of the sport's evolution, challenges, and future. The hosts of SubHub and Steep Stuff dive deep into trail running's identity crisis, debating whether "short trail" or "sub-ultra" better describes races under marathon distance – a conversation that reveals much about how we frame our sport's narrative.

The discussion moves through fascinating territory, examining how races can achieve iconic status in today's sponsorship-driven landscape. Can events survive without being part of major series like Golden Trail? The hosts identify community integration as the secret ingredient behind legendary races like Zegama and Mount Marathon, where locals have embraced these events as cultural touchstones rather than merely athletic competitions.

Perhaps most illuminating is the frank conversation about athlete longevity and economics. While shorter distances might extend competitive careers, financial realities often push talented runners toward ultras prematurely. Geographic advantages become starkly apparent as the hosts acknowledge how athletes based in trail running hubs like Boulder or California's mountain towns enjoy significantly better sponsorship opportunities than equally talented runners from other regions.

The episode culminates with a celebration of standout performers, highlighting athletes like Jen Lichter ("possibly the best mountain 50K runner on the planet right now"), Anna Gibson, and remarkably, Ryan Becker – a consistent podium finisher still without major sponsorship. Rising stars like Mason Copey, Taylor Stack, and Courtney Coppinger round out this insightful assessment of trail running's current competitive landscape.

Whether you're a competitive trail runner, industry insider, or passionate fan, this collaboration offers rare insight into the sport's growing pains and potential future. Follow both podcasts across all platforms and join the conversation about where trail running goes from here.

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Announcing a Collaboration Episode Between the Sub Hub Podcast & The Steep Stuff ! Dropping tonight at 11pm MST - we will be releasing a "State of Sub Ultra" episode ! Part 1 will be available on the Sub Hub Podcast and Part 2 will be available on the Steep Stuff Podcast ! We hope you can tune in !

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Sarah Kushner captivates listeners with her remarkable journey from childhood jogs through Garden of the Gods to becoming the 2024 Pikes Peak Marathon Champion. With disarming honesty and warmth, she reveals how walking on to Baylor University's track team as a steeplechaser laid the foundation for her trail running success, despite never being the fastest collegiate runner.

What makes Sarah's story particularly compelling is her perspective on competition and community. While fiercely competitive (something she admits hides beneath her friendly exterior), she approaches running with refreshing balance. She's intentionally stepped away from the comparison trap of social media and start lists, focusing instead on her own progress and enjoyment of the sport. This mental approach, developed with coach Megan Roche, has been key to maintaining her passion for running.

Beyond her athletic achievements, Sarah's commitment to giving back stands out. She serves on the Pikes Peak Marathon board of directors, works as a Lululemon ambassador organizing community events, and coaches high school cross-country with special attention to developing runners who aren't naturally the fastest. This service ethic, rooted in her faith and family values, creates a powerful counterbalance to the often self-focused nature of endurance sports.

The conversation delves into practical aspects of her training too—balancing urban runs in Denver with weekend trail adventures, preparing for the elite Broken Arrow 46K race, and her aspirations to eventually tackle 100-mile distances. Throughout, her genuine love for the mountains and the running community shines through, making it clear why she's become such a beloved figure in Colorado's trail running scene.

Whether you're a competitive runner seeking performance insights or simply love stories of determination and community impact, Sarah's thoughtful reflections on finding meaning both on and off the trails will leave you inspired to pursue your own balanced path to fulfillment.

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Nestled in the Swiss Alps, Sierre-Zinal stands as perhaps the most competitive short trail race on the planet. It's the place where mountain running meets marathon speed in a showcase of pure athletic brilliance. To help break down this iconic event, host James Lauriello welcomes the perfect co-host – Bailey Kowalczyk, who scored a remarkable 5th place finish at the race in 2022.

Bailey paints a vivid picture of what makes Sierre-Zinal so special: "It has that European energy – people with enormous Swiss cowbells and even chainsaws at the summit creating this electric atmosphere." The course itself demands a unique combination of skills that few races require – starting with a punishing double vertical kilometer climb before traversing high alpine terrain and finishing with a quad-crushing descent. As Bailey explains, "You have to be a Jack of all trades to succeed here. It's fast, it's technical in sections, and the competition is relentless."

What truly separates Sierre-Zinal from other prestigious trail races is the depth of competition. The gap between first and tenth place is often remarkably tight, with mere minutes separating the top finishers in a race that takes elite men just over two hours and women around three hours to complete. The 2024 edition promises another spectacular battle with defending women's champion Jolene Chepchumba returning alongside a deep Kenyan contingent and a historically strong American field that could see multiple athletes crack the top 10.

James and Bailey offer detailed analysis of both the men's and women's fields, complete with their top-five predictions. With defending champion Kilian Jornet absent, the men's race appears wide open with Philemon Kirwa as the betting favorite after his second-place finish last year. For anyone passionate about elite trail running or looking for insight into one of the sport's most hallowed events, this comprehensive preview delivers expert commentary from someone who's stood on Sierre-Zinal's prestigious podium.

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Grant Colligan sits down with the Steep Stuff podcast to share his fascinating journey from Michigan flatlands to Colorado mountain peaks. Despite growing up in the Midwest without access to mountains, Grant developed into an elite trail runner while maintaining his career as a metallurgist.

The conversation explores how Grant's decorated collegiate running career at Colorado School of Mines (where he earned 10 All-American honors) ended abruptly—first by being tripped in his final cross country race, then by the pandemic canceling his track season. This unfulfilling conclusion led him to trail running in 2023, where he quickly found success with a podium finish at the Moab Trail Half Marathon.

Grant offers valuable insights into his training philosophy, maintaining a collegiate-style approach with two key workouts weekly rather than completely abandoning track principles for trail-specific training. "At the high level, you still have to be a really good runner to be a good trail runner," he explains, challenging the notion that trail success requires entirely different preparation.

We dive deep into his recent performances, including his impressive top-15 finish at the Broken Arrow 23K Golden Trail Series race and his near-podium at the GoPro Games 20K—all while recovering from a unique piriformis nerve injury that counterintuitively required more running to heal. Grant also discusses his upcoming European racing debut at the Golden Trail Series event in Austria and the legendary Sierre-Zinal, which he approaches with strategic humility.

Perhaps most fascinating is Grant's dual perspective as both competitor and coach at Colorado School of Mines, where he witnesses firsthand how collegiate runners are becoming increasingly "trail curious" as they recognize career opportunities in mountain running. Through his connection with Andy Wacker's Trail Team, Grant has found community and mentorship that have accelerated his progression in the sport.

Follow Grant on Instagram @gmoney_hoppin as he takes on Europe's most challenging mountain courses and pursues his goal of winning a US Mountain Running Championship.

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