Singletrack Finn Melanson

Fred Abramowitz is Co-Race Director of the Run Rabbit Run series held every mid-September in Steamboat Springs, CO.

In addition to race directing, Fred is the author of “A Blueprint for Sponsors of Ultrarunning” and we use that document to riff about prize money in our sport, why to make ultrarunning more interesting to the casual sports fan, the state of sponsorship, race directing issues, and more.

Discounts:
Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/discount/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next orderHVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://hvmn.me/Singletrack20) to get 20% off your next order
Timestamps:
(2:30) - background in ultrarunning, Run Rabbit Run history, blueprint motivation(14:59) - marketing our sport beyond the "diehards" to the participants, rest of the community, and casual sports fans(25:58) - prize money and race directing discussion(36:10) - Geoff Roes discussion, the ceremony of elite athlete phase shifts(44:30) - European racing scene, what it means fro American fan base(49:13) - why we can learn from Nascar, poker, etc to grow our fan base(59:42) - final thoughts on ultrarunning blueprint, why more of these shoudl exist(69:50) - the role of live coverage in ultrarunning
Links:
A Blueprint For Sponsors Of UltrarunningLeadville 100 - 1994 Race Across The Sky VideoHow To Run 100 MilesUltra Crew HubRun Rabbit Run 100Email Fred: info@runrabbitrunsteamboat.com

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:
#183 - Caleb Efta - High Lonesome 100 | UTMB Policy, Trail Running Values, Grassroots Races#179 - Peter Abraham | Athlete Sponsorship, Live Race Coverage, Fan Creation In Trail Running#135 - Kelly Newlon | Real Athlete Diets, Crewing FKT Projects, Athlete Sponsorship ThoughtsSupport the show

Caleb Efta is one of the Race Directors for the High Lonesome 100 in the Sawatch Range of Colorado.

He joins the show to discuss why UTMB races have been excluded from the qualifying process for High Lonesome, the values of our sport, the nature and purpose of community events, and the increasing commercialization and professionalization taking shape in this space.

Timestamps:
3:30 - introduction, trail runner magazine article quote6:13 - explaining UTMB stance, reasons for exclusion from qualification process25:45 - how these issues should be hashed out by the greater ultrarunning community 34:41 - whether corporate races are a threat to grassroots races59:14 - commercialization and professionalization of the sport64:59 - how community values are decided 
Links:
High Lonesome 100Ultrarunning Magazine PodcastTrails and Tarmac - Get CoachedFollow Finn on Instagram and Strava
Discounts:
Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/discount/SINGLETRACK20) to get 20% off your next orderHVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://hvmn.me/Singletrack20) to get 20% off your next order
Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:
#179 - Peter Abraham | Athlete Sponsorship, Live Race Coverage, Fan Creation In Trail Running#135 - Kelly Newlon | Real Athlete Diets, Crewing FKT Projects, Athlete Sponsorship ThoughtsSupport the show

I’m joined by co-host Brett Hornig and special guest Tim Tollefson to riff pretty much free-form about the world of mountain ultra trail running for 2 hours. It's a good one. 
 
Timestamps:
(2:46) - Tim's sponsorship change, being a darkhorse, the latter stages of ultrarunning careers, UTMB aspirations, other goals for 2023 and 2024(18:47) - what it means to be a true fan of the sport, whether 100 milers are what matter most in the sport right now, how the sport should be covered (54:34) - UTMB World Series discussion, pro sport narratives, qualifying for top races, fate of the competitive sport(69:37) - UROY discussion(81:43) - "Buy or Sell" segment(107:10) - Final hot takes
Links:
Mammoth Trail Fest - RegisterTrails and Tarmac - Get CoachedFollow Tim on Instagram and StravaFollow Brett on Instagram and StravaFollow Finn on Instagram and Strava
Discounts:
Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 20% off your next orderHVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://hvmn.com/) to get 20% off your next order
Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:
#168 - Long Run Archives #8 | Ties In Ultrarunning, Pacers At Western States, Best Free Agent Runners of 2022, ITRA National League Confusion#140 - Long Run Archives #7 | Olympic Ultra Running, UTMB World Series, Race Coverage Ideas, Agents#104 - Long Run Archives #6 | Future of Trail Running Content, USATF Debates, Unusual Athlete Sponsorships, Joe Gray Versus Kilian Jornet#94 - Long Run Archives #5 | Western States Reactions, Zach Miller Return, Arizona Trail Duel#72 - Long Run Archives #4 | Cocodona 250, Mammoth Trail Fest, Super Shoe Influences, Strava Finds#62 - Long Run Archives #3 | Betting In Ultrarunning, Next Great Trail Running Towns, Golden Ticket Series Ideas#53 - Long Run Archives #2 | Ultrarunning Analytics, Elite DNF Debate, 3:47 Downhill Mile, Magda What If#43 - Long Run Archives #1 | Jim Walmsley What Ifs, Black Canyon 100K Preview, Full-Time UltrarunningSupport the show

Courtney Dauwalter returns to the podcast to talk about Bandera, the moment she went all in on ultra running, whether she’s interested in returning to Barkley, and for the hometown listeners here in Salt Lake City, whether she will race the Wasatch 100 one day.

Discounts:
Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 20% off your next orderGnarly Nutrition - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://gognarly.com/) to get 20% off your next orderHVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://hvmn.com/) to get 20% off your next order
Timestamps:
(2:00) - whether racing and the pain cave ever get easier, more routine(4:56) - challenges at Bandera(6:29) - whether improvement is felt in training in addition to race results(8:03) - racing intuitively(10:52) - Salomon discussion(13:06) - what she attributes leveling up in 2016-2017 to(17:39) - driving force to go full-time as an ultrarunner(20:54) - mentorship(22:12) - reducing training, racing load in recent years(25:01) - UTMB(27:42) - whether she will return to Barkley
Links:
Follow Courtney on InstagramFollow Finn on Instagram and Strava
Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:
#174 - Courtney Dauwalter | 2023 Bandera 100K Pre-Race Interview#54 - Garrett Heath | Switch To Trail Running, Pro Lifestyle, Running Teams, Brooks BeastsSupport the show

Brett Hornig, Leah Yingling, and Mike McMonagle join the podcast to talk about the livestream experience, ideas for future races, and analysis of how everything played out in the men’s and women’s fields at Bandera this past weekend.

Discounts:
Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 20% off your next orderGnarly Nutrition - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://gognarly.com/) to get 20% off your next orderHVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://hvmn.com/) to get 20% off your next order
Timestamps:
(4:13) - live coverage experience, reflections(41:22) - ideas for future livestreams, ultrarunning media(61:36) - Bandera 100K race recap, men's and women's fields
Links:
Follow Brett on Instagram and StravaFollow Leah on Instagram and StravaFollow Mike on Instagram and StravaFollow Finn on Instagram and Strava
Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:
#168 - Long Run Archives #8 | Ties In Ultrarunning, Pacers At Western States, Best Free Agent Runners of 2022, ITRA National League Confusion#140 - Long Run Archives #7 | Olympic Ultra Running, UTMB World Series, Race Coverage Ideas, Agents#104 - Long Run Archives #6 | Future of Trail Running Content, USATF Debates, Unusual Athlete Sponsorships, Joe Gray Versus Kilian Jornet#94 - Long Run Archives #5 | Western States Reactions, Zach Miller Return, Arizona Trail Duel#72 - Long Run Archives #4 | Cocodona 250, Mammoth Trail Fest, Super Shoe Influences, Strava Finds#62 - Long Run Archives #3 | Betting In Ultrarunning, Next Great Trail Running Towns, Golden Ticket Series Ideas#53 - Long Run Archives #2 | Ultrarunning Analytics, Elite DNF Debate, 3:47 Downhill Mile, Magda What If#43 - Long Run Archives #1 | Jim Walmsley What Ifs, Black Canyon 100K Preview, Full-Time UltrarunningSupport the show

Peter Abraham is a content marketing expert who has worked with brands like Nike, ESPN, Red Bull, Lululemon, Hoka NAZ Elite, and the LA Marathon. He joins the Singletrack Podcast to talk about athlete sponsorship, trail running teams, fan creation, live coverage, and event management in the trail running scene.
Timestamps:
(1:54)  - biggest pain points in the athlete-sponsorship landscape(7:48) - examples of athletes that have embraced having a point of view(10:27) - importance of asking brands why they're sponsoring athletes(19:58) - why endurance sports teams have a hard time creating fans (28:06) - how endurance sports should think about live coverage(36:09) - importance of building a season-long narrative in pro endurance sports(41:06) - hyper professionalization of endurance sports event management(47:15) - how endurance sports media should adjust to changing consumption habits, values(53:41) - making the American trail running meccaDiscounts:
Rabbit - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://www.runinrabbit.com/) to get 20% off your next orderGnarly Nutrition - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://gognarly.com/) to get 20% off your next orderHVMN - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website (https://hvmn.com/) to get 20% off your next order
Links:
Follow Peter on InstagramSubscribe to Peter's blogPeter's websitePeter's appearance on the Freetrail Podcast
Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:
#137 - Tyler Clements | Should Professional Trail Runners Have Agents?#136 - Scott Dunlap | Adidas Runtastic, Strava “GOAT” Program, Future of Connected Athletes#60 - Chris Chavez | Citius Mag, Building A Running Media Company, Creating Running FansSupport the show