About this episode
🔥 The ultimate UTMB 2025 preview + trail running chaos! 🔥In this jam-packed episode of The Next Aid Station, Jake and Mick break down their bold UTMB 2025 predictions, asking whether Hayden Hawks or any American can finally topple the French. They share their Fantasy Free Trail top-10 picks for both the men’s and women’s races, unpack the wild story of the $3.7M Miami Heat jersey theft, and pitch a high-stakes runner vs. mountain biker 50-mile showdown. The conversation also dives into Joe Korsmo’s Broken at 300 documentary, with reflections on why DNFs matter, and explores Tom Evans’ perspective on fatherhood vs. athletic greatness. Beyond the racing world, they debate whether shorter trail races could one day surpass 100-milers in popularity, before closing with listener shoutouts, hilarious fan messages, and a look ahead to exciting upcoming guests. Timestamps:00:00 – Will the French sweep the UTMB podium? 🇫🇷00:24 – Welcome back to The Next Aid Station 🎙️01:12 – UTMB vs Western States: which is bigger?03:20 – The time zone problem for American fans ⏰04:05 – Fantasy Free Trail picks revealed05:46 – Inside jokes & the “six-seven” chant 😂07:07 – Miami Heat security guard scandal: $3.7M jersey theft 🏀09:26 – LeBron’s stolen Finals jersey sold for $100K12:30 – Prison time for a cop turned thief 🚔14:12 – Most valuable jerseys in sports history15:29 – Listener DM: “You guys are God’s silliest gooses” 🪿18:00 – Convincing your spouse to let you race (the eternal struggle)20:39 – Hobby wars: golf guy vs ultra guy vs cyclist guy23:12 – Jake challenged to finally run DC Peaks 50 🏔️24:03 – Runner vs mountain biker showdown idea 🚴♂️🏃♂️29:09 – Stakes: a Bear 100 entry on the line 🐻30:36 – Plans to livestream the man vs bike race33:57 – Joe Korsmo’s Broken at 300 documentary review 🎥35:27 – Why sharing DNFs matters in ultrarunning38:00 – Tom Evans: “I’d rather be the best dad than the best athlete” 👨👧40:02 – Can you be both a world-class runner and a great parent?45:22 – Will anything ever challenge UTMB’s dominance?48:21 – Could shorter trail races surpass ultras in popularity?50:57 – UTMB’s tradition vs the Super Bowl model 🏟️56:01 – Plans for The Next Aid Station to go global 🌍58:09 – UTMB women’s top-10 picks (Courtney, Katie, Abby & more)01:07:08 – Men’s picks: Americans vs French showdown01:20:00 – Can Hayden Hawks deliver America a UTMB win? 🇺🇸01:28:05 – French dominance and the “all-French podium” nightmare01:39:00 – Ping pong showdown with a Chinese businessman 🏓01:44:23 – Hardrock’s lottery system explained01:47:04 – Odds of a French-free podium at UTMB01:52:09 – Trail running in Japan? Mount Fuji dreams 🇯🇵01:52:29 – Listener comments & community shoutouts ❤️01:56:16 – Mediocre Amateur guest announcement01:59:51 – Final fan messages + hilarious age banter02:00:48 – Next week: Christian Allen live in the studio 🎉👉 If you love trail running, ultras, or just good storytelling, this is the episode for you.