The Trail Network Podcast

1d ago

In this episode, Katie Asmuth and Leah Yingling reflect on a full year of The Trail Network Podcast and a year that reshaped the trail running landscape. They look back on standout moments from the sport and the show, from pregnancies and comebacks to breakthrough performances, surprise podiums, and the rise of longer distances like 200-mile races. The conversation touches on storytelling in trail running, why live coverage and long-form narratives are changing how fans connect to athletes, and how rankings, sponsorships, and community support influence the modern professional runner. They also explore accessibility in trail running, from sub-ultra distances to grassroots races, and share thoughts on training races, recovery, fueling, and setting the tone for the year ahead. It’s a reflective, wide-angle look at where the sport has been and where it’s headed. This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network. A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout. A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!

Dec 12

In this episode, Katie and Leah sit down for a two-host chat that blends life updates with what is happening across the trail and ultra world. They touch on postpartum running, baseline fitness, and how to fit training into real life, including vacations and busy family seasons. The conversation moves through Trail Runner of the Year and Ultra Runner of the Year, why rankings and UTMB index actually matter for pros, and how road races like CIM are shaping trail performances and golden ticket prep. This is a fun one, enjoy! This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network. A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠ . Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout. A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!

Dec 5

All four hosts land in one virtual room for the first time in a while, and the episode feels like exactly what the trail community loves about this show: honest life updates, the chaos and joy of parenting and training, and the juggling act of big dreams alongside real-world constraints. The conversation moves through work, family, film projects, postpartum shifts, inspiration, and the long game of returning to form. There's laughter, some exhaustion, a lot of heart, and a shared sense that running evolves with every season of life. The episode captures the feeling of being in transition — rebuilding, rethinking goals, planning races, and remembering why this sport continues to anchor each of them. It’s a warm, open catch-up that invites listeners to take a deep breath, embrace their own season, and keep moving forward in whatever way is possible right now. This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network. A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠. Go to ⁠pfandh.com⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout. A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!

Nov 20

This catch up episode leans into the messy, real side of being runners, creatives, and parents while the race season quiets down. Hilary, Katie, and Leah talk openly about what it looks like when running has to take a back seat to big projects, work, and family, how social media and Strava can shape or strain our relationship with the sport, and why it sometimes feels better to keep parts of life offline. They get into gut and health struggles, postpartum recovery, travel with a baby, planning around lotteries and pregnancy deferrals, and why timing big goals to the right season of life matters. It is an honest look at building a life that makes room for both big dreams and real constraints, and finding ways to stay connected to running even when the mileage is low. This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network. A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠ . Go to ⁠pfandh.com⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout. A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!

Nov 12

Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel joins Hilary Yang and Katie Asmuth for a candid, thoughtful conversation about rebuilding her relationship with running and stepping into the trail world with intention. She opens up about the long recovery from a broken patella, the emotional work that reshaped her approach to training, and how her anthropology background influences the way she sees sport and culture. Molly shares why trail running feels like the right place for her joy, creativity, and durability right now, how Austin and Flagstaff each support a different side of her life, and what it has meant to find a healthier balance outside of racing. She also reflects on dropping out of the New York City Marathon to protect her progress, learning the logistics of ultras, and future trail goals with equal parts humility and ambition. It’s a grounded, refreshingly human look at an athlete redefining success and finding the confidence to build a career on her own terms. This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network. A big shout out to our new sponsor Precision Fuel & Hydration . Go to pfandh.com to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout. A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!

Nov 7

Hilary returns to the podcast after a whirlwind stretch directing the Mammoth events and traveling through Hong Kong and China to film her new documentary project. She’s joined by filmmaker Carrie Highman , her co-director on the upcoming film, for a conversation centered on storytelling, women’s experiences, and the impact of bringing outdoor narratives to life with intention. Carrie reflects on her career and the themes that have shaped her work, from Free to Run , which highlights the barriers faced by women in Afghanistan, to her newest film Off Course , premiering at the Banff Film Festival and exploring the intersection of infertility, identity, and ambition. Together, Hilary and Carrie discuss what it means to create work that inspires women, how filmmaking connects to the spirit of trail running, and why telling honest stories still matters. This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network. A big shout out to our new sponsor Precision Fuel & Hydration . Go to pfandh.com to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!

Oct 31

Fresh off Javelina, Leah and Katie set the scene with the weekend’s energy, from a record-setting women’s race to Katie’s own 100K win. The conversation moves quickly into what’s actually working in modern ultras: smarter cooling, sharper crew transitions, and staying present when plans go sideways. Addie Bracy joins with a clear, grounded look at how deliberate heat prep and simple mantras carried her to a golden ticket, and why decoupling identity from outcomes can revive a career. She also shares what’s ahead at SageStone Adventure Lodge, the OutRun community, and her coaching lens heading toward Western States. This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network. A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!

Oct 16

Katie Asmuth and Leah Yingling take the mic for a co-host deep dive, opening with a look at Freetrail’s new Big Alta 100K and how it could shape spring racing before reflecting on Kodiak’s UTMB North America Majors and the fatigue of a long season. The conversation moves into racing strategies for inaugural courses, the balance of data and intuition, and what they’ve learned from pacing, crewing, and commentary. Listeners also get a closer look at both athletes—their paths into trail running, perspectives on sponsorship, favorite gear, and the goals driving their next chapters. It’s a relaxed, personal, and insightful episode that captures the friendship, honesty, and love of the sport that define The Trail Network Podcast. This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network. A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!