The Trail Network Podcast

Episode 86: From CIM Streets to Hardrock Peaks: What Runners Are Talking About

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 [https://www.precisionhydration.com/planner/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ttnp]. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ [https://www.precisionhydration.com/planner/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ttnp] 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!

Episode 85: Oh Hi, Rach! Juggling Kids, Careers, and Trails

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!

Episode 84: Off-Season Honest Talk: Running, Work, and Real Life

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 [https://www.precisionhydration.com/planner/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ttnp]. Go to ⁠pfandh.com⁠ [https://www.precisionhydration.com/planner/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ttnp] 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!

Episode 83: Molly Seidel’s Leap to Ultras: Why Trail Running is Healing for Her Body and Soul!

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 [https://www.precisionhydration.com/planner/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ttnp]. Go to pfandh.com [https://www.precisionhydration.com/planner/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ttnp] 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!

Episode 82: Hilary Yang and Filmmaker Carrie Highman on Stories That Move Women Forward

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 [pfandh.com]. Go to pfandh.com [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!