Welcome to The Trailhead, a new UltraSignup podcast featuring Corrine Malcolm and Buzz Burrell — presented by Ultimate Direction and with support this week from On Running. 

This week, fresh off her role as a live commentator, Corrine and Buzz go behind-the-scenes at UTMB. Then Corrine sits down with Oregon PCT FKT holder Emily Halnon to learn about her unique experience setting a new record with enthusiastic help from the former FKT owner. Finally, Buzz chats with Caroline from Wisconsin about dialing in race nutrition as distances increase. Preview: It’s all about chocolate and jelly beans.

Have a question about trail or distance running? Send it to news@ultrasignup.com for a chance to chat with Buzz on an upcoming episode.

Arlen Glick never planned to have an ultrarunning career. Raised as a devout fifth-generation Mennonite, he avoids the trappings of self-promotion and instead offers musical prison ministry with his family — quietly running under the radar since his first win at 21.

Now, at 29 he’s become impossible to ignore, racking up a string of 100-mile wins and a USATF 100 Mile Road Race Championship, not to mention a third place at his first-ever Western States. It took some detective work, but writer Heather Balogh Rochfort tracked down the limelight adverse runner to get the story.

John Kelly’s comeback performance at the 2022 Hardrock 100. With one of the most anticipated starts in the ultra-running season, John Kelly of “Barkley Finisher” fame, toes the line in the beautiful San Juan mountains.

Ultimate Direction was given un-filtered access before the race and follows along with his incredible journey at one of the ‘toughest” races in ultra-running.

?️ Master Class: 5 world class masters mountain runners share how they just keep getting better with age and offer advice to their 20-year-old selves. 

? Mom Strength: Performance-enhancing pregnancy? Groundbreaking new research shows that 46% of women return to running faster than before pregnancy.

⌚ If Kilian’s Watch Could Talk: It would say: Charge me, I’m tired… and then offer some more useful outputs for the data-driven runners in the house. Just want to party? So did the rest of the world, crowning Kilian the most celebrated runner in the world with 120,000 Strava kudos for his UTMB win. 

? Snake Charmer: Squeal-jumper or trail runner? Call it what you will, but we say err on the side of better safe than sorry.

?️ Video of the Week: Freedom of the hills! Hillary Gerardi soars on a ridge above Grenoble, France. 

? Totally Runnable: Do you suffer from thinking everything is runnable? Then you might be a trail runner! Laura Green lays down the definitive guide on “runnability.”

? Tweet of the Week: “On behalf of all runners, I hereby decree that any person who says, “PUT ON A SHIRT” to a runner must serve one hour of intense physical exercise, in no less than 90deg / 90% humidity, while wearing one thick, black, cheap, cotton Gildan tshirt per offense.”
~ @AshRuns100s