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The Steep Stuff Podcast
Sub-Ultra Free Agency Moves in 2025 with Nick Tusa
The discussion heats up as we explore the dynamic landscape of trail running free agency in 2025! With the sport evolving rapidly, we delve into exciting athlete moves, brand strategies, and the implications of these changes for the athletic community. Guest Nick Tusa joins us to share his insights on the marketplace for talent, emphasizing the significance of strategic signings and how they can reshape competition among brands.
Listeners will gain invaluable knowledge about the latest signings and speculations regarding notable athletes such as Joyce Nauru and Remy Leroux. We break down the shifting dynamics within brands like Brooks and Salomon, examining how their decisions are instrumental in setting trends and fostering competitive spirit in the sport. This episode isn't merely about transactions; it challenges listeners to view the wider picture regarding athlete performance and brand relationships.
Join us as we reflect on pivotal moments in trail running and look ahead to significant races through 2025. Whether you're an avid follower of the sport or a newcomer, this conversation will keep you informed and engaged with the challenges and triumphs faced by trail running athletes. Prepare for insights and commentary that place you at the heart of the discussion as we document the changes that will undoubtedly shape the future of this thrilling sport. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review!
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Follow Nick on Instagram - @nicktusa
What's up, fam? Welcome back to the Steep Stuff Podcast. I'm your host, james Lariello, and today we're going to dive into a super fun and exciting episode I've been wanting to do for a really long time. Nick Tusa one of my best friends, one of my training partners and one of the best up and coming trail runners in the country right now joined me on the podcast to chat all things trail running free agency. There is the hot takes we provide. There is the good stuff. There's just a lot of information. This is a jam-packed episode with tons of information on some of the best sub-ultra and ultra free agency moves of 2025. Yeah, I hope you guys enjoy this one. There is a lot of hot takes, so reserve your frustrations or whatnot. Send me a DM on Instagram if you don't agree. Yeah, I'm very curious to see what you guys think about some of these. Yeah, I love doing these types of episodes where it's not just necessarily a one-on-one interview, but it's more so just commentating and talking about some of the athletes in our sport and just some of the biggest free agency moves. This is something I think we're going to start doing more of and have more discussions of as we go through 2025 and into 2026. It's definitely commentating and having more episodes like this. So, without further ado, I really want to thank Nick for coming on to have this conversation with me. I hope you guys enjoy this one.
Speaker 1:Here we go, Buckle up. Buckle up. It's time. We'll see you next time. Ladies and gentlemen, we are live, people, earth. Listen up.
Speaker 1:The Steep Stuff Podcast is brought to you by Ultimate Direction USA. I am so excited to be partnering with Ultimate Direction in 2025 as the official hydration solutions partner for the Steep Stuff Podcast. Lots of fun things coming down the pike for this year. Ultimate direction is going to be unveiling a brand new race and ultra vast that's going to be dropping in the next couple of months. So excited to bring that to you guys.
Speaker 1:If you are in the market right now for apparel, for a belt, for a new pack, anything hydration solutions related flasks, you name it they've got it. They've got you covered. If you hop on to ultimate directioncom and use code steep stuff, pod that's one word steep S, t E P stuff, s T U F F pod. If you hop on to ultimate directioncom and use that code, that's going to get you 25% off your car, especially that we're starting to wind our way a little bit more closer to spring. You guys are going to be start start to put together your race calendars and, uh yeah, ultimate direction is going to have you guys covered. So, whatever you need, they've got you outfitted from head almost a toe. They don't do shoes yet. So, guys, enjoy yourself, have a great rest of your week. Thanks so much and uhction, nick Tussauds, welcome back to the Steep Stuff podcast. How are you man?
Speaker 2:Incredible man. It's great to be here. It's great to be back.
Speaker 1:It's good to see you, dude. It's been a little, it's been a few months.
Speaker 2:Yeah, has it. Yeah, two months, I think yeah, since we last ran.
Speaker 1:And we just came back from a nice run. I'm probably mispronouncing words because I'm missing some brain cells. It was, it was dope.
Speaker 2:It's a fun one it was a great one. Yeah, first time on rampart um nice little course. Preview of uh upcoming race, hopefully in in may for the 24k and uh little ramparty action dude. Yeah, yeah, it's exciting yeah, no, it's, it's a good spot, great, great, great training spot here in the springs yeah, no, absolutely.
Speaker 1:it's. Um, yeah, dude, I I have to say, like early season, like it's been nice and warm today, it was just like I don't know, to me like the absolute perfect training ground, like we'll steady state going up, nice and float going down. We chatted it up and talked and just got you know back into the swing of things and yeah it's it's nice to. It's a little weird that the weather's been so warm, but I'll take it man.
Speaker 2:Oh no, we take it where we can get it here.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's been so warm Like I actually got. Like I'm a little toasty, I got salt all over me.
Speaker 2:It's a good day dude, so what's? New dude.
Speaker 1:What's? I know you're starting to put together the schedule for 2025. I know there's some exciting like little little, I don't know, little rust burner races, those and then talk about. Let's get into the main part of the schedule yeah, yeah, um.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's been a good like month and a half or so of training into the new year and, uh, hoping to get another month and a half under the belt here before, um, I get a little rust buster race in. Um, first one I'm gonna be doing is one of the era viper races. Uh, rock hock, rock hock, 25k. Um, just to see, I've never done a super fast 25k, so, so I'm really curious to see what the legs can do on something that's, you know, fast and flat. For the most part, I think it's like 1600 feet of gain or so.
Speaker 1:Oh wow.
Speaker 2:And then the following month, like we said, coming down here.
Speaker 2:Hopefully I'll probably stay here for a night and get a little ramp party action in for the 24K and then see what we can do there and that'll kind of be the lead into kind of the big one for me for the first half of the season. I'm kind of splitting the seasons into two Um, and that will be at Finn's race. He invited me out to do, uh, the twisted fork, 30 K Um and yeah, super excited, haven't really been out to that area of Utah and park city Um and yeah, super excited, haven't really been out to that area of Utah and park city Um, and it's just a classic kind of up down 18 miler with like 2000 feet of hurt Um. I know he mentioned on the pod that there's going to be a lot of names there and I'm excited to throw down with some, with some big guys and uh and see what we can do.
Speaker 2:Heading into the, the mountain season, I'm kind of switching up how I've been doing things and running a lot flatter stuff and with these trail races too being a little bit more Americanized races, flat and fast. Yeah, I'm curious what the fitness will be like heading into pikes in September and we'll see. I don't know what the plan is for the summer yet but, like I said I think last time I was on the pod just getting up high as much as I possibly can. This summer will be, will be the goal again. Um, putting down some good times on some 14 years, uh, using that fitness and uh yeah we'll see what we can do.
Speaker 2:I'm just I'm super excited to train for pikes. Seeing out out the window here today looking at at at Pikes, it just it gets me so excited. It's um, it's such a legendary race and listening to your pods that you've had recently about the history of the race, um, it just even gets me more excited. Um, just so much history and I'm excited to be a part of it.
Speaker 1:Dude, it's crazy man. I love Pikes Peak. I mean, you know I'm a little biased now because you know like I think I have to promote it a little bit, but it's in my backyard, it's deeply ingrained into our community. One of the things I really enjoyed is, and especially, getting you down here, coming down from the greater Denver area. It's like, no matter where you go, no matter what you're doing in this area, you could be at Red Rocks Open Space. You could be like today we did a nice long run on Rampart. You could be anywhere, it doesn't matter, you could be on the incline. You could be, like today where we did a nice long run on rampart. You could be, um, you know, you could anywhere, it doesn't matter, you could be on the incline. You look up right, and you're just always reminded by this like 8,000 elevation behemoth, that's a head that's on top of you, basically, which is that Pike's peak, that big mountain. So yeah, dude, I'm excited for September. It's going to be a nice barn burner race. We're putting together a really solid elite field so far. I'm stoked for you to come join it.
Speaker 1:It's going to be, it's going to be crazy and you know, dude, it's going to be wide open. It's things are going to be a little shake, shaken up this year. I mean, listen, I'm not going to say for sure, like we don't know what's going to happen with at broken arrow for the up down with worlds and sorry, that said, in that timeframe is world. So if Joe qualifies, he's not going to be there, I would imagine. I don't want to speak for him, but I'm going to say we know what he would do and I could speak for a lot of others If they qualify and they're going over there, which means there's going to be some holes in the calendar and I think it's going to create a lot more opportunities. We might have a new Ascent champion, another new Ascent champion this year. So it's going to be interesting. Man, I'm excited.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, all right, so we could talk about why we're here today, other than catching up and just having a boys run out and rampart. We're here to talk about free agency. I think that was something that we really needed to bring up, I think, in our space and it wasn't really talked about. I know some podcasts and maybe chatted more about some free agency topics, but no one had done a comprehensive, especially in the sub-ultra scene a free agency podcast. It was like dude, we're covering the sport. We got to talk about free agency. I'm curious on your end. I mean, obviously I've got a bunch of talking points, but were there any headlines in free agency so far? And now that we're especially in March March 1st, we're recording this that stuck out to you. They were like you know what? This was a huge move. I'm so blown away. I think a few of them might have been like Joyce Nehru going to normal. I think a lot of people departing.
Speaker 1:Merrill and Brooks I think Brooks investment is a big thing we need to talk about. I think there's some other points there as well. We'll get into names as well as what happened with Solomon. Solomon just completely cleared house on a lot of their athletes this year, and I think it deserves some conversation there, because there's some first ballot Hall of Famers that are no longer running with them and are still looking for a home. Um, so yeah, I think there's a lot there. What pops out to you, dude?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm just looking through through the list here and um, I know we talked earlier on our run about Remy LaRue um going to Brooks, that's. I think that's going to be exciting. I think that that's going to leave him to hopefully do some races that he hasn't done and maybe travel a little bit more. Maybe, um, get overseas and as well, same with Taylor stack.
Speaker 1:Um, you know, going from a free agent to, to Brooks, that's, that's massive.
Speaker 2:And uh, and again, yeah, I think he's going to be able to get overseas and really get his name out there. And the Euro scene and, as we said, joyce Nauru, that's probably the most exciting one, considering she is the cream of the crop in the sport right now. Now, with Normal behind her, that's going to be one of Normal's probably best. I mean behind Killian, she's probably like I mean her. And then Alexine.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean they're going to be running the show at golden trail this year. I really think so. Let's talk about that.
Speaker 1:Let's. I think that's a great topic to dive into first is like normal. Um, obviously it's no, no surprise that Ali Astrander uh had departed. That's a. That's another free agency move that we can talk about as we kind of get deeper into the episode. But I think the signing of Joyce Nauru is a huge deal and I'll give it.
Speaker 1:For one reason is that, like, if you guys want to double back to my episode with Joe Gray. He was very candid with maybe some of the contracts that gentlemen like Phil Amon and Patrick Kipniego are on and it's a little bit different for some Kenyan runners. I know that like a lot of times and I don't want to speak for everyone because that's not fair but I know a lot of times that you'll have a manager that comes kind of comes in there and will broker their deal for you and you might not get it, be getting the cut of money that you probably would if you were maybe stateside or maybe Euro and like some of these gentlemen and ladies are amongst the best in the world. I mean Joyce Nauru arguably is one of the best, if not the best, uphill female runner in the world right now. Chris Nauru arguably is one of the best, if not the best, uphill female runner in the world right now, um. So it was exciting for me to see normal kind of come in um and and pick her up. I think I my my only hope to that is that, like she'll have the resources now to go. I mean, she's already proved she's one of the best in the world. Now she has the resources to go back that up and she can go, you know, train in areas that she wants to train. You know, maybe it'll help with training, it'll help with nutrition, it'll help with just like a gazillion different things, um, for more resources around you travel, you know, anytime you can alleviate stress, I think. I think that's one big thing too is like, anytime, um, you can alleviate a lot of variables and stresses, and that's a big thing. That partners will help with Um and I think it'll just continue to just bolster her career.
Speaker 1:I wouldn't be surprised if she goes and wins the Golden Trail Series again. We didn't see a ton of people push up against her, if you will. I mean there was good competition there, but Joyce is very dominant and one of my favorite people to follow in the sport. So, yeah, I can't sing those praises enough. So kudos to Normal and Killian and company for going to get her. Yeah, what do you think I mean this is going to be what year two for El Huzin as well? Yeah, what do you think you think he repeats dude.
Speaker 2:Or close to it. I mean he's going to be first or second in my opinion, and I don't see any doubt that he wouldn't be. Yeah, if he just does what he did. Again, I I don't know if there's anybody else in golden trail that can reach up to his level. That I'm just trying to think of right now. I mean just having the experience to, um, I don't know, I think he's like the new Killian, like in a sense, just on the golden trail side of things. Um, yeah, yeah, I don't know if I see anybody competing with him, to be honest, um, yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 1:And I wonder if Remy Bonet's uh, it's going to be interesting to see. Like, cause I've talked to so many ski mountaineers and ones that play on the trail side Like Cam is a great example. Like Cam is going to compete at the U S mountain running champs and he might be a I think he might be a both broken arrow and a soon to pee. So like he's one of those guys that goes out there and, like any place anywhere, anytime, cam's going to throw down. That's why he's, like my favorite person in the sport. Um, but like there's a lot of athletes that, like might be more schema focused this year.
Speaker 1:Um, remy Bonet is a great example. Is he going to be with his eyes on the Olympics? Like I don't know what that Swiss team looks like, especially for the sprint and the mixed relay. Like what is he going to be thinking? Um, so he might not be as committed to this season? Um, because I don't think remy's ever run worlds like I and I don't think he'll do it this year, which is odd to me, I don't know. That brings up a whole nother conversation that I don't want to talk about on this podcast, but, like I wonder why he hasn't and I wonder if it's maybe too early in the season last time around and maybe too late this time around. I have no idea. I I can't speak for him.
Speaker 2:I have no idea I feel like that's what a lot of it is with the world. I feel like the time of year is tough for a lot of people. Yeah, wasn't that last one.
Speaker 1:What time of year was that was the last that was in june, yeah, that was in sprock, yeah that was just that was really tough.
Speaker 2:I'm glad that they moved it out. Hopefully this year that benefits some people, but I know it's there's going to be some people that you know hit it hard too early maybe and they're just like, okay, I cannot push the season out to them.
Speaker 1:And I got to say, man, I do have to give kudos to Golden Trail for understanding that, like, hey did not do this and a lot of series, most of the big name series other than golden trail, didn't do this. They didn't like alter their season to make sure they can capture the best athletes possible, um, cause they'll end the season with series and all, which is the end of August, so that's when golden trails over, and then obviously they'll have their final after worlds, which is going to be in, I think, october time. So, yeah, it's going to be really interesting, um, and I can give them kudos for doing that. But yeah, I I kind of went on a on a side quest there, but like I my thought was originally with, like, is anybody going to challenge out who's seen for, uh, the male dominance? I don't see Francesco doing it. No offense to him, I know he's kind of departed as well.
Speaker 2:He's always up there. I mean the same guys are probably going to be up there, but, like you said, is it just getting to that next level?
Speaker 1:Because El Hussein kind of played the game for a long time. He is opening up his season in the next couple weeks with Killian. It's the Chianti race. I know there's like a 25K or 20K or something that he's going to be doing at that Chianti race in Tuscany. So that's dope Um. But Killian obviously will be vying for his spot into, uh, um, you know, western States.
Speaker 2:What do?
Speaker 1:you. I don't want to go too crazy in that cause. That's ultra world. But like what the hell do you think about that, jim and David Roche? It's like Hayden Hawks. Hayden, I think to me, is one of the most slept on. Dude is world-class ultra runner of the year.
Speaker 2:What's his name? Who just won Terawara?
Speaker 1:Oh, Caleb Olsen.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, he won Transgreen Canary or not Terawara. I'm sorry, dan Jones. Dan Jones, caleb Olsen.
Speaker 1:Who just won. I think it was what Trans Grand Canary Dude like there's some dudes showing up, and the women's race is wide open too. I'm so curious as to what that women's race is going to look like.
Speaker 2:This is the greatest Western state, not that it ever wasn't no, but but my God, this is all right.
Speaker 1:So throw this out there to the world whoever's listening. There needs to be an unbreakable two this year, and I think just let's give a de facto spot to Anton just for fun, just to mix it up and and maybe, and maybe how as well just just to throw an old guy in there, like I mean honestly, who?
Speaker 2:could do it with, with what David's been David Roche has been putting together with that Um I believe his name is Cody bear um, that new up and coming filmer Like hey, dude, that's that's your. I mean he's already gotten an opportunity, but that's like a big, big opportunity to. You know, put together some film that could, you know, like bring the sport to like even a new level and, you know, have these new kids in like 10 years going back and watching that. Just like you know, we've went back and watched unbreakable. You know so many times, um, just like you know, we've went back and watched Unbreakable you know so many times, yeah, and last year was a breakthrough year.
Speaker 1:So many guys ran under 15 hours. The thing I will say, though, is, like David's playing with fire, david's either going to massively like shock the hell out of the world. I mean I wouldn't even say it shocked the world at this point, because David's so good but like his training dude, he's in control man. I mean he's in control man. I mean he's either going to show up really tired or he's going to show up really really fit and not so tired. I don't know, like one of the two.
Speaker 2:It sounds like he's praying that the high country. There's no snow in the high country. If there is, I don't know. He seems scared about this. We'll see. I don't know. It's really going to be very much dependent on the weather. We'll see if it. If it is like perfect condition, I mean the course record is going down without a doubt 100%.
Speaker 1:I would think so, even if it's a hot year.
Speaker 2:No, if it's like just like a normal issue, if it's like extremely hot, they might get close. If there's snow in the high country, I don't. I don't think it happens back to back to sub ultra.
Speaker 1:So one of the talking points that I had um was brand moves and investments that stuck out the most. Um, and one of the things I have to think there was two brands to me that stuck out the most this year and that was going to be Brooks. Um on the sub ultra space and I'd say mixed sub ultra and ultra space was craft as well. I think craft made a bunch of new signings. Um, and I do want to shout out some of the athletes. I mean Brooks, just absolutely just like dude. I mean if you look at some of their signings, I've got it like literally listed here too. There we go. Thank you, freetrail, for making this really nice thing that I can use to track signings here. Hoka made some signings, some serious signings as well, but like Chris Myers was on the ultra side and big shout out to Remy LaRue. But like Chris Myers was on the ultra side and big shout out to Remy LaRue. I just had him on the podcast and I can't like sing his praises enough. The guy's a consummate professional, absolutely one of the best Canadian runners right now and one of the best uphole runners in the world. I know he really like is cool. The podcast was like he really enjoyed the one with Joe and he just like really talked about Joe a lot and I was like that's really interesting, like I love guys coming into the sport. Now they're like that's, you know that that's their hero is like Andy and Joe.
Speaker 1:Um, dude, some other names like how about Anthony Felber leaving Cetus matrix and going to Brooks? Brooks got him. Uh. Taylor stack, who's a friend of the podcast. He's been on already. Um, sydney, do you want to give a shout out to Sydney Peterson, who's had some fucking awesome results at broken arrow? She's going to be coming on in the next few weeks to talk about that. Barrett gray as well. Christina Rand up went to Brooks. Yeah, brooks like made some serious investment. It's just so many athletes that they picked up on and I think like they're one of the few brands that I think sees the writing on the wall Like there is a significant investment here in sub ultra and they picked up more sub ultra athletes. I mean, dude, they've got, uh, mika, they've got Dan Kurtz, dan Kurtz, both two monsters.
Speaker 1:Um, like their sub ultra team is is getting like nasty. And then I think, what is it? Roberto De Lorenzi is on the Brooks team too. Like you forget about the Euro side. Um, on the Brooks team too. Like you forget about the Euro side. Um, so, yeah, I think there was some huge new signings here, um, and I'm looking forward to seeing these athletes perform.
Speaker 2:And it definitely seems like, too, they're not. They're not just American centric or Euro centric. It really seems like they're very, very balanced, cause, like you see people on like the the sky running series um rocking Brooks and as well as the golden trail and as well as here in the state, so that's that's awesome to see that they're like reaching out to, like a world, the world um, yeah, suck David Sinclair going to craft. Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Our, our man, our myth, our legend. Uh like I have to be honest with you, I sing his praises every time he's on the podcast. David is one of the best in the world, easily. Um finally has a home now. I know he dabbled with Solomon for maybe a year or two I'm not sure like what that partnership looked like, and then he kind of moved on to be unsponsored, continued to crush everybody in every field that he did, and then had a year last year that was just like one for the record books, I think he again found himself in one of the ultra runners of the year rankings uh, actually probably two of them and then dominated on the sub-Ultra side as well. So yeah, david is unique. What he did at JFK was absolutely legendary and it's just interesting to see him find a home.
Speaker 1:I would have not picked Kraft for him. It's just like it's a different fit. I think it's awesome because he's on the ski side as well, and for those of you who don't know, kraft is a Swedish company. They do make ski apparel as well, um. And for those of you don't know, craft is a swedish company. They do make ski apparel as well, um, and their running shoes are awesome, so no shade to them. But it's like their sub-ultra side like is mk? Like I see, like mk is kind of a swiss army, that's true dabbles back and forth and then there's people that were more so just embedded in the ultra side. That's true. David kind of does both and is a world-class skier. So so it's going to be. I'm surprised I would have seen him going somewhere else, but I hope Kraft threw the fucking bag at him dude Now, has he raced over in Europe, overseas at all, or has he stayed pretty much?
Speaker 2:No, he's raced in Europe. Oh, he has. Okay.
Speaker 1:I know a ton of racing on the Euro side for skiing.
Speaker 2:Oh for skiing On the running side.
Speaker 1:I remember when he was Ola Dele, I forget. Okay, do you remember that there was a race in Spain a few years ago? It was this Golden Trail Series race in Spain. Okay, ola Dele, ola Dele, ola Dele, ola Dele, ola Dele, ola Dele, ola Dele, ola Dele, ola Dele.
Speaker 2:Ola.
Speaker 1:Dele. I think he qualified. He might have got it. I think he qualified with Speed Go. I can't remember if he told me it was CCC or OCC that he was going to do Jump up to 100?
Speaker 2:I guess if he just did a 50 miler, you know what I want?
Speaker 1:I want more David Sinclair-Eli rematches in my life. That's what I want to see. There's more of that. That's what I want to see Is more of that Does Eli? Going back to OCC, I have no idea, I don't know we got to ask him what do you think of Grant Barnett going to Kraft? I think that was a great pickup as well.
Speaker 1:Oh, very, oh, yeah, yeah yeah, he's somebody both, I mean he's more ultra-centric, if you will, but also pretty much in the Does some sub ultra stuff Cause he was unsponsored before right, or he was with Dynafit.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, he was with Dynafit up until last. Two years ago, um departed Dynafit and was a free agent. See, this is really interesting to me. You don't see? The interesting thing is that, like with athlete contracts, you'll see people be professionals and then usually go from contract to contract. It's very rare to see someone go from contract to no contract and then back to contract.
Speaker 1:It's like, um, I don't know how brands view these things. I, you know, next time we do one of these free agency episodes, I'd love to have like a, like a, a brand person in here to be able to talk about that. Um, and the way they they make these decisions. But I think that was great. Um, I'm trying to think of some notable women on the craft side. I don't think they signed any. I'm not seeing any, at least on the women's side, for craft, which is interesting. Um, we could talk about hoka, because I think hoka made some serious signings and I do want to talk about this, and this is no shade of francesco poopy, but I'm just curious to see, like, what you thought about francesco from Nike trail and moving to Hoka.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I, I personally didn't agree with his reasoning as to why, but I mean, I'm not him and that's you know if. If that's what he sees um Nike as and something he doesn't want to affiliate himself with, I guess I I understand that, um, but I don't think that should be a reason you should leave a brand, especially a brand that, like, has supported him for so long.
Speaker 2:I agree, I agree, I almost feel like a lot of times you you see it as kind of like the opposite, where, like, the brand turns your back on you, where it seems like he kind of turned his back on the brand. He is, you know, a very much a public figure in this sport and a lot of people know who he is, and so maybe this was a way for him to like make a statement or something. Um, I don't know, I I mean, has he, I mean I know he made a post about it, but I don't know if he's like dug any deeper into into it.
Speaker 1:As much Um, and I can link this in the show notes. I would gear, I would. I would challenge anybody that's interested in the subject Because don't just read what he wrote on Instagram Go watch the Nike commercial for yourself. I showed it to my wife and she was like that's not what I took away from it. I showed it to a lot of people and I sent it to you because you were the first person you and I talk about this stuff all the time. I thought it was so cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I thought it was an awesome commercial.
Speaker 1:But that's Nike. We're also competitors, right? I don't know what he thinks like.
Speaker 2:But that is just Nike. That is what Nike has been since the 70s. They have never changed. They've always been that win-centric brand. And yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 1:I, yeah, this is going to be the hottest take I've ever had on this podcast. It's coming, it's coming, it's coming, here we go. I. I think to me it was. It wasn't frustrating because, listen, I don't ever want to, I don't ever want to take away from someone's personal experience, but it seemed to me like, give me some like, the. So the.
Speaker 1:It wasn't what he wrote on instagram, it was what he wrote on substack after the fact, which I sent you, and it was something along the lines of like you know, hey, like I can't believe nobody wants to cover this, like I'll go on your podcast, like it was very much a cry for attention and I sure, like we're talking about it. So, hey, you did something right, yeah, but it's like, dude, do you know how many fucking people want that spot from Nike to go? You know what? And it's not just about like, yes, I guarantee you want to have, you want to be secure in the brand that you're representing, because you're representing their products and they're also helping you get to the races and do the things that you want to.
Speaker 1:So it's a symbiotic relationship. It goes back and forth. This is external of money, but at the same time, he bit the hand a little bit and it's like I'm I'm all for you, standing up for what you believe in. I think you totally should. But it was what he said on sub stack. After that I was like bro, are you just trying to get on podcasts to just talk about it?
Speaker 1:Like go on your own and fucking and fucking. Talk shit Like if that's what you're going to do.
Speaker 2:And maybe with the position he I mean he is in and, to be fair, I mean he earned every I mean he earned everything he has. He's worked his butt off, um, and maybe he felt like he was in a spot of quote unquote privilege, maybe where he's just like I can get away with doing this and another and another brand is going to pick me up right away, like I just know that's going to happen.
Speaker 1:I'm sure he's had to hook a contract signed before 100% but I'm curious too if, like, maybe there's more more on the back end that we didn't see with Nike, that it's possible was coming up to that and he just felt like, well, I'm just gonna like kick the can here and just like might as well well, the thing is is like dude, you see, I mean like listen, like I'm personally happy that, like, absolutely, like I'm so happy they got like um, it was Aaron Clark got picked up, bailey uh runs for them now. Um, like there's uh, bella Kowalczyk who's follow her. She's amazing, you got to race her last year. Um, dude, absolute crusher, like so many crusher women.
Speaker 1:And then there's there's men on the side too, like Tyler, and Tyler's are really well-respected good dude. And I have something like my thought on it was like but Tyler run for them Like he's a dad, he's, you know, like he's, he's a family man and like I don't know. I've only interacted with Tyler a handful of times Like um, like I was like at at Cirque Alta when Rachel raced there last year. I talked to him for a couple seconds but just even came across like a normal dude and my thought was, like this guy has like high standards and high morals Like he. If, if Nike was truly a piece of shit like you, he wouldn't run for them you know Like and I.
Speaker 1:I. That's kind of my takeaway from it. I can't speak for the way things are conducted on the European side, but it just seems to me, like everybody I've interacted with on the American side seem as of now. Now I can't speak for the past, because I understand there were some different contract discussions in the past with how things used to be, because they are a huge brand and there wasn't as much investment oriented toward it. But now things have changed.
Speaker 1:I don't know. For instance, dude, one of their boys, caleb, just won Transgrant Canaria. He seems pretty happy, massive. So yeah, I don't know. I don't know and this is nothing to take away from Francesco. I think he's an extremely well-liked person in the community, so I probably shouldn't talk shit, but to me that Substack post that he put up really rubbed me the wrong way. I was just like yeah, what are we doing here? So I don't know. Let's move on from that.
Speaker 1:Um, and, like I said, I'll link it in the show notes. I really would challenge anybody to go watch the Nike commercial. I'm so curious to see what you guys think about it. Um, you know competition, while the key to our sport is sportsmanship. We absolutely need that. Um, it's like the one of the most important pillars about the competition is just as important in my opinion, and I think that's a huge part of it. So, okay, one thing I do want to double back to cause I did kind of go deep into Brooks and we kind of named their, their new team lineup. We talked about Sydney Peterson, taylor stack, remy LaRue. They just joined like an already stacked group. Does that make Brooks the best sub ultra trail team on the planet right now? And Mika, I think Wait, is Anna Gibson. Anna Gibson's on Brooks too.
Speaker 1:Dude that's the best trail team on the planet, right?
Speaker 2:now Roberta DeLorenzi, I would say it's them, and I mean I still have to give Solomon its flowers a little bit.
Speaker 1:That's where we're going. I baited you on that question. That's where we're going. Still have to give Solomon its flowers a little bit. That's where we're going.
Speaker 2:I baited you on that question. Yeah, yeah, honestly, it might be Solomon versus Brooks. That might be like the. That should be like the. The big thing this year, yeah, battle of the brands. I think it's those two.
Speaker 1:I think it is those two I'm going to have. Dan comes on on Monday, dan Kurtz, and I'm so excited to chat with him because he's got a lot. He's got high ideals on sub ultra. He wants to build this um. You know, like I, that's somebody I'm truly stoked on and he's a brooks guy. So, and mika dude, mika blew me away.
Speaker 1:I met him at um pike's ascent and, yeah, you want to talk about someone that gave every like. He passed out when he got to the finish line gave 110. And then I asked him like what, what is your like? Before the race, when I did the um the elite, like what, what, what is your like? Before the race, when I did the um the elite panel, I was like yo, dude, what's your key to victory here? Like what do you think how are you going to get Joe Um or how are you going to, you know, fend off Seth Like, and I can't remember exactly what he said, but it was like by far the most professional thing I've ever heard out of a, like a runner. Um, yeah, that guy is like legit, like very consummate, professional.
Speaker 1:So, you know, it's just crazy, these, these track guys and gals at a high level just keep coming in and like dude, ana Gibson, that's someone I really want to have a conversation with and, uh, you know, if she gets wind of this, like, well, let's do a podcast, cause that's another person I really look up to in the sport and I want to. I want to have on.
Speaker 2:No, she's the next one. For sure, oh for sure.
Speaker 1:Crusher. All right, so that leads me to the next conversation of Solomon. So we got through Brooks. Um, I, in my opinion, I think they're unbeatable right now. What the fuck happened with Solomon? They literally did this. Like they got rid of, like their entire American contingent, um, like Darren Thomas doesn't have a home right now. Like he's a he's a wide open free agent. Uh, first ballot, first ballot, hall of famer. Andy Wacker got dropped this year, is no longer running with them. Uh, I don't know what those conversations look like on the backend, um, but it's just crazy to me to see. Oh, chris Myers is another one. He's a bolder boy.
Speaker 1:Um, like how many folks on the Solomon side no longer have a home? I think that's a bit egregious to say no longer have a home but, they're sponsorless.
Speaker 2:I think that's probably the right way to say it. Chris got picked up by him.
Speaker 1:Chris went to Brooks. Obviously he was able to figure it out. But dude, andy Wacker is the dude. This is not taking anything away from Darren. I have a Darren rant loaded up for later but, like andy wacker, first bout hall of famer, like I saw like he he kind of like posted some um, he was trying to some arcteric shoes, just trying some different things out. But I know we talked about this offline before the podcast and I think your perspective was really good on what you had said.
Speaker 2:Like I'll let you take that, yeah, yeah I think it's a shame that um, that that solomon or another brand didn't um give him an opportunity similar to, maybe like a Corinne Malcolm and get him on you know, get him on the payroll and give him a position on the brand to, you know, facilitate these he could be. He'd be the perfect person to facilitate these brand to, to athlete interactions and just like kind of be that middleman. And for somebody not to do that and somebody that has been in this space and basically watched sub ultra from its infancy um in the U S? Um till now and to be is I mean, he's what 30, 35, 36 or something like that, yeah.
Speaker 2:Um, for that not to happen. It's, it's. It's kind of sad to see Um. It's. It sucks that you know he was with Nike for so long and then he was with Solomon for a bit and for them to just to dump him. Um, for all that he's done for for especially I mean local here in in Colorado, what he's done with the trail team and what he's done to bring people into this sport, um, he could do the same thing for a brand. He could bring in so much talent. He sees talent like no other. Like that dude is a talent scout for the ages.
Speaker 2:What he's been doing these last couple of years has been incredible the the eye that he has, so it's it's really unfortunate. Um, I hope, I hope he gets. Maybe maybe this year will be a little slower and maybe he'll focus more on the trail team I don't know what he does, uh for his like professional career side of things.
Speaker 1:He used to be a teacher. I don't think he's a teacher anymore. I don't know. Okay.
Speaker 2:So I mean, maybe that could be a big thing, maybe he's more focused on that site and that takes up too much of his time. So I guess, I'm not sure, maybe he didn't show interest in that, I don't know.
Speaker 1:But I mean, if he does hear this I would like, like, even like I know like an athlete manager would be a great one, but like, dude, think about the first class of the trail team that he brought in. Like you're talking on a Gibson Christian Allen um, it was on a Gibson Christian. Um, lauren Gregory Okay, there's four, there's one more I'm missing that I'm not thinking of. But like you're talking like the like four or five of the biggest names in the sport right now Um, all about, like all like first ballot, um, like rookie of the year nominees easily so. And then even this year, dude, like Cade Michael oh, my God, like nasty, like so many good athletes, uh. And then Remy, remy LaRue I didn't know this until I looked it up for our podcast the other day. Remy was on um on the trail team this past year, and he's another, just absolute straight like one of the best uphill runners like you're ever going to find.
Speaker 2:Um, I'm so excited who he finds this year, cause it's going to be. I'm just excited for this new crop, cause I'm sure there's people right now that we have absolutely no idea and we're going to be talking about in about eight months as, like the next coming.
Speaker 1:I know, I know the selections have been made, cause we're going to, I think we're going to do like I don't want to say I actually I don't know if selections have final, final finals, like I know a one. I know at least one or two rounds have been told. No, no, so like people have gotten rejections. So I'm guessing that the, the selection, the final selections, have been made. So I know it's going to be announced pretty soon. Okay, so the other one I wanted to talk about was so we got through solomon a little bit, so I just want to like point out, dude, they dropped, combined with north, north american and european, they dropped 10 athletes that are gone off that team. I wouldn't say dropped, because I don't know what those contract solutions like, just solutions look like. Um, it could have been just people saying they're not gonna, some of them not re-upping. But I know on the american side a good amount of them know we're, we're going to discontinue this and move on.
Speaker 1:Uh, it's crazy that Max King I'm so happy he does still have a home there Um, I say, is he like the only besides a few others back? Yeah, I don't know. So it's crazy. Um, another interesting thing that was funny. Of three of the four departing hoka athletes went to craft. The other one I think uh, yeah, trying with socket here, whatnot. But yeah, a lot of hoka athletes moved over to craft craft's got a good eye, I guess they're. They're kind of picking off the hoka it started with the tim tolson thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that must be like a little yeah bridge interesting um, the other thing I'd written down was ollie ostrander, who we were talking about in Normal, and the one thing I will say is I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall to understand more of those conversations, just because it seemed like there was kind of no love lost between the two.
Speaker 2:I think she just wanted very much, wanted freedom and didn't want to be dictated, maybe by a brand, and maybe she felt normal was pushing her in a direction she wasn't ready to go. Um, but yeah, I was. I was surprised to see that another brand didn't pick her up Um, so also you got her well, I guess like more of a shoe related I may maybe, again, that went to the decision.
Speaker 2:Maybe she wanted freedom of shoes as well, because she's racing, you know, maybe track, road and trail, and it's just probably pretty tough to find a brand that aligns with all of those. But they are out there, um, and maybe she, I don't know. Maybe Nike didn't want I, yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 1:I don't think I mean like if I'm going to be completely transparent I don't think it was a great brand fit in the beginning, like for either parties, in my opinion, just because, like this is an athlete that focuses so much on the track and also on the trail, and I think maybe the idea going in was like this is a former Mount marathon winner who just has all of the ability in the world, which is true, she's world-class.
Speaker 2:Do you think too, maybe it had something to do? I mean, she does have a pretty large following um on YouTube as well, and, with normal being a new brand, maybe that was an opportunity to get it in front of different eyes and more people. I don't know, cause I yeah. She just she has a large brand or a large following on YouTube and maybe that was a way for them to push normal out. Um could be. I don't know the reasoning behind it.
Speaker 1:Listen, I reached out for both a podcast conversation and comment and I got neither back. So I'm going to have to just draw dot my T's and and and kind of draw the lines around it.
Speaker 1:Um, I don't know like I said, it just seemed like, you know, they unfollowed her. It seemed a little weird and I was like, oh man, like what, what goes on there? Um? And just the fact that, like I don't know, I have mixed feelings. I feel like if, especially after a couple of years or however, I think she was like two or three years she was on the contract and then to like move on, to go to a different brand, like I don't know, I have mixed feelings about it Like normal, especially for her. That was her. That was not her first professional contract, first professional trail contract. It seems like most people usually are like oh well, thanks so much for the time or thanks so much for this or that, so, and there was none of that, so I would love to just hear like what, what went down there? Um, but hey, you know what?
Speaker 2:Like you live and you learn. Sometimes there are things that are not good fits and some things are no. I hope she kills it this season. I hope she does exactly what she wants to do. She's a killer. We'll see, yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, I know she finally got started putting it together last year, like with the golden trail series. She had a couple of good races there. Um, I know she was at mammoth and she, she did the double between mammoth and um, uh, what is it Mammoth? And uh, what is it Headlands Sorry, my dog is crying in the background. Um, yeah, I don't know. Interesting, interesting, all right, so let's move on from that.
Speaker 1:I do want to go to Tarek's, because Tarek's had some huge movements this year. Four of their biggest stars, including Tom Evans and we could talk a little on the ultra side too for this, because it kind of encompasses both but four of their biggest stars left, including Tom. Tom Evans is the guy Obviously the departure of why am I blanking on her name? Corrine Malcolm. Jesus, the departure of Corrine Malcolm, I think, was a really big deal as well, just because she does so much both on on the media side and the and there's a lot of discussion there. She's a big name in the sport. She's a very well-liked person in the sport. I know you can add more commentary to this cause. You actually gave me more information on this today. As far as the Korean situation, like with going to Hoka like what was, what was that all about? I think there's more more to it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it's. I mean, to me what I saw was she worked with Hoka so much on the UTMB side of things, with Dylan um doing the announcing and stuff for the past couple of years now, and I'm sure there was a relationship built there and it sounds like they offered her um a role with the company. You know, being like a being able to be like a W2 employee with them um probably gave her the opportunity to really um push her career forward. Um, so it sounded like Adidas gave her a pretty, pretty big opportunity, like contract wise, but you know, not so much on that um employee front. So it sounds like she's going to be kind of like an athlete employee for for Hoka, which would be kind of cool, and it sounds like that's becoming kind of a normal thing.
Speaker 2:I mean, the winner at UTMB was a uh, was a Hoka employee now turned Hoka athlete. So it's like I feel like that's kind of like intertwining and I think that's going to be. I really like to see that direction go more. Like we spoke with about Andy Wacker too, um, a lot of these, a lot of these athletes that have been in the sport and just have such, you know, great knowledge and do such good stuff, especially in like the media side of things, like give them a chance.
Speaker 2:I think that they have a lot to offer to to brands and I hope brands start to recognize that more and it's it's awesome to see that Hoka recognize that you know, and to take this in like a different direction too, if you look at other sports and what people do you know post-sport or post their prime and stuff like that, a lot of them are getting into media.
Speaker 2:Now you look at SportsCenter and you look at like FS1 and all these other media conglomerates. They are signing athletes and a lot of them are very much athlete focused now and I hope that this sport can get there and I hope you know that maybe older athletes that are maybe on their way out start thinking about that and maybe start building relationships with brands to maybe get to a point of that, or with these new medias that are blowing up with. You know, get some more people help out, fit on single track, maybe single track will end up. You know, get some more people help out, fit on single track, maybe single track will end up. You know, becoming this big thing. Or free trail and stuff. Um, I like I mean free trail already has a couple of different podcasts with other athletes which I think is awesome.
Speaker 1:Thanks for the shout out, nick.
Speaker 2:Um, no no, and and and I hope no, and I hope, steve, stuff can get to and I know it will get to a spot where um, or it can be like that as well, um, yeah, there, no, there's a big future in all this and I hope that athletes see the future um in it. Um, because we can be up there with with all the other sports as well.
Speaker 1:Oh, a hundred percent, and we're getting there. So, like I don't know, I I I watch, I follow a ton of sports, just like you do. You're an NFL guy, an NBA guy, I am the same as well as a college football guy, but I also really like fighting. I draw a lot of parallels between I don't know if it's the violence, I don't know what it is, but I draw a lot of parallels between, like, that game and sport in some ways. And like there's this guy, chael Sonnen. I don't know if you know who Uncle Chael is. I love Uncle Chael, funny dude.
Speaker 1:But like I find it so bizarre and interesting that like there's not more media surrounding the discussion of athletes in the sport. So like, for instance, like we're doing this, this free agency discussion, right, and people are going to find this somewhat bizarre. Like you're talking about all these people but at the same time, like there's a whole industry is built upon. Like talking about free agency moves in in other sports and like you see free trial even now. Like, like Dylan will put out a real, like, oh, this person's moved or this person's gone to this team and the book signing was a big thing and I think there needs to be more discussion around that type of movement as we professionalize it, um, and even like guys and gals like calling each other out and, like you know, like rivalries in the sport.
Speaker 1:These are these different things that you can build like drama lines around to discuss and I think it's kind of fun, right, like it, it's more, I don't know it. To me, I see it as more of the future, along with the personalized storytelling of around like video and media, um, but like I don't know the days of just doing a podcast and just having a one-on-one conversation, it's like, yeah, that was very 2016. Like what else? What else can I add to you? Like to, to, to, like, make it you know more of a thing and help tell these stories better, right?
Speaker 2:No, I think we're headed in the right direction. It's, just it's just, it just takes time.
Speaker 1:Um, one more thing on the Terex to get back to that Like so now, with Tom gone and going, can to be like their, their superstars as well. As eli and tabor, um, you know, all superstars in the making like tony mccann is like yo, and dan jones as well. In his way, he could very well go win western states this year. Dude, you could see eli go back to back at occ very well, and you know, and, um, yeah, these athletes are incredible, so it's going to be interesting to see, like, what their next big superstars are with tom departing, cause Tom's that gym level guy right.
Speaker 2:Right Right, I kind of expected after Tom. I kind of expected a six to um. I thought that was kind of going to be their big one, and then they were going to roll out a bunch of athletes behind there. I haven't seen any. I'm sure there's more on the Euro side that maybe we aren't aware of, but I can, I feel, quietly building something. So we'll have to see. We'll have to see Because I don't know where. Do you know where ASICS is based out of?
Speaker 1:I have no idea. Yeah, no, it could be France. It usually seems like all the brands are now, but like I could be totally wrong, it could be a German company, I'm not sure you know. And they've got some great, I mean like their, which that's a whole, nother conversation on its own Right.
Speaker 2:I'm curious to see if Stian, after coming back this season, is able to like build or rebuild a name maybe resign, I don't know. I'm cheering for him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, no, I think so too. I don't know, I've got a very strong feeling about anti-doping, but like the name, the man did clear his name.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:No, yeah, you gotta let him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let him race and see what happens I wish that process would have been better, but you know it's in the past now dude.
Speaker 1:He hired a big name american lawyer to get that all figured out. Yeah, like I'm sure he wasted like probably hundreds of thousands of dollars to get that all squared away, which is wild.
Speaker 2:But yeah, we have a long it seems like a long ways to go in that. Um, yeah, we'll have to see because, um, what's his name was saying? Who won Black Canyon Seth?
Speaker 1:He didn't get drug tested.
Speaker 1:Dude, it's not just him. Caleb didn't get drug tested either. What the fuck are we doing here? Listen, this is like a hold no fist back podcast. This is one of the few ones where you're going to catch me in rare form, but I got to say, from an anti-doping perspective, what are we doing? We need to listen. Like it's not that hard to get EPO I know it was, I think it was Finn was just talking about it. Like Finn with Caleb we're just talking about it on their podcast. Um, about like their just the availability of it. You could buy that shit off the internet. And like there's no drug testing. You're not following people. I guess if you can spin your own blood, which that's a dice roll, good luck not dying with that. But like, if you can do that, um, yeah, you're gonna, you could do it, so I it's. It's just bizarre dude.
Speaker 2:I love that these athletes are calling it out, though, especially the ones that didn't get it, Like the, the ones that I mean a shout out to like poo, poo to aravipa.
Speaker 1:Like you didn't drug test him, like you didn't drug test any of the podium. If that's real like dude.
Speaker 2:And this is a world, isn't this part of the?
Speaker 1:that's a world trail majors race yeah, and not only is a world trail, majors race, dude, trans can canary, same fucking thing like what are we doing here and then?
Speaker 2:in north face. I think north face put that on. You know they have the money to I don't know I, oh, I know, um, I don't know the logistics or anything of the money behind it.
Speaker 1:I mean, who knows, maybe we could be talking out of our ass, but yeah, Well, no, and the thing is like so dude, I'm like on the board of pikes, like that's a big discussion point, like there needs to be water drug testing at these things, like especially the money on the line too.
Speaker 2:It sounded like, yeah, there was a decent amount of money on the line at yeah.
Speaker 1:And it's funny like you'll get a lot of people that'll, you know, like I don't know, I think, if anyone wants to hear the discussion on it and wants good information, your two people to talk to are andy wacker and joe gray, because joe gray is one of the, like, most knowledgeable. Uh, people like he only races races where there is drug testing. Like he only goes, yes, well, because that's what being the goat is all about, dude, you, you know, like that's, yeah, he, he only does those things where there's going to be. And he says he's like I win just as much, if not more, prize money going to those races than any other. So, um, I hope that you know they're able to.
Speaker 1:I would imagine soon a P and our world selection or races are going to have drug testing. Uh, I'm sure Tom Hooper and Brandon Madigan whoever is over at Broken Arrow has that in place. Dude, I think the first time I ever met Eli and Tabor was Eli got pulled right after Broken Arrow after he won the 23K. It was like a few years ago, and he was getting tested. So I know Broken Arrow does testing. So, yeah, I don't know. It's an interesting thing to hear, though, that those two athletes in particular were not tested. Yeah, wild. Okay. So back to free agency. I'm curious to see, on the male side, who stuck out to you the most, who is still hasn't been picked up yet. Uh, I guess you could call it the hottest, the hottest male free agents on the market right now there's male, I would say, if well, it's just popping out to me right here what I'm looking at.
Speaker 2:The list, um for the on the female side would be that Madalena Floria. I don't understand that that's a pretty much guaranteed top 10, if not top five in Golden Trail. Automatically your brand is going to be everywhere with her.
Speaker 1:So I reached out to her for comment and didn't get anything back. So my curiosity is is either you got to remember too, with these conversations there's also a lot of non-disclosure agreements, so athletes can only say so much. Athletes obviously talk amongst themselves, but like it's like one of those things where I wonder if there was an offer in place and maybe she thought she could get more. Like maybe that she was offered like league minimum, something like that, and I was like, oh well, I think I could do better. Like I'm I'm top of the golden trail world series. Like I'm racing an extremely high level.
Speaker 1:She's a huge name in Europe. I would expect her to go. Like I'm surprised like Brooks didn't go get her, or like Hoka would have been perfect, yeah, 100, so, and maybe that's still in the mix. Like I said, I don't know her personally, there's only it's a lot of people in the sport, so I'm not entirely sure, but I think that that's an athlete that should, um should have been picked up big time and should have gone somewhere. Um, I do see also that, like henrietta albin, john john's partner oh yeah, is has departed arcteryx and has not re-signed with another brand.
Speaker 1:I don't know if that's just Maybe it's floating in negotiations there. I don't know. I can't speak too much to it, but I do know some of the folks internally on the Arc'teryx side are amazing people and they want to continue to build that team. I don't know what that looks like.
Speaker 2:Jade Bellsburg. Jade Bellsburg.
Speaker 1:I thought Jade resigned, or no, has she?
Speaker 2:Hasn't been updated yet.
Speaker 1:No, she left Topo. Yeah, no, you're right. So maybe that's in process as well. I did not reach out to her for comment so I'm not entirely sure. So there's a lot of like, really strong women that still have not been picked up. Jade Bellsburg is a huge name. Metaphil still have not been picked up. Jays Bellsburg is a huge name. Metafalina Sabrina I know, has a new Sabrina, stanley has a new and this is ultra. But like has a new sponsor in place, like. I haven't speculated as to like who it could be, so Sabrina is an interesting like. The people she follows are interesting. On Instagram, like doesn't follow Terex anymore, Only follows some of those of of those teammates. But like only follows two brands and one of them is satisfy and one of them isn't ginger. So we'll we'll see if one of those turns out to be it. I don't know Did you do.
Speaker 2:You know I have way too much time on my hands to look at those things. Do you know anything about her falling out with uh? Or was it just an end of the contract?
Speaker 1:I'm sure it was amicable, I don't know.
Speaker 2:I just feel like that was a really good fit yeah.
Speaker 1:And probably a great contract.
Speaker 2:So I'm kind of surprised there.
Speaker 1:I don't know, I can't speak to it. I don't know her personally, but yeah, it's an interesting one. I don't know.
Speaker 2:But yeah, and then, as for the men's, um, let's talk about Darren.
Speaker 1:So Darren just ran black Canyon. He dabbles between. I think he's a little more ultra curious now that he's doing some more long stuff. Um, we just had him out. He was on the podcast. He came on to do, came out to do Pike's uh, the marathon where he's had amazing history with. He were still ran himself into the top five or top 10 of the race.
Speaker 1:Um, and I think the only reason his performance was not to his satisfaction was probably because they drastically altered the race within the last like hour that the race was supposed to, or two hours the race was supposed to take place. Like it was cut down from, it became a glorified bartrell mountain race more or less, and I think from most of the athletes I had spoken to there like it's just like a mental switch. Like you're expecting to race 26, 27 miles, and when it's to cut in half and it's a much faster race too, it completely changes the dynamic of what's going to happen up front. So, yeah, I I think I don't know. I think Darren still has his best days in front of him. I think it's also Darren's an interesting cat man he's.
Speaker 1:Um, you know he just started working full time. Like he just finished his master's degree in geology, starts working full time. He's got like a big boy job now, like over the last few years, and it's like, okay, I have to. I'm a professional athlete so I got to train to that level and be at that level. But also I got to provide for my family and I got to work. I got to have. You know like it's, it's not easy to be at the top of the sport and as gifted as Darren is like, it's not easy to be able to do both things. So you know, my only hope is that he can land at the right place to be able to like give him enough support to not have to work that job and so he can like go be the world-class Darren that Darren is.
Speaker 1:Um, I can't speak for him cause I don't know if that's what he wants, but as a giant fan of Darren Thomas, I would love to see him kind of land in a place where he's going to be able to have those resources. Like he even said to me like we were talking about OCC when he came on the podcast and he's like, dude, it's an arms race, it has changed the game. Like the tip of the spear is like, if you're not full time, it is really hard to compete Like you can't do it, and he's right. You know you need those, you need that support and that's why, like you know, I know sometimes I'm very I'm extremely pro athlete, but like, the brand has its place, you know, um, these things are really important.
Speaker 1:Where you're going to be able to have the support to go travel, you're going to have the support to find a place to stay um, team houses, nutritionists, all these different things that come into play, um, that people don't think about, you know, and that's that's the little part that makes a huge difference. So, yeah, I don't know. I think that it would be. I would be really furious if, like, no one goes and like makes him an offer, like, come on, dude. Like that's that's the hot one of the hottest free agents on the market right now. Go get yourself a Darren Thomas. Like you know, if you're not blowing up his DMS or or ringing, giving him a ring, um what?
Speaker 1:are you doing. So, yeah, I'll get off my soapbox there. Um, the other one was, uh, andy, obviously. Um, you know, I'm surprised as far as, uh, you know him not. You know him still being a free agent, but maybe that's by choice, I don't know, yeah, no.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, I'm trying to think of who else. Uh, oh, all right, we can while we're on that topic. So free trail missed quite a few athletes that are not in the listings. Um, for free agency, both on the men's and women's side. Some people are free agents, Some people have signed um.
Speaker 1:A big one that I want to talk about is Aaron ton, our friend. Um, aaron's amazing person just got just departed. Um, she was a teammate of mine at sportivas, just departed sportiva to go to Teva. Um, and there are sandal branded that are have some really cool things in the pipeline. It seems like some really cool different shoes that they're working on. And I know Aaron now has going to have that full-time ability to be a full-time athlete to be able to pursue those big things in the mountains that she wants to do. So big shout out to Aaron. That's a huge non-traditional athletes are able to make it right. Like Aaron doesn't race that much, it's more on her end. It's redefining what it means for women on the FKT side. Like her, fkts are crazy Dude. I think she's the most. She has the most FKTs of anybody in the world, like women, wise crazy top top five for men and women.
Speaker 1:So, and she's only getting started from what it seems like. So with that it's cool to see that like she can make it in in the sport. You know someone like her without having to go race every weekend or you know whatever, but it's cool that a brand that you know we haven't really seen in this space.
Speaker 2:Um took a chance on somebody. Um, I mean I don't know if it's much of a chance. I mean you know what you're getting with her.
Speaker 1:So yeah, yeah, yeah, I also want to talk about um. Okay, so some other women's signings that I need to shout out for the sportiva team that we're not in free trail. Jane Moss just ended up on there. She's coming on the podcast on Friday, which I'm really excited to have a conversation with her teammate of mine, um may cook sportiva. Who's on the run in ski team. Big shout out to Meg um. Anna DeMonte. Um, who is popular on the ski and run side as well. Uh, I believe she's lost for Tiva run and ski team.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we're picking it up and we're making some solid women women signings. That's what I want to see is like our women's team is getting bolstered, which is awesome, along with and you know, I think what do we have Kelly Wolfe as well. Like we've got some really strong women on the team, so hopefully we can continue to recruit more and get some killers on there. I'd love to see this. Okay, so the big one I just had him on the podcast on Friday. He just came out yesterday Um Kyle Richardson I I can't tell you how much of a fan I am, because I'm such a fan Like what a good dude and he falls right into that category of like world-class talent can race his ass off if he wanted to, and he's a legend in boulder.
Speaker 1:I mean, you could talk about it like we talk about it all the time, like this guy's. Like I'm so happy we finally had him on. Um had a following like he. He parted ways with um black diamond back at the end of 2024 and is a free agent right now. I mean, you know, I'll let you say what you're gonna say on it and then and then I've got a rant, so so I'm excited for my rant, yeah.
Speaker 2:I don't think people and maybe I don't know, maybe this is like the Boulder bubble, colorado front range talking here but like I don't think people understand like the pull and like the influence that he has had on like so many people, um, in the past five, six years for a brand not to, not to sign him. It's, it's unfortunate, I don't know. It's unfortunate. It needs to happen because whoever it is, um, just know that you're, you're going to be getting someone that, like I don't know it just has such a such an integral history in in running on the front range here in Colorado and has such an impact on everybody and like if, if, if, if, if Kyle is like wearing something like people are going to like wear that, in a sense, like he has that type of like um type of pull on the community, um, so I know we mentioned our Tareks would be like an absolutely incredible fit. Um, we'll see. I mean he's, he's a pinnacle, like pure mountain athlete, mountain runner. Um, yeah, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 1:Oh, dude. So here we go. Yeah, uncle James is going to put this one together. I'm telling you right now, adam Campbell, if you're listening to this, let's, let's get, let's, let's get you two together. This, this deal needs to happen. I would love to see Kyle Richardson on the Arcteryx team. I think that's the most logical next fit for him. He's a pure mountain athlete. He can race his ass off as well. He's got some big plans. He wants to go to Zagama, he wants to do these big races.
Speaker 2:And as well as what he mentioned, when I listened to your podcast with him it sounded like he worked side by side with BD quite a bit on the equipment side of things. So on the equipment side of things. So it's like you're getting someone that like has that experience, like if you were to like look on a resume and be like, wow, this guy has been with this company this long and he's developed this many different this, all this different equipment, and has like perfected it. And everybody knows like how good some of those BD products were that he um probably had a say in Um and I'm sure our Terrix could use that. Maybe, maybe not, I don't know. Maybe they have everyone they need. I have no idea. But but having his, they're growing, they're trying to grow?
Speaker 1:Yeah, but no having his input.
Speaker 2:I don't think that's going to hurt.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like I said, I think that if there's any logical fit from like if I, you know what is it? The crystal ball now in college football? The crystal ball someone, if they want to transfer.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I don't know. I just find it like if I'm crystal balling Kyle Richardson anywhere, it's going to Arterix, like it's just. It's such a natural fit, like I don't know why that wouldn't make like I don't know. The reason is because, like and this is no shade against Black Diamond, but we talked about this in our podcast episode that we had done that, like Black Diamond was really big on the scene with the distance, their whole distance line. They were making some incredible products and kind of pulled it back, maybe less investment there, and like at one point in time, like they could have competed with Artex.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, and we're competing. There was rumors that they were going into the shoe market.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, that's dude. I don't know if everybody remembers, but like Mike, Ambrose was brought on, was brought on to Black Diamond to go develop the shoe situation.
Speaker 2:And now, where is he now? And now, look at what happened so you can see, yeah.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, you can draw your own conclusions on their people, but like and this is no shit against Black Diamond, Whatever they want to do in their space, it's fine. I think at one point in time they like had some serious potential, but now that Arc'teryx has grown they have some great. Did you see the new shoes they're just coming out with?
Speaker 2:Arc'teryx shoes. Yeah, oh dude.
Speaker 1:Yeah, some great new shoes are coming out with a whole new technical mountain running line. To me, if I'm crystal balling somebody, it's Kyle Richardson, Arc'teryx. Let's speak that into existence. I think that would be sweet Perfect.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 1:I'm sure I'm sure he's ever listened to this, is probably laughing right now, including Adam Campbell. But that said, yeah, all right. So let's get into a few more. I do want to talk about Fred Tranchard, french athlete. Left Merrill and he went to, or left Scott to go to, merrill. I know Merrill has been heavily investing now and now they got like a big name, I think, as far as, like the golden trail series side. Um, because they had remy, remy larue, let me. Really. Left he went to, uh, obviously went to brooks on the euro side as long. You know anthony felber as well to brooks.
Speaker 1:So it's interesting that now, like merrill's, got their guy on that I wonder if they're going to kind of develop him into their next like big superstar on the merrill side, like for the euros kind of all all in. I mean, they're like the lead sponsor of sky running series yeah, they are yeah, right, yeah, so they'll probably that's their guy their shoe line right now is like pretty top tier um of what I'm seeing um yeah they have.
Speaker 2:They have a bright future. I think. Um, I don't know as much on the us side how many US athletes I know they have Morgan Elliott.
Speaker 1:Yep Mercedes.
Speaker 2:Mercedes, but I think on the Euro side they're pretty stacked Again, probably because more of that sky running. But yeah, yeah, they're another brand, they're another one, they're up and coming for sure.
Speaker 1:I'd love to see it. So Norda made two signings as well Ethan Peters, who I'm not too aware of, as well as Anna Tarasova Do you familiar with either of those names?
Speaker 2:I want to say they're ultra.
Speaker 1:Oh, I would say probably ultra as well. So it's like I'm going to. I'm going to put this out to the world as well, like Jason Schlarb, if you some sub ultra athletes like get them rocking the 002s or 005s exactly.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, that's an investment to make right there in the sub ultra side, like it'd be cool for that. Um, so some brands that were not listed, like I was surprised. Obviously, oscillate made their their big signing with alley. Um, I didn't see anything in saucony. Saucony didn't really make any signings right now, which is surprising. So it goes to show me that, like they might be divesting a little bit on the trail space. Asics made two signings as well. They probably, jesus Christ, threw the bag at Tom Evans, so that's probably their entire marketing budget for the year.
Speaker 2:Not much movement on the Nike side of things, it seems.
Speaker 1:No, Nike got Gabrielle LaSalle, who left from. Solomon, I think it's a Euro athlete.
Speaker 2:But I think it's a Euro athlete. But I think they have like a net negative, like I think they got rid of more than they Nike did.
Speaker 1:They got yeah, so yeah you know, dude who I really would love to see kind of come back on the scene and like had the ability from the sub-ultra size. Matt Daniels, you knew her exactly where.
Speaker 1:I was going with that. Yeah, yeah, big Matt Daniels fan boy and he's just like dude you're talking sub for Myler. He's so fast and even like you know, joe, after spending time with Joe. Joe gives out compliments occasionally and one of the compliments I have heard him throw out is he gave some kudos to Matt Daniels of having true potential. Could have been really good on the sub-ultra side. But you know, I don't know. Maybe he'll come back, we'll see. He could still compete. He's old now, I mean he's what 30s you know. So we'll see.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 1:He's got time. Yeah, that's true. That's true, um, anybody? Do you think we missed? What about VJ? Dude familiar with um, but I would like to see vj, because vj's shoes are legit. Man, oh yeah, we were just talking about their shoes.
Speaker 2:Um, some notable stuff there, um, but small brand still, you know, small um yeah, no, I'm surprised still they haven't dipped their their toes in the sub ultra I'm surprised cordis hall didn't like try and make moves to come back or do something new.
Speaker 1:He left.
Speaker 2:I imagine they re-signed his wife. Yes, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's going to be interesting as well. I don't know, I mean, dude, maybe some people are just ready for that extra time in their life and don't really want to do it anymore.
Speaker 1:You know I get it. The only one that stands out to me too and that's more ultra focused and I think warrants a conversation, was devin yanko with lulu lemon. I'd be curious to kind of get your perspective on that. Just and this is like not bashing any anything, there's none of that here. It's more so, just like her side of the story was like kind of very upsetting, like it was kind of very frustrating. Can you remind me what she's? Or? Yeah, I can send you the instagram. I could even read the Instagram post if you want. Um, but it was along the lines of like she just had kind of a long-term deal there and it was kind of cut short.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I think maybe maybe Lulu didn't quite know what they were getting themselves into when they like started this whole thing and they did that whole like like was this really all just for like that big project, that distance project thing that they did last year? And then it was just like we're gonna see what it's like and we're gonna get a bunch of data from that or whatever, and then we're done now or whatever. I I don't know. It seems like their team has shrunk yeah, and that's the thing.
Speaker 1:What I find interesting is they they did extend, uh, and that was publicly made. Um, yeah, yeah lingling um was extended. So, yeah, I don't know, I don't know what went into that. Yeah, camille hutter issues and that's no longer a thing. And yeah, now they got rid of devon. So it's like they, they have really thinned out the herd and so it seems like maybe they only have actually like one true like runner, if you will at this point.
Speaker 2:So they have so much money? Yeah, they do. They have so much money, Dude. They have stupid money Like come on.
Speaker 1:So I guess it's safe to say, because it's been the term transient has been used and thrown around a lot and I don't know, maybe that's true to say, like it'd be interesting to see, like maybe transient is a different thing, maybe they just want it back Because, want to back um, because the distance project was all, from what I understand was camille's idea, from what public information divulges. So yeah, I don't know, it's interesting. I just feel bad for devon, because devon's a really good person and I know she's a huge part of that community out in salida and like 7 000 foot running co and, like you know, it was just a very um, pull at your heart strings kind of post because, like you know, like she's one of those people that you know, like, like I said before, like when you have these partnerships you rely on it's the help to get you to these places and do these things and and train like a professional. It's a lot of work, dude, and having those partnerships. I'm sure Lululemon like to lose that income and lose. So yeah, it's unfortunate.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and they like just launched shoes at like the same kind of time.
Speaker 1:Now it's just have you heard anything about their shoes Like?
Speaker 2:I've heard some people say some pretty good things. Does the girlfriend use them? Does anybody use them? No, no, no, rose, didn't try them either.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we're a sportiva household here.
Speaker 2:One thing I wanted just to like throw out there too um, do you think we could maybe start seeing more athletes um kind of choose, a more freedom based, kind of like alley um, where they pick a brand that maybe is more, I don't know like just equipment and like clothes centric for and so they have like the freedom of shoes, like I'm seeing some people on here like casey licktide just signed to just rabbit, and then there was another one, um blanket on the name but just signed to um but yeah, Allie with Ossily John G, John G as well.
Speaker 1:And then satisfy.
Speaker 2:I mean, I think they're going to end up having shoes at some point.
Speaker 1:But just like coming out this year, okay, yeah.
Speaker 2:But, but again, like just these, these brands that are just mainly just just clothes, Um, yeah, I don't know that that could be something.
Speaker 1:Dude, I really agree with you. I think there's something, it's a superpower a little bit, when you have the ability to use whatever shoe you want. And the reason I say that is because, like I, yes, I'm a sportive athlete, but like they don't make road shoes. So I just started dabbling with like some sock and he road shoes and I was like Holy, holy shit, like these, these are pretty dope, like what do we got here, um, and yeah, I was like you know having that ability to have, like you know, I mean, obviously, mine's a little bit different case where it's, you know, freedom on the roads, but like, but if you're in hoka, like you gotta race in hokas, baby, one way or another you pick, you know your road in trail so yeah, I, I think there's something to that and just how I think the apparel situation too, um kind of alleviates pressure, where you can race in any shoes you want, and I, I would imagine, obviously, if it's not a shoe, you're probably getting paid less.
Speaker 1:But, like, with getting paid less means there's less to do, like less, um, how do I say this? Uh, like, maybe your commitments are a little bit different, right, like, maybe, maybe to a lesser extent, sure, maybe more, I don't know. Jng Kayla Rosemeyer has them doing all kinds of really fun shit. With JNG. They're going all over the place and doing these shoots out. They were just in, like what was it? What's that country next to Algeria where Al-Hussein is from Morocco? There you go. Yeah, yeah, dude, they. Uh, or uh, who seems from Morocco? There you go, yeah, yeah, dude, they went to.
Speaker 2:I think it was.
Speaker 1:Morocco. They were somewhere. Um, yeah, it was like a cool group of athletes that went out there and did it. So, like dude, I would love to go shoot on V on location just to look good in a, in a, in some running tights's, just like. You know, it's just an apparel thing. You know you can wear whatever shoes you want and I think I don't know I've never struggled with this, but I do know athletes that do. Some shoes just don't work for people. Man, I know in the early days with the North face, before they came out with all these amazing super shoes like the North Face shoes which is a bummer because that's a first ballot hall of famer right there and you're letting her go. She's got a book, she's a huge name in the sport, so to let her go over something so dumb, I don't know. But at the end of the day, I understand the brand's perspective too. If you're the brand, you want them to wear your shoes. I don't know. I think you hit a good point there.
Speaker 2:What else? What do you think? We missed. One other thing too, again more on the ultra, I guess, side of things, but she's a local, so I want to shout her out. And she was a free agent as well. Allison Baca oh no, I thought she went to Hoka. No, she was a free agent and went to Hoka so I think, and she just won Black Canyon 50k.
Speaker 2:I think she's coached by Eli, and Tabor too, I believe so and I think that she's probably going to end up having a spot on the world's team would be my guess. I think it's going to be a massive year for her. I'm super excited for her. Cheering for her she's awesome. Another one, too, that I wanted to mention. Again on the maybe more ultra side of things, I'm glad that um hoka finally actually like fully signed, not just like jim's partner or whatever but, I'm excited that justice with hoka, that's.
Speaker 2:That's gonna be really cool, because she crushed it last year at um we called it dude broken arrow. Yeah, yeah yeah, so we'll see yeah, we'll see.
Speaker 1:I wonder if she's gonna come. I know she signed up for the VK and the 46K this year at Broken Arrow. Like I yeah, dude, I it's hard for me to actually pronunciate and put into words like how competitive Broken Arrow is going to be this year, like that's a crazy weekend, dude, like probably the biggest weekend of our sport.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like ever probably the biggest weekend of our sport. Yeah, like ever with golden trail. Um, you know, I've talked about this on a few podcasts now. I'm so curious. I've had some people tell me now I don't think so, but I really think we get Remy Bonet in the in the broken arrow VK, and I think we get Remy. We get maybe Anthony Felber, maybe a few guys that come over. I think you might even get a Roberto De Lorenzi to mix it up. I know a few last year, a few guys that were in town. Uh, like, um, I don't know who's John albums training partner a Petter.
Speaker 1:Petter was like mixed it up, but Petter is not, like he's a great athlete, he's world-class, but like he's not, you know, an amazing uphill athlete, so like on the golden trail circuit. So it's going to be really interesting to see if something, because you gotta remember, the vk is on friday.
Speaker 2:Yep, the golden trail race is on sunday, dude you got it, you got a day to do it. I put 100, all right, so this brings this brings us.
Speaker 1:This brings this crazy thing up here. So now we get the remy, we get the rematch between patrick joe and remy and the stakes are high. Stakes are higher than they've ever been. I mean, I get it like maybe the stakes are a little higher at Pikes because it's like Joe's local mountain and Joe's won the race now five times, but it's like dude.
Speaker 2:Go with this field? What?
Speaker 1:happens, it's going to be so great. And then on the women's side, dude All these absolute crushers. Is Joyce Nauru just completely wiped the floor with the ladies, or does All just completely wiped the floor with the ladies, or does, like ali mac, take the dub?
Speaker 2:and beat joyce, like, which is totally possible. Ali's a monster or anna gibson, I mean she's on a gibson as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I um, I know I talk about this literally every podcast like a broken record. But I am so excited for broken arrow this year and soon it's gonna be good too. But like broken arrow, just with that, that whole grouping of just so many races, that it's, uh, probably the biggest weekend of our sport, like it's. I think it's going to be hard for western states to top. I mean, obviously there's going to be like the most like legit competitive western states ever, with killian in town. What if killian comes and does the vk dude like?
Speaker 2:is that even possible? Like I think that's definitely possible. Yeah, because it's what Two weekends before, yeah, and then we'll Jim ever.
Speaker 1:Do you think, jim? Yeah, it's the weekend before, and does Jim ever break the curse Like cause? Jim's never beaten Killian. I don't think it's never happened. Oh man, and could you imagine if killing shows? So here's the thing, my take on Jim. I think he'll be good at the vk. I think he's not going to get second like he did last year, and the reason I say that is just because, like he doesn't, this is a usatf race. There's no wizard sticks, so you can't, can't, you know wizard, stick your way to the, to the finish line, but jim's still top five, easy, you know top ten.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't know. I'm not saying that he wasn't focused on, like, western states last year, but I feel like this year, like just with that competition, and like you're going to be making a true statement by by winning it this year that maybe he won't even show up there and he'll just be like I am strictly focused on, I'm not trying to make any statements. I'm trying to make a statement at western and I'm all in on that.
Speaker 1:Well, the thing with jim is like off of, I think off a resume alone. I I can't speak too much to this, but like I know obviously he's applying resume wise. Like, come on, why wouldn't he for the long trail? Um, it's just interesting to me that he would be signed up for like the vk again. I know it's very euro of him, but like I, like he could get into the like on it. So jim's so good at climbing that like he could get in off a resume spot, which I'm surprised.
Speaker 1:Joe is gonna like go to broken arrow and to go like like that's gonna show you what a fucking dog dude like, what a beast he is like to go to Broken Arrow and to go like. They're just going to show you what a fucking dog dude Like, what a beast he is Like to go to Broken Arrow, beat all these young whippersnappers, which he's probably going to do. Listen, he might not beat Remy and he might not beat like Patrick, but what American is going to challenge him? Dude Like Dan Kurtz is possible. Dan Kurtz is phenomenal, I don't know like Dan Kurtz is possible.
Speaker 2:Dan Kurtz is phenomenal.
Speaker 1:I don't know if Dan Kurtz is going Remy LaRue, but he's a Canadian, so it's like all right, who's going to challenge Joe for up front? I don't see it. Like I don't see it happening, dude, unless Father Time got him in the last six months that I haven't seen him. But like I don't know, we'll see. We'll see going to be great. Um, all right, I'm done rambling. You got anything else to add?
Speaker 2:no, I think we hit it all. This is a great episode.
Speaker 1:Yeah, this is fun listen, wishing you the best of luck. We'll have you on again, obviously, whenever you want to, your microphone too. So yeah well, uh, I like these little free agency episodes and I'm glad we were able to uh to do this man yeah, me too.
Speaker 2:Thanks for having me thanks bro, what'd you guys think?
Speaker 1:oh man, what a fun episode. Lots of hot takes, takes there, lots of banter, lots of conversation, lots of speculation all kinds of good stuff the juicy stuff, if you will. It's always fun to have these conversations around the sport. I feel like we don't have enough of them talking about things like free agency, who's moving to one brand or another, who's getting dropped, what is this, what is that? Yeah, it's fun conversation. I think it's something that needs. We need more of in the sport. You know I love doing the one on one on one interviews. I think there's a time and a place for that, but I think there's definitely a lot more opportunity to have some of these conversations around just the trail talk. You know the the inside baseball. You know who's moving where, who's doing what, who's training with who, who's got beef with who you know and's moving where, who's doing what, who's training with who, who's got beef with who you know and who's going to what brand and leaving the others. So yeah, it's cool. It's cool stuff. I definitely really enjoy these conversations. If you happen to have any strong opinions or comments, send them to my DMS. I'd love to chat with you. I think there's always room in the sport for disagreement and conversation, and I'd be happy to address questions, concerns and whatnot and hopefully have some meaningful conversation there. Yeah, like I said, I hope you guys got some value out of this one. These are always so much fun. So, moving on, if you guys did enjoy this one, I first of all want to say thank you so much for tuning in. That means the absolute world to me. If you did enjoy it, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple and Spotify or YouTube, wherever you do consume your podcast. Moving on to from that, I do want to invite you guys if you happen to be on the front range I know I sound like a broken record because we're putting out the bat signal for this one, but if you guys are on the front range in Boulder, colorado Springs, wherever I'd love to personally, from the bottom of my heart, just invite you guys to our one-year birthday bash.
Speaker 1:That's going to be taking place Saturday, march 29th at the Colorado Running Company in Colorado Springs. Do check that out if you guys have some interest. We've got lots of brands showing up to do giveaways. We're going to be doing some demos. Ultimate Direction will be there providing refreshments as well as doing product demos to show you, guys, some of the new race and ultra vests that are dropping this month, which are sick. Um, yeah, we're going to be doing a group run and then followed up by a live podcast with a special guest who is yet to be named. Um, hopefully you're going to be able to put that out in Saturday or Friday's episode. Who that person's going to be? Um, as we are nearing the finish line on that, yeah, appreciate it, guys. Very, very last but not least, use code steepstuffpod on ultimate directioncom to get yourself 25% off any hydration solutions that you might need. Thanks, guys, for tuning in. I really appreciate the support. Yeah, I hope you guys enjoyed this one.
Speaker 1:It was a wild one, thank you.
