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#91 - Emily Clarke - 2025 Trail Team Elite Selection
From the rugged trails of rural New Mexico to NCAA Division I running and now the competitive mountain racing scene, Emily Clarke's journey represents a thoughtful evolution in running specialties that many athletes aspire to navigate. Fresh off her selection to the 2025 Trail Team Elite roster and a second-place finish at Way Too Cool 50K, Emily joins us to share the insights she's gathered along her unique path.
Growing up with national forest trails literally at her backdoor, Emily developed an early appreciation for mountain running before heading to college. Her collegiate career took her from Claremont Mudd Scripps to the University of Nevada, where she became immersed in a trail running culture she "knew nothing about" through teammates and her eventual coach, MK Sullivan. That connection with MK has evolved from potential college coach to current mentor, providing Emily with invaluable guidance as she transitions into competitive trail racing.
Now based in Flagstaff's thriving mountain running community, Emily shares her approach to balancing road speed with technical trail skills. Her recent 50K performance demonstrated both her strengths and weaknesses – leading for 26 miles before struggling on a technical downhill section. With refreshing candor, she discusses her nutrition strategies, training philosophy, and the importance of "controlling the controllables" while maintaining a healthy relationship with competition.
As she prepares for prestigious races at Broken Arrow and Tsunopee, Emily offers a window into the mindset of an emerging trail talent who's thoughtfully building her career one race at a time. Her balanced perspective on competition, rating herself just a "6 out of 10" on the competitive scale while focusing on personal improvement, might be the secret ingredient to her early success.
Whether you're a competitive runner looking to transition to trails or simply curious about what makes trail elites tick, Emily's journey provides valuable lessons on finding flow in both track and trail environments. Follow her progress on Instagram @_emilaria as she tackles the 2025 season with the perfect blend of track speed and mountain grit.
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What's up, boys and girls, welcome back to the steep stuff podcast. I'm your host, james Lariello, and I'm so excited to bring you guys an episode this morning with none other than Miss Emily Clark. The 2025 trail team elite standout selection joins us on the pod not too long after her second place finish at the way too cool 50k back in March. Really fun conversation. We talked about her track and field seasons and kind of what she did at the University of Nevada. We talked about her 2024 season. She's got actually got a lot of racing experience and plans for 2025, where she'll be competing both at Tsunopee and Broken Arrow. So that's the Mountain Classic and the Ascent, as well as the 23k. We talked about New Mexico, what it's like living in Flagstaff and so much more. It was a great episode. We also talked actually a lot about nutrition and training theory, which was a fun one as well. So, guys, I really enjoyed this one. I hope you enjoyed too.
Speaker 1:Without further ado, none other than Emily Clark. It's time. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. We are live. Listen up, guys.
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Speaker 1:Hop on ultimate directioncom and use code steep stuff pod Again. That's steep stuff pod for 25% off your new vest. I mean, they're already affordably priced, but 25% off is just going to make it so much more affordable for folks in an already increasingly expensive trail running environment. So hop on ultimate directioncom, get yourself a new vest, a pack or any hydration solution and let me know what you guys think. Emily Clark, welcome to the steep stuff podcast. How you doing today.
Speaker 2:I'm doing well.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for having me, yeah yeah, yeah, I'm stoked to finally have this conversation. I'm glad we were able to do this. Congratulations on making the 2025 Trail Team a lead team. It's pretty sweet. Thank you. Yeah, it's a super exciting opportunity, really excited for the year. Yeah, yeah, it should be super fun. All right, so before we dive in, maybe give me I mean, I did some research on your background and stuff like that and we'll dissect questions from there but let me be giving you like the five minute elevator pitch on like your background, how you got into running, where you're from, stuff like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah for sure. So I grew up in rural New Mexico outside of Albuquerque and I grew up running trails, national forest, like right up against my backyard. So it was super lucky to get to like chase my dad around on these loops that he had like incorporated into his marathon training for for years and years and years um. So I grew up loving the mountains, um, and like trail running was one of like my first. It was kind of like the first type of running that I that I really got into um yeah, and then I went over to um Claremont, california, um, and ran cross country and track for Claremont Moods Crips, a D3 school out there. Um had a really awesome experience, um, and then had the opportunity to like keep pursuing um the rest of my NCAA eligibility, um, went up to Reno, was recruited by MK Sullivan Um and um yeah, ran a, finished off my eligibility up there, um, and in the process kind of like got uh introduced to the world of trail racing that I didn't even like really know uh, no, that I that I knew nothing about.
Speaker 2:Um watching MK crush it Um, and I had some teammates uh, page who's um, for uh, the North face in australia, um, and then adam schoen, like kind of like doing the the crossover thing, um, you know, running track and cross country while also being like really, really good, um, on the trails. Um, yeah, and we're super lucky up there we have this like incredible system of uh called rancho, like half a mile from campus, so all our easy runs were were up there in the, in the reno hills. Um, and yeah, um, when I finished up there I knew I wanted to keep running and I was pretty excited about about the trail side of things, more so than the track and road at that point and moved up to flagstaff to be a little closer to my family and, you know, get to experience this really epic running community. And, yeah, out here right now.
Speaker 1:Super cool, love to hear it. Love to hear it. All right, so I got a bunch of questions based off that. First one I got to ask you is like, what is it like having Because MK is one of the biggest female names in the sport, obviously, she's got a rocking podcast and she's like she's just a big contributor to the sport in a lot of ways what was it like having her as a coach?
Speaker 2:So it was actually really funny. So she recruited me and I honestly I picked Nevada because I really wanted to run for her. Um, it was like, wow, she's so incredible, like such an inspiring um athlete. And then, like I felt like we connected really well. And then, and then it was like my finals week in my like last season at CMS or last semester and I get a call from MK and she's like, hey, so I'm so sorry, but I'm going to actually not be coaching anymore, I'm going to go all in on my own running. It was like, oh, I'm so happy for you, that's so awesome.
Speaker 2:And at that point, like I was going to Nevada and I was really excited about it.
Speaker 2:And at that point, like I was going to Nevada and I was really excited about it, but while I was in Nevada she wasn't actually my coach and it worked out great because I got to like run with her on the weekends, like we became really good friends. And then, after I like finished up, like in the spring, it felt like like a natural transition. So she's my coach now. So like she started coaching me that May and we've been working together since then and, yeah, been a been a cool kind of unique path, um, and it's so inspiring, uh, so just to get to like see her like she can like hurt like no one else, um, and getting to see that like up close, you know, on on runs together and I got to pace her at Black Canyon, um, for the last like little stretch there, um, it's, it's really, it's really neat, it like, yeah, I feel like it helps me get more out of myself and I want to be like mk when I grow up and you know all that good stuff she's a monster.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I guess definitely someone that I admire in the sport, like great person, great human, but like even more so, just like some of the stuff that she's been able to do over the last few years is absolutely crazy. So that's super cool to be able to learn from someone like that and, you know, just have someone like that as a like a mentor in a lot of ways. Like I feel like that's maybe one of the hardest things, like when you come into the sport, especially maybe from like the NCAA background, trying to figure out like okay, like what do I do? What races are the ones that are competitive? How do I get into these races? Like just obviously, the trail team will help play a role with that too, but like, even just like having someone like mk in your corner to be able to like coach you and kind of show you the way who's already kind of going through it, it just like makes such a huge difference.
Speaker 2:So yeah, absolutely 100, and like the approach that she brings to it is really like refreshing and and um, one that I like to try to model, like it's it's not that big of a deal, you know, it's just running. Um, it's it's supposed to be really fun, like we can do really hard things and make it really fun. Um, and yeah, it's awesome.
Speaker 1:Super cool, Super cool. Let's talk New Mexico for a second, just because, like I, I have a good buddy of mine shout out to Jeff Cuno uh, that is a New Mexico guy. Um, I just feel like the trail scene there is very slept on, Like I was really happy to see her in your ultra sign up, Like you were signed up for Ymez and Mount Taylor. Like I know you haven't run those races before, but like I'm just kind of curious as like what inspires you about them? I know Ymez is like pretty competitive, Like it should be a pretty sweet like throw down of a race. So tell me, tell me about that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I for him is, um, like I haven't run those trails or much in that area at all, but like just growing up, like exploring the new mexico wilderness, it's. It's such a underrated, like beautiful, beautiful place, um, and it's kind of a I think it's a growing trail community. It was cool this past year in albuquerque. Um, there were a couple like little races they put on in in the foothills and those trails are just like fun and flowy and there was like pretty good turnout for it. So I made sure to like drive back on over to to go support that scene. Um, it's just like, you know, it's a fun little homecoming. Uh, like to return to, you know, mountains that I, that I really love, and then, um, like they're, they're good trails and they're good events, yeah, super cool.
Speaker 1:What is it like for you now living in flagstaff? Like obviously it's like killer's row of like like every athlete in the world pretty much lives there. Let's either like a competitive marathon or or, you know, ultra marathon or whatever, and you know like it's just such a crazy place of like athletes. Like how are you adjusting? Like what do you think? Like, how do you like that area or that town in general?
Speaker 2:I've been loving it. I mean, just like Flagstaff, where it is and what we have, especially in terms of trails, is so unique, and so you know it's such a treat. We can go to the canyon in half an hour. We can be down in Sedona if it's snowing up here in an hour or sorry, sorry, hour and a half to the canyon, um, like within within two hours, we can do anything, um, and then you know, we have our own mountains, like right, right here.
Speaker 2:It's. It's super cool also just to be like so, just so, surrounded by like people who are, you know, doing way crazier things than you are like every single day, every single weekend. It's super inspiring and like you can learn so much just by talking to people and getting a sense of why they're doing what they're doing and where they've been and how they got here. So I'm just trying to take it all in and really get dragged down some techie descents by people who are much better at them than I am and, yeah, I feel really privileged to get to be here right now.
Speaker 1:It's super cool. Yeah, it's such a spot I feel like too. The diversity of trails is just really good. You can get your dirt roads, you can get your flat stuff, but also you can get your steep and technical and old in and around there. So it's, I guess, the what's the name of that mountain that opens up by the ski bowl. I can't remember.
Speaker 2:Humphreys.
Speaker 1:Yeah, super cool, super cool. I got to ask you, sue, you just ran a 5K, was it this past weekend or something like that? Tell me about that. What went down there?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I guess at the beginning of March I ran a 50K over in Way Too Cool and I wasn't sure exactly how the body was going to come off it. But some friends in in flag, we're looking for like a fun road race to go out to, and Carlsbad's only like seven hours from us. So we're like, okay, cool, we'll make a road trip to the beach out of the deal, like rip a little 5k. And yeah, I the the comeback from the turnaround from the 50K was like a little bit slower than maybe I'd hoped, and so it was.
Speaker 2:It was really just like a good vibes. Uh, go run fast with my friends like you know, see how it feels to to rip a, to rip a 5K for the first time in a long time. Um, and yeah, I think it's, it's really good to, you know, run fast and it was. It was pretty like refreshing to like not have it feel like a big deal or anything like that. And it was neat because Carly and Andy and some other trail team folk were out there too, so we got to get dinner with them Like I ran with Carly for most of the race. Yeah, great little trip, like feel like it built some momentum for for trail season here, even though it'll be totally different.
Speaker 1:Super fun, super. I I don't know. I just feel like I don't know and you could tell me how you think about this. But like I, I find a lot of people that like, identify as trail runners and don't really open up on the roads at all. And I'm just like man, like you could have a whole road season and a whole trail season and it's just like so much fun because you could build so much fitness. I don't know the way you view it. I'm curious to get your take on this. Like, as you evolve and grow in the sport, like, will you try and keep like a track and road season and then do a trail season? It seems to be the way like a lot of like the higher end athletes are doing it these days.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, I think running fast is really fun and I think being able to like kind of nail fast workouts is also like a really good skill. That like will hopefully like help me continue to improve as a trail athlete, even when it's not specifically like transferable. So I did like a like a big build for a half this this um winter and I felt like that set me up like super well for the 50k. So I definitely plan to kind of keep that that sort of like you know dedicated period of like all right, you're ripping some, some like hard, hard, hard tempos and stuff um as part of every year, because I don't want to, I don't want to lose my, lose my speed and and everything builds on it on itself, I feel like way stronger as a as a fast runner than I than I, or as a flat and fast runner than I than I did a year ago, like with all the trail miles under my legs after this past and yeah, vice versa.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's something to be said about it. Like it is really like I've been doing a block on the like, mostly on the roads and track, over the last three weeks and like I'm just like man, like I wish I did this longer, like it's just so much fun. Before I got on the phone with you, I was just I came back starts to wear on you. You start to really enjoy being able to run fast. It's like wow, I you know cause trail running, especially for like steep mountain stuff, like, relatively speaking, like I'm, it's not very fast, like it can be, but like depending on what you're running. But so when you're ripping it up on the trail or on the roads, it's, it's kind of a blast. Um, curious about your build right now are you starting to get like more specific and get ready for sunup and broken arrow?
Speaker 2:yeah. So this week is kind of like a yeah, um, you know, return to vert, basically, um and so like doing a lot of like steep hike doubles and um, just trying to like get the legs primed to be able to, to be able to like have a big, big block of that this this spring. Um, I think that, like for me, I'll get fit and I'll like the uphills will will be good, but I really need to like work on the technicality of the downhills for centerpiece specifically. So, um, yeah, I think after after carlsbad, we've like turned the corner. It's like fully trail season. Now. I'll definitely do some like flat stuff, uh, here and there, but mostly know we're going to the canyon this weekend and, yeah, just like lots of Eldon Lops.
Speaker 1:Nice, nice, Love to hear it. Okay, cool, Are you so you've, you've? You've raced a Broken Arrow before, so are you must be so stoked to go back and rip it up this year. What are your thoughts on that? What are your thoughts on that? What are you more excited for Soon to appear broken arrow.
Speaker 2:Oh, they're so different. I'm so excited for the both. I feel like Senate is exciting because I think I have like a lot I can work on to to try to nail that day. But broken arrow Um, it feels like a home race because I spent like two years in Reno and it's, you know, 45 minutes away from Reno, um, so I ran the 11k like in between my like two Nevada seasons uh, in 2023 I guess and that was so fun like it was the super snowy year, so it was like I had never glissaded before and I never did anything like that before and you know, just ripping down the mountain, um, and it was just like a really fun introduction.
Speaker 2:So, uh, very positive taste in my mouth about Broken Arrow.
Speaker 2:And then last year, um, I was coming off like a pretty big injury in the spring that like unfortunately cut that like track season short and I was being pretty stubborn like I was like I'm gonna race trails this summer I don't even care like and and luckily my body held up for it and MK like helped me do that in a in a smart way.
Speaker 2:So I ended up running the VK rather than the 23k that year and, you know, just like a little easier on the body and I was like way undercooked, but it was a good, a good learning experience, you know. And now I'm really excited to get to return to it, like with some fitness and also knowledge of the course and like, yeah, it's going to be such a loaded year, so super excited to be able to do the double and to like, yeah, I feel like I can like be as competitive as I want to be. Um, rather than just like being grateful to, I mean, I was very grateful to be able to race at all last year, but this year we're going to hit it. I'm really excited.
Speaker 1:Oh, I love to hear it. That's super exciting. What do you think? Like? I mean, I don't know, I feel like for a track and field athlete, like, obviously, like you see, like ladies like Anna Gibson come off the track and just absolutely nail.
Speaker 2:The VK Is your strength more in the climbing, if you will, or like what is your strength flying? It was kind of funny last year because so, yeah, I was coming off that injury and a lot of what I was doing before I could run a lot was just like hard steep hikes, and it's wild, like you know how hard you can make a steep hike, and so I felt like last year my strength was honestly like the steepest parts of each of those races, Um, so like the beginning of the VK at Broken Arrow and like the upper walking bus segment at Loon, Um, and I think that like I'm excited to carry that, that like that background from last year forward into this year, that background from last year forward into this year, Um, but yeah, I think I also have like a pretty good aerobic engine, um, that translates pretty well to uphills. So I would say that that's my strength, Um, and then you know when, when there's places to turn over, I've got the turnover. So, yeah, working on the downhills, working on the downhills working on the downhills.
Speaker 1:I feel like that's every everyone's weakness. I hate technical downhills. Working on the downhills, working on the downhills, I feel like that's every everyone's weakness.
Speaker 2:I hate technical downhills.
Speaker 1:I think everybody does. I think you have to like, learn to love it. Like the only person I know that I think I've ever talked to on the podcast, that's like, I love technical downhills is like dan kurtz. I'm like what a random thing. You're a track and field athlete. I think you would be amazing on the uphill, like what the hell. So, yeah, some people are, it's different. Um, yeah, so let's talk. Let's talk about your schedule. So, obviously, you got you mez, you got franklin. Obviously soon api, broken arrow. Is there anything on there that's not showing up on ultra?
Speaker 2:sign up that, uh, you're going to be going to um, I think my plan is kind of to like hit the beginning half of the season here, you know, with um hey mez, son of p, broken arrow um and of like, assess where we're at um and build, you know, the rest of the summer based off that. Uh, I either, potentially, will like go to Europe, um, uh, or um hit some like 50k's and stuff in the fall. Um, in terms of like, in this beginning block that's not on there. I'll probably run GoPro games, um, tbd, what, but it should just be like a fun little like uh leap into like the trail team. We have a camp that that week and we had a really big turnout for it last year, so excited for that um, but yeah, mostly just gonna like focus on the first segment and then like talk to mga, figure out what seems exciting and what I think um, you know where I'm at we'll like play best into and then figure out the rest of the year from there.
Speaker 1:Super cool. I'm curious, like as someone new to the sport well, relatively you're not really like super new, cause you've raced before I'm just curious, like from your point of view like what are you excited to race? Like what? Uh, like, is the golden trail series eventually? Like what? What pulls your interest? Is it like longer stuff?
Speaker 2:Um, I feel like I'm excited to race everything. That's. That's not a good answer. But, um, I think like I'm particularly excited about like domestic stuff. Um, there's just like so much out here in in the west in particular, um and uh, you know, it's like the rut everyone says is like such a fun event and like I've had so much fun at Mammoth the last couple years, um, and there's so many um little things like that. And then you know, like the local stuff in New Mexico like I'm excited to to dive into that.
Speaker 2:I think, like long term, I really had fun with the 50k at way too cool, um, I felt like I found like a flow and I felt really strong and I think that like who I am as an athlete, like in terms of rhythm and like the type of training I like to do, like finds really well with, with, with that distance, um, in the like medium term future, um. So, yeah, a little bit of everything. Likely more 50k next year, um, but but yeah, we'll just see. I just want to keep following what's exciting and yeah super cool.
Speaker 1:Well, I think the best part about it is like yeah, you got to follow what excites you. Like different people getting stoked over different things. Like just because it's one race as part of a series doesn't mean you need to do the entire series like it's. I feel like that's like a trap. I've seen a lot of athletes fall into where it's like, oh, I gotta go chase the series for the points, for the money or for this and that. But that's like just do because it gets you excited, right. Like yeah, I'm curious with you. Uh, let's talk. Um, uh, way too cool. Like what, what was your experience? Like that's a fast, like probably the fastest 50 K, if not one of the fastest 50 Ks in America. Well, how did the race unfold for you? Like, what was your experience like there? And tell me all about it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, so I want to throw that race because, uh, like the year before, two before, um, from Reno, we had like driven over to like spect, we'll watch some friends who are racing, and then, um, it was a super cool event, you could just tell, but it was. But it was that crazy winter. You know, the whole country had a crazy winter, it seemed like. But in Reno we were just getting like an atmospheric river every weekend. Um, and uh, yeah, long story short, um, it was there was a big storm coming and we ended up like losing the battle with the blizzard like back over the pass. It was like a whole like crazy weekend road trip with friends. Um, uh, you know, hour and a half drive becomes an eight, eight hour drive back and you know, it just felt like a very, very big event for that spring. But then, like, still, like the race was was like such a fun scene and you could tell that those trails were beautiful and fun and um, like very fast, uh, so, yeah, I knew 150k, I wanted to kind of go back to reno. So, yeah, it seemed like the obvious choice. And then, um, yeah, I had like a pretty like quick block off my off my half training, but I'm like a pretty high volume person anyway.
Speaker 2:So it transitioned well, just did like some like specific long runs, and then didn't really know what to expect, like especially in the last five, six miles. You know, just like uncharted territory. So kind of went into it with the mindset of just like, run fast while I can and then we'll problem solve when the problems arise, if the problems arise. So I took it out uh hard and I led the first 26 miles. Um was just like trying to trying to keep pressing like the whole time, um, and then, yeah, at that point, uh, jen caught me at the top of that climb and it was like the very beginning of like a steep techie downhill.
Speaker 2:Um, and like my hip flexors were like so cooked I had never experienced, like you know, a structural failure in a race before because I've never raced that long before and um just couldn't, couldn't go with her move. But like was, uh, you know, still like very mentally in it and just like trying to keep pressing and trying to regroup like on the smoother stuff. That felt better. Um, and she like ran a super smart, super strong race and uh and yeah, but the whole thing about one of those perfect days you get into a flow state and everything goes right, and I know that's super rare, so it was, yeah, grateful for that, and it definitely gave me the 50K bug.
Speaker 1:So Super cool. If you don't mind me asking I think the audience might get a lot out of this what's your nutrition situation like? Are you subscribed to this crazy grams per hour kind of deal, or like what are you? What are you doing for nutrition?
Speaker 2:yeah, um, again, super nice to have like mk for as a mentor in this, in this situation. But we kind of worked out. I've been shooting for, like you know, about 75 grams per hour, so like not on the like high, high end, um, but that seems to like be enough for me and it doesn't put my stomach over the edge. So so I was just doing like 60 grams of tailwind in a bottle and a goo like for the first like two and a half hours and then, and then the stomach got a little, a little worse and it was just like get in what I can, um, but trying to trying to stay on it and mostly doing like liquid liquid carbs, um, because you know it's a lot easier to drink than it is to the slurp.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure, yeah the G. I feel like man, three gels an hour for three hour race or four hour race, like damn, that's a lot of like, that's a lot of gels.
Speaker 2:Let me drink my sugar water, yeah.
Speaker 1:That's funny. I'm curious about cause I do want to go back to you like your relationship with MK from a coaching perspective, cause it seems like you're very intelligent and you know a lot about training. What is that like that relationship Like? Is it more like guidance from her or is it a lot? Is it very conversational with all we should you know like cause I've seen a lot of like athlete relationships with coaches where they just assign you just assign X amount in a block and the athlete just does it. There's not a lot of conversation there other than the communication that they did it or didn't do it. It sounds like with you you really know what you're doing in the sense of these builds and stuff like that. So maybe talk about that how it's, maybe a collaboration. It seems like right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's been cool because it's kind of evolved. When we first started working together, like, we started working together the week I started my run walk back from from an injury and so for the first like really like six months of our coaching relationship, um, what, what I think I it was, it was, it was good, it was very, it was very needed. Um, she was like very, extremely specific, like okay, you're running three miles this, that, and then you're cross training and then you're, you know, um like kind of keeping keeping me under wraps, like keeping me patient, and I just needed to be like told what to do at that point, like couldn't overthink it, just had to like be patient with the, with the process, and like let my body get all the way back to where it was going to get. Um, but like at the beginning of every season and like kind of throughout our blocks, we like at the beginning of every season and like kind of throughout our blocks, we like we'll, we'll have conversations and we'll sort of, like you know, sketch out like what, what we're going to look at, like what we're going to focus on, like what we think weaknesses and strengths and stuff are, and she'll just like, pretty much write me a workout and like a specific long run and you know some, some strides and all that throughout the week, and then I'll kind of structure my week around that.
Speaker 2:It's usually like I'll text you after my workout and we'll like talk about how it went um, and then you know she'll adjust like what the next week's gonna look like. And I think if she, she senses she knows me really well like as a person and as an athlete, and so it's cool. It's like she says I need like a confidence builder workout, that's that's what we'll do. Or if she's like okay, cool, like steeps are going well, like let's keep it coming, um, so very flexible, and it's it's really nice to like be working with someone that like I know personally and like I can, you know I can call her mid workout and be like okay, is this supposed to be like 10 out of 10 hard or not? And yeah.
Speaker 1:So a little bit of everything, yeah, I know I like that and I thank you for being candid. I was just curious Cause, like you know, it's really just so important to have someone like as a coach that just like really knows you, you know, and I think that's super cool for the relationship.
Speaker 1:Let's talk trail team. I'm just curious. Okay, so like, obviously you've, you know, you've kind of been around the sport for a year or two. You've been around the sport for a year or two, you've done some trail races. I'm curious, what inspired you to apply, because you're obviously a great candidate, a perfect candidate, for the elite team. What got?
Speaker 2:you to fill out the application. I applied last year and I ended up as part of the club team. I got to know Andy and Carly and like um, they're like put on these awesome camps and um like got to like kind of meet, part of meet the community at these different events that like we were all going to um and so that was super cool and I was like, um, you know what they're doing in terms of building community and like providing just like a path in like this space where sometimes it's like very, very unclear like how you possibly could get from point a to point b. Um, it's super neat and so I wanted to apply apply again, um, because, yeah, I'm still on the path and um, like their help, like last year in terms of just like guidance and uh, yeah, housing and support and everything um was like huge for like me being able to like kind of keep pursuing this seriously, um, and I want to keep pursuing it seriously. So, yeah, super cool.
Speaker 1:No, thank you for being candid about that and answering. I was very curious because, like I said, it's great fit. Um, I'm curious like so I know they'll be putting on a bunch of camps this year. I think there's a, the grand lake one. Which ones will you be able to go to all of them, or how does that work for you?
Speaker 2:um, yeah, um, that's the plan, definitely like pending employment situation and all that, uh, but the goal is to is to be, at all of them, um, really excited for the, the mammoth camp that um will hopefully come together. Uh, like that area is so beautiful and again, it's kind of like just outside the like reno backyard, so it's really fun to go, go back there super cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, all right, I gotta ask because obviously now you're trail team elite, obviously it builds up to something bigger than that Like, will you try to be pursuing a professional contracts next year after this is all done?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, Um, I think yeah, if that opportunity like feels right and and presents itself, that would be like super exciting, Absolute dream. But, um, you know, at the same time, like having autonomy and my running is also really awesome. Not that that, not that I would like lose that in. Yeah, Um, yeah, we'll just see. We'll just see what happens. I definitely want to like keep running hard and getting better and like any support in that is like incredible and be very blessed to have it.
Speaker 1:Super cool, super cool. What shoes are you running in these days? Like what's your go-to workout shoe? What's your trail shoe? Like what are you? What are you rocking?
Speaker 2:I mix it up. Um, I wear the Solomon ultra glides a lot, um, cause, cause I can put like 800 miles on them, honestly, um, and and they feel good I'm close to the ground. Um, I race way too cool in road shoes. Uh, I uh tried the the normal Tomi years and I really like them on like slick rock stuff.
Speaker 1:They're awesome, um, but yeah, depends on the day, depends on the terrain I like to hear it very cool yeah, I mean, I feel like yeah there's so many different things, and especially for like a race, like way too cool. Yeah, why would you not race it in road shoes? Yeah yeah like anything now. Like it's like I don't know at least the way I view it. Like anything now. Like it's like I don't know at least the way I view it. Is like anything that's like even rolly or flat, like you gotta wear road shoes. It's gives a little boost, you know you just feel a little faster.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:All right, so we're almost about 30 minutes. I know we got a hard stop for you at 45. So I'm curious to hear your relationship with competition. On a scale of 1 to 10, where do you fall on that spectrum and how do you view it?
Speaker 2:Interesting.
Speaker 2:That's a good question.
Speaker 2:I think I'm actually not a super competitive person, maybe a 6. I'm very motivated by getting the most out of myself, um, but I think I have to kind of like push myself to, to like be competitive, um, like externally, uh, and yeah, like way too cool was really fun because it felt like one of those days where I got like 99% of like what I could out of myself, um, and I, you know, like all you can do is like control what you can control, and so, like what's worked for me throughout my running career on the track, on the roads, um, on the trails, has just been like, you know, doing what I can and like being patient with the process and like getting a little bit better and a little bit better and a little bit better. And where that spits me out and has me stack up, yeah, that's a little out of my control, but I can control how much I work on these techie downhills this spring and how hard I run the Blue Dot segment and how I keep a handle on my recovery and all that.
Speaker 1:So controlling your controllables. I like that's a very healthy way to view it. My opinion like I've met some people that are like on a scale of one to ten, like psychos, I'm just like man.
Speaker 2:That's not a healthy place to be no, but it's cool like people can get a lot out of it that way too. For sure, for sure. Everybody's different you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I gotta ask you. This one's a little out of left field, but it's a Flagstaff question. Is pizza like. Does it live up to the hype?
Speaker 2:It's so good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's so good.
Speaker 2:If you, when you're when you're coming through town, you gotta, you gotta hit it. They do this thing in May where, like, if you get up to the top of Eldon before 8am, you get a free pizza, and so I'm really looking forward to that. It'll be my first. I can't remember what it's called. Uh drew to eldon, I think. Yeah, um, but everyone talks about it, yeah wow, that's pretty cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, all right, big shout out to pizza club. I gotta try it next time I'm in town. Super definitely, all right. So another cool question for you. I'm curious who inspires you?
Speaker 2:um, we've talked about a little bit already but but, uh, in the running space, like mk, um 100, um, she is just like, yeah, such a model of balance and grit and, yeah, positivity and joy and like um, I'm inspired by like uh, yeah, uh, seeing how she has like built her life and her career. Um, yeah, similarly, I think like a lot of the folks that I get to like hang out with day to day here in flag, like um are are just like inspiring in their, in their own individual paths and stories and yeah super cool.
Speaker 1:Are you a music person like you? Uh, like what's your? And all right, this is a two-parter. What are you a music person into? Like what's the hype up song before?
Speaker 2:like a hard effort oh, that's a good question. Um, yes, I'm a music person. I, yeah, I shamelessly music for workouts. I know some people are like I do on that, I'm on that. Yeah, um, I like, I like a good Dominic Fike um hype up pre pre-workout, okay Um yeah, I literally just made a post that's supposed to post tomorrow.
Speaker 1:It's got what is it? Superstar, superstar, shit song. I think is what it is. It's a great song, it's a basic song. I'm surprised you're the first person that's ever like brought him up. All right, very cool, you just got to the top of my list. Very awesome, awesome, all right. So last question is usually is usually a crazy one Uh, it's usually especially cause you're in Flagstaff, I feel like that's more Arizona, I think of like UFOs and aliens, plus New Mexico and and, uh, roswell. Do you believe in aliens and have you ever been to?
Speaker 1:Roswell.
Speaker 2:I've been to Roswell. I don't know if I believe in like the Roswell aliens, but I believe in aliens 100%. There's no way they're not out there yeah.
Speaker 1:Roswell is a crazy place. I have been myself. There's like a UFO museum. It's pretty dope.
Speaker 2:It's very unique. Yeah, super cool.
Speaker 1:Super cool, super cool. All right, emily, I don't want to take all your afternoon. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast. It's a great conversation. Wish you the best of luck in your 2025 season and we'll chat in probably the next couple of months. I'm going to start doing some build up stuff for Broken Arrow and Soonapiece, so we'll be in touch. Appreciate it.
Speaker 2:Sweet, thank you so much for your time. It was so nice to chat with you. Yeah, you too. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1:What'd you guys think? Oh man, what a fun episode. I want to wish Emily the absolute best of luck in her 2025 season and plans that she has for the rest of the season. It's going to be a fun one. Guys, before we get going, do me a favor hop on Instagram and you can give Emily a follow. You can find her at underscore E-M-I-L-A-R-I-A, or you can type in Emily Clark and that's Clark with an E. Send her a DM, let her know what you guys thought about the episode. I'm sure she'd love to hear some not just words of encouragement as she goes into her 2025 season, but I'm sure she'd love to hear from fans. And yeah, it's pretty cool stuff. So I appreciate it. Guys.
Speaker 1:Thanks for tuning in. If you did enjoy this episode and you don't mind, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple, spotify or wherever you guys consume your podcasts. We've got a locked and loaded week for you, including the Canyons 50K preview that's going to be coming out this week. That has co-host Teddy Tonelli from the Chasing Trail podcast. That's going to be a fun one. And then we have a whole lineup, including the rest of the selections for the 2025 uh trail team elite. Uh, that's going to be dropping this week, so got a locked and loaded week for you and uh hope you guys enjoy it. Thanks so much for tuning in. Thank you, we'll see you next time.
