The Steep Stuff Podcast
Welcome to the Steep Stuff Podcast, your source for all things Sub-Ultra Mountain Running
The Steep Stuff Podcast
Broken Arrow 46K Race Preview
The mountain running world turns its attention to Palisades Tahoe this week for what promises to be an epic showdown at the Broken Arrow 46K. This isn't just any race – it's a Team USA selection event that has attracted virtually every elite mountain runner in the country, creating what might be the most competitive field ever assembled on American soil.
The race itself presents a formidable challenge: approximately 28 miles with a punishing 9,000 feet of vertical gain over two loops. Course record holder David Sinclair's time of roughly four hours could be under threat this year, with perfect weather conditions and extraordinary talent at the starting line. Unlike previous years where scorching heat played a factor, this year's forecast calls for cooler temperatures in the 60s, potentially setting the stage for blistering performances.
What makes this race particularly fascinating is the strategic complexity surrounding Team USA selection. Several favorites, including Eli and Tabor Hemming, have indicated they may decline team spots even if they qualify, preferring to focus on European races like OCC and CCC. This creates a dynamic where some athletes are racing purely for personal achievement while others see this as their golden opportunity to represent their country internationally. With limited spots available and such depth of talent, expect fierce competition down to the final descent.
The women's field features multiple former champions including Helen Mino Faulkner and Jennifer Lichter, with Grayson Murphy's potential participation looming large over the competition. On the men's side, Eli Hemming enters as the clear favorite after dominant performances this season, with Garrett Corcoran, David Norris, Brian Whitfield, and John Aziz among those battling for podium positions. For mountain running fans, Saturday's race represents a rare opportunity to witness America's best athletes pushing their limits on one of the sport's most challenging and prestigious courses.
Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello
Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod
Use code steepstuffpod for 25% off your cart at UltimateDirection.com!
What's up, boys and girls, welcome back to the Steep Stuff Podcast. I'm your host, james Lauriello, and I'm so excited because Broken Arrow Week is finally here. I am joined by frequent co-host, mr Nick Tusa, today to preview the Broken Arrow 46K. Guys, I gotta be honest, this might be outside of the ascent. This is going to be one of the most competitive races ever assembled on American soil. Everybody, who's everybody plans to be racing and is going to be here. It's going to be crazy. Super excited to have previewed this race. I hope you guys get a lot of value out of this for your free trial fantasy packs and just getting to grow the fan base and learn more about some of these amazing athletes that are going to be competing at this race on Saturday I almost said Sunday. Yeah, guys, I hope you enjoyed this one. It's a special one and, yeah, good luck to everyone who's going to be racing this one and if you're spectating, I hope you have just as much of a good time. It's going to. It looks like it's going to be a beautiful week out there in Palisades, tahoe.
Speaker 1:So, without further ado, I'm bringing you the broken arrow 46 K 2025 race preview episode with co-host Nick Tusa. Buckle up. It's time. We'll see you next time. Ladies and gentlemen, we are live, nick Chouser. Welcome back to the Steep Stuff Podcast. How's it going, buddy?
Speaker 2:Man, it's going, it's going, it's a big weekend.
Speaker 1:I'm excited for 46K. This is my seventh episode I'm recording today. I'm so over Broken Arrow. I don't want to see it again until next year. Yeah, I'm so over Broken Arrow. I don't want to see it again until next year. Yeah.
Speaker 1:So here we are, broken Arrow 46K selection race, arguably the granddaddy of them all, besides the Broken Arrow scent for this week, just because it's so important, the stakes are so high, we have so many athletes competing, people that we're friends with and we know it's a little weird. I don't know. It's kind of crazy that we're finally here for Broken Arrow Week, so this race itself happening this Saturday, june 21st 2025. It's a bit early 7 am start. The race itself is a little weird. They claim it's a 40. I've heard so many different things. I've heard 46K. I've heard so many different things. I've heard 46k. I've heard 45k. The race itself somewhere around that 26 to 28 mile mark, somewhere in that range, with about 9 000 feet of vertical gain so lots of climbing very steep.
Speaker 1:Basically it's two loops of the 23k. For those of you who don't know, about four hours worth of running. If you're David Sinclair.
Speaker 2:Yeah, not all, david Sinclair.
Speaker 1:I. What do you think you think we're on course record watch this year?
Speaker 2:We are It'll be.
Speaker 1:It'll be altered a little bit, but I do think there's a possibility that someone goes under four hours.
Speaker 2:Yeah, if conditions are right, someone's going to do it, and we both know who that is.
Speaker 1:That, that, that that he lie, Eming guy yeah.
Speaker 2:Never heard of that. I don't know.
Speaker 1:I think there's the storyline is a few things We've got a few to talk about.
Speaker 1:One is just the density of athletes Like there's one or two people that really stand out and then there's a whole bunch of really talented dudes and women that are at a very similar level. A couple of things to note. There's a lot of people that if they get the ticket won't take the ticket. For instance, we both are kind of and I don't want to speak for them, but this is just information I've gotten kind of through the grapevine. If Eli and Tabor get the dubs or get on the team, they probably won't accept it this year with the goal of, uh, more utmb based races and occ and ccc. Um, I can say the same for probably danny marino. Um, she was pretty candid on the podcast as well. Said, if she got on the team she probably wouldn't take it um some other things.
Speaker 1:Uh, there's some injuries. Man like mich Michelino is not the same Michelino that we got last year and maybe in 2023, like he's, you know, working his way back from an injury and isn't quite where he wants to be Um, so it's probably not going to be that grand Teton FKT holder in 2023. Broken arrow 48 K winner. Um David Sinclair is going to be noticeably absent. I know he was on the bubble. Uh, as of right now, I think he has a peroneal tendon issue so he can only run uphill. Probably not going to be the same guy, um, obviously he still had a great race at mount washington.
Speaker 1:Um will probably throw down at the ascent and probably do extremely well, but just not equipped right now to go handle that 28k or that 48k distance um so, yeah, I think that there's some some some injuries surrounding things, but I think it creates a lot of opportunities for athletes that we might be lesser familiar with, or you know, kind of on that bubble, to go make a name for themselves and get on team usa. Yeah, uh, what do you think about grayson? What's I? I? I should have started vegas odds on.
Speaker 2:Grayson, I don't know, roll the dice and pick a number. We don't know. We don't know. We took a look at Estrava. She's put in some killer training, but we'll see, we'll see. She doesn't need to do a lot, but she's one of them. She's like an Anna Gibson where she can just show up and throw down. We'll see. But if she's here, she's probably going to win. Just being honest, here, I mean she's going to do very, very well. It's a little longer for her. 46k Surprise. She's doing this. I'm not sure. I don't think you've talked with her. We don't know the reasoning behind it behind it um.
Speaker 1:From what I understand is it's the um, it's the want to elevate and maybe move up to that marathon distance. I think that's interesting, that that's not out of her mouth, though that's from sources, so I don't know how, to the level and degree of how serious that is, but that's what I've heard.
Speaker 2:Uh, I mean, this could be a jump for then, and this could like staple her as like being like that 50k, like maybe she could turn into one of the best 50kers in the world. She did it the short stuff. I mean this could be a jump for her then and this could like staple her as like being like that 50K, like maybe she could turn into one of the best 50Kers in the world. She did it the short stuff. We'll see, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't know it's going to be. I think she's at an inflection point in her career now. She's starting to figure out like what's next. I know, given her diagnosis and stuff like that, you know goes from here um, without a doubt, though any any start line, she, she steps on.
Speaker 1:good luck, yeah um yeah, and some other like. There's a lot of champions here, so especially on the women's side, man, we've got a lot of former champions. Helen mino faulkner's won this race twice. Jennifer lichner's won this race twice. Um danny marino is a former 23k champion from back in 2018. Um ashley brosovan has been on the 23k. Um brassavan I gotta pronounce that name better. Sorry about that. Ashley um has been on the 23k podium. Like it's.
Speaker 1:The depth is deep to say the least yeah, yeah, um, some storylines here as well, outside of that, um, just the just the level and degree of names here, man, I mean you're talking michael innocent, sir ryan becker, liam miro, john aziz, who's a back to back to back three-time pikes peak marathon champion. Uh, no, williams. Uh, my last part of a teammate. And then the women's side, denali strable, who's been on the rut um rut podium, 28k, like alaskan mountain running staple of the alaskan mountain running community. Amanda basham, uh, veteran. Uh, sarah kushner sarah is, you know, traditionally been on the broken arrow, 23k and 46k. Uh, top 10s. You might be, might not, be familiar with that name formerly. Uh, sarah ghoul, um 2024 pikes peak marathon champion. Um, sam lewis, who's been on team usa back in 2022. Uh, jessica brayu. Taber hemming, it just goes. The list is deep, man. There's just so many athletes flannery, davis and then lindsey allison. I just have so many people written down. It's crazy.
Speaker 2:So big list, yeah, yeah, I'm really excited to see taber and jen lichter go at it and danny moreno, like there's just like they're. All all these athletes are so close. There's not like one who rises above the rest, other than maybe a grayson. Um, yeah, it's just gonna be. It's gonna be. Tight racing, I think, is what it's gonna be, even for being a 46k, where sometimes you can create these bigger gaps. I just don't think we're gonna see that, because people, people want this team so bad and just want to compete like Tabor.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I think we're going to see. Well, let me ask you this you can tell me what you think. There's a lot of things at play here. I think, like I said, we're getting a few athletes that have been very vocal, notable, that like, even if they get on the podium, they're not going to take the team usa spot. I think, does that, does that deject? Like, are they not going to be working as hard? Do they want it as bad? I think I don't think so.
Speaker 1:There's a special thing with this race. Man like, for instance, like your aids, your brian whitfield, it's like those dudes are dogs, like they want this, they like they need it right. So with that once, and you know, the what's between the years is a very powerful thing, you know and it depends where you're at in your season and like what this race kind of means to you.
Speaker 2:Like, for the two people that maybe wouldn't take it Tabor and Danny right, danny's been fighting back from injury. She hasn't had that like first big race truly to like kick off her season. She's done like a few like ross busters, but like she really wants to be here and I know she's super excited. I mean, when you come back from injury and you're on a start list like this, how can you not be excited? Um, and then same with Tabor. Like the Hemings have really just like cut down there. They're normally like serial racers just going to everything and they've really chopped down their season and this is a big focus for them because they're going to be a big confidence booster going into to OCC and CCC.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, you got to think about it from a money perspective too. Like there's only so many races that are on your contract, they're going to say, all right, you win this, you get this bonus, if you win that, you get that bonus. And the ones that are really important are the ones that are on there, the broken arrow, and your OCC, ccc and and I think that would make sense that you're going to want to, especially as a professional athlete at the highest level preserve yourself hitters, a lot of women champions, a lot of female champions in this race. On the men's side, though, outside of Eli, I struggle with. Like are we going to find our next? Like our next dude? Right, like, is there going to be? Is someone going to make a name for themselves? Right Like, is Finian Jacobson-Scuttle? Who's a? That dude's a Boulder guy, very talented by the way, or like Coleman.
Speaker 1:Cragoon Coleman Cragoon has trained with the Hayden Hawks Like. Are any of these guys who you might not be familiar with, or people might not be familiar with, going to come out of the woodwork and get themselves a spot on Team USA? It's very possible it's possible.
Speaker 2:It's possible, but I don't know. There's just so many staple names in here. People that have been here before, people that have been just like, are on tears right now.
Speaker 1:It's tough like, and you know, and you know what change switches things up too. Is like liam dude, liam miro uh yeah what's his name? Uh um, tom hooper likes to call him hollywood for some reason. We're gonna have him on tomorrow. I'm excited, excited to chat with Hollywood. But it's interesting. This shakes up the dynamic a little bit. Liam didn't have the result he wanted at Sunapee.
Speaker 1:You got to remember the pedigree this kid has, like Bowerman track star, super talented, crazy pedigree, and he moves up in distance from the 23K that he was signed up for and goes to the 46K, probably wanting to go get on that marathon team 100. It would not be surprising to see him, you know, kind of in the mix as well. And then, dude, where does john is? John is, uh, you know, soon to be father. Uh, three-time pikes peak marathon champion. Like the dude doesn't miss and he's so he's a fucking robot dude. I love john aziz, but like he is as dialed as they come, like everything crosses his t's, dots his eyes. One of my favorite people, dude, I fucked with him so bad. I asked him because he's a uh aeronautical engineer. I was like yo, did we go to the moon, bro? Like yeah, you got so upset with me, um, but like just an interesting cat one of my people uh, trains with joe, has trained with joe a lot.
Speaker 1:So you know, obviously training with joe and being able to hang with joe even not an easy thing to do for some people most people um, and just getting that championship mindset, um, not to mention. John was on the team in 2022 and 2023 um you know former two-time um USA athlete, both in Austria and Thailand.
Speaker 1:I don't know Lots of storylines here, lots in the mix. Interesting thing We've seen this race unfold in previous years where it's super hot, right. You see, uh, adam or adam um. You know peterman and jeff mcgavro with the topical cooling, everybody's sweating their ass off. It seems like a brutal race. This year's gonna be cold, uh like probably the 60s.
Speaker 1:Like you know, it's gonna be significantly cooler. I wonder how that changes. Like we've had years in the past where, like I don't know if you can remember like david sinclair winning and it was like lapuma chasing him and it was like snowing. Uh, we're not gonna quite get that, but I wonder how that changes people's strategy. Who's gonna do better in the cold and how that's gonna work out and there's not a lot of snow on the course correct, very minimal.
Speaker 2:There's some there's a good amount of some okay and I forget what it is, but yeah I just remember previous years like there being like a half mile at least like descent on snow and that like really shakes things up that was your um, that was your michelino, one was oh yeah big snow year, so he tends I can see the more snow him doing really well, for sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, absolutely all right, what do you? Let's start with the women. What do you see shaking out who? Where do you got your top, top or whatever? I remember three women on the team.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I had to go. I had to go a little deeper here, down to down to seven. Um, because Grayson's already on the team Right Um. And then there's a few people that have verbally said that they they are not going to take it. Um. So, seventh, I have lindsey allison. I feel like she's put up some pretty solid results. Um seventh seems fair for her. Um, very well could be up more. Um. Jane moss in sixth I feel like she's ready to pop one off here. I know we talked off the pot about her. Um, yeah, she's in. She's in Boulder. She's living with a bunch of other pro athletes. She's ready. This is her time. Fifth, I have Halimino Faulkner. Again, two-time winner, has been here before. She's just someone that I just like can't see her not being on a U S team. She just she's always there, she's always up there, she's a winner. If you look at her ultra signup, it's pretty impressive and I believe that she's coached by the same same coach as what's her name? As MK. I believe they share the same coach.
Speaker 1:He's a famous guy. I always blank out of his name. He was a Cirque series or something. Yeah, sorry, sorry.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, you're good, uh. And then, fourth, I have Danny Moreno. Super excited to have her back. This is, this is her, this is her distance. She's, she's so good at this uh, 40, 50 K uh distance, and I know she's super stoked and she had a good race out and I think Bishop. And then she went to go pro games. Did she race? She did race. She took second at the 10 K behind Courtney Coppinger, um. So, yeah, a good little tune up. I, she's definitely ready to go.
Speaker 2:Third, I have a Tabor Hemming. I want to see her get the better of Jen Lictor Um, but it's hard for me because I, she doesn't. I mean, a lot of her stuff is private, her training's private, so it's like it's hard for me to judge off that Um. I've watched a couple of recent other YouTube videos and she's been training a lot Um, and I know she said that she has a little something, a little Hagelin's going on right now um, that she's dealing with, but it seems like it's on the mend, um, and it's not like causing her pain during a run, which is great, um. But yeah. And then second, I have jen lichter. We, we just looked at her strava before this and it's pretty, pretty disgusting I mean, she's funny, like I think she doubles.
Speaker 2:I think she doubles like five times a week. Like running too, like there's no biking, this is like pure running, like she's going all in for this. She is already on the team I believe she was, she's uh, she's a pick right by she's on the long trail team already, yep yep, she's already on the long chair team. Uh, so she's really got nothing to race for, but she's a fierce competitor.
Speaker 2:I mean she, I raced her at the rut and like this girl has like just used to look in her eyes and it's scary dude, yeah, dude, she's scary, uh, and then first, if she shows, uh, first time kind of racing, something like this, super excited to see her, really hope she's there. We are cheering for grace and murphy. Um, yeah, it's just, it's, it's hard, it's hard to not have her there. But, um, but that top three I think is going to be is going to be fun. Um, they have a chance to beat her, though she's not used to this.
Speaker 2:I mean this two loop. She very well could, like you say um on your pods. You were talking how a lot of times it's not the first person in the first loop, it's, you know, you got to finish it out, um, and maybe she takes it out super hard and and and jen's been here before and tabor is, you know, a veteran of this and knows how to race these races and take it out somewhat conservatively and blast it at the end. Uh, they very well could be up there and it'd be really special to see tabor win this, because she's been so, she's just been so close to just like knocking it out of the park, um, at one of these, just like premier, premier events.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, I'm a big fan, she's my coach, so a little home cooking, but uh, yeah, yeah, special, special people love that and then wanted to want to just name a few others who I think could potentially be up there um, jess brezzo, uh, claire devoe, kimber maddox, claire rhodes, aaron moyer, sarah biel, flannery, davis out of of Boulder, denali Strable, it's there's just there's so many of these names that could be, and I think it's going to be that last spot, that spot that I have. Lindsay Allison getting the last ticket, or getting the last USA spot. That's going to be the one where everyone's going to be watching and there is going to be like a group of like four or five women just battling it out on that last descent to get that spot, and hopefully there's some people in the crowd that are yelling out like this is the spot. So like they know that would be so cool and then they just throw down um, but yeah, so yeah, those are my women's picks.
Speaker 1:Very cool, very cool. I've got some interesting calculus of mine, but it's very similar to yours. Um, I might, so I'm gonna go seventh place. I'm going to go Tabor Hemming. Um. Sixth place, I'm going to go Jane mouse. Fifth place, I'm going to go Jen Lickner. Fourth, I'm going to go Danny Marino, third place, ashley Brassavan, second place, hellamino Faulkner, and in first place I'm going to go racing Grayson, if she's there. Um, here's my calculus for team usa, though, grayson, this is where it gets interesting and we can we can.
Speaker 1:We can draw some lines here. Grayson's already on. Grayson's gonna have options. Right, she's gonna have option to go do the like. If let's say theoretically, if she goes, let's say theoretically, then she wins. Uh, she has options. Either you go race the mountain classic, which you already have an auto bid on because she is the reigning world champion, or you go race the marathon. I'm going to guess she's going to race the Mountain Classic. I think that's just my guess on it. So by de facto, then it rolls down. That first spot then goes to Helen, right. Then the next spot would go to Ashley Brasovan, who I think would obviously take it because she's been on Team USA. She competed last back in 2022 in Thailand.
Speaker 1:That third spot this is where it gets interesting, dude. Who does the third spot go to in this theoretic lineup? Dani said she would not take it. She said she was going to be focused on CCC, right? Jen Lickner's already on Team USA for the long trail and was a selection selection, so it's possible she takes it. Um, but has historically competed in long trail. Uh, back in, uh, what was it in austria that would go to my sixth place? Pick jane moss. So my team usa pick would then the three spots would be helen mino, faulkner, ashley brassavan.
Speaker 1:Jane moss are my like, yeah, we got two of those um, not to leave out ruby lindquist, denali strable and I dude, I'm telling you right now denali strable, one of my favorite humans in this sport, alaskan mountain runner. It's one of the sweetest people um as well, fierce competitor, she's gonna go out there and throw down um, this one means a lot to her. Um, you know you guys can listen to the podcast that we she and I did. I don't want to speak for her, but I can definitely just say this one means a lot. So don't think for a second. She's not going to be like going to the depths of her soul to to do well at this race and it matters. Um.
Speaker 1:Other women amanda basham, obviously. Sarah kushner, sam le, sam Lewis all championship experience there Jess Brayu, flannery Davis and Lindsay Allison. So many people, my God, that's kind of what I have. My Team USA, I don't know man. I just think Jane Moss is going to crank one out of the park. I just have a funny feeling. Maybe not, not, I don't know, but she's a sweetheart and it'd be cool to see her get one.
Speaker 1:So uh let's talk about the men.
Speaker 2:Men, yes, uh, I have Nick Handel. Uh, he was seventh last year. He's just, he's always in the mix. I feel like, whatever race he does, even if he's over in Europe racing UTMB, he's just, he's always up there. Um, he, he was a top american one of those races at utmb, but, um, yeah, yep, but this is like he's just, he's. He's a california boy, he's, he's good at racing. Um, yeah, this, this type, these type of races, uh. Fourth, I have ryan becker. Um, just a great story. Love the pod that you had with him. He's such a great guy. Uh, he's, this is his distance, this is his thing. He, this is just what he's good at.
Speaker 1:I I can't expect him not to be up there.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, it needs to. Um, so, yeah, ryan becker. And fourth, uh, third, another one I'm really excited about uh, jess jessren, small on a golden here, uh, just been on like a tear of the past, like year ish, like fifth, at occ. Um, one black canyon 50k. Uh, one run through time marathon, which was fairly competitive. Um, yeah, he's just like man dude. Adidas has something special with him. He's, it's I. I watched his, his youtube channel and it's just been a long time coming. I feel like he's he's meant to be here. Um, so really excited for him.
Speaker 2:Uh, second, I have someone that I just raced last weekend at twisted fork, who ended up winning in like a pretty stupid time um, garrett corcoran. He's, you know he's wearing the usa kit before. Nothing new to him to be up there. He's going to take it out hard, let me tell you, like he did last weekend. So I don't know.
Speaker 2:I could see him leading the first loop, honestly, and just getting ahead of himself and being like, oh shit, I need to back off. Maybe that's where our first place guy Maybe Garrett, I think is going to push Eli, who I have in first, to breaking this course record. Maybe he's going to keep him honest this first loop and then Eli's going to be able to just crank one out in the last loop and take it home and beat David Sinclair's four-ish hour course record. We'd love to see someone go under four hours if the weather permits Seems like conditions wise on the course, not a lot of snow, so very well could happen. Um, he was second at the 23 K in in 2020. What was that? Or last year he was second in the 23 K. Um, so yeah, he knows this course just doing it again, doing the loop again.
Speaker 1:Um yeah, loop again. Um yeah, uh, eli is. It's interesting because, like I, in my opinion, I think eli is just stupid, fit the fittest guy, right. But, garrett, I think talent wise might be better talent wise than eli just based on a 215. Basically off the couch, like right pedigree like garrett's, like just a pedigree of him, is ridiculous. He just doesn't take it very serious like he takes it seriously but he doesn't. I don't know the parents.
Speaker 2:An odd duck but if you know, if he knows that eli's not going to take that, take the usa spot like, and he's, like you know, I don't know a tenth of a mile ahead of him. Maybe he's not going to push as hard because he just knows I got in the bag.
Speaker 1:I don't know, I have a funny feeling like garrett's gonna get a spot. I really do, I. I truly believe it I.
Speaker 2:I would put all my money on garrett 100, yeah, I agree.
Speaker 2:And then there's a few other names well, not a few, there's actually a ton of other names, like 50. Yeah, yeah, yeah, like the six through like 10 spot is pretty insane. Like all these guys are extremely even um, brian whitfield, he's one that could, could break out right here. I mean he's he, he has, he's had his fair share of wins, but hearing him on the pod, hearing him how focused he is now, um, he's got a team around him. He's taking this really serious. He wants that sponsorship to to, because I remember when I was talking with him and I was like curious, like how come you're, you know, racing these big races and doesn't have the funds to do it? And you need, you need sponsors to be able to do these travels. Yeah, you're a teacher. Yeah, yeah, even the Lord's work there. Oh, man, um, yeah, but, uh, but, yeah, uh. And then Jonathan Aziz we talked about him there.
Speaker 2:Michelino sinceri, who knows he's. He says he hasn't been running a ton, but I heard he's in jail. He could be very well, could be sandbagging. I don't know who knows what a story it'd be if he, if he won, though that'd be, that'd be awesome. Uh, eddie owens, another one who's repped a usa kit before. Very well could be up there he, he threw down at uh, was it Big Alta.
Speaker 1:Was he at Big Alta?
Speaker 2:Yeah, very, very good, very good runner. Liam Miro Hollywood, as we call him, I guess. Ryan Becker, another one, which actually I already mentioned in my fourth. That was a repeat. Trace Adnopp he took, he won, he took second. Yeah, he's already on the long trail team. Yeah, yep, um. Cole campbell, another staple name. He's always around cole campbell's absolutely he could be.
Speaker 1:That's a blue collar boy right there I I like a lot dude, noah williams bospo.
Speaker 2:Very well, you look at his ultra sign up, the. The dude shows up Preston Cates. Haven't heard about him in a little bit. He has been on Team USA, I believe as well. Another one, Jeff Colt, been on Team USA before as well. We'll see David Norris. Going to be fun to see him jumping up. I know he's maybe raced something like this before, but maybe not for a while. He's been focused more on the up and down, but it should be fun. Boulder boy, Adam Mary showing up. Kieran Nay. Another Colorado guy, Joshua. What's his last name? Potvin? Yeah, Josh Potvin. Yeah, Josh Potvin.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he beat dude. He just beat liam at the gorge 50.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah. So yeah, like we say how the saying goes, the depth is deep and uh, yeah josh potvin.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I do I. I have a funny feeling he's gonna do very well because yeah, very very nice guy um.
Speaker 2:Where's he out of again?
Speaker 1:vanc, that's right. Yeah, yeah, vancouver, he's a Canadian. Um, yes, pnw, the PNW man.
Speaker 2:Um all right.
Speaker 1:So mine's interesting, similar to yours, but actually not even, not even close. The only thing that's close is Garrett and Eli. Uh, other than that, like I think those are the two that I himself, apart from the rest of the field, I think that what it's going to come down to is garrett just needs to be smart, like I know garrett's a wild boy and I know he races like a wild boy. I think he just needs to have that race iq, to just kind of like chill, like take your, do not blow up on that first lap, like take it easy and do your thing. And uh, I think garrett is definitely going to pull it off in second. All right, I'll start kind of go backwards a little bit.
Speaker 1:So, sixth place I'm going to go Cole Campbell. Fifth place I'm going to go Cade Michael. You got to remember, dude, cade is really talented. I forgot about Cade Pulled Andy up Gold Hill for that FKT on top so he can climb like a mofo, and then, on top of that, on top of that, was in a very close race in Canyon's 50K with Matt, daniels and Seth and damn well, took them to the brink. I think he had some nutrition stuff that he had to get figured out after, like sweat testing, but he seems to have had that figured out, that's big.
Speaker 1:We'll see what happens with that. In fourth place I'm going to go Brian Woodfield, hometown hero, big fan of Brian Woodfield, good buddy of mine. In third place I'm going to go David Norris. I think David did a lot of things in the offseason that we might not have seen. To make him more competitive at these runnable races he already had the ability. Remember Nordic skier e drove a big engine, obviously knows how to you know train threshold, but I think the big thing that David did in the off season was get a lot of time on the track. According to his coach, he's been working with David Roche.
Speaker 1:So I think that has been. That's why we saw him get the dub at a Senate P in second place. I'm going to go Garrett Garrett Garrett the parrot um in first place. Eli Hemming um taking the job. I don't even think it's close. I think Eli wipes the floor with everybody. I think it's close to a new course record and I think Eli just makes people look silly Cause he's that good Um. Maybe I'm wrong, but I, eli, just has the highest race IQ out of everybody. He's just so complete it's going to be very difficult to beat.
Speaker 1:On that day we saw what happened at Big Alta. The best of them could not hang with Eli. All right, but here we go. We got to do some math here. How do we get to Team USA? We know Eli is not going to take the ticket, right. That de facto spot then goes to Garrett David Norris. David Norris, like when I had him on the pod, is very focused on going to run the Mountain Classic, not so much focused to run the marathon, I think. Even if he gets the ticket, I think it goes down. One more spot he's going to turn it down. I think that goes to Brian Whitfield.
Speaker 1:So second spot goes to Brian Whitfield, and third spot goes to Cade, michael and I think our three that we're sending to Ken Frank are going to be Garrett Brian Whitfield, cade Michael. Those are my picks.
Speaker 2:I would love that. Yeah, I forgot about Cade. I would definitely throw him in the top five, for sure. Um, I don't know how I missed his name. Um, yeah, something about him. I just can see him wearing a USA kit.
Speaker 1:He's just ready to pop one off, man, I think he just matters to him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, no canyons. He ran an insane race until until the end. Um, yeah, and that's just a matter of just executing. He can do it Like you said. He got that sweat test figured out, yeah.
Speaker 1:Just needs to put it together and, like insanely talented, has all the talent in the world, just needs to crack one off. So I think this might be it On our watch list. Obviously, michelino. Michelino, I think, is still working himself back from injury, still kind of in the mix, I think. In my opinion, if he doesn't have the race that he wants to have here, he'll probably get in just off a resume spot. Yeah, that's right. It would be crazy not to pick him.
Speaker 1:Ryan Becker, I think Ryan's going to be in the mix. I know you had him picked for a spot. I would not be surprised to see him get in there. In fact, I would be really elated because I think how special would that be. I really like Ryan a lot and I think he's one of the ones. He's a very hard worker, he's very knowledgeable and just really deserves a spot in my opinion. And in my opinion, um and I think it's like not really on his peripherals either, like I think he he just wants to see what happens, but like I think he's got other goals like as well so that's serious people, the ones that have nothing to lose.
Speaker 2:He's got nothing to lose, oh for sure, for sure, yeah, um.
Speaker 1:In addition, uh, finney and jacobson scuttle um, he's a shuttle um, he's a boulder like boulder guy um.
Speaker 1:Coleman cragoon, who's another one who's had some great results I think he was on the podium, or damn close at the canyons 50k like he's very good that colman cragoon, kid, uh, john aziz as well, three-time pikes, peak marathon champ liam is going to be in the mix as well could very well crack one off and have a great day. Could, could replace any of those guys, um, and then noah williams as well, um, and josh potvin. So, oh my gosh dude, I could literally name 300 people off this list, it's crazy so that's all I got for the 46k.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna have dinner I need to go run, I need to go get my run.
Speaker 1:Are you going to get a run now? Yeah, I need to go get my run in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm waiting for it to cool down a little bit. The front range right now is an oven.
Speaker 1:Is that really? I forget oh man doing the east coast like dude, so humid I'm like so weird oh man, it was a pleasure.
Speaker 2:Um, I appreciate you having me on these last three episodes. Such a fun race to cover. Second year in a row doing this. Looking forward to doing it a third year with you absolutely everybody go watch this weekend. Mountain outpost is going to be doing a live stream for all these events. I'm sure they're going to do a great job. Um, not sure who's who's commentating. Do you have any?
Speaker 1:no, I have no idea. Do you have any?
Speaker 2:no, I'm sure it's a type of race where a lot of times they'll have people production there. Maybe Golden Trail will kind of link up with them and maybe do a little bit more. But yeah, it's fun, it's going to be great coverage, great weekend.
Speaker 1:Look forward to it. I'm so excited. All right, nick, have a wonderful evening. Thank you, sir, appreciate it.
Speaker 1:Thanks, ben yeah bro, yep, bye, see ya. What's up, guys? It's summer and you know what that means. You're going to need a new pack hydration pack, hydration solution, bottle belt, you name it. Guess what? Ultimate Direction's got you covered. Guys, I don't know if you've been perusing on the Ultimate Direction site lately, but we've got two new vests that have just dropped. That's going to be the UltraVest 12 liter and the RaceVest 6 liter, in two beautiful colorways. And you know what? Guess what? We also dropped a quiver, finally. The quiver is here. The quiver is there. Get it on the website right now.
Speaker 1:Use code steepstuffpod for 25% off. All of these things are already extremely affordably priced. I think Ultimate Direction does an amazing job at their pricing to make it affordable for athletes of all economic abilities. And guess what? You're going to get yourself an additional 25% off by using code steepstuffpod. Like I said, it's summer, it's broken arrow week, it's crazy. The vibes are high, the stoke is high. You're going to need a new vest. You're going to need a hydration solution. Like I said, go to ultimate direction. They've got you covered 25% off with the code steep stuff pod and you are all set out the door. No-transcript.
