The Steep Stuff Podcast
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The Steep Stuff Podcast
Sydney Petersen - Pre 2025 World Trail Championship Interview
When Sydney Petersen toed the line at the Broken Arrow Skyrace this summer, she wasn't sure she'd even finish. After two weeks of complete rest nursing what she feared might be a serious hip injury, her training was far from ideal for what would serve as the US World Championship qualifier. Yet sometimes our greatest performances emerge when expectations fall away.
"I think everything that could have gone wrong leading up to this race went wrong," Peterson reveals in this candid conversation. "I wasn't feeling good, I wasn't even sure if I was going to be able to race." Despite these setbacks, Peterson found herself in a unique mental space—grateful simply to be healthy enough to compete and free from self-imposed pressure. What followed was a breakthrough performance that secured her spot on Team USA's vertical squad for the World Mountain Running Championships.
The drama of that qualifying race unfolds like a thriller as Petersen describes getting caught behind slower runners at the start, methodically working through the field, and misunderstanding her position. Believing she was the fourth American (the final qualifying spot) rather than her actual position as second American, she sprinted desperately to the finish in what she calls "the farthest I've ever gone into the pain cave." This performance marked a profound shift in how she views herself within the competitive landscape: "Before it was like the top American women are in their race and I'll be running my race behind them. Now I consider myself in the same race."
From European racing adventures to Team USA training camps in Colorado, Peterson shares the lessons she's gathered in her rapid evolution as an elite trail runner. With the World Championships approaching, she balances the team's medal potential with her desire to remain present for the experience. Her journey reminds us that in trail running's unpredictable world, adaptability and gratitude often matter more than perfect preparation.
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Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod
Use code steepstuffpod for 25% off your cart at UltimateDirection.com!
It's time. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, we are live Sydney Peterson. Welcome back to the Steep Stuff Podcast. How's it going? Great, how are you? I'm so stoked. I'm good, it's good to catch back up and talk to you. The last time we chatted was just before your big race at Broken Arrow. Yeah, it's been a fun summer. How has your summer been? You've been everywhere. It's been great. Yeah, I think we a fun summer. How has your summer been?
Speaker 2:You've been everywhere. It's been great. Yeah, I think we talked like before Broken Arrow or Sunapee, and then I went out to Europe for the first time ever and raced out there and I did the Austria Golden Trail race and Sierras and all a week later and then went back home after that and I've just been stacking a really good block of training.
Speaker 1:So yeah, that's what I've been up to. Oh my gosh, we've got so much to talk about and get into first things first. Uh, I don't want to bury the lead here. You are on the vertical team for the women. You're going to be racing at Ken Frank next week. Um, just like maybe paint a picture as far as the Stoke level goes for, you know, going to a world championship race.
Speaker 2:Stoke level goes for. You know, going to a world championship race, oh I'm so. I can't even like contain my excitement. I feel like I'm just like levitating off the ground right now. I'm so happy and I think the right word is just gratitude, Like there's and I think this is just to be said about the sport of running in general and just sports in general like you can do everything right and not have it go your way, and so the fact that I didn't have like everything go my way during the training block and was able to put it together on the day and excel when I needed to and make this team, is just really special. And I know there's a lot of people who could have made that team. So I'm just really honored and and I know there's a lot of people who could have made that team, so I'm just really honored and really, really grateful to be a part of this team.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it's so cool and it's also really cool that, like you and Taylor, like you're you know this is like your, I guess you could say your second year, kind of like really evolving in the sport, and both of you guys made a team which is dope Like there's a lot of couples on this team which is kind of crazy.
Speaker 1:So it's uh, I don't know, it's just interesting. It's a lot of interesting dynamics there. Um, let's talk about broken arrow, where you place. You got fourth at the ascent. Um, but like, how did that race unfold? Because it like was a little weird for you guys. I know I talked to a bunch of people pre-race and obviously everybody was kind of set on it being a full VK as far as the ascent goes. Then in the kind of the hours, if not, yeah, probably in the hours leading up to the race, they cut it back down to where it was only 1,800, 1,900 feet of vertical. How did that affect you guys mentally, kind of going in, like, did that kind of change things for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I was actually pretty quiet about my few weeks before Broken Arrow, but I actually had a pretty big injury scare. I think there was like a month between Sunapee and Broken Arrow and I didn't have the best race at Sunapee, just didn't quite put it together the way I wanted to and was pretty bummed about that. And then, I think a week or two after that race, I started having some pain in my hip and was worried about it being a stress injury. So I pretty much didn't run for the entire two weeks leading up to the VK at Broken Arrow and then got some confirmation like okay, I think it's just bursitis, it's something you can run through, and at that point the pain was pretty much subsided and wasn't really bothering me anymore.
Speaker 2:Um, so it was definitely an emotional rollercoaster leading up to it and there were points like I remember the Friday before the week before the race, like I didn't even know if I was going to race because I didn't know what my body was doing and like what would be the right decision.
Speaker 2:And so, um, flash forward a week later and they were changing the course and whatever, and I think that was all just kind of noise outside, but I was just so grateful to, at that point, like be healthy, be lining up for the race, that it didn't really affect me like mentally as much, and I was just so happy to be there and having a chance when I wasn't sure I was going to be Um.
Speaker 2:So I think it put me in a really unique mental spot going into that race where, um, I was just happy to be there but also still fit enough and competitive enough. But I think it took a lot of the expectations and pressure off, like at least that I was putting on myself and lined up and um just went for it. And I'm just, I think I'm really proud to be on that team and I'm just really proud of how I excelled in, like managed my emotions in that process before and then during the race, and how focused and just like um, how I was able to excel under really high pressure to like get the job done.
Speaker 1:So so cool, so crazy. It's amazing what happens if you, like you know, I've heard so many stories like this where you take a week or two off and you know, maybe trying to get away from an injury or thinking, like you know, I just got to let things settle and then sure as shit, you go have like such an an amazing both you in the 23k. You had a great race as well. Um, it's, it's just interesting kind of the way that stuff plays out and how the body and, when you take expectations off, how sometimes that can just like elevate the performance. Um, let's get a little bit more into the performance itself. Racing it's so like that was such a crazy competitive race. At any point in time, were you aware of your placement and where you were? Were you fighting? Not fighting, but contesting back and forth with other ladies? As far as the positioning went, did you know where you were from once you asserted your position?
Speaker 2:I had no idea. And I think there was an interesting element in this race because it was a US qualifier but it was an international field and there were some really elite international runners in there. I wouldn't say I'm somebody like some people look at the start list and they're like this person's racing and this person's racing and that stresses me out. I try not to do that. So I think, that being said, I didn't know who a lot of people were and I think in general I don't know all the names in running, just because I like to go and just race the race and not overthink it. And I remember, on the starting line, I was just so happy to be there and was just in a very good headspace. But I got stuck going up that first hill because, like, because there's so many people doing it, and immediately, like, all the top women were just gone and I was like, okay, well, like here we are, I guess, like, don't panic, it is a shorter course but you need to go. And I got to give a shout out to Cam Smith, to my, my fellow, like neighbor in crestibution. Um, he, I didn't get to see the new course before they changed it and he gave me probably the best advice and like race plan to um to focus on and he basically just said don't go out too fast. But then that middle section once you're kind of on the Jeep road through to where you get to Red Dog Ridge, you need that. Like that's where the race is decided, because you can only run so fast on technical terrain, so you need to be at like 90% of your full effort by the time you get there. And so I think once I got to the top of that first ski slope and was able to pass some people, like I just went crazy and like started passing as many people as I could, and I think that slower start and getting stuck allowed me to pass people. And I just had Taylor's like pre-race advice in my head and he was like you've just like if you're gonna do this, you have to be in the top four, like you can do this, don't overthink it. And so I was just like you got to be in the top four and I had no idea where I was, um, but I was passing people where I was. Like this person is really elite, like um, like I'm definitely in an okay spot, but I had no idea if I was in the top four. So I was just like every body matters and was just going after every man, every woman in the field to try to gain as much ground as I could.
Speaker 2:And then I passed Adam Chase on the ridge and he was like Sydney, you're in fourth. And so I thought I was the fourth American. So I had Pema right behind me and I was like a sprinting for my life because I thought I was in the last qualifying spot and I didn't know who she was. I thought she was an American. And so I was just like fighting for every single spot and just like had this crazy performance. I think that's the farthest I've ever gone into the pain cave and like the most I've ever gotten out of my body in the race. And then I like cross the finish line and Taylor's like no, you were the second American, like you were right behind or not right behind, but like you were behind Anna and Jade's Canadian and um, joyce was in front of you. So I was like oh wow, I was not in fourth, I was second for Americans, fourth overall. So, yeah, it was just like the best day and probably one of the best days of my life.
Speaker 1:So that's what I was going to say. It's like it's kind of crazy Cause. It's like that's a memory you'll have for the rest of your life, Like something you will probably never forget. Like so cool, Like a banner, just a banner thing that you'll, you know, you always kind of pull back to it. It must've given you, like I mean, you should have already had confidence as far as, like your ability, but like, did that just from a confidence standpoint, like like really just give you like understanding that, like I belong here, I can do this. Like how did that feel from a confidence perspective?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a really good question. Thanks for asking that. I think like I was pretty confident going into the race and then I think everything that could have gone wrong leading up to this race like went wrong.
Speaker 2:Like I just wasn't feeling good I wasn't even sure if I was going to be able to race and just I think, fitness wise, I still put it together and had an amazing performance physically.
Speaker 2:And then also just knowing and having the confidence now that like I can be on the biggest stage and managing my emotions and mentality when things are not just going well but like arguably going pretty horribly, and like being able to still put it together, it just gives me the confidence that like, okay, I can do that on one of the worst build-ups and like I wasn't feeling great on race day and still like put it together so and run with the best of the world.
Speaker 2:And I think that's kind of been a mindset shift of like I see the top American women now and before it was like, okay, they're, that's their race and then I'll be running my race behind them. And now it's like I consider myself in the same race and like able to compete with them. And so, yeah, broken arrow has been like a huge turning point in my running career in a lot of ways, I feel like. But I'm just very proud of like how it's been a turning point in ways that aren't obvious, especially mentally and emotionally, and just with confidence and poise and being able to handle pressures.
Speaker 1:So so cool and beautiful answer. By the way, like I really appreciate you being candid on it, I got to ask you this like you're so talented I mean you're talented on like every race that you do, but like you're very, very good at the vertical Like, do you think you'll do more vertical races? Like, do you think I don't know what next year holds, but if you go out to Europe again to race, do you think there would be more VKs and things like that in your future?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'd love to race some more VKs. I think I'm kind of finding my niche race distance and I think um the NCAA training in my background that's been really recent also. Um I think makes that transition into trail running and specifically that distance really easy because you're constantly working in that really high like vo2 max, um like it feels very similar. You're going 12 minute pace, not low five minute pace like running a 5k, but um the it feels similar. So I think I can credit a lot of my success in um this like ascent vk distance to that college background. But um would love to keep mixing it up and um races in Europe. But also I really want to keep developing my like other parts of my trail, um like resume, I guess, like I'm not as talented of a downhill runner so I really want to like work on my technical downhill running and um just kind of see what I can do, cause yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I love it. I love it, I um sorry, so let's pivot. Then I want to talk about growing, developing, learning, and I think the best place to talk about that is your stint in Europe at Golden Trail. You did this crazy back-to-back weekend between the Plitzalpin Glacier Trail and then Ceres and Nall, and you got to experience, you know, euro Trail running at its finest in those. What was that all about? Like what did you think? Like what was that experience like? It must have been so much fun.
Speaker 2:It was incredible, like I think I just had to like constantly keep stepping back. Same for Taylor we were talking about this the other day, but just like pinch me, like I'm getting to race internationally in some of the most beautiful places in the world doing my favorite thing with my favorite people. Like to be able to do that with your partner and like just so many incredible people on the Brooks team and just all around the world is such a gift and something I will never take for granted and was constantly like reminding myself, like don't let's get the most out of your body and from this experience and learn and race as much as you can, but like be present in the whole experience, because it's such a gift and so few people get to like experience that in their life. Um, definitely a learning curve.
Speaker 2:With the european racing though. We were chatting with some of the brooks european, some of our brooks european teammates one night at dinner before the um austria race and I was like yeah, the course is super technical. And they're like, oh no, this is not technical. And I was like this is the most technical terrain I've ever seen in my life.
Speaker 1:Like yeah, I think the terrain's really different.
Speaker 2:The level of competition is just up here and then also just learning how to travel and like manage your energy and stress level and just manage the entire your emotions throughout the entire experience, because you do have a finite amount of energy, and learning how to travel well and um, yeah, all of that. My races weren't great over there but learned a lot. And learned a lot about what I need to incorporate into my training and um thing like heat training and nutrition and um, just yeah, learned so many lessons that are really going to help me in future years, I think, and I'm really eager to come back to those races next year, at least Sears and all and get some redemption.
Speaker 1:So I love it. I love it and you know what it's like. I don't know. I think for you it's just like this year is just such an opportunity to just, you know, just absorb so much and learn as much as you possibly can, because, you're right, it is so different, it's a completely different world. It's funny you said that, like it's such an American thing. Our American definition of technical versus their definition of technical is like two very different things, which is kind of funny. What was it like going over there and getting like? Obviously, in the United States you got to spend time with your other Brooks teammates Remy, dan, that group and Courtney before Sunapee but getting to meet your European Brooks teammates and kind of learn more about the brand on a larger scale, like, what was that like? Was that a cool experience as well?
Speaker 2:It was so cool to just like yeah, thank you for asking that, because at Sunapee I think I talked about this with you earlier, but we had that team house and there's just a very strong team presence and a very strong vision for the brand that I feel like we all very much align with. And to see that that's also the case just as much so over in Europe is just really cool. And it's so cool to meet people from like with total different backgrounds, but they're equally as passionate, if not more, about this thing that we're all doing and we have so many shared experiences. And just to meet people and already have that background is really, really cool. And they were just so welcoming and Taylor and I don't speak any French and they were just so inclusive and made us feel welcome. So, yeah, yeah, huge shout out to them.
Speaker 1:So cool, so cool. All right, on the team subject, earlier this summer, maybe about a month ago, cam put together kind of like a camp for some of the well, a good group of American athletes that were going to go over there and compete at Worlds. Can you talk a little bit about that experience and just what that was all about and what that was like?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So huge shout out to Cam for doing that he put so much work into it and Paul and Tom and some of the Team USA staff for helping us make that happen. Um, yeah, we had a mix of like camping and an Airbnb in Buena Vista, um, and went out on a few team runs and just cooked meals together and it was so fun like I don't think I have laughed that hard in like a really long time and I had a lit like we have a little bit of a background because there's a lot of Brooks people and I knew Cam, but just to get to know like Mason and Tyler, um and a handful of the others a little bit better before, this experience I think is gonna, um, speak volumes on the race course. I think is going to um speak volumes on the race course and I think it's gonna translate into really good results. Like you gotta have these relationships and when you're hurting in the race and you have a team title on the line, um, that can really like propel your performance forward.
Speaker 1:So so cool, so cool. Yeah, I got to give Camas flowers for doing that. Like, what a neat. Um, just like a team building perspective and just getting everything about it. I'm just like man. We need more of that in the future. That's how Team USA rolls.
Speaker 2:Yes, that's the energy we need and we just had so much fun. Went to this beautiful lake. I think the Anna, courtney and I didn't summit both the 14ers but the boys summited Columbia and Harvard all in one go and then it was just the vertical and classic people who kind of put that together. But then we ran into Noah at the trailhead and a bunch of old college teammates. So there was this group of, I want to say, like 20 of us from like all these past eras of my life, like CSU track and cross country Um, and then the team USA and cams from CB and just like all the all these different um stages of my life, and all these people were just running on this trail together, talking so loud.
Speaker 1:And it was just so cool, like on this trail together talking so loud and it was just so cool, like, yeah, I love it. I love it. Um, all right, let's talk training really quick, now that this is a different kind of race. I mean, this is a different kind of race. To get ready for um 6k 990 meters, that's like 3.72 miles with over 3 000 feet of vertical, did you adjust your training for this, because it's a different like, and then you also have the golden trail final, uh, in october. Did you like? What did you like? Did you just your training for this, because it's a different like, and then you also have the golden trail final, uh, in October. Did you like? What did you like? Did you just keep doing the same stuff or did you make any changes? Like, how did you approach the the block for this one?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a great question. Um, I think the main goal was just to stay um like healthy first and foremost through it and not do anything crazy. So I didn't want to adjust anything too much to like add a risk of being injured. But I think I hit my same structure. I increased my long run a little bit to just keep building that fitness, tried to be running a lot more vert and then I've actually been doing the last month or so some very track specific like high VO2 max workouts there.
Speaker 2:And our track is in Gunnison is really cool because it's right in the corner and so you can do a track workout but then you can go run trails straight up this hill and there's like 500 feet of vert, like in a half mile probably, or maybe even less than that, right from the base of the track. So I've been kind of doing like some track and then hill strides at the end and really like trying to work that high intensity system and then just running as many trails and trying to also improve my technical running abilities, cause you're still doing that running uphill. Um, but yeah, being in Crested Butte like I, I feel so fortunate to have like the best spot to train Like I'll do intervals up the ski runs and then ride the lift down, um and yeah, pretty much like have the best spot to train. So feel very fortunate and I'm happy with where I'm at um going into this race.
Speaker 1:So I'm jealous. That's the. I'm telling you that, like Crested Butte is such a great place to train, I don't want to put this on the podcast Cause I don't want people to, I mean in the summer, in the winter it's like you got, you got to earn it.
Speaker 2:You got to earn your summers here.
Speaker 1:But crazy, crazy stuff. Um, all right, let's get, let's talk, let's talk like more like world stuff specifically. Um, obviously, you're on a team. There's a lot of um. It's interesting because your team I think specifically the women's vertical team is interesting because you've got hillary allen, who has so much experience in the sport. You've got jess brayu, you, then you go on a gibson like a lot of different like types of athletes, in a lot of different types of athletes in a lot of ways, some people with a ton of experience, some people a little bit newer and from a dynamic perspective, what do you think? What is your expectation? I personally think we're sending a squad. I think this team has an ability to meddle for sure. What are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, mean I remember we were talking leading up to both of these us championships and I think you said like this vk might be the most competitive race we've had on us soil and I do still agree with that like that was a very competitive start list.
Speaker 2:Um, and yeah, like hillary and jess and an Ana just have so much knowledge and I like I have already learned so much from Ana and Hillary and just very grateful for their kind of guidance and mentorship going through this and I think we as a team are capable of some really big things there. And yeah, I think for myself, I don't want to put too many expectations on it. It's my first world championship and I don't want pressure and expectations and outcome goals to, I guess, like take away from me being present with the entire experience, me being present with the entire experience. But I think, yeah, I just I think my main goal is to be an incredible teammate and present in there for all of my teammates and present with the experience and present with the race and able to execute in those hard moments and execute in those high pressure like high emotionally charged situations, in the same way I did at Broken Arrow. And I think if I can do that, I will be happy, whatever the outcome.
Speaker 1:So if you, as a team, were to medal, what would that mean for you personally, like what would that mean?
Speaker 2:Oh, for me personally, I think I would just be so honored, I mean to be on a podium with those women and just all of their accolades in trail running. Such an honor to do that on the world stage for Team USA. That's the pinnacle of this sport and really any sport. What a pinch-me moment. I'm going to do everything it takes to help get us there because, wow, like what an honor.
Speaker 1:So cool. I think that's a good place to put it on. Um, let's uh definitely want to say congratulations and wishing you the absolute best of luck as you go compete. I hope it's an amazing day for you guys. Um yeah, I definitely will be in touch and can't wait to see what unfolds on race day.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much, thanks for putting this together and thank you for chatting.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no problem, appreciate it. Thank you, we'll see you next time.
