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Best of 2025 - Bailey Kowalczyk Fan Favorite Episode
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Best of 2025 - Bailey Kowalczyk Fan Favorite Episode
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Live Anniversary And Guest Intro
SPEAKER_05What's up, fam? Welcome back to the Steep Stuff Podcasts. I'm your host, James L'Oreal, and I'm so excited to bring you guys our one-year anniversary celebration episode from this past Saturday at the Colorado Running Company. If you didn't happen to be there in person, you'll get to catch it on the pod with none other than Miss Bailey Kowalzik, the three-time back-to-back-to-back Rut 28K champion and so much more joined us on the pod. What a fun conversation. It was really fun to finally get to meet Bailey and Mowgli. Big shout out to Mowgli. And uh yeah, just welcome her into the community, you know, the Colorado Springs running community and just have a chat. We uh we got pretty deep into Bailey's college years. We talked about her years at Clemson, what it was like growing up in upstate New York as well, um, being surrounded by just so many cool mountain ranges and the cat skills, they had a rod decks and uh the greens as well from Vermont. Um we dove deep as well into um you know racing the golden trail and dealing with injury, uh her first uh sacrum industry uh industry, first sacrum uh injury that Bailey had when uh she broke her sacrum at the Bark Trail Mountain Race. Uh we got into um uh we got into Deep in the Golden Trail. We talked about uh some of her plans for the future there, um, as well as plans at Broken Arrow and trying to uh qualify for Worlds in 2025 and get back on that worlds team, what it was like um as well getting into uh you know joining the worlds teams and competing at in, you know, trying to compete at Innsbruck and you know dealing with having to drop from that race and all these you know different things. It was a super fun episode. I think the audience took a ton away from it. Um it was fun to get you know to ask Bailey all these questions in front of a live audience and get questions back from them and feedback for Bailey. Um yeah, it was it was such a blast. Um if you were there in person, I just want to genuinely thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. Um it really did mean so much to me uh to finally have um you know kind of get to do this in person and just you know get to uh have everyone from the community out. It was a massive success, and yeah, I can't wait to do it again. And yeah, it was just a blast. So without further ado, I'll stop rambling. We'll get into more stuff in the show notes, uh, more thank yous and stuff like that. But yeah, here's Bailey Kowazic. Enjoy, guys. People listen up, it is March, guys, and I am so excited that Ultimate Direction is finally unveiling their new vest lineup for 2025. Head on over to ultimatedirection.com to check out the new Race Vest 6 liter and Ultra Vest 12 liter. They're gonna be coming at you in two beautiful aesthetic colors, the Onyx and green as well as the white and blue. Guys, I absolutely love these. I've been playing around in these products for months and months now. Uh you might have seen Tara Warren last year running in uh both Ultra and Race Vest as she absolutely smashed it in the Rocky Mountain slam. Um guys, this is a very durable, solid product that I absolutely love. Um like I said, the color wheels are beautiful, and this is something I think you're gonna be really looking at as you start to put together your race calendars. You're gonna need some dependable gear for 2025. So this is definitely something to turn your head toward. Um hop on ultimatedirection.com right now. Use code Steep StuffPod for 25% off your cart. Again, like I said, use code Steep Stuff Pod. Treat yourself to one of these. Um, I think you guys are gonna love them. I'd love to hear your feedback. Let me know what you think. Uh enjoy. What's up, guys? Welcome back to the Steep Stuff Podcast. I'm your host, James Lauriello, and today we've got a banger of an episode for you. Uh, none other than Belly Kowalzik, who's sitting three feet away from me, is on the podcast. So excited to have you on. How are you doing, Bailey?
SPEAKER_06How are you doing? I'm super stoked to be here. Yeah, it's awesome to be in person. I've never done this format before, so super happy to chat. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Sweet. Yeah, me either. So this is uh this could be a new one. This is this is kind of fun. Uh, thank you, all the audience, for coming. Guys, this means the world to me. Uh, this is our one year, which you all know, this is our one year anniversary for the pot. So I figured we'd have one of the biggest names in Subulture to come join us. Um, you know, like three-time Rut 28K champion, um, world's team. Like, just Belly's had such an incredible resume. So excited to uh finally have a conversation with you. Sorry, I'm talking to them, but I'm talking to him. We're all here together. I love it. All right, so maybe uh for the audience, maybe give me uh like the five-minute elevator pitch on where you're from, your background, your relationship with running. Um, maybe stop when you get to Clemson.
SPEAKER_06Okay. So um my name is Bailey Kwalzik. I'm from Boulder, Colorado, by way of upstate New York. So I grew up in upstate New York. I ran kind of the classic route to running. Um, I ran track both in high school and then beyond, but um I come from a family of some runners, and and I think I've always been drawn to the sport in ways. I played soccer as a kid, and this the ball part of the sport never appealed to me. It was literally just running laps, and the best part of practice was when some someone would do something wrong, and I would get to run the like penalty lap around the field. Um and and I think that's kind of where the seed was planted, but that just sprouted in in upstate New York. It's such a big culture. It's kind of like the high school programs are basically college programs. So it was it was a bit of a pressure cooker, but at the time it it allowed me to fall more and more in love with the sport, which ultimately led me to um Division I running at Clemson University.
SPEAKER_05Super cool. Yeah, your your background is so cool. Like, so my we've got some audience members in here. Shout out Joey and Rose from upstate New York. Uh they're from uh Highland, New York, so just a little bit further south from you. You're like north of Albany, right?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, so I say Saratoga Springs area, but Saratoga was our rival, so close enough. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Do you feel like because you got the cat skills, you've got the Adirondacks, you got the greens, you got the whites, like that beautiful area between Vermont, New Hampshire, upstate New York, like is that like an emphasis on you or like a kind of a push to like find this love for the mountains?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, I grew up, we spent the weekends in the Adirondack. So I grew up skiing there, running there. It was basically we would go on these family hikes where we would all hike up, and then my dad would just sprint down the mountain. So I would, I mean, my only option was to keep up. So I ran as hard as I could down, and I think I think that led to, I mean, one, a little bit of a lack of fear when it comes to terrain and and running down steep stuff. Um, I just got really used to being comfortable on that kind of terrain, and I never thought of it as running. To me, running was on the roads, on the track, running these ridiculously fast paces. It was never, it was never more than that. And then, you know, as time evolved, I discovered that you could kind of put these passions together. My passion for being outside, being on the trails, but also that passion for running and competing. Yeah. And I've blended that and now have like found the happiest place ever.
SPEAKER_05So, what was it like high school getting recruited by like it's like D1, that's a huge deal, you know. Like that's the the pointy tip of the spear for collegiate athletes, you know, to go to a D1, especially like Clemson. What was that like for you getting recruited? Uh, and like what was that recruitment process like? Was there any other schools they were looking at? Like, how did Clemson become the one?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, there were probably five or six schools that I was looking at. It was a really stressful process. In the moment, it felt like it was the end of the world. Like, if I didn't make the right decision, my whole life would be just in disarray. Um, which looking back on is a little bit silly. But at the time it was so exciting to be able to further my career, to be able to run against the best of the best. I mean, um, I wanted to go, I wanted to go somewhere warmer. So for me, I was looking at schools that were south. I don't know why I didn't ever think west, but I looked at schools that were in the south. Um, so I think they were like Virginia, I looked at North Carolina, um, just the standard kind of ACC schools. Um, Clemson stood out because they had an amazing coach that seemed to care about the holistic person behind the athlete. And that was something that was important to me at the time. Um, unfortunately, the entire coaching staff left two weeks before I went to school. So that kind of changed the entire experience that I had at Clemson. Um, I didn't end up working with the coach that I had kind of done the research to go there for, but yeah, that was kind of what went into that decision.
Body Image Pressure And Leaving Clemson
SPEAKER_05Now, college was a difficult time for you, like really difficult. Can you maybe open up a little bit about like the pressure to maintain like a certain weight and like what that does to you as like a competitive athlete and how it just breaks you down? Like, what was that situation like for you, especially with your coaching staff?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, I think that was one of the most surprising things for me. I, you know, I knew that there were undertones of um unhealthy things happening in this space, but it didn't feel like something that would ever happen to me when I went into college. My coach in high school was so healthy, and I felt really supported by him just in the body that I was in, because that's the body that was performing. Um, but at Clemson, there was, we had to get our um body fat percentage checked every week, which is a little interesting because I don't really think it changes every week, but we got our body fat percentage tested every week. We had to set goals for what that number would be, which as a 17-year-old, how do you know how to set those goals? We were misguided into what those numbers should look like. So for females, most of the numbers would require losing your period, which impacts bone health. And none of that was told to us in the time. So I think, you know, I was setting these huge goals to get to a certain body fat percentage that that wasn't where my body was happy. Um, and then also on the side, having these conversations with the coaching staff where numbers were thrown out. If you lose X amount of weight, then you could be an NCAA champion. You could do this. So there's kind of that carrot in front of you where it's like, I trust these people. I want to, I want to be an NCAA champion. I want to be the best that I possibly can be. I still had these aspirations to go professional after college, and I think um I just wanted to do anything it took to get there. So I made micro changes, I made adjustments to try to get to these goals that we had set, and then it spiraled out of control both mentally and physically.
SPEAKER_05And how did that end at you? Like end with you at Clemson? Did you just leave the program or like what happened after that?
SPEAKER_06I was actually medically removed from the program. So I became too healthy, too too healthy, too unhealthy to continue running at all. Um, and I was removed from school for a few months to undergo treatment for anorexia, um, which is a very dramatic way to kind of end my I didn't know that I was ending my college career at the time, but I ultimately ended up uh transferring because the healthy-minded me figured out that it was not a great idea to go put myself back in the same situation that that instigated this spiral.
SPEAKER_05What did that do to your relationship with running? Like were you just done after that?
SPEAKER_06Or yeah, I thought I was retiring at the age of 19. I thought I was retiring from the sport, never to run again. I moved to Boulder, Colorado, which is a really ironic place to move to when you're retiring from running. Um, and I think that's where the water got a little bit more. It was, you know, I got to Boulder and I was like, I don't know how I'm supposed to identify myself. I had to finish school, so I threw myself headfirst into school. Um, finished seventh in my class there, which is like I really married school. And I think that's kind of what took over the running identity for a while. It was like, okay, I'm just gonna pour everything I have into school. But there was still, you know, I'm staring out my window, watching the CU team run by and getting sad every time I see runners, which is a lot of the time. Um, and then just spending my life like hiking every peak in Boulder and skiing and really throwing myself into that outdoor, the non-just pure running side of things.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. So you moved to Boulder, and how long did it take, how many years before you were like, maybe I should do a jog? Or did you meet Andy? Like, how did that like come together? Because I know Andy Wacker was a big influence for you.
SPEAKER_06Andy Wacker was a huge influence for me. I would say, so I I came to Boulder probably I was still jogging, maybe like two to three miles here and there, and it was just it was very unfulfilling running, I would say. I would say I was there for probably about a year before um my parents motivated me to sign up for the Boulder Track Club, which was like very low commitment. One day a week, you meet with this group, and I was, it just took a hold so fast. I was like, oh, I'm a competitive runner again. This is so fun, like such a good community. It felt healthy. I was competing again, and that's kind of where I met Andy through that and decided to kind of tick it up a little bit. Like, okay, I'll have Andy coach me for a bit and I'll compete on the track again. And um, in my head, I was still a road track athlete, so that's kind of the way that I was still going with that.
SPEAKER_05Was your first trail race BTMR? Yes. Okay, it was the audience would like this because like we're in Colorado Springs. Your first trail race was BTMR. Uh what was it, 2019?
SPEAKER_062019, yes, it was so dramatic.
SPEAKER_05And board trail mountain race, for people that don't know, that's you know, what is it, thirst half-marathonish distance, three, 33 to 3,600 feet of climbing. And you broke your sacrum in the race, right? Yeah. Talk about that.
Boulder Reset And Finding Trails
SPEAKER_06Yeah, so um, yeah, so one thing led to another with Andy. I quickly found trails. It was a very quick, like this was like a three-month process. He somehow convinced me to run a half marathon up a mountain, which for a 1500 runner is kind of a big deal. Um, bar trail, I still have a bone to pick with that trail. Like, I'm still trying to figure out the mountain here. Um, but it's such a fun race. It, I was just so excited to be able to race on trails and race something super fun and blend these worlds. Um, I would say, so on the way up the mountain, because it's just a simple out and back, on the way up, I started to feel this weird back pain. And I was like, well, maybe this is how trail running is. Maybe it's supposed to be really painful. Like, maybe my kidneys are failing. I don't know. Like, this does not feel comfortable, but nothing ever feels that comfortable when you're running. But then I turned around and I went to go down, and I love downhill. So I just started sprinting, and all of a sudden my leg gave out and I was like rolling down the trail. And that happened like six times. I mean, a lot of part of me is like, why didn't I stop? But it's not the most logistically sound race to stop it. I would have had to like still make it to the bottom. So, and I was in second, so the competitive part of me was like, No, you're gonna keep going, maybe just scale it back a little, but even scaled back, like my leg was giving out, it was super painful. I was like, then I was like bleeding everywhere. I'm like, this is so bizarre. This sport is really weird. Um, but I got second, was super happy about that, and then I couldn't walk and had 25 stitches, and half of my knees are still on the mountain. It's um was a very dramatic start, but I remember the first thought, like, even though it was the most ridiculous pain I've ever had, I was like, I'm doing that again. Whenever this is over, I'm doing that again.
SPEAKER_05So, this is like right before the pandemic, too. Yeah, and then like, so this is what I gotta ask you, because uh looking at your like results and stuff, like in 2020, you went to go compete at the Golden Trail World Series. It was the stage race, right? Can you talk about that? Because like Jim was in that race, like so many like household names that we have now that like Rachel Drake, like so many people. What was that like? And how did you qualify for that thing?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, it was interesting. So I raced, um I raced maybe once more that year after I was injured, and then the pandemic obviously happened, and they once it was in that weird zone where like people were, you know, like a little bit less freaked out, but not quite to the point of traveling, they did this competition, kind of like a golden ticket competition from your own doorstep. So basically, they were like five different routes in the US, like FKT routes, and if you got the FKT, then you qualified to go to this grand finale stage race in um Azores Islands in Portugal. And I got the Skyline Traverse FKT in Boulder, and that's um that's what got me there was I just went out and ran as hard as I possibly could against myself, which was so fun. I think the pandemic actually helped me love the sport more, just me versus myself versus the trails, and so that qualified me. And Jim qualified through It's Arizona or something like that. Yeah, I think it was Arizona, and then Enchantments was one of them. So I know that's how Rachel Drake qualified, but it was a great group of people, and I think that's kind of what got me hooked on Golden Trail was that stage race. I was definitely not ready for a stage race, but it was still like such a great experience to be able to go out there, compete for at least a few of the days, and uh just see what the international side of the sport is like.
SPEAKER_05What did you think? Like, what did you think about like competing internationally? Like, was it just like just a level up? Was that like I mean, because golden trail is like as as hard as it gets, right?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, I would say it wasn't the same as I mean, I've obviously competed internationally a lot since then. And because there, because of COVID, there wasn't the fan base that you usually see, but I saw it in the athletes, I saw the passion. These people were bred to trail run, and I think that was so exciting for me. I was like, I'm coming back and I'm racing these people again, and I'm gonna like perfect this game. This is so fun.
SPEAKER_05I gotta ask you, because this is a big part of your career. Like, did that open the door for you to join the Solomon team going there?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, so that that kind of that opened. I think the just getting the golden ticket opened the Solomon US door, and I was on the team kind of loosely for a year, and then that solidified the Deal and I was with Solomon for three years total.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. And that was a pretty big part of your career. Like 20, what was it, 21 through well, 20 through 23? Because 2022 was probably one of the biggest years of your career. You took first American in series and all. Was that life-changing for you? Like going to series and all and like getting fifth place in like the most competitive race on the planet?
SPEAKER_06Like, yeah, that was, I mean, that was like a dream day. I feel like 2022, yeah, I'd say 2022 is when things took off. And I feel like it was like everything really came together that year. And see, yeah, series and all was I still dream about that day. And talk about it.
BTMR Crash And Sacrum Fracture
SPEAKER_05Like, I'm gonna hear like, what was your like, did you know you were in like fifth place? Like, were you hunting other ladies? Like, what was that? How did that race on play for you?
SPEAKER_06I knew I was in fifth place, but I kind of was holding on for dear life and couldn't believe it. It was a little bit of like, I know where I am in this race. Don't ask questions, just keep running as hard as you can. Um, and I've had races feel like that since then, but maybe on less of a big stage, if that makes sense. But that was, I love, I mean, I love steep terrain. And then everyone makes Sears and all sound like it's a road race. It's not, it's a double VK to start. So I think that's where like I felt so good. I had some issues in the beginning of that year and didn't actually start training until June. And so I think I actually thrive off of like being a little undercooked, which sounds really weird. Like, I didn't perfect the training. Everyone's talking about all this data going into the race, and I'm like, I'm not prepared for this race at all. And honestly, it was like one of the best races of my life. And yeah.
SPEAKER_05Can you talk about maybe the course a little bit? Just because you said it starts off with the W double VK, and then you it kind of like it's more rollers, right? Is that how it works? I've never been there.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, so it's like double VK, and then well, it's like a road, and then it's a double VK, and then it's like rollers for what feels like forever, and then it just shoots 3,000 feet downhill in like two or three miles, and then you're done. But it's a net uphill, so you gain maybe seven-ish thousand feet and you lose like three thousand. Um, so it is like a fast person's course, it's very smooth. Um, I would say you kind of want to be a jack of all trades, but I think like the road part of me did help. Like having speed helps on the top because you're running really fast, but you also like can't just take a pure road runner and expect them to run a WK. So it's kind of fun to have that arsenal of like, I know how to climb, but I also know how to run pretty well and like put them together and yeah.
SPEAKER_05You talk about like how mentally it is to race a lot of these, especially like on the ladies' side. Like you, especially doing the golden trail series, you start to learn people's styles. Some people are really good on the uphill, some people are really good downhillers. You see like how you can kind of apply your skills to to beat them, but like at the same time run your own race. How do you go into a race like that thinking about it? Like, what is your MO? Is it just run my own race? Or is it like I need to be strategic and put myself in this race from the beginning?
SPEAKER_06So it's a fine balance. I think it depends on the weight race a little bit, but for the most part, I kind of have to put the blinders on a bit. Um, I think what I've noticed is that if I focus too much on what everybody else around me is doing, I get so caught up in that and lose focus on the actual race. Like for me, I mean, for me, there's a lot of my past that that makes me so grateful just to get to a start line and be healthy and be able to compete. And so reminding myself of that allows me to be in the moment. And then it'd be silly if I'm like, yeah, I'm ignoring everyone that's there. When people, I tend to like to take it out hot. So I usually just go with, and and this is obviously for races that are like three-ish hours and less, but I tend to go with whoever's going out in front, and um so it's like I don't know how much strategy is in it, as much as like hang on for dear life, settle in, and then hang on for dear life.
SPEAKER_05It's a very Eurocentric way of racing.
SPEAKER_06It is, yeah. And I think that's why like I try not to overthink it, and I think that's why like I've had, you know, I haven't like fully knocked everything out of the park, but I've had success in Europe, and it's um I mean Zagama, like Nick and I did the um race preview for Zagama.
SPEAKER_05I think you were both of our picks to like either get on the podium ever win that damn race.
SPEAKER_06I ran like three quarters of the race in second and third place, and then all of a sudden it was like the wheels were falling off. But that's that's like an example of a race where it's like maybe there's ways that I could have done things a little bit different.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. It's such a weird, especially like, I don't know, technicality. It seems like you're so good technically. I mean, we could talk about the run, we'll get into that in a little bit, but like, yeah, what is it about technical running that like you do just like really enjoy it or like because you're very good at it?
SPEAKER_06I really enjoy it. I think, I mean, I think it's important for trail runners to be versatile. I think it's you never, I mean, it's just nice to be able to, like, if world's qualifiers is non-technical one year, great, I feel like I can compete. If it's technical, I feel like I can compete. I I do like the technicality better. I think part of it is what I found myself enjoying in Boulder and what I train on a lot, but then also like I think part of it does kind of in my subconscious speak to the Adirondnecks are not untechnical. And so I think I just got really comfortable on that, and I also realized that there's a lot of women that aren't good at that. So it's kind, I mean, it's fun to know that I have a leg up on this terrain, so then I want to work on it more, and then it becomes even more of a skill set.
SPEAKER_05John, it's interesting to me because when I had Johnny on the podcast, like that is the most dialed human I've ever met.
Golden Trail Entry And Salomon Door
SPEAKER_06Well, that's the other thing is that when you have to chase him down mountains, it's like life or death. And you, I mean, I he obviously slows down for me to keep up, but I feel like he's given me a lot of skills to be able to thrive on that train because he's hands down one of the best downhillers in the world. Easily. And I think that allows me to kind of feed off of that. Like I like to be in good company, and I think that that's um really benefited me over the years.
SPEAKER_05Let's talk Boulder. So you you live with other athletes that are professional athletes. Is it, especially now that you've been there for so long, do you feel like if you're going through a period of injury or you're not running at that point in time, do you have FOMO? Like, is it hard to post stuff on Stravo all the time? Like, I always ask this the people that live in Boulder because it's like there are it's like the there's just so many athletes there. And there's just like I feel like to me, I would feel pressure. How does that feel?
SPEAKER_06I would say I've evolved. Um back in 2019, 2020, I had the the sacrum injury. Um, I actually ended up breaking the other side of the sacrum right after, which is so unfortunate. But and I haven't been injured since then until now. But um, that double whammy, like I had just a terrible mindset. It was like everyone else gets to do this. Woe is me. It's really hard to feel motivated, like I had nothing to say on social media. It feels like a weakness, so I felt like I had to hide it from my team, my athlete manager. Like it felt like something that I didn't want to share. Like it's a weak part of me. Everyone else is doing all these fun things. And now I think I've grown to the point that it's like, okay, every athlete gets injured. That's part of the gamble that we work with. I mean, that's part of like we're testing our bodies to the edge so often that obviously things are gonna break down here and there, and that's that's natural. And being able to own that is a sign of maturity, and and yes, it's still hard to see everybody doing all these things, but it's also there's so many other ways to get outside and to to still be connected to the reason you know that we do this thing in the first place, and um, so that's kind of been grounding for me. But I would say Strava does always make things more challenging. It's like I I've grown in that sense too, but it it still is like, oh, this person's doing that. Why am I doing this?
SPEAKER_05That's I follow five people on Strava, and like and I don't really ever go on it. Like, I'm very careful about I don't know, I don't it's not that it's FOMO, but it's like I don't want to see what anybody else is doing because I want to be very focused on my own thing.
SPEAKER_06It's easy to compare, it's very especially when you're like, I know this person's race schedule is the same as mine, I'm doing this, they're doing that. There's so many different ways to get to a start line healthy and fit. You don't need to do what the other person is doing.
SPEAKER_05True, that's very true. Yeah, it's crazy. Like the Strava thing with social media, I was gonna ask you about this. Like, do you find it hard as a professional athlete to balance like having to put stuff out there about your life and like what your training is like and all that on Instagram while also training? Like, what is that dichotomy like for you?
SPEAKER_06I kind of enjoy it weirdly. I think for me, I like the bigger part of um, I mean, for me, it's really important to inspire the community. Inspire younger people, inspire, woman, inspire anybody that's going through a hard thing. And so it almost serves as motivation when I share things. Like it's like, okay, someone's gonna read this and be impacted by it, hopefully in a positive way, and feel understood and feel like they're not the only person going through this. So I think when I share things on Instagram, like it makes me feel more connected. But there are moments where it's like I had a really bad race. I don't necessarily want, like, I shouldn't have to explain it to anyone. Like I don't owe it to anyone, but at the same time, I don't want to be the person that has a bad race and can only talk about good things on Instagram. So it does, there is a little bit of a pressure, but it it doesn't feel like a hard balance for me.
SPEAKER_05I like that. It's interesting because I see a lot of people struggle with it. So it's cool to see someone actually for once give me an answer that's like, I like it. That's yeah, it's not that hard for me.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, that's cool. I would say I don't have a million trolls though. So I I think it would be harder if I had people in my messages all the time telling me that I'm a terrible person. So that would be that would be complicated, but that's not what I my experience.
SPEAKER_05Do you find as like your like platform is elevated in the sport, you gotten a lot of followers? Like, do you find it like, especially in Boulder? Like, are you constantly saying hi to people on the trails? Like, is that a little weird?
SPEAKER_06Like people recognize my dog before they recognize me. That is the bizarre thing. Like, how many people know my dog and I couldn't tell you who the person is? Yeah. Um, so I guess they're saying hi to me indirectly through him, but it doesn't, it doesn't weird me out too much. I I think it if you told me that that would be happening 10 years ago, I'd be like, you're absolutely nuts. That's I'm retired actually. But um, yeah, it's it's kind of fun and boulder.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Well, even like if you're in like overseas, like in Europe, like do the Euros go a little crazy like when they see like the Americans? Like when like they're hey, can I get a photo with you? What is that?
SPEAKER_06At events, yes. Um, I would say it's nice when you're when you choose the right people to be around, though, because if you're walking around with like Jim or Courtney to Walter, it's like, yeah, they don't care about me. So you just gotta choose your company wisely.
SPEAKER_05Okay, okay. That's super cool. I want to talk to you about the Rut. So you were back to back to back to back champion at the Rut 28K, something like that.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, I won it four times and I won it three times. One or three times.
Sierre-Zinal Breakthrough And Race Tactics
SPEAKER_05Yeah. So Nick just raced it last year, and he told me it was like one of the most technical courses, if not the most, right? Most technical course. What is it that you have figured out? Well, I have two questions for this. So you can have well, we'll go with the first one first. What is it have you figured out about like to continue to dominate that race?
SPEAKER_06Oh my gosh, I love that race so much. It is, um, yes, I would agree that it's one of the most technical races in the US. Um what have I figured out? I think a lot of it has come with developing athletic maturity, part of it. Because I think the first two times I ran it, I absolutely exploded by the end and was just hanging on for dear life and was kind of lucky that I had created this gap in the field. But um, so part of it is that, and then the other part is like fueling, hydrating, and these aren't even related to the technical components of the course, but I think a lot of the reason that the route has only gotten faster for me is because I learned how to fuel in races and actually um like still have energy at the end and still be able to run because it finishes with like a thousand-foot climb and descent. So you kind of you have to stay alive for that. Yeah, yeah. Um, and that's after like this like 6,000 foot climb or something. I don't know the exact numbers, but it's it's big going to Lone Peak and coming off the backside. But um I'm not entirely sure. Like, I think the the technicality is just perfect for me. I think it's so similar to what I'm used to navigating that it feels, I mean, it's like running on broken dinner plates. So it's a little weird, but um something about that, like, and I don't know what that says about me as a person, but something about that is just so fun. Suffering, right? Yeah, and I think I don't know, there's a lot, like a lot of women get rattled by it, a lot of people get rattled by it, and it doesn't really phase me very much. So I think that that's a big piece to it, is like, and then just the more times you run a course and it's the same course every year, the better you get. Although I would say that the downhill, the first three times I ran it, was the same exact time to the second every single year until this year. I broke the spell this year.
SPEAKER_05But wow, yeah. Well, so I guess yeah, I had Denali on the podcast, and she, I think she's shared the podium with you. I believe she was the fourth, some of the third third, yes. And so, and like she's proper Alaskan mountain runner, like Mount Marathon. And like she said, like that, it's on another level, that type of race. So I gotta get out there to go go play.
SPEAKER_06You really need to, especially given the name of your podcast. It's the steepest, most consistent race I've done in the US. I hear, I think the only other one that I hear things about is TMR.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Um, but I really think that it's I hands down, I think it's the best US race.
SPEAKER_05Um Mike Foot. That's pretty cool.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, he's got an amazing event, they have an amazing staff. The community there is kind of what keeps bringing me back. Like every year, it's not on my schedule in the beginning of the year. Every year I show up. So it's might happen again this year. We'll see. Okay. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05So last year was a big year because like Jennifer Lichner, who's like one of the best, if not probably the best 50k female athlete, like mountain athlete in the country came. And like you guys, like it was a highly anticipated matchup, and you beat her. Well, were you thinking about that going into the race, or did you just want to win?
SPEAKER_06I was, I mean, I always like I'm human. I think about the people I'm racing. I'm intimidated. That's that's a natural part of this sport. But I I kind of thought it was a good course to be able to compete with her because I know I'm a better downhill runner, but I also in my head feel like she could outclimb me, but I almost but not by that much. So I'm like, this could be a really good matchup. Like it's it's fun when you're actually competing with someone back and forth. And um that's kind of I've that was kind of the experience for the first maybe 90 minutes or so. It was, I mean, I was leading, but she was like right there, and then we went down the first technical descent and I kind of lost her, and then like saw her coming back, and and it was this fun like game of cat and mouse. And um, she did end up taking a wrong turn, but apparently, like it just kind of ended up in the same spot. So I don't know if she lost time or whatever happened, but um I ran like it was terrifying to feel like she was behind me.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I I feel like yeah, like that would be really difficult.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, but I told myself if I got to the top first, I'd be fine. Okay, and that's what the experience was, so it was very fun.
SPEAKER_05Nice, yeah. I I mean, like we, you know, we did a race preview on it. It was really fun to preview that one just because like two heavyweights in a lot of ways, like totally the best. Like you have a subultra golden trail series athlete that you know is used to these golden trail series races, and then you have Jennifer who is more the 50k distance, so it was kind of cool to see that match up in between. It's fun. Um, I want to take it back to New York. The first time you qualified for a world's team was at Breakneck. What was that like for you? Because it's like a homecoming.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, it was really fun. I mean, it's not. I had actually never been to that area of New York, so it was really cool to see the terrain there. Um, breakneck is another really cool race. The the climbs aren't necessarily long, but everything is so punchy and there is technicality. There's even a little bit of scrambling in that race. I had a lot of fun there. Um it was it was cool because some people that don't usually get to see this world got to come out family-wise, because we still have a lot of extended family out there. And my sister's wedding shower was that same weekend. So it was cool to be able to like be around family and do this big thing and qualify for another world's team.
SPEAKER_05One of the things I wanted to get into was you qualified to go race at Innsbruck for the short course, right? It was like the short course. Marathon distance, right? It was, yeah, long. So that was a really probably a very tough race for you. You didn't finish. Like, how did what happened?
SPEAKER_06Like what what went down the that was, yeah, my first and only DNF.
SPEAKER_05Um but it wasn't just you, like Britney Charbonner, like a lot of ladies had a tough race.
Technical Running, Training Partners, And Boulder Life
SPEAKER_06Yeah, there's a there's a little bit of a backstory. Um, let's hear it. Yeah, it's drama. But I had so I got sick in January. This is like way before Worlds was in June. I got sick in January and then had about nine months of like really weird long viral um symptoms. And it was super concerning. Like, I shouldn't have been racing, is what I'm saying. Like, I really shouldn't have been at Worlds, but I made the team, and that's one of those decisions that I'm like, mm-hmm. I think mature athlete me right now would have been like, I can't race worlds, like this isn't a good decision. Um, I really like I could hardly run easy runs without my quads shutting off, and like my heart rate was like 200. Oh my god. So it was really not a smart decision to show up, and that's just full honesty. Um, and the first, so like there was like a little climb, little descent, and then this like giant climb. And I did the little climb, little descent, and was just feeling I mean, I wasn't in the worst place, but I was feeling terrible and just feeling like there's no way I'm gonna be able to do the rest of this race, but I kept going for like 14 miles, and because I knew there was a chairlift, so I was like, I'll just run to the top of the lift, see what happens, and um it just made absolutely no sense. I was like stumbling around all over the place, and I knew that you know, if I finished, my body would be destroyed, my mind would be destroyed either way, and like that's not the world's experience I wanted, and it wouldn't have been either way, so I made a decision in the moment for my body, and it still took until like the rut was my next, my really only like my next race after June was the rut in September. Um, because it just took I ended up having to take actual time away from running instead of trying to train through this weird thing that I was experiencing. Um, so that's that was my world experience, which is so unfortunate. And the course is still like I still want to do that course. It definitely speaks to me, but it was a really tough day. And I know a few other people had really tough days as well. But yeah, I'm hoping for a more successful worlds adventure. Should I make the team this year?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, yeah. So I know we kind of talked a little bit about potential broken arrow. So you you do want to go back. That would be the idea.
SPEAKER_06That is, yeah. So I have I have very simple objectives this year, and they are like a little bit longer than what I usually do. But OCC and Worlds are like my only two goals for the entire year. And with that, you have to qualify for worlds. So that's where Broken Arrow 46K comes in. Um so right now it's you know full send to get back on the worlds team. Um I made the classic team back in 2021, but they canceled the worlds that year. That's right. And then the Innsbruck team obviously didn't the race was just like one of the worst experiences of my life. And um I am ready. Yeah, I am ready to go back, and it's another course, it's in the Pyrenees, it's super steep. Like I think it's a course that fits me really well. So I'm hoping to get myself back there.
SPEAKER_05So with Broken Arrow, obviously, that's short course for the marathon. You've had some success at Broken Arrow, but it's been a couple years since you've been back. So are you excited to get like if you do go back, you excited to go back?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, I'm excited to go back. I've only ever done the 23k there, and it was it was fun. I was I would say I was like like it was a time of the season that I was like, oh my gosh, my legs are about to fall off. And racing at altitude is hard, but I really like it there. It's a good mix of everything. It's got some solid downhill, it's got some really runnable parts. Um, and I'm gonna do two laps this year.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, so yeah. It's always funny. Like, I feel like with Broken Arrow, unless you're David Sinclair or Michelina Censeri, like whoever's leading like the like the first lap is usually not leading the second lap. Yeah, it's so funny because you've got that one downhill off the ski lift that you're running like probably four something pace for some people, like it's so fast.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, yeah. And that can, if you're not used to it running really fast downhill, like that will obliterate you, and then the second lap is like a death march. So hoping to avoid that, but yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Do you think like at some point in time you'll mix it up with like some shorter stuff, like any cirque series races or anything like that, or VK is?
SPEAKER_06I'd love to do Cirque series, it always falls in the time that I'm competing in Europe, so I still want to get to one. Um, I feel bad because I'm always like, yes, I'll do this. It looks like kidding, no, I won't. They're so fun, yeah, so fun looking. Um so Circ is definitely something I'm interested in. VKs, I I really, I mean, I really love like pure uphill FKTs. So I think the idea of a VK sounds cool. Um I kind of want to try it all. I also am intrigued by longer things. So it's you know, I I'd like to just be able to do well at all of it. And so, yes, I would I would love to jump in those um things in the the VK, especially is like such an easy thing to to jump into. So maybe this year I'll just find some when I'm in Europe and just do it, rip the band-aid off.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, like the Mont Blanc one looks sick, yeah.
SPEAKER_06I know that that's the thing, is that they're always the day before a race, and I really I don't love to sell my soul at 5 p.m. the day before 50k. Like that's really challenging. Um I've done an I did a VK in Austria and and that was super fun. So I do hope to do it again, maybe as an isolated thing.
SPEAKER_05What about subultra do you like that like keeps you in the sport? Because you're like, I know you were on the start list for Canyons 50K, maybe a little 50k curious, but like subulture is like your kind of your jam. What do you like so much about it?
SPEAKER_06I like to run fast, and not that ultra runners aren't running fast, but like there's a lot of um very bare bones. Like you can just go run as hard as you almost as hard as you can for like you know three-ish hours. And there's not as many, like, I don't have to think about a shoe change. I don't have to think about like what happens if my feet get wet. I don't care. I'm just gonna keep running. Yeah, it's not 14 hours, so things don't compound. So right now it's kind of fun just to like, it's almost like pure fitness versus having to like plan out every single piece and then things that aren't even in your control happen anyway and ruin your race. So it's kind of fun to just have just a bare bones sport. Um, and I would say, yeah, I have enjoyed the 50Ks I've done, and but they're I would say I can see why altars are so different because there's a lot more variables at play.
Social Media, Community, And The Rut Masterclass
SPEAKER_05Yeah, it doesn't like I don't know, I feel like all that like the science experiment of trying to figure out nutrition and just nailing that, like there's just so much to it that I'm like I just want to go smash myself against a mountain and see how fast I can get up and get down. And it's like it's just very primal. It's a very easy thing to do. You're not really thinking, you're just racing.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_05On the topic of racing, what is your relationship like with competition? Are you like an insanely competitive human? Or like, what are you like?
SPEAKER_06Um, I would say I love competition. Like, I really I think it's fun to be able to compete against the best of the best. And but I'm not driven only by competition. Like if you told me that I'm never allowed to race again, but I can train as much as I want and I can do FKTs and push myself to the max, I'd be I'd probably be fine. Like I'd be happy with that, but I do enjoy the competition, like it is fun in the moment. Um, but it's not the only reason that I do the sport. And I think like being competitive with myself is sometimes just as fun. Yeah. But as far as a how I am as a competitor, I like to run scared. So I'd rather have someone chasing me than have someone like next to me the entire time. Yeah. Um, I really like to run like I'm being chased.
SPEAKER_05It's brings up the best in you. Yeah, you can get the most out of yourself. I don't know. It's something like weird about the sport where it's like when you're smashing yourself entirely and there's like with other people in competition, like you almost build this like weird camaraderie. Like, will you those people be friends for life because you just destroyed yourself together? Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, you go to a special place for people.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's interesting. It's the greatest sport on earth.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, oh, I agree. And I think it's fun because there's so many room, there's so many places to grow. Like this year, I'm racing much more 50k length races, and we'll see how that goes. But I think it's just it's fun to be able to explore these things, but the other things are still there in your skill set. Like you look at someone like Killian, he can do a hundred miler, but then he can go win tears and all. And so it's just fun to be able to, like, that's my ultimate goal is to be able to be like a jack of all trades.
SPEAKER_05On that topic, like who inspires you in sport?
SPEAKER_06Hmm. Um I that's a great question. I'm inspired by so many people in this sport. I think there's so many women doing awesome things, and also, I mean, also men. Um a lot of my I mean, a lot of my friends inspire me. I think I'm trying to think like off the top of my head, Abby Hall is a huge inspiration just seeing her come back from injury and be really honest and vocal about things and also train really hard and be honest about that. And that's that's really fun. Um, Danny Moreno, super strong athlete. I think she's also somebody who has just dominated in a bunch of different areas, but is also very like I really appreciate people that are like open about their own experiences and not just you know like hiding things or hiding behind um, yeah. So those are two people, but I'm really I mean, I'm just inspired by everyone that's out there crushing it, yeah. And especially the women that are like having babies and then coming back and throwing down like that is so impressive. I don't know Rachel Drake, like Rachel Drake is an absolute animal and and a good friend of mine, and so it's all of those people kind of just paving the way for um those behind them, yeah.
SPEAKER_05Okay, what's your uh walkout song before a race?
SPEAKER_06Ooh. Oh, shoot, I just thought about this yesterday, too. Um, I think right now, off the top of my head, bring them out. Okay, you know, that's a good one. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_05I feel pumped. All right, here we go.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, that's a good song.
SPEAKER_05Sweet. Do you believe in aliens?
SPEAKER_06I don't.
SPEAKER_05Do you believe in Bigfoot?
SPEAKER_06I don't.
SPEAKER_05It's a common, common question.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, no. I'm convinced my dad does, but I don't.
SPEAKER_05Well, I feel like I rondex.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, no, he's definitely still searching somewhere.
SPEAKER_05Thank you so much for coming on the pod. We're gonna transition to uh audience QA now and appreciate it. Thanks for the conversation.
SPEAKER_06Thank you so much. It was great to be here. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_05All right, Steven, you had a question?
SPEAKER_01Hello. Um, so coming from a track athlete to switching to doing the trails, are you still training on the track often, or are you only trying to do trails, or do you miss track enough that you find yourself like trying to gravitate and still train there? Like, do you need it, or like where's the balance in that for what you're trying to do with your goals?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, good question. I would say the key, I guess the key word in that is balance. Like for me, it it one depends on what race I'm training for, depends on the time of year. I do, I do still do a lot of raw speed work. I would say more so on the roads than on the track. I think I think my I still have like a mental thing with the track sometimes where it's challenging to want to go sell my soul to it, but um, but I do really hard, really fast, flat work a lot, and I think that lends itself really well to being able to climb fast and just run fast in general. Um, so it's definitely a big part of training, more so in the winter when I'm training for something. I like to be really specific. So if I'm training for something super steep, like it won't present itself as much, but it's still very much a piece that I still like to go fast.
unknownI got one over there.
SPEAKER_04Um I'm wondering if you can talk a little bit about like the the races that you describe have so much uphill, and for so many people, like that's just pure suffering and and suckage. But you talk about these races in like such a positive way. I'm wondering if you can talk about like how you view the sort of suffering or like the the challenging parts of races and running, and also if you have any advice towards like looking at them in a positive way or like giving us advice to like, I don't know, yeah, like train differently in those, like especially in Boulder and like the rut, it's so steep and so hard, but you seem to like gravitate towards that, so it's not really a question, more of like a conversation point. Um, yeah, wondering if you could talk towards that.
Worlds Teams, Illness, And The Innsbruck DNF
SPEAKER_06Yeah, of course. So I agree. There is a lot of suffering involved, and I I'm a coach as well, and so I have these conversations with people so often, and it's you know, I I do try to remove myself sometimes because I know that this is a different experience for everybody, too, not everybody. And don't get me wrong, I am not running up these hills like this is so great, so easy, like I'm having so much fun. There are a lot of times where I'm like, I think I'll drop out at the top, like I think that's what's gonna happen is that I'm actually gonna drop out. Like almost like 80% of races, I'm like, if you just make it to here, then you're allowed to drop out. And usually I make it to that point and I'm like, oh, this is so fun, like I'm having so much fun in like a really weird type two way of fun. But um, I would say, and especially the first trail run that I did in Boulder, I was like just running way too hard uphill. Did not it was a suffer fest, it was terrible. And so I think getting on hills consistently, one, that's very important, but also slowing it down when you're on those hills to be able to be on the hill for longer and get your body used to moving uphill efficiently. And then with time, the more you do that, the more you get on that terrain, the easier it'll it'll feel and the faster you'll get at it. So that's one piece. That's kind of the training piece of like slowly breaking yourself into doing specific vert for the race that you're doing. I would say, you know, try to be as specific as you can so that the race isn't this like novel thing. And then as far as the mentality around when you're in the race, for me, it it does go back to gratitude. Like in those moments that I'm like starting to fall towards the, you know, if it if it's like a balance weight or whatever, I'm starting to fall towards the side of like negativity a little bit. Then I do check in with myself actively, and I'm like, you know, you're grateful to be here. You are healthy, you are like, I don't tell myself I'm grateful, but I'm like, I'm like, here's some reasons to be grateful. Like you have a healthy body, you are like an absolute monster, like you're a beast. Like it's all these mantras that I do feel like they sound so silly saying out loud right now, like you're a beast, but in the moment, I'm like fully throwing myself into that statement, and I'm like believing it, and and it does make things go by faster. And if it becomes this thing where like none of that's working, then usually I'm like, okay, I'm just gonna look at the shape of these rocks, and I'm gonna like that rock looks like a heart. I have no heart. Like it's like all these random things that just like you'll make yourself laugh, if nothing else. And I think that there's a little bit of a distraction element, but um, for the most part, it does go back to gratitude and like working on that side of me and like the mental aspect of like just keeping myself grounded in the moment.
SPEAKER_04Cool, so cool. Thank you.
SPEAKER_02So, on a previous podcast with James, he had discussed the separation of men's and women's races into two different days. What are your thoughts on that?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, that's a that's a pretty new thing. Um, I would say in Golden Trail in particular, I I actually have not started that many races as only a female race. I personally like having everyone on the start line, which is a very it's a very controversial topic because I know that a lot of there's a there are a lot of people that I think that the start line could be like a little bit balanced and it works out really well. I've had this conversation with a lot of people, but but for the people at the front of I don't want to be leading the race outright. I like to be able to chase, and I think the reality with some trail races is that I end up in no man's land a lot, and in a lot of these races, it ends up being like me and a male, or like me and two males, or me and other female and two males, and it just it provides a little more density, which I like. I like to be able to not feel like I'm just like alone in in the forest in a race, um, because it just makes it a little harder to gauge the effort. So I personally do like racing um together, but I would say there are some European races in particular, like Sears and All. I would probably enjoy that race more if the start line was not being like a human sardine, like it is so insane and like it smells terrible, and everybody goes out at like 440 pace, so you're kind of pushed along with like this group of professional road athletes, and that's a little terrifying. But other than that, I think like I do find a nice balance with having like a group of men go ahead and then like a chase group of women, and it's kind of fun to feel like the whole community is together. So race-dependent, race dependent, yeah. That's my like long-lived way of saying, sort of. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh especially now, you mentioned that you are a coach. Um, what is one thing that 2025 Bailey would tell 2019 Bailey when she's first getting into trails?
SPEAKER_06That's a great question. I mean, I think one obvious thing is to slow the heck down. Um, I try to run everything like a roadrunner and run everything at a certain pace. Pace does not matter when you're running up a 20% grade. It doesn't mean anything. And actually, like honing in on knowing what it feels like to go hard versus to go easy and having that in your skill set will help you intuitively in a race to be able to know like your different. I think of it all as like a dial, and it's like I now know the different like little knobs on my dial versus before it was just like always at the same spot, and I don't feel like I was actually like learning anything. So yeah, I would say slow down.
SPEAKER_07You'll just be dialogue. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Will you come back at any point in time to do like the entire Golden Trail series, or you think you're done?
SPEAKER_06I'm definitely not done. I have so much more work to do there, and and I wanted to do it last year, but one of the races that I had done, well, I had two like really bad races, but then one of the races that I showed up to was canceled 10K in. So then it didn't count towards one of the golden trail races, and it made it a logistical nightmare. Um, but I do hope to do it again, and I think um I'm just also trying to explore other things in the process. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05It's just interesting to me because I see a lot of people that like will do it for like three or four years and then like disappear. Like Eli Tabor. Like, I that's the thing, like they kind of graduated into like longer stuff, and like they don't go back to it. So it's just interesting to see different people's how they kind of change their perspective on it.
SPEAKER_06I would like to go back to it. I I also have just had my eyes on OCC for so long that I'm like I'm ready. Um, and OCC and worlds is like to me a very realistic, reasonable double. So but it's also like the smart part of me is like you can't. Some people will try to do golden trail and OCC and Worlds, and I'm not that person.
2025 Goals: Broken Arrow, Worlds, OCC
SPEAKER_03So yeah. Yeah, beats you up. Anybody else? Yeah. Uh so you think you mentioned you're dealing with an injury. How do you deal with injuries and setbacks from a mental standpoint?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, it's taken me a really long time to get to a place where I could like be injured and not feel like it's a weakness. And and I think I've learned a lot through that process, like being able to one, own up to it and be like, everybody gets injured, like that that happens. But um for me, it's it's just about like I mean, I use a lot of like the things that I this is kind of odd, but I use a lot. Of the things that I learned in my therapy when I'm injured, it's like, okay, I need to like think about this thought I had and why it may or may not be rational. Like, oh, like there's a lot of um imposter syndrome that happens with injury, and I feel like I'm like, I don't deserve this sponsorship. I don't deserve, like, I shouldn't even, I don't even know why I call myself a professional runner. And it's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, take a step back. Like, you have all of the data in your favor to call yourself whatever. And it's also like, it's just a season. Like it's just not a season of running, it's just a season of life. Like, it's just part of the process. And like, for me, I have actual proof that like I have come back from injuries way stronger. So I'm like, you know, this might just be like letting me not get too fit too early in the year. So, like, trying to trust the process and like also connect with people around me, like do things that I enjoy that maybe aren't related to running and um and also not scroll on Strava. That's been really that's just a piece of the process, is like not getting caught up in like, well, I'm racing this person and they're running 100 miles a week and I'm running nothing, so I suck. It's like okay, we're just gonna step back and realize that like everybody's path to success is looking a little bit different.
SPEAKER_07I mean, I think it's weird.
SPEAKER_05How do you, as a professional in the sport, and like one of the biggest name women on the subulter side, like how do you view your career? Like, do you look at it as like one day I'm just gonna retire from this and do something different? Or like, like, what do you how do you like or will running always be a piece of your life? Like, how do you like view it from a career perspective?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, well, for starters, I think my career is like just getting started, which is fun. Um, and and that's like to speak to your inspiration question earlier, like I am so inspired by the people that are arriving, you know, to whatever age, like there's not even a number I'll put on it right now. But um I do think like as I it's hard for me to imagine not competing, honestly, because I still love it so much that I don't see an endpoint, but but should that endpoint come mentally or physically when it comes, I think like I can see myself just still being so involved in the sport and like wanting to make a difference and and feeling like I can naturally um transition to that part of myself and and not the ultra competitive side anymore. And I in my head it it feels like it could be really smooth and natural. Um so I'm gonna roll with that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05I like that answer. I I see a lot of folks like Anton, for instance, going in-house at Sportiva, David Laney going in-house at Kraft. Do you do you think that would be something like you'd be interested in?
SPEAKER_06If Nike gives me a job, that'd be yeah, yeah. She's she'll be out. But um, yeah, well, I we didn't talk about this, but my original plan of life was to go to medical school. So there is a piece of me that's still really obsessed with human physiology and working with people directly on that. And so there is like a lot of curiosity and how I could blend that with running as well. Like whether that's like running female athlete-based research, or um, there's yeah, so there's a lot of things cooking in my brain, and I don't necessarily know what that looks like, but I know that running is a piece of that, and as long as I still love the sport, I will still be here.
SPEAKER_05Anyone else? Rose, you got anything? No? Joey, Steven, Brad, anybody? Ace? All right, well, Bailey, thank you so much for coming.
SPEAKER_06Thank you so much for having me. The dogs are like, they're clapping for us.
SPEAKER_05Yes, I'm sorry about the floor, guys. It's uh covered in dark hair. Awesome.
SPEAKER_06Yay, thank you.
Subultra Appeal And Competitive Mindset
SPEAKER_05Thank you, thank you, guys. What'd you guys think? Oh man, what a fun episode. Like I said, want to thank everybody from the bottom of my heart for coming out to the live pod. You can also tune in and catch this, guys, on video on YouTube. It's gonna go up on our YouTube shortly, and it is already up on the Colorado Running Company YouTube channel. You can find them at Colorado Running Company. Before you guys get going, do me a favor, let's get Bailey some more followers. You can give her a follow at Bailey B-A-I-L-E-Y Kowalzik. That's K-O-W-A-L-C-Z-Y-K. Give her a follow, send her some send her some messages, some encouraging messages. Let her know what you guys thought about the episode. I'm sure she'd love to hear from you. Um yeah, that was awesome. Really want to personally thank Bailey from the bottom of my heart for coming out. I know those podcasts can be a little bit intimidating when it's in front of a live audience. Um, so it was just super fun to be able to uh get to do these and yeah, just chat with the crowd and and have people here. Um, so many people I want to shout out and just give a giant thank you all, all my friends and family for coming out. Um, I want to give a big shout out to Colorado Running Company. Thank you guys so much for being able to host this event. Ron, Ace, Benjamin, and company, everybody so much. Uh just like thank you for for giving us so much love and uh putting this on. Um, you know, Ron is just such a visionary at CRC and you know, just being able to do this, it was just so cool. Um so hopefully this is the first of many of these fun little events that we'll be able to do. And Ace, uh your video production is just so uh you know amazing the way we're able to do everything. And Benjamin, uh, thanks for being you know, being support and leading the group run and just being a huge help. So thank you guys so much. Uh, want to thank my wife for being massively supportive and just like helping through everything and just you know helping get the day the get me through the day and just getting everything done. It was so much fun having our dogs there and just yeah, just doing our thing. And yeah, I really appreciate that. Um like I said, so many friends and family to thank. Um, you know, all my friends, you guys know how much I love and appreciate you, and just thank you for supporting the podcast and just listeners as well, uh, and new friends, people I got to meet, you know, at the pod. Um guys, I love you so much. Thank you. It just means the world to me. So really excited for what we have in store for year two. We've got a lot of really fun things coming down the pipeline that I can't wait to announce. Um, also want to thank some folks from some different brands, Emmy uh and company, and everybody that came out from Ultimate Direction to support and um you know have the Scratch Aritas and just provide you know a bunch of product and giveaways and do all that. It was amazing. Um, you know, Cetus USA, thank you guys, as well as Nike Trail. Um, you know, thanks for doing the shoe demos and Cetus, thank you for giving us socks to give away. Um Aiden at Cetus, like thank you so much. So yeah, so so much good stuff, so much love to go around. I could sit here for 20 minutes and just name names and just thank everyone, but I don't want to do that. Uh you know, out of the uh you know, just want to be mindful of your guys' time. So thanks guys so much. Uh, really appreciate it, and uh can't wait for next year.
