Canyons 50k/Golden Age of Trail/ Coaching in Trail

Lot's to riff on 4/28/2026 (Happy Birthday to me)

This past weekend at the Canyons 50k was a special one!

I was fortunate to come away with the win and the course record, and anytime something like that happens, there is a lot of gratitude that comes with it. In trail running, nothing is guaranteed. You can prepare well, do all the right things, and still have a day that goes sideways. That is part of what keeps it honest.

What made this one meaningful to me was not just the result, but the feeling of being fully in it again and having one of those seamless days where things clicked.

It’s always satisfying arriving at a start line knowing the work has been real. I was able to find fitness in a short period of time. Threshold sessions, hill work, easy miles with friends, and long runs in the mountains. Those are the things that build confidence. Not talk. Not hype. Just good old-fashioned training.

When the race started, I wanted to stay patient and trust the fitness I had built, but I also wanted to be in control of everything that was happening. I made it a point to let everyone go and do their thing for the first mile or two. I studied who was up front, what their breathing was like, how their stride looked, who was moving over technical terrain, well, all while paying attention to every detail. Who was carrying a lot of extra weight in their pack, who was hardly carrying anything and would likely be making aid station stops, who was wearing road shoes, who was wearing half tights( this makes for longer pee breaks and opportunity to strike). All of these details are things that aren’t talked about much but have just as much importance as anything else. At the end of the day, though, fitness is what matters most.

As the early miles clicked along, I decided to take the lead and control the pace. I could feel myself making moves and surges in areas where I knew others would be pushing a bit over threshold to keep up. This is my favorite type of racing. Get rid of runners early and let the racing begin after that with whoever sticks around. Ryan Forsyth came with me after the first big climb. I could tell through his breathing that he may have been pushing the envelope just a bit too early. This was his first trail race, and I admired how he was putting his nose to the grindstone and giving it a go.

Ryan is no slouch. He was one of the best runners in the NCAA at the University of Colorado. I knew if I was going to shake him, it would have to be on the downhills. It took 15 miles before that happened.

I could feel that rare rhythm every runner hopes for. Body and mind working together. Good energy. Good decisions. And then, with 10 miles to go, a confidence I hadn’t felt in a while. I shut it down and coasted in, enjoying the fact that I didn’t have to put in a huge effort today. Mission accomplished with Transvulcania in 2 weeks.

I crossed the line first, with the course record of 3:21. It felt good

Not because I feel I need to prove anything to others, but because it is rewarding to still be improving, still competing, and still finding new levels this many years into the sport. There is a lot of talk about youth in trail running right now, and rightfully so. The next generation is talented, fearless, and bringing serious speed into the scene.

But one of the coolest parts of this moment in trail running is that it is not only about the young athletes.

We are seeing younger runners rise quickly while athletes who have been in the sport for 10 to 15 years are still winning races, still evolving, and still dangerous. That mix is powerful. It creates deeper fields, better competition, and more meaning to every result.

To me, we are in a golden age of trail running.

The talent is improving. The training knowledge is improving. Brands are investing. Fans are paying attention. The level across the board is higher than it has ever been. With that growth comes opportunity.

I think one area where we can continue to improve, though, is coaching.

There are more coaches in trail running now than ever before, which is a good thing. Athletes deserve support, guidance, and people who care about helping them grow. But I also think we have moments where coaching becomes too competitive in the wrong ways.

We do not need coaches coaching against each other.

Leave that to the athletes on race day.

As coaches, we should be pushing the sport forward together. Sharing ideas. Respecting different methods. Learning from one another. Wanting the athlete experience to improve no matter whose name is on the training plan.

No one person has all the answers. Every athlete is different. Every coach sees things through a different lens. That diversity can be a strength if we let it be.

Imagine trail running with the depth of coaching systems seen in road running, but with the heart and soul that has always made trail special. That is where this sport can go.

And honestly, I think it already is in many ways.

This weekend reminded me of a lot. It reminded me that I still love competing. It reminded me that growth does not have an age limit. It reminded me that trail running is moving in a beautiful direction.

I was proud to win at Canyons.

But I was equally inspired by what the weekend represented.

A sport growing up without losing itself, and I think that is something worth being excited about

.