PODCAST

The Steep Stuff Podcast

James Lauriello

Welcome to the Steep Stuff Podcast, your source for all things Short Trail

sports running

All Episodes

36:02

Colorado Springs Trail Running Camp for Kids...

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/03/05

Send a text Want to see a kid light up after nailing a steep climb? We sat down with pros Joseph Gray, Annie Hughes, and Dreama Walton to unpack how a three-day Colorado Springs Trail Running Camp turns second through eighth graders into confident movers and thoughtful trail stewards. Set in the shade of North Cheyenne Canyon, the camp blends short runs, hands-on drills, and creek-side cool-downs with simple lessons on leave no trace, hydration, sunscreen, and gear that actually fits the terr...

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33:57

Announcing Cirque Series Baldy & Jay Peak with Julian...

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/03/02

Send a text Big news drops: we’re adding two late-season mountain classics to the Cirque Series calendar and turning it into a true coast-to-coast slate. Jay Peak in Vermont brings 7.1 miles with 3,044 feet of climbing and a rugged, two-peak ridge that blends flowy running with real technical spice. One week later, Mount Baldy in Southern California delivers 9.1 miles and 3,926 feet of vert over the iconic Devil’s Backbone, cresting Mount San Antonio at 11,000-plus feet with the Pacific on th...

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64:58

The Sub Stack Short Trail News - Episode 2

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/03/02

Send a text Start with a helmet-required skyrace where five to six hours at altitude is just the warm-up, then jump to an Olympic mixed relay finish decided by seconds. That’s the energy we ride as we unpack a month that felt like a full season: Four Refugios fireworks, Anna Gibson and Cam Smith nearly nabbing a medal, and a Black Canyon weekend that proved how fast trail running has become. We break down why Kelly McChrystal’s course record matters beyond a single win—technical fluency, ris...

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56:23

#164 - Zachary Erikson

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/02/26

Send a text What if getting cut—twice—was the best thing that ever happened to your running? We sit down with 2025 Collegiate National Trail Champion Zach Erickson to unpack how a BYU distance runner rebuilt his confidence, found joy on steep terrain, and turned setbacks into podiums at races like Snowbird and the Pikes Peak Ascent. Zach brings a candid look at pressure inside an elite NCAA program, the chronic pelvis injury that sidelined him for a year, and the mental spiral that came with...

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56:16

Can Skyrunning Survive Long Term in America ? (With...

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/02/23

Send a text Skyrunning on American granite hits different. We sat down with race director Tom Hooper of 603 Endurance to unpack why the Kismet Cliff Run belongs at the center of a revitalized Skyrunner USA—and how the Northeast became a proving ground for steep, technical racing that rewards guts as much as VO2. We get specific about Kismet’s design: fast beachside start at Echo Lake, a brutal haul to Cathedral and Whitehorse, slick slabs, exposed ridgelines across the Moats, and a descent t...

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65:42

#162 - Addison Smith, Coaching Series - RPE VS HR...

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/02/20

Send a text Start lines are loud, data is messy, and mountains don’t care about your watch. We sat down with coach and ultrarunner Addison Smith to sort the signal from the noise: when to trust rate of perceived exertion, when heart rate zones help, and how to train for races that start cool, turn hot, and punish mistakes. Addison opens with a candid Black Canyon 100K recap—pacing with restraint, GI trouble in the middle miles, and the stubborn choice to keep fueling until the legs came back—...

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85:12

#161 - Michelino Sunseri

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/02/17

Send a text What happens when raw talent, relentless prep, and an unfiltered voice collide with a sport increasingly driven by optics? We sit down with elite trail runner and coach Michelino Senseri to talk wins, world teams, a headline-grabbing Grand Teton FKT, and what the culture gets wrong—and right—about mountain running today. It’s an honest, funny, and deeply practical conversation that moves from emus on leashes to cameras on social trails, from pacer debates at Western States to how ...

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64:07

#160 - Jackson Cole

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/02/12

Send a text Steep grades, sharper ideas, and zero fluff—this conversation with Jackson Cole tracks a season where grit meets growth. We start with the highlights: a win at Cirque Series Alyeska, more Cirque podiums at Killington and Grand Targhee, a strong Rut 28K, and a proud top‑26 at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships short trail. Then we zoom out to what shaped it all: a two‑week, 1,100‑mile bikepacking trip across New Zealand’s South Island that built deep aerobic strengt...

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49:50

The Sub Stack, Short Trail News - Episode 1

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/02/10

Send a text Big changes hit short trail running, and we’re here for all of it. We kick off The Substack with Rachel Tomajczyk to unpack the new Golden Trail World Series calendar, the late surge into Asia, and why a four-race-plus-final format forces athletes to rethink everything from training blocks to travel budgets. With no US stop on the GTWS schedule and Quebec Mega Trail standing alone in North America, the balance of power and opportunity shifts—especially for American athletes trying...

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2:43

Introducing The Sub Stack, The News Show for all...

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/02/10

Send a text Introducing The Sub Stack, The News Show for all Things Short Trail Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod

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77:04

#159 - Travis Macy, Host of Skimo Gold

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/02/06

Send us a text You press play for stoke, but stay for substance. We sit down with legendary endurance athlete and coach Travis Macy to unpack ski mountaineering’s Olympic debut, the rise of Skimo Gold as “SportsCenter for Skimo,” and how smart storytelling can turn niche talents into household names. From the first shotgun blast at Leadville to adventure racing across continents, Travis connects the dots between joyful beginnings and professional systems that actually grow a sport. We dig in...

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32:16

#158 - Aaron Barber, Race Director of Flagstaff Skypeaks

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/02/04

Send us a text The mountain weekend Flagstaff has been waiting for just showed up with big legs and bigger lungs. We sit down with race director Aaron Barber to unpack how Flagstaff Sky Peaks evolved from a “nice race in the pines” into a full three-day festival at Arizona Snowbowl, built around steep ski runs, high-altitude ridgelines, and a finish-line scene right by the lodge. From a Friday uphill lung-burner to Saturday’s slate with a 2,500-foot opening climb, fixed-time vert loops, and d...

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44:34

#157 - "Goldy" - Voice of the Beehive Bandwagon

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/02/02

Send us a text The voice you hear at the steepest start lines has a story—and a system. We sit down with Goldy, the announcer behind the Cirque Series and the force behind the Beehive Bandwagon, to unpack how a kid who DJed camp dances became the guy who turns finish lines into goosebumps. From a fateful Red Bull gig to years across X Games, Dew Tour, and trail races, he shares how preparation, empathy, and restraint shape the sound of an unforgettable race day. We explore the craft that mos...

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65:54

#156 - Matt Chorney

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/01/28

Send us a text Want to know how an elite mountain runner designs the very supplements he trusts on race day? We sit down with Momentus VP of Innovation, Matt Chorney, to connect the dots between steep trail performance, clean ingredient sourcing, and the certifications that actually protect athletes. Matt’s story stretches from New Hampshire’s rugged roots to Jackson’s endless access, and he brings that same blend of grit and curiosity to building products that stand up in pro and collegiate ...

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57:29

#155 - Cam Smith

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/01/26

Send us a text A high-stakes relay, a new Olympic sport, and two athletes who refused to blink. We sit down with Cam Smith to unpack how he and Anna Gibson qualified Team USA for the ski mountaineering mixed relay—beating Canada when it mattered most—and how an underdog mindset became their superpower. Cam’s story delivers a rare inside look at Olympic prep when your sport is making its debut: recruitment gambles, selection races, and the art of saying no to media so you can say yes to traini...

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65:33

#154 - Mason Coppi

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/01/22

Send us a text What does it take to race on the edge, fix your flaws, and build a season that holds up under pressure? We dive deep with Mason Copi, fresh off a blistering run at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships and a domestic campaign that turned him from underrated to undeniable. Mason opens up about starting fast when the course rewards it, working the early road section, and the moment when cramps hit yet belief held. You’ll hear how teammates on the course and a fired-u...

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77:44

#153 - Grayson Murphy

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/01/20

Send us a text A world champion who won’t let algorithms define her worth—Grayson Murphy joins us for a candid, sharp, and hopeful conversation about racing, health, and the future of trail running. From life in Bozeman to the first time grizzlies changed a solo run, we open with place and presence, then dive straight into how she built Wild Strides Paper Co, why multiple identities make better athletes, and how part-time sustainability work keeps her grounded in real-world impact. Grayson b...

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44:49

#152 - Coleman Cragun

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/01/16

Send us a text A young ultra runner with a mountain kid heart and a pro’s mindset—Coleman Cragun brings the heat. We dig into how he went from SUU walk-on to stacking top finishes at Canyons, Broken Arrow, Speedgoat, and Mammoth in his first year of ultras, and how mentorship from trail legend Hayden Hawks is shaping every decision. The honesty of their training partnership, from blunt fitness assessments to choosing the hardest race fields, has helped Coleman skip the usual trial-and-error a...

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50:59

#151 - Tom Hooper, Six03 Endurance

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/01/14

Send us a text Money is moving up the mountain, and the Northeast is ready for it. We sit down with Tom Hooper of 603 Endurance to unpack how a new partnership with Marathon Sports unlocks bigger prize purses, stronger production, and a smarter sponsor model that gives each race its own brand identity. Sunapee Scramble returns as the U.S. Mountain Running Championship with a $30,000 purse from Brooks and Team USA selection on the line. Loon Mountain leans into its legendary Upper Walking Boss...

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71:57

State of the Steep Stuff

The Steep Stuff Podcast ·

2026/01/12

Send us a text Trail running deserves sharper storytelling than recycled podium posts. We open the books on Steep Stuff: what we botched in 2025, what finally clicked, and how we’re going big on short trail in 2026. James and guest host Francesco get specific about the pivot from clunky Zoom reels to clean Riverside workflows, a fresh brand identity, and a quality-first mindset that actually scales. The result is a clear plan: show up at Broken Arrow, The Rut, Cirque Series stops, and champio...

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The Steep Stuff Podcast

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