Tim Tollefson on the UTMB Era, Power Plays, and Trail Running’s Future

Video Description

Trail running is still having its “What Are We Even Doing?” moment, and Tim Tollefson is right in the middle of it. In this episode, we take an honest look at the UTMB era, the rise of pro circuits, and what actually happens when a grassroots sport starts flirting with big-time structure. Chapters 02:06 Concerns About Professionalization in Trail Running 05:31 The Role of Elites in Trail Running Events, The Concept of Athlete Exclusivity in Events 18:30 The Future of Trail Running Leagues, UTMB's Impact on the Event Landscape 34:13 Critique of UTMB's Acquisitions and Community Impact 59:19 The Future of Race Events in North America 01:06:14 Skepticism Towards Organized Series 01:10:49 The Viability of the Golden Trail World Series 01:15:52 The Impact of Internationalization on Local Events Partners: * Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/) * deltaG Ketones - use code Singletrack20 at checkout on their website to get 20% off your next order (https://partners.deltagketones.com/SINGLETRACK20) * Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/) * Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website (bit.ly/3JVNIbL) to get 30% off your purchase. * Naak - use code SINGLETRACK15 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 15% off your purchase. Follow Singletrack on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runsingletrack/ Subscribe to Singletrack on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/singletrack/id1572382413 Subscribe to Singletrack on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7jAsWCRNSCU8nh81vrAaC2?si=3ac02e4e32b946c4