038. Dakota Jones | Beyond just running. Environmental action, Hardrock 100 and an incurable curiosity for people and science

Dakota Jones is a trail and ultra runner from Colorado and an environmental activist. Coming off a third place finish at Hardrock 100m Endurance Run behind Kilian Jornet and Francois D'Haene, we sat down and chatted with him about everything that is going on in his life.  Dakota is not the average trail runner. He surely is one of the most established and successful athletes in the sport, having competed across the world over any distance and terrain, from VKs to 100 milers. But he's not just that. Dakota wants to use his broad impact on the trail running community to raise awareness towards the environmental issue and do something really impactful to protect our planet. A few years ago he felt the need to go back to university, where he's currently studying mechanical engineering. He founded Footprints Running Camps, which aims to develop leaders in climate action, combining environmental education with direct action. He's a very curious and thoughtful person; he's passionate about everything he does, and when he does something you can be sure he goes all in. We talk in detail about his Hardrock experience, what it felt like to race with Francois D'Haene and Kilian, the story of how he got inspired to run 100 miles by Kyle Skaggs - who paced him over the last 10 mile of the race - his friendship with Kilian. We talk about science, environment, Footprints and the trail running community. Lastly, we discuss his collaboration with NNormal, the outdoor brand founded by Kilian Jornet and Camper in 2022. Watch the 2021 Footprints movie and get inspired! Support Footprints with a donation here! Right now you can double your impact! Up to $15k in donations will be matched dollar for dollar, thanks to Patagonia Trail Running and Fat Tire. Follow @thatdakotajones and @footprintsrunning on Instagram. Thanks for listening and please share this episode if you enjoyed it! _______________________________________________________ Follow @vert.run on Instagram Download our app and sign up to our training plans on vert.run You can send us a message with any questions for us or for our guests! https://anchor.fm/vertrun/message Francesco's links: Instagram | Twitter | Strava | Website