Western States in Transition? What’s Next for the Iconic 100-Miler (Topher Gaylord Interview)

Topher Gaylord is the newly appointed President of the Western States Endurance Run—arguably the most iconic ultramarathon in the world. A seven-time WSER finisher, Topher brings decades of experience in global outdoor industry leadership and a deep well of insight from more than 75 ultramarathons run across the globe.In this conversation, we discuss:– The direction he wants to steer Western States in– His views on the Golden Ticket Series and how it’s evolving– How he processed recent controversies with UTMB– The tension between commercialization and community in trail running– What excites him most about the future of the sportWe also talk about his upcoming keynote at TrailCon and how he plans to honor the rich legacy of WSER while preparing it for what’s next.Partners:Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (https://nordarun.com/)Gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.Naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (https://www.naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (https://raideresearch.com/)Additional Links:Follow Leah on Instagram,  Strava, TwitterFollow Brett on Instagram, Strava, YoutubeFollow Finn on Instagram, Strava, YoutubeSupport the show