Cultra Trail Running
by The Cultra Crew
Our weekly podcast shares the unique perspective of the North East, Beast Coast Ultra running scene: raw, impulsive, and irreverent. The Cultra Trail Running Podcast is a place where we can get together and discuss all the fun shit that happens on the trails that most normal people don't care about. Join the Cult! or maybe you already have without realizing it... resistance is futile.
Episodes
-
368: Brian Vanderheiden: Building the Connecticut Trail Running Scene
After forgetting to hit record, AFB and Anna G welcome Brian Vanderheiden of Steep Endurance to talk about the races, people, and ideas shaping the Connecticut trail-running community. Brian went from running ultras to putting on races in some of Connecticut's best natural spaces. What started as…
more -
367: Miles Victors: From 450 Pounds to 420 Miles, Finding "Enough" in the Pain Cave
Miles Victors is back on Cultra with a story that goes way beyond running. In 2022, Miles Victors weighed 450 pounds and needed a cane to walk. A half-mile trip to a pharmacy became the beginning of a transformation that took him from 3,000 steps a day to 100-mile races and eventually to a much...
-
366: Kat Bright: Jumping Over the Pennsylvania AT FKT Motherhood, Mindset & the Pursuit of More
Patreons First, then on to the show: Motherhood, Mindset & the Pursuit of More What happens when a former collegiate high jumper, coach, mother and lifelong athlete decides to find out just how far she can push herself? Kat Bright joins Art, Anna G. and Phred to talk about her incredible journey...
-
365 Vermont 100: Death Marches, Dream Crews & Six Ibuprofen
The Cultra crew gets together for a full-on Vermont 100 debrief with Josh Gaetjen, Christian Dockum, Chase Smith and Marc Kelly who all finished the 2026 VT 100 between 18:19 and 20:15. The conversation covers the highs, lows, suffering and fun of one of the Northeast's classic 100-milers…
more -
364: Kaylee Frederick- The Inner Voices of The Eastern States 100 Champion
At just 21 years old, Kaylee Frederick has already established herself as one of the most exciting young ultrarunners on the East Coast. She ran her first 100 miler at 16 years old, and when she was 18 became the youngest ever finisher of The Badwater 135. In 2026, she won the Eastern States 100...
-
363: Eastern States 100 Carnage & the Next Generation
This week on Cultra, we're digging into a brutal Eastern States 100, reflecting on our marathon-length conversation with Camille Herron, and looking ahead to one of the most exciting young runners on the East Coast. Eastern States delivered the kind of race that separates the merely enthusiastic...
-
362: Camille Herron Beyond Records
World-record holder and ultrarunning legend Camille Herron joins AFB and Anna G for one of her most personal and wide-ranging conversations to date. This episode is not just a controversial hot take on Facebook, but is a long run in her fast but sometimes troubled shoes. Rather than focusing on...
-
361: Jackassing Into Vermont 100
The Cultra Crew is headed north, and Josh is just days away from toeing the line at the legendary Vermont 100. This week is all about race week preparation as the gang dives into crew logistics, pacing strategy, nutrition plans, and the organized chaos that goes into surviving 100 miles. Anna G,...
-
360: Amber Constant, White Mountains, Black Flies and 3.65 Million Ft of Vert
Amber Constant, a White Mountains ultrarunner attempting one of the biggest endurance challenges ever undertaken in New England: breaking the all-time annual vertical gain world record joins Cultra Crew this week. Amber shares how a devastating injury nearly ended her running career, the long…
more -
359: CUT112 Training Bras
This week on Cultra, we sit down with Jillian Ellefson and Cherie Bilbie to talk about the unofficial women's movement that took shape around the Connecticut Ultra Traverse 112 (CUT112). What started with a simple Facebook post quickly grew into a community of 26 women and 16 supporters, all...
-
358: Lila Gaudrault's Cocodona 250 No-Plan Plan
AFB, Anna-G, Josh and Phred welcome back ultrarunner, hospice nurse, and Vermont mountain crusher Lila Gaudrault back to the Cultra Trail Running Podcast to break down her experience at the legendary Cocodona 250. Lila takes us deep into the Arizona suffering machine, explaining how she showed up...
-
357: Take 2 Trail at The Spring Fling 10 Hour with Jess Parker
357: Take 2 Trail at The Spring Fling 10 Hour What if we could leave less of a trace, and save some $ at the same time? Jess Parker is the Ultra cool founder of Take 2 Trail, and she has found a way for us all to easily buy and sell used gear. This lowers the cost of entry for trail runners, and...
-
356: Best Selling Author Martin Dugard The Long Run: Steve Prefontaine, Frank Shorter, Joan Benoit, Greta Waitz, and the Decade That Made the Marathon Cool.
AFB, Anna, and Phred sit down with bestselling author Martin Dugard to talk about his new book The Long Run: Steve Prefontaine, Frank Shorter, Joan Benoit, Greta Waitz, and the Decade That Made the Marathon Cool. The conversation explores the 1970s running boom, the influence of legends like…
more -
355: Boston Marathon Bulldogs Live
Cultra OG Stacey Clark joins AFB for a road trip to Boston to meet up with Episode 280's Jim Kean and The Boston Bulldogs! We record live from the sidelines at mile 22 of The Boston Marathon. But this is not a simple Rah-Rah sideline hot take. We hear how lives are being changed thru combining…
more -
354: Traprock 50k Live
This episode was recorded live at the Traprock 50K in Bloomfield Connecticut home of Penwood State Forest. This race is the first in the 12 race blue blaze series where runners will compete for the overall series prize. This is indirect support of Connecticut Forest & Parks Association, the group...
-
353: Liz Derstine Music on the PCT Ridgeline
AFB, Anna, and Phred welcome back ultrarunner, musician, and all-around adventurer Liz Derstine. Liz last appeared on Episode 112 talking about her Appalachian Trail FKT, and this time the conversation is about her PCT FKT attempt and her new film Ridgeline. We drift into the strange and…
more -
352: Vermont 100 Beast Coast Trail Running Stories with Amy Rusiecki
Anna, Fred, Josh, and AFB sit down with Amy Rusiecki, the longtime race director of the legendary Vermont 100 Endurance Run. Amy shares the behind-the-scenes realities of directing one of the oldest 100-mile races in the country and how she ended up becoming one of the most respected organizers…
more -
351 Time Warp, Umstead 100 and Patreon Barbershop
Art and Phred dive into treadmill survival strategies, including Phred's classic 1:05 reset method, the magic of a 15% incline, and the universal truth that starting too fast indoors is a bad life choice. Art is eyeing a March 15 return to running, sharing some winter miles at Lincoln Woods and…
more -
350: Guitar Playing in the Orange Mud with Josh Sprague
This week the Cultra Crew AFB and Anna G. talk with Josh Sprague — founder of Orange Mud — about building gear, starting businesses, and adventure racing. Josh grew up on a Kansas farm selling rubber band guns and raising 4-H pigs before working at Walmart and Goodyear. In 2012 he started Orange...
-
349: Weighted Vest Ski Jumping at Black Canyon 100K
Ellie Pell joins AFB, Phred, and Anna G talkin desert DNFs, frozen suffering, Barkley chaos, Olympic trivia, and women's running research, all in classic Cultra style. Ellie's Black Canyon DNF Ellie breaks down her early exit at the Black Canyon 100K after a mile-4 muscle cramp shut things down....
-
348: The Real King of Pain in The Frozen Heart 900
Cold. Wind. Frozen stream crossings. Dumb ass decision making, or genius? AFB recaps the Real King of Pain in Glastonbury, CT where thigh-deep icy water turned solid led to DQs (sorry Alex, Besic, and Bill), and winter racing felt more like a survival course. Josh and Shan hit Belltown AS, Mark...
-
347: Hot Takes on AMC Winter School with Martin Janoschek
Martin Janoschek drops in to talk AMC life, from winter leadership courses to stewarding ski trails at Cardigan Lodge. The crew dives into backcountry ski setups (tele, AT, splitboard), ski-leash lessons learned the hard way, and why lodges feel extra magical when it's stupid cold outside. Anna…
more -
346: How to Become a Lifelong Runner & Olympic Skimo in The Burrito League
Art and Phred talk winter survival mode: dodgy road conditions, shoulder rehab, fitness dips, and why flexible training beats heroic stupidity this time of year. We also review a Canadian Trail Running (Fishing) Magazine article about How to Be a Lifelong Runner. And take a quick yard sale dive...
-
345: Ty Gagne: Risk, Rescue, and Decision-Making in the Whites
The Cultra Crew welcomes New Hampshire–based author and risk management executive Ty Gagne for a wide-ranging conversation on mountain rescues, decision-making, and human behavior in the backcountry. How can we have fun, and live to tell about it? Why This Episode Matters Whether you're an...
-
344: Across The Years Nap Tents, Plus Part 1 of Gearing up for Winter Running in the Northeast
Phred recaps finishing the Across the Years Ultra in Arizona, logging another 100-mile effort and marking his 19th consecutive year with a 100-mile finish. The crew swaps ultra lore, legendary runner sightings, and stories from the deep end of endurance running. Plus we shout out our Cultra Fam....
-
343: CUT112 and Cultra's New Digs in The Whites
This solo episode is equal parts major announcement, status update, and classic Cultra over-share. AFB checks in on where the show has been, announces a big geographic expansion for Cultra TRP, lays out full details for the 2026 #CUT112 / #CUT50, and closes with a personal update on a…
more -
342: Golden Tips on Coaching High School XC and Ultra Running
Ian Golden from The Trails Collective, Finger Lakes Running Co., Red Newt Racing joins Evil Becky Burke to talk about the challenges of coaching runners of all ages and abilities. Get your official Cultra Clothes and other Cultra TRP PodSwag at our store! Outro music by Nick Byram Become a Cultra...
-
341: Jared Beasley on The Endurance Artist and Life with Laz
Author Jared Beasley can tell a great story! Including his encounters with Lazarus Lake, where he earned access to cover the Barkley and Backyard World Championship. Jared shares what he learned: Laz isn't testing fitness—he's testing willpower. Jared's new book The Endurance Artist: Lazarus…
more -
340: AFB and Phred Trash Patreon, Honor Jack LaLane, The Corn Palace and the Spam Museum
AFB and Phred cover highlights from the Cat's Tail Marathon, NotchView Invitational, SRT and Barclay Fall Classic, and Shan Riggs's run across Connecticut (114 of 169 towns done!). AFB shares a knee-busting White Mountains hiking story, his adventures at the Glastonbury Senior Center gym, where…
more -
339: Andrew Drummond White Mountains 100 Community Builder
Andrew Drummond is the heartbeat of the White Mountain trail running community -ultrarunner, ski mountaineer, and race director who set the FKT on the Direttissima, summiting all 48 NH 4,000-footers in under five days. We dive into his adventures in ultramarathons, backcountry skiing, and…
more -
338 New England Races and Patreon Love
AFB and Evil Becky are back with a full plate of races, mountain lore, and more than a few tangents. If you like your trail chatter served awkwardly with Swedish Fish, this one's for you. Shan Riggs is at it again!! Race Recaps: We dive into the Cross Connecticut Run for Mental Health Awareness…
more -
337: Dick Vincent: Founder of the Escarpment Trail Run & Longest-Serving Trail Race Director
Phast Phred, Evil Becky, and AFB host Dick Vincent—the man who's been directing the Escarpment Trail Run in the Catskills for 48 years straight. That makes him the longest-serving trail race director in North America. Laddie Lawrence can have the road scene locked down with Westport's summer...
-
336: Are the Adirondacks Tougher Than the Whites? Trail Legends Weigh In
Krista Petrie and Debbie Clouthier might just be the fastest "slow hikers" you'll ever meet. Joining forces with West Rock Ramblers Anna G(arsten), Josh Gaetjen, and AFB, these Canadian adventurers bring stories that range from the White Mountains to the Arctic and everywhere in between. We first...
-
335: The Shenipsit Striders Running Club at 50 Years
If we could dream up the perfect trail running club, it would look a whole lot like the Shenipsit Striders. For 50 years, this crew has been building trails, hosting races, and creating a community where everyone: fast, slow, new, or seasoned; feels like family. In this episode, AFB sits down at...
-
334: Judy Proteau and the Race for the Refuge
Episode 334: Judy Proteau and the Race for the Refuge This week we're joined by the one and only Judy Proteau—ultrarunner, race director, Highland City Strider, kicker for the NFL, and all-around trail badass. Judy's here to talk about her first year directing the Race for the Refuge, happening...
-
333 Overcoming Escarpment Yips & The Bug-Net Hat
AFB and Evil Becky Burke are back at it, serving up a full platter of ultra goodness from Vermont to Rhode Island, with detours through the Catskills, Soapstone, Notchview, and the Squatchy Surprise in NJ. We're breaking down the highs, lows, and bug bites from recent races, plus dishing on who...
-
332: The Vermont 100 "Miler" Endurance Race
332: The Vermont 100 "Miler" Endurance Race Our very own podcast famous Jamie Miler, a.k.a., Jamie Miller recently ran VT100, one of the oldest and most iconic trail races in the US, so we take some time to get all the explicit details from Jamie and her crew. This is a great episode to listen to...
-
331: Notchview Cultra Aid Station Food Fight
In this episode, AFB and Evil Becky dive deep into the madness and method behind prepping for their 48-hour showdown at Notch View. With ice towels, grilled quesadillas, and hallucination avoidance on the menu, the duo breaks down their pacing strategies, sleep plans, nutrition math, and mental...
-
330: Third Date Patreon
We take a minute, minute and a half to say thank you to all of our patreons, and to see what some of them are up to. Highlander Hustle Portland High Get your official Cultra Clothes and other Cultra TRP PodSwag at our store! Outro music by Nick Byram Become a Cultra Crew Patreon Supporter basic...
-
329: Is Steven Tursi Largest Known Person to Run a Sub 24 Hour 100 Miler?
Phred is Back, BIGTIME and he finally reels in his "white whale" guest longtime friend and ultrarunning enigma Steven Tursi. Steven and Phred blab about running streaks, hashing adventures, body image, and a lifelong evolution of what it means to be a runner and a friend. Was Steve the original...
-
328: The Colder Boys Bring the Heat to Western States
AFB welcomes El Niño a.k.a. the chosen one a.k.a. Tobias Tello a.k.a. Tobi and Abel Murphy, hosts of The Colder Boys podcast, to break down Western States 100. In This Episode: Meet The Colder Boys: Tobias and Abel share their backgrounds in trail and ultra running, how their podcast started, and...
-
327: The Double CUT, 224 Miles with Ross Bielak
Ross Bielak from Littleton Colorado is Cultra #PodcastFamous and a dear friend of our community. When he signed up for the #CUT112 in 2021 after doing his own Western CUT in 2020, he felt that he was a bit undertrained. So very logically, (WTF) he decided to attempt the never before completed...
-
326: Finding Common Ground in Politics, Running, and the Power of Curiosity
Whether its road running versus trail running, Garmin versus Coros, iPhone versus Android or Democrats versus Republicans, why does it sometimes feel so hard for us to actually listen to each other? We look at what it means to find common ground, and to be genuinely curious. And why it is…
more -
325: Blind Donkey Runner John Robert Mckay
When most of us think of "running blind", we envision a state of panic where one must proceed without having a clear understanding of what lies ahead. Trail running can be challenging enough even when we can see the rocks and roots that can trip us up. John Robert Mckay, AKA The Blind Donkey…
more -
324: Not Dropping is No Accident with Mount To Coast's Lin Zhuo
Let's talk about dropping. When we drop something it's like we are forgetting to hold on. We sign up for the 100k and sometimes want to drop to a 50 mile. And some times we help each other pause for a moment and remember why we do what we do and we avoid dropping .(Now the tricky part) Sometimes…
more -
323: Cultra's Final Episode?
Life is constantly changing and we are all very different people than we were 6 or 7 years ago, and right now it feels like its time to take a break, continue to seek professional help, and decide whats next. So for now, we are hitting pause (paws), but before we go, lets use this episode to take…
more -
322: Life Choices with Tim Hardy
Former soldier Tim Hardy shares his approach to making his life choices. He has at times deliberately chosen a difficult path that includes some of the most arduous and hot multi-day races, like Vol State, and HOTS, and also cold races like the Arrowhead 135. Tim has recently taken a look at what...
-
321: 40 Minutes Solo with Evil Becky Burke
For the 1st time (and hopefully not the last), this episode features the solo efforts of Evil Becky. Do you have 40 minutes? Do you want see what the back of your eyes look like? If you said yes, then this is the episode for you. EB goes through last weeks running superlatives and reports on what...
-
320: 8675309 Who Are You?
So Dad (Art) is away and the kids (CULTRA crew) decided to play. We changed the episode rules and decreed this to be episode #8675309. We also determined Who are you. Yes, you. We went through a list of stereotypical runner types and made judgments of who fit the bill. But what do YOU think? Who...
-
319: New Trail Runner's Guide (Northeast Edition)
319: New Trail Runner's Guide (Northeast Edition) Are you a road runner looking to start trail running, a hiker intent on picking up your pace, or an experienced trail running veteran who is curious to see if you could pick up a new idea? This episode covers the Trail Running Basics, the…
more
About this show
Our weekly podcast shares the unique perspective of the North East, Beast Coast Ultra running scene: raw, impulsive, and irreverent. The Cultra Trail Running Podcast is a place where we can get together and discuss all the fun shit that happens on the trails that most normal people don't care about. Join the Cult! or maybe you already have without realizing it... resistance is futile.
Hosted by
The Cultra Crew