IAU 50k World Champs - And The State of Road Ultrarunning

"Change comes first from saying something, then following that with action."

This is a special episode featuring the women of Team USA for the 2025 50k road world championship. This is not a "preview" episode, but rather a panel discussion about the state of road-based ultrarunning under the current IAU system.

The 2025 championship was scheduled to be held on December 7th in New Delhi, India. But just two weeks before the race, it was postponed due to wildly toxic air quality.

This is the third consecutive year that the 50k/100k championships have been held in India, where the air quality and the health and safety of the athletes has been proven to be at risk.

In this episode we're talking with the athletes:

Courtney Olsen ( instagram.com/courtneymarieolsen )

Allison Mercer ( instagram.com/onewomendanceparty )

Melissa Tanner (instagram .com/melissartanner )

Christine Guerrero ( instagram.com/christineeguerrero )

(Special mention to Alexandra Niles and Sophie Seward who are on the team but were unable to make the recording)

As well as team leaders:

Lin Gentling ( instagram.com/lingentling )

Meghan Canfield ( instagram.com/runningmegleg )

We discuss how and why the IAU has gotten to this state; the challenges of competing under this system; ideas and paths for change; why this team shows up despite the challenges; and why road ultrarunning is special and deserves participation, support, and viewership!

As of this recording, the championship has been rescheduled for March 14, 2026 in the same location. There IS time between now and then for change, and this avenue of our sport deserves it.

Please share this episode or your favorite clip with someone you know, and be part of enacting that change and bringing awareness.

You can find and follow Women of Distance on YouTube and Social Media at: linktr.ee/womenofdistance

*This podcast is produced with support from our friends, and fellow trail runners, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.summit-roasters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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*And also by my own team at More Miles Run Coaching.

With a team of four coaches and a combined more than 25 years of coaching experience, we offer one-on-one coaching for athletes of all abilities: from beginners to veterans, 5ks to 200milers, roads to trails, your first to your fastest. Learn more at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.moremilestogo.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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