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The sport we love is growing up, and that’s a good thing—if we build it right. I’m joined by athlete and agent Nick Cornell of Trailhead Athlete Management to dig into what “professional” actually looks like in trail running: livable contracts, smarter bonuses, real anti-doping, and a path that lets athletes focus on performance without losing the grassroots soul that makes this community special.

Nick shares how he went from thru-hiking the Triple Crown to winning Montana 50Ks and managing athletes who train 20 hours a week while juggling logistics, content, deliverables, and travel. We unpack what brands want beyond results—genuine people with presence—and why short trail deserves more investment alongside ultras. We also talk hard numbers: why most pros still sit in the low five figures, how a league minimum could change that, and where healthcare and PT stipends fit in. If you’ve wondered whether rumors of huge salaries are real, or how to negotiate your first deal, Nick gives grounded, practical insight.

We go deep on legitimacy and the World Mountain and Trail Championships—federations offering team camps and big bonuses, the realities of kit rules, and why national team results should be bonused just like track. From out-of-competition testing to non-endemic sponsors—cars, banks, tourism boards, food brands—we explore the funding models that could unlock full-time careers without sidelining local races. The takeaway is hopeful: keep the watermelon at aid stations and the big stages on the calendar. With smarter structure, everyone wins.

If this conversation helped you think differently about the future of trail running, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a quick rating or review. Your support helps us bring more candid, useful conversations to the community.

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A brand doesn’t become real the day the website goes live—it becomes real the day someone beats it up on a mountain and still reaches for it the next morning. That’s the heart of our conversation with Dust founder Zach Colby, who walked away from politics to build a running brand rooted in the Mountain West: trails, dirt, big days, and gear that doesn’t need babysitting.

We trace the idea back to Boulder, where Zach saw a clear gap. The urban-run-club look had its champions, but the West’s mix of gravel, alpine, and singletrack culture felt underserved. Dust answers with simple, durable pieces that carry a Western soul—led by the mechanic shirt, a breathable button-down designed to race, ride, and recover. Zach breaks down the less glamorous side too: hunting for the right factory, negotiating MOQs, iterating fabric weights across time zones, and learning that a great sample is earned, not ordered.

From there, we get into launch mechanics and marketing without the fluff. Boxes stacked in an apartment, a Shopify backend, word-of-mouth over ads, and photography that actually reflects how people move outside. We talk about the Dust Bus—a retired sheriff’s van now turned rolling pop-up—and why in-person events, beer miles, and race weekends matter more than impressions. Zach also shares what’s next: a women’s line with a dedicated designer, tech-forward shorts and tights, and an interest in a lightweight, no-nonsense running belt that disappears on the run.

If you care about trail running, niche outdoor brands, or the craft behind gear that holds up mile after mile, this one will hit. Tap play, then tell us what piece you wish more brands would build. And if you’re vibing with the show, subscribe, share with a trail friend, and leave a quick review—it helps more runners find us.

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A sharpening workout at 10,000 feet. A sudden stab in the chest. Vision slipping. Hours later, Abby Locke learned her right lung had collapsed—and that was only the beginning. Across one summer she weathered three collapses, seven chest tubes, helicopter flights, and two surgeries, then found her way back to 50-mile weeks with a new definition of strength.

We talk through the full arc with honesty and grit: the ER chaos, hospital routines, and why “take it easy” is dangerous advice for driven athletes. Abby details the shift from vague rest to a precise, metrics-based return—heart rate caps, minutes-based progressions, and a deliberate habit of undershooting. We dig into the identity quake that comes when sport is stripped away, and how watercolor, friendship, and a gentler mindset helped her rebuild. She shares practical wisdom on training by feel, listening for pain signals, and balancing risk without living in fear.

We also explore what’s next: genetic testing, altitude questions, and a smart path toward longer trail races where intensity spikes are fewer. Abby opens up about coaching, sub-ultra roots, and why the northeast’s technical trails deserve more love. The takeaway is bigger than running: gratitude changes performance, diversified meaning sustains motivation, and a broader life makes you braver on race day.

If this story resonates, tap follow, share it with a friend who needs perspective, and leave a quick review so more runners can find conversations like this.

Follow Abby on IG - @abigaildlock

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Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello

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