Free Outside

Most runners think a backyard ultra is crazy.

Lukas Janulitis looked at that format and decided it wasn't hard enough.

Try a Last Skier Standing, an event where athletes skin uphill 1,200 feet every hour, ski back down, and repeat until only one person remains. That means battling sleep deprivation, sub-zero temperatures, brutal winds, hallucinations, and the mental challenge of not knowing when it will end.

In this episode, Lukas shares his experiences at Last Skier Standing, Bubba's Backyard Ultra, Swiss Alps 100, and Cruel Jewel 100. We discuss sleep deprivation, nutrition, heat training, problem-solving during races, New Hampshire mountain culture, and his upcoming attempt at the New Hampshire Appalachian Trail FKT.

Topics include:

-Last Skier Standing
-Backyard ultras and sleep deprivation
-Swiss Alps 100
-Cruel Jewel 100
-Nutrition and race strategy
-Training for multi-day endurance events
-Hallucinations and mental resilience
-The New Hampshire AT FKT
-Why people keep pushing their limits

If you've ever wondered what happens when someone decides to stay awake for days while skiing uphill, this conversation is for you.

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Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

Western States 2026 delivered one of the most memorable races we've ever seen.

Instead of doing a mile-by-mile recap, Allison and I hand out our completely unofficial Western States Awards. We talk about the biggest performances, the most impressive comebacks, the heartbreaking DNFs, the smartest race tactics, and the moments that made this year's race so special.

From Vincent Bouillard proving that a full-time HOKA employee can beat the world's best, to Jen Lichter's incredible debut, Hans Troyer's aggressive race, Canyon Woodward's performance, Molly Seidel's first 100 miler, and everything in between—we break down the biggest stories from one of the fastest and deepest Western States fields ever assembled.

Whether you watched every minute of the livestream or are just catching up, this episode is a fun look back at one of the biggest weekends in trail running.

Topics include:
• Vincent Bouillard's historic win
• Jen Lichter's course record
• Biggest surprises and disappointments
• Our favorite performances
• The future of Western States
• Why this race may never be repeated
• FKT updates and what's next in trail running

If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe to the channel. Every week we bring you trail running, ultrarunning, FKT, and endurance stories from the people pushing the sport forward.

Support our Sponsors:
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Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com

Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside

Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF

Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com

Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside

Website: www.Freeoutside.com
Instagram: thefreeoutside
facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside

#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

Ann Trason won Western States 100 fourteen times. Fourteen. 14 time western states winner!

Long before live streams, social media, sponsorships, and modern ultrarunning, Ann was redefining what was possible in endurance sports. She wasn't just competing against other women. She was competing with the best runners in the world, period.

In this conversation, we don't spend much time reliving race results or championship performances. Instead, we talk about the stories behind the sport, the evolution of ultrarunning, aging, recovery, community, curiosity, and what endurance means after the records become history.

Ann shares thoughts on Western States, staying active later in life, finding joy in new challenges, and why curiosity continues to drive her decades after becoming one of the greatest ultrarunners of all time.

If you're newer to trail running, this is a chance to hear from one of the athletes who helped build the sport. If you've been around a while, it's a reminder of where many of the traditions and stories we love today came from.

Topics:

Winning Western States 14 times
Ultrarunning in the early days
Competing in a male-dominated sport
Aging and staying active
Recovery and longevity
Community and friendships through running
Cocodona and modern ultrarunning
Finding purpose after peak performance
Why curiosity never goes away

Support our Sponsors:
Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726
CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffee
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Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com

Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside

Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF

Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com

Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside

Website: www.Freeoutside.com
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facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside

#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

I came to Europe planning to run the Zugspitz 100, a mountain 100-miler around Germany's highest peak.

Three hours before the start, the race directors announced that thunderstorms would force a major course change. The 100-mile race became a 100K, helmets were no longer required, aid stations changed, and my planning suddenly went out the window.

In this episode, I recap the entire experience, from hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc and exploring Munich to racing through the German Alps on an overnight course featuring 18,500 feet of elevation gain. We talk about stomach issues, Red Bull-fueled survival, technical descents, heat, meeting runners from around the world, and why this trip became more about experience than performance.

Topics:

-Zugspitz Ultratrail recap
-Last-minute course changes
-Racing in Germany
-Tour du Mont Blanc recovery
-Technical alpine running
-Heat management and fueling mistakes
-Why travel changes races
-Experience vs outcome goals

Support our Sponsors:
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Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726
CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffee
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Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com

Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside

Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF

Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com

Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside

Website: www.Freeoutside.com
Instagram: thefreeoutside
facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside

#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

Zach Hauer went from collegiate track athlete to entrepreneur, Open Fuel co-founder, Javelina 100 runner, and now Cocodona 250 finisher.

In this conversation, we dive into Zach's first experience at the 250-mile distance, the highs and lows of Cocodona, sleep deprivation, aid station mistakes, and why he immediately wanted to come back after finishing. We also discuss building Open Fuel, modern endurance sports marketing, trail running culture, the balance between optimization and fun, and why Zach carried a Walkman during one of the biggest races in ultrarunning.

Topics include:

-Cocodona 250
-Javelina 100
-Open Fuel
-Building a nutrition company
-Sleep deprivation and racing
-Trail running culture
-Social media and marketing
-The future of ultrarunning
-Why people become obsessed with 200-mile races
-Walkmans, unicycles, and bad business ideas

Support our Sponsors:
Sawyer: https://sawyerdirect.net/
Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726
CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffee
Garage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8ab

Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com

Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside

Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF

Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com

Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside

Website: www.Freeoutside.com
Instagram: thefreeoutside
facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside

#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure