Free Outside

Ski mountaineering is officially coming to the Olympics, and if you’ve never watched skimo before, this episode is your crash course.

I’m joined by Max Valverde, former U.S. skimo athlete and NBC Olympic commentator, to break down how the sport works, why the Olympic version is so different from traditional backcountry skiing, and how the U.S. somehow snuck into medal contention at the last possible moment.

We talk sprint races that last three minutes, transitions that decide medals in seconds, why these athletes are basically redlining past max heart rate, and how trail runners will instantly recognize the engine required to compete at this level. Max also explains the Cam Smith and Anna Gibson story, why transitions matter more than fitness alone, and what to watch for when the races go live.

If you’re into trail running, endurance sports, or just want to understand what you’re watching when skimo debuts on the Olympic stage this February, this episode gives you everything you need.

Chapters

04:21 Why ski mountaineering is in the Olympics
05:05 What skimo is and how it differs from traditional racing
06:55 Sprint vs mixed relay explained
08:45 How the U.S. qualified at the last possible moment
11:40 Cam Smith and Anna Gibson’s breakout race
14:10 Why transitions decide races
17:05 Boot packs, skins, and six-second chaos
20:15 How mistakes cost medals
23:10 Favorites and podium contenders
26:40 Mixed relay medal math and U.S. upside
30:30 Race strategy and pacing across heats
34:15 Why skimo works as an Olympic spectator sport
38:05 Calling the Olympics from NBC
41:00 Final thoughts and wrap-up

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In 1988, before the 100-mile version existed, before the conch shell start became legend, before the documentaries and global fame, one man proved the Barkley Marathons could be finished.

Frozen Ed was the first person to ever finish the Barkley. Not the 100-miler. The original three-loop race that no one thought was possible.

In this episode we talk about:

– What Barkley was really like in the 80s
– The story of Tom Possert and the missed summit
– How the book pages became part of the race
– When the 100-mile version was born
– The Soviet invasion year
– The prison apprehension story
– How the course has evolved and gotten harder
– Why Laz says he’s not trying to make it the toughest race in the world
– The real energy cost of Barkley
– And why endurance athletes need to protect their hearts

This is a history lesson, a philosophy lesson, and a reminder that Barkley has always lived at the limit of what’s possible.

If you love the mystique of Barkley, this is required listening.

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

The Barkley Marathons is designed to sit right on the edge of possible. Sixty hours. Five loops. Nearly all off trail. No GPS. No course markings. Books hidden in the woods. A cigarette lights the start.

In 2021, I stepped onto the course and heard Taps play when my race ended. In 2026, I’m lining up again.

In this episode, I break down what Barkley actually is, how it started under at Brushy Mountain, why it keeps getting harder, and what makes it different from every other 100 miler on the planet. We talk navigation, the fun run, the infamous virgin sacrifice, the conch shell, the secretive entry process, and why even legends like John Kelly can get stopped at three loops.

But more than that, this is about why anyone would go back.

Barkley is not about speed. It is not about splits. It is about finding your limit in a world where almost nothing forces you to.

And in 2026, I’m going to try again.

Chapters

00:00 The Origins of the Barkley Marathons
02:51 The Challenge and Difficulty of the Race
05:47 The Unique Entry Process and Race Structure
08:50 Navigating the Course: Skills and Strategies
12:09 Mental Toughness and the Experience of Running
15:04 The Community and Culture of the Barkley Marathons
18:11 Inspiration and the Future of the Barkley Marathons

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Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at [email protected]

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

Madison Liechty joins the Free Outside Podcast and we keep the promise of no hard questions for about five seconds. We talk about her very normal Montana childhood (no horses to school, sorry), how one turkey trot convinced her friend Makena Morley to start coaching her toward big marathon goals, and why the trail world, where you can eat bacon mid-race, ended up being a better fit.

Follow Madison on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madison_liechty

Then it gets unexpectedly real. Madison explains living her whole life unable to burp, how that made long trail races brutal from a fueling standpoint, and how getting treated for R-CPD flipped everything. Suddenly, she can actually eat deep into efforts, trail running gets fun, and she wins her first 100 miler. Now she’s heading into Black Canyon with her dad pacing the last miles, plus bigger dreams on the horizon like Hardrock and UTMB.

We also get into Bozeman training culture, 5 a.m. long runs, pacing her dad at a stack of hundred milers, a grizzly encounter in the Beartooths, and her long-term vision: keep building as a trail runner, and someday open the post-adventure bakery truck Bozeman needs.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
06:06 Early Running Journey
11:14 Transition to Trail Running
16:05 Overcoming Challenges in Trail Running
21:03 The Impact of Medical Issues on Performance
26:00 Baking Dreams and Future Aspirations
30:50 The Bakery Dream
32:00 Afternoon Running Revelation
33:11 Pacing and Family Bonds
36:21 Black Canyon Race Reflections
41:32 Future Goals in Trail Running
48:19 Balancing Engineering and Running
50:06 Wildlife Encounters in the Wild West
52:55 Training with Fast Friends

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Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at [email protected]

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

Zach Perrin has run 3:59 for the mile, then promptly got humbled by his first trail race in road shoes and swore he would never do it again. Now he is all-in on ultras, dialing sweat rate and sodium, and lining up at Black Canyon with a golden ticket on the mind. We talk sub-4 race strategy, the “panic point” in the mile, ego-check moments on the trails, and what it actually takes to run well for seven to eight hours.

Follow Zach online: https://www.instagram.com/zach_perrin/

Chapters

02:00 What a Sub-4 Mile Actually Feels Like
05:00 The Mile’s Panic Point vs Ultra Pain
08:00 From Montana to CU and Early Running Roots
12:00 Leaving Track and Finding the Trails
16:00 Getting Humbled in His First Trail Race
20:00 Letting Go of Pace Ego and Learning Effort
26:00 Fueling, Sweat Rate, and Fixing 100K Mistakes
33:00 Adam Peterman, CU, and Training With the Best
40:00 Black Canyon 100K Strategy and Golden Ticket Goals
52:00 Staying Calm, Mental Approach, and What’s Next

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 [email protected]

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