Free Outside

Today on the Free Outside Podcast, I’m joined by Coleman Cragun, the winner of the Jeffrey Derrick Lytle Award, which is an honor with a proud tradition and a clear meaning (none of that is true). Coleman is an up and coming trail talent with the most relaxed confidence imaginable, and a nickname that may or may not stick: The Kraken.

We get into Coleman’s origin story, including the moment he saw the Southern Utah University team running tempos, held the gap, and decided, “I can do this.” From there it became a yearlong grind: emailing the coach for qualifying times, self-coaching off podcasts, and then his mom stepping in to find him a coach in Cedar City. That coach was Hayden Hawks, which Coleman somehow did not realize was a big deal at the time. Hayden helped him hit the marks, showed up with a stopwatch, and even emailed proof to the coach. Coleman walked on ready to travel, compete, and immediately level up his goals.

Then we bounce into the trail side: why the mountains pulled him in, the summer of living on trails in places like the Sawtooths, chasing Strava crowns, and eventually committing fully to the sport. Coleman breaks down the biggest transition from college running to ultras (fitness matters, but nutrition, pacing, and durability decide everything), tells stories from racing and training in Thailand with Hayden (including a fall that cost him the win), and talks through the nerves and excitement of stepping up to the 100K at Black Canyon with golden ticket dreams.

We also cover what the grind actually looks like when you have a full-time job, a long commute, double runs, and no time to eat like a normal human. Plus, the most unhinged training environment imaginable: working at a fishing lodge in Alaska and running ten miles at 11 pm on a dock where 20 laps equals one mile, until one night he found bears at the turnaround and ended up sleeping in a boat in the rain.

It’s a fun one, and Coleman is the real deal. If you like stories about earning it the hard way, learning the trail game, and chasing big goals without taking yourself too seriously, you’ll like this episode.

Follow Coleman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleman_cragun/

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 [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

Comedic impressionist Dylisms is here. He has LOUDLY become one of the funniest voices in trail running by doing spot-on (and occasionally unhinged) impressions of the sport we all take way too seriously.

We get into how he makes viral running videos using nothing but his phone, his car, and pure chaos, why he waited to run an ultra before posting running content, and how trail running compares to climbing, skating, and just… exercising for a really long time. Along the way, he drops impressions of commentators, influencers, philosophers, cops, firefighters, and anyone else who’s wandered into the ultrarunning cinematic universe.

We also talk about award season absurdity, influencer culture, $200 shirts with holes in them, farting during ultras, and whether trail running is actually a sport or just very committed cardio. This one goes fully off the rails in the best way.

If you’ve ever thought “we might be taking this a little too seriously,” this episode is for you.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dylisms and Impressions
05:04 The Art of Voiceovers and Equipment Setup
07:56 Favorite Impressions and Character Exploration
10:51 Challenges in Impersonation and Method Acting
13:39 Transitioning from Climbing to Running Content
16:47 Community Reception and Content Creation Process
19:55 Humor in Running and Climbing Culture
22:46 Reflections on Storylines in Trail Running
24:43 Trail Running: A Selfish Pursuit
26:56 The Evolution of Running Culture
29:36 Moth Tech and Running Fashion
32:22 Impersonations and Humor in the Sport
36:51 The Seriousness of Ultra Running
40:56 Universal Basic Gel Allowance
41:45 Closing Thoughts and Reflections

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 [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

I’m back with Allison Mercer, my correspondent on everything, and we start with the most important news of the week: I apparently lost another award, and I am not interested in being reminded about 2025 when we are already deep into 2026.

From there we get into World Cross Country Championships, which somehow had a full Florida theme including obstacle chaos, heat, and a crowd that sounded like 10,000 people yelling nonstop. We talk about what made the broadcast work, why team scoring makes the whole field matter, and why cross country in the Winter Olympics would be the best kind of mess.

Then we pivot to the trail world heating up early, with Olympians popping over to trails, Burrito League spreading like a virus, and the golden ticket chase being the kind of storyline we actually want more of. We end with ideas for how running media can get better fast: less six-month pre-race content, more post-race coverage, more crew perspective, and please, for the love of everything, mic people up.

If you want the sport to be more fun, more human, and more watchable, this is the blueprint. Or at least a rant disguised as a blueprint.

Chapters

00:00 The Award Dilemma and New Beginnings
08:02 World Cross Country Championships: A Florida Experience
11:03 The Evolution of Cross Country Broadcasting
14:10 The Future of Cross Country in the Olympics
17:00 Trail Running: New Faces and Fresh Perspectives
20:11 The Shift from Road to Trail Running
23:37 The Burrito League Phenomenon
26:26 Molly Seidel's Transition to Ultra Running
29:38 The Importance of Community in Running
32:26 Future Trends in Endurance Sports
36:48 Exciting Developments in Running Events
38:21 Training for the 100K Championship Team
39:59 Planning for Success in Ultra Running
42:05 Exploring Potential in Ultra Running
44:32 The Future of Trail Running Events
48:10 Humanizing Athletes in the Sport
53:11 Innovative Coverage in Trail Running
54:14 The Roach Approach and Its Impact
58:06 Post-Race Coverage and Athlete Reflections

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 [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

At some point, a lot of us stop doing things just because they’re fun.

We start asking if it’s productive, if it makes sense, or if it leads somewhere. And if it doesn’t, we quietly stop. In this episode, I talk about why I think that’s a mistake.

From running winter laps on Main Street for Burrito League, to racing in Crocs, wearing a tiger hoodie, thru-hiking instead of getting a normal job, and caring way too much about sports teams that don’t know I exist, a lot of the best things in my life would look stupid on paper. And they’re still worth doing.

This episode is about choosing play, joy, and curiosity even when it doesn’t make sense to anyone else. Not everything has to be optimized. Not everything has to be impressive. Sometimes the stupid thing is the thing that keeps you showing up.

Chapters

00:00 Embracing the Joy of Stupidity
05:21 The Pressure of Optimization
10:54 Community and Competition in Fun
15:44 The Value of Doing Dumb Things
16:10 The Importance of Playfulness in Endurance Sports
18:06 Finding Joy in the Journey
20:53 Embracing the 'Dumb' Things in Life

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 [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

#Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure #DoTheStupidThing #FreeOutside #Ultrarunning #TrailRunning #BurritoLeague

The Free Outside Show is back for the new year, and I’m joined by our correspondent on everything, Allison Mercer. We’re doing the exact opposite of the usual “five months from now” preview content that other podcasts are doing, and instead talking about what’s actually happening this weekend: Bandera (with Molly Seidel), Houston Marathon for the OTQ watch, and why you should care about World Cross Country in Tallahassee (yes, it’s watchable on Peacock, yes, team tactics make it way more fun than you think, and yes, there are statue alligators on the course).

From there, we get into the real chaos: Burrito League expansion, why it works as an “anyone can play” running challenge, and how these community-wide games can be more accessible than the typical big-race ecosystem. Then we go full rant mode on year-end lists, award season fatigue, media bias, and why FKT stories often get misunderstood or flattened by outlets that do not actually live in that world. We also touch on sponsorship transparency, influencer economics, West Coast bias, and why the sport would be better off funding real coverage of barrier-breaking performances instead of paying for interchangeable promo codes. New year, same old us. Racing is back, and we have thoughts.

Chapters

00:00 Racing Resumes: Exciting Events Ahead
05:30 The Thrill of Cross Country Championships
08:38 Understanding Cross Country Scoring and Team Dynamics
10:46 The Burrito League: A Unique Running Challenge
13:42 The Influence of Social Media on Running Culture
16:43 The Bias in Trail Running Media and Awards
19:49 The Importance of FKTs in the Running Community
22:40 The East vs. West Coast Debate in Trail Running
25:48 The Shift in Sponsorships and Influencer Culture
28:43 The Future of Trail Running Events and Coverage
31:44 World Championships and the Impact of Air Quality
35:34 Looking Ahead: Goals for 2026

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

#RunningMedia #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runningpodcast #WorldCrossCountry #crosscountryrunning #BurritoLeague #fkt #runningcommunity #sportsmedia

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