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Jacob Banta has spent years photographing the fastest runners in the sport.

Now he’s racing them.

After grinding as a privateer photographer, ski instructor, and self-sponsored athlete, Jacob earned a Golden Ticket at Terrawera 100K and punched his way into Western States.

Follow Jacob Online: https://www.instagram.com/banta.visuals/

Thumbnail photos from
Ryan Thrower: @ryanthrower
Jacob Banta: @banta.visuals

We talk about:
-Losing money to chase the Golden Ticket
-What elites actually do behind the scenes
-Brain injuries from motocross
-Why he stopped looking over his shoulder
-The psychology of racing for position
-Being a “pro exerciser”
-And whether mayonnaise is the real performance enhancer

This is the story of someone who didn’t choose one lane, ignored his 7th grade coach, and built a life around movement, creativity, and trying really hard.

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

Jeff Galloway passed away on February 25, 2026 at age 80. He was a 1972 U.S. Olympian and the creator of the Run Walk Run method, the simple idea that made running feel possible for millions of people, from first time 5K runners to marathoners and ultrarunners.

This episode starts with a short monologue about what Jeff’s legacy means, and why inspiration is not always about being the fastest. Sometimes it is about making the sport accessible, lowering the fear, and giving people a repeatable way to show up. I also share a line that has stuck with me, “fill your dash,” the idea that everything we do lives in that small space between the year we are born and the year we die.

Before the replay, I read a piece Jeff sent me, “A Philosophy of Running,” where he writes about meaning, community, and why endurance can change a life. Then I roll straight into our full conversation from Month of Jeff. We talk about the post-goal low after the Olympics, building a life around helping others run, the origins of Run Walk Run, and how Jeff kept refining his method through decades of coaching and data.

Rest in peace, Mr. Galloway. Thanks for teaching the world that running can belong to everyone.

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

The conch shell blew at 5 a.m. and the 2026 Barkley Marathons began, this time in the anti clockwise direction and on Valentine’s Day.

In this episode, I break down my full loop at Barkley, from the chaotic descent off Chimney Top to the long climb up Rat Jaw, the prison tunnel, Little Hell, navigation errors, and the final push back to camp just under 14 hours.

I also share some of the lesser known history of the race, including how the Barkley nearly disappeared in 2006 before a Tennessee Senate resolution preserved it at Frozen Head State Park. A race born as a joke about a failed prison escape has become one of the most respected endurance tests in the world.

This was a strong field. The weather was ideal. The direction was reversed. And for me, it ended with a fall, a hairline rib fracture, and a hard earned lesson.

Barkley is never just about finishing. It is about small navigation wins, brutal climbs through thick leaves, and seeing how close you can get to your edge.

And this year, it was also about spending Valentine’s Day collecting book pages with Allison.

Sixteen books. Fourteen hours. One broken rib.

The price we pay for love.

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We recorded this one on the drive home from Frozen Head State Park to Bozeman, while the mud is still on the shoes and the bruises are still fresh. Allison finally gets to talk about the last three months of secret training, the stress of learning map and compass, and what it is like to go from “I might get lost” to “I just found every book” in the same day.

Find Allison's Substack: https://allisonhardingpowell.substack.com/

We walk through the whole loop from the 6 a.m. start, the chaos at the first book, the long climb up Rat Jaw, and the moment it became clear the time cutoff was slipping away. Then it turns into something better than a time goal, a full team effort with the “Overtime Eight,” eight runners from around the world who worked together, found every page, and finished the loop together, hands on the gate.

If you are curious about Barkley, this is a first-timer perspective on what matters most: why you want it, how to balance vert and navigation, how hard the book hunting really is, and why accessible calories can be the difference between moving and melting.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Journey Overview
12:02 Balancing Work and Training
17:20 Race Day Experience and Strategy
28:34 Climbing Ratt Jaw and Race Reflections
34:41 Navigating Challenges on the Course
46:45 The Power of Group Dynamics
54:03 Preparing for the Unexpected

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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

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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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

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#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure