In this episode Jess and Sime sit down with Holly Ranson to walk through her journey towards Western States which is now just two weeks away. They talk through her approach to training and racing, her incredible 3rd place finish at UTA50k in the lead up, and how Holly feels being in America preparing among some of trail running's greatest athletes.

News items include a brief preview of Broken Arrow SkyRace this weekend as well as the AUTRA Uniform Sponsorship tender announced HERE.

Then stay tuned for the results from the week and some updates from Jess and Sim!

• Wild Boar Trail Run (VIC)
• Tower Trail Run (SA)
• Yandina Five ‘O’ (QLD)
• Four Corners Trail Run (NT)

***Don’t forget, use code PEAK at https://bix-hydration.myshopify.com/en-au for 20% off Bix products, exclusive to PPP listeners!***

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Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and your own trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits!

Follow Holly: Instagram | Strava

Follow Sim: Instagram | Strava

Follow Jess: Instagram | Strava

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R

In this episode, James sits down with Nigel Preston from Singletrack Events for a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to build, grow, and deliver some of Australia’s biggest trail running events.

Nigel shares his journey from growing up in Bendigo’s cross-country scene, to working in events and sponsorship, before helping launch Singletrack Events out of the chaos of COVID. From the early days of taking over Buffalo Stampede and Roller Coaster, through to the growth of GPT100, Hounslow, Running Wild, Wonderland and the World Trail Majors, this conversation pulls back the curtain on the business, logistics, risk, and passion behind modern trail events.

James and Nigel also dive into some of the bigger questions facing the sport: whether the Australian trail calendar is becoming saturated, how we bring more young runners into trail running, why shorter distances matter, what role prize money should play, and how events can better support both elite athletes and the back of the pack.

They also cover the importance of volunteers, the Singletrack Trail Team, live streaming, national championships, international athletes, and why creating a great event experience is about far more than just putting flags in the ground.

A big conversation on race directing, community, growth, and the future of trail running in Australia.

***Don’t forget, use code PEAK at Bix’s website for 20% off Bix products, exclusive to PPP listeners!***

Thanks for tuning in to Peak Pursuits! Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits!

Follow James: Instagram | Strava | Website

Follow Nigel: Instagram | Strava

Follow Singletrack: Instagram | Website

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter

License code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R

This week on Peak Pursuits, Vlad and Jess are joined by WA trail runner Ben for a big episode covering training updates, national champs news, European racing, and what is happening in the West.

We chat through AUTRA’s announcement of the EOI for the 2027 National Championships, with trail, long course, mountain running and 100-mile racing all potentially coming together for the first time in one all-distance event. We also unpack the European Off-Road Running Championships in Slovenia, including wins from Frédéric Tranchand, Judith Wyder, Hanna Gröber and Jan Torrella.

Ben gives us a look into the WA trail scene: the rising stars, must-do events, best training spots and what the broader trail running community might be missing from the West.

We also cover recent results from Biwako Valley Skyrun, Run Forrest, Red Hill Ramble, Unbreakable, Cape2Cape and more, plus a look ahead to upcoming races around the country.

In our Patreon-only show, Ben answers a listener question from Jeremy Rankin on how to approach steep fire trail climbs on race day, when hiking becomes more efficient, and how mid-packers can learn to make those decisions in training and racing.

***Don’t forget, use code PPP at https://bix-hydration.myshopify.com/en-au for 20% off Bix products, exclusive to PPP listeners!***

Thanks for tuning in to Peak Pursuits! Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and your own trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits!

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R