The Trail Network Podcast

This week’s catch-up episode leans into where the sport is right now and how quickly everything seems to be evolving.
With Rachel off racing in Madeira, Katie, Leah, and Hilary sit down to unpack a stretch of racing that felt bigger than usual. From the ACG takeover at Gorge to the growing presence of brands, media, and storytelling in trail, there’s a clear shift happening in how races are experienced, marketed, and consumed. It’s not just about who wins anymore. It’s about how the sport shows up.
The conversation naturally moves into what that means for athletes. The pressure that comes with bigger platforms, the reality of bad race days, and the challenge of staying grounded when expectations keep rising. There’s an honest look at how pros navigate performance swings, sponsorship dynamics, and the mental side of showing up again after things don’t go to plan.
They also touch on the increasing overlap between road and trail, with more athletes moving between disciplines and finding breakthroughs by doing things differently. It’s less about choosing one lane and more about building a broader version of what it means to be an endurance athlete.
As always, it circles back to real life. Training interruptions, family logistics, travel fatigue, and finding small ways to keep showing up anyway. It’s a reminder that even at the highest level, there’s no perfect formula. Just people figuring it out as they go.
This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.
A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.

Robyn Lesh is one of the most interesting athletes in trail running right now because of how quickly she’s figuring things out and the results that are coming with it.
A former competitive sailor and MIT-trained engineer, Robyn came into trail running without a traditional background in the sport. In just a few years, she’s gone from learning how to pace her first ultras to racing at the front of some of the most competitive fields in the world.
This conversation digs into that progression. What it actually feels like to step up in distance. How you learn to push deeper when you don’t know where the limit is. And what happens when you stop racing cautiously and start racing to compete.
There’s also a lot here beyond results. Robyn shares how her background in sailing shaped her mindset, why she initially stepped away from being an athlete, and what brought her back. The conversation touches on sponsorship, learning in real time, and the moments in races where things start to go sideways — and you have to decide whether to back off or keep going.
It’s an honest look at what it means to still be learning while showing up at a high level, and why that might actually be the advantage.
This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.
A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.
A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!

There isn’t one way into trail running, and Shea Aquilano is a perfect example of that. In this episode, Hilary sits down with Shea to talk through her path from Midwest soccer player to professional trail runner based in Boulder. Without the traditional track or cross country background, she built her way into the sport through curiosity, patience, and a willingness to figure things out in real time.
A lot of the conversation centers around Black Canyon, a race she’s returned to year after year. Her progression on that course reflects what it actually looks like to improve in trail running. Learning how to manage effort, adjust when things go sideways, and keep showing up even when the outcome is uncertain.
They also get into the mental side of the sport. What it means to sit with discomfort, how to respond when a race doesn’t go to plan, and why failure is part of the process rather than something to avoid.
It’s a conversation about patience, perspective, and building something over time rather than chasing quick results.
This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.
A big shout out to our sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.

Plans shift quickly this time of year, and this episode reflects that in real time.

Katie and Leah catch up on how their race schedules have evolved over the past few weeks, including a pivot away from Madeira and a move toward more local racing. What started as a clear plan has turned into something more flexible, shaped by travel, timing, and everything else happening alongside training.

With that, UTMB preparation is starting to feel more real. The conversation touches on what that shift looks like, both physically and mentally, as training becomes more intentional and the season begins to take shape.

They also get into the realities outside of training. Leah shares what it means to support her husband’s growing photography career and how that has influenced recent decisions. The conversation highlights how much of the sport exists beyond race day, especially when careers, relationships, and travel all intersect.

The episode closes with a broader discussion around sponsorships and the structure of professional running. Using the lens of pregnancy and athlete contracts, they talk through the complexity of being an independent contractor in a sport where expectations often don’t fully align with protections.

It’s a look at where things stand right now. Not perfectly planned, but moving forward.
This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.
A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.
A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!

Episode 100. Two years of conversations, 50+ guests, and a whole lot of growth.
In this milestone episode, Katie Asmuth, Leah Yingling, and Hilary Yang take a step back to reflect on the journey of the podcast, the evolution of the sport, and where things are heading next.
They dive into the biggest moments in trail running right now, including the electric women’s race at Chianti, the continued dominance of Courtney Dauwalter, and what it means to see different training styles all succeed at the highest level. 
The conversation also turns personal. Leah shares about her return to racing postpartum and what it taught her about patience, identity, and execution. Katie talks through the reality of balancing high-level training with family life and the importance of knowing when to pull back. Hilary reflects on stepping away from structure, rediscovering joy in movement, and finding creativity outside of racing. 
This episode is edited and produced by the Sandyboy Productions Podcast Network.
A big shout out to our new sponsor ⁠⁠Precision Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠. Go to ⁠⁠pfandh.com⁠⁠ to crush your next race with a personalized fuel & hydration plan. Use code "TTNP15" at checkout.
A special thank you to Osprey for supporting this episode. Visit Osprey.com to explore their incredible products!