The Freetrail Podcast with Dylan Bowman

This is a special episode of the Freetrail podcast. Today we're publishing a conversation that took place on stage at TrailCon between Matt Carpenter and Scott Jurek - two of the most significant figures in trail running history.
 
Scott interviews Matt, exploring his remarkable athletic achievements as both a peer and an admirer.
 
Topics: 00:00 Intro
02:34 Matt Carpenter & Scott Jurek
05:10 Matt's Origins in Running
08:15 His Analytical Approach to Training
16:22 The Early Days of Skyrunning
21:05 Racing Around the World
25:40 Advocating for Change
29:45 Walking Away From Public Life
36:53 The Leadville 100
42:30 Breaking the Leadville Record
47:10 How Trail Running Has Changed
51:25 The Cost of Competing at the Highest Level
55:20 Would Matt Want to Race Today?
 

Sponsors: A huge thank you to the partners who help make our show possible!
Patagania We're proud to welcome Patagonia back to the show. Check out the Patagonia Nano-Air®, your new favorite do-anything layer, perfect for fall on the trails. https://www.patagonia.com/shop/favorites/nano-air?utm_source=freetrail&utm_medium=endemic&utm_campaign=F26_nanoair

 

Neversecond Neversecond is the longtime fueling partner for Freetrail and many of the top elite athletes in our sport. Not to mention they are owned and operated by some of the best people in our sport. Use code FREETRAIL25 for 25% off your first order of Neversecond nutrition at https://www.never2.com
 
 

Nomio
We're excited to welcome Nomio to the show! We've been super impressed with the brand and taken note as they've added trail superstars like Hans Troyer and Tove Alexandersson to their growing athlete roster. Nomio is a performance shot for high effort sessions and races. Learn more about the product and science at drinknomio.com and you can use code Freetrail15 for 15% off your order. North American orders can be placed through thefeed.com and details on international orders can be found at drinknomio.com


 
Ketone We've been using Ketone shots and working with the brand for the past handful of years. The product is great for your workout or we also like to take a Ketone shot to keep us powered throughout the workday. Use this link for 30% off your subscription of Ketone-IQ - https://ketone.com/pages/dylan-bowman
 
Use code Freetrail at healwithheat.com for an exclusive deal on the sauna I use almost everyday.

 

For deeper, exclusive, member-only discounts, (20% off SunGod, 10% off Freetrail merch and more), join Freetrail Pro.
Join Freetrail Pro · Freetrail Experts · Freetrail Fantasy · Freetrail Podcast

Rest Day Live is back tonight with Corrine Malcolm in the co-host chair. Together we'll catch up on all the biggest news in trail running over the past few weeks. 
 
The docket: 
 
• Salomon x IRONMAN: Salomon's biggest move beyond trail
• Run Rabbit Results & Prize Money News: Hannah Allgood & Ryan Sullivan earn victories
• Trail Running Retail Boom: REI & Marathon Sports see growth in trail market
• Ruth Croft Targets Diagonale des Fous: The Kiwi legend pivots after late scratch at UTMB
• Mammoth Trailfest Preview
• Strava File of the Week
 
 
We'll be LIVE on YouTube starting at 5pm PT tonight. 
 
REGISTER FOR THE BIG ALTA - https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=138676
 
SUBSCRIBE TO FREETRAIL'S NEWSLETTER - https://runfreetrail.substack.com/
 
JOIN FREETRAIL PRO - https://freetrail.com/pro
 
Sponsors:
A huge thank you to the partners who help make our show possible!
 
Patagonia
We're proud to welcome Patagonia back to the show. Check out the Patagonia Nano-Air®, your new favorite do-anything layer, perfect for fall on the trails. https://www.patagonia.com/shop/favorites/nano-air?utm_source=freetrail&utm_medium=endemic&utm_campaign=F26_nanoair
 
Neversecond
Neversecond is the longtime fueling partner for Freetrail and many of the top elite athletes in our sport. Not to mention they are owned and operated by some of the best people in our sport. Use code FREETRAIL25 for 25% off your first order of Neversecond nutrition at https://www.never2.com
 
Nomio
We're excited to welcome Nomio to the show! We've been super impressed with the brand and taken note as they've added trail superstars like Hans Troyer and Tove Alexandersson to their growing athlete roster. Nomio is a performance shot for high effort sessions and races. Learn more about the product and science at drinknomio.com and you can use code Freetrail15 for 15% off your order. North American orders can be placed through thefeed.com and details on international orders can be found at drinknomio.com
 
Ketone
We've been using Ketone shots and working with the brand for the past handful of years. The product is great for your workout or we also like to take a Ketone shot to keep us powered throughout the workday. Use this link for 30% off your subscription of Ketone-IQ - https://ketone.com/pages/dylan-bowman
 
Freetrail Links: 
Website | https://freetrail.com/
Freetrail Pro | https://freetrail.com/freetrail-pro/
Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/dylanbowman
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/runfreetrail/
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8MKI1xB8YMchI1764zJXHg
Freetrail Experts | https://freetrail.com/freetrail-experts/
 
Dylan Links: 
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dylanbo/
Twitter | https://twitter.com/dylanbo
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-bowman-06174380/
Strava | https://www.strava.com/pros/1596921

Rest Day Live is back tonight!
On a slow news week, we're doing something a little different. Joined by Meg Eckert, fresh off her six-day World Record run, we'll discuss the effort itself and multi-day racing more generally.
Joining us as co-host, Rachel Entrekin will help interview Meg and contribute her own hard-earned insights as well.
We'll be LIVE on YouTube starting at 5pm PT tonight.
REGISTER FOR THE BIG ALTA
https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=138676
Ultra Minute Recap of Megan Eckert's World Record
https://eckertsixday2026.theultraminute.com/
SUBSCRIBE TO FREETRAIL'S NEWSLETTER
https://runfreetrail.substack.com/
JOIN FREETRAIL PRO
https://freetrail.com/pro
SPONSORS
Check out the Patagonia Nano-Air® - your new favorite do anything layer.
Use code FREETRAIL25 for 25% off your first order of NEVERSECOND nutrition:
https://www.never2.com
Use this link for 30% off Ketone-IQ:
https://ketone.com/pages/dylan-bowman?utm_source=partners&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=FREETRAIL3
FREETRAIL LINKS
Website
https://freetrail.com/
Freetrail Pro
https://freetrail.com/freetrail-pro/
Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/dylanbowman
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/runfreetrail/
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8MKI1xB8YMchI1764zJXHg
Freetrail Experts
https://freetrail.com/freetrail-experts/
DYLAN LINKS
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/dylanbo
Twitter
https://twitter.com/dylanbo
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-bowman-06174380/
Strava
https://www.strava.com/pros/1596921

Welcome to Freetrail's coverage of the 2026 UTMB hosted in collaboration with the UTMB race for the first time ever! Join us during race week as we discuss the top storylines of this year's race, preview the fields and provide our expert analysis and predictions for the win. All of our shows will be recorded in the studio in the heart of Chamonix just steps from the UTMB start / finish line. You can join us all week on the Freetrail and UTMB YouTube channels!
 
 UTMB Week Wrap Up + CCC Recap, 2026 Edition, with Dylan Bowman and Corrine Malcolm.
 
Welcome to Freetrail's coverage of the 2026 UTMB hosted in collaboration with the UTMB race for the first time ever! Join us during race week as we discuss the top storylines of this year's race, preview the fields and provide our expert analysis and predictions for the win. All of our shows will be recorded in the studio in the heart of Chamonix just steps from the UTMB start / finish line. You can join us all week on the Freetrail and UTMB YouTube channels!
 
In today's show we'll share our Top 10 Storylines of the 2026 UTMB. Our host Dylan Bowman will be joined by special guests Hayden Hawks and EmKay Sullivan.
 
Who are you picking for the win? Let us know in the comments! And don't forget to pick your favorite athletes in Freetrail Fantasy at fantasy.freetrail.com for your chance to win sweet prizes from Freetrail and HOKA! 
 
Freetrail's UTMB Show Schedule:
--Saturday August 22, 2026 - The Top 10 Storylines of the 2026 UTMB
--Sunday August 23, 2026 - OCC & CCC Preview Shows
--Monday August 24, 2026 - UTMB Preview Show
--Tuesday August 25, 2026 - UTMB Final Thoughts & Predictions
--Wednesday August 27, 2026 - Champions Show featuring Ludovic Pommeret, Katie Schide, Pau Capell and first ever UTMB men's finisher, Dawa Sherpa
--Thursday August 28, 2026 - OCC Recap Show
--Saturday August 29, 2026 - UTMB Instant Recap + CCC Results
–Sunday August 30, 2026 - UTMB Week Wrap-up Show
 
Starting on Thursday August 20th, we'll also be hosting interviews with top personalities and athletes leading into race week including Jenn Lichter, Francesco Puppi, Molly Seidel, Vincent Bouillard, Ben Dhiman, Riley Brady and much more.
 
You can view our full UTMB race week schedule including additional events and activations at Freetrail.com. You can find HOKA's full UTMB schedule here: https://eu-events.hoka.com/hokautmbmontblanc2026
 
Make sure to subscribe to the Freetrail YouTube channel and follow us on Instagram @runfreetrail to ensure you stay up to date and don't miss a thing!
  
Our UTMB coverage is brought to you by our good friends at HOKA. We're grateful for their generous support and belief in Freetrail!
 
Make sure to check out the latest and greatest from HOKA, the TECTON x 4, podium-chasing propulsion for technical terrain. Made for trails like in Chamonix!
 
You can learn more and shop here: https://www.hoka.com/en/us/coming-soon/tecton-x-4/1176633.html?dwvar_1176633_color=FNTN
 
Freetrail Links
Website | https://freetrail.com/
Freetrail Pro | https://freetrail.com/freetrail-pro/
Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/dylanbowman
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/runfreetrail/
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8MKI1xB8YMchI1764zJXHg
Freetrail Experts | https://freetrail.com/freetrail-experts/
Dylan Links:
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dylanbo/
Twitter | https://twitter.com/dylanbo
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-bowman-06174380/
Strava | https://www.strava.com/pros/1596921
Who are you picking for the win? Let us know in the comments! And don't forget to pick your favorite athletes in Freetrail Fantasy at fantasy.freetrail.com for your chance to win sweet prizes from Freetrail and HOKA! 
 
Freetrail's UTMB Show Schedule:
--Saturday August 22, 2026 - The Top 10 Storylines of the 2026 UTMB
--Sunday August 23, 2026 - OCC & CCC Preview Shows
--Monday August 24, 2026 - UTMB Preview Show
--Tuesday August 25, 2026 - UTMB Final Thoughts & Predictions
--Wednesday August 27, 2026 - Champions Show featuring Ludovic Pommeret, Katie Schide, Pau Capell and first ever UTMB men's finisher, Dawa Sherpa
--Thursday August 28, 2026 - OCC Recap Show
--Saturday August 29, 2026 - UTMB Instant Recap + CCC Results
–Sunday August 30, 2026 - UTMB Week Wrap-up Show
 
Starting on Thursday August 20th, we'll also be hosting interviews with top personalities and athletes leading into race week including Jenn Lichter, Francesco Puppi, Molly Seidel, Vincent Bouillard, Ben Dhiman, Riley Brady and much more.
 
You can view our full UTMB race week schedule including additional events and activations at Freetrail.com. You can find HOKA's full UTMB schedule here: https://eu-events.hoka.com/hokautmbmontblanc2026
 
Make sure to subscribe to the Freetrail YouTube channel and follow us on Instagram @runfreetrail to ensure you stay up to date and don't miss a thing!
  
Our UTMB coverage is brought to you by our good friends at HOKA. We're grateful for their generous support and belief in Freetrail!
 
Make sure to check out the latest and greatest from HOKA, the TECTON x 4, podium-chasing propulsion for technical terrain. Made for trails like in Chamonix!
 
You can learn more and shop here: https://www.hoka.com/en/us/coming-soon/tecton-x-4/1176633.html?dwvar_1176633_color=FNTN
 
Freetrail Links
Website | https://freetrail.com/
Freetrail Pro | https://freetrail.com/freetrail-pro/
Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/dylanbowman
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/runfreetrail/
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8MKI1xB8YMchI1764zJXHg
Freetrail Experts | https://freetrail.com/freetrail-experts/
Dylan Links:
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dylanbo/
Twitter | https://twitter.com/dylanbo
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-bowman-06174380/
Strava | https://www.strava.com/pros/1596921

Welcome to Freetrail's coverage of the 2026 UTMB hosted in collaboration with the UTMB race for the first time ever! Join us during race week as we discuss the top storylines of this year's race, preview the fields and provide our expert analysis and predictions for the win. All of our shows will be recorded in the studio in the heart of Chamonix just steps from the UTMB start / finish line. You can join us all week on the Freetrail and UTMB YouTube channels!
 
In today's interview, we sit down with Yngvild Kasperson, the CCC Champion of 2026!
 
Make sure to subscribe to the Freetrail YouTube channel and follow us on Instagram @runfreetrail to ensure you stay up to date and don't miss a thing!
  
Our UTMB coverage is brought to you by our good friends at HOKA. We're grateful for their generous support and belief in Freetrail!
 
Make sure to check out the latest and greatest from HOKA, the TECTON x 4, podium-chasing propulsion for technical terrain. Made for trails like in Chamonix!
 
You can learn more and shop here: https://www.hoka.com/en/us/coming-soon/tecton-x-4/1176633.html?dwvar_1176633_color=FNTN
 
Freetrail Links
Website | https://freetrail.com/
Freetrail Pro | https://freetrail.com/freetrail-pro/
Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/dylanbowman
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/runfreetrail/
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8MKI1xB8YMchI1764zJXHg
Freetrail Experts | https://freetrail.com/freetrail-experts/
Dylan Links:
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dylanbo/
Twitter | https://twitter.com/dylanbo
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-bowman-06174380/
Strava | https://www.strava.com/pros/1596921