Why do people run 100 miles and keep coming back to ultra running even after it hurts, slows them down, and offers no obvious reward? If you’ve ever been curious about ultra running or felt the pull toward doing something hard without fully understanding why, this conversation is for you. In this episode, Billy Yang helps unpack what draws people into ultra running and what they’re actually searching for out there. It’s less about racing and more about identity, suffering, and the deeper reasons people choose to keep going. For runners and anyone trying to understand why we choose hard things. Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review. Topics / Timestamps 00:00 Why Would ANYONE Run 100 Miles 05:55 The Journey of the Soul in Ultra Running 09:01 The Power of Storytelling in Sports 16:08 Exploring the Stories Behind the Sport 23:02 Why Do We Keep Going Back to the 100 Mile Starting Line 28:11 Reframing Your 'Why' 30:30 Ultra Running is the Great Equalizer
Resources / Links The Why by Billy Yang "Nike Boys" Doc I Finally Conquered 100 Miles
Related Episodes Nils Arend, TSP Founder Scott Jurek, Has Ultra Running Become too Polished?
Presented by Kiprun. ---- Find us at Borderlands.cc and sign up for the newsletter. Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026. And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android
Why Trail Running Feels Like Skateboarding but Isn't
27/03/2026 | 10 mins.
Trail running culture is starting to look a lot like skateboarding—crews, aesthetics, a more raw identity. But if you’ve ever wondered whether that comparison actually holds up, this episode breaks it down. There’s a reason the connection feels right—and a deeper reason it might not be. This isn’t about dismissing what’s happening in running, but trying to understand what it actually is. This episode is for runners who care about the culture of the sport, not just the miles. Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review. Presented by Kiprun. Topics / Timestamps 1:20 Culture and Identity in Trail Running 4:19 The Shift from Results to Experience 06:41 The Intersection of Trail Running and Authority 10:21 The Intersection of Skate Culture and Trail Running
Resources / Links Tommie Runz | 5 Loops SLC PUNK
Related Episodes Is Ultrarunning Losing Its Charm? Is Ultrarunning Changing?
---- Find us at Borderlands.cc and sign up for the newsletter. Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026. And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android
How Do You Rebuild a Life? Tommie Runz on Sobriety, Loss, and Running
23/03/2026 | 21 mins.
Many runners come to ultrarunning through performance, but what happens when running comes after everything else falls apart? This episode explores how sobriety, loss, and identity shape the path into ultrarunning and what it actually looks like to rebuild a life from the ground up. Josh sits down with Tommie Runz to trace the arc from heavy drinking and personal collapse to running across the desert from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, and eventually into ultrarunning. The conversation moves through early sobriety, community, and the tension between commitment and loss, including missing his best friend’s funeral during that run revealing how change actually happens over time. For runners interested in the deeper reasons people come to the sport. Follow the show for more conversations like this. Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review. Presented by Kiprun. Topics / Timestamps Chapters 00:00 The Impact of Personal Loss on Running 01:19 The Relationship Between Sobriety and Running 02:38 Community Support and Accountability 05:43 Transitioning from Road to Trail Running 06:54 The Experience of Running Javelina 09:31 The Future of Tommy Runs 16:25 The Journey to 100 Miles 18:13 Cutting in Line: The Western States Experience 18:15 Trail Running: A New Era of Competitors 19:02 Training for the Mountains: Strategies and Challenges
Resources / Links Tommie Runz on Instagram Western States ---- Find us at Borderlands.cc and sign up for the newsletter. Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026. And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android
Is Ultrarunning Losing Its Charm?
19/03/2026 | 25 mins.
Ultrarunning is evolving and growing fast and with that growth, ultra running feels different. Josh digs into how the sport is changing as it becomes more competitive, more visible, and more professional than ever before and asks whether something essential is being lost along the way. From duct-taped water bottles and campfire start lines to global races with thousands of runners and highly engineered gear, this episode explores what that shift really means. From the rise of new brands and technologies to the increasing professionalization of the sport, the conversation looks at what we’ve gained—and what we might be leaving behind. Not as something to judge, but as an evolution that is reshaping how ultrarunning feels, who it’s for, and where it’s going next. For runners thinking about how ultrarunning is changing and what that means for the future of trail running and ultrarunning. Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review. Topics / Timestamps 00:00 The Evolution of Ultra Running 02:23 Defining the Charm of Ultra Running 07:15 Ultrarunning is Really Two Sports in One 11:54 Professionalization vs. Community 17:00 The Standardization and Predictability of Ultra Races 23:43 The Trade-Offs of Growth - we're losing something
Resources / Links La Barba Coffee ACG Gorge Waterfalls Mountain Outpost Western States Leadville Wasatch 100 Barkley Marathons EcoTrail Paris
Related Episodes Dirtbag Culture vs. Luxury Running Brands How Ciele Athletics Built a Running Movement
Presented by Kiprun. ---- Find us at Borderlands.cc and sign up for the newsletter. Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026. And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android
Is Ultrarunning Changing? Dirtbag Culture vs Luxury Running Brands
13/03/2026 | 33 mins.
If you've ever wondered why luxury running brands suddenly started appearing in ultrarunning—a sport built on dirtbag ethos, thrift-store gear, and anti-status culture—this episode explores the tension behind it. Josh unpacks where the idea of luxury collides with traditional ultrarunning culture, what actually defines a luxury running brand, and why some runners see it as evolution while others see it as a threat to the identity of the sport. At the center is a deeper question: is ultrarunning defined by what you wear, or simply by the act of running ultras? For trail and ultrarunners curious about how culture, identity, and authenticity are evolving in the sport. Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review. Time Stamps 01:14 Why does Luxury Feel Strange in Ultrarunning? 03:45 What is Traditional Ultrarunning Culture? 10:48 5 Markers of Traditional Ultrarunning Culture 15:44 What even is luxury? 20:40 What is a "luxury running brand"? 24:25 Why do luxury running brands bother people? 27:43 A Weird Moment in Luxury Ultrarunning 31:45 The Old Guard of Ultrarunning Resources / Links [article] Why “Luxury Running Brands” Feels Strange In Ultrarunning Satisfy Currently Running Sucks
Related Episodes Satisfy Cofounder, Brice Partouche The ROCKER Shoe is Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas
---- Presented by Kiprun. ---- Find us at Borderlands.cc and sign up for the newsletter. Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026. And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS or Android
Borderlands Trail and Ultra Running is a storytelling podcast for ultra runners who love this sport deeply, the iconic races, the legendary athletes, the gear, and the culture that makes all of it worth caring about.
Hosted by Josh Rosenthal, founder of Borderlands Trail Running, this show exists to collect the ultra running stories that define the sport, from spending a day at Laz Lake's home to deep conversations with Scott Jurek, Dean Karnazes, Camille Herron, and the everyday runners doing extraordinary things out on the trails.
This podcast covers the full world of ultra and trail running: race coverage and analysis of marquee events including Western States Endurance Run and UTMB, honest trail running shoes reviews and ultra running gear breakdowns from someone who has tested 44 pairs over 6,000 miles, and big conversations about where the sport is headed, including what dirtbag runners bring to a sport that's growing fast.
This show gives ultra runners the stories, perspectives, and gear knowledge to go deeper into a sport they already love while celebrating what makes trail and ultra running unlike anything else.
We'll answer questions like:
- Who is Laz Lake, and why does everyone in ultra running revere him?
- What makes the Barkley Marathons the hardest race in the world?
- How does Western States Endurance Run work, and why is it so hard to get in?
- What are the best trail running shoes and ultra running gear right now?
- Who are the greatest ultra runners of all time?
- What does dirtbag running culture actually mean?
- How is ultra running changing, and is that a good thing?
- What does it take to run a 100 mile ultra marathon?
- What should ultra runners eat during training and on race day?
If you want the stories, the gear, and the culture that make ultra and trail running the most addictive sport on earth, you're in the right place.
New Zealand