Borderlands Trail (+ Ultra) Running

Gary Cantrell (aka Lazarus Lake) is the last rebel of ultra running.
Watch our conversation on Youtube.
We love the professionalization of trail running but we don't want it all to go that way. In order for that to be interesing, the world of underground ultra running has to live strong.
In this episode, Josh works through the stories of Popcorn Sutton and Andy Payne with Laz.
Popcorn Sutton was a moonshiner untouched by modernization. He stood in stark contrast to the Jack Daniels and Jim Beams of the world. They work to maximize revenue and total annual output where Popcorn kept doing things the same way.
Andy Payne won the Bunion Derby in 1928 - a race across America with 275 participants. He also happened to be Laz's Dad's neighbor.
Laz is a blend of the two figures with a rock and roll-type status preserving a type of heart of running all its own.
Enjoy.
Presented by Kiprun.
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Listen to Scene One (the Races of Laz Lake) on Spotify or Apple or watch on YouTube.
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Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races | 30 May 2026

Josh flew to Bell Buckle, TN to interview Lazarus Lake (aka Gary Cantrell) at his home and backdrop to Big's (and Little's) Backyard Ultra.
There are three scenes to The Lazarus Lakes Interviews and in this first one they discuss the races. You all know about Barkleys Marathons and the Backyard Ultras but what about the other races like the Vol State 500k or the now deceased Idiot's Run? Or ARFTA (a race for the ages)?
To anyone who knows of Laz Lake, you will not be surprised to learn that this interview was a wild ride in and of itself. He rarely speaks concretely, almost everything is metaphorical. And once you accept that you understand that he's rarely simply talking about a tree or a cave or Jesse James' gold.
Josh went into this interview planning to uncover a PT Barnum type or an artist standing at a canvas. Instead, he found a scientist in a laboratory whose lab rats are actually ultrarunners.
He's tinkering with variables looking to uncover elements of the human spirt on one hand and on the other, he's at face value.
He's a country boy born in Texas and raised in Oklahoma and Tennessee.
Presented by Kiprun.
With support from Like the Wind Magazine + Hyperlyte Liquid Performance.
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Listen to Scene Two with Laz (the Last Rebel of Ultra Running) on Spotify or Apple or watch on YouTube
For behind the scenes and uncut content from this interview, go to our Patreon.
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Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races | 30 May 2026

Dean Karnazes brings light to the world through running. Dean's books and myth motivated many to start running for the first time or pushed them to run further.
He's been an amassador for running the world over and on a scale no other runner has enjoyed. In this episode we dive into his appearances on Conan O'briend, David Letterman, and the ESPYs.
When he started running it was much simpler. It was really just a pair of shoes and a place to run. But that's not necessarily the good old days. Today there are more people running than ever. And because foundational he believes that running is a gift to all who do it, the growth in every aspect of the industry is net good.
Presented by Kiprun.
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Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races | 30 May 2026

Scott Jurek represents a generation of ultratrail runners who either had day jobs or were true dirtbag trail runners. Scott and Josh Rosenthal dive into the 'good old days' of trail running when a lot of the gear was DIY like punk rock or skateboarding.
Presented by Kiprun.
Scott Jurek and Y2K
DIY: Ultrarunners, Punk Rock, and Skateboarding
Runners have it easier with gear advances
Athlete mentality is shifting in a sterile direction
Mental resilience in ultra running
The lasting bonds of competing in ultratrail
The commercialization of Ultratrail Running
Despite changes, the essence of running remains accessible to everyone.

This conversation explores the evolution of ultra running, reflecting on personal experiences from the Y2K era to the present day. Josh Rosenthal and Scott Jurek discuss the changes in gear, the competitive landscape, and the importance of community within the sport. They emphasize the mental resilience required for ultra running and celebrate the friendships formed through shared experiences. Despite the commercialization of the sport, the essence of running remains accessible and fulfilling for all.
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Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races | 30 May 2026

Nils Arend started The Speed Project and it continues to bring light into the world through running.
[Presented by Kiprun]
Josh and Nils sit on a Rugby Field in Albi, FR at midnight to talk about the origin story of TSP and what it means to so many.
Yes, TSP is an ultrarunning event but its not an 'ultrarunning' event. Its not in the ultrarunning zeitgeist, its a zeitgeist all its own.
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Sign up: analog*Borderlands [new]letter
Wylder is now available on iOS + Android.
Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races | 30 May 2026