Who's the Best Ultrarunner in North America? Inside the Vote with John Medinger
Release Date: 01/27/2026
Who's the Best Ultrarunner in North America? Inside the Vote with John Medinger
The Buzz
The 44th annual Ultrarunner of the Year Awards are in, and this year delivered one of the deepest fields of women's performances in the history of the award. Buzz Burrell talks with John "Tropical John" Medinger, who has administered the vote when he took over Ultrarunning Magazine (sold in 2024 to Jamil Coury), about the full results, the voting process, and what made 2025 such a standout year. Katie Schide won North American Female Ultrarunner of the Year after victories at Hard Rock (course record), the World Long Trail Championship, and Madeira. Jim Walmsley took the men's title with four...
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Skimo's Olympic Debut: The Winter Sport Trail Runners Should Be Watching
The Buzz
Ski mountaineering is about to have its moment, and if you're a trail runner, you should be paying attention. Skimo shares DNA with our sport: the relentless uphill effort, the technical descents, the mountain culture, and a surprising number of athletes who race both. After decades as a European-dominated discipline, skimo makes its Olympic debut at the 2026 Winter Games in Italy. Nikki LaRochelle joins Buzz to break down what skimo is and why trail runners should care. A longtime skimo racer and ultrarunner, with finishes at San Juan Solstice 50 and Canyon de Chelly, Nikki famously...
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2026 Preview:Prize Money, Personalities, and the Future of Women's Racing
The Buzz
Buzz previews 2026 with Zoë Rom, coach Scott Johnston, Western States Race Director Craig Thornley, and Allison Mercer of FastestKnownTime.com. The panel digs into the Courtney DauWalter, Tara Dower, Katie Scheide showdown at Hardrock 100 and what the growing competitive depth in women's ultrarunning actually tells us (spoiler: progress is real, but parity isn't here yet). Scott Johnston makes the case for AI and data analysis in elite pacing—and explains why it all goes out the window by mile 80. Craig Thornley shares updates on Western States' multi-year Granite Chief Wilderness...
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The State of Trail Running 2025: Professionalization, Prize Money, and What the Sport is Actually About
The Buzz
Can a sport built on dirtbag ethos survive the arrival of real money? In this end-of-year special, Buzz gathers Zoë Rom, coach Scott Johnston, Western States race director Craig Thornley, and FKT manager Allison Mercer to make sense of 2025. They dig into the paradox of professionalization, $275 super shoes, UTMB live broadcasts, Ironman private equity, while Zoë points to the data that says the grassroots still holds: only 1.7% of trail runners actually race, backyard ultras are booming, and FKTs remain just you and a GPS watch. Scott Johnston talks weighted vest training and speaks with...
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Camille Herron on Science, Superpowers, and Setting the Record Straight
The Buzz
Camille Herron is the only athlete to win all three IAU Ultra World Championship distances, the only person to win both Comrades and Spartathlon, and the holder of world records from 50 miles to six days. But beyond the numbers, Herron is a scientist with a master's degree in exercise and sports science, a recently diagnosed autistic and ADHD athlete, and someone who has navigated more than her share of controversy. In this wide-ranging conversation with Buzz Burrell, Herron opens up about everything: her unconventional training philosophy of short, frequent runs over grinding long miles; the...
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Molly Seidel on Pressure, Injury, and Why She’s Moving to Trail and Ultra Running
The Buzz
Olympic marathon medalist Molly Seidel joins host Buzz Burrell for a candid conversation about pressure, injury, and her shift into trail and ultra running. Molly unpacks her decision to drop out of the New York City Marathon, the long rebuild after breaking her kneecap, and why the trails feel like the right competitive home for the next phase of her career. She talks openly about identity, the culture of pain in endurance sports, and the growing doping problem in road running, along with why she’s aiming squarely at a Golden Ticket at Black Canyon. Honest, sharp, and unexpectedly...
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Kilian Korth’s Triple Crown of 200s
The Buzz
This week on The Buzz, Buzz Burrell sits down in Moab, fresh off the finish of the Moab 240, with newly crowned Triple Crown champion Kilian Korth. In a season that redefined what’s possible in ultrarunning, Kilian swept the 200-mile series, Tahoe, Bigfoot, and Moab, setting a new cumulative record and proving that success is built on years of setbacks. He opens up about how pulmonary edema, DNFs, and near-collapse moments became the foundation for his breakout year, why he prioritizes rest and recovery over mileage, and how a six-minute dirt nap can reboot the brain mid-race. From efficient...
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Kilian Jornet on States of Elevation and doing 72 Peaks in 31 Days
The Buzz
Kilian Jornet joins The Buzz to talk about his States of Elevation project—72 U.S. 14ers in 31 days, covering 400,000+ feet of vert, 600+ miles on foot, and 2,500 miles by bike. He shares what he learned about the American landscape, endurance, and the body’s ability to adapt, plus reflections on public lands, culture, and why the U.S. mountains feel like home. Buzz! They cover: How Kilian planned and executed his 31-day odyssey The difference between the Alps and American wilderness His take on access, adaptation, and why adventure still matters
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Candice Burt on the Edge of Endurance: 200-Milers, Nolan’s 14, and the Limits of Too Far
The Buzz
In this episode of The Buzz, Buzz Burrell sits down with ultrarunning icon and race director Candice Burt, the woman who put 200-mile races on the map. From founding the Triple Crown of 200s to tackling self-supported FKT attempts on Colorado’s infamous Nolan’s 14, Candice has redefined what “too far” really means. They talk about what it takes to stay awake and moving for days on end, the psychology of pushing beyond comfort, and why even the most seasoned athletes need to respect the line between adventure and danger. Candice opens up about her 200-day streak of running 50Ks,...
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Kat Baker on How Runners Can Save Public Lands
The Buzz
Public lands are where we run, where our races unfold, and where many of us feel most at home. But what happens when those protections are rolled back? In this episode of The Buzz, Buzz Burrell talks with Kat Baker, Executive Director of , about the fight to keep 58 million acres of Forest Service land under the Roadless Rule, why iconic races like Western States, Wasatch, and Hardrock depend on these protections, and how runners can step up as stewards. Kat shares how RPL is rallying race directors, mapping where courses overlap with roadless areas, and helping runners become partners for...
info_outlineThe 44th annual Ultrarunner of the Year Awards are in, and this year delivered one of the deepest fields of women's performances in the history of the award. Buzz Burrell talks with John "Tropical John" Medinger, who has administered the vote when he took over Ultrarunning Magazine (sold in 2024 to Jamil Coury), about the full results, the voting process, and what made 2025 such a standout year. Katie Schide won North American Female Ultrarunner of the Year after victories at Hard Rock (course record), the World Long Trail Championship, and Madeira. Jim Walmsley took the men's title with four wins, including Chianti Castles, where he beat Kilian Jornet. Meg Eckert's 603-mile six-day world record earned Performance of the Year for women, while Charlie Lawrence's 6:07:10 100K on the track (sub-six-minute pace) took the men's honors.
John and Buzz discuss how the voting works, why Western States results carry so much weight, the new World Ultrarunner of the Year category, and the endless debate of comparing trail times to track performances. They also touch on Courtney Dauwalter's challenging year, the case for Ann Flower and Caleb Olson, and why some impressive performances still fall short of the top 10.
TIMESTAMPS:
:00 Intro
1:40 Meet John Medinger
3:08 How the Ultrarunner of the Year Award works
10:04 Top 3 Female Ultrarunners of 2025
14:23 Katie Schide's dominant year
17:00 Top 3 Male Ultrarunners of 2025
21:00 Jim Walmsley's undefeated season
27:42 Performance of the Year: Meg Eckert's 603 miles
33:07 Why track performances won this year
42:11 World Ultrarunner of the Year results 46:58 Controversies and debates
52:16 The future of the award