Sassquad Trail Runners

Join us Thursday, October 15 at 7pm for the Big Bear Squatch South pre-race livestream, live on YouTube. We’ll cover everything you need to know before race day, including course details, technical terrain, elevation, parking, timing, weather considerations, and what to expect on the trails, and we’ll answer your questions live so you can head into race weekend informed, confident, and ready to tackle the climbs and descents!

Join us Wednesday, September 17 at 7pm for the Wild Goose Trail Festival pre-race livestream, live on YouTube. We’ll cover everything you need to know before race weekend, including the different loop options, aid station setup, timing, parking, camping logistics, weather considerations, and what to expect across multiple days, and we’ll answer your questions live so you can arrive prepared, calm, and ready to settle into the festival miles!

Join us on Wednesday, September 2nd at 7:00 PM ET for our free webinar on Race Day Anxiety and Post-Race Blues for Trail Runners. In this webinar, The Trail Therapist Sarah Strong, LCSW, will help you recognize and manage the mental ups and downs that come with trail running. You’ll learn strategies to prepare in advance for pre-race nerves and how to handle anxiety or stress if it pops up during the race. The webinar will also cover tools for coping with the post-race blues, so you can recover mentally as well as physically. This session is perfect for runners who want to enjoy the full experience of racing while staying calm, focused, and resilient! Tune in live on the Sassquad YouTube channel and finish your races with confidence and balance.

⁠https://www.thetrailtherapist.com/⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/fireweedcounseling

Join us on our YouTube Channel for this live stream on Wednesday August 26th at 7pm. This free webinar with Chaos Crewing is your chance to learn the ins and outs of successful crewing! We'll be diving into all the critical details: safety, gear, travel logistics, organization, and the behind-the-scenes support that can make or break race day. This session is especially helpful for anyone participating in the Wild Goose Trail Festival this September, whether you're running, crewing, or both. So invite your crew to join you for this webinar! It’s a great opportunity to learn together and build a solid game plan before race weekend.

https://www.chaoscrewing.com/

https://tinyurl.com/Chaos-Crewing-Network

https://www.instagram.com/chaoscrewingco/

https://www.facebook.com/ultracrewingnetwork#

Join us for a special webinar with registered dietitian The Nutrition Mechanic, Dina Griffin, as we dive into all things nutrition and hydration for the Wild Goose Trail Festival! Whether you're gearing up for the 10K, 100 miler, or anything in between, this session will help you build a practical fueling plan to support your training and race-day performance. Dina has worked with trail and ultra runners of all levels, and she brings a science-based, real-world approach to endurance nutrition. She’ll cover strategies for hydration, calorie intake, electrolyte balance, and troubleshooting common race-day issues like GI distress and bonking. No matter your pace or distance, having a plan can make the difference between surviving and thriving out on the trails. Come ready to learn, ask questions, and leave with a plan to help you squatch your goals at Wild Goose Trail Festival! The webinar will be live-streamed on our YouTube Channel the recording will be available afterwards.

Join us Thursday, August 6 at 7pm for the Thunder Chicken Squatch Trail Jamboree pre-race livestream, live on YouTube. We’ll cover everything you need to know before race day, including course details, terrain, parking, timing, weather considerations, and what to expect during a long summer trail party, and we’ll answer your questions live so you can roll into race weekend prepared, confident, and ready to find the Thunder Chicken Squatch!

Join us on Wednesday, August 5th at 7:00 PM ET for our free webinar on Finalizing Your Race Day Plan for Trail Runners. In this webinar, The Trail Therapist Sarah Strong, LCSW, will guide you through the process of preparing mentally and strategically for race day. In this webinar, Sarah will show you how to use visualization, balance process-focused and outcome-focused thinking, and tackle mental strategies. Sarah will also cover smart communication with your crew and pacers, including what to say and what to avoid. This session is perfect for runners who want to enter race day confident, focused, and fully prepared. Tune in live on the Sassquad YouTube channel and refine your plan for a successful race experience!

https://www.thetrailtherapist.com/

https://www.instagram.com/fireweedcounseling

Join us Wednesday, July 22 at 7pm for the Squatchy Surprise pre-race livestream, live on YouTube. We’ll cover everything you need to know before race day, including how the golf ball draw works, loop options, timing, strategy considerations, parking, weather, and what to expect throughout the day, and we’ll answer your questions live so you can head into race weekend informed, flexible, and ready to embrace the chaos!

Join us on Wednesday, Wednesday, July 8th at 7:00 PM ET for our free webinar on Trail Running with Confidence: Facing Fears with Focus. In this webinar, The Trail Therapist Sarah Strong, LCSW, will guide you through exploring your trail fears and developing strategies to manage them effectively. We'll work with the circle of control to focus on what we can influence and learn how to distinguish between actionable tasks and what is best to let go. This webinar is ideal for runners who want to build confidence, reduce anxiety, and approach their training and adventures with a clearer, calmer mindset.

https://www.thetrailtherapist.com/

https://www.instagram.com/the_trail_therapist/

Join us live on Wednesday, July 1st at 7:00 PM for a course preview of the newly updated Wild Goose Trail Festival! With the festival officially moving from Wawayanda State Park to Ringwood State Park, this webinar will provide an in-depth look at the brand-new trail layouts, terrain expectations, and key navigation points you will encounter on race day. We will cover everything you need to know to prepare for the updated course and answer your questions live in the chat!

• Race Website
• Trail Party Handbook
• Interactive Map

Join us on Wednesday, June 24th at 7:00 PM ET on the Sassquad YouTube Channel for a free webinar: Strength Training for Trail Runners,led by Carly Fleischer. In this session, Carly will show you how strength training can improve climbing efficiency, descending control, trail confidence, and reduce injury risk, all without overcomplicating your training.

Carly Fleischer is a strength, nutrition, and behavior change coach and the founder of Moxie Barbell. She helps high-achieving women and busy humans bridge the gap between intention and follow-through by building consistent habits that hold up in real life so progress doesn’t depend on motivation or white-knuckling. Her coaching focuses on building strength and confidence in the gym, creating realistic, habit-based nutrition strategies, and developing the mindset skills that make consistency sustainable, especially when life throws curveballs. She also works with athletes across a range of sports, helping them develop foundational qualities that transfer to better performance (strength, power, agility, and endurance) so they can move well, train hard, and stay resilient through their seasons. Based in South Lake Tahoe, Carly spends as much time as possible outside skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and paddleboarding, which shapes her coaching style: practical, performance-driven, and built for longevity.

https://www.moxiebarbell.com/

https://www.instagram.com/moxiebarbell/

Join us Wednesday, June 3 at 7pm for the Squatchy Hooky: Lake to Summit 5K/10K pre-race livestream, live on YouTube. We’ll cover everything you need to know before race day, including course specifics, parking, timing, weather considerations, etc and we’ll answer your questions live so you can arrive feeling prepared, confident, and safe!

Join us Wednesday, April 22 at 7pm for the Squatchywaska Mountainfest pre-race livestream, live on YouTube. We’ll cover everything you need to know before race day, including course specifics, elevation gain, technical terrain, parking, timing, weather considerations, and what to expect out on the Shawangunk Ridge, and we’ll answer your questions live so you can arrive feeling prepared, confident, and ready for a big day in the mountains!

Join us on Wednesday, April 15th at 7:00 PM ET for our free webinar on Mental Strategies for Smarter Running. In this webinar, The Trail Therapist Sarah Strong, LCSW, will explore practical strategies to enhance your trail performance, including how to manage distractions, engage in complex thinking while on the trail, and apply mental skills to your training. You will also walk through a sample training plan, using a couple of techniques at a time, integrating mind-body connection, and scaling exercises to assess effectiveness. This webinar is ideal for trail runners looking to develop actionable strategies and practice them ahead of future runs!

Join us on Wednesday, March 25th at 7:00 PM ET for our free webinar on Mind/Body Connection for Trail Runners. In this webinar, The Trail Therapist Sarah Strong, LCSW, will guide you through practices to strengthen the connection between your mind and body, including mindfulness techniques, breathwork, and strategies for scaling your efforts safely and effectively. This webinar is designed for trail runners of all levels who want to improve focus, endurance, and overall well-being on and off the trails. Tune in live on the Sassquad YouTube channel and learn tools to enhance your trail experience through greater mind-body awareness.

Join us on Friday, April 10 at 6pm for a special webinar led by Becca Howe-Parisio, Environmental Educator at Minnewaska State Preserve. Becca will provide an in-depth look at the fragile ecosystem of the Gunks, offering valuable insights into the unique natural features of the Shawangunks. The webinar will be livestreamed on our YouTube Channel. This chat is required for participants of the Squatchywaska Mountainfest 25K/10M (the recording will be available if you cannot watch the livestream), but will also be an invaluable experience for anyone interested in learning more about the spectacular region of the Shawangunks in New York State. Don't miss this opportunity to deepen your connection to this beautiful and ecologically important area!

Join us on March 18 at 7 PM for a free webinar with Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist Dr. Colleen Drahos ! This session will cover how to return to the trails safely, rebuild strength, prevent injury, and understand the unique needs of postpartum trail runners. Whether you’re newly postpartum or years into your parenting journey, you’ll walk away with practical guidance to support your running goals.

Squatchapple Pre-Race Announcements and Q&A

Join us on Wednesday, January 21st at 7:00 PM ET for our free webinar on Goal Setting for 2026. In this webinar, The Trail Therapist Sarah Strong, LCSW, will guide you in connecting to your “why” to uncover the deeper motivation behind your goals and help you identify your values so that your 2026 goals reflect what matters most. This webinar is perfect for trail runners, outdoor enthusiasts, or anyone looking to set meaningful and achievable goals for the year ahead. Tune in live on the Sassquad YouTube channel and start 2026 with clarity, focus, and purpose!

Learn more about Sarah:

https://www.fireweedcounselingllc.com/

In this episode, we sit down with Charlie Gadol for a thoughtful conversation that spans medicine, writing, trails, race directing and the long arc of a life shaped by curiosity and service. Charlie is a pathologist, recently retired after working in the field since 1988. A 1979 graduate of Yale College and a 1984 graduate of UMDNJ New Jersey Medical School, his professional path also includes a degree in English from Rutgers and a master’s in writing and literature from Bennington, reflecting a lifelong engagement with both science and storytelling.

An avid hiker and trail runner, Charlie has become a cornerstone of the Catskills trail running and preservation community. He created and served as the race director for two iconic Catskills events, the 54-mile Manitou’s Revenge Ultramarathon and the Cat’s Tail Trail Marathon, and also directed the Sterling Furnace Race and the Pocantico Hill Marathon & Half Marathon, both fundraisers supporting the New York New Jersey Trail Conference. He is the Catskill Long Path Trail Chair and serves on the Board of Run Wild, Inc., where he is co-chair of the Advancement Committee, chair of the Policy Council, and a member of the Nominating and Strategic Planning committees.

We talk about how Charlie’s careers in medicine and writing have shaped his approach to endurance, leadership, and community building, and the responsibility that comes with stewarding trails and races. This chat explores what it means to give back to the places and communities that give us so much in return!

https://www.nynjtc.org/

https://www.runwildhv.org/

https://www.manitousrevengeultra.com/

https://pocanticohillsmarathon.com/

https://www.catstailmarathon.com/

https://www.nynjtc.org/long-path/