Trail Society

What actually goes into building a successful training plan? This week on Trail Society, Corrine and Keely are breaking down the science and art of coaching, from understanding an athlete’s training history to balancing mileage, intensity, recovery, and everyday life.

Using a hypothetical runner preparing for their first 50K, they walk through how to structure a training week, gradually build volume, introduce workouts, and adapt training to individual needs. They also discuss why there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to coaching and why understanding the person behind the athlete is just as important as the miles they run.

Plus, updates on Corrine’s pregnancy and running, Keely’s medical school rotations, and Harvard’s new Women in Sports Study.

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This week, we're bringing a little Dirt Church Radio into the Trail Society feed! Corrine Malcolm joins host Ali Pottinger for an honest conversation about running, motherhood, and the future of trail and ultrarunning.

Corrine opens up about her fertility journey, navigating IVF, and how pregnancy has changed her relationship with running. They also explore the barriers women face in the sport, from race cutoff times and pregnancy deferral policies to representation and inclusion.

Plus, Corrine shares her coaching philosophy, why consistency matters more than any single workout, and the importance of listening to your body rather than relying solely on data.

A huge thank you to Ali and the Dirt Church Radio team for sharing this conversation with the Trail Society community!

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This week, Corrine Malcolm and Hillary Allen catch up after a whirlwind stretch of racing that took Hillary from Montana to Colorado, California, Washington, and Canada as she navigated her return to competition following injury. Hillary shares what it was like to line up for races without feeling fully prepared, why she decided to race her way back into fitness, and how letting go of expectations helped her rediscover the fun in competing.

They dig into the psychology of performance, including the difference between approaching competition as a threat versus a challenge, why focusing on the process rather than the outcome can lead to better performances, and how athletes can redefine success when things don't go according to plan. Hillary shares practical strategies for managing race-day anxiety, building confidence, and finding joy in the process, while Corrine reflects on her own changing relationship with running during pregnancy.

They also discuss new findings from the Women's Sports Foundation on the barriers keeping girls out of sports, from cost and access to representation and belonging, and what those findings mean for the future of women's athletics.

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This week, Corrine Malcolm sits down with Vivek Gowri, owner of San Francisco Running Company, for a conversation about community, representation, and what it means to help more people feel like trail running is a place where they belong. Vivek shares how he found his own running community in the Bay Area, what SFRC meant to him long before he took over the business, and how he’s approached evolving such an iconic local institution without losing what made it special in the first place.

They also dig into the barriers that can make trail running feel inaccessible, why simply inviting people in is different from creating a genuine sense of belonging, and how running stores, races, and community leaders can help grow the sport rather than fight over the same existing audience. Vivek also shares the thinking behind SFRC’s women’s trail half marathon and the Get Her Over the Bridge initiative, including training support, postpartum and pregnancy deferrals, childcare grants, and a substantial prize purse designed to support both first-time participants and elite women racing at the front.

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This week, Corrine Malcolm and Keely Henninger nerd out on what actually happens inside your body during — and after — an ultramarathon. Using recent research alongside what we already know about endurance physiology, they work system by system through the muscle damage, inflammation, kidney stress, cardiovascular changes, neurological fatigue, immune response, metabolic shifts, and GI issues that can come with pushing your body for hours on end.

They also dig into the difference between normal post-race weirdness and something worth paying closer attention to, why recovery can take much longer than simply waiting for sore legs to disappear, and what we still don’t know about the long-term effects of repeatedly racing and training at ultra-endurance volumes. Along the way, they talk about CK and rhabdo, acute kidney injury, post-race hypotension, heart remodeling, cognitive fatigue, RED-S, GI distress, and why fueling, hydration, sleep, and adequate recovery matter so much.

It’s a science-heavy conversation about what your body is actually managing when you ask it to run really, really far — and why understanding that process can help you recover better and keep doing this sport for the long haul.

This week, Corrine Malcolm sits down with Jessie Diggins, Olympic champion, multiple-time World Cup overall champion, and one of the most accomplished American cross-country skiers ever, for a conversation about what happens when sport stops being your job. Now retired from professional skiing, Jessie is stepping into a very different chapter — one that includes trail running, public speaking, advocacy, and learning what it feels like to be a beginner again.

They talk about identity after elite sport, what training means when there isn’t a podium waiting at the end, and how Jessie is deciding which parts of her competitive life she wants to carry forward. They also dig into her first 100-miler at Minnesota’s Superior 100, the team she brought along for the experience, what surprised her about the distance, and whether she’s caught the ultra bug.

It’s a thoughtful conversation about reinvention, curiosity, and what it looks like to keep loving sport when the outcome no longer has to mean anything.

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This episode originally aired March 31st, 2026

Olympic medalist Shannon Rowbury and pelvic health physical therapist Jess Dorrington join Corrine to talk about their new book, Strong as a Mother, and the bigger conversation around pregnancy, postpartum, and athleticism. Together, they explore what it means to stay active during pregnancy, how runners can think about returning to sport postpartum, and why strength during motherhood may look different, but no less powerful.

They also dig into pelvic floor health for runners, common misconceptions around exercise during pregnancy, and why so much advice in this space can feel confusing or incomplete. Jess breaks down why pelvic health matters not just for pregnant and postpartum athletes, but for runners more broadly, while Shannon reflects on her path from Olympian to mom rediscovering joy in movement.

Along the way, they talk about how Strong as a Mother came together, why the title changed from Running for Two, and what they hope athletes, moms, and active women take from the book: your body is capable of more than you think, and there is no one right way to move through this season. Shannon also shares more about her long Olympic medal journey and anti-doping advocacy.

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This week, Corrine Malcolm and Hillary Allen dig into one of the most important — and sometimes overlooked — parts of an athlete’s support system: finding the right coach. They talk about what actually makes a good coach-athlete fit, from communication and collaboration to goal alignment, professionalism, and whether a coach is truly invested in you as a person rather than just your performance.

They also explore the red flags that can emerge once a coaching relationship is underway, why athletes should pay attention to how a coach responds when things get hard, and what it looks like when a relationship simply reaches its natural end. Plus, they walk through what to do if a coach exits at a difficult moment, how to rebuild trust in a new coach, and why self-advocacy and a broader support team can make all the difference.

It’s a practical conversation about building the right team around you, asking better questions early, and remembering that you’re allowed to want a coaching relationship that actually fits.

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This week, Corrine Malcolm sits down with Chelsea Sodaro, Ironman World Champion, mother, and founder of Unlocking Yes, for an honest conversation about what happens when the things you want most in life seem to compete with one another. Chelsea traces her path from professional running to triathlon, the decision to become a mother at the height of her athletic career, and the uncertainty that came with wondering what pregnancy might mean for her future in sport.

They also dig into the much messier reality behind Chelsea’s remarkable postpartum return and 2022 Ironman World Championship win — from breastfeeding and childcare challenges to serious mental health struggles that existed alongside tremendous professional success. Chelsea shares what she learned about the support athletes actually need, why maternity policies are only the beginning, and how projects like Unlocking Yes are helping her turn her own experience into something bigger.

It’s a thoughtful conversation about motherhood, ambition, identity, and what sport could look like if women didn’t have to be extraordinary just to have the freedom to choose more than one thing.

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This week, Corrine Malcolm and Keely Henninger dig into one of the most common questions they hear from endurance athletes: how should runners actually strength train? They break down why lifting can improve running economy, force production, muscle recruitment, tendon strength, and durability — and why those benefits matter just as much for ultrarunners as they do for athletes chasing faster speeds.

They also get practical about what strength training should actually look like, including how often to lift, where to fit it into a running week, why heavier weights and lower reps may offer runners more benefit than endless high-rep exercises, and how plyometrics and eccentric work can prepare the body for the demands of technical trails and long descents. Plus, they talk about fueling for muscle adaptation and why strength becomes even more important across different stages of life, including perimenopause and menopause.

It’s a science-heavy but highly practical conversation about getting stronger, running more efficiently, and building a body that can keep doing this sport for the long haul.

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This week, Corrine Malcolm is joined by Sabrina Pace-Humphreys to talk about two kinds of endurance: returning to UTMB after a heartbreaking race, and continuing the long-term work of making trail running a more inclusive sport.

They talk about what Sabrina learned from last year’s UTMB, why she’s coming back, and how her work with Black Trail Runners has shaped the way she thinks about belonging, representation, and responsibility. It’s a thoughtful conversation about resilience, community, and what happens when an athlete who spends so much time creating space for others asks what she wants for herself.

Sabrina's Website: https://sabrinapacehumphreys.com/

Sabrina's book: Start Where You Are (The Beginner’s 5k Running Guide for Women)

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This week, after a Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift debrief, Corrine Malcolm and Hillary Allen take on RED-S and low energy availability through Hillary’s own recent experience with injury and recovery. What started as overreaching and under-recovery became a bigger lesson in how training stress, work stress, life changes, sleep, fueling, and healing all draw from the same finite pool of energy.

They talk about:

• why RED-S can affect athletes at any size
• why it isn’t synonymous with disordered eating
• how low energy availability can slow injury recovery
• and why even athletes who understand the science can still miss the signs in themselves.

It’s a candid, practical conversation about listening sooner, fueling enough, and learning that stress is stress — no matter where it comes from.

Forbes Article:Why It Took 119 Years To Build A Tour de France For Women

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This week, Corrine Malcolm is joined by Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy to talk about the evolution from chasing your own big goals to helping other people chase theirs. From thru-hiking and FKTs to coaching, mentorship, and race directing, Joe has built a career around both pushing his own limits and creating more opportunities for others in trail running.

The two dig into the All In Coaching Collective, accessibility in coaching and youth sport, what makes a great mentor, and why Joe has recently added race director to his growing list of roles. It’s a conversation about adventure, community, and what it means to invest in the future of the sport you love.

This week, Corrine Malcolm and Keely Henninger step back from training plans to talk about something endurance athletes rarely discuss: how our relationship with running is supposed to change.

Corrine reflects on IVF, pregnancy, and becoming a mom, while Keely shares what it feels like to make room for medicine, a demanding new career, and a different version of athletic life. They explore identity, uncertainty, the pressure to be all in or all out, and why allowing sport to evolve doesn’t mean it matters any less.

It’s an honest conversation about who we become when the lives we’re building grow bigger than running.

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This week, Corrine Malcolm is joined by Nicole Ver Kuilen — endurance athlete, cancer survivor, advocate, and National Campaign Lead for So Every BODY Can Move — for a conversation about access, innovation, and what true inclusion in trail running really looks like. They talk about Nicole’s relationship with sport after losing her leg to bone cancer as a child, what drew her to trail running, and the very real barriers adaptive athletes still face long before they ever reach a start line.

The two also dig into Nicole’s advocacy work, her recent milestone as Salomon’s first American para athlete, and what it meant to race MaXi-Race while helping shape the future of adaptive trail running through the Salomon Adaptive Project. It’s a thoughtful conversation about representation, equipment, design, and why building a more inclusive sport starts with making movement possible in the first place.

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rabbit: Visit https://www.runinrabbit.com/ use code: TRAILSOCIETY10 for 10% off.

This week, Corrine Malcolm and Hillary Allen catch up on life, running, and the realities of pivoting when a season doesn’t go to plan before diving into a wide-ranging conversation about big adventure days. From FKTs and fastpacking trips to multi-sport missions and personal route projects, they explore how athletes can dream up meaningful goals outside of traditional races.

Along the way, they talk about planning logistics, finding community support, managing safety in the backcountry, and what gear matters most when heading into big terrain for long days or multi-day efforts. It’s a fun, practical episode about creativity, curiosity, and building adventures that feel exciting, personal, and fully your own.

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This week, Corrine Malcolm sits down with Daniella Chong for an episode that goes far beyond race results. They talk about:

• The L.A. run community and Daniella's work with the Good Vibes Track Club and Renegade Running
• Being a coach and community builder
• The role of identity in shaping who feels like they belong in trail running — and the whiteness of running spaces

Plus, they dive into Daniella’s Western States journey — what it meant to earn her place on the start line and what she learned during (and preparing for) the race.

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This week, Corrine Malcolm brings listeners a special live episode from TrailCon, featuring a Women’s Health and Performance panel led by Keely Henninger alongside Dr. Emily Kraus, Dr. Gauri Desai, and Dr. Alyssa Olenick. The panel digs into some of the most important topics in women’s endurance health today, including:

• low energy availability
• bone health across the lifespan
• training through pregnancy and postpartum
• the long-term impact of training load
• why strength training becomes increasingly important through menopause and beyond.

It’s a science-rich, practical conversation designed to help women in endurance sports better support their health, performance, and longevity in the sport.

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Use the code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://www.tifosioptics.com

ProBio: Use code Trail20 for 20%-off orders (30%-off + free shipping w/ subscriptions) at https://www.probionutrition.com/

rabbit: Visit https://www.runinrabbit.com/ use code: TRAILSOCIETY10 for 10% off.

Trail Society teamed up with our Feisty Media sister podcast, Another Mother Runner, for a special episode recorded in Tahoe ahead of Western States. This episode originally dropped on the Another Mother Runner feed on Friday, June 26, 2026, and we're sharing it with you all here because we loved the conversation.

Another Mother Runner host, Sarah Bowen Shea, is joined by Trail Society's Corrine Malcolm to talk with Stephanie Irving, 64, who was the second oldest woman at the Western States 100-mile, after a decade of entering the lottery, and is the co-founder of Wild Woman Trail Runs.

In this in-person episode recorded just days before the big race, Steph and Corrine detail:

• what’s so special about "States"
• the magic of a women’s-only running race like Wild Woman
• how to stop thinking about age as an impediment
• fueling advice for long trail races
• the value in going before you're ready—whether in a race or life!

Before Steph joins the conversation around 11:55, Corrine sheds some light on the history of Western States.

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This week, ahead of Western States this weekend, we're revisiting and re-airing our conversation with last year's champion Abby Hall — about growth, grit, and what it means to chase excellence over a long period of time.

They talk about:

• Abby's evolution through a decade in the sport
• How she found her footing in ultras and her relationship with the 100-mile distance
• And, of course, the long road and many setbacks before last year's win

What does it mean to care deeply, race boldly, and keep showing up? There's a vulnerability to racing at the highest level and a tension women often face between being competitive and being perceived as too much.

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rabbit: Visit https://www.runinrabbit.com/ use code: TRAILSOCIETY10 for 10% off.