Aaron Lutze is a creator and sports marketing savant. He's also a dear friend and mentor who has had an enormous impact on my career as an athlete and content creator. Aaron recruited me to Red Bull and acted as my manager for many years. He's recognized as one of the best sports marketers in the industry. Now, Aaron and I co-host another podcast called Second Nature where we talk about the Outdoor Industry, endeavoring to help people build brands, businesses, and careers in the space.

In this conversation, we talk about the past and present of athlete partnerships, the reasons brands sponsor athletes, the value of creating longform content, audience vs. community, the future of athlete partnerships, and a lot more!

LISTEN TO SECOND NATURE

SIGNUP FOR SECOND NATURE NEWSLETTER

FOLLOW SECOND NATURE ON LINKEDIN

SIGNUP FOR THE FREETRAIL NEWSLETTER

Sponsors:

• Use code freetrail10 for 10% off Speedland Footwear
• Use code freetrail15 for 15% off Gnarly Nutrition
• Get 30% off your first subscription of Ketone IQ at HVMN.com/FREETRAIL30

Freetrail Links: Website | Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | YouTube | Freetrail Experts

Dylan Links: Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Strava

Courtney Olsen is a pro runner for HOKA living in Bellingham, WA. She is also the brand new World Record holder for the 50-mile distance, something she was able to achieve last weekend at Tunnel Hill in Southern Illinois. Finishing in a time of 5:31:56, Courtney managed to lower the existing record held by Ann Trason for 33 years by nine minutes. This is her first appearance on the podcast.

Topics we discuss:

• Courtney’s background and history with sport
• Her struggles with depression and finding purpose in her 20s
• The Bellingham Distance Project, a training group she helped to found 10 years ago
• Her passion for art and writing
• Her experience at lululemon’s FURTHER event where she was there supporting Devon Yanko
• Her huge podium performance at Comrades
• A deep unpacking of her WR at tunnel hill
• Look ahead to the 100k World Championship next month
• And a lot more!

Follow Courtney on Strava

Follow Courtney on Instagram

If you enjoy listening to the Freetrail Podcast, please consider leaving us a review to help other like-minded listeners find our show.

Sponsors:

• Use code freetrail10 for 10% off Speedland Footwear
• Grab a trail running pack from Osprey
• Use code FT15 for 15% off Gnarly Nutrition
• Go to ketone.com/freetrail30 for 30% off a subscription of Ketone IQ

Freetrail Links: Website | Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | YouTube | Freetrail Experts

Dylan Links: Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Strava

Kilian Jornet is one of the greatest athletes of all-time across all sports. His athletic accomplishments are staggering across trail running, alpinism, and ski mountaineering. This season he won Zegama for the 11th time, Sierre Zinal for the 10th time, and then completed a 1200km traverse of the Alps -- a personal project he called "Alpine Connections."

Some topics we discuss:

• Kilian and Emelie’s expanding family and lessons from parenthood
• The value of exposing kids to a life of adventure
• Zegama, a race that Kilan has now won 11 times over 17 years
• Kilian’s training, including a fascinating discussion around belief, circadian rhythm and stress management
• Sierre Zinal, exploring how we maintain high performance as we get older
• Alpine Connections, talking about the vision, the complexities, flow state experiences, and artistic influences inherent in the project.
• Kilian's future goals including some exciting potential races in 2025
• A lot more

• Use code freetrail10 for 10% off Speedland Footwear
• Grab a trail running pack from Osprey
• Use code FT15 for 15% off Gnarly Nutrition
• Go to ketone.com/freetrail30 for 30% off a subscription of Ketone IQ

Freetrail Links: Website | Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | YouTube | Freetrail Experts

Dylan Links: Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Strava

Max Jolliffe is a pro runner for Satisfy living in Southern California. Max has only been in the sport for a couple years, accumulating experience and discovering his talent. Last week, Max had his biggest athletic breakthrough, winning and setting a new CR at the Moab 240. Max has a powerful personal story and it was great to get to know him in this conversation.

Topics discussed:

• Max's struggles with addiction
• Getting clean and discovering purpose through running
• Run streaking and why he started 3+ years ago
• Max's tattoos and tattoo culture
• Discovering running talent and chasing goals
• The value of jumping in the deep end
• Max's sponsors Satisfy & Cadence
• Learnings from TDS
• The Moab 240 comeback victory
• A lot more!

The Beach Kid -- Film about Max's race at TDS

Follow Max on Strava

Subscribe to Woah Max on YouTube

Sponsors:

• Use code freetrail10 for 10% off Speedland Footwear
• Grab a trail running pack from Osprey
• Use code FT15 for 15% off Gnarly Nutrition
• Go to ketone.com/freetrail30 for 30% off a subscription of Ketone IQ

Freetrail Links: Website | Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | YouTube | Freetrail Experts

Dylan Links: Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Strava

If you enjoy listening to the Freetrail Podcast, please consider leaving us a 5 star review in Apple Podcasts (or wherever to are consuming this) to help other like-minded listeners find our show. If we like your review, we'll consider sharing it so make sure you're following us @runfreetrail on Instagram.

Tim Tollefson is a pro runner for Craft Sportswear, living in Mammoth Lakes, CA. He is also the Founder and Race Director of Mammoth Trail Fest. Tim is just eclipsing his tenth year as a trail runner where he's been one of the best athletes in the world. Approaching his 40th birthday, Tim is in a bit of a transition, still motivated to compete at the top while building the foundation for his next chapter. Tim is a longtime friend and our careers are unfolding in similar ways, making this a really fun conversation.

Topics discussed:

• Creativity and craftsmanship
• The practical physical and mental realities of aging
• The importance of continuous self-work
• Living in alignment with personal values
• Burning clean fuel vs dirty fuel metaphorically
• Tim's 2024 season including his DNF at UTMB
• The rapid changes in the sport and increasing competition
• Tim's relationship with UTMB championship Vincent Bouillard
• Mammoth Trail Fest's growth
• The idea of pursuing your life's work
• The controversy and peaceful resolution of the Golden Trail race in Mammoth
• Tim's personal development
• Goals for 2025
• A lot more!

Craft's film about Tim's 2024 UTMB

Sponsors:

• Use code freetrail10 for 10% off Speedland Footwear
• Grab a trail running pack from Osprey
• Use code FT15 for 15% off Gnarly Nutrition
• Go to ketone.com/freetrail30 for 30% off a subscription of Ketone IQ

Freetrail Links: Website | Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | YouTube | Freetrail Experts

Dylan Links: Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Strava

Caleb Olson is a professional trail runner for Nike living in Salt Lake City, UT. In the last couple years, Caleb has had a remarkable streak of high performance, including qualifying for the World Championships, winning a Golden Ticket, and running 14:40 at Western States -- the fastest debut in the race's history. This is his first appearance on the podcast.

Topics discussed:

• Caleb's mountaineering exploits
• The current momentum in the SLC trail scene
• His history of being self-coached and why that might change soon
• The importance of good partners in life and sport
• Adapting to professional racing and rising to the occasion
• Caleb's strong 2023 season and signing with Nike
• His 2024 season including his amazing WS debut
• Lessons around desire, motivation, and a lot more!

Sponsors:

• Use code freetrail10 for 10% off Speedland Footwear
• Grab a trail running pack from Osprey
• Use code FT15 for 15% off Gnarly Nutrition
• Go to ketone.com/freetrail30 for 30% off a subscription of Ketone IQ

Freetrail Links: Website | Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | YouTube | Freetrail Experts

Dylan Links: Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Strava

Tara Dower is a trail runner and thru-hiker from Virginia. Last week, Tara Dower managed to lower the overall Fastest Known Time on the Appalachian Trail (AT), previously held by the legend Karel Sabbe, by 13hrs. This is her first appearance on the podcast.

Topics discussed:

- Tara’s background

- Her failed attempt to thru hike the AT in 2017 and her struggles with anxiety

- Her relationships with former record holders like Karl Meltzer & Jenn Pharr-Davis

- Her decision to go southbound instead of northbound

- Doing Hardrock only three weeks before the attempt

- Her slow start and need to make up a lot of time

- We talk about her crew known as chump change and her crew chief Rascal

- The saying that “the trail provides” and what that means practically

- Compare and contrast her strategy with Karrel Sabbe’s

- The character of the trail itself, what makes the AT different

- We talk about the practical tactics of sleep and self care

- A lot more!

Subscribe to Tara's YouTube

Follow Tara on Strava

Sponsors:

• Use code freetrail10 for 10% off Speedland Footwear
• Grab a trail running pack from Osprey
• Use code FT15 for 15% off Gnarly Nutrition
• Go to ketone.com/freetrail30 for 30% off a subscription of Ketone IQ

Freetrail Links: Website | Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | YouTube | Freetrail Experts

Dylan Links: Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Strava

Jean-Marc Djian is the brand new VP of Footwear for SATISFY and one of the OG shoe dogs of trail running. Jean-Marc worked at Salomon for almost 20 years, pioneering trail running footwear during an important moment for the sport. After Salomon, Jean-Marc went to The North Face where he was able to significantly improve the brand's footwear offering. We talk about his career and learnings from both brands and look ahead to the goals for SATISFY.

Topics discussed:

• The intersection of science and soul
• Jean-Marc's Olympic hockey career & the psychology of the goalie
• The birth of Salomon trail running
• His relationship with Jean-Luc Diard, the Co-Founder of HOKA
• The 0 to 1 process for TNF footwear
• His transition to SATISFY and the intention behind it
• The evolution of trail footwear over time
• Athletes who are pushing their sport forward
• A lot more!

Follow Benjamin Vadrines

Sponsors:

• Use code freetrail10 for 10% off Speedland Footwear
• Grab a trail running pack from Osprey
• Use code FT15 for 15% off Gnarly Nutrition
• Go to ketone.com/freetrail30 for 30% off a subscription of Ketone IQ

Freetrail Links: Website | Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | YouTube | Freetrail Experts

Dylan Links: Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Strava