Home Podcasts Trail Talk
Trail Talk

Trail Talk

Aaron Shimmons 144 Episodes Sep 8, 2026

Trail Talk is a weekly podcast dedicated to the world of ultra-trail running. Each episode covers upcoming and recent races, shares stories from elite and everyday athletes, and offers gear reviews to help runners tackle distances beyond the marathon. The show also explores the culture and mindset that drives people to take on extreme endurance challenges. It is hosted by Aaron Shimmons alongside HOKA professional trail runner Ricki Wynne.

Episodes

Every UTMB Race In One Continuous Run | 61,000m Vert In 12 Days | Jake Catterall
Every UTMB Race In One Continuous Run | 61,000m Vert In 12 Days | Jake Catterall Sep 8, 2026 01:13:57 This week on Trail Talk, Aaron and Jake Catterall get into the Mont Blanc Super Loop, all eight UTMB week courses run back to back in one continuous effort, and how the whole thing only exists because another project got called off three days in. Recorded in Chamonix four days after he finished. They get into the Amsterdam advertising job he burned himself out in, the Ironman that taught him the f
The Fastest UTMB Ever | Reaction with Joaquin Lopez | The Refuge
The Fastest UTMB Ever | Reaction with Joaquin Lopez | The Refuge Aug 31, 2026 01:27:07 The UTMB reaction show and the last in the series, recorded in the Kailas FUGA store in Chamonix. Aaron and Pippa are joined by Robbie Britton to break down the race: Ben Dhiman taking the lead at 41k and running 18:16:29 for the fastest time ever at UTMB, three men under 19 hours and the whole top ten under 20, Caleb Olson chasing down Baptiste Chassagne off La Flégère, Blandine L'Hirondel becomi
UTMB CCC Reaction | The Champion Cristian Minoggio & Miguel Arsenio | The Refuge
UTMB CCC Reaction | The Champion Cristian Minoggio & Miguel Arsenio | The Refuge Aug 30, 2026 01:10:04 The CCC reaction show from The Refuge, recorded in the Kailas FUGA store in Chamonix. Aaron and Pippa are joined by Robbie Britton to break down the race: Yngvild Kaspersen winning it off a DNF at mile 98 of Western States, the level crossing at Trient that stopped Toni McCann in the lead, Jennifer Lichter fourth with States still in her legs, Cristian Minoggio breaking the elastic on the climb at
UTMB OCC Reaction | The Champion Fred Tranchand & Hau Ha | The Refuge
UTMB OCC Reaction | The Champion Fred Tranchand & Hau Ha | The Refuge Aug 28, 2026 01:23:10 The OCC reaction show from The Refuge, recorded in the Kailas FUGA store beside the arch in Chamonix. Aaron and Pippa break down the race: Lauren Gregory timing the catch on Naomi Lang in the final narrow section, Naomi second in her first ever ultra, Tove Alexandersson missing the start line, Ida Robsahm fifth again, Fred controlling the men's from the front, Rémi Bonnet out early, and the time p
UTMB Preview with Katharina Hartmuth & Robbie Britton | The Refuge
UTMB Preview with Katharina Hartmuth & Robbie Britton | The Refuge Aug 24, 2026 01:19:36 Episode three of The Refuge. Aaron and Pippa are joined by Katharina Hartmuth and Robbie Britton, live from the Kailas FUGA store beside the arch in Chamonix. Katharina has been on the UTMB podium twice, second in 2023 and third in 2025, so she takes us through the course and where it actually gets won and lost. Robbie on coaching elites to perform at this race and what separates the ones who deli
UTMB CCC Preview with Holly Page & Dave Ryan | The Refuge
UTMB CCC Preview with Holly Page & Dave Ryan | The Refuge Aug 22, 2026 01:23:37 Episode two of The Refuge. Aaron and Pippa are joined by Holly Page and Dave Ryan, live from the Kailas FUGA store beside the UTMB arch in Chamonix. Holly has run the CCC twice and takes us through the course: the fast start out of Courmayeur, the zigzags, Grand Col Ferret and the long descent into Champex-Lac, and why there is no crewed aid station at Trient this year. Dave talks through his UTMB
UTMB OCC Preview with Stephanie Case | The Refuge
UTMB OCC Preview with Stephanie Case | The Refuge Aug 21, 2026 01:03:54 The first episode of The Refuge. Aaron and Pippa are joined by Stephanie Case to preview the OCC. They get into the new upper section and what the course change does to race strategy, the women's and men's fields, the athletes coming in with form and the ones nobody is talking about, descending skills and where the race gets decided, weather on the day, and their predictions for who wins. The
Our UTMB Week Predictions | OCC, CCC & UTMB
Our UTMB Week Predictions | OCC, CCC & UTMB Aug 18, 2026 01:16:52 This week on Trail Talk, Aaron, Ricki and Pippa preview UTMB week. They get into Ricki's back to back training weekend, tapering strategies going into a big race, and then straight into the fields: the contenders at OCC and CCC, who wins the UTMB, the Chinese runners coming through, the dark horses, and what the index scores are actually telling us. Predictions, athlete form, and where the races g
The Culture of Shortcuts in Endurance Sport | Wicklow Way Race | UTMB Week
The Culture of Shortcuts in Endurance Sport | Wicklow Way Race | UTMB Week Aug 11, 2026 01:18:22 This week on Trail Talk, Aaron and Ricki get into recent training and race plans, including Ricki's build towards the Wicklow Way Race. They cover the training tools and metrics they're leaning on, adventures in the mountains, and preparation for the UTMB week of shows. They also get into the culture of shortcuts in endurance sport, performance enhancement, gear, and where the lines sit.Photo: Mar
Chasing OCC | Ida Robsahm on Training, Confidence & Racing at the Top
Chasing OCC | Ida Robsahm on Training, Confidence & Racing at the Top Jul 28, 2026 00:50:52 This week on Trail Talk, Ida Robsahm joins the show. The Norwegian gets into her background in alpine skiing and the switch to trail running, a training philosophy built on high volume and variation, her recent races from the Valencia Marathon to the Marathon du Mont-Blanc, the mental side of racing and where confidence comes from, her course strategy for OCC, training out of Chamonix and the valu
The Return of Skyrunning | Skyrunner World Series & a New National Series
The Return of Skyrunning | Skyrunner World Series & a New National Series Jul 21, 2026 01:14:54 This week on Trail Talk, Robin Vieira Brower and Mathias Eichler join the show to get into the return of skyrunning. They cover the resurgence of the sport, the Skyrunner World Series bringing a round to the US, the launch of a new national series, the challenges of race organisation and course certification, the role of media and live streaming in growing the sport, and why storytelling and commu
How UTMB Racing Has Changed | Scotty Hawker on Injury & Recovery
How UTMB Racing Has Changed | Scotty Hawker on Injury & Recovery Jul 14, 2026 01:26:53 This week on Trail Talk, Scotty Hawker joins the show alongside Aaron and Ricki. He gets into managing injury and recovery as an elite athlete, staying motivated without a race on the calendar, the role of community and training camps in his development, mental resilience after setbacks and DNFs, how tactics at UTMB and the major trail races have shifted, and why enjoying the process still matters

Recommended