Reaching New Highs and Overcoming Lows: Melissa Perez & High Lonesome 100
This week on HappyCast, we welcome Melissa Perez—trail runner, graduate student, community leader, and self-proclaimed lover of the f-word—for a raw and powerful conversation about what it means to run scared and come out the other side stronger. Hot off her recent finish at the notoriously tough High Lonesome 100, Melissa shares how altitude, hyponatremia, and mental fatigue collided in the Colorado mountains—and why this race stands out as one of the most transformative of her life. Joined ...
30 Juli 1h 15min
Raw Dogging the Vermont 100
In this heartfelt and deeply personal episode of HappyCast, Andrew and Stephanie sit down—just the two of them—for a rare one-on-one reflection. Fresh off completing her 21st 100-miler, Stephanie opens up about her emotional journey through the Vermont 100. From navigating recovery and divorce to running the race entirely without audio, she shares what made this one of the most transformative experiences she’s ever had on trail. Stephanie takes us mile by mile through Vermont’s historic cour...
23 Juli 1h 7min
Folklord: Where Running Meets Mythology
This week on the HappyCast, we change things up a bit and focus on the business side of running and the colorful apparel it brings by having Elliot Matson, creator and founder of Folklord, join us to tell us all about his up-and-coming business. Folklord and its mythological and storytelling approach to running apparel has been popping up all over the country, and it’s definitely something that’s hard to miss. We talk about Elliot’s colorful and unique approach to selling his products,...
16 Juli 1h 13min
The Copper Kings 100 Recap: Grit, Grace, and a Little Too Much Cheese
In this special fourth appearance, Wes Plate returns to HappyCast with a full breakdown of the inaugural Copper Kings 100—Montana’s newest hundred-mile race and his most ambitious project yet. With co-hosts Stephanie and Andrew, Wes opens up about what it took to bring this dream to life: from months of preparation and a jam-packed U-Haul to navigating stormy skies, deadfall-filled trails, and the high-stakes logistics of a remote mountain race. Spoiler: not even a lightning storm during the ...
9 Juli 1h 46min
Trail Therapy and Tantrums in the Rockies
In this hilariously unfiltered and surprisingly heartfelt episode, Stephanie recaps her post-Cruel Jewel adventure at the Great Divide 100 in Colorado with guests Ben Bridgeman and Liesl Standish. After a last-minute pivot to avoid altitude overload, Stephanie takes us through her thought process behind picking this particular race just three weeks after finishing one of the most brutal 100-milers in the Southeast. With loops at a “mild” 9,200–9,800 ft elevation and a deceptively runnable cou...
2 Juli 1h 29min
Ladies Sweep Achilles Hill with Alisa Hardy, Jaclyn Lovelady and Lisa Decker
In this special women-led episode of HappyCast, Stephanie teams up with guest co-host Ben Bridgeman to spotlight the incredible performances at this year’s Achilles Hill ultra event. The spotlight shines brightly on Jaclyn Lovelady, Alisa Hardy, and Lisa Decker—three powerhouse women who not only swept the competition but redefined what grit and community mean on the trail. From setting new course records to creating new divisions (hello, ruck champion!), the ladies brought fierce determinati...
25 Juni 1h 20min
Keepin’ It Cool at Coco with Katie O'Connor, Juliana Masci and Hans Troyer
This week on a jam-packed episode of the HappyCast, we sit down with Katie O’Connor and talk about her Cocodona 250 experience. We talk about her preparation, race execution, and most importantly, the post-race festivities. Spoiler alert: she could just be the most positive person out on the trail. So naturally, we decide to bring in some firepower and surprise her with her crew chief, Julie, joining to potentially dish out any dirt or fun tidbits about Katie’s race. With Julie joining...
18 Juni 1h 36min
The Mammoth is Coming with Hilary Ann, featuring Izzy Campos-Janovick & Kevin Goldberg
This week on the HappyCast, we are joined by THE Hilary Ann Yang as she talks about the newest 200+ mile race around, The Mammoth! 🦣 With its permits literally approved RIGHT before this recording, we talk about the hype, preparation, course, and increasing the participation of women in the 200 mile scene. Hilary will also be race directing this event, so we delve further into the process of taming the Mammoth 🦣 With a big guest comes big co-hosting responsibilities, so naturally, we kick A...
11 Juni 57min
