
Can Trail Running Stay Human?
From Borderlands Trail and Ultra Running by Josh Rosenthal | Ultra Runner
May 12, 2026 · 45 min · Season 1 · Episode 298
About this episode
The episode discusses the rapid growth of trail running and its impact on the culture of the sport.
Trail running is getting bigger fast. Bigger races, bigger brands, bigger media, and more money entering the sport every year. What happens to trail running culture as all of that growth accelerates? And will the human side of trail running we all love survive? Recorded in Stockholm at Klättermusen headquarters, Josh sits down with Gonz Ferrero, CEO of Klättermusen, and Billy White , founder of Sörmlands 100 , to talk about UTMB, independent trail races, elite sport versus dirtbag culture, why trail running still feels different from road running, and who actually gets to shape what the sport becomes from here. Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review. If you’re new to Borderlands, start here . Topics / Timestamps 00:05 The Growth of Trail Running 00:24 The Evolution of Trail Running 13:19 The Personal Connection to Trail Running 33:33 The Diverging Paths of Trail Running 37:38 The Future of Trail Running: Balancing Elite and Everyday Experiences Resources / Links Klattermusen Sormlands Trail Race Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races Josh Rosenthal on IG Borderlands.cc Related Episodes Ultra Running isn't Just Running Ultra Runners Need More Than Normal Life Why…
People in this episode
Host: Josh Rosenthal
Guests: Gonz Ferrero, Billy White
Topics covered
- Trail Running Growth
- Trail Running Culture
- Elite vs. Dirtbag Culture
- Future of Trail Running
- Independent Trail Races
Keywords
- trail running
- growth
- culture
- elite sport
- independent races
- UTMB
- dirtbag culture
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Klättermusen, Sörmlands 100, UTMB
Places: Stockholm
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- Why Trail Running Hides Competition · June 4, 2026 · 18 min
- What Happens When Running Becomes Your Job? | Jacob Puzey · May 25, 2026 · 20 min
- The Race That Makes Trail Running Real · May 21, 2026 · 19 min
- What SATISFY Reveals About Trail Running · May 18, 2026 · 10 min
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