
Cherie Yanek: Burning Man 50K
From The Directors by Trials of Miles Racing LLC
October 15, 2025 · 36 min · Season 1 · Episode 51
About this episode
Cooper Knowlton interviews Cherie Yanek about organizing the Burning Man 50K ultramarathon.
In this episode, Cooper Knowlton sits down with Cherie Yanek, the race director of the Burning Man 50K, to explore what it takes to organize an ultramarathon in one of the most unconventional settings on Earth. Cherie shares her journey from first-time burner to race director, offering insight into the logistics of building a course on the playa, managing unpredictable weather, and embracing the free-spirited, creative energy that defines Burning Man. It’s one of the most unique events out there, a race that harkens back to the early spirit of the sport and the delightful weirdness that defines trail running. Give it a listen and let us know what you think. To learn more about the event, visit www.burningman50k.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
People in this episode
Host: Cooper Knowlton
Guest: Cherie Yanek
Topics covered
- ultramarathon
- event organization
- trail running
- Burning Man
- logistics
- weather management
Keywords
- Burning Man 50K
- ultramarathon
- Cherie Yanek
- event logistics
- trail running
- weather challenges
- race director
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Burning Man 50K
Places: playa
More episodes of The Directors
- Iram Leon: Zilker Relays · June 12, 2026 · 37 min
- Andrew Onermaa: Doom · May 28, 2026 · 1h 15m
- Building (and Rebuilding) GP-81 with Cliff Simanski · March 4, 2026 · 30 min
- The Strip is Closed (And No One Is Winning) · February 14, 2026 · 22 min
- Tim Tollefson: Trail Fest & The Mammoth · November 13, 2025 · 1h 4m
- Dave and Cooper: Bucket List Events · November 7, 2025 · 48 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Directors podcast page.