How Women Are Shaping the Future of Trail Running

This episode of The Buzz is a special one. Recorded at TrailCon in Palisades Tahoe—wedged between Broken Arrow and Western States, Buzz Burrell sits down with four powerhouse women shaping the future of trail and ultrarunning. These aren’t just elite athletes and insiders; they’re advocates, leaders, and storytellers working to redefine what inclusion, equity, and longevity look like in the sport.

Buzz chats with:

• Anna Frost, a pioneer of professional trail running, who reflects on the early days of sponsorship (free shoes!), standing up for equal prize money, and what it means to have longevity in the sport after motherhood.

• Kelly Newlon, founder of RAD Boulder and athlete agent, who breaks down how contract negotiations are evolving for women and why authenticity, not follower count, is driving the next wave of professional sponsorship.

• Karen Merlin, UTMB World Series comms director, who outlines UTMB’s progressive policies on pregnancy, broadcast equity, and women’s visibility, and why growing participation isn’t just about signing up, but being invited in.

• Hillary Allen, trail running veteran and US team qualifier, who offers a grounded look at what elite racing means for the rest of us—and why the “core” of the sport isn’t just the fastest runners, but the everyday athletes building the community from the ground up.

From podium protests to pregnancy clauses, this episode goes deep on the real forces shifting the landscape of trail running, and why everyone has a role to play.

Subscribe to The Buzz for real talk with the people behind the biggest shifts in our sport. New episodes drop every other Tuesday, alternating with The Trailhead with Zoë Rom and Brendan Leonard.

🎙 Got feedback or a guest idea? Email Buzz at [e-mail].