April 30, 2025 • 47 mins
The transition from collegiate track to mountain trails represents one of running's most fascinating journeys – and Kyla Christopher-Moody is navigating it with remarkable authenticity and talent. Fresh off her selection to the 2025 Trail Team Elite, Kyla joins us to share her path from Michigan high school standout to Montana State University track athlete and now emerging trail running competitor.
Her story isn't the typical straight line to success. After battling persistent injuries at the University of Colorado Boulder, Kyla made the courageous decision to step away from competitive running entirely – a choice she now calls "probably the best decision I've ever made in my life." This reset allowed her to rediscover her passion at Montana State, where mountain trails became her sanctuary during injury recovery. The natural progression to trail racing happened almost accidentally, with a spontaneous entry into the GoPro Games 10K resulting in an impressive fifth-place finish despite minimal specific training.
What makes Kyla's approach refreshing is her process-oriented mindset and genuine love of competition. Rather than setting rigid outcome goals as she enters the trail running scene, she's focused on learning and exploration. "I don't have preconceived notions of what I'm able to do," she explains, demonstrating the healthy perspective that will serve her well as she targets races like Sierre-Zinal and the USATF Mountain Running Championships. Meanwhile, her academic pursuits in snow science perfectly complement her athletic journey, connecting her professional interests with her passion for mountain environments.
Whether you're fascinated by the track-to-trail transition, curious about the emerging pathway for NCAA athletes into mountain running, or simply enjoy authentic conversations with rising stars, Kyla's story offers valuable insights into finding your path – even when it means taking unexpected turns along the way. Give this episode a listen and discover why we're so excited to follow Kyla's trail running journey in the months and years ahead.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
What is up, fam?
Welcome back to the Steep StuffPodcast.
I'm your host, james Lauriello,bringing you guys a super fun
episode.
I'm super stoked about Lots ofsupers in there, with none other
than 2025 Trail Team EliteSelection, miss Kyla Christopher
Moody.
Kyla has had a really funjourney, both on the
indoor-outdoor track as well asthe cross-country as well.
(00:23):
At Montana State University, wetalked a lot about her time on
the track and just hercollegiate experience, which was
really fun to get into.
We talked about the transition,making that transition from the
collegiate level to running onthe trails at a high level as
well.
We talked about some racing.
Kyla last year took a top fivefinish at the GoPro Games 10K
(00:44):
against some stout competitionand we talked about what we're
getting into for this year.
Kyla's currently signed up forSoonapy, where she's going to be
competing at the MountainClassic running championship in
hopes to get a bid for one ofthose world spots, which is
going to be super fun, supercompetitive race I'm sure she's
stoked and ready for.
And on top of that, we talkedabout just like that transition
(01:08):
life, being able to kind of makethat move and what that's like
coming from the tracks to thetrails.
So, without further ado, I hopeyou guys enjoy this one.
Kyla Christenberg for Moody,it's time.
(01:34):
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, we are live.
(02:25):
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Kyla Christopher Moody, welcometo the steep stuff podcast.
(03:29):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
How are you?
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Thanks, yeah, no, I'm excited to have a conversation
with you.
Congratulations on making thetrail team this year.
That's exciting.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Thank you.
Yeah, I'm super stoked about it.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Yeah, yeah, we'll get into it, we'll, we'll do a deep
dive into there.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
How's it.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
First of all, how's your day going so far?
Speaker 2 (03:45):
It's good.
Um, it started to get a littlegloomy again here in Bozeman,
not quite spring yet, so yeah, alittle disappointing yeah, so
it goes how's the?
Speaker 1 (03:54):
uh?
So the weather's kind of gloomythere.
It's funny we're?
Oh my gosh, yeah, it's been,it's been bananas.
How morbid it's been.
Yeah, I don't know.
I guess Montana is still stillkind of brutal.
That's, that's, no, no bueno.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
So yeah, maybe give me the five minute elevator
pitch on your background andkind of like how you got into
running and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yeah, so I started running when I was around like
five years old, just a like weeklong summer camp, um, and uh, I
was always the best, which wasreally fun as a five-year-old um
, to just be good at something.
And then, uh, I mostly focusedon soccer, um, up until the end
(04:42):
of middle school and then uhreally started taking running
seriously and then um got reallygood at it and, um, yeah, I
went to CU for undergrad CUBoulder, um, and then, uh, I
actually quit my last year there, um, cause I could feel myself
not really liking runninganymore, um, so I stepped away
(05:05):
from the sport and then cameback to it for grad school here
at Montana state, um, and sincethen I've, uh and I feel like
I'm really leveling up this yearso stoked to see how that
transitions to the trails.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Are you originally from Michigan?
Yeah, okay, super cool.
I lived in Ann Arbor for a yearI must went to Michigan for
grad school.
Yeah, okay, super cool, I livedin.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Ann Arbor for a year.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
I must went to Michigan for grad school.
Yeah, are you.
Are you a Michigan fan or likea Michigan state fan?
Like what do you?
What do you identify as?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Uh, well, both my parents went to Michigan state,
uh, and then, uh, my brotherwent to U of M.
So we don't, we don't reallyhave a preference, but super
cool, yeah, what was it like?
Speaker 1 (05:45):
uh, I guess high school wise, like that
cross-country track runningscene, like was it pretty good
infrastructure for being able toget pretty good, like good
competition, like what was thatlike for you?
Speaker 2 (05:56):
really, really good competition.
Our um my like high schoolcross-country county meet was
insane.
Like I want to say, like thetop 20 girls all went d1.
Um, maybe that's anexaggeration, but like I
remember, um, I went to afootlocker my sophomore year
high school um for cross countryand, uh, I think like five or
(06:20):
six of the top 11 girls werefrom Michigan, um for the
midwest region.
So, yeah, michigan, um for theMidwest region.
So, yeah, michigan was like adefinitely powerhouse state when
I was in high school.
Um, I don't really follow thatmuch anymore but yeah, it was a
great place for competition.
Um, the training location waspretty okay.
Um, yeah, I grew up in WestBloomfield and there was a?
(06:44):
Um nice like rails to trailright near the high school.
So, um, that was nice but veryflat.
So, yeah, not very conducive totrail running.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So we'll get into like whatinspired you and like what you
got.
What got you stoked on like ontrail running in the first place
.
But like I'm curious about likecoming out of high school, like
the recruitment process, likewhat made you choose Colorado,
and like what was like, was it adifficult decision for you?
Was it an easy one?
Like what was that?
What was that like also beingrecruited by one of the best
(07:16):
running schools in the world?
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah it was.
It was very flattering.
Um yeah, um, yeah, I think myentire life have kind of been
like like, I know I'm good, butI always have that like
hesitation of like am I reallythat good?
Um, and uh, there's somethingI'm working on, but, um, the the
(07:43):
recruitment process was reallyinteresting.
I like, weirdly enough, in uh,fifth grade, I had this like um
like college project of likewhere, like, just choose a
random college around thecountry and do little, like like
what GPA do you need?
Um, just like get young kidsexcited about college.
Um, and I chose CU Boulder.
Um, when I was 10.
(08:05):
And then, uh, and then when Ilike started running, I was like
, oh, there's just no way I'mgonna go there if I want to run
in college.
And then, um, then I started toget really good and I was like,
well, I guess I could go therenow.
Um, so, yeah, and I I mainlychose it because I found Boulder
(08:26):
really interesting, it's aninteresting place, and I chose
it for the cross-country program, of course, but I was injured
my whole time there.
Oh, God.
Let's talk about that, let'sdive into that.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Some people.
It's funny.
I talked to a lot of folks Mostof your folks, more I'd say
maybe 90% of them usually likeprofessional trail runners, like
run at the collegiate levelmore or less.
But like everyone has, anoverwhelming majority of them
have a gripe of like what youknow what it was like running in
college.
They all kind of hated it moreor less.
Like well, what was that likefor you?
(09:03):
Like it sounded like towardssenior year or the end, like it
kind of wasn't so exciting foryou Maybe talk about like that.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah, yeah.
So I mean, I came in in like2019, my freshman year with two
stress reactions and I was kindof like, oh well, I'll just run
through the pain, it's going tobe fine, um, but then that was
super dumb.
And then, like, I just got inthis vicious injury cycle, um,
(09:33):
and I think I raced two totalcross-country races when I was
there, wow, and it was both.
Like those were both duringthat weird COVID season that was
in like February, so thosedidn't even count for
eligibility.
So, um, yeah, I was just likebattling injury the whole time.
Um, really cross training, and Ilike refuse to go near a pool
(09:56):
now other than to splash.
Um, exercise in a pool for me,but, um, I got really into
cycling because of it.
And then, uh, like for training, lots of cycling, um, and then
what was really difficult was,um, that like I didn't have that
(10:16):
release that running gives menecessarily Cause, um, like I
just wasn't in nature like wantto be, so, um, that was really
difficult.
Um, and then, like, once Iwould be able to run again, I'd
always be on trails because Iwanted soft surface.
Um, and then, uh, which maybewasn't the best idea, because
(10:39):
some of them are a little tootechnical for coming back to or
coming back to running frominjury.
So, yeah, yeah, and then, liketoward my senior year, I, like I
don't know I knew I lovedrunning and like something was
telling me that if I continuedat cu running for them, I would
(11:01):
not keep that love.
So I quit.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
That's very like a very grown up thing to do, to
know yourself that well, to makethat decision, like were there
people around you helping youmake that decision, or was that
a deeply personal one for you?
Just you knew that you that'swhat you wanted to do.
Good for you I got.
A lot of people would havestayed in and like suffered
through that, so I can commendyou for that.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Thank you, yeah, yeah .
It was like probably the bestdecision I've ever made in my
life.
Like to leave, um, yeah, causelike I mean I quit the team, but
like I feel like if I hadstayed I would have been
quitting on myself, cause itjust wasn't good for me.
Yeah, um, yeah.
And then uh, but I'm back inthe NCAA, um, at Montana state,
and I love it.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Yeah, let's talk about that.
So you've kind of likere-invented yourself in one way
or another.
Now that you're at MontanaState, what has that been like?
The program is just wayhealthier.
The coaching is way better.
What do you take away from itthat you think has led to more
success?
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yeah, I don't know if I'd necessarily say reinvent
myself.
It was more like refindingmyself, because I think when I
was at CU I was totally lost.
And now I'm back and I, I mean,I definitely think like where
you are and the people you'rearound makes a huge difference.
(12:20):
But also that year that I took,I then really set me up for
success here.
Um and uh, yeah, the coachingstaff is great.
I love my teammates and I lovethe location.
Um and uh, I think like it's ahealthier environment, but I'm
also healthier myself, gotcha.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
So yeah, All right, now let's talk trails.
What got you stoked about thetrails Like?
What excites you about it, whatpart of that competition like,
especially because you're anNCAA athlete, I think now for
someone in your position it'seasier to realize, versus like
years ago, that like you canactually like make a career in
(13:03):
trail running, like people do itnow.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Yeah, no, what gets you stoked to do that?
Yeah.
So, um, my family, we would goto uh grand teton national park
every year, um, from when I waslike probably around five, um,
and ever since then I fell inlove with the mountains and um
just being in nature on thetrails.
And, uh, as I got older, whenwe'd go there in the summer, um,
I'd start running on the trailsthere and I just loved it.
(13:35):
And then, um, I hopped into alight hill climb race there at a
snow King mountain and, um, Iloved it and I just like I kind
of crushed it, but I didn'tregister because I the Michigan
high school rules were prettyweird.
So I just like ran it and itwas really fun.
(13:56):
And, yeah, after that I waslike, okay, I really really want
to do this later.
Um, kind of like kept it on aback burner, um, and then at CU,
I uh like one summer, afterbeing injured for like a whole
year, I really wanted thatcompetition aspect of running
(14:16):
again.
So, um, I ran at GoPro gamesand I got uh first in my age
group, um, and I got uh first inmy age group, um, and I was
like, oh sweet, like I canactually like.
This translates pretty well andit's fun, and I um a bunch of
my teammates from CU came upwith me to Vail um and we just
had a really good time.
(14:37):
And since then, um, I just likeget out on the trails whenever
I can, um, yeah, and then lastyear I did go pro games, um,
cause I didn't make it tonationals for tracks, so I was
like, well, I'll just drive downto Vail Um, and then, uh, I got
fifth overall, um, which isexciting.
(14:58):
So what did you run?
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Sorry, I like poked around on like ultra sign up as
well as like a bunch of.
Cirque series results and Icould not find.
I probably should have askedyou before we had this
conversation but I did not.
I did not check the gopro gamesresults, I didn't even think to
.
Let's talk about that.
What, what, um, would you runthe 5k, the 10k, like what?
What did you do?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
and yeah, let's talk about that race yeah, I did the
10k, um, and uh, I felt likereally horrible because I was,
um, I mean, I mean I was I'dbeen training for a 5k on a
track for the last like sixmonths, so I was.
I was not really set up forsuccess, uh, physically or
mentally, cause I hadn't.
That was the first time I ranon a trail, um, since, like the
(15:37):
previous summer and fall.
So, um, yeah, I, um I don'tknow what like got me through
that necessarily, but um, I mean, fitness is fitness right Like
a lot of it's?
Speaker 1 (15:52):
what?
Is it GoPro games?
A lot of that's like dirt roadsanyway.
So fitness is fitness Like itkind of transfers, so that's
cool.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Yeah, yeah, but I like, um, I've I was already.
I was pretty burnt out fromtrack season, so I was just like
, oh, this will be a goodtraining run, I guess.
Um, I like maybe I shouldn'tsay this, but I just like, I
basically just like walked upand then um would like sprint
down the technical parts becauseI, um, I think from cycling and
(16:23):
skiing, um, I'm really good attechnical downhills and I just
kind of like crush, and I thinkthat's where that race went well
, cause I the uphills werepretty, pretty abysmal for me.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
It's so funny.
Like Dan Kurtz is similar.
Like Dan Kurtz, highly toutedprospect to come in and like I
would think like is Dan so fitcoming from Iowa state?
I was like dude, like histhinged prospect to come in and
like I would think like is danso fit coming from iowa state?
I was like dude, like his thinghas got to be like uphill.
But now he's like a badassdownhill runner and I see more
and more folks coming into thesport, like with double ncaa
(17:00):
backgrounds, like are reallygood at downhilling and that's
like the last thing.
I think you guys would be bettergoing uphill.
It's just interesting to me, Idon't know.
So that's cool that, like theskiing and mountain biking gives
you like this ability to pick aline and like hammer.
That that's pretty good, so youlike you like the downhills
better than that's interesting Idon't know.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
I I'm excited to see like what happens when I
actually like train for uphillrunning with purpose instead of
just like doing it.
Um when there happens to be anuphill on a trail.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Um yeah.
So I saw you.
You were on the wait list forbroken arrow VK all the ascent,
like they call it now.
Um, how are, how do you plan,especially cause we're still in
season, if you will like.
How are, how do you mix that up?
How do your coaches let you mixthat up with some some training
?
Are you just going to justdevelop, continue to develop,
track fitness and and thenbecause that'll translate great,
(17:55):
I mean, if you come in superfit, you'll crush people, you
know and then maybe a fewsessions of downhill and, yeah,
your body will learn easily.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly, I am definitely going
to focus on track um traininguntil um drills begin.
So, um, who knows?
And that'll be hopefully afteroutdoor nationals.
Um and then the week after thatwill be broken arrow.
So you kind of a quickturnaround.
But, um, yeah, I I haven'ttalked with my coach all that
(18:27):
much about, um, what to do, butI think, uh, it would probably
be the same as what I'm going todo.
Um, yeah, I think, um, like yousaid, like fitness is fitness,
so um, yeah if I'm ready to goon the track, like I'm sure I'll
(18:49):
be ready to go do some bigclimbs.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
It's interesting to me because I think people get so
caught up and you'll see thisas you get more experienced in
the sport People get so caughtup in the minutia of specificity
, so much time out before a raceand it's like, dude, just get
super fit and then you couldlike three weeks out, four weeks
out, like you don't have to dotoo much to like actually get
(19:14):
like the specificity, like getyour muscles ready for like
particular stuff for a race.
So it's interesting because,like anna gibson um, she's
someone I really look up to inthe sport, former trail team
girl, um, obviously one of thebiggest female names on the on
the sub ultra side, but alsoreally good on the track, like
insanely good, and she did likea whole I think it was last
season did a whole track seasonand then like just came in like
(19:34):
super fresh to the Broken ArrowVK and like I think got second
or third place, like did amazing.
So it can be done a hundredpercent.
So I see you're signed up for aSoonapy as well.
I'm super excited to hear yourthoughts on, like, just go into
that race and what that's goingto be like, Cause that's, you
know, I think it's like kind ofthrowing yourself into the deep
(19:55):
end with, you know, all thesecrusher women like what do you,
what do you expect to, you know,for that race.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Yeah, well, that one actually lines up with the
middle of track season.
So I I'm signed up for it if Idon't go as far as I want into
the track season.
But it's also kind of a likewin-win situation where if I
don't go as far in a track, Ican do that race okay.
So I, if I do go to that, I'mI'm really stoked for it.
(20:23):
I think that course is likeperfect for someone like me.
Um yeah, just the like up downkind of situation I think will
be really good.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Um yeah, do you think like because I don't know, it's
always interesting to me seeinglike new people come into the
sport and panic when they getinto deep water with some of
these, like like a graysonmurphy or an ally mac, like
these women are insanely good,but like for someone like you
who races such fat, fast, fitwomen, like already and like at
a super high level, like it'salmost like not that difficult
(20:58):
for someone like you to kind oftransfer like right into that
Right, like I don't know.
I feel like the mental space iskind of one for one Right.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Exactly.
Yeah, I think the like I don'tthink I'd necessarily be nervous
about um who I'm racing against.
It's more like where am Iracing?
Cause it's going to be sodifferent of um, like there's
not going to be people allaround a track or all along a
cross country course, like it'sjust going to be basically like
me in the woods for a while, acouple of spectators Um, me in
(21:31):
the woods for a while, a coupleof spectators, um, and then, uh,
like yeah, I think that's goingto be the biggest shift, um,
and also like at this point I Ihave no idea where I will fall
um against competitors, so the Idon't know.
I think it kind of opens it upfor me where I like.
I don't have these likepreconceived notions of where I
should be.
Yeah, it's just like I go outthere and go hard and see what
(21:54):
happens All the dice and seewhere you land.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
I mean like you have no like you said, no
preconceived notions of whatwhat it's like, or you know what
it's going to feel like, orthis and the others.
So yeah, I mean when you don'thave expectations like that and
you feel like you have to winthe race, like you could
possibly win the race.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
You never know what's gonna happen, right so?
Speaker 1 (22:14):
yeah, I know it's super cool.
I'm excited.
I mean like I'll be at thatrace.
It's gonna be a super fun onelike the uh.
Just like the amount of peopleshowing up and because it's like
a national team selection raceit'll be, it's like good for you
to see like what that'll belike like at the highest point
of the sport.
So it's good, good experiencethere.
What?
is um, so what's your take onjoining the trail team?
Like how stoked are you?
(22:35):
Like, what's your favorite partabout joining it?
Like have you talked to any ofthe mentors yet?
Speaker 2 (22:39):
like, talk to me about that yeah, um, I'm really
excited about it.
Obviously.
I um, I remember when it firststarted I uh, I was just like
feel like super down and outwith running in general, still
being at CU and I, um, and thenI saw who they were uh looking
(23:03):
at and I was like.
Anna Gibson.
I was like, oh, think it um.
Like this year I think like Igot the call the day um, or the
morning of my big sky conference, uh, championship race in the
5k um, and I was just like sucha confidence booster for the
(23:25):
race too and I like, like, umand like I don't know.
I back to what you actuallyasked me about Um.
I uh like I've known a lot ofthe people that are on the trail
team for a while.
Um, my old roommate and reallygood friend, anna Schultz, is on
the um club team and every nowand then I would uh join for
(23:49):
their practices and uh like runup Mount Sanitas with them and
um, it's just a good crew and um, I go pro games.
Last year I hung out with thewhole trail team Um, and then,
uh, carly um Rempel uh, she andI were with each other in the
race for a while and she waslike talking with me and um
(24:12):
having a good time.
So I'm really excited for theteam aspect of it.
Um, yeah, and I think the justthe whole concept of it I think
is really needed in the sport um, because, like you said, like
the it's it's becoming kind of amore um well-known thing that
(24:32):
NCAA runners can make thattransition, um, and I don't
really know how um, and that'swhat the trail team is for, um,
yeah.
Yeah, and I'm really excitedthat I have the opportunity to
learn how to make that shift.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Yeah, there's so many things like I mean it'd be
something as small as nutritionor something as big as figuring
out how to make that shift.
Yeah, there's so many thingslike I mean it'd be something as
small as nutrition or somethingas big as figuring out how to
get into a race Like there's somany different little like
things that people don't thinkabout.
Um, you know, for NCAA athletesto come over and, you know,
have success and a lot of youfind success very quickly.
You know a lot of it's you guysalready bring over.
You know a gigantic amount offitness.
(25:06):
It's just like figuring out howto apply that and you know most
of you, like I said, like Ithought you know first and
second, you know teams of um,you know the trail team that
andy's picked.
Like I mean, a lot of them runprofessionally now and it's just
kind of crazy.
So, yeah, it's very cool.
Like the mentorship aspect too,I think there's like I don't
specifically know who he pickedthis year as mentors, but like
(25:28):
usually it's a group of likeprofessional athletes in the
sport and people you can justlike rely on and ask questions
to, and it's always just likesuch a good wealth of knowledge
to learn certain things Like,even especially for, like the
European races, um, like what todo there.
Like Andy's always been like ahuge pillar in the sport for
helping Americans when they goover and have no idea what to do
, because the Euros do thingsentirely different.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Yeah, exactly, andy's a great person and a great
resource, um, for me and theentire sport.
Um and uh, yeah, I'm, uh, I'msigned up for um the pits,
alpine Glacier run and um.
Sarah's you know Um and uh.
I like had no idea how to doany registration for that um or
(26:15):
registration and stuff, but justlike the whole setup is going
to be complicated and I'm reallyhappy that I have Andy in my
corner to help me out with that.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Oh, he's the man like literally first bout hall of
famer, but like just even betterhuman, like super cool.
Um, let's talk about that alittle bit.
Like you're, you're swimmingwith sharks, like that's jumping
right into the series and allis like the race of races.
Like that's my bucket list race.
I haven't gotten over thererace it yet.
People don't know it starts ina place called siri and ends in
a place called zanal, which ispretty dope.
(26:45):
I didn't know that until Ilooked it up.
Well, are you?
Uh, what do you think aboutthat?
Like, are you excited to gorace some of these mythical
races?
And like oh yeah it's crazy,right.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Yeah, I'm stoked, yeah, I um.
Yeah, I honestly don't reallyhave words for you yet, cause I
haven't, like, fullycomprehended that.
Um, I'm doing that, but yeah.
I'm I'm really stoked Like justfor the location and the
competition, yeah, and it'sgoing to be really cool.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Yeah, such a good learning experience to like so
much to you know, like that'slike especially to race like the
pinnacle race, like somethinglike series and all early on in
your career, like you're goingto learn so much and you know,
and then you get to see like howEuropean racing is.
It's like now you want to talkabout fans, like it's nothing
(27:35):
like america, like those peopleare, they go wild.
It's so cool to have like realfans and real spectators at
these races and like people likereally get stoked over it yeah
yeah, so super cool.
Is there any race like I don'tknow, like, is there anything
that's like popped out to you?
I'm always interested to gettake on.
Take some people that are likeso new to the sport, like is
there any race that's like?
Popped out to you?
They're like oh my gosh, I wantto do that.
Like if you come acrossanything that like really like a
(27:55):
, like a marathon or anythinglike that, where you're like oh,
that looks fun seriously no,there's no you're hitting the
bucket list already.
All right, all right, super cool, yeah, okay, yeah, um.
All right, all right, supercool yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Um, yeah, I, I've heard about that race for a
while and, um, yeah, it's always.
It's always been on my bucketlist, um, since I like found out
really what trail running is.
Um, and uh, yeah, I'm excitedthat I got the opportunity to do
it.
Um, and just like go for it andsee what happens.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Super cool.
Now I know as athletes,everybody's got like we all have
big goals.
We all we always like havethere's always a goal oriented,
oriented process for everything.
Right, like I'm kind of curious, like how do you view,
especially being so new thisyear, like, do you have goals?
Like what are your like?
Like how do you approach this?
Or how are you mentallyapproaching this?
Speaker 2 (28:51):
yeah, I, I would say at this point, I more have like
process goals instead of outcomegoals and um, like or more
focusing on the process goals,when the outcome goals will
figure themselves out, um, withthe process goals.
So it's more a mentality thingat this point of um just seeing
(29:16):
what happens and, uh, like Idon't know.
I, like I said earlier, like Idon't have preconceived notions
of what I'm able to do, but, um,I do know the big names and I
know what, like I know who it is, and um, I will be racing
against them.
And I think the big mentalthing is to not write myself off
(29:37):
because I have no idea, um, Imean, I do have some idea, um of
my abilities, but I just don'tknow where it falls amongst, uh,
my future peers.
So, um, yeah, that would be themain thing is to not write
myself off, um, and then seewhere that takes me, which could
(30:01):
be far.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
I know.
I think it's a really healthyway, cause, like I, I'll talk to
some people that are like, justlike fresh into the sport and
they're like I want to go get atop 10 at this or top five at
that.
And it's like, well, what ifyou don't?
Like you know what are yougoing to take?
Are you just going to bedisappointed?
Are you going to still learnfrom it?
Like it's all you know?
It's still.
It's such a hard sport to nailthe first time around and it's
like you know.
I think like, especiallyculturally too, like especially
(30:25):
for someone like you, just uh,go to race at different places
and take different things awayculturally, and I don't know.
I think there's just so muchmore to it than the results and
it's more to just like enjoy thepeople and enjoy the.
You know the process and if, if, if it clicks, it clicks, and
if it doesn't, well, you got alot of time to figure it out, so
you know, super cool, whatshoes are you running in these
days?
Like what?
What do you?
What kind of brands do you doyou like?
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Um, well, right now for uh track and just like
running on, well, mainly uhconcrete right now, cause it's
still basically winter here.
Uh, I really liked the A6 Novablasts.
Um, yeah, they um really howthey feel, really like how they
(31:15):
feel um.
But then for the trails, um, Istarted wearing the las partiva
um prodigios, okay, um yeah, andthen I've been figuring out
what I'm gonna race in um yeah,I.
I think it'll be adidasprobably.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
But yeah, super cool.
All right, I'm always curiousto hear what people are wearing
these days.
I like the Las PradivasProdigios.
Check out the pros if youhaven't tried the pros yet.
Yeah, those are dope.
Yeah, super cool.
How much eligibility do youhave left?
So you said you're in amaster's degree.
Do you have a whole nother yearafter this, or you just have
(31:49):
one more year?
Speaker 2 (31:49):
no, I'm done, just okay.
What are you studying um snowscience?
Speaker 1 (31:54):
okay, so like snow hydrology um yeah super cool.
Are you interested in likegoing to apply that in the like
in the job market afterwards, orlike like work as a like a
glaciologist or a geologist, orlike what do you want to do?
Speaker 2 (32:10):
Um, yeah, I'd like to work in the same field.
Um, it's a.
I chose it very methodically,um of like, what kind of people
do I want to be around?
Um, and like, what's theworking culture like?
And I don't know, I feel like,um, like snow science.
People are just like nerdy dirtbags, and that's my people.
(32:34):
So, yeah, I, I do really.
I really like what I do and Ilike to think I'm good at it, so
I will like to.
I would like to continue incareer, um, because I'm like, my
master's thesis is on, like, um, forest and snow interactions
(32:57):
super cool.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
Do you think you'd go for a phd possibly after and go
for that?
Speaker 2 (33:02):
or what do you think?
That's a lot.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
It's a hard thing, but like yes, it's just
interesting yeah, um, unlikely.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
If I can like get away with a good career without
getting a phd, I'd like to.
Um, yeah, I don't want to likewrite it off, but I don't really
see myself wanting to go backto school once I actually start
making money.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
I totally, totally, yeah, nobody wants to be 40 and
still be in school.
Forget that.
Or like 30s yeah, it takes along time, it's not?
I have a lot of friends thathave become doctors and it's
like man, that's, that's likeyou really spent a lot of time
yeah, you really don't.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Yeah, a bunch of my lab mates are phds and uh, this
looks pretty horrible butthey're doing a good job.
But I don't know.
I, I want to do it.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
For sure, for sure, for sure.
No, I have an undergraduatedegree in geology and I worked
as a geologist for first fewyears, first few years at
college and, like I don't know,it's just it was.
It's always interested in metalking to science majors or
like people that are in, likethe applied and physical
sciences, cause it's like whatyou learn in school just becomes
so different when you get outinto the real world and what
people like, what the, the jobclassifications are like, or
(34:12):
what they ask you to do so yeahit's interesting, it's cool
stuff.
Yeah, yeah, super cool.
All right, so let's get an endsubmitting questions.
I don't want to take all yourtime today.
Um, curious, I want to talk toyou about competition, like how
you view it.
Like some people have a reallyhealthy like relationship with
competition.
Some people like on a like somepeople are like how you view it
.
Like some people have a reallyhealthy like relationship with
competition.
Some people like on a like,some people are like really
(34:33):
intense about it.
Like where do you fall on thatspectrum?
Speaker 2 (34:36):
I love competition.
Um, yeah, I, I feel like if Ididn't have it in running, I'd
be a horrible person to bearound in real life.
Um, just like.
I'm such a competitive personand I get a lot of joy out of
pushing myself with other peopleand like all of us pushing
(34:57):
forward.
So, yeah, I would say I have avery healthy relationship with
competition for the most part.
Sometimes I get way too nervous, but um, yeah, I, I just love
competing.
Um and uh.
(35:17):
It was really hard for me whenI was injured so much in
undergrad.
Um, like not having that outletand uh, so I would like I just
compete in other ways.
Uh, like I do a couple cyclingraces and um, yeah, it just like
I, it just gets me going.
I, I love it, I love it it'sfunny.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
There's uh, there's you'll, you'll meet up here very
soon.
Uh, he runs for brooks, taylorstack.
He's uh I and he's uh kind of atrail team adjacent.
A lot of the people that are onthe trail team know who he is.
He runs for brooks and it'sfunny.
I've heard a couple stories toldin the podcast about taylor
stack, about like he's just likeone of the most human, like
competitive humans like that Iprobably have ever had on the
podcast.
(35:58):
So usually when I ask peopleI'm like on a level of like one
to Taylor stack like howcompetitive are you?
So to me it's very funny tohear like how, how people fall
you sound very competitive.
I like that.
I always like people that arenot afraid to be like.
Yes, I want to like crushbecause that's just like who I
am, that's my makeup and that'swhat I want to do.
So it's interesting.
I do have a question for youabout cycling Like and I know
(36:19):
you said you've spent some timein the pool with injury Does
like triathlon like everinterest you at all?
Have you ever done anytriathlons or?
Speaker 2 (36:26):
I've never done a triathlon and it always like I
really want to do it.
But I'm also so bad at swimmingI like same um which, like I'm
really good at like swimming tosurvive.
But um, just like growing up inthe great lake state, um, I
swam like every day in thesummer, um, it was more just
(36:47):
like splashing.
So, yeah, I, um, I'd beinterested, but I think a lot
would have to change for me tolike be good at it.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Interesting, interesting, and it's so
different than trail.
Right, like trail is very mucha soul sport, whereas, like I
feel like triathlon is so dialedand so, by the numbers, um, but
like it's, I don't know, itdoesn't interest me as much,
like just the run and bikecomponent.
But I have to be honest withyou, I feel the same way about
swimming.
It doesn't, it doesn't, itdoesn't get me too excited now,
(37:19):
plus, especially when you jumpin with all these people, like
you get kicked and like they'relike trying to like.
Yeah, I've heard horror stories, not yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
I just have a hard time like like visualizing how
that would go for me of like,yeah, let's like breathe hard in
a medium you can't breathe inyeah um and that, just like I
don't know I'm curious to see umwho inspires you.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
It could be in sport, could be in life doesn't matter
um, that's a really goodquestion.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Um, I mean, I guess a lot of people inspire me, um,
for various reasons.
Um, yeah, um, well, I guess, uh, like as a person and athlete
and just like in general, Ireally think Allie Ostrander
(38:16):
inspires me Like I don't know.
Especially lately she's justbeen like very open about her
experiences, just as like awoman in sport, uh, just as a
human.
Um, and I, I really appreciatethat and um, and I think, like
(38:43):
she like definitely sees like Idon't know, it's someone's
Instagram, so who knows but um,like, she appears to have like a
really good sense of what it isto be human, while also having
fun with it.
Um, cause, like being human islike a serious thing, but also
(39:03):
like have fun.
Um, and, yeah, I, I'm reallyinspired by her approach to
running and life.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
Um, yeah, Dude, you're the second podcast in a
row that I've had someone to.
I just had another podcast theother day that someone told me
Ellie Ostrander.
I got to get her on the podcast.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
That's interesting.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
Yeah, I mean, she's a super cool girl Like, so it's I
understand like it totallymakes sense.
And she's an interesting onetoo, where it's like she's got
like 130,000 Instagram followersand it's like, how do you?
It's like a really hard thing.
It must be very difficult to bethat real Like.
I hate Instagram to begin with,like personally.
So it's like to have to likeopen yourself up to 130,000
(39:46):
people who know your name, orplus more, depending on how much
reach you get, while alsotrying to like be you and then
also trying to be an athlete atthe same time.
But can't be easy.
So, yeah, interesting you youhad said you did say something
about instagram as well.
So I'm curious, like, how doyou view that like, especially
as an athlete?
Like?
(40:07):
I know a lot of people,especially when they get into
the professional side of thesport, like struggle with being
able to be their true selves andbecause you know when you, when
you get a sponsor, get asponsor, you'll have to post for
brands and you'll have to doall this stuff that you might
not want to do Like.
What are your thoughts on that?
Like?
Do you, are you like very muchtrying to be authentic on social
media, or how do you?
How do you kind of rumble that?
Speaker 2 (40:28):
Um.
Speaker 1 (40:28):
I mean.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
I'm definitely myself on Instagram, but, honestly,
like a more extreme version,like it's like I don't know.
I feel like it's more of likeokay, what would people find
most entertaining about me?
Um, and like that's what I post.
I think, um, but yeah, I thinkit would be silly to like share
(40:54):
something with people that isn'tyourself um, oh, you'll see a
lot of it, just wait oh,definitely, I already do yeah
but, um, yeah, I think it.
I think it'll be interesting,like once I have to start like
posting for realsies of like.
All right, how do I want peopleto perceive me?
Speaker 1 (41:17):
Yeah, it's a weird thing to grapple with, like it's
like how do people perceive you?
But also, like I know I see alot of people that are just like
just post about results andit's like that's great, but like
what's the process to get tothere?
You know, like it can't just beall about that, right?
So yeah, it's interesting.
Are you a big music person?
I am.
What's your, what's your pumpup song before?
(41:40):
Before a?
Speaker 2 (41:41):
hard effort or like a workout or race.
Like, what are you listening to?
It depends what I need, um,cause sometimes I'll like really
need to chill out.
Um, like, I'll be like way toohyped up and I'll need to listen
to something chill.
Um, and other times I like okay, like you're actually racing
today, let's go Um and uh.
(42:05):
Yeah, so it depends on the day.
It also depends on um, likewhat?
Um, what kind of vibe I'mfeeling?
Um and uh.
Usually it'll just be like myfavorite song of the month.
Um and uh.
Just be like my favorite songof the month.
Um and uh.
But one I always go back to isum, my Fun by Suki Waterhouse.
Um, I just feel like it'sexactly how like it just is such
(42:26):
a fun song, um, and it startswith like blood on.
Oh wait, how does it go?
Something about like blood on,oh wait, how does it go?
Same about like blood on theknees, um, and I don't know.
I feel like that's.
It reminds me of childhood,just like skinning your knees
and just like run around gettingback up and just like I don't
know, hitting the ground andgoing back up and um, I don't
(42:47):
know.
I really liked that song.
Um, it's just a good vibe.
And then also lately, for somereason, the beastie boys have
just been really getting going?
Speaker 1 (42:59):
Yes, beastie boys are the best.
Yeah, all right, that's cool.
I'm glad to hear the beastieboys are making more of a
comeback.
You're the first one.
I think I'd said it in like 110episodes, so I appreciate you.
That's awesome.
Yeah, all right.
So usually for the latterquestions I ask something kind
of out there from left field andwild.
I kind of want to ask you aboutAI, but I don't know.
You're in college, so you guysuse it for everything.
(43:23):
What's your take on AI?
Are you stoked for it?
I feel like for snow scienceand stuff like that.
Certain aspects of it areawesome, I guess.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
Right.
Well, I'm really happy that formy undergrad I didn't have it,
because I don't think I'd learnanything yeah so, like I do a
lot of programming and, um, Ithink if I had taken the classes
I had to take an undergrad forcomputer science and programming
, I would not be able to do whatI do today.
(43:52):
Um, and I use AI, like everyday for programming, but um,
what do you do?
Speaker 1 (43:59):
What do you program?
What's the?
What do you use?
Python, or what languages?
Python?
Okay, yeah, um yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
And I I think, because I have like an actual
programming background, I knowwhat to look for when AI spits
something out weird or if I likewant to tweak it a little more,
um, like, I can go through itand see what's wrong where I
think a lot of people who use aimore can't see that.
(44:27):
Yeah, um, yeah, I think it's auseful tool, but it definitely
you have to be able to writegood prompts to get good outputs
, so sure sure you know, I'veeven used it a little bit for
like certain workouts and stufflike that.
Speaker 1 (44:39):
I'll ask you questions, like if I give it
like super, so you have to likebe able to like really like ask
it a few times and get veryspecific.
But some of the stuff it'sgiving me, I'm like damn, all
right, let's, let's give this atry.
Yeah, it's, uh, it's a littlebit, I don't know.
It's cool.
I also think it's going to beour evil robot overlord one day,
but I'm a little worried aboutthat.
Maybe a decade down the line,hopefully not, but we'll see
(45:02):
what happens, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
Hopefully we can keep our importance as humans.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Yeah, I agree, I'm very pro-human.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
Yeah, humans are good .
Speaker 1 (45:14):
Well, kyla, thank you so much for coming on the
podcast.
This is a great conversation,wishing you the best of luck in
the rest of your season and asyou get started in your trail
season.
I'm so excited for what you'regoing to do this summer and,
yeah, definitely we'll be intouch.
I'll probably see you atSoonapy and we'll probably be
interviewing you before Soonapyas we start to do a breakdown of
all the uh, all the elite women, so it should be fun yeah,
(45:35):
sweet, thank you so much forhaving me.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
Yeah, no problem.
Speaker 1 (45:37):
Have a great rest of your day, you too yeah what'd
you guys think?
what a fun episode.
I want to thank kyla so muchfor coming on the podcast.
It was a great conversation andI'm just absolutely wishing her
the best of luck in her 2025season.
Uh, it's going to be fun tofollow along at sunop coming up
in like less than 90 days.
That's going to be a bananas.
Follow along at Soonapy comingup in like less than 90 days.
That's going to be a bananasrace.
So excited to see what's goingto unfold there.
(45:58):
So crazy stuff.
Before you guys get going, hopon Instagram.
You can give Kyla a follow.
You can find her at Kyla,underscore CM, typing in that's
K-Y-L-A, underscore CM.
Obviously, cm stands forChristopher Moody.
Yeah, send her.
Give her a follow, send hersome DMs, let her know what you
guys thought about the episode.
I'm sure she'd love to hearfrom you all.
(46:19):
And, yeah, super cool stuff.
Before you guys get going, ifyou enjoyed this episode, please
give us a five star rating andreview on Apple, spotify,
youtube or wherever you consumeyour podcasts.
That would mean the world to us.
No-transcript.
(46:40):
We've got a lot of good racepreviews.
We've got a lot of goodinterviews coming up and there's
just going to be a lot offanfare and just fun surrounding
these races, so it's going tobe some good stuff.
Really appreciate you guysfollowing along and tuning in.
Have a great rest of your week,thank you.
What is up, fam?
Welcome back to the Steep StuffPodcast.
I'm your host, james Lauriello,bringing you guys a super fun
episode.
I'm super stoked about Lots ofsupers in there, with none other
than 2025 Trail Team EliteSelection, miss Kyla Christopher
Moody.
Kyla has had a really funjourney, both on the
indoor-outdoor track as well asthe cross-country as well.
(00:23):
At Montana State University, wetalked a lot about her time on
the track and just hercollegiate experience, which was
really fun to get into.
We talked about the transition,making that transition from the
collegiate level to running onthe trails at a high level as
well.
We talked about some racing.
Kyla last year took a top fivefinish at the GoPro Games 10K
(00:44):
against some stout competitionand we talked about what we're
getting into for this year.
Kyla's currently signed up forSoonapy, where she's going to be
competing at the MountainClassic running championship in
hopes to get a bid for one ofthose world spots, which is
going to be super fun, supercompetitive race I'm sure she's
stoked and ready for.
And on top of that, we talkedabout just like that transition
(01:08):
life, being able to kind of makethat move and what that's like
coming from the tracks to thetrails.
So, without further ado, I hopeyou guys enjoy this one.
Kyla Christenberg for Moody,it's time.
(01:34):
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, we are live.
(02:25):
Listen up, guys.
The Steep Stuff Podcast isbrought to you by Ultimate
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Kyla Christopher Moody, welcometo the steep stuff podcast.
(03:29):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
How are you?
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Thanks, yeah, no, I'm excited to have a conversation
with you.
Congratulations on making thetrail team this year.
That's exciting.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Thank you.
Yeah, I'm super stoked about it.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Yeah, yeah, we'll get into it, we'll, we'll do a deep
dive into there.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
How's it.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
First of all, how's your day going so far?
Speaker 2 (03:45):
It's good.
Um, it started to get a littlegloomy again here in Bozeman,
not quite spring yet, so yeah, alittle disappointing yeah, so
it goes how's the?
Speaker 1 (03:54):
uh?
So the weather's kind of gloomythere.
It's funny we're?
Oh my gosh, yeah, it's been,it's been bananas.
How morbid it's been.
Yeah, I don't know.
I guess Montana is still stillkind of brutal.
That's, that's, no, no bueno.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
So yeah, maybe give me the five minute elevator
pitch on your background andkind of like how you got into
running and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yeah, so I started running when I was around like
five years old, just a like weeklong summer camp, um, and uh, I
was always the best, which wasreally fun as a five-year-old um
, to just be good at something.
And then, uh, I mostly focusedon soccer, um, up until the end
(04:42):
of middle school and then uhreally started taking running
seriously and then um got reallygood at it and, um, yeah, I
went to CU for undergrad CUBoulder, um, and then, uh, I
actually quit my last year there, um, cause I could feel myself
not really liking runninganymore, um, so I stepped away
(05:05):
from the sport and then cameback to it for grad school here
at Montana state, um, and sincethen I've, uh and I feel like
I'm really leveling up this yearso stoked to see how that
transitions to the trails.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Are you originally from Michigan?
Yeah, okay, super cool.
I lived in Ann Arbor for a yearI must went to Michigan for
grad school.
Yeah, okay, super cool, I livedin.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Ann Arbor for a year.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
I must went to Michigan for grad school.
Yeah, are you.
Are you a Michigan fan or likea Michigan state fan?
Like what do you?
What do you identify as?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Uh, well, both my parents went to Michigan state,
uh, and then, uh, my brotherwent to U of M.
So we don't, we don't reallyhave a preference, but super
cool, yeah, what was it like?
Speaker 1 (05:45):
uh, I guess high school wise, like that
cross-country track runningscene, like was it pretty good
infrastructure for being able toget pretty good, like good
competition, like what was thatlike for you?
Speaker 2 (05:56):
really, really good competition.
Our um my like high schoolcross-country county meet was
insane.
Like I want to say, like thetop 20 girls all went d1.
Um, maybe that's anexaggeration, but like I
remember, um, I went to afootlocker my sophomore year
high school um for cross countryand, uh, I think like five or
(06:20):
six of the top 11 girls werefrom Michigan, um for the
midwest region.
So, yeah, michigan, um for theMidwest region.
So, yeah, michigan was like adefinitely powerhouse state when
I was in high school.
Um, I don't really follow thatmuch anymore but yeah, it was a
great place for competition.
Um, the training location waspretty okay.
Um, yeah, I grew up in WestBloomfield and there was a?
(06:44):
Um nice like rails to trailright near the high school.
So, um, that was nice but veryflat.
So, yeah, not very conducive totrail running.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So we'll get into like whatinspired you and like what you
got.
What got you stoked on like ontrail running in the first place
.
But like I'm curious about likecoming out of high school, like
the recruitment process, likewhat made you choose Colorado,
and like what was like, was it adifficult decision for you?
Was it an easy one?
Like what was that?
What was that like also beingrecruited by one of the best
(07:16):
running schools in the world?
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah it was.
It was very flattering.
Um yeah, um, yeah, I think myentire life have kind of been
like like, I know I'm good, butI always have that like
hesitation of like am I reallythat good?
Um, and uh, there's somethingI'm working on, but, um, the the
(07:43):
recruitment process was reallyinteresting.
I like, weirdly enough, in uh,fifth grade, I had this like um
like college project of likewhere, like, just choose a
random college around thecountry and do little, like like
what GPA do you need?
Um, just like get young kidsexcited about college.
Um, and I chose CU Boulder.
Um, when I was 10.
(08:05):
And then, uh, and then when Ilike started running, I was like
, oh, there's just no way I'mgonna go there if I want to run
in college.
And then, um, then I started toget really good and I was like,
well, I guess I could go therenow.
Um, so, yeah, and I I mainlychose it because I found Boulder
(08:26):
really interesting, it's aninteresting place, and I chose
it for the cross-country program, of course, but I was injured
my whole time there.
Oh, God.
Let's talk about that, let'sdive into that.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Some people.
It's funny.
I talked to a lot of folks Mostof your folks, more I'd say
maybe 90% of them usually likeprofessional trail runners, like
run at the collegiate levelmore or less.
But like everyone has, anoverwhelming majority of them
have a gripe of like what youknow what it was like running in
college.
They all kind of hated it moreor less.
Like well, what was that likefor you?
(09:03):
Like it sounded like towardssenior year or the end, like it
kind of wasn't so exciting foryou Maybe talk about like that.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah, yeah.
So I mean, I came in in like2019, my freshman year with two
stress reactions and I was kindof like, oh well, I'll just run
through the pain, it's going tobe fine, um, but then that was
super dumb.
And then, like, I just got inthis vicious injury cycle, um,
(09:33):
and I think I raced two totalcross-country races when I was
there, wow, and it was both.
Like those were both duringthat weird COVID season that was
in like February, so thosedidn't even count for
eligibility.
So, um, yeah, I was just likebattling injury the whole time.
Um, really cross training, and Ilike refuse to go near a pool
(09:56):
now other than to splash.
Um, exercise in a pool for me,but, um, I got really into
cycling because of it.
And then, uh, like for training, lots of cycling, um, and then
what was really difficult was,um, that like I didn't have that
(10:16):
release that running gives menecessarily Cause, um, like I
just wasn't in nature like wantto be, so, um, that was really
difficult.
Um, and then, like, once Iwould be able to run again, I'd
always be on trails because Iwanted soft surface.
Um, and then, uh, which maybewasn't the best idea, because
(10:39):
some of them are a little tootechnical for coming back to or
coming back to running frominjury.
So, yeah, yeah, and then, liketoward my senior year, I, like I
don't know I knew I lovedrunning and like something was
telling me that if I continuedat cu running for them, I would
(11:01):
not keep that love.
So I quit.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
That's very like a very grown up thing to do, to
know yourself that well, to makethat decision, like were there
people around you helping youmake that decision, or was that
a deeply personal one for you?
Just you knew that you that'swhat you wanted to do.
Good for you I got.
A lot of people would havestayed in and like suffered
through that, so I can commendyou for that.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Thank you, yeah, yeah .
It was like probably the bestdecision I've ever made in my
life.
Like to leave, um, yeah, causelike I mean I quit the team, but
like I feel like if I hadstayed I would have been
quitting on myself, cause itjust wasn't good for me.
Yeah, um, yeah.
And then uh, but I'm back inthe NCAA, um, at Montana state,
and I love it.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Yeah, let's talk about that.
So you've kind of likere-invented yourself in one way
or another.
Now that you're at MontanaState, what has that been like?
The program is just wayhealthier.
The coaching is way better.
What do you take away from itthat you think has led to more
success?
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yeah, I don't know if I'd necessarily say reinvent
myself.
It was more like refindingmyself, because I think when I
was at CU I was totally lost.
And now I'm back and I, I mean,I definitely think like where
you are and the people you'rearound makes a huge difference.
(12:20):
But also that year that I took,I then really set me up for
success here.
Um and uh, yeah, the coachingstaff is great.
I love my teammates and I lovethe location.
Um and uh, I think like it's ahealthier environment, but I'm
also healthier myself, gotcha.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
So yeah, All right, now let's talk trails.
What got you stoked about thetrails Like?
What excites you about it, whatpart of that competition like,
especially because you're anNCAA athlete, I think now for
someone in your position it'seasier to realize, versus like
years ago, that like you canactually like make a career in
(13:03):
trail running, like people do itnow.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Yeah, no, what gets you stoked to do that?
Yeah.
So, um, my family, we would goto uh grand teton national park
every year, um, from when I waslike probably around five, um,
and ever since then I fell inlove with the mountains and um
just being in nature on thetrails.
And, uh, as I got older, whenwe'd go there in the summer, um,
I'd start running on the trailsthere and I just loved it.
(13:35):
And then, um, I hopped into alight hill climb race there at a
snow King mountain and, um, Iloved it and I just like I kind
of crushed it, but I didn'tregister because I the Michigan
high school rules were prettyweird.
So I just like ran it and itwas really fun.
(13:56):
And, yeah, after that I waslike, okay, I really really want
to do this later.
Um, kind of like kept it on aback burner, um, and then at CU,
I uh like one summer, afterbeing injured for like a whole
year, I really wanted thatcompetition aspect of running
(14:16):
again.
So, um, I ran at GoPro gamesand I got uh first in my age
group, um, and I got uh first inmy age group, um, and I was
like, oh sweet, like I canactually like.
This translates pretty well andit's fun, and I um a bunch of
my teammates from CU came upwith me to Vail um and we just
had a really good time.
(14:37):
And since then, um, I just likeget out on the trails whenever
I can, um, yeah, and then lastyear I did go pro games, um,
cause I didn't make it tonationals for tracks, so I was
like, well, I'll just drive downto Vail Um, and then, uh, I got
fifth overall, um, which isexciting.
(14:58):
So what did you run?
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Sorry, I like poked around on like ultra sign up as
well as like a bunch of.
Cirque series results and Icould not find.
I probably should have askedyou before we had this
conversation but I did not.
I did not check the gopro gamesresults, I didn't even think to
.
Let's talk about that.
What, what, um, would you runthe 5k, the 10k, like what?
What did you do?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
and yeah, let's talk about that race yeah, I did the
10k, um, and uh, I felt likereally horrible because I was,
um, I mean, I mean I was I'dbeen training for a 5k on a
track for the last like sixmonths, so I was.
I was not really set up forsuccess, uh, physically or
mentally, cause I hadn't.
That was the first time I ranon a trail, um, since, like the
(15:37):
previous summer and fall.
So, um, yeah, I, um I don'tknow what like got me through
that necessarily, but um, I mean, fitness is fitness right Like
a lot of it's?
Speaker 1 (15:52):
what?
Is it GoPro games?
A lot of that's like dirt roadsanyway.
So fitness is fitness Like itkind of transfers, so that's
cool.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Yeah, yeah, but I like, um, I've I was already.
I was pretty burnt out fromtrack season, so I was just like
, oh, this will be a goodtraining run, I guess.
Um, I like maybe I shouldn'tsay this, but I just like, I
basically just like walked upand then um would like sprint
down the technical parts becauseI, um, I think from cycling and
(16:23):
skiing, um, I'm really good attechnical downhills and I just
kind of like crush, and I thinkthat's where that race went well
, cause I the uphills werepretty, pretty abysmal for me.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
It's so funny.
Like Dan Kurtz is similar.
Like Dan Kurtz, highly toutedprospect to come in and like I
would think like is Dan so fitcoming from Iowa state?
I was like dude, like histhinged prospect to come in and
like I would think like is danso fit coming from iowa state?
I was like dude, like his thinghas got to be like uphill.
But now he's like a badassdownhill runner and I see more
and more folks coming into thesport, like with double ncaa
(17:00):
backgrounds, like are reallygood at downhilling and that's
like the last thing.
I think you guys would be bettergoing uphill.
It's just interesting to me, Idon't know.
So that's cool that, like theskiing and mountain biking gives
you like this ability to pick aline and like hammer.
That that's pretty good, so youlike you like the downhills
better than that's interesting Idon't know.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
I I'm excited to see like what happens when I
actually like train for uphillrunning with purpose instead of
just like doing it.
Um when there happens to be anuphill on a trail.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Um yeah.
So I saw you.
You were on the wait list forbroken arrow VK all the ascent,
like they call it now.
Um, how are, how do you plan,especially cause we're still in
season, if you will like.
How are, how do you mix that up?
How do your coaches let you mixthat up with some some training
?
Are you just going to justdevelop, continue to develop,
track fitness and and thenbecause that'll translate great,
(17:55):
I mean, if you come in superfit, you'll crush people, you
know and then maybe a fewsessions of downhill and, yeah,
your body will learn easily.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly, I am definitely going
to focus on track um traininguntil um drills begin.
So, um, who knows?
And that'll be hopefully afteroutdoor nationals.
Um and then the week after thatwill be broken arrow.
So you kind of a quickturnaround.
But, um, yeah, I I haven'ttalked with my coach all that
(18:27):
much about, um, what to do, butI think, uh, it would probably
be the same as what I'm going todo.
Um, yeah, I think, um, like yousaid, like fitness is fitness,
so um, yeah if I'm ready to goon the track, like I'm sure I'll
(18:49):
be ready to go do some bigclimbs.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
It's interesting to me because I think people get so
caught up and you'll see thisas you get more experienced in
the sport People get so caughtup in the minutia of specificity
, so much time out before a raceand it's like, dude, just get
super fit and then you couldlike three weeks out, four weeks
out, like you don't have to dotoo much to like actually get
(19:14):
like the specificity, like getyour muscles ready for like
particular stuff for a race.
So it's interesting because,like anna gibson um, she's
someone I really look up to inthe sport, former trail team
girl, um, obviously one of thebiggest female names on the on
the sub ultra side, but alsoreally good on the track, like
insanely good, and she did likea whole I think it was last
season did a whole track seasonand then like just came in like
(19:34):
super fresh to the Broken ArrowVK and like I think got second
or third place, like did amazing.
So it can be done a hundredpercent.
So I see you're signed up for aSoonapy as well.
I'm super excited to hear yourthoughts on, like, just go into
that race and what that's goingto be like, Cause that's, you
know, I think it's like kind ofthrowing yourself into the deep
(19:55):
end with, you know, all thesecrusher women like what do you,
what do you expect to, you know,for that race.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Yeah, well, that one actually lines up with the
middle of track season.
So I I'm signed up for it if Idon't go as far as I want into
the track season.
But it's also kind of a likewin-win situation where if I
don't go as far in a track, Ican do that race okay.
So I, if I do go to that, I'mI'm really stoked for it.
(20:23):
I think that course is likeperfect for someone like me.
Um yeah, just the like up downkind of situation I think will
be really good.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Um yeah, do you think like because I don't know, it's
always interesting to me seeinglike new people come into the
sport and panic when they getinto deep water with some of
these, like like a graysonmurphy or an ally mac, like
these women are insanely good,but like for someone like you
who races such fat, fast, fitwomen, like already and like at
a super high level, like it'salmost like not that difficult
(20:58):
for someone like you to kind oftransfer like right into that
Right, like I don't know.
I feel like the mental space iskind of one for one Right.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Exactly.
Yeah, I think the like I don'tthink I'd necessarily be nervous
about um who I'm racing against.
It's more like where am Iracing?
Cause it's going to be sodifferent of um, like there's
not going to be people allaround a track or all along a
cross country course, like it'sjust going to be basically like
me in the woods for a while, acouple of spectators Um, me in
(21:31):
the woods for a while, a coupleof spectators, um, and then, uh,
like yeah, I think that's goingto be the biggest shift, um,
and also like at this point I Ihave no idea where I will fall
um against competitors, so the Idon't know.
I think it kind of opens it upfor me where I like.
I don't have these likepreconceived notions of where I
should be.
Yeah, it's just like I go outthere and go hard and see what
(21:54):
happens All the dice and seewhere you land.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
I mean like you have no like you said, no
preconceived notions of whatwhat it's like, or you know what
it's going to feel like, orthis and the others.
So yeah, I mean when you don'thave expectations like that and
you feel like you have to winthe race, like you could
possibly win the race.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
You never know what's gonna happen, right so?
Speaker 1 (22:14):
yeah, I know it's super cool.
I'm excited.
I mean like I'll be at thatrace.
It's gonna be a super fun onelike the uh.
Just like the amount of peopleshowing up and because it's like
a national team selection raceit'll be, it's like good for you
to see like what that'll belike like at the highest point
of the sport.
So it's good, good experiencethere.
What?
is um, so what's your take onjoining the trail team?
Like how stoked are you?
(22:35):
Like, what's your favorite partabout joining it?
Like have you talked to any ofthe mentors yet?
Speaker 2 (22:39):
like, talk to me about that yeah, um, I'm really
excited about it.
Obviously.
I um, I remember when it firststarted I uh, I was just like
feel like super down and outwith running in general, still
being at CU and I, um, and thenI saw who they were uh looking
(23:03):
at and I was like.
Anna Gibson.
I was like, oh, think it um.
Like this year I think like Igot the call the day um, or the
morning of my big sky conference, uh, championship race in the
5k um, and I was just like sucha confidence booster for the
(23:25):
race too and I like, like, umand like I don't know.
I back to what you actuallyasked me about Um.
I uh like I've known a lot ofthe people that are on the trail
team for a while.
Um, my old roommate and reallygood friend, anna Schultz, is on
the um club team and every nowand then I would uh join for
(23:49):
their practices and uh like runup Mount Sanitas with them and
um, it's just a good crew and um, I go pro games.
Last year I hung out with thewhole trail team Um, and then,
uh, carly um Rempel uh, she andI were with each other in the
race for a while and she waslike talking with me and um
(24:12):
having a good time.
So I'm really excited for theteam aspect of it.
Um, yeah, and I think the justthe whole concept of it I think
is really needed in the sport um, because, like you said, like
the it's it's becoming kind of amore um well-known thing that
(24:32):
NCAA runners can make thattransition, um, and I don't
really know how um, and that'swhat the trail team is for, um,
yeah.
Yeah, and I'm really excitedthat I have the opportunity to
learn how to make that shift.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Yeah, there's so many things like I mean it'd be
something as small as nutritionor something as big as figuring
out how to make that shift.
Yeah, there's so many thingslike I mean it'd be something as
small as nutrition or somethingas big as figuring out how to
get into a race Like there's somany different little like
things that people don't thinkabout.
Um, you know, for NCAA athletesto come over and, you know,
have success and a lot of youfind success very quickly.
You know a lot of it's you guysalready bring over.
You know a gigantic amount offitness.
(25:06):
It's just like figuring out howto apply that and you know most
of you, like I said, like Ithought you know first and
second, you know teams of um,you know the trail team that
andy's picked.
Like I mean, a lot of them runprofessionally now and it's just
kind of crazy.
So, yeah, it's very cool.
Like the mentorship aspect too,I think there's like I don't
specifically know who he pickedthis year as mentors, but like
(25:28):
usually it's a group of likeprofessional athletes in the
sport and people you can justlike rely on and ask questions
to, and it's always just likesuch a good wealth of knowledge
to learn certain things Like,even especially for, like the
European races, um, like what todo there.
Like Andy's always been like ahuge pillar in the sport for
helping Americans when they goover and have no idea what to do
, because the Euros do thingsentirely different.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Yeah, exactly, andy's a great person and a great
resource, um, for me and theentire sport.
Um and uh, yeah, I'm, uh, I'msigned up for um the pits,
alpine Glacier run and um.
Sarah's you know Um and uh.
I like had no idea how to doany registration for that um or
(26:15):
registration and stuff, but justlike the whole setup is going
to be complicated and I'm reallyhappy that I have Andy in my
corner to help me out with that.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Oh, he's the man like literally first bout hall of
famer, but like just even betterhuman, like super cool.
Um, let's talk about that alittle bit.
Like you're, you're swimmingwith sharks, like that's jumping
right into the series and allis like the race of races.
Like that's my bucket list race.
I haven't gotten over thererace it yet.
People don't know it starts ina place called siri and ends in
a place called zanal, which ispretty dope.
(26:45):
I didn't know that until Ilooked it up.
Well, are you?
Uh, what do you think aboutthat?
Like, are you excited to gorace some of these mythical
races?
And like oh yeah it's crazy,right.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Yeah, I'm stoked, yeah, I um.
Yeah, I honestly don't reallyhave words for you yet, cause I
haven't, like, fullycomprehended that.
Um, I'm doing that, but yeah.
I'm I'm really stoked Like justfor the location and the
competition, yeah, and it'sgoing to be really cool.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Yeah, such a good learning experience to like so
much to you know, like that'slike especially to race like the
pinnacle race, like somethinglike series and all early on in
your career, like you're goingto learn so much and you know,
and then you get to see like howEuropean racing is.
It's like now you want to talkabout fans, like it's nothing
(27:35):
like america, like those peopleare, they go wild.
It's so cool to have like realfans and real spectators at
these races and like people likereally get stoked over it yeah
yeah, so super cool.
Is there any race like I don'tknow, like, is there anything
that's like popped out to you?
I'm always interested to gettake on.
Take some people that are likeso new to the sport, like is
there any race that's like?
Popped out to you?
They're like oh my gosh, I wantto do that.
Like if you come acrossanything that like really like a
(27:55):
, like a marathon or anythinglike that, where you're like oh,
that looks fun seriously no,there's no you're hitting the
bucket list already.
All right, all right, super cool, yeah, okay, yeah, um.
All right, all right, supercool yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Um, yeah, I, I've heard about that race for a
while and, um, yeah, it's always.
It's always been on my bucketlist, um, since I like found out
really what trail running is.
Um, and uh, yeah, I'm excitedthat I got the opportunity to do
it.
Um, and just like go for it andsee what happens.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Super cool.
Now I know as athletes,everybody's got like we all have
big goals.
We all we always like havethere's always a goal oriented,
oriented process for everything.
Right, like I'm kind of curious, like how do you view,
especially being so new thisyear, like, do you have goals?
Like what are your like?
Like how do you approach this?
Or how are you mentallyapproaching this?
Speaker 2 (28:51):
yeah, I, I would say at this point, I more have like
process goals instead of outcomegoals and um, like or more
focusing on the process goals,when the outcome goals will
figure themselves out, um, withthe process goals.
So it's more a mentality thingat this point of um just seeing
(29:16):
what happens and, uh, like Idon't know.
I, like I said earlier, like Idon't have preconceived notions
of what I'm able to do, but, um,I do know the big names and I
know what, like I know who it is, and um, I will be racing
against them.
And I think the big mentalthing is to not write myself off
(29:37):
because I have no idea, um, Imean, I do have some idea, um of
my abilities, but I just don'tknow where it falls amongst, uh,
my future peers.
So, um, yeah, that would be themain thing is to not write
myself off, um, and then seewhere that takes me, which could
(30:01):
be far.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
I know.
I think it's a really healthyway, cause, like I, I'll talk to
some people that are like, justlike fresh into the sport and
they're like I want to go get atop 10 at this or top five at
that.
And it's like, well, what ifyou don't?
Like you know what are yougoing to take?
Are you just going to bedisappointed?
Are you going to still learnfrom it?
Like it's all you know?
It's still.
It's such a hard sport to nailthe first time around and it's
like you know.
I think like, especiallyculturally too, like especially
(30:25):
for someone like you, just uh,go to race at different places
and take different things awayculturally, and I don't know.
I think there's just so muchmore to it than the results and
it's more to just like enjoy thepeople and enjoy the.
You know the process and if, if, if it clicks, it clicks, and
if it doesn't, well, you got alot of time to figure it out, so
you know, super cool, whatshoes are you running in these
days?
Like what?
What do you?
What kind of brands do you doyou like?
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Um, well, right now for uh track and just like
running on, well, mainly uhconcrete right now, cause it's
still basically winter here.
Uh, I really liked the A6 Novablasts.
Um, yeah, they um really howthey feel, really like how they
(31:15):
feel um.
But then for the trails, um, Istarted wearing the las partiva
um prodigios, okay, um yeah, andthen I've been figuring out
what I'm gonna race in um yeah,I.
I think it'll be adidasprobably.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
But yeah, super cool.
All right, I'm always curiousto hear what people are wearing
these days.
I like the Las PradivasProdigios.
Check out the pros if youhaven't tried the pros yet.
Yeah, those are dope.
Yeah, super cool.
How much eligibility do youhave left?
So you said you're in amaster's degree.
Do you have a whole nother yearafter this, or you just have
(31:49):
one more year?
Speaker 2 (31:49):
no, I'm done, just okay.
What are you studying um snowscience?
Speaker 1 (31:54):
okay, so like snow hydrology um yeah super cool.
Are you interested in likegoing to apply that in the like
in the job market afterwards, orlike like work as a like a
glaciologist or a geologist, orlike what do you want to do?
Speaker 2 (32:10):
Um, yeah, I'd like to work in the same field.
Um, it's a.
I chose it very methodically,um of like, what kind of people
do I want to be around?
Um, and like, what's theworking culture like?
And I don't know, I feel like,um, like snow science.
People are just like nerdy dirtbags, and that's my people.
(32:34):
So, yeah, I, I do really.
I really like what I do and Ilike to think I'm good at it, so
I will like to.
I would like to continue incareer, um, because I'm like, my
master's thesis is on, like, um, forest and snow interactions
(32:57):
super cool.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
Do you think you'd go for a phd possibly after and go
for that?
Speaker 2 (33:02):
or what do you think?
That's a lot.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
It's a hard thing, but like yes, it's just
interesting yeah, um, unlikely.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
If I can like get away with a good career without
getting a phd, I'd like to.
Um, yeah, I don't want to likewrite it off, but I don't really
see myself wanting to go backto school once I actually start
making money.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
I totally, totally, yeah, nobody wants to be 40 and
still be in school.
Forget that.
Or like 30s yeah, it takes along time, it's not?
I have a lot of friends thathave become doctors and it's
like man, that's, that's likeyou really spent a lot of time
yeah, you really don't.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Yeah, a bunch of my lab mates are phds and uh, this
looks pretty horrible butthey're doing a good job.
But I don't know.
I, I want to do it.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
For sure, for sure, for sure.
No, I have an undergraduatedegree in geology and I worked
as a geologist for first fewyears, first few years at
college and, like I don't know,it's just it was.
It's always interested in metalking to science majors or
like people that are in, likethe applied and physical
sciences, cause it's like whatyou learn in school just becomes
so different when you get outinto the real world and what
people like, what the, the jobclassifications are like, or
(34:12):
what they ask you to do so yeahit's interesting, it's cool
stuff.
Yeah, yeah, super cool.
All right, so let's get an endsubmitting questions.
I don't want to take all yourtime today.
Um, curious, I want to talk toyou about competition, like how
you view it.
Like some people have a reallyhealthy like relationship with
competition.
Some people like on a like somepeople are like how you view it
.
Like some people have a reallyhealthy like relationship with
competition.
Some people like on a like,some people are like really
(34:33):
intense about it.
Like where do you fall on thatspectrum?
Speaker 2 (34:36):
I love competition.
Um, yeah, I, I feel like if Ididn't have it in running, I'd
be a horrible person to bearound in real life.
Um, just like.
I'm such a competitive personand I get a lot of joy out of
pushing myself with other peopleand like all of us pushing
(34:57):
forward.
So, yeah, I would say I have avery healthy relationship with
competition for the most part.
Sometimes I get way too nervous, but um, yeah, I, I just love
competing.
Um and uh.
(35:17):
It was really hard for me whenI was injured so much in
undergrad.
Um, like not having that outletand uh, so I would like I just
compete in other ways.
Uh, like I do a couple cyclingraces and um, yeah, it just like
I, it just gets me going.
I, I love it, I love it it'sfunny.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
There's uh, there's you'll, you'll meet up here very
soon.
Uh, he runs for brooks, taylorstack.
He's uh I and he's uh kind of atrail team adjacent.
A lot of the people that are onthe trail team know who he is.
He runs for brooks and it'sfunny.
I've heard a couple stories toldin the podcast about taylor
stack, about like he's just likeone of the most human, like
competitive humans like that Iprobably have ever had on the
podcast.
(35:58):
So usually when I ask peopleI'm like on a level of like one
to Taylor stack like howcompetitive are you?
So to me it's very funny tohear like how, how people fall
you sound very competitive.
I like that.
I always like people that arenot afraid to be like.
Yes, I want to like crushbecause that's just like who I
am, that's my makeup and that'swhat I want to do.
So it's interesting.
I do have a question for youabout cycling Like and I know
(36:19):
you said you've spent some timein the pool with injury Does
like triathlon like everinterest you at all?
Have you ever done anytriathlons or?
Speaker 2 (36:26):
I've never done a triathlon and it always like I
really want to do it.
But I'm also so bad at swimmingI like same um which, like I'm
really good at like swimming tosurvive.
But um, just like growing up inthe great lake state, um, I
swam like every day in thesummer, um, it was more just
(36:47):
like splashing.
So, yeah, I, um, I'd beinterested, but I think a lot
would have to change for me tolike be good at it.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Interesting, interesting, and it's so
different than trail.
Right, like trail is very mucha soul sport, whereas, like I
feel like triathlon is so dialedand so, by the numbers, um, but
like it's, I don't know, itdoesn't interest me as much,
like just the run and bikecomponent.
But I have to be honest withyou, I feel the same way about
swimming.
It doesn't, it doesn't, itdoesn't get me too excited now,
(37:19):
plus, especially when you jumpin with all these people, like
you get kicked and like they'relike trying to like.
Yeah, I've heard horror stories, not yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
I just have a hard time like like visualizing how
that would go for me of like,yeah, let's like breathe hard in
a medium you can't breathe inyeah um and that, just like I
don't know I'm curious to see umwho inspires you.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
It could be in sport, could be in life doesn't matter
um, that's a really goodquestion.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Um, I mean, I guess a lot of people inspire me, um,
for various reasons.
Um, yeah, um, well, I guess, uh, like as a person and athlete
and just like in general, Ireally think Allie Ostrander
(38:16):
inspires me Like I don't know.
Especially lately she's justbeen like very open about her
experiences, just as like awoman in sport, uh, just as a
human.
Um, and I, I really appreciatethat and um, and I think, like
(38:43):
she like definitely sees like Idon't know, it's someone's
Instagram, so who knows but um,like, she appears to have like a
really good sense of what it isto be human, while also having
fun with it.
Um, cause, like being human islike a serious thing, but also
(39:03):
like have fun.
Um, and, yeah, I, I'm reallyinspired by her approach to
running and life.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
Um, yeah, Dude, you're the second podcast in a
row that I've had someone to.
I just had another podcast theother day that someone told me
Ellie Ostrander.
I got to get her on the podcast.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
That's interesting.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
Yeah, I mean, she's a super cool girl Like, so it's I
understand like it totallymakes sense.
And she's an interesting onetoo, where it's like she's got
like 130,000 Instagram followersand it's like, how do you?
It's like a really hard thing.
It must be very difficult to bethat real Like.
I hate Instagram to begin with,like personally.
So it's like to have to likeopen yourself up to 130,000
(39:46):
people who know your name, orplus more, depending on how much
reach you get, while alsotrying to like be you and then
also trying to be an athlete atthe same time.
But can't be easy.
So, yeah, interesting you youhad said you did say something
about instagram as well.
So I'm curious, like, how doyou view that like, especially
as an athlete?
Like?
(40:07):
I know a lot of people,especially when they get into
the professional side of thesport, like struggle with being
able to be their true selves andbecause you know when you, when
you get a sponsor, get asponsor, you'll have to post for
brands and you'll have to doall this stuff that you might
not want to do Like.
What are your thoughts on that?
Like?
Do you, are you like very muchtrying to be authentic on social
media, or how do you?
How do you kind of rumble that?
Speaker 2 (40:28):
Um.
Speaker 1 (40:28):
I mean.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
I'm definitely myself on Instagram, but, honestly,
like a more extreme version,like it's like I don't know.
I feel like it's more of likeokay, what would people find
most entertaining about me?
Um, and like that's what I post.
I think, um, but yeah, I thinkit would be silly to like share
(40:54):
something with people that isn'tyourself um, oh, you'll see a
lot of it, just wait oh,definitely, I already do yeah
but, um, yeah, I think it.
I think it'll be interesting,like once I have to start like
posting for realsies of like.
All right, how do I want peopleto perceive me?
Speaker 1 (41:17):
Yeah, it's a weird thing to grapple with, like it's
like how do people perceive you?
But also, like I know I see alot of people that are just like
just post about results andit's like that's great, but like
what's the process to get tothere?
You know, like it can't just beall about that, right?
So yeah, it's interesting.
Are you a big music person?
I am.
What's your, what's your pumpup song before?
(41:40):
Before a?
Speaker 2 (41:41):
hard effort or like a workout or race.
Like, what are you listening to?
It depends what I need, um,cause sometimes I'll like really
need to chill out.
Um, like, I'll be like way toohyped up and I'll need to listen
to something chill.
Um, and other times I like okay, like you're actually racing
today, let's go Um and uh.
(42:05):
Yeah, so it depends on the day.
It also depends on um, likewhat?
Um, what kind of vibe I'mfeeling?
Um and uh.
Usually it'll just be like myfavorite song of the month.
Um and uh.
Just be like my favorite songof the month.
Um and uh.
But one I always go back to isum, my Fun by Suki Waterhouse.
Um, I just feel like it'sexactly how like it just is such
(42:26):
a fun song, um, and it startswith like blood on.
Oh wait, how does it go?
Something about like blood on,oh wait, how does it go?
Same about like blood on theknees, um, and I don't know.
I feel like that's.
It reminds me of childhood,just like skinning your knees
and just like run around gettingback up and just like I don't
know, hitting the ground andgoing back up and um, I don't
(42:47):
know.
I really liked that song.
Um, it's just a good vibe.
And then also lately, for somereason, the beastie boys have
just been really getting going?
Speaker 1 (42:59):
Yes, beastie boys are the best.
Yeah, all right, that's cool.
I'm glad to hear the beastieboys are making more of a
comeback.
You're the first one.
I think I'd said it in like 110episodes, so I appreciate you.
That's awesome.
Yeah, all right.
So usually for the latterquestions I ask something kind
of out there from left field andwild.
I kind of want to ask you aboutAI, but I don't know.
You're in college, so you guysuse it for everything.
(43:23):
What's your take on AI?
Are you stoked for it?
I feel like for snow scienceand stuff like that.
Certain aspects of it areawesome, I guess.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
Right.
Well, I'm really happy that formy undergrad I didn't have it,
because I don't think I'd learnanything yeah so, like I do a
lot of programming and, um, Ithink if I had taken the classes
I had to take an undergrad forcomputer science and programming
, I would not be able to do whatI do today.
(43:52):
Um, and I use AI, like everyday for programming, but um,
what do you do?
Speaker 1 (43:59):
What do you program?
What's the?
What do you use?
Python, or what languages?
Python?
Okay, yeah, um yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
And I I think, because I have like an actual
programming background, I knowwhat to look for when AI spits
something out weird or if I likewant to tweak it a little more,
um, like, I can go through itand see what's wrong where I
think a lot of people who use aimore can't see that.
(44:27):
Yeah, um, yeah, I think it's auseful tool, but it definitely
you have to be able to writegood prompts to get good outputs
, so sure sure you know, I'veeven used it a little bit for
like certain workouts and stufflike that.
Speaker 1 (44:39):
I'll ask you questions, like if I give it
like super, so you have to likebe able to like really like ask
it a few times and get veryspecific.
But some of the stuff it'sgiving me, I'm like damn, all
right, let's, let's give this atry.
Yeah, it's, uh, it's a littlebit, I don't know.
It's cool.
I also think it's going to beour evil robot overlord one day,
but I'm a little worried aboutthat.
Maybe a decade down the line,hopefully not, but we'll see
(45:02):
what happens, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
Hopefully we can keep our importance as humans.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Yeah, I agree, I'm very pro-human.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
Yeah, humans are good .
Speaker 1 (45:14):
Well, kyla, thank you so much for coming on the
podcast.
This is a great conversation,wishing you the best of luck in
the rest of your season and asyou get started in your trail
season.
I'm so excited for what you'regoing to do this summer and,
yeah, definitely we'll be intouch.
I'll probably see you atSoonapy and we'll probably be
interviewing you before Soonapyas we start to do a breakdown of
all the uh, all the elite women, so it should be fun yeah,
(45:35):
sweet, thank you so much forhaving me.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
Yeah, no problem.
Speaker 1 (45:37):
Have a great rest of your day, you too yeah what'd
you guys think?
what a fun episode.
I want to thank kyla so muchfor coming on the podcast.
It was a great conversation andI'm just absolutely wishing her
the best of luck in her 2025season.
Uh, it's going to be fun tofollow along at sunop coming up
in like less than 90 days.
That's going to be a bananas.
Follow along at Soonapy comingup in like less than 90 days.
That's going to be a bananasrace.
So excited to see what's goingto unfold there.
(45:58):
So crazy stuff.
Before you guys get going, hopon Instagram.
You can give Kyla a follow.
You can find her at Kyla,underscore CM, typing in that's
K-Y-L-A, underscore CM.
Obviously, cm stands forChristopher Moody.
Yeah, send her.
Give her a follow, send hersome DMs, let her know what you
guys thought about the episode.
I'm sure she'd love to hearfrom you all.
(46:19):
And, yeah, super cool stuff.
Before you guys get going, ifyou enjoyed this episode, please
give us a five star rating andreview on Apple, spotify,
youtube or wherever you consumeyour podcasts.
That would mean the world to us.
No-transcript.
(46:40):
We've got a lot of good racepreviews.
We've got a lot of goodinterviews coming up and there's
just going to be a lot offanfare and just fun surrounding
these races, so it's going tobe some good stuff.
Really appreciate you guysfollowing along and tuning in.
Have a great rest of your week,thank you.
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