Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Topher Gaylord is the newly appointed President of the Western States Endurance Run—arguably the most iconic ultramarathon in the world. A seven-time WSER finisher, Topher brings decades of experience in global outdoor industry leadership and a deep well of insight from more than 75 ultramarathons run across the globe.
In this conversation, we discuss:
– The direction he wants to steer Western States in
– His views on the Golden Ticket Series and how it’s evolving
– How he processed recent controversies with UTMB
– The tension between commercialization and community in trail running
– What excites him most about the future of the sport
We also talk about his upcoming keynote at TrailCon and how he plans to honor the rich legacy of WSER while preparing it for what’s next.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of Western States or just getting into the sport, this episode offers a fascinating look at what it means to lead an institution in transition—where tradition meets the trail ahead.
Partners:
* @nordarun - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (nordarun.com/)
* @gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.
* @naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
* Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (raideresearch.com/)
Photo: @sh1tinthewoods
Follow Singletrack on Instagram:
instagram.com/runsingletrack
Subscribe to Singletrack on Apple:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/singletrack/id1572382413
Subscribe to Singletrack on Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/7jAsWCRNSCU8nh81vrAaC2?si=3ac02e4e32b946c4
Topher Gaylord is the newly appointed President of the Western States Endurance Run—arguably the most iconic ultramarathon in the world. A seven-time WSER finisher, Topher brings decades of experience in global outdoor industry leadership and a deep well of insight from more than 75 ultramarathons run across the globe.
In this conversation, we discuss:
– The direction he wants to steer Western States in
– His views on the Golden Ticket Series and how it’s evolving
– How he processed recent controversies with UTMB
– The tension between commercialization and community in trail running
– What excites him most about the future of the sport
We also talk about his upcoming keynote at TrailCon and how he plans to honor the rich legacy of WSER while preparing it for what’s next.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of Western States or just getting into the sport, this episode offers a fascinating look at what it means to lead an institution in transition—where tradition meets the trail ahead.
Partners:
* @nordarun - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made (nordarun.com/)
* @gorewear - use code SINGLETRACKPOD30 at checkout on their website to get 30% off your purchase.
* @naak - use code SINGLETRACK20 at checkout on their website (naak.com/) to get 20% off your purchase.
* Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains (raideresearch.com/)
Photo: @sh1tinthewoods
Follow Singletrack on Instagram:
instagram.com/runsingletrack
Subscribe to Singletrack on Apple:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/singletrack/id1572382413
Subscribe to Singletrack on Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/7jAsWCRNSCU8nh81vrAaC2?si=3ac02e4e32b946c4
