Trail running culture melted down this weekend after a Satisfy x Adidas event triggered accusations of cringe, elitism, rich-kid cosplay, and the death of authenticity. But the backlash revealed something much deeper about where trail running is headed and why so many runners reacted emotionally to it.

In this episode, Josh explores why the footage felt so disconnected online, why Satisfy exposes contradictions already present inside trail running, and how the sport may already be transforming into something larger than athletics alone. From Cocodona and expensive race culture to meme accounts, identity signaling, and the rise of trail running media, this conversation is about the growing tension between authenticity, aesthetics, status, and culture inside modern trail running.

This one’s for the trail runners trying to understand what the sport is becoming and why that question suddenly feels so uncomfortable.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.

00:00

2. Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races
3. Josh Rosenthal on IG
4. Borderlands.cc
5. La French Trail
6. High Tones
7. Subwhatever

1. Ultra Running isn't Just Running

Presented by Kiprun.

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Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.

Watch on YouTube

Read on Substack

Trail running is getting bigger fast. Bigger races, bigger brands, bigger media, and more money entering the sport every year. What happens to trail running culture as all of that growth accelerates? And will the human side of trail running we all love survive?

Recorded in Stockholm at Klättermusen headquarters, Josh sits down with Gonz Ferrero, CEO of Klättermusen, and Billy White, founder of Sörmlands 100, to talk about UTMB, independent trail races, elite sport versus dirtbag culture, why trail running still feels different from road running, and who actually gets to shape what the sport becomes from here.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.

• 00:05 The Growth of Trail Running
• 00:24 The Evolution of Trail Running
• 13:19 The Personal Connection to Trail Running
• 33:33 The Diverging Paths of Trail Running
• 37:38 The Future of Trail Running: Balancing Elite and Everyday Experiences

1. Klattermusen
2. Sormlands Trail Race
3. Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races
4. Josh Rosenthal on IG
5. Borderlands.cc

1. Ultra Running isn't Just Running
2. Ultra Runners Need More Than Normal Life
3. Why Running Changes You with Raz Rauf

Presented by Kiprun.

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Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.

Watch on YouTube

Read on Substack

Cocodona 250 exposed something trail running still doesn’t totally want to admit: the audience is already here, but the fan experience still hasn’t caught up. After spending more than 13 hours inside the livestream tracking viewer behavior in real time, Josh breaks down why thousands of people kept tuning in while constantly disconnecting from the coverage itself.

This conversation goes deep on audience churn, race orientation, commentary drift, storytelling, and why trail running media still relies too heavily on goodwill from diehard fans. Not from the outside looking in, but from someone who desperately wants this sport to become easier to share with the people around him.

This one’s for trail runners, ultra fans, and anyone who wants the viewing experience to evolve alongside the sport itself.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.

1. Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races
2. Josh Rosenthal on IG
3. Borderlands.cc
4. La French Trail
5. High Tones
6. Subwhatever

1. Ultra Running isn't Just Running

Presented by Kiprun.

----

Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.

Watch on YouTube

Read on Substack

Ultra running nutrition is getting more extreme. More carbs, more precision, more pressure to “get it right.” But if you’ve ever had your stomach shut down mid-race, you know something isn’t adding up. This episode is for runners trying to fuel better without breaking their body in the process.

I sit down with Chris Bellamy, engineer, ultra runner, and founder of Yanaa, to explore the hidden cost of the high-carb movement, what it’s doing to gut health, and why real food might be the missing piece. We get into the tension between performance and health, and what elite athletes are actually doing when it matters.

This is for ultra runners who want to perform without sabotaging their system.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.

1. White Paper - From Health to Performance
2. Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races
3. Josh Rosenthal on IG
4. Borderlands.cc
5. La French Trail
6. High Tones
7. Subwhatever

1. An Elite Coach Reframes Fueling for Ultrarunners
2. Pre-Race Nutrition for Ultrarunners
3. Nutrition Myths for Ultrarunners

Presented by Kiprun.

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Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.

Watch on YouTube

Read on Substack

Ultra running promises performance, progress, and control. But for a lot of people, it’s filling a gap that normal life doesn’t. This episode explores what ultra running actually gives people and why it becomes something they need, not just something they do.

Joshua Landvatter and Kaden Coleman are attempting four 100-mile races in one summer. They both have real lives, real responsibilities, and no interest in chasing podiums. What comes out of this conversation is something deeper than training or racing, and it reframes what this sport really is.

This one’s for runners who feel like comfort isn’t enough and are looking for something more.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

If you’re new to Borderlands, start here.

00:00

1. Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races
2. Josh Rosenthal on IG
3. Borderlands.cc
4. La French Trail
5. High Tones
6. Subwhatever

1. Ultra Running isn't Just Running

Presented by Kiprun.

----

Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.

Watch on YouTube

Read on Substack

Why do some people keep going when everything says stop? If you’ve ever hit a breaking point in endurance sports and wondered what actually determines whether you quit or keep moving, this conversation is for you. This episode explores the real mechanics of the ultrarunning mindset, beyond training or toughness.

Matt Johnson has spent a lot of time at that edge, where the body is failing and the decision gets simple but brutal. Instead of motivation, this conversation gets into what actually happens in that moment, the thoughts, patterns, and behaviors that allow someone to keep going when stopping feels inevitable.

This one’s for runners and endurance athletes trying to understand what really happens at their limit. Follow the show for more conversations like this.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

1. Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races
2. Josh Rosenthal on IG
3. Borderlands.cc
4. La French Trail
5. High Tones
6. Subwhatever

1. Ultra Running isn't Just Running

Presented by Kiprun.

----

Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.

Watch on YouTube

Read on Substack

Listen on any podcast platform

Belong one Wylder, our community layer - iOS or Android

More at borderlands.cc

Nobody plans to become an ultra runner. There’s no clear path into the sport, no obvious starting point, and most people don’t grow up anywhere near it. So how do people actually find their way here?

In this conversation, Josh sits down with Emory Atterberry, founder of Hyperlyte Liquid Performance, and rising ultrarunner Cade Michael to explore how three people from the same unlikely place all ended up in the sport. What emerges is a deeper look at rebellion, isolation, and why some people feel pulled toward something harder.

This one’s for anyone trying to understand where ultrarunners really come from. Subscribe for more conversations that go deeper into the culture of the sport.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

• 00:00 The Journey to Becoming an Ultramarunner
• 01:34 The Journey to Ultrarunning
• 12:55 The Spirit of West Texas
• 15:58 Transitioning from Football to Ultra Running
• 25:16 The Mosaic of Inspiration in Running
• 33:12 The Journey to Ultrarunning: Growth and Transformation

1. Hyperlyte Liquid Performance
2. Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races - May 30
3. Josh Rosenthal on IG
4. Borderlands.cc
5. La French Trail
6. High Tones
7. Subwhatever

1. Ultra Running isn't Just Running

Presented by Kiprun.

----

Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.

Watch on YouTube

Read on Substack

Listen on any podcast platform

Belong one Wylder, our community layer - iOS or Android

More at borderlands.cc

Trail running is growing fast, but is it actually scaling? If you’ve ever felt like the sport looks bigger than it is, or struggled to follow it as a fan, this episode breaks down why. This is for runners and industry insiders trying to understand what’s really happening beneath the surface of trail running’s growth.

Josh unpacks the difference between participation and fandom, why brand investment is propping up the pro layer, and what’s missing for the sport to become something people actually follow. Western States and UTMB become the proving ground for a bigger question that could define the future of trail running.

This one’s for the runners who love the sport and want to understand where it’s actually headed.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

• 00:11 - The Illusion of Growth in Trail Running
• 02:05 - Understanding the Growth of Trail Running
• 03:33 - The Emergence of Fandom in Sports
• 06:58 - The Disconnect Between Fans and Athletes
• 08:18 - The Evolution of Running Culture
• 10:38 - The Importance of Fandom in Sports

1. Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races
2. Josh Rosenthal on IG
3. Borderlands.cc
4. La French Trail
5. High Tones
6. Subwhatever

1. Ultra Running isn't Just Running
2. Why Trail Running Feels Like Skateboarding but Isn't

Presented by Kiprun.

----

Borderlands explores trail running through culture, media, and the forces shaping it.

Watch on YouTube

Read on Substack

Listen on any podcast platform

Belong one Wylder, our community layer - iOS or Android

More at borderlands.cc