The Steep Stuff Podcast
Welcome to the Steep Stuff Podcast, your source for all things Short Trail
The Steep Stuff Podcast
#141 - Noah McMahan
A Tahoe childhood can shape an athlete for life—and Noah McMahan proves it. At 19, he’s a Gonzaga steeplechaser who keeps his easy runs on dirt, wins Broken Arrow 11K off a Hayward Field PR, and carries hard-earned lessons from the World Mountain Running Championships in Spain. We talk about the quiet confidence it takes to recover from injuries, the patience to build fitness through a long collegiate season, and the racecraft to navigate tight European singletrack when the start line explodes.
We dig into what it means to balance D1 expectations with trail ambitions: coach buy-in, smart training blocks, and the reality of fitting a “fourth season” into a college calendar. Noah opens up about recruitment from a small Nevada school, why team culture sold him on Gonzaga, and how a kinesiology major helps him stay healthy. He breaks down the Worlds course—road surge, singletrack congestion, switchback duels—and the two changes he’d make next time: more hill-specific work and earlier positioning to avoid bottlenecks.
Gear talk includes Nike Ultrafly on race day, a rotation that’s open to Saucony for daily miles, and curiosity about adding poles for steeper 23K goals. We share inspiration from Max King, Kilian Jornet, Jim Walmsley, Ruth Croft, and the next wave of hybrid athletes bridging track, road, and mountain disciplines. If you’re a young runner considering a future in trail running—or a fan who loves the sport’s evolving pathways—you’ll hear a clear blueprint for turning college structure into a sustainable pro trajectory.
If this story resonates, follow the show, share it with a teammate, and leave a quick review on your favorite app. Your support helps us bring more emerging voices and big trail dreams to the mic.
Follow Noah on IG - @noah_mcmahan_
Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello
Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod
Use code steepstuffpod for 25% off your cart at UltimateDirection.com!
Welcome back to the Steep Stuff Podcast. I'm your host, James L'Oriello, and today I am so excited to welcome Noah McMahon to the show. At just 19 years old, Noah is a redshirt freshman at Gonzaga University where he competes in the steeple chase. Noah actually grew up around Lake Tahoe and comes from a crazy lineage in our sport. Both mom and dad were trailrunners back in the day for Solomon. And on top of that, he went to Incline High School, where another very famous trailrunner in our sport had also attended. On top of that, Noah is a multiple-time broken arrow 11K champion and plans to move up to the 23K in 2026. This past year, he also competed on the U20 team at the World Mountain Running Championship in Confranc, Spain. We caught up to chat all things about his college experience, what it's like running at the D1 level, and his goals for the future. This young gun knows that the trails are an option and wants to pursue trail running after he graduates. On top of that, we talked about his experience at Worlds, what it was like getting to hang out with and meet all the professional trailrunners in the sport. I quizzed him on all of his favorite stuff. What's who's his favorite trail runner now? You know, like what his favorite shoes are, what the gear is all about, and what he wants to see from the sport and what gets him excited. So it was a fun chat. Uh not every day do I get to get a young gun on the uh on the show. So I definitely got to quiz him on a bunch of stuff and just see what he was interested in and see what the the thought is on uh the D1 scene right now, and if kids realize that like trail running and potentially mountain running like is a is a career path, which is kind of cool. So hope you guys enjoyed this one. Big fan of Noah's uh without further ado, Noah McMahon. So wait, Noah McMahon. Welcome to the Deep Stuff Podcast. How's it going, dude? Good, good. How are you? I'm doing great. I really appreciate you coming on the podcast for a conversation. Um yeah, stoked to have this, especially after some of the you know trail running and stuff that you put in this past summer. Definitely a standout season. Um, yeah, man. Maybe uh just give me like a five-minute elevator pitch on like your background so we get started.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so um, I mean, I grew up running. My parents were runners. Um, my dad ran in college, uh a small school in Kentucky where my twin brother runs now, um, which is pretty cool. Um my mom uh didn't grow up running, but uh started running when she met my dad. They did tarathlons and trail running, um, where they both uh ran for Solomon, which was pretty cool. Uh so growing up we were a Solomon household. Um started trail running, um kind of just fun races when I was younger, a little fun runs. Um and then in high school started cross country. Uh well, I guess I started middle school, but got serious in high school after COVID. Um and just been loving trail running, trail run for all my easy days. Um my workouts I might go to the track or something, but uh when I can I'm definitely out trail running. Um just growing up at Tahoe, like there's trails all around. So I kind of kind of just trail run wherever I can. Um I like the soft surface, I like the challenge. Um and then yeah, got into um Broken Arrow Sky Race uh when that started at Palisades. Um doing that a couple years, and then yeah, kind of went from there, applied for the world's team, uh, was just there and uh running cross-country and track here, uh having having a blast out here. So that's been a lot of fun. Um, but I definitely love trailer, definitely want to continue that, probably continue that post-collegiate as well.
SPEAKER_01:Nice, dude. Well, you I think you would be a great, literally like a super great addition. Uh shout out to Andy Wacker for Trail Team Elite when you so choose to apply to that. Um dude, let's talk, let's get into like your background too with with collegiate. Like, so you run for Gonzaga. Um, I think you're the only current college athlete I think I've ever had on the podcast, which this is fun because we'll get to chat all things track and field and cross country. Uh talk about your experience at Gonzaga. What is it like being a collegiate athlete right now? And uh what was the recruitment process like for you?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so out of high school I wasn't really recruited. Um it my last picks were between here and St. Mary's, uh so rivals in the uh college world. But um I ran pretty well in high school to where um the coach here decided to give me a chance. Um I won high school state 10 separate times, um two times in cross country and then four times twice in track. Um so I wasn't super heavily recruited uh just because um coming out of Nevada, it wasn't super fast. Um, but I knew I wanted to run in college. I just didn't know where. So I didn't decide till probably it was like April, my senior year. So um kind of just waited, was patient with it. Um and then once getting here, uh definitely an adjustment. I was injured all all last year for the first half of the year, um, at least, and then kind of just uh got healthy, ran a decent indoor season, uh started off the outdoor season pretty rough, but then my whole goal last year was just to get healthy, uh, which I succeeded in that, and then from there, since I was healthy, I wanted to make U-20 steeple and nationals.
SPEAKER_01:Um and yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:So that wasn't uh my first couple steeple races were hard, definitely really hard, and um I didn't think it'd be something um I could really improve much in uh because my my slowest race felt super hard. But then uh just gradually, like each race, I was dropping 20 seconds off each time. Um so I ended up qualifying for the US Nationals, uh, U-20 Steeple Nationals at uh Hayward Field. Got to race there uh this summer, which was actually two days before Broken Arrow. And so I raced there, got fourth there with a good PR, and then uh drove home and raced broken arrow.
SPEAKER_01:Which by the way, you won the 11k, correct? If I remember correctly. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that was uh legs are a little tired, uh hurting from all the driving, and uh I I struggle with Achilles stuff on and off, and so I wasn't sure how I was gonna do in that. Um kind of muscled through and uh took it out and was honestly kind of scared. So I was running a little scared there, but uh good race. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So how are your coaches? They're cool with you running trail races? Like, because I've heard usually people get like uh give like coaches usually give pushback with their their athletes running uh trail races.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so um two of my teammates actually ran at uh Worlds on the E20 team two years ago. Um so I talked to him about it and uh he he was totally alright with it. He said it'd be a great experience. Uh he's all he's big on the experiences and everything. So uh my coach loved me going and running. Um he also was like trying to help me structure training around getting ready for worlds. Um because I wasn't too worried about cross-country this year. So I was kind of just training for worlds, and then once I got back, I kind of jumped back into cross-country, but definitely um he was super supportive about it. Uh, loved me going out, having the experience, getting to travel like that.
SPEAKER_01:So cool. I want to go back in time a little bit. I I heard through the grapevine in my research that you um you went to the same high school as Michelina Censeri, right? And took a bunch of his medical school records.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Um, so our high school, small high school, uh, only got about 10 to 50 kids in it. Um and so I wouldn't say the records are easy, they're just not always getting broken. Um, so he had a lot of other records, and someone who was a senior, my freshman year had a couple records, and so my whole goal was just to break all those. Um and figured out a little bit that I got somewhat of a range. Um, I started doing the 400 a couple times throughout the year, like 400 or 4x4. Um, but it was definitely like I think I got his two-mile record, is what it was. Um and then throughout the year I kept breaking my own record. Um, but it was really cool to kind of see his records up there, but now my name up there, uh, just to see what a great trailrunner he's become. Just kind of where I want to get to as well.
SPEAKER_01:Dude, what was it like growing up in Tahoe and kind of living in that area? Like it's one of the most beautiful training grounds on the planet. Like it's so cool. Um yeah, paint that picture for me.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's it's really great. Um, just getting outside, I can get onto pretty much every trail in Tahoe within a half mile of my house. I just ran up onto the trails and they all connect. And I could go all the way around the lake if I wanted. Um so when um since they ran around the lake, I went and watched that. I ran with him for part of it uh to pace him just for fun. Um but growing up it's beautiful. Um during the winter I'll go down to lake level, run on the trails down there. And those are paved, but it's beautiful right next to the lake, uh crystal clear. And then uh during the summer, have like a 12-mile run down to the lake and hop in the lake right there. So it's really nice. Um it's challenging when I go back home now and there's that the altitude. Um, but uh I love summer altitude training. Uh that's one thing I miss uh down here, pretty much sea level. So it's great to go back, beautiful. Uh they're getting some snow right now. Glad I'm not getting all that. Um yeah.
SPEAKER_01:What's it like going to school Gonzaga? Like I've always known Gonzaga as like a basketball school, and it's so fun to watch you guys always in like the uh like the the Sweet 16 and the like the basketball playoffs and stuff like that. Um what's the atmosphere like there? Is it a fun school? Is it more academic? Like, what's it all about?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so it's it's a great school. Uh we're private, um, which is pretty cool. It's a lot smaller. Uh all my classes are pretty small, but it's a great basketball environment. Uh go to a lot of the games. We went to the Creighton game, uh, what was that last week? Um when we were both ranked pretty high. Um so it's it's really fun. Uh there definitely is the academic part to it, and uh they do set a high standard on that. You're an a student before the athlete. Um, but it's it's great. Uh our team culture is great. Um, I think the team is really why I'm here. Um and so it's kind of cool just to see everyone. They unfortunately did not make nationals this year, uh, but we're looking to get back there next year for sure.
SPEAKER_01:What's it like being a collegiate athlete for the school? Like, is it like a lot of good resources um, you know, compared to maybe friends that go to other schools or bigger universities and stuff like that? Like, what's it like um as far as that life in general? Maybe describe that.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's it's really great for the resources aspect. Uh if I need, I can schedule with teacher one-on-one or um the academic help uh from the athletics department is pretty cool as well. Um and then we kind of can just like um like feel out what we need to do. If we need to go talk to a teacher, go talk to athletics, they can kind of help us with the same thing. Um but uh it's kind of interesting when we register for classes, we have to see our advisor. Whereas in bigger schools, they don't necessarily have to, and it's kind of cool to just get to know someone one-on-one if we have questions or anything.
SPEAKER_01:Nice.
SPEAKER_00:What are you studying? I'm studying kinesiology. I want to be like an athletic trainer, uh, kind of get to know my body um as well, so I can maybe improve in running in that aspect, stay healthy.
unknown:Nice.
SPEAKER_01:Dude, that's a tough major to do, especially with uh with running. Like that's a lot of that's a lot of biology, a lot of stuff, a lot of chemistry.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, something our team kind of pride ourselves on is we not not many people are doing some easy major. Um, so it's like we're student athletes for real.
SPEAKER_01:Nice, nice. All right, let's shift gears a little bit. I I gotta talk to you about the trails, man. Like what what is it about? Well, first off, like why the trails? Is it more because of mom and dad and that upbringing around Solomon and understanding trail running? Like, is it more like that that as the kind of the background?
SPEAKER_00:Um, yeah, I'd say part of it definitely is. Um, but also just living in Tahoe, you can't go wrong with going on beautiful trails. Um, but really anywhere, I just love to I love the challenge, I love the different terrain. Um I can really kind of do whatever terrain I want around Tahoe, but also just like ups and downs, and you're descending fast, you're climbing slow, but you're climbing hard. So it's definitely uh different than track or something. And that's kind of why I love it.
SPEAKER_01:What's the like atmosphere at school? Like, do you do are do all the dudes and like know that like trail is an opportunity, like possibility now? Like you don't have to try and make it on the roads or make it on the track. Like there's there's actual options to go be a professional trail runner, or is that more so from your just your background?
SPEAKER_00:I'd say that's more so from my background. I know a lot of the guys kinda haven't looked into that, or um just kind of after their college career, they're kind of done. But um, it's definitely something I want to look into post-collegiate for sure. And definitely throughout the summers, like keep trail racing. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. So what sticks out to you for that? I mean, obviously Broken Arrow is a hometown race for you. Yeah, what else? What else do you think you're gonna show up to in 2026? Like, what's the what's the plan?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so I don't have too much on my radar right now, just kind of staying ready for track season, um, getting a good pace right now. But um, it's hard when I already have three seasons and that's like a fourth season. Um, but I definitely want to look into some bigger races this summer. Um, I'm thinking of doing the 23k at Broken Arrow, kind of stepping up there, and kind of just see what else there is out there. Um, I know there is a lot of races and definitely in Colorado and everything. So I want to get out to those. Um, just gotta figure it out with uh summer training and summer working.
SPEAKER_01:I'm gonna regret this because you're gonna come kick my ass, but you should really think about doing a circle series race. That'd be that'd be fun. Come come do it.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that sounds fun. I think I think um we might try to go out and do the trans Rockies this summer, so that might be another thing on there.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, hell yeah, dude. Hell yeah. All right, I don't want to bury the lead too much because I feel like I've gotten away from it, but I want to get I want to talk worlds. Like you were a selection this year uh to go race, it was you 20, correct? That was the team you were on? Yep. Talk about that. Like that is obviously a massive honor to go represent team USA abroad. You got to see really the pointy end of the spear with uh just the on the world scene, some of the greatest trailrunners on the planet get to do their craft. What kind of stood out to you and what was your level of excitement to make that team?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I was super excited to make that team. Um I hadn't made the U18 team, so I was um didn't even know there was a U-20 team until uh not too far out on before the deadline, honestly. Um, but then when I got the call that I made the team, I was super excited. Um I was just looking forward to the experience. And then um once I got to school and we started doing workouts, I didn't think I was super fit. So once we got there and I had a pretty decent race, I figured, okay, like I definitely do like being here. I definitely uh love to represent USA. Um and I think there's a little thing, little things that I could have done different throughout the race just to improve my race a little bit, but that's in the past. I can't really change that. Um, but it was an amazing experience, uh, something I would definitely love to represent USA again. Um, but and step up the distance.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Talk about the race, man, and how it unfolded. Like, what was it like racing against uh people from all over the world, man? You know, it's like I I don't know, like I think it's a little different, a little more unique, especially because at the collegiate level, obviously you're racing guys all over the country, you know, with all different, you know, levels of ability. This is different. Like this is the pointy tip of the spear for guys your age. What was that like and how did the race unfold for you?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so um I mean it was super cool just being in the airport, seeing all the different athletes from different countries, and then we're uh we went and watched the VK and just all the athletes are there, and the atmosphere kind of starts building. Um and then just throughout the week leading up to the race, I was kind of nervous, but uh keeping it controlled. And then throughout the race, like or build leading up to the race that morning of I was definitely nervous. But as the race started, we started on the road, uh, which was interesting to me to start. Um, but everyone went out super hard and everyone was being super uh competitive on the line to where we couldn't get that we were supposed to have one from each country on the front line. Uh we couldn't get a single guy up front. Others wouldn't let us pass them. Um so we were we were kind of packed up in the back. Um, but it was a good road section to get settled in. Um and everyone started out quick. And I definitely stayed conservative because uh I've been known to go out too hard. Um and so on the road part, conservative, uh once we hit single track trail, I immediately started passing because it was just barely too wide. Um and then surprisingly we're only like a mile in and kids started walking. Um so that was a little frustrating, definitely, uh, because I knew I could have been pushing a little harder if I wasn't behind people walking.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, I gotcha.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it was uh just one big line all the way to the front. Um as we got it started to get towards the top of the climb, uh there was a little more separation. And um kids were being I I guess it's the European style racing where they kind of just try to hold you back. Uh, because every time I tried to go past, they'd speed up too. So I was like almost in a full sprint trying to pass. Um but at the top, I did pass a couple more people right before the descent, and then it switched backs all the way down. Um and I was trying to go inside and outside of people trying to pass, and uh I think it was the kids from Germany, possibly, just wouldn't let me pass. Um so as soon as we got on the road or on like the fire road, I passed there. But um, yeah, I think it's the European style of racing, they kind of don't want you to pass, um especially in that short of a race. So as soon as we got on the road, I tried to get everything I had, but I think once we hit the hard surface, my legs uh felt elactic a lot more. And uh I was just trying to finish at that point. It was it was uh definitely hard that final half mile.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Well, I mean, well fought race, dude. And I I think it's so cool because you at a young age, see, like a lot of guys in our sport didn't really get afforded these opportunities to be able to like race on an international stage and see what it's like grouped up at the front and see how fast it goes out and see how the Euros like to race. And I think it it's just for us in our ability, this is a very nationalistic comment, but like in our ability to like compete in the future as Americans, like on a world stage, like it's it's it's amazing for you guys to get to see that. So that way you will be prepared and have those tools when the time does come, you know, whether it's you're racing a mountain classic or a VK or whatever you'd be racing down the line uh when you make Team USA. I know I think it's pretty cool to be able to get those experiences and get to see what that's like.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah, it definitely was.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Um what did you take away? Like what was your learnings from it? Like, do you like any anything you would do differently next time?
SPEAKER_00:Differently next time? I definitely wish I had slightly more of a uh summer of training. I I think I had a pretty good summer, but um I definitely felt a little bit out of shape. Um and I maybe hit a little more hills. Um and then really just kind of raise it slightly different. I still think I would have died either way towards the end. Uh, but maybe go out a little harder so I wasn't behind those kids who were walking. Um it was still great to experience that. And honestly, I can't change much now, but uh next time there's a lot to take away from it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. How was it like with teammates and getting to meet other members of Team USA? Like, did you did you make some good relationships out of that? Like as far as meeting the other guys and gals?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so uh one of the guys on the team actually goes here. Uh he's a freshman here. Uh so we traveled together uh there. We met one other guy on the team at the train station, and then we met the last dude there. We met all the girls there as well. Uh they're all super cool. Uh I got to see one of them race last weekend at NXR, uh, one of the girls. Um, so it's kind of cool. Like um, they're all committing places, um, and it's kind of cool to see them do that and progress with their running. Um, but they're definitely like good friends now. Like we built a good connection there. Um we were all joking, laughing the whole time. Um, so it was pretty cool. Even the girls' team was pretty close. Like uh we would all hang out every now and then while we were there, uh, because we had a couple days there even before a race.
SPEAKER_01:What was it like? Um, did you get any access to like, I don't know, did you get to talk to Jim Wamsley? Did you get to talk to Joe Gray? Like two of the greatest, you know, Katie Scheid's in the mix there, like hanging out. Like some of the best American trail runners of all time are are hanging out. Like, did you get access to any of these people and get to talk to them?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so I think a lot of them had their own, they're at their own hotels or something. But a lot of the US team was in our hotel, and we'd uh see them at lunch or dinner and we'd get to hang out with them. Um but then I think a couple of them doubled. So those days we didn't see them at all. And um, but they were pretty inviting. We're at lunch or at dinner, we'd they'd sit by us and ask us who we were, where we're from, all that. Um, and then Tim Walmsley was super, super humble. And after our race, he came up to us, said good job, um, asked us how it went, um, and like took a picture with us and everything. Um, we had been watching the live streams for the other races, so it was really cool to see those athletes in person and kind of meet them as well. So cool.
SPEAKER_01:Anyone that stood out to you besides Jim that like was really kind and like would just, you know, like a just I don't know. I I sometimes we forget like just trail runners, like these guys and gals, like they're they're role models for your you know, your class that's coming up, or people like you that want to go become a professional in the sport.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I mean, I'd say all of them were super nice. Um like everyone was super inviting, um, and they all talked to us. So I I wouldn't say any one person, but they all talked to us, all wanted to hear about our story and everything like that.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, we've got, I mean, honestly, dude, like best sport on earth, good people, great, great humans, and they're all awesome. Like everybody on that team is amazing. Um, yeah, dude, who I I guess so I want to shift gears a little bit. I just have so many questions for you. Like in the sense of, you know, I don't get to talk to like people more I so you in your like age group that are interested in trail. Like, what sticks out to you right now? Like, what interests you about it? Like what brands are you interested in? Like, what shoes do you wear on the trail? Like, what is your favorite aspect of it? I just have like so many things that I'd be interested to learn from you about it.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so a I liked a lot of the gear we got for uh worlds. It was all Nike gear. Uh we didn't get shoes, but did you get one uh we're in Nike gear? We did. Oh, you got one, yeah. Oh, dude. Yeah, don't sell it, keep it because that thing's probably worth it. I'm not going to. I heard people trying to talk about selling it, and I I knew exactly what it was when we got it, and knew exactly I was keeping it for forever.
SPEAKER_01:It's awesome.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Um, but we're in Nike school here, so I wear a lot of Nike shoes uh just for our everyday runs. Um I wore the Nike Ultra Flies for the race, um, just a bit of a speed shoe. Um but honestly, yeah, I love Nike shoes. Uh they're a big brand. Um I think my training shoes all summer were Socney. Um but I kind of just find what feels best when I'm finding shoes. Um most of the time it does end up being Nike, uh, but I also like Hogos and Saukney, but um I'm not very picky. I do I do like somewhat soft shoes, but not too soft. Um so that's the gear I go with. Uh for like the 23k this year, I'd love to find some polls and race with polls just with all that comment. But I I don't know if I have any specific gear I use. Interesting.
SPEAKER_01:The polls, man. Everybody's adopting the polls these days. It's a popular thing. Shout out to Sven Lacky, man. I gotta start, I gotta talk to him. Um yeah, you can get some polls sent your way. Um yeah why not like as far as like content you consume like from just being interested, is it more ultra? Like, are you more interested in the long stuff or the short stuff right now?
SPEAKER_00:Um right now the short stuff. Um, but I do love watching the long stuff. Uh it's almost every year that we go watch the Western States, um, and that's great to watch, um, great to see. Uh, but then like UTMB, I watch a lot of their um kind of like highlights because that is a super some super long races. Um and uh definitely shorter right now, but I would like to step it up to longer as I start to lose my speed more. And uh yeah, I like while we were in Spain, we watched a couple UTMP races just just to kind of get some motivation going.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, that's cool. That's cool. Who's your like that's just a weird question, but like who's your favorite trail runner right now? Like who do you look to or to that like gives you uh that gets you stoked that's like doing something in the sport?
SPEAKER_00:Um when I was growing up, it was definitely Max King, uh, just since my parents ran with him. Uh Killian's another great one. Um but then I wouldn't pick one, it's really all those Western states guys. Um and then also Ruth Ruth Croft, uh great runner. Uh she came and stayed with us for a couple weeks before she won the Western States, and uh that was really cool to see. Um I wouldn't say there's one person, but um definitely some bigger names out there. Definitely Walmsley. Uh definitely look up to them. Interesting.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I think I don't know. I find it so cool. It's always interesting to talk to folks because like I'm so in the sport that like sometimes I don't take a step back to say, like, okay, like like what do other people think of this, or what do other people find interesting? Um Yeah. Man. What um all right, as far as goals go, like are you interested in transitioning straight to trails after college? Is there like any plans to try and make a go of it on the roads, or is it just straight trails for you?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so I mean, well in college, I hope this year or next year to make uh regionals for stable taste. And then if that leads to nationals, that'd be great. And from there see what happens. Um but if I don't really see that going anyway, then I'd probably trip uh transition spread into trails. Um but also I want to keep some of that speed. So like I know there's some athletes, not many, but they kinda do a trail season and then maybe a road or track season. So I I would love to do something like that.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. I mean it's a growing like section of the sport now. I I see it more so probably on the women's side that I've seen it more doable. Like we've got McKenna Morley coming over um, you know, from the roads as a marathoner, and now coming into the sport and kind of doing both. Um, dude, Grayson Murphy. Uh I mean you have Christian too. I think Christian is probably the best male example of kind of doing both on the roads and the tracks. Did you get a chance to meet Christian at uh at Worlds?
SPEAKER_00:I believe so. There were so many people. He had the mullet.
SPEAKER_01:He was the mullet guy with the mustache and the mullet.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, yeah, yeah. Yeah, he was super nice.
SPEAKER_01:Dude, that's that's that's one of our great American hopes. Like that's our that's the future of our sport right there, is probably him. Um Taylor Stack 2, Cam Smith. I'm see, I'm a big fan of all these guys. Lots of yeah, it's all cool. Um interesting.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, all right.
SPEAKER_01:Um, so I like the goals and stuff like that. Is there any races that stick out to you that like you'd like to do in the next few years outside of Broken Arrow? Like, have you looked into like the Golden Trail series or um, I know there's like series and all, the gamma, races like that, or maybe the Skyrunner series, but that might be a little slow for someone like you. Like, is there anything that like kind of stands out?
SPEAKER_00:Um, I haven't really looked that far ahead. I know I should be looking at that. Um but it's kind of just balancing seeing when my track season actually ends and when I can actually go into that trail racing summer. Um, if I'm making regionals that cuts into my summer two, three more weeks. So it's I haven't looked too far ahead just in case maybe I'm injured coming off of track season or something. But I definitely like to think about those as options in these next couple summers. Very cool.
SPEAKER_01:Awesome, man. Well, listen, we're at about 30, 35 minutes now. I think we've got a ton. Um I think it's a good place to start. I'm really appreciative for you to come on the pod and have a conversation. Um yeah, I'm looking forward to where the season's gonna take you next, man. I hope uh we get to bump into each other at Broken Arrow this year. And uh yeah, man, I'll be cheering for you along the way. And uh thanks for coming on.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, sweet. Thank you so much. Yeah, I appreciate it, dude.
SPEAKER_01:Awesome. Thanks, Ben. What'd you guys think? Oh man, I want to thank Noah so much for coming on the pod. What a brave future ahead, and I can't wait to see uh where this kid's career takes him. Uh, want to thank him so much for coming on the show. The best way you could support Noah is to give him a follow on Instagram. You guys can find him at Noah underscore McMahon underscore. It's gonna be linked in the show notes. Definitely give him a follow and uh shoot him a message. Let him know what you guys thought about the episode. Um, sure he'd love to hear from all of you. Guys, uh, thanks so much for your continued support for the show. Um, if you wouldn't mind giving us a five-star reading and review on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube, wherever you consume podcasts, definitely means the world to me, and it's how we can continue to tell the stories of these amazing athletes. That would be absolutely stupendous, awesome, and incredible. And very last but not least, it is the holidays. If you guys are thinking about getting something for your loved ones, definitely check out brand partner ultimate direction. It's gonna get you 25% off as the code Steep Stuff Pod. That's one word Steep Stuff Pod for 25% off your carton ultimately.com. Guys, I have a ton of stuff coming down the pipeline. It is the running event week, so TRE week. Uh so stuff's gonna be dropping uh as we go. Um but yeah, definitely a lot of stuff planned over the next couple weeks uh that should be a lot of fun. Definitely some good stuff being lined up now. So thanks so much for tuning in. Thanks so much for coming on. Appreciate it.
