The Steep Stuff Podcast
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The Steep Stuff Podcast
Tayler Peavey - Pre Sunapee Scramble (U.S. Mountain Running Championship) Interview
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Two loops can turn a “simple” mountain race into a full blown tactics problem, especially when the second lap gets more technical and the weather hints at mud. We’re joined by Taylor Peavey ahead of the US Mountain Running Championships to talk through the nerves and excitement of stepping into her first true mountain classic and why that unknown is exactly what makes it worth chasing.
We get into real race strategy: how measured pacing on loop one can still keep you in position, where moves tend to happen once the course steepens up, and how to stay open minded while racing against a deep field. Taylor also shares how she thinks about course previewing, arriving a couple days early, and handling East Coast style trails that have a reputation for being slick and unforgiving.
Footwear talk gets specific, because on a rainy championship day your shoe choice is part of your plan. Taylor compares what she’s liked in the Nike ACG Ultrafly and why she’s considering a lower profile option like the Nike Kiger for better control on steep descents. We also zoom out to the season, from Broken Arrow to Sierre Zinal, and what a Team USA opportunity and racing in Canada could mean for building experience ahead of bigger world team goals.
If you’re into mountain running, trail racing tactics, technical descending, and the training mindset that holds up when the race gets chaotic, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a training partner, and leave a review with your best mud racing tip.
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Steep Stuff And Cetus Insoles
SPEAKER_00This is the Steep Stuff Podcast. Interrupting this episode to talk to you guys about Cetus Insoles, official partner of the Steep Stuff Podcast. How many of you athletes out there wear insoles? I do. Not only do I get a little performance boost, a whole lot of foot comfort, but I also get about a quarter inch to a half inch of height boost, which is a win-win-win, if you ask me. Doesn't matter. Run, ski, outdoor, multi-sport, and daily life. Cetus insoles have something for everyone. I alternate between the three feet protect and the three feet low to give me optimal comfort on uneven and technical terrain. Check them out online at Cedus.us. Cetus is the official football care partner of Western States and UTMB. Cetus, your foot company.
Taylor PB Returns And Race Nerves
SPEAKER_00Taylor PB, welcome back to the Steep Stuff Podcast. How's it going?
SPEAKER_01Good, good. Thanks for having me. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Thank you for uh putting up with our crazy internet today. Um super excited to chat with you. Can't believe it's already the U.S. Mountain Running Championship. Uh, how are you feeling? Kind of going into this race. How's how's taper going? How's the nerves? How's everything kind of going into this race?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I'm feeling good. I'm excited. Um, this will be like my first mountain classic race. Um, so excited to try out like this end of the spectrum in the soul vulture space. Um so I think like lining up with a little bit of unknown in that aspect, but like in an exciting way. I'm excited to see how I feel over this kind of distance and and the way, yeah, just like an up and down race plays out. So I love it.
SPEAKER_00What do you think about the two loops? Is that is that does that intimidate you? Like, have you been training for something like you gotta obviously go super hard for the first one? It's a little bit different, and the second one's obviously much more technical. Um, how do you reconcile that as far as like your racing plans?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I I like it because it's yeah, I think you have to be like a little bit measured on the first loop, but also just like trust yourself and your fitness and your legs to be there for you. And I think, yeah, definitely like think about that sometimes in training, just practicing like putting some effort into some descents, but then turning around and climbing again. So um I think yeah, I'm excited. I think it it makes the the racing aspect pretty interesting. Um but yeah, I think uh I I also like that the second loop's a little bit different. I've heard it's that that's where it gets a little bit techier, and just I think that's like an interesting spot in the race to think about like moves and being competitive.
Two Loop Course And Pacing
SPEAKER_01So yeah, I think it'll be fun.
SPEAKER_00No, I think it's very smart and in the sense smart in the sense as well, where I'm sure you've had like discussion or gotten some feedback on it. Like that is where moves are made, right? Is like kind of on that second loop, somewhere in that climb or transitioning kind of off the climb into the descent. It seems like both Anna last year made her move there and David Norris was able to make his move uh accordingly as well. So yeah, weird, it's crazy how things get decided kind of on that second climb, which will be interesting. Are you do you plan to like preview it when you go out, or are you gonna just kind of on site it?
SPEAKER_01I I'd like to get out uh pre on pre-race, like the day before, just to have an idea of what what it's like. I I don't know that I'll do the full loop, but um just get my bearings a little bit. Um still making some like shoe decisions. So I think it'll be interesting to like get on the course a little bit and see. Like I haven't I'm from the East Coast, but I haven't run on these East Coast type trails. So um they have a reputation. So wanting to kind of get on and get my footing a little bit before deciding.
SPEAKER_00Maybe talk about some of the shoes that you uh like what would you use in in wet condition? Because it seems like it's gonna be a rainy day versus like what would you use in like in in like dry conditions.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I just looked up the weather actually today, and I I feel like this race is always seems to be very wet, like from what I've seen. So um yeah, I um I've been racing in the the Nike ACG, the Alpha uh Ultraflies the last couple races. Um really like the way they feel pretty stable to me and like solid traction. Um my only my thought going into this race is just like, do I want a slightly lower profile shoe? I just like seeing some like photos and videos of the descent in prior years. It looks like maybe less shoe might be the move. So I've been playing around with the the Kigers, are like to me, they're almost like the trail equivalent of a track flat, um, which is much less of a shoe that I'm used to wearing, at least in the trails. But I'm gonna bring a pair out there and just like see how I feel running around in them.
SPEAKER_00So it's gonna be so interesting. Either way, I mean it becomes like just a mud slip and slide. I think David Norris lost his shoe last year and had to like get it back on.
SPEAKER_01Oh my gosh. So it's just okay. So we tape the shoes or something.
SPEAKER_00It's heinous, absolute heinous. I mean, the biggest thing is just like love. I love it. Yeah, we'll we will see. Um, you know, it's really cool. I mean, your season's been awesome so far. I mean, great race at Big Alta, amazing race at Gorge, like crazy duel back and forth with Lauren. Um, what do you think about like the steep technical? It's just a different racing style in general. Like, does that have you super excited? Because your style normally is these more flatter, very fast courses, longer, a little bit longer, too.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, it does have me excited because I think it's like a different sort of skill set. And like, I think it's really fun to like, and I I've kind of been working on some of that, just like practicing, um, being ready to show up kind of like confident on yeah, some of that techier stuff in the downhills. Um, so yeah, and I I also think like another big reason why I think this fits well into the season is that like it only will help me moving forward, like getting the experience on this kind of terrain and this kind of field. So I think win-win, like I'll definitely learn some things and hopefully learn them fast enough to do well in real time. So I love it.
SPEAKER_00I love it. It's gonna be it's gonna be super fun. Uh, where are we gonna see you at this season? Are you gonna be
Course Preview Plans And Shoe Picks
SPEAKER_00at broken arrow and some of the other mountain races this year?
SPEAKER_01Yes, I'll be a broken arrow during the 23k. Um, so I think this is kind of a nice uh yeah, race leading into that too. It's like a nice hard effort a couple weeks out as well. So I'll be a broken arrow, excited about that. Um I will be at Sears and All in August, which I'm really excited about. Very cool. Um yeah, and I was considering a July race in there, but I'm kind of leaning maybe no. I kind of like I've been enjoying having some like nice like training blocks between little racing blocks, so might just like hit these June races and then have a nice training block going into Sears and All. So very cool. That's the plan as of now. And then I I don't really know what's past August, but we'll see.
SPEAKER_00Very cool. Yeah, it's uh dude, series and all is gonna be bananas. It's gonna be such a fun race. So you're in for such a treat, it's gonna be awesome.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I'm really excited. Plus, like first international race for me. So I think just yeah, checking a lot of boxes, like getting that experience and to be really fun.
SPEAKER_00So last year you were the 50k USATF champ. This year, if you were to become the USATF mountain running champ, which is a little bit different, obviously, you get to go represent Team USA in Canada. Is that what what is the excitement level for that? That's I mean, I have to be honest with you, but I mean, I I think everyone would include you somewhere in their top four. So there's a good possibility you get in there. What would that mean to you to go represent Team USA?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, that would it would it would be huge. I think um, yeah, it's obviously not like a world's year, but I think making like being able to represent the US in any capacity is like a really exciting opportunity. And I think also just getting that experience going into a world's year next year is really exciting. Um, and yeah, kind of coming from like I've excelled like 50k and like half and stuff, but like I think it's also important to me as an athlete to think about um just like my versatility across all these different distances. So like being able to excel and and compete for a US team or to represent the US um kind of in a short, shorter, like different type race, like um, yeah, I think that's important to me too, to see what I can do there and like develop my skill set there and go get that experience. So it would be huge. I'd be really, really excited. Um, and I've never been to Canada. So cheering on top.
SPEAKER_00It's yeah, I think it's all it's all DeFi decalure is gonna be uh a sweet race. It seems like everyone's gonna be there. Yeah, and especially for the WMRA, it's a good opportunity to see kind of where you, you know. I mean, obviously you'll get to see that with series on all, but it's a just another opportunity for the mountain classic as well to kind of see how you do in that distance against, you know, truly like some of the best in the world, which is cool.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. And and having an opportunity to race with teammates, like like few and far between opportunities to do that in this sport. So that that would be amazing to line up with some other women from the US and try and like do well as a team.
SPEAKER_00I know this is like crazy foreshadowing for the future, and and we don't really know what'll happen for 2027, but is there a chance? I mean, I gotta be honest, like you'll probably be what eyeing the short trail as well as the mountain classic for 2027 to get on that world's team. So I feel like this is a good rehearsal for something like that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think it's a really good rehearsal regardless. I I actually like don't know if I had to like pick one, I I almost see myself like between the two distances, maybe. Um saying that not having much experience in the the true like mountain classic. So I am like excited to get some experience here and hopefully maybe in Canada later this year. Um, but yeah, like I think both of these experiences will only help going into next year, like hoping to make one of those teams.
SPEAKER_00So now coaching wise, you work with you work with David, right? David Roche? Can you talk? I don't know, you don't have to give away any like crazy inside baseball. I'm just so curious, like any any workouts in particular, like does he have you doing like you coming off a climb, clearing lactate, and then going right back into a hard climb? Like any crazy workouts like in mad science stuff
Season Calendar And Key Races
SPEAKER_00that he kind of has you doing in the lead up for a race like this?
SPEAKER_01Oh, mad science. Um, I don't know. I don't know if there's any like crazy secrets. I feel like we've just been like chipping away at kind of our bread and butter. Um I feel like, yeah, in terms of like just some some long run efforts out here, especially, like we'll like hit some hard climbs and then still have some good running after that. Um, and that's where I'm kind of trying to practice like climbing hard, descending, you know, with intention and then like climbing again after and really gaining that stimulus. Or we'll sometimes do like some hard hill reps, and whether that's like on the road or on the trail, and then do some more moderate to steady running, kind of clearing some lactate. So um, yeah, definitely some different opportunities to practice that in training, but no secret sauce, just stacked in the weeks, you know.
SPEAKER_00All right. This is uh, and this this might be like a too hard of a like too much inside baseball. So feel free to not answer this. I ask asked everyone this, like style-wise, uh, because obviously the men's field is gonna approach things differently. We all know how Christian's gonna race. We all kind of have an idea of how dance can race. On the women's side, though, and this is for me from a commentating perspective, like I I don't know how like how Courtney's gonna go off the line. I don't know how you're gonna go off the line. Like, do you plan on like maybe keying off of others, or are you just gonna take it out and like run your own race and and do your thing? Like, do you have like how will you approach this race mentally?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well, I think another reason why we thought it was important to put this race in the schedule was it is like another good opportunity to race, like line up against a good field of women and practice competing and practice managing like my own effort over this distance, but also like doing that while competing and not just like you can't just run in a bubble, like you have to run against the people around you. So I think it'll be somewhere in the middle of like, like, I haven't run a mountain classic race. I've run for like about this amount of time on the trails, but I think there'll be some amount of figuring out like effort-wise what makes sense for me, especially it being like a double looped course, but doing that while competing, like not, you know, not letting the race get away from me and also probably not like making any crazy moves too early on. Um, so yeah, I think it's it's a good way to practice because it's I mean, similarly, like I'm hoping to just continue lining up at pretty deep fields the rest of the year. So I just want to keep practicing that element. So sorry, probably not helping you
Chasing Team USA And Canada
SPEAKER_01at all.
SPEAKER_00No, no, you are, you are, you are you, you are. I mean, this kind of leads into another question though, and this is like more off of how you feel. Um, like if as more people get to know who Taylor is and learn who you are, and like I've seen like you're for instance, like you racing Lauren Gregory and you racing uh at Big Alta on the live stream. Is it weird that like now people are gonna be keying off of you because they have an idea of how you're like they have an idea of who you are and they're gonna try and match your moves or kind of just like key off of you as the race starts? Is that is that kind of weird?
SPEAKER_01Maybe I feel like I think about that less than I think about like like figuring out my own effort range, if that makes sense. Um and then eventually just like making moves with whoever's there. So I guess like that doesn't cross my mind as much as like making sure I'm happy with how I'm managing the effort.
SPEAKER_00Um yeah, yeah, no, I like it. That's that's a good way to answer. Sorry, I always get into the weeds with like the tactics and stuff like that because this is a this is not so much like a Cirque series race where in the West, like the Cirque series races are kind of a uh it's like a track meet. It's so fast, right? This one, there's gonna be a little more tactics to it because it's one, it's two loops, and two, it is much more technical. It's you know, it's just there's more margin, I guess, for error if there was gonna be error versus something where the person with the biggest engine and the person that's the fittest is generally going to win. So I always like asking this question to get to get to learn a little more inside baseball with how people go for it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and I think a part of that too is like I like the same way when I was lining up at Gorge, like excited about the women who are gonna be there. Similarly, here where it's like I'm really excited to compete, but I'm also excited to like kind of immerse myself in the field and like learn from those around me. Like I'm entering a course and like style of racing that I don't have much experience in. So I'm excited to kind of absorb and like learn and come out with like hopefully some yeah, like definitive information about how to continue improving. So um that excites me too. It's obviously like a lot to juggle mentally when you're racing, but I think it's like if you can kind of go in with an open mindset, like that excites me to kind of come out with just some more experience.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. It's always learning, it's always, you know, it's a great opportunity to just yeah, to to grow as an athlete and improve in in little ways. And you can learn a ton, a ton of things, um, which is really cool. I gotta ask you, as far as travel goes, are you someone that likes to go out to these races like early to adjust adjust to the time change uh and just like you know, kind of get settled in and see the course and stuff like that? Or do you like go straight out like the day before
Training With David Roche
SPEAKER_00and then and just wing it kind of person?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, if it's within the US, I'm not ever like crazy concerned about the time change, especially I feel like trail races aren't as aggressively early as like road races. Um so my like sweet spot is like two days before. Um I'm not that big. I generally don't like to travel the day before because that's just like kind of beats you up. Um so yeah, I'll head out on Friday. Um obviously, like here to the East Coast is like slightly annoying. You just lose a whole day automatically. But um yeah, I'm not too picky.
SPEAKER_00So cool, cool. Well, I think that gets it all. I think we we we kind of hit everything. Uh anything that you would like to add?
SPEAKER_01I don't think so. I'm excited. Um yeah, be good to have you out there. And yeah, it should be a really good field. So just excitement.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. No, I can't wait to do the pro-strace interviews. I always love it because like, dude, last year was so special with like people, you know, just did battle and everyone's like, you know, like, you know, the I don't know, just the excitement and the joy to capture that. Like maybe like fall in love with the sport all over again. So I hope to feel that way again and get an interview by everybody after the race and having those conversations. So it should be a good time. Oh, one last question. We already talked about shoes kit. Um, this is for the audience, so people can spot you. And so like we can all have an idea of like, we'll know numbers, but if bibs are covered in mud, um, it might not be as easy to to spot uh for athletes and stuff like that. So, what what kind of kit are you gonna be in?
SPEAKER_01That's a good question. I don't know. Um I uh at this moment, probably something black or white. So um, yeah, I don't have something locked in. And I'll also like looking at the weather, I'm like, oh, I may need more layers that I'm planning, like perhaps a proper shirt. Um so we'll see. Like it looks like it could be chilly, which I'm thrilled about, but yeah, cool race to be nice.
SPEAKER_00It's starting to get warm.
SPEAKER_01Perhaps black. I don't know.
SPEAKER_00Fair enough, fair enough. No, that's that's good. Well, uh, yeah. Well, I'm wishing you the best of luck. I cannot wait to follow the race. The women's race is gonna be so exciting. Um, and I just really
Tactics Travel Kit And Final Thoughts
SPEAKER_00appreciate you for coming on and having a chat and looking forward to our post-race interview. And uh yeah, safe travels out, and thank you so much.
SPEAKER_01Thank you. Yeah, I'll see you there.
SPEAKER_00Yep, thank you.
