The Steep Stuff Podcast
Your Source for all Things Trail, Mountain & Skyrunning
The Steep Stuff Podcast
Josh Potvin, Pre Beast of Big Creek Interview
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A fast sky race can look simple on paper until you add singletrack bottlenecks, an out-and-back with traffic, and a technical finish that punishes sloppy footwork. We sit down with Canadian trail runner Josh Potvin for a quick, focused catch-up before Beast Of Big Creek, starting with what training has looked like from Vancouver and why this has been one of his most consistent years ever.
From there, Josh breaks down Quebec Mega Trail: the heat, the ruthless technical sections, and the mindset shift that lets you walk away proud when you execute well even if the placing wasn’t the headline goal. We also talk about the Canadian team selection process for short trail, what it takes to put yourself in the conversation, and how results plus timing can shape your season.
Then we shift to something new for Josh: joining the Merrell trail running team. He shares what surprised him about the team culture, how support matters when races go sideways, and which Merrell shoes he’s been using for long runs, technical trail days, and faster efforts. We close with his Beast Of Big Creek strategy, why steep Pacific Northwest terrain is the perfect prep, plus a real-world look at 100K recovery and turning the legs around for the next block as he eyes Whistler UTMB and an OCC ticket.
If you enjoy athlete stories, practical race prep, and honest talk about what actually works, subscribe, share this with a running friend, and leave a quick rating and review.
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Welcome And Listener Support
SPEAKER_00This is the SteamStuff Podcast. What's up, guys? Uh hey, before we get started, if you haven't already, whatever platform you're listening to this on, please hit that subscribe or follow button, whether that's Apple, Spotify, or YouTube. Those subscriptions go a super long way in being able to keep the podcast going and allowing me to continue to tell the stories of these amazing athletes and also do some of the race coverage and all the good stuff that we've been doing over the last few years. And also, if you haven't already, please give us a rating and a review if you haven't. Yeah, let us know what you guys think about the podcast and hope you enjoy this episode. Thanks so much for tuning in.
Weather Check And Training Update
SPEAKER_00All right, Josh Poffin. Welcome back to the Steep Stuff Podcast. How's it going, my friend? I'm great. It's a beautiful Friday here, Northland. So thanks for having me. Nice, dude. Weather kicking good. Not too bad weather over there. I always feel like when I think of the Pacific Northwest, I think of like rain. You know what? Summers is beautiful.
SPEAKER_01It's the smokes, the smoky time of year that could make running miserable, but it's been really good actually this year. It's been very little smoke, so that may change coming up, but so far it's been good.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I know it's pretty far away, but I was surprised by like uh like Oregon, like the Oregon smoke has been really bad in the wildfires and stuff like that down that way.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think actually Vancouver, I'm in North Vancouver, but I think Vancouver had a got a little pocket of it and it didn't get trapped. It usually gets trapped here in the mountains, and then but hasn't yet, which is good. So I'm happy about that.
Quebec Mega Trail Takeaways
SPEAKER_00Dude, how's how's training going? I know we're we're having this conversation to do a pre-beast of Big Creek conversation, but be remissed if I didn't ask how uh how the build has been going so far.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, like I've been this has actually been one of my most consistent training years I've ever had, which is awesome. Like um I should knock on blood because it's like very little injuries, and every like I've kind of built for four races so far, and each one was executed perfectly. The races probably were kind of okay, but the training was so consistent, which was like one of my big goals for this year. Um really excited about that.
SPEAKER_00That's amazing, dude. I mean, fifth at Canadian Gems is a big deal. Quebec Mega Trail. It seemed like it was a big party over there, dude. Everybody seemed uh like they had a blast.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it and it had a ton of Canadian athletes out, which is good. It made it really competitive. Uh it was hot, of course, being out in Quebec. That course is ruthless. It's super technical. Um, so I think I think I prepared really well for it. The heat hit me a bit, but I managed to you know finish fairly strong in the fifth, which I was which I was happy about. Like I like couldn't uh it wasn't the goal, but it was I ended with you know good spirits, being like, okay, I did my best there and got out, got out when
Canadian Team Selection Explained
SPEAKER_01I needed to.
SPEAKER_00How does that work like for Canada? Does that select you for 2027 short trail or no? It's the following year.
SPEAKER_01This is the selection for the 2027, yeah, for short trail. The top three qualify. Okay. And then then the la the last three spots are up for selection. Uh and they they use that race as a a qualifier for the other three spots, but it's it's up in the air now for me, so I gotta, you know, get a few more results in there and hopefully can make that team for that. Nice.
SPEAKER_00Do you have to apply, or it's just like they just yeah, because of application? Yeah, it's an application process. Yeah. So similar to the US. That makes sense.
Cetus Insoles Sponsor Break
SPEAKER_00Interrupting 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. Cool, cool. Awesome,
Joining Merrell And Finding The Right Shoe
SPEAKER_00man. Well, let's shift gears a little bit. One big thing, I can't remember if I had you on pre-meryl or post-disc like post-meryl. Uh so I feel like this is a pretty cool thing to talk about. Uh, talk about joining the Meryl team, what that means to you, just the excitement level, and all that good stuff.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's uh I think it was pre- I think pre-meryl. Well, we've had you on pre, but I can't remember you had you on right after the pressure. No, I don't think so. Yeah, I don't think so. Because I I joined them in April. Okay, right before Canyon's 100k. Gorge.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was before before Gorge.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, yeah. It has been like I was I was joining a team is it can be kind of nervous, I guess, as an athlete, because like I feel like this is my first like I was, you know, first time being partnered up with a brand uh as an athlete, which is really exciting for me. But um, I was trying not to have that as a pressure on myself. So uh, but as a team, like they've been so welcoming. Um, like the the athlete managers, the other athletes, it's just been such a good experience. Um that maybe I wasn't ex I wasn't sure what to expect to like I had no previous experience with a team, but for since joining Merrill, it's been awesome. Uh and I can't speak more highly about everyone, how kind everyone is and supportive, which goes a long way, especially when you're, you know, maybe you don't have the best race, or you know, you're you know, tri if you have an injury and there's athletes out there that do, and then everyone supports each other, and we're on a big group chat, and it's just like it's like a big family, it's really cool to be part of.
SPEAKER_00So cool, man. Now, is is Corey the team manager for all you guys? I know he's for US. Is he for the Canadian team too?
SPEAKER_01Or yeah, and then uh Ben Stark is also uh heavily involved with that as well. And then for in Canada, I I deal with uh Stella Law. Um, but the the North American team, which you know combines uh like I'm directly under the Canadian uh branch, but um we're all kind of like one little unit that is that goes through Corey and then as uh as part of the athlete team.
SPEAKER_00Super cool, man. Talk to me about the shoes. What have you like? Because I've like been a huge admirer of like the Skyfire, so a lot of their shoes over the years, and I've heard they work amazing.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, like for for tech, like especially I've been finding for a lot of the technical running I've been doing this summer, like they just handle so well over that train uh and just feel so stable and comfortable. Um I've been wearing I started off actually well, because all the shoes are new to me, right? Like I've I've been in them only for about five, six months, uh, and a little bit before that. So uh, but I started off wearing the DAPs, which are like a really cushioned shoe uh for a lot of my long runs, um, and absolutely love those. I raced canyons in those, those were phenomenal. Uh that was the 100k. Uh so a really good shoe just to go long and far. And then I started wearing um the agility peaks a lot. Um a little bit lighter, a little bit more like agile than say the DAPs would be uh for a lot of that technical running, but still can get a lot of speed in them. Um and then the speed arc peaks, which are which we're just released, um are kind of like their erashoe. Uh so I've raced a bunch in those, I raced QMT in those. I I do a lot of my training in those and find has a carbon plate, it's got some sweet foam in it, and I find it handles actually really well on technical terrain for a shoe that's built like that, which is exciting because I feel it kind of stays true to what Merrill is, right? Like they they they built around that that gnarly that gnarly trail, right? So um, yeah, I'm really excited about those all all three of those who are kind of like my go my go-tos right now.
SPEAKER_00So cool, man. Well, I'm glad you're enjoying the shoes. I'm glad it's going well and you're you're having a blast. And uh love that, you know, it's so cool that this weekend with Beast, there's gonna be just a huge presence of Merrill athletes there. Um obviously it's a Merrill-sponsored event, which is really cool. So there's gonna
Beast Of Big Creek Course Strategy
SPEAKER_00be a lot going on there. Um, what's the excitement level to be able to get to hang out with all your teammates and you know, obviously get to throw down and race on such a cool course? And it's not that far from you, like it's relatively speaking. Like it's not yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, there you go. So that's kind of a that's huge. I was talking to Callie yesterday, Callie McChrystal, and I was like, Yeah, this is not that bad from Squamous. She's like, I know it's really nice to finally have a race that's not that far away. Yeah, it feels it feels local.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Um, and it's I love that area. I've been to Olympic Peninsula. I when I used to do a lot of backpacking, I went, I did this hike along the coast, and it's such a beautiful area there. I'm super excited to go back. Um to see the Merrill team is gonna be awesome. It's gonna be my first time really. Like I met a few of the athletes uh at Canyons, but it'll be my first time like spending a full week with them. We're all going down Tuesday and we're doing a little bit of like a little camp out of it. So it's gonna be a lot of fun. We've got a couple Airbnbs, so we'll really get to get close and get to know each other. Um, I know a lot of them already know each other, but I'll be kind of more than you faces, so I'm really, really excited for that.
SPEAKER_00So cool, man. Yeah, you're in for a treat. Let's let's talk race, racing strategy. Like, what do you think as far as this race goes? I mean, it's really interesting. There's a I mean, it's like a strong out and back portion. A lot of it's single track, so there's gonna be having to keep an eye out for when you're bombing down some of the single track, keeping an eye out for like the mid and backpackers. And so it's gonna be very interesting. I think it's gonna be a very fast race, too, especially with the Europeans and uh just who's showing up. But what what what kind of speaks out to you as far as the course goes and just some of the interest there?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, like when I wanted to sign up for this, given it's a sky race, I was like, okay, what am I what am I getting myself into? And I think it's actually probably a perfect like intro for me into like that sky running territory because because like you said, the like the first it's I again I can't I haven't seen the course, but from what I understand, the first 10k looks quite quick, and then there's a bit of a punchy technical, like technical section at the end. But um, I feel like that's gonna work to my strong suit of you know being able to run fast uh for that first that first section um and just stick in stick in with the group. And um I like to think like this the climbing is like my strength, but I I I've actually been finding a lot of races I I tend to like also just smash a downhill. So I'm really excited to see what I can do on this this route. Um, because maybe the downhill might actually come in my favor given my speed. So oh, super cool.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yeah, I and I feel like dude, you're you're so adequately prepared for a course like this. I mean, you last year a lot of time at Broken Arrow, you know, preparing for a race like that. And um, I feel like it's I wouldn't say a similar course, but there's there's aspects of it that are similar, vertical-wise and stuff like that for the 23k. And then speed go, dude, where you really like you went to the death, you know, doing that.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00So I feel like you're, you know, you've got it in the legs. And what is it like preparing? It's actually kind of nice because being in Vancouver, I'm sure there's a lot of uh, you know, really steep climbs. You can get to a lot of the ski resorts and stuff like that. That's not probably not too far away. I'm sure it's and it's similar like terrain. I would imagine whoever built the the trails out there are probably similar to the way the trails are built, uh terrain-wise, uh, where you're at. So I feel like that's a little home kind of a home court advantage in some ways, more than one.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I actually think it's gonna be very similar, like with that roody, like rocky, just like very like variable terrain, right? Like it's uh I think it's gonna like align really well for what I train on all the time. And and yeah, I'm I'm 10 minutes from like all the ski hills and the mountains, so um, I run them on every day. Uh so I think I'm quite prepared for this, which is good from a technical perspective. And uh there's a lot of steep terrain up here, around 40% gray that you can get on easily. So uh definitely been definitely been on that just to to test those on some of that yesterday on a run. Just you know, it's not it's not a long stint of it, but it's enough just to get get some power hiking in and get the legs moving.
SPEAKER_00So there you go. I love it.
Whistler UTMB Goals And 100K Recovery
SPEAKER_00Um transitioning. What uh what do you got planned for the rest of your summer after this? What do you what do you got on the calendar?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so this is leading to I'm doing Whistler UTMB uh in August, so that'll be the next one. Hopefully get my OCC ticket uh for next year's the goal. So I'll be doing that. And then I got a little bit of a a break till the fall. So uh this is kind of like wrapping up. I've had such a busy year. Like I've done did my first 100K, uh, ran Chuckin'ut earlier before that, uh, and then QMT, of course, which was another 50K. Um so I've had quite a few big races in there, and I feel like after this, a little bit of a a breather will be good, and then ramp up for the the fall races. I planned.
SPEAKER_00Nice. Not to go off on like a tangent. I'm just kind of curious. Like after running your first 100k, like what was the recovery like post of that? Like, was there anything you didn't didn't expect? Was there a lot of soreness in the legs? Like, and how long did it take you to come back?
SPEAKER_01I think the the thing I didn't expect was how quick, quick I turned around, which was because I I just I wasn't I had no idea reference point. So it was about four days. Uh I took four days completely off and then started running again. Just because the turnaround from that race to QMT was only 10 weeks, so it was a pretty tight you know, time to like recover and then get ready for that next block uh and then shift the the style running to you know a more runnable um course. Um yeah, it was quite quick, which I was excited about. And my legs, you know, they were so quite sore over a couple days, but that you know, I just did a bunch of like hot bass and Epsom salt bass. I love those, and I think that just like loosened them up and a lot of stretching and and move mobility, and I was good to go back to workouts fairly quickly, which was exciting.
SPEAKER_00Nice.
SPEAKER_01I don't know if that's yeah, go back to that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I was gonna ask, are you were you more sore from that or were you more sore from Quebec Mega Trail? Just because I feel like, dude, I went and raced over in the East Coast this year, and I was more sore after some of like those like 30 or 40 percent like ski like ski uh descents than I had ever been from a race before. I was like, what the hell?
SPEAKER_01I uh I I thought I was more sore, and then I was talking to my partner, Susie, and she said, no, you could barely walk after the 100k, so you're definitely more sore after the 100k. But it you know, I and I also had a little bit of a knee lingering thing through that week after that 100k that came up in that race, which really impacted my results, and uh that was kind of what the worry some point was like, oh, did I actually do something here? But it it seems to have settled and uh got worked through that.
SPEAKER_00So dude, the the body is so strange, man.
SPEAKER_01I know it was so weird. Hurts one day, get the next day, you're like, I don't know what's going on.
SPEAKER_00It is, it is.
Final Send Off And Good Luck
SPEAKER_00Well, Josh, uh like I told you, this was gonna be just a quick one to talk about beast and you know, catch up and see where things at and are for for the summer. Uh, wishing you the best of luck on during your race week. Hope you have an absolute blast and get a great result. Um, and yeah, good luck the rest of the summer, and we'll definitely be in touch. Thank you.
SPEAKER_01Thanks, James. Yep.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, appreciate it, man.
