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HappyCast

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For all things trail running – unfiltered.
Podcast 🎙️- HappyCast with Andrew (@marvindal), Stephanie (@liveloveultrarun) & Dylan (@crazydylll69)

After wildfires stopped one 100-mile attempt at mi

After wildfires stopped one 100-mile attempt at mile 60, smoke-related illness kept her from starting another, and a second Oregon Cascades was canceled altogether, Brianna Mees had every reason to wonder whether her first 100-mile finish would ever happen. But at Oregon’s Mountain Lakes 100, the hospital pharmacist and former collegiate runner finally got her shot—and crossed the finish line in roughly 27 hours and 20 minutes.

Brianna joins Stephanie to break down the full Mountain Lakes experience: remote race logistics, dispersed camping, long stretches without cell service, rocky trails, tight cutoffs, a missing drop bag, worsening shin pain, and the overnight miles before a pacer finally joins the party. They also revisit the chance meeting on a miserable climb when a quick Happy Endings pep talk helped Brianna stop chasing a perfect time, eat something, reset, and start crushing the course.

This episode is a candid celebration of everything ultrarunning can be: beautiful, painful, ridiculous, and deeply communal. From women dominating the race to swollen feet, trail hallucinations, and a mysterious paddle raft in the forest, Brianna’s story is proof that a bad stretch does not have to become a bad race—and that even when the original plan falls apart, you can still do something incredible.

Wes Plate returns to HappyCast with plenty to catc

Wes Plate returns to HappyCast with plenty to catch up on, starting with a completely different kind of ultrarunning adventure: the 314-mile Vol State Road Race. With no crew, no pacers, no traditional aid stations and miles of Tennessee heat and humidity ahead of him, Wes found himself more nervous before a race than he had been in years. He shares what it was like stepping outside his familiar world of trail 200s, relying on gas stations and community “angel stations,” meeting people along the way and discovering why journey running has become the latest thing he can’t get out of his head.

The conversation heads back to Montana for year two of the Copper Kings 100, including the wild unofficial 200-mile version completed by Doug Watson, Drew Watson and Audra Rundle. Wes also takes us behind the scenes of the technology he’s building to make races run more smoothly—from real-time aid station check-ins and runner updates to an automated live stream that follows the action around the course. Copper Kings continues to grow, with plans for a 200-runner field in 2027 and some major news: the race will officially become a Western States qualifier.

Then Wes introduces Ultra Crew Companion, the app he originally built after seeing how difficult it can be for crews to manage constantly changing pace charts during an ultra. The app can update projected arrival times as a race unfolds, integrate tracking information, sync between crew members, work offline and even import a runner’s existing race plan from a photo using AI. What started as another problem Wes wanted to solve is quickly becoming something much bigger—and another example of how his worlds of ultrarunning, race directing, software development and creativity continue to collide.

Copper Kings 100
https://copperkings100.com

Montana Endurance Trail Foundation
https://mtetf.org/donate

Ultra Crew Companion
https://www.racecommand.run/crew-companion

How Tejas Trails Built a Texas Trail Running Legac

How Tejas Trails Built a Texas Trail Running Legacy with Chris McWatters and David Smithey
Chris McWatters and David Smithey of Tejas Trails join the Happy Cast to talk about the races that have become Texas trail-running institutions—and the stories behind keeping them alive. From Rocky Raccoon and Bandera to the beautifully brutal Cactus Rose, Chris and Dave share what makes these events special, why self-sufficiency is part of the culture, and what it takes behind the scenes when Mother Nature decides to completely wreck the plan. There are cows eating course markers, emergency race relocations and, naturally, Andrew providing medical assistance while dressed as a chicken.

Then we get into Tejas Trails’ newest experiment: the Frio Trio Zero Edition. Taking over the Frio Valley for a weekend, the event brings together night trail running, gravel biking, traditional trail racing, river floating and a full weekend built around the outdoor community. Chris and Dave explain how the idea grew out of an invitation from the communities around Leakey, Concan and Garner State Park—and why they decided to make the inaugural edition intentionally affordable while encouraging racers to spend their money with local businesses.

We also talk about what makes a race worth creating when the calendar is already packed, the nerves that come with producing something completely new, and why the best adventures usually involve accepting that something is probably going to go wrong. Plus, Stephanie enters another school year surrounded by teenage drivers, Chris discovers the limitations of simultaneously having busted toes and a bad shoulder, Dave can’t stop thinking about a chicken-fried steak, and Andrew mysteriously disappears from his own podcast exactly as everyone predicted.

Aaron Kubala returns to the HappyCast after winnin

Aaron Kubala returns to the HappyCast after winning the Tahoe 200 and setting a new course record in 48 hours and 9 minutes. Aaron takes Andrew and Stephanie inside his preparation for the race, including unconventional training in Austin, weeks spent sleeping in a hypoxic tent, and the ambitious plan that originally had his crew targeting a 45-hour finish. He also explains how Tahoe fits into his larger pursuit of the 200-mile Triple Crown record as he prepares to take on Bigfoot and Moab.

The race itself delivered everything a 200-miler could: a competitive field, battered quads, Tahoe lung, thorns buried in Aaron’s feet, and an infamous burn-scar section capable of bringing even elite runners to a crawl. Aaron recounts moving through the field, staying focused for nearly two straight days, and managing a frightening episode of blood in his urine without losing sight of the finish. He also shares what it was like racing in memory of his mother, who passed away from metastatic breast cancer only a few months before Tahoe.

The conversation eventually wanders in true HappyCast fashion, with updates on Stephanie’s upcoming back-to-back 100-milers, Andrew’s abrupt move to Colorado, and the questionable decisions that led him to drive through the night before his first day at a new job. The group closes with a discussion about the financial realities of professional ultrarunning, the complicated relationship between athletes and sponsors, and whether Andrew’s increasingly expensive race bets qualify him as an official patron of the sport.

“Miles for Mom” GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/4e387181c

And try code “KUBALA” for 20% off Strava, 10% off Amazfit watches, and 30% off Waders bath. But honestly, we recommend just attempting to use it everywhere just in case ;) #running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #200miles #ﬁtness

Stephanie is joined by Sam Stiles for a chaotic, f

Stephanie is joined by Sam Stiles for a chaotic, funny, and heartfelt recap of the Great New York 100, a grassroots 100-mile loop around New York City. After meeting during the Connecticut 123, where they shared roughly 40 miles together, Stephanie reached out to Sam with a huge ask: come pace her through the night in New York, help navigate the city, and make sure she did not accidentally turn the race into what her friends lovingly called “the Murder Race.” Sam answered the call, commuting from Connecticut by car, train, and subway before jumping in for a 36-mile overnight pacing adventure.
Together, Stephanie and Sam break down what makes this race so unique: the 5:00 AM start in Times Square, the route through parks, boardwalks, bridges, and city streets, the grassroots race logistics, the lack of bathrooms, the importance of headlamps, and the constant need to watch for course markings, traffic, bikes, and, yes, rats. From counting 11 oversized New York rats to flying down the Brooklyn Bridge with three miles to go, they share the details that made the race both ridiculous and unforgettable.
The episode also zooms out into the bigger picture of ultra-running community. Stephanie reflects on the way Sam showed up for her in New York, then how she turned around days later to course mark and volunteer at Copper Kings in Montana. Sam shares what is next for him, including running in Colombia and future race possibilities, while Stephanie talks through recovery, upcoming back-to-back 100-milers, and the logistics that still have her nervous. At the heart of the episode is the reminder that ultra-running is full of wild ideas, generous people, and the kind of stories that only happen when someone says yes to doing something stupid with you.

Stephanie sits down with Mindy Coolman, race direc

Stephanie sits down with Mindy Coolman, race director of Crown of the Crest and a key member of GOATZ (Greater Omaha Area Trail Runners), to explore what goes into creating memorable trail running experiences. From local 5Ks to challenging 100-mile events, Mindy shares the story behind GOATZ, the evolution of their race lineup, and the passion that fuels Nebraska’s growing trail running community.

The conversation dives into the often-unseen side of race directing: recruiting volunteers, designing runner experiences, balancing logistics, and fostering the welcoming atmosphere that keeps athletes coming back year after year. Stephanie reflects on her recent experience at Crown of the Crest, while Mindy offers insight into what makes a race feel special long after runners cross the finish line.

Along the way, they swap stories about ultra-running culture, race-day fueling, recovery, injuries, and the lessons that come from spending countless hours on the trail. From ambitious future race goals to the surprising appeal of sweaty pocket Oreos, this episode is a fun and honest look at the people, challenges, and community that make endurance sports so rewarding.

Unsolicited information that the world needs to he

Unsolicited information that the world needs to hear #running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #run #trailrace

We need volunteers in Butte, Montana on 6/19-20 at

We need volunteers in Butte, Montana on 6/19-20 at the best aid station ever- Our Lady of the Rockies! Who is going to come join @liveloveultrarun at @copperkings100

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