A Year Ago, This Newsletter Didn't Exist. Last Weekend, It Brought Me to Western States.
Lessons from one year of Trail Waves, plus what I witnessed at the 2026 Western States Endurance Run.
[Note: this post contains a lot of pictures and videos and may be truncated in some email clients. I suggest clicking through to read the full post on Substack.]
Your whole life can change in a year.
A little more than a year ago, this newsletter didn’t exist. Last weekend, I spectated the Western States Endurance Run in person for the first time, an opportunity made possible because of it1.
I’ll be honest, I used to roll my eyes at people online dispensing productivity wisdom. “You can just do things.” “The best time to start was yesterday.” I get it now.
Flash back to June 22, 2025. I posted a hype video for Trail Waves on LinkedIn2. It was part introduction to what I was building and part self-imposed deadline to actually finish the first article. (Reluctantly posting below for posterity.)
Five days later, on June 27, 2025 (the day before the Western States Endurance Run), that first article went live. It was, appropriately, about Western States.
This year, I was in Olympic Valley to see the action firsthand. I hiked up the Escarpment to watch runners crest the course’s high point, then followed the race through Foresthill, the Rucky Chucky river crossing, and finally the finish line at the Placer High School track.
If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be credentialed at one of trail running’s most important races on behalf of the title sponsor, I would have assumed it was a mistake. It wasn’t. It was real, and it was magical.
Like I said, a lot can change in a year.
Learnings From One Year of Trail Waves
I won’t do a full play-by-play of the past year, but it’s worth pausing to reflect on what I’ve learned, what surprised me, and what I want to improve. My hope is that it helps me appreciate the journey and serves as motivation for anyone on a similar path.
Consistency and authenticity compound.
The voice you commit to, which should ideally be your own, and the unique angle you bring are what readers come back for. They’re also what build credibility and help you to stand out.
I’m not a professional athlete, and don’t feel qualified to speak to the professional side of the sport. From a media and race coverage standpoint, trail running is already well-served by Freetrail, Singletrack, Distance to Empty, Sub Hub, and others. Mimicking those creators would have felt inauthentic and I think it would have struggled to gain traction.
“47 posts out of 53 weeks. I’m proud of that.”
What I felt conviction about was finding a way to combine my trail fandom (I have to be in the 95th percentile of livestream watch time) with my professional background. The intersection of business, finance, and trail culture turned out to be a real lane.
I aimed to publish once a week and nearly pulled it off. I skipped the last week of the year, a week I was in Hawaii, and a handful of others where life intervened. This isn’t my full-time job (one can dream) and sometimes other things take hold of your energy and brain space. Still, 47 posts out of 53 weeks. I’m proud of that.
You can’t do it all alone.
Even though I committed to showing up, I never dreamt I’d eclipse 1,500 subscribers, much less in a single year. I can say with confidence this wouldn’t have been possible without the help, support, and advocacy of so many people.
I hesitate to name specific people, because I’ll inevitably leave out some who were crucial to my confidence along the way, such as my family, friends, and co-workers. But a few key moments are top of mind:
Kyle Dawes: We connected early while he was launching Built on Bikes. We held each other accountable, shared what was working, and pushed each other to keep showing up. To date, Kyle has sent me more new subscribers than any other newsletter.
Ken Seals of The Ultra Minute: It probably felt like a small gesture at the time, but Ken restacking my second ever article, “$200 Shorts and a Cult Following: SATISFY’s Trail Running Revolution”, brought a new wave of readers and gave me early confidence that this kind of writing could resonate.
Zach Hauer, Adam Copeland, Hunter Macy, Alex King: Four entrepreneurs building businesses in trail running that I deeply admire. Thank you for letting me into your worlds. The articles I wrote about Open Fuel, Tantrums, Rendezvu, and Terignota were among the most rewarding I’ve written.
Dylan Bowman (Freetrail): For inviting me onto The Freetrail Podcast and mentioning Trail Waves on several others (including on Second Nature with Aaron Lutze). That subscriber spike visible in late January? That’s the “Freetrail Bump” the 48-72 hours after the episode dropped. There are plenty of guests with more compelling stories who’d generate more views and downloads, which makes Dylan’s decision to platform me and advocate for Trail Waves within the community something I’m genuinely grateful for.
You never know who’s reading.
The names above are just a few examples of people who’ve stumbled across Trail Waves. I’m proud that the readership includes professional trail runners, people working across the sport’s many brands, founders building cool things, and everyday runners like me balancing a full-time job with a passion for the trails.
At TrailCon last week, multiple people came up to tell me they enjoyed my writing. Others mentioned they’d shared the newsletter with notable figures in the sport. All of it means the world to me and gives me real motivation to keep improving.
You never know who is reading. All it takes is one person to read one article to change everything.
Progress is happening, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
There are plenty of weeks where the comments, shares, and new subscribers don’t come. The quiet weeks. The pieces that felt like they didn’t land. When that happens, it’s easy to wonder if you’re doing something wrong, even when your process or consistency haven’t changed.
But then a media credential arrives, or email from a subscriber, and you’re reminded the work is always accumulating under the surface, even when the feedback isn’t.
Not everyone is going to vibe with you. And that’s okay.
I’m not naive enough to think writing on the internet won’t invite negativity. People are more likely to call out what they disagree with than praise what they don’t.
I’ve had people voice disagreements in my comments with thoughtful, insightful perspectives rooted in different viewpoints or life experiences. I’ve also had people dedicate entire articles to tearing down my work, as if I have no idea what I’m talking about, to serve their own content purposes. I’m happy to engage in good-faith discussion with the former. I have no patience for the latter which is, in my opinion, a lazy approach to content creation. There’s enough negativity in the world. I don’t want to elevate the people leveraging it.
I don’t know everything. I’m not here to please everyone, and I know I’m not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. But knowing that I come from a place of curiosity, positivity, and a genuine love for this sport lets me take criticism in stride and tune out the rest.
Continuous improvement going forward.
I want to lean into more of what’s been working. That means writing about things that check two boxes: something I find genuinely interesting, and something that brings value to readers and the trail community.
One thing I want to be more intentional about is diversity. All of my brand deep-dives have featured male-led companies. That hasn’t been deliberate, but it’s something I want to balance out. I’m always on the lookout for people building cool brands in this space, and I’d especially appreciate any leads on female-owned or minority-owned brands that deserve more shine.
All of which brings me back to where I started. Olympic Valley, last weekend, witnessing firsthand the race that inspired me to do any of this in the first place.
Reflecting on Western States
Western States is my bucket list race. I watch nearly the entire livestream every year. If you ask me why I run ultras, the end goal, after adjusting for the fitness gains and self-discovery along the way, is to eventually make the pilgrimage from Olympic Valley to Auburn.
I was fortunate to attend this year’s race as a HOKA media guest (more on that in a future article) and grateful to witness it firsthand. No hot takes on the race or the livestream, but some highlights I was able to capture personally:
Spectating on the Escarpment
The views, the vibes, wind chill (32 degrees Fahrenheit, 0 degrees celsius) made this an unforgettable experience. The tram was closed due to gusts up to 65 mph, so we hiked up. The moment the runners crested the top made every step worth it.
Tara Dower taking in the view
While I was stoked to see every runner come through, one moment stood out. As Tara Dower emerged at the summit, she briefly turned to take in the view, then continued on, hands clasped in gratitude. Knowing she’d had a tough day in 2025 after getting sick race week made it that much more special.
Francesco Puppi running into Foresthill right behind Hans Troyer
“Oh sh*t, Fran’s right there.” - Me, after barely getting my phone out to record.
Foresthill was electric. We all expected Hans Troyer to come through first. He’d built a sizable lead through the canyons while Jim Walmsley was struggling with injury. But seeing Francesco so close, and looking so smooth, was the first sign this race was far from over. He’d go on to finish 2nd, just five minutes back of eventual winner Vincent Bouillard, and well under the previous course record.
Zach Miller and Adam Peterman leaving Foresthill TOGETHER
They’d end up finishing in the exact order they left Foresthill (Miller in 5th, Peterman in 6th), but they both looked strong and ready to hunt. Knowing how well they close, I thought one or both could rally onto the podium. It turns out Thomas Cardin (4th), Ryan Montgomery (3rd), Puppi (2nd), and Vincent Bouillard (1st) had other ideas.
Jeff Mogavero charging into the river
Last year’s 4th-place finisher, and one of the runners I was personally rooting for, seemed to have a tough start, spending most of the first half around 15th place. He worked his way to 12th through the canyons and emerged at Foresthill in 9th. When he hit the river crossing at mile 78 in 7th, where he’d eventually finish, it felt emblematic of the way he’d moved through the field all day.
Jennifer Lichter securing the course record
There are moments where you don’t have words, but know you’ve witnessed something special. That’s how I felt watching Jennifer Lichter finish Western States. I’d watched her execute with calm confidence all day, and when she entered the track at Placer High, the crowd exploded. It only got louder as she sprinted to the tape to eclipse a record many thought was untouchable. At 15:28:05, Jenn Lichter is the new WSER standard.
The Golden Hour
It’s been called “the greatest hour in running,” but I couldn’t fully appreciate that until I experienced it myself. I arrived at Placer High at 9am, an hour before the Golden Hour officially began, and was already tearing up by 9:15.
Watching people finish with hours or minutes to spare, surrounded by family and friends, in the presence of thousands (members of the Auburn community, elite athletes, brand employees, trail running fans), underscores what makes this sport and this race so singular.
Attending Western States in person has fundamentally changed me, my motivations, and my connection to this sport. I’ll definitely be back next year.
Thank you to everyone who has read, engaged with, and shared this newsletter. We’re just getting started.
A year ago, I had no idea any of this was possible. I can’t wait to see what the next year brings.
The Aid Station
Miscellaneous quick hits. Trail style. Actionable, digestible, essential.
🎥 “From Squaw to Auburn | My Western States Race” by Billy Yang
Last week, Liam shared a great list of his favorite Western States films. I wanted to add one more video to list.
This is one of the first videos that made me fall in love with trail and ultra running and cemented my goal of one day running Western States. It’s a beautiful document of this historical race, what it means to face disappointment, and the magic that can come from pushing through.
📊 Over the Ridgeline’s “Western States 2026 Recap”
John Sugden packed this post with great charts and visualizations, including temperature by aid station, carnage charts, rally charts, and how this year’s times stacked up agains prior years. There’s so much gold in here, I highly recommend checking it out.
More details to come on the full experience in a future article.
The social network for professionals, after all.
Congrats on a year of Trail Waves, Seth. Keep going!
Congratulations, Seth! It's been great reading your insights. Here's to the year ahead!