This week on The Next Aid Station, we break down the matchups trail running has been waiting for: Courtney DeWalter vs. Katie Schide and Caleb Olson vs. Tom Evans. With Hardrock and Western States fields taking shape, the stage is set for some of the most competitive racing the sport has ever seen.We also get into the upcoming lotteries, Utah’s new 200-miler, Christian Allen’s breakout road performance, the TRE scheduling fiasco, and the latest trail running film debates. From bold hot takes to real analysis, this episode dives into every corner of the sport — the drama, the rivalries, and the races that will define 2025.In this episode:• Courtney vs Katie: early Hardrock predictions• Caleb vs Tom: Western States showdown potential• Why Western is suddenly stacked again• Christian Allen’s 2:09 marathon and mountain crossover• Utah announces a 200-mile race• Mike McKnight gets into Hardrock• Chuckanut 50K planning• Trail running film of the year debates• College football chaos (and how we’d fix it)• Scott’s Hurt 100 training updatesFollow the show, share it with a friend, and join us next week as we reveal our official Ultra Runner of the Year picks.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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