All right, we are back. This is our final show, day three of our 2025 Western States 100 coverage.

It's a special edition of the Long Run Archives, joined by friend, colleague, Jeff Colt.

Brett Hornig is joining a little bit later in the episode. Special guest, friend of the show, Hayden Hawks.

Start me with you, Hayden. How are you doing today?

Yeah, doing okay. Definitely, it's a bittersweet to be out here, to. Starting with you, Hayden. How are you doing today? Yeah, doing okay.

Definitely, it's a bit bittersweet to be out here, to be honest with you.

You know, I definitely wanted to race this weekend.

And so there's a little bit of me that's a little sad that I can't race this weekend,

but also just really enjoying being here in like seeing things in a little bit different

perspective. You know,

I'm able to work with my sponsors, be able to see a lot of friends. I don't have to worry about

like getting off my feet. I can be up all day and have a good time. So yeah, it's, it's going

be a fun week. I'm excited for it. Jeff and I were talking offline about what is worth discussing, because this is

sort of a special episode where it's less an interview and it's more so we're just kind of

like riffing on stuff that's been on our mind, you know, as of late. I think the one interview

question I have for you is you're in a unique circumstance because you've dedicated what like five,

six years of your life to this race. Can you talk about the physical toll that comes with that

much dedication to racing at the highest level of the sport at this race? Yeah, you know, Western

States is such a hard race on the body. It's got so many variables that require not only

in race to like deal with those things, but the way you train for this race. It's just very demanding

on the body, you know, from all the heat training that you do, from just all the running that you do.

You know, something like UTMB, you hike like half of that race.

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