Welcome back or welcome to the Single Track Podcast. I'm your host Finn Melanson and in this episode

we are talking with Ryan Montgomery, a professional trail runner for Ultra based in Wanship, Utah,

ahead of the 2023 Bandera 100K. Before we get started though, this episode is brought to you by Rabbit.

Use code single track 30 on their website for 30% off your next order.

I'm really excited to announce that Rabbit will be a presenting sponsor for the single track podcast

over the course of 2023. I'll have more details about that partnership for you in the next few weeks.

And with that, let's get started. Ryan Montgomery, welcome to the single track podcast.

Hey, thank you so much for having me, Ethan.

A couple things that I want to talk about before we get to the main topic of

the bandera 100K this week.

You've had multiple entries into Western States before.

You've gotten in the hard way.

You punched your ticket at Havelina.

I think it was in 2021. You had another entry, I think the year before that, but just various things got in the way to

make it so that this year could be the first time you're lining up. Can you talk about the journey to

this point and how you sort of keep the faith and you keep the process going and keeping

the dream alive? Yeah, I have quite the Western States Zaga. So back in 2019, I had my sponsor

provide me with a spot. And so I had a sponsor spot like years ago. And then we know that it was canceled in 2020. So I was

shooting to, you know, tow the start line in 2021. And that was the summer, that was the winter where I got really

into Nordic skiing. And I would Nordic ski literally over 100 miles every week. And I probably didn't have the best form. And I win Nordicski literally over 100 miles every week.

Wow.

And I probably didn't have the best form.

...