Hans Troyer Delivers, Molly Seidel’s Wild Debut + Historic Women’s Race (Black Canyon Recap)

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Feb 17, 2026

A rip-roaring recap of course-record runs and why the women’s race suddenly exploded. Heated debate over Anne Flower’s minimalist cooling strategy and Molly Seidel’s dramatic 100K debut mistakes. Deep dive into Hans Troyer’s record-setting performance and chaotic Golden Ticket drama shaping Western States qualifiers.

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ADVICE

Delegate Cooling And Aid-Station Tasks

Trust experienced crews to execute heat-mitigation so athletes can focus on racing.
Let your team handle cooling and fueling at aid stations to preserve mental bandwidth.

INSIGHT

Front-End Depth, Back-End Gaps

The race had deep front-end competition but a sharp drop-off after podium spots, mirroring Western States' top-5 concentration.
Depth at the very front improved while density across the full top 10 remained uneven.

INSIGHT

Fast First Half Created Record

Hans Troyer's second-half slowdown matched historical norms, but his faster first half produced a new course record.
Breaking the record came from a superior opening effort while sustaining a typical positive split.

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What a wild weekend in the Arizona desert. Brett Hornig and Leah Yingling return to the show to break down everything that unfolded at the 2026 Black Canyon 100K. We dive into course-record performances from Hans Troyer and Jennifer Lichter, Anne Flower’s front-running strength, Anthony Costales’ return to form, the drama of Molly Seidel’s 100K debut, and one of the deepest Golden Ticket distributions in recent memory.

Timestamps:

00:00 Opening + On-the-Ground Experience (Livestream, Aid Stations, 50K PR)
04:34 “Course Records Are Contagious” - Women’s Race Explodes
06:47 Anne Flower’s No-Cooling Strategy + Heat Management Debate
10:18 Is This the Most Competitive Women’s Western States Field Ever?
11:14 Hans Troyer’s Course Record + Race Dynamics
13:06 Golden Ticket Chaos in the Men’s Field
16:20 Depth vs. Density - Are Fields Actually Getting Tighter?
16:47 Split Analysis: Men vs. Women Slowdown Percentages
22:49 Molly Seidel’s Mid-Race Mistakes + “Controlled Micro Fade”
26:49 Is Gloriana - Deep Canyon the Most Dangerous Section?
29:50 “Random Ballers” + No Intimidation at the Start Line
33:59 How Many Guys Could’ve Run Sub-7:30?
36:07 Fantasy Picks + Predictions (Sub-8 Call)
37:33 Underrated Performances: Tracen Knopp, Hans’ Next-Gen Status
43:00 Tara Dower Interview + Emotional Finish Line Moments
49:39 Anthony Costales Is Back
50:47 Francesco Puppi’s Fall + What It Means for Western States
53:29 Gear Talk + 50K Pace Explosion
55:29 Golden Ticket Impact on Western States 2026
58:28 Who Still Needs a Ticket? (Chianti / Canyons)
1:00:10 Final Thoughts - Media, Molly’s Impact, The Women’s Depth

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