Singletrack
Finn Melanson
David Roche: The Future of Ultrarunning Is Here — and It’s Faster Than We Think
Episode Notes
David Roche returns to the Singletrack Podcast fresh off his 12:18, second-place performance at the Javelina Jundred.
In addition to the race report, David dives into how high-carb fueling, recovery science, and fearless pacing are rewriting what’s possible in trail and ultrarunning, why overtraining and under-fueling are essentially the same thing, how athletes like Will Murray, Canyon Woodward, and Tara Dower are redefining performance ceilings, and what the next five years of the sport might look like.
Beyond the science, David opens up about aging in the sport, balancing family life with competition, and rediscovering joy in racing after the pressure of Western States. He shares lessons from his YouTube “Road to Western States” series, what he learned from stepping back, and how he and Megan Roche plan to rebuild their creative work heading into 2026.
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