Allie McLaughlin is an everyday on the Damaged Arrow Skyrace, having raced yearly since 2021. On this interview, our first with Allie, she talks about her prolonged mountain working profession, what retains her coming again to Damaged Arrow, her return to shorter distance racing after making an attempt a couple of 50-kilometer races, and adjustments she’s seen within the occasion within the a few years she’s been part of it. Additionally, particular visitor appearances by four-legged mates Harley and Paha.
For extra on who’s racing, try our in-depth Ascent and 23k previews and comply with our stay race protection of the Ascent on Friday and the 23k on Sunday.
[Editor’s Note: If you are unable to see the video above, click here to access it.]
Allie McLaughlin Pre-2025 Damaged Arrow Skyrace Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Meghan Hicks of iRunFar. I’m with Allie McLaughlin. It’s a day earlier than the Damaged Arrow Ascent and a few days earlier than the 23k. You’re a common right here at this race. I’m the beginner. Hey.
Allie McLaughlin: Hello. Yeah. Thanks for saying that. I do really feel prefer it’s slightly house turf.
iRunFar: Yeah. You’ve been at this race yearly since 2021?
McLaughlin: Yeah. And yeah. Harley, my canine has been right here for 4 years, after which Paha has been right here final 12 months and this 12 months. I did the Triple Crown [of the Ascent, 46k, and 23k events at Broken Arrow] my very first 12 months and I had by no means run that far. I’d by no means run a 50k and I had by no means run that far in three days. And I got here out like, not injured, which was an enormous milestone for me, and so, and similar to the individuals right here within the mountains. I undoubtedly fell in love with it. So it’s been a staple ever since.
iRunFar: Wonderful. I wish to again up just a bit bit and speak about your profession with mountain working and path working. You might have been within the sport for over a decade at this level. iRunFar has been kind of watching you from afar.
McLaughlin: Oh, thanks.
iRunFar: It’s our first on digital camera interview with you so I might simply love to listen to, by the way in which, we do have a canine scenario right here with Ally’s canine Paha and Harley roaming round, so that you may hear slightly little bit of that, nevertheless it’s superior. Yeah. Inform us just a bit bit about your now in depth mountain and path working profession.
McLaughlin: Yeah. So I began, I graduated from CU Boulder in February 2013.
iRunFar: Okay.
McLaughlin: After which in 2014 was my first path races, with Pikes Peak Ascent, and I made the U.S. staff that 12 months. So, that was my first 12 months making the basic staff after which I made it this 12 months 11 years later and it’s so particular to have, like, been round that lengthy. Lots of people are mentioning it now which makes me really feel form of previous for a brief distance, however I’m simply, like, making an attempt to keep in mind that I’m not. However, yeah, it’s been so particular to observe particularly seeing shorter distance get extra consideration now. I feel it was, yeah, undoubtedly ultras for a very long time. And I attempted the extremely. I attempted the 50ks and I liked it. I did okay at it, however I’m undoubtedly, I decided after final 12 months that I wish to return all the way down to, like, marathon and under, particularly, like, two hour races are form of, is my candy spot. And, yeah, possibly I’ll return to the 50ks, nevertheless it’s been so cool to observe individuals, too, within the sport and watch them, like, yeah. Simply all of us form of develop up collectively. We see the younger youngsters. We see individuals nonetheless round and, yeah, it’s loopy to assume it’s been eleven years.
iRunFar: My favourite half about taking a look at your outcomes is like, a pair occasions you’ve bopped as much as just like the 50k distance, form of like the normal trajectory for an off-road runner. They’re like, okay mountain working, shorter trails, extremely, after which it simply retains getting longer and longer, however I really feel like you could have crept as much as the 50ks and then you definately’ve been like, nope. Going again to it.
McLaughlin: Yeah. And , I feel, I imply a part of it was, I feel we get pleasure from what we’re good at and I began to see slightly success early within the 50k, after which after which it bought tougher. You assume issues often, you get higher at them and for some motive it was getting tougher. And , the competitors’s all the time going up too. In order that’s the factor, however I noticed I get pleasure from, like, redlining from the beginning.
iRunFar: And staying redlined.
McLaughlin: Yeah. Yeah. And you may’t try this essentially and run properly in a 50k. I imply, possibly we will, with the best, like, I don’t know. With the best coaching and the best day however, yeah. Positively coming again to the shorter stuff. And once more, I feel with the speak within the sport it’s. It’s like while you become old you lose pace and it’s a must to go up, and which may occur, and I’m certain it’s going to at some extent, however I don’t wish to let it occur but.
iRunFar: You’re prepared to stick with the shorter and quicker stuff.
McLaughlin: Yeah, completely. And it’s solely getting quicker, which is form of scary, but additionally tremendous cool.
iRunFar: You’re maintaining simply high-quality.
McLaughlin: Oh, thanks.
iRunFar: It was simply three weekends in the past that was the 2025 U.S. Mountain Operating Championships. You had been on the ladies’s podium there. You certified for staff USA to symbolize The USA at one other World Mountain Operating Championships. You’re maintaining simply high-quality.
McLaughlin: Yeah. Thanks for the reminder. [laughs] Yeah. That was a brilliant enjoyable race. Realizing Anna [Gibson] and Lauren [Gregory].
iRunFar: That is wonderful. [remarking about the dogs]
McLaughlin: Anna and Lauren. I’ve identified Lauren for a really very long time. I’ve seen her form of develop up within the sport, and to know the way quick they’re on the observe. I by no means actually bought to essentially stay out my observe years. I used to be injured rather a lot in faculty, after which I got here straight into path working and so I by no means bought to see what I might have executed on the observe, and so to see them have these blazing occasions, Olympic Trials qualifying, and to have the ability to sustain with them, like that’s sufficient for me to love, really feel assured and funky in my skills. I’m like, yeah. If they will try this on the observe, I simply yeah. It’s superior to maintain up with them on the mountains.
iRunFar: You retain coming again to Damaged Arrow. Like, you do a variety of completely different races. There’s a pair completely different ones that you just form of prefer to repeat. Like, I see Pikes Peak Ascent.
McLaughlin: Yeah.
iRunFar: Ally Mac there. That’s your property turf. You reside in Colorado Springs.
McLaughlin: Completely.
iRunFar: After which there’s this race that you just preserve coming again to, too. What’s the draw?
McLaughlin: What’s it? Yeah. Like I mentioned, it was so particular my first 12 months doing the Triple Crown. It was only a euphoric weekend. After which I bought Harley a couple of months after that race after which she got here the following 12 months and completed with me, and it was simply once more one other euphoric expertise. And yeah, simply the individuals. I like the course. I like the village. It’s rising in such an superior method, however this 12 months with it like, , I imply I begin to really feel previous once I’m like, oh, I don’t know if I prefer it as a lot. There’s like an excessive amount of, like, too many individuals and issues happening, however I do know with,
iRunFar: My candy, candy race is rising up. Turning into an adolescent.
McLaughlin: [laughs] Completely. Completely. However I couldn’t be happier for the race administrators. They’ve been so supportive and candy to me since day one and yeah. And it’s a particular place. Northern California is all the time enjoyable to go to and I don’t have a direct reply, however it’s. It’s considered one of my staples. That and Pikes Peak and possibly the Moab Path Marathon are in all probability my prime three. Like, truthfully, I prefer it greater than, far more than UTMB.
iRunFar: Yeah.
McLaughlin: You realize? And the UTMB is so particular in its personal method, however these are, I really feel extra at house at these races.
iRunFar: They’re simply completely different.
McLaughlin: Yeah.
iRunFar: Yeah. So let’s speak about this weekend particularly. Tomorrow’s race is the Ascent.
McLaughlin: Sure.
iRunFar: It’s a Mountain Operating World Cup race, however possibly extra importantly, it’s a qualifier for Workforce USA within the uphill self-discipline to symbolize the U.S. on the world championships this fall. I’m certain you’re right here to chase after a staff spot.
McLaughlin: Completely. I made the basic staff three weeks in the past, and I used to be having hip points and nearly didn’t race. And my fiance Dylan was like, he’d remind me, he’s like, properly, you could have Damaged Arrow. The uphill is your favourite. And in that second, I’m like, no, I just like the basic. After which, after which after that race, every part went properly and stuff, however now I’m like, wait, no. The VK is my favourite.
iRunFar: I modified my thoughts once more.
McLaughlin: I do know. However I’m oddly nervous. The course is shortened due to wind. It’s two miles, which is so quick. And I like to coach on the incline, which is just a mile. And so I’ve that, like, 20-minute coaching block of, like, simply going onerous for twenty minutes, however I simply assume I don’t have fairly the like, leg energy of a variety of the women. Like, I feel they’ve, they may have some pace on me.
iRunFar: TBD.
McLaughlin: I’ve blended emotions concerning the shorter course, but additionally as a result of my hip form of bothers me, I’m like, oh, shorter is best there. And Dylan’s going to have the ability to experience his bike to the highest. There’s a variety of professionals after which the precise race, like, oh, it’s going to be quick.
iRunFar: An additional lengthy heat up tomorrow morning.
McLaughlin: Completely. Sure.
iRunFar: The shorter the race the longer the nice and cozy up.
McLaughlin: Completely. I don’t heat up for 50ks actually, however like a VK, sure.
iRunFar: You might have, triple topped Damaged Arrow earlier than.
McLaughlin: Sure.
iRunFar: And a number of occasions you’ve executed each the Ascent, had a day without work, after which additionally executed the 23k on Sunday, which is what you’re doing this weekend. The 23k is, for the second time, a very fascinating race in that they’re combining the Mountain Operating World Cup and Golden Path World Collection collectively.
McLaughlin: Sure.
iRunFar: So it’s simply combining expertise and mixing competitors. Plus there’s a bunch of like, nationwide stage sort runners from across the U.S. and Canada who’re becoming a member of the occasion too. Are you, I assume what I’m making an attempt to say is, like, the 23k goes to be fairly rattling aggressive on Sunday, however like, tomorrow, are you going to be considering solely of tomorrow?
McLaughlin: No. Yeah. Nice query. As a result of like, I do give it some thought slightly bit as a result of I observed, particularly this 12 months, there’s a handful I really feel like a pair years in the past, that’s what everybody did. You do the VK and 23k. In the event you’re not doing the triple crown, or in case you both do these two or the 50k. And so, I observed this 12 months there’s lots of people not doing the VK.
iRunFar: They’re like, oh, you guys are rested.
McLaughlin: Yeah. And so like however truthfully, like, no. That is what I do. I do the VK and that, like, if I’m slightly. I did discover one 12 months, it was 2022. It was windy. Even we did go all the way in which to the highest, however the tram was closed as a result of it was windy, so we needed to stroll down. Oh. And that 4 mile stroll down, like, I imply, we’re all athletes. We will do it. However,
iRunFar: You bought destroyed by it.
McLaughlin: I really feel like I keep in mind considering in the course of the 23k, I simply was like, sore in bizarre spots and I’m like, I feel that was having to stroll down. And so we’re going to must stroll down tomorrow. It’s solely half the space, however I’d attempt to persuade somebody to experience a motorcycle up for me so I can experience again down. [laughs]
iRunFar: So you’ll be able to simply cruise down and relaxation your legs.
McLaughlin: Yeah. I imply, it sounds so lazy, however I’ve realized. I’m like, I why would I do the identical factor that I do know I felt from earlier than? However, yeah. I nearly really feel higher doing each. I really feel like tomorrow form of breaks the nerves.
iRunFar: Yeah. Oh, that’s a great way to,
McLaughlin: And to come back again to your level that it’s Golden Path World Collection, when I discovered that out, Golden Path World Collection is one other considered one of my like, I simply assume the quick distance, the competitors, I, yeah. I simply assume it’s so cool that Damaged Arrow bought it, as a U.S. race. And I consider UTMB. If UTMB is the Olympics of our sport, the Golden Path Collection is the X Video games.
iRunFar: Ooh. Good metaphor.
McLaughlin: Yeah. And that pumps me up a lot, simply because I like working. I like path working. But when I might have been like, actually good at like, free snowboarding or one thing, I like, I feel that might have been extra, yeah. Simply extra cooler. After which seeing the place shorter path distance working has gone. It’s so technical, it’s so intense. It’s wild, and I feel Golden Path Collection has executed a very good job of showcasing that, and making it even cooler, and so to have my two favourite issues mixed is actually particular. And yeah, I wish to rip the 23k, however we’ll see. Yeah. We’ll see.
iRunFar: I feel that’s an amazing place to finish it. Your whole favorites mixed into Sunday’s race.
McLaughlin: Completely. Yeah.
iRunFar: Better of luck to you tomorrow on the Ascent. Better of luck on Sunday.
McLaughlin: Thanks.
iRunFar: Better of luck in your bid for a second spot on staff USA on the world champs.
McLaughlin: Thanks.
