Take a run with The Human Potential Running Series podcast. In Episode 81, HPRS Race Director John Lacroix dives into a fascinating, cautionary tale from the frontline of local trail racing: The Rise of the AI Race Director. John breaks down a recent interaction with a new event organizer whose entire race presence, from a highly priced entry structure down to every single line of marketing copy, was entirely generated by Artificial Intelligence.

What happens when automated machine learning clashes with the complex, boots-on-the-ground reality of public land permitting, route design, and community safety? John shares the email correspondence, the logistical red flags he uncovered (including courses mapped over illegal social trails slated for restoration), and the essential human truth that no algorithm can ever replace: ultra running requires authentic community and real-world risk management.

To close, John connects this modern dilemma to a special speech and original poem inspired by Dr. Seuss's The Lorax, reminding us all of the heavy responsibility of stewardship and why the soul of the sport depends on people who "care a whole awful lot."

Take a run with The Human Potential Running Series podcast. Episode 80 is Part 3 of a 3 part series on The State of Ultrarunning.

In the conclusion of this three-part series, HPRS owner and race director John LaCroix delivers his most raw and data-backed "State of the Sport Address" to date. Using 21 years of longitudinal data from Colorado and beyond, John pulls back the curtain on the "Ghost Race" phenomenon, the math of corporate greed, and the reality of the permit ceiling facing federal land use.

This episode features an opening reflection by Dr. Jacob Ambrose on the "AuDHD" (Autism & ADHD) experience—prioritizing truth over simplicity—which sets the stage for a discussion on why the sport is entering a critical "Stewardship Era."

Key Topics Covered:

• The 100-Mile Bubble: Why race counts are up 27% while finishes have stagnated.

• Extraction vs. Stewardship: The rise of corporate "Ironmanization" and predatory race scheduling.

• The Math of Entry Fees: A forensic look at why $500 entries are becoming the norm (and why it's not just inflation).

• The Cultural Shift: Moving from a "frat house" atmosphere of mockery back to a "sanctuary" of belonging.

• HPRS Updates: Why John is choosing "depth over breadth" by reducing race counts and leaning into the Community Fund.

Take a run with The Human Potential Running Series podcast. Episode 79 is Part 2 of a 3 part series on The State of Ultrarunning. In this part, John and guests Gordon Harvey, Mike Gamp, and Megan Storms tackle the increasingly complex world of land management, legal liability, and the "tragedy of the commons" currently facing ultrarunning.

John pulls back the curtain on how some race directors are operating in "gray areas" to bypass permit restrictions—and how these short-sighted decisions are triggering a massive ripple effect that threatens access for everyone, from running stores to collegiate teams.

Topics in Part 2:

• The Permitting Crisis: How a few "at all costs" race directors are causing the U.S. Forest Service to reconsider rules for every trail user.

• The Liability Myth: Why recent court rulings in Colorado have made your race waiver "meaningless" and what that means for the future of entry fees.

• Search & Rescue Realities: The sobering truth about how long it actually takes for help to arrive when things go wrong in the backcountry.

• Gatekeeping vs. Safety: Should hard races have stricter qualifiers? A look at the "couch-to-100-miler" trend and the rise of the "unprepared runner."

• The In-Crowd & The Oligarchy: A candid look at the power dynamics of the "Five Families" of ultrarunning and why the sport needs more "rabble-rousers."

This is the second of a three-part series. Stay tuned for Part 3, where John delivers his official "State of the Sport Address."

Take a run with The Human Potential Running Series podcast. Episode 78, is the first installment of a special three-part series, where HPRS Race Director John Lacroix sits down with guests Gordon Harvey, Mike Gampp, and Megan Storms to pull back the curtain on the current state of the ultrarunning industry.

Part 1 focuses on the friction between "old school" trail culture and the high-gloss world of modern influencers. From the impact of film crews on the runner experience to the legal and permitting repercussions of high-profile rule-breaking, the group explores if the sport is losing its "dirtbag" soul.

Topics in Part 1:

• The "Influencer" Formula: How social media monetization is shifting race priorities.

• Prize Money & Elitism: Does the focus on the top 1% marginalize the back-of-the-pack?

• Stewardship & Permits: The real-world consequences of cutting switchbacks and ecological harm.

• The "It's Not About You" Ethos: Why rules exist to protect shared spaces.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week as the roundtable continues, followed by John's solo "State of the Sport Address" in Part 3.

Take a run with The Human Potential Running Series podcast. In Episode 77, HPRS Race Director John Lacroix offers insights into the story that was The Franklin Mountains Trail Runs for HPRS. Hear the story of how HPRS came to own the Franklin Mountains Trail Runs, the trials and tribulations we endured over the 5-years hosting the event in El Paso, and what led to the decision to sell the race to Wanderlust Running, including lessons learned, a thank you, and a goodbye. For our El Paso running family.

Take a run with The Human Potential Running Series podcast. In Episode 76, HPRS Race Director John Lacroix welcomes special guest Izzy Davis, a Colorado native now living in Kellogg, Idaho. Izzy ran the Sangre de Cristo 100 Mile as her first trail race, first ultra, and first hundred miler. With no crew and no pacer, she won outright in 29 hours, 23 minutes.

This conversation starts with the race and quickly turns into the real story. Izzy is a ski patroller turned avalanche forecaster with the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center. She is built around risk management, spreadsheets, and big mountain decision making. Then she lost her partner Willie last winter, suddenly, to cardiac arrest while skiing. Running became her way to keep moving. Not as an escape, more like a place to process. Solitude. Flow state. A quiet mind. A goal that gave her something to aim at when everything felt upside down.

We talk about grief and gratitude living side by side. We talk about how her risk tolerance shifted after loss, while her responsibility stayed intact. We talk about the idea that running can be therapy, even when the internet wants to argue about it. We talk about carrying someone's legacy forward through how you live. You will hear the phrase "WWWD," What would Willie do.

If you need a reminder to get outside, move your body, and do the next small good thing, this one will land.

Take a run with The Human Potential Running Series podcast. In Episode 75, HPRS Race Director John Lacroix welcomes special guest Camille Herron. For the first time, Camille has an opportunity to speak her whole truth about the Wikipedia and World 24-Hour Championship "scandals" that have left a negative mark on her reputation. Together, John and Camille explore her neurodivergence and how it intersects with her sensivity for justice. Camille presents her side of the story, with facts and data to support her perspectives, uninterupted and unedited. Then, they explore Camille's AuDHD diagnosis, what it's like to be diagnosed as an adult, and the challenge to re-meet the self you thought you already knew.

Take a run with The Human Potential Running Series podcast. In Episode 74, HPRS Race Director John Lacroix discusses ultramarathon running hero Camille Herron. John starts by highlighting the mission, vision, and ethos of HPRS; how we've created a safe space for all adventurers to explore, themselves and the outdoors, within a supportive community where belonging is valued. Then he reviews the "Wikipedia Controversy" involving Camille Herron from September 2024, before jumping into talking about recent events with Camille Herron and the 24-Hour World Championships. John highlights how the cultural fabric of ultramarathon running has eroded into a culture where ableism, online bullying, tasteless memes, and ignorance has become the new accepted norms. This personal episode dives into the realities of neurodivergence, specifically those diagnosed with ADHD, Autism, and Dyslexia.