We are back with another AKtive Chats! Summer has been flying by and as the temperature begins to drop and the sunny days fade, I wanted to help you Get AKtive and Stay AKtive! The person that I had the pleasure to chat with today has quite the racing resume. They have been on fire and perhaps more than anything, consistent throughout the year.
Since the beginning of 2024 they have placed… 7th in the Full Monty for Knoya Ridge, 3rd at Crazy Lazy, 1st at Turnagain Arm Trail Race (4 mile), 1st at Government Peak Round Trip, 5th at Bird Ridge Robert Spurr Memorial, 3rd in the Juneau Ridge Race, 3rd in the Pro Division at Alyeska Cirque Series, 2nd at Matanuska Peak Challenge, 2nd at Veins of Gold and has a few more races lined up for the remainder of the year. Click here for Race Results
Some of you who are stat and result nerds might be able to pick up on who I am talking about, but for others, this person is none other than Josh Taylor! Let’s get into it!
X: Josh, tell us a little bit about who you are.
J: I’m just a “small” town kid who got to grow up in one of the world’s best outdoor playgrounds. Some of my best memories growing up are just being out hiking, camping, playing with my siblings all around Alaska - winter or summer!
Josh loves being outside and exploring around Alaska, but thanks to racing, he has been able to see other parts of the country and even the world.
X: Share a little bit about your summer races thus far and your travel experiences this year.
J: It’s always a bit nerve racking at the beginning of every summer race season because it’s a big question of how well your winter training went. Will it have paid off is always a mystery until you get out there, but I love having most of my early season races be local getting to see people I’ve grown up racing against all out having fun on the trails and mountains! The out of state and international races I’ve started frequenting have just been to help push myself further athletically and also gain insight into what trail racing means outside of Alaska and the USA. It’s an awesome feeling to be in a foreign country and have instant common ground with someone because you both love being out testing yourself in nature!
Josh’s ability to race well regardless of the circumstances and connect with others has helped him on the international stage. Josh has represented the USA three times for the Youth Skyrunning World Championships. Twice as an athlete and most recently as the coach. It’s always cool to see “small town kids” from Alaska get recognized on a national and international level.
X: A popular mountain race in Alaska is the Alyeska Cirque Series. You recently got 3rd place in the Pro Division. Can you share your thoughts leading up to that race and how you felt about it?
J: Based off the summer I had leading up to the race I was feeling really good, and had high expectations of bettering my 5th place finish from last year. The heavy rain the week before definitely gave me some reservations for the downhill and rightfully so… I had a super solid uphill push and jaunt along the ridge, but took a real nasty spill near the beginning of the 2 mile descent. One that I felt for more than a week after the race! Falling is never fun, but it happens. It took a minute to recover but I got up and kept moving as best as I could, slowly getting back into a groove. Post race was awesome knowing it had paid off for that podium finish and then it was a long few days of being quite sore.
X: It’s great to see that even after a fall, you were able to push through and snag that podium spot. I’m sure that seeing all of the hard work paying off feels good. Speaking of hard work, you work at two different jobs. How do you balance training at such a high level while still maintaining those jobs?
J: I’m lucky to have two employers that are both very supportive and understanding of my training/racing schedule! Other than that the biggest advice is to keep it as interesting and engaging as possible. Make it something you want to go do, not another job you have to punch in for. On the days it does feel exhausting and more like work, that's when you just have to show up. Even a mile or a recovery walk is better than nothing - rest days are important too though! It’s a delicate balance
X: A delicate balance can sometimes be a hard thing to find. Do you have any advice for someone wanting to get into training and/or racing?
J: Similar to what I mentioned previously, keep it fun. Reach out to friends to stay motivated. Sign up for races that excite you so you have a goal to work toward. Listen to your body when it comes to managing your effort. It’s far easier than you think to overdo it, end up with an injury or burning yourself out.
X: Nutrition can play a big role in the recovery. Do you have a go to nutrition item to help during workouts and after?
J: My most consistent nutrition item has been Tailwind Recovery. Great for after workouts. Get those essential nutrients back into the system. Other than that I do lots of rice and potatoes as part of my dinners.
Awesome, well thanks for taking the time, Josh. I just have a few rapid fire, don’t think questions!
X: Favorite Movie
J: Right now, Aliens
X: Favorite Song
J: Wonderful Nothing by Glass Animals
X: Favorite shoe of all time?
J: NB Summit Unknown v2 (I owned at least 3 pairs)
X: Favorite shoe currently?
J: La Sportiva Kaptiva
X: Favorite athlete?
J: Kennenisa Bekele
X: Favorite race?
J: Matanuska Peak Challenge
X: Favorite trail to train on?
J: Lazy Mountain - Direct
Josh will always feel like a “small town” kid, but he has gained invaluable experience thanks to running. Josh is gearing up to head to Spain where he will compete in the Skyrunning World Championships. He is a part of the USA team where he will represent in the VK and 37K races. Oh the places that running can take you - you just have to start!
