Chatting Shoes & Western States With Vincent Bouillard!

It was an honor to be able to sit down and chat with the 2026 Western States champion, course record holder, and member of the Hoka Footwear Innovation Team! I hope everyone enjoys this conversation and Vincent's willingness to share his experiences from Western States and his background in footwear. Cheers! Shop Hoka Footwear https://www.runningwarehouse.com/catp... Consider supporting Conversational Pace on Patreon   / conversationalpace   Shop the new CP Long Haul Cap here! https://trails-and-tarmac.myshopify.c... Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:52 Vincent's background and how he got into trail running 05:01 Role in Hoka footwear innovation 10:11 Insights into Western States race strategy and pacing 14:56 Nutrition challenges during ultramarathons 20:05 Training adjustments and coaching with Mario Fraioli 24:54 Balancing family life and ultramarathon training 29:58 The impact of weather and temperature on race performance 34:51 Footwear preferences for different race terrains 39:50 Research and development in trail running shoes 45:03 The importance of gear and shoe testing during training 50:06 Race day emotions and final moments at Western States 54:47 Reflections on the race victory and future goals