#120 Tim Tollefson | Betting on Yourself, Building Mammoth Trail Fest, & The Courage to Reinvent

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.Join the Newsletter at:⁠ ⁠MidPack Musings SubStack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the MidPacker Pod on ⁠Patreon⁠.⁠⁠⁠Check Out MPP Merch ⁠Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.Looking for 1:1 Ultra Running Coaching? Check out ⁠Troy’s Coaching Page ⁠Check out the Gear I love ⁠HERE⁠ on rendezvu.co your purchases support me directlySTOKED TO PARTNER WITH  ⁠PLAY ON RELIEF⁠ - 20% off your first order⁠GO BREWING⁠ - 20% off your first order⁠VACATION RACES⁠ - 15% off any Ultra, Half Marathon, or TrailfestUSE MIDPACKER TO GET THAT DISCOUNT FRIENDS&quot;I basically didn&#39;t do it forever out of fear.&quot;Tim Tollefson has spent the last decade proving that growth often lives on the other side of discomfort.A two-time Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, UTMB podium finisher, physical therapist, trail running pioneer, and founder of Mammoth Trail Fest, Tim&#39;s journey has been anything but linear. In this conversation, he shares how a career built around performance eventually evolved into something much bigger: community, connection, and learning to define success on his own terms.Tim reflects on his transition from road marathoning to trail running, his years with Nike Trail, HOKA, and Craft, and the lessons learned from competing at the highest levels of the sport. The conversation also dives deep into confidence versus courage, the power of self-belief, and what it took to finally bring his long-time dream of Mammoth Trail Fest to life.Throughout the episode, Tim offers a refreshing perspective on reinvention, entrepreneurship, and why betting on yourself is often the hardest—and most rewarding—decision you&#39;ll ever make.In This EpisodeTransitioning from marathon running to trail runningThe early days of Nike Trail and racing in EuropeConfidence vs. courage and finding self-beliefWhy athletes need an identity beyond performanceBuilding Mammoth Trail Fest from an idea into realityLessons learned from Nike, HOKA, and CraftThe future of trail running and protecting its cultureCommunity, connection, and creating opportunities for othersThis episode is a reminder that growth rarely comes from playing it safe. Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs happen when you stop waiting for permission and start leaning in.Timmy&#39;s Links:IG ⁠@timtollefson⁠⁠Mammoth Trail Fest⁠ - ⁠https://www.mammothtrailfest.com⁠Relevant Links:The Mammoth 200⁠ https://www.themammoth200.com⁠Craft Sportswear⁠ https://www.craftsports.us⁠UTMB Mont-Blanc ⁠https://utmb.world⁠Broken Arrow Skyrace⁠ https://brokenarrowskyrace.com⁠The Rut Mountain Runs⁠ https://runtherut.com⁠Billy Yang⁠ https://billyyang.com⁠Partner Links: ⁠PlayOn Relief⁠ - ⁠https://playonrelief.com⁠All Natural, Fast Acting, Long Lasting, Targeted ReliefUse MIDPACKER for 20% off your first order<a href="https://gobrewing