Beyond the Trails: Mike and Leah
Behind the scenes on relationships with some of Utah's finest
A question I’ve been asked multiple times in interviews is some variation of, “Who has been influential in your running or life?” It’s always hard to answer because so many people fit that description. In the past, I’ve rattled off quick responses about the first people who come to mind. But I want to take this opportunity to go deeper—to reflect on the relationships that have shaped my journey, especially those with my closest friends and training partners in the Salt Lake City area.
This post is the first in what I hope will become a series, highlighting the people who have profoundly impacted not just my running career but my life as a whole. These relationships go beyond the miles logged together—they include travel to beautiful places, game nights, livestream watch parties, and countless other special memories.
The Wasatch Range is currently a hub of trail running talent, and it feels like each year this becomes even more true. While I’m sure I only interact with a small percentage of the incredible endurance athletes here, being surrounded by a community of like-minded people who value time outdoors and exercise is extremely inspiring. There’s no shortage of resources here—whether it’s industry connections, gear hookups, or training buddies—and I’ve been lucky to find some of the best of these in Mike McMonagle and Leah Yingling.
My first interaction with Mike and Leah was at the finish line of the 2019 Antelope Island 50k, where we unknowingly experienced our first Leah/Caleb win in our respective races, with Mike right on my heels. I just went back through Ultrasignup and counted, and since that day the feat of being on podiums together with Mike or Leah has been repeated with various combinations of race distances and podium placements 6 other times (with 3 narrow misses). By far the most memorable of these moments was Leah’s impressive 3rd place at the prestigious Javelina Jackass 31k, which we both entered less than an hour before the start. In her own words she “absolutely housed a hot dog” minutes before the race start, then she took off hard to make sure Mike could get us both together in a nice little photo. She had some great stories for us afterward about how the next 18 miles went.
Leah and Mike have been present for more of my races than anyone else except my wife. As I was counting the shared podiums I realized that even when they aren’t racing, they’re very often still present to either hang out and cheer, commentate on the livestream, or take photos. They’re so deeply invested in building up both the fun local and competitive global trail running environments. I’m constantly impressed (and sometimes a little worried/confused) by their willingness to be at running events weekend after back-to-back weekend throughout the summer, but they seem to enjoy it each time and always positively contribute to the events.
I don’t say this lightly, Mike is a wizard behind the camera. Everyone in the trail running space has seen his work on Instagram and has probably thought, “oh wow that’s a good picture,” but until he came out to Austria as a media crew member for the 2023 World Trail Running Championships, I didn’t fully realize what goes into what he does. We spent a lot of time together that trip, and he always had his camera. And his extra lenses. And another camera. All in a backpack. With his laptop. Capturing the fastest trail runners on the planet pushing as hard as they could up a steep ski slope, keeping up with them to for as long as he could to get the perfect shot after just having raced a VK himself.
Then, maybe more impressively, he immediately sat at the alpine hut with spotty wifi and had those epic photos edited and posted before most people had even taken the gondola back down to town. This happened four days in a row, with races getting progressively longer and, in many places, inaccessible without running up thousands of feet (which he did, camera in hand). All that to say, he puts a lot of effort into his craft, which requires also being an amazing athlete himself, and it was cool to watch.
It would feel wrong to write something like this about the YingGonagles (McLings?) and not mention Further. Morgan and I were honored to be invited out to Palm Springs this past March to feed Leah pierogis as she attempted to run around in little circles for 6 days straight. Our little gang of pals waddled around the desert dressed in full beige sweatsuits for nearly a week, seeing Leah about every 20 minutes as she passed by on her way to completing 400 miles. It was some of the most fun crewing I’ve ever done, constantly feasting in Lululemon’s designated onsite crew cafeteria between laps.
Watching Leah tackle this event was fascinating. She put together a detailed spreadsheet with different tiers of goals, and adjusted paces and expectations in real time as the tolls of sleep deprivation, blisters, heat exhaustion, mental fatigue of listening to Olivia Rodrigo on repeat for 18 hours a day, and physical exertion piled up. While Leah has a strong competitive drive, this event wasn’t about competing with others—it was about seeing how far she could push herself. With that goal in mind, she struck a remarkable balance between high performance, preserving her body for future adventures, and genuinely enjoying the experience. This balance wasn’t new to me; I’d already seen it in how she managed her demanding job back then, which often required weekly travel, alongside intense training. But watching it play out over six days felt like an intensive, real-time seminar on how it’s done.
Mike and Leah have also acted as a sounding board for me with training plans, racing schedules, and navigating communication with brands. When I was reviewing offers and contracts, Leah’s industry experience made her the first person I turned to for advice. When I needed photos for a sponsorship announcement, Mike was the clear choice. And when I had a workout that called for a 30% incline treadmill, I knew exactly whose house to head to. But what I appreciate most is how our relationship goes beyond running, they are there for us in all aspects of life. Whether it’s a Moab campout or just a casual night catching up, they’re always up for it. They’ve become an important part of my running and my day-to-day life, and I’m grateful to have friends like them nearby.
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