Trail running legend and multi-time national champion Max King joins us on Skimo Gold for a wide-ranging conversation about mountain sports, aging as an endurance athlete, and why ski mountaineering might be the ultimate cross-training tool.
Max shares how watching European mountain runners—especially athletes like Kilian Jornet—inspired him to pick up skimo as a winter training strategy. What started as cross-training turned into racing, and he now credits ski mountaineering with elevating his performance in iconic mountain events like the legendary Mount Marathon Race in Seward, Alaska.
We dig into:
Max also opens up about his evolving perspective as a veteran athlete in a sport now filled with teenagers and 20-somethings—and how experience, strength, and durability shift over time.
Beyond racing, Max is building the future of U.S. skimo. He shares the story behind launching a youth ski mountaineering program in Bend, Oregon—growing from just a few kids to a developing middle school team that’s starting to show up at regional races. It’s grassroots development in action, modeled after programs like Silver Fork, and a glimpse into how the U.S. can continue closing the gap internationally.
We also touch on:
This episode is about longevity, mountain culture, cross-sport performance, and investing in the next generation.
If you’re a runner curious about skimo, a skier looking to get faster uphill, or a coach building youth programming, this one’s for you.
Let’s go!
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Skimo Gold is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.
