The Human Potential Running Series Podcast · John Lacroix

Episode 54: Trail Etiquette & Other Musings

·1 hr 36 min·5 clips

John watched a pit bull maul a poodle to death on a hike, changing his view on dogs forever.

This episode features HPRS owner John LaCroix and his co-host Thomas Stott sharing personal updates and discussing trail etiquette. John is a race director and Thomas is a fellow runner and community member. John recently moved into a newly built house in Arvada, Colorado, near the Ralston Creek Trail. Thomas returned from a Florida vacation where he saw manatees at Homosassa Springs. John is writing a memoir and is struggling with a chapter about his childhood and his relationship with his mother. Thomas is reading a book called "Belonging" about the science of connection and shared a quote about understanding through change. John finds writing about his mother requires a compassionate lens, which he finds challenging. Thomas mentions an upcoming quick trip to Los Angeles to attend the premiere of WWE Raw moving to Netflix. John describes his neighborhood's successful opposition to a large RV storage development. The hosts discuss using trekking poles, with John noting they are discouraged in his races due to safety concerns like accidentally stabbing other runners. John argues the main safety issue with poles is a lack of spatial awareness among runners in crowded events. He contrasts this with the common debate about poles providing a mechanical advantage. Thomas has been training with poles while running with his dog. John explains the official trail right-of-way hierarchy in Colorado places equestrians at the top, then hikers/runners, with mountain bikers yielding to both. John observes an "entitlement problem" where some trail users rigidly enforce these rules instead of reading the situation for safety. He believes it's often safer for runners to yield to mountain bikers. Thomas agrees, citing a near-collision with a silent mountain biker on a blind corner. The hosts discuss the published rule that uphill hikers have right-of-way over downhill travelers, which both find counterintuitive. They suggest the best etiquette is to "read the room" and act practically. The conversation touches on dog etiquette, including the prevalence of off-leash dogs and discarded waste bags. John expresses discomfort when unfamiliar dogs approach, regardless of an owner's assurance they are friendly. The tone is casual and conversational, blending personal storytelling with practical advice. The style is educational but relaxed, deriving insights from personal experience and observation. Trail runners and outdoor enthusiasts interested in community dynamics and practical trail ethics would enjoy this episode. Listeners seeking a highly structured or purely training-focused running podcast might find the personal tangents less engaging.

As heard by us

A grounded trail etiquette chat that leans on lived judgment more than tidy rules.

Trail etiquette is treated as something people actually have to use, not a neat list on a sign. John LaCroix and Thomas Stott work through right of way, uphill versus downhill calls, bike only sections, directional trails, and the split second judgment that comes from reading…

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Press play for a trail etiquette debate about who yields on mixed-use trails.

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