From fast road marathons to rugged 100-milers and FKTs, Team Injinji Athletes have packed their calendars with exciting adventures in 2025. We asked what they’re most looking forward to in the year ahead—and their answers are full of big goals, meaningful places, and personal challenges that fuel their love of movement.
Looking at your race/event schedule for the upcoming year, what are you most looking forward to and why?
Courtney Dauwalter: I am really excited to keep adventuring with my feet in beautiful places. I'll be doing Lavaredo 120km in Italy for the first time and am looking forward to being completely surprised by the views in a brand-new place. At the end of August, I'll be returning to UTMB in Chamonix, France. Coming back to a place you've been to before can be really special. I'm looking forward to the entire 108-mile course and the delicious croissants!
Tara Dower: I am the most excited about all of my races/FKTs because they are different, new adventures. Some races are fast, and some are going to take a long time to complete. All of them have their perks.
Mike Wardian: In March, I set the American Record for 50K in the 50-54 age group running 3:13. I’m getting fired up to run the Burning Man 50K at Burning Man 2025. This will be my first "Burn,” and I am so excited to learn about the culture of Burning Man and bond with the community. I have joined the camp "Pink Lightning,” and I will be running all the races and volunteering during the week of Burning Man.
Mike McKnight: Just being able to move! I am currently dealing with an injury which is making my running season unknown. But I can bike! And I'm developing a love for biking. Adaptability is fun!
Chris Raup: I am most looking forward to the 6 days at TransRockies Run. Splitting time between PA and CO, I spend my summer and fall in Summit County, and this will get me out on some trails that are practically in my backyard that I’ve mostly never explored. This will be a fantastic opportunity to be immersed in our trail running community and spread the message of the work we are doing in the Warrior Trail Foundation.
Ashley Woods: The Chicago Marathon will be my first World Marathon Major. I've heard such great things about the crowd support there, and I just love the marathon distance, so I can't wait to do it again.
Jonathan Andrade: I'm halfway through coordinating the SoCalTrail Tour of LA community trail run series, and I'm gearing up my planning for the 3rd annual Run The Valley Fest, a united run club meet up of 20+ of the San Fernando Valley's run clubs. It's my favorite event of the year because we get to all gather to celebrate all the run club leaders and their members for the community building they do tirelessly year-round.
Andrew Suski: My primary goal is to continue my journey to Western States by completing Kettle Moraine 100. A successful finish will get me 16 total tickets for this December's lottery pull.
Jessica Green: Cascade Crest 100. Why? Because I’m absolutely not guaranteed to finish it. And that’s exactly why it excites me. This race is a beast—100 miles with over 23,000 feet of climbing through rugged mountain terrain. It’s not just a physical challenge; it’s a mental one, too. And that’s what I love most: the opportunity to take on something so big, so uncertain, that I have to grow into the version of myself who can even attempt it.
Aimee Jacobs: Javelina Jundred! It is supposed to be a party in the desert on a hot & fast course which suits my strengths perfectly! I can't wait to run fast against some tough competition.
Corinne Shalvoy: I'm looking forward to 1) racing from February through December and experiencing different terrain. 2) Being in the community in various capacities (commentator, pacer, crew, cheerleader, competitor, podcaster, and fan) and 3) Continuing to grow and improve as an athlete, mother and human.
Max Taylor: The Midstate Massive 50 Miler in October will be my first time doing a point-to-point race, which seems really cool. Plus, the 50 starts at night!
Jenna O’Horan: Walking the Via Francigena starting August 30, where I will spend 3 weeks in Switzerland and Italy. Over the St Bernard's Pass, across rivers, down old Roman roads and through many small walled in hilltop towns. This will be my second time walking a Camino and my first time in Switzerland.
Tami Fandrei: I’m looking forward to spending my summer as a trail ambassador for the Tahoe Rim Trail Association. I’ll be trekking along the Tahoe Rim Trail in August to prepare for the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt in September!
Butch Slabach: I am most looking forward to racing the Highlands Sky 40-miler in West Virginia. I’ve been wanting to do this East Coast classic for a few years now. The course is as rugged and technical as they get and takes you through the Roaring plains and Dolly Sods Wilderness with stunning views!
Selena Langner: I'm particularly looking forward to revisiting Speedgoat 50k, which was one of the first ultramarathons I raced. I'm excited to see how much I've grown and to apply the last few years of training and lessons.
CP Pruitt: The Fonta Flora 50k was unfortunately postponed last year due to the devastation in western North Carolina, so I am excited to finally get out there and check that one off the list while also supporting that community as they rely heavily on tourism and visitors! I’ll also be training for my first 100k this year, so I’m excited to get some heavy mileage weeks in preparation for Black Canyon 100k in February!
Steven Estremera: This year I have my sights set on the Escarpement Trail Race in July, Cats Tail marathon, and hoping to find a 50k to aim for a PR of sub 5 hours in the Fall.
Rae Cramer: I’m most excited for the Ute 50-mile race in August in the LaSal mountains of southern Utah. This part of Utah is really special to me and it’s always wonderful to have meaningful experiences and build cool memories in the places we love! It’s not official yet but I’d also love to run “softrock” this season if I can line it up. That would also be a dream come true for me. It’s been on the list for so many years!
A fun fact that people don’t know about me is...
Tara Dower: I played rugby for three years in college.
Mike Wardian: I don't need much sleep. I am happiest with 4-6 hours sleep but I can and do function well with zero sleep for multiple days. I also love chess, and I am trying to get my rating above 2000.
Chris Raup: I have an Alpaca farm in PA. I really don’t know how to sit around and relax, so having the farm gives me an opportunity to always have some project to work on.
Ashley Woods: I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 2024. I spent 9 days on the mountain with my sister, and an entire crew of porters/guides that helped us get up the mountain safely.
Rae Cramer: My favorite vegetable is radicchio!
Jonathan Andrade: My career before COVID lockdown was as a sports journalist for a local newspaper covering prep, college and professional sports, which I did for six years. I now coach people with special needs.
Andrew Suski: I have Type 2 Diabetes, which adds an extra layer of complexity to training and race day, but is also a primary driver to take on new adventures and challenges.
Jessica Green: Before I was a run coach, I was a hairstylist for many years—and I still have a deep love for bold hair colors and creative styles. I’ve rocked more than 10 different hair colors over the past decade (yes, really!), and one of my favorite pre-race traditions is getting bright, colorful French braids as a little “good luck charm.” Keep an eye out for my race braids at Cascade Crest—they’re coming in hot!
CP Pruitt: I was recently a part of a documentary called Better Bring Your Friends by Louie Poore! It followed my running journey and the Winston-Salem community. Keep an eye out for it; the plan is to submit it to film festivals all over the country!
Jenna O’Horan: Most people consider me to be an adventurous and outdoorsy sort of person, but I am also up for spending a day on the sofa reading all day long!
Mike McKnight: I used to be a country swing dance instructor.
Aimee Jacobs: I used to give horseback riding lessons when I was in high school and college.
Corinne Shalvoy: I was sung to on stage by NSYNC when I was 17.
Tami Fandrei: After a tennis injury in 2022, I turned to hiking and backpacking to recover and build strength, only to fall in love with the outdoors and trails. This is my 4th summer doing 100-225-mile-long trails.
Steven Estremera: Growing up, I wanted to be an architect for the longest time and a forensic anthropologist. Then I changed my mind to exercise physiology eventually.
Butch Slabach: My real name is Aaron but when I was four years old my older brothers decided I would be called Butch. I’ve gone by that ever since.
Selena Langner: I'm a 2x national champion sailor for a small class of catamaran, and I got my start in endurance sports by exploring the East Coast on bike tours.
Max Taylor: Though I now run an organic vegetable farm, raise beef cattle and pigs and drive tractors all day, I grew up in Chicago and didn’t know what a tomato plant looked like until I was in my twenties.
If you had to choose, which Injinji sock is your favorite and why?
Run Lightweight Mini-Crew
Ashley Woods: I love how lightweight it is, and I always go for a sock above the ankle for better protection.
Jenna O’Horan: Perfect weight sock for hot Florida days. Keeps the blisters away, even when the sock is wet from the sweat that's rolled down my legs! I like the Mini-Crew, so I can show a pop of color.
Run Lightweight Crew
Selena Langner: They're light enough to wear with technical mountain shoes, and the Crew height protects my legs from brambles. They also work great for gravel biking!
Trail Midweight Mini-Crew
Chris Raup: This sock provides the cushion I need and provides the perfect environment for my feet to go up to 100K without changes or blisters. No pre-taping, no lube. Despite the rain and ankle-deep mud at Cocodona in May, I had zero blisters or foot issues. Same thing at AZ Monster a month earlier. Two opposite extremes and proof of how well this sock performs in any environment.
Jonathan Andrade: They're durable enough for a long trail run but light enough to keep my toes feeling nice and breezy any day.
Aimee: The Women’s Trail Midweight Mini-Crew socks are my go-to for any trail run or race! They keep my toes happy, feet dry & comfy, and are just high enough to prevent any blisters or hot spots around the ankles. An added bonus is having so many fun colors to match any run-fit.
Butch Slabach: It’s the perfect balance between durability and performance. 80% of my runs are in this sock!
Trail Midweight Crew
Andrew Suski: These have resolved toe-related blistering, and the extra material helps keep my feet dry for long efforts.
Jessica Green: They are just thick enough to keep me comfortable on those double digit runs, and the height keeps dirt and bits of brush out.
Tami Fandrei: I’ve been in Injinji Midweight socks since the John Muir Trail in 2022. I always pack an extra pair because dry feet are SO important on rainy days and water crossings!
Steven Estremera: In the Northeast, trails have a lot of mud and overgrowth, so the Crew height fits in perfectly, and I like the cool colors and patterns too.
Ultra Run Mini-Crew
Mike Wardian: If I was going to a desert island and could only bring one pair of Injinji socks, I would bring this sock. I love this sock; it is versatile, reliable, and bullet proof.
Max Taylor: The added cushion and padding help keep my feet very happy and intact over long runs and the Mini-Crew height is high enough to feel protected but not so high they get hot.
CP Pruitt: These socks have saved me from some major blisters on longer runs!
Artist Designed series
Rae Cramer: For sure my favorite Injinji socks are the Artist Designed socks. As an artist myself, I absolutely love that this collab happens.
Sport Original Weight Crew
Mike McKnight: The black Sport Original Weight Crew! Black is my favorite color. It looks good with any outfit I wear.
Liner Mini-Crew
Tara Dower: I really like these socks. The weight and breathability are really nice.
