Helen Mino Faukner on the Get Stoked Girls Podcast
- Rhianna Walzer
- Jun 12
- 11 min read
Updated: Oct 30
A conversation about rediscovering joy in the mountains, redefining success on her own terms, and working toward a more inclusive future in trail running.
Meet Helen Mino Faukner — professional trail runner for HOKA.
In this candid conversation, Helen reflects on her evolving relationship with sport, from early burnout and ego-driven goals in collegiate running to rediscovering joy through ultrarunning, FKTs, and skiing in the Sierra. She shares how stepping away from the sport helped her reconnect with it on her own terms, starting with a spontaneous 50K and eventually embracing a more seasonal, exploration-driven approach through skiing in the Eastern Sierra. Helen talks about identity shifts, her most meaningful and most brutal FKTs, and why she turned down two Golden Tickets to Western States.
We also explore how she stays aligned with joy as a professional athlete and why process now matters more than prestige. The conversation wraps with her perspective on gender equity in trail running and her work with the Professional Trail Running Association Women’s Equality Workgroup to make the sport more inclusive. Her advice to the next generation of women in the outdoors is to carve your own path even if no one has done it that way before.
We met Helen at Donner Lake, where she now lives in Truckee, California, and where she rediscovered her love for running.
Listen to this episode of Get Stoked Girls and get notified of new releases by subscribing on Spotify, Apple, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts!
Athletic Background & Identity
Rhi: What first drew you to running, and how did your passion for it grow through high school?
Helen: I started running track in eighth grade and honestly got last in every race, by a lot. It was kind of embarrassing, but I think I just hadn’t figured out how to actually try hard at running yet. Then in high school, a girl on my team told me I’d never beat her, and something clicked. I improved pretty quickly after that. My high school running experience was so much fun. We spent a lot of time on trails, exploring, and while we took it seriously, it was also just a blast. After that, I went on to run at the University of Nevada for three years.
Rhi: What motivated you to pursue cross country at the collegiate level?
Helen: Looking back, I don’t think I had the best motivation for running in college. A lot of it was tied to identity. I felt like being good at running defined who I was, and going D1 felt like a way to prove that. It was definitely ego-driven and honestly it showed. I didn’t have a great collegiate career. I was constantly tired, injured, and I hated it. Now I can see that what I was doing wasn’t aligned with what I actually value, but at 17 that’s really hard to understand.
For me, it took away what I loved most about running: getting outside, exploring new trails, and having fun. In college we ran the same two trails all the time and too fast. It became all about performance, not about the joy or freedom that originally drew me in. Success in that world is defined so narrowly, just run faster, and that’s not really what running is about for me.
Rhi: Was there a specific moment or race when you felt your love for running start to fade?
Helen: I think it built up over time. I was always injured, and it's hard to enjoy running when you're in pain or stuck cross-training instead. It just stopped being fun. I actually ended up quitting on the bus ride home from conference. Ironically, I had probably the best race of my collegiate career that day. I was talking with my coach about plans for next season, and I realized I couldn’t keep doing it.
That year, I had fully committed. In the past, maybe I had one foot in and one foot out, but that season, I gave everything. And still, I wasn’t happy. I didn’t love running anymore, and it didn’t feel worth it.
Rhi: After stepping away from running, what brought you back and reignited your joy for the sport?
Helen: After quitting college running, I took a break. During my senior year, I worked at a running shoe store where many coworkers ran ultras, so I got pulled in and ran my first 50K right after my 22nd birthday in 2018. Even then running felt like something I had to do, not wanted to do.
It was mostly during COVID that I found my way back. I’d gotten into yoga and became a certified teacher, but when studios closed, I lost that community. So I reached out to my coach and said I might start running again.
A few days ago was my five-year anniversary of ‘unquitting’ running.
Rhi: How has your athletic identity evolved from feeling disconnected with running in college to now finding joy in it again?
Helen: Even in high school and college, running was a huge part of my identity. When it stopped bringing me joy, I still held on tightly, even though it was making me miserable. During my time away from running, I was able to discover who I am without it. I realized that what I do, or what activities I’m involved in, don’t define me.
Now, I have a healthier relationship with running. Even if I quit tomorrow, I’m still going to be me. That doesn’t change. At the same time, I really like who I am now with running in my life, so I’ve found a better balance.
Even when running stopped bringing me joy, I held on tightly because it was part of my identity. But stepping away helped me realize that what I do doesn’t define who I am.
FKTs & Exploring the Mountains
Rhi: Do you set FKTs as specific goals for a season, or do they come up naturally during your regular race training?
Helen: I’d say FKTs usually happen as part of my regular race training. For example, when I was training for CCC 100k, I looked for something that made sense for training but also something I really wanted to do. That's when I got the Whitney Car-to-Car FKT. There have been other times when I’m in a certain area and want a longer, harder effort. So generally, FKTs fit naturally into my training rather than being planned far in advance.
Rhi: Do you ever struggle with fear or anxiety when running solo, either beforehand or while out on the trail?
Helen: No, I don’t really feel fear anymore. In high school, I was told so many times that what felt like nervousness was really just excitement, since those feelings are so similar. So now, whenever I get nervous, I tell myself I’m just excited.
I’ve learned to reframe nervousness as excitement. After 15 years of training my brain, that mindset stuck.
Rhi: What is your most meaningful FKT?
Helen: The most meaningful FKT for me is Mount Tallac near South Lake. My friend EmKay Sullivan and I were supposed to run Whitney together, but it was really smoky from a fire, so we decided to run Mount Tallac instead. That was the first mountain I ever ran up, and it was the moment I really understood what trail running was. Doing it with a friend I’ve known for over ten years made it even more special. It all comes back to that joy of being out there with someone you care about, just exploring.
Rhi: Most brutal FKT?
Helen: Desolation Seven Summits was definitely outside my usual comfort zone. Most of the route is not on trails; a lot of it is ridge line and scrambling, especially the Crystal Traverse section. I got really tired of walking on granite and had to keep distracting myself from negative thoughts by focusing on what I was grateful for and eating fruit snacks.
The loop is about a marathon distance, roughly 26 miles, but it is a slow 26 miles. I did it in around nine hours. You can start anywhere, but I went Pyramid, Agassiz, Price, Jacks, Dicks Peak, Tallac and Ralston. It is incredibly beautiful and feels very remote even though it is right by Tahoe. It was a tough day but also really fun.
Skiing, Skimo & Training Beyond the Trails
Rhi: Let’s talk training. How does skiing fit into your overall race preparation?
Helen: I love skiing, though I’m not that good at it. I started nordic skiing about three years ago mainly to cross-train in winter because I don’t enjoy running on roads. Running is really about the places I get to explore, and road or path running doesn’t give me that. Nordic skiing, even on groomed trails, gives me a similar feeling to running — the hard breathing and the physical challenge. It’s hard to find another activity that pushes you like that.
For me, it’s about living with the seasons, keeping joy in training, and finding ways to stay active where I live. I also downhill ski just for fun, and recently I’ve started doing skimo, which has been silly but fun.
Rhi: What is skimo?
Helen: Skimo, or ski mountaineering, varies a lot by place. In Europe, it’s more hardcore and traditional. Since becoming an Olympic sport, it feels more structured with set courses. Here in the U.S., I mostly do skimo at ski resorts with uphill policies. I also backcountry ski, but that can be tricky with scheduling, finding partners, and avalanche safety. At resorts, it’s safer and easier to do solo.
For nordic skiing, I’m lucky to have great access nearby, like Royal Gorge, one of the largest nordic centers in the U.S. I love nordic skiing but I’m still working on technique. Skimo is more similar to running uphill on mountains, while nordic skiing helps a lot with VO2 max but uses different muscles and motions.
They require completely different gear and different movement. In cross-country, I skate ski, which is more of a V formation movement, engaging muscles like my adductors and putting stress on my Achilles. Skimo uphill movement is more like walking.
Rhi: You recently did your first skimo race. Can you tell me about the race you did, how it went, and what the day was like?
Helen: The race is called Luggi Foeger, held at Diamond Peak in Incline Village. It’s a local, fun event with two laps up and down. That made it a bit tricky for me since I’m still slow with transitions, which costs me time. I try to make it up on the uphill, but I’m not the fastest downhill skier on those tiny skis either. Overall, it went well! I ended up winning the women’s division, which was really fun. I also had a bunch of friends there, so it was a great experience.
Rhi: What’s it like getting started as a beginner?
Helen: I really enjoy it. Learning something new means you see quick progress if you stick with it, which feels really rewarding. Even in my three years of nordic skiing, I used to be way behind a group of women in their 50s and 60s, but now I can keep up with them, even though I still work hard. That part is fun and inspiring — seeing people who are so much better.
My boyfriend and I have talked about this with downhill skiing too. Sometimes your perception of how good you are gets skewed. I might think, "I’m so bad at skiing," but really, I’m a capable skier. I can handle almost anything; I’m just not a professional, and I ski around a lot of pros.
Rhi: What’s it like training with the Sierra right there? How does having the mountains so close shape your training throughout the year?
Helen: Yeah, it’s amazing. In the summer, Truckee is one of the best places in the world for trail running with so many trails just 30 minutes away. I even make myself a little “trail bingo” card to keep things fun. One challenge is to not run in the same place for 30 days, and it’s actually pretty easy, which is great. Winter can be tricky, which is part of why I started skiing. What makes Truckee special is that Reno is only 30 minutes away, and if there’s a lot of snow, Auburn is just an hour away. So I can usually find dirt trails somewhere. I really like the seasonality of it all.
Racing as a Pro
Rhi: Is there a race that stands out as the most defining for you so far?
Helen: Definitely. Speedgoat 2023 is the race I’m most proud of so far. I’ve had other wins and strong performances, but for some reason they didn’t feel as fulfilling. With Speedgoat, everything clicked perfectly. The course is beautiful, fun, and really suits my strengths as a runner.
Speedgoat is a 50K in Snowbird, Utah, with about 11,500 feet of elevation gain. The steepest part comes around mile 21, and I remember wanting it to be really tough. When I got there, I laughed and thought, “This is exactly what I asked for.” I love the training that goes into races like this. Racing itself is exciting, being in new places, pushing hard, and competing against other women makes it a great experience.
Rhi: You have earned and turned down two Golden Tickets to Western States. What went into that decision and how were you thinking about the race at the time?
Helen: I love my training and the races it leads to, but thinking about running Western States right now doesn’t excite me. Running 100 miles in June, especially on a flat, hot course, just isn’t appealing. Maybe someday it will be, but not at this moment.
I also don’t want to enter a race just because I have a golden ticket and feel pressured. That feels like a fear-based decision. I want to keep running joyful and aligned with my values. If it’s not fun, there’s no point. My friends and family will still love me whether I run or not, so I focus on the joy of the sport rather than the pressure.
Running brings me so much joy when I am living in alignment with my values. One of those values is having fun.
Rhi: Has it been challenging to balance being a professional athlete and managing your career while still keeping the sport fun?
Helen: I think I’m pretty good at keeping that balance. Honestly, I don’t feel much pressure from HOKA to run specific races. What they want from me and what I want for myself line up pretty well. For example, I’d love to go back to UTMB and CCC and focus on big mountain races, and they seem to support that too. At the end of the day, if I’m not happy doing something, I’m not going to perform well. My coach and I have talked about this, and he really acts as a guide to help keep my running aligned with what makes me happy.
Gender Equity on the Trails
Rhi: What’s your perspective on the gender gap in ultra running? Especially as a pro athlete, how do you see the current state of things?
Helen: I see the gender gap mostly at the elite level, which is not always very inclusive. The Professional Trail Running Association Women’s Equality Workgroup is working to address this. The gap goes beyond running. Societal factors like extra responsibilities, time constraints, and limited resources often keep women from starting races.
At events like the Lake Sonoma Marathon, an all-women’s half is encouraging. Representation matters. Seeing women out there makes it feel possible, and once one woman breaks a barrier, others follow and times improve quickly. In shorter races, fields can be close to 50/50, but in longer, technical races, men tend to dominate. Studies show men are more likely to sign up even if underprepared, while women often overprepare and hesitate, which can hold them back from races they could finish.
Rhi: What other changes would you like to see in the sport to better support and empower women?
Helen: It would be great to see more representation from women in different countries because that diversity would be really cool. It’s a tough goal to achieve, but sometimes you have to set big goals and hope to rise to the challenge. I also like the idea of women-only starts, which some races have begun doing. Standing at the UTMB start line, a race with a historically stark gender split, can be intimidating, and people go out so fast. Creating more spaces where women don’t feel like they’ll get trampled or overwhelmed at the start would be really valuable.
Representation matters because seeing women out there doing it shows that it is possible.
Get Stoked Girls
Rhi: What would be your final words of advice to get girls stoked?
Helen: It doesn’t matter if you haven’t seen someone doing it exactly the way you want to. There’s no one right path to follow. Whatever excites you, figure out how to do it your own way. You can definitely draw inspiration from other women, but you don’t have to follow anyone else’s footsteps exactly. You can carve your own path.
