The Ultramarathon Mindset: Trail Talk: Recent Episodes
Eric Deeter
Trail runners talk freely about almost anything while we're out running. The stories we share can be deeply personal, embarrassing, and profound . . . and sometimes all of these qualities rolled into one.
One thing we have in common is a drive to keep moving forward. "Relentless forward progress" is the advice given to anyone trying to run their first ultramarathon. No matter what happens, keep moving forward until you finish or can't go any farther. Some people say that life is a marathon not a sprint. But I think life is an ultramarathon. The stories you will hear on this podcast should inspire you to go after your own epic adventures and keep moving forward to your goals.
The early episodes of this podcast were recorded on a weekly Facebook LIVE at The Ultramarathon Mindset Facebook page.
Gwen Zywicke is my guest this episode. She is an ultra runner and an Instructor at Louisiana State University and a writer. Her book, Ultrarunning Mysticism: Mind, Body, Spirit and the Sacredness of Overcoming Suffering, explores the relationship between ultrarunning and mysticism. She is working on a new book focusing on the science of the brain in relation to ultra running.
Devin and Johnathan are both returning podcast guests. They are both part of the Buckle-Heads running group in Topeka, KS. They have trained and raced together and supported each other in pursuing their running adventures. Their next big race is the Bighorn 100 on 16 June 2023.
Running is great for keeping both your body and your mind feeling great. But sometimes you need to take some time to look at how you are really doing inside yourself. And sometimes you will get an "aha" breakthrough when you spend some time working on what is inside of you.
My friend, Renita, joins me this episode to talk about running long distances, being in the woods, and personal transformation.
Tara Bianca returns to the podcast for more great information about how breathwork can improve your health. She was my guest back in Ep. 74. In that episode we talked more about breathwork for runners. This week's episode is focused on how breathwork can benefit your health in general.
Bio: Tara Bianca has been a holistic health practitioner for almost 20 years. She is the owner of BE Light Transformative Therapy, a now fully online holistic health company specializing in therapeutic breathwork, bodywork, mindset and sound healing. Her primary focus is on educating and coaching people to change the quality of their breathing, in order to powerfully improve the quality of their lives. She is passionate about building a global community that is dedicated to achieving optimal health and wellness – for people and for planet – as holistically as possible.
Here are my links:
Website: https://www.belighttt.com/
Breath Boot Camp: https://www.belighttt.com/bootcamp
BE Light Community: https://www.belighttt.com/community
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/belighttt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarabelight/
Before surgery on his hand a man asked, "Will I be able to play the piano after surgery, doc?"
The doctor assured him he would still be able to play piano after the surgery. To which the man replied, "Good, I've always wanted to play the piano."
I took this "dad" joke and looked a little deeper. Most of us have dreams of what we want to do "someday." Hopes and dreams are usually put away on a shelf in your mind and you have comfort in knowing you can get them out "when the time is right."
The sad fact is that most people breathe their last breath with those hopes and dreams still sitting on that dusty closet shelf.
I challenge you to get one or two of your "someday" dreams out and start working on them.
I'm dusting off an old skill that I never fully developed and after several decades I'm now going to learn it well.
John Crum was my very first guest on this podcast. When we last spoke, he was on an impressive run streak. Running at least a mile every day since November of 2015.
He is still on his run streak. But his tenacity is impressive because he has also done 33 marathons or ultramarathons, including running a 100 mile race during his run streak. That means that he was out the door the day after finishing all those races to run at least a mile.
I'm glad to have him back again for another conversation.
What does it mean to have freedom?
We say we have freedom. But have you ever thought of what it really means to be free?
In this episode I discuss my conclusion about freedom: It is, at its core, the ability to choose to do evil.
New Year used to be celebrated in the spring until the calendar changed in 1582. The New Year celebration lasted from March 25 to April 1.
Some say that those who held to the old system were called fools. Thus, the origin of April Fools Day. But there is little evidence that this is true.
But the fact is that your mindset is chained to the way our calendar is set up. How would you handle the change if we all went back to counting the New Year in the spring?
If you are going after an epic life, you need a mindset that is able to handle and adapt to change, whether it's your choice or some crazy idea to change the calendar.
Randy Taylor is back for a second time on the podcast. He's had new running adventures since we last talked and has expanded his coaching services by partnering with other running coaches.
I'm calling this a "Director's Cut" episode because I left my backup recorder running after the "official" closing and captured our continued conversation. You never know where a conversation is going to go when runners are talking. And we fell back into a discussion that is worth sharing.
So keep listening past the "official" ending for the bonus track.
Artificial Intelligence -- AI -- has come to the mainstream. All the movies about what might happen when humans have to interact with AI are playing in the back of our minds.I asked ChatGPT to write a 10-minute speech about goal setting. It was a textbook speech. And the content was good. But if good content was able to change our lives, we'd be super-human by now. There's no shortage of good content.I dive into a couple of comments ChatGPT made in conclusion. Will AI ever be able to understand what a human mindset is all about?
Option 1: You have to have confidence and belief in yourself in order to run ultramarathons!
Option 2: You start the race full of doubt and know that it's going to be so hard you may not finish.
Which of these two options is the best mindset for ultramarathons? Both!
Jeff Winchester and Jeremy Reynolds are The UltraRunning Guys. They are podcasters, ultramarathon runners, and Race Directors.
In this episode we discuss what is the mindset that will get you to the finish. And discover it's not the same for everyone!
The education system conditions us to find the "first right answer." We have to learn the answers to we can repeat them back when we're asked to provide them. So we come out with a framework of "answers" that condition us to see how the world works and what our role is supposed to be in the world.
Another word for "framework" is a Matrix. Yes, I want you to think about the movie. That is the world we live in.
And we stay trapped in the Matrix of the answers we "know" until we learn how to ask higher value questions. Answers will keep you stuck where you are. But asking better questions will set you free to live an epic life.
Ultramarathon running is about taking on the challenge and finding out how far can you go. Barney Riesbeck is looking at life like an ultramarathon. In this episode we talk about the races he's run, the challenges he's created for himself and others, and the people that serve as an inspiration to keep going after epic goals for life.
What are the best days of your life? If you follow the common belief they are somewhere in your past. Things were better "back then."
But what if you change your mindset and start telling yourself the story that your best days are still ahead of you. How would your life be different?
There is a truth that your expectations will determine what you get in life, for good or bad.
Best-of Episode:
Cliff Moitt’s Spartan journey started with a TV show in the 80s called ”The Battle of the Network Stars,” and the stars were going through these obstacles. When he saw that he realized that the body is meant to do something different, something epic. At the time he was running 5 and 10K races. When the movie “300” came out, he was impressed by the Spartan culture and toughness. He continues to test himself in the Spartan races.
There is a phenomenon called the placebo effect.
You can have the benefits of a drug even without taking the drug.
Your belief will create the outcomes.
Drug trials - placebo even creates side effects.
Placebo is a fake drug. It’s a magic feather.
It’s your belief and expectation that produce the results.
Ila Allen was one of my first guests on this podcast. Many people know her from her posts in the ultramarathon running groups on Facebook. She trains outside in the weather extremes of Chicago, running along the lake. Wind (lots of wind), rain, snow, sleet, heat, or humidity, she says she can't run inside nor on a treadmill. But she won't run if there is lightning. A wise precaution.
She ran the 100-mile option in the race, Across the Years. And she came so close, logging a little over 98 miles. Any DNF is disappointing. But she plans to go back again this year.
We tend to believe that we are right in what we think we know.
But “what we know” isn’t always right.
Some things we used to “know” that aren’t so.
- The earth is the center of the universe.
- The earth is flat.
- The sun revolves around the earth.
- Disease is caused by humours in the blood. The cure is to drain some blood out of your body.
- Humans only use 10% of their brain.
- Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.
- Eating carrots will improve your eyesight.
- Women are intellectually inferior to men.
We ultramarathon runners love to push and test our limits.
The challenge is what draws us. And it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of doing more and longer races.
But there’s a downside too. Sometimes we forget that rest and recovery are just as important as training and racing. We’re in an extreme sport, and we can take our drive to do more to the extreme and find ourselves in BURNOUT.
My guest this week is Heather Hart. She’s an exercise physiologist, ultra runner, blogger, and coach. She’s had some personal experience with burnout, and in this episode she shares how she got there and her journey back to balance in life and running.
Then there’s the story of the miner in California who gave up his claim after digging for years.
10 years later someone bought the claim and struck one of the richest veins of gold ever found after digging only 3 more feet.
Perseverance is at the heart of ultramarathon running.
And perseverance comes from mindset.
Your mind will give out long before your body.
But there are times when you know it’s time to take a DNF!
Mandy Miller has developed a strong ultramarathon mindset in her races and adventures from all around the world. She had run everything from multi-day stage races in the Sahara desert to 100 mile self-supported ultramarathons in the Yukon in January to Iron Man competitions in Hawaii.
We’ve been conditioned to believe that knowledge is the key to success so much that our first thought for doing something new – take a class.
But I have news for you . . . knowledge is not power!
In fact, too much knowledge might even rob you of power!
Sandi Nypaver is an ultramarathon runner, running coach, and adventurer. She did sports in school. But it wasn't until she went on a youth expedition with Impossible to Possible that she got a taste of the mindset to test her limits. (Ep. 129 is where Ray Zahab talks about starting the organization of Impossible to Possible.)
Sandi decided to do an ultramarathon. So she signed up for a 100 mile race and ended up winning.
There are things you know that you don’t know that you know.
You might have experienced this before.
When you’re looking for the right word.
When you see a familiar face and try to remember the name.
Or you have a sudden memory from your past.
Western States 100 is the "Boston Marathon" of trail running. It's an iconic race that many trail runners put on their bucket list.
But there are other options if you don't want to wait for your name to come up in the lottery for Western States. You could create your own 100 mile trail race on trails close to where you live!
That's what Gary (Story Hawk) Henry did. The trails near Lawrence, KS, are challenging. And, he says, during the night portion of the run they don't look much different from the trails at Western States.
If you made a list of everything you love, would you include your own name on the list?
If you’ve been out shopping you’ve probably noticed the next major holiday is Valentine’s Day.
(Public Service Announcement) Men: She probably doesn’t want flannel pajamas or a giant Teddy Bear.
Poor decisions make for the best stories! This is a quote from Sarah Snyder's website. She says she's gotten into adventures because she's willing to join her friends when they suggest even the craziest things.
She became an ultramarathon runner. Then she became an assistant Race Director. And now she is Race Director for several challenging races including the Cruel Jewel.
She has the mindset for adventure as well as for success.
Once upon a time . . .
You know a story is coming next when you hear this introduction.
And you know the story will require you to suspend your disbelief in what is possible.
In the story of the Three Little Pigs you have to accept that pigs have money, build houses, and negotiate business deals with strangers on the road.
You also have to believe that wolves are polite enough to knock on your door before they eat you and that they huff and puff when you refuse to let them in.
But the lesson you were supposed to learn from this story isn’t what you thought.
Building a house out of bricks isn’t good enough.
There are a lot of reasons to run ultramarathons. For most of us, it's a personal challenge, a way to test our limits and see what we're made of.
But none of us live in a vacuum. The people who matter to us need to see that we are doing the work to become the best version of ourselves we can be.
My guest this week is Shaun Bemis. He returns for a second episode. He is balancing his training with the demands of a new job as well as being a dad and husband. He found a way to get back into running that also showed his children that setting goals and doing hard things can be fun.
Training for an ultramarathon requires a lot of hours out on the trail. It also requires time in the gym. But when you are an ultramarathon runner and an obstacle course runner, it requires a lot of time both running and in strength training.
Devin Nelson is both an obstacle course runner and an ultramarathon runner. And he says that his training plan is the Dad Training Plan. He squeezes in his workouts wherever he can between working and being a dad and husband. He finds a way to get it all done. He has several 100-mile finishes to his credit and this year competed in the World's Toughest Mudder 24-hour obstacle course race.
But don’t let the idea of “Achievable” be an excuse to set goals that are “Safe.”
Here’s a clue that you’re setting your goals too small.
If you feel stuck, you might be playing it too safe.
If you feel like your’re in Groundhog Day, you might be playing it too safe.
If you feel tired and sluggish, you might be playing it too safe.
If you have brain fog and get distracted, you might be playing it too safe.
If you often feel bored, you might be playing it too safe.
Ray Zahab has run in some of the most extreme places and conditions in the world. From the Sahara Desert to Death Valley and most of the major deserts in the world, he's crossed them on foot in the hottest parts of the year. On the other extreme, he's done multiple Arctic treks, including a world record to the South Pole.
He uses running and adventure as a way to instruct and inspire students around the world who follow his adventures and interact in real time with him. And he founded Impossible to Possible, an organization that takes students out of the classroom to experience their own adventure challenges.
Follow the Pirate Code!
The only thing I remember from Pirates of the Caribbean.
But when the Code isn’t working out so well for you:
Well, it’s not a Code. It’s more like guidelines we try to follow.
This is the start of a New Year.
A lot of us are setting goals for what we want to achieve this year.
Some of you are setting SMART goals.
Going off into the bush by herself is Jaqui O'Donohoe's idea of a great way to spend the day . . . or several days. Jaqui is an ultramarathon runner and adventurer. She enjoys trail running and racing. And she also likes to put her necessities in a backpack and head out by herself on the trail.
Jaqui also enjoys playing Cricket on a women's Cricket team.
New Year Resolutions don’t last much longer than fresh fish in the fridge.
Then why do we keep making them?
Here’s a radical idea. DON’T make Resolutions this year.
Instead, set goals that matter to you and do what it takes to crush them.
Here is a free offer! My video course called “How to Crush Your Goals.”
Walking a mail route every day would be enough of a workout for most people. But Ryan Petty is both a mail carrier and an ultramarathon runner. He says running saved his life. He decided to lose weight and get his life straight, and running seemed to him like a good way to do that. He progressed by trial and error and gathered injuries and lessons along the way. Now he is a seasoned ultramarathon runner with the mindset and goal to be a lifelong runner.
Imagine yourself sitting in the scene from Anger Management.
Who are you?
Not your job.
Not your personality.
Not your roles and responsibilities: Mother, Father, Husband, Wife
Most of the time none of us stop to think about this.
Why does it matter?
Carl Jung: The world will ask who you are, and if you don’t know, the world will tell you.
What does this mean?
The world will tell you that who you are is determined by what you do and what you have.
You’ve probably heard the story of how to boil a frog. If you put the frog in a pot of boiling water, he will jump out. But if you put a frog in a pot of cool water and gradually turn up the heat, the frog will stay in until he boils to death.
My experience with frogs: They wouldn’t stay in the pot no matter what.
But the conventional wisdom from this story is: You will adapt to gradual “crap” piling up on you until it eventually kills you.
Brian Hoover is a man who loves adventure. And I can't think of a better person to feature on a best-of episode. This conversation comes from way back in Episode 28.
Brian decided to kayak the Mississippi River from the headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico. My first conversation with him had been about his trek, hiking from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail.
If you love stories that inspire you to find your own adventures, you will love listening to Brian tell about his mindset that lets him pursue experiences that feed his soul.
Carol Dweck is a psychologist who wrote a book talking about the differences between people with fixed mindsets vs those with growth mindsets.
Someone with a growth mindset views intelligence, abilities, and talents as learnable and capable of improvement through effort. On the other hand, someone with a fixed mindset views those same traits as inherently stable and unchangeable over time.
Nita Sweeney is the award-winning wellness author of Depression Hates a Moving Target, You Should Be Writing, and Make Every Move a Meditation. UltraMarathoner. Meditator. Writing practice zealot. Mental health advocate. Dog mom. Publisher of Write Now Columbus.
Nita joined me for a great conversation about the power of running and it's relationship to meditation. It's good to be a moving target.
Your default response to anything unpleasant or painful is to get away from it. You learned this early in life when you first touched a hot stove. In my case, it was a hairpin in an electrical outlet at 18 months.
But you will put up with pain and suffering If you think the reward is big enough. If you think change will be too hard.
Ultramarathon runners. Most people in the US are stuck in jobs, or life events they hate.
If you are going to put up with pain and suffering, you have three choices: Two are unhealthy. One is both healthy and effective.
The stories that Sally McRae shared with me stuck in my memory. When I thought of what conversations I could share as a “best of the show” episode, this conversation was the first one I thought of.
Sally is a tough competitor and trains her mind as well as her body. In this episode she shares stories of how she developed the drive to succeed and to keep moving forward.
Your body is designed to heal itself. There is a natural force within us to fix and repair injuries and fight illness. What isn't discussed very often is that your soul/mind also influences what happens in your body.
You have probably experienced the principle that whatever you focus your attention on grows bigger. This same principle applies to those aches and pains or injuries you might have. Your body will eventually heal even when you're focusing worry and anxiety on what is wrong. But your negative attention does tend to make the pain greater and take longer to heal.
You can speed your healing with the power of gratitude. This is not a denial of the injury or pain. But rather an expectation that healing is taking place and an appreciation of the result you know will come.
Ciara Carter is a mindset coach, a marathon runner, and she isn't afraid to do things that scare her. This year she decided to pack up her stuff and move from Florida to Utah.
In this episode, we talk about how easy it is for us to get stuck in our comfort zone and settle into a rut. Ciara knew it would be a challenge to leave her friends in Florida and move to a place where she knew absolutely no one. But she went ahead and took the leap. She knew if it didn't work out the way she wanted she could always move again.
There was a psychological study done where people were asked to watch a video and tell how many times basketballs were passed by a group of people.
About half of the people watching were so focused on counting the passes that they did not see a “gorilla” walk through the middle of the group and beat his chest.
You can see an example of the video HERE
You and I are wired to filter out a good deal of “reality.”
Your brain takes in 2.3M bits of information each second.
It filters out 99.994% of this information. It Deletes, Distorts, and Generalizes.
Ben Reale went into the Marine Corps as a licensed attorney and an officer. He found that the life of a JAG officer was not as glamorous as the hit TV series made it appear. And after his service, he decided to take a very different career path.
He became certified as a personal trainer and then went on to become certified as a nutrition coach. He demonstrates the “ultramarathon mindset” approach to his coaching, encouraging long-term sustainability over the “microwave popcorn” quick-and-fluffy approach.
Most people like to know what to expect. They don’t like change. They don’t like surprises.
The appeal of fast food franchises is they are all the same.
McDonalds in Tucumcari, NM has the same food as New York City.
How would you feel if you woke up one day and discovered that every McDonalds in the world was now vegan? And every one has a different menu.
Vegans: every option you had in your city was now a BBQ.
Andy Moskal is willing to push hard to find his limits. But he's also willing to pull the plug when things aren't going right in a race. His hundred-mile attempt at the Yeti 100 had him looking at a sub eighteen-hour time and in 5th place overall. sub-eighteen-hour. But around 50 miles in he was facing the symptoms of rhabdomyolysis. He decided to pull the plug and survive to race another day.
The best weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. ~William James
The Creator gave us the complete, unchallengeable right of prerogative over the one thing, and only thing we own, our mind. ~Napoleon Hill
Your ability to choose what thoughts you think is a superpower.
When you run an ultramarathon, managing your thoughts is as important as the condition of your body.
Competitive athletes often tie their identity to their ability to perform and to win. They have the drive and ability, but they may not realize they are limiting themselves.
My guest this week is Lauren Ammon. She was a competitive swimmer for 20 years. She swam in her first race when she was five years old. She had success as a swimmer. And she had success in the corporate world as well. But something was missing.
She decided to leave her corporate job and get training as a coach. She had success in running her coaching business, working to develop leaders in business. But something still was missing.
Then she heard an interview from Michael Phelps talking about the mental challenges young athletes face. She switched her business model and now she works with athletes helping them train their minds for performance in sports. She also gives them skills to take those same mindset tools into all of life.
Proverbs 18:21 ~ Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
You may have heard the expression in English: you will eat your words.
Meaning: You’re going to regret saying what you just said.
Truth: What you say . . . the words you use, have power. According to Proverbs: Death or Life.
What do you do when you’re in a dark place and nothing is working and you’re at the end of your rope?
If you’re like Alex Wisch, you shake off the cobwebs and do what it takes to get somewhere you can get the help you need.
Alex went from severe depression to a leading mindset coach, helping athletes and professionals become their best. Alex teaches a technique that allows his clients to get into a state of flow and maintain that place of flow for long periods of time.
You form views about the world and your role in it based on the stories you tell yourself about what the people you live with say and do.
You get a mixed bag.
You get skills that teach you how to survive in the world and society.
You form opinions about yourself and your worth as a person.
This is your first tier of LIMITING BELIEFS.
What do you do when you get involved in a sport and you see that there aren't many people from your culture represented there? If you are like Verna Volker, you jump in and create an organization to address the issue.
Verna is Navajo. She didn't care much for running when she was in school. But later in life, after a good friend passed away, she got the idea to run in a short race in honor of their memory. That run led to others and soon she found joy in running and began to run longer races.
Seeing very little media attention given to native runners from the sources serving runners, she started Native Women Running. It's an organization to bring awareness, support, encouragement, and community to native women who run.
When you decide you want more from your life, you will face resistance. Your mind and body both work hard to keep you in your comfort zone.
Your Lizard Brain works with your subconscious mind to keep you doing the same thing over and over. Anything new or different = a possible threat that may kill you!
Your subconscious uses an emotional kill switch to keep you from getting the things you want in your life. When you feel powerless, that's a sign that your subconscious is working to keep you stuck!
Erica Terblanche is an adventurer, ultra runner, author, speaker, and coach. We connected for a conversation that is the essence of what trail runners experience when we run together. Yes, we talked about Erica's adventures and the races she's done and the challenges she's still going after. But we talked about mindset, managing pain, what to do when you encounter a lion, jackals in the dark, and God as well.
Have you ever been around someone who always finds the bad in every situation?
It’s exhausting to be around them. They suck all your positive energy into a black hole of negativity.
You try to encourage them and build them up, but it’s like trying to teach a cat to play fetch.
They can imagine all sorts of trouble you never would think of.
I’ve said before that worry is a misuse of your imagination.
Mark Twain said: Worry is like paying a debt you don’t owe.
Mark Twain also said: I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, most of which never happened.
But your negative friend won’t pay any attention to these ideas.
You’re probably way ahead of me and expecting me to talk about how powerful a positive mindset can be.
That is true.
But today I want to talk about when you might need your negative friend to help you.
Sometimes you do need to imagine the worst-case scenario.
Studies show that most of your thoughts are negative. Can you believe it?
The better question may be how much can you trust any study.
But I'm sure you know how often your mind generates thoughts that aren't helpful and those that are outright toxic! It's time to "STOP IT!".
(This is a random recording that came out of a microphone test.)
My guest this week is Cam F Awesome.
Cam has won more boxing matches than anyone in the history of the sport.
He’s the most decorated boxer in history.
Now he’s a public speaker, traveling the country sharing the lessons he learned through boxing: mental toughness and a mindset for confidence.
When I first met Cam, he told me that he figured out early on that boxing is more about mindset than it is strength. He was able to win because he had the mental game figured out.
And, yes, his legal name is Cam F Awesome. And I think his story will inspire you to have the same kind of confidence in yourself.
As far as we know, we humans are the only creatures on this planet with the ability to think about and imagine the future.
This gives us the ability to plan & set goals.
It also gives us the ability to procrastinate.
It’s also what makes us feel like the turning of a new year is a fresh start.
For a majority of people, the start of a new year is the only time they think that they might be able to change their life.
Most people settle into a routine and it becomes a rut.
There are some people in the world who would refer to running 600 miles over multiple days as "fun." And there are some who would do it again if a friend convinced them that getting an FKT (Fastest Known Time) record was possible.
Leah Atherton ran the Southwest Coast Trail, England's longest footpath, with the goal to set an FKT. An injury kept her from finishing, but she hasn't let that stop her. When she runs, she runs for fun.
Leah is a poet as well as a runner. And she enjoys combining her love of writing with the love of running. She often selects a spot during a run to stop for a while and spend time writing.
In this episode, we also talk about fast-packing and fell running. And now I finally have a better understanding of what fell running is all about.
When you “manage” something, it suggests that you have some amount of influence over it.
When you manage other people - they are supposed to listen and do what you ask them to do.
You don’t have complete control, but you make decisions that affect what they do.
So how much influence do you have over time?
Can you tell it to slow down or speed up?
Can you get it to wait for you?
“Time and tides wait for no one.”
No, you can’t “manage” time.
Finishing the Leadville 100 is a challenge. Not only is there the physical effort of getting up and down the mountain trails, but the air is also thin above 10,000 feet.
Johnathan Prosser lives in the relatively low elevation of Kansas. And his first attempt at a mountain trail race ended with a DNF. He had a goal to run the Leadville 100 and he decided he needed a better strategy if he was going to be successful.
He found a coach and followed a solid training plan. He also allowed some days before the race to get into the mountains and adapt to the altitude.
And his coach gave him a great strategy to follow during his race. "Don't think about time. Focus on managing your energy."
Most of us look at skydiving and bungee jumping as dangerous. Wouldn’t think of it!
Stats show you are just as likely to die at a dance party as you are skydiving.
You are 50x more likely to die in a canoe than bungee jumping.
You are 35x more likely to die in a car than riding a bicycle.
But most of us will still feel safer driving a car than skydiving.
If you’re happy with your life the way it is, then you don’t need to think about any of this.
As long as you stay in your comfort zone, you’ll be fine.
But if you want to have more than an average life, then you need to know how to deal with your Lizard Brain.
When a rouge wave threw Vinny Crispino from his surfboard and crushed him against a rock, it took him a few seconds to realize he could no longer feel his leg. He made it to shore, but he discovered he had broken his back.
He still had use of his legs, but the doctors said the only option was to fuse his spine and that he'd never surf or run again. They told him his only other option was to be confined to a wheelchair.
Vinny decided to look for other options that didn't end with him being immobile for life. He went for years and tried all kinds of alternative treatments. He was able to walk, but walking was always painful.
Then he met a man who was a bodyworker. After the first session, Vinny realized it was the first time in years he'd been able to move without pain. He continued learning how to move his body and made a full recovery.
Now Vinny is training for a fifty-mile ultramarathon trail race. And he started the Pain Academy, teaching others how to relieve pain through natural movements.
How are you doing with your work/life balance?
51% of workers say they have missed important life events because of work commitments.
40% of employees say they use their personal devices for work purposes after business hours.
70% of employees will read their emails while watching television at home.
60% of Americans say they have poor work-life balance mostly due to a lack of boundaries between work and home life.
On average, employees take 26% of their work back home to complete during their personal time.
Small business owners - work almost twice as much as employees.
Work/life balance sounds like a big deal. Most need to do better.
But I’m here to say that work/life balance is a myth!
There is no such thing as work/life balance!
There is a power in nature to heal us and restore our souls. Holly Worton has a life-long love of nature and its wild beauty and flow. Holly is an avid trail runner and hiker. She has skills in woodcraft and bushcraft. She has taken numerous long-distance hiking adventures.
Her podcast, "Into the Woods" reflects her passion for nature and adventure. She interviews fellow adventurers about their travels and experiences in nature.
Holly is also a blogger and a prolific author, and her books cover a wide range of topics including walking, mindset, and lifestyle.
In 2019, the “last man standing” at Big's Backyard Ultra was Maggie Guterl .
She ran for 60 hours straight. She ran a total of 250 miles.
Some so-called experts have asked how women seem able to compete head-to-head with men in ultra distances of 100 miles or more.
I suspect most of these conversations are by men.
And here I am, a man about to offer an opinion on this topic.
I believe that women excel at ultramarathons because of feminine energy.
I’m going to talk about a quality of feminine energy I’ve never heard anyone talk about. I call this the velvet-covered brick.
Shannon Mick is a Licensed Professional Counselor and has a private mental health practice in Pennsylvania. She is also an ultramarathon runner and mindset coach.
You don't have to be an athlete to be a mindset performance coach. But I do believe it is an advantage to work with someone who has run the distance and has experienced the mental challenges of an ultramarathon.
When you are sweating in the heat, or shivering in the cold rain, or slogging through mud, and alone in the dark, you need to know the mindset work you've done is going to see you through to the finish.
Shannon and I talk about the most effective way to use mantras and how to handle meeting a cougar out on the trail.
- Take a cold shower
- Run in the heat
- Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
This is the advice you can find when you want to develop mental toughness as a runner. Mental toughness is about driving yourself to do hard things. Doing hard things is the life of an ultramarathon runner.
But "mental toughness" is not a good long-term plan for ultramarathon running nor as a way to live your life.
An ultramarathon mindset is not about mental toughness. Yes, this mindset is for doing hard and amazing things. But it's about your mind and body working together. Mental toughness is about your mind driving your body like a jockey whipping a horse.
An ultramarathon mindset is about managing your energy, thoughts, and emotions to go the distance, in running, in business, and in life.
I learned this mindset as a business owner long before I became a runner. And I also learned how relying on mental toughness will certainly lead you to burnout as a business owner.
Viktoria Brown set the 72-hour world record this year, going farther than every runner, male and female. She also has an impressive list of other records and accomplishments as a runner and a triathlete. And she balances her racing schedule with being a mom of three girls and the CEO of Hold the Carbs, a supplier of keto foods.
"Just breathe" is the advice you get when you need to calm down.
This is good advice, but it's the HOW to breathe that makes your breathing have the exact opposite effect on your body. You feel calmer because you believe what you've been told: that deep breaths--in through your nose and out through your mouth--will reduce your anxiety. But breathing too fast and too deep has the opposite of a calming effect on your body.
Ryan Steiner isn't one to back away from a big challenge. Ryan told his story in Ep 52 about his decision to go from loving food and weighing over 700 pounds to running and loving ultramarathons.
Ryan also has the challenge of interacting with the world through his autism. Social interactions do not come naturally. And new people, places, and routines are not easy for him to adapt to. But he has found a place in the trail running community and loves being with other people who are also looking for challenges and to push their limits.
He's not going to stop looking for challenges any time soon. In fact, he has his sights set on a big challenge that he will certainly find a way to pursue.
Monday Mindset: Important message: This won’t last!
If you're happy or sad, it doesn’t matter.
Emotions change. Whatever you are feeling right now . . . it won’t last.
Lindsay Dare Shoop says that she's lucky she lacked confidence when she graduated high school. She was a star athlete in high school and played all the sports. But when she looked at the competition she'd face as a college athlete, she convinced herself that she'd never be good enough. But without sports, she struggled with motivation in college, and her grades suffered.
Then, one day, she ran into the rowing coach on the University of Virginia campus. He told her that her being tall and athletic and her past history in sports were a good foundation to be on the rowing team. She joined the team knowing nothing about rowing. But she improved quickly and soon caught the attention of coaches who took her on a path that led to an Olympic gold medal.
You can be in your comfort zone and still be uncomfortable.
Yes! You can be going crazy and completely stressed out with too much to do. Yes, this is the life of a business owner.
The chaos feels uncomfortable, but that very chaos can be your comfort zone.
What does it take to run 40,075 kilometers as a self-supported run around the earth? Tomasz Drybala is my guest this week, and he is going to start his around the world run in September of 2022. Starting in New York, he will run to Florida, and then across the southern US. Then he will travel to Asia and eventually finish in Europe.
Tomasz started his self-supported running journey by running 5-million steps in the islands of Indonesia in 101 days. He then ran a self-supported ultramarathon starting in Hanoi, Vietnam, running 11,000 kilometers planning to end in Bali. His run was hindered by lock downs, but he finished his distance anyway, not leaving the country he was in.
According to Jesus, the second greatest commandment in the Bible is this:
Love your neighbor as yourself.
I’ve been going to church all my life, and I’ve never heard a preacher talk about this like what I’m about to say.
I don’t know if I really want other people to love me like they love themselves.
When Tom Foreman was young, he was a competitive runner in all the races he entered. And he barely trained for these races.
But he stopped running for years. Then his daughter asked him to help her train for a marathon. He went on from that to run four half-marathons, three full marathons, and a 50 mile ultramarathon in the space of a year. He documented his experience with a book titled, My Year of Running Dangerously.
Since that year, he has gone on to run marathons and ultramarathons, including the Boston Marathon. And he has the mindset to keep going as far as he can in his running journey.
How can anyone be afraid of winning . . . be afraid of success?
If you Google “fear of success” you’ll get about 430 million results. There are a lot of us out in the world who struggle with the idea of winning and being successful.
And there are a lot of different reasons people develop a fear of success. Mine came from growing up in church.
Get a good education and find a career that will give you success and security! This is the advice we get for how to make our way in the world. Some of us, however, aren't satisfied with with the status-quo. Sarah Williams decided that she wanted something different for herself. She decided to launch out and create a life full of adventure and challenge.
Sarah is on a mission to increase attention and the number of female role models taking part in adventure and physical challenges. She shares stories of amazing women on the Tough Girl Podcast. And she goes after her own tough challenges in running, cycling, and hiking.
It’s easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled.
This quote has been attributed to Mark Twain. The irony is that there are no references showing Mark Twain saying these words. And yet the uninformed continue to credit him with this proverb.
How do you know whether the truth you believe to be true is actually the truth? Most people work hard to defend what they think is true and never question whether new ideas might be valid. There is security in "knowing" you are right.
My friend, Dallas Amsden, returns for another conversation. He was my second guest on the podcast, back when my audience was in the single digits.
Dallas is a coach for professionals who want to become outstanding communicators. We talk about how breaking down tasks into a series of sprints can bring about ultramarathon results in running and business.
Today is July 4, Independence Day in the US.
Today you’ll see posts and memes about freedom and independence. And it’s good to celebrate. Freedom is better than living under socialism or communism.
Fire up the grill, crack open a beer, watch the fireworks.
And take a minute to think about what freedom means to you.
For me, it was the freedom to look at my life and decide I wanted something different, something more.
Chase Hammond is a man with vision. As an ultramarathon runner he saw an opportunity to create a race series at the trail he runs in central Kansas. The Hell Creek race series is both challenging and beautiful. And for those who think Kansas is flat, the elevation profile for the 100 mile is over 10,000 feet of gain.
Chase also saw an opportunity to use his training in nutrition to start a supplement company to serve athletes in endurance sports. In this episode we talk about all this and more: running, race directing, and nutrition.
The worst movie my wife and I ever saw was Seven Six-Gunners.
Ten minutes in, we commented on how bad it was. We watched the entire 90 minutes.
Why?
Sunk costs
Sunk costs is the feeling that you need to keep going because you’ve already invested time and/or money and made a decision.
I always thought the Spartan obstacle course races were pretty much like other OCR events. But Cliff Moitt came on the show to talk to me about the Spartan Death Race. The shorter Spartan races don't rise to the level of difficulty you face in the Death Race.
The Spartan Death Race is designed with mental challenges as well as physical. There are odd items, difficult to obtain, that you have to bring to the race. And before you can begin the race, you have to solve a puzzle. If you can't solve it, you can't even get to the starting line. The starting time is not set, so you have to be ready to go when the announcement is made.
Cliff offers great insights into the mindset required to train for and compete in this amazing challenge.
What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?
Life coaches & motivational speakers often ask this hypothetical question.
The idea is to get you to look at your life and discover those epic dreams you have for yourself that you’re afraid to go after.
You’ve probably heard this question before.
Have you thought about an answer yet? What challenge would you take on if you knew you couldn’t fail?
How do you fuel your body to train for and finish an Irornman race? Dana Eshelman is an Ironman athlete and nutrition coach and she shares her knowledge and experience from her personal training and competition as well as coaching other endurance athletes. Dana wants athletes to not be afraid to eat carbs. But getting the right kind of carbs in the right amounts and at the right time is important. Whether you are an endurance athlete or a casual runner, Dana's approach to food as fuel will give you a good perspective on healthy eating.
When I was 27 years old, I was a runner. I’d been married for a few years and started putting on weight. I decided I could become a runner and still eat whatever I wanted.
It worked. I lost weight. Then I decided that since I was a runner I should set a goal to run a marathon.
But after I reached my goal, I quit running. For 30 years, I quit.
I learned a lesson about success! Don’t quit.
We hear about fires in the western United States every year. And the news reports give stats on how well those fires have been contained. What is left unsaid is that those fires are contained by men and women trekking through the forest with tools and gear.
My guest this week is Martha Schoppe. She is one of those who go into the wilderness to fight the fires. She also has the distinction of being a smokejumper. She and her team parachute into remote areas that would take too long to reach on foot.
Martha is also an ultramarathon runner. She started running as part of regular training for the fire teams and kept going farther.
Once you decide what you want and you decide that you’re going to do what it takes to get what you want, you need to take the next step immediately!
Most people think the next step is to make a plan for how you’re going to get what you want! This is WRONG!
Oh, don’t misunderstand! You need a plan. But now is not the time for planning. Planning at this point will slow you down at best. At worst, it will completely derail you.
Raise your hand if you’re like me and have notebooks in a drawer with amazing plans for stuff you never did!
Now is not the time to plan! It’s time for action.
Iveta Zaklasnikova knew at age 16 what kind of life she didn't want. She didn't want to be stuck in a job that slowly drained her life energy. So she studied business and got a job in sales when she left school.
It took a few years of working a "regular" job for her to discover what kind of life she did want. She wanted the freedom to travel and to work from anywhere in the world--the life of a digital nomad. So many people find a dream and then talk themselves out of it. Others will tell themselves the time will be right somewhere in the future. These people usually end up stuck and never reach their dreams.
Iveta took the plunge to make her dream happen. In spite of her fears and doubts, she hired a coach and launched her business. Her story is one that demonstrates how the mindset for success is the same, whether running ultramarathons or going after a different epic goal.
Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day. It’s a day of remembrance for those who have died serving in the US military.
Memorial Day was borne out of the Civil War (which ended in 1865) and a desire to honor our dead. On the 5th of May in 1868, General John Logan who was the national commander of the Grand Army of the republic, officially proclaimed it in his General Order No. 11.
“The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.”
Imagine what it would be like to plan a big goal for your 60th birthday. It should be something epic and noteworthy. After all, turning sixty is a milestone.
Will Turner decided that the year he turned sixty he would do sixty Ironman triathlons. A full Ironman is 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles on a bike, and running 26.2 miles. Sixty of these in a year is more than one a week!
After he finished his goal for his sixtieth year, he decided to keep going to 100 Ironman triathlons. Then he discovered he could beat the world record if he did 105 Ironmans within 2 years.
What is the number one most important thing you have to do if you want to have an amazing life?
You have to do this if you want to have even a good life.
You have to do this even to get a mediocre life.
The better you are at this one thing, the better your life will be.
And if you have epic skills at this one thing, you can have an epic life.
So what is the one thing you have to do in order to have an epic life?
You have to make Powerful Decisions!
Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a child, Mike Burke's life expectancy was supposedly only a handful of years. But he beat the odds, even playing sports in high school. But when he began his career, his hectic lifestyle took a toll on his health. But he decided to change his mindset, and he began running and cycling. He ran multiple marathons and eventually became an Ironman. Mike wrote a book, Waiting to Die, Running to Live and is a speaker and executive mindset coach.
You will face three roadblocks when you set out to be the best version of yourself and go after an epic life. These aren’t the only roadblocks, but these are the ones waiting for you right out of the gait. If you are feeling stuck, it’s probably one of these three mental blocks you’re dealing with.
Katie Spotz wanted a big challenge. Something that would make her dig deep and have her only option to overcome the challenge or fail. She chose to row a boat, solo, across the Atlantic Ocean. She holds the record as the youngest person to do this.
It was a challenge that gripped her, and she realized that she couldn't live with the regret if she didn't answer the challenge. She's continued to find ways to challenge herself, competing in triathlons and running ultramarathons. She especially enjoys designing her own adventures, running across numerous states and inline-skating the keys in Florida.
What do you want? This is one of the hardest questions to answer.
It sounds simple. But it’s not.
Most of the time you don’t think about what you want. And when you do have to think about it, you find out you’re not really sure what it is.
Having success to make a lifestyle change like losing weight or getting fit comes down a point of making a decision. Often there is a tipping point that makes you say, "Enough!" Maureen Lehr reached that tipping point and had not only lost weight, but she's now involved in four sports that keep her fit and give her a variety of challenges. She also met some great people along the way who help her keep going.
What is your WHY? And does it matter? Do you need to know why you are working for some epic goal?
A lot of coaches will tell you that you need a strong WHY to keep you moving toward your goal.
But is this true? Maybe . . . maybe not.
Jenny Overstreet is an obstacle course racer making her way into running ultramarathons. She always said that she hated running and stuck to shorter distances, primarily as training for her obstacle course races. But when so many events were canceled, she started running on trails. She enjoyed running in the woods and gradually started increasing her distance.
She eventually got to a point where she decided to enter an ultramarathon and found she enjoyed the experience. She is still focused on being competitive in OCR, and she's adding ultramarathon races to her list as well.
Do you ever find yourself thinking the same thoughts over and over?
It’s like your brain is on autopilot.
You might not even remember what triggered it, but you end up feeling stressed out and depressed.
Because it seems like these autopilot thoughts always tend to be negative.
The truth is that these thoughts you have are an addiction.
Yes. You can become addicted to thinking negative thoughts!
Zach Bitter is an ultramarathon runner, a coach, and a podcaster. His podcast is called Human Performance Outliers, available wherever you listen to podcasts.
Zach has also set multiple world records and American records, including the world record for 100 miles. His 100 mile world record was set running on a track, and that requires a very focused mindset. We also talk about training and nutrition in this episode.
Ultramarathon mindset is the story you tell yourself about the epic stuff you dream about doing.
Most of us dream about being a hero. Doing something big and epic. “Changing the world.”
Time wears us down. That dream fades. But usually it remains lurking in a corner of your soul.
Wherever you are in life, it’s not too late to be epic!
Most of us would never think that the mindset for being a professional symphony musician and the mindset for ultramarathons would be similar. My guest this week is Dave Brimhall (@montanadave on Instagram) who was a professional symphony musician and is now a physical therapist and an ultramarathon runner.
"In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king."
This is one of those sayings that sounds like deep wisdom and is actually utter BS. It suggests that you will be a leader if you have skills and talents that give you an advantage over the crowd. But the real world doesn't work that way. What is the truth? Listen to find out.
What do ultramarathon runners have in common with the monastic orders of Christian and other religions? Quite a bit, in fact. Miriam Diaz-Gilbert is an ultramarathon runner and a student of spiritual disciplines. Running an ultramarathon and ascetic practices include both solitude, physical stress, and contemplation. Miriam is also a published author, a speaker, and adventurer.
A quote from one of my running friends: “50 miles is too short. The race doesn’t really get interesting until you’ve gone 60 miles.” She is right! And when you run a 100 mile race, the halfway mark isn't 50 miles. You aren't halfway until you hit 73 miles!
You can't outperform your self-image!
Andrew Gardner is a mental performance scholar and coach. He is also a clinical neuropsychologist, studying ways to help athletes who have suffered concussions or are involved in "collision sports." He is an ultrarunner and uses the mindset tools he teaches for performance in his own training and practice. He is presently training to travel to Boston to run this year's Boston Marathon.
As a man thinketh, so is he.
You've heard it from motivational speakers. You've heard it from self-help gurus. You've heard it from mindset coaches! There's even a whole book with this as a title. It's a quote (actually a misquote) from the Bible--Proverbs 23:7.
Those who quote this from the Bible often leave out 3 important words that take it from being a true statement to one that's not completely false, but not completely true either.
Jacob Deeter took the opportunity of a busy schedule of classes and clinical rotations across the US to set a goal for hiking and backpacking 500 miles during his final year of school. His travels took him from the Rocky Mountains to Yosemite and the Appalachian Trail, ending up with a rim to rim in the Grand Canyon. And, for good measure, he took up climbing as well.
The words you use have power to shape your mindset. Your mindset is the story you tell yourself about yourself. You can tell your story so you are the hero, or you can tell a story that makes you the victim.
All the words you use when you tell your mindset story have power. But some have exceptional power. This episode of the Monday Morning Mindset covers 2 of these power words as well as a bonus word.
Imagine going from a backpacking boot camp, to running a marathon, to a 40 mile hike, to your first 100 miler all in a matter of a few months! Dave Daniel was looking for his limits, and he found it at the Georgia Jewel 100 miler. He didn't finish, but he found his limit and began to work and train to find out how far he could move that boundary. He has the mindset to keep moving forward. His stories and success and failure will inspire you!
Quick question . . . Are you asking good enough questions? You may not yet be aware of this, but-
The quality of your life is a direct reflections of the kind of questions you ask yourself. If you want to have a better life, you need to learn how to ask better questions. This Monday I cover 4 types of questions. Two are unhelpful. Two are helpful, if you use them right. They are: When? How? Why? What?
Will you listen today?
When she was 19, Pam Chapman-Markle was told cancer would take her life within 6 months. She beat cancer. Whatever came her way in life, she chose to take circumstance and make the outcome conform to her will. When she discovered ultramarthon running, she already had the mindset to keep going, no matter what. She's run some of the world's toughest ultramarathons and isn't finished yet.
What could you do with more Abra Kadabra in your life? What difference could it make for your mindset?
The words you speak manifest your reality. Yet most of us pay little attention to the words coming out of our mouths. One ancient reference says that our words carry the power of death and life.
The phrase Abra Kadabra is something to keep in mind and perhaps it will inspire you to take on the 3-step challenge given in this episode.
The Bargo Brothers, from Episode 69, call Marshall Ulrich the "real Forrest Gump of running." And when you listen to this entire episode, you will likely agree. He ran Badwater 20 times, and set course records two years in a row. He and his team have been in every Eco Challenge Adventure Race, he ran across the US, and did a self-supported circumnavigation of Death Valley.
You get your limiting beliefs from three sources:
- Folklore
- The Flea Circus
- Trimming the roast
Your strongest beliefs came without your permission or decision. But there's a good chance you've never even examined them. This episode will show you how to take a peek behind the curtain in your mind and see what's going on.
What happens when you mix a "last man standing" race with a wedding? You get the kickoff to Tennessee's first "Murder Mile" race. This is the nickname for the course. It sounds simple. Run a mile every 20 minutes. There's only 300 feet of elevation gain and loss. If you aren't at the start line every 20 minutes, you DNF. The race lasts until there is only one runner left.
Becca Jones came up with the Mid-State mile in 2020. Tennessee limited people gathering except for funerals and weddings. Two friends stepped up and said, we can have our wedding and the race will be our reception party. With the legal hurdles out of the way, Becca and her family outlined the race course and sent out invitations.
The race was a huge success. It is a brutal course, with all of the elevation in one hill that's a 20% grade. This race and the Tennessee mile, a timed race, will soon be one of the bucket list races for serious ultra runners.
Becca is also an ultra runner and running coach. She shares great stories and her perspective on training and running far.
Tweet from Penny Oleksiak
"I just googled ‘Canada’s most decorated Olympian’ and my name came up. I want to thank that teacher in high school who told me to stop swimming to focus on school (because) swimming wouldn’t get me anywhere. This is what dreams are made of," she tweeted.
Most of my teachers saw the vision and pushed me towards it. But that one who constantly dragged me down though,, WOAT (Worst of All-Time)."
How do you create a mindset strong enough to overcome the negative comments from "people who matter"?
Susan Donnelly has finished 131 hundred mile races and counting. She is a mindset and life coach helping runners bring their best mental game to every race. Many runners imagine that all the training miles they run will also provide the mindset they need to succeed. But many of these same runners DNF, not from physical issues, but because they weren't able to manage their thoughts and emotions. Susan saw the need to help these runners and helps them train their mind for the challenge of ultramarathons.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
How are you doing in your pursuit of happiness? If you feel like you’re playing a game of hide and seek, you’re not alone. Only 19% of Americans describe themselves as “very happy.”
I think we have the wrong mindset about the pursuit of happiness.
Our idea is that we chase after it. Hunt it. Find it.
My guests this week are Lauren Beihoffer and Bud Lamonica. They are ultramarathon runners, adventurers, and have a podcast called Run Wild With Lauren and Bud.
They are ultra runners and love adventure. From facing off against bear on the Smokey Challenge Adventure Run to taking on the Bigfoot 200, they take it all in stride and come away smiling.
Do you feel like you're lying when you say your affirmations out loud?
Do you say things like, "I am an awesome, successful winner?"
And hear a little voice say, "No, you're not!"
Affirmations seem like a good thing, because most of what you tell yourself is negative. And you have years of negative self-talk stored up in your brain. So when you say your affirmations, it feels like a lie.
When two runners who are also podcasters create a podcast, you know it will be lively. Ciara Carter is the host of the Run, Thrive, Survive Podcast and is returning to continue our conversation about running, nutrition, health, and mindset. Ciara is aiming to qualify for the Boston Marathon again, after getting pushed off the list when the race was cancelled.
She's coming back stronger and faster and wants to get this goal done before she considers testing the waters of ultramarathons.
It could have been my mom’s fault that I ended up on the edge of that cliff. She told me that she lifted me up to look over a railing when I was little and I got scared. All I know is that I was afraid of heights as a child and young adult.
I took extreme action to conquer my fear. And that was the first step in a long journey that led me to being a life-coach, podcaster, and ultramarathon runner.
Mandy Miller has developed a strong ultramarathon mindset in her races and adventures from all around the world. She had run everything from multi-day stage races in the Sahara desert to 100 mile self-supported ultramarathons in the Yukon in January to Iron Man competitions in Hawaii.
When I ran with Mandy for the last few miles at the Javelina, she never mentioned that she’d fallen and broken some ribs earlier in the day. So we talk about the mindset strategies she uses to deal with pain and discomfort.
The quick and easy is killing your soul!
- Short-cuts
- Life hacks
- Easy Button
- Microwave
- Instant mashed potatoes
- Fast food
- Instant download
- Convenience stores
We all get conditioned for fast and easy in everything.
Don't get me wrong. I love convenience! Don't want to do everything hard and slow.
But our conditioning for easy and comfortable = no challenge unless we go find it.
The Worlds Toughest Mudder is an obstacle course race that is a test of mental and physical endurance. Devin Nelson is my guest this week. He is both an ultramarathon runner and tests his will against the 24 hour challenge of the Tough Mudder.
The Tough Mudder community is much like the trail running community in the way participants help and encourage each other as they compete against the course. Caution, trail runners! This episode might give you ideas for new challenges.
Words people say about themselves:
I'm such a klutz.
I always mess up.
I can't do it.
I'm such an idiot.
I'm getting the flu...cold.
Because it doesn't happen immediately, we tend to be careless with our words.
My word for this year is "words." I pick a word for the year instead of resolutions.
This year I will pay even closer attention to the words I use.
I will speak as if my words will make it real . . . make it happen.
Mike Hynes was a psychotherapist who became a coach who became an author. His book is called, The Myth-Guided Mind, In this episode we talk about mindset and the importance of cultivating a healthy connection between mind and body. This is a topic I've studied for years, and I'm always excited to hear other's perspective.
This episode isn't specifically about running. But runners know that a strong mind is as important as a strong body. Mike's insights are valuable for anyone looking for a mental edge for peak performance.
Sheryl Crow sang: It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you have.
The Buddha said it: Desire and attachment is the root of all misery
But is this true? In this episode I talk about the razor thin edge that separates contentment from complacency. And, believe me, complacency does not give you contentment.
The answer is to live in a paradox of full contentment and full passion mixed with desire. There is power in this paradox.
What does it take to be a healthy, happy human? My guest this week is health and happiness coach, Paul Levitin. He has a podcast called the Healthy, Happy Human.
His coaching centers on mindset and goal setting, and we talk extensively about the mindset it takes to be successful if you want to live a healthy and happy life.
Dustin Johnson wants to be the 7th person to officially run all the way around the world. Of course, you can’t run on the oceans, but the World Runners Association was formed to lay out rules and track the results for runners going the distance equal to the circumference of the earth and crossing set points along the way. Dustin had to abandon his previous attempt because of Covid
Brian Hoover will be supporting Dustin by riding a bicycle with all their gear and supplies. Brian has been on the show twice before talking about van life, hiking the PCT, and kayaking the entire Mississippi river.
Natalie Bickers sets big goals for herself. Soon after she started running, she got the idea to run a half-marathon in all 50 states. When she made the jump to running ultramarathons she decided to go all-in and did three 50K races in a month.
She worked her way up to running 100 mile races. Sometimes she logged a DNF, but she didn't let that discourage her. She kept looking for challenges. She got into the Moab 240 this year (2021) to see what she could do at an even longer challenge. She finished DFL in spectacular fashion with only 2 seconds remaining before cutoff.
Sabrina Stanley has held the title of first place female finisher of the Hardrock 100 for 4 years. She won in 2018 and 2021, and the race was cancelled in 2019 & 2020.
She ran while in school to stay in shape for team sports. Then a friend convinced her to do a half marathon and that led to her running road marathons.
A friend suggested she read Lore of Running, and when she read it she learned about trail running. The author talked a lot about the Leadville 100. She was 22 when she read this book, and said that by the time she was 40 she was going to run the Leadville 100. She put her name in the lottery for Leadville and thought it was going to take years to get into the race. But her name was drawn that first year.
Her first attempt at Leadville was a DNF. But she came back strong and now is a professional ultramarathon runner.
Tara Bianca is my podcast guest this week. She is the owner of BE Light Transformative Therapy which is an online holistic wellness company specializing in therapeutic breath work and mindset coaching. Oxygen Advantage Certified.
She is working toward her goal of a global online holistic health network that brings together experts from all over the world from all different modalities taking the best from science and spiritual practices.
Kay Bretz (pronounced “Kai”) is my podcast guest this week. He has a long list of accomplishments in business and in running. His running accomplishments are impressive.
Member of Australian 24-hour national team Australian Ultra Performance of the Year Award 2019 and Bryan Smith Award 2019
Fastest-ever Australian at 24-hour world championships (Albi, France 2019), covering 259.67km
Holistic approach to transform from hobby runner to one of best ultrarunners worldwide (11th male at world champs), balancing spiritual, mental and physical preparation.
- Winner of 12-hour race at Princes Park 2021 (137.6km)
- Winner of Last One Standing Brimbank 2021 (36 hours, covering 241.4km)
- Second place at 350km trail race through Western Australia (Delirious WEST 2019, 68:52 hours)
- Third place at Australian trail championships (Two Bays 56km 2018, 4:36:55 hours)
- Second place at Christchurch 100km 2016, New Zealand championships (8:19:59 hours)
- Winner of Big Red Run 2015, a 250km stage-race over six days through the Australian Simpson Desert (improved course-record by 5:21 hours)
What he is really excited about is helping high performing people become elites.
My podcast guest this week is Shaun Bemis. He is a soon-to-be retired Naval Special Warfare Leader, and ultra-runner. He joined the service the day after the attacks of 9/11 and he worked in Navy Intelligence, giving support to special forces operations.
Shaun jumped into ultra-running without the “typical” progression of shorter races to half-marathon to marathon then ultramarathon. When he didn’t get in the lottery for the New York City Marathon, he decided an ULTRAmarathon was more impressive anyway.
Mindset of Mysticism and Suffering
My guest this week is Gwen Zywicke. She is a runner, cyclist, Instructor at Louisiana State University and writer. She is an ultramarathon runner who is studying the relationship between ultrarunning and mysticism. And she’s writing a book called Ultrarunning Mysticism: Mind, Body, Spirit and the Sacredness of Overcoming Suffering.
Adrian Macdonald decided to run his first 100 mile race ever at the Leadville 100 this year. He was a little more than halfway through when he realized he was in the lead. He went on to win with a time of 16 hours 18 minutes.
He says that his mindset for training was to think of it as an all day run instead of 100 miles.
Finding the High Point in Every State
Greg and Brandon Bargo, AKA the Bargo Brothers, are adventurers and athletes who host the TV show ''The Highpointers With the Bargo Brothers.'' The brothers explore the United States and climb the highest point in each state. They also take along a local guide who gives history and background about each state and it’s highpoint. You can see the first season of their show on Amazon and PBS.
For this week my guest is Joe Chura who is a podcaster, runner and entrepreneur.
Joe started out as an auto factory worker. But he had a mindset to grow, and he decided that he wanted more from his life. Hiis journey to be an ultramarathon runner began before he even put on his running shoes.
He stopped playing defense every day and started to play offense. He stopped prioritizing the things he had to do for others and started putting first things first.
Nat Collins is this week's guest, Nat is a physical therapist, runner, running coach, 2.49 marathoner, and certified orthopedic specialist. The mindset to run ultramarathons is about more than pushing the limits. It’s making wise decisions in training, recovery, and gear.
Nat ran track in 7th grade and quit after four day because he hated running. But, when he was in high school, a couple of his classmates convinced him to start running as a way to stay in shape.
Randy was an athlete in high school and college, but not specifically a runner. For a period of time he fell out of doing much physical activity, though he enjoyed hiking and rock climbing with his wife. When he was 34, he was brainstorming with his wife about a goal to work toward and she immediately said “You’ve always said you’ve wanted to run a marathon and you’ve never done one.” That wasn’t what he was expecting...or wanting to hear...but he signed up for one that was just three months away! He was running with the pace setter when some others started dropping out, so the pacer gave him the pacing stick and dropped back to provide encouragement. He knows that is what kept him in the race and to this day still thinks that was the most painful experience. Throughout that experience he built a community and enjoyed pushing himself to new limits including the Javalina 100...is a 200 in his future?
My guest this week is Joe Sanok who is a Licensed Therapist, Podcast Host, Author, 4-Day Workweek Specialist, TEDx, and Lead Speaker Consultant. His new book, Thursday is the New Friday: How to Work Fewer Hours, Make More Money, and Spend Time Doing What You Want, has just been released, and he tells how he came to be a champion for a 4-day workweek.
For some of us runners, we’ve had coaches tell us the same. Running most of your miles at an aerobic pace will make you faster on race day. Yes, we need intensity too. But in smaller amounts than most of us practice.
Joe gives us his opinion on what is the mindset we should have to live healthier, both mentally and physically. Slowing down in life allows us to do everything in our lives in a smarter and more productive way.
The Badwater 135 ultramarathon is billed as the toughest footrace in the world. It goes from Death Valley, Nevada, to Mt. Whitney, in California. Sally McRae was first-place, female, this year with a finishing time of 30:48:47.
Her closing comments about her mindset at Badwater come close to being a super-power. She went into this race with the mindset to feel and experience all the difficulty and struggle. Rather than put on a tough persona to convince others, and herself, that she is better and stronger than any challenge in the race, she accepted the discomfort and pain as part of the experience. And kept going anyway.
Shannon Mick is a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in Telemental Health and is an Ultramarathoner. She first got into running when she was dating her husband. She thought running was stupid and would kind of get mad at him for not spending time with her and instead going for a run. She ended up doing a 5k and finished second to last. She is a competitive person and knew she could do better than that! She has now done 50 miler and will be doing the Oil Creek 100 in October. On this week’s podcast episode she talks about what she’s done to grow as a runner, the hallucinations she’s experienced and even accomplishing two FKTs.
Heather Hart is a marathon runner and adventure racer. Adventure Racing is a multi-sport feat that could include trekking, paddling a kayak or canoe, rock climbing and even horseback riding. The course isn’t marked and participants cannot use GPS. There is a time limit and teams have to hit as many checkpoints as they can in the time provided. The challenge of Adventure Racing is facing the unknown. You know where to start and what equipment you need but you don’t see a map of the course until the night before or the morning of…
My guest this week is Ciara Carter. Ciara is a runner, personal trainer, health coach, and podcaster.
Her podcast is called Run, Thrive, Survive, where she talks about running, psychology, and mindset.
I was a guest on her show last week, and she’s a great host.
She’s also a great guest, and we had a lot of fun talking about running and mindset.
Most of us hate running on a treadmill. In fact, we call it the dread-mill. But Ciara, my guest this week, became a runner because of a treadmill. And she says it happened by accident.
But running became an important part of her life. And running got her through some dark times in her life. In the year where she kept saying, “It can’t get any worse, can it?” it was running that kept her holding on when things did keep getting worse.
Sarah McMahon is about to run her first 100 mile trail run in a truly epic race. If you've read the book, Born to Run, you know about the Tarahumara and the wild and beautiful Copper Canyons of Chihuahua, Mexico. In a few weeks, Sarah will travel to run these challenging and famous trails.
Sarah is an ultramarathon runner, blogger, and poet. She talks about growing up near a small town in Wisconsin, surviving an eating disorder that almost ended her life, and the mindset to look for new challenges.
Her book of poetry, I Like It Cuz It's Pink is available for sale on Amazon. You can also hear her perform her poetry on YouTube if you search under Sarah McMahon.
Imagine running 21 consecutive ultramarathons, winding your way through every county in Great Britain.
Matt Bagwell got the idea to create the Run the Country Ultra as a way to raise funds and awareness for mental health and those struggling with anxiety and depression.
Run the Country Ultra will cover 1050 kilometers and have a total elevation gain 16% more than climbing Everest: a total of 10,232 meters.
Matt is an ultra runner, a performance coach, and a breathwork coach and instructor.
His goal is to raise 105,000 pounds ( $140,000) for CALM, the Campaign Against Living Miserably. CALM is an organization working to stem the tide of suicide in Britain.
Connect with Matt:
Email: http://matt@lovetolearnto.com
Website: Love to Learn
Website: Run the Country Ultra
Linkedin
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
Margaret Spring ran her first race at age 7 and came in first place female.
After college and running half-marathons she decided it was time to run a full marathon. She set a goal to run the Boston Marathon and chose her first marathon to be one that would let her qualify for Boston. And she qualified and went on to run Boston.
Her first trail run was up Pikes Peak in Colorado. She swore she'd never do it again, but the following year found her back on the starting line. She decided trail running was fun and found her place with a local group of trail runners. She was a strong uphill runner, but running downhill was difficult for her.
We discuss all this and more in this episode.
Links to Margaret online:
Instagram
Linktree
Simone Biles' decision to withdraw from the Olympics drew both criticism and praise. I imagine most of the critics never stood in her shoes.
This week I talk with Tony Diaz. He is a runner, a cyclist, and Wushu martial artist. He holds several national titles in Wushu and competed in the Wushu World competition and placed 5th.
He said, "I saw the look on Simone's face and recognized she was in trouble, because I've had that same look on my face."
Tony is passionate to help others who struggle with anxiety and the pressure to perform when your mind is fighting against you. He is quick to say that he's not experienced the level of pressure as Simone, but he's had a taste of it. And his perspective and insights give a glimpse into the real struggle many people face in life.
Links:
Facebook
Instagram
Trail runners and ultra runners have a streak of adventure in our souls. We love the challenge of pushing our limits. And for some of us, we have a drive to keep expanding our horizons.
My guest this week is Jim Lane, a fellow barefoot runner who followed his desire for adventure to the country of Costa Rica. After serving in the military and as a firefighter, he retired and moved his family to a small mountain town in Costa Rica.
Jim documents his running and his family's adventure in Costa Rica on his YouTube channel, The Wandering Gringos.
Warning: This episode might make you want to visit Costa Rica.
Links:
The Wandering Gringos YouTube
The Wandering Gringos Facebook
Bushcraft Costa Rica
Ultra runners don't just eat . . . we fuel. And when our fueling doesn't work the way we'd planned, it often leads to problems in a race and the dreaded DNF.
Dana Eshelman is a registered dietitian nutritionist, a nutrition coach, and a triathlete. She has numerous half-Ironman races to her credit and is training to compete in a full Ironman next year.
The knowledge Dana shares is for all athletes, and for ultra runners . . . it might give you the edge to keep your stomach solid for your entire race.
Connect with Dana:
Instagram
Facebook group
Website
Candice McField is an executive health coach and former professional body builder. She recently wrote a book called As For Me And My Body, a guide to fitness based on fundamental wellness principles to help people get off the diet treadmill and become truly fit.
Candice writes: Permanent change of any kind begins within. It requires transforming your mind and spirit, not just your body.
Her approach to health is in line with my coaching style. This episode has a little different flavor than the usual Trail Talk. I'd love to hear your feedback and ideas. Send me a DM and let me know what you think.
Links to contact Candice:
Website
Book: As for Me and My Body
Facebook
Instagram
The official minimum distance you have to do each day for a "run streak" is one mile. Most runners on a "run streak" will face those days when the minimum is all they can do.
My guest this week has a run streak of 43 years. He's run every day for over 15,706 days and counting.
But he thought the minimum requirements were too lenient, so he decided to make sure to have at least 40 miles a week. He's maintained that streak for 33 years . . . 1,739 weeks and counting.
Bruce is an exercise physiologist and an inventor. He has great stories as well as insights about how to keep running for life.
Connect with Bruce:
Gym Valet
Ultra runners set big goals. And we put in a huge amount of effort and time and mindset to achieve them.
Ryan Steiner is my guest this week. And his ultra running goal took him ten years to achieve. He overcame great physical and mental challenges to get to the starting line of his first ultra. And he found acceptance and encouragement in the trail running community.
He has big goals ahead if him too. And the mindset he developed to get him here will keep him moving forward, I'm sure.
Connect with Ryan:
Facebook
Strava
Instagram
You have to be extraordinary to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. My guest this week is working her way to a world record for the most ultramarathon races completed in a year.
Technically an ultramarathon is any race longer than a marathon -- 26.2 miles. Usually we say that the 50K (30-ish miles) is where the "real" ultras start.
But Jameelah Abdul-Rahim Mujaahid isn't satisfied to go for just enough. She is running 50 and 100 mile ultras as she goes for the world record.
She has some great stories, and I hope to have her back to tell about her success when she is finished!
Contact links:
Facebook
Instagram
Experience is the best teacher. And most of us who run figure out what works by trial and error.
But what if you could learn from someone else's experiences? My guest this week is John Krause. He shares his ultra running knowledge and his trial and error experiments as a runner on his YouTube channel, "Motivation Theory Running."
In this episode we talk about his approach to running as well as his reasons to try and then adopt a plant based diet is a runner.
John's links:
Website
YouTube channel
Strava - Motivation Theory Run Club
A FKT is a "fastest known time" for someone to cover the distance on a set route.
The year, 2020, may be remembered as the year of the FKT because so many races were canceled and ultra runners were looking for a new challenge.
Brittany Peterson and Cody Lind decided to go after the FKT for the 310-mile-long Superior Hiking Trail in northern Minnesota. Brittany and Cody are ultra runners with a long list of races to their credit, including many first place finishes. They set the new FKT for the Superior Hiking Trail at 4 days, 9 hours, beating the previous men's record by 18 hours and women's record by 2 days.
Both are running coaches and they have a passion to see runners succeed at every level, from the elite to those chasing cutoff times.
Connect with them on social media for info about running camps they are starting.
Connections:
Cody Lind
Instagram: @lindcody
Facebook: @runninglind
Website: g20running.com
Brittany Peterson
Instagram: @runhappyb
Facebook: @runhappyb
Website: brittanypetersonruns.com
Rob Koch goes by the handle "vegan-vet-runner" on Instagram. And that title only scratches the surface. He is also a graduate student at Adams State University, studying Applied Sports Psychology.
He is an ultra-runner and has a wealth of knowledge about the mental side of athletic performance. In this episode you may find some helpful mindset tools you can use in your next race.
Connect with Rob:
Ultra running is 90% mental, and the other half is physical. ~Rich Davis
Megan Flanagan is an ultra runner, a running coach and has a podcast called "Strong Runner Chicks." She recently completed a challenging 50 mile trail race and we talk about some of the mindset tools she used to finish that race. And the tools she uses to help her clients perform their best.
Connect with Megan:
Website
Strong Runner Chicks
The Shouse Trail is a loop of .294 miles.
The previous record for running the Most Known Loops was 196 loops.
Todd Chandler set out to beat this record, and he ran alone, overnight and into the next day to accomplish it. He went on to run a total of 212 loops to make it 100K!
In this episode we talk about the mental work that goes along with running long distances and some of the strategies Todd uses to keep going.
Connect with Todd:
YouTube
Website
Keep moving forward!
This is the mantra of an ultramarathon runner. We say it in the struggle to finish a race. But it applies to life as well. The dreaded DNF is always a possibility when we run a race. The mindset to keep coming back after failure is just as important as giving your all in an ultramarathon.
Troy Pruett has this mindset of determination to not let a DNF keep him down. He doesn't look at a DNF as a failure but rather a chance to learn, evaluate, and come back stronger next time.
He shares good stories about the adventures he's had so far, and he has plenty more on his schedule. If you want to follow what he's doing, find him on Facebook and mention this episode.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troy.pruett.79
Most runners have an 85% chance of being injured each year. The odds are not in our favor as runners.
My guest this week is Lisa Pozzoni, a ChiRunning Master Instructor. She is an ultra runner who has been injury free for most of her time as a runner. We talk about how ChiRunning can help runners be efficient and reduce injuries in this episode. Also, some of the big changes that have come to the ChiRunning International company and her part in making ChiRunning more accessible to runners worldwide.
David Scoggins discovered barefoot running on his own through trial and error.
Most runners find books and info online about the advantages of barefoot running. And then they might give it a try. David took the opposite route. It wasn't until he faced circumstances that led him to start running barefoot that he realized that other runners were doing this too.
Now, thirteen years later, he's not looking back. He runs barefoot in all kinds of weather and terrain.
He shares his knowledge, tips, and stories on his YouTube channel. I'm happy that he made time to share a few of his stories with us here.
Connect with Dave:
YouTube
How many more years can I keep running?
There is a myth some runners believe about getting old. Many runners assume that there will be a point . . . the effects of getting older . . . when they won't be able to run any more.
Dickie Longo is an example of why this common belief isn't true. He has been running since age nine. Now, at 84, he has long-term plans to run with his great grandson six year from now. His great grandson will be 9, the same age Dickie started running. And Dickie will be 90.
Ultra runner and 1 million push-ups
It's challenging to run an ultramarthon. It's also challenging to do 5000 push-ups in a day. Nate Carroll combined running the Glacial Trail 50K AND did 5000 push-ups along the way.
Now he has taken on the challenge to break the world record for the most push-ups done in a 365 day period.
His goal is to complete at least 1,500,231 pushups in one year to raise money for the Tunnel to Towers Fallen First Responders Home Program. This foundation pays off the mortgage of First responders killed in the line of duty who leave behind young children.
Links:
Support Nate's Challenge
https://tunnel2towers.org/push-up-challenge/
The question all runners ask when we get injured is, "How soon before I can run again?" And long recovery times leave us chomping at the bit, to get back all the fitness we think we've lost. Rest is hard when you are a runner.
My guest this week specializes in helping athletes work through the mental stress that comes along with being injured. Carrie Jackson is a Mental Skills Training coach. She also helps athletes work on their mental game for peak performance.
She is a certified Mental Performance Consultant and author of the book On Top of Your Game: Mental Skills to Maximize your Athletic Performance. She is co-author of the book Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries. And she hosts a podcast called "The Injured Athletes Club Podcast."
Links to more about Carrie:
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Podcast
Cath Wallis is living life BIG. She takes on multi-day ultra adventures all over the world. From running on a frozen lake in Mongolia to running in the dessert of Oman or running the "Race to the Wreck" in Namibia.
What leads a professional, working mom to decide to run ultramarathons. In this episode, we talk about Cath's passion for adventure as well as her hope to inspire others who don't look like the "stereotypical athlete" to step out and find their own adventures.
Connect with Cath:
Website
Running teaches you a lot about yourself. And the strength you get applies to all of life, no just running.
My guest this week is Geena Silvia. She is a running coach, a runner with over 70 races to her credit. She also has stepped into racing triathalons.
She understands the importance of mindset for success in running and life. And she offers information and inspiration to her clients as well as follower on social media.
Connect with Geena:
Linktr.ee
Lifelong runner, Dr. Mark Cuczzella, had his share of running injuries. And that led him to find solutions to be able to run with fewer injuries.
He is the creator of the Air Force's Efficient Running Program and the author of Run for Your LIfe: How to Run, Walk, and Move Without Pain Or Injury and Achieve a Sense of Well-Being and Joy.
In this episode, he shares his story and his knowledge about running, shoes, and nutrition.
Facebook: Mark Cucuzzella
Book: Run for Your Life
Leon Gray wears a tee-shirt that says, "Hit by a bus. What's your excuse?"
Some runners wonder if they will still be able to run when they are 65 years old. Leon was still running at that age, when a bus flattened him! He face multiple surgeries and a two-month coma, but he recovered and came back to running again.
That was 10 years ago! He is still running, but he says he's slower now than he was before the bus.
Connect with Leon through Facebook HERE
When you say you live and run in Georgia, most in America think of the state in the US.
My guest this week is Sarah Griffith and she lives and runs in Georgia--the country. And she has a goal to run 1825 miles in 2021.
In this episode we talk about running in Germany and Georgia as well as nutrition and the difference between dogs in Georgia vs. the US.
You can find Sarah on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sarah.runs.fasted/
Runners talk a lot about shoes. We spend a lot of money on shoes. And we spend time trying to find the right shoe.
My guest this week was frustrated with his choices and decided to take matters into his own hands. Thus, the Hann shoe was born.
Lenn Hann is an engineer by profession, and likes to understand how things work. He was cutting apart running shoes long before he got the idea to design one. In his search for a shoe that works, he created a carbon fiber suspension that might give us average runners the kind of performance boost the elites get with their specialized carbon fiber shoes.
Lenn is passionate about running, and the shoe he has created, and that comes through in our conversation.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HannShoes
Website: https://www.hannshoes.com/?fbclid=IwAR22whCLYYpvodLN2RAL8LcJxI1JoaPpAJTsKt5qhqaOwG_--l4cwpH6uFA
Ruthie Loffi describes herself as "a Brit living the life in Oklahoma" who loves to run.
Ruthie is a veteran ultra runner and running coach.
She has lived and run in about eight different countries. She started running for fun with the Hash House Harriers while she was in India.
This was a fun virtual trail run. The stories Ruthie shares are fun ones.
https://www.facebook.com/ruthie.loffi
How fast can you run across the Grand Caynyon?
How fast could you do going across 4 times without stopping?
My guest this week is Crystal McGee. In October, Crystal set the FKT (Fastest Known Time) for running from the North Rim to the South Rim and back, and then doing it all over again. In all, she ran 95 miles with 21,000 feet of descent and ascent. She finished in a time of 28:11:26 - the women's record for a quad-crossing.
The best place to connect with Crystal is her Instagram account. You can also find absolutely stunning photos of her adventures there!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crystalmariemg/
When life give you lemons . . .
The reality is, that it takes more than lemons to get lemonade. But find some sugar and water, and you're set!
My guest this week is James Dunn. He's a coach who works with divorced dads. He's been through divorce himself and found the mindset tools to keep going when life doesn't go the way he'd hoped it would.
James is also a runner. We'll get into running and mindset work and how to keep going when life happens.
Connect:
Website
Eugene Bingham loves to run trails. As a journalist and podcaster, he loves to write and talk about trail and ultra running too.
Eugene's almost 30 year journalism career has earned him multiple awards. And he shares his stories about running in "Stuff," an online news site covering New Zealand and world news.
He also co-hosts "Dirt Church Radio Podcast" with Matt Rayment, talking to runners from all corners of the world.
Eugene's experience as an ultra runner and a journalist offers a wealth of knowledge he shares in this episode.
You can connect with Eugene through the Dirt Church Podcast website: https://www.dirtchurchradio.com/
Theresa Reyes-Cummings has the kind of determination to keep going after the goals she sets. I had the privilege to crew for her as she ran a 100K "rails to trails" course this summer.
She then went on to finish her first 100 mile trail race, this fall, on a challenging course: The Mines of Spain in Davenport, IA.
She always has an encouraging word and a smile for everyone she meets or runs with on the trails.
Theresa is also a competitive body builder. The workouts and nutrition for body building are much different from running. She shares her insights on how she balances these two sports and how the training for both compliments her goals.
I'm glad to have Brian Hoover back as a guest on Trail Talk!
Last time we talked about his adventures as a trail runner, van living, and his hike of the Pacific Coast Trail last year. At that time, he was planning a kayak adventure of the entire Mississippi River.
I followed his adventure through his Facebook posts, and am excited that he has agreed to join me again to talk about his adventure.
He also has his next adventure planned!
This week my guest is Randy Kreill. His most recent race finish is the Cloudsplitter 100.
The website says about this race: "This is one of the more physically demanding trails in the East, and it remains a significant unprotected wilderness area. On a clear day, four other states can be seen from the High Knob summit: West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina."
Randy is a fellow barefoot/minimalist runner and ran this race in huarache style sandals. I'm sure we'll have a lot to discuss about barefoot style running and how to manage long distances with minimal footwear.
If you want to connect with Randy, his social media links are below:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2bGm_-l5tDlYhgVr5bQSg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/randy.kreill
Lindsey McDonald is part of the Trail Nerds running group in Kansas City.
In this episode we talk about nutrition, hills, and training at altitude, and the difference between running up and down mountains vs. up and down hills.
Lindsey trains hard, and is a strong competitor on even the gnarliest trails. And she has her sights set on some big goals for her running career.
For those of us who look at running 100 miles as a challenging goal, the idea of going 200 miles or more seems incredible.
My guest this week is David Theriot. He's placed among the top finishers in several 100 mile races, run the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim, ran in Western States 100, and the Tahoe 200.
Now he has his sights set on the Triple Crown of 200s – running the Tahoe 200, the Bigfoot 200, and the Moab 240 all in the same year.
David also has a podcast for ultra runners: The Run Theriot Podcast. https://www.facebook.com/runtheriot
I met Jo Hearlson in person for just a few seconds when she came through an aid station I was helping with. But even then, I didn't know her name. I only knew her through Instagram where she goes by "adventuresofarunner."
She has a goal to run at least a mile in every county in Kansas and she had her sights set on a 24 hour race and 100K.
The adventures she shares on Instagram are always interesting, and the stories she has to share in person are just as fun.
I hope to have a chance to take a trail run with her in person someday. For now, I'm glad to share this virtual run and have you join us.
My guest this week is Pauline Christie. She is a runner, a mother, and a psychiatric nurse who lives in Australia.
Pauline is a runner who posts regular motivation and encouragement on her Instagram account, @Fat_to_5km.
Runners come in all shapes and sizes. But most of us still think that “real” runners look like a gazelle . . . lean and light. For those of us who are bigger, just putting on running clothes and getting out the door can be a huge psychological barrier. Pauline and I talk candidly about this idea of body image that many runners face.
I’m grateful to be able to share her story here!
If you're a runner, especially an ultra runner, you love to run. Each of us have our own reason for WHY. And for most of us, that is more complicated than we can explain in only a few words.
But there are other endurance challenges out there other than running.
My guest this week, Jordan Zimmerman, is an ultra runner who also enjoys kayaking. He's done the MR350, a race from Kansas City to St. Louis on the Missouri river.
I've had several "trail talks" with Jordan as we've run together in person. I'm excited to have him here to share a conversation here on Trail Talk as well.
Misty Wright is one of the first runners I got to know when I started running trails a few years ago.
I've had the privilege of running with her in training and in our first 100 mile finish.
She's a relentless ultra runner because she has pushed through the normal challenges all of us face with the added challenge of some health issues. In fact, doctors told her she wouldn't be able to run. But she found a way and keeps going.
You may have heard about the low carbohydrate diets like the Keto Diet.
My friend, Dave Basile, discovered the benefits of eating low carb years ago and has adopted it as a lifestyle.
But everyone of us is different, and Dave has tried variations within his low-carb diet to see how different foods and ways of eating affected his strength and running performance.
There are a lot of us runners who can no longer outrun our poor food choices. Ice cream and donuts begin to accumulate around our waist instead of burning away as we run.
For us, long-term health and performance require more than exercise. We have to eat better.
Our discussion is about what works for us. It's more about guidelines than a strict code.
If you want to connect to Dave, his Instagram is @antigravitygains.
We ultramarathon runners love to push and test our limits.
The challenge is what draws us. And it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of doing more and longer races.
But there's a downside too. Sometimes we forget that rest and recovery are just as important as training and racing. We're in an extreme sport, and we can take our drive to do more to the extreme and find ourselves in BURNOUT.
My guest this week is Heather Hart. She's an exercise physiologist, ultra runner, blogger, and coach. She's had some personal experience with burnout, and in this episode she shares how she got there and her journey back to balance in life and running.
To connect with Heather:
Relentlessforwardcommotion.com
Instagram: @relentlessforwardcommotion
Facebook: @HartStrengthAndEndurance
If you're not having fun, you might be doing it wrong!
Todd Chandler always adds a dash of fun to almost everything he does. Sure, he's a strong runner with a bag full of race medals. And whether you talk to him in person, or see something he's posted on social media, his sense of humor comes through.
This summer he had to pause his training to recover from an injury. So he made a video and infographic about how to be successful at Ultra-Couching.
Here is the link to Todd's Ultra-Couching video: https://youtu.be/Se1SGqHr57w
And the link to his infographic:
http://toddchandler.com/ultracouching...
Below are links to find out more and connect with Todd.
http://toddchandler.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/ToddRChandler
Cindy Rieckhoff has a reputation . . . a good one . . . in the trail running community.
I first heard about her as I was pacing Abby (Kathryn Ivey) through the night at the Outlaw 100. Abby told me about how Cindy custom build a small camping trailer for all the ultramarathons she traveled to.
Later, the next morning, I saw Cindy's jeep and camper, but I didn't have a chance to meet her.
But I began following her on Facebook and I've enjoyed seeing her adventures in words and pictures. I hope one day to be able to run trails with her in real life, but don't want to wait. I'm excited to hear her stories as we have a virtual "trail talk."
If you are a member of any Facebook running groups, you probably have seen Ila Allen. She's an ultra runner and trail runner, and she runs with her Crack of Dawn Crew, making regular deposits in her account at the "Bank of Run."
She is not one to make excuses for not running. She runs in the heat, the rain, snow, and the freezing cold. And she has her sites set on running more races and looking for new challenges.
This week I talk with my friend, Jason Silvers. He is a runner and vlogger with a long list of races under his belt.
He runs races almost ever weekend througout the year and documents them on his YouTube channel, "The Year I Got the Runs."
When you see his videos, you can instantly see that Jason has fun while he's running. Making connections with people and being alert for video opportunities keeps him focused through the miles of his races.
I found out a fact about Jason I didn't know. He has an unconventional approach to training. But I'll let you discover that secret for yourself as you listen.
You can find Jason on social media:
Facebook: jason b. silvers
Instagram: the.year.I.got.the.runs
YouTube: the year I got the runs
Taking care of your health is more than just diet and exercise.
Yes, these are important. But your mindset plays a bigger role than most of us realize.
Erin Perrigo is a health coach who helps her clients be consciously healthy. That is, she helps her clients approach health with a conscious intention to be emotionally healthy in order to have the best physical health possible.
Erin's perspective came from working through the pain and trauma her daughter suffered as a baby and the resulting health struggles that came as a result.
Her insights for optimum health are spot-on for everyone. But for us ultra runners, the wisdom she shares will help us keep doing the kind of long distances we love.
Running is not hard on your body . . . depending on how you run.
If you run trails with me, I'll probably start talking about how ChiRunning helped me run ultramarathons without getting the kind of injuries I hear most runners talking about: shin splints, sore knees, hip problems.
Lisa Pozzoni is a master ChiRunning instructor, joins me tonight to talk about what ChiRunning is all about and what it can do for you as a runner.
Brian Hoover started running, and it changed his life.
Like most of us runners, he started gradually, running 5Ks first then longer races. A friend introduced him to trail races and ultramarthon distances. Then he was hooked.
Racing led him to start his own business providing chip timing for racing events in the region. And, as the business grew, it gave him the freedom to work from anywhere, so he downsized to live in a van and pursue outdoor adventures.
In 2019, he set off to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, from Mexico to Canada. The unusual amount of snow forced him to skip the High Sierra section of the trail.
It's easy to tell ourselves that we'll chase these kinds of adventures once "the time is right." But that usually ends up with us never getting around to going and doing and living the life we dream of.
This year (2020) he is off on another adventure, to kayak the length of the Mississsippi.
I met Jackie Beth when we both volunteered to pace Abby (Kathryn Ivey) in her run at the Outlaw 100. (Ep. 3)
Neither of us knew Abby before the race, nor did we know each other.
But we swapped running stories and it didn't take long before we felt like we'd known each other for a long time.
Jackie doesn't limit herself to just one sport. But she's and accomplished ultra runner, running in her own races and pacing and crewing other runners.
Trail conversations sometimes meander just like the trails we run. This conversation is no different. We talk about crewing and pacing and running at night and snakes, and that's just the start. There's a little bit of everything in this conversation.
Why do you run?
If you're like me, you don't often stop to ask "Why do I run?" We just run because we're runners.
But the times when we feel "unmotivated" and can't seem to find the spark to get out the door, it's good to take a look at our WHY for running.
If you ever drag yourself into an aid station beat up from the trail, Christina Kurty is the person you hope is there.
She's both an ultramarathon runner and a medical volunteer. She knows how to give aid when runners get into trouble. But she also has sound advice to help us keep out of trouble in the first place.
Christina has worked with runners and athletes as a sports specialist, helping them heal from overuse injuries and to correct biomechanical issues.
In this episode we talk about running form, shoes, chafing, and blisters. Listen to this episode for ways to help you avoid some common problems we face as runners.
What do you do when you don’t feel like running?
NOT because of an injury or recovery from hard run yesterday.
But when you're feeling down . . . overwhelmed . . . depressed.
Motivation is gone and you just don’t care.
Your friends on Facebook and Strava are still running and posting their selfies and mileage stats.
And that makes it even worse . . . you feel like you SHOULD be running.
But you feel like you just can’t.
What do you do?
Here are three suggestions.
- Running might not be the real issue.
- Don't rely on motivation.
- Make running a decision.
Most ultra runners will tell you that you need lots of time to get ready for a 50K run. "If you're just starting out, nine months is not enough," they will say.
But Lisa Beth Adams didn't ask anyone whether she could go from the couch to 50K in nine months. She did it by setting her goal and then going after it with the mindset of never giving up. She set aside all her excuses and used past failures as lessons leading to her success.
This is the first of my Mindset Minute episodes. And, since this show is still just getting started, I think I should explain what I think an Ultramarathon Mindset is and how you can benefit from having one.
Five of the elements that make up an Ultramarathon Mindset
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Kaizen
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Relentless forward progress.
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Risk / Challenge
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ABC goals
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Finishing is THE goal.
This is a rough framework of what an ultramarathon mindset is and how it helps in running and in life.
Check out future Mindset Minute episodes for more facets of the ultramrathon mindset.
Part of the challenge of running a 100 mile race is that you can train and make a plan and still fail. So many things can go wrong and end your race even when you've done all the right things.
Steve and Amanda both went for the 100 mile distance and fell short because of injuries.
Every ultra runner has a strong motivation to finish what we start. And running 100 miles is a test of our will as we look for the satisfaction of finishing.
But it's also important to keep the idea that running should be fun.
And finding the fun and holding on to it is a worthy goal for any runner.
Denny Krahe is my guest this week. He is a podcaster, author, coach, and speaker. He's also a runner.
He says he used to hate running. But he found himself in situations that led him to run a little bit then slowly increase his time running and eventually he became a "runner."
His book, Be Ready on Race Day is designed to be a guide for runners to learn how to design a training plan that fits them as an individual rather than the "one-size" plans that are so common and so rigid.
He also believes in making sure the methods he uses work for himself before he recommends them to others. We dive deep into the work he's doing with his diet and the heart rate training.
To connect wtih Denny, his website is-- dizruns.com. Or on all of social media as -- dizruns.
I had the honor to pace Abby (her trail name) in the Outlaw 100 this year.
The Outlaw is one of the toughest 100 mile courses in the Midwest. It's a 20 mile loop, and runners have 48 hours to complete the 100 miles.
I met Abby through a running group on Facebook when she asked for pacers. Two of us from Kansas volunteered. She had never met either of us until the day we showed up to run with her.
Abby and I told trail running stories as we ran through the night. This conversation is both a recap and continuation of our trail talk.
Abby started running as conditioning for mountain climbing in the Himalayas and in South America. Trail running has been her focus for now, but the mountains may call her back before long.
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With everything happening in the world we need encouragement to stay positive. My friend, Dallas Amsden, ran one trail race. But his main focus is Crossfit.
He joins me for talk about trail running and he also tells his story of walking through some dark days and nights.
The strategy he shares for dealing with these trying times is to take this as an opportunity to learn a new skill. Or build some new muscles. And our mindset is also like a muscle. We can choose to stretch and strengthen it.
One of the most valuable mindset skills is to learn stillness. Practicing meditation or yoga will give you benefits far beyond just a bit of relaxation. For Dallas, and for me, meditation has been essential to keep us moving forward in running and in life.
My friend, John Crum, is on a run streak. He runs at least a mile every day and has since the last part of 2015.
His advice for running every day: Listen to your body.
My name is Eric Deeter. I'm an entrepreneur, a life coach, a mindset coach, and an ultra runner.
Here are the four things I want to offer in this podcast.
- Fun
- Inspiration
- Information
- Motivation
Most of the episodes will be the audio from my weekly Trail Talk Facebook LIVE show on my Ultramarathon Mindset page.
You can connect with me there if you have comments or questions: @ultramarathonmindset