Becoming Ultra

Brittany is still dealing with the shin pain that kind of sidelined her for a couple weeks but it is getting better.  He lays out a plan for her to keep her focused and confident that setbacks aren't always as final as we feel they are in the moment.  We hope you enjoy!

Please listen with an open mind and heart. When we are open to expanding our views and learning with compassion it is a beautiful thing and that is what sparks change. Eric Quallen is a trans ultra runner, Wildlife Biologist who recently obtained his PhD, he is a dog lover, and master educator for leave no trace. He has completed many ultra marathons including Moab 240, Wyoming Range 100, and Zion 100. Eric is one of the most open and honest people we have had on our podcast. He shares his journey as a trans runner and discusses his experiences through transitioning. Eric tells us what trail running brings to his life and what it is like to run 240 miles. We discuss challenges he has faced, mental health and so much more. Eric not just living, he is thriving.  

Mari has had some mentally down moments after her long run from a couple weeks ago had her reeling a bit.  Her coach Scott gives perspective from a few different angles to get her back on track.  Realizing that so many go through the same tough spots is so helpful for new ultra runners.  We hope you enjoy!

We love a story of friendship born on the trails. Bailey and Katie were both selected as season 10 participants of Becoming Ultra and now they are the best of friends. On this podcast we discuss how running ultras impacts your life and how it helps you gain the confidence to take on other substantial life changes. Bailey and Katie talk about how they supported each other for their first 100 miler, even when the outcome is not what was planned. We had an interesting conversation about being a hunter and living a vegan lifestyle. These ladies have a wonderful bond and mutual respect for each other’s point of view. Their support of each other will leave you inspired.

In a new series, we bring on Nutrition coach and Registered Dietician Abby McQueeny Penamonte to answer your questions about all thing nutrition.  On the first episode she answers your questions.  Today she answers:   Weight loss drugs (ie: Ozempic)- how do you integrate that with endurance athletes and eating since this medication curbs your appetite?  How do you feel about Intermittent fasting when it comes to endurance athletes?  Have questions?  Send them to becomingultra@gmail.com Learn more about her and her services here!

If and when we get injured we have to deal with the physical aspect of coming back to health but sometimes, the mental aspect of losing momentum is much tougher.  Sheila suffered a setback with a knee injury and her coach and PT Lindsay talks her through the process on both the physical and mental side of things.  We hope you enjoy!

Amanda had one of those longs runs.  You know the one where you start off not feeling great and it never really gets better.  Spending time in the "pain cave" can be a big deterent but reframing the experience as her coach Addie does on the show today can pay off big time for future efforts and race day!  Enjoy the show.

Brittany is dealing with some shin pain that seem like shin splints and her coach Ian Sharman wants to make sure it isn't serious so they are backing off and relying on more power hiking in the training for now.  It's a great lesson on adapting to our bodies even when big goals are on the line. Enjoy the show.    

As Mari's long runs get longer she is finding new trails to explore.  Her four hour effort had her frustrated and maybe even shedding a few tears but she came out with a better understanding of the importance of being present on these efforts.  She also asks some great questions about race day. Specifically, how to get in the right place on the trail early on in the race.  Enjoy the show!

Mark White describes himself as just a heavy Dad who runs ultras. He ran his first 50k when he was 45 years old and weighed 310 lbs. The following year he took on the 50-mile distance. Since then, he hasn’t stopped training and running trails all over the country. The best part of doing this podcast is being able to tell peoples stories of inspiration. Mark is not letting anything stop him from going after big goals. He knows the value of doing hard things and is putting in the work daily. With the support of his family and ultra-running community, he is hitting trails all over the country. This is a great conversation about not letting anything hold you back. We are excited to follow Mark’s ultra journey as he continues to push himself. Failure is in not trying! IG - @heavyultradad

Sid Garza-Hillman is an author, podcaster, public speaker, certified nutritionist and running coach, Oxygen Advantage breathing instructor, and founder of smallsteppers.com. He is also the Stanford Inn & Resort’s Wellness Programs Director and Race Director of the Mendocino Coast 50k trail ultramarathon.  We had the best time chatting with Sid. He is so engaging and fun, we could have talked for hours. We discussed his new book, Ultra Running for Normal People; Life Lessons Learned On and Off the Trail (which was released today, February 6th!). This is a must-read handbook for living a happy life. We also talked about Sid’s coaching and Small Steps Programs; Podcast; the Mendocino Coast 50k trail race he puts on every year and so much more. This one is full of fun and inspiration! Check out his website to learn more! www.Sidgarzahillman.com 

Bad runs are going to happen.  There are plenty of reasons why but being two thirds of the way through a training cycle seems to be the sweet spot of heavy legs and "bad" runs.  Coach Addie helps to reframe the effort as well as brings up some of the legitimate positives of dealing with these types of runs!  It's something we can all relate to so we hope you enjoy!

Brittany is feeling the effecs of her efforts in training and coach Ian Sharman reframes many of her efforts to keep her rolling.  On the episode we talk about best ways to deal with hot spots on longer runs.  We talk about running with fatigue at this point in the training cycle. Lastly, we talk about dealing with more hill running where the access has been tough.  We hope you can relate and learn something too!

We sit down and chat with Scott & Cale about their epic 100 mile adventure from Moab to Fruita!

Mari is seeing the work pay off as she in her words,"finally got under 2 hrs" for the half marathon distance.  We talk about the next month of training and what to expect as the long runs will keep lengthening.  Enjoy listening to the journey of runners training for their first ultra!

Well, the theme of these last few calls is how do we adapt to the season.  The season would be winter who brought lots of cold and annoying ice to the mix for the runners of Season 14.  Addie shares some tips on training in the cold and even got out in -25 herself.  Amanda is figuring it out and getting her training in!  Enjoy.

Brittany and her PNW people have been dealing with lots of unique weather, mainly ice, that has made training tricky.  Ian suggests some ways to keep the long efforts exciting and interesting and where Brittany should put her focus! Enjoy the show!

Helen Mino Faukner has been named the  #7 female ultra runner of the year by ultra running magazine. She recently had a podium finish at one of the most competitive ultra marathons in the world , CCC 100k. She is positive, always smiling and always wearing heart shaped glasses.  We can’t say enough good things about Helen. At age 27 she has managed to figure out a few things that take most of us a lot longer. She is living her life aligned with her values and not letting her ego get in the way. We talk about her background, the coaching style that works best for her, how yoga has helped her trail running, and her upcoming races. We also hear the story behind those awesome heart shaped glasses. This one will leave you feeling inspired! IG - @helenredcloud

Sheila is dealing with what so many runners and people with big goals might be dealing with, a demanding work schedule.  Sheila shares it has been hard to get in all the work but Lindsay makes sure she knows she is in a normal place and the training can be a priority too.  Enjoy the show!

Mari is dealing with winter which seems to be the theme of the week for all of our runners in the project.  We talk about mindset for the long runs, especially the end of them, so she can start the mental prep of what it will take to tackle the 50k.  We talk a bit about fueling for these efforts and her upcoming training half marathon!  Enjoy the show.