Demarion & Carlita Farmer are married with two young children ages 2 & 4, they also own a small business. Recently they started training for and ran their first ultra in 2021. This is a story of inspiration on so many levels.

Couple goals! These two are conquering all kinds of goals and supporting each other 100%. This was a fun, enlightening, and inspiring conversation. Demarion & Carlita could have so many excuses to not train and work hard towards their goals, but they do not focus on excuses. They have learned the value in believing in themselves and helping each other. On this episode we talk about what prompted them to get into ultra-running and how they balance the training with a young family. We also discuss diversity in ultra-running and the impact they have made on their local community. There is lots of good stuff in this one. We could have talked to this awesome couple for hours. There is nothing better for us than starting our day with lots of laughs and some great conversation.

Nick travelled the furthest of any of the Season 12 runners from Washington state all the way down to Palm Coast, Florida.  On the show Scott and Nick talk about tough spots and how he got out of them as well as his biggest takeaways a week or two after the event. If you have ever thought of running your first ultra, we think you'll enjoy his story!  

Jason ran 50 marathons in 50 states before the project but he had never run an ultra.  Katie dealt with multiple physical ailments.  They both figured it out alongside their coach en route to their first ultra.  This episode is their recap show of the race. Enjoy!

Lucja Leonard is a Dutch-born Aussie-Brit currently residing in the USA. Wife to Dion Leonard, and Fur-mama to Gobi and Lara, check out 'Finding Gobi' the NY Times bestselling book for more details on that side of her life. 

Lucja is an ultra-runner but has not always been one! After becoming overweight in her early 20's Lucja took up running to become a healthier, fitter version of herself and after running her first road marathon, Amsterdam in 2010, she discovered a love of going long and went on to run the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon; a 6 stage, 7-day self-sufficient multistage ultra-marathon through the Kalahari desert in northern South Africa where she fell in love with ultra-running. 

Lucja has since gone on to run a multitude of multistage and single stage ultras with the likes of Marathon Des Sables, Leadville 100, Ultra Trail Mont Blanc, Mohican 100 and even 200+miles non-stop with Bigfoot200 and Moab 240. Most recently she tackled the TransRockies Race, a multistage ultra in Colorado with her friend, Amanda, running as a pair with 120miles and 20,000ft over 6 days as 'Team Granny Pants' where they duo came third open female team.

Lucja is also a running and health coach and can be found traveling all over the USA, exploring the most amazing places while working alongside her husband Dion, and his book 'Finding Gobi' with inspirational talks at corporate events, schools, libraries and running stores.

Amanda Asher is a single mother of 3 teenagers (son 17 and twin daughters 15) and 2nd grade elementary school teacher who started ultra-running in 2016 when she tackled her first 50k in Huntsville, Tx – Rocky 50. Since that time, she has taken on dozens of races across Texas, ranging anywhere from 13 milers to 100k’s. Shortly after completing her first 50k, Amanda ran her first mountain race in 2016 when she took on the Pikes Peak Ascent, followed by the Leadville Trail marathon in 2017. Most recently Amanda competed in her first team relay alongside her daughters as they raced the clock during a 12-hour relay at Spider Mountain in Texas. The 3 of them along with one additional teammate – placed 1st female team. Amanda used this race in May as a training run for her most recent endeavor that took place in Colorado – the Transrockies Stage Race – Amanda, alongside her teammate Lucja Leonard, managed to take the podium 4 out of the 6 days. Placing 3rd overall for the week. When Amanda is not busy raising her 3 teenagers or working on lesson plans for her second graders, she can be found solo backpacking all over the U.S., completing various sections of the CDT, John Muir Trail, AT, and hundreds of miles of loop trails, within Texas, Arkansas, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona and Colorado. 

It is always a fun time when Lucja is involved. We loved this conversation with Lucja and her adventure buddy, Amanda. These ladies tell us all about tackling the Transrockies stage race together and how they came up with their team’s name, Granny Panties, it is a great story!  Amanda talks about finding balance with adventuring, raising three kids and work. When you hear her talk about it you will think it is possible for you too. Lucja shares her latest adventures and what she has coming up. These ladies are big supporters of each other and other women. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we did!

Dave and his coach and RDof Jack's 50k recap his efforts in Florida for his first ultra.  It was tough and there were ups and downs but he lived to share his story!  We hope you all enjoy the show!

After 6 months of training and hanging out to share their journey on this podcast Natalie and Dayna have gone out and done the thing they trained for so diligently.  They take the time to reflect on the experience and it was great to hear their story and the pride they took in their efforts.  Enjoy!

Pamela Chapman is a 66-year-old ultra-runner, cancer survivor, nurse anesthetist and inspirational speaker. At the age of 19 she was diagnosed with cancer and given six months to live. When she outlived the diagnosis, she was told she would never be able to have children. She gave birth to three daughters and raised them as a single mother. After her children finished college and began lives of their own, Pam looked for things to fill her time. She rode a Harley on the weekends, became a licensed sailboat captain, learned to surf in Costa Rica, then ran a 100-mile race. Pam never ran in a foot race of any distance before the age of 55; not even a 5k. Her first race ever was the 100-mile Rocky Racoon Ultra in 2011. Since then, Pam has completed in over 68 ultra-marathons including, Badwater 135 five times. She holds USA records in her age group for 24 hours, 48 hours, 100 miles, and 100k, in the 2019 Six Days in The Dome 24 hour race she came in 1st female and 2nd overall.

Pam is a true legend! This talk was so empowering and positive.  Pam discusses the many challenges she has had during her life.  She has overcome them with a strong faith and the ability to always be grateful. Her story is truly amazing. We chat about how her running career began. We also discuss taking on those big races including the Badwater 135 five times. Pam is also a champion for women, she is determined to prove that age should not define what you can do. When I think of a strong woman role model it is Pamela Chapman that comes to mind.

Jennifer was never an athletic kid, always picked last at PE, made fun of for her weight, struggled with body image and eating disorders in high school through grad school eventually gained a lot of weight in college, decided to start running her junior year and gradually worked up to her first 5k two years later, then ran her first marathon a few years after that.  She ran on and off for the next 10 years and trained for her first ultra-distance. After having her son, she jumped back into running, but found out she had a torn labrum in her left hip, had surgery followed by a  long rehab, eventually she switched to trails and ran more ultras including a 50 miler.

Jennifer’s transition into photography began when she met her friend Kristy through a FB group, started pacing her at Ornery Mule Racing events and  took cell phone pics of her while at races. The RD would frequently repost her pics  and eventually offered to hire her to photograph some races. Jennifer gradually took over photographing all of their races as well as some in other states. Health issues have prevented Jennifer from training for her own races, so this is a way for her to stay involved in the community.

Jennifer has the most amazing attitude and the way she deals with setbacks is inspiring.  We talk about Jennifer’s ultra-marathons and the Barkley Fall Classic. We discuss her many injuries and how she always reinvents herself to stay involved in a community she loves.  Jennifer’s transition into photographing races is a great story. “It’s never too late to go for a big dream – don’t be the obstacle”.

Jennifer is also a contributor to Silent Sports Magazine and Ultra Runner Magazine.

@luoyunghwa

Advice and well wishes and lots of love for the runners of Season 12!  Enjoy!

Coach Ellie Greenwood fields questions from Dayna and Natalie who always have great and unique questions.  You only get one first ultra so it will be awesome to see what these women do with theirs! Ellie shares that neither one of these runners missed a sinlge training assignment.  So impressive and we are sure it will pay off. Enjoy the show!

Dave has had some ups and downs for sure in this training cycle.  From oppressive desert heat to a nagging achilles issue, he has weathered it all and is ready to test himself in Florida at Jack's 50k.  His coach Dawn answers last minute questions and makes sure he is ready to go run her race in her late brother's name.  Enjoy the show. 

So much of the last few weeks leading up to your first ultra is the mental game of it all.  Having a coach who understands this and can give you perspective is so helpful for first time ultra runners.  On this episode, coach Hillary fields questions and lays out what to expect on race day for Jason and Katie!  Enjoy the show.

As Jackson reports back from his first ultra, a few weeks before the rest of the Season 12 crew, we get to learn how it all went down for him. Did he make good pre race nutrition decisions?  Did he hit any walls? Nick on the other hand still has a few weeks of training to get ready for the Florida ultra and he asks more specific race day questions.  Enjoy the show.

Colleen Rue is a 2x Ironman finisher, Ultra-marathoner, marathon maniac and an endurance fanatic. She is a wife and mother of two teenagers and has 20+ years’ experience as a coach, personal trainer, and instructor in the fitness industry. Known as the Voice of the Mountain at 29029 Everesting events, she has been all over the US as a host, emcee, and race announcer. Colleen has an ability to connect people with brands and events in a way that fosters personal growth and develops bonds for life.

Be brave and do not be afraid of no.  Wise words from Colleen, and words that have served her well.  This was such a fun conversation for us.  Colleen is so genuine and open; we could have continued this conversation for hours.  Colleen shares her journey to becoming the voice of the mountain for 29029 Everesting events and the voice of Vacation races.  We also talk running ultras and Trans Rockies and so much more.  Colleen has several ultras under her belt and lots of great stories.  We know you will enjoy Colleen as much as we did!

IG: @colleenrue 

      @voiceofthemountain

FB: @colleenrue

Web: raceannouncing.com

Dayna had an awful time on a recent trail marathon and she is using that lesson in her fueling now and has seen positive results.  Natalie runs at all hours after international travel.  Both women do their beer mile.  It was a great chat with a few of our favorite people.  Enjoy the show!

Training for his first ultra in the super hot desert climate is tough but when the weather starts to change everything seems to come together.  That is where David is with his training and longer efforts.  Enjoy the show that shares the journey of new ultra runners!

As Jackson gets ready for his upcoming effort in Minnesota, we talk about mindset and strategy for the 50k.  Nick is hitting longest runs most weeks now and continues to train hard!  Enjoy the show about the journey of first time ultra runners!

Rebecca Roehm never dreamed that she would be running for the fun of it. Growing up in Ohio, she played basketball and tennis and always considered running as a punishment. In 2016, the only open treadmill at the gym jump started her foray into running. With the help of a friend and a new pair of running shoes, Rebecca signed up for her first 5k. Less than 18 months later, Rebecca found herself as one of the featured runners on Season 4 of Becoming Ultra where she completed the Minnesota Voyageur 50 miler.

The experience of the Becoming Ultra project has led Rebecca to continually challenge herself. One of the lessons she took away from the experience was that it is important to do hard things. When asked why she runs ultras she responds, “If you aren’t challenging yourself, you aren’t growing as a person.” Some of her notable races include the New York City Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Zion 50k, Bandera 100k, the Javelina Jundred 100 miler, and most recently the Last Annual Vol State 500k. 

When Rebecca is not working or running, she is traveling with her husband, volunteering, and co-leading the local Portland Oregon chapter of Trail Sisters. One of her passions is increasing the participation of women in sports, especially trail running. She hopes that her experiences as an athlete can inspire others to try something new and do hard things.

We had a lot of fun talking to our friend, Rebecca.  This lady is one of the most supportive people we have ever met. She embodies everything the Becoming Ultra community stands for.  Rebecca takes us from her first Ultra, a 50 miler to most recently the Vol State 500k and everything in between. She talks about chasing cutoffs and not getting discouraged by finishing DFL or even a DNF.  She is wise enough to know there is value in every experience.  Listening to Rebecca will inspire you to do something big!

Caitlin grew up in Oakland, CA and now lives in San Francisco, CA with her boyfriend, Daniel after going to college in the Midwest. She grew up playing soccer, then rugby, then discovered Australian Rules Football after graduating from college in 2015. She made the national Australian Rules Football team in 2019 and was going to compete in Australia in 2020 in the International Cup, but then COVID shut the world down.  The outdoors have always been a huge part of Caitlin’s life. Her parent’s first took her backpacking when she was 3 years old and did numerous trips in the Sierra Nevada’s that Caitlin eventually came to love (although at first, she thought her parents were torturing her and depriving her of a normal childhood). She discovered distance running in 2014 when she was training to hike across Spain but didn’t have the time to go on longer hikes so resorted to running. In 2016, she came to the realization that you can not only hike on trails, but you can also run on them! She ran her first trail marathon in 2017 and applied to Becoming Ultra at the end of 2021 right after she had foot surgery for a foot injury that had sidelined her from running for a year and a half. Since then, she’s re-fallen in love with trail running and has found amazing communities though Becoming Ultra and Trail Sisters. She’s run two 50Ks, an “ultra” Ragnar, and has her first 50-mile race in Oregon in early July. 

Ever wonder where exposing your children to the great outdoors can lead?  Caitlin grew up with parents who exposed her to lots of camping, hiking, and backpacking in amazing places.  It is so fun to hear her talk about her adventures throughout her life, which includes a very special hike with her Dad.  Caitlin shares her experience with training for her first ultra and the disappointment of dealing with an injury.  We also discuss her first 50-mile race at Mt. Hood (that she crushed by the way).  This is a fun, feel good episode.  I will leave you with one of Caitlin’s favorite quotes that I cannot stop thinking about.  “Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire”. 

Cale came to running as he signed up for his first sprint triathlon in 2011. He hated running and only ran when it involved team sports. It took several years to enjoy running as he often worked only on speed and trying to be faster. This often resulted in nagging injuries that curtailed his running. This cycle repeated itself until becoming selected for season 11 of Becoming Ultra. Learning the reasons behind different types of runs was critical. It allowed him to keep running and build up strength and stamina. He is a father of two boys Colin age 17 and Ian 15. Cale and Meghan will be celebrating 20 years of marriage on July 6th, 2022. Being able to share their long runs together is a big part of their relationship and helps them get out and enjoy Central Oregon and all its beautiful surroundings. Cale is passionate about developing leaders outside of running. He has two companies that he runs-Crestcom which is a leadership development franchise and B2B Transportation which is a full-service freight brokerage. He has coached youth basketball since 2011 and loves the game. 

Meghan picked up running when her kids were young. She would put them in the jogger, give them their snacks and drinks and hit the road! She has always been active and often attended group fitness classes prior to picking up running. She is an amazing wife and mother to two boys aged 15 and 17. She has a magnet on her fridge that she lives by."I create peacefullness in my mind, and my body reflects this peacefullness as perfect health." She enjoys cooking and helping her family lead a healthy lifestyle. She has been a nurse her whole life and currently works in ICU . She applied to Season 9 of Becoming Ultra and was not selected. It turned out to be a great thing because Cale and her both applied to Season 11 and were selected to run their first Ultra at Desert Rats 50k in April of this year. She finished her first Ultra in just over 7 hours. She loved it so much she signed up for season 12's event to cheer and support them in their journey to complete their first Ultra. She recently set a PR in a road half of 1:51:47 and beat Cale who also PRed at 1:53:46. She is sneaky fast when she wants to be. She will tell you she is not competitive but every now and then it comes out and she starts taking souls out on the course!

Meghan and Cale recently completed R2R and are looking at when they will do R2R2R or R3. They are signed up for Jacks 50K race in Florida and look forward to supporting season 12 runners on their inaugural 50k.

We had such a great time catching up with our friends Cale and Meghan.  They are another awesome couple we met through the Becoming Ultra Community who share the love of trail running together.  We talk about their ultra-journey and the impact it has had on both their family life and careers. Cale talks about how his job stress was the catalyst for a life change.  I was personally so inspired by this.  Cale and Meghan have a very supportive relationship.  Hearing them talk about how they balance everything will make you feel empowered. Meghan also shares how she keeps peacefulness in her life.  This one will leave you feeling encouraged and motivated.

Hillary is back from UTMB related travel and Jason and Katie have been getting it done.  Katie has dealt with ailments but is coming out on the other end!  Jason is staying very discipliined with crazy early runs.  We talk training and of course ask questions about birds, dumb ones, and physical therapy to keep it fun! Enjoy the show!

Gina Lucrezi is a professional ultra-trail runner and the founder of the Trail Sisters Community and on line journal. She is a huge advocate for promoting women’s trail running and outdoor activity. She loves sharing her thoughts and experiences through words and photographs. Gina holds the women’s FKT on Mt. Whitney’s standard route, is a USATF Trail 10k Champion, 2012 Team USA 1st place world long distance champion, and 2x winner of the Leadville Silver Rush 50 miler and a 5th place finish at CCC 100k.

A true champion for gender equality in the sport of ultrarunning.  Gina has a great spirit and is fulfilling her mission to increase women’s participation and opportunity in trail running and hiking through inspiration, education, and empowerment.  We covered so much on this one.  Listen to Gina share about the Trail Sisters Community from the start and how it has impacted her life.  We also talk about Gina’s rich running history and current 100-mile goals.  There is a lot to unpack in this one.  I will leave you with some words of encouragement from Gina written after our podcast. Take a bet on yourself!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to be interviewed by the lovely ladies of My First Ultra podcast (it was a blast!). One of their final questions was, "What special message would you like to share with listeners?" This is usually a toughie...as multiple things come to mind, and I'm a talker :)

I decided to speak about the practice of building confidence, and remembering to take a bet on yourself. Like anything else we do in life, practice makes perfect. We repeat a process, learning what works (and doesn't), and fine tune it. Building one's confidence takes that same repetition and fine tuning! Every day, focus on one action that reminds and strengthens your belief in yourself. This does not have to be running related...just something you enjoy and can demonstrate your capabilities.

A daily practice of positive reinforcement will build that "I Can!" attitude, and sets you on a path for stronger confidence in whatever may come your way!

IG - @ginalucrezi

trailsisters.net

You know the saying, "life's what happens while you are busy making plans", well, it's mostly true and it's definitely the experience Jackson and Nick have had in the last week or so.  The ability to be flexible in life and sport is always a theme and we think today's show is a good reminder of doing the right thing at the right time! We hope you enjoy the show!

David has been training for his first 50k in some of the hottest weather in the country and is coming along. The achilles issue seems to be slowly going away and he has turned his focus on other aspects of his running and especially fueling.  Dawn gives him some ideas on natural foods over packaged endurance products! Enjoy the show.

Dayna and Natalie are both plugging away and nailing their training but it seems they both ran into the dreaded stomach issues on long efforts this last week.  Coach Ellie and Scott help troubleshoot so they don't have to experience it again anytime soon!  Enjoy the show!