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!
We want to inspire you today with someone special. When most people hear the name Mickey Maurer it is related to business or writing because he has had much success with both. But today we are going to talk about adventure, giving, and happiness, areas where he has also had much success. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Mickey over the last 17 years. We may have bonded over being persuaded to represent our age brackets at the Corporate Challenge in the running events over the years. Mickey is one of the most positive, giving, and energetic people I know. Mickey Maurer’s career as an attorney, author and entrepreneur has included cable television, film production, radio broadcasting, publishing, real estate, and banking. Mickey is an active participant in numerous business, civic, educational, and philanthropic organizations. In 2001, Mickey established Mickey’s Camp, a charitable endeavor that has raised over $3 million for central Indiana charities. Recently he traveled to Poland to help with the Ukrainian refugees. Some of Mickey’s hobbies include mountain climbing, having successfully summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, skiing, and underwater photography. At 80 years old he doesn’t seem to be sitting idle.
What a fun conversation we had with Mickey. Mickey is a person that is always learning and using his skills and knowledge to help others. On this podcast we talk about climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu twice. We had a heartfelt conversation about his recent trip to Poland to help with the Ukrainian refugees. This was my favorite part of the podcast. According to Mickey one of the keys to happiness is to stay curious. There is definitely some inspiration and wisdom here. Stay curious friends!
Dreama Walton is an experienced mountain athlete with hundreds of miles spent in the Alps, multiple ultra-marathons in the desert landscapes of the Canary Islands, and day to day training in the upper altitudes of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, she is well aware of the kind of innate desire and commitment it takes to be an endurance athlete. She knows what an important role diet before, during, and after training and competition play in overall wellbeing. She has experienced firsthand the limitations placed on her with poor hydration, using ill designed equipment, and a lack of a level head when things don’t go as planned. She has accepted that running during bad weather is her way of paying dues for running during the good days. Running on no sleep rewards her by letting her see pieces of this planet that most people will only have the opportunity to see on the discovery channel. Pushing her body and mind allows her to see what the human animal is capable of when she reaches the end of a challenging race. The elation she feels when the race is done is the reward for hours, days, and weeks of training. This is why she loves ultra-running so much. It allows you to see that the only limits we have as humans we place on ourselves. Dreama is also a mother to an amazing little girl and loves showing her that we can do difficult things and that if she wants something bad enough, she too can put in the work to achieve it.
On this podcast Dreama talks about some of the struggles she has faced in her life and how they shaped her strong work ethic as a runner and in life. We also discuss balancing being a single parent and chasing big goals. Dreama is a very strong mountain climber so of course we had to talk nutrition. We felt so inspired after talking to Dreama. She has found a nice balance and figured out how to keep the focus on happiness and love. We are excited to follow along with her summer adventures!
IG- @dreamawalton
Dawn and David continue the coach and runner back and forth as he continues to run in some crazy heat. His longest back to back is coming up. Achilles is seeming to hold up! Enjoy the show!
Nick and Jackson are seeing their fitness improve as they keep plugging away. Their miles are going up and the back to backs are getting real. Listen as two runners train for their first ultra!
Natalie is in Colorado and loving the "flat" runs and weather. The run streak is on and Dayna still gets up early to get it in. Natalie learns how to run after dinner and in jeans. We have a great chat about volunteers and finding comminity in this crazy sport! Enjoy!
Hannah Allgood is originally from Wisconsin but has lived in Colorado Springs since 2016 with her husband Gil and vizsla, Gunner. She works as a pediatric sports medicine physical therapist at Children's Hospital Colorado and began trail running in 2019 because of Gil. That same year she ran her first 50k, The Dirty Thirty. Hannah enjoyed the 50k-100k distances the most, but is looking forward to eventually running a 100 miler. She holds the course records for the Fall Back Blast 50k, Indian Creek Fifties 55k, and Gorge Waterfalls 100k. When she is not running, she enjoys hiking with her dog, baking desserts, and reading. The thing she loves most about trail running is being outside for long hours with her friends.
This was a fun conversation; Hannah is full of positivity and energy. We discuss how she has evolved as a trail runner since her first race in 2019. We also talk about self-doubt and importance of believing in yourself. We dive into the impact coaching has had on her, both mentally and in running. We chat about the importance of strength training. Hannah takes us through her recent Gorge Waterfalls 100k win. Hannah is one to watch, she has some big things coming up. I loved this quote from her “later becomes never” she definitely embraces that.
IG - @shesallgood21
David is recovering from a nagging achilles issue and Dawn conitnues to consult on how best to get past the pain. Dawn shares her Badwater story and even though things didn't go as planned she is happy to be on the other end of it all healthy. Enjoy the show!
Scott has a great talk with Nick and Jackson about training and what to expect in the near future with their training. The idea of staying present in running and worklife came up as Nick is about to head back to school to teach and Jackson's work flow changes seasonally. It was a great call and we hope you all enjoy!
Alexa Hasman lives in Portland, Oregon and is a mom to two small humans, ages 5 and 7. She owns a coaching business called Fit Life which she opened in 2014. She likes to make each of her clients feel special and empowered as they work towards their goals. She also owns a race company with her business partner, Zina. They purchased it a year and a half ago and just kicked off their second season of races. The company is called Gorgeous Relay Series and they do one day relays in the most beautiful parts of Oregon. They can also be run as ultras, as a single person team and that is something Alexa is most passionate about growing for this business. Alexa is currently finishing her dual masters in exercise science and sports psychology and will then be pursuing her PhD in sports psychology. In her free time, she is a passionate ultrarunner with a love for the longer and more mountainous races.
Did you ever meet someone that felt so familiar? That is how we felt when talking to Alexa. We had a great conversation about how she is using her coaching business and race company to empower women. You feel her passion for this when she speaks. Alexa is also a busy mom of two young children. It is always interesting to hear how inspiring women balance priorities. We also discuss her recent 100 miler and the community she has embraced and is working to build. We recorded this one on a Friday morning. It was the best way to kick off the weekend!
Once again Dayna and Natalie prove to be the disciplined and coachable runners we hope for with this project. Natalie gets back to Colorado and Dayna keep plugging away. Someone is worried about alligators in Florida. Ellie shares her epic berry expeditions. It was a great chat and we hope you enjoy it all!
Ultra runner Pam Smith shares her training and race experience with the epic Badwater 135 run through Death Valley. We talk about why she thinks confidence is underrated and how she prepared for Badwater. It's a great chat that shows how many different ways strong runners get to the finish line! Enjoy the show!
Christy has been playing sports since she was a young girl and carried her love for Soccer into high school where she played Varsity and was captain her senior year. She absolutely hated running and can remember barely finishing the one mile run during try-outs. Fast forward a few years, Christy continued playing on co-ed leagues, and stayed semi active, but soon after she married her husband, got pregnant with her first daughter, Emma, and two years later, had her second daughter Carleigh. After her second daughter, she started to run more to get back into shape, and when she was finally hitting her groove, BAM, she found out she was pregnant with baby number 3. Baby 3 would be the turning point of her entire life, where she soon found out at 20 weeks that her son, Alex, had Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) and would later pass away at 24 weeks pregnant. After losing Alex, Christy created a social media page called All For Alex where she set a goal to run 100 miles in July to honor his short life. This page allowed the community and even people from around the world to join in with this July goal and friends, families and strangers were flooding the page with running pictures in July in honor of Alex. Since that day, Christy hasn't slowed down...well actually she did when she got pregnant again in September with identical twin boys who were born that following May.
Lauren first started running in 2015 after a tragic house fire. She was living in an apartment where she found the apartment gym one day and would run to relieve the stress. When the stress or anxiety would consume her, she started to hit the pavement and never looked back. Lauren continued running throughout the years, finished her first half marathon, and even while pregnant with her daughter in 2021, continued to run and stay active . Christy and Lauren have always been super close, but when Christy moved on the same street as Lauren, they started to chat more about crazy challenges which one would always convince the other to do.
They have both ran at least one race a month for over two years, completed the 24-hour Yeti ultra-challenge, and they just completed their first 12 hour ultra this past August.
We had a blast hanging out with Christy and Lauren. We discuss their super fun Instagram. They talk about how it keeps them motivated and accountable. We also talk about balancing family, work and staying healthy. They have some great advice for those of us trying to find balance. Their support of each other is really special. They are very different runners but always work together to achieve big goals and keep each other going. We love these stories of support. Enjoy!
IG- BecomingUltraMoms
Liza Howard trained in the Texas heat and the Lifetime fitness sauna for the effort that is Badwater 135. Crazy heat, stomach issues, hypernatremia and more didn't keep her from finishing. Enjoy the chat today on the show and be sure to check out our updated website!
Coach Ellie is moving her runners right along as they have not missed a single run in their training so far.. Pretty amazing to be honest. Dayna deals with extreme Texas heat and Natalie finds a way to check out the Badwater course. Enjoy the show!
Angela Tortorice lined up for her first marathon in support of her former husband, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1997. Since then, she has taken part in 999 marathons across North America and all 50 U.S. states. Through this journey, she has raised over $170,000 for MS. On April 2, 2022 she finished her 1,000th marathon at the Irving Marathon in Irving, Texas making her the youngest woman to complete 1,000 marathons, at the age of 54 years old. She also holds the record for most marathons run in a calendar year but a woman (129).
Most people have running one marathon on their bucket list. Running 1,000 seems unimaginable to most people but Angela is not like most people. On this podcast she talks about why the marathons and raising money for Multiple Sclerosis is so important to her. We also talk about how she has managed her life to achieve this huge accomplishment. She also shares some mental tricks that have come in handy over the last 25 years. Angela is proof that if you are committed and passionate about something you can accomplish big things.
www.rtdtexas.com