Scott Jones and Henry Abbott explore the importance of outdoor play, the evolution of sports, and the significance of injury prevention in athletics.

They share personal anecdotes about their childhood adventures and parenting experiences, emphasizing the need for unstructured play in children's lives.

Abbott discusses his journey as a sports writer and his recent work on biomechanics and injury prevention, highlighting the joy of movement and the relationships built through sports.

They delve into various aspects of athletic performance, focusing on injury prevention, particularly ACL injuries, and the biomechanics of landing. They discuss the importance of understanding body mechanics, the impact of footwear on performance, and practical coaching tips for athletes. The dialogue emphasizes the need for tailored training methods and the significance of addressing common issues like 'computer back' in today's athletes.

They discuss the evolution of running techniques, the significance of ballistic training, and practical drills that can be applied by anyone. The conversation also touches on the concept of Misogi, emphasizing the value of outdoor challenges and creative training methods to engage communities and promote physical fitness.

 

Chapters

 

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:03 The Joy of Outdoor Adventures

06:02 The Importance of Play in Childhood

08:59 Navigating Parenting and Outdoor Activities

11:59 The Evolution of Sports and Competition

15:08 Injury Prevention and Biomechanics

18:03 The Power of Movement and Joy

21:57 Exploring Athletic Insights

27:15 Understanding ACL Injuries

33:32 The Importance of Landing Mechanics

39:41 Addressing Computer Back Issues

41:02 The Shoe Debate in Athletics

49:53 Injury Insights and Athletic Training

50:12 The Evolution of Running Techniques

51:45 Ballistic Training for Peak Performance

53:41 Practical Drills for Everyone

57:28 Youth Sports and Development

01:01:10 The Concept of Masogi and Outdoor Challenges

01:05:22 Creative Training Methods and Community Engagement

 

 

 

Today Scot interviews Jennifer Conroyd, the founder of Fluid Running, about her journey into the world of aqua jogging and how it can help runners maintain their fitness while recovering from injuries.

Jennifer shares her personal story of training for a marathon while injured, the science behind deep water running, and the importance of engagement in workouts. They discuss common running injuries and how aqua jogging can be a beneficial alternative for maintaining fitness. Jennifer also shares success stories from users of Fluid Running, including an ultra runner who overcame a stress fracture. Enjoy the show!

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Fluid Running and Jennifer Conroyd
02:56 Jennifer's Journey to Fluid Running
05:50 The Science Behind Aqua Jogging
09:00 Engagement and Motivation in Aqua Jogging Workouts
12:07 Common Running Injuries and Aqua Jogging Benefits
14:52 Success Stories: Greg's Journey with Fluid Running
17:59 Conclusion and Special Offer

 

On this episode,  Dr. Scott Frey discusses his journey from academia to the world of sports science, focusing on the intersection of cognitive neuroscience and athlete performance. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the brain's adaptability and how it can enhance training techniques for endurance athletes. The discussion also covers traditional sports psychology and how a proactive approach can lead to better performance outcomes.

They discuss strategies for managing mental load, overcoming perfectionism, and navigating the emotional ups and downs of endurance events. The role of technology in training is also examined, highlighting the potential distractions it can create. 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Backgrounds
08:54 Transitioning from Academia to Sports Science
16:55 Understanding Traditional Sports Psychology
23:56 Innovative Training Techniques for Endurance Athletes
32:03 The Impact of Mental Fatigue on Performance
39:00 Overcoming Perfectionism in Training
45:00 Navigating the Ups and Downs of Endurance Events
48:47 The Role of Technology in Athletic Performance
56:54 Personal Stories and Lessons from Endurance Racing

The Becoming Ultra Project

Summary

In this conversation, Scott Jones and Mari Lowe discuss Mari's journey from training for her first ultra marathon to summiting Kilimanjaro. They explore the mental and physical challenges of ultra running, the importance of training, and the personal growth that comes from facing fears. Mari shares her experiences with cultural insights from Tanzania, the logistics of her trip, and the impact of her adventures on her perspective of life. In this conversation, Mari Lowe shares her transformative experience of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, detailing the preparation, the challenges faced during the ascent, and the camaraderie built among the group. She reflects on the physical and mental hurdles of altitude sickness, the emotional support from fellow climbers, and the personal growth achieved through this adventure. Mari also discusses her future aspirations in outdoor activities and the importance of community in overcoming challenges.

Takeaways

• Mary faced trepidation before summiting Kilimanjaro, highlighting the mental challenges of adventure.
• Training for the ultra marathon taught Mary about her mental toughness and ability to push through.
• Mary's experience with the ultra marathon was empowering, allowing her to confront her fears of heights.
• The winter training for Kilimanjaro was psychologically challenging without a running goal.
• Mary learned to appreciate the importance of strength training in her fitness routine.
• Traveling to Tanzania provided Mary with humbling insights into cultural and economic disparities.
• Mary enjoyed the local food in Tanzania, which was fresh and grown nearby.
• The experience of hiking Kilimanjaro was enhanced by the support of local guides and porters.
• Mary's perspective on fitness and health has changed significantly since working with a coach.
• The conversation emphasizes the value of adventure in personal growth and perspective.  
• Preparation is key for a successful climb.
• Altitude sickness can affect anyone, regardless of fitness level.
• Mental toughness is as important as physical strength.
• Camaraderie among climbers enhances the experience.
• Hydration and nutrition are crucial at high altitudes.
• Summit night is both physically and mentally challenging.
• Experiencing nature can be a profound and grounding experience.
• Post-adventure blues are common after significant challenges.
• Reflecting on experiences helps in personal growth.
• Future adventures are essential for continued motivation.

Run with Us:  Becoming Ultra

 

Creating Inclusive Athletic Opportunities: The Kyle Pease Foundation Story

 

In this engaging conversation, two brothers from Atlanta, Brent and Kyle Pease, share their inspiring story and the creation of the Kyle Pease Foundation aimed at promoting inclusion in sports for people with disabilities. The discussion highlights their journey from memorable childhood sports moments to completing multiple Ironman events and the significant impact of their foundation. They delve into training regimes, facing adversity, family support, and their hopes for the future. The conversation emphasizes the power of endurance sports in bringing people together and creating unique opportunities for those with disabilities.

 

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

00:09 Atlanta Traffic Woes

00:56 Brent's Scary Breakdown Story

01:31 Introducing the Kyle Pease Foundation

01:47 Inspiration from Dick and Rick Hoyt

03:00 Kyle's Love for Sports

03:41 The Birth of the Kyle Pease Foundation

04:47 Challenges and Triumphs in Endurance Sports

07:30 Kyle's Early Life and Cerebral Palsy

09:06 Parenting Styles and Family Dynamics

14:58 Training and Competing Together

28:07 Family Support and Reactions

30:23 Baseball Fandom and Childhood Memories

31:51 Parenting and Family Values

33:20 Ironman Challenges and Strategies

35:56 Fueling and Nutrition for Endurance Events

41:36 Overcoming Adversity in Races

46:28 Foundation Goals and Community Impact

49:15 Fun and Personal Insights

52:40 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

Come and be a part of one of our live events from races to retreats at Becoming Ultra.

Dreama Walton is an ultrarunner and parent with a great story of perseverance from life circumstances.  She took chances to get out of situations that weren't ideal and has settled into a community that supports her and her goals! Scott and Dreama talk about life and running, training, living in the mountains, parenting, and more. Enjoy the show!

Scott had a great chat with Susie Chan on all things adventure, life, and running.  We aim to make more content to inspire big efforts from regular, amazing, humans.  Enjoy!

 

From her book blurb:

Susie Chan is an icon of endurance running. Since taking up running at the age of 35, she has completed the legendary Marathon des Sables more times than any other British woman, set the 12-hour treadmill World Record and was one of the first women to finish all the World Marathon Majors.

Susie's story is an inspirational fight against the odds. From leaving a dysfunctional marriage, managing as a single mum and tackling cancer treatment, Susie has had her fair share of adversity. Throughout it all, running has kept her going. She always finds a reason to lace up her shoes and hit the road – or the track, trail or tread. Her mantra: You never regret a run.

From the Moroccan desert, the Peruvian jungle and the sweltering Death Valley, to Susie's local South Downs and a running track in Tooting, her adventures take her across the globe. With Susie's down-to-earth personality, refreshing attitude and wicked sense of humour, we learn the countless reasons she finds to push herself further and the life-changing opportunities running has given her.

Marshall Ulrich is 72 and isn't showing any signs of stopping.  After a couple surgeries and seeing close friends deal with things like Alzheimers, Marshall can't help but do what he has always done, keep it moving.   His endurance exploits are second to none from circumnagivating Death Valley to climbing the seven summits.  This is one to share with anyone who wants to do epic things late in life or someone who just needs a reason to start!  We hope you enjoy. 

Annie came back to talk to Scott one on one to share her story from the Canyons 100.  Hypernatremia is a serious condition and she succumbed to some serious symptoms on the course.  We talk about the experience in hopes to educate other athletes about how to know when you may be at risk.  Annie is such a tough human and we were pumped to have her share the story.  Thanks for listening.

Today Scott hangs out with Marcus Smith of InnerFight from across the globe in Dubai.  Marcus owns a training facility as well as online coaching and podcasts that reach athletes all over.  On the show they talk about endurance adventures, training concepts, and the business of it all.  Marcus talks about his upcoming SteelMan effort in Italy.  We talk about age and ability not being a limiting factor anymore.  It was a great conversation.  We hope you enjoy.

Check out Inner Fight and all they do!

InnerFight

Follow Marcus

 

Join Scott and Ian Sharman as they talk about all things running, coaching, training, and more.  Ian owns Sharman Ultra, a long time partner of Becoming Ultra.  They get to talking about the business of online coaching and where they see it going in the near future.  They talk about some races that don't get enough love and bounce around the running world to share some of their experiences. Enjoy the show!

We had the chance to sit down with RD's Scott and Ellen on this episode.  They share stories from runners of their Wisconsin backyard event and we talk about where grit comes from,  Ellen shares some of her crazy hallucinations from a recent winter race.  We love talking to small homegrown race directors and think you'll enjoy the chat!

 

Check out their race!  Check out our events. 

On today's show Scott interviews Jake Rastas, a young athlete who played college football and found ultra running in post grad as a way to continue pushing himself.  He brings lots of passion adn it's a great reminder that the roles we start as athletes can always evolve. Enjoy the show!

Recovery after any race or long effort can be different for everyone.  We brought on one of Scott's athletes from Sweden who ran through the cold and dark night to get her first 100 miler just a few days before this call.  We talk about the unique set up for the run, the charity, and what the goals are for recovery moving forward.  Hope you enjoy the chat!

Excuse the cheesy title but this is basically how it all went down. Bailey and Katie met on Season 10 of the Becoming Ultra project and became fast friends.  Today's show is a dive into why they both live a certain lifestyle when it comes to food and where we get our food.  More than the light debate, the lesson is that we can all get along with the biggest personal differences.  A good lesson for the world right now!  It's a great conversation and hope you all enjoy! 

What happens when 6 runners race and run and crew each other all over the country when they come back to their home in Wasau, Wisconsin?  They create a killer backyard ultra of course.  Two of the six race directors and founders of Wasaultra came on the show to talk about how the race was conceived, their big goals in the future, and how it works with so many cooks in the kitchen. It was a fun sit down to just get to know some passionate RD's in the world of ultra running that we all love!  Enjoy the show.

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!

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!

Rebecca Roehm is no stranger to sufferfests as she was the only Becoming Ultra runner to run her first ultra as a 50 miler at the Voyageur 50 in Minnesota a few years back.  Since then she has done a 100k, a 100 miler, and just last week she took on the Vol State run across the state of Tennessee.  She covered 314 miles in 7 days and so we had to have a chat while it was still fresh and while she was easy to get ahold of recoverng from the effort.  Enjoy the show!

Scott gets to talk with Shawn Livingston about his life and running.  Shawn's life from early sports to military and now, ultra runner, has plenty of lessons about addiction, family, and perseverence.  

We sit down with founder and podcast host of Chasing Cutoffs, Ben Mead.   As a self proclaimed back of the packer Ben thought there should be a show about the runners that don't always have the most perfect days racing.  That, and the fact he interviewed Season 4 Becoming Ultra runner Rebecca Roehm who had one of the more epic cutoff chasing races we have ever been a part of was reason enough to have him come share his vision for Chasing Cutoffs!

Liza Howard comes on to share her wild experience racing in the Florida Keys recently.  What it took to finish, and even win the dang race!!  Be sure to support Band Of Runners after listening!

Shanna Sears is a runner and Licensed Clinical Social Worker.  Well, she was for one more day as of the recording of this show.  So why did she decide now was the time to quit her cozy job and go for her dreams?  That's what the call was about. If you are or ever have been considering taking a similar leap you should listen to this one!  Enjoy!