Avery Matthews is on the cusp of becoming the only woman to complete the 2024 Grand Slam of Ultrarunning!

Actually, the only woman since 2022 - and one of only 60 female finishers since the challenge began in 1986.

Yet only a few years ago, she turned down a friend's invitation to run a local 5k because she thought it was too far!

In this episode, Lauren and Avery talk about her rapid progression from 5k to the challenge of running four of the country's oldest 100 mile races in a single summer - including the training, the recovery, the fueling, the unexpected obstacles, the importance of family, the growth of community, and the significance of setting the example that "girls can play too".

Avery takes on the final race of the Grand Slam this week - The Wasatch 100 begins on Friday, September 6!

Please enjoy; and like, follow, and share to stay in the loop on each new episode!

You can find and follow Avery at ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/thelowcountryrunner

Follow the Women of Distance pod at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/womenofdistance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find the original 50+ episodes of Women of Distance here (or by searching by name on any listening platform):

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/043TR4TB6AaV6nx3eflrBK?si=32ad8df4333d4d6b⁠⁠⁠⁠

This podcast is produced with support from More Miles Run Coaching. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.moremilestogo.com

Amy Watson is the queen of ultra-speed!

A field hockey and lacrosse player, turned marathoner - she began running ultra-distances in her early 40s, and now lays claim to numerous wins and course records at all distances from 50k to 100 mile! But her path to the top was neither easy nor linear.

In this episode, Lauren and Amy talk about her journey to success: including struggles with her health and family life, multiple failures to complete the 100 mile distance, learning, seeking help, finding community, pursuing joy; and how she is continuing to find success, chase podiums, and PRs now as a menopausal athlete in her late 40s.

Please enjoy; and like, follow, and share to stay in the loop on each new episode!

You can find and follow Amy at ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/acrafalski

Follow the Women of Distance pod at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/womenofdistance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find the original 50+ episodes of Women of Distance here (or by searching by name on any listening platform):

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/043TR4TB6AaV6nx3eflrBK?si=32ad8df4333d4d6b⁠⁠⁠⁠

This podcast is produced with support from More Miles Run Coaching. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.moremilestogo.com⁠

Ari Hendrix is an elite marathoner, fresh off the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials, with an inspiring story of hard work, determination, failures, successes, and growth - in the sport and in life.

Over more than 10 years, she worked her way (one small step at a time) from a 3:57 marathoner, to a multi-year project to break 3 hours, to missing the standard for the 2020 Trials, and finding belief to work for the new (much faster) 2024 Trials standard.

In this episode, Lauren and Ari discuss that journey: what she has learned - about the sport and about herself, finding community and camaraderie, understanding the role of mental health, and balancing a lot of life with a lot of miles.

Please enjoy; and like, follow, and share to stay in the loop on each new episode!

You can find and follow Ari at ⁠⁠instagram.com/ari_hendrix1⁠⁠

Follow the Women of Distance pod at ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠instagram.com/womenofdistance⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find the original 50+ episodes of Women of Distance here (or by searching by name on any listening platform):

⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/043TR4TB6AaV6nx3eflrBK?si=32ad8df4333d4d6b⁠⁠⁠

This podcast is produced with support from More Miles Run Coaching. ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.moremilestogo.com