In this recording I share an update on my current status and where things have been for me all summer. I provide an update on my 24 hour race in The Sticks in June and then give an overview of what I have been doing this summer outside of running and where my mind currently is for training. Sometimes...actually we always should be transparent and share the good and the bad. It's not always pretty or fun but social media sure paints a different picture for so many.

In this week's episode I visit with Andrea Vilar from Florida. Andrea is brand new to the ultra-running scene. She has not always been a runner and has been through a lot of challenges in her life where running was associated to a lot of negative and toxic feelings. She started running again last year and pushed through in building her mileage up and decided it is time to start building new memories and embracing the new season of her running career.

She has allowed endurance running to help her through dealing with a lot of past traumatic experiences. She refuses to let people try and take the joy away from her and so on each run she is going out there and looking for things within each run that brings her joy. She has a great attitude about running now and cherishes the gift. She is of the mindset that we get to run. 

The desire to push herself and go further than she ever has is pushing her to overcome. She is making lemonade out of the lemons that life has handed her. Andrea is now embarking on uncharted territory for herself. She has decided to go after a 50K and prove that she can do anything she puts her mind to. 

I think you will enjoy listening to Andrea share her story and what has led her to chase after her first official ultra-marathon distance. It is refreshing to discuss something so close to my heart with someone who has decided to jump in feet first.

In this third installment of 'So you want to run an ultra?' the Scarecrow Runner throws down some deeper insight into ultra running and from his own experience. For those who are already training or putting the miles in, you need to prepare for the dark and unknown aspects of ultra-running; especially the longer distances beyond 50 miles.

Anthony shares some important mental aspects that are important to consider in your ultra journey. Pressing past the pain, pressing past the disappointment and pressing past the negative mindset.

These 3 areas are huge in ultra-running.

• Pressing past the pain - everyone will experience pain in an ultra, but everyone is different and it will affect you at different times. You have to get past the pain. You will experience pain and discomfort running an ultra. The pain train or pain cave many runners call it will come calling at some point and you have to be ready to press past the pain or embrace the possibility of a DNF.
• Pressing past the disappointment - with every training session or even with every ultra race there are traces of disappointment. It could be a lot of different things ranging from not training well, to training well and then everything goes wrong during your race. Regardless of the things leading up to the race, during the race or after the race there will be disappointments. You will face them in your ultra journey and you must learn to press past them.
• Pressing past the negative mind set - this is one of the most important aspects of ultra-running. You have to get out of your own head and definitely stop listening to the negativity around you. During a race you will find yourself in some dark places and you will have to learn how to identify the negativity and get beyond it. Negative mind-set and negative thoughts will destroy you during an ultra and you need to be prepared to press past this roadblock and find a path around it or through it.

I hope this episode will shed some light on some of the heavier and deeper aspects of ultra-running and will assist you in pressing past and pressing forward.

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