Becoming Ultra

Erin is training for her first ultra at the Grindstone 50k coming in September.  Today her coach talks about her longer efforts and early aid station strategy to start thinking about it while she fuels for her current efforts.  We talk about poles and how to implement in the training.  Enjoy the show

On this episode of Ultra Nutrition we get a great question that many runners and athletes can relate to.  As your training volume goes up how do you find ways to get the calories in a healthy way. Enjoy the show!

Jess Vanderbush has many interests, she is an ultra-runner, poet, and documentary filmmaker, she is also the founder, editor-in-chief, and creative director of Eat Clean Run Dirty magazine. She is seeking adventure and connection everywhere she goes. This was a fun conversation full of wisdom and captivating stories. Jess has many interests, we spent time diving into several of them. She takes us back to how her journey into ultras started and how ultras have led her to all the adventures she pursues now. We also talk about the Orcas Island race and what inspires Jess to take on challenges. Jess lives her life driven by the motto, the only regrets you have are the chances you did not take. We think you will love this conversation as much as we did.  

Nutrition coach Abby and coach Scott address listener questions in this ongoing series about nutrition and fueling for athletes.  The questions were regarding plant based athletes being low in iron and B12. We hope you enjoy!

Aneta Zeppettella (Nettie) is a 52-year-old ultra runner who grew up in Poland but has been living in the US since 1999. She has finished some of the most iconic ultras including Western States 100, Badwater 135, Hurt 100, and Fat Dog 120. She is the second female to complete the Potawatomi 200-mile race. She is a Mom, librarian, community organizer and RD. She is also the co-owner of Empower Ultras. Nettie is a true champion for supporting others, she has formed a race company that embraces building people up. On this podcast, she talks about her journey to the United States and how she found her way to trail running. Nettie has a powerful reason why she runs. She explains how ultras are easier than things we can experience in life. She is passionate about supporting women and doing her part to help them achieve their goals. Be sure to check out the documentary "Nettie from Ohio".  

Our friend, Cale is back to share his race experience at the Miwok 100K on May 4th. This race has 11,800 feet of gain – views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, the redwoods, and the seashore. Founded in 1996, it has grown from 70 people to 450. Cale shares why this race is special to him and how he prepared for it. He tells us what it is like to run the first 40 miles in the rain and the difference a good crew can make. Cale ran the last thirteen miles with his coach and friend, he shares how that experience changed his race. Cale shares how his recovery is going as well as how important it is to listen to your body as you prepare for the next goal. Every time we talk to Cale, we feel like we have learned something that helps us live our best life.

Erin and her coach Lindsay sit down with Scott to talk about the first few weeks of training for her first 50k at the Grindstone 50k.  Humid days, ticks, and other random things that come up in the heat of summer made the conversation. We hope you enjoy!

On this podcast our friend, Jenn shares her experience of five days taking on one of the most diverse 200+ mile races, the Cocodona 250. We had this conversation as Jenn is still working through all the emotions and healing physically. Jenn was very candid about the mental strength it took to get to the finish line and how she is processing things after. We are grateful to Jenn for being so vulnerable and sharing things about racing that we do not often hear. We hope you enjoy this honest conversation.

Rhonda Bompensa-Zimmerman is fairly new to ultra-running. She has been putting in the work and taking on some big challenges, most recently, Sedona Canyons 125. On this podcast we learn how Rhonda made her way to trail running and the impact it has had on her life, how running has been crucial for her healing. She reflects on the pivotal moment she stepped out of her comfort zone and said yes to a group run. Rhonda shares the many ways she has embraced the trail running community. We also talk about navigation struggles (we have all had them). This is a story of no matter where you are in life you can change the direction, set goals, work hard, and find yourself in the process.

We have the pleasure of introducing Erin to the world.  She is an educator that grew up on a family farm not too far from Washington D.C.  Today, we just get to know her as we will be talking lots of running in the coming months.  We hope you enjoy!

We welcome back Scott Hagerty to the podcast to give us a recap of the Earth Day Buckle Mania, his 8th 100 mile race. Scott’s knack for finding the coolest races makes for a good race report. We also learn a little about the Race Director for this one.

Nutrition coach Abby and Scott answer the question, "What is the best way to fuel and eat in general after races and big efforts?"  We talk about fueling so often and really enjoyed the question.  We know during these big events we are running at a big deficit so how do we use our nutrition for better recovery and energy after these efforts was a fun conversation! If you have any questions, let us know!

Join us as we recap our latest adventures!  Sometimes we get to do fun things too! :)

Tara is a Becoming Ultra coaching client from the west coast.  She calls in today to ask Coach Abby and Scott the best way to drop some weight to be more efficient for big running goals.  It's a popular question we get as coaches so we hope you take something away for your own goals!  Thanks for listening.

Joe Hardin is a husband, father of two, ultrarunner, aspiring writer, and an artist. He is also an advocate for addiction recovery and a plant-based lifestyle.  We spoke with Joe about his journey to sobriety and the impact it has had on his life. He shared how he discovered ultras and the support he receives from the ultra-running community. Joe is genuine, relatable, and full of wisdom. We are excited to see what the future holds for him and hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.  

Amanda and her coach Addie Bracy talk about the day Amanda became an ultra runner.  The highs and lows and everything in between.  We hope you enjoy!

She did it!  Mari diligentely trained for her first ultra over the last 6 months and got to test herself on the amazing trails in Sedona.  On the show today she shared her experience and all she learned from the experience.  We hope you enjoyed following her journey over the last 6 months.  Season 15 is now taking applications!

Sarah Snyder is the RD for the Crewel Jewel 100; ultra runner; cyclist and loving dog mom. Sarah is also an advocate for woman in the sport. She is paving the way for busy woman to have opportunities to reach the goals they set for themselves and providing support along the way. This conversation will inspire you and make you see that your dreams are possible. There are so many people behind the scenes doing great things for the trail community. We love sharing their stories and passion for all things trails with you.

After 7 months of training and planning Brittany finally got to test herself on the beautiful trails of Sedona to run her first ultra.  Some heat and misdirection along with and epic finish caps off another successful season.  We hope you all enjoy.  Season 15 is now taking applications!   www.becomingultra.com

On the newest episode with Abby McQueeny Penamonte we answer a listener's question about how to get lots of calories without fat and carbs.  We are here to answer the questions you have and hopefully give you a better understanding of what your body needs to perform and function at the highest levels.  Enjoy!