Summary

Momma's in her first official ultramarathon training block, and things are getting real. Back-to-back long runs? Check. Experimenting with mashed potatoes in a Ziploc mid-run? Also check. (Sweet gels, sometimes we need a break.) As she navigates fueling flails, lopsided pistol squats, and the humbling realization that some “lost skills” were never there to begin with, the ultra journey is serving up equal parts grit and comedy.

But the real plot twist? A full-on obsession with the Black Canyon Ultras livestream. Eight hours of desert running, elite women crushing it, and shockingly good coverage, better than the Chicago and Tokyo Marathons. Trail running entered the chat with drones, commentary, and vibes.

From desert cacti to her new word "vert," Momma's falling hard for the ultra world, while also spiraling (just a little) into Olympic ski mountaineering fandom. Foot care books are on the way, shoe decisions loom large, and the quest for “vert” while living in a place with 11 feet elevation change is officially underway.

It’s midlife, miles, and mashed potatoes, and she’s saying all the quiet parts out loud.

Chapters

1. 00:12 - Beginning the Ultra Journey
2. 01:03 - Transitioning into Ultramarathon Training
3. 03:52 - The Transition to Trail Running
4. 04:39 - Experiencing the Excitement of Trail Running
5. 06:39 - Introduction to Skimo and Ultra Running
6. 07:29 - Preparing for the Ultramarathon

How I Procrastinate

1. Sleep with Rock Stars, the Gen X Sleep Podcast
2. Country Fried Rock, Podcast Archives from 2009-2020
3. Music Playlists
4. Support This Podcast
5. Dive Bar Music Club, the Low Key, High Taste Happy Hour for Music Nerds

Recommended If You Like

ultramarathon training, trail running tips, ultra marathon nutrition, back to back long runs, desert running events, running coverage comparison, fueling for ultra marathons, ultramarathon for beginners, ultramarathon coaching advice, running and nutrition, marathon coverage issues, trail running for newbies, ultra marathon gear, how to run an ultra, best foods for running, ultra marathon training plan, ultramarathon experiences, running techniques for older runners, ultra marathon community, ultrarunning podcasts, Leah Yingling, Mountain Outpost, Hilary Yang, Hillary Yang, Molly Seidel, Des Linden

Mentioned in this episode:

Dive Bar Music Club, the Low Key, High Taste Music Podcast

A rotating cast of The Regulars gather to chat about the music they're currently listening to.

How can a desert 100k out in the middle of nowhere have infinitely better coverage than major marathons across the world?

Hey, y'.

All.

This is Mama Runs an Ultra.

I'm a runner on the downhill side of my 50s who decided to run my first ultra marathon.

And this podcast is me saying the quiet parts out loud of what the hell am I thinking?

Well, I'm officially into my first ever block of ultramarathon training, and right now, it's still in that.

The mileage is familiar territory, but the way it's broken up is a little bit different.

So, technically, back to back long runs, but I know that the long run's gonna get a lot longer in that second run.

Well, I don't actually know what's gonna happen there.

That's all right.

I'm not gonna give away any of the specifics of the coach that I'm working with, because that is clearly their expertise.

So it's not my place to share that information, but I will talk generally about what I'm doing because, you know, we're not reinventing the wheel here.

And one of the things that we're definitely working on already that I've mentioned a little bit is fueling now for my last several half marathon blocks, I have made a point of training and fueling for race day throughout the block, but we're shifting the way I do it a little bit as I prepare for being out there for several more hours than I ever have before in a race environment with this ultra.

So that's been interesting.

I tried my first food while running.

That was something I started with something that seemed like the easiest to go down.

That also might be the easiest if it came back up, which was mashed potatoes.

Actually, it was fine.

It was my brain that was like, we don't eat mashed potatoes while we're running.

This is weird.

And even weirder, I put it in a real small Ziploc baggie and just kind of bit the corner off and shoved it down.

I don't know.

We'll see.

The reason I wanted to try it is because I do know that during some half marathons, I have gotten really sick of sweet stuff, and I needed to find some way to get some calories down that weren't sweet and didn't involve chewing.

I have hit the age where I can no longer run and chew at the same time.

I used to be a big fan of, like, cliff blocks, but, yeah, I'm incapable now.

If I'm stopped, I can chew, but I literally can't run and chew anymore.

Skill gone.

Speaking of skills gone, I was in the gym the other day and we were working on pistol squat progressions, and I've never been able to do a pistol squat, so it's not like I've lost this skill.

But the only kind of progression I've ever done is the one with the TRX straps, you know, the bands that hang down from the rig.

And, well, all I've ever done, really, is just pull myself up, making it an upper body move.

Not really a whole lot of leg going on in the way I've done it.

Well, this was a progression that was from the bench.

So there's two different ways to do it.

You can either start out seated on the bench with one leg out parallel to the ground and then stand, or you can start standing with the one leg out and sit down.

For me, it was actually easier to start standing and then kind of tap the bench and stand.

But starting from a full seated position, I could do them on one side and not the other.

And I was like, oh, my gosh.

Holy old people problem right here.

When did I lose this skill?

And then I was like, I never had this skill.

I didn't lose this skill.

This is simply a skill I have never had.

And, boy, am I lopsided.

Yeah, one leg so much more stable and strong than the other.

And this might be part of the issues of how I get tired after a few hours of running.

So lessons to learn, things to work on in my ultra training block here.

Of course, I immediately, like, messaged it to the coach.

Anyway, I digress.

Surprise, surprise.

I spent last weekend watching the live stream of Black Canyon ultras.

And I just want to say, how can a desert 100k out in the middle of nowhere have infinitely better coverage than major marathons across the world?

Like, this is a real question.

Okay, so I've always been a road running fan.

I have been a road runner.

I am not a trail runner yet.

I'm still not really a trail runner because I'm going to be running on, like, a rail trail sort of circumstance.

So anyway, these people are literally running through cacti, and we've got better video coverage from Black Canyon than you can get trying to watch somebody in the Chicago Marathon, y'.

All.

What the hell is wrong with road running?

Millions and millions of dollars and they can't put some drones out there.

This is ridiculous.

I remember the one that made me the most angry.

I was watching Tokyo Marathon, World Major Marathon.

The only runners they show on the broadcast are the lead men, you didn't even see the women, let alone the women who were not in the front pack.

So anyway, I just want to say shout out to trail running.

Y' all have got this down as far as video on course.

I am completely new to knowing about this sport and my audience is really other newbies.

So those of y' all who have been in ultrarunning and or trail running for a long time, this is like not new stuff.

But when you're new to this, all of this is fresh and surprising.

So Mountain Outpost, I think was the name of the YouTube channel that I found through the Black Canyon website that had a live stream.

I watched the entire hundred K all.

I didn't watch the.

The entire thing.

I watched through the top 10 women, but like eight hours bananas.

It was fantastic.

The coverage was incredible.

And those athletes, holy cow, y'.

All.

Inspiring.

Unbelievable.

It was fascinating to me to see these athletes run.

Who are people that up until this past weekend, I only knew from listening to on podcasts, I'd never seen a picture of any of them.

Like, I. I don't know anything about any of them.

And so it was completely new and fresh and really exciting.

And so I will admit, for those of y' all who ran the 50k on Sunday, I did not watch the whole thing.

I just sort of followed the results.

But amazing.

So, yeah, that's what I did this weekend.

Some people celebrate Valentine's Day with a loved one.

We sat in side by side recliners and watched more than eight hours of people running through the desert.

I think in Arizona somewhere, Kind of nice for a rest day.

I mean, I got up and, you know, did my long run first and then I just settled into the chair and watched it.

It was pretty incredible.

The advantage of time zone differences as well.

Anyway, yeah, now I'm like on a roll about road running's horrible coverage of marathons.

Because if they can do this out in the middle of nowhere in the desert with runners super spread out and have such great coverage.

And the commentary.

Oh, I left it out.

The commentary on Black Canyon was great as well.

There were three main people.

I didn't know the guy.

Sorry, I don't really follow men's sports in any capacity.

But the women were Hillary Yang and Leah Yingling.

I'm pretty sure that's correct.

I recognize their voices because I listen to a podcast that they host.

Great coverage, y'.

All.

So from a new fan of this sport and a person who is training for her very first ultra, I found this fascinating it was kind of cool, but I'm fully in Olympics mode at this point and obsessed with this upcoming sport called Skimo.

I've never heard of it till last week, ski mountaineering because I also don't do snow.

But yeah, we're gonna have to talk about this one because it is absolutely fascinating and I am now an absolute knot expert.

But I've read all about it because a trail runner I follow is actually gonna be representing the US in this new event.

It's amazing.

Well, chat more about that as we come.

So I wanted to send a quick thank you out to someone who was listening and gave me a suggestion of I was talking about socks in a recent episode.

So they messaged me and said hey, there's this book that everybody uses that has to do with taking care of your feet during ultras.

And they sent me a the title.

I've ordered it.

So thank you.

It hasn't arrived yet, but yeah, I appreciate that information.

I am a little worried about foot care with ultras.

So I have already been wearing the shoes that I intend to wear for my race on my long runs.

I probably need to get a second pair at some point.

But what I don't really quite understand with the whole ultramarathon on a mostly paved ish trail is pounding on your feet.

Like do I want comfy shoes or do I want like my bouncy shoes?

And I don't know, I super need some advice on that because I don't want to be looking for new shoes like right before the race.

So anyway, if y' all have suggestions on that, please leave them in the comments on your favorite podcast app that is so far the best way to let me know.

Feel free to just put something super specific with a big old five star review.

It's super helpful because.

Because as we all know, algorithms drive everything these days and anything other than a five star review makes you invisible.

So yeah, I don't want to be invisible.

Actually, I'm definitely not going to be invisible.

I already know what I'm going to wear on my race day and not invisible.

Anyway, we talking more as I watch a little bit more about this trail runner turned schema person and as I get a little more into these back to back trail runs because now I'm having to find vert.

This is my new word.

I didn't know vert, but now I do.

Thanks for hanging out with me here at Mama Runs an Ultra.