Madeline: Finding peace through the stage race- the journey to Marathon des Sables

I had the pleasure of chatting with Nicole a few days before she was named to Team Canada for the World Mountain & Trail Championships this September in Spain. Nicole started running competitively when she walked on to the University track team. After finsihing law school, she found the trails and has become a force to be reckoned with in distances up to 50km. Trigger warning - Nicole opens up about dealing with an eating disorder, and how to navigate training, nutrition, and mindset.  More from Nicole @nicoleelacis Coaching, pics, and fun  @trailrunningwomenpod  For my personal trainign blog: Patreon!

Madeline grew up an ocean kayaker, figure skater, and wrestler before she found the trails. She was quickly hooked and signed up for her first stage race when she recieved the news that her  21-year-old sister had died by suicide. Trails became her soul-search as she moved through grief, and the awe of the outdoors helped her believe that there was still so much “good” in the world, even though she experienced so much “bad”. We talk about how she worked through her 20's, eventually landing at her ultimate stage race - Marathon des Sables. Coaching, pics, and fun  @trailrunningwomenpod  For my personal trainign blog: Patreon! More from Madeline @madelinemillsip       

Catching up with Courtney McQueen, the co founder of Run Like a Girl. We chat why she started RLAG, her mission to unscare people, and how she has continued her active lifestyle as a mom. RLAG is " a community that strives to change lives and perspectives by creating opportunities for personal growth."  @runlikeagirl_ca Coaching, pics, and fun  @trailrunningwomenpod  For my personal trainign blog: Patreon!

Dena Carr is tough as nails. She has homeschooled 8 kids while training for multiple ultramathons including distances over 200 miles. She's fresh off her second attempt at The Barkley Marathons so we get to chat through how rough that course actually is, and why she enjoys the suffer. She talks about how to make it work while priortizing her children and the impact it has on them to see how hard work can pay off.  Coaching, pics, and fun  @trailrunningwomenpod  For my personal trainign blog: Patreon!  

Alyssa Clark is back to answer listener questions! What should a recovery week and a rest day actually look like? Should you exercise at all on a rest day? What should you eat? We also talk maintenance phase, how to match with a coach, and trying to go fast.  Find all things from the podcast here! @trailrunningwomenpod  For my personal trainign blog: Patreon! More from Alyssa @theory_in_motion  

Amélie is a talented runner and overall athlete, but the thing that stands out the most is her understanding of what it takes to complete an ultra. She’s learned exactly what it means to be a pacer and a crew member and has become an integral part of many successful races for her friends. We talk all things crewing, including how to set up your team and how to tell the difference between normal ultra pain and when it’s time to pull the plug.   Find all things from the podcast here! @trailrunningwomenpod  For my personal trainign blog: Patreon!

Anna is tough as nails. She grew up in Minnesota, joined the Marine Corps right after high school and moved to Hawaii upon getting out of the military. She also dabbled in crossfit, bodybuilding, yoga, and powerlifting before finding the trails. She found so much joy being in the trails and has always loved the feeling of pushing her body and training for hard things. She's been through a lot, and learned  since then about listening to and taking care of her body. We talk about how she handled a 2 year injury and how she's had to adjust her relationship with running and racing. During that time she started coaching runners, finished her Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology, and learned how to respect her body and the process. She's now a sports PT and runs a coaching company - Athletic Endeavours Coaching. Find more from Anna @annnahadabigday Find all things from the podcast here! @trailrunningwomenpod  For my personal trainign blog: Patreon! Kid ski vidoes @hilsport55  

Andrea Tarras is a total badass. She runs gritty and fast, but she has also mastered her mindset to run with pure gratitude. She has podiumed at multiple races including 1st place wins at HURT100, Fatdog120, Fatdog100km, and Centennial 100km. We dig into her training, visualization, and when the gym work might be more important than a run.   Find all things from the podcast here! @trailrunningwomenpod  For my personal trainign blog: Patreon! Kid ski vidoes @hilsport55   More from Andrea @https://www.instagram.com/andrea_leigh83/

Katie Gunvalson is an endurance athlete, writer, and artist based in Portland, Oregon. She tells her story of heading out to run the Pacific Crest Trail to set a new Fastest Known Time. The curveball, wild fires caused major set backs on day one and she knew the FKT wasn't in the cards. The most impressive thing to me was her ability to shift her mindset and focus on the positive, and ended up completing the trail with a massive push for the last 140 miles, setting an FKT for the last 100.   @trailrunningwomenpod @hilsport55

HURT100 Race Recap! I wasn't sure I'd make it to the start line with my second son just under 9 months old, but my whole family came together to support and it ended up the most epic 29 hours and 29 minutes, finishing 4th female overall. This recap is about the ups and downs of training with a baby and a 5 year old, the wrenches life throws at you, and ultimately the celebration of getting to spend a full day in the forest of Hawaii. My littlest was carried up mountains and pushed in the stroller, and the big one ran along side me and rode his bike. My parents and Baker were the best crew ever, and I don’t have enough space to talk about how AMAZING the HURT100 team is. The volunteers, the aid stations, the race director, and the whole vibe is the absolute best. THANK YOU!!  @HURT100 @trailrunningwomenpod @hilsport55