Episode 139: Lisa McFadden - Barkley, Western States & The Third Circle of Hell!

This episode is about you, the listener, and the rest of the Ultra Running Guys family.  And the gratitude that we have for all you have given us, and for allowing us to join forces with you on this epic journey.  Because of you, we have learned so much, met people and built friendships that we never would have otherwise, and somehow managed to eclipse 206,000 downloads over the life of the show.  And for a couple of guys who were blown away when we hit 50 downloads, trying to figure out who in the world besides our wives and moms would actually take the time to listen, it feels like quite the accomplishment.  But again, the credit is yours.  And for that, we can’t say THANK YOU enough.  And so, for our final show, we are going back to where it all started, bringing back the man who was the catalyst for our first Podcast, and has since become a lifelong friend.  Join Steve Epifano as he helps us walk down memory lane and hopefully gracefully close out the Final episode of The Ultra Running Guys Podcast. We appreciate you and remember, when in doubt, Just Show Up.

Randi Zuckerberg is our last guest before releasing our farewell episode, and holy crap was she epic! After a 20 year hiatus, Randi returned to running in early 2023, jumped into her first 50 mile ultra in November of 2023 and now, less than a year later, has added two, 200 mile races to her calendar with the Cocodona 250 in May of 2025 and the Bigfoot 200 just 3 months later in August of 2025.  She has already amassed an impressive resume with finishes in the Sean Obrien 50K, The NYC Trail Mix 50 Miler, Loopy Looper 24 hour, and recently completed the Zion 100 Mile Challenge.  And that doesn’t count the marathons and other events she has sprinkled in along the way.   The episode goes live at 5:00 AM EST on 9/28 so take us on your long run to hear how Randi has progressed so quickly, what she is doing to prepare for her upcoming challenges, and why she believes that running is for everyone. Enjoy!

Lisa McFadden is an amazingly accomplished runner with over 100 ultras completed, including twenty 100 milers.  She is also one of only a handful of people on the planet to complete the Triple Crown of the Last Annual Tennessee Journey runs, put on by that evil genius and previous guest Lazarus Lake, which is comprised of the Vol State (314 miles which she has completed twice), The Last annual Heart of the South (340 miles), and culminating in The Last Annual Third Circle of Hell race which was an astonishing 371 miles. And if that wasn’t enough, she took on the 2024 Barkley Marathons with 3 weeks notice for entry and then toed the line at Western States where she missed the official time cutoff at a heartbreaking 98 miles into the race, but still continued on to finish the legendary course.  Take us on your long run to hear our incredible conversation with Lisa and soak in all the value that she provides. Enjoy the episode!

We officially met Chris Sherwood at the recent Loopy Looper where he finished the grueling 100 mile event, overcoming the relentless heat and humidity to cross the finish line in 27:42 minutes.  And while he ran in college at Georgia Southern University where he logged a 28:30 8K (that is a 5:44 per mile pace for just under 5 miles for anyone who can’t convert that quick), life happened and he took a long break from running until 2018, at which time he made the wise decision to jump straight into a 50K, despite never having run or raced more than 13 miles.  But he apparently learns quick, and in 2022 he toed the line at Western States, having earned an unlikely entry from a single ticket following his finish at Canal Corridor 100 in late 2021. But forget those short races, because he is currently gearing up to make the jump to the world of 200s with the Cocodona 250 in May of 2025.  So take us on your long run to hear how he got our attention, why he runs with a picture of some very special people on his back, and what his training looks like as he faces down Cocodona. Enjoy!

Chris Rice got his start as an adventure racer and has since racked up more than 90 events on UltraSignup.  We were lucky enough to shake hands with him recently at the Loopy Looper 100 miler where we witnessed his sub 24 hour finish , teaming up with prior guest Michael "Gagz" Gagliardi to tough out the last 3 hours of the race.  And to hint at the grit this guy has, the Loopy Looper was just 10 days after his 4th Badwater 135 finish. He is now preparing for the 153 mile Spartathlon on September 28, and then The Arizona Monster 300 in April 0f 2025.  So plug in to hear what makes him tick and how he is approaching a 300+ mile challenge. Checkout more from The Ultra Running Guys: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theultrarunningguys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Race: The Final Countdown

After over a year of race spotlights, we must confess. This is the first race spotlight for a race in Iowa. And, we are so grateful that this one was recommended to us as it was flying under the radar, but no more. The Mines of Spain 100 takes place in Dubuque, Iowa in October and sells out each year, so if you want to run this one, you may have to wait until next year. But put it on your watch list so you can be alerted to register in time next year. The Mines of Spain 100 takes runners on 5 - 20 mile loops covering trails that range from steep & technical to flat dirt single track to rolling & grassy and everything in between. Each 20 mile loop of the course is about 2800 feet of gain/loss which totals out to roughly 14,000 feet for the full 100 and runners have 33 hours to complete the distance. Joining us on the show to talk about the Mines of Spain, is RD, Josh Sun. Race spotlight recommended by Chad Fridley Photo: Mile 90 Photography @mile90photo Mines of Spain 100 Information Race website: https://minesofspain100.com/ IG: @minesofspain100 Checkout more from The Ultra Running Guys: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theultrarunningguys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Race: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Final Countdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - September 14, 2024

John Maynard appears to be the perfect combination of ultra experience and positive mindset. On the running side, he figured out pretty early on that he was built for endurance, covering 18 miles in the 5th grade to win a season pass to Great America. And he has continued to develop that endurance to the point that he just toed the starting line of the Angeles Crest 100, which was his 3rd 100 mile event in the last 10 months. And we are just as excited to dive into mindset with this guy because he comes across as one of the most positive, encouraging individuals that we have connected with in the space. So stick around to hear how he got into ultra, the powerful rules that he lives by, and all the juicy, painful details of his recent ultra experiences. Enjoy the episode! Checkout more from The Ultra Running Guys: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theultrarunningguys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Race: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Final Countdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - September 14, 2024

REGISTRATION DISCOUNT! We wanted to tell you this first, in case you didn't read all the way to the bottom. If you want to register for the 2024 Rio Del Lago 100m or the 50k, you can get a 15% discount when you register using the code URGRIO and is good through Oct 25, 2024. About the race... the Rio Del Lago 100m starts at Folsom Lake Recreation Area in the Sierra-Nevada Foothills, and travels across woodlands, meadows, across bridges and creeks. The variety of the terrain is something that both veteran runners and those tackling their first 100 miler will enjoy. The course starts off relatively flat, and gets most of its elevation in the second half which tops out under 14,000 feet of gain/loss. The race takes place on November 2 and is the LAST qualifying race on the 2024 calendar to get your ticket for the 2025 Western States lottery for those finishing in the 30 hour cutoff. Joining us today to talk about her race is the RD, Julie Fingar, who is no stranger to the ultra running community, and has over 90 races on ultrasignup to her own credit. Race spotlight recommended by Doug Crumley Photo: Jesse Ellis Photography @letswanderphotography Rio Del Lago 100 Information Race website: http://www.rio100mile.com/ Registration: Rio Del Lago 100 IG: @norcalultras Checkout more from The Ultra Running Guys: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theultrarunningguys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Race: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Final Countdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - September 14, 2024 Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/theultrarunningguy⁠s

Tasha Swartley, AKA "Thor," probably has the most unique set of skills out of anyone we have ever talked to.  Not only is she a retired Navy Veteran who made a living loading bombs on jets, but she is also a Wilderness certified EMT who specializes in treating foot and other medical issues for ultra trail athletes.  She has made a name for herself as the Destination Trail Races EMT and probably helped get a few of you busted up 200 mile runners out of the aid station and back out on the trail.  And she has recently launched her own independent company as the Thor Trail Race Medic so keep an eye out for her at an ultra near you.   Plug into to hear all about the crazy things she has encountered as a trail medic, what tips she has for us to avoid having to spend time in her chair at our next race, and also how she is preparing to take on her own first 200 mile run at the Tahoe 200 in 2025. Enjoy the episode! Checkout more from The Ultra Running Guys: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theultrarunningguys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Race: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Final Countdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - September 14, 2024 Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/theultrarunningguy⁠s

Variety is the name of the game in the ultra world. Located in the town of Lillington NC, which is about an hour outside of Raleigh is the Cape Fear 24 Hour endurance run. The looped course is asphalt paved, flat, with one small incline, measures 0.59 mile and is USATF certified/sanctioned. To get a picture of this location, it will remind you of what you would see in many small towns with a paved trail running the outer perimeter of the Parks and Rec baseball fields. As you think about this race, consider this, the current course record was set last year at 130.78 miles, which turns out to be about 221 loops. So, if you like flat, paved, short loops where you are only about a half mile from your car with the option to run as many miles as you can in 24 hours, well then this is the race for you. Joining us today to talk about her race is the RD, Lisa McFadden who is an accomplished ultra runner in her own right having over 110 races on ultrasignup alone to her credit. If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to subscribe, like and leave us a comment and let us know what you think. Special thanks to Emily Lyons for the recommendation! Cape Fear 24 Hour Info: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/capefear24hour/ Info: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=91341 Checkout more from The Ultra Running Guys: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theultrarunningguys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Race: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Final Countdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - September 14, 2024 Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/theultrarunningguy⁠s