Happy 2020!! This week we are chatting with bikepacking champion, extraordinary endurance athlete, and all around awesome human being Alexandera Houchin!

Alexandera has had an inspiring athletic journey culminating in dominant performances at the Tour Divide, Colorado Trail Race, amongst many other long distance bike races.  She rides her single speed bike for days and days rocking steel toed boots, fixes bikes with sporks, and continues to smile and laugh despite any obstacle thrown her way.  More importantly, she’s a super down to earth, resilient, positive person who was an absolute joy to chat with! I’m seriously in awe of her accomplishments and her humbleness.

In this episode we chat all about her recent record setting ride on the 486 mile Colorado Trail, her journey from back of the pack in her very first race to becoming the first woman to win back to back Tour Divides (a 2,745 mile race from Canada to Mexico), and the lessons she has learned along the way.

This one was one of my favorite episodes of the show so far!  My mind is blown by the adventures Alexandera has had and her evolution as an athlete.  I’m so honored she would spend some time to chat and felt like her perspective on endurance sports was incredibly relatable.

I hope she inspires all of you to take on some major challenges in 2020! I know my motivation was through the roof after recording the episode!

MORE FROM ALEXANDERA HOUCHIN:

Alexandera’s Blog: https://alexandherrastro.wordpress.com

Outside Magazine Article: https://www.outsideonline.com/2397215/alexandera-houchin-endurance-cycling

REI Article: https://www.rei.com/blog/cycle/alexandera-houchin-is-the-peoples-champion-of-bikepacking

Bikepacking Article: https://bikepacking.com/news/alexandera-houchin-2019-tour-divide/

MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2

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This week we are bringing Don Reichelt back on the show to talk all about his experience running in this year’s edition of Big’s Backyard Ultra.

Big’s has quickly risen to the top of iconic ultra races in the United States.  The format is simple- every hour runners must complete a 4.16 mile loop, the next hour they must complete it again….then again….then again….at any point a person can quit….and this will continue until there is only one person left standing.  It’s an event designed by Gary “Lazarus Lake” Cantrell, the genius behind the Barkley Marathons, to truly explore the limits of human endurance.  What pushes a person to tap out?  How can one to simply endure?

This year was the world championship where 75 high level endurance athletes flew out to Laz’s backyard in Tennessee to see who could outlast the others.

While Don’s race didn’t go as planned, a bashed up foot and messed up anterior tib saw to that, he discovered so much about his drive, mindset, and willingness to dive deep into the pain cave.  He also discovered a beautiful community full of other highly driven ultrarunners and absorbed lessons from everyone he had the opportunity to run with.

In this episode we chat about Don’s race prep which included a sports psychologist and hours spent running four miles around his neighborhood.  We also dive into what Don observed from the other racers, including Maggie Guterl the ultimate winner after 250 miles over two and a half days.

Hope you enjoy show!! I always enjoy chatting with Don and hearing his perspective on this crazy sport of ours!

A goal of mine has always been to encourage people to take on an adventure, whether that’s signing up for an ultra marathon, climbing a mountain, or simply stepping outside their comfort zone.  More specifically I always joke that the secret intent of the podcast is to get people to sign up for their first 50k, the ultra distance that I believe is the perfect intro to adventure.  Well I’m happy to say that recently I convinced (peer pressured) 4 of my friends to register for their very first 50k!

In May, we will be taking on the Booneville Backroads Ultra, a fantastic race through the country roads south of Des Moines, Iowa.  This episode is all about “what in the world did we get ourselves into?”  We chat with all four of these gentlemen about their goals, expectations, and what they hope to gain by pushing themselves way outside their comfort zones!

All of these guys have been on the show before and huge thanks to each and every one of them for sharing their perspectives.  Matt Rackers, Sean Furlong, Thad Burkamper and Brady Manriquez, I truly cannot wait for May!

MORE FROM BOONEVILLE BACKROADS ULTRA:

Website: http://boonevillebackroadsultra.com

Ultrasignup: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=72917

“Reach for the Stars” Documentary: https://www.expandyourpossible.com/online-store/Reach-for-the-Stars-The-Booneville-Backroads-Ultra-Marathon-Digital-%26-Streaming-p139527512

MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2

Soundcloud Archives: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464

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Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/likeabigfoot/

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This week we welcome back Josh Milich and Brian Tjersland after their 500 mile journey in support of Mission 22 a community with the goal of putting a stop to the high amount of veteran suicides that unfortunately happen every single day.  By running from the Massachussetts National Cemetary all the way down to Arlington National Cemetary, these two raised money and awareness in every single city and state they traveled through.

We chatted with Brian and Josh last February about their lofty plan (Episode #134) and I am so excited to have them back on the show!  I’m a huge fan of these two and followed along with their live updates over the adventure and I gotta say, they might be the most positive, calm, go with the flow dudes in the country.  With a cause bigger than themselves, seemingly nothing would stop them.  Not sore feet, sleepless nights, rain, exhaustion; their minds were set on making it to the finish line no matter what.

In this episode we hear all about the “500 Miles to End Veteran Suicide Project”.  What is it like to traverse the East Coast on foot?  How do you discover the real “Rules of the Road”?  What is it like running into gigantic cities on foot?  And what lessons did they learn about themselves, Mission 22, and humanity?

I really hope you enjoy this episode!  You can still support Josh and Brian’s project until the end of the year! Really loved chatting guys!

Donate and find all their information here: https://mission22.networkforgood.com/projects/65986-500-miles-to-end-veteran-suicide?fbclid=IwAR2O2SbWxpZLf5yMwzsJNk3ZUOcVsv90fcNPkeof-Z9TdoONPRlWNaAcezQ

MORE FROM 500 MILES TO END VETERAN SUICIDE:

Donation Page: https://mission22.networkforgood.com/projects/65986-500-miles-to-end-veteran-suicide?fbclid=IwAR2O2SbWxpZLf5yMwzsJNk3ZUOcVsv90fcNPkeof-Z9TdoONPRlWNaAcezQ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/500milestoendvetsuicide/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/500milestoendvetsuicide/

Mission 22: https://www.mission22.com/#ourcause

MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2

Soundcloud Archives: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464

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Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/likeabigfoot/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/likeabigfoot/

This week we welcome American Idol finalist, first time marathoner and future ultra marathoner Clark Beckham to the show!!

I recently met Clark at the finish of the Marine Corps Marathon.  Sitting there in my own state of pure exhaustion, I was re-energized by the brief synopsis of Clark’s marathon journey- 6 months earlier he was 30 pounds heavier listening to David Goggins’ book “Can’t Hurt Me” when he pulled his car over and signed up for his very first race.  He set a lofty goal of a 3:45 marathon and trained like crazy day after day after day before ultimately getting it done.  He also had the added pressure of singing the anthem to 30,000 racers, marines, and spectators before the starting gun went off!

Clark’s tale is unique and I’m super happy to get the opportunity to sit down and chat with him about it.  A solid mindset of perseverance, determination, and the ability to work hard has helped him find success both in running and in his career as a musician (he was a finalist on American Idol and is a fantastic singer!!)

Now he’s looking to take on his first 50 miler and continuing his journey into endurance and what is possible!!

Hope you guys enjoy the episode!! Happy Thanksgiving!! Thankful for all of you for tuning in!

MORE FROM CLARK BECKHAM:

Website: https://clarkbeckham.com

Music Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarkbeckham/?hl=en

Running Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarkbeckhamrun/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarkBeckham

MCM Article: https://www.marinemarathon.com/blog/idol-finalist-mcm

MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2

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Imagine spending two whole days physically, mentally and emotionally pushing yourself to your absolute limits.  Traveling over 80 miles full of insanely difficult physical challenges while carrying a heavy ruck all under the critical eye of a cadre member whose job it is to get the absolute best out of you and make you resist, with every part of your soul, the urge to quit.

GORUCK Selection is known as one of the toughest endurance events in the world.  Less than 2% of people who are wild enough to sign up will successfully finish.  To put that in other words, it takes an incredibly tough person just to sign up and a whole other person to actually complete the whole thing!

Today I’m super honored to be able to talk to one of this year’s finisher.  Mark Jones has been a highly competitive ultra obstacle course racer for years.  He knows all about breaking through barriers and pushing his limits, but most of all he knows how to endure.  After trying and failing at Selection multiple times, Mark took a break, came back, and triumphed.

In this episode we chat all about his mindset and the lessons he has learned about himself by taking on these events.  Specifically, we hear all about how he was able to endure those difficult 48 hours of Selection.

It’s an awesome story from an extraordinarily inspiring athlete and I’m super excited to share our conversation! Hope you guys enjoy!

MORE FROM MARK AND GORUCK:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woodpile_jones/

GORUCK: https://www.goruck.com/

GORUCK Selection: https://www.goruck.com/selection/

All Day Ruckoff Podcast: https://player.fm/series/all-day-ruckoff-podcast/adr-125-goruck-selection-021-with-finisher-mark-jones

MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2

Soundcloud Archives: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464

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Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/likeabigfoot/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/likeabigfoot/

This week is the most delicious episode of the podcast yet!! We are sitting down with Chef Corso from Monty Boca to talk all about how to cook delicious food in the wilderness.

Chef Corso is an avid hiker and backpacker based out of Seattle who is challenging the way we think about cooking food for various adventures.  Most of us usually throw some oats in a bag or slap together some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and say “that’s good enough!” before heading out, viewing food as a necessity rather than a major part of the experience.  Monty Boca is challenging people to use easy recipes to heighten their adventure experiences with some really good food.

This episode was definitely a bit outside the box for this podcast but I feel like cooking outside is the best way to cook and is something I, personally, need to reconnect with.  I really enjoyed chatting with Chef Corso and I highly suggest you try a recipe or two of his- preferably while chilling next to a beautiful mountain stream or at a campsite surrounded by friends and loved ones!

Hope you enjoy the show this week!

MORE FROM CHEF CORSO AND MONTY BOCA:

Website: https://montyboca.com

Recipes: https://montyboca.com/recipes

Trail Cookbook: https://montyboca.com/shop/cookbook-orginedition

Become a Recipe Tester: https://montyboca.com/packing#recipe-tester

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montyboca/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmY1o_LlD99cwGog6LRVnWA

MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2

Soundcloud Archives: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464

Stitcher Archives: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/like-a-bigfoot

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/likeabigfoot/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/likeabigfoot/

I’m super excited to have ultra runner, adventurer, and all around awesome person Kayla Howell back on the show this week!

When I think of someone who loves the outdoors and is up for any adventure life brings her way, I think of Kayla.  She’s competed in all sorts of different endurance events all over the country and always steps up to any challenge with a tremendous attitude.

In this episode we dive into her adventurous life starting when she was a kid all the way through various endurance sports she has competed in.  We spend a lot of time chatting about her experiences adventure racing across Florida and Georgia, what it’s like to work with a high level adventure racing team and how she keeps a positive attitude in the midst of some seriously stressful, tiring moments.  She also shares stories from the Little 500 bike race in Indiana, taking on her first Ironman triathlon and climbing her first 14er!

Kayla is awesome and I really hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did!

MORE FROM KAYLA:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayla868/?hl=en

MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2

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This week Phil Pinti and I are sitting down and chatting about our experience running the Inaugural Marine Corps Marathon 50k through the streets of Washington DC.

The day was my very first big time road race and Phil’s 6th MCM.  It was a rainy, action packed, and incredibly moving event.  I would highly recommend everyone to add this one to your bucket list, road runners and ultra runners alike.  It is a race unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of.

Huge thanks to the Marine Corps for putting this on and to Phil Pinti for showing me around for the weekend!  It was an absolute blast!  Big congrats to every person out there, especially those running for their loved ones.

Hope you guys enjoy the Race Reflections!! We’ll be back at you next week!

MORE FROM MARINE CORPS MARATHON:

Our interview with Race Director Rick Nealis: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464/143-rick-nealis

Website: https://www.marinemarathon.com

MORE FROM PHIL PINTI:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/macho_man_runneth/

Like a Bigfoot #136: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464/136-phil-pinti

Like a Bigfoot #150: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464/150-phil-pinti-2

Like a Bigfoot #153: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464/153-return-to-desert-rats

East Coast Trail and Ultra Episode: https://eastcoastultrapodcast.com/2019/10/02/episode-145-the-yeti-and-the-macho-man/

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Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/likeabigfoot/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/likeabigfoot/

This week we welcome back ultrarunner, filmmaker and host of the excellent “Training for Ultra” podcast Rob Steger.

Rob is fresh off of completing the Triple Crown of 200s, a race series that consists of all three of Destination Trail’s gigantic 200 mile adventures.  In the past three months he has ventured over miles and miles, battled extreme obstacles and experienced an adventure of a lifetime all on a quest of self discovery and to raise money for Pediatric Cancer research for a friend’s daughter Celia who is battling Histiocytosis (FIND OUT HOW TO SUPPORT IN THE LINKS BELOW!).

In this episode we hear about the highs and lows of his three races- Bigfoot 200, Tahoe 200, and Moab 240.  Everything from showing up late to missing the beginning of Tahoe to hammering his fastest mile over 200 miles into Moab to getting hypothermia deep in the woods of Tahoe and so much more!

Our episode is mostly the highlights of his adventures.  If you want more from Rob, you can listen to his full race recaps on his Training for Ultra Podcast and please stay tuned for the upcoming Training for Ultra show on Amazon that will highlight his 200 mile adventures!

Hope you guys enjoy the show! Always a blast chatting with Rob!

(Cover Photo from Ryan Clayton)

MORE FROM ROB STEGER:

Donate to Rob’s 401k for Pediatric Cancer: http://give.texaschildrens.org/site/TR?px=2081200&fr_id=1073&pg=personal

Training for Ultra Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-training-for-ultra-podcast/id1265633252?mt=2

Website: https://trainingforultra.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trainingforultra/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trainingforultra/

Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoxBqa1BQr-3Bzb1QNB0_uQ

MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2

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Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/likeabigfoot/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/likeabigfoot/