This week Ryan and Emily Wanless are back on the show straight from Alaska, the “Land of the Midnight Sun” to review their past year of ultrarunning and explain how Ryan’s plans for enduring the 350 miles of the Iditarod Trail Invitational.

Emily and Ryan are both athletes out of South Dakota who set out to take on some of the world’s toughest, fastest, and coldest races.  Last August, they traveled to Europe so Emily could take on the CCC, one of the world’s largest ultras and now they are in Alaska getting Ryan ready for his ultimate winter ultra test, enduring the legendary Iditarod course.

In this episode we catch up with both of them- We hear about the brutal mountains  of the CCC and how they affected Emily’s race, how Tuscobia 160 and Arrowhead 135 were used as tools to prepare Ryan for Alaska, what their trip up north has consisted of so far, what mental and physical obstacles Ryan is preparing for, and what tips the Iditarod veterans have shared with them.

We also talk animal furs, Moose safety, and candy filled rock climbing bags!

This episode was recorded a few days before Ryan took off and as I type this he is a few days into the adventure.  Please follow his tracker and send him positivity as he braves a wilderness some of us will only ever dream about!  https://trackleaders.com/iti20i.php?name=Ryan_Wanless

Best of luck to Ryan!! Hope you guys are inspired as I am by him and Emily!! Enjoy the episode!

MORE FROM RYAN AND EMILY:

Ryan’s Race Tracker: https://trackleaders.com/iti20i.php?name=Ryan_Wanless

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

Ryan’s Previous LABF Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464/133-ryan-wanless

Emily’s Previous LABF Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464/157-emily-wanless

Iditarod Trail Invitational: https://www.iditarodtrailinvitational.com/

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 chatting with Angus Peacock, the executive director of Rugby Colorado, lifelong rugby player, and Gobi March Stage Race finisher.

Angus was a high level international rugby player who became coach of the Shanghai rugby squad before moving to Colorado where he is setting up a foundation for the sport in America.  He also competed in the 2010 Gobi March, a weeklong ultraendurance stage race across China.

Our conversation touches on many important topics: What was his rugby journey like and how did he grow along the way?  What is it about Rugby that promotes so much passion in people?  How did he transform a team composed of multiple cultures and languages into champions?  What can we do to get more people to connect to it in America?  What did he discover through pushing himself, untrained, through the desert?  How did the camp respond to a tragic death during the race?

Those are our topics today- Rugby and Ultrarunning.  Two of my absolute favorite things in the world! This is a great one!! I cannot wait for you to listen!

MORE FROM ANGUS PEACOCK:

Rugby Room Podcast: https://therugbyroom.podbean.com/

Rugby Room Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK9L_WH0YutPz5saKiRflIw

Rugby Colorado: https://rugbycolorado.org/

Nike Youth Rugby Camp: https://www.ussportscamps.com/rugby

Gobi March: https://www.racingtheplanet.com/gobimarch

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 I am honored to sit down and chat with an amazing ultrarunner from Asheville, North Carolina, Aaron Saft.

Aaron’s running career has spanned 30 years and in that time he has taken on everything from indoor track 2 milers and collegiate cross country events to the Georgia Death Race and UTMB.  In 2007, he won the USA Track and Field Trail Marathon championship and his ultrasignup reads of podium after podium of the best races on the east coast.

Along with being a high level runner, Aaron also owns and operates the Foot RX Running store in Asheville where he has established an excellent trail running community in one of the most beautiful outdoorsy towns in the United States.

In other words, he is freaking fast and, when it comes to running, is extremely knowledgeable!

Throughout this episode Aaron shares stories from his career: How in the world does one run the Quest for the Crest 50k course and then win the whole thing????  (There is 12,000 ft of GAIN in only 31 miles- the thing is a beast!)  What drives him to compete at such a high level?  What was it like to from injured to taking on UTMB?  How being a father and a husband has enhanced his love of the sport?  Why is the Georgia Death Race so unbelievably brutal?  What it takes to plan and organize the Hellbender 100?

Aaron competes in the Southeast which is where I fell in love with Trail Running so I really enjoyed geeking out about all things East Coast and Appalachia in this episode!

Hope you guys enjoy the show!! We will definitely have Aaron back for more stories and running advice in the future!

MORE FROM AARON SAFT:

RX Running Store: https://www.footrxasheville.com/

Hellbender 100: https://www.hellbender100.com/

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

Running World Article: https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a20826403/runners-world-cover-search-finalist-aaron-saft/

Blue Ridge Outdoors Article: https://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/go-outside/a-week-in-the-life-of-a-health-nut/

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This week we are bringing back on Travis Steffen for an unparalleled six time!

Over the years I have successfully pressured Travis outside of his comfort zone to take on a variety of endurance races- an adventure race through the woods of Virginia, a mountanous 50k, and a brutally long desert 50 miler.  I’m proud to say I have convinced (tricked….) him into pushing his limits once again as he is planning his very first 100k this May.

Two and a half years ago he battled his 50 miler undertrained/unprepared and this time we are adding 12 more miles of pure type 2 fun! In this episode, we talk about how he plans to attack the race, if he is intending to learn (or not learn) from his last ultra, and what he expects to discover about himself during the event.

As always we also hit on a smorgasbord of fun topics such as: how he recovered from a devastating injury, how our football careers ended with a fizzle…or a bang if you’re talking about Travis’s achilles, moments in life when our paradigms shifted, and why we want more and more people to experience the adventure of an ultrarun!

Hope you guys enjoy the episode. I absolutely love sharing Travis stories with you guys! He’s the best!

MORE FROM TRAVIS:

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

The time he powered through 50 miles: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464/32-monument-valley-ultras-race-report-2

50 minutes on his morning routine and the story of his first marathon: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464/29-travis-steffen-2

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This week we are welcoming back ultra runner, race director, and all around awesome guy Brad Dains!

Brad is currently taking on race directing duties of the Booneville Backroads Ultra, “Iowa’s First 100 Miler” through the beautiful rolling countryside south of Des Moines.  He has been with Booneville as either a racer, a volunteer or a co-race director over the last 6 years and is extremely passionate about the ultra running community.

Along with Booneville, Brad has ran multiple 100 milers all over the United States, and has even completed the distance on a treadmill…yes, you read that correctly, he once decided it was a “good” idea to run 100 miles on a freaking treadmill!!

In this episode we dive all into Brad’s experiences running and organizing Booneville.  He explains what makes this race so difficult, shares adventures and inspiring stories he has witnessed through the years, and gives tips to me and my five friends who are planning on taking this race on in May (See the previous “Booneville” episode- It will be the first ultra for four of these dudes and the first 100k for my buddy Travis and I).

Hope you guys enjoy the show! I highly suggest going back to episode #91 of the show to hear more of Brad’s philosophies, adventures, and how he mentally prepares for super long races!

MORE FROM BRAD DAINS AND BOONEVILLE BACKROADS:

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

Ultrarunner Podcast: https://ultrarunnerpodcast.com/brad-dains-interview/

Booneville Backroads: http://boonevillebackroadsultra.com

Join us for Booneville: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=72917

Previous LABF Episode: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464/91-brad-dains

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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(Photo Credit: Discovery)

On Christmas Day, 6 athletes stepped foot onto Antarctica.  Almost two weeks earlier they  pushed off from Cape Horn, the southern most point of South America, rowing in hour and a half shifts to become the first people to successfully cross the infamous Drake Passage completely man-powered.

Through sheer will, determination and positivity they conquered not only world records, but their adventure of a lifetime.  Today’s podcast is about this quest.  It’s about the formation of brotherhood, bravery in the face of extremes and the power of Mother Nature.  What it’s like to go into the ocean only to be tossed around like a rubber ducky in the world’s biggest bathtub and the lessons you learn when you come out the other side.

The team battled cold water, wind, and powerful waves that are nearly impossible to imagine.  The Drake Passage had never previously been rowed for a reason, it is beyond ferocious.  Now imagine rowing it, day after day while battling sleep deprivation and fatigue.  It is the definition of epic!

This one is unlike any adventure we have featured on this show and bringing us the story is John Petersen, a dad, a husband, an elementary principal, a former collegiate rower, and, most importantly, a guy willing to step outside his comfort zone to pursue adventure!

In this episode, John dives into all things “Impossible Row”.  What led him to Antarctica, preparations the team had to make, how he handled the hard times, and lessons he learned from each one of his accomplished shipmates (Captain Fiann Paul, Colin O’Brady, Andrew Towne, Cameron Bellamy, and Jaime Douglas-Hamilton).

There are so many lessons shared in this episode and I absolutely cannot wait for you guys to listen!! I highly suggest checking out John’s teammates (who are all very accomplished athletes in their own right) and the Discovery Channel Youtube Miniseries based on the expedition.  It will blow your mind!!

MORE FROM THE IMPOSSIBLE ROW:

Project Website: https://www.discovery.com/shows/the-impossible-row

Youtube Series: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqOoboPm3uhY_YXhvhmL-WA

John Petersen: https://www.instagram.com/john.r.petersen/

Colin O’Brady: https://www.instagram.com/colinobrady/

Fiann Paul: https://www.instagram.com/theimpossiblerowcaptain/

Jaime Douglas-Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/jamiedougham/

Cameron Bellamy: https://www.instagram.com/cam_ubunye/

Andrew Towne: https://www.instagram.com/towne_andrew/

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This week we are welcoming back Danny, trail name “Oreo”, to the podcast to share more stories from her hike of the Pacific Crest Trail!

Last time we chatted a couple weeks after she finished the trail and this time she is about 6 months removed from the biggest hiking adventure of her life.  We get into some honest discussions about the Post Trail Blues (which I think could be called the “I-just-achieved-a-ginormous-goal-and-now-I-have-to-adjust-to-regular-life” blues).

In this episode Danny shares some potential future plans before diving in to her readjustment to off-trail life.  We also talk about why the trail life beckons, how she plans on answering adventures call, and how she has been applying all her hard earned lessons post-trail.  She also shares more AWESOME stories from her time on the PCT including the time she battled through the desert to a McDonalds only to have a snake block her way (a brutal obstacle only a true thru-hiker could appreciate ha ha!)

Thanks for tuning in!! I always have a blast hearing about thru-hiking and am very excited for Danny’s future adventures!!

MORE FROM DANNY:

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

Previous Episode: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464/165-danny-oreo

The Trek Articles: https://thetrek.co/author/daniela-drees/

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’s guest is the incomparable Maggie Guterl!

No event has captured the imagination of ultrarunners quite like Big’s Backyard Ultra “the race with no end.”  A Last Person Standing event created by “Lazarus Lake” Gary Cantrell, the mind behind the Barkley Marathons, that tests the will, grit, and pure madness of its participants.  This past October, Maggie outlasted everyone.  For 250 miles over 2 and a half days, her stoic nature, patience, consistency, and determination kept her going and going and GOING.

Whether it’s Big’s, Barkley, or Western States, she is undaunted in the face of epic challenges which is why I was so excited to dig into her mindset and spirit!

I brought on Phil Pinti, one of my favorite people in the world to help interview her.  Phil and Maggie have raced together a few times and listening to them chat about Pretzel City Sports was fantastic!  This Pennsylvanian based race company seems to epitomize what we all love about ultra running- the community, the laughter, and the pure joy found in mutual suffering.   (Check out their races here: https://www.pretzelcitysports.com/calendar_events/ )

We also get into Maggie’s current move to Durango, Colorado- how it’s affected her training and racing, moose encounters, and some of her future plans!

Big thanks to Maggie for sharing her time with all of us and to Phil for being an awesome co-host!! Hope you guys enjoy!

MORE FROM MAGGIE:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/maggatronruns?lang=en

Outside Magazine: https://www.outsideonline.com/2404228/maggie-guterl-wins-bigs-backyard-ultra

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This week race director and ultrarunner Candice Burt comes back on the show to chat about surviving 200 mile runs, organzing some of the biggest ultraruns in the nation and what she discovers through big time adventures!

To say Candice has been busy over the last few years would barely scratch the surface.  Not only does she organize, design and manage the Triple Crown of 200s (and many more races through her company Destination Trail), but she balances regular everyday life while striving to be the best athlete she can be.  To say it bluntly, what she manages to accomplish with her time is INCREDIBLE!!

We’ve featured a lot of episodes about running 200 mile races and if you loved those ones, this one will not dissappoint.  Candice has experienced more people taking these on than anyone in the world and has the knowledge and insight to show what actually gets people to successfully make it to the finish line.  She understands the strategies and mindsets that are necessary for racers to reach their goals and also shares the common mistakes she has seen to lead people to DNF.

Last year she took on one of these events as an athlete (and won the whole thing!), The Delirious W.E.S.T. 200- a point to point 200 mile race in Australia.  Through the race Candice faced all the highs and lows of a long endurance challenge and in this episode she shares what she learned from the experience.

This was a super fun conversation that I hope you guys enjoy!  Her knowledge of hallucinations and sleep deprivation is one of the more unique and intense things we have featured on the show and I’m hoping you take home some awesome nuggets of inspiration and information!

Please check out her races as they are known to be some of the most well-organized and great experiences in the country!

MORE FROM CANDICE:

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

Website: https://www.candiceburt.com/

Sign up for a 200 miler (or her other races) here:  https://www.destinationtrailrun.com

Previous LABF podcast episode (#37): https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464/37-candice-burt

MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT:

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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/

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

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