Gwen Zywicke is my guest this episode. She is an ultra runner and an Instructor at Louisiana State University and a writer. Her book, Ultrarunning Mysticism:  Mind, Body, Spirit and the Sacredness of Overcoming Suffering, explores the relationship between ultrarunning and mysticism. She is working on a new book focusing on the science of the brain in relation to ultra running.

Devin and Jonathan are both returning podcast guests. They are both part of the Buckle-Heads running group in Topeka, KS. They have trained and raced together and supported each other in pursuing their running adventures. Their next big race is the Bighorn 100 on 16 June 2023.

Option 1: You have to have confidence and belief in yourself in order to run ultramarathons!

Option 2: You start the race full of doubt and know that it's going to be so hard you may not finish.

Which of these two options is the best mindset for ultramarathons? Both!

Jeff Winchester and Jeremy Reynolds are The UltraRunning Guys. They are podcasters, ultramarathon runners, and Race Directors. 

In this episode we discuss what is the mindset that will get you to the finish. And discover it's not the same for everyone!

You will face three roadblocks when you set out to be the best version of yourself and go after an epic life. These aren’t the only roadblocks, but these are the ones waiting for you right out of the gait. If you are feeling stuck, it’s probably one of these three mental blocks you’re dealing with.

Katie Spotz wanted a big challenge. Something that would make her dig deep and have her only option to overcome the challenge or fail. She chose to row a boat, solo, across the Atlantic Ocean. She holds the record as the youngest person to do this.

It was a challenge that gripped her, and she realized that she couldn't live with the regret if she didn't answer the challenge.  She's continued to find ways to challenge herself, competing in triathlons and running ultramarathons. She especially enjoys designing her own adventures, running across numerous states and inline-skating the keys in Florida.

What do you want? This is one of the hardest questions to answer. 

It sounds simple. But it’s not.

Most of the time you don’t think about what you want. And when you do have to think about it, you find out you’re not really sure what it is.

Having success to make a lifestyle change like losing weight or getting fit comes down a point of making a decision. Often there is a tipping point that makes you say, "Enough!" Maureen Lehr reached that tipping point and had not only lost weight, but she's now involved in four sports that keep her fit and give her a variety of challenges. She also met some great people along the way who help her keep going. 

What is your WHY? And does it matter? Do you need to know why you are working for some epic goal?

A lot of coaches will tell you that you need a strong WHY to keep you moving toward your goal. 

But is this true? Maybe . . . maybe not.

Jenny Overstreet is an obstacle course racer making her way into running ultramarathons. She always said that she hated running and stuck to shorter distances, primarily as training for her obstacle course races. But when so many events were canceled, she started running on trails. She enjoyed running in the woods and gradually started increasing her distance.

She eventually got to a point where she decided to  enter an ultramarathon and found she enjoyed the experience. She is still focused on being competitive in OCR, and she's adding ultramarathon races to her list as well.

Do you ever find yourself thinking the same thoughts over and over?

It’s like your brain is on autopilot. 

You might not even remember what triggered it, but you end up feeling stressed out and depressed.

Because it seems like these autopilot thoughts always tend to be negative.

The truth is that these thoughts you have are an addiction.

Yes. You can become addicted to thinking negative thoughts!

Zach Bitter is an ultramarathon runner, a coach, and a podcaster. His podcast is called Human Performance Outliers, available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Zach has also set multiple world records and American records, including the world record for 100 miles. His 100 mile world record was set running on a track, and that requires a very focused mindset. We also talk about training and nutrition in this episode.

Ultramarathon mindset is the story you tell yourself about the epic stuff you dream about doing.

Most of us dream about being a hero. Doing something big and epic. “Changing the world.”

Time wears us down. That dream fades. But usually it remains lurking in a corner of your soul.

Wherever you are in life, it’s not too late to be epic!

Most of us would never think that the mindset for being a professional symphony musician and the mindset for ultramarathons would be similar. My guest this week is Dave Brimhall (@montanadave on Instagram) who was a professional symphony musician and is now a physical therapist and an ultramarathon runner.

The education system conditions us to find the "first right answer." We have to learn the answers so we can repeat them back when we're asked to provide them. So we come out with a framework of "answers" that condition us to see how the world works and what our role is supposed to be in the world.

Another word for "framework" is a Matrix.  Yes, I want you to think about the movie. That is the world we live in.

And we stay trapped in the Matrix of the answers we "know" until we learn how to ask higher-value questions. Answers will keep you stuck where you are. But asking better questions will set you free to live an epic life.

"In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king."

This is one of those sayings that sounds like deep wisdom and is actually utter BS. It suggests that you will be a leader if you have skills and talents that give you an advantage over the crowd. But the real world doesn't work that way. What is the truth? Listen to find out.

What do ultramarathon runners have in common with the monastic orders of Christian and other religions? Quite a bit, in fact. Miriam Diaz-Gilbert is an ultramarathon runner and a student of spiritual disciplines. Running an ultramarathon and ascetic practices include both solitude, physical stress, and contemplation. Miriam is also a published author, a speaker, and adventurer.

A quote from one of my running friends: “50 miles is too short. The race doesn’t really get interesting until you’ve gone 60 miles.” She is right! And when you run a 100 mile race, the halfway mark isn't 50 miles. You aren't halfway until you hit 73 miles!

You can't outperform your self-image!

Andrew Gardner is a mental performance scholar and coach. He is also a clinical neuropsychologist, studying ways to help athletes who have suffered concussions or are involved in "collision sports." He is an ultrarunner and uses the mindset tools he teaches for performance in his own training and practice. He is presently training to travel to Boston to run this year's Boston Marathon.

As a man thinketh, so is he.

You've heard it from motivational speakers. You've heard it from self-help gurus. You've heard it from mindset coaches! There's even a whole book with this as a title. It's a quote (actually a misquote) from the Bible--Proverbs 23:7. 

Those who quote this from the Bible often leave out 3 important words that take it from being a true statement to one that's not completely false, but not completely true either. 

Jacob Deeter took the opportunity of a busy schedule of classes and clinical rotations across the US to set a goal for hiking and backpacking 500 miles during his final year of school. His travels took him from the Rocky Mountains to Yosemite and the Appalachian Trail, ending up with a rim to rim in the Grand Canyon. And, for good measure, he took up climbing as well.  

The words you use have power to shape your mindset. Your mindset is the story you tell yourself about yourself. You can tell your story so you are the hero, or you can tell a story that makes you the victim. 

All the words you use when you tell your mindset story have power. But some have exceptional power. This episode of the Monday Morning Mindset covers 2 of these power words as well as a bonus word. 

Imagine going from a backpacking boot camp, to running a marathon, to a 40 mile hike, to your first 100 miler all in a matter of a few months!  Dave Daniel was looking for his limits, and he found it at the Georgia Jewel 100 miler. He didn't finish, but he found his limit and began to work and train to find out how far he could move that boundary. He has the mindset to keep moving forward. His stories and success and failure will inspire you! 

 Quick question . . . Are you asking good enough questions? You may not yet be aware of this, but-
The quality of your life is a direct reflections of the kind of questions you ask yourself. If you want to have a better life, you need to learn how to ask better questions. This Monday I cover 4 types of questions. Two are unhelpful. Two are helpful, if you use them right. They are: When? How? Why? What?

Will you listen today?

When she was 19, Pam Chapman-Markle was told cancer would take her life within 6 months. She beat cancer. Whatever came her way in life, she chose to take circumstance and make the outcome conform to her will. When she discovered ultramarthon running, she already had the mindset to keep going, no matter what. She's run some of the world's toughest ultramarathons and isn't finished yet. 

Ultramarathon running is about taking on the challenge and finding out how far can you go. Barney Riesbeck is looking at life like an ultramarathon. In this episode we talk about the races he's run, the challenges he's created for himself and others, and the people that serve as an inspiration to keep going after epic goals for life.

What could you do with more Abra Kadabra in your life? What difference could it make for your mindset? 

The words you speak manifest your reality. Yet most of us pay little attention to the words coming out of our mouths. One ancient reference says that our words carry the power of death and life. 

The phrase Abra Kadabra is something to keep in mind and perhaps it will inspire you to take on the 3-step challenge given in this episode.

The Bargo Brothers, from Episode  69, call Marshall Ulrich the "real Forrest Gump of running." And when you listen to this entire episode, you will likely agree. He ran Badwater 20 times, and set course records two years in a row. He and his team have been in every Eco Challenge Adventure Race, he ran across the US, and did a self-supported circumnavigation of Death Valley.

You get your limiting beliefs from three sources:

1. Folklore
2. The Flea Circus
3. Trimming the roast

Your strongest beliefs came without your permission or decision. But there's a good chance you've never even examined them. This episode will show you how to take a peek behind the curtain in your mind and see what's going on.

What happens when you mix a "last man standing" race with a wedding? You get the kickoff to Tennessee's first "Murder Mile" race. This is the nickname for the course.  It sounds simple. Run a mile every 20 minutes. There's only 300 feet of elevation gain and loss. If you aren't at the start line every 20 minutes, you DNF. The race lasts until there is only one runner left.

Becca Jones came up with the Mid-State mile in 2020. Tennessee limited people gathering except for funerals and weddings. Two friends stepped up and said, we can have our wedding and the race will be our reception party. With the legal hurdles out of the way, Becca and her family outlined the race course and sent out invitations.

The race was a huge success. It is a brutal course, with all of the elevation in one hill that's a 20% grade. This race and the Tennessee mile, a timed race, will soon be one of the bucket list races for serious ultra runners.

Becca is also an ultra runner and running coach. She shares great stories and her perspective on training and running far.

Tweet from Penny Oleksiak

"I just googled ‘Canada’s most decorated Olympian’ and my name came up. I want to thank that teacher in high school who told me to stop swimming to focus on school (because) swimming wouldn’t get me anywhere. This is what dreams are made of," she tweeted.

Most of my teachers saw the vision and pushed me towards it. But that one who constantly dragged me down though,, WOAT (Worst of All-Time)."

How do you create a mindset strong enough to overcome the negative comments from "people who matter"?

Susan Donnelly has finished 131 hundred mile races and counting. She is a mindset and life coach helping runners bring their best mental game to every race. Many runners imagine that all the training miles they run will also provide the mindset they need to succeed. But many of these same runners DNF, not from physical issues, but because they weren't able to manage their thoughts and emotions. Susan saw the need to help these runners and helps them train their mind for the challenge of ultramarathons.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

How are you doing in your pursuit of happiness? If you feel like you’re playing a game of hide and seek, you’re not alone. Only 19% of Americans describe themselves as “very happy.”

I think we have the wrong mindset about the pursuit of happiness.

Our idea is that we chase after it. Hunt it. Find it.

My guests this week are Lauren Beihoffer and Bud Lamonica. They are ultramarathon runners, adventurers, and have a podcast called Run Wild With Lauren and Bud.

They are ultra runners and love adventure. From facing off against bear on the Smokey Challenge Adventure Run to taking on the Bigfoot 200, they take it all in stride and come away smiling.

Do you feel like you're lying when you say your affirmations out loud?

Do you say things like, "I am an awesome, successful winner?" 
And hear a little voice say, "No, you're not!"

Affirmations seem like a good thing, because most of what you tell yourself is negative. And you have years of negative self-talk stored up in your brain. So when you say your affirmations, it feels like a lie.

When two runners who are also podcasters create a podcast, you know it will be lively. Ciara Carter is the host of the Run, Thrive, Survive Podcast and is returning to continue our conversation about running, nutrition, health, and mindset. Ciara is aiming to qualify for the Boston Marathon again, after getting pushed off the list when the race was cancelled. 

She's coming back stronger and faster and wants to get this goal done before she considers testing the waters of ultramarathons.

What are the best days of your life? If you follow the common belief they are somewhere in your past. Things were better "back then." 

But what if you change your mindset and start telling yourself the story that your best days are still ahead of you. How would your life be different? 

There is a truth that your expectations will determine what you get in life, for good or bad. 

It could have been my mom’s fault that I ended up on the edge of that cliff. She told me that she lifted me up to look over a railing when I was little and I got scared. All I know is that I was afraid of heights as a child and young adult.

I took extreme action to conquer my fear. And that was the first step in a long journey that led me to being a life-coach, podcaster, and ultramarathon runner.

Mandy Miller has developed a strong ultramarathon mindset in her races and adventures from all around the world. She had run everything from multi-day stage races in the Sahara desert to 100 mile self-supported ultramarathons in the Yukon in January to Iron Man competitions in Hawaii.

When I ran with Mandy for the last few miles at the Javelina, she never mentioned that she’d fallen and broken some ribs earlier in the day. So we talk about the mindset strategies she uses to deal with pain and discomfort.

The quick and easy is killing your soul!

• Short-cuts
• Life hacks
• Easy Button
• Microwave
• Instant mashed potatoes
• Fast food
• Instant download
• Convenience stores

We all get conditioned for fast and easy in everything.

Don't get me wrong. I love convenience! Don't want to do everything hard and slow.

But our conditioning for easy and comfortable = no challenge unless we go find it.

The Worlds Toughest Mudder is an obstacle course race that is a test of mental and physical endurance. Devin Nelson is my guest this week. He is both an ultramarathon runner and tests his will against the 24 hour challenge of the Tough Mudder.

The Tough Mudder community is much like the trail running community in the way participants help and encourage each other as they compete against the course. Caution, trail runners! This episode might give you ideas for new challenges.

Words people say about themselves:
I'm such a klutz.
I always mess up.
I can't do it.
I'm such an idiot.
I'm getting the flu...cold.

Because it doesn't happen immediately, we tend to be careless with our words.

My word for this year is "words." I pick a word for the year instead of resolutions.

This year I will pay even closer attention to the words I use.

I will speak as if my words will make it real . . . make it happen.

Mike Hynes was a psychotherapist who became a coach who became an author. His book is called, The Myth-Guided Mind, In this episode we talk about mindset and the importance of cultivating a healthy connection between mind and body. This is a topic I've studied for years, and I'm always excited to hear other's perspective.

This episode isn't specifically about running. But runners know that a strong mind is as important as a strong body. Mike's insights are valuable for anyone looking for a mental edge for peak performance.

Sheryl Crow sang: It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you have.

The Buddha said it: Desire and attachment is the root of all misery

But is this true? In this episode I talk about the razor thin edge that separates contentment from complacency. And, believe me, complacency does not give you contentment.

The answer is to live in a paradox of full contentment and full passion mixed with desire. There is power in this paradox. 

What does it take to be a healthy, happy human? My guest this week is health and happiness coach, Paul Levitin. He has a podcast called the Healthy, Happy Human.

His coaching centers on mindset and goal setting, and we talk extensively about the mindset it takes to be successful if you want to live a healthy and happy life.

Dustin Johnson wants to be the 7th person to officially run all the way around the world. Of course, you can’t run on the oceans, but the World Runners Association was formed to lay out rules and track the results for runners going the distance equal to the circumference of the earth and crossing set points along the way. Dustin had to abandon his previous attempt because of Covid

Brian Hoover will be supporting Dustin by riding a bicycle with all their gear and supplies. Brian has been on the show twice before talking about van life, hiking the PCT, and kayaking the entire Mississippi river.

Natalie Bickers sets big goals for herself. Soon after she started running, she got the idea to run a half-marathon in all 50 states. When she made the jump to running ultramarathons she decided to go all-in and did three 50K races in a month. 

She worked her way up to running 100 mile races. Sometimes she logged a DNF, but she didn't let that discourage her. She kept looking for challenges. She got into the Moab 240 this year (2021) to see what she could do at an even longer challenge. She finished DFL in spectacular fashion with only 2 seconds remaining before cutoff.

Best-of Episode: 

Cliff Moitt’s Spartan journey started with a TV show in the 80s called ”The Battle of the Network Stars,” and the stars were going through these obstacles. When he saw that he realized that the body is meant to do something different, something epic. At the time he was running 5 and 10K races. When the movie “300” came out, he was impressed by the Spartan culture and toughness. He continues to test himself in the Spartan races.

Sabrina Stanley has held the title of first place female finisher of the Hardrock 100 for 4 years. She won in 2018 and 2021, and the race was cancelled in 2019 & 2020. 

She ran while in school to stay in shape for team sports. Then a friend convinced her to do a half marathon and that led to her running road marathons.

A friend suggested she read Lore of Running, and when she read it she learned about trail running. The author talked a lot about the Leadville 100. She was 22 when she read this book, and said that by the time she was 40 she was going to run the Leadville 100. She put her name in the lottery for Leadville and thought it was going to take years to get into the race. But her name was drawn that first year.

Her first attempt at Leadville was a DNF. But she came back strong and now is a professional ultramarathon runner.

Tara Bianca is my podcast guest this week. She is the owner of BE Light Transformative Therapy which is an online holistic wellness company specializing in therapeutic breath work and mindset coaching. Oxygen Advantage Certified.

She is working toward her goal of a global online holistic health network that brings together experts from all over the world from all different modalities taking the best from science and spiritual practices.

Kay Bretz (pronounced “Kai”) is my podcast guest this week. He has a long list of accomplishments in business and in running. His running accomplishments are impressive.

Member of Australian 24-hour national team  Australian Ultra Performance of the Year Award 2019 and  Bryan Smith Award 2019  

Fastest-ever Australian at 24-hour world championships  (Albi, France 2019), covering 259.67km  

Holistic approach to transform from hobby runner to one  of best ultrarunners worldwide (11th male at world  champs), balancing spiritual, mental and physical  preparation. 

• Winner of 12-hour race at Princes Park 2021 (137.6km) 
• Winner of Last One Standing Brimbank 2021 (36 hours,  covering 241.4km)  
• Second place at 350km trail race through Western  Australia (Delirious WEST 2019, 68:52 hours)  
• Third place at Australian trail championships (Two  Bays 56km 2018, 4:36:55 hours)  
• Second place at Christchurch 100km 2016, New  Zealand championships (8:19:59 hours)  
• Winner of Big Red Run 2015, a 250km stage-race over  six days through the Australian Simpson Desert  (improved course-record by 5:21 hours)  

What he is really excited about is helping high performing people become elites.