Have you ever wondered what it takes to push your body and mind to the absolute limits? On today's episode we get to chat with not 1, but 2 extraordinary women defying limits.
Ultrarunning phenom Jessica Jones—better known as Island Bridge Runner—joins us today, charting her evolution from a high school track star to an ultra-endurance legend. Her tales of tackling the World Marathon Challenge and the formidable Badwater 135 showcase not just her physical prowess, but a mental fortitude that redefines the possible.
Jessica's narrative isn't simply about logging miles; it's a deep dive into the soul of an athlete. As women continue to shatter ultra-marathon records, she stands as a testament to their growing dominance. She brings us along on her rigorous journey to the Badwater 135, sharing her meticulous preparations and the unyielding spirit required to endure the 'world's toughest foot race.' We also get an insider's look at the gear, nutrition, and irreplaceable support crew that accompany an ultra runner's every stride.
Then we delve into the remarkable journey of Manika Gamble, an extraordinary athlete who is redefining the limits of endurance and determination. Manika isn't just an ultrarunner; she's a pioneer on a mission to make history in the world of endurance sports.
Manika's goal is both ambitious and historic. She is on the verge of becoming the first African American woman to conquer a 155-mile run across the challenging and enigmatic terrains of Namibia's ancient deserts. This endeavor is not just about physical endurance; it's a testament to the power of mindset, resilience, and unwavering determination. Manika's journey is about breaking barriers and setting new benchmarks in the ultra-running world.
As Manika prepares for this monumental challenge, she needs our support. You, our valued listeners, can play a crucial role in her journey. We encourage you to support Manika's endeavor through her GoFundMe campaign. Your contributions will aid in covering the expenses associated with training, travel, and the logistics of participating in such a demanding race. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a historic moment and to support an athlete who is pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
Join the newsletter list for updates, special offers, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Want to become a member of Time for Brunch+ to show your support of the show? Join here.
Join the Brunch community on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.
Have you ever wondered what it takes to push your body and mind to the absolute limits? On today's episode we get to chat with not 1, but 2 extraordinary women defying limits.
Ultrarunning phenom Jessica Jones—better known as Island Bridge Runner—joins us today, charting her evolution from a high school track star to an ultra-endurance legend. Her tales of tackling the World Marathon Challenge and the formidable Badwater 135 showcase not just her physical prowess, but a mental fortitude that redefines the possible.
Jessica's narrative isn't simply about logging miles; it's a deep dive into the soul of an athlete. As women continue to shatter ultra-marathon records, she stands as a testament to their growing dominance. She brings us along on her rigorous journey to the Badwater 135, sharing her meticulous preparations and the unyielding spirit required to endure the 'world's toughest foot race.' We also get an insider's look at the gear, nutrition, and irreplaceable support crew that accompany an ultra runner's every stride.
Then we delve into the remarkable journey of Manika Gamble, an extraordinary athlete who is redefining the limits of endurance and determination. Manika isn't just an ultrarunner; she's a pioneer on a mission to make history in the world of endurance sports.
Manika's goal is both ambitious and historic. She is on the verge of becoming the first African American woman to conquer a 155-mile run across the challenging and enigmatic terrains of Namibia's ancient deserts. This endeavor is not just about physical endurance; it's a testament to the power of mindset, resilience, and unwavering determination. Manika's journey is about breaking barriers and setting new benchmarks in the ultra-running world.
As Manika prepares for this monumental challenge, she needs our support. You, our valued listeners, can play a crucial role in her journey. We encourage you to support Manika's endeavor through her GoFundMe campaign. Your contributions will aid in covering the expenses associated with training, travel, and the logistics of participating in such a demanding race. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a historic moment and to support an athlete who is pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
Join the newsletter list for updates, special offers, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Want to become a member of Time for Brunch+ to show your support of the show? Join here.
Join the Brunch community on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.
Time for brunch. Empower, inspire, connect. Ignite your journey.
Speaker 2:Hello and welcome to Time for Brunch, a place where the rhythm of running meets the resilience of the mind. I'm Christine, your host in a passionate runner at heart. Even when I first started training for my first 5k, the allure of ultra running has captivated my imagination, and while this episode will not conclude with an announcement from me stating that I'm ready to attack an ultra race, I believe that all of us that listen in on this French conversation will leave feeling more inspired. Today we delve into the world of ultramarathons, a realm where extraordinary individuals push the limits of human endurance and spirit. While I haven't yet embarked on an ultra myself, I'm endlessly inspired by the mindset and tenacity of those who do. Every runner's journey is unique, and that's what makes this so incredibly poignant and powerful. And to highlight that, today we have two remarkable guests, each with their own unique approach to running and life and how they tackle ultras, their stories remind us that our running journey must be authentic and true to our own motivations and desires.
Speaker 2:So welcome on in our first guest, the incredible Jessica Jones, also known as Island Bridge Runner. Jessica's story is a beacon of resilience and passion. Her running routes go back into the days of her middle and high school, but it's her comeback that's truly awe inspiring. After a hiatus and overcoming an injury, she made a triumph return to running in 2011 and hasn't looked back since. Jessica's list of achievements are staggering, from her first marathon in 2013 to completing the World Marathon Challenge, which is seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, and let's not forget her completion of the grueling Bad Water 135 in 2023. Today we're going to dive into her journey, her challenges and her future aspirations.
Speaker 2:Welcome on in, jessica. Thank you so much. I'm happy to be here. You have quite the resume, quite the bio behind you, so I just kind of skimmed the surface of your running highlights. My friends, there's so much here, but before we get into the running, let's get into that branching, because food is always important, especially when we have to fuel for all these big miles. So during your World Marathon Challenge, can you tell us what that is?
Speaker 3:Yes, so the World Marathon Challenge is an event where you run seven marathons on each of the seven continents in seven days, so it's a very intense week of running and traveling.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can only imagine the amount of sleep that you needed afterwards, but while you were on this endeavor, hopefully you had time for a little bit of food. So what would you say some of the maybe the favorite brunch dishes that you may have experienced during those seven days?
Speaker 3:Well, so a lot of our food was on the plane because we were traveling so much. But I will say, after we finished the race in Australia we kind of ran overnight, so like it was early morning as we finished and they had just the biggest spread of all breakfast and brunchy things available. There was pretty much anything that you can think of from a traditional breakfast standpoint. They had all sorts of grilled meats and sausage. It was, and especially I think that was Marathon number three, so we were about halfway through. It was the absolute best hospitality and fantastic food.
Speaker 2:Oh OK, so let's learn more about that, but let's first take it back to. From a high school cross country runner to ultra marathon competitor. What are some of the key moments that actually shaped you and change the trajectory where you got into the ultra territory? Or more of these like back to back endurance events?
Speaker 3:So I think I really got interested in the back to back endurance events the World Marathon Challenge because a friend of friend well, actually the niece of one of my friends was the first woman to do, the first American woman to do, the World Marathon Challenge. And I met her at one of the races near me in Mobile, alabama, and I was like, wow, man, that is just an insanely crazy idea of things to do. But then it's like I think a lot of ideas with runners is like you do one thing and then you look for the next thing. But that stayed in the back of my mind after I met her and heard what she was doing and what she had done set the world record when she did it as the first American woman and that put me on that path of going down that road.
Speaker 2:I love this. You hit it right out of the gate. One of the biggest things is that I love the running community. I love how much it's a source of inspiration. But I also still love the fact that we're just now starting to kind of really break a lot of boundaries as to kind of leveling the equal playing field where we see women tackling these really big, audacious goals or really big events in the world. So do you feel that that is partly because it's just a bit harder for women in terms of caregiving roles, or what do you think is shifting for us to start seeing more women doing this?
Speaker 3:I really don't know, but I like to think it has something to do with. Just there's been a few really brave women who say that it doesn't matter, like I can do whatever I want to do, and I think, as more and more women see other women do that, they're going to jump right in. They're like, well, if she can do it, why can't I? You know there's a lot of really fantastic, especially in the ultra world, because that's kind of what I follow. But even in Marathon's track and field now you're seeing female athletes really embracing not just being a professional athlete but taking a break to become a mother and then come back and be competitive in the professional world again. So I think I would say, to sum it up, I would say we're getting more good role models out there.
Speaker 2:I love that and I'm going to go ahead and say it right now Thank you for being a role model. That's why I'm ecstatic to have you here so that we can continue to keep that inspiration and now that that flames been ignited, to kind of fan those flames, let's keep talking about some of these incredible things Because, again, guys, I feel like I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. This bio, all of these incredible experiences that Jessica has had and led, are things that I've kind of been saddying for some time and been a little trepidatious to boldly go into this territory. So I can't wait to learn more. Let's get back to the seven Marathons and seven continents and seven days. How do you do that logistically? How do you train for it, how do you make that happen and how exhausted truly were you with jet lag?
Speaker 3:So the logistics is pretty easy. There's actually a company that does the logistics for you. So you pay a price. It's a pretty steep price. The company that I did it with is no longer in business, but they kind of transfer their rights. So it's still an available event out there for people to do and all the logistics are planned. So you just have to show up at the start of the event which when I did it was Cape Town, south Africa and then they just shuttle you around, fly you on a I'm not going to lie kind of nice charter private plane all the way all around the world. So the logistics part was largely taken care of, which is fantastic. I can't imagine trying to coordinate something like that myself.
Speaker 3:The training was just intense, I would say. But it's lots of training on tired legs, which I think is a thought process that a lot of people are familiar with. Just in standard marathon training is training on tired legs, but think of taking that up a couple of notches. And a lot of key runs. I think in my training were back to back long runs. You know everybody has their long run, usually on the weekend, and then you kind of take the other day easier rest. Well, most of my weekends were two long runs, you know, not anything crazy, longer than you would do for standard marathon training, but the two days back to back really made a difference in getting the legs used to going out there doing it hard and then coming back and doing it again. So I think that was probably, I think, the most key part of my training for that. There was a third part of that question which I've forgotten because I've rambled for a little bit there.
Speaker 2:Jet lag, jet lag. How did you do with breast and recovery?
Speaker 3:Yeah. So I was really concerned about that going into this of being able to get enough sleep, being able to recover, feeling jet lag. But it really ended up not being an issue because we were kind of in our own bubble, like we weren't expected to adhere to any local times. You know, it's like you got on the plane, you tried to eat, you tried to sleep, you did whatever you were going to do for recovery. Then you landed and you got on a bus and you got taken to a start line and you just started prepping to run again and like the actual what time of day it was became completely irrelevant, like I couldn't even tell you. I know that we ran most of our races in the dark yeah, I would say late at night because we were usually finishing around sunrise but the actual time of day became surprisingly irrelevant.
Speaker 2:So time is truly a construct, evidently, especially when you're tackling the seven continents. Okay, so we're going to touch, or I kind of mentioned in the introduction a little bit about how community is really vital to the mission of what we do here. I think that that's absolutely at the foundation, at the basis of how we do any thing well, and life, and how important running is, because it helps us to create a new community. But I will say that one of the things that I love about the ultra world is that I feel like it takes everything that we have on our day to day basis or day to day experiences with running, and it magnifies it. So I feel like community for the ultra world becomes even more important, because this is where you usually need a little bit of extra help. So how did that happen in terms of your training? You're running back to back on the weekends. Do you have people running with you? Do you have support? How does that happen for you?
Speaker 3:Well, actually almost all of my training miles I do, so low.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:But my community is largely an online community, right? So I have my little bit of social media presence and I have a lot of virtual running friends around the world and that I keep in touch with on regular bases. So, even though I'm on the roads by myself most of the time, there's still that community support of you know, if it was a tough run or if it was a good run, there's still people to talk to about it and get encouragement and share the highs and the lows and all of the above and, of course, my husband. He got so extremely tolerant of me being gone for hours and hours on the weekends that he decided he was going to start doing it too. And he's gotten. He's got it. Now has a couple of ultras under his belt himself and his training has allowed him to be my pacer in most of the ultras when I need a pacer to come in and help. So that's been a very fantastic support in multiple ways.
Speaker 2:Jessica, I love how you presented that, as he got so excited and tolerant of you. It's basically he couldn't see you any other way. He was like I'm going to have to take up running so I can have a day with my wife again, pretty much. Well, good for you for inspiring him to live his best, healthy life, so I'm going to say that was a win for you. Okay, so you've already touched on it with the Pacers, and while this seven continents and seven days is extraordinary as an ultra in terms of the fact that it's a longer event, endurance event that spans over that timeframe, you have also, though just as actually even recently cross the territory into ultra events. I think keys 100 is under your belt in, most recently, bad water, which is just mind blowing to me. What made you decide to tackle these really big endeavors?
Speaker 3:It all started after I finished the World Marathon Challenge. So it is probably not the most healthy thing mentally. But literally the day after I finished the World Marathon Challenge I was thinking you know, wow, I've been planning this for a couple of years, now it's done, what's next? Like I didn't, didn't get myself any downtime, we're going to just think about what's next. And that was kind of. The next thing that made sense was another big, audacious goal that was going to take years to go after, and so at that point I decided I wanted to get into Badwater 135, which listeners may or may not know that that is. It's not a race that you just apply and you pay your registration fee. There's an application process and a selection process for that, and to even enter your name into that selection process, you have to have a certain number of races under your belt of certain distances. And so I started planning out which races I could get to reasonably easily and complete, to start building my running resume, as it were, for the Badwater application process.
Speaker 2:I'm going to interject really quickly here and I'm going to be bold, and if you feel you need to correct me, feel free. I won't offend me at all. But the reason why it's such a stringent application process is because they're worried that you guys are going to die out there. Is that? I mean? It's that's a good way to put it? Yes, it's extreme temperatures. Can you give us a little bit more? For folks who maybe aren't familiar with Badwater 135? What exactly it is? Because it takes the ultra, it's considered one of the toughest in the entire world.
Speaker 3:Yeah, their trademarked phrase about the race is the world's toughest foot race. So it starts in Badwater Basin and Death Valley National Park, which is 212 feet below sea level. It is where the hottest temperatures on earth have ever been recorded. And you start there and you go 135 miles partway up Mount Whitney, which is the tallest peak in the contiguous 48 states. So there's heat, there's elevation, there's all of the hard things to any race, particularly an ultra, I think when I ran it this year the starting temperature. So you start at night. The starting temperature was right around 100 in the dark at night and then during the next day I think it got up to close to 120, definitely in the one teens. So that's the kind of heat that you're dealing with, and there's tens of thousands of feet of climbing involved in that 135 mile journey as well. So yes, it is definitely it earns its name as the toughest foot race in the world.
Speaker 2:I'm going to try to not rapid fire the questions that are going through my mind. First, I do want to chat with the folks that are listening. When I hear bad water and then I hear Death Valley and then this kind of elevation climb, I don't know that I'm super excited to jump right into it. So it's incredible to me that this was something that called to you and that you went for it in terms of a span of a few years. But I also just have to ask are you primarily in Florida, Alabama, South?
Speaker 3:Alabama.
Speaker 2:OK, South Alabama. How do you train for elevation there, my friend?
Speaker 3:You don't. Ok, there's a bridge, you know, hence my moniker on Instagram. But yeah, you really don't. But what I did in order to get prepared, really, for bad water was we went out to the area about a month in advance of the race. And well, for anybody who's been out in Death Valley, there's not really much around there. The nearest town is about an hour away but we stayed there for about a month and drove into Death Valley National Park to get the heat and the hills and elevation and all of it for at least a few weeks beforehand. But really largely relied on you know a base fitness level to be able to get through that and you know strategic plans to not really run up any of the climbs. But you're walking and ultra runners like to call it power hiking.
Speaker 2:I still admit that it's just walking up the hills, ok, I think it's definitely just whatever makes people feel good about their phrasing. If that's what empowers you, if you feel like it's power hike, or if it's a walk, I don't care if you guys are crawling at that point. I think it's extraordinary that you're taking tackling this kind of a feat. So let's walk it back a little bit or power hike it back. You go from this extraordinary high of doing the seven continents, seven marathons. You immediately springboard into action, go off around her. I tend to make decisions and move forward that way as well. However, we know that there's an application process. You've already touched on that. What's next for you? Where do you? What's the next race that you work toward and how did you feel about it when you actually tackled that one?
Speaker 3:So, like I said, so to get. I don't want to get too into the weeds with the bad water application process, but on their website they have a list of preferred races that presumably, if you run those races as you're qualifying races, you should have a better chance of getting in, I guess. So I looked at that list because I didn't want to go out and run a bunch of hundred milers that the selection committee was just going to be like eh yeah, it's a hundred, but not that they do that. I don't know what their deliberations sound like. That's my head. So I found one.
Speaker 3:The one closest to me was called Panhodi 100. And it is a trail mountain race Climbs up the highest peak in the state of Alabama. I am not a trail runner because I live on a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico, so I don't have a place to train for trails. But this was the closest one to me so it kind of made sense to go after it and it was a challenge.
Speaker 3:Not only was I doing the longest distance I'd ever done, it has, I think, like 13,000 feet of elevation and just the trails. The terrain was something that I was not extremely familiar with and not very comfortable with. But you know, while I was out there and even though it was very miserable at times and challenging pretty much the entire time, that was the first step to getting to where I wanted to be for bad water. So I pushed through. It did not finish as quickly as I had hoped I'd been able to finish, but got it done, got that first hundred mile event Under my belt and took away a lot of lessons learned to go in and start doing some more of them to get towards the bad water resume.
Speaker 2:OK, so we tackle it. We learn a lot from it. It was a spectacular success because you did complete it and you're here to tell a tale and we're able to do bad water 135. But when do we start to question why we are torturing ourselves with these type of events? Does that happen at all for you, or do you not have those thoughts ever permeate your mindset?
Speaker 3:I have those thoughts pretty much every race OK, and a lot of times during training too. I'm not going to lie. For me it's pretty consistently. I think every ultra runner will tell you there's down points and there's higher points. For me it's been pretty consistent with my hundred milers that somewhere around 30 to 40 miles. So relatively early in a hundred mile race, before we're to the halfway point, is usually when I have my biggest mental low and those will range. You know the thoughts range, but a lot of them are just. You know why am I doing this? This is really miserable. Everything hurts. I can't go another 60 miles, I can't go another whatever. And those I think everybody has that argument in their head right of why am I doing this? Is what I'm going through right now worth that finish? Like, what does that finish mean to me? And is going through all of this worth getting to that finish?
Speaker 3:So I did Pen Hody twice and I'll tell just a quick story to illustrate this. When the second time I did Pen Hody, I went back. Like I said, the trails were challenging, it was not a thing for me, but I really wanted to run under 24 hours. I had run like 25 something the first time and I knew I could do better. So second time we went back to Pen Hody and it was somewhere around in that same mile 30, 40. And I had been stubbing my toes on rocks for like 10 miles. My feet were like screaming at me because of the like, all the stubbing, and everything felt bruised and I was miserable.
Speaker 3:I am. I was just so miserable and I came to one of the aid stations where it was a crew meat point and I saw my crew there and I looked at them and I was like I do not want to be out here anymore and I started crying and I was just like I don't want to be out here. And so my husband starts like with this well, you know, you're here because, like you know, encouragement. I said no, no, no, don't get me wrong, I'm not stopping, I'm just letting you know I don't want to be here anymore, but I'm going to because I signed up for it and I'm going to push through it. But yeah, there's moments like that in many of the races that I do.
Speaker 2:And I ask what is your, why? What propels you to do this?
Speaker 3:So it is largely competition against myself, like I want to see what I can do. I want to push myself to see how far my body can go, how fast my body can go, how much can my body accomplish, and so that's keeping that in perspective of I'm trying to prove to myself what I can do is what helps me get through that, because just by the virtue of trying to push yourself, it's going to be uncomfortable, right? I mean, you can't get to somewhere new without going through some discomfort. So yeah, it's a personal challenge.
Speaker 2:Yeah, do you feel like you've always had an attitude in the spirit of resiliency, or is it something you feel like you are kind of sharpening as you continue to tackle these really big events?
Speaker 3:I definitely feel like it's something I am sharpening. When I ran in high school we'll go way back I had enough natural talent that I didn't have to try super hard to do well when I was in high school, and so I feel like I didn't. Back then I didn't have to learn those skills as much, and so it's really been a learning experience to fail and figure out how to sharpen and hone my skills and myself, and primarily the mental toughness, because I really believe that once you've trained to a certain level I mean you have to have some level of physical training but once you're there, a part that's going to get you through, because you're not going to finish an ultra or you're not even going to finish a marathon or a half marathon without pain, without discomfort, and it's how you deal with that and how you move forward through that that, I think, separates some people between being able to finish certain things and those that don't.
Speaker 2:A lot of powerful statements here.
Speaker 2:One of the first things that I'm hearing and that I think is exciting that you're calling out, though, specifically, is that I think as we get older and maybe I'm speaking for myself, afraid again to interrupt me there but as we get older, we start to maybe sometimes wistfully look back and think that our best years are behind us.
Speaker 2:But when I look back, I think that the person that I'm becoming, that I've become, because I do have more of that resiliency I am willing to fail more spectacularly than I would have been at 1817, 16 or even in my early 30s. It's super exciting and I feel like again when we see that in the ultra world, it's even more so because we see that the level playing field is a bit or the level the playing field is more leveled out, with women really having incredibly, just incredible world breaking records. Feats are times of our paces tend to even out with the men that lead the field as well, and I feel like it's primarily in a sport where we see an older group of folks go after these really big accomplishments. Would you say that that's something that you see when you're out there as well?
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think, the past few road alters. I've done the Daytona 100 and the Keys 100. It's, you know, women are in the top five or the top couple the last year's Daytona 122 and the Keys 100 this year in 2023. I was the first female and I was second overall, so there was only one man ahead of me in both of those events and I'm not a spring chicken, I'm about to be 46 years old next week and, you know, second place, I think, was a lady who's in her early fifties. So I definitely think there is something to that resiliency with age and definitely when you get to the more lengthy endurance sports, the disparity between male and female athletes is lessened.
Speaker 2:So to me, I hear that it's never too late and that we should start taking those steps because actually, if we think about our lifetime from when you tackled the World Marathon Challenge to now being a finisher of Badwater 135, it's not that large of a span of time that you went through and tackled this, so that's absolutely extraordinary. But I do want to know, as we continue to talk about this adventure is kind of what are some of the things that you think somebody who's considering some of these really big, audacious goals whether it's a 5K or Badwater 135, what are some of the things that are pivotal in terms of, maybe, gear or people they need to surround themselves with? Not necessarily the physical aspect, because you touched on the physical aspect, we definitely have to have a foundation, but more so the things that are more practical, that we don't think of, that are really vital.
Speaker 3:So I think if you're doing any ultra event, the clothing thing that you're wearing is not just in. Everybody puts emphasis on shoes and socks. Yes, you need appropriate shoes, you need appropriate socks, you need appropriate anything that is on your body, because, going that distance, things that don't fit well or things that move around a lot, they're going to chase and that is not something anybody wants to deal with. And along those lines, and appropriate lubricant to keep from chasing so much, that is like ultra runners that's. You know, there's kind of no shame because you got to deal with everything when you're out there, but that is one of the biggest things. I have seen so many people who have had to not finish races because of extreme chafing. So I think that's probably one of the bigger underrated things is appropriate clothing and appropriate lubrication to go with it.
Speaker 2:Makes me think of that quote. There's not bad weather, there's just bad gear in terms of being prepared for whatever the weather. Now I will say that those people who have said that may not have been at bad water, 135 and those 115 temperatures, but because I'm calling that a little bit of bad weather, but that's okay, that's okay, we'll let them pass. Not everybody's tackled that. So I do want to bring it back to your community because, again, you've already touched on it. Where you've had people, crew, you've got those times where you absolutely need a little bit of encouragement, even a little bit of motivation. Tell us what exactly crewing is, what a support look like for ultra events and the importance that the support has been for you in your endeavors.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So crew is absolutely clutch. I couldn't do what I do without them. There are a variety of ultras out there where you can rely on aid stations, like a lot of the trail ultras. You know there's enough aid stations out there that you can pick up what you need through those aid stations.
Speaker 3:The races that I've been primarily focusing on are road ultras Daytona 100, keese 100, I mentioned, and Badwater 135 also. They are essentially unsupported races. So there are aid stations, but they're minimal, so you rely 100% on your crew to meet you at checkpoints to have I'm running a lot of hot weather races, right? So they have a cold ice sponge for me. They have an ice soaked hat to swap out into. They have ice in a bandana to put around my neck. They've got a fresh cold drink for me. They've got snacks for me.
Speaker 3:They've got everything that I need so that I don't have to think so when I go out there, my job is literally one foot in front of another and that's all that I have to focus on, because they're taking care of everything else and there's so much to it, right? We know that nutrition is a balance and hydration is a balance and all of them. Keeping cool is important when you're running in the hot. So they do all of that for me, so that I don't have to think about it, even to the point of keeping me cool, like they'll ask me, you know, are you ready to have an ice bandana or do you need a new cold hat? Do you need this? Do you need that? I mean things that the answer is almost always yes, but I my brain, isn't processing things quickly enough to ask for those types of things. So, yeah, they absolutely keep me on the road and keep my job minimal. One foot in front of the other, that's all I have to do, okay.
Speaker 2:Which, again, when I think about life and how it's so beautifully parallels that some point in our lives we need those people that are going to help us, so that we can't just keep one foot in front of another. What would you say as you've wrapped up these really big goals and you've been able to make them happen, you have them literally underneath your belt because, of course, most of these big ultra events come with a belt buckle. What's next for you?
Speaker 3:So actually, the big thing that I'm focused on right now is going back to bad water next year. So, as I alluded to, there is an application process, but the race offers guaranteed entries for a couple of spots. I don't know. I think there's like six or something guaranteed entries every year and there's only a hundred people that get into bad water each year. So, as I mentioned before, I was the first female at the Keys 100 this year, in 2023, and that's one of the races that gives you a. The winner gets a guaranteed spot. So I know that I'm able to go back to bad water this year, in 2024. And so that's my big focus right now. I learned so much last year or this year, I guess 2023 that I just know that I can improve on, and so I'm really excited to take those lessons, apply them in training and preparedness and go see how I can do out there again.
Speaker 2:What's one of those lessons that you think that you are going to make as a priority for you?
Speaker 3:I think there's two. I'm going to give two because I can't narrow it down. One is being even a little better prepared for the heat. So I had some issues with the heat during the heat of the day. I think I know why I got into trouble there. We had a little bit too far between crew points meeting me and I went a little bit too long in the heat of the day without getting any extra cooling relief. So I think I want to work a little bit more on getting myself more heat tolerant so that if something comes up like that where that crew needs to extend a little bit away from me, that I would all be able to manage that better.
Speaker 3:The other thing is sleep deprivation. That was probably the biggest killer for me. So I mentioned we start at night, so my waves started at 9 pm. So you run through the night all day the next day and then all through the next night and into the next morning. So by the time I finished because I wasn't really able to nap before the start of the race, because who can? You're super excited and there's tons of stuff going on Like what do you got? I had no time for a nap. I was up for around 50 consecutive hours. I took like a 20 minute nap, which actually did not help whatsoever at all. But I want to work on better tolerating the lack of sleep and I'm even toying with the idea, leading up to the race, of trying to shift, my, shift, my cycle, so that I'll stay up more at night and sleep during the day, so that that night start fits more into a natural flow rhythm for you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because that was probably the hardest thing. I was so tired that just moving forward was just. It was such a tremendous challenge. It was such a struggle to just keep moving and stay awake and that's, I think, the area that I have for the most improvement in that event.
Speaker 2:OK, I get grumpy when I don't sleep, for the record, and I complain about it being high. I don't know. I complain about it being hot pretty much the entire time. I live in Florida, so I'm fairly certain that this sounds like a challenge that maybe I'm going to have to build a bit more resiliency for and figure out. So I will. I will be talking to you in the future about it, but before we move on to this conversation and we are definitely going to cheer you on, I know in episode notes we're going to have where folks can follow you on Facebook, follow you on Instagram to see your training journey and also whenever I'm complaining about how hot it is, I'm going to remember that you're toughing it out. I can absolutely get out there and get my run in, but I want to ask you is there a brunch recipe that you love to share, maybe with your crew, after celebrating one of these kind of races, that you would like to share with us?
Speaker 3:So not not necessarily with my crew after my race, but one of my favorite brunch type things. Well, I'm a dessert person so I think every meal I don't care Breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch, they all deserve dessert. So I have a cookie that I make that is fantastic for really any time of the day, but it's oatmeal chocolate chip. But I, when I'm heavy into training, I try to make it a little healthier, so I substitute in some banana and apple sauce for the sugars and it is just a fantastic cookie that I can give the details in the show notes.
Speaker 2:I was just thinking. I'm like I don't know that I'll be joining you to be able to crew you, but I could absolutely bring you some cookies, my friend. If that's what you need, I've got your back. I will just share your recipe and I'll show up with cookies and the rest of the stuff. The sleep deprivation I'm not going to be that helpful with. I'll just say let's just take a nap. All right, jessica, and all seriousness, this is extraordinary. But what's really incredible for me is the fact that you are inspiring so many people to be able to go after their dreams and make them happen, whatever it looks like for them. So thank you so much for joining us and sharing this incredible story.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm happy to be here, and really it's. I hope that the listeners can take something away from this, and I know we talked about a lot of big goals and altars, but, as you alluded to, it really applies to whatever the goals are for each individual, and that's one of the things I love about running is it's your goals and don't judge that against anybody else's goals. It's what's right for you.
Speaker 2:What a powerful statement to end that segment. Again, huge thanks to Jessica for sharing her story Definitely very inspiring and also for sharing that magical cookie recipe that was found in your newsletter. Friends, if you're not on the newsletter, you're going to want to use the link in episode notes to sign up because, again there we have a lot of extras that we love sharing with you all. Next, we are thrilled to introduce Manika Gamble. She is a trailblazing figure in endurance sports.
Speaker 2:Manika's goal isn't just impressive, it's historic, and you guys have a first class VIP ticket to be part of it because she's currently on a mission. She's currently in training to be the first African American woman to complete a 155 mile run through Namibia's ancient deserts. This challenge is more than just physical. It's a profound journey of mental strength and resilience, and in this segment we'll explore Manika's passion and dedication. We'll delve into how she prepares mentally and physically for such a monumental challenge and discuss the importance of heating the call of making our dreams a reality. This conversation promises to be as inspiring as it is insightful. Welcome, Manika, to Time for brunch. Thank you so much.
Speaker 4:I'm really excited to be here.
Speaker 2:Thank you, we're honored and I mentioned to you before we actually started recording that I was very anxious to shoot you over a DM and slide in the DMs and be like, hey, can you come join us, because I have been watching this journey. It is truly you're looking at creating history and we just want to hear more about it. So, right out of the gate, before we get too far into this conversation about what brought you here to tackle this endeavor, we want to ask a little bit about food. So if you could power up this endeavor, your one hundred and fifty five mile run across Namibia Desert with any brunch item that you're able to turn into a magical endless energy source, what would it be and why?
Speaker 4:Well, it's funny because when I first heard that, I immediately thought brunch item, I think mimosas and of course I can't use mimosas throughout the marathon. So I would say avocado toast. I love avocado. It's a complete meal and it's delicious and I can eat it every day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, ok, I'm with you on this one. I'm curious on your avocado toast. Do you add any additional proteins or you kind of stick? Are you a diehard? And it's avocado, the toast and maybe a little bit of lemon and sea salt.
Speaker 4:I do poached egg on top, and sometimes I do like lemon pepper seasoning and maybe a tomato. I jazz it up a little more than just avocado.
Speaker 2:I'm hearing that. I'm hearing that sounds super fancy actually. All right, my friend, I mentioned as well that you have quite an incredible background because you didn't just wake up one day and decide I'm going to go run out for a hundred and fifty five miles, being an athlete's kind of part of your entire identity and who you are because you grew up on the track. Can you give us a little bit more? Can we start at the beginning?
Speaker 4:Yeah, it started off in middle school, One of my PE teachers saw me running across the field I never thought anything of running and he stopped me and told me that I should be on the track team. And I went home, told my parents and they were in agreeance that I could do that. And that's where my journey began, with having a love for running, a love for a short running I would say sprints at the time.
Speaker 2:OK, so this individual basically kind of changed the trajectory of your life with one very simple observation and a question.
Speaker 4:I would say yes, yes.
Speaker 2:What were you thinking at this point as to because I mean, it's not an easy endeavor? Whenever I think of track, I know there's a lot of practices what made you say yes?
Speaker 4:I think, not knowing what I was getting myself into, just being a little naive as a child. Of course, this just sounds fun, it sounds like something you know cool to do, and so I never, at the initial outset of it, I didn't know what all went into it. It just sounds like I'm able to just run and be free, and so I was excited for that.
Speaker 2:Oh, I love that. I love that there was a freedom attached to it. And then there is still a little bit of beauty, of the freedom that we're able to gain through running and movement, but, of course, a lot of discipline to get us to that point. So what made you take the jump from track to ultra endurance? Because they are almost well they are in the running world two complete opposite roads, two complete opposite journeys.
Speaker 4:They are all through middle school, high school onto college. I ran. The longest I ever ran was a quarter mile, which is the 400 meters, and I did that over hurdles and that was my background. And now I'm 12 years out of college. I just wanted to do something more. I wanted to. I don't really have the speed. So I said, you know I enjoy running and I just decided I'd do a marathon. After I did the marathon, the marathon felt pretty good and so I said you know, I can maybe do a little more. And so I started looking further into endurance and ultra running, Stumbled upon this race that just intrigued me from the very beginning.
Speaker 2:OK, am I hearing? Is it accurate to say that you haven't yet done an official ultra race? I know that you're training, so you likely are hitting ultra distances, but is this going to be your first ultra endurance event?
Speaker 4:This will be my first official ultra event. Yes, OK.
Speaker 2:So go big or go home is literally your motto.
Speaker 4:You can say that, yes, that's how I like to do things.
Speaker 2:OK, yeah, because it's like most people dip their toe into, maybe, the marathon world and like I can do a little bit more and maybe like slide into that 50 K distance for like no, I'm just going to do multi day over the course of an entire country, and like there's so many details about this style of running in terms of being able to pack the materials that you need the food, the fuel, your hydration, clothing changes, so I don't want to get into all that. When did this decision hit? So like, what made you? What was like the little spark that kind of called to you about it? The?
Speaker 4:spark came back in June. I was sitting on my couch watching YouTube and I was watching a YouTuber named Jeff Peltier I'm not sure if I'm saying that right and he was in a, maybe doing a run I believe it was that race I was watching and the scenery just looked beautiful, and I love a little bit of ruggedness in that. You know you have to carry all your own stuff. And so I just became, I guess, obsessed with looking and further into it, and it didn't really cross my mind that I would do it myself. I just became obsessed with watching it. And then it dawned on me like, why don't you try this? And so, yeah, I just said OK. So at the end of June I started training.
Speaker 2:So June of 2023 is when you start this endeavor and we are coming up on the race in 2024. And it starts April 28th and ends May 5th. That's correct, ok, friends, I'm just like in my heart, I'm already feeling like all of the angst, the butterflies, the excitement, the exhaustion, because I'm sure there's a lot of that. The hunger because you've got, you're getting in some crazy miles there. So what's next for you? You decide this is it. I feel like this little voice is calling to me. I'm going to go ahead and heed the call. Do you tell people? Do you start looking at flights? What's next for you to get this going?
Speaker 4:You know, that's a really good question, because I didn't really know what the next steps would be I just kept it to myself for a little while. I would go out on little runs and stuff, and of course, you know, in Atlanta it's extremely hot. And so I actually began to think, like OK, it's so hot here, like maybe this may not be the best idea, and so I kind of kept it to myself. But then my sister told me she's like why don't you create an Instagram page about this and just announce it to everybody that you're doing this? And so I said you know what I should? I should do this, I should do this, I should do this. So I said you know what I should? I should do that. And so that was my next step. Once I announced it, like, I kind of felt that I had to commit to it. And so here I am now, six months later, committed and doing this race.
Speaker 2:So how has your training looked so far?
Speaker 4:It looks different each day. I'm not really a regimented person. I'm not following any specific training plan. If I wake up and want to do 10 miles, I do that. If I don't want to, I won't. But yeah, each day just depends on my weights. Some days I'll go for, you know, 20 miles, 15 miles, I'm all over the place, but I'm trying to make sure I, you know, get the miles in that I need.
Speaker 2:So are you looking at time on your feet where it may be more structured of a specific run? Are you looking for time on your feet with walking? How does that work for you? Is it truly kind of allowing this to be very free flowing?
Speaker 4:It's pretty free flowing and I'm hoping this isn't a disaster when it comes to time. But I have my backpack that weighs about 20 pounds and I put that on, you know, for my runs most times and that's because the weight that I'll carry on the race will be about 20 pounds until I eat more of my food down. So I try to spend, you know, a couple of hours running, sometimes do time, sometimes I do distance base, like yesterday I did time base. So it just varies.
Speaker 2:Okay, you mentioned your sister, so I'm assuming you've put this out into the world. Your family has to be, I would think, a pivotal aspect, or your support system. I shouldn't assume necessarily, but do you have a support system that's helping to encourage you when you have some of those doubts creep?
Speaker 4:in? Yes, for sure, my mom. She's a major factor in this. She's extremely encouraging. She's 60 years old and she's out walking her 10,000 steps every day and she's always encouraging movement. So if there's ever, you know, a time where I don't feel like it, she'll tell me. You know you need to get up, you need to get out there. So she's really kept me on the path. You know my best friend she's out there, you know, either recording me or biking or trying to be that support for me. She's most likely going to be in the Mibia as well as a volunteer, so I do have that support system around me that's kept me focused through these months of training.
Speaker 2:Okay, good. So what do you do when you have some of the? I'm going to assume you have doubts. We're human, right? I know that you have a really strong foundation athletically, but when we go big or go home, there's always going to be a teensy bit of hesitation and fear. So what do you do to overcome that?
Speaker 4:I talk to my, my mom, I talk to you know my support system, and I also really focused on my own mindset because I know there will be times within this race that I encounter those really tough thoughts and quitting for me, unless there's some kind of extreme medical emergency, that's not going to be an option. So I really have buckled down in my training that most times I don't listen to any music or anything. I'm really just in my own thoughts, trying to really harness my thoughts, and so when any doubt creeps up, I just really try to focus on the reason I'm doing this. And the reason I'm doing this is because I want to prove to myself that I'm capable of proof to others and to show that, you know, we're all capable if we just have a strong mind and strong will. So yeah, I know doubts will come, but I have to know that I'll be able to overcome them.
Speaker 2:I hear the like, perseverance in your voice. I hear just like you're resolved to doing this, like there is while there may be like little naysayers, because those thoughts may, but you have definitely done the work. You can hear it because your voice tone even changed. You're like there's no way I'm quitting this, like I am in it to win it one way or the other. I love that. Do you feel, though? Is this now are we going back to? Is this who you are? Is this something you've worked on throughout the years? Is this part of your previous time on the track? Is it because of mom and seeing her Give us a little bit as to how? How do we all bottle up that kind of confidence? My friend, is what I'm basically asking.
Speaker 4:It's me in that I am an adventurer. I also love to, for whatever reason. I love to tough things out, I like to rough it, I love to challenge myself, and so this is bottled up into all of that, into one thing I get to travel, I get to experience the toughest side. I'm going to be roughing it, you know, in these tents, after long miles each day. So because the feeling for me after that although through it all, I know it will be very hard it's an indescribable feeling after, and so that's what I'm really excited for just to get this, all this whole experience in.
Speaker 2:So I'm so excited for you because it is such an incredible. It feels like it's going to be once in a lifetime experience. So I feel also kind of confident that this is just like the. It's going to be a gateway, entryway for you to potentially do bigger things down the road, because that's just sounds like it's style, your style and your personality. Now you saw this on YouTube. Youtube has so many great inspirations and also I know we've all been there, especially on rest days. We're like hours into the video. Why did this specific ultra stand out to you? You said that the terrain looked beautiful. Is it specifically the terrain?
Speaker 4:Is it because this allows you to be a first and create a record for yourself, or is it just truly there is a, this specific location, it's calling to you and you know, I've thought about that because I've watched many races in Switzerland and I've watched many races in all of these different beautiful places, but they didn't call me the way this particular race did and I didn't know the background of who's done it before, who hasn't done it before, so that didn't really play a factor in me choosing this. I think when I saw it it just resonated with me and I didn't. I haven't really honed in as to why it resonated with me so much, but this particular one didn't. When I got that feeling, I just knew that I had to do it.
Speaker 2:I mean, it is beautiful terrain. It's on the southwest portion of Africa. I personally have never been there. Now I'm definitely cannot wait to follow you on your journey and see if it does inspire me to try to tackle this. But I don't know. The minute you said roughing it in the tent after running all day. While you may have had me a hello for extraordinary adventures, you've lost me there, my friend. So I don't I don't know if that's going to happen for me specifically, but I still love to watch this journey and listen to you on it. So, now that you've learned more about it, what are some of the things that you feel are pivotal for you as you start to kind of sharpen toward this big goal? Because you're getting I know you're getting into peak mileage. You're probably getting into having to figure out the logistics of what you're going to pack on your body, how you're going to change things out nightly maybe. How are you starting to do that preparation?
Speaker 4:Yes. So one of the main things I'm really focusing on is my nutrition. Throughout these trainings I'm trying to make sure that everything is agreeing with my system. So that's the hydration that's making sure I'm getting enough calories. Even my backpack I'm making sure there's no tweaks with it's chafing my feet, the blisters and all of that. So everything I'm just dialing in the exact brand that I want to have, the exact amount of pounds that I want to carry. So everything is going to really be dialed in very soon. I'm almost all the way dialed in. I'm still tweaking a couple of things, but for the most part I think I'm pretty close.
Speaker 2:Okay, I feel like, of course, this is what's so exciting about ultra events is that they allow us to be like a great parallel for life in terms of we can do all the preparation and we can tweak everything and then you just really don't have any race distance, but specifically more for ultra endurance. Are there some memorable aspects of your training journey so far, that kind of stick out for you, either highs or lows, or both.
Speaker 4:So there was one particular day that the low I would say would be maybe a couple of weeks back. I'm not sure what was going on with me, why I was having such a hard day, but I just it just was not working. This was not clicking right for me. I wasn't able to get my own thoughts under control. I really was thinking to myself, like what are you doing? Like you don't have to do this, there's no reason to suffer like this.
Speaker 4:And in that moment I really was in a low place as far as just not able to get my own self out of those thoughts. And I just remember thinking to myself I'm doing this because I want to, I'm doing this because I can and this is a privilege and this is not everyone can do this and I kind of had to snap my own self out of that. And that was a pivotal point for me in realizing like yes, I will have those times, but you can get yourself through them. And so that was a low point that ended up turning into a high point for me.
Speaker 2:I love that you were able to talk yourself through that. I love that you approached it from a level of gratitude, because that's what I'm hearing. It's like yes, I'm being challenged right now, but I'm so grateful that I have a body that's able to do this. I have the ability to be able to travel and be able to experience this and work hard toward it, because I know that is a really big aspect of it. It's not just showing up that day, it's all the work that goes into going through it. Now, you already mentioned the YouTuber and the ultra runner, jeff Peltier, who inspired you. Do you have other runners that inspire you, or maybe other athletes or close figures in your life?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I love their different track athletes I look at and I'd really admire Sydney McLaughlin, the 400 Hurler. Yacob Ingerbertson I really admire Luit Chogay could be saying his name wrong, but I just admire the strength and the poise that they carry themselves with and just the mightiness that they compete with. It's very inspiring for me. I look to them and I watch a lot of their training and I look to emulate that. Of course I won't be out sprinting or running four minute miles, but just the way they're able to carry themselves is very inspiring for me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think, specifically when you think of Kip Chogay, you think of his legendary smile and the fact that that positivity is what he's really become known for. Across that in the go, of course, when it comes to road running, for sure. So you touched on your inspirations and are you feeling like you want to also tap into the ultra running community or, however, you found that that's not where your source of inspiration is really like stemming from at this point?
Speaker 4:It's a great question. I don't, and I know I've seen you know Courtney DeWalter, some of her races, and I've seen a lot of other ultra runners I watch I'm not sure what his first name is, glaze on TikTok and Instagram, where he's running 100 miles every week and you know he's doing 250 mile runs. So I do take inspiration in those people and the work that they're putting in. So I can say, yes, I am beginning to. You know, take to the ultra running community and grow from their, I guess, endurance and their strength. But the ones I mentioned earlier, I guess, because of being a track athlete for most of my life, I have more gravitated towards those people. But the ultra runners, yes, I'm beginning to take to them as well.
Speaker 2:I have to ask do you feel that the ultra running community is welcoming, specifically your black woman who's going into the ultra territory? And when I think of ultras, I do think of like I love you ultra folks I do, but I'm just going to say I think of like white dudes with really big beards that are just. I think it's an incredibly welcoming community, but I don't necessarily think of it specifically as a community that it looks very homogenized as of right now. So do you feel like there is room to grow this community, inspire others to be able to get out there, regardless of shape and race and pace and all of that.
Speaker 4:You know, that's a really honest assessment and that's an assessment that many people have and which is why I kind of wanted to go after this, and I've never been one to shy away from something that doesn't necessarily look like me, and so I'm okay with the community looking unlike me. I'm going to go in there, I'm going to do the best that I can as far as them embracing me. I haven't put myself out there yet in those types settings, I guess, to say, to really see. I don't have any doubts that on the race I will be embraced, but yeah, so I could do my part more. I do have the platform on social media that some people follow on, but it is a community that I haven't quite tapped into fully yet. I would say.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's totally fair. I mean and you know, I think that what I find fascinating about what you're saying is when I hear of runners getting first into the sport and usually most of us come to it later on in life. Maybe there was a little bit of cross-country or track experience back in the day, but we've been sedentary for some time and we decided to lace up our shoes. There's a little bit of hesitation to consider ourselves, identify as being a runner first of all, and to actually like, try to immerse yourself in the community, because there's just a bit of not knowing and not feeling 100% comfortable. So I wonder if you're comfortable saying do you feel is that part of it, or do you feel like right now you just have your blinders on? You're hyper-focused, my friend, and like I got to get through it. I don't need to know what other people do, I need to make sure that I just get through it.
Speaker 4:I would say maybe that maybe I did have, or do have, blinders on, and I'm just so hyper-focused right now that I didn't, I guess, branch out, or I mean, I guess that would be the case. I've been pretty hyper-focused on what I'm trying to train for and get through, because I am so new and I don't know much yet, and so I am trying to consume as much information as I can through YouTube. I don't have any personal mentors who are ultra-runners, so I've just been kind of taking it on myself.
Speaker 2:I love this. I love that you have your eyes on the prize and that you are moving forward in this. I also feel very confident in your determination of that, once you get out there into the ultra race, that people will be there to help, because what we've learned in the running community is we truly do want others to be able to tackle these big things. And while we're running and it's very solitary, once we're there for whatever type of event, it becomes kind of a team. It becomes where we're all there to support and cheer others on. So how does that look in terms of we want to support you, we want to be your community. So we're going to definitely follow you on Instagram to follow your story, but I know that you also.
Speaker 2:This is a big endeavor that costs a lot of money. So you have started or maybe somebody started for you a GoFundMe page, correct? Yes, that's correct. Okay, so let's get a little bit into that, because it's not just the flight, which I would assume right now is a gazillion dollars.
Speaker 2:There's also the fact that you've got to get all of your gear over there, which is yet another fortune. You also have to take into account your travel, your accommodations while you're there, your gear, your nutrition, not just there for that time in the endeavor, for everything leading up to it as well, I would assume. So currently you have a $10,000 goal, okay, so we'll be sharing that in episode notes and we are definitely going to say that this is something where we're going to challenge you friends to head on over, lend her some support, because this is a big, audacious goal and we want to make sure that she, that you, feel completely supported and the fact that the community has your back. So tell me more about some of the things that go through your mind as you think of adding all these dollars up.
Speaker 4:Yeah, one of the things with me is, once I see something, I put my mind to it, not even counting the cost sometimes, and when I first saw the race I did not even imagine it would be the cost, that it is just the race entry alone. And so when I saw that I was like I initially felt like, okay, no, that's way out of grasp for me, I'm not even going to try it. But then I said you know what you know, I'm going to go after it and I'm going to just see how things turn out and if I can do it, I can do it. I can't, I'll work towards it in the future. Yeah, so that is what it needs to me in the ultra, Because I also looked up some other prices of ultras just to see like, was that like an extremely expensive one, or is there that just the going rate for that? And the ultra running is quite expensive and I think this one in particular is extremely expensive.
Speaker 2:So I'm glad that you mentioned that, because this is so a bit about a personal mission of mine is that when I look at the one of the things that I endeavor was to do the World Marathon majors and I love having that as an achievement. It took me 10 years to tackle it because of the expense, because I would have to do like one race and pause for a little bit to re-up the stores or whatever the case may be. But one of the things that I saw when I looked at the statistics as to who completes it majority, while women in the United States primarily make up 50%, if not more sometimes in the traditional road running field of racers, when it comes to bigger endeavors like this, we are being left behind and it's really powerful to hear you say I'm just going to make it happen One way or the other, I'm going to make it happen. And I think a big reason why women get left behind is because we are traditionally caregivers, so we're in caregiving roles, that there's also the fact that we don't have usually the same ability of dispensable income to have these endeavors happen.
Speaker 2:So I think that there is a lot to be said about trying to even that playing field a little bit more seeing young girls having the opportunity to look up to you, to know that they can make it happen and knowing that the community will support them when they do tackle these type of really big audacious I love calling it big audacious goals, because this is about as audacious as it gets in terms of. This is definitely where you had to have had confidence and that's why it's so exciting to see, and I'd love to also talk a little bit more about. So tell us about this journey.
Speaker 4:Like, what is it some of the things that you're most looking forward to in most also a little trepidation of I'm most looking forward to just getting to the start line and I know my heart is going to be beating so fast and we're going to be so. So I'll say excited, nervous. The distances, how they have it broken up, it's day one through four will be 25 miles per day, day five will be a 50 mile day and then day six will be risk and then day seven will be like a six mile day. And so I'm just excited because my training leading up to this I won't run those distances back to back to back to back to back. So I'm just, I'm not going to know what I'm going to feel, so I'm excited just to see what my body is capable of doing. I know I'll be able to complete the distances, but I'm just, I'm just excited to put all this, all these months of training, into practice or into performance, the most that you said trepidatious.
Speaker 4:I'm nervous, for I guess what I'm excited for I'm also very nervous for it's both. So the same excitement. I have to see where my body is capable of. I'm also nervous because I've never experienced that. And eating from a bath and not washing for seven days, that's. I'm scared for that.
Speaker 2:D. That's where you lost me. I did like a two day experience where I didn't have access to shower, and I felt like that old peanuts comic strip with pig pen, where I could literally physically see the smell around me. That was very encouraging, wasn't it? Don't you feel so much better after hearing that? The positive thing, though, is that you know you'll be in good company. Everyone else is going to be in the same shoes and, again, hopefully, no blisters. Anything that's happened in your training as of now in terms of physical that's giving you some pause for thought.
Speaker 4:Well, I'll be transparent. Back in July I was diagnosed. I went into the hospital if I had some stomach pain and come to find out I have four very large fibroids, and so they press on things that sometimes cause discomfort. I was debating on having them removed prior to the race, but the downtime would just been way too long and I would lose almost everything that I've trained for, so I'm going to have it done afterward. So that's been a little bit of a challenge with training, and I'm hoping that doesn't impact anything while I'm on the race.
Speaker 2:Holy smokes. Okay, so one, I'm glad that you were able to get that diagnosed so that you at least know what you're working with. I'm sure that that does help as you go into it. But also, that had to have been a really difficult decision as well, because at that point it's deciding do I start afresh after this and kind of try to get it taken care of or figure out how to deal with it the best that I can right now? So that had to have been a little nerve-wracking, I'm sure.
Speaker 2:My friend, I have to be honest with you. I had to look up this entry fee because, again, this is a bit foreign to me. Holy cow, 4100 US dollars. I didn't have any idea they were this expensive. I knew they were expensive, but I had no idea. I love that we are going to be able to be part of your journey and help you out with this with your GoFundMe. So, with that said, we are definitely looking forward to continuing to support you. We're going to follow along, we're going to check you out on Instagram and your YouTube and TikTok and what else could we do to help support you in this once in a lifetime adventure?
Speaker 4:It sounds like you guys have all the bases covered and I really appreciate that. So so much, yeah, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, GoFundMe. That's where I'm at right now and that's the greatest support, and I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2:Well, I want to thank you again for sharing this journey with us and we can't wait to keep cheering you on. Thank you so much. Thank you for having me. Absolutely incredible is what I can say after having that conversation. Such a bold, big, audacious goal and she is all in. It's fascinating to watch, so incredibly inspiring. And while it is absolutely incredible to watch, I also hope that it sparks a little intrigue for you to get off the sidelines and to jump right in and to making your big, audacious goals happen. So again, whether you're a seasoned runner, you're starting out. You prefer a different type of movement.
Speaker 2:Today's episode is a testament to the power of human spirit and perseverance. We welcome you to jump on in and join us in celebrating these incredible journeys with our community. Remember, you're not just listening to a podcast. You're becoming part of a movement that honors strength, endurance and the collective support that drives us forward. Thank you for tuning in to Time for French. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter. That's where you have all of these incredible recipes and a bit of behind the scenes. We're going to continue to explore the intersections of movement, mindset and extraordinary people who embody them. So, friend, keep dreaming and stay sparkly.
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