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Rachel Entrekin - American elite ultramarathon runner and physical therapist known for her remarkable performances in some of the world’s toughest long-distance trail races. 

Rachel joins the Keep Hammering Collective to talk about her path from a full-time job to life as a full-time athlete, balancing sponsorships, science, and the grit of mountain running. She opens up about overcoming an eating disorder, finding strength through lifting, embracing imperfections, and building a “bulletproof” life - on and off the trails. From Hardrock dreams and Courtney Dauwalter inspiration to pain caves, haters, and why speedwork is still the worst, this episode is honest, motivating, and unapologetically real.

Follow along:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cameronhanes 

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

Website: https://www.cameronhanes.com 

Follow Rachel:

https://www.instagram.com/rachel__entrekin/ 

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Full Time Job to Full Time Athlete

00:07:14 – Rachel’s Sponsorships

00:15:10 – Dirtbag Runner with a Doctorate Degree

00:22:48 – Eating Disorder, Rehab, and Finding a Love for Mountain Running

00:36:29 – Learning How to Shoot a Bow & the Appreciation of Helping Others

00:48:17 – Spike Camp & Encouragement from Rachel

00:55:23 – Elevation & Gain in Running and Making an Impact

01:00:27 – A Mental Block with Lifting & Creating a Bullet Proof Life with Strength

01:04:18 – Who Inspires Rachel: Courtney Dauwalter

01:11:27 – People That Don’t Believe in You - Haters

01:17:51 – Goals for 2026

01:26:52 – Upcoming Opportunities

01:30:24 – Personalities in Running and the Inspiration of Imperfections

01:38:19 – Podcast Experiences and Learning from Others

01:43:08 – F**k, Marry, Kill: Hardrock, Western States, UTMB

01:44:19 – Is a 50k an Ultra Race?

01:46:50 – Rachel’s “Pain Cave” or “Filing” Cabinet” When Things Get Hard

01:50:01 – Who Rachel Would Switch Minds with During a Race

01:51:40 – Always Excited to Run … Unless it’s Speedwork

01:53:29 – The Power of Everything Going Wrong

01:57:54 – Final Thoughts and New Bow

Thank you to our sponsors:

https://cameronhanes.com/pages/sponsors