039: The Soul of an Ultrarunner: Uncovering Life's Deeper Purpose with Sally McRae
Nov 13, 2023
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Sally McCrae, legendary ultrarunner, shares her inspiring journey to becoming a champion and discusses mental strategies for overcoming challenges, the toll that ultrarunning takes on the body, maintaining authenticity, and pursuing personal desires.
Surrounding oneself with the right people can greatly impact personal growth and success.
By embracing failures and discomforts, individuals can learn valuable lessons and grow mentally and emotionally.
Taking care of one's body and building endurance through strength training is essential for enduring the physical toll of ultra races.
Living an authentic life rooted in love and pursuing passions that align with one's true self brings fulfillment and purpose.
Deep dives
Challenging oneself by taking on multiple 200-mile races
The speaker reflects on participating in a series of 200-mile races, aiming to push her limits and be better each year. She emphasizes the importance of being a student and learning from top athletes' strategies. Throughout the races, the speaker focuses on endurance and strength, including incorporating strength training to support her body. Despite facing physical challenges and weight loss, she remains dedicated to making the most of her off-season and prioritizing healing and recovery.
Dealing with overuse injuries
The speaker acknowledges the toll that overuse injuries can take on the body in ultra races. She highlights the need to pay attention to potential breakdown and build strength to endure the demanding distances. She shares her approach of putting on muscle and weight, as well as conditioning her body through hikes and weight vests to prepare for the races. Despite facing discomfort and overuse injuries, she remains determined to give her best effort and grow as a runner.
The challenges and lessons learned in each race
The speaker discusses the unique experiences and obstacles she faced in each race: Cocodona, Tahoe, Bigfoot, and Moab. From dealing with sickness and mouth sores to enduring extreme fatigue and foot pain, she stayed focused on her goals and relied on her mental strength and endurance. Despite setbacks, she persisted and valued the opportunity to learn about the distances and push beyond her limits.
Mistakes made and taking ownership
The speaker admits making a mistake by trying out new socks for the first time in a race, leading to unexpected foot issues. She emphasizes the importance of owning mistakes and learning from them. She reflects on her pride in not having foot issues before and acknowledges the need to be humble and willing to adapt in the face of challenges.
Managing Foot Blisters During a Race
The speaker recounts her experience in a race where she developed severe foot blisters within the first six miles. She attributes the blisters to wearing unwashed socks with printing colors that affected her skin. Despite the intense pain, she chose to stay positive and focus on reaching the aid station. She patched up her blisters and continued the race, recognizing that taking ownership of her mistake was crucial. The speaker emphasizes the importance of mental focus and resilience during challenging situations.
Embracing Failures and Learning from Setbacks
The speaker reflects on the journey of the Grand Slam series and the value of failures. She recounts how previous races and discomforts prepared her mentally and taught her valuable lessons for later races. She highlights the importance of courage and confidence in making decisions and pursuing goals. The speaker encourages individuals to embrace failures as part of the journey, recognize the potential for growth and adaptation, and pursue their passions authentically.
Living a Life Rooted in Love
The speaker discusses the significance of living a life rooted in love rather than being driven by selfishness or external expectations. She emphasizes the importance of pursuing goals and passions that align with one's authentic self, even if it means going against societal norms or expectations. The speaker encourages individuals to focus on the greater purpose in their pursuits and to approach life and decision-making with love, compassion, and an open mind.
Choosing Authenticity and Loving Yourself
The speaker highlights the importance of authenticity and self-love. She encourages people to be true to themselves, pursue their passions, and not be defined by others' expectations or labels. The speaker shares personal experiences of going against societal norms and expectations, such as being a professional runner with a family, to illustrate the power of embracing one's unique journey and pursuing what brings joy. She emphasizes the value of self-belief, self-expression, and the pursuit of goals rooted in love.
Today I'm sitting down for a conversation with legendary ultrarunner Sally McRae, winner of this year's Moab 240. Sally shared valuable wisdom, taking us through the highs and lows of her inspiring journey to becoming a champion ultrarunner. We covered everything from her mental and emotional strategies for overcoming the most challenging moments on the trail, revealing her core values as a mom, and maintaining our authentic self in a world that pushes us to conform. Enjoy!
