Peach Podcast

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125 miles sounds like a distance problem until you’re out there at 1:30 a.m. on a rock face, cold, sleep-deprived, and trying to stay upright. We’re back from the Sedona Canyon 125, part of the Cocodona race week in Arizona, and we’re telling the story from the first impulsive registration click to the final steps into Heritage Square in downtown Flagstaff.

We break down the real mechanics of finishing an ultramarathon: drop bags, aid stations, mandatory gear checks, GPS trackers, and why your “plan” rarely survives the first day. You’ll hear what the opening miles feel like leaving Jerome, how the heat and exposure change everything, and why reaching Sedona becomes a psychological checkpoint. Then it gets intense on Hangover Trail, where the route turns technical and the only way through is focus, humility, and strangers helping strangers.

The second half goes deep into the unglamorous truths of endurance running: blister management, medical tent magic, short sleep resets on cots, and the mental weirdness of night miles where hallucinations make rocks look like people. We also talk about what crew and pacers actually do, how they reduce mistakes, keep you fueled, and help you push through the “mind games” that show up late. If you’ve ever wondered whether you could do something this big, we think this conversation will give you both the caution signs and the spark.

Share this with someone who loves hard adventures, and leave a review if you want us to keep bringing back the full play-by-play. What part of a 125-mile race would scare you most: the climbs, the cold nights, or the sleep deprivation?

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We sit down with Ultra E Eric and Double Barrel Daryl while the Silver Moon 24-hour race is still fresh on their legs and in their heads. We break down what helped them keep moving through the pain cave, why this loop ultra is perfect Sedona 125 training, and what they learn about quitting when quitting is easy.

• What the Silver Moon Race is and why a 24-hour loop changes your mindset 
• Building a race camp that removes decisions with pop-ups, bins, shoes, and comfort 
• Fueling strategy with personal favorites like Coke, chips, and homemade sandwiches 
• Six-hour mental chunks, night running, sunrise energy, and Eric’s 3 a.m. crash 
• Heat, dust, and the late-race pain cave with ice, timers, and stubborn forward motion 
• Small moments that matter, from quiet encouragement to the infamous porta potty situation 
• Final totals and new milestones with Eric’s first 100K and Daryl’s 75 miles 
• Recovery plan for ultra runners with sleep, low-impact movement, and mental prep for Sedona

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Trade the sprint for the long game. We open with a quiet win on Mount Diablo—no PR chase, just a smooth, no-stop climb—and follow that thread into a one-year milestone of trail running that culminates at the Salmon Falls 50K. From dawn school buses and wet-grass starts to 4,300 feet of gain and a roaring finish-line clock, we unpack the strategy that kept us moving: timers for fueling, tight aid-station stops, and the humility to slow down on painful descents. The final third becomes the crucible where mindset matters most, and we watch a teammate find fourth and fifth wind while the course reminds us to respect our limits.

What sticks with us isn’t a split; it’s the culture. Trail running runs on encouragement. A stranger’s “you’re doing great” can lift your stride, and a simple check-in can turn into a finish-line handshake you won’t forget. We share the moment a daughter placed a medal on her dad and the thrill of a runner crossing with 24 seconds left on a nine-hour cutoff—proof that community can carry you farther than pace alone. That same spirit belongs at work and at home: make praise specific, start meetings with a human moment, and keep a running log of what people do well.

We also get honest about aging, injury, and recovery. The mind thinks it’s 25; the body sends a different invoice. We draw a sharper line between “can” and “should,” learn to listen after events, and commit to adapting rather than stopping—swapping runs for the bike, using poles when needed, and building recovery into the plan. Compression, red light, cold plunges, sauna, stretching, breath work—we treat these like workouts, not afterthoughts, scheduling them so tomorrow’s miles feel possible.

Next up: a timed 100 at Silver Moon and JP’s Backyard Ultra, an event with heart and a cause worth showing up for. If this story nudged you to slow down, encourage someone, or schedule recovery like it matters, we’d love to hear it. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs the nudge, and leave a review with your best trail encouragement—what words carried you the farthest?

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A two-hour family dance party and a throwaway text thread shouldn’t lead to a 25-runner movement—but that’s exactly what happened. We sit down with Austin Zertuche, a Sacramento County dad who transformed casual “let’s run” messages into the St. Mel Striders, an official school-parent running club that trains busy adults from 5Ks to half marathons while raising funds for their Catholic school community.

Austin takes us from his early childhood roots and work-heavy high school years to discovering running through Fleet Feet programs, where accountability and structure turned effort into joy. He shares the simple blueprint that made the Striders stick: clear rules of positivity and respect, two training tracks with volunteer coaches, a 10-week plan anchored by the long run, and relentless encouragement through shared screenshots and honest check-ins. The result? Stronger times, real friendships, and the kind of momentum that carries people through Sacramento heat and over finish lines.

We also dig into the leadership behind volunteer fitness communities: planning kickoff calls, writing useful emails, answering questions on hydration, fueling, and mobility, and wearing all the hats—coach, organizer, treasurer, hype crew. Austin’s insights are practical and human, grounded in the belief that consistency is contagious when people feel safe to show up at their own pace. The most moving thread might be the family effect: kids biking alongside long runs, little ones copying stretches on the living room floor, and children cheering as parents chase goals they can see and touch.

By the end, we’re looking ahead to bigger goals like CIM and first marathons, with a shared confidence that ordinary actions—done with purpose, energy, attitude, commitment, and health—can change lives. If you’ve been waiting to start, borrow this playbook, invite a friend, and let community carry you forward. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review to help others find us.

For anyone entering the 4th Quarter of life (50-60 & Beyond!) check out: https://thefourthquarterpodcast.buzzsprout.com

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Fear doesn’t whisper; it shouts. We open with the snap back from Maui warmth to winter training and a cross-Atlantic work trip, then step straight into a raw conversation about using fear as fuel. One of us shares a full year off social media and the surprising lesson that almost no one notices when you step away—freeing you from comparison and pulling you back to faith, clarity, and purposeful posting. From there, we put big stakes in the ground: a 100-mile race and the Sedona 125 with serious elevation and heat. The gap from a past 50-miler to those distances is real, and saying “I am scared” out loud becomes the first move toward an honest plan.

We unpack fear as a tool, not a verdict. Healthy fear gets you out the door at 4:45 a.m.; unhealthy fear freezes you at mile zero imagining mile 90. The fix is process over outcomes: win January with 30–35 weekly miles, strength twice, cross-train, dial nutrition, and rest on purpose. Stories from the Death Ride climb bring it to life—where a cup of noodles, a lawn chair, and too much talk can end your day. Movement changes mindset; descend first, decide later. We share a simple four-step framework to navigate fear fast: Pause to stop the spin, test your Perception, return to Presence, and reconnect to Purpose. With practice, that cycle turns panic into progress.

We close by reframing goals through Tony Robbins’ lens: we’re not built to achieve, we’re built to grow. Growth makes us happier, more generous, and more resilient—in sport, work, and relationships. If you already fell off your resolution, start again today. Do it scared. Stack one small win. And if this conversation helps you find your footing, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick review so more people can use fear as a tool for growth.

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We climb Haleakala from sea level to 10,023 feet, turn a vacation into an adventure, and learn why support, fuel, and mindset matter more than perfect legs. A friend’s injury reshapes the day, the descent gets dicey, and we end the year grateful, active, and ready to keep momentum.

• why Maui for year-end and how the plan formed
• fueling strategy matters
• Eric’s injury and pivot to support MVP
• mental tactics of 1,000-foot chunks
• summit push, thin air, and emotional payoff
• freezing descent andcoffee warm-up
• active vacation philosophy and daily training
• running milestones, rucking for recovery, process focus
• community shoutouts and a 49ers win
• “no resolutions, just keep it rolling”

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What happens when a lifelong lifter turns himself into a runner and an ultra guy finally toes the line at a road marathon? We dive into a full, unfiltered walk-through of the California International Marathon—why 26.2 felt worth the leap, how the training actually fit into real life, and the pacing decisions that made race day feel strong instead of shattered. From expo buzz and shakeout nerves to the bus ride, the frosty start, and that roaring finish by the Capitol, we bring you inside the moments that matter.

Max shares how a 3 a.m. alarm, union trade hours, and three days of lifting paired with steady long runs to shave nearly two minutes per mile. Daryl explains converting trail and ultra endurance into road rhythm with weekly mileage targets, a delta 30K test, and a plan to avoid the start-line sprint. We unpack the power of heart rate pacing, the discipline of letting friends go early, and the late-race calculus when the Sac State bridge shows up and your legs refuse to turn over any faster. Fueling, electrolytes, and simple choices like posture and core strength get their due—because they decide whether you’re sprinting the chute or cramping on the curb.

Beyond splits and gels, this is a story about community and identity. CIM’s organization, crowds, and volunteers—bananas, bands, and all—create an atmosphere that lifts thousands. We talk about the quiet minute after the medal, the way kids light up at the fence, and why “enjoy your race” is the best send-off you can give a runner. Finish lines have a way of changing what you believe about yourself. That’s why the calendar is already inked for CIM and the San Francisco Marathon.

If this sparks something, hit follow, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and drop your next goal or target time in a review. Subscribe for more real training talk, smarter pacing, and stories that push you to start—then finish.

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What would you do if time felt short? We sit down with endurance athlete and clinician Jonathan Pascual to explore how a rare cancer diagnosis reshaped his relationship with pain, purpose, and community. From the start, Jonathan’s story defies the usual arc: he built a free backyard ultra that drew 600 people and raised nearly $90,000 for paraganglioma research, precisely because removing barriers created a bigger impact. His pre-race challenge—love harder, serve others, embrace discomfort—turns a run into a mission.

Jonathan opens up about living with metastases across his spine, skull, ribs, and pelvis, and why movement is medicine when practiced with care. He breaks down how attention, breath, and low-intensity training can push pain into the background without glorifying suffering. Then he brings us to Kona. Halfway through the Ironman swim, the math said he was done. Venous compression made horizontal breathing brutal. Cameras and kayaks followed the last swimmer. He chose to continue anyway—stroke by stroke, flipping to breathe—reaching shore with minutes to spare and crying for the chance to go on.

Threaded through his story is Stoic wisdom—memento mori as a daily compass—and a layered identity that doesn’t crumble when sport is stripped away. We talk about building a community-first event, protecting its soul while scaling, and the fundraising model that keeps donations where they matter. Most of all, Jonathan leaves us with a playbook anyone can use: start with courage, ask for help, and make the first step so easy you’ll do it tomorrow, and the next day.

If this conversation moved you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review to help more people find it. Your one small action today might be the ripple someone else needs.

Check out JP’s Backyard Ultra: https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/Napa/JPsBackyardUltraHike

Want to get more info or become part of the mission:

https://linktr.ee/jonathanpascual?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=5198111e-a050-4646-a892-e11b5f0ef278

Follow Jonathan on IG:

https://www.instagram.com/jpconbrio?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

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A simple sign flipped our perspective: there is no finish line. Not as a threat, but as a quiet promise that health, purpose, and progress don’t end at a medal or a milestone. We go back to our Peach roots—purpose, energy, attitude, commitment, health—and unpack how a longevity mindset changes the way we train, work, and show up for the people we love.

We talk about the trap of quick fixes and why they fade once the event is over, and we trade them for small, repeatable habits that build a life you can carry for decades. That means redefining success when plans go sideways, choosing consistency over perfection, and designing weeks that flex around travel, schedules, and stress. We share practical strategies: planning before you’re on the road, celebrating small wins to build momentum, and using run-walk intervals or conversational pacing to keep injuries at bay. The goal isn’t to crush every workout—it’s to keep moving next year and ten years from now.

The conversation gets personal: how identity-based habits—“I’m a runner,” “I’m a healthy person”—pull better choices from us even on hard days. We cover the foundations that make training sustainable: quality sleep, hydration, simple nutrition, stress management, and a routine that’s portable across seasons of life. When your identity aligns with your actions, the work feels less like a grind and more like a promise you’re proud to keep.

If the finish line keeps moving, maybe that’s good news. It means we get to keep writing the story. Tune in, get practical tools to start small today, and share this with someone who’s ready to trade all-or-nothing for always-becoming. If this resonated, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us your next small win.

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Miss the feeling of momentum? We hit reset and dive straight into the wild world of Backyard Ultras—the strangely simple, brutally honest format where runners tackle a 4.167-mile loop every hour on the hour until only one person remains. No prize purse. No fanfare. Just a whistle, a corral, and a test of pacing, patience, and pure grit.

We break down why the loop is exactly 4.167 miles, how the hourly restart changes everything, and what it takes to manage nutrition, sleep deprivation, and mindset when the clock rules your decisions. From flooded trails and road alternates to the chilling quiet between whistles, you’ll hear how the smallest choices—when to sit, what to eat, how to breathe—become the difference between another lap and a DNF. We revisit the jaw-dropping numbers from Big’s Backyard: 114 laps for the win, eight athletes over 100 yards, and the kind of sportsmanship that turns a race into a study of character.

Along the way, we talk benefits and risks. The 40% rule shows up when your brain says you’re done and your body proves otherwise, but there’s a cost if you ignore recovery and reality. We share practical ways to try the format safely: start with one yard, bring a simple kit, train your night legs, and consider rucking four miles in an hour if you’re building back from injury. The community matters as much as the mileage—first-timers chasing three laps get the same cheers as elites chasing records.

We’re also lacing up for the NorCal Backyard Ultra at Folsom, practicing night loops, and testing one-hour routines to stay sharp. If you need a clean slate or a challenge that fits any level, this format can be your reset button—one whistle, one lap, one decision at a time. If the episode moves you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review with your guess: how many hours could you last?