Summary

Rachel Belmont, a travel nurse and ultra runner, shares her journey from competitive high school runner to discovering the world of ultra marathon running. She talks about overcoming injuries and setbacks, finding mental toughness, and transitioning from shorter distances to longer distances. Rachel also discusses her experiences in extreme sports like wingsuiting and skydiving, and how she ultimately found her passion in ultra running. She shares a memorable encounter with ultra running legend Pam Reed and the bond they formed during a race. Despite facing challenges, Rachel remains resilient and grateful for the opportunities she has had in the ultra running community. Rachel shares her experience of participating in the Jungle Ultra race in the Amazon jungle in Peru. She talks about the challenges she faced, including running through knee-deep water, trekking through a rainforest, and navigating technical trails at night. Despite the difficulties, Rachel found the race to be a transformative adventure that taught her resilience and the power of self-belief. She emphasizes the importance of embracing unique experiences and finding strength in the face of darkness. Rachel plans to continue her running adventures, including a self-pioneered route from Vietnam to Cambodia and future transcontinental runs.

Takeaways

Overcoming injuries and setbacks can lead to new opportunities and passions.

Mental toughness developed in high school running can be applied to ultra marathon running.

The ultra running community is known for its kindness, empathy, and support.

Transitioning from shorter distances to longer distances requires discipline and the ability to suffer for longer periods of time.

Finding a supportive and ethical community is important for personal growth and happiness. The Jungle Ultra race in the Amazon jungle in Peru is a challenging and transformative adventure.

Running through knee-deep water, trekking through a rainforest, and navigating technical trails at night are some of the challenges faced in the race.

The race taught Rachel resilience and the power of self-belief.

Embracing unique experiences and finding strength in the face of darkness are important life lessons.

Rachel plans to continue her running adventures, including a self-pioneered route from Vietnam to Cambodia and future transcontinental runs.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Cheese Stick Talk

01:18 Living in Maine and Stephen Kingville

03:08 Transitioning from Travel Nursing to Ultra Running

07:35 Rachel's Running Journey: High School to Ultra Marathons

19:38 Discovering Ultra Marathon Running and First 100-Miler

21:02 Meeting Pam Reed and the Keys 100

30:51 Introduction to the Jungle Ultra race in Peru

38:28 Rachel's long-standing desire to participate in the race

41:21 Training challenges in Maine for the Amazon jungle race

46:39 Running through the remote and untouched trails of the Amazon jungle

48:56 Memorable moments and lessons learned in the race

55:13 The importance of self-belief and overcoming darkness

58:03 Future running adventures and self-pioneered routes

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