Unstoppable Ultra Runner

What's the one thing you're most afraid of happening in your next ultra? Maybe it's missing a cutoff, getting injured, or wanting to quit when things get tough. Whatever your worst-case scenario is, you probably do everything you can to avoid thinking about it. But what if avoiding that fear is actually giving it more control over your race?

Deliberately facing your worst-case scenario can be one of the most powerful things you do to prepare for an ultra. Join me this week to discover how to take the power away from your biggest race fear and approach the starting line with greater confidence. I share how I help ultra runners examine their worst-case scenarios and make a plan for handling them, so they can stop worrying about what might happen and focus on running their best race.

For full show notes, transcript PDF, and more information, visit https://susanidonnelly.com/81

Connect with Susan:

Instagram: instagram.com/susanidonnelly

Facebook: facebook.com/susanidonnelly

Mentioned in this episode:

Do you have a big race coming up?

I can help you make the most of all that training. My signature, proven process for planning a race is now open for registration. It’s called Race Crafting and it gives you four one-on-one coaching sessions with me.

Register and Learn More About Race Crafting Here

The post-race blues are something many ultrarunners experience, but most of us simply push through them or sign up for another race to get excited again. The problem is that chasing your next goal doesn't necessarily fix what's missing. In this episode, I'm exploring why that empty feeling happens, how it can affect your motivation for future races, and why the way you celebrate your accomplishments matters more than you might think.

Discover how to move past the post-race blues without rushing into your next challenge. I share practical ways to reflect on your race, recognize the wins you might have overlooked, and fully appreciate what you've accomplished so you can carry that confidence into whatever comes next.

For full show notes, transcript PDF, and more information, visit https://susanidonnelly.com/80

Connect with Susan:

Instagram: instagram.com/susanidonnelly

Facebook: facebook.com/susanidonnelly

Mentioned in this episode:

Do you have a big race coming up?

I can help you make the most of all that training. My signature, proven process for planning a race is now open for registration. It’s called Race Crafting and it gives you four one-on-one coaching sessions with me.

Register and Learn More About Race Crafting Here

Knowing your cutoff times, organizing drop bags, and arranging crew support isn’t the same as having a complete race plan. You also need to know how you’ll handle challenges, make decisions under pressure, and adapt when things don’t go as expected. In this episode, I’m introducing Race Crafting, the race-planning process I’ve developed through more than 150 100-mile finishes and years of coaching other ultrarunners.

I share how Race Crafting helped one of my clients finally finish Superior 100 on her fourth attempt after three DNFs, and why having a plan can make such a difference. You’ll discover how to replace race anxiety with confidence, prepare for the unexpected, and arrive at the starting line knowing exactly how you intend to run your race.

For full show notes, transcript PDF, and more information, visit https://susanidonnelly.com/79

Connect with Susan:

Instagram: instagram.com/susanidonnelly

Facebook: facebook.com/susanidonnelly

Mentioned in this episode:

Do you have a big race coming up?

I can help you make the most of all that training. My signature, proven process for planning a race is now open for registration. It’s called Race Crafting and it gives you four one-on-one coaching sessions with me.

Register and Learn More About Race Crafting Here

You’ve trained for months, prepared your gear, and mapped out your nutrition and aid station strategy. But have you actually planned how you’re going to run your race?

In this episode, I’m introducing Race Crafting, my signature process for building a complete ultramarathon race plan. Through this coaching package, we’ll create your pacing strategy, map out your course, prepare for challenges, and build a mental plan for the moments when things get hard. You’ll leave with a roadmap for your race and a clearer understanding of the decisions you’ll make along the way.

Register and Learn More About Race Crafting Here

I can't wait to work with you!

You’ve finished 50 miles, and now you can’t stop thinking about 100. But doubling the distance brings a whole new level of uncertainty. Do you need to run a 100K first? Are you really ready for 100 miles? And how do you prepare for a distance you’ve never experienced before?

In this episode, I’m sharing the five things I would focus on if I were making my own leap from 50 to 100 miles again. I show you how to prepare for the challenges ahead so you can make strong decisions, adapt when things don’t go to plan, and give yourself the best chance of running a race you’re proud of. You only get one first 100, and the goal is to make it a triumphant adventure while laying a strong foundation for the 100s still to come.

For full show notes, transcript PDF, and more information, visit https://susanidonnelly.com/78

Connect with Susan:

Instagram: instagram.com/susanidonnelly

Facebook: facebook.com/susanidonnelly

Mentioned in this episode:

Do you have a big race coming up?

I can help you make the most of all that training. My signature, proven process for planning a race is now open for registration. It’s called Race Crafting and it gives you four one-on-one coaching sessions with me.

Register and Learn More About Race Crafting Here

Everyone around you takes off, and suddenly you’re running faster than you planned because you don’t want to get stuck behind slower runners or feel like you’re already falling behind. Before you know it, the race strategy you meant to follow has disappeared in the first few miles.

In this episode, I break down why telling yourself to “go out slow” isn’t enough to keep you from getting swept up in the chaos at the start of an ultra. You’ll learn how to plan for the pressures you’ll face when everyone else takes off, make intentional decisions instead of reacting to the runners around you, and start running your own race from the very first step.

For full show notes, transcript PDF, and more information, visit https://susanidonnelly.com/77

Connect with Susan:

Instagram: instagram.com/susanidonnelly

Facebook: facebook.com/susanidonnelly

Mentioned in this episode:

Do you have a big race coming up?

I can help you make the most of all that training. My signature, proven process for planning a race is now open for registration. It’s called Race Crafting and it gives you four one-on-one coaching sessions with me.

Register and Learn More About Race Crafting Here

There comes a point in some races when you just don’t want to be there anymore. The miles feel monotonous, you desperately want them to be over, and suddenly being anywhere but where you are feels like the only thing you want.

In this episode, I share why the urge to escape can become a real problem in an ultra. I explain why wanting out isn’t actually the problem, what the problem really is, and how learning to tolerate those uncomfortable feelings can help you stay in your race, be present even when you’re not having fun, and build the mental strength to keep going when your goal is still miles away.

For full show notes, transcript PDF, and more information, visit https://susanidonnelly.com/76

Connect with Susan:

Instagram: instagram.com/susanidonnelly

Facebook: facebook.com/susanidonnelly

Mentioned in this episode:

Do you have a big race coming up?

I can help you make the most of all that training. My signature, proven process for planning a race is now open for registration. It’s called Race Crafting and it gives you four one-on-one coaching sessions with me.

Register and Learn More About Race Crafting Here

In this episode, I’m breaking down the belief that once your race starts going downhill, it will keep getting worse. I explain why a few difficult miles aren’t enough to predict the rest of your race, why the lows you experience aren’t necessarily the start of a steady decline, and how this assumption can convince you that your race is over before it actually is.

Learn how to replace “How am I going to do 40 more miles?” with a much more useful question: “What haven’t I tried yet?” so you can give yourself the chance to climb out of a low, keep moving forward, and discover what you’re actually capable of as an ultra runner.

For full show notes, transcript PDF, and more information, visit https://susanidonnelly.com/75

Connect with Susan:

Instagram: instagram.com/susanidonnelly

Facebook: facebook.com/susanidonnelly

Mentioned in this episode:

Do you have a big race coming up?

I can help you make the most of all that training. My signature, proven process for planning a race is now open for registration. It’s called Race Crafting and it gives you four one-on-one coaching sessions with me.

Register and Learn More About Race Crafting Here

Your GPS watch gives you pace, distance, heart rate, location, and more data than you could ever need during an ultra. But what happens when those numbers aren’t as accurate as you think they are, or when your brain interprets them in a way that sends you straight into panic?

In this episode, I’m exploring why your GPS watch isn’t an infallible source of truth and why more data doesn’t necessarily lead to better decisions on race day. I show you where inaccuracies can creep into your watch data, how your brain turns neutral numbers into potential threats, and why reacting to those numbers without questioning them costs so many ultra runners their confidence, race goals, and even their finish.

For full show notes, transcript PDF, and more information, visit https://susanidonnelly.com/74

Connect with Susan:

Instagram: instagram.com/susanidonnelly

Facebook: facebook.com/susanidonnelly

Mentioned in this episode:

Do you have a big race coming up?

I can help you make the most of all that training. My signature, proven process for planning a race is now open for registration. It’s called Race Crafting and it gives you four one-on-one coaching sessions with me.

Register and Learn More About Race Crafting Here

Training plan entitlement is the belief that choosing and completing the right training plan means you’re owed a good race. In this episode, I’ll show you why this thinking can undermine your self-trust, how handing your decisions and expectations over to a training plan can actually work against you, and what to do instead so you’re prepared to handle whatever happens on race day.

Discover how to use your training plan as a tool without letting it make your decisions for you and learn how to build the kind of self-trust that doesn’t depend on having an easy race, but on knowing you can handle a hard one.

For full show notes, transcript PDF, and more information, visit https://susanidonnelly.com/73

Connect with Susan:

Instagram: instagram.com/susanidonnelly

Facebook: facebook.com/susanidonnelly

Mentioned in this episode:

Do you have a big race coming up?

I can help you make the most of all that training. My signature, proven process for planning a race is now open for registration. It’s called Race Crafting and it gives you four one-on-one coaching sessions with me.

Register and Learn More About Race Crafting Here