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. Go to https://unstoppable-ultra-runner.captivate.fm/race-crafting to learn more.

Register and Learn More About Race Crafting Here

You promised yourself you’d go out slow. And then the race starts.

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. Go to https://unstoppable-ultra-runner.captivate.fm/race-crafting to learn more.

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. Go to https://unstoppable-ultra-runner.captivate.fm/race-crafting to learn more.

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. Go to https://unstoppable-ultra-runner.captivate.fm/race-crafting to learn more.

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. Go to https://unstoppable-ultra-runner.captivate.fm/race-crafting to learn more.

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. Go to https://unstoppable-ultra-runner.captivate.fm/race-crafting to learn more.

Register and Learn More About Race Crafting Here

If you're constantly worried about cutoff, it's easy to assume you need to train harder or run faster. But you may already have more time available than you realize. The problem is that without noticing it, you could be giving that time away mile after mile to distractions that have nothing to do with getting you to the finish line.

In this episode, I share the top three distractions I see stealing runners' attention and valuable race time, and explain how each one pulls your focus away from what you need to be doing right now, whether that's maintaining your pace, fueling consistently, or simply paying attention to the trail in front of you.

For full show notes, transcript PDF, and more information, visit https://susanidonnelly.com/72

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. Go to https://unstoppable-ultra-runner.captivate.fm/race-crafting to learn more.

Register and Learn More About Race Crafting Here