This is a conversation about listening to your gut when you know it’s time for a change. In Shawn’s case, he took a lot of courage because he didn’t have the answers he was looking for when he decided it was time for a change. Instead of waiting to know all of the answers first, Shawn and his wife took a leap of faith and took an extended trip away and what they found is quite an inspiring tale.
This conversation gets right to the roots of my origins as an ultra runner. Shawn was the race director of the Brookvale 50k race in P.E.I., my very first ultra-marathon. Five trips to the Brookvale Ultra Trail Races later, I never could have guessed that we would have become friends who have shared some great adventures. One of which he paced me through the night of a 142k triple looper around the Cape Chignecto Park here in Nova Scotia.
Shawn is an accomplished ultra-runner who has run in the alps, and many ultras here closer to home. We get into the details of some of these epic experiences during our conversation as well.
Over the years, as I have gotten to know Shawn, I learned that he wasn’t always a cabinet maker. In fact he started out as program director for a YMCA. The story he told me of how he came to find woodworking later in life was very inspiring.
It was great to sit down with Shawn and re-hash some of these adventures, and I know you will enjoy it!
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On Thanksgiving weekend, a small crew from the east coast (NFLD, NS, NB) made the trip to Bromont, Quebec, to take on one of the most challenging 100's east of the Rockies, boasting 7000m of elevation gain over the 160k course.
I ran the race myself and wanted to share my experience with you, but I also thought it would be cool if everyone else I knew would be up for sitting down to share their experiences. They said yes, and here we are.
As a coach one of my favorite conversations I have with my athletes is the race debrief where we talk all about the race or adventure in detail and go deep on what when well and what didn't. This is often a missed opportunity that many miss out on, but it is so valuable in processing the experience and actually learning from it so you can improve.
As a coach one of my favorite conversations I have with my athletes is the race debrief where we talk all about the race or adventure in detail and go deep on what when well and what didn't. This is often a missed opportunity that many miss out on, but it is so valuable in processing the experience and actually learning from it so you can improve.
Sarah Lamos is an aspiring ultrarunner training for her first 50k this summer and is also the group leader for the Saint John Trail Runners woman's only trail running group. Sarah has been blogging about her experience, and she is so open and honest with what she shares.
Mike Peterson is fast, like 2:47 marathon fast, but he didn't run a step until 36! He started running after being inspired by his wife, who is also a pretty awesome runner. His story shows that anyone can pick up the sport of running at any point in their life and excel in the sport. Mike has taken his passion for the sport to the next level and is now the high school and UPEI cross country and track coach; and this all came about because he said yes to helping out the running coach at the school he was teaching at in Halifax.
Sarah Warford competed for Canada at the world championships for canicross. She is also the one who is mainly responsible for bringing the sport of canicross and dog harness sports here to the Maritimes, and she also coaches others in the sport. Many of her athletes have also gone on to compete both nationally and internationally.
Over the years, while completing many ultras, including the Vermont 100 mile races, Blair has been battling some pretty extreme stomach issues, which are now preventing him from running these longer ultra distances that he loves. In the beginning, he found himself avoiding ultra races because he could no longer participate the way that he used to. But now, he is focused on giving back and helping others which has grown his love for the sport even more.
Before we recorded this conversation, I polled on social media to see what injury you wanted to know more about, and IT band syndrome won. Aside from talking all things IT band syndrome. This is a conversation about creating a life around your passion. Laura truly has centered her life around running and being active.
This is a conversation that every runner who is or is thinking about having a Boston Qualifying marathon time as a goal should pay attention to. Marathon running is a cruel sport. It doesn't care how prepared you are, how fit you are, and how mentally ready you are. Sometimes when you line up to that start line, factors outside of your control mean that it is just not going to be your day. When you are chasing a time standard at the limit of what you are capable of, it will be hard. Someone will rarely get it on their first try, and if they do, then that time standard was that close to their limit of potential. What takes true courage, grit and determination are to keep showing up and trying again that 2nd, 3rd or more times because you've decided that it is truly important to you.
This is a conversation about filling your soul up outside of your "job". Like me Janna works as a Professional Engineer, but that is not all that defines her. We often get hung up on what we do for a living as our single source of what is most important in our lives and how most of society tries to judge us, and you've probably heard the buzz phrases like your job should be your passion. Even if you do like your job and enjoy what you do for a living, I'd say it is pretty rare to have a job that ticks all of those boxes for you, and that is normal. But it is also ok and normal to seek additional fulfillment outside of this job, which can be extremely rewarding. When you do this, you end up showing up in your life as a better, more whole human.