Choose Strong

We did it- Sally's first 200+ mile race is complete and we have a solid 3 hour episode to break it all down. You'll want to save this for your extra long run or to power you through the next few days as every segment is insightful and encouraging. As with all our episodes, we hope you find strength and encouragement for your own journey in what we have to share. You'll hear the backgro...

Get ready for an hour of entertainment & a whole lot of inspiration as Eddie and Sally talk about the build up to the first of 4, 200 mile races this year…building a team, crewing, and of course choosing strong! We want to thank YOU for your support and being a part of the community! If you loved this episode and want to help us continue to put out great content, please consider downloading Sa...

Today I sit down with Mac Jackson - a new runner in the ultra world who recently crushed his first 100 mile race in under 20 hours. Mac talks about juggling life as a husband, father, and career man while fitting in the training. Be sure to give Mac a follow @Maction17 on IG! We want to thank you for listening, sharing and supporting our channel. Be sure to check us out at the following media outl...

Are you frustrated with your training or tired of people saying you are training wrong? In this special episode, Sally shares her personal story of overcoming self-doubt and a sea of critics to fulfill a childhood dream of becoming a professional athlete. We guarantee you will be encouraged and inspired by this episode no matter where you are in your dream journey- running or not. Episode Topics:...

Tim Tollefson is one of the most well known and accomplished American ultra runners in the world. Since signing his first pro contract 9 years ago, Tim has powered his way up mountains and varied terrain to stand on podiums all over the world, including the most competitive of them UTMB, where he twice placed 3rd as well as 2nd in the CCC. In addition to a long list of 1st place finishes, Tim is w...

When Drew Darby and Tyler McCain were tasked with filming the CHOOSE STRONG PROJECT they had little knowledge of what they were getting into. In this episode you will learn how these two creators took big risks, overcame personal fears, and pushed beyond their limits to capture a story that has impacted thousands of people around the world.  Check out the CHOOSE STRONG FILM on YouTube Follow...

If you haven't heard of the power team that is Heather Jackson and Wattie yet, be prepared to add them to your "most inspirational" list of people. For 15 years Heather has crushed the Triathlon scene; a career that was lovingly encouraged by her husband, Sean Watkins. Known for her giant smile, disciplined training and relentless optimism, Heather is forging ahead to test herself in new ways in 2...

Sally hosts this episode solo and breaks down her thoughts on how to stay motivated. She also talks about the Choose Strong 30 Challenge and gives a quick life update on family, her book, moving, and her big goal for 2023. For more information on the Choose Strong 30 Challenge happening Nov.7th-Dec. 7th, check out the info here ! Check out Sally's Run and Strength app here (it's FREE for the first...

On September 29th, Sally stood on the street corner of Main Street and Mount Whitney Portal Road in Lone Pine, CA. She had never summited Mount Whitney before, so why did she think she could pull off summiting the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states, not just once but twice? And as if the challenge of summiting twice wasn't enough, Sally chose to start at the very bottom, 23 miles away. The wh...

-We often say, we are capable of more than we know, but how will we ever know what that looks like, unless we try. As Sally stood at the Start of Race #4 in the ChooseStrong Project, she was feeling the effects of racing 3 massive races in the previous 8 weeks. She chose the word GRATITUDE as her focus word and despite the grueling course, found her way to the Finish line once again. -Topics Cover...

Sally knew as she hit the "SUBMIT REGISTRATION" button that Leadville 100 would be especially challenging for her as an athlete. This 100 mile, extreme high altitude race already poses a challenge for anyone not acclimated to altitude, and with Sally's lifelong issues with being able to breathe in and out fully, this course would undoubtedly test her mentally to keep going even when she didn't fee...

You have a plan; you prepared relentlessly; and when you set out on your journey everything seems to be going just as planned; and then, when you least expect it; everything falls apart. How do you keep going when what you worked so hard for slips through your fingers? And how do you keep going when everything just plain hurts? In this episode Sally talks about her recent race at Angeles Crest 100...

The World's Toughest Footrace starts at Badwater Basin in California, 282 feet below sea level and travels 135 miles, over 3 mountain passes; ending at Mount Whitney Portal (the entrance to the tallest mountain in the lower 48 States). The race is known for it's extreme heat and harsh conditions with temperatures reaching close to 130F. Over a decade ago, Sally crafted a goal for herself to win th...

In this episode Sally shares about a challenging project she has been quietly working toward and how YOU can join! +Intro to the Choose Strong Project +The 6 races totaling 500+ miles that Sally will be racing in the next 5 months +The reason why 2022 is the year Sally has been anticipating for more than half her life. +How the community and how people have already been sharing their Choose Strong...

In this episode I sit down with Deb Hamberlin, as she recaps her first try at the 200 mile distance. She finished 19th woman at COCODONA 250. I coached Deb for 4 years and this was my first time carving out a training plan for this distance. Deb is one of the kindest and most helpful runners in the ultra community and so to see her accomplish this incredible feat brought me great joy! During our c...

You'll want to save and share this episode because it's FULL of real-life experiences Sally has had in her 20 years as an endurance runner. In this episode, Sally is joined by Eddie as she discusses some of her biggest fears when she first started running, especially on the trails and how she overcame them. She offers advice, tips, and a good dose of FIRM responses that women can used when being h...

When you know your purpose in life and you choose to give it your 100% best effort every day of your life; this is what it looks like! Meet the legendary Shalane Flanagan and hear her inspiring story from childhood to present day and what she’s planning to do this year! Shalane is an American distance runner, Olympic medalist, and winner of the NY City Marathon, to name just a few! Listen and be i...

In the final episode of The Body Series, I address the questions YOU sent me- which are some of the most popular I receive on a weekly basis. We discuss food, strength training while running, motivation, and how to approach running with a healthy mindset. I am joined in this episode by the ever patient Eddie McRae; my best friend and husband. For the links I discuss in the episode, you can check o...

This episode is brought to you by the Sally McRae App: https://sallymcrae.app  Finally an app that helps you understand how to incorporate strength training into your running program PLUS so much more! Check it out and thank you in advance for your support. Show Notes: -Joined by my husband as well as being my best friend since I was 18 years old, Eddie shares some stories and insight about his jo...

In this 3 part Body series, I answer questions from listeners about issues surrounding body image and address some of the common comments I have gotten over the years regarding my own body. My desire is to encourage others to focus on what the body can DO rather than focusing on criticisms or beliefs that we need to change our bodies in order to do what we love. This is one of my favorite topics t...

In this episode: *Intro and Welcome to the first episode *The launch of CHOOSE STRONG and what to expect from future episodes *Call to action: Tell me what YOU hope to hear on my podcast by sending an email to choosestrongpodcast@sallymcrae.com *Closing Encouragement: Be Courageous/ See IG post from October 20, 2021 Choose Strong is a podcast focused on encouraging others to live a strong and purp...