Pushing Horizons Step by Step

In Season 2 Episode 42 of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , we sit down with professional trail runner Robyn Lesh to unpack her journey from believing she “couldn’t run” to finishing 7th at CCC (UTMB), one of the most competitive 100K mountain races in the world. We dive deep into ultra running mindset, pacing strategy, racing 100K with 6,000m of elevation gain, handling low moments, recovery afte...

Last time I spoke to him, he had just finished Cocodona 250 tested, humbled, hungry for more. Now he returns after winning the Gobi 240. Four hundred kilometers across the desert. Self-navigated. Self-supported. No crew. No pacers. Just checkpoints, a GPS watch, and long stretches of silence where your mind becomes your biggest opponent. In this episode, we break down what it really takes to win a...

She didn’t start the year chasing a record. She started the year questioning if she even wanted to keep running. Then she ran the 200-mile Triple Crown. Tahoe 200. Bigfoot 200. Moab 240. Three races. Four months. And she broke the women’s Triple Crown record. But this episode is not about the record. It’s about what it takes to stay calm when you’re injured. To remove comparison. To ignore the noi...

What happens when running stops being about pace, and becomes about freedom? In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , we sit down with one of the UK’s most accomplished ultrarunners to talk about mental strength, 100-mile races, mountain adventures, DNFs, and the deeper reasons behind pushing limits. From early 50-mile races in Wales to multiple 100-mile victories, podium finishes, and...

In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , we dive into an inspiring trail running journey that began in 2023 and quickly escalated into completing some of Hong Kong’s toughest ultra races. From a first 19km race to finishing the  HK100 (103km, 5314m elevation gain) ,  TransLantau 100K , and the brutal  HK100 Grand Sam (192km over three days with 8750m elevation gain) , this story is abo...

In this episode, I sit down with Josh McDole, ultrarunner and 2025 Triple Crown of 200s finisher. We dive deep into what it really takes to complete Zion 100, Cocodona 250, Tahoe 200, Bigfoot 200, and Moab 240, all in a single season. We talk about: Running 200+ miles through mountains and desert Night four sleep deprivation and hallucinations Mental toughness vs physical endurance Fueling, recove...

What happens when fitness stops being something you do and starts becoming who you are? In this episode, I sit down with Jon to unpack a journey that moved from team sport to solo endurance. From discovering running after football ended, to tackling 24-hour races, hundred milers, brutal mountain ultras, and completing all six World Marathon Majors, this conversation goes far beyond finish times. W...

Not every race ends at the finish line. Some end with a decision. In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , we dive into the realities of ultrarunning beyond results. We talk about building mental strength through failure, learning from DNFs, and why knowing when to stop can be just as powerful as pushing through. This conversation covers the full picture: mindset under pressure, fuelin...

In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , we explore what happens when joy, not ego, becomes the driving force behind running. This conversation dives deep into the mental side of ultrarunning, including DNFs, burnout, loss of motivation, and the pressure to constantly perform. We talk about why some races fall apart despite perfect preparation, how life context affects performance, and...

What keeps someone going when the race stretches beyond 100 kilometers, the body starts to fail, and quitting would be the easy option? In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , we explore what it really means to find joy inside suffering. This is a deep, honest conversation about ultrarunning, long-distance racing, and the mindset required to stay calm when things go wrong. We talk abo...

In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Steps by Steps , I sit down with  Alyssa Clark , one of the most accomplished endurance athletes in ultrarunning today. From breaking the 24-hour barrier at HURT 100 to winning Moab 240 and standing on podiums at some of the toughest races in the world, Alyssa’s journey is not about shortcuts or hype. It’s about patience, durability, and learning how to stay p...

What does it really mean to  earn every mile ? In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , I sit down with  Anthony Costales , an elite ultrarunner who has stood on major podiums while balancing a full life outside the sport. Teaching, coaching, family, and still showing up day after day to compete at the highest level. We talk about the reality behind long-distance running. The mental sw...

What does it really mean to choose hard things on purpose? In this episode, we sit down with one of the most accomplished endurance athletes of our time to unpack the mindset behind extreme challenges. From solo ocean crossings to back-to-back ultramarathons, this conversation goes beyond achievements and into intention. We talk about fear, discipline, mental fatigue, purpose-driven endurance, and...

What does it really mean to  belong  at the front of the pack? In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , I sit down with elite ultrarunner  Lotti Brinks  to talk about the journey from showing up unsure, to racing with confidence against the best in the world. We dive into her breakthrough performances, including major ultra wins, course records, earning a Golden Ticket, and racing at W...

What happens when you stop waiting and start committing? In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , we talk about the journey from triathlon to marathon running, the leap from half marathon to the full 42.2 km, and what it means to set a goal that actually scares you. With Stockholm Marathon as the first full and another marathon planned later in the year, this conversation dives into tr...

What does it really take to go longer when everything inside you says stop? In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , we dive deep into the mindset behind ultra-distance running, 200-mile races, and the quiet resilience required to endure multi-day events. This conversation explores mental toughness, suffering with purpose, sleep deprivation, endurance mindset, and why some athletes are...

In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , we explore what it really takes to turn setbacks into breakthrough performances in ultrarunning. From DNFs and high-pressure races to rebuilding confidence and finding consistency, this conversation dives deep into the mental and physical side of competing at a high level. We talk about managing expectations, racing with intention, learning from...

What does it really take to survive 200 miles on foot? In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , we go beyond training plans and race stats and into the mental space where ultrarunning truly lives. This is a conversation about doubt, patience, pain, and the quiet decisions made when quitting feels reasonable and continuing doesn’t. We talk about endurance when the body is done, staying...

Ultrarunning isn’t held together by grit alone. Behind every finish line is calculation, planning, and someone making impossible decisions with zero sleep. In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , I sit down with one of the sharpest minds behind the scenes of ultra-distance racing. We talk about what really happens beyond mile 100. Crewing strategy. Reading runners before they break. M...

In this episode of  Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , Matt Ramiller breaks down what it really takes to survive and succeed in ultrarunning. From his skateboarding roots to brutal Midwest winters, from 200-mile grinds to races that test your identity mile after mile, Matt shows what resilience looks like in real life. We talk early failures, proud finishes, near breakdowns, parenting through traini...

Driven by Curiosity and Grit , featuring elite trail runner and theoretical physicist  Juliette Soule . From analyzing data in the lab to climbing mountains at UTMB races, Juliette has built her life around curiosity, discipline, and the drive to push her limits. In this episode, we talk about how she fell in love with trail running, the lessons she’s learned from injuries, what keeps her motivate...

In this episode of Pushing Horizons: Step by Step , we dive into a story shaped by extremes. From sub-zero Alaskan winters to the heavy heat and humidity of Ohio, today’s guest built her running identity through contrast. She ran her first marathon distance at two degrees Fahrenheit, trained nineteen weeks for a 50K that fell apart in brutal conditions, then went back and completed the entire dist...

In this episode, I sit down with someone who defines resilience in the real sense. Twenty-two ultras, three of them done while pregnant, and a life story that hits harder than any race could. We talk about grief, trauma, motherhood, identity shifts, DNFs, comebacks, and how running becomes a space to process the things you never say out loud. This is a raw and honest conversation about surviving l...

The holidays get busy, family, food, travel, chaos, but running somehow keeps us grounded through it all. In this Cool Kids Edition , Val and Bobby join me to talk about what we’re thankful for, how we balance life and miles, and why sometimes just showing up is enough. From Turkey trots to treadmill miles, from missed runs to mindset shifts, we dig into what it means to stay grateful, not just fo...

Some dreams don’t fade, they follow you through childhood, into adulthood, through every race, injury, setback, and breakthrough. For today’s guest, Western States was that dream. The race she thought about as a kid running cross country, the one she carried through 50Ks, 100Ks, Miwok, Waldo, and The Big Alta. In this episode, we talk about what it takes to chase a goal for years, the mental shift...