Pushing Horizons Step by Step

What does it really take to run 200 miles? In Season 3, Episode 37 of Pushing Horizons: Step by Step, I'm joined by Mika Thewes, one of the most experienced athletes in 200-mile ultrarunning and a seven-time winner at the distance. In 2026, Mika won both the Mammoth 200 and Tahoe 200, finishing second overall in both races. But her journey began very differently. When she started running in 2010, she struggled to run even two miles without stopping. Within a few years, she progressed from marathons to 50-mile ultramarathons, 100-mile races, and eventually her first 200-miler at Bigfoot in 2015. Since then, she's spent more than a decade learning what it takes to survive and compete across multiple days on the trails. In this episode, we talk about: Mammoth 200 and Tahoe 200: Her victories, growing experience, and the pressure of competing at the front of the field. The early days of 200-mile ultrarunning: What racing was like in 2015, when athletes were still figuring out nutrition, sleep, and race strategies. Mental resilience: How Mika handles exhaustion, difficult moments, and the temptation to stop. Nutrition and sleep deprivation: Why fueling mistakes can destroy a race and how she manages the challenges of racing for days. Training for 200 miles: Why consistency, easy running, and building an aerobic foundation matter more than chasing quick improvements. Failure and DNFs: Why even finishing a race doesn't always mean achieving your goals. Problem-solving: Learning to distinguish between discomfort you can manage and situations where continuing becomes dangerous. The future: Her unfinished business at Cocodona 250 and Tor des Géants, and why she continues chasing her potential. One of the most interesting things Mika shares is that training for a 200-mile race isn't necessarily that different from training for 100 miles. What changes is everything you have to manage once you're out there. After more than a decade of racing, Mika still believes she hasn't reached her full potential. And that's what makes this conversation about more than just running 200 miles. It's about learning, adapting, dealing with failure, and continuing to push your own limits. 🎙️ Pushing Horizons: Step by Step — Season 3, Episode 37 What It Really Takes to Run 200 Miles | Mika Thewes Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major podcast platforms. Keywords: Mika Thewes, Mammoth 200 2026, Tahoe 200 2026, Mika Thewes interview, 200 mile ultramarathon, 200 mile training, ultrarunning podcast, trail running podcast, 200 mile race nutrition, sleep deprivation ultrarunning, mental toughness running, endurance running, Bigfoot 200, Cocodona 250, Tor des Géants, ultramarathon training, women's ultrarunning, ultra endurance athletes, Pushing Horizons Step by Step

Learning to Believe You Belong | Hannah Allgood | S3E36 What does it take to go from questioning whether you belong among the best runners in the world to believing you can compete with them? Hannah Allgood returns to Pushing Horizons: Step by Step, and a lot has changed since our last conversation. From competing at Western States 100 to winning Run Rabbit Run 100 and breaking the women's course record, Hannah has continued pushing herself to new levels in ultrarunning. At Western States 2026, she ran almost an hour faster than the previous year but finished three places lower, taking 10th among the women. It was a reminder of just how competitive women's ultrarunning has become and how even a stronger performance doesn't always produce a better result. Then came Run Rabbit Run 100. Over 100 miles of mountain trails, relentless rain, muddy conditions, freezing temperatures, and moments when things weren't going according to plan, Hannah pushed through to win the women's race and set a new course record. But this conversation goes beyond race results. We talk about how Hannah's confidence has evolved, the work she's done with sports psychology, and what it took for her to finally feel comfortable calling herself a professional trail runner. We also explore the pressure of competing at the highest level, dealing with self-doubt, learning from difficult races, and understanding that success isn't always measured by podium finishes. One thing that really stood out to me was how Hannah's perspective has changed. She's still chasing big goals, but she's also learning to appreciate the opportunities, the people, and the experiences that come with running. Because sometimes the biggest achievement isn't winning a race. It's finally believing that you belong. In this episode, we talk about: Hannah's evolution as a professional ultrarunner Western States 100 in 2025 and 2026 Winning Run Rabbit Run 100 and breaking the course record Racing in extreme weather and overcoming difficult moments Building confidence through sports psychology Training volume, recovery, and race execution Competing against the world's best female ultrarunners Managing expectations, pressure, and self-doubt Why winning isn't the only measure of success Hannah's future ambitions and returning to mountain racing Whether you're training for your first ultramarathon, chasing a personal best, or trying to find confidence in your own abilities, there's something in Hannah's journey that every runner can relate to. Pushing Horizons: Step by Step | Season 3, Episode 36 Follow Hannah on Instagram: @shesallgood21 Keywords: Hannah Allgood, Hannah Osowski, Learning to Believe You Belong, Pushing Horizons Step by Step, ultrarunning podcast, trail running podcast, Western States 100 2026, WSER100, Run Rabbit Run 100 2026, Run Rabbit Run course record, professional ultrarunner, female ultrarunners, women's trail running, 100 mile ultramarathon, endurance running, mental toughness, sports psychology for runners, ultramarathon training, running confidence, mountain running, race strategy, ultrarunning motivation, endurance athlete mindset

Four years. Two DNFs. One finish line that meant everything. Laura Bradley returns to Pushing Horizons: Step by Step after finally completing the Miami 100 Miles in 26 hours and 28 minutes. When Laura first joined the podcast in July 2025, she had recently completed the Tampa Bay 100, a course she created herself. But despite covering that distance, she still felt she had unfinished business with the Miami 100 after two unsuccessful attempts in 2022 and 2024. This time, things were different. Despite stomach problems, nutrition struggles, and the challenges of running 100 miles self-supported, Laura approached the race with a completely different mindset. During our conversation, she shares an emotional moment when she returned to the same section of the course where she had struggled four years earlier and realized how much she had changed. We also explore the mental side of ultrarunning, how DNFs affect our confidence, learning to trust ourselves again, and why completing a race doesn't always bring the closure we expect. In this episode, we talk about: Laura's Miami 100 finish in 26:28:00 Her previous DNFs in 2022 and 2024 The difference between completing Tampa Bay 100 and Miami 100 Nutrition challenges and problem-solving during ultramarathons Mental resilience, confidence, and learning from failure The emotional side of returning to a race that once defeated you Self-supported ultrarunning and learning to accept help Why she's already planning to return to Miami for a faster finish One of the most meaningful parts of our conversation was hearing Laura explain that Miami finally gave her something her previous 100-mile finish hadn't. A sense of peace. Because sometimes the biggest achievement isn't the distance itself. It's realizing how much you've changed along the way. 🎙️ Pushing Horizons: Step by Step — Season 3, Episode 35 Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Keywords: Laura Bradley, Miami 100, Miami 100 Miles, ultrarunning podcast, 100-mile ultramarathon, ultramarathon comeback, DNF recovery, running mindset, mental resilience, ultra endurance, Tampa Bay 100, self-supported ultrarunning, endurance training, ultrarunning nutrition, running motivation, women in ultrarunning, Pushing Horizons podcast.

What does it take to finish second at a 200-mile ultramarathon? And what happens when months of preparation end in a DNF? In this episode of Pushing Horizons: Step by Step, I sit down with ultrarunner Ian Hayashi Jones, who went from thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail to competing at the front of some of the toughest ultramarathons in just a few years. Ian's first running race wasn't a 5K, half marathon, or marathon. It was the Wyoming Range 100, a rugged 100-mile race that introduced him to competitive ultrarunning. In 2025, Ian took on Tahoe 200, finishing second overall in 56 hours, behind Kilian Korth. We talk about his experience racing alongside Kilian, managing sleep deprivation, overcoming nutrition problems, and what it takes mentally to keep moving for more than two days. But ultrarunning doesn't always go according to plan. At Mammoth 200 in 2026, Ian arrived with his biggest training block and one clear goal: to win. Unfortunately, severe stomach problems and repeated vomiting forced him to withdraw at approximately mile 82. We explore how he deals with disappointment, why he believes DNFs can help us discover our limits, and how his competitive mindset continues to evolve. We also talk about the importance of family and friendship, including the two simple words his twin brother said during his first 100-miler that still motivate him today: "Push, push." This conversation goes beyond race results. It's about ambition, setbacks, resilience, discovering our limits, and finding the motivation to keep moving forward. In this episode: From the Pacific Crest Trail to ultrarunning Running 100 miles as a first-ever race Tahoe 200: second overall in 56 hours Competing alongside Kilian Korth Sleep deprivation and nutrition during 200-mile races Mammoth 200: DNF at mile 82 Finding confidence through setbacks The role of family, friends, and pacers The meaning behind "Push, Push" Discovering what the human body and mind are capable of Keywords: Ian Hayashi Jones, Push Push, Pushing Horizons podcast, ultrarunning podcast, Tahoe 200 2025, Mammoth 200 2026, Kilian Korth, 200 mile ultramarathon, ultramarathon DNF, trail running, ultra endurance, mental resilience, endurance athlete, Pacific Crest Trail, ultrarunning nutrition, sleep deprivation, running motivation, 100 mile race, ultra running mindset.

450 Kilometers, One Step at a Time What does it take to keep moving when you've been on your feet for seven days, slept only 10 hours, and still have mountains to climb? Annie Hughes returns to Pushing Horizons: Step by Step to share two extraordinary adventures that pushed her beyond anything she had experienced before. First, we travel to Nepal, where Annie completed the Everest Marathon, her very first marathon, starting from Everest Base Camp at over 5,000 meters above sea level. We talk about the challenges of running at extreme altitude, climbing Island Peak, and experiencing the beauty of the Himalayas. Then we head to the Italian Alps for one of the most demanding mountain endurance races in the world: Tor des Glaciers. 450 kilometers. 32,000 meters of elevation gain. 173 hours. Around 10 hours of sleep. Annie finished sixth among the women, but getting to that finish line was anything but straightforward. For more than 30 hours, she struggled with severe stomach problems. Painful blisters made walking almost unbearable. Sleep deprivation, difficult navigation, and emotional breakdowns pushed her to some of her lowest moments. At one point, she found herself crying on a technical descent, struggling to keep her eyes open, with more than 100 miles still remaining. But rather than giving up, Annie focused on what she could control. One problem at a time. One mountain at a time. One step at a time. We also explore how her approach to ultrarunning has evolved, why sleep and nutrition become critical in multi-day races, and how she managed to feel stronger during the final miles than she had earlier in the race. And after completing 450 kilometers, Annie is already dreaming about even bigger adventures, including PTL and Swiss Peaks 700K. This conversation goes beyond race results. It's about resilience, patience, managing the unexpected, and discovering that we're often capable of more than we imagine. Because sometimes, the biggest challenge isn't the distance ahead. It's finding the strength to take the next step. Running the Everest Marathon and climbing Island Peak in Nepal. Why Annie's first marathon was unlike any other race. Taking on Tor des Glaciers: 450 km and 32,000 m of climbing. Managing stomach problems for more than 30 hours. Sleep deprivation and navigating technical mountain terrain. Painful blisters, tears, and the lowest moments of the race. Why eating, sleeping, and problem-solving matter as much as fitness. How Annie found her strength again with 100 miles remaining. Finishing sixth woman after 173 hours. What's next: PTL, Swiss Peaks 700K, and more mountain adventures. Annie Hughes, Pushing Horizons podcast, 450 Kilometers One Step at a Time, Tor des Glaciers, TOR450, Tor des Géants, Everest Marathon, ultrarunning podcast, ultra endurance, mountain ultrarunning, 450km ultramarathon, multi-day ultrarunning, 200 mile races, ultra running motivation, endurance athlete, mental toughness, sleep deprivation ultrarunning, ultramarathon nutrition, trail running, Swiss Peaks 700K, PTL UTMB, women in ultrarunning, endurance mindset, ultra running stories, Pushing Horizons Step by Step. In This EpisodeKeywords / SEO Tags