In this episode, I answer a great question from listener (and She Runs Ultras member) Kierstin:

How do you train mental toughness and resiliency when the moments you need it don’t show up until 12+ hours into a race? And how do you practice that in everyday life without recreating 20 hours of race fatigue?

Here’s the truth: you’re practicing mental toughness 24/7, whether you realize it or not. It doesn’t start with huge, heroic efforts. It starts with the small, uncomfortable, inconvenient stuff you’d rather avoid.

Inside the episode, we cover:

• Why mental toughness is built the same way strength training is — light weight first, then load.
• How “small annoyances” are actually prime training reps for mental resilience.
• Why skipping straight to the big challenges leaves you vulnerable to the small ones that derail races.
• Real examples of micro-challenges you can start using today:
  stretching after a run, running the hill you hate, waking up early, joining the back of the pack, choosing the rocky trail, etc.
• How to make a simple “uncomfortable list” and use it as a training progression from small → big.
• The real battle: the mental chatter that shows up before you even start the task.
• Why your self-talk before, during, and after these moments matters just as much as the action itself.
• A reminder that on race day, curveballs will happen — and these daily reps are what prepare you to meet them instead of fold.

I also talk about Episode 90 — Believe Hard, and why believing in your future self (yes, even irrationally at times) is a huge part of developing resilience.

If you want mental toughness to show up for you on race day, now is the time to start practicing — with the small stuff first.

Enjoy this episode — and start training your mind just as intentionally as your miles.

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📝 IF I HELPED YOU RUN YOUR FIRST ULTRA, FILL OUT THIS FORM

If you’ve ever tried using RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) and thought:

“Am I doing this right?”
“Why does this feel harder today than last week?”
“Is this even working?”

…this episode is for you!

Today we’re breaking down effort-based training — what it is, why it matters, and how it can totally change the way you approach running, especially if you're a woman in your 40s (and beyond) who wants to run longer, stronger, and yes… get faster on the trails.

Spoiler: RPE isn’t woo-woo.
It’s not guessing.
And it’s definitely not “slacking off.”

RPE is a training skill — one that helps you manage your energy, train smarter, reduce burnout, stay consistent, and build the kind of durability you actually need for ultras.

When you train by effort… speed finds you.

In this episode, we’ll cover:

🔹 Why so many midlife women struggle with RPE

🔹 What RPE actually is (and is NOT)

🔹 How effort-based training makes you a stronger ultrarunner

🔹 The surprising way RPE helps you get FASTER

🔹 How to start using RPE today

Whether you’re training for your first 50K, getting back into running after a layoff, or trying to feel more confident on the trails, this episode is going to give you the clarity and confidence you’ve been missing.

⭐️ GET THE FREE ULTIMATE 50K TRAINING TOOLKIT

🛍️ SHOP THE SHE RUNS ULTRAS STORE

➡️ CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP

📸 FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM

📝 IF I HELPED YOU RUN YOUR FIRST ULTRA, FILL OUT THIS FORM

If you’re in your off-season and thinking about what 2026’s training is going to look like…this episode is for you.

I’m walking you through a concept I use with all my athletes this time of year: Minimum Effective Dose. AKA: What’s the smallest amount of training you can do and still get the result you want? (Not just any result — the desired result.)

In this episode we cover:

• Why doing more isn’t always better (especially for runners 40+).
• What makes recovery, tissue tolerance, and injury risk different for masters athletes.
• Why copying someone else’s training plan (your running buddy, someone online, 2012-You…) can work againstyou.
• Two real-life examples where backing off actually moves you forward.
• How to experiment with training variables so you land on the right combination for your body.
• The key questions you should ask yourself as you review 2025 and gear up for 2026.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re not doing enough…or secretly doing too much…this will help you figure out your actual “sweet spot.”

Because sometimes?
Less really is more.

💥 JOIN THE 30 DAY SHAKEDOWN CHALLENGE

⭐️ GET THE FREE ULTIMATE 50K TRAINING TOOLKIT

🛍️ SHOP THE SHE RUNS ULTRAS STORE

➡️ CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP

📸 FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM

📝 IF I HELPED YOU RUN YOUR FIRST ULTRA, FILL OUT THIS FORM