The Scarecrow Runner

In this recording I share an update on my current status and where things have been for me all summer. I provide an update on my 24 hour race in The Sticks in June and then give an overview of what I have been doing this summer outside of running and where my mind currently is for training. Sometimes...actually we always should be transparent and share the good and the bad. It's not always pretty or fun but social media sure paints a different picture for so many.

In this week's episode I visit with Andrea Vilar from Florida. Andrea is brand new to the ultra-running scene. She has not always been a runner and has been through a lot of challenges in her life where running was associated to a lot of negative and toxic feelings. She started running again last year and pushed through in building her mileage up and decided it is time to start building new memories and embracing the new season of her running career. She has allowed endurance running to help her through dealing with a lot of past traumatic experiences. She refuses to let people try and take the joy away from her and so on each run she is going out there and looking for things within each run that brings her joy. She has a great attitude about running now and cherishes the gift. She is of the mindset that we get to run.  The desire to push herself and go further than she ever has is pushing her to overcome. She is making lemonade out of the lemons that life has handed her. Andrea is now embarking on uncharted territory for herself. She has decided to go after a 50K and prove that she can do anything she puts her mind to.  I think you will enjoy listening to Andrea share her story and what has led her to chase after her first official ultra-marathon distance. It is refreshing to discuss something so close to my heart with someone who has decided to jump in feet first.

In this third installment of 'So you want to run an ultra?' the Scarecrow Runner throws down some deeper insight into ultra running and from his own experience. For those who are already training or putting the miles in, you need to prepare for the dark and unknown aspects of ultra-running; especially the longer distances beyond 50 miles. Anthony shares some important mental aspects that are important to consider in your ultra journey. Pressing past the pain, pressing past the disappointment and pressing past the negative mindset.   These 3 areas are huge in ultra-running. Pressing past the pain - everyone will experience pain in an ultra, but everyone is different and it will affect you at different times. You have to get past the pain. You will experience pain and discomfort running an ultra. The pain train or pain cave many runners call it will come calling at some point and you have to be ready to press past the pain or embrace the possibility of a DNF. Pressing past the disappointment - with every training session or even with every ultra race there are traces of disappointment. It could be a lot of different things ranging from not training well, to training well and then everything goes wrong during your race. Regardless of the things leading up to the race, during the race or after the race there will be disappointments. You will face them in your ultra journey and you must learn to press past them. Pressing past the negative mind set - this is one of the most important aspects of ultra-running. You have to get out of your own head and definitely stop listening to the negativity around you. During a race you will find yourself in some dark places and you will have to learn how to identify the negativity and get beyond it. Negative mind-set and negative thoughts will destroy you during an ultra and you need to be prepared to press past this roadblock and find a path around it or through it. I hope this episode will shed some light on some of the heavier and deeper aspects of ultra-running and will assist you in pressing past and pressing forward. Follow the Scarecrow Runner on Instagram at Scarecrow Runner  

Just as her Instagram handle declares, Be Wild and Free, Jess McClellan takes that as her motto in life and in ultra running. Like so many of us runners she began with very little knowledge and just laced them up one day and went running to challenge herself. She didn't know much about the sport, but as she researched and became more aware of what running was about she became infected with the running bug.  Her entire life has been filled with people saying she could never do things and made things very toxic. Jess has overcome so much adversity and uses that as motivation to accomplish great things. She has only been running since 2011 and has since completed a couple of 50 milers and is now training for her first 100 mile ultra. In this episode, Jess takes us through the experiences of her first 50 mile ultra and what required her to dig deep in some very dark places and to overcome adverse conditions. If there is anything Jess would have to say for a beginner jumping into ultra running would be, "don't give up. Keep going and moving forward. Your only competition is within yourself and don't forget to have fun."   You can follow Jess on Instagram at Be Wild and Free To follow along with the Scarecrow Runner check out my links here: The Scarecrow Runner The Scarecrow Runner YouTube channel

In this episode of "So you want to run an ultra?" I put on my best Gordon Ramsey impersonation and invite you into the running kitchen where we are going to make pizza.  Eating some pizza right now definitely sounds like a great time for a group of ultra runners, but in all actuality, we are only going to be building a hypothetical pizza. This will be for an 80/20 pizza. 80/20 - some may recognize this and some may not. 80% easy and 20% hard. Keep your easy days easy and your hard days hard. This rule will greatly reduce the chance of injury and burn out. It will allow you to build on your base mileage and get your body ready for the longer miles needed for running an ultra. That is the dough prep. Kneading the dough and making sure the foundation of the pizza doesn't have any flaws. We don't want it too lumpy, too thin or too thick. It needs to be just right :) and these miles need to be slow. The 20% are your hard workouts and the toppings that we place on top. Everyone who loves pizza is not just into it for the crust, but rather what's on top. This is where the sauce and the toppings tickle your tastebuds and where you get your speed and increased power. This is a very important aspect of your training, but you don't want to do too much of it or you will burn your pizza and even worse you will likely end up injured or burned out. I hope you will enjoy this fun episode of cooking in the kitchen with me as we talk about building our mileage and the strategy behind it.    Follow the Scarecrow Runner on Instagram at Scarecrow Runner

In this week's episode I had a great time visiting with Jacob and Melody Bateman from 'Trail to 100' podcast. I came across them when The Ultra Runner Guys were interviewed on their podcast and had posted about it. I immediately knew I wanted to bring them on the podcast and talk ultra with them and allow them to share some knowledge with the listeners. This podcast went way different than most and we just had a lot of back and forth conversation about ultra running and our experiences and what has worked and what hasn't. There wasn't really a real agenda for me when talking to them. I should have used my own ultra running experiences to prepare for this one. Did I prep as well as I should have? no. Did I ask all the questions that I wanted to? no. Did I let them share and expand on things as much as I would have liked? no. But that is okay, we all learn as we go.  In this episode we talk about a lot of different aspects of ultra running, from things that have worked to things that haven't worked: hydration, gear, race prep, nutrition. Jacob and Melody both share some aspects of their training they did together from the 50-mile variety all the way to the 40 hour - 100 mile grind they did self-supported on Pioneer Day in the July heat.   Melody shares some of her struggles she has had with her initial quest to qualify for Boston and what has changed and there is a major twist with this one, so make sure to pay attention. Both Jacob and Melody share tidbits on how they stay motivated and inspired to continue doing these distances and what they plan on doing in the future.   You can follow their podcast on https://www.instagram.com/trailto100 or on Melody's page https://www.instagram.com/thepinetreerunner

I am starting something new this month and am going to be releasing a series of episodes for beginners who are wanting to run ultras and sharing important tidbits of information to take into consideration before taking on the big task of running the big distances. In episode 1 of "So you want to run an ultra?" the Scarecrow Runner shares several tips and recommendations for someone wanting to run an ultra-marathon for the first time. When you decide to run an ultra-marathon there are a lot of things to consider: Overview of what distances are generally considered ultra-marathons Where are you at currently in your base mileage and current load What ultra distance are you wanting to run and review of basic training calendar expectations Are you wanting to run road races or trail races? Selecting the proper type of training plan and consideration of a running coach Strength and mobility  Finding the right race to run and what to consider Follow the scarecrow runner: on Instagram at Scarecrow Runner For training plans and also to find some running coaches - Training Peaks A great place to find ultra races - Ultra Signup My running coach: Lauren Beihofer -Lauren_runswild Her coaching and training business -  Misfit Mountain Athletics coaching

This week I sit down and visit with Justin Smith from central Oklahoma. Justin jumped into the ultra-running scene in 2019 after grappling in MMA for several years prior. He has run a slew of hundred milers with 11 finished races and 4 DNF's. Justin also has a passion to share his experiences in the races through his YouTube channel "Run Trails Eat Bacon". We have a fun conversation digging into what drives Justin to compete in hundred milers and why he decided to start running these long distances. Justin outlines his highs and lows and the things he has learned over the last 4 years running ultra-marathons. I hope you will enjoy the conversation we have and will continue to follow along in the journey as I bring on different guests who have learned to overcome adversity.   ----more----   “A free way to support the podcast is by leaving it a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. It’s a chance to tell us what you love about the show and it helps others discover it, too.”    Check out the Scarecrow Runner in other locations Instagram: scarecrowrunner YouTube: @thescarecrowrunner  

Join me in my three-year celebration overview. It is hard to believe that it has been 3-years this past week since I launched the Scarecrow Runner podcast.   It is hard to believe three years has passed since beginning something that was an experiment turned passion project. Since dropping my first episode it has grown into something more than I imagined and I look forward to seeing how much further it will go and what will happen next. One of the most rewarding things I have gotten out of doing these episodes is meeting and talking with other runners and people across the globe about them and just enjoying a conversation. You will find in this episode that I share some of the things I have struggled with over the last year and how I have overcome my own adversity. Running has always been my outlet and therapy that allows me to reset things, but I hit a really tough and dark place in 2021-2022 and I share more about this in the episode. I wanted to share an overview of the last 3 years and to launch into the next year with no expectations, but to continue doing something I have learned to enjoy. ----more----   “A free way to support the podcast is by leaving it a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. It’s a chance to tell us what you love about the show and it helps others discover it, too.”    Related Episodes: The Beginning | The Scarecrow Runner (podbean.com) Instagram: scarecrowrunner YouTube: @thescarecrowrunner  

When Shannon Mick started running it was doing a bunch of 5Ks for several years. A few years later she graduated to the marathon distance where over-crowded corrals, pushy runners and the whole road aspect just left a sour taste in her mouth. In fact, she hated a lot about it and was left unsatisfied. It wasn't until a rough day when she was home alone where she turned on the tv to decompress and her life was altered. Staring at the screen in front of her was a Badwater 135 documentary and it triggered something deep inside. Shannon was hooked immediately by the intense and grueling race that played out in front of her. What happened next was simply unimaginable. Shannon literally did a Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde transformation and threw road races to the curb and embraced nature and the trails. She soon became obsessed with the 50 mile distance and has not looked back. In fact, she has even dragged her husband along for the run to fuel the competitiveness between each other and spend more time together. Through this episode with Shannon Mick, a national certified counselor  and licensed professional counselor from Pennsylvania, I learn a lot about her passion of trail running and what fuels her to keep going when she faces adversity head on. We also dive into the basics of survival that an ultra-  runner needs when running these long distances: training, hydration, mental toughness and desire to keep going. I hope you will enjoy this episode as much as I did. I hope you will follow her on social media or YouTube if you have not already. @instagram -be.short.run.ultra - YouTube - @shannonbeshortrunultra  See you down the trail, The Scarecrow Runner  

Brad Lord grew up in a small Georgia town where his home life was everything, but normal. His dad was gone a lot working on the railroad and his mom had a lot of extra-curricular activities to keep her occupied. Even from the eyes of a young boy, he knew something wasn't right, but kept quiet to avoid harm for his mom and himself. The toxic environment he was living in pushed him to seek something else to occupy his time. Thankfully, Brad chose to embrace the path of football and weightlifting to help escape from the heaviness of his not-so-great home life. Listen along as Brad shares his story of how he overcame adversity and how he is using other outlets and sharing his story to heal from the past and embrace the best life ahead. 

This week's episode I had the privilege of having my friend, Aaron Dana on the show. Aaron is a returning guest and was excited to have him back on. A lot has changed and happened since we chatted in Episode 29 back in August 2020. At the time of the last episode, we chatted he had just conquered his first 100-mile ultra-marathon, the Mighty Mosquito and was 4th place overall. This was a fun visit where we talked about Bills and Chiefs football, to how to keep a good balance in our lives with training and sharing some insight in ultra-running and how to run your race and not worry about others.  Since that time, Aaron has logged some serious miles and has been chewing up some major elevation and has since returned to the Mighty Mosquito and took home 1st place overall this past summer and has endured some additional challenging races featuring the Backyard style, Mid-state mile and the Tennessee Mile - 40 hour. Talk about some serious elevation with over 36K feet of gain and over 100 miles completed with another first-place win. Aaron has learned how to adapt to his surroundings and his training and has matured a lot in the last 4 years of running. It was fun to hear him share some lessons learned and opportunities for success and improvement in the future. Aaron shares how he does hard things, how to balance things and be more intentional in what he is doing and how to keep a good head on his shoulders and enjoy life along the way.   

In this week's podcast I share something that has been on my mind and in my heart for several weeks, being intentional. It is the word I chose for myself after prayer and meditating on what to focus on for this upcoming year. Everything that I do this year will be intentional and on purpose.  I share how being intentional in all things will lead to success in every area of your life wherever you choose to apply it. I cover 5 areas of being intentional: having a deliberate plan for your day; be clear on the results you want; be purposeful with your time; be considerate with your focus and focusing on your goals. If you apply these 5 simple ways of adding intentionality to your schedule and your plans you will have more success than you realize. When you are intentional in things you are actively being deliberate, you are planning things out and you have goals that can be achieved and have measurable results.  I wish you the best in 2023 and hope to hear from you all and how you plan on being intentional. Until next time - Anthony

I sit down with a former classmate and teammate, Bill Griffith who has overcome so much in the last 19 months. We catch up on years past since high school and his background as a coach in college football. Our discussion then takes a turn into a more sobering topic of how he has battled Fentanyl and his steps of breaking free from its grasp. This is definitely not easy topic to discuss but allows for healing to take place and helps educate others on the dangers associated. Our hope with this discussion is to help shed some light on how addiction is affecting so many in our country. Having these tough conversations is a necessary step in the right direction that will hopefully open the eyes of many. 

So many times, over the years I have made the comment of, "I'll start on Monday" or "I will get started on that as soon as possible" only to never follow through with what I have said. I had good intentions, but I didn't ever follow through with them. I planned on starting a new program on Monday but then things came up and I let too much time slip and before you know it, the middle of the week is upon you and who wants to start a training program mid-week? Why not start a program in the middle of the week? Why do we need to start on a Monday? Well for me the excuse has always been the beginning of the week makes it a nice time to start something, but if you don't follow through it is pointless. We need to be intentional in our motivation and how we strive for fitness. In this episode I share several of the things I have struggled with over the last few years and provide some tips on how we can be intentional in our motivation. To intentionally motivate ourselves to get past the road of good intentions and on to the path of journey and success. Have a great week and thanks for listening!

2022 has been a very interesting year and just full of surprises, twists and turns that I didn't expect or plan on. It consisted of my children turning 8, 13, 15 and 21. 21? How is that even possible? It makes me feel old and blessed at the same time. I battled COVID in late October and had to take time to rest and recover. It is hard for someone like me to intentionally rest and not be active. I have and always will be one that is active. This year has been one of adjustments and adapting and I will embrace it. I embrace these moments and am learning to stop and be still. The Bible says in Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God...." the Lord is prompting me to take this into 2023 and be intentional and be still. To embrace the moment and capture what is in front of me. To be intentional and observe what is going on and not miss anything.  I want to encourage you as you listen to this podcast that you will stop and be still and listen. Be intentional and allow God to speak to your spirit and your heart and reveal things to you that you may be overlooking or have missed in the past. May 2023 be one that will be full of learning and blessing. 

One of the most important things as Christians that we need to remember is to put God first. Just as Lauren Daigle sings in her song, "First", we need to bring our needs, our desires, our wants and our problems to God first before anyone else or before we do anything else. When we bring everything to Him first, then we are truly honoring Him as believers and avoiding the trap that is so easy to get into and that is being dependent on the world. The world does not provide the comfort and peace that comes with Christ when we cast our cares on Him and let Him have access to us, first. It's a sign of true humility and obedience when we follow what is stated in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Every year people by the scores set resolutions for the next year in hopes of losing weight, getting out of debt, spending more time with their kids, making better choices, etc and unfortunately many of those resolutions and desires fail and the individuals are frustrated and give up entirely. Fortunately many do not give up and many do achieve the resolutions they set out to achieve for the next year. In most cases those who are successful have a secret to their success and it's because they are persistent, they set a goal, they write it down, they share it with others for accountability and they don't quit no matter how hard the challenge is. This is what we need to do as believers each day of our lives and especially coming into a new year with new challenges and opportunities that lie ahead of us waiting to be uncovered. We need to not only set New Year resolutions to be successful and healthy in our physical lives, but we also need to set resolutions and goals in our spiritual walk. That is the most important area of our lives that needs growth and development. It is crucial to have a Godly influence and focal point in our spiritual lives and allow it to spill over into our daily walk and lives. In Habbakuk 2:2-3 (Amplified Version) it states, "Then the Lord answered me and said, “Write the vision And engrave it plainly on [clay] tablets so that the one who reads it will run. “For the vision is yet for the appointed [future] time. It hurries toward the goal [of fulfillment]; it will not fail. Even though it delays, wait [patiently] for it, Because it will certainly come; it will not delay." We need to write down our visions and goals and make it big and bold so that we can see it and understand it when we are 'running'. We don't need to overcomplicate it or make it something we have to think a lot about. But we need to write them down and keep it close at hand and review it daily and share it with others and have them buy into your vision as well for accountability. If we put God at the forefront of our vision for the next year and the days we walk, we will most surely have success and not be frustrated the way one would be if they did not have vision with a Godly influence. We pray that 2022 is one full of vision, direction and favor for you as you step into a new season. We challenge you to state your vision and let God work in you and through you. Happy New Year!

It's crazy to think that Christmas is almost here. Literally, the most wonderful time of the year because of the one, true gift that we've been blessed with oh so many years ago. That blessed holy night, when Mary, the mother of Jesus, gave birth to the savior of the world. Isaiah 9:6 captures it best, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." We pray that the gift of God through His son Jesus would capture your attention and heart this Christmas season. May you and your family have a Merry Christmas and a prosperous and happy New Year.

We absolutely love this time of year....as it is often stated, "It's the most wonderful time of the year" and we cannot disagree. In fact, Christmas, is the most wonderful time of the year because Jesus is the reason for the season and it's a joy to celebrate His birth and life. Join us this week as Melissa and Anthony touch on the Christmas story found in Luke chapter 2 and then share two of their favorite Christmas songs along with the history and background. We hope you will be blessed by this conversation and receive something out of it.