- 1 hour 40 minutes#158 | Meg Eckert | 636 Miles in 6 Days: Her Record-Breaking Run
In this episode, Sally gets a chance to chat with friend, ultrarunner, and world-record holder Meg Eckert about her remarkable journey from being too afraid to show up for her first 5K to becoming one of the world’s top multi-day runners. Meg recently ran more than 636 miles in six days, becoming the first woman to surpass 1,000 kilometers in the event. She opens up about pacing, fear, joy, discomfort, her relationship with running, and the mindset that continues to push her toward discovering what she’s capable of. Thanks for pushing play. Enjoy!
Other Episode Highlights:
- Skipping her first 5K out of fear
- Why she started running because of her dog
- Meeting her husband through running
- Often runs to work—and arrives earlier than when she drives
- Meg's love of six-day races
- How she is very particular about tying her shoes
- Why brushing your teeth mid-race feels amazing
- Teaching middle school vs. hour 130
- How joy and suffering can coexist
- Training her gut with short-run gels
- How she still thinks she can improve the record
Keep Up With Meg:
INSTAGRAM: @_megeckert
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30 September 2026, 4:13 pm - 1 hour 5 minutes#157 | Rachel Drake | Motherhood, Medicine, & Racing UTMB
In this episode, Sally chats with her friend, and Elite ultrarunner, Rachel Drake, who shares what it looks like to pursue big dreams while raising two young children and working 65–80-hour weeks as an anesthesia resident. She opens up about UTMB, returning to running after pregnancy, leaning on family support, and learning that different priorities can take the lead during different seasons of life. You will be encouraged by Rachel's drive and commitment to excellence in all she does! Enjoy!
Other Episode Highlights:
- How running helps the emotionally demanding experiences she encounters at the hospital
- Sally eating Rachel's pre-race sweet potatoes
- The perspective of suffering from illness vs suffering in a race
- UTMB training 50-60 miles a week
- Overnight shifts days before UTMB
- Running after pregnancy
- Having an older brother helped to develop her competitiveness
Keep Up With Rachel:
STRAVA: Rachel Drake
INSTAGRAM: @rachelraedrake
YOUTUBE: @ultrafamilyhustle
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25 September 2026, 4:04 pm - 1 hour 30 minutes#156 | Rachel Entrekin | Best Year Ever!
Fresh off an incredible second-place finish at UTMB, Rachel shares what it was really like navigating the overwhelming crowds, racing alongside the best in the world, and fighting to hold onto second place in the final miles. She also opens up about her surprise mountaintop engagement, life with Will, wedding plans, Switzerland, pickleball, her upcoming Snowman Race in Bhutan, and why she’s more committed than ever to doing things her own way! You'll love this conversation. Enjoy!
Other Episode Highlights:
- The overwhelming UTMB start
- Glitter on the start line
- Being chased for 2nd place
- Trying to find her "positive attitude"
- Her fiance, Will, "The King of Switzerland"
- Wedding planning
Keep Up With Rachel:
Substack: @rachelentrekin
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19 September 2026, 12:00 pm - 1 hour 59 minutes#155 | Sally's Badwater 135 Race Recap
Just days before Badwater 135, Sally received an unexpected call offering her a spot in the race after she had already stopped heat training and shifted her focus toward TDS in the Alps. With only five days to prepare, she chose to say yes, reset her expectations, and approach one of the toughest races in the world very differently than she had in the past. Sally shares how slowing down, listening to her body, leaning on an incredible crew, and letting go of performance goals turned into one of her most meaningful race experiences. Enjoy!
Giveaway will last for 10 days from the release of this episode.
Other Episode Highlights:
- Another giveaway!
- Managing recurring stomach problems during ultras
- Knee update after nearly 500 miles of racing
- Meeting her crew for the first time the day before the race
- Popsicle at mile 25 creates a problem
- Running the final miles with Joe Corcione
- Barely eating from mile 45-120
- McDonald's hash brown saves the day
- Community highlights
All links, discounts, and ways to support the podcast are here.
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4 September 2026, 8:55 pm - 2 hours 38 minutes#154 | Sally's TDS Race Recap!
Fresh off the finish line in Chamonix, Sally recaps her first TDS—one of the most rugged races in the UTMB week—after battling rain, massive climbs, a brutal fall, a badly injured leg, and the loss of her poles. She shares how gratitude, perspective, and repeatedly choosing to take the next step carried her through to the finish line and helped turn a difficult race into a powerful reminder that feeling weak doesn’t mean you have to quit! It’s a long one, but it is worth it! Enjoy!
Other Episode Highlights:
- Starting from the last corral
- Surviving the midnight storm
- The aggressive first cutoff checkpoint
- Running, falling, sliding down in the rain
- Seven-thousand-foot mountain climbs
- Racing the last half of the TDS race without poles (crazy!)
- Why mountain gear really matters
- An encouragement for YOU to keep going
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28 August 2026, 10:57 pm - 1 hour 41 minutes#153 | Inside the Crew Behind the Fastest Badwater 135 Ever | Mackenzie Jolliffe & Billy Garner
In this episode, Sally chats with Mackenzie Jolliffe and Billy Garner. They take us behind the scenes of crewing Max Jolliffe during his historic Badwater 135, revealing the planning, pacing, nutrition, split-second decisions and teamwork required to keep him moving. They also share what the experience taught them about trust, friendship, staying calm under pressure and serving someone else without needing the spotlight. Enjoy!
Connect with Mackenzie & Billy!
Billy (William): Instagram & TikTok
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22 August 2026, 4:06 pm - 1 hour 42 minutes#152 | Joe Corcione | The Western States - Badwater Double & Reinventing Your Life
In this episode, Sally chats with her good friend, rockstar pacer, podcast host and ultrarunning coach, Joe Corcione! Joe shares how running helped transform his life from addiction and unhappiness into nearly eight years of sobriety, a coaching career, and a deep belief that people can change through consistent effort. Joe also chats about his demanding Western States–Badwater double and the larger lesson that growth comes from embracing difficult challenges! Enjoy!
Other episode highlights:
- Prioritizing rest and mental freshness over additional fitness.
- His first coach, Zach Bitter, gave him crucial confidence by immediately believing in his ambitious racing goals.
- Badwater fulfilled one of Joe’s long-held dream races and became a major “full-circle” moment.
- How friendships, crews, and shared moments often become more memorable than race times or placements.
- Joe’s coaching mission
Follow Joe:
Coaching: Theeverydayultra.com
Podcast: The Everyday Ultra
Instagram: @joecorcione
YouTube: @everydayultrapodcast1473
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15 August 2026, 12:00 pm - 1 hour 48 minutes#151 | Max Jolliffe | Badwater 135 CHAMPION
Fresh off his historic Badwater 135 win, in a time of 20:53:41 (the new course record!), Max Jolliffe joins the Choose Strong podcast to chat with Sally about his race & training leading up to race day. You'll gain insight into his mindset as he raced, his race strategy, how he heat trained, fueling and how hiring a coach changed everything for him. Enjoy!
Keep up with Max!
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7 August 2026, 1:00 pm - 1 hour 55 minutes#150 | How to Push Past the Wall, Recover From an Ultra & Believe You Belong
In this episode, Sally answers listener questions about overcoming mental barriers during races, stepping up from the half marathon to longer distances, recovering after a first ultra, and building a career in trail-running media. We also have an honest and encouraging conversation about body image, comparison, and why every runner—regardless of pace, size, or experience—belongs in the running community. Thanks for tuning in - enjoy!
Other Episode Highlights:
- How to prepare for the mental wall that often appears late in a marathon or ultra.
- Why identifying your fears before race day can help you respond differently when things get hard.
- The simple race-day strategy of slowing down, walking, fueling, and refusing to let temporary discomfort make the decision for you.
- How to know when you are ready to move from a half marathon to a marathon or 50K.
- Why curiosity and excitement may be better indicators of readiness than waiting to feel completely confident.
- The biggest training adjustment when moving up to the marathon: gradually extending the weekly long run while including recovery weeks.
- What nausea, shaking, poor sleep, and temperature-regulation problems after a first ultra may reveal about hydration and depletion.
- Practical advice for entering trail-running photography, filmmaking, or media by creating consistently, building relationships, and starting humbly.
- Why comparison can convince runners that they do not belong—even when they are already doing the bravest thing by showing up.
- Sally’s reminder that your pace, body shape, and clothing size do not determine whether you are a “real” runner.
- Choose Strong Community Highlights
Send in your questions! Record Them Here
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31 July 2026, 8:23 pm - 1 hour 8 minutes#149 | Courage, Curiosity & the Road to the Olympics | Anna Gibson
Elite runner and mountain athlete Anna Gibson joins Sally to share the unexpected journey that took her from the 1,500-meter semifinals at the U.S. Olympic Trials to ski mountaineering’s debut at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Anna opens up about saying yes before she felt ready, winning the race that sent Team USA to the Games, the emotional comedown that followed, and why joy, vulnerability, and community matter more than any result. Enjoy!
Other Episode Highlights:
- The funny reality of learning a brand-new sport while chasing the Olympics.
- Behind-the-scenes moments from Anna’s crash course in ski mountaineering.
- How staying curious and being willing to look like a beginner opened unexpected doors.
- What it feels like when a casual “yes” suddenly becomes a life-changing opportunity.
- Why even elite athletes have awkward moments, doubts, and plenty to learn along the way.
- Why the people beside you matter more than any title or finish line.
Follow Anna's Adventures: @annaagibsonn
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31 July 2026, 4:13 am - 1 hour 42 minutes#148 | Identity, Purpose & the Road Back to Running | Kat Edwards Anderson
In this episode , Sally chats with ultrarunner Kat Anderson in an honest conversation about the winding road that shaped her life—one filled with unexpected detours, difficult seasons, and a renewed sense of purpose. From growing up in a hardworking family to rediscovering her passion for running, Kat shares how every chapter prepared her for the next. Enjoy!
Other Episode Highlights:
- Why Kat walked away from running—and what brought her back
- The dangers of tying your identity to performance
- How a toxic coach nearly ended her running career
- The power of faith during life's hardest seasons
- How CrossFit prepared her for 200+ mile races
- The Cocodona 250 lessons that changed her forever
- What it takes mentally to race at the elite level
- The value of hard work learned from childhood
- How to find purpose beyond winning and losing
Follow Kat!
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