Gotta Run Podcast Norm & Jodi

Returning to the podcast is Ihor Verys.  Based in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Ihor is the first Ukranian-Canadian finisher and ultimate winner of the 2024 The Barkley Marathons!
Ihor has been very busy since we last spoke to him after his Fat Dog 120 win in 2022 including runner up at Big’s Backyard World Championship running over 715k last year and a win at Hurt 100 this year.
We touch on a few key elements from those two races and then dive into The Barkley Marathons.  In a year that saw five finishers in total including the first woman, Jasmin Paris, Ihor was the winner in 58 hours, 44 minutes.
After spending just a short time with Ihor virtually, it is obvious to us that he is an incredible human being and true ambassador for ultra running. 

We wrap up our chat with a light-hearted rapid-fire segment so be sure to listen to the end. 

Here is Ihor Verys…

You can follow Ihor on Instagram here  - https://www.instagram.com/ihorverys/

If you enjoyed our show please leave a rating and review.  We would really appreciate it.

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The Sulphur Springs Trail Race is a 20K loop course, in the Dundas Valley Conservation Area just outside of Hamilton, Ontario that has been running for more than 30 years, making it the oldest running Ultra Marathon in Canada!  Distances offered include 10k up to 100 miles. 

This year, the race seeks to become Ontario’s first Western States 100 qualifier - which would be a huge accomplishment - so we reached out to the trio of Race Directors from Straw Dog Racing which includes Steve Connor, Mauro Campanelli, and Russell Thacker, to get their insights on the legacy of this iconic spring race and how they are approaching the challenge ahead.

Here is Straw Dog Racing…

You can follow Sulphur Springs Trail Race on Instagram here  - https://www.instagram.com/sulphurspringstrailrace/

If you enjoyed our show please leave a rating and review.  We would really appreciate it.

Check out GottaRunRacing website here and use promo code GRRPODCAST for discounts - gottarunracing.com
Check out our YouTube Channel here - https://youtube.com/@GottaRunRacing
Check out GRR Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/gottarunracing/
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Jonathan Albon is a 34 year old multi-discipline athlete originally from the UK, now living in Norway.

Jon has left his mark on many sports including Obstacle Course Racing where he recently took home the largest prize in OCR history by crossing the line first in Saudi Arabia; completing 100 kilometres in 8 hours with 20 obstacles per 10K lap! 

He has some equally impressive results in trail and ultra running including top spots at OCC and CCC in recent years as well as 3rd in the short trail distance at the World Mountain and Trail Championships in Thailand in 2022.

He has twice won the final ranking of Sky Extreme Series and has once been the overall winner of the Skyrunner World Series.

Jon and his wife Henriette, who is also an accomplished professional trail runner, have created a training app, aptly named AlbonApp, for athletes of all levels, incorporating strength training and cardio workouts.

Jon will be making his 100 miler debut without obstacles at Western States 100 this summer.

Here is Jon....

You can follow Jon on Instagram here  - https://www.instagram.com/jonalbon/

If you enjoyed our show please leave a rating and review.  We would really appreciate it.

Check out GottaRunRacing website here and use promo code GRRPODCAST for discounts - gottarunracing.com
Check out our YouTube Channel here - https://youtube.com/@GottaRunRacing
Check out GRR Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/gottarunracing/
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Check out GRR Twitter here: https://twitter.com/gottarun_racing
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On this episode, we feature 53 year old Jeff Bond, an ultra runner from Manitoba.  He has competed in several ultras including the Canadian Death Race, Epic East Gate in Riding Mountain National Park and the Dead Horse Ultra.

He just completed 100 miles on foot at the Yukon Arctic Ultra; a race not for the faint of heart! You can choose your mode of discipline at this event either by foot, cross country skis or mountain bike.  

Jeff is a member of The Manitoba Association of Trail Runners which is associated with the Ultimate Trails of Manitoba series or UTofMB for short (we see what ya did there)!

He is also the director of a race called Rider vs Runner where runners compete against horse riders over a 40K  course with river crossings, steep climbs and descents with approximately 610 meters of gain/loss. 

Here is Jeff....

If you enjoyed our show please leave a rating and review.  We would really appreciate it.

Check out GottaRunRacing website here and use promo code GRRPODCAST for discounts - gottarunracing.com
Check out our YouTube Channel here - https://youtube.com/@GottaRunRacing
Check out GRR Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/gottarunracing/
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Lauren Puretz is a 40 year old practicing gynecologist in Colorado Springs, CO.  She has been running ultras for a few years now and has always been in the mix of things - 5th at Bandera 2021, 7th at Black Canyon 2022, and 4th at last year’s Javelina Jundred. 
She is a member of the Colorado Aravaipa running team. Fun fact - she won the Sawatch Ascent 50K in Colorado outright last year and the only other woman to do that was Courtney Dauwalter! 
Lauren earned a golden ticket to Western States 100 by placing 3rd at Black Canyon a couple weeks ago, much to her own surprise! So stick around and let’s get to know Lauren more.  

Here is Lauren...

You can follow Lauren on Instagram here : https://www.instagram.com/lauren1642/

If you enjoyed our show please leave a rating and review.  We would really appreciate it.

Check out GottaRunRacing website here and use promo code GRRPODCAST for discounts - gottarunracing.com
Check out our YouTube Channel here - https://youtube.com/@GottaRunRacing
Check out GRR Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/gottarunracing/
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Support us on Patreon here : https://www.patreon.com/gottarunracing

Rachel Drake, 32, resides in Portland, Oregon. She is a new Mom to Lewis, partner to ultrarunner Tyler Green, and has her PhD in medical sciences. 
She was the first woman across the line in this years Black Canyon 100K, where she earned ultrarunning’s most sought after Golden Ticket to Western States. 
Rachel started 2024 off with a win at the Hong Kong 33K, the first World Trail Majors race of the year.  And now with her win at Black Canyon, she will be toeing the line at North America’s most illustrious race.  
We touch on the issues facing many female athletes post-partum and how important it is to share and learn from each other.  

Here is Rachel...

You can follow Rachel on Instagram here : https://www.instagram.com/rachelraedrake/

If you enjoyed our show please leave a rating and review.  We would really appreciate it.

Check out GottaRunRacing website here and use promo code GRRPODCAST for discounts - gottarunracing.com
Check out our YouTube Channel here - https://youtube.com/@GottaRunRacing
Check out GRR Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/gottarunracing/
Check out GRR Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gottarunracing/
Check out GRR Twitter here: https://twitter.com/gottarun_racing

Support us on Patreon here : https://www.patreon.com/gottarunracing