Katie Arnold | Just Smile and Flow Ultrarunnerpodcast.com

When Katie Arnold crossed the finish line at the Leadville 100 last month, many in the ultrarunning world recognized her name from her Outside Magazine column Raising Rippers.















Katie Arnold at Mile 76 of Leadville.







But there’s a lot more to Katie’s incredible story. It starts with a nasty rafting accident two years ago that left her on crutches for 14 weeks  following surgery…You’ll have to listen to the show to hear the details of the accident.







“I was at mile 80, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve never run this far. How did I get here?’I mean, the miles just dissolved. And it was all mental. It was just chipping away at it, and then I got emotional. How did I get here? I mean, literally, how did I get here, after a broken leg and being on crutches? It was definitely magical.—From this article in the Santa Fe New Mexican.







Katie talks about the ensuing physical therapy and how the caregivers’ energy and attitude affected her so strongly. We ask how she maintained fitness throughout her recovery both from a physical and emotional standpoint. Many of us have had sustained tough injuries, but very few runners come out of it like Katie did: Winning her first race back.







Katie Arnold on Mt Sherman in Colorado







Katie Arnold’s Leadville Story: Smile and Flow







Katie shares with us her strategy for her first 100 miler and how it paid off with a first place. Her training had been fantastic and her pacers and crew were on point. Katie’s attitude was relaxed and in the moment, and she executed her race plan just like she’s planned. Even with elite women like Addie Bracy and Gina Slaby in the mix, Katie was patient, smiled, and let it flow all the way back to Leadville.







Katie Arnold, Leadville mile 76, with daughter Maisy dressed as a whoopee cushion.







Katie Arnold Episode Notes







Here’s a link to Katie’s column Raising Rippers in Outside Magazine.







Here’s a link to Katie Arnold’s upcoming book Running Home: A Memoir.







Here’s the pub that got the story right. Nice work, Santa Fe New Mexican!







And here’s Sarah’s book on Amazon. If you haven’t read it yet, you should check it out! It’s got everything you need to know to train for your next trail race, graduate to ultras, and gain understanding and appreciating for the spirit (and silliness) of our sport. Plus, Sarah’s funny stories make it fun as well as informative. 







And here’s some info on her book signing with Dakota Jones today at Between the Sheets bookstore in Telluride.