The Ultra Running Guys The Ultra Running Guys

This is our FIRST race spotlight for a race that takes place outside of the US. This race is the largest trail race, the largest ultra, and the oldest ultra in Canada. And, as of May 2024, the first ever Western States Qualifying race based out of Ontario.



The Sulphur Springs Trail race takes place on the trails of the Dundas Valley Conservation area located in Ancaster, Ontario. The event hosts multiple race distances ranging from a 10k all the way up to a 100 miler. According to the race description, the course is a 20k loop with 520 meters of elevation gain per loop. For those of us that find the metric system challenging, the math on that is that each loop is about 12.5 miles long with 1700 feet of elevation gain. 



Joining us on the podcast are two of the three Race Directors, Mauro Campanelli and Russell Thacker. Make sure to download for your next run, or jump over to YouTube to catch it there. Either way, leave us a comment and let us know what you think?



Special thanks to Brendan Smith for the recommendation!


Photo credit: Sue Sitki



Sulphur Springs Trail Race Info:
Facebook: Sulphur Springs Trail Race
Instagram: Sulphur Springs Trail Race on IG
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SulphurTrailRun
Info: https://raceroster.com/events/2024/76105/sulphur-springs-trail-race-2024



Checkout more from The Ultra Running Guys:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theultrarunningguys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Race: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Final Countdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - September 14, 2024

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/theultrarunningguy⁠s


---

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theultrarunningguys/support

Nolan McKenna currently holds the Top Performance in North America in 2024 for the 50K distance with an astounding finish time of 2:58:54, which equates to a mind boggling average pace of about 5:46 a mile for 31 miles. And we were super excited to talk with him about his first 100 mile attempt at the Kettle Moraine 100, as well as find out what pulled him into the ultra scene in the first place. Check out the full episode to hear about his lessons learned, what it’s been like transitioning from the track to the trail, and what tips he has for building speed. Be sure to give him a follow on IG at @thecoachmckenna

Some of Nolan's go to running drills videos:

https://youtu.be/3OvNiI3hLpI?si=QODj_HPh430GTeDZ
https://youtu.be/cAzMsSbfh2A?si=W2FBZExcDS2L5s0C

Checkout more from The Ultra Running Guys:
Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theultrarunningguys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Race: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Final Countdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - September 14, 2024
Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/theultrarunningguy⁠s



---

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theultrarunningguys/support

We are heading down to Florida for this one. The Long Haul 100 miler consists of 6, 16.7 mile loops and runners have 32 hours to complete the race. However, this race is also a Western States qualifier, so if you finish this race in under 30 hours, you also earn your ticket to the Western States lottery.



The race takes place in January each year, so
for those looking to get that States lottery ticket, it allows you to knock that out early in the season.



The Long Haul 100 is held in Colt Creek State Park in Lakeland, FL, is Trail Sister Approved and is great for runners looking to take on their first 100 and there are also a ton of veterans that flock to this race.



We had a great time learning about this race, so take a few minutes and listen to get the inside scoop from the Race Director himself, Andy "Croom" Mathews.



Race spotlight recommended by Rusty Smith. Thanks Rusty!



Long Haul 100 Info:
Registration: Long Haul 100
A1 Ultra Events: https://a1ultraevents.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LongHaul100
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/longhaul100/



Checkout more from The Ultra Running Guys:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theultrarunningguys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Race: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Final Countdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - September 14, 2024

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/theultrarunningguy⁠s


---

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theultrarunningguys/support

Jeff Browning is currently ranked 2nd in the world for most 100 mile career wins, having competed in over 200 ultras and standing at the top of the Podium for races like Hardrock, Bighorn 100, HURT 100, and so many more. He has been named in the top 10 ultra runners of the year an astounding 8 times, and at age 52, is the oldest male to ever be ranked. And he just keeps getting better.

He took the win at 5 of his 7 races in 2023, and then kicked off this year with a win at the Coldwater Rumble 100, a podium slot at the Mesquite Canyon 50 miler, and then came across the line at the Cocodona 250 with a heart wrenching 2nd place finish due to a bout with Reactive Airway Dysfunction after absolutely dominating the majority of the race.

He is renowned for his coaching, his expansive knowledge around training, strength work and nutrition, and after getting to spend a little time with him, we can confirm that he is the nicest dude you could ever hope to come across. No matter where you are in your ultra journey, there is always so much to learn from this guy so be sure to plug in for our chat with the one and only Jeff Browning, aka "Bronco Billy."
This episode was edited by Steve Saunders at Saunders Audio

Check out more from The Ultra Running Guys
Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theultrarunningguys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Race: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Final Countdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - September 14, 2024
Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/theultrarunningguy⁠s




---

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theultrarunningguys/support

It is not often that you stumble across the first of anything these days. But through the course of this episode, we learned a fun fact. This race was the first 100k race distance to be held in the state of Alabama. In the Heat of the Night 100k takes place in the Talladega Forest, in Anniston, Alabama.



Not only is the first 100k in Alabama, but, as the name implies, what sets this 100k apart from others is that it is run at night. The course is a looped course and runners will complete 4 - 15+ mile loops on a surface of maintained dirt and gravel forest roads. You have 18 hours to complete the 100k, and the elevation gain is a little over 7900 feet.

Interested? Check out the episode with our new friend, Becki Jones, Race Director for In the Heat of the Night 100k.


Photo: Pete Schreiner



Thank you for the recommendation Jake @irunuphillsallday and Melissa @melisssalondry



In the Heat of the Night 100k Info:
Registration: https://ultrasignup.com/groups.aspx?gid=367Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dirtysolestrailraces/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dirtysolestrailraces/



Checkout more from The Ultra Running Guys:



Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theultrarunningguys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


Race: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Final Countdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - September 16, 2024


Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/theultrarunningguy⁠s


---

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theultrarunningguys/support

On May 18, we took on the grueling Cruel Jewel 50 miler, which is actually a 57.5 mile trek through the Georgia mountains with 17K feet of climbing! It was beautiful, it was awesome, and it was tough! And as it turned out for both of us, our race ended just past the 50K mark. Check out the full episode to hear how we prepared, what went well, and what ultimately led to the decision to pull the plug. Huge thanks to our good friend Michelle Goldberg for stepping in as guest host and keeping us in line. Enjoy!

Checkout more from The Ultra Running Guys:
Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theultrarunningguys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Race: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Final Countdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - September 14, 2024
Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/theultrarunningguy⁠s




---

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theultrarunningguys/support