Becoming Ultra

Mike Smith has completed 254 hundred-mile races, but his running journey began with a simple promise to run the Disney Marathon with a coworker. Fresh off becoming the final official finisher at Western States, Mike joins Scott to talk about more than 25 years of ultrarunning. He shares what keeps him coming back, why the community matters more than another buckle, and the lessons he has learned from both his finishes and his many memorable DNFs. Mike also offers practical advice about fueling, hydration, strength training, working with a crew, and making decisions when a race gets hard. One of his biggest reminders: never decide to quit while struggling up a hill. Get to the next aid station, take care of yourself, and then decide. In this episode: How a promise led Mike from his first marathon to 254 hundred-mile finishes What he learned during his first 100 at Umstead Why community keeps him returning to the sport Managing fatigue, fueling, hydration, heat, and cutoffs The role strength training has pla