DDR 063 - Lindsey McElroy Ulrich

In this engaging conversation, Rick Hanson and Lindsey McElroy Ulrich delve into Lindsey's inspiring journey as an ultra runner, her experiences overcoming a stroke, and the importance of family support.

They discuss the mental and physical challenges of racing, the significance of trusting the process, and the role of social interactions in personal growth. Lindsey shares her future aspirations in racing and the motivation behind her determination to prove others wrong.

You can find Lindsey on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindsey.mcelroyulrich

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Takeaways

• Lindsey's journey to fourth place in a major race was a testament to her resilience and determination.
• The importance of having a support system during challenging times cannot be overstated.
• Trusting the process is crucial in both racing and life, even when impatience sets in.
• Preparation for ultra races involves understanding one's body and training accordingly.
• Mentality plays a significant role in racing; knowing your competitors can fuel your drive.
• Overcoming adversity, such as a stroke, requires determination and a refusal to give up.
• Family support is a driving force in Lindsey's life and racing career.
• Social interactions can be challenging for those recovering from trauma, but they are essential for growth.
• Setting ambitious goals can help individuals push through difficult times and prove doubters wrong.
• The journey of recovery and racing is ongoing, with new challenges and aspirations always on the horizon.

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Rick Hanson
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Ricky Brule
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Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Hello, Don't Die Rusty Nation.
This is Rick Hansen, your host with tonight we have return guest, Lindsay McElroy Ulrich.
I have, if you haven't listened to the first episode with her, we're gonna get a littlemore deeper tonight, but it's funny how when you, when you have a conversation with a

(00:26):
guest and then they become friends and then,
You know, it's fun to message each other and it's fun to text each other things.
And she is probably one of my biggest inspirations at the moment because uh she's beenthrough a lot in life here and uh she is keeps on kicking ass.

(00:47):
And I'm just saying that, you know, she does.
And so we're going to, we're going to get into this a little deeper, but first of all, shejust got four
in the Canyon's 100 mile division, women's division in uh California.

(01:08):
And that is a big race.
It has a lot of, a lot of people and a lot of great athletes.
And I keep on watching this and I'm watching you in sixth place.
And then I'm trying to see where you're moving and I'm keeping up with you.
uh And
Then I see you get into fifth place and then I see you get into fourth place and thenyou're hanging in there.

(01:32):
And let me tell you something.
I was cheering you on from afar.
And like I said, inspire me to be the best me.
And then you keep on inspiring other people too.
know, cause I see all the hoopla and

(01:57):
and people saying how much you inspire them.
So you are making an impact in this world.
tell me in the, just tell me how did it feel to get place where you did in the hundredmile canyons?

(02:18):
uh It took me a few days to really let it sink in what I just done.
I think you're just so tired by the end of something like that.
Yeah, but it just took me a while to really realize like, wow, for what we missed, becauseit was...

(02:44):
there was some hiccups in my training and some health things that happened that I missedsome big training blocks.
so, Paul and I agreed, we're going in with B training and we agreed.
I guess we are.
didn't then, we were hoping for A training, but it just didn't happen.
So I really was going in the mindset with the start of the race.

(03:07):
I haven't been nervous like that for a race in a long time, but I just,
tried to keep my expectations like top 10 would be really cool to get like top 10 would besweet.
If I could get top 10, I'll just be, that would be a great day for me.
And of the race started out just bananas, you cause it's like a, the perfect pitchdownhill.

(03:34):
And so, but I, I,
I don't know, I just wasn't expecting to get that.
I was really not expecting to get fourth place.
I came in, I mean, to break down, I don't know if we break the race down, but I mean, Iwas sitting, like you said, six pretty much most of the day.

(03:56):
And then we kind of go into the evening and I see my crew again, because you can only seethem so often.
And, and...
and Paul's telling me, when we just moved up into fifth place.
I'm like, I didn't pass anybody.
And one of the girls had dropped.

(04:19):
so that was, I mean, that was kind of like where I got moved up to fifth.
And then we were going cool.

(04:40):
I can hear you, you're just not moving.
I can hear ya.
Huh.
Yeah.
It just said...
Yeah.
And we're...
Yeah.
uh

(05:05):
Well, there is nothing we can do about technical difficulties here.
uh
Yeah, sorry about that.
No, but I...
As far as you're asking me, what it felt like to get fourth, yeah, it just took a while toreally sink in.

(05:28):
Like, was a real...
You know, because I tried to execute the race as best I could and...
um When I got the free rein to go, it was kind of exciting because they were like, you'regaining on fourth.
Or not fourth, sorry.
Yeah, gaining on fourth.

(05:48):
um And I was like, know, because anything can happen 100 miles.
You just never know.
Like, you never know what your body is going to do with other people.
know, other people's bodies are going to happen too.
And we came in.
I had picked up my pacer at mile 65 and
uh He ran about 10 miles with me, which was incredible to have them with me because it wasmiddle of the night and uh you don't have to think as hard because they're with you and I

(06:18):
just follow their feet.
uh So that was amazing.
It was kind of a funny story because I actually had lost both of my pacers and like...
week before the race and I'm just like my goodness I don't know what to do I'm askingeverybody like anybody and everybody just like that I trusted that kind of knew even if

(06:42):
you don't really knew me I'm just like you just come it like I just need you to be with meand I actually kind of worked out in a ironic way because I was at packet pickup Friday
yeah Friday no Thursday sorry we meant Friday I keep forgetting uh
Thank
to Packet Pickup on Thursday with my friend and kind of just meandering around, got ourstuff.

(07:07):
And then we were looking at some stuff, went down this other row outside of the PacketPickup and took a look at some things.
And I ended up running into one of my teammates when I used to run on Rabbit Elite, thetrail team.
And he was there to do the talk about, you

(07:28):
people first time had a crew, your crew and all that stuff.
He was gonna talk on that.
And so he was there and I'm just like, so what are you doing tomorrow?
Now one, two o'clock in the morning and he was gonna be at Cool.
He was already there and I'm like, well, you wanna run a couple miles with me?
So he's like, sure, he goes, I'll be there.

(07:50):
And he was, he was there.
He actually met us the...
Aid station before to let me know he was gonna be there and he showed up and so that wasamazing and then my other pacer She put out a big thing because she told me like a week
before and I was like, my goodness like what am I gonna do and I ended up picking upActually one of the girls that ran on rabbit elite trails well, but I happened

(08:19):
to pace our Western States like a couple years ago.
And so she was like, she was all excited to pace me.
And so she showed up after Chris dropped me off after he did the 10 miles with me.
And she was, they were both were amazing, but I, it was kind of fun to have two peoplejust happened to be old teammates of mine and people I knew and somebody that had paced

(08:45):
through Western States and crewed.
So that was a.
So she just goes, I paid you back, we're good, right?
I'm like, we're fine.
But she really pulled me along.
But when we came into Cool, uh I get in and my crew, know, uh like, I wanna change myshoes.

(09:09):
I'm taking longer breaks, I'm not gonna see them for a while.
And uh so, uh
Paul tells me, he's just like, hey, Annie Hughes is in the, she's just left the aidstation.
She sat here for a really long time.
And like at the time, I was so tired.

(09:30):
It wasn't clicking in who she was and like not knowing she's just like this phenomenalrunner.
And uh so I'm like, okay, okay, well.
See what I got left in me, but I'm there's not much left in this tank to go any fasterwhat I'm doing but I will I'll dig as deep as I can and so we just were Mandy just kept

(09:55):
pushing me along pushing me along and And we just we ended up oh gosh be waiting to themorning the next day We ended up meeting that passing her
So then I'm just like, oh my gosh, like, and I just started running scared after that.

(10:17):
I was like, okay, I cannot let this, like, I have to just run like hell right now.
Like this is like do or die.
We still have like, oh God, probably 15 miles left to go.
And just every little, mean, I was just running down to the bone and my, I was havingissues with my knee and I just like, okay, just.

(10:39):
turn it off like brain we're not hurting we're good that's we got to go and so we comeinto one of the aid stations and as we're leaving she shows up so I'm like oh crap okay we
definitely do not have a big enough gap between the two of us and and I'm like I knowshe's such a good runner and she's she's gonna pass me back cuz like she's gonna close

(11:00):
strong I just know it I just know it
And so Mandy is just like, let's go, let's go.
She goes like, you quit looking back, that's my job.
And oh so she pushed me and pushed me and we, I mean, all the way till almost up to RobiePoint with a mile to go.

(11:23):
Paul meets us down at one of the hills.
We had to climb up to get on the road and...
I'm climbing and climbing and of course I look back again and he yells at me not to lookback.
He's just like I'll share that for you.
Because I'm just like God I do not want this to come down to like you know last minute wewere both sprinting in or sprinting in.

(11:46):
I would say running hard in and trying to beat each other and so we finally got up to theroad and
Cause like the tracking was kind of wonky.
So they didn't really know where she was.
um, and so, uh, we get up there and Paul's just like, when you can relax, like we justtake a breather.

(12:09):
We're good.
And I'm just like, are you sure?
you sure?
Cause I'm like, I don't want to lose this place.
Like, um, and so we just, uh, yeah, we came in and I still didn't believe I got forced.
I just was like, I.
did not believe that because like I just, but we did and I was really happy with it.

(12:32):
I was a little bummed because I wanted to try to break 24 hours, but it's like, once youlook back, you're like, if I would have just not sat that long at the aid station, if I
wouldn't have done this, you know, it's like, no, you just, that's the race you ran.
You executed it like you were supposed to and really just tried to.

(12:53):
It's hard to stick to a plan when you are like, you know, I'm such an impatient person.
Like it's like, this is a plan.
Like this is how we're going to raise.
You know, I don't want you going until this time.
And, um, so it's, hard cause you just say, I'm, I mean, you used to be in a track athleteand it's just like, okay, we're going now.
You know, it's the second last we have to go type thing, but, uh, definitely teaches you alot.

(13:17):
I mean, I learned a lot about myself and that race just, um,
a lot of different like, okay, we can be patient.
We can trust the process, can trust what's being said, like things happen, it's okay.
But it was definitely a day that I'll probably remember for a while, because my daughterand my husband got to come down and that was really special to have my daughter at the

(13:46):
finish line and see her there and crew and me and all that all through the night.
I was, they showed up right at the start of the race.
I was running down, like they started and then I hear them cheering and I was like, theyshowed up.
That was really nice.
Did your daughter bring any hurdles?
Yeah, she showed up, right?

(14:07):
She showed up in practice and while I was out there running for hours and hours.
Yeah.
I kind of have two questions for you It's interesting to me like how you know your bodiesand trusting the process because I'm like you and I'm not patient and I don't trust

(14:34):
process I know there's a process and I'm learning it's funny as I grow older.
Maybe I'm learning more of a process because Learned to trust the processes, but it'stough at times because I want it now
Yeah, it is.
But I don't know if you've been watching the CocoDona.
Oh yeah.

(14:55):
I mean, not as closely as I used to just because have to work, but like I had definitelybeen keeping up with what's been happening and who won and all that.
So in that, I have two questions, because I watched last year's, was about the men's race,they had a video about the men's race and how that was going.

(15:21):
what I find is, how do you know, I mean, it's amazing to me to be set up for yourelectrolytes, to be set up for everything, and then you're putting your bodies through
what you're putting it through, and then like this year,
Courtney went out at, was it 80 something or 90?
I mean, she was right in there.

(15:41):
was.
104, 106 I think?
it was, I mean, I mean, it was close to the a hundred mark.
couldn't remember exactly, but, but she was smoking and then all of a sudden you hit thatwall or something.
Nobody knows yet because it'll come out, but you know, but I mean, like your electrolytesare down.
So here, so how do you, how do you get ready?

(16:05):
I mean, cause there's two things that I laugh.
I, I, cause everybody just seems so loose at the, you know, at the beginning of the raceor like.
You know, just like this and I'm going, you're running 250 miles in that race.
If you don't know what their coca-dona is, and I might be saying it wrong, but you'rerunning 250 miles roughly from, is it Scottsdale to Flagstaff roughly.

(16:28):
And, and I've been watching that race because it's like I said, it interests me, but thatis one thing that interests me.
How do you know your body?
Like, how do you know?
Like I.
I am losing electricity more or less.
know what I My body is, you know what I mean?

(16:49):
You're eating.
I need to eat now.
some people throw up and some people don't.
You got to keep on getting some system, something in your body and keep moving.
I mean, that's just crazy to me.
Like, you know, in your body.
then if you'll answer that one, then I have one more question for you.
Yeah.

(17:12):
sorry, I'm sorry.
I never thought we'd just...
No, sorry.
Honestly, I'm still having the 100-mile break, I guess.
No, it's just me being lonely.
We actually...
Part of our training, like, as you just...
You...

(17:32):
On your long runs, even on shorter runs, um like 10 miles or whatever,
We, I for me, I know it's different for everybody, but for me, I take what I know I'mgoing to be drinking during the race.
Just so my stomach gets accustomed to having that in my system and under when I'mstressed.

(17:59):
and so part of that is just putting it into your training, even if like,
It's like, okay, I'm gonna eat before I go run because I want my stomach to get used tohaving food in my stomach while I'm running.
Which, we'll just touch and go for me on that one.
But I try to do my best.
I, yeah, we just train.

(18:19):
I train just with what I know I'm gonna be drinking.
Like the electrolyte drink that I know.
I sometimes it changes because sometimes during the race, you're just like, I can't takeany more of that.
But, uh and then, um and then like we, you know, there's certain things like when we goheat train, there's certain things we do to help with that as well.

(18:49):
uh With that to just get the stomach used to being under stress and having that in yoursystem to help.
And obviously sometimes it works and sometimes your body's just like.
Nope, I'm good.
Like we're not gonna have that.
Like I probably, I probably in my race, I tend to try to just have like for food wise,it's kind of more bland food and things that, you you prep all this food, like enough for

(19:19):
like your whole crew to eat.
then sometimes you don't even end up eating any of it because none of it sounds good.
Like at the time.
even though you've trained with it or you know that's what you like or eat all the time.
uh Like for me, was like, okay, we'll make like, I'll make a pizza, I'll make a cheesepizza.
ah I made a bunch of grilled cheese sandwiches.

(19:41):
I, a bunch of different things.
And I probably, the only thing I consistently ate, I made pancakes too, that's right.
The only thing I consistently ate was my grilled cheese sandwiches.
That was it.
uh And then,
probably the best I've probably ever eaten in a race ever.
I, you know, there's times you just don't want to feel like eating, but like, you know,you have to, but it's nice because the drinks they have now with all the new drinks they

(20:13):
come out with, they have a lot of calories, which I know it only gets you so far, but ithelps to kind of substitute and if you can't eat as well, as well as you want to.
I know by a mile,
75, I was done.
I came in and I was like, no moss.

(20:33):
In fact, Paul was like, here, need to eat some potatoes.
I grabbed them and I was like, oh, okay, yeah, I'll eat them.
And then I just go, no, I'm good.
No, thanks.
And I just threw them on the ground.
there's just some things you just can't predict.
Like your body's just gonna decide.

(20:53):
I mean, you know.
We're good, I'm done, I've had enough and I can't do this anymore.
yeah, you just try to train with it and try to figure out what works for you.
Sometimes it's trial and error and sometimes you're doing trial and error in races too,just to see what you think you can handle.

(21:16):
But yeah, so for me it's almost different every time, even if I prep a million differentthings.
Because, mean, I experienced it last year, but when I go hunting, I have a friend, JohnBarclow, who said, you know, he said in an interview that, and he says, you know, don't

(21:39):
change what you're eating.
Like when you go up into the mountains hunting for a week, why would you, and you want toget off a caffeine so you don't take any caffeine, that's going to kill your hunt or.
You know, like, like for me, I'm a bland food eater when I'm, if I'm going out for seven,eight days, you know, whatever, seven, 10 days, whatever, I'm a bland, mostly.

(22:03):
I, maybe when I get to the last day or like when you're packing up and getting ready togo, I might have something spicy just because it's, I know I'm not going out.
You know what I mean?
I, I'm not going to, but I, last year when we did,
the seven peaks in one day.
I understand because there are things just don't taste like, I haven't had a couple thingsbecause it just, it doesn't, it didn't, it stopped tasting good at that time.

(22:34):
And I understand that part, you know, so it,
it just want to settle in your stomach or it just doesn't sound good anymore.
just like, hopefully these liquid calories will get me through.
So.
And I personally don't like to have a heavy stomach anyway.

(22:55):
I don't really like to eat.
You know, I might have a bar here and there, I, I don't eat usually like when I'm hunting.
might have a sandwich depending on what you're doing, you know, but I'd rather eat in themorning and then eat in the evening and then light during the day.
Cause I just don't like to feel heavy, my stomach to feel heavy.
And that's the way I feel, but that's just it.

(23:17):
Yeah.
We'll go hunting someday together and we'll find out what goes on.
There we go.
So, and my other question is, so I just want to know the mentality and then we're going toget into the other things.

(23:37):
But so I was watching a YouTube of this year's Coco Dona again, like I said, and the girlthat was in.
I can't remember what place she was in, they went and they knew Courtney had dropped out,but the girl didn't know that Courtney dropped out and her team didn't tell her.

(24:03):
And they, and they kept on pushing.
How would, you know, would you be mad if nobody told you and you're trying to catch her?
And cause here's what happened.
This is what I've grasped from the video was like she might've either been in wherever
Like, I don't know if they have, what, she would have been sleeping, but she might've beendone in, and the girl didn't even know they passed her.

(24:25):
And then her pacer came up with her and this other guy was this, I'm watching this.
The other guy's going, her pacer is going like, don't say, you know, like telling him notto say a word.
And it was interesting because she just kept on pushing cause she didn't know.
That is, I didn't know if you would be mad because they didn't tell you or because maybeyou're gonna relax.

(24:50):
It's kinda like I'm ahead by, mean, here's the deal.
It's kinda like we'll just say the Seahawks are ahead of the Cowboys by 35 points and theythink they've got it won and then the Cowboys of course would come back and beat the
Seahawks.
You know, I don't know if you're a football fan but.

(25:13):
yeah.
We will go Florida State is behind by 25 points and they come back and beat the OregonDucks by 30.
Okay, now it's getting personal, but I'm just kidding.
oh

(25:36):
relax if you knew that, you know, that's where I'm going with that.
It's kind of interesting.
It's kind of brilliant in one way.
I just don't know what, as an athlete, how would you feel?
Just from personal experience from this last race, know for me, I was like, when I wasmoved up to fifth, I remember just going, okay, I made it to the top five.

(26:10):
That's like way more than I thought I was gonna do.
Part of me like I want to just settle because I was like, well, okay.
I'm happy with top five and But the primary is like no Lindsay like this is you you thisisn't what you came out to do You came out to push your body to go to the limit to see
what you could do uh So for me, it's like a it's a personal thing like a but when they Ihave to say the but when they told me that uh

(26:43):
Annie Hughes had just left the aid station and we were there when I had just come in.
I know I did definitely put a fire in my belly more than I had.
uh And I think I like knowing that because then I'm like, okay, like we, even if we don'tcatch her, we're gonna do, we're gonna go, we're gonna do our damn this to do it and try

(27:05):
our hardest to get as close as we can.
uh I mean, I have the utmost respect for her.
Mm-hmm.
became friends over this, so it's been super cool.
for me personally, I like to know, just because it keeps that drive in me going.
And I know, because it's kind of too full with me.

(27:28):
me, it's more of a personal journey for me just to do it, to go do the hard things and seewhat my body can handle.
ah But then another part of me is I'm still super competitive.
So I want to be there.

(27:50):
I want to do the best I can.
And so uh I personally like knowing because it definitely puts that fire in me a littlebit more.
But then again, it's kind of hard because then there's sometimes I don't want to knowbecause it's like I don't want to know.

(28:13):
most likely I do like knowing and uh just, cause it just definitely keeps that drive in mejust like, okay, what can we do to get better at this?
What can we do to move closer?
What do we need to do?
And so, uh yeah, I like to know.
I like to know because, and like going back to that girl in Cocodona, I think, you know,

(28:41):
I get why they didn't tell her, you know, cause maybe she would have settled.
uh But I think too though, if you're after something more than just the place, like I wasafter more than just getting fourth place.
I really was after trying to break 24 hours.
uh I feel that that can still keep you going, if that makes any sense.

(29:02):
uh
yeah, because it would help you break your goal.
Reach your goal of 24 hours because it's kind of like to me it would be like in track whenyou put, when you put, have the slow heat and you have the fast heat.
And if you have, if you put the slow mixed in the slow runners with the fast runners,you're not going to get the best.

(29:29):
times because they don't have to, because mentally, think it says humans were ahead by,even if they're ahead by 30 yards, it's still not enough because your times aren't well.
So I would agree with you.
You got something to strive for when you know you're chasing something that's as good asyou are better.

(29:50):
You know what I mean?
So, once you win, that gives you confidence and you become, and then then you're a
Then you have something to like build on.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I got done and a few days later, I'm talking to Paul and stuff about the race and I wasjust like, at the time, mean, of course, I mean, right now, but plans always change.

(30:23):
I was just like, no, I want to go back.
I know I can run better.
I know I can run better.
I want to go back and do better.
Just...
just because like, was like, there was just, I'm very critical of myself and when I breakthings down, I'm like, oh, this could have been better, this could have been better, this

(30:44):
could have been better, you know?
But it's like, no one's gonna just take what you got, learn from it, and then work onthose spots that you feel you have a weakness in, and we'll get better at that.
but I, yeah, I'm...
That's kind of just how I look at it.
just, um, I have a hard time going back and doing races too.

(31:07):
So just cause it's like, there's so much out there to do and so many races to do so manyplaces to go.
I mean, we talked about that before, like, and so, uh but it's, fun to go back to places,to the same race you did.
Granted, it was cooler conditions.
I mean, so that's why everyone ran so well.

(31:27):
I mean that's probably reason why I was able to eat so well too but it's like you knowthat you can kind of compare like you know because it's hard to compare with ultra
learning because it's different every time you know the courses everyone runs differentcourses different places and so it's uh hard to really compare what I could do so it's

(31:52):
like okay maybe we go back and see if we can do better so
Well that, you know, yeah, cause it snowed on, yeah, it was crazy weather for you guys.
actually we we actually were ahead of the weather the yeah we actually were ahead ofweather it was cold the start was cold but we didn't have uh any rain it was super foggy

(32:19):
just back in Morgan Coast days just at the beginning of the race uh but we actually reallygot good weather for us for we did we it started to rain like
towards like I got done and then probably like 10 minutes later it started to really rainat the finish line.

(32:40):
So I was just barely ahead of the weather the whole way and we had a beautiful night.
Like it was cool, like a little bit of drizzle, but nothing like pouring down rain oranything like that.
So we got lucky.
We got really lucky.
yeah.
But those guys didn't.
They had all the crazy weather.

(33:01):
uh
Yeah.
Well, again.
So, you know, I love, I loved it and I, I'm going to attribute your placing because I putthat post out, you know, don't die.
Rusty is cheering you on, you and Emily on.
yes.
So, I'm well, you know, I mean, you guys are part of the family, so I got to cheer youboth on.

(33:30):
So.
But I wanna get what has made you tough and why I keep on seeing these things of toughnessthat you are amazing, you know, with, and I wanna get into the stroke part if we can,

(33:51):
because you put, did you tell me, when's your birthday?
ah October 19th.
And that's when you had your stroke, correct?
Or was it close?
had it.
Yeah, I did.
We went out to dinner the night before and middle of the night, on the 19th, yeah, is whenI had it.

(34:16):
Yeah.
And you can answer anything and you can tell me whatever but I mean to how long ago wasthat?
See it was what?
I gotta look at my tattoo.
It's been uh what?
13 years.

(34:37):
Yeah.
and you are doing what you're doing and getting fourth place in a major race.
I guess I just...
pardon me, I just was determined to prove everybody wrong.
I mean...

(34:58):
well, it's funny.
I just, went to the chiropractor this afternoon before I got here.
Cause I like sometimes my hip gets a little out of place and I can hang upside down aslong as I can, but it won't pop up.
You know, I mean, it's it's nagging.
isn't like painful.
It's just nagging.
And we were, we were talking about this and, and I love, I want, I would love to have youtell me a little story about how you.

(35:25):
Tell us the audience how you got through the stroke part and because there are people, Ithink that give up in life that don't, that the doctors don't give them hope.
and, and like, uh like I'm, I think there has to be a change in, in.

(35:51):
I'm not saying all doctors, but I'm saying there has to be a change of giving people hope,giving people like they can do stuff.
know that some people would say that that's wrong maybe, but I don't think it's wrong.
think if you don't have hope, then you aren't gonna try.
I think doctors try to mask it instead of helping people get better.

(36:17):
I really do.
So can you tell me, because you have the toughness and determination like I've never seen.
Well, thank you.
oh I probably probably help some really stubborn I'm sure too, but My parents more thananybody for sure I was the kid that was in the trees and my parents were looking for me

(36:47):
and I'm flying around in the trees and hey mom and dad
Get down from there!
No!
So...
No, I've always been, I mean even since I was little, kind of out of the help just becauseI had older sisters or whatever, but I always was always determined to do things better

(37:16):
than my sisters, I guess.
I will be honest like that.
oh But they, I mean, my oldest sister definitely did inspire me to be the best person Icould be.
I think, I think I got, um I really think after my stroke, I don't know, just, everythingreally shifted for me.

(37:41):
And not just like, just shifted, like my even, um
even my personality, which they say is very common when you have a brain injury happen.
And I think my doctors just not wanting to work with me because they didn't really want, Iknow they wanted to work with me, but they also were very adamant that, uh you know, I

(38:17):
I will be fine, I'll get through it and uh I'm like, no, I can't even remember, I can'tremember how to change my daughter's diapers right now.
It's hard for me to even use my left side.
I can barely use my left side.
I'm like, I'm not giving up on this.
You're not gonna take my life from me like this and I'm not gonna be sitting on the couchdoing nothing.

(38:42):
My kids are still little, I wanna be.
I want to be in their life.
I want to be able to go play ball with them or go do something with them.
And so I would say my kids were like a huge driving force for me to get better anddetermined to like, you're not going to tell me no.
Like I'm going to get better.
And if I have to go from doctor to doctor to doctor to find somebody that will believe inme and help me, I will do that.

(39:08):
Cause I'm, this is, this is not the life I want to live.
And,
So I had to relearn a lot.
mean, as a lot of people know, my left side doesn't look like it used to.
I was really actually barely, couldn't use my left side barely at all for, God, a goodfour five months.

(39:35):
And I had to go, like just rehab after rehab after rehab, just trying to get thatconnection back.
that we can make this work, we can make this work, we can make this work.
And so in Lindsay fashion, I like to do everything to the extreme.

(39:56):
So, and running always has been a huge passion of mine, obviously.
And I wanted to be back running because that was therapy for me.
definitely when somebody tells you like,
Well, you're probably just never going to run again.
was like, Oh no, we're going to run again.

(40:18):
You're not going to tell me that you're not taking this away from me.
And so I was, of course, you know, most people would be like, okay, yeah, maybe a 5k,know, 10k sub reasonable.
I'm like, no, I'm going to get into ultra running.
I really want to prove them wrong that I'm going to do this.
Like I'm going to show them that you can't take something away from me that, that I love.

(40:39):
And
I mean, cause they were really pretty much just writing me off like, you know, that Ijust, this is what your life's gonna be.
And I was like, no, it's not.
And so, yeah, I said, we just, just went from doctor to doctor until I found a wonderful,so we were in Florida at the time when this all went down.

(41:00):
And so basically I really didn't have any family around, just my father-in-law at thetime.
And so we kind of went through it on our own.
I don't know why we just kind of fought through it like my husband and I and just figuredit out and uh he was he actually was the one that was like I think we need to just make a

(41:24):
big goal and we're gonna go do it and so I think I mentioned the last podcast that I wentand did the Eugene marathon my first marathon ever and uh that was
And so that was kind of the springboard to, okay, we're gonna make this even more of whatwe like to prove them wrong.

(41:45):
We're gonna go bigger.
We're gonna go bigger.
And so I ended up finding just, we had moved to Idaho after about 10 years in Florida.
We moved back home closer to family and found a wonderful chiropractor, like a matriarch.

(42:06):
that I give him credit for bringing me back.
was just like, we worked for months and months and months together just to get the leftside to function for my brain to be able to remember things better.

(42:28):
Maybe that's part of the reason I went into tilt-shifting, because I just forgot how badthings hurt.
I don't know.
Thank
So yeah, so he got me back going and we've really pushed the limits and I, you there was alot of very dark, dark days getting through it, very hard days, a lot of...

(42:53):
at yourself?
Like, I mean, your dark days, were they like, you were questioning if you should be doingit or were they, they were just like, why did this happen to me?
Um, I never, I never felt sorry for myself.
I think I was just more angry, like, um, angry at my body, like angry, like, why did youdo this to me?

(43:19):
Why did this happen?
Um, I, I never, I just, I, I know I just fell into like a dark depression more so becauseI was really mad at my brain cause I couldn't remember anything.
uh I mean, and I couldn't remember just basic life skills.
And so I was just, just mad, just a very bitter, angry person.

(43:43):
uh Cause uh the stroke really changed me into just a really not a good person for a while.
And I think, and I think I knew that, but there was like nothing that I could do at thetime to control that, if that makes sense.
Mm-hmm.

(44:03):
know what you're doing, but it's like your brain is just, my brain was just doing it.
couldn't, it was like, just, I was mad because I could not control the situation of whatwas happening.
uh I mean, I told my, I told my husband like years later, I was just like, I would nothave ever hated you if you divorced me.

(44:24):
Cause I mean, I was that bad.
I felt I was that bad of a person.
And
that he stuck by my side through all of it, even though I, I mean, it was like, forexample, like little things, like I would just get mad if he was talking to somebody else
or was laughing with somebody else.
Cause I couldn't make him laugh anymore.
Cause I was in this like brain that just wasn't working anymore.

(44:48):
You know, just really silly, silly things that really don't matter, mattered to me.
that, and, and so it just was,
It was just not, it was just a lot of dark days.
And so we, we just fought through it and I took a lot of rehab to get back to where I am.

(45:12):
And I just was like, let's make this bigger and better.
And I'm just going to go, all those doctors, the neurologists that didn't want to workwith me, I want to write them a letter, you know, say, what I'm doing now.
You told me this was never going to happen.
I never was going to be.
You know, granted I don't run normal, but I will take it over not ever being able to run.

(45:34):
uh But I, it was just a, so I think, I guess what I'm getting at was like, that's kind ofwhere I got a bigger determination for it was just like, I'm gonna fight through this.
I'm determined to get through it.
in...
It was hard.

(45:55):
It was hard, but I think I had just all the right people at the time by my side to help meget through that those times.
And I think that was a very, very important piece of it was having having all thosecheerleaders with me that were like, you can do this, Lindsey, like we're going to get
through it and it's going to be okay.

(46:15):
You know, I always say, you know, things might look different, but that doesn't mean youcan't do it.
And so I, I think
I think with ultra running that's helped me kind of propel that with getting through raceslike this 100 miler to like just that determination of, know, I hurt everywhere, but it's
going to hurt no matter what I do.

(46:36):
I have to get to the finish line and we're going to have to get there.
you know, body, I know you're mad at me, but I am determined and we're going to get tothat finish line.
Even if it takes us 28 hours, we're going to do it.
We're going to get through it.
I think that's where my my whole driving force came was just, I was determined to getbetter and be there for my kids more so than anything.

(47:02):
Like I was, I mean, I talk about running and getting through all that, but I really feelthat uh the really, truth is like, I wanted to be there for my kids more than anything.
I would have given up being competitive and racing just to be with my kids, like stillrun, but just be with my kids.

(47:22):
And so that was part of my driving.
My huge driving force was to be here as a mom to my kids and not just to sit at home andnot be able to do anything.
Well, do you think that here's, here's what I'm saying.
And we talked a little bit about the last episode was like running his therapy and thathelped your kids out because you were running or trying to do improve yourself every day.

(47:53):
And your kids get to see that that mom's doing that, but you're also helping yourselfmentally as well as physically.
And do you think.
You know, mean, those are the things that people don't understand ever is how like beingoutside, like my sunrises are to me are therapeutic as well as, as well as just bettering

(48:23):
myself because I understand that angry
angry attitude somewhat not not to your extent, but I've talked about that earlier like Iwas feeling lethargic now I've went this is funny because I'm to get into your natural

(48:44):
path stuff here in a second, but And we'll get into that then I'm going to have to askthis question because I'll write I'm underlining natural path in there but but Anyway, I
guess I will Because
I was feeling lethargic like later and like, like this, not the real Rick, but I've wentto the, I've went to my, uh, funded functional doctor and I've got, we finally got

(49:16):
everything kind of going in the last two weeks.
And I've, if you ever meet me now, you're going to meet the real Rick because I mean, Iwas not that I was different.
It was just like, I just, I had to have a bad attitude or something.
And
Hmm?
And the walks were help.
mean my my morning stuff or my climbing now helps me but there was still something missingand now I come home and I'm This this will be a different episode but by what I've been

(49:50):
doing I Think it's improving my relationships With a lot more a lot of people because I'mmentally I'm not angry You know, I mean
I understand like you said, like there is sometimes in this state like, like Cindy couldeat wrong and I'm pissed.

(50:12):
You know what I mean?
Like, do you have to eat that crunchy stuff?
You know what I mean?
what?
That's so funny you say that, I'm the same way.
You know what I mean?
But it's not, you know, it shouldn't worry us.

(50:32):
But it did.
You know, it's like little things.
And now I feel like, I know it's been two weeks and I've been taking what I'm supposed todo and I'm eating differently and it's funny because I blame my knees for things, but now
I'm starting to run a little bit more than I used to.
See?

(50:52):
that's great!
Because of you guys.
Like I said, it's because of you guys.
And the other question, because I think the naturopath people are caring and they weretrying, I think they're curious.
And I think, like my functional doctor is curious about what's bothering me.

(51:21):
What's truly making you this way, because
We can fix this stuff.
We don't have to fix the symptom.
em We're trying to get to the root of the problem, not just the symptom.
So I think they have hope because they're curious.
How can I help this person?
And I said, you know what?
I'll go give you or me a pill and they're going to feel good for a little while, but thenI got to give them another, I either have to up the dose or we got to try something else.

(51:46):
And I'm not there.
I'm not there.
Like I said, I talked to my chiropractor today and her.
Actually, her husband went to the same functional doctor I did on other things.
So it's interesting, you know, and then we talked about roughly the same thing.
So I just think that Nat, you go through things and yes, we need the doctors to do whatthey need to do, but there's, I just think we need hope and we need to find, go into a

(52:17):
different realm.
Yeah.
you, I don't, and I'm not trying, and this is not a political thing, but Casey Means todaywas, do you know who Casey Means is?
She's, she's a, she, she's, she was a surgeon at Stanford and she's been on, she's been ona bunch of podcasts about just being, finding the roots to the problem.

(52:43):
She was a surgeon and she walked into the surgeon.
She walked into her head surgeon's office and put down her scalpel and said, I'm done.
because she said, need to, as health professionals need to find the root to the problembefore I do surgery.
Instead of having to do surgery, instead of electing to do surgery, we need to have to doit to fix it.

(53:11):
Trying to fix it in other ways, I'm trying to say, instead of having to do surgery.
So that was interesting to me because I'm,
do believe that health in America can get better with, I think we're starting to see atide turn into the natural and the functional and that stuff.

(53:32):
So, and my other question was, did you have your stroke in Florida then?
Or you did.
And then you moved up, no, then you moved to Idaho.
Yeah, so I mean, originally from the Northwest, but we had to stand down in Florida forabout 10 years.

(53:55):
And then, yeah, we just wanted to be closer.
We're missing family and wanted to be closer to home and really just try to figure outwhat, like try to figure out where I could go to get better too.
came home so my kids could be with their cousins and all that too as well.

(54:21):
So yeah, that was the house in Florida.
We, like I said, but just was my daughter was what?
Three at the time and my son was just in kindergarten.
yeah, so for him, mean, for him, know, Chris McKenzie,

(54:43):
doesn't remember a lot of it because she was so little.
But for him, he kind of remembers, but it was kind of like, grandpa just came and pickedhim up and I was in the hospital and he spent a few nights with grandpa.
And we just told him like, you know, mom's just not feeling good right now and she needsto be in hospital.
And so, so yeah, we just kind of, was just so like, it's interesting.

(55:08):
So my mom, she didn't really,
I guess we just never, I just never put any of my health problems on people.
I just feel like I didn't want to burden them with it and I didn't want to burden thefamily.
I don't know why.
like, it wasn't like we were scared to ask for help.
It was just, we were just there and we had friends and good people around us and so wewere okay.

(55:34):
But we definitely could have used help.
But I could have for the kids, but.
So, but we just, yeah, my mom just felt, mean, she really just the last few years really,really knows my story.
I can, she's just, you know, and I'm super close with my mom.

(55:59):
I mean, she's somebody I call weekly, if not daily.
So, but I don't know what it was.
It just wasn't.
I don't know, it's hard to explain when something like that happens and you know you needask for help and you don't mind asking for help but at the same time it was like we can

(56:25):
get through this by ourselves, we'll be fine.
We don't need to, like I said, burden people with all this and all that.
When my mom was just like, if I would have known the extent of what you had gone throughand what was happening, she goes,
I would have flown down there and stayed and tell you you needed, and tell you got tiredof me basically.

(56:46):
So I feel bad about that, but I think at the time too, I just wasn't, I wasn't all there.
So was like, I wasn't all there.
wasn't clear.
just, that wasn't just, that was just not something I think I thought of at the time.
And that's definitely not me.

(57:06):
I'm definitely a person like,
will call my mom if anything, oh my head hurts or something, you know, so I just think Ijust wasn't thinking on that, I just wasn't thinking on that realm at all anymore.
was just, I'd like to say I can barely even remember.

(57:29):
I mean, I can barely even remember how to get my kids ready for school.
I mean, that's how bad it was.
So.
Well, here's the deal.
My mom now is going to be going on three years this year, I think two or three years.
Anyway, I called my mom, before my mom died, I called her every day.

(57:55):
It doesn't matter if it was five minutes, it doesn't matter if it was 10 minutes, itdoesn't matter if it was a half hour.
And I would call her every day because here's the deal.
Once something happens,
you'll never get that voice back again.
And you'll never get that advice back again.
And you'll never get that feeling back again.

(58:15):
put out a, you know, I would call her because she needed, you know, I mean, I think yousaw that post I put out the other day about listening or, or, and sometimes I needed to
listen and sometimes I needed to shoulder to cry on or whatever, you know what I mean?

(58:35):
And sometimes
I don't know if your mom does too, but sometimes she'll tell me how it was.
Maybe you need to buck up just a little bit here, partner.
then sometimes it was just one of those things that you just listen.
And it's funny because I still have a couple.

(58:57):
I'm thankful I've saved a couple messages.
Like she left me.
And there is nothing like to have them.
have a mom say, love you.
And you can still hear that voice.
You know, so I understand how you're that, but I also understand being tough and nottrying to bother people maybe too.

(59:19):
But, but I understand like, I don't, I mean, I, like I said, I've never been in thatpredicament, I'm forgetting things.
I've, I've been around enough people to understand that, you know, some things you'rejust, you're
You're overwhelmed somewhat, weren't you?

(59:39):
You know what I mean?
You have kids to take care of and you're, you know, I understand that part, you know, thatthere's so many things and you're just trying to make yourself better.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I think like it was for me too, was just...

(01:00:03):
I got, uh like socially, just was, I just kind of shut everybody out.
uh Cause I couldn't, I couldn't remember things.
So I didn't ever want to talk to people.
And I definitely did not want to be in any sort of social interaction or event.
Like, I mean, I even struggle to this day.

(01:00:25):
I mean, to go to a big social event.
And I think it just,
It was just that fear because I was just like, I'm not going to be able to remember.
You know, I maybe I'll remember your name, but they might tell a story about somethingthat happened.
I'll be like, uh yeah, yeah, I remember that.

(01:00:46):
No, I don't.
So uh I just was very just like, I don't want to be around it because then I don't have todeal with it anymore.
Like, and I could just be my own little comfort space, which isn't healthy either.
I know, but.
At the time that's what it was.
It was just like I don't I just I just want to be my own bubble right now I would be myown bubble because like I just don't I don't want anybody to think less of me I don't want

(01:01:14):
people to think I'm dumb.
You know, it was just like I'm good so I think that was a lot of it too, but That was thatthat was a big big struggle for me to be go back in going back to social things and
being around people socially.

(01:01:34):
like I said, I still struggle with that to this day.
maybe my husband will tell you sometimes, it's like pulling teeth to get me out the doorto go see friends.
And it's like, I love them, I love being with them, but I'm like, I don't want to go.
oh
Well, that's me sometimes too.

(01:01:58):
I think Cindy wanted to go out for supper last week and I said, you know, I really justdon't feel like going out and that.
And the other thing is, and I haven't had a stroke, but don't think that you're alonebecause I don't remember people's names either.
And I've had people walk up and tell me stories and I'm looking at the face going.

(01:02:19):
Ah, do I, I'm trying to get this, let's get this rolling, you know what I mean?
And I've actually had some people I'm talking to and said, you don't know who I am, doyou?
I said, no, I don't.
And then they like, then finally they strike up some, oh yeah, now I kinda remember, it'slike, I've been, those are things that are just,

(01:02:49):
kind of interesting to me, like, yeah, yeah, sometimes I do forget, you know?
And, you know, I enjoy meeting new people and seeing new people, but I like, and I like tobe social, but then there's other times, like, I need probably, it's probably now 10 to

(01:03:15):
one, I would say, like, 10 to,
10, nine solitude days and one social day.
You know.
a nice balance.
balance.
That's funny, my friends, the ones that live here in Florence, they know me so well,because they'll be like, I'll go see you maybe after work and we'll go out and have a

(01:03:38):
drink or whatever and then hang out for the evening.
And then of course on the next day, they're like, hey, you want to come over?
know, whatever this and that.
And I'd be just like, you know, I'm.
I'd be like, I'm not gonna come over tonight or whatever.
was like, but my husband will be there whenever.
And they're like, yeah, I understand.

(01:04:01):
We got the one day out of you, Lindsay, and that's all that matters.
Because we know two days is probably too much for you.
They know.
They don't take it personal.
just know, no, Lindsay, she had her one social day.
She's good.
And you know, that's some of the, you know, that's just one of the things, you know, like,it's funny how life starts changing as I get older too.

(01:04:30):
It's like, know, you get to nine, for me, if I get to nine o'clock, that's late.
What?
And if I'm out, I'm looking at the clock going, we're getting close to nine.
I won't get to bed till 9.30, 10.

(01:04:51):
We better start thinking about leaving right now.
That's funny.
That's funny.
Yeah.
I, you know, I'm a...
Cause you gotta get up for a walk, right?
Yeah.
I wish I was more of a morning person like you, but I'm just, mean, if Paul listens to us,he knows he's just like Lindsay never sleeps.

(01:05:20):
She just never sleeps.
So...
a week ago or so, you were partying all night long anyway, so it don't really matter.
You were running when I was sleeping.
Your best friend might have slept in!
Saw the sun come up!
oh

(01:05:42):
and then I would look forward to us going on a little hunt or something.
We're going to meet someday for sure and go do this stuff.
oh definitely.
really am interested 100%.
I am.
we will do that.
We will set this up.

(01:06:04):
And the other thing I want to say is like, if we have the US trials in Oregon again, Iwould love to go to the US trials.
I'd love to be in that stadium.
You made me jealous when you were in the stadium.
it two weeks ago or three weeks ago maybe?

(01:06:27):
Maybe it was longer than that.
I don't know.
About a month ago, yeah about a month ago, three weeks ago.
Cause you, you're right.
And I agree with you, even though I'm a Florida state fan that that is the, that is thetrack capital of the world.
it's, it is, it's, phenomenal.

(01:06:49):
Like the new stadium is unreal.
It, um, the kids get to run state on it, like here in Oregon, they get to, um, they put onall comers meets.
Like we went as a family and we ran races.
had, we jumped.
I mean, just whatever we wanted to do.
And they have it right there on like the world-class track of the world.

(01:07:11):
I mean, just.
It's unbelievable.
Every seat is cushioned.
they figure it out, you're going to be sitting, watching track all day, you need acomfortable seat, right?
So it is just, it's nothing like, it's just phenomenal.
You walk in and it's just, you feel like you're in a whole nother world.
Literally feel like you're in a whole nother world.

(01:07:32):
It's just, what's that?
Oh, I, I, I.
love track.
could, I honestly, I'm one of those people I could sit and watch track all day, even if Idon't even know the people.
Like I love it.
Love, love track.
Yeah.
at the U S trials, at the U S trials, I sat and watched it on TV because of course Iwasn't there in Oregon.

(01:07:56):
And then of course in the Olympics, but I mean, these things are watching track to me isamazing to watch the different athletes.
then if you know them just a little bit, you know, mean, on T on television, they give youa little more of a
a biography of what they've they have done, but just to know them a little bit and see,you know, like, this is going to be a good race, you know, kind of thing.

(01:08:29):
And it's funny, like I said, I was a sprinter through high school, but my favorite race towatch is the 800.
my, it is for me and I think it's one of the hardest events in track racing wise.
I think it's by far the hardest race.

(01:08:53):
No, it's a very fine line.
m
in amazing shape and amazing.
That's where the process has to come because an 800 meter race is amazingly like, you haveto be technical and strategic and know when you need to give it more.

(01:09:16):
like, then you get, then you get a guy that's
I mean, it's amazing.
Is it just one of those races that I love to watch?
But I love to watch all the races, I mean, when that comes up and it does, I mean that andI just love it.
So yeah.
Yeah, you'll have to come out.
I only live an hour from the stadium.

(01:09:40):
So you have to come out because we, like all the, even the college athletes, all,everybody is just like, they want to come because they feel that stadium and it is just
magical.
it's cause Eugene knows track.
It's not like they just come out to watch it.
They know track.
Like they are track fans.

(01:10:01):
And so.
They know what's going on.
And of course you people who've been there since the old Hayward Field days.
They still show up every day, for all the meets.
It's just super fun.
they love coming, because the crowd just roars, and it's just super fun.

(01:10:25):
Yeah, if you ever can make it out, definitely do.
If, like I said, US trials there, you better know that I'm coming out.
And I know they will because it's like there's no other better place to have it.
There just isn't.
no, especially in that time of year when you're trying to get ready for the Olympics.

(01:10:46):
mean, Oregon in getting ready, they should have it there because I don't, you can't reallyhave it anywhere else to get, to get the best performances out of people.
yeah, oh absolutely, absolutely.
And then I'd like to see, I don't know, don't they have a pre-fontaine thing, pre-fontainestatue or something?

(01:11:12):
Yeah.
It's usually the week after high school state track.
Yeah.
And it's a fun one.
It's a fun one.
Isn't that crazy?
I live in South Dakota and I know this stuff.
m
you love track, know that stuff
eh I do.

(01:11:33):
It's, it's, it's, there's some of the best athletes in the world in all different events.
it, and it's fun also because you can watch about everything.
I mean, you can watch throwing, you can watch jumping, you can watch a lot of things inthe middle of there and that, that the whole thing.

(01:11:55):
And I think that's one thing I just, like I said, I love drugs.
that track, you can watch every single event, throwing event, jumps, pull vault, all thethrowing except for the hammer.
That's the only one.
The hammer is just right, right, right outside the stadium.
I mean, you can walk just across and you see it, but all the other throwing events,discus, shot put, jive, all of it's right there.

(01:12:22):
So it's pretty cool.
Like you get to see it all go on and happening.
uh
it's right there and it's not on separate fields or anywhere like that.
It's right there inside the track.
Yeah.
And the thing that's cool about having it, having it like in Eugene, you know, it's asmaller town comparatively to where they could have it.

(01:12:45):
And I just remember the first, one of the first trials that we went to, like my daughterwas, she'd been five.
Maybe five?
I can't remember.
She was little.
so we take the kids to go and we all like, we were huge Emma Coburn fans like at the time,like, well, we still are, but like she was big, big Emma Coburn.

(01:13:12):
And so, so like, we were just, you know, super excited when she won or whatever.
And we happened to go, this was kind of fun about Eugene because athletes do go out and,and
go to the different bars and everything.
And we just happened to be going, happened to be at the same place that Emma Kober and herfamily were coming to celebrate.

(01:13:35):
And so, uh you know, we're sitting there and her and her sister walk in, you know, andeverybody's going crazy.
And the first thing they do is, this is why I even love her even more.
mean, most people would be like, you're weird, but.
they buy around the shots for the family.

(01:13:55):
then they go and take a shot to sell right together everybody and her brother rocks by usand he had like a bag of shirts with them.
And and so I might I might Hey, I go you give him those shirts out.
He goes well, it's kind of for the family but I go he saw my daughter he goes

(01:14:18):
But I think she should get one of these.
And so he handed her a yellow Go Emma shirt.
so my daughter was, oh my God, she was so excited.
So she puts it on.
then as well, Emma actually comes up and talks to her for a little bit.
then she leaves.

(01:14:40):
And then as we're leaving the restaurant, they're all still there.
We're leaving and Emma was kind of at the entrance of the place and walking out and shejust looks over.
She's all, hey, Mackenzie, bye.
And my daughter, my daughter fell over backwards.
She just left going, mom, she remembered my name.

(01:15:03):
She remembered my name.
So it's just a fun, fun place to be for track.
Cause they're like.
I think they're all over after the meet's over, just going about with the crowds.
I've had people show my kids their medals, and yeah.
I'll hang out with you then.

(01:15:23):
Cause if people don't, mean, Emma Coburn, she's a world-class steeplechaser.
And I mean, I follow her and it's interesting.
I, yeah, she is, didn't, did she break her, what'd do?
Break her foot or ankle in?

(01:15:44):
I think?
Like, yeah, she did something to her foot.
Yeah.
Yeah.
she was fun to watch.
Like it's amazing.
Yeah.
So that is very, very cool.
So.
have a good time.
always end up and of course we have friends that no friends that no people to get you intoplaces to go meet people and whatever.

(01:16:11):
So yeah.
just, isn't that fun because how we have relationships.
When you were talking about earlier about your rehab and from your stroke, like it's funto have friends that believe in you and you surround yourself with the good people, good
things are gonna happen.

(01:16:31):
I've been places where like,
People said, how do you meet these people?
said, I don't know, I just happened to run into, you know, but I think if you're authenticand you're real, you know, like I don't ask people for anything.
I'm just saying, hey, you know, let's have a conversation like you and I, you know, Imean, and I like where this friendship is going, you know, where like you're trusted, you

(01:17:01):
know, I mean,
a trusted friend really, you know, mean, I like, cause I do like, I like that message you,like you, you send me sometimes or I send you a message here and there just like, you
know, I mean, it's not an everyday thing, but it's like, yeah, you know, it's one of thosethings.
And, and so, yeah, you can, you can certainly plan on me coming out and sitting in thosechairs, watching track all day long.

(01:17:30):
yes, it's super fun and I would love to have you.
I would love to have you and show you around and maybe even bring you out to the coast tosee the ocean.
Yeah, it will, it will, because there's no other place to have the trials but Eugene.

(01:17:51):
It's just, you can't, it's just the mecca of everything.
And all the athletes want to have it here.
They get super excited.
So it's really fun.
Well, then we'll plan that.
So yeah, so I know I'm getting a little long here and we had a little technicaldifficulties and you probably, everybody's saying, hey, get off talking to Rick and I need

(01:18:20):
to talk to you or something, know, but.
uh But someday we're not going to have to hang up here.
We'll be just sitting around and talking and having a good time.
Yes.
Yeah.
Instead of asking you what's the good life to you, thought, know, right now, what are yourgoals for the next six months or so?

(01:18:58):
Like racing lives?
oh
race in life, you know, do you have any trips planned?
you have any, what races are you planning?
We'll see in the next year.
I'll give you a year, that's more general and gives you a little more space.
I hear you there.

(01:19:19):
I just know I'm counting down the days till summer, but no.
Yeah, well I know this weekend I'm excited because get to go, both my kids are racing andI get to go see Sam.
I haven't seen him in a while and it's his birthday.
He's turning 20.
I can't believe I'm at a 20 year old but he's turning 20.

(01:19:42):
So get to do a double whammy, get to watch Kins Friday, Saturday, and then he's racingSaturday evening up in Portland.
So that will be, that's one thing I'm really looking forward to, because I love watchingmy kids race and I haven't seen Sam in a while.
But as far as racing goes, I know,

(01:20:08):
I'm hoping I'm actually I'm gonna go up to Paul's race.
That's probably be my next Kind of have a I kind of every redeem myself race cuz uh andthe 108k up there So, but we'll see I don't think he's overly happy about that cuz just
getting done with under Myler but see how things go uh and then I Don't know I I kind ofuh

(01:20:38):
I get new things every day from people that ask me to do stuff.
But I know I have an entry in the CCC over in Chamonix for the 100K over there, which I'mstill going back and forth if I'm going to do it or not.
And then definitely have 100 % going to go to Greece in September for a stage race.

(01:21:07):
Really?
Yeah, I don't want to miss it.
uh It's a once one and done type thing that the people I ran, it's the same company that Iran the Gobi Desert with.
uh They're putting it on and uh it just sounds amazing.
It sounds absolutely phenomenal.
And so I'm like, and I miss my family.

(01:21:28):
I miss my family.
So I'm like, I need to go back and see some people.
uh But yeah, so I'm going to do that.
I don't really, I really, really, I don't know if it'll happen, but I really would like togo to Thailand in December and race.

(01:21:49):
uh That's kind of been a country, Thailand, Vietnam, kind of on my bucket list of things Iwould love to go see.
uh
And so we'll see, we'll see what happens.
We'll see where my training's at, if I'm even able to go, I don't know.
But I'm sure there'll be some shorter races squeezed in between those months as well,because fall time here in Oregon is like, our races just explode, like late summer fall.

(01:22:20):
And so I'll probably be doing some shorter races around here too, but, and probably be upat Mount Hood.
For a race up there.
I just don't know what distance yet And then I guess it's gonna happen depends whathappens in the drawing for Western States if I Get picked off, I mean obviously we're in

(01:22:45):
Western States next year if I don't then just keep on trucking But I So yeah, so I don'tknow what but just kind of
Everything always lingers on the drawing and then I start planning my year and after that,just by a loft chance that maybe I'll get drawn.

(01:23:05):
So, and if I never do, I never do.
It just wasn't meant to be, no big deal, right?
So, and then I know with Paul's discretion and...
I think I was told that he wouldn't coach me if I did it.

(01:23:26):
So I coached me for it with it.
I really want to do Coco Donut.
That's like my big, big A goal for next year.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I've been wanting to do that race since they created it.
And I just would really like to do it.

(01:23:49):
I love Arizona and it's just been...
Yeah, it's been on my list and I of course, know, you know, you know my coach he's againstall that big big stuff but I really want to do it.
I want to again just I love to just test the human body to see what I can do and just toshow people that hard things can be done.

(01:24:17):
They can be done.
It's just it hurts.
It's not fun all the time but
I just really like to just push the limits more and more.
So.
Well, I see, I think, I think cam's getting to the end or he might've finished.
I didn't see before.
I didn't see the last post I saw that he was getting close to the end.

(01:24:41):
were waiting for him at the finish line.
another, another exact, that's where I was going with that was speed land.
Yeah, yeah, yes.
In fact, I've been talking to the, you know, the owners are down there, the creators, andI've been talking to them back and forth all week.

(01:25:06):
And I told them, like, you know, I know I could have done it this year.
I got in for this year.
the Canyons was already on my list and I wanted to do Canyons, which I'm really glad Idid.
And I started texting back and forth and I told him, I'm you know, that maybe next year,you know, I'll be there.

(01:25:30):
And, you know, it's always been on my list, my bucket list of things I've wanted to doand, and I'll text back and he's just like, in capital letters, do it.
He goes, we got you covered because I don't see why we wouldn't sponsor the race again.
And we'll take care of you.
We got you a guaranteed entry.
And so I feel like.

(01:25:50):
Okay, well maybe it's meant to be.
I don't know.
Well, here's a secret here.
If you get into coca-dona, we won't tell Paul, because I don't know if he'll listen tothis far into the podcast if he listens to it.
We'll just delete this part out.
Yeah.

(01:26:11):
And I'll, I'll come down and help be one of your crew.
Cause that would be fun.
I just love, I would, I think that it's just one of those races that intrigues me.
know, I know I, I know I would never make times or anything.

(01:26:32):
Cause I just, but I would love to be there watching you do it.
I would, I, that would, that would be really cool.
That would be really cool.
the tough, I know, here's the other thing is like when Cindy and I are like, when I likedoing, I mean, I have nothing on you guys, but like when I do my 40 years, like Cindy

(01:26:55):
knows when I want to talk and there's times that you just don't say a fricking word andyou're just tired and you're in your head and you know.
Yes.
I didn't do a hundred miles, but I, you know, I mean, like I said, we did a little over 40and, we're traveling.
That's our, that's a problem because we have to travel from trip mountain to mountain tomountain, but you're still up 24 hours.

(01:27:17):
made it in 24 hours.
So that's the part that I like, but this year I'm going to go climb a mountain instead ofdo that.
I'm going to climb Mount peel.
I've just decided that by the flying by the seat of my pants to go climb.
Yep.
gonna go climb Mount Peel Memorial Day weekend.

(01:27:39):
That's awesome!
I love hearing that!
That's so great!
done seven peaks, I've done five peaks, I've done this and that.
here's the reason I'm going to climb Mount Peel.
I'm going to put a post out about this, but the reason I want to climb Mount Peel isthat's where I mountain go hunting.
I was the first non-resident in that area and I could see Mount Peel, but it's one ofthose things you can see it, but I didn't climb it.

(01:28:08):
Yes.
Yeah.
head until you do it.
huh.
Yeah, I get that.
oh
of like to me it'd be like for you to see coca-dona and not do it It's like we have goalsin our heads.
I was actually this happened years ago, I we were elk hunting and I could see this top ofthe mountain and I'm thinking In a bull started bugling and I thought well, you know, you

(01:28:42):
got to go after the bull and
wow.
back, about five years later, went back and climbed that Dagon Mountain because it wasthere.
Oh.
You have to go.
I have to finish these things that get in my damn head.
Yeah, I get that.

(01:29:03):
And it's something within me.
isn't like anybody saying that.
Nobody would know that I want to climb Mount Peel and there's no trail.
There's really no trail to it, but I've decided, you know what?
I'm gonna take off and I'm gonna go climb it.
I might have a buddy coming now, but it's one of those things that...

(01:29:32):
You can put gasoline in your vehicle and you can put dreams and goals in your mind and youcan go do a lot of things.
And I got a sleeping bag tent and it's going to be more gas because you got to eatwherever you're at.
That's just, that's, that's one rule of life or you're going to die if you don't eat.

(01:29:53):
So, and I can sleep and we're just, I just drive down there and climb it and go on anadventure.
Wow, that's gonna be so fun.
Are you gonna try to climb it to get to see the sunrises or are you just gonna take yourtime and...
that isn't, I don't know yet, because I know how long it would take to get up there, sowe'd have to start damn early.

(01:30:16):
But we're gonna talk, I'm gonna talk, if my other buddy comes, but if he doesn't come, younever know what might happen.
uh Because you know, because I decided to go do things.
I am one of these people, like I said, if my buddy doesn't come, I'm still going.

(01:30:42):
Because I'll ask you to come once and I might remind you a second time, but I'm not goingto ask you third time because I don't need to.
You know, that's telling me you don't care.
Exactly.
So we'll get this stuff figured out.

(01:31:02):
But I thought, you know, and it's one of those deals I got to go do.
I totally understand, like you're saying, don't buy rusty, you gotta go do it before youcan't.
Right?
Yeah.
gonna, I'm gonna probably put this post out so people will hear, I'm probably gonna climbCrow Peak tomorrow night and I'll put the post out that I'm gonna go on a different

(01:31:26):
adventure and climb it, but just because, you know, let people know what I'm doing.
But know it, you don't die rusty.
You gotta keep moving.
You gotta share with people.
And that's why this friendship we have and
all of our other friendships mean something and then we gotta chase our goals.

(01:31:49):
Yeah, was, it's not to keep you much longer, but I was at the gym the other night andthere's an older lady that's always there, around the same time I'm there and she's always
on this rowing machine, like rowing and rowing and rowing.

(01:32:11):
And I was in the room and I got my mat out to do my work I needed to do and
And she comes over and she was asking me about my shoes and we got to talking and she waslike one of those people that you just like you hope to strive to be when you're the age

(01:32:35):
that she was at because she was 81 and still moving like she was probably 60.
But she, she, I thought of you because she said to me, you know, I told her I just thoughtit was phenomenal what she was doing and like, I hope that can be like you and I'm your

(01:32:57):
age and still being at the gym and, and uh she just goes, you know, you know, once youquit moving, you like, once you stop moving, you stop moving.
And so I, she goes, I walk every day and I come here and I go, I know you're on your ownmachine for like,
for a long time every day, because I see you.

(01:33:18):
But yeah, she just was like, yeah, just once she goes, I just really believe once I quitmoving, I'm not going to be able to move again.
So she just keeps on going.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, thank you so much for this conversation again.
I feel lucky because maybe this is your social night out and I got to be that one night.

(01:33:45):
I reserved it for ya.
Sorry I missed it yesterday.
It was just kind of a little bit of a crazy day yesterday.
So...
But it's Ah, nice.
all of our conversations and I appreciate you.
really do.
I appreciate Paul for, you know, coaching you guys and then I get to talk to you guys andthat's how we met.

(01:34:11):
I love, you know, like I said, you Paul, Emily, I know
you know, and I just look at you guys and say, how did I get so lucky to even talk to youguys, you know?
Oh, I feel pretty grateful that I got to meet you.

(01:34:32):
I do.
I do.
I do.
Well, we're gonna get together in Oregon and then we'll talk, we'll keep the Coco Donutthing quiet.
Richard, you and me, my family.
That's it.
Nobody else needs to know.
um

(01:34:57):
kinds of races intrigue me because I like to look within what the people are goingthrough.
I don't know what it is.
just interests me what's inside people's heads.
Anyway, but thank you so much.
driving force is, so the reasons, right?

(01:35:18):
oh
if you, I can't remember what it was called and I watched it the other night, but it wasthe 20, 24 race.
it's like, one, I can't remember, you know, one of them is just so not a lot, yeah, I'mjust out here, you know, and then another one's like a head and then it was just.

(01:35:44):
You're good, you're good.