As many of you know, I’ve been coaching athletes for a few years now, and one thing that’s critical to coaching is one-on-one meetings. They’re always a chance to connect, see how training is going, and review plans for race week. I also usually do an exit interview to see how their event went. While out on a run, I thought to myself that some amazing stories come out of these meetings. Since I’m doing the calls anyway, I figured it would be a great chance to start a podcast built around them, and maybe cover some other topics as they come up. I quickly learned how to record, transcribe, and get episodes posted on all the major platforms. It’s so easy to launch a podcast that I can see why there are so many out there.
Coaching: https://UltraRunCoach.com In this episode of the UltraRunCoach podcast, host Patrick Durante sits down with guest Rich Sharkey (one of Patrick's early coaching athletes) to discuss his journey from road running and 5Ks to tackling ultras.Rich shares his experience making the massive leap from 50Ks like the Hat Run and World's End to the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Ultra (a Western States qualifier). We dive deep into elevation training strategies, surviving the infamous "Gate to Eight" section, gut training with real foods, dialing in sodium needs using a Nix sweat test, and how having a family pit crew transformed his race day.We discuss discuss Rich’s experience on the other side of the trail—pacing me through the final miles of the Eastern States 100, navigating rattlesnakes, and pushing past the physical and mental pain barriers.00:00 – Welcome & Introduction00:48 – Transitioning from Sports & Road Running to Trail Running02:46 – First Unofficial 50K at Blue Marsh Lake & First Organized Race (Hat Run 50K)05:24 – World's End 50K: Handling Mud, Elevation & Learning Hill Training07:54 – Making the Big Jump from 50K to the 70-Mile Laurel Highlands Ultra09:50 – Connecting with Patrick Durante for Coaching & Race Preparation11:19 – History & Unique Challenges of the Laurel Highlands Course12:14 – Training Feet Per Mile Elevation Gain & the "Gate to Eight" Strategy14:10 – Year 1 at Laurel Highlands: Heat, Severe Quad Pain & Mental Recovery17:44 – Year 2 Success: Shaving 33 Minutes & Upgrading Fueling Strategy20:22 – Gut Training: Shifting from Liquid Calories to Real Food21:16 – Electrolyte Breakthrough: Sweat Testing with Nix Biosensors23:12 – Building a Family Pit Crew & Pacing Duties29:35 – Flipping the Script: Rich Paces Patrick at Eastern States 10032:21 – The Role of a Pacer: Pain Management & Mental Distraction37:15 – Funny Race Encounters, DFL Motivation & Rattlesnakes on Trail41:21 – Strong Finish at Eastern States 10044:07 – Top 3 Tips for Anyone Taking on Laurel Highlands45:05 – Maintaining Consistency & Finding New Trails While Traveling46:43 – What's Next for Rich Sharkey (Nelson's Summit 50K)
While I don’t think I’ll be putting out a ton of episodes, I’ll try to connect with a few past athletes, and maybe some people in the ultra space who can offer insights on completing these events. Let me know in the comments about what topics you would like to hear…
Patrick is an ultrarunner and coach from Philadelphia who loves documenting his running career. His mission is to provide useful tips and tricks to assist others along their ultra journey.  You can find his coaching services at https://ultraruncoach.com.
What went right? It was cold at the start so I took arm sleeves, gloves, and compression for my legs. This was my 9th time doing Blues Cruise, and I decided that I was going to throw caution to the wind. I didn’t really care if I got an age group award. I knew I had the training in the bank to PR and this was going to be the weather for it. I set the “virtual partner” on my Garmin at a 9:00-minute pace for the race. Only 4 out of the 31 miles were slower, either because of an aid station or a big climb. I was FAST at each aid station, no chatting, just grab n’ go. Things really started to pick up once I met Zach Landis. He was moving FAST, so the two of us shared some miles together pushing the pace. It was hard, but it never felt THAT hard. Eastern States 100 increased my propensity to suffer. I can hurt 10X more than I thought I was capable of. I ran with that mindset of, “this isn’t ES100 pain”. I also used music at the start and just stayed in my little world and kept grinding. Watching the pace of each mile and I kept hitting my target with relative ease and comfort. A large majority of that was related to the weather. The conditions of the day will dictate your performance in these things, and I think people sometimes forget that.
This was an extremely light kit for this race. I think one of my biggest issues in past seasons is not utilizing aid stations. I tended to carry too much food/water. I would rather keep it light with just the bare minimum for weather like this. A first-time mistake is to take way more than you need, but I think I only realized that after 9 of these damn races.
What went wrong? I didn’t need my gloves. I forgot the race was cupless so I couldn’t take soda at one aid station. This was almost a perfect execution of a race, not much went wrong. My Insta360 Go2 died halfway and I missed some funny moments, that might be the extent of what went “wrong”. The camera is tough to shoot with because you have no screen. That’s why I also bring the pocket DJI camera as a backup.
What would I have done differently? NOTHING! This was a year of a bunch of PRs and I attribute that to new running friends (Alex, Kellen, and John), a change in mindset, and gratitude to be alive and able to do this. My mantra this year is “I don’t mind what happens” and I just kept saying “Funk it! LET’S GO”! I told myself that racing is exciting but really doesn’t matter in the whole scheme of things. Who cares if I bonk or blow up, it’s just another BC in the books, and in a few years nobody cares, hell a few days I won’t even care. Live in the moment! Live in the mile! SMILE because there’s only a handful of these types of races you will do in your life!
The best moment in the race for me was when someone said I was in 12th place. I knew it was only halfway and I could catch a few people. I started to visualize holding the oar. I WANTED to hold the oar! I would NOT be stopped from holding the GOD DAMN OAR!!! That just kept repeating in my mind, “OAR OAR OAR”! Does anybody need an oar? NO! WTH am I going to do with this thing?
This type of performance comes from perfect weather, good rest, and NO MENTAL DAEMONS! I had just read The Relationship Handbook, and this part really stuck out.
Insecurity is the source of distress and all counterproductive behavior. Thoughts of insecurity periodically pass through our minds. If we dismiss these thoughts, we will remain secure, our ideal selves: easygoing, joyful, compassionate and wise. If we harbor our thoughts of insecurity, we end up in a state of distress.
George Pransky
Another way of saying it is “Change your thoughts, change your world”. You actually don’t have to listen to what your mind is telling you. Realize that low moods pass. Just because you have a bad day or bad mile, doesn’t mean you will have a bad race. I kept this mindset with me the entire time and I think it paid off.
I have been recording almost all my races and throwing together a little montage for myself and my kids to enjoy. I do this to show them how running can change your life if you let it.
Patrick is an ultrarunner and coach from Philadelphia who loves documenting his running career. His mission is to provide useful tips and tricks to assist others along their ultra journey.  You can find his coaching services at https://ultraruncoach.com.
