Blueprint to Ultra

Episode 42: Alex Kuhlman - I want to do something that most in that room wouldn't be willing to try.

Alex decided he wanted to run his first 100 mile race before he had even finished his first marathon. Hired a run coach and started 2026 with two 100s on the calendar. The Zion 100 in April and Javelina 100 in October. We asked him why running a 100 was so important to him and it was simple, unvarnished truth. " I wanted to be confident that, you know, if I was sitting in a room with people, like I did something that most, like everybody in that room wouldn't be willing to try." We dig into his Zion 100 with what went well and what didn't go as planned, training challenges and the race itself. Then we jump over to taking what he learned from Zion and what he is taking with him to Javelina. The episode is full of a lot of solid tips for you to add to your own blueprint as you are planning your next race. We invite you to listen in. Join us, and don't ever forget. You can still learn something from your mom.Don't forget to hit subscribe and like. You know, you could subscribe before you even start watching, because if you have read this far, well, we are friends now. So yeah, give us a like and subscribe. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. We would love to hear from you. Connect with Alexon IG: ⁠⁠@second_half_strong [https://www.instagram.com/second_half_strong/] Connect with us on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@blueprint_to_ultra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/blueprint_to_ultra] Looking for a coach? Work with Jeff: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jwultrarunning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.jwultrarunning.com/] Work with Steve: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/ [https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/]

Episode 41: Aaron Fleisher - Yes, you absolutely can finish an entire 200+ mile race, even if you hike the entire thing. Learn how with Aaron.

Aaron is a thru-hiker-turned-ultra runner who began running in 2022 yet has completed numerous 200+ mile races, including every Cocodona 250. If you have ever considered running a 200 mile race or want to learn secrets on how to, this may be the episode for you. Aaron explains how discovering ultra running on the Pacific Crest Trail and the appeal of aid stations and support drew him from hiking into racing. We dig into the value of being efficient at hiking, how Aaron avoids hallucinations and his sleep strategy to avoid zombie walking. Oh, and day 2 apparently is always the worst day for everyone in a 200. Join us, and don't ever forget. You can still learn something from your mom.Don't forget to hit subscribe and like. You know, you could subscribe before you even start watching, because if you have read this far, well, we are friends now. So yeah, give us a like and subscribe. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. We would love to hear from you. Connect with Aaron on IG: ⁠⁠@mittenmadness [https://www.instagram.com/mittenmadness/] Connect with us on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@blueprint_to_ultra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/blueprint_to_ultra] Looking for a coach? Work with Jeff: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jwultrarunning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.jwultrarunning.com/] Work with Steve: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/ [https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/]

Episode 40: Anna Epifano - A redemption story at Blackbeard's Revenge 100

It isn't everyday that you get to have your mom on your podcast. This week, Anna Epifano, Steve's mom, joins us on the show to talk about her first 100 mile race at the age of 63, the Blackbeard's Revenge 100. After DNF'ing her first attempt at Blackbeard's in 2025 which was a race she hadn't even planned to do in the first place, Anna returned in 2026 to finish what she started. We get into the importance of consistency in training, the ups and downs of a DNF and a redemption, strength training and mobility, fueling and race day strategies. Join us, and don't ever forget. You can still learn something from your mom.Don't forget to hit subscribe and like. You know, you could subscribe before you even start watching, because if you have read this far, well, we are friends now. So yeah, give us a like and subscribe. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. We would love to hear from you. Connect with Anna on IG: ⁠@a4c1e6 ⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/a4c1e6/] Connect with us on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@blueprint_to_ultra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/blueprint_to_ultra] Looking for a coach? Work with Jeff: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jwultrarunning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.jwultrarunning.com/] Work with Steve: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/ [https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/]

Episode 39: Chris Twiggs - Ready to set a PR in your next ultra? Listen to Chris, 17 x finisher of Hardrock 100.

Is it okay to walk during an ultra? Is it okay to walk during training as a runner? What if you could set PRs in your races, regardless of the distance, by adding in a planned walk part in it? Would you? Join us as we learn from Chris Twiggs, Chief Training Officer of Jeff Galloway coaching, everything we can about the art of run-walk-run. Chris explains how run-walk-run is a deliberate pacing strategy that starts from the beginning of a race, how to choose and adjust ratios using the “Magic Mile” and a 30-second walk break guideline, and how pacers and tools like a Gym boss timer can reinforce execution late in ultras. Oh, and we would have been dumb not to talk about what it takes to finish the Hardrock 100 17 times as Chris prepares to take on his 18th running this year. We talk training from Florida, acclimation, stair and treadmill work, and a key underestimated factor of the course that you need to listen to the episode to hear. Join us and don't forget to hit subscribe and like. You know, you could subscribe before you even start watching, because if you have read this far, well, we are friends now. So yeah, give us a like and subscribe. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. We would love to hear from you. Connect with Chris on IG: @christwiggs [https://www.instagram.com/christwiggs/] Check out Jeff Galloway Coaching: https://www.jeffgalloway.com/ [https://www.jeffgalloway.com/] Connect with us on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@blueprint_to_ultra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/blueprint_to_ultra] Looking for a coach? Work with Jeff: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jwultrarunning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.jwultrarunning.com/] Work with Steve: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/ [https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/]

Episode 38: Dylan Ledbetter - From punishment running to sobriety and forgiveness. Midstate Mile,Lovit 100 and prepping for Cocodona 250.

Dylan Ledbetter, an Army veteran who began running after losing a close friend and later found discipline through running, faith, and sobriety. Dylan explains how his early races—an undertrained marathon and his first Mid-State Mile—shaped his mindset, then contrasts a poor Mid-State year two (lack of training focus and heavy drinking) with a breakthrough year three, where intentional training, humility, gratitude, and consistent fueling helped him finish third. He details Mid-State’s one-mile, 20-minute loop format, no-headphones rule, elevation demands, and his lap-by-lap cooling, pacing, and nutrition system. Dylan also recaps a tough Lovit 100 (about 15,400 ft gain) plagued by stomach issues, and shares how “chosen suffering” in ultras helps handle life’s unchosen hardships, while previewing goals and strategy for Cocodona 250. Join us and don't forget to hit subscribe and like. You know, you could subscribe before you even start watching, because if you have read this far, well, we are friends now. So yeah, give us a like and subscribe. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. We would love to hear from you. Connect with Dylan: @dylan_abnormal [https://www.instagram.com/dylan_abnormal/ ] Connect with us on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@blueprint_to_ultra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/blueprint_to_ultra] Looking for a coach? Work with Jeff: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jwultrarunning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.jwultrarunning.com/] Work with Steve: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/ [https://www.socalrunnercoaching.com/]