Dirt Nap Diaries

Episode 42: Cocodona Day One: The Desert, the Dark, and Why It Still Feels Like a Different Race

Day one of Cocodona 250 covered 75 miles — through the Sonoran desert, up into the Bradshaws, through the first night, and into Whiskey Row in Prescott. And honestly? It still feels like it happened in a completely different race. Maybe that's what 27 hours on your feet alone does to your brain. In this episode, I'm taking you from packet pickup and a pre-race cry-and-puke in the van all the way to Greg's face on Whiskey Row. We cover the Cottonwood Creek gauntlet, the Senator Highway ridgeline at night, the first sunset of the race, running through black bear country in the dark, puking somewhere after Arrastra Creek, a volunteer who tucked me in with three blankets, a dirt nap that ended when my brain said "bear," and finally — legs throbbing too much to sleep in a real bed but still moving forward. In this episode: * Pre-race logistics, packet pickup, and the crew/pacer spreadsheet that was already doomed * Greg as crew chief — what that actually looks like from mile zero * The Cottonwood Creek mandatory water carry and why that first section is the hardest terrain on the course * Early pacing discipline and why it matters more in a 250 than anywhere else * Poles, gels, chews, bananas, and the electrolyte mistake I didn't know I was making yet * The Senator Highway ridgeline...first sunset, first night, first solo dark miles * Melissa...the training run stranger turned puking-and-rallying partner through the Bradshaws * Camp Wamatochick, the volunteer with three blankets, and 30 minutes in an anti-gravity chair * Hitting Prescott pavement, a stranger with Tums, and locals handing out candy bars and Hot Hands at sunrise * Changing into the H1s and what shoe rotation actually looks like in a multi-day race * And the moment I realized: I'm still here. I'm still moving. That's enough. Enjoying the show? If this episode resonated, share it with a friend. Make sure you’re following or subscribed so you don’t miss future episodes. Ratings and reviews help more than you know. * Follow me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sunrisetrailscoaching] * Visit my website: www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/] * Want to work together? Learn about 1:1 Coaching [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/one-on-one-trail-running-coaching] * Free guide: What’s In My Pack? Download here [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/trail-runners-packing-list]

Episode 41: Cocodona 250: What I Wish I Said at the Finish Line

This week’s episode isn’t a full race recap yet because my brain still feels a little scrambled from five days across Arizona. But after sitting with the experience, I wanted to talk about the things that mattered most once the finish time goal slipped away. We’re talking about adapting when things change, the privilege of getting to do something like this in the first place, and the overwhelming amount of support it took to get me to that finish line. Crew, pacers, volunteers, friends, texts, DMs, random encouragement at aid stations…it all mattered more than pace ever did. And somewhere out there between the puking, dirt naps, hallucinations, sunrises, and emotional swings, the experience itself became enough. In this episode: *  Why my original time goal stopped mattering  *  The difference between adjusting and giving up  *  The privilege of running and having access to these spaces  *  White privilege, representation, and outdoor endurance sports  *  How support changes everything in ultras and life  *  Dirt naps, aid station resets, and learning to slow down  *  Why the experience itself became the real win  *  What I wish I would’ve said at the finish line interview  This one is messy, reflective, emotional, and very much recorded by a woman whose brain is still somewhere on trail between Black Canyon City and Flagstaff. Enjoying the show? If this episode resonated, share it with a friend. Make sure you’re following or subscribed so you don’t miss future episodes. Ratings and reviews help more than you know. * Follow me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sunrisetrailscoaching] * Visit my website: www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/] * Want to work together? Learn about 1:1 Coaching [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/one-on-one-trail-running-coaching] * Free guide: What’s In My Pack? Download here [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/trail-runners-packing-list]

Episode 40: There’s more than one win: Celebrating all the things

You trained for it. You showed up. And somehow…you’re still telling yourself it wasn’t enough. In this episode, I’m talking about something I see all the time—runners finishing races (or not) and immediately going to what went wrong. Missing the point entirely. Yes, goals matter. Finish lines matter. But if that’s the only thing you’re celebrating, you’re ignoring everything that actually made you the runner who got there. This one goes beyond race day. We’re getting into the invisible work, the real wins during a race, boundaries, and why this hits differently for women who are juggling way more than just training. Also…by the time you’re listening to this, I’m somewhere out on the Cocodona 250 course doing exactly what I’m talking about in this episode. In this episode: *  Why feeling disappointed is normal—but living there isn’t helping you  *  The “invisible work” you’re not giving yourself credit for  *  What to actually celebrate during a race (it’s not just the finish)  *  Why women showing up to start lines is a bigger deal than we talk about  *  How boundaries in training and life are part of the win  *  Solo runs vs. running with others—and why both matter  *  Reframing DNFs and missed goals without throwing everything away  *  Why tying your worth to outcomes will burn you out  Cocodona Live Tracking and Live Stream [https://www.aravaiparunning.com/cocodona/cocodona-live/] Enjoying the show? If this episode resonated, share it with a friend. Make sure you’re following or subscribed so you don’t miss future episodes. Ratings and reviews help more than you know. * Follow me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sunrisetrailscoaching] * Visit my website: www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/] * Want to work together? Learn about 1:1 Coaching [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/one-on-one-trail-running-coaching] * Free guide: What’s In My Pack? Download here [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/trail-runners-packing-list] Cocodona Live Tracking and Live Stream [https://www.aravaiparunning.com/cocodona/cocodona-live/]

Episode 39: How Training Actually Builds: From General to Specific (And Why It Matters)

Training isn’t random—even if it sometimes feels like it when you’re in the middle of it. In this episode, I’m breaking down how a training block actually builds over time so you can stop second-guessing every shift in your plan. From early intensity to later volume, from general fitness to race-specific prep, this is the big-picture view of what’s happening and why it matters—especially when life is full and you’re just trying to keep showing up. I recorded this one in the middle of Cocodona prep, so you’ll also get a little behind-the-scenes of what that looks like right now…including a dining room that looks like trail running exploded all over it.  In this episode, I talk about: *  How training moves from least specific to most race-specific  *  Why volume increases while intensity comes down over time  *  What you’re actually building in each phase of a training block  *  Why working on weaknesses early matters more than you think  *  How to stop panicking when training starts to feel different  *  What it really means to trust the process (without overthinking it)  If you’ve ever wondered if you’re doing enough…too much…or the “right” kind of training—this one’s for you. Enjoying the show? If this episode resonated, share it with a friend. Make sure you’re following or subscribed so you don’t miss future episodes. Ratings and reviews help more than you know. * Follow me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sunrisetrailscoaching] * Visit my website: www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/] * Want to work together? Learn about 1:1 Coaching [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/one-on-one-trail-running-coaching] * Free guide: What’s In My Pack? Download here [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/trail-runners-packing-list]

Episode 38: The final phase of training: Taper like you mean it

You hit your last long run and now you’re just…supposed to back off? Yeah. That’s taper. And if you’ve ever felt weird during this time—physically, mentally, emotionally—you’re not alone. I’m in it right now heading into Cocodona 250, so this episode is real-time. What’s actually happening in your body, why your brain starts questioning everything, and how to not blow it by trying to do more when the whole point is to do less.  In this episode, I talk through: *  What taper actually is and why it matters (it’s not just cutting mileage)  *  What your body is doing right now...repairing, refueling, calming things down  *  Why you’re not losing fitness…you’re shedding fatigue  *  The mental side of taper and how easy it is to start doubting your training  *  Taper tantrums—why you feel off, restless, or a little unhinged  *  How long taper should be and why it depends  *  What your runs, lifting, and recovery should look like during this time  *  Fueling, hydration, and why this is not the time to under-eat  *  How to shift into race mode without spiraling  *  What to actually do with your extra time so you don’t overthink everything  The work is done. You don’t need more fitness...you need to show up ready to use it. Enjoying the show? If this episode resonated, share it with a friend. Make sure you’re following or subscribed so you don’t miss future episodes. Ratings and reviews help more than you know. * Follow me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sunrisetrailscoaching] * Visit my website: www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/] * Want to work together? Learn about 1:1 Coaching [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/one-on-one-trail-running-coaching] * Free guide: What’s In My Pack? Download here [https://www.sunrisetrailscoaching.com/trail-runners-packing-list]