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AR: Do you train year-round, or is there an off-season/on-season?

SE: I might perform better if I took a month or two off each year – most of the top competitors do. But I’m really more interested in doing what I love – running – than in winning races. I do cross-train (bicycle, ski, snowshoe, aerobics) whenever the running starts to feel stale or tedious.

AR: Do you have a coach now?

Since I’ve been ultrarunning, I’ve had two coaches, each for a relatively brief period of time. Both taught me a lot about the sport, improved my running form and made me faster and stronger. But both experiences took some of the joy out of running for me. I started to forget that I run because I love it and not because I need to win.

AR: How much does it cost (time/money/bodily sacrifice/emotional/mental)?

SE: The biggest cost is in time. I think it would be very difficult to balance ultrarunning with a full-time job, a family and other interests, but I know ultrarunners who do. For Peter and me, it’s a way of life. We both love running (and a variety of other sports) and we’ve structured our lives around it. Emotionally and mentally, ultrarunning has only been to my benefit. There’s nothing like a long run in the Boulder foothills to clear the mind and cheer the heart.

AR: Describe to me the best race moment ever?

SE: Finishing Leadville the first time. It was my second 100-miler. My first was Rocky Racoon in Huntsville, TX. I had a ball there – no problems. I said to myself, “I was made for this sport.” Leadville was different. I suffered a lot during that race. I threw up for 60 miles. When I finished that race, I felt like I could do anything.

AR: What about the worst race moment ever?

SE: The worst moment was also at Leadville. I was in third place at mile 87, the last aid station. I realized that I was so far ahead of fourth place that I could probably walk every step of the last 15 miles and still be third. I took comfort in that plan until my crew said, “Second place is laying on a cot, and first is only 13 minutes ahead of you.” After momentary elation, the horrible reality set in. Instead of settling into a death slog to the finish, I would have to bust my butt to try to catch number one and stay ahead of number two. I ran every step to the finish. Unfortunately, so did Amanda MacIntosh. She beat me by 12 minutes.

AR: What are the top five best things about being an ultra runner?

SE:

1. You can always get there from here (no worries if your car breaks down).

2. You have a kind of “freak-show” appeal at dinner parties.

3. It’s cheap entertainment.

4. You can eat anything you want.

5. You always know what you’re going to do on the weekends.

AR: Five pieces of advice for people looking to ultra-run or who are signed up for that first race?

SE:

1. Someone once said to me, “The key to finishing a 100-mile race is take it really easy for the first 30 miles.”

I responded, “Who are you kidding? The key to finishing a 100-mile race is to take it really easy for the first 100 miles.”

I stand by that statement.

2. If you keep going when you want to quit you’ll only suffer until the end of the race. If you quit, you’ll suffer for a whole year until you have a chance to prove yourself at that race again. (This is paraphrasing Ken Chlober, the race director for the Leadville 100 Trail Run.)

3. Just keep going.

4. Don’t forget to use sport slick [to avoid painful chafing)!

5. Don’t forget your shoes – anything else you can beg, borrow or steal.

AR: What’s the average age of ultra runners, and what do you think accounts for this?

SE: I’d guess 30-50. There are very few top ultrarunners in their 20s. I suspect that this is because ultras require a certain amount of patience that usually comes with age. I’ve noticed that the best women ultrarunners tend to be in their childbearing years, when pain tolerance seems to be particularly high.

AR: How fast do women run compared to men?

SE: As in other sports, women are consistently slower than men. There are a few women…well, one, Anne Trason, who seems to be closing the gap, but this is not the norm. Nonetheless, I think women make terrific ultrarunners –they tend to pace themselves better than men and often have a better ability to overcome adversities that arise during a race.

AR: How long do you see yourself doing this competitively?

SE: Well, my Dad is 68 and competing in 100-mile and 24-hour races. I just hope I have some of his great genetics ’cause I’d sure like to be cleaning up in my age group when I’m 70!