Seth Epley: Rising Young Ultra Runner Talks Sobriety, YouTube, Epic Race Blowups & His Upcoming Moab 240!

Transcript

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Hello and welcome If this is your first time with us.

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Thank you so much for stopping by.

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You're listening to Choose to Endure the show dedicated to the back of the pack runners, where we share stories, interviews, gear and training tips specific to the non-elite heroes of the ultra universe.

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A moment to do so?

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Yet?

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Please consider heading over to your favorite podcast app hit, follow, rate the show and, if you're getting something of value, leave a review and let others know.

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My name is Richard Gleave.

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I've been ultra running since 2017.

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I have taken on and finished numerous ultra distances, all the way up through 220 miles, and I am unashamedly a member of the back of the pack, just like many of you.

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Now, today in the studio, we are welcoming Mr Seth Epley, a rising star in the ultra running community.

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Still in his early 20s, seth stands out in a sport often dominated by older runners like myself.

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Stands out in a sport often dominated by older runners like myself.

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He started his running journey as a remedy for personal struggles after high school, transitioning to a 100% sober lifestyle and quickly found his stride, completing his first 200-mile race just three years after taking up the sport.

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Seth's running resume to date includes a top finish at Austin Falls Ultra 50k and numerous other challenging races, such as the Keys 100, grasslands 100 and the Cowboy 200, where his YouTube video has garnered over 21,000 views, and, to that end, his YouTube channel features race recaps, gear reviews and insights into Seth's training.

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Now, recently, seth also launched a GoFundMe campaign to support his entry into this year's Moab 240, aiming to conquer his biggest challenge yet this grueling adventure through the Utah mountains.

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So join us as we dive into Seth's journey, his motivations and his future goals in ultra running.

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Discover raw, inspiring stories from runners who've been right where you are.

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This is the Choose to Endure Ultra Running Podcast with your host.

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He's English, not Australian Richard Gleave.

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All right Seth.

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Welcome to the show.

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Thank you so much for sparing a little time to talk with us today.

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How are you doing, sir?

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Doing awesome man.

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I'm honored to be a part of it.

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I appreciate you making a channel dedicated to the back of the pack runners and just to help spread knowledge in the sport man.

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So thank you again for having me.

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Our pleasure for sure.

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Now, we touched on a little bit in the intro.

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There your background, but maybe you can expand on that for us.

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How did you initially get into running especially well, ultra running at such a young age compared to most ultra runners out there?

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Yeah, man, it really really started, you know, wanting a, like you said, a lifestyle change.

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You know, when I was like 12 years old I started drinking.

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And you know I feel like growing up I was always a little bit anxious and kind of kind of nervous.

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So when I found drinking it kind of just became a bad habit where I ended up putting a lot of time in in in doing that and once I graduated high school I went out to Midland Texas, worked in the pipeline and oil field industry for like a couple of years All right.

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You know, we often, would, you know, work for a long time and after our shift we would get absolutely hammered.

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So, yeah, you know, eventually I just was like you know how much longer am I going to do this and when am I going to make a change?

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You know for me.

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So I ultimately I ended up leaving that company and I saved some money after working there for a couple of years and I still just was struggling with drinking and didn't have really any confidence because I wasn't doing anything productive.

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And I came across a few podcasts hearing about running and the benefits people got from it, such as like Courtney DeWalter, david Goggins, I heard Dr Rhonda Patrick talking about it on the Joe Rogan podcast, and just their messages.

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It just it all added up.

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And as well as my cousin, gabriel Grunewald, she was a big runner too, and all these things just added up and I was like I'm going to go for a run.

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You know, like I'm going to try this out.

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And me and my brother we drove down the road to this local not a track but like a cement loop at the elementary I went to when I was younger and I was like I didn't even know how far a mile was and I did like a couple loops and I was like, okay, you know, and I was like pretty tired and over time I just kept building up slowly.

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I was still running in these Converse.

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One day I did like 11 miles and I ran all the way back home and it just was like it felt like forever to me as like a beginner runner.

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Yeah.

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And I just kept wanting more and more and I realized how I felt more confident.

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And, you know, I was offered a drink and I was like you know what I'm good I, you know I feel good already.

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So, yeah, I was like wow, like this is like a whole nother life that I didn't expect to experience.

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And I signed up for a 50 miler and, uh, did my first marathon and a big part of that, a lot of the inspiration, came from can't, can't hurt me.

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And uh, david Goggins, his book, that was like my running partner when I really got into it, cause really getting into it that was like over a span of a year and it took a while to really build that habit and get that locked in.

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Yeah, so how old were you when you were starting all of this?

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Because I think you're.

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Are you 24 now?

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Is that right?

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Or somewhere close, yeah.

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So how old were you when this is all kicking off?

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Yeah, so I, you know about 20 years old, because when I did my first marathon, that was when the whole pandemic was going on and so we like started in corrals and it was like over the whole weekend, so I didn't know like whose time was where.

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But yeah, man, I was 20 years old that's really cool.

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And so when did you realize because, because you're actually pretty, pretty solid at marathon and distances up to marathon, I mean you've had some really good results to to, to that, to that distance right.

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So when did you realize, hey, I've actually got.

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I think I've got a bit of talent here.

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I would, I would definitely say, the first marathon, because and when I signed up for this race, when it said trail, I didn't know that people ran on hiking trails.

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I thought it was, like you know, a paved path through a park.

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So I signed up and I thought it was like you know, a paved path through a park.

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So I signed up and I, when I went there, I was like what is this dude?

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But anyways, I ended up running that race and I won and I was like what?

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Like this is crazy.

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But, like I said, I didn't know.

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I won till like two days later because they had it all split up.

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But I won it and I was like, oh wow, like I don't always love doing this for the benefits and how it makes me feel, but like I'm actually not bad at this, and that's that's when I really realized that and so you've had some good success at the marathon.

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I think did I see like a 250, something as a marathon PR.

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Is that?

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Yes, sir, yeah 247.

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247.

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I'm doing you a discredit with the 250.

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Let's get you all the credit.

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The 247.

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Awesome.

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So you're really pretty good at those distances out of the gate.

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So what inspired you then to start looking for and exploring the longer distances, into the 50 mile that you talked about and the 100K and then beyond that, you know?

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Then we start getting to the 100 miles and 200.

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So, yeah, what was it?

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The Goggins book?

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Is that?

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What kind of pushed you beyond marathon?

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Yeah, that, and listening to like Courtney DeWalter too, because like we're off the bat, they're talking about 100 milers and you know 240 miles and you know, just as I started running and I finally like hit that 23 mile loop around this Lake in Minnesota cause I tried it the first time and on mile 16, I was cramping and I had like 1%, I really did not want to call my uncle to pick me up and I was kind of embarrassed and I had 1% and I was walking like the last four miles I was like dude, just call him, like just get over it.

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I call him and he was like hello.

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And I was like dude, just call him, Like just get over it.

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I call him and he was like hello.

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And I was like hey, uncle, andy, my phone's on 1% and I decided to try to run across the lake and like I'm cramped and I need you to come get me.

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But yeah, I started.

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I really right out the gate.

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I really started with Ultras because I signed up for that first 50 mile run, because I just was inspired.

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But yeah, it was that Goggins book.

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Hearing what he talked about and his whole life story was super motivating to me.

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I felt like it really applied to me.

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I kind of needed somebody to say, hey, man, quit giving yourself excuses, you're capable of this.

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And that's kind of what I got from that.

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So I signed up for a 50 miler first.

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That's the first thing I did, and I signed up for that first marathon after that as a training run almost up to that and I did the barrier Island ultra marathon across the beach and you know I did that, I just got right into it.

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And then I did a 50 K and I did a 50 miler.

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Oh wait, sorry, I did the 50 K right after the marathon, did the 50 miler and then did another one two weeks later.

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Wow, sorry, I'm not sure I answered that question perfectly.

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But yeah, man, I kind of got into ultras first well, I think that's cool.

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You just sort of skipped, skipped the lower end distances, went straight for the ultras and then worked your way backwards into a marathon, found out you're pretty good.

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Yeah, cause I, you know, after I was running all these ultras and stuff like that's when I really understood all the hype about, like the Boston marathon and, like so many runners, you know that's like a big goal and it really wasn't for me.

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But I was like, well, you know, I'm going to do this and I've I've had some decent times.

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But I was like, well, you know, I'm going to do this and I've had some decent times.

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And so I, you know, tried to qualify a few times after that and that's how I got into the fast marathon distances.

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Did you end up qualifying?

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Have you run Boston as yet?

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The first time I tried to qualify was complete failure.

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I signed up for this race.

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Well, there's a little story Nick Bear he owns Bear Performance Nutrition On a YouTube video he's like, yeah, I'm going to go do the Sun Marathon, try to qualify for Boston.

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And I was like, you know what?

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I'm going to do it too.

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So me, my mom and my dad, we drove to Utah out to run this marathon and I didn't take a gel or any nutrition till mile 17.

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I don't know what I was.

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I think I just, you know, got hyped up and, uh, ended up bonking and walking the last three miles, did like three 30, but then I did qualify.

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In Dallas I did a two 59 35, just right under the three hour, and then I did qualify with that two 47.

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And, oh wait, no, no, I re-qualified after that at the Cowtown 50K.

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I did like 327, but I qualified during that race and I didn't get into Boston with that time.

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And so I was like, okay, now I got to go run Houston, and that's when I did 247.

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And hopefully this year I'll get in with that time.

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Well, good luck if you get up to Boston with that whenever they come out with the times.

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Hopefully you'll get in.

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I appreciate you, man.

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I'm going to need that.

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But I am curious though so now you're this sort of faster marathoner and having some pretty good success at 50K and, dare I say, the shorter ultra distances Nothing's really short when you're 50K or 50 miles.

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It's still long, right, yes, so I'm I'm really interested in your take on transitioning from there to the really long ultra distances now you're, now, I think, you're getting into the hundred milers that you've done a couple of, and obviously cowboy 200, which you also finished, and then coming up from moab 240, which is like another level completely when you get up there.

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So I'm really curious how you feel like the transition has been for you when speed is almost off the table, when the longer you get and you're more into the mental side and the strength side, and so for somebody who's pretty quick, unlike myself, has that been a difficult transition for you?

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quick, unlike myself.

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Has that been a difficult transition for you?

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Yeah, man, you know, just I would say, since I started running, like I never really like forced my pace at first and I just ran at a doable pace and that's how I was able to like move up in miles pretty quickly and that's that's always.

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Um, you know the way I usually would go about it.

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So you know, even though I am, I can be really fast or not really fast.

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But so you know, even though I am, I can be really fast or not really fast, but, like you know, pretty fast, Like I usually enjoy just running at an easy pace and not having to, like you know, force myself at a pace, so it's honestly kind of relieving.

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Like you know, I could sign up for the grasslands 100, you know, a month out from the race, Cause I the race?

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Because I know it's going to be a long day, it's going to take it easy.

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I'm going to do hiking if I need to.

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Of course, that can be mind-boggling, just like how long these races take.

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Right.

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But I mean, as far as needing to slow myself down, I kind of enjoy just running at an easy pace, so it's actually my preference.

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I just wonder, because sometimes with the faster folks you suddenly take that I enjoy just running at an easy pace, so it's actually my preference race.

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And then you have the video, uh, that you were creating during the race and posted after.

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That received 21 000 views on your youtube channel, which in of itself is just insane.

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Thank you, man.

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So so, yeah, what, what do you remember about cowboy 200?

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What were some memorable moments from that race?

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And then what?

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Why do you think that particular video really resonates with a lot of viewers that are coming to your channel?

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Yeah, man, that race was so hard.

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It was so hard man.

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I remember at like mile 10, I was trying to drink water and nothing was coming out of my pack and I was like what's going on here?

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And I literally looked at the tube and it's just ice, it's just frozen.

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And I'm like god, dude, this is not Texas.

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So I like took off the, the part that you bite on and like I had to chew the ice and like get it out of the tube so I could drink water.

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So that's that's like the first moment I remember.

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And then, at like mile 64, I remember just slowing down a lot and not like holding that ideal pace I would would have liked to have, and just all the negative thoughts coming in my brain, like oh, we're gonna quit, oh it's gonna like we can't do you know.

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Just all the the negativity.

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And I was like I'm gonna get to the aid station and just sit down to try to like just think about this.

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But yeah, it was just super negative and I was like not feeling good at mile 64 of a 200 mile race.

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So I just remember that being like this is not good.

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After that, just the long, long cold nights, going into the night laying on the side of the trail.

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I those those space blankets I opened up cause I was really cold and I was tired and I laid on the side of the trail and was wrapped up in it and I got no warmth whatsoever from that thing and I was like no, I was like dude, if I was like stranded I would die for sure.

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Um, but so I was like I'm not not gonna sleep here and I'm just freezing cold.

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So I gotta keep moving.

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And I remember just regretting not having warmer clothes and just walking and just like it was never ending yeah, it's funny.

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And, viewers, if you go, it's not funny but funny haha.

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But just if you go watch the the video, you can kind of see these moments in the video.

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Yes, it's, you're having a great time up until a very notable point in the video and then I think it is you.

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You see yourself sort of go oh, this is not good, yeah, I'm.

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And then you start coming into aid stations, being super cold and and just kind of sitting sitting in the car with uh, with your mom, I think, who was, who was crewing you, which was awesome to see her going from from spot to spot.

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But yeah, man, I can't believe you even tried to lie down and sleep on the trail during those those nights.

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Man, that was a cold one for sure.

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Yeah, dude, my mom, she was like the hero of my race.

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I mean, she came all the way up to Nebraska.

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She was my one man crew.

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Her tire had like like low pressure like half the time and she was going like in the middle of nowhere trying to fill up her tire, trying to get to me and yeah, so that is.

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It was a crazy race and it's awesome that you got to.

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You know exactly what I went through on that race and you finished a couple hours before me as well, dude.

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So, like I remember, at the end of that race I had no, I mean there was no competition in my heart, which I'm not surprised either.

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Like I don't expect to be competing with anybody at Moab.

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I'll say that right now.

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And I remember just this girl walking past me and there was like only a mile left and I was, I was like looping, I was like we're all.

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I can't believe we're almost here.

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When I saw the Valentine sign, I just like started crying yes, believe, we're almost here.

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When I saw the Valentine sign, I just like started crying yes, and she passed me and I just said I gave her a fist bump and I was like good job.

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And I was like go ahead, you know.

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So that that was another great memory and I feel like I mean I was surprised that Cowboy 200 got those views and I'm not sure you know what got people to click on it.

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But I feel like just, I feel like I mean definitely just the video not being super hyped up in like a big production.

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It was really raw and I feel like it really showed the pace of the race, because it took forever and it felt like forever.

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And also my mom, you know, being my team.

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I feel like so many people were so proud of my mom on that video too.

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Yeah, and you know I'm still so grateful that I had her there.

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Yeah, I don't know how you managed it, whether you even think, but you can.

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As you watch the video, you can feel the cold.

00:18:42.529 --> 00:18:46.269
Maybe it's because I was sort of traumatized by it somewhat.

00:18:46.269 --> 00:18:56.343
I don't know, I was sort of traumatized by it somewhat, I don't know, but I think as you watch that video you can feel how cold it is and you can hear the wind a lot of times whistling by as you're doing your recordings.

00:18:56.343 --> 00:19:01.032
So I don't know, it does seem very raw as a video and that's not a.

00:19:01.032 --> 00:19:02.682
I'm not detracting from it.

00:19:02.682 --> 00:19:04.768
It's a wonderful video to go watch.

00:19:04.768 --> 00:19:07.580
But yeah, I wonder if that really resonates with people.

00:19:07.580 --> 00:19:12.023
Like this is not a pure production kind of overly produced thing.

00:19:12.023 --> 00:19:15.086
It's just, it's me, it's how it went.

00:19:15.086 --> 00:19:21.290
Maybe that really resonates with people, because that I think that is by far and away your biggest views to date.

00:19:21.290 --> 00:19:34.140
Maybe we'll get more on some other, but yeah, I just thought that was, in first of all, an incredible race, well done for finishing, and secondly, just an amazing YouTube film about it, which is brilliant.

00:19:34.220 --> 00:19:34.640
Thank you, man.

00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:38.731
And now you've done a couple of other movies out there for YouTube.

00:19:38.731 --> 00:19:40.748
I think I've seen you've got a Keys 100.

00:19:40.748 --> 00:19:47.230
You've got a Great Grasslands 100 from this year, or Mudlands, or what we're calling it these days.

00:19:47.230 --> 00:19:57.188
Yeah, so tell us a bit more about your YouTube channel, like what inspired you to start that and start recording your running, and what kind of content do you like creating out there.

00:19:57.829 --> 00:20:12.463
You know my channel, you know, as I started getting into races, I just felt like, you know, I wanted to look back, maybe when I'm older, and like, watch, watch these videos and also just put it out there and let people know what I'm doing.

00:20:12.463 --> 00:20:16.906
I just felt like it was a good way to do that.

00:20:16.906 --> 00:20:20.108
I thought it was awesome that I was doing these races myself.

00:20:20.108 --> 00:20:27.413
I felt like it would just be a good video too and inspire hopefully inspire somebody.

00:20:27.473 --> 00:20:48.868
I mean, if it does, that's amazing and just you know, let let anybody that you know I've crossed cross paths with you know, just let them know that, like especially anybody that maybe, like I used to like drink and party with a lot, oh yeah, I just let them know that you could be like me, like someone that gets blacked out drunk half the time and then you can turn around and go, go run like races, like this.

00:20:48.868 --> 00:20:52.596
So like that's, uh, definitely a passion I have.

00:20:52.596 --> 00:20:54.599
On why I decided to make the channel.

00:20:54.599 --> 00:21:09.631
And yeah, just to document it and just document my life almost, so I can look back on it and it's it's been cool to to see people actually, you know, interacting with it and yeah, man, I mean I even appreciate your support always watching and, um, you know interacting with it.

00:21:09.631 --> 00:21:12.573
And yeah, man, I mean I even appreciate your support always watching and, you know, just supporting the channel, man.

00:21:13.621 --> 00:21:16.148
I love to see progress over time.

00:21:16.148 --> 00:21:19.862
That's what it's all about, right, and how people change, how they adapt.

00:21:19.862 --> 00:21:24.192
All the struggles that folks go through Yourself I know I go through a ton too.

00:21:24.192 --> 00:21:30.560
I just choose to internalize and swear at myself as I'm running around Don't have a camera.

00:21:30.560 --> 00:21:32.006
Nobody wants to see that on a camera.

00:21:32.446 --> 00:21:33.589
No man, we want to see it man.

00:21:34.180 --> 00:21:36.005
Yeah, I tell you it's pretty raw.

00:21:36.005 --> 00:21:38.832
You know English people can swear with the best of them.

00:21:38.832 --> 00:21:40.742
It's like a whole other level.

00:21:40.742 --> 00:21:44.431
Yeah, so what goes into creating the content?

00:21:44.431 --> 00:21:56.665
Because I mean you've got a lot of race type content where you're recording while you're running, and then I think you have some other content that's more gear related maybe yes, sir what do you like to create?

00:21:57.367 --> 00:22:04.945
I, I would say, like doing those ultra races and in documenting those are probably my favorite thing to do.

00:22:04.945 --> 00:22:08.250
I also like doing doing fun, fun vlogs as well.

00:22:08.250 --> 00:22:10.740
You know the shoe, the shoe reviews.

00:22:10.740 --> 00:22:27.522
I think it's helpful to anybody that's, you know, looking looking at those shoes to purchase them, because when I, when I first purchased running shoes, I remember watching some other YouTubers channels and getting their, their thoughts and ideas on it and honestly, it's a good way to get views and get more people on the channel.

00:22:27.522 --> 00:22:52.228
You know it's good to do those to test out the shoes and even just networking, because through like social media and posting about like shoes and just running, I connected with like Believe in the Run and they brought me on as a reviewer, which I thought was awesome and I really appreciate everything they've helped out with and the gear they've hooked me up with.

00:22:52.228 --> 00:23:04.730
But yeah, man, the shoe reviews are great for getting views and getting new people onto the channel, but I'm most passionate about making those ultra documentaries that just might ignite a spark in somebody.

00:23:05.580 --> 00:23:14.087
Yeah, now I assume they take a little bit of time to put together once you get back from an event or even in between events.

00:23:14.087 --> 00:23:17.780
How do you balance doing that with your training and racing?

00:23:17.780 --> 00:23:19.705
Does it take a while to do those things?

00:23:19.705 --> 00:23:22.271
Have you learned how to do it in an efficient way?

00:23:22.271 --> 00:23:25.909
Or like what is your production schedule look like here?

00:23:25.909 --> 00:23:28.040
Are you able to swing those things around pretty quick?

00:23:28.561 --> 00:23:30.585
Dude the Cowboy 200 video video.

00:23:30.585 --> 00:23:44.123
It took me a while because I wanted it to be so good and you know I worked really hard on the intro but I was doing it like after work and, you know, also just doing whatever I was doing it.

00:23:44.123 --> 00:23:45.525
It took me months.

00:23:45.525 --> 00:23:56.660
So, like I, I almost almost gave up on the video and two months later I was like people are interested, People want to see it, I need to put it out.

00:23:56.660 --> 00:24:01.089
So I went back and I watched the video real quick and I was like you know what?

00:24:01.089 --> 00:24:03.726
I think it's decent and I just got to post it.

00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:07.122
So a lot of times I struggle because it's so time consuming.

00:24:07.122 --> 00:24:19.048
So a lot of times I struggle because it's so time consuming Clipping each clip what I'm saying, because I usually record so much and then the music, the transitions, all of that.

00:24:19.048 --> 00:24:24.811
So that's usually so time consuming and I really don't like looking at a screen too long.

00:24:24.811 --> 00:24:28.314
I just don't usually feel that great when I do so.

00:24:28.314 --> 00:24:32.415
That's just another reason, another motivation for me not to finish the videos.

00:24:32.415 --> 00:24:35.637
So sometimes I lack motivation to do it.

00:24:35.637 --> 00:24:41.800
Man, I'll be completely honest.

00:24:41.800 --> 00:24:45.285
So there's not any particular schedule, but when it's really coming together and the video has a message.

00:24:45.285 --> 00:24:46.626
It really helps me finish it.

00:24:46.626 --> 00:24:54.076
But I use a Final Cut Pro on my MacBook and I just, you know, use music off of YouTube and put it all together that way.

00:24:54.700 --> 00:25:09.576
Yeah, always fascinates me how people, especially YouTube folks on the video side of things manage to balance doing all the video editing and filming and all that stuff along with seemingly being able to go out and run a whole bunch too.

00:25:09.576 --> 00:25:13.146
Yeah, man, so yeah, fascinating insight.

00:25:13.146 --> 00:25:16.373
Now we talked a little bit about some of your other races.

00:25:16.373 --> 00:25:22.644
I I love getting up to cowboy, but you've done a bunch of other races too, so walk us through where else you've been racing.

00:25:22.644 --> 00:25:35.241
In particular, I'm curious about your keys and and we definitely got to get into the grasslands one, having watched your video on that where you almost missed the cutoff to go around on the final loop, I think it was.

00:25:35.241 --> 00:25:40.373
You know, what have you been doing since Cowboy, which was, I think, november 22.

00:25:40.373 --> 00:25:43.019
And here we are at the midpoint of 24.

00:25:43.019 --> 00:25:45.127
So, what have you been doing?

00:25:45.127 --> 00:25:53.295
What races have you really liked and what races have not gone so well since we were up in Nebraska?

00:26:11.460 --> 00:26:11.921
like did not finish.

00:26:11.921 --> 00:26:12.723
You know it's 62 miles.

00:26:12.723 --> 00:26:15.632
In july it's super humid and hot and I did not know what I was getting into going into that one the first time.

00:26:15.632 --> 00:26:15.813
I didn't.

00:26:15.813 --> 00:26:23.431
I missed the cutoff by 43 seconds, oh, and so that is like broke my heart, you know it was a 14 hour cutoff.

00:26:23.551 --> 00:26:26.325
That's got to be a record yeah, man and uh.

00:26:26.806 --> 00:26:29.511
So that was tough but I ended up going back a couple more times.

00:26:29.511 --> 00:26:43.203
So this past time that I went after the after cowboy 200, I ended up doing, like you know, under 12 hours, which was a really solid time for me at that course and it was nice to like go back and like do it in a respectable time.

00:26:43.203 --> 00:26:54.277
But just that that heat and humidity, it just makes me think of the keys, because you know, the keys I went out there with with my ex-girlfriend and her grandma was like my.

00:26:54.277 --> 00:27:04.685
Those were my crew members and they were absolute soldiers and you know met up with me every four miles to support me and yeah, it was, oh dude.

00:27:04.685 --> 00:27:09.694
I remember at mile 30 of that race I was like feeling real bad.

00:27:09.694 --> 00:27:15.089
I had like a blistering headache and I puked a little bit and I just had to sit in the car.

00:27:15.089 --> 00:27:24.164
Like the heat was brutal, man, and that turned into a long hike pretty much, but it was very pretty.

00:27:24.164 --> 00:27:25.967
There was like fish and fishermen.

00:27:25.967 --> 00:27:29.711
You could see sharks in the water and things like that.

00:27:29.711 --> 00:27:40.167
It was crazy because it did not rain at all, but the final 100 yards of that race it just started pouring and it just was like you know, just like a sign.

00:27:40.167 --> 00:27:42.528
It was like, oh, it's finally over.

00:27:42.528 --> 00:27:50.213
But it was really cool to travel out to Florida, see new terrain, check out what it's like out there.

00:27:50.213 --> 00:27:58.059
And yeah, it was a tough race and it just was another one to add on the list and the grasslands man.

00:27:58.300 --> 00:28:02.688
So that race I just took up on a whim.

00:28:02.688 --> 00:28:11.364
I was like it was about a month out from the race and I just was feeling the itch and I was like you know, I got Moab coming up.

00:28:11.364 --> 00:28:19.692
I, you know I could use this as like a really good long run and I was like you know, it's not too technical, it, you know it shouldn't be too too hard.

00:28:19.692 --> 00:28:21.481
And uh, you know.

00:28:21.481 --> 00:28:30.835
So I went out there and, yeah, a mile 30, I had I had knee pain in my right knee, like sharp knee pain, and I start hiking it out.

00:28:30.835 --> 00:28:39.685
And then right after that it just starts thundering, the sky gets really dark and I'm in the woods like, oh, this does not seem right.

00:28:39.685 --> 00:28:55.165
And it starts this pouring rain and the entire trail just turned into just mud and slosh and so the next 70 miles was just moving through that and I almost didn't make it.

00:28:55.165 --> 00:29:07.069
It got pretty depressing there and yeah, I just remember once I got there after a long, long section that took forever.

00:29:07.851 --> 00:29:12.184
Then, like you mentioned, the race director was like hey, man, you got to be back here at this time.

00:29:12.184 --> 00:29:14.351
So that means, you know, you got to go now.

00:29:14.351 --> 00:29:17.567
And I just like I was ready to sit down, you know, and take a break.

00:29:17.567 --> 00:29:18.970
So that did not.

00:29:18.970 --> 00:29:20.942
I just was not glad to hear that.

00:29:20.942 --> 00:29:31.701
I was a little bit frustrated and I just like went to the car, got a water and I said I got to go.

00:29:31.721 --> 00:29:32.643
You know I took off jogging.

00:29:32.643 --> 00:29:35.950
You know the negative thoughts just started coming at me hard and I literally I started hiking.

00:29:35.950 --> 00:29:40.865
I eventually just sat down on the side of the trail and I was like, oh, I'm not going to make it.

00:29:40.865 --> 00:29:56.851
And then I laid down and I remember, like I don't know, like I wasn't hallucinating, but when I closed my eyes I like saw my brother's face and then it made me think of him waiting for me back at the start line and I just was like he's like he's going to be pacing me for the last lap.

00:29:56.851 --> 00:29:58.185
The next lap is the last one.

00:29:58.185 --> 00:30:02.744
He's going to be like, wow, did you gave up the lap before I come pace you and I've been waiting all this time.

00:30:04.267 --> 00:30:16.577
So I got up and I started like moving again and jogging again and I just, I don't know dude, I just it was like I gave up again and I laid down or I sat down on the trail and I was like, yeah, I'm not going to make it.

00:30:16.577 --> 00:30:40.377
Next thing, I know there was like this white moth and it just it kept like hitting me in the face and it made me think of some of my past relatives, like Gabriel, abby Jordan, all three of my cousins, and I just like imagined that they were watching and this moth just kept hitting me in the face and I'm like, dude, get away.

00:30:40.377 --> 00:30:44.760
But I took it as them like telling me to like, hey, get up, like you're not done yet.

00:30:44.760 --> 00:30:56.890
And then so I got up, I looked at my Garmin and I was like, okay, if I run this pace, like I can make it.

00:30:56.890 --> 00:31:02.644
And then I just started running, sloshing through the mud.

00:31:02.664 --> 00:31:31.656
I like I don't like, and then I just I don't know I turned into like someone else for a second man and I was like almost yelling a little bit and just hyping myself up and I was almost sprinting through the mud and I found like a whole nother person and I finished that lap, I got back in time and so I don't like that was just a crazy experience and and I was crying as I was running because, like I just quit five minutes ago, like I quit, I was running Cause, like I just quit five minutes ago, like I quit, I was sad and like just like, wow, I gave up, you know.

00:31:31.656 --> 00:31:45.501
And then I was like then it was like I was in another universe and I was running and I was not giving up and I was motivated and I knew that I was going to finish and that just made me like so emotional to know I didn't give up on myself.

00:31:46.270 --> 00:31:47.012
That's amazing.

00:31:47.012 --> 00:31:52.459
So you finished that loop and did you have one more with your brother to get you to the end?

00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:59.737
Yes, and right when I got there, you know, I sat down for a second and my brother's, like I was like you know what pace we got to run?

00:31:59.737 --> 00:32:05.980
He goes 11 minute pace and I was like I looked at him like like I was like angry.

00:32:05.980 --> 00:32:18.892
I was like like I was like angry, I was like dude.

00:32:18.912 --> 00:32:20.193
I was like are you kidding me?

00:32:20.193 --> 00:32:20.974
I was like he told me.

00:32:21.015 --> 00:32:24.818
I had to be back at this time to run an 11 minute pace in that mud, like I don't even know if that's possible.

00:32:24.818 --> 00:32:35.682
And then he was like no, I'm Butts and you know a few others like near College Station and that one, he was there to just help me bring it home and help me push through strong.

00:32:35.682 --> 00:32:48.038
He was at my last 50 mile race too, and then we finished, you know, right under 25 hours, luckily, even though I was placing near the back of the pack.

00:32:48.038 --> 00:32:54.384
I persevered through and I was just proud to finish that race, especially after how low it got.

00:32:54.944 --> 00:32:55.346
Man.

00:32:55.346 --> 00:32:59.391
So, man, Now talk to me about Moab.

00:32:59.391 --> 00:33:08.242
Where did the idea to do Moab 240 spring up amongst all of these experiences that you've been having?

00:33:08.242 --> 00:33:11.511
When did you think, right, I need more.

00:33:11.511 --> 00:33:12.914
I'm going to.

00:33:12.914 --> 00:33:14.758
And then why Moab?

00:33:15.159 --> 00:33:15.980
Because that is.

00:33:16.340 --> 00:33:20.596
I mean that's on a whole other level to what you've been doing so far.

00:33:20.596 --> 00:33:22.101
I mean that's a difficult race.

00:33:22.101 --> 00:33:24.234
Yeah, man, tell us, tell us why.

00:33:24.849 --> 00:33:39.040
Yeah, so the the origins on how, on how I selected that race in particular, was, you know, throwing it all the way back to when I was just starting my running journey and I heard those podcasts with, like Courtney DeWalter and David Goggins.

00:33:39.040 --> 00:33:48.117
They were talking about the Moab 240, like, and how Courtney DeWalter beat everybody by, like you know, 10 miles, like you couldn't even see him past the horizon.

00:33:48.117 --> 00:33:55.067
That's how bad you beat him and that was like the race, like I always was like that would be so hard.

00:33:55.067 --> 00:34:07.145
But, yeah, hearing about like courtney de walter and david goggins doing this race in particular and talking about how hard it was, and then like watching those athletes complete it, that was always that race that I looked at and I was like, you know, I could never.

00:34:07.145 --> 00:34:12.213
That was always that race that I looked at and I was like you know, I could never do that, like, no matter what.

00:34:12.213 --> 00:34:14.840
Like that's amazing, they can do that, but that's not for me.

00:34:15.610 --> 00:34:26.362
But also, just knowing that that would be such a hard challenge and would take so much, it's always been in the back of my brain like what if one day I could do that race?

00:34:26.362 --> 00:34:33.900
And then, you know, I did, I did a cowboy 200 and my thoughts going into that was like it's, you know, it's 200 miles.

00:34:33.900 --> 00:34:39.820
This would be a good, a good way to say I did that distance and experienced that distance.

00:34:39.820 --> 00:34:41.943
So, uh, that's how.

00:34:41.943 --> 00:34:45.360
That's how I always knew that Moab would be.

00:34:45.360 --> 00:34:49.632
That challenge from telling myself, like you know, that's basically impossible.

00:34:49.632 --> 00:34:52.739
You know, telling myself 200 miles was impossible at the beginning.

00:34:52.739 --> 00:35:03.661
And now just like, and just signing up and not knowing what's going to happen, but like just showing up to the start line and just proving to myself that like I can do this.

00:35:04.463 --> 00:35:08.434
Now, do you have any goals or expectations as far as the race itself?

00:35:08.434 --> 00:35:16.996
Let's assume for a moment you get to the start line, which is just a thing and of its own, get through training and and all of that, and you get to the start line.

00:35:16.996 --> 00:35:18.800
What are you looking for from the race?

00:35:18.800 --> 00:35:19.670
Are you you know?

00:35:19.670 --> 00:35:21.255
Is it just, is it just finish?

00:35:21.255 --> 00:35:23.300
Do you have a particular time in mind?

00:35:23.300 --> 00:35:24.510
You think you can hit what?

00:35:24.510 --> 00:35:24.871
What is?

00:35:24.871 --> 00:35:28.322
If any, what are your goals and expectations of this race?

00:35:28.949 --> 00:35:38.378
I my my goal is to finish because you know, after Cowboy 200 and the experience with ultras I have, I just I know this one's going to be super hard.

00:35:38.378 --> 00:35:41.813
You know, it would be really cool to hallucinate, though I haven't had that yet.

00:35:44.155 --> 00:35:49.023
but um you know, just just really pushing, pushing as hard as I can.

00:35:49.023 --> 00:35:56.614
Yeah, no, honestly, just to finish this race is is my goal.

00:35:56.614 --> 00:36:00.007
I'm I'm not going to be competing with anyone out there except myself, because I know it's going to be super hard.

00:36:00.007 --> 00:36:14.561
And I would love to say you know, I'm just such a strong runner and you know I'm just gonna uh, you know, I'm just gonna uh, you know, run most of it, but I, I that's not true because it's, I know, it's all that elevation gain is going to be super tough.

00:36:14.561 --> 00:36:16.387
And, of course, the distance.

00:36:16.387 --> 00:36:20.275
I remember exactly how 200 miles was on a flat course.

00:36:21.478 --> 00:36:34.556
So, yeah, I know it's, I know it's going to be tough and just finishing it is my goal and, by the way, folks, there is no easy 200 miler, and a flat 200 miler is not as easy as people will tell you it is.

00:36:34.556 --> 00:36:41.496
It's deceptively difficult to run and use the exact same set of muscles for 200 miles straight.

00:36:42.358 --> 00:37:02.061
It's pretty challenging this is true yeah, and one of the certainly one of the other things out in moab is the dust, so there's.

00:37:02.061 --> 00:37:03.603
So this is true.

00:37:03.603 --> 00:37:07.666
So, yeah, just, I mean Moab is a really unique, different race.

00:37:07.666 --> 00:37:21.722
I haven't run it, but I have been out there, crewed it and we've talked to people on the show here who have done it a couple of times, so they have some great insights into what it takes to run and complete that particular race.

00:37:21.722 --> 00:37:34.456
But yeah, now do you feel yourself wanting to train differently for something like that than you might for, let's say, a 50 or even 100 mile when you get to the 200 mile distance, or even for a cowboy?

00:37:34.456 --> 00:37:43.177
Did you approach training differently or did you stick to what you know, where you're just running nice and slow, because now you've got a whole bunch of elevation thrown in with Moab?

00:37:43.780 --> 00:37:47.460
Yes, sir, you know, cowboy, it wasn't anything crazy.

00:37:47.460 --> 00:38:02.445
I just did a 50 mile training run and I was like I think that'll be all right, but this one I'm definitely trying to run on the trails a lot more, get more elevation gain, especially in these next coming months.

00:38:02.445 --> 00:38:12.998
I want to make sure that I'm on top of all that elevation gain and I'm climbing a lot and, you know, hitting a lot of miles.

00:38:12.998 --> 00:38:20.577
Definitely plan on getting in like a 150 mile week in July, you know, while still like balancing that out with work, wow.

00:38:20.577 --> 00:38:23.670
And then I've been strength training a lot more.

00:38:23.911 --> 00:38:43.974
You know, comparing to cowboy, I've been in the gym, you know, almost every day doing some, you know, some walking lunges with weight, you know, sled pushes, a little bit of Stairmaster, but of course getting out on that trail and climbing, and that's definitely going to be my priority for the next couple of months.

00:38:44.036 --> 00:38:56.193
And I'm thinking before, you know, like the the couple of weeks coming into the race, that maybe I should just have a hard taper and try to eat as much as possible and try to gain a little bit of weight.

00:38:56.193 --> 00:39:04.036
So you know like I have some something stored up, you know, I think that might, might help me a good amount.

00:39:04.036 --> 00:39:20.871
But yeah and just, uh, you know, watching those, uh, you know, just to track back a little bit, listening to, you know, courtney DeWalter, and like David Goggins, cameron Haynes, all those people running the Moab 240, you know I always saw them as just like like they.

00:39:20.871 --> 00:39:25.048
I still like they're legends, you know, and I'm like, wow, that's so amazing.

00:39:25.048 --> 00:39:28.179
You know they're legends and they were like kind of my idols.

00:39:28.179 --> 00:39:38.581
You know they were my idols and and you know, that's the reason I wanted to jump into Moab too, to kind of follow in their footsteps and do a race as legendary as this one.

00:39:39.409 --> 00:39:41.173
Legendary is probably the right word.

00:39:41.173 --> 00:39:43.139
Yes, I think it really is.

00:39:43.139 --> 00:39:53.289
Oh, and I meant to ask too you have a GoFundMe account out there trying to help, because that's not a cheap race to enter, right, it's a pretty expensive endeavor.

00:39:53.289 --> 00:39:57.128
Your entry fee is, I don't know, $1,500, $1,700.

00:39:57.128 --> 00:40:02.101
And then you've got all the travel and stay in places.

00:40:02.101 --> 00:40:03.170
If you've got a crew.

00:40:03.170 --> 00:40:08.175
I don't know if your mom is going again, but whoever you're having going with you has to stay somewhere to help out.

00:40:08.175 --> 00:40:11.297
Assuming you're having a crew, do you anticipate running with a crew?

00:40:12.177 --> 00:40:18.882
Yeah, you know, my mom and dad are going to be there and then I have, you know, my friend Spencer.

00:40:18.882 --> 00:40:21.385
He's going to come out there as well to pace me.

00:40:21.385 --> 00:40:23.467

Seth Epley: Rising Young Ultra Runner Talks Sobriety, YouTube, Epic Race Blowups & His Upcoming Moab 240!

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