EP 176 - I Ran 100 Miles For The First Time (Feat. Jeff Pelletier)

[00:00:00] Tayson: Everybody welcome back to the Live Ultralight Podcast, powered by Outdoor Vitals. Today, we are going to be doing a race recap on the Bryce Canyon 100. However, we're bringing on a new host for the day, so usually, I'm obviously the one hosting, but in this situation, I'm going to be the guest and we're gonna let our friend Jeff Pelletier, kind of interview, me and walk through the race in that way. So for those of, you know, don't know, Jeff me and you probably met about three years ago through the podcast and Jeff runs a large YouTube channel travels all over the world running these Ultra and we've stayed in touch over the years. And then last fall is when I got to meet you in person through pacing you through the Moab 240. But for those who don't know, go check out Jeff's YouTube channel.

[00:00:45] Tayson: He's a fantastic interviewer, just some amazing films, but really, I'm just gonna turn the reins straight over to you, Jeff to, to be the host, I guess for for today.

[00:00:54] Jeff: Yeah, well, I have questions for you, and so I figured instead of you and I doing a, you know, our 90 minute the, you know, call and hearing what your race, I figure, why don't we record it and let people in on these questions. So, what I thought we would do is we talked a little bit about your background, how you came to running because running is a relatively new thing for you. Talk a little bit about the

[00:01:15] Jeff: This race series because I don't know much about these, the vacation race series. And then, of course, we'll get into the race as well. And then do a little bit of a play-by-play. So first of all though. Congratulations man. First hundred Miler you did exceptionally well. So congrats, how are you feeling overall? Physically mentally just, you know, how are things?

[00:01:34] Tayson: Yeah, yeah, I feel really good. Like I had I had some, you know, like my foot hurt for like a day, but the swelling went down and it was totally fine. So, like I really had no long term issues. Now, there's like some weirdness. I think when you do an effort this big, we're like, like, I don't know what's wrong. But my, my calves feel a little, just different than they ever have before. But all things considered, I'm feeling really good about the effort and feeling good, physically.

[00:02:01] Jeff: Good. So your relatively new to running. You've been running now for, I mean, I guess about two and a half years, I know you picked it up shortly after I think we first spoke on the podcast. Tell me just summarize for us all how why you started running how you started running, what that Journey has been like. Why, and how you decided to run 100 miles?

[00:02:22] Tayson: Yeah, so I never anticipated running Ultras. I only started to run to condition for backpacking. And for fastpacking, I was getting more and more interested in this idea of like, hey, if I go from being able to hike 15 miles a day to being able to do like a fast packing trip, or maybe you cover 30 miles a day. Suddenly like a whole world of Trail opportunities, open up to me, for my life, my timelines. You know what I mean? And so that was like the Spurs like, hey, I've wanted to go do certain hikes for a long time. I've never done them because it would take me too long and so I got really interested in fastpacking and I just saw running as the tool to train for that. So the whole first year that I did any running at all and I'm

[00:03:09] Tayson: talking like I'm going from like I'd run like maybe a mile on a treadmill at the gym before I like lifted weights, that was the most I'd ever run or like in gym class growing up when they'd make you run a mile. Yeah. But and those were those, I feel good if I ever could complete those without getting a side, ache or like having to stop and walk, like, that, was my condition of running, right?

[00:03:27] Jeff: That's, I remember reading a, there's a quote that's like my sport is your sports punishment? That's like when you're playing soccer like go run four laps around the track. Like

[00:03:36] Tayson: oh man, windsprints for football like that. There wasn't a worst torture. You know what I mean? So yeah, that was my history. So but as I started Train for fastpacking and things like that. I started to just follow guys like you but then also it just opened up this world of of like distance and Ultra distances and then ultra-marathons. And so I just started like, I started to get on my radar and I think after, you know, the first like, six or so, months of training, I was like, I wonder if I could do an ultra, sure. And funny enough, like our first real fastpacking trip. We went over this mountain range called the Tushar Mountain Range. It was like a 70 mile trip and we bumped into some guys that were up there and they're like, oh yeah, on Saturday we're running an ultramarathon up

[00:04:17] Tayson: here and I was like, oh I never knew there was an ultramarathon in our own backyard on this mountain range. And we left that that trip and that just kind of stuck with me. So eventually I looked it up and was like, huh? Maybe I could run this Ultra right here in our own backyard and so You know, it's probably about 10 months into me starting to, like, run once or twice a week. When I was like, hey, I'm gonna sign up for this first Ultra, and then I can like, and part of me to be honest at that. Point was like, then I can talk to guys that run Ultras and be like, yeah, at least I've done it. I can relate and I can ask better questions and understand it, right? And so that was that was a part of the first thing.

[00:04:54] Tayson: But then there's also the side of me that was like, I don't know why, but like a marathon doesn't seem like a hard enough effort. Or like one of thing and some like like my Marathon, like everyone's like, I want to run a marathon once in my life to me. It was like if I ran an ultra that would be cooler and be like more of a challenge. And so, yeah, that was really, it sign up for that first Ultra And it punished the crap out of me and and then I don't know why I stuck.

[00:05:18] Jeff: And so yeah, so so an ultra being like technically is anything longer than a marathon. A marathon is 42 kilometers, 26 miles roughly, and technically and all for his like anything longer than that, in practice it usually it's around 30 miles, 50 kilometers is usually and then 50 miles or 80 kilometers and goes up from there. So how long was that first Ultra that you took on?

[00:05:39] Tayson: So it's called a 70k. But it's it's like 75 plus K and reality. So I want to say the first year, it was around 4546, Mi

[00:05:46] Jeff: sure, sure. And that's like, 46 miles of trails with elevation change. So it's a lot of time on feet to this isn't marathon pace. It's it's up down and you know, there's a station to take breaks but you're moving for hours at a time. So I remember talking about that. You learned a lot from that. I know you're struggling still with some hydration and nutrition issues but it sounds like you got the bug what started out as a bucket list item for you. You thought? No, no, maybe there's more here for me. What's Next. Alright, so

[00:06:14] Tayson: I finished that and I like it, I think it's on camera and I was like, don't ever let me do that again. I don't need to ever do that again. And I mean, and that's through like my slurred speech because I was so messed up and my face was twitching and I mean, it was bad, right? And two days later I was like, I have to go back and do that again. Like I I like had like a Revenge bug. Honestly where it was like I have to like do that how I trained to do it and right and I kind of had the bug. Yeah

[00:06:39] Jeff: yeah so how long after that was it when you chose, you know? Again there's these these benchmarks and ultra running. There's 50k, 50 miles or 80k, 100K is another one and then 100 miles, which is the big one. That's the one where you're you're running through the night, you're seeing the sunrise to me that there's something special about seeing the sunrise while you're out there. Riding so, to me, I don't think everybody has to run 100 miles her but there's something special about doing that. When did you decide you want to do 100?

[00:07:06] Tayson: Um, honestly, it was not even on my radar for the first two and a half years of running. So I ran that first one and the idea of going any farther was like impossible. So then I ran it again and I was like the idea of going any farther was like pretty much. No still like there's no way. So it wasn't until last October which was I don't know how many months ago now six or seven months ago or something. When I came out to Pace you And I was running kind of 30 miles segments, with use. I ran the first one took a four-hour nap. Came back in. I mean, it was probably longer than that, but that's how long I slept. And then ran another 30 miles and it was cooler conditions because I was usually running with you in the night time

[00:07:48] Tayson: it's a slower Pace because it's a 240 mile race. Not again.

[00:07:52] Jeff: This was the, this is the Moab 240. Of course, a lot of people will have heard you talk about that. So I was doing a 240 mile or taste and was coming up to join me for sort of Starting around that just after the halfway point for some of the more mountainous sections as my pacer. Yeah. And so, through that effort,

[00:08:09] Tayson: it turned on this light bulb of like, hey if I like slow down and I don't run it crazy, high altitudes and I don't find a race that's so hot and exposed, maybe I could go farther, like, maybe this impossible thing of doing say 100 milers, 100 miles or like might be possible and so that got the wheels turning. But prior to that it was like no, that's completely impossible for me. I'm Not a runner, right? Because that's always been my. Excuse was You know, I'm a 200 pound Runner like and I'm not built for this and I haven't done it my whole life. And so it always felt like I was I don't know I run but I'm not a quote, unquote Runner and and so yeah, it wasn't until I did that effort that I'm like maybe in the right situation or if

[00:08:51] Tayson: I just if I didn't go run at the top of 12,000 foot Mountain, maybe I could do it and so that got the wheels turning. And then, yeah, I kind of shopped around looking at 100 for a minute and it was pretty tough to get in on my realized pretty quickly. There's qualifications for them and the ones that like I've heard of, they're like, sold out. Wait list Lottery system

[00:09:12] Jeff: Lottery is yeah.

[00:09:13] Tayson: And so I kind of like looked at that at the end of last year. And then I found a couple that would like That just doesn't look like fun, like it was like real deserty, I don't know. And so then this one popped up the Bryce Canyon 100 on my onto my radar and I think the reason had popped up before is they they don't run their their system off of UltraSignup, seems like they kind of have a competing product per se.

[00:09:37] Jeff: Yeah. So

[00:09:38] Jeff: this is, if I can jump in, this is the Vacation Races, that's the race series. I, I don't know a lot about their Races they look to be maybe smaller but very Scenic and slope. Canyon Bryce Canyon Zion. So they're there, they're living up to the name. It's like these are vacation destination places to run and so what you're mentioning is UltraSignup.com is sort of And it's the, it's the main website at least in North America for Ultras where you both find and register and even look for results. You can find athletes all their results are on there. It's like one one system and yeah, like you said, they're not, they're not on there. And so, but obviously, this was close to where you live here in southern Utah. So you're probably looking for something not too far from home, and this is almost in

[00:10:24] Jeff: your backyard right, Bryce Canyon. So it does look beautiful. So what is it about? This course that appeal to

[00:10:30] Tayson: Yeah. So um I mean one, I just wanted to run something that was pretty like not just like there was one that I was looking at like outside of Vegas and it's like literally running in this dirt hole, you know, it seems like and so yeah when this one came on it's like oh it's gonna be pretty. I know that. It's it's local. And the reason I hadn't come up, this is only, they only run every other year for the 100-mile distance and so okay. So that's why I like, when it finally popped up onto my radar was like, oh wow, like yes, I'm really interested in this. Like, it has mountains, it has scenery. It's not like just crazy monotonous and stuff and so, yeah, I looked into it, I literally looked into it. It had a qualification of running a 50-mile Ultra before

[00:11:07] Tayson: that. I've never run one. I've only run like these 45 to 47 mile ultra is and so I actually had to email in and say, hey I think I I think you should consider letting me into this race, you know, this is my ultra running career but also like, you know I'd like backpack a ton and you know, different things and they're like, yeah, we'll let you in and then sorry I so like oh but in that conversation too dark. But you should do Antelope Canyon instead of like this one. And I'm like, what do you mean? They're like oh yeah Bryce Canyon's like a harder one and I'm like yeah I'm interested in running in just the sand. Anyways, they let me in and so then I was like okay I think part of that like played into the conversation into my decision of

[00:11:44] Tayson: like well now I have to But, I literally thought about it for, like two days. I hadn't been running prior. I've been running about maybe five miles a week, prior to signing up.

[00:11:53] Tayson: I had three months before the race and I thought about it for a little bit and I just asked myself the question of why not? Instead of like instead of look at all the reasons why I shouldn't like I just was like, why not and then why not now? And and really I couldn't come up with a great reason not to because I think in a lot of like when you go start looking at 100 Mi training plans and stuff, I think most people plan him, a little farther out than three months and do training training, a little farther than that, but I was like, you know what? Like I think I met this stage right now on my life where I can just dedicate all of my free time to it, and So it's like why not just do it right now and so

Editor’s note: This describes Tayson’s personal three-month build for a June 2024 race, not a general 100-mile training recommendation.

[00:12:31] Tayson: yeah, went for it.

[00:12:33] Jeff: And like you said, you you're coming into it with maybe you know, not necessarily like a lot of running experience but a lot of backpacking experience and 100 milers. I mean there's a lot of hiking in it too. There are typically designed where the cutoff times like you might have Up 10 Runners really, competing and racing and then everybody else is out there, kind of just trying to get it done and usually the cutoff times reflect that. So I think I'm gonna get into the race itself but I'm sure you're you're, you're experienced just time on feet, just being out in nature that grit that you developed too. I'm sure played a role in your success here as well. So tell us about the race. This is 100 100 miles, but it's my understanding is, it's actually basically two big 50 miles Loops, right. It's

[00:13:14] Jeff: two Loops of the 50 Mi course.

[00:13:15] Tayson: That's what they changed to the week of. So it was supposed to be the original big loop and then a big out-and-back. And the out-and-back went to the highest point in the race, up to like 9,500 feet. They changed that to two 50-mile loops and of course, like your 50 mile Loop to like, like the 50 mile, Mark is like, the closest to the start and finish, which that up. But

[00:14:01] Jeff: And then they also it's got. It has seven to nine thousand feet. They said, I'm not sure where you ended up with was that.

[00:14:08] Tayson: So with the loop, the way that we did, it ended up having about 15,000 feet of climbing.

[00:14:13] Jeff: 15,000 feet of climbing. Wow, yeah,

[00:14:15] Tayson: yep. And then, there was one, there was the last thing that they pulled on us, the night before was, there's another aid station that they end up closing down. So there was a 30 mile segment of no crew.

[00:14:26] Jeff: Okay. Do you know roughly how many racers started? Yeah, there's

[00:14:31] Tayson: there's about 115.

[00:14:32] Jeff: Okay, 15. Okay. Yeah. So on the smaller and but that's actually pretty common for North American Ultra as they tend to be smaller compared to say, a comparable racing Europe. So, so let's get into it, then we've got this race. Few curve balls thrown at you, it's now two Loops instead of one. So mentally, that's more challenging which we'll talk about more elevation change than you would banked on, tell us about the sort of the start time. You know, set the stage for us for that first day and what your goals and expectations were heading into the race.

[00:15:07] Tayson: Yeah, so goals and expectations, obviously goal. Number one is to finish. Now, I'd looked at this course previously in previous years and there was almost a 50% failure rate of people, right? And so to me, I was like that says, two things that either says, like, Vacation Races is attracting vacationers. Sure. Or or like the course is harder than people. Expect? And then when I talk to some people like the racer, the race people put on the race. They kind of said the same thing like, oh, Bryce is the hard one. It's like and then they're not, like, look at the the layout. I'm like, I don't see how this is, as hard as like, the, the Tushar one that I done, but knowing that, it was like, all right, goal number one is finished, like everyone else is done a 50-mile. Ultra, I never

[00:15:50] Tayson: have half of them aren't finishing so I need to finish. Number two was like, if I ran exceptionally. Well, I just I thought that maybe like a 30 hour mark would be possible. And but I also like looking at the metrics that depending on the year that was like top 10% of Runners which I'm like that's probably way too high but again it's not a race as much as other races that are, you know, UTMB qualifiers or I mean or like, you know what I'm saying? But yeah, where you go in the world, something like the perfect scenario. I could do this in 30 hours but

[00:16:23] Jeff: the goal is to finish for sure. And what is the cutoff time for the race? 36 hours 36, okay? So that wouldn't give you a huge buffer but like you said, it would put you in the top 10%. So 36 hours the race started on the Saturday morning at what 5 a.m. Yep. Yep. Which is pretty typical. So you're waking up whatever ticker 3 a.m. get ready for ya. So and then that start line in my office. So I was able to sleep in

[00:16:51] Tayson: a little bit longer.

[00:16:51] Jeff: That's great, you're relaxed. You don't have to worry about traffic and trying to drive somewhere in the morning, but that would put you at like, he'd be starting a five in the morning and you're finishing kind of the next evening. you're running all day all through the night and then Into into the

[00:17:08] Tayson: house. At least. Yeah. Look cut off would have been. I want to say around. Oh crap. I think it's five p.m.

[00:17:15] Jeff: 5 p.m. all right. Around lunchtime, call it. The next days here. Running a whole day all night and then the next morning. So tell us about how you felt that morning.

[00:17:27] Tayson: Yeah. So I was doing everything I could because I have all these theories, like, I've done this, this other Ultra where I've failed, you know, in my mind kind of like fail that certain aspects of it. And so I was trying to bring in all those things and one of the things that I theorized about was that I get excited for the race in an elevates, my heart rate, and then it caused me to have like, early cramping issues. But obviously there's other aspects. Like the high altitude and the other race and some other things. And so I didn't take any caffeine, I tried to just stay super level-headed and then I kind of had these like Governor marks. Meaning like I don't want to run faster than this. So I was too scared about getting too relaxed and wanting to go too fast because

[00:18:06] Tayson: there's all these Racers around me and so I really focused on that in the beginning. So the whole morning it was like Smooth, like get to the race line. Smooth. Don't get excited about anything. Like, try to just play this. Keep that mindset. And so yeah, I mean, that was kind of where we were at. We ended up starting and then just start running. I didn't think I was towards the front but like I just remember watching like because you're on a big open dirt road to start. I remember a lot like letting all these people kind of pass me and I'm like, okay, like be cool with it, just relax, like this doesn't matter, you know, cuz there's really any reality like position doesn't matter and didn't matter for me. but there's a there's a psychological side of Passing or getting past, no matter.

[00:18:47] Tayson: If you're 60th place and it goes to 61 which is like, it doesn't matter. But psychologically, in the moment it's easy for me to, to care about that. And so yeah, I just remember like trying to run really slow first miles and just not get too excited because I was so nervous about elevating that heart rate too early in the race.

[00:19:05] Jeff: Good. Yeah, yeah. Running your own race is so hard and that's, you know, something you learn I think with experience is That idea of like you want to be passing people but it's much better to get past early and then be passing people later in a race like that and maybe maybe that'll be the end of being what you're experience was. So just kind of summarize, I mean, you know, how did the first say 50 kilometers go for you? Because that's kind of the warm-up, you know, 100 mile race. And was that kind of your thinking, was it sort of just like, get say 50k 50 miles in my cow? What was your strategy?

[00:19:37] Tayson: Well yeah, so the very first crew-accessible aid station was about 18 miles in and so that's like a bit of like the landmark I was looking at to get there and feel good like if I could get there and feel good because also keep in mind both of those other Ultras that I ran, I started cramping by like Mi 10 which was totally impressive. Right? Like I don't it's still like just a weird thing but yeah. So it's like just

[00:20:00] Tayson: If I can get there and I'm not cramping, then hopefully I'm in a rhythm and the rest can fall into place and so yeah. So the first miles like They went they went smooth. Like I found someone that I talked with for a little while and was able to breathe through my nose and then we kind of got funneled into this really steep climate at that point. There's some other race distances that started funnel onto the same Trail. So then it like it got clogged up for a while and I mean there's just some different Dynamics where but It get like one of those scenarios were in the first Ultra is, there's like a really steep section and the first Ultra I would have been like, oh, I got a pass these people like, why not? And this one, I'm like, no, like just just

[00:20:35] Tayson: hang out here, like just walk it, you know, it doesn't matter. And and then we got up to the top and there is just a really long smooth Road. And so, I just ran a big like Nine Mile segment there and so really Just felt quite smooth. Got to mile 18 and you know I actually took this from you but I had like put together a Chart. Essentially, that I gave to my my group that has, like, all of my, like, the aid stations here, and then, like my projected times, they get like wider. I mean, it was I saw that on your video and I was like, That's money. And so when I rolled into the, the Blue Fly, excuse me, that would have been East Fork, aid station, and saw my crew for the first time. They're like, hey, you're ahead of schedule.

[00:21:19] Tayson: And in my mind, I was like, that's perfect because I was trying to really hold back, so like I felt, I felt like I hit that spot in a, just a great, a great position. And that gave me a lot of confidence, like, hey, I, at least ran this first part, right? And hopefully now, I'm

[00:21:33] Jeff: like into a Groove. So, tell us about your crew. What was your support system for this race?

[00:21:37] Tayson: Yeah, so I had my parents were there, they just have a truck and a camper shell, which I thought would be really useful after watching. You use the Ross monster on the Moab 240 and and it ended up not being as big of a deal because I didn't like sleep, right. But But no, so, I just had my parents there. I'd like laid everything out, had all of my, my drop bags for each aid station. And really, the only thing that I had to like prep them on, was having them pre-mix like my heart, high carb drink mixes into a water bladder and then that way, I could just swap out a water bladder and grab anything else that I needed. And so that was, that was the crew. And then I had one of our guys from Outdoor Vitals their filming. He was

[00:22:21] Tayson: there on a media pass filming and then I did have a Pacer that was going to come in at mile 65, that following night.

[00:22:27] Jeff: So, yeah, and so let's, let's talk now she's well about your nutrition and hydration, at this stage, you're probably still on your plan and things may have changed later, but what was at least your plan for nutrition and hydration going in?

[00:22:41] Tayson: Yeah, so, my plan was to be drinking. I because I'm like a little bit of a bigger guy. I was aiming to eat or drink over, 500 calories an hour and then for salt intake it was to be drinking and all my fluids at least 1,000 milligrams of sodium and every leader. And then I was like any eating of is a little bit above that. And then for amount of hydration, I was, I was kind of my range, I guess is typically like middle of the night, might be like, one liter an hour but then peak of the day gets closer to two liters an hour. So I want to be

Editor’s note: The calorie, fluid, and sodium figures that follow are Tayson’s historical race plan and personal experience, not nutrition or hydration guidance.

[00:23:22] Jeff: more happy your heavy sweater. And you you've determined that. I think through both testing as well as just anecdotal experience,

[00:23:28] Tayson: right? Yeah. And I actually switched out some gear and some things this year to run in some gear that was a little bit more helpful for heat. And so just realizing like, how much better I perform in the cold. And so I ran in a slightly different kit where I've been running in like a sun hoody before. Yeah, I just realized how much additional heat the sun hoody was bringing on. And so, like I used to say like, oh, I switch two leaders, an hour that is like the maximum worst conditions. And so, I have been able to pull that back just a little bit with changing up some gear and some things like that. But, yeah, overall, I was kind of planting on ranging, you know, closer to about a leader and a half or less an hour. Yeah. That's kind of like the

[00:24:07] Tayson: three markers. Now, I will say though, just like the week prior to the race which is always the worst thing, right? But I jumped on a call with with a friend who, you know, was around Runners a lot and has a lot more experience than me and It kind of laid out my strategy and he's like, oh man, like if you're drinking, if you're mixing in that much carbs, like you may have a hard time like eating on top of that because I was intaking like, you know, almost like 100 carbs an hour in the drink mix essentially. So then he's like, you might struggle to eat but like that's fine. So then I kind of have that in the back of my mind where it's like I kind of deprioritized eating just a little bit because I knew how much I was drinking in

[00:24:48] Tayson: carbs so primary source. Absolutely was carbohydrates in the drink mix with Skratch products. Scratch a little bit about the Skratch Super High Carb Drink Mix, I'd imagine. Yeah so he's the super fuel, they call high carb, drink mix now write it rebranded that and then I mix in their other product. The sport drink makes Get the right concentration of salt. And then I did have, you know, I'd learned from other experience to to have one flask and then just some salt tabs. So that I can kind of use the one clear water to help regulate if I'm feeling one way or another perfect.

[00:25:22] Jeff: Yeah, that's really smart. So, made it through the first aid station. 18, kilometer 18 miles. He said for the first supported aid station were there other Aid stations every what 10 miles?

[00:25:32] Tayson: Yeah. So the first we kind of ran through one at like two miles but that was more for the next round. So the real other aid station that actually did anything out. Was it about mile. Nine Mile nine. I stopped grab my drop bag and swapped a couple little things and then ran and basically another mile or nine miles into the next one so

[00:25:50] Jeff: well. Yeah, not miles. Both 15 kilometers. That feels like a good Cadence to me for, for an eighth station. It's not too, you know,

[00:25:57] Tayson: not because I had all of my drop bags planned for the previous or the different distance, and they were They were slightly bigger distances, so then when they shortened them all, made it harder for me because I was had, like, my water bladder, a two liter water, bladder, that I was using a lot. And it's not like, wait that's gonna be too much fluid for this distance now and so it's

[00:26:20] Jeff: right. So kind of through the math off you. Yeah, but so take us through the next, you know, the next 18 miles

[00:26:28] Tayson: or so. Yeah, so the next 18 miles had like a six-mile push to another aid station area. Things went really smooth there. You know, ended up talking to a guy named Andy for a while and he'd run Leadville and so it's just kind of learning. I guess a little bit about that from from people that are run other Hundred Mile races and and Ran into the next eight station. There's lots of dust like mine, you like we run on some of these roads and there's just this powdery dust. There's lines like almost a mile of like vehicles that seemed like because they had like three or four different distances, coming into the 18th and so that made it a little bit challenging but everything went smooth. I mean, the only thing, it didn't go smooth. There is, I filled up my water bladder and I

[00:27:13] Tayson: and I I don't know if it was me or my parents but like somehow the top didn't seal and it just exploded all over my lap and so I'm covered in like sticky goo basically. But that was like the only thing he didn't go smooth and then I anyways got got the stuff I needed. There went to the next section which is an eight mile section and that's where things started to get hard again. Now, I knew that like in the middle of the day from experience for my own experience. That I needed to dial back effort, a little bit in the middle of the day because I am a heavy sweater and because I don't do great in the Heat and so it's like, hey if I'm gonna dial back anything like dial back in the middle of the day, turn it on at

[00:27:51] Tayson: night, right? Like go harder at night and and so that was in my mind but it still wasn't like I thought it was still kind of earlier morning and it was probably but I was probably about noon by that point. And so what that next section is these is these roller like you kind of like roll into a canyon and then kind of roll out and roll in and it's down and then back up and down and back up. But overall you're like net, gaining over and over and over. And so by the time I finally got through that like all those rollers I was like holy cow that was a lot of climbing but kind of like sneaky climbing and it was and it was like slower a little bit slower of a section than I thought, but from there, Kind of dropped down

[00:28:29] Tayson: pretty steeply and then run into the next, a station. And at that point, that would have been an area called Red Canyon. And that was about 33 miles in. But that's when it's like getting into the heat of the day and a red Canyon. You know, you go and do a loop right there, which was like, I had heard along the way from people that were running it. They're like, oh yeah, that section really sucks. And so it's kind of like building that up in my mind but Got into Red Canyon and Joe, it was their filming decided. It was like, oh, I can run this like, six mile section with you and get some film. So he jumped in and I was still feeling really good at that point. So I was climbing really good, feeling really good and so I did push a

[00:29:12] Tayson: little bit through that section. That I can remember and I was passing people on these climbs and I remember Joey and like man you're like climbing really well. I was like yeah I feel really good. I've always been usually I'm a better climber but I remember looking down at my arms and just seeing like my entire arm was just glazed with sweat and I'm like Hot like it's it's definitely getting hot and it's totally exposed to if you've seen Bryce Canyon it's these open desert Red Rock, Canyons. There's no special in this area. There was no vegetation and so it's very exposed. It's one two in the afternoon, but made it through that section. Still feeling really good still running. I had been concerned, too, because in some other Ultras, my My shin or like my tibialis gets really tight and starts to hurt. I'm

[00:29:58] Tayson: gonna starts to hurt my knee and so I'm kind of just, you know, being thankful for as long as I'm able to run in a smooth as I'm able to run. And so, even on like these steeper sections, was still moving early fluid and well, and so at this point, still things are going really well. So when I loop back into that red Canyon aid station, that's where that like 30 mile segment comes in with no crew. And you know, like you say it's only like two in the afternoon so it's like, hey I'll see you at like midnight, you know, like tonight or 11 p.m. and because of some of the changes in the course, thankfully, I realized right before I was about to leave that I needed to grab a headlamp even before I'd see them again. And so, yeah, that was kind

[00:30:44] Tayson: of like where the race started more so to like become like not just a smooth sailing thing but

[00:30:52] Jeff: Yeah. Looking at the elevation profile on your Strava. Like yeah, it's started out. You get two big clients. You guys climbed up to 2600 meters. So that's like 85 8600 feet, I think. And then you kind of like I can see all that. Like it looks like just a lot of rollers but then you drop all the way down but you never go lower than what is it here? 20 100 meters around 7 when I was in. Yeah, so you're that's the lowest you got and then you start just climbing again and that's probably what you're talking about now. Yeah, I can see her heart rate. Fluctuating a little bit there, it looks like it might Spike to bit. When you had somebody filming you might have been a little bit of adrenaline, maybe that's all. So where like you say got warmer but paint

[00:31:33] Jeff: a picture for us of what the terrain looks like under foot at this point, how technical was it were able to get a bit of a flow where it was a single track, was it, you know, what was the train itself like

[00:31:43] Tayson: yeah, so pretty much for Mi 25 on, it's all single track until Let's see about mile like 56 or something so there's a huge like a huge section of just single track and and part of it was like a bike trail that's a little bit more established. There's some equestrian Seth going on in that area too but it was single track. Now as far as how technical there would be a segment like the bike trail segment from Coyote Hollow to Red Hollow really quite good trail. Except for there's a few steep downhills as far as just like technical underfoot not not too bad.

[00:32:20] Jeff: Was it send dirt lacrosse? What

[00:32:24] Tayson: was the same? Yeah. Yeah. So it was not much slick rock. It was mainly just dirt but the dirt their turns to like powder. So not so much sand either, but it's the powdery dirt. And so, wherever you got into areas where is high traffic. It was very, very powdery and then so like, somewhere probably around is probably Red Canyon too there. So, maybe 30 miles in, I did a sock swap. And I was like Blown Away how dirty my feet were already. So I was using like in Gingy socks and yes, I'm pulling off each toe, you know? And I'm like, wow, so I wiped them down with a wet wipe. But yeah, I mean, definitely Sandy stuff that was it was pretty good at getting into shoes that like my shoes don't normally make my feet too dirty like they're not quite that.

[00:33:15] Tayson: Open of a weave, you know some some are like knit that just dump dirt inside of them and mine aren't too bad. I was running in the HOKA Speedgoats but yeah. So and then as far as yeah, just trail conditions. It wasn't nearly as technical as other Trails like nothing like like the Tushar one where it's like, this is a Goat Trail. This isn't a real Trail, you know? I mean but but not but also not like not all of it is just like greeted, nice switchbacks. Like there was some parts in that red Hollow section, where you're doing big, you know foot and a half two foot step ups and you know and and so there's there's definitely some of that mixed in there too. How was the body feeling at this point? So yeah, this point I was, I was feeling good,

[00:33:58] Tayson: like I said, like, I ran that, that Loop and red canyon really well, things were feeling really good. I'm trying to think, I think I had a little bit of food right there at the before I left that, that on the big section, on my own, but overall, like things are working. Right? So, I'm happy. I'm happy at this point. Soon, as I left that aid station though. Like there's a pretty long slow climb out of there and I started to feel different, right? Then. And at first, it wasn't like a big deal. It was like, oh, maybe I'm just like, digesting the the couple of quesadillas, you know, pieces, I had or maybe maybe this and then kind of keep pushing through that area and I and I caught up to a couple people and they were looking like horrible. The one girl was

[00:34:43] Tayson: like throwing up and, and, you know, and I'm like, oh man. Like that's interesting. Like, because I'm feeling pretty crappy too, you know? And so then kind of limped through that section for six miles and get to This this section called Hillsdale. Canyon, Joe was there because he had this media, so he was a loud there. And I got into that station thinking, like, Hey, Joe, I know I've been ahead of all of my pieces so far, but I feel like garbage and I think when I get to, to the, to you guys tonight, I'm probably going to, like, lay down and sleep for like, 20 minutes or something like I, you know, like that there's like 20 miles away. So I'm just like totally projecting out everything, but it was like, I was, it was not going great, right there. And I was still

[00:35:27] Tayson: trying to piece together what was going on. Like my stomach wasn't really wanting more food. And, and liquids, and I'm just feeling I'm not like on a calorie wall, but I'm just feeling lethargic in just not, not in a good spot, right? so, Get some nutrition kind of their, you know, restock everything and then head out on the next section. In the next section I knew is going to be hard because I knew I had some, some big climbs in it. And so I'm moving through that section and I start to like Spiral a bit because I'm like this is only Mi, you know, 45 or something like that. Like why am I feeling this way? I just done the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim, which is a was a 50 Mi effort and I I've ended that day feeling way better than I am right

[00:36:10] Tayson: now. And I'm, you know, and this is my old trace of 50 plus more miles, and so, I'm kind of going through all those thoughts and not feeling good, and then I get to these clients. And I climb the this client, and I'm like, oh, I'm looking at like the little chart on your watch, right of of your elevation and I see the top of the line, I see, come down. I'm like, okay, we get the top of this climb, and I drop down to eight station. Like I get the top of the climate down on my Doesn't look like the king in the aid stations and and I realized, oh, that was just the first little climb. There's the big climb behind it and that was where I really was like, holy crap. When I get to this next stage station, should I just

[00:36:46] Tayson: turn down and do a 50? You know? Call it, 15 mile, ultra go back to the star. You know, I'm starting to go dark and I'm, and I'm like, Um, you know, I'm just, I'm just painting this picture of like, this is so bad. I don't know what's going on. I'm mentally going down. I'm like, I'm only 47 or something about 48 miles in, like, I expected a low. I expected my low. Add Mi 80 or Mi 90. Right, I did not expect it right now and so like, if I feel this bad right now, how's this gonna work? So finally, I'm going along. Sorry. Remind us how far into the race is a time wise at this point. What time of day and how many hours have you been on feet?

[00:37:23] Tayson: Yeah, so it's coming up on like, six, seven PM, right? So, it's 13 14 hours in And so finally, I just like I'm like hey I'm not getting any fluids down. I'm not getting any food down right now. The next plate time, I see like a log to sit on. I'm just gonna sit on the log and see if I stopping allows me to get food down and, and just reset for a second. And so I do, I sit down. Take like a three, four minute break, And I get some food down on some water down. I'm like, okay, that worked like, you know, and I'm and I'm like, let's just get to the next day station and I'll take a little bit longer break and see what that does for me because I had been those the words I think you had said them

[00:38:04] Tayson: during the Moab Ultra like this Relentless forward progress. And so that was like the Mantra of the race was just like I was going through Aid stations, really smooth, really fast. I wasn't wasting time. So this is the first one where I'm like I may need to like take a minute here. And so I finally at the top of this climb And I and I get down into this aid station, that's that's below it. On the other side, I sit down and I could have fallen asleep and five seconds like five seconds, and I'm sitting there and I'm listening to all these Ultra Runners behind me in the tent because this kind of tent section is all full. And I was kind of sitting on the outside and I'm listening to all these guys and they're all Ultra Runners that have run other hundreds and

[00:38:42] Tayson: they're all just commiserating, right? They're like this so hard, you know, like they're going off. Like I've been throwing up and I've been this and I don't know what's going on, you know. And and the more I listen to him, the more actually helped me process. What was actually happening for me, which was, you know,

[00:38:54] Tayson: in retrospect was just like, like heat just heat stress and heat fatigue and it come on. Kind of so slow and steady that I didn't pinpoint. It is what it was and so I got thinking a little bit more and I'm like, you know, if I can just get some calories down, get fluids down and it's cooling off now. Because now it's 7 p.m. like, I think I can, I can rebound this if I just take like just cool off like don't run right now just walk and eat. So I did I sat there for maybe 10 minutes and then I was like okay I need to get my stuff together so I got my stuff together and I'm like because I'm also worried about cramping. Cramping is like the number one thing that's played me. So I'm like I don't want to sit here

Editor’s note: Tayson’s description of heat stress is his retrospective account; symptoms during an event can require prompt race-medical evaluation.

[00:39:31] Tayson: too long and one thing that I've learned with some experience is that I think rapid cooling Triggered a lot of cramping for me. It's stuff that like, Alpine, you know, guys that are doing Alpine is like, they'll see that a lot, they'll be sweating climbing. And then when they stop, they'll they'll cool off and it'll cause cramping. And so it was starting to cool off which was really good to get my core temperature down. But I'm like, I can't do this too long because for some reason, when I finish running, like even if I go out for like a two-hour run or something. At this weird.

[00:39:59] Tayson: Fluctuation thing that happens afterward. I get super cold and I think it's because my body continues to sweat but I continue, you know, stop exerting.

[00:40:08] Jeff: Yeah. Um, yeah, it's doesn't know that you're done yet, so it's still in that high state of like, I better keep cooling. You, that's why we often have this like you know what? After you're running sometimes you get like you start to shiver really quickly like your body still trying to cool itself and it's like it doesn't know they did. It can just relax right?

[00:40:26] Tayson: So anyway yeah. So keeping that in mind I ended up, you know, trying to like okay I need to just walk, you know what I mean? And so I I got back on my feet I was eating and drinking thankfully. Again, at that point, I got some good amount of food down me and right. As I stood up to leave, though, my my buddy, Andy that I hiked a little bit with came in and he wasn't looking good, and I was like he's like, hey, how you feeling? And again, this like has no bearing because it's like the middle of an ultra. There's some bias in there, right? But he's like, he looks at me and he's like, I'm not doing good. This is way harder than Leadville. And I was like, really in the lady, next to him was like, oh yeah, I've

[00:41:04] Tayson: done Leadville. This is way harder than Leadville. And and I was like, interesting well like you know, going and but to me, I was just like, oh, you hear so much talk about Leadville, right? And so to me I was like this is harder than Leadville, maybe I'm not doing that bad after all. You know, like maybe maybe I'm being too hard on myself. Right? And so I just kind of took that as like one little win listening to all these other Ultra Runners that have done hundreds and how they were feeling. I'm like, okay, maybe I'm a little bit better than them. I'm not throwing up, I'm not, you know, and and so I kind of took all that and I took a little bit of motivation out of that left and was just like, hey, hit my markers. Like I have to get

[00:41:37] Tayson: rehydrated I haven't you know gone to the bathroom and in 15 miles or something. I got like that's gold number one like like drinking enough to get back to there. And and so I did I just started walking up this this climb and this climb was probably a three mile client. And literally, by the time I got to the top of that climb, I had like, rebounded so much just cooling off. This was like, is almost dusk wasn't quite like, it was almost time to plot the headlamp and so between the temperatures cooling off me slowing down exertion enough to To get fluids in completely rebounded. And then it was like, Hey, I'm feeling good again, it's night time. I'm like, like I made it through and I think I'm gonna do well during the night time, like I'm gonna be able to push again.

[00:42:19] Tayson: And so yeah, I got through that next section and like got to a point where I was like, kind of Passing out people again. Feeling pretty well. Got up to this, this uncreated station called Blue Fly. So that would have been Mi 56. And by that point it's full dark and you know again it's just like it's all these little things that I've learned were just adding up. So like I grabbed my gear trying to be efficient in these eight stations, but I go and I sit in this tent and it was just like, Easily just sat in that chair for a while. Just like the rest of these people that were all around me that we're at the last aid station, that we're struggling. And I'm just like, no, like, I know all cramp up because it's so cold up here. This is like

[00:43:00] Tayson: kind of the high, a most exposed part of the race. So like I think all of those little things were just paying dividends. So I was quick in those eight stations. Got out and was able to, you know, not stop cool off to the point where I was really struggling and then it was like this most runnable section of the race right there and I had rebuilt myself to a point where I could run it again. So I was running this. This section I was passing some people and I was just like this is good again. Like I was like, it was like this this full rebound. So it's running with my headlamp through there. I'm about four miles from the from the crew-accessible aid station and headlight goes to reserve mode. And no backups. I just anyways, so it slowed me to a walk

[00:43:47] Tayson: for a while and I was trying to catch up to a guy in front of me to maybe use his headlamp and I was just about to him. And these two ladies come running by that, I had talked to a, an aid station behind us. One of them was like a race director, for a really cool race out in Virginia. And anyway, so I start running with them and they are flying. Like and they're like, oh yeah, we're out hunting. It's night time. We're good. Like we're we're like, it was like, they were clearly, she's like this, like my 20th 100 mile or, you know, like they were doing and so I'm like trying to push on, like, I don't know if I can run this fast, you guys are like hauling, but now like this is the lady that was thrown up earlier. And

[00:44:23] Tayson: anyway so I push and like run with them in and it was a really good last you know, two miles or three miles. But it's interesting because I did not think I could run that fast, but I totally ran it just fine with them. And so, like, Looking Back Now, like, that probably was an interesting thing, but again, my whole mentality going into this like constantly was don't over push, don't overstretch. Like, I was so nervous about that and so it's hard to run your own race when you were literally trying to keep up with somebody dies or headlamp.

[00:44:52] Jeff: Yes. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[00:44:53] Tayson: So So all in all like I got into the next aid station and that's where I picked up my crew member. So this guy named Brandon Gilman. He's he's the guy that actually met through work here. He's done like our 100-mile ChalleNGe Program and just a really cool guy, really cool dad. And so we had brought him onto a podcast or something like that, a year to previous and he'd reached out to say, hey, do you need to pay her like I think that'd be really cool. So he ended up coming down. He's also associated with this company called Kogalla. And they make these waist lights like 40. Yeah, so I pick up my waist light which I had already had and was training with and ran a waist light and headlamp as well, and it was like full brightness out. Now, I had a Pacer, I

[00:45:37] Tayson: did it. I did a gear swap, their so I changed my clothes. Just a fresh stuff

[00:45:40] Jeff: before we get into that next part just catch us up. What mileage are we at? Now? When you so this is smile, this is what Time

[00:45:51] Tayson: Mi 65 and it's now a little after midnight.

[00:45:53] Jeff: Okay, so over 100 kilometers, I can see. Yeah, there was a big descent. Now you're you're into sort of a flyer section relatively speaking how much of a motivator, how much of you know, Sure, you're looking forward to that having a Pacer and what and what did that do for you, mentally?

[00:46:12] Tayson: Well, just like with the Moab 240 I'd never met Brandon. So this is gonna be my first in-person meeting of him. And so I think coming into it, it was like oh this will be nice, but I didn't know what to really expect. I've had a Pacer in one of my other Ultras and I was in such a bad position at that point that it felt like it didn't matter. Like it was just like, it's complete wash because I'm totally like done, right? but I was excited to have someone and then but they're like you know you hope the conversation goes well and just that it's helpful and so expectation was was a little bit of a question mark but I knew it would help. I knew that. Like, like I wouldn't have asked him to come down. If I didn't think a Pacer was

[00:46:52] Tayson: gonna help. I also, at this point, didn't know what to expect for running through a full night because I had never done a full night. And so I didn't know if his job was just gonna be to keep me awake or, or what to expect. I knew that typically, like, I'm someone who can usually, like stay up late or get up early, like, kind of better than people that have been around me. I guess you can say. And so I thought I might do okay through the night but I wasn't sure. I wasn't sure if I just hit this wall that I've never hit before, and it just totally like knock me out. So I was glad I had him for that. But yeah, like now we're well into the night. We're 65 miles in, you know, had had a big low but at this

[00:47:33] Tayson: point I'm feeling pretty good and so I actually It started to eat a little bit. Like, I was like, I think I remembered that a station. I grabbed quite a bit of like, real food,

[00:47:44] Jeff: what kind of food?

[00:47:45] Tayson: And I think I grabbed, I had bacon, and quesadillas again, were the two, but I also had like, had a A little bit of a GI issue or I had to use the bathroom there and I was like, wow, that was kind of interesting, but whatever and and so then we run to this next one. So that we start running through this next section kind of walking out eating and whatnot and then we we get to run and we moved through it really quickly again, but the most part just passing a few people here and there, but everyone's so spread out at this point. But but it was like, Hey, filling, good, conversations flowing really well, really enjoying it. I learned some things about him that I didn't even know. I didn't, I didn't realize that like, he's the, he's a soccer coach for A

[00:48:28] Tayson: college and you talk about BYU and he'd won. Five of the six five out of the six national championships. They had won and he's like, you said like this guy like he was a real, he just had, he's really interesting. He had a wealth of knowledge and was a leader on, you know, leading this team. And I mean I think he told my parents that they get like 2,500 applicants for their soccer team a year. Like that's not, you know, so he has he's built up this prestigious program after being there for like almost 20 years. And so it was really interesting. I just and then he's like, he's a really good dad and just picking his brain about all these things related to Dad and some coaching. And so it was like, a really melted by that. I'd imagine exactly. Yeah. So the miles

[00:49:09] Tayson: are going really well. So, we run that mile section get into the next eight station. And I think we just were going well enough that we actually like kind of beat Joe. The camera guy there he wasn't expecting us that soon but I immediately went straight back to a porta potty. I had clearly done something. That messed up, my got a little bit, and I think it was when I was at my low, I think I started to eat too much fruit. That was some bad water there because I my gut was And we'll get to this but

[00:49:39] Tayson: my gut wasn't okay for a few days like or like basically a full week. I was kind of allowing Like A Parasite or something. Something and I think I read one time a review that also said something like that. That's why I came back to my mind, that someone had got like, for maybe water there, but something was kind of going on. And so that, that ended up playing a part. As far as me, like, not wanting to eat a lot of Real Food, kind of the rest of the race, and I just kind of went back to just a ton of just the liquid calories, but

Editor’s note: The suggested water or parasite cause was speculation in the June 2024 conversation, not a confirmed diagnosis.

[00:50:04] Jeff: good thing you had that liquid calorie. My end if all that long because that's like like you said, I can either be bonus calories, or it can just that can just be your calories need be so

[00:50:13] Tayson: yeah I had enough calories packed into those that it could be like it could just pretty much be my only Cal source and so that was I was really nice. But yeah so we get out on the next section. Again in this next section is that area from Coyote Hollow to Red Hollow or there's all these rollers and things. So there's a you know, an 8 Mile section and it's not super runnable. So it took a little bit more time, but it went well. Again, you know, again I have no idea what place I'm in and I didn't matter, but just kind of making some passes. And I remember passing people where it was like, They had this like little dinky headlamp. Crawling down the trail and you're just like, man, I'm so glad I don't look and feel like that right now.

[00:50:54] Jeff: Alright, you guys are coming through like huge lights and like a semi truck coming down the trail.

[00:51:00] Tayson: Yeah and I think it I think it had an effect because eye fatigue was non-existent because you're not squinting to see. So it really played a big part. I think in that like there's no like depth perception issues, because you're wearing a light on your waist. I also had a headlamp and so you're getting multiple angles Lighting on rocks. And then the conversations flowing and it just went crazy smooth and and well and so we got into Red Hollow Three at this point. It's called a mile 80 around. I want to say 6 a.m. so we're almost. We're pretty much through the night at this point and it was like, no tiredness, no eye fatigue, no feeling like I just need to take a dirt nap or something you know. Like you hear all sorts of things just went

[00:51:50] Tayson: super smooth and so then we have this Loop to do again and then and then Brandon was gonna leave and I had to finish the last 15 miles on my own. So yeah, we go off onto this next Loop and coming through that Loop the second time much harder. Um, because it's just these Punchy, you know, real Punchy climbs you climb up, and then you drop and you climb up and then you drop just over and over. And I had definitely slowed down, but I was able to run the downhills, which I was still on my cam like 80 85 miles in. I'm still able to run these sections. Like, that's way better than I've done in any of these other Ultras that I've done. Yes, it's like I'm filling some pain at this point and it's and it's it is what it is but

[00:52:35] Tayson: it wouldn't really well then when we get to the bottom of that section there's like this. It's like two full miles. I want to say it feels like that on this paved bike trail and I got to that and I was like, I'm not running this. Like he was like the easiest smiles to run of the whole thing but the pavement just was hurting. Like it was just hurting my lower legs and and I'm a baby. I never run on the road like I only will run on trail. So it's probably half mental health, physical there.

[00:53:03] Jeff: Well with like you feel like you should be running fast cuz it's a paved road. But that far into a race. I mean, you know, give me flowy. You know, rolling single track. I need day overnight.

[00:53:16] Tayson: Yeah. Yeah. But got into there, and that was where I was saying goodbye to Brandon and I was feeling great, right? It's like I only have 15 miles left. Like this is almost in the back, you know, and it and it, it was just, it felt really good. And I and part of the strategy too like why we'd pushed, you know, as hard as we could at night was I was able to stay hydrated really well, things like that, but I did not want to be trapped in that section Again In the Heat of the day, right. So I was like farther I can run at night the less I have to do in the heat of the day because that about killed me yesterday, right? Like so just

[00:53:49] Jeff: this is where then doing to lapse of a loop helped you because now you're strategizing around the train you've experienced it. So

[00:53:56] Tayson: yeah, yeah, that's for sure. I knew these climbs that were yet to come even if they had been difficult the day before at least I said what was there? Sure. And this is probably also where I learned, you know, maybe the value of the Pacer because so I leave Brandon there and I set out on 15 to do totally alone and like it to the Finish.

[00:54:16] Jeff: That's where, what time is it? What time is it roughly?

[00:54:19] Tayson: Then 8 a.m. Yep. So still cool. Still Still Pleasant, still nice, but it's, it's starting, you know, starting to get some really pounded down pretty soon. So I leave and yet again I come out of there and there's that long climb out of that aid station and I was like, by the time I got to the top of that long climb, I'm like I feel totally different now like like I felt really good now suddenly my eyes like aren't focusing. I'm extremely tired and I'm like wait I thought if I got to the sunrise I'd be like Smooth Sailing and it would be good. And so that's where I was like, man, maybe having Brandon there. And some of the conversation and stuff was, was helping me more than I thought. Maybe, I don't know. I, I still not 100% sure what, what like started

[00:55:05] Tayson: happening there. But all I know is that that six mile section, I don't know if I've ever been more tired. Like I and then I started to get into like this head Loop where I would like look at my watch and then I would like run and then look at my watch. I'm like I didn't go anywhere, you know, like I'm not moving and and so then I like sat on well I thought there's like a there's a water drop in there. And I like, I was running and running and running and I'm like, I must have passed that water drop. Like, I just didn't see it. And, and I'm like, okay, because I think I only have like a mile left of the Aid Station and running running running running, and then I'll see the water drop and I'm like, no, that means I

[00:55:43] Tayson: still have like two more miles to the state station and so I sat down on a rock right there and I put my head on my hands and I like did the whole like fall asleep and then like wake up as you're falling off the Rock and I like did that and I looked up and someone just had run into the water station and like, okay maybe I can just keep up with them so I try they dust me. I like can't keep I might just not moving again and I'm like okay when I get to this next a station I'm gonna lay down and try to sleep for 10 minutes. I'm like I think I have to but I'm also in this limbo mode of like I'm now off track to hit my 30-hour goal really. I had kind of started to fall

[00:56:22] Tayson: out of the picture when I had that like heat exhaustion happening the night before but I'm way ahead of hitting a 36 hour cut off and I'm like I can just I can you know I mean yeah. Yeah I walk this in and I said for two hours like whatever you want to do. Yeah. So I started to get in this head Loop of like of that. So I limp into this aid station. You know, power hiking, whatever you want to call it. And I get in there. And again, Joe is allowed to be there because these media, and I'm like Joe. I'm laying down. Like I'm taking a nap, I swear it's the only aid station there. That didn't have a cot. So I lay in the dirt The big they have like the side panels up on these these easy ups and they're

[00:57:03] Tayson: blowing in and like, smacking me and stuff. But my strategy was hey, I didn't take any caffeine in that section because I'm like, oh, it's it's morning. I don't need caffeine with me so I didn't have any, so I got there and I drank like a full thing of coke. Basically had some potatoes which I hadn't eaten to that point in the potatoes, like, went down. Wait, easy. And I was like that, interesting. And then it was okay, now, lay down and sleep, so that you give that caffeine a second. And then hopefully, when you wake up, you've got the caffeine rolling and you're better. So, I laid down, And like the crew, there's like, the whole crew there and there's some kids that were with the crews and, and like the volunteers and are being real loud. And so I'd like, like, almost fell

[00:57:40] Tayson: asleep and I'd like wake up, like, almost all sleep wake up and I like almost fell asleep and I was like, like that moment of, like, I think I am asleep and then I like snored and I woke myself up and so I'm like, you know what? I'm getting up. So I get up. And I'd set an alarm for 10 minutes and it had been like maybe eight minutes. And so I get up though, grab my stuff, and I'm like, Hey Joe, like I'll see you at the Finish Line like I'm out of here and Started off down the trail and totally different person like totally wide awake again, totally focused. Everything had changed again and so I'm like okay. Do I want to walk this in or do I want to like like run it in with my head high? So I look at

[00:58:21] Tayson: my watch, I do some quick math and I'm like I said a new time goal to be there between or before 32 and a half hours. I'm like that seems doable. I know I've got these nasty climbs in here and hopefully I can run the last three mile downhill there. And if I can do that then I can hit this time goal. So I set a new time goal and I just start, start moving as quick as I can. Again, I have these two nasty clients again, but and I and I definitely slowed down like, even though like my focus and my eyes were like, struggling to focus on things. And my head was awake and stuff again, I was still 90, oh, five miles into a race. And so, the climbs were not quite as quick, but stayed stayed moving, you know, again, feeling

[00:59:03] Tayson: good because I'm passing people again, instead of like getting past and yeah, just just was feeling good. Um, got down to the last aid station by this point, my foot had started to really hurt. I don't even know when my foot started pride is sometime in the last 10 miles and it felt like a bone bruise on the outside of my left foot. And so I was like, trying to take it easy and and I did have to do like this mental push, because when I got into that last aid station, it's about three miles of downhill Road. Running dirt, road running and it's really hot and I'm like that's just gonna be like a ton of pounding on my feet and so I didn't know if I wasn't able to run it so I tempted to run it right out of the East station

[00:59:45] Tayson: and it felt good enough to go and I was like okay like I'm probably doing more damage but there's got to be Damage Done in 100 miles. Oh yeah. So I was able to just jog in for the most part those last like three miles

[00:59:59] Tayson: and I say, jog, I mean like slightly faster than walk and But I was like moving and that to me was a huge win. Got in there with like, 32 hours, 25 minutes. So came in a little like a few with a few minutes to spare on that. Like last time goal that I'd kind of reset and just yeah, I guess finished with my head feeling High and It was wild, I don't know. Like it was, it was interesting. I think, the most interesting thing for me was I was like expecting to have like, Like, I had some personal, I had a lot of personal things going on in my life, right? Like I went through a divorce last year. And in some ways, like I was hoping that like, this would like culminate in me just like, having a life-changing experience or something. And

[01:00:46] Tayson: some at some point on this, like run, I was just gonna like, I don't know like processing and work through things and all this stuff but like It never like I was so focused on, just the next steps. Ahead of me the whole time, just the next section. Just the next section. They like, it was, it was just so weird to just like finish and be like, wait, I have, like, nothing to do now. Like, it's it's over. Like I don't have an exception. and, and like, I just thought I was going to be like, you're on, you're 32 hours out there, just thinking your own head in your own thoughts but like I was, I don't know, I was just like so focused the whole time that, that didn't, that wasn't really how it felt. It was like, it wasn't like I was just

[01:01:25] Tayson: out there like, thinking about the butterflies the whole time. It was just so laser focused. But so it's interesting to process that I guess over the next couple days as well. But yeah, I mean, just finishing was just such a such an interesting Dynamic. I mean, Like you've been, you've dedicated your life to this, for three months and then to have a finish and it was very, it was really rewarding. It was, it was really rewarding and it was I don't know, just a really cool. I guess sense of accomplishment and to just be able to look back because I think it's all perspective, like, at some point you start believing your gonna be able to do this, right? But if you zoom out even a year ago this was a completely impossible task for me. And so I think that's like where it's so

[01:02:10] Tayson: cool to be able to just stop and think like that was a completely impossible task for me, it's completely impossible task for 99% of People if you were to go ask him but you know with enough time I think you can you can do just about anything.

[01:02:26] Jeff: I mean you train for these things in the same way you erase them which is just one step at a time. And so like you say, this is a process and I'm like you I typically don't have these A-ha moments in a race, you know, I don't have You know, I'm even crossing the Finish Line, it's not like it all hits you at once, sometimes you're like, oh I'm done, I guess. But you're still, you're still thinking calories nutrition timing. And, you know, you have to like it takes a while to come down. from to detach, From the process deep and so engaged. And we can take days and you can look and go. Wait, I just did that thing. You know. And so well first of all we should say is well you finish what 33, something right. There's 32 hours and 25 minutes

[01:03:09] Jeff: and what was the finishing great this year?

[01:03:11] Tayson: There was still a 40 or 45% non-finish rate.

[01:03:15] Jeff: Okay. So that's 15 or so, maybe

[01:03:17] Tayson: like 60, the finished, I want to say

[01:03:20] Jeff: 60, that's finished. Okay. Yeah, so you were knit pack in the finishers but way way, further ahead as far as the starting, the starting line goes, One thing I didn't get a chance to ask you, I mean, how much time did you spend alone in this race? Because it sounds like you were meaning people on the way, you share some miles. You had a Pacer for a good chunk. How much time did you spend a lot of time writing with other runners or were you trying to sort of be on your own as well?

[01:03:45] Tayson: I was just so focused on running my own race and trying to not go too fast, too slow you know like that. I ran definitely majority on my own. I mean I only ran a couple small segments with anyone else. Yeah.

[01:03:59] Jeff: What were some of the lessons that you learned first? Let's start with what do you what do you do, right? What what part of your plan your strategy did you execute? Well on that? You're definitely gonna do again.

[01:04:08] Tayson: There's, there's a lot of little things that's why I, like, in general, I feel like the in general, it was like that. One is smooth. As I think it possibly could of, for a first time at so. I think starting off the race trying to keep my heart rate lower, what worked out really well for me. I think the amount of liquid calories that I did was out really well for me. I think I might have been a little bit high. Like I probably could have not quite been that high and then like Specifically on the gallery level of it. I was budding up against like the roof of how many calories you should put in fluid, you know what I mean? And, just to add to that. It's, it's also about how much

[01:04:48] Jeff: carbohydrate you can digest in an hourly. So yeah. See, there is a limit to how much your gut can handle whether that contributed to your stomach issues, maybe in a delayed fashion, it's hard to say.

[01:04:59] Tayson: Yeah. So I think that that like I was probably budding up against that but overall that worked fairly well. I probably just not all that back, you know, ten ten fifteen percent on the future one, but overall, like I could force that kind of Cal down at any time or sometimes, you look at food and you're like no way, right? But I could just force the calories down in liquid form and so that worked really well. Obviously, you know, having at least 1000 milligrams of sodium for me worked. Well I've had ramping in the past and I think that was you know, looking back. It was like I was one time I went way too low, one time, I went too high Etc and so and sort of jumping

[01:05:35] Jeff: again just to add to that to clarify, your strategy is roughly 1000 milligrams per liter, not for our, its relative to the water consumption. So if you're drinking less you're taking unless sodium as well, Yeah,

[01:05:46] Tayson: to my understanding, it's like your salt concentration, doesn't change hardly at all and so it's just per liters per. Yes, just a concentration. So I think I can honestly go up a little bit more than that but hey this worked right now and if I was doing like a faster race, I might need to dial that in a little bit better but I think in a longer duration race like this it worked out just fine. Things that worked well.

Editor’s note: These calorie, carbohydrate, and sodium figures and conclusions are the speakers’ personal June 2024 race discussion, not nutrition or hydration guidance.

[01:06:12] Jeff: I don't know, it sounds like the waist, the waist belt, so that wasn't part of your plan, but it came in. So, is that something you're gonna do? You're gonna use 100%

[01:06:20] Tayson: anytime I'm going, you know, if I'm hiking or running for like, multiple hours during the night, not just like, hey I need to get to camp tonight, like on a backpacking trip for an hour or something. That was huge. Absolutely huge. And so it's like, is it more weight? Yes. Because it's like a battery bank and the little waist light. So you're carrying an extra like half pound maybe, you know, 10 oz or something with the battery bank and the waist light and you can go yeah, about that. Well worth it. Absolutely worth it for me. So anytime I'm running through the night again, I will be using. Yeah, that was a, was a Kogalla one and I really like that because it like had a more of a spread but there's a couple others. So waist light worked really well. He served like Pacer. Definitely

[01:07:04] Tayson: wish

[01:07:06] Jeff: you had to pay her for that last 15 miles and hindsight with that of. It would have absolutely helped. Yeah,

[01:07:11] Tayson: I think it, I think at that point, I was a little bit too far off my goal to hit the 30-hour mark, but it would have Me, you know, 30 minutes maybe 60 minutes probably would have got shaved off that time. Um, I think in the future, I probably had sections. I could have pushed a little bit harder in, but but that's only I'm only confident to do that now because of the experience of finishing it, you know, what I mean? So it's like, hey, I think I had a little bit more, some of these sections. I could have pushed in, I might do a shoe swap the next time, Have another pair of fresh shoes. I think that might have helped with like that foot issue,

[01:07:44] Tayson: because that foot actually swollen up over the next couple of days. And it wasn't all like I put I ran with, I run with leg sleeves on my caps to help get like the blood out of my legs. I kind of have like, kind of like bigger cats and so then I like the fluid seems to get trapped in him. So I do really well with these legs sleeps. Well, then after I finish, I pulled on a pair of socks that also were like compression socks. And I basically left those on for like a full day. And then When I finally took those off. My foot swelling, went down almost immediately in the pain went away. And I was like, I was clearly causing issues with some of this too. So I don't know what to take from that, but but I probably would do

Editor’s note: The foot swelling, compression use, and recovery described here are personal post-race observations, not medical guidance.

[01:08:26] Tayson: like a shoe swap for me. You know, again, 200 pound guy just Fresh Foam. Probably would just nicer on my feet. You know, say 60 miles in, it does. Yeah, other things that went right.

[01:08:40] Jeff: Well, what about what went wrong then, I mean that kind of verged into it, you would have changed your shoes. What else would you have done differently?

[01:08:52] Tayson: I think that, I obviously, like, I think I ate too much fruit in one section and, and so, I think, like, well fruit has worked well for me and training. I think 100 Miler fruit can be dangerous because, you know, you eat fruit for a one or two. Our effort is different than if you're eating fruit for 20 hour effort as far as fiber and then, you know, potentially, you know, passing that through. So I think that was something that I learned. Potatoes like the potatoes to me, I think maybe like a ticket in the future. I think too early to tell but like, like I was still wanting to eat. Like it's easier to eat carbs than like meat and protein even though like I want to eat those. I didn't get a lot of that down, I thought I needed it but in

[01:09:38] Tayson: reality like in hindsight like I didn't didn't seem like I needed it in the 100-mile distance. They didn't have any like hamburgers or anything so it's like quesadillas and I think the cheese is like good but there's like all the butter on it and stuff and and so like, but the potato seemed like it was smoother going down and, and, and so I, I don't know. That was like one thing eating wise other things that didn't go right

[01:10:05] Jeff: starters or one thing I think for me, often, it's solid food is because I just get hungry. So, even if I'm drinking calories my stomach's like, yeah, great. But we want food, you know? And so sometimes it's just getting something solid in your stomach and potatoes can do that for sure. Starches. Easy to easier to digest than than protein it for me. It's also when you get to the multi-day events that's where it gets a little more complicated fat and protein become more important, but yeah, one night, one night. It's like just whatever you get in. I don't think you want to overthink it. It's like just

[01:10:36] Tayson: you laugh. But I did pack like some food that I had like, in a cooler with my crew. And I always thought that like when you're when you're on your races, you had like sushi and I was like, oh, that sounds like I'm never gonna not want to eat sushi. Ya. I had zero bites. The sushi. Oh really? Okay. But I had like this, I had like a sushi burrito and I think the idea was like there was way too much going on in that burrito for me to look at, you know what I mean. Like, there's like shrimp and crab and Tina and spicy mayo and is like, maybe if I had just like a very basic little role at what it's more about the rice and you'll see

[01:11:12] Jeff: American. Yeah, it's often have like rice balls with soy sauce. That's all you really need, you know, it's like it's just, it's just the complex car. So,

Editor’s note: This fruit, starch, protein, fat, and multi-day-event discussion reflects personal June 2024 race experience and conversation, not nutrition guidance.

[01:11:20] Tayson: the other, the other funny thing that I threw in there that I just thought, like, I don't know, like it's just fats and sugars and stuff and maybe I'll want to eat if I don't want to eat anything else. Okay though, in my cooler and yeah, I ate zero of that as well. Did not sound appealing either so I made that ever since. But you know

[01:11:39] Jeff: what I would say, you did right though then by the sounds of it, is you gave yourself options because you don't know where you're gonna crave on the day. And the point is, you don't want to just only bring cookie dough or only bring Sushi. Yeah, you had options, you didn't use them all. He didn't exercise the options, but I think that was a great great plan and maybe you don't bring the same options next time. But having options having extra

[01:11:59] Tayson: stuff you can say no to. I'd say, that's a win. What I did eat though is I brought a premade some rice and chicken and I did I did have like one strip of chicken and some rice and that that worked out pretty well.

[01:12:12] Jeff: Your parents think of this whole experience curing. You, I'd be scared to have my parents might search for my mom, Carry Me. She'd probably try to get me to stop when she saw the state of me. What, what was your parents experience?

[01:12:23] Tayson: Well, they've they've actually been at every Ultra again because they're, they're local here as well. Um, but I thought it would be hard on him. I was nervous for him because they're in their 60s and it's like, man, they might be up all night. And, and my mom gets really nervous, you know, and so, like, even when I like it miles, 45, or 44, when I told Joe, like, I'm not doing that. Well, like I'm gonna be after my expectations. I didn't think about it until I left on my he probably told that to my mom and now she's probably freaking out and sure enough. That's exactly what happened. Which is just kind of funny but typical, but I think their thing is like, like I grew up in a household that was like, my dad was a chiropractor. And so he was always like

[01:13:01] Tayson: He's only seeing injuries, right? So he'd have Runners coming to his office and be like, you should never run because all you're doing is wearing out your knees. You're just wearing them out, right? Like this, this idea that like your body is like, Like a non-regenerative tissue like so it's like if you use it it gets taken away and it's gone and and so like he's kind of warmed up and adapted to like see some of these efforts that I've done and like he still thinks I'm completely crazy. But at the same time, he's like, that's pretty cool. That's really interesting. And like, I've given them some examples of like, like, whatever Bronco Billy, you know, Jeff Browning I'm like this guy's 52. He's crushing, he's been doing it for 20 years or whatever. Like obviously you don't just run your knees into non-existence I'm

[01:13:45] Tayson: like in reality Like running his taught me where my weaknesses are and then how to fix them and I'm way better well-rounded like mechanism, right? Like, I don't have muscle imbalances as much as I used to and my joints the way better. And so, yeah. So he's kind of come around to that, but I do think that they think it's just crazy and a lot of ways, but at the same time, like, They're so supportive that they're that they're, you know, to watch him and just help. But, and thankfully, in the middle, the night. Once I got my pacer, I think, but between having Joe still like their doing some video stuff, and then having the Pacer, they did Skip an aid station and sleep, a little bit, which I was happy about. So, But yeah I mean think I think overall all I'm like

Editor’s note: These observations about knees, tissue regeneration, muscle imbalance, and joint health are personal and family observations from the June 2024 conversation, not medical or injury guidance.

[01:14:30] Tayson: yes probably have a pretty interesting seat because honestly sitting in a crew aid station. And people watching has got to be very entertaining. Yeah. So anyways. Yeah, they did good. And and I think they, I think their whole thing is like, hey, that was awesome. If you ever do any of these again, we'll support you but we highly recommend. You don't at least for a while.

[01:14:52] Jeff: Well, on that note. What else is what's next?

[01:14:57] Tayson: Yeah. So For me, when I finished my first Ultra, I had this, like, strong feeling of like, like revenge, like I have to go back and do that better than I did like this, like this compulsion. Finishing this Ultra it was like I didn't have nearly that sense. Again it was more like hey could I run this faster? Probably. But this is my first attempt and I and I accomplished the goal and so I Fellowship more satisfied with the overall effort and and just being like, hey like a little more like I guess just like internally proud or happy with the accomplishment and so So far I haven't had this like strong compulsion. It just go sign up for the next 100. and so to me, I'm kind of like, I find that I signing up for Ultra is, is a really good way for

[01:15:44] Tayson: me to set a goal and if it pushes me out the door, right? To go and train and stuff, but I think I'm going to try to focus a little bit more on fastpacking for a bit. Maybe I'll like play around with like a an fkt that's like, totally, like ever heard of, or something like that, and just kind of like set some obscure goals for myself. Yeah. but I think eventually I'm gonna have to sign up for for another Ultra to like just keep the fitness where I want it. But what I ever do another 100? Yes. Is that the next thing I'm signing up for? I don't know, I don't know. I got a little bit burnt out of training but but the bugs not gonna go away. If what is, you know what I mean? So, but I think that's like, I

[01:16:29] Tayson: guess to also bring it back just to that idea of process, right? Like I think that's like as a few days went on and I thought back to like the whole thing it was like, you know, the the benefit of like, did I get out of this whole experience? What I wanted to get out of it, right? Because like, I think, you know, you build it up like, oh, I'm gonna be like 30 hours running alone. I'm gonna have all this head time. I'm Gonna Learn like something I'm gonna I don't know. I'm gonna like, I don't know, process something in your life or like, have a little bit of a Light bulb moment about something and really what the light bulb moment for me, was it was the whole process right for me. Getting outside through the whole training process, right? Cold days. Windy

[01:17:12] Tayson: days days when it's after dark days, when it's before, the Sun's Up, you know? The forcing myself outside, all of the times that I had to go train and and moving the body, you know, each and every time I did that I'm getting, you know, usually sunlight. I'm getting that movement in the body and that movement in the body, you know, opens up so much in the brain for creativity and processing and thought and so you know, weak after week, you know, going through this process of getting up training and And then like and then obviously culminating in this 100 mile effort of like, hey, you just did something like really hard. you know, like, I guess brought together the whole picture of like, no, like this wasn't a destination, it was a process and enjoying that process is, is the ticket, right? Like, and

[01:18:01] Tayson: it is, it is like that. I get what I wanted out of it. Absolutely. Like, I had so much more like mental emotional, you know, Clarity and happiness. During that time, Focus. That that was brought to me because like I wasn't just, you know, say filling any extra time I had with with, who knows what it was like, it was, it was more structured and it was very much like a time to be present like, when you're running, you can't look at your phone and be like, oh, what's on Facebook right now, right? It's like, it's like, no you're running or you're gonna trip and fall and so it forces like a meditative presence. And so I think through the entire thing that was exactly what I needed. As I just needed to consistently kind of get out of my own head, get out of

[01:18:43] Tayson: my own, get out of my own way per se and and you know, have that time and and so all in all it was, it was an amazing process. It was an amazing thing to be able to check off of a bucket list for me. And it was, and it was just a part of the, you know, the whole picture. And I guess even within that like that's part of a bigger picture and of itself too. So

[01:19:09] Jeff: What I'm hearing from you, is this, it which is similar to my experience, is that there is no aha moments at Mile, 30 Mi 70 or even when you cross the finish line. It's about the that entire process of running that race but also that started back in October of training for the race and you could argue started a couple of years ago. When you first started running, it's been a journey and you've changed throughout that. And we'll continue to continue to do. So your journey, you know, you're you're on this journey. Now you're on this path and it's there's no moment it's about like you say it's about that entire process. So yes you just kind of one Milestone along the way potentially for for what what else is to come and do you have any, do you have any North Star races? Is

[01:19:51] Jeff: there anything that's all your bucket list that you'd love to do five ten years from now. Anything that you're

[01:19:56] Tayson: yeah that's a that's a great question

[01:19:58] Jeff: or roots. Our fast packs. Like what's on your list? Yeah,

[01:20:02] Tayson: yeah. I think it would be really interesting, you know, to either run UTMB or fastpack the you know, the Tour du Mont Blanc. So either one of those I'd be I'd be really happy with. You know, but then there's some big ones, like, like, well, maybe I need to go see if Leadville really was harder easier than this race or something, right? but I yeah, I mean, I think I think I there's still some races out there that I think were like unattainable. So in my personality sometimes like those may just sit in the back of my mind for a long time and depending on how life unfolds, like, like to me like after running the Tushar race, I look at Hardrock, and I think that's an impossible and impossible race which, you know. Like it's not like UTMB is really much easier than

[01:21:00] Tayson: Hardrock, I would imagine, I don't know, but like hard rock to me is like insanity. And so, you know, maybe if I can continue on this running Journey for a long time, like I'll get that bug to just get something that crazy but I do, I do want to spend some time like maybe doing some of my own stuff like fastpacking, And then continue with maybe some shorter Ultra is for a little bit and then see what really calls out to me. But there's there's a lot like it's a growing Sport and it's, there's more races happening and there's more coverage happening. And so it's fun to be a spectator of the sport right now and I'm sure something's gonna catch me and just be like, that's, that's the one to go. Do you know? So what sounds are crazy enough you to 40

[01:21:48] Tayson: that the Moab 240 still not on my list? Jeff know. So

[01:21:51] Jeff: that Never Say Never I mean you checked one of your bucket list you added to and two years ago running 100 miles I'm sure what it seemed crazy and you just did it. So I don't know that running a slightly harder on her mother is that much different or that much of a stretch and frankly running to 240. Mi give it a couple years. It's Never Never Say, Never. So this film you guys are making tell me about this project. When can we watch it? How long is it going to be? Do you have a son of what the film's gonna look like?

[01:22:19] Tayson: Yeah.

[01:22:19] Tayson: So actually film pretty much everything we need. So it's really just a matter of time between the other stuff going on here to add outdoor vitals. You know, how long it'll take to edit. So I am hoping that, you know, can be within two months, I don't want it to drag out like forever. And so hopefully, within two months, it'll be on there, but yeah, there's going to be a lot of just probably overlap in what we covered, but it'll be much more firsthand and probably a little bit more personal as well. I think we wrapped a little bit more personal story into it and some of the, the process there but Yeah, I think it should be a really good one anytime Joe's excited about what we film that you usually turn out. Okay, and he's pretty excited. So I

Editor’s note: The documentary timing was a June 2024 plan and should not be read as a current release promise.

[01:23:00] Jeff: can't wait to see it. This has been a really great chat taste. And I like I said, I I want to hear all about the race. The whole others. Got something from this as well, seems like a great series of events and it's such a beautiful area. I was down visiting you guys recently there in March in the area. And while I haven't spent time specifically in Bryce Canyon, I saw it from not too far away and I can only imagine it was it was quite an experience. So again, let's look forward to seeing the film when it's out. I did try really hard during the race to,

[01:23:28] Tayson: to take in some of the views and just enjoy the processes as well. And it is. It's a beautiful area for sure. So have it on your list one day.

[01:23:37] Jeff: For sure. Anything, I didn't ask anything you want to add about this event or but your experience

[01:23:43] Tayson: I would just say this, like, Last, I guess, last last thought here is just that. I think anything is possible for anyone. I think it's just a matter of a timeline. So, and what I mean by that, is, Seeing this over and over again, in my life. A lot of times we see things in around us. That's like all that's impossible for us. But I think if you've got a big enough drive and then you just give yourself enough time. I really do think that, that anything is possible. Maybe it's amount of money you want to make maybe it's 100 miles or maybe it's, you know, a backpacking trip or whatever it is. I think the problem is we get so caught up in the time the time perspective of it that it seems impossible and so I think I think just ask yourself if

[01:24:30] Tayson: there is a goal or something that you you want to accomplish and just say okay like I'm really able to seems impossible. It's like well is that impossible in a year? Yeah it's impossible in a year. Is it impossible in five years? You know, and or 10 years, like I think that really changes people's perspective and that was 100% what this 100 mile or was for me is three years ago, 100% impossible, like not. I mean, even last year, when we were hiking, the Colorado Trail, we did 100 miles section. And I thought about having to have done like five days of backpacking in one effort. I was like No way, right? But, you know, sticking with it and and just time and and whatnot. And you can really do way more than you ever think is possible. And it's just one step, right? It's

[01:25:13] Tayson: just the next step.

[01:25:14] Jeff: That's just, it's always like, yeah, mm-hmm, yeah, you're gonna trust the process. That time's gonna pass that five years going to pass either way. So

[01:25:21] Tayson: yeah. Yeah, exactly. You can either build a house, you know, Brick by Brick in that time, or you can let it pass and not have completed whatever bucket list or

[01:25:30] Jeff: goal item. You have. So Awesome. Well, congrats again, look forward to following your your journey as a continues.

[01:25:38] Tayson: Awesome. Thanks so much Jeff.