Ultra Running 101

Éric Lacroix lives on Réunion Island, France, and works with elite athletes such as Matthieu Blanchard. He has firsthand knowledge of two of the sport’s most iconic races, specifically UTMB Mont-Blanc and the Diagonale des Fous. We asked him a few questions about mental preparation and motivation when running ultramarathons.

“Run All Night, Run All Day” (RAN-RAD or RAD-RAN) is an easy option that is adaptable to any community,  during any time of the year. In Olympia, Washington, the inaugural RAD took place in December 2017, and events have been held twice each year ever since.

My objectives for Western States were: assist as many runners as possible with mental obstacles they were facing coming into Last Chance, gain a better understanding of the status and limitations of sport psychology within the aid station according to volunteers and to not let a single runner DNF while sitting down.

I’ll preface my Tahoe 200 experience by saying I don’t remember all of it. It’s wrapped up in a kind of brain fog, with gaps in my recollection of events. Apparently, this is common in the ultra world and known as “endurance amnesia.”