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Extraordinary Goals. Everyday Runners.
Personalized Coaching.

Stay the Course

Endurance coaching for athletes who train discipline, not drama

Performance in long races is lost more often through emotion than physical limits. We teach athletes to regulate effort, stay patient, and execute under fatigue.

Whether you're a seasoned runner or just starting out, I want to help you achieve your ultra running goals. For many of us, our goals in ultra running may seem daunting. Be it a 50k, a 200 miler, or anything in between, each ultra race is as unique as those of us toeing the line.

We may experience success at one race and a setback at the next. The race, and the distances, shouldn't be underestimated. However, with the right support, I am confident that you can achieve anything you set your mind to. Will it be easy? Nope. But you aren't looking for easy. If you were, you wouldn't be on the ultra running journey. If you are ready to get started, feel free to explore the site, send me a message, or click that button below and Get Started today.

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A blank slate.

Woke up this morning getting a notification that an athlete I met with the other day has decided to work together for their next ultra.

Absolutely stoked to see what he can do and grateful to just pour out everything I know along the way.

Time to work. And another ☕️

#blueprinttoultra #ultrarunning

Because running may be therapeutic, it isn’t therapy.

Happy to be a part of this team.

First double digit run since the end of September.

Been a long slow journey to get to this and still in the middle of it. But, progress is progress.

Never take it for granted.

#pericarditis #blueprinttoultra #continueanyway

Just a few scenes from a great day volunteering at Beast of the East yesterday.

Boulders Aid Station for the win.

The ultra community comes alive on race day.

#blueprinttoultra #ultrarunners #beastoftheeast

Congrats to everyone who got into WSER! Absolutely stoked for you. Go get it done! 🙌

For me and the rest of us… well, we get to do what we love to do anyway. Happy running!

#ultrarunning #ultrarunner #westernstates100 #blueprinttoultra

2nd annual Black Friday Winchester Invitational. One mile with all that you have to offer. Just the two of us this year. Which basically means I placed 2nd! 🙌

Since still working on the whole pericarditis recovery, my only goal was to try and run the entire mile without walking and at easy effort.

Mission accomplished! Slow and steady at 11:01! Far cry from last year, but a bigger accomplishment in my current reality!

Hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving weekend!

#blueprinttoultra #ultrarunning #ultrarunner #winchesterinvitational #blackfriday

What do you do when you are not able to run like you want to?

I went an volunteered at a local 16 hour ultra. Motivation in spades!

Helps that you can sit somewhere that looks like this!

#blueprinttoultra #punkrockultras #ultrarunning #ultrarunners

I may not be able to run right now, but I can get out and support one of my incredible athletes that I have had the good fortune to be coaching for a while.

Kelly is tough as nails and is currently in the gauntlet of the @uwharrie100trailrun 100k. If you know anything about Uwharrie, then you know how unrelenting it is. So why is she smiling 20 miles in? Because she has No Fear and that’s what makes her take on these kinds of races.

Let’s go!

#uwharrie100k #ultrarunner #runcoach

Walk.

All that is allowed for a while.

I will take it.

The Yeti 100 was my 6th 100 mile finish and for some reason was one of the hardest. Maybe it is just recency bias, but this race had me on the edge of a DNF after the first 50k.

I made one critical decision though early on that saved the day. I decided to just stay at an aid station with my crew until I felt ready to move forward. This meant I sat, yes sat, for 15-20 minutes for most of the stops. Idle time according to my data appears to have been close to 3 hours. 😳

Historically, anxiety would begin to rise the longer I remained in an aid station, but I knew that if I rushed through them this time I would be making things worse. I am always “worried” that I can’t stay long because I may need that time later on due to one of my first ultras that I spent over an hour at an aid station due to foot issues. Once I was able to calm that concern, which Cathy helped me with, I fully embraced the time. It allowed me to keep my stomach issues at bay, reduce the impacts from overheating early on, eat - which I was unable to do while moving with the stomach wanting to rebel, deal with chafing and prevent blisters on my feet. I’d spent a couple minutes getting my mind refocused on the work ahead and then get up out of the chair and set back to what I was out there to do.

I love this sport. It hurts at times. It is somewhat insane, most of the time. But it is also unparalleled in what it teaches you about yourself and what you can do when you give yourself a chance.

Thanks to @yetitrailrunners for a great race! And to @mrinspiration1 for Yeti after dark which kept me entertained before heading back out on my last 50k of the race. And of course to Cathy who came through in the clutch with knowing what was needed and when.

It wasn’t pretty. But we got it done.

And by we, I mean with the amazing support of Cathy. There were quite a few problems to solve and I could not have done it without her. All-star status.

More to come … after I remove my legs and put in a new steel rod for my back. Or take a nap.

Rainier, you are breathtaking.

#mtraniernationalpark

So apparently when you run out here, you can find places like this to give the feet some extra love as a gift for taking you so many places.

#lakecrescent #olympicnationalpark

The Pacific Northwest is not too shabby.

#olympicnationalpark

Any of my running friends sitting around and watching all of the @utmbmontblanc videos that are dominating their IG feeds, thinking…

Yeah? Maybe? Why not?

#somehowsomeway #utmb

Little LSD on a Saturday morning with special guest @robertbrooks01

Introduced him to the magic of run/walk and we covered a bit of ground in doing so. It was great to discuss strategies for the Yeti 100. But, who knew that two introverts would have so much to talk about? 🤣 #timeforanap

Thanks for the time Robert! Made the easy miles easier. 🙌

#blueprinttoultra #ultrarunners #yeti100training

Exploring Sylva. Next time we run.

#catamounts

Had a chance to take my long run around my old stomping grounds in Columbia,SC. Went to graduate school here where I spent far too much time down at 5 points and got my first job out of grad school as a statistician for the SC Budget and Control Board (pic 5).

The more amazing thing is I did it all by foot today in my 50s and back then I wouldn’t have made it more than a half mile. I guess I grew up.

#usc #5pointscolumbia #gamecocks #blueprinttoultra #ultrarunning #yeti100training

That’s not rain dripping from my hat. 🫡

Early morning run ✅ Now on with the day! Up and at it everyone. Happy Saturday!

#blueprinttoultra #ultrarunning

Chasing the runners high with a Sunday LSD and ended up feeling like a long slow death. #forcedsmiles #getitdone

#blueprinttoultra #ultrarunning

I am looking to add two more runners to my team. If you are looking to run your first ultra or take on a distance that you haven’t done in the past, I’d love to work with you. Now is the time to begin laying out your plans for your December - March races. Will you be ready?

And for those that think that running ultras are insane and are just trying to figure out how to run your first 5k, 10k , half or full marathon, I am certified to help you do that too. And yeah, I will be tempting you along the way to go just a little bit farther… 😬

Feel free to reach out through the link in bio or send me a DM.

#blueprinttoultra #jwultrarunning #ultrarunner #runcoach

Well that was an absolute cluster…

Learned a ton at the Dam Yeti 55k though.

Lessons learned. And yeah, they are written to me.

1 - just wait until your GPS is online. No need to cross the timing mat until you are ready. Spent the first 5 miles running way too fast and my watch was saying 10:30s, but not connected so I found out that I was running 9:30s. That’s just stupid for me.

2 - I understand my hydration needs well and hit those goals. But humidity still smacked me hard the last 2 hours and overcome with nausea. Time to embrace the suck of summer.

3 - mobility and strength training need to become mandatory. Everything feels weak when you’re old and when struggling with the humidity bearing on you. Just makes you feel weak overall. Gotta change that.

4- get a new phone or at least figure out a way to get all the sweat off the lens when everything on you is soaked. #everythingisblurry

5 - whatever you do, don’t panic about the yeti 100 coming up in 3 months. 😳 on the same course. Different day. Different race. Just don’t be the same then as you are today.

But somehow placed 26th out of 215. Again, that’s just illogical to think about after spending time bending over wretching with nausea. 🤢

#yetiarmy #damyeti55k #blueprinttoultra

Back to one of my favorite places.

#damyeti55k #yetiarmy #blueprinttoultra

Austin and his friends decided to bike from Raleigh to Wilmington yesterday. 140 miles. Yep. You read that right.

I’d think they were insane too, but I have a bit of an endurance bug in me, so instead I just have mad respect for them.

#raleightowilmington #gopack

Ran the New River Trail 50k this morning. Such a great race and I highly recommend you put it on your calendar for 2026.

Was awesome to meet the RD, @melissalondry in person after having interviewed her while a part of the Ultrarunning Guys podcast. Also had a chance to catch up with @shank_gym after the race and a sighting of @dirty_wolf_racing out at the 50k turnaround. Just cool seeing so many individuals that are connected in the ultra community. It’s what is all about for me.

The race was a solid effort for me. I missed my personal best at the 50k distance by less than 2 minutes and couldn’t have come that close without the support of @winchester_cathy who met me at every chance to throw bottles at me while trying to keep tabs on our anxiety riddled dog, Teddy.

#ultrarunner #ultrarunning #newrivertrail50k #blueprinttoultra

Last minute prep for tonight’s guest! Such an honor to learn from this one. Shhhhhhh!

#ultrarunning #surprise #podcast #blueprinttoultra

What a day! Two runners with two different goals today and both executed those goals to perfection. Just so stinking proud of them both! Trust the plan and execute. Solid day!

#uesca #ultrarunning #ultra #runcoach #grateful

Best way to recharge and get motivated for the sport you love? Read through a new athlete intake form and then put together a big picture plan to get them to the starting line of their first 100 mile race.

And at the same time, sitting at the airport waiting to board and head home. The feels are real.

Happy Monday everyone!

#ultrarunner #ultrarunning #uesca #blueprinttoultra

DNFs happen. Maybe not for everyone, but for many of us they do. I have a variety of excuses and obstacles that I dealt with during the race and prior to it with work and my leg issues.

But, ultimately, my mindset was not right going into the race and by mile 30 I was already in a fight. I moved for another 20 miles trying to work myself out of it, but it never came to be. So I called it at 50. And I was mentally relieved to be done. 😬

All good though because it was great to see so many friends at this one. And they have been finishing it up with a couple still out on the course. Absolutely stoked for them!

#blueprinttoultra #ultrarunner #longhaul100

Social media and podcasting has allowed me to meet a lot of people I would not have otherwise met. Packet pickup for Long Haul 100 and got to meet RDs Andy and Amy Croom.

I first met Andy while hosting the @theultrarunningguys podcast where we featured the @longhaul100. And tomorrow I get to experience it!

Now I just need to see about getting his wife to join me on the new @blueprint_to_ultra podcast. 😬😉 She loves the idea. 😂

#ultrarunning #ultrarunner #longhaul100 #blueprinttoultra

To all my fellow runners…don’t forget to set your Strava clocks back to zero at midnight. 🕛

The journey begins anew. 🏃🏻

#happynewyear #ultrarunning #ultrarunner #blueprinttoultra

Well there you go. Calf held up. Somewhat tight toward the end, but no snap, crackle or pop. 😬🙌

#ultrarunning #ultrarunner #longhaul100 #blueprinttoultra

It is always a balance. Long Haul 100 is in 3 weeks and I am dealing with a calf strain. Tomorrow I have a bigger run on tap to see how it responds. 🙏

In the meantime, I will just keep watching my feet.

#ultrarunning #ultrarunner #longhaul100 #blueprinttoultra

Experiences matter.

I am grateful that we made a decision to value experiences together over a decade ago as part of our Christmas. Each year has had its moments and this one was no exception.

Christmas Experience 2024. Shenandoah, Massanutten resort, Luray Caverns, a trip to the ER and more. Yeah, feel free to read that twice.

Had a 5 mile run to do, so I joined in with a local 10k road race instead. Been a while since I did one of these. So many people. I almost enjoyed. Alright, I did.

It’s the type of punishment I needed since I didn’t get into Western States yesterday and was questioning my goal. Needless to say… here is to 2025 and the journey to qualify again.

#ultrarunner #ultrarunning #10k #westernstates #wser #blueprinttoultra

We started a new tradition this year. The first annual Black Friday Winchester Invitational. A one mile race as fast as you can without dying. It is a balance.

Want in? See you next year on Black Friday.

#ultrarunner #blueprinttoultra #winchesterinvitational #running #blackfriday #family

🦃 Happy Thanksgiving 🦃

I hope you all have a great day today! It’s a good day to spend it doing something you love! I have a full day ahead and already started with one of my favorites. I hope you all take some time to fill yourselves today with the things, people, experiences that bring you joy.

Great time out at the Lock-in yesterday at Carolina Beach seeing a bunch of people from the running community. I got everything out of the event that my foot permitted and that was a win for me!

As always the RDs of @punkrockultras put on a fun event and if you ever looking for a new race to run, check them out.

#ultrarunning #ultrarunner #punkrockultras #blueprinttoultra

Best emotional therapy when trying to get over a foot injury? A new ride.

Going to give my Hokas a rest. Don’t hate me.

#altrarunning #cheatingonmyhokas #blueprinttoultra #ultrarunner #ultrarunning

Canal Corridor 100. 25:06. Pictures and results always mask the challenges. This was tough. I won’t bore you with the details. But as my first time without a crew for a 100, I am proud of the way I was able to adapt to each of those challenges and pushed through to the end.

#canalcorridor100 #blueprinttoultra #ultrs #ultrarunning #ultrarunner

Heading back for an another ride this weekend.

#canalcorridor100 #blueprinttoultra
#ultramarathonrunning #ultrarunning #ultrarunner

Anyone in the Akron/Cleveland area want to hang out for a few miles on Oct 12-13? Heading back to the Canal Corridor to try and pick up a lottery ticket for Western States.

Having to go with no crew or pacers due to last minute scheduling for this. So, if you are in the area or going to the race and want to hangout, let me know.

#canalcorridor100 #blueprinttoultra #ultrarunning #ultrarunner

Ton of summer miles leading up to the Yeti 100 this weekend. And I was stoked to see how the race would play out.

Unfortunately, the weather took a real bad turn for the worse. Pics and videos are a progression of our Airbnb that we had for the race weekend. As you can see, we had to leave as the whole area eventually became overcome by the river.

Pray for all the residents of Damascus that I personally saw with homes being overrun with water. A ton of devastation and lives impacted, not only here but all across the region in the path of Hurricane Helene.

#yeti100 #blueprinttoultra #hurricanehelene

Anyone else holding out hope that the temps and dew point will continue to gradually drop?

#run #ultrarunning #ultrarunner #yeti100

I learned something about myself today.

After running 9 miles solo, I met up with these two guys and ran another 4 miles with them. And, despite being a person that prefers to run solo, I had an absolute blast the last four miles. And yeah, it makes me second guess all of my solo running.

Thank you Adam and Kevin! I appreciate you both and hope to catch up again the next time I am in the area or at some future race.

#TheUltraRunningGuys #ultrarunning #ultrarunner #runwithfriends

Prepping for the Loopy Looper broadcast this weekend. Pouring over all the information about the runners in my head. Or, maybe just taking a nap. Don’t judge me. 💀

#loopylooper #endlessendurance #theultrarunningguys #ultrarunning #ultrarunningcommunity

Contemplating life choices.

#TheUltraRunningGuys #capturetheflagsultra

Acadia. You are magical.

#AcadiaNationalPark

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Extraordinary Goals. Everyday Runners.
Personalized Coaching.

Stay the Course

Endurance coaching for athletes who train discipline, not drama

Latest Posts

Are you a runner?

Planning Your Race Calendar

Surprised by Suffering

Social

Follow me on Instagram

Extraordinary Goals. Everyday Runners. Personalized Coaching.

Stay the Course

Endurance coaching for athletes who train discipline, not drama

​

Latest Posts

Are you a runner?

Planning Your Race Calendar

Surprised by Suffering

Social

​

Follow me on Instagram

Extraordinary Goals. Everyday Runners.
Personalized Coaching.