Courtney Dauwalter - How One of The World's Greatest Ultramarathoners Stays Curious

The Extra Mile - The Official Charity Miles Podcast

In this interview, I’m incredibly honored to be joined by Courtney Dauwalter, one of the greatest ultrarunners of all time.

For those unfamiliar with the ultrarunning world, Courtney has shattered expectations and rewritten records in some of the most grueling races on the planet.

In 2023, she became the first person ever to win the Western States 100, the Hardrock 100, and the UTMB all in the same year -- which is like the ultrarunning triple crown, an achievement that stands alone in the history of the sport.

Known not only for her incredible endurance but also her positive attitude, sense of humor, and love of candy and nachos, Courtney has conquered races like the Moab 240 (a 240 mile race in Moab!), which she won by more than 10 hours, and the Big's Backyard Ultra, where she set a women's record of 279 miles.

She’s also renowned for her trademark "Shortney" baggy shorts, her love for the "Pain Cave," and her unique ability to push herself through the most difficult physical and mental challenges-- whether it’s running through storms, climbing mountains, or even hallucinating friendly woodland creatures along the trail.

In this episode, we talk about what Courtney has learned about the mental side of ultra-running and try to glean some lessons that we mere mortals can apply to our everyday challenges—things like problem-solving, positive self-talk, and mantras that keep her going for hours on end.

We’ll we also explore how she stays grounded, connected to the community, and why she believes there’s always another level we can reach if we just keep moving forward, and stay curious about what’s possible.

Courtney is like the Ted Lasso of running. I think her superpower is her curiosity.

And speaking of curiosity, I want to give a special shoutout to our partners at Brooks Running!

For over a century, Brooks has been propelled by a never-ending curiosity with how humans move.

It drives their every decision and every innovation.

Because they believe movement is the key to feeling more alive.

And we’re all moving towards something.

It could be the top of a mountain, a first-ever 5K, or peace of mind after a stressful day.

So… let’s run there.

With gear and experiences specifically designed to take you to that place.

Whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, a finish line, a cure for Parkinson’s, a cleaner environment, justice, or shattering what you previously thought was possible…

Let’s run there.

Head to BrooksRunning.com to learn more