Carolina Ultra Runners Podcast

Register for the Myrtle Beach 24 Hour!! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=123625Matt Kornegay of Monroe, NC joins us to talk about his great finish at Hellbender.

The first five people who use code CUR10 get 10% off when registering for the Long Haul 100!!!! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=123897

Register for the Myrtle Beach 24 Hour!! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=123625Greenville, SC's Mark Bonikowsky joins us to talk about his trip out west to the Arizona Monster 300. Great conversation!

Register for the Myrtle Beach 24 Hour!! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=123625Back-to-back Blackbeard's Revenge 100K champion Alex Thomas joins us on this episode!

Register for the Cannonball Run!! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=118221Raleigh-area runner Sofia Kluch joins us to tell us about her finish at the Umstead 100! Sofia had big goals but had to adjust due to a brutally hot day. Her story of how she finished is very inspiring. This was her first 100 miler.

Register for the Cannonball Run!! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=1182212025 Umstead 100 winner Brian Zickefoose joins us on this episode to talk about his insane finish at the race. He passed the leader at mile 98! He also has an incredible background story of how he got into the sport.

Register for the Myrtle Beach 24 Hour!! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=123625 John Kelly returns to talk about his Barkley Fun Run and his big news that he's going after the Appalachian Trail FKT!

Register for the Myrtle Beach 24 Hour!! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=123625Finally got Ray K on the show, and wow, he did not disappoint! He shared so many amazing stories of his very long career in ultra running (he started in 1979!). If you don't have time to listen to the whole thing, I highly recommend you at least listen until his story of when he just barely beat Ann Trason in a 50 mile race.

Register for the Myrtle Beach 24 Hour!! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=123625We chat with the Charleston area's Brett Welborn on this episode! Great guy, great conversation. Very knowledgeable.

Register for the Cannonball Run!! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=118221On this episode, we have Pat Hasler from Cincinnati, Ohio. He recently won The Raven 24 Hour in Mt. Pleasant. His distance of 151.489 miles was enough to earn him a spot on Team USA's 24 Hour team at the World Championships in October ... for now. The qualifying window ends May 26, so if another American man runs more than 151.489, he won't be on the team anymore except as an alternate. We are hoping he won't get knocked off! This conversation was a great dive into Pat's history as a runner, his longtime dream of making the U.S. 24 hour team and what makes him so great at what he does.

Register for the Myrtle Beach 24 Hour!! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=123625Viktoria Brown is an ultra legend from Canada. She has too many records to list! She recently got first place female at The Raven 24 Hour in Mt. Pleasant, SC. On this episode, we talk about how she got into the sport, her Hungarian origins, her fascination with super long races, her thoughts on the Camille Herron situation and of course a recap of her race at The Raven. Such a great conversation!You can follow Viktoria on Facebook, Instagram and on her website.

REGISTER FOR THE MYRTLE BEACH 24 HOUR!! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=123625

Register for the Cannonball Run! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=118221The Cannonball Run's RD Kayla Fitzgerald joins us on this episode to talk all about her brand new race.

Register for the Cannonball Run!https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=118221Way too late but finally got Karen Jackson on the show! The Vol State legend from Santee, SC joins us to tell us about why she loves Vol State and wearing sandals while running among other things.

Chris Collins is from Clayton, NC and has been doing some great stuff in the ultra scene lately. He runs twice a day every day and hasn't had a sip of alcohol for the last 2.5 years. Chris recently finished the Southern Tour Ultra 50 Miler, and he talks all about it on this episode.

Wes Claytor is a Triangle area guy who recently finished the Long Haul 100 in Florida. He's also the race director for the Sugg Farm Ultra and a new race he tells us about on this episode.

Aaron Fenton is a triathlete from Euharlee, Georgia who recently tried his first 100 miler. Not only did he try it ... he won it. On this episode, Aaron tells us about his experience at the Frozen: H3 100 miler in Bethera, SC.

Brian Phlegar is my cousin. He thru hiked the AT. He lives in Wilmington. Listen to this episode. Thanks.

Christi Ballagh was first female at the last ever Charleston 100. Hear how she made it happen on dis episode.

Special edition of the podcast here as we highlight some of the best of the best of the first year of the pod. Giving out awards and revealing the top 10 most listened to episodes. No disrespect to anyone who didn't make it. The CURPY academy has a limit on how many episodes we could honor. I'd honor them all if it was up to me.

Chad Bond is awesome. He recently won the Swamp Fox 100, smashing the previous course record by more than 6 hours. After taking 4.5 years off of the 100 mile distance, Chad made an epic return at Swamp Fox, and the hard work he put in paid off.

Diana Gorder recently finished the Tideland 24 with more than 119 miles to take the overall win. Her mindset and strategy behind her training and racing is truly fascinating.

Brandon Johnston from Surfside Beach, South Carolina made the trip out west to run the Javelina Jundred and did so in under 24 hours. I accompanied him to crew and pace him. We relive it all here.

Kevin Hodak of Cary, NC recently finished 3rd overall at the brutal Uwharrie 100 in Troy, NC.

Register for the Swamp Fox Ultra! ⁠https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=112190 Cape Fear 24 hr RD Lisa McFadden joins the show for the second time, this time to discuss how things went down from her perspective for the 2024 Cape Fear 24 hr.

Register for the Swamp Fox Ultra! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=112190 Doing something new this time around: a solo episode recapping my Cape Fear 24 hr, which I finished with 107.7078 miles.

Kayla is back on the podcast to give us a preview of what to expect for this year's Swamp Fox Ultra! Register here: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=112190

Great back of the pack story for this one. Brent Wise finished the 40 miler at the Sugg Farm Ultra with just 1:21 left before the 12-hour cutoff.

Laurie Matecki is another one of those runners who if you haven't heard of her, you've probably seen her at a race at some point. With over 150 results on Ultrasignup, Laurie is everywhere all the time. One of her most recent finishes is the Buckeye 200, which was her first 200 mile race (although she's done Vol State and HOTS).

Sign up for the Tsali Ultra! January 18, 2025 in Almond, NC. 50K, 30K or 8K. Use code CAROLINA to get 10% off when you register! ⁠https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=116141 Brian Atkinson is a super fast ex-D1 runner who has dipped his toes into the trail/ultra scene. The Asheville runner recently won the Grand-Further Mountain Run 25K and beat ultra legend/past guest of the podcast John Kelly in the process.

Dave Morl is a Bigfoot 200 finisher from Rutherfordton, NC. Originally from the UK, Dave is an experienced ultra runner who has finished all kinds of distances including all three of Candice Burt's 200+ mile races.

Another episode, another TUFF runner from the Raleigh area. This time, we're talking with Scott Perry, who is on a quest to find the toughest 50K in the U.S. He's run two of the three that are widely believed to be the toughest. Those are Quest for the Crest and Speedgoat. He's got the Barkley Fall Classic coming up later in 2024 as well.

Katie Stanford joins us on this episode to talk about her finish at the Pikes Peak 50K in Colorado. Katie is a Durham, NC native who made the trip out west to battle the altitude and elevation gain. She crushed it! Follow the Carolina Ultra Runners Podcast on Facebook! I would link to it here, but I'm too lazy. Just go search for it on Facebook. Thanks.

In this episode we have two NC guys and an SC host talking about their experience at the Inferno Ultra 12 hr, which took place August 3 at the Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve just outside Myrtle Beach, SC. It was Reese Hood's first race ever, and he won with 57.5 miles while Johnny Glenn finished with 50 miles. I had a bad day and only got 42.5 miles.

Sign up for the Tsali Ultra! January 18, 2025 in Almond, NC. 50K, 30K or 8K. Use code CAROLINA to get 10% off when you register! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=116141 Walterboro, SC's Chris Varnadoe pulled off an amazing performance at the 2024 Vol State 500K. He won the race, putting South Carolina on the national stage. On this episode, Chris recaps his race along with his wife Tiffini, who crewed him for the race as she does for all his races.

Sign up for the Mountaineer Rumble 100M/100K/50K/9 miler! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=111833. Race Director Chris Waldt joins us on this episode to tell us all about his race in Blacksburg, SC. This is an awesome race that is great for first time 100 milers and anyone who wants to see what they can do on a hilly course that won't totally destroy their quads the same way a mountainous race would.

Sign up for the Inferno Ultra! August 3, 2024 just outside Myrtle Beach, SC. 6/12 hr lap challenge. Link to register here: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=115602. On this episode, we have four of the five finishers from the Carolinas of the 2024 Western States 100 (Brandon Crews from Asheville, NC politely declined to join, but he got it done in 23:37:46). John Bruno from Easley, SC, Andy Barrett from Chapel Hill, NC, Colleen Jay from Pinnacle, NC and Adam Dickerson from Belmont, NC tell us all about their point to point journey from Olympic Valley to Auburn.

Tony Bruno is a Hilton Head native who has incredible PRs at every distance from 5K to 100 miles. He currently holds the 55-59 American age group record for 50 miles after he ran 6:53 at The Raven in February 2024. On this episode, though, Tony talks about his 15:16:55 he pulled off for 100 miles at Six Days in the Dome.

Robert Harem from Mt. Pleasant, SC fills us in on how his 2024 Bighorn 100 experience went. Robert is a very experienced ultra runner who has raced all over the world. Robert also tells us about how he manages to do mountainous races despite living in the flatlands of coastal SC.

Nolan Lennon is a Piedmont, SC native who won the 2024 Hell Hole Hundred with a finishing time of 23:01:54. Nolan is also an ex-Clemson soccer goalkeeper who tore his ACL four times. Nolan recaps how he ended up in the sport of ultra running, how his race at Hell Hole went and what the future holds for his running.

Sign up for the Inferno Ultra! August 3, 2024 just outside Myrtle Beach, SC. 6/12 hr lap challenge. Link to register here: ⁠https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=115602. On this episode, we preview the Inferno Ultra with John Bodner, owner of Apex Promoz, the company putting the race on, and the Harts, Heather and Geoff, who are local legends in the Myrtle Beach area and sponsors of the race. Come on out to Myrtle Beach and run the Inferno with us!

Sign up for the Inferno Ultra! August 3, 2024 just outside Myrtle Beach, SC. 6/12 hr lap challenge. Price increases after June 14. Link to register here: ⁠https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=115602⁠. Trey Morrison is an Asheboro, NC native who is on a mission to run a 100 mile race in all 50 states. He recently finished his second 100 miler at the Keys 100 in Florida. He is also the founder of Run With Christ and has overcome incredible hardships to get to where he is in life.

Hanna Berghout is an Apex, NC native who recently finished the Hellbender 100, one of the toughest 100 milers in the Carolinas. Hanna walks us through her training, how her race went down and how her recovery is going. This is a must-listen for anyone who wants to run Hellbender in the future!

Sign up for the Inferno Ultra! August 3, 2024 just outside Myrtle Beach, SC. 6/12 hr lap challenge. Price increases after June 14. Link to register here: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=115602. Karl Meltzer is a legend of the sport, and one of his favorite races just so happens to be the Hellbender 100 in North Carolina, which he ran this year. Karl talks about his experience at this year's Hellbender as well as a ton of other topics like his proudest achievement as a runner, when he expects to finish his 100th 100 miler and much, much more.

Tak Niino made the long trip from Cary, NC to Black Canyon City, AZ to take part in the Cocodona 250. His journey featured a major scare with his phone, wild hallucinations while climbing up Mt. Elden in Flagstaff and much more. Please make sure you give us a five-star rating and review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! Thanks for listening, my friends!

On this episode, we're chatting with two of the three NC/SC finishers of the inaugural Southern States 200! Naji Husseini from Cary, NC finished 7th overall with a time of 69:30, and Mike Busick from Piedmont, SC finished 20th place with a time of 88:02. Naji and Mike talk about what led them to pursue their first 200 miler, how the race went, whether they'd do another 200+ mile race and much more.

Jen Shetler is the founder of one of the biggest and fastest-growing running clubs in the Carolinas. TUFF Run Club, short for Trail + Ultra Fun Fam, is a group of 600+ Raleigh area runners who meet regularly for training runs and who have a strong presence at races in the Carolinas. Jen is also a 2024 Umstead 100 finisher. On this episode, Jen tells us how TUFF started, what she has planned for its future, and we dive deep into how her experience at Umstead went. You can join the TUFF Run Club Facebook group here.

Shannon Jarvis shocked herself at the 2024 Umstead 100. She went into the race thinking she'd finish in around 26 hours only to crush the race in 22:21:06, finishing as the fifth place female. Shannon's story is a testament to the power of the human spirit and is proof of the fact that nothing is impossible.

Lisa McFadden has run many races including some of the most notable races in the sport of ultra running. But none of those previous races compare in terms of notoriety than her recent DNF at the Barkley Marathons. Making it to the yellow gate in the first place is an impressive feat in and of itself. On this episode, Lisa tells us how her Barkley experience went down.

John Kelly is a three-time finisher of the race many consider to be the toughest in the world: The Barkley Marathons. He joins us on this episode to talk all about his third finish. He also talks about how almost no one wants to interview him this year, some of the Barkley mementos he keeps at his house, whether a hot dog is a sandwich and much more. Follow John on Facebook here. Follow John on Instagram here. Follow John on Twitter or X or whatever it's called now here.

Emily Lyons is a runner from Castle Hayne, North Carolina in the Wilmington area who races all the time. Her schedule is always packed with ultras, and she loves taking part in them. Emily also has a special affinity for races with the word "Badwater" in them. She is a finisher of all three Badwater races, Badwater Cape Fear, Badwater Salton Sea and Badwater 135. On this episode, Emily tells us about her recent finish at the 2024 Umstead 100, her finish at the 2023 Badwater 135 and her recent finish at the 2024 Badwater Cape Fear. You can follow Emily on Instagram @hungry_vegan_runner.