Courtney Dauwalter has been beautiful the ultratrail world time and again: not solely does she preserve successful each race she runs, however she’s been obliterating course information and beating virtually the entire males. On Sunday, the Leadville-based athlete annihilated the Hardrock 100 course document, ending an unimaginable fourth place solely three weeks off setting a blistering new Western States 100 document. Right here’s what you’ll be able to study (irrespective of your distance of alternative) from the way in which Dauwalter trains and races.
At Mile 95, Courtney Dauwalter is main the ladies’s race and third general on the 2023 Hardrock 100 in 24hr37min elapsed. She seems improbable and was chatty. #HR100 pic.twitter.com/8BNbstJarA
— iRunFar (@iRunFar) July 15, 2023
Run with pleasure and gratitude
It sounds easy, proper? Working and racing ought to make us completely satisfied, however coaching can all too simply get filed as a chore on an limitless to-do listing. Dauwalter exudes pleasure and gratitude when she races, irrespective of the day or state of affairs. Dauwalter is understood by opponents and followers alike for the large smile she shares with everybody on the course.
Flying via Mile 49.5, is your #WS100 chief, Courtney Dauwalter, in 7:51 elapsed. People, she’s 19 minutes underneath course document asking us how we’re doing? Provides a giant smile and runs on! pic.twitter.com/HxgHuHInni
— iRunFar (@iRunFar) June 24, 2023
She effusively thanks volunteers and takes time to ask how her crew is doing. She high-fives all of the little children. On the Some Work All Play podcast, coach and ultrarunner David Roche requested Dauwalter what she would love her legacy to be. The path phenom answered along with her trademark humility and graciousness: “Basically? That I made individuals smile and snort and have a superb time.”
Most of us gained’t win a course document at a world-renowned occasion, however we will embody Dauwalter’s perspective in our personal coaching and races. Checking in with others, savouring the enjoyable of transferring our our bodies, and that straightforward factor, smiling, will make all the pieces really feel slightly bit simpler and much more enjoyable.
Regulate your coaching in accordance with how you feel
Dauwalter has no coach, doesn’t observe a strict coaching plan, and goes by really feel. She’s clearly perfected the artwork of self-awareness over time, however there’s a takeaway there for all of us. Though it may be extremely useful for runners to observe a program or have steering whereas they prepare, maintaining a reserve of flexibility and utilizing self-check-ins might help the common runner optimize their efficiency.
“There are such a lot of methods to coach, take pleasure in, and go after working objectives. Having a coaching plan, utilizing units and analyzing knowledge, or not doing any of these issues, are all nice choices,” Dauwalter not too long ago defined to trailrunnermag. “I believe it will depend on the particular person and the way they discover pleasure. However I additionally assume there is no such thing as a draw back to sometimes leaving the watch at dwelling and heading out the door for a run the place you simply hearken to your physique and never fear about metrics.”
Hold issues unfastened, and be keen to regulate your plans for those who really feel the necessity for a data-free jaunt or if you observe that your physique is needing extra relaxation.
Eat with exuberance
Dauwalter is understood for her candy tooth and behavior of fuelling lengthy races with cheese quesadillas. She’s typically heard asking for her post-race beer, and even her Instagram tagline declares her a lover of lengthy inseams and sweet. Dauwalter advised Roche that she refuses to limit what goes into her physique: “If it sounds good, if it tastes good if it fulfills a craving, then it’s precisely the factor that I’m consuming.” Consuming makes her completely satisfied.
Consuming has a sophisticated dynamic for some, and runners come from a big selection of dietary wants and preferences. No matter your relationship with meals and gas, bringing Dauwalter’s enthusiastic spirit into your kitchen or meals selections could make meals extra enjoyable.
