Most Iconic Ultra. 100 miles. 22h44m20s. 11th place. Enough Said. #Grit.

“I spent fewer hours on strength training than I had while training alone, and yet I made the biggest gains to date because every exercise he assigned was sport-specific and had maximum impact”

Mallory Richards – Elite Ultramarathoner

I got into the Western States Endurance Run after entering the annual lottery four times. With the race getting harder to enter every year and the 2017 race having one of the most competitive women’s fields ever, I knew I might only get one chance to prove myself at this 100-mile event.

When I started working with Daryl, what impressed me the most was that my strength training routine became so much more efficient under his guidance. He prescribed a set of exercises that were designed to build sport-specific strength. He led me through each exercise multiple times to make sure I had the correct technique to avoid injury, and to ensure I was using the right weights and repetitions to get the best results.

Daryl put a lot of time and attention into my training plan. He cared a lot about maximizing my performance gains without risking injury or burnout, and was always available to answer questions. He gave me advice based on his extensive coaching experience and knowledge of sport science, and made sure I understood the rationale behind all of his suggestions so I could become a better athlete.

Despite the 2017 Western States race having unusually tough conditions, I entered the race feeling fully prepared to handle the heat, the climbs and the descents – no small feat considering I was training on the Prairies. Daryl played a critical role in my training because he was able to identify my weaknesses and recommend time-efficient training strategies to address them. In the three months before Western States, I spent fewer hours on strength training than I had while training alone and yet I made the biggest gains to date because every exercise he assigned was sport-specific and had maximum impact.

*photo from Ice Age 50 / Western States Endurance Run photo to come!