#30: Western States to Badwater in 8 Days & Life as an Elite Ultra Runner Sierra Degroff

Ultra runner Sierra DeGroff joins The People Run Podcast fresh off a podium finish at Jackpot 50 to talk about one of the wildest challenges in endurance running: racing Western States and Badwater just eight days apart.We break down what that experience was really like  the recovery, the mental battle, and what it takes to compete at that level.Sierra also shares her journey through ultra running, from podium finishes to the brutal Wyoming Range 100, pacing elite runners like Tara Dower, and balancing high level training with a full-time job.We also talk about the rapid rise of the women’s field in ultra running, fueling strategies, recovery, and what keeps her chasing her potential.Chapters00:00 Jackpot 50 Podium and PR06:53 Heat Training in Las Vegas11:24 Western States → Badwater in 8 Days23:00 The Western States Experience34:22 47 Hours in the Wyoming Wilderness37:52 Pacing Tara Dower at Black Canyon43:12 The Rise of Women in Ultra Running45:13 Experimenting with Nutrition and Recovery48:18 Balancing Work and Ultra Training53:05 The Toughest Race: Wyoming Range 10058:39 Still Chasing Potential01:00:48 Planning the Next Racing Season01:04:23 Advice for New Ultra RunnersFollow Us:IG: instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/YT: youtube.com/@ThePeopleRunPodcastMusic: instagram.com/mech__beats/Follow Sierra:IG: instagram.com/sdegroff/URL: sierradegroff.com👉 Subscribe to The People Run Podcast for more real stories from everyday runners, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a friend who needs some inspiration.