Inspired Soles
Inspired Soles is a podcast that fuels your passion for running and helps you achieve peak performance with every stride. Host Carolyn Coffin talks with industry experts, coaches, Olympians and everyday runners to educate and inspire you to take your running to the next level.
Inspired Soles
81. From Boston to Western States to UTMB | Ailsa MacDonald
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Ailsa MacDonald is a 41 year old ultrarunner who was born in Great Britain and raised in Nova Scotia. She currently resides in Cochrane, AB and splits her time between Cochrane and Phoenix, AZ when she is not working two week shift rotations in northern Alberta as an Imperial Oil Plant Operator. You first heard about Ailsa on this podcast when we interviewed her mother Morag in episode 72. Ailsa has been an athlete all her life, competing at a high level in marathons, Ironman triathlons, and ultramarathon trail races. As a relatively unknown ultrarunner at the time, she outright won her first 100 mile race at Sinister 7 in 2017. Since then she placed 13th at Western States in 2018 and 6th at CCC at UTMB in 2019.
In this episode we discuss how working two week shift rotations and training in three very different geographic locations has worked to Ailsa’s advantage, the influence her mother has had on her running success, the things she learned from her challenges at UTMB last summer, as well as her goals for 2022 which include a return to Western States! Ailsa runs for Saucony and we are super happy to welcome her on the show.
Connect with Ailsa :
- Instagram: @ailsamacdonaldrunner
Resources we discussed in the episode:
- Our interview with Ailsa's mother, Morag McDonah: It's Never Too Late to Begin
- Favourite Mantra: Never stop moving forward
- Favourite Place to Run: The mountains (The Rockies) and the desert (Arizona)
- Bucket List Race: To finish UTMB
- Favourite Running Book: Endure by Alex Hutchinson
- Favourite Post Run Indulgence: Beer and burgers
Connect with Carolyn & Kim:
- Email us with guest ideas: inspiredsolescast@gmail.com
- Inspired Soles Instagram
- Kim's Instagram
- Kim's Facebook
- Carolyn's Instagram
- Carolyn's Facebook
- Carolyn's website (sign up for her free weekly newsletter on the homepage)
You can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com.