Made for More
Made for More
50 Mile Ultra Recap: Malibu Canyon w Reagan Davis
Join Reagan on a solo episode as she recaps her 50 mile ultra marathon in Malibu, California.
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Hello friends, welcome to this week's episode of Made for More. My name is Regan if we have not met yet, and this week's episode is a little solo episode. It's currently what is today, the 12th of June. The fact that we are halfway through June right now makes me want to cry and scream and just like stop time. I cannot believe how fast this year is going by. It kind of makes me a little anxious, uh, thinking about it, but it makes me want to live every day and not rush things like, not always look forward to something and just be in the present. So I hope that encourages you too, because it's really scary. It's crazy. But this week's episode is a little solo episode and if you have kept up with me on Instagram, you have seen my whole new personality is the fact that I ran a 50 mile ultra marathon this past weekend in Malibu, california, and I'm going to tell you a little bit about it. So I had some friends that were initially doing this race Bronson Holbeck and then Tim Boswell. Bronson is one of the owners, with his wife Kylie, of Powders, which is the supplement company that you always see all over my Instagram, because I literally use Powders every single day, whether it's their electrolytes, their pre-workout or the cutest apparel ever. Um, my code is reagan shameless plug if you want to get a discount. But they mentioned that they were doing it and they were like you should do it too. Because we were just kind of coming off the high rocks dallas in march, I believe, because I did doubles with tim so they kind of planted that seed in my or planted yeah, planted that seed in my brain and I was like maybe i'll'll do it Like I don't know, we'll see. Um and a few.
Speaker 1:About two months ago, because I had about eight to 10, probably eight to nine ish weeks to train for this Um, I decided that I was going to have FOMO, that I was going to low key, be jealous Like who gets jealous of that If I didn't do it. Like I don't want to miss out on fitness events. I realized that I do not get FOMO, um the fear of missing out, if you don't know what that means, unless it is um fitness stuff, like going out and drinking parties, staying up late, I don't get FOMO on that. I'm like y'all have fun, like I'm not missing out on anything whatever. Um, but fitness events biggest FOMO ever.
Speaker 1:So I randomly decided to sign up and I initially signed up for the 50 K, which is 32 miles, um, and I'd done one marathon up to that point. And then I randomly signed up for the Orange County Marathon the day before, about five weeks ago, and ended up qualifying for Boston with it. And then I was like you know, 32 miles maybe too like, may not be challenging enough, I don't know. So Tim decided to switch from the 50k to the 50 mile and I was like you know what, I'm going to just switch to the 50 mile. So, literally last week I went from the 32 mile to the 50 mile.
Speaker 1:So with this race, um, it is. It was in Malibu California, I'm going to pull up the little thing about it, but in Malibu California and if you've never been to Malibu California, I'm going to pull up the little thing about it but in Malibu California and if you've never been to Malibu California, it is absolutely beautiful, like literally so beautiful. I think everyone should go there. The pace of life there is very bougie, but it's very slow and there's not a ton to do. I mean, there is, but there's not, and it kind of forces you to be really present. Honestly, um, I don't think I would sign up for my first ultra marathon if it wasn't somewhere absolutely beautiful. So, truly, I think Malibu was like the best place ever to do our first one.
Speaker 1:And I've seen other people do ultra marathons and a lot of them have been very flat, but this one was 9,000 feet of elevation gain and let me tell you, I felt every bit of that 9,000 feet elevation gain. I felt every bit of that 9,000 feet elevation gain and it actually ended up being 48.8 miles, which makes me so sad. I'm so mad at myself. I should have just ran an extra mile at the end, um, cause it even says, like on the thing, that it's only 48.8 miles. But I didn't really have any expectations going into it. Um, I think I wanted to enjoy it and just be present and finish it. But if you know me, I feel like I cannot just enjoy a fitness event. I have to be competitive with it. So I started kind of calculating paces and stuff and I was like, okay, my goal is 10 hours, that is a 13 minute average pace and I did not take the elevation into consideration.
Speaker 1:Um, you're going to hear my ADHD in this, cause I feel like I'm already all over the place, so ended up completing it with the pit stops, because there were, let's see, one, two, one, two, three, four, five, six, six or seven um aid stations. So that is where there is like peanut butter, jellies, fruits, electrolytes, waters, um bars, gels, and then we got to have drop bags that they would put there for us with our specific snacks or electrolytes in it. Um. So with each um aid station, I probably spent about five to 10 minutes at each um, like use the bathroom, like put more body glide on, whatever, um. So five to 10 minutes at each one. And then the halfway aid station Paige and Kylie and Gabby were there. They were our pit crew. I think that's what it's called Our pit crew. They were crewing us and I probably spent about 15 to 20 minutes at that one Um. I got in a little bit before the guys and then the guys came in and then we all just like talked and refueled and sat down for a sec and then I took off and went back the other way. It was an out and back, so, but with the full course, drop bag or aid stations included, it took me 11 hours and 32 minutes, but my Strava showed that moving time. So my time minus the aid stations was like 1035. So I was pretty freaking close to my goal, low key. So I'm actually really really happy about that.
Speaker 1:Once I realized at that 25 mile mark that I wasn't going to be able to break 10 hours I mean I would have, but I would have had to, like, run the uphills and stuff I was like, okay, 12 hours is now my goal and I was able to do that, thankfully. The biggest thing for me is I've only trail run like twice ever in my life. So I had to get trail shoes and I ended up going with some Nikes Maybe I'll link them in the description, but I literally did not wear them for the day and they actually ended up doing really, really well. Um, they were perfect. And I was not going to get hiking poles, um, but I was like you know what I feel, like maybe I should just have them just in case, and I am so thankful that I got them. I did the carbon fiber ones from REI and they were a little expensive, but they were lightweight, so then I could fold them up and put them in my um running vest like tie them in my running vest in the back.
Speaker 1:So for the most part, the first three miles it was like a single track thing, so everyone was pretty much following behind each other, unless, like you, could sneak around someone and pass them. But it took us like 45 to 50 minutes to just go three miles because it was so uphill and we were kind of in a single line, um like trek there. But then after that three mile there was a flat and a little downhill and people kind of started spreading out. So the first three miles I was with people, um, and then, yeah, it really really started spreading out there. But with the whole race I walked the uphills or not. Yeah, like power hiked the uphills, I would run the flats and then I would run the downhill, um. So the biggest stretch of uphill was the first, like two and a half three miles. And then there was an aid station at mile 16 to the halfway point to mile 25. And I'm not even kidding, that whole thing was like 3000 feet of elevation maybe, like it was straight uphill. It was awful, um, but yeah, that was the, that was like the biggest uphill. And then, you know, obviously on the out and back, on the way down or on the way back. We knew that we were going to be running those hills. So that's a good thing about it is we caught a lot of time.
Speaker 1:But I'll be honest, running downhills is really hard because there was a lot of rocks. You maybe saw in one of my stories like we were. It was literally well, not we, because I was literally by myself. I maybe ran with people five or six miles out of the whole 50. But it was like a forest, like just overgrown things and like a super single track thing, like branches hitting my legs, hitting me in the face, like it was awful. But it really made me feel one with nature, like I've always said I'm not a nature girl, but now I'm like, okay, actually think I am a nature girl. Like I did this, um, but running downhill is hard because I did this, um, but running downhill is hard because there's so many little rocks and so many things that you really really have to pay attention. Um, guys, I feel like fly through the downhills, but I feel like I'm a little bit more cautious Cause I'm like I don't want to roll my ankle and my ankles aren't used to that when you're used to road running, like running on trail and running on rocks and different things there. Like, my ankles are definitely sore, um, but definitely caught up a lot of time on the downhill parts. One thing that I wanted to note was well, maybe I'll come back to the fuel part of it because I'm kind of skipping around because this is what I do Um, but truly, throughout the race, there was not one point that I was like I want to stop, like I want to quit.
Speaker 1:This is hard. I honestly call me crazy. I don't think it was that hard, like mentally. Maybe it was hard, physically kind of hard, but I don't know if it was like because I really didn't know what to expect or I was just so excited. But I truly, like I'm not even kidding, I'm not exaggerating on this I really feel like I had a runner's high the whole time, which is so weird to say for 11 and a half hours. But I really, like there was not one point that I was like why am I doing this? Like I want to quit? Um, so that is isn't, it isn't that wild Like I. Truly, I feel like I got to a dark place at one point, just very, not even a dark place, but like very emotional. But other than that, like I truly think that I was smiling the whole time. I was like laughing and smiling and crying, all by myself in the middle of the Malibu mountains, like I could have fallen off the side of the mountain. It was so foggy, no one would have found me because I literally there was points I didn't see people for eight miles, which is crazy. But I, um, yeah, I really think I was smiling the whole time, which I feel like is very on brand for me.
Speaker 1:But the first, I guess that week leading up to it, I something in my foot, like from my hip all the way down to my ankle, um, I think I looked it up it was like peroneal tendonitis or something, but pain down the whole side of my leg. The first two and a half three miles I was like I was hurting so bad and I prayed and I was like lord, like please take away this pain from me, like I want to finish this race for you so I can give you glory, and like just prayed over that so much and prayed over the race I'm not even kidding, it went away like I did not hurt the rest of the race at all and I'm like that is. That is God, like power of prayer, that is God. All glory to him. Um, because I truly thought the first three miles I'm like I don't know if I'm going to be able to finish this, if this keeps going up this, this whole race, like I'm in so much pain. So when I got to, also did not listen to music.
Speaker 1:So with trail running, I feel like you really have to pay. I mean, you truly have to pay attention, you have to be aware of what's around you, what you're stepping on, um, and it's peaceful. I mean you're way high up in the mountains, it's foggy, there's no one around you, like it's just really quiet. So I was like I'm going to wait on music. I'm not going to listen to music yet, like I'm just going to wait and see and like really wait until I need it, mentally Right. And so, um was totally fine. Got to the halfway point, I was like, all right, I'm going to put on some music. Now I think I played not even kidding, a minute of a song and I'm like this does not feel right, like I don't. 42, 43.
Speaker 1:Um, our next aid station was at 45 and I knew that my friends were going to be there and I was like, okay, we have three miles here of flat ground, kind of running on dirt ish, and I passed four or five people on that. I was holding like an 820, 830 pace and I put on some worship music and I was like playing it out loud. I just put my phone in my vest and was playing worship music and I was like cruising, I was feeling so good, smiling, and I was just passing people. Um, and then I saw my friends at mile 45 and then I played worship music to finish, um, those last five miles, three of the miles were uphill.
Speaker 1:So basically, like walking, like hiking them, power hiking them, and then trying to run, like I would try to run a little bit of the hills. I'd be like, okay, I'm going to run until I get to this curve and then I would run the uphill and then I would like hike a little bit and then I would run a little bit more and hike, and then the last two miles were winding down the side of the mountain and they were downhill. So, um, yeah, listening to music then, but I'm like that's psychopath trait. That's a psychopath trait Like who can run for 10, 10 and a half hours, like the last hour listening to music, but 10 and a half out of 11 and a half hours no music, nothing, just you and nature. Um, but I'll be honest, my mind.
Speaker 1:I thought I was going to think about a lot of things during the race. My mind felt so clear, like it felt so just present and I felt so I don't know, like a clean slate the most, and it was the just most beautiful like favorite feeling in the whole entire world. So, um, and I didn't have service either. So it was like and I didn't have service either, so it was like I couldn't like be on Instagram or like call people. Like it was. It was incredible, highly recommend, highly recommend that um I mentioned I really didn't get to a dark place.
Speaker 1:I really thought that I was gonna get to a dark place where I was gonna have to dig and like pull myself out of somewhere because, because, would want to quit. But I did not really get emotional until mile 40. And I might cry talking about this, but I was just thinking like I started running about a year and a half ago and I have always said I hated running and I have always said I hated running and I maybe this is something I need to talk about in therapy. But, like, I feel like I've always been tied to my athletic accomplishments. Um, maybe that bleeds over into my adult life a little bit. But I was just thinking about, like. But I was just thinking about like little 10 year old Reagan. I think about her all the time now but like seeing her oh gosh, I'm about to cry and how proud she would be of myself that I was doing that. Um, oh God, I'm crying, but how I've been have a video on my phone. I'm like 10 year old Reagan would be so proud, um of 27 year old Reagan and just like doing things for the little girl inside of me. Um, and I think it made me emotional because I felt like a little kid out there, like exploring in the woods and having to pay attention and just running, and like getting hit with leaves and jumping through creeks Like it was is I don't know. I just felt I felt like a little kid, um, and just like a child and it really made me think about the little girl inside of me. But I really, um, I really got emotional.
Speaker 1:That mile 40 and then mile 45 of like I can't believe that I'm doing this, like I'm doing something really, really hard, um, and so I think that was one of the biggest things with the race is that I signed up for it. I don't think I think everyone signs up for it to do something hard right, but I signed up for it to do something challenging and to do something hard because I wanted to be in an uncomfortable place and there were points in that race that I literally was saying out loud to myself I'm like there is nothing that I cannot do. Like I believe in myself so much now and if I say that I'm going to do something, I am 100% confident that I can do it. Because if, five years ago, you would have told me that I would run a 50 mile race through the mountains of Malibu and be disgusting, and fall on a river and do all the things like, there's no way that I would have believed you. But that's why I think it's so important to put yourself in uncomfortable situations and do things that you've never done before, because the confidence that is cultivated and created through that is truly something that you cannot find that anywhere else. Um, so if you're listening to this, like whether even it's, it could be a 5k, or it could be a one mile race, whatever. Um, I encourage you to make yourself uncomfortable and do something that the little kid inside of you would be so proud of you for, and that's why I did it Like I wanted to feel confident, I wanted to feel proud and now, like I just have this different outlook on my abilities, now truly Like I think I'm unstoppable, and not from a cocky way, but like from a confidence and a self-love way, and I think every single person deserves to feel that way.
Speaker 1:Um, so with fuel? Um, let's see, let's see, let's see. So with fuel, I listened to a few podcasts, honestly, kind of winged it a little bit, but the guy that I listened to said that you need to intake 50 to a hundred carbs every hour. Um, so, whether you split that up over, like every 10 minutes, you were taking something, or every 30 minutes, you were taking something. Um, I did a lot. I noticed what worked the best for me, stomach wise, were goose um, the honey stinger, uh chews. So like the little gummies, the honey stinger waffles and then honey stinger gels. That worked best for me for food wise. And then I would get like a banana at the little aid stations or um. I also used what was the name of it Trail wind, trail back, switch back, not switch back. I don't know some sort of liquid carb that I had in a few drop bags that I would put in um water. But okay, I'm going to go through some of the questions. So I ended up eating about 300 calories every hour. Okay, so let's see, let's see, let's see.
Speaker 1:Did God speak to you or show up in any way on the trail and then did any certain scriptures help you get through? Um, I do believe that God spoke to me on the trail and I think that it came through presence and quiet. Um, that being in that quiet space is like I feel like he was speaking to me. Like Reagan, you just need to be quiet sometimes and just let me speak to you and just listen and just cutting out all of the distractions, everything that the world has to say, and like to just be quiet sometimes and I feel like that's what the Lord kind of showed me through that Um and then a Bible verse that got me through is that I wanted to. At the beginning of the race, I prayed and wanted to give all the glory to God through this and just through my abilities and how he allows me to move my body and the opportunities that I have. One of my favorite Bible verses has always been first Corinthians, 10, 31,. Whether you eat, drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God and just remembering that when I like pass people on the trail and getting to encourage them and love them, like that they would maybe see Jesus through that, and then finishing the race like, um, giving glory to God and like smiling and hoping that people see little glimmers of Jesus, um, inside of me.
Speaker 1:Um, what did you tell yourself when you wanted to quit? Honestly, I didn't want to quit any, but, um, I think the biggest thing that I always remind myself if I do want to quit or give up is I will feel so much more proud and so much more confident in myself if I'm able to finish and able to push through it, because it's something that I've never done before and I love that feeling of feeling so proud and accomplished after something. Um, how many steps did you log? Would I do another? So I did about? It was about a hundred thousand steps, which is crazy. And would I do another? Abso-freaking-lutely, I loved it like I literally loved it. I um want to do, I would definitely do another 50 mile or do 100k? Um, and then, honestly, I kind of want to do, I would definitely do another 50 mile or do a hundred K? Um, and then, honestly, I kind of want to do a hundred mile race, which sounds absolutely psycho, but I think that I could do it. I think just going through um the nighttime would make me a little bit scared, though. Um, let's see.
Speaker 1:Was there anything you wish you had done to prepare, done differently or brought with you? Yes, the only two things that come to mind. First thing is I wish I would have cut my toenails shorter, because on the downhills, my toenails, like pushed into my skin and my toes, my toes hurt. Right now, my legs everything feels fine. My toes hurt, um, and then, if you saw my Instagram story, I have a huge raw um raw spot on my back from where my vest rubbed me, and I would not wear just a sports bra under the vest, Um, but I definitely over-prepared with food. And then I think another thing I would have done is, um, I would have put socks in every drop bag, because I fell in the river once trying to cross logs and just like busted it and I had to run probably eight or nine miles in wet shoes and wet socks, so I wish I would have put socks in every single um drop bag to to change shoes, um.
Speaker 1:And then, okay, the first song that I played. I didn't have service at all, so I had my worship music playlist downloaded, but it was my 2023 worship music playlist and let me show you what song I played first, um, the first song that I played, okay, it was my quiet time playlist and it was over and over by Elevation Rhythm. Um. And then the next one was More Than Enough, by Jesus Culture. Um, those were my two that I played. And then I did like some Cece is it Cece Williams? Yeah, cece Williams, goodness of God had her on repeat a little bit, um, but that was, yeah, it was all worship music, cause I didn't have any other music downloaded.
Speaker 1:I'm like God, you know that I need this. My self-talk during the race there was a question on that and then how I'm mentally prepared. I honestly didn't think about it much. I've proven to myself that I can do hard things, so I think I just went into it with that, but then also visualizing myself, um, smiling and doing well and then crossing the finish line, and I think that's kind of what kept me through. But then also telling like this always helps telling people that I'm going to do something and following through on that Like I'm like I'm not going to say I'm going to do something and not going to do it. So I was like I told so many people that I'm going to finish this race and I'm going to do it and I feel like being able to trust my word and keep that commitment to myself was probably one of the biggest things.
Speaker 1:Um, let's see, I think I hit majority of the questions. A lot of them were the same. Um, I really don't feel like I had any moments of discouragement. Now, if I do another one, I'm sure that there may be some um, but it could be. Um, I think I maybe just had some endorphins and excitement that I was like I don't even know what I'm doing, but I'm just going to finish and I was just excited the whole time. But I actually loved that. I was by myself majority of the time, like, like I said, maybe six, seven out of the 50 miles there was no one. I could not see anyone and I was just having to, hopefully, be on the right track with the little orange flags that they had marked.
Speaker 1:Um, but I will say the trail running community is so nice, they are so friendly, everyone was so encouraging, everyone was so like if, like, I fell in the river and I had so many people come up to me, they're like, are you okay? Like, do you need anything? They'll stop and help you. They'll give you food if you need it. They would give you water if you need it Not that I, like I didn't need any, but I did see one guy give someone a water and they're just so encouraging Like it's different. It's different than marathon running and I think, because with trails, like people, you just want to finish, you don't really care about what your time is, which is different than marathon running. Um, and yeah, the trail running community was great. Like I've met some really, really great people Um, gabby, jonathan, mike, um, aaron, megan those are a few people that I talked to, but it was so fun, like, so fun. And then, lastly, what was I going to say? Say there was one more thing I was gonna say, um, I don't remember.
Speaker 1:I think the the biggest thing I want you to take away from this, though, is that look for things to make you uncomfortable. You can do really hard things that you never thought that you could do before, and the pride and the accomplishment and the confidence that you never thought that you could do before, and the pride and the accomplishment and the confidence that you feel after doing something really hard, it's something that you can never fathom until you experience, and I hope that my stories from that day, and like hearing this podcast that you feel encouraged to sign up for something and to challenge yourself or to find a new hobby. That is something that you've never done before. It could be going to the, going to the gym, it could be doing boxing, it could be signing up for a race, um, but I hope it encourages you to want to be better and want to be like. To want to be better and want to be like I don't know, like I just can't even fathom the words that how I feel right now. I feel confident, I feel like a badass, like that's seriously what I feel like, and it's just like I truly feel like I'm unstoppable.
Speaker 1:So, whether you sign up for a 5k and you've never done one before and you feel that confidence. Or whether you sign up for a 5k and you've never done one before and you feel that confidence. Or whether you sign up for a 50 mile race and you feel that confidence like I think it's in every single one of us and I hope that me doing that encourages you and makes you want to do something hard and challenging. Um, oh gosh, my computer just randomly cut off, okay, um, but thank you guys for listening today. I hope that you enjoyed this and please let me know if you liked it and got any little nuggets or inspiration from it. I love you guys.
