Desert Lessons from The Speed Project & 80 miles on the Mingus Traverse with Shaun Jones

From Los Angeles to Las Vegas and the desert of Arizona on part of the Cocodona course, Shaun Jones needs no introduction. He is a friend of the show and a vital part of the San Antonio scene.

Shaun last chatted with me on January 2, speaking candidly of being “thrown off” due to a change in course during a 50-mile attempt at Cactus Rose. He would eventually DNF the race due to subsequent ankle issues. 

Shaun’s 2026 calendar began with the Bandera 100K in January, where he finished the race in just under 17 hours. As for his strategy at that race: It was not to look at the end. Did that same mindset carry forward with The Speed Project and the Mingus Traverse? 

What came from his experiences earlier this year and into last year was the development of a strategy—a process, if you will—for his running. The process is certainly rooted in repetition and familiarity; one look at Shaun’s Strava profile can speak for itself. 

As runners, we gravitate toward the brands and products we love; the ones that can pick us up when we're in a rut or keep us dry in a pinch. One of Shaun’s go-to brands is Janji. Running, movement, is as much a spiritual exercise as it is a physical and mental one—that I am certain of. 

For Shaun and most runners, I would gather, running is the vehicle through which we experience community and our world. Haven’t taken the jump yet? I hope this conversation helps.

Peace,

Mason

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

The crew is so important on a race. Like I was thinking about Kokodona because Mingus was like just a segment of the Kokodona 250. Like you see all these like big name ultra runners making it down the course, but there are dozen, like a dozen people around them making sure that happens. So like it's a team effort no matter what.

SPEAKER_00 0:22

What's going on, guys? Mason here. Welcome back to Strides. This interview is with Sean Jones, who's been on the show several times before, definitely a friend of the pod. We talk about his experience uh running alongside the extra credit folks from San Antonio on the Speed Project. Uh, we also touch on his venture at the Mingus Traverse uh as part of the Coca-Dona course, uh, and briefly at the top discuss uh his run at the Bandera Ultra earlier this year. Sean's a really wonderful human, really, really great dude. Um, and this is an excellent conversation that I really hope you guys enjoy. And uh yeah, I'll see y'all next time. Peace.

SPEAKER_01 1:05

Well, you um don't need really any introduction. You've you're you've been on the on the pod several times before, both uh long form and short form. Um and I think last time we chatted was for the lead up to the bandera 100k um earlier this year, I believe is when the race was. Um Bandera 100k. Uh and then you did participated on the speed project with the extracurricular crew, I believe last month or the month before that. It was the beginning of April, yeah. Beginning of April, and then um most recently knocked off 80 miles uh in the Arizona Desert on the Mingus Traverse. So congratulations, all very big efforts.

SPEAKER_02 1:47

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:48

When we were talking Bandera uh 100k, you mentioned kind of your strategy was not to necessarily look at the end of end of the race, but the kind of few feet and a few kind of meters in front of you, kind of like taking just your step-by-step processes. Is that kind of a strategy that kind of carried through on the speed project and as well as uh on Mingus?

SPEAKER_02 2:11

Um definitely on the Speed Project. Um that was that was such an adventure and like the the running was kind of secondary just to the entire experience of it all and just the logistics of it. Um but definitely with uh Mingus with that 80 miles, like when I was out there, I I had to like continually remind myself, like, no, just just stay stay where you're at, stay with your your where you're currently running, stay with your breath, um, just kind of just stay focusing. I I had kind of a rough time with that race. So so having that mindset really helped. Um and just trusting that, you know, I I trained for it. Like that's that was that was done. Um my logistics were pretty good for for that race. So I had everything I needed. Um, I knew I would like when I got to the next aid station, I I'd have what I wanted. So I didn't need to worry about that. Um, I had plenty of time, didn't need to worry about anything. Uh, just need to worry about like continuing to move forward.

SPEAKER_01 3:18

Yeah. And that uh you did mingus uh without a crew, right?

SPEAKER_02 3:22

That's correct. Yeah, that is uh a good lesson learned. Um something I will try not to repeat because that definitely made it made it challenging for sure.

SPEAKER_01 3:36

Was that was it kind of just like a logistical thing? Kind of uh obviously it's you know getting people out to Arizona and stuff, or or was it maybe trying more intentional?

SPEAKER_02 3:46

Yeah, it was actually intentional. Um I had floated the idea to my wife to come out with me, and she had some scheduling conflicts and uh just thought for some reason I need to do this on my own and and like learn whatever whatever this race is gonna throw at me uh on my own. Um so it was my choice, and I think I stand by it. Like I definitely appreciate how important having good crew is after that. But it was yeah, it was very intentional. Yeah, okay, nice.

SPEAKER_01 4:22

Um kind of when we think of big picture running, um, it's really as much kind of I think a mental and um exercise or a mental and spiritual exercise, really, as it is kind of like a physical one. Um what kind of have what kind of within those those parameters, what kind of have those these three efforts taught you within regards to um kind of the mental practice of I guess preparing for these kinds of efforts and then actually going through and and and finishing?

SPEAKER_02 4:55

Yeah. The biggest takeaway for me is just the importance of like having having support. Like trying to do anything on your own is I mean, it's it's great if you can do it, but it's it's not really healthy, I don't think. Um we're we're social beings and especially when when things are hard, our our minds want us to draw together. Like we we have like hormonal responses to draw towards other people. Um and like not having that option is is harmful, I think. Like that's definitely something that I experienced at Amigus. Um, but like I I was I had a low point uh after about 30 miles, like I had just come over Amingus Mountain, uh, was kind of dealing with some elevation sickness and was just feeling at an all-time low, um, just kind of emotionally as well. And um just wanted to wanted to connect with people. So like ahead of the race, I I had planned like, okay, I can call my coach, I can call my wife, I can call some friends um when I hit these lows before things get bad. And that's exactly what I did. And um it totally saved me um um from like tapping out at that at that low point. Um, so yeah, not doing not feeling like you need to do this alone. Uh, that was a big lesson. Um something that I kind of deal with on a regular basis is like I am very introverted, I am much, very much a loner. Um, like that's one thing about training that I find really kind of therapeutic is just having lots of time to myself out on the trail to zone out and not really have to be um reactive to other people. Um but like on on the flip side of that is like, oh, when when I'm doing hard things, sometimes I do need people and I have to accept that and not even just accept it, but just like really get the benefit of it.

SPEAKER_01 7:22

That's a really spot-on kind of answer for this, and really I think kind of answers this next question rather perfectly. But um we'll kind of looking at the speed project specifically, um, and just correct me if I'm wrong in this kind of brief description of it. It's a a a race from um, I believe the Santa Monica Pier or somewhere in Los Angeles to the to the Las Vegas uh welcome to Las Vegas sign. Yeah. I think about 300 miles or so, a little over 300, maybe 400 miles.

SPEAKER_02 7:55

It was like 340, 350, something.

SPEAKER_01 7:58

Yeah. Uh some people run it solo. Some people, I think most people do it kind of with a team. Um you you guys you obviously did it with the the extra credit crew. Um there in kind of some of the research for for for this uh interview, I was kind of just pulling back on on your very very detailed and kind of vivid um kind of Instagram posts, uh pre and post-races. And there was a post talking kind of about um kind of aspirations to be kind of like a team player, so to speak. Um you're kind of put in with with a group of people, you know, maybe it's people that you you know, maybe it's people you don't know. Um what kind of did that balance look like when you were running possibly solo on or when you were running solo or with a team when you guys were out there doing your your different legs? How how did you kind of balance that, you know, if you had somebody next to you like pacing them or running with them, kind of keeping them accountable and also trying to keep yourself accountable if you were running solo? What did that kind of that one two look like?

SPEAKER_02 9:05

Yeah, so our our legs were pretty short for this. Um we started doing like five mile legs and then um down to like two and a half, two mile legs towards the end, um, just to like keep the pace up a little bit and uh plus we were going up hills at certain points so we would have shorter legs. Um I never actually ran with anyone else uh by my side except for the the last mile that we ran together, like we ran as a whole team. Um but like keeping myself accountable wasn't wasn't an issue. Um like it was actually pretty interesting because um I was able to like run at a faster clip than I normally would, just because I knew like, okay, I'll run this, and then I have like, you know, several hours of of rest afterwards before I have to run again. So it's it's not a big deal. Um but in the van, in between those legs was when uh my like team player side really came out and when it was really valuable to me to have interactions with team members. Um, just helping people like, you know, make sure people were staying hydrated, making sure they had plenty to eat, uh, stuff like that, um offering advice on like if people were feeling tired or injured or something. Um I I really responded to that. And like uh I guess I like being a helper uh to a certain extent and um and also just like having like genuine um care for for the people that were on my team. Um it was it was really great for me. Um we actually the night before we left, um, the night before the race started, we kind of huddled around in in our Airbnb and kind of set this intention of like whatever happens, we're gonna communicate, overcommunicate if necessary, but like nobody nobody knows what you're experiencing unless you tell them. So don't assume anybody knows what you need, just talk about it. And that's something we we took with us the whole time and just like as as issues came up, we we talked about it and like worked through things and came up with solutions. Um and like as a result, didn't have a single like heated argument at all, which was great. They they told us like at the one of the briefings or even uh in some of the materials, they said like you you're gonna be in a van with these people for 48 hours, you're going to fight, like you're gonna have your lowest lows together. And that I don't think that happened to anybody. Um, we did have some people get sick, so they definitely had had some lows, but um, other than that, like we we kind of lifted each other up the entire time.

SPEAKER_01 12:12

Yeah, so it sounds like the energy was pretty positive. Um to an ex to an extent, just kind of from how you're describing it, it it to some extent like you're almost kind of brewing it more or less when you're not maybe running, like you're I I think I saw some pictures of like you know, people on a bike. Um if you're you know uh helping with hydration and stuff, it's you know, it's a it's kind of a different side, maybe that you you don't always get to experience if you're you know running um a race or running something like this, you know, kind of definitely.

SPEAKER_02 12:44

And that's that's something I thought about um quite a bit during my during the 80 mile or during Mingus. Um because like the crew is so important on a race. Like I was thinking about Kokodona because Mingus was like just a segment of of the Kokodona 250. Like you see all these like big name ultra runners making it down the course, but there are dozen, like a dozen people around them making sure that happens. So like it's a team effort no matter what. Um, and like I think that is so impactful.

SPEAKER_01 13:18

Yeah, and that's uh I think that that makes first that's a topic that I haven't really gotten to delve into on this, but I think is is especially kind of like looking at Scoke Donuts examples, you know, or a hundred mile or or 50k, what have you, you know, people going into it with a crew, you know, what does that look like? What does the preparation look like? What does the the the start time for the runner look like? You know, two hours in, three hours in, like um, you know, it's a different perspective, and it's I think a really interesting perspective. And it's also uh an important perspective too if people are coming into these races with crews, like you know, they're crossing the finish line with their crew as well. Yeah. Um kind of can you speak a little bit to just kind of how you got just in, I guess, invited onto the and uh the team for for the speed project and and kind of what that process looked like on you guys ran with um the Mount to Coast, uh uh to the kind of go-to shoe. Um what did that kind of uh that that kind of partnership look like and and how did how did extra credit reach out to you?

SPEAKER_02 14:22

Yeah, um, so I've been running with Extra Credit for I want to say about a year. I think last spring was when I started. Um, but you know, just like really felt supported by the team, um, tried to support the team as as much as possible. Uh I say team, but like running, running community uh around extra credit. Uh and Santi just like reached out to me one day via text. He was like, hey, do you want to run the speed project? And that was I think my my response was LFG, like let's fucking go. Like there was no no hesitation um in that at all. Um but Santi uh mainly managed that relationship with with our sponsors with Mount Decoast specifically, um, which was great. I hadn't been exposed to their shoes uh until that and like absolutely love them. Um yeah, I really don't have a whole lot to say about about Mount Decoast except for like so grateful they that they hooked us up with shoes. Um we do have a video of of our speed projects experience coming out um somewhat soon. Um so they're definitely featured in that uh branding with with their branding, but also just like we all wore Mount Decoast the entire time. So they showed up.

unknown 16:00

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 16:01

Yeah. You feel kind of like uh again, there it's a it's a shoe that I feel like it's kind of had a maybe a slow come up a little bit. And and it's not to say that's a bad thing per se, but um obviously like you look at the kind of trail uh market, I guess, so to speak, and it's obviously Hoka and you know, Ultra, uh La Sportiva, like you know, there's certain certain kind of name brands, so to speak. Um, and I feel like Mount Coast is kind of one that's you know, and I think I first saw it maybe at last year's Coca-Dona people uh there was there were some athletes that were running in it, um and and whatnot. But uh is it you feel like it's a shoe that you're gonna just kind of include in your rotation kind of here going forward? It's you know, like what uh I I don't know how kind of crazy the terrain was. Um uh well I think I saw you at I think pictures of you on did you wear it at Mingus? Did you wear it at Mingus?

SPEAKER_02 16:53

Yeah, I did.

SPEAKER_01 16:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 16:55

Yeah, I bought a fresh pair of H1s for Mingus, um, which were that was a great choice. Uh good support, great cushion for for those long efforts in that terrain. Um the terrain terrain for Mingus was pretty gnarly. I'm gonna say that. Like I I definitely underestimated the technicality of it. Um not even so much the like the vert, like going uphill. Yeah, we we like went over Mingus Mountain, so there was like a few thousand feet of climbing um at the front end, but those downhills were what really got me. Um they they basically did me in. Um, but it was just long stretches of uh switchbacks and and downhills. Uh the terrain was like narrow single track covered in golf ball-sized rocks that were loose. So um it was yeah, it was definitely something that I don't really experience in San Antonio. Like I'm not ever running downhill for three miles. Like that just doesn't happen here. Um so uh they definitely held up well. I I I will say that like I did get a couple of blisters, not because of the shoes, but because like the dust and the terrain um and just my inexperience of taking care of my feet in that situation. Um but I would definitely, definitely wear them again. Like I I still I'm still running in in them today.

SPEAKER_01 18:31

So how did you how did you identify uh going going out to Arizona for Mingus? Like what kind of was the the draw, so to speak, was a kind of the distance, the environment? What what was the kind of speak going through your head when you were were getting or signing up for it?

SPEAKER_02 18:46

Yeah, so Cocodona is my current bucket list race. Um I don't assume that I'm going to ever win Kokadona. Like I that's doesn't that's not why I'm doing it, but I just as I as I continue to add on distance, um that's kind of my my dream race. And Mingus seemed like a good fit because it was a literally part of the course. Um I I don't get to run in that very often. So I get to kind of preview not just the the physical course, but just uh the logistics behind it, um, the culture of it, kind of the hype. Uh so that's why I chose that, just to like as like a my long-term training plan for Cocodona in a couple of years, whenever that happens, like this was a good a good introduction.

SPEAKER_01 19:47

I'm a little primer. I I know um uh Edgar ran uh Black Canyon uh out in Arizona. And I don't know the the kind of geography of of the state, but did you did he have kind of any advice for you for for when I know it's probably a different course and whatnot, but did he have you read have any advice for you when it when it came to kind of what to expect a little bit?

SPEAKER_02 20:08

Um yeah, I really didn't ask him. Uh we kind of chatted after he ran uh Black Canyon, but um his his advice was just to make sure I I I wear like a some sort of sun hoodie or something just to protect my skin, which I was already planning on doing, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:30

Was that uh was that gonna be a jongy hoodie? I think that's kind of like your I feel like uh even in your in your in your speed project poster you shouted out Johngy, which is yeah, I we identify kind of the brands and the and the products that we like and we enjoy, and and you know if it works for you, it works for you. So it sounds like a solid brand for you as well.

SPEAKER_02 20:50

Yeah, I I I wore my jongy sun hoodie and the like race shirt was another John G sun hoodie, just like branded with the mega stuff. So ended up wearing like I changed into that at one point because I was just like I kind of like sweat through my first one and it was getting pretty pretty gross. So needed a fresh change. Um yeah, I wore Johngy obviously the whole time. Um, just my my go-to half tights. Um, I experimented with wearing a a belt instead of a vest on this, um, which was definitely pushing my limits as far as like how much I could carry. But um yeah, otherwise everything was was chungy.

SPEAKER_01 21:35

And you mentioned you mentioned earlier, kind of at uh at the top of this section, that that the you know, the course is is kind of simultaneously happen happening with Coca-Dona. Yeah. What kind of was the energy like at the start line for for for Mingus and and kind of throughout the race? Like what how how is that live?

SPEAKER_02 21:55

Um overall it was it was pretty high. Like that that's That's kind of the only way I can describe it. Um like the aid stations were the volunteers at the aid stations were amazing. Like you would roll into an aid station. Um I can I'm thinking about this one, it was the last the last aid station um in the course, in the the 80-mile course. And I pulled in probably it was I think like one in the morning, something like that, maybe, maybe later. I honestly don't know. But it was very dark, getting getting pretty cool. And the the volunteers like, hey, just sit down in this chair, put a blanket on me. It's like, what can I get you? Like just listed off the menu of items that they had and like took care of me. And um, but just like staying positive with me the whole time and with everyone else. And uh it was it was just incredible. Um, you know, you're you're out there with some of the people on the course are are your fellow like 80 mile people, but there's also like tons of people on on the Coca Codona course as well. So like simultaneously, so like interacting with those people as well and just having that perspective of like, yeah, I'm I'm pretty tired after however many miles this is, but then there's like this person who's so like this is their second day of this. So like I can I can keep going. Yeah.

unknown 23:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:31

Lots of inspiration.

SPEAKER_01 23:34

What kind of what what kind of do you feel those 80 miles kind of taught you? Um, kind of looking into into you know what's next for you in the pipeline.

SPEAKER_02 23:45

Um for what's next, I think like really dialing in my nutrition. Um, not to say that it isn't pretty close now, but just becoming more adaptable with it as things change. Um like my hydration needs changed as I started to slow down at the end. I didn't need as much water, but also at the same time, like some of my fuel was was coming from my hydration as well. So um I had to kind of balance like making sure I was getting enough cars, but also not drinking too much fluid because that's gonna make me feel sick. Um, so really working on logistics like that is gonna be important coming up. Um just really need to hit more hills, like which is hard to do in San Antonio. Hard but not hard. I think we have like great hills, like Babcock Power Lines is a great training ground, but it's also kind of monotonous and just unpleasant at some times. Sure, that's a good way to describe it. Yeah. But also like that's an important part of my training focus too, is like getting really comfortable with being bored, with um facing adversity, and just like building up that those mental muscles as well. Um, but last but not least is just making sure I have the support I need, um having having crew, um, having my lifelines on the phone, like if I need them, um, just making sure that is really, really dialed in.

SPEAKER_01 25:38

Any any specific races on your calendar or just kind of kind of keeping things open?

SPEAKER_02 25:43

Um I am figuring out my next big race. It's probably going to be Dinosaur Valley 100 miles, um, which is in November. Um I haven't pulled the trigger on it yet, just because I'm I'm kind of weighing some options on like, do I wanna I know I want to do my hundred mile or pretty locally, just so like getting some crew there is going to be pretty easy. Um, but I may do a Rocky Raccoon instead in the in the in 2027. Um not sure, kind of trying to line that up logistically on my calendar. Um definitely doing Sky Island 50K. That's I think that's just gonna be fun. Like going out there, beautiful scenery, hanging out with cool people.

SPEAKER_01 26:36

Yeah, I'm looking forward. I'm doing the 25k, so I'm looking forward to that as well. It'll be fun. Oh, nice.

SPEAKER_02 26:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:40

Yeah. Awesome. It'll be a good time. Awesome, Sean. Well, I appreciate your time, man. Thank you for going in with uh in on on uh on these topics with me. I really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_02 26:48

Yeah, anytime.