Giddyup! It's Time to Get Schooled by Bronco Billy

Dust off your trucker hats and buy a hydration vest because in this episode of Maybe Running Will Help, I sat down with ultrarunning legend Jeff Browning aka Bronco Billy to answer one very important question:

How can I be more like an ultrarunner?

As a road runner, my race strategy has always been to carry as little as humanly possible and hope for the best. Trail runners? They're carrying water, calories, electrolytes, emergency gear, layers, whistles...and yes, a poop kit. The longer you're out there, the more preparation matters!

Nutrition is way more important than I even realized when you're running insane distances. I used to believe ultrarunning was just about having really good endurance but with the right hydration, sodium, calories, electrolytes, regular humans like me have a chance. And honestly when it comes to hydration, marathoners could probably borrow a few pages from the ultrarunner playbook.

But maybe my favorite topic was trail etiquette! We talked about how to make room for other runners, packing your trash and kindness towards volunteers. The trail running community has a huge emphasis on respecting the trails, the people around you and the sport itself.

Ultrarunners may not be superhuman. And they also don't just "wing it" like I thought originally (with their laid back and chill vibe). They're actually incredibly intentional. They prepare well, respect the process and solve problems before they become emergencies.

This episode is packed with lessons that go way beyond the trails.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go earn my trail name. Because according to Bronco, you definitely can't pick your own.

Click here to learn more about Jeff "Bronco Billy" Browning.