Christina Couper: Choosing Your Hard and the Charleston 100

In this conversation, Christina Couper shares her journey from equestrian to ultra runner. She discusses the parallels between horse riding and running, including the lessons learned from horses such as recovery and problem-solving. Christina also highlights the importance of perspective and gratitude in both running and life. The conversation concludes with a discussion about the fascinating world of farriers and horseshoeing. In this conversation, Christina Couper discusses her experience running the Charleston 100, an unsupported and unmarked race. She talks about the race course and navigation, as well as the unique finish line where runners sprint the last 400 meters on a track. Christina also shares her race support and crew experience, including her boyfriend acting as crew chief. She explains that her goals for the race were simply to cross the finish line and not get arrested for peeing in public. Christina reflects on running alone during the race and the different experiences of large races versus smaller, more intimate races. She also mentions her future races, including the Leadville 100, and discusses the challenges of training for elevation and altitude. Lastly, Christina talks about her boyfriend's podcast and the balance between inspiration and entertainment in her podcast listening. Takeaways Running and horse riding share many parallels, including the importance of recovery, problem-solving, and perspective. The journey and process of running are just as important as the end result. Applying lessons from one area of life, such as horse riding, to another, such as running, can lead to personal growth and development. Gratitude and perspective are essential in navigating the highs and lows of running and life. The world of farriers and horseshoeing is a fascinating and important aspect of horse care. The Charleston 100 is an unsupported and unmarked race, requiring runners to navigate the course using a map and turn-by-turn directions. Christina's boyfriend acted as her crew chief during the race, providing support and aid at various points along the course. Christina's goals for the race were simply to finish and avoid getting arrested for peeing in public. Running alone during the race allowed Christina to reflect and be in her own thoughts, but she also appreciated the camaraderie and support of other runners. Christina is training for the Leadville 100, a more traditional and supported race, and is preparing for the challenges of elevation and altitude. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:26 Discovering the Charleston 100 03:16 The Appeal of the Charleston 100 04:08 Unorthodox Approach to Running 05:37 Introduction to Ultra Running 06:18 Transition from Equestrian to Running 07:03 Equestrian Background 08:45 Getting into Horse Riding 09:32 Parallel Between Horse Riding and Running 11:17 Lessons Learned from Horses 12:02 Starting Running Journey 13:44 Applying Lessons from Horses to Running 15:22 The Process and Journey of Running 17:00 Choosing Running as an Outlet 19:13 Applying Horse Training Techniques to Running 20:43 Channeling Intensity into Training 21:39 Reading Nonverbal Cues in Horses and Running 23:27 Taking Care of Yourself and Horses 25:29 Navigating Highs and Lows in Running and Life 27:33 Developing Perspective through Ultra Running 29:13 Training Off Feel and Problem Solving 32:15 Gratefulness for Choosing Your Hard 36:33 Fascination with Farriers and Horseshoeing 38:53 Cost and Time of Horseshoeing 41:36 Race Course and Navigation 44:15 Unique Finish Line 46:23 Race Support and Crew 48:56 Race Goals 49:14 Unconventional Goals 51:26 Running Alone 54:00 The Charleston 100 Experience 55:17 Future Races 57:48 Training for Leadville 01:00:38 Balancing Inspiration You can support the podcast on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/theadventurejogger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices