
#119 Sara Duncan | First 100 Miler Lessons, Building Community, & Refusing To Quit
From The Midpacker Podcast by Freetrail - Hosted by Troy Meadows
June 5, 2026 · 1h 37m
About this episode
Sara Duncan shares her journey from a novice runner to completing her first 100-mile race, emphasizing community and resilience.
The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts. Join the Newsletter at: MidPack Musings SubStack Support the MidPacker Pod on Patreon. Check Out MPP Merch Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods. Looking for 1:1 Ultra Running Coaching? Check out Troy’s Coaching Page Check out the Gear I love HERE on rendezvu.co STOKED TO PARTNER WITH PLAY ON RELIEF - 20% off your first order VACATION RACES - 15% off any Ultra, Half Marathon, or Trailfest USE PROMO CODE MIDPACKER "Running is such an individual endeavor, but it is absolutely a community sport." Sara Duncan didn't take the traditional path into running. She wasn't a standout athlete growing up and could barely run a mile when she joined her first run club in her twenties. Fast forward a decade and Sara is a trail runner, community builder, volunteer, and newly minted Hellbender 100 finisher. In this episode, Sara shares how a canceled 30th birthday party during the pandemic turned into a 30-mile challenge that launched her ultra running journey. From her first half marathon to running the Cruel Jewel 50 as a qualifier, Sara's story is one of persistence, curiosity, and…
People in this episode
Host: Troy Meadows
Guest: Sara Duncan
Topics covered
- ultra running
- community building
- persistence
- problem-solving
- personal journey
Keywords
- ultra running
- Hellbender 100
- community
- persistence
- running journey
- problem-solving
- Sara Duncan
Sponsors
Play On Relief, Vacation Races
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Freetrail
More episodes of The Midpacker Podcast
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- #117 Matt Van Dalsem | Community, Perspective, & More On The Fragility of Life · May 20, 2026 · 1h 28m
- #116 Ryan Thrower | Curiosity, Creativity, & The Fragility of Life · April 30, 2026 · 1h 32m
- MidPacker Pod Field Notes – EP 03 | 3 Weeks to Hellbender: Training Around a Wedding, Leasons Form the Training Camp, & Troy's Heat Acclamation Protocol · April 23, 2026 · 48 min
- #115 Jordan Battaglia | Building PlayOn, Strength for Longevity, and Staying Injury Free · April 16, 2026 · 1h 29m
- #114 Stevie Smith | Fueling for your next Ultra, Betting on Yourself & Building an Endurance Nutrition Coaching Business · April 9, 2026 · 1h 33m
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