From Doubter to JFK 50 Mile Finisher: How Julie B. Hughes Conquered Her Doubt

From doubter to JFK 50 Mile finisher - Julie B. Hughes shares how she conquered her fears to run America's oldest ultramarathon while dedicating every mile to cancer warriors.

🎙️ Key Topics:
• Overcoming doubt and fear in ultra running
• Training and mindset for the JFK 50 Mile
• Dedicating your miles to a bigger purpose
• Writing your own story through running

“It's easy to push our dreams down the road. And I'm urging people not to do that because you don't know how long you're here. You take one mile at a time, right? One aid station at a time." - Julie B. Hughes

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In this episode, Julie B. Hughes shares her journey from running as a childhood joy to conquering an ultra marathon, all while weaving in powerful lessons on resilience, storytelling, and embracing the here and now. Julie conquered the mighty JFK50 Mile, America's oldest ultramarathon, by dedicating every mile to someone touched by cancer.

She shared her heroic journey in her new book: Miles of Meaning: From Doubter to JFK50 Mile Finisher: amazon.com/MILES-MEANING-Doubter-Mile-Finisher/dp/1737690764

"*Miles of Meaning* is the story of one woman’s leap into ultrarunning and her pursuit to transform self-doubt into unstoppable momentum. When Julie first dreamed of running the JFK 50 Mile, the fears flooded in: Fifty miles is impossible. I don’t have enough time to train. Can I balance ultrarunning with motherhood? Having walked through her husband’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, the author’s message carries a profound urgency: we don’t know how long we’re here…Let’s just go for it!" - Miles of Meaning

Whether you're a seasoned ultra runner or just contemplating a big leap, Julie’s insights remind us that one step, one mile, one story at a time is enough to create profound change.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Welcome Julie B. Hughes
03:00 - Sponsored by Thrive Protein: fueling endurance with science
04:08 - Meeting Julie at JFK 50 and her journey from doubt to completion
05:15 - Facing the inner critic: how doubt becomes an ally, not an enemy
06:26 - Developing a friendship with doubt through writing and reflection
07:28 - From farm chores to ultrarunning: Julie's journey
14:22 - Practical tips: capturing fleeting thoughts during runs
16:34 - Running for a cause and personal growth
20:50 - Training for a 100-miler: balancing time, nutrition, and mental stamina
25:11 - The beauty of time-based training: focusing on effort, not miles
31:49 - Mental preparation: visualization and deliberate practice for 50 miles
38:21 - Setting realistic goals for 50 miles and embracing the sacred miles
45:40 - Urgency of the present: why postpoining dreams is a trap
48:29 - What scares her most about the 100-mile challenge
55:24 - The unexpected beauty of life’s surprises
60:45 - Community, history, and tradition of the JFK 50 Mile

Find More Julie Here:
► Miles of Meaning Book: amazon.com/MILES-MEANING-Doubter-Mile-Finisher/dp/1737690764
► Julie's Website: juliebhughes.com
► Julie's Substack: juliebhughes.substack.com
► Julie on Instagram: instagram.com/runtowritejulie

We thank Julie for becoming a RUNEGADE.

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About RUNEGADE: RUNEGADE is what happens when two ordinary friends dare to practice the lost art of conversation, to better understand what it means to run, be a runner, to be human. We interview athletes, doctors, scientists, olympians, and every day athletes - those doers of Big Things - to help you navigate the run and life, a bit better.