Finding Bigfoot? And other Mysteries on the Trails ft. Mika Thewes

Mika Thewes on episode 61 of The RUNEGADE Podcast

If you’re like most, when you think of running, you probably think about the local 5km, or the one person you know training for a marathon.

And maybe you heard of a hundred mile ultramarathon?

But, what does it take to run even longer? 200 miles and beyond? Not just run, but dominate the field with joy?

Meet Mika Thewes @sugarcrashvegan - one of the most prolific ultrarunners on the planet.

A vegan trail crusher from Colorado (originally Michigan), Janji athlete, and absolute legend in the 200+ mile scene with 18+ finishes at the distance and the most female wins in ultra history. instagram.com

Fresh off another massive victory: 1st woman + 2nd overall at the 2026 Tahoe 200 in 2 days, 3 hours, and 15 minutes (one of the fastest women’s times ever on that brutal 200-mile, 35k+ ft climb course). This adds to her stacked résumé of wins at Tahoe 200 (multiple), Bigfoot 200, and podiums at other iconic sufferfests like Cocodona, Moab, and more.

In this episode, Mika opens up about:
• What it really takes to consistently nail 200-milers
• Mental & physical strategies for the ultra-long game
• Fueling, recovery, and pushing limits
• The ethos of ultra, ultrarunning
• Bigfoot and trail mysteries

Thank you to Thrive Protein for their support. Clean, Canadian-made, family owned. Producing all the nutritional needs to fuel your adventures. Protein, Super Greens, Electrolytes, Creatinine, and all the nutrition you’re looking for.