Healthy Addiction to Trail Running

Wes Plate: ultra runner, filmmaker, race director, and self-described “mid-pack elite.” Wes’s story reads like a modern redemption arc: a former workaholic and alcoholic who hit bottom, lost 70+ pounds after getting sober, and channeled that same all-consuming drive into distances most people can’t fathom.

He’s finished Cocodona 250 five times, tackled multiple 200-milers (Moab 240, Tahoe 200, Bigfoot 200, Oregon 200) and now directs his own Copper Kings 100 while documenting the raw reality of these efforts on his popular YouTube channel.

The conversation dives deep into the psychology of obsession, how the same wiring that once nearly destroyed him became the fuel for transformation, identity, self-doubt, and finding purpose in suffering.

Expect honest talk on what 200+ mile races really teach about resilience, recovery, community, pacing life itself, and why the middle and back of the pack often embody the sport’s true heart.

Thank you Wes, for being the best ambassador for the 200-mile distance and beyond!

Big thanks to Thrive Protein for their support. Canadian-made, family owned, they bring you the best nutritional products to fuel your endurance and everyday life.

@wplate