12 Adventures in 12 Months: Lauren Paulson’s Inspiring Journey to Celebrate 50

The Adventure Jogger

In this Adventure Jogger episode, Lauren Paulson shares her inspiring journey of celebrating her 50th birthday with 12 races in 12 months. From triathlons to ultras, including her first 100K & 100 Miler and the Rim to Rim to Rim of the Grand Canyon, Lauren reflects on training, resilience, and the joy of racing with friends.

Takeaways

• Lauren is running a race every month to celebrate her 50th birthday.
• She transitioned from swimming to running after college.
• Her first marathon was in 2001 at the Columbus Marathon.
• Lauren has completed 12 full Ironmans and qualified for Kona.
• She experienced COVID during her first Kona Championships.
• Trail running became her favorite after knee surgery.
• Lauren enjoys the camaraderie of racing with friends.
• She balances work and training by being efficient with her time.
• Most of her races this year were about having fun.
• If you're not having fun with running, what's the point? March was filled with stacked road races including a half marathon, 10K, and one-miler.
• The Eagleton 50K in April was a beautiful run with friends.
• May's half Ironman in Chattanooga was a hot and challenging race.
• The Rim to Rim to Rim of the Grand Canyon was a bucket list adventure.
• Hydration was crucial during the Grand Canyon run due to extreme heat.
• The Great Hill Ultra 100K was Lauren's first experience at that distance.
• The course for the 100K was challenging with bushwhacking and climbing over trees.
• August featured a local Olympic distance triathlon, which was a shorter race.
• Lauren felt she performed well in the Olympic triathlon despite it being a fast-paced event.
• Each race brought unique challenges and memorable experiences. Lauren's journey includes a variety of challenging races.
• The SOS triathlon involved unique logistics and cold water swims.
• Mental preparation is crucial for endurance racing.
• Injuries can be a part of the journey, but recovery is possible.
• Support from friends and crew is invaluable during races.
• Lauren aims to qualify for prestigious races like Western States.
• She finds joy in the community and inspiration from others.
• Each race teaches valuable lessons about resilience and determination.
• The thrill of crossing the finish line is unmatched.
• Lauren plans to continue racing and exploring new challenges.

Chapters

00:00

Celebrating 50 Years Through Running

06:01

Diving into Adventure Racing and Obstacle Courses

14:59

Training Strategies and Balancing Work

23:09

March Madness: Stacked Road Races

31:20

Epic June: Rim to Rim to Rim of the Grand Canyon

39:10

July's First 100K: The Great Hill Ultra

44:39

Adventures in Racing: A Journey Through Challenges

52:08

The Rollercoaster of Endurance Racing

01:01:11

Celebrating Achievements and Future Goals

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