Running Further with Ultrarunner Ria Xi

Ria Xi is taking running further than many people could even conceive of as possible. She is planning a 20,000-km (~12,427-mile) run from the edge of Russia to Portugal. She has already pushed running to its limits—setting the fastest known time on the Camino trail in Spain and becoming the first person to ultrarun the Sinai Trail in Egypt.

In our conversation, we talk about what she is running toward, what endurance really means, and the power of focusing on your “why.” We also get into the practicalities of ultrarunning and who might be ready to take the first steps toward training.

Still, this conversation is inspiring for more than just the athletes out there. Ria basically asks us to dream big, bolder, and to just go for things—and to remember, “It’s only delusional until it’s not.”

Stick around to the end of t ...