23. Problem Solving Your Way to the Finish Line
You’re deep in a race, and everything seems to be going wrong. Problems pile up one after another. Your stomach hurts, your legs ache, maybe gear fails, the weather changes, or the trail throws unexpected challenges your way. It feels like the race isn’t meant to be. But here’s the truth: it’s not bad luck. It’s just what races look like.
In this episode, I share a story about a snake, termites, and the mindset shift that can transform how you approach challenges on the trail. I’ll walk you through why quitting doesn’t solve anything and how reframing your expectations about obstacles can transform the way you race.
I’ll also show you why persistence in solving one problem after another is the single most important skill for finishing ultras. When you start seeing your race as a series of problems to navigate rather than a perfect path to the finish, everything changes. You’ll leave doubt behind, build confidence, and approach every ultra knowing that success is about what you do with the challenges that come your way.
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What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
Why expecting a “perfect race” can set you up to quit.
How to shift your mindset from avoiding problems to solving them.
How each challenge in a race is an opportunity to practice resilience.
Practical ways to approach unexpected race problems without panic.
The key factors that separates runners who finish from those who don't.
Listen to the Full Episode:
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Full Episode Transcript:
“Well, hello there," said the guy removing a stack of wood planks from the driveway for me this morning. I turned to see who he was talking to, and my heart nearly stopped.
In today's episode, I'm sharing a story about a snake, some termites, and the one mindset shift that could completely change how you approach your next ultra when everything starts going wrong.
Welcome to Unstoppable Ultra Runner, the podcast for ultra runners who refuse to let anything hold them back. I’m your host, Susan Donnelly, veteran of over 150 100-mile races, and a coach who helps runners like you break through mental roadblocks, push past doubt, and run with confidence. Let’s go.
Welcome to episode 23. If you've ever found yourself deep in a race thinking this just isn't my day, when problem after problem keeps hitting you, this episode is for you. Because what happened to me this morning with that woodpile reminded me of a crucial way we think about problems in races and why our expectations can set us up to quit when we should be solving our way forward.
So let me tell you about that snake. What the guy was talking to was a snake. A poisonous copperhead, actually. Good-sized, coiled, and perched solidly on top of the stack of wood planks, totally in the way. The guy had actually unknowingly brushed it with his hand while removing the top plank. And it wasn't going anywhere. Not exactly what either of us had expected when we started this simple wood removal job. He was here to buy the wood and take it home. In theory, a simple job.
Now though, we had a choice. We could stop right there, call it a day, and walk away. But the snake was still there, and so was the wood. The original goal still existed: getting the wood removed, but we now had a formidable problem coiled on top of it with no clear solution.
Quitting doesn't actually solve anything. It just keeps the problems around longer. If we walked away, I'd still have to deal with those same issues later, only then they'd be worse. I wouldn't know where the snake was, and the wood would have deteriorated in the weather, and the problem would have been taking up space in my brain the whole time.
So, we shifted gears from moving the wood to solving the snake problem. We came up with a strategy, got the snake safely out of the way, and got back to work. So, all was well. Except, it wasn't. Because when we lifted up the next plank, we immediately found another problem: termites, lots of them. And once we really looked, termites had infested the entire stack of wood. The guy understandably didn't want to take the termite-infested lumber home to his property.
Again, I could quit, walk away, say it's too hard, not my day, not meant to be. But I'd still have the stack of wood planks sitting there in the way and he'd still want the wood he had envisioned. I could ignore the problem, avoid it, but leaving a termite-infested pile of wood near my house definitely wasn't going to make anything better. Like the snake, ignoring it would actually cause bigger problems.
So, now I had another problem I hadn't foreseen. And this one was actually harder to solve than relocating the snake. Once again, quitting didn't solve anything. The goal would still exist: remove the wood. But so would the termites. The solution was to solve what I could so we could both keep moving forward.
He offered to haul off all the infested wood and treat the termites left on the driveway. I offered to replace the infested wood with some better, termite-free lumber I wanted to get rid of anyway. It wasn't how either of us had expected the morning to go, believe me. It wasn't ideal for each of us either, but we still got there. We both reached our ultimate goals.
The whole experience made me think about how we approach problems in ultras and how our expectations about those problems often sabotage us.
In ultras, solving problems and getting past obstacles is something we have to do sooner or later, often many times in most races. But here's what I've noticed. We might successfully solve one problem, but when they seem to keep coming at us, we lose resilience and give up. We start thinking the race isn't going our way, that it's just not meant to be.
Why? Because we have completely unrealistic expectations about how problems should happen in races. Here's what we think a race should look like. I start running. It's tough, sure, but I run steadily toward the finish line. The challenge is the distance. Maybe, maybe, I encounter one problem along the way. I solve it cleanly, check it off as done, keep running, and then triumphantly cross the finish line. But that's fantasy. That's rarely how it goes.
The reality is much messier. It's snake, then termites, then something else entirely, and then maybe more termites. It's solving one problem, taking two steps forward, and immediately facing the next challenge.
Sometimes there's no break in between. Sometimes the problems pile on to one another. Sometimes solving one problem creates a new one you couldn't have predicted. And when that reality hits, we interpret it as a sign that this race isn't meant to be. We think all these problems happening to us means we've failed somehow, that we're not cut out for this, that the universe is telling us to quit.
But what if that's completely backwards? What if our job isn't to get flawlessly to the finish line? What if problems don't mean we failed in some way? What if our job is to solve all the problems on our way to get to the finish line?
Think about it this way. It's not just about the distance. It's about solving all the problems that happen on your way to doing the distance. Your job isn't to avoid all those problems. Your job is to get past them. Because problems are going to happen.
And just like the stack of wood this morning, quitting doesn't make the problems go away. If anything, it leaves them unresolved. That fear of stomach issues, still there in the next race. That doubt about night running, still haunting you. The only way to resolve it is to get through it.
When you reframe racing this way, it lightens your stress. That stomach issue at mile 30? It's not a sign you should quit. That's just the first problem on your way to the finish line. The blister at mile 45? Not a cosmic message that it's not your day, just another problem to work through. Wrong turns, gear failure, weather changes, crew mix-ups, aid station shortages, none of these are reasons to stop. They're just obstacles between you and your goal that require solutions.
The snake didn't mean I should abandon the wood project. The termites didn't mean the universe was against me. They were just problems that needed solving so I could move forward.
I want you to really get this point. This isn't about being tougher or grittier, though that helps. This is about changing your fundamental expectation of what a race looks like. Instead of expecting smooth sailing with maybe one manageable challenge that you didn't manage to prevent, expect messiness. Expect multiple problems. Expect solutions to create new problems. Expect the unexpected.
And when those things happen and keep happening, instead of thinking, this isn't how it's supposed to go, think, "Okay, here's the next problem for me to solve."
Strength doesn't come from avoiding problems. It comes from persisting in solving them, one after another until you reach your goal. Every finish line has problems between you and it. The people who cross that line aren't the ones who avoided all the problems. They're the ones who solved their way through all of them, one by one.
The snake was between me and getting that wood moved. The termites were between me and getting the wood moved. I didn't finish the job by avoiding those problems. I finished it by solving them.
Your next race will have its own snakes and termites waiting for you. That's not bad luck or poor planning or a sign from the universe. That's just what races look like. Your job is to solve your way to the finish line, one problem at a time. Because on the other side of all those problems, your goal is waiting.
The next time you're in a race and problem after problem keeps hitting you and it seems unfair, like the race isn't meant to be, remember this morning's wood plank adventure. Remember that quitting doesn't solve anything. It just leaves the problems there for later.
Your job isn't to have a perfect race. Your job is to problem-solve your way through whatever race you actually get. And that, more than any training plan or gear setup, might just be the most important skill you can develop as an ultra runner.
So until next time, keep solving your way forward.
All right, you all. That's this week's episode. If you know someone who could use this, share it with them. It might be exactly what they need to hear. See you all next week. Bye.
Thanks for listening to Unstoppable Ultra Runner. If you want more ultra talk, mindset tools, and strategies for running with confidence, visit www.susanidonnelly.com. This podcast receives production support from the team at Digital Freedom Productions. That’s it for today’s episode. See you next week.
In today's episode, I'm sharing a story about a snake, some termites, and the one mindset shift that could completely change how you approach your next ultra when everything starts going wrong.
Welcome to Unstoppable Ultra Runner, the podcast for ultra runners who refuse to let anything hold them back. I’m your host, Susan Donnelly, veteran of over 150 100-mile races, and a coach who helps runners like you break through mental roadblocks, push past doubt, and run with confidence. Let’s go.
Welcome to episode 23. If you've ever found yourself deep in a race thinking this just isn't my day, when problem after problem keeps hitting you, this episode is for you. Because what happened to me this morning with that woodpile reminded me of a crucial way we think about problems in races and why our expectations can set us up to quit when we should be solving our way forward.
So let me tell you about that snake. What the guy was talking to was a snake. A poisonous copperhead, actually. Good-sized, coiled, and perched solidly on top of the stack of wood planks, totally in the way. The guy had actually unknowingly brushed it with his hand while removing the top plank. And it wasn't going anywhere. Not exactly what either of us had expected when we started this simple wood removal job. He was here to buy the wood and take it home. In theory, a simple job.
Now though, we had a choice. We could stop right there, call it a day, and walk away. But the snake was still there, and so was the wood. The original goal still existed: getting the wood removed, but we now had a formidable problem coiled on top of it with no clear solution.
Quitting doesn't actually solve anything. It just keeps the problems around longer. If we walked away, I'd still have to deal with those same issues later, only then they'd be worse. I wouldn't know where the snake was, and the wood would have deteriorated in the weather, and the problem would have been taking up space in my brain the whole time.
So, we shifted gears from moving the wood to solving the snake problem. We came up with a strategy, got the snake safely out of the way, and got back to work. So, all was well. Except, it wasn't. Because when we lifted up the next plank, we immediately found another problem: termites, lots of them. And once we really looked, termites had infested the entire stack of wood. The guy understandably didn't want to take the termite-infested lumber home to his property.
Again, I could quit, walk away, say it's too hard, not my day, not meant to be. But I'd still have the stack of wood planks sitting there in the way and he'd still want the wood he had envisioned. I could ignore the problem, avoid it, but leaving a termite-infested pile of wood near my house definitely wasn't going to make anything better. Like the snake, ignoring it would actually cause bigger problems.
So, now I had another problem I hadn't foreseen. And this one was actually harder to solve than relocating the snake. Once again, quitting didn't solve anything. The goal would still exist: remove the wood. But so would the termites. The solution was to solve what I could so we could both keep moving forward.
He offered to haul off all the infested wood and treat the termites left on the driveway. I offered to replace the infested wood with some better, termite-free lumber I wanted to get rid of anyway. It wasn't how either of us had expected the morning to go, believe me. It wasn't ideal for each of us either, but we still got there. We both reached our ultimate goals.
The whole experience made me think about how we approach problems in ultras and how our expectations about those problems often sabotage us.
In ultras, solving problems and getting past obstacles is something we have to do sooner or later, often many times in most races. But here's what I've noticed. We might successfully solve one problem, but when they seem to keep coming at us, we lose resilience and give up. We start thinking the race isn't going our way, that it's just not meant to be.
Why? Because we have completely unrealistic expectations about how problems should happen in races. Here's what we think a race should look like. I start running. It's tough, sure, but I run steadily toward the finish line. The challenge is the distance. Maybe, maybe, I encounter one problem along the way. I solve it cleanly, check it off as done, keep running, and then triumphantly cross the finish line. But that's fantasy. That's rarely how it goes.
The reality is much messier. It's snake, then termites, then something else entirely, and then maybe more termites. It's solving one problem, taking two steps forward, and immediately facing the next challenge.
Sometimes there's no break in between. Sometimes the problems pile on to one another. Sometimes solving one problem creates a new one you couldn't have predicted. And when that reality hits, we interpret it as a sign that this race isn't meant to be. We think all these problems happening to us means we've failed somehow, that we're not cut out for this, that the universe is telling us to quit.
But what if that's completely backwards? What if our job isn't to get flawlessly to the finish line? What if problems don't mean we failed in some way? What if our job is to solve all the problems on our way to get to the finish line?
Think about it this way. It's not just about the distance. It's about solving all the problems that happen on your way to doing the distance. Your job isn't to avoid all those problems. Your job is to get past them. Because problems are going to happen.
And just like the stack of wood this morning, quitting doesn't make the problems go away. If anything, it leaves them unresolved. That fear of stomach issues, still there in the next race. That doubt about night running, still haunting you. The only way to resolve it is to get through it.
When you reframe racing this way, it lightens your stress. That stomach issue at mile 30? It's not a sign you should quit. That's just the first problem on your way to the finish line. The blister at mile 45? Not a cosmic message that it's not your day, just another problem to work through. Wrong turns, gear failure, weather changes, crew mix-ups, aid station shortages, none of these are reasons to stop. They're just obstacles between you and your goal that require solutions.
The snake didn't mean I should abandon the wood project. The termites didn't mean the universe was against me. They were just problems that needed solving so I could move forward.
I want you to really get this point. This isn't about being tougher or grittier, though that helps. This is about changing your fundamental expectation of what a race looks like. Instead of expecting smooth sailing with maybe one manageable challenge that you didn't manage to prevent, expect messiness. Expect multiple problems. Expect solutions to create new problems. Expect the unexpected.
And when those things happen and keep happening, instead of thinking, this isn't how it's supposed to go, think, "Okay, here's the next problem for me to solve."
Strength doesn't come from avoiding problems. It comes from persisting in solving them, one after another until you reach your goal. Every finish line has problems between you and it. The people who cross that line aren't the ones who avoided all the problems. They're the ones who solved their way through all of them, one by one.
The snake was between me and getting that wood moved. The termites were between me and getting the wood moved. I didn't finish the job by avoiding those problems. I finished it by solving them.
Your next race will have its own snakes and termites waiting for you. That's not bad luck or poor planning or a sign from the universe. That's just what races look like. Your job is to solve your way to the finish line, one problem at a time. Because on the other side of all those problems, your goal is waiting.
The next time you're in a race and problem after problem keeps hitting you and it seems unfair, like the race isn't meant to be, remember this morning's wood plank adventure. Remember that quitting doesn't solve anything. It just leaves the problems there for later.
Your job isn't to have a perfect race. Your job is to problem-solve your way through whatever race you actually get. And that, more than any training plan or gear setup, might just be the most important skill you can develop as an ultra runner.
So until next time, keep solving your way forward.
All right, you all. That's this week's episode. If you know someone who could use this, share it with them. It might be exactly what they need to hear. See you all next week. Bye.
Thanks for listening to Unstoppable Ultra Runner. If you want more ultra talk, mindset tools, and strategies for running with confidence, visit www.susanidonnelly.com. This podcast receives production support from the team at Digital Freedom Productions. That’s it for today’s episode. See you next week.
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