Keely Henninger was deep in the dark mindset that haunts ultrarunners: overtraining, under-fueling, and elevating the act of running above all else in her life.
It’s not a happy way to live, and breaking free from the culture of a sport you love is hard. But in the months leading up to 2022’s Western States 100, Henninger decided to become something more. To train less, to fuel more, and to devote her time and attention to the other things in her life that made her happy.
When she toed the starting line at Western States, she felt strong, energetic, and happy. What happened next? I’ll let you watch for yourself, but know that however things shook out, Henninger walked away from the race as more than an ultrarunner. For the first time in a long time, she was a complete person.
Runtime: 6 minutes
