Bernadette Benson Isn’t One to Back Down from a Challenge

Bernadette Benson is a beast in the trail and ultra world.

She currently holds 19 age-group records and held the world record for distance covered over a 24 hour period for 17 consecutive miles between 2013 and 2014.

Bernadette Benson

She enjoys running for the challenges that it presents, both the mental and the physical. And that quest for finding and meeting new challenges pushes her to continue trying new events and pushing her limits.

And between the time we recorded this interview and the time that it was released, she completed one of the ultimate challenges of trail and ultra running: the UTMB. She finished a solid 7th overall, with a time of 29:40:11. (Click here for complete results.)

We definitely talked about her preparations for UTMB, in addition to a whole lot more. Here are some of the highlights from our chat:

• Her favorite runs are less distance based and more time and challenge focused
• The dynamics of keeping track of laps during a timed event
• Her desire to see what’s around the next corner or on the other side of the mountain
• Pulling out of a race for self-preservation
• Switching your stride for a short distance to break the stride pattern
• The logistical challenge of running UTMB
• A beyond crazy race for later in the year

To further connect with Bernadette, check out her blog and connect with her on Facebook.

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