David Theriot Thrives On The Unknown When Taking On New Challenges

---

David Theriot will be joining me on the show today and his go all in attitude leaves many a person speechless.

His first organized race was a full marathon and his first ultra was a 100 miler.

I am looking forward to going a few easy miles with David Theriot today.

Rehab With A Goal

David Theriot was never a runner growing up.

While in high school he was on the wrestling team and only ran when he had to.

Prior to running, David was largely focused on jiu-jitsu, a form of martial arts.

In 2009, David tore his ACL while training.

As a form of motivation, he set an arbitrary goal to run a marathon within a year of his injury.

David had never even run a 5k race prior to setting this goal.

The longest he had ever run was 7 miles.

Once he got the all-clear to run, David began training for the marathon which would be his first official race.

Drawn To The Process

With the guidance of a local track coach, David completed his first marathon.

The race was not without pain, but he completed it and was drawn to continue running.

David enjoys the races themselves, but he also enjoys the process of training.

Following the marathon, David set his sights on a 100-mile race.

David knew he was capable of completing that distance with the right training.

David has found that overconfidence can lead to stupid mistakes.

Regardless of how well trained he is for an ultra, the race will always hurt at some point.

David gets through the pain by recognizing that it is temporary and will pass.

This Is What I Do

David often uses mental tactics to help him get through the rough patches.

One mantra that he has found useful is, “As miles get longer, I get stronger.”

It is helpful for him to acknowledge the pain is there but doesn’t let it consume him.

David experienced yet another setback when he injured his knee while on a trampoline.

Patience and the addition of strength training aided in his recovery.

Though David does most of his training on the roads, he finds the trails to be therapeutic.

Double The Miles

David enjoys running 100-mile races so much that he signed up for and ran a 200-mile race this past year.

Double the miles meant that the highs were higher and the lows were lower according to David.

His finish time was over 73 hours and in that time he was exposed down to the core.

David experienced a whole new level of fatigue that was new to him.

He learned many lessons about how he can improve (when) he decides to run another 200 miler.

Though he has no plans to run that far in the immediate future, David still has other challenges in the works.

Before the end of the year is over, David is planning to run 100 miles on the treadmill.

The “dreadmill challenge” will be a good mental test for himself.

---

Mentioned In This Episode:

• Baton Rouge Beach Marathon
• Cajun Coyote Ultras
• Tahoe 200
• Arkansas Traveller 100
• Dreadmill 48 Hour Endurance Challenge

Stay connected with David Theriot by checking out his Blog and following him on Instagram.

---

David Theriot goes all-in when taking on new challenges. From his first race being a marathon to his second race being 100 miles, fear of the unknown doesn't stop him. He trusts the process and keeps moving forward. Click To Tweet

---

As Always, I’d Love to Know What Stood Out to You From this Episode! Let Me Know Your Takeaway in the Comments Below!

---

 Want to Support the Continued Growth & Production of the Show?

Check out the support page for ideas and suggestions of ways you can help me grow the show. And remember, not all support involves money. Some of the best ways you can show your support are 100% free.

Subscribe to the Show

Never miss another episode of the Diz Runs Radio by subscribing to the show, and for my fellow Apple fans out there, it’s never been easier now that the podcast app is native on the new operating system. iPhone/iPod/iPad users click here. Android users click here. SoundCloud users click here.

Please Give Me Some Feedback!

Take the 6 question listener survey to help me shape the future of this podcast.

Register for a Free Race Training Plan

Every month, I’m giving away a FREE training plan for the race of your choice. For details/information, and to sign up, just click here.

Join The Tribe!

There’s always room for more members of the tribe! Both the Facebook group and the email group provide opportunities that can’t be found anywhere else. The Facebook group is still small, but it is a great way to connect with fellow runners and foster community amongst like-minded individuals. The email group is THE way to stay up to date about future guests on the show, as well as getting some other freebies and offers that aren’t available to anyone else. If you’ve got questions about either/both, just let me know!