Eric Deeter Attributes His Ultra Marathon Mindset To His Success

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Today’s guest and I first connected several years ago as members of an entrepreneurial mastermind called the Next Level Society.

When we first met he wasn’t doing any running but things have drastically changed since then.

I am looking forward to going a few easy miles with my friend Eric Deeter today.

A Long Pause

Eric Deeter wasn’t running when I first met him, because in his words he had taken a “long pause.”

Eric was in his early twenties when he first considered running.

This was during a period when running was gaining popularity among the masses.

Marathons were the “thing to do” so Eric set out to train and run 26.2 miles.

Eric set a goal, ran, and then faded out.

The time between his first marathon and the next time he would run again spanned 30 years.

Eric admittedly had a lot of limiting beliefs and internal roadblocks that held him back from his true potential in the sport.

Familiarity Of Challenges

Life looked a bit different upon Eric’s return to running.

He was 30 years older and heavier.

Returning to running was no easy task, but Eric was familiar with the challenges he once faced when starting out.

He knew that the struggles, in the beginning, would not be permanent and it would ultimately get easier if he stuck with it.

In addition to running again, Eric also learned tools that would ultimately change his way of thinking.

He began to consistently do mindset work and wrote his goals differently.

Rather than say he would lose 20 pounds, he rephrased it and said he would weigh under 200 pounds in one year.

Eric achieved his goal through a combination of running, taking his diet seriously, and finally viewing himself as a runner.

Chi Running

Along with getting back into running, Eric also wanted to make improvements to his form.

Eric had heard about Chi running and used the book as his guide.

When running, Eric had the habit of overstriding along with other form issues.

It took consistent work for Eric to begin to see any changes.

About 6 months had passed before he began to notice a difference.

He is admittedly still a work in progress but fully believes that the effort to change his form was worth it.

Eric attributes his lack of injuries due to a focus on form.

Ultra Marathon Mindset

Once Eric was able to make the connection between his mind and his body he set his sights on bigger challenges.

It was through training that Eric connected with a local trail community.

Watching what his friends were able to accomplish gave Eric the inspiration and confidence he needed to push his limits.

He set a goal to run a 50-mile race with a year to prepare and train.

Eric finished the 50 miles feeling that he had more to give and could have kept going.

That feeling was what pushed him to set his sights on a 100-mile race.

A Finish Isn’t Guaranteed

Even when a runner does everything right during a 100-mile race a finish is never guaranteed.

When choosing which race to register for, Eric chose a race in which he had completed the 50-mile distance the year prior.

His training went smoothly and he was familiar with what to expect on the course.

What he wasn’t prepared for was what Mother Nature gave him on race day.

An abundance of rain along with storms and heat wreaked havoc on the course and its participants.

Eric made it to 75 miles before he missed the cutoff and was forced to DNF.

He was at peace with the result because he had done everything he could.

His acceptance of the DNF didn’t deter him from signing up for the race again the following year and getting his 100-mile finish.

From The Ground Up

Eric experienced lingering foot issues following his 100-mile finish.

Those issues prompted him to explore barefoot running.

He gradually strengthened his feet along with increasing his miles.

Eric found that his form and cadence improved over time going barefoot or with minimalist shoes.

Keeping his feet strengthened is similar to the rest of the body.

He must stay consistent with exercises and stretching.

His go-to resource on all things feet is the Foot Collective.

Some must-have’s in his arsenal of tools are a lacrosse ball, a balance beam, and a roller balance board.

Trail Talk

Eric is a certified life coach and has been self-employed for the past 25 years.

He has done extensive research on the mind and body connection.

Everyone knows how important mindset is, yet very few people train their mind.

Eric’s ultimate goal is to reach as many people as possible and inspire them.

When asked what steps to take when changing your mindset, Eric has 3 simple but not easy steps.

• The first step is to decide that you want to make a change.
• The second step is to start as soon as possible. Take a step in the direction you think you’re headed.
• Don’t stop. This rule applies to all areas of life, including running.

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Mentioned In This Episode:

• Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself- How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One. Book by Joe Dispenza.
• How to Be Your Own Boss. Your Road Map To Self-Employed Success. Book by Eric Deeter.
• Chi Running
• The Foot Collective
• Beam Tribe
• Javelina Jundred
• Trail Hawks
• The Hawk Hundred
• Pumpkin Holler Hunnerd

Stay connected with Eric Deeter by checking out his Website and/or follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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

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