Mechella Lara Embraces the Trail Scene From Every Angle

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My guest today spends some serious time out on the trails both for pleasure and for her job.

She’s involved with hosting and directing endurance events and will hopefully share some of the logistics behind putting on races.

I am looking forward to diving a bit deeper and going a few easy miles with Mechella Lara!

Discovering Running

Mechella Lara first discovered running when she was in elementary school.

Her earliest memories of the sport were her trying to beat the boys in races.

She continued running both track and cross-country all throughout middle school and high school.

Mechella ran one cross-country race in college before the sport slowly began to take a back seat to other priorities.

Her running journey wasn’t all smooth sailing and included some major surgeries at a young age.

Mechella had her first back surgery at the age of 15 and then a second surgery while in college.

It took her quite a few years to regain the confidence to return to the sport she once loved.

Everything Is Better With Friends

After stepping away from running for a few years, Mechella began to really miss the sport.

She came across a local run company in San Antonio, Texas that was putting on a 50k trail race.

The company offered a training plan along with a group to train with.

Mechella was itching to return to running and she also wanted to get back into shape.

She wasted no time jumping right in and in doing so she found a group of ladies that became some of her best friends.

The accountability and the social aspect were exactly what she needed at that point in her life to get her motivated.

Her Heart Is On The Trail

Prior to jumping into her first 50k race, Mechella completed a few half marathons.

She found that she was competing with the younger version of herself and it was sucking all the fun out of running.

Mechella had also completed a few triathlons, but running was her true passion.

She crossed the finish of her first 50k in 2018 and was immediately hooked.

In early 2020, she completed her first  50-mile race right before the pandemic began.

Each race has been a learning experience for her and her first 50-mile race was no exception.

Mechella suffers from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) which can often make endurance events more challenging.

She has to rely on problem-solving skills during the race while also being patient with herself.

Going The Distance

Mechella recently completed her first 100-mile race in January of 2023.

She chose the Long Haul  100 in Florida as her first race.

The Long Haul 100 is very beginner friendly with a flat, looped course.

With her best friend’s crewing and pacing, Mechella had a great experience.

Mechella dealt with more physical issues than mental barriers.

One key takeaway from her first overnight race is that she needs to prepare more for the sleep deprivation that she experienced.

 

Making Her Dream Reality

Since falling in love with the trails, Mechella had wanted to put on a trail race of her own for quite some time.

She had noticed that there are very few 100-mile races in Texas.

Mechella and her best friend Erica decided to work together to change that.

On November 4th of 2023, the inaugural Medusa 100 will take place in San Antonio, Texas.

Various distances ranging from 5k up to 100 miles will be offered.

The longer distances will feature a 10.7-mile loop, with aid stations every 3 miles.

Putting together a race from scratch has been a learning experience for both Mechella and Erica.

Mechella is constantly paying attention to how other races operate in the hopes of putting on the best race possible.

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Mentioned In This Episode:

• Medusa 100
• Ultra Reinas (Instagram)
• Ultra Reinas (YouTube
• Race Chingona
• Long Haul 100
• Rocky 50
• SARR Women’s Run

Stay connected with Mechella Lara by following her on Instagram.

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Mechella Lara found that everything is better with friends, from running ultras to directing races. Click To Tweet

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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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