It all starts with the first step and for YiOu Wang that was a search on the internet for how to run a marathon. She set her sights on running the Boston Marathon after spectating what she describes as "the most amazing spectacle of joy and pain and suffering". Her road to Boston included a qualifying race at the Cape Cod Marathon in 2005 followed by the iconic run from Hopkinton to Bolyston Street the following spring. At the time, she never thought she would become a sponsored professional runner but as life's purpose has a way of infiltrating our lives, she now finds herself one of the top ultrarunners in the field. She is a 2-time winner of the Lake Sonoma 50 mile, the 2017 Trail 50Km National Champion and a 2-time Marathon Olympic Trials Qualifier. She is on her way back to Western States this year after earning her golden ticket at the Black Canyon 100k in February. YiOu shares with us what she has learned from her 100-mile experiences and the most important piece to her mental game. We also dive into the lasting impact of a once in a lifetime opportunity that took her and her husband on a 10-month world tour. She opens up about how that trip has changed her perspective and shined a light not only on global issues but those within her own community. YiOu is a fierce competitor yet she always finds things to celebrate even if the result was not what she hoped for. YiOu placed 2nd at this past weekend's Lake Sonoma 50, losing the win by a mere 7-seconds. A sprint to the finish after 50 unrelenting miles is the only way she was going to give up that win. Next up we will see YiOu run the Transvulcania Ultramarathon which is known as the hardest mountain-ultramarathon in the Canary Islands. Word on the street is that she'll be going into this race untapered as a part of her preparation for Western States in June. Thank you so much for listening in and for your support of the show. We are a 100% listener supported podcast, no sponsors means no commercials. If you are finding helpful shifts in your life as a result of listening to the YTP please consider making your monthly pledge of $5 or more to become a part of our exclusive Patreon community.

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