Traci Falbo recently set the World Indoor 48 hour record by running just over 242 miles at an event called Six Days Under the Dome.

Traci is a pediatric physical therapist. She belongs to all 3 of the 50 states clubs and is a Marathon Maniac. She lives in Charlestown, IN, with her husband Mike and two teenage children.

Ten years ago Traci decided to lose weight and train for her first marathon. She lost 80 pounds and completed her first marathon and has since run a marathon in every state and many 100 milers.

See the before and after picture:

1. 
   
2. First of all, congratulations on setting the 48 hour world record. That’s truly amazing! But you weren’t always an ultra runner. Tell us about your weight loss journey and why you first started running?
   
3. What made you decide to run your first marathon?
   
4. At one point you decided to stop running marathons. What led to that decision and why did you start doing marathons again?
   
5. When did you decide to run a marathon in all 50 States? When did you complete this challenge?
   
6. What has been your favorite part of running in all 50 states? Do you travel alone or have running partners that go with you?
   
7. Do you have any favorite marathons? What do you do with your medals and awards?
   
8. Have you had any setbacks or injuries along the way? Do you do any cross training?
   
9. You completed the “Grand Slam†of ultras in 2013- what was it like to run four 100 milers in such a short amount of time?
   
10. Who are your inspirations in the running world? What did your family/friends think when you decided to try and break the 48 hour world record?
    
11. Tell us about this event called “Six Days Under the Dome†in Anchorage, AK. You ran 943 laps around an indoor track. What were those 48 hours like for you? Did you ever get to the point where you wanted to quit?
    
12. What is your fueling strategy? You’re a Hammer Nutrition sponsored athlete, what are your favorite products?
    
13. You’ve done a lot of running in varied conditions. What are some of your “must-have†running gear or products?
    
14. Talk to the runner who’s training for their first half or full marathon. What are some tips you have for developing mental toughness?
    
15. Are there any races or goals still on your bucket list?
    

Articles about Traci’s World Record Run

http://fittish.deadspin.com/alaska-race-tests-the-limits-of-attention-span-human-s-1617298494

http://www.adn.com/article/20140806/traci-falbo-literally-ran-until-she-dropped-and-seized-2-ultramarathon-records

http://www.alaskapublic.org/2014/08/11/six-day-race-at-the-alaska-dome-goes-heavy-on-the-ultra/

http://www.wdrb.com/story/22240980/charlestown-woman-returns-home-with-a-gold-metal-after-running-24-hours

I have a question. What do you do if you have a terrible run? Do you push through or give yourself a break and head back home? Connie

Good question Connie. It really depends on why you’re having a terrible run. For example if you’re dealing with illness (vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, dizziness) or injury (some type of pain that causes you to change your running form) you should head back home and wait until you’re feeling better before running again. However, if you feel unmotivated, sluggish, tired or are dealing with negative thoughts then that’s the stuff that you push through. It will make you a stronger runner both physically and mentally. Basically you have to listen to your body and learn to distinguish between the message of “want to stop” and “need to stop.” -Angie