Ambassador Sally McRae is a long-distance marathon runner who is nothing short of incredible. This Southern California native is not only a Nike sponsored trail runner, a podcaster, a writer and a speaker, but also a mother of two. Recently, Sally began training for an extreme trail marathon called Badwater 135, which begins in Death Valley and closes out on Mt. Whitney, California. Liquid IV gets a glimpse of what Sally’s training journey looks like in this interview:

Your participation in the Badwater is quite the undertaking. What inspired you to pursue “The World’s Toughest Foot Race”?

Long before I was an ultra runner, I had heard about this race and was immediately intrigued. I'm a fairly curious person and I remember thinking, "Wait, the human body can actually do that?" I don't think I will ever stop being amazed by what the human body is capable of doing. It seemed both crazy and amazing.

Since then, the Badwater has been on and off of my racing list for years. After crewing and pacing Josh Spector, a good friend of mine, in the 2014 Badwater race, I began to consider it more seriously. I knew that the only way I would be able to do it was if I was fully committed. In fall of 2017, it finally clicked and I began training with “what if” in my mind. I was finally ready and submitted my application as soon as registration opened.

Tell us about your healthcare routine. What type of health maintenance do you do during training?

Recovery is the most important part of my routine. Without my recovery routines, I would not be able to handle the consistent work that I put myself through.

I am in bed most nights between 9 and 9:30pm with naps dispersed throughout the week. I am fortunate to be sponsored by Polar Cryotherapy. I go there daily and do a combination of recovery treatments. During peak training weeks, I get massages and increase my visits to the yoga studio. Clean food aids in my recovery as well, so I load up on fruits, vegetables and green juice daily.

Once you're off the trail, what do you like to do to rest and recharge?

I have an unusual schedule and I travel quite a bit for races, speeches and consults, so when I get that block of time to recharge, I choose my family every single time.

Do you struggle with finding a balance between being a mom and an athlete? How do you juggle it all?

I think that all parents are always working hard to balance work and family life. It can feel overwhelming, but I constantly remind myself to proceed with grace. Every day is different and every family is different. I don't have all the answers, but I do approach my life as a mother with great thankfulness. My husband, Eddie, is also massively supportive. We work as a team. I think of my children as a gift and not a job. This gives me so much freedom and brings balance and joy into my busiest and toughest weeks. They remind me why I do what I do.

It's my hope that my children will be inspired to live a life that's fearless and one that's filled by touching other people's lives through the gifts that they have been given. When I look at my schedule and I see sports practice, homework, social events and all the unexpected chaos that goes along with these things, I remind myself to take it one day at a time. Some days are more balanced than others. I've seen my training begin some days at 3:30am and others at 10pm. I do my best with what I got. It's worth it.

What helps you to stay motivated throughout your rigorous training?

I like to approach my career with the mindset that I "get to" do this every day. I have a body that's strong and fast and I get to make a career out of it. I will never take that for granted. There are a ton of athletes out there working hard for their dreams with little to no support. So in a sense, I'm motivated by others. I want to be a strong, responsible athlete and take hold of every opportunity with gratefulness (including those 3:30am workouts!).