Vibe. Grind. Shine. (And Don’t Fall). Carb Maxing to run for Team USA

Allison Mercer just finished second at the USA 100K Championships… and is officially headed to Spain to represent Team USA.

In this episode, we break down everything from the race, including how to mentally survive a 10-lap course, dialing in race-day nutrition, and why laps 4 through 6 are basically a personal crisis. We also get into her “vibe, grind, shine” mantra, carb intake (very high), and what it actually feels like when you realize you’re going to make the team.

We also cover:

How to pace a 100K without losing your mind

Race prep, bottle systems, and why being organized actually matters

The mental shift from training to racing

What hurts during a 100K (spoiler: everything, eventually)

Why second place is somehow both amazing and terrible

Plus, we get into Boston Marathon storylines, Cocodona 250 hype, injuries in the sport, and whether running a 5K one week after a 100K is a terrible idea (it is).

It’s part race recap, part comedy, and part therapy session for endurance athletes, just how we like it.

If you’ve ever trained for something big, wondered how elites actually fuel, or just want to hear what it’s like to qualify for Team USA, this one’s for you.

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