Ekta Basu | Finding Yourself, Tahoe 200, & The Power of the Right People

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.Join the Newsletter at:⁠ ⁠MidPack Musings SubStack⁠⁠Become a paid member: https://troymeadows.substack.com/subscribe⁠Check Out MPP Merch ⁠Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.Looking for 1:1 Ultra Running Coaching? Check out ⁠Troy’s Coaching Page ⁠STOKED TO PARTNER WITH  KILA - $50 off your order⁠GO BREWING⁠ - 20% off your first orderUSE MIDPACKER TO GET THAT DISCOUNT FRIENDSRENDEZVU.CO - Check out the Gear I love your purchases support me directly&quot;In search of finding who I am and what I want to do and who I want to be. That&#39;s how trail running happened.&quot;Ekta Basu didn&#39;t set out to become a 200-mile ultrarunner. She simply wanted to become a healthier, happier version of herself. What started with a pair of running shoes and a marathon six months later evolved into a journey of self-discovery that ultimately led her to the finish line of the Tahoe 200.In this episode, Ekta shares how trail running became her place of freedom and how years of showing up without a structured plan eventually gave way to purposeful training, strength work, and coaching. She talks candidly about balancing running with raising a family, the importance of surrounding yourself with people who believe in you, and why finishing Tahoe 200 wasn&#39;t just about endurance. It was about becoming the person she was searching for all along.The conversation also takes listeners behind the scenes of preparing for a 200-mile race, from building drop bags and learning to use poles to dealing with blisters, brain fog, and the mental recovery that comes after crossing the finish line. It&#39;s an honest conversation about growth, community, and why sometimes the biggest victories happen long before race day.In this episodeFinding trail running through a search for identityGoing from a first marathon to Tahoe 200Why quality training matters more than junk milesBalancing motherhood, family, and ultrarunningThe value of coaches, mentors, and a strong support systemTraining for Tahoe 200 with Havelina 100 and Quicksilver 50KLessons learned from first-time 200-mile racingFoot care, recovery, and the reality of post-race brain fogWhy becoming a better person matters more than becoming a faster runnerEkta’s LinksIG: @ekta_runs Strava: Ekta BasuRelevant LinksTahoe 200 by Destination TrailJavelina Jundred by Aravaipa RunningAravaipa RunningPartner Links: KILA - https://kilarun.comRun Longer In Custom InsolesUse MIDPACKER for $50 off your order<a href="https://gobrewing.com/discount/MIDPACKER" target=