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Unstoppable Ultra Runner

62. How to Create a Bigger Future After a Setback

Jun 17, 2026 · 15 min

What do you do when it feels like everything you worked for has been taken away? Whether it's an injury, a surgery, a string of DNFs, or another setback you never saw coming, most runners fall into one of two traps: settling for a smaller future or becoming obsessed with getting back to who they used to be.

In this episode, I share what I learned in the days after my hip replacement surgery and why I chose neither of those paths. Facing the possibility of losing the future I thought I wanted forced me to rethink everything. What I discovered was that setbacks don't just take things away. Sometimes they reveal possibilities you couldn't see before.

For full show notes, transcript PDF, and more information, visit https://susanidonnelly.com/62

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