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After crisscrossing the globe to run on every continent (yes, even camping on ice in Antarctica), Levi Shank is closing in on a milestone: 200 marathons. With 191 races (and a handful of ultras) under his belt, Levi joins host Sally Hed Dahlquist to talk travel hacking, mental resilience, and why community can carry you farther than you think.
Flying standby, couchsurfing with strangers-turned-friends, asking an entire race expo for a ride (“closed mouth doesn’t get fed”), and celebrating Sally’s 50th state Levi proves there’s more than one way to the start line.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- How Levi mapped a practical (and affordable) path to 200 marathons and 7 continents
- The Antarctica story: sleeping in a tent on snow, racing fast to beat the chill, and… a penguin passing someone on course
- Why running is his anxiety toolkit and how the second half of every marathon is “mostly mental”
- The power of asking for help: ride shares from expos, couchsurfing wins, and saying yes to serendipity
- Levi’s PTO & budget system (spreadsheets! countdown timers!) to keep big goals realistic
- Identity & ownership: why he changed his name to Levi—and how it shaped his life
- Favorite carb-load rules and race-day fueling that actually work when you travel
- The joy of showing up for friends: helping celebrate Sally’s 50 States finish in West Virginia
Resources & links
- Countdown app (for race-day timers)
- RoadsideAmerica (quirky stops between packet pickup and the start)
- Couchsurfing (community travel on a budget)
- Moonlight on the Falls Marathon (WV) — Sally’s 50th state
- Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon (Louisville) — Levi’s target #200
Feeling inspired? What’s the boldest thing you’ve done to make a start line, or your smartest travel hack for race day? Tell us!
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Support Sally’s mission to raise $1 million for medical research: unstoppablestoriesthatmove.com
