WINNER of the Cocodona 250 // Michael Versteeg

[@bigthingscrewing9903]

What's up BIG THINGS tribe?! I hope you enjoyed this conversation. Let me know what you think...

[@MiWolverine96]

Damn good interview! I dnf'd at the cocodona and it's great to hear the winner speaking for all the little guys that were out there showing up also! His personality really broadens the spectrum of what trail heroes truly look like ‼️👍🏾

[@stevejosepher7787]

Awesome interview! A good host, when he's got a great interview, will just sit back and listen. You did a great job of that.

[@bigthingscrewing9903]

I appreciate that Steve. I enjoyed just sitting back and listening on this one 🙂

[@drybrain9179]

Been waiting for this interview post cocodona!!

[@bigthingscrewing9903]

Thanks for checking it out man 🤙

[@cameronmueller2128]

This was a kick-ass interview man, I enjoyed every minute. Great work. Michael is a beast and I can really relate to those mental aspects.

[@bigthingscrewing9903]

Thanks man appreciate you!!

[@Runnerrwe]

Good interview. I have had situations were as recording got interrupted. You did great recording it again.

[@bigthingscrewing9903]

Thanks my friend 🙂

[@user-ps7jf5nj2m]

If I ever do a ultra I’m definitely eating mushrooms and smoking weed, trail running and mushrooms (and weed) is a primal experience

[@cameronmueller]

You're not wrong.

[@josepablogonzalez9047]

Great stuff! What a cool dude

[@bigthingscrewing9903]

Thanks Jose! Very inspiring ☺️

[@kelly66666]

So is microdosing cannabis, mushrooms, and LSD during a race considered a form of ‘doping’ if they alter your perception of pain and sense of well-being and keep you running? Genuine question.

[@bigthingscrewing9903]

I don't know that there's a general consensus answering yes or no to that question. I'm pretty sure there could be arguments on both sides.

[@bigthingscrewing9903]

Agreed. Although I am sober nowadays, I support any way that someone wants to go about running 250 MI. This has been a big topic in other sports for years. Is cannabis performance enhancing? Are psychedelics? If they are considered performance enhancing, is ibuprofen? Caffeine? Or if we are just talking mood enhancement, are antidepressants considered a form of performance enhancers? I don't necessarily have any answers. I say let people do whatever they want to do. If there is money involved, maybe it's another discussion altogether. I don't think that most people would be able to handle taking psychedelics or cannabis on a 250 mile run. Most people would freak out. I support anyone who wants to get out and DO BIG THINGS. I really enjoyed this conversation and I think Michael is brave to voice his beliefs and opinions.

[@Bxtskul1l]

LSD definitely gives you energy to burn.

[@lukesanchez1024]

All I know is both of those things would make that race substantially harder

[@piningbuck]

I believe a dissociative drug is performance enhancing. If it takes you out of your body and or can go another place where you can forget or negate pain.

[@AyakoTachi]

I heard from a finisher that it was a bit disappointing how the scenery wasn't much to look at for a greater percentage of the race than expected. Curious for others' perspectives on this...

[@adrianvega1505]

Great episode💪🏾

[@bigthingscrewing9903]

I appreciate that Adrian!

[@jonathanjames7181]

I thought you were going to talk about smoking at some point. Does he really smoke cigarettes? I’m confused by the picture as I can’t imagine a successful ultra runner being a smoker... great interview, though. Well done!

[@TripDadLife]

Ridiculous, honestly.

[@TrailsVonMudder]

I was thinking that the follow-along livestream stuff in the last few miles was awesome from a viewer perspective, but perhaps the runner needs to mute the livestream audio so they're just a silent fly on the wall rather than subjecting the exhausted competitors to the real-time commentary.

[@martinc9096]

1:42:00 beer half marathon!?!? 🤪🙌🙌🤯🍻

[@martinc9096]

oh... and huge congrats on Cocodona!

[@bigthingscrewing9903]

Right?! RESPECT! but no thanks 😉

[@71bullsquad31]

31:05 Note taking time.

[@sjohnson522]

I appreciate his stand point, but the worst that is going to happen to you if you take too much is you'll think the sunset is pretty? if you take too much it is COMPLETELY debilitating. A simple task like standing up and leaving the room near impossible on a heroic dose.

[@uloutdoors]

Well no wonder he was hurting in a 250 and with that shoe choice..

[@EliteMBer]

100 miles in 15 hours is more impressive than 100 miles in 30 hours, most of the time, because the years of consistent, hard fucking work that made that difference. sure if you isolate the event, id agree that the 30 hour effort is more impressive but thats very narrow minded.

[@TripDadLife]

We shouldn't do what we love in order to impress others.

[@laurabellman7682]

I'm not impressed with drug use. No wonder you ran so fast into the finish line. I watched the live stream and was amazed, but if it was drugged then not so much. I know, Micheal, you don't me and certainly don't care what I think.

[@peterkirktenor]

No-one requires you to be impressed, your use of the word 'drugged' has heavy implications. Did you acknowledge his use of Mushrooms for depression? Is something from a pharmaceutical company more acceptable to you? Do you acknowledge depression as an illness? It seems to me like you're not asking yourself enough questions here.

[@playalong3399]

A little mushroom tea in your water bottle might help you with your grumpypants Laura.

[@TripDadLife]

Caffeine probably helps more with running fast and being awake so... ? I don't drink and don't take pain killers during ultras. That's my choice. If somebody wants to win an ultra and they decide to take those that might be a handicap that I'm imposing on myself. But to each their own.