Dean Banko is the host of the Only Eye Athletic’s Podcast. We met one freezing day at Rabid Raccoon 100 (2023), which is held in Western Pennsylvania. We are both part of the Butler County Miler’s run club.
When Dean heard about mine and Stephen’s (my husband) completion of the Baker Trail UltraChallenge, he wanted to learn more, so he invited us to be guests on his podcast.
The Baker Trail UltraChallenge is a three year commitment, involving running 150+ miles.
Bonus miles because you will miss a turn as you try to navigate the Baker Trail, following the yellow blazes, but while also trying to watch your footing on the technical and muddy parts.
Every year, the race course rotates, covering 50 miles of the Baker Trail. The courses are identified as the North, Central, and Southern sections.
Stephen and I completed the Central section in 2021, the South in 2022, and the North, this year, 2023.
Every year is unique and presents it’s own challenges. Hornets, rolling country road hills, dodging Amish buggies (kidding), technical trail, water crossings, etc.
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The first two years were hot and humid, with thunderstorms. I remember running past a cornfield in the pouring rain, with lightning flashing above.
I was scared, but Stephen and my friend, Katie, were with me, so if I was going to get crispy-crittered by lightning, they would, too.
This year, it was just hot and humid, but the mud was insane. Shin deep in some places, and it suctioned you in! The race is held in August, so this weather is expected.
Learn more about the Baker Trail UltraChallenge here!
My Baker Trail UltraChallenge race reports
Baker Trail UltraChallenge COMPLETE! (2023)
Baker Trail UltraChallenge 50 Miler Stories and Memories (2021)
Baker Trail UltraChallenge 2022 Race Report
Get to know the host
Tell us about yourself, you are a trail and ultra runner, a biker, podcast host, lifter, mental health advocate, and coach
What I enjoy most out of all the things I do is being a lifelong learner. The older I get, the more I seek out knowledge and to learn different things. Not sure why that is it, it just sort of happened.
Even books now are more enjoyable, though I listen to audiobooks and don’t really read with a book in my hand; with audiobooks I can listen going to work or on my way to a race.
Wish I had the quest for knowledge in school it would have made things a lot easier.
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Besides that, I enjoy being active as much as possible. Of course, I’m big into running which feeds my competitive nature and want to self improve.
I was never good at sports and was always a bench warmer, that’s sort of a nice way to say it. I was more of a person who was part of teams then an actual participant.
Finding the sport of running gave me something to call my own, whether I’m competing or not because running is ultimately me vs me out there, and no matter the placement or time I run a race its still at the end of the day me vs me which somehow feeds my competitive nature.
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This year, I’ve started biking more mostly in my basement to stay in shape.
It’s two fold because I can watch podcasts and videos while biking in my basement while learning while exercising.
With biking outside I can cover more ground quicker and be less tired so it allows me to see more great things that otherwise, I may not be able to.
In the summers, I’m outside as much as I can, usually till dark playing around in my yard.
Do like to fish, hunt, kayak as well, and even mushroom hunt.
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Podcasting is fun because I view it as story time with some Q and A during the story.
This year, I stepped back some from lifting and building a strong body because I had to many running goals that I wanted to chase, that also was in part to stepping away from Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) for most of this year.
Now that all the goals I could reach are now over, I do want to get back into strength training again and OCR.
With OCR its fun because you get to step out of your comfort zone and once again test yourself and the me vs me aspect.
Plus, it has the same family feeling you get with trail running and I miss my OCR family.
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When it comes to coaching, I Enjoy helping people succeed and watching their progress. To see people achieve their goals is something magical.
All that listed there is a lot of things I engage in. But I can’t forget to mention that I try to support whatever local events and festivals are in the area; I eat way to much good food at events.
And I enjoy going to the local sporting events, such as the Johnstown tomahawks, Johnstown mill rats, Altoona curve games, and putting on some local running events, as well.
Tell us about your coaching. Who is a good fit to work with you? How can you assist someone in their goals?
My general approach is to do, by seeing. I’ll admit it never makes any sense till I explain it more in depth.
A lot of the people I help are local, basically all within an hour of me. With my approach, I ask them what their specific goals are and how they would want me to help them.
In most cases, its for a specific race they know I’ve participated in the past.
So, I walk them through that specific race step by step and how to attack that race to get the best time possible or reach the goal they have.
That’s a big part of why I try to video all the local races in the area. It gives a visualization along with the strategy plan.
That way, they can see certain points on the race where it may get harder where they will have to slow down or where they should speed up.
I also make training plans and give advice on all kinds of race information from getting to the start line, and to the recover the next day. I do love strategy though.
To me, the best fit is someone who actually wants to put the work in to get to where they want to be. Those individuals are truly amazing to watch progress.
What made you decide to get into podcasting?
What got me into podcasting was actually listening to other podcasts. I listen to Joe Rogan, Cameron Hanes, Jocko Wilnick, and Sally McRae.
They have tons of great stories and information on every single podcast they do.
What draws me to them is the people they have on which for the most part is their personal friends or someone who is knowledgeable in a field they want to know more about.
That sparked something in me and got me thinking how over the years, I’ve met so many great people that I’ve lost count, who have great stories to tell that I thought should be heard or that I honestly want to hear more about, so I thought, why not document the stories for others to hear or see.
One of the best ways to learn is from others personal experiences.
Its seems like at least one of my friends every weekend is out somewhere that looks interesting crushing it, having a good time at a running related event whether it be a road, tail, OCR, tri, etc.
Through podcasting, I can have a conversation with my friends and hear more about it, ask questions about the event, learn from their experience, while sharing it to the world;
all while also in a back door sort of way helping promote the event as well.
What’s your craziest race story?
For me there is rarely a race that does not have some kind of interesting twist to it. Seems like the unusual for everyone else is the normal for me.
But I’ll give you a couple good stores all that all different in their own perspective.
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Funny one
I did Boston marathon in 2018. That year it was the coldest the race has even been plus it was raining.
For those who don’t know you basically catch a bus from downtown to the start line. If I remember correctly at least 3 hours before your actually start time. Once near the start you have a couple hours of wait time.
Well, with it raining an being cold I sat under a tent, on the ground huddled under a cheap clear poncho to stay warm with the other people. I was cold the entire race. It rained/misted most of it, as well.
If anyone knows, when you run, you get sweaty and stop you get cold quickly. Well, the finish line takes forever.
I’d say over 15 minutes to get through it if your really trying to hurry. Well, being already cold and fighting the coldness, I started to get to that hyperthermia state.
My parents had clothes for me to change into but there was no where to change into at the finish line or close by.
They want people to keep moving and get out of the way. So I had to go down into the subway to get out of the elements and literally stripped down and change with my parents sort of blocking the view of me in the middle of the subway station.
And this wasn’t an empty subway it was packed elbow to elbow.
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Adversity
Few years ago, they had a marathon and a half marathon at seven springs. I did the half and was leading at the time, I’d say this was 6ish miles in at the top of a hill. I didn’t know where I was going.
This volunteer had his arm out with his hand pointed down hill. I proceeded to run down the road which was the way his hand was pointed.
I ran for a while and started to realize I was going the wrong way, but didn’t know what to do.
So I stopped started heading back and got picked up by a 7 springs worker who took me to where I went off course.
I lost 12-15 minutes of time, which made me feel so mad. I didn’t think I stood any chance of even getting back into the race.
But being so mad, I flew faster then I think was possible. I started picking people off one by one.
They have an air strip up there that the course uses. You go down one side and up the other and even before that there is little bit of a section you pass people on heading back.
I counted every person I saw that was ahead of me. Was over 50.
I don’t remember the exact number, but I was determined to see what I could do and worked as hard as I could to pick each person off one by one. I was counting in my head as well how many I picked off.
By the time I finished, I moved back up to 4th place, only seconds behind 3rd who was in my sight, I just needed another tenth or two to catch him.
That to me, was of the most impressive race performances I ever had because I fell so far behind from going the wrong way, and losing so much time that I got into the mindset of I’m going to still do this and not let it defeat me.
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Embarrassing, sort of
I did this duathlon called Hit the Dusty Trail up on the GAP trail in Everett. It was 10k run, 15 mile bike, then 2 mile run.
The run portions were towards one direction and bike was the opposite, so there wasn’t any crossover of the two. I loved this race. I wanted to win so bad.
Seconds counted at this race. I didn’t have a good bike at the time, nor did I really bike much back then.
Well, I came flying into the transition area after just doing the bike part and I locked up the brakes, actually think I hit the front brake too hard, and my bike stopped on a dime.
Causing me with all the momentum I had going flip right over the handle bars in front of everyone there.
Their faces were priceless to what just happened. Total shock and are you alright type mixed together.
Not sure how it happened maybe it was the adrenaline but I was off the ground as fast as I hit it back on my feet. Putting the bike away and continuing to the final run part.
After the race, I could not figure out how I did it and people told me it looked real bad how I flew off. Somehow, I was unhurt.
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Always getting hurt but gotta keep moving
Last year, while running the two face trail 10k at north park, I was about a mile from the finish line.
I was in the lead and my buddy wasn’t to far behind. There was a little downhill section I was going down at the time.
Two guys were coming up the trail who were not part of the race. They were not moving off the trail so I stepped off as I went around them trying not to lose momentum.
Well, when I went to get back on the trail after passing them my foot caught a rock and I bashed my right knee into this huge rock.
I looked at it as blood was gushing out and I could see it was pretty deep. I let out some very vulgar words as it happened and as I looked at the gash in my knee.
The guys I just past just looked at me with a “oh my god, is he ok” look. All I could think about was get to the finish line.
You gotta get to the finish line, you can’t do nothing about it right now and do it before the pain hit.
So this happened all what seemed instantaneously.
Also, not wanting to lose mixed in. Think it was pretty instantaneously.
Anyway, I somehow made it the last mile to the finish line winning the race with the blood running down my leg and gash in my knee.
Soon as I stopped the pain hit. I also had really nice scrape in my left hand palm as well.
Ended up getting a few stiches in my knee, and I really enjoyed the doctor cleaning all the dirt and junk out of it before she could put the stiches in haha.
What’s one mindset or mental wellness tip that really works for you? Please, explain a little
Over the past year, I’ve become sort of a good doctoral level mental case study when it comes race training, race prep, in race strategy and post race mindset. Not always in a good way though.
Even sometimes with life in general, it becomes hard to mentally stay focused with everything good and bad that goes on in the world today. We do get distracted time to time.
I use emotions for the most part to give me the edge in all aspects of whatever fitness thing I’m doing at the time, which takes a toll.
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But the one thing I have always held on to is the belief in one’s own self. My motto or mantra is “Only I Can Defeat Me.”
I firmly believe that for all aspects of life. To me, if you truly believe in yourself or the goal you have, there is no doubt you will achieve it.
Its when you let outside forces or doubt creep in then you start to falter from that specific thing your trying to do. Which it is definitely hard to stay focused all the time.
But for me, when I remind my self that “Only I Can Defeat Me” and no one else, I become focused again.
That can be at a race I’m doing or when I’m having a hard day at work.
I try to encourage people to develop a mindset or come up with a catchy saying they like that they can use when times get tough. It really does help.
Anything a person can do to put their mind at ease that allows them to remember things are not always like this or a reminder that can do it will give them extra mental strength.
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Society does give up a lot quicker then it used to, and also seems to be developing more mental issues.
I think its important that we toughen our minds back up by getting out of our comfort zones when we can, and figuring out what things to stay away from that diminishes our self worth, while at the same time, figuring out what boost us up and relieves us from those stressors.
Podcast #17 Baker Trail Challenge And Achieving Their Rolling Pins – Shannon & Stephen Mick
Not only did they complete the 50 mile ultra this year but they also achieved their rolling pins, which is done by running the 3 different Baker Trail Ultra courses.
Each year the challenge rotates sections.
Listen to their great story about it and some good information on the Baker Trail Challenge.
If you enjoyed this video, please “like” it!
Thank you, Dean, for having us on your show to share stories and to talk about a fun challenge!
Follow Dean and Only Eye Athletic’s for more great content
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