From the Classroom to the Golden Ticket – Will Murray’s Road to Western States

On this episode of the Free Outside Podcast , we welcome Will Murray , a math teacher, coach, and elite runner who recently punched his ticket to Western States 100 . Will shares his unique journey from growing up in Georgia as a baseball player to rediscovering running after college, transitioning from cycling to trail racing, and ultimately shocking the ultra world with a Golden Ticket win at Black Canyon 100K . Our Black Canyon Coverage : https://youtu.be/SO-6YkxWczM?si=IXEDglz96vCwI6p7 Support me by shopping at Janji.com and Garage Grown Gear Topics:🏃‍♂️ Will’s path to teaching and endurance sports 🚲 How cycling shaped his ultra-running success 🎓 Balancing coaching, dorm duty, and training at a boarding school 🏔️ His Silver Rush 50 debut—placing second in his first ultra 🔥 How he prepped for Black Canyon 100K and handled the Arizona heat 🧠 The mental strategies and self-talk routines that powered his breakthrough 🏆 What it felt like to earn a Golden Ticket and his plans for Western States 100 Will’s story is a testament to balancing a passion for running with a full-time career. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: Meet Will Murray Jeff introduces Will Murray—math teacher, coach, 2:32 marathoner, and now a Golden Ticket winner to Western States 100 . 02:00 – Growing Up: From Baseball to Running Will shares his early years in Georgia, playing baseball and discovering running in high school. 04:30 – A Roundabout Path to Teaching How Will went from working at a bike shop and guiding cycling tours in France to studying math and eventually becoming a high school teacher in New Jersey. 07:00 – Finding His Way Back to Running After college, Will rediscovered endurance sports through bikepacking but shifted to running due to time constraints. 09:30 – Jumping Into Ultras: Silver Rush 50 Why he picked Leadville’s Silver Rush 50 as his first ultra—and how he shocked the field by finishing second . 12:30 – Competing at Chuckanut 50K Testing himself against elite competition like Matt Daniels, Francesco Pupi, and Zach Perrin , and learning from a tough day. 14:45 – Leadville 100: First 100-Miler Experience The highs and lows of Leadville, racing in the mountains, and the emotional finish under the night sky . 17:00 – Dreaming of Western States How Leadville fueled his desire to chase a Golden Ticket , and the logistics of making it happen with a full-time teaching job. 20:00 – Training for Black Canyon: The "Artistic" Approach Will's unique training philosophy —balancing structured workouts with an intuitive approach. 23:30 – Preparing for the Heat: Ice Sleeves & Indoor Treadmill Runs Simulating Arizona’s heat while training in New Jersey, and the cooling strategies that worked. 25:00 – Race Day at Black Canyon: Going All In How he ran with the front pack , handled key decision points, and executed his mental strategy . 27:45 – The Big Move: Passing Eli Hemming The moment he secured his Golden Ticket , the decision to push instead of fade , and staying locked in. 29:15 – Crossing the Finish Line: Reality Sets In The shock and joy of achieving his dream race entry, plus the practical side of getting a Golden Ticket home . 31:00 – The Aftermath: Teaching, Training, and What’s Next Returning to school as a Western States athlete , student reactions, and how he’ll prepare for June. 34:00 – Racing Without Pacers & Crew Strategy How his sister became an impromptu crew chief , and the last-minute aid station pit crew he didn’t expect. 36:30 – Mindset Mastery: The Key to Ultra Success Breaking down "Decision Time" , self-talk strategies, and how he stays mentally strong in long races. 41:00 – Looking Ahead to Western States Goals for June , training adjustments, and balancing it all while still teaching. 44:00 – Final Thoughts & Advice for Non-Pro Athletes Why you don’t need to be a full-time athlete to compete at the highest level in ultrarunning. 46:00 – Outro: The Journey Continues Will reflects on what’s next and his excitement for Western States 100 .