San Jose woman runs 100-mile races in less than 24 hours

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- One San Jose mom is really going the distance.

Bree Lambert is a personal trainer, running coach, nutritionist and ultra-athlete who has run 70 ultra marathons.

"An ultra marathon is a distance greater than a marathon. So generally they start at 50K race distance and then they go up to over 100 miles," said Lambert.

If that sounds near impossible, get this. She's run them in less than 24 hours without taking a break.

"I always get you're crazy. That's what the initial response is, you're crazy," Lambert said. "But I have come to accept the fact that I am passionate about a sport that is really uncommon and not a whole lot of people can do it and I'm OK with that."

And if you're wondering what her running playlist might be, you may be surprised by this. "I don't listen to music generally, and I really think it's important if you're going to run a distance like a 100-mile race, that you really are in touch with yourself, like what's happening in your body. You do those body checks," Lambert said. "I think it's important to mentally stay tuned in."

Lambert is the U.S.A. Track and Field Female Masters Ultra Runner of the Year (Mountain Ultra Division) and has participated in eight 100-mile races, only dropping two of them. Most recently, she participated in the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, the most iconic 100-mile race in the world.

Unfortunately, that was one of the events she dropped due to heat management. But safety is key.

Lambert has run it once before in 2013, clocking in at 23 hours and 26 minutes.

She's had to overcome some serious obstacles to get where she is today.

In 2003, she was on a mountain bike training ride getting ready for an off-road triathlon when she lost control of her mountain bike and crashed. When she woke up, she says she knew something was significantly wrong and ended up being airlifted to San Jose Medical.

She says the doctor told her, "You're not going to be able to run distance. You've fractured your pelvis, you've broken your collar bone, you've severely lacerated the left side of your body and it's going to take at least one year for you to rehabilitate. So why don't you just pick up a good copy of 'War and Peace,' have a seat on the couch and just rest up."

But Lambert was not afraid. "My personality is such that I was not willing to take that. I said no, I'm going to prove this doctor and the orthopedist wrong and I'm going to rehabilitate myself. I spent a good year rehabilitating and then came out of that time and jumped right into road triathlon racing."

She got back on track and now runs further than ever. And she uses her knowledge to help others.

Lambert runs a business called Live Well Finish Strong, where she encourages her clients to train and be their best in terms of whatever their goals are.

"I really work to help them be their best with whatever it is their fitness goals are, whether it's running or general fitness," Lambert said.

She says nutrition is important when running these long distances, and credits her Amino VITAL amino acids that she drinks before, during and after competition. It's important to her, and to her training and recovery, and it's an important part of giving her and the people she trains stamina and endurance and quick muscle recovery.

Lambert is looking forward to her upcoming race in August, a 50K in the Marin Headlands.

Click here to visit Live Well Finish Strong's website.

Written by Jocelyn Fiset