816. Deirdre Keane, Everest Extreme Ultra Marathoner

Ali on the Run Show

Ali Feller

Run, Health & Fitness, Women, Inspiration, Runner, Entrepreneur, Sports, Fitness, Health, Running

4.9 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 19 June 2025

⏱️ 73 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

"It was dark, and I remember looking over the ledge thinking, 'What’s down there?' I probably don’t want to know…"

Deirdre Keane has never encountered an adventure she didn't want to pursue. The pediatric ICU nurse turned McKinsey consultant is always on the run, whether it's at a world marathon major or it's completing — and winning! — the World Marathon Challenge, running seven marathons in seven days on seven continents. Deirdre's latest endorphin chase: the Everest Extreme Ultra Marathon! In this conversation, she talks about the three-week excursion traversing glaciers and mountain passes and, ultimately, an unplanned trek back to base camp. Warning: This episode may inspire you to go do something big, scary, and life-changing.

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New Balance: Click here to shop the just-released New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5!

In this episode:

Deirdre’s introduction to the Everest Extreme Ultra Marathon, and how she was able to make it happen (4:00)
Deirdre’s lasting relationships with her World Marathon Challenge crew (7:30)
How Deirdre planned to complete the Everest Extreme Ultra Marathon, and what her training was like (9:00)
The logistical components of the Everest Extreme Ultra Marathon (17:20)
Deirdre’s adventures before the ultra, summitting Island Peak (21:45)
What it was like seeing Mount Everest for the first time (36:20)
All about the Everest accommodations (41:00)
Deirdre talks about completing the Everest Extreme Ultra Marathon (45:30)
On finishing the Everest Extreme Ultra Marathon — and the road away from the mountain (58:40)
Deirdre's top takeaways from this experience (1:08:40)
What's next on the run for Deirdre (1:10:40)

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode of The Allie on the Run show is brought to you by New Balance.
0:03.9	Go to newbalance.com slash running to shop the newest from New Balance, including the just
0:09.9	released Fuel Cell Rebel V5.
0:17.0	Welcome to The Alley on the Run show.
0:19.3	I'm your host, Allie Feller, and this is where I talk with people who are doing exciting things on the run and beyond.
0:25.2	From professional athletes and celebrity runners to the everyday amateur and back of the pack runner, we are here to celebrate everyone and anyone who enjoys a life on the run.
0:36.2	Whether you are running towards something big or away from
0:38.6	something that has been holding you back, I am here to hold your hand and help you pick up the pace.
0:44.2	Today, the queen of adventure, Deirdre Kean, returns to the Allie on the Run show. Deirdre made her
0:51.2	debut here in 2021 after being featured on Humans of New York.
0:56.0	At the time, Deirdre was a pediatric ICU nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
1:02.4	She talked about running 10 miles to work every day, about her role working with kids with cancer,
1:07.9	and about how her dad passing away led to her running, marathoning, and so much
1:13.1	more. She returned to the show in 2023 after she ran and won the World Marathon Challenge.
1:20.6	She did those seven marathons in seven days on seven continents and was the fastest woman to do so
1:26.7	that year. Now, Deirdre, who still lives in New York
1:30.0	City and now works as a consultant at McKinsey, is fresh off her latest endurance feat, the Everest
1:37.3	Extreme Ultra Marathon. Yeah. I will let her explain all of the details of this three-week adventure that had her traversing glaciers and mountain passes and at one point basically being involved in a makeshift rescue mission to get away from the mountain and get safely home.
1:55.5	But before we get into it, I want to thank our sponsor for this episode and that, as you heard seconds ago, is New Balance.
2:02.9	This just in, the New Balance Fuel Cell Rebel V5, and isn't she lovely?
2:09.4	I'm not doing much running these days, but you know I go super hard for long walks on the road.
2:15.3	And for those, I am slipping into my rebels. The Rebel is a super lightweight
	...

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