There's no sleeping. I think that's usually the first question I get is do you get to sleep during

ultra endurance running events? I'm like no, not if you're trying to finish within the time limit.

You run through the night.

EO Wang is a competitive runner currently training to compete this fall in the JFK 50 mile

ultra marathon. The race route spans over a thousand feet in elevation along a mountainous and

rocky section of the Appalachian Trail. It horseshoes along the CNO Canal Topath before ending

in historic Williamsport on the border of Maryland and West Virginia.

While the varied terrain of this course makes for an intense and arduous race,

50 miles is not the longest distance for an ultra marathon nor is it the longest race EO has ever

competed in. But running long distances is just part of the training program. These ultra endurance

athletes have to think about the whole picture. When you're pushing your body to the max,

you've got to think about physical endurance, mental strength, nutrition, and most importantly,

sleep. In order for EO and runners like her to keep going, mile after mile, sleep must be a part

of a winning plan. It can be almost four miles. We've to go all the way to the top of the hill,

do our little single track loop, and come back. I'm Anna Hadokhaneur and this is Chasing Sleep,

an I Heart Radio production and partnership with mattress firm.

As a best-selling author and a health columnist with a background in psychology,

I've spent a lot of my time studying and writing about sleep. Sleep is so essential to our overall

health, but often it's something we overlook and it's the first thing we tend to neglect. In each

episode, we'll meet people living and working in extraordinary circumstances. I want to learn how

they rest and recharge their bodies and minds to perform at their best, whether it's an ultra marathon

or training for their next 100 miles or an astronaut floating in space. Together, we'll explore the

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