Ed Shelton: Death Races & Monday Problems
Ultramarathon runner Ed Shelton talks with Doreen Lorenzo and Michael Baker about running over 200-mile races without a support crew, embracing discomfort, and using creativity as a survival skill.
Ed Shelton is a vegan ultra-endurance athlete and business analytics professional based in Austin, Texas. Over the past 15 years, he has completed numerous obstacle and ultra-distance events ranging from 100 to over 300 miles, including the Spartan Death Race and the Moab 240, often without a crew or pacers. Ed’s approach to these extreme challenges isn’t just about physical endurance; it demonstrates deep mental focus, adaptability, and creative problem-solving under pressure.
From a young age, Ed displayed a sharp talent for pattern recognition—a skill honed through his love of math and video games, and one that now fuels his ability to identify challenges early and find resourceful, in-the-moment solutions. Raised in a split household, he also grew comfortable spending long stretches of time alone reading in the woods, which has turned out to be an asset in races that often involve dozens of solitary hours navigating remote trails, hallucinations, and physical breakdowns.
Ed doesn’t rely on motivation to sustain him, but rather, through dedication, consistency, and loyalty to his values, he demonstrates fortitude of body, mind, and soul. Whether he’s crazy gluing medical tape to his skin to stop chafing mid-race or fashioning a pack strap from a race medal cord, Ed solves problems with whatever’s available and stays calm, present, and focused on the next step, instead of a finish line that could be over 100 miles away.
In both running and life, Ed has learned to be patient, to avoid panic, and to meet every obstacle with a mindset that’s as steady as it is strategic. He not only trains for his own events, he also paces and supports other athletes as they strive toward their goals. For him, these races aren’t just tests of endurance, they're practice for staying grounded in chaos and proof that most limits are far beyond what we think of as possible.
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