Manika Gamble – Racing 155-Mile Desert Ultras & Chasing Bold Adventures
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
In this episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, we meet Manika Gamble — an Atlanta-based trail runner who thrives on testing her limits in some of the world’s toughest ultra races.
Manika’s running journey started with casual neighbourhood runs, but soon she found herself racing 155-mile desert ultras in Africa, tackling Mongolia’s Gobi March, and pushing through multi-stage, extreme endurance events. She shares the highs, the lows, and the mental grit it takes to keep moving when every muscle is screaming.
We dive into:
Training by feel, without a watch or GPS
Fueling, hydration, and surviving the desert heat
Coping with pain, blisters, and fatigue without relying on painkillers
Recovery strategies, sleep, and balancing life with training
The mental challenges of multi-day ultra races
Staying motivated and tackling new adventures outside your comfort zone
Manika’s message is simple: don’t let fear hold you back. Find what excites you, lean in, and see what you’re capable of.
🎙️ New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.
💪 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.
🙏 Your support makes a difference. 💖 Thank you x
Listen to Manika Now!
Click here if you can't see the link below.
Show notes
Who is Manika
Being based out of Atlanta, USA
Trail Runner
Currently training for a race our in Morocco
Running every since she was a child but being new to long distance running
Always being an active child
Going out for the track team and how it became her whole life
Focusing on 100 m and 400 m hurdles
Wanting to run further
Dreaming of the day she would be able to run casually
Starting with 20 min runs throughout the neighbourhood
Signing up for more and more races from 5k, up to Marathon distance
Deciding to take on an ultra race
Seeing a YouTube video of a man running in Namibia, Africa
Signing up for the race and giving herself a 1 year time line to train for
The running logistics and what her training looked like
Being a laidback person when it comes to a training schedule
Not running with a watch or gps tracking device
Training based on feel and time
Leaning about fuelling and nutrition and how to manage herself in the desert
Carrying everything she needed on her back for 7 days while running through the desert
Learning how to hydrate probably
What worked well nutrition wise while racing
Using Tailwind Powder
The mental and emotional side of the challenge
Why it was so tough
Why it was such a beautiful race
Issues with her feet and dealing with blisters
Dealing with pain and not being able to block it out
Not being able to take pain medication - due to the heat and potential damage to organs
Telling herself - you’re not going to stop
Trying to divert her mind from the pain
Camp life
Finishing the race and the thoughts running through her head
Never Again….
Sprinting V Longer Races
What does recovery look like?
Incorporating creatine into her diet, resting more, prioritising sleep and taking on less races
Taking 5g of creatine in the morning, and 5g in the evening
Taking other supplements, Magnesium, potassium and starting to take athletic green in the future
Trying to have a well rounded diet based on feel with a focus on protein, fibre and carbs
Trying the carnivore diet but not having the energy to run
Waking at 4am - but staying in bed till 6am
Not napping during the day
Heading over to Mongolia to race the Gobi March (250km across the desert)
Racing the Planet
Racing on green trails through the Mongolian Desert
Getting very tired of eating the same food day after day
How things changed mentally having done the Nambia Race previously
Getting bored of the green pastures - being ready for it to be over
Feeling mentally drained on her 2nd Ultra
Too much too soon? Racing in Mongolia only 6 weeks after Nambia
Racing the Planet - Grand Slam Challenge
Trying to raise funds to race an ultra in Antarctica ($14,100)
Fitting training into her life and work
Having a pretty flexible schedule and stating to work with brand
Using running as work
Stone Everest, Atlanta Challenge (May 16th & 17th)
Races for 2026
Training for a team relay 100k challenge
Running a Marathon in Morocco
Running a 3 day stage race through Utah
How to connect with Manika on social media
Advice and top tips for other women who want to take on new challenges
Outside of just do it
Don’t allow fear to rule you
Find something that intrigues you and go with that
Social Media
Instagram: @manikaruns
Youtube: @ManikaRuns
Feeling inspired week after week?
You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!
Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love.
Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar! Thank you!
Want to do more?
Please become a Patron and donate US$5 a month to help fund the runnings costs. Thank you.
Comments