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Ryan Holiday talks with ultrarunner Luke Tuttle about running solo ultramarathons through historical European destinations. Tuttle shares his experience of flying into various European cities and running 50K to 80K distances back to civilization, utilizing minimal gear packed into a mountain biking backpack and finding unexpected solitude on ancient trails like the Appian Way. The conversation explores the Stoic approach to hardship, preparing for physical tests without overplanning, and the mental clarity gained from embracing irregular terrain instead of soft urban roads.
The host introduces the Daily Stoic podcast, shares personal vacation plans, and explains his motivation for running a 50‑km ultra in Rome.
The host outlines his idea for a 50‑km run through Rome’s Stoic sites, noting the sponsorship and video coverage.
The host reaches out to Luke, who shares his experiences running 50‑km routes across Europe, gear choices, and the mindset of solo endurance runs.
Luke offers guidance on gear, dealing with cobblestones, pacing, and the mental focus needed for a long solo run in Rome.
The conversation shifts to the host’s travel philosophy, the rarity of encountering other runners, and the unique challenges of running in densely populated cities like Dhaka.
Luke recounts the experience of arriving sweaty and exhausted at hotel lobbies, highlighting the normalcy of such moments for long‑distance runners.
The host summarizes the lessons learned, expresses gratitude for the advice, and hints at future runs and podcast episodes.
Running From Airports to Citiesstory
The guest describes a unique routine of flying into various European cities every three weeks and running 50 kilometers or more from the airport into the urban center.
Unplanned Routes and Ancient Roadsinsight
Avoiding rigid planning preserves a sense of exploration and surprise, allowing runners to traverse ancient limestone paths used by travelers for centuries.
Minimal Gear in a Backpackstrategy
Packing for a weekend ultra marathon involves a specialized mountain biking backpack fitted with two compression sacks containing Merino wool clothing and running gear.
Training on Irregular Terrainstrategy
Running on grass and dirt tracks rather than flat roads prevents injuries by stopping the body from repeating the exact same motion over and over.
Once a runner gets just a mile away from a trailhead, people are largely absent, proving that major nature trails are often empty outside population centers.
Morning Exploration Advantageinsight
Waking up at 6:00 AM allows a traveler to run through major global cities and experience them with almost nobody else around.
“I had the opportunity to work in Europe for a bank in Stockholm.”
“So my longest run like that was about 80K.”
“I think I had a couple of capuccinos and some croissants.”
“I don't know that I ever crossed somebody.”
“The Appian Way is, is mind blowing to consider.”
“I have a lot of these in my head of walking into hotel lobbies.”
Ryan knew running 50 kilometers through Rome https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2LNSVXbsaI would require more than just being in shape. So he turned to Luke Tuttle https://www.ultrarunningdestinations.com/home/53k-along-ancient-roman-roads-and-trail-rome-italy from the blog Ultra Running Destinations https://www.ultrarunningdestinations.com/home/53k-along-ancient-roman-roads-and-trail-rome-italy for firsthand advice on how to prepare for everything the run might throw at him. 🎥 Watch Ryan run the Stoic 50k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2LNSVXbsaI here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2LNSVXbsaI 👉 Read Luke Tuttle's article https://www.ultrarunningdestinations.com/home/53k-along-ancient-roman-roads-and-trail-rome-italyabout his 53k ultra run through Rome: https://www.ultrarunningdestinations.com/home/53k-along-ancient-roman-roads-and-trail-rome-italy 🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE https://www.dailystoiclive.com/| Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you https://www.dailystoiclive.com/! Grab tickets here https://www.dailystoiclive.com/ | https://www.dailystoiclive.com/ 🎙️ AD-FREE https://dailystoic.supercast.com/| Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium https://dailystoic.supercast.com/ - unlock ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content: https://dailystoic.supercast.com/ https://dailystoic.supercast.com/ ✉️ FREE STOIC WISDOM https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail | Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the FREE Daily Stoic email at https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail -- Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/DAILYSTOIC and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. -- Wealthfront’s high-yield cash account: https://www.wealthfront.com/stoic This experience may not be representative of other Wealthfront clients, and there is no guarantee of future performance or success. Experiences will vary. Ryan Holiday, who’s a client of Wealthfront, receives cash compensation from Wealthfront Brokerage for paid testimonials in his podcast, creating a conflict of interest. More details available via the referral link. The Direct Deposit Plus Investing Program from Wealthfront Advisers LLC and Wealthfront Brokerage LLC provides eligible clients a 0.25% APY increase above the base APY on eligible Cash Account balances (up to an overall boosted rate of 4.30% for a limited time when including the three month 0.75% APY boost for new clients) when you direct deposit $1,000 a month, plus open, fund, and maintain an investing account. Wealthfront may change or end the program at any time and determine eligibility at its discretion. Terms apply. Full details at wealthfront.com/promo-terms. The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of January 30, 2026, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. References to the APY for the Wealthfront Cash Account, including any APY increase, are to the APY paid by insured depository institutions that participate in our cash sweep program (the "Program Banks”). Wealthfront Brokerage does not pay interest. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Instant and same-day withdrawals use the Real-Time Payments (RTP) network or FedNow service. Transfers may be limited by your receiving institution, daily caps, or participating entities. New Cash Account deposits have a 2–4 day hold before transfer. Wealthfront does not charge fees for these services, but receiving institutions may impose an RTP or FedNow Fee. Processing times may vary.. Fees & Eligibility requirements may apply to certain checking features. Investment advisory services are provided by Wealthfront Advisers LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Securities investments are not bank deposits, bank-guaranteed or FDIC-insured, and may lose value. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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