Nike-sponsored ultra runner Sally McRae delivers a powerful talk on resilience, mental toughness, and rising through pain, loss, and adversity.
5.00 of 5
Top rated!5 of 5
“Sally is a confident and thought-provoking speaker. She has a great message on resilience and never letting fear of failure hold you back from trying.”
Alberta Optometrist Association
Sally McRae is a professional ultra and mountain runner sponsored by NIKE, known for standing on podiums at some of the world’s most demanding endurance races. With first place finishes at Badwater 135 and Moab 240, she has proven her ability to endure extreme physical and mental challenges. Yet Sally’s story goes far beyond sport. From the stage, she shares a deeply personal journey shaped by pain, loss, and relentless perseverance. Her talks are raw, honest, and deeply human, showing audiences that true strength is forged through hardship. Sally McRae inspires people to confront discomfort, rebuild resilience, and move forward with courage when life feels overwhelming.
Sally McRae is a professional ultra and mountain runner sponsored by NIKE, widely recognized for her performances at some of the most iconic endurance races in the world. She has claimed podium finishes across global ultra events, including first place victories at Badwater 135 and Moab 240, races known for testing the absolute limits of the human body and mind. While her athletic achievements are remarkable, Sally’s influence extends far beyond finish lines and medals.
Her reputation is built not only on speed and endurance, but on her mental fortitude and willingness to confront extreme discomfort head-on. Sally McRae represents a rare combination of elite performance and emotional authenticity, making her a powerful voice on resilience, perseverance, and personal growth.
Sally often says that her real strength wasn’t built in the gym. Behind the athlete is a story shaped by pain, loss, and moments that forced her to keep going when stopping would have been easier. These experiences laid the foundation for her mindset and resilience long before she ever stood on an ultra marathon start line.
On stage, Sally McRae speaks candidly about the challenges that formed her character. She doesn’t hide the hard parts or polish the story for comfort. Instead, she invites audiences into the reality of discomfort, uncertainty, and emotional struggle, showing how resilience is built through facing life honestly rather than avoiding pain.
Sally’s talks focus on the mental skills required to endure when circumstances are tough and outcomes are uncertain. Drawing parallels between ultra endurance racing and everyday life, she explains how people can continue moving forward even when everything feels heavy.
Her message is grounded, relatable, and deeply human. Sally McRae encourages audiences to redefine their relationship with pain, to see discomfort as a place of growth rather than something to fear. She highlights how resilience is not about being unbreakable, but about continuing despite feeling broken.
Key themes in her talks include:
Building mental toughness through adversity
Learning to stay present during extreme challenges
Developing resilience when life doesn’t go as planned
Turning pain and loss into strength and purpose
Booking Sally McRae for your event means bringing in a speaker who has lived the lessons she teaches. Her credibility comes from real-world experience, both on the racecourse and in life. Audiences trust her because she speaks from experience, not theory.
Sally McRae connects strongly with diverse audiences, from corporate teams and leaders to athletes, entrepreneurs, and individuals navigating personal change. Her ability to communicate complex emotional experiences in a clear, honest way leaves a lasting impression and sparks meaningful reflection.
When you book Sally McRae for your event, you offer your audience more than motivation. You give them a framework for resilience, a new perspective on discomfort, and the courage to keep going when the path forward feels uncertain.
Sally’s stage presence is grounded, intense, and deeply authentic. She doesn’t rely on exaggeration or hype. Instead, she creates impact through honesty and emotional depth. Audiences leave her talks feeling seen, understood, and empowered to face their own challenges with renewed strength.
Her story reminds people that resilience is not reserved for elite athletes. It is a skill anyone can build, one difficult step at a time. Sally McRae leaves audiences with the belief that no matter how hard the moment, forward motion is always possible.
5 of 5
“Sally is a confident and thought-provoking speaker. She has a great message on resilience and never letting fear of failure hold you back from trying.”
Alberta Optometrist Association
5 of 5
“Sally gave an amazing talk about her personal challenges and resilience in life and running …and her ability to choose strong throughout each. She was genuine, compassionate, funny, and captured the hearts of the audience.”
A Quarter Blue
5 of 5
“As a professional in the solar door-to-door industry, I live in the importance of grit, tenacity, and an unwavering pursuit of success. Recently, I had the privilege of inviting Sally McRae renowned for her achievements in ultramarathons, to speak to our region’s top leadership group. The experience was nothing short of phenomenal. Sally shared powerful stories of perseverance through adversity, emphasizing the concept of failing forward, the law of attraction, and maintaining an abundance mindset while tackling difficult challenges. Her “choose strong” message deeply resonated with our core values, igniting passion and motivation within our team. Sally’s ability to convey her experiences and insights brought a renewed sense of purpose to our group, encouraging us all to face challenges boldly and to embrace failure as part of our journey. Her message is invaluable and should be shared with everyone who needs to choose strong and do hard things! The impact she made on our team was remarkable, and I cannot recommend her highly enough as a speaker for anyone seeking to inspire and uplift their team.”
LGCY Power
5 of 5
“Sally has a remarkable gift for connecting with people on an emotional level through her words and story. She knows how to read a room and tailor her delivery perfectly — our event included attendees ranging from under 10 to over 60, and Sally provided something meaningful for everyone. Her story of grit, pain, love, and strength was powerful and deeply moving. We’re so grateful she shared it with us and our audience. Sally was so kind, incredibly helpful, professional, and easy to work with. I would highly recommend her to any audience!”
MuuvWell
Keynote by Sally McRae:
In the world of endurance sports, one of the greatest motivators for athletes battling challenges mid-race is to remind them of what they can’t see- the finish line. Sally McRae is a professional ultra-trail runner known for enduring through the most grueling races on the planet. Her story of perseverance began as a child and has been shared all over the world to encourage others to keep going even when they can’t see what lies ahead. At the end of the presentation, attendees will learn how their personal work impacts the world beyond office hours and how curiosity and courage can change your life.
Keynote by Sally McRae:
In this inspiring and powerful keynote, Sally shares lessons drawn from her experiences conquering grueling endurance challenges and life’s toughest moments. Sally explains the difficulty posed in the middle of a race or challenge. The middle is where vulnerability lies and your courage demands your attention. Because when it’s the hardest, that is where you are carved into a stronger person. That is how you get strong. Too often, we think we become strong when we achieve…We become strong in the struggle.
Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to push through the “messy middle” – whether in business, personal goals, or relationships – and develop the resilience to cross their own finish lines. Perfect for anyone seeking to cultivate grit, determination, and a champion’s mindset.
Watch Sally McRae in action!
