UltraRunning November 2019
- The Voices of Wasatch
- Fall Jacket Reviews
- A Lesson in Fear
- A Running Hero: Gunhild Swanson
- Setting Goals as You Age
- Athletes with Disabilities
- An Ode to ARFTA
The Aussie spirit looms large at the Blackall 100 and for an outsider, it was all very captivating and magical. Would I ever return? Heck yes! Would I do anything differently? Yeah, I’d bring a bigger backpack. A person could live like a King off that checkpoint food.
Prior to volunteering at White River 50 in 2017, Gus Gibbs’ perception of ultrarunners was that they were beyond “crazy,” but unbeknownst to him on that summer day in late July, the madness instantly became appealing. Fast forward to March 2018 and he found himself on the rainy start line of Way Too Cool for his first 50k.
Many people know about the HURT 100 – the Peacock 55 is put on by the HURT 100 family (Ohana). I was not ready for 100 miles, but thought 55 was attainable. Little did I know that while some people are able to complete the HURT 100, some have not been able to finish the Peacock 55.
In 2017, Vin Framularo’s marathon plans were derailed when a snowboarding accident sent him to the emergency room with a broken back. Now he has a ritual that he follows each time he toes the starting line of a race. “I tell whomever is around me, guys, the hardest part of the race is over.”
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) will host an exhibition of documentary photographs by artist Larry Gassan entitled, 100 Mile Runners & Dead Man’s Bench.
The Italian company founded in the Dolomites has historically been known for its climbing shoes, but recently they have entered the trail running shoe market. The Spin Ultra is designed for moderate- to ultra-distance running, with more cushioning than previous SCARPA models, but without a significant tradeoff in weight.
We cannot all have the talents of elite runners, but there is nothing that prevents us from approaching the sport with the same professionalism. You will leave your footprint on ultrarunning, one way or another. Leave the footprint you want those who follow to see.
Forested rock scrambles, 7,000 feet of elevation gain, and guided bushwhacks aren’t what you might expect for a 50k in Central Wisconsin, but that’s exactly what runners were challenged with in the inaugural IRONBULL Ultra Trail event, which has a unique mix of trail and urban running, finishing in the heart of downtown Wausau.
For 60 hours, Maggie Guterl lined up ready to start either a 4.166667-mile trail or road loop every hour, on the hour. But what happened in those furious 9-12 minutes between each finish leading up to the next start, tells an incredible story of teamwork with some gold star skills.
Runners experience a wonderland of rugged forest, waterfalls, natural arches, streams and river while tackling this demanding 100-mile tour of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area that begins in southern Kentucky and drops into Tennessee.
IMTUF stands for Idaho Mountain Trail Ultra Festival. The “TUF” is synonymous for the race’s difficulty and challenging mountainous terrain, the runners who tackle the race, and more accurately, the volunteers, like Vicki Trees, who unselfishly dedicate their time and energy, regardless of conditions or circumstances, to help others achieve their goals.
After dabbling in half marathons during college and running two road marathons in 2018, Sacramento native and former basketball player Melissa Flores hasn’t looked back since being introduced to the trails by a friend in Santa Barbara.
For the 10th anniversary of Tor des Géants, the Italian race organization created an even longer event, the inaugural Tor des Glaciers. By the numbers, it was 450k completed in a single push with approximately 105,000 feet of climbing—around 120k longer with 30,000 more feet of climb and descent than the traditional Tor des Géants.
Held in the middle of the night, this neon-drenched, 28-mile ultra took runners from the Bronx to Coney Island – through two subway stations – recreating the escape route featured in the iconic 1979 cult film, Walter Hill’s “The Warriors.”
Salomon’s new X Alpine Pro shoe is made with high mountain environments in mind, specifically the hard rocks or loose scree of being above the tree line.
Kimble’s goal is to come in any time under 38 hours and 32 minutes to break the record, but his “A” goal, if all goes according to plan, is to come in closer to 36.5 hours.
The diverse terrain and trails at Hungerford – weaving through the Huron-Manistee National Forest and West Michigan countryside – continue to provide a beautiful backdrop for runners who come to achieve their goals.
“My life was pretty much gymnastics and school. We worked out in the gym 20-30 hours per week.” After a string of injuries in high school and her gymnastics days behind her, Meghan had a big void to fill. Her dad was a marathon runner, which intrigued Meghan, and at the age of 18, she decided to join him for a run.
The Marji Gesick is better known as a mountain bike race, but soon will be well known in the ultrarunning world as it offers both 100-mile and 50-mile runs.