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UltraRunning August 2017
- Trekking Pole Review
- Western States
- A Primer on Performance Enhancing Drugs
- Old Dominion 100
- Preventing Runner’s Trots
- McDonald Forest
- Running Far, Living Out Youth
Featured
Why Ultras Need Ham Radio
In the remote world of ultras, quick communication is key when it comes to finding lost runners and saving lives.…
Featured
Fierce at My First 100-Miler: Burning River
My five-foot-one and barely-north-of-100-pound frame was patiently waiting in the shadow of a literal castle to embark on my first 100-mile adventure. Thoughts of “What will happen?” and “Can I even do it?” swirled through my mind.
Featured
HARRC’s Conococheague 50K Trail Run
On a devilishly hot July day, 56 runners from five states met to run the 5th edition of the Harrisburg Area Road Runners Club’s Conococheague 50K Trail Run. The event is held on rock-covered single track and forest service roads in the wilds of western Perry County, Pennsylvania, in the Tuscarora State Forest.
Featured
Facing Life’s Battles
I’d like to think that the characteristics needed to run ultramarathons can translate to other areas of everyday life. The…
Spartathlon’s Untold Story: Absolute Humility, Altruism and Sprouting Wings
There are many things about ultrarunning that are hard to describe, and even harder to understand. The Spartathlon, a 153-mile race from Athens to Sparta, is one of them.
Running Is Stupid, So Why Do I Do It?
Why am I out there six days a week, usually before 4 a.m., making myself uncomfortable? Why do I and millions of other people willingly subject ourselves to it?
CamelBak Pursuit Series Offers Immersive Events for Outdoor Lovers
The three-day series of immersive events for outdoor lovers takes place at Utah’s Snowbasin Mountain Resort on August 11-13 and in Sanborn County Park south of San Francisco on September 8-10.
San Diego Ultra Running Friends’ TrailFit Trail Work Crew
This is the story of how our running club developed a comprehensive trail work program that we call TrailFit. Each year we clear brush on 25 miles of trail, remove over 150 downed trees, and contribute more than 1,500 volunteer hours on trails in the San Diego mountains while overseeing maintenance on 150+ miles of trails.
Altra Timp First Look
“Timp” is the nickname Utah locals use for Mount Timpanogos, the second highest mountain in the Wasatch Range, with an iconic trail climbing to the 11,752 foot summit. Altra founder Golden Harper calls this the “long day” shoe, and it’s definitely made with long distance mountain running in mind.
Have You Ever Wanted to Photoshop Your Finish Photo?
You’re not supposed to look good after you run a hundred miles. Didn’t matter. It was still the worst race finish photo I had ever taken, yet it was the most important one. It was the singular moment when all the training, the doubts, the worries, the planning, was about to give way to relief, triumph and pure joy.
Get Your Butt Kicked at Route 66 Six-Hour
For those not inclined to venture into a six-hour, mid-July run in suburban St. Louis, the race’s name is a sufficient deterrent to participation. However, devout masochists take the tone behind the name as a dare.
Switzerland’s Trail Verbier St. Bernard
The Trail Verbier St. Bernard is a series of trail races in the mountains surrounding Verbier, Switzerland. The X-Alpine race at 110 kilometers is the longest race with the Grand Traversée being the next longest in the series at about 65k and just under 14,000 net gain.
New Zealand’s Old Ghost Ultra: A Destination Race Par Excellence
An 85-kilometer, point-to-point race in the remote mountains near Westport, New Zealand. The race’s entire 53 miles are run on a brand new trail called the Old Ghost Road, its isolation is so complete that from start to finish, one does not cross a road or another trail.
Mental Toughness
There’s a voice that often pops inside my head every time I’m out on a run. It says, “Why aren’t you tough enough?” If I successfully avoid these negative whispers, it’s because I summited a butte without pausing to catch my breath, or conquered a trail at full force. Those days are few and far between, but when they do happen I feel like I can do anything. Like I am tough. Unfortunately, that voice of doubt always seems to return.
Review: Patagonia Bandito Shirt
Performance fabric meets trucker couture in the Patagonia Bandito, which is an evolution of the company’s original Long Haul shirt from a few years ago.
Never Alone at the Eagle Up Ultra
When I signed up for the Eagle Up Ultra in Canal Fulton, Ohio, it was for the sole purpose of earning a belt buckle. The course was newbie friendly, a five mile loop on a flat tow path and had nice swag like a headlamp.
Seeing the Elephant
Many comparisons have been made to modern-day ultrarunners and the Pioneers who crossed the continent in covered wagons back in the 1840s and 1850s. The Pioneers risked everything and took on a massively arduous 2,000-mile trek, often for a dream or nebulous “better life” out west. As with ultrarunners, a common question from onlookers was: “why?”
Review: Ultimate Direction Crew Bag
A spacious and versatile crew or travel bag with durable construction and thoughtful compartmentalization. It can be carried as a duffel bag, but does not have dedicated straps for this purpose
Struggle and Doubt
I stood at the finish line of my first half marathon, confused. I was surrounded by people who had somehow found a singular, defining experience that morning. Was this why people run? What had I done wrong that prevented me from reveling in a sense of accomplishment?