In 2015 and 2016 I failed at my attempts to complete the Eastern States 100. Disappointed and in the throes of existential angst, I went to the finish line both times to watch people finish. What do these people have that I don’t?
The race starts with a bit of single track, and as much as I try to begin at the back, there are others who come in behind me and then bumble about in the rocks and high grass, passing me where there’s no room to do so. Race director Chris McWatters is standing at his post to send us down a mile out-n-back and this is a wide enough jeep road that finally allows all the poor trap-ees behind me to escape and sprint past.
With summer fading into a distant memory, you may already be reminiscing about sitting around the campfire under the stars. No matter what your age, those memories of being outside next to the crackling fire never seem to fade. Now imagine you’ve just finished a full day of running camp with Jeff Browning aka “Bronco Billy” and Karl “Speedgoat” Meltzer.
The Run, Rabbit, Run 50 and 100 Mile Endurance Runs Presented by Altra is pleased to announce the creation of the inaugural $100,000 Run, Rabbit, Run “Rabbit Cup” to be held in September 14 and 15, 2018 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado to be run at the distance of 100 miles. Coupled with the Run, Rabbit, Run’s existing $65,000 purse, Altra’s Run, Rabbit, Run 100 mile run will offer a total purse of $165,000, making it by far the largest trail ultra purse in the world.
“Take one step,” was the mantra that got me through the 35 hours and 40 minutes of my first 100-mile race.
Do I trust myself to do the training, to put in the hours required? To show up for myself, even if that means pulling the plug when my ego really doesn’t want to? Do I trust myself to not listen to the brain when it says “Stop!” when it is only pain, and not actually debilitating? Do I trust myself to know the difference?
Summer in Kansas can get brutally hot and humid so that is why the Lawrence Trail Hawks came up with the Night Hawk. It’s a chance to run a trail ultra at night when summertime temps can be a bit cooler.
AltoLab combines a set of breathing apparatuses with completely developed training programs to function as a high altitude simulator for Intermittent Hypoxic Training (IHT).
Many folks think that Promise Land is the best 50k in the East. Runners camp for free Friday night at the start/finish. We provide 100 pizzas for the runners and they bring all the desserts. After the pre-race briefing, we have a big bonfire and make s’mores. There is great fellowship that goes on before and after the race.
It was almost 143 hours into a six-day race when I finished my fifth consecutive eight-minute mile. I felt invincible. With a little more than an hour left, I wondered how long I could hold this break-neck pace.
Think about your favorite trails. Do you know who owns the land they wind through? Most likely, especially in the West, you own it – along with me, the editors of this magazine, your cousin and every other American.
I sit here writing as three of my favorite trail systems across Oregon are being devastated by wildfire. As a former wildland firefighter, I understand that what may seem like a catastrophe can actually benefit an ecosystem. But as a trail runner, I continue to struggle with the fact that the lush trails full of thick vegetation and old growth trees are being scorched and burned away.
The successor to Polar’s previous M400 watch, with a boatload of feature updates that easily make it the most conveniently functional multi-purpose watch we’ve tested.
The 14th Annual Virginia 24 Hour Run for Cancer proved that determined people with strong willpower can overcome all obstacles.
Deutschlandlauf (translation: Germany Run) travels the length of Germany from north to south in a giant, S-shaped route, starting at sea level on the German island of Sylt at the Danish border, and ending at the highest point in Germany on the Austrian border—820 miles over 19 days.
Without trails our sport would not exist. Sure there are road ultras and many “trail” ultras entail portions along fireroads, tow paths, running tracks and, gasp, even pavement. But if you look at the most popular and iconic ultras, they all include some epic trails. So yes, we need them.
As with many ultrarunner origin stories, Brandon Miller’s running career started as a cross country speed demon in his home town of Barrie, Ontario. After high school, as he began a demanding college course load in Mechanical Engineering at Queens University in Ontario, priorities shifted and running took a far second to his studies.
Last year’s Angeles Crest 100 was an experience I will never forget. I went out too fast early and wasted precious time at aid stations. This year I made some adjustments…
Sandra Villines, still smokin’ from her top female finish at the 2017 Badwater Ultramarathon, will leave San Francisco City Hall on August 28, headed for New York chasing the transcon speed record.
Coming off a year of successful ultramarathons, I was pretty jacked. My plan was to complete more of my “bucket list” races for the summer. Could I complete three more ultras this year? Four more? It was a big stretch, but possible. If I was smart, that is…
The shoe inspired by Karl Meltzer gets a significant overhaul for its second iteration, with improved fit, stability and durability.
HOKA launched Women Who Fly, a film series that features three runners—Ultrarunners Devon Yanko and Catra Corbett, and triathlete Shirin Gerami—and their stories: about running, sexual assault, addiction and religion.
Whether you’re an ultrarunner, a musician, or in my case, both – you’re never ready for The Call when you get The Call.
Hotter than Hell, Dusk to Dawn is a night trail run that pits runners against the oppressive heat and humidity of a South Louisiana summer. The race starts at dusk on the middle weekend of July and ends ten hours later at dawn.
In the remote world of ultras, quick communication is key when it comes to finding lost runners and saving lives. With cell coverage spotty at best in most mountain ranges, ultra marathons must rely on the expertise of local ham (amateur) radio operators.
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.
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.
I’d like to think that the characteristics needed to run ultramarathons can translate to other areas of everyday life. The…
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.
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?