I can run 32 miles. I do that almost every weekend for my training runs. This may sound like an odd thought to be having upon arriving at the mile 68.5 aid station. But before we get to that, a little about me.
Like many spots in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Stringers Ridge is rich in Civil War history. Who knew that 155 years later, this former war zone would host The Cannonball – an annual, last-runner-standing battle.
On the eve of Matt Klein’s first Vermont 100-mile race in July 2014, he found himself in tears. He had come a long way since his darkest days nearly a decade earlier.
Courtney Dauwalter is the 2018 Ultra Runner of the Year. Dauwalter had a prodigious year, running 12 ultras and winning nine of them. She showed remarkable range, winning races from 50K to 279 miles. She had major wins at Western States, posting the second fastest women’s time ever, and Japan’s Ultra Trail Mt. Fuji. Perhaps her most talked about race was Big’s Backyard Ultra, a quirky-format event where runners have to complete a 4.1-mile loop every hour to stay in the competition. She did this for 68 consecutive hours before yielding. A star cross-country skier at the University of Denver, Dauwalter lives in Golden, Colorado with her husband Kevin.
Jeff Browning is the second ranked runner in 2018. Browning had an impressively consistent year, winning three 100-milers, placing third at Run Rabbit Run and fifth at Western States. A graphic artist, gear designer and running coach, ”Bronco Billy” lives in Logan, Utah with his wife Jennifer and their three children.
Darcy Piceu is the third ranked woman for 2018. Piceu was undefeated at the 100-mile distance, impressively winning on four significantly different courses – the highly technical HURT 100, the severely mountainous Ronda dels Cims in Andorra, the mountainous but runnable Angeles Crest, and the swift Javelina 100. A psychologist and counselor, the three-time Hardrock champion lives in Boulder, Colorado.
Two thin but exceptionally warm gloves with high merino content designed for aerobic activity.
Dylan Bowman is ranked fourth in the Ultra Runner of the Year balloting for 2018. “DBo” had an outstanding year, winning two major international races, Ultra Trail Mt. Fuji in Japan and Tarawera 100K in New Zealand. He also placed a very close second at Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie (TDS), the 119km race in the UTMB series.
On November 4, twenty-two runners lined up for Conquer The World (C.T.W.) Endurance’s first annual Fall Back into the Trails 50K, a 10k loop course with roughly 1,000 feet of elevation gain per lap at Red Wing Recreation Area in Lagrangeville, New York.
Kaytlyn Gerbin is ranked 5th among the women for 2018. She set a course record while winning the Bear 100, was 2nd at Western States and 10th in the World Trail Championships in Spain. Gerbin, who has a PhD in bioengineering, is a scientist at the Allen Institute for Cell Science. She lives in Seattle with her husband, Ely.
Jason Schlarb is the 6th ranked man for 2018. Schlarb had a very busy year, winning Run Rabbit Run 100, Ultra Trail Oman, and the Desert RATS 50K, while placing 2nd at the Eiger Ultra Trail 101K in Switzerland and Mt. Gaoligong 55K in China. When not traipsing around the globe, the former Montana State track athlete lives in Durango, Colorado.
Amanda Basham is the 7th ranked woman for 2018. Basham won the UROC 100K, was 2nd at the Tarawera 100K in New Zealand, and 4th at Western States. Originally from Sweet Home, Oregon, she now lives in North Logan, Utah.
Mark Hammond checks in at number eight in the 2018 voting. The highly consistent Hammond placed third at Western States 100 and second at Run Rabbit Run 100 – both places identical to the previous year. He also finished eighth at Ultra Trail Mt. Fuji in his first international race.
Katie Schide is the ninth ranked runner for 2018. She won two major European races—the Madeira Island Ultra in Portugal, and the MaXi Race International in France. Katie was also second at the Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix (CCC) 101km.
When I first started running ultras I remember reading about the Hellgate 100K, and was immediately intrigued. The race is in mid-December, starts one minute past midnight, and is a challenging mountain race (it’s also actually longer than 100k)
Jared Hazen was voted in at number 10 in the Ultrarunner of the Year balloting. Originally from Titusville, Pennsylvania, Hazen won the JFK 50 in November, posting the second fastest time in the 57-year history of the race despite muddy conditions.
If I can stress one virtue every trail runner should possess in their arsenal of weapons, it’s the punch of patience. Something I’ve often struggled with over the years. Too often I get caught up in the moment, forget what it’s all about, ignore the signs and then it all comes crashing down.
Are you stuck in a post-holiday running rut? If so, you’re not alone. Here are some tips to help you get back at it.
The Suunto 9 is the next generation in GPS watches geared towards endurance athletes who need extended duration battery life without sacrificing GPS accuracy.
Rather than digesting my race experience, here’s a glimpse into how I got there. Simply toeing the line on race day is an honor, and certainly not a given.
We’ve met so many people in the running community with incredible stories that would make you laugh, cry or inspire you to think bigger. We’ll be featuring a new Blue Collar Runner each month. Every runner has a story. What’s yours?
Modifications to the Timp 1.5 include a softer and more flexible midsole EVA compound, the inclusion of 4-Point Gaiter Trap attachments, and a slightly adjusted heel fit for increased snugness. The mesh uppers have also been upgraded and are supposedly more durable than the previous edition.
Outdoor drills are an important bridge between the work you completed in a gym or strength training setting, and your actual running mechanics on the road or trail. The movements in the drills described below leverage the coordination, neuromuscular adaptation and strength you recently developed.
Our gear team spent the last three days of November in Austin, Texas exploring The Running Event (TRE). Our favorite part is getting a sneak peek at all the cool gear we’ll be checking out next year. This second installment is specific to gear, apparel and nutrition.
Scheduled just two months after I had hip surgery, Shawnee Hills 100 was going to be my comeback race. I was healed enough and needed a shot of endurance (and confidence) for Superior 100 two weeks later. But was I ready?
“Don’t worry dear, this is the hardest time for everyone,” a volunteer consoled me. “It is?” I fought back tears. The same delicious hot food I’d devoured earlier at Red Wolf aid station now turned my stomach 25 miles later.
In its second year, the No Business 100 Mile Trail Ultra race course spills over the lower Kentucky border into Tennessee and provides the same amazing natural wonders and scenery of the Great Smoky Mountains, but, as Race Director Bryan Gajus points out, without the long lines.
After a close call, when running in the backcountry or any remote area, I now follow a simple rule: take enough to survive the night.
Going into Stump Jump 50K this year, there was a bit of apprehension in the air. I was coming back from an injury in the spring. My wife, Emily, also took some time off in the spring but had back-to-back wins here in previous years. And our son Miles hadn’t been training much for the 10-mile event.
Our gear team spent the last three days of November in Austin, Texas exploring The Running Event (TRE). Our favorite part is getting a sneak peek at all the cool gear we’ll be checking out next year. This first installment is specific to shoes, and Part 2 will cover gear, apparel and nutrition.