Features

Training for ultras can be a serious business. That does not mean that you can’t deviate from the plan every now and again. Adventure can fuel your goals, physically and emotionally. So, when these opportunities arise, regardless of if they are meticulous or haphazardly planned, take advantage of them.

A new model in the Topo Athletic lineup this year, the Specter, is a highly cushioned performance trainer built for fast training days, paved ultras or road racing, particularly in the marathon distance.

Don’t miss the opportunities that fall brings. Being free from a formal training structure can be very liberating and should be unique to each athlete’s needs. Address areas that need attention, take the opportunity to connect with nature in ways that will be novel and revitalizing. Appreciate what your body has allowed you to do during the racing season but take the break you need.

In 2022, LEKI stepped proactively into the post-pandemic resurgence of the trail running industry, making significant changes across their product line, as well as an updated website and even a new logo. This new brand identity is demonstrated in two models we’ve tested this summer, the Ultratrail FX.One Superlite for lightweight speed, and the Cross Trail FX Superlite for more versatility of use.

The Duro LT and Dyna LT vests are minimalist additions to Osprey’s long-standing Duro (men’s) and Dyna (women’s) running hydration lineup. They are designed to carry the bare necessities for distance training, and are something of an in-between option if you want to carry more fluid than a waist bottle can manage but don’t want the increased weight of a traditional vest.

You spend a third to half of your life postmenopausal, and 10 or more years perimenopausal. Symptoms are common and expected, but can impact your racing and training, and your heart and bone health. The good news is, like any race, the more you know about the course, the better you can adapt your training to meet the demands of the “Menopause 200.”

Badwater Basin in Death Valley, California, sits at 280 feet below sea level. Each year in July, endurance athletes from all over the world converge to run 135 miles from the start at Badwater to the finish line at the portal of Mt. Whitney (elevation 8,360 feet). Runners traverse three mountain ranges and face numerous other challenges, like scorching desert heat and sleep deprivation, over the course of two nights.

The Forerunner 955 Solar is Garmin’s first running smartwatch with solar charging capability. It comes with a full feature set that matches and exceeds anything in the Garmin lineup (for now), and many of the updates are focused on processing the multitude of metrics that the device collects, with the result of providing much more accurate and insightful analysis for practical use.

This past June, the top two women and men at the sixth annual Broken Arrow Skyrace 52k in Olympic Valley, California, qualified for the 80k US Trail team competing at the inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships.

Marathon Des Sables (MDS) never shows mercy. I have taken that race for granted a few times and suffered the consequences. There’s always something new to learn. Some of the new things I tried went unexpectedly sideways this year. But hey, it’s all good: I survived and finished. Here is my humble take on a few items.

Climbing up Little Cottonwood Canyon Road out of Cottonwood Heights via Salt Lake City to Snowbird Resort, the Wasatch Mountains dominate the skyline. If you’ve spent any time exploring them on foot, you know just how unforgiving they can be. That’s just why Karl “Speedgoat” Meltzer decided to organize the Speedgoat 50k 15 years ago. 

As welcoming as the ultrarunning community is, there can still be a lot of intimidation related to the unknown for new-to-the-sport athletes. The following are a few specific tips for negotiating aid stations and may help you develop a successful race strategy come race day.

Despite building enormous popularity among trail and road runners, one perceived gap in Altra’s footwear line-up in the past has been high performance racing shoes. This year, the company addressed this issue on both the trail and road, with its new speed category of brand new models that include the Mont Blanc trail shoe and the Vanish Carbon road shoe.

There is a wealth of information on ultrarunning nutrition, what to eat in training and how to consume calories during your race. But not a lot is mentioned about how to practice eating in a way that simulates a race environment and introduces your body to the stresses you’ll be experiencing. Here are a few ways to practice nutrition during training to better prep your gut for race day.

This is the season when eye protection is critical, as long days and extended light exposure can cause unnecessary visual fatigue or damage. The key is to find options that provide strong protection without compromising performance or visual clarity, and we’ve tested a number of offerings that accomplish this goal.

“She’s making history!” Devon Yanko’s pacer Ellie shouted as Yanko made her way through her last 12.5-mile lap at this year’s Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Race. Yanko came flying into the finish, clocking in at 14:23:13. With this, the 39-year-old seasoned elite became the first woman to win outright in this event’s 27-year history.

Nathan’s VaporAir (unisex) and VaporAiress (women’s) vests have been longtime favorites in the company’s lineup thanks to their combination of minimalist profile and large cargo capacity. Nathan’s new Lite versions of those vests shift the emphasis to the lightweight side and feature a new harness fitting system that allows a customizable fit.

The general build of the SL:HSV, including the stack heights and adjustable component system, is very similar to the original model, but there are a few key updates that make the shoe well suited for terrain in the southeastern United States, particularly the rooty, rocky, gnarly ground and frequent water exposure encountered on the trails.

With summer temperatures heating up across the country, it’s important to keep hydration at your disposal. Handheld options provide you enough fluids to maintain short-term performance without excess additional weight to slow you down.

Pain and loss have followed Laurel McMahan throughout her life. “Loss, divorce, mental health issues, poverty, single-parenthood, the whole, entire beautiful and sometimes painful spectrum of life.” She lost her beloved little brother to complications from heroin addiction. She needed a thing to do, an action to take, to get back to herself again, and running was that thing.

Think of this new model in the Adidas Terrex lineup as the overlapping Venn diagram of two prominent trends in trail running: one circle is the rise of the luxury performance shoe, and the other is the era of environmental responsibility. Terrex Agravic Pro Trail shoe would be at the intersection of those circles. While the name is kind of a mouthful, it’s an impressively rugged and ready-for-anything trail shoe.

As we start to ramp up to race season, most trail and ultrarunners are increasing their training volume. Warm weather and long days beg for more time on the trails. This increased training load, in turn, can pose an increased risk of injury. Here are some helpful hints to stay injury-free for those who are new to the sport of trail and ultrarunning.

Wool isn’t just for cold weather anymore. All of this season’s sock recommendations incorporate the natural fiber to leverage its inherent performance qualities. Innovative construction techniques ensure that the resulting products are thin and light enough to be comfortable even in hot temperatures, making wool a dependable material for long-distance comfort this spring and summer.

As ultrarunning becomes more popular, it’s imperative that we learn, follow, and share Leave No Trace (LNT) principles with our running buddies. There’s never an excuse to litter and we must continue to hold each other to these standards whether we’re in an urban park, a remote wilderness or at mile 85 of a 100-miler. Here are the seven basic tenets.

Ultrarunning is not easy on the body, but if you give it enough time to gradually adapt to the stresses, both the body and mind will deliver. Once you finish your first ultra and decide to keep at it, start to think about longevity. That can mean running fast for years, slow for years or taking time off for family, but coming back when time allows.

If you’ve spent enough time on the trail, you’ve probably experienced the discomfort of getting something caught in your shoe, and any debris during long outings can cause significant blisters or chafing problems. Enter the trail running gaiter. We tested five models in a variety of conditions, ranging from dry and sandy to wet and muddy, and everything in between.

In just her fifth ultramarathon to date, Jazmine Lowther of Nelson, British Columbia, delivered a surprising wire-to-wire win at the recent Canyons 100k. Not surprisingly, just five weeks earlier, she ran in the lead at the Chuckanut 50k and held on for third place just a few minutes back from elite athletes in the sport.

The Timp was introduced to the Altra lineup as a rugged trail running shoe built for long days on moderate to technical terrain. Fans of early versions of the Timp should be pleased to see this shoe re-establish itself as a durable, secure and comfortable option for big training days as well as 100K to 100M races and beyond.

The original Akasha earned a reputation for combining protection and performance, and this spring’s updated version carries over the underfoot elements of the previous edition with a new upper designed for increased durability and breathability. The Akasha is one of the more cushioned shoes in La Sportiva’s lineup, intended for long runs or ultra-distance races with rough terrain.

Sometimes just finding where to run can be a chore. The mental ping-pong game between doing something easy or designing an elaborate route can derail even the best intended ultrarunners. Over the course of my running life, I’ve learned that dividing the runs I do into three discrete buckets helps me with the chore of deciding where to go and what to do.