Features

I have come to realize that the true magic moments at Hellgate are indeed the “I have made it this far so that now I may suffer” moments. To have put yourself in a position to really test yourself. Most people don’t ever make it to the beginning of such an exam.

The 9 Peak is the next generation GPS watch from Suunto and differs from their other models with a slimmer profile, more aesthetic design and recent software updates. We put the 9 Peak to the test with long training weeks, structured workouts and everyday functional wear.

In 2015, I had just read “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall, where I learned that people run 100 miles at a time. While eating pizza and calling each other names? Professional runners. Not everyday parents that have ordinary office jobs. I put the book away, but the thought lingered. I could never run 100 miles, obviously. Or could I?

It was 2018, and Kevin Mathewson was in the zone. He was fresh off a personal best at the Bear Chase 50K in Morrison, CO, and had recently crossed the finish line of his first 100-mile race at Tunnel Hill, in Vienna, IL. A few months later, he found himself sitting in a doctor’s office, mind racing, awaiting the results from a biopsy. The news was not good. “I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.”

With a wise approach to layering, it’s possible to stay warm and dry and avoid concern for hypothermia or frostbite. Empower yourself to be confident, comfortable and safe in a wide range of weather conditions. Fine-tune your system using these basic suggestions as a starting point and test your layering tactics against whatever the elements deliver and enjoy what winter running has to offer.

Wacky weather greeted runners on race day with light rain dampening the early miles on this 50-mile loop. Made up of mostly of unpaved fire roads in central Pennsylvania’s Rothrock State Forest, the course received a few rays of sunlight after the rain subsided in the afternoon.

The MT is positioned in the Topo lineup as a hybrid road-trail shoe for light hiking or fitness running, but it also works well as a high-mileage trainer or race day shoe for those who are more accustomed to minimalist footwear. The latest iteration of this line, the MT-4, has updates from top to bottom, while preserving the same geometry and classic Topo fit that so many customers love.

Running has become vital to Logan Williams’ mental health and a way to deal with the physical pain he will have to manage for the rest of his life. He suffers from a rare autoimmune disease called Dercum’s, also referred to as adiposis dolorosa, a painful buildup of fatty tumors along muscle and nerve cells throughout the body, but typically in the calves, chest and torso.

UR Ambassador Jacky Hunt-Broersma started running five year ago because “it’s not something amputees really do,” and she wanted to see if she could push the limits. Jacky’s first ultra was a 40-mile trail race; she fell in love with the sport and the community and hasn’t looked back since.

New shoe releases get a lot of hype at The Running Event, but there are always a number of other items that catch our eye over the course of the two-day showcase. Check out Part 1 of our review for the newest shoe releases, and read on for some cool hydration products and other accessories we’re looking to test on the trail next year.

Our editorial team was enormously happy to be back at TRE, an annual industry showcase that was cancelled last year due to the pandemic. The event’s return was a gathering of running brands from all over the country, allowing our team to interact with companies face to face again and get a preview of items we’ll be testing in 2022. We’ve narrowed our focus to shoes in this recap; Part 2 will showcase other gear and accessories.

The inaugural Devil’s Gulch 36-miler gave me butterflies, which was a sign that I was in the right place at the right time. As the race began, the first two miles had me unsure of what I had signed up for. However, the next 22 miles would surely change my mind.

The holidays are here. Is your wish list complete? For those of you who may be new to ultrarunning or are transitioning from a road background to the off-road scene, there are a few items that can help make the shift easier.

Zack Beavin took his first steps toward becoming an elite ultramarathoner when he was 11 years old—a 4-foot 8-inch, 74-pounder with a buzz cut and boundless energy. Now 27, Beavin has logged more than 46,000 miles on tracks, trails and roads, challenging himself in body and spirit in a sport he dearly loves.

Fall demands a little more out of our sock game: more insulation, more durability and more dynamic performance to accommodate rainy weather and dropping temperatures. Here’s a new harvest of styles to keep your feet comfy as the days get darker and colder. 

All Swiss Alps 100 race distances run along the longest glacier in the Swiss Alps, the 14-mile-long Aletsch glacier, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. It’s a true privilege to be there. Along the way, there are three suspension bridges, a big dam, many small villages and even cows to feast your eyes on.

In the GPS watch category, COROS has established itself as a brand actively pushing the limits of feature sets. This is apparent in the new Vertix 2, which adds a large number of feature upgrades from the original model – including updated satellite capabilities, a larger display face, new sport modes, navigation maps, onboard music functionality, faster overall processing and a massive increase in battery life.

After years of notable ultrarunning performances, Boulder, Colorado’s Dave Mackey became an official legend of the sport with his recognition as 2011 UltraRunner of the Year. Dave’s latest accomplishment as a 51-year-old physician assistant raising two middle schoolers alongside his wife, Ellen: a 23:23:46 finish at Leadville. Prosthetic or not, that’s an incredible time. Here’s what Dave had to say.

Now 71, and with his stifled bar business trying to rebound from COVID, a hamstring injury and the effects of age on his speed and endurance, Tom McGrath’s plan is ambitious. From November 4–7, he will run three marathons in three days and on the fourth day, do the NYC Marathon. Tom’s running roots are firmly grounded in ultras – the concrete kind.

Utah’s mountain weather can be quite variable, but rarely as unpredictable as this year’s run. The Wasatch Range suckered runners into its lair with modest warnings and a beautiful morning. A 30% chance of precipitation was in the forecast: some rain perhaps, maybe some wind thrown in, too. So, what could go wrong?

The Allbirds product line has historically been focused on casual and athleisure-type footwear, however, they’ve recently expanded into high-demand athletic use. The Trail Runner SWT (sugar, wool and tree – the shoe’s primary source materials) is their first model built specifically for trail running. So far, we’ve put more than 250 miles on each of our test pairs, and their durability has been quite impressive.

I’ve never experienced aid stations like those at Twisted Branch. It was as if I had a giant surrogate crew that conveyed care and encouragement which is hard to put into words. Throughout the day, I was filled with a sense of gratitude and camaraderie to an extent I’ve never experienced in a race before, and found myself dedicating segments of my run to the people most important to me.

This year two of Nathan’s most popular items, the VaporKrar and VaporHowe vests, got an update and a new name—the Pinnacle. Primary updates include lighter and more breathable material construction, and additional kangaroo pockets for cargo storage.

Tiffany Sivco is no stranger to pain. Living with Fibromyalgia for the past five years, she’s learned to overcome pain. “I have Fibromyalgia and anxiety. Running has helped me significantly with both of these diagnoses.” Tiffany is tenacious in her approach to life by living it to the fullest and not letting pain get in the way of her joy.

Most of XOSKIN’s apparel lineup consists of light compression-style garments that dissipate heat and moisture while diminishing friction on the surface of your skin. We tested two new products in the XOSKIN lineup: the men’s 3.0 XOUNDERWEAR liner shorts, and the 4.0 Compression Shorts which are offered in men’s and women’s versions.

Within a mile, I was among new friends. Everyone was chatting. Laughing. I looked around and remembered the family of the ultramarathon. These are my people. From that first mile, Ouray didn’t feel like “me versus you.” It was us against the mountain. Us against the weather. Us against our feelings and us against our fatigue. Each one of us won the race we were running. Not every victory is on the podium.

The new Flight 30 Ultra Running Pack is an evolution of Six Moon Designs’ previous 2018 Ultralight model geared towards runners and fastpackers. This frameless, customizable-fit pack has a relatively slim profile that rides close to the body, which comes in handy for trail running or hiking through dense brush, and is well-suited for overnight adventures in the backcountry.

If you ask an ultramarathoner what it is like to run 100 miles, they will often tell you it is not for the faint-hearted. The 100-mile journey is an extreme example of its kind and not suited for someone who always plays it safe. During the 2021 Burning River, this phrase took on an entire new meaning.

In January, Krista and I looked at our race calendar with excitement, which included Runamuck 50K and Infinitus 50-mile in the spring, Vermont 100 in the summer and a grand finale of the Tahoe 200 in the fall. It was a fool proof plan—until it wasn’t.

Alaska is fabulous. The Resurrection Pass Ultras showcase the Resurrection Pass area of the Kenai Peninsula south of Anchorage between the towns of Hope in the north and Cooper Landing in the south, which comprises just one tiny corner of the vast miracle that is the state of Alaska. Running the Resurrection Pass 100 was one of the greatest adventures I’ve had in 25 years of ultrarunning.