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Training and Racing

  • Something to Think About

    Drew Dinan 11/20/2022
    Drew Dinan 11/20/2022

    There is a lot of time to think during ultramarathons. And that place can get dark when we’re sore, exhausted or simply not having the day we envisioned. For me, I realized the best way to keep the doubts from creeping in was to think about the things most important in my life off the trails, rather than stressing too much about what was happening on them.

    Read more
  • Western States & Hardrock: A Crew’s Perspective

    Callie Vinson 11/09/2022
    Callie Vinson 11/09/2022

    I’m finally standing at the top of Robinson Flat—an aid station around mile 30 of the Western States 100—after flying down dirt roads, hopping a shuttle, hoisting coolers over my shoulders and trudging up a short hill. Now, it’s time to wait for my Golden Ticket-winning runner to show up and spring into action as fast as humanly possible.

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  • Match Adventure to Your Training

    Jason Koop 09/20/2022
    Jason Koop 09/20/2022

    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.

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  • When to Take Time Off

    Darcie Murphy 09/13/2022
    Darcie Murphy 09/13/2022

    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.

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  • Practice What You Eat: Prepare Your Gut for an Ultra

    Drew Dinan 07/19/2022
    Drew Dinan 07/19/2022

    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.

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  • Becoming a Durable Athlete

    Darcie Murphy 06/01/2022
    Darcie Murphy 06/01/2022

    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.

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  • Race Week Villains

    Drew Dinan 05/04/2022
    Drew Dinan 05/04/2022

    I seem to have battled race week supervillains the Sleep Monster, the evil duo of Captain Anxiety & Dr. Doubt and the always annoying Sargent Stale Legs since I first started running. No matter what I’ve tried, they always keep coming back. But this race week is going to be different. This week, I have a plan to get rid of these menacing forces for good.

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  • Fear of Failure

    Gary Cantrell 04/26/2022
    Gary Cantrell 04/26/2022

    Failure has a unique place in our lives. We do not want to fail. It is painful. It is embarrassing. And it is absolutely necessary if we are to accomplish great things. It stands between us and limitless possibilities.

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  • Three Training Runs to Add to Your Routine

    Jason Koop 04/12/2022
    Jason Koop 04/12/2022

    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.

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  • A Little Winter Speedwork Goes a Long Way

    Darcie Murphy 02/01/2022
    Darcie Murphy 02/01/2022

    While running far, climbing mountains and moving for hours on end are keys to success for ultramarathons, we should not overlook the benefits of running faster as we traipse over the trails. There are basic drills and tactics which all trail and ultrarunners can deploy, even in the depths of winter, that have considerable benefits.

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  • High Altitude Training

    Ian Sharman 07/07/2021
    Ian Sharman 07/07/2021

    A high-level overview which aims to prepare runners for the specifics of dealing with high altitude races. In particular, I’ve used Leadville Trail 100-miler as an example since it’s one of the most historic ultras, and a personal favorite where I’ve enjoyed battling for wins and coached two other winners and numerous finishers.

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  • Tips to Avoid a Mid-Race Divorce

    Cory Reese 02/05/2020
    Cory Reese 02/05/2020

    I’ve had some personal experiences running an ultramarathon with a spouse. I ran every step of a 100-miler with my wife, Mel. I also DNF’d a 100-miler with her. During both experiences, the miles tried to kill us. And at some point (okay, multiple points) during each race, we wanted to kill each other.

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  • From the Coach: Consistency is King

    Ian Sharman 08/08/2019
    Ian Sharman 08/08/2019

    I often get asked if there’s a secret to maintaining consistency. This question usually has the undertone of having your cake and eating it too, i.e. doing excessive training and getting away with it. Yet, it’s a fairly simple formula that I instill in those I coach, as well as in my own racing.

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  • Increase the Benefits of Caffeine in Ultras

    Guest Author 05/11/2019
    Guest Author 05/11/2019

    Caffeine is all around us in the form of coffee, tea and chocolate, but most runners don’t have enough knowledge of the substance to maximize its effectiveness. This natural stimulant can be incredibly beneficial when used properly on race day.

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  • Retool Your Running Mechanics: Transition to the Outdoors

    Jason Koop 03/25/2019
    Jason Koop 03/25/2019

    In part one of this series, we started with a home-based strength and coordination program to lay the platform for a stronger and more capable runner. In part two, we incorporated outdoor movements and drills to further refine the process. Part three pulls all of these components together and moves them to become efficient and economical trail running.

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  • Bronco Billy’s Tough 21 Strength Routine

    Amy Clark 02/08/2019
    Amy Clark 02/08/2019

    Since turning 40 almost seven years ago, Jeff Browning has reacquainted himself with strength training. As a professional ultrarunner, he attributes his recent success to his “Tough 21” routine that helps him handle the volume and stress of 100-milers. Read and watch more about this circuit he does a few times per week.

    Read more
  • Retool Your Running Mechanics: Outdoor Drills

    Jason Koop 12/17/2018
    Jason Koop 12/17/2018

    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.

    Read more
  • Retool Your Running Mechanics: Strength, Balance and Coordination

    Jason Koop 11/16/2018
    Jason Koop 11/16/2018

    The first in a series of three monthly articles on how to make changes in your running mechanics.

    Read more
  • Back-to-Back Long Training Runs: Friend or Foe?

    Pam Smith 09/12/2018
    Pam Smith 09/12/2018

    Gearing up for a longer ultra, such as a 100k or a 100-miler requires a dedicated training plan with particular focus on getting more miles and more time on feet. One way to accomplish this is with back-to-back long runs. Back-to-back long runs refers to doing long runs on two consecutive days, typically Saturday and Sunday for those with full-time jobs. Back-to-back long runs are a common practice in ultra training, but are they really necessary for success? That’s up for debate in this month’s column!

    Read more
  • Trail Etiquette: How to Be a Better Person on the Trails

    Ellie Greenwood 09/05/2018
    Ellie Greenwood 09/05/2018

    To me, it’s vital that we all think about trail etiquette – how to respect and maintain the beautiful natural environments that we choose to run through, and how to respect our fellow trail users. It’s important to recognize that we share the trails with others.

    Read more
  • Stride Frequency and Running Economy

    Matt Laye 08/29/2018
    Matt Laye 08/29/2018

    Most of us can’t escape the ultra-shuffle as we reach the later stages of races. As we fatigue our biomechanics change in many ways, including changes in stride length and frequency. In this article I will shy away from the nitty gritty details of biomechanics and focus on the relationship between stride length and frequency and how they impact running economy.

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  • The Case for “Walking”

    Travis Macy 07/17/2018
    Travis Macy 07/17/2018

    We’re off to the races for July and that means many in the ultrarunning tribe will soon be tackling long training runs and races in the mountains. One strategy that’s often overlooked and misunderstood in mountain running is walking up hills.

    Read more
  • An Ultrarunner’s Guide to Sea Sickness

    Cory Reese 07/17/2018
    Cory Reese 07/17/2018

    I have run ultras in the mountains. I have run ultras in the deserts. I have run looped-course ultras. I have run an ultra across Death Valley. I have run solo ultras. But there was one glaring omission from my previous running resume: an ultramarathon with the opportunity to eat ice cream sixteen times per mile.

    Read more
  • Destination Unknown: Heat Acclimatization, Interrupted

    Jeff Kozak 05/30/2018
    Jeff Kozak 05/30/2018

    For those of you, like myself, who are potentially facing triple digit temperatures to match a triple digit race distance, here are some things to consider to keep your ‘A’ goals from evaporating.

    Read more
  • Will Glycogen-depleted Runs Improve Your Performance?

    Pam Smith 04/26/2018
    Pam Smith 04/26/2018

    If you spend any amount of time talking about ultrarunning nutrition, you are almost certain to hear the term “fat adapted.” The general idea is that a “fat adapted” athlete will be very efficient at burning fat and thus have an immense supply of stored fuel, eliminating the need to ingest large quantities of carbs.

    Read more
  • Training with Purpose: Periodization

    Matt Laye 02/28/2018
    Matt Laye 02/28/2018

    The stress of any given training is due to the intensity and duration of the types of running that occurs. The idea of periodization of training is that during some periods you may train at a low intensity for a long duration and during other periods at a high intensity for a short duration – or any combination in between.

    Read more
  • The Beauty of the Buddy System

    Sarah Lavender Smith 02/15/2018
    Sarah Lavender Smith 02/15/2018

    Barely past the halfway point of Run Rabbit Run 100 last September, my legs and feet rebelled. Stiff muscles, achy joints and soles so tender that I winced with each step conspired to abort yet another attempt to run. Dejectedly hiking in the fading light of dusk on a gentle stretch of trail above Steamboat Springs, I said to my pacer, Jacob Kaplan-Moss, “Sorry, this is all I can manage right now.”

    Read more
  • That’s Not a Light…

    Dean Karnazes 11/08/2017
    Dean Karnazes 11/08/2017

    Man came out of darkness and into the light, and that was my experience during the 2003 Angeles Crest 100. Not a lot of planning went into the race. The…

    Read more
  • Running While Pregnant

    Guest Author 07/09/2017
    Guest Author 07/09/2017

    When I first found out I was pregnant, I googled “running while pregnant” and was disappointed in the lack of information out there. There was information about Olympic athletes and information for recreational runners, but not much for someone who fell in between these two categories.

    Read more
  • The Fine Line Between Overtraining and Illness

    Guest Author 06/27/2017
    Guest Author 06/27/2017

    It gets confusing to tell the difference between being exhausted from training/racing and being tired due to illness. But it takes just a few hours to get it checked it out and get answers, and then create a plan towards recovery.

    Read more
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