It’s the time of year for making resolutions and setting big goals, an especially important time for ultrarunners. When we share our goals with others sometimes it makes them ‘more real’ and helps generate support (pressure?) for us on our quests. So here goes—my goal is to race and have a PR at Western States this June. For me this is a biggie because I’ve done it six times, and with the help of an angry bear four years ago, I raced it to my maximum potential at a younger age. Or have I ? After some detours from racing ultras the last few years, this will be a huge undertaking for me. I’ll measure my progress at a few 50ks in February and March, then a 50-miler in April and a 100k in early May. I’ll provide some updates on how it’s going on our website and Facebook page starting this month. What are your ultra goals for 2015?
If you are looking for inspiration or ideas for setting and pursuing goals, this issue is here to help. Our Ultrarunners of the Year (UROY) are two of the most focused, disciplined and talented goal setters—and executors—in the sport. Rob Krar and Ellie Greenwood talk about their years and share their insights and some secrets in interviews on pages 28 and 29. Be sure to check out the rest of the awesome performances displayed in our special section covering last year’s ultrarunning stats and highlights, which can be motivating on a cold winter evening.
Also in this issue our columnists provide all sorts of helpful advice and inspiration for setting and going after your goals. And we have great pieces too from our contributors about some truly amazing experiences and accomplishments on the trails in 2014—they involve rattlesnakes and overcoming major challenges to cover extreme distances. And since the most important piece of equipment for a runner is shoes—we’ve got you covered with a comprehensive expert review of 13 different new kicks to transport you along trails and roads in 2015 beginning on page 20.
Based on reader feedback in surveys and focus groups, you will notice a few changes and new things in this issue. Our goal is to be more helpful, interesting, informative and entertaining in our coverage of ultrarunning. We aim to support continued growth while preserving the sport’s core values along the way. Please let us know what you think—especially constructive feedback and new ideas.
Here’s to another great year of going after it in 2015!
Karl Hoagland
karlh@ultrarunning.com