UltraRunning Dec 2019/Jan 2020
- Our Favorite Things
- Challenges of Cold Weather Running
- Run Rabbit Run
- Mountain Lakes 100
- Tips to Avoid a Mid-Race Divorce
- Yeti 100
- Through Ultra Obstacles
Addie Bracy checks in as number eight in 2019. Bracy had a strong and consistent year, with podium finishes at Way Too Cool, Lake Sonoma 50 and The North Face Endurance Challenge. She also won the Quad Rock 50 and was ninth at Western States. Bracy lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her partner Corey, and recently completed a graduate program in sports and performance psychology at the University of Denver.
Matt Daniels is the ninth ranked runner in the 2019 Ultrarunner of the Year voting. After a DNF at the Bandera 100K in January, Daniels destroyed a deeply talented field while winning the Black Canyon 100K in February and receiving a golden ticket to Western States, where he finished fourth in his debut 100-miler. A Navy veteran and former All-American track standout at Adams State, Daniels lives in Boulder, Colorado, with his new bride, Lauren.
Two early releases in the UltrAspire lineup for Spring 2020 are available this month: the new Basham race vest and the Spry 3.0 race vest.
Amanda Basham is the 10th ranked woman for 2019. She won three races and placed second at the highly competitive Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix (CCC) 101k race in the Alps. Originally from Oregon, she now lives in Manitou Springs, Colorado.
Salomon’s new X Alpine Pro shoe is made with high mountain environments in mind, specifically the hard rocks or loose scree of being above the tree line.
Kimble’s goal is to come in any time under 38 hours and 32 minutes to break the record, but his “A” goal, if all goes according to plan, is to come in closer to 36.5 hours.
The diverse terrain and trails at Hungerford – weaving through the Huron-Manistee National Forest and West Michigan countryside – continue to provide a beautiful backdrop for runners who come to achieve their goals.
“My life was pretty much gymnastics and school. We worked out in the gym 20-30 hours per week.” After a string of injuries in high school and her gymnastics days behind her, Meghan had a big void to fill. Her dad was a marathon runner, which intrigued Meghan, and at the age of 18, she decided to join him for a run.
The Marji Gesick is better known as a mountain bike race, but soon will be well known in the ultrarunning world as it offers both 100-mile and 50-mile runs.
When life or health issues get in the way, one of the hardest choices runners must make is whether or not to run a race. Sometimes it’s for logistical reasons that are out of your control, such as starting a new job or the timing of a new baby. But when it’s due to injury or not being well-prepared, it’s tough to make the right call.
Burning Man is about creating a community that’s about sharing. It’s about an experiment in being who you are, who you really want to be, who you can be, in an environment of complete freedom. It’s a place of participation and a place of no spectators. So of course, I had to create an ultramarathon.
The crux of the race, aside from the sustained altitude, is going over Hope Pass at 12,600 feet, twice — once at mile 43.5, and again at mile 56.5. Several finishers that I had spoken with imparted the wisdom that if I could make it over Hope Pass the second time, I’d finish.
It’s no surprise, given Brett Farrell’s background in psychology and running, that he’s created a business which not only sells clothing, but promotes a lifestyle that revolves around the beauty of running using films, photography and stories about trail runners from all over the country.
When Rod Farvard crossed the finish line last fall at the Cuyamaca 100K in Julian, California, not only had he just finished his first 100k (his third ultramarathon), won the race and set a new course record in the process, but he thought he’d just punched his ticket to the 2019 Western States Endurance Run. Quite literally a dream come true for this 23-year-old from San Francisco.
For my wife’s 40th birthday, she wanted to do something special that fit our ideal travel criteria. It had to involve mountains and hiking, be affordable, have good food and drink, and offer a little adventure. We decided on Romania.
It turns out this course has one of the steepest climbs in Ohio. Great. It also turns out that 95% of the 5,500 feet of elevation gain comes in the last 1/3 of each 25-mile loop. Fantastic. You see, I’m a flat and fast runner.
Last year, Topo Athletic filled out the max-cushioned end of their trail shoe lineup with the Ultraventure. This fall, they fill the same slot in their road lineup with the Phantom, a new maximum-cushion shoe that has the same stack heights and geometry as the Ultraventure, with a lighter and more breathable upper that is well-suited for road running.
With a total elevation gain of 34,600 feet, the 100-mile course is tough but also very beautiful, traversing over three suspension bridges, a big dam and through many idyllic villages.
Set against the twin backdrops of the Saint Croix River and Afton State Park, the 25K course (repeated for the 50K) winds through a virtual guidebook of picturesque Minnesota trail running, from twisty single track to long, rock-covered climbs to wide prairies.