First of all, I have to say that I’m happy you’re here. Even if you’re just dipping your toes in the water out of curiosity or simply trying to wrap your head around what it would take to run an ultra marathon, you’ve taken the most important step—the first one. You’ve begun! Or maybe you’ve …
Trail Running
According to the Institute of Preventative Foot Health, there are over 18 million Americans with flat feet and another 8 million with fallen arches. So first, know you are not alone in this! It’s very common to have flat feet and they should not prohibit you from running. That said, there are some preventative measures …
Entering the trail running scene, you will quickly notice the companies that are dominating the trail running shoe market. Many participants of the sport will be wearing Altra or Hoka shoes out on the trails. With so many options, it can be hard for someone new to trail running to pick out the right shoes. …
Running is a fickle thing. One day you can be feeling great, sitting on the proverbial mountain top, and the next you mysteriously feel sluggish and in the dumps. If you’re concerned about your running pace getting slower, make sure you’re not simply having an off-day. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has days here and …
After completing my first couple 100-mile races last year, I started wondering, “What is next?” Some people focus on qualifying races that will get them into notorious races like Western States or Hardrock 100. My mind took a different route, and I ultimately signed up for the 2020 Bigfoot 200-mile race. So, how long does …
The running community loves some good jargon, but it you’re new to the sport, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the fancy terms that your running friends are using. Thankfully, we’re here to help. We scoured our brains and the internet to find pretty much every single running phrase and acronym in the …
Knowing that a well-constructed taper can improve my running performance by as much as 3%, I set about researching and putting together a plan. The most common taper plan for a trail marathon to an ultra-distance run starts two to three weeks before race day. The idea is to reduce the training load gradually over …
When prepping for an ultramarathon, there will be constant reminders about putting together drop bags. The race website, Facebook page, and race manuals will mention the subject multiple times. Drop bags are bags or containers that are placed at aid stations giving trail runners access to items that they would not want to carry. Usually …
Trail running at night or early in the mornings is sometimes necessary to get in a training run. Usually trail runners head out into the darkness due to their busy schedule, it offers cooler temperatures, shorter days, or they signed up for a race that involves running in pitch black. Getting out on the trails …
I’m going to be honest. I’ve never considered myself to be a runner. I’ve always been a dedicated hiker and backpacker. I have no idea what got into me the day that I burst into a jog and then took off in a run on a trail. Maybe I had a lot of extra energy …