Proper course marking is one of a race director’s most important tasks and is essential for putting on a safe and successful trail race. Trail races can be more challenging to mark than road or cross country events because they are often staged in large parks, forest, or mountainous areas with trail systems with complex… Read more »
Over the past several years, the Cirque Series has quickly become one of the most competitive short-distance mountain race series in the Western United States. Founded in 2015, the series consists of six races hosted by some of the county’s most renowned alpine ski resorts. This year’s venues include Alta, Utah, Brighton, Utah, Alyeska, Alaska,… Read more »
Last Sunday, August 29, concluded a week of trail running action at the 2021 Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) races held in Chamonix, France. UTMB week includes an alphabet soup of trail races of different distances, including the YCC (4, 8 & 15 km), MCC (40 km), OCC (56 km), CCC (101 km), TDS (145 km),… Read more »
Adrian MacDonald’s Astonishing First 100 Miler, Annie Hughes Home Turf Victory and Krupicka’s Podium Return at the 2021 Leadville Trail 100 Mile. This past weekend, August 21-22, the 2021 Leadville Trail 100 presented by LaSportiva and owned by Life Time, attracted some of the county’s top ultrarunners to Leadville, Colorado for this grueling high altitude… Read more »
August, 15th UPDATE: Follow LIVE race results available at: https://www.hubertiming.com/results/2021GnarGnar After the 2020 race was cancelled, this Sunday will see the country’s top mountain runners face off at the USA Track & Field (USATF) Mountain Running Championships; the fourth MUT championship in the 2021 series. Returning to Oregon for the first time since 2015, this… Read more »
The Under Armour TransRockies Run is back in 2021 to deliver one of the best and most epic trail running adventures in North America. Now in its ninth year, this unique six-day trail running stage race was held last week in the rugged backcountry of the Colorado Rockies and offered runners incredible mountain views, well-organized… Read more »
This past Sunday, the 48th annual Buena Vista Pack Burro Race was held in the small mountain town of Buena Vista, Colorado (population 2,700). The race is a part of the annual “Gold Rush Days” summer celebration of the town’s art and history, which includes Buena Vista’s place as an epicenter for the niche sport… Read more »
This past Saturday, the 5th annual National High School Trail Championships (NHSTC) was held in the small mountain town Salida, Colorado. This youth trail running event attracted a new crop of talent and was a successful follow up to last year’s race which had a record number of participants. In addition to hosting more young… Read more »
Zachary Friedley is a true inspiration as he creates opportunities for adaptive athletes in the trail running community. Adaptive athletes, or athletes with physical disabilities who compete in competitive or recreational sports, are an underrepresented group who face challenges participating in trail running races. Friedley, an adaptive athlete born missing his leg above the knee,… Read more »
Just a few weeks after “The Big Dance” of American ultra-trail running competitions — The Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run — we catch up with top-ten finisher Alex Nichols who reflects on his race experience. Nichols, an accomplished trail runner sponsored by Scott Running, placed second at this event in 2017 and went into the… Read more »
Understanding heart rate “zone training” can help you gauge your efforts and get the most out of your trail running training. Many trail runners may already be familiar with the concept of measuring heart rate during or after runs, but may not know the more complicated science behind what differentiates each heart rate “zone” and… Read more »
The 2021 Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, held this past weekend, drew one of the most competitive fields of elite trail runners since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. Among the 315 starters were thirteen Team USA athletes who have represented the United States in Mountain, Ultra or Trail (MUT) World… Read more »
After a hiatus in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Western States returned in 2021! The 47th running of the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run was held this past weekend, June 26-27, 2021. Western States is one of the most historic and competitive ultramarathon events in the country and attracts the top U.S. and… Read more »
“Alex is extremely humble and far from the loudest voice in the crowd or on social media, so it can be easy to miss him. But make no mistake about it, when he’s racing, Alex likes to compete and he really likes to win.” – Brandon Stanpanowich, accomplished ultrarunner and Alex Nichols’ Western States training… Read more »
The Greater Omaha Area Trail Runners (G.O.A.T.z) are leading the way for growing the Midwestern trail running community, and doing so with a focus on giving back to the community and protecting the trails. This 503(c) non-profit running club has over 3,600 Facebook group members, organizes group runs and trail work sessions, and hosts some… Read more »
The GoPro Mountain Games returns and awards over $25,000 in cash to top U.S. trail runners! After cancelling this popular event last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, this massive four day celebration of mountain sports, art and music held annually in Vail, Colorado, was back this past weekend, with a modified format. Changes included… Read more »
Statesmas returns! One of the country’s most historic and prestigious ultra-trail running competitions, The Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, after being cancelled last year due to the pandemic, is scheduled for June 26-27 and this year will be one of the most competitive fields ever assembled. With many of the country’s top ultrarunners toeing… Read more »
Almost exactly one year ago I interviewed Brad Wann of the Western Pack Burro ASS-ociation (WPBA) to learn how the pack burro community was adapting to the pandemic, pivoting to virtual races and finding creative ways to keep the sport alive. Now, I’m catching up with Wann to see how this historic Colorado heritage sport… Read more »
This past Saturday I attended my first-ever “shoe demo” event organized by ATRA member Salomon to preview its new Ultra Glide trail shoe in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This event provided the rare opportunity for American Trail Running Association followers to test the upcoming Salomon Ultra Glide shoe, set to launch August 1, 2021. Attendees were… Read more »
Laura Haefeli (pictured above far left) will forever be an inspirational figure in the history of U.S. mountain running. She represented the United States at the World Mountain Running Trophy race from 2004 to 2008 and her impressive trail running career has since earned her a place in the Colorado Running Hall of Fame. Her… Read more »
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