Finding the right winter trail running gear is essential to staying comfortable and warm during your runs this time of year. What do I mean by “comfort?” Firstly, it’s based on personal perception and everyone has a different perception of when they are and aren’t comfortable. Most people agree that being cold and wet is… Read more »
Last month I traveled to Southeast Utah to attend the Moab 240 and learn about “angel pacing” and find someone engaged in this type of pacing. While hanging out at my first multi-day ultrarunning event, I was also introduced to the unique challenges 200-mile events provided competitors, race crews and organizers. After a very long… Read more »
Listening to trail running podcasts is a great way to keep up with the people, races and training advice inside the trail running community. These podcasts vary in style, length, and delivery, so I like to listen to a diverse assortment. Episodes can be as short as 15 minutes while others may last more than… Read more »
Earlier this month I traveled to the USATF Marathon Trail Championships hosted by the Moab Trail Marathon in the scenic canyon country of Southeast Utah. As a native Utahan, this event has holds a special place in my heart as Moab was my first ever trail marathon when I raced it back in 2015. Instead… Read more »
Trail races at the 200-mile distance are gaining attention in the ultra trail running community in the United States. Just as 100 mile races have surpassed the marathon as a bucket list accomplishment for long distance runners, the emergence of 200 mile races is pushing the boundaries of endurance for athletes, race directors and fans…. Read more »
Last month, professional mountain runner Kilian Jornet launched his Outdoor Friendly Pledge at the US Trail Running Conference over Zoom to an audience in Fayetteville, AR, and virtually around the United States. Kilian’s pledge is driven by his passion for preserving the environment and aims to inspire events, athletes, brand and federations to make commitments… Read more »
“Angel pacing” has been happening for years at races, and now that ultra running is becoming more popular, this term is catching on in the community lexicon. Angel pacing is the practice of offering oneself as a pacer to competitors during an ultramarathon. Angel pacers can greatly assist runners who are unable to organize their… Read more »
Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on our society, many trail runners have found their 2020 race plans cancelled or drastically changed. Some of us have turned to virtual races or other challenges to satisfy our racing itch. Despite the lack of in-person racing, there have been many inspiring stories of trail runners… Read more »
The Boulder Skyline Traverse, a 16.9-mile trail running route that traverses several of the most iconic peaks on the skyline of Boulder, Colorado, has become one of the country’s most competitive FKTs (fastest known time) in the month of September. The route has 3,049 feet of vertical gain and includes a mix of technical and… Read more »
Earlier this month the Active at Altitude Fall Trail Running Camp was held in Estes Park, Colorado. This camp was six days focused on trail running, with expert coaching, interactive group trail runs, workshops on physiological training and mental training, floor or yoga session, video of running form, great food, camaraderie, and more. For newbies… Read more »
The first time I met Brittany Charboneau was in the summer of 2019 at a Peak Performance Running practice for youth athletes in Golden (Colorado). Both Charboneau and I were helping with the practice and we ended up having a conversation about trail running. She didn’t know much about the sport, but picked my brain… Read more »
Compared to the physical side of training, mental training is often overlooked. However, this training aspect is just as important to improving your performances at competitions and being the best runner you can be. Unfortunately, there can be a negative stigma surrounding mental training. Many runners think they only need to work on mental training… Read more »
This is the story of my return to competitive racing after a three-year hiatus. I haven’t had a race where I felt like I was running 100% normal since the 2017 World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in Premana, Italy — that is until this past weekend at the Pikes Peak Marathon in Manitou Springs,… Read more »
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, it seems like more runners than ever are attempting FKTs (Fastest Known Times), Strava Segments or Challenges. One might even say it’s been the summer of “FKTs,” as we’ve seen many prominent FKT records challenged or broken including the Colorado’s Nolan’s 14, the Colorado Trail, Adirondack (New York) 46 High… Read more »
Despite growing up in the Wasatch Mountain of Salt Lake City, Utah, and referring to mountain goats as my spirit animal, I was actually born far from the mountains in the flat plains of Bismarck, North Dakota. Although trail running exists in North Dakota, trail races are few and far between, and the trail community… Read more »
Last month, Sarah Hansel set a new women’s unsupported northbound Nolan’s 14 record of 57 hours and 43 minutes across 80+miles and 40,000 feet of vertical gain. Colorado’s Nolan’s 14 is arguably one of the most difficult tests of trail running and mountaineering skills. Learn about the specifics of the challenge in my article Nolan’s… Read more »
Tight or painful iliotibial bands (IT bands) are one of the most common trail running-related injuries, but can be resolved within several days or weeks with the right recovery methods. IT band tightness can extend from the hip down to the kneecap and in some cases, can include shooting pains down the outside of the… Read more »
In the past two weeks, both the men’s and women’s Fastest Known Time (FKT) records for the historic Nolan’s 14 route in Colorado’s Sawatch mountain range were broken. Fastest Known Times, or FKTs, are times records set on particular routes in the trail running world. [PRO TIP] Now you know what an FKT is; bone… Read more »
I recently attended the Peak Performance Altitude Camp in Keystone, Colorado as an assistant coach. In attendance were 43 middle and high school athletes — including 19 from outside Colorado — who trained on the trails and enjoyed the camp’s many activities. The altitude camp schedule included daily runs on some of the most beautiful… Read more »
This past Saturday, the 4th annual National High School Trail Championships, held in Salida, Colorado, drew some of the nation’s top high school trail runners and doubled total participant numbers from last year, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The race drew familiar names in youth trail running circles including Colorado standouts Colin Szuch… Read more »
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