Written by Andrew Simmons and originally published in the Winter 2017/18 edition of our Trail Times newsletter. Cold weather can provide its own set of unique challenges for runners. As temperatures drop, staying warm is critical. Making sure you’re taking the right steps to benefit yourself and your surroundings is key. What follows are a… Read more »
Written by Jim York and originally published in the Winter 2017/18 edition of our Trail Times newsletter. Northern Lites is an American Trail Running Association corporate member. Jim is also event director of the Ripper Race on February 4, 2018 at Afton Alps, WI. Snowshoes are an easy way to keep running all winter, even… Read more »
Written by Dr. Sarah Cash Crawford from Beyond Exercise, LLC. for the Fall issue of our Trail Times newsletter. Dry needling is a technique used mostly by physical therapists and occasionally by chiropractors, medical doctors and dare I say…acupuncturists. You may be asking: is it not the same as acupuncture? That is a very short answer:… Read more »
Book review written by ATRA member Laura Clark and originally published in the Fall 2017 edition of our Trail Times newsletter. The Tao of Running: Your Journey to Mindful and Passionate Running, by Gary Dudney. Meyer & Meyer Sport, 2016. The keys to The Tao of Running are contained in the subtitle: journey, mindful and… Read more »
The Way of the Runner: A Journey into the Fabled World of Japanese Running, by Adharanand Finn. Pegasus Books, 2015. Reviewed by Laura Clark for the Fall 2017 edition of the Trail Times newsletter. Upon his return from Kenya (Running with the Kenyans), A. Finn posted an impressive series of PRs in a variety of distances…. Read more »
The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate, by Peter Wohlleben. Greystone Books, 2015. Reviewed by Laura Clark for the Fall 2017 edition of the Trail Times newsletter. Deep into a difficult trail race, I always seem to recall this common quote: “I ran by the trees as if they were standing… Read more »
Written by Stephen R. Santangelo and originally published in the Fall 2017 edition of the Trail Times newsletter. If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over? ~John Wooden Many factors are essential in maintaining a healthy body to continue running the trails over the years and performing… Read more »
Written by ATRA member Stephen R. Santangelo I prefer to make reference to the body’s mid-section as the “trunk,” rather than the fitness industry’s buzz word of choice — “core.” The drawback to mid-section training, regardless of what word one chooses as the descriptor, is the focus on the same useless exercises such as crunches,… Read more »
Written by Laura Clark for the Fall 2017 edition of the Trail Times newsletter. Members of the Western Massachusetts Athletic Club always knew Mt. Greylock was magical, with its mist-enshrouded War Memorial crowning the top and its winter-white hump inspiring Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. But this year provided firm confirmation: Harry Potter & Company chose Greylock… Read more »
This past August an American Trail Running Association team captured panoramic “street-view” imagery of the entire Pikes Peak Ascent & Marathon course using Google’s backpack-mounted camera system. The resulting imagery will enable fans of the Pikes Peak race to view the entire length of the trail from the comfort of their home, or on the… Read more »
Book review written by Laura Clark for our Summer 2017 Trail Times Newsletter. The Trail Runner’s Companion: A Step-by-Step Guide to Trail Running and Racing, 5Ks to Ultras, by Sarah Lavender Smith. Falcon, 2017. The first thing I do when I approach a book is admire the jacket, glance at the table of contents and… Read more »
Written by Mike Teger for ATRA’s Summer 2017 Trail Times Newsletter. Mike lives and runs on the trails near his home in Colorado Springs. An ATRA member, Mike was the – in his words, “lucky recipient” – of a race entry provided by Spectrum Sports Management to ATRA for its monthly e-newsletter giveaway. I have… Read more »
A story about the first ever National High School Trail Running Championships written by Kenny Wilcox for ATRA’s Summer 2017 Trail Times Newsletter. It felt as if my lungs were expanding slowly like a thick, latex balloon. I looked down at the pronounced rising and falling of my chest to confirm what I already knew-my… Read more »
Written by Andrew Simmons for ATRA’s Summer 2017 Trail Times Newsletter. As a young coach, the opportunities to learn and grow come along as frequently as turns on a track. These opportunities eventually create wisdom and experience, and is one reason a coach of 30 years will coach more based on past experience than “by… Read more »
Written by Laura Clark for ATRA’s Spring 2017 Trail Times Newsletter. Cresting Homer’s rosy-fingered dawn is a new interest in Greek heroes. Sparked by Rick Riordan’s middle-grade Percy Jackson series two offerings for adults have recently made their debut. As a matter of pride for all of us, they are written by ultrarunners accustomed to… Read more »
Written by Andrew Simmons for the Spring 2017 issue of ATRA’s Trail Times Newsletter. If 2017 is the year you will go beyond the marathon distance, consider the following. Preparation: Longer distances will require more time in lots of aspects, make sure you have the time to commit to training. Starting with a good plan… Read more »
Written by Liz Grimm for ATRA’s Spring 2017 Trail Times Newsletter. Your brain’s sole existence in the world is to survive – because of this, the body has evolved to become a machine capable of changing in any way needed to survive whatever conditions challenge it. As runners, we call this compensation. When things go… Read more »
Written by Emily Higgins McDevitt for ATRA’s Spring 2017 Trail Times Newsletter. “A community of fun-loving girls and boys who run amok in the woods and mountains of Midcoast Maine.” Enjoy this personal story from Emily Higgins McDevitt, about the start of the Trail Runners of Midcoast Maine. As with all good things in life,… Read more »
Written by Pecker Trekker race director Jackson Stewart for ATRA’s Spring 2017 Trail Times Newsletter. The southern US has always been known for its pine forests. A formerly major part of this ecosystem, the Longleaf Pine was a prolific species that spanned over 90 million acres from Virginia south to Florida, and as far east… Read more »
Written by collegiate coaches Josh Eberly and Kevin Giesen for ATRA’s Winter Trail Times Newsletter. The Western State Colorado University Mountain Sports – Trail Team celebrated its fifth year in 2016, with Josh Eberly at the helm as head coach the past two years assisted by Bill Hibdon. Learn about the program from Eberly and one… Read more »