Motivation, Indeed

Entering a new year and a new racing season feels like a fresh start, especially if you’re entering a new age group. The milestone can signify a potential for faster competition or an opportunity to see what you’re still capable of. Either way, it’s motivation for the year ahead.

In this issue, we’ve captured a small, but significant snapshot of ultrarunning in 2025. While “UltraRunners of the Year” is on the cover, the lists of best times and top performances are long. We’ve recognized oldest winners, outright wins by women, four or more wins, biggest ultramarathons in North America and much more. Inspiring performances were in abundance last year, like Anne Flower’s world record 50-mile race at Tunnel Hill, and Megan Eckert’s 6-day world record at 6 Jours de France. There seems to be no stopping the elite women.

Elite men pushed each other to break course records. Will Murray blew away the 2023 course record at Javelina, and David Roche even broke his own CR at the Leadville Trail 100. There’s no doubt that ultrarunners are getting faster. Whether motivated by Golden Tickets to Western States or simply seeing what their bodies are capable of, the performances in 2025 have us on the edge of our seats for 2026.

For those of us who found the sport after reading Christopher McDougall’s book, Born to Run ( 2009), Dr. Nick Tiller explores the question in his feature article, “Are We Really Born to Run?” He challenges evidence on both sides of the argument and breaks down the question for our readers, helping us understand how the mechanics of a human body keep us moving.

Ultrarunners might slow down as age begins to creep up, but they certainly don’t stop. Performances by 80-year-old Bob Becker’s finish at the Badwater 135 in 45 hours, and 55-year-old Jian (Stella) Springer who won the Jackpot 100-mile in 15:29, prove that age is just a number when it comes to running long distances.

While many might be motivated by Golden Tickets, some (myself included) are motivated by burritos. In this issue, UR publisher, Jamil Coury, gives readers a look back at his well-publicized adventure during the month of January last year, while running hundreds of miles on a .2-mile segment as he battled for the “Local Legend” status on the Strava platform. The Strava + Chipotle Challenge was held in numerous cities across the US for a month-long competition that rewarded winners with a year’s worth of Chipotle burritos. Motivation, indeed.

We hope you, our readers, are motivated by what you read and see on the pages in this issue, as these stories represent ultrarunners from across the globe. As humans who continue to seek adventure, we’re also searching for connection with one another. Our goal is to motivate and inspire you to find that connection in the year ahead.