Majell Backhausen and I were chatting over coffees – specifically, flat whites, in local style – at a small shop in Wanaka, New Zealand. It was February, and I had been traveling around New Zealand after the Tarawera 102...
Articles by Matt Flaherty
New Zealand may be a relatively small nation, but it has played an outsize role in running history. It was the legendary running coach Arthur Lydiard, after all, who developed a system of training built on aerobic streng...
In November, I had the honor of representing the U.S. in international competition for the third time. It was my third consecutive trip to the IAU 100K World Championships, and this edition was hosted in the Mediterranea...
It’s been waiting for you… a robust and beautiful trail and ultrarunning scene, expanding outward from Ithaca and from the vision and boundless energy of Ian Golden. While there are trail and ultra races in New York that...
When I visited Asheville, NC, for the first time in April, I was excited to check out the trail running scene. I had heard great things about this western North Carolina city and its mountain-centric runners, and I was e...
Zach Miller thrills. He bursts from the line like his life depends on it, accelerates through aid stations as if chased by a specter, crosses the finish line limbs flailing, elation and agony twisted across on his face....
I’ve always been drawn to races with history. Part of it is the comparative element – the ghosts on the trail to whom you can compare your effort. A race’s longevity also tends to be a good proxy for quality. But my affi...
On January 22, a vicious winter storm descended on Huntsville. So too, did hundreds of ultramarathon runners, hungry to race the Mountain Mist 50K the next day. Run on the deceptively difficult trails of Monte Sano, the...
As ultrarunning has become more popular and more competitive, increasing numbers of runners are turning to coaches to help guide their training. Certainly, some runners simply wish to train by whim and feel, spending lon...
Winschoten, The Netherlands I’m 89 kilometers into the 2015 IAU 100K World Championships in Winschoten, the Netherlands, working through a panoply of aches and pains. My calves and hamstrings have been occasionally cr...
UR: You ran a smart and impressive race at the Power of Four 50K, taking the women’s win in 5:53:25. How did the race progress for you? What were your high and low points? Ashley Erba: Thank you! The race came togethe...
In North American ultrarunning, the Western States Endurance Run reigns supreme. In Europe, the focus of many ultrarunners lies squarely on the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc. But in South Africa, the Comrades Marathon has th...
As ultrarunners everywhere ramp up their training for their summer goals, it is a good time to discuss and strategize for training and racing in the heat. This is a complex topic, and scientists’ understanding of the var...
The past few years have seen tremendous growth in the sport of ultrarunning. With that growth, ultrarunners have benefited in many ways. One such benefit is the advent of ultrarunning camps. 2015 will see several new cam...