The Mesa Trail II is a minimalist shoe that includes design features to stabilize the foot and keep a good surface connection with trail due to an aggressive lug pattern. Many will find this model to be a fast, lightweight option for runners who prefer a little more protection but would still prefer to be “barefoot” on the trail.

Age is a funny thing. When we’re young, we want to be old and when we’re old, we look back and wish we were young again. It’s a paradox, no doubt. But as ultrarunners, it seems that no matter how old we are, while we...

Pacific Northwest winters are historically wet, cold and cloudy. Located west of Portland near the foothills of the Tillamook State Forest, Henry Hagg Lake is an ideal location to not only experience prime Pacific Nor...

After returning to the Hagg Lake 50K for the fourth time, I started to ask myself why I keep going back to this February race nestled in the northwest corner of Oregon, year after year. Is it because of my fellow runne...

Whether they’re good or bad, we all have our favorite ultra moments. Remember that painful bliss after crossing the finish line of your first ultra? Or the disappointment and heartache of your first DNF? Maybe it was...

After the first-ever hiatus in the 41-year history of the magazine, awards for UltraRunners of the Year (UROY) have returned. Even though 2021 stumbled to a rough start, larger races like Black Canyon Ultras produced...

The Western States Endurance Run lottery happens to be my favorite day of the year: no pressure, just an overwhelming amount of excitement and anticipation for those waiting for their chance to run.

UltraRunning was originally created for ultrarunners, by ultrarunners. Over 40 years later, it remains exactly that – inspired by you, our readers. The survey we conducted in September included over 1,000 subscribers and...

Relationships need to be nurtured. That’s never been more apparent. After being separated from so many over the past year, I decided to pack a lot of running into the fall months, and the one thing I’ve come to realize i...

UltraRunning Magazine reports the overall number of ultra finishes each February in our annual UltraRunners of the Year (UROY) issue. Due to last year’s drop in participation because of race cancellations, we had very li...

In a new report released on itra.run, ITRA’s new president, Bob Crowley, reveals his vision for the future of trail running, ITRA’s role in the global trail running community and answers questions about their relationship with UTMB.

This year’s return of Western States brought familiar faces, both young and old, to the iconic course on the last weekend in June. A few were running, some were volunteering, and many came to spectate at a race that hold...

Maybe it’s the apprehension of the start line or the exhilaration of the finish line. Or maybe, it’s the heartwarming feeling of reuniting with the ultrarunning community. But there’s definitely a feeling...

Runners returned to Olympic Valley, CA, this past weekend to run the world’s oldest and most iconic 100-mile race. Although the event was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, organizers, volunteers and participants didn’t skip a beat this year.

In his latest book, “A Runner’s High,” Dean Karnazes pulls in readers right where we’re most comfortable: on the trail in the middle of an ultramarathon.

The very first issue of UR was published this month back in 1981. The cover was printed in black and white and featured the TAC (The Athletic Congress) 50K champ from 1980, Bill DeVoe, running the Knickerbocker 60K in...

With a full year of race cancellations, COVID infections, restrictions and lockdowns moving ever so slowly into the rearview mirror, it’s hard to reflect on the past and not see a future full of opportunities. The...

As critical as a good bra is for comfort and function during a long run, it can also be exceedingly difficult to find just the right style without all the bounce. Our testers have put a new crop of spring tops through...

Jumping up to the famed buckle distance can be daunting for anyone. Despite the famous words of Karl “Speedgoat” Meltzer, 100 miles is actually pretty far and for most of us, takes a lot of time to finish. But to do s...

New to the market, the brand rnnr was co-founded by ultrarunners and offers fun gear for a running lifestyle. Their Cold Weather Running Beanie is a cozy cap that pulls on loosely and easily covers ears for maximum protection from the elements. The acrylic fabric is soft against the head and a thicker weave insulates during exposure to sleet and snow.

On my first day as UR editor, I received the following email: “Welcome to the job, from the first editor. What a great 10 years of my life getting UR started! IBM Selectric typewriter. Film cameras, struggling for a c...

Nashville software company Atiba Labs had already started a conversation with UltraSignup founder, Mark Gilligan, in the fall of 2019. “UltraSignup dominates the trail running registration space – they are already established,” said partner Jay Kelley, who is also an ultrarunner. The partners say they plan to stick with the brand’s look and feel, but will address the website’s need for more horsepower.

While Tropical John’s voice can be heard announcing finishers at the Western States finish line in Auburn, he also maintains a prominent voice in the magazine. We spoke with John about his ultrarunning career, the history of the magazine, as well as his piece, “Four Decades of Ultrarunning” in the 40th anniversary special issue coming out in February.

As we roll into the coming year, we’ve learned to look for glimmers of hope. Glimmers like races returning, smiles underneath masks, and the possibility that our sport will return to normal when it’s safe to do so. But you don’t have to wait. Make those glimmers happen by continuing to cultivate the encouragement and support that our sport thrives on.

Jeff Stern recently set the FKT on the Backbone Trail in Southern California. After most of his races were canceled this year, he completed extensive research and proper scouting on the the trail in order to go for the FKT. In this episode, we talked about his background as an athlete, what it takes to prepare, and what he learned from his first FKT attempt. Jeff is an elite ultrarunner, columnist for UR, a coach and an all-around wonderful person. Read his latest feature on Big’s Backyard in the December 2020/January 2021 issue of UltraRunning.

As ultrarunners, we live for planning. Lotteries. Race calendars. Training plans. Sound familiar? Normally, this is the time when we’d be planning for the year ahead. Yes, things have changed. The anticipation of race...

UR columnist Gary Cantrell (Lazarus Lake) took on an unexpected and exciting new race format this summer that ended up being one of the biggest of his career. This podcast episode began as a column and turned into a conversation about the Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee (GVRAT), Big’s Backyard and more.

The community. Smiles from familiar faces. Hugs from long lost friends. Meeting new people who feel like long lost friends. These are the things I miss about not running ultras in 2020.Connecting with others at events is...

Fall has arrived. In a typical year, back-to-school activities would be in full swing and fall races would fill the weekends. While much of that has changed, brisk morning runs and leaf-lined trails are a sign that summe...

Tracy Beth Høeg, MD, PhD is a sports doctor who happens to specialize in ultrarunning injuries. She is an accomplished ultrarunner herself, and continues to pursue a balance of being a working mom, wife and ultrarunner. We discuss how she found ultrarunning and became interested in studying the sport, her medical research at Western States, and how the current pandemic is affecting athletes. Dr. Høeg writes the column “Ultra Doc” for UR.

Fall has arrived. In a typical year, back-to-school activities would be in full swing and fall races would fill the weekends. While much of that has changed, brisk morning runs and leaf-lined trails are a sign that summer is no longer around to keep us warm.

As the co-founder of Squirrel’s Nut Butter, Chris Thornley is in the business of chafing – well, preventing it, that is. But it may come as a surprise that SNB was not originally created to prevent the dreaded skin burn.

The act of running is as simple as it gets, but as distances grow longer, so does the list of necessary gear. After a few years of carrying handhelds on long runs and suffering from numb fingers, loose straps and a gener...

John Trent has become a fixture in the ultrarunning community on the West Coast and is one of the best storytellers in the sport. Not only has he been on the Western States board since 2004, he’s also a race director and 10-time finisher of Western States. We discuss John’s big plans for 2020 prior to COVID-19 and his incredible ability to tell people’s stories in his column, Voice of the Sport.

In our very first episode, we talk with Erika Hoagland – an amazingly talented ultrarunner and author of the column, I Am an Ultrarunner in URM. We sit down to chat about her race plans (pre-COVID), training for 100-milers while being a mom, the experience of fastpacking around Lake Tahoe on her honeymoon, and what (and where) she hopes to run in the future.

Right now, our children are experiencing the world from a different perspective. With the inability to attend school, see friends or play team sports, they are also hearing us talk about pandemics, protests, riots and in...

As I sit down to write this, a majority of the world continues under broad orders to shelter in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Just a little over three weeks ago, my kids were still in school...

Co-founded by Michel Poletti in 2012, the International Trail Running Association (ITRA) became a way to track and score all ultras for UTMB and Ultra Trail World Tour (UTWT). On April 14, it was announced that Bob Crowley was voted in as the new president, replacing Poletti.

Even though Steve Durbin, owner of Durbin Race Management, can no longer run, he prides himself on making his races “runner-friendly.” This six-time Ironman and Boston Marathon veteran (he’s completed the legendary race...

An early season 50k is a great opportunity to “check the engine,” if you will. It’s also an excellent reminder of why we run ultramarathons. Maybe you’re really just looking to get some miles in and test the race waters,...

There are many reasons to invest in a treadmill other than a few weeks of miserable winter weather and a global health crisis, but for sanity and safety purposes, these reasons float treadmill ownership to the top of our list.

As spring training begins to grip you with its nasty, muddy hands, and you come to terms with the miles that lie ahead this season, don’t forget to schedule in some time to volunteer this year.As seasoned ultrarunners kn...

In 2019, world records were broken by men and women, and iconic races had their courses smashed. Women commanded the headlines with major wins in both the U.S. and abroad – and the spotlight became a little brighter on t...

Winter has arrived – time to break out the hand warmers so you’re able to keep your fingers crossed that the lotteries treat you kindly. With a new year on the horizon, it’s a perfect time to start thinking about which r...

I’m inspired almost every day by people doing amazing things – whether that’s running three 200-milers in three months or finishing a 5k for the very first time. These stories motivate me to keep doing what I’m doing, bu...

Runners endure their fair share of nerves and anxiety when it comes to competition. As a female runner, I’ve endured my fair share of harassment and discouragement, as well. From being called names in seventh grade becau...

On stage, John Wicks is seated behind his drum kit setting the rhythm for energetic, yet soulful songs of his band, Fitz and the Tantrums. Off stage, Wicks’ energy is present and familiar, with his bright smile and signa...

Pumpkin doughnuts. That’s all it took to get me to sign up for a scramble in the fall – one of my first official trail races. Held on a Friday afternoon in October, the course took runners through golden aspens, splashin...

Pumpkin doughnuts. That’s all it took to get me to sign up for a scramble in the fall – one of my first official trail races. Held on a Friday afternoon in October, the course took runners through golden aspens, splashing across a creek, climbing up a steep embankment (hence, the “scramble”) and along buttery single track for just a few short miles.

In 2017, the last finisher to round the track at Western States was Karen Bonnett-Natraj. The crowd erupted in cheers as she entered the stadium, and everyone was on their feet glancing at their watches as if that would help Karen make it to the finish line under the 30-hour cutoff. With just 9 seconds to spare, she became the oldest finisher that year at age 61.

Running on trails satisfies a primal need to connect with nature. The sheer thrill of treading across dirt, rocks and roots reaches deep into the soul and leaves us wanting more. After I began running ultras, I discovered another soulful connection with the trails that I never expected.

These women’s running tights from rabbit include a little compression and a lot of comfort. Perfect for mild winter weather or a chilly spring day, these tights will wick away moisture but aren’t insulated for sub-freezing temperatures.

Since turning 40 almost seven years ago, Jeff Browning has reacquainted himself with strength training. As a professional ultrarunner, he attributes his recent success to his “Tough 21” routine that helps him handle the volume and stress of 100-milers. Read and watch more about this circuit he does a few times per week.

For the past three years, I’ve been volunteering for the running club at my kids’ school. Kindergartners through fifth graders have the option of using their recess to run laps instead of play on the playground. Some of them choose to run a couple, while others run as many laps as they possibly can in their 20 minutes of free time.

While running the McDonald Forest 50K, my first ultra, I met a guy named Michael. We exchanged stories as I talked about my young twins and he told me how he’d run this particular race several times in the past. His training had recently taken a backseat because his wife was battling cancer.

With my history of previously failed 100k attempts, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect at the Cuyamaca 100K this past Saturday. In 2016, I succumbed to an injury just one week prior to the Gorge Waterfalls 100K. In 2017, I didn’t make the cutoff at mile 50 of the Gorge. And just this past May, I missed the start of the Miwok 100K due to a downed telephone pole. I was hoping the fourth time would be a charm.

As the last stop in the Under Armour Mountain Running Series, the 50K at Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort was the perfect event to kick off fall racing season in Central Oregon. With morning temperatures hovering around 30 degrees, runners had no choice but to don their winter gear at the 7 a.m. start.

Rolling up to Laz, he appeared as though he could have been part of a survey crew, or some form of civic organization in his neon yellow reflective vest. But Gary Cantrell, more commonly known as Lazarus Lake (Laz for short), is far from being associated with any government entity. He’s on a mission to walk across the United States, and he’s almost finished.

Low spots. Speed bumps. Ruts. We’ve all had them. Suddenly you find yourself in the midst of training without any mojo and weeks to go. How do you get back those butterflies you initially felt after registering on Ultrasignup.com?  Here are a few ideas to conquer what you’ll eventually see as a minor blip on your way to the finish line.

Wildfire season has arrived, right in the midst of summer training. Due to some of the most hazardous air quality conditions in the country caused by smoke, this year’s Siskiyou Out Back (SOB) Trail Run in Ashland, Oregon was canceled last weekend.