Articles by Amy Clark

Listen to Karen

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...

Flavor Science: An Interview with Magda Boulet

URM: The flavor wheel includes sweet, sour, salty, spicy and stringent (bitter). Can you describe how GU determines their variety of flavors based on this wheel, knowing that there will be more demand for a sweet flavor...

Reconnect with Your Roots

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 discovere...

Listen to Your Gut

At a recent 50k, I was reminded how important it is to listen to your body. More specifically, your gut.If you’re lucky, identifying pangs of hunger comes easily, which allows you to fuel regularly throughout an ultra. B...

The Beat in 1981

In 1981, the music scene in New York City was a melting pot of reggae, jazz, disco, hardcore and much more, with hip hop and rap beginning to bubble just beneath the surface. Back then we could hold music in our hands wi...

Inspiration Comes in All Shapes and Sizes

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...

Diving in Head First

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 trai...