Dear Ann,I always seem to train better when I have a really good friend to run with. Did you have any running buddies that helped you during your running career?—TerryDear Terry,Ultrarunning certainly is not about the lo...
Articles by Ann Trason
Dear Ann, I am new to ultrarunning. Some of my friends are telling me I should try longer races. Others are telling me to improve my time. Should my goal be to run longer or faster? What are your thoughts on this?...
Dear Ann,I have a stressful job and personal life, but I also get stressed before races. I seem to feel better when I run, but I have a really hard time getting motivated. Do you have any thoughts on stress and running?...
Dear Ann,Some of my friends ask me why I volunteer at ultras when I could be running them. I don’t need volunteer hours but I like volunteering as much, if not more, than running races. What else can I do to help? —Kathy...
Dear Ann,I’ve been running ultras for almost six years and I love the sport. But it doesn’t seem to matter how I do, I can’t figure out how to keep from getting down on myself. Is there a philosophy you’ve developed that...
Dear Ann,I love everything about ultras – the races, volunteers and crews. But when reading about epic runs and FKTs, I’m intrigued by the idea of trying an adventure somewhere other than a race. What are your thoughts o...
Dear Ann,A friend has asked me to crew for a 100-mile race this summer. I’ve run shorter ultras, but I’ve never crewed for a hundred. What’s the best way to prepare and what should I expect? —AndreaDear Andrea,Congratul...
Dear Ann, I tend to feel the worst while running through the night during a 100-mile race, and then bounce back when the sun comes up. This is why I thought I’d be good at multi-day runs, so I signed up for a 48-hour rac...
Dear Ann, I’m pretty new to ultrarunning. My family knows that things can happen whether in a marathon or on a trail race. What they worry about is if I travel alone to an ultra and something happens, will strangers step...
DEAR ANN, Whenever I start to pack for a race I worry that I will forget something that I’ll need. How do you make sure you don’t forget anything important? —Janet DEAR JANET, What a great question! During my runn...
Dear Ann, What defines being an ultrarunner? I’ve read about pedestrian races from the 1880s. Now 200-milers are common and people like Laz Lake, the race director of the Barkley Marathons, are walking across the coun...
Dear Ann, I have loved ultrarunning as a runner, but I’d like to take on a race as a race director and give back more. I know you were RD of the iconic Firetrails 50 Miler later in your career and you did a superb job....
Dear Ann, You had so many great races and big wins in your career, and although I’ll never win an ultra, after a big race that goes well, I sometimes hit a real low because the training and excitement of the event is go...
I was at the finish line of Lake Sonoma 50 chatting with my friend Scotty Mills. He asked me “How about doing an Ask Ann about trail etiquette?” If you don’t know Scotty, you should. He not only is a great runner, he is...
Dear Ann, I’ve been doing trail ultras for several years now and have seen more and more results in Ultrarunning on road and track loop ultras. I’ve been trying to decide whether to try one. What are your thoughts? I...
Dear Ann, I have always had difficulty peaking at the right time. For example, I would start training January 1 for WS100 (last Saturday in June) and quickly build up to 100-mile weeks. I would find myself peaking in Ap...
Dear Ann, When races go seriously wrong and my dreams are shattered, I ask myself, “Why am I running ultras?” After a DNF at Lost Souls I had trained hard and was ready, but then everything I wanted was denied. I went o...
Hi Ann: I sure admire you and consider you very inspiring and a great role model for women. I have been an endurance athlete most of my adult life. I’m now 53 and want to run a 50-mile trail race. (I’ve been doing trail...
Dear Ann: I have had a good year of racing ultras, with some satisfying “A” races over the summer. I have been resting and recovering pretty much the last few months, but I’m not ready to call it a year quite yet. Did...
Dear Ann, I recently heard that the Dick Collins Firetrails 50 Miler has been discontinued this year. It was such a wonderful and iconic event that so many of us looked forward to on the first Saturday of October in the...