There are about a thousand articles on how to be safe in the outdoors. So, I won’t write number 1,001 but instead, I’ll start with a disclaimer: the following views are mine alone and do not represent those of the editor...
Articles by Buzz Burrell
At a time when media seems to report nothing but numbers—times and distance—it turns out that athletes themselves really care about style and ethics.
On September 2, Michelino Sunseri made an all-out attempt at setting the fastest known time (FKT) on the iconic Grand Teton in Wyoming. This is one of most stunning mountains in North America and has been a competitive F...
If you want to piss me off, just say, “You’re only as old as you think you are.” Not only is that cliché flagrantly and scientifically incorrect, but it is also insulting. It’s like telling a 5-foot-tall person they...
Are you dying to get into that famous race but can’t find a way onto the entrant’s list? Have you entered a race lottery eight months in advance, even though you’ve never gambled on anything else? I understand. Wanting t...
RUFA Moab race director Buzz Burrell navigates the course. Courtesy RUFA Moab It all began in 2012 with Jared Campbell. We were running and hiking up 8,299-foot-high Grandeur Peak that looms above Salt...
I plan my life around goals, even though I also think they can be stupid and dangerous. Let's try to reconcile this cognitive paradox. If I stick around home during the winter, I’ll spend inordinate amounts of time pl...
I’ve raced all around the world, from New Zealand to Norway, but I only recently discovered how little I know about this sport. A woman ran a marathon dressed as a fish, which won her a “best dressed” award. Charlott...
I thought I had the healthiest heart in the world. The left anterior descending artery is called the “Widowmaker” because it supplies blood to the heart. Another 5% of blockage and I’d have been gone in minutes.
If you know what a widowmaker is, the above title certainly caught your attention. Unfortunately, I had never heard of the term until three months ago when it happened to me. I have been an accomplished endurance athl...
The tough get going. This is what my high school track and XC coach used to say to us every day. These words have been chiseled into my brain. I can’t remember who I met yesterday, but I’ll never forget my high school coach.
I did not run the biggest race of 2023, but I was there. Along with 70,000 other people. The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) has become the most important trail race in the world by a very wide margin. The event is n...
Scott Jurek won the Western States 100 seven consecutive years in a row, which is not likely to happen again. He famously was also at the finish line to greet the last-place finisher during each of those years. In 2004,...
The tough get going. This is what my high school track and XC coach used to say to us every day. These words have been chiseled into my brain. I can’t remember who I met yesterday, but I’ll never forget...
Public land is a crucial factor in our sport, yet it is rarely discussed. There’s a good chance you’ve recently run on public land. For almost every trail run or trail race, our sport is reliant on public land. Do we take it for granted?
On December 15, 2022, the Pro Trail Runners Association (PTRA) was formed. The organization is headquartered in Switzerland but operates internationally, with a mission focused on: “Athletes Rights, Competitions, Anti...
Poles add the power of your arms to your forward motion for greater success, aid in stability, and off-load your quads on a steep downhill, which every runner knows can be the difference between a finish and a DNF. Take a cue from XC skiers, who have been effectively using poles for a few centuries: adding more forward power is a good thing.
Remember when magazines arrived in the mail, and we paid for them with subscriptions? If you do, you’re dating yourself. Paying for subscriptions seemingly disappeared when we were able to read...
“Never ask yourself why.” This is one of the original adage’s I heard after entering the sport of ultrarunning years ago. It was a dark, insider joke that meant don’t ask the question because you won’t be able to find a...
Running is very egalitarian. If you practice then you get better—no special skill, equipment, age, gender, location or cost involved.Which is great news, except for one thing: you really do have to practice....