Articles by Jeffrey Stern

Ultra Weekend Recap — January 14

The trend of fast times in 2024 continues in our Ultra Weekend Recap where we saw course records fall at the Bandera races in Texas. Two Canadians from Chilliwack dominated at the HURT 100 in Hawaii and Washingtonians won the long-running Bridle Trails Winter Trail Running Festival 50k in Washington. 

What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — January 13

Headlining What’s Up in Ultra on our UltraRunning Calendar this weekend is the fabled HURT 100 in Hawaii, a much faster 100-miler in Florida and a long-standing 50k in the Pacific Northwest, among many others. 

Ultra Weekend Recap — January 7

The first weekend of racing in 2024 delivered a slew of fast times and course records in 50k events across the country. Headlining our Ultra Weekend Recap are results from the San Tan Scramble 50k in Arizona, the No Hands 50k in California and the Frozen Gnome 50k in Illinois. 

What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — January 6

We’ve made it to the new year in our What’s Up in Ultra column with more races from our North American UltraRunning Calendar. This weekend we have big events in Southern California, Texas and Illinois, just to name a few.

Ultra Weekend Recap — December 31

It’s the last day of the year and we have some results from around North America for our Ultra Weekend Recap. Leading the way is the Tuscobia Winter Ultra 160-miler in Wisconsin, the New Year’s One Day shorter distances in California and the Revenuer’s Run 8-hour in Ohio. 

What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — December 30

After a pause for the holiday weekend on our UltraRunning Calendar, we’re back to close out 2023 with a bang. Our database boasts nearly two dozen events crisscrossing the country, but we’ve highlighted a self-supported 80/160-miler in Wisconsin and timed events in San Francisco, Arizona and Georgia.

Ultra Weekend Recap — December 17

The results have rolled in from Aravaipa’s Desert Solstice Track Invitational in Arizona, the Lookout Mountain 50-miler in Georgia and the Woodside Ramble 50k in California for our Ultra Weekend Recap.

What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — December 16

We’re getting close to the end of the year, but our North American UltraRunning Calendar still has some races where you can either line up at the start or simply follow along. This weekend, look no further than Desert Solstice 24-hour in Arizona, Lookout Mountain 50-miler in Georgia, the Woodside Ramble 50k in California and the Arctic Frog 50/50 in Wisconsin.

Ultra Weekend Recap — December 10

Even as the temperatures drop, we’re finding fast times in our Ultra Weekend Recap. There was a new course record at the 21st Hellgate 100k in Virginia, and we’ve also got results from a 50k in Ohio and the 42nd Tallahassee Ultra Distance Classic in Florida. 

What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — December 9

While many ultrarunners have closed the books on the 2023 racing season, the depth of UltraRunning Calendar indicates that the year is anything but over. Headliners include the 20th Hellgate 100k in Virginia, the Bigfoot 50k in Ohio, the 42nd Tallahassee Ultra Distance Classic 50/50 and more.

Ultra Weekend Recap — December 3

December’s first Ultra Weekend Recap delivers results from the Ray Miller 50/50 in Southern California, the Sawmill 50k in Colorado and the 43rd Pine Mountain 40-miler in Georgia. 

The Best Plan is No Plan at All

Whether you consider yourself an ultrarunner or not, making grandiose plans for the upcoming season is a common end-of-the-year activity. We tend to look back on what we’ve done and try to adapt for future pursuits and g...

What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — December 2

After last weekend’s lightest racing lineup of the year, during the first weekend of December, our UltraRunning Calendar has over 40 races. Leading the way is a 50/50 in Southern California, a 43-year-old 40-miler in Georgia, a competitive 50/50 in Arizona and more.

Ultra Weekend Recap — November 26

We have some lightning-fast results from the 40th Quad Dipsea in California, a 50k in North Carolina and a 50k in Seattle to cover in our Ultra Weekend Recap coming on the heels of Thanksgiving.

What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — November 25

As expected, the weekend after Thanksgiving is slim on our UltraRunning Calendar—there’s only a baker’s dozen or so of races to choose from. The highlight, as it’s been for four decades, is the 40th Quad Dipsea in Mill Valley, CA, followed by the Derby 50k in North Carolina entering its third decade, as well a small handful of other races.

Ultra Weekend Recap — November 19

As we head into the week of Thanksgiving, highlights in our Ultra Weekend Recap include some speedy times at the country’s oldest 50-miler, two new course records at a large…

My First Year as Race Director

Race directing a 50k is like running a 100-miler, or at least that’s my hypothesis as I recover from the Tamalpa Headlands 50K. It’s interesting to look back and realize when we started the whole process, a few conve...

Mermoud's Magic: The Story of Western States and Hoka

An accomplished alpine skier, mountaineer, adventurer and all-around athlete for his entire life, France’s Nico Mermoud is intimately familiar with being at the forefront of innovation. After being heavily involved w...

Chuckanut 50K

As I trotted my way to the start, it felt cold on the coast of Washington. Surprisingly, it wasn’t raining, which was welcomed by the nearly 500 eager runners who lined up at Fairhaven Park preparing to tackle the 29t...

Unexpected Ultra Training

Back in January, I was ready to start training in earnest, with races on the calendar just a few months away and my physical recovery from the end of year races in November was complete. The flickering flame inside wante...

Benefits of Running Shorter

It’s easy to emerge from a winter thaw feeling rejuvenated and ready to roll on the trails. Pumping the brakes is likely harder than testing out the throttle after a deep hibernation, especially with...

Ultrarunners to Watch in 2023

At the end of each year, there are plenty of ultrarunners who’ve made a lasting impression, even if they don’t top the annual UltraRunners of the Year list. So, before racing season kicks off in 2023, we’re keeping our...

Adam Peterman

Just four short years ago, Adam Peterman thought his running career was finished. He was coming off a nagging Achilles injury that prevented him from having any success during his final years in the storied University...

Courtney Dauwalter

Not many people would use a 160-mile fastest known time (FKT) attempt just one month after one of the world’s hardest 100-milers in preparation for another notoriously demanding 100-miler, but there are few like 37-ye...

Record at The Ruth

“Imagine running 3 hours and 22 minutes for 50k…and getting beat by 45 minutes!” “Tropical” John Medinger said to me after, well, doing just that on October 8, in San Francisco, California, at the 35th annual Ruth Anders...

Mount Tam Hill Climb

Mount Tam Hill Climb runners at the finish. Alex Hudgins For the last four decades, approximately 100 runners from around the Bay Area have gathered in downtown Mill Valley for a jaunt up...

Skyline 50K

William Nguyen shows some excitement near the Grass Valley aid station. Brian Walker Ting There’s something about signing up for an ultra just days before the gun goes off. The pressure is low an...

Mount Marathon

Folklore has it that Alaska’s Mount Marathon started as a bar bet between two “sourdoughs”—slang for gold miner— on who could race from the middle of Seward, Alaska, to the top of the 2,974-foot-tall peak hovering ove...

Hardrock 100 Endurance Run

Last year at the 2021 race, while standing at the Hardrock start in downtown Silverton, Colorado, Courtney Dauwalter turned to her friend, fellow competitor and then four-time finisher Jeff Browning and asked him for...