This October marked my third year as a mentor/counselor at the Team Red, White and Blue Trail Running Camp (more on the camp’s mission and organization can be found in this column, in the December 2015 issue). Unlike a l...
Articles by Joe Uhan
As a Midwest expatriate on the West Coast, it didn’t take long to catch wind of the Superior 100 – a point-to-point ultramarathon, run entirely on the Superior Hiking Trail. I saw bits of it first-hand when crewing a fri...
“It’s simple, but it’s not easy,” I tell many clients, as we muddle through the challenging process of running stride optimization. Throughout 2016, we’ve talked about running stride: the fundamentals, having a stride...
A few years ago, I stumbled upon a book with an interesting subject matter: handwriting analysis. Little was I aware that there is a whole “science” behind the meaning of the flow, shapes, sizes and slants of people’s wr...
“Look fast, act fast and then run fast!” It was the summer of 1999, and as a young collegian, I’d landed what turned out to be a serendipitous summer job as a research assistant in the Department of Chemistry at the U...
The allure of ultramarathon running is, in large part, due to its complexity: navigating the challenges of distance, terrain, weather and how those variables affect the body and mind. Whole industries have developed to p...
Over the course of the year, we have outlined the fundamentals of running stride efficiency: trunk alignment, arm swing and hip drive. If those three elements are well executed, the fourth and final element – the foot st...
Throughout 2016, we have analyzed the fundamentals of efficient running mechanics and how the demands of the ultra distance impact our run. Last month, we discussed arm swing. This month, we address the powertrain – the...
Throughout 2016, we will break down the fundamentals of efficient running mechanics, and how the demands of the ultra distance – terrain, weather conditions and even gear – impact how we run. Last month, we discussed ide...
Throughout 2016, we will break down the fundamentals of efficient running mechanics, and how the demands of the ultra distance – terrain, weather conditions and even gear – impact how we run. This month, we identify idea...
This year’s Ultrarunners of the Year (UROY) and Performances of the Year candidates are no different than in years past. They represent our fastest and toughest athletes in the sport: our superheroes. And like superheroe...
There’s something strangely unifying about the shared commitment, struggle and triumph of the long run. For the veteran ultramarathon runner, this is well understood, if not implicit. We run and race together, in large p...
When I began this column two years ago, the intent was to bring the historic roots of ultras to today’s newest ultrarunning readers. Driven by the value of sustainability, the notion was to help new runners avoid re-inve...
In June, I celebrated six years as a licensed physical therapist. In “dog years”, I’m near retirement age. And dog years and “PT years” have something in common, because of this stark statistic: the average physical ther...
In the earliest days of ultra-distance races, food and water were essential, if not life-sustaining. For years, aid stations have been central to the ultrarunning experience. But food and water aren’t the only nourish...
Yet again, the competitive endurance community is embroiled in controversy. New allegations have surfaced involving the Nike Oregon Project, the flagship of American distance running excellence. The man at the helm, Albe...
Every sport has its majors: world-class competitions that crown champions. Most of these events travel to different locations each year, highlighting either the home team or a special venue. But for a few athletic pursui...
These days, it’s in vogue to televise vintage sporting events, and while at my favorite watering hole recently, a classic was on the screen. The 1988 NBA All-Star game was memorable, not for the action, but for the playe...
Ultrarunning, almost by definition, is a communal love-fest. It is a friendly, nurturing community, wherein we run together: with one another for the exploration of nature and self. With the support of a crew, pacers...
Ask any race director what the number one issue with today’s runner is, and most will respond: “They don’t know the rules.” People sign up for races, do the training, yet fail to “get educated.” They don’t read the ra...