With the growth of ultrarunning has come the increased popularity of 100 mile races, with 152 different “hundos” in our North American Ultra Calendar for 2016. Everyone seems to be doing them. But in fact, that is hardly...
Articles by Karl Hoagland
Toeing the line and completing an ultramarathon is a huge accomplishment. But racing an ultra is an entirely different proposition. Both are wonderful and life changing endeavors, but since this is our racing-themed issu...
The 27th edition of the Way Too Cool 50K will be most remembered for wet weather before – and during – the race. After a week of heavy El Niño storms, the trails were muddier than ever and some of the creek crossings eve...
Eric Byrnes is a former professional baseball player who recently turned his athletic focus to endurance sports and ultrarunning. Byrnes was not just any ballplayer; in his 10-year career from 2000 to 2010, he hit over 1...
If nothing else, ultrarunning constantly presents challenges. This includes the big things like choosing to take on a crazy-long distance. Or to train hard and give one’s all on race day to cover that distance faster...
The UltraRunning Race Series records the race results of every ultrarunner in North America and calculates points for each one based on all relevant factors. It adds up every ultrarunner’s best scores at each of the primary ultra distances – 50k, 50-mile, 100k and 100-mile – and voila, that’s your score.
The UltraRunning Race Series records the race results of every ultrarunner in North America and calculates points for each one based on all relevant factors. It adds up every ultrarunner’s best scores at each of the prim...
Doing ultras is a huge deal, and only driven people and those who dream big are drawn to it. Often, the people having the most fun with it are those who find kindred spirits and form a like-minded and similarly capable group that shares their passion for going extra-long.
Doing ultras is a huge deal, and only driven people and those who dream big are drawn to it. Often, the people having the most fun with it are those who find kindred spirits and form a like-minded and similarly capable g...
Late last year, I was pacing the leader of a 100-mile race when we went off course at mile 75. I had joined her at mile 68 and she was naturally tired and feeling a lot of fatigue and pain, but she was still cruising in the twilight about 12 hours into the race. She was no longer focused on just securing the win – she was now after a PR and the course record of just under 19 hours
Late last year, I was pacing the leader of a 100-mile race when we went off course at mile 75. I had joined her at mile 68 and she was naturally tired and feeling a lot of fatigue and pain, but she was still cruising in...
We recently had a “strategic planning retreat,” which in our case really meant that four of us got together in a fun setting (Sunriver, Oregon) to do some running, eat good food and hang out with local ultrarunners. Oh, and also deal with all the stuff that built up and we put off for the past year or so.
We recently had a “strategic planning retreat,” which in our case really meant that four of us got together in a fun setting (Sunriver, Oregon) to do some running, eat good food and hang out with local ultrarunners. Oh,...
At age 62, having just completed a grueling 100-mile mountain race in which he finished first in his age group, Fred Brooks died suddenly when his car crashed on an interstate highway just hours after the race was completed. He was in the second year of a comeback to ultrarunning after a six-year hiatus.
At age 62, having just completed a grueling 100-mile mountain race in which he finished first in his age group, Fred Brooks died suddenly when his car crashed on an interstate highway just hours after the race was comple...
Here at UltraRunning, we get all sorts of race reports, and they have always been a key part of the magazine. Amongst our team, we read and edit each one at least five times in all—so we really appreciate the good ones. The stories that entertain, inform and educate. We want to bring the races alive for you, and inspire you to get out there and get after it yourself—to overcome challenges and have life-changing experiences you can only find at ultras. Nothing fits that bill like a great race report and photos.
The race is over. It was an epic day (and possibly night) after months and months of training, planning and preparation. It’s all you can think about and everyone wants to know how it went. Now it’s time for your next ul...
Recently, during a 100-mile race, I hit rock bottom. At mile 38, when I started to push the pace, my right calf tightened up. The vise grip increased with every step. This same problem occurred at the previous two ultras...
An ultrarunning adage says that after you start the sport, you improve for seven consecutive years. Your body and mind need that much time to figure it all out and go from “just” completing the distances to racing them at peak levels. For me, this has held very true—2010 was my seventh year, and that’s when I had by far my best races at all distances, with personal bests in all six of them.
Running Times published an article earlier this year entitled “Is 100 Miles The New Marathon?” That made me smile—so the rest of the running world has finally found our crazy little corner of the running world? Then I co...
Running Times published an article earlier this year entitled “Is 100 Miles The New Marathon?” That made me smile—so the rest of the running world has finally found our crazy…
Of all the important relationships in life, my relationship with the trails is one of the most complex and profound of all. Some days running the trail is like a magic carpet ride—every step easy and flowing and I’m one...
Of all the important relationships in life, my relationship with the trails is one of the most complex and profound of all. Some days running the trail is like a magic carpet ride—every step easy and flowing and I’m one with the world. At times like this the trail allows me to connect with nature, know myself and be truly present. But other times the trail is a punishing taskmaster, with every rut, root, rock and impediment a massive hurdle.
It was Easter Sunday in March 2008, and he was unable to fit into the restaurant booth at a family gathering. Bill Clements was nearly 30 years old, and this was his wakeup call. He had always enjoyed being in nature and...
When I was facing a huge life decision, my mom encouraged me to choose my destiny over my fate. I really didn’t know what she was talking about and when I looked the words up in the dictionary they were basically synonym...
When I was facing a huge life decision, my mom encouraged me to choose my destiny over my fate. I really didn’t know what she was talking about and when I looked the words up in the dictionary they were basically synonymous. More research revealed that the differences are subtle, but huge.
A recent Wall Street Journal article looked at the use of marijuana to mitigate the challenges of ultrarunning and enhance performance. The point was that THC is a banned performance-enhancing drug, so to use it during competition is cheating. Of course it is. Thank you, Rupert Murdoch.
A recent Wall Street Journal article looked at the use of marijuana to mitigate the challenges of ultrarunning and enhance performance. The point was that THC is a banned performance-enhancing drug, so to use it during c...
Training is the real litmus test for ultrarunners, because you simply can’t do this sport without putting in tons of miles over several months. Progress is measured in slow increments, and you won’t really know if all th...
Training is the real litmus test for ultrarunners, because you simply can’t do this sport without putting in tons of miles over several months. Progress is measured in slow increments,…
It’s the time of year for making resolutions and setting big goals, an especially important time for ultrarunners. When we share our goals with others sometimes it makes them ‘more…
It’s the time of year for making resolutions and setting big goals, an especially important time for ultrarunners. When we share our goals with others sometimes it makes them ‘more real’ and helps generate support (press...
Last week Cory and I were in Austin, Texas for The Running Event, a tradeshow geared for running specialty retailers. A focal part of the show is the exhibition hall which featured over 100 different running products, services and brands catering to the running market.
Other than death and taxes, change is one of life’s big, dark inevitabilities. But unlike the other two, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, even though…
Other than death and taxes, change is one of life’s big, dark inevitabilities. But unlike the other two, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, even though it is almost always hard at first, it’s something we are bes...
The world is roiling. Whether it’s conflict and atrocities in the war-torn areas of the Middle East, struggles for control of the Ukraine, human suffering at the hands of the…
If we avoid injury for many years, at some point, time and age catch up to us, and a decade later, something gives out. For me, this was my left ankle, and the real culprit was excessive abuse in my teens and 20s at other sports. But ultimately after a few DNFs and pain with every step I opted for surgery on April 23, 2013, a day I’ll never forget.
Live coverage of major ultramarathons has evolved and grown substantially in the past 15 years, and this year Western States 100 brought the most comprehensive and reliable coverage yet of…
Drama. It’s essentially people facing challenges with uncertain outcomes. In good drama there’s always conflict and a “crisis” to be overcome… or not. The best drama elicits strong emotional responses…
One of the greatest things about our sport is its spirit of collective effort. At ultramarathons it’s as if we are racing with, not against, each other. Maybe it’s because running so far is so daunting that people “pull together” to overcome the challenge. Or maybe it’s simply that the nature and values of people attracted to this sport selfselects for friendly, helpful people.
What’s more important, winning or doing your best? Much of our society emphasizes winning at all costs; doing your best doesn’t matter if you don’t win. You know the alpha types with this mentality - it...
For ultrarunners spring is a time for training and preparing for all of the audaciously long and arduous things we do on trails, roads and tracks. It is a time…
Every once in a while a central organizing hub for a given activity or human endeavor emerges, and big things happen. In ultrarunning we have seen this in Ashland, Oregon, where Hal Koerner started Rogue Valley Runners a...
For ultrarunners spring is a time for training and preparing for all of the audaciously long and arduous things we do on trails, roads and tracks. It is a time for putting in the work so we can meet our goals at upcoming...
The 25–year anniversary of the iconic Way Too Cool 50k was a smashing success, with an exact 1,000 finishers, the most ever. Despite the huge size, the race was executed…
With 2013 firmly in the rear view mirror, and the race season for 2014 about to kick into high gear this coming weekend at Montrail Ultra Cup races Sean O’Brien…
What a year it has been. I want to thank everyone who has supported UltraRunning magazine through our transition, which has been an ongoing process since June. Tia and the…