There is no safe place outside in a thunderstorm. If you can hear thunder, you can be struck by lightning. What should you do when you’re out on the trail or in the middle of a race during a thunderstorm?
Articles by Liza Howard
Illustration by Liza Howard If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “There is no safe place outside in a thunderstorm,” you’re correct. And if you shouted the safety mantra, “When thunder roars, go indo...
There are dangerous animals and reptiles on the trails where we run and understandably, we usually focus on the consequences of negative encounters with these creatures. What do you do if you’re attacked by a bear or...
Sometimes it can be difficult to identify the hazards you’re likely to face on the trails. However, understanding how to best manage the risk, mitigate consequences and make good decisions about the places you want to...
The goal of this column is to identify the hazards you’re likely to face on the trails so you can best manage the risk, mitigate consequences and make good decisions about the places you want to run and race. Taking on this responsibility yourself will help you avoid uncomfortable, distressing and sometimes very dangerous situations.
Q: What are the essential first aid or safety items I should always carry with me? A: How much risk are you willing to accept when you go on a trail run? It’s a question worth thinking about because running down a tr...
Wilderness medicine is simply urban medicine practiced in an austere and inconveniently distant environment – like out on the trails or at a race aid station. But there are a number of important differences between the two.
Wilderness medicine is simply urban medicine practiced in an austere and inconveniently distant environment – like out on the trails or at a race aid station. But there are a number of important differences between the t...
We made it to mile 85. Only 15 more miles and the runner I was pacing would have her first 100-mile belt buckle. We were in Huntsville State Park in southeast Texas at the Rocky Raccoon 100, and we’d been marching throug...
Goal safety- Many runners have A, B and C goals going into a race. Their goals might be something like: A: PR (Glory!) B: Sub-24-hour finish (Big buckle!) C: Just Finish (Any buckle) This C goal is often unexamined...
If cutoffs are your nemesis, try the following aid station tactics. They’ll easily give you a 30-minute cushion. In a 100 miler, you’ll likely end up with an hour’s worth of safety net. And if you just want to PR or nose out a rival without running any faster, try these strategies too.
Most ultramarathons only require you move at an 18 to 20 min/mile pace to finish. If you can hike briskly, you should get a belt buckle. But hundreds of runners miss time cutoffs at ultras every year. Twin Lakes Inbound...