Meghan Canfield and her farm animals live in Corvallis, OR, where she works as a virtual coach at Zenith Coaching. She’s a four-time Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier and has 10 top-10 finishes at Western States.
The loss of motivation, loss of speed, increase in anxiety and loss of muscle and bone density can be a detriment to the type of running that is perhaps the most beneficial: trail running. The challenges of t...
There are three training barriers female athletes will likely face in peri and post-menopause: speed, motivation and recovery. Here are some training strategies to keep you mentally engaged and committed to an ultrarunni...
Dr. Stacy Sims’ book “Next Level,” taught me something new about female athletes in the peri- and post-menopause stages, and gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation of the aging female body. More importantly, it gave me hope for a better version of my current self.
Last year, a lot changed for me as an athlete and as a woman. The struggle was real – not only the actual struggle to run but the emotional struggle to let go of who I used to be, while embraci...
Using a training plan is a good investment in yourself and your goals, no matter how large or small. So, where should you start?
I don’t think I’m any different than most folks when it comes to aging—we want to put it off, not let it affect our lifestyle and when we slow down, we want to do it with some sort of grace. Because honestly, we don’t get to do it on our own terms.
I don’t think I’m any different than most folks when it comes to aging—we want to put it off, not let it affect our lifestyle and when we slow down, we want to do it with some sort of grace. Because honestly, we don’t ge...
One of the benefits of being an ultrarunner is it can satisfy wanderlust on a daily basis. However, there is a lot to be said for staying local and finding adventures in your own back yard. When I started running, I woul...
You’ve finally bitten the bullet and signed up for your first ultramarathon, managed to get the training in and survived your first taper. Welcome to race day. Below is advice from ultrarunning legends Tim Twietmeyer, Er...
Ultrarunning is not easy on the body, but if you give it enough time to gradually adapt to the stresses, both the body and mind will deliver. Once you finish your first ultra and decide to keep at it, start to think about longevity. That can mean running fast for years, slow for years or taking time off for family, but coming back when time allows.
Expanding your horizons from marathoning to ultramarathoning means expanding your running distances, changing some of your training practices and probably committing more time to the sport. This begs the question, “Wh...
I loved school. Especially the first week after a long break. Back in the day, it meant brand new Pee-Chee folders, fresh #2 pencils, blank college-ruled paper and unbridled enthusiasm for learning something new. My...
Ultramarathon training in the winter months brings on different challenges that can deter the bravest of runners. Having lived in Oregon for most of my life, I am often asked, “Do you run in the rain?” to which I resp...
Legends exist in pretty much every facet of life, and the sport of ultrarunning is no exception. To help separate the latest and greatest visitor to the scene from the lasting heroes of our sport, here is a short list...
Throughout the months of training for your first ultra, your race director was also hard at work putting together the pieces in order to make a great race. All that goes into making a runner’s experience the very best po...
If your venture into ultrarunning has you dreaming of running Western States one day, I hope you’ve had the chance to be there in person to spectate, crew or pace. While I have run it 12 times, I have had the pleasure of...
It’s finally here. Hours of training and miles on the trails have prepared you for your first foray into an ultramarathon. Before toeing the start line, there are many things to consider that can help make your first...
Now that you’ve made the decision to do this ultramarathon thing, how do you go about choosing your first 50k? I reached out to some of my good friends across North America who are coaches, race directors and ultr...
As you begin to wade into the unknown waters of the ultrarunning world, you may wonder how this new activity will change your current lifestyle. Will it affect your family life? Your relationships? Your food budget? I...
Spring is on the horizon. Hope is resurfacing with the lengthening days, warmer temperatures and distribution of vaccines. And with that, new dreams and goals emerge like the bulbs pushing up out of the ground – goals...