Articles by Pam Smith

Ultrarunning on a Budget

Running is a decidedly simple sport. You don’t need a team, opponent or a lot of gear. It’s seemingly the perfect sport for the miserly – until you start ultrarunning. The costs of ultrarunning can easily pile up faster...

Zombie Uprising: Back from the Dead

At the end of August I spent time at Six Days in the Dome, crewing a runner and providing general assistance to many other participants in the race. I had a front row seat to all of the action and the rollercoaster of em...

Training with Kids

Women make up an equal share (or more) of sub-ultra race finishers, but they are under-represented in the ultra world. One of the reasons is lack of time to train due to the demands of parenting. Of course, family obliga...

The Road (or Trail) to Recovery

I received the following text from my friend, Danielle, after she successfully completed her first ultra: I’m not sure I’ve ever been this sore before!Any tips for the recovery process?A great training plan will prepare...

Taper Time: the Final Weeks

“I’m running my first 100-miler next month. How long would you suggest I taper prior to the race, and should I do anything different beforehand?”—JakeGreat question! You’ve picked your event, put in months of hard work,...

How Not to Pack a Drop Bag

It seems to me that ultrarunners pack all of their insecurities into a drop bag. Running really long distances through rugged terrain at all hours of the day can be daunting, and as such, drop bags can get unwieldy. It’s easy to forget that all bags must be transported and carried by volunteers.

Training for the Flatlanders

If you are like most ultrarunners, you probably have several dream races on your bucket list. Whether it is an iconic race like Western States, Hardrock or UTMB, or a local gem that you have your eye on, there’s a good c...

How Not to Pack a Drop Bag

It seems to me that ultrarunners pack all of their insecurities into a drop bag. Running really long distances through rugged terrain at all hours of the day can be daunting, and as such, drop bags can get unwieldy. It’s...

Seeing the Forest for the Trees

This is the time of the year when most people have shaken off the winter cobwebs and are starting to get into the thick of training. Not many people become an ultrarunner if they don’t like running, and as such, I think...

Add Mileage, Prevent Injury

Dear Pam,“I have only been running 18 to 20 miles and am looking to complete my first marathon. I am intrigued to run farther and faster. I have been injury-free up until last year, but I am currently working through pla...

Should You Run While Injured?

I’m sitting here writing with my right butt cheek propped up on an ice pack. It’s been three days since I last ran, and I am itching to get back at it. It doesn’t help that last week I finally decided to commit to two ra...

Sport Supplements in Ultras

Last month’s column was dedicated to vitamin supplements and their possible benefits. But there are hundreds of other WADA legal substances sold with promises of improving athletic performance. (WADA banned substances sh...

Vitamin Supplements

Ultrarunners are obsessive people particularly when it comes to health. We are all cognizant of the stresses those extra miles can wreak on our health and we like to do what we can to mitigate the negative effects. One o...

Back-to-Back Long Training Runs: Friend or Foe?

Gearing up for a longer ultra, such as a 100k or a 100-miler requires a dedicated training plan with particular focus on getting more miles and more time on feet. One way to accomplish this is with back-to-back long runs. Back-to-back long runs refers to doing long runs on two consecutive days, typically Saturday and Sunday for those with full-time jobs. Back-to-back long runs are a common practice in ultra training, but are they really necessary for success? That’s up for debate in this month’s column!

Back-to-Back Long Training Runs: Friend or Foe?

Gearing up for a longer ultra, such as a 100k or a 100-miler requires a dedicated training plan with particular focus on getting more miles and more time on feet. One way to accomplish this is with back-to-back long runs...

Direct Access Laboratory Testing Services

Recently a friend sent me a frantic e-mail: “I got my Inside Tracker report and I am basically the most unhealthy individual ever. I am surprised I am able to get out of bed based on the results.” This wasn’t a first for...

Bladders vs. Bottles

As the temperatures rise through the summer months, so does the ultrarunner’s needs for fluid replacement. Figuring out how much you need to drink requires a bit of research, some educated guesses and a lot of experiment...

Will Glycogen-depleted Runs Improve Your Performance?

If you spend any amount of time talking about ultrarunning nutrition, you are almost certain to hear the term “fat adapted.” The general idea is that a “fat adapted” athlete will be very efficient at burning fat and thus have an immense supply of stored fuel, eliminating the need to ingest large quantities of carbs.