It’s been a while – years – since I’ve been in a racing groove. After a few lighter years of running, with plenty of other types of adventures in the mountains and on my bike, I recently got the itch, and I’m really look...

Every year for our anniversary, my wife, Kristina, and I like to go on a fun trail adventure that includes summiting at least one mountain. Colorado’s majestic Rockies and the Appalachian Trail’s northe...

I’ve been fortunate to live close to trails throughout my entire life. My adventures started when I was a kid while riding my bike and running on the local trails near my home. They continued into high school...

My goals in both life and running have changed and evolved over my lifetime. It wasn’t just “running faster” that I craved, it was running more. I ran more miles because I simply loved running more. I ran more ultras because I quickly fell in love with the ultra community.

In 2001, I ran my first ultra. In mid-2002, I moved to Sisters, Oregon, and became Sisters’ first ultrarunner. In late 2002, unbeknownst to me, the Sisters ultra community doubled. In January 2003, while running John Pea...

Band of Runners Trail Camp participants include military veterans and their family members. Courtesy Liza Howard Early last year, I got a call. My friend Liza Howard invited me to be a mentor at the Band o...

Vermont 100 runners and riders cross the the Ottauquechee River in the 2019 event. Ben Kimball Over the course of 22 years of ultrarunning, I’ve had a hate-hate relationship with 100s. I would...

I was all set to head to the Rhode Island coast for a weekend of fun and exploring (queue Barry Manilow, “Weekend in New England”) with my wife and dogs, but winter decided to return to New England. So instead of long...

I was talking with two of my coaching clients today about treadmills. One of them commented how her perceived effort on the ‘mill is higher at any given pace than it is at that same pace outside. I agreed with her. Well,...

The summer of 1990 played quite a big role in my personal development as a runner. It was then that I realized my body could handle running longer distances consistently, which I’m not sure it could have handled earlier, as the gradual base-building over the previous few years helped set me up for success.

Sean Meissner On May 9, I dipped the tires of my gravel bike into the Pacific Ocean in Pacific City, Oregon. On June 9, after 3,267.9 miles of pedaling, I dipped those same tires into the Atlantic Ocean...

Runners and their dirt-loving canines are all part of the Peterson Ridge Rumble experience in Sisters, Oregon. Paul Nelson It began on May 4, 2003. That was the date which started what has become my pe...

In July 2020, in the middle of the initial COVID lockdown, my wife and I moved from our little slice of paradise in Durango, CO, a few hours north to Fruita, CO. And really, we had no idea where we were moving. On...

Last June, I reached a big goal in my ultrarunning journey by finishing my 200th ultra. It was a goal that had been 20 years in the making, so when I finished it, I felt a bit tired. Not just tired because of the race...

Before diving head-first into the wonderful world of ultrarunning, I was seriously involved in winter multi-sport racing in the small mountain communities of Moran/Jackson, WY, and Steamboat Springs, CO. In the summer...

This year celebrates the 25th anniversary of the first ultrarunning team in the US (and probably the world). One Sport’s origins go back to the early 80s in Europe as an off-shoot brand that specialized in boots, incl...

Nineteen years, ten months, four weeks, one day, five hours and six minutes. That’s how long it took me to run—and finish—200 ultramarathons. Yep, that’s about 10 ultras per year for 20 years. I know I am far from the fi...

Riding the White Rim jeep road through Utah’s Canyonlands National Park in one day has been on my to-do list ever since moving to the southwest in 2012. In October 2020, I was able to gather four like-minded friends (four ultrarunners and one ironman) to join me. We loaded up our bikes and packs with six liters of water each, as well as plenty of snacks to last at least 12 hours.

If you’re like many runners, you likely took it a bit easy over the winter, as well as throughout much of 2020. Now it’s time to get back outside and get yourself in shape for upcoming races. But where to start? Grad...

Winter running adventures can come in many different forms. There’s the stereotypical Rocky Mountain winter run which includes snowshoeing through 3 feet of fresh powder. Winter runs in the Pacific Northwest bring to...

As a reader of this magazine, you’re likely an ultrarunner. And as an ultrarunner, you’ve probably run at least one ultramarathon race that’s a standard ultra distance: 50k, 50 miles, 100k or 100 miles. Or perhaps you’ve...

One of the cool things about racing versus a long adventure run is that you don’t have to carry all of your gear and calories with you. Aid stations offer general food and hydration needs, but if you have specific requests, using drop bags or having a crew with a dedicated crew bag can help, if your race allows them.

I don’t have a single coaching client who hasn’t expressed frustration about the hard work they’ve put in, not knowing when their next “official” race will be. This is definitely a very common thought amongst runners. To...

As late spring morphs into summer, it’s time to think about adventure runs. For me, adventure runs are the best part of running long. Often times, it’s just me and my wife or dog, playing in the mountains all day. It’s a...

As the dark and cold winter months slowly start to fade, a new season of mud and sun begins to surface. If you’re like many runners, you likely took it easy over the winter with some skiing, time in the gym, chilling wit...

There’s an old saying that goes, “There’s no bad weather, only bad gear.” Well, I’m here to tell you that saying is wrong. There is bad weather, and often times it’s in the winter when the temperature is minus 20 degrees...

Ultrarunning has had a major impact on my life for almost two decades, and there are a few people who have been part of my journey from the beginning. I remember training for my first ultra in the summer of 2001. I was l...

The sport of ultrarunning is pretty cool for many reasons. For me, people are at the top of that list. I’ve met amazing people and made great friends over my almost two decades of running ultras. Here are stories about t...

Making a living as an ultrarunner can be challenging and fun and with some hard work, it can be done. I’ve been fortunate to make a living as a sponsored runner, race director and running coach – three things that I neve...

Adventure runs are the heart of my running. Sure, I love being competitive, training hard and lining up for races. What I get most excited about, though, is playing outside in the mountains or desert with my wife and dog...

Racing 100 miles is hard. There, we got that out of the way and now we can focus on the nuts and bolts of how to navigate a 100-mile race. There are numerous parts that go into a successful 100-miler, and finishing is a...

For the last 20 years, I’ve had the pleasure of living within 15 miles of some of the longest trails in North America. While I haven’t actively sought them out, living near these iconic trails has been a huge perk. In ad...

Spring is a time of the year when the snow is melting, birds are tweeting (old-school style) and the sun is shining a bit brighter. A combination of warm sun and melting snow creates one of our furry running buddies favorite things, and one of the worst substances to get off running shoes – mud.

Ultrarunners are typically healthy eaters. By healthy, I mean, we eat a lot. And we run a lot. Running and eating go well together.When it comes to being a healthy eater, there are different definitions. Diets or types o...

March is a time of the year when the snow is melting, birds are tweeting (old-school style) and the sun is shining a bit brighter. A combination of warm sun and melting snow creates one of our furry running buddies favor...