As I navigate my dad’s Alzheimer’s journey alongside him and our family and friends, I have been thinking about the idea of cognitive reserve, which I think of as a bank account in the brain. Should we experience cogniti...
Articles by Travis Macy
Adventuring in the mountains inherently involves risk. As we gain fitness and move more quickly to places that are hard for most people to reach, we ultrarunners can be susceptible to thinking that takes safety and accessibility for granted. Planning is paramount. I checked in with Colorado-based elite ultrarunner and Run Infinite coach Brandon Yonke for some thoughts on mountain running safety.
After years of notable ultrarunning performances, Boulder, Colorado’s Dave Mackey became an official legend of the sport with his recognition as 2011 UltraRunner of the Year. Dave’s latest accomplishment as a 51-year-old physician assistant raising two middle schoolers alongside his wife, Ellen: a 23:23:46 finish at Leadville. Prosthetic or not, that’s an incredible time. Here’s what Dave had to say.
For my wife and I, the dream was simple: move into a 27-foot fifth wheel trailer and travel the country. She’d be free to work from anywhere and I’d hit the pinnacle of an ultrarunning lifestyle: coaching from the...
In the small world of adventure racing (yeah, that’s even smaller than the world of ultrarunning), the return of Eco-Challenge in 2019 was big news. Sixty teams of five, four coed athletes plus one crew member, descended...
By 2016, I felt a sentiment that went something like, “I’ve really made it when it comes to ultrarunning for a living.” I was earning most of my income from a couple of paying sponsors and endorsing a few other product s...
You’ve probably considered the potential benefits of winter cross training in sports like snowshoeing, skimo (a.k.a. Randonee, ski touring, AT/alpine touring, ski mountaineering, skinning) and Nordic skiing (which includ...
There’s a good chance you’ll be reading this right around Western States (WSER). Like any pro championship, WSER is fun because we can follow the top athletes. We’re all excited to see what happens at the front, but let’...
Cycling has always been a key component of my own training, and I utilize it often in the training plans of my running and multisport athletes. If you’re looking for active recovery, high-cadence neuromuscular stimulatio...
Let’s cut right to the chase. I asked experienced ultrarunners for their advice on winter running, and here’s what they said.MOTIVATIONBuzz Burrell (Ultimate Direction Brand Director, running pioneer): Exercise is fun an...
“Should I do another race this year, Coach?” It’s one of the most common questions I receive this time of year, and the answer can be more complex than we might initially think. Maybe you enjoyed a great race (or a few)...
Gone are the good old days when a bunch of guys and gals ran through the night woods wearing road flats and carrying milk jugs full of water and table salt. Our sport has evolved. I think that’s cool! It also brings up s...
Ah, nothing like a restful week of travel with the family to a wonderful destination… right? While I hope your “vacation” is indeed a worry-free excursion, I must admit I often hear from ultrarunners (including yours...
Particularly for a green ultrarunner or one who’s tackling a new distance, there’s a natural tendency to get to the starting line, look around and think, “Wow, all of the these other runners look like experienced veteran...
We’re off to the races for July and that means many in the ultrarunning tribe will soon be tackling long training runs and races in the mountains. One strategy that’s often overlooked and misunderstood in mountain running is walking up hills.
We’re off to the races for July and that means many in the ultrarunning tribe will soon be tackling long training runs and races in the mountains. One strategy that’s often overlooked and misunderstood in mountain runnin...
It’s May, and that means ultra season is in full swing; I hope you’re having a blast out there so far! Odds are you’ll be toeing the line sometime soon, so this month we’ll take a look at some of the most common question...
If you’re like me, you’ll probably head out on your long run this weekend thinking something like, “Alright, I’m going to use this run to practice for my next ultra. I’ll imitate key aspects of my next event like hydrati...
Captured by a crew member on cell phone video, the scene is captivating: Family members scream urgently towards the dark woods until, finally, a runner emerges on the trail, sprinting for all he’s worth, blowing right th...
Last month we examined the causes of post-race blues (also known as postrace letdown), defined roughly as a short or long period of mental and/or physical “low” after a big event. That article ended with a rather dreary...
The build-up to an ultrarun provides a phenomenal – and even life-changing – experience. The mission gives us purpose, structures our days, connects us to our tribe, and fans the flames of our dreams. And that’s just the...
“What’s the world’s greatest lie?” the boy asked, completely surprised. “It’s this: that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what’s happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. That’s the wor...
The cerebral nature of ultrarunning is one of my favorite aspects of the sport, and I am constantly encouraging coaching clients to “think on your feet out there.” Fueling, pace, gear, outlook, logistics: there’s so much...
A theme in this issue of UltraRunning is young ultrarunners, so I’ve drafted a letter I wish I could have read at age 22. I’m not yet a full-on old guy, but as an experienced athlete who now cares as much about coaching...
Some topics are covered often in ultra literature because they’re particularly relevant, and this is one of them: “How do I prepare for a mountainous ultra if I don’t live in the mountains? Is that even possible?” It’s o...
After thousands of hours of hammering the trails through my beloved Colorado Rockies with my head down and vision marred by sweat, I realized last fall that it was time for a shift. Time to connect more fully with nature...
“Where innovation demands shocking and radical reform, all kaizen asks is that you take small, comfortable steps toward improvement.” – Robert Maurer in One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way In Costa Ric...
Last issue we explored symptoms sometimes experienced by runners that may be related to overtraining, including irritability, low mood, lack of motivation, poor performance, and low/fluctuating hormones. This article see...
My first experience with significant overtraining from running occurred during my two years of collegiate running for CU-Boulder. I was a decent, All-State high school runner in Colorado’s second largest school class, but my talent and experience were years behind many of my teammates like Dathan Ritzenhein, Jorge and Eduardo Torres, and Steve Slattery. Totally pumped by the simple fact that I had made the team in the annual tryout for a few walk-ons, I dove enthusiastically into my training.
My first experience with significant overtraining from running occurred during my two years of collegiate running for CU-Boulder. I was a decent, All-State high school runner in Colorado’s second largest school class, bu...
I got snowed on in August while running in Breckenridge, Colorado, and my mind flew immediately to a single focus: Skimo! I’m not that good at ski mountaineering, but man, do I love it. Skimo – short for ski mountaine...
We ultrarunners truly are fortunate to be able to do what we do. A lot of people go through life without a whole lot to look forward to. And that probably also means there’s not a whole lot to remember, either. If you’ve...
The meat sizzled in the pan – kind of like bacon, but the smell was definitely a little off. I was actually able to swallow it a few minutes later, although that might have just been because it was covered with avocado i...