The phone rang and on the other line was John Medinger. “Hey Karl, so we’re thinking about selling the magazine and this is my first call. What do you think?” It was April 2013 and I was sitting in my office, looking for...

DEAR ANN, Whenever I start to pack for a race I worry that I will forget something that I’ll need. How do you make sure you don’t forget anything important? —Janet DEAR JANET, What a great question! During my runn...

Depending on the source, somewhere between 50% and 85% of runners get injured each year. So there’s a lot of information about how to fix any ailment, but what about the psychological side of coping with it? This is ofte...

I have often said that one of the main criteria to be an ultrarunner is to really enjoy running. This might seem amusing but if you think about it, it’s really essential given doing anything “ultra” implies that you’ll b...

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...

If you do a search on the internet or ask any non-running doctor, there is not much to be found as far as solid guidance to help navigate breastfeeding and running, especially ultra-distance races. Fortunately, the ultra...

I don’t think I am alone in favoring the fall as my favorite season for running. The temperature drops, the humidity decreases and the foliage pops. Each year, my passion for running is renewed as I simply enjoy the weat...

There are certainly many ultrarunning women out there with a far better perspective on how to manage pregnancy while continuing to ultrarun. So at the risk of “Man-splaining,” the goal of this article is to summarize the...

Granted, we’re not all dressing up in Starfleet uniforms or going gaga over Spock lookalikes at Star Trek conventions, but I think all ultrarunners are Trekkies in a deeper sense. We embrace the starship Enterprise’s mis...

Beginning with my DNF at mile 85 of the Wasatch Front 100-miler in September 2017, the Wasatch Front has inhabited my mind in the most obsessive of ways. I was haunted by my experience because I loved so much about it...

“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)...

Heading into the winter, most of the updates in the headlamp category are happening at the compact end of the spectrum. Although they are small, many of these are strong enough to be standalone lamps for the majority of...

“Will I stay ahead of Courtney? When will I get service? Brockway will be packed! Should I sleep tonight? Should I run this someday? It’s mile two, why is my knee not finding a rhythm? I need some crew or an assistant. I...

Finding a balance between ultrarunning and life is kind of like trying to juggle a spinning chainsaw, an angry cat and an oily bowling ball. Because of the time demands of family, work and training for something as audac...

Balance is bullshit. There, I just came right out with it. Seems everyone’s preaching the virtues of balance these days, but I’m no fan. If you have equilibrium in your life you do everything okay. Congratulations. Wooho...

During the final miles of the challenging Telluride Mountain Run, while descending a rain-slicked ski slope and trying to prevent wiping out in the mud, I reveled in the prospect of finishing this extreme course when sev...

The day starts upon passing through an illuminated arch into the darkness of the trail and a rolling descent of about 700 feet over the first couple of miles. Buried somewhere in this 4 a.m. train of groggy, stumblin...

The 6th annual Rut Mountain Runs were held in Big Sky, Montana, over Labor Day weekend this year. Though the races have been affected by extreme conditions in years past, including wildfire smoke, rain, wind, snow and he...

There was a battle being waged between the mountain and my heart. The mountain was winning. As I reached the top of the 12,600-foot Hope Pass for the second time in five hours, I knelt beside the Nepalese prayer flags...

The sunrises at the High Lonesome 100 never fail to disappoint, and a magnificent one greeted 400 runners, volunteers and spectators on August 3. As the alpenglow slowly descended from the summits of the 14,000-foot Sawa...

Near the top of the longest climb of the Rebecca Mountain 50-miler, a four-mile slog up Horn Mountain towards a ridge section that offers single-track, ridgeline running, one could hear a socialist and a libertarian disc...

The Bulldog Trail Run appealed to us because of Key Lime Pie and Trouble – yes, those are the names of our two bulldogs who are lazy, ugly, hungry, sometimes angry and a little too cute to be trusted. What drove us to th...

The inaugural running of the Ute 100, “the highest and most scenic race in Utah,” hosted by Sean Blanton and the team at Run Bum Tours, began at 3 a.m. on Saturday, August 11, in the La Sal Mountains, 30 minutes outside...

It’s August 17 and my palms are sweating as I drive north towards a ski lodge, but it’s sunny and I’m in a tank top and shorts. It’s not skiing that awaits. My husband, Kynan, and I are headed to the Willamette Ski Pass...

Once again, I will share with you my humble perspectives on what happened at UTMB® this year. Sure, I run trail ultras myself, a little. But I’m mostly a critic. That’s what I do. Some of you will like this, some of you...