Having recently returned to California from a rather punishing ultra in Portugal, I can attest firsthand that travel and running don’t always make compatible bedfellows. Still, there’s something magical about seeking uni...
Tag: Training
Major ultras have become increasingly international, with more than 200 Americans heading to UTMB this year. Euro races are typically steeper, more rugged, can include off-trail sections and can have thousands of runners...
Heat is the runner’s enemy. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are ways to mitigate the ill effects of hot weather and maintain consistent performances even as temperatures rise. Think of running in hot conditi...
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...
Many factors contribute to successful ultra finishes aside from pure physical fitness. Very often the weakest link in a race is the mind, not the body, so there are big potential gains for many runners. Below I’ll examin...
An old adage at Western States 100 is that familiarity with the course can shave off hours from your finish time. There are many reasons why this can help you to prepare better, both physically and mentally, thanks to kn...
Dear Ann, I’ve been ramping up my ultrarunning for the past few years in terms of getting faster and doing more races, and this year I’m hoping to continue that trend with some even faster 50ks and 50-milers over the...
Dear Ann, I have a huge 100-mile race this summer, but it’s only January. What should I do this month – and in February and March, for that matter? It’s the dead of winter. I want to be doing the right things, but lot...
Running is essentially a simple activity with a very low barrier to entry – a pair of running shoes and some athletic gear are all that’s required. However, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to improve, avoid injuries or get t...
At the end of the year, most of us back off training and allow for a little downtime and reflection, plus, family commitments are especially time consuming (and fun) during the holidays. It’s also lottery season for many...
“Uh, excuse me, I thought that this was UltraRunning?” Well, that might be your initial reaction as you read this piece as I extoll the virtues of running sub-ultra-distance races. Now, don’t get me wrong: I am a diehard...
As runners, we focus on what will allow us to run and race better, identifying ways to be quicker and to avoid slowing due to numerous potential problems in the later stages of an ultra. Although there are myriad reasons...
In this issue, I wanted to write about gender and its impact on ultrarunning. While I had my own thoughts, I knew they were very much based on personal experience, so a quick online survey would be a good way to see if m...
A few years ago, I stumbled upon a book with an interesting subject matter: handwriting analysis. Little was I aware that there is a whole “science” behind the meaning of the flow, shapes, sizes and slants of people’s wr...
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...
I still have the letter, though it dates back 20 years now. It was the summer of 1997, and I was a few weeks removed from my first Western States Endurance Run. I’d finished, which was normally cause for celebration....
When signing up for a race that’s quite a few months ahead, it’s easy to be overly optimistic about what sort of training and preparation we will be able to do. Whether this is due to simply having an enthusiastic nature...
This is the column that those of you who love your sleep have been waiting for. Recently, the importance of sleep has had a bit of renaissance. Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington wrote a book called The Sleep...
Writing this, I’m on a plane on the way back from my favorite race. It’s an event that draws me year after year to travel across the world in cramped planes. Every time, it offers something unique and special to me. It c...
The allure of ultramarathon running is, in large part, due to its complexity: navigating the challenges of distance, terrain, weather and how those variables affect the body and mind. Whole industries have developed to p...