I already know what you're thinking: "Yoga for ultra runners? No thank you, it's too boring/too hard/too time consuming/ I'm not flexible/etc. I'd rather run." Yeah, I can relate. You see, I've been active my entire life. From tap dancing and ballet as a little girl, to tearing up the soccer fields and track as a teenager, to perpetually chasing ultra distance finish lines as an adult: Continue reading →
How to Overcome the Fear of Reinjury When Returning to Running
Returning to running after an injury? Terrified that you might reinjure yourself? You aren't alone. Taking time off of running is frustrating, and the last thing you want to do when you are finally able to return is to get hurt AGAIN, forcing you back to square one. Here are 6 ways to overcome the fear of reinjury when returning to running. So You Got Hurt... Despite our best efforts, Continue reading →
Run Far/Lift Heavy: How to Balance Ultramarathon & Strength Training
As a coach, one of the soap boxes I often stand upon and shout from is about the importance of strength training for runners. I truly believe that resistance training -whether body weight or with strength training equipment - is absolutely vital for injury prevention and success for all runners. Naturally, one of the questions I'm often asked is "but how do you balance ultramarathon Continue reading →
(Free) 50 Mile Ultramarathon Training Plan & Guide
I often joke that 50 milers are the "half marathon" of the ultra world. Far, but not too far (you know, relatively speaking). Tough, but still a lot of fun. 50 miles is long enough to give you a feeling of extreme accomplishment (and fatigue!), but short enough that you don't have to miss an entire nights sleep...and then some...like you would with a 100 mile race. 50 milers have become my Continue reading →
Vermont 100 Training Update: Post #2
Last week was one of the highest volume - mileage wise - weeks I've had in a long time. It seems like all spring I was either tapering, racing, recovering, or spending hours climbing stadium stairs while covering little mileage, haha. Though the 62 miles I ran this week are just the start of a few big mileage weeks to come, and they are coming quickly. Hell, Vermont 100 is Continue reading →
(Free) Beginner 50K Ultramarathon Training Plan & Guide
Ready to dip your toes into the ultramarathon world? A 50K - or 31 miles - is the perfect place to start. Those extra 4.8 miles beyond the traditional marathon distance are just long enough to feel like an amazing accomplishment (and it is!) but not so daunting that the distance feels impossible. The 50K distance is a wonderful introduction to the world of ultramarathon running, Continue reading →
Vermont 100 Training Update: Post #1
Training recaps hold me accountable, and for whatever reason, people like to read them. (I do too.) So let's see if I can actually remember to post them for the next ten weeks; truthfully, it's almost harder than training itself. But I digress. As I posted previously, I seriously considered bailing out of Vermont 100 because my body needed a break. But, deferral Continue reading →
Training for an Ultramarathon? You Still Need Speedwork.
Speed. Whether you are an elite athlete or a weekend warrior, the road running world seemingly revolves around how fast you can run. Tell someone you ran a marathon, they'll ask you how long it took. Sign on to any running forum, and people will be discussing PR's (personal records) mile splits, tempo runs, you get the idea. Speed seems to matter, a whole lot. But the truth is, runners often get Continue reading →
How Frequent Bouts of Sitting May Impact Your Running
Sitting. It's a detrimental habit that our society absolutely loves to do, but most likely something that runners rarely consider the dangers of. After all, we routinely get our 10,000 steps (or more) in a day. It's easy to make the assumption that if you run a lot, you must be healthy. I mean, a ten mile run in the morning has got to negate any negatives your body encounters throughout the Continue reading →
How Long Should I Rest After an Ultramarathon?
R-E-S-T. It's a four letter word for many runners, who can't seem to get enough of this crazy sport. After a race, particularly a very successful one, runners are often anxious to be able to get back on the road or the trail, and start training for their next goal. Or, if a runner had a bad race, they are often anxious to get back to training and get a shot at a redemption race. So naturally, Continue reading →
I Did This to Myself.
The funny thing about overtraining, or "burnout" as it is often called, is that it's not always blatantly obvious. You don't always wake up one day with a stress fracture that garishly shouts "uh oh, you've overdone it!". No, more often than not the signs are subtle whispers from your body that something isn't quite right. If you don't listen closely, you might miss them. And if you really Continue reading →
