Long before I discovered ultramarathons, I went to school to study exercise science and became a certified exercise physiologist. I've been working in gyms, programming workouts for personal training clients, since 2010. So workout posts are nothing new in these parts. Most of these workouts are designed to help you become a stronger athlete, less susceptible to injury, and ideally, take some Continue reading →

40 is the new 30, orange is the new black, and ultras are the new marathons. It's true. Running 26.2 miles at one time is still a huge accomplishment, don't get me wrong. But seemingly more and more runners have their sights set on something even bigger: an ultramarathon. The popularity of ultras has increased exponentially, with races often selling out almost instantly. Often, prospective Continue reading →

About a decade ago, I was a happy road runner, traversing the paved streets of major cities while collecting new half and full marathon finishers medals. I remember thinking that a race had outdone themselves when I'd show up to an aid station, and in addition to water and Gatorade, they had something like orange slices available. Food ON course? How thoughtful of the race director! Then, I Continue reading →

Prior to my entrance into the world of ultramarathon, I had always imagined hallucinations to include terrifying scenarios. The kind of things that I'd have to remind myself were not real. Being chased by unidentifiable monsters that were out to get me. Hearing creepy voices calling to me in the woods. Avoiding cracks in the ground where the earth was trying to open up and swallow me. But the Continue reading →

Confession: I'm pretty sure I pack more "stuff" to run a 100 miler than I do for a week long vacation. Packing for an ultramarathon is a learned art form, and frankly, ultras require a lot of gear. If you're facing your first 100 miler, you may be wondering what items are essential, or fearful of what items you may be forgetting. Hopefully, this 100 mile packing list will help ensure you've got Continue reading →

Inspiration for the posts I write come from all sorts of places. In this instance, I am 7 days post 24 hour race, and 5 days deep into a gnarly head cold. It's far from enjoyable, but certainly not unexpected. Ask any endurance athlete, from ultra runners to Ironman triathletes and they will tell you that getting sick after a race is actually, and unfortunately, quite common. In this post Continue reading →

The logistics of creating and setting up an ultramarathon course can often result in some creative course design for race directors. After all, it can be difficult trying to find a 50- 100 mile, uninterrupted trail for runners to traverse. Add in permitting for land use, aid stations, and other logistics, and it's no surprise that there are so many different styles of ultras. In this post, we Continue reading →

I've been around the running, blogging, and blogging about running world long enough now to know that there are countless reasons why people choose to run. I know this, because I never get tired of hearing about those reasons. I've nodded my head in agreement while reading the articles others have written about their "why's". I've shed more than a few tears while watching the videos detailing Continue reading →

One hundred miles. It's a long way to drive. It's a ridiculous distance to ride on a bike. And it's an almost unfathomable distance to cover on foot. Yet ultra runners do it all of the time. Chances are you are reading this post because the idea of running 100 miles is on your radar. For me, running the 100 mile distance has been, and continues to be, a life changing experience. I'm happy to Continue reading →