“Life is short. Running makes it seem longer.” I read the sign a volunteer had placed beside the trail as I power hiked up the final grade to Cuyamaca Peak, at roughly mile 23 of the 62-mile long course. I was 3 hours and 40 minutes into the race and now, at the end of the longest climb, was relishing the idea of a sponge soak soon. Nick was a minute or two behind me,…
Earlier this year, Topo athletes were invited to run one of the distances at the Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Run (TRTER), a collection of races held on the northeast side of Lake Tahoe. Topo athletes since March, Nick and I both jumped at the opportunity, Nick wanting to run a 100-mile race this summer and myself looking for a fun 50K event. Despite being out in Lake Tahoe in mid-June for Broken Arrow, a month…
I’m three days home from a whirlwind trip to Germany and Austria, and already everything feels far behind me. Part of this is because we hit the ground running (as usual) when we got home in order to get back to coaching, writing, Nick’s grad school, and our animals, and the other part is because we leave for another trip to Lake Tahoe to run the Broken Arrow Vertical K tomorrow. That will make more…
I’ve been wearing Janji gear for a few years, and have long been a fan of several of their best selling products. When I was asked to review a few pieces from their latest collection, I said yes, knowing I would likely love these products just as much. I’m picky about clothing (always have been) as I don’t like the feeling of pieces that are tight, restrictive, compressive, or uncomfortable. That’s often a tall order…
After dropping out at mile 24 last year, I had sworn I would never run the race again, but here I was, almost exactly a year later, on the start line of the Black Canyon 100K cold and excited and just a little bit scared. Two and a half weeks prior, our trip to New Zealand felt apart after a flight cancelation and, with it, my plans to run Tarawera 100K. After a night wondering…
I skim through most gear reviews. I’m skeptical of reviewers’ honesty about the products, particularly when the links go to Amazon accounts. I also don’t relate to many reviewers’ chosen activities, because what one wears for cold winter weather as a hiker is often drastically different than what one might wear as a runner, simply because of the body heat generated through running. If you’re looking askance at this post, go ahead. But also consider that…
It’s been a while since I last updated my blog, in part because blog posts aren’t where most share more personal details of their lives anymore (that’s for Instagram, right?) I’ve also spent the last five years since my previous blog post finishing a degree in writing and starting and completing another degree not in writing but that required a lot of it. Blog posts went by the wayside. I’d like to change that, thanks…
A few years ago, when I ran Rabbit Peak for the first time, I called it the most challenging run or hike I’ve ever done. At 22 miles, it’s not big compared to most ultramarathons, yet it’s incredibly challenging with roughly 8,000 feet of elevation ascent (and an equal amount of descent), technical terrain, jumping cholla cactus, and a route that is determined more by sheer cliffs than by an navigable trail. Joe and Nicole…
Last month I received a copy of Sarah Lavender Smith’s new book: The Trail Runner’s Companion: A Step-by-Step Guide to Trail Running and Racing, from 5Ks to Ultras. I’ve read dozens of books on running (every other book on my Goodreads account is about running) and recently wrote an article, “What’s the Best Ultrarunning Book for You?” from beginner to elite. There are plenty of books I’d recommend to someone looking to try their first ultramarathon–but…
Earlier this month I completed Travis Macy’s 8-week Ultra Mindset Academy eCourse, an extension of his popular book, The Ultra Mindset. Travis’ course suggests that participants will come away with these three skills: A lasting, resilient, positive mindset that will motivate you for training and get you to the finish line in races Mastery of evidence-based mindset principles that can be applied to life beyond athletics, including work, parenting, and relationships Synergy for success through genuine…