Training for trail and ultra running doesn’t have to stop when the trails get covered with snow. The snow presents an opportunity for a low-impact cardio and strength-boosting cross training exercise known as skinning. Skinning is a form of skiing in which a fuzzy, synthetic skin is stretched across the bottom of a pair of skis to allow an athlete to ski uphill, remove the skins at the top of the mountain, and ski down.
When running any distance, the bonk is bound to happen…it happens all the time. If you’ve ever been crushing it through the race, and then, out of nowhere, your day turns upside down to feeling tired, slow, heavy, or grumpy, you’ve bonked! It is possible to train to overcome it though! We’ll try to help you understand what is happening, and how to overcome it so that you can race more efficiently at your next big day.
Finding a pace at trail and ultramarathon races is a different beast compared to road races and marathons. How to find your pace and stick to it.
How much vert is enough to train for an ultramarathon? How should you incorporate hills? What workouts should you do? Hills aren’t always easy, but you’ll find them on pretty much any trail race out there. Here’s how to prepare for a successful hilly or mountainous ultramarathon.
Aid stations are more than just a physical checkpoint in a race, but also a mental one. They can be a huge boost to our race day from seeing cheerful volunteers and crews, hearing a festive atmosphere, and getting the nutrition needed to keep having a solid race. They also can be a place where you might stare into oblivion and have no clue what to do, especially after a tough section or many hours on your feet. Knowing what to do at an aid station can keep you moving strong and minimize down-time.
Injuries in trail and ultramarathon running can put a damper on the stoke, and unfortunately are common to find. Most runners suffer some kind of injury every year. With every mile, our muscles are breaking down while hopefully on their way to getting stronger. Sometimes, they break down too much though, and lead to one of the injuries discussed below.
Where there used to be an “off season” in the winter, there are now heavily sponsored world-class 50k races and marathons. However, in order to continue grow as athletes, there must be rest and recovery. Our bodies are remarkable machines and have many ways they communicate with us. Here is how to know what your body is saying, and how to react.
DNF – or Did Not Finish – are three dreaded letters that no runner wants to carry. Throughout this article, we will explore the common causes for a DNF, why they happen, and how you can avoid them becoming an obstacle to the finish.
As humans, our minds love routine. Breaking the running routine can take its mental toll. You’ve spent the last um-teen weeks training hard, accomplishing new milage each week and crushing workouts, and then, it starts going backward. That lack of feel-good endorphins and new weekly accomplishments can take a mental toll and cause taper week to feel dreadful.
The highs and lows of this race will be extreme, whether geographical, physical, or emotional. With this turn by turn guide, we hope to provide an extra resource for you to visualize what that day will have in store, and position yourself for the success that awaits back at 6th and Harrison.
Preparing for a race takes time. There are lots of moving parts that need to be managed in order for the day to go as smoothly as possible. Using the experiences of athletes and coaches, we’ve put together this list for you to ease the mental stress and keep everything on track so that your can have your best race yet!
