Ultramarathon Daily News | Mon, Jan 13

IRF TWIR: Justin lays down the results from this past weekends ultramarathon and trail races. Hot takes:

Drew Holmen was a surprise to me, but in hindsight shouldn’t have been. Dude’s solid and looks like he put on quite a show in the last mile!
Ailsa MacDonald (URP interview) is an absolute beast and despite her rough go at Western last year, I still think she’s got what it takes to podium.
Alex Nichols grabs a Golden Ticket and Tim Tollefson is added to the list. Yeeeeee!
Does it surprise anyone that John Kelly is leading The Spine in the UK? That race was made for someone like him.
I’d never heard of the Roaring Gap 50k (it’s first year) in North Carolina, but it’s female winner Marisa Romeo finished just 10 minutes behind the first fella.

Sarah Lavender Smith: Now living full time in Colorado, she becomes a real skier, though one still a bit freaked out by ski lifts. Fun pics and stories of she and her family growing up…check it out.
For me, I see skiing much like I do golf. I like both activities, but can’t handle the lines, gear requirements or the cost associated with either.

Podium Runner: Easy exercises you can do at work that’ll improve your run game.

UltraRunning Magazine: Camille Herron and Patrick Reagan come in at #4 while Jared Hazen and Kaci Lickteig take #3 on the UROY list. Hmmm. I understand that DNFs need to be factored in, but I think Camille deserved a higher spot.

Larry knew exactly why he was hiking the HRP (Haute Route Pyrenese.) His motivations might not gel with my own preconceived ideas about why people should hike these big trails, but at least he was being honest with himself. And was I any different? I chose to write about my experiences in the mountains. Larry chose to be an Instagram influencer. While he spent hours every day uploading photos and crafting posts, I spent hours scribbling in my journal. Both of us, ultimately, would be trading our hard-won experience for attention and cash.

–Excellent article by a writer struggling with the why of outdoor adventure.

Uncle Larry submits a DFL race report in typical fashion with mentions of boobs, pooping, drugs and a harkening back to a simpler time in ultras.

SCMP: This sounds like such a cool format! Trail running mixed with sailing in Hong Kong.

I ran behind a guy this weekend who was wearing VaporFlys, but had a nasty inward roll each time his right foot hit the ground. All I could do was think about the springy carbon in there and what it was all doing to his ankles, calves, knees, and hips. Nothing against the shoes, but it made me realize they’re not for people with abnormal footstrikes.

VinePair: The five best non-alcoholic beers, ranked.

Sunny running the six hour at One Day in Auburn yesterday. Her “A” goal was to finish happy, while her second goal was 100 laps. She finished happy and tired with 102 laps around the storied Placer High track.

HELP: Struggling with how much to let my 10 year old run. She’s grown up in this scene, she’s very self-motivated and goal oriented, but at the same time, I recognize she’s a 5th grader who needs basic parameters to keep her safe and healthy.
Parents, what have you done? Put a distance or time limit on running? Let them make big goals and encourage them to hit them? Total hands off? Sunny loves running and loves accomplishing her goals, but I really want to make sure she’s healthy and happy when she’s older. Honesty appreciated. Help!

14 Responses to "Ultramarathon Daily News | Mon, Jan 13"

faith a says:

January 13, 2020 at 9:14 am

I am a new mama so not much i can give on advise for sunny. But i just gotta say how refreshing it is that you are asking how much limit to put on sunnys running vs tv or phone screen time. This gives me sooooo much hope. Thank you!

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1. eric schranz says:
  
  January 13, 2020 at 9:24 am
  
  Well thanks Faith! We don’t have the screen issues because, with the exception of some TV, we don’t allow our kids to have phones or non-supervised computer access.
  
  But.
  
  It’s still an issue. Tom sent me this article from NYT that addresses some of my concerns, and from what the docs say, we’re still in the good area of “not too much” exercise. Still though, I’ve got concerns about knees, joints, growth, and whether this will affect her as she gets closer to puberty.
  
  Parenting is a wild ride with no rule book. Have fun! 🙂
  
  Reply
Jay D says:

January 13, 2020 at 10:10 am

If people want to say that Camille should be higher than #4, they should be required to say which of the top 3 (we know who they are!) should be dropped. Camille had a performance for the ages but that was basically it; the 24 hour world record and the early-season win in New Zealand. Kaci won Pikes Peak, Black Canyon, and Javelina, was third at Western States, and fourth at Bandera. She had the unfortunate accident at UTMB, but the total body of her 2019 performances, to me that’s just a more impressive that what Camille did. Camille had the better day; Kaci had the better year.

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1. eric schranz says:
  
  January 13, 2020 at 10:13 am
  
  I 100% agree, and as a voter, struggled with that problem. Couldn’t put five women in three spots!
  
  Reply
Sarah says:

January 13, 2020 at 10:15 am

Eric, thanks for linking to my goofy skiing story (which relates to ultrarunning indirectly!).
Re UROY: Most people commenting in comment threads are focusing on how Camille should have placed higher. But my main take away when I look at 2019’s results lineups for Sabrina (#5), Camille (#4) and Kaci (#3), and I consider the difficulty of the event and caliber of competition, I feel Sabrina is the one who should’ve ended up higher than 5, perhaps 3. I have mad respect for all three, and I know how complicated this voting process is (since I used to have a ballot in it) but FWIW that’s my reaction.
Re your 10-year-old girl running: I’d encourage multi sport, and keep running more of a seasonal thing, and not specialize only in running or let her develop an identity primarily as a runner. If all her eggs are in that basket, then she is more at risk for psychological struggles if she gets injured, or if her body changes significantly during puberty or whatever. Also be careful not to attach too much attention and approval to her running. Even if internally you are 110% supportive and excited about her accomplishments as a runner, I think it’s better for her to feel deeply that you’re OK with whatever sport she does, it’s not a really big deal either way, and she gets unconditional support & love whether she runs or not. I know I’m probably telling you what you already know & do, I’m just putting that out there for other parents of young runners to see my POV. Good luck!

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1. eric schranz says:
  
  January 13, 2020 at 10:26 am
  
  I definitely think Sabrina should be way up on the list. Outstanding year that was overlooked by too many. Again, the struggle of jamming five women into three spots. Ah well.
  
  Re Sunny. She plays soccer semi-year round and had a game on Saturday before the race, and you know how lame I thought that sport was. (My mind’s been changed…I love it now.) And I agree…If my approval and enthusiasm are only there on big days, it creates a weird dynamic that I try to avoid. We had that tested last year when she had her foot in a cast (soccer injury) and she couldn’t do any sports for two months. She survived fine and switched her energy to non-sports activities like organizing groups at school.
  My enthusiasm and excitement are reserved for having fun, being smart, and hitting whatever goals she sets for herself…and that goes for both running and soccer. But THANK YOU. While I’m concerned about “too much” at her age, I’m also very conscious that, regardless of what’s “right”, parents will see me as some stage parent pushing their kids for my own amusement.
  
  Reply
Steph says:

January 13, 2020 at 10:16 am

I’m not a parent, so there’s a chance I have no idea what I’m talking about :). I’m sure Sunny really looks up to you and wants to make you proud. So if she sees you embracing healthy habits (eating, sleeping, recovery), then she will likely do the same. Also, maybe show some excitement for things that maybe aren’t such lofty achievements (not saying you don’t already). Hundred mile races are exciting, but so is the 100m dash, jumping rope, having a healthy breakfast, reading a book, or learning to play an instrument. As far as what level of physical activity is appropriate for a 5th grader, I have no idea. Regardless, she seems like a great kid, and kudos to you for being so involved!

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Sarah says:

January 13, 2020 at 10:33 am

right on and high five!

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Dan F says:

January 13, 2020 at 11:21 am

Is anyone else out there producing NA beer on the level of Athletic? I enjoy the Heineken 0.0 quite a bit. Still can’t track down the Brooklyn version though I’m interested.

Reply
1. eric schranz says:
  
  January 13, 2020 at 1:53 pm
  
  Not that I’ve found. There are plenty great ones out there, but none that come close to ABC’s quality, consistency, variety, and accessibility.
  
  Reply
mike says:

January 13, 2020 at 12:51 pm

Re: Skiing.

Take the best of both worlds: A lot of ski centers will let you skin up, and ski back down for a nominal fee. I’ve taken it up and it is a GREAT addition to running. Low impact, high effort, wads of fun.

Reply
Mike B. says:

January 14, 2020 at 8:48 am

re: Vapor Fly
G’day Folks,

As a runner and manager of a running specialty shop – I can tell you right now, that I’m worried for many of the folks that will hunt down, buy and then train in those shoes. They’re so high and narrow that they are inherently unstable. You need a near flawless stride to wear this shoe. A 125lb East African who ran most of his formative years bare foot, might be strong enough to run with these shoes and not get injured. Most of my clients though, are not that at all. I worry that many of them will use these shoes in training, rack up too many miles with them, and end up injured. I’ve seen one fine young amateur woman do just that last year.

Folks need to get real before forking out this much money on a shoe that might end up injuring them…

Reply
1. eric schranz says:
  
  January 14, 2020 at 8:51 am
  
  Thanks Mike. I was sort of ambivalent on the shoe until I saw this guy over the weekend, and it just looked awful. Really made me realize that however great the shoe is for some people, runners should be cautions and careful before forking over big bucks for them.
  
  Reply
Nicolas says:

January 14, 2020 at 9:30 am

re NA beer, I’ve found both Wellbeing and Bravus breweries to be pretty good. I agree Athletic is the best, but these come quite close.

Reply

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