Ultramarathon Daily News | Monday, June 11
iRunFar previews the women’s field for Western States. This field has redefined what’s possible in the sport of trail and ultramarathon distance trail running and they’re going to line up together very soon. (I’ll be focusing on Kaci, Ailsa, Lucy, and Stephanie.)
What’s so different (and special) about Western States, anyways?
Sherpas are born high in the mountains from a genetic stock that makes them perfect for hard work. But what do they eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to maintain their energy levels and strength?
Chris Farley’s family sues TREK over their fat bike brand that uses the late actor’s surname.
Justin/IRF runs down all the ultramarathon results from this weekend. I’d also take a gander at the entrants list for the Broken Arrow 26k: Max, Sandes, Laney, Boone, Shay, Keyes, etc…Whoa! I’ll be up there announcing the race and watching my kids run. Hope to see you there!
Didya see the results from North Face Massachusetts? Next race in the series is in Wisconsin in September. You ready? Use URP15 at checkout for a nice discount.
I hope you caught our interview with Kate Elliott from last week. Kate’s got a neat story…she earned her Golden Ticket to Western States after only two 50 milers and one 100k, but she’s got a strong, positive attitude going into the Big Dance. How did she deal with injury? How about forest forest on her training hills? Much more right this way.
And be sure to check out the episode sponsor, the Chicago Lakefront 50M/50k. If you’re looking for a mountain race on single track, look elsewhere. But if you’re looking for flat and fast—great for beginners or people looking to set a PR—this is the event that saw the fastest times run for both men and women last year (Geoff Burns and Terra Moody.) Registration link.
In that interview with Kate, we spoke about the impact of Melody Fairchild’s accomplishments on the HS track and her influence on Kate. Mary Cain was another standout prep runner who shot high, but who’s running career has stalled. Now there’s Katelyn Tuohy, blessed with all the physical talent in the world, but one who faces the possibility of a cruel twist in athletics.
Chris Lundy (f) eeks out Alex Varner for a repeat win at the oldest trail race in the country: The Dipsea.
“This one time at trail running camp…” Sarah writes about her recent stay at Koop’s high altitude trail/ultramarathon camp in Colorado and where she’ll be next.
Past WSER champ Andrew Miller is out (withdrawal). Dean Karnazes is in. WS Waitlist drama right this way.
South African men dominate Comrades, while Devon and Sarah ran well for the ladies. Nice!
One of Japan’s top female distance runners gives an interesting interview. She hates running, she’s ambivalent at best about her future, and she’s only in the sport because nature put her there.
If you’ve been in this silly sport more than a few races, you’ve probably fallen on the trail. How and if you decide to push forward is up to you, but a few considerations need to be addressed.
Sure, she possessed that innate drive to push herself physically and emotionally for no reward other than the summit. But according to the rules of the day, she “needed” a man to show her where that summit was.
This struck her as a load of total bulls#it.
–Read this great essay about Mirian O’Brien, a woman born when there were true obstacles to her participation in mountain climbing and peak bagging. Did she let them stop her? You wouldn’t be reading this if it did.
As our industry struggles with figuring out the roles of sponsored athletes and brand ambassadors, so to is the triathlon/multisport scene. Here’s a good piece that analyzes the issue, but then ends with a lame infographic.
Stay tuned for a new podcast. I spoke with Diana Fitzpatrick on Friday about the Dipsea, her role on the WS Board, and her incredible longevity and passion for the sport. She’s incredible.
###