Ultramarathon Daily News | Thursday, Aug 9

Habits can be powerful tools for achieving your ultramarathon goals. They can also make uber-focused athletes resistant to change. Olympic cyclist Mara Abbott gives some great lessons about listening to your body and how refreshing change can be.

What I eat in a day: How Gabrielle Maudiere fuels while training for a 100-mile race. A lot to digest here, she’d probably recommend breaking it into smaller meals 😉

Speaking of routines, RunnersWorld offers some pre-race tips inspired by an MLB pitcher who started throwing 4mph faster after adopting a habit of sprinting onto the field.

Update: New women’s standings from the GiddyUp Pineland Farms Trail 50-miler after a DQ. Sarah Pandiscio stays in 1st (7:31:36), Lori Wetzel (8:08:20) moves up to 2nd place, and Yuki Chorney (8:14:38) is now 3rd, after organizers disqualified Maude Gorman for skipping part of the course. Congrats to Yuki for making the podium once again, and for her Vermont 100 finish in July (video) — her first 100-mile ultramarathon.

As you read this, the 93-mile Wonderland Circumnavigation is happening. This non-competitive three-day adventure is all about experiencing the beauty and savagery of Mt. Rainier’s glaciated flanks. Can’t wait to see and hear how it went.

Powerful story of unity: Forty-five runners from various Native American tribes ran nearly 800 miles to Bears Ears in the name of preserving important places and promoting togetherness. Beautiful, with video: Sacred Strides for Healing.

PSA: Forgoing water during hot weather workouts does NOT make you stronger. In a study of so-called permissive dehydration, scientists found that eschewing water caused negative effects on cyclists. Also, the riders also reported feeling quite thirsty.

How do you talk to kids about your running habit? In a thoughtful essay, Martin Fritz Huber ponders telling his son about the futility of existence. Eh, maybe just say it makes you feel good.

Race reports:

• Scott Snell was impressed with the organization for the inaugural Fat Sass Switchback Challenge in Milburn, NJ. Congrats on 2nd place, Scott!
• Crewing at Badwater: Nitty-gritty details matter when your rental van has to hold several ice coolers, food/drink coolers, sponge coolers and drinking water coolers … plus, you know, people. Really enjoyed this rundown from Wendy Coulson Murray.

Love trails? Why not help your local trail crews this weekend. I’m getting dirty this weekend (and possibly soaked … yay!) with the Taconic Trail Crew in Hudson Highlands State Park.

Thanks for reading! This edition of the Daily News was curated by Emily Veach, a Hoosier in NYC. I’d love to connect with people who have returned to trail running after spine stabilization surgery (like I am attempting to do now). DM me on Twitter if that’s you. Or just say “hi,” that’s cool too!