Ultramarathon Daily News | Thursday, Jan 10
Who finished #8 on the 2018 Ultramarathon Runners of the Year?: Sabrina Stanley and Mark Hammond. (Here’s our ep with Sabrina.)
More on the 90 yo old cyclist who tested positive for doping:He’s over it.
I’ve avoided this list but suppose I need to deal with: Sports Illustrated’s Most Fit Athletes of 2018. The impossible attempt to compare athletes across myriad sports and activities is simply comment fodder, so I’ll add my own. How in the world is a professional golfer on the same list as a decathlete or triathlete or a guy who can click off 26 4:40 miles? I commend SI for including representative(s) from each major sport (woo woo Jim and Courtney!) but in doing so, we ended up with a list that makes no sense.
Over the next few miles I experienced the beginnings of a bonk, my legs growing heavy and clarity of thought diminished. That’s when all the doubts began to creep in. Leading takes a mental toll; I’m not used to it. I began to question the early race tactics, my ability to keep a solid pace, maybe even my ability to finish. I had to remember that I’ve experienced and come out of bonks before, to be patient and take care of myself when I reached the next aid station. A new thought came to me as well, one that would become my mantra for the remaining 25 miles of the race: If not now, when? I was in the best position I’d ever been in to earn a Golden Ticket, and that’s what I’d come for.
—Great post about Tyler Green’s win (and Golden Ticket) at Bandera. He switched up his training plan to focus more on speed and less on power hiking. Apparently it worked.
Cold to me means wearing gloves and a beanie…that I’ll take off after a few minutes and tuck into my shorts. Then I read reports like this from Jill about her latest run/hike with Beat where they dealt with minimal sunlight and broke through a frozen river and feel like we’re living on different planets.
New episode: Whether or not you’ve got dreams of running hundreds of miles of single track in Nepal, check out out latest episode with Jimi Oostrum. Ever had your legs go numb because you were covered in 150 leeches? Or had a Nepalese woman demand you stop running, come inside, and eat a proper meal? Do you need permits? Is it safe? Expensive? And how incredible are sherpa runners? Neat interview with a fascinating guy.
The latest outrage is against Run Rabbit Run and their announcement that the race would give women the option to start the race one hour before the start. Expectedly, runners were up in arms at the perceived slight against female athletes and the insinuation that they need an extra hour more than male runners. This was a bonehead move, but I think the RDs were trying to do the right thing what they thought was right. It backfired miserably, and here’s why: This is what happens when people try to apply social engineering to sports in and attempt to equalize outcome instead of opportunity. Give everyone the same opportunity, treat them all well, and we’ll be fine.
Brazos Bend will be the site for the USATF 100 Mile Championships. Registration opens tomorrow.
That interview with Jimi Oostrum was sponsored by Himalayan Adventure Labs. If you’re looking to visit Nepal and want to go the fastpacking route, check them out. They specialize in fastback adventures for trail runners, they keep groups small, and have a stellar reputation with both western and local guides.
Are you doing Dry January or trying to cut back on alcohol intake? Maybe just interested in the NA beer scene? Check out this FaceBook group dedicated to NA Craft Beer. It’s small, but there’s a ton of info in there.
Admission; I ate a Beyond Meat burger (sandwich?) at Carl’s Jr/Hardees yesterday and it was delicious. Wish it were a bit smaller, but totally convincing as “meat.” How’d I become that guy who drinks NA beer and eats veggie fast food?
How often do you incorporate hopping and jumping into your workouts? I jump rope every week, but can’t ever make it past about 10 minutes before I feel like I’m about to die.
TWIS (This Week in Science): Hot tubs after a workout are good. Please stay tuned for next weeks update.