Ultramarathon Daily News | Tuesday, Sept 11
After 17 years, it still feels strange typing that date, doesn’t it? Whew, where was I back then? I’d recently moved to Sacramento from LA, had begun dating Sam, and I was living in an attic and had my own urinal. I was working as a legislative analyst healthcare trade association on my way to becoming a lobbyist and campaign consultant and felt like I was growing up. Running wasn’t part of my life (I’d taken a ten year hiatus), but looking back, I sure wish I’d been up at Squaw to watch Jurek and Ann Trason take off en route to wins at Western States (his third, her freaking twelfth.) A lot has changed, but a lot has stayed the same and I’m grateful for all the experiences.
But let’s get on with the important stuff…Be sure to read Dylan Bowman’s heartbreaking tale from TDS. He went in to the race in perfect shape, primed for a standout performance, executed flawlessly and was in the zone…and then…read it all right here.
The five ladies of South African running, including the incredible Frith van see Merwe, the OG female barefooter Zola Budd, and a ‘melanin-enriched’ Blanche who ran through apartheid and is still making an impact today.
More on African barefooters…here’s a quick video from the 1960 Olympics with the incredible Abebe Bikila.
Mario’s Morning Shakeout. Check it out for Mario’s smart take on what’s going on in the overall running world.
Ellie reminds us why and how to be better stewards of the trails and the outdoors.
David Roche writes about disordered eating in male athletes.
Nice and short essay about taking the other path. It’ll make you feel good.
I really like George’s take on the important part of running, and that’s the process.
Industry news: China’s Anta Sports makes a bid to buy Amer Sports, which is the parent company of Salomon and Suunto, among other outdoor brands. The bid is widely assumed to be a step forward in capitalizing on the momentum of the 2022 Winter Games, which will be held in China. (I’m trying to envision a scenario where Beijing steps in and, with political/business partners involved in this new acquisition, add mountain running to the Games and use Kilian and other Salomon athletes to promote it. Possible???)
Good, basic tips for success from one of our country’s top runners.
Excellent article by Joe Uhan about the really important parts of being a well-rounded endurance athlete. Save this, bookmark it, and review it every few months.
Quinn started running in the late 1960s/early 1970s, apparently to prove her husband Patrick wrong.
—And other funny stories from The Race for the Ages.
Two Trail Sisters attempt a three day trail running adventure on an island in the Great Lakes, but have to make some changes due to foul weather. Good story about planning an adventure and adapting to the conditions.
Marshall Ulrich struggles with aging after DNFing at Badwater this year. Good and real read from one of the most important endurance athletes of our time. And here’s our interview with him from 2011.
Bookmart this too: Koop’s seven strategies for recovery after an ultramarathon.
Some pretty good tips for crewing an ultramarathon (from, uh, someone I could watch all day.)
Today is a really big day for me. Late last year I had the idea to start a kids track, xc, and trail running club at my kids’ elementary school, and today is our very first practice. We’ve gone way past the initial 40 student limit and now have sixty five 1st-6th graders signed up and a whole gaggle of awesome parent volunteers who’ll help out and motivate this next generation of runners. Walking, jogging, pilates, and agility training are on the schedule for today and we’ll gradually move into trails later in the season. Big huge thanks to Zone Perfect nutrition bars, to The North Face, and to Athletic Brewing (yes, the team is partially sponsored by a brewery…) for recognizing the importance and need for programs like this and for stepping up with support. We could not do this without their support. (Any shoe brands with kids sizes out there want to offer a discount? We’ve got some student athletes who could use the help.) Additionally, we’re working with Oiselle’s “Bras for Girls” program to help make the transition easier for our older girls. This whole team has been a dream of mine and today is day one. Let’s do this.