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Welcome to the archive of the
ULTRAU TUESDAY EMAIL |
Photo courtesy of Full Send Media. Race by Go Beyond Racing.
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A long time ago I went dog sledding in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was very cold so the conditions were fast and we traveled 30 miles in three hours. The dogs howled in delight when we harnessed them for the sleds. We had a lead musher and three sleds of total newbies in teams of two, wide eyed, ready for anything. There were just two rules we were expected to follow (the dogs knew what to do, so really, the bar for the humans was low).
RULE #1- Don't let go! One person was driving the sled from behind and no matter how thick your gloves or what was happening, you were expected to hang on. RULE #2- Run uphill to take weight off the sled and help the team. Also, see rule #1 and while sprinting uphill, DO NOT LET GO. So basically, you are getting a fun ride, weeee and then you have to break into a sprint while holding your arms extended if you start going uphill. Not the most ideal for cold muscles, but it was good fun. I feel like winter running needs the same rules as dog sledding. It is easy to skip runs when it is dark and dumping rain. Don't let go (of your plan, of your training partners, of your goals!) And make sure you are helping your team. Take some weight off for someone and everyone can run a little easier. LOW EXPECTATIONS "High standards, low expectations" Broze medalist in the marathon, Molly Seidel, on her transition to trails and her thoughts in advance of the Black Canyon 100k which she raced last weekend and earned a Golden Ticket into Western States on her first attempt. Her thoughts on her high standards for her racing and training yet expecting nothing. "I will work as long as it takes." - full video here. Did you see the TWO wins by Italian Alpine ski racer, Frederica Brignone. Just 10 months prior to the Olympic games on her home soil, she suffered a crash that she estimated would take two years to recover. “And in the end, I wanted to prove to myself that I would be able to come back from something that really felt impossible to do. Sometimes when you want something so badly, it doesn’t happen. But it’s when you stop or when you want something, but not in that almost unhealthy way that it comes. I mean, I was just happy to be here, and I wasn’t trying to win gold." - full article here. RUNNING NEWS
JOIN ME AND GET STRONG Join me on Wednesday night for Strength Training for Runners. Live to your screen and always free. Stay home, get strong. 30 minutes and chats about nothing afterwards if you want.
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Today I had a vision for a group run where the fastest runners did loops around the slowest and the front of the pack came back periodically to check on those behind. The slower runners could hand out treats, enticing the others to check back in. You start and finish together and everyone gets their workout in just how they want it, but no one runs alone. Oh wait, this is just me running with my dog right now. She gets in her intervals, I go steady state. She checks back for treats, I always provide. Dogs invented the perfect group run!
LIVE TOMORROW Join me on tomorrow and on Wednesday nights for Strength Training for Runners. Live to your screen and always free. Stay home, get strong. Class is 30 minutes, bring your weights. OLYMPICS In case you are feeling meh on the Olympics or just need some human interest to get you warmed up, here are some fun stories including winning a medal and your toddler stealing the spotlight. Or check out this video about speed skater Bittany Bowe and her coach Renee Hildebrand that had me in tears. Also, women can FLY! And here is a fun fact, the highest paid winter Olympian is a woman. Read how Eileen Gu became the highest-paid winter Olympic athlete. BUT DON'T LET ME BURY THE LEAD! Trail runner Anna Gibson tried skimo for the first time in December and now is a medal hopeful. She grew up skiing and is a professional trail runner, but wow, what a story. "An accumulation of talent and a disregard for limits." THAT HALF TIME SHOW!!! (YOUR A$$ IS GRASS):
BULLYING OF FEMALE COACHES A new survey of 2,000 coaches in the UK found 30% of women had experienced bullying in coaching environments, compared with 15% of men. "Women also reported higher levels of harassment, with 21% saying they had experienced it compared with 12% of men, while they also faced more aggression or violence." "The study found the perpetrators of harassment of women coaches are mostly fellow coaches, while aggression and intimidation most often came from parents." This is not surprising but so disappointing. I feel lucky to not exist in a work culture where I feel bullied. BUT I am double disappointed that the conclusion is, "If sport wants a coaching workforce fit for the future, it must put clear anti-misogyny policies in place, backed by training, to tackle harmful behaviors and the structures and cultures that allow inequality to persist." People needing a training to not be a bully to women, feels especially sad and likely not to make a change. Ugh. Let's all go hug a coach right now. Hi all,
This week I am getting together with friends to do a DIY cross-country ski camp. Just us. Just fun. Just making the most of those three whole inches of snow hanging around here in Bend. I will be skiing too far for my current training and eating cookies, so no live class this week on Wednesday. Please enjoy a video from the archives and don't skip out on strength. HELPING IN MINNESOTA AND BEYOND Here is a link to how runners are helping in Minnesota and beyond in case you need ideas on how to engage or need a way to feel part of a positive wave of energy from fellow runners and race organizations. REDEFINING REST "Rest isn’t only what happens at night. It’s also what happens in the five minutes between meetings, between rounds, and between sets. If you can’t rest in small doses, you’re forced to rely on big resets. Those are expensive, inconsistent, and harder to access when life gets loud." From Redefining Rest. Why Rest isn't Stillness by Robert Wilson. I think he was writing the part about rest happening in the five minutes between meetings for ME! I know I am totally terrible at giving myself one second of quiet in a transition and by the end of an afternoon I have checked Instagram eight times too many, played a third of a podcast and started three new emails and feel like my brain is FRIED. I think micro rest is the thing I didn't know I needed! RESPONDING TO STRESS This podcast asks, "In this tense environment, how do we show up as athletes, as members of our community, as our best and healthiest selves?" The episode includes tips on how to navigate the complexities of wanting to help without feeling performative or overwhelmed, and how to effectively engage in difficult conversations without shame or guilt. VOLUNTEER Another way to respond to stress is to be a part of the community and spend time outside. And a great way to be a part of the running community is to volunteer at a race. You can be outside, meet new people, cheer on people doing something hard and it feels great. Check out the race calendar for Go Beyond Racing, they need volunteers at all the races and if you want to volunteer at a race where I will be, you can pick the Mountain Lakes 100. I will be at the Clackamas Ranger Station all night long, so come hang out! "The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault...
This has to stop. In the meantime, every American should support and draw inspiration from the wave of peaceful protests in Minneapolis and other parts of the country. They are a timely reminder that ultimately it’s up to each of us as citizens to speak out against injustice, protect our basic freedoms, and hold our government accountable." -Excerpt from Barak Obama, full statement here If you think that this isn't about running, you are wrong. We can't thrive when lives are in danger. Athletes posting their views on the crimes and lies are being told to stay in their lane, but I can't recommend another pair of running mittens or help you figure out heat training without acknowledging the pain and fear. That said, we still need to experience joy, feel the beauty of moving our bodies with our friends on trails and the fun of eating snacks on snacks post run. Keep running, keep thriving, keep on caring for each other. JOIN ME AND GET STRONG Join me on Wednesday night for Strength Training for Runners. Live to your screen and always free. Stay home, get strong. 30 minutes to be together in sweat. TOO COLD When is it too cold to run outside? This article suggests moving runs inside when it is 5 degrees F and below. If you are on the east coast, be careful and while it is cool to go out in all conditions, long term lung damage isn't cool. NEW PLAYLIST FOR YOUR WORKOUTS An algorithm from a music learning app has some ideas about what you can listen to for keeping energy high. A top ten song list is here, only click if you like pop music, you have been warned. "A steadier beat without frequent tempo changes or long instrumental drops helps maintain consistency and keep up a longer workout." In the last seven days I have run a 0.28-mile stretch of the Deschutes River Trail near my house 79 times. That is over 20 miles never leaving that sub-half mile stretch. And what is fun is that I am not the only one out there. It is the Bend Burrito League, part of the larger Burrito League phenomenon which is a bunch of folks trying to run a specified segment the most times this month. Right now, I am about 150 segments short of the leaders who have been out at all times of day putting in laps. BUT WHY, I MEAN WHHHHYYY I ask myself as I get pulled back there. This summary of Burrito League sums up exactly how I feel about it. "The beauty of Burrito League is that it gives everyone permission to be ridiculous together, in public, anchored only loosely by a sense of place and purpose. To try hard at something that doesn’t matter, only to find that it matters anyway. To talk to strangers. To stay longer than planned. To come back again tomorrow. To have something silly to cheer for." Right now, the news is bleak and it turns out my cure for doomscrolling is this 0.28 stretch of the river trail!
SNACKS Here are some things I ate last week that were delicious and perfect and you must know about them.
FORGOT TO TURNAROUND Have any "I don't know how I survived my teens" memories? Here is a headline I had to read three times. "Teenage triathlete Bohdi Jackson, 17 was rescued after running nearly 31 miles through Australia's Kosciuszko National Park when he went ahead of his group during a 5-mile training run, took a wrong turn, and "forgot to turn around" while listening to "very loud" rap music." Think about the fitness and resilience it takes to run 3 hours too far on a FIVE MILE RUN!I hope this kid survives his teens and becomes an ultrarunner! RUNNING WHILE 80 What does it take to hold a running world record as an octogenarian? This article (looking at one male runner achieving great things at 81) argues, preserving muscle, frequency of runs and keeping up weekly mileage for performance. While the number of participants in this study couldn't be smaller, the lessons are food for thought. SHORT AND HAPPY Short and happy, which is me when I don't doom scroll. Also these videos:
JOIN ME AND GET STRONG Join me on Wednesday night for Strength Training for Runners. Live to your screen and always free. Let's do squats together, it will be fun. "Take a break, don't quit."
A podcaster just solved all of my problems this morning with this one line! I don't have to quit listening to the news forever, I can take a break. Running feeling terrible? Take a break, don't quit. Frustrated with family? Take a break, don't quit. BURRITOS Is anyone out there running burrito league segments?? Nothing brings the ultrarunning community together like a free Strava challenge that makes absolutely no sense but helps you get in some miles! If you are uncertain of what I speak, go find runners around Portland, Bend and in 50 other US cities running quarter mile segments in front of burrito shops and finding community in other runners going back and forth for hours. No idea what I am talking about? Context here. PROTEIN AND BROCCOLI
THE FLU Half of the people I know had the flu last week. That leads me to remind you to not workout with the flu (or Covid or being sick in any other way either). While most of the population is not exercising enough, here you runners are, out running like, it isn't that bad, I can only kind of not breathe. I don't care about your run streak or your weekly mileage, I care about prolonging sickness AND about a healthy ability to rest when your body needs it. Rest when you are sick, you got this. FROM YOU I asked for grain bowl dressing ideas and got some good ones. First, the best idea yet (and it isn't dressing). "I made Rice Krispie treats and stirred in a little bit of berry Mortal Hydration mix, so they tasted a lot like Strawberry Kwik. Delicious!" Ok, to the dressings:
Fast marathoners are coming to ultrarunning and I think it is awesome. Molly Seidel just smashed her first 50k. “I would love to prove to myself that I can be a better athlete when I’m healthy, happy, and doing things in a way that respects your body. I want to show people that it’s possible.” JOIN ME AND GET STRONG Join me on Wednesday night for Strength Training for Runners. Live to your screen and always free. Happy 2026 to all who celebrate! Kick off this year with some friendly faces and squats in the comfort of your own home. Join me for Strength Training for Runners tomorrow and every Wednesday at 5pm. Just 30 minutes, use your home weights or lift your dog, let's go!
THOUGHTS NOT RESOLUTIONS I just listened to a podcast where the hosts all went back to their resolutions from last year. Every single one of them FORGOT what they declared as their resolution and didn't do it. I feel that! Here are the things I am thinking about going into 2026.
FEISTY WOMEN Feisty Media brings you women-centered podcasts, research and sports coverage and if you aren't following, it is worth it. Here are there best moments in sport for 2025. Here is some information on heat adaptation in women. DO IT ANYWAY A ten minute You Tube video is absolute perfection for doing PT, foam rolling or warming up for a run. Don't want to do PT? Do it anyway is your clip for the week. I wasn't cutting onions, I was definitely crying. Last Friday Bend celebrated with a holiday lights paddle parade on the Deschutes river. I dressed up my kayak with a small wooden tree, some lights and went out with a friend and her pup dressed as Santa. The pedestrian bridge was lined with people from the littlest elves to grandmothers and as we passed under, people clapped and kids waved with joy trying to get a wave back. This week I am finding the news of the world unbearable and as we move towards the holidays it somehow feels extra bad. I am so thankful to live in a place where people come out to watch some awkwardly costumed dogs and people floating by and give a clap at the sweetness and joy that we cannot forget.
I am taking the next two weeks off from this weekly email and live strength training to spend time handwriting cards, experimental baking, making some crafts and playing in snow (I hope, I hope!) I hope you can find some sweetness and joy for the end of this year and looking forward to seeing you in 2026. STORIES BECOME CAGES In the 1928 Olympics, women were allowed to compete in something longer than a sprint for the first time. The women's 800-meter final had three women finishing within one second of each other and eight finishers, yet some media reports from the event claimed there were women unable to complete the race and collapsed in exhaustion, which was completely untrue. A by-product of these false stories was women being barred from competing in longer distance events for the next seven Olympic Games. Steve Magness just made a wonderful post about this and how "stories become cages we forgot we built." STATE PARKING If you like to run in any of the Oregon State Parks like Ecola, Smith Rock or Silver Falls, heads up! Oregon State Parks parking permit fees will double on January 1. You have a few weeks left to buy a 2025 annual permit and it could save you some serious money if you do. An annual pass starting January 1 will be $60. BUT if you buy a TWO-YEAR pass right now it is $50 and you won't have to worry about parking fees for two years. This is a super practical gift for your trail running and exploring friends! TRAIN LIKE A PRINCESS This article from endurance athlete Jenny Tough argues you should train like a princess and I am for it. "But, for the love of dogs, must we always be miserable? Why is ‘training’ equated with hardship and discomfort and pain? If you love your sport (and please stop doing it right now if you don’t), then why should you ruin it?" "I’ve basically turned hill sprints into a little girl’s princess birthday party, including the part where I eat more candy than I’m normally allowed, and then need a nap afterwards. I currently have a very positive association with hill sprints, which I don’t think I’ve ever felt before. It’s probably because that’s my big princess day." PROTEIN PLUS CARBS If you are getting the kind of protein peer pressure I am, then it is easy to think, the more protein the better all the time, forever. But let's not forget that carbs fuel your tough workouts and work together with protein for proper refueling post workout. "Refueling within 30-60 minutes post run should include roughly a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein respectively (for every 3g of carbohydrate, eat 1 g protein) and proper rehydration." More here. For post-run fueling ideas, check here. STRENGTH TRAINING FOR RUNNERS Since next Wednesday is Christmas eve and the Wednesday after that is New Years, Strength Training for Runners is on a short break. For the next two weeks, don't ignore your weights. Here is a glute and hamstring workout, it's just 20 minutes so you can squeeze it in while the cookies are baking. Hi all,
I am just back from a weekend trip to Alaska. When we booked it, it seemed like a truly questionable idea. Escape the cold by flying straight into, YAY, more cold. Turns out, Bend was balmy so flying into Anchorage’s high of ten with our cross-country skis was lucky timing to get to some much anticipated winter. A highlight was skiing a stretch of the Iditarod trail. I shed a happy tear more than once from the sheer beauty of the place. The kind of beauty that reminds me why I stay fit, have good gear and SAY YES to adventure. And the thing is, I live in a place that gives me that same feeling. Trails that still bring a tear when I crest the final hill and catch the first glimpse of the lake. I travel far for wonder, only to be reminded that I am surrounded by it at home. It was a good reminder to visit the places that fill my cup, whether they’re an airplane ride away or a little further than the normal trailhead. A YEAR IN REVIEW Rachel Entrekin, winner of the Cocodona 250 last year and about everything else she enters, has written a 2025 year in review. Not a bad idea for all of us actually. And, she has crafted a masterpiece by modeling it after a favorite podcast/book by author John Green called The Anthropocene Reviewed. If you are unfamiliar, congratulations, you now have a treasure trove of podcasts to take you into the new year. The Anthropocene Reviewed and Rachel Entrekin rate happenings and objects on a 5-star scale. "Here are some of the things that happen if you actually eat properly during big efforts: – you don’t bonk hideously... – you feel alert nearly the entire time, controlling your energy levels with a steady flow of calories vs. last year’s borderline abuse of caffeine – you never once get GI distress OR cramps – you can run at a speedier pace for way longer than you think... I give calories five stars." BE PREPARED OUT THERE This story is chilling to me because it is hard to know what everyone was really thinking, but in the end, someone died on a mountain. WHICH reminds me to give you my annual plea for adding a few pieces of safety gear to your running pack. Even if you are running 'only' in Forest Park, it pays to have a safety blanket, a dry pair of mittens, and a whistle at minimum in case your run takes longer or is slower than anticipated. For trips to into the Gorge, National Forests, etc consider the ten essentials (and knowing how to use them). AND for the love of candy and running and all your loved ones, don't forget to tell someone where you are headed and what time you expect to be back. MEDICAL MISINFORMATION Here is a great article from Dr Jen Gunter regarding medical misinformation on social media. There are tips for helping decrease the spread of bad information including being skeptical of information coming from companies selling supplements, watching out for health halos and the touchdown feeling. This could help you save money, spare yourself time and not get tricked into poor health decisions. JOIN ME FOR STRENGTH Please join me THIS Wednesday night for Strength Training for Runners. It is live, to your screen at 5pm Pacific time. Information here. Hi all,
You know how races open registration eleven months in advance and if you are healthy it is so fun and exciting and if you are injured you hear the call and it is like “Hey, want to commit your maybe not so healed self to something ridiculously far into the future and maybe lose some money?” Especially with injuries that you know are not forever, but hang around just enough that signing up for a race makes PT less about healing and more about fast tracking something on its own schedule. Can we get this calf operational by April? What is the glute budget? Could we get stability work done by race time? Your body does not care about early-bird pricing or deferral deadlines, and accepting that is a gift to yourself (and your area for opportunity!) There will always be races that stay open longer, races that don’t sell out and races that will be waiting for when you’re truly ready. So don’t sell out your PT progress just to force a timeline your body hasn’t agreed to. If signing up genuinely motivates you, and you’re okay with the possibility of losing a little money, go ahead, hit the button, ride the hype, let it fuel your rehab. But if you’re the type who will push through pain simply because you paid for a bib, give yourself some grace and sit this one out. The finish line isn’t going anywhere, and getting there healthy is always the better story. NO MATTER THE LOTTERY RESULTS, LET'S CHAT If you or a friend draws a golden ticket into a dream race this lottery season, LET'S CHAT. Getting into Western States or Hardrock, both drawing this weekend, can take a decade, and once your name is called, you want to make sure every detail of your preparation sets you up to stand on that start line with the confidence of a superhero. (or pace your friend like a boss!) And if your name isn’t pulled? Good news, there are over 250 other 100-mile races in North America alone, and I have plenty of opinions on them. Consultations available via Zoom. SNACK IDEAS FOR WHEN YOU AREN'T YET AWAKE If you are struggling with what to eat before early morning workouts when you would rather skip, DON'T skip snacking, at least have something small. Here are a few ideas.
GIVING TUESDAY If you are giving to non-profits this Tuesday, YAY and thank you. Don't forget to check if your employer matches donations so you can double your impact. JOIN ME FOR STRENGTH Please join me THIS Wednesday night for Strength Training for Runners. It is live, to your screen at 5pm Pacific time. Dust off the home weights and get out your leg warmers. Information here. |
All images and posts © UltraU, 2022. Photos by Runnerteri Photography.