"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. 

• For pre-run: Banana bread mug cake.
• For post-run or as part of lunch: Spinach egg bites.  

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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: 

• Mountain biking down a ski slope, thank you Red Bull.
• "What is the industry here in Bend, Oregon? He quickly answered, Pinecone Factory" Thank you Jim Gaffigan for cracking me up every time I clear the driveway of the 6 inches of pinecones that accumulates weekly. 

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 She's A Beast newsletter from Swole Woman hit in all the right places this week. First up was protein inflation and why collagen isn't your best source of protein. Then she shouts out Ilona Maher for this post. Preach sister! "That's just a normal woman's body!"
• And now we have broccoli shots! "Prime the body to handle physical stress" with isothiocyanates. Don't know what those are? Me neither! But can't wait for the influencers to catch on to this one and drink it on top of a mountain in shorts that are cooler than yours! 

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:

• Tzatziki- Greek yogurt and herbs, can't go wrong there! 
• Here is a barley bowl with a different type of yogurt sauce.  
• This sauce uses nutritional yeast and I can't wait to try it this week. 
• And if you are into Cafe Yumm bowls, here is a recipe that approximates the sauce, also with nutritional yeast that you toast, I have never tried that! 

MARATHONERS ARE COMING
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.

• Buy Less January. I wanted to say buy nothing but there are so many exceptions to this like buying food and gas and paying bills that it seemed like poor naming. But if you are selling anything fun, back away! The goal is more intentionality with purchases, at least for another few weeks. 
• Planning something hard/fun/rad for each season. The hard/fun/rad thing for winter is a ski trip above the Arctic Circle in Sweden in March. It brings me so much joy having something to look forward to that once a year isn't enough, so this year I am committed to four.  It also informs my training and gives purpose to my heavy lifting, skiing and early morning runs. 
• How to let go of Instagram? I dumped Facebook, and I wish I could just delete Instagram but it gives me FOMO to think you are all posting fun things I won't see. I say I use it for UltraU but really, I spend too much time there, hate the ads and my feed feels like everyone is just showing their abs all the time. 
• Kevin Bacon singing Lovely Day. This is the best of Instagram, no abs, promise. If you click, you will have the words lovely day swirling in your head for a while and that is grand. You are welcome. 
• Grain bowls. I want to make more of them. Send your favorite homemade dressing ideas and you will be a hero to me. If you haven't tried the Trader Joe's Harvest Blend, it is delish. 

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.