“Life will test your spirit, the trails will test your soul.” -Unknown

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“The reason we are ‘ultra’ runners is not to win awards, which we rarely do, and not see what place or time we run, but to test our limits and to do things that few would dream to do. This is what makes us stronger when we do race, and this is what makes training so wonderful!” -Meredith Terranova

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by Isabelle Dills

Participants in The North Face Endurance Challenge crossed the finish line near Lake Samish Saturday, short of breath with shoes and legs caked in mud. Bent over with his hands on his knees and the sweat still dripping from his brow, half-marathon runner Joah Spearman described the 13-mile race. Continue reading ‘Endurance race draws athletes from across country’

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by Don Buraglio

As if running 100 miles wasn’t hard enough, athletes worry about becoming lost in the wilderness, being bitten by a rattlesnake or attacked by a mountain lion, suffering accidents due to sleep deprivation at night, or succumbing to any number of medical conditions that can cause an untimely end to their race. Continue reading ‘Finding someone to chase 100 miles of windmills with’

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by John Hartsock

Area woman enduring 100 miles for charity
Pennsylvania - Lisa (Sidler) Fleming has completed several major marathons, including the Boston Marathon, the Washington, D.C. Marine Corps Marathon and the Pittsburgh Marathon. Continue reading ‘Making a run for it’

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One man’s hobby was running, he spent all his weekends on the park trails, paying no attention to weather. One Sunday, early in the morning, he went to the park as usual. It was still dark, cold and raining, so he decided to return back to his house. He came in, went to his bedroom, undressed and laid near his wife. “What terrible weather today honey,” he said to her. “Yes,” she replied “but my idiot husband still went running!”

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There is a mathematics book from the 19th century that proves all Euclidean theorems using shapes and colours as nouns. Running on the rain is an exercise on visual rhetoric.

The question itself is a popular saying that states that if you run under the rain you will get more wet than if you walk. This may be true, but you also get home faster. So the question is: is it worth running in the rain? Continue reading ‘Run in the Rain’

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by Karen Vertigan Pope

Marathon runners use carbohydrates and fats to fuel their bodies. Fats are burned aerobically and carbohydrates are burned anaerobically and aerobically. For runners, carbohydrates are the fuel of choice, however carbs will only sustain a marathon for the first 18 to 20 miles in a race. This includes even the most gifted runners who start the race fully fueled. To run like a champion, you need nutrition for champions, with a good diet that is high in carbs and a beneficial combination of vitamins. Continue reading ‘Run Like A Champion’

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“Mental will is a muscle that needs exercise, just like the muscles of the body.” -Lynn Jennings

Just For Fun: “My doctor told me that jogging could add years to my life. I think he was right. I feel ten years older already.” -Milton Berle

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An ultramarathon (also called ultra distance) is any sporting event involving running longer than the traditional marathon length of 42.195 kilometers (26.21875 miles, 46,145 yards).

There are two general types of ultramarathon events: those that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during specified time (with the winner covering the most distance in that time). The most common distances are 50 and 100 miles, or 50 and 100 kilometers. Other distances/times include double marathons, 24-hour races, and multiday races of 1000 miles or even longer. The format of these events and the courses covered are quite variable, ranging from single or multiple loops (some as short as a 400 meter track), to point-to-point road or trail races, to cross-country rogaines. Many ultramarathons, especially trail challenges, are characterized by severe course obstacles, such as inclement weather, elevation change, or rugged terrain. Many of these races are run on dirt roads or mountain paths, though some are run on paved roads as well. Usually, there are aid stations every five to fifteen km apart, where runners can replenish food and drink supplies or take a short break. Continue reading ‘What are Ultramarathons?’

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