drt hd45y sthr // MAGZUS.COM //

2021 GEAR GUIDE

TRAIL

GEAR TESTED

SUMMER 2021 / ISSUE 146

CATRA CORBETT

AT 56, SHE IS JUST WARMING UP

HILLARY ALLEN AND HER AMAZING COMEBACK — WOMEN'S NUTRITION INSIGHTS — LAST RUNNER STANDING RACE TACTICS

TRAIL RUNNERS WE'VE LOST Reflecting on athletes, community builders and sources of inspiration

Two wrong turns, one swollen ankle, 15 minutes until sunset and no headlamp.

Act Natural

Capilene® Cool Merino Our Capilene® Cool Merino tech tees were designed to handle the most uncomfortable moments. They’re made with 65% merino wool, which is both naturally temperature regulating and odor resistant.

All of the virgin wool Patagonia sources is certified to the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) from farm to fiber, to help ensure protection for the animals that supply it and the land they graze. We’ve blended the wool with 35% recycled polyester for greater durability and faster drying time when you’re working hard.

82% of our line is Fair Trade Certified™ sewn.

That’s more Fair Trade styles than any other apparel brand.

We require all of our virgin wool to be certified to the Responsible Wool Standard. Less than 1% of wool used globally is RWS-certified.

Eli Neztsosie runs at dusk in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, which has historical and modern-day connections to Hopi, Zuni, Diné/Navajo, San Juan Southern Paiute, Kaibab Paiute, Ute, Ute Mountain Ute, and Acoma nations. ACE KVALE © 2021 Patagonia, Inc.

favorite trail EXPLORE

The Pemi Loop WHITE MOUNTAINS, NEW HAMPSHIRE Photographer: Brian Nevins Runner: Stefanie Bishop Beta: The Pemi Loop is a collection of interconnected trails that encircle the Pemigewasset Wilderness in the heart of the White Mountains, New Hampshire. Cresting eight wide-open summits on the NH 48 list of 4,000-footers, the loop utilizes two of the most sought-after trails in the East, showcasing both Franconia Ridge and Bondcliff. Considered one of North America’s toughest day hikes, it’s a popular test among trail runners and hikers alike, and its completion has long been a badge of honor.

Distance: Approximately 31.5 miles and over 9,500 feet of vertical gain.

Best seasons: Summer and fall.

Info: www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-hampshire/ pemi-loop--10

CONTENTS SUMMER 2021 / ISSUE 146

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The Dirt Diva

editor’s note

Carry liquids comfortably with these six options.

A vibrant and vivacious personality, Catra Corbett is a confident and omnipresent competitor. And she’s running for her life.

By Alisha McDarris

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run amok

wearables

hydration

The six best watches for trail runners.

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Trail Runners We’ve Lost

Meet Dinée Dorame, the one-woman host, creator and producer of the Grounded Podcast.

By Emma Zimmerman

Reflecting on athletes, community builders and sources of inspiration who left us in the last 12 months.

By Trail Runner staff

42 The Destination Is the Journey Mark Macy is battling Alzheimer’s the same way he’s tackled every grueling endurance challenge in his life—by participating fully and vigorously.

By Brian Metzler

faces

DEPARTMEN TS

F E AT U R E S

PEOPLE

71 apparel Outfit yourself for the trails in these seven new pieces.

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fastpacking

last gasp

Pack smart for lighter packs and greater fastpacking enjoyment.

EXPLORE

6

PERFORM

favorite trail

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50 When My Passion Nearly Killed Me The author recounts her horrific fall off an exposed ridge at the 2017 Tromsø Skyrace in Norway, and the ensuing mental and physical challenges.

By Hillary Allen

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nutrition

everyman’s exposed

Fueling for females.

By Kylee Van Horn, RDN

2021 GEAR GUIDE

60 footwear

TRAIL

GEAR

11 fresh spring trail shoes for all trail appetites.

TESTED

80 ask the coach COVER: Catra Corbett cruising the Stairmaster Trail at the 2018 Moab 240.

PHOTO BY HOWIE STERN THIS PAGE: Hillary Allen just before her horrific fall at the 2017 Tromsø Skyrace in Norway.

PHOTO BY IAN CORLESS

TRAIL

one dirty magazine Trail Runner (ISSN 1536-3134, USPS 024-696) is published 5 times a year, Spring (March), Summer (June), Fall (September), Winter (December), and the annual edition of DIRT (May) by Outside Interactive Inc., 1101 Village Rd UL-4B, Carbondale, CO 81623. Periodicals Postage Paid at Carbondale, CO, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Trail Runner, PO Box 433038, Palm Coast FL 32143-9583.

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editor’s note ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE

Sigh of Relief WHAT’S THE FUTURE FOR TRAIL RUNNING IN THE NEW COVID ERA?

By Zoë Rom I’ve never been so happy to have a sore arm.

Races, run-cations and every kind of trail adventure are opening up as more and more trail runners get the jab.

Are virtual races here to stay? Will Fastest Known Times (FKTs) continue to fall? Are neck gaiters the new normal?

Are sweatpants the new pants?

Gyms and restaurants closed. Racing went virtual, or on hiatus. But, for the most part, the trails stayed open.

It’s hard to parse out exactly how the pandemic will continue to affect the sport, but data suggests that more and more people are joining the illustrious ranks of the few, the proud, the trail-bound and dirty runners among us. While this has led to a few of its own issues, like overcrowding and mask confrontations, many signs point to what could be a trail-running boom.

For many folks, the trails have been an escape from cramped home offices and the claustrophobic collapse of work-life boundaries. Runners have traded in the nearconstant pinging of Slack notifications for the call of quiet singletrack. Instead of baking sourdough, runners have sought solace in the baking heat of desert trails, or the cooling balm of alpine air. We’ve been rocking athleisure since before it was cool. Welcome to the club.

While this editor won’t miss replacing hugs with fist bumps or watching events livestreamed on Zoom rather than being at the finish line in person, there’s a lot in the pandemic year that’s brought a renewed sense of gratitude and adventure. I hope that virtual races encourage more and more people to put themselves out there in competition. I hope that FKTs encourage more and more runners to adventure more quickly. I hope we’re all coming to a better understanding of the kind of adventure we can enjoy close to home.

This issue is a celebration of getting out there, and the stories, people and gear that have inspired us—now more than ever—to lace up our shoes and explore. Whether it’s a new piece of equipment or a more evolved understanding of the sport, these pages present an examination of the people, places, things and stories that inspire us to lace up our shoes, step onto a trail and run wild. TR

EDITORIAL Editor in Chief / Michael Benge mbenge@outsideinc.com Associate Editor / Zoë Rom zrom@outsideinc.com Senior Editor / Alison Osius aosius@outsideinc.com Contributing Editors / Rickey Gates, Garett Graubins, Alex Kurt, Doug Mayer, Brian Metzler, David Roche, Sarah Lavender Smith, Claire Walla, Yitka Winn CREATIVE Art Director / Erin Douglas edouglas@outsideinc.com ADVERTISING & STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Sales Director / Rob Hudson rhudson@outsideinc.com Western Sales Executive / Shannon Standefer sstandefer@outsideinc.com Eastern Sales Executive / Molly O’Keefe mokeefe@outsideinc.com PRODUCTION AND CIRCULATION Production Manager / Quent Williams qwilliams@outsideinc.com Business and Circulation Manager / Cindy Stretz cstretz@outsideinc.com Senior Director of Production & Circulation / Heather Arnold harnold@outsideinc.com Director of Production & Manufacturing / Barb Van Sickle bvansickle@outsideinc.com Subscription Service bigstone@emailcustomerservice.com 800-282-6008

A PUBLICATION OF

Chief Executive Officer / Robin Thurston President & Chief Operating Officer / Danielle Quatrochi Chief Financial Officer / Ajay Gopal Chief Product Officer / Christopher Globe Chief People Officer / Jade Curtis Chief Revenue Officer / Scott Parmelee Vice President Sales / Sharon Houghton Vice President of Content Strategy / Zander Baron Vice President of Marketing / PJ Rabice Vice President of Creative Services / Andrea Kupfer Vice President of Content, Adventure Sports / Micah Abrams

1101 Village Road, Suite UL-4B, Carbondale, CO 81623 Office: 970-704-1442 Fax: 970-963-4965 www.trailrunnermag.com WARNING! The activities described in Trail Runner carry a significant risk of personal injury or death.

DO NOT participate in these activities unless you are an expert, have sought or obtained qualified professional instruction or guidance, are knowledgeable about the risks involved, and are willing to assume personal responsibility for all risks associated with these activities. TRAIL RUNNER MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, OF ANY KIND REGARDING THE CONTENTS OF THIS MAGAZINE, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY REGARDING THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. Trail Runner further disclaims any responsibility for injuries or death incurred by any person engaging in these activities. Use the information contained in this magazine at your own risk, and do not depend on the information contained in this magazine for personal safety or for determining whether to attempt any climb, route or activity described herein.

The views herein are those of the writers and advertisers; they do not necessarily reflect the views of Trail Runner’s ownership.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. © Copyright 2021 by Outside Interactive Inc.

This magazine is carbon-neutral.

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DURO | DYNA

Each glorious long run in the mountains is the result of countless hours of training; early mornings, late nights, tired legs and no excuses. The Duro/Dyna makes ever y race or run easier with bounce-free s tabilit y and options that accommodate ever y thing from a f t e r- w o r k j a u n t s t o l o n g d a y s i n the mountains. So keep training.

T h a t ’s h o w t h e G o o d D a y s a r e M a d e .

run amok

PEOPLE

Unplanned Excursions to the Ground LESSONS IN AVOIDING THOSE PESKY FACE PLANTS

T

Two miles from the finish line of Massachusetts’ Stone Cat 50-mile trail race, Aliza Lapierre fell so hard she blacked out.

“When I came to, my right leg was perpendicular to the rest of my body,” she said. “I lifted it and flopped it parallel to my left leg.”

Lapierre blacked out a second time.

When she came around again, she was still wondering if she could squirm to the finish line. She got two inches before—you guessed it—blacking out a third time. Lapierre, of Williston, Vermont, would later find out at the hospital that she had broken her femur.

The culprit was a tree root.

Orthopedic surgeons call her accident a “sudden deceleration injury.”

The medical profession also has another catchy term for a fall: an “unplanned excursion to the ground.”

Falls vary so widely, they went for a catchall definition, so to speak.

The process for how we stop trail running and start plummeting is far more complex and delicate than what we may think when biffing full force into Mother Earth.

First comes a data-processing error.

Either we don’t see the root, or we miscalculate its location. Dr. David 12

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Lipman, an Amsterdam-based exercise physiologist and avid trail runner, explains: “The math gets sorted out in the oldest”—meaning original—“parts of your nervous system: your spinal cord and your lower brain stem.” Our body needs a quick solution, with no time to send signals farther upstairs, clear to your brain.

Our bodies respond involuntarily.

“However we respond, it’s reflexive,” Lipman says.

Comedians have studied the sequence in detail, to emulate. So have doctors, to understand. They used a specially designed treadmill that, about half an hour after the patient starts running, cruelly pops up an obstacle. (Sorry, it cannot be shipped to your buddy’s home address. I already checked.) Once the doctors were done telling Three Stooges jokes, what did they learn from reviewing the films?

Data from your eyes, your inner ear

Doug Mayer lives in Chamonix, France, where he tries to not fall off anything too vertical. He owns the trail-running tour company Run the Alps.

ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

JOE KLEMENTOVICH

By Doug Mayer

and your sense of touch all coalesce. (Pro tip: a firm shoe transmits more data.)

Strength is important. Have enough, and you’ve bought a few bonus milliseconds to counteract forces and forge new vectors so you don’t end up with a branch lodged in your forehead. Good balance is vital. So is keeping your brain on task. Paradoxically, you’re more likely to fall on easier trails, when you are relaxing. You also fall more when you enter “flow state.” (Which I am pretty certain is mythical.) The more time you have, the better. The safety margin diminishes when you are going faster or are less engaged.

So, how do you try to stop falling?

Do your strength training, do your Tree Pose, wear shoes with good “ground feel,” run in broad daylight— and never get fatigued? As if ...

The real question, Lipman points out, is how are you going to frame the fall? “You need to have a growth mindset and remind yourself that you can improve.” (The fixed mindset says, “This is too hard. I should try shuffleboard.”) Ask yourself, “What made me fall? Did I lose focus?” (Bonus pro tip: staunch the bleeding first.)

Helpful. But we all still fall, and will continue to fall, all the time. I have done the math. On average, I do a Superman once every 50 kilometers, ending up in the hospital once a decade. What can be done about it?

This is where the American Association of Retired People (AARP) can help trail runners. Yes, that’s what I said. First, as you go, keep your arms and legs bent, so you can absorb impact and avoid a FOOSH—a Fall On Outstretched Hand, which can buy you a broken wrist. Protect your head by turning your face to the side. Try to land, according to the AARP, “on your meat.” Please—they mean a protected area, like your tuchus.

Worried about recalling all those steps in just two seconds? You’ll figure it out. You’re going to get plenty of practice.

BUILT TO RUN

FĒNIX 6 ®

SERIES

faces

PEOPLE

Dinée Dorame runs near her home in Albuquerque, New Mexico.on ancestral Tiwa lands.

Grounded by Legacy MEET DINÉE DORAME, THE ONE-WOMAN HOST, CREATOR AND PRODUCER OF THE GROUNDED PODCAST, ON THE INTERSECTION OF RUNNING, CULTURE, LAND AND COMMUNITY.

By Emma Zimmerman In Dinée Dorame’s favorite childhood memories, she is sitting in the stands at a high-school basketball game with a video camera in her hands. Or, she is filling water bottles at half-time. Or, she is standing on the infield of a track, the New Mexico sun beating down on her legs and her father beside her. No matter the backdrop, some elements remain the same: sports, her family and New Mexico.

It would be easy to peg Dorame as a newcomer in the running industry. After all, it was only recently, in November of 2020, that she received a Tracksmith Fellowship with funding to launch the Grounded Podcast. To many runners, the theme of this podcast—the intersection of running, culture, land and community—is unique in the world of sports media. Plus, the majority of Dorame’s guests are Indigenous, an unprecedented focus in the running-podcast realm. But to Dorame, this work is much more longstanding; Grounded is her legacy.

A citizen of the Navajo Nation, Dorame, 28, was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico—a metropolitan area that she is quick to identify as Tiwa ancestral lands. Dorame’s father serves as the athletic director, as well as head coach of both 14

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the state-championship girls’ track team and 400-plus-game-winning girls’ basketball team, at Albuquerque High School. Her father’s career was never a solitary pursuit, but rather, a chance to include his family and pass important values on to his daughters. Hence, the many hours Dorame spent court- and trackside, shadowing her father as early as kindergarten.

In Dorame’s childhood eyes, her father’s athletes were not merely high-school students; rather, they were warriors—the strongest, most resilient women she knew. She watched them win state championships and lose dual meets; make hard passes and miss easy shots. They taught her how to win and how to lose. As a result, Dorame would grow to embody that athletic strength and sportsmanship herself, competing on her high-school basketball and cross-country teams.

At the same time, Dorame’s mother wanted her daughters to understand the legacy that running holds, beyond the mileage logged and finish lines crossed.

She taught them that, in Navajo culture, running serves as a form of prayer; by waking up and running toward the east, a Navajo person can ensure acknowledgment from the holy people.

“My family has always blended athletic legacy with cultural values,” Dorame reflects. “My parents taught us to live those core values.” Thus, as early as high school, running served as a connector; it was a way to honor her culture, family and community.

ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

STEFAN WACHS

“My family has always blended athletic legacy with cultural values,” Dorame reflects. “My parents taught us to live those core values.”

Thus, as early as high school, running served as a connector; it was a way to honor her culture, family and community.

faces

PEOPLE

When Dorame left Albuquerque to attend Yale University, she suddenly found herself in an unfamiliar, sometimes-alienating place. In New Haven, Connecticut, running took on a new role. Dorame would lace up her shoes when she needed to release the tight feeling in her chest—the feeling that came from expressing her identity as a Navajo woman on Yale University’s majority white campus. Then, she would get to work doing what she did best: building community.

Eventually, she would serve as the president of Yale’s Association of Native Americans, help found the powwow drum group, befriend members of local Indigenous communities and stay on campus after graduation to work as the Native Outreach and Recruitment Coordinator in the admissions department. Over the years, that oncefaraway land turned to familiar terrain, and Dorame kept running. Running was, and still is, about the communities that 16

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built her, and the ones that she built, too.

In 2018, she returned to Albuquerque to serve as the associate director of College Horizons, a nonprofit organization that supports the higher education of Native American students.

Upon listening to the Grounded Podcast, you might recognize something else that has been passed down to Dorame—something beyond her love for community and her moving feet. There is something unique about the way her voice carries itself, and the attention she gives to other people’s stories and cultural values.

“Dinée is able to have conversations that I could not have, and that very few other people could have,” says Mario Fraioli, a writer, running coach and podcast host who serves as a podcasting mentor to Dorame. According to Fraioli, this mentor-mentee relationship has evolved, turning into a friendship above all else. Theirs is a friendship where dog pictures cut through

text messages about podcasting. He emphasizes Dorame’s warmth, her passion for running and, especially, all that he has learned from her.

“On Instagram and Twitter, you see the hashtag ‘running culture’ all of the time, and I’ve often thought, ‘Well, what does that mean?’” says Fraioli.

“Through Dinée, I’ve gotten to learn what that means in the context of Navajo culture, and how running is a connector in her community.”

On the Grounded Podcast, “running culture” embodies many things. It means discussing Navajo culture and how it relates to running.

It means learning from others’ cultures and their running practices, and acknowledging the original inhabitants of the land. Most of all, it means building community through a shared understanding: Running can never be separated from our cultures, our communities or the land on which we run.

When asked about her goals, Dorame returns to her family and the legacy she is building upon: “I want my community to feel loved and valued and proud of who they are.

In the work that I do, I hope I can manifest some of my parents’ dreams, as well. My dad gets to coach, and my mom is pursuing her PhD right now.

But at the end of the day, they both just really love running and sport, and they’re getting to watch me find my own path within it.” TR Emma Zimmerman is a writer, MFA candidate and host of the Social Sport Podcast. She runs most of her miles on the streets of Brooklyn, but loves the trails most of all.

ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

ANGEL CHABAI/JUPITER PHOTOGRAPHY

“I want my community to feel loved and valued and proud of who they are. In the work that I do, I hope I can manifest some of my parents’ dreams, as well.”

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everyman’s exposed

PEOPLE

PEOPLE

everyman’s exposed

Claire Akin-Smith takes in the beech forests of Fiordland from a swinging bridge along the Milford Track, New Zealand.

PHOTO BY WYATT STEVENS

everyman’s exposed

PEOPLE

Ben Wallbank explores the alpine zone of Aspiring National Park, Canada.

PHOTO BY WYATT STEVENS

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everyman’s exposed

Enjoying a Bay Area sunset from the area’s famous Ninja Loop.

PHOTO BY TONY DIPASQUALE

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everyman’s exposed

PEOPLE

Ashley Scott on the South West Coast Path National Trail, Jurassic Coast, UK. PHOTO BY DAVID MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY

PEOPLE

everyman’s exposed

Shandi Kano running happy in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah.

PHOTO BY RACHEL ROSS

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A vibrant and vivacious personality, Catra Corbett is a confident and omnipresent competitor.

And she’s running for her life.

By Alisha McDarris

THE

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HOWIE STERN

Catra Corbett above the Colorado River in the remote Hurrah Pass section on day one of the 2020 Moab 240.

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t t e b r o C Catra e l b a p p o t s n u n a g s i n i n n u r a r t l u n force i an unmissable and . l i a r t e h t n o icon

In The Beginning At 28, tears stinging her eyes, quaking from fear and cold, Corbett wondered where she had gone wrong. She didn’t deserve to be there behind bars.

It appeared that her high-octane, punk-rock, wild and reckless lifestyle had caught up to her. For years she had managed to maintain what she would later describe as a half-existence, tumbling through life high, drunk or strung out, bouncing from club to club all week long, working at a 26

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salon and dancing at a strip club just to afford her drug of choice—meth. At some point, she began selling the drug for more cash and easier access.

For years she survived as that high-functioning addict: she kept her job, spent her nights at goth clubs and concerts, all while maintaining a virtually uninterrupted high. She had friends. Love. Life seemed good.

Until she was arrested for dealing.

Then, terrified at the thought of spending another night— or longer—in a cell, ashamed and broken, she had to decide if this was how she wanted to live. Or die. She didn’t want to die. She didn’t want to spend more nights in more cold, lonely jail cells. So, that night marked the end of life as she knew it.

“I sat there thinking, How did my life get to this point?

I knew I wasn’t a bad person and I needed to change, but how?” Corbett asked herself. “I just knew I wanted a better life for myself.”

A Fresh Start It was her father who had planted the running seed years before with a seemingly innocent plea for his teenage daughter: watch the televised Western States ultramarathon with him in their living room.

She rolled her eyes, as teenagers are wont to do, and wrote off those runners and the whole concept of ultrarunning as crazy. But years later, after her night in jail, after leaving friends and boyfriends behind in the name of a fresh start, and after Corbett’s father had passed away from a heart attack, in 1996, Corbett, then 30, started running.

She didn’t know anything about running, but just felt a pull to it. Maybe it was a need to test her limits, maybe it was her father’s exuberant spirit and passion bubbling up within her, maybe it was simply to survive the pain and loneliness she was feeling now that she had left everyone and everything she knew behind. Whatever the motivation, she laced up her shoes and went out the door.

Awkwardly, slowly perhaps, and in nothing more than a pair of cutoff shorts and a black T-shirt, she ran down the ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

HOWIE STERN

It would be hard to miss her fluorescent and usually matching athletic wear, bright-pink locks twisted into twin buns on the top of her head, tattoos and facial piercings a blur in the California sun as she whisks by you with a smile (and at least one dachshund running alongside).

Catra Corbett turns heads. She’s impossible not to notice at the dozens of ultras or, if you happen to be in the California backcountry, solo trail excursions she runs every year. Now 56, Corbett, of Bishop, California, holds the FKT for a double run of the John Muir Trail: over 400 miles in 12 days 4 hours 57 minutes. Now she runs it nearly every summer, just for fun.

She is the first American woman to run 100 100-mile races. She’s podiumed in 64 ultras across the country, including placing third at the Beyond Limits 72-hour ultra just this April. She’s the only woman to complete the San Diego 100 10 times, and she regularly orchestrates solo hundred-milers just for the heck of it.

And this year, she plans to be the first person to run the Triple Crown of 200s (the Bigfoot, Tahoe and Moab Endurance Runs) three times.

“She is persistent,” says her friend and fellow runner Mike Palmer. “She’s unique in that most of the time she accomplishes what she says she’s going to do no matter how outlandish it may seem to others.”

However, Corbett wasn’t always a picture of such confident, determined energy on the trail. In fact, her running career didn’t start on a high-school track or a college cross-country team. It began in a jail cell.

Smiling at mile seven, Barker Pass, 2018 Tahoe 200.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Getting by with a little help from her friend; resupplying during a long, cold night at the Tahoe 200; crossing the finish line of the 2019 Moab 240, third-place woman, in a time of 93:45:32; finishing the Moab 240 was the final leg of Corbett’s 2019 Triple Crown of 200s (she had the top women’s combined time).

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block. Around the neighborhood. Found the Mission Peak Trail near her home in the Bay Area. And ran.

She boldly signed up for a marathon, so she could test her distance-running chops. It was at that first marathon that she overheard another runner talking about ultras.

Specifically he mentioned the Skyline 50K. Corbett thought, That’s not really much longer than 26.2 miles. If I can do this, I can do that.

An Intro to Ultras So, in 1998, just two years after she laced up her shoes for the very first time, she entered her first ultra: the Skyline 50K, the longest-running 50K in California. As Corbett ran, other racers gawked at her as she skipped aid stations and eschewed mid-race fuel stops. One runner offered a sage piece of trail-ultra wisdom: she might want to consider walking up the hills.

“I didn’t know anybody that ran, so I didn’t have anybody to ask how to train or race,” Corbett says. “I had to figure it all out by trial and error.”

Three weeks after Skyline, she ran the Tamalpa Headlands 50K. Two months after that was the Firetrails 50-miler, then the Quad Dipsea 28.4 the very next month.

The very next day she signed up to compete in her first 100: Texas’s Rocky Raccoon.

At Rocky, she wasn’t even halfway through the race and her feet were already covered in blisters. And duct tape. No one—not her boyfriend, who was cheering her on, nor the medic peeling the silver strips from her heels (along with several layers of skin)—thought she should continue. She may not have known much about racing, but inside she knew one thing: she was going to finish.

So she gritted her teeth as blisters sloughed off with the sweaty tape, and limped back out onto the rocky dirt trail, tears stinging her eyes. That same medic would replace the tape once more, urging her to call the race. But this is who she was now: an ultrarunner. And she was determined to prove it to herself come bloody feet or skinned knees.

“I was in pain and just wanted to keep going so I could finish,” she says. “I wanted to prove to myself I could overcome all obstacles in life.”

HOWIE STERN (4)

The Battle Continues Addiction wasn’t all Corbett would have to overcome. She had also struggled with an eating disorder for much of her life. But as she discovered, ultras were no place to deprive her body of fuel.

Often, she would attempt long, strenuous runs with little more than a few pieces of fruit in her stomach. She would struggle and wilt on the trail, assuming that was just how running made you feel.

Her unhealthy obsession with her weight and fixation on food just got worse. She suffered four heart episodes ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

due to mitral-valve prolapse, and family members and other runners questioned her health. She wanted to be an ultrarunner. She needed to be an ultrarunner. Because if she was an ultrarunner, she was no longer an addict.

So that determination to become the person she wanted to be pushed her into recovery from a different type of addiction. Once she was able to acknowledge her eating disorder, she was able to confront it, and began a 12-step eating-disorder program, mirroring the same approach she’d taken to addiction rehabilitation.

“I started focusing on eating more food and having a healthy mindset toward food,” Corbett recalls.

She had trained her body to run; now she would train her body to eat. She threw away her scale, researched the importance of fueling her runner’s body on and off the trail, and began slowly introducing herself to the filling and nutritious foods she needed. She started eating almond butter by the spoonful—still her preferred trail fuel—and continued working on her disorder.

She fueled with coconut yogurt before races, and almond butter, gels, fruit and dates throughout the events.

“People think you can’t run ultras without meat,” says Corbett, a vegan since age 18. “But I’ve always done that.”

Healthy and well-fueled, she thrived.

Keep on Keeping on So she kept running. And running. Past the finish line at Rocky Raccoon. Into her mother’s arms when she didn’t finish in time at her first Western States, and after other races and record-setting trail solos. During her FKT of the JMT, Corbett earned the nickname of Dirt Diva, which she has adopted ever since.

She ran to beat addiction. To heal after broken and unhealthy relationships. To feel close to her parents after they passed. And soon, running became more than setting one foot in front of another just to prove she could do it; it became fun, freeing and the place she would find community.

“Running gave me confidence,” Corbett says. “It gave me a whole different life and a whole new purpose. I had something to do.”

Over her 25 years in the sport, Corbett has become an unstoppable force, an effervescent Rainbow Bright who goes out for solo hundred-mile runs for fun.

She has completed more than 169 runs of 100 miles or more, plans to run a 100-miler in every state (13 down, 37 to go) and, this year, to set PRs in each of the Triple Crown 200-mile ultras.

She won the 2013 Razorback Endurance Race 100-miler and podiumed in 64 races. More recently, in 2018, she won the Beyond Limits 72-hour ultra, and, in 2019, placed third in the Bigfoot 200 and was the first-place female in the Triple Crown of 200s that year.

“Catra’s running career is one of a kind. She could have won more if she raced less, but she’s not out there to beat SUMMER 202 1

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Corbett running with her dachshund TruMan near her home of Bishop, California.

“I’m grateful TruMan came into my life eight years ago—he has saved me more than once from severe depression,” she says.

people—she’s out there for the adventure,” says fellow runner Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run. So far in 2021, she’s finished a virtual 10-day race in which she ran 250 miles, two official 100s, one virtual 200-miler, one virtual 100 and an official 72-hour race (completing 186 miles). And this summer, she aims to set an FKT on a double of the Tahoe Rim Trail, for a total of 340 miles. If she runs Mount Whitney three more times (as she plans to do), she’ll have achieved 20 summits of the peak.

If you think it all seems like a lot, it is. Instead of slowing down, Corbett wants to spend as much time outdoors on the trails as she can for as long as she can.

“I’m only going to be able to do this for so long. It’s a 30

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gift,” she says, which is why she has run every day for eight straight years, since her 48th birthday.

“More than anyone else I’ve met, Catra understands that running isn’t supposed to be a punishment for pizza. It’s supposed to be fun,” McDougall says.

Sharing A Spirit of Healing In 2015, the longtime ultrarunner and addiction advocate Charlie Engle invited Corbett and a handful of other recovering addicts on a cross-country run from LA to DC: the Icebreaker Run, Engle called it. The team ran relay-style, ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

COURTESY OF CATRA CORBETT (2)

24 hours a day for 24 straight days. The mission: to open up the conversation about addiction and show others it was not only possible to survive after addiction, but thrive.

“Catra barely knew me at the time but she said yes right away, no hesitation,” Engle remembers.

Along the way, she had inspiring conversations with people of all ages struggling with addiction and recovery.

Other former addicts came out to join the team for short jaunts and share their stories. Corbett was as inspired as she was inspiring. And those running with her could see how important it was to her to get outside and do what she loved—that which had healed her.

“I think that Catra is fueled by running,” says Engle. “To ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

be clear, it’s not the physical part of her that needs fueling: it’s the spiritual part. Catra needs running to feel whole.”

Never Alone While Corbett revels in her solo runs, she is rarely alone. Her running partners on her daily runs? A pair of dachshunds.

She adopted TruMan years ago during a dark and lonely time in her life and taught him to love running. As far as she knows, he’s the only doxie in the world who runs ultras. He’s 15 now, so his distance days are mostly behind him, but he’s SUMMER 202 1

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Alone time on the long stretch of road leading from Dry Valley, mile 160, to the high country of the La Sal Mountains, Moab 240.

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races. But she can’t wait until hugs are once again a mainstay at finish lines everywhere.

Looking Forward In the meantime, she keeps running and she keeps telling her story. Her book, Reborn on the Run, was published in 2018 and will be available in German later this year.

Corbett is active on social media (@DirtDiva333), where she shares her day-glo running outfits along with effervescent sh encouragement and stories of recovery, which have earned enc encou (and her doxies) thousands of followers and fans. her (an he (a Corbet is 56, and shows no sign of slowing down. She Corbett Co continue wiill conti will ntinue to don d those vibrant ntt visors and runnin running skirts, flash a big smile le to anyone she might pass on n thee trail aand offerr hope for addiction recovery for anyone who n needs it.

Says Corbett, “I’m going to do this as long lon ng as I can. Every d I get day et out the door is a gift.”

When she’s not backpacking, rock ro climbing or trail running, runn Alisha McDarris M arris is an Austin-based ustin-based outdoor outdo journalist journa urnalist and head honcho of the sustainable-travel and outdoor-adventure outdoor-adven adventure blog Terradrift.com.

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HOWIE STERN

run five 50Ks, Ks,, and hee and Corbett Corbe orbett and d BaXter, BaX r,, a two-yearttwo-yea two o-yearold doxie Corbett rbett adopted adopt d more mor recently, ntly, still illl go o on n daily dai morningg runs coffee. ns for for coffe The dogs TruMan ogs gs even ev n compete com ete in theirr own races: ces:: Tru T TruMa uMan completed days,, and ted d a virtual v tual 100-miler 100-m 0-miler in 28 d d BaXter BaXte BaaXter err ra ran a virtuall 200-m 200-miler BaXter 00-miler ler and a d finis finished in n 32 d days.. BaX BaXt aXter ter iss ready rea eady ady for more, that thee vet has re, e, she sh says, ays, now ow th h given iven en h him im the go-ahead afterr extensive X-rays. ead ad af ext sive health h checks chec and nd dX X-rrays.

These Corbett’s running partners, companions, ese se are ar Corb orbett’s t’s ru part , herr co comp ompanio anions ions, ns, her family, smiling—and mily, ily, and d it shows ows in the abundant, abun bundant,, smilin sm iling— ng—and and d often ofte of costumed—photos Corbett’ss Instagram med— ed—photo hotoss on C Ins m account. ac accou account ount.

“They smart, ey are ar smar mart,, cute, cut funny and stubborn. orn. n. Just Jus ust li like ikee me,” m says Corbett. frequently herr only orbe And last orbett. ast yyear, theyy were wer frequen uently ntlyy h runningg companio companions.

While her partner, Nimmo, co anions. s. W part Phil hil N Nimm mo,, joins join her on runs a few times running was ew ti mes a month, runn as lonely lo onely ly in 2020, with or turned ith in-person in erson n rac races cancelled, d, postponed po ned o turrned into virtual ual events.

It was lonely, Corbett onely, Corbet orbett tt says, sa not getting ng to run alongside alongside her friendss and fellow ow athle athletes, at but she would ould FaceTime ime them from the her he trail on he er daily da runs, organize nize sm small group runs in Sierras near her homee in Bishop, n the Eastern tern n Sierr S Bis California, and help organizer organizers plan and execute virtual anizers zers p rtual

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trail runners we've lost Reflecting on athletes, community builders and sources of inspiration who left us in the last 12 months.

By the Trail Runner staff

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One was a pioneer

who lived most of her life unaware of that status. Another reclaimed his mind, and his life, when he found running. They were race directors; community leaders; coaches and teachers; fathers, mothers, sons and daughters; and they touched the lives of those around them and made an indelible mark on the sport and their world.

In our first-annual tribute to trail runners we’ve lost, we attempt to convey these stories and reflect on what trail running meant to these athletes—as well as what they meant to trail running. There are cautionary tales

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of nature’s unforgiving grasp, and tragic recountings of lives lost too soon; but accompanying them are stories of lives saved or prolonged by running, and reminders that none of us lives a life without impact. It is not a comprehensive list, but it is a diverse sampling of the myriad stories woven through each crowded starting line, or each passing face and friendly wave we encounter on the trail.

Above all, let their stories spur us all to appreciate the time we have, and make the best use of it. We’ll see you out there on the trails.

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Matt Gunn 44, October 18, 2020

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Gunn in Urique, Mexico (top), and with his wife, Toby.

ensure his races created as little waste as possible. “He went through every single piece of trash, and anything that could be reused would be. If anyone ever accidentally threw away their eyeglasses at one of his races, I’m sure he found them and tracked down the owner.”

Gunn met his wife, Toby Ann Gunn, at the finish of his Monument Valley Ultra in 2015, where—despite having just met—they shared an embrace when she crossed the line.

“The chemistry was crazy,” Toby says.

“I didn’t know if he was married or not; he didn’t know if I was married or not.”

But Toby described being brought to tears by the beauty of Gunn’s course, and being emotional at the finish: “He told me I understood the meaning behind the miles.” She kept coming to his races, they fell in love and he brought her along

on his life of adventure and wonderment at the natural world. It included taking their six kids—four of Gunn’s and two of Toby’s—camping at every opportunity.

His deep caring for places and people informed an underlying ethos: “Kindness was his fundamental belief,” Toby says.

“Before anything else, be kind.”

Toby says Gunn’s deep sense of caring for others made it difficult for him to see the glass as half-full. “He was so troubled by the state of the world,” she says. “That outlook and the way he cared were really hard on him.”

The weekend before Gunn died, he was with Coury at the Moab 240 pacing a friend of theirs. Posting on Instagram after Gunn’s death, Coury wrote, “If there is anything you can do for Matt I hope it’s to honor his legacy. You can bet we will be celebrating Matt in the Tushar Mountains for years to come. Matt loved the entire Grand Staircase/Grand Circle area of the Southwest. Next time you travel to that region, do a run for Matt.”

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COURTESY OF TOBY ANN GUNN

As a race director, Matt Gunn had a reputation for selecting locations as challenging as they were breathtaking.

“He had a knack for picking beautiful locations to hold events, and putting them on even if it was prohibitively difficult or extra work,” recounted Jamil Coury, a fellow race director and friend of Gunn’s.

After running Gunn’s Zion 50K, which included a roped climb, writer Arianne Brown emphasized that “prohibitively difficult” section. “There’s a hashtag, #mattgunnwantstomakeyoucry,” she explained. “It’s totally true. His races are brutal.”

Gunn’s courses weren’t sadistic, though—they were difficult out of necessity, and designed to bring people to places they would never see from the comfort of a car, or even during an easy hike.

“He w a nted people to see a nd experience the beauty and toughness of the area,” Coury says.

Gunn, of Willard, Utah, who died of suicide October 18, 2020, directed several races in the Southwest, including Zion, the Bryce Canyon Ultras and the Antelope Canyon Ultras. Organizing trail races, according to those who knew him, was Gunn’s way of sharing the most beautiful places he knew. It was especially important to him to share the culture and wisdom of the Indigenous people from the areas where the races took place.

Gunn didn’t fit many conventions of a full-time race director. He was reserved, even shy.

“I think he was more comfortable sorting the trash than speaking in front of everyone,” says Tana Seaford, who first encountered Gunn at the inaugural Bryce Canyon race when he issued the pre-race briefing from atop a picnic table. “He looked kind of disheveled, he was looking at a map, and it was clear he was just … all over the place. I thought, ‘He needs my help.’”

Seaford reached out and eventually helped with all eight of Gunn’s races.

She recalled the steps he would take— including using composting toilets—to

Larry Adams Arlene Pieper Stine

COURTESY OF PIKES PEAK MARATHON, INC; WANDERLEY REIS

90, February 11, 2021 Arlene Pieper Stine was the first woman to complete a sanctioned marathon in the United States. And you could say she jumped in with both feet.

In 1959, at the age of 29, Pieper Stine toed the starting line of the Pikes Peak Marathon. Embarking from Manitou Springs, Colorado, she climbed over 7,800 feet to the turnaround—which sits at over 14,000 feet—and ran down again, completing the grueling 26.2-mile course in 9 hours 16 minutes.

It was eight years before Katherine Switzer famously defied B.A.A. rules to run the Boston Marathon.

The Pikes Peak Marathon, it turned out, never technically barred women from competing. The latest edition of the fabled race, in 2019, saw 137 women finish.

Pieper Stine had signed up for the 1959 race on a whim to promote her Colorado Springs fitness studio, and even had her nine-year-old daughter in tow, seemingly unaware that she was making history. Indeed, incredibly, it wasn’t until Pikes Peak Marathon organizers tracked her down in 2009 at her home in California that she learned of the pioneering nature of her 1959 finish, according to a tribute posted by the Pikes Peak Marathon organization and written by Katie Benzel. Pieper Stine traveled to the race that year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of her finish, and would be a presence at Pikes Peak in the years that followed, speaking at prerace meetings and even serving as the official race starter.

In 2019, a few days before the race that would mark the 60th anniversary of her running, several women summited Pikes Peak, donning Pieper Stine’s signature white hat, shorts and sleeveless blouse—a look that, according to Benzel’s tribute, was modeled after Marilyn Monroe, her favorite movie star at the time.

“Her legacy will inspire generations of women to tackle their mountain, whatever that may be,” Benzel wrote for the Pikes Peak Marathon website. “She will be greatly missed.”

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55, August 29, 2020 Larry Adams loved Antelope Island, Utah (pictured here).

“He lived fairly close to the island,” says Jim Skaggs, who met Adams through the Utah running community over ten years ago. “He ran many thousands of miles on its trails.”

Adams, of Syracuse, Utah, also held immense respect for wildlife on the island, the largest of 10 in Utah's Great Salt Lake.

“I’ve encountered hundreds of bison over the years, I saw them clear in advance of my ‘encounter’ with them, and gave them the respect they deserve,” Adams had written in the Facebook group Wasatch Mountain Wranglers, according to multiple Salt Lake City–area news outlets.

“I pass more and more runners/hikers these days that are deeply engrossed in their music, book, podcast or else and barely recognize my passing. How do you protect yourself in the outdoors from a two thousand pound plus animal?”

Despite his caution, Adams was running on Antelope Island the morning of August 29 when he sustained fatal injuries in an apparent bison attack. He was located by two women on a nearby trail who heard him calling for help, according to reports, and was transported to a hospital, where he died that evening.

Adams, who had begun running when a doctor told him he needed to lose weight, was an active member of the Utah trail-running community, finishing multiple trail races and ultramarathons since at least 2009. In 2014, he finished the Wasatch 100, and twice finished the 100-miler at the Antelope Island Buffalo Run, in 2012 and 2015.

According to local media reports, the tributes to Adams poured in on the Facebook group upon the news of his death. Fellow runners recalled a kind, passionate runner who was always willing to lend a hand.

“This is heartbreaking news,” one wrote. “Larry was truly one of the kindest runners I’ve ever met.”

Others ref lected on the lesson that even a runner as respectful of wildlife as Adams could be victim of a seemingly random attack.

“Such a genuinely good man, and the island was his backyard,” one wrote. “He knew how to respect those animals better than anyone.”

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David Clark 49, May 21, 2020 In a way, David Clark needs no introduction. His transformation from the alcoholic, drug-addicted, obese fast-food junkie to a sober, plant-based ultrarunner who completed some of the most grueling endurance events on the planet has been detailed in his three best-selling books, in profiles for Runner’s World and Men’s Health, and in his two appearances on the Rich Roll Podcast. His story has been featured on CBS, ABC and ESPN. In another sense, though, no introduction can do Clark justice. His books, and his “WeAreSuperman” podcast, were geared toward helping others overcome their demons and radically transform their lives for the better, and he served as admissions director for Mountain Peak Recovery in Utah. He didn’t just run ultras—he ran the hardest ones he could find, like the Badwater 135; when he ran out of conventional challenges, he created his own, such as running the Boston Marathon four times in a day, or running 48 hours on a treadmill. And he was a father of three.

Tributes came in a deluge at the news that Clark had died unexpectedly, due to complications stemming from surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back. On his website, Roll exalted Clark’s “preternatural gift for igniting the best in everyone he touched,” adding “[I can’t] begin to measure his positive impact on myself and countless others.” A GoFundMe page set up to help cover his medical and funeral expenses introduced his story with “no other way of putting it: David Clark was a living legend.”

Maybe the best testament to Clark’s legacy is the comments from fans whose lives he’d touched and transformed, left in the reviews for WeAreSuperman. “As a mom of someone who deals with addiction, this is something I just needed to hear,” one wrote. “It brought some perspective and understanding.”

“David’s books have impacted my life and sobriety a tremendous amount,” wrote another.

In an appearance on the television show The Doctors a couple years ago, Clark was asked to describe the sensation of crossing the finish line of his first race after he’d turned his life around. His reply is something that should resonate with every runner: “Of all the amazing things that have happened in my life, nothing is as formative as that,” he said. “It occurred to me when I finished that everything that I thought was impossible seemed possible now.”

“It’s taking my daughter to a daddy-daughter dance, and taking my son to hockey,” he continued, welling up, “and realizing that I can be that kind of man for them now, and show them that there is no such thing as too far gone.”

Joanna Kruk Many ultrarunners will claim they started the sport “by accident.” Not many could claim it as earnestly as Joanna Kruk.

The police officer from Adelaide, Australia, who passed away unexpectedly in August, had spent her early 20s training in tae kwon do, Brazilian Jujitsu and boxing, according to a 2016 profile

by ABC News (that’s the Australian Broadcasting Corporation) online. In fact, at one point, she was aiming to qualif y for the Australian women’s boxing team when she was hit by a car on her bicycle. An injured shoulder meant boxing and cycling were out, so she began running to maintain fitness.

Shortly after, in 2011, she won the women’s race at her debut ultra, the Yurrebilla Trail 56K, and placed third overall. Less than two years later, she finished third in her debut 100-miler— the Northburn 100—and the next year finished UTMB, placing 31st.

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Asia Trail Master first announced Kruk’s passing in an Instagram post August 19, describing her as “a wellknown and highly-liked ultra trail runner in Asia and on the ATM tour.”

A Facebook post from the group Ultra Runners South Australia called Kruk “one of our favorite humans,” and

described her as “tenacious and fierce” yet “loving and humble.” And United ITF Taekwon-Do Australia commemorated her pa ssi ng on Facebook, not i ng “Joanna set a very high standard in all that she did, and rarely missed the mark, with the humility and grace of a true champion.”

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COURTESY OF DAVID CLARK'S FAMILY; STUDIOZAG@ASIATRAILMASTER

PHOTOS CLOCKWISE TOP LEFT:

33, August 18, 2020

Adam Kannapell

COURTESY OF JOE KANNAPELL

50, July 11, 2020 Running might have saved Adam Kannapell’s life.

Fo r ye a r s , he s t r u g g l e d w it h schizophrenia, and it became enough of a burden that Kannapell had to leave college.

For the next 22 years, he was largely unable to focus on or pursue any activity.

“Schizophrenia is really tragic,” his father, Joe, says. “It robs people of their intelligence, and of their personality.”

Th i ngs sta r ted to t u rn a rou nd for Adam in 2012, when he signed up for a one-mile downhill race in Charlottesville, Virginia, organized by Mark Lorenzoni, the co-owner of the local Ragged Mountain Running & Walking Shop. Kannapell loved it, and dove headlong into running after that.

He quit smoking and lost 30 pounds, according to his father, and finished a succession of 5K, 10K, then 10-mile races before completing a marathon—then four more. He even took up triathlons, completing 14 IRONMAN 70.3 races.

“There was nothing he didn’t want to try when it came to using his legs,” says Lorenzoni.

Kannapell ran most races with his father—running together at first, though, Lorenzoni says, eventually finishing faster. But the sight of the Kannapells arriving, warming up, then cooling down and departing—always together—was standard at Charlottesville-area races.

Also standard was their post-race visit to Ragged Mountain. “They would come in and recap the race, and Adam would be so excited, detailing how much time he had cut off from the year before,” Lorenzoni says. “And he would tell you how he enjoyed going to the race with his father, and you could see Joe just beaming with pride.”

“It wa sn’t ju st pride i n Ada m’s physical accomplishment,” Lorenzoni continues. “It was about the spiritual change in his son.”

“Running, and triathlon, got his mind going back to where it had been before he was struggling,” Joe confirms. “He started being gracious and grateful again.

He regained his sense of humor that he’d had growing up.”

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Adam and Joe Kannapell ran nearly all of their races together.

“It helped him adapt to do hard things, which he’d been unable to do for so long,” Joe adds. “It gave him a life again. It’s not much of a life, sitting in your room smoking for 22 years, not able to do anything or wanting to do anything. Running transformed him, and to me that’s a miracle.”

Joe described Adam’s excitement for his first race after several had been canceled due to COVID-19: the Boar’s Head Turn & Burn, a trail race at Charlottesville’s Boar’s Head Resort. It was on that race course that Adam went into cardiac arrest and, despite a nearby runner attempting

CPR, could not be revived.

Lorenzoni says he has seen Joe several times since Adam’s death, and that each time, they have a positive conversation.:“Of course he misses his son, but he says he can’t think of a better way for him to go from this world to the next than being out on a run on a trail.”

“Adam completed his beautifully renewed life doing what he loved dearly,” his father wrote in a tribute. “Along his journey he made all of us better human beings, and we will miss him immensely.”

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Chris Smith 43, October 27 or 28, 2020

89, November 6, 2020 Bob Holtel was a pioneering u lt ra r u n ner a nd, perhaps more importantly, a teacher and coach who shared his love of running with countless others.

Born in Los Angeles, he lived most of his life in Southern California, although, according to his obituary in The Beach Reporter, stints on the US Army track team in Europe and working summers in Yosemite Valley during college helped instill a love of running and nature he’d carry with him. After moving to the South Bay area of greater Los Angeles, he took to running the trails on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, where he trained for marathons, then ultras.

He ran the Western States 100 in 1980, when he was 48 and the race was only a few years old; he would finish Western four times, and finished trail races well into his 70s.

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A s a n up-a nd-com ing a mateu r athlete, Chris Smith showed promise in the middle distances. But his breakthrough came in the 2011

book, Soul, Sweat and Survival on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Dean Lofgren, who had Holtel as a teacher in the 1970s and later became reacquainted with him through his wife, an avid runner in the community, says Holtel would regularly stop on runs to point out natural wonders runners may have otherwise missed.

“It was always more than just a long run, and he truly enjoyed sharing the depth of the surroundings,” Lofgren says. “[My wife] also mentioned that on one of her first presumably ‘one-hour’ runs in the Santa Monica Mountains with him, it ended up being a more lengthy five hours that just kind of kept going.”

According to his obituar y, as a teenager Holtel worked a part-time job selling hot dogs at old Dodger Stadium, cementing his status as a lifelong Dodgers fan. Last fall, when the Dodgers sealed their seventh World Series title after several years of near misses, and “having enjoyed many thousands of trail runs and having shared his passion for running and life with so many,” the obituary reads, “[Holtel] finally put up his running shoes for good.”

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JOHN SCHMITT (2); PHIL GALE

Bob Holtel

Holtel was a teacher, spending most of his career at West High School in Torrance, California, where he was a cross-country and track-and-field coach. “I went into high school at about five-foot-two and 85 pounds, and was this skinny, immature kid,” recounts his former athlete Rick Tussing, who had never heard of cross-country until he was recruited for the team based on his performance in a short race in gym class. “Bob showed me this world where I could be intense, be competitive, find my drive to train and work hard. He created this space where lots of us could.” It paid off: Tussing ran on a Holtel-coached team that won consecutive California Interscholastic Federation Championships.

“He encouraged us to be successful, but we also had fun,” adds Tussing, who would go on to run competitively in college and post-collegiately. “He really spread his love of running to all of us.” Tussing noted that Holtel’s cross-cou nt r y tea m s were such a popular option that the West High boys team alone often required two buses to travel.

Holtel not only had a deep passion for running, but enjoyed it as a means to explore the natural world. Over three summers, from 1985 to 1987, he ran the entirety of the 2,600-plus-mile Pacific Crest Trail, a feat he detailed in his

Commonwealth Mountain Running Championships, where he placed eighth.

Smith would go on to represent Great Britain in multiple European and World Mountain Running Championships, running on teams that earned silver and bronze medals at the European Championships. In 2015, on a “home” course in Betws-y-Coed, Wales, Smith finished 10th overall and as the third Briton in the World Mountain Running Championship, helping Great Britain to a team bronze medal.

Smith, who was born in the northeastern Scottish council area Aberdeenshire, but lived in the southern English county of Sussex, was an elite runner, and trained even when he was traveling with his wife, Lindsay, and their sons, Cameron and Alistair.

“Chris had a thirst for adventure and love of nature, traits he has most definitely passed on to his sons,” Lindsay says. “One of the great things about

running is how it enables you to explore your surroundings. Chris was forever spotting wildlife and finding new places on his local runs, and would then take the boys off to show them what he’d found, climbing awesome trees, cycling forest trails, wild swimming in serene waters.”

Smith was on holiday with his family in the Scottish Highlands October 27 when, according to local media reports, he embarked on a run around 3 p.m., planning to complete an 11-mile route that would cover four 3,000-foot peaks.

It was also reported that he carried a map and informed his family of his plans, telling Lindsay he would return around 5 p.m.

But cond itions—includ ing poor visibility, driving rains and wind chill dropping the temperature to around 12 degrees Fahrenheit—deteriorated during his run. Even though he was a world-class athlete and prepared diligently, Smith lost his way and,

according to a report released by the assistant Coroner of West Sussex and documented by local media, succumbed to hypothermia sometime overnight.

His body was located around midday Thursday, far from his intended course.

Smith’s brother-in-law, Billy Milligan, confirmed his death in a statement posted on Facebook. “He was doing what he loved,” the statement said, “having spent the most special time with Lindsay, Cameron and Alistair.”

The assistant Coroner’s report was a sobering reminder of nature’s power over even the fittest and most wellprepared athletes.

“Chris was fun, patient, so thoughtful, and many people have described him as always smiling,” Lindsay says. “He was also inspiring. Since he died I’ve started running, something I never really did before, and only then very reluctantly, but now I can’t miss a session. Every time I run, I’m doing it for him.”

Andrea Huser

COURTESY OF UTMB

46, November 28, 2020 The death of Andrea Huser can serve as a reminder that, even if trail running seems safer than pursuits like mountaineering, backcountry skiing or rock climbing, moving quickly through the mountains with minimal equipment carries its own set of risks.

Huser, of Sigriswil in Switzerland’s Bern Canton, fell to her death while trail running above Saas-Fee, Switzerland.

Though she was one of the world’s great ultra-distance trail runners, she was a latecomer to running.

“She was an outstanding athlete long before she came to trail running,” notes Sean Van Court, the founder of Instinct, a trail-running brand that was an early sponsor of Huser. In 2002, Huser was crowned European Mountain Biking Champion. In the years that followed, she added adventure racing, triathlons and ski mountaineering to her diverse mountain skill set.

“People like Andrea, endurance sports are in their blood,” says Van Court. “She was always looking for new challenges.”

Huser went on to tick off an impressive array of results, including two victories at the 101K Eiger Ultra Trail, two secondplace finishes at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) and a win at UTMB’s 119K TDS trail race in 2015. In 2017, she won her second consecutive Diagonale des Fous, an extremely challenging 162K course on Reunion Island, off the coast of Madagascar, with over 30,000 feet of technical climbing and descending. That same year, Huser was crowned the women’s winner of the Ultra Trail World Tour. “She loved trail running and she loved the people in it,” says Van Court. “She was open with everyone.”

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Though chronic injuries caused Huser to retire from professional running in the summer of 2020, she stayed on the trails, fueled by a passion for the mountains. Last fall, runners in the Alps were enjoying a snow-free autumn that was lingering longer than usual, with little precipitation and unseasonably warm temperatures. Up high, however, the mercury had frequently dipped below freezing, and ice was common above 6,000 feet. It is there that Huser is believed to have slipped on ice-covered rocks and fallen over 400 feet. A missing person’s report was filed when she didn’t return from her run, and her body was located just before noon the next day.

Chamonix-based ultrarunner Stephanie Case, who knew and competed against Huser, says Huser excelled in the most challenging terrain, and never lost her sense of humor.

“Andrea was a formidable runner who exuded pure love of the mountains,” Case says. “She will truly be missed.”

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Mark Macy is battling Alzheimer’s the same way he’s tackled every grueling endurance challenge in life— by participating fully and vigorously.

COURTESY OF MARK AND PAM MACY

By Brian Metzler

Back in the day!

Mark Macy pauses at an aid station at the Leadville 100 in 1988, where his family was crewing for him.

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Mark Macy is in his element, lumbering up a steep incline on a path near his home in Evergreen, Colorado, breathing heavily and sweating from the midsummer heat.

It’s an early August morning, and he and longtime friend and endurance sports partner Marshall Ulrich are following his son, Travis Macy, up a shaded, overgrown game trail that will eventually lead to 9,702-foot Bergen Peak. A smoky haze fills the air from a wildfire burning hundreds of miles away, clouding the scene ever so slightly.

It’s an otherwise uneventful hike, except that there is a bit of giddiness that’s hard to ignore. The lighthearted vibe is present, in part because, well, that’s what happens whenever these guys get together, and also because the Eco-Challenge adventure race will soon be broadcast as a 10-part miniseries on Amazon Prime Video almost a full year after all three participated in the event through the wilds of Fiji.

Mark, who has forever been known as “Mace,” is in classic form, telling stories, reliving old race moments, chuckling to himself and generally cracking up everyone around him with his playful, self-effacing wit and contagious laugh.

“Is there even a trail here, Trav? We’re going to wind up in jail if this is private property,” Mark says jokingly in his nasally, high-pitched voice that trails off into laughter. “Picture that, all of us in the slammer after going for a hike.”

Mark is wearing a black-and-white trucker cap with an Ironman patch on it, camo-patterned black-and-blue running shorts and a light-blue T-shirt bearing the phrase “Suffer Better,” the name of an organization that encourages adventure and endurance athletes to give their all and then give back. Although it’s just a random apparel choice for the day, it’s appropriately emblematic of his adventurous mindset, tenacious character and unflinchingly kind heart.

If you were along on this hike and you didn’t know Mark, you wouldn’t have any idea that he’s among the world’s most accomplished adventure racers. Or that he retired a few years ago after a long, successful career as an attorney. But it would be impossible to miss the joyful, fun-loving, family-oriented soul he is, given how he exudes positivity and gushes about his kids and grandkids.

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and basks momentarily in the warm sunlight, Mark’s scraggly white hair and weathered face hint at his age. But that hardly matters because it’s clear that his strong legs, robust effort and youthful demeanor are not that of a typical 67-year-old retiree, and his piercing blue eyes make him look as rugged and unwavering as he has always been.

“Not too bad for an old guy with Alzheimer’s, huh?” Mark chortles in a nonchalant way that makes everyone laugh but also brings with it a reminder that he’s suffering from the progressive cognitive disease he was diagnosed with in late 2018. Although his condition is slowly advancing, Macy has approached it as he has with all of his endurance pursuits and life in general—by participating vigorously with a big heart.

Like Father, Like Son Adventure racing is a co-ed, multidiscipline team sport that typically includes sections of trekking, paddling, mountain biking, trail running, rappelling, swimming and mountaineering and the need to navigate through a course several hundred miles in length with a map, compass, guile and experience. Participants must have a combination of athletic skill and fitness, outdooradventure smarts and mental tenacity, not to mention the ability to coalesce with teammates under extreme stress as they battle fatigue and unforeseen hardships with little sleep.

It’s always grueling and unpredictable, but Macy’s calm, humble demeanor, experience as an ultrarunner and his ability to laugh in the face of adversity are what made him an exceptional teammate on the Stray Dogs adventure-racing team, Ulrich says. The group formed midway through the first EcoChallenge in Moab, Utah, in 1995, when the teammates whom Macy and Ulrich had started with dropped out. They opted to continue with Dr. Bob Haugh and Lisa Smith-Batchen, who were orphaned from another team in a similar situation.

“We were terrible at navigating and got so lost,” Macy recalls. “There are these tall rock spires around Moab, and the way we tried to find our way was that I ran up one of the spires and Marsh ran up another to see if we could figure out where we needed to go. I was shouting at Marsh across the valley, ‘Hey, do you see anybody?’ And he was shouting back at me, ‘No, I don’t!’ It was kind of pathetic if you think about it, but we had fun and somehow we always figured it out.”

The impromptu team jelled based on their strength of character and reached the finish line in good spirits after five grueling days in the desert. After that, Macy and Ulrich became fast friends and were hooked on a sport that was a natural fit for athletes living in Colorado. They would go on to compete in seven more Eco-Challenge events together in British Columbia (1996), Australia (1997), Morocco (1998), Patagonia (1999), Borneo (2000), New Zealand (2001) and Fiji (2002), as well as a handful of other adventure races, with a collection of teammates that included Haugh, Smith-Batchen, Adrian Crane and other talented athletes.

Starting the sport in their 40s, they were never young, fast and flashy like some of the world’s winningest teams, but they always got the job done, no matter what kind of challenges ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

BRIAN METZLER

Mark Macy has competed in the Ironman World Championships, Badwater Ultramarathon, Old Dominion 100, Marathon des Sables, Gobi March, several Leadville 100s and nine EcoChallenge adventure races.

they encountered. There were long treks through deserts, mountains and jungles, challenging whitewater rafting and swimming sections, open-water paddling in native boats in the ocean and even moments riding camels, horses and donkeys.

At times, they got lost, dealt with capsized boats, suffered injuries, had to rejigger broken gear. They carried each other’s packs when necessary, pulled one another out of raging rivers and offered encouragement and waited when one was too weak to keep up. But they always enjoyed the journey and finished as friends, even if hours or sometimes days behind the leaders.

“For us, it was all about the camaraderie and connection we had,” says Ulrich. “We were out there testing ourselves, but it really came down to just enjoying each other’s company and having fun. Whether it was serendipitous or not, the stars kind of aligned for us in that way.”

Many of the current generation of ultrarunners and adventure racers might know Mark Macy more as the father of Travis than for his own athletic exploits. That’s actually just fine with Mark. He couldn’t be more proud about Travis, 38, who has made a name—and a successful career path—for himself by following in his father’s footsteps in endurance sports.

Ever-modest Mark admits he was never the elite-level athlete Travis has become, but he was no slouch, either.

In addition to the adventure races, Mark’s long athletic résumé also includes marathons, Ironman triathlons, several Spartan Race events and dozens of ultra-distance running races—including the 100-mile Iditasport snowshoe race in Alaska that he won a couple of times in the 1990s and ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

a fifth-place effort at the Badwater Ultramarathon in 1993.

Like his dad, Travis developed a knack for taking on some of the world’s hardest events and also earned high finishes at many, including the H.U.R.T. 100 (Hawaii), Georgia Death Race, Mount Taylor Quadrathlon (New Mexico), Speight’s Coast to Coast (New Zealand) and the Leadman competition (Colorado), not to mention challenging, team-oriented adventure races in the U.S., China, Sweden, Norway, Brazil, Scotland and Abu Dhabi. He also set a Fastest Known Time for the Zion Traverse, completing the 48-mile run across Zion National Park in 7 hours 27 minutes and change in 2013.

Also, like his dad, Travis has done it all with a youthful, always-positive demeanor that’s as uplifting as it is contagious.

But Travis, who was a classroom teacher early in his career, has also turned those experiences and lessons into a successful livelihood as a coach, author, podcaster and motivational speaker, in part by smartly contextualizing and distilling those wild adventures and grueling challenges into life lessons that can be applied to everyday situations in a variety of fields.

In late July, Mark and Travis will give a joint keynote address at the Colorado Defense Lawyers Association’s annual conference on July 29 near Albuquerque, New Mexico. That will be special for everyone, both the Macy clan and the many attorneys and friends Mark will know there.

“I’ve said it a million times through the years that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” says Pam Macy, the mother of Travis and Mark’s wife of 44 years. “And that’s certainly the case with Mace and Trav.”

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with Ulrich even though Eco-Challenge went on hiatus. They competed in the Primal Quest Adventure Race in 2003, ran the 155-mile Gobi March ultra-distance stage race in China in 2007 and more recently finished alongside each other—at the very back of the pack—in the frigid and grueling Little Su 50K race in Alaska in 2015. Macy also showed up to help Ulrich finish his record-setting, 3,063-mile trans-America run from San Francisco to New York in 2009.

“We’ve been to jungles and deserts and mountains everywhere across the planet,” Mark says. “And I don’t think there’s been a situation in which any of us has said anything bad about the others. We spend half of our time together laughing, wherever we are, and it seems like oftentimes we’re lost. That’s all pretty cool, you know?”

All of those events were less about his athleticism and more about the transcendent vibe that being in the outdoors always seemed to provide. More than anything, Macy is a dedicated family man who just happened to engage in the ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

TYLER ZLOTNICK/ECO-CHALLENGE

When the Eco-Challenge famously returned to Fiji in 2019, the Macys jumped at the chance to race together, along with adventure-racing veterans Danelle Ballengee and Shane Sigle.

It wasn’t the first time they raced together, but it was certainly one of the high points of their father-son journey, especially given Mark’s slowly diminishing condition and because they were raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association.

Travis had been immersed in his dad’s racing from the start, helping crew and pace him at ultra races when he was just a youngster. Since then, he’s competed in 130 ultra-distance events in 17 countries.

“It’s just what we do,” Travis Macy says. “For as long as I can remember, this was ingrained in me because I remember watching him work hard and having so much fun when I was a young kid and also because he learned so much, and those are the reasons I wanted to do all these kinds of events, too.”

In Fiji, it was hard for Mark to keep up at times, and enduring the fatigue of the race led to moments when his mind played tricks on him, but they worked together and got through it. At one point, Mark was sure Travis and Danelle were renting out rooms in a Fijian schoolhouse. Then one night while the team was sleeping in a tent on a platform next to a raging river that they would raft on the next day, Mark woke up after having a disorienting nightmare about being caught in a Detroit snowstorm.

“That’s that Alzheimer’s shit again,” Mace says, laughing.

“Man, that was rough. I really thought we were stuck in a Detroit blizzard. They probably could have gone faster without me and all of my challenges. But Eco-Challenge is always hard and full of crazy stuff, so I really don’t think it was any worse for me in my condition.”

Although bad knees slowed Mark in his 50s and forced him to get regular injections to numb the pain, he kept after it

“HE WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL AS AN ATHLETE AND HE STILL IS...BUT AS MUCH OF A BADASS AS HE WAS, YOU NEVER GOT A SENSE THAT HIS HEAD WAS BIG OR ANY OF THAT. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SUCH A WONDERFUL HUMAN FIRST AND FOREMOST AND ALL ABOUT FAMILY.”

TK

TYLER ZLOTNICK/ECO-CHALLENGE

Travis and Mark Macy maneuver across a Fijian river during a mountain-biking section of Eco-Challenge in 2019. Their four-person Team Endure (left) raised money for the Alzheimer’s Association.

Type 2 kind of fun of grueling endurance events.

“I don’t know how many Leadvilles I crewed, but it was always a fun family experience,” Pam says. “The kids got to stay up all night or sleep in the back of the car. Those are all really good times, and so was the year we were at Badwater because it was a family vacation. What’s not to like about taking your family on a trip like that?”

For years, Macy would famously drive to his office in Denver at 4 a.m. so he had time to work a full day, meet up with a regular lunchtime running group at Washington Park, finish his work day and get back home to maximize his afternoon and evening hours with the family.

“He was something special as an athlete and he still is,” says Peter Downing, a longtime friend and training partner of Macy’s and a top-10 finisher in the Leadville 100. “But much of a badass as he was, you never got a sense that his head was big or any of that. He has always been such a wonderful human first and foremost and all about family.”

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Life Changes On January 1, 2016, at the age of 62, Mark Macy retired from a 35-year run as a respected insurance-claims defense lawyer in Denver. It wasn’t that he didn’t still enjoy the work; it was more that he was ready to transition into a more leisurely approach to life, travel the world with Pam, spend time with their grandkids and, of course, still occasionally pursue his passion for trail running, peak-bagging, mountain biking and doing tough races.

Truth be told, though, he had felt his mental acuity slipping before then, and Pam could sense it, too. They even joked about it. Macy wasn’t as mentally sharp and knew he hadn’t been at his best taking depositions over the past year or so.

“His work was never his identity like it is for so many attorneys,” Pam says. “It was a means to an end for him. He worked for a great law firm and was well-respected and had a lot of friends, but that’s not who he was. When we went on vacation, for example, he was not thinking about work. And SUMMER 202 1

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Macy says his favorite thing to do is hang out with family. Mark and Pam have three children (Travis, Dona and Katelyn) and five grandchildren and have also served as foster parents for several children.

his diagnosis. They told him, ‘Get your affairs in order because in two years you could be gone.’

And here it is two and a half years later and he’s still going strong.”

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attempt his first winter crossing of the Badwater Basin and ascent of 14,508-foot Mount Whitney. With Haugh serving as his crew, Ulrich completed the rigorous, 146-mile journey in six days, and, as of mid-April, had raised $15,134. (His goal was to raise $14,508, a dollar for every foot of Whitney’s elevation.)

“Mark knows what he’s up against, and I think a fire still burns inside and he still wants to go out and train, and he thinks that’s going to be his salvation,” Ulrich says. “But yet, in the same sentence, he’ll say, ‘I suspect that’s not the case; this will get me in the end.’ It takes a great person to say that and acknowledge that and still live life to the fullest and continue being the man he is.”

Brian Metzler was the founding editor of Trail Runner and now serves as a contributing editor.

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COURTESY OF MARK AND PAM MACY

when he retired, he told me, ‘This is what I was made for. I’m really good at being retired.’”

Before seeing a doctor to address what was happening, Macy was more concerned about Pam going through her second kidney-transplant operation. And afterward, as a show of his respect and pay-it-forward gratitude, he donated one of his own kidneys to a stranger in need. Finally, in October of 2018, Macy saw a specialist in Denver who diagnosed him with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia that begins to rob individuals of their cognitive functionality and memory.

So far, Macy is doing relatively well, family and friends say, and perhaps better than anyone might have expected. His mental and relative physical declines have been obvious, but not overwhelming. He can’t drive anymore, and, at times, he might need help buttoning a shirt or tying his shoes, Pam says. Keeping up with daily tasks and upcoming events has become the most difficult challenge, as his short-term memory has waned considerably.

If there is an overriding positive aspect, though, it’s that Macy hasn’t lost his good-natured demeanor and affable outlook on life.

“He’ll say, ‘Pam, I know I’ve already asked you this 17 times, but is that happening today or tomorrow?’” Pam says. “It’s OK because I’m patient with him because Mace, honestly, is just a great guy. I know he feels bad about asking again and again, but he can’t help it.”

Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, medications and management strategies can improve symptoms, doctors say.

Fortunately, the best and most helpful therapy for Macy has been spending time outdoors, doing the things he loves to do. He and Pam take walks on the trails and paths near their home in Evergreen almost every day, even on days when Macy also goes for a trail run or adventurous hike with Ulrich or Travis.

“Literally, that’s what’s keeping him alive and sharp,” Ulrich says. “I remember when he first talked to me about

So, for the time being, Macy is blessed to still have his physical health pretty well intact and can continue running and hiking on his beloved Colorado trails.

More importantly, he’s surrounded and supported by loving family members and admiring friends.

His days of rigorous endurance challenges in remote corners of the globe might be behind him, but that’s OK. For the moment, he can still access a lifetime of memories, and he maintains his gift of gab and his uncanny ability to tell stories. Although he has hundreds of wild ultrarunning, snowshoe, triathlon and adventure-racing experiences under his belt, he says none of those really compares to having an audience of his grandkids who are eager to listen to his stories with rapt attention. He still loves to hike and run, but he relishes taking the grandkids sledding, watching their soccer games and gathering around a TV with them to watch old Eco-Challenge videos.

“Those are the things that really bring out who he is,” Pam says, getting a bit choked up as she talks. “He’s still kind and sweet. Mace is still Mace, and we’re all grateful for that.”

Although he had inspired Macy to run the Badwater Ultramarathon after they first met in the early 1990s, Ulrich became a legend running across Death Valley, with more than 30 crossings in races and self-contrived adventures over the past three decades. In February, in an effort to raise money for Team Macy Endure’s fundraising efforts for the Alzheimer’s Association, Ulrich went back to Death Valley once again to

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S U B S C R I B E AT T R A I L R U N N E R M AG .C O M /O U T S I D E P LU S

When my passion nearly killed me

By Hillary Allen Photos by Ian Corless 50

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In August of 2017, ranked number one in the world Skyrunning circuit, I signed up for one of the hardest ultrarunning races in the world: the Tromsø Skyrace in Norway. Tromsø was one of my last races of the season and a dream opportunity. I had never been to that part of the world, and the competition gave me the chance to test my running in a way I never had before. It was also a way to explore a new place, by foot—my favorite method.

When race day came, I was motivated, inspired and physically in top form. The odds were in my favor not only to complete the race, but to win. The weather that day was perfect. I felt great, and for the first three hours, I performed great. But as I climbed the most technical ridge on the course (pictured above), a rock gave way.

With one step, I felt the ground give way beneath my feet—and the horizon turned upside down.

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I was airborne.

I was falling off the edge of a cliff.

I felt the first impact, then the second, then the third.

I hit the ground again and again and again. With each impact, I felt bones breaking, skin ripping. I grasped for something, anything, to stop my momentum, but I didn’t know which way was up, and as soon as I hit the ground I was spinning and airborne once again. I heard my own voice, floating somewhere above my head, declaring to me, calmly, “Hillary, this is it. You’re dying.”

This was my death.

Relax.

You’ve got to relax.

Breathe.

It will all be over soon.

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Somewhere between the six points of impact and the 150 feet I had fallen, I lost consciousness. I remember the vivid pain when I came to. The world was throbbing, pulsing in and out. I couldn’t see straight . . . only blurred shapes amid the blackout pain. I screamed out when the pain came, hoping that yelling would somehow release the intensity of the agony rushing over me. I felt like I was being suffocated.

Unable to breathe or relax, I kicked my legs out of reflex and frustration. Then I thought to myself, You’re moving your legs; that’s a good sign. You’re not paralyzed. But then the pain would rush back. I shut my eyes tight, and flashes of red and yellow danced across my eyelids.

Somehow, I realized, I was only in my socks. My shoes must have flown off my feet somewhere along the way down the mountainside, as I tomahawked through the air. I couldn’t move my arms or hands. When I looked down, all I saw was a bundle of bones that didn’t look like arms, and my wrists were turned the wrong way.

Suddenly there was a voice, and the face of another runner I vaguely recalled seeing earlier in the race. I had passed him as we ascended the steep part of the ridgeline, and we had exchanged some words of encouragement. Why was he here now? Had he fallen too?

His arms were wrapped around me. His face was close to mine. Had he been here the whole time? He covered me with an emergency blanket and his jacket. Manu was his name, as I learned later. He had seen the rock fall, and me with it.

Trained in first aid and as a wilderness responder, Manu scrambled down the ridgeline after me.

Others had seen me fall too. My good friend Ian Corless, a professional photographer who worked for the Skyrunner World Series, was perched on the summit of the ridgeline waiting for my arrival, but as I came around the corner, what he saw through his lens wasn’t what he expected. Another good friend, Martina Valmassoi, was with Ian. Martina, a professional ski mountaineer, runner and photographer, was terrified when she saw me fall off the cliff. They both thought they had just witnessed my death. Panicked, they quickly called the race director, Kilian Jornet, who called the mountain-rescue team. Martina, Ian and Kilian scrambled their way down to me.

As I lay there, seeing the fear in their eyes, their features expressed what I was already thinking: I’m dying.

Martina put her puffy jacket over me, mostly to cover the blood but also to keep me warm. My body convulsed. I focused on Martina’s voice as she stroked my head and told me it would all be OK. As I continued to cry out in pain, she looked to Ian and Kilian, their worried eyes full of urgency, desperation and despair.

Where was the rescue team?

After an agonizing 30 minutes, I heard the bellowing sound of the helicopter. As it approached, the vibrations of its blades and the wind created in its wake pulsed over me.

A doctor lowered onto the ridgeline and scrambled down to me to assess the damage. “Inhale,” he told me as he sprayed something up my nose, some sort of painkiller. It dulled the ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

and in her Norwegian accent said, “We are going to do the best we can.”

When I came out of the MRI, that same doctor took my hand. Astonishment evident in her voice, she said, “We are so surprised, Hillary. You have no internal bleeding and your legs are not broken, but you need to go into surgery to clean out your wounds and fix your arms.” I asked to call my mother, but there was no time. I was rushed off into surgery.

After surgery, back in the hospital bed, the accident played in my mind over and over again. Every time I started to drift off to sleep, I felt like I was spinning in the air, crashing into the side of the mountain. I saw the faces of the doctors who rescued me. I remembered the feeling of being airlifted, the doctor hanging off the side of the cot as I was hoisted up into the helicopter. And the pain, red, pulsing through me with the vibrations of the helicopter.

When I awoke after the initial shock and surgeries, I recounted my injuries. I had broken a total of 14 bones— including my back (vertebrae L4 and L5 in multiple locations), multiple ribs, both wrists—and sustained one badly sprained ankle and a serious rupture of a ligament in the other foot. I also had a concussion, and too many lacerations to count.

The helicopter had transferred me to the nearest hospital, in Tromsø, Norway. That’s where I lay in the hospital bed, unable to move. Friends and other athletes from the race came to visit me, but it was all a blur. Drowning in the intense pain, and yearning for my mind to stop replaying the fall, I swam in and out of consciousness. When I called the nurse for more

JOHANNA SIRING

pain, but not my confusion. My eyes took in the shapes of their faces . . . they were still full of fear.

From that point on things moved quickly. There was a lot of movement. There was a lot of pain. Ian, Kilian, Manu, Martina and the doctor tried to stabilize me. They shuffled rocks around, trying to make room to hoist me up onto the rescue cot. Any slight movement sent pain shooting throughout my body. With every movement, I yelled out in anguish, my cries eventually dissipating into a whisper. I didn’t know where the pain was exactly. I couldn’t pinpoint it or figure out where it originated from—I felt it all over. As I was secured to the cot, the doctor fastened himself by my side and signaled to the helicopter pilot, who flew up and away from the side of Hamperokken ridge. The feeling of falling swept over me again, and I closed my eyes tight.

Breathe. It will all be over soon.

Once inside the helicopter, I heard myself whimpering.

The vibrations of the chopper sent pain signals pulsing throughout my body. I looked to the doctor and asked, tears streaming down my face, “Am I going to be OK?” His eyes met mine, trying to comfort me, as he replied, “We’re going to the hospital. They will take care of you.”

Once we arrived at the hospital I was in and out of consciousness. Everything was fast-paced, and so many faces surrounded me. People were cutting off my clothes, peering into my eyes with lights, asking me questions.

Could I move my legs or arms? Did I know who I was? Who was my emergency contact? I remember reciting my mother’s phone number and giving them her full name. Tearfully I asked again, “Am I going to be OK?” The doctor gazed at me

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The next few days were brutal. In an instant I had gone from being extremely fit and capable to utterly dependent. I couldn’t move or even get out of my hospital bed. I was weak, I was in pain, and my spirit was broken. I hadn’t moved from my bed in five days. My mother saw me slipping away into depression, wanting to give up. The nursing staff saw it too. I was giving up.

One day one of the nurses told me, quietly and frankly, “This isn’t the end for you, Hillary. Now it’s time to fight. It’s time to move out of this bed. You are not done yet.”

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She swung my legs over the side of the bed and practically carried me over to a chair in the shower, where she helped wash my body and hair. The exertion made me nauseous.

The next day, I decided to get out of bed to have breakfast in the chair next to my hospital bed. It probably took me 30 minutes to move there, with my mother’s help. When the nurse came in and saw me sitting near the window, she smiled and took my vitals. My spirit wasn’t completely broken.

Every day I did just a little bit more. I went on “walks” down the hospital corridors with my mother. We found rooms or patios where the sun streamed in, overlooking the fjords.

I stayed in the hospital in Norway for two weeks before I had the strength and medical clearance to fly home to Colorado. Traveling internationally with my injuries was no easy feat. But, back in Colorado, I went straight to the doctor’s office to reassess my injuries. First, I saw a hand specialist. After numerous X-rays, the doctor let me know that things weren’t healing correctly. My left arm, which had rods and pins sticking out of it, was externally fixed. But my doctor wasn’t happy with the status of the bone. He wanted to remove the hardware and put in a plate and screws to ensure proper healing. He told me if I continued healing as the bones were set now, I would have early onset arthritis and a limited range of motion.

So, I agreed to do the surgery. But he wasn’t done. My right wrist was casted, with no hardware. It was healing, and the break wasn’t as bad as the left wrist, but my doctor said that wrist needed surgery too—a plate and screws.

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JOHANNA SIRING

morphine, it wasn’t to stop the pain, but rather to numb my thoughts—the warm rush that fell over my body allowed my mind to become quiet, and to drift off to sleep.

I don’t remember much from those brief moments of consciousness or the faces who came to visit, or even what they said to me about the accident. I was still in denial. What accident?

What had happened? Someone fell? Who fell? Was it me? Why couldn’t I move? Why was I there? I was scared and alone. I hadn’t been able to speak with my mother yet, or with anyone from home. Emelie Forsberg, a friend and race codirector with Kilian, told me she had spoken with her and she was on the way.

I was scheduled for another surgery on my wrist the day my mother arrived at the hospital. When her face appeared in the doorway, I broke down crying. The look in my mother’s eyes—of fear, concern, sadness and simultaneous relief— caused reality to crash over me. I knew, right then, it wasn’t a dream. I was the one who had fallen, almost died, and yet somehow managed to survive.

Two surgeries. He could do them on Thursday. It was already Tuesday. I needed a moment to think. I had never broken a bone before, never had major orthopedic surgery. I was overwhelmed. The doctor left the room to give me some time to consider.

A new doctor came in, Dr. Melissa Gorman. Her face told me everything I needed to know about her: stern, kind, no bullshit. She looked me straight in the eye and said she wanted to talk to me about my right foot.

There was an injury they missed in Norway, she said. A Lisfranc fracture. My mind was blank, as I’m sure was my face.

I’d never heard of it. She took a deep breath and said, “Hillary, this is a foot-changing injury.”

The Lisfranc is a ligament bridging the arch of the foot.

It’s a major ligament that contributes to the integrity of the foot, forming the arch, which is essential for standing, walking and running. Lisfranc fractures are common in football, where players running at full speed are impacted from the side. Athletes who have surgery don’t necessarily make a full recovery. She recommended—insisted— on surgery.

Time was crucial. It had already been two weeks since the rupture.

She told me it was unlikely I’d ever compete again.

All the feeling drained from my body.

The hand doctor came back into the room. He restated his diagnosis, impatiently waiting for my approval. I told him to do the surgery. “Good choice,” he said as he nodded to his assistant to confirm the surgery date—Thursday. Then he exited the room and I looked to Dr. Gorman again. I knew I had no choice. My foot wasn’t going to heal without the surgery, and if I ever wanted to get back to running, I at least had to try. I nodded to her, and we booked that surgery for the next day, Wednesday.

That night I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t speak. All I could do was stare, cry, hope—pray—that everything was going to be OK. I hardly slept. The few minutes of precious sleep I got were interrupted when I jolted awake with the dream of falling off that cliff in Norway. Tears came fast as, scared yet again, I relived the experience, the feeling of falling. Then I cried because I was thankful I was alive. And then the tears of fear came. Fearful of what was to come. My surgery, my recovery.

Would I ever run again? I didn’t know. The tears kept coming.

The fear of the unknown was all consuming.

My phone rang at 5:14 a.m. As I peeled my face off the

damp pillow to look at my phone, I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered it anyway.

“Hello?” I said, tears already streaming down my face.

The voice on the other end belonged to Dave Mackey. A tremendous athlete and trail runner, Dave was someone I looked up to, who had also suffered from a terrible accident.

Dave had fallen 15 to 20 feet off Bear Peak, a summit I had run up often in my hometown of Boulder, Colorado. But Dave’s leg had been crushed under a rock, and after a year of recovery and rehab, he decided to amputate it. His story was incredible, his will was insatiable, and he was calling me the morning of my surgery to offer his encouragement and support.

“Hi, Hillary, it’s Dave. How are you doing?”

“Not good,” I sputtered out, simultaneously laughing and crying.

“That’s understandable,” he said, chuckling as well. “I remember how scared I was before my surgery. But these doctors know what they are doing, and they will do their best to take care of you. You’ll be OK.” Then he added, laughing, “Plus, they give you the good drugs, so you won’t remember much of anything after that! Waiting is the worst part.”

Dave’s unexpected pep talk gave me a little courage to face the day, and I started telling myself that I would be OK. That I would figure it out. I had the support of my family and my running community, and with that reassurance I started to foster belief in myself. I needed it for that first surgery. I prayed my doctor was ready and sharp and wouldn’t screw up my foot with the screws she was putting in.

By 7 a.m. I was being prepped for surgery. Everything moved so fast. Nurses assessed the locations of all my injuries and breaks. They marked me up and told me they would remove my stitches while I was under anesthesia. My body looked like a coloring book that a child had gotten hold of: multi-colored marks all over, doctors’ initials, and scribbled notes to make sure they operated on the correct foot (the right one).

I decided to get a nerve block for the pain. I watched as the anesthesiologist used an ultrasound to locate my peroneal nerve and stuck a needle in my leg. Within seconds, I could no longer feel my foot. A familiar face arrived: my surgeon, Dr. Gorman.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

Tears welling up in my eyes, I nodded. Her eye contact lingered, as if to tell me she had me now. It was her turn to do her job, and I could trust her. They wheeled me into the operating room. I gazed upward, blinking into the fluorescent lights as the world faded away.

I cried because I was thankf ul I was alive.

And then the tears of fear came. Fearful of what was to come.

My surgery, my recovery. Would I ever run again?

I didn’t know. The tears kept coming.

The fear of the unknown was all consuming.

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The surgery lasted a couple of hours. It was late afternoon when I woke up from anesthesia. My eyes opened slowly. I was still in the hospital. Still in my hospital gown, with an IV in my arm. My mother, who had been sitting next to me, approached the bed to stroke my hair. My eyes were heavy with sleep, my body weighed down by the painkillers. Warm yet fuzzy, my senses were dulled. The doctor came in to tell us everything had gone according to plan.

My mother looked at me with tears in her eyes. “It’s time to go home,” she said as she kissed my forehead.

But it wasn’t over yet. Tomorrow we’d go to another hospital for another set of surgeries. I closed my eyes wearily.

Day two was the same routine, with teams of doctors and nurses and anesthesiologists swarming around me, marking me up and asking me questions. But I didn’t cry. This time, I was quiet. Numb. I wanted it all to be over. As I drifted off, my hand surgeon gave me a warm smile and reassuring nod.

Waking up on the second day of surgery was different. A

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nerve block hadn’t been possible for this procedure, so I woke with a dull ache that overpowered the painkillers. That faint ache grew into deep pain as I became more lucid after the surgery, and it persisted throughout the night. No amount of painkillers could touch the pain. Whimpering, I cried myself to sleep out of pure exhaustion, only to awaken within an hour, my arms throbbing, as if someone held a tuning fork to my wrist, the vibrations rippling the fresh hardware inside. I counted down the minutes until I could take another painkiller. Time seemed to move in reverse.

I had hit rock bottom. I was defeated. Completely broken and rebroken. This was my reality. I could hardly do anything for myself. Helpless and hopeless, I faced complete and utter dependency. But in that moment, I knew I had a choice: give up or fight.

This story is excerpted from Hillary Allen’s new book, Out and Back, with permission from Blue Star Press.

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P R O M OTI O N

GET 25% OFF WITH CODE YJCOURSES25 AT YOGAJOURNAL.COM/ COURSES

WITH TOM MYERS Anatomy training for stability & resilience

FOOTWEAR TRAIL

GEAR TESTED

11 fresh spring trail shoes for all trail appetites.

BY ADAM W. CHASE

PATITUCCI PHOTO (LEFT); GETTY IMAGES

WITH EVER-EVOLVING MATERIALS AND COMPOUNDS that make midsoles bouncier and less prone to breaking down, uppers more breathable or waterproof, outsoles more grippy and the combination lighter and more efficient, we trail runners are soon to be out of excuses if we can’t set personal bests on our favorite routes and race courses. But, fortunately, as my junior-high science teacher used to say, “Excuses are like belly buttons. Everyone has one.”

No matter what your trail-running goals are, picking the best shoe is an important step toward your perfect race or adventure day. There are dozens of options out there, made for every type of trail and foot imaginable, so what matters most is that you select shoes based on what you’re looking for, not what the internet or your running partner recommends.

To test shoes, we take them up Colorado 14ers, run in snowstorms, bop around the sandy Moab desert and rip flowing singletrack to see what shoes work best where. These new shoes can help you kiss your excuses goodbye.

ALTRA LONE PEAK 5 Price: $130

ALTRA SUPERIOR 5 Price: $120

ASICS TRABUCO MAX Price: $140

Weight: 8.3 oz W, 10.6 oz M Drop: 0 mm Best for: Attacking sloppy singletrack and long runs.

Weight: 7.5 oz W, 8.8 oz M Drop: 0 mm Best for: Feeling your way through smooth singletrack.

Weight: 9.3 oz W, 10.4 oz M * Drop: 10 mm Best for: Runners looking for a protective, rolling ride in tricky terrain.

Tester-monial: “These are just really sophisticated-looking, and a welcome update of a great shoe.”

Tester-monial: “Given the low profile, I could feel the trail, but it wasn’t painful and allowed for agility and a quick response.”

Tester-monial: “They got the cushioning part right. I loved the midsole and felt it was super responsive, protective and stable on all weird surfaces.”

While Altra tidied up this rugged trail shoe, the Lone Peak remains the rough-and-tumble, aggressive dirt maven it has always been.

Now, with the help of the AltraEGO midsole for a more lively, responsive ride, laser-cut upper-drain ports and a mapped, engineered rock plate for push-through protection, the Lone Peak 5 is one smooth off-road shoe.

The zerodrop and natural toe splay from the wide toebox, as one expects from Altra, are unaltered, offering plenty of proprioceptive feel. With a 25mm stack height, the Lone Peak 5 is a moderately cushioned shoe. The calling-card, aggressive outsole offers great traction on most any trail surface, and the shoe felt fluid as a result of the high-rebound midsole compound and engineered rock plate.

With the Superior, Altra brought minimalism to the trails by stripping away everything that’s unnecessary in an offroad shoe. It pared the Superior to its bare bones while keeping it comfortable, responsive and with plenty of traction—the result is a neutral lightweight and nimble shoe that offers real feel for the ground.

The application of MaxTrac outsole with a multidirectional lug pattern makes for surefooted traction, and the updated (lighter and thinner), removable rock plate offers optional protection (requires cutting to size before insertion). The “burrito”-style, wraparound tongue held our testers’ feet securely and helped to keep out trail debris.

The wide toebox felt a little clownlike but was offset by the upper’s excellent fit.

* W EIGH T S LIS T ED A R E FOR WOMEN’S SIZE 7 A ND MEN’S SIZE 9.

With the Trabuco Max, Asics re-emerges in the trail space by applying the brand’s rockered road-shoe geometry, deploying GUIDESOLE technology and FLYTEFOAM midsole cushioning for a comfy, stable and efficient roll-through. The firm midsole is both protective and shock-absorbing while also providing energy-returning rebound, prompting testers to recommend them for ultras.

The thick-lugged outsole provides impressive traction, and the rugged, engineered, well-fitting upper is both breathable and protective. However, testers weren’t impressed by the speedlace system, which didn’t sync well with the tongue.

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WHY YOU NEED A TRAIL SHOE

TRAIL

GEAR TESTED

Trail shoes differ from road shoes in a few key ways.

One of the biggest differences is the tread or the grippy bottom part of the shoe. Trail shoes often have stickier, heartier rubber and deeper, more aggressive lugs, which are small, strategically placed protrusions that work like little fingers to provide better grip on uneven and soft surfaces.

Trail shoes also tend to be built with burlier materials in the upper than road shoes for support and durability—if you take your road-racing flats up a 14er, don’t be surprised if they, and your feet, don’t survive the journey. To protect your feet from the rocky, rougher terrain of trails, many trail shoes feature a rock plate in the midsole, and some offer more plentiful cushioning than you’ll find in road shoes.

PICK THE RIGHT SHOE And nowadays, trail runners can choose from many specialized options. For short, steep trails like racing a VK (vertical kilometer), pick a lightweight shoe with good traction and toothy lugs since speed and traction are the keys. For loose or technical, rocky terrain, select a shoe with a rock plate, aggressive lugs and sticky rubber for extra grip. For muddy or wet trails, invest in something with a quick-drying and -draining or waterproof-breathable (Gore-Tex) upper to keep your feet dry.

For fast, nontechnical trail, a shoe with a carbon plate adds extra energy to your stride. For going longer distances, pick a shoe with a substantial stack height and extra cushioning to keep you comfortable all day long. For extra long days over 50 miles, make sure your shoes can accommodate a good amount of swelling, as your feet can puff up after hours of running.

FIT IT RIGHT A properly fitting running shoe should feel snug in the heel and midfoot, with wiggle room around the toes To check the length, press your thumb down in front of your toes. A good fit should allow for a half to a full thumb’s width of space. This is especially important for runners going longer distances or doing trails with steep descents, as ramming toes into the front of the shoe can cause not-so-fun black toenails and blisters. Avoid too much space around your forefoot as your foot can slide around and cause blisters, and a sloppy fit makes it tough to be nimble in technical terrain.

REPLACE WHEN NECESSARY Trail shoes should be replaced when they lose their traction or have blown-out uppers. When outsole lugs get whittled down or shorn off and the uppers become threadbare, or the whole shoe smells enough to make you actually wish you were back to the days of double masking, it’s time for new kicks.

A good rule of thumb is to replace your shoes around 400 miles.

BROOKS CALDERA 5 Price: $140 Weight: 9.4 oz W, 10.6 oz M Drop: 4 mm Best for: A runner who wants protection and cushioning and favors comfort over “feel” for the trail.

Tester-monial: “I like the rugged styling and genuine thoughtfulness that went into creating a dependable trail shoe. The low drop, with a very sticky, knobby sole, and toe reinforcements make for a serious trail runner.”

Brooks went big with the Caldera 5, bringing its max cushioning BioMoGo DNA for marshmallow-y plushness and ample protection. While you won’t get much feel for the trail through the Caldera’s big stack height (33mm/29mm), you won’t suffer any bone bruises. These are Brooks’ softest, plushest trail shoes to date.

This version features an updated lacing system that uses mid-foot lace loops or “Ghillies” for locked-in security on technical terrain. Testers applauded the TrailTack Sticky Rubber outsole’s ability to provide traction on a wide variety of surfaces, wet or dry. The Caldera’s protective toe cap was another plus for those who tend to stub their digits or otherwise appreciate enhanced armor and durability up front.

BROOKS DIVIDE 2 Price: $100 Weight: 9.2 oz W, 10.3 oz M Drop: 8 mm Best for: Someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot on shoes and appreciates one running shoe that can check all the boxes, regardless of the running surface.

Tester-monial: “The traction and performance on gravel, dirt, rocky terrain, steep slides, talus fields and slopes were extraordinary.”

Improving what was already a versatile hybrid road-trail shoe, Brooks now offers this ideal “Millennial Shoe” that balances comfort, grip and protection. The Divide 2 handles road well with its secure, padded grip around the heel and across the instep and roomy toebox.

The midsole provides moderately soft cushioning and a somewhat springy ride, only slightly compromised by the stiffness of the forefoot rock plate.

It isn’t a flashy or speedy ride but one that shines on dirt, with a sticky-rubber outsole that grips well on a variety of surfaces and a protective rock plate. While some testers found the toebox to be “floppy,” others appreciated the roominess up front.

LA SPORTIVA JACKAL GTX Price: $170 Weight: 9.3 oz W, 11.1 oz M Drop: 7 mm Best for: Long runs or races on sloppy terrain or during inclement weather.

Tester-monial: “The shoe is extremely solid aside from the sizing being slightly off ... they were never squishy, responsiveness was great, but you could still feel the trail well.

The Jackal GTX made me want to run more aggressive, longer trail runs to really find its true capabilities.”

La Sportiva not only widened the original Jackal’s last to accommodate higher-volume feet, but it waterproofed the rugged mountain runner. The Jackal GTX’s use of GoreTex Invisible Fit waterproofing doesn’t change the fit because the moisture barrier is integrated almost seamlessly. The compression-molded EVA with PU inserts in the midsole offers exceptional protection and stability.

Our test team was unanimous in nodding to the Jackal GTX’s adept combination of protection, cushioning, stability and traction. A few testers had issues with sizing, finding ths shoes ran short in the length but not volume.

SALOMON SENSE PRO 4 Price: $140 Weight: 7.6 oz W, 9.0 oz M Drop: 4 mm Best for: Mountain lovers who want

sure-footed confidence and dependable protection on rocky singletrack.

NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM MORE TRAIL V1 Price: $165 Weight: 8.9 oz W, 10.8 oz M Drop: 4 mm Best for: High and mighty, these pillowy cruisers are for those who want to float.

Tester-monial: “I felt like I had fat tires on my feet with the More Trails, yet still had a little sense of the trail ‘feel.’”

Joining the maximalist movement with its cushy More Trail v1, New Balance launched this thickest application of its midsole, FRESH FOAMx, seeking to provide cushioning exactly where it’s most needed. The More Trail offers a higher volume of cushion with less weight than the Fresh Foam Hierro, and testers found the shoe stable, with the cushioning firm enough to avoid the squishy slop of some max models.

The outsole rubber’s grip and moderate lugs did fine on almost all surfaces, including wet rock. The fit of the mesh upper runs small and is treated with a water repellent that beads water well while still allowing the shoe to drain.

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Tester-monial: “I felt like I could really fly in these, with confidence. I was so pleased with the changes Salomon made to this speedster and can’t wait to take them out on some wild runs!”

Light, flexible and just protective and stable enough with plenty of traction, the new and improved Sense Pro 4 is an all-around winner. The vibration-dampening Optivibe midsole and low, 4mm drop keep you well cushioned and close to the ground, while the Profeel film protects from push-through protrusions on rocky terrain.

The upper is extremely breathable, and the fit is classic Salomon, i.e., fairly narrow and trim, which may not be wide enough for higher-volume feet. Testers felt confident with the Contragrip outsole, even on wet surfaces, and the only real complaint was that the lace garage was both hard to use and ineffective in retaining the lacing and pull tab.

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TRAIL

GEAR TESTED

SALOMON SENSE RIDE 4 Price: $120 Weight: 8.3 oz W, 11 oz M Drop: 8 mm Best for: A dynamic ride that allows

for quick reaction and plenty of feel on varied terrain.

Tester-monial: “I have taken these out every chance I get. Aside from the aesthetic badassery this shoe possesses, it performs even better than it looks. Salomon created the perfect trail shoe. Period.”

This one-shoe-does-it-all favorite didn’t change much and keeps its well-loved qualities of a comfortable upper fit and ability to dance the fine line between protection and feel for the trail. The difference is found in the heel counter, which now has more padding.

The Optivibe shock-absorbing, responsive midsole impressed our testers as being both roadworthy and comfortable over longer trail runs. The midfoot TPU film provided protection and a welcome level of proprioception, while the outsole proved durable and provided ample traction on all surfaces. While the Sense Ride remains a fine introductory vehicle for the trail curious, it also handles the most technical of off-road challenges.

THE NORTH FACE FLIGHT VECTIV Price: $199 Weight: 8.6 oz W, 10.1 oz M Drop: 6 mm Best for: Efficient cruising over rolling trails.

Tester-monial: “I don’t know that I’d feel all that confident bombing down a rocky European trail in these, but they sure roll smoothly and efficiently on the undulating trails we have here in the West.”

Can super trail shoes do to course records what super road shoes did to marathon records and super track spikes are doing on the oval? Well, The North Face, with its incorporation of carbon-fiber technology in the Vectiv, may soon give us the answer. Optimally suited for those who run smoother trails and need some impact reduction, the rockered Flight VECTIV is not overly cushioned and, although stiff, provides a smooth roll-through to toe-off, akin to carbon-plated road shoes.

With added stability from a rock plate and dual-density midsole, the shoe was designed to reduce downhill impact by 10 percent and convert downhill force into forward momentum. The upper offers a secure hold, thanks in part to a Kevlar and polyamid-woven saddle and the TPU-infused knits.

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TOPO ULTRAVENTURE 2 Price: $135 Weight: 8.0 oz W, 10.4 oz M Drop: 5 mm Best for: Protective splay and low-drop running on burly

terrain.

Tester-monial: “The V2 of the Ultraventure is just as good as the first—same great fit, responsiveness, proportions, weight and design. It’s a shoe that falls into the near-perfect category.”

With minor tweaks to the upper to improve breathability and comfort, the Ultraventure 2 remains a stalwart trail shoe that is highly protective and foot friendly. Featuring Topo’s classic wide toebox and a low 5mm heel-toe offset, the Ultraventure 2’s fit and comfort, enhanced by a well-placed arch and Ortholite insole, was lauded by the entire test team.

The updated engineered mesh upper, with its molded foam collar, mid-foot internal microfiber belt wrap and external TPU heel counter provided a comfortable, secure fit. The 30mm/25mm-high platform, three-piece injected EVA midsole and Vibram XS Trek EVO outsole combine for a firm, protected ride. This is a “go-to” shoe for all but the most technical of trails, where it lacks the adroitness required for technical precision.

ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

HYDRATION

Carry liquids comfortably with these new products.

BY LISA JHUNG

TRAIL

GEAR

PATITUCCIPHOTO

TESTED

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TRAIL

GEAR TESTED SUMMER IS HERE, WHICH MEANS THE NEED TO CARRY HYDRATION, even on shorter runs. From handheld bottles and soft flasks, to vests and traditional over-the-shoulder packs, the mode of transport often has to do with personal preference. But choosing a system should also be a product of the following questions: How long will you be on the trail, and therefore, how much liquid do you need with you? How much other gear do you need to carry? What types of runs will you be doing most often? Will your hydration system work for all, or most, of those runs? And what other features—like easy-access pockets and adjustable straps—make the most sense for your needs?

“I like having pouches on the front where I can stash gloves, and a zippered pocket on the waist for food,” says Darcy Piceu, three-time winner of the Hardrock 100 and record-holder of the Rocky Mountain Slam (which includes Bighorn, Hardrock, Leadville, Ouray, Wasatch Front and The Bear 100s). “I also like packs that have somewhere to quickly and easily store my poles after I break them down during a race, and little pockets near my sternum for things like Advil, electrolyte pills or lip balm.”

The Boulder, Colorado–based runner adds that she prefers water bottles to bladders during an event because “they’re easier to fi ll at aid stations,” and that generally the size of a hydration system is determined by factors like how much gear is needed, the weather, etc.

Here’s a look at new offerings in hydration systems for spring and summer 2021.

ULTRASPIRE NUCLEUS RACE VEST $85

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NATHAN SPORTS EXOSHOT 2.0 14OZ HANDHELD $35 This soft flask has been updated from the original version with a rigid spine built into the flask itself to keep it from collapsing, making it easy both to fill and wash. An exterior pocket stashes a gel or other nutrition, and soft, sweat-wicking material surrounds the bottle and makes up the hand strap.

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PATITUCCI PHOTO

With a unique X-shaped design that places the load of the pack on the spine and the sternum for comfort, the Nucleus is changing how we think about packs. It comes with the company’s Ultraflask 500 Hybrid bottle (blending a plastic bottle and a soft flask), which sits in the pocket in the center of the chest. The pack adjusts via a one-pull shock cord.

THE NORTH FACE FLIGHT RACE DAY VEST 8 $149 What’s ingenious about this vest is that the soft flasks (included) are on a leash—a simple tug on a tab retracts the flasks to eliminate having to shove sloshy bottles into their pockets. Otherwise, a zippered phone pocket, layered front-access pockets, one slide-through and one large back pocket are all built into this lightweight vest that feels minimal on the body.

ULTIMATE DIRECTION FASTPACK AND FASTPACKHER 20 $150 Built for fastpacking adventures, this pack can carry 20 liters of gear distributed between its large-capacity, top- and side-zipper-loading main compartment, and has multiple exterior compartments and lash straps for complete livability on the trail. The weight of a full pack carries comfortably via perforated and channeled foam panels underneath breathable mesh.

Hydration bladder/bottles sold separately.

ULTRASPIRE ALPHA 5.0 RACE VEST $125 The fifth iteration of this pack boasts updated materials in the straps (lighter, stronger, more breathable) and pockets (stronger, lighter, stretchier), plus increased pocketing (nine total) all around. The small, sweat-proof magnetic-closure pocket on the chest and large magnetic-closure pocket on the back, as well as shock cords that stash collapsible poles, add to the on-thego accessibility of this pack. Hydration bladder or bottles sold separately.

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SALOMON SENSE PRO 10 SET $180 Constructed out of extremely light, soft and airy materials and designed to fit precisely (it comes in 2XS-XL), the Sense Pro 10 vest proved comfortable. Two 500mL/17oz soft hydration flasks (included bottles on the women’s pack come with straws) sit securely in quick-access chest pockets, while multiple pockets—zippered, open and/ or with an envelope flap—make this pack ready for adventures of any sort.

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WEARABLES

The best watches for trail runners.

TRAIL

GEAR TESTED

BY ADAM CHASE & ZOË ROM

IT’S NOT THAT WE NEED OUR WATCHES AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES to be trail specific—like with special dirt-repelling coatings or cougar sirens added to them— but there are certain things we off-road runners favor. While roadies are more interested in the distance covered, number of steps per minute and overall pace, we’re more focused on the accumulated ascent, time logged and not getting lost.

And, since our outings are often longer and riskier than those on paved surfaces, battery life, weather protection, locational accuracy and other safety factors are premium considerations.

LIFEKEY SMART STRAPS $29

PATITUCCI PHOTO (LEFT); GETTY IMAGES

SUUNTO 9 BARO TITANIUM $600 With trail running as one of the 80 preprogrammed activity modes, the 9 Baro Titanium was made with trail runners in mind. Features of the sleek yet rugged, sapphire-glass-faced and titanium beveled, wrist-mounted computer include between 25 and 120 hours of GPS tracking, depending on what mode you put it in, a weather function that can warn of impending storms, touchscreen, navigation, and heartrate, stress and recovery monitoring.

The 9 Baro’s secret to long battery life is also an accuracy enhancer. FusedTrack is an algorithm that combines GPS and motion-sensor data to improve tracking and distance accuracy while also serving to extend battery life by lowering the GPS power suck. Similarly, FusedAlti uses the built-in pressure sensor to measure ambient air pressure, producing barometric altitude measurements to give more accurate altitude information and ascent/ descent values by combining GPS data with barometric altitude information.

Allowing for this combined tracking makes for dependable metrics and also saves the battery—kind of a two-fer.

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Simple and battery-less, these light and comfortable elastic-band digital IDs are wearable devices that contain your vital data and are able to connect you with friends and family.

Synching up with an easy-to-use app that allows you to enter relevant encrypted medical information and emergency contacts, the data can then be accessed by pairing the band with an enabled smartphone. After you are entered into the system, you just “tap” with the band via a camera-recognition function on your smartphone when you want to inform your contacts that you are beginning and ending your trail run or other activities.

The wrist band is waterproof, needs no charge or subscription and is compatible with and accessible by most smartphones, even ones without the downloaded Lifekey app. Check out the “Fetch” version for your pets, or patches you can attach to hydration packs, jackets, helmets, etc. If you have someone who worries about your safety—maybe this person is even you yourself—this is a simple pacifier because it provides a low-cost, easy-to-use technological answer to: “What if they find me and I’m so out of it I can’t communicate?” or “Who will know where I am and whether I’ve returned from my run?”

COROS PACE 2 $200 At just two hundred bucks, the COROS Pace 2 is the most bang for your buck with easy-to-use, trailworthy functions. With 30 hours of training and 20 days of daily smartwatch battery, you won’t have to recharge until after many runs. The GPS and wristbased HR are as good as any $500-plus wearable.

This watch is a back-to-basics approach to wearable tech. An onboard running power meter punches above this watch’s weight, and even features integrated strength-training functions like a muscle heatmap to complement your running. The only notable miss is the lack of a navigation mode, making this watch a great choice for a price-conscious athlete who likes to stick to the trail more traveled.

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BUY SMART

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A RUNNING WATCH

GARMIN ENDURO $800

POLAR VANTAGE V2 $500

The standout feature in Garmin’s latest is battery life, and one of the big reasons is the “Power Glass” solar-charging watch face. The Enduro boasts 65 days of regular smartwatch use and 80 hours of GPS (assuming three hours/day in sunny conditions). The Enduro has ultrarunningfocused features like an updated ClimbPro that gives you data on upcoming climbs.

It also has the ultrarun sport mode that allows you to calculate time stopped at aid stations, an updated VO2-max estimation system that does a better job of taking into account trails and a cool PacePro feature that helps plot out a pacing strategy using speed, distance, elevation and a few selfselected parameters. The Enduro also features multisport configuring options for swimming, cycling, running, triathlon, etc.

In this new watch, Polar sets the bar high for smartwatch measurement and analysis. The Vantage V2 features a running performance test (for estimated VO2 max), an FTP cycling test, a leg-recovery test and storage for all that info in an accompanying app. Updates to this latest watch include smartphone music controls, a hill-splitter function with detailed data about uphill and downhill performance and a FuelWise smart-fueling assistant that is helpful for long runs.

With over 40 hours of continuous training time, the multiple power-save options make for a long battery life. Super-detailed recovery data help you chart and track your recovery. This is a great watch for users who want usable, data-rich breakdowns of their training and are curious about cross training or triathlons and want multiple-sport options.

APPLE WATCH SERIES 6

BATTERY LIFE Ultrarunners doing 24-hour-plus events and FKTs are going to want a robust battery life, so make sure your watch has a battery life that’s longer than your intended race time just to be safe. Bonus: Many watches have a setting that allows you to change the rate at which they ping the satellite, which helps the battery last longer.

FIT The more data and battery life your watch has, the larger it’s likely to be. Make sure you pick tech that feels good and sits well on your wrist. For ladies or the slender-wristed among us, this is especially important. Wrist chafe is real.

FUNCTIONS Many watches are now packed with not always useful data. Make a list of what metrics actually matter to you in your training, and save yourself money and headache by avoiding tech that’s overburdened with less-useful data and features.

SPECIFICITY The information most relevant to trail runners tends to be pace, time, distance and vert. Many watches will have a trail-specific sport mode that allows you to track the most relevant metrics. For adventurous runners, look for a watch that has mapping and route-finding capabilities too.

$400 (40mm) | $430 (44mm) You are out on a run and catch your outsole on a rock, attempt to recover but then end up taking a doozy of a tumble, leaving you dazed, confused and unable to do anything other than crawl. This watch can detect accidents and send emergency messages in case of emergency (when in cell service).

It can also tell if you’ve stopped moving and possibly fallen, and will wait for you to respond before automatically calling emergency services. If it detects you’ve been immobile for about a minute, it will make the call automatically and send the messages to your listed emergency contacts. The watch boasts an updated ECG and blood-oxygen functions, irregularheart-rhythm detection and Apple Maps features, along with Apple Fitness+.

The body tracking is nearly medical grade, but the battery life is quite limited, and many of the functions require pairing the watch with an iPhone. If you turn off the wrist-measured heart monitor and use a chest strap with Bluetooth, that can extend the battery life to more than 12 hours, but if you keep all the bells and whistles running at full capacity, you best keep your run to under that time or it will use up the charge. The in-depth, post-run analysis that you can get from the paired devices can be quite revelatory.

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CONNECTIVITY Bluetooth capabilities are almost a given in most smartwatches so that you can wirelessly connect and sync your activities.

Bonus: Look for a watch that allows you to selectively turn connections off—lest you be interrupted mid-trail run by Slack pings.

APPS Almost every watch brand will have a proprietary app that acts as an intermediary between your watch and a training platform like Strava. In addition to making sure you like the smartwatch, make sure you also like the app it syncs with. Bonus: These are usually free to download from the app store, so you can poke around before you purchase the watch.

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TRAIL APPAREL

Outfit yourself for the trails in these new pieces.

TRAIL

GEAR

PATITUCCIPHOTO

TESTED

BY LISA JHUNG

TRAIL

GEAR TESTED YOU CAN CERTAINLY WEAR ANY OLD RUNNING CLOTHES for your off-road runs, but apparel built specifically for trail running will provide touches you maybe never knew you were missing. Those features, plus cuts and fabrics catered to trail running, can make your experience on everything from singletrack to fire roads, from lunchtime runs to an ultras, more comfortable than ever.

With so much great apparel out there, how do you choose what’s right for you?

“I always tell people that the number one thing is fit,” says veteran trail runner and freelance apparel and gear designer Jenny Jurek. She adds that every brand’s apparel fits differently, and it’s important to try on specific items to dial in your size within that brand. “If something on a piece of clothing starts to bother you—like shorts riding up, or chafing from a seam—it’s only going to get worse throughout a run,” she adds.

After fit, Jurek says to make sure the fabrications match your needs. Do you live somewhere hot and humid? Buy super-airy, quick-drying mesh.

Also important are the features the product has. “It’s usually in the details— laser-cut construction, pocketing, reflectivity if you’re running roads to trails at night,” Jurek explains. A final “F” to keep in mind after fit, fabrication and features is feel: “Does it make you look good, feel good and/or run fast? And how do you feel about the garment’s environmental impact?” She’s a firm believer in buying things to last and shopping for products made out of natural or recycled materials, when possible.

With all that in mind, there are some great styles being carried over from brands from previous years. But here’s a look at some of the best new digs for spring-summer 2021.

BLACK DIAMOND MEN’S GENESIS TECH TEE $59 Constructed out of recycled polyester jersey with a durable, recycled-polyesteryarn technology, this tee will stand up to all your summer adventures. Runners will appreciate flat seams to avoid irritation when worn under a pack. Casual-wear styling is a bonus. Women’s style also available.

This shell’s well-thought-out features, like attached waterproof mitts and a hood specially designed to aid airflow, make it a winner. The Deluge meets waterproof and breathability standards required by the Ultra-Tour du Mont-Blanc (the $190, beefed-up Ultra Jacket exceeds those standards but has the same features as the Deluge). Women’s also available.

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TRACKSMITH MEN’S TWILIGHT SHORTS $58 With a five-inch inseam but made of airy, stretchy material (a mesh-like polyester and elastane blend), these shorts have trailready styling while allowing full mobility with every stride. Three large pockets for nutrition or other small items are built into the super-soft, antimicrobial liner. Women’s version (with a 3.5-inch inseam) available.

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PATITUCCIPHOTO

ULTIMATE DIRECTION MEN’S DELUGE JACKET $100

RABBIT WOMEN’S EZ TEE PERF LS $50

NATHAN SPORTS WOMEN’S STEALTH JACKET $85 From Nathan Sports’ new apparel line comes the Stealth Jacket, made of material that barely makes a sound with arm swinging (no noisy “swish-swish”). The wind shell (with a DWR finish) feels great against the skin and breathes well, and features such as thumb holes and a ponytail opening on the hood make this jacket rank high. Men’s style also available.

STIO GLIDE WOMEN’S CROP TECH TIGHTS $119 These crop tights are cut with a high waistband for style and function—they offer slight abdominal support and feature a slide-through pocket on the backside. The back pocket works well for stashing a hat, gloves or even a shirt mid-run, while two side envelope pockets carry gels or other items. Note: These work well for yoga and gym workouts, too, thanks to a lack of a zippered back pocket.

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For cool summer mornings or evenings, or as a lightweight layer on mountain runs, this long-sleeve tee offers just the right amount of coverage. It’s perfect worn over a tank or sports bra and ties easily around the waist when off. The super-stretchy polyester/spandex blend is perforated throughout for breathability.

TOGS FOR TRAILS

WHAT TO LOOK FOR POCKETS Pockets allow you to stow snacks and trash for the long haul. Look for a combination of open and zip pockets.

WIDE STRAPS If you plan on wearing a top under a hydration pack, wide straps help to avoid chafing.

MESH Perforated materials allow for better breathability and some sun protection.

TAPED SEAMS Taped seams on waterproof-breathable rain gear increase functionality.

PACKABILITY Consider the tradeoffs between waterproofness and packability.

THE NORTH FACE WOMEN’S FLIGHT WEIGHTLESS TANK $65 This featherlight tank feels barely there; its perforated wicking material offers coverage without weight. The slim-fit cut stays out of the way of swinging arms while making it easy to layer. The four-way stretch fabric dries quickly from sweat or water, making this tank a summer staple.

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FASTPACKING TRAIL

GEAR TESTED

Pack smart for lighter packs and more fastpacking enjoyment in the backcountry.

BY BEN LUEDKE

PATITUCCI PHOTO (LEFT AND RIGHT); GETTY IMAGES (UPPER RIGHT)

THERE ARE SO MANY ULTRALIGHT (UL) PRODUCTS on the market these days that choosing among them can be dizzying. Since the lighter the gear (often) the higher the price, many pieces of your UL gear should be multipurpose.

For most trips of up to a few days, strive to keep your fastpacking kit under 20 pounds, and food and water under five pounds. This presents obvious challenges for spending multiple nights in the backcountry and might turn you into an obsessive ounce counter. Due to the limited pack space, select food for its caloric density. Water is heavy, so plan to refi ll, fi lter and treat en route.

Will Thomas, who has summitted over 500 peaks (many of them while fastpacking) as well as Section J of the PCT in just 36 hours says, “I try to use the smallest pack possible for the outing. This helps me be mindful in the packing process to bring only the essentials and focus on multi-use items and their compactibility. If I start with a larger pack than needed, I add more and more discretionary items.”

Thomas does splurge on a couple of luxury items. “You’ll never catch me out overnight without my two-ounce inflatable pillow, and, if the nights are cold, I’ll always bring my 12-ounce cooking setup.”

Says Heather “Anish” Anderson, Nat Geo Adventurer of the Year and author of Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home and Mud, Rocks, Blazes: Letting Go on the Appalachian Trail, “When you’re choosing a fastpacking pack, decide whether you’ll be mostly hiking or running, and be honest with yourself! Most backpacks aren’t built to ride well when you’re running, whereas running packs are. A backpack with minimal load transfer and/or padded straps can make life a lot better.”

Pack a Punch

Food for Fuel

To add more structure and comfort to a frameless pack (like many fastpacking models), fold up a thin foam pad (1/4-inch will do the trick) and slide it in your pack vertically.

That same pad doubles as your sleeping pad and a soft place to sit during snack breaks. To shave off additional weight, make it a 3/4-length pad and use your UL backpack under your feet to retain warmth while sleeping.

“When packing for the day, make sure to cushion with a puffy jacket or a Sol Z Lite Pad,” says Joe McConaughy, aka “Stringbean,” known for his long-haul FKTs including the Appalachian Trail and his recent speed record on the Arizona Trail. “And if you are running or hiking at a hard effort, expect to sweat, so waterproof the inside of your bag with a trash bag.”

How you pack your gear is as important as what gear you bring. Take into consideration

Top-notch fueling for fastpacking is key. Bring compact and nutrient-calorie-dense foods.

Keep food for the day accessible, and stow other food in gallon Ziploc(s). For breakfast, good options include instant coffee (e.g., Starbucks Via), instant oatmeal or potatoes, bars and jerky. Lunch is usually an all-day snacking affair, just like on long trail runs, and may include gels, bars, trail mix/ nuts, nut butters, cheese and dried fruit.

While they’re not something you will want to make a habit of eating, freezedried meals have come a long way in nutrition and taste, and are a welcome easy-to-prepare meal at the end of a long day.

Ramen and mac and cheese are quick and satisfying supplements as well. And, of course, you’ll want to include some chocolate bars or some kind of treat for desserts.

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what gear is your heaviest, and pack that near the back and bottom of your pack to minimize bounce. Balance that with considerations around what supplies you’ll need to have easy access to. “Water accessibility is key. I like to have two 500 to 700mL bottles on my front shoulder straps with a Sawyer Filter. This allows me to quickly refill water and keep moving, and also reduces the

hassle of staying hydrated,” says McConaughy.

Prior to leaving for the backcountry, take your fully loaded fastpack for test runs on local trails, assessing unwanted bouncing and overall comfort and fit. As pack weight increases, it becomes more prone to bouncing, which leads to shoulder fatigue and potential issues with chafing at pressure points.

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TRAIL

GEAR TESTED

SIX MOON DESIGNS HAVEN ZERO-G $500 18 oz for the tarp alone or add the Haven NetTent ($175, 14 oz) The Haven Zero-G provides all you need for fastpacking in anything but extreme weather.

Heading out midsummer? Spring for the bug net and enjoy protection from the weather and pesky mosquitos while staying at two pounds total packed weight. Going late in the season after the bugs are gone? Leave the net at home.

NEMO TENSOR ULTRALIGHT SLEEPING PAD $160 18.0 oz The Tensor Ultralight packs down to about the size of a Nalgene bottle, weighs in at just over a pound and, best of all, doesn’t sacrifice comfort. It comes with an inflatable, bladder-type pump sack, has a 3.5 R value for warmth and is more quiet than many UL sleeping pads.

ZPACKS BEAR BAGGING KIT $50 3.4 oz This bear bag comes with a small rock sack and 50 feet of 2.0 Z-Line Slick Cord. It’s constructed from 1.6 oz/sqyd Dyneema® Composite Fabric (by comparison their Dyneema dry bags are made from thinner 1.0 oz/sqyd material). It is rodent-resistant, big enough for three days’ worth of food and easy to hoist and access.

PETZL SWIFT RL HEADLAMP $120 3.5 oz

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ZPACKS PACKING CUBES $29 0.6 oz (for the small size) These handy little packs are barely there in terms of weight but allow you to easily organize key items in your pack. They’re made from Dyneema fabric and come in small, medium and large.

Cranking out 900 lumens, the Swift RL lights up the trail way ahead of you, allowing you and your group to keep an eye on otherwise confusing turns in the trail, or to find that ever-elusive hanging bear bag. It uses Petzl’s Reactive Lighting system, which analyzes the ambient light and adjusts the beam strength accordingly. Best of all, it offers the same small-size factor as Petzl’s older 300lumen lamps.

DRESS FOR FASTPACKING SUCCESS Most trail runners already own everything they need, which will, of course, depend upon the environment, climate and season of your destination. The biggest mistake budding fastpackers make is simply bringing too many clothes. For a typical summer mountain fastpack, you will need (at most, bring spares for underlayers): • Short-sleeve top • Long-sleeve top • Light insulating layer • Running shorts and tights/underwear • Lightweight, waterproof-breathable rain gear • Ball cap and beanie • Light gloves • Wicking socks (+ spare pair) • Sturdy trail-running shoes

LEKI MCT 12 VARIO CARBON POLES

GOOD TO-GO POUCHES $14.75 (for double-serving pouch)

$250 14.0 oz These lightweight, all-carbon poles are the perfect addition to your fastpacking kit. Add stability and strength to your stride, and as a bonus, these can support a fly in camp.

Versatile and adjustable, the Leki MCT VARIOs stand out among trekking poles.

The beautiful cork grips felt ergonomic in the hand and extend down the pole below your hand over 4 inches for choking down. What sets the MCT 12 VARIOs apart from other poles is their unique hand-strap system. Leki’s standout hand straps make it easy to get the most out of your poles and are easy to disengage for hands-on snacking on the go. The low-profile basket avoided catching on brush or between rocks fairly well, and the carbide tip gripped well on a variety of surfaces.

3.4 oz With vegan, gluten-free and meat options, Good To-Go has dinner and breakfast options for hungry fastpackers. The dehydrated pouches only require adding water and take just 10 minutes to heat up.

They’re winning taste awards, and the Thai Curry and Chicken Pho are definitely worth checking out.

GARMIN INREACH MINI $349 BENCHMADE 533 MINI BUGOUT $140 1.5 oz This barely there, high-quality blade is only 3.7 inches long when closed, has a do-itall, drop-point-style blade and can tackle pretty much anything you throw at it in the backcountry. It’s easy to extend or fold with one hand.

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3.5 oz This little emergency GPS device fits in the palm of your hand, attaches to the outside of your pack and is surprisingly featurepacked. The Mini pairs with your phone for easy messaging from the backcountry. SOS alerts, weather updates and tracking are all provided via the global Iridium satellite network (satellite subscription required; $11 to $49 per month). The Mini can also connect with other Garmin Minis while out on the trail.

ULTIMATE DIRECTION FASTPACK 30L $180 24.0 oz A fastpacking favorite, UD’s fastpacks come in 20, 30 and 40L sizes and offer gender-specific sizing. Made from MonoRip mesh, these packs are as strong as they are light. They have a removable waist belt for heavier loads and feature sliding-rail sternum straps.

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nutrition

PERFORM

Micronutrients of Concern FOR FEMALE ENDURANCE ATHLETES, SPECIFIC VITAMIN AND MINERAL DEFICIENCIES MATTER MORE THAN IN THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS BECAUSE OF MENSTRUAL-CYCLE FLUCTUATIONS AND HORMONAL CHANGES WITH AGING. • IRON: Iron-deficient anemia is particularly prevalent in female runners due to monthly blood loss during menstruation. Symptoms include fatigue, high heart rate, feeling cold all of the time, brittle hair and nails and irritability. To up your intake, focus on foods like meat, beans, pumpkin seeds and leafy greens. Tofu and lentils are great too. Female runners should consider regular iron-panel readings, and work with a nutritionist or GP on supplementation when necessary.

Fueling for Females HERE’S HOW FEMALE RUNNERS CAN USE RECENT RESEARCH FINDINGS FOR PERFORMANCE BREAKTHROUGHS

By Kylee Van Horn, RDN As we all know, what you eat (or don’t eat) before, during and after training can affect your ability to recover, train and perform. But how much different are the needs between male and female athletes? Quite a bit, as research has shown. Some of the takeaways below may surprise you.

Overall Energy Intake (Calories) The biggest challenge female endurance athletes face is underfueling. Poor energy intake is usually shown to be a result of purposeful energy restriction, injury, illness or loss of appetite from high training volume or from restrictive dietary patterns.

Long-term energy deficiency can lead to a higher risk of decreased bone mass, menstrual irregularities, increased injury risk, hormonal imbalance and decreased running performance. Eating enough should be the top priority for female runners.

Active female athletes exercising six to 10 hours per week need at least 2,500 calories or more per day—anything less risks macro- and micronutrient deficiencies.

Throughout the menstrual cycle, daily energy needs may vary, with some studies showing that athletes need 2.5 percent to 11.5 percent more during the second half of their cycles, called the luteal phase. Age also plays a role in dictating energy needs. For 78

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• VITAMIN D: Vitamin D is essential for immune support and bone health. Vitamin D deficiency can put female runners at higher risk for stress fractures and osteoporosis.

Daily recommended intake of vitamin D is 800 IU but can be hard to obtain since it is only really found in limited food sources such as fatty fish, fortified dairy and irradiated mushrooms. Supplementation, if warranted, has been shown to be safe with doses of 2,000 to 4,000 IU/day.

• CALCIUM: Due to the high prevalence of underfueling in the female running population, calcium deficiency is a real concern. Similar to Vitamin D, calcium deficiency can lead to a higher incidence of stress fractures and osteoporosis later in life. High-calcium foods like fortified milks and alternative milks, leafy greens and dairy products are great safeguards. Runners at risk of deficiency should consider a supplement.

post-menopausal runners, metabolism might decrease due to loss of muscle mass with aging and should be taken into consideration when estimating calorie needs.

Carbohydrates Though they’re the powerhouses of energy production for exercise, carbs have been demonized by recent developments ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

FRED MARMSATER

How much different are the needs between male and female athletes? Quite a bit, as research has shown.

nutrition

PERFORM

in diet culture, causing some trepidation around their consumption. Female runners fueling for performance need six to 10g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per day. Ideally, the carbs will come from a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Timing your carbohydrate consumption is key for performance. In menstruating females, carbohydrates are utilized for energy production more rapidly in the first half of your cycle than in the second half of your cycle. In the first half of your cycle, aim for a preworkout meal or snack that contains 1g carbohydrate/kg body weight, one to four hours before running, to optimize carbohydrate availability.

For in-run fueling, no matter the cycle phase, aim for 30 to 60g per hour of carbohydrate. After your run, glycogen replenishment rates will vary depending on the point in the cycle, with lowered glycogen storage during the first half of the cycle. Take advantage of postrunning recovery and ensure proper

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glycogen replenishment by consuming 0.75g carbohyrate/kg body weight as quickly as possible following more than 90 minutes of exercise.

Fats Getting enough fatty acids is important for sex-hormone production, fat-soluble vitamin absorption and maintaining a regular menstrual cycle. Research points to getting 20 percent to 35 percent of total calories from fat sources for optimal health and performance. Female runners utilize fats for energy during exercise more than their male counterparts.

Throughout the menstrual cycle, fat utilization rates vary, with rates being the highest in the second half of the cycle when estrogen levels are higher.

Female trail runners need extra fats in the second half of their cycle for optimal performance in the singletrack.

Protein Female trail runners should focus on getting enough protein to

maintain lean muscle tissue, prevent injury and illness and to optimize neurotransmitter production. Brain health and cognitive function are important for athletic performance too! We know that exercise increases protein needs, but, unfortunately, most of the research has been done on male subjects. A suggested baseline for female athletes is around 1.6g/kg/day.

Ideally, female athletes will space protein intake evenly throughout the day to optimize recovery and promotion of lean body mass. Aim for a chunk of your daily protein at each snack and meal, rather than trying to lump it all into one chalky shake!

During mid-cycle and the second half of your menstrual cycle, muscleprotein breakdown is higher due to higher estrogen and progesterone levels, so focus on getting in a slightly higher intake then. In post-menopausal women, muscle mass decreases with hormonal changes, and getting enough protein becomes even more important. TR

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ask the coach

• Have questions for Coach Roche? Send them to coach@bigstonepub.com

Training for events lasting over five hours may not require as much effort as you think.

Last Runner Standing HEED THREE MAIN INPUTS FOR EVENTS BEYOND FIVE HOURS.

via injury and nervous system via overtraining that outweigh any long-term physiological benefits.

Plus, excessively long runs outside of training races can cause athletes to slow down as they put out less power at the same effort level, reducing running economy. And, psychologically, I’d rather athletes just be really, really fit and healthy rather than worry about the unknown too much. You don’t need to put your hand on the stove to know it’s hot.

Meanwhile, in road marathons, athletes are trying to compress their aerobic threshold and lactate threshold, making sustainable efforts and hard efforts converge into a fast pace over a few hours. Because the performance inputs heavily rely on the specific pace inputs where those fatigue tipping points happen, most marathoners will do a number of runs that stress the body a lot like race day.

To put it another way, I have never heard a top marathoner say that they didn’t train that much or that hard before setting the world on fire on race day. But I have heard tons of ultra champions go into their breakthrough races with low-key builds, few workouts and plenty of rest.

When you are approaching a Last Runner Standing event, or any other event where you expect to go beyond that five-to-eighthour barrier, there are three main inputs that I think are helpful for most ultrarunners to think about.

I just entered my first Last Runner Standing event, and I would love some advice on how to tackle it.

—Brent, Asheville, NC I am going to start with a semicontroversial statement, and then work backwards, so I’m not hiding the ball. Here it is, get ready. OK, I officially oversold this. Anyway: Peak performance in long ultra events requires less training than peak performance in road marathons.

That seems counterintuitive, but it all gets back to the idea that physically 80

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and mentally every athlete in a longer ultra is entering the unknown. Where that unknown lies varies based on background and training status. For a professional ultra athlete, somewhere around five to eight hours, they may be approaching physical demands they never touched in training.

Long runs beyond that come with risks to the musculoskeletal system

The first key is your running economy around aerobic threshold (the effort range when the body switches from primarily fat to carbohydrate metabolism). The ultra pace you could theoretically hold all day with good fueling and musculoskeletal resilience will end up being a percentage of your AeT, so the goal is to raise the absolute ceiling along with the percentage.

To raise the AeT ceiling, do a speed or hill workout each week consisting of 10 to 20 minutes of intervals split up by 1:1 or 2:1 rest, along with some tempos anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, mixed with plenty of easy running. To raise the percentage ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

HOWIE STERN

By David Roche

PERFORM

of AeT you can hold in ultras, increase your overall training volume and the consistency of your workouts, but make sure you are recovering plenty. This might be one reason a training race of 50 miles or similar four to eight weeks before a key event can be so helpful—there are neuromuscular inputs into all these processes, so even if a single stimulus won’t cause massive physical adaptation, it could change how the brain interprets efforts.

Second, make sure you are ready for the specific musculoskeletal and metabolic demands of the event. As the hours pass by, muscular fatigue and eccentric muscle contractions (when muscles lengthen under load, like on a steep downhill) take their toll. What becomes delayedonset soreness in the days after the race usually starts as unresponsive jelly legs on race day. Even when the race is flat, eccentric contractions become a problem as muscle fatigue.

Prepare by running plenty of downhills with purpose on your weekend runs, with three to five weekends of back-toback days of two-plus hours with purposeful downs. Add strength work like the 3-Minute Mountain Legs routine a few times a week. And on most of your long runs, fuel like you will on race day. The GI tract is highly adaptable, and most athletes can train to absorb 250 to 400 calories per hour, which will allow them to push harder before bonking.

The final element is the most murky, and also the most interesting to me. Central fatigue describes the process in which the nervous system decreases neural drive to the muscles. When an athlete is experiencing central fatigue, they can be fully fueled, at sustainable efforts, doing everything right … and still have a body that fails them.

While central fatigue has a genetic element and there is no certain way to train it, I like athletes to emphasize three things: • First, do those steep downhills in training if possible; • Second, do three to five weekends of back-to-back days of two to four hours each, with the option to do some all-day hikes to end the week as well; • Third, and, most importantly, make sure you don’t overtrain.

When we talk about stepping into the unknown, what we may be saying is that the specific musculoskeletal and aerobic adaptations stop being the primary limiters, and the limiters become connected to general fitness and nervous-system health. In a Last Runner Standing event, the logistics of stopping and starting are easy to learn, and the hard part is being fast enough and healthy enough to be able to keep starting.

Going into any of these ultras, it’s better to be undercooked and ready to throw gas on the fire than to already be a bit singed. The stove is going to be hot, and there’s no need to burn yourself before you get there. TR David Roche is a running coach for Some Work, All Play. With Megan Roche, he hosts the Some Work, All Play podcast.

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last gasp

PEOPLE

My preferred morning rituals involve minimal physical toil—pushing bacon and eggs around a sizzling pan, for example.

By Yitka Winn

Aversion to Dawn Patrol IT TOOK DECADES TO LEARN TO LIKE MORNING JOGS Like many runners, I used to hate running—most of all, in the mornings. I still remember the burn of that loathing, first kindled in middle school when I attended sleepaway soccer camp. Every day, we were expected to show up at the crack of dawn for a three-mile group run. It was cold, and everyone was groggy and grumpy, except for the run leader—an effervescent high-school girl with a bouncy ponytail who didn’t seem at all angry to be awake, let alone running, at 7 a.m.

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I resented her easy love of morning runs, even as I dreamt of the day I might someday be like her—catapulting out of bed, greeting the day with a smile instead of a scowl, hearing the patter of my running shoes, relishing the sensations of sweating and breathing hard even on an empty stomach.

But, no, that wasn’t me at all. Even as an adult, I am a reluctant waker, coaxed out of my burrow primarily by thoughts of coffee. My preferred morning rituals involve minimal physical toil—pushing bacon and eggs around a sizzling pan, for example.

In fact, nothing has made me less enthused about getting out of bed than the prospect of a morning run.

Then I got a 9–5 job. I found staring at a computer screen for eight hours a day to be far more tolerable if I’d sucked 82

T R A IL RUNNER

some wind before plopping down at my desk. Many bonus points if it involved catching the sunrise from the top of a mountain. A friend gifted me a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “I eat mountains for breakfast,” which I wore on dawn adventures because it made me feel badass, even if secretly I still preferred eating mountains of breakfast.

And then I had a baby. Just like people say, parenthood is a 24/7 job—and new parenthood, in particular, marks a grueling era in which neither your time nor body are your own. You might think that the bleary-eyed fog of rearing an infant would make me fonder than ever of the snooze button, but in fact, it’s transformed my alarm clock into a grenade launcher. (I am the grenade.)

After all, sleeping in now means forfeiting my daily opportunity to run

outside, alone—my body and my time my own again for a glorious window.

Each weekday, that time between when my husband gets home from his own early session at the gym and when my workday begins is my best—sometimes only—chance to run. It’s not like before, when I could delude myself into believing that I’d run later. Parenthood has turned time—especially time to run—into a precious commodity.

And running in the morning? Turns out it’s not so bad. If I call the air “crisp” rather than “cold,” it sounds quaint. We got a coffee maker that brews 12 cups before we wake up, which makes it easier to appreciate how beautifully pink the sky can be at that hour. Or admire the bald eagles perched like sentries in the trees above, watching the world come to life. I relish the solitude of trails that will grow crowded later in the day.

Eating mountains—or just neighborhood hills—for breakfast also makes actual breakfast taste fantastic. All the more so now that I get to share it with my family; while I’m out running, my six-month-old works up her own appetite by racking up vert in a contraption called a Jolly Jumper.

Before the pandemic, I’d started a casual, social run club at work to help my coworkers like running more … or, at least, hate it less. I became the effervescent ponytail girl after all. When my fledling runners asked, “When does running stop sucking so much?” I’d smile and tell them to keep at it. Running is often an acquired taste.

It turns out that when you run can be one, too.

Yitka Winn gladly skipped a couple of morning runs in order to write this essay.

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