Trail Runner #142, September/October 2020

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PEOPLE

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editor’s note

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run amok

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faces

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last gasp EXPLORE

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CONTENTS

everyman's exposed GEAR

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Running for Justice F E AT U R E S

For the Lakota woman Jordan Daniel, running is a prayer to end suffering in the Indigenous community.

By Claire Walla Photos by Devin Whetstone

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Hometown Trails

Our 2020 collection of top trail towns highlights a diverse group of trail runners and where they live and run.

By Brian Metzler

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The Running Cure

At age 38, Kim Strom learned she had breast cancer. The diagnosis, which was dire, was doubly cruel, coming just as Strom’s life was flourishing after years of self-doubt and backseat roles.

The outcome is anything but certain.

By Doug Mayer Photos by PatitucciPhoto

DEPARTMEN TS

OCTOBER 2020 / ISSUE 142

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trail tested

6 new trail shoes that can handle any trail, any time.

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trail tested

Gear for running with your dog on the trails.

PERFORM

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trail tips

Whether you are a weekend warrior or an aspiring van-lifer, trail running on the road adds another level of adventure.

By Sam Griffith THIS PAGE: Kim Strom floats the Bäregg Trail above Grindelwald, Switzerland.

PHOTO BY PATITUCCIPHOTO COVER: Jordan Marie Daniel works her hill strength on Tongva lands, San Fernando Valley, California.

PHOTO BY DEVIN WHETSTONE TRAIL

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trail tips

Tips for keeping your fourlegged running buddy happy and healthy on the trail.

By Zoë Rom

one dirty magazine (USPS 024-696, ISSN 1536-3134) is published 7 times a year including the annual edition of DIRT, which counts as two issues (February, April (DIRT double issue), June, August, October and December) by Big Stone Publishing, 1101 Village Rd., Suite UL-4B, Carbondale, CO 81623. Periodicals postage paid at Carbondale, CO, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Rock and Ice, PO Box 433038, Palm Coast FL 32143-9583. Subscription rates are $29.95 per year; $44.95 for Canada; $49.95 all other countries. Canada Post CPM #7157697.

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ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

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editor’s note

It’s a Great Time to Be a Trail Runner CRAZY SUMMER, SILVER LININGS

By Michael Benge

DNF PODCAST Tune in to DNF—an unflinching examination of failure, picking yourself back up and running toward success.

Hear it now at trailrunnermag.com/podcast Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, SoundCloud and Stitcher

Brought to you by

Most of us trail runners have never seen a more disruptive time than the past six months of the Covid-19 pandemic.

But, as you do at mile 70 in an ultra when the wheels are falling off, you adapt. As a group, trail runners have done just that. In fact, these are exciting times for our sport.

Sure, races have mostly been squelched, but even they have been evolving and surviving, with innovative tactics like wave starts, no-touch aid stations and even virtual participation.

After the initial shock of lockdown, trail runners took to their own backyards (literally, sometimes), concocting homemade adventures on their local trails, and the PFKT (personal fastest-known time) was born.

At the elite level has come a boom in FKTs on many of the tough classic routes, from taking on Nolan’s 14 in Colorado to linking the Adirondack Park’s 46 high peaks in New York to navigating Washington’s Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier. We here at Trail Runner can barely keep up, but we’ve ramped up our online coverage of all the record-breaking events, so please join us at trailrunnermag.com for some great stories.

More people than ever have discovered the joys of trail running, and they are coming from ever-more-varied backgrounds—as road-running urbanites, track speedsters, collegiate and high-school cross-country runners and even non-runners. We hope you’ll find this issue reflects the renewed enthusiasm for trail running that these challenging times have elicited, and all that the sport can bring to our lives, from sheer fitness to mental stability to a sense of belonging.

Herewith, a few highlights from the issue. In “Running for Justice,” the elite Lakota runner Jordan Marie Daniel shows how she uses running as a way to bring attention to the suffering in the Indigenous community, while for Kim Strom (“The Running Cure”) running has been a coping mechanism for a brutal regimen of chemotherapy. In “Hometown Trails,” our 2020 collection of Top Trail Towns features a diverse group of trail runners and explores the places where they live and run. In Faces, the self-identifying Canadian-SomaliKenyan-Muslim Filsan Abdiaman tells how she learned self confidence through trail and ultra running and started Project Love Run to help other women.

In the Covid-19 era, many trail runners are hitting the road, and, in Trail Tips, we help you pick the right rig for your style of road tripping.

And, of course, one of the safest running partners you can have is ... your dog. Check our our trail tips and gear for running with your best friend in back of this issue. Here’s to a great fall and winter on the trails. TR 6 OCTOBER 2020

FOR LIFE ON THE RUN

ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE

EDITORIAL Editor in Chief / Michael Benge mbenge@bigstonepub.com Associate Editor / Zoë Rom zrom@bigstonepub.com Senior Editor / Alison Osius aosius@bigstonepub.com Contributing Editors / Yitka Winn, Sarah Lavender Smith, David Roche, Garett Graubins, Rickey Gates, Doug Mayer, Alex Kurt, Claire Walla, Brian Metzler CREATIVE Art Director / Randall Levensaler rlevensaler@bigstonepub.com ADVERTISING & STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Publisher / Ben Yardley byardley@bigstonepub.com Associate Publisher / Cynthia Bruggeman cb@bigstonepub.com CIRCULATION Business and Circulation Manager / Cindy Stretz cstretz@bigstonepub.com Subscription Service bigstone@emailcustomerservice.com 800-282-6008

President/ Duane Raleigh draleigh@bigstonepub.com@bigstonepub.com Vice President/ Quent Williams qw@bigstonepub.com BIG STONE PUBLISHING 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.

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By Doug Mayer

Locked Down in Cham Town SEVEN WEEKS OF RUNNING IN CIRCLES DURING THE PANDEMIC IN FRANCE

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At the end of the footpath, where my run joined the village road, blue lights flashed on top of a vehicle.

“Vos documents et carte d’identité, s’il vous plaît,” the awaiting Chamonix police officer said.

PEOPLE

“Where are you going?”

“I’m out for my run.”

“You have 25 minutes left.”

With that, I went back to my entraînement, aggravated but appreciative of the strict lockdown. The new French regulations seemed to be lowering the rate of infection.

“Le Confinement” in Chamonix during Covid hit resident trail runners where it hurt. With 200 miles of mountain trails, two of the world’s top trail-racing events and a trail-running club with over 300 members, the alpine town at the base of Mont Blanc has a trail-running addiction so severe that the local vertical kilometer course jams up during lunch hour. Even the mayor ticks off legit 100-kilometer mountain races.

The rules for our two-month lockdown made the U.S. edition look like a cozy garden party. Once a day, for an hour, we were each allowed out for exercise, and only after completing a form and bringing a national ID card.

You could run no farther than one

JOE KLEMENTOVICH

run amok

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PEOPLE

kilometer from home, and no higher than 100 meters in elevation gain.

A battalion of zealous trail runners were locked into their mountain barracks. After the initial shock, feelings of loss, confusion and uncertainty took hold. Over time, runners started blowing fuses.

“In a very real way,” says Dr. Kaz Williams, a Chamonix ultrarunner and coach, “they were losing their identities.”

Every runner in the valley agreed with the lockdown. But Chamonix, many pointed out, is not Paris. Social distancing is easy to accomplish.

What arose was a form of gentle civil disobedience that strongly supported social distancing, masks—and just a little more room to move.

On the trails, the police were perceived as parents, giving unruly children hefty fines and sending them—literally—to their rooms. Many of the kids, of course, were wellbehaved, and some even argued with

The rules for our twomonth lockdown made the U.S. edition look like a cozy garden party. their ill-mannered brethren. Those who tested the limits used certain wiles. They might take unmarked trails. They went out in bad weather, hoping for reduced patrols. One person brought a vest and changed clothes mid-run. Someone else used two forms, one marked an hour forward.

He put it in a different pocket, and inconspicuously disposed of form #1 after an hour.

Not everyone was low-key. Hillary Gerardi, a valley resident, was spinning away on her stationary bike when Strava started buzzing. Another trail runner had beaten her “King of the Mountain” record on a local course. The route climbed five times higher than the federally allotted vert. Face palm!

In time, PGHM, France’s mountainrescue police, stepped up their game.

They used drones and a helicopter to patrol the skies, radioing locations of trail runners to ground teams using ATVs. When stopping runners, they started asking to see stopwatches.

Then, seven weeks after the lockdown began, it was over. The morning of May 11 dawned gray, cool and rainy, which deterred no one. During my three-hour foray, I crossed paths with a dozen beaming runners. At first I didn’t even run. I slow hiked, blissfully taking it all in. At treeline, I surprised a herd of ibex. I wondered if after two months, they had written us humans off.

Gerardi was out the door, too, ready to get those Strava segments back. She found herself panic patting her pocket to check for her form and identification, before realizing she needed neither.

Doug Mayer lives in Chamonix. He is the founder of the trail running tour company Run the Alps.

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Filsan Abdiaman, 32, the founder of Project Love Run, is an advocate for mental health who started the group to create a community that she wished her younger self could have had. She has beautifully striking features, with high cheekbones, big brown eyes, and a halo of golden curls that bounce as she runs, but she hasn’t always been confident with her body. She has suffered through a roller coaster of anxiety and depression that evolved into bulimia, and because she felt scared to talk about it, it took her a long time to realize she was not alone.

Ultimately, trail running became part of the cure to overcome her eating disorder.

Abdiaman identifies as a CanadianSomali-Kenyan-Muslim woman. She was born in Somalia, grew up in Kenya, and now lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she moved to more easily participate in ultra races in the West. She’s been running since 2013, and did her first ultra, the Ragnar relay, in 2016. Soon after, she finished her first 50K, the Niagara Ultra, and set her sights on running a 100K. Finishing those races made her appreciate what her body was capable of.

“Trail running, and ultrarunning in particular, has been a lesson in loving myself,” she says.

A Sacred Body HOW ONE WOMAN LEARNED TO

LOVE HERSELF THROUGH RUNNING

By Brooke Warren On October 31, 2016, four women donned white wedding dresses adorned with tulle and lace. Veils and white roses decorated their hair and on their feet were running shoes. They were dressed as “runaway brides,” but it was more than a Halloween costume. This was the start of a women’s running club. As they dashed around the streets of downtown Toronto, they passed out business cards to invite others to run with them and talk about women’s issues.

So began Project Love Run, a running group that is a safe space for selfidentifying women to come together and share stories about life stresses related to heartache, romance, body insecurities, and other issues too scary to discuss openly.

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Feeling Alone After Abdiaman graduated from University of Toronto in 2008, she felt lost. Subsequently, she went through a breakup, which threw her into waves of depression and anxiety attacks, so she returned to Kenya to be with her family.

“Emotionally, I was struggling to express myself and be confident in who I was, so I thought by moving to Kenya, I would find more insight,” she says.

“But I was just running away.”

She found it impossible to tell her family about her emotional unrest.

In her family’s culture, there is a stigma that mental health is a Western problem. Keeping her internal turmoil a secret turned into a secret restriction of food. But eating disorders were also taboo, so she would binge eat to quell uncomfortable emotions and then feel guilty about it.

As a Muslim girl, she was taught to ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

HILARY MATHESON

Filsan Abdiaman, the founder of Project Love Run, is an advocate for mental health who started the group to create a community that she wished her younger self could have had.

DO WHAT YOU LOVE LONGER

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faces cover up her body so as not to entice the male gaze. She was also slightly heavier-set than her siblings, which her family commented on. These subtle forms of body shaming only made the problem worse. Her family welcomed expressions of happiness and joy, but other emotions were discouraged.

“If I was having a sad day, or I was angry or frustrated, my parents would question me and tell me, ‘You can’t be upset, you have everything,’” she says.

Abdiaman moved back to Toronto in 2012, to be with her sister, who she was able to share her challenges with. There, she became a women’s personal trainer and hired a personal trainer herself, who encouraged her to start running as a supplement to other exercises. Initially, running was just a way to discipline her body and make up for when she binged.

She internalized messages in the fitness world that related success with losing weight, and that also influenced her decisions about food.

It didn’t help that she never saw someone who looked like her in resources about eating disorders. When she searched for information, all she found were stories about white, female athletes struggling with eating disorders.

“Everytime I would see her going through something tough, she would resort to binge-eating,” her sister, Fayruz, says. “I would always be the one to try to talk her out of it.”

Abdiaman tried diet after diet, in attempts to adhere to different forms of “clean eating.” She steered clear of anything she deemed high in calories, fats or sugar, and between 2014 and 2015 she didn’t allow herself a single

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sweet or dessert, foods she thought made her miserable.

“I love chocolate, and I never allowed myself to have any,” she recalls. “So I would buy chocolate bars and eat five to six in one go, or a whole box of chocolate cookies, and purge afterward.”

While she was cycling through various diets and bouts of bulimia, Abdiaman signed up for a 5k road race in 2013, and became hooked. She built up to running a half-marathon, a marathon, and finally some ultras.

Ultimately, she developed amenorrhea in 2017, losing her period for an entire year, but she thought that was normal for female athletes.

“All the while, I still didn’t really think I had any mental health issues to deal with,” she says. “I suppressed it all and felt like what would help me was just to get fit, and stay active, and do what society idolizes.”

It didn’t help that she never saw someone who looked like her in

HILARY MATHESON

PEOPLE

resources about eating disorders. When she searched for information, all she found were stories about white, female athletes struggling with eating disorders.

Not seeing herself made it easier for her to ignore the problem since the resources didn’t seem to apply to her.

“I was in denial for a while because of not seeing another person I could relate to,” she says.

Studies cited by the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) found that people of color are significantly less likely to receive help for their eating issues. Only 17 percent of clinicians identified Black woman’s eating behavior as problematic, as compared to 44 percent of white women’s behavior.

Lately, Abdiaman has been more publicly vocal about her eating disorder.

“I feel like it’s important for me to set this precedent because then other women in the BIPOC community that see me will be able to speak openly and seek out the help that they need,” she says.

Trail running has helped Abdiaman overcome her issues with anxiety and depression.

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From Perfectionism to Acceptance When Abdiaman started long-distance running, she wasn’t fueling enough.

“The natural beauty found on trails is what helped calm my mind and put things in perspective,” she says.

The club started in Toronto, and when Abdiaman moved to Vancouver, the network grew to include meetups there, as well as in Calgary, Edmonton and Montreal. Once a month, groups of five to 20 women meet to run, share brunch and have discussions about topics ranging from self-care rituals, periods, and women’s equality.

“The idea was to create a safe place for a younger version of myself, where

she would have felt love and belonging,” Abdiaman says.

Meanwhile, her therapist in Vancouver suggested she write “love notes” to herself to practice selfcompassion. So she set a goal to run a 100K after writing 100 love notes to herself. Through that training process, running changed from being a means to attain a specific ideal of what healthy looked like, to something that helped her heal.

“I ran deeper in love with myself,” she says.

One Hundred Reasons That 100K was the 2018 Diez Vista in

British Columbia, which covers 12,000 feet of elevation gain throughout the course. Abdiaman DNFed, but she wasn’t upset. Even though she didn’t make the cutoff time of 18 hours, she still completed 80 kilometers.

“Every kilometer I did, I was celebrating myself,” she says. “I feel like

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During her first ultra, the Ragnar Relay in Ontario, in which individuals complete a total of 50k, she began binge eating high-sugar foods. Her restriction and starvation pattern was no longer possible if she wanted her body to perform at longer distances.

“My body started to tell me, ‘yea, you’re starving yourself,’” she says.

“That’s when I realized I needed help.”

She sought out a therapist to address the underlying issues of anxiety and depression while running on trails more frequently, which she says helped her heal.

“The natural beauty found on trails is what helped calm my mind and put things in perspective,” she says.

Around the same time, she started Project Love Run as a way to build a community where talking about

eating disorders and depression was not shunned. The project helped her develop a more positive body image by appreciating what her body could do, surrounding herself with positive people, and doing something to help others. It was her way to “run towards self love.”

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PEOPLE

my whole life I’ve been searching for love externally, and doing this race I found love within.”

At the race, she also met her current partner, Lyv Shtyn, who was also running his first 100K. He says it was hard not to notice her, since she has a lot of charisma. They ran at similar paces and gave one another support to push up a long uphill section.

Neither of them finished, so they signed up and trained together for Utah’s Zion 100k in April 2019. About halfway through that race, Abdiaman started having gastrointestinal issues.

She couldn’t keep fluids in on either end. She just put one foot in front of the other and told her body--her thighs, her calves, her stomach-- “You can do this.”

“I think a lot of people think that you have to be some sort of superhuman to be an ultrarunner,” Shtyn says about how she inspires other people through Project Love Run. “Filsan shows that if you commit to something, dedicate yourself to something, you can do it.”

In the ultrarunning community, Abdiaman found solace in her vulnerability. Each distance she ran was another reason to be proud of her body.

She learned to eat regular, appropriate meals, and she realized she couldn’t restrict herself if she was going to adequately fuel for races. Now instead of

Around the same time, she started Project Love Run as a way to build a community where talking about eating disorders and depression was not shunned. stressing her body to seek “perfection,” running has transformed into a way for her to listen to what her body needs.

“Ultrarunning allowed me to be myself and love myself, and to feel like a normal human being,” she says.

Abdiaman finally told her family

about her eating disorder in December 2019. They were surprisingly supportive, which encouraged her to keep talking about it. She vows to raise more awareness about eating disorders, and has partnered with two other women to create a podcast called “She Said What She Said,” where they host weekly discussions to talk about BIPOC narratives in the outdoors.

Her next goal: Run 100 miles, while continuing to speak out about self-love and the warped sense of healthy in sports.

A love note from Filsan: “Sometimes in life you cannot do it all …

And I love you for this simple truth.

You are enough where you are at, exactly how you are At every moment.” www.projectloverun.com

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Jane Maus running the Pfeifferhorn (11,331 feet) in the Wasatch Range, Utah.

PHOTO BY BEN NEILSON

trail tested

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Fall into Step

6 NEW TRAIL SHOES THAT CAN HANDLE ANY TRAIL, ANY TIME

By Zoë Rom

Katie Black and Luke Crespin enjoy a singletrack sunrise, Emerald Mountain in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

In the age of Covid-19, many (most?) of us have been hitting the trails more than ever. So you may be in the market for some new trail runners. We’ve got you covered with our reviews here of six new innovative and versatile shoes.

SALOMON WILDCROSS PRICE: $130

+ 18

BEST FOR: This is your shoe for rowdy adventures in the alpine and variable trail conditions.

This addition to Salomon’s established Cross family is more versatile than its somewhat overbuilt Speedcross kin. The same chassis as the Sense Ride 3 gives the Wildcross a good foot feel as well as a more generous toebox than its predecessors.

Multi-directional Contagrip lugs (rather than the chevron pattern seen on the Speedcross) give these kicks next-level grip on wet, muddy and rocky trails. The Wildcross felt a bit rigid out of the box, but felt better after even one trail run. This shoe offers a lot of protection for rocky alpine adventures when trail feel is less of a concern than contact and stability.

While the ultra-protected toe felt a bit stiff at first, it broke in after a couple spins around the local singletrack. TPU mesh wings on the lateral and medial sides of the shoe make the fit adaptable to different distances and conditions, so that this gnarly shredder can go any distance.

OC T OBER 2020 T R A I L R U N N E R M A G . C O M

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BROOKS CATAMOUNT PRICE: $160 DROP: 6MM ROCK PLATE: YES WEIGHT: 8.8 OZ

The Catamount is a departure from Brooks’ typical “do anything” trail shoes, in the best possible way. After years of producing it’s tried-and-true (though a tad heavy) Cascadias— the Cascadia 15 launched this summer—the Catamount is the company’s first foray into the world of speed on trail.

The standout feature is the DNA Flash midsole, which is a firm but springy material found in Brooks’ newer elite road shoes. It’s incredibly light and responsive, and felt quick on the singletrack. The TrailTak sticky sole performs well on drier and less technical trails and fire roads.

A lower 6mm drop and rocker-like rolling feel make for an efficient stride and snappy toe off, and a solid heel pocket provides stability.

This shoe is all spark and pop with minimal weight (8.8 ounces for men’s 9), but has added protection from a ballistic rock plate.

The Catamount looks and feels fast. The allwhite monomesh upper is slick and breathable, with no weak spots or blister points detected during testing. An integrated tongue makes for a comfy sock-like feel right out of the box.

+

BEST FOR: This shoe is built for singletrack speed and shorter distances.

LA SPORTIVA JACKAL PRICE: $140 DROP: 7MM ROCK PLATE: YES WEIGHT: 10.5 OZ

+ 20

BEST FOR: This is a great shoe for 50Ks and mountain races.

The La Sportiva Jackal is an ultra-oriented shoe, and, at 8.8 ounces for the women’s edition and 10.5 for the men’s, it’s light enough to feel zippy without sacrificing the cushioning you need for long-distance adventures. A 25mm stack height gives this shoe substantial cushion and support.

A 7mm drop feels supportive without being too aggressive, and it’s a pretty perfect sweet spot for runs 50K and up.

The upper is a mono-burr ripstop mesh, which is a great balance of breathability and durability.

A thick, padded tongue protects the top of the foot, but felt a bit stiff, particularly on steep descents. The firm, unpadded ankle is where the Jackal has the biggest room for improvement, and several testers reported blisters. Otherwise, the narrower heel cup feels protective and supportive, with just enough heft to let you charge the downhills with confidence and agility.

The outsole has 3mm multi-directional lugs which function as a great brake system on descents. A mid-foot rockguard protects your foot on uneven and rocky terrain. The outsole is nimble enough for tough runs on rubbly and loose terrain.

OC T OBER 2020 T R A I L R U N N E R M A G . C O M

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INOV-8 TERRAULTRA G 270 PRICE: $160 / DROP: 0MM / ROCKPLATE: NO / WEIGHT: 9.1 OZ

The latest in Inov-8’s lineup is an ultra-specific shoe with nextlevel grip based on a Nobel-Prize-winning technology. The new Terraultra G 270s are an update of last year’s 260 model, with notable improvements that make it burlier and grippier.

The zero-drop and TPU-reinforced sole make for an incredibly pleasant and sporty ride with great toe off and trail feel. The Boomerang insole and Powerflow Max cushioning deliver a powerful energy return that makes these shoes feel sporty and racey without being overly firm or stiff. The G 270 has a 33-percent higher stack height and more cushioning than the 260, without adding significant weight. The upper is smooth and roomy, and accommodating for a wide forefoot.

The Graphene Grip is this shoe’s notable feature. Though the tread isn’t overly aggressive, the Graphene Grip is the best we’ve tested across multiple surfaces.

+

BEST FOR: Weighing in at just 9.1 ounces, this is a lightweight shoe with just enough protection for longer endurance runs and races.

NIKE PEGASUS TRAIL 2 PRICE: $130 / DROP: 10MM / ROCK PLATE: NO / WEIGHT: 11.1 OZ

Nike’s newest trail commuter is a total overhaul of the Trail Pegasus 36 (hence the numerical departure), offering plush comfort on rugged trails.

Relatively flat, omnidirectional lugs let you run on the road without feeling clunky, and a wide flared heel provides a stable base for the Peg’s ample cushion. A full rubber outsole provides great grip for moderate trails, especially with the heel’s wide geometry. A 31mm stack height carries well underfoot, and feels surprisingly protective thanks to the full-foot React foam (instead of the Pegasus 36’s Zoom Air), even without a rock plate.

A cozy faux-gaiter around the ankle gives the shoe a snug fit and keeps out debris. The toebox is roomy, and a toe bumper and lugged “fangs” provide grip and protection in the front of the shoe.

+

BEST FOR: This is your road-to-trail commuter for moderate, off road adventures with maximal cushioning.

+

BEST FOR: The low profile, low weight and snappy responsiveness of the Torrent make it perfect for singletrack speed sessions and shorter trail races.

HOKA TORRENT 2 PRICE: $120 / DROP: 5MM / ROCK PLATE: NO / WEIGHT: 9.3 OZ

The Torrent 2 is a light-and-nimble singletrack crusher with just enough cushion to go medium distances. With a 26mm stack height and 5mm drop, the Torrent feels different from many HOKA models, with (relatively) minimal cushioning and stiffer midsole that provide a springy, speedy feel underfoot.

The Profly midsole makes for great transition underfoot, and less sloppy feel than other HOKA trail shoes. There’s enough squish for comfy landings and plenty of zip for powerful take-offs.

Though it doesn’t have a rock plate, the midsole felt protective and supportive enough on rocky terrain. Multi-directional lugs make for quick and efficient braking and climbing on a variety of surfaces.

The upper is made from light and breathable engineered mesh made from recycled materials, and sports a slightly wider forefoot than the original Torrent.

ONE DIR T Y M A G A ZINE

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DEVIN WHETSTONE

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ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

RUNNING FOR JUSTICE

For a Lakota woman, running is a prayer to end suffering in the Indigenous community

BY CL A IRE WA LL A

The Hollywood Hills were uncharacteristically calm. The growing threat of coronavirus had prohibited access to public spaces, including nearby Griffith Park, and millions of Los Angelenos had been told to remain inside to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Jordan Marie Daniel at the Boston Marathon in 2019, where she ran for the first time with a red handprint over her mouth to bring awareness to MMIW.

T R A I L R U N N E R M A G . C O M

But beneath the gaze of the Hollywood sign, in a quiet neighborhood, on an empty street, between shuttered homes, one garage door remained open.

Inside, the shadow of a woman bobbed in the grey mix of sunshine and shadow, dark hair braided down her back, eyes fixated on splashes of light in the street, feet spinning rhythmically beneath her slight frame. Behind her, banners proclaimed: “The First Peoples” “Defend the Sacred” “No More Stolen Sisters” In a “norma l ” year, on May 5 t h , Jordan Marie Brings Three W hite

Hors e s D a n iel—a c it i z en of Ku l Wicasa Oyate, federally known as the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe—would have been in Griffith Park. Like the year prior, she would have brought people together to run trails, eat Indian tacos, acknowledge Tongva land and share words and prayers to honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women for MMIW Awareness Day. Instead, she was on a treadmill.

Technically, she was running alone. But Daniel had a phone and 26 prayers. It was enough for her to continue doing the work to which she’s dedicated her life: running for justice.

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You might have seen Daniel’s picture re-posted somewhere on social media last year.

In April of 2019, she ran the Boston Marathon with “MMIW” painted down her legs and a red handprint pressed over her mouth to represent the way in which Indigenous women have been silenced in America. Almost immediately after her finish—in 3:02, at what she called a “comfortable” pace—photographs of her hand-printed face went viral, news outlets picked up her story and Daniel became a Global Run Ambassador for Lululemon.

To be seen in such a big way was a recognition she had fought hard to achieve, though not just for herself.

“I feel like I have a gift and a platform [with running], and this is the least I can do to give back and help raise awareness,” she says of her advocacy for MMIW. “Hopefully it leads to solutions, ending this epidemic and this heartache.”

According to a report from the Urban Indian Health Institute, 5,712 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls were reported in 2016, though only 116 were logged in the Department of Justice database.

Daniel uses this discrepancy to show that Indigenous women and girls are missing in not one, but three ways: in their physical disappearance, in the data and in the media.

Daniel advocates for the Indigenous community while maintaining a full-time job, working toward a masters degree and running upwards of 50 miles a week. If all goes according to plan, she will also be training for the chance to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games.

“I don’t think she could stop even if she wanted to,” says Ariel Richer, Daniel’s close friend with whom she worked as a community organizer in Washington D.C. Back then, both Richer and Daniel worked full-time at the Administration for Native Americans, and spent nights and weekends organizing demonstrations.

Looking back, Richer is amazed Daniel found time to run.

“It’s been beautiful to watch her merge these two things,” she says of Daniel’s passion for both running and advocacy.

“These two identities cannot be separated anymore; it’s the full embodiment of who she is.”

If given a choice, Daniel prefers to be 24

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outside. “Jordan is the most relaxed when she’s out in nature,” says Devin Whetstone, Daniel’s partner.

Since her first trail race in 2018— Limestone Canyon 12K in Irvine, which she won, while setting a course record— Daniel has been drawn to trails. She runs through Griffith Park and Will Rogers State Park in Los Angeles (Tongva land); and whenever their work schedules allow, she and Whetstone travel to the Eastern Sierras (Pamidu Toiyabe).

But on May 5, 2020, running trails wasn’t an option.

“I feel like I have a gift and a platform [with running], and this is the least I can do to help raise awareness ...”

While stuck inside her garage, Daniel planned to run from sun-up to sun-down, completing two miles each hour, on the hour, for 26.2 miles total. She would dedicate each mile to an Indigenous person who died at the hands of injustice, whether it be a hate crime or sub-standard access to medical treatment in the wake of COVID-19.

At 6 a.m., she ran t wo miles in prayer for Brittany Sue Madplume and RoyLynn Rideshorse.

At 7 a.m. she ran two more for Antonio Renova and Jermain Charlo.

Daniel ran because even though much of the country had shut down, the local trails were no longer accessible, and being out in the world seemed tenuous at best, she couldn’t stop running for justice. In a way, she doesn’t know how.

Running and justice are in her blood.

Daniel was born into a running family on the Lower Brule Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. Her great grandfather was a sprinter. Her grandfather was a middle-distance runner. And her mother, Terra Daniel, was a high-school sprinter

who had been training for the 1988 Olympic Trials when she found out she was pregnant with Daniel. Terra Daniel immediately shifted her focus away from the track in order to put herself through college and nursing school while raising a young daughter.

Daniel’s Mom shies away from taking credit for her daughter’s talents on the track. Instead, she says, “Jordan picked that up from her grandpa.”

Nyal Brings Three White Horses, known as Nyal Brings, grew up on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. At the age of nine, he was taken away from his family and put in an Indian Boarding School, where he was prohibited from practicing Native traditions and speaking his Native language—the only language he’d ever known.

It was in this environment that Brings discovered a sense of freedom and empowerment through running. He ran throughout high school and received a full scholarship to the University of South Dakota, where he was eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame.

He even beat local legend Billy Mills at a college track meet. Mills would go on to win a gold medal in the 10,000-meter distance at the 1964 Olympic Games. He remains the only person from the Western Hemisphere to have ever done so.

Brings and Mills were both Lakota men who grew up on neighboring reservations and found, in running, a source of strength and pride. They became close friends.

Brings had had his own Olympic dreams.

But as he was training for the 1960 Olympic Trials, he suffered injuries that left him unable to compete. Instead, he returned to the reservation and became a teacher, a coach and the Tribal Health Director of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe.

“He was such an advocate for our Native youth,” Daniel says, especially when it came to running and sports. In fact, it was Daniel’s grandfather who introduced her to running at the age of 10.

Though he wasn’t able to see Daniel’s prayer run at Boston in 2019, he knew about her first marathon (Boston 2016), which she ran for Running Strong for American Indian Youth, an organization co-founded by Mills.

Her grandfather was very sick at the ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

During the pandemic, Daniel spent time on the trails near her parents’ home in Virginia.

DEVIN WHETSTONE

time, but Daniel was able to speak with him after the race: “He said he was proud and really happy that I could support our relatives that way. And then a couple days later, he passed away.”

In 2019, Daniel ran the last .2 miles of her prayer run at Boston for her “Grampy.”

She’s been running in prayer ever since.

When her grandfather passed, Daniel grew closer to Mills, whom she now refers to as “my other grandfather.”

In Daniel, Mills sees someone for whom running isn’t simply athletic.

Ironically, this is often the case with notable athletic feats.

“I did not run to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games,” says Mills.

Prior to arriving in Tokyo, he had been struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, brought on in part, he says, by the racism he experienced in America.

T R A I L R U N N E R M A G . C O M

(The Civil Rights Act was signed into legislation three months before Mills won gold.)

“I ran to heal a broken soul,” he said.

In a way, he sees parts of his journey in Daniel’s story.

“For many Native American runners, the basic purpose of running is to draw strength from Mother Earth to help us [with] the challenges we would face later on in life,” says Mills. “Running for running’s sake, in many ways, is meaningless. But, to run for a purpose is spiritual.”

When Daniel runs in prayer, she says she sets ego aside. She channels her family. She draws strength from the Earth. She connects to communities beyond herself. Because running is not just about running. It’s about Hanna Harris, Matthew Grant, Zachary Bear Heels and Loreal Tsingine.

Daniel transformed her garage into an atmosphere from which she could draw strength. She covered the walls with banners and speckled her treadmill with photos of friends and family, as well as pieces of red paper cut into the silhouettes of women with bell-shaped skirts, a symbol of MMIW. Most importantly, she had a list of 26 names.

“I keep their names in my mind and I say them out loud—” John Williams… Jason Pero… Allison HighWolf… Selena Not Afraid…

“—I also pray to Creator, asking to look out for the families, for the communities, for them, that they have justice and healing,’ she says. ‘I pray for a better and safer future for our next generations, and even for us, currently, so that we don’t have to continue experiencing this violence.”

According to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, murder is the third-leading cause of death among Native American women, and rates of violence on reservations can be up to 10 times higher than the national average.

Each time she runs in prayer, Daniel’s physical training is coupled with intense research.

She reads cases and talks to family members, both gleaning stories about people’s lives and internalizing their pain. People like Nicole Smith, Dione Rae Thomas and Aleyah Toscano, a singer, a dancer and a straight-A student who was killed at the age of 16; people like Dulce Maria Alavez, who went missing at the age of five.

“The hard part about it is she really, sincerely cares about this,” says Daniel’s dad, David Daniel. “She wants the family to feel relief, she wants the person to be found, she wants their soul to be at rest … she’s taking on a burden, too.”

Running had been a solace for Daniel in middle school, when she first felt the sting of racism in small-town Maine. It had been a motivating force for her in high school, when her competitive spirit took over and she punished her body to achieve PRs. It became a source of empowerment in college, when she stopped focusing on stopclocks and scales, and started appreciating what her body could do.

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MMIW

Fighting a Violent Epidemic

But throughout 2019, she was running herself into the ground.

Daniel completed a 28K trail race one month after Boston (finishing second), then three weeks later ran the Mammoth Half-Marathon.

“If I wasn’t running or preparing for a race, then I felt like I wasn’t doing my job to help elevate [MMIW] and raise awareness,” she says.

But after a couple of months, Daniel began to suffer from insomnia, small panic and anxiety attacks, digestive issues and general burn-out.

“I wondered why running was getting 26

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Daniel’s finish at the 2019 Boston Marathon (in 3:02) not only launched her journey as a runner/activist, it fueled her desire to qualify for the Olympic Marathon team.

so awful for me,” she says. “Even though I knew deep down it was because I was running for such heavy reasons.”

Daniel continues to find the complexity of her experience difficult to put into words, and she’s not sure anyone else can truly understand it—except maybe Rosalie Fish.

Fish, from the Muckleshoot and Cowlit Tribes, was a high-school senior when she learned about Daniel’s first prayer run.

“As a high school Native girl and an athlete, I felt empowered just seeing how confident and how brave she looked,” she says.

With Daniel’s support, Fish decided to wear a red handprint on her face during her state championship races.

“Putting on the paint felt like putting a target on myself. I knew that I was going to be stared at, that I was going to

be misunderstood, that I was going to be judged for what I was doing,” Fish says.

“That was when I realized that running with the paint was more than I had anticipated it would be. It was something that absolutely changed how I viewed running. I felt a lot less invincible than I had before coming into the meet.”

Fish ended up winning the 3200-, the 1600- and the 800-meter events, and placing second in the 400. She dedicated each of her medals to the women she kept in her prayers: Alice Looney, Jackie Salyers, Renee Davis and Misty Upham— two of whom were shot and killed by police, while pregnant. Fish dedicated her Sportsmanship Award to Davis’s unborn son, Massi Molina.

“When I was younger, my goal was to make it out of high school and try running in college. But, my goal is so much more than that now,” says Fish, who currently ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

DEVIN WHETSTONE

The movement known as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) calls attention to the epidemic of violence that plagues the Indigenous community in the U.S. and Canada, particularly for women.

A report from the U.S. Department of Justice found that American Indian women face murder rates that are more than 10 times the national average. And according to The Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women, four out of five Native women are affected by violence today.

In recent years, many activists and organizations have begun to use the acronym MMIWG2S, acknowledging the fact that disproportionate levels of violence against Indigenous people in North America includes violence against young girls (G), as well as nonbinary individuals, known as Two-Spirits (2S).

Violence against Indigenous people is prevalent on reservations— where communities are suffering from generational trauma—as well as in urban areas, which hold 71 percent of the Indigenous population in the U.S., according to the Urban Indian Health Institute.

Because of the widespread impact of both blatant and systemic racism against Indigenous people in the U.S., Daniel includes female, male and Two-Spirits in her prayers.

She uses the acronym MMIWG2S, and refers to the movement as “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Womxn, Girls, Two-spirits and relatives.”

I realized I could care less about being a state champion. Because whatever I did wouldn’t bring the women I was running for back.”

Running in prayer isn’t easy or satisfying. But grappling with an epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous people in America shouldn’t be— reversing systems of oppression and racial injustice never is.

On May 5, 2019, Daniel organized a gathering in Griffith Park to honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women for MMIW Awareness Day.

attends Iowa Central Community College.

“Now, I need to get better, because when I get better I represent Indigenous women on higher platforms, at bigger meets, with bigger audiences.”

As the afternoon sun baked the garage, Daniel stepped onto her treadmill again and again, praying for Larissa Lone Hill, Ruby Bruguier, Valentina Blackhorse and Andrea Circle Bear.

In between miles, she tried to eat but found it difficult to get calories down.

In addition to running, Daniel was joining panel discussions for MMIW, then hopping on her laptop to join conference calls and answer work emails.

May 5th was a Friday, and, although she was running in prayer, Jordan was also technically “at work.”

“I ran from sunrise to sunset because I wanted that time to be for them,” Daniel says. “Sometimes, to understand and fully invest in being a voice and an advocate, you need to make sacrifices in your life, or your day.”

As the light outside transitioned from steamy yellows to syrupy golds, she prayed for Karen Ketcher, Merle Dry, Clyde Day and Emily BlueBird.

By 7 p.m., after running intermittently for the past 13 hours, Daniel prayed for the last two people on her list: Darlene D. Little and Fred Martinez.

But before the sun disappeared completely, she realized she had time for one more mile. She asked those on Instagram Live to send the names of T R A I L R U N N E R M A G . C O M

At different points in her life, Daniel has felt the grip of fear when she runs. loved ones to whom she could dedicate her last steps. Emotionally, physically and mentally exhausted, Daniel ran one last mile while praying for Natasha Montgomery and LaVerda Sorrell.

Then she stopped.

She felt tears welling up. All day, she had been checking-in, sharing stories, connecting with dozens of people, some of whom ran or prayed alongside her— some of whom were family members of the deceased.

By the time her feet slowed and the treadmill stopped completely, she was in tears.

“Jordan is demanding of herself, but she’s not trying to beat everybody else, she’s trying to live up to an internal standard, and sometimes if you don’t articulate that internal standard, it never feels like you hit it,” Daniel’s father says. “With MMIW… you can never help enough.”

Fish knows this all too well. “ W hen I went i nto t hat St ate Championship meet, it was all about the glory,” she says. “But after the first race,

The day after Daniel’s prayer run, news outlets published footage of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man who left his home in Georgia to go for a run and was killed by two white men.

Daniel ’s legs were tired and her emotions zapped from her prayer run; but on Friday, May 8 she tied her laces and ran with the nation for Ahmaud.

A few weeks later, when George Floyd was murdered at the hands of white police officers in Minnesota, Daniel ran in prayer, again, while wearing a white T-shirt on which she wrote: “Indigenous for Black Lives.”

I spoke with Daniel several times between March and June 2020. In that time, Daniel’s local trails had gone from therapeutic, to prohibited, to back open but dangerous. The rate of infection from COVID-19 was spiking; and the murders of black men and women in America were finally making the unjust treatment of Black and Indigenous people of color (BIPOC) a global conversation.

Toward the end of our interviews, I could tell Daniel was tired.

She was k ind and generous, as always; but she began to speak in a rapid monotone about MMIW and systemic racism. I wondered how many times she had repeated this information over the past week, over the last several years.

She told me she had been working until 10 p.m. most nights throughout June, posting on social media, joining panel discussions and doing podcasts about racial injustice in America.

In June, she organized a virtual 5K to raise money for an initiative she created called Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ (“we are all related” in Lakota) to donate masks and medical supplies to Indigenous communities.

“Now that I’ve been trying to raise awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, I’m learning all of OC T OBER 2020

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the things that potentially happen when a person does go missing,” she says. “I really need to be extra careful. And not just me, but any person of color, and especially women—all women.”

At different points in her life, Daniel has felt the grip of fear when she runs.

It’s exacerbated by reading stories of Indigenous women who have been abducted, and people of color who have been killed. But she tries not to give in to fear. She runs with caution, but she moves through the world with hope.

Back in December, before COVID-19, Daniel was gearing up for the Olympic Trials in Atlanta when her year of exhaustion and burn-out finally caught up with her; she suffered an Achilles injury that left her unable to run for two months.

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“I think we have a curse on us for the Olympic Trials,” Daniel’s Mom jokes.

Daniel’s injury seems to perpetuate that myth, putting Daniel in the same boat as her grandfather and her mother. Daniel, however, is determined to break the trend.

“I’ve had this dream ever since I was little that someone from the Brings Three White Horses family should make it to the Olympic Trials, just to say that we actually made it,” she says.

Of course, getting to the Olympic Games is not just about gold and glory.

Should Daniel earn the chance to represent the United States of America in 2024, she’ll be running with a red handprint over her mouth—with the entire world watching.

When Billy Mills won Olympic gold in 1964, he knew that moment was a gift.

Claire Walla is a Contributing Editor for Trail Runner.

ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

DEVIN WHETSTONE

Daniel running near the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., where she got her start as a community organizer; in the wake of the death of George Floyd and others, Daniel ran in prayer to support Black Lives Matter.

But it was laced with a feeling that Mills, a Indigenous man in a segregated America, had been struggling with his entire life.

“I stood on the victory stand and heard our national anthem being played,” Mills says. “It was powerful, it was beautiful, but there was a sadness [to it], because I felt I did not belong.”

In t he La kot a way, M i l ls says, running—whether on mountain trails or a high-school track—is a way of tapping into a universal experience. The so-called “runner’s high” is a feeling any runner can access regardless of geography, culture or race. That feeling is connection, and connection is what creates global unity.

“I see Jordan put ting dow n her footprints on Mother Earth in such a powerful way,” he continues. “And she’s being joined by many young men and women of a variety of ethnic backgrounds and religious backgrounds in America. I just wish I’d live long enough to see the incredible America they can build.”

With plent y of time before the Olympic Trials in 2024, Daniel plans to focus on trail running for the next couple of years. She might even attempt her first 50K. But what she knows for sure is that wherever she is, whatever the distance, Daniel will be running with a red handprint over her mouth.

“I plan on doing it until I don’t have to anymore,” she says. “As long as I am competitively running, I plan on running for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives.”

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HOMETOWN TRAILS T

A L’ S C H O I CE

BY BRIAN METZLER

Our 2020 collection of top trail towns highlights a diverse group of trail runners and where they live and run.

Everybody says that home is where the heart is, and that’s true, but it’s also where the trails are. Here’s a look at where some notable trail runners live, the trails they run and the local vibe of the places they call home.

Caption

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ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

> HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA DURANGO, COLORADO MARCUS GARCIA

MISSOULA, MONTANA OTTAWA, ILLINOIS ROANOKE, VIRGINIA MONTPELIER, VERMONT TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA TWISP, WASHINGTON

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LOCAL VIBE

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HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA

Elevation: 600 ft. / Population: 209,400

Known as “Rocket City” because of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and other space-industry commerce, Huntsville is a medium-sized city near the AlabamaTennessee border. It has an abundance of nearby trail systems in the 2,100-acre Monte Sano State Park—including its namesake peak that tops out at a modest but challenging 1,621 feet—and several nature preserves of the Land Trust of Northern Alabama that surround the city. But runner beware, what Huntsville might lack in vert or altitude, it makes up for in rocky, technical trails and thick humidity.

LOCAL RUNNER / @ultrakraut

Martin Schneekloth / 49, Software Executive, Serial 100-Mile Ultrarunner, Peak Bagger, 2019 Finisher Of “The Last Great Race.”

+ “It’s really not hard to find a good group run three or four times per week in Huntsville.

It’s a very cohesive and inclusive community, especially for new people who move to town, and I think that’s what makes Huntsville special. And not just among runners, but among mountain bikers and cyclists, too.

There’s always a friendly wave and a lot of genuine interaction.”

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— says martin Schneekloth OC T OBER 2020

UNIQUELY HUNTSVILLE

Believe it or not, there’s also a Huntsville 14ers challenge that’s a bit of a play on Nolan’s 14 test in Colorado. But instead of linking several 14,000-foot peaks, this 50K route links eight summits above 1,400 feet on the east and north side of Huntsville.

Local runner Ryan Harbaugh came up with it a few years ago and it’s proved to be a vigorous training run for some of the heartiest Hunstville trail runners every year.

FOOD & DRINK

There are a dozen microbreweries in Huntsville that serve up tasty beers and good food, including Fractal Brewing Project, Innerspace Brewing Company, Rocket Republic Brewing Company and Yellowhammer Brewing. There’s an eclectic mix of food served in Huntsville, but Char, Melt and Phat Sammy’s are great places to reload on calories after a run, while 1892 East is known for highquality local, organic and vegetarian foods.

RACES

The biggest and most notable trail race is the late-January Mountain Mist 50K, a very challenging race at Monte Sano State Park that attracts local stalwarts, national-caliber runners and plenty of newcomers through the years. It includes extremely rocky mountain trails, lots of mud, and creek crossings, plus 3,872 feet of climbing. Other local trail races include the McKay Hollow Madness 25K/12K and the Dizzy Fifties Trail Run. ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:: ISTOCKPHOTO; PETE SCHREINER; ISTOCKPHOTO; MARTIN SCHNEEKLOTH

Rocket City

There’s a large, active running community in and around Huntsville, thanks in large part to the inclusive and well-organized Huntsville Track Club, which has been organizing races, fun runs and other community events since 1971. Huntsville also has weekday and weekend group runs and pub runs organized by We Run Downtown Huntsville and Fleet Feet Huntsville, plus a series of No Runner Left Behind runs that focus on inclusion and fun.

LOCAL VIBE

Amid a large influx of summer and winter tourism, Durango has the aura of a remote town with local flavor. There are a wide range of amenities and attractions in town—most notably the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and Purgatory Resort—plus lots of great breweries and restaurants, a great local running shop (Durango Running Company) and a small but passionate running community. The southern terminus of the 485-mile Colorado Trail begins at the Junction Creek Trailhead in Durango, and there’s a great 15-mile lollipop loop that can be run from that trailhead.

DURANGO, COLORADO

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ISTOCKPHOTO; MARCUS GARCIA;SARAH COTTON; ISTOCKPHOTO

UNIQUELY DURANGO

There are three 14,000-foot peaks located about 45 minutes north of Durango, but the easiest way to reach them in via the coal-fired Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Hop off at the train at the Needleton whistle-stop and begin a 6.5-mile run and hike into the Needle Mountains to Chicago Basin, where you’ll have access to Mount Eolus (14,039 feet), Sunlight Peak (14,059 feet) and Windom Peak (14,087 feet).

FOOD & DRINK

Wolf has been enjoying the community vibe at the 11th Street Station, which brings together a variety of food trucks, a bar and live music into a cool, open-air venue. Durango also has an abundance of brew pubs that offer tasty beers and a wide range of comfort food to refuel after a long day of running, including Steamworks Brewing, Ska Brewing, Animas Brewing Company and Durango Craft Spirits.

RACES

The Kennebec Mountain Run (late July) is a tough, scenic 15-mile trail run through the La Plata Mountains west of Durango, while the Marmot Mountain Run (late September) is a 12-mile trail run held at Purgatory ski resort north of town.

Durango Double is a one-day event that includes the Horse Gulch Hustle trail half-marathon and Duathlon and Gena Rych 5K. There are numerous other races in Silverton, Telluride and Ouray to the north and Navajo, New Mexico, to the south.

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Elevation: 6,522 ft. / Population: 15,625

Gateway to the San Juans Flanked by the majestic San Juan Mountains to the north and the New Mexican desert terrain to the south, Durango is a small city in southwestern Colorado that offers quick access to more than 300 miles of trails, ranging from flowy routes adjacent to the Animas River to high-alpine route that lead to 13,000- or 14,000-foot peaks. It has the best of both worlds when it comes to the weather, which means the local climate can oscillate between balmy desert heat to high-alpine frigidness in almost every season.

LOCAL RUNNER / @kel.lobo

Kelly Wolf / 26, Under Armour-Sponsored Trail Runner, Winner Of The Tarawera 100K In New Zealand And Lavaredo 120K In Italy. + “There’s not really a flat trail in Durango, but there are more gradual routes than Telluride and Silverton and it’s more conducive to faster running and better recovery. There are some amazing trail runners and a good community of people in the running scene in Durango.”

— says K elly Wolf OC T OBER 2020

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LOCAL VIBE

>

Elevation: 3,209 ft. / Population: 77,058

Miles and Miles of Trails

The trail-running scene has been growing in Missoula for 25 years, but especially so since 2010. There’s immediate access to hundreds of miles of local trails that lead all the way to the Rattlesnake Recreation Area and other prominent mountains. There are a handful of elite trail runners in town—including Kristina Pattison and Seth Swanson— but what defines Missoula is its population of robust citizen runners.

LOCAL RUNNER / @mikefootmt

UNIQUELY MISSOULA

There are dozens of trails and several big prominent peaks, including Waterworks Hill (3,855 feet), Mt. Sentinel (5,158 feet) and Mt. Jumbo (4,767 feet). Combining all three in one hearty run is what locals call the Missoula Mountain Trail Trifecta, a 15.3-mile linkup with 5,050 feet of elevation gain and descent.

FOOD & DRINK

Missoula is a foodie’s and craft-beer drinker’s paradise with Big Sky Brewery, KettleHouse Brewing, Draught Works Brewery, The Dram Shop and the Hob Nob on Higgins breakfast joint and, Foote’s favorite jam, Biga Pizza, among the top local hangs.

Mike Foote / 37, Elite Trail-Running And Skiing Athlete For The North Face, Three-Time Hardrock 100 Runner-Up, Co-Organizer Of The Rut Trail Races.

+ “It’s been a weird year in 2020, with no races and I don’t have any mega FKTs that I want to do. I’ve been mostly been exploring some of the local ranges and mountains and chunks of ridgelines I have always wanted to check out but never really fit into my training or racing plans. If there is a silver lining to this year, it’s that there is a ton of terrain nearby so I can take a weekend-warrior mentality and get out for a day or two in places I still haven’t been.”

—says Mike Foote

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RACES

There are typically about a dozen trail races in and around Missoula from spring to fall. Among the most popular are the events in the Runner’s Edge Trail Race Series, including the Snowbowl 15K (early August), Mount Sentinel Hill Climb (late September), Bitterroot Runoff 10-Miler (early October) and 11 Miles to Paradise that concludes with a dip at Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort. Run Wild Missoula also hosts group runs and races, including the Little Dipper Trail Run (mid-April).

ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: STEVEN GNAM; ISTOCKPHOTO; STEVEN GNAM; JASON BALL

MISSOULA, MONTANA

“There’s a real no-vibe vibe here with miles and miles of accessible trails right from town with a great running community,” says Foote. “That community is what has kept me here. It punches well above its weight class. It’s just a group of amazing crushers and athletes, people you’d otherwise never heard of doing world-class things.

That might be your doctor, your dentist or the neighbor who helped you with your construction project. Everyone just has a love for getting out and getting after it pretty hard.”

LOCAL VIBE

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: KEVIN YOUNGBLOOD; ISTOCKPHOTO; THE NORTH FACE

UNIQUELY OTTAWA

Ottawa straddles the confluence of the Illinois River and the Fox River in north-central Illinois, but it’s the former towpath of the long-defunct Illinois and Michigan Canal that serves as the biggest running thoroughfare in Ottawa area. Woltering often runs the flat, crushed limestone path 12 miles west to Utica, where he crosses the river and then heads into Starved Rock State Park, a historic preserve with 13 miles of trails that lead to red rock canyons, waterfalls and high viewpoints over the Illinois River.

FOOD & DRINK

Ottawa’s downtown business district has come of age since Woltering was a kid, when an economic downturn resulted in empty storefronts. The revitalized Ottawa Commercial Historic District features a handful of restored mid-19thcentury buildings that house a variety of trendy restaurants and brewpubs. A few of Woltering’s favorites include Tangled Roots Brewing Company, Iniga Pizzeria Napoletana and B.A.S.H. Burger & Sushi House.

RACES

While there are a lot of road races in and around Ottawa, the Dayton Bluffs Preserve 5K (late September) is the only nearby trail-running race.

There are several trail races every year in Peoria, including the Cry Me a River Trail Runs (13.1 miles, 50K, 100K, 100 miles), as well as a handful of other trail races throughout northern Illinois.

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There is a strong running community in Ottawa and LaSalle County, but it’s mostly focused on road running. That’s partially because, outside of Starved Rock State Park, there aren’t a lot of trails in the immediate area. Woltering mostly trains on roads during the week, but on the weekends he’ll often drive to the Peoria area (about 65 miles to the southwest) to run the course of the Cry Me a River 100-miler or head to the Ice Age Trail near East Troy, Wisconsin (about 135 miles to the north). There’s are also small trail systems at the Dayton Bluffs Preserve along the Fox River north of Ottawa and in Buffalo Rock State Park adjacent to the Illinois River just west of town.

OTTAWA, ILLINOIS Elevation: 482 ft. / Population: 18,768

Midwest Surprise Ottawa isn’t at all a place known for trail running, but Coree Woltering grew up there and, after testing his mettle in the marathon and triathlon, moved back and became one of the town’s most notable citizens as an elite ultraunner sponsored by The North Face who often runs races in a Speedo. While briefly living in Colorado a few years ago (Boulder, then Leadville), he fell in love with trail running after pacing a friend in the Leadville 100 and finishing fourth in the Silver Rush 50 the following year. “I’ve probably run 10,000 miles on the I&M Canal in my lifetime,” he says. “Ottawa is a great little community on the rise, both for running and just living here.”

LOCAL RUNNER / @coreewoltering

Coree Woltering / 30, Trail-Running Athlete For The North Face, 2019 EcoChallenge Competitor And Supported Fastest Known Time For The 1,147-Mile Ice Age Trail (21 Days 13 Hours 35 Minutes).

+ “One of my goals has just been to bring more people of color into the sport, and also from the LGBTQ community. I believe that it’s really important to have representation. Hopefully when people see me in a magazine or in an ad for The North Face, some kid will see that and be like, ‘Cool, there are people that look like me doing this sport’ and then maybe want to try it.”

— says Coree Woltering OC T OBER 2020

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LOCAL VIBE

The trail-running scene has grown considerably over the past 15 years, thanks to the communitybuilding efforts of Josh and Gina Gilbert (Mountain Junkies race series), Blaine and Robin Lewis (Fleet Feet Roanoke running shop) and running clubs like the Roanoke Valley Trail Runners, Star City Striders, C&C Runners and Badass Lady Gang Roanoke. The Roanoke Valley Trail Runners, a group with 1,500 members, gets together for group trail runs almost every Tuesday throughout the year, typically on Mill Mountain in the heart of the city and the Chestnut Ridge trails on the outskirts of town. Additional weekly runs are organized

by Fleet Feet, Shine Runners, Hammer & Forge Brewing and Brooks Mill Winery.

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Elevation: 935 ft. / Population: 99,143

Not Just the Appalachian Trail Located on the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains and just 20 minutes from some of the best sections of the Appalachian Trail, Roanoke is an idyllic outdoor-adventure and endurance mecca that was known originally for hiking, then mountain biking and now trail running. Aside from the AT, there are numerous of other nearby trail systems, including Mill Mountain Park adjacent to downtown Roanoke and Carvins Cove Natural Reserve about seven miles out of town.

LOCAL RUNNER

Liz Ackley / 39, College Instructor, Trail Runner And Women’s Champion Of The 2019 Mountain Junkies Roanoke Non Ultra Trail Series.

+ “Carvins Cove is one of our local trailrunning gems. People come from the West Coast to mountain bike those trails. They’re about 10 minutes outside of the city, but it feels like you’ve been transported to the middle of nowhere.

It’s a great network of trails. It’s close enough that you can hop on a trail after work or connect to the AT and do longer runs on the weekend.”

— says Liz Ackley

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OC T OBER 2020

UNIQUELY ROANOKE

McAfee Knob, a unique geological formation on the tallest mountain (3,197 feet above sea level) in the area, is one of the most photographed features on the Appalachian Trail (AT). Named after James McAfee, a Scotch-Irish immigrant who settled in the area in the 1730s, it’s a natural flat-top ledge that offers panoramic views over the Catawba Valley below. Local runners incorporate McAfee Knob on a run known as the “220 to the 311,” a reference to the 16-mile section of the AT between U.S. highway 220 near Daleville and Virginia state highway 311 near Catawba.

FOOD & DRINK

Like many emerging outdoor-recreation towns, Roanoke’s downtown has been revitalized into a foodie’s delight in recent years as more active people have flocked there. Ackley likes to finish off a run on Rattlin’ Run trail just north of Roanoke and then head to Parkway Brewing in the tiny community of Salem for a beer. Other popular places include Big Lick Brewing Company, The River and Rail, Lucky Restaurant, Sticks & Spoons Ramen Bar and Clutch Smoked Meats.

RACES

The Gilberts founded the Mountain Junkies in 2007 to organize races, provide trail information and create a community around trail running. They put on their RNUTS series of 5K to marathon-length trail races from early January to late May, as well as the 4.2-mile Into the Darkness Night Trail Run (late October). Other nearby trail races include the Huckleberry Jam 7.4-miler (mid-May), Jackson River Scenic Trail Marathon (late June) and the Hellgate 100K (mid-December).

ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ISTOCKPHOTO (2); JAY PROFFITT

ROANOKE, VIRGINIA

LOCAL VIBE

Montpelier has everything a great city has— boutique shopping, fine dining, an art scene and a small but bustling cityscape—but, given that it is situated in the foothills of the Green Mountains, it also boasts a relaxed, outdoorsy vibe and quick access to trail running and many other mountain activities. Great trails can be found at Hubbard Park, North Branch Park and Sparrow Farm on the north side of the city, as well on the Camel’s Hump section of the 273-mile Long Trail that can be found just west of the city as it meanders most of the length of the state.

MONTPELIER, VERMONT

UNIQUELY MONTPELIER

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ISTOCKPHOTO (2); JAMES KAO

FOOD & DRINK

On any given day, Valerio might find herself at her three favorite spots in town depending if she wants coffee (Capitol Grounds), a sandwich or salad (Alla Vita) or a microbrewed beer (Three Penny Taproom). For such a small city, Montpelier has an eclectic array of fine dining options—Sarducci’s for Italian, Pho Capital for Vietnamese, Kismet for breakfast and brunch and Prohibition Pig for barbecue—but if you visit Montpelier, don’t miss the hyper-local vegetables and craft food at the Capital City Farmers Market.

RACES

The heartbeat of the small and spirited Montpelier running community can be felt through the Central Vermont Runners, a running and social group that has organized races, group runs and encouraged a healthy lifestyle since 1980. It puts on an All-Terrain Races Series every summer, a five-race circuit from 5K to 10 miles on trails and dirt roads around the region, including the Equinox Trail 10K (late June) and the Groton Forest Trail Run (mid-September). Other nearby trail races include the Onion River 8K Trail Race at North Branch Nature Center (mid-September), Trapp Cabin Trail Races (late September) and the Sleepy Hollow Mountain Race (mid-November).

T R A I L R U N N E R M A G . C O M

Elevation: 525 ft. / Population: 7,436

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Although the closest running specialty shop is a Fleet Feet store located in Essex Junction 35 miles to the west, Onion River Outdoors in Montpelier is a one-stop shop for all of your trail-running and outdoor needs. In addition to selling a wide range of trail-running shoes and gear (and bikes, backpacks, camping gear and more), it also puts on running and snowshoe races and is generally the place to pick up local trail knowledge. In early February, ORS organizes a free, festive snowshoe event called the Snowshoe Romp, which includes snowshoes demos to explore a lantern-lit trail in Hubbard Park.

Capital City Community As far as state capitals go, Montpelier is an original and a one of a kind, too. It’s the smallest capital city in the U.S. and yet it wields considerable forward-thinking influence, governing one of the most progressive states in the union. Vermont was the first state to abolish slavery—doing so in 1777 before it actually became a state—and was also the first to officially allow civil unions for gay couples in 2000.

While spending a week adventuring in Montpelier with a friend in December 2018, Mirna Valerio saw a Black Lives Matter banner and a pride flag hanging along the streets downtown. She was so impressed with the city, she signed a lease to an apartment and moved there the next month. “I love it and I’m not leaving,” she says.

LOCAL RUNNER / @themirvavator

Mirna Valerio / 44, Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Activist For Inclusion, Ultrarunner And Organizer Of Women’ Trail-Running Retreats.

+ “It has everything I love to do and an amazing little community. I have chased mountains all of my life and I feel at home here. It makes me want to be outside as much as possible I don’t typically run with people, but there are a lot of runners and trail runners everywhere I go. Everybody is friendly, eager to wave or say hello out on the trails.”

— says Mirna Valerio OC T OBER 2020

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LOCAL VIBE

TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA >

Elevation: 5,817 ft. / Population: 16,180

Although Truckee is more known for mountain biking, hiking, skiing and snowboarding, it has been a great place for trail running since the sport started to grow in the early 1980s. There are hundreds of miles of trails near Truckee in the North Lake Tahoe region, including pristine singletrack routes, seldom-used fire roads and a small portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. The 170mile Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) is a continuous loop of trails around the outskirts of Lake Tahoe, including 25 miles of which meander about 10 miles from Truckee. Meanwhile, the Donner Lake Rim Trail (DRLT) is a Land Trust project that has built 12 miles of a planned 23-mile trail on the mountains and ridges around Donner Lake in Truckee.

UNIQUELY TRUCKEE

The Donner Party Mountain Runners is an active club with a mission is to inform, inspire and connect by organizing group runs, workouts and races, providing accurate trail details and celebrating local trail runners. They traditionally host an end-of-the-season pub run on trails in October and in 2019 it was a 50K route from Tahoe Mountain Brewing Company in Tahoe City to The PuB at Donner Lake in Truckee.

Singletrack Heaven

FOOD & DRINK

LOCAL RUNNER / @rorybosio

Rory Bosio / 36, Intensive-Care-Unit Nurse, Elite Ultrarunner For The North Face And Two-Time Winner Of The Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc. + “Like many other places, trail running has really taken off in recent years in Truckee and around Lake Tahoe. I see way more people out and about than I used to, but I find the trails not overly crowded, especially once you are two or three miles out.”

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— says Rory Bosio OC T OBER 2020

For such a small town, Truckee has plenty of places to fuel up and cool down. Bosio loves all of the new coffee shops that have popped up in town, but she still goes to the one she’s been going to since she was a teen: Wild Cherries Coffee House, which is owned by two-time skiing Olympian Kristin Krone. Bosio’s two favorite restaurants are Drunken Monkey Sushi and Tacos Jaliscos. She also recommends checking out Fifty Fifty Brewing, Alibi Ale Works, The Good Wolf Brewing Company and Morgan’s Lobster Shack and Fish Market, as well as the pizza at Old Town Tap and Village Pizzeria.

RACES

The Tahoe Trail Running Series features a dozen races in and around the Lake Tahoe region, including the Waddle Ranch Half Marathon and Legacy 10K in the Truckee Running Festival (early June), plus the Castle Peak 100K (mid-August), Truckee Half Marathon (late September) and the Big Chief 50K (mid-September).

ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: HARRY LEFRAK; ISTOCKPHOTO; CLAYTON BOYD

Trails are woven into the fabric of the Truckee lifestyle. Many of the routes were built, improved and maintained by the Truckee Trails Foundation, a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2002 after the release of the Town of Truckee Trails and Bikeways Master Plan. “It’s a really fun place to run because of the variety and beauty of the area,” Bosio says. “Summertime is awesome for running because there are tons of alpine lakes to jump in to cool off.”

LOCAL VIBE

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ISTOCKPHOTO (2); CANDICE BURT

UNIQUELY METHOW

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Twisp is one of a several of small ranching and recreation-focused towns in the Methow Valley that offers great access to singletrack trails and fire roads in the foothills and mountains of northcentral Washington. About 45 miles to the west are 8,000-foot peaks in the Cascade Mountains and one of the northernmost sections of the Pacific Crest Trail, and just beyond that are Ross Lake National Recreation Area and North Cascades National Park. To the southwest, there’s Lake Chelan National Recreation Area and the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness Area. Two of Burt’s favorite runs are the flowy 13-mile Thompson Ridge Trail singletrack route at the Sun Mountain multi-use trail system within the OkanoganWenatchee National Forest and the 21.9-mile Angel’s Staircase Loop near the town of Carlton.

TWISP, WASHINGTON Elevation: 1,636 ft. / Population: 958

Methow Valley Mellow

The Methow Valley is known for an extensive network of rolling winter trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, and many of those routes are ideal for trail running in the summer. In all, there are more than 120 miles of winter trails that the Methow Valley Sports Trails Association (MVSTA) grooms from November to April, making it the largest Nordic ski trail system in North America. (During most winters, the MVSTA typically grooms in excess of 15,000 trail miles.)

There are fewer than 6,000 residents in the Methow Valley, but many are dedicated trail runners, mountain bikers and cross-country skiers. The Methow Valley Running Club organizes group runs and events, while the Methow Valley Sports Trails Association helps build, maintain and promote trails in the name of community access, health and fitness in Twisp, Winthrop and Mazama. There’s a project in the works to build a new, nine-mile community trail from Twisp to Winthrop, aptly known as “TWiN Trail.”

FOOD & DRINK

LOCAL RUNNER / @runcandicerun

“It’s a smallish town but you have everything you need right here, including a nice grocery store, a natural food store and great little cafes and nice restaurants,” Burt says. Among her favorite places are the Cinnamon Twisp Bakery for fresh baked goods and Glover Street Market for smoothies and rice bowls. Other good options include Tappi for homemade pasta and other Italian fare and La Fonda Lopez and Los Cantaritos for Mexican. There’s no microbrewery in Twisp, but the Old Schoolhouse Brewery and the Sixknot Taphouse are eight miles away in Winthrop.

RACES

There are several trail-running races in the Methow Valley, including the point-to-point Sunflower Trail Marathon and ½ Marathon that finish in Twisp, Sun Mountain 50-miler/25K/50K at the edge of the Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness Area (mid-May) and the 10.6-mile Cutthroat Classic point-to-point race (early September) on Rainy Pass.

T R A I L R U N N E R M A G . C O M

Candice Burt / 38, Elite Ultrarunner, Moab 240 Race Director And Unsupported Fastest Known Time For The 171-Mile Tahoe Rim Trail (60 Hours 47 Minutes). + “There’s such great access to trails and mountains and rivers and lakes here, and because of that, even though it’s such a small area, it attracts a very outdoorsy population. For people who want to run amazing trails that aren’t crowded at all or like to go backcountry or Nordic skiing or go rock climbing or paddleboarding, there is a lot to do here.”

— says Candice Burt OC T OBER 2020

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T R AILRUNNERMAG.COM

THE RUNNING CURE BY DOUG M AY ER

PHOTOS BY PAT I T U C C IPH O T O

AT AGE 38, KIM STROM LEARNED SHE HAD BREAST CANCER. THE DIAGNOSIS, WHICH WAS DIRE, WAS DOUBLY CRUEL, COMING JUST AS STROM’S LIFE WAS FLOURISHING AFTER YEARS OF SELF-DOUBT AND BACKSEAT ROLES. THE OUTCOME WAS ANYTHING BUT CERTAIN. During chemo round five, Strom takes a break while running her local favorite, the Point Sal Trail, which she nicknamed the Guacamolegrat, to connect it to one of her favorite Swiss runs, the Hardergrat.

ONE DIR T Y M A G A ZINE

OCTOBER 2019

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Do you want to come out and play the game? It’s never too late.

—Victoria Williams, Century Plant In a sense, you probably already know Kim Strom. No one has been on the cover of this magazine more times.

She’s been running through the Nepali village of Khumjung, in the air on the German Alps not far from the Austrian border, dancing across a glacier in the Alps, among other dramatic settings. In every image, her 5’ 4” runner-thin frame is tackling something technically tough and badass. Her straight dirty blonde hair is usually in the air. And, almost always, there’s a huge grin on her face.

Along with those photos have come feature articles that have transported each of us to exotic locales, giving readers a chance to feel the ice, the snow, the dirt of a foreign land under their feet.

But here’s one thing you don’t know about Kim. Last November, she learned she had breast cancer. The diagnosis, which was dire, was doubly cruel, coming just as Strom’s life was flourishing after years of self-doubt and backseat roles. The outcome was anything but certain.

Her journey is one of self-discovery leading to what she felt was, at last, a dream life. Then came a crushing blow.

It all started with wheels touching tarmac at the Geneva, Switzerland, airport, on October 1, 2009.

One of the Dumbest and Most Brilliant Things I’ve Ever Done Strom and her now ex-husband landed in Geneva that day with one large suitcase each. The couple were coming from DeKalb, Illinois, where Strom had recently received a Masters in Fine Arts in Photography, while her husband Derek had finished a PhD in Particle Physics.

Life in a foreign country soon proved anticlimactic, however. Lacking a visa that allowed her to work, Strom felt adrift.

“It was a strange situation,“ she says. “I had left everything I knew, and now had a lot of time to myself.”

But there was little to do. Casting about, Strom started road running, a 42

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9

Strom running a trail above Gimmelwald, Switzerland, which were her home trails for almost three years.

sport she had never done before. “I felt bad at it. I wanted to run, but I’d end up walking home.”

At the same time, her husband and his friends were training for Switzerland’s Jungfrau Marathon, an internationally renowned race that’s half road, half hiking trails.

“It looked like fun,” she says. “I saw them bonding over it—they talked about it constantly.”

The night before the race, Strom found herself loitering by a bulletin board where unwanted bibs were being sold. She bought one.

“My husband and his friends didn’t think I would actually do it,” she says. “I just figured I’d run as far as I could, then walk.” The farthest she had run was five kilometers. All she wanted was to cross the finish line.

Strom ticked that box, running all the way to the course’s mid-point transition from road to trail, where the route climbs steeply and most participants find themselves walking as well.

Of that day, says Strom, “It was one of the dumbest and most brilliant things I’ve ever done.”

The brilliance outshone the stupidity,

however. Over those six hours and seven minutes, a race course changed a life course. Strom realized she had been, “Along for the ride, coasting through life as the cheering section. But I was tired of watching other people live,” she says. “I didn’t realize it at that time, but it was a big shift in my thinking.

“Once I found trail running in the Alps, I spent the rest of my time figuring out how to stay there.”

A Childhood Found After the Jungfrau Marathon, things started to fall into place for Strom. At her next race, a 10K in Geneva, Switzerland, she was second-to-last. But she was having fun.

She made new friends, too. One of them was Laura Reig.

“Kim was ready to go anywhere even if just an hour or the day,” says Reig. “We ran together and enjoyed the small details—a f lower here, a view there. She was constantly happy when she was running.”

Road half-marathons came next, followed by a transition to trail running.

Muscles developed where before there had been none.

T R AILRUNNERMAG.COM

Strom and Dan Patituicci doing the penguin march beneath Shivling in the Indian Himalaya.

“I was literally watching myself turn into a runner,” she says, “and I really loved it.” Many days, she’d run to the high point of her local Jura Mountain range on the Switzerland-France border. At 5,640 feet, she’d run laps, taking direct lines to the summit. Strom didn’t know it at the time, but as she reflected on it later, she says, “I was learning to run mountains.”

Her first trail run was technical and challenging. “I thought, holy hell, this is something totally different.”

A competitive streak was starting to show, too.

“I didn’t do not well,” she says, using circuitous language that suggested the beginner’s angst-ridden stew of hope and fear. The day ended on a high. “I was like, ‘Wow. I can run this stuff!’”

Podiums followed at small, local French races. She wondered where it might all lead.

“I thought, if I can change this much in a few years, what else can I do? Can I be faster? Can I go longer?”

ONE DIR T Y M A G A ZINE

The diagnosis, which was dire, was doubly cruel, coming just as Strom’s life was flourishing after years of self-doubt and backseat roles. The outcome was anything but certain.

Success came not from coaching or following a rigorous training plan, but from a more Zen-like paradox. “I wasn’t trying to be good at it. It’s just that I loved it. There was nothing I’d rather be doing.”

Her personality shifted, too. “I’d always been shy and closed off,” she says. “But in running, I gained a lot of confidence.”

Strom’s life was finally blossoming.

She met other expats and made close friends. “I would approach people who finished around my time and we would make plans to run.” Normally quiet and reserved, Strom found that the simple act of running made her less awkward around others. “When I was moving,” she explains, “my inhibitions were gone.”

Just five years after she had started running, Strom organized an ambitious race calendar, racing nearly every weekend.

2016 was the first year of the International Skyrunning Federation’s Extreme Series, three vertiginous ultramarathon races on highly technical, exposed terrain, and Strom was all-in. Only one other American woman, Megan Kimmel, was consistently racing in the series.

“I kept getting positive feedback. I wanted more of that. I liked the external validation of being on podiums. And,” she says, “I was good at it.”

There was something deeper at work, too. Back in Illinois, Strom’s childhood had its share of challenges. While her friends were playing, Strom was always the responsible child. Now, three decades later, she had permission to play.

“It was like finding a childhood. And when I discovered downhill running,” Strom says, “It made me laugh out loud! ” St rom h it s t he br a ke s i n ou r conversation, when she realizes she’s fallen into deeply personal territory. “I found a way”—her voice cracking—”to let go and have fun. Sorry,” she says, feeling suddenly awkward, “I get super emotional about it.”

Three-and-a-half decades in, Strom’s inner child was freed. But there was more to come. She was about to meet Dan and Janine Patitucci.

Part of a New Family In the Alps, when it comes to mountainsport photography, Dan and Janine Patitucci are luminaries. For t wo decades, they have explored the high peaks of central Europe, always with an eye for inspiring images. The results have appeared in dozens of magazines, for brands like Patagonia and Black Diamond, and are woven into sweeping, grand editorial projects.

Strom met the Patituccis at a threeday trail-running camp sponsored by multisport brand Dynafit. At the Sport OCTOBER 2019

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Hotel in Garmisch, the lithe Strom was easily spotted as part of the coalescing group. Strom recalls Dan coming over and saying, “You’ve got to be one of ours!” For Strom, the passing comment was validation.

“You have a few moments in your life that you’re acknowledged that you’re part of the tribe. I was claimed by something bigger. It felt great.” Strom had found a new family.

The three clicked right away. “She was super fun, motivated, with a big smile.

Within an hour we were best friends. She told us she had a degree in writing and photography and had lots of free time. I said, ‘If you want, we can put you to work!’”

Time to Play With the Patituccis, Strom had found a calling. Almost instantly, the three slotted into a comfortable routine. She melded easily into the Patituccis’ unique lifestyle as their go-to trail running model. Trips and articles came rapid fire, from Bulgaria to the Indian Himalaya to long summer days exploring routes around Switzerland for a trail-running guidebook the three coauthored. Rainy days were spent writing, with articles popping up in magazines around the world. Runners World Germany, Outdoor magazine in Germany, SKiAlper in Italy, Trail Running UK, Switzerland’s Inspiration magazine, Outdoor Research online magazine, Verticulture. And, of course, this magazine.

But a negative inner voice continued to lurk. “I still really doubted myself. I felt like I didn’t deserve the chance I was getting. I was so afraid I couldn’t do it well. I didn’t feel good enough.” Strom pushed back against those voices. “I wasn’t going to let my personal shit talk me out of doing this.”

Doors were opening, her life arcing ever upward. and everything was lining up, and fast. Strom could barely believe 44

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CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER LEFT: Strom and the Patituccis in India; Patitucci and Strom having an “office day” in the Indian Himalaya; Strom and Janine Patitucci getting hot copies of their Run the Alps Switzerland guidebook.

her luck, and it showed. “The joy she showed bounding down a trail was just absolutely off the charts,” says Patitucci.

“I used to tease her about it.”

And then, one morning while brushing her teeth, she felt a lump.

So Now I Have Cancer

It was, by any measure, the worst timing possible. A divorce was in the works.

Strom’s status with German federal health insurance was unclear. She was without a permanent home and at risk of losing her visa. Alone at the Patituccis’ Interlaken, Switzerland home, Googling for answers while the couple were on vacation, Strom found herself thinking, “‘Great, so now I have cancer. Seriously? Really? Now?’” But fueled by the same stubbornness that pushed her high and fast on big peaks around the world, Strom managed to avoid seeing a doctor for months.

Then, on a Friday afternoon, the Patituccis and Strom found themselves at the end-of-the-valley town of Zinal.

Dan delivered an ultimatum: “We’re not leaving this parking lot until you have an appointment.”

A radiologist told her the lump “didn’t look good.” The call came a few days later. The doctor emailed along a PDF,

which Strom read at a mountain hut. The news was much worse than expected: Multicentric, HER2 triple-positive breast cancer, a particularly aggressive cancer in four locations.

The treatment was, simply, everything conceivable: six cycles of chemo, surgery, radiation, immunotherapy and then a decade of hormone therapy.

A day after the news, she was again up at a mountain hut on a project. Strom had a physical reaction, developing severe vertigo. She began stumbling and vomiting. “Everybody I know who had cancer has died,” she told Patitucci.

Strom resisted t he prospect of chemotherapy. She asked an oncologist for the prognosis without treatment. The answer? Three months, maybe six. A year at most. The timeline was sobering. “I had thought,” says Strom, “that I had choices.”

Strom now knew she had to act fast. In the U.S., she got access to the Affordable Care Act. An aunt and uncle in Santa Maria, California, offered housing next to one of the country’s top cancer centers.

T R AILRUNNERMAG.COM

Running Grass Mountain, California, during round six of chemo; running became much more difficult.

Sunday, November 3rd, 2019, at Zurich’s airport, Strom carried two suitcases and her cat, Pinot. Twenty-six hours later, Strom arrived at the doorstep of her aunt and uncle Jed and Diane Beebe. Less than a week later, doctors had installed a port in her chest. A flurry of medical exams and counseling sessions occupied her days.

Two weeks after the port, six rounds of chemotherapy started, each cycle 21 days, starting with a four-drug mix: drugs to starve the cancer of the estrogen on which it feeds, drugs to kill the cancer, drugs to help with the nausea, drugs to support her immune system, drugs to offset the side effects of other drugs.

Administering the drugs took place on the first day of the cycle. “You feel OK for a day or two,” says Strom, “then everything changes. You crash. I felt shooting pains in the marrow of my bones. I retained water for days. My mouth became numb. I became profoundly weak and tired. I slept nearly all the time.”

But one thing stayed the same. The trail running.

5K. Every Day. (Almost.)

Out of the Alps for the first time in a decade, Strom brought her running with her. “Running is a big part of every day ONE DIR T Y M A G A ZINE

for me. I wasn’t going to let go of it. But I had no idea how I was going to respond,” she explains.

So, she set herself a goal. “I was determined to do 5K every day, even if it meant walking.” Unlike her five-kilometer goal at the Jungfrau Marathon, however, the adversary was tougher. Three days into chemo, Strom couldn’t make it out the door. “I failed.”

“The first round destroyed me.” Strom’s temperature spiked to 103.5, and her aunt and uncle overcame a new bout of Strom’s stubbornness, driving her to the hospital, where she fought an infection for three days. “Had they not done that,” Strom pauses, recalling the moment, “I could have died. My stubbornness,” she confesses, “it’s not always a good thing.”

The Running Cure If a running streak was not in the cards, Strom ultimately showed the unflappable toughness of someone who has crossed the finish line of some of the world’s most challenging mountain races.

Out of the hospital on December 1, she regained her footing—literally. Strom began to comprehend the physical and emotional arcs that come with chemo.

“Ten days after a new round, I’d start to

Running became a gauge of her health.

“My running was what I was most attuned to.

It told me what the rest of my body was doing.” feel better.” Running became a gauge of her health. “My running was what I was most attuned to. It told me what the rest of my body was doing.”

Without a car, she started most of her runs from the house passing over the cookie-cutter roads of the area’s development—down Rosemary Road, right on Battles, alongside California’s Highway 101, where semis lined up at the weigh stations. Here, she could find some dirt, running alongside enormous, flat tracts of industrial strawberry fields. On better days, she’d ride her bike over to a dry riverbed and run an out and back on unmarked singletrack that wove through the sagebrush.

But, once every few weeks, she’d get to run on less contrived trails. And when she did, well, everything changed.

The Power of the Trail Occasionally, Strom would get a 20-minute ride, usually from her uncle, to nearby trails. He would hike, while his niece ran.

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Strom would run the paths that flowed over and around the low, rolling hills of the region. There were hawks and deer.

Strom is grateful for the people who have made those moments happen.

“I’ve experienced a lot of kindness,” she says, “but there’s nothing more that somebody could give me than to take me to trails.” The medication was killing cells throughout her body, good and bad. “But,” says Strom, “it didn’t kill my ability to run.”

The memory of trail running, she discovered, was stored throughout her body. “The memories would come back.

Trail running connected me to the Alps.”

And when she got the chance to do a steep, sustained uphill climb? “My body switched back on. I felt like I had never been away,” says Strom. “Those moments literally gave me back my old life.”

Your Body Isn’t Yours Anymore One round of chemo led to another. Fall turned to winter. The treatments wore down her body, leaving her with less and less energy. Strom’s hair fell out in clumps, then she lost her eyebrows. There was indigestion and bloating. And there was excruciating bone pain.

“It felt someone was taking a sword,” Strom explains, “and running it through your vertebrae.” Those days, she would stay in bed, gathering together her mental and physical energy for a short run.

With the decline came profound lows.

“I had plenty of times when I felt like, ‘This just too much for me.’” Increasingly, Strom simply slept.

Now, months later, Strom still struggles to explain the alien landscape in which she found herself. “I was used to willing my body to do things. But with cancer,” she says, “your body isn’t yours anymore.”

I stop my line of questions, trying to wrap my brain about that thought, that feeling. “It’s the drugs,” Strom explains.

“They take your body away from you.”

Where Strom felt a poignant loss, however, others noticed the fierce persistence of an athlete insistent on writing her own story. “I have witnessed an incredible woman who decided to define her own experience of cancer,” her oncologist, Erin Chamberlin, wrote. “You would be hard pressed to fully understand the tenacity she possesses.”

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Kim was joined by Janine and Dan Patitucci for her last chemo infusion; Strom regularly went to the cancer center’s gym for training.

Running is my constant when every other detail has changed. One foot in front of the other.

One step at a time ...

“Kim is strong and independent,” says Diane Beebe, her aunt. Beebe ticks off Strom’s routine. “She set up a yoga room.

She ate her own vegan meals. Outside, she built a stationery cycling area so she could get fresh air and sun. Friends told us having a cancer patient in our home would change our lives, but with Kim, it’s nothing like what we expected. She doesn’t treat it like a disease that’s stopping her.”

Athlete. Writer. Photographer.

Model. Cancer patient.

If trail running was a steady presence, another part of Strom’s world was undergoing a seismic shift. Before the cancer, Strom was deeply private. Cancer changed all that.

Last November 4th, she published her first blog post on a new website kimstrom. com. Strom, who has filled pages in magazines around the world, had written barely a word about herself. “It was a big

change for me. I realized it was OK to let myself have that.”

She launched the website by writing, “I’m an athlete. A writer. A photographer.

A model. Now that I’m also a cancer patient, I finally realize I am all these things I’ve been too insecure to claim.”

Going public helped her come to understand something profound. “I started to see that when I gave a piece of myself, I got back more. Others shared their stories,” she explains, “and through that vulnerability, a connection was made.”

The day after that first post, Strom laid her precarious situation bare for a much wider audience, writing on Alpsinsight, an online mountain sports website in which T R AILRUNNERMAG.COM

risk of the cancer recurring. In total, there will be a year’s worth of 21-day cycles.

Daily drugs will continue for another five to 10 years.

“I’m longing so much for mountains,” says Strom. “Sometimes I want to know what’s going on back in the Alps, other times I don’t want to know that there’s this other world out there.”

The process has taught Strom a lot— chief among the lessons learned, to live in the moment. “I can’t do anything about that longing to get back to the Alps right now,” she says. “I can let that drag me down, or I can find different ways of looking at it.”

All There Is Is Right Now On the summit of the Sigriswiler Rothorn during the production of the guidebook.

she is a partner with the Patituccis. “I’m putting a lot of hope in saltwater,” Strom wrote in the piece. “The Pacific Ocean, some crying. Saline infusions too. But mostly, I rely on sweat.” In it, she laid out the vital role that running played for her: Running is my constant when every other detail has changed. One foot in front of the other. One step at a time ... I love these runs. Even the tough ones, the 5km that I had to stop and take a nap halfway through, the hill reps, slow sand, tripping over cactus, headwind, chasing semi-trucks along the highway, asphalt in general ... I’ve even had some days of joyful, dancing, bounding along a ridge by the beach, curving over singletrack, sharing trails with a friend, feeling the sunshine, and charging up steep slopes.

Taken together, her personal blog posts, the website, the Alpsinsight article and her regular posts on Strava engendered a flurry of support. Strom heard from old friends and other athletes. Random cards appeared in the mail. “Cancer can be pretty lonely,” says Strom, “but I came to understand that I was not alone.”

Fellow Athlete One of the people she heard from was the five-time Olympian Kikkan Randall.

Arguably the United States’ most successful Nordic racer, Randall teamed up with Jesse Diggins to win the U.S.’s first-ever cross-country-skiing gold medal ONE DIR T Y M A G A ZINE

in 2018. Later that same year, Randall had been laid low by the same cancer that Strom was now battling. Lonely and searching for role models, in early January, she stumbled across a video blog Randall had posted online.

“I wanted to look up to somebody who had done what I needed to do,” says Strom. “It came to me at just the right moment.” Kikkan’s video blog proved hugely important. For Randall, though, she was simply paying off a debt. As she puts it, “Connecting with other athletes who had been through cancer, people I could actually relate to, and hearing about their path through treatment gave me tremendous confidence that I could make it through my treatment and come back stronger than ever.”

Unbeknownst to Strom, Randall had been alerted to Strom’s own story, through mutual friends. In January, an email landed in Strom’s inbox. The subject line hit Strom hard. “Fellow athlete.” For once, Strom was not being defined by her cancer. “A gold medal Olympian relating to you as a fellow athlete. I felt a huge sense of inclusion,” says Strom.

The Waiting In March, the chemo ended. Next came a lumpectomy, surgical removal of the cancerous tumor.

A new round of intravenous drugs started, with the goal of minimizing the

Strom’s journey is not yet complete.

“With cancer, you can’t think ahead.

Your body’s not capable of it. All there is is right now,” she explains. “You just take everything in the moment because,” she says, picking her words carefully, “you … just don’t know about the future.”

However, the future is starting to take shape. Immunotherapy infusions end this November, and Strom is rebuilding physically now. “I’m doing some hill reps.

I’ve had some longer runs with bigger days on the coast, too.” And in June, she bumped into other trail runners one morning. Strom chased them down, telling them bluntly, “I need friends.” She discovered an entire trailrunning community. And, for the first time, Strom is experiencing U.S. trail-running culture. “After the run,” she marvels, “there’s tailgating and great beer!”

Strom’s odyssey may well be winding down. The months and years ahead will tell. It has taught her much about herself— that the tenacity that powers her up high peaks and through a near-fatal prognosis, can also be a stubbornness that lands her in the hospital with an infection and high fever. She has learned to live in the moment, when the world gives you nothing more. And she has learned about the power of moving, of running, every day.

“I need to be moving,” she says. “The running … it’s not a crutch or a band aid.

It’s a love, you know?”

Doug Mayer lives and trail runs in Chamonix, France. There is a Gofundme campaign at https://www.gofundme. com/f/kim-recovery.

OCTOBER 2019

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trail tips

Trails To Go WHETHER YOU ARE A FULL-TIMER, WEEKEND WARRIOR OR AN ASPIRING VAN-LIFER, TRAIL RUNNING ON THE ROAD ADDS ANOTHER LEVEL OF ADVENTURE

By Sam Griffith While most trail runners are locked down at work during the week, many hit the open road for a weekend of trail adventuring and car camping. Others might aspire to more extended trail-running road trips, from a week to months or more.

Morgan Sjogren, who three years ago gave up on nine-to-five grind, bought a Jeep and camps out of it year round, while exploring trails across the West.

I’ve always been a nomad, so the life change suited me,” says Sjogren.

“Being on the road pushes me to leave expectations behind. It’s all about the unexpected, the mystery and the adventure.”

Whatever your schedule and whims allow, here are some tips and tricks for picking your vehicle for life on the road.

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Your Daily Driver

Using a reliable vehicle you already own is likely your most affordable option, and, with a proper car-camping kit in the trunk, you can live like a king. Most campers already have the outdoor gear you need—a tent, a sleeping bag and pad and a camp stove/cook kit. A basic setup can be affordable even for the most fiscally conscious. For simple overnighters or weekend trips in moderate weather, a car offers a simple, efficient option.

Simple upgrades won’t break the bank. A spacious new tent can cost a few hundred bucks, and fun accessories like lanterns, string lights, folding camp chairs, double-burner stove, etc. may cost as much as a few trips to Starbucks.

For extended trips where you’ve got more gear, a rooftop storage box is a worthy splurge.

A roof tent is a great option for yearround adventure mobiles. This popular set-up includes a solid, good sized tent that packs down to a storage box on the top of your car. Simply pull up to the campsite, pop it up and you’re ready to rest.

“With a tent, backpacking setup and sleeping bag you have just as many

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Truck living. Luke Nelson enjoys some recovery Nutella after pacing Ty Draney for 50 miles during the Hardrock 100-miler, San Juan Mountains, Colorado.

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Life on the Road

Here’s how to keep up your well-being on the move.

CLEANING UP Keeping a hygiene routine when on the road will help maintain happiness for you and your travel companions.

“We know when it’s OK to be clean and a little bit dirty,” says Bradley; she and Lassen found themselves sleeping in parking lots and trailheads during two weeks on the road in Texas. “Our daily routine entailed wet wipes, and showers when necessary.”

Sjogren echoes a similar sentiment, “In the Jeep, I keep baby wipes handy.

When there is an opportunity to shower I take advantage of it, but realistically I’m just going to get dirty again on the trail tomorrow so I don’t stress about it.”

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG Trail imitates life. Things go wrong.

“I was on the road [earlier this week] when my Jeep transmission broke for the second time in less than a year,” says Sjogren. “A lovely local woman kept me company while I waited for some friends to tow me because I couldn’t even find a tow truck! … We traded stories and snacks—that wouldn’t have happened if I had simply passed through.”

If you’re planning on spending time on the road, companies like AAA are a great resource. With a yearly membership, you can Apps like iOverlander are great resources to download on your phone, offering map-based tips on places to sleep, mechanics to call and even where you can catch a shower while on the road.

In the end, be ready to adapt with whatever the road throws at you.

With the van-life experience, the trail is only half the adventure!

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Ah, Home Sweet Home. Life as a road-tripping trail runner is rough!

possibilities to enjoy life outdoors as in a fancy van,” says Sjogren. “Throw some leftover pizza, water and snacks in your pack, lace up your running shoes and get ready to see the world!”

Pros: Your cheapest option, using your car will save you money on more experiences while you’re on the road.

Cons: Your tightest option. You’ll find that you fill out your space quickly.

The SUV

From a Subaru Outback to a Chevy Suburban, a SUV/hatchback is a versatile option because the vehicle is multi-purpose and likely already your daily driver. It offers the option of sleeping in a hard-sided abode, providing more protection in inclement weather and personal security. This is especially useful if you plan on mixing your driving between open spaces and crowded cities.

As opposed to a Corolla or Camry, a SUV’s back seats folded down can work as a nice sleeping space. You’ll want to carry the same things you would if you were camping.

Pros: Versatile vehicle that can be equal parts comfortable and driveable.

Cons: Not very customizable and will have a lack of space economy.

The Pickup-Truck/ Camper-Shell Combo

With its capability to handle different types of terrain, a truck with camper

shell provides a comfortable, protected place to sleep and more privacy than a car-tent setup. Also, trucks with 4WD can handle rougher, high-clearance roads, allowing you to access more remote trails.

Truck caps are usually fiberglass and can cost up to $2,000, depending on truck size and options, but lessexpensive and used options are available. How you kit out the shell area can run the gamut from tossing your car-camping kit in the back to built-out palaces. For a super-practical setup, consider a simple framed-out wood bed platform, with organized storage underneath. Pullout drawers have long been a favorite of dirtbagging road warriors.

Pros: In short, driving a truck will give you everything you need and nothing you don’t.

Cons: Minimal headroom is one drawback of this setup.

Start Here: The Toyota Tacoma is undefeated in durability and comfort. Most owners get well beyond 200,000 miles.

Van Life

Vans come in all shapes and sizes, from old-school VW Vanagons to built-out cargo vans to the popular kitted-out Sprinter. Overall, vans are great because of the space economy they provide, giving you enough room for storing the essentials and a comfortable, relatively private hang space.

A van will offer you a great blank

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EATING Keep it simple. Try not to stray too far from your normal diet than you would at home. Sjogren opts for the classic, a burrito: “Everything is better in a tortilla-and easier to eat while on the move.”

Bradley emphasizes the importance of making sure you have all your essentials for the kitchen: “One thing we learned is that we cannot skimp on kitchen supplies.” She even included a foot-pump sink in her van to keep kitchen supplies clean and ready for the next meal.

trail tips

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slate to keep a simple set-up or the opportunity for a full renovation. With a Sprinter, or similarly sized van, you’re able to corral in as many extras as you’d like, including a full kitchen, bathroom or a full sized bed.

“As much as we love the Colorado mountains, we thrive on the road,” says Cat Bradley, the 2017 Western States champion. “Having a van opened that up for us.”

In 2020, Bradley and her partner, Ryan Lassen, rented a van for a couple weeks while traveling to the start line of the Bandera 100K in Texas. When they returned to their home in Colorado, they purchased their own van, a 2020 Dodge Pro Master.

“People should dive in,” says Bradley, “don’t let the process intimidate you.”

Renovations, in a van or a home, are a big task. Luckily, plans and other tips and blueprints can be found online so those first couple of cuts and drills in the van aren’t as scary.

Pros: Space, space, space. You’ll be able to fit bikes, kayaks and any other sort of outdoor gear for your trip. Plus, the ability to spread out gear and the access to cleaning up is a big perk when you’re putting in miles.

Cons: This won’t be like driving your regular car. It’ll handle differently, so be ready to get used to a new experience.

Vans We Love: The E-line class from Ford offers a no-nonsense van that will give you plenty of space and stealth. If you want to pare down to a smaller van, Ford’s Transit Series has become quite popular for its van-like qualities with a truck-like size. If you want to look at Sprinter-sized models, the Dodge Pro Master is the best bang for your buck.

Slide-In Truck Campers, Popup Campers and RVs

For those short on time or handyman capabilities, purchasing a prefabricated, kitted-out camper has long

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been popular for people who are ready to go. Truck campers, pop-ups and RVs are popular options that are equal parts rugged and comfortable.

These will cost you a pretty penny if you’re looking to buy new, with RVs being the most expensive option. Truck campers and pop ups will equip you with the amenities that you might find a kitted-out van or truck.

As this is an auxiliary item to your vehicle, most likely, make sure that your car has the capability to take on the extra towing or weight.

Pros: Pre-fabricated means you’re ready to roll. Also, having the ability to tow a slide in or pop up gives you the ability to not always carry it with you.

Cons: Can be limited with going on certain public lands and roads, as it will not always be as durable. Will need to get insurance for access to towing, flat changes and other mechanical help should something go wrong. TR

trail tested

GEAR

Tails On The Trail GEAR FOR EVERY ADVENTURE WITH YOUR DOG.

By Zoë Rom 3

4

Be A Super Scooper We’ve all seen multi-colored plastic bags, littering the sides of trails like smelly confetti. Remember, there is no poop fairy and you’re responsible for packing out everything your pooch leaves on the trail. Here are earth-friendly tips for properly disposing of dog waste on the go.

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Never leave home without your bags. Tie them to your leash, stash them in your hydration pack or adorn your pooch with extra bags just in case.

Dog waste contains pathogens, so it’s not OK to just leave it on the trail.

To pack it out on long runs, stash a full bag in a ziploc container with a dryer sheet for odor control.

Even if your poop bags are compostable or biodegradable, they won’t break down in a landfill.

Check to see if there’s a commercial composting facility in your area that accepts dog waste, and always use compostable dog-waste bags.

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ONE DIRT Y MAGAZINE

trail tested

GEAR

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1. ONETRAIL HANDS FREE LEASH $37

A more minimalist offering, this hands-free leash offers just the right amount of bells and whistles. The waistpack is large enough to fit a large phone, keys, snacks and a wallet. An outer mesh pocket fits treats and poop bags for easy access. Mesh backing helps wick sweat and keeps the waistpack dry on warm runs. A detachable four-foot bungee leash is sturdy but flexible, with reflective details for urban runs in low light. An adjustable waistband is comfortable and securely holds the leash and pack in place.

2. KURGO JOURNEY AIR DOG HARNESS $55

Made with durable ripstop fabric outer and a breathable mesh liner, this sporty harness features an athletic cut that keeps your pup’s shoulders free and allows for great range of motion. A wide, padded chest plate helps cut down on neck strain on the run, and a nifty back handle helps you pick up your dog. Quick-release buttons and four different adjustment points allow for easy on and off and on-the go fitting. With all-aluminum hardwear, the harness weighs in at a light 8 ounces.

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3. RUFFWEAR TRAIL RUNNER SYSTEM HANDS-FREE HIP BELT + LEASH $70

This is a primo set up for hitting the singletrack with your furry friend. A no-bounce hip belt carries a water bottle for you and your pet, as well as a zippered and water-resistant pocket, mesh pocket for treats. The ultralight Ridgeline leash attaches to the hip-belt with a quick-release attachment that is easy to disconnect on the fly. While you can use the belt with any leash, it comes set-up with the running-specific Ridgeline, which is lightly stretchy and the perfect length to keep your pooch in close on winding forest trails.

4. MOLLY MUTT SEATCOVER $60

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How to keep muddy paws out of your back seat? String this canine-friendly cover over your back seat or cargo area to keep things clean and fur free. Adjustable straps lock the hammock in place so your dog can ride comfortably in the back seat, while seat anchors and a no-skid backing help keep the cover in place. Buckles make it easy to break down and remove, and the cover is machine washable.

5. EARTH RATED POOP BAGS $16 FOR 315 BAGS

These lavender-scented bags are necessary equipment for adventuring with your pooch, and contain an EPI additive that helps them break down, unlike traditional plastic bags.

The bags’ extra-long shape make poop scooping a breeze.

6. “I AND LOVE AND YOU” HIP HOPPIN HEARTIES $6 PER BAG

At only five calories each, these dense treats won’t melt or get sticky in your pocket. Made out of chicken with added glucosamine to support healthy joints and a dash of turmeric and green tea extract to help reduce inflammation, the treats pack a punch.

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trail tips

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Alex Hasenohr runs with her dog Otto in the shadow of Mount Hood.

Runner’s Best Friend TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR FOUR-LEGGED RUNNING BUDDY HAPPY AND HEALTHY ON THE TRAIL.

Leashing up your pup for some quality trail time can be a great way to get exercise for yourself and your four-legged friend. Here are a few things to consider when you’re lacing up and leashing up.

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By Zoë Rom

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trail tips

Breeds For Speed Not every dog is a born trail champion—and that’s OK. In general, look for dogs with long snouts, and avoid those with short muzzles like bulldogs and pugs. The optimal running-dog weight is between 30 and 60 pounds. Think about adopting, rather than shopping, because mutts and rescues make great trail companions.

According to the American Kennel Club, you should wait until your dog is around a year to a year and a half old to start running so that their bones are finished developing.

Be sure to check with your vet, who can determine if your dogs growth plates are closed before drawing up a training plan for your canine companion, says Maria Schultz, a dog trainer and author.

Your dog’s leash should be u-shaped, not a straight line, when you’re moving together.

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Start Slow As the saying goes, you need to walk before you can run.

Try to master loose-leash walking before taking your pup out for a jog to be sure that they’re comfortable and in control on lead. Use treats, toys and verbal praise to reinforce your dog keeping the leash nice and slack so that they’re not pulling when you run.

“Your dog has to have good leash manners. Pulling, lunging or any kind of tension on a leash isn’t safe for your dog or your lower back,” says Schultz. “Invest the time and teach your dog not to pull on a leash. Your dog’s leash should be u-shaped, not a straight line, when you’re moving together.”

“For all runs, a good leash is really important,” says Alex Hasenohr, a dietitian and trail runner based out of Portland, Oregon. She prefers those that offer a little stretch when your dog gets the zoomies and takes off after a squirrel. “You can typically use them with your hands or wear them around your waist, but I prefer the waist method so that if the dog tugs, I stay upright.”

Start by adding a few minutes of running into your regular dog walks, and gradually increase the distance

“Invest the time and teach your dog not to pull on a leash.

Your dog’s leash should be u-shaped, not a straight line, when you’re moving together.” and duration, adding a few minutes at a time to help. “ A good beginner range is trotting your dog for up to 10 minutes, three to five days a week,” says Schultz. “A trot is a pace your dog can comfortably maintain, by using opposite diagonal limbs. It’s an efficient gait that works both sides of the dog’s body.” Then, increase that volume by about 10 percent each week to safely build endurance.

Work on developing a running cue, like, “Let’s go!” that tells your dog it’s time to run. The more information you give your dog about what’s going on, the more comfortable it’ll be and the better it’ll be at responding appropriately.

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Doggy Endurance Like humans, dogs need to build strength and endurance slowly. After a few walk runs, you can increase your dog’s training gradually just as you would your own. Make sure to warm up before launching into an all-out run, and cool down with a brisk walk afterward.

Also, just like humans, not every critter will love running, particularly long distances. Pay close attention to your pup partner for signs that it might need a break, like quick, panicked panting or lagging behind.

“Like a human running partner, sometimes they might not be feeling it, or feel tired or hot, or need to pee 25 times, and that’s totally OK,” says Hasenohr. “Unlike human running partners, they might want to stop to sniff grass or sneak away to roll in poop, and that’s OK too. Treating your dog like you would a human running partner is key. If your partner is tired, you turn around, even if they initially agreed to a 15-mile run with you.”

The longer the distance, the more it’s up to the individual dog to decide how far it wants to

go. Again, be sure to check with your vet before setting out on a double-digit trail adventure, but some dogs will love long days trotting down the trail. Be prepared to slow down when you’ve got your pup in tow, as you’ll need extra time for water, poop and sniff breaks.

“When you decide to run with your dog, you have to remember this is a shared activity, and your dog’s health and well being should always come first,” says Schultz. “KOMs and PRs probably aren’t going to happen when you start running with your dog, so maybe leave Strava off when you run with your pup!”

Take a cue from your dog, and embrace all the sights, sounds and smells of the trail.

“I love watching my dog explore the trails in a different way than I might be experiencing them,” says Hasenohr, “like stopping for a mid-run swim, or taking a moment to just lay in a sunny field and soak it all in. During runs like these, I’m constantly reminded to take in each moment and savor it, just like [my dog] Otto is doing!”

TIPS FOR TAILS ON THE TRAIL LEASH UP: Know and follow the leash rules on the trail you’re planning to run.

PACK IT OUT: There is no poop fairy. Plan ahead, bring bags and be prepared to carry out any waste your dog leaves behind.

FILTERS: Dogs can get giardia, so don’t let your buddy drink from just any creek. Bring plenty of clean water or a filter just in case.

Keep the trail out of your shoes and enjoy the journey.

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COURTESY OF RUFFWEAR

Dogs Don’t Like It Hot Dogs can’t handle heat and humidity as well as humans, so come prepared with extra water. A flask and a packable bowl make mid-run trail breaks quick and easy. Be careful running in temps above 70 degrees, and opt for shady, cool forest trails. Give your dog a rest day if it’s above 80. Most dogs will be fine without snacks on a run of 90 minutes or less, but for big adventures, be sure to pack some treats.

“When it’s hot, I make sure to bring dog treats that can’t melt in my pocket or his running pack, like biscuits or dog cookies,” says Hasenohr. “When it’s colder, I might bring him cheese cubes or softer treats. For longer runs and adventures, sometimes I’ll pack him a small amount of food and bring higher-calorie snacks like peanut butter and cheese.”

Dogs don’t have the ability to sweat like we do, so overheating is a concern, especially in the summer. Avoid running in the middle of the day, and pick trails where your pup might have a chance to dunk in a cooling stream or creek.

“Always have water and a water bowl with you while running in the event your dog needs water,” says Schultz.

“Keeping an insulated water bottle in the car for the end of the run is also a good idea. Cooling vests like the Ruffwear Swamp Cooler are also a great way to help your dog stay cool on the trails.”

Always have water and a water bowl with you while running with your pup.

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last gasp

PEOPLE

By Claire Walla

Isolation A TIME OF PROTESTS AND PANDEMICS It wasn’t supposed to rain that day. But, I admit, I’ve lost track of what’s supposed to happen in general these days.

I also wasn’t supposed to run to the park but turned right on a whim. Since the stay-at-home order, my sense of adventure has been defined by slight changes to regular routines.

I

Really, I’d been good since March.

Perhaps too good, which is a silly thing to say, considering Covid-19 is spiking across the country. But by “too good” I mostly mean I’ve been scared.

This isn’t my usual M.O. As an ultrarunner, I face fear: impossible mileage, intimidating elevation, improbable locations.

Before running, I had spent years feeling like my body wasn’t good enough: too big, too small, too female. What I wouldn’t give to erase sleazy comments, mansplaining, public groping and the low-grade but perpetual fear that something worse might happen when I’m alone. Running changed all that.

When I run, my body isn’t an object; it’s a source of power.

But even running is tenuous these days.

I worry that my body will come into contact with another body, and that one or both of us will spread a fatal virus to exponentially more bodies.

Or that if I venture too far and am injured, my body will be another burden to an already exhausted medical community. After years of running on the edge of comfort, I’m hyper-aware of how my body can 62

OC T OBER 2020

Dozens of pea-sized ice pellets smacked my skin and hit my face, as if screaming down from the sky: Do you get it now?

You’re here! You matter! cause discomfort for others. Now, running is simply a way to stay sane.

Though sanity is fickle.

Each day come new reports of increasing infection rates, rising death tolls, and federal leadership that neglects the overall health of the nation.

Simultaneously, I’ve become conscious of the fact that what I do to instill my own sense of calm has resulted in death for others: Ahmaud Arbery was out moving his body, sweating, hoping, like any of us, that running would give him a window of time to feel free.

I think of him now when I run, and I question what freedom in America truly means.

As a white woman in this pandemic, I’ve seen my body both as a carrier of

death and a mirror of oppression—the exact opposite of strong.

Some part of me must have known that by turning right, I would run to a Black Lives Matter protest that day. After avoiding crowds and people for months, I had to trick myself into thinking my presence in the park was accidental; had to rationalize the growing fear that my body is a burden.

I ran cautiously past clusters of masked faces to a section of the park that dipped into a grassy bowl beside a river.

It was filled with bodies, unwavering in a sea of green, like reeds rising up from muddy wetland soil. All eyes were fixated on a man with a microphone.

I stood on the outskirts of the grassy depression, dripping sweat, feeling silly in running gear. I had forgotten what it felt like to be part of a group.

The man with the microphone asked us all to kneel in the soil, which he said represented the bodies of the ancestors.

Then he asked us to raise a fist to the sky.

As I joined hundreds of people on the earth, drops of water hit our fists, landed on our bodies, dripped down to our knees, sank into the ground. Perhaps if I hadn’t spent so many months alone, I would have thought nothing of it. But in that moment, I felt connected to the world again. No one spoke or moved, as if we really were just plants growing up out of the ground, connected to each other by way of the earth.

The rain continued as I ran home, until—suddenly—dozens of pea-sized ice pellets smacked my skin and hit my face, as if screaming down from the sky: Do you get it now? You’re here! You matter!

I don’t know why I still need to be reminded. Or why—after more than 400 years of systems that devalue human life—our country still needs protests to prove Black lives matter.

Perhaps, in a society that values independence, people will always need to be reminded of unity. Perhaps, for individuals, finding meaning and purpose will always take work. Perhaps this is a reason to run trails: to be covered in particles of earth, under one sky, anointed by rain.

Claire Walla is a contributing editor for Trail Runner.

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