The leaves rustled from the light wind as the sun rose, easing the darkness away on this cloudy morning. The runners had accustomed themselves to the constant splish…splash…squish coming from their footfalls into the unknown mushy darkness below. Now that … Continue reading
In the early dawn hours of this last Saturday before Halloween in Savage, Minn., “Surf the Murph” trail racers were greeted by unseasonably warm temperatures–at least for us Minnesotans. Some of the costumed runners were even showing some leg, albeit … Continue reading
What’s the next best thing to having a personal masseuse? My answer would be having your own massaging tools. But the tricky part is figuring out which massage tools to buy. So consulting a review such as this is a … Continue reading
What did you spend all day doing last Saturday? Did you do the same exhausting thing all day from sun up to sun down? Oh, and how many miles did you cover? Sorry to disappoint, but miles by motorized vehicle … Continue reading
Who turned the heater on high in the Minnesota arrowhead region just as the 178 runners left the start line on September 6th for the Superior 100-mile trail race?
During the first two runnings (2011 and 2012) of the Black Hills 100 races, the finishing rate of the 100 mile was 35 percent and 40 percent, respectively. That’s even low by ultrarunning standards. The main culprit was the weather, … Continue reading
The 18th running of the Kettle Moraine 100 Endurance Runs, near LaGrange, Wisconsin, staged on June 1-2, was the second race in the 2013 Gnarly Bandit Ultra Series, sponsored by Wilderness Athlete Performance Products, offered by Upper … Continue reading
Every ultrarunner knows that the secret to survivin’
is knowin’ when to eat something and knowing when to drink.
Cause every race’s a winner and every race’s a loser,
And the best that you can hope for is to finish … Continue reading
The 2013 Wilderness Athlete Gnarly Bandit Series didn’t start off with a bang, but rather with the semi-quick pitter-patter of footsteps on soft, snow-covered mud. And the more footsteps that landed on the course, the softer the mud became, engulfing … Continue reading
Is Spring here yet? I’m sure some of you across the country are enjoying springtime, say in northern California where it’s dry and 60 degrees for much of the year. But for us in the upper Midwest, spring this year … Continue reading
The answer is Hydrapak Hydration Packs. If any gear within the athletic world has seen an exponential explosion of options, it would be the hydration systems. Although I don’t know who or what specifically to credit with this latest surge … Continue reading
Everyone has a wish list. More specifically, all athletes have a wish list of desirable new athletic gear (aka adult toys). Whether it’s flashy new skis, a comfortable waterproof (and breathable, of course) jacket, a lighter pair of racing snowshoes, … Continue reading
You can sum up all my running clothes with one word – black. It’s not that I’ve actively tried to coordinate all my running clothes on the dark side; it’s just that I didn’t want to deal with matching all … Continue reading
I’ve been a big fan of Injinji socks for quite some time now, even before many of my ultra running and adventure racing friends tried on a pair. So, I was excited to have a chance to try socks from … Continue reading
Along with being the Land of 10,000 Lakes – the state sustains more than 13,000 but is too nice to admit it – and having habitually occurring nasty winter blizzards, Minnesotans also claim to be “Minnesota Nice.” While it’s not … Continue reading
Feat (noun) 1. a noteworthy or extraordinary act or achievement, usually displaying boldness, skill, etc.: Not succumbing to the Gnarly Bandit is a feat.
Back in April of this year, fifteen accomplished ultra runners toed the line for the first … Continue reading
Fall on the north shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota contends for one of the most gorgeous places in the upper Midwest. That being said, what better time and place for ultra running races. This year’s running of the Fall … Continue reading
Let’s say the forecast is mid 90’s with full sun and not a cloud in sight – what do you want to do? I know, let’s go run 100 miles! Oh, and let’s not make it that easy. Let’s throw … Continue reading
Mother’s Day at our house means that Mom (that would be me) gets to choose the family activity for the day. Since I’m the most adventurous in our family and definitely the most adventurous Mom my kids know, they tend … Continue reading
If you were talking to a veteran ultra runner, bringing up a recent running of the Kettle Moraine 100s would remind them of lightning, torrential rains, heat, and/or hoards of mosquitoes. However, for the 17th running of the Kettle Moraine … Continue reading
Cou● lee (noun) 1. A deep ravine or gulch, usually dry (haha on that!) that has been formed by running water
In the Zumbro Bottoms area of south-east Minnesota, several trails have “Coulee” in their name, and rightly so. Journeys … Continue reading
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