News
Running insights, research and updates on the latest in athletic science.
Mid-February 2026 Ultrarunning Briefing: Black Canyon Preview, FKT Glory, and the Quiet Revolution in Training Science
Black Canyon 100K fields the deepest roster in race history as Golden Tickets lure top talent. Erin Ton sets women's FKTs on Aconcagua. Michael Koppy becomes the oldest Arrowhead 135 finisher at 75. Plus: Hoka Speedgoat 7 releases, the Skyrunner National Series returns to U.S. trails, and training science turns its focus to hip mobility and menstrual cycle optimization.
Carbon Plates Come to Trail Shoes With Mixed Reviews
Carbon-plated trail shoes have finally arrived, and the ultrarunning world is grappling with what they mean for performance, fairness, and the soul of the sport. From record-breaking times to heated debates about technological doping, we'll see how this introduction impacts 2026 course records.
February 2026 Ultrarunning Dispatch: Global Race Drama, Asian Dominance, and the Soul of the Sport
January 2026 delivers ultrarunning headlines from Hong Kong to the Lake District. Veronika Leng and Hậu Hà tie at Hong Kong 100k while Gui-Du Qin dominates. The Spine Race brings controversy alongside Raichon and Troup's victories. James Gibson sets a historic Winter Double Bob Graham record. Plus: Swiss Canyon Trail exits World Trail Majors, gear refinements emerge, and the community asks hard questions about the sport's soul amid explosive growth.
Habit Stack Your Way to Your Spring Race Start Line
Transform your ultra training from daily willpower battles into automatic routines. This guide provides phase-specific habit stacking examples for base building, peak training, and race preparation, plus a research-backed 4-week implementation challenge to make consistent training effortless. Motivation runs out but research from the Annual Review of Psychology reveals that habits operate through automatic, context-dependent cues that don't require willpower. By building habit stacks for your ultra training, you'll create a system that makes consistent training the default, not the exception.
The Rise of Women in Ultrarunning: Two Decades of Improving Gender Parity
Research examining over 1.1 million race records from 1999-2019 reveals that women's participation in ultrarunning has undergone dramatic transformation. Women now outnumber men in 5km races, and the male-to-female ratio has decreased across all distances, including ultra-marathons. This comprehensive analysis explores two decades of explosive growth, the factors driving participation increases, remaining challenges in ultra-distance events, and what the data suggests about the future of women in ultrarunning.
January 2026 Ultrarunning Pulse: Winter Records, Industry Shifts, and the Spine Race Drama
January 2026 delivers ultrarunning drama from Spine Race victories and controversy to historic Lake District records and strategic 100-mile performances. Plus: World Trail Majors loses Swiss Canyon Trail, gear innovations emerge, and women's participation continues its explosive growth. A comprehensive look at the trends shaping the sport.
Why Habit Stacking Will Get You to Your Spring Race Finish Line (When New Year's Resolutions Won't)
New Year's Resolutions rely on motivation, a finite resource that runs out by February. Research from the Annual Review of Psychology reveals that habits operate through automatic, context-dependent cues that don't require willpower. By building habit stacks for your race training, you'll create a system that makes consistent training the default, not the exception, getting you to your spring race start line in peak condition without the motivation battles that doom resolutions.
Why Gatorade Is Sabotaging Your Ultramarathon: The Simple Carb Problem
For decades, ultrarunners have relied on sports drinks like Gatorade to fuel their epic journeys, but emerging research reveals a troubling truth: the simple sugars in these drinks may be working against you, creating a cascade of metabolic problems that can derail your performance when it matters most.
The Carbohydrate Revolution in Ultramarathon Nutrition: What Recent Research Reveals
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines for carbohydrate (CHO) consumption are per hour of exercise and recommends consuming 60 g CHO/h for the first 2.5 h of exercise and to consume up to 90 g CHO/h when exercise lasts more than 2.5 h but you'll have to train your gut first to improve fluid and CHO tolerance to avoid GI discomfort and get the benefit of enhanced performance.