Since 2020, Yassine Diboun has made it a point each year to black out one square on his calendar with a Sharpie.

It’s a gesture to signify that on this day, typically set around the winter solstice, this 45-year-old ultrarunner and coach from Portland, Oregon, won鈥檛 run during the day, as he does most every other day of the year. Instead, he鈥檒l watch a movie with his daughter, Farah, or cook a meal with his wife, Erica, eagerly waiting for night to fall. Because that is when the action starts.

Diboun has become a fixture in Portland’s trail running scene, a and one of the most electric and positive forces in the U.S. ultrarunning scene today. He is also an athlete in active substance addiction recovery since 2004.

And here, at the confluence of endurance and recovery, is where Diboun enacts an annual tradition in Portland called . From sundown to sunup, Diboun runs through the evening, covering a route that connects city streets with trails in Forest Park while accompanied by dozens of other runners.

On December 9, Diboun will start his fourth-annual Move Through Darkness run. It may exceed 70 miles. It may not. That鈥檚 not really the point, though in some sense it is, for the more miles he runs, the more pledge-per-mile dollars he gains to funnel into future recovery programs, the very support structures that saved his own life two decades prior.

A Personal Mission

In 2009, Diboun and his wife moved to Portland, where he pursued a career in coaching. One of the first things Diboun did upon arrival was to connect with the recovery community, which led him to , the largest recovery support center in the United States.

Diboun鈥檚 personal history of substance addiction is circuitous and complicated鈥攄ocumented extensively in , , interviews, and others鈥攂ut what鈥檚 most important to know is that it led him down a path that wasn鈥檛 his own. Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) and the 12-step program threw him a lifeline and he white-knuckled it to shore, reinforced by commitments to a plant-based diet and a healthy dose of body movement. (That鈥檚 code for running a ton of miles.)

Such discipline brought him to the highest levels of ultrarunning. He鈥檚 a four-time finisher of the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run (once in the top 10), a three-time finisher of the H.U.R.T. 100, in Hawaii, and he represented the U.S. at the IAU Trail World Championships in 2015. These accolades sit beside countless ultra wins and podiums.

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His success story prompted Brent Canode, executive director of the Alano Club or Portland, to reach out to Diboun in 2018 with a proposition. Diboun had, by then, teamed up with mountain athlete Willie McBride, to start in 2012. The business offers group functional fitness programs, youth programs, and personal guidance to get people outdoors and on trails.

Under Canode鈥檚 leadership, the Alano Club just launched (TRG)鈥攁 CrossFit-style facility offering courses for those in recovery, and Canode saw running as a natural extension of this program. He asked Diboun to spearhead a new running portion of the gym. For Canode, though models like the 12-step program were widely available and proven effective, he found the diversity of options for community lacking beyond that.

鈥淲hat we learned was that a lot of folks don鈥檛 attend 12-step programs,鈥� Canode says. 鈥淭hey haven鈥檛 found a connection anywhere else, and that鈥檚 a matter of life or death for a person in recovery.鈥�

Together, the two started regular informal runs called the Recovery Trail Running Series, which evolved into a more formalized wing of the gym: Run TRG. This program quickly took off, offering evening group runs, outings that would often end in post-run dinners and fun gatherings. The groups grew bigger each week.

鈥淲e cultivated this community for anybody in or seeking recovery from substance addiction, and it really picked up some good momentum,鈥� Diboun says.

When the pandemic shut everything down in March 2020, including The Recovery Gym and its new Run program, regulars instantly lost the group’s connection. Many relapsed and started using substances again. A few turned to suicide, including a prospective coaching client for Diboun who had met with him just one week prior.

鈥淚 know from personal experience that life can get too overwhelming at times and you get too stressed or overwhelmed and you can鈥檛 see anything,鈥� Diboun says. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 see any hope, so you just live recklessly, helplessly. In extreme cases, life can feel not worth living anymore.鈥�

A Resilient Collaboration

While running one evening by headlamp, Diboun thought about the fragility of hope, the pandemic, the recent suicides, and the ever-increasing need for community. The combination of isolation and mental health decline, paired with an uptick in running popularity during the pandemic (Run TRG, once relaunched, tripled in size), created an opportunity for Diboun to leverage his visibility as both a decorated ultrarunner and someone vocal about his addiction history.

An idea was born: Move Through Darkness.

For one night, sundown to sunrise, he would organize a run to crisscross the city, connecting various trail systems and raising visibility of the mental health challenges entangled with isolation and addiction. It would take place around the winter solstice, the longest night of the year.

The initiative would serve three main purposes: First, it would be a personal pilgrimage for Diboun, a reminder of his own ongoing relationship with sobriety. Second, it would offer another way for those in recovery to come closer during difficult times. And third, the event would raise financial support for the which serves more than 10,000 people in recovery each year through mutual support groups like A.A., peer mentoring services, art programs, harm reduction services, and fitness-based initiatives like The Recovery Gym and Peak Recovery, Alano’s newest program, which provides free courses in split boarding, rock climbing, and mountaineering. Over the last eight years Alano has won four national awards for innovation in the behavioral health field.

Inaugural Success

December 2020 was the first-ever Move Through Darkness event. About 30 runners participated throughout the night, joining Diboun in various sections of his sinuous route. Given that the invitation was to run upwards of 100K through the night in some of the worst weather of the year, the turnout was impressive. The group eventually made their way to Portland鈥檚 Duniway Track to complete a few hours of loops, encouraged onward by music.

One of those runners that first year was Mike Grant, 47, from Portland. Grant has been in long-term recovery with substance addiction and understands the initial hurdles of getting out there. During the event, Grant completed his first ultra-distance run by covering 50 miles. He hasn鈥檛 missed a Move Through Darkness run since.

This year, he鈥檒l be joining again, in large because of Diboun.

鈥淵ou hang out with Yassine for any length of time, and the next thing you know you’re running further than you ever have before,鈥� Grant says. 鈥淗e鈥檚 one of those people you just feel better when you’re around.鈥�

The Move Through Darkness route is roughly the same every year, but it always starts and ends at the Alano Club, located in Portland鈥檚 Northwest neighborhood. This first year, his daughter, Farah, ran with him from Duniway to the Alano Club, which was a particularly special moment to share.

The fundraising component is a pledge-per-mile model, where you can pay a certain dollar amount for every mile Diboun will cover. All funds go to support the Alano Club, specifically the Recovery Toolkit Series. Other recovery-focused gyms are increasingly available nationwide, but The Recovery Gym is the only CrossFit affiliate in the U.S. designed from the ground up, exclusively for individuals in recovery.

Each week, TRG offers six to eight classes free of charge to anyone in recovery. Every coach holds credentials in both CrossFit instruction and peer mentoring for substance use and mental health disorders. An original inspiration for Run TRG was the , a nonprofit established in 2015 to provide running community reinforcement for those affected by addiction and substance addiction.

The Mental Health Crisis

, 29 percent of U.S. adults have been diagnosed with depression at some point in their lives鈥攖he highest rate since such data was measured. Suicides in the U.S. reached all-time highs in 2022, 鈥攁bout 135 people per day lost to self-inflicted death. In 2022, 20.4 million people in the U.S. were diagnosed with substance abuse disorder (SUD).

Oregon, specifically, is rated number one in the country for illicit drug use. In 2020, Oregon had the , while ranking last in treatment options.

Canode says that, after 40 years of researching addiction and effective recovery, the single most important aspect of recovery success is authentic connection to a like-minded community. That鈥檚 why both Canode and Diboun are building an all-hands-on-deck approach to recovery through running, to strengthen connections through movement.

鈥淚n recovery, we know how to grind,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e are naturally great endurance athletes. We also know how to consistently move through darkness, which is especially true in the beginning of someone’s recovery journey. It鈥檚 often not rainbows and unicorns and lots of positivity. It’s a grind. It’s grueling.鈥�

Annalou Vincent, 42, a senior production manager at Nike, is one of the many people who have reached out to Diboun from all over the Portland community.

鈥淔inding Yassine and Run TRG saved my life,鈥� she says. After starting a running practice in her thirties, she started feeling better and decided to question decisions like drinking alcohol. She eventually dropped booze and became a regular at the Run TRG. Vincent has worked closely with Yassine to develop and promote Run TRG, and has joined Diboun for various legs of Move Through Darkness over the years.

鈥淚 can’t imagine my life or my sobriety without running and this program, says Vincent. “Over the years I’ve seen it change the lives of many others. Move Through Darkness is an extension of that. This program and others like it are saving lives.鈥�

Gratitude Is a Verb

Willie McBride, Diboun鈥檚 business partner, supports Move Through Darkness each year and has witnessed its evolution and impact.

鈥淚 think people really connect with this project because they understand those dark parts of life, and how challenging they can be. Darkness comes in all different forms,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut also the very tangible act of running all night, literally putting their body out there鈥攃oming together as a group sheds light right into that darkness.鈥�

Diboun is reminded daily of his life鈥檚 work, to remain sober and offer his endurance as a gift to others, even when it gets difficult.

鈥淚鈥檓 coming up on 20 years sober, but I’m not cured of this,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his is something I need to keep doing and stay on the frontlines.鈥�

With record rainfall aiming for Oregon in December, this Saturday night calls for a 58 percent chance of rain showers, with the last light at 5 P.M. and the first light around 7 A.M. That鈥檚 potentially 14 soggy hours of night running. But this forecast doesn鈥檛 cause Diboun any concern. He鈥檚 used to it, used to running for hours in the dark, used to being drenched. He鈥檚 faced that long tunnel and knows that there鈥檚 always light at the end, as long as you keep trudging forward, and best when together.

鈥淵ou keep passing it on,鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou keep giving it away, in order to keep it. Gratitude is a verb.鈥�

The post Running Through the Night to Confront the Darkness of Substance Addiction appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Mike Spinnler cries nearly every time he recounts memories as a runner and long-time race director of the , the oldest continuously run ultra in the country.

Such memories include the time he first ran the iconic Maryland race when he was 12 years old, or the year he cheered on his 60-year-old wife as she crossed the finish, or memories of watching his two sons racing. For him, this race is a member of the family.

In 1993, five years after his tenth JFK finish, Spinnler became the race’s second race director, where he鈥檚 been ever since. By then, he鈥檇 set the course record (5:53:05) in 1982, and added another win in 1983, for a total of five top-five and six top-ten finishes.

Thirty years later, it鈥檚 still his pride and joy. He鈥檒l immerse in the magic of the event again on Saturday, November 18, as more than 1,000 runners take the journey through the historic route that鈥檚 so dear to his heart.

鈥淚t just keeps growing in its prestige,鈥� he says.

A Race and a Pledge

The JFK 50 started in 1963, the same year President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The president had instituted a public health program to improve the nation鈥檚 fitness, supporting the launch of a series of 50-mile races around the country. But as years went on, the only one that stuck around was the JFK 50.

鈥淜ennedy鈥檚 mission was this: Improve your physical fitness, improve your lifestyle, improve your country,鈥� says Spinnler. 鈥淲e heeded his call and have been doing it for 60-plus years.鈥�

The JFK 50 course is located about an hour northwest of Washington D.C., covering traditional lands of the Indigenous Massawomek and Shawandassee Tule (Shawanaki/Shawnee). One of the race鈥檚 primary appeals is that it鈥檚 a horseshoe-shaped, point-to-point course with three distinct sections: The Appalachian Trail (miles 0-15), the Canal/Tow Path (miles 15-42), and the rolling finish (miles 42-50).

The race starts in Boonsboro, Maryland, follows a few miles of paved roads before connecting with the Appalachian Trail (AT), where the course climbs more than 1,000 vertical feet in five miles, crests to the high point, and follows rocky singletrack before dropping 1,000 vertical feet halfway into the race (mile 14.5), to connect with a flat marathon distance along the C&O Canal Tow Path. The last several miles are rolling country roads, where it finishes at Springfield Middle School in Williamsport.

Ruhling Aims for the Win

In 2019, Seth Ruhling, an unsponsored athlete, showed up to the JFK 50, slept in his car the night before, and won the race in a blistering 5:38:11, his debut 50-miler. Within hours of winning, he sealed a sponsorship with The North Face.

Ruhling, 29, now lives and trains in Boulder, Colorado, and he鈥檒l be returning for his second JFK 50. Since Ruhling鈥檚 2019 win, he has made a name for himself with a sixth place finish at the Pikes Peak Marathon in 2021, second place at Montana鈥檚 Rut 50K, first place at the Broken Arrow Skyrace 46K, and most recently, .

In 2020, JFK 50 was one of the only races in the country that didn鈥檛 shut down with the pandemic. Ruhling had planned on racing, but got injured. 鈥淚 always wanted to go back,鈥� he says.

Ruhling was particularly drawn into this year鈥檚 race because of its deep field of registered elites, which had at one point included 2023 Western States winner Tom Evans, Matt Daniels, Adam Merry, and Sean Van Horn鈥攁ll of whom have since dropped.

His strategy for the mixed course, which requires technical trail chops as well as fast road turnover, is to attack every single section. He says that, while the JFK 50 is known more as a 鈥渢rack race,鈥� it鈥檚 a mistake to discount the early trail miles. 鈥淭he record is going to happen on the towpath, sure, but only if it鈥檚 set up with efficient running on the AT section,鈥� he says.

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Speaking of records, when asked about his goals for the race, Ruhling did not mince words. 鈥淚 definitely want to win,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to go for the course record. I鈥檓 going to send it.鈥� He also showed deep respect for Hayden Hawks鈥檚 stout course record of 5:18:40, set in 2020. 鈥淩eally, I just want to go run fast and see what I can do.鈥�

The JFK 50 may be a forgiving course, and a great first race to consider for the ultra-curious. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e coming from a road background, JFK 50 is the best intro to trail running and ultra,鈥� Ruhling says. 鈥淭here are people all over the towpath cheering for you. It鈥檚 so fun. Such a good community event.鈥�

‘This Race Is Going to Be a Celebration’

, 27, is a professional athlete for The North Face living in Missoula, Montana, and she too will be gunning for the win at this year鈥檚 JFK 50 Mile.

Lichter is a three-time winner of the Rut 50K, two-time winner of the Lake Sonoma Marathon, the Broken Arrow 50K course record holder, and she recently represented the USA at the World Mountain Running Championships 46K, in Innsbruck, Austria, where she placed fourth, and first American.

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This April, after winning the Lake Sonoma marathon for the second time (second overall), North Face colleagues Zach Miller and Ruhling both encouraged Lichter to sign up for the JFK 50. With a background in collegiate track and cross-country and, more recently, a strong mountain running resume, this varied skill set will suit her well for JFK 50 success.

鈥淚鈥檓 ready for a new challenge,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 love mountainous runs, but I also like grinding out controlled long efforts.鈥� Her normal training incorporates a lot of speed and road running, anyway, so it wasn鈥檛 an entirely new approach for this build. According to Strava, she鈥檚 been putting in heavy miles. 鈥淣ot gonna lie, this has been the best training block in 2023,鈥� she says.

After an injury last winter, she approached this year with intention and strategic rest. For example, after winning the Rut 50K in September, she took a full week off before easing back into training for for JFK 50. This will be Lichter鈥檚 first 50-mile race, and she鈥檚 on the hunt for the win and course record set in 2022 by Sarah Biehl (6:05:42). Biehl broke the ten-year-old course record (6:12:00) set by Ellie Greenwood in 2012.

鈥淭his race is going to be a celebration of everything I鈥檝e been through physically and mentally this year,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 just excited to support that race community and tradition. I鈥檓 all about that.鈥�

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Pushing Edges, Changing Lives

鈥淲e love to look back with great pride about this race,鈥� says Spinnler. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e also constantly looking forward, always wanting to make it better.鈥� He thanks his predecessor, William 鈥淏uzz鈥� Sawyer, the original JFK 50 race director (1963鈥�1992), who really instilled that outlook into the event team.

Spinnler likes to summon JFK for inspiration, too. 鈥淧resident Kennedy would be pleased to know that this race is still going on,鈥� says Spinnler. 鈥淗e was trying to get people to live a life of vigor, to use their bodies. I just want to really revel in the positivity of the event. People come out for the JFK 50 and鈥擨 know this is clich茅, but it鈥檚 true鈥攊t changes their lives.鈥�

Perhaps Spinnler鈥檚 favorite JFK 50 memory of all was when, in 1983, he glimpsed his mother and father at the finish line right before winning the race. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a photo floating around of my mother grabbing my hand to celebrate as I won. I still look at that photo and tear up, and that was 40 years ago,鈥� he says.

鈥淲hen all the runners are there, lined up at the start, at downtown Boonsboro, I鈥檓 telling you, I get goosebumps just thinking about it. What鈥檚 going to unfold? Race day always has this 鈥楥hristmas morning鈥� effect, and Christmas morning never gets old.鈥�

The post America鈥檚 Oldest Continuously-Held Ultramarathon Is Only Looking Forward appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

What happens when you squeeze over 53,000 runners and 2 million spectators onto a 26.2-mile course that threads through all five boroughs of America鈥檚 most beloved city? Well, you get the , the biggest and rowdiest party in running.

鈥淭he TCS New York City Marathon course traverses vibrant, diverse neighborhoods filled with millions of roaring fans,” said Suresh Muthuswami, Chairman of North America, TCS. “It鈥檚 where the world comes to celebrate running,鈥�

On Sunday, November 5, the sixth and final World Major Marathons race of the year will take place, and it鈥檚 bound to be fast, real fast. But in addition to the elite field hunting for that podium (and the $100,000 awarded to each winner), this week, race organizers announced several new tech upgrades to enhance the race-day spectating experience.

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鈥淲e are thrilled to be launching new activations that will elevate the fan and spectator experience further鈥攚hether it be for those following the marathon for the first time or those who have been part of our running community for decades,鈥� said Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners (NYRR).

Here鈥檚 what we know.

New Earpiece Radios for Spectators

OK, this is a first. For the first time in a major marathon, anyone at the finish area who is a Mastercard user will be able to snag an earpiece radio to pipe in the race鈥檚 live WABC-TV/ESPN2 broadcast. Imagine watching with anticipation in Central Park (along with tens of thousands of others) just as you鈥檙e listening to real-time play-by鈥損lay as the field pummels toward the finish.

App Upgrades for Better Race Tracking

This year, race organizers have upped the number of timing mats and added five cameras along the route, for a more intimate runner tracking experience on the app.

Where鈥檚 your loved one on course? How is your running buddy looking at mile 10? What鈥檚 your coworker鈥檚 20-mile split? A quick dash of the thumb and you鈥檒l be able to see exactly where they are, and perhaps even watch as they fly through several points along the course.

In addition, there will be a livestream of the professional race available in the app, built with 鈥渟econd screen鈥� compatibility, meaning you鈥檒l be able to seamlessly watch the race just as you toggle to track runners.

This year鈥檚 live commentary will be dished out by American legends Des Linden, Galen Rupp, and two-time NYC Marathon champion and three-time Paralympian Amanda McGrory. Another exciting bonus with this year鈥檚 app upgrade is that it now offers an integrated sustainability survey for app users to measure their environmental impact during race weekend and, in turn, make greener choices. What gets measured gets improved, right?

User-Generated, Crowd-Sourced Cheer

Other than a New York City Marathon app with second-screen capabilities and enhanced camera footage along the course you can stream in the palm of your hand, other activations this year include New Balance mobile feeds, where runners and their cheer teams can amplify their support from any phone to jumbotrons, interactive selfie stations with elite runners, a Citizens Stage that will host three days of speaker panels, and interactive maps at the expo where runners will be able to scan their bibs and a large map will light up their hometown. Last year, there were 131-plus countries represented, so expect the map to be a veritable fireworks display.

How to Watch the New York City Marathon?

on ESPN2 (and livestreamed on its app on ESPN.com) from 8 A.M. ET to 11:30 A.M ET. Pre-race coverage for the 2023 New York City Marathon will begin at 7 A.M. ET. You can also download the ESPN app or ABC 7 New York App to stream the event.

The post How to Watch the 2023 New York City Marathon appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The first time I met Eli and Tabor Hemming, two of America鈥檚 most exciting “sub-ultra” trail runners right now, they were herding me and several other runners across a highway as if we were cattle.

I had joined a hut-to-hut trip in Colorado this July, guided by trail running legend Rickey Gates. He’d been offering this trip for the past 12 years, and he has a tradition to mark the one-and-only road crossing of the route: everyone has to come up with a fun theme for crossing the road. The quirkier the better.

Previous groups had acted as crabs. Others paired up and wheelbarrowed across. Our group decided that Eli and Tabor would herd everyone across the road as if we were stubborn cows. After all, they aren鈥檛 only two of the most promising stars in the U.S. trail running scene鈥攖hey鈥檙e also ranchers on their family鈥檚 land near Kremmling, Colorado.

This introduction to the Hemmings made a lasting impression. After joining our group for the rest of the day, the married couple decided to casually run the 10 miles to their car and back home to their 200 head of Black Angus cattle, back to the trails on the family property where they鈥檝e logged thousands of miles. The Hemmings have honed their unique lifestyle and training regimen to become two of the top runners in the (GTWS) international circuit of short and fast trail races. This week they鈥檝e stepped away from ranch life to compete in the two-day GTWS Final in Noli, Italy.

Endurance from the Start

Eli and Tabor Hemming started their journeys in endurance sports young. Tabor, now 26, ran cross-country and track in high school. In 2013 and 2014, she competed in the World Trail and Mountain Running Championships as a junior, where she helped Team USA earn a silver medal. Tabor went on to run at the University of Colorado in Boulder, where she contributed to the Buffaloes鈥� 2018 NCAA cross-country championship team and earned All-American accolades.

After college, Tabor turned to trail running, and, in July 2022, won the USATF Mountain Running Championship in Whiteface, New York. This secured her a spot to represent Team USA and compete in last year鈥檚 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Eli鈥檚 endurance started even earlier, when he was seven years old鈥攖he age most children learn how to tie their shoes鈥攁fter his mother started a youth triathlon team in 2003. Eli took to swim-bike-run events and was coached by his mother until he was 19 years old, where he found his way as a professional triathlete for six years. After moving up the ranks and gunning to qualify for the Olympics, he eventually retired from triathlon in May 2021, not due to a lack of discipline, but a lack of inspiration.

鈥淚 was unable to do anything else in my life,鈥� . 鈥淭here wasn’t even any grief there, which was a little scary. It wasn鈥檛 driving me to happiness.鈥�

Eli鈥檚 expertise in triathlon wasn鈥檛 Ironman鈥攃onsidered the ultra-distance of triathlon鈥攂ut rather his expertise was the International Triathlon Union (ITU), or 鈥渟hort-course鈥� triathlons, the faster and more dynamic distances. This speed would translate well to his move from triathlon to 鈥渟hort-course鈥� trail running. In 2021, Eli finished sixth at the USATF Mountain Running Championships at Mount Hood in Oregon, then second in the same race last year, along with a second-place finish at California鈥檚 Way Too Cool 50K in 3:16:33, three minutes behind ultra-legend Tim Tollefson.

This June, Eli won the 23K at the Broken Arrow Skyrace in Olympic Valley, California, but perhaps an even more impressive performance was his second-place finish a week later at Mont Blanc Marathon in Chamonix, France, the second stop on the GTWS circuit. He was only a few minutes behind Swiss phenom Remi Bonnet, who currently after back-to-back victories at Pikes Peak and the Mammoth Trail Festival. Eli currently sits as the fourth-ranked in the men鈥檚 category for the Golden Trail World Series, the only American in the top 10 of the series going into the finals.

Ranching and Running

For Eli and Tabor, finding their way to the high court of trail running has been anything but conventional. After getting married in 2021, they bought a house in Louisville, Colorado, a suburb near Boulder, but found that, though on paper everything made sense, they weren鈥檛 happy. Eli was still following his triathlon dreams, while Tabor kept pursuing track goals. The two rarely saw each other.

鈥淲e wanted to be anywhere else but there,鈥� says Eli. 鈥淲e are trying to spend as many hours of the day outside as possible, and that setup wasn鈥檛 working.鈥� Quickly, they flipped it 180 degrees, sold their house, and moved into the basement of Tabor鈥檚 86-year-old grandmother鈥檚 house on the family ranch in Kremmling. They鈥檝e never been happier.

鈥淭here are like three trail runners in Kremmling,鈥� says Tabor with a laugh, teasing her own hometown located a few hours west of Boulder, with a population of 1,500 people. 鈥淢y family鈥檚 been here for five generations,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 snuck away to college, found Eli, got married, and then was like, 鈥極K, we鈥檙e coming back up here.鈥欌��

Ranching and running trails may sound romantic, but they are quick to mention that it鈥檚 not always the case. Often, Tabor鈥檚 dad, nicknamed 鈥淪hooter,鈥� will walk into their house unannounced, sliding in 鈥渓ike Kramer from Seinfeld鈥� to announce himself. Though privacy may have been forfeited in their relocation, the two have never been more aligned with their values.

鈥淲here we live, you very much disconnect,鈥� says Tabor. 鈥淲e only have Wi-Fi and cell service at the house. As soon as you鈥檙e 400 meters from our StarLink, there鈥檚 nothing.鈥�

This distance, however, is a welcome barrier between the buzz of scenes like Boulder, a healthy compartmentalization that invites a certain intention. When they鈥檙e training, they train. When they鈥檙e on the ranch, it鈥檚 chores, duties that often double as strength training.

鈥淩ight now is firewood season,鈥� Eli says. 鈥淵esterday afternoon we were getting truckloads of wood to bring down because we are the wood fetchers.鈥� Eli and Tabor will drive an old beater truck into the woods, where Tabor鈥檚 dad (鈥淪hooter!鈥�) chainsaws wood that Tabor and Eli will load, stack, transport, and split鈥or the whole family.

They also occasionally help out at the Big Shooter coffee and ice cream shop that the family owns in Kremmling. With aging parents and two demanding businesses, the move home was ultimately to support Tabor鈥檚 family. 鈥淚 just really didn鈥檛 want to see that go under for my family,鈥� Tabor says. 鈥淩unning is a time in our life. But the ranch is forever.鈥�

Last winter, both Eli and Tabor signed on with Salomon鈥檚 elite running team. As a married couple who lives together, trains together, ranches together, and runs a coaching business together, 鈥淎erobic Monsters,鈥� their systems of dialogue and unending patience must be fully intact. And, by all accounts, they are.

鈥淓verything comes down to communication,鈥� Eli says. 鈥淥ur athletic life and our personal life are one and the same. We always talk about things before a [training] session.鈥�

RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Uphill Trail Running

A critical key in their success is to not dwell on things, personally or on the trail. After a training run, they鈥檒l take five minutes to debrief, and move on. 鈥淚f something鈥檚 bothering us, we say it,鈥� says Tabor. 鈥淭here is danger in assuming the other person knows what you鈥檙e thinking.鈥�

They find a ton of benefit in simply showing up, every day, for each other and for the training session, even if it didn鈥檛 go as planned. 鈥淐鈥檚 get degrees, is something I always tell my athletes,鈥� Eli says.

Tabriz Holtz, 46, is a computer software engineer from Los Gatos, California. She鈥檚 been coached by the Hemmings for the past two years after experiencing a series of serious health setbacks. Eli and Tabor worked tirelessly, and she slowly moved from a one-minute run, one-minute walk, to a sub two-hour half marathon. 鈥淚 never thought that was possible. Ever,鈥� Holtz says.

鈥淭abor and Eli bring science-backed, evidence-based encouragement and belief to their coaching,鈥� remarked Melissa Kovacs, 50, another one of the Hemmings鈥檚 athletes. She came to them 鈥渁 mid-pack road runner beaten down by menopause, and their belief in me pulled me out of a dark place. They literally believe in me more than I believe in me.鈥�

The Final Test

Eli and Tabor flew out this week to compete in the GTWS Final held in conjunction with the in Italy. But that wasn鈥檛 before the two ran the , last weekend in Big Bear, California, to qualify for next year鈥檚 OCC 55K in Chamonix.

Eli nabbed second place in 3:49:35, while Tabor made her way to the podium, finishing third woman in 4:40:49. After less than a week of rest, they鈥檒l be racing the 5K prologue and the 24K mountain race (with 4,500 feet of vertical gain) of the GTWS Final.

Such race stacking might sound crazy, but it鈥檚 all part of their training strategy. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if it’s mental or if it’s actually physical, but it just works really well,鈥� says Eli.

鈥淚f you think about a taper, you’re kind of getting stale,鈥� Tabor adds. 鈥淭hat stimulus of elevating lactate even a little helps clear the system. Then, mentally, you’re like, 鈥極h, I made it to that place and I survived.鈥� You know that place.鈥�

What the two seem to prioritize is diversifying their races and having fun, while not being overly committed to one single race or result. 鈥淲e work toward the race that’s coming up and find enjoyment from that,鈥� says Tabor. 鈥淲hile not having all our eggs in one basket for the [GTWS] final. Because then, if the plan goes poorly, there goes the whole season.鈥�

The Hemmings have become the American darlings of the Golden Trail World Series, the world鈥檚 leading series of lightning-fast short-course trail races around the world, including crowd favorites like Zegama, Sierre-Zinal, Pikes Peak Ascent, and others, while attracting some .

鈥淲hat’s different about the Golden Trail Series is how it’s helping spark a sub-ultra push, especially for athletes like us who are just getting into it but who are trying to compete at the elite level,鈥� Eli says. 鈥淭hey’re trying to create a college-type feel, organizing it so you feel like you’re part of the event.鈥�

One of the many friends they鈥檝e met during their time with Golden Trail World Series is Caitlin Fielder, one of New Zealand鈥檚 most talented trail and mountain athletes. Fielder, 30, lives and trains in Andorra.

鈥淏efore starting the GTWS, I went to races alone, stayed alone, and just kind of kept to myself,鈥� says Fielder. 鈥淏ut the GTWS really made me feel like I鈥檓 part of a team, forming relationships with people like the Hemmings that would have been harder to create otherwise.鈥� She is going into the GTWS ranked seventh in the women鈥檚 division, with Tabor close behind in 12th place.

But perhaps more than the glory of rankings is what this series has done to bring athletes closer together, to elevate each other鈥檚 performances through relationships.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just super cool to feel like you鈥檙e making lifelong friendships built on the foundations of a sport that everyone understands its difficulties and joys,鈥� Fielder says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like you鈥檙e competing to make yourself and your friends better.鈥�

The Golden Trail World Series has a total prize purse of about $315,000, which includes $18,000 spread among the top 10 finishers of each race during the season and nearly $8,000 for the finals. While it helps elite runners make a living at their craft, it also creates community.

鈥淵ou get to live and breathe with them for a week. You’re making amazing friendships, seeing how everyone else likes trains, how everybody else lives,鈥� adds Tabor. 鈥淭hey try to do a really good job of getting the best in the world together.鈥�

The Golden Trail World Series finals will be held from October 19 – 22, and each day鈥檚 races .听

The post Meet the Fastest Trail Running Couple in America聽 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The 128th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America just began informing qualified applicants of their status this morning, and the numbers are as fascinating as they are fast.

After 33,058 qualifier applications came flooding in during registration week earlier this month to run next year鈥檚 race鈥攖aking place on April 15, 2024鈥�22,019 applicants were accepted (pending final verification).

鈥淭his year鈥檚 registration week resulted in the highest number of qualified applicants in race history, a testament to the strength of the marathon community,鈥� said David Tyrie, Chief Digital Officer and Chief Marketing Officer for Bank of America.

鈥楥ut-Off鈥� Times Five and a Half Minutes Faster

To gain entry into the Boston Marathon requires each runner to have an official qualifying race prior to applying, with . However, with such high demand for the race by qualified runners, the unofficial 鈥渃ut-off鈥� times for being accepted into the race are often minutes faster than the official qualifying standards.

RELATED: 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 2023 Boston Marathon Coverage

For the 2024 Boston Marathon race, this year鈥檚 鈥渃ut-off鈥� time needed to gain acceptance was 5 minutes, 29 seconds or faster than the official qualifying time.听For example, say you are a 40-year-old male applicant. The official B.A.A. qualifying standard for this age/gender is 3 hours, 10 minutes. But in order to be accepted into next year鈥檚 race, any qualifying times slower than 3 hours, 4 minutes, 31 seconds would not be accepted.

This stout benchmark translated this year to more than 11,000 applicants not being accepted into next year鈥檚 Boston Marathon.

Boston Marathon Applicants, By the Numbers

Looking into the 22,000-plus runners who were just notified of their acceptance鈥攚ith ages ranging from 18 to 82鈥攈ere鈥檚 how the numbers break down: 12,535 men, 9,440 women, and 44 non-binary athletes from all 50 states. In addition, automatic entry is offered to those who鈥檝e finished 10 or more previous Boston Marathons, and 660 of these applicants were granted entry.

What鈥檚 also interesting is that over one-third of the entire field at next year鈥檚 Boston Marathon will be newbies鈥�11,391 of the accepted applicants will be running Boston for the first time.

RELATED: How the Boston Marathon Qualifying System Fails Runners

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) was established 1887,聽and has become聽a non-profit organization that manages the Boston Marathon and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round programming. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City.

I Wasn鈥檛 Accepted into the 2024 Boston Marathon? Can I Still Run?聽聽

Athletes interested in running next year鈥檚 race as part of a fundraising effort, affiliated with select charity programs, are invited to contact the nonprofit or organization to see what opportunities there are. Read more about the race鈥檚 charity program.

How Can I Successfully Plan for the 2025 Boston Marathon?

The 2025 qualifying window has already begun on September 1, 2023, and further registration information will be announced following the conclusion of the 128th race. Stay tuned鈥攁nd keep training.

RELATED: Your Perfect 8-Week Marathon Training Plan

The post The 2024 Boston Marathon Acceptance Letters Arrived Today. Here鈥檚 What the Data Tells Us. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The magic of the Colorado hut-to-hut trip really sunk in when the puzzles came out. Puzzles and whiskey.

It was day two, the second hut of a four-day trip hosted by Salomon and Rickey Gates, writer and trail running legend. There were six runners, including me, all arriving from various parts of the country to enjoy a multiday route designed by Gates that would string together a series of high elevation huts鈥攖wo of which were part of the

Four days. Three nights. Forty-five miles. Each day鈥檚 run would include 9 to 15 miles with 3,000 vertical feet of climbing. This was no race, no FKT pace. Rather, it was a multi-day running experience within Colorado鈥檚 White River National Forest joined by several others for an extended period of time.

OK, back to the puzzle. That evening, after a dinner of sausages and salad, a few circled around the jigsaw puzzle by headlamp. Some drank whiskey. Others sipped tea. All fiddled with puzzle pieces and shared about their lives and running goals, huddled in the warmth of a high elevation hut after two days running across some of the most gorgeous terrain in the world.

If something like this, a four-day trail running adventure along Colorado鈥檚 high country ridgelines during peak wildflower season, sounds like an activity you鈥檇 be keen to pursue, the following is a primer for where to start: what makes hut running so unique, what gear you might consider, and what options there are out there for you to start planning.

What Is Hut Running?

A hut-to-hut trip is any multiday adventure that links up a series of established sleeping structures in the backcountry. Most hut link-ups have traditionally been designed with hikers, backpackers, skiers, and mountaineers in mind, but running between huts is fully compatible and can offer a whole new level of adventure.

Depending on the location, huts vary in quality and amenities, from rustic lean-tos to fully staffed cabins with electricity, running water, warm meals, and beds. What you鈥檒l find in the , for example, will look quite different than hut accommodations in system. Common denominators include walled shelter, a place to prepare food, and a bathroom of some kind.

Doug Mayer is the founder of and a long-time organizer of multiday hut trips in and around Chamonix, France. To Mayer, the secret sauce of hut running is in the extended time within a landscape.

鈥淎 hut trip is a great way to mix trail running with the alpine world,鈥� says Mayer. 鈥淵ou get to stay high, often interacting with technical climbers and having an in-depth interaction with alpine culture. Also, you can step outside the hut at night, walk a few feet, and find yourself in a magical, high mountain environment. At some of the huts we use, you literally get to sleep next to a glacier.鈥�

What鈥檚 also special about hut running is that it鈥檚 never quite the same wherever you go. 鈥淚n Europe, hut culture is dramatically different than in the U.S.鈥� says Mayer. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no differentiation between front country and backcountry in the Alps. So huts are closer to remote, high-elevation hotels, complete with great meals, wine, and beer, and other services.鈥�

Compare this to Ecuador鈥檚 Cotopaxi hut route, which provides a whole new level of experience and challenge. 鈥淓cuador has all the ingredients for a world-class hut-to-hut trail running trip: stunning landscapes, a web of rugged mountain trails, colorful haciendas with regional food, warm showers, beds to crash in,鈥� . 鈥淭he infrastructure is basic compared to popular hut-to-hut routes in Europe, but the novelty drew us to its less-beaten path.鈥�

For Gates鈥檚 Colorado Hut Run Hut trip, the 10th Mountain Division huts were part of a network of over 30 shelters dotted across the Rockies, the first constructed in the early 1980s and adhering to a similar layout and accommodation: a simple bunk loft with several cots and pads, a wood fired stove, and a full kitchen with running water, propane, and electricity. (His crew provided sleeping bags and liners.)

Why Should You Consider a Hut Running Trip?

In a time of growing interest in trail running, more races are available than ever before, domestically and internationally. There鈥檚 also been an emerging trend of alternative running destination experiences that emphasize the experiential and communal over single-day competition. Popular options include and , to name a few. But hut running offers something even more unique within this space of experiential foot travel.

Here are four distinct benefits that differentiate hut-to-hut trips:

1. Community. The social component of hut-to-hut running is an underappreciated, central component. If you鈥檙e with a group, each participant is invited to make their way every day as a collective, though most spread out along the trail for most of the day. Alongside demands of covering the miles, there are often evenings with food and games, and plenty of downtime to get to know each other. Even if you鈥檙e customizing your own hut trip, accommodations are typically shared, so chances are you鈥檒l rub shoulders with people each night.

2. Extended Time Outdoors. To be away from phones and laptops and be enmeshed in a landscape for multiple days on end is a valuable鈥攊f not exceedingly rare鈥攅xperience these days. A hut trip offers just that: multiple days strung together, often point-to-point runs at a manageable pace, doing what you love while undistracted by front country temptations. Hut running scratches the itch of overnights on the trail and yet, unlike backpacking, offers a chance to travel light and fast over longer distances with little gear.

3. Retreat. If your life does not permit you to take up residency in a mountain monastery or pledge ascetic minimalism for a year鈥攚elcome to the club. But that doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 engineer smaller, shorter retreats into your schedule, a fail-safe antidote to burnout. According to a recent , 鈥渁bout three in four employees in the U.S. experience workplace burnout at least sometimes, and about one in four experience burnout either 鈥榲ery often鈥� or 鈥榓lways.鈥欌�� If this is you, hut running might be a helpful counterbalance.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an experience you won鈥檛 find anywhere else, especially for those who feel like they need a break from work and technology,鈥� says Seth Epley, a Hut Run Hut participant from Austin, Texas. 鈥淐limbing up a mountain, drinking glacial melt, overlooking a horizon of peaks and ridges鈥攊t鈥檚 all just so revitalizing.鈥�

That鈥檚 just it, hut-to-hut running鈥檚 winning formula: a prolonged opportunity to pause, a suspended exhalation in wild space surrounded by like-minded people, an accessible form of active wilderness retreat that can return you to work or daily life feeling recalibrated and reset.

4. Accomplishment. Gates has been organizing these Colorado Hut Run Hut trips since 2014, and his typical offering is a six-day, 100-mile trip from Aspen to Red Cliff. He鈥檚 expanded the trips to include running experiences in New Mexico, Alaska, and Japan, and yet what continues to inspire him every time is watching people set hard challenges for themselves and making them happen.

鈥淭he most powerful moment for me on these trips is seeing the looks on peoples’ faces when they’ve accomplished something they didn’t know they had in them,鈥� says Gates. On this Colorado hut trip, while some runners were familiar with high elevation running, others arrived from lower elevations and were forced to push their personal edges, to great benefit.

This included Tonya Russell, a freelance writer and avid road runner from Philadelphia. Her hut experience sparked a whole new love for running, even after having some low moments.

鈥淔orcing myself to take on the challenge taught me how much of a beating my body could take, but also, the prize of trail running eventually revealed itself,鈥� she said. 鈥淒uring the tough parts, I picked apart the miles, trying to conceptualize how long it would take to finish, about how many minutes would get me to the next mile. My guide, Gus, would say: 鈥楧on鈥檛 worry about the time. We鈥檒l get there when we get there.鈥欌��

Essential Hut-to-Hut Gear Pieces

Some hut running experiences shuttle your bags, which means that all you must carry is a day鈥檚 worth of water, nutrition, and layers. Others, like Run the Alps, have options for guides to help carry some gear, but most runners carry all they need, sans bedding, for multiple days.

Mayer recommends a sleep sack (鈥渢o protect against itchy classic alp hut blankets!鈥�), a pillowcase, a lightweight change of clothes, and toiletries. Every organized hut running adventure will offer a region- and route-specific gear list commensurate with the miles and climate. In general, here are a few hut-to-hut gear recommendations:

鈥淪acred Clothes.鈥� For Gates, it鈥檚 all about leaning into comfort for the hut trips, as his crew shuttles small bags to every hut via 4×4 access roads. 鈥淓ssential gear for me is a really comfortable set of hut clothes,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 call them 鈥榮acred clothes.鈥欌�� The evening time is meant for recovery and socializing, so make sure you prepare with comfortable, warm clothing.

Running Vest with Extra Capacity. A sturdy running vest with enough capacity to hold water and all-weather clothing is critical. Hut running trips put you out in the elements for long days on end, and though you may have access later to a duffle bag of stuff, being prepared for unsettled weather will help your kit remain fresh and your mind strong. For my hut experience, I used the .

RELATED: The Gear I Used for a Hut-to-Hut Trail-Running Trip in Switzerland

Water Filtration. Another piece of gear that鈥檚 helpful is an inline water filter flask. You might consider the hut-to-hut as a sort of end-of-day aid station, but during the run you鈥檒l have to fend for yourself on hydration. Pick up a or Salomon鈥檚 16-ounce and consider yourself covered.

Whole Foods. Get creative with food. For trail races, often it鈥檚 best to stick to gels: simple carbohydrates and sugar, but on hut trips the pace is typically slower and you鈥檒l likely be on your feet for longer stretches with time to metabolize heartier, more whole food options. Complement your trusted gels or sports drink with savory wraps, nut butter sandwiches, dried fruits, and bars.

Musical Instruments. Because many hut running operations are supported by a shuttle, pack that small instrument to play tunes with the group.

鈥淪ome sort of musical instrument is a requirement for me on my trips,鈥� says Gates. 鈥淚t can be as small as a or as large as a guitar. Music can help bring you back to your present self.鈥� (Gates brought along and played both his accordion and a ukulele.)

Hut Running Trips to Consider

There are a growing number of hut-to-hut routes popping up around the world, some of which are easy to self-organize, while others come as a pre-arranged package. There are pros and cons to both, but the main benefit of an organized hut trip is that hut permits and reservations have already been taken care of鈥攚hich can be a pain in the ass鈥攊n addition to taking the logistics out of the equation and just requiring you to show up to do what you love most鈥攔un.

RELATED: The 13 Best Hut-to-Hut Hikes in the World

Here is a selection of six hut-to-hut running trips to jumpstart your wanderlust.

• 聽– Colorado, Japan, Alaska
• – Italy
• – Ecuador
• – New Hampshire
• Otter Trail – South Africa
• – France, Switzerland, Italy

The post Is Hut-to-Hut Running on Your Bucket List? It Should Be. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Last year, everything changed. I turned into a fan of track and field after following the 2022 World Athletic Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Partially it was because of all the buzz, but also it was a result of being held in the U.S, at Hayward Field. The athletes felt like superheroes, larger-than-life personalities with performances that lived so far from what any 鈥渘ormal鈥� athlete could perform. The specificity! The chest-pumping celebrations! The finish line kick!

When I learned that the 2023 were taking place in Budapest, Hungary, on August 19-27, I wanted to learn everything I could about the event鈥檚 inner workings: why it exists, its special relationship to the Olympic Games, and how I might follow the action.

For those who are veterans to the wonderfully complicated world of track and field, I salute you. But those of us who don鈥檛 understand its allure, I see you. Here鈥檚 a primer to get you up to speed.

What Are the World Athletics Championships?

The whole enterprise of track and field has come a long way since flexing our human might for Zeus and the gods at the first Olympic games three thousand years ago, even though several of the original disciplines remain in today鈥檚 track and field meets. At its most basic, track and field lumps together a slew of athletic disciplines, both of strength and endurance, to demonstrate the full continuum of human potential. In ancient Greece, the events were to impress the gods. These days, track and field events are more a secular pursuit of glory. Even speed walking.

In fact, we have the unusual and extraordinary sport of to thank for the birth of the World Athletics Championships (otherwise known as 鈥淲orlds.鈥� Also, 鈥淎thletics鈥� is a word more commonly used instead of track and field in Britain, New Zealand, and Australia). Sure, you might not take speed walking seriously, but ?

In 1976, the International Olympic Committee dropped the sport of race walking, so a body called the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) started World Athletics to continue, well, walking fast. (Speedy competitive walking was the only event at the first limited Worlds in 1976.)

Luckily, more events expressed an interest in joining the party and, in 1983, IAAF held the first official World Athletics Championships in Helsinki, Finland, with a full roster of disciplines. What this also did was keep track and field on people鈥檚 radars, from the Summer Olympics once-every-four-years event to a full-fledged sport. The response was overwhelming. About 1,333 athletes from 153 countries showed up. Not bad, right?

What鈥檚 the Difference Between Worlds and the Summer Olympic Games?

Because the Summer Olympic Games happen every four years, the World Athletics Championships are established as a biennial every two years. Unlike the Olympics, countries and their sport federations, like the USA Track and Field (USATF), can hold their own national championships.

Of course, the Summer Olympics showcases far more events across multiple sports over more days. (The 2024 Summer Olympics, for example, will take place in Paris and include 139 events鈥攊ncluding !鈥攐ver 18 days.)

What鈥檚 really compelling about the World Athletics Championships is that it can offer a strong preview for what to see the following year in the Summer Olympics. You might think of Worlds as a practice round for the greatest track and field athletes to battle it out before they get to the Olympics, but that鈥檚 not exactly right, as Worlds can offer some of the fastest and most dynamic performances ever seen on the track.

RELATED: 10 Things to Know About the World鈥檚 Fastest Man

Because of this, you鈥檒l always see two records in track and field. Perhaps you鈥檝e wondered about it on the screen while watching track and field on TV: the Olympic Record (OR) and the World Record (WR). World records are all-time bests and can be set in the Olympics or any sanctioned event around the world, whereas Olympic records are the best marks ever recorded in Olympic competition. Both coexist and reinforce each other, with Worlds offering top-shelf credibility within the sport, while the Olympics bear the prestige of medals and international glory. Imagine watching your all-time favorite band play at a small downtown venue, up close and personal, and then, months later, seeing them headline at Madison Square Gardens.

Eugene 2022 Worlds: The Most-Viewed Track and Field Event Ever

You might remember a ton of buzz last year over running events in Eugene, Oregon, Track Town U.S.A. That was because the World Athletics Championships was held at Hayward Field, with every national broadcasting channel serving up regular updates. Never had there previously been such a craze in the United States about track. An estimated 18.7 million viewers watched the 2022 World Athletics Championships, making it the most-watched world track and field championships ever.

The 2022 World Athletic Championships was electric. , which is over 20 feet, the height of two NBA basketball hoops stacked atop of each other. We watched as the two-time Olympian Faith Kipyegon dominated the 1,500 meters. And we cheered as the charismatic, 25-year-old former Stanford University track star Grant Fisher pushed his limits of what鈥檚 possible in the finals of the 5K.

The World Athletics Championships is the third-largest sporting event on the planet, in terms of athletes participating, trailing only the FIFA World Cup and the Summer Olympic Games. The event is so large that it has its own mascot, which changes with each edition and host city. This year, in Budapest, it鈥檚 Youhuu the Sheep. Youhuu is a , a beloved animal found all over Hungary. (The country boasts 1.3 million sheep.) Youhuu comes alongside a standing tradition of mascots for Worlds including, in Eugene 2022, Legend the Bigfoot, Falah in Qatar 2022, and Hero the Hedgehog for London Worlds in 2017 ().

Just like the International Olympic Committee is behind the Olympic Games, it鈥檚 World Athletics (formerly IAAF) that鈥檚 behind the World Athletics Championships, along with several other events through the year, including the the , a series of more than a dozen one-day track and field events set around the world, replete with 32 disciplines. Those who win at the Diamond League Finals receive a trophy, a cash prize, and a wild card entry to the next Worlds.

Looking forward, we鈥檒l see the 20th edition of World Athletics next year in Tokyo, Japan. It鈥檚 anyone鈥檚 guess what the mascot will be, but, based on the past several choices, expect something furry, toothy, and goofy.

What Events Are Included in the World Athletics Championships?

The 2023 edition will happen from August 19 to August 27. That鈥檚 nine days jam-packed with 49 track and field events: 24 events for men and 24 events for women, with one mixed-gender relay event. Nearly 2,000 athletes will be representing 180 countries. That鈥檚 a lot of events. It makes it sound like a state fair or something.

In addition to the aforementioned race walk category, one way to wrap your head around the nine-day, 49-event bonanza is to think of Worlds in three main buckets: Run, Jump, and Throw.

Run: Expect electricity. Expect flag-wagging. Expect vomit. For many, sprints and hurdles are some of the most exciting, most dynamic events to watch, while the longer events can squeeze every last drop of endurance out of the runners that鈥檒l leave you, and them, breathless.

• 鈥淪prints鈥� – 100-, 200-, and 400-meter races, both flat and with hurdles
• 鈥淢iddle distance鈥� – 800- and 1500-meter races
• 鈥淟ong distance鈥� – 3K steeplechase (which involves four fixed barriers and a water jump for each lap), 5K, 10K, and marathon

Jump: Here, you鈥檒l find the long jump, high jump, triple jump, and pole vault. You may not have much of a relationship with these niche events, but damn are they fun to watch.

Throw: Javelin. Shot put. Discus. Hammer. Each throwing event demands a different, highly specific and trained technique. Don鈥檛 miss these events, as so often they feel as though throwing disciplines will throw you back in time, to some deep history reverie of Greek sport.

Lastly, there鈥檚 the overachievers, the ones who combine all three categories: the all-mighty decathlon (men), competing in 10 events, and the seven-event heptathlon (women), both over two days. To combine speed, strength, agility, and power into a two-day bender of high performance is something earmarked not for mere mortals but for superheroes. These elites are such fun to marvel at their overall aptitude, to wonder at how in the hell they have time to train for such myriad specialties, and, most importantly, what they eat鈥攎ore than Wheaties, I鈥檒l bet.

Who to Follow from Team USA?

The U.S. is sending 139 athletes, nine of whom are previous world champions. The U.S. just announced its team for the World Athletics Championships, .

RELATED: How U.S. Record Holder Alicia Monson Prepares for a World Title Run

How Can I Watch This Year鈥檚 World Athletics Championships?

If you are a lucky dog and currently in Europe, catch a cheap flight or train to Budapest and be sure and spectate鈥攜ou鈥檒l be glad you did. Each day is essentially chunked up into two halves, morning sessions and evening sessions. For about $50 per session, you can watch a combination of events, and, for $500, you can have access to every event for all nine days. Not bad!

But I鈥檓 guessing you鈥檙e not on a European holiday. (Here鈥檚 me, daydreaming.) If you鈥檙e not planning to be in Budapest anytime soon, be sure and watch or stream the 2023 World Athletics Championships live on , , NBC, and the USA Network. For live updates on the championships schedule, .

The post WTF Is the World Athletics Championships and Why Should I Care?聽聽 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

I鈥檝e been an ardent fan of the Adidas Adios for over a decade. I bought my first pair in 2012, four years after Halie Gebreselassie broke the 2:04 barrier in the marathon in the original Adios. I can still picture him flying to a world record on a moody day in Berlin while wearing a fluorescent yellow prototype.

His whiplash finishing time of 2:03:59 shattered everyone鈥檚 conception of fast, and, every time I laced them up, I held confidence that I, too, could be speedy. Since then, I鈥檝e worn several versions of the top-shelf racing shoe throughout its lifecycle, thousands of miles clocked on road workouts and light trails.

I love this shoe.

Which is why the recently released Adios 8 arrived at a particularly interesting time, a time of leaps and bounds in high performance footwear, where supershoes and carbon plates have stolen the show, and often for good reason. I wondered: What role does a shoe like the Adidas Adios 8 fill today? What role does a non-carbon-plated, high-performance flat like the Adios play in a shoe ecosystem full of Alphaflys and Endorphin Elites and Rocket Xs?

I took the latest version of my beloved Adios out for a spin to find out.

The Adidas Adios: A Quick History

Before we look under the hood, it might be helpful to contextualize the Adidas Adios. Adidas started making performance shoes in the 1920s鈥攖he three stripes have been on the feet of Olympic athletes 鈥攚hich means that, for nearly a century, the company has been refining footwear for some of the fastest running performances鈥ver.

The Adidas Adios shoe first emerged on the scene in 2008, following Gebreselassie鈥檚 aforementioned marathon record and alongside Adidas鈥� launch of the 鈥淎dizero鈥� line, a proprietary innovation led by Japanese shoe designer Toshiaki Omori. The Adizero group sought to obsessively reengineer shoes and apparel to be as lightweight as possible, while still hitting the highest performance marks. Cult classics like the Adidas鈥� Boston, first debuted in 1982, got pulled into the Adizero vortex in 2010, and the franchise grew with shoes like the Takumi-Sen, the Adios and its carbon-plated version, the Adios Pro鈥攚e鈥檒l get to these later鈥攖he Prime X, and others.

The Supershoe Revolution Will Be Televised

For nearly a decade, the Adidas Adios dominated road racing podiums before Nike鈥檚 2016 introduction of supershoes to the market, demanding responses from other players to stay competitive. In June 2020, Adidas launched the Adios Pro, but the non-carbon-plated Adios continued to live on, by that time living into its sixth incarnation.

Interestingly, the Adios 6 was the first version in which I ever noticed any significant change in the Adios quality and durability. The Adios 6 didn鈥檛 quite work for me. Sure, I wore them for hundreds of miles, but they felt narrow and unstable. They blew out faster. And, forgive me, all those technocrat shoe reviewers out there, but the outsole rubber felt slappy and flat, offering less responsiveness than previous versions.

Last summer鈥檚 Adios 7 saw minor updates to its upper, and a few ounces shaved, but concerns about durability and overall comfort remained. Was this non-supershoe getting ignored, at risk of being phased out? Finally, this June, Adidas introduced the Adios 8, with the promise of a significant overhaul.

The results? Maybe the best Adios yet.

Adidas Adios 8: The Specs

The Adios 8 features a 28mm stack height in the heel with 20mm in the forefoot鈥攂oth 1mm higher than the Adios 7鈥攚ith the same 8mm drop. Under the forefoot is a layer of the brand鈥檚 top-end, bouncy Lightstrike Pro foam while softer, lighter Lightstrike 2.0 cushions under the heel and midfoot.

The pink Energy Torsion Rod 2.0 system follows the outsole from heel to toe for wobble prevention, with a new, third rod running down the middle to provide more snap (the flexible material acting more like a rebounding spike plate than the curved, rigid, rocker plates in supershoes). On the outside, you鈥檒l find Continental rubber, mainly under the forefoot.

But you鈥檒l find the most significant update in the Adios 8 in the upper, a fine mesh made from 50 percent recycled materials. You can nearly see through the upper to whatever color socks you鈥檙e wearing, which makes for a highly breathable yet comfortable ride that holds the foot securely for confident, powerful turns and push-offs. In addition, the shoe has a very thin, partially gusseted tongue, adding up to less than 200 grams (7 ounces!), the lightest Adios that鈥檚 ever been. (Chef鈥檚 kiss.)

Where Does the Adidas Adios 8 Shine?

Unlike the trend of high stacks which need to be moderated by carbon plates, the Adidas Adios 8 commits to a reasonably low stack (for comparison: the Adios Pro 3 has 39.5 mm in the heel, opposed to 28 mm in the Adios 8), which keeps your foot closer to the ground and makes your stance more stable and agile.

The ride, however, is still propulsive and protective. I found this shoe performs exceptionally well for fast workouts and tempos鈥攊ts lightweight, breathable pop tempted me to try and replicate Gebreslessie鈥檚 kick in Berlin鈥攂ut less so when moving slower鈥攁s soon I backed off the pace, its minimal cushion resulted in a subtly less smooth ride.

Another of the Adidas Adios 8鈥檚 main appeals is the price. For $130, you are getting a lightweight, high-performance racing shoe that will endure hundreds of miles of workouts and racing at a fraction of the cost of supershoes.

The Bottom Line

After a decade-long love affair with the Adidas Adios, I鈥檓 happy to report that my involvement with this shoe will remain unabashed. And though I still reminisce about some of the more robust earlier models of the Adios, this new Adios 8 is winning me over as a cool-kid streamlined trainer that is extremely fun to wear.

I look forward to lacing them up each time for two main reasons: First, call me shallow but they look sleek and wrap perfectly around the foot, without being too narrow. Second, when I pull out the Adios, I just know I鈥檒l be going fast. They will now undoubtedly be my go-to shoe for tempos, progressions, and track work.

So if you鈥檙e a seasoned Adios lover, you鈥檒l be pleasantly surprised. And if you鈥檝e never owned a stripped down, race-ready road flat but are looking for a speedy shoe and aren鈥檛 willing to take a loan out for a $300 pair of supershoes鈥攐r have some and find them too squishy or controlling鈥攖he Adios 8 might just be the perfect addition to your lineup.

The post Why the New Adidas Adios 8 Is My Favorite Speedy Shoe appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

I鈥檝e never been much of a water person. More a terrestrial type, really. Once I nearly drowned getting caught in a frothy rip at Newport Beach, California, along with two kids who, terrified, tried using my flailing body as a life raft and almost took me down with them. Luckily, we all survived. Barely.听

So when I finally mustered up the courage to YouTube how to inflate my new 2.25-pound and give it a whirl, my palms grew clammy. Blood pressure rose a few points, even though the seven-point plan I鈥檇 outlined was embarrassingly safe:

1. Squish the boat into my Ultimate Direction 25L fastpack.
2. Run seven miles of trail up Missoula, Montana鈥檚 Clark Fork River.
3. Find a convenient put-in and inflate the thing.
4. Float downriver back to where I鈥檇 begun.
5. Deflate and stuff it in my pack.
6. Run home.
7. Eat a cheeseburger.

This would be a front country microadventure鈥攚ithin cellphone range and never more than 20 minutes from a coffee shop. It was also something I鈥檇 dreamt about doing for years: watershed travel! To聽combine elements of running trails with running water. After all, it鈥檚 water that carves the very mountains that we run, right?

Introducing: The Ghost Packraft

A ghost is something you cannot quite see. An apparition. Near-to-weightless. At 2.25 pounds (1kg), Alpacka鈥檚 Ghost fits this criteria.

Other things that weigh 2.25 pounds include a bag of apples, seven raw chicken legs, a toaster, or a pineapple.

The Ghost is Alpacka Raft鈥檚 lightest craft offering. According to the website, the boat is designed 鈥渇or those looking to sacrifice durability for weight鈥攗ltrarunning, exploratory canyoneering, and unexpected water crossings.鈥澛燭he boat measures two inches shorter than the (their next lightest boat in the fleet), with a 70d ripstop nylon hull (d is for 鈥渄enier,鈥� the official unit of density for fabric or yarn), a 200d nylon floor, and single seamtape construction. Because of its hyper-minimal build, the Ghost does not come with any spray deck or cargo fly add-ons.

RELATED: What Do I Pack for River Rafting?

Thor Tingey is the co-founder of Alpacka Raft, along with his mother, Sheri. As an outdoor-loving family who cut their expeditionary teeth in the Alaskan wilderness, the Tingey鈥檚 are enthusiastic about these new ultralight boats. Thor has completed some difficult overland trips, including a 180-mile crossing in the Alaska range, and another in the Brooks Range that was over 800 miles. But his mother is the mountain matriarch and visionary, expressed most recently in a new film on her life and work, premiering later this fall at the Mountainfilm Festival.

Admittedly, the Tingey鈥檚 are not a family of runners. 鈥淚鈥檓 content to hike all day through rough terrain,鈥� says Thor. 鈥淏ut if I have to run like 50 yards or something, I collapse and think I鈥檓 going to die.鈥�

Fortunately, one of Alpacka Raft鈥檚 lead designers, Dustin Partridge, is an accomplished mountain runner and advocate for getting run-compatible boats into the lineup, as he works from the company鈥檚 headquarters in Mancos, near Durango, Colorado.

Origins of Alpacka Packraft

Thor Tingey started Alpacka Raft with his mother in 2000, after being introduced to the sport by Roman Dial, the “Father of Packrafting,” who himself learned from one the earliest packrafting pioneers, Dick Griffith, known in the 1950s for taking World War Two life rafts to explore the Grand Canyon. Thor was moved by Dial鈥檚 many adventures, including one expedition where Dial used only bicycles and early packraft prototypes to complete a 700-mile traverse of the Alaska Range in 1996.

Thor eventually left the business (鈥淚 was just not ready to work with Mom full-time at age 25!鈥�), only to return 12 years later. At 76, Sheri is still the company鈥檚 lead designer for all the boats. The team has now expanded, and others have more sway in the direction of the company, but she remains the final word for every boat.

The Alpacka Ghost Packraft: First Impressions

After running a trail several miles upriver, putting in, and taking the Ghost successfully down Missoula’s Clark Fork river (rewarding myself with that cheeseburger), I can say with confidence that, as a novice, the boat felt easy to use and is an exceptional entry-level craft. Its weight-to-durability index is freakishly strong, and it took me only three minutes and twenty-three seconds (I timed myself) to inflate the boat using the included air bag.

Comfort levels on the water were divine, too, as osprey and bald eagles passed overhead, and I was able to navigate just fine without paddles. (I used my hands.) The boat did get a touch squirrely on a babbling rapid鈥攚hitewater is discouraged in the Ghost, tsk tsk鈥攂ut I did not capsize or take on much water. No clammy palms, either. The pack set between my legs got wet, sure, but that didn鈥檛 matter鈥攖he fun factor was through the roof.

As a featherweight boat, the Ghost is not the first of its kind. Seattle-based Curtis Designs once manufactured a 2.5-pound boat of lightweight nylon, designed for enjoying Washington State鈥檚 high mountain lakes. Another company, FlyWeight Designs, made similar models, while Supai further evolved the ultralight class using upgraded quality materials. With boats that you could stuff in a Nalgene bottle, these have become popular with canyoneers.

鈥淥riginally, we didn鈥檛 want to make a super light mountain lake boat because there were other companies already offering that,鈥� says Thor. 鈥淎nd it didn鈥檛 really fit with our brand,鈥� which was their burlier, Alaska-strong boats to get through the toughest conditions.

Starting in the mid-2000s, trail running was gaining in popularity and people kept requesting lighter boats. In 2013, Alpacka Raft launched its very first Ghost, at under two pounds. But with 30d material they were far too delicate and expensive, and didn鈥檛 sell well, so they pumped the brakes.

Nowadays, people are buying boats for all types of travel, not just niche Alaska wilderness travel, and many mountain runners became interested in packrafts. 鈥淲e thought, maybe if we go back and look at this Ghost idea again, we could make something more practical鈥攍ike we have the 70d material and put a slightly more durable floor on it,鈥� says Thor. 鈥淚t鈥檚 still a really lightweight, delicate boat, but it鈥檚 practical.鈥�

Choosing the Right Packraft and Paddle

If you鈥檙e considering picking up a packraft but don鈥檛 know if the Ghost, the Scout, or some other model is right for you, it all comes down to comfort levels and what activities you鈥檙e interested in.

鈥淭he Scout is a big step up in fabric and durability,鈥� says Thor. 鈥淚t鈥檚 in our lightweight class but can handle tons of stuff, like normal everyday paddling. The Ghost is a more specialized craft, designed more for runners who need to cut every ounce.鈥�

Perhaps more than the ounce-for-ounce difference is the bulk difference鈥攖he packing size. The Ghost is small enough to potentially haul in a waist pack, whereas the Scout requires a backpack. As mentioned, I carried the Ghost in my fastpack, which offered more than enough capacity. I worried mostly about rolling the Ghost too tight or messing up the seams, to which Thor laughed (lovingly) at me. 鈥淣o, you can crush them super tight,鈥� he said. 鈥淩oll it up as much as you want. They鈥檙e tough.鈥�

As for paddles, well, I didn鈥檛 have a paddle for my first outings, but this didn鈥檛 seem to be an issue. In fact, many ultralight packrafters opt out of paddles and use hand paddles instead. Alpacka did come out with a 15-ounce 鈥淣inja鈥� paddle, but it鈥檚 being discontinued due to supply issues and quality concerns. Thor recommends the . At 24 ounces, with a carbon option, these are the best paddles for keeping things light and strong.

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How to Pick the Perfect Packrafting Route

So what鈥檚 the optimal use for a trail runner interested in taking a packrafting adventure?

鈥淗igh mountain lakes,鈥� Thor recommends. 鈥淓xploring areas like Colorado鈥檚 Weminuche Wilderness, Wyoming鈥檚 Wind Rivers, or the Cascade Mountains.鈥� Point-to-point routes are particularly exciting for him, too, like alternatives to the Grand Canyon鈥檚 popular Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim. 鈥淭here are some amazing mixed running canyon routes through the Grand Canyon. If you were interested in exploring crossings that weren鈥檛 on the main Bright Angel Trail, you need to be able to cross the river. The Ghost is perfect for that.鈥�

Ultrarunners have certainly taken packrafts on previous adventures, including Salomon athlete Rickey Gates鈥檚 , and his trip with Dakota Jones, where in 2016, . Flagstaff, Arizona鈥檚 Rob Krar dabbles into packrafting and is .

Boating Newbie? Not a Problem.

Sure, the Ghost may be a specialized craft at a committed price point ($745), but it does make for a wonderful entry point into water sports if you鈥檙e anything like me: far more comfortable on terra firma than water.

鈥淔or a substantial number of our customers, packrafting is their first experience with a paddle sport,鈥� says Thor. 鈥淯nlike kayaking鈥攈eavier boats, special skills鈥攖o pick up a packraft and have an adventure is pretty easy. I think that鈥檚 one of its biggest appeals.鈥� He likens packrafting to the gravel bike craze, where you can just go out and have fun on a wide variety of surfaces, thanks to their versatility.

鈥淓ven in big cities, there鈥檚 really cool urban adventures you can do,鈥� says Thor. He recalls a trip where he took his packraft to New York City, rented a bike from Times Square, crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, inflated his raft, and paddled all the way to East River, past Harlem, then got a taxi back. 鈥淧lease don鈥檛 do this on your first float!鈥� Thor cautions, laughing nervously, due to its tricky slosh of currents and boats.

If you do end up falling in love with packrafting and wish to take your relationship to the next level鈥攁nd perhaps a few levels after that鈥攈ere are two packrafting events to consider checking out, at your own risk:

– Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic: First held in 1982, this event is considered integral to the development of packrafting itself. Some argue it鈥檚 the hardest adventure race in the world, with 150- to 250-mile routes through formidable terrain. No organizing body. No aid. No race, really.

– McCarthy Whitewater Festival and Packrafting Race. Every July in McCarthy, Alaska, the finishing times at this event are getting terrifyingly fast, won by local runners like Nordic skier Galen Johnson. 鈥淭he Mountain Marathon is like a training race for him,鈥� says Thor. 鈥淢cCarthy is what he鈥檚 most proud of.鈥�

I, for one, will not be competing in either of these events any time soon. I did, however, take Thor鈥檚 advice and follow wilderness trails up into Montana鈥檚 Bitterroot Mountains, to test the Ghost out on some high alpine lakes.

First, I found that moving along trails with the Ghost was a nonissue. Negligibly small and light. Second, once inflated and out on the lake, the Ghost was in its element. So was I. After hugging the shoreline, I eventually paddled toward the middle of the lake, where I gained a stunning view of the range鈥檚 highest summits. And finally, after paddling to lake鈥檚 deepest point, I laid back into the boat and decided to conduct the most hardcore endurance activity of them all: I took a nap.

The post This Packraft Weighs Less than a Pineapple and Is Perfect for Summer 国产吃瓜黑料s appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Rod Farvard鈥檚 mustache might be my favorite in all of running. It鈥檚 neither thick nor groomed, neither oiled nor manicured. It鈥檚 messy. It鈥檚 patchy. It curls at the ends. I think I caught him snacking on his own facial hair the day his whole body began snacking on itself at the highest point in Thailand, as he attempted to run the 100-miler in December, 2022.

I didn鈥檛 know it at the time but his kidneys were failing and his father had nearly died from cardiac arrest on the plane a few days prior. I鈥檇 probably gnaw on my mustache, too.

Rod Farvard, 27, from Mammoth Lakes, California, is an up-and-coming elite ultrarunner and former triathlete. In 2022, he was selected as one of 17 athletes for the North Face鈥檚 (ADP), the latest emerging model of innovative athlete support and sponsorship, ways that companies and organizations are beginning to think differently about how to support athletes and changemakers within the endurance community.

The North Face announced ADP in March 2022 as a way to 鈥渢o equip aspiring athletes with the tools and financial means to achieve their athletic goals and inspire other adventurers within their communities.鈥� The program was established to face systemic barriers in the recruitment process that often keep underrepresented communities across race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and differently-abled athletes from excelling in their discipline.

The North Face would select a small cohort of athletes and offer them a two-year contract with funding, gear, education, and one-on-one mentorship to accelerate their progress and reach the next level of their sport. After a short application period, they received 2,500 applicants, and athletes were chosen in February 2023, . In addition to Farvard, ADP trail runners include Helen Mino Faukner, Rudy Lindquist, Sophia Gorman, Terence Copeland, Laura Cortez.

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To Pro or Not to Pro

To understand why Farvard was selected in this pool of talented athletes, it鈥檚 helpful to know more about his background. Farvard ran cross country in high school. In 2012, during senior year, he dropped out of a California state race after hitting a wall at mile two.

鈥淔or whatever reason it ate at me for so long,鈥� he said.

Farvard eventually turned to marathons, then to triathlons, where he competed at U.C. Santa Barbara for two years. 鈥淓ver since then, I鈥檝e been trying to find that wall again. I want to get to that cracking point so much. I want to prove to myself that I am better than that internally,鈥� he said.

After college, Farvard lived in San Francisco and worked in tech. He ran his first ultra when he was 19, and went on to podium several races in California over the next few years, including a win in 2019, at the Kodiak 100. In 2021, he set the supported FKT for the John Muir Trail, north-to-south (3 days, 16 hours, 2 minutes), an impressive effort that positioned him for future success in ultras. In 2022, he picked up a Golden Ticket at Canyons 100K, had a rough day at Western States, but fortunately made up for it with a 23rd place finish at UTMB, one of the top American finishers. He鈥檒l be returning to States this year.

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As someone who had been a competitive athlete while also holding a full-time job, he鈥檚 flirted for years with trying to run full-time. 鈥淎ll it means is that you鈥檙e giving yourself a shot,鈥� he said. This sentiment lies at the heart of why he applied for the ADP program in the first place. He wanted to give himself a shot to commit fully to ultrarunning. Farvard found himself in a position where he was less interested in acquiring any random sponsor, and more inspired to collaborate with a brand he could get behind. That鈥檚 when he thought of the North Face.

 

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鈥淭he type of people here, like the level of boundaries that the athletes want to push, was just always incredibly inspiring to me,鈥� he said.

All 17 ADP athletes come from different backgrounds, sports, and vocations. In fact, most athletes applied to the program for different reasons. 鈥�The North Face comes at it from an angle of: how do we represent more people in our sport that still have incredible potential to be really good athletes, but that they may be getting overlooked right now?鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you want to foster talent in the sport and not just have a one-hit wonder with athletes, I think these mentorship programs are incredibly important.鈥�

One-on-One Mentorship

Every ADP athlete gets paired with a to collaborate on projects and receive mentorship through their two-year contract. The cohort meets bi-weekly, with new guest speakers on each call. Recently, a session has been focused on developing the athletes鈥� deepest intentions for pursuing the sport and goals鈥攃ultivating their why.

鈥淚t鈥檚 easy when you鈥檙e racing all the time to just think about who you want to be as an athlete and what races you want to podium at and where you want to get to the sport,鈥� said Farvard. 鈥淏ut, why? Why do you want to get to that level? The North Face is stopping us here and having us craft our story, to try and figure out our why, what drives us to want to do all these goals.鈥�

Farvard was paired with North Face Global Athlete Zach Miller, 2023 winner of the Tarawera 100 Mile race, fifth place and first American at the 2022 Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, and, most recently, his epic finish at the , to name a few of his many accolades. 鈥淲e both have really big goals and both like love getting after it. So we鈥檝e had fun creating different ideas,鈥� said Farvard.

鈥淚鈥檝e really enjoyed getting to mentor Rod,鈥� said Miller. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a great guy who has already done some impressive things in the trail running space. He鈥檚 motivated, thoughtful, and dialed in his pursuits. He shows a lot of maturity and a desire to learn and grow as an athlete. I鈥檓 enjoying seeing Rod progress and hope that in some way I can take the knowledge and experience that I鈥檝e acquired in this sport and pass it on to him.鈥�

Every ADP athlete gets a guaranteed $5,000 to spend on a project of their choosing, but they鈥檒l work with their mentor to devise a project proposal and pitch to The North Face, with the intention of telling stories through expeditionary projects of each athletes鈥� reason for doing what they do. In the process, Farvard has already had great opportunities to network, skillshare, and commit to manifesting his dreams.

鈥淚鈥檝e been more encouraged to take ownership of what I鈥檓 most passionate about and pursue it to a full level,鈥� said Farvard. 鈥淎nd being surrounded by all these different athletes who are doing that is really encouraging.鈥�

The Collective Is Key

Esther Kendall is the North Face鈥檚 Global Sports Marketing Manager, and she is overwhelmed with how generative the program has been. 鈥淚t has been a huge team effort,鈥� said Kendall. 鈥淭he athletes are so positive, so eager to learn, and so open to having conversations, and have come together as a team so quickly.鈥� A central goal of the Athlete Development Program, according to Kendall, was rethinking the North Face鈥檚 approach to working with athletes.

鈥淚f you talk to any athlete on our team, they didn鈥檛 get to where they are alone,鈥� said Kendall. 鈥淭he primary goal is to equip aspiring athletes with tools and resources to achieve their athletic goals, to take responsibility as a brand, looking for the best athletes in the world and help people get there who might not have a clear path to connections or opportunities.鈥�

Her selection committee really looked for athletes who were on the cusp of the next big thing. 鈥淩od鈥檚 a great example of someone who has had successes but still has so much more to offer our sport, not only in terms of performance but as someone interested in building and growing the trail community,鈥� said Kendall. 鈥淗e is resilient and is able to find joy and positivity, even when things are not going to plan.鈥�

Another ADP athlete Laura Cortez, 29, from Denver, Colorado. Cortez鈥檚 personal mission, as part of the program, is to 鈥渇oster welcoming environments for the communities to define what the outdoors is for themselves.鈥� , Cortez鈥檚 experience with the ADP program, like Farvard鈥檚, has been overwhelmingly positive. 鈥淎 large part of this process is getting the chance to look behind the curtain at what being a professional athlete with a big brand looks like, and learning the business side of it,鈥� she said.

In 2020, Cortez started Trailtinos, a running group for Latinx and Hispanic runners in the Denver area. The group hosts group runs and meet-ups to increase visibility for the Latinx community and provide a sense of community and source of support in a predominately white sport.

If you want to foster talent in the sport and not just have a one-hit wonder with athletes, I think these mentorship programs are incredibly important.

Cortez is paired with Flagstaff, Arizona, runner Rob Krar, and they chat weekly. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been in the sport for a hot minute, so it鈥檚 really special to listen to him talk about how much the sport has changed and how the opportunities on the professional side have grown, too.鈥�

Cortez鈥檚 goals with the ADP were twofold. First, she really wanted to dive into what it would feel like to be a professional athlete. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something I鈥檝e always wanted to give myself the chance to do, by having enough financial and athlete support (coach, nutrition help, strength/conditioning, mentorship, connections),鈥� said Cortez. 鈥淭he support the North Face is providing us with has helped me make major strides there.鈥� Second, she wanted to grow as an advocate for cultural healing through sport. 鈥淭his more action-taking approach has helped me think of new ways to show up for my community and really assess the underlying barriers and layers of nuance that can interfere not only our participation in sport, but being outside in general.鈥�

But perhaps the most compelling case to be made for the power of something like the ADP is the community. With the ADP, athletes are representing disciplines of climbing, skiing, snowboarding, trail running, and alpinism, and the diversity of creative skill-sharing is powerful.

As someone who grew up playing team sports, Cortez found being part of this cohort of talent energizing. 鈥淥nce you become an adult and continue doing sports at a higher level, the overall participation changes. Schedules and priorities shift, engagement wears off, and it can be difficult to find a group of like-minded folks who want to push themselves as much as you do,鈥� she said.

Next Up? Western States

On June 24, Farvard will toe the line at Western States, his third time running the historic race. In some ways, Western States is one of his greatest challenges. 鈥淲hat keeps bringing me back is that I have not figured it out. It鈥檚 just such a hard race to understand,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like this massive puzzle; there鈥檚 just so many more pieces to get it right.鈥�

After recovering from States, he鈥檒l build for TDS at UTMB, a 90-mile course with over 30,000 feet of vertical gain. And though he couldn鈥檛 share every detail about the The North Face project he鈥檚 developing, with the assistance of Zach Miller, it will be attempted at the end of September, and it will involve an attempt to link up all the eastern Sierra 14ers by human-power. One can only hope that his mustache will come along for the ride.

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