We hear a lot about different training metrics, including the most famous of all: VO2 Max, the maximum amount of oxygen you are able to use during intense effort. It’s been suggested that VO2 Max is the ultimate measure of fitness and predicts our longevity, but is it really something most of us should focus on when designing a training plan? As explained in this piece by pro-athlete, Becky Wade Firth, “It doesn’t account for competitive instincts, mental fortitude, closing speed, running form, fueling strategy, technical skills or any of the other hard-to-measure variables that also play an important role in your running performance and potential.”
“I had a good day and I’m just really pleased with myself,” So states Natalie Grabow, an 80 year old athlete who just became the oldest woman to finish the Kona Ironman World Championship. Natalie started triathlon at 60, when she finally learned to swim, and her daughter proudly explains how her mother is an “example of what working hard and sticking with something and riding out the highs and lows. You just keep going. You never give up.”
Tiffany DeMasters
Thinking of a fall or winter run-cation? Find clear trails and roads, while still getting your mountain-fix in the Eastern Sierra. Located just south of Mammoth Lakes, along Hwy 395, Bishop, CA is unpretentious and welcoming, with snow-capped mountain backdrops, hot springs for recovery, plentiful camping, and enough food and drink options to satisfy your runners’ appetite. “While popular year round, Bishop’s immediate surroundings are ideally accessible from October to about May when it’s sunny but cooler, and a getaway from a wet or snowy winter.” Trust me, you will not be disappointed by the sunny trails, extensive dirt roads, and inspiring Sierra views.
Dan
How Endurance Athletes Cope with Pain
Fast Talk Labs unpack what pain really means in endurance sport and how ultra-athletes use interoception, mindset, and adaptive coping (vs. maladaptive spirals) to finish stronger—less suffering, more control.
Horizon | An Ultra Marathon Documentary
This documentary follows 21-year-old, Jordan Novota, as he prepares and races Oregon Cascades 100.
