Weekly RunDown #69

Juha Väätäinen

"Stadiums are for spectators.  We runners have nature and that is much better."

Juha Väätäinen

First Weekly RunDown of the New Year

As I have mentioned before I am on a "short list" for top blog at RunUltra so if you can vote for this blog that would be much appreciated.  You can go here to vote by going to the "Vote Here" link and then voting for "Tony Konvalin."  There is a second vote I am part of but this just to get on the short list so if you could vote here it would be appreciated - under Publications & Online\Blog

New article I wrote at the end of the year on Spirituality and Running

iRunFar.com's This Week in Running January 1, 2018

Ultrarunning Magazine's 2017's performances of the year

One of my favorite marathoners Yuki Kawauchi got the record for most sub 2:20 marathons with 76.  He did this not in the nice weather of some warm far off land but by running 2:18:59 in temps, with wind chill, down to -23C (-9.4F) in the Marshfield New Year's Day Marathon in MA.  Watch the finish of the race here.  By the way as he ran this on the 1st so it is also a world leader.

Rachel writes on starting her journey to the 2018 Western States 100

Ever had a bad race - if so it's normal - if not you will

Might make for a small Olympic Trials race here in the US: Inside the Japanese 2020 Olympic Trials

A flash back to the 1981 US National X-Country Championship and the upset that took place on Nov 28th

Looking forward to seeing how the US team will do at the Great Edinburgh X-Country Challenge January 13, 2018

What shoe would you add to this list of the 20 Best Running Shoes of All-Time

Who fell for this as I did - Kilian goes for 2:10 at the London Marathon.  I guess in Span December 28th is El Día de los Santos Inocentes which is like our April Fools Day

iRunFar.com is a site I go to regularly and here is there Best of iRunFar 2017 post

John Kelly not only wins The Barkley Marathons, got 60th in Kona, was 2nd overall and 1st amateur at the Long Course National Championships but then also won the Lookout Mountain 50 Miler - along with other races he did and excelled at - not a bad 2017

If you need some new year resolutions here are some suggestions

If you live near it you might want to try the Mt. Mitchell Challenge 40 Miler and Mt. Mitchell Marathon - February 24, 2018

Nice write up on the inaugural NoBusiness 100 by Tim Hill, winner of 2017 Yamacraw 50K, who got 3rd

Ultimate Direction list of nominees for FKT of the year from which they will choose a winner

Steve Speirs recaps up 2017 at his blog RunBulldogRun.com

Interesting story at The Natural Running Center on a High School Cross-Country team that trains in minimal shoes

A talk with Richard Donovan on Ultra-running

Some idea to help make you a more durable runner

An article on setting your PB, that is a PR here across the pond.   I agree that as you get faster going out with those you may not be ready for can lead to PB's.  I can also attest to going out with those faster than I and have spectacular blow ups.  But as you get faster you have to take risks to go faster.  The comment on running more needs to be take carefully as I might say getting is fastest time after a long week may speak more to the need to a taper than the amount of miles.

Just got one of the Stryd running power meters, Stryd Blog, been on vacation so it is waiting for me at home, and it will be interesting to see how it works and how it correlates to HR - even though I know "power" and "HR" are not the same.  More to come as I work to figure this out but should be fun.  Once I get it set up I will be working on posts to follow how it goes.

Speaking of the Stryd I did find a site where the author, Bill Zdon of The Negative Splits Podcast, is working with a coach using power to get his Boston Qualifier - BQ or Bust: The Power Experiment


Masters Running News
The importance of exercise as you age

Hard enough to run 100 miles and let alone being 58, even though more and more maters are running Ultras,  but running 100 miles on a treadmill

Sally is running great in later in life and to add to that is raising money for eye research along the way

Cold weather will not stop this 71 year old from running a 5K


Races this Coming Week
Bandera 100K - also is the USATF 100K Trail Championship, Bandera, TX - January 6, 2018
San Tan Scramble Trail Runs (50k, 26K, 17K & 9K), Queen Creek, AZ - January 6, 2018
Wild Azalea Trail Challenge 50 Mile, Alexandria, LA - January 6, 2018


Past Weekend Race Results
Across the Years, Glendale, AZ - December 28 - January 3, 2018
Ultra Trail Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong - December 30, 2017


New product coming soon from SFuels


1971 European Championships, 10000m, Helsinki


I have probably shown these before figured good to start the year with a little humor - First The truth About Running


and here is Race Pace


More fun from Mountain Outpost - The Holiday Mile


And the first Mountain Outhouse news of 2018 - well is was posted on line in 2017 but the first one here:)


The Triple Crown of 200's


If you can get to New Zealand - How about trying the inaugural Tarawera Ultramarathon 100 Miler



TAUR 2017 Year in Review

2017 HardRock 100 - Kilian Highlights - by Training for Ultra


Introducing MAF by Dr. Phil Maffetone