In trail and ultra-running, there seems to be the ever persistent pressure to always push your limits, to always go further, and to always strive for that 100 mile buckle. Pushing your limits isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can sometimes seem like you haven’t earned the right to call yourself a runner if you don’t have at least one of those buckles under your belt.
When we hit the trails and take in the miles of beauty and nature around us, we are in our happy place. Those steep climbs, fast straightaways, and speedy descents can feel like you are on top of the world. Sometimes it can also take a toll on our bodies.
When I started trail running I never entertained the idea of running at night. Why would one run at night? To begin with, there are so many things that go bump in the night, and running at night seems like a perfect opportunity to bump into one of those things.
As I was getting out of the car at my favorite trailhead after a long commute home from work, all I wanted was to move my body underneath the bright sun before we both tucked in for the evening. There was nothing special about it, just my regular Tuesday run through the forest.
I’ve seen the question asked many times throughout the past few years. Why are there less women competing at races over the 50k distance? The answer is complex and multifaceted, but to really find the answer we need to understand the psychological experience that women have when they participate in a sport where they are under-represented.
To me, nothing beats a 2-3 mile run to the nearby lake in the sun. However, lately my favorite pastime has been plagued with throbbing knee pain, robbing me from my typical enjoyment.
