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Ariel Cudmore just ran 62 miles at the Eagle Ultra.

On paper, that's just a huge effort. …but what the results page doesn't say is that 18 months ago, she nearly died from a severe infection and emergency surgery.

We spend so much time obsessed with results and math of this sport, agonizing over splits and peaking at the right time, that it's easy to forget what a start line actually represents.

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Ariel didn't race this weekend just to execute a perfect pacing strategy.

This run was really a celebration of overcoming a brutal 18 months of obstacles to finally get her health and fitness back.

Because it was a backyard format, she got to stand on that line 15 separate times.

It’s a pretty grounding reminder that before we even talk about times or PRs, the real privilege of running is having a body that lets you get out there and deliver your best effort.

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We put the full rundown of this week's community races up on the TRR site.

If you want to read more about Ariel's race, or just need a reminder of why we all put ourselves through this, it's worth a look >> teamrunrun.com

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Team RunRun - A Running Coach for Every Runner

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running threads

Every highschool and college runner thats looking to make a big jump this XC season is usually thinking about how to run more, and run faster to be ready for the Fall.

Coach Clark shares how many athletes tend to ruin their base phase by grinding themselves into the dust every day and running every run as fast as possible.

His message is if you want to move from a decent varsity spot to a state podium, your engine needs multiple gears and easy miles are only one piece of the puzzle.

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Its key to build volume (10–20% more approximately) over last year and work with a coach on to find whats right for you.

Clark emphasizes that we also don't want to let our speed detrain.

Once a week, even 4–6 short all out sprints with 2–3 min rest can get your nervous system firing at full capacity.

Then, you can add in a controlled amount of threshold work weekly.

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running threads

This allows you to show up in the fall with a big engine and the wheels to work with it.

If you're looking to learn more about how to make a jump in fitness for the fall season, check out the video from Coach Clark here:

youtu.be/mdOed…

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Coach Tips: Summer XC Prep Guide | Team RunRun | Chris Clark

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Summer is great but one downside is that hot workouts really mess with your head.

You can get out the door and paces feel right for about a mile, then the heat and your core temperature shoots up and people think theyre losing fitness.

Really, your blood is just getting pulled two ways at once:

to the skin to shed heat and to your muscles to keep you moving, but there simply isn't enough to go round.

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running threads

a few simple things can keep you sane when its hot for a run:

1) Pre-cool. A cold shower before you head out, or ice in a hat or your hands, drops/signals to your body that ur starting temperature is lower and buys you a few good miles before the heat catches up.

2) Drink before and during, and put something in your water.

You're sweating out salt, not just water, so a pinch (1/8 tsp or more) or any decent electrolyte mix keeps you from feeling weak halfway through.

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3) Then run by EFFORT, not just by pace.

Find the workout intensity/feeling you could hold on a cool day i.e. "steady," or "comfortably hard" and let the pace land wherever it lands. It'll probably be slower.

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running threads

4) Every ten minutes or so, take a sip of something sweet like a proper sports drink, flat Coke, or whatever

swish it around your mouth before you swallow.

Your brain interprets the sugar as fuel arriving and allows you to push a bit more for a bit longer

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running threads

Most people decide an ultra isn’t for them based on what they imagine the training looks like, not what it actually is.

They picture 15 hour weeks and a whole life rearranged around training.

Tbh if that’s what it looked like for every runner to get to the startline, you couldn’t blame some for turning away.

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running threads

Coach Ryan Sheehy puts it this way:

“The problem isn’t time. It’s structure.”

All it really takes is 6 to 8 intentional hours/week to genuinely carry an ordinary working person to an ultra finish line.

What holds most people back is never the volume. It’s a lack of context and a plan to prepare for each unique ultra event/course/environment

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running threads

the part that surprises Ryan’s athletes isn’t only the fitness they build, but its the quiet realization a few months into a block that their best running years are still well ahead of them.

Coach Ryan Sheehy lays out how those six to eight hours can be optimally spent.

The full breakdown is here 🔗 teamrunrun.com/how-t…

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How to Train for an Ultra When You Have a Life