#winter ultra

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Race Report: Tuscobia 80 Winter Ultra

Race Report: Tuscobia 80 Winter Ultra

As friends and family are aware, I’ve been trying to finish the Tuscobia 80 Winter Ultra for 3 years. After two failures in 2019 and 2021, this was the year I committed that it would happen no matter what. I knew I could do this race. I knew it was within my limits. I just needed to execute, and finally this year I felt more ready than I ever had before. For the uninitiated, the Tuscobia 80 is a…

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Arrowhead 135 2022 volunteer wrap-up

Arrowhead 135 2022 volunteer wrap-up

For the past few days I’ve been hiding in northern Minnesota at the Arrowhead 135 race spending time with old friends and volunteering. A few weeks ago the race director asked if I’d fill in and run the finish line this year, and despite needing to work remotely for my day-job while I’m here, I think we made it work. For those unfamiliar with it, the Arrowhead 135 race is a winter ultramarathon…

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Tuscobia 80 Bike DNF - That was tougher than I thought it would be

Tuscobia 80 Bike DNF – That was tougher than I thought it would be

This post is probably going to be a long one, but there’s a lot on my mind about all of this. So buckle up and let’s go for a little adventure. Ever since my last attempt at Tuscobia I’ve wanted to get back to it and get revenge. As a race director of a winter ultra who’s never completed a winter ultra, there’s also a pride aspect to continuing to bang my head against this wall. I signed up as…

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A decade of running

A decade of running

January of 2010 was the start. It’s hard to believe that it was so long ago, but the end of 2019 also marks the end of my first 10 years of running. I could never have imagined when I started this journey how consuming it would become, and how much of my identity would be shaped by it.

When I first started running it was mostly to get in shape and lose some weight. In 2010 I was really struggling…

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Lessons learned from a Tuscobia DNF

Lessons learned from a Tuscobia DNF

My plan was to pull my sled for 80 miles from Park Falls to Rice Lake. I made it 35 miles before I had to pull the plug, registering my first winter ultra DNF.

So what went wrong? It almost all came down to my back. I’ve never pulled a sled for 30+ miles before and despite switching out to a different harness this year, I still wasn’t able to take the pain. I have scoliosis which complicates my…

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A night in the bivy

A night in the bivy

In preparation for my first winter ultra I decided to try and sleep outside last night in my sleeping bag and bivy. I wanted to see what it was like, and what I needed to change. I wasn’t sure if I’d make it all night, as I did need to go to work today, but even a few hours would be a huge benefit.

Here was my equipment list:

Eureka Lone Pine 0 degree bag

Outdoor Research Helium Bivy

REI Flash…

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Taking the plunge at Tuscobia

Taking the plunge at Tuscobia

I’ve gotten very involved in the winter ultramarathon scene, including putting on our own winter ultra. One of the reasons I started a small 40 mile race is because I wasn’t sure if I could handle doing the longer distances myself, and I figured there were others out there in the same boat. However, being the race director of a race means it’s hard to actually compete in the event yourself.

Howev…

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Arrowhead 135

This week I’ve been spending my time at the Arrowhead 135 winter ultramarathon. This is the iconic winter ultra in Minnesota, and it is known for being one of the most brutal and harsh races around. Participants much traverse (on foot, bike, or ski) from International Falls, MN to Tower, MN on the 135 mile long Arrowhead Trail. They have to be prepared to survive in any conditions, and therefore…

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