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Below you'll find a semi-complete collection of my recent and not-so-recent published work categorized by: essays, features, gear reviews/gear stories, and profiles/news/how-to's all lumped into one category because I was tired of creating pages. 

Links to each in menu bar.

Essays


Yoga Journal •

What Happens When a Runner Does Power Yoga Every Day?

There’s a reason I don’t believe in running streaks. As in, committing to putting on my running shoes and heading out every single day for a certain number of days or months regardless of what it takes to keep the streak going. It just isn’t right for me and my body.
A streak means ignoring aches, pains, cravings for different physical movements, or, at times, no movement at all. I credit listening to my body and carefully heeding what it’s telling me for my longevity in terms of being able to r...
Trail Runner Magazine •

Why Dogs Are the Best Trail Running Partners

My dog and I have the same needs: slow morning walks, just taking in our surroundings. Running on trails with wild abandon. Jumping in mountain lakes and wallowing in bubbling streams. Lying in the sun like a bum. We both love being outside in the sights, sounds, and smells of nature, and we enjoy each other’s company—steadfast support and shared appreciation for each other. For those reasons and more, my nine-year-old yellow lab named Lulu is my favorite trail running partner. (Sorry, regular h...

Keeping Pace - Patagonia Stories

All photos by Brendan Davis
Tom’s body had been seizing up for hours when he first went down. He was around 85 miles into the 2001 Western States 100-mile endurance run; I’d been running with him for about the last 20. After more than 24 hours on the trail, his muscles had tightened up so much that he listed to the left. Every time he hit a rock, root or rut that challenged his footing, his balance would falter. He’d fall over. I’d pick him up and pull on his right arm, tugging it downward towar...
Backpacker •

When Family Adventures Turn Scary

I had planned on writing a sunny, celebratory post this week. On January 18, I headed up to the mountains for a long-planned winter hut trip with family and friends, and I knew we’d have an awesome time snowshoeing, skiing, sledding, board-gaming, and eating. When 16 of us (eight kids and eight adults) ascended a mile up a snowy trail to one of Colorado’s 10th Mountain Division Huts last Friday, at 11,350 feet, I was looking forward to writing about all the fun.
And we did have fun. We played g...
Outside Online •

My First Kiss at a Campfire Actually Taught Me a Lot About Life

I had my first kiss—not a Spin-the-Bottle peck, or a Truth-or-Dare mini-smooch—in front of a campfire. Unfortunately, it was also in front of about 100 other summer campers, and a handful of camp directors who didn’t appreciate the PDA. And it was hardly a show of genuine affection. Rather, I’d been sitting on a log next to a really cute guy who liked my friend; I knew she didn’t like him, so I figured he was fair game.

I decided to flirt with him—I’ll call him “John,” because that was his name
Trail Runner Magazine •

How Running To Water Can Jumpstart Your Sense of Adventure

My friend Sara and I thought we were so clever naming our Strava trail run “Poolgrimage.” I thought of the name in the first mile of our run of the Mesa Trail out of Chautauqua Park in Boulder, Colorado, because I was carrying a bikini in my hydration pack and we were on a one-way pilgrimage to the Eldorado Springs Pool, 6.7 miles from where we started.

It’s not necessarily an epic run, but running one-way to something, anything, felt more adventurous than our regular runs—loops on Mount Sanita
Trail Runner Magazine •

I’m Hypermobile, and Trail Running Helps Me

There were years—decades, really—where I thought that, surely, someday I’d be told there was a reason why my body hurt so badly. “These pains can’t be normal,” I held in the back of my mind as I trained for the Los Angeles Marathon during my senior year of college. Distance running was new to me, but the stabbing pain in my back and hip didn’t seem like something all runners feel.

At 33, after years of managing weird injuries of all sorts through running, triathlon, volleyball playing, and adve
Outside Online •

Running from My Father’s War

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

I inherited my father’s almond-shaped eyes, his tawny Korean skin tone, and legs that are stronger than they look. I also mirror certain parts of his personality, like his fierce competitiveness mixed with sappy sentimentalism, a deep obsession with sports, and, unfortunately, a propensity for anxiety. Up until a few years ago, I thought the traits he passed on to me stop

Moving Through Grief, Joy, and Everything Else in the Indian Peaks

Between 320 and 280 million years ago, what’s known as the Ancestral Rocky Mountains formed as what are now the continents of Africa and North America were merging together. Over time, leftover sedimentary rock eroded and a geologic event known as the Laramide Orogeny, which took place between 70 and 45 million years ago, created what we see as the Rocky Mountain range. Today’s Rocky Mountain range spans roughly 3,000 miles in length from northern Alberta Canada to New Mexico. The range juts acr
Elevation Outdoors Magazine •

New Tricks

This is what happens when one rusty—but determined—snowboarder tries to get rad with her son and husband at a Woodward Copper private lesson.

Back in the day, I happily followed ripper friends around Lake Tahoe resorts and attempted little tricks like 180s and hucking off tabletops. I even taught snowboarding at Homewood Mountain Resort part-time during one of the three winters I lived on the North Shore of the lake (cue the joke about the difference between a beginning snowboarder and a snowbo
Women's Running •

Why I Need Adventure

I sort of always have. As a kid in North County San Diego, I’d explore the canyons around our house, cracking open rocks to look for fossils and building dams in gutters after a rain. As a young adult, I found adventure racing, and spent a number of years traipsing about on foot, bike, kayak, etc., often through the night and for days on end, with a map and compass to guide the way.

And now, as a working mother of two in my 40s, adventure most often takes the form of trail runs in the mountains
Backpacker •

Why I Take My Colorado-Raised Kids to the Ocean

Unlike most of my outdoorsy peers, I didn’t grow up backpacking, or camping, or even hiking. Instead, my childhood involved long days on the beach in California, building sand castles with my dad, dunking under waves, and playing beach volleyball. The first passenger in my beat-up 1975 Chevy Monza when I got my driver’s license was my dog, Kimba; I’d promised I’d take him to the beach as soon as I could drive. He stuck his head far out the window, wagging his tail as he sniffed at the smell of s

Travel

Outside Online •

I Stayed in a Costa Rican Treehouse. It Was Just the Jungle Getaway I’d Hoped For.

New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up!
Subscribe today.
Ever come across an incredible hotel that stops you mid-scroll and makes you think, Wow, wouldn’t it be something to stay there? We do, too—all the time. Welcome to Friday Fantasy, where we highlight amazing hotels, lodges, cabins, tents, campsites, and other places perched in perfect outdoor settings. R...
Backpacker •

The Nāpali Coast is a Hiker's Paradise

Alan Carpenter has worked for Hawaii State Parks for 30 years, doing archeological surveying, mapping, and historical research along the coast. Between work and play, he says he’s spent “probably a year’s worth” of nights on the Nāpali Coast, mostly hiking the Kalalau Trail and its offshoots up the valleys. Like many locals, Carpenter views the area as more ancestral landscape than recreational playground. “Underneath that mantle of green is a magnificent cultural land that is extremely importan...
Backpacker •

Why You Should Start Snowshoeing This Winter

It’s easy to fall in love with Grand Teton National Park. On my first visit a few summers ago, I’d been enchanted while hiking with my family among fluttering aspens to a clutch of small, backcountry lakes. We admired the great peaks—Nez Perce, Teewinot, and the Grand Teton—and I vowed to return sometime soon to venture deeper into the famous terrain.
As it turns out, my next opportunity to visit the park comes in winter. This means the main park access roads will be closed and reaching the more...
Backpacker •

10 Foolproof Tips For Camping With Kids

Brush up on backpacking basics with tips, tricks, and advice from Backpacker’s experts in Hiking 101. Get your family started with this story from the Backpacker archives.
After 2,000 road miles, three national parks, five campsites, and six junior ranger patches, we are finally back at home in Boulder, Colorado.
We spent most of the first half of our trip in Grand Teton, followed by a night in Yellowstone and hours on the open roads of Montana. We passed four-and-a-half days hiking and paddling...
Outside Online •

Thinking of Moving? These Are the Best Places in the U.S. for Runners

New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up!
Subscribe today.
The pandemic has thrown us out of our regular routines — that’s for sure. The time we’ve spent in our houses instead of in our regular places of work, as well as all the other curveballs we’ve had to endure, has forced a new perspective on a lot of aspects of the lives we used to live.
A recent New York...
Backpacker •

Why National Parks Are the Best Summer School

Like most outdoor parents, I had heard about the Junior Ranger programs in national parks. But until we arrived in Grand Teton, got our booklets and started digging in, I didn’t realize just how valuable this experience would be for our kids.
Yes, there’s the whole connecting-to-nature, unplugging-from-electronics, sleeping-in-the-great-outdoors education of a trip like this. But because of the Junior Ranger booklets and other great programs in the parks, our kids are learning things they neve...
Backpacker •

National Parks Road Trip: Family Camping With Bears

Lisa Jhung is taking us along on her family’s summer trip through the national parks. Catch up with her first entry.
Since arriving in Grand Teton National Park on Sunday, I’ve been both totally paranoid about bears and obsessed with spotting one.
Maybe it was the long drive, the unplanned nature of the trip, or just the fact that it takes a few days to settle into the groove of any vacation, but the first day and a half we camped at Jenny Lake in Grand Teton I was jumpy. Black bears are common...
Backpacker •

National Parks Road Trip: The Adventure Begins

My two young boys, husband and I just began a two-week adventure: an old-school, nature-heavy family road trip linking together some of the west’s most spectacular national parks. The idea came about at the end of last summer, as my oldest son, Sam, entered the 4 grade and we heard about the “Every Kid in a Park” initiative, where every fourth grader gets a free national parks pass for themselves and their family for a full year.
Decades ago, my husband, his littler brother and his parents did a...
Backpacker •

Rapid City Blog: Oh, the Granite

We pulled up to Mount Rushmore and there they were—the four Presidents carved impressively out of granite, with a regal walkway lined by flags from around the United States leading up to the viewing platform. The sky had cleared from the prior days’ storms, and clear blue framed the four heads.
My husband, being a climber, was frothing at the mouth at all the climbable granite. And since we wanted to take advantage of the great weather, we set off down the road in the car, looking for a place t...
Backpacker •

Rapid City Blog: Custer State Park Safari

We’re an animal-loving family, so we had a couple of wildlife excursions on our weekend docket. For the first, aside from what we’d seen and touched (and, there was the bull snake I held) at the Outdoor Campus West, we’d climb into an open jeep for a sort of safari through Custer State Park.
While it’s more our style to hike or run the trails, the jeep would cover more ground, and we figured our tour guide could teach us some cool things about the area, and the wildlife that live there.
And I...
Backpacker •

Rapid City Blog: Family Shenanigans

Sometimes, road tripping with our two young kids makes my husband and I feel like Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo in the movie “Vacation,” and we sing “Mockingbird” in harmony as we ramble down highways, like Route 16 from Rapid City toward the Black Hills of South Dakota. Occasionally, the kids like this kind of parent shenanigans, and occasionally, they’re so crazy being brothers in the back seat of the car, that we don’t care if they like it or not.
The kids were noisy and nuts on the gorge...
Backpacker •

Rapid City Blog: The Opposite of Camping Can be Fun

Okay, so staying at the La Quinta Rapid City, adjacent to the WaTiki, the biggest indoor waterpark in the Dakotas, may be the exact opposite of camping. And camping is something we’d usually do, as a family, when visiting a place with great state and national parks. But in the unpredictable spring weather, and with kids ages 4 and 8 who somehow seem to find energy, even at the ends of very long days, our lodging plan proved ideal.
Our first day in Rapid City was cold and damp, and we spent much...

Gear

Outside Online •

Why These Three Women Outdoor Leaders Are Facing More Challenges Than Ever

New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up!
Subscribe today.
Let’s face it: It’s a tough time to be anything besides a white male. And while the outdoor industry has long been a fantastic place to find our joys in nature, the industry—like many others—has been male dominated, especially when it comes to leadership roles at the brands that make the gear we all use...
Outside Online •

The Best Trail-Running Shoes for Every Terrain

New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up!
Subscribe today.
Today’s trail-running shoes are more advanced than ever, incorporating cutting-edge materials, innovative designs, and clever blends of foams, plates, fabrics, outsole rubbers, and lug patterns. This combination results in shoes that excel across diverse terrain like never before.
A great pair of trail s...
Outside Online •

The Best Running Shoes for Training and Racing

New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up!
Subscribe today →.
We are experiencing one of the most thrilling eras in the history of running shoes. In recent years, cutting-edge materials, innovative geometries, and creative combinations of foams, plates, fabrics, and soles have resulted in faster, lighter, and more comfortable models than ever before.
The good new...
Outside Online •

Best Bikinis for Beach Bums Who Refuse to Grow Up

New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up!
Subscribe today.
I’ve always felt that the right two-piece bathing suit reigns supreme over a one-piece for active women of any age or body type. The top of a bikini provides sports bra-like support—or at least more support than the top half of a one-piece bathing suit. Bikini bottoms tend to stay in place better than th...
Outside Online •

Can You Comfortably Wear a Long-Sleeve Sun Hoodie in Summer Heat and Humidity?

New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up!
Subscribe today.
It seems like every major outdoor brand is selling a hooded sunshirt this summer. There’s a good reason: It’s a pain to coat yourself in sunblock every time you head outdoors for a hike, fish, paddle, or float. Throwing on a lightweight, long-sleeve shirt with a hood that covers the back of your neck is...
Outside Online •

Why Our Running-Shoe Tester Swears by Protein Powders

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m kind of lazy. I may head out for plenty of big mountain runs, hard swims, and tough workouts of all sorts, but when I’m done, I’m not even making a simple sandwich to refuel. But if I don’t refuel, and rehydrate, I feel like crap.

Case in point: A friend and I recently met up for a jaunt in the Indian Peaks Wilderness where
Outside Online •

A Love Letter to the Wavestorm, the Best Beginner Surfboard Around

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

On mornings before high school in San Diego, my friend Tanya and I would occasionally paddle out into the ocean, her on a fiberglass shortboard, and me on my dad’s 10-foot, soft Doyle foam longboard that weighed about 30 pounds when wet. I didn’t feel cool maneuvering that giant red tank around, and I spent most of my time getting pushed around in the whitewater. But I su
Outside Online •

What I Wear for Short, Sweltering Summer Races

Summer racing can be motivating, festive, and fun. But it’s also hot, and often humid, compounding the heat generated by the effort of running fast. Dressing for the occasion, with apparel and accessories that both keep you cool and create zero distractions, can improve both your performance and your enjoyment.

Over the first two months of summer I’ve been testing hot-weather running apparel at races ranging from a 1-mile evening race series and the 50,000-runner Bolder Boulder 10K in my hometo
Outside Online •

Do Women Need Gender-Specific Running Shoes?

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

I’ve been wearing running shoes for 30-plus years, and still, when I lace up a new pair that fits me just right, it makes me want to take them for a spin right then and there—but finding perfectly fitting running shoes can be a challenge, even for someone like me who has access to innumerable pairs as a running shoe reviewer.

Because I test shoes, people always ask me, “
Outside Online •

Eight Fast and Agile Carbon-Plated Trail Running Shoes

Here’s why I love carbon-plated running shoes: They allow me to run farther and faster with less effort. They also allow my strained metatarsal ligament—and other overused muscles, ligaments, and tendons in my feet—to not work as hard as they do in shoes without a plate. I reach for them when I feel like my feet need a break but I want to keep running.

Here’s why I don’t always love carbon-plated trail running shoes: They can feel tippy on technical terrain, the plate acting like a lever when s
Outside Online •

What A Veteran Female Gear Tester Wears to Stay Cool on Summer Runs

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

In the heat of summer, having apparel that keeps me comfortable helps motivate me to get out the door. I can’t always head to the high country above my home in Boulder, Colorado to run in the cool mountain air and jump in alpine lakes. And since I’m somewhat lazy and work from home, I rarely rise to run before the day gets hot. As a result, most of my running is in-town,
Outside Online •

The Best Road Running Shoes of 2023

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

There is no such thing as the single best running shoe for everyone. Every runner’s body, gait, speed, experience, and ride preferences are different, so every runner will interact differently with each running shoe. The shoe that your best friend or your sister-in-law loves may be uncomfortable for you and make running feel slow, sluggish, or even painful. Finding the pe
Outside Online •

The Best Trail Running Shoes of 2023

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

There is no such thing as the single best running shoe for everyone. Every runner’s body, gait, speed, experience, and ride preferences are different, so every runner will interact differently with each running shoe. The shoe that your best friend or your sister-in-law loves may be uncomfortable for you and make running feel slow, sluggish, or even painful. Finding the pe
Outside Online •

What We Really Want for Valentine’s Day

As a lifelong runner and adventurer, I’m going to speak for outdoorsy people in general and state this: A thoughtful, handwritten note on the back of an REI receipt means more than an $8 Hallmark card. Or, as an alternative to a prix-fix dinner out, how about a sunset winter hike with a can of wine or beer to crack open and share at the top of the climb? (The hike alone would make me fall in love all over again, but the celebratory can certainly wouldn’t hurt.)

Here are 11 adventure-enabling gi
Outside Online •

The Best New Winterized Running Shoes

Winterized running shoes have come a long way from the heavy, clunky, almost boot-like waterproof kicks offered a decade ago. Today’s fleet range from light and speedy semi-supershoes for uptempo road running to shoe-and-gaiter combos for tackling snow-covered mountain trails. Some are even equipped with spikes to make quick work of otherwise impossibly slick icy surfaces.

All winterized shoes help keep feet warm as they block wind, and they tend to have thicker, less-breathable uppers—a benefi
Outside Online •

Here’s the Running Gear That Keeps Me Comfortable in Colorado All Winter

Personally, I need a high dose of nature in every season, maybe even more during the short days of winter. I don’t despise the treadmill—it’s a great workout tool. I despise the notion that you can’t run outside on trails in cold, windy, snowy, downright nasty weather. So I head out, regardless of the forecast.

Enjoying my Boulder, Colorado, trails in the cold months often means exploring winter wonderlands: snow-capped pine trees and open fields painted white where my dog and I can bound about
Outside Online •

Road Running Shoes for Every Workout

With a traditional medial post—a dense section of foam in the midsole—you’d expect the 860v12 to perform like a garden-variety stability shoe. But a layer of New Balance’s energetic foam compound sits directly underfoot, providing pep. A roomy toe box and narrow heel cup hit the sweet spot for some testers, while others craved a snugger fit. (Men’s 11.4 oz, women’s 8.9 oz; 10 mm drop)

Don’t be fooled by the slapped-together, prototype-ish appearance. This sustainable version of Nike’s fastest m
Outside Online •

Editor’s Choice: Hoka Tecton X Trail Running Shoes

Since carbon-plated shoes were introduced, countless world, national, and personal records have fallen. But most pairs are helpful for only a certain group of runners: the rigid carbon-fiber plate combined with a soft foam favors those with efficient strides over those with less-than-perfect form. The new Hoka Tecton X ($200), one of the few carbon-plated trail kicks on the market, defies that pattern. This is a high-tech shoe for all abilities. “It’s one of the few carbon-plated shoes that I—a
Outside Online •

The Making of a $375 Running Shoe

Get full access to Outside Learn, our online education hub featuring in-depth fitness, nutrition, and adventure courses and more than 2,000 instructional videos when you sign up for Outside+ .

We’ve seen $250, carbon-plated shoes for a few seasons now. But $375 for a pair of trail runners? One company out of Portland is betting that people will pony up.

“We thought, ‘Let’s build what we want to build and the price will be the price,’” says Kevin Fallon, one of the two founders of Speedland. Th
Outside Online •

Runner-Up Review: The Running Shoes That Almost Made Our 2022 Winter Buyer’s Guide

To select the best road- and trail-running shoes for our annual Winter Buyer’s Guide, we spend months putting miles on new and updated models from all the major brands. The competition for those limited print slots is fierce—only the very best new kicks make the cut. But every year there are a few shoes that miss out on the limelight because of very small details or because they’re a minor update to an older shoe. Here are the runners up from this year’s test.

We looked forward to every run in
Outside Online •

This Winter’s Best New Running Shoes for Road and Trail

September through March can bring the full spectrum of weather: crisp air and perfectly dry singletrack one day, snowy slop the next. Our picks for fall’s best road and trail shoes run the gamut from lead-pack speedsters that’ll make you want to head out and rip in all conditions to off-road warriors that won’t take no for an answer. We also selected a range of greats for cruisey miles to round out our list. This year, our choice for Gear of the Year does what we wish all gear would do: enable u
Runner's World •

The 10 Best Kids’ Running Shoes

Kids of all ages run even when they’re not trying to run—they jump, climb, play, and run some more. And all that running leads to serious wear and tear on their footwear. Whether for recess, their first 5K, or their spot on the track and field or cross-country team, kids need durable, high-quality running shoes that can handle the mileage.

Check out five of our top picks below, then keep scrolling for longer reviews of these shoes and others, as well as our tips to keep in mind when shopping fo
Runner's World •

The 6 Best Over-the-Counter Insoles for Runners

Over-the-counter insoles can improve the fit and function of a running shoe, and some promise to do everything from reducing foot fatigue and plantar fascia strain to increasing running efficiency. But how’s a runner to wade through the sea of options, and why should you?


While all running shoes come with some sort of insole, they can be flimsy and break down easily, according to Mark Plaatjes, owner of In Motion Running store, physical therapist, and world champion marathoner. “An over-the-c
Insider •

I've been swimming for over 30 years. Here's the best swim gear and accessories for faster and more comfortable laps


• Well-designed goggles, swimsuits, swim caps, and accessories can make you faster and happier in the water.
• I'm a gear editor and have been swimming laps for almost 30 years, so I know good swim gear.

In the world of modern high-intensity training and boutique fitness classes, swimming is a refreshingly simple workout. All it requires is a basic swimsuit, access to a pool (which most towns have at a low community-center rate), and the basic stroke skills many of us learned as children.

For
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Features

Outside Online •

What Happens to the Grand Canyon if the Colorado River Dries Up?

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

I’m one of those people who will tell you that a river trip in the Grand Canyon changed her life. Last May, after joining a friend’s 50th birthday celebration on a guided rafting trip on the upper portion of the canyon, I paddled, mesmerized by the spectacular shades of red and orange rock walls towering above me, their layers telling stories of geology, history, and the
Outside Online •

The Mastermind Behind Your Favorite Shoes Is About to Disrupt the Shoe Industry. Again.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

The Willy Wonka of the running world is walking down the sidewalk of a sprawling office park, taking a new shoe for a ride. “First there are little movements that help us notice the feeling,” he says in a thick French accent. Jean-Luc Diard, 65, is the mastermind and cofounder of the wildly successful running brand Hoka and—as he does almost every day—he’s testing another
Runner's World •

Dave Mackey Lost His Leg to Save His Life

While he was scrambling down from a local peak on May 23, 2015, a loose rock sent him crashing 50 feet down a wall of scree before landing on his left leg and smashing the tibia into eight pieces. That was just the first strike against it.

The second was that the 300-pound rock that had snapped his tibia like kindling also tore his skin open as it landed. A friend at the scene described it as “bones sticking out everywhere.” Muscle and bone were open to the elements, leading to a ceaseless stri
Mental Floss •

On the Scene at the Absolutely Insane Barkley Marathons

This story originally appeared in print in the August issue of

Inspired by a flubbed prison escape, the Barkley Marathon is a ludicrously challenging 100-mile race only a handful of runners have completed. Finishing it twice? That's next to impossible.

It's reverently quiet when Jared Campbell comes running down the trail and into camp. He’s looked better. For one thing, his facial muscles appear to be asleep, even as he somehow keeps moving. He’s wilted from hours of exposure to the cold and

Profiles, News, and How-to's


Hate Running? These 5 Strategies Will Make Your Miles More Enjoyable

You’re not alone if waking up before dawn, putting on a pair of tiny shorts, and grinding out the mileage prescribed by a training plan doesn’t get you excited about running. You’re also not alone if you run but kind of hate it—or go through phases where running feels more like a “have-to” than a “get-to.” But listen up: Running doesn’t have to suck. The key to unlocking enjoyable miles is knowing yourself well and playing to your strengths. Here are five key strategies from the newly released b...
Men's Health •

It's Almost Summer, Which Means It's Tick Season — On Your Balls

Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Why Trust Us?Summer 2018 is already ramping up to be the summer of the tick, with even greater numbers of the tiny pests ready to jump aboard human hosts than usual. And with more than 35,000 reported cases of tick-borne Lyme Disease in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control, it’s important to keep the tiny blood-suckers off of all body parts.But there are areas of the body that...
Trail Runner Magazine •

How to Keep Crushing Trail Runs for Decades

Twenty years ago, someone in the audience at a talk about trail running asked Buzz Burrell, past record holder of the FKT on Colorado Trail and John Muir Trail and co-founder of FastestKnownTime.com: “What’s the key to longevity?” Then 51 years old, Burrell answered: “Like what you do.”

Now 71 and still charging trails—he was the overall winner of the Runner’s Division of the 7.4-mile Dipsea race in June of 2023, and plans to race the 23K Tromsø Skyrace in Norway, the Matterhorn Ultrax Exterme
Outside Online •

Cat Runner, Winner of ‘The Climb,’ Is Reaching New Heights

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

Twenty-four-year-old Cat Runner of Louisville, Kentucky, waved warmly to a full house—and a standing ovation—at Colorado’s Boulder Theater on the night of Thursday, January 26 following the airing of the finale of HBO’s rock climbing reality show The Climb. The eight-episode series featured ten climbers vying for a $100,000 grand prize plus a one-year sponsorship from PrA
WebMD •

Scientists Find Brain Mechanism Behind Age-Related Memory Loss

July 1, 2022 – Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have identified a mechanism in the brain behind age-related memory loss, expanding our knowledge of the inner workings of the aging brain and possibly opening the door to new Alzheimer’s treatments.

The researchers looked at the hippocampus, a part of the brain thought to store long-term memories.

Neurons there are responsible for a pair of memory functions – called pattern separation and pattern completion – that work together in young, he

Trail Sisters Founder Gina Lucrezi

To celebrate and honor Women’s History Month, Public Lands is showcasing women who are making history now. We spoke with Gina Lucrezi, a trail runner and ultrarunner, and founder of Trail Sisters. She launched Trail Sisters in 2016 as a modest blog and it has grown to a booming community of 150 regional chapters, a website that offers free resources like online education, a race (with a generous cutoff to minimize the intimidation factor of not finishing), and so much more. Since the launch of T
Runner's World •

Heading to the Beach This Summer? Take Your Runs to the Sand for Extra Benefits

When Kyra Oliver heads out for her morning run, she usually opts for a paved route. But once or twice a week, the San Diegan heads toward the beach instead, where she watches the sun rise and listens to the waves crash as the miles tick by. Running on the sand helps Oliver clear her mind, but it also supplements her training for marathons and 50-mile trail races.

“It works different muscles and requires a different focus for me,” Oliver tells Runner’s World. “If I’m on the packed sand by the wa
Men's Health •

Black Men Need Running Groups Now More Than Ever

My dad was always a runner, but he almost never had anyone else to run with. So when I was about ten years old, I started to go running with him—I was his running buddy. Over the years, I kept running mostly as a way to stay healthy. One day, I started doing some research, and I learned about the problem of heart disease in the Black community. Heart disease is the number-one cause of death among Black men, and 60 percent of Black men have some form of cardiovascular disease.

I can speak from e
Men's Health •

Run Faster With Fun Tips From a Trail Running Superstar

A year after graduating from the Air Force Academy, where he was a standout track and cross-country runner, Jim Walmsley picked up a hiking book. It was 2013, and he was living in Great Falls, Montana, within striking distance of Glacier National Park and Helena National Forest. “I’d figure out routes that ended at a lake, a mountaintop, or a waterfall and would run the routes like a scavenger hunt,” he says. “I didn’t know trail running was a sport at that time, but I liked the sense of adventu
Runner's World •

If You Didn’t Already Know, These Are 25 of the Best Running Trails in the U.S.

Whether you’re aiming to cover some serious distance or just looking to get a few quick miles with spectacular views, trail running is always an adventure—and chances are, there’s a great running path near you that’s just waiting to be explored.

To inspire you to get out there—especially with races canceled during the coronavirus pandemic—we compiled the following list featuring some of the best trails across the country. These running routes come in a wide range of lengths and difficulty, so t
Runner's World •

How to (Truly) Learn to Love Running

Most people start running programs guided by time or by mileage, which are both well and good. But if you’re new to running, know that there are other ways in that might suit your personality—or even just your mood—in a way that’ll get you really, truly hooked on running once and for all.

Adapted from Running That Doesn’t Suck: How to Love Running (Even If You Think You Hate It), these plans are tailored to beginning runners but can work for runners burnt out on their current routines.

For the
Runner's World •

How to Find Your Ideal Running Partner—And Troubleshoot When You Have Problems

The following was adapted with permission from Running That Doesn’t Suck by Lisa Jhung (Running Press)

Finding the ideal running partner has some similarities to finding a life partner. Maybe you get a good partner vibe from someone in your running club; another participant at a race; or someone you see often or have seen on a running route you like.

Or maybe you don’t find your partner while you’re actually running, but you discover that someone in your exercise class, office, school, or dorm
Runner's World •

Why It’s So Hard to Run a Sub-4 Mile at Altitude

For elite track athletes to run a mile in less than four minutes, conditions need to be just right. And on Thursday evening, August 15, at the University of Colorado’s Potts Field in Boulder, Colorado, they pretty much were.

The sun dipped behind the mountains, and the wind had died down to nothing. Bright lights illuminated a decent-sized crowd who had their eyes on the elite men and women who had shown up to run the Boulder Road Runner’s All Comer’s meet, which was ending with what organizer
Backpacker •

How to Pick the Perfect Hike for Kids of All Ages: Elementary School-Aged Kids

Our guide provides tips on how to pick age-appropriate challenges for your little hikers. Check out the full series here.

I have an 8-year-old who’s going into third grade and an 11-year-old who’s going into sixth grade, both boys. They are very active—and somehow more active when they’re together—but that doesn’t always mean they’re always willing to hike five or six miles, which I’m sure they’re capable of.

When choosing hikes to do with them, I look for natural elements that will keep them
Runner's World •

How These Colorado Students Learn to Run With a Buffalo

Running with a 1,300-pound bison is not your average college extracurricular. Yet, each spring in late April as the semester draws to an end, students line up with hopes of being part of one of the University of Colorado-Boulder’s proudest traditions.

This year, 35 current and incoming students came out hoping to be handpicked to earn the coveted title of being one of the school’s “Ralphie Handlers.” Ralphie is the name of the bison, or buffalo as is the school mascot, that has led the home tea

All recent articles


Outside Online •

Why My Favorite Strength-Training Equipment Is a Backpack Made for Distance Running

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

Two years ago during one autumn week, I carried a load of food, water, a change of clothes, and some recovery slides on my back while running the Appalachian Trail between huts for four days. As one would expect, I worried how my body would hold up under the added weight. By the end of the trip, however, I felt stronger than I had when we’d begun.

Back at home in Boulder, Col
Outside Online •

What Happens to the Grand Canyon if the Colorado River Dries Up?

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

I’m one of those people who will tell you that a river trip in the Grand Canyon changed her life. Last May, after joining a friend’s 50th birthday celebration on a guided rafting trip on the upper portion of the canyon, I paddled, mesmerized by the spectacular shades of red and orange rock walls towering above me, their layers telling stories of geology, history, and the
Trail Runner Magazine •

How to Keep Crushing Trail Runs for Decades

Twenty years ago, someone in the audience at a talk about trail running asked Buzz Burrell, past record holder of the FKT on Colorado Trail and John Muir Trail and co-founder of FastestKnownTime.com: “What’s the key to longevity?” Then 51 years old, Burrell answered: “Like what you do.”

Now 71 and still charging trails—he was the overall winner of the Runner’s Division of the 7.4-mile Dipsea race in June of 2023, and plans to race the 23K Tromsø Skyrace in Norway, the Matterhorn Ultrax Exterme
Outside Online •

What I Wear for Short, Sweltering Summer Races

Summer racing can be motivating, festive, and fun. But it’s also hot, and often humid, compounding the heat generated by the effort of running fast. Dressing for the occasion, with apparel and accessories that both keep you cool and create zero distractions, can improve both your performance and your enjoyment.

Over the first two months of summer I’ve been testing hot-weather running apparel at races ranging from a 1-mile evening race series and the 50,000-runner Bolder Boulder 10K in my hometo
Outside Online •

Do Women Need Gender-Specific Running Shoes?

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

I’ve been wearing running shoes for 30-plus years, and still, when I lace up a new pair that fits me just right, it makes me want to take them for a spin right then and there—but finding perfectly fitting running shoes can be a challenge, even for someone like me who has access to innumerable pairs as a running shoe reviewer.

Because I test shoes, people always ask me, “
Outside Online •

Eight Fast and Agile Carbon-Plated Trail Running Shoes

Here’s why I love carbon-plated running shoes: They allow me to run farther and faster with less effort. They also allow my strained metatarsal ligament—and other overused muscles, ligaments, and tendons in my feet—to not work as hard as they do in shoes without a plate. I reach for them when I feel like my feet need a break but I want to keep running.

Here’s why I don’t always love carbon-plated trail running shoes: They can feel tippy on technical terrain, the plate acting like a lever when s
Outside Online •

The Mastermind Behind Your Favorite Shoes Is About to Disrupt the Shoe Industry. Again.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

The Willy Wonka of the running world is walking down the sidewalk of a sprawling office park, taking a new shoe for a ride. “First there are little movements that help us notice the feeling,” he says in a thick French accent. Jean-Luc Diard, 65, is the mastermind and cofounder of the wildly successful running brand Hoka and—as he does almost every day—he’s testing another
Outside Online •

What A Veteran Female Gear Tester Wears to Stay Cool on Summer Runs

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

In the heat of summer, having apparel that keeps me comfortable helps motivate me to get out the door. I can’t always head to the high country above my home in Boulder, Colorado to run in the cool mountain air and jump in alpine lakes. And since I’m somewhat lazy and work from home, I rarely rise to run before the day gets hot. As a result, most of my running is in-town,
Trail Runner Magazine •

I’m Hypermobile, and Trail Running Helps Me

There were years—decades, really—where I thought that, surely, someday I’d be told there was a reason why my body hurt so badly. “These pains can’t be normal,” I held in the back of my mind as I trained for the Los Angeles Marathon during my senior year of college. Distance running was new to me, but the stabbing pain in my back and hip didn’t seem like something all runners feel.

At 33, after years of managing weird injuries of all sorts through running, triathlon, volleyball playing, and adve
Outside Online •

Running from My Father’s War

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

I inherited my father’s almond-shaped eyes, his tawny Korean skin tone, and legs that are stronger than they look. I also mirror certain parts of his personality, like his fierce competitiveness mixed with sappy sentimentalism, a deep obsession with sports, and, unfortunately, a propensity for anxiety. Up until a few years ago, I thought the traits he passed on to me stop
Outside Online •

The Best Road Running Shoes of 2023

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

There is no such thing as the single best running shoe for everyone. Every runner’s body, gait, speed, experience, and ride preferences are different, so every runner will interact differently with each running shoe. The shoe that your best friend or your sister-in-law loves may be uncomfortable for you and make running feel slow, sluggish, or even painful. Finding the pe
Outside Online •

The Best Trail Running Shoes of 2023

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

There is no such thing as the single best running shoe for everyone. Every runner’s body, gait, speed, experience, and ride preferences are different, so every runner will interact differently with each running shoe. The shoe that your best friend or your sister-in-law loves may be uncomfortable for you and make running feel slow, sluggish, or even painful. Finding the pe
Outside Online •

Cat Runner, Winner of ‘The Climb,’ Is Reaching New Heights

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .

Twenty-four-year-old Cat Runner of Louisville, Kentucky, waved warmly to a full house—and a standing ovation—at Colorado’s Boulder Theater on the night of Thursday, January 26 following the airing of the finale of HBO’s rock climbing reality show The Climb. The eight-episode series featured ten climbers vying for a $100,000 grand prize plus a one-year sponsorship from PrA

Moving Through Grief, Joy, and Everything Else in the Indian Peaks

Between 320 and 280 million years ago, what’s known as the Ancestral Rocky Mountains formed as what are now the continents of Africa and North America were merging together. Over time, leftover sedimentary rock eroded and a geologic event known as the Laramide Orogeny, which took place between 70 and 45 million years ago, created what we see as the Rocky Mountain range. Today’s Rocky Mountain range spans roughly 3,000 miles in length from northern Alberta Canada to New Mexico. The range juts acr
Outside Online •

Here’s the Running Gear That Keeps Me Comfortable in Colorado All Winter

Personally, I need a high dose of nature in every season, maybe even more during the short days of winter. I don’t despise the treadmill—it’s a great workout tool. I despise the notion that you can’t run outside on trails in cold, windy, snowy, downright nasty weather. So I head out, regardless of the forecast.

Enjoying my Boulder, Colorado, trails in the cold months often means exploring winter wonderlands: snow-capped pine trees and open fields painted white where my dog and I can bound about
Elevation Outdoors Magazine •

New Tricks

This is what happens when one rusty—but determined—snowboarder tries to get rad with her son and husband at a Woodward Copper private lesson.

Back in the day, I happily followed ripper friends around Lake Tahoe resorts and attempted little tricks like 180s and hucking off tabletops. I even taught snowboarding at Homewood Mountain Resort part-time during one of the three winters I lived on the North Shore of the lake (cue the joke about the difference between a beginning snowboarder and a snowbo
Outside Online •

The Making of a $375 Running Shoe

Get full access to Outside Learn, our online education hub featuring in-depth fitness, nutrition, and adventure courses and more than 2,000 instructional videos when you sign up for Outside+ .

We’ve seen $250, carbon-plated shoes for a few seasons now. But $375 for a pair of trail runners? One company out of Portland is betting that people will pony up.

“We thought, ‘Let’s build what we want to build and the price will be the price,’” says Kevin Fallon, one of the two founders of Speedland. Th
Outside Online •

Runner-Up Review: The Running Shoes That Almost Made Our 2022 Winter Buyer’s Guide

To select the best road- and trail-running shoes for our annual Winter Buyer’s Guide, we spend months putting miles on new and updated models from all the major brands. The competition for those limited print slots is fierce—only the very best new kicks make the cut. But every year there are a few shoes that miss out on the limelight because of very small details or because they’re a minor update to an older shoe. Here are the runners up from this year’s test.

We looked forward to every run in
Outside Online •

This Winter’s Best New Running Shoes for Road and Trail

September through March can bring the full spectrum of weather: crisp air and perfectly dry singletrack one day, snowy slop the next. Our picks for fall’s best road and trail shoes run the gamut from lead-pack speedsters that’ll make you want to head out and rip in all conditions to off-road warriors that won’t take no for an answer. We also selected a range of greats for cruisey miles to round out our list. This year, our choice for Gear of the Year does what we wish all gear would do: enable u
Runner's World •

The 10 Best Kids’ Running Shoes

Kids of all ages run even when they’re not trying to run—they jump, climb, play, and run some more. And all that running leads to serious wear and tear on their footwear. Whether for recess, their first 5K, or their spot on the track and field or cross-country team, kids need durable, high-quality running shoes that can handle the mileage.

Check out five of our top picks below, then keep scrolling for longer reviews of these shoes and others, as well as our tips to keep in mind when shopping fo
Runner's World •

The 6 Best Over-the-Counter Insoles for Runners

Over-the-counter insoles can improve the fit and function of a running shoe, and some promise to do everything from reducing foot fatigue and plantar fascia strain to increasing running efficiency. But how’s a runner to wade through the sea of options, and why should you?


While all running shoes come with some sort of insole, they can be flimsy and break down easily, according to Mark Plaatjes, owner of In Motion Running store, physical therapist, and world champion marathoner. “An over-the-c
Insider •

I've been swimming for over 30 years. Here's the best swim gear and accessories for faster and more comfortable laps


• Well-designed goggles, swimsuits, swim caps, and accessories can make you faster and happier in the water.
• I'm a gear editor and have been swimming laps for almost 30 years, so I know good swim gear.

In the world of modern high-intensity training and boutique fitness classes, swimming is a refreshingly simple workout. All it requires is a basic swimsuit, access to a pool (which most towns have at a low community-center rate), and the basic stroke skills many of us learned as children.

For
Runner's World •

Heading to the Beach This Summer? Take Your Runs to the Sand for Extra Benefits

When Kyra Oliver heads out for her morning run, she usually opts for a paved route. But once or twice a week, the San Diegan heads toward the beach instead, where she watches the sun rise and listens to the waves crash as the miles tick by. Running on the sand helps Oliver clear her mind, but it also supplements her training for marathons and 50-mile trail races.

“It works different muscles and requires a different focus for me,” Oliver tells Runner’s World. “If I’m on the packed sand by the wa
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