The Runner's Trip: Run Long, Travel Far, Discover More
trail running and travel blog by Sarah Lavender Smith
Yosemite National Park to the northwest and Mount Whitney to the south may be more famous, but the Eastern Sierra in between offers some of the Golden State’s most diverse and underrated trail running terrain. Read on for an overview of the region, a Q&A with ultra trail runner Jeff Kozak and trail recommendations.
I asked Olympian Deena Kastor to describe how she works trail running into her training and also to share a favorite trail run in the Eastern Sierra, near her hometown of Mammoth Lakes, California. Here’s why she feels that “trail running always has its place in a runner’s training week, but for me the benefits […]
This post comes from Monica Scholz, who traveled around North America to set a record of running the most 100-mile races in one year. She managed to travel, on average, every other weekend and complete these endurance events while holding down a demanding full-time job. Here’s her advice, which is targeted at ultrarunners but in […]
Imagine running a 100-mile race. Now imagine doing it every two weeks, and sometimes on consecutive weekends. That’s what Monica Scholz, a full-time attorney from Canada, did in 2010. I profiled her to find out how and why she set a record of 25 100-mile races in a year. “Running was not the hardest part—it […]
I interviewed Born to Run author Christopher McDougall, who’s touring the country and talking about the barefoot running debate in advance of his paperback release. He opened up about his running, the experience of writing his bestseller, and his belief that the running shoe industry hawks a lot of “junk” that causes injuries. Here’s our […]
I was skeptical about whether it’s worth the time and effort to work yoga into my training routine. Then I took a six-week class with top Bay Area endurance runner Caitlin Smith, who’s back to winning races and training for the Olympic Marathon Trials after recovery from injury. In this interview and video, she demonstrates […]
The best-laid plans of runners oft go awry. The other day I studied the American River 50 Endurance Run website and had a minor freak-out because I felt woefully unprepared, under-trained, and uninformed about this race on April 9. Then I made a list of do’s and don’ts to get ready and banish the thought […]
In an extreme sport filled with athletes who keep redefining “extreme,” Lisa Smith-Batchen stands out as a superwoman whose accomplishments and setbacks chart a course as steep and painful as the ultras she won. She talks about running 50 miles in 50 states in 62 days, breaking her foot, and planning a comeback.
Some new gear, apps, and travel tours led me into a la-la land of imagining what I’d add to a wish list. I wanted to spread the word about a few of these cool items, from a do-it-all running pack to a hands-free video cam to a city guide app. What’s on your gear and […]
Two months ago, I launched this site. The other day, I caught myself wondering what I’m doing and whether it’s worth my time. It seems like a good time to assess what The Runner’s Trip has accomplished, how I hope to develop the site in the coming weeks, and how I hope you will consider […]