Your Training Plan Fell Apart and You’re Not Ready to Race. What Should You Do?
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 […]
A Running-Travel Guide That Blazes a Path in Budapest and Beyond
In this guest post, Taylor Chase describes how a run one day in Budapest planted the seed for starting Blaze Travel Guides. Blaze is a travel-guide startup geared toward runners and other active souls (or should I say “active soles”?). I recently discovered Blaze and wish I knew about the company’s super useful city running […]
Ultrarunner Lisa Smith-Batchen Talks About Her Amazing Journey Through America and Through Pain
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.
Gear and Travel Wish List
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 […]
What’s Up With This Blog
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 […]
Running California’s Central Coast: Why a Painful 50K Made a Romantic Getaway
The Montaña de Oro 50K near Morro Bay was an excuse for a weekend getaway to a state park and small town we never had visited. Then the trail race took the weekend to emotional and physical extremes.
Running In Portugal: One Runner’s Quest to Reach the Westernmost Edge of Europe
This guest post from a roving European runner spotlights the Fim da Europa, a 17K race where you can enjoy in a single day one of the best national parks in Portugal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the westernmost European place.
Tamara’s Extreme Challenge at Costa Rica’s Coastal Challenge
The 46-year-old from Pleasant Hill, California, survived severe heat, extreme nausea, fever, bugs, and blisters in Costa Rica’s jungles and mountains. Here’s her report of mud, sweat, and fears.
How to Recover from a Race that Sucked
If you identify with the symptoms of Post Personal Worst Disorder, a clinical form of post-race blues marked by dwelling on a lackluster performance and wallowing in loserdom, you might benefit from this perspective drawn from my time at the Kaiser San Francisco Half Marathon.
Northern Italy: Races and Places to Run and Hike, Dolce-Vita Style
Everyone should see Italy’s cultural and historical treasures, but I’d also urge any visitor to explore the countryside. Here are lots of suggestions on where to run or hike, with several links to Northern Italy races recommended by my Italian trail-running friend.