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Leon Sparks, 44, was trying to summit three mountains in one trek when he tumbled down Colorado’s El Diente Peak

Take advantage of the best time of year for exploring by bringing a tool that won’t add any weight to your pack: meet Gaia GPS, a powerful navigation mobile app and website that empowers you to create your own adventures and stay on the trail. Master the app with Outside Learn’s new course.

How this world champion plans to push through the pain (and where he expects the field to explode)

In the fifth installment of The Backyard Stories, we travel to Missoula, Montana, to meet up with professional ultrarunner Mike Foote and discuss land stewardship, food sharing, and his beloved Crown of the Continent.

Our expert nutritionists answer your most-searched nutrition questions.

Curious what's trending? Here were the five most popular Trail Runner articles last month.

The process is as easy as making a smoothie

A pair of experiments find that mice choose to run less after taking antibiotics, even though their endurance is unchanged

Your guide to voting on national, state, and local levels this November

Inov-8’s nitrogen-infused foam offers springy responsiveness in their newest trail shoe, one of our favorites this year.

Eleven months ago, my wife Megan was in the hospital for heart issues that had doctors worried about her future. Last week in that same hospital, we had a very different visit. This is an article about what can happen when you’re forced to run down a new fork in the trail.

Last weekend’s hyper-competitive race in Arizona’s Sonoran desert drew top talent, record-breaking paces, and confusion around nonbinary award categories.

From podcasts to trail shoes, performance hoodies to popping playlists, here’s what our editors enjoyed in October.

Whether you’re in need of a quick snack or an on-the-go meal, you deserve a bar that's both fulfilling and tasty

Rémi Bonnet and Nienke Brinkman win the five-stage GTWS championship and overall season titles

With all the buzz around this popular supplement, here’s the science behind whether or not endurance athletes should consider it. 

In the wild world of endurance sports, recovery can feel like the last frontier

We took 20 shoes out on trails from our doorsteps to mountaintops. These 7 came out ahead.

The 27-year-old former Navy SEAL may be one of the most gifted runners on the planet. Good thing he doesn’t want to race—yet.

In the fourth installment of The Backyard Stories, we travel to Southern California, to visit trail athlete and fruit-grower Nick Brown at his family’s farm, in an ecosystem where increasing wildfire is a reality.

Don’t let an upset stomach ruin a good workout

Looking for an easy to execute Halloween costume? We've got you covered.

While society’s understandings of addiction have progressed from the days when sufferers were dismissed as weak-willed hedonists, food addiction is a nascent concept—one laden with controversy.

No, flat abs are not a true indicator of how strong you are.

Six pieces of equipment for running around a 14,000-foot mountain

In training plans of athletes who are volume-limited, you’ll often see a pattern: a couple hours on the elliptical a week. Should you consider the elliptical in your training plan? Here’s why the elliptical might be the fitness machine with the biggest bang for your cross-training training buck.

Arizona’s favorite hundred-miler is a Golden Ticket race, and it’s attracting a monster field. Here’s what you need to know.

Have some fun with your fall running with this speed play session.

After a three-year absence due to COVID-19 and a devastating volcanic eruption on the island last fall, the Transvulcania by UTMB ultra race returned with American Abby Hall taking the win.

A lifelong hiker and runner, Julie jumped into ultrarunning two years ago. Shining Rock marks her first unsupported FKT.

The founder of Native Women Running is running the Javelina Jundred this weekend to celebrate her heritage and encourage Native women to find their own trails toward healing.  

Thanks to advances in everything from noise cancellation to battery life, they’re my go-to for long runs, long meetings, and long flights

Where you run—not just how much—can make a big difference to your run form and fitness.

I never expected to be taken off a flight on a stretcher and rushed to brain surgery. Here are some ways you can reduce your chances of the same fate.

Beware of these warning signs that indicate it’s time to get new kicks. Plus, use these expert tips to extend the life of your trail runners.

In the third installment of The Backyard Stories, we travel to Telluride, Colorado, to talk with mountain athlete, Dani Reyes - Acosta about connecting food, outdoor adventure, and water.

A week of scrambling over boulders and slogging through mud in the Arctic Circle proved the Hoka Mafate Speed 4’s versatile competence

Instead of searching for the elusive fountain of youth, try celebrating your maturity.

Climate change is rendering some of our most beloved landscapes unrecognizable. How can awe and wonder cultivated on the trail help us navigate the earth’s transformation?

Our trail shoemeliers pick the best off-road running models to pair with each trail surface

Conventional wisdom states that athletes should do 2- to 3-week tapers with ~50% volume reductions and maintenance of intensity. But many of the world’s best athletes describe taking 7- to 10-day tapers, with long runs and relatively high aerobic volumes, closer to race day. Is there a lesson for how everyone should structure their taper period?

TrailForks is an app and website that lets you know what you are getting yourself into on the trail

The death of Hilaree Nelson highlights a double standard that still exists with mothers in the adventure world

“I really did spend 16-plus hours covering fewer than three miles”

The upstart brand with the wide, comfy toe box, balanced ride, and loyal following had its start in a toaster oven

Two ultrarunners face off to capture the fastest known time on the Arizona Trail, hoping to push one another to a new record.

The best way to find your next pair of running shoes is to shop locally

“Through this race, we inspire people around us to be better citizens of this world and to transcend themselves”

In the second installment of The Backyard Stories, we travel to California’s Central Valley to talk with Kimo Laughlin about this family’s small orchard, sinking aquifers, and how to live a life of agriculture and adventure.

In the latest Performance Corner, we learn that to build endurance is to build “capacity.” But what does this look like? Our expert strength running coach Jason Fitzgerald explains. 

As the midterm elections approach, this short documentary puts one step in front of the other, to galvanize communities and push into unfamiliar territory for a healthier democracy.

Step aside, sports gels. These foods have been fueling endurance athletes for centuries.

A good pair of socks and a quality shirt will help you run more–and do it more comfortably

This latest allegation is part of what could be a larger problem in the trail running world.

This weekend, on October 15th, watch 37 national teams compete to win the race with no finish line.

Courtney Dauwalter has been stunningly dominant across the world’s most competitive ultramarathons. How does she do it? Let’s explore her training methods – with some mystery to keep it interesting.

Every fall, the prevalence of hunting where I live in Vermont forces me to shift from running trails to dirt roads. I’ve learned to love the change of pace – and to stay safe.

Moderate alcohol consumption can bring joy to people who are able to enjoy it responsibly. And what’s the point of trail running – or anything else – if we aren’t experiencing joy?

For World Mental Health Day, this short film follows one runner’s journey of accomplishments and setbacks in feeling comfortable in his own body.

A last-minute change of plans left one Colorado elite athlete seeking a partner for the grueling 8-day TransAlpine Run. She found her on a mountain. Wearing heels.

The Trail Ahead Podcast is hosted by Faith Briggs and Addie Thompson, and they are sharing their favorite interviews with trail runners who are changing the game. 

This trail running bird lover shares a unique perspective on autumnal raptor migration.

Craft’s CTM Ultra Carbon 2 brings bouncy, high-stack, carbon-plated responsiveness to dirt-road training and racing

In the first installment of The Backyard Stories, we travel to Marin County, California, to talk with elite ultrarunner and Protect Our Winters alliance captain Stephanie Howe about parenthood, farmers markets, and baking the perfect galette. 

On October 10th, Trail Runner and Rising Hearts are celebrating Indigenous excellence in running with a panel of leading Indigenous athletes, scientists, and artists.

New data outlines how much they run, how long it takes to resume training after giving birth, and how well they return to competition

The much-anticipated launch of Kilian Jornet’s outdoor brand NNormal features two exciting new shoes. Here’s what you need to know.

Curious what's trending? Here were the five most popular Trail Runner articles published last month.

This ultrarunner and doctor of physical therapy sees a common pattern in her running clients. Here’s what she wishes she could tell us all before we get injured. 

The messaging around eating and athletics can get complicated and nuanced for individuals. But in general, it can be pretty simple: eat food that you enjoy to fuel the work you are doing. Bring on the potato chips (or whatever other food you love).

Here’s the gear that’s helping us squeeze every last drop out of autumn.

Nine years ago, Callie Vinson could barely cover a mile on foot. This week, the Indigenous Choctaw runner is attempting to complete the Moab 240. 

For carrying weight while moving quickly in the mountains, the Slope Runner Exploration 18L is our new favorite vest-pack hybrid

The two adventurers that fell in love with each other, then the legendary line linking 14 of Colorado’s highest peaks.

Here's how to keep your running clothes lasting longer and out of the landfills.

This blood marker is a warning sign that your body may be dangerously low in iron.

In this week’s Performance Corner, learn an effective way to think about why hard workout and heavy weight training sessions matter in making you a faster, stronger runner.