Lastest Articles

The Western States 100 Award Ceremony : A True Endurance Event

Unlike my first two Western States synchroblog posts (a call for WS Board transparency and sharing WS memories), I’ll be terse and to the point. The awards ceremony for the…

This Week In Running (Week of 4/4 & 4/5)

Welcome to today’s edition of This Week In Running, and a preview of a few of the races/events on tap for the weekend of April 4 and April 5, 2009….

MdS 2009: Stage 2 (36k)

Stage 2 went well for me, the Dreamchasers, & Meghan. My effort was slightly reduced today – by necessity & design. I started without any major complaint & finished the…

MdS 2009: Stage 1 (33k)

I received an education in dunes today. Completed Dunes 101, 102, & am cramming hard for my 201 final tomorrow. When the difference between running fast or slow in a…

MdS 2009: Team Dreamchasers USA

Bryon Powell – 869; Ted Archer – 868; Michael Wardian – 870Team Dreamchasers USA on the morning before the first stage.Bon Voyage! Related articles: 2010 Marathon des Sables Results and…

MdS Admin Day Redo

I’m excited to share that the 2009 Marathon des Sables will start at 9 tomorrow morning. I’ve not shared how real the possibility of race cancellation has been. While the…

MdS Delusion

Here’s some proof of the rain in the Sahara. Check out the drops in the pool. It’s raining steadily again and there have been a few peals of thunder. Related…

2009 MdS Admin Day Delayed, First Stage Canceled

While we have not been told the specifics as to why, yesterday’s rain has already affected this year’s Marathon des Sables. Today’s Admin Day at the bivouac has been canceled….

MdS Prelude: The Deluge

iRunFar fans, friends, and family, on Wednesday I arrived safe and sound (and, more importantly, with all my gear) in Morocco. In the past three days, I’ve had enough adventures…

This Week In Running (Week of 3/28 & 3/29)

…..But I would run 100 miles and I would run 100 more, just to be the man who runs 100 miles to fall down at your door….Ok, ok, it was…

Food for Marathon des Sables

A sample nutritional plan for running the Marathon des Sables.

iRunFar.com does the Marathon des Sables

In little over a week, I’ll be toeing the line for the first stage of the Marathon des Sables, an event that will be the most difficult challenge of my…

This Week In Running (Week of 3/21 & 3/22)

Back we are again for another edition of This Week In Running, all set to give you a sneak peak at some of the races/events scheduled to take place on…

Montrail Mountain Masochist Review

A review of the Montrail Mountain Masochist trail running shoe.

Footwear for the Marathon des Sables

While some Marathon des Sables competitors spend months agonizing over their gear choices, none is more important than one’s choice of shoes. Sure, finding the right pack is important, but…

Trail Running Cameras

What good are trail running photography tips without a camera? Not much at all. With the dizzying array of digital cameras on the market, how is a trail runner to…

This Week In Running (Week of 3/14 & 3/15)

We’re back with yet another edition of This Week In Running, and this week we preview just a few of the many events on tap for the weekend of March…

10 Trail Running Photography Tips

Tom Sperduto should need no introduction, after all, we introduced him yesterday. Anyway, Tom is an award winning portrait photographer and ultramarathoner, who has kindly agreed to share 10 trail…

Tom Sperduto’s Ultrarunning Photography

There are lots of ultrarunners who take photos and a few who take great photos of ultrarunners. This week, iRunFar will explore photography on the trail with the help of…

Hairties and Headbands for Runners

“Don’t come back to practice until you put your hair in a ponytail.” These were the words spoken to me by my late high school coach, Bob Elder. I was…

This Week In Running (Week of 3/7 & 3/8)

“The stars at night – are big and bright….deep in the heart of Texas. The prairie sky – is high and wide, deep in the heart of Texas.” Ah yes,…

Marathon des Sables Training: Weeks 9-22

A summary of training for the Marathon des Sables.

Heat Acclimation for Runners: A Coach’s Analysis

Trail runners and ultramarathoners are groups that like to take on challenges. The tougher, the better, right? In a quest for new and tougher challenges we go longer, higher, hillier,…

This Week In Running (Week of 2/28 & 3/1)

It’s Wednesday, and time for the Tony Portera birthday edition of This Week In Running. Today we will take a look at some of the races that are on tap…

Libyan Challenge – American Team Prelude and Start

As you all know by now, I’m very excited to be running the Marathon des Sables in a month and as part of the Dreamchasers USA team no less. Despite…

Libyan Challenge

Ok, it’s less than five week until I fly to Morocco for the Marathon des Sables, so I’ve got desert racing on the brain pretty much 24/7. Therefore, I was…

What I Like Most About the Western States 100

Despite the misimpression I may have made with my previous post about the Western States 100, no other ultramarathon means more to me. Sure, it’s the granddaddy of 100 milers,…

La Sportiva Crosslite Review

More Trail Running Shoe Options To find more options for trail running shoes, check out our Best Trail Running Shoes article. Winter Running Traction Devices For adding more winter traction…

This Week In Running (Week of 2/21 & 2/22)

Welcome back to the post-Valentine’s Day edition of This Week In Running. Yes, if you are feeling the post-Valentine’s Day blues and need to get out on the trails for…

Asics Gel-Arctic WR 2 Review

A review of the Asics Gel-Artic WR 2, which gives you a sense of the utility of more recent versions of this shoe.

Inov-8 Roclite 312 GTX Review

A review of the Inov-8 Roclite 312 GTX.

This Week In Running (Week of 2/14 & 2/15)

Welcome back to Valentine’s Day edition of This Week In Running. This week we all get a gift from the sport we love, a plethora of winter trail racing options!…

Ultramarathon and Trail Running Camps

A guide to trail running and ultramarathon camps for adults from around the world.

The Runner’s Cookbook Review and Food Discussion

iRunFar Readers, you may remember Elyse Braner from her review of Lululemon’s Sergeant Jacket. Well, after that review, we had discussions with Elyse about her being iRunFar’s first intern. Intern…

This Week In Running (Week of 2/7 & 2/8)

Another winter Wednesday brings another edition of This Week In Running. Today’s edition of TWIR will preview a spring-like selection of the races that are on tap for the weekend…

Why I Hate/Love Running in Winter . . . by Kevin Sullivan

[Kevin Sullivan from Team Inov-8 (and winner of iRF’s best debut 100 mile of 2008) kindly provided the following article on winter running in the wake of a particularly harsh…

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2009: Lighting, Apparel and More

Now that you’ve had a chance to read up on our favorite shoes and food from the 2009 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, we’ll share our favorite lighting systems updates and…

This Week In Running (Week of 1/31 and 2/1)

This week’s edition of This Week In Running will preview a few of the races on tap for the weekend of January 31 and February 1, 2009. Before we begin,…

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2009: Food and Shoes

This past weekend, iRunFar had dozens of appointments with trail running companies and scoured the entire 2009 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market show floor. In between consuming our fair share of…

Nite Ize Marker Band Review

In addition to making the LED Sports Vest that iRunFar featured on Tuesday, Nite Ize makes what it calls a Marker Band. The Marker Band is an adjustable reflective band…

Nathan Magnetic LED Safety Light Review

The second item in iRunFar’s series on night safety is the Nathan Magnetic LED safety light. While Nathan makes some of the best hydration systems on the market, an iRunFar…

This Week In Running (Week of 1/24 & 1/25)

Welcome back to another edition of This Week In Running, brought to you in part by iRunFar.com, your source for mud, mountains, miles and so much more. This week’s edition…

Nite Ize LED Sport Vest Review

For many of us, road running and work are both facts of life… even if we would prefer it otherwise. During the longer days of summer, it’s often easy enough…

2009 Winter OR Show – Call for Questions

Right now, I’m somewhere in the Yellowstone National Park. If I’m not still sleeping (may I be so lucky), I’m on the final leg of a 3-day, 50-mile snowshoe trek…

A Plea to the Western States Board for Transparency and Accountability

Dear Western States Endurance Run Foundation Board of Trustees, Transparency and accountability should be key principles for all non-profit entities and the Western States Endurance Run Foundation (the Foundation) is…

This Week In Running (Week of 1/17 & 1/18)

Welcome back to another edition of This Week In Running, brought to you in part by iRunFar.com, your source for mud, mountains, miles and so much more. This week’s edition…

Moeben Sleeves Review

If you’ve been to any large trail running event during cool weather in the past year and a half, you’ve likely seen someone wearing Moeben Sleeves. Even if you haven’t…

La Sportiva Skylite Review

Our Favorite Trail Running Shoes To learn about our current favorite trail running shoes, check out our Best Trail Running Shoes article. La Sportiva Skylite Review During a recent run…

This Week In Running (Week of 1/10 & 1/11)

Happy New Year, and welcome back to another edition of This Week In Running, brought to you in part by iRunFar.com, your source for mud, mountains, miles and so much…

Best Debut 100 Mile Effort of the Year?

Running a great 100 mile race is a difficult task. You need to dial in the training and then nail the nutrition, strategy, and psychological aspects during the race. That…

Kahtoola MICROspikes Review

An in-depth review of the Kahtoola MICROspikes winter traction device.

STABILicers SPORT Review

An in-depth review of the STABILicers Sport winter running traction device.

Kako Ice Trekkers Ultra Review [Product Discontinued]

A review of the Kako Ice Trekker Ultra winter running traction device.

Winter Running Traction Devices

This past Friday, after 14 months of waiting, I finally got the chance to try the Kahtoola MICROspikes [iRF MICROspike preview]… and that’s not all. When I traveled north to…

Flatland Ultra’s iRunFar Interview

Happy holidays everyone! Before we shut down iRunFar headquarters and head up to New Jersey for some sweet trail running (no, really) we’re psyched to share an interview with you….

Energy Gel Comparison

An in-depth comparison of energy gels.

How to Run Trails!

“How to Run Trails!” That’s about as ambitious a post title as you’ll ever see here at iRunFar… but today we share resources from some masters of the sport that…

Clif Shot Bloks FastPak Review and Shot Roks Preview [Was Giveaway]

With the holidays upon us, iRunFar.com and Clif Bar teamed up to spread joy to runners around the country. If you were one of the first 25 U.S. residents to…

GreenLaces

What happens when you combine an environmentally-conscious running blog, an overworked editor, and the holidays – a post about GreenLaces! GreenLaces is simple, yet commendable environmental commitment program in which…

Gu Roctane Review

If you hang around running stores, outdoor retailers, or sporting goods stores nearly as much as we do, then you’ve probably noticed Gu Roctane along side the other energy gels…

Greeting Cards for Runners

While you shouldn’t except a greeting card from iRunFar this holiday season, we’d like to introduce you to Far Gone Greetings and its line of running-related greeting cards. This impressively…

Do You Sardine? BELA-Olhão Sardine Contest!

Do you sardine? We do! While iRunFar.com is generally a meat-free publication, there are times when training or racing and available non-meat protein sources don’t mesh. In such situations, we…

iRunFar Black Friday Giveaway Winners!

Here at iRunFar headquarters we spent this snowy night compiling entries from last week’s Black Friday Giveaway. Well, we’ve run our random number generator (saved some trees) and picked the…