Pretty much the first gear decision you make when entering the world of ultras is what pack to get. As the miles get longer, the need to carry more stuff with you increases. Fluid, food, jackets, poles, blister kits – the list just seems to get longer and longer. I went with a Nathan waist…
2026 Last Annual Heart Of The South Race Report
An epic race deserves an epic race report. Journey Run Or. . . The Last Annual Heart of the South is a 355 or 400 mile footrace on unmarked open roads. It’s completely self supported (no crew) so runners are solely responsible for getting themselves to the finish. To up the degree of difficulty, the…
2026 HOTS Preview
Deep breath . . . and exhale. The Journey Of A Lifetime This year’s Last Annual Heart Of The South is a 355 mile journey run from somewhere down south to Sand Mountain in north Georgia. There’s also a 50 mile bonus option for those runners who feel this isn’t a long enough distance already.…
Moments In Time: The Art Of A Dirt Nap
Heading into Buckeye 200 in 2023 I had a lot of ultra experience, however zero experience in sleeping during runs. I did some research and decided to go with short “dirt naps” along the route instead of prolonged sleep breaks. I’m not the fastest runner out there and so intentionally try to spend as little…
How Seriously Should You Take Training/Racing Ultras?
Ultras are basically my job at this point (which I make no income from). This has been a very serious hobby of mine for the past 10+ years. It is something I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about, reading about, and studying intently. I’m analytical in how I train and race. I’m always looking…
Why You Should Consider A Journey Run For Your Next Adventure
Looking for a different type of ultra? Let me introduce you to the journey run. Journey runs are ultras on unmarked, open roads. You are provided the route (typically GPX files) ahead of time and are given a fixed amount of time to get from the start to the finish. Like most ultras you can…
3 Days At The Fair 24 Hour Race Report
There are two types of runners in the world: those that run by time and those that run by distance. Do you wake up and head out for a 45 minute run however far that takes you? Or do you head out for a 5 mile run no matter how much time it lasts? I…
Time For Plan B (Yet Again)
I’m starting to think that I’m cursed. Eagleton 86 was cancelled this weekend due to some sort of issue with the course. This is now the third race that I’ve had cancelled on me in the past 12 months. The first two (Viaduct, Angela Ivory) were weather related and subsequently rescheduled. I was able to…
Eagleton 86 Mile Race Preview
If it seems like I just ran a race, well. . . you’re not wrong. This race was a relatively late addition to my 2026 calendar. When Eastern States Trail Endurance Alliance (ESTEA) announced The Void earlier this year, I immediately signed up for it. I mean, 160 miles in a tunnel? How could I…
2026 Coast to Coaster Epic Photo Dump
Similar to last year, I’m doing a bonus post with all the extra photos I took that didn’t make it into my race report. It’s possible I could have shaved 45 minutes off my overall time by taking fewer pics. Check-in Selfies Let’s start with the photos I sent to Derek at each of the…