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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra
@readbeforeultra.bsky.social
640 followers 82 following 510 posts
Sharing fun-sized quotes about running crazy-sized distances. Subscribe to my regular-sized newsletter! ✍️ → readbeforeultra.substack.com 💙 → buymeacoffee.com/ReadbeforeUltra #running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · Nov 19
👋

I’m here to share useful, insightful, or simply relatable writing about (ultra)running.

My other goal is to tempt you to check out my newsletter. It’s about #running, in a way; in a different way, it’s about anything that’s a part of running but isn’t running.

open.substack.com/pub/readbefo...
Inspired by Ultrarunning × Occasional × Free
A short introduction to 100 lessons
open.substack.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · 1h
2/2 ❝Somehow, through this 50k, I have learned to better meet myself right where I am.
—Jessica Lin
open.substack.com/pub/runningb...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
I completed my first ultramarathon.
Reporting from the heart, 50 kilometers later.
open.substack.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · 1h
1/2 ❝There will always be people faster than me in these races. There will always be longer distances that others have mastered. There will always be something else that someone else is doing.
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · 1d
❝We like to think of progress as linear: faster, farther, stronger, better. But sometimes progress is quieter. Sometimes it’s what used to scare you that doesn’t anymore.
—Jenn Collins
open.substack.com/pub/onthetra...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
I kind of hate Strava.
When the competition is all in your head. And it won't leave.
open.substack.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · 6d
❝Fear of losing fitness prevents a lot of athletes from taking a meaningful break from training. […] The reality is, a prolonged (3-4 weeks) period of rest and unstructured exercise can be very beneficial […].
—Ryne Anderson
trainright.com/better-ultra...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
7 Keys to Being A Stronger Ultrarunner Next Season - CTS
There is nothing more powerful in endurance sports than accumulated training time. You can be a better trail and ultra runner next season because the season
trainright.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · 8d
❝Sure, I knew there’d be things out there that I couldn’t predict that would almost inevitably happen… but as my mantra (picked up from Stephanie Case) dictated, ‘what if it all goes right?’
—Rachel Entrekin
blondeidiotrunning.wordpress.com/2025/10/04/m...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Mammoth 200: Go Big or Go Extinct
I am exactly one week removed from the inaugural running of the Mammoth 200. What a ride that was. A race this long deserves a long blog post, so grab a cold one and let’s get started. GAME T…
blondeidiotrunning.wordpress.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · 9d
❝To me it’s about curiosity. I’m just deeply curious to see what’s possible. Can I do The Thing? How can I do it? What will it feel like?
—Damian Hall
www.ultradamo.com/blog/25-solo

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
2.5 Solo: This Splendid Defeat — Damian Hall
When is a failure a success?
www.ultradamo.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · 13d
❝I have immense respect for the outdoors […].
And so I prepare.
I do research.
I listen to seasoned professionals and educate myself.
—Sally McRae
open.substack.com/pub/theyello...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Afraid of it all.
Since I started trailrunning (15 yrs ago) I’m routinely asked about fear.
open.substack.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · 16d
❝Know that running will evolve with you, throughout your life, and it doesn’t have to be static. […] It doesn’t always have to look the same. That in itself is really exciting.
—Mattie Webb/Alison Wade
open.substack.com/pub/fastwome...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Fast Women: The shifting identities of competitive runners
Katie Schide, Tove Alexandersson, and Nina Engelhard win world titles
open.substack.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · 19d
2/2 ❝I think the numbers are real. I don’t think it’s a big scam to get people to buy new shoes. It’s a limit of the physical materials […].
—Richard Kuchinsky/@runningsucks.bsky.social
www.runningsucks101.com/p/richard-ku...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
So many shoes but only two feet
I speak to footwear designer Richard Kuchinsky about the confluence of running shoe design and run culture
www.runningsucks101.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · 19d
1/2 The age-old question: Do #running shoes really only last a few hundred miles?
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · 26d
Midpack FTW!

❝As the half-marathon club runners stretched their athletic legs, led by an elite Kenyan no less, we girded our middle-aged loins.
—Craig Lewis
open.substack.com/pub/runningt...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Is there such a thing as a ‘vulnerable’ race? And could an average runner win it?
Imagine if an everyday runner could actually win an event… this mid-packer set out in search of the seemingly impossible
open.substack.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · 28d
A short and sweet guide to recovering better.

❝Recovery isn’t just about taking a day off. It’s about giving your body the resources it needs to repair, adapt, and come back stronger.
—Alyssa Leib
uphillathlete.com/nutrition/nu...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Nutrition Strategies to Aid Recovery for Mountain Athletes
Learn how proper nutrition supports recovery and performance for mountain and endurance athletes. Tips on carbs, protein, supplements, and sleep.
uphillathlete.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · 29d
❝So yes—I’m an ultrarunner.
Not just because I run far, but because I show up for the sport I love.
—Shalini Bhajjan
ultrarunning.com/featured/im-...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
I'm an Ultrarunner - Ultra Running Magazine
As I floated between PTA warriors and snack table philosophers, one question kept pacing through my mind: What actually makes someone a well-rounded ultrarunner? (Aside from questionable life choices ...
ultrarunning.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · Sep 14
❝Does our body actually work harder or more efficiently in a group setting? The scientific evidence presents a compelling and somewhat unexpected picture.
—Niki Micallef
open.substack.com/pub/bornonth...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Can Run Clubs Make You a Better Runner?
A deep dive into studies on run clubs, motivation and training quality, showing how group runs can help or hinder long-term success.
open.substack.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · Sep 11
❝Beyond mere existence, what a wonder that we can walk and run, and run for an hour, and run for days.
—Bryon Powell
www.irunfar.com/in-praise-of...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
In Praise of the Big Hairy Audacious Goal
Some reasons why you might want to make sure you have a Big Hairy Audacious Goal on your running calendar.
www.irunfar.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · Sep 10
❝Strangely though, I think I enjoy getting grumpy about running in the rain. […] Compared to a lot of the unnecessary hate and ill will in the world, rain is a pretty safe thing to grumble over […].
—Jonathan S. Bean
open.substack.com/pub/vengarun...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Rain rage
276 days to 100 miles
open.substack.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · Sep 9
❝And when I felt like I wanted to faint, I told myself it wasn’t real. Over and over again until it wasn’t real.
—Rhys Desmond
rhysdesmond.com/2025/09/07/u...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Ultra-Trail Harricana 28K Recap – I don’t hold hands
When it comes to trail running, I don’t hold hands. It sounds lovely and sportsmanlike, and all. But I much prefer to fight to the death. And I had so much fun doing so this weekend at the Ultra-Tr…
rhysdesmond.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · Sep 8
Bahaha, you gave her homework, love it!

I’m curious, did she read it? Does she agree with what it says in general? Always good to have another opinion from a knowledgeable person.
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · Sep 8
A wise woman, your physio.

Koop’s book is great, don’t know if you’ve read it. I’ve used it extensively to inform my own training, as well as give unsolicited advice to friends. 😁
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · Sep 8
2/2 ❝A wiser way to “do more” is by rearranging what you’re already doing so your efforts can be more effective within your existing training volume.
—Jason Koop
trainright.com/concentrated...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Concentrated Volume: The Secret To Getting Faster Without Adding Training Hours - CTS
Concentrated volume is a method of rearranging ultramarathon training to increase training stress from existing weekly hours.
trainright.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · Sep 8
1/2 Life advice as well as training tip:

❝You can’t simply add more of everything, and people who try end up injured, exhausted, and burned out.
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · Sep 5
❝It was hard. But it was only *too* hard in the cumulative. In the Right Here and Right Now it was manageable.
—Chris Russell
runrunlive.com/right-here-r...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Right here, Right now – RunRunLive
runrunlive.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · Sep 4
❝You don’t spend 46 hours through the dark of two nights, in the rain and cold, grinding it out, up and down, up and down, by accident. Every one of those people had been on a journey.
— @semi-rad.com
open.substack.com/pub/semirad/...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
I Hope You Like Mountains
postcard from a landmass that projects conspicuously above its surroundings and is higher than a hill
open.substack.com
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · Sep 3
🤭

❝However, a closeup of my hairy, mud-caked legs induced a violent bout of projectile vomiting. Trail running is all about giving back to the environment […].
—Stuart Mann
runningmann.co.za/2025/09/01/s...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
runningmann.co.za
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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra @readbeforeultra.bsky.social · Sep 2
❝But endurance isn’t the same as healing. And pushing forward isn’t the same as knowing why you’re going.
—Steve House
uphillathlete.com/voiceofthemo...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Essay: Redefining Bravery
with guest Peter Metcalf
uphillathlete.com
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