#trail-running

#trail-running

NEAR ST. HELENS, Ore. It's a hot September afternoon as I set off running past farm fields into the woods on Sauvie Island, which lies at the meeting of the Columbia and Willamette rivers. It's a perfect trail for running with 60-year-old knees, the forest floor soft with leaves and pine needles. The gentle path offers views of the vast Columbia River. After a day of work, I love finding places like this, where I can turn off my brain and just move and breathe.

Just over a year ago, on September 2, 2024, Michelino Sunseri, now a 33-year-old professional trail runner, tagged the summit of Wyoming's Grand Teton and returned to the trailhead in 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 8 seconds, faster than the long-standing fastest known time (FKT) held by Andy Anderson since 2012. But while the clock said Sunseri was faster, a controversy kicked in almost immediately, landing him in federal court.

The Nike Wildhorse 10 ($165) is an excellent high-traction, responsive trail shoe for quick speeds on rough, rocky trails. It excels at anything from workouts to technical 100-kilometer races. It's a solid choice for those who enjoy the traction and ground feel of the Nike Kiger 9, but want a bit more rugged versatility than the Nike Pegasus Trail 5.

Hinted at on the ground during the 2025 Western States 100 but now official in the lead-up to this week's UTMB, the Nike Trail Team is now called the 22-member All Conditions Racing Department. More broadly, it signals what appears to be Nike's trail running products merging into the brand's existing All Conditions Gear (ACG) sub-brand. If we recall correctly, while ACG included Nike's true trail offerings back in the 1990s, in more recent years, ACG has appeared to be a fashion-first label in the "gorpcore" world.

"In the new film 'The Nomad,' we learn that Elazzaoui is much more than a fierce but warm competitor. We learn of his Berber heritage, how he comes from a traditionally nomadic family living at the edge of the Sahara Desert in southern Morocco."

The adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra shoe weighs 9.7 ounces for a men’s size 10 and has a stack height of 42mm heel and 34mm toe.

The 2025 Circle of Hell Run, organized by the Royal Order of the Desert Ratz, is a free, community-focused, timed event celebrating the local trail running culture.

Hutchinson's book, "The Explorer's Gene," incorporates historical and scientific research to explain why humans pursue new frontiers, focusing on exploration's benefits and motivations.

The Nike Terra Kiger 10 stubbornly stays true to its roots while other trail shoes built for speed are evolving with carbon-fiber plates.

The Altra x SOAR Mont Blanc Carbon Trail Shoe features a full-length carbon plate that enhances propulsion without sacrificing agility. Underfoot, dual-density midsoles offer cushioning and responsiveness.

Every September, mountain runners of all kinds descend on Big Sky for The Rut, a notoriously technical 50-kilometer race through Montana's wild alpine terrain. The course includes nearly 10,000 feet of elevation gain, with rugged climbs, loose scree, and exposed ridgelines - including a dramatic summit push up Lone Peak at 11,166 feet.

The 2025 Broken Arrow Skyrace festival features diverse trail races at Palisades Tahoe, including the Mountain Running World Cup Ascent and the challenging 23k.

The Mount Washington Road Race experienced adverse weather conditions that resulted in the course being shortened to 3.8 miles, impacting the race's structure and outcomes.

Paul Cornut-Chauvinc and Katie Schide triumphed at the 2025 Madeira Island Ultra-Trail, overcoming challenging weather after a devastating fire forced a rerouted course.