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readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Read before You Ultra
@readbeforeultra.bsky.social
650 followers 82 following 570 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
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝Even if you feel like you have a lot of weight to lose, in many cases, athletes are better off simply focusing on their training, particularly by making sure they are executing high-quality workouts […].
—Jason Koop
trainright.com/best-time-fo...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
When is the Best Time for Ultramarathon Runners to Lose Weight? - Jason Koop
If you choose to lose weight as part of your ultramarathon training, here's a guide to the best time to lose weight.
trainright.com
February 5, 2026 at 7:23 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝These are all excellent reasons to hire a coach. […] But notice what’s missing from this list?

There’s nothing that says “because every pro has one” or “because I’m supposed to” […].
—Nicole Linke
nicolelinke.com/do-you-need-...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
Do You Need a Running Coach? A Complete Guide to Making the Right Decision
Wondering if you should hire a running coach? Learn when coaching helps, when it holds you back, and how to make the right decision based on your goals and experience.
nicolelinke.com
February 4, 2026 at 6:56 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝Skilled rest is downshifting without shutting down.

It’s the ability to reduce unnecessary tension and attention when the situation doesn’t require it.
—Robert Wilson
open.substack.com/pub/checkeng...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
Redefining Rest
Why Rest Isn't Stillness (Part One of a Two Part Series)
open.substack.com
February 3, 2026 at 9:09 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
1/2 An interesting observation!

❝[N]one of the coaches place strong importance on fixed targets for maximum weekly mileage, longest long run or other commonly cited “vanity metrics”. […] ⬇️
February 3, 2026 at 9:48 AM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Take that, Garmin.

❝When my watch taunts me with the label “Unproductive,” […] I’ll sub in “Joyous” or “Satisfying” or “Not Too Bad Given All the Other Shit Going On” for the training status label.
—Sarah Lavender Smith
open.substack.com/pub/sarahrun...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
Your Watch Isn't Smarter Than You
Why I push back on my Garmin's virtual coaching feedback
open.substack.com
January 28, 2026 at 9:17 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝Discard DNF. Now flip it:

FND:
Finish
Next year
Definitely.
—the running poet
open.substack.com/pub/therunni...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
The finish
A reframing
open.substack.com
January 27, 2026 at 8:12 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝When you strip away the noise of segment leaderboards, prizes, and the magenta graphics, what’s left is something disarmingly simple: absurdity, inclusivity, and a shared human experience.
—Rachel Entrekin
blondeidiotrunning.wordpress.com/2026/01/15/w...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
“What the Hell is this?” A Burrito League Post
It’s Monday. I woke up, laced up my shoes, and grabbed my headphones, assuming the 2 hour run I was about to do would be a relatively solitary and boring affair. I drove over – not to a trail…
blondeidiotrunning.wordpress.com
January 16, 2026 at 8:18 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝1. How long does my run need to be to practice my nutrition plan? […]
2. How long does my long run need to be to give me confidence?
3. How long does my long run need to be to work on any logistical consideration […]?
—Jason Koop
trainright.com/longest-run-...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
How Long Should Your Longest Run Be Before An Ultramarathon? - CTS
How long should an ultrarunner's longest run be in training prior to racing an ultramarathon? Coach Jason Koop explains.
trainright.com
January 15, 2026 at 7:59 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝Menstrual cycle disturbances are more common in endurance athletes, with research suggesting that around 43% of endurance runners experience irregular or absent periods, particularly during race season.
—Dr Louise Burnie
run-ultra.com/news/menstru...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
Menstrual Cycle, RED-S and Contraceptives Explained for Endurance Runners
Dr Louise Burnie explains how the Menstrual Cycle, RED-S and Contraceptives can effect endurance runners and training for ultras.
run-ultra.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:01 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝In these unphotogenic places, awe gives way to endurance. You stop waiting for the moment and start inhabiting the time.
—Jenn Collins
open.substack.com/pub/onthetra...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
The Places That Don’t Photograph Well
On overlooked trails and the value of the ordinary
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 8:34 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
The reality for those of us with desk jobs.

❝The sneaky part is that a solid training routine can still sit on top of a day that barely involves any movement at all […].
—Keeley Milne
runningmagazine.ca/sections/tra...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
Here's the easiest training boost you've never considered - Canadian Running Magazine
NEAT is the acronym for the ordinary movements you do between runs, as part of daily life–and it matters more than you think
runningmagazine.ca
January 8, 2026 at 7:24 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝King is careful not to over-romanticise running as a cure-all. ‘I wouldn’t say running saved me,’ he says. ‘It gave me a platform to express what was already inside me.’
—Sam King/Jonathan Turner
run247.com/running-news...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
'Slowly is the fastest way to get to where you need to be' - how a 19-stone gamer became a world-record ultramarathon runner
"Running helped me find my potential and live the life I actually want to live," says Sam King after incredible fundraising challenge.
run247.com
January 6, 2026 at 9:07 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝We train not for the illusion of control, but for the sensitivity to respond with agency, choice, wisdom. That is the lesson the mountains give.
—Steve House
uphillathlete.com/mental-train...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
Who We Become Through Repetition
Who are you becoming? And have you considered asking yourself, why?Are you the result of a decision or an accident?How good is your relationship with
uphillathlete.com
January 2, 2026 at 5:33 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝[D]ream big. Do something bold. But also, make room for small joys and sustainable change.
One big leap. Six curious wanderings. Four steady anchors. That’s not a bad way to move through a year.
—Jenn Collins
open.substack.com/pub/onthetra...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
I'm Giving Up on New Year’s Resolutions
A case for small adventures, manageable habits, and skipping the personal reinvention phase of the new year.
open.substack.com
December 30, 2025 at 7:25 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝It’s no longer just about what we do, but how it looks, how it’s received, and how it compares. Pressure no longer begins on the start line but in the moment we post a training session.
—Kilian Jornet
mtnath.com/how-to-deal-...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
How to deal with pressure
2005. Andorra, World Championships. I was at the start line of the world championships. The race was in Andorra, only an hour from my home. I was the favorite, in the world cup I had won the previo…
mtnath.com
December 26, 2025 at 9:06 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝We’re all just out there playing this game of: How well can we do today?
—Henriette Albon/Lydia Thomson
www.irunfar.com/henriette-al...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
"I’m Not a Runner:" A Profile of Henriette Albon
A profile of trail runner Henriette Albon and her unique relationship with the sport.
www.irunfar.com
December 26, 2025 at 6:32 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Good idea.

❝[After a cold run,] I will often get right into sweats, a puffy jacket, fresh gloves, and a ski hat while I have my recovery meal. It looks ridiculous, but running is a silly proposition anyway.
—Mike Hahn
open.substack.com/pub/runningl...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
A Winter Running Field Guide
Notes for Cold Days from a Montana Runner
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 8:04 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝It is alright to be disappointed with landing amongst the stars when you were shooting for the moon. Grinding out a solid performance and feeling disappointment are not mutually exclusive.
—Scott Snell
www.beastcoasttrailrunning.com/2025/12/2025...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
2025 Big’s Backyard Individual World Championship
My race report of the 2025 Big's Backyard Ultra in Bell Buckle, TN - 270 miles.
www.beastcoasttrailrunning.com
December 16, 2025 at 7:48 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Gifts that drift well into New Year’s–resolution territory. Why not?

❝[T]he stuff that actually changes your running life can’t be bought in a store. […] Could you gift yourself something immaterial this year?
—Zoë Rom
news.ultrasignup.com/an-immateria...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
An Immaterial Gift Guide - UltraSignupNews
Skip the gear you don't need. Here are 8 immaterial gifts—from bigger dreams to better rest—that might actually improve your running in 2026.
news.ultrasignup.com
December 12, 2025 at 8:38 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝We escape the burden of the human world by going into the wilderness burdened with ideas, values, and products received from the human world.
—Dakota Jones
open.substack.com/pub/thatdako...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
I Went to The Running Event
And it made me think about - you guessed it! - running.
open.substack.com
December 10, 2025 at 8:26 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
In some strange way, seeing a string of fellow racers’ headlamps always has the effect of a small sunrise for me. Great write-up.

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
December 9, 2025 at 8:52 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝Every point of light was a story of how they got here, and was actively writing their personal story of the day ahead. I felt connected to these people.
— @theshastaone.bsky.social
shastaruns.wordpress.com/2025/11/15/r...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Running The Wolverine State 100 – Life In A Day
Pre-race write-up here October 11, 2025. Petoskey, Michigan, USA. Race day mornings always feel maddeningly ordinary. I woke up on the morning of the Wolverine State 100 with a single burning thoug…
shastaruns.wordpress.com
December 9, 2025 at 8:52 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Good article. Puts a bit too much faith in ultrarunners’ ability to use common sense, though. ⬇️
December 4, 2025 at 7:25 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
Not your typical race report.

❝I wasn’t always in the middle of Nowhere. I had to start Somewhere. We all do. […] And for me, Somewhere was eight hours ago, at midnight, in a village called Sistiana, north of Trieste.
—Michael Donovan
www.irunfar.com/the-swerve

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
The Swerve
A creative essay about the philosophical journey ultrarunning can take us on.
www.irunfar.com
December 3, 2025 at 7:52 PM
readbeforeultra.bsky.social
❝With nothing planned, and no special place to go, I sat and soaked in a few minutes of necessary ambivalence… a few minutes of no responsibilities, no commitments, no obligations, no nothing.
—Will Cooper
www.willrunlonger.com/2025/11/nece...

#running #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Necessary Ambivalence
Running is not a job, a duty or an obligation. It's your life at that moment. Embrace it. Will's blog on ultra running and other mind altering events.
www.willrunlonger.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:10 PM