And they’re off! 243 intrepid runners will spend the better part of a week tackling heat and unforgiving desert terrain as the Cocodona 250 winds its way toward Flagstaff, AZ. ? Stay close to the action (from the cool comfort of your couch) via the livestream. ?: Howie Stern

? Feel the need for speed? Watch this neck-and-neck battle between Max King and David Hedges at last weekend’s Breakneck Point Trail Marathon, as they put everything on the line to win a spot in the trail world championships.

Want more racing? Check out these upcoming events still open for registration:

• Down Under 135, May 13 (AU)
• The Forgotten 50K, May 14 (OH)
• Dirty Turtle 50k, May 14 (WA)
• Bishop High Sierra Ultras, May 21 (CA)

When my good friend started running 6-day races around short loop courses, I’ll admit, I didn’t get it. At first glance it seemed, well, boring. But with time I began to appreciate the mental, spiritual, and community aspects of multi-days.

Jared Beasley digs into the possible tension between multi-days and trail ultras—exploring common perceptions, interviewing trail runners who are making a shift toward the niche, and leaving us with a humorous take on the dating life of a multi-day runner.

Running with a friend is special. Running with a parent, child, or sibling takes family bonding to the next level. For Emily Halnon, pouring run-love into her relationship with her mom became a gift of memories and inspiration that will last forever. Moments she now holds even more dear as her mother recently passed due to cancer. 

As we pause to celebrate our mothers this weekend, Emily shares the universal lessons she learned from hers: run and live with relentless courage and joy, even and especially when life gets tough.

? Cheat on Your Run: Ever felt like biking or skiing was “cheating” on your main squeeze? You’re not alone. Runners are deeply committed to staying, well, runners. But this article shows how sport sampling can actually transform your running game. Preview: “Cross-training” becomes simply “training.”

? It’s All in Your Head: Our motivation, response to exhaustion, and ultimately performance abilities are all mental. At least that’s what a new book on the psychology of endurance running posits based on compelling research from across the globe. This MIT article summarizes the book into a 5 minute read.  

? Community Props:

• Jacky: Congrats to amputee runner Jacky Hunt-Broersma on completing 102 marathons in 102 days and raising over $48k for Amputee Blade Runners. But wait … she’s not done. Jacky decided to cushion her new world record by extending the streak to 104 in 104. Can’t stop, won’t stop!
  
  
• Bailey: Canadian mom of three and race director, Bailey Wagner, is on a three-year run streak which now serves a double purpose—her husband and kids take turns joining her, making it their family quality time.
  
  
• Tommy: Not so long ago Tommy Rivs placed 16th at the famed Boston Marathon. This year he was one of the last finishers, run-walking with joy and gratitude simply to be alive. An inspiring update on Tommy’s journey of grace and grit. 

?‍♀️ Superpower: When the kids whine “are we there yet?” supermoms reply “suck it up, buttercup!” New mom Yitka Winn tries to decide whether these superpowers will transfer to running 100-milers.

? Dirty Texts: Take your phone with you everywhere? Might want to draw the line at the port-a-potty. A WA woman made headlines last week for dropping her cell phone in a vault toilet, then taking a plunge 8-ft down to retrieve it. No way around it, that’s a sh*tty day. 

 ? Scorpion Mountain: Ultrarunners—we love what we do. But Seinfeld says, when it comes to race naming, we might be a tad dramatic.