Photo courtesy of Jesse Jay Jimenez, 2013 Chris began 2013 with a near 2-week running respite, primarily to recover after a New Year’s Eve 24-hour run–pamper and provide some muscular rehabilitation after having had a heavy racing season in 2012 which included winning the ITR racing series. With renewed enthusiasm, he decided to ease back into the long runs by sweeping ITR’s serene Fort Ord Trail Run, a ... Read More

Running is one of those activities that is so boldly animal and inherently human; an unthinking exercise that is uniting and creates community under a guise of simple common interest. Irrespective of talent or speed, the body is built to run. Similar to meditation or religious fulfillment, running can emancipate the spirit through bouts of physical struggle and suspension, and taking this action to the trails increases our ... Read More

Caffeine is one of the oldest and most accessible performance enhancing aids. It is a metabolic stimulant that affects the central nervous system and decreases the perception of fatigue; studies suggest that caffeine may even enhance muscle contractions. Fat is known to slow sugar absorption and digestion, allowing you to feel satiated longer and have stable energy release instead of a spike. A benefit of caffeine is that ... Read More

How many of you neglect to eat and hydrate adequately during or after a run? How many of you simply forget to drink your sports solutions and sip water at aid stations? Hydration and fuel for your event are fundamental concepts, yet they are often discounted or repudiated. The key to optimal performance and adaptation to training is proper nutrition. For both athletes and couch potatoes, balanced diets ... Read More

Inside Trail Racing Team member, Victor Ballesteros, dominated the illustrious Jed Smith Ultra Classic 50 miler this past weekend in Sacramento, CA. The course is a flat and somewhat monotonous 5-mile loop of paved and dirt path that delivers some of the fastest 50k and 50 mile times in recent US history. Such a race places a tormenting stress on the legs and diligence of the runners. It ... Read More