Best of Ultra Running:

Most define ultra running as any run longer than a marathon 26.2 miles (42.195km), but I like to define ultra running as any run greater than or equal to 30 miles. It just makes more sense. Most ultras are typically 31 miles (50km), 50 miles, 62 miles (100km) or 100 miles. So people.. please stop describing an ultra as anything longer than a marathon.

Anyways, like most things I do, I tend to read and search for all the information that I can get my hands on relating to the current passion that I have. So in this case, ultra running has sort of taken over that space. What’s driving this passion is the training and researching that I am doing for a 40 mile unsupported out and back trail run on the Appalachian Trail that my buddy and I have planned for this upcoming November.

With that said, I decided to document the items that I ran across. Below is the current list of the best ultra running books, podcasts, blogs, films, YouTube Channels, and races that caught my attention. If you think I am missing anything, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll be sure to add it to the list.

Books:

• Finding Ultra– Rich Roll
• North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalahian Trail–  Scott Jurek
• Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness –  Scott Jurek
• Field Guide to Ultrarunning: Training for an Ultramarathon, from 50K to 100 Miles and Beyond– Hal Koerner
• Born to Run – Christopher McDougall
• Training Essentials for Ultrarunning – Jason Koop
• Running Man: A Memoir of Ultra-Endurance – Charlie Engle

Podcasts:

• East Coast Trail and Ultra – Ryan Ploeckelman and Sean Blanton
• Talk Ultra – Ian Corless
• Billy Yang Podcast – Billy Yang
• Ultra Runner Podcast – Eric Schranz, Sarah Lavender Smith & Ben Zuehlsdorf
• Trail Runner Nation – Scott Warr and Don Freeman
• The Ginger Runner – Ethan Newberry
• Steep Life Media (Trail Currents) – Jamil Coury

YouTube:

• The Ginger Runner – Ethan Newberry
• Run Steep Get High – Jamil Coury
• Billy Yang Films – Billy Yang
• Running High – Avery Collins
• BeastCoast – Ron Heerkens Jr
• Salomon Trail Running

Blogs:

• Anton Krupicka
• Andrew Miller

Films:

YouTube (Free):

• Where Dreams Go To Die (Gary Robbins) The Barkley – Ginger Runner
• A Decade On (Brian Morrison) Western States – Ginger Runner
• Wonderland (Gary Robbins) FKT around Mt. Rainer – Ginger Runner
• Life in a Day Western States – Billy Yang
• Found on 49 (Jim Walmsley) – Summit Love Productions
• Finding Traction: The Ultra Marathon – Nikki Kimball
• Ultra High
• Run Forever –  Nicky Spinks & The Double Bob Graham

Amazon Prime (Free with Prime):

• Ouray 100 – Avery Collins & Rob Coslick
• The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young
• Breaking 60: Challenging the Impossible
• Desert Runners – Samantha Gash & Tremaine Kent
• 109 Hours – Kiril Nikolov
• Solstice – Gordy Ainsleigh & Topher Gaylord
• Fair Chase – Kristopher Houghton & Andrew Musuva
• Reach Your Limits – Kiril Nikolov

Races:

Use UltraSignup to find races near you. UltraSignup is a great site that makes it super easy to lookup races, sign up and follow other ultra runners.

• Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run
• Hardrock 100 Endurance Run
• Leadville Trail 100
• Hurt 100
• Barkley Marathons
• Big Backyard Ultra
• Run Bum Tours (Georgia Death Race 70ish miles, Cloudland Canyon 50K & Others)
• Dumass Events (Cruel Jewel 100 Mile, Bull Mtn EPIC, & Merrill’s Mile)
• Aravaipa Races
• KEYS 100 (100 Mile, 50 Mile & 50K)
• Daytona 100 Ultra

What’s missing? Leave a comment.

-thebidon