Let's Discuss
Going the Distance
On your mark... For decades, elite runners have pretty much all followed the same career path: chase faster times, run major courses, repeat. Now, some of the biggest women’s names in the sport have gone off-road. After years inside the marathon machine, Olympic medalist Molly Seidel explained how trail running helped her fall back in love with competition. At her first ultra, Seidel beat the entire field (men and women) and obliterated the 50K women’s course record. And long-distance mainstay Des Linden, who won Boston in 2018, says her 2026 vision board is full of major trail and ultrarunning races. This month alone, Rachel Entrekin smashed the men’s 250-mile course record, fueled by our favorite comfort food and only 19 minutes of sleep. Legend.
Our take: Ultrarunning offers more than a change of scenery for road racers, and women are crushing it. The sport suddenly occupies a very different place in run culture, complete with elite athletes, sponsor money, cult-favorite gear, and its own cool-kid identity. While road races ask runners to optimize every second, trail runs require them to explore, respond, and endure. “I love competing, adapting, and figuring it out when things get messy,” Seidel told Runner’s World. And even if most pro trail and ultrarunners operate in a much smaller financial ecosystem, as the sport grows in visibility, it may start to feel less like a retirement plan and more like an entirely new lane for elite competition.
Related: How a Top Female Ultra-Runner Trains, Fuels & Recovers for 100-Mile Races (mindbodygreen)
Timeout...
What's going on with the grand slams?
Honestly, there’s not a lot of love between pro tennis players and big four summer tournament organizers at the moment. With the French Open set to kick off on Sunday (qualifying matches are already underway), several tennis stars are tossing around the word “boycott” over schedules, pay, and work conditions. And some of the sharpest comments have come from Aryna Sabalenka (an athlete who isn't afraid to make controversial statements) and Coco Gauff. Hard to fault them. For fans, it doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t get to sip a Honey Deuce at the US Open or enjoy all the people watching at Wimbledon. But the vibe around tennis suddenly feels a lot less strawberries-and-cream.
Related: World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz Withdraws From Wimbledon (Forbes)
No Notes
Let's Discuss
Going the Distance
On your mark... For decades, elite runners have pretty much all followed the same career path: chase faster times, run major courses, repeat. Now, some of the biggest women’s names in the sport have gone off-road. After years inside the marathon machine, Olympic medalist Molly Seidel explained how trail running helped her fall back in love with competition. At her first ultra, Seidel beat the entire field (men and women) and obliterated the 50K women’s course record. And long-distance mainstay Des Linden, who won Boston in 2018, says her 2026 vision board is full of major trail and ultrarunning races. This month alone, Rachel Entrekin smashed the men’s 250-mile course record, fueled by our favorite comfort food and only 19 minutes of sleep. Legend.
Our take: Ultrarunning offers more than a change of scenery for road racers, and women are crushing it. The sport suddenly occupies a very different place in run culture, complete with elite athletes, sponsor money, cult-favorite gear, and its own cool-kid identity. While road races ask runners to optimize every second, trail runs require them to explore, respond, and endure. “I love competing, adapting, and figuring it out when things get messy,” Seidel told Runner’s World. And even if most pro trail and ultrarunners operate in a much smaller financial ecosystem, as the sport grows in visibility, it may start to feel less like a retirement plan and more like an entirely new lane for elite competition.
Related: How a Top Female Ultra-Runner Trains, Fuels & Recovers for 100-Mile Races (mindbodygreen)
Timeout...
What's going on with the grand slams?
Honestly, there’s not a lot of love between pro tennis players and big four summer tournament organizers at the moment. With the French Open set to kick off on Sunday (qualifying matches are already underway), several tennis stars are tossing around the word “boycott” over schedules, pay, and work conditions. And some of the sharpest comments have come from Aryna Sabalenka (an athlete who isn't afraid to make controversial statements) and Coco Gauff. Hard to fault them. For fans, it doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t get to sip a Honey Deuce at the US Open or enjoy all the people watching at Wimbledon. But the vibe around tennis suddenly feels a lot less strawberries-and-cream.
Related: World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz Withdraws From Wimbledon (Forbes)
No Notes
Live Smarter
Sign up for the Daily Skimm email newsletter. Delivered to your inbox every morning and prepares you for your day in minutes.