Thoughts On Hardrock 2026

Hardrock's motto is ‘Wild and Tough’. The course is nothing but exceptionally steep climbs and descents at altitude. Each mile is slow, tough on the body, and hard earned. Many runners show up in their best possible form only to ‘crawl’ to the finish. This is an opinion, but this type of event best represents what I thought of as ultra running when I first got interested in the sport. I wasn't as concerned with optimizing physiology as I was with understanding the depths of character that only come to the surface during extremely difficult experiences. Things have changed since then, but this past weekend reminded me of what I want from these experiences — and therefore how I want to interact with the sport as an athlete.

Given the forced time on the bike recently, I've grown really interested in the world of professional cycling. It's always exciting to learn about new things, and cycling at the highest level feels unbelievably complicated. Moves made in a race are often the product of a series of math equations and prediction models taking into account surface speeds, group dynamics and their influence on aerodynamics, predictions of what other riders may do at any moment, and more. There's still an element of uncertainty and unpredictability, but millions of dollars are wrapped up in eliminating it, and the sport gets closer to that goal each year. Even in arenas like gravel racing, which once seemed more ‘vibes based’, teams are starting to form and invest in the top riders. Team dynamics are taking hold, and riders outside that type of environment are likely to have a harder and harder time finding success. I find this endlessly fascinating — but also a little discouraging.

Running, and specifically ultra running, is a long way off from what's going on in professional cycling. Objectively quantifying the experience is far more difficult. Road racing can get closer to the math-equation/prediction-model approach mentioned above, and we largely saw this during the Breaking2 project. To push boundaries in the sport, athletes are looking more toward novel technology than any fundamental changes in training. High-carb fueling, super shoes, Nomio, etc… are examples of these technologies helping push athletes past their physiological limitations.

On trails, we're starting to see similar attempts to control all the variables and push past prior limits. I recently listened to a podcast about data scientists creating detailed pacing strategies for athletes based on performance in prior races and workouts. Shoe companies are trying to create technology that will ‘propel’ us down the trail faster, and the same performance-enhancing supplements common in cycling and road running are finding their way into trail. Companies recognize the growing popularity of trail running and are investing accordingly — and with that increase in financial interest come more resources and more incentives to professionalize. As a coach and fan of the sport, I find this all very exciting!

But Hardrock is a race equation that's hard to crack. I think everything listed above will drop times on faster courses like WSER, Javelina, etc…, but my guess is that any especially big jumps in performance will be delayed at something like Hardrock. There are too many variables, and the athlete's response to each is less predictable. Tom Evans, arguably one of the top runners leading the professionalization charge in ultra running, dropped before the halfway mark with altitude sickness. Courtney, arguably the greatest of all time, puked her way through the night on her way to a first-place finish. There are certainly training interventions and nutritional strategies that can help overcome these race-day setbacks, but the complexity of the course lends itself to a different set of attributes rising to the top. And as mentioned above — again, an opinion — this is what I've always found most interesting about long-distance trail running.

Despite the nausea, Courtney finished first female and fifth overall. It'd be hard to argue that Courtney isn't physically talented, with a long list of wins at the top races, but her mentality and toughness are what stand out. It's rare to see a photo of her without an enormous smile, and her ability to maintain a calm and kind demeanour despite intense physical discomfort is something an enlightened monk would envy. It's hard to separate the physical side from the mental side, but it'd be hard to argue that the way she lives her life and interacts with the sport isn't what has allowed her to become the best to do it.

What a weekend of racing.

I tell some of you to do this on occasion, but as with everything, I should take my own advice… Finding real ways to immerse in and interact with the ultra running community is the most performance-enhancing option I know. It comes with a hefty dose of stress and sleep deprivation, but I find it impossible to leave these weekends feeling anything but immense gratitude and excitement for the opportunities I have and the choices I've made to make ultra running a big part of my life.