Solving the Appalachian Trail Puzzle

Kristian Morgan set a new southbound FKT on the Appalachian Trail, but he’s not done yet

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Shelby Houlihan Still Says She Didn’t Cheat

Are today’s anti-doping tests really snaring innocent athletes?

Published by Runner’s World on Aug 8, 2022. Available online here.

It’s Almost Impossible to Be a Running Fan

Doping controversies are just the start of what spectators have to worry about in this year’s Olympics.

Published by The Atlantic on July 30, 2021. Available online here…

Does CrossFit Have a Future?

After the pandemic and accusations of racism almost destroyed the gym brand, a new owner tries to bring it back.

Published by The New Yorker on July 20, 2021. Available online here...

Alberto Salazar, Coach of the Nike Oregon Project, Gets a 4-Year Doping Ban

The United States Anti-Doping Agency announced the penalty against Salazar, a former star runner and a coach to top runners.

Published in The New York Times print newspaper on October 1, 2019. Available online here...

Dave Mackey: All Is Not Lost

After a mountain accident crushed his leg, the ultrarunner underwent 13 surgeries. When the outcome left him unable to run, he made the decision to amputate so he could return to the sport he loves.

Originally published in print, updated version available online here...

The Man Who Brought Down Lance Armstrong

Floyd Landis, a former teammate of the cyclist’s, just won more than $1 million in a legal case against Armstrong. Here are his thoughts on the suit, cycling, and his onetime rival.

Originally published in print, updated version available online here...

‘This Doesn’t Sound Legal’: Inside Nike’s Oregon Project

A report by antidoping officials says the coach, Alberto Salazar, violated drug protocols with Dathan Ritzenhein, Tara Welling and other elite runners.

Originally published in print on the front page of The New York Times, May 20, 2017. Available online here...

How Kilian Climbed Everest Twice In Six Days

On May 22nd, 2017, Jornet climbed from Base Camp to the summit, a roughly 12,296-foot ascent, in 26 hours, without bottled oxygen or the use of fixed ropes.

Matt caught up with Kilian at his home in Norway to talk Everest, fastest-known-times, and doping.

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Sue Johnston Is an Ultrarunning Pioneer

Sue Johnston has been setting FKTs for decades and inspired a generation of ultrarunners along the way. If you've never heard her name before, that's by design.

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Doctor for Nike Oregon Project Runners Is Notified of Doping Allegations

The United States Anti-Doping Agency has sent an official notice of rules violations to an endocrinologist who has treated several Olympians in the Nike Oregon Project stable of elite runners, according to multiple people familiar with the case.

Originally appeared in print on June 9, 2017, on page B12 of the New York Times, available online here...

Is Your Heart Healthy?

Ask Your Phone.
Heart-rate apps bring Olympic-caliber recovery to everyone.

Originally published in print, available online here...

Get More From the Treadmill

The treadmill has long been synonymous with monotony — a place to zone out and pretend you're not watching E! Not anymore.

Originally published in print, available online here...

The Prescription Drugs That Are Abused in Endurance Sports

Because the temptation to use performance-enhancing drugs is surprisingly strong.
 

Originally published in print, available online here...

Is A Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet For You?

Local experts weigh in on whether fitness freaks benefit from this trendy diet.

Originally published in print, available online here...

FIGHTING THE FOG

What it feels like to have overtraining syndrome. (scroll down to see Matt's section).

Originally published in print, available online here...

The Road Back

In this profile, director of coaching for CTS, Jason Koop, finally speaks about his employer's history with doping and culpability in the greatest sports fraud of all time. 

Originally published in print, available online here...

Ski-Mountaineering Gear

Look here for the best ski-mountaineering equipment to help make your light and fast days feel less heavy and long.

Originally published in print, not yet online. 

Uphill Battle

As more and more skiers and snowboarders are seeking to earn their turns, more and more resorts are letting them have their way. Is uphill skiing becoming the new normal?

Originally published in print, available online here...

Mo-ticulous Motivations

How a former tech whiz turned his love of the niche sport of ski mountaineering into a runaway success. 

Originally published in print, available online here...

Where in the World Did Karl Egloff Come From?

The guy who is snagging Kilian Jornet’s speed records is just getting started.

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Can the Latest Sports Testing Tech Help You Become Faster?

It could be rightly argued that you simply don’t need sophisticated physiological tests to achieve your athletic goals. Roger Bannister didn’t know how much salt he had in his sweat when he ran the world’s first sub-4-minute mile in 1954. 

Originally published in print, available online here...

Running in Iten, Kenya

Iten sits on an escarpment overlooking the African Rift Valley and has become internationally recognized as an incubator for world-class running speed. David Epstein, author of The Sports Gene, has called this area the “greatest concentration of elite athletic talent, ever, in any sport, anywhere in the world.”

Images by Jon Humphries

(no longer available online)

It Takes a Village

Running has been a central part of the Tarahumara culture for centuries. Their traditional, non-Spanish name for themselves is Rarámuri, or “running people.” Historically, much of their athletes’ training comes in the form the rarajipari ultrarunning ball-game. 

Images by Jon Humphries

(no longer available online)

Training with Jane Kibii

I spent a week with elite marathoner Jane Kibii in her hometown of Iten, Kenya. 

Images by Jon Humphries

(no longer available online)

Runners for Life

Tales of unbelievable endurance have been making their way out of these Mexican canyons for decades, like athletes running 500 miles while carrying 40 pounds of mail, or covering 435 miles in a single run. Researchers and physiologist who’ve visited the area have compared the Tarahumara to the Spartans of ancient Greece for their cultural proclivity for being preternaturally fit.

Images by Jon Humphries

(no longer available online)

Historical Badass: The Last Man Who Knew Everything

Alexander von Humboldt was a meticulous scientist, intrepid explorer, and at one time had climbed higher than anyone else.

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Chasing a Speed Record in Bhutan 

Making history on the world's toughest trek.

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Camaraderie Wins in the World’s Toughest Footrace

Reigning champ and underdog team up to share ultrarunning's top prize.

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100-Mile Races Are More Competitive—and Popular—Than Ever

More runners and longer distances spark the explosive growth of ultra-marathons.

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How a Runner Survived a Bear Attack During a Race

A marathoner encountered a bear and her cubs during a race in New Mexico. Find out how she survived the attack—and what to do if it happens to you.

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A Killer Course

The science is out on whether ultrarunning is good or bad for our hearts—but I'm sure the Hardrock 100 is good for mine.

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Your Brain on Pain: The Nolan's 14 Route

Our innate desire for adventure has some going big in the mountains.

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Ultrarunning at a Crossroads: Is There a Growing Doping Problem on the Trails?

Although many sports have been bogged down by performance-enhancing drug problems over the past two decades, the sport of ultrarunning, at least in the United States, has yet to be mired in a doping scandal. 

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Hardrocked: North America’s Hardest Race, Take Two

After having a disastrous experience at the Hardrock 100 in 2011, Matt Hart changed up his training and is giving it another go this year. 
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Common Running Injuries (and How to Fix Them)

You love to run. You hate to get hurt. Even if injuries are inevitable, there’s plenty you can do about them. Here’s your guide to fixing the most frequent problems.

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For More and More Runners, Ski Mountaineering Is Closing the Winter Fitness Gap

Why trail- and ultrarunners are spending their winters in ski boots.

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How to Become a Beast on the Uphills

Learn how to tweak your training to become a monster climber with the expert help of Jason Koop and Joe Friel. 

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Efficient Tools for Backcountry Skiing

Look here for ski mountaineering, hut trips, and multi-day backcountry skiing forays.

Originally published in print, available online here...