The last loop was quiet beneath the full moon. Their shuffling feet on the packed, pebble-tossed singletrack punctuated the sleeping Sonoran Desert as the duo moved through shadows of saguaro cactus and prickly pear. Millions of white pinpoints began to appear in the dark sky.

That鈥檚 when 66-year-old Tracy Dauwalter, mother of ultrarunner Courtney Dauwalter鈥攚ho was coming off of of the 2023 Western States 100, Hardrock 100, and UTMB, including two course records鈥攕tarted resharing doubts with her daughter, who kindly reminded Tracy many times throughout the last 13 hours, 鈥渢hat鈥檚 not useful thinking, so let鈥檚 not think it.鈥�

Occasionally, Courtney would redirect their attention, pointing out this unique section of the course that they鈥檇 been past twice before. This time, she built a 60-second container to stuff all those fears inside.

鈥淭ell me all of your doubts and frustrations. You have one minute,鈥� Courtney told her mom. 鈥淥nce you finish, you can鈥檛 complain out loud anymore. It鈥檚 not serving us to get to this finish line.鈥�

Tracy spewed all of her negative thoughts, from her rolling stomach to her aching muscles, which was an important reset to get out of the whirlpool of heavy thoughts. I signed up for this, Tracy humbly reminded herself. Nobody鈥檚 making me do this.

The Mother-Daughter Ultra Duo

A dedicated team, the pair was running three loops side-by-side in matching long running shorts, white baggy tees, Salomon hydration vests, and cactus-themed socks, at the Halloween-themed Javelina Jundred 100K race. The ultrarunning event is held the closing weekend of October in the McDowell Mountain Regional Park, an hour northeast of Phoenix, Arizona. Temperatures can climb into the 90s by mid-morning and dip into the low 50s once daylight disappears behind the McDowell Mountain Range.

Now 38 years old and living in Leadville, Colorado, Courtney had participated in the event once before, in 2016, when she was the race鈥檚 outright winner. She set the then-course record for the 100K, one of several performances that drew national attention to her astonishing endurance and athleticism.

RELATED: 30 Hours at Javelina Jundred, the Burning Man of Trail Running

Tracy, who鈥檇 just recently started trail running, had covered ultra-distances at 12- and 24-hour events across flat gravel, but had never before run this far on a trail. They selected Javelina鈥檚 rolling 100K with 3,924 feet of vertical gain. The majority of the climbing is packed into the gradual ascent from the Javelina 鈥淛eadquarters鈥� aid station, which serves as the start and finish of the race and basecamp, to the far side of the loop, Jackass Junction.

It was exactly here, at this midway point, after slogging up the final climb over rolling hardened granite and sandy washes, where Tracy had a sticking point. Fortunately, Courtney was there to fill up her water bottles and point out all the tasty options when they reached the runner鈥檚 buffet.

鈥淧lease keep eating,鈥� she said, as the electronic dance music bumped. A few hours earlier, they enjoyed a surprise pick-me-up of McDonald鈥檚 cheeseburgers, delivered by crew masters Dick Dauwalter, Courtney鈥檚 dad, and Kevin Schmidt, her husband. But one of the biggest highlights during the race for Tracy was watching Courtney interact and commune with so many people in the trail running community.

鈥淐ourtney does this amazing sport, but even more, I adore the person she is. It鈥檚 one of my favorite things to watch the love that鈥檚 out there for Courtney, and the way she responds. To be in that world with her was really special,鈥� Tracy said. 鈥淪he was also really kind to me, even when I was frumping and I鈥檇 fall down, she鈥檇 help pick me up.鈥� Courtney let out a laugh.

鈥淢om, you only fell one time!鈥� said Courtney, laughing.

鈥淚 know, but it was embarrassing,鈥� Tracy said.

鈥業鈥檓 Willing to Do Any Sport鈥�

While Javelina was the mother-daughter鈥檚 debut trail ultra finish, side-by-side, the experience wasn鈥檛 their first race together. When Courtney was in high school, the duo finished a rollerblade marathon together in St. Paul. (Rollerblading is a major pastime in Minnesota, where Tracy grew up and still lives today.) Here, she met Dick and raised Courtney, a middle-child to two brothers.

While growing up, Tracy played softball and badminton. In college, she ran cross-country and track. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been interested in sports and done them at a level that I could make the team. I was never a star. Being on a team is social and taxes your body while working up a sweat,鈥� she said.

When the kids were interested in soccer, she and Dick organized an adult co-ed squad. Now, she jogs, plays volleyball, and golfs. She and Dick enjoy motorcycle tours, too, like venturing through the Elk Mountains in Colorado. 鈥淚鈥檓 not great at anything, but I can hold my own, and it鈥檚 super fun鈥擨鈥檓 willing to do any sport,鈥� she said. The motto was much the same for the kids.

鈥淚 thought that it would be so cool to share this sport that I love so much with this person I love so much. I knew she could do it.鈥�

鈥淭hey could try any activity. But once they committed, they had to see that season through鈥攚hether they enjoyed it or not, we were committed. We didn鈥檛 miss practices or games. We made sure those were a high priority for them and us. That drove our lives for many years with lots of fun times, but boy, that schedule was crazy鈥攚e鈥檇 slam-dunk dinner at 4 P.M. so that everybody could get to practice,鈥� Tracy said.

An accountability mindset is one that leads to showing up in other areas of life from work to class to chores, following through on responsibilities and gritting out less desirable tasks. 鈥淲hen things get hard, like college classes, your option is not to quit,鈥� Tracy said. 鈥淵ou dig in a little deeper, get help, and get it done, which is the same with any sport.鈥�

But perhaps their most special ingredient is that the Dauwalters know how to have fun. 鈥淗aving fun while doing those things is just as important,鈥� Courtney said. 鈥淥ur family always worked hard, but we play hard, too. All of that combined is what makes life special. Having that be deeply ingrained in who I am helps me in everyday life, but also, for sure, in ultrarunning.鈥�

An Ultra-Star Is Born

While watching Courtney grow up, Tracy noticed her daughter had a deep motivation as a person and athlete. One of her earliest memories was two-year-old Courtney, who could barely walk, repeatedly riding a Big Wheel tricycle downhill with a group of kids and insisting she鈥檇 wrestle the bike up the hill by herself. As a kid, Courtney and her siblings played soccer, often on the same teams. Later, they ran high school cross-country and track. To fill the winter months, she tried basketball, but she had a propensity to quickly foul out, taking the bench for the remainder of the game.

One day, she came home with a bright idea to Nordic ski instead, which was foreign for a family full of downhillers. They picked up the equipment, Courtney joined a competitive team, and she practiced in nearby school fields. 鈥淎ll she did was wipe out. All the time. Dick and I are thinking, 鈥業 wonder what this is going to look like?鈥欌�� said Tracy.

During those foundational years, Courtney would rush home after a Nordic race to report the number of crashes she鈥檇 had. 鈥淚n a 5K, I would be psyched if I only crashed nine times鈥攖ripping, planting my poles, tumbling the entire time. I was so bad,鈥� she said.

But Tracy bought a beat-up pair of cross-country skis and started to practice alongside Courtney. 鈥淲e learned together,鈥� Tracy said. 鈥淚t was more fun to crash with somebody than to crash by yourself.鈥�

Courtney Heads West

By the time Courtney graduated, she was an all-state runner and had earned All-American honors as a Nordic skier three times. She was a four-time state champion, and her team acquired two national championships. In 2003, Courtney moved west to Colorado, where she raced collegiately on the Nordic ski team at the University of Denver. Three years in, her DU team won 11 meets and the 2005 NCAA Championship.

鈥淐ourtney was really good at everything she did, and it wasn鈥檛 because she was a natural,鈥� Tracy said. 鈥淎nytime she tried a sport, she didn鈥檛 have an immediate knack for it, but she hung in there to develop it. She was a hard worker and determined.鈥�

Years later, in 2015, any remaining questions of physical stamina were laid aside鈥攆or both Tracy and Courtney, who proved to have a serious knack for endurance. Courtney broke the ribbon at her inaugural ultra race, the 2011 Prickly Pear 50K in San Antonio, Texas, and her curiosity about wanting to run longer continued to grow. The following year, she dropped out of the Colorado鈥檚 Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile race at mile 60 with throbbing legs, questioning her ability to cover that much ground in a single push.

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Frustrated by not meeting her goal, Courtney registered for her first 24-hour race, the 2013 FANS Ultra Races, a more manageable format than an ultra on singletrack. Her family joined to crew and run laps, providing entertainment and support, including Tracy. They didn鈥檛 have much of a background in ultras and were green to any strategy.

Regardless, Courtney wrapped a total of 105 miles on that two-mile gravel loop around Lake Normandale Park in Bloomington, Minnesota, completing her first non-trail century-distance, and gaining confidence. Two months later, she crossed the finish line of the Superior Fall Trail Race 100 Miler in Lutsen, Minnesota, her first 100-mile distance on trail, and stood on the podium for second place.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Moving forward, the FANS Ultra Races became a family tradition. Courtney returned to the 2014 event, besting her first summer with 123.6 miles. Tracy decided, if she was going to crew and run laps with Courtney, she might as well sign up herself.

鈥淪he was like, 鈥楬eck, I鈥檓 going to spend the whole day out there anyways. Why not put some time on my feet?鈥欌�� Courtney recalled.

In 2015, she tallied 109.2 miles while her mom, then 57 years old, covered 66.8 miles. Their annual pilgrimage continued in the 24- or 12-hour format, over the next several summers, coinciding with Courtney鈥檚 ultrarunning career picking up steam. She won the 2016 Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile with a 75-minute lead, and along with the title, the world鈥檚 largest ultra purse: $12,000.

By the summer of 2017, she retired from her position at the Girls Athletic Leadership School in Denver where she taught science and coached cross-country. 鈥淚n an interview a few years ago,鈥� Courtney said. 鈥淚 was asked if I could run an ultramarathon with anyone in the world, who would it be? 鈥楳y mom,鈥� I said. I thought that it would be so cool to share this sport that I love so much with this person I love so much. I knew she could do it.鈥�

In an interview a few years ago, she was asked, if she could run an ultramarathon with anyone in the world, who would it be? 鈥淢y mom,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 thought that it would be so cool to share this sport that I love so much with this person I love so much. I knew she could do it.鈥�

Tracy heard the recording and, despite having never run on trails, she immediately called her daughter. 鈥淟et鈥檚 do it. I heard you want to run an ultra, so let鈥檚 sign up for something,鈥� she said to Courtney. 鈥淚f someone puts a challenge in front of me, it can even be pretty insane, and I鈥檓 a sucker for trying to rise to that challenge.鈥� In addition to the competitive spark, the invitation felt sentimental.

An Ultra Dream, Realized

Committed to doing an ultra together, they accepted that it might be a winding road to get there. The two picked the 2022 50-mile Superior Fall Trail Race in Lutsen. Mid-route, they missed the cut-off. Tracy shrugged and shook her head recounting the unfinished event. Courtney refused to let the DNF be a negative thing. 鈥淵ou learned so much in that first summer, mom,鈥� she told her. 鈥淒ialing in all of those pieces helped immensely this year. And we decided, we鈥檙e not done. We still need a finish line together.鈥�

As soon as registration opened in January, the duo signed up for the 2023 Javelina Jundred 100K. 鈥淚 was nervous coming into this race because I was bouncing off of that epic fail of the first 50-miler we tried, which was a wake-up call. You have to prepare yourself,鈥� said Tracy.

鈥淚t was not an epic fail,鈥� Courtney countered.

That winter, Tracy clocked workouts on a treadmill. From April onward, she ran outside four or five days a week for 10 to 20 miles. Courtney researched singletrack trails around Lone Lake, which her mom became excited to explore. One of the biggest challenges of learning to run on trails is her tendency to shuffle and trip, Tracy confessed. Building confidence, she finished the Willow 20 Miler in May and Afton Trail Run 50K in July. Like her daughter, Tracy didn鈥檛 keep a close log of her mileage, and her training was not systematic.

Courtney鈥檚 advice, true and simple, rang in her mind: Spend time on your feet.

鈥淧eople asked me if I coached her. Absolutely not,鈥� Courtney said. 鈥淚 did try to be helpful鈥攈arping on testing nutrition, wearing a pack so that her body gets used to one, and hiking uphills鈥攕o her race day could be much better. She was the one putting in the work and figuring out routes where she could do laps or get on hills. I admired from afar.鈥�

鈥淚t helped that Courtney kept reminding me, 鈥楾his was our run together, our race, and it could look however we could make it.鈥� If I crawled, that wouldn鈥檛 be disgusting. It got ugly, then it got not ugly,鈥� Tracy added.

Staying lighthearted, Courtney countered, 鈥淚t never got ugly. There was never a doubt that we would make it to the finish.鈥�

A Finish to Remember

Fortunately, the elation did come around. Next to her daughter, Tracy crossed the finish line of Javelina Jundred 100K in 17 hours and 38 minutes with a smile in the glowing lights, after staying up into the night running, eating, and sharing pain鈥攂ut mostly, laughing鈥攚ith her daughter. They鈥檇 gone full circle together, both on the circuit they鈥檇 traveled in the desert as well as in life.

鈥淚 think you beat me by, like, a half-second, mom,鈥� Courtney said.

鈥淚 know,鈥� Tracy bantered back. 鈥淚 think I was really needing to be done, so I rushed with a half-second sprint.鈥�

The post Who Is Courtney Dauwalter鈥檚 New Ultramarathon Partner? It鈥檚 Her Mom. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Three seasons exist in southwest Montana: calving, haying, and feeding. Between the all-nighters to bail alfalfa glittering with dew, tagging a sea of 1,870-pound Black Angus cattle, aiding birthing cows, and bottle-feeding dozens of calves, the Crazy Mountain 100 race director Megan DeHaan throws in runs whenever she can鈥攐ften around 4:30 A.M., when she鈥檚 not grinding dusk to dawn. It helps that the ultrarunner-rancher鈥檚 two boys, Cody and Cayson, are now old enough to cook, do laundry, and drive the tractor.

DeHaan, 37, is a rancher, ultrarunner, and race organizer of one of the gnarliest 100-milers in the country. The race, which launched last summer, also happens to be Montana鈥檚 first 100-mile foot race.

DeHaan didn鈥檛 grow up running or ranching. She grew up in California but felt a call to be a cowgirl. 鈥淚 took the first ticket out of the [San Francisco] Bay Area I could find,鈥� she says. When she saw an ad for a horseshoeing course at Montana State University in Western Horseman, the 17-year-old left.

That saddle-making school, as well as an animal husbandry job with Trans Ova Genetics, planted her in the world of agriculture. Within seven months, she fell for her now husband, Lance, a fourth-generation Montanan cattle rancher. Now the couple works a large-scale 30,000-acre ranch northwest of Bozeman in the southwest corner of the state. He thinks DeHaan鈥檚 running hobby is bizarre but offers to join her training on horseback. After all, it鈥檚 about compromise.

Community and Mental Health in Movement

DeHaan played team sports growing up and, after having her first son, struggled with postpartum depression. She needed a consistent mental outlet beyond ranch labor to combat the symptoms, so on a whim, she signed up for the 2011 .

After clawing her way through 20 miles and 6,800 of vertical gain, DeHaan crossed the finish line and went straight into half-conscious breastfeeding. Throughout the 20-mile race, Lance had been caring for their son and Cody was ready to see his mom after the long break.

鈥淚 had no trail running experience, and the race scared the daylights out of me. I both hated and loved how hard it was, but it was empowering that I did something I didn鈥檛 think I could do,鈥� she says.

Trail running became a healthy addiction. For the past 11 years, Bridger Ridge has been her annual pilgrimage鈥攚ith the exception of the year she was pregnant鈥攁nd she became the event鈥檚 co-race director with friends Boz Boswell and Darryl Baker in 2021. She鈥檚 also a bow hunter and coaches her youngest鈥檚 baseball team.

Meeting other runners blossomed into friendships, like with , a three-time Western States 100 champion and FKT holder for Vermont鈥檚 273-mile Long Trail, who lives in Bozeman. The two initially shared winter miles on the plowed county roads around DeHaan鈥檚 ranch before eventually sharing time on trails together. 鈥淚 was blown away at how much fun women running in the mountains can have. While I suffered a little bit, it was really fun,鈥� DeHaan says.

In September 2020, she pursued her inaugural 100-miler, Idaho’s IMTUF 100. Despite hard-earned training, at the start she experienced a sudden onset of premature labored breathing, muscle fatigue, and an elevated heart rate鈥攁nd couldn鈥檛 get her system under control.

鈥淚 was walking and hyperventilating. I couldn鈥檛 figure out what was going on. The race illuminated untreated anxiety I鈥檇 been battling, which I assume was also related to my postpartum depression,鈥� says DeHaan, whose doctor diagnosed her with anxiety and PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) and prescribed mild medication for a couple months after the panic attack, to 鈥渉elp her gain control鈥濃�攚hich worked.

鈥淚 continued to be physically active as part of my own idea of therapy and treatment, until I eventually weaned off the medication when I felt ready to give it a go. I have not gone on medication since.听Moving forward, I have been more mentally aware of how and why I become overwhelmed, and I prioritize my mental well being. I don鈥檛 say yes to everything anymore, and I don鈥檛 put too much on my plate (as often),鈥� says DeHaan.

Simultaneously, bowing out of the race lit a fire for her to go back and complete the 100-mile distance. DeHaan signed up for鈥攁nd finished鈥攖he Teanaway Country 100 in Washington State a year later. 鈥淚 loved it. I鈥檒l continue to run hundreds as long as I can,鈥� she says. Now registered for the 2023 Bighorn Mountain Trail 100 in Wyoming and the Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile in Colorado, she鈥檚 also putting her name in the hat for the 2024 HURT Trail 100 in Hawaii and considering next year鈥檚 The Divide 200 in Western Canada.

But Montana is void of a 100-miler race option. Despite being the home of passionate trail runners and some of the country鈥檚 most competitive athletes鈥擜dam Peterman, Erin Clark, Mike Foote, Jennifer Lichter, to name a few鈥擬ontana hadn鈥檛 yet broken ground on a century race. Why not create one, she thought? Easier said than done.

The Creation of a Landlocked 100-Miler

With a dramatic, often snow-capped silhouette, the Rocky Mountains of Montana have been called the by the Blackfeet Tribe for more than three centuries. Later in the early 1800s, Meriwether Lewis nicknamed the same sparkling view the 鈥淪hining Mountains.鈥� Ironically, the Land of the Shining Mountains is not the easiest place to develop a human-powered high-alpine event, especially one with elevation gain that rivals Colorado鈥檚 Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run, which was part of DeHaan鈥檚 goal.

Nearly of the state is made up of public lands, but half of that federally managed terrain is landlocked by private holdings鈥�, according to the Center for Western Priorities. And though less than 4 percent of the state is nationally protected as a Wilderness area, 13 of those within Montana and its encompassed tribal land are in mountainous zones.

After two years of 鈥渓ong nights mapping out rugged mountain ranges, studying the backcountry terrain and public access points, closed doors and a few open ones, and calling [land managers], I was able to put a route together,鈥� says DeHaan, who founded the state鈥檚 debut hundred-mile race in 2022: The with an accumulative 23,000 feet of vertical gain and a high point 10,000 feet above sea level.

Dramatic and sharply crowned, the jagged Crazy Mountains rise like an island where the Rockies transition to the Great Plains in south-central Montana. The subrange towers 5,500 feet above the tawny rolling hills and stretches 30 miles, bordered by Yellowstone River in the south and the South Fork Musselshell River to the north. Several theories exist regarding the origin of the name: One account associates 鈥淐razy Mountains鈥� with the convoluted geology of the subrange. Another myth states that a family traveling by wagon was massacred by a tribal band, leaving behind the wife and mother alone and traumatized. The Aps谩alooke know the range as Awaxaawipp铆ia, which translates as 鈥渙minous mountain.鈥�

鈥淭he last thing I want is to trespass. It was challenging to find access points that were legal, not contested, and connected to established trails,鈥� says DeHaan. 鈥淭he Crazies are sacred and a focal point for the Crow Tribe or Aps谩alooke. I didn鈥檛 want to disrespect a spiritual place of Indigenous people.鈥�

of the Aps谩alooke, which include prayer and fasting in isolation, still take place in the Crazy Mountains, in addition to the plant gatherings and ceremonies that have been practiced there since time immemorial. One of the most significant quests was that of Plenty Coups (), the last named chief of the Crow. According to the interpretation of elders, Plenty Coups鈥檚 dream revealed that bison would be replaced by cattle, and that the Crow should not attempt war with the white settlers.

By the 18th century, the Aps谩alooke had migrated west, from what is now defined as North Dakota, to the Yellowstone River and its tributaries, which span today鈥檚 Montana, Wyoming, and an upper east sliver of Idaho. Later in the 1860s, colonial settlers pushed west, causing the displacement of tribes, which led to conflict between the Crow, Blackfoot and Dakota Sioux. Before the turn of the decade, the U.S. designated a 38.5-million-acre reservation for the Crow, which , in the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie. through historic events.

Today, 12 tribes in Montana are federally recognized as nations, and the majority of the Crazy Mountains is federally managed land. Fortunately, following the advocacy of the Aps谩alooke, the U.S. Forest Service released an , in 2022, that secures protection for the Crazy Mountains including a recommended 9,619-acre Wilderness protection and a 30,641-acre designated backcountry area.

With regards to a race plan, DeHaan sought the counsel of friend, Aps谩alooke , who grew up in Crow Agency in Montana and is a scholar of Indigenous heritage.

鈥淚 support the Crazy Mountain 100 because it’s held with a spirit of reverence towards the mountains and commitment of respect for the sport of endurance running,鈥� says Doyle. 鈥淭he pros outweigh the cons on this race, because, despite the risks, it brings many people together over the mountains in a way that nothing else can. Everyone who participates in the race, as well as their families and extended communities, are ultimately the best advocates for keeping the Crazy Mountains wild and free, because they understand the amazing power they hold to teach, heal, and inspire all who go there.”

For the Crazy Mountain 100, tribe approval was granted and a handful of ranch neighbors were gracious to help and allow access on their property. The race is flanked by fourth-generation Westling Ranch in Wilsall, which hosts the start alongside a powerful Aps谩alooke prayer sung by Doyle to bless the day. Fifth-generation Berg Ranch, near Lennep, anchors the finish.

鈥淭he history of the mountain range and people that were here before farming and ranching is equally important. Knowing the history gives a deeper appreciation and gratitude for where we鈥檙e running,鈥� says DeHaan.

Teamwork of Ranchers and Runners Builds a 100-Miler

Kari Berg Marks and her husband took over operations of Berg Ranch in 2012. She also co-organizes the , an annual 25-mile run and relay spearheaded by the Montana CattleWomen. The route traverses the Castle Mountains and three multi-generation ranches to spotlight the value of agriculture and land stewardship.

Kari loves running and so the partnership was a no-brainer. 鈥淏erg Ranch hays their field in time for us to set up a camp-style finish along the creek. Westling Ranch lets us use their hunting lodge as an aid station. We love and value agriculture as a way to sustain the planet and be good stewards of the land. A race can positively showcase the reality of good, fertile ground rather than the giant, poorly run factory farms on social media.鈥�

Another aid station is situated at the fifth-generation TG Ranch, which received the from the Montana Stockgrowers Association, acknowledging the Voldseth family鈥檚 focus on conserving water and soil nutrients among other conscious farming techniques. It鈥檚 鈥渁 really well-run cowboy operation,鈥� says DeHaan.

Agriculture is woven into the ultrarunning event at every step. With 80 percent of the route on singletrack or above alpine, volunteers set up hundreds of unique flagging: vibrant yellow, reflective cow ear tags imprinted with the race logo, which were donated by , a company that manufactures livestock identification systems. At the finish-line party, DeHaan serves hand-pressed cow, moose, and elk burger patties locally harvested by her family plus a black bean option. While crossing old homesteads and observing the living history, runners often need to navigate cow-dung.

鈥淎n athlete complained about stepping in manure, and I laughed. Ruminants like a cow, elk, or deer digest rough materials and their poop fertilizes the soil, contributing to the cycle of growth. Coming across a cow pie is disgusting but it鈥檚 part of conservation,鈥� says DeHaan, adding that preservation of agriculture goes hand-in-hand with safeguarding open spaces and natural resources. 鈥淒iverse wildlife and ecosystems exist on ranch lands. We all need to work together to protect our way of life rather than allowing more encroachment and development of concrete landscapes.鈥�

To that end, the race collects donations to support agriculture scholarships for female students enrolled in programs such as Montana State University鈥檚 College of Agriculture or the Farm and Ranch Operations minor at The University of Montana Western. Racers can make a donation at registration or through DeHaan, who works with the Montana CattleWomen organization to designate the grants. Last year鈥檚 race donations were divided between three recipients, and has already been exceeded for 2023. The race鈥檚 support and inclusivity of women extends to a pregnancy deferral policy.

鈥淭he biggest minority in our field is women,鈥� DeHaan says. 鈥淭he family farm is deteriorating at a very unsustainable rate. The average age of ranchers is getting higher. Land access and the price of property is getting harder to afford. I want to support anyone who wants to get into ag and 100 percent support any female. If we don鈥檛, ranching and its land stewardship will be gone.鈥�

The first-ever Crazy Mountain 100 recorded 73 finishers (out of the 129 runners who started), many of whom relished in cooling off and recovering in the finish line鈥檚 free-flowing creek water preserved by Berg Ranch. While the race supports women in sport and agriculture, and ultimately brings ranchers and runners to a shared table of deeper understanding and trust, the event also celebrates the spirit of these local peaks. DeHaan says, 鈥淚 love having this race for everyone to enjoy in Montana鈥檚 mountains.鈥�

The post How a Rancher Started the First 100-Mile 鈥淐razy鈥� Foot Race in Montana appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Whether you鈥檙e preparing for a dream race or starting your first-ever trail running season, it always feels good to pull on a fresh, new pair of sneakers or a soft, well-tailored running shirt. At the beginning of this gear relationship, though, it鈥檚 hard to consider where those goods will go at their life鈥檚 end 鈥� typically, the dump.听

In 2018, the United States generated 13 million tons of waste from clothing and footwear, estimates the EPA. The amount of that waste that was recycled was close to 1.7 million tons. That鈥檚 a 13 percent recycling rate (excluding reuse, such as through thrift store donations). Where did the other 11.3 million tons of textile waste go in that one year? Landfills.听

鈥淏y taking steps like reusing, repairing, upcycling or recycling apparel, we鈥攖he collective apparel industry鈥攃an help to reduce our impact on the environment,鈥� said Jess Rogers, Patagonia product lead of Trail Running and Hike. 鈥�Promoting a circular economy takes great effort from different steps in the product creation process, but also requires additional thought and consideration from consumers in how they use their dollars. However, every garment will eventually reach an end of life, hopefully after a very long, well-loved, and used life. Building garments for recyclability to feed back into recycling streams helps us continue this circular economy.鈥澨�

Remember the four R鈥檚 of recycling: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink. That fourth R means reminds us that sometimes, the best way to have a positive impact is to not buy new gear. But when you must, it鈥檚 best to consider products focused on eco-friendly manufacturing methods.听

To that end, here are some innovative examples of how product makers in the trail running world are helping to lessen the impact of goods.听

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For Trail Runners

Recycled Shoes

翱苍听

The Swiss brand On recently launched a featuring a running shoe dubbed the Cloudneo that鈥檚 recyclable, which will be available to consumers this summer.听

鈥淎 regular shoe is made with a large variety of different input materials, which makes it nearly impossible to recycle and repurpose,鈥� said Francois-Xavier Dosne, Head of Innovation Business Strategy at On. 鈥淎 shoe is recyclable if it can be reused and created into something new. However, many shoes end up in landfills, because they are made with more than one material. Before you can recycle them, you鈥檇 have to disassemble the shoe to recycle each material separately. We solved this problem for the consumer with this subscription program: all they have to do is ship the shoe back to us and we鈥檒l handle the rest.鈥澨�

The Cloudneo is constructed using a bio-based polyamide derived from castor beans, which grow in arid climates, where little other vegetation can be grown, meaning the extraction doesn鈥檛 further deplete the food chain or add extra water consumption. The shoe also features another polyamide compound called Pebax, which is free of dyes. The shoe subscription includes two pairs of shoes for $29.99 per month. For maximum sustainability, the brand recommends replacing the shoes every 300 and 500 miles of use, which rounds out to every 6 to 9 months. When the shoe鈥檚 lifespan ends, the consumer ships the shoe back to the brand (using the original packaging), and the brand sends the runner a new set and recycles the used pair.听听

Salomon: Index.01

Salomon has also launched a recyclable run shoe, the . Other footwear with recyclable materials include the Reebok Floatride Energy Grow, Nike Alphafly Next Nature, Adidas Terrex Two Ultra Primeblue Trail Running Shoes, and the Zen Running Club vegan footwear with plant-based materials. There are benefits to both manufacturing a shoe that鈥檚 recyclable and a shoe made with recycled materials, confirmed Dosne. However, be wary of footwear that鈥檚 labeled as eco-friendly due to a fraction of recycled materials.听

鈥淛ust because a shoe is made with a portion of recycled materials does not mean it is automatically easier to recycle,鈥� explained Dosne and continued, 鈥�Recycled running shoes are totally or partially created from materials that would have otherwise been thrown away.听

Recyclable running shoes are able to be reused and remanufactured into something new. While a shoe may be made with some materials that are recyclable, that does not guarantee that every material in the shoe is. The Cloudneo is both recycled and recyclable.鈥�

Terracycle

Finding ways to recycle running footwear is tough. A few avenues include through , the Nike Grind program (which partners with run retailers across the country), and Wearable Collections in New York City. Dosne added, 鈥淎ccording to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Americans throw away around 300 million pairs of shoes each year. A subscription program like Cyclon keeps shoes out of landfills while properly recycling them.鈥�

What would make the effort even better is to work together.听

鈥淢ore brands are offering recycling solutions to their consumers, but it tends to be very siloed,鈥� Dosne said. 鈥淭o really make a difference, the industry as a whole needs to adjust the whole supply chain process 鈥� that includes where we鈥檙e sourcing materials, how it鈥檚 getting made, and how it鈥檚 shipped to consumers. Brands need to join forces.鈥� Ahead, On plans to add more products to the Cyclon recycling program. At print, On has capped the number of subscribers at 10,000 runners, but will reopen the registration closer to the summer launch.听

Repair & Rewear

Patagonia

Back in 2017, Patagonia launched , a trade-in program that allows runners to get credit for their used, in-good-condition Patagonia gear (other brands are not accepted at this time) in exchange for helping keep apparel out of landfills, extending the life of garments for nearly two years. In turn, the brand repairs and recirculates the gear.听

鈥淔or all items that come into Worn Wear, we first sort them and evaluate their condition: 80 percent of the products are in great condition, sent to be cleaned and resold online (at wornwear.com.). The other 20 percent of items that need a minor repair first or have been so well-loved are saved for material recycling or repurposed collections, like the Recrafted product collection,鈥� said Lauren Bigelow, Worn Wear Community Manager.听

For runners, that gear list could include running shorts (read: do not cut out the liner), long-sleeve shirts, jackets, technical packs, and leggings. Patagonia also accepts t-shirts for recycling via their new tee-cycle program鈥攋ust drop it off at one of their retail stores.听

Programs such as Worn Wear are critical to extending the life of apparel, because recycling streams for clothing are, in essence, broken.听

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鈥�Recycling has been focused on single material recycling streams like 100% PET recycling or 100% wool recycling,鈥� explains Steph Karba, of Patagonia鈥檚 product responsibility branch. 鈥淗owever, textiles frequently consist of a blend of different materials. Trail running shorts can consist of a multitude of materials like polyester or nylon blended with spandex for stretch, a cotton string, and zinc zippers. The spandex or trims, for instance, can contaminate the recycling stream and add economic challenges for the recycler.鈥澨�

A growing number of recyclers are able to recycle a blend of materials, however, transportation, regulations, and sorting is still a challenge for brands to manage.听

鈥淎s far as recycling technology goes, mechanical recycling is technically challenging in terms of color management, since inputs can vary in color. The quality and consistency of chemical recycling is better, but it is still in its infancy in terms of scale and price parity,鈥� says Karba.

NetPlus

Patagonia integrated NetPlus material into its trail running apparel in spring 2022, including a redesign of the and debut of the . After a successful pilot program with the brand鈥檚 lineup of hats鈥攗sed in the brims鈥攊n 2020, the team was ready to expand into other clothing.听

鈥�NetPlus material is made from 100 percent recycled discarded fishing nets collected in fishing communities in South America,鈥� said Rogers. 鈥�Globally, 8.8 million tons of mismanaged plastic enter oceans every year, most of it single-use. Discarded fishing nets in the marine environment are one of the most harmful forms of plastic pollution.鈥�

Patagonia partners with Bureo, a company based in California, that focuses on the issue. Through their program, nets are sorted, cleaned, and shredded in Chile, and recycled into NetPlus. Rogers added, 鈥淭his program keeps hundreds of tons of discarded nets out of the ocean each year and provides supplemental income to coastal communities. Using these materials鈥攚hich is existing waste鈥攔educes the need for virgin plastic and prevents harmful plastic pollution from entering the world鈥檚 oceans by turning fishing nets into hat brims and fabric. Through this effort, we have helped keep more than 149 metric tons of waste plastic out of the world鈥檚 oceans.鈥澨�

Also, by August 2022, the brand鈥檚 Houdini line will be 100 percent PFC-free: Fluorinated DWR-finish is a chemical coating containing PFCs (short for perfluorocarbons) that the outdoor industry has long relied on to make garments water-resistant. However, the chemicals are not biodegradable and are toxic to both humans and the environment. By fall 2022, Patagonia aims to have 90 percent of their weather and waterproof garments PFC-free.听

For Race Directors

Rethinking Race Cups and Swag Waste

Hiccup Earth听

In February 2020, Kristina Smithe launched after running a marathon and realizing the enormous amount of waste generated by events with thousands of participants. The company rents reusable 8-ounce silicone cups to race events nationwide. To date, 42 races (and counting) have partnered with Hiccup Earth, saving more than 128,000 cups from landfill and recycling centers. (the largest reservation they鈥檝e filled was a 28,000-cup booking for the St. Pete Run Fest in Florida).听

One of their largest race partnerships yet will be in June 2022: the Grandma鈥檚 Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota, will rent 21,000 cups鈥攁 huge portion of Hiccup Earth鈥檚 30,000-cup inventory, which they aim to double.听

In 2018, the North Face Endurance Challenge Series partnered with HydraPak to use reusable SpeedCups at five ultra-distance races, saving 140,000 cups from landfill. The 2019 Xiamen Marathon in Xiamen, China, incorporated nearly one million biodegradable cups made of straw in addition to a ban on single-use plastic bottles. That same year, the London Marathon launched a pilot program serving an energy drink in pouches made of , a plant-based package that鈥檚 edible and biodegradable.听

With a new approach, Hiccup Earth directly helps to address climate change, because race events that opt to rent cups no longer need to transport non-recyclable cups to the landfill, recyclable cups to recycling centers, or compostable cups to or , explained Smithe. Also, by renting cups, 鈥淩aces don鈥檛 need to pay for garbage pick up on day of race鈥攚e鈥檝e reused some of the same cups 30 times now,鈥� she added.

Trees Not Tees

Based in the United Kingdom, (TNT) was launched in 2020 with a mission to help remove carbon from the atmosphere through races by offering an alternative to swag: Instead, participants can opt to plant a tree in lieu of a t-shirt or medal.听

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to push against the perceived value of receiving a medal and t-shirt and instead, offering a green runner package,鈥� said Chris Zair, Director at Trees Not Tees. 鈥淭here are two sides to our mission: the need to restore and protect biodiversity, whilst capturing carbon; and the need to put the brakes on the consumerism and fast fashion that is so detrimental to the environment and the areas that supply chains exploit.鈥澨�

Nestled beneath a parent company with the same mission, Future Forest Company, which is co-founded by Jim Mann and Jade Rein, aims to purchase the land where the trees are strategically planted, in areas of long standing public access. TNT owns 12 sites across Scotland and Northern England.听

Planting forests and the restoration of degraded land is crucial for effective climate action.听

鈥淲hen it comes to trees, it鈥檚 critical that on a global level we prevent deforestation in the first place,鈥� Zair explained. 鈥淔orests offer diverse benefits through their ecosystem services: the provision of food, regulation of the local climate through impact on the water cycle, prevention of flooding, and sequestration of carbon whilst playing host to rich ecosystems above and below the ground. A single oak tree, for example, can host up to 2,300 individual species, not including bacteria and other microorganisms. As we continue to fell forests, we lose not only the trees but all of these wider benefits that a forest ecosystem offers.鈥�

By 2021, TNT expanded to the United States with the 2021 Typhoon Texas Kids Triathlon, and quickly grew their network to include the , , , , and , to name a few.听

Rather than purchasing land in the United States, TNT is currently searching for a nonprofit partner to act as an intermediary, such as One Tree Planted. Currently, all trees are being planted in the U.K. Once a U.S. partner is secured, TNT plans to plant a tree in both the U.S. and the U.K. for each racer in the U.S. To date, TNT has partnered with 320 races, including 46 events in the United States. Through the Future Forest Company partnerships, close to 200,000 saplings have been placed in the soil, and that number should reach nearly 350,000 by the close of the calendar year.听

New Kid on the Block

NNormal

Kilian Jornet is currently co-developing eco-friendly products for his new brand, , that focuses on environmental impact.

鈥淲hen we talk about a product, we can think about making the most sustainable one with the best materials possible鈥攅xcept, the final cost will be very high, so it鈥檚 important to launch products with timeless designs, functionality, durability, and repairability, to prolong the life of each product. Our end goal is to work towards real circular products,鈥� says Jornet.

We look forward to checking back to see how NNormal plans to continue achieving a smaller footprint in order to help sustain the environment. 听

Simply buying new types of gear is not going to solve the ongoing and ever-looming climate crisis. But with enough ingenuity and a commitment to making our sport more sustainable, brands and athletes can hopefully strike a balance of performance and planet health.

The post This Planet-Conscious Running Gear Is Made of Beans and Discarded Fishing Nets appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

This is the first in a two-part series on Gaia GPS navigation for trail runners. Find part two, 鈥淎dvanced Navigation,鈥� .

In the pitch black surrounded by desert cliffs and vermillion soil, ultrarunner Courtney Dauwalter peered down at the map illuminated on her phone screen. She was racing the 2017 Moab 240, a 240-mile continuous loop that starts and ends in the scenic Utah town. The circuit travels through steep, unforgiving terrain alongside Canyonlands National Park and south to the Abajo Mountains, then back up to the La Sal Mountains and Arches National Park. Dauwalter was in the lead 鈥攂ut had an inkling she was lost.听

Fortunately, race director Candice Burt had asked race participants to use the Gaia GPS app to download the race course and topographic maps onto their phones as a safety backup. Despite Dauwalter鈥檚 achievements at the world鈥檚 most demanding ultrarunning events, she had never used a navigational app, preferring a simple Timex watch and the sun to help direct her jaunts. Her perspective shifted when she tried Gaia GPS.听

鈥淕aia GPS is amazing. My husband helped me download the Moab 240 course and learn how to use the app鈥檚 basic functions. I was blown away,鈥� said Dauwalter.听

Here鈥檚 what Dauwalter and her trail running peers appreciate about the Gaia GPS app for navigation-tool rookies.听

Offline Access听

Conserving battery life is essential, especially when your phone doubles as a navigation device on an isolated, technical trail outing.听

鈥淲hile I used Gaia GPS, my phone could be in airplane mode, which is important for multi-day adventures like the Moab 240,鈥� said Dauwalter. 鈥淚 could see exactly where I was on the course route and map we had downloaded.鈥�

With a fee-based premium membership, trail runners can download any map in Gaia GPS鈥檚 extensive catalog for offline use. That map becomes accessible in remote locations where connectivity isn鈥檛 possible due to lack of cell service or WiFi. Downloaded maps are also functional when the phone is in airplane mode, which saves battery output.

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Record Tracks

Before starting a run, athletes can press the record button to log a live track, also known as a 鈥渂readcrumb鈥� trail. An icon marks their exact location with an arrow pointing in the direction the device is oriented. Trail runners can see their distance, elevation gain, and which cardinal direction they face. The tool makes Gaia GPS a great complement to GPS watches, because it offers a trail you can follow back to your starting point or previous trail should you get lost.听

鈥淪everal times I got off course during the Moab 240. I could pull out the app, know where I was along my recording track, and see how to backtrack and course correct. The app was hugely valuable during the race,鈥� said Dauwalter. 鈥淭hat experience opened my eyes to the possibilities of using the app for long adventures in the mountains near my house and for other races, even if it鈥檚 not required.鈥�

Gaia Topo Map

A free membership provides access to Gaia Topo, Gaia GPS鈥檚 flagship map designed in-house. Its ingenious design and beautiful styling makes this map crystal clear at high zoom levels. With a premium membership, you can download your entire state or region quickly and easily thanks to Gaia Topo鈥檚 industry-leading file efficiency.听

鈥淭he Gaia Topo map is wonderful, really well-labeled and friendly to use,鈥� says professional runner Kyle Richardson. 鈥淣inety percent of the time, I look at that standard base. I haven鈥檛 seen anything else with such accurate info.鈥�

Trail Research

You can use Gaia GPS maps to see what paths and roads exist anywhere in the world. Trail runners can closely examine the environment and terrain, including steepness and waterways.听

鈥淚 now use Gaia GPS to explore new areas, see which trails link up to make loops or lollipops, and study where trails eventually lead,鈥� said Dauwalter. Gaia GPS displays the mileage and elevation gain, which can help runners plan adequate nutrition, hydration, and estimate the trip duration.听

Upload Recorded Tracks

鈥淲hen I trail run in an area that I don鈥檛 know well, I upload a track into Gaia GPS that I downloaded from somewhere like Strava to have a point of reference when I鈥檓 out there,鈥� says professional trail runner Logan Greydanus. 鈥淚 also use tracks at junctions in the dark to orient myself.鈥�

When referencing a recorded track, remember to check the direction of travel from the trailhead or start point. If the route is a loop or lollipop, versus an out-and-back, determine if you鈥檒l go counterclockwise or clockwise based on factors like start time, elevation gain, river crossings or water refills.

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Route Creation

鈥淚f I鈥檓 doing a big mountain adventure near home in Colorado, I鈥檒l create a route and download the maps even if I鈥檓 familiar with the area, so that I have a route on my phone and I know what I鈥檓 getting into,鈥� said Dauwalter.听

Users can create routes ahead of time online or in the Gaia GPS app. For efficiency and ease, both the website and app have a snap-to-trail feature. The route does not appear as a straight line between each waypoint, which is placed with a mouse click. Instead, the line automatically snaps into place along the intended pathway, precisely following each turn and bend.

Premium members have access to the snap-to-trail feature while creating routes on-the-fly with a downloaded map. This allows you to modify your plans on the trail as needed.

Safety Backup

Emergencies happen when we least expect them, whether a lightning storm pops up or we come across another trekker in need. Gaia GPS can serve as a backup for getting yourself or others to safety if needed.

鈥淗aving the route created and online is also a safety backup for someone at home to know my exact itinerary,鈥� said Dauwalter.

Gaia GPS is free with your 国产吃瓜黑料+ subscription. Find out more听!

The post Beginner Gaia GPS Navigation for Trail Runners appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

At HydraPak鈥檚 product testing lab, the one-liter plastic bottle was filled to capacity with water, which swooshed like the steady beat of a song each second, for 72 hours.

Dubbed the RECON, the bottle clung to the hiking imitation machine, which rapidly jiggled the bottle via a clip around its TPU bail handle that refused to break. During the product testing phase, the bottle was 鈥渧igorously shaken to over-simulate the roughest type of hiking with the maximum weight inside the bottle to test durability and leak resistance. We eventually stopped the machine. There was no failure,鈥� explained Jonathan Austen, director of product at HydraPak.

Next up: the drop test. Full bottles were dropped onto a concrete surface from three to five feet high at six different orientations including the bottom, top, and side. In the end, these tests proved that the new HydraPak RECON is virtually indestructible.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 the big deal?鈥� you might be asking. Lots of plastic bottles are super tough. But this bottle, the HydraPak RECON, is the very first hard plastic bottle where the bottle and cap is comprised of the greatest amount of recycled material to be featured in a reusable bottle to date.

RECON: New Sustainability Standard

Over the past two decades, HydraPak has become the number one original equipment manufacturer of reservoirs and soft flasks in the world. The company was founded in Northern California with a mission to create durable hydration and water storage products for outdoor use. With the acquisition of Polar Bottle听in 2018, it expanded its brand portfolio of reusable hydration with bicycle squeeze water bottles. HydraPak鈥檚 sustainability focus has evolved to include not only product purpose but also the materials, manufacturing, packaging, and promotion of a circular lifecycle. The brand鈥檚 debut hard bottle is the RECON and it successfully sets an industry benchmark.

The RECON is the first bottle-and-cap made with 50 percent recycled material. HydraPak utilizes Eastman Tritan Renew technology to transform plastic waste, from a variety of sources with a primary source being PET (polyethylene terephthalate) single-use bottles, into upcycled outdoor bottles. Tritan Renew is utilized across various products including small appliances, food-storage containers, eyewear, textiles, and cosmetics packaging. But HydraPak is the first adopter in the hydration realm.

To boot, at end-of-life the RECON is recyclable, which benefits the environment and eco-minded consumers who want to recycle. 鈥淲hen you design using materials that are hard or impossible to recycle, it鈥檚 not going to do the consumer any good at the product鈥檚 end of life,鈥� said Austen. 鈥淥ur goal is to help create a demand stream that encourages a virtuous cycle of circular manufacturing. We want to make recyclability more convenient and broadly available to consumers,鈥� said Austen.

Tested and Approved for 国产吃瓜黑料

Sustainability cred aside, the RECON may very well be the backpacker鈥檚 ideal water bottle. It鈥檚 tough as nails (as proven from the above mentioned lab torture) and the tall and thin shape鈥攐f both the 1-liter and 750-milliliter size鈥攎eans it slides easily in and out of backpack side pockets.

The cap is leak-proof and twists 180 degrees to close and open: You don鈥檛 need to remove or lift up the cap to drink. Instead, the cap is rotated open and liquid can pass through. A lid that doesn鈥檛 require detachment to guzzle means that 鈥淩ecreationists won鈥檛 risk a splash or spill in a remote location, like when they鈥檙e hiking on the trail or even when they鈥檙e walking around town.听Also, the flow rate of the cap design is exceptional鈥攜ou鈥檙e not choking on water or sucking in air鈥攍ike you鈥檙e drinking out of a water glass, which is optimum for staging hydrated,鈥� said Morgan Makowski, marketing director at HydraPak. Dayhikers and multi-day trekkers will also appreciate the bottle doesn鈥檛 cost or weigh more than comparable plastic bottles despite the hardiness or recycled content.

Price &weight comparison of popular models

路 HydraPak RECON 1L: 6.7 oz. ($16)

路 CamelBak Eddy 1L: 7 oz. ($15)

路 CamelBak Chute 1L: 6.8 oz. ($15)

路 Nalgene 1L Wide-Mouth: 6.25 oz. ($12)

Reusable Bottles: A Rising Popularity

Across the world, there鈥檚 a growing demand for reusable bottles. The market is estimated to reach a value of more than $11 billion, from 2020 to 2030, according to a study published by Eminent Research. That surge is evident among outdoor industry shoppers, too. 鈥淲ater bottle sales have been on the rise over the last few years, as consumers are becoming more knowledgeable about the impact of single-use plastic on the environment as well as societal trends pushing towards healthy lifestyles.

The growth rate for water bottles over the past five years has averaged close to 12 percent year over year,鈥� said Shayan Hart, the camp buyer for Backcountry. In the outdoor industry, the hydration category represents $345.7 million, and bottles sales account for more than half of that sum, reports the NPD group. Among bottles, stainless steel designs recently doubled in sales and reached a 54 percent share of the category overall. 鈥淲e鈥檝e seen quite a bit of innovation within the听product market as well: single-wall insulation, double-wall insulation, vacuum-sealed, and alternative caps,鈥� said Hart.

But stainless bottles are expensive (about double the cost of plastic) and heavy. Plus, added Hart, 鈥淲e haven鈥檛 seen much from a recycled story in the market, yet,鈥� added Hart.

Today, reusable bottles are made from glass, metal, silicone, and less than 1 percent of the market has explored biodegradable matter, produced from algae, reports Transparency Market Research. But polymer, or plastic, reusable bottles are the most popular and account for more than 30 percent of the global market, says Eminent. Plastic is attractive, because it鈥檚 easy to clean, doesn鈥檛 carry a metallic taste, and it鈥檚 more affordable. And for recreationists, it鈥檚 essential for a bottle to endure the elements, high action, or a slam onto rocky singletrack, which the RECON can handle.

The RECON ultimately provides hydration for adventurers and everyday users鈥攜et, it鈥檚 so much more than an outdoor water bottle. This product aims to shake the industry by utilizing recycled plastic to push forward circular manufacturing. It places a new pressure on streams of recycled materials and intends to make recycling more accessible countrywide. The RECON doesn鈥檛 stop at a single liter of hydration: its design encompasses the big picture. Hopefully, we start to see a lot more of our gear built with comprehensive responsibility to make a positive impact.

HydraPak鈥檚 new line of RECON outdoor water bottles ($15-$16) will be available in fall/winter 2020 at hydrapak.com and select specialty retailers.

The post Get Ready: Plastic Water Bottles Are Making a Comeback appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In 1994, Kemper Snowboards went kaput after it was sold to an in-line skate company on the East Coast. But former professional snowboarder, Jib Hunt, driven by nostalgia, is resurrecting it.

For Hunt,听43, launching this one-man show is a culmination of his life experience. Hunt grew up skiing and snowboarding at Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, New Hampshire. The Kemper Rampage was the second snowboard that Hunt owned at 13 years old in 1988鈥攚hen Burton, Kemper, and SIMS were the top three snowboard brands.

After competing in snowboarding through college and graduating with a graphic design degree from Plymouth State University, Hunt spent five years as an apparel designer at Burton in Vermont. Then, Hunt worked for 16 years in New York City and New Jersey as a contract designer for streetwear apparel, launched Virgin Mobile USA, and eventually, ran global marketing for technology companies.

鈥淚鈥檝e always wanted to get back to working in the snowboard industry,” Hunt said. “This is the perfect scenario to do everything I like and put it all into one company.”

The brand is already growing. Product is predominantly sold direct-to-consumer online and through key snowboard shops, as well as a pop-up store. Distribution is expanding to Australia and Japan. And for winter 2020-21, the snowboard variations will double to 30 iterations of shapes, graphics, and sizes. OBJ spoke to Hunt, whose lifelong passion of snowboarding and design is apparent, as he enters the inaugural winter with Kemper Snowboards and 15 new takes on the heirloom rides.

What is your mission with relaunching Kemper Snowboards?

The snowboard industry has gone through many changes over the years. The era of snowboarding, during Kemper鈥檚 prime in the late 鈥�80s, was completely associated with fun. The sport wasn鈥檛 mainstream yet. Riders would make their own jumps and quarter pipes by hand. Relaunching Kemper is about bringing back the roots of snowboarding.

I also want to shake up the industry with a comeback brand, retro graphics, and bright neon colors. We want to be one of the big players pushing snowboard construction, shape, technology, and new graphics鈥攊n addition to old graphics. Using photo references and original snowboards, I redrew the graphics of three seasons’ of models from 1988 to 1991.

Who is the quintessential Kemper consumer?

There are two. The brand attracts people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who snowboarded when the brand was first around. There鈥檚 a huge following of collectors, sellers, and buyers of retro, nostalgic snowboards. Multiple Facebook groups have 8,000 to 10,000 people or more per group who collect or sell these boards there or on eBay. That market inspired me to restart this brand from back in the day.

Also, a lot of younger customers are into Kemper because of the retro graphics and uncommon shapes. A lot of companies are creative with shapes that don鈥檛 follow a traditional template. But those younger riders want something different and throwback that makes them stand out. The Kemper Snowboards Flight, for instance, has a unique tail and nose shape, and it鈥檚 the original silhouette of that snowboard.

Why is Park City a good home for Kemper?

I moved here in July. The Wasatch Mountains is home to some of the best snowboarding I鈥檝e ever had. I like the vibe of the people who live in the area and I like the mountain scene.

Being here offers great visibility for the brand. We鈥檙e the only snowboard company based out of Park City. We partnered with Corner Sports Ski & Snowboard Rental Shop, at the base of Park City Mountain Resort, to have a pop-up store within the shop. Everyone walks by the window to get to the chairlift, so it鈥檚 great exposure.

What production, design, and manufacturing resources do you have there?

I do everything right now: graphic designs for the snowboards, website, marketing, production, and sales. The goal is to grow sales and hire additional help.

Our manufacturing is done overseas in China in the GP87 factory, which is owned and run by American snowboarders. The factory has a great reputation. Many brands in the industry have their boards made there, including Weston. The quality control, design, and manufacturing is done by men and women who know snowboarding and are up to date with the latest and greatest in the industry.

What’s your distribution model? Will we see you at Outdoor Retailer?

We sell off of our website, kemper-snowboards.com, and in our Park City pop-up shop directly to consumers. We also sell at retail core snowboard shops such as The Easy Rider in Canada and Invasion Board Shop in Vermont. We also currently work with Moosejaw online in the states. We have a distributor in Australia and we working on expanding in a large Japan retail chain and also core snowboard shops for 20/21.

I will not be at OR, but plan on being at the on-snow SIA demo. We will also be exhibiting at the WWSRA Salt Lake Shows and Utah demo days.

How will Kemper stand out from longstanding snowboard makers like Jones, Burton, and Weston Backcountry?

First, we are aligned with a factory that produces snowboards for some of the top brands. To push the limits, we need great construction and technologies鈥攍ike edge traction, different core and sidewall materials, and carbon integration鈥攑lus fun shapes and graphics that stoke people.

There鈥檚 also an evolution of brand growth. As bigger companies become more mainstream, the core customer of the sport tends to gravitate away and toward smaller, edgier, newer companies. Those riders want to be more one-of-a-kind and not have same product as a larger mass of people on the hill.

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For endurance pursuits, a well-designed pair of socks is on par with an ultralight tent and chafe-free pack. Endurance hiker and author Jennifer Pharr Davis agrees: in 2011, she set the fastest known time (FKT) on the Appalachian Trail (AT) and was recognized as National Geographic 国产吃瓜黑料r of the Year.

After her FKT, Davis continued to hike mega miles but with an underlying goal to find the perfect sock. Enter: Farm to Feet, Davis鈥檚 number one brand choice for socks that dry fast.

国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal spoke with Davis about her latest book, her inaugural sock design, and endurance goals.

Consumers don鈥檛 generally prioritize their sock selection. Why are socks a key piece of gear for you?

I learned the importance of socks the hard way. The first time I hiked the AT (editor鈥檚 note: Davis has hiked it three times) I got trench foot in Pennsylvania, which is halfway鈥攁nd it wasn鈥檛 because of my shoes or the weather. I wore the wrong socks: ones that don鈥檛 breathe or dry.

Now, I鈥檝e tried all of the brands and all types of hiking socks. I prefer wool or a wool blend. Farm to Feet socks dry the fastest, are the most breathable, and have padding where it needs鈥攂ut not too much padding. The socks are lifetime guarantee and are made in a factory in North Carolina, local to where I live.

And now you help to design socks? Tell us about the Blue Ridge.

I approached the brand about how much I love the product鈥擨 think they create the best socks on the market鈥攁nd a partnership blossomed. Farm to Feet is also good at storytelling and connecting with authentic people and places that are meaningful to the outdoor world.

My husband and I own Blue Ridge Hiking Company, so Farm to Feet asked if we would like to help with a sock design.

The Blue Ridge [editor鈥檚 note: set to debut spring 2019] is a unisex hiking sock, and it has a beautiful scene with the iconic southern Appalachian mountains and a female hiking figure: it鈥檚 a statement that Farm to Feet supports the outdoors and women in the outdoors.

The sock will be in the technical hiking series with all of the features I like: thin, compression, above-the-ankle height, no seams, and padding鈥攂eneath the ball of the foot, beneath the heel, and on top of the arch.

When you set the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the AT, in 2011, you averaged 47 miles per day. What is a tip that you have for someone trying to reach their peak endurance and performance?

A key to endurance is that you need to be hopeful and believe things can get better. It鈥檚 a relationship between the mind and the body: you have to lean on your mental reserves when you鈥檙e feeling weak physically and vice versa. Also, have someone physically supporting you on the trail, or at home believing in you, helps.

Congratulations on your seventh book, Pursuit of Endurance. What can readers expect?

Pursuit of Endurance is a look at endurance through the lens of Fastest Known Times (FKTs) or trail records. I tie together the personal stories of six athletes鈥攚ho have all set records on the AT or Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) with sports psychology and physiology.

The athletes include Warren Doyle, who is working on his 18th completion of the AT. Barkley Marathon finisher Andrew Thompson. David Horton, the ultrarunning godfather. Scott Williamson, who completed a yo-yo of the PCT. Heather Anderson, the first woman to hold the unsupported thru-hiking records on the AT and PCT. And Scott Jurek, the most well-known ultrarunner in North America.

What鈥檚 next for your adventure goals?

I鈥檓 hiking Pinhoti Trail, 340 miles鈥攚hich is the southernmost part of Appalachians鈥攖his year. Pinhoti, means turkey in the Creek Native American language. It鈥檚 a beautiful area, and I have two kids under the age of five, so it鈥檚 great to stay closer to home.

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Black Americans now spend $48 billion a year on travel and are among the fastest growing segments in the U.S., according to Mandala Research. And the strongest influencer of that trend is black millennial women.

#BlackGirlMagic鈥攁 social media movement cultivated by black women to celebrate one another鈥檚 accomplishments鈥攊nfluences mainstream America and is estimated to drive black spending power to $1.5 trillion by 2021, according to The Nielsen Company report, “African-American Women: Our Science, Her Magic.”

One problem: the outdoor and travel industries aren鈥檛 marketing to black people.

鈥淏lack people like the outdoors and educational experiences, but we鈥檙e not seeing ourselves in the marketing for these programs,鈥� said Evita Robinson, founder of Nomadness Travel Tribe, a social media and travel group that empowers women of color.

As the outdoor industry steps beyond a dialogue about diversity and strategically builds partnerships that champion inclusivity, marketing to black women should be a top priority.

Here are six actionable ways for outdoor brands to market to women of color.

1. Know the Community

African American females are trendsetters and brand loyalists who support ecological sustainability. According to the aforementioned Nielson report, 59 percent of black women pay more for products that are environmentally safe, and 74 percent recognize that global warming is a serious threat.

The first step to start marketing to women of color, says Robinson, is for outdoor industry brands and retailers to research the subset communities within their selected target market.

For instance, Nomadness members include 20,000 black and brown travelers and expatriates from around the world. Eighty percent are female and millennial (25 to 45 years old). The travel group’s听outdoor adventures include everything from whitewater rafting in the Dominican Republic to hiking in Nicaragua, sailing on a catamaran in the Turks and Caicos, and Running of the Bulls in Spain.

Other organizations for adventurous black women include Girls Going Global, Bucket List Living, Travel Noire, and Oneika the Traveller.

鈥淢arketing practices shouldn鈥檛 be same with two different age brackets,” Robinson said. “What will work on a 17-year-old will not work on a 45-year-old and shouldn鈥檛.”

2. Initiate Conversation

Start a dialogue with those communities and approach the brand founders. Pitch a marketing campaign, or an advertisement to make your company visible to those members.

鈥淚t is seen as a positive when [brands] take the initiative to approach [black and diverse] communities,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淪ay, 鈥楧iversity is a priority in our company鈥檚 DNA, and we want you to be a part of it.鈥� There鈥檚 a sense of humility that鈥檚 endearing and gives way for honest, open conversation as to how [partnership] can be maneuvered,鈥� she said.

Prioritize both sides of the coin: ask how the partnership can be mutually beneficial.

鈥淵ou can propose sponsored posts or a blog write-up to showcase a particular vendor or activity in exchange for the facility or experience,鈥� said empowerment coach Sonjia Mackey, founder of the Bucket List Living (@bucketlistbeasts), an adventure travel group for black women and a spin-off of Nomadness.

3. Authentic Marketing

Connect with people of color in your company鈥檚 region. Ask what it鈥檚 like to be a person of color鈥攚ho travels, recreates, or adventures鈥攊n that specific destination. Furthermore, invite them to do a focus group for your product or marketing development.

鈥淔or outdoor campaigns, find and incorporate historical references that would emotionally resonate with blacks,鈥� Robinson said.

We still have a long way to go in the outdoor industry, but a number of leaders say we are getting better at diversity. In this opinion piece, Yoon Kim agrees.

Also, authentically represent the experience, but be truly inclusive. 鈥淸The marketing] should not just be diverse with black women鈥攑ut everyone in there. Show that it鈥檚 not just a one-off,鈥� Robinson said.

4. Celebrate Cultural Nuances

Nomadness members are reluctant to join guided outdoor experiences that include 90 percent white travelers.

鈥淭here is a disconnect with cultural nuances of how we travel, and the things we would worry about,鈥� said Robinson. As an operator, find solutions to bridge those differences.

For instance, gift bags for a glamping, camping, or overnight excursion should include natural, ethnic hair care products. African Americans contributed $54 million鈥�86 percent of the total dollars spent鈥攖o the ethnic hair and beauty market in 2017,听The Nielsen Company听reported.

鈥淸Black women] can鈥檛 have shampoo that forms suds, which strips our hair, because it鈥檚 porous and isn鈥檛 oily. We need moisturizer in our hair everyday,鈥� said Robinson.

In general, steer clear of 鈥渓ove and hip-hop speak,鈥� in marketing, which can feed offensive stereotypes.

5. Prioritize Hiring Practices

If there鈥檚 no one of color in a position in the company, that鈥檚 the first problem, according to Robinson, who recommends hiring a black person to the human resources department.

Partner with people of color who work on the local tourism board or with a marketing group, tour operator, or brand in the industry. They will know where local black communities exist and will understand cultural nuances that are overlooked by outsiders.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e targeting diverse markets, you absolutely need those cultures in the levels of management that approve campaigns,鈥� said Mackey. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 get kudos if you miss the mark with your message and end up with social media nightmare,鈥� she said, and pointed to recent snafus by Dove and H&M.

6. Establish Trust

Safety is a key priority for black women. They want to understand the threats in the local environment鈥攕uch as wild animals鈥攁nd to share mutual respect with their adventure companions, said Robinson.

鈥淲e want to trust the community that we鈥檙e with and know that we鈥檙e welcome, not just tolerated,鈥� said Robinson, who suggested that marketing materials incorporate the voice of African American female influencers that the community knows and trusts.

Mackey agrees. 鈥淏lack female travelers need to see [black] faces in marketing promotion, and they need to ask people they know and trust [about the experience],鈥� Mackey said.

To point, Mackey鈥檚 annual 鈥淢ystery Trip鈥濃�攚hen members arrive at the airport with zero idea of where they鈥檙e going鈥攊s a success, because her audience trusts her.

Mackey designs experiences that push members out of their comfort zone, including adrenaline challenges like scuba diving or sky diving and visiting places that are not historically occupied by black people.

鈥淲e were the only black people in Montana when we did our glamping trip. We stood out,鈥� she said. By the end, the perspectives of her group had shifted.

鈥淓veryone [in Montana] was so friendly and asked where we were from,” she said. “Someone anonymously paid for our breakfast. Any preconceived notions, anxieties and fears that women in our group had about traveling there were eased. And their feelings about Montana were definitely shared on social media.”

Ultimately, the leadership of entrepreneurs鈥攕uch as Mackey and Robinson鈥攈elps to create opportunities for cross-cultural trust. That鈥檚 a true paradigm shift.

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Name: Connie Marshall
Job: Director of Marketing and Public Relations at
Home Base: Sandy, Utah
Age: 65
Education: Sociology degree and history minor from Alma College, in Michigan

Connie Marshall was a recent college graduate when she received a rejection letter from the Peace Corps. A few months later, the 21-year-old packed up her suitcase, pulled on a nylon dress and hosiery, and moved from her hometown of Newark, Ohio, to Crested Butte, Colorado. Her cousin, a Utah native, was working at Crested Butte Mountain Resort and offered up her sofa. 鈥淓veryone was hardcore, in tune with this high-altitude life, and going to the bars every night. I was a fish out of water,鈥� says Marshall.

Couch surfing in C.B. didn鈥檛 last long. Two weeks later, Marshall鈥檚 aunt听insisted that Marshall, still jobless, move to Alta, where she could apply for an open position at the ski area鈥檚 ticket office. Marshall got the gig and was promoted to director of ticket sales听a few seasons later, in 1977鈥攂efore snowmaking existed. She had dabbled in skiing for years before moving West, but after a winter at Alta, she was addicted.

鈥淚 was not being a master of my own fate. Time eluded me and slipped away鈥攖he years rolled听by, because I was having a blast,鈥� she says.听听

Few icons have had as significant an impact on Alta鈥檚 history as Marshall: the two evolved together. By 1993, Marshall听had co-developed the resort鈥檚听first-ever marketing and PR department; Alta had never even bought an advertisement in a ski magazine before then. The role was natural. Marshall epitomized the homey听vibe听that made Alta a favorite of so听many skiers.听Every lift operator and visitor recognized her monumental crown of hair, her pats on the back in the dining hall, and her听wide听smile. We asked听Marshall about her four-decade听career at Alta, upcoming retirement, and mountain life in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

On How Alta Has Evolved: 鈥淚 used to wear bib overalls to work, and there weren鈥檛 name tags. There鈥檚 a dress code now, and you can鈥檛 have a pitcher of beer with [the ski patrollers] during the day. Alta has otherwise been timeless, a nod to how we鈥檝e never been acquired. Alta was founded as a place for local skiers, is owned by families, and we pay cash for everything.鈥�

On Life in the : 鈥淚 fell in love with a group of spirited ladies: a minister in training, a Mormon, and one who was as wild as the day was long. We lived on nachos or spaghetti, walked in the moonlight, sipped whiskey, partied with the lift crew guys, and read together. I didn鈥檛 own a car for three years. We鈥檇 cross-country ski, break into old cabins, stay for the night. The majesty of the mountains entered my life.鈥�

On Her Secret Stash: 鈥淪ince the 鈥�80s, when the Supreme lift went in, I have spent 50 percent of my ski life in the upper reaches of the ski area boundaries in Albion Basin. Catherine鈥檚 Area is beautiful and perfect for wide-open powder lines.鈥�

On Falling in Love in a Mountain Town: 鈥淢y husband, George, was hired onto the lift crew by a buddy of his, in 鈥�79. We met at an avalanche center fundraiser at Snowbird. It was a slow start, we dated, and got married in 鈥�83. In the winter, we worked six days a week, and each Friday we鈥檇 freeski, go down valley to the Green Parrot, order margaritas, talk about solving global hunger and world peace. In the summer, we were involved in the early mountain running series. After work, we鈥檇 run up to Albion Basin and Secret Lake at 10,000听feet.鈥�

On Becoming a Mom: 鈥淚 was living the dream. I wanted to wait to have kids. Our first daughter was born when I was 35, in 鈥�88. We were on a road trip to visit family. I did a pregnancy test in a shabby motel in St. George. I bawled the whole drive home鈥擨 didn鈥檛 want to give up my carefree life. Then I had the most beautiful child. When I got pregnant the second time鈥攚ith twins鈥攊n 鈥�91, life drastically changed. The pregnancy was risky. I had pulmonary embolism and flatlined. A nurse needed to drive up the canyon three days a week to check my oxygen count. We decided to move down valley. My position was replaced in the ticket office, which was the right thing to do, but broke my heart. When I returned, I helped with group sales on an at-need basis and started assisting with marketing and PR tasks, which led to the department鈥檚 development. Moving was the best for the kids. We shared the mountain with them, but raised them in a more traditional way in the valley community.鈥�

On Her Biggest Career Milestone: 鈥淲omen were scarce in the ski industry, even in the 鈥�90s. I was the only female director at Alta to have children. The life-balance was hard to find, and peers saw my flexible schedule as special benefits. But听I had to negotiate my hours, take a pay cut, and needed to leave by 5 p.m., or else I鈥檇 have daycare fees. And I was always the one waiting at the bottom of the canyon each morning for avalanche control. It helped to pioneer flex hours, which everyone now uses: parents and young, non-married staff.鈥�

On Having a Resilient Community: 鈥淭he tragedies we faced always brought our community closer together. Fortunately, there have not been many avalanche-related incidents at Alta Ski Area鈥攐ne 12-year-old was killed by an avalanche. We faced hardships, like horrific injuries and suicide, as a close family. The toughest times for me were the mundane benchmarks like when I started commuting up canyon.鈥�

On Passing the Torch: 鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe how close to tears I am all the time. I count my lucky stars for the journey. We hired Brandon Ott, former Ski Utah director of content, to take my role鈥攈e鈥檚 a part of the third generation: When I was an eager 30-something, Alta鈥檚 leaders were retiring. Now, five of our 12 department heads are leaving this spring.鈥�

On What鈥檚 Next: 鈥淚鈥檒l sleep in past 5 a.m. and nordic ski at . I鈥檒l serve on several boards鈥攖he Alta Chamber and Visitors鈥� Bureau, Westminster College scholarship fund, and Alta Community Enrichment arts nonprofit鈥攁nd stay involved with the local chapter. I might apply for an administration position at the University of Utah鈥擨 still get nervous about spending.鈥�

On the Importance of Staying Young: 鈥淭he stimulation of working in the mountains and at a ski resort helps you stay healthy, strong, and internally young. I feel 20 years younger than I am, physically and mentally.鈥�

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Katie Lee鈥攁 noted听activist, environmentalist,听folksinger, river runner, and writer鈥攈as died at her home in Jerome, Arizona. She was 98.

Lee was born in 1919 in Tucson, Arizona. As a child, she had a natural talent for playing the piano and it seemed as if she might spend much of her life as a performer. Her career began as an actress on stage and screen in the 鈥�40s. By the 1950s, she鈥檇 turned to songwriting and folksinging, which took her on the road and to every state across the country for a decade. Legendary singer听Burl Ives is , 鈥淭he best cowboy singer I know is a girl, Katie Lee.鈥�

But in 1953, her life changed course. She went home to perform,听and at the afterparty at her family鈥檚 ranch she watched a 16mm film of her high school friend, Tad Nichols, steering his first power boat run down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. 鈥淗oly mother of Mary鈥擨鈥檝e got to get there. But, even though I鈥檇 made great strides in Hollywood, I didn鈥檛 have any money,鈥� Lee told me . Nichols called her late that night with a solution. He said, 鈥淏ring your food and guitar鈥攍et鈥檚 make it work.鈥� Lee made her first trip down the Grand Canyon, and would go on to become perhaps the best-known, and certainly among the most loved, of the canyon鈥檚 many characters.

Soon she was spending whole months on the Grand Canyon and San Juan Rivers. She became just the third woman to run all of the Grand Canyon鈥檚 rapids. Once she paddled Glen Canyon, she became enthralled. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when the 186 miles of pure Eden that is Glen Canyon captivated me and made me its slave,鈥� Lee said.

Before the Glen Canyon Dam was built in 1956, Lee spoke with a fiery鈥攁nd often foul-mouthed鈥攑assion against the dam鈥檚 construction and her plight did not extinguish for the the following six decades. 鈥淭here are good dams that are built for the right reasons and in the right place鈥攂ut this dam was built in the wrong place, for the wrong reasons and there are many across the country. When you kill a river, you kill everything around it for many many miles,鈥� she told me in 2015. She would go on to work closely as an advisor and activist for the , a non-profit that advocates for the Colorado River to return to a free-flowing state. She also authored five books including her nonfiction narrative, Glen Canyon Betrayed, with an introduction by Terry Tempest Williams.

Along with activists like Edward Abbey and David Brower, Lee was an environmentalist听before such a phrase even existed, though听she remained relatively unknown compared to others of her generation. (Her widest audience may have come in the 2014 award-winning documentary, .)听But to those who were deeply involved with the canyon, Lee was an icon. 鈥淚 knew Katie for over ten years,鈥� says Eric Balken, executive director of the Glen Canyon Institute. 鈥淪he was always a fiery character, and she was one of the most passionate environmentalists to have existed. These last few years, she became more peaceful. She seemed ready to pass the environmental torch on to the next generation.鈥�

Richard Martin, Lee鈥檚 friend and neighbor, says that Lee had experienced a few minor strokes in recent months. Yet when he talked with her on the phone a few days ago, she energetically sang a song and laughed heartily. 鈥淜atie had a special way of describing nature that made you really feel there,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut people aren鈥檛 as interested in the places that Katie wrote about as they used to be. Contemporary life has gotten so extreme that I don鈥檛 know what people want when they go into the wilderness, with tours and rental boats. We built the boats, and it was exciting to do the journey our own way. I see that way of life passing by. I think Katie鈥檚 books will serve as a reminder of how these places used to be. I think that will be one of her legacies.鈥�

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