Running terrain of the rocky-rooty-rutty variety is fun and rewarding, but no easy task. Add stream crossings, scree fields, and occasional snow patches, and it鈥檚 no surprise wild trails demand focus and athleticism at any pace, even the most leisurely. If you up the stakes by racing, then every foot strike carries even more weight.

That heightened challenge is why your shoes matter. The new HOKA Mafate 5 delivers go-long performance with reliable support over countless miles of rough ground. HOKA updated this ultrarunning fan favorite with enhanced durability, protection, and comfort for all terrain. As the first model HOKA introduced to the world in 2010, the Mafate is now better than ever, ready for demanding off-road runs and rugged ultra races.

The Shoe That Launched the Brand

Fifteen years ago, HOKA disrupted the running shoe industry with its first-ever model: the original Mafate. At a time when minimalist zero-drop shoes were all the rage, the thick midsole of the Mafate was a maximalist rebuke, upending the trail running world with its rockered shape and bucket seat鈥搇ike foot positioning. Born in the mountains, the Mafate was designed to inspire a feeling of flying, not unlike the softer glide and float of a powder ski through deep snow.

A decade and a half later, it鈥檚 hard to tread a busy trail without seeing a handful of HOKAs. Trail runners, in particular, lean into the comfort of the brand鈥檚 amped-up cushioning and stability features. Combine the midsole benefits with a secure upper, serious traction, the foot-cradling feel of HOKA鈥檚 Active Foot Frame, and the smooth-rolling MetaRocker shape, and it鈥檚 easy to understand the off-road appeal.

Today, the shoe that started it all is in its fifth iteration. After years of product development, the does everything its predecessor did, but better. It鈥檚 more durable in the midsole and upper, with a styling that pays homage to the 106-mile (UTMB) course spanning the French, Italian, and Swiss Alps. And the Mafate 5 is the first HOKA trail runner that has gaiter-compatible features. It鈥檚 ready to fly through unexpected turbulence.

Improved Durability, Support, and Traction

The Mafate 5 has been updated for long-term durability. While the Mafate has always been designed with a MetaRocker shape to encourage forward momentum, it now features all-new Rocker Integrity Technology. That translates to a curved, pliable plate made from lightweight TPU that helps the shoe hold its shape for longer while enhancing an efficient stride.

The upper has also been updated for 360-degree foot protection and durability with a molded TPU structure that encases a stretchy jacquard knit. That lightweight armor provides extra support for more precise foot placement. And if you鈥檙e heading into tricky terrain, you can quickly and securely attach a gaiter to help keep trail gunk out of your shoes (and from irritating your feet).

Credit surefootedness to a Vibram Megagrip庐 outsole that increases ground contact on everything from wet slabs to sandy trails. New to the Mafate 5, the dual-density midsole has been flip-flopped: The softer bottom layer supports a firmer upper layer, providing ample cushioning that morphs over rocks and roots while absorbing and rebounding the impact of every step.

Who Is It For?

Runners who are ready for their off-road best. Built for ultrarunners who demand durability, protection, and comfort on the most challenging terrain, the new Mafate 5 delivers unwavering trail performance and steadfast support from start to finish.

HOKA is one of the fastest-growing performance footwear and apparel brands in history. Conceived in the mountains, HOKA footwear delivers an unprecedented combination of enhanced cushioning and support for a uniquely smooth ride. Every day, HOKA pushes the innovation and design of its footwear and apparel by teaming up with a deep roster of world champions, taste makers and everyday athletes. From finish lines to everyday life, HOKA fans love the brand for its bold and unexpected approach, and its belief in the power of humanity to create change for a better world. HOKA empowers a world of athletes to fly over the earth. For more information, visit or follow @HOKA. #FlyHumanFly聽聽

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To those who don鈥檛 run, calling the act of running 鈥渇un鈥� can seem absurd. Even for those who do understand, it鈥檚 not easy to define or explain. In the most basic sense, it鈥檚 just fun to move playfully through the world鈥攔unning wherever you are鈥攚ith just a pair of shoes and your body. You feel capable. Free.

And that fun extends beyond me. I met my husband through running. I鈥檝e shared running with the people I love, my two sons, and my dog. My running friends, who I鈥檓 eternally grateful to have, are like family. Running forges those bonds. It presents events and opportunities to strengthen those connections, while also constantly introducing me to new people. It鈥檚 a part of who I am.

So it鈥檚 worth a moment to say thank you, running, for all that you鈥檝e given and continue to give me and the others who share your benefits.

You are a sport, an activity, a lifestyle, a need. You鈥檙e something I used to avoid as a high school high jumper, hiding behind the foam pits during the two-lap team warm-up. You鈥檙e something I learned to love the summer before college, making myself run on the beach in San Diego, training to walk onto my college volleyball team. You鈥檙e what I fell back on when I walked off that volleyball team the following spring after juggling volleyballs on the sidelines proved to be not all that fun.

But then I discovered that running was fun. During college, I ran on ocean bluffs and sandy beaches. I jumped into the cold Pacific to wash off the sweat and relish the post-run feeling that you can鈥檛 get from doing anything else. I craved the motion, and I loved how running made me feel.

I still do.

Now I run on trails crossing foothills and peaks of the Rocky Mountains and on the roads and paths of Boulder, Colorado. In this special town that truly values running, the culture and community that comes with running provides so much: friends, work, adventure, energy, fun.

The sense of gratitude I feel also has many layers, which made me wonder how others felt about the sport. I wanted to understand the varied benefits that runners experience, so when I started asking a simple question: 鈥淲hy are you thankful to running?鈥� The depth of emotion impressed me most. Responses ranged from the practical to the metaphysical. I collected thoughtful reflections from a diverse set of runners, each with their unique take on what the sport offers them. The next time you wallow in that push-pull cocktail of runner鈥檚 high and exhaustion, consider the collective gratitude below and perhaps take an extra moment to reflect.

Ana Wallin, 20, University of Oregon Campus Running Tour ambassador and student鈥攐n the mental clarity found in running:

鈥淩unning is a great way to clear your head. No one can really bother you when you鈥檙e running. You can just say, 鈥業鈥檓 going for a run,鈥� turn your phone off, and go as far as you want. Sometimes I go out for a mile, and then it鈥檚 so pretty out, I keep going for five. I have seen a lot more of Eugene this year than I have in the past two years combined because of running, so I鈥檓 thankful to the sport for that.鈥�

, 27, holds the South African record in the 5,000m and 10,000m, and recently raced the 5,000 at a after six weeks of training, only to wake up on race day with a head cold:

鈥淲hat I love about this sport is that no matter how prepared you think you are, it can fall apart at any moment. Or, you can have the breakthrough of your life. That risk/reward element is incredibly exciting. Yes, some days are challenging getting out of bed to do that early morning workout, and stressful because I challenge myself constantly to improve, but it鈥檚 all worth it. Even on my most adverse days, I find joy in the dusty trails with birds chirping everywhere. This simple sport that requires hard work and many miles is rewarding in a way that鈥檚 beyond comprehension. It allows me to be better than what I was the day, the month, or the year before.鈥�

, 41, on how running provides perspective and helps him use his voice and story (eight years sober, seven years running) as a podcast host (, , ):

鈥淩unning has reminded me of three things that are hard to remember at times: We are all in this together. We can accomplish great things if we do the work and trust the process. And the key to life and running: Be where your feet are.鈥�

, 35, professional runner who also works full-time and chases a 3-year-old, on the value of carving out adventure time:

鈥淢y favorite days of training are when I get hours to go explore: seeing a mountain peak in the distance and figuring out a way to its summit. There鈥檚 nothing that compares to the feelings of freedom and accomplishment you get atop a mountain peak. Not to mention self-confidence. When I can navigate stressful, technical scrambling routes and safely make it back to the car in one piece, I always feel a deep sense of achievement and pride for staying calm and making good decisions.鈥�

Jeanette Scotti, 50, elementary school librarian and everyday trail runner:

鈥淚鈥檓 grateful that running keeps me in shape for adult-league soccer and for life in general!鈥�

, 50, a three-time Hardrock 100 winner (10-time finisher) and 2012 Grand Slam of Ultrarunning winner, on her gratitude for the running community of friends she鈥檚 made over the years:

鈥淚n ultrarunning specifically, you form a special bond because you know a different kind of suffering. Running is also the way I stay connected to nature鈥攊t reminds me to stay present and focus on what鈥檚 right in front of me at all times.鈥�

Lloyd Kahn, 90, who knows resilience after recently running the grueling, rugged 7.4-mile Dipsea trail race in Marin County, California鈥攏ot to mention surfing and swimming in the frigid waters of the San Francisco Bay:

鈥淩unning develops character. It really hurts in various stages. When I get down and see the finish, I鈥檓 like, 鈥楬ow am I ever going to make it to the finish line?鈥� If you go through that, you come out stronger.鈥�

, 43, ultrarunner and immigration lawyer who, through her nonprofit, Touching Land, uses hands-on experiences like running to :

鈥淚鈥檝e seen running help immigrants and refugees feel a sense of belonging in the U.S. Running provides a place where, with fellow runners, we can share tears of joy and vulnerability, a place where we celebrate green cards and PRs, but especially a place where our humanity can build our sense of community.鈥�

Aidan Reed, 28, 2024 winner of and 2025 fifth-place professional race and fifth-place USATF 10-Mile National Championships, on developing the sense of self, purpose, and community through running:

鈥淭hrough running, I鈥檝e been fortunate to meet some of the most important people in my life and travel to places I probably wouldn鈥檛 have traveled otherwise. Ultimately, running has given me an identity as I move through the world; it鈥檚 the lens through which I understand who I am.鈥�

Beth Smith, 52, private wealth adviser and mom, on balancing running with life chasing teens, clients, and PRs:

鈥淎fter a run, I either solve the world鈥檚 problems or I forget what the original problem was. Both are wins.鈥�

, 40, cultural strategist and filmmaker (including , 2025), climate advocate, and runner, on the healing, wellness, and growth in running:

鈥淚n the last five years, running has become a core part of who I am鈥攁 way to explore interconnectedness between self, culture, and place. Sometimes it鈥檚 moving meditation. Sometimes it鈥檚 processing grief. Sometimes it鈥檚 pure joy in finding the right relations [with the natural world]. Often, it鈥檚 all of the above.鈥�

HOKA is one of the fastest-growing performance footwear and apparel brands in history. Conceived in the mountains, HOKA footwear delivers an unprecedented combination of enhanced cushioning and support for a uniquely smooth ride. Every day, HOKA pushes the innovation and design of its footwear and apparel by teaming up with a deep roster of world champions, taste makers and everyday athletes. From finish lines to everyday life, HOKA fans love the brand for its bold and unexpected approach, and its belief in the power of humanity to create change for a better world. HOKA empowers a world of athletes to fly over the earth. For more information, visit or follow @HOKA. #FlyHumanFly聽聽

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Here鈥檚 your summer challenge: log 11,000 feet of elevation in 30 days. Work your way up鈥攚alking, running, or hiking鈥攁nd track your cumulative vertical gain in Strava鈥檚 to complete those 11,000 feet. Sound absurd? That depends on your perspective.

From the streets of Manhattan, you鈥檇 need to scale the Empire State Building steps nine times to log 11,000 feet. From the edge of the Grand Canyon, you鈥檇 still need to climb 1,000 feet after doing a round-trip from rim to rim to rim. From Mount Everest Base Camp, 11,000 feet of elevation gets you right below the highest summit in the world.

From your nearest favorite trailhead, 11,000 feet is the right goal if you want to extend your trail running abilities to new heights. That total is just shy of what competitors climb during the Wasatch Mountains UTMB . (There, runners climb 11,318 feet over 31 gnarly miles.) It鈥檚 also attainable when you factor 30 days with the work and family needs of daily life that conspire to keep you from biting off big distances and vertical gains in such epic-sized chunks.

Wherever you live, you can find terrain that burns your glutes, quads, calves, and lungs鈥攅ven if you live in the flatlands, where a climb means heading to stadium stairs at the local high school. Wherever you find your vertical, it鈥檚 worth it, because the feeling you get from answering that challenge is hard to match.

Take it from , a professional ultrarunner and coach who鈥檚 won the famed Pikes Peak Ascent and UTMB Speedgoat 50K: 鈥淟iterally running up a mountain is empowering,鈥� Canaday says. 鈥淚t builds mental toughness and creates confidence.鈥�

Plus, the physical benefits are hard to deny. Running uphill, Canaday notes, can create a great training dynamic where you have less impact force with each step, but you can learn to generate more power with each stride. Not only that, Canaday adds, 鈥淚t鈥檚 an awesome way to challenge the heart and lungs with minimal impact.鈥�

If you want even more rewards, finish Strava鈥檚 HOKA Be the GOAT Challenge (live from July 15 to August 15), and you鈥檒l earn a Speedgoat 6 digital badge and a special gift mailed directly from Hoka. If you go big and log the most overall elevation gain over the challenge鈥檚 30 days, you鈥檒l claim a year鈥檚 supply (12 pairs!) of Hoka trail running shoes, a trophy to commemorate your victory, plus a free entry to any one of the following U.S. : , , , , and .

And if you live in , , , or , you can level up the fitness test鈥攁nd your prize chances鈥攚ith Strava鈥檚 . Take on your local running community by completing the most reps of your local hill climb over 30 days. The men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 entrants who log the most reps on that climb also win entry into a 2025 U.S. UTMB race of their choice.

Live elsewhere? What鈥檚 the tallest climb in your area? Have you run or hiked it? Probably not as much as possible within a 30-day period. This challenge is your summer call to elevate.

Up and Away: Claim Some Serious Vert at the Steepest, Most Destination-Worthy Routes for Incline Training

Cactus to Clouds Trail, aka Skyline Route鈥擯alm Springs, CA

20.3 miles; 10,715 feet total elevation gain

Plan accordingly for extreme temperature swings on this leg-burning point-to-point from the desert floor to alpine wilderness.

Manitou Incline鈥擬anitou Springs, CO

1-mile climb (4 miles round-trip); 2,000 feet total elevation gain

This is a direct staircase climb (loop back from top via the three-mile Barr Trail descent) that鈥檚 popular among locals and visitors. Reservations are required.

Adirondacks High Peaks Circuit鈥擭ewcomb, NY

Mileage and total elevation gain varies depending on mountain(s) climbed.聽

Of the 46 Adirondack High Peaks (above 4,000 feet), only about half have designated trails. The highest peak, Mount Marcy (5,344 feet), offers 3,166 feet of elevation gain over 14.8 miles.

Mahoosuc Traverse鈥擜ndover, ME

30.4 miles; 10,577 feet total elevation gain

Due to giant boulders that require scrambling over and squeezing between, this point-to-point is known as the hardest single mile on the Appalachian Trail.

Slickrock Creek Trail鈥擱obbinsville, NC

12.1 miles; 4,337 feet total elevation gain聽

Numerous stream crossings help cool off hikers along the steep and taxing wilderness out-and-back that locals lovingly refer to as 鈥渢he Ballbuster.鈥�

Mount Shasta, Avalanche Gulch Route鈥擬ount Shasta, CA

10.1 miles; 7,217 feet total elevation gain

Though it鈥檚 a technical out-and-back that requires an ice axe, crampons, helmet, and skills (guide recommended), this route caters to beginner mountaineers seeking the 14,180-foot summit of this volcanic icon.

______________________________________________________________________

HOKA庐 is one of the fastest-growing performance footwear and apparel brands in history. Conceived in the mountains, HOKA footwear delivers an unprecedented combination of enhanced cushioning and support for a uniquely smooth ride. Every day, HOKA pushes the innovation and design of its footwear and apparel by teaming up with a deep roster of world champions, tastemakers, and everyday athletes. From finish lines to everyday life, HOKA fans love the brand for its bold and unexpected approach and its belief in the power of humanity to create change for a better world. HOKA empowers a world of athletes to fly over the earth. For more information, visit or follow @HOKA. #FlyHumanFly

The post Is This Running Challenge Ridiculously Hard, Ridiculously Fun, or Both? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It鈥檚 been a busy summer for Heather Jackson. That might have something to do with the fact that she鈥檚 a professional athlete in two sports: ultrarunning and gravel cycling. She placed fifth in the 200-mile Unbound Gravel Race across Kansas in early June. Weeks later, she ran her way to a seventh-place finish at the . She trains in both sports daily, often spending four or five hours in the morning either on the bike or on foot, then switching to the other sport for an easier effort before dinner.

Despite that rigorous routine, Jackson says it could be worse, having spent 15 years as a professional triathlete who nabbed a pair of Ironman 70.3 World Championship podium finishes in 2012 and 2013. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a little bit easier with just riding and running,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 actually have one less sport to work on.鈥�

Plus, the two disciplines complement each other well. 鈥淚鈥檓 still balancing the two [sports] and kind of blocking them out depending on what event is next,鈥� Jackson says, 鈥渂ut I mostly just continue to do both each day.鈥� The longer daylight hours certainly help to maximize summer days, as does the outdoor versatility of the new Hoka , Jackson鈥檚 training shoe of choice. The nicer weather doesn鈥檛 hurt either, especially when it comes to getting family and friends outside before, after鈥攁nd even during鈥攈er training to add some variety and fun to the double duty.

The 40-year-old has been an athlete her entire life, which she chalks up to her mother, who was a gym teacher in New Hampshire. 鈥淪he had us in pretty much everything,鈥� says Jackson. From tennis to basketball, lacrosse to horseback riding, Jackson鈥檚 not kidding about the 鈥渆verything鈥� part. 鈥淚t was soccer and hockey that I excelled at and loved the most,鈥� she explains. Jackson played ice hockey for Princeton and was close to making the 2006 Olympic hockey team before making the shift to triathlon.

Since switching from the regimented training of Ironman-distance road triathlons to gravel riding and trail running, Jackson says she loves not having to target a specific pace for every workout. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e climbing a canyon in Western States and you鈥檙e doing a 15-minute mile, but it鈥檚 irrelevant,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more like, 鈥榃hat can you do to get up this terrain?鈥� It鈥檚 freeing.鈥�

Jackson鈥檚 first 100-mile race was Arizona鈥檚 Javelina Jundred, in which she placed fifth in 2022 before winning it in 2023. She also started gravel racing in 2023 and has seen pretty much immediate success. 鈥淭hese two new sports are so fun,鈥� she says. 鈥淓very single run and every single race is different terrain鈥攜ou鈥檙e not staring at a watch. I now just get to be outside and see so many new places. Every day is new,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 refreshing.鈥�

Living most of the year in Bend, Oregon, and training in Tucson, Arizona, during late winter and early spring, makes the most of her environment. While she skate-skis, runs, and snowshoe runs in the winter months, she鈥檚 recently been out on dirt almost every waking moment.

 

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鈥淲e have such good summer weather,鈥� she says, 鈥渢hat I try to combine gravel riding and trail running with being outside, literally, as much as possible.鈥� She and her husband and friends often go camping on weekends. They鈥檒l all head out for their own rides or runs and then reconvene at the campsite. Or they鈥檒l explore the many lakes in the wilderness areas surrounding Bend or nab last-minute backcountry permits to play on new trail systems.

鈥淢y sister grabbed a permit for the Green Lakes area one day,鈥� Jackson explains. 鈥淪o it was like, 鈥極K, cool, tomorrow鈥檚 a run day.鈥欌�� She says she feels fortunate to have both family and friends to go run trails or ride anything from Mount Bachelor to Smith Rock. Her parents recently moved to the Bend area and frequently do a ten-mile mountain bike loop, and Jackson will run alongside them.

Later this summer, Jackson will head to France, where she鈥檒l run one of the UTMB races, either the 50K OCC (which she ran last summer), the 100K CCC, or the 106-mile UTMB. While she raced Western States in the Hoka Tecton X 2.5 (a prototype version of the Tecton X 3), she鈥檒l be wearing the new Hoka Speedgoat 6 in the rugged Alps.

鈥淭o have the grip of the new Speedgoats is huge,鈥� Jackson says, referring to the updated outsole that features Vibram Megagrip and toothier lugs than the Speedgoat 5. 鈥淚鈥檒l wear the to hike Mount Bachelor and other rugged terrain around here鈥攁nd for camping and just kicking around in the dirt,鈥� Jackson says of the perfect shoe for being outside all summer long.

HOKA is one of the fastest-growing performance footwear and apparel brands in history. Conceived in the mountains, HOKA footwear delivers an unprecedented combination of enhanced cushioning and support for a uniquely smooth ride. Every day, HOKA pushes the innovation and design of its footwear and apparel by teaming up with a deep roster of world champions, tastemakers, and everyday athletes. From finish lines to everyday life, HOKA fans love the brand for its bold and unexpected approach and its belief in the power of humanity to create change for a better world. HOKA empowers a world of athletes to fly over the earth. For more information, visit or follow @HOKA.

The post How Ultrarunning鈥檚 Two-Sport Pro Gets the Most out of Summer appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.