Running Back to Basics

So many of us find bliss on the trails, and we spend many hours traveling on our own two feet. Our feet are the first point of contact between the ground and our state of euphoria, so naturally it becomes important to consider which shoes you select to carry you on your adventures. When we see other runners who we admire, we may be curious to

I made the decision to wrap up my racing season after running 50 miles at Virgil Crest in early September. I felt complete having successfully mastered that course and having placed third in my GP.  Even though I continued to get stronger, I had gradually started to feel a little worn from a season filled with “firsts,” so I made the decision to withdraw from

After years of being a private runner, running solely for my own purpose, in 2020 I suddenly found myself in the position of Brand Ambassador. I applied to represent companies I believed in, not really believing that I would be selected. Well, selected I was, and my number of social media posts increased accordingly. The many posts I posted about all things running as Brand

It stung because I was now only 20 miles from the last aid station, and in my own mind, I was in the home stretch. “What do you mean I can’t continue?” was the first thing my mind offered in silent response to the aid station captain informing me that he could not allow me to continue past that point because I had timed out. All I

Running, at its foundation, is a minimalist activity. Yet through the choices we make, we are rewriting this narrative. And we are changing the story at the detriment to our environment. At its roots, running is an inexpensive and minimalistic activity.  To run, you need your legs and feet…perhaps a pair of comfortable shoes to protect those feet, and for some of us, a sports bra.  Yet

Many runners are brand ambassadors these days.  With cool perks such as product discounts, free gear, and potential visibility (read: social media fame), all in exchange for helping to advertise a product they already believe in, it’s not surprising to see so many athletes gravitate toward brand ambassadorships. Companies that may use brand ambassadors to help market their products include those selling nutrition, running gear, shoes,

Racing season is here, and for many of us, that means we have at least one ultramarathon or trail race on the schedule, most of which will include visits to aid stations along the way. This can mean making tough decisions about nutrition, balancing how much you carry in with what you can find at aid stations, while minimizing your risk of exposure. For runners

Kuwanna running the English Ridge Rumble Recently, I was reminded of my joy for running ultramarathons.For me, it is a joy of simply moving through these spaces, a joy independent of time, pace, place,and performance.It is a joy of camaraderie, of gratitude for simply being able to toe the line, for connecting withothers, a joy of simply being.Sure, with each race comes the opportunity to run

We evolved in the outdoors.In fact, we evolved in the back country.There were few trails, likely no trails, when hominids first walked out of Africa to settle Europeand Asia around 2 million years ago.We ran to hunt. We ran to escape.Our children ran to play. They still do.As climate cooled for a time, forests gave way to open grasslands, and our ancestors evolvedfrom tree dwellers

My name is Kuwanna Dyer-Pietras and I am a trail and ultrarunner. I first started running competitively during my sophomore year in high school when I joined the cross country team. In my senior year, I also competed in track, including the 200 m, 400 m, and the pole vault. After high school, I continued running through my twenties and my thirties. In recent years, I