Post Marathon Doldrums
Each fall, marathons across the country bring months of training to a head. Runners uncork weeks of training to pursue their dreams; chasing PRs, Boston Qualifiers, or simply the satisfaction of covering such a vast distance. We see the anticipation build throughout the fall; the news articles, shoe brand...
Stilly Girls XC: Dark Horse Season
“We weren’t even ranked at the start of the season. Honestly, that made us want it more. We changed our training plan this summer, and a lot of the girls bought in. That made such a difference—suddenly we had this really cohesive top seven, even top ten group. We’ve been...
August: The month of high hopes
Last week, aspiring runners around the state embarked on another season of cross country. Some set lofty goals; state championships, or making varsity. Others are trying their hand in a new sport; attempting to forge an identity during the trying years of adolescence. My former colleague, Mike Harris, head coach...
Chasing PRs on Browns Creek
Last week, we put on our first road race: The Brown’s Creek Breeze. Formal planning started back in December, but the idea for it came before we even opened the store. A training partner and I had envisioned the trail as the perfect place to have a blazing-fast time trial:...
Signs of spring
It used to be the robins. The reliable, spunky neighborhood migrant would appear in my backyard one morning, a harbinger of things to come. Hearty Robins have since become more of a common sight in winter here these days, demoting them to year-round status rather than the first in a...
The hidden trails of Stillwater
If you’ve gone for a run in Stillwater, chances are you’ve enjoyed the views of the “Loop”, crossing the St. Croix on the old and new bridges into Wisconsin. Equally as popular is the Brown’s Creek bike trail; a DNR state bike trail connecting Downtown Stillwater to the Gateway bike...
Stories from the St. Croix: Joel Button and the full moon river run
“I started in 2010, but it wasn’t really a race. It’s like an underground, no timing chip or anything. I was running in the winter looking for something else to do and just started running on the river. I jumped on to see if it could be done and it...
What are your goals for the new year?
Years ago, I had a running acquaintance who did an annual New Year’s Eve “reflection” on the previous year’s training. He’d pick through the highs and lows he experienced and used them to set goals for the upcoming year. I’m not a big New Year’s Resolution guy, but this tradition...
Stories from the St. Croix: Erika Albano and the quest for a new track in Turtle Lake, WI
“We moved to Turtle Lake in 2022. I went to my kids’ track and field meet (elementary school) the first year they were in school, and I saw what the track looked like. I had also gone there to work out and I was like, oh, this is bad. It’s...
Face the North Wind: a guide to surviving the winter months
Winter is challenging for runners. There are few races on the calendar, cold winds, low light, and lonely paths to tread on. So how to get through it? We’ll be in this state for the next 3 months or so. What are the secrets that keep die-hards getting out the...
Stories from the St. Croix: Clark Weyrauch
“I started running the summer before my senior year of college. I was like, I’m gonna try this for the millionth time and then it just kind of stuck. I trained for a 10k that fall of my senior year of college and after that, decided to train for a...
Embracing the darkness
This is it. For many of us, last Friday, 11/1 was the last time we’ll see any semblance of sunlight after work until Valentine’s Day dinner plans are being made and talk of Spring Break begins to emerge. The end of Daylight Savings time marks a shift that angles the...
