WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME to the premiere edition of Sub Hub Headlines!

In this monthly newsletter, expect to explore various aspects of sub-ultra trail running: thoughts, interviews, results, and more. We've been eager to launch this for a while now, and we're thrilled to get it rolling.

A huge thanks for joining us on this journey – your support means the world to us!

Excitedly yours, Dani and Emkay

Sub Hub Stories : Rachel Drake Sub-Ultra to Ultra

Rachel Drake is a professional runner for Nike based in Portland, Oregon. She is a well-known name in our sport and recently qualified for the Western States 100 mile by winning Black Canyon 100K. Rachel also qualified for the Olympic Trials in the marathon this year, running an impressive 2:35! We asked her some questions about training for and racing different distances and how she balances a life of being a pro athlete, mom and (soon-to-be) doctor. If you haven’t listened to our episode with Rachel, you can catch it here.

You did a summer of Golden Trail World Series racing last year and we were wondering if it was always your intention to go after a Golden Ticket this year? 

Rachel: I knew I wasn’t going to be in great shape for those Golden races last year since I was still building fitness coming off pregnancy and the sacral stress fracture at 6 months postpartum. We were living over in Europe for the summer and I really just wanted to get in on the action. I’ve actually never been able to put together a full series of the Golden Trail but would like to do that eventually. Those events always have incredible energy and competition. But yes, my intention for this year was always to go for a Golden Ticket to Western States.

How did your training change from this past summer to training for Black Canyon 100K? Did being in your final year of medical school and doing clinical rotations have a big impact on this?

Rachel: This summer I was doing a lot more climbing and less speed work. I don’t think I ran a single mile, (or if I did it was very few) under 6 minute pace for an entire year. For Black Canyon and Western States I knew I’d want more speed, so I went for the marathon Olympic trials qualifier at California International Marathon (CIM) and that training block was great for feeling smooth at those faster paces. 

I technically graduated from medical school in December, so I’ve had more time to focus on training. My last rotation was during the build to CIM and that required some creativity with workouts and recovery but I’m pretty used to that since I’ve been balancing school and running since college. 

Now that you have run CCC and Black Canyon 100K, do you find you enjoy longer races more than races shorter than 50k?

Rachel: I really feel like they’re almost different sports and I truly love them all. There’s something so mentally tough about the longer races, it’s a slower burn but it lasts so much longer than a 50k race. But I also love the high energy and speed that comes with the shorter races. I think the long and shorter races can complement each other really well.

Will you be moving back down in distance after Western States or do you plan to continue running longer races?

Rachel: I’d like to continue doing a mix of both, I’m not sure I’ll ever be the kind of person who runs numerous hundred mile races in a year. A hybrid scenario with a few 50Ks, maybe one or two 100Ks and a hundred miler in a year sounds ideal to me. I’m still recovering from Black Canyon 3 weeks out so that’s all contingent on how my body handles these longer distances. I look to Blandine L’Hirondel for excellence across distances, and I’d love to put together a season like she’s done in the past. She races super short cross country races, short mountainous 20k races like Montee du Nid d’Aigle and then comes 3rd at UTMB in her first 100 mile race. She’s just an incredible athlete, and a gynecologist as well!  

How are you feeling about racing your first 100 mile race?

Rachel: I’m super excited, there are so many unknowns as I embark on a new distance. I love that about ultra running. I feel like there are many ways to expand our horizons and challenge ourselves, whether it’s with a new distance (longer or shorter) or running on challenging terrain. 

How do you think residency will change your perspective on training?

Rachel: I don’t think it will change too much about my perspective on training. As with medical school and life in general, there will be times where I’m on a challenging clinical rotation with a significant demand on my time where I’ll have to back off training or keep it in simmer mode. But there will also be times where the clinical schedule is more relaxed and I’ll be able to dig deeper into my training. I think having these parallel pursuits have been really helpful for me both physically and mentally, since I’m not solely focused on one thing. That way, when there are bumps in the road either with running or work, I feel more resilient to overcome them. 

What is your and Tyler’s plan for Western States now that you are both racing?

Rachel: Yes! We are super excited to both have the privilege of running Western States. Since our big training blocks will overlap, we’ll be navigating that by staggering our long runs and getting some more help with childcare. As for race day, we are so lucky to have my parents there to hang out with our son. They came last year as well so I could focus on crewing Tyler, so they know the drill.

Results Recap

🌵Black Canyon 60K - Running the initial 60k segment identical to the 100k, this race consistently attracts notable contenders, often attendees supporting the BC 100k. With promising media exposure by Mountain Outpost and the escalating renown of the World Trail Majors, we foresee a surge in popularity for this event. While the race won’t earn you points for the circuit standings, we believe the international traction garnered by the BC 100k, will inevitably spill over to the 60k race.

1. Eli Hemming (US) - 4:06:39 CR

2. Brad Miles (US) - 4:35:14

3. Brett Hornig (US) - 4:41:22

1. Elena Horton (US)- 4:57:19

2. Georgia Porter (US) - 5:00:06

3. Keely Henninger (US) - 5:04:37

🌿 Tarawera 50K - A UTMB-affiliated race, historically overshadowed by its 100k counterpart due to its Golden Ticket status. Nonetheless, this race is gaining momentum, and it’s a wicked fast course with 3100ft of elevation gain.

1. Ronnie Sparke (GB) - 3:30:48 CR

2. Charlie Hamilton (AU) - 3:34:36

3. Yutaro Yocouchi (JP) - 3:38:1

1. Caitlin Fielder (NZ) - 4:01:41

2. Kate Avery (NZ) - 4:09:58

3. Robyn Lesh (US) - 4:13:31

4️⃣ FOURmidable 50K - An early-season staple, this course has hosted past US Championships and served as a selection venue for the USA team. This year, favorable weather graced the event, a rarity in the Auburn area during this time of the year.

1. Reed Breuer (US) - 3:56:38

2. Kyle Roberts (US)- 4:04:29

3. Quinn Todzo (US)- 4:12:21

1. Helen Mino Faukner (US) - 4:21:51

2. Amanda Wiggenhorn (US) - 5:23:46

3. Alina Edwards (US) - 5:29:31

🌋Transgrancanaria 46K - The second event in the inaugural Gran Canaria World Trail Majors, this is the race week’s second shortest distance. A key fixture in the European trail running calendar, this race boasts a beautiful course with a majority of it being downhill and we thought the finish line party delivered, as it always does!

1. Robert Pkemoi Matayango (KEN) - 3:31:57

2. Juho Ylinen (FIN) - 3:38:01

3. Tiago Nobre Vieira (POR) - 3:39:05

1. Jennifer Lichter (US) - 4:18:09

2. Greta García Morán (ESP) - 4:27:20

3. Rosa Maria Lara Feliu (ESP) - 4:30:07

🌉 Big Alta 50K + 28k - In its debut year, this race has swiftly established itself as a fantastic season opener. The weather was exceptional, and the race times were impressive. We are looking forward to seeing how this race grows in the coming years.

1. Eli Hemming (US) - 3:38:33

2. Darren Thomas (US) - 3:55:25

3. Matt Daniels (US) - 3:57:20

1. Lotti Brinks (US) - 4:42:57

2. Kristina Randrup (US) - 5:04:07

3. Sarah Allaben (US) - 5:05:01

1. Nick Handel (US) - 1:54:48

2. Paddy O’Leary (US) - 1:58:16

3. Liam Meirow (US) - 1:59:04

1. Tabor Hemming (US) - 2:09:32

2. Klaire Rhodes (US) - 2:13:58

3. Samantha Diaz (US) - 2:17:27

🏜Moab Red Hot 55K + 33k - Mad Moose has been rocking this event since '07. Perfect for folks in Colorado/Utah, who might find it easier to reach than WTC50k, Big Alta, or Fourmidable. And as you know there are many incredible athletes in those areas that always show up.

1. Jeshurun Small - 3:44:10

2. Cole Campbell - 3:49:52

3. Caleb Olson - 4:08:44

1. Anna Fisher - 5:11:51

2. Natakie Nicholson - 5:39:09

3. Erin Park - 5:49:20

1. Joshua Eberly - 2:20:46

2. Timmy Parr - 2:21:07

3. Finnian Jacobson-Schulte - 2:26:49

1. Charli McKee - 3:00:19

2. Megan Bowen - 3:01:15

3. Reall Regan - 3:15:26

Trail Training Tip

“Fueling during faster or higher intensity training can help stimulate digestion on race day. This will help your stomach empty faster, and it will help you build more carb transporters which means MORE energy.” - Vic Johnson, MPH, RDN

Listen to our episode with Vic Johnson to learn more.

Sub-Ultra Athletes of the Month

As we waved goodbye to 2023, we cooked up a plan for future years: ending the year with a bang by handpicking our top ten Sub-Ultra athletes. But hey, why wait until December to start the celebration? Every month, we're spotlighting athletes whose performances have dazzled, impressed, or just put a big grin on our faces. So while it might not be a perfect match for our 2024 list, it's sure to sprinkle some fun along the way!

Our picks for February 2024.

The Hemming’s aka Tabor and Eli Hemming

We're well aware that we don’t have to pick BOTH of them to be polite, but with their kickoffs to 2024, honestly, we just couldn't resist! These fresh-faced Adidas Terrex athletes have got us buzzing with anticipation for the rest of the year.

Let's talk about Eli first. While neither of his races is a ‘true’ sub-ultra race, we regularly include the 50-60k distances in our realm because we believe they are closer related to 50k and below than they are the 100k. So with that, he's already notched up two impressive wins, including a jaw-dropping course record at the Black Canyon 60k. And let's not forget his second CR run (hey, it was the race's debut year!) at Big Alta 55k. At BC 60k, he pretty much ran solo the whole time, clinching victory with a whopping 29-minute lead. And at Big Alta, despite some fierce competition from ultra legends like Darren Thomas, Matt Daniels, and Drew Holmen, he still cruised to victory with a 17-minute lead. With most of his races last year falling within the 2-3 hour timeframe, aside from snagging his OCC bid late last Fall at Kodiak Ultra, we're itching to see what Eli's OCC debut will bring.

Now onto Tabor. She's kicked off the year with a bang, rocking not one but two sub-ultra races. Her debut half-marathon at the Mesa Road Half Marathon saw her clocking in at 1:13:38 (5:37avg/mi for 13.1mi), setting the bar high right from the start. And then she followed that up with an impressive performance at the inaugural Big Alta 28k. It's always tough when it's the first year of a race, but she held her own, finishing within 15 minutes of the men's winner, Nick Handel, who placed 11th at OCC last year. Now, that's seriously speedy! Snagging her spot at OCC last year at Kodiak, we're only left to dream about what she's going to accomplish with this incredible speed she's showing early in the year. But hey, we're dreaming big!

Looking Forward

The Skyrunner World Series officially kicks off! The first race, Acantilados del Norte, takes place on March 2nd on La Palma in the Canary Islands. Curious about our Fantasy Picks for the race? Check out our latest episode. They are paying 10 deep for both men and women.

• 1st 1000 €, 2nd 600 €, 3rd 400€, 4th 300€, 5th 200€, 6th-10th 100€

The USATF National 50K Road Championship will take place at Heckscher State Park in New York on March 10th. Consisting of 10 × 5k loops, it's not only fast but also a mental challenge. One of the race's highlights is the opportunity to earn your BQ (Boston Qualifier) during it, as they split your time at the 26.2-mile mark. However, you must complete the entire 50k for it to count. Prize money awaits those chasing the championship title.

• 1st $500, 2nd $150, 3rd $100

• $1,000 Course Record

• $1,500 National Record 

• $100 1st Place LONG ISLAND Finishers

Chuckanut 50k, an iconic Springtime classic, is on March 16th. This year, they are celebrating its 30th running, and with 29 years of history, there's always superb competition looking to make their mark. We're excited to see who takes the crowns this year. While we are pretty sure there is prize money for the podium finishers it’s proven difficult to find. However it is clear that there is a $200 Course Record Bonus.

USA Championship Chronicles

All USATF Championships we will be following this year, and you should too.😉