The racing scene was relatively quiet last weekend. Online, the global running community shared thoughts of solidarity with Ukraine.  

80 miles in, tired, hurting, and re-thinking life choices. This is exactly when a well-timed, possibly self-deprecating joke can help.

And that is what @yaboyscottjurek has mastered - the spot-on meme gently jabbing at trail culture to help us lighten up and laugh. 

Meet Tony Darracoté, a devoted Scott Jurek fan who doesn’t actually run, but loves making us LOL. I sat down with this elusive creative to reveal 10 surprising yet amusing answers.

And just like racing, there is intense competition in the world of meme making. After a half year hiatus, @ultrarunningmemes has come back to throw down fresh humor. As enthusiasts, we hope no one gets hurt in the effort, but we are definitely enjoying the laughs.

🤠 Cowboy Psychology: “Tall, thin, grizzly lookin’ and a buckle - like a rodeo cowboy,” said Dr. Thomas Mueller describing a 1987 Western States runner while reminiscing on The Adventure Jogger podcast. Dr. Mueller, an ultrarunner and psychology professor at Appalachian State University, studies the motivators of endurance runners and just launched a new study. Take the thought provoking survey here.

🏅Training, Olympian Style: Ready to win gold? This piece unpacks the Norwegian model of lactate threshold training used by Norway's Olympic dominating endurance athletes. Key takeaways:

• Most workouts are performed at, or just below, lactate threshold 
• Speedwork is critical, yet only a small part of the total program
• For the uber elite, days with threshold-doubles are part of the mix
• Relax! Keeping easy days easy is part of the formula

🏃Training, For the Rest of Us: Feeling behind on your build up to spring training? The panel of coaches at Trail Runner reassures us there’s still plenty of time. Find out:

• What to do now to get ready for summer races
• How much winter cross training (ski, bike) is recommended
• When it is smarter to run indoors

🚩Final Word: Wait ... you want to train as an Olympian and be like the rest of us? Gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen does her speedwork via a local 5K and brings home a 1st place pie for dinner. “I’m getting beat by a taco!” she exclaims in this oddly compulsively watchable video, perfect for your warm-up on the treadmill.

As a professional runner with over 15 years in the sport, Devon Yanko has put down fast times on courses all over the globe. Devon said that, with all the buzz around a few superstar races, some of her favorite “old-school” ultras feel forgotten. In this feature, Devon shares what she’s calling “the Iconics,” classic events across the U.S. and a few international sparklers that represent what she loves most about ultrarunning.

👑 Return of the King: “Why? You will ask me. It’s because I really love to suffer. I really love the pain in the legs and the feet and everywhere in the body. And that’s all about long distance. It’s to enjoy this pain.” - Kilian Jornet Burgada on coming back to UTMB in 2022.

💌 Zoe's Pick: 100 marathons in 100 days. Wake up, get the kids to school, run a marathon, eat, sleep, repeat. That’s what Jacky Hunt-Broersmaz is doing continuously for over three months to set a world record and raise money for Amputee Blade Runners. After losing the bottom half of her left leg to cancer, Jacky says, “You have to appreciate what you have because you don’t know what’s around the corner. So, this is me living life to the full, and giving it a go.” Read the story.

❄️ Winter Fun: For us weirdos that like “fun,” à la deep freeze winter running, Brendan Leonard at Semi-Rad offers solid tips for how to maximize the misery. Ready to be done with snow, ice, and microspikes? Good news! The calendar reads March today, so we’re on our way.