Author: Ultimate Direction

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  April 1, 2018 Ultimate Direction announces sponsorship of the Barkley Marathons Boulder, CO:  Ultimate Direction, a market-leading manufacturer of gear for runners, hikers, and skiers, is proud to announce a new partnership with the Barkley Marathons. This legendary race, held sometime in the spring at Frozen Head State Park, Tennessee, has grown in stature, with entries coming in from all over the…

It’s the eve of the Grand Traverse, a classic backcountry skiing race from the bottom of Crested Butte Mountain Resort to the bottom of Aspen Mountain. The course travels the Elk Mountains Range with around 8,000 feet of climbing over 40 miles. As a sponsor of the Grand Traverse and fanatic of the sport, we asked UD ski mountaineering ambassadors for advice on how to…

Ultimate Direction’s new Signature Series 4.0 trail running vests and Adventure Collection Fastpacks will be used exclusively by Carmichael Training Systems' (CTS) coaches during the organization’s ultrarunning training camps and “Bucket List” events this year. [caption id="attachment_3307" align="alignnone" width="640"] Kelly Wolf with CTS Director of Coaching Jason Koop (left) on the podium at UTMB's CCC.[/caption] CTS is one of the premier endurance sports coaching companies in…

Do you share your passion for adventure with your children? Longtime Ultimate Direction Ambassador Thomas Reiss is recently back from summiting Mount Kilimanjaro with his 12-year-old son, Luke. In this interview we ask both father and son how to prepare for and execute a big adventure together. What does training consist of? What are some tips for getting along together through adversity? Read it all…

We are VERY excited to announce that mountain running icon Anna Frost has joined the Ultimate Direction ambassador team. She needs little introduction, but just in case: Anna is one of the world's most accomplished mountain and ultra trail runners who has, in the past few years, transitioned into a yoga and meditation practice to complement her passion for exploring and racing in the mountains. She carved…

Did you see the January/February 2018 cover of Outside magazine? If so, you'll recognize our newest ambassador; it's Spartan Race World Champion and World’s Toughest Mudder winner Amelia Boone! Amelia is known for a commanding string of wins and podium finishes in obstacle course races (OCR) and ultramarathons and she joins our team with a full 2018 racing calendar ahead of her and a few to-be-named…

What were the most inspiring, difficult, fast, or just plain 'out-there' FKT’s last year?  A panel of 27 runners reviewed the 22 Nominees (selected from the hundreds of FKT's reported last year), voted for their top 5, and the Results are below.  A hot discussion this year was the widening gap between Unsupported and Supported efforts - some people did their whole route solo, while…

It's back! An Award for the most notable FKT of the Year.  There's no big prize - actually no prize whatsoever - but that's not why we do FKT's is it?  We want to do and read about what's cool, what's exciting and new, what has meaning for us.  So Peter Bakwin with help from Buzz Burrell compiles a list of the big standouts for 2017,…

Trail runners around the world hold a special affection for Colorado born-and-raised Hillary Allen. Her infectious smile and world-class skill in the most difficult skyraces launched a career that was set-back by a severe fall this summer. Hillary stopped by #UDHQ to fill us in on her recovery and how the injuries have impacted her physically, mentally and emotionally. Leave a comment if you can relate to recovering from…