Straights & Curves: Dirt and Ultras
(4 min read) Americans win UTMB • Notes of hope • Monster trucks • Daily Respite
Welcome back to Breakfast Club, stories about life in motion and the ideas that shape our movement through the world. Happy Labor Day to all you Americans! Here are ten stories for your holiday Monday. (4 min read)
Front of the pack
1. Americans sweep UTMB (iRunFar)
Courtney Dauwalter cemented her status as one of history’s greatest ultrarunners with a win at UTMB. The performance, her third victory at UTMB, capped an astonishing summer trifecta that included wins and course records at Western States and Hardrock.
On the men’s side, the fifth time was the charm for Jim Walmsley, the Western States course-record holder. He traded the lead with fellow American Zach Miller, who sprinted for second in characteristic headbanger style. All-in-all, a tremendous day for the Americans in Chamonix.
2. Foresthill Bridge’s notes of hope (KCRA)
Standing 730 feet above the North Fork of the American River, the Foresthill Bridge gives access to the canyons east of Auburn. For crews and fans of the Western States Endurance Run, it’s a crucial artery to the ultramarathon race course.
It’s also a common place for suicide. According to KCRA, 98 people have taken their lives at the bridge as of last December. That’s why some residents have begun leaving notes of hope for those experiencing the worst moments of their lives. Watch now
3. A daily reprieve
Discovering these short missives by Clara Parkes, often focused on small moments in nature, was a joy. The poetic nuggets conclude with a delightful quote. This recent reprieve, about the winged seeds of a maple tree, is a favorite.
4. Of dirt and monster trucks (New Yorker)
Zach Helfand’s New Yorker piece on monster trucks pulled me in and never let go:
“A monster trucker is the kind of person who has a favorite type of dirt. I’ve heard drivers describe a track as fluffy, sticky, loose, tacky, grippy, greasy, slick, crumbly, powdery, bone-dry, baked out, dead, loamy, earthen, sandy, slidey, soupy, snotty, and marshmallowy. Everyone understands the distinctions. They obsess over them like vintners obsess over terroir.”
After exploring the gritty assembly of Monster Jam’s temporary tracks, Helfland delves into the event’s historical lineage of state fairs and thrill shows before strapping into a monster truck himself.
Five other stories I loved
Christopher Nolan on openness as the pathway to passion. (Range Widely)
“For me, it's all about trying new things. If you're going to write, you want to read a lot before you write, without any purpose. I love watching TV, love watching movies, preferably with no sense of purpose. Just being open to things that might inspire you—and staying open.”
Amanda Basham’s postpartum training for UTMB. (Trail Runner)
“Seeing her listen to her body; knowing when to push and when to chill. Plus, Amanda solo parents a week a month while I work three states away. All these added stressors, if managed, make her more resilient and adaptable on race day.”
The crushing boredom of activist lingerie marketing. (Peak Notions)
“Activism has become aspirational in the way that beauty is and always has been. There is power in both, as Victoria’s Secret executives well know. Is activism-marketed underwear actually more appealing to women than aesthetic aspiration? Do women want to buy products that are sold via utopian messaging or the language of victimisation?”
Ten things about Jim Walmsley’s UTMB prep (Outside)
“In early August he ran a 39-mile route with 15,000 feet of vertical gain from his house in Arêches to Courmayeur, Italy. During the biggest part of his training block, he averaged about 200K (or 125 miles) of running with massive amounts of vertical gain and descents.”
An Englishman watches NASCAR on a road trip. (Atlantic)
“The cars are all in a bunch, circuit after circuit, an American mantra. Repetition is holy. The void receives their fury. Carry me to heaven on a helix of NASCAR noise. Here we’re all tuned to the same vibration. Every 30 seconds or so, as the cars pass, it baptizes you like a power chord. Your whole body sings with it.”
Weekly run
Breakfast Club meets every Thursday for an 8-mile run:
When and Where: 6:30am at Lake Temescal in Oakland, CA
Pace: ~7:00 to 7:40 pace with a few hundred feet of climbing
For updates, email Katie Klymko at katieklymko at gmail.com to join Breakfast Club’s WhatsApp chat. More info
For more local events, join our Strava club, East Bay Strava Runners
Xeets of the week
Parting thought
“... Every try will not succeed. But if you're going to live, live at all, your business is trying. And if you fail once, so what? Old folks say, Every shuteye ain't sleep and every goodbye ain't gone. You fail, you get up and try again.”
- Maya Angelou, The Heart of a Woman (ht
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Love the Daily Respite! Will be sharing that during this Season of Creation.
This is so kind of you - thank you! I'm honored.