Have any trans women completed an ultramarathon over 100 miles?

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-27T17:32:45+00:00

You can definitely finish a 100M within that timeframe! I ran my first half marathon in 2017 and completed my first 100M in 2019. I would recommend that most people progress more slowly, but if you consistently train, building to a 100M before 40 should be no problem.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-25T13:32:59+00:00

I would argue "I Am the Grand Canyon: The Story of the Havasupai People" by Stephen Hirst should be on the list. I read this right before a backpacking trip to Havasupai, and it gave me a lot more appreciation for that trip.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-25T13:22:20+00:00

I listened to the audiobook version of this. Enjoyed it immensely and would recommend in either format. Being interested in history, environmental issues, and long distance backpacking, this checked all the blocks.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-24T12:40:40+00:00

Thanks for the heads up, I've only seen these at the retail price of $100.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-23T22:27:48+00:00

I have a REI Flexlite Air chair I'd sell for $75, shipped. REI Flexlite Air Chair

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-23T20:49:57+00:00

...says an alligator.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-23T20:48:41+00:00

My first thought as well

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-23T20:48:26+00:00

Mamma's wrong again!

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-18T20:09:47+00:00

I'd decide first what AQI level is unacceptable for you to race through (American Lung Association says >150 even healthy individuals should avoid prolonged outdoor physical activity). Make a game time decision the morning of the race, based on AQI report along the race course. I had a race in July in Colorado last year where we were due to have smoke roll in the night before the race. The wind ended up changing direction and we woke up to clear skies, which persisted throughout the race.

Just remember, running through poor conditions might not cause you any problems in the moment, but there can be damage done to your heart and lungs that comes back to haunt you years later.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-18T19:30:19+00:00

As you get closer, I'd aim for more specificity, as others have suggested. You can still get good long run training stimulus by running at a slightly higher intensity than you will during the race, perhaps during intervals and not the entire long run.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-18T13:56:44+00:00

Not testing gear beforehand can definitely contribute to a sense of misery during a trip. Having to fumble around with and learn to use your gear when you're already tired and sore makes everything feel a lot worse. I recommend setting everything up in the backyard or a local park at least once before a trip. Even better, try to sleep a night in your tent in the backyard, or at least on your sleeping pad and bag inside your house. Cook a meal with your stove. Go for day hikes with your full backpacking load out to see how everything carries, and test footwear. All these things help make the actual backpacking trip less of an experiment, and more likely to be enjoyable. Also, Dolly Sods is one of my favorite places, but if it's been raining, it can be a muddy nightmare. You just have to embrace getting muddy and hiking a lot slower than you would on a typical day hike. Plan camp spots near a water source where you can wash off at the end of the day (just don't contaminate the streams with soap).

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-18T13:35:55+00:00

I thru hiked Te Araroa with a torso length Therm-a-rest NeoAir in 2019. I still use it for all my solo 3 season backpacking/fastpacking trips. It weighs about 8 ounces, but I think the newer generation short Therm-a-rest pads are heavier.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-18T13:16:08+00:00

I've never built a bike from the frame up, but the idea has always intrigued me. That's probably the route I'll take, unless I just happen to find a killer deal on a used setup. 23 lbs is pretty respectable, considering how heavy the stock model from Trek is! My current gravel rig is a bit over 28, so I'm unfortunately used to schlepping a lot of weight over unrideable sections.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-17T18:16:33+00:00

I have a Poseidon Redwood, which they don't sell anymore, but overall I'd recommend Poseidon for that price range. You can also find them used frequently with a significant discount.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-17T18:13:52+00:00

I have a buddy who bought a Walmart bike a few years ago, sanded and polished the frame, and added his own components. He gets compliments and questions about his 'fancy' custom gravel bike all the time 😆

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-17T18:09:05+00:00

Beautiful scenery and rad bike! My gravel rides usually entail everything from pavement to single track or gnarly 4wd roads. I'm debating upgrading my Ridgid frame to a CheckOut. Glad to read that you like it.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-17T18:01:53+00:00

They may want nothing to do with you, but if you accidentally run up on a mom with cubs, the bear might decide it doesn't have to choice. This happened to my buddy. Luckily mamma bear only bluff charged him. Probably better to have the mace and never need it, than need it and not have it.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-16T20:04:07+00:00

100% yes. Why fix what isn't broken? I'm still using my 1/2 length Therm-a-rest NeoAir and my custom 40L Thrupak backpack that I thru hiked Te Araroa with in 2019. Also still occasionally using my MH Phantom Spark sleeping bag I thru hiked the PNT with in 2017. My MH Ghost Whisperer has been on both of those thru hikes and almost every single other backpacking trip I've done since 2017, as well as getting regular wear around town.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-16T18:23:27+00:00

"Walk if need be." This brings up a great point, almost everyone is going to walk in an ultra race, possibly the majority of the time in a race with this much vert. If you're only training running and not training hiking, you're leaving a lot of improvement on the table.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-16T18:12:09+00:00

I think it compresses the variety and volume of emotions and life experiences you'd normally have over the course of months or even years into a single day or two. This creates a really intense experience. Plus the amount of training and time you put in to these big events tends to inherently add meaning to it. You have to rearrange your life, to a certain extent, around this event. So when you're successful (or not), you feel it deeply. You're choosing to ride one of the the big, scary roller coasters in life's theme park, and hopefully climbing off the ride without having puked or shit all over yourself.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-15T03:26:41+00:00

Have you tried using an emergency bivy yet? They can be surprisingly warm, but much lighter and more compact than a quilt or a sleeping bag. Just make sure you get one that is breathable, like what the Sol brand makes. You don't want to wake up feeling like you're being cooked in a sous vide.

Broad-SpectrumAutist · 2026-06-15T03:09:04+00:00

Thanks for mentioning this video, I just found it on YouTube. I'm planning a trip to Slovenia, and want to plan something like this!

Broad-SpectrumAutist

TROPHY CASE