Holly Zimmermann

Long runs are the pillar of training for the marathon and any other long distance race, but fueling them can be tricky. And if your mind is boggled at the thought of fueling a 3-hour run, imagine what’s required for more than a day on your feet? Beautiful wilds of Spain's Galicia I’m not a doctor nor a nutritionist but I’ve been around the block in foot races of all distances. Here’s my non-expert experience and some tips on fueling for endurance. The Marathon As crazy as it may sound, ultra runners consider the classic road marathon to be a fast race. It is a ‘relatively’ short distance, typically on good terrain, without much elevation gain or loss and the pace is at the high end of our aerobic capacity. Obviously the amount of calories that your body needs to take in depends on what you are burning. Are you jogging? Or running at your aerobic-anaerobic boundary? In general it is recommended that runners need to add in 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates each hour that they are runni...

  Click here for the English version 11. Mai 2019 Strecke M: 16 km (17+), 960 hm (1040) Bedingungen: Schlamm, Schnee, Regen, Schneeregen, Wind, Kälte und mehr Schlamm Obwohl es sich um eine neue Serie handelt, werden die MountainMan-Rennen professionell organisiert, als hätten sie jahrelange Erfahrung, aber es herrscht ein unverkennbar familiäres Gefühl. Die Organisatoren und das Support-Personal lächeln und lachen immer und haben Spaß dabei, sich auf die Bedürfnisse eines jeden ihrer Läufer einzustellen. Bei ihren Rennen fühlen Sie sich wirklich wie ein Teil der Familie und treffen sich zu diesem jährlichen Wiedersehen an einigen der malerischsten Orte, die die Welt zu bieten hat. Bin es nur ich oder hast du das Gefühl, je schlechter das Wetter ist, desto mehr Spaß haben Trailrunner? Man hört sie nicht jammern, wenn Mutter Natur böse und wild ist und sie an ihre Grenzen treibt, aber man hört Trailrunner an schönen Sonnentagen jammern, weil es dann einfach zu ... ...

Hier klicken für die deutsche Version Although a new series, the MountainMan races are professionally organized as though there are years of experience, but there is unmistakably a very familial feel. The team and support staff are always smiling and laughing, having a blast themselves, while ready to jump to the needs of any of their runners. At their races, you really feel like part of the family, meeting up for that annual reunion in some of the most picturesque locations the world has to offer. 11 May 2019 Strecke M: 16 km (17+), 960 HM (1040)  Conditions: Mud, Snow, Rain, Sleet, Wind, Cold... and more Mud Interview with Rudi and Stephan :) Is it just me or do you get the feeling that the worse the weather is, the more fun trail runners have? You don’t hear them complaining if Mother Nature is wicked and wild and pushes them to their limits, but you DO hear trail runners complain on beautiful sunny days because then it is just too… well, they say ‘warm’ but ...

The question I am most often asked is not “ How do you train for running in the desert?” nor “ How do you stay motivated during those long runs? ”, but rather two simple words, “ What’s next? ” And from those who know the type of races I prefer to run, they ask the question, waiting with bated breath, hoping that I will dazzle them with something off the charts. No pressure there. Bu honestly, I don’t choose races for the ‘Wow’-factor, I keep my eyes and ears open as to what is out there, waiting patiently until I hear of a race that sends a chill down my spine, and then I know it is the next one. Choosing races of such magnitude with any other motivation I think would make it impossible to invest in the amount of training, planning and preparation necessary to pull it off. During my down-time this past winter I created an Excel spreadsheet with all the race options that interest me including all of my standard short-distance races in and around Regensburg that I run with my...

A home exchange? What a great idea! Right? Well, that depends on who you talk to. It's not for everyone, I suppose. Most of my friends said they could never do it, could never trust strangers in their own home. My response was simply that everything that I value is coming with me. And I wasn’t referring to what was in my suitcase. The preparations were intense. On top of the regular packing and planning for our trip, there was the additional burden of preparing the house for the other family. I wrote a four-page summary of information complete with instructions on the proper operation of the dishwasher, TV, washing machine, computer, navigation system, coffee maker, etc. Plus, recycling instructions, baby sitter telephone and emergency numbers. Of course the house had to be in tip-top shape, with fresh bedding and towels, as well as waste and laundry baskets emptied. By the time we left, I was exhausted. We swapped cars too. Why not? A rental would have cost n...

Cuba Visited and written in 2003 Growing up in the USA we, as Americans, have the right to enjoy many freedoms including the right to travel, the right to speak our minds in a public forum without prejudice, and the right to open and run our own businesses. Oddly enough, one limitation to American freedom is that we may not travel to Cuba. Well, actually we are allowed to travel there but the Treasury Department has put restrictions on Americans spending money in Cuba because they believe that it slips through the hands of the people and ends up in the coffers of a government ruled by a Communist party. After just having spent eight days in Cuba, I can honestly say that I am a supporter of this policy, but for different reasons than that of the Treasury.

One week in Morocco is a wonderful, exciting adventure bringing to life images from great films such as Lawrence of Arabia, Othello and, of course, Casablanca. Two weeks in Morocco provide ample time to see past the beauty of the ancient kasbahs and clearly view the trash, filth, poverty and stench which makes one thankful for having been born in a developed nation which is exceedingly rich by world standards. Ok, that may be a little harsh. I loved Morocco, but after getting extremely sick from something I ate, not to mention being 5 months pregnant, I was pushed to my limits towards the end. Here’s a summary of our trip in 2001, the unabridged version. Overload? We landed in Casablanca on a Sunday afternoon and decided to immediately head south along the Atlantic coast to find a quiet fishing village for our first night of vacation.  Driving out of the city we were forced to share the road with donkey carts, black-smoke spewing diesel cars, antique motorbikes,...

This was written when I first arrived in Germany, in 2000, and actually quite a lot has changed since then. And though I make fun of the Germans, I have really grown to love them despite all their differences, or maybe because of them. Well, I've been living here in Germany for almost two months now and have made some observations of „the good, the bad and the ugly“ that I thought I’d share with you! It’s somewhat lengthy, but the best stuff is at the end so be patient! I’ll start with „the good“ and work down from there…. First of all, I now live in the most beautiful city in the world. Regensburg. The downtown area has buildings dating back to the 11th century and even has a portion of a stone wall which was built by the Romans in 194 A.D. The streets are narrow and cobblestoned, lined with little shops and cafes. There are tiny walking lanes which sometimes open up to courtyards filled with flowers in the window sills of the buildings. Everytime I walk downtown I find ...