Rhys Desmond

Ultra-Trail Harricana 28K Recap – I don’t hold hands

When it comes to trail running, I don’t hold hands. It sounds lovely and sportsmanlike, and all. But I much prefer to fight to the death. And I had so much fun doing so this weekend at the Ultra-Trail Harricana 28K!

My recipe for a good race

Last year, I arrived at the UTHC 42K Classique with a nagging knee injury, but in one of the most pressure-free states of my adult life. It was one of my best races ever. I now reflect upon how I can produce more races like this in the future, including my return to Harricana this…

Weekly Newsletter – The mentalities of the top trail runners in the world

When things happen in races that you can’t control, you need to stay present, and continue fighting the smart fight. This is what separates the top 1% from the top 0.1%.

Weekly Newsletter – Being intentional with cross-training!

Cross-training needs to be done with intentionality! Here is what to keep in mind on your days off from running.

Weekly Newsletter – Training (and recovering!) with a busy lifestyle

I know you’re checking the box when it comes to training! But are you checking the box when it comes to recovery? Here’s what you need to consider in order to recover properly within your busy lifestyle!

Shorter, faster, stronger: Why I’m going down in distance on the trails

When I decided to take up ultra running as a passion project in 2023, I had long seen myself as someone who would always be better going long. Long, and potentially, eventually, longer. But instead of going longer, I now have a burning desire to do something else. Go faster and shorter, and become stronger…

Weekly Newsletter – Listening to your body

As runners, we’ve always got something going on! This is where the ability to discern whether something is an injury or just tightness/soreness becomes imperative. But even if something is only tightness, what do we do next? How do we help it subside? Here is my newsletter for athletes!

Weekly Newsletter – Why you can’t just do the bare minimum

Trail and ultra running is a complex, multifaceted discipline that requires so much more than just aerobic fitness and endurance. It’s as much a mental game as a physical one, and it’s as much about nutrition, strength, and recovery as it is about training. In order to maximize the chance of success in such a…

Weekly Newsletter – Adventure is part of the fun!

The art of exploration is so powerful to making a run more meaningful and memorable. Running with friends has the same effect.

It’s more fun if you sing along

I can’t quite pinpoint it, but I just know that I’ve not been having fun so far with my races. I’ve been having fun in training. But maybe because training’s been going so well, I’ve started to put more pressure on myself to punch above my old belief systems. So in the second half of…