Jesse Mendoza

On the weekend of April 6th, 2019, I took a trip down to Wildwood, Missouri to run the Ozark Foothills 50k trail race put on by the Terrain Trail Runners, who are based in St. Louis, MO. It’s a beautiful course run on the fast and challenging trails at Greensfelder Park in Wildwood, MO., located about 45 minutes southwest of St. Louis, MO. The course is mostly single track, and…

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8 Tips To Get Ready For Spring Running And Storing Your Winter Gear

Winter is not my cup of tea. I prefer to keep outdoor workouts short, or run with my favorite running club on cold, crisp winter mornings . There is nothing I love more than warm, sunny spring days when I can shed the layers and get out for a workout! But sometimes, I’ll find that my gear is not in the greatest shape as when I left it last season….

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Trail Running With Trekking Poles: My First Experience

Well, that wasn’t so bad after all. I received a pair of Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z trekking poles from the sweets for Christmas, but I haven’t had a chance to take them for a whirl until now. The snow has mostly cleared from my favorite trail, so I had a great opportunity to take the Carbon Z poles out for a trail run for the first time. On first…

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How I Track My Running Shoes Using Strava

If you were to ask me how many running shoes I’ve owned since I started running, I couldn’t even begin to tell you. It’s been a lot. Tons, maybe. Runners can relate, yes? Very early on as I started to run marathons, I learned that you have to switch out your shoes after they’ve reached a certain mileage or you risk injury by running in shoes that are too worn…

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My Thoughts On Getting Into the Superior Trail 100 Mile Lottery. Again.

I still remember that weekend clearly. I remember the Adrenaline. The Excitement. The Energy. I remember the beautiful weather. I remember thinking how lucky I was to be there. Then I remember the severe cramping less than 20 miles in. That it was way too soon to hurt. I remember thinking if I’d made a mistake. Then I remember friends helping. The starry nights. The house-sized boulders. Oh my god,…

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My Top 7 Running and Fitness Blog Picks For January

I’m a sucker for a good running or fitness blog. When things get a little tough, I enjoy reading stories about runners going through the same struggles. Race reports are fun too when an author does a great job of making you feel like you’re right there running with them. Here are a few running and fitness blogs I’ve been checking out this month (in no order): 1. Believe In…

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Sunday Favorites #2

Chafon 4 in 1 charging cord For a person like me who has a mess of charging cables lying around for as many gadgets as I own, this all-in-one charging cable by Chafon is a must have. The Chafon 4-in-1 4 ft. Charging Cord combines one USB-C connector, micro-USB connector, and 2 lightning connectors allowing you to charge 4 (!!) devices at one time. No more birds nest in the…

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Video: Frozen Gnome 10K/50K trail course run

Come along with me as I run the Frozen Gnome 10K/50K trail race that was held on 1/12/19. This was to be my first ultra of the year, but let’s just say this winter hasn’t been the kindest in regards to getting some time out on the trails. Still, that doesn’t mean I can’t have a little fun at the ‘gnome! The 6.3 mile loop is crazy challenging and serves…

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DJI Osmo Pocket Review: Say Goodbye To Shaky Running Videos

I’m not much of a video or photography expert, but I’d like to think I can tell a good photo or video when I see it. I like to take the time to shoot a decent photo for, say, my Instagram page because I’d like to be able to enjoy it a few years from now. Lately, I’ve been on a quest to find the perfect hand-held stabilizer for my…