Racing
- USA 50k Trail Running Championships - Video
Mt. Bachelor in Central Oregon This race really took a lot out of me mentally and physically... So I stepped away from working on this video for a few weeks. But now with a new perspective, I thought I'd put…
- USA Track & Field Interview - Plant Based in Prime Time
Tim, featured in this issue of Fast Forward Tim shares some great news! The Running Raw Project was just featured in the USA Track & Field (USATF) quarterly magazine 'Fast Forward'. Not only is this a huge honor, to be…
- Van Orden Wins 9th U.S. Title in the 50K
September 22nd — Mount Bachelor, Oregon The top 10 finishers at the 2012 US 50K Trail Championships. When Runners arrived at the start of the USA 50km Trail Running Championships this Saturday they were not certain the race was a…
- Ultra Marathon Tips From the Pros
Nancy Hobbs - USATF Mountain, Ultra, Trail Council Chair. Stepping up to your first ultra (longer than 26.2 miles) can be a scary thing. So before I toed the line for my first 50k, I wanted to make sure I…
- Van Orden Takes Masters Crown at U.S. Half Marathon Trail Championships
June 10th, 2012 The start of the 2012 U.S. Half Marathon Trail Championships. Bend, Oregon Nearly eight hundred runners took on the challenge of the Dirty Half Marathon in Bend on Sunday. For the third year in a row, this…
- How Stress Affects Pre-Race Fueling and Metabolism
When it comes to being properly prepared for a race, one of the most important factors that's usually overlooked is your stress level. Stress affects metabolism and bodily energy stores and needs to be considered when prepping for a race.…
- Van Orden named 2011 USA Masters Mountain Runner of the Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 5th, 2011 St. Louis, MO Every December, USA Track and Field holds it's annual convention to celebrate the year gone by and to plan for the year to come. Among the celebrations are the handing out…
- 2011 USA Trail Series Champion
It's been a long and expensive year of racing. My goal this year was to compete in all five of the U.S. Trail Running Series races, and with any luck, come in the top 5 overall. The series consists of…
- VanOrden wins 7th US Masters Title in the Marathon
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ASHLAND, OREGON (November 5th, 2011) Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow could stop the competitors at the 2011 U.S. Trail Marathon Championships on Saturday. A record number of participants braved the weather and the terrain, including Bennington…
- Van Orden breaks record at Mt. Ashland Hill Climb
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ASHLAND, OREGON (August 6th, 2011) The idyllic town of Ashland, Oregon is known for three things; the award winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival, world famous Lithia Park, and one of the best ultra-running trail scenes on the planet.…
- Tim VanOrden's Running Raw Times August 3rd, 2011
Tim VanOrden’s Running Raw Times - August 3rd, 2011 A big hello to all my friends and supporters of the Running Raw Project! In This Update: Only One Hill The Road to Italy The Woodstock Fruit Festival Southeastern U.S. Tour…
- Week in Review: July 4th - 10th, 2011
On the training front, this week was 'scheduled' as a base builder. The plan was to get my mileage back into the 90's and then 100's the following week in preparation for the Mt. Ashland Hill Climb on August 6th.…
- Week In Review: June 27th - July 3rd, 2011
The best laid plans of mice and men... This week my manly plans had me feeling like a mouse. A mouse that played chicken with the cat.... and lost. This was all thanks to the Cranmore Hill Climb , which…
- Weekly Training: June 20th - 26th, 2011
Having a great race at Mount Washington last week was a huge confidence builder. Running well on trails is one thing, but to do well in a mountain race you need to have a pair of mountain legs. So heading…
- Weekly Training: June 13th - 19th, 2011
Keeping up a substantial training load while in the middle of an important racing season can be a challenge. You don't want to train too much and show up to your races tired, but you also don't want to taper…
- Van Orden Rises to the Top at the U.S. Mountain Running Championships
North Conway, NH (June 26th, 2011) – Top runners from across the country converged on this small New Hampshire town on Sunday to compete in the U.S. Mountain Running Championships . Up for grabs was an all expenses paid trip…
- Weekly Training: June 6th - 12th, 2011
Failing to plan is planning to fail. But even the best laid plans are mere guideposts on your journey. My plan of not taking any rest days was quickly derailed this week by various elements and I had to simply…
- VanOrden Wins 5th U.S.A. Masters Trail Running Title
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BEND, OREGON - (June 12th, 2011) - The U.S.A. Half Marathon Trail Championships held in conjunction with the 10th annual Foot Zone "Dirty Half", kicked off to sunny, blue skies, a sold out field of 800 runners…
- Weekly Training: 5/30/11 - 6/5/11
Training has always been experimental for me. There are some athletes that follow the same plan day in and day out for their entire careers. I have never been one of those regimented souls. The unknown has too great a…
- Weekly Training: 5/23/11 - 5/29/11
There is nothing quite like the brilliant neon green of a New England Spring to motivate one to explore the plentiful wooded trails in the area. Rather than dreading the relentless mileage that I've been putting in, I've been looking…
- Weekly Training: 5/16/11 - 5/22/11
This week was a busy one as I was bouncing around the Pacific Northwest giving talks and then entertaining guests in Vermont upon my return. Keeping up a heavy load of training while traveling is always a challenge, especially when…
- Weekly Training: 5/09/11 - 5/15/11
The buildup in mileage over the past 5 weeks followed by a slight taper this week put me exactly where I wanted to be for the 2011 U.S. 15k Trail Running Championships in Spokane, WA on May 14th. Although I…
- Tim VanOrden’s Running Raw Update - May 11th, 2011
Tim VanOrden’s Running Raw Update - May 11th, 2011 A big hello to all my friends and supporters of the Running Raw Project! In This Update: A Championship Summer Upcoming Talk Schedule The Race Report The Training Log A Championship…
- Weekly Training: 5/2/11 - 5/8/11
With 408 running miles logged over the past 30 days, I can now say that I am the fittest I have ever been. My training is WAY ahead of where I was at this point last year and I'm setting…
- Weekly Training: 4/25/11 - 5/1/11
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Honestly, I have no idea, but I do know that they can easily outrun me after a long trail run. Another hundred mile week under my belt…
- Tim VanOrden’s Running Raw Update - February 15th, 2011
Tim VanOrden’s Running Raw Update - February 15th, 2011 A Huge hello to all my friends and supporters of the Running Raw Project . In This Update: • Race Report - Empire State Building Success • Getting to Nationals •…
- VanOrden 1st American at Empire State Building Run Up
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE VanOrden 4th at Empire State Building Run Up NEW YORK CITY, NY (February 1st, 2011) - Tim VanOrden, 42, of Bennington, Vermont rose to the occasion at the 34th running of the Empire State Building Run Up…
- Tim VanOrden’s Running Raw Times - January 31st, 2011
A Huge hello to all my friends and supporters of the Running Raw Project . In This Issue: • The Top Ten of 2010 • Finding Heaven in Eleven • The Blog is Back! • The Race Report • Fundraising…
- High Rise Heroes
Stair climbing is hard enough wearing a lightweight top, tiny shorts and 5 ounce shoes, but imagine doing it with 40 to 60 pounds of gear on! I have a LOT of respect for these guys. Someday I'd like to…
- VanOrden Tops at U.S. Bank Tower Stair Climb
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE VanOrden Tops at U.S. Bank Tower Stair Climb LOS ANGELES, CA (September 24th, 2010) Tim VanOrden, 42 of Bennington, Vermont held off three of the top stair climbers in the world to win the U.S. Bank Tower…
- VanOrden wins third National Trail title
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE VanOrden wins third National Trail title Tim VanOrden, 42, of Bennington, Vermont won his third U.S. Masters Trail Running title of the Summer on a scenic 13.99 mile course along the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon. He…
- VanOrden Wins Second National Trail Running Title
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE VanOrden Wins Second National Trail Running Title LAUREL SPRINGS, NC (August 28th, 2010) - Tim VanOrden, 42, of Bennington, VT captured his second national championship title in less than a month at the U.S. 10k Trail Running…
- VanOrden Takes Gold at U.S. 15k Trail Running Championship
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE VanOrden Takes Gold at U.S. Trail Running Championships SPOKANE, WA (August 2, 2010) - Tim VanOrden, of Bennington, VT ran away from the Master's field to win his first national title by nearly two minutes over runner…
- Tim VanOrden's Running Raw Times - June 17th, 2010
A huge hello to all my friends and supporters of the Running Raw Project . In This Issue: • Growing Pains • The Race Report • Running Raw Apparel & Lecture DVDs • The Running Raw Buzz • The Training…
- Tim VanOrden's Running Raw Times - March 5th, 2010
A Huge hello to all my friends and supporters of the Running Raw Project . In This Issue: • The Year in Review • 2010 To Do List • The Race Report • Running Raw Apparel & Lecture DVDs •…
- Empire State Character Building
Prologue: If I were to choose one sport to define myself as an athlete, it would be stair climbing. As much as I love the challenge and scenery of mountain running and snowshoe racing, neither has impacted me as profoundly…
- Crave the Blizzard
Breakfast 7:00am - 3 hours before race start - 2 bananas Less than 24 hours after having returned home from the Greylock Glen Snowshoe race , I found myself back on the road to compete in the 4th WMAC /…
- Fast Times at High Mountain Ridge AKA Greylock Glen Snowshoe Race
Breakfast: 6am (4 hours till the start) - 24oz Green Smoothie; Kale, Banana, Blueberry, Dulse, Raw Honey and well water. With the Empire State Building Run Up (the unofficial world championships of stair climbing) only 2 weeks away, my training…
- I Love Woodford Snowshoe Race
The rains may have washed away the snow in the rest of New England, but up on Woodford Mountain, the snow was heavy and deep. Perfect conditions for the first of the 2010 Dion Snowshoes WMAC Snowshoe Series. Speaking of…
- Tim VanOrden's Running Raw Times - November 9th 2009
A Huge hello to all my friends and supporters of the Running Raw Project . In This Issue: • Four More Years? • Turning Fall into Rise • Running Raw Apparel & Lecture DVDs • 105º is HOT • Grazing…
- There is no 'safe word' at Loon Mtn.
It's time once again for the most challenging race in the New England Mountain Running Series - The Loon Mountain Race. This demanding 5.8 mile race climbs well over 3,000 vertical feet with sections reaching 45% in slope. The best…
- Lock and Load at the Cranmore Mtn. Hill Climb
Somehow 2009 has managed to zoom to the halfway point in the calendar and I find myself firmly entrenched in my 41st year. The race that I've been training for since January is now finally staring me square in the…
- Speed Works!
This past Sunday at the Northfield Mtn. Race (New England Trail Championships) I felt like I had been hit by a truck. The two weeks prior had been incredibly stressful. My grandfather passed away, two days before his 99th birthday…
- Better Late Than Never
I've been told that opportunity only knocks once. The person who shared this cautionary wisdom with me must be wearing earplugs most of the time, because I hear opportunity knocking constantly. In fact, it often knocks the loudest after you…
- Bennington Monument Stair Climb Preview
For the first time since the early 1970's, the stairs of the historic Bennington Battle Monument in Bennington, VT will be open to the public in the first annual Bennington Monument Stair Climb. This event will also be the first…
- Running Raw in the Wall Street Journal
After a lengthy interview with a reporter from the Wall Street Journal in the Spring of 2008 about being a vegan athlete, I suggested that he also get in touch with NFL star Tony Gonzalez. When the article went to…
- The Challenges of the Tram Road Challenge
You have all heard the saying "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again". Wise words indeed considering that most of our great endeavors involve an initial "failure" and learning curve. But where are the great maxims that prepare…
- Gettin' Busy in Bisbee
As many of you have already noticed, I love superlatives. How many times over the past three years have you heard me say "It was the toughest race I've ever done!"? Well, get ready, you are about to hear it…
- Stark Mountain Hill Climb
When my friend Dave Dunham first described the Stark Mountain Hill Climb race to me earlier this summer, I knew that it was a "must do" event. This race is unique in New England mountain racing in that each athlete…
- XTERRA Pt. Mugu 18K Trail Race
Thirty six hours after tackling the US Bank Tower I found myself toeing the line once again. The view from this starting point was dramatically different. The concrete, steel, glass and sheetrock were replaced by an old road lined by…
- U.S. Bank Tower Stair Climb
You have probably all heard the old saying "Luck is where opportunity meets hard work." Late this afternoon in a spartan stairwell in downtown Los Angeles, a combination of luck, opportunity and hard work came together in brilliant fashion. At…
- Climbing To The Top
With one of the biggest races in Running Raw history only three days away ( US Bank Tower Stair Climb in Los Angeles on September 26th), I thought I'd keep you posted on my preparation for this monumental event -…
- Tim VanOrden's Running Raw Times September 16th, 2008
A Huge hello to all my friends and supporters of the Running Raw Project . In This Issue: • All's Quiet on the Eastern Front • Forté at Forty • Olympic Trials and Tribulations • Food Networking • The Running…
- Mount Ascutney Hill Climb
The sixth and final race in the N.E. Mtn. Running Circuit was a relentless grind of a climb up Mt. Ascutney in South Eastern Vermont. After Dave Dunham’s stellar race at Loon Mtn., I now trailed him by a just…
- Loon Mtn. Race
Two years ago, I had my first taste of New England mountain running at the Loon Mtn. race . I had been running for only 6 months at that point, and had somehow managed to move into the front pack…
- Cranmore Hill Climb
"Everyone should have people that inspire them. For some people it's world leaders, for others it's baseball, basketball or football players. For me, it's elite mountain runners." - Paul Kirsch (Race Director) Last week's race at Mt. Washington left me…
- Mount Washington Road Race - Food Network Fiasco
For the last twelve months my training has been focused on one goal; doing well at the Mount Washington Road Race . This year, the 7.6 mile race, climbing Mt. Washington's Auto Road to the 6,288 foot summit, was serving…
- Northfield Mtn. Race - New England Trail Running Championships
As the Mt. Washington race looms ominously on the horizon only two weeks away, I've been a bit nervous about my readiness for the event. Although I have been training more these last few months than at any time during…
- High Rock to Indian Chair Race
Although it had only been 3 days since my race up Whiteface Mtn ., When Josh Merlis of the Albany Running Exchange invited me check out a trail race in the Catskill Mountains of New York I couldn't say no.…
- Whiteface Mtn. Foot Race
June 1st was a busy day for racing in the Northeast. Among the numerous events being contested were the New England 5k Road Championships in Rhode Island, the Pack Monadnock 10 miler (the 2nd race in the LaSportiva Mtn. Cup…
- A Birthday PR at The Bennington Road Race
Although I cannot remember the bulk of my life (a result of years of depression perhaps) there are a few conversations that have stayed in my memory as clearly as the day they occurred. One such dialog took place at…
- Kids for Kids 5k - A new PR!
Although the 62 storey Aon Center race was a grueling affair, it only lasted a little over 8 minutes. Since I don't have a coach, I find it hard to push myself to the limit on my own, so I…
- Aon Center Stair Climb
For the first time in more than 10 years I found myself a visitor rather than a resident of the great city of Los Angeles . Mark Trahanovsky and his company, West Coast Labels had generously offered to fly me…
- Merrimack "Rivah" Trail Race
Over the past two years, it has become clear to me that New England is the epicenter of trail running in the United States. This tiny region of the country boasts the greatest number of trail races and the best…
- A 22 Storey Sprint
Planning is not my forté. In fact, I'm pretty darn awful at it. I had intended to compete in the 52 storey Climb California race in San Francisco. Last year I placed second in this event and was eager to…
- Tim VanOrden’s Running Raw Times - March 22nd, 2008
Tim VanOrden’s Running Raw Times - March 22nd, 2008 A Huge hello to all my friends and supporters of the Running Raw Project . In This Issue: • Marching Into Spring • The Sunshine State in the Raw • The…
- Climb Tampa - 42 floors in Shower Shoes
My original intent on traveling to Tampa, FL was to compete in the Climb Tampa race up the 42 storey US Bank Plaza . As plans for the trip evolved, the race took back seat to all of the other…
- Northern Vermont SnOWshoe Championships
In the three months that I've been in Vermont, I've done very little exploring in the state. So when a qualifier for the US Snowshoe Championships was scheduled for Smugglers Notch Ski Area in northern Vermont, I thought this would…
- Climbing Albany's Corning Tower
As a kid growing up in rural Bennington, VT , my first city experience was in Albany, NY . It was only a 45 minute drive away, but to a farm kid it was a completely different planet. In the…
- The Empire State Building Run Amok
New York was nicknamed the Empire State , to recognize its vast wealth and variety of resources. Among the treasures of this great state is the Empire State Building , the crown Jewel of New York City. Although there are…
- Tim VanOrden's Running Raw Times - February 1st, 2008
Tim VanOrden's Running Raw Times - February 1st, 2008 A Huge hello to all my friends and supporters of the Running Raw Project. In This Issue : • Running Raw in the Public Eye • Super Tuesday • The Race…
- The Ups and Downs of Snowshoe Racing
What goes up, must come down. The competitors in the Curly's Record Run snowshoe race in Pittlsfield, MA this past weekend might rephrase that statement as: what goes up, up, up and still higher up, must come down, down, and…
- Snowshoeing in Florida
Yes, you read the title correctly - I snowshoed in Florida yesterday with a hundred other winter sports fanatics. Of course I'm referring to Florida, Massachusetts , just south of the Vermont border on the high Green Mountain plateau. It's…
- Brave The Blizzard Snowshoe Race
The second race in the W MAC snowshoe series was held in Guilderland, NY, just a few miles outside of the state capitol Albany, NY. This is the 5th year of this event, and the first time in those 5…
- My First Snowshoe Race
Since snowshoeing has become such a staple of my winter workouts, I thought it only natural to start entering local snowshoe races. The Western Mass. Athletic Club (WMAC) has a winter race series, with races held in VT, MA, NY…
- Snowstorm Classic 10K
Thrashing through the snow in the Snowstorm Classic 5k was so much fun, that I decided to make the hour and forty minute drive south again to compete in the Snowstorm Classic 10k. Where the 5k offered bone chilling temps…
- Snowstorm Classic 5k
It's been a month since my last race in Milwaukee. A month of rough and tumble Vermont winter. I've been doubting whether my isolated training has been long enough on my easy days and hard enough on my hard days.…
- US Bank Center Stair Climb, Milwaukee
It's been a very exciting week here in the windy city, and feeling more and more like home everyday. I was a bit disappointed with my third place at the Sears Tower, so I drove up to Milwaukee yesterday afternoon…
- Going Vertical at the Sears Tower
Yesterday, I competed in the GoVertical Chicago - Sears Tower Stair Climb. This grueling race sents competitors up the stairwell for 103 storeys, and 2,109 steps to the top of the tallest building in North America. Last year in this…
- Palm Springs Tram Road Challenge
In a race that has been dominated by elite marathoners and road racers from around the world, I managed to best the field by over 30 seconds. But more importantly, I became the only runner in the past 5 years…
- US Bank Tower Stair Climb
At 75 floors (1,018 feet high), the US Bank tower in downtown Los Angeles is the tallest building west of Chicago. For 11 years, this building held the title of being the tallest building in the world built on a…
- Mt. Baldy Run to the Top: Conquering the King of LA County
One year ago I entered the Mt. Baldy Run to the Top for the first time. It was my first all vertical "mountain" race, and I didn't know what to expect, nor did I have anything to compare it to.…
- Brendan Brazier and the Bulldog 25K
It's always a very nice treat when my friend Brendan Brazier comes into town. Not only is he one of the few people that can keep up on a long trail run, but we always have the best conversations about…
- L.A. Grand Prix Track Series
One of the great things about living in Los Angeles is the very large and diverse athletic community. The L.A. Unified School District celebrates this athletic abundance by hosting the Summer Grand Prix Track Series on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday…
- Lake Gregory Run Through the Pines 10k
My high altitude training continues, with a 10k race at 4700' at Lake Gregory in Crestline, CA, on the outskirts of LA. This was my first 10k since March, and I wasn't sure if i'd have the legs to maintain…
- Squaw Valley Mountain Run
In 1960, the world was introduced to Squaw Valley, California near Lake Tahoe, as it hosted the Winter Olympics that year. It was a grand event that produced many American superstars. Now, 47 years later, it's still a sight to…
- On the Run in East LA
There is a great cross-country running culture in the Latino neighborhoods of Los Angeles. The running event of the summer in this community is the Aztlan Track Club's Summer Indian Run. Many of the best cross-country runners in the Los…
- Bastille Day 5k - Kenyan Konquest
The Running Raw team duked it out with some of the best runners in the world today at the Bastille Day 5k in Irvine, CA. Large cash prizes attracted a highly competitive elite field from all over the US and…
- Will Rogers 5K & Carl Lewis Interview
After more than a week of not being able to run due to the intense leg trauma I suffered in the US Mtn. Running Championships, I decided to get a good workout in the Will Rogers 5K. This race, held…
- National Mountain Running Championships
I went back to New Hampshire one more time to take on the country's toughest mountain runners in the national championships at Mt. Cranmore in North Conway, NH. Unlike the Mt. Washington road race which was entirely uphill, this race…
- Only One Hill - The Mount Washington Road Race
The 47th running of the Mount Washington Road Race drew 1000 of the toughest and fittest athletes from around the world. Mountain runners, marathoners, triathletes and cyclists come to test themselves on the highest peak in the northeastern United States.…
- Southern California Masters Track Championships
More than two decades have passed since my last high school track meet, but it's never too late to be a kid again. This was a day full of surprises and inspirational performances. I watched world record holders and grand…
- The Brentwood Run
My strategy of a 5K every weekend continues with the Brentwood Run. This race attracts large crowds and some of the best runners in Southern California, and offers a relatively flat course - which is a great combination to set…
- Malibu Creek Trail Challenge
One year after being humbled in one of the toughest trail races in the country, I take another crack at the Malibu Creek Trail Challenge. It looks like my knee injury is safely behind me.
- Derby Days 5K
As part of my '5k every weekend' training plan I decided to enter into the very competitive quite unique Derby Days 5k in Arcadia, CA. This race includes a flattish PR friendly course, incredible talent and some of the most…
- Climb California
Why take the elevator when you can run up 52 flights of stairs with 500 other crazy souls? So I headed to San Francisco to race in the Climb California Stair Climb. Racers from around the country came to challenge…
- My First 10K - Rhythm of Life 10K - Los Angeles
Well, after 45 days of recovery from my knee injury in the Catalina Half Marathon, I decided to see how fast I was on flat pavement. I haven't run on a flat surface nor done speed work since early February,…
- L.A. Marathon Spectator
Running a marathon has never been tops on my list of things to do, but as this project has evolved, the gold standard of distance running seems to be my destiny. Unfortunately, I've been sidelined with a knee injury and…
- Catalina Island Half Marathon
A year after running my first race for the Running Raw Project, I found myself back on gorgeous Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles to compete yet again in the race that started it all - The Buffalo…
- Mayhem at the Empire State Building
Racing up the 86 flights of stairs in America's most iconic skyscraper has become a New York City tradition. This race attracts athletes from around the world and is essentially the world championships of tower racing. Nearly 300 of the…
- Reaching New Heights at Sears Tower
Racing up the stairwell of the tallest building in the North America sounds easy right? After 105 flights of pain, I discover otherwise. Perhaps I shouldn't have spent the entire day before the race in the blistering cold winds of…
- US Mtn. Running Team Qualifier - Loon Mtn., NH
Seven months after I started running, I decided that I would try to make the US Mountain Running Team. A little too ambitious? Perhaps, but you've got to dream big. Who's afraid of a 3,000' climb? Click HERE to watch…
- Hometown Reunion at the Bennington Road Race
During a visit to my hometown, I decided to run the race that defined my level of fitness 20 years ago. Then Bennington Road Race is one of the more competitive races in the Northeast. The winner, Brian Rhodes-Devey was…