While April had us sprinting from one thing to the next, we welcomed May as a time to reset before diving head-first into the busy summer months ahead. May brought us long runs with friends, patio dinners, sunset beers, and in Harmony’s case filling out a bingo card’s worth of wildlife encounters. Here’s what not only energized us in May but also helped us fill up our cups (yes both figuratively and literally).

Dylan

1. Best Day Brewing Hazy IPA – I was invited off the waitlist into the 2023 Hardrock 100 last week. With race day now six weeks out, it’s time to buckle down on training and self-care. In 2021, I abstained from alcohol entirely for six weeks before the race. Not surprisingly, I felt supremely healthy in body and mind prior to the event where I enjoyed one of my best performances ever. Well, the abstinence has begun again and this year, I’m happy to have discovered Best Day Brewing, the most delicious NA beers on the market. So I can still enjoy the cold beer ritual but without the alcohol that so sabotages my sleep, recovery, and energy. My favorite is the Best Day Hazy IPA, but the Kolsch has also been in the May rotation.

2. NCAA Lacrosse – Growing up, Memorial Day weekend was my only opportunity to watch high-level lacrosse on TV as the annual NCAA tournament came to a conclusion. It was riveting, appointment television throughout my childhood. Each year there seems to be some kind of sporting magic that unfolds during the tournament but 2023 stands out as a memorable one. Spoiler alert: both semi-finals went to overtime with Notre Dame defeating Virginia and Duke beating Penn State. The Fighting Irish – a school with a rich tradition in my family – pulled off the victory in the championship game, securing the first lacrosse title in school history. It was incredible. Make sure you tune in next Memorial Day.

Harmony

1. Bear Spray – While I kind of hate myself for it, it’s officially that time in my life when I run with bear spray. I’ve always suspected I must be very tasty because I am an extreme animal attractor (I had a fox, bear, and mountain lion encounters during Western States training weekend alone). While I normally love it, I’ve had some creepy encounters lately, including a recent coyote run-in that really freaked me out. Thanks to everyone who replied to my Slack post with their recommendations, including carrying air horns and bear spray. Turns out, my experience might be a springtime phenomenon, with moms protecting their cubs. Mom respect aside, at least for spring and early summer, I’m bringing bear spray when I go out into the woods alone. Have you had a crazy animal encounter? I’d love to hear it if you’re willing to share!  

2. HVMN Ketone IQ – I’ve said this long before HVMN sponsored Freetrail: Ketone IQ shots are so good I sometimes wonder how they’re legal. Between working full-time, being a mom, and running trails, I often find myself needing an extra boost to make it through the day feeling my best. If I’m feeling groggy, nothing clears the fog like a Ketone shot. Bonus: It provides super calm energy nearly immediately so you don’t get the caffeine jitters and it won’t keep you awake if you use it later in the day. Sorry, coffee, I have a new BFF. Cheers!

3. The Longest Race – I couldn’t pick two things for May, so I’m going with three. I think I’ve read most of the books written by women runners this year (Des Linden’s book is up next!), and I tore through Kara’s book while we were in Hawaii. This one was particularly fun for me to read because everything felt very close to home. I grew up in Portland, Oregon, running high school cross country just as The Oregon Project was taking off. The CEO of Nike’s wife was our assistant coach, and we all got a front-row seat to the early days of Galen’s high school coaching with Alberto. The book brought back many memories and was a big eye-opener – lots I knew and much more I had no idea was happening. Kara has been an amazing advocate for women in sports, anti-doping and a great example of fighting for what you believe in. It’s a very quick and easy read and worthwhile for anyone interested in the broader sport of running.

Ryan

1. Lifepro Massage Gun – I have an uncomfy thing when I get in the car after a long run to drive home. My right leg gets fussy. “Aw crimony,” you might think. Fear not, dear readers! I keep Hannah Allgood on speed dial for friendship and advice on situations like this. Look, we all know there are a million different brands of massage guns, but this article presupposes that maybe this is a sign from the universe to buy this one! I have never owned one and rarely used one but this is now something I’ve used daily. Hannah has this one, too. So now we can all listen to Trail Running Radio and recover together – Kumbaya style.

2. Lexar SDXC Memory Cards – This is incredibly boring for non-camera folk. Honestly, it’s boring for camera folk, too. But not all showbiz is the bright lights of finishing on the track at Western States at 5 am like I hope to do someday. Indeed, some of it is not sexy. So today we are here to talk about SD memory cards. I have a lot of them and I just got another, this time a 256 GB (no big deal). If you already have some, it never hurts to get another. 

Corrine 

1. Up to Speed: The Groundbreaking Science of Women Athletes – This debut novel by award-winning sports and health journalist Christine Yu should be your next book. Read it, listen to it – it’s not even a ‘pick your poison’ scenario because it’s the antidote. If you listen to Trail Society you have heard us gripe about research that almost universally utilizes male athletes, male animals, and even male tissue leaving us unable to elucidate the impacts of training, nutrition, and medication on female biology. Up to Speed spends its time helping to disentangle myths from the science (and bias) that for so long have surrounded women in sports. And like all my favorite non-fiction, each chapter holds its own while still speaking to the theme. Christine wrote the book I always thought we needed, and it’s even better than I could have dreamed up. 

2. Alpine Start Matcha – I’m overwhelmingly a coffee person. I like it hot, pretty much year-round, and it brings me joy roughly twice, sometimes thrice, a day. While I really like coffee, I’ve recognized there are many afternoons and some mornings where it’s not the thing I want in my cup (audible gasp). Enter matcha, a high-grade green tea ground into powder form – and with only a quarter of the caffeine compared to your standard cup of coffee, it leaves me feeling energized but a whole lot less jittery. While I’ve yet to have bad matcha, I’m obsessed with Alpine Start’s addition of MCTs, reishi, and lions mane mushroom extracts providing me with sustained energy without a crash.

---

Freetrail only lists companies and products that we love, use, and recommend. All opinions expressed here are our own and Freetrail does not offer sponsored content or accept money for editorial reviews. If you buy something using the retail links in this post, Freetrail may receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!