Alli Hartz

Bend

Freelance Writer at Freelance

Featured in: Favicon

mensjournal.com Favicon

gearjunkie.com Favicon

irunfar.com Favicon

wildsnow.com Favicon

dirtbagdreams.com

Articles

Brooks Catamount 4 Review

1 week ago | irunfar.com | Alli Hartz

The newest update to the Catamount model, the Brooks Catamount 4 ($170), comes with two millimeters of additional stack height and updates to its midsole materials and mesh upper. Its claimed weight of 9.5 ounces (269 grams) for a U.S. men’s 9 keeps this trail running shoe reasonably lightweight. Finally, its 6-millimeter drop (now based on a claimed 34-millimeter total stack height at the heel) and 3.5-millimeter lug depth are unchanged from previous iterations.
Best Running Tank Tops for Women of 2025

Jan 22, 2025 | irunfar.com | Alli Hartz |Buyer's Guides

One of the best feelings of trail running is a sense of freedom, and the best running tank tops for women can help you feel unencumbered as you move through the landscape. The running apparel we choose can enhance this experience or, perhaps even better, fade completely into the background of our focus. A running tank top may seem simple, but the best women’s running tank tops allow our arms to move freely as we feel the wind and sun on our skin.
Hoka Torrent 4 Review

Oct 15, 2024 | irunfar.com | Alli Hartz

I recently got my feet into the newest Hoka Torrent 4 ($130) and put more than 140 miles on them over a few weeks. I was first introduced to the Hoka Torrent many years ago at my local running store when I was searching for a replacement for the discontinued Pearl Izumi Trail N2, which had been my top choice for several years while I was getting started in ultrarunning. The store employee recommended the Torrent as the next closest model, so I gave it a whirl and immediately became a loyal fan.
Smith Motive Review

Sep 26, 2024 | irunfar.com | Alli Hartz

Over a six-week period from May to July, I spent more than 80 hours wearing the Smith Motive ($175 to 185) sunglasses while running, biking, rock climbing, and ski touring. Living in Bend, Oregon, means spending a lot of time in bright sunlight, especially during summer months when the region rarely sees precipitation. Late spring and early summer in this high-elevation desert environment are also characterized by perfect conditions for every outdoor activity.
The Beauty of Failing

Sep 17, 2024 | irunfar.com | Alli Hartz

During the summer of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused most races to be canceled, I looked to my backyard mountains and local trails for running objectives to keep me motivated to continue training.
Brooks Cascadia 18 Review

Aug 1, 2024 | irunfar.com | Alli Hartz

The original Brooks Cascadia trail running shoe was a collaboration between Brooks and ultrarunning legend Scott Jurek. The shoe first launched in 2004, and Jurek won the Western States 100 while wearing them that same year. At this year’s States, I got my feet into a pair of the shoe’s newest iteration, the Brooks Cascadia 18 ($140), while hanging out at the Foresthill aid station.
La Sportiva Levante Review

Jul 25, 2024 | irunfar.com | Alli Hartz

Developed with input and feedback from its global athlete team, the La Sportiva Levante ($155) is a trail running shoe created for women. In a world replete with every variety of running shoe, only a handful are women-only designs that don’t have a men’s version. As an outdoor athlete who identifies as a woman and wears women’s running shoes, I’m both enthusiastic for — and skeptical of — anything labeled women-specific. I’ve learned not to take such labels at face value.
How Ultrarunning Has Made Me A Better Ski Guide

Jul 10, 2024 | irunfar.com | Alli Hartz

I like to say that I’ve cut my teeth in ultrarunning by biting off more than I can chew. Since signing up for my first 50-kilometer race in 2013, I’ve made every mistake in the book and gotten through many of my early races and adventure runs purely on grit. While this involved some disappointing results and the occasional sport cry, it also came with countless enriching experiences and profound lessons. As a result, I’ve become a better runner and athlete.
Nike Zegama 2 Review

Jun 6, 2024 | irunfar.com | Alli Hartz

The Nike Zegama 2 ($180) has some notable changes from the original design. The update keeps the original shoe’s soft, energetic ZoomX foam in the midsole while adding a layer of SR-02 foam to improve stability. Further, it incorporates a Vibram Megagrip outsole rubber for better traction and a smooth engineered-mesh upper that’s designed to be more supportive and durable. When the first Nike Zegama launched in 2022, it was the first trail running shoe to feature Nike’s bouncy ZoomX midsole foam.
Best Recovery Tools for Athletes of 2024

Apr 23, 2024 | irunfar.com | Alli Hartz |Eszter Horanyi |Buyer's Guides

It’s often said that you have to recover as hard as you train, and having access to the best recovery tools for athletes can help you recover from a run quickly to get back at it. Navigating the world of recovery tools can feel as overwhelming as trying to find your way through the finish area at the end of a big race.