Zoë Rom
Zoë Rom is a writer, journalist, and competitive ultrarunner based in Carbondale, Colorado, who loves long books and even longer runs. Her results include a 2nd-place finish at the Leadville Trail 100 (2024), a top-five at Run Rabbit Run 100 (2025).
As a journalist, she covers public lands and the environment for High Country News and Inside Climate News, with work also appearing in the New York Times. She is host and producer of The Trailhead Podcast, co-hosts the independent podcast Your Diet Sucks with Kylee Van Horn, and is co-author, with Tina Muir, of Becoming a Sustainable Runner. She co-founded Microcosm Coaching, serves on the board of Runners for Public Lands, and performs improv with Consensual Improv in the Roaring Fork Valley. She likes running long distances, reading good books, and (as established) eating snacks.
Instagram: @yourdietsuckspod
Website: zoerom.com
Should Long-Distance Runners Be Worried About Colon Cancer?
Runners often normalize GI distress and brush off symptoms that can also the most common early warning signs of colorectal cancer. Should we be concerned?
Zoë Rom
March 24, 2026
Retracing Steps: Why You Should Repeat Races, Workouts, and Anything That Makes You Happy
Here's why repeating a race is less like running it again and more like actually running it for the first time.
Zoë Rom
March 13, 2026
13 Great Women’s Trail Running Events to Put on Your Calendar
Women's participation in trail and ultra events has been slowly but steadily increasing — and the numbers, for once, actually back that up. According to UltraSignup's own 2024 data, women represented 39.6 percent of all race entries, up from previous years and approaching the 41.3 percent peak set during the pandemic running boom. At sub-ultra…
Zoë Rom
March 6, 2026
In Praise of Doing it The Hard Way
In a world where we constantly strive to make things easier, automated, and painless, Zoë Rom ponders her love of ultrarunning, a sport of maximum inconvenience.
Zoë Rom
February 13, 2026
What to Expect For Your First Ultra
Signing up for your first ultramarathon is a big step. Here are the finer points that no one tells you about in advance.
Zoë Rom
January 27, 2026
The Case for Not Starting Over
It's tempting to look at your calendar early in 2026 and, in the gaping expanse of the future, only see the things you have yet to do. But here's what I've been thinking about: What if January isn't a reset? What if it's just... a continuation?
Zoë Rom
January 9, 2026
What the TRE Trade Show Says About the Future of Running
Here are six hot takes from TRE 2025, the running industry’s biggest trade show event, and the future of running
Zoë Rom
December 16, 2025
An Immaterial Gift Guide For Runners
Holiday gift guides are inescapable, insufferable, and mostly useless. So instead of hawking stuff you don't need, here are eight immaterial gifts every runner should put on their wish list this season.
Zoë Rom
December 12, 2025
How To Build A Race Season Without Burning Out
Building a race season is like pacing an ultra: if you go out too hard, you’ll blow up before the finish. Start conservatively. Trust the process. Give your body the recovery it needs to adapt.
Zoë Rom
November 14, 2025
The Space Between Seasons
After crossing the finish line of my big 100-mile race this summer, I expected pure joy. Instead, I found myself in that quiet, disorienting space that comes after a big goal—the moment when purpose fades and rest feels strange.
Zoë Rom
October 10, 2025