The Aid Station
A regular stop for runners who think about why. The Aid Station is Zoë Rom’s monthly column for UltraSignup — essays on trail running mindset, ultramarathon culture, doing hard things on purpose, and the philosophy of going long. New issues land in your inbox on the second Friday of every month with curated training & nutrition tips and cover everything from race-season planning to the strange quiet that follows a finish line. Brought to you by UltraSignup, the world’s leading trail running registration platform.
Sign up for The Aid Station email, monthly.
Need a refill?
Find your next trail half marathon, 50K, 100K, or 100-mile race at ultrasignup.com.
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
Do It Scared.
Discover why fear never truly goes away in running (or life) and how learning to “do it scared” can help you grow. From ultramarathons to everyday challenges, this issue of Aid Station explores the power of running with fear in the passenger seat.
Zoë Rom
September 10, 2025
Do You Remember Your First Mile?
So if you’re stuck, plateauing, or overwhelmed, pause and ask: What was your mile one? Your mile ten? What did it take to get there? And what would it feel like to carry that same raw belief, or disbelief, into the next big thing?
Zoë Rom
August 8, 2025
I Almost Forgot This Was the Whole Point – What a 48-Minute Mile Taught Me About Joy
One mile. Forty-eight minutes and sixteen seconds. A personal worst, possibly. A dark PR. What was I doing with my life?
Zoë Rom
July 11, 2025
Ability Agnostic: Because Caring is Cool
Being ability agnostic means giving yourself the kind of care you’d give a Real Athlete™, because, plot twist, you are one.
Zoë Rom
June 12, 2025
A Guide For Getting Lost
When you stray from the map—geographically or otherwise—you give yourself permission to change. Sometimes the best way to move forward is to lose track of where, exactly, you are.
Zoë Rom
May 9, 2025
Feeling Stuck? The Desert Has a Cure for That.
Every runner moves through seasons. Our columnist shares how desert running helps her refocus, stay present, and embrace the ultimate seasonal reset.
Zoë Rom
March 13, 2025
A Long Distance Relationship
Running has been my longest, most committed relationship—outlasting flings, fizzled situationships, and even the occasional existential crisis. Is it healthy? Questionable.
Zoë Rom
February 14, 2025
How to Remember a Year in Running
What if we measured our year not in miles, medals, or virtual kudos, but in the intangible treasures of the trail?
Zoë Rom
January 16, 2025