The news desk
Canadian Running Magazine reported on October 7, 2026, that Rachel Entrekin, who finished second at this year's UTMB 170K, said she skipped workouts and relied on volume and vert. Sports science journalist Alex Hutchinson backed that approach for long mountain races, according to the same report. The report did not provide further details on Entrekin's training or the basis for Hutchinson's position. This is the only report in the current coverage, so the event remains a single-account discussion of whether speedwork is necessary for trail racing.
Rachel Entrekin, second at this year's UTMB 170K, said she skipped workouts and relied on volume and vert, and sports science journalist Alex Hutchinson backed that approach for long mountain races. Entrekin ran the UTMB course repeatedly, covering nearly 10,000 metres of elevation, and set the overall course record at the Cocodona 250. She said speedwork is just one tool and can be counterproductive if it prevents recovery for volume.