Vert, D-plus, the cut-off, drop bag, crew, pacer, the death March, hiking the ups, ITRA points, running stones, the lottery, buckle, DNF as a verb, aid station, the sleep monster. November to January for northern editions, though this is precisely when the lotteries run, which makes December an intent peak with no revenue in it.

High mountain courses need the snow gone, and the biggest fields in the calendar sit in that window. Western States and Hardrock lotteries run in December for the following summer.

Chamonix accommodation is committed a year ahead by returning runners and is genuinely scarce. The buying moment is the lottery result email, in December, for a race in July.

IRunFar and its comment culture, race-specific Facebook and Strava groups, local trail clubs, UltraSignup and equivalent regional entry platforms, and the trailheads themselves. Weekly club nights on local hills, long Sunday days in the mountains, crewing and pacing for each other at races, recceing a route months ahead, a group chat that argues about poles.