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Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you could focus all of your energy and time on the pursuits you enjoy most?
Perhaps you’d dive in and become a full time runner, writer, artist, or a combination of all three.
FYI...Living the full-time athlete life may not be as far from your reach as you may think.
Step into the UltraHouse in Durango, Colo.
At Ultrahouse Durango (UHD), athletes hone their craft in an immersive, supportive, and accessible environment.
Nestled in the southwest corner of Colorado at 6,757 feet above sea level, amidst alpine peaks and high altitude deserts, UltraHouse Durango is a haven for:
Ready to book a trip?
Here's how it all started...
It all started with a dream...
Anthony Kunkel, 2017 50 mile and 2018 100k national champion and owner/director of UHD, dreamt of providing dedicated athletes with the opportunity to run semi-professionally and professionally by lowering the barrier to entry to the highest levels of the sport.
“From 17 or 18 years old, I would’ve dropped anything I was doing in order to be in a beautiful mountain town, with a team to train with, a sauna, weights, and a well-stocked supplement stash to play with," says Anthony.
"Since a program to invite me didn’t exist, I set about creating one.”
Without hesitation, he purchased the humble, yet perfectly suited 1,300square-foot manufactured home located a stone’s throw from:
Over the years, Kunkel kept his door open and the invites flowing; thus, the dream of Ultrahouse Durango became reality, with one thing in mind...
"As far as I’m concerned the only acceptable goal is to change the essence of endurance athletics at the top level, and do it with a commune," says Anthony.
And you could be next.
Every athlete comes to the UltraHouse with a unique background and story, but with enough commonalities around lifestyle and training philosophy, they form a cohesive unit, whether they're here for a few weeks or longer.
🚍Josh Ried was living out of his van on the east coast when his curiosity was piqued by Kunkel’s open invite to the Ultrahouse Durango.
“People at the house have opened my eyes to new styles of training, different ways of supplementing, and new tools," says Josh. "The group effect here, the camaraderie, it’s powerful."
You don’t have to live at Ultrahouse Durango full time to understand the power of a cohesive group of runners.
Kelsey Childs, runner and podcaster, who visited in May 2022 said:
"Going to UHD is like going home. It’s a complete physical and mental reset. It’s not just the mountains, but the people occupying the space."
"There’s never any judgment or expectations. Just be yourself, have fun, and spread loving kindness.”
Aptly coined “monk mode,” these daily, repetitive routines are staples to achieving peak athletic performance in the UltraHouse.
While this routine varies across training periods and individual athletes, everyone in the house believes in the positive impact of having established daily routines.
“One of the biggest resounding things for people who come here is that you can truly run easy and that you shouldn’t underestimate the power of little things," says semi-professional athlete and coach, Josh Ried.
"Having daily practices from morning to sundown that revolve around physical and mental health and wellbeing is really rewarding.”
Kunkel also emphasizes the applicability of “monk mode” regardless of your athletic background or ability.
Whether you’re ready to go all in on running and disappear into your craft or if you’re more of a casual runner who wants to try on a train-cation, the Ultrahouse is a testing ground for implementing new routines and practices.
Wondering what training, nutrition, recovery, and everything else looks like at UltraHouse Durango?
Here's what you need to know...
Easy running is the name of the game for UHD training.
Even the fastest, fittest athletes recognize the importance of easy aerobic running.
A typical day of running at Ultrahouse Durango consists of...
“Maybe the most impactful nugget I took away was ‘go slow’," says busy dad and ultrarunner Scott Brooke, who spent some time at UltraHouse Durango.
"The house would all run together for many miles," says Scott.
"To see elites running ‘slow’ paces for so many miles definitely made me a believer. When it was time to run 'fast,' they definitely did. But it was evident that slowing down is where it was at!”
Enter the UHD kitchen and you’ll hear terms like:
With a heavy focus on fueling, UHD athletes prioritize health and wellness as a foundation for improving performance.
...are quintessential cooking and dietary staples of an UHD athlete. But make no mistake, simple food doesn’t equate to boring food.
It is by no means a requirement to eat in this manner when you visit the house, but it is a novel and exciting experience for many.
If those last few sentences invoked any type of visceral bodily response, don’t worry!
Somewhere in the freezer, wedged behind the marrow bones and liver, you’ll also find tubs of Death by Chocolate ice cream.
Because everyone, especially elite athletes, need some ice cream once in a while.
Recovery: In the words of Hannah Carta, elite women’s obstacle course race (OCR) athlete & friend of UHD:
"Parts of the work are HARD and they should be! But the culture built within Ultrahouse Durango is one that doesn't overlook or negate the necessity of rest.”
It's a fundamental training theory athletes live by at UltraHouse.
UHD athletes are constantly balancing this equation with:
You’ll find evidence of this in one glance around the living room of UltraHouse Durango:
“Infrared light is my favorite form of recovery because it is less stressful on the eyes," says Josh.
"The light sets a calm mood around the house. Since we’re athletes and intentionally stress our bodies, we want to mitigate non-ideal stressors, and the red light does a lot for that.”
If you’ve ever toyed with the idea of signing up for a multi-day running camp hosted by elite athletes, you probably know that they often come with a substantial price tag.
That’s where Ultrahouse Durango steps in.
UHD hopes to increase accessibility without breaking the bank by hosting donation-based training camps for runners of all levels.
These camps are ideal for runners who are interested in:
"Not once was there an expectation of paying money to stay or use the tools and supplements they offer," says Scott.
"But if you have the financial means, you pick the price based on what you get out of it."
"I can tell you from experience, you’ll get access to world class tools (multiple saunas to use anytime) as well as free elite level advice."
"Where else can you talk to elite athletes and absorb knowledge without an inflated price tag attached to it?”
On top of advice from the elite athletes who live at UHD full time, the donation-based Ultrahouse Durango camps offer an amenities list you just might confuse with that of an all-inclusive resort & spa–well, almost…
Snowdown Ultrahouse Durango Camp (February 1st-6th)
Point-to-Point Pilgrimage to El Santuario de Chimayo, NM from Durango, CO (March 26-April 7)
Project May-Hem (May 10-17th)
If amenities and affordability aren’t enough to provoke intrigue with UHD, its location just might. UHD Owner/Director, Kunkel, prides himself in scoring a location with unmatched access to some of the most scenic trail and road running routes in the West.
Porch to Peak running routes from Ultrahouse Durango:
To Gudy’s Rest via the Colorado Trail
The Nose Loop
Animas Overlook via 171 Forest Road
Additional routes close by:
The long-term vision of UHD, shared by all athletes involved, is to:
The next phase of UHD...
While he has no interest in making more money than needed to feed himself and his pup, Winston, Kunkel realizes that the UHD dream is growing fast, and requires more resources and space than it currently has.
Kunkel is currently in the market for land on which he hopes to construct:
“At this point, I’ve maxed out what can be done by simply sharing my life," says Anthony.
"The next few steps of this vision will demand sponsor dollars. I want everyone here to be living with an undersized carbon footprint but an oversized impact on their sport and hopefully even the world,” said Kunkel.
If you’re one of those athletes looking for a sign to take your running to a new, higher level, this is it.
Endurance coach and 2023 World’s Toughest Mudder Champion, DJ Fox says:
“There will never be a perfect time to start, so there is no better time than now. If you love running and it’s calling to you to go ‘all in,’ you should do it…This is a game of years and decades."
"Get to work, stay consistent, and love the process. That’s the only way.”
Ultrahouse Durango also has sister programs in:
You won’t find any corporate branding or bylaws for opening an Ultrahouse, so the vibe and athletic focus of each house reflects those of the owner.
However, there are TWO fundamental commonalities that align the programs:
Want to learn more about the Ultrahouse Durango?
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