Hardrock is now less than 25 days away and I am finally into taper mode. For those of you who have been around me the past four weeks you know training and running have completely overtaken my life, and while I usually like to run what I feel, when I feel, sometimes a more regimented training schedule is necessary, means to an end. In the past four weeks, 5/19-6/15, I completed 332.8miles and 98,600ft of elevation gain, that’s an average of 83.2miles/24,650ft of elevation gain per week. In the process I cracked 300,000ft of vertical for the year, woohoo! As my previous blog explained, this has been all consuming, so I’m very much looking forward to starting my taper (slowly) toward the Hardrock 100 on July 11^th.

With race season approaching for many of us we often forget to thank a very important part of our support crew, the friends and family who train along side us and support us through the week in and week out training sessions, long runs, uphill slogs and sometimes just plain painful outings. So thanks to all those who have put up with me and supported me over these past four weeks, especially; the Rocky Mountain Runners, Boulder Trail Runners, Charles, Jason, Misti, Chris, Andy B, Jessica and Dana. You all helped make some of those tough and tiring days on the trail much more enjoyable.

I’m very much looking forward to getting back to a more balanced life; complete with a little more socializing, some dancing and some volleyball. As always a special thanks to Vfuel Endurance for keeping my legs strong and body energized through all the miles and Hind Performance for supporting my adventures. Run fast, run healthy, but mostly run happy.

Skiing with Andy and Jessica near Independence Pass, 5/24/14. Photo by Andy.

Rocky Mountain Runners relaxing the night before the Dirty Thirty 50k. Photo by Ryan Smith. 5/30/14.

Finishing strong after a tough 32mile run. Photo by Ryan Smith. 5/31/14.

Summit of Pikes Peak, just another lovely day at 14000ft. 6/8/14.

Ryan ‘running’ up the East Ridge of Bear Peak, Steep! 6/12/14.

Relaxing during a 38.6mile/8500ft run in the Lost Creek Wilderness, 6/14/14.

Dana skiing the North Couloirs on Missouri Mt, 6/15/14.

Early season ski tour with Andy & Jessica near Independence Pass. Cross training, 5/24/14.

Race: a competition or rivalry progressing towards a goal (Merriam Webster)

Relaxing the night before the Dirty Thirty. Photo by Ryan Smith.

Every person has there own intentions and goals when they sign up for an organized race and toe the start line. Some are out there to compete against their fellow runners, some to challenge themselves for a PR, others simply to finish and then a subset of all of the above who simply want to get out and enjoy the trails and the outdoors. My goal at the Golden Gate Dirty Thirty 50k (5/31/14) falls into the latter, to enjoy the trails with my fellow runners, log some good hard miles, but mainly to come out feeling strong in the end. With Hardrock looming just 5 weeks away, the Dirty Thirty would be a ‘training’ run for me, meaning a tune up and a test of my fitness, but not a race in the strictest sense of the word.

The weekend started out with a little acclimatization at 9200ft, where nearly twenty Rocky Mountain Runners and friends gathered for a pre-race night of camping, eating and relaxation. With the civil start time of 7am, I didn’t feel very rushed in the AM, always a bonus. As we all eased our way toward the start line I found my way right into the middle of the pack with the intention of going out at a fairly mellow pace and keeping it that way. Off we went, many people running hard, but I was in no rush. My goal was to treat this as a mini Hardrock; power hike all the uphills and only run the terrain I was hoping to run during Hardrock (<2% uphill grade).

Running through the aspens on the Dirty Thirty course.

Don’t get me wrong, hiking doesn’t mean I’m going slow, I’ve developed a mean power hike over the years and can average 3-4mph, so was keeping pace with most people as we climbed around the backside of Windy peak. As soon as the grade turned downward off I went, cruising down into Aid 1/4, passing people as I went. I continued this power hike up/ run down pattern which surprisingly found me steadily moving up in the field as every mile passed along. While others slowed and fatigued I kept steady, it’s always a good to feel strong and to pass people, I find it mentally uplifting. At several points I even forgot I was running as the trail meanders alongside creeks and through aspen groves with expansive views of the snow capped mountains in the background.

14ers Evans/Bierdstadt and Grays/Torreys as seen from the Dirty Thirty course.

As the day and the miles wore on the heat started to kick up a notch and I had to be much more conscious of staying hydrated and energized with a Vfuel every 30min. I even took several opportunities to dunk my head in the little streams, oh did that ever feel good. As we climbed back toward Aid 1/4 and the heat started to wear on me, so I slowed the pace a bit, “this is not a race, take care of yourself first”. I hit the final big climb of the day, Windy Peak, with decent strength in my legs and cold creek water dripping down my back.

Finishing strong after a tough 32mile run. Photo by Ryan Smith.

As we climbed up this final steep and sunny slope I came across one of my fellow RMR buddies, Jason Antin, and we chatted as we powered our way to the summit. It was nice to have someone to talk with for more than a brief moment, since I’d been passing people all day I hadn’t shared a pace with anyone for quite some time. From the summit we high-tailed it back down the steep rocky slope toward the finish, thunderclouds booming overhead and cooling us with a very light drizzle. We cruised up the final little climb and very soon found ourselves on the dirt road staring straight into the finish chute. I crossed the line in 6:36, 40min slower than my previous time of 5:57 many years ago, but I’d stuck to my goal of a strong and steady race and felt great about how I’d paced it. Jason was the only person all day who passed me and finished ahead of me, so that meant I’d done something right, slow and steady. It was a beautiful day, on a beautiful course, with so many great friends from the Colorado ultra community and specifically the Rocky Mountain Runners. Congrats to all those who ran and finished, and a special thanks to RD Megan Finnesy for putting on such an awesome race, it’s a relentless but beautiful course.

A short jaunt up Bear Peak the day after the race brought my one week training total to 83mi/25000ft vert, a solid Hardrock training week, setting me up for the ridiculousness to come. With two more big Hardrock training weeks ahead I’ve still got some work to do before its taper time, but am feeling very good about where my fitness sits at this moment. Special thanks to Vfuel endurance for fueling me through another bonk free day and Hind clothing for outfitting me for all my adventures. Run fast, run healthy, but mostly run happy.

Oh Hardrock….

View of the Sierras and Yosemite enroute to the Bay Area. Can you find Half Dome?

As race day neared I knew my training hadn’t been ideal for the relentless rolling (but runnable) hills of Miwok as I’d been averaging a steep 15000-20000ft of gain a week, Hardrock-esque numbers. But the Miwok 100k would still be a great gauge of my fitness, on how my legs handled pounding the downhills, it would be a chance to visit family and of course the opportunity to run a beautiful variety of terrain in the Marin Headlands. So I hopped on a plane headed for my fifth state in 2014 (Washington, Utah, Mississippi, Massachusetts, now California). For me the day before the race is usually mellow, avoiding as much hoopla as possible; a stroll on the beach with my parents, dinner in Bolinas, a little race planning, then trying to get to bed early.

A little pre-race stroll along Stinson Beach.

Brendan and I at the start line before the 2014 Miwok 100k.

The alarm buzzed at 3:50AM, I quickly tossed on my clothes, scarfed down two poptarts and off we drove to the race start at Stinson Beach. The start was abuzz with hundreds of runners, exchanging pleasantries, but for me being the outsider it was nice to just sit back and take it all in. I briefly met up with Brendan, wished him good luck, and before I knew it we were packed in at the start line nervously awaiting the word. Then off we went, 10 full strides and stop….we’d bottle necked at a single track bridge, so much for a fast start. Once over the bridge I settled into a pretty casual climbing pace as we ascended the narrow Matt Davis trail in the pre-dawn hours. We finally broke treeline and banked left onto the coastal trail for the long ‘out and back’ section to the Randall TH. The narrow single track was somewhat frustrating, as I found myself walking on flat terrain numerous times as people slowly tiptoed across the slanted and tricky trail, but I just kept reminding myself I wasn’t there to race, but to enjoy the day and to test my legs, patients.

Cruising through the fog and the redwoods, is this Endor?

The single track finally widened onto the Bolinas Ridge fire road at the first AS, so I was able to stride out a bit more, picking off a dozen or so runners pretty quickly. As another runner, Jesse, and I cruised down the fire road, I found myself just staring up at the tree tops of the immense redwoods as the fog and first rays of sunlight percolated through the branches. I half expected to see ewoks just sitting on the side of the trail, but no luck today. Jesse and I opened it up on the downhill, I’d guess we were probably hitting 7min pace at some points, but it felt good to just run and the lungs were taking in the dense sea level air without issue. I met up with my parents at the Randall AS (mm13), grabbed a few Vfuel gels, some water, and took off running back up the hill. I realized this was a bit ambitious so I settled into a more conservative walk/jog mix, cheering on all the other runners now coming counter flow to me, and boy were there a lot of them.

Jesse and I bombing into the Randall AS at mm13.

Running the Bolinas Ridge around mm17 of the Miwok 100k. Stinson Beach far below.

From the Randall TH to Cardiac (mm20) was by far my favorite seven miles of the race; giant redwoods shrouded in fog giving way to open grassy hillsides with ocean views and a few dense stands of mossy hardwoods for variety. I felt like a kid in a candy store, a new sweet view with each turn, and I definitely let out a few “Weeeee’s” along the way. (just for you Amanda JHS). After reaching the Cardiac AS I took the governor off and again let the legs flow down the Deer Park fire road, settling into a more conservative trot along the flat paved section (due to trail closures) before reaching Muir Beach (mm31.5).

Reloading at the Muir Beach AS #1, still feeling strong.

Muir Beach was bustling with a mix of runners, crews and the daily tourist enjoying the sand and waves. I again met up with my parents, quickly resupplied my Vfuel stock, then was headed back up Middle Green Gulch enroute to Tennessee Valley. I could feel a little fatigue building in my legs, so to stay true to my original goal I reigned in the pace, alternating jogging and walking the climb before once again bombing down into Tennessee Valley. The day was warming up and over the next 20miles we’d be fully exposed to the sun, so when the aid station volunteers offered to sponge me down I answered with an emphatic YES! It felt so good to get the salt off (I get pretty crusty on warm days). As I circumnavigated the Marin headlands, view of the Pacific on one side, Bay on the other and Golden Gate Bridge/San Francisco to the South I couldn’t help but marvel at the diversity of terrain and views we’d experienced already.

Running/walking the trail high above Pirates Cove, Arrr there be a sea breeze.

Passed the Bridge View AS (mm41) I could feel the sun taking its toll and knew I needed to both cool off and to drink a little more as I climbed from the Rodeo Lagoon back up to the ridge. As I passed through Tennessee Valley for the 2^nd time (mm49), I sank to my low point of the day, struggling my way around the gently rolling terrain above Pirate’s Cove and down to Muir Beach #2 (mm53). Here I took some extra water and salt caps, and spent a moment sponging myself off. I didn’t realize how big a hole I’d dug myself into until I began to jog my way up the sunny windless paved section, my head began to spin, my balance went and I had to sit down several times along the road and on the Deer Park fire road just to regroup. When this began I took two S-caps, and chugged half my water, now all I could do was keep toughing it out one step at a time and hope that would rebalance me.

Beautiful cruiser section of the Dipsea, not pictured, 50+ stairs along the way.

8-10 runners passed me by while I plodded on up the hill, but I was in no state to push back…yet. With about half a mile to the AS the rehydration finally kicked in, my mental faculties and balance returned and off I went jogging up the fire road and into the Cardiac AS (mm58). I was back to ‘normal’, so after a quick refill decided it was time to finish strong, despite my 7mile crash and burn that had cost me 30-40min and 8 places. I pushed the legs down the Dipsea trail, bounding down the stairs and eventually came flying out the trailhead making one last turn before hitting the finish line. That may have been one of the strongest ultra finishes I’ve ever had (all 3 miles of it), and my legs had a surprising amount of pop left, a good omen with Hardrock looming big in July.

Pushing hard to the finish line of the Miwok 100k.

In all my Miwok race may not have been perfect, but it was exactly what I was looking for and what I needed. A beautiful day on some spectacular trails, tons of views, met some great new people, learned some lessons, and enjoyed almost every minute of it (being dizzy wasn’t fun). This was my first crack at the 100km distance, and I must say I really like it. A good hard all day effort, but in the end there is still time to share the afternoon with your fellow runners, enjoy a beer, eat dinner and go to bed. As I write this four days after the race my legs are feeling good and ready to hit the trails for five weeks of intensive Hardrock training….. starting next week. These tune up races, a race where one doesn’t try to run themselves into the ground, are great prepration for an upcoming big dance. Summer is on its way and I couldn’t be more excited for high mountain vistas, thin air and sharing the trails with all my friends. Special thanks to Vfuel endurance for fueling me through a bonk free day and Hind performance clothing for outfitting me for all my adventures. Run fast, run healthy, but mostly run happy.

A little photo/video slideshow from my run at Miwok.

On February 27^th I caught a plane headed back down South to visit my sister, brother-in-law, and my new nephew Ryan (6weeks old!)…oh and to try and defend my surprise win at last year’s Carl Touchstone Mississippi 50. I was excited to see family and excited for a chance to splash in some mud puddles and run in non-snowy/icy conditions for the first time in a while. Trail running in Colorado from December through March consists of snow, ice, mud and every once and a while some dirt, needless to say suboptimal conditions for long distance training.

Playing with my new little nephew Ryan.

Two weeks out from the race I was hit with a nasty case of the flu which had me sleeping 12-15h/day and running ‘0’ miles over a 5 day span. Not really the ideal way to taper, but I guess I can say I got a lot of rest, right? The week before the race I felt ok, but still a bit tired and not 100%, all I could hope for was that come race day everything would be right. After a relaxing pre-race day hanging with family I drove myself up to Laurel, checked in for the race and sat by myself eating my pasta, salad and brownies at the pre-race dinner. Something about dropping into an unfamiliar race scene is very calming for me, no hype to get caught up in, no need to ‘make the rounds’ saying hello, just eat and relax.

Running the soft white sand beaches of the Gulf Coast near Gulfport.

It was soon morning, I packed up my gear and left the hotel for the start line in the Desoto NF. The temperature was a very comfortable 50F in the pre-dawn darkness, an omen of warmer things to come. The crowd very casually gathered at the start line, exchanged pleasantries and we were soon headed off down the dirt road by the hazy light of dawn. The winner of the 50k took off ahead, and soon a pack of 6-8 of us settled in around 8min pace for the long haul. Other than the occasional pleasantry we ran in silence, just the crunching leaves underfoot and an occasional splash through a muddy creek crossing. The first two 12.5mile laps went smoothly, though I could tell my body was fatigued from the flu and I was working harder than I’d have liked.

As I pushed my pace around lap #3 (running in 1^st place) the heat started to kick in and the sun cooked up the moisture and humidity. I’ve never been much for hot weather, especially when I’ve been training in 10-30F temps for most of the winter. As I finished the third lap, 38miles into my day, I could tell the temperature and fatigue were taking their toll. I was overheating and slowing down, still with two short 6miles laps to go. The last twelve miles were a trudge, and as the temps pushed into the high 70s, all of us on course cooked in the afternoon sun. At mile 41 the eventual winner cruised on past me, but that would be the only person to pass me by. Despite my melt down I was able to hang on to 2^nd place, running a 7:37:53, a few minutes slower than my winning time in 2013, and far slower than I’d hoped for this year, being far better trained.

Accepting my 2nd place award at the 2014 Mississippi 50.

While I didn’t feel good when I finished, it felt good to finish. I learned very early in my ultrarunning career that every race and each day is different, sometimes things go smoothly, other times there is more adversity to deal with, seldom is any race the same, even on the same course. Today the above average temps hit me hard and forced me to just ‘hang in there’ for the last twelve miles, I’d underestimated the heat and paid for it, but still managed to hold on for 2^nd place. I’ve always enjoyed the small local hometown races, and the Mississippi 50 definitely fits the bill. I’ve enjoyed meeting some of the locals, experiencing new trails (even the mud) and of course getting to see family. And now my 2014 race season is rolling, next up the Miwok 100k in May, this time I’ll be ready for the heat of California. Special thanks to Hind clothing for supporting my adventures and to Vfuel for fueling the long days on the trail. Run fast, run healthy, but mostly run happy.

A little post-race recovery on 3/9/14, ski touring near Rollins Pass in the CO high country.

If you know me at all, you’re probably aware that the ultra distance (50km-100mi) is my predominant focus when racing. In the past seven years I’ve only run a few non-ultra distance races, and only one of those on pavement (2009 Horsetooth Halfmarathon). After several weeks of rest this fall I decided this would be a good year to test myself with some ‘speed’ work, and get back to running flat, fast and on the roads. I set my sights on setting 5k and 10k PRs this winter, race distances I hadn’t attempted since 2005 (or never for a 10k).

You might ask, isn’t a 5k too easy? Well, yes and no. As ultrarunners we often are so focused on going slow and long that we don’t do any speed work, which would help us become well rounded runners. But I never run a 7min/mile in a race, why train that way? Because not only does it make those slower paces feel much easier, it helps you get stronger and faster. So starting in early November 2013, with the help of a few friends (thanks Ginna, Kate and Jason) I started to consistently do focused speed work twice a week, while still doing moderate trail runs the rest of the week.

My neighborhood track at Fairview Highschool. At least the view is nice. Photo from www.coloradofilm.org

Tuesdays I would do a flat 5k tempo run, focusing on even pacing, then Thursdays I would do 400m or 800m repeats to work on leg turnover and the speed side of things. It was encouraging to see my speed improve week after week, but it also made me realize how far off I was from the days when I was more a speed and power athlete (volleyball training). On December 8^th I joined a few friends at the Jingle Bells Arthritis fund raiser 5k in WashPark, Denver. A fairly low key race, but it would be my first official 5k since running at sea level back in 2005. With temps in the single digits and some snow on the road I wasn’t expecting a PR, but rather a good test of the fitness.

Finishing 4th at the 2013 Denver Jingle Bell 5k.

In spite of the conditions I was able to run decent splits (5:59/6:13/6:20) and finish 4^th overall in 19:12, just 7seconds off my recorded PR. With two more weeks until I attempt a 5k/10k combo as sea level (Pleasanton Double Road Race), I’m very hopeful for solid PRs at both distances. By no means am I becoming a road runner, but it is good to get ourselves outside of our comfort zone every once and a while to truly test our physical limits. For each person how hard you push yourself will be different, just pick a goal, enlist a friend to help, and see what you are capable of. For an ultrarunner, this means running so hard you’re out of breath and being done with your race in time for brunch (rather than breakfast the next morning). The trails are still what I love the most, but sometimes it hurts so good to push the body and build up a little lactic acid. Run fast, run healthy, but mostly run happy.

…well you shouldn’t be. With the onset of daylight savings and the days getting shorter and shorter as the winter solstice nears, many of us are finding far less daylight by which to run. Some people have the flexibility to run during their lunch hour, to get off work early, or maybe they don’t even work at all but others of us are relegated to the dwindling morning and evening light and will at some point be forced to run in the dark. Fear not, darkness does not signify the death of trail running! As someone who helps organize and lead a year round group night run (Wednesdays at 8:30pm in Boulder, CO), I can promise that while running trails in the dark does provide new challenges, it can also be a unique and rewarding experience.

BTR group Night Run on Mt Audobon August 2012.

Below are a few of my personal thoughts and tips on running dirt trails in the dark (because why run pavement when you really don’t have to?).

1. Find a buddy: Most likely you are not the only one with limited time and a strong desire to hit the trails before or after work. While there are some increased hazards of running in the dark, running with a friend or group can mitigate a lot of this. Your best candidates are those friends you’ve been training with all year in the day light. Another good source of partners are the local trail running groups. It’s easiest to schedule a specific date and time, then go from there.
2. Light up the Dark: The most important piece of gear for a run in the dark is a bright headlamp or flashlight. The brighter your light, the easier it is going to be to run through more technical sections of trail, so don’t go too minimal! I would highly recommend something with AT LEAST 80 lumens, and a handheld or waist mounted light will cast far better shadow than a headlamp for those very technical and rocky trails. I personally recommend lights from Fenix (HL30, LD22) and Petzl (Tikka XP2, Myo RXP, Nao).
3. Start with What You Know: We all have our local favorite trails, and these are a great place to start out. Running by headlamp or flashlight takes some getting used to, so don’t immediately head off to hammer the most technical route you know. Start out with something smoother and work up from there.
4. Slow it Down: With your field of view limited to your headlamp or flashlight, you will most likely need to slow the pace down in order to absorb all the upcoming obstacles in the trail. It’s not all about the speed, remember that you’re out on the trails because you love to run.
5. Enjoy!: While running in the dark does pose some new challenges, it also opens up a new world and a different side of the trails one does not see in the daylight. Solitude is much easier to find on a trail after dark, so for those seeking a little peace and quite, the night time is the right time. It’s also a great way to unwind after a hectic day, as the darkness seems to absorb many of the surrounding distractions; even your local city trail seems much more isolated and peaceful in the dark.

As you’re cruising through the dark forest/woods don’t forget to stop every once and a while and look up at the beautiful night sky or at the city lights below. Both are great reminders of why many of us run trails; to escape the hustle an bustle of an all too hectic life and to allow our soul to commune with nature and to be enveloped by the experience. If you have any additional notes or thoughts feel free to leave a comment, as I’m sure everyone’s experience is unique.

“The Mountains are calling, and I must go…”  – John Muir