Category Archives: Running and Races

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Where Oh Where Has My Energy Gone?; Quadrock 50miler

Runners heading up Towers Rd near mile 5 of the Quadrock Trail Run.

Runners heading up Towers Rd near mile 5 of the Quadrock Trail Run.

My training wasn’t lacking (legs felt pretty good all day), it wasn’t for a lack of course knowledge (I knew the route well and where the difficulties were), or that I had forgotten gear (I was properly packed and stocked up). It was two much more minute details that led to my unraveling at the Quadrock 50miler this past weekend; lack of sleep and a little dehydration. One thing I learned long ago is that sometimes on race day you have it, and sometimes you don’t.

Making my way up the Howard Trail at mile 19, photo by Erin Bibeau.

Making my way up the Howard Trail at mile 19, photo by Erin Bibeau.

After crashing at a friend’s place in Fort Collins, Amanda and I woke at the crack of 4:30am, much earlier than I would like, but the latest possible time to get to the race start. It was a surprisingly pleasant morning, and promising to be a warm sunny spring day. The start line was bustling with all the runners and there was definitely a mix of excitement and anxiousness in the air. A few minutes after 5:30am we all lined up in the parking lot and off we went down the dirt road into Lory State Park. The climb up Sawmill/Towers went fairly uneventfully and I finally got to open up the pace heading down Spring Creek into Aid #2.

Heading up the Howard Trail with Arthur's Rock in the background around mile 20.

Heading up the Howard Trail with Arthur’s Rock in the background around mile 20.

The day was already warming and as I headed back up the Horsetooth Rock trail something wasn’t quite right, I couldn’t keep my heart rate under control, even at an easy hike and I was feeling very fatigued. While I made decent time back to the Tower’s Aid Station I had the feeling it was going to be a long day on the trail. Heading down Mill Creek I was terribly out of breath and my exertion did not match the pace and how my legs felt.

I was run down and sluggish the entire day and hit the 25mile turn around with thoughts of dropping to 25miles and just laying down to take a nap the rest of the day. Thankfully a little good spirit from the race volunteers brought me back to my senses. The internal monologue went as such…

Dark clouds looming ahead, thunder abounds as I climb up Spring Creek for the final time, mile 42.

Dark clouds looming ahead, thunder abounds as I climbed up Spring Creek for the final time, mile 42.

“I’m just wiped out and could just lay down in the sun and take a nice long nap and be done.”
“WTF are you saying? It’s a beautiful day out, you’re moving just fine and you have no legitimate reason to drop. Don’t worry about what your time is going to be, and suck it up and get back out on that trail”

So off I went back up the Timber trail on lap number two, trying to slow jog a little of the gentle uphill as my breathing would allow. The next lap went by fairly quickly thanks to some good company, despite how labored I felt on every uphill I was able to just let my legs flow downhill. As a group of us ascended the final climb up Spring Creek dark clouds began to roll overhead and the load boom of thunder continually echoed through the valley. Finally after 10 minutes a light rain started to fall, which soon turned to pea sized hail that pelted us with stinging force. Several of us donned jackets, but we all kept moving, soon arriving at the Towers Aid Station for the final time. Ahead lay several miles of downhill and flat, clearing skies and the home stretch. I headed off down the hill, legs still feeling pretty good I bombed the hill to the best of my ability. The final few rolling miles were not pretty, but I got through them and crossed the finish line in 10hours 23minutes, good enough for 40th place overall.

Yours truly running into the Arthur's Aid Station for the 4th and final time, mile 49.5, 2.5 to go. Photo by Jessie Wilburn.

Yours truly running into the Arthur’s Aid Station for the 4th and final time, mile 49.5, 2.5 to go. Photo by Jessie Wilburn.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed with my overall time at Quadrock, as I was hoping for a stronger run closer to 9-9.5hours, and my legs definitely felt up to that. I am happy that I stuck it out for the full 50miles even if the run did not feel good, I’m hopeful that these tough miles will pay dividends at Hardrock and UTMB. Pete and Nick put on a wonderful race, Fort Collins has some beautiful trails and the great spirit and support of all the spectators and volunteers really make this a fantastic overall event, one that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a tough 50mile race. The course is truly unrelenting, and even if I was feeling better the constant ups and downs (total 11500ft gain/loss) will wear down even the strongest of runners. In all it was a good weekend, and I’m looking forward to catching up on my sleep and continuing to push the training forward toward the main goals; Hardrock and UTMB. Special thanks to my sponsors; Hind activewear for the comfy clothing and Vfuel Endurance for getting me through the day.

Mountains and More Mountains

View of the Indian Peaks Wilderness from Flagstaff Mt.

View of the Indian Peaks Wilderness from Flagstaff Mt.

It’s almost May and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t antsy to get up into the big mountains. We had a beautiful weekend in Boulder (70s and sunny) and I finally had the good training run I’ve been waiting for, a solid 26mi/6300ft mountain run through the Boulder hills, on a lot of clear trails. From Bear Peak to Green Mt to Flagstaff Mt to Sanitas, I covered all of the main Boulder mountains that are open, while it was a very enjoyable but challenging run, something was definitely missing from the day as a whole. After some celebratory food and beers at Southern Sun I decided what I was lacking was the thin clean air and expansive views that one gets at 12000ft. The invite went out to head up to Rocky Mountain National Park for a jaunt up to one of my favorite high country locales, Chasm Lake.

Meeker and Longs from Chasm Junction, always a beautiful scene.

Meeker and Longs from Chasm Junction, always a beautiful scene.

One person took up the invite, so at 730am on Sunday Adelaide and I headed for the Longs Peak Trailhead to try our luck up at getting to Chasm, knowing full well that a lot of snow was still present. It was a balmy 50F at 830am at 9500ft at the Longs Peak Trailhead, much warmer than expected. The trail was nicely packed so we left the traction behind and headed on up. We slowly made our way up the hill, and as we climbed out of the trees the wind picked up and temperature dropped. The view from Chasm Junction was spectacular as always; snow glazed rock pillars jutting from Meeker, The Loft choked with snow and the immense face of The Diamond looming overhead. The final traverse to Chasm Lake was steep hardpack snow, so we decided to forgo the Lake for today, and enjoy a nice easy jog back down.

Running near Chasm Junction with Longs Peak in the background.

Running near Chasm Junction with Longs Peak in the background.

To cap off the weekend Adelaide and I stopped by Hall Ranch on the way home for a pleasant hilly 10mile run on the Bitterbrush/Nighthawk trails. From wind and snow packed trails to warm sunshine and dry dirt. A total of 43.2miles and 10700ft of elevation gain put me in a good spot going into my taper for Quadrock. More importantly though this brings me into the meat of my Hardrock training (now 4th on the waitlist), so I’ve got a lot of work ahead. For now time for a little relaxation, some more cross training and to catch up on house chores (like the planting the garden!).

Numbers Don’t Lie…

Amanda, Adelaide, Jason and Kevin heading up a snow covered Bear Canyon on 4/20/13.

Amanda, Adelaide, Jason and Kevin heading up a snow covered Bear Canyon on 4/20/13.

Amanda and Jason on the summit of Green Mt, 4/20/13.

Amanda and Jason on the summit of Green Mt, 4/20/13.

…but they don’t always tell the whole story. After receiving another 18-24 inches of snow in Boulder this past Monday through Wednesday, it was no surprise that the trails were a sloppy mess all week long. With the Quadrock 50mi looming only three weeks away I was hoping to put in about 45miles and 12000ft of gain spread over Saturday and Sunday. As I started up Bear Canyon Saturday morning it quickly became apparent that I was either going to have to readjust expectations or spend almost twelve hours out on my feet in order to obtain that kind of mileage and elevation. Most of the trail was slushy and crusty ankle deep snow, though I even found myself breaking fresh trail for about 1/2 mile up toward Green Mt.

A muddy mess on the Mesa Trail. What happens when 2ft of snow melts very quickly, 4/20/13.

A muddy mess on the Mesa Trail. What happens when 2ft of snow melts very quickly, 4/20/13.

After 5h43min on the trails I’d amassed a measly 21miles and 6200ft of elevation gain, for a whopping 16:20/mile average pace. The effort definitely felt like more than 21miles, but my running log won’t accurately reflect that. By week’s end (Mon-Sun) I’d only accumulated 55miles and 14000ft of elevation gain, not quite the 70miles and 16000ft I’d planned on. But add to those numbers several hours of weight lifting, three hours of competitive volleyball on Friday, four hours of downhill skiing on Sunday and a whole lot of sloppy trails and you get a fairly full week. It remains to be seen how well this “perceived” effort translates to actual training, but I’ll know in three weeks time. Just remember, that while “numbers never lie”, they don’t always tell the whole story and sometimes pace and mileage goals might not be reached and that’s ok. Run fast, run healthy, but mostly run happy.

One last partying note, I’d like to welcome the newest addition to my house hold. My little lady Missy, a 4yo tabby from the Longmont Humane Society. She’s a complete love-bug and is just happy to have anyone around.

Missy helping me check messages and edit photos.

Missy helping me check messages and edit photos.

There’s No Place Like Home

Over the past two months I’ve been to Moab twice and Mississippi once so it’s been nice the past several weekends to be able to hang out closer to home and enjoy all the great things the backyard has to offer. From running and climbing in the local hills, to BBQ with friends, to relaxing at home with a good movie and most of all enjoying all of this with minimal vehicle travel time. It’s also allowed me to get back to a much more consistent and focused training routine.

Bogie and Amanda heading in a very green Horsetooth Mountain Park. 4/13/13.

Bogie and Amanda heading in a very green Horsetooth Mountain Park. 4/13/13.

With the Boulder hills being a bit muddy and snowy, this weekend I was able to convince my friends Bogie and Amanda to head North to Loveland for a run of the Blue Sky trail. For those unfamiliar, the Blue Sky trail is a wonderful 10.5-11.5mile long trail that stretches from Hwy 34 in Loveland to Horsetooth Reservoir in Fort Collins. A mix of rolling single track, wide double track, and a few technical sections, it offers a nice day of runnable terrain (also bike friendly). Saturday’s weather was looking promising ahead of the snow storm that was supposed to hit Monday-Wednesday so we made the trek out of the bubble to the Devil’s Backbone trailhead, where our adventure would begin.

The trail was smooth and dry, and it felt great just to get out and run again after having slogged through the snow and mud all week long in the Boulder hills. We saw a few friendly Fort Collins faces, but the trail was surprisingly quiet for a 60F Saturday in April, no complaints here. In addition to our run on the Blue Sky trail we added the Indian Summer loop both ways and another loop up Towers Rd and down Stout in Horsetooth Mt Park bringing our daily total to 30miles/4600ft in just under six hours. Sometimes it’s nice to venture a little ways from home, but not too far, as a reminder of how many great places the Colorado Front range has to offer.

Ascending Fern canyon to Bear Peak, frosty trail and trees ahead. 4/14/13.

Ascending Fern canyon to Bear Peak, frosty trail and trees ahead. 4/14/13.

View from the summit of Green Mt looking toward downtown Boulder. 4/14/13.

View from the summit of Green Mt looking toward downtown Boulder. 4/14/13.

On Sunday 4/14/13 I went back to my old hometown favorite, a combination of BearPeak and GreenMountain. My systems were a little off Sunday morning, something that would unfortunately stick with me through the whole run. As I climbed up FernCanyon toward BearPeak I found a fresh coat of snow and ice frosting the very top of the peak. The lightly frosted trees made for a nice contrast against the green valley below. I kept plugging along, occasionally fighting the bitter cold wind that was gusting out of the west. My body finally eased into the run on the downhill, allowing me to move a little faster across the West ridge and back up Green-Bear to the summit of Green Mt. The sun was finally starting to warm the air and melt some of the fresh snow as I made my way down BearCanyon back home. I’d only covered 13miles/4000ft on Sunday’s run, but it was a decent effort after the long day on Saturday and put me right at my weekly goal of 70miles/14000ft.

With four weeks until Quarock, I’ve got two more weeks of hard training before a nice little slow down. Then its ramp back up in hopeful preparation for Hardrock (now 4th on the waitlist!). While I wouldn’t consider myself a home body, its been really nice the past few weeks to adventure closer to home. I am due for a mountainous adventure though, so I expect a little skiing or mountaineering in my near future. Even though I (like most) love to travel and adventure, its nice to know that when I come home there is no shortage of great places right in my own backyard. I’d implore all of you out there in interweb land to look around for the same. No matter where you live there is something unique and different nearby, embrace it for what it is, and get out and enjoy the experiences your hometown has to offer. Run fast, run healthy, but mostly run happy.

Snow pounding Colorado, over a foot and still coming down, 4/15/13 7pm.

Evening run up Bear Canyon. Snow pounding Colorado, over a foot and still coming down, 4/15/13 7pm.

Leprechaun Canyon

The group hiking up the slickrock on the approach to Leprechaun Canyon.

The group hiking up the slickrock on the approach to Leprechaun Canyon.

Sunday March 24th found us with yet another early pre-dawn start, packing up the tents as the sun’s morning glow illuminated the San Rafael Swell. Today it was off to Leprechaun Canyon south of Hanksville, UT. The three forks of Leprechaun canyon are in a region of Utah known as North Wash, known for its very narrow slot canyons (less than 2ft), so to the point of being extremely dangerous. We parked ourselves at the Sandthrax campground and started our approach hike up the slickrock, quickly gaining elevation all the way to the rimrock high above. We were treated with some sweeping views of the Henry Mts to the South and the deep narrow canyons of North Wash on all sides. We quickly picked up a trail and strolled our way to the head of the East Fork of Leprechaun canyon, the easiest of the three.

Panorama shot of Leprechaun Canyons and the Henry Mts.

Panorama shot of the three forks of Leprechaun Canyon and the Henry Mts on the approach hike.

Ben giving Amanda a deadman belay at the second obstacle. Note the pile of rocks is the main anchor.

Ben giving Amanda a deadman belay at the second obstacle. Note the pile of rocks is the main anchor.

Ben showing some good technique, a shoulder stem.

Ben showing some good technique, a shoulder stem.

We skipped the first rappel, walking around and exploring the short slot from below, and proceeded into the meat of the canyon, which immediately started off with a 3 tiered drop through a series of potholes. We set up a rappel off a deadman anchor for several of our party, while Basit and I downclimbed. For those unfamiliar with the terminology, a deadman anchor consists of a weight, usually either a pile of rocks or a person, that one secures the rope to. These objects are most often not attached or secured to the canyon itself, simply relying on weight and gravity to hold them in place, sounds fun huh? As we continued to squeeze down canyon we encountered some impressive narrows, stretches of up half a mile at a time where the canyon walls rarely exceeded

Yours truly downclimbing a silo in Leprechaun Canyon. Photo by Ben Smith.

Yours truly downclimbing a silo in Leprechaun Canyon. Photo by Ben Smith.

2ft wide. We stemmed, squeezed and chimneyed our way down canyon, setting up a few short rappels along the way, though Basit, Ben and I were able to downclimb all the obstacles without the aid of a rope.

Me, pausing for a photo part way down the final handline aided drop.

Me, pausing for a photo part way down the final handline aided drop. Photo by Ben Smith.

Near the confluence with the Middle fork the canyon walls finally opened up, just before the final drop, a series of three potholes with a 15ft vertical drop at the end. We opted to set up a handline for this short drop, and simply went hand over hand down the webbing. Once at the confluence we dropped our packs for a little bit of exploration up the Middle Fork into a slot known as Belfast Boulevard, so narrow that we had to walk sideways and couldn’t pass one another once we’d started in. After a little playing around we shouldered the gear and headed down canyon through a dark tunnel which brought us to a large subway section with overhanging sand stone walls towering above a smooth and flat canyon floor. It’s one of those places that reminds you of how small you truly are.

Ben squeezing his way into Belfast Boulevard.

Ben squeezing his way into Belfast Boulevard.

The huge walls of lower Leprechaun, accessible to all by hiking up from the bottom.

The huge walls of lower Leprechaun, accessible to all by hiking up from the bottom.

We strolled down canyon, soaking in the grandeur of our setting and the warm sun. We soon hit the road and made our way back at the Sandthrax campground, only 4.5hours after we’d started. The East Fork of Leprechaun offers the canyoneer a fun adventure, with lots of scrambling, stemming, downclimbing and chimneying. All of the major obstacles can be downclimbed without a harness/rope by a strong canyoneer, though assistance with handlines and foot spotting is definitely helpful. The Middle Fork and West Fork are much more difficult, so only proceed into those with an experienced crew and all the proper gear.

At the cars we opted to enjoy a little down time, devouring much of our food and stretching our legs before the long drive home. We finally bid Ben and Amanda farewell, as they were headed to Cedar Mesa for the next five days, and hit the road for the long 7.5hour drive back to Boulder, CO. What a weekend, the drive had been well worth all the adventure and good times. There will definitely be more slot canyons in my future, though hopefully I won’t have to wait too long.

Granary Canyon and Little Wildhorse/Bell Canyons

Hiking up Long Canyon on the approach to Granary.

Hiking up Long Canyon on the approach to Granary.

 

After getting snowed out of our canyoneering adventures in Moab in February, it was decided that we’d give it another shot in late March. Friday found us piling into the Subaraus, and headed for the desert for a weekend of canyoneering fun and hopefully snow free adventures (as a storm bared down on the CO Front Range). We awoke early on Saturday in sub-freezing temps, but determined to make our way through Granary Canyon just outside Moab, UT. We slowly packed up our gear and started up the Long Canyon Rd for the 5mile/2400ft approach. As we hiked on up the road the sun began to break over the canyon walls, warming us in opposition to the cold wind blowing in from the NW. We made fairly quick work of the road and started off on the old jeep tracks

and use trails toward the top of Granary Canyon.

Myself, Grant and Amanda surveying the canyon from the first rap station. Photo by Ben Smith

Myself, Grant and Amanda surveying the canyon from the first rap station. Photo by Ben Smith

Basit rappeling into the Onion.

Basit rappeling into the Onion.

Looking back up at raps #1-3.

Looking back up at raps #1-3. #1 and #2 anchored from the two trees in the middle of the frame. #3 starts right above The Onion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The route started out with some mellow slickrock walking, a few easy scrambles, and fantastic views of Long Canyon and the other surrounding landscape. We worked our way down the ridge, finally dropping into a large sunny wash where the canyoneering fun would begin. After a short snack break we shouldered the gear and quickly made our way down to the first of a series of four rappels. As with many of the popular canyon adventures, anchors were already built at all the main raps, so we could save our gear for another day. All four rappels came in quick succession, spanning maybe half mile in total, each with its own character (The Snail and The Onion being two of them).

Ben hurdles a pothole in the middle section of Granary Canyon.

Ben hurdles a pothole in the middle section of Granary Canyon.

At the bottom of the forth rap, the sun was finally beginning to warm us, and the cold wind was blocked by the steep canyon walls, so we took a minute to bask on the warm rocks and grab a snack. Ahead lay a few miles of canyon that only required some scambling, stemming, a butt slide and hiking, no rope work for a little bit. The scrambling was quite enjoyable and freeing, then at last the canyon flattened out, opened up and deposited us on the edge of a 500ft cliff that dropped precipitously down to the Colorado River canyon below. Thankfully the route beta let us know that by traversing the rim for 1mile down to Jug Handle Arch we’d be able to rappel down to “The Granary” for which the canyon is named over a much more manageable 195ft drop.

Ben leading the way down the final 195ft rappel in Granary Canyon.

Ben leading the way down the final 195ft rappel in Granary Canyon.

The views from the rim down to the Colorado and across to the Lasal Mts was quite impressive, and when we reached the final rap station we were happy to sit down and wait for the party ahead of us to finish their rappel. As we waited the sun drifted behind the clouds and cold wind picked back up again, time to get ourselves down. Ben led off the final double rope rap, disappearing into the abyss below. Amanda and Grant followed, then myself and Basit bringing up the rear. We scrambled our way back down to the cars, making for a round trip time of just over 8hours, not bad with our hike up approach and a group of five. Granary canyon offered us a little bit of everything, hiking, scrambling, some group assists, pothole jumps, small and big rappels, along with fantastic scenery.

Photo-op in Little Wildhorse canyon with Scott, Ben, & Amanda.

Photo-op in Little Wildhorse canyon with Scott, Ben, & Amanda.

 

We headed off to the San Rafael Swell next to meet up with a few friends and camp out for the night. On the drive over, Ben posed an interesting proposition, a night time run of Little Wildhorse and Bell slots. These canyons make up one of the classic slot canyon loops in all of Utah. In approximately 8.5miles one gets to experience several miles of extremely narrow slot canyon, with walls several hundred feet deep at times, lots of interesting rock formations, all in canyons that are accessible to any skill level. After setting up camp with the larger group we were able to talk Scott into joining us for the night run, so off we went right at sunset. Twilight fell as we entered Little Wildhorse and switched on our headlamps as we jogged through the 3-4ft wide slot canyon, bouncing off obstacles and pausing periodically to take a photo or to admire the moonlit rock walls rising on either side. It was a unique experience and my first time ever in a slot canyon at night, one felt very isolated pinched between the narrow rock walls. Near the top of Little Wildhorse the moon rose directly overhead, and we switched off our headlamps, running purely by moonlight through the sandy wash and along the dirt road that connected us over to Bell canyon. We dropped into the wider Bell canyon, running most of the way in silence, enjoying the quiet still night air and being all alone in one of the Swell’s most popular attractions. We soon exited and jogged the last half mile back to our car, completing the loop in just under two hours. In all we’d managed to pack in over 10 hours on our feet, see four fantastic canyons (Long, Granary, Little Wildhorse, Bell) and we still had another day of fun ahead, it was going to be a great weekend.

Supporting the Little Guy

First off, no this is not going to be some political or economic rant, rather its my take on something that I think makes Ultrarunning and Trailrunning unique amongst all the other outdoors sports, the small local race.

Recent years have seen a huge boom in the sports of Ultrarunning and Trailrunning, but the relative number of participants is still minuscule compared to the numbers that compete in marathons or triathlons each year. Even though the numbers of Ultrarunners is relatively small, many races, especially the well known ones, have seen their popularity expand beyond what they can handle. To accommodate this boom, most races have devised their own unique set of qualifying criteria and/or lottery system in order to handle the plethora of runners for the paucity of spots. Those of you who know me are aware of my dislike for race lotteries, mostly due to my terrible luck in them (1 for 10), but I’ll save that rant for another day.

Races like WesternStates and Leadville will always have their appeal and the throngs of entrants clamoring to enter, but in the past several years I’ve found myself drawn more toward the smaller local races. These are races that have sprung up to accommodate people like me who keep losing out on lotteries for the big boys, for those who want to experience some new trails they might not otherwise and for those who simply like something really low key. I’m going to use my running of the 2012 IMTUF100 (inaugural) in McCall, ID as an example. For those interested, there was a nice article in the Washington Post about the growth of the sport so I won’t touch on that here.

After several email exchanges with the IMTUF100 RDs (Ben & Jeremy) I felt really comfortable that these guys had their act together and no doubts they would put on a fantastic race. Note, that with any new race their will be some kinks to work out, so make sure to do a little homework to ensure the race is being well planned as to minimize possible issues. I arrived in Idaho, knowing no one and very much being an outsider, as most of the race was made up from the local Boise trail running group. But, as with most ultra communities, they were very welcoming and so easy going I had no trouble fitting right in. The start/finish was at Burgdorf Hot Springs, a rustic set of cabins just outside McCall, ID in the Payette NF. No fancy 5-star hotels, no vegan locally sourced restaurants; just some log cabins, heated by wood stoves and a home cooked pasta dinner with all the runners.

The entire set of runners and their crews gathered before the inaugural IMTUF100, Photo by LongRunPhotography

The entire set of runners and crews gathered before the inaugural IMTUF100, Photo by LongRunPhotography

When we assembled race morning a grand total of 30 of us toed the line. As we started off down the trail we strung out very quickly, and I soon realized that I would have a lot of alone time in the next 24-30 hours. I had no crew and no pacers, I’d come simply to run and hike and explore a new set of trails and some new mountains that I’d never seen before. This is not to say support crew and pacers are not huge aids during a 100mile event, but when you remove them from the equation it does greatly simplify things.

For a first time race the course was fantastically marked, aid stations were well stocked, and both Ben and Jeremy, along with their families, put in a huge amount of time and effort to help each and every runner succeed. As I cruised down the Idaho trails enjoying the scenery I realized this is what I love about trail running, the peace, the quiet, and mostly the wonderful support and camaraderie that are present within the ultrarunning community regardless of who you are. The

Me as a TMNT at the IMTUF100

Me as a TMNT at the IMTUF100

race had its standard highs and lows for me, but when I rolled into Burgdorf around 9a on Sunday, there was no fanfare, no big crowds, just a few friends and crews milling around with a “congratulations”.

So if you’re looking for the big hyped event, with lots of runners, streets lined with supporters, big awards ceremonies and high level competition these types of races are not what you’re looking for. But if what’s important to you is beautiful scenery, friendly racers/crew/support teams, well stocked aid stations, a race focused on helping the runner succeed and a nice quite day in the woods, well then I urge you to give one of these new small races a shot.

This year has found me entered in several of the big boys (Hardrock and UTMB) and definitely very bummed that I won’t be able to run the IMTUF100 this year (registration just opened!) as it overlaps with UTMB. Thankfully, after having run their inaugural event I am fairly certain it will succeed and be around for many years to come. Run strong, run fast, but mostly run happy.

Running From the Front

After a tough start to the winter its been great to get back to running and somewhat normal training (albeit months behind). On Feb 16th I competed in the Moab Red Hot 55k, placing 65th, and finishing in my slowest time ever in the 5 times I’ve run the race. More importantly I came out feeling good after the hard week of training ready to continue the momentum.

March 1st found me flying South, headed to visit my sister at Keesler Airforce Base in Biloxi, MS and bound for the Mississippi50. Flat runnable races aren’t my forte, but I figured this would be a fun vacation and probably my best chance to PR in the 50mile distance (<8h19min), so why the heck not. As it turned out I wasn’t the only Coloradoan heading down South for the race, Kristel would be joining friends from NOLA for the 50k.

Race morning was unusually cold for Mississippi, 31F on the car thermostat, but not bad my Colorado standards. At 6am I was cruising down the dirt road into the De Soto NF along with 200+ other runners competing in the 50mile and 50k. The course consists of two loops; a 12.6mi that I’d run 3x and a 6.1mi that I’d run 2x. A mix of soft single track, muddy creek crossings and fire roads, Longleaf trail is anything but boring. As we cruised through the woods it soon became apparent that staying dry was going to be an effort in futility, so right through the middle of the water/mud I went.

Some not so muddy single track at the MS50.

Some not so muddy single track at the MS50.

When I set out that day I had no intention of trying to win, simply to PR, but as we neared mile 30 I found myself with some pop left in the legs so I pushed the second half of lap #3, soon finding myself running all alone in the front of the 50mile. This was a new concept for me, every other time I’ve placed in a race I’d been so far behind the leaders as to not be in contention, but here I was, in first.

As I passed the Start/Finish for the 3rd time my sister (ran the 20k), brother-in-law, and Kristel (won the women’s 50k) were waiting to cheer me on and help me fill my bottle. I was quickly off onto the first of two 6.1mi laps, knowing- those behind me weren’t far. As I sloshed through the mud and dipped up and down the rolling hills I found myself constantly looking back (only a couple 100yards) for pursuers, none appeared. My legs were starting to fade a bit, but on I pushed, and even though my pace had dropped I started my final lap still in the lead, though as it turned out, not by much.

Just a nice day hanging out in the Mississippi forest.

Start/Finish, just a nice day hanging out in the Mississippi forest.

The final 6.1mi loop was a grind; my legs were heavy and tired, though my energy levels were still good. With about 4mi to go, my right hip seized up, was this really going to be the end of my run? Thankfully after a quick stretch it loosened up and I was able to continue my shuffle. As I crested the last little hill before the finish I glanced back and saw nothing but empty trail. At that point I knew I was going to hold on, this was actually happening. I opened up the pace for that last 1/2mi, no for fear of being caught, but for the excitement of winning my first race. As I neared the finish line there were no big crowds, no party, just a handful of race volunteers and my friends and family. As I crossed the timing mat for the fifth and final time (7h29min13sec) I was filled with elation, exhaustion, but mostly satisfaction. Satisfaction that today I’d pushed myself to the limit, run hard, and for the first time ever my efforts had netted me a win.

My legs were trashed, I was famished (having eaten only 12 Vi Fuel and two handfuls of pretzels in 50mi) and thankful to not have to run anymore. The race director Denis presented me with my 1st place trophy and a finisher’s belt buckle, and off I went to chow down on red beans and rice, along with M&Ms and chex mix from the aid station. As I refueled, runners slowly trickled in for the 50k and 50mi races, all equally as excited to finish as I’d been, regardless of place or time. This is why I love ultrarunning, for most of us it’s not a competition against your fellow runners, it’s a competition against yourself. What is your body capable of, what is your mind capable of, and can you push yourself to succeed through all the ups and downs a race has to offer?

Kristel & I with our Awards for first in the 50k and 50mi respectively.

Kristel & I with our Awards for first in the 50k and 50mi respectively.

Getting ready to chow down at The Shed.

Getting ready to chow down at The Shed.

 

 

 

 

 

As soon as I got in the car for the ride home, my legs got pissed off at me and cramped up. I tried to stretch out, but soon the fatigue won out and I feel asleep for most of our ride to “The Shed”. My sister, brother-in-law and I enjoyed some good southern BBQ, what better way to recover? In all I’d have to say the trip to Mississippi was a rousing success; fun time with family, making new friends in a very welcoming ultrarunning community, some good southern style BBQ, a 50min PR in the 50mi distance, and my first ever race win. I highly recommend all runners out there venture away from their regular backyard races to somewhere new. There are many great races and great ultrarunning communities around the country, it’s a shame that we so seldom get a chance to meet up and share the trails. Run strong, run fast, but mostly run happy.

Recovery stroll along the white sand beaches near Biloxi, MS.

Recovery stroll along the white sand beaches near Biloxi, MS.

Nolans14 Completion

After several years of scouting and training on August 31st, 2012 I left the Leadville Fish Hatchery with one goal in mind….to finish Nolans14 in under the 60hour time limit. With help from many amazing friends I was able to accomplish this goal, setting foot in the Blank Gulch TH parking lot 57hours27min14sec after I’d set out. I’d climbed fourteen 14ers in the Sawatch Mt range of Colorado in the second fastest recorded time, becoming only the sixth person to ever complete this feat. My trip reports below detail the training and events that this massive undertaking entailed.

Peak #9 during my Nolans14 Completion.

Peak #9 during my Nolans14 Completion.

Nolans14 Long Detailed Report

Nolans14 Short Report

Special thanks to Vi Fuel for fueling my Nolans14 run and to Cindy Stonesmith of Ultrarunner Training for helping me prepare.

Crestone Five Peak Traverse FKT

Ever since moving to Colorado in 2006, the Crestones have been very high on my “To Do” list. These prominent mountains in the Sangre de Cristo Mts are jagged spires of conglomerate that jut up from valley far below. I tried to climb them once in May, but due to extreme fire danger and heavy smoke, bailed on my route. This time, with clear skies overhead, good weather, and an ambitious plan laid out, I went for it. I left the new South Colony parking lot with the intent on summiting Humboldt, Kit Carson, Challenger, Crestone Peak, and Crestone Needle all in a day. My trip report for the adventure is linked below.

When the dust cleared, I’d successfully summited all five peaks, and in a new FKT of 9h17min05sec (TH->TH). Another fantastic adventure in the mountains.

Crestone Five Peak Traverse in a Day