Thursday, September 13, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Wasatch 100 - Mark
I will post videos and pictures as I get them but thought that I would get my race report out as soon as possible while it is fresh on my mind.
To start off, I FINISHED! My time was 34:36:57. I could not have done what I did without the help of my amazing crew and pacers. Let's start with my crew which was led by my wife Sarah. She was amazing! She took charge and made sure that everyone knew their part. She made sure that the pacers were at their spots and that everything went smooth. My sisters Cathy and Suzy made t-shirts that everyone wore that said "Bulldog's Crew 100 miles of UnMarked territory". They treated blisters, fetched food and water, set up my chair, laid out all my gear and most importantly fed me the most positive vibes I could get. Thank you to Sarah, Cathy, Suzy, Greg (he hiked to Desolation Aid Station in the middle of the night just to say hi), Riley (my daughter who was so organized in the layout of my gear that people were taking pictures) Emmie, Grace, Gordon, Britt, Shane, Cooper and Carla.
My pacers could not have been better. A major thank you to Matt Bennett who kept me laughing the entire evening. Craig Hall who was as attentive as they come and Brian Robbins who pushed me hard at the end. Thank you to them as well!
Now for my review...
Suzy and Cathy gave Luke and I a ride to the start on Friday morning. We left our house at 4 AM and arrived at 4:40 ish. Luke and I checked in and took a couple of pictures then lined up to start. I was grateful that Luke and I could start together as we have been together for the majority of the year. 10 seconds of countdown and we were on the trail. The race, as expected, was congested at the start. I ran in two or three different packs all the way to the start of the climb up Chinscraper. The early race was mostly uneventful but I kept telling myself "you are running the Wasatch 100!" The Chinscraper climb started and I got caught in the "conga line". No real passing was to be done so I settled in and made my way up the hill.
One of the other runners kept taking my picture. At first I was annoyed by this but later found this runner to have a contagious positive attitude and ended up being a great guy! He has run several ultras and really was enjoying the journey. I topped off with water at Cool and Landis Springs and again at Groben's corner. As I crested Chinscraper I was taken back by the view. It was amazing. I also thought that it was fitting that as I was literally summitting the song "How you like me now" by The Heavy came on.
At mile 12 I hit a bad spot. I was majorly bummed that negative thoughts had hit me so early. I started to doubt my ability and could not find a rhythm. I fought this for about two miles. After that I would be fine the rest of the way. Looking back, I am thrilled that I got it out of the way.
I hit the Francis Peak AS (aid station) and was fully rejuvenated. I felt good en route to the Bountiful B but was surprised by the climb to the AS. It reminded me of an elk hunting area down on the Skyline Drive. Steep! I had good climbing legs though and mad it to Bountiful B AS strong. At this AS they had lemon infused hand towels. It felt like the Ritz. I had a ham sandwich and some ice cold coke. It was awesome. Off to Sessions.
I was excited for the next stretch as I was very familiar with the course from here on out. I ran hard to Sessions and quite frankly it snuck up on me. As I rolled in I asked the volunteers for ice. Tons of ice. I wanted tons of ice as I knew I was headed into the hottest part of the course for me. Heat absolutely zaps me. The kind volunteer said "we're out of ice". I was majorly deflated. I filled up with warm water and was on my way. The climb up Sessions and beyond was good but I felt my guts starting to go. I was struggling to eat solids and was relying more on gu. Not my favorite, especially this early on. I was simultaneously starting to over heat. Swallow Rocks, the next AS seemed to be farther than ever before. I finally made it in but was in a foul mood. I was able to have a couple of Popsicles. I had ice in my bottles again. My mood started to change.
I made great time getting into Big Mountain and was blown away when I got there. Big Mountain is the first AS where crew is aloud. It sits at mile 39. As I saw the crew I was overwhelmed and for the first time of the day I felt emotion. They were great and worked much like a NASCAR pit crew getting their driver back on the road. Here is where I picked up my first pacer, Matt Bennett.
Matt was flat out amazing. He let my entire family write messages to me on his legs. This turned into arms and neck etc. It was really anywhere that there was open skin. They were all words of encouragement, it was great. As Matt and I pulled out of Big Mtn., my family had placed signs along the trail. More words of encouragement My personal favorite was from my 9 year old son Cooper which read, "Dad, go the extra inch". What a character! Matt and I ran good. There was one climb that kicked my butt and baugh bearing hill was no joke but all in all we did well. Matt told me many jokes and really kept me laughing. We made it in to Lambs and Matt passed me off to Craig Hall. Matt then went and rode on a bike relay team from Logan, Utah to Jackson Hole, WY (LOTOJA). Matt's team took first place. He is a ROCKSTAR!!
At Lambs I fixed up some blisters, put on some warm clothes, grabbed my head lamps, drank some soup and off we went. The crew at Lamb's was awesome! Craig Hall (A real Ironman) was great. He was the perfect mix of fun and support. We climbed over over Lambs and into Millcreek Canyon. The Lambs climb hurts me everytime and this was no exception. It hurt! We passed another runner who was literally being carried of the hill by his pacer. They were headed back to the Lambs AS. The runner looked like he was in BAD shape. I have thought a lot about him and pray that he is alright. It was a huge wake up call to see just how bad this can get.
The descent into Millcreek was fun. Once there we hiked up the canyon road. I had to chase a porcupine off of the road. It was a good laugh. The Upper Big Water AS was FREEZING COLD. I was shivering out of control. I was finally able to eat solids again in the form of hot bread. It was so good. I ate some noodles and soup and felt good to go. That AS looked like a morgue! It was probably 1AM at this point and depleted bodies seemed to be scattered everywhere. As if I needed it, here was another reminder of the gravity of this race. I killed the climb up to Dog Lake but struggled my way to Desolation. Greg was at Deso and helped me get packed up and back on the trail. Before I left I made my way to the tree line to do my business. This was a relief and made me feel tons better! I know that may be over sharing but it really helped a lot!
We made good time on the crest trail to Scott's AS. That AS went by quick. I should have had more coke as I was wearing down. For the next several miles I zombie walked. At one point I even held Craig's arm and "rested my eyes" as we made our way down the road. Into Brighton we went at about 6:20 AM. We had made it through the night but I was fighting to stay awake. At Brighton the crew took major care of my feet as they were blistered badly. I drank hot cocoa and soup. Ate some bacon and eggs and really felt fully refreshed. Brian and I were on the trail with 10 hours to cover 25 miles.
Brian set a good pace and I fought to stay with him. I had my best Katherine's Pass climb ever. The descent to Ant Knolls was strong. We were passing people right and left and even had one runner say " I wish I felt that good". Something in my right shin popped and put me in pain management the rest of the way. As I type this my shin is swollen and black and blue. A medic at Ant Knolls tried to tape it but within a few miles that tape was off. Oh well, if I didn't feel some pain, it wouldn't be the Wasatch :)
The climb out of Ant Knolls was robust but short and I felt we did well there. We ran the rest of the way to Poll Line. At Poll Line I started to do finish math and realized for the first time that I probably had the finish in the bag. We made up more time en route to Rock Springs. Rock Springs was my least favorite AS. It was covered in wasps and all the water was warm. Oh well I was almost there!
The stretch from Rock Springs to Pot Bottom is just under 6 miles but runs like 12. It has two steep descents! They are known as the plunge and the dive. They are tricky on fresh legs but on tired legs they are down right not nice. None the less we kept moving and made it in to Pot Bottom. This AS has sentimental value as this is where I volunteered a year earlier. I said hello to the volunteers. A few of which I had worked with a year prior. It was nice.
From Pot Bottom to the finish was mostly uneventful. Brian kept me on good pace and we ran strong down the stretch. As we came off trail we had a mile of road to the finish. We ran into my bro-in-law Rob. He was riding his bike and began filming me. He mentioned that we had a huge crew at the finish. I started to get emotional. As we rolled over the top of the hill I saw my new friend Quinton Barney (QB). Quinton has several 100 finishes and has helped me a lot this year in prep and understanding. He is a mentor. When he saw me he started jumping up and down, fist pumping and showing a lot of excitement. When I saw this, I LOST IT! I was crying quite hard and ran to QB. We shared a hug. It was a special moment. He pointed me to the finish line and said "20 yards left, go enjoy it, go enjoy it!".
As I ran on the grass negotiating the last 20 yards I saw familiar face after familiar face. Family and friends many with tears in there eyes. It was amazing! I crossed the line and began hugging whoever was in front of me. It was special. I later received my buckle and plaque but they would be a distant second to the realization of what I have in my family and friends. With them, we finished the Wasatch.
To start off, I FINISHED! My time was 34:36:57. I could not have done what I did without the help of my amazing crew and pacers. Let's start with my crew which was led by my wife Sarah. She was amazing! She took charge and made sure that everyone knew their part. She made sure that the pacers were at their spots and that everything went smooth. My sisters Cathy and Suzy made t-shirts that everyone wore that said "Bulldog's Crew 100 miles of UnMarked territory". They treated blisters, fetched food and water, set up my chair, laid out all my gear and most importantly fed me the most positive vibes I could get. Thank you to Sarah, Cathy, Suzy, Greg (he hiked to Desolation Aid Station in the middle of the night just to say hi), Riley (my daughter who was so organized in the layout of my gear that people were taking pictures) Emmie, Grace, Gordon, Britt, Shane, Cooper and Carla.
My pacers could not have been better. A major thank you to Matt Bennett who kept me laughing the entire evening. Craig Hall who was as attentive as they come and Brian Robbins who pushed me hard at the end. Thank you to them as well!
Now for my review...
Suzy and Cathy gave Luke and I a ride to the start on Friday morning. We left our house at 4 AM and arrived at 4:40 ish. Luke and I checked in and took a couple of pictures then lined up to start. I was grateful that Luke and I could start together as we have been together for the majority of the year. 10 seconds of countdown and we were on the trail. The race, as expected, was congested at the start. I ran in two or three different packs all the way to the start of the climb up Chinscraper. The early race was mostly uneventful but I kept telling myself "you are running the Wasatch 100!" The Chinscraper climb started and I got caught in the "conga line". No real passing was to be done so I settled in and made my way up the hill.
One of the other runners kept taking my picture. At first I was annoyed by this but later found this runner to have a contagious positive attitude and ended up being a great guy! He has run several ultras and really was enjoying the journey. I topped off with water at Cool and Landis Springs and again at Groben's corner. As I crested Chinscraper I was taken back by the view. It was amazing. I also thought that it was fitting that as I was literally summitting the song "How you like me now" by The Heavy came on.
At mile 12 I hit a bad spot. I was majorly bummed that negative thoughts had hit me so early. I started to doubt my ability and could not find a rhythm. I fought this for about two miles. After that I would be fine the rest of the way. Looking back, I am thrilled that I got it out of the way.
I hit the Francis Peak AS (aid station) and was fully rejuvenated. I felt good en route to the Bountiful B but was surprised by the climb to the AS. It reminded me of an elk hunting area down on the Skyline Drive. Steep! I had good climbing legs though and mad it to Bountiful B AS strong. At this AS they had lemon infused hand towels. It felt like the Ritz. I had a ham sandwich and some ice cold coke. It was awesome. Off to Sessions.
I was excited for the next stretch as I was very familiar with the course from here on out. I ran hard to Sessions and quite frankly it snuck up on me. As I rolled in I asked the volunteers for ice. Tons of ice. I wanted tons of ice as I knew I was headed into the hottest part of the course for me. Heat absolutely zaps me. The kind volunteer said "we're out of ice". I was majorly deflated. I filled up with warm water and was on my way. The climb up Sessions and beyond was good but I felt my guts starting to go. I was struggling to eat solids and was relying more on gu. Not my favorite, especially this early on. I was simultaneously starting to over heat. Swallow Rocks, the next AS seemed to be farther than ever before. I finally made it in but was in a foul mood. I was able to have a couple of Popsicles. I had ice in my bottles again. My mood started to change.
I made great time getting into Big Mountain and was blown away when I got there. Big Mountain is the first AS where crew is aloud. It sits at mile 39. As I saw the crew I was overwhelmed and for the first time of the day I felt emotion. They were great and worked much like a NASCAR pit crew getting their driver back on the road. Here is where I picked up my first pacer, Matt Bennett.
Matt was flat out amazing. He let my entire family write messages to me on his legs. This turned into arms and neck etc. It was really anywhere that there was open skin. They were all words of encouragement, it was great. As Matt and I pulled out of Big Mtn., my family had placed signs along the trail. More words of encouragement My personal favorite was from my 9 year old son Cooper which read, "Dad, go the extra inch". What a character! Matt and I ran good. There was one climb that kicked my butt and baugh bearing hill was no joke but all in all we did well. Matt told me many jokes and really kept me laughing. We made it in to Lambs and Matt passed me off to Craig Hall. Matt then went and rode on a bike relay team from Logan, Utah to Jackson Hole, WY (LOTOJA). Matt's team took first place. He is a ROCKSTAR!!
At Lambs I fixed up some blisters, put on some warm clothes, grabbed my head lamps, drank some soup and off we went. The crew at Lamb's was awesome! Craig Hall (A real Ironman) was great. He was the perfect mix of fun and support. We climbed over over Lambs and into Millcreek Canyon. The Lambs climb hurts me everytime and this was no exception. It hurt! We passed another runner who was literally being carried of the hill by his pacer. They were headed back to the Lambs AS. The runner looked like he was in BAD shape. I have thought a lot about him and pray that he is alright. It was a huge wake up call to see just how bad this can get.
The descent into Millcreek was fun. Once there we hiked up the canyon road. I had to chase a porcupine off of the road. It was a good laugh. The Upper Big Water AS was FREEZING COLD. I was shivering out of control. I was finally able to eat solids again in the form of hot bread. It was so good. I ate some noodles and soup and felt good to go. That AS looked like a morgue! It was probably 1AM at this point and depleted bodies seemed to be scattered everywhere. As if I needed it, here was another reminder of the gravity of this race. I killed the climb up to Dog Lake but struggled my way to Desolation. Greg was at Deso and helped me get packed up and back on the trail. Before I left I made my way to the tree line to do my business. This was a relief and made me feel tons better! I know that may be over sharing but it really helped a lot!
We made good time on the crest trail to Scott's AS. That AS went by quick. I should have had more coke as I was wearing down. For the next several miles I zombie walked. At one point I even held Craig's arm and "rested my eyes" as we made our way down the road. Into Brighton we went at about 6:20 AM. We had made it through the night but I was fighting to stay awake. At Brighton the crew took major care of my feet as they were blistered badly. I drank hot cocoa and soup. Ate some bacon and eggs and really felt fully refreshed. Brian and I were on the trail with 10 hours to cover 25 miles.
Brian set a good pace and I fought to stay with him. I had my best Katherine's Pass climb ever. The descent to Ant Knolls was strong. We were passing people right and left and even had one runner say " I wish I felt that good". Something in my right shin popped and put me in pain management the rest of the way. As I type this my shin is swollen and black and blue. A medic at Ant Knolls tried to tape it but within a few miles that tape was off. Oh well, if I didn't feel some pain, it wouldn't be the Wasatch :)
The climb out of Ant Knolls was robust but short and I felt we did well there. We ran the rest of the way to Poll Line. At Poll Line I started to do finish math and realized for the first time that I probably had the finish in the bag. We made up more time en route to Rock Springs. Rock Springs was my least favorite AS. It was covered in wasps and all the water was warm. Oh well I was almost there!
The stretch from Rock Springs to Pot Bottom is just under 6 miles but runs like 12. It has two steep descents! They are known as the plunge and the dive. They are tricky on fresh legs but on tired legs they are down right not nice. None the less we kept moving and made it in to Pot Bottom. This AS has sentimental value as this is where I volunteered a year earlier. I said hello to the volunteers. A few of which I had worked with a year prior. It was nice.
From Pot Bottom to the finish was mostly uneventful. Brian kept me on good pace and we ran strong down the stretch. As we came off trail we had a mile of road to the finish. We ran into my bro-in-law Rob. He was riding his bike and began filming me. He mentioned that we had a huge crew at the finish. I started to get emotional. As we rolled over the top of the hill I saw my new friend Quinton Barney (QB). Quinton has several 100 finishes and has helped me a lot this year in prep and understanding. He is a mentor. When he saw me he started jumping up and down, fist pumping and showing a lot of excitement. When I saw this, I LOST IT! I was crying quite hard and ran to QB. We shared a hug. It was a special moment. He pointed me to the finish line and said "20 yards left, go enjoy it, go enjoy it!".
As I ran on the grass negotiating the last 20 yards I saw familiar face after familiar face. Family and friends many with tears in there eyes. It was amazing! I crossed the line and began hugging whoever was in front of me. It was special. I later received my buckle and plaque but they would be a distant second to the realization of what I have in my family and friends. With them, we finished the Wasatch.
Monday, September 3, 2012
The wait is almost over.
Friday is the first of the two big days. It is surreal that it is almost here. I have put all of the finishing touches on my prep and now all I can do is wait for the gun to sound Friday morning at 5AM.
Luke came over for dinner last night and we tied the bow on all last minute details. Luke is dialed and ready and I see a good day for him. He is as strong as I have ever seen him and all of his hard work will pay off.
I know that I have what it will take to get to the finish line. I have put in the work and the homework and have mentally prepared for both good and bad. The bottom line for me is that I am not the same person that I was in February when all of this became official. I have learned so much about running, mountains, gear, nutrition, technique and more. I have learned that trail running and road running are two different sports. I have learned the most about me! I have learned that far too often we limit ourselves on what we think is or is not possible. There was a couple of moments this year that during a long run I have doubted myself and this process but in each and every case I have learned to overcome. The ability to overcome is one of the greatest learnings of my life.
Now it is time to go put the icing on the cake that has been this year. A FINISH!
You can track me throughout the race at www.wasatch100.com I will be wearing bib # 75. Thank you for all of the love and support I have recieved all year long.
The runners prayer, "Lord you pick em' up and I'll put em' down"
Luke came over for dinner last night and we tied the bow on all last minute details. Luke is dialed and ready and I see a good day for him. He is as strong as I have ever seen him and all of his hard work will pay off.
I know that I have what it will take to get to the finish line. I have put in the work and the homework and have mentally prepared for both good and bad. The bottom line for me is that I am not the same person that I was in February when all of this became official. I have learned so much about running, mountains, gear, nutrition, technique and more. I have learned that trail running and road running are two different sports. I have learned the most about me! I have learned that far too often we limit ourselves on what we think is or is not possible. There was a couple of moments this year that during a long run I have doubted myself and this process but in each and every case I have learned to overcome. The ability to overcome is one of the greatest learnings of my life.
Now it is time to go put the icing on the cake that has been this year. A FINISH!
You can track me throughout the race at www.wasatch100.com I will be wearing bib # 75. Thank you for all of the love and support I have recieved all year long.
The runners prayer, "Lord you pick em' up and I'll put em' down"
Sunday, August 12, 2012
King's Peak: 13,527 feet
A few weeks ago a new found trail running buddy mentioned that he was going to do a King's summit. King's Peak is situated in the Uintah Mountains and represents the highest point in Utah. This had been on my bucket list for a long time and now the thought of doing the 29 mile round trip summit in one day was super appealing...so I was in.
I mentioned to my brothers Greg and Brian that I was going and they both said "cool when should we be ready?" I love that these two did an "off the couch" 29 mile day. They are both mountain men and have incredible abilities backed up by guts and grit second to none.
In short we had a great and adventurous day. We had a runner in the group fall, sprain his wrist, break his nose and deviate his septum. We "bouldered" for a bit. We experienced the light headedness that comes with that altitude. We saw views and sights that can only be seen from that height. We ALL summited.
Other than a brief bout with the altitude and climb, I felt great. I ran the last ten miles hard and finished strong. Now it is taper time. I felt this was an appropriate last long run. A great day! Below are some pictures from the day. Enjoy!!
I mentioned to my brothers Greg and Brian that I was going and they both said "cool when should we be ready?" I love that these two did an "off the couch" 29 mile day. They are both mountain men and have incredible abilities backed up by guts and grit second to none.
In short we had a great and adventurous day. We had a runner in the group fall, sprain his wrist, break his nose and deviate his septum. We "bouldered" for a bit. We experienced the light headedness that comes with that altitude. We saw views and sights that can only be seen from that height. We ALL summited.
Other than a brief bout with the altitude and climb, I felt great. I ran the last ten miles hard and finished strong. Now it is taper time. I felt this was an appropriate last long run. A great day! Below are some pictures from the day. Enjoy!!
Greg crossing the foot bridge.
Brian with King's over his shoulder in the early morning light.
Awesome approach mileage.
King's through the grass.
Me on the summit.
Brian cruising the descent.
Monday, July 30, 2012
SpeedGoat 50K - Mark
Speedgoat re-cap
What a day! I am a day later and still not sure exactly what happened. No matter what happened, I have a finisher’s medal hanging in my bathroom and a bright yellow race shirt to be worn. The Speedgoat is a 50K (31 Mile) race that is held at Snowbird ski resort in Utah. This has been widely promoted as the toughest 50K in the US as it has 11,420 vertical feet of climbing the lowest of which is over 7,000 feet with the majority of the race being over 9,000 and reaching as high as 11,000 in some places. Hoka, a shoe company, who sponsored the race said it best…”Welcome to sufferfest 2012”.
There was a lot of buzz surrounding the goat this year as it was bringing in one of the best fields in any ultra. The likes of Killian Jornet, Max King, Joe Grant, Tony Krupicka and on and on were all in attendance. Probably 10 of the top 20 trail runners in the world toed the line. It was very cool to see them all and for a brief moment witness their greatness. I joked with people throughout the day that I probably would have won if Killian didn’t cut me off. They are freaks of nature and I have nothing but the utmost respect for their abilities.
Luke and I stayed at Snowbird on Friday night after some pizza we basically stressed over the next day’s events for the majority of the night. We waffled back and forth that the course was doable and that it was impossible. We finally decided on possible and went to sleep.
What's to stress?
At 4:15 AM the alarm sounded and we slowly fueled and got ready. I felt good and was happy that I was able to get some sleep the night before my first ultra with a bib on. We made our way to registration. We were given our bibs, a Patagonia t-shirt and a pair of Dry Max socks. Pretty cool swag! The elites started to roll in and all I could think is that these guys are tiny! Killian was maybe 5’6” 120 pounds. After a quick debriefing from ultra-legend Karl Meltzer we made our way to the start and a day of mayhem.
The race starts with 8 miles of back and forth climbing of the resort eventually reaching Hidden Peak. I felt quite strong and very in control through the first 8. I filled both of my bottles at the water only aid station at 4 and “punched” two stinger waffles on my ascent. Once I reached Hidden I was very happy to see my oldest brother Greg and a few other running friends that were feeding me nothing but positivity. Greg would prove to be a breath of fresh air several times throughout the day. A quick fuel at the aid station and I was on my way down into Mineral Basin.
Mile 8. The first of two Hidden Peak Summits on the day.
As I made my descent I felt strong and passed several people all while keeping my heart rate in line. The wild flowers in Mineral Basin were AMAZING! I could not believe them. Had I not been in a nice little rhythm I would have stopped for pictures. The reds, blues and purples accented with a few yellows were breathtaking. I felt bad kicking those that had overgrown on the trail. I made my way into Larry’s Hole aid station still on top of my game.
After Larry’s Hole I ran into an intersection with the Top 5 runners. They blew by me on their way back up the hill. It was amazing to see these elite athletes giving the mountain all they had. I was inspired. After another short climb, I began the long, rocky descent into the Pacific Mine aid station. In route, I rolled my ankle. After about 100 yard of a pronounced limp the pain left and I was back into a run. The human body amazes me! The Pacific Mine aid station is situated at the back side of a mile out and back. As I am coming in, I see other runners going out. They all had smiles on their face and seemed generally refreshed. Upon my arrival I found out why. ICE!! The day had been so hot that anything cold was welcome. The aid station volunteers were amazing. While a lady was refilling my bottles a man was toweling my head, neck and shoulders with an ice towel. At this aid station I met ginger ale. This beverage may have saved my day. It was so good and so refreshing. I swallowed a few pieces of whole ice to cool my stomach and make digesting Gu easier. Roch Horton the aid station captain and ultra running stud told me with a maniacal tone that there was a hill coming up. With that in mind I was back on the trail and wrapping my mind around what was about to happen.
Tony Krupicka tearing up the trail. He would eventually take 3rd.
Straight up was the name of the game for the next 7 miles. I am not joking, it didn’t end. I went through both of my bottles with about 2 miles to go to Larry’s Hole an aid station that you hit twice. The trail was saturated with water and I thought it had to be coming from a spring. About 500 yards later there was the spring. I topped both bottles and thanked the good Lord above. Had it not been for that spring this report would be much different. I made my way to Larry’s Hole and refueled trying to avoid looking at the group of 5 or so runners that had dropped waiting for a lift back to the start. I avoided looking at them as I did not want to join them and they looked relieved to be done.
The climb from Larry’s Hole to the top of Baldy is straight up. Slow and steady was the name of the game. I came to the base of the most significant climb and was met by a trail guide who told me that I had a mile to go to the Tunnel aid station and 55 minutes to do so before cut-off. After an absolute dog fight with that mountain I arrived at the tunnel aid station with 12 minutes to spare. You read that right, a 43 minute mile. And I passed people!
Greg was at the tunnel aid station and got me pumped up for the last 8 miles that included one more monumental climb. I ate a Popsicle as I walked through the tunnel and was totally refreshed and ready to go. After a bomber downhill the trail turned upward for the final climb to Hidden Peak for the second time. It was slow and steady. Pulling into that aid station was a huge relief. I knew that it was all downhill from there. More Ginger Ale and a bit of fruit and a brief moment to enjoy the view from the top was just what I needed to bang out the last 5.
This tunnel has a moving sidewalk that skiers and boarders can stand on and go from back mountain to front and back. It was cool and I felt that I could have stayed in there all day.
On the descent to the finish I felt alive. I was making good time and passing people. I ended up passing 6 down the hill. The last mile seemed to take forever. I finally rounded the last corner and made my way across the line. I completed the toughest 50K out there. Yes!!!
Me and the fam.
It was so cool to cross the finish line and hug my wife and kids. Then it was Luke’s turn. We maybe hugged each other a little too tight. I think it was because we both knew what we had just been through. Then I hugged Greg, who had pumped me up all day. I cannot say enough how much these people mean to me and to have them there was HUGE.
Luke and Greg. Both mountain men in every sense of the world. Two of my biggest heroes.
This race was very well organized. The course marking was flawless. The aid stations and volunteers were amazing. The scenery was second to none.
As a side note Killian Jornet (Spain)crossed the finish line first but accidentally cut the course. From what I was told, European trail racing allows cutting switchbacks if you are able to run straight downhill which Killian did. For a re-cap visit www.irunfar.com
This was a great day and I am happy with the finish. At one point during the race I felt like the Wasatch was out of reach. It was a low point. After a quick check myself moment I regained my confidence and desire to do it all over again in September.
Thanks to all who cheered me on and sent positive vibes my way.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Achiva
I recently heard of a new local company called Achiva. They have essentially created a nutritional supplement that incorporates dehydrated coconut water and chia seeds. Both coconut water and chia seeds are the new rage in endurance sports. I thought the joining of the two seemed ingenious. We emailed them and they gave us a few samples to try.
The first day that I tried Achiva, I PR'd (personal record) a local 6 mile loop that I run often and call the Butler Bolt. The next day I tried Achiva, I PR'd the bolt again. My immediate thought was that this is too good to be true! Maybe a placebo? The more that I put it to the test, the more it helps. I am officially a believer.
On the Achiva website, www.achivaenergy.com they reference a few benefits of the chia seeds. They are listed below.
In a sport where you are doing anything that you can to get any additional energy, Achiva is aces! The help that it offers on hydration and energy is really second to none. I plan on using Achiva on all of my long trainers and for sure on race day. I highly recommend that you give it a try. You can follow them on facebook, twitter and they again can be found online at www.achivaenergy.com
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
MAJOR FUNK
I must admit going into this whole adventure, I knew keeping up on our blog was going to be a challenge for me. I am not sure if it is sheer laziness or if I fall under the cliche of "not enough time". Either way, here is my latest situation.
My training has been coming along great until recently. I have successfully done several 20+ mile back to back weekends and was keeping up on my weekly climbing mileage. I was feeling pretty dialed in. As Mark updated, we did the Wahsatch Steeplechase a few weeks ago. I had overestimated my goal time of 3 hours. I ended up finishing in 3:29. It was a good day but I must admit I did not love the course. The climb and the crags were awesome but the downhill had more road miles than I had thought. I have become such a trail snob that I hate running on roads now.
What alarmed me most about that day was how tired I felt after and the hour plus of racing chest pains I was experiencing. I kept up on my hydration given the 95 degree temps and my food intake was spot on. I have had bad days on the trail and have felt tired and beat after long runs but something just did not feel right. I struggled to recover during the following week and I was beginning to get a little worried.
As anyone who knows me will attest, I do not go to the doctor. Overloads on Vitamin C, Zinc and the occasional super glue band aide fix at home is my norm. I have been fortunate to know my body very well and can usually just tough out any ailment. Something just did not feel right this time though. April convinced me to go and get a quick check up to make sure everything was up to par. I begrudgingly made the appointment and hind site was glad I did. I had some routine blood work, EKG and echo cardiogram done. My heart readings can back good, not great. My heart has slightly enlarged due to the vast training and work I have put in. Not too alarming, but I just need to keep an eye on it. What really slapped me square in face though was my blood work results. I was suffering from early signs of renal failure. I had broken my muscles down so much from all the training that my kidneys were having a hard time clearing out all the crap in my body. My kidneys were functioning at about 65% of normal!!! Rest and tons of fluids were the only prescription. Not really what I wanted or could afford to hear as my training schedule is reaching its peak.
I have backed off the miles in the last few weeks. Anton (one of my best friends and pacers for Wasatch 100) and I have still done several long, slow hikes to try and keep my legs strong. I am feeling much better this week and I will have one last set of blood tests to make sure I am back to "normal". I am itching to get back into the training routine.
I have a 50K in Millcreek Canyon next weekend. It should be a riot. It is another "fun run" meaning just a bunch of people getting together for a run. No timing chips or official results. It starts at 9pm and will stretch through most of the night. Great training for the long night during the Wasatch 100. In addition, Mark and I have the Speedgoat 50K in two weeks. It is considered the toughest 50K in America. It is a race put on by local SLC resident and world class ultra runner Karl Meltzer. 13,000 feet of climbing and 13,000 feet of decent in Snowbird Ski Resort. Definitely not for the faint of heart. We will keep you posted on this crazy month of July.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Wahsatch Steeplchase - Mark
This last Saturday I ran the Wahsatch Steeplechase. This race is promoted as total elevation gain and loss of about 9,000 feet over the 17 mile course. It started at Memory Grove, just off the Utah state capital, and finished at the same park.
I had no idea what to expect of this race. I had obviously never done it and had heard mixed reviews but that it was a good trainer for the Wasatch 100. I had no familiarity with the course other than reading through the description that they had online. On the Thursday before the race Luke called me with genuine concern evident in his voice. He lovingly asked if I had seen the course? I said that I had briefly read up on it and saw a picture or two. He referred me to a video on youtube, knowing my disdain of heights, that highlighted "the scramble" or "crag" section of the course. As I watched the video my palms began to sweat. The top part of the course, also the top part of Black Mountain, was CLIFFS.
I called a few friends that had done the race and asked about the cliffs. I was hoping for a "you'll be fine" or a "it really isn't that bad" but was met with a "you'll hate it" and a "I hope you don't fall".
Luke picked me up at 5:00 AM and we headed to Memory Grove to start. We parked by the state capital building which was amazing looking in the sunrise hew.
The race kicked of about ten minutes late. We started running a paved road that led to the single track trail. This was the first place that I would experience a bottle neck. Single file was the name of the game with very little passing to be done. Once the trail opened up I settled into a good pace and felt like the day would go well. Not knowing what to expect I had packed two handhelds (water bottles) and my hydration pack with about 2 liters of water. In hind sight the two handhelds probably would have done the trick getting me from aid station to aid station.
I felt very good for the first 4 or 5 miles and topped off my bottles at the Bobsled Junction aid station (AS). From there the climb up to and across the rollers felt good too. I was keeping an eye on my calorie intake and felt like I was still in good position to have a great day. I had started out slowly, on purpose, and at this point started to pass a lot of people all while keeping my heart rate manageable. The climb up to the scramble was slow but I still felt in control and had caught the next group of people.
There are a few false tops on the way up Black Mtn. but nothing that was so deflating that I got discouraged. The scramble is where the race became entertaining. I ditched my handhelds on my pack and used all four to negotiate the rock outcroppings that interfered with the trail. There were some that you could jump down and some that you had to slide down but by and large nothing too crazy. This did bottle neck again and turned slow.
I had no idea what to expect of this race. I had obviously never done it and had heard mixed reviews but that it was a good trainer for the Wasatch 100. I had no familiarity with the course other than reading through the description that they had online. On the Thursday before the race Luke called me with genuine concern evident in his voice. He lovingly asked if I had seen the course? I said that I had briefly read up on it and saw a picture or two. He referred me to a video on youtube, knowing my disdain of heights, that highlighted "the scramble" or "crag" section of the course. As I watched the video my palms began to sweat. The top part of the course, also the top part of Black Mountain, was CLIFFS.
I called a few friends that had done the race and asked about the cliffs. I was hoping for a "you'll be fine" or a "it really isn't that bad" but was met with a "you'll hate it" and a "I hope you don't fall".
Luke picked me up at 5:00 AM and we headed to Memory Grove to start. We parked by the state capital building which was amazing looking in the sunrise hew.
The race kicked of about ten minutes late. We started running a paved road that led to the single track trail. This was the first place that I would experience a bottle neck. Single file was the name of the game with very little passing to be done. Once the trail opened up I settled into a good pace and felt like the day would go well. Not knowing what to expect I had packed two handhelds (water bottles) and my hydration pack with about 2 liters of water. In hind sight the two handhelds probably would have done the trick getting me from aid station to aid station.
I felt very good for the first 4 or 5 miles and topped off my bottles at the Bobsled Junction aid station (AS). From there the climb up to and across the rollers felt good too. I was keeping an eye on my calorie intake and felt like I was still in good position to have a great day. I had started out slowly, on purpose, and at this point started to pass a lot of people all while keeping my heart rate manageable. The climb up to the scramble was slow but I still felt in control and had caught the next group of people.
There are a few false tops on the way up Black Mtn. but nothing that was so deflating that I got discouraged. The scramble is where the race became entertaining. I ditched my handhelds on my pack and used all four to negotiate the rock outcroppings that interfered with the trail. There were some that you could jump down and some that you had to slide down but by and large nothing too crazy. This did bottle neck again and turned slow.
Heading up to the crags
Then we got to the cliffs. The bottle neck left me sitting on a rock for about 10-15 minutes with little to no progress. I wasn't upset as I realized that I may be slowing others soon. Don't look down! You have too! That is how you know where your feet go. The drop was long. I made it through the first several drops easy enough and even mustered up a joke or two to my fellow chasers. Then the big one came. For a moment I was paralyzed. I thought so this is how I will get my first DNF (did not finish). I said to the spotter below. I CAN'T DO THIS! He said back "I can't help unless you ask" I lovingly replied HELP!!! I turned and faced the rock and he placed my foot in two places that helped me get down to the ledge below. Heart rate accelerated and not due to exertion. In all it took me just over 30 minutes to get through this part of the course. Too long. Time goal out the window.
Southern view from the top of Black.
I was able to make good time to the Smugglers Gap AS. I topped off the handhelds again, fixed my socks and bombed the switchbacks into City Creek canyon. I passed 8 people and felt strong. Once I hit the road, the wheels came off. I could not muster even one possitive thought and was reduced to a walk on a few occasions. I was assessing what was wrong. Was it my legs? No, they felt fine. Heart rate? I was breathing with my mouth closed. Brain? Probably but I hadn't dealt with that in a long time. I think it is this pavement! Pavement after months on trail really feels gross. Was that it? No idea. Never could figure it out.
I made my way to the finish happy to have another race under the belt but bummed that I finished so poorly. I need that to happen again so I can keep learning how to manage the blow ups that will inevitably happen in September.
In conclusion this was not my favorite race. Butch who put the race on seems super cool but the course left some to be desired. The shirts were great. Silhouetted by a mountain the words "Back to Black" scrolled the front chest. Last year the course was cut short and excluded Black Mountain due to record amounts of high country snow.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Double Life
I used to listen to quite a bit of country music. My favorite was Chris LeDoux. One of his songs was titled "Dallas Days and Forth Worth Nights". It speaks of a cowboy who spends his days working hard in the corporate life of Dallas while spending his nights honkey-tonking in Ft. Worth. I have thought about this song lately and think that it is a great description of my current life.
We are in the final stages of buying a new home. Planning a race in which I am directing. (see: www.bowcastatthebird.com and search the bowathalon) Keeping up with the normal stresses of work life all while raising a family. It is busy! It is loud! It is fast paced! All of the above amounts to heightened stress levels for me.
Contrast that stress with the relief that comes at 5:30 P.M. when I am usually starting out on a remote Wasatch trail. Most of the time I will see no more than 5 people. It is quiet. It is peaceful. It is inspiring.
I LOVE both lives that I am living right now. I would not trade my family, my job or any of the stresses that I have. I do realize that I am blessed with more than I feel that I deserve. I am simply stating that the contrast between the two is stark.
Training has been going well. I have had three weeks of feeling super strong followed by a humbling day yesterday. In all I would say that I am happy with the progress and excited about how much more I can improve. I will throw in here that Luke has gone full animal and I (emphasis on I) feel he could go under 28 hours if not faster. He is inspiring to watch.
We are in the final stages of buying a new home. Planning a race in which I am directing. (see: www.bowcastatthebird.com and search the bowathalon) Keeping up with the normal stresses of work life all while raising a family. It is busy! It is loud! It is fast paced! All of the above amounts to heightened stress levels for me.
Contrast that stress with the relief that comes at 5:30 P.M. when I am usually starting out on a remote Wasatch trail. Most of the time I will see no more than 5 people. It is quiet. It is peaceful. It is inspiring.
I LOVE both lives that I am living right now. I would not trade my family, my job or any of the stresses that I have. I do realize that I am blessed with more than I feel that I deserve. I am simply stating that the contrast between the two is stark.
Training has been going well. I have had three weeks of feeling super strong followed by a humbling day yesterday. In all I would say that I am happy with the progress and excited about how much more I can improve. I will throw in here that Luke has gone full animal and I (emphasis on I) feel he could go under 28 hours if not faster. He is inspiring to watch.
This is a shot that I took Northeast of Big Mountain. That is the Great Salt Lake in the distance. This was a great day!
My friend Danny Webb and I ran into this young bull moose up Butler Fork last week. He would not move and we had to RUN by him at about 10 yards.
This is Luke and I with Desolation Lake in the background. This is on the Wasatch course.
Luke waiting at Lake Mary
Me at Lake Mary
In all I have covered about 50 miles of the course. I will soon do the other 50 and have more familiarity with the course. Next week Luke and I will be racing at the Wahasatch Steeplechase an 18 miler with roughly 4,000 feet of climb.
Coming soon. A review of a dietary supplement called Achiva. It contains chia seeds and dehydrated coconut water.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Do you believe in destiny?
This last weekend Luke and I decided to do a long run that would take us from Big Mountain in East Canyon to Mill D in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The route would encompass 4 major canyons in the Wasatch range. East Canyon, Lambs Canyon, Millcreek Canyon and Big Cottonwood Canyon. In all we would travel 28 miles 22 of which would be on the course of the Wasatch.
On Saturday morning we dropped a car in Big Cottonwood and traveled to East Canyon. As we started down the canyon road Luke had remembered that he forgot his iPod. This was worth a turn around and posed the question from Luke to myself, "do you believe in destiny?" For example, what might happen the rest of the day due to the time delay of the turn around. For some reason I thought about this a lot and have determined that I do believe and will explain why. For now we'll get back to the trail.
The weather called for a chilly, rainy, windy day. Luke and I are both believers of the "there is no bad weather just bad gear" mindset. It was actually fairly warm when we started on the Great Western trail out of the Big Mountain parking lot. In fact after the first mile we were both shedding clothes.
We were to follow the Wasatch course description to Lambs canyon. This stretch spans 13 miles or 14 if you go the wrong way. Things were going great through mile 5. Physically we both felt strong and the newness of running this area was euphoric. We came to a split in the trail and actually started down the correct trail and determined that perhaps the other way was the correct route. It looked like it may be used more and we even talked ourselves into landscapes matching the printed description that we had. Shortly after we ran into some other trail runners that we had met a time or two before. For some reason this solitified that we were on the right course.
Once we reached Lambs we both determined that we were going all the way! Luke made short work of the climb from Lambs into Millcreek. I was slower but felt much better than I had anticipated. We made good time to Upper Big Water and into Dog Lake. From Dog it was all down hill into Mill D. It was Memorial Day so the trail was scattered with hikers. It was such a cool vibe and people seemed to look at us as though we had come from another planet. When I saw the Mill D parking lot, which was PACKED, I let out a big YYYAAAAHHHHHOOOOO. I was excited to see the end. I was excited that I had just gone further than I had ever been. I was excited that I felt like I could keep going.
Luke was great and hung with me all day. He has the ability to bury this course but stayed with me and ended up saving my day. At mile 20 my guts started to churn. Luke suggested that I eat some snow to cool my stomach thus making digestion easier. I packed both of my handheld and chewed the snow as we went. Placebo or not my guts felt better shortly thereafter and I finished strong.
So, do I believe in destiny? Yes! Would I have done 42 weekend miles otherwise? No! Would the right way arrow have been there? No! Would we have run into the other trail runners that had the pack on that we decided that we both want on race day? No!Would there have been stomach cooling snow? No! In short, thanks for forgetting your iPod Luke.
On Saturday morning we dropped a car in Big Cottonwood and traveled to East Canyon. As we started down the canyon road Luke had remembered that he forgot his iPod. This was worth a turn around and posed the question from Luke to myself, "do you believe in destiny?" For example, what might happen the rest of the day due to the time delay of the turn around. For some reason I thought about this a lot and have determined that I do believe and will explain why. For now we'll get back to the trail.
The weather called for a chilly, rainy, windy day. Luke and I are both believers of the "there is no bad weather just bad gear" mindset. It was actually fairly warm when we started on the Great Western trail out of the Big Mountain parking lot. In fact after the first mile we were both shedding clothes.
We were to follow the Wasatch course description to Lambs canyon. This stretch spans 13 miles or 14 if you go the wrong way. Things were going great through mile 5. Physically we both felt strong and the newness of running this area was euphoric. We came to a split in the trail and actually started down the correct trail and determined that perhaps the other way was the correct route. It looked like it may be used more and we even talked ourselves into landscapes matching the printed description that we had. Shortly after we ran into some other trail runners that we had met a time or two before. For some reason this solitified that we were on the right course.
Me on the at mile 2 of our run. The scenery was amazing.
Luke closing in on Bald Mountain. A peak which gives a 360 panoramic second to none.
After stopping several times to read the map Luke had determined that we were off course. I refused to believe. We both kept talking ourselves into making the description make sense. We found ourselves on a pipeline that rolled UP and DOWN. We followed this pipeline for several miles which in hind sight is really quite comical. The pipeline was steep and deep with really no trail to be followed.
Steep
Deep. I really wish that this picture did the length and pitch of the hill in the background justice.
We did find this poached Elk carcass. Makes for a cool picture.
Shortly after we realized that we were off course the weather turned. It turned quick. Rain and wind pelted us and it got flat out cold! We ended up coming off the trail at Mtn. Dell golf course. We debated back and forth and determined that we would call it a day and try again another time. We called Luke's wife April and she came to our rescue. Not after we took a few hacks.
Sunday night Luke called and after a quick chat we decided that we try again. Luke studied the map and saw where we had gone wrong. The weather was to be much better. We decided to take one car and we would go until we felt like we were done and would call Sarah for a ride. We started again at Big Mountain and again felt great. I was curious to see how my legs and body would hold up after going 14 just two days before. I ended up being pleasantly surprised.
As we approached the wrong turn I saw a huge smile on Luke's face. Someone had actually put rocks across the wrong trail and drew an arrow on the right trail. We both had a good laugh about how nice it would have been to have that there on Saturday.
Right is right straight is wrong.
The course sweeps the East Canyon and Little Dell area and offers some very cool scenery. I snapped the shot below of Luke in the Alexander Springs area. This section was hot even at 9:00 AM. We have both been told that this is a rough stretch on race day as it is wide open and gets very hot. It spans mile 38 to 51 ish on the course.
Once we reached Lambs we both determined that we were going all the way! Luke made short work of the climb from Lambs into Millcreek. I was slower but felt much better than I had anticipated. We made good time to Upper Big Water and into Dog Lake. From Dog it was all down hill into Mill D. It was Memorial Day so the trail was scattered with hikers. It was such a cool vibe and people seemed to look at us as though we had come from another planet. When I saw the Mill D parking lot, which was PACKED, I let out a big YYYAAAAHHHHHOOOOO. I was excited to see the end. I was excited that I had just gone further than I had ever been. I was excited that I felt like I could keep going.
Luke was great and hung with me all day. He has the ability to bury this course but stayed with me and ended up saving my day. At mile 20 my guts started to churn. Luke suggested that I eat some snow to cool my stomach thus making digestion easier. I packed both of my handheld and chewed the snow as we went. Placebo or not my guts felt better shortly thereafter and I finished strong.
So, do I believe in destiny? Yes! Would I have done 42 weekend miles otherwise? No! Would the right way arrow have been there? No! Would we have run into the other trail runners that had the pack on that we decided that we both want on race day? No!Would there have been stomach cooling snow? No! In short, thanks for forgetting your iPod Luke.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Big Mountain to Mill D Teaser
Luke and I had a debacle coupled with some destiny. In all we had a 41 mile weekend. If at first you don't succeed try and try again. Here is a video to wet your appetite. Story and pictures to follow.
This video is brought to you by Double Realty.
This video is brought to you by Double Realty.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
GRANDEUR FUN RUN
This last weekend was another informal race dubbed the Grandeur Fun Run. By informal, it is similar to the Bosho event I ran last month. Just a bunch of people getting together to test themselves against one hell of a climb and for some friendly competition. The run climbs up the west spine of Grandeur, down Church Fork in Millcreek Canyon, two miles on the Pipeline Trail, one last small climb and a steep decent back to the start. A killer pancake breakfast was waiting at the finish.
Grandeur is one of the four major peaks in the Salt Lake Valley along the Wasatch Front. Starting on the north end next to Parley canyon is Grandeur, then Mt. Olympus, Twin Peaks and finally Lone Peak in the south end of the valley.
The race began at 7am with approximately 100 runners. The canyon winds made for a chilly start. The climb to the summit is 2.2 miles but covers 3,400 vertical feet. It is relentless. There are two short 50 yard flat sections where you can get a little recovery and then right back to having the hill right in your face. Passing on the climb is difficult because it is a narrow single track so I just buried my head and set in for a long grind. I made the summit in 1 hour flat. My best time by about 4 minutes. My buddy Peter Bland went up early in the morning for a climb and waited for me at the top (quick side note.......Peter saw a black bear as he was coming back down the trail about 1/2 mile from the start!!!) I ditched my jacket with him as he gave me a few encouraging words to push it on the decent. I have become a fairly strong downhill runner lately and I knew I could pick off a few people here.
My legs were feeling surprisingly fresh and strong. I was able to pass 6 people down Church Fork and 6 more on the Pipeline Trail to the finish. I caught up to a kid early on the Pipeline. We ran the rest of the way together and finished about 15 seconds apart. Chatting with him at the finish, I explained that I was doing my best to pull away from him and he was pushing hard to try and catch me. We pushed and pulled each other to a pace much quicker than we thought we could hold. Pretty cool when the competitive juices kick in.
Final steep decent
There is one last 1/3 mile climb up a hill named Bambi. Not sure why it got this name.....not quite so gentle and cuddly as the name implies. For a relatively short climb, it is a killer. Then a bomber downhill to the finish. I finished the day with a time of 2 hours 8 minutes. My best time on that loop by nearly 13 minutes. I ended up in 27th place. Not a bad day considering a strong pool of local runners.
Knowing I need to start getting more quality back to back long runs in, I banged out a 20 mile run Sunday morning on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. My legs were dead from the start but managed to pull it off in 4 hours. All in all a great weekend.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Catching up.
It has been too long since my last post. I will do my best to catch you all up. Training has by and large been going good. I have only had one injury and it didn't keep me down long. I'll explain as we go.
I am continually impressed by the sheer amount of time that my brain thinks about this race. I have Wasatch thoughts all day every day! By and large I have been okay at avoiding distractions at work but it is HARD. I have an app on my phone that does a days countdown and we are now only 113 days away. I should probably delete the app but I think it helps with my urgency in training.
So by way of re-cap here we go....
Last month I decided to run the SLC Marathon for a second time. My sixth full marathon overall.This year the marathon was under stress as ownership changed late in the game and the race even happening was in question. John Peterson, my good friend and potential pacer, was running it and I decided the Wednesday before to join in the fun.
The day was hot! My strategy was to run it with a low heart rate and practice "crewing" with my wife Sarah. I asked her to meet me at mile 15 and we would change out some clothes and GU's etc. I am glad that we practiced as it did not go well. At least we have 113 days to get it right :) Sarah is an amazing support and often pushes me out the door and encourages me to go harder and stronger on my runs. There have been a few times that I have felt that I have to finish the Wasatch to pay her back for all of her support and sacrifice. I am not sure that there is anything that I can do to pay her back.
I finished the race and felt totally fine. In fact that day and the next I was out playing basketball with my son. The first marathon that I did I laid in bed for two days. I attribute all of my hill training and a by chance ice bath to my speedy recovery.
This picture was taken in the saddle of Lambs and Millcreek Canyon. I was pretty puckered at this point as I had been cutting moose tracks for a half hour. Five minutes before I snapped this pic I cut the biggest cougar track that I have ever seen. I prefer cougars to moose but the combination had the juices flowing.
Here is the sign for upper big water. This is located at the top of Millcreek Canyon. There was still a significant amount of snow here but with the temps as high as they've been we should be snow free soon.
This picture was taken last night. The subject is my 10 year old son Camden. He has a major mountain goat motor. If I wasn't so worried about a mental breakdown on my part I would have him pace me on the big day. He said to me while we were climbing Oly "Dad, you are gonna nail the Wasatch!" I said "I hope so buddy" to which he replied "you don't need to hope! You've got this!!" I hope that I can remember his words of faith and encouragement when I am deep in the pain cave in September.
I am continually impressed by the sheer amount of time that my brain thinks about this race. I have Wasatch thoughts all day every day! By and large I have been okay at avoiding distractions at work but it is HARD. I have an app on my phone that does a days countdown and we are now only 113 days away. I should probably delete the app but I think it helps with my urgency in training.
So by way of re-cap here we go....
Last month I decided to run the SLC Marathon for a second time. My sixth full marathon overall.This year the marathon was under stress as ownership changed late in the game and the race even happening was in question. John Peterson, my good friend and potential pacer, was running it and I decided the Wednesday before to join in the fun.
The day was hot! My strategy was to run it with a low heart rate and practice "crewing" with my wife Sarah. I asked her to meet me at mile 15 and we would change out some clothes and GU's etc. I am glad that we practiced as it did not go well. At least we have 113 days to get it right :) Sarah is an amazing support and often pushes me out the door and encourages me to go harder and stronger on my runs. There have been a few times that I have felt that I have to finish the Wasatch to pay her back for all of her support and sacrifice. I am not sure that there is anything that I can do to pay her back.
I finished the race and felt totally fine. In fact that day and the next I was out playing basketball with my son. The first marathon that I did I laid in bed for two days. I attribute all of my hill training and a by chance ice bath to my speedy recovery.
This is me ice bathing in the fountains in front of KSL news studio.
I have been spending a lot of time on Mt. Olympus. It is close to home and a great place to get a lot of vertical. I will be spending less time there as the rattlesnakes are out in full force. I did go to the saddle a couple of weeks ago and was treated to this great scene.
One of my other favorite runs is Bells Canyon. Bells is a small canyon located at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. It is flanked by towering granite cliffs. There are waterfalls and a couple of small lakes up there. Luke, Anton and I spent one night up there in which we all fell.
This is where my injury comes into play. I was running down a medium grade hill and running faster than I have ever run. I felt like I was on rails. It was dusk and visibility was not ideal. I had a headlamp on but was losing the trail in the shadows as the dusky light was essentially cancelling out that of my headlamp. I must have side stepped a root or rock or something because I severely rolled my ankle. I heard it pop over my tunes that were blaring in my ears. I was able to close the remaining 3/4 mile down the trail and with the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate) I was back on the trail 4 days later.
Luke and Anton pose under the Granite Cathedrals.
Luke snapped this shot of me with Salt Lake Valley in the distance.
Last Saturday I ran 19 miles 9 of which were on the Wasatch course. I parked at the mouth of Lambs Canyon and ran up the canyon road to the Lambs Canyon trail. The Lambs Canyon trail climbs up into the high reaches of Millcreek Canyon. The trail eventually leads to Elbow Fork and up the Millcreek Canyon road to the Upper Big Water trail.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
BOSHO
Last weekend was the Bonneville Shoreline Trail marathon. It is affectionately know as the Bosho. It was truly an amazing and yet humbling run for me. The Bosho is a race put on by a few passionate local runners who choose to remain anonymous. There are no entry fees and no bib numbers. It does not have a website for race registration. It is just a bunch of enthusiastic trail junkies getting together for a run. Such a cool vibe. I heard about it running the Shoreline a few weeks ago. I ran into a gentleman named Jim who told me about it. He simple stated that if I was not doing anything next Saturday morning, I should show up at 6am with a few food items to contribute to the aid station and go for a run with some awesome folks.
I have been running the Shoreline Trail for a while now and felt quite familiar with the trails but was not sure of the exact course. I looked around online and found this hand drawn map of the course. How cool is that???
There were definitely some burners that shot off on a blistering pace as the race started. I settled into a comfortable, yet hard pace as I knew it was going to be a long day on the trails. I was holding strong through mile 6. This is where Dry Creek ends and the trail usually takes a hard left on a switchback. Instead, we continued up a narrow creek bed and made the first of several nasty climbs.
Last weekend was the Bonneville Shoreline Trail marathon. It is affectionately know as the Bosho. It was truly an amazing and yet humbling run for me. The Bosho is a race put on by a few passionate local runners who choose to remain anonymous. There are no entry fees and no bib numbers. It does not have a website for race registration. It is just a bunch of enthusiastic trail junkies getting together for a run. Such a cool vibe. I heard about it running the Shoreline a few weeks ago. I ran into a gentleman named Jim who told me about it. He simple stated that if I was not doing anything next Saturday morning, I should show up at 6am with a few food items to contribute to the aid station and go for a run with some awesome folks.
I have been running the Shoreline Trail for a while now and felt quite familiar with the trails but was not sure of the exact course. I looked around online and found this hand drawn map of the course. How cool is that???
There were definitely some burners that shot off on a blistering pace as the race started. I settled into a comfortable, yet hard pace as I knew it was going to be a long day on the trails. I was holding strong through mile 6. This is where Dry Creek ends and the trail usually takes a hard left on a switchback. Instead, we continued up a narrow creek bed and made the first of several nasty climbs.
Dry Creek
At the base of "Unkle" hill
The race then continued down into City Creek to the aid station. I grabbed some water and a quick banana and headed out, still feeling strong. We would be on our own for the next 11 miles until we returned to the same aid station at the end of the loop. Hydration was key as the sun began to bake me. There was absolutely zero shade cover during the next stretch. I had plenty of water but committed a cardinal sin in not eating enough during the run. Unlike a road marathon where you can slam a couple gels and be OK, trail races require constant fueling of your body. I hit the wall about mile 17 just as I hooked up with a cool guy who was passing me. His name was Charlie and he was in his early 60s. He stuck with me for the next 4 miles and told amazing stories of his previous 14 Wasatch 100 races to keep my mind occupied. That's right.........14 Wasatch 100 finishes!!! That is just one of the many aspects of trail running that I have grown to love; the sense of community. He could have just as easily blown by me and given a simple hello. Instead he drug me through those tough miles and lent valuable insight and words of wisdom about running ultras.
Coming back down City Creek to the final aid station
I have never had my ass kicked so many times by significantly older people. I consider myself in pretty good shape and have been doing a lot of hill work in preparation. It is humbling yet awesome to see these old timers just killing these climbs. Definitely an inspiration and a motivation.
There is only one way to gain experience and knowledge and that is to get out there and learn, for better or worse. The final 5 miles were painfully slow for me. I knew I was not going to reach my goal, but the next few miles gave me time to reflect on the lessons learned. Eat, eat and then eat some more during the run and most importantly to enjoy the experience. I am out here doing this on my own free will. No one is making me do this. I might as well enjoy the day. I can think of a lot worse places I could be.
I finished the day with a time of 5 hours 53 minutes. My Garmin showed 15,000 feet of elevation change. 7500 feet each of ascent and descent. Respectable but not great. It put me middle of the pack. All in all it was a great day. It only fueled my passion for this crazy but amazing sport. Thanks to the anonymous few who put this great event on.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
And we're off.
Training is under way and in full effect. I will speak of mine and Luke will jump on in the next few days and speak of his. Our routines have been very similar.
During the week, I have been climbing Mt. Olympus and Granduer Peaks west spine. Depending on what elevation chart you look at and what site you read these climbs have been in between 3,000 and 4,000 vertical feet and 5 to 6 miles in length. I have been trying to push myself hard on climbing. Hills, hills and more hills. The way I see it is that I can burn the lungs on the way up and burn the quads on the way down.
Luke on his way up "Blister Hill"
Me on the upper Bonneville Shoreline (SLC in the background)
Evidence of the mud.
During the week, I have been climbing Mt. Olympus and Granduer Peaks west spine. Depending on what elevation chart you look at and what site you read these climbs have been in between 3,000 and 4,000 vertical feet and 5 to 6 miles in length. I have been trying to push myself hard on climbing. Hills, hills and more hills. The way I see it is that I can burn the lungs on the way up and burn the quads on the way down.
I have been leaving right after work hitting the trail at about 5:20 p.m. local time. This is just one of the many reasons that I LOVE living and working where I do. I can leave work, change and be on the trail in 20 minutes. The routine is starting to take shape.
I do love the Oly and Grandeur trails but I am really looking forward to some of the higher country opening up so that I can get some level of variety. Oly and Grandeur are steep and technical and I hope that repeating them often will pay off in September. Twice I have left about an hour before Luke and have met him on the trail. In my opinion he is in the best shape of his life and it is inspiring to watch him maneuver on the trail. I can tell that he loves what he is doing. It is apparent in his effort.
Luke on his way up "Blister Hill"On the weekends I have been playing on the BoSho. I have been starting across the street from Hogle Zoo and running North past Red Butte and all over the various trails in that direction. This last weekend I ran over to Dry Creek canyon up that canyon and Northwest toward the Shriner's Hospital and downtown. I felt very good and was able to run up most of Dry Creek. The conditions were in a word MUDDY! It was a blast!!
Me on the upper Bonneville Shoreline (SLC in the background)
Evidence of the mud.So far I am really loving this. I feel at home on the trails and love to see my times, conditioning and attitude improving. I am nursing a small case of plantar fasciitius and get a little muscle sore but by and large I feel great. I am working on getting my in-run nutrition dialed in, regular icing and flexibility/stretching. I am learning more and more each day that the more I take care of my body in ways that I never have it responds significantly better on the trail.
So here is to another great week of training.
Happy trails!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
This is the week!
After a couple of months of base building, official training kicks off this week! I am excited and nervous and on some level humbled to take on this opportunity.
Luke and I spent some time running the Bonneville Shoreline trail on Saturday. This trail is affectionately referred to locally as the "BoSho" and skirts the Salt Lake Valley. Ages ago the Salt Lake Valley was under water. Literally. The ancient Lake Bonneville covered nearly 20,000 square miles. The lake receded but is responsible for much of the landscape that we currently enjoy in Utah. There are plans for the BoSho to one day span some 280 miles from the Idaho border to Nephi, Utah.
The nice thing about the BoSho is that it is close and convenient and is a nice way to rack up some miles on the rolling trail. The rough thing is that it gets crowded! Mountain bikers, hikers, dog walkers and runners all enjoy what the trail has to offer. A lot of "bike right" can be heard while on the trail. The crowds do bring a cool vibe and really do speak to the active nature of the city. In all a great place to be.
I have been having more and more "Wasatch nights". Wasatch nights are nights that I go to bed at a reasonable hour with great intentions of getting a good night sleep. I then lay in bed for up to 2 hours going through all of my thoughts about this race. They are centered on nutrition, weather, aid station splits, pace, pacers, finishing etc. etc. It is literally exhausting which in and of it's self is probably good training.
While training, I look forward to summitting the peaks of the Wasatch several times. I love summitting. There are days when faced with adversity in the valley that I look at the peaks of the Wasatch and say to myself "If I can get to the top of that thing..." Summitting those peaks gives me confidence that I can do more with my life in the valley.
You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know.”
― René Daumal
Thanks to my younger brother Brian for sharing this quote with me. Brian will serve as one of my pacers in September.
Happy trails!
Luke and I spent some time running the Bonneville Shoreline trail on Saturday. This trail is affectionately referred to locally as the "BoSho" and skirts the Salt Lake Valley. Ages ago the Salt Lake Valley was under water. Literally. The ancient Lake Bonneville covered nearly 20,000 square miles. The lake receded but is responsible for much of the landscape that we currently enjoy in Utah. There are plans for the BoSho to one day span some 280 miles from the Idaho border to Nephi, Utah.
The nice thing about the BoSho is that it is close and convenient and is a nice way to rack up some miles on the rolling trail. The rough thing is that it gets crowded! Mountain bikers, hikers, dog walkers and runners all enjoy what the trail has to offer. A lot of "bike right" can be heard while on the trail. The crowds do bring a cool vibe and really do speak to the active nature of the city. In all a great place to be.
I have been having more and more "Wasatch nights". Wasatch nights are nights that I go to bed at a reasonable hour with great intentions of getting a good night sleep. I then lay in bed for up to 2 hours going through all of my thoughts about this race. They are centered on nutrition, weather, aid station splits, pace, pacers, finishing etc. etc. It is literally exhausting which in and of it's self is probably good training.
While training, I look forward to summitting the peaks of the Wasatch several times. I love summitting. There are days when faced with adversity in the valley that I look at the peaks of the Wasatch and say to myself "If I can get to the top of that thing..." Summitting those peaks gives me confidence that I can do more with my life in the valley.
You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know.”
― René Daumal
Thanks to my younger brother Brian for sharing this quote with me. Brian will serve as one of my pacers in September.
Happy trails!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Salomon Speedcross 3 CS
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a sucker for flashy shoes. Well, if I were grading simply on that criteria alone, these shoes would get an 11 out of 10. Fortunately, their functionality goes just as far.
I was in need of a good winter/spring shoe and was lucky enough to come across these hot little numbers. I had used Yak Trax Pros for a year or so when the trail called for a little more traction than my daily trainers could provide. My main complaint about the Yak Trax is that they attracted mud and snow to the bottom of the shoe over the course of a run. I would suddenly find myself three inches taller and still slipping a little.
The Salomon Speedcross 3 CS was the answer to my dilemma. These shoes are definitely the workhorse of the Salomon lineup. They sport a ridiculously aggressive tread. They are like monster trucks on your feet. I found myself powering up and down mud and snow packed hills with ease.
From what I gather, the Salomon Speedcross 3 CS have a 9mm heel to toe drop (quite a bit more than I am used to). They have a surprisingly good amount of cushion and have a great toe guard for those nasty rocks and roots that have a tendency to sneak up on you.
The CS in the shoe name stands for Climashield. It is a water resistant, breathable membrane that is built into the shoe upper. It has kept my feet dry and warm. On numerous runs, I have gone out of my way to fully submerge the shoe in puddles and still stayed relatively dry.
Salomon shoes incorporate a unique quick lace system. You do not tie the laces together but rather cinch them down with a simple pull of the lace tab. The tab is then stored in the pocket built into the tongue. It took me a while to get used to the system, but I must admit I am a fan now. The shoe seems to hug and wrap around my foot.
I only have two small dislikes of the shoe. First, the toe box is a little narrow for my feet although I have noticed it has loosened the more miles I put on them. Secondly, I feel a little "top heavy" in the shoe. By "top heavy" I mean the base of the shoe feels a little narrow. I have caught myself a few times slightly rolling my ankles on the downhill and feeling slightly disconnected with the trail. It has helped me with over striding and keeping my feet under my body though.
Overall, I am a huge fan of the Salomon Speedcross 3 CS. Although I would not want to wear these shoes on hard packed trails for a 20+ mile run, they serve their purpose as a sort of speciality shoe that is an aggressive, trail eating monster.
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