ONE step at a time

2011 Review, Genesis 2012

2012-01-01T20:14:00.006-07:00

Welcome to 2012. A New Year, a new beginning. Here's what my last year of running consisted of:

Miles: 3386.5 Per week: 65.1 Per day: 9.27 Per run: 11.1
Time: 525:40 Per day: 1.4 Per run: 1.7
304 days of running, 61 days off

Jan: 411.3 mi, 0 days off. Feb: 319.4 mi, 0 days off. Mar: 337.1 mi, 3 days off. Q1: 1067.8 mi, 3 days off
Notes: Ran half of my races for 2011 in the first 3 months of the year- 4 5K's, 1 4M, 1 10K, 1 50K+
Motivation for running was at an all time high. I started running with the Montrail Team. I was unemployed at the time which led to running during the best times of the day on my favorite trails for however long I wanted to go. As cool as it sounds it is not sustainable and was a stressful time during the job search. Running was an outlet and stress relief. I must have been REALLY stressed in January; I raced 4 times and ran the most miles I ever have in a month. Megan and I moved back to Fort Collins from Gunnison to add to the many changes kicking off 2011.

Apr: 347.6 mi, 2 days off. May: 327.2 mi, 4 days off. Jun: 239.2 mi, 7 days off. Q2: 914 mi, 13 days off
Notes: I ran great at American River and awesome at Collegiate Peaks. Coincidentally, I peaked at CP. I have never run with such rhythm and ease during a race like I did at CP. Going into Pocatello I was fried and fatigued and ground out a finish. I tried to rest and recover as best I could before States. I was having an ok race when the unexpected led to a DNF. The short of it: poison oak/ivy won round 1 by KO. Humility before honor.

Jul: 274 mi, 4 days off. Aug: 293 mi, 9 days off. Sep: 96.2 mi, 21 days off. Q3: 663.2 mi, 34 days off
Notes: July and August were my favorite months of running. I got back to my roots and what brought me to this sport in the first place; running high peaks with friends. Loved it. These outings led to and inspired me to run Longs as fast as I could. Leadville was my redemption race for the year. I got the 100 mile monkey off my back and didn't come completely unglued during the last 30 miles. Steamboat was run on grit. I was beat up going in and beat down after. More than half of September's mileage was run through the toughest conditions I've ever raced in; thanks for the company Geoff.

Oct: 213.3 mi, 4 days off. Nov: 275.3 mi, 2 days off. Dec: 252.9 mi, 5 days off. Q4: 741.5 mi, 11 days off
Notes: Worked out most of the accumulated Old Man issues after a long season of fun running and racing. Great company and culminating long run at Chubby Cheeks. Tuesday night track and tempeh sessions begin alongside Thursday night tempeh and non Towers weeks.

Races: 14. 1 win. 1 CR. 7 podiums. 455 race miles. $1031.25 in entry fees.

Peaks: FC Area- Round Mtn: 4, Crosier Mtn: 2, Grey Rock: 2, Horsetooth: 9, Arthur's Rock: 27, Towers Rd: 11
RMNP- Longs: 2, Alice, Chiefs Head, McHenry's
Indian Peaks/Boulder- Sanitas, Sawtooth, Algonquin, Buchanan, Audubon: 2, Notabon, Pawnee, Toll, Paiute
Other 13ers- Matterhorn, Mascot, West Elk Peak Almost- Point 12,964
Other 14ers- Redcloud, Sunshine, Handies, Wetterhorn, Uncompahgre, Yale

Strength: 6,830 Pushups. 14,420 Crunches/Core. 2066 Pullups.

2012 News: Ran the New Year's Day 5K in 17:25 taking home the Bronze. Felt good to dust off the 5K legs. Not bad for January. Michael Jackson took the Gold with Towers Sam Malmberg earning Silver even after racing New Year's Eve as well!

Last but not least: Many people had a good chuckle when I told them my New Year's Resolution was to START drinking. Well it is official. I am fully resolved for 2012. After 367 days I tasted that sweet nectar once again. Once the track workout was complete Brian, Grant, and I toasted with a Longs Peak Raspberry Wheat. Here's to a happy and healthy New Year!

Competitive Eating and Ultrarunning

2011-11-13T10:12:00.003-07:00

Lately a few of us in Fort Collins have been running and sharing many tempeh burgers together at Avo's. Amongst our many conversations is that of competitive eating. For some strange reason I've been intrigued, mortified, and brought to my knees in laughter when watching people take on eating challenges. Over the last few years I've enjoyed hearing the stories of Fast Ed and Team CRUD in action. When you mix fast running and eating a lot of food the results yield comedy.

Our inaugural event began modestly with the Saltine Challenge. It appears terribly easy but has left the largest egos wishing for a larger salivary gland. Results below:

Burch-DNF
Clark-DNF
Jones-DNF
Marks-DNF
Stefanovic-DNF

After being consumed by the jaws of defeat we got serious. To achieve glory one must think, train, and apply that body of work to a given task. Stefanovic began breaking breaking it down through the laws of engineering. Marks began to channel his inner eater. Jones began experimenting with hydration levels. Clark gave up; stymied by weak salivary gland output. I simply instigated and encouraged the team to achieve greatness.

Once the rigorous training period was complete we learned a few things. 1. Get hydrated! All cells need the max amount of water to allow full salivary gland functioning. 2. Two saltines at a time. The buddy system is tried and true. No lonely crackers for this challenge. 3. Look at the others around the table. Do you trust them? If you bite off more than you can chew who can provide CPR or the Heimlich?

The data was tallied and on his second attempt a victor emerged. I'm proud to announce that my taller, faster, curly haired younger brother took the crown! As I write this he is currently preparing to shock the world by dethroning the current champ and CR holder at the upcoming VBM in December. He's been studying tape and learning tips from Joey "The Jaws" Chestnut.

My best guess is that ultrarunning and competitive eating have a lot more in common in their collective communities than most of us might think. Ultrarunners don't bat an eyelash when discussing the latest 100 mile race they completed while eavesdroppers appear slightly shocked. It has to be eerily similar when a competitive eater talks strategy after putting down 77 pieces of pizza in 10 minutes. With Thanksgiving around the corner take the time to eat and be merry. Don't fret- with Chubby Cheeks sandwiched between Thanksgiving and Christmas there's ample opportunity to regain that pre-Holiday figure. Time to eat and run!

Steamboat Survivor

2011-09-21T19:51:00.011-06:00

Photo: Jesse Malman

Photo: Dylan Bowman

"The mountains win again." John Popper of Blues Traveler sang about the truth that most of us forgot at this years Run Rabbit Run Steamboat 50. The size of any ego can be crushed in the blink of an eye in the mountain environment...tread lightly, and remember your coat! Crazy, epic weather that hits the fan tends to be the nightmare of most race directors I've spoken with. Then add to the equation that this weather is nuking above 10,000 feet and doesn't care if you're prepared or not. It cannot be harnessed, tamed, or caged; it voraciously yells, "Winter is coming!"

I had the audacity to run this race in shorts, shirt, arm warmers, and gloves...and I thought I had overdressed for the day. The night before I debated on going with a singlet and shorts. Thanks to the sage advice from my mother and friends I chose to bundle up. This decision probably saved my race. The minimal ounces that covered my arms and hands were worth their weight in gold! The forecast called for temps in the 40's-60's with a 50% chance of scattered showers throughout the day. I need to mention this forecast was for Steamboat proper- not the mountains high above Steamboat!

Last Saturday was the toughest conditions I've raced in. In 2009 I shivered my way through the memorable Lake City 50 blizzard. The difference was the rain and huge wind gusts at Steamboat. Snow is much more tolerable than rain that soaks you to the bone. I like to go light and fast- especially in races- and I definitely walked the hypothermic line- allowing my big toe to spill across that muddy line ever so slightly at times. This was one to remember. A job well done to RD Fred Abramowitz and his INCREDIBLE volunteers who thoroughly treated many a hypothermic runner last Saturday. Adversity tests character. Huge congratulations to each finisher that got it done! Good call to each runner who knew when to say when...there's always another race. Thanks to all the volunteers, spectators, and runners who selflessly gave articles of clothing to others to make sure everyone remained safe. This was a testament to the quality of people who participate in this sport.

To the race... I knew coming into this one that I needed REST. I knew I didn't have the A Game or the B Game. I knew it was gonna hurt- it did. I knew I was gonna ache- I did. I knew it was going to be a grind- it was...more than I expected. I just wanted to race with what I had and let the cards fall where they may. So why race? I asked myself this question many times before toeing the line. The answer was not an epiphany or a revelation. It was simple. I wanted to have a fun weekend in the mountains of Steamboat with Megan, my mom, friends, and I really like the singletrack section of this race. And running is all about streaks so I had to make it 5 for 5 at Run Rabbit Run.

The race opens with a 3500 foot climb over 6 miles. It was a muddy start with the worst of it closest to the Start/Finish line. I ran steady on this and watched Horsecow, Bonnet, Zeke, El Jefe, and Fanselow glide above me. Towards the top my friend and training partner and master of all things baked joined me for some brief conversation and then cruised by. Once I hit the summit I got really excited for the upcoming 15 miles of posh singletrack. When you know your day is going to be a grind you gotta run to your strengths. With this said I let gravity take hold of me as I simply leaned forward and let the legs spin down the trail. Running downhill, especially on singletrack is just SO fun to me. A few minutes later I found myself in 1st. I had to see what the legs had in them. It was one of those days as I felt like I was at mile 70 in a 100 miler when it was mile 9. Uh-oh!

Zeke and I ran together for a few miles before the AS at 13. At one point I slipped and fell because of the banana peel mud- Zeke was right there to help me get back on my feet. Right before the aid I could hear El Jefe closing the gap on Zeke and I. At the 13 AS I was a bit surprised when they asked to see my identification. After a moment of hesitation the light bulb came on and I proceeded to pull out my wallet with the requisite License to Grind. After inspection they let me continue...minutes after Zeke and El Jefe were waived through. At first I thought it was my beard that got me held up at the checkpoint for random inspection...how did El Jefe sneak through? He's got a beard...must of been the curly hair.

That's the thing when you're grinding. You know you're moving less than ideal but it's discouraging as the runners in front of you get further and further ahead until out of sight. At about 15 Fanselow and I ran a few miles together which made it clip along. Through Dumont at 22 I moved into 3rd with a no hassle transition at the checkpoint. However, Fanselow was stopped for wearing some unidentifiable upper body accoutrements. Once he explained it was for a Braveheart reenactment they let him go- with chants of "Wallace, Wallace!" echoing through the trees.

Photo: Dylan Bowman

Soon thereafter Bill passed me again and we made our way up to the base of the Rabbit Ears. At the turn Zeke and El Jefe were a few minutes up and they slid down the mud glissade highway on the return trip to Dumont. I scratched the ears and then began the 1st aching descent of the day. By this point the legs were deep fried lead- the heavy of heavies. On the way down I could hear Bonnet catching up and Bill getting smaller and smaller out in front of me. At the aid I thought about grabbing my Geist vest on a number of occasions but decided to go without it because it was only sprinkling and I didn't want to get too hot.

This is where the fun begins. About 5 minutes later it started raining. Hard. I wonder how long this will last- it's probably just passing by- I can handle an hour or two in the rain- the sun will be out before I know it. (Insert awesome foresight comment here.) A few minutes later I saw Geoff running towards me with a few other runners who were headed to Dumont. He had camped out the night before and was getting in a pre UROC training run. It was unexpected and fun to see him so we started down the trail catching up a bit talking about the mountains, running, racing and other fun pursuits. During this time Bonnet and I began leapfrogging each other. I was defenseless at this point- One Gear McGee making his way down the trail. My legs were pretty gone. I showed Geoff this as I caught a toe and Supermanned into some mud. Aerobically it was a walk in the park. The pace was so casual I could easily converse with James and Geoff. The legs were cooked. Around 35 James stopped to pee and the hypothermia hit him in less than a minute. It was really cold.

Everything on me was soaked. Then the winds picked up. The trail began to resemble a stream. Everytime my foot splashed in the water I felt a wave of cold ascend up my leg to the top of my head. Stopping meant immediate hypothermia. My forehead was so cold it was perma brain freeze. My intellectual capacity went down a few notches and the reptilian brain took over. Just keep moving...just keep moving. At the 37 AS I filled my bottle, grabbed a few chews and was shivering pretty good in only 10 seconds of not running. Geoff and I got out of there! At this point we decided that staying together would be the smart thing to do in the interest of safety. It was great to have the company- sometimes it's easier to suffer with others.

Every now and then I would let out a few guttural man noises hoping these yells and angry bursts would warm me. They did not. The interesting thing is they gave me a sense of control over the situation. If I could yell out I knew I was fighting and alive- not giving in to the wet cold fog that was trying to envelope me. I began looking forward to the climbs. During these moments I could generate a smidgen of heat with the increased effort. On numerous occasions we felt like it was letting up and that the sun was just around the corner. "Come on sun!" was my battle cry. Our hopes would be up for a minute and then it would start nuking harder. More rain. Bigger wind gusts. And wait- there's now sleet and snow! Terrific. My favorite part was running through the open meadows with a 30MPH headwind hitting me full on while the rain poured. Mile 41 seemed to be the weather climax of wind, snow, and rain that effortlessly swirled through us.

Once we hit the top I knew I was home free. Six miles and a 3500 foot descent on a cruiser dirt road was all that separated me from hot pizza and a hot shower. Game on! Over the past few years this descent has taken me between :38-:42 minutes depending on how hard I'm pushing. This year was just shy of 1 hour! Needless to say I hurt. I ached. My left hamstring was really pissed at me. It was pathetic. And I was warming up! Over the course of the descent it warmed up 10-15 degrees as we neared 7000 feet. I was beginning to feel "normal" again. Despite moving like OMB I was thrilled that the end was near. It was awesome sharing some unique trail time with Geoff.

The finish line crowd started yelling at us to run faster. They saw one guy gimping his way in while the other was non-chalantly jogging just behind him. This was for the last spot at States! Were they gonna tie? Before the chute Geoff peeled off as I finished in what I thought was 4th place. "Who dropped?" I then learned that the hypothermia hit Bill around mile 37. The weather got the best of us today. The mountains win again.

After putting down a few piping pieces of pizza I made my way to the hotel to take the longest hottest shower ever. Amen.

Thoughts on Steamboat

2011-09-14T17:59:00.004-06:00

L to R: McHenry's and Arrowhead

L to R: Longs, Pagoda, Chiefs Head, Spearhead (center)

Looking down on the Arrowhead Arete

Steamboat is a special race for me in many ways. Back in 2008 it was the site of my first ultra win. It was a well earned W as Clark, Trapp, and myself went through the AS shoulder to shoulder at mile 37. Clark surged around 39- I thought he was gone- but he came back to me and I leapfrogged him around mile 42, grunted up the last climb, bombed the final 3000 foot descent and finished with a smile and some aching legs.

Steamboat is also a time to remember. During the inaugural run in 2007 I met Matt Morrill and Jenna Gruben. Jenna and I were the back to back winners in 2008 and 2009. I can vivdly remember the picture of Matt embracing Jenna at the finish line which made the paper the following morning celebrating her win and the couples upcoming trip to Nepal. Tragically, Jenna was not able to run in the physical form last year. It is her spirit which now resides over the course and reminds us to enjoy these beautiful trails and remember what is truly important.

I love Colorado trail running in the fall. It's a time to embrace the beauty of the high country before the snow drops and creates another majestic setting. This season is Colorado Soul Running time for me. All I want to do is run peaks, watch the leaves change, hear natures song, and feel the crisp air on my face. Despite the engaged senses I still forget how special the Colorado mountains are. Last Sunday all I wanted to do was stay on the summit and let the views speak to me about life. I've been up Glacier Gorge a half dozen times or so and it still continues to impress me.

Since Leadville my body has been needing major rest. I had a left knee and hamstring issue that eventually worked itself out. At one point I seriously considered not starting this one. I've gone back and forth with myself about smelling the wildflowers on this one and racing/grinding it out. I needed a test run to gauge my confidence to start. McHenry's gave me the confidence to start- how fast I run will be the big question. This one will be on base fitness. Since Leadville I've logged 59.4 miles in 10 runs. My long run was 12.2 miles. I've gone on 6 bike rides ranging from :50-1:40. I went on 2 hikes adding up to 14 miles. This is where I'm at. Saturday will be fun despite the outcome. This post may affect the odds :)

Leadville 2011: Proud of a PR

2011-08-23T17:08:00.011-06:00

First some pics.
This year at Leadville was another stepping stone for me. 100 milers are not my best distance by any means as most of you know. Because of this I have time and time again signed up for another one with the hopes of improving and learning from the beast. Throughout my trials and tribulations the beast has knocked me down, laughed at me, spit me out, and kicked dirt in my face. Each time in frustration I got up, said, "Never Again!" and then promptly gave the beast another $300. to kick my butt for another round. I am here to say that I beat the beast in this round and the saga will continue...There is a sense of satisfaction when a goal comes to fruition. It is even sweeter when it takes many attempts and failures for it to be realized. Running a strong second 50 had eluded me for 5 years and 7 different 100 mile races. Here's the beating I endured for the first 7 rounds:

Round 1: Leadville 2007- 28:18, Went out in 10, back in 18, walked the last 30, survived my first 100!
Round 2: Leadville 2008- 26:58, Went out in 9, back in 18, walked the last 30 (injury), never again!
Round 3: Hardrock 2009- DNF 42M, Nothing in the legs, chose not to walk 58 miles for 30+ hours
Round 4: Leadville 2009- 20:51, Went out in 8:30, back in 12:30, HUGE improvement, know I can do better for future races.
Round 5: Grand Mesa 2010- 23:26, 1st 50=8, 2nd 50=15.5, 5-7 bonus miles, epic, walked at least 20.
Round 6: Ozark Trail 2010- 21:49, 1st 50=8, 2nd 50= 14, didn't eat enough first half, fell off the wagon
Round 7: Western States 2011- DNF 70M, Severe poison oak/ivy reaction constricting airway, so random!

Round 8: Leadville 2011- 18:35, Went out in 8, back in 10:35, not bad, still room to improve :) Long overdue!
Round 8 was different. I finally gave the beast a taste of his own medicine. In the epic battle of Ryan vs. The Beast the 8th round goes to Ryan! TMI: In a weird way I feel like this post is turning into a Man vs. Food episode...Adam Richman and I have so much in common!

Drove up to Leadville Friday morning with Doug and took care of all the mandatory meetings and checkin. Pitched the tents and cooked dinner at Dooper's pad. Crawled into the sleeping bag around 9PM and slept between the storms until 3AM. At 4 we were running. It started off like a training run with the boys. Crackin' jokes, catching up, and endearingly teasing Callahan, Parr, and Bowman. I asked DC if his baby daughter had been starting out with bottles of Ultragen. Without skipping a beat he calmly said, "No, but she really likes the Optagen." I knew it was going to be a fun day.

Through Mayqueen there was a train of 7 with Arnstein and Brooks a few minutes up. Coming into Fish Hatchery it was Arnstein, Parr, Bowman, Sandes, and myself. Arnstein gapped the rest of us on the road while I eventually caught back up to the other 3 on the singletrack before Twin Lakes. Leaving Twin Lakes it was shoulder to shoulder with Parr and D-Bow with Sandes right behind us. Once we hit Hope Pass Parr and Sandes surged while Dylan and I hiked at a steady clip. Once we hit the Winfield road Parr and D-Bow slightly separated from me. Coming into Winfield Sandes was on his way out with Arnstein a few minutes back. Somewhere along the road Parr pulled over and I came into Winfield after Bowman in just under 8 hours. The return trip over Hope was hot and slow for me. The leaders were moving well while Parr was steadily catching me on the climb. Shortly after the Hopeless AS Parr passed me as I took in some extra fuel. On the descent I surprisingly passed Arnstein who had lost some time on the rocky downhill.

Back at Twin Lakes I took more time to refuel while Arnstein went through with a quick transition. Twin Lakes was encouraging as I got to see my family for the second time and pick up my friend and pacer Bryan Goding for the last 40 miles. By now I was sick of sugar. This has happened to me at other 100's- I simply get to the point where anything sweet becomes despised. The plan now was to eat the nonsweet options at the AS and TRY to stomach enough sweet death to get me to the next AS in one piece. BG and I got into rhythm and steadily started moving down the trail. Miles 65-75 were definitely my low of the race. Ironically I passed Arnstein while running down some smooth buffed out singletrack before we hit the road that would lead to the Halfpipe AS. When I got to Halfpipe I had my doubts- it felt like so many other Leadville moments. Mile 70 and I feel like crap. I began wondering how many miles of the last 30 I would be walking. Mile 70 is one of the biggest mental hurdles for me in a 100. I will be having a decent go and then get hammered. At the AS I sat down and began to refuel. Lots of watermelon, lots of potato soup, some oatmeal. I really was hoping for mashed potatoes but Hopeless was the one and only chance. During my feed Arnstein came through with Gorman seconds back. Gorman was licking his chops as he devoured all the roadkill he ran over.

After the feed I began walking. Solids take longer to hit the blood stream- once they did I started to trot and then jog and then run. At this point I was trying to avoid another 100 mile blowup. BG kept encouraging me to eat, drink, and care for myself. With each 5 calorie hit of Gu I would nearly vomit. It was the last thing I wanted to do but knew I had to. Get the cals down the hatch! It was a nauseous cycle but worked to get me into the next AS.

At Fish Hatch my spirit came back. Coming into the aid I got to see Doop, and Meg, and Scott, and then three women jumping up and down chanting, Burch! Burch! Burch! Was I hallucinating? As I drew closer I identified the one in the middle being Liz Drum. The other two were bundled up enough identification was impossible. I got into the AS and was greeted by my family. Fueled up, geared up, and was on my way. Upon exiting Fish Hatch Duncan was coming in.

A few miles up Powerline he made the pass climbing steady and strong. I asked him if this was going to be like our 2007 Moab Red Hot race where we constantly leapfrogged each other. He mentioned something about my propensity for downhill running. At the top of the pass I showed BG where I proposed to Megan. Special memories. In 2008 I was at the same spot at midnight! Such a different perspective seeing it in the light. BG and I kept motoring and came into Mayqueen feeling strong and ready to put this race to bed.

I eased off the emotional thinking and logically thought, "Stop and eat, you will run out of gas if you don't. I then saw DC exit once he heard me enter Mayqueen. The drama around Turquoise was starting to unfold! After a few cups of soup I rallied BG and we began the ending. Once we hit the singletrack we donned the headlamps. 15 minutes later Jeff Browning blew past me like I was standing still. This was the work of a Professional Closer- really cool to see firsthand. 30 minutes later I saw headlamps in front of me, as I neared it turned out to be DC. I encouraged him and moved forward. 15 minutes later I saw more headlamps. Really surprised when I saw it was Parr. Wished him the best and kept on. During our time around the lake it was all about the present moment. Don't worry what's ahead or what's behind- run simply in the moment. With the Zen Master by my side all I had to do was put one foot in front of the other. BG was my own Mr. Meyogi. "Ryan san, don't worry about the lights and cheering at Tabor, focus only on your breath and the step in front of you." Needless to say we had some good laughs in the present moment. A few times I focused a little too hard on the step in front of me as I would catch a toe and nearly yardsail into the lake. Thankfully my sensai said it was because of my core training that I remained upright.

Another cool experience was hearing all the cheers as we ran by all the campsites. By the time I finished other Leadvilles all these people were sleeping. Really cool to have all this positive energy hit me after 90+ miles of running. As we descended baby powerline I saw a headlamp. "Who is that?" I inquired. "Jeff's pacer" was the solemn response. Jeff was running well to say the least! After the flats we came upon the Boulevard. One last climb and I'd be home. Awesome to run 90% of this. BG would turn off his lamp and look backwards just in case we encountered some stealth boulevard creepers. At mile 97 I knew I had to eat one last time. I so wanted to run the tank out but knew better. I got a Blok down and almost lost it. For the last 37 miles I had been walking the puke line ever so close. Thought it was going to happen right then and there. Nada tostada. I kept moving feeling terrible. Soon after I saw the lights and the finish. I saw the clock- wanted to go sub 18:36 because 18:35 looks so much sexier. Ramped up the intensity, thanked BG for a great time, and put the head down until I crossed the line in 18:35:42.

Immediately upon finishing I doubled over while some photographer took picture upon picture of me bent over at the waist looking at the ground with a wry and pale pre puke smile on my face. The extra push at the end did me in. I managed to walk over to the scale for my final weigh in and then into the food tent. I felt horrible but knew I needed to eat and start the recovery. I spoke with Browning a few minutes with my face white as a ghost. I tried a sip of soup. Tasted terrible. Told everyone I was going to the med tent.

Once in the med tent I sat down on a cot and told them I was about to puke. They handed me a bowl. Staring at the yellow plastic I began to spin. Finally it began. I started dry heaving from the depths of my soul. Heave after heave and nothing was coming out. Thought I was having an oral alien birth. Finally, the one sip of soup I had came out. Felt so much better! It was kind of pathetic the low volume I put out. Was really hoping for some large projectile foreign object to emerge. It was out and I felt great. The eyes stopped watering and I decided to get in the sleeping bag and lay in the cot for awhile. 40 some minutes later Parr came to the tent and hopped into his own sleeping bag and cot next to mine. His wife took a picture of the two of us all cozy in the med tent. Can't wait to see it! Priceless...

Ultrarunning is inherently a selfish endeavor. With that said I need to thank a number of people for their support, encouragement, time, money, and understanding that brought me through this race and the time to train.

THANK YOU: Megan, Mom, Dad, Bridgett, Nate, Bryan, Doug, Kir, Chris, Jan, Damby, Scott, Liz, Bill, and any others I'm forgetting in this moment. Really grateful for the friendship in each of you.

SHOUT OUTS: D-BOW, super impressive! Keep doing what you're doing, really fun to watch your progression. Doug, another PR...you are a runner you know!? Aaron Marks and Brendan Trimboli- this is only the beginning, enjoy the journey.

Longs Peak Speed Record? Keyhole Route R/T FKT 3:26:10

2011-08-11T15:01:00.009-06:00

The Keyhole on a bluebird day

Summit Marker

Looking down the Homestretch

View from the top of the Trough

A hunters dream

What a peak!

This morning I went to Longs Peak to attempt the FKT for the Keyhole Route roundtrip. On July 27 I did a recon trip and snapped the photos that accompany this post. The existing FKT (that I know of) for the Keyhole Route was run by Bill Wright in a time of 3:35. He went up in 2:05 and down in 1:30. Here's a few of the links I found while researching: This one and this one. Since this record occurred in August of 2000 there is a strong possibility that during the last 11 years someone has run a faster time that was not recorded in a public forum. Let me know if you know of a faster time.

My previous best time ironically occurred during my recon trip a few weeks ago. I ran a 3:41- 2:01 up, 1:40 down. It was a pleasant surprise as I ran a 3 min PR from my last attempt of 3:44 in 2009. Below are the details of today's run.

Start/Finish Line- I started my watch in front of the Ranger Station where the paved sidewalk ends and the dirt trail begins. I have used this line for all my runs on Longs. For this route I stay on the trail the entire distance top to bottom- no cutting switchbacks to obtain a faster time. My watch ran continuously from beginning to end- no stops on summit/pee/eat/etc.

Splits:

Chasm Junction- :43
Granite Pass Junction- :56 (13)
Keyhole- 1:25 (29)
Summit- 1:59 (34)
Keyhole- 2:30 (31, 3 faster down)
Granite Pass Junction- 2:52 (22, 7 faster down)
Chasm Junction- 3:00 (8, 5 faster down)
Ranger Station End- 3:26:10 (26, 17 faster down)
Up- 1:59 (6 faster than Wright) Down- 1:27 (3 faster than Wright)

Comparatively to my run on July 27 I was faster at all splits except from the Keyhole up to the summit. My July attempt was done in 32 compared to the 34 today. I encountered a conga line of 8 hikers shortly after the Keyhole. I tried a parallel line beneath them but found myself traversing exposed slab so I retraced my path until I could get above them and proceed without traffic. Lost at least a minute with this decision. At the top of the trough I waited another minute while hikers descended the crux. This area can bottleneck very quickly! The narrows went smoothly as I could easily pass on either side of anybody. The homestretch was a zoo- I weaved in and out of 20-25 people until I reached the summit. I ran and tagged the Geological Survey Marker (official high point?)on the rock that has the summit register below it. I then descended through the masses once again. After the homestretch I was free and clear back to the Ranger Station. I could easily move around people through the narrows, down the trough, and through the boulderfield. Between route congestion and a routefinding error I lost an estimated 3-4 minutes. Not bad. One of the challenges of this route is the sheer number of people on it at any given time. If you are going for speed don't do it on a weekend or holiday! In 2009 I made this mistake and counted over 70 people that I passed on my ASCENT. This year I tried it on a Wednesday and a Thursday- starting between 8-8:30 and still encountered plenty. I think the best approach would be to start on a weekday around 3-4 PM with good weather. Minutes after finishing I went into the Ranger Station and asked if they knew of any faster times for the Keyhole route roundtrip. They didn't but were excited to hear about my run. I gave them all my splits which they wrote down along with my name, city of residence, phone number, and blog address for future FKT questions/inquiries. They were then going to forward the information to park information headquarters. They also mentioned that one of the climbing rangers is training to break the FKT roundtrip for the Cables Route. Apparently he is within 15 minutes of the record from his last attempt.

Here's what I brought with me:
1 20 oz. bottle of Nuun. Stashed the empty bottle at the Keyhole, picked up on my return and stored in the back waistband of my shorts for the descent.
1 package of Clif Bloks- ate 4 of the 6 before the keyhole, the last two after I finished.
Mountain Hardwear Geist Jacket tied around my waist- just in case.
Car key in back shorts pocket
Montrail Rogue Racers
Socks, Montrail hat, sunglasses, Mountain Hardwear shirt and shorts.

Up and down: The account of recent summits, ridges, and valleys

2011-08-10T10:25:00.008-06:00

The East Face of Mount Alice

The sunlight shows the way on Alice's Hourglass Ridge

Summit of Chiefs Head with Longs, Meeker and Pagoda behind me

Looking down at Blue Lake from Mt. Toll

On the East Ridge of Pawnee Peak

Megan glissading during the descent of Bill Weber Peak

Life has its shares of ups and downs. Lately I've encountered both in my personal life and running. When I'm going through a tough time, running in the mountains has brought stability, perspective, and the necessary processing to face the challenges that cross my path. Recently I've had the opportunity to explore some new peaks in RMNP and the Indian Peaks Wilderness. I am constantly refreshed, inspired, and leveled by the mountain beauty that calls out to be explored. Life is better above the trees; growth occurs when I apply what I've seen and learned on the mountain and take that knowledge and experience to the valley.

July 27: Longs Peak (14,255) Keyhole Route, 3:41, 2:01 ascent. Recon mission to check if and how much snow in the trough. Totally clear, going to give the FKT of 3:35 a shot in the near future.

July 30: 1. Sawtooth Mtn (12,304) 2. Algonquin (12,574) 3. Buchanan Peak aka Bill Weber Peak (12,391) Started at Middle St. Vrain TH, ascended Buchanan Pass, up Sawtooth, ridge to Algonquin, ridge to Bill Weber, descend to Red Deer Lake (3 sweet glissades!), Buchanan Pass Trail.

August 1: 1. Mt. Notabon (12,706) 2. Mt. Audubon (13,223) Started at Mitchell Lake TH. Out and back via Mt. Audubon Trail.

August 3: 1. Pawnee Peak (12,943) 2. Mount Toll (12,979) Started at Long Lake TH. Up Pawnee Pass Trail, ridge to Pawnee Peak, ridge to Mount Toll, descend to Blue Lake, Mitchell Lake Trail to TH, brief paved section to Long Lake TH.

August 5: 1. Mount Alice (13,310) 2. Chiefs Head Peak (13,579) Started at Wild Basin TH. Up to Thunder Lake, ascend Boulder/Grand Pass, ridge to Alice, descend Hourglass Ridge, ridge up to Chiefs Head, descend back to the Chiefs Head/Alice col, cross country down to Thunder Lake, back to Wild Basin.

August 6: 1. Mascot Peak (13,435) 2. Mount Yale (14,196) Started at Avalanche Gulch TH. Up Avalanche Gulch, up Yale's east ridge, descend ridge to saddle and up Mascot Peak's north ridge, up to summit, back to Yale's east ridge, summit, descend to Denny Creek TH, road back to Avalanche Gulch TH.

Three Days of Peaks and Pics

2011-07-25T15:43:00.004-06:00

Wetterhorn Summit: Drum, Newton, Parr, Burch

Matterhorn (foreground) Wetterhorn (background)

Uncompahgre Summit, Matterhorn and Wetterhorn behind Scott

Doug and Timmy (Uncompahgre background)

Herd of elk just below Storm Pass and the Baldys.

The Castles, photo from summit of West Elk Peak

RB & DC: Summit 12,964, Storm Pass below

DC & RB pointing to West Elk Peak

Drum signing West Elk Peak Summit Log. We were only the 3rd party to sign the log in 2011. Remote peaks.

Lately I've been ecstatic to run 3-4 MPH. This type of terrain has brought me back to my roots as of late. A few weeks ago I paced Doug at Hardrock. The time spent with him from Ouray to Telluride was the best day of running I've had all year. It rekindled my spirit for adventure running and exploring some of the most beautiful mountains on earth. Crossing the snowfields and ascending Virginius Pass flooded me with all the reasons why I run: mountains, adventure, beauty, friendship, exploration, perspective, and so much more! Needless to say it has been refreshing to get up some new and old peaks with friends of a like mind. All I want to do is run/hike up big mountains and link up summits via alpine ridges. Last Thurs, Fri, and Sat jumpstarted my soul.

Thursday: solo.
1. Redcloud- 1:16
2. Sunshine- 1:38
Back at Car- 2:45 (fill bottles)
3. Handies- 4:08
Back at Car- 4:52 + 4 min to make it an even 20M for the day
8350 ft. climbing, almost 15:00/mile

Friday: w/ Doug, Scott, Tim
1. Wetterhorn- 1:23
2. Matterhorn- 2:18
3. Uncompahgre- 3:47
Back at Car- 5:03, 18.2M
7000 ft. climbing, 16:40/mile

Saturday: w/ Scott and Duncan
1. Summit 12,964- 2:32
2. West Elk Peak- 2:47
Back at Car- 6:13, 27.2M, long way back loop with some cross country travel
5500 ft climbing, 13:45/mile

*Note- times listed represent time running/hiking. Watch was stopped anywhere b/t 5-15 min. on each summit.*

Western States: Oil and Water

2011-06-29T15:21:00.010-06:00

At the starting line countdown

Sometimes I think that 100 milers and me are like oil and water. I've had a few days now and many a great moment to digest everything that transpired during my race alongside thoughts about life, running, people, and the existence we share.

Here's the account of my drop: Around mile 68 I was feeling off. At this point I had started to slow down a bit after a great 8 miles with my friend and pacer Timmy Parr. I felt a little dizzy and weak. It had been about 45 minutes since my last calories. By this point I had had way too many Strawberry Banana gels. Seemed like the only flavor on the course! I opened one up, looked at it, got about half of it in my mouth and proceeded to have the single largest dry heave ever! Couldn't do that flavor anymore so I sipped some Nuun and decided to take a few extra minutes at the AS to refuel.

I refueled with a bunch of potatoes and Fritos. Still feeling off but still in the game. A few minutes later I set off to start working through the last 30 miles. Within a mile of leaving the AS I began to have difficulty swallowing. My airway was restricted and I would clear my throat to help exhale the air in my lungs. On two different occasions I sat down just off the trail to collect myself and see if I would magically feel better. I then would get up and start walking down the hill. I began to notice that the more I exerted the more restricted my airway felt. If you know the ABC's of first aid you know that A for Airway is the most vital. You must have a clear airway before you can begin CPR. I was worried and scared. This kinda thing had never happened to me before. I then told Timmy to run back up to the AS and get some assistance while I began the walk of shame back up to the AS.

It's a humbling experience to drop and then walk back up the hill to the previous AS while 30+ runners and their pacers come charging by. Many of these runners were my friends/teammates/people I knew through the ultra community. As they came by many were sincerely concerned and wanted to help. The last thing I wanted was to slow down another racer. I just said, "I'm fine, keep going." Thank you to everyone who passed by me during this point; your concern and well wishes were heartfelt.

Once I made my second trip to the Peachstone AS I sat down on a cot. As I looked to my right I saw Thornley wrapped up in blankets. What the heck was he doing here? We chatted briefly and I was glad to see him get warm enough to keep going and get another finish. Meanwhile they checked my vitals. Everything normal. I knew my day was done though. At rest my airway would open up more than during exertion but I did not want to risk anything and carry on. Thought about it a lot and knew it was the necessary decision.

During the next three hours I had the chance to reflect, refuel, and get way too existential as I watched other runners come and go as I sat in a beach chair wrapped with blankets. I had a pleasant time with the volunteers at Peachstone. Thanks again for taking care of me as I watched from the sideline. I appreciated all the grilled cheese sandwiches and cups of chicken noodle soup. Runners will never know the importance of AS volunteers and medical staff until they are in need. I am grateful for this lesson. More and more I'm learning about the symbiotic relationship between racers and race volunteers. Both need the other to accomplish their purpose for the day. The ultra community is a cool one to be apart of.

I learn the most from my defeats. I have gained needed perspective from my DNF's at HR and now WS. I believe that everything happens for a reason and it's my goal to learn and find the wisdom in these reasons. After talking with family, friends, and a few medical professionals I think my drop was due to an allergic reaction or a spontaneous bout of exercise induced asthma. I have seasonal allergies and think it could have been due to the different pollen and flora in California or some other airborne particle from the forest fires throughout the west.

Thanks: Timmy, Duncan, and Scott- awesome road trip and spending time with my Gunnison brothers. Grateful for the time, support, and money you spent to join me on this crazy DNF adventure. Team Montrail- big thanks for hosting all of us before the race and putting together a fun bbq. So good to meet and spend time with more Montrail runners and staff! Very fortunate to be with such a down to earth group. Peachstone AS- can't say enough of your service towards me. Truly grateful. Thanks to Peter for driving me to Auburn in time to see the finish! Thanks to MANY runners for their concern, kind words, and support. Congrats to the Research Monkey :) I'm glad one of us put in a good showing for the Fort!

My quest continues to put together a strong second 50 miles of a 100. I am eagerly waiting for the day when I realize and execute to my full potential at this distance. Leadville is just around the corner. ONE step at a time.

From the archives...

2011-06-20T16:27:00.003-06:00

Just been looking through old pics. The characters above will be representing Fort Collins, CO this Saturday! Getting excited and looking forward to running 100 miles, sitting for over 30 hours in the car, and bringing some great memories home with me.

In case you haven't seen the odds
Soon enough...Time to pack!

Got Salt?

2011-06-13T15:42:00.003-06:00

Pic: The aftermath of electrolyte residue after 3 hours in the low 80's

The heat training is on! I'm not one to don extra layers when the mercury is high to accomplish this- my internal furnace starts to go crazy even on extended runs in the mid 70's! A few people have asked me what I'm doing to prepare for the nauseating waves of heat I'll encounter at WS. Answer: Run after work when it's hot instead of before work when it is cool. That seems simple enough...except for the fact the WS temps could be 20-30 (gasp) degrees hotter than FoCo heat. This past weekend I got out on some hilly runs around noon to capitalize on the warmth. Mission accomplished!

I'm also happy to report that I emerged from the exhaustion cave. After Pocatello I was REALLY tired and fatigued. It was a week of intuitive training- I would run until tired...and most of these runs I felt tired in the first few blocks! I logged 35 miles for the week with a long run of 6.6! Last week started out the same way Monday through Wednesday. Then Wow! Thursday I felt normal, Friday I felt normal and then Saturday I was tired and heavy legged but got in my longest run since Pocatello. Sunday I felt like a runner again. This was very encouraging to say the least! The body is a mystery at times. 12 more days to get spry!

Last, a big shout out to Dylan Bowman for his win at the San Diego 100! Always good to see Colorado runners makin' waves in Cali! Looking forward to toeing the line with him, Callahan, Parr, and 800 others at Leadvegas this year.

May numbers and a few thoughts about WS

2011-06-03T16:31:00.002-06:00

MAY- Miles: 327.2, 10.5 miles/day, 4 days off (2 in a row, longest running drought of 2011)
YEAR- Miles: 1742.6, 11.5 miles/day, 9 days off, 3150 pushups, 6180 crunches, 747 pullups

22 days until Western States. 22 days to get the legs fresh. 22 days to visualize running smooth and effortless from Squaw Valley to Auburn. 22 days to reflect on where I've been and where I'm going. 22 days to train, taper, and talk about the race. 22 days to focus and wonder. 22 days of gratitude and thankfulness to those who have supported my passion and dreams. 22 days to think about the goals. 22 days and then it BEGINS. Begin with belief.

Grindin' it out at Pocatello

2011-05-30T10:15:00.006-06:00

Photo: Jared Campbell

The short of it: Had an awesome road trip to Idaho with friends, met a lot of cool people, ran a SWEET course, legs were flat as a pancake for this one.

First, another STUNNING performance by Montrail teammate Young Money (8:17) who finished 1st and collected a cool $500 for his effort. Wouldn't it be nice to make $10 bucks and change for each mile you run in a race? Second, congrats to Zach Miller (8:24) and Mike Foote (8:40) on their IMPRESSIVE finishes and rounding out a SOLID podium. Third, well done Team Montrai! Alongside Dakota, Joelle Vaught (9:31) won the women's crown convincingly, over 90 minutes ahead of Hardrock champ Diana Finkel. Montrail athletes earned 4 of the top 10 spots: 1-Jones, 4-Burch, 7-Hart, 8-Vaught! Fourth, well done road trip team! Doug Newton (one of the toughest men on earth) ran 11:38! BTW he ran Jemez the weekend before in 11:19! Two of the toughest 50's in back to back weekends- not too shabby for an old man :) His wife Kirstin Nelson ran a strong race in the 20 miler. Last but not least, Fort Collins local Aaron Marks got the job done in 13:01 for his 3rd 50 mile finish! Did you know that the night before the race he UPGRADED from the 50K to the 53M...way to go big! Fifth, great to share stories/laugh/chat with: Evan H, Luke N, Christian J, Jeremy H, Jason H, Bryon P, Bill G, Paul G, and many others! Sixth, I would HIGHLY recommend this race to anyone looking for a stout 50M with a variety of terrain during a turbulent time of the year. If you like the tough and dirty mountain races like Lake City or Jemez- do this one! Hardrock champ and RD Jared Campbell has it dialed. Jared and his team have faced more weather related adversity and challenging decisions than most RD's might see in a decade. Bottom line- they put on a great event and are prepared for it all.

As for me, it wasn't my day. I led the first 6 miles or so with DJ Money one step behind. After my sunglasses fell off my hat for the second time (I then put them on for the rest of the day) I stepped aside and had DJ take the lead- and that he did! He was within eyesight for the next four miles as I knew it was going to be a grind. Sometimes the three week window between ultras works well, other times it backfires. Worked great for DJ, not so grand for this old man! On the knife ridge climb I was passed by Luke Nelson, Mike Foote, and Zach Miller. At the plateau top I passed them and began the descent to City Creek TH. I knew it wasn't my day when the downhills weren't keeping me in the race. A few miles before City Creek Zach passed me on the downs like I was standing still; he was charging hard after Dakota looking strong and focused! On the Barkleyesque climb up a stream drainage Luke and Mike passed me. I passed Luke a few miles later and could barely see Mike minutes ahead. The climb up Scout Mtn was fun. Charging through mud, water, rocks, and then a few miles of slushy snow to the Famous AS where Roch and Karl were keeping all the runners fed and happy. I downed a bunch of peanut butter filled pretzels and washed them down with about 6 dixie cups of chicken broth. A few miles down the trail I remembered that I am vegetarian this year...woops!
Although I didn't have the mojo I kept grindin' it out. Mentally I felt amazing, fueling was brilliant, just no pow or zip in the legs. This was a great character building race. I knew I gave it all I had on race day despite being out of the race for the podium with sluggish stumps. I pulled into the AS at 45.6 at 7:37 with 7.4 to go. I knew I was moving slow but really wanted to break 9 hours. Got some Cheetos and started plugging away. The theme of the day remained constant- it took me 1:24:32 to cross the line-93 seconds too long to get it done! Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the course and will come back for some redemption and run a time I know I'm capable of.

The proof is in the pudding:

Leg 1- 16.9M, 4500 ft. ascent, 2:34, 9:07/mile
Leg 2- 15.6M, 3600 ft. ascent, 2:40, 10:15/mile
Leg 3- 20.5M, 3900 ft. ascent, 3:47, 11:04/mile

Total- 53M, 12000 ft. ascent, 9:01, 10:13/mile

Not the race I wanted before WS. I took the last two days off from running. Starting tomorrow I have 25 days to rebound. Last time this happened was Hardrock 2009 where I DNF'd. This left me with some angst to race again so I signed up for the Leadville 50 that was 3 weeks later. I won it and set a then CR...gotta stay optimistic! Embrace the adversity...

On a side note I had a splendid time in the "banana peel" mud at Pocatello. The trail was "trench warfare" with each step!
Check out Jared Campbell's pics from the race.

Pocatello 53M this weekend!

2011-05-25T15:29:00.002-06:00

Well, it looks like Pocatello will be another weather adventure for 2011! I just checked the reports a few minutes ago: 38-58 degrees, 30% chance of precip, 10-15 MPH winds, a possible 1/2 inch of snow Friday night. You gotta love running in the mountains to sign up for this one. Last year it was cancelled after 50K because of epic blizzard conditions. This year the Portneuf Mtns near Pocatello are 200% above normal snowpack. Because of this factor the 2011 course has a rerouted 3rd leg- similar elevation gain and loss- but at lower elevation to reduce the amount of postholing. RD Jared Campbell said the regular 3rd leg is better suited for Rando racing right now! It's tough to imagine it being crazier than last year or the epic 2009 blizzard at Lake City. With that said, I will PROBABLY start the race with more than a shirt and shorts :) Expect the worst, hope for the best!

I'm really excited to run this year and compare the difficulty at Pocatello to that of Lake City and Jemez. With 12K of climb and descent mixed in with mud, postholing, stream crossings and more it should be a gem! Here's a recent update from the website. And a look at the other adventure seekers. With $500. up for grabs it should be a fast one.

In 2009 Dave James set the inaugural CR with a 9:16. His splits were: Leg 1-2:43, Leg 2-2:39, Leg 3- 3:51. Last year through 50K Scott Jaime and Joe Grant were on track to break the record. Scott's splits were: Leg 1-2:31,(+8), Leg 2- 2:30(+9). 17 minutes up with 20+ miles to go. As a first timer on the course and a snow routed 3rd leg it's tough to predict a finishing time for this one. I hope to run a similar 50K (5:03) time of Scott and Joe and see how the legs respond during the 3rd leg.

Since Collegiate Peaks I put in some lower volume (60M) maintenance weeks to shake out some of the sludge and fatigue from CP. The 4 days after racing I felt the best I ever had after a 50M. Then I got hit with some fatigue- general tiredness with normal runs feeling tougher than usual. My long runs were 16 and 18 each week-nothing fancy-mellow pace-solid elevation gain. The goal is to stay healthy (check), and get to the start line with a little more spring in my step (TBD). Nonetheless, excited to run in some new mtns, have an adventure, and bring home the stories and memories that make this sport what it is.

Finally, congrats to my friend from across the pond (Horsetooth Reservoir) Senor Nick "Flash the 2nd" Clark who ran splendidly to a new CR at Jemez! In a post race interview he mentioned there were no "niggles", the "pistons" were firing properly, and before his meal he was a bit "peckish." More here! Gotta love the accent and complimentary vocab! CAN'T WAIT until his DVD hits the shelves!

Collegiate Peaks 2011

2011-05-08T17:05:00.005-06:00

6:39 was the time that appeared during a number of my training runs leading up to the Collegiate Peaks 50 miler. I had been feeling good and looking forward to a solid race. One year ago I sandwiched the CPTR 25M between Fruita and Jemez to preview the course for a future run at the 50 miler. Thus, I knew what to look forward to!

Last year I ran a 3:05 at the 25 and rated my performance a B+ For the rest of the day I got to spectate and watch Andy Henshaw finish his first lap in 3:17 and go on to set a new CR of 6:52 besting Anton's 6:53 from 2007. Until this year, John Anderson was the only other sub 7 hour finisher.

One of my goals was to go sub 7 on Saturday. Looking at the entrants list I believed the winner would set a new CR. Duncan was looking strong 3 weeks after a solid win in Fruita. Dylan has hit a new level in his running. This was made even more evident at Antelope Island in March when he demolished my old CR by 16 minutes! Corey Hanson has steadily improved his performances this year and ran to a 50M PR at Fruita finishing second to Duncan. Sub 7 was one of my goals with that 6:39 continuing to surface in my thoughts.

As the race started I settled in with DC a few steps behind Dylan. After the pavement warmup we hit the smooth, sandy, dirt jeep roads that make up the bulk of the course. Through 18 miles Dylan and I exchanged the lead numerous times. I needed to lengthen my stride on the downs while he glided on the flats. This was textbook to our race in Moab where we finished within 3 minutes of each other. At the 18 AS he took an extra cup of drink while I continued on. From this point in the course is basically 7 miles of cruiser downhill/flat to the turnaround.

I finished the first lap in 3:08. Only 3 minutes slower than last year and I was going double the distance! It felt good- I knew I had cruised the downs and was running smooth. Dylan came in 90 seconds after me. I knew if I stayed consistent one or both of us would go under the record. Despite him being relatively close I never got a visual of Dylan and ran the second lap by myself thinking he was within striking distance. I stayed consistent on pace and fueling and was ironically looking forward to the last stretch of pavement! Once I hit the homestretch I got into the American River rhythm and clicked off the final miles finishing in 6:37. Showcased by the funny looking burn between the top of my sunglasses and the bottom of my bandanna, the sun shined on me this day. So where did that 6:39 come from?

Fuel: 4 packs of Clif Bloks, 1 Chocolate Cherry Clif Shot, 5 Nuun tablets, 1-2 cups of Coke at each AS during lap 2

Splits I remember: 25=3:08, 38=5:05, 44=5:53 50=6:37 Lap 1=3:08 Lap 2=3:29

A Trip to the American River

2011-04-11T17:57:00.005-06:00

This past weekend was a whole lot of fun! The 2.5 days in Cali felt like a week of warm sunshine refreshment. I'm really pleased with the race and fond of all the positive memories that highlighted the trip. I flew out to the race on Friday with my PI brothers- one the clean cut and self-proclaimed "Deano Latino" and the other wooly mammoth known to AJW as "Big Boy." After arriving in Sacramento we cruised the 5 in a Prius...not that this has any significance other than the fact it took us a few trys to figure out how to turn the darn thing on! More like riding in a space shuttle in the early going accompanied by a crazy sounding GPS navigational voice...

That night we got fueled up at the pre race meal. The cheese tortellini was amazing; probably a little too amazing...more on that in the race report. Anyhow, during the day the three of us talked race strategy and pacing and overanalyzed too many factors when thinking about the 50 miles we were to cover the next day. While MC'ing the panel during the dinner AJW brought it all back into perspective, "Tomorrow you're gonna run from Sacramento to Auburn." It's sound advice- SIMPLIFY!

Race day started a little after 3AM on Saturday morn. We hopped on the bus and arrived in Sacramento 1 hour before the start. A big thank you to RD Julie Fingar who kept us and some others warm before the start in a nearby office. On our way I was convinced we were looking for a warming hut...it was early...

As predicted the race started faster than any ultra I've been a part of. I did my best to find the fastest pace that wouldn't create any blood lactate in the muscles. For whatever reason my Garmin battery magically died the night before even after a full charge before the trip. This turned out to be a good thing- I simply ran by intuition. I ran in a mini peloton of 5 guys- one of which was Jacob Rydman. I found this out as the local received many GO JACOB encouragements along the beginning stretches of bike path.

Around mile 13 Jacob picked up the pace. The other 3 guys followed while I stayed at the same pace and began to find myself in No Man's Land. In many ways I like running by myself in a race so this turned out to be a good thing as well. I watched as the pack of 4 started falling off Jacob's pace one by one. Two hours in and that cheese tortellini caught up with me. A quick stop and I was back in rhythm. I then began to pass the other runners in the peloton that had been separated by Jacob. Around mile 20 I was surprised to pass Jacob who had looked so smooth on the pavement. Evidently his quads had burned out.

I went through the marathon 10 ticks before 2:55. This is the 3rd fastest marathon I've ran in my extensive road marathoning career :) Finally I hit dirt! Once I was on the trail I felt like a new man! On the pavement I built up plenty of aches, tightness, and yearning for a natural forgiving surface. American River is like eating a lot of mashed potatoes followed by a grand dessert! The bike path miles were bland and consistent. You knew you had to clean your plate though to get dessert. It was tasty! I loved changing up the muscle groups, going uphill, going downhill, and cruising along the rolling sections. At the AS at 35 I passed Deano Latino who said Senor was just a few minutes ahead. 15 miles to go and I was feeling good. For some reason the gels went down better during this race than any other. It was by far the most gels I've had in a 50M. It was solid and consistent energy all day! I pressed on wondering if I'd see the backs of any more runners.

When I got to the last AS at 48.5 I did a triple take as I thought I saw two Tony K's hanging out together. It was funny how closely they resembled him; the hair, beards, tan, and shoes were spot on! I was really psyched to see the last two mile markers come and go with relative ease. A glance at the watch and I kicked it into gear to go under 6:10.

The post race was also exceptional! Veggie burgers, music, and good people helped recharge the battery. It was fun to meet and chat with many of the Montrail Team for the first time. Congrats to Greenwood, Skaden, and Perry for their impressive finishes! Dinner that night brought together good laughs, good people, and good food! The next morning we got out on the WS100 course. Ran out to No Hands Bridge and back from the track with Perry as I wasn't feeling as spry as my older counterparts...fun to watch FastEd drop the hammer down the home stretch on Clark! Prophetic? We'll soon find out. Ladies and Gentlemen the time is now!

1st Quarter Review and Grey Rock Summit

2011-03-31T18:07:00.005-06:00

Wow! 2011 is flying by... here's a quick look at the numbers:

March YTD

Miles: 337.1 1067.8
Miles/Day: 10.9 11.8
Days Off: 3 3
Meat: 0 0
Alcohol: 0 0
Stretch/Roll: 23/31 79/90
Race Miles: 26 81
Race Reg: $40. $216.25
Pushups: 400 2300
Pullups: 128 497
Crunches: 900 4330

Tidbits for March: 3 long runs above 26.2- 1. Chubby Cheeks 50K with Clark. 2. Salida Marathon. 3. 26.7 tour of Lory/HTMP with 2009 Leadman Corey Hanson. BTW- Corey did all the bike events on a stiff frame single speed! Dipped under 31 for a Towers Road PR of 30:58.

And... DJ Money and I ran up Grey Rock last Sunday. Grey Rock is a short, steep, and technical trail northwest of Fort Collins. It offers 2300 ft. of climbing in 4.5 miles via the Meadows Trail or via the Summit Trail in 3.1 miles. It is a classic training ground for Fort Collins runners putting in the miles for Hardrock. Look for Pete Stevenson who probably holds the record for Grey Rock laps in one run...

Salida Run Through Time: Version 6.0

2011-03-16T19:39:00.004-06:00

Timmy bags a turkey! That's 3-in-a-row at Salida for Mr. Parr. I think I got him super focused for this race after I took it to him in 2008...fortunately my blood trail led him to the finish :)

Salida brings back many fond memories for me. 6 years ago this was the longest trail race I had ever run. As an ankle biter Tenderfoot Mtn was the first peak I ever climbed and it was always fun to chuck rocks in the Arkansas...those were the days...when life was uber simple and I was a lil' hellion on my Big Wheel- one of the best child transport devices ever!

Now I'm 6 for 6 at one of the best low key trail events that draws solid competition year in year out. Regionally, there isn't a better longer distance trail race you can run in March...in the mountains. At $40 you won't find a cheaper marathon. I highly encourage you readers to put this one on your schedule for next year. I am really hoping for another EPIC snow year at this race next year and I would also love to see someone go under the 3 hour mark...Timmy needs someone to push him/chase after...who will it be? Is there none among you? I must have the movie Troy on my mind...

To the race...after warming up for 1.5 miles I made my way to the start to catch up and banter with friends. I was pleasantly surprised to see the UROY toeing the line. It would have been fun to see Geoff and Timmy race each other at a shorter distance...but it wouldn't be this past weekend as Geoff was using the race as a training run before the showdown at Chuckanut.

In the beginning miles I ran with Tim, Senor, Marco Peinado, and Dan Vega. Soon enough Tim gapped Nick who gapped Dan who gapped Marco who gapped me. Around 6 miles I chatted briefly with Marco and from here on I essentially ran by myself. At the 10.5 mile turnaround the leaders had about 5 minutes on me. The plan was to turn it up for the second half and see if I could reel in any fish. I was solid all day but the extra gear decided to take this race off. At the mile 20 AS I decided to roll the dice. I ran through this AS hoping the extra 5-10 seconds might help me bridge the gap if Nick or Dan began to slow. Not this year! So I ran the last 16 miles of the race on 22 oz. of banana nuun Needless to say I was thirsty when I finished. And for whatever reason I didn't want to eat much either and only put down two expresso Clif shots for a whopping total of 200 cals and 44 oz. of nuun.

In regards to the course changes- the more singletrack the better- even if it "slows" the course a bit. Comparatively my best time on the old was 3:11 while the new came in at 3:14. From memory I think Tim's best was 3:02 on the old with a 3:05 on the new. However, I heard there may be a newer/different course for next year as well...

The post race was great to chat with all the homeys and continue the gathering at my Aunt Pat's for the annual Irish feast! Mmmm....Good times had by all, see you in 2012!

Police Report II: Guilty!

2011-03-06T19:49:00.003-07:00

Earlier this week one Dakota Jones was sentenced by Larimer County authorities for abandoning his principles regarding the sport of Ultrarunning. Full Police Report here. Shortly after the report was filed I received a phone call from the DA. My assignment: Observe and report upon the lifestyle of the accused. After reviewing the case I realized that the accused had been misunderstood. However, after the past two court appointed intervention sessions my views have changed after new evidence was exposed.

03/02, 40 degrees, 4 PM: During my under cover observation I witnessed the accused running shirtless on the Foothills Trail. I began to doubt his credibility given the conditions. However, after conversing with the accused I believed he simply needed some support. As part of his witness protection program I knew he needed a brief respite from the local trails. The accused needed a place to run in total anonymity. That led to our second intervention session of the week.

03/03, 35 degrees, 6:45 AM: The accused reported to my house on time and ready to run. After my initial intake we arrived where ultrarunners are rarely seen, on the track! This would be his first time on the oval de cush in 2011. The workload was straight forward: 5X1 mile with 400 recovery jog. The results were shocking.

Mile 1: 5:36
Mile 2: 5:30
Mile 3: 5:25
Mile 4: 5:20
After the 4th mile the accused "felt pretty good" and wanted to try to beat his 5:02 mile PR. The light turned green.
Mile 5: *5:00*

The Accused: Dakota Jones
The Verdict: Guilty
The Reason: Killin' it on the track

Young Money, run for and with your heart!

Numeros de Febrero

2011-03-01T10:04:00.004-07:00

February

319.4 Miles
11.4 Miles/Day
0 Days Off
0 Meat
0 Alcohol
25/28 Days- Stretch or rollout
40 Race Miles
$120. Race Registrations
700 Pushups
130 Pullups
1155 Crunches

YTD

730.7 Miles
12.3 Miles/Day
0 Days Off
0 Meat
0 Alcohol
56/59 Days- Stretch or rollout
55 Race Miles
$176.25 Race Registrations
1900 Pushups
369 Pullups
3430 Crunches

* March 1st *

2011-02-27T16:57:00.002-07:00

Just a quick update to check out the following on March 1st:

1. Montrail will be launching their new website! Be sure to check this out- it will feature an e-commerce platform that will allow a direct sales channel from Montrail to the customer online. http://www.montrail.com/ You can also browse the new and improved product pages, and find a plethora of info regarding Montrail, its athletes, and much more.

2. Registration for the 5th Annual Run Rabbit Run Steamboat 50M will open at 7 AM MST. I anticipate it to fill very quickly and there is only 190 spots. I will make it 5 for 5 and toe the start line once again this September 17!

Red Hot Thoughts

2011-02-22T14:28:00.007-07:00

The Podium: Parr (2), Jones (1), Burch (3)

DC & RB

Results,just in case you haven't seen them yet.
At noon last Friday I hit the road with my neighbor for our date with the desert. Seven hours and a few thousand calories later we arrived! This year I was to be treated with some wonderful local hospitality as Mrs. Jones welcomed myself and a few other runners and their kin to share a roof and some time with her favorite son. 2011 was my 5th time to the Red Hot; 4 as a racer, and 1 as a supporter. This however was the first time that I slept indoors before the race. Needless to say, the comfort of a bed and a regulated heating system made me feel quite pampered.

After a solid night of rest it was off to the race. As I drove to the start my in car thermometer read 50 degrees. It was warm and windy. Once the car was parked, the precip set in. A mix of graupel, rain, and other related water derivatives made their way to the sandy, red, desert floor. I needed to put on the tough face as I thought about stripping down to shorts, t-shirt, arm warmers, and gloves. After discussing "best" clothing options with half a dozen friends I chose to also put on the Geist Jacket which turned out to be a wise decision.

The race began and the excitement was palpable. The gun went off and the thundering herd began its journey. A large pack stormed forward. On the first descent I put in a mini surge to see who would follow. After about 2 seconds in the lead I triggered what can only be described as pissing off a bunch of bees that instantly began to swarm and overtake me. As the grade turned flat, Mike Smith (2:15? marathoner) made one of the most convincing moves I have ever witnessed in a race and put a sizable gap on the rest of the field. Parr and Jones cautiously reacted and the chase was on.

Until about mile 8 I found myself in the eight spot. I began to chip away at the fast start that propelled Jason Koop, Dylan Bowman, and two other guys I didn't recognize. It was nice to chat a bit with Jason and Dylan and recognize that a marathon was still in front of us. Koop was looking solid after an early season CR win at Ghost Town but would later have to drop due to a knee injury. D-Bow and I kept at it and reeled in the last two guys that trailed Jones. The fun began with the first of many twisty descents that allow the turnover to rapidly increase. At this point I still had a visual on Dakota but his red coat was beginning to disappear as the slickrock drew nigh.

Up until mile 24 Dylan was anywhere from 1-45 seconds behind me. I knew I would have to push the remaining descents fast as he would gain ground on the flats. I would steal a glimpse back every 15 minutes or so hoping he would be out of view as the race dropped into some of the slickrock washes. As I began to pass some of the 33K runners they said I was in third. How could that be? They must have just miscounted...However in the back of my mind I remembered that this course is not often kind to first timers. Many fast and accomplished runners have gone wrong on this course. Parr and Jones know the route, that left Mike.

During the last few miles I let the pull of gravity guide me to the finish line. 4:12, a 4 minute PR for me at this race. I then got the update from Parr that Mike had dropped after taking a left turn instead of going straight, thus repeating the first initial loop. Had he gone straight a new CR would most likely have occurred. This is trail running and these things happen. I have been off course enough times to know.

Post race was good times as usual. Great to catch up with my long lost brothers from Gunnison and so many enthusiastic, fun loving folks. Fun to see Young Money aka Hollywood aka H-Dub (my personal favorite) win one in his backyard with the support of his mom, aunt, uncle, and many friends to cheer him on and heckle him a bit later that evening..:)

Points for reflection:

1. Would the race outcome have changed if Parr brought a bottle and ate more than 350 calories? This is one area that I am working on improving as I look towards 100's. You can fake it in a 50K and a 50M- but that won't work for 100M. DC has witnessed the caloric deprived monster I turned into at GM 100 last year. On Saturday I ate 500 cals and drank 2+ liters of water. I need to eat more.

2. If there were no 15-20 MPH headwinds would the course record have been broken?

3. If Mike Smith ran the course clean what would his time have been?

Later that evening, back at the ranch, I chatted it up with Bryon Powell. Always fun to talk about ultrarunning with other runners who are passionate about the sport!

The next morning after a hearty breakfast and a mellow 4.5M jog H-Dub and I got back in the car. 7 hours and a few thousand calories later we arrived back at the Fort.

Final race before fun on the Slickrock!

2011-02-13T18:22:00.002-07:00

This Saturday I put in one final short race tune-up before the Dance on the Slickrock in Moab! I drove to Loveland for the Sweetheart Classic 4M. Michael Chavez and Jordan Wilson both of FOCO sped away from the field. Spots 3-6 were much closer together. The race started out with a predominantly downhill first mile aided by a tailwind. I hit this split at 5:30 in 6th place way too easy- the tailwind was launching us down the hill probably in the 15-20 MPH range. Miles 2-4 we encountered the uphills and the now 15-20 MPH HEADWIND. This slowed everyone down and the splits looked like we were all running disastrous races. As usual I started catching up to the second pack of runners as the finish came near. At 3.5 I reeled in Jerry Rief on the last significant uphill that we flew down to start the race initially. This pass was brief as he had some reserve in the tank and then did a slingshot to pass me. Shortly thereafter Jerry and then myself passed a fading Mark Hussey. With less than a 1/4 mile to go I dug in to try to launch a counterattack on Jerry, however he responded beautifully and cruised into the finish 5 ticks faster than me. Another solid effort on a blustery, "hilly" course.

Splits: 1-5:30, 2-5:41, 3-6:04, 4-5:55 = 23:10 RESULTS HERE

Finally, the ultra season will debut for me and many others this weekend at Moab's Red Hot 50K+ I'm really looking forward to a longer race on some fun trails. It will be a fast year. I'm predicting a new CR and the potential for 5 guys to go sub 4:10. Here's a few to put money on in no particular order: Jones, Parr, Callahan, Bowman, Torrance, Stevenson, Kennard, and more! Last year Callahan, Parr, and myself wanted to do a race together and sweep it 1-2-3 Gunnison. Our schedules never aligned to get all of us at the same race; until now...and the fact that Gunni is no longer mi casa. However, it could go 1-2-3 FOCO...you never know! So for drama and something to talk about I'm calling this race the Gunnison Wrecking Crew vs. The FOCO Fast and Furious! Bring the A game and heed the challenge!!! It will be EPIC!!! The pressure is on!!!

On a personal note, I need to settle the score with Kennard after his smooth stride slid by me in the Quicker Quaker! Rumor has it he's been cruising by Tony in training! He's the Dark Horse to watch! I need some redemption!!! Round 2 awaits...!

2011 Montrail Team and Greeley Superbowl 5K

2011-02-07T19:01:00.004-07:00

Well it's official! On February 1st Montrail announced its Trail Team for 2011. Check it out here I am thrilled to run for a company that makes great shoes and gear and actively promotes the sport of trail/ultrarunning. It is quite the honor to be recognized doing the thing that brings me to life each day! I had to let it soak in for a week before sharing! I am looking forward to this year of racing more than any other- the drive, focus, and discipline are continuing to build. I am STOKED to make myself a better overall runner- in the mountains and on the road! My mantra for 2011 is: CHOOSE TO IMPROVE! Each day we have that opportunity- go get it!

Yesterday I ran the Superbowl 5K in Greeley. The fitness is coming along. I ran a 17:26, 3 seconds off my PR, two days after running a 27 miler. Really getting excited to race longer in Moab! Below are a few pics of some of the Montrail team from last year: Dakota on his way to a CR at Fruita 50 and Henshaw on his way to a CR at CP50. And some characters from FOCO!

January Digits and Frost Giant Double Take

2011-01-31T17:18:00.002-07:00

What a whirlwind of a month! As of Dec. 24 2010 Meg and I were living in Gunnison and running in single digits. Now its been a month in the Fort and on Jan 28 Dakota and I ran 25M of 90% dry trail in 60 degree temps! How time flies... Training, motivation, and the joy/fun factor of running have been at an all time high! It's been awesome to learn and apply many of the Jack Daniels training principles. The big difference I'm noticing comparing this year to last is that of recovery days. Last year I ran 10-14 M most days; not to hard, not too easy. Looking back my body never really had an easy day to rejuvenate and I would simply take a day off running. This year I'm focusing on knowing the purpose of each given run. On easy days I run super easy putting in some good mellow miles and adding to the aerobic base. On fast days it's been great to plan out focusing on VO2 intervals, tempo/extended efforts to build lactic threshhold or fast reps to improve economy. With my easy days super easy my body is recovering and allowing me to run every day. My last day off was Christmas. The streak will end when it needs to; I'm simply enjoying the process and taking each day at a time. The variety has been great and it's a simple approach in its most basic tenets: alternating fast and easy days and throw in a long run each week. This is also the most miles I've run in a month despite not worrying much about my weekly totals and hoping quality will trump quantity to an extent.

January:

411.3 miles
13.2 miles/day
0 days off
0 meat
0 alcohol
Stretch or rollout each day of the month
1200 Pushups
2275 Crunches
239 Pullups

Weekly breakdown:

1/1 - 1/2: 23.4 M, Quality: 5K race, Long: 14M
1/3 - 1/9: 87.7 M, Quality: 1. 10-100 count Fartlek (10 easy, 10 fast etc), 2. 4x1M, 4x200m, 3. 5K race, Long: 16M
1/10 - 1/16: 98.2M, Quality: 1. 10x30 sec. fast during run, 2. Towers Time Trial, 3. 8x800m, Long: 24M
1/17- 1/23: 93.4M, Quality: 1. 12x400m, 2. 5x1200m, 3. 10x40 sec. fast during run, Long: 23M
1/24- 1/30: 97.9M, Quality: 1. 2x1.5M, 1x2M, 2. Towers Time Trial, 3. 5K and 10K race, Long: 25M
1/31: 10.7M

Frost Giant Races-

Yesterday was another fun day of racing. It was the first time I've ever run 2 races in a day; good to experience something new! Senor Clark put up a nice write up on his blog- great description of the terrain we encountered on a road/dirt road/cross country course. The 5K start was a rude awakening. Felt a bit sluggish during the warmup and once we started I was breathing way too hard and settled in a few ticks back of the lead group of Youngster, Swank, Saunders, and Clark. Just before the mile I passed the Youngster (high school?) and it appeared the others had eased off the gas a bit. Before 1.5 I passed Saunders on the dirt road. I watched as Clark put a strong gap on Swank who appeared to be slowing ever so slightly. From mile 2 to the finish I gave it what I had and made up about 20 sec. on Swank who crossed the line 2 ticks before me...just a little too late.

The 10K felt amazingly better than the 5K. Our first mile was semi casual as the top four runners in the 5K doubled up. Clark was running strong and had a sizable gap after the first mile. Shortly after mile 1 I passed Swank and started getting into a good rhythm. The slightly slower pace felt amazing as I'm obviously geared towards endurance than speed. Put in a consistent effort throughout the race and finished strong in 2nd.

Results:

5K- Senor 17:56, Swank 18:26, RWB 18:28, Saunders 18:55
10K-Senor 36:23, RWB 37:28, Saunders 38:26, Swank 38:34

Senor is looking great for NOLA. Hay's in the barn at this point. Good to finally put some faces to names-running Towers at night you never know who is who when it's dark and headlamps are all you see of a face- good meeting Alex May and catching up with Rick Denning of Bells Racing Team. Greeley Superbowl 5K up next.

Breakfast Fuel

2011-01-18T15:03:00.002-07:00

Over the next few posts I will be writing about what fuels me. I've always had a healthy diet due in part to my upbringing. My mom gave me the best of foods growing up. I had no processed/refined sugar until I was 3 years old. When I was with a babysitter she'd pack ants on a log or cheese and crackers for my snacks. My Grandma Burch was shocked when she learned I had never had jello as a child! The first time was in 3rd or 4th grade. Anyhow, I am very thankful that my tastebuds developed with real food and hardly any sugar or fat and cholesterol laden fast food. 2011 is the first time I've ever eliminated a full food group from the spectrum. I'm a strong believer in moderation and simply wanted to try the vegetarian life for a year; I also have a fair amount of all or nothing thinking which is great juxtaposition for the previous statement. So I threw in the added challenge of also eliminating strong drink as well for 2011...go big or go home!?

As a youngster I can remember getting into the huge Quaker oats container. I would eat oats raw starting at 2 years old. I would simply grab a handful and down the hatch they went. In elementary school I remember packing them in ziploc baggies for an afterschool snack at the park. As the years went by I graduated to the instant oatmeal packets. My favorites were Maple 'N Brown Sugar and Peaches and Cream. This continued through high school and the first year of college. I then had a Food and Nutrition class at CSU which really opened my eyes to the amount of sugar they add to just about every product on the market. I then took action and decided to start weening myself of the sugar I had no idea I was ingesting in every meal. Step one: Ditch the instant oatmeal packets. Step 2: Engineer my own oats.

The first recipe circa 1999 was quite rudimentary: oats, milk, raisins, and cinnamon. For oat eating sustainability I knew I needed to get more creative. The following recipe is now being disclosed to the public for your own consumption. It is the evolution of 10+ years of research and development from the RWB Oat Refinery Labs:

1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
2/3 Cup Powdered Milk
1 Heaping Spoonful of Wheat Germ
1 Heaping Spoonful of Ground Flax Seed or Chia Seed (Alternate every day for best results and nutrition)
1 Hearty Sprinkling of Cinnamon
1 Hearty Sprinkling of Nutmeg
1 Good amount of Raisins, Dates, or Figs (Alternate every day for for variety)
1 Big Handful of Walnuts, Pecans, or Cashews (Alternate every day so you don't go nuts) pun intended...
2 Heaping Spoonfuls of Sunflower seeds or Pumpkin Seeds aka Pepitas...(self explanatory)
3 Large Spoonfuls of bluberries, raspberries, strawberries (the more the merrier when mixed)
When you need to splurge: Pour in some real Maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar (I prefer Maple)

No joke, I eat this 98% of mornings and wash it down with a 20+ oz. cup of Celestial Seasonings India Spice Chai Tea or Earl Grey. This tastes even more amazing after a solid run on a cold morn!

As for running, next up is the Frost Giant 5K/10K in Estes Park, January 30!

Quicker Quaker 5K and Race Schedule through June

2011-01-09T19:54:00.002-07:00

On Saturday I went out and ran my 2nd 5K of 2011 at the Lafayette Oatmeal Festival known as the Quicker Quaker 5K. Senor Clark and I carpooled down to represent the FOCO Ultra Contingent. It was an awesome day to run into ultra friends and meet new ones. After getting the race bibs I ran into Bill F who was running with his son and will be prepping for his 1st 100M at Rocky Raccoon in a month. Shortly after I met George Z. George, Nick and I ran the "hilly" course to warmup for the ensuing intensity effort.
My goal for the day was to go sub 18. On Thursday I did another round of 4x1 mile with a 400M b/t efforts: 3 @ 5:49, 1@ 5:46 followed by 4x200M at 35 seconds each. Friday I was flat as a pancake...the addition of the 200's had me feeling lead legged so I put in an easy hour and called it good. Wasn't sure what to expect for Saturday.
Once the gun went off I thankfully had fully digested the residual pancake from the day before. As usual I cranked out the first mile 5-7 seconds faster than I should have. Shortly after, Aaron K glided by with words of encouragement. I tempered the pace and tried to keep the heart rate stable on the "climbs." Shortly after mile 2 I passed George who went out like a bullet. Nearing the 3 mile I began reeling Aaron in. One last turn and then it was a straight shot to the finish. I kicked it into highgear and passed Aaron on the final corner and started seeing the finish line banner getting larger and larger...
Big mistake! I pushed the zoom button 200M too early and though the banner was getting closer and closer I was beginning to drastically slow and the 3 people I passed on the initial takeoff came floating by as I was significantly sinking...
For the second week in a row I had a blast racing a distance I am thoroughly unaccustomed to. I crushed my goal by 3 seconds- finishing in 17:57, 28th overall. It has been great feedback to see how well the track workouts compare to my average race pace. On Saturday I ran 5:47 pace...just as one could have predicted from the Thursday workout bout. Nick and Aaron ran smart races while George and I could have improved our first mile.
After the race it was an ultra cool down as I had the chance to meet and share some miles with Scott Jurek, Joe Grant, and Bob Sweeney. The 7 of us put in another 7.6 to cap off a great day of balmy January racing and running. In addition to my goals for the year I would also like to go sub 17 for the 5K. Don't worry...trails and ultras make me tick...I'm simply expanding the ways to enjoy and challenge myself with running a more diverse schedule of races...

Speaking of which, here's the schedule for 2011 through June:

February: Red Hot 50K+
March: Salida Marathon
April: currently working on entry/logistics for AR 50M
May: CP 50M and Pocatello 50M
June: Western States 100M

Amongst the ultras will be some more short and sweet local events.

2006-2010 Years in Review and New Years Day 5K

2011-01-01T23:10:00.002-07:00

2010 was a solid year of running and racing. It turned out to be my biggest year in regards to volume despite two injuries. This was the 5th year that I’ve tracked running data for myself. Below you will find the numbers that I’ve continued to build upon since I started ultrarunning in 2006. The numbers are relatively low compared to many of my competitive friends and peers. My prior “competitive” running background consisted of 8th grade cross country. I picked up the sport again in 2002 and ran the Bolder Boulder. From 2002-2005 I slowly began to run more and completed my first marathon in May of 2005. Going into my first ultra in 2006 (Fruita 50M) I had 3 marathons under my belt and the simple desire to run further than I ever had. I finished that day a broken man and never thought I’d do another ultra...
Mine is a story of continued improvement fueled by the simple love of running and the challenge to accomplish goals I would have never imagined 10 years ago. Perseverance, hardwork, desire, belief, and running friends have been vital to my progression over the years. As you can see I ran more each year as running became my dominant mode of activity. The early years were supplemented with ultimate frisbee, weight lifting, hiking, road biking, climbing, and mountaineering. As the love for running grew these activities began to receive less time. As a jack of all trades I came to the realization that my next challenge was to simply focus on one activity and see how much I could improve. Here’s how it has panned out thus far:

2006: 1148 miles, 3.1 mi/day, 22 mi/wk, 200:50 hrs/min, 8 races, 254 race miles,
0 wins, 2 podiums

2007: 1458 miles, 4 mi/day, 28 mi/wk, 248:33 hrs/min, 9 races, 392 race miles,
150 days of running, 41% of days, 0 wins, 2 podiums

2008: 2064 miles, 5.6 mi/day, 39 mi/wk, 316:09 hrs/min, 12 races, 515 race miles,
206 days of running, 56% of days, 2 wins, 5 podiums

2009: 2424 miles, 6.6 mi/day, 46 mi/wk, 371:46 hrs/min, 12 races, 478 race miles,
218 days of running, 60% of days, 4 wins, 7 podiums

2010: 3349 miles, 9.1 mi/day, 64 mi/wk, 528:54 hrs/min, 12 races, 540 race miles,
274 days of running, 75% of days, 4 wins, 9 podiums

Summits of 2010: Signal Peak- 123, 14ers- Uncompahgre, Handies, Belford, Oxford,
Wetterhorn, San Luis, Kit Carson, Challenger Point, Humboldt,
Random- Carfield (11,xxx near CB)

Signal Peak Club of 2010: Callahan- 136, Burch- 123, Parr- 104, Drum- 27, Total: 390

Mileage by month/quarter:

January- 86.8 miles, 2.8 miles/day

February- 264 miles, 9.4 miles/day

March- 345.5 miles, 11.1 miles/day

1st Quarter- 696.3 miles, 29 days off

April- 335.3 miles, 11.1 miles/day

May- 372.8 miles, 12 miles/day

June- 372.7 miles, 12.4 miles/day

2nd Quarter- 1080.8 miles, 14 days off

July- 317.6 miles, 10.2 miles/day

August- 103.6 miles, 3.3 miles/day

September- 307.9 miles, 10.2 miles/day

3rd Quarter- 729.1 miles, 33 days off

October- 344 miles, 11.1 miles/day

November- 229.5 miles, 7.6 miles/day

December- 269.6 miles, 8.7 miles/day

4th Quarter- 843.1 miles, 15 days off

Miles per week frequency:

0-9: 4 10-19: 2 20-29: 1 30-39: 5 40-49: 3 50-59: 3 60-69: 8

70-79: 9 80-89: 8 90-99: 6 100-109: 0 110-119: 1 120-129: 2

Goals and Resolutions for 2011:

Running- 3650 miles, 300 days of running, 2 400 mile months

Fitness- 300 pushups/wk, 600 crunches/core/wk

Diet- vegetarian and alcohol free for 2011

New Years Day 5K!

I jump started 2011 with the annual New Years Day 5K in Fort Collins that is put on by Runners Roost. A cozy 7 degree start warmed the legs of the hearty field which drew just shy of 100 entries on a balmy morn. It was a good opportunity to get a fitness check to build upon. Earlier in the week I also put in a track workout to get a rough estimate of my finishing time. The workout consisted of 4 mile repeats with a 400M recovery jog between intervals. I ran them all between 5:45-5:50 pace.
As the race started I got out a bit too quick hitting the 1st mile in 5:40 ish. The eventual winner (Matt Norton) and I set the pace together for about 2 miles. He slowly but surely put some distance on me during the last mile. He finished the 1/2 dry 1/2 snowpacked course in 18:16 as I came in a few seconds later in 18:22. The 5:55 pace matches up with the track workout given the conditions. It was fun to start the year off with a race! 2011 will also see more structure brought into my training. I've really enjoyed reading Jack Daniels Running Formula and I'll be applying some tempo runs, track work, and strides into my weekly routine. It has been a fresh change of pace and I've actually been looking forward to my "harder" days. Here's to 2011...Happy New Year!

Thanksgiving and the Return to the Front Range

2010-12-03T10:27:00.002-07:00

This Thanksgiving Meg and I made a roadtrip out to Wisconsin with my parents, sister, and her husband to visit relatives in the land of beer, cheese, and brats. However this time it was the land of desserts! Thanksgiving and other Holidays are the time of year when I run less and eat more- especially regarding foods that I rarely enjoy during the rest of the year. Here's a small smattering of the guilty pleasures I indulged in that led to the gaining of a solid 5 lbs of muscle:

Multiple Dairy Queen Buster Bars, Mint Oreo Blizzard, Lots o' Pumpkin Pie, Lots o' Lemon Meringue Pie, Lots o' Apple Spice Cake, Multiple Manderfields Bakery of Appleton Persian Doughnuts, 1 Coca-Cola with REAL sugar- no HFCS for this guy! Multiple Taco Bell bean burritos that fueled the drive, my favorite post race breakfast meal- Biscuits and Gravy topped with 3 scrambled eggs and Cholula! The list goes on...needless to say fun was had by all!

When I wasn't eating I'd get out for 6-10 miles most days and explore some of the county parks that have great Nordic terrain once the snow accumulates. On Turkey day morn the Burch clan headed out for the local Turkey Trot in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Coming into the race I wanted to run hard and have fun, not knowing at which mile my fast twitch muscle fibers might kick in. It had been awhile since the turnover has been running around 6 min/mile pace.

I started out conservative clocking the first mile in 6:20. The body felt good and I didn't feel any lactate build up so I began to pick up the pace. Around mile 2 I slipped into 3rd on an icy patch but managed to stay upright. For the next 1.5 miles the course was blanketed by a cush 1'' layer of snow atop a bike path. I passed 2nd during a descent out of the park around mile 3. The last two miles I continued to increase the pace and finished 2nd in 30:32. First place ran a strong 29:43. For my effort I won a 20 lb turkey to assist with my tryptophan induced food coma that would occur later that day.

Back at the house I went online to see the official results. My timing chip failed me! There was no indication that I started, finished, or was even at the race! How I love technology! Overall it was a fun time. I may even run a handful of shorter road races for 2011...can't believe I just said that! Most things go full circle in life...

Speaking of which, Meg and I are returning to Fort Collins for 2011! After we returned from Wisconsin we blitzkrieged to find housing and we move in January 1. Meg will start a grad program and I will continue the quest to find sustainable income and a "career." I will miss the Drums, Callahans, and Parrs of the world and the frequent summits of Signal. Upon my return I will be doing some recon work on my runs to find a lesser Signal in Fort Collins. This will probably be some obscure high point on one of the foothills ridges since I will be starting from the doorstep with a 2.5 mile paved warmup before hitting the dirt. Also looking forward to reconnecting with the Clarks, Hansons, Godings, and Joneses of the world. Enjoy your holiday season and here's to 2011!

Ozark Trail 102...Consistent?

2010-11-09T12:55:00.011-07:00

The legs met the brambles...pic taken after 3 days of healing!

Here's the short of it- 21:49:02, 4th. Solid 70 miles; slow 32 miles. Led for 73 of the first 74 miles.

Now the long of it- Overall a fun-filled road trip with my dad. We left for MO on Thursday and drove 825 miles to St. James. That night I put in my last run before the race- 4.2 miles on the hotel treadmill; felt good after 12+ hours of sitting. On Friday we did some recon work scouting out the various crew access points along the course. That afternoon we checked in at race headquarters and pitched the tent on the grounds of Bass River Resort. During the prerace meal I looked around and realized this had to be the first race in years where I did not know any of the runners or race staff...many of the inaugural finishers wished this years first timers "good luck" with a fair amount of sarcasm and chuckle in their voices. There were a number of stories of runners getting off course last year...just what I needed to hear after my experience in July. If there is anything I want from a race it is a well marked course.

Got into the sleeping bag around 8 PM. The overnight low was a brisk 20 degrees! Woke up at 3 AM promptly filled my bottle and grabbed a seat on the shuttle bus that would take us to the start. The bus got off course and we arrived at the start line 15 minutes before the 6 AM start. I got in the much needed "movement," shed my warm ups and got ready for the task at hand. Before the gun Ben Creehan introduced himself and I got a few more course related questions answered...the toughest part was to stay on track during the first 17. Two years ago there were 90 MPH winds that ripped through this section of forest. It basically looks like the area was bombed. The wind uprooted 100's of trees leaving behind root ball holes that were anywhere from 1-5 feet deep depending on the size of the tree. This area also had significant amounts of overgrowth due to an especially wet summer. Another race in the area earlier this year had to be rerouted because the overgrowth was impassable without brush cutters! We were told the area had been cleared...it had...and yet many "treats" awaited us. You gotta be tougher to run trails!

The other factor on this course was the LEAVES. I have never before run through so many millions of LEAVES! The trail was covered by 4+ inches of leaves. Since you couldn't see the trail floor each step had to be more conservative than usual. You didn't know if there was going to be roots, rocks, branches, small animals, or other obstacles to massage your feet and toes with each foot fall. After each foot plant I noticed I also had to lift my foot more than usual to clear any of the obstacles I couldn't see. This terrain shortened my stride and made it difficult to stride out and run confidently fast. Needless to say I hit the deck 3 or 4 times.

The race started in the predawn darkness and we began our trek on the Ozark Trail. I briefly chatted with Ben C and Kyle Gibbs in the opening mile. The pace was relaxed so I decided to take the lead. It felt awesome to run more than 6500 feet lower and breathe the thickly oxygenated air. This was the lowest race I have run- I think the high point was under 1500 ft. I got into a rhythm with the crunch crunch of every 2 dry leafed steps. It was neat to see how the trail resembled a dark corridor. Even though you couldn't see the trail it was visible to follow by the opening of the trees. After about 1:15 I turned off the headlamp. Soon after the leg shredding session with the infamous brambles began. My legs played a crucial role in clearing the trail for the runners behind me. By far it is the most cuts and scratches I've encountered on any stretch of trail or non-trail for that matter. At the Sutton Bluff Aid (17.6) Ben took the lead for the next mile as I took longer to fuel up.

I truly felt that this was the day I would run sub 20 or better for 100 miles. Legs felt great, breathing was relaxed- I believed it was coming together. Saw my dad for the first time at Brooks Creek (43.5) and motored on through. My 51 mile split at HWY DD was a comfortable 8:26. Things were going according to plan- I thought the CR of 18:38 was definitely within reach. At Martin Road (59.2) I was beginning to slow. No worries; still running solid. Coming into Hazel Creek (68.5) I continued the regression. Side note- this AS rocked! PoDog Vogler the AS Captain went above and beyond the call of duty. He ran a 1/2 mile back and asked me what I needed before I got into the AS. He took my instructions and empty bottle and sped back. I came into the AS with a full bottle awaiting and my fuel selection ready to go- thanks a ton! It was awesome! At this point I was sick of the sweet. Gels, Bloks, Coke, Cookies, I needed a reprieve. I turned a few heads as I put down a Miller Lite. Non-sweet, quick carbs, the change was great. I also got some beef jerky and soup before heading out.

A few miles later the headlamp came out. I was now running really slow but still running. My 70 mile curse was beginning to whisper in my ear. I had the feeling it was going to get ugly. Around mile 74 Ben C and pacer passed me up and looked strong- it looked like he could get the record. Coming into Machell Hollow AS (76.1) I was at 14 hours. Sub 20 was still more than possible...however the carnage hadn't begun. 26 miles to go...6 hours to do it...

By mile 81.5 (Berryman Campground AS) I knew there wasn't much run left in me. It was good to have the encouragement of my dad and AS people- I did my best to stay positive despite the fact the next 21 were going to be ultra slow! I fueled up on french toast, sparkling water and began the inevitable Death March.

At 88 (Billy's Branch AS) the temp began to drop into the mid 30's. Since I was hardly running it was tough to stay warm and I would "run" a bit to warm myself. At this station I stayed about 20 minutes to refuel and rewarm with grilled cheese, chicken noodle soup and hot chocolate. I needed to get my money's worth! Around mile 93 Kyle Gibbs and pacer passed me looking smooth. I somehow managed to "run" 88-95 in 1:30 and couldn't believe I had made it to the last AS at Henpeck Hollow so "quickly." 7 miles to go. One last pep talk from my crew of one. I was going to finish- I didn't drive 800+ miles for a DNF. My dad has also put in an A effort in crewing and race preparation for me...and there is honor in finishing...no matter the result.

The final 7 took me 2:13. Tommy Doias passed me around mile 96 running fast and strong as I hobbled along. I walked across the line in 21:49:02 and received my buckle from RD Paul Schoenlaub. Got it done. It was ugly.

Here's an organized visual of the destruction:

51- 8:26
76- 14:00
102- 21:49

1st 51- 8:26
2nd 51-13:23

What can I say? I am CONSISTENT! In the 5 100's I have finished I have gotten my butt kicked in the second half of every one of them! All 5 including my PR have had VERY lopsided halves. They show a tale of two races. This distance continues to befuddle me. All I can do is improve, that is the positive and I'm resilient to a thorough butt kicking- I have experienced the lowest of lows... and returned!

Towards the end of each year I get very ambitious for planning the upcoming race year. This year was no exception. Before MO I was toying with giving the Grand Slam a go for 2011. Nope. This grasshopper needs extra wisdom, experience, and training for the 100 milers. Humbled once again. Mentally it seems so easy to put 4 100 milers on the schedule. After I finish one reality comes crashing back and I realign my thinking. With that said I am looking forward to Western States and Leadville for 2011. If I mention anymore please give me a gentle slap and say, "Patience grasshopper!"

Finally, a look at how the podium runners improved from last years times. Great job guys, thanks for tips on the course! BTW I ran all 102 miles clean. No getting off course on this one!

1st- Ben Creehan 19:32 (22:59, 2nd in 09)
2nd- Kyle Gibbs 20:52 (24:12, 6th in 09)
3rd- Tommy Doias 21:03 (25:39, 8th in 09)

Of Famous Authors and Fictional Characters

2010-10-26T16:32:00.002-06:00

As Pedatella aptly predicted I will be heading to Missouri for the Ozark Trail 100 on Nov. 6th. The race takes place in the Mark Twain National Forest and is a point to point run on the Ozark Trail featuring 12-15000 feet of climbing. In its inaugural year Jeff Browning took the crown in 18:38. My goal is to run sub 20 and anything faster will be extra gravy. 100's are still the mystery race for me...and it is a mystery I want to solve with each one I run. My PR for the distance at Leadville 09 of 20:51 encourages me that there are faster times to come. In less than two weeks I get to put myself to the test, this time with no pacers...

My dad and I are roadtripping to the race and he will captain the bare bones crew. It will be awesome to see him at various spots along the trail. This will be my first pacerless 100 and I'm looking forward to the added challenge to run Meltzer-style. With about 11 hours from sunrise to sunset this race will add a longer bout of night running compared to other 100's.

Since Steamboat I've had some solid training. I put a 22 day streak under my belt with 20 of those days being in the double digits (I'm not much of a streaker and this is a new record for me!) with a long run of 42 at the Grand Canyon R2R2R a few weeks ago. BTW...the Grand Canyon trip was a ton of fun! It was great to run with and spend some quality time with Doug, Duncan, Scott and our adventure seeking wives. It was a special night after the run eating food, drinking sparkling water, listening to Kir play the guitar and lounging around the campfire...This run also hit me with the realization of how small the Ultra community is as I ran into Eric Lee and JZ from the Fort Collins Trail Running Crew....small world! Clark, next time you'll have to make it happen!

This past week I also got signed up for Western States! I have officially entered and paid my $370. I guess it costs more to race in California...it is by far the most coin I've put down for a race...time to train hard and get my money's worth! Running the Ozark Trail 100 will be another race to build experience at this humbling distance. Each time I think about Missouri or read about the Mark Twain Nat'l Forest I daydream about the fictional characters of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn running the trails....until then...

The Staple- Statistics & Signal Peak: 100 Summits!!!

2010-10-20T13:09:00.003-06:00

Pics from #100

The Staple- Statistics & Signal Peak: 100 Summits atop the Source @ 9042 feet

Signal Peak was my introduction to running when Meg and I moved to Gunnison in the middle of January this year. As I explored the trails above Western State College I noticed a pyramidal point looming to the Northeast. I followed the ridge by eyesight and knew I had to run it. After a few more runs in and around the area I asked DC about this point.

He grinned and said, “Oh yes, that is Signal Peak!” The point had a name and was a semi-regular run for DC in previous years. Soon after we began to run it with more and more frequency. It was the beginning of February and the route had been hardpacked by some sort of ATV that substantially assisted with obtaining some of the winter summits.

Our runs would start at 6 AM and we would ascend with the rising sun in subzero temperatures. On one of these dry and cold mornings we had been updating each other with the latest news from the ultrarunning blogosphere. We had both recently read about Tony K and his quest to run Green Mtn in Boulder 100 times in the first 100 days of 2010. This sparked some thinking of our own to piggyback off of the idea and create or own type of ascent goal in the Gunnison Country.

Being a Libra I have a natural tendency to gravitate towards balance and moderation in my life; I was also coming off a bout of achilles tendonitis- I knew I wouldn’t be running Signal Peak day after day. Besides, I had just moved to Gunni and had tons of new trails and terrain to explore. Parr also gave me a list of 60 or so named runs in the Gunnison valley that I had to begin to tick off with him and other Gunni runners.

After more discussion DC and I set the goal of running Signal Peak at least 100 times in 2010. Two weeks ago DC notched his 100th summit to become the first person in the history of Gunnison County to run 100 Signals in a calendar year. The following is a compilation of the NUMBERS that have accumulated during my 100 summits which I completed on October 19th, 2010 to coincide with DC’s 28th B-Day. Happy Birthday Duncan; here’s to 200 in 2011...

Summits: 100 in 38 weeks = 2.6 summits a week

Miles: 1,195.7 = 11.957 miles per summit run

Vertical: 150,000 feet

Most summits in 1 week: 6 (twice) 9/6 thru 9/12, #’s 77-82, 9/27 thru 10/3, #’s 86-91

Most consecutive summits: 8 4/2 thru 4/9, #’s 20-27

Most Signal miles in 1 week: 82.7 9/6 thru 9/12, #’s 77-82

Shortest summit: 9.6 miles (multiple times)

Longest summit: 20 miles, 5/8, #39

Earliest Summit: 5:40 AM (multiple times due to 4:45 AM start time :)

Latest Summit: 8:50 PM, 5/29, #47

Yearly Progress:

#1- 2/5
#11- 2/25 SNOWSHOE SUMMIT
#25- 4/7
#50- 6/3
#75- 9/2
#92- 10/5 MY B-DAY
#100- 10/19 DC B-DAY

Monthly Summits:

Jan- 0
Feb- 11 #’s 1-11
Mar- 8 #’s 12-19
Apr- 15 #’s 20-34
May- 13 #’s 35-47
Jun- 14 #’s 48-61
Jul- 8 #’s 62-69
Aug- 5 #’s 70-74
Sep- 15 #’s 75-89
Oct- 11 #’s 90-100 (thru 10/19)

5 or more summits in 1 week:

2/15 thru 2/21, #’s 6-10 = 5
3/29 thru 4/4, #’s 18-22 = 5
4/5 thru 4/11, #’s 23-27 = 5
5/3 thru 5/9, #’s 35-39 = 5
9/6 thru 9/12, #’s 77-82 = 6
9/27 thru 10/3, #’s 86-91 = 6
10/4 thru 10/10, #’s 92-96 = 5

0 summit weeks :(

3/8 thru 3/14, Excuse: too much snow didn’t want to deal!
7/26 thru 8/1, Excuse: GM 100 Recovery
8/2 thru 8/8, Excuse: Left knee issues
8/16 thru 8/22, Excuse: Left knee issues
9/20 thru 9/26, Excuse: Easy week after Steamboat 50

Runners I’ve peaked with: (from most summit trips to least)

Duncan Callahan
Scott Drum
Tim Parr
Ben Dunn

Current counts: (As a group of 4 our goal is to hit 365 summits for 2010)

DC- 105
Burch- 100
Parr- 44
Drum- 24
Total: 273

In summation: Signal Peak represents consistency, strength, perseverance, and a yearly commitment to experience the Peak in all conditions throughout the 4 seasons the Gunnison Country will bring. Annual training goals assist in motivation through the tough training during the winter months.

With each day and each summit Signal is quietly gaining cult status here in Gunnison amongst other runners and athletes. If you come to town it is a must run...it should be your first! Rural legend has it that a WATCHMAN now observes all atop Signal Peak. Introduce yourself; the trip could blow your mind..........................................................

Tis Grand!

2010-10-14T10:54:00.002-06:00

Quick update...6 hours until the Grand Canyon R2R2R road trip begins! Can't wait to soak in some AZ sun with friends and family and then catch some inspiring views as we dip below the rim. This will be the second R2R2R trip for me- the first came in 2006 when Doug and I were ultra rookies and living the bachelor life as roommates. Now we've got some ultra experience and both married...how time flies! This year it will be the Callahan, Drum, Newton, and Burch families making the voyage with a possible Parr sighting sometime during the weekend. More to come upon return. Also, I am keeping the 2010 race season alive! I just registered for another 100 Miler! And lastly, the 100 Signal Summits for 2010 is just around the corner! What an epic year with more to come! I can't believe my morning runs have already dipped into the mid 20's! (and still rockin' the shorts!) Old Man Winter has begun to bring his cold to Gunnison!

Steamboat 50: Fast Enough...

2010-09-29T17:54:00.003-06:00

As the title implies my run at the 4th Annual Run Rabbit Run Steamboat 50 was just that- fast enough. Going into the race I did not set a time goal because of the knee issue and lack of usual training going into the race. The goal was to try and nab one of the spots to run at Western States next year. Goal accomplished!

Friday morning before the race I did an easy 3 mile shakeout jog. My knee hurt. It hurt more on this simple run than all of my previous runs in the last 10 days! Needless to say I was a bit worried wondering how Saturday might pan out. Not much confidence going into the race. Here's the kicker- the knee was not an issue! Sometimes I do not understand how the body can suddenly turn 180 and give me something to work with come race day. 50 miles...running...no knee problems...I said RUNNING 50 MILES!...I don't get it but am thankful for it.

The race started out very quietly. A group of five separated from the rest of the pack on the initial 10K 3500 ft. climb to the top of the ski hill. Myself, Roes, Fanselow, Bowman, and Jeremy Duncan quietly climbed. It seemed way too serious for me so I broke the ice... can't remember what I said to who but everyone began to chat with each other. At first we were all individuals working on our own power up the hill. Once the talk began it seemed like we moved as a team and it made the climb much more fun and enjoyable. All of a sudden we were at the top.

Roes and I went quickly through the aid station and hit the downhill singletrack. I hadn't felt the knee so I gave it its first test of the day. I bombed past Roes (did I just say that! :) around 6.5 miles and ran free for the first time since 07/04/2010. It felt great to open it up on the winding rocky ribbon of trail. This is one of my favorite feelings while running: effortless and fast through beautiful terrain.

I held the lead until shortly after the AS at mile 22. This is where my lack of usual training just decided to smack me in the face. At mile 22 you begin a 3 mile climb to the base of the Rabbit Ears and then make the turn back home. Within 1/2 mile of this climb my legs went to LEAD! Roes stayed consistent and gapped me by about 20 seconds. Shortly thereafter Fanselow effortlessly slid by. I continued my uphill march and hit the turnaround shockingly 1 minute faster than last years effort.
From mile 22-50 I was one gear McGee. No power. No explosiveness. No surges. Plain old one gear McGee. I kept wondering how many people were going to float by me during the second half. The legs were LEAD. I only had hope that I was moving fast enough. At 37 I was 6 minutes off my split from the previous year. Apparently Roes had only a 30 second cushion on Fanselow at this point...and then opened it up to put about 9 minutes on him in the final 13...crazy! At 44 I was 9 minutes off last year. With 6 to go it was Western States or bust... I chose to run the final miles smooth. I had no intention of aggravating the knee unless I absolutely had to. The strategy was simple: run it smooth, after each switchback look uphill for other runners, repeat, run like hell if you get a visual! To amuse myself I would throw up the "west coast" hand signal Tupac Shakur style as a reminder of what I was running for. For some reason this cracked me up numerous times...I almost "threw it up" as I crossed the finishline...but no one there would have understood my inside joke....I may have forgot to mention...the bulk of my youth was spent growing up in Greeley...thus the wide spectrum of music I have listened to.

Fred Abramowitz and the race committee do a wonderful job with this race! It is rare to find an RD who goes above and beyond to keep the race winners returning each year. A comped entry and 2 night stay in a ResortQuest condo is huge! I am truly grateful. Just another perk to run hard...Geoff, you are in for a treat, congrats out there on a day when you weren't 100%

Congrats to the Professor, Scott Drum! Scott did amazing at his first 50 at age 40. 6th overall...sub 8:15 AWESOME! He's got the ULTRA itch now!

The postrace was another treat. So good to refuel and meet a ton of wonderful people! Awesome to see the support of Jenna's family and friends who are such a huge part of this race. Her legacy continues through the lives she has touched!

Finally, a few random tidbits...

I love the polarity of caloric consumption pre and post race. Pre Race: 1 banana, 1 granola bar. During race: 5 gels, 2-4 cups of coke at most AS. Post race: 10 pieces of pizza, 2 beers, 2 cans carbonated water, 1 liter iced tea, 1 odwalla, 1 cookie...

You know you are a dirtbag UltraRunner when...the condo you stay in for the race has more square footage than your current residence.

You know you are a dirtbag UltraRunner when... breakfast, lunch, and dinner is what you consume at Aid stations and the post race party.

You know you are a dirtbag UltraRunner when...you are finishing this post outside of the public library after it has closed because you can still get the signal.

Rockin' Da 'Boat!!!

2010-09-13T17:40:00.002-06:00

The Run Rabbit Run Steamboat 50 is this Saturday! It should be a good one- I'll give it what I got. The knee is at 85% and holding-good enough to race on. I'm testing out the Burch 3 week training plan on this one. The 5 weeks after GM were 4,18,0,19, and 31 miles...just trying to run somewhat pain free. The last two have been 68 and 82 leaving this week to add a few miles before the race.

Last weekend I able to check off Kit Carson and Challenger Pt #'s 44-45 on my 14ers list with the Professor (Scott Drum). It was a solid 14 mile 5 hr outing with over 6000 ft of climbing in the first 8 miles. The last two miles to the summit were at a 27% grade! Needless to say it was a run/hike workout consisting of 10 miles running and 4 hiking/scrambling to the summits. Another beautiful day in the CO Mtns.

This past weekend I was able to get in a 15 and 17 miler on different routes up Signal Peak bringing my total to 82 for the year...18 minimum to go! The 17 miler was the longest run since GM 100.

What does all this mean? And I'm optimistic :)

* I will not be overtrained come race day
* I will be pulling out the Experience and Defending Champ from my deck of cards
* After seeing Scott Jaime's blog a few weeks ago I decided to grow out the beard- 6.5 weeks growth should equal at least 13 minutes faster than last year.
* I'm predicting Roes for the W at 6:57!
* It will be a battle for the remaining auto entry into States! ...I really hope the knee lets me run free...!

Finally, look out for the Professor as he makes his 50 mile debut at 40 years young. He should be in the mix with Fanselow and Belshaw for the Masters Title!
It will be fun

PS Finally, Remember Jenna Gruben-Morrill this day as she was the Heart and Soul of RRR coordinating volunteers and so much more! Take a moment to reflect before your runs/races on Saturday to send out some positive energy to Jenna, those close to her, and the people that are close to your life. See you in da Boat!

Time off... and CONGRATS!

2010-08-23T17:31:00.002-06:00

Currently I've been taking some time off. I've been dealing with a left knee issue that has been plaguing me at different pain amounts since the Leadville marathon. It was low enough pain to pace at Hardrock and have a decent performance at Grand Mesa. Since the 100 I've ran 6-7 times topping out with a 12 miler. I've been compensating with my right leg and can definitely feel the herky jerky imbalance. Thankfully I can bike and hike (mostly pain free) so Meg and I have been ticking off more 14ers together which has been a fun substitute to inspire me when I'm in the non-running phase. Obviously I was in no place to race at Pikes Peak which was a huge bummer as I was excited to let it fly downhill for 13 miles...downhill hurts the most right now!

With the weekend open Meg and I climbed San Luis peak and then drove to Leadville to watch and encourage our friends who were racing. It was a blast to watch the race unfold over the last 30 miles.

HUGE CONGRATS to Duncan Callahan! He continued the Gunnison winning streak over the past 3 years at Leadville and had a PR to boot! At Mayqueen he had the most intense game face on ever- it was epic! Well deserved- he puts in the time and miles as well as anyone.

HUGE CONGRATS to Dylan Bowman! He showed up to his first 100 miler and killed it! Awesome job! Watch out for him as he is a young gun that has been improving with each race. Look for him next at the Steamboat 50.

HUGE CONGRATS to one of my best friends Doug Newton who had a huge 2 hour PR! This came after he was one of the few inaugural finishers at the epic Swan Crest 100 only 3 weeks ago! Great job homey!

With that said I'm really hoping to be healthy for Steamboat. I simply want to be at the start line not thinking about my knee. It is shaping up to be quite the race with Roes, Bowman, Fanselow, and others getting in the mix! Keep on keepin' on....

My Grand Mesa Adventure...Part Two

2010-08-04T17:43:00.002-06:00

After leaving Anderson Lake AS and having a new race goal Duncan and I made our way to Carson Lake. This was the first segment in which we busted out the headlamps. DC had an ULTRA powerful prototype from Black Diamond that was awesome! It definitely helped having two lights to find the way in the darkness. The race used pieces of aluminum with 3M reflective tape attached to the metal. These worked awesome...when they were standing up on the poles that were pushed into the ground. There were times when we would light up 3 or 4 at a time and then it would turn into the big black void where we would have to run and scan in different directions before lighting another one up. At one point we were running cross country through vegetation that was up to our waists! This part of the race was surely my HIGH for the day. All I remember is laughing hysterically with Duncan about who knows what for what seemed like an hour. It was one of the most memorable moments of running in 2010- just having a blast!!! As we approached the AS I heard music. I told DC that this would be the AS where I could obtain and empty my cold carbonated unsweet drink!
As we rolled in they asked the prerequisite, "What do you need?" After answering, the AS crew looked a little hesitant. Then, Andrew appeared and handed me just what I needed. In less than a minute I drank the most refreshing cold carbonated unsweet beverage ever! I think it shocked everyone their including my wife, and AC/DC! The great part of it all is that when you are in a calorie deficit your body just soaks it all up without any of the side effects. It hit the spot!

From Carson Lake to Flowing Park miles 80-87 ish I ran great. It surprised me how well I was running this deep into a 100 miler. Was it due to my new fueling strategy? After a quick stop at Flowing Park we headed off the earth descending the Drop Off Trail. The name says it all. This descent required more of a walk because of the gradient, rocky terrain, and darkness. At the bottom I began to hit my race LOW. For the past hour I couldn't drink, couldn't eat, and began to feel like junk. Its funny how lack of calories, water,and electrolyte imbalances can wreck havoc on your mind and emotions. I turned into Negative Nancy! Duncan was a trooper to put up with me the last 12 ish miles. I knew I needed to stay positive...yet everything around me was difficult, uncomfortable, and exaggerated. I would kick the crap out of a rock and wonder if my big toe nail was still attached. Then I would catch a toe and introduce myself to the earth horizontally. All the while angrily yelling the FUN word. For some reason it made me feel better to say it, like I was winning the battle each time I got up and kept moving. In a nutshell it was an UGLY finish.
I kept thinking I was going to get passed at any moment- I was crawling!

With a mile to go I knew DC and I had done it. We trotted in the last 400M and crossed the finish line with RD Phil, Annie, and my wife cheering next to a small fire. Minutes thereafter RD Phil asked if DC and I wanted to toast with a cold carbonated unsweet beverage. It was just before 5AM...what do you think we did?

My Grand Mesa Adventure...Finally!

2010-08-03T17:38:00.003-06:00

Let me start off by saying that the GM 100 is a MUCH harder course than Pbville. On paper it deceives you- only 11,000 ft of climbing over 100 miles. Coming into the race I wanted to go sub 20 hours and realistically felt that 17 or 18 something was within reach given the course profile and stats. Boy was I wrong! I was hoping that this race would be my break out 100 miler and put a fast time under my belt and gain more needed experience at this humbling distance.

Since the Pbville marathon my body has been going downhill...metaphorically. After the race I acquired a tweak in my left knee that doesn't hurt enough to stop running yet always reminds me that I'm slightly favoring it. The dull ache of pain that doesn't allow me to run free... Pacing at Hardrock was awesome! And those 28 miles obviously didn't help the knee situation. So going into GM I was slightly beat up! I took advantage of the taper and only ran 27 miles before the Long Haul. I really hoped the knee would hold... it did... and I am still beat up...I'm hoping to arrive at Pikes HEALTHY even if I'm not as fit as I'd like; I just want to run free!

Back to the race. GM starts out with an 11 mile loop of the Crag Crest trail! This section is money! On the lower sections there is soft pine needle cushioned single track that ascends to the aptly named Crag Crest which is rocky, narrow, and drops off steeply to both sides...fun ridge running, Hardrockesque.

After the loop you follow a rocky forest service road to the aid at Granby Lakes. For the first 37 miles I got to run with Jon Allen and Zeke Tiernan who were racing the 50 miler. Granby lakes was the first place we stopped and grouped together to debate our direction of travel. After a few minutes we were back on course. The forest service road continues into the aid at Flowing Park, mile 22. Here I got to see my fabulous crew: AC/DC! Duncan trotted with me a few moments and gave me the encouraging pep talk...my legs had been aching the WHOLE day...after a while the ache just turned somewhat numb and the pain sensation subsided enough to where I didn't think too much about it.

Leaving Flowing Park you then do a 15 mile loop to return for the second time at Flowing Park mile 37. This section is relatively flat which runs near the edge of the mesa. Great views looking off the Mesa! Half way through the loop you stop for aid at Indian Point. A HUGE thank you to the women who rode 7 miles on horseback with TONS of water to stock this stop! A much needed oasis to say the least.

Upon returning to Flowing Park the 50 milers head out via the drop off trail for their last 13. The 100 milers continue to Carson Lake. This is where I got off course for the first time significantly and lost about 20 minutes. Leaving the aid station I was told to follow the dam and then take a hard left. After taking the hard left I ran about 5 minutes w/o seeing a marker so I then returned to the dam where I ran back and forth across the dam a few times trying to see possible routes/markers. A family of cowboys were driving a head of cattle near my 1st exploration point. I then ran over and asked where to find Carson Lake. The 11 year old wrangler told me to follow the road another half mile and then turn left. I was back in the game!

After the aid at Carson Lake it is an 8.5 mile descent into the inferno known as Kannah Creek. You drop 4500 ft and arrive in the sweltering heat of 6200? ft. They told me it was 97 degrees at Kannah! The descent was hot yet fun. Parts of the singletrack are super narrow with vegetation engulfing you. At times I felt like I was in the jungle. I intentionally stocked up on food and water. Kannah was the 50 mile point, I arrived in 8:40 approximately.

GM is the tale of two races. The first 50 was MUCH easier than the second. I knew this going into the race but didn't fully comprehend it until later :) So the second 50 miles begins with a 5.5 mile 4500 ft climb back to the top of the mesa. This section nearly took me 2 hours. I ran out of water 30 minutes before I reached the top...and I was NURSING my two bottles, I could have easily drank 5 no problem! At the top I was relieved to see Duncan and knew I would have company for the remaining 45-55 miles! After drinking about 48 oz of water and balancing the electrolytes we trotted down the paved section to lands end road aid station. Here I put down some big cals and we trotted down the forest road to Anderson Lake.

From Anderson Lake to Mesa Lake I ran like a champ getting in the groove on some sweet downhill forested singletrack! It felt awesome to stride out and feel like I was running again. From Mesa lake we plugged on and somehow missed our turn back to Anderson Lake. Duncan and I ended up on the highway! When in doubt go higher... we then followed the ascending highway. We debated on whether to try to find the missed turn or go cross country style. With this error we probably added 2 miles or so. We then struck out cross country style, without a compass we shot a human bearing and said " I think the lake is this way" and pointed our arms in the general direction. Holy cow! Within about 1/2 mile we intersected our missed turn. Back to Anderson lake the route was cross country and the sun was beginning to set. Night navigation had to be tricky for anyone going through here in the dark.

At Anderson Lake the AS personnel told us to wait a few minutes. Apparently at the time no one was manning the Carson Lake Aid station which was our next destination and they were thinking of possibly ending the race. After refueling we got confirmation to continue! The race was back on! At this point I was sick of drinking water and sugary drinks. My new goal in the race was to obtain and empty something cold, carbonated, and unsweet. The chase was on!

To be continued...

Quick update...

2010-07-08T17:23:00.002-06:00

Heading out to Hardrock tomorrow with Senor Clark to pace Pedatella! I'm definitely excited to return and see more of the course that I missed out on from last year. 100 milers are Pedatellas best distance...keep an eye on him! I'm pacing from Ouray to Sherman and then Clark takes him home!

Next week I'll get my act together and post stories from SJS and Pbville Marathon...takes a little extra with no ISP!

Getting pumped for the 1st Annual Grand Mesa 100 on July 24! Hoping to finish somewhere in the teens...could be 19...some friends think 16...100's are still a mystery to me but the pieces are coming together with each one I do. The mindset is great...I am pumped to run 100! Last year was a different story...Grand Mesa is 76% singletrack and it will be all new terrain for me in an area of the state that I have yet to explore. Here's to new adventures!

Since Jemez...Lake City on the Horizon

2010-06-12T14:47:00.002-06:00

Well, the last few weeks have flown by! As I look back at Jemez I couldn't have asked for a better race. I brought the "A" game, Sr. Clark brought the "A+" game. I had a ball bombing the descents- I feel like a kid in a candy store when the angle steepens and the terrain is technical. Nothing more fun than thin singletrack for 50 miles. Jemez was also the fizzled end to the Burch vs. Clark race series for 2010 with Clark sweeping it 3-0. Dinner is on me! I had hoped this would have gone the distance with us battling it out to the final race... Pikes Peak will be the "goose egg prevention race" as I hope to catch up during the downhill second half."

The following weekend Meg and I did Aid Station work at the 3rd annual Sage Burner 50K. Despite not running I felt the effects of standing in the sun for a solid 8 hours! Congrats to Parr and DC for solid performances on a hot and sunny day. Meg and I also had a great Friday night hosting Bill Dooper at our humble abode. Bill is one of ultra runnings biggest fans and such an inspiration. At 75 years young he is still putting on the action suit and gettin' after it! Congrats to Bill on another finish at the Sage Burner 25K. Age is a number, it's all about your perception of what you can and cannot do at a given age...to an extent.

Since Jemez the training has been solid. It took almost a full week to get all of the 12000 ft of descent soreness out of the legs. I took Sun after the race off. I tried to run Mon, shuffled a few steps and knew it wasn't going to happen. Ridiculously sore. Got on the bike and then resumed the running on Tues. After a 60 mile "recovery week" I had my biggest week of mileage to date when a hit 111 the week after. Thinking of Lake City has got me amped! I love the quote on Jaime's blog from Bowerman that says "No one can coach desire" or something to that effect. I've felt that desire even with a small schedule change at work that had me rising at 4:30 to be running by 4:45AM this past week. There isn't a better M-F morning run from my door than Signal Peak. This last week also marked my 50th Signal Summit. Duncan and I have a goal to each summit at least 100 times for the year.

Our quality sessions have also been solid. Two weeks ago had an awesome unstructured speed session where I would run 100 yard sprints in the infield, jog 100 yards and repeat until pretty tired. Felt awesome to run it barefoot, brought me back to my ultimate frisbee playing days. This past Wed night Scott, Tim, DC, Rickey and I got on the track for four mile repeats followed by 4 by 200M zooms and then some barefooting to cool down. It was a crazy day as a Gunnison local joined our workout and became the quintessential minimalist. This speedster ran only with shoes and socks and clocked the fastest naked mile at the Western State track with a blazing 5:18! Needless to say I was a little shocked as a bare butt cruised by me during my third repeat...

Lake City is next weekend! This is my favorite race and it is a yearly testpiece to gauge my mountain running fitness. Jemez showed me that I can go under 9 at Lake City if the day is right. It will be fast with Jaime, Dakota and a few others that have the potential of going under 9! Here's how my times have looked at Jemez and Lake City:

2007 Lake City 10:26
2008 Lake City 9:45, Jemez 9:45
2009 Lake City 9:45, Jemez 9:13
2010 Lake City- goal sub 9! Jemez 8:31

Looking forward to it!

Black Canyon Ascent and the Return of Mr. Parr!!!

2010-05-15T14:23:00.003-06:00

First off I want to send a BIG THANK YOU to RD Scott Shine, the San Juan Mtn Runners, Black Canyon Nat'l Park, and the Montrose Community Foundation for their collaboration in putting together a fun and family oriented event in the BEAUTIFUL Black Canyon of the Gunnison! It is a rare gift to be able to put on a race in a Nat'l Park and I'm grateful for the partnership that has been established over the past 3 decades to make this race come to life.

2010 marked the 35th running of this classic 6 mile road race which boasts over 2000 ft of climbing as you ascend to the canyon's rim after starting at the Hwy 50 and Hwy 347 Junction. It was a fun ride as I carpooled with Liz and Scott Drum down to the race. After checking in we headed out for an easy 20 min warmup jog and saw "someone" warming up quite fast as we were returning to the starting area. Once we got closer we knew it had to be Timmy Parr. He had the bounce in his step as we extended our warm up and cajoled with each other for a few more minutes. Tim's past two races have not been run in Timmyesque style and I predicted he was due for a win and possible CR. Today was his redemption race!

At 8AM the "gun" went off. Tim looked forward and floated through the course with ease. A local Montrose runner tried to hang with him...briefly, followed by Masters legend Bernie Boettcher, US Mtn Running Team Member Brandy Erholtz, myself and Scott. It was amusing to find the pace I needed to run hard yet not blow up on a short uphill race. I settled in behind Brandy figuring she was running a good pace to gauge myself on. Initially my strategy was to break the race in thirds; with each third being slightly faster than the previous. Needless to say I chucked the strategy out the window and simply ran by intuitive feel. Coming into the race I figured I would run around 45 min or so- 7:30 pace going uphill.

At mile 4 AS I began to feel the strength from my training of running Signal Peak most M-F mornings which gives me about 1500 ft of vertical to the summit from my front door. At this point I passed Brandy and tried to calculate if I could reel in the local Montrose runner sitting in 3rd who began to sense my presence and began looking over his shoulder every few minutes. I also instinctively knew that Scott had also past Brandy and was not far behind me...the last 2 were going to be a shoot-out!

I picked it up and slowly gained on 3rd. However, it was not enough as he had enough in the tank to also have a strong finish. With 1/4 mile to go I looked back to check the status on Scott who was about 10 seconds back. Nothing to do but put the head down and charge to the finish! It's always fun to sprint into the finish no matter what the distance- that line always brings a smile to my face. Here's the "rough" results:

1. Timmy Parr- 41:10? About one minute behind Simon Gutierrez CR of 40:09
2. Bernie Boettcher- 43:30 ish...another SOLID peformance by the most consistent masters runner in the State of CO week in week out for races marathon and under.
3. Local Montrose runner- 45:0x. What I love about CO races is that there are so many great athletes that can show up under the radar and just crush it!
4. RWB- 45:40...right in line with my prediction...next time I race here I gotta go sub 45!
5. Dr. Drum- 45:50 ish...in August he turns 40...look out for him to claim many a Masters win!
6. Brandy Erholtz- 46?

Gunnison runners claim spots 1, 4, and 5! I'm truly thankful to run with Scott, Tim, and Duncan on a regular basis. Our training together motivates each of us to do more than we could alone. I could not have asked for better training partners and more importantly friends when Megan and I made the move in mid January. Here's to Gunnison Endurance!

After the race Scott, Timmy, and I ran a few cool down miles on one of the rim trails that had truly inspiring views of the canyon! Simply dramatic! The post race was first class with delicious breakfast burritos and healthy refueling options graciously provided by Natural Grocers. It is always a treat to run races that partner with sustainable causes and healthy living companies and practices. A mini theme of the day was my prediction accuracy...
1. Tim Parr would win and come close to the CR- yes!
2. RWB would run around :45 min- yes!
3. Scott Drum would win a pair of shoes at the raffle- heck yes!

As I forgot the camera once again I leave you with a parting shot of the "functional award" that was taken upon returning to la casa de burch...BTW functional awards are so much more appreciated by me than the ones that collect the dust...

I forgot to mention...next Sat. will be epic at Jemez! I'm really want Karl and Sr. Clark to be at full health for this one. It's going to be a burner with Dakota, Nick Lewis, and a number of dark horses to spice up the mix! I cannot wait, 50 miles of adventurous terrain with lots of climbing and FUN technical downhill sections! Besides, my back is up against the wall. I need the A game to continue the race series with Sr. Clark! If I beat him the drama will ascend at Pikes. If I go down 0-3 I'll be treating him and the fam to dinner in Los Alamos most likely....:) Until then I'll be watching Rocky movies and jammin out to Eye of the Tiger!

CP 25 RECAP/BLACK CANYON ASCENT/RANDOM

2010-05-10T19:01:00.003-06:00

CP 25 RECAP

After the Fruita 50 I wanted to put in a solid effort at CP. The question was, at what distance? 50 milers are my favorite distance to race. With that said I want to have my best 50M performances at Jemez and Lake City. Thus I chose to run the 25M at CP. After consulting with DC, TP, and Dr. Drum I realized the benefits of running the shorter race to benefit me at my next two 50's. It would give me a mental and physical break from the 50M distance as I've already raced two this year. Mentally going into the race it was much easier knowing all I had to do was run hard for 3 hrs and change. Physically, the recovery was much shorter than it would be from the 50. I felt like my 3 weeks of training after CP before Jemez would be stronger than racing the 50 at CP, recovering, and then getting back to full training. Dr. Scott called it my "25M tempo run." It was good to switch gears for the shorter distance and get some positive turnover.

The race was super fun. Matt Turnbull and I leapfrogged for the first 18M. At mile 18 AS the course begins to drop significantly. Knowing downhill running is my strength I let it go and was able to get the W. I was pleased with the effort. I wanted to see if I could run sub 3- I believe only Justin Ricks (CR 2:57) and Bernie Boettcher have gone under 3 on the new course which began in 2004. I ran 3:05- it will be fun to race here again and begin to widdle away at my current time.

The post race was awesome! It was so fun to be a race spectator- I hardly ever get this chance to hang out and wait for the long race to finish. Bill Dooper and I had some great conversation as the 50M unfolded. Henshaw ran his 25M split in 3:17; I told Bill he would set the CR in 6:45. My prediction was close as he stormed through the line in 6:52. Great to catch-up with former Fort Collins training friends Bryan G and Corey H. This year has been great to watch the new crop of ultrarunners that will impact the sport in big ways. I've been thoroughly impressed with Dakota Jones and Andy Henshaw. Keep an eye out for Marco Peinado and Dylan Bowman as these two are learning and improving with each race. These young guns are also great people to chat with and get to know.

BLACK CANYON ASCENT!

This Saturday I really will be changing gears as I run the 6M Black Canyon Ascent. This is a classic western slope race that has seen some solid runners toe the line. I am stepping outside the comfort of running ultras and giving it a go at this sprint distance! I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of octane is in the tank as I will be running much harder than I'm used to. Tim Parr, Scott Drum and I will represent the Gunnison contingent...Duncan got a little intimidated when he saw my quads at the track last week...) Was it the frightening color or the muscle? It will be a hard effort with over 2000 ft of climbing, a great tuneup before things heat up at Jemez...I'm getting pumped up!

RANDOM

The Gunnison crew has finally started our track workouts the past two weeks. These have been a blast! My favorite is the 200M ZOOMS that we run to finish each workout- these are basically 100M at 75% with the last 100M being at 95-100% max sprint...I'm feeling a little like Usain Bolt's slower adopted brother! Duncan and Scott lit up the track last week as we ran 12 400's with 45 sec recovery between each effort. Duncan ran a 62! for his last lap...look out for him as he focuses on the 100M this year. I am super stoked to see what happens for him at Bighorn.

Last week I also received an email from Matt Carpenter informing me of my competitive entry into PPM! This was great news to hear as I expected to get an answer sometime in late July. Clark, are you confirmed? I have really enjoyed running at new races this year and am especially excited for this classic colorado mountain test of fitness. As of late my energy levels have been solid as I've ran 90+ mile weeks 3 of the past 4 weeks-this is my first year running consistently more than 70 miles/week and the body is responding wonderfully to the higher workload. It always cracks me up when I begin to think I'm running a lot and I ask DC what he ran for the week...soon when I say 90 he'll say 180! It's still hard for me to wrap my mind around weeks above 140-impressive! This past weekend I ran a 20M and 21M. This was solid...now imagine running that 7 days/week with some of those days being longer....Duncan likes running...

Last but certainly not least...

My wife Megan is currently climbing Mt. Rainier! It has been awesome to see her following her dreams/goals in the mountaineering realm. She runs long to train with solid finishes the past few weeks at Fruita and CP! Climb hard, be safe, I love you!

Pics from CP 25 and 50 Miler

2010-05-08T07:40:00.007-06:00

Henshaw finishing in CR style!

Andy and I - All smiles after a fun day in the BV hills!

Megan finishing strong in the 25- Another solid "training race" as she prepares for Mt. Rainier!

Megan and Ed Turner- Bright eyed and bushy tailed in the CO sunshine- did they really just run 25?

Bryan Goding and Marco Peinado- their finish times suggest they ran that close to each other all day!

Marco Peinado- 5th place, 7:35:32...and he didn't eat anything the last 25 miles!

Mr. Consistency himself- Bryan Goding-6th place, 7:38:02, charging home!

2009 Leadville Leadman Corey Hanson floats to another stout finish

Tim Hoppin- improving with each race he runs. Tim hit the jackpot and won a raffle entry into Western States! He will be joining a strong Colorado contingent of contenders at the Big Dance! I will be rooting for Krupicka, Clark, Henshaw, Hoppin, and all the other Colorado runners who toe the line at the "Boston of Ultras"

Blister of Megan Burch and Haircut: Version 2010

2010-04-21T18:09:00.005-06:00

Fruita 50: Pictures and Tidbits

2010-04-21T17:38:00.011-06:00

3 of the top 4 fastest times in the 7 yr. history of the race were ran last Saturday despite the heat!

Fruita 50: Dakota Dazzles in the Desert!

2010-04-21T17:28:00.002-06:00

Fruita 50: Dakota Dazzles in the Desert!

What were you doing when you were 19? I bet it wasn’t winning 50 mile races in course record style. Dakota Jones ran an exceptional race last Saturday to claim his first ultra- marathon victory. Needless to say, I was thoroughly impressed. The progress he has made in less than one year on the scene cannot be beat.

I met the teenage phenom last February at Moab’s Red Hot 50K where he placed in the top 5. During May he ran the Jemez 50 in New Mexico, finishing his first 50 mile race in 2nd place; at only 18 years young! Last December he was 14th at the North Face Endurance Challenge; probably the most competitive 50M in the country.

In 2010 he improved at Red Hot finishing 3rd and bettering his time. This past Saturday he knocked it out of the park! We ran together between miles 10-13 ish. As I encouraged him to move past he mentioned that he was probably going out to fast...I think I got sandbagged :) ! As Clark and I filled bottles at 13 aid he ran through and never looked back. End of story. The young man looked incredibly strong on the climbs. Clark and I discussed that he would either blow up or set the course record. Dakota chose the course record- establishing a new one by over 10 minutes.

For 19 years old Dakota has a level head that will lead him to future success in the sport. He is a gracious winner and exhibits a humble positive attitude with those he interacts with. I look forward to racing him at both Jemez and Lake City in the next few months. I will stick out my neck and pick him to win at Jemez next month. Boys and girls, look out for Dakota Jones!

Shifting gears...Senor Clark has backed me into the corner. I am down 0-2 in our best of 5 race series. He bludgeoned me by almost 6 minutes! Another strong performance by my friend from across the pond. I have a month to lick my wounds and bring out the x-factor at Jemez. He still hasn’t seen all my strategery (is that a real word).

Time to shift again...The Fruita 50 represents the beginning of my ultra-career. 5 years ago this race was the birthplace where I went beyond 26.2 for the first time. After finishing I was convinced it would be my first and only ultra...My hipocrisy knows no bounds as I ran my 2nd 50M in the Tetons that September. This cycle repeats itself annually as I swear I will never run another 100. Guess what I’m doing July 24th? Fruita also has been an annual benchmark to monitor my improvement from year to year:
2006: 11:02
2007: 9:07
2008: 8:22
2009: SNOW- Couldn’t make it to the race!
2010: 7:37

As I bring it all together I look back at what I was doing when I was 19. During this part of my life I was all about seeing how strong I could get. 6 days a week I lifted weights for 1.5-2 hours at a time. For recovery I would blend up a protein shake or eat a can of tuna straight out of the can. At my peak I weighed 175. Picture me now with a surplus of 30-35 lbs of muscle spread throughout my body- I know it’s hard! I could bench 275 and squat 400 eight times. Wow have times changed! My legs were so thick that my thighs rubbed together when I walked. I didn’t even know what ultras were...and if I did I would say, “Why would you want to do that!!?” I hated running. At the time all I knew of it was in the punishment form. And that’s another story...Now it is pure love.

Leor Pantilat and His Encore Performance in Utah!

2010-03-31T17:14:00.002-06:00

Usually the fastest runner in a race gets the victory. This was not so for the 2010 Antelope Island Buffalo Run. As we saw two weeks ago, Geoff Roes missed a turn at Way Too Cool and Leor Pantilat took advantage of the blunder and received the "win."
This past Saturday I played the role of Leor while Scott Jaime played the role of Geoff.

Going into the race my goals were to set a new 50M PR and go after Pedatella's 6:43 course record. The race started leisurely as Scott, Erik, and a few others caught up with each other. I was waiting for a rabbit to take off to start the racing but it didn't happen so I steadily increased the pace to get a little separation. Scott followed and I figured we'd be dueling it out all day with Storheim not far back. Scott and I were within seconds through the first 18M. Around mile 10 my right shoe lace came untied; I chose not to stop and tie because the way we were racing those seconds could have proved crucial late in the race. A few miles later I could feel the inevitable crap on deck. I absolutely hate having bowel movements during a race and it was not subsiding. Luckily, a few miles later there was a port o john on the course. Scott ran through while I heartily downloaded the remaining 6" of my footlong sub from the previous evenings feed. I exited the throne and began chasing down Scott when I saw him looking back at me with hands in the air. There was no signage but we were apparently supposed to turn around once we got to the toilet. We both lost around 5 minutes with Scott running an extra mile or so looking for clues.

Once the mistake was corrected we got back on the trail and had to focus once again at the task at hand. Scott opened up a 30-60 second lead for the remainding 99% of the race. At the 44M AS I felt nauseous and thought I would be dealing with yet another type of bodily fluid voiding. Thankfully Mr. Upchuck said,"I just wanna chill!" I then drank two cups of Coke, walked about 20 steps and prepared for the final 6M. At 47 I got a visual of Scott after losing it during my time at the AS. At this point the trail became technical and I was having a blast dancing through the rocky trail. During the dance party I noticed that the gap was shrinking between Scott and I. I gave it my all and knew I was running out of real estate. With less than .5 mile to go Scott ran past the flour arrows that led to the finish and headed towards the coned arrows which directed the mornings parking. He then looked back as I pointed and turned down the correct path. From here I ran like a 5th grade boy who just stole some candy from the supermarket. It was fun to find the extra gear at the very end of the race. I then crossed the finish line like Leor with Scott about 1 min. back. It was amazing that we ran within a minute of each other for the whole race!
It is not the way I want to win a race and this is the second time it has happened to me. Overall I accomplished both of my goals: 6:31 New 50M PR and a new course record. I honestly felt bad for Scott- it had to be heartbreaking! It was great to chat with him after the race and he graciously gave me a "coke." I feel indebted to him because of my thievery and will present him with some "cokes from Gunnison" when we see each other at Lake City- it should be epic!

After the awards ceremony I made it a full day ultra: Run 6.5 hours, drive 7.5 hours home- arriving to my wife, friends, a shower, and my own bed, PRICELESS! I kept the trend going the next morning and cooked up the Famous Burch Waffle Breakfast for the four of us. Needless to say the recovery was rather quick because of the flatter course. Jim Skaggs puts on a great event: the race was well organized and the Buffalo Stew is a tasty postrace feed. Now I have 3 weeks until I do it all over again at Fruita! Running is fun!

Grand Mesa 100!

2010-03-20T13:20:00.002-06:00

After a few weeks of going back and forth on what July race(s) to run I've finally come to a decision. Many of you won't believe it but I am once again going to run a 100 miler. I am getting psyched to run the 1st Annual Grand Mesa 100 out of Cedaredge, CO. What prompted me to go for this race: 1. The course is 76.5 miles of trail, 20 miles of FS Road, and a scant 3.5 of pavement. 2. I have yet to explore this area of CO up close and personal- I am excited to run all around the Grand Mesa!
3. The average elevation of the course is 9,200 ft. with roughly 85% being above 10K and a high pt. of 11,200. 4. Compared to Hard Rock or Leadville this can be the course you can set a PR on a challenging CO mountainous 100 Miler. 5. 14 Aid Stations
6. Complimenting the 100 miler are the 50 and 37 mile options. Great for friends and family who want to join in on the festivities! 7. The race is held July 24-25, a beautiful time in the CO mtns. 8. Generous 33 hour cutoff. 9. As a grassroots race the early entry costs only $120.00! Only $150. after April 10th- it would be hard to find a better deal for 100 miles. 10. A new course=running blind-always great to run brand new terrain! So, if you still need to plan out July races- give this one a go!

In other news...Next Saturday I'm heading out to Utah for the Antelope Island Buffalo Run 50 Miler. This will be a new 50 for me. One of the goals is to set a new 50 mile PR and go for Pedatella's CR. Look for Scott Jaime and Erik Storheim to be running up front-should be a good one, it will signal the beginning of many 50 milers for me in the next 3 months...On your mark...get set...go!

Salida 2010...Ain't Nuthin' but a Hounddog!

2010-03-15T15:50:00.002-06:00

Wow, it is good to be racing healthy once again! First I need to give credit where it is due- strong work by Parr, Henshaw, and Clark- it was fun watching the battle for second as I ever so slightly gained ground on third. Well done gentlemen!
The drive to the race was peaceful. The frost on the trees glimmered in the early morning sun as twinkling diamonds while Meg and I cruised through the meandering and 3 degree cold sections of Hwy 50. I remember telling her that today I get to do my favorite thing- running hard through the mountains in a variety of terrain and conditions with a lot of fun people. I am so grateful for this; we shared some time for Jenna and had her close to our hearts on this day. Remember what you have...
The check in brought a lot of smiles seeing friends from the running community- Bill Dooper the best fan of ultrarunning greeted Meg and I with a huge hug! As I prepared for the race my action suit for the day made me chuckle. A few weeks ago Brooks sent me the 2010 Race Uniform which included a neon green singlet and black shorts with neon green sides. I held the shorts up in the air, "These are short shorts!" You guessed it- I had to give them a try-I felt like the total roadie with the side split shorts and too much man thigh...So the benefits-1. Light as a feather, felt like I was running in nuthin'! 2. They had the vital hip pockets for storing GU's. 3. "What is that guy wearing?! obnoxious factor. Cons- holy cow did my upper leg get sunburned! The sunburn pattern is awesome with all the unburned speckles where the mud hit the back of the legs...ok too much info- onto the race.
The race started fast...I settled into a comfortable pace with Marco P as the rabbits ran for their lives. It took me awhile to start feeling the flow- the first 45 minutes consisted of a lot of spitting, farmer blowing, clearing the throat, productive coughing, and other upper respiratory delights as I recovered from some early week sinus fun. After passing through the half marathon turn around aid station the volunteers let me know I was in 6th. Thus beginning my run as the hungry hound. I was like a locomotive all day-gaining momentum as the race chugged along. At the turn in Turret I was 6th with 5th entering the aid 10 sec. ahead of me. I quickly filled the bottle, downed a GU and set off for rabbit #5. I could see that rabbit #5 was fading as I passed him on the opening climb out of Turret. On the crest of this hill I witnessed Marco P take a HARD fall on the ice-with adrenaline in his voice he said he was good...unfortunately the fall had some adverse affects and he wisely called it a day. A few miles down the road Kate L told me that the guy in front of me (Andy) was walking. Extra motivation to hunt rabbit #4. At the 17.2 turn I got a visual of Nick and Dan V ascending the snow packed road with Andy about a minute behind. It was going to be a race! From the turn I began to consistently gain ground on rabbits 2-4. Around mile 20 I saw a flash of red through the trees. Unexpectedly rabbit #4 had changed from Andy to Dan V. I moved passed knowing that 4th was secure and giving it my best to track down rabbits #3 and #2. With about 4 miles to go I caught some more visuals in and out of the trees as I descended. They were pushing each other so hard for the 2 spot that the ground I was gaining felt only like a few seconds on each minute. As I came out of the technical and onto the "groomed" trail above Tenderfoot I saw that Andy had made a small gap on Nick. In the last few miles I pushed the downs trying to remotely see if I could give Nick a scare. Once we hit the flat by the railroad tracks I knew Nick the Quick would safely make it to the comfort of his rabbit hole. Nonetheless I charged in to keep the margin of his victory small- somewhere between 30-40 seconds (the official results are off). Saturday the hound went home hungry...Overall I felt strong throughout the race, gaining steam with each mile. The strength is there- time to fine tune it with some structured speed/hard effort sessions. A beautiful day to race- lots of sun, mud, snow, and fun!

1. Tim Parr 3:13:xx
2. Andy Henshaw 3:18:xx
3. Nick Clark 3:19:xx
4. RWB 3:19:36 (my watch)

Another solid outing; Gunnison runners took 3 of the top 6 spots with Keri Nelson winning the women's division.
2010 Tale of the Tape Race Series: Nick the Quick wins Round 1 by a hare! It's shaping up to be a good one! Nick, I'll round up and spot you 1 minute for your win in our margin of victory times.
Ryan's Excuse: "I did a VO2 max on Tuesday and I know that the effort cost me at LEAST two minutes on race day!"

In other news: On Tuesday I met with Dr. Scott Drum of Western State to do my first of a few VO2 max tests in the High Altitude Performance Lab at Western. I learned that it takes approx. 4-8 months to fully acclimate to 7700 ft. Gunnison altitude also decreases VO2 by 10-15% compared to sea level and decreases max heart rate and many other factors.
Results: 58.7 VO2 max- Parr has one of the highest tested at this facility at 69 ml/kg/min!
Max HR: 180
HR at Rest: 43
Wt: 143.5
Ht: 5'8''
Later this year we are also going to test lactate threshold and economy. These 3 factors along with genetics play a huge part in ones running ability. It is fun to be a lab rat for these tests! BTW the weather in Gunnison is awesome today- above 40-heat wave! Get out and run!

Ode to Salida

2010-03-08T14:57:00.002-07:00

Alright ladies and gents, the 5th Annual Run Through Time Marathon is this Saturday! This is also my 5th year at this race. I have some Salida ties and it has become a tradition with the run and celebrating St. Patty's Day with fam and friends. Let's take a quick look at who will be charging for a podium spot:

Tim Parr- last year's champ, 'nuf said.
Me- last year's runner up and '08 champ in the snow when Tim, Duncan, and Pedatella missed the crucial turn...I broke trail and left half the blood from my shins in the crusty snow so everyone else would know where to go...
Nick the Quick Clark- bronze medal last year, looking to improve so the smack talk can begin :)
Nick the Genius Pedatella- 4th last year, consistent, watch for a late surge!
Marco Peinado- the darkhorse this year. Met him after a debut bronze at the Steamboat 50- he may thrive on the shorter distance, I think he ran at Metro State.
Doug C. Newton- his downhill is improving, look out for him if there is mega snow/slop conditions!
Since there is no runners list- this is what I could compile from out in computer land. Hopefully there will be some surprise entries that spice it up!

In the half: A shout out to the ladies- watch out for Carly, Kir, and Meg as the trifecta are working together for Carly's first half! Jeremy R is using the half as a tune up before the Grand Traverse! Let's get it done!!!

LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!

2010-03-03T10:26:00.004-07:00

A few weeks ago my friend from across the pond thought that him and I should add a little spice to our 2010 races by instituting our own race series. In an attempt to fuel his ultra competitive spirit I humorously agreed. Ladies and gentlemen I would now like to present the 2010 Tale of the Tape Race Series: FLYIN' RYAN B VS. NICK THE QUICK C

The Challenger

Spotlight on Nick the Quick C

Height: 5'9''
Weight: 140-150
Age: 35
Birthplace: Canterbury, United Kingdom
Bicep Circumference: Large
Shoe Size: 9.5
Preferred Shoe: Pearl Izumi Peak XC
Running Strength: And I quote, "Leaving Burch in my dust!"
In his corner: Dazzling Dana and Muhammad Ali-stair

PR's

26.2- 2:43 (Dublin, 09)
50K- 6:02 (HMI, 07)
50M- 7:03 (CP, 09)
100M- 21:30 (Bighorn, 09)

The Champ

Spotlight on Flyin' Ryan B

Height: 5'8''
Weight: 145
Age: 30
Birthplace: Colorado Springs, CO USA
Bicep Circumference: 13'' (Larger than Nick's)
Shoe Size: 10
Preferred Shoe: Brooks Cascadia
Running Strength: Technical downhill
In his corner: Merciless Megan and Studley Dudley

PR's

26.2- 2:44 (Colorado, 09)
50K- 4:05 (Bluesky, 09)
50M- 7:00 (Silver Rush, 09)
100M- 20:51 (LT, 09)

Now for our racing history...

2007 Leadville 26.2- Nick=4:16, Ryan=4:31, Margin of victory=Nick+15 min.
Ryan's Excuse: "We didn't even know each other then!"

2008 Steamboat 50- Ryan=8:31, Nick=8:42, Margin of victory=Ryan+11 min.
Nick's Excuse: "It was my first 50 miler!"

2008 Bluesky 26.2- Ryan=3:30, Nick=3:47, Margin of victory=Ryan+17 min.
Nick's Excuse: "I was still recovering from the Steamboat 50!"

2009 Salida 26.2- Ryan=3:11, Nick=3:24, Margin of victory=Ryan+13 min.
Nick's Excuse: "I slept in my car and froze all night, the body finally warmed up after I finished!"

2009 Pilot Hill 25K Classic- Nick=1:45, Ryan=1:47, Margin of victory=Nick+2 min.
Ryan's Excuse: "I decided to do this race less than 24 hours before it started, and it was so short!

Totals: Ryan=3 wins, Nick=2 wins. Total Margin of Victory (all races combined)- Ryan=+24 min.

Now for the 2010 Head to Head Schedule...

1. Salida 26.2
2. Fruita 50M
3. Jemez 50M
4. *Speedgoat 50K- Ryan still needs to figure out his July race schedule*
5. Pikes Peak 26.2

The winner of the Tale of the Tape 2010 Race Series will receive an all expense paid dinner for him and his spouse graciously paid by the runner-up. In the event that Ryan does not run Speedgoat and there is a 2-2 tie the winner will be crowned following the next head to head race.

And now America, cast your vote by typing "1" for Ryan or "2" for Nick at either Ryan's or Nick's blog: http:www.irunmountains.blogspot.com

Let the games (and talk) begin!

Studley Dudley the English Bulldog

Running with the Champs...Untethered

2010-02-22T10:26:00.003-07:00

Photo: Rob O'Dea

The picture above from the LT 100 start line in August ironically foreshadowed my current running situation here in February. It has been a fun ride training with Duncan and Tim these past few weeks. It still boggles my mind when I think of the talent I get to train with in a 3 mile radius from my front door. If I run east Duncan's home is less than a half mile warm-up. If I head west Tim's place is an easy 2.5 miles. I've always been thankful in the places I've lived and the training partners I've had that make the runs SO MUCH MORE FUN! Fort Collins was superb with Clark, Goding, and Hanson. Greeley was sweet with Doug Bell and the rest of the interval crew. Now it is surreal. The proximity alone is crazy to ponder. The positivity from these two has inspired me to go after the dream more intensely. I'm hoping we can align our schedules at least once this year and go for an all Gunnison podium sweep. To say the least, the last 8 days have been wonderful! The achilles issue subsided early last week and I've been excitedly running pain free for the first time in a few months. I've got my first solid block of training in:

2/14: 18 w/ Parr
2/15-2/19: 5 summits of Signal Peak, various routes, 2 with DC, 1 with Parr
2/20: 20 w/Parr
2/21: 13
Total: 8 days, 115 miles
Today: ? w/ Parr

The body has been responding awesome. I often joke that my only 100 mile weeks come when I run a 100 mile race. I look forward to 2010 and listening to the body as it handles a larger workload of 70-100 miles a week. One of my mantra's for this new year is...At least 10 a day for 2010. Simple and straightforward. My training has been building up to this over the past few years. Compared to the guys at the top I've been an ultra slacker when it comes to mileage :) Last year I was just shy of 2500 for the year with almost no running in November and December. I still feel like my best running is yet to come and I'm optimistic in the process and progression as another "experiment of one."

2010 Proposed Schedule

March: Salida 26.2
March: Antelope Island 50M (currently on the fence)
April: Fruita 50M
May: Collegiate Peaks 50M (Fruita recovery dependent)
May: Jemez 50M
June: Lake City 50M
July: TBD- North Fork 50M and Speedgoat 50K or Grand Mesa 50 or 100
Aug: Pikes Peak 26.2
Sept: Breck Crest? Imogene?
Sept. Steamboat 50M
Oct.-Dec: TBD

Another day at the office

Moab's Red Hot 2010 Report: More pics

2010-02-16T15:24:00.006-07:00

Before the race

Jeremy and Megan looking strong in the 33K

Dakota Jones and Doug Newton near the finish of the 50K+
Dakota was 3rd overall

Doug enjoying a well deserved post race meal

A few shout outs:

Congrats to CB runner Ben Dunn on a solid time in the 50K+
Congrats to Jared and the soon to be Mindy Campbell on their engagement!

Moab's Red Hot 2010 Report: Where to begin

2010-02-16T14:07:00.008-07:00

It is my second time in the Gunnison Public Library today to write up this past weekend's events. During my first I received the following email from Steamboat 50 RD Fred Abramowitz that instantly changed the contents of this post:

On Saturday, February 13, Jenna Gruben, the heart and soul of our Run, Rabbit, Run, our tireless and selfless volunteer coordinator, a dedicated Steamboat Springs community volunteer and organizer, a woman loved by all fortunate enough to have known her, and our two-time our defending champ, died tragically in an automobile accident, returning home from doing what she loved - running a trail race. She and Matt Morrill had been married 6 months. She was 32.

Matt asked that information concerning services be forwarded to all.

Services will be held on Wednesday, February 17, at 10:15 am. at:

Temple Emanuel
51 Grape St.
Denver, CO.

There will be a service in the Temple followed by a burial procession. Immediately after, ALL are invited to Cheri's (Jenna's mother) home. Her address is:

Cheri Stanton
8250 S. Albion Street
Centennial, CO 80122

There has been discussion regarding a memorial service in Steamboat, but I don’t have those details at this time.

Donations can be made to the following organizations in Jenna’s name:

Humble Ranch Education & Therapy Center
P.O. Box 776290
Steamboat Springs, CO 80477

Yampa Valley Autism Program
P.O. Box 771824
Steamboat Springs, CO 80477

Megan and I met Jenna at the inaugural Steamboat 50 in 2007. It was always fun to catch up with her when our race schedules crossed paths. She always wore a smile and was an upbeat, welcoming individual who was easy to laugh with. My last memory of her was after Saturday's race. She told Megan and I about her honeymoon to Nepal and adventures with husband Matt. Jenna beamed. Earlier in the day I hiked up 2 miles from the finish to cheer on runners as they closed in on the day's journey. I cheered Jenna as she ran past; smile on her face and holding her hands in the air for me to see exclaiming with jubilation, "I just ate it!" Despite the fall Jenna ran past filled with joy; crossing the finish line of the 33k race in 4th place. Another outstanding finish! Not only did Jenna race well she gave back to the ultrarunning community even more in her service at the Steamboat 50. She will be missed. Megan and I send our condolences to her husband Matt, her family, and all others who have been impacted by her life. As a small tribute Megan and I will be wearing the name Jenna on our race shirts at each race this year to honor her life.

Jenna and Matt celebrate her victorious finish at the 2009 Steamboat 50 Courtesy: Steamboat Pilot

Last Saturday in Moab

Darkness to Light = Gratitude

2010-02-09T13:52:00.002-07:00

The achilles is coming along slowly but surely. I have been so grateful to run mostly pain free this past week; it has given me hope to test its mettle more and more. Training in Gunnison has been better than expected. Initially I was a bit reluctant to see how the body would handle much more cold than I'm accustomed to. Needless to say it hasn't been an issue. I know it's going to be cold and I prepare by wearing more layers than I ever have. It cracks me up when Duncan is so non-chalant when telling me he got some earlobe frostbite on one of our morning runs. Mental note- Gunnison toughens you up without you realizing it.

After a few days on the flat streets I tested the AT on some trail. In the past 5 days I've ran Signal Peak 3 times. This will be a bread and butter run, see: http://www.duncancallahanrunning.com. It has been great to start these runs at dark'O'thirty (6AM) and rise with the sun as we crest the peak. Beautiful alpenglow towards CB lit the sky in a warming pink hue this AM as Duncan, Ben, and I took in the 360 views. Life is good. It has been symbolic running in the early morning darkness and ascending up into the new morning light. It has paralleled the achilles improvement and feels like I'm moving out of my injured winter with a healthy spring on the horizon. My new goal is to be out amongst them at Salida in mid march. This will be a much needed fitness benchmark before the 50 milers begin.

This weekend brings forth Moab's Red Hot 50K+. Check out http://www.irunmountains.blogspot.com for some race predictions. I will be sitting this one out as I continue to heal. However, I will be volunteering at the race; parking cars as everyone arrives. Looking forward to the weekend. I will also be cheerleading as my wife is representing at the 33K race along with a bunch of friends who are doing either race. Good luck to all!

New Beginnings

2010-02-03T14:55:00.002-07:00

2010 marks the start of a new decade and many new changes in my life. First, Megan and I moved to Gunnison and finally obtained our goal of getting off the Front Range! Second, after returning from our extended honeymoon in NZ I acquired the injury bug upon my return to running. It has been a frustrating opening to 2010 to say the least. Achilles tendonitis has reared its ugly head; I managed to eek out 87 miles for January with close to 20 days of no running whatsoever. My goal is to begin the racing season healthy at the Fruita 50M. Since I began running ultras in 2006 this has been the first significant hiccup in my training. I feel blessed that this is the "worst" I've dealt with. It is ironic though that this injury came about after my 6 week break from running and not during a high volume training period...se la vi... Third, I started a running blog. So here's to Doug N, Bryan G, and everyone else who I told that I would never start blogging...this is dedicated to you!