Kitty Blanket Gift

Yesterday, I received a very special package from Natalee to help me relive the joys of mile 62 at Hardrock this year…

Kitty blanket hell at mile 62, Grouse Gulch aid station.

Little sandwich in a handy spot on my shoulder.

She sent me my very own kitty blanket.  You're a real keeper, Nat. You're awesome.  :-)

Made my day.  By the way, I was at Lucho's house, so the Superman outfit isn't mine.  Really.

Re-enactment of Grouse Gulch meltdown.

Weekly Ketchingup: Racing, Clinics, Great People

Eleven days in the Bay Area shot by like a bald greasy squirrel (yeah, fast).  Packed into that time was a lot, including a 50 mile trail race, three running clinics, good food, many beers, and high quality time with people I care deeply about.

Photos all by the lovely Margaret Gagnon, except the Hill Clinic shot, which was by Emily (I think).

Undivided attention.

Talking about our Leadville adventures the last three years.

Tim explaining how important IPA is for running well.

Alissa snagging a Vi gel.

Victor showing off the features of the Victory Bag.

Eat to Win clinic group.

Hill Clinic.  "Hmm, never had anyone fall off the cliff at one of these before."

Lacing up the La Sportivas for our group run.

This last weekend we held the Eat to Win and Hill Running clinics with good turnouts at both.  Tim Waggoner and I co-hosted the nutrition discussion with great questions from the participants.  The hill clinic was held at Rodeo Beach, high above the surfers where participants braved the chilly wind to learn and practice new skills.  Afterwards, we had a nice group trail run, then headed to my favorite restaurant (sorry, can't tell you; it's too crowded already) along the water where they serve beer in massive mason jars.

Thanks to Kara for all she does.  Thanks to Victor Ballesteros for attending all three clinics and giving out two new Victory Bags!  And a big thanks to Vi Fuel for providing boxes of their amazing gels, all of which were nabbed up at the clinics.  For 25% off Vi, use code TL25Off2012

I'm already looking forward to my next visit to SF at the end of next month.

I arrived home yesterday to my new mtn bike that was shipped while I was gone, so I barely had time to throw my heavy backpack on the floor before I was assembling it.

She's been christened "Hope". 

Hopefully, she'll carry me safely to the completion of the Leadman Series in a few months.

I'm very grateful to Vi Fuel for sponsoring my Leadman Series.  I truly love their product and appreciate their support.

Race Planning Clinic Re-Cap

Claude, relaxing with coffee and Vi gel in the bleacher seats.

Sunday, we had the Race Planning and Strategy clinic at Tennessee Valley in Marin.  Claude and Margaret were kind enough to bring good coffee and pancakes for everyone and Liana showed up with more baked goods.  So we just skipped the clinic and ate.

Kidding.  We gave out samples of Vi Fuel and drew numbers for a full box of Vi Fuel gels.  I was excited to have Victor Ballesteros join me to host the clinic.  His epic run at the Tahoe Rim Trail (168 miles) in August provided a terrific opportunity to discuss the importance of covering the details and plans before setting out.  He also brought a couple of his Victory drop bags and talked about the idea for them and the design and features.  Victor will be joining us again this weekend for the Eat to Win and Hill Running clinics (and group runs afterwards).  Thanks very much Victor for sharing your veteran experience and for giving us a glimpse of what the world is like at the front of the pack.  With Tim (Lucho) Waggoner and Victor there, I won't have to do any work!

More info on this weekends clinics may be found on the Running Clinics page of this site.

Here are some of the 800 photos from the clinic Sunday.  Unless otherwise noted, they are all courtesy of the prolific photo practitioner, Margaret Gagnon.  Thanks Margaret!

"What in the world am I going to talk about to these people?"

Group:  Liana, Christopher, me, Kara, Pete, Victor, John, Claude (sitting), Vivian, and hooded James

James, Liana, Kara, and Kara's hat.

James with some sort of odd undergarments.

Focused and obviously entertained.  Vivian, John, Pete.

Riveted to every word (or "God, is he going to ever shut up?"): Pete, Pon, Chris.

Obligatory Tim and Margaret photo...

"Y'all calm down and pay attention or I'll pack this show up and vacate."

Victor schmoozing the ladies.  Sheez.

"Victor, I want a drop bag about this big and made out of alligator skin."

On more than one occasion I saw Victor giving me the "what the hell are you talking about" look.

"So, after I killed the bear with my slingshot and finished the race…. "  Victor didn't buy it.

My turn with "the look".  Mr. big shot bag guy.

Dick Collins Firetrails 50 Mile Pride and Race Report

Me about mile 45.  Photo by Brett Rivers of the new San Francisco Running Company

So, I ended up doing Dick for 7 hours and 36 mins.  Wait, that doesn't sound right.

I ran the Dick Collins Firetrails 50 miler in 2009 when I lived in the Bay Area (the first time).  After exchanging the lead with the eventual women's winner, Rory Bosio, I was able to fight her off over the last 6 miles and finish just a min or so before her.  It wasn't a fun way to end a hard race and took me 7:53 to do it.  Firetrails runs much slower for some reason than it looks on paper, though it still has 8,700 ft of climb, so I guess it's hillier than I thought.  Lots of really hard packed fire roads, some nice rolling singletrack, a little concrete, and a couple of big, gradual hills.  All of it beautifully managed by NorCal Ultras.

In my current fitness (roughly at about 70% of peak, and dropping daily) and coming off some very light running with a sludge filled energy and motivation level for running and racing, I committed myself to a slow first 25 miles of 9:15-9:20 avg pace to the turn around.  It was initially miserable to watch Leigh Schmitt, Victor Ballesteros and a few others bounding away at the start but soon I was content in my easy effort and enjoying the run in the predawn darkness (except for frozen hands!).

I only had one minor bad patch around mile 18-20 where the legs felt full of lactic acid and I couldn't stride out like normal, so I ate an extra gel (thanks Vi Fuel!) and gulped extra water and stretched out for a minute.  Fifteen minutes later I was feeling better and ran the long descent to the turn around at 25 miles pretty well, catching a couple guys who passed me during the slower miles I had.  I hit the turn around in 3:52 and jogged out to start the long climb with a couple guys, one of whom was Joe Z. from Colorado.  I hadn't seen him since we ran the 26 mile Pawnee and Buchanan Pass Loop in Indian Peaks last year, so it was nice to chat with him for a bit.  I was feeling really well after the long, easy pacing, so I pulled away and ran the entire climb well.  At about mile 44 I saw lead woman, Jenny Capel in her La Sportiva uniform and timed my pass at the next aid station, which I ran through and she briefly stopped at.  I knew it would be a big effort to hold her off, so I settled into a hard level and clicked off a bunch of 7:xx min miles (8 miles in the last 13 were 7:09-7:50).  She stayed close all the way to the finish, coming in just 1:06 after I did.  Thanks for pushing me, Jenny!

Though I enjoyed a well paced race and 17 min PR on that course, it paled in comparison to seeing so many of the athletes I coach there running so strongly.

Karen Peterson - first 50 miler finishing in 12:07.
Ellen Fletcher - 50 miler in 11:49
Patty Osorio-O'Dea - Marathon (4,000 ft climb) in 5:32
Ben Doyle - first Marathon ever (4,000 ft climb) in 6:33
Claude Gagnon - Marathon (4,000 ft climb) in 5:23
Jessi Goldstein - first Marathon ever (4,000 ft climb) in 5:27
Kara Teklinski - 50 miler in 9:31(!! - she thought it might take her 11 hours…)
James Ha - first Marathon ever (4,000 ft climb) in 7:55

EVERY SINGLE ONE of my tough and hard working athletes finished his/her race this weekend.  Man, I'm proud of you folks.

I have to say that in all the hundreds of races I've done and seen, I've only been choked up twice (both Young brothers' first 100 finishes).  Saturday was the third.  I knew this would be the hardest thing James Ha had ever done and he suffered like crazy but jogging in with him and his big smile was one of the proudest moments I can remember.  Thanks for being such a hard worker and a great guy, James!

Also, big shout out to another one of my athletes, Nic Giebler who thought his Glacial Trail 50k in Wisconsin started at 8am, which actually started at 7am, and rushed to the start, getting there 5 mins late but running anyway.  He chased down everyone but four guys and took 5th overall in 4:20 (which includes the extra 5 mins).  Guess he better make the trip to our Race Planning clinic next time… Way to go Nic!

Here are some photos from the Firetrails 50 mi and Golden Trails Marathon, all taken by the amazing Margaret Gagnon.

Ben Doyle.  He looked so strong when I saw him on the course.  

Claude was cruising when I saw him at mile 20 of his marathon and is obviously feeling great at the finish.  Great run!

Post race happiness with Liana, Chris, Kara, Claude, Margaret, and James.

Jessi Goldstein after rocking her first ever marathon (why not make it a tough trail marathon with over 4,000 ft of climb?!)

Claude, James, me, Chris

Now I see how James really finished.

Even after 26 miles, James can still make me laugh like nobody has in a long time.

I can't believe I got him to run it in for the last .1 mile.  Amazing moment for me!

Kara Teklinski crushing her predicted time in the 50 mile, with pacer Liana wondering who in the world would celebrate in that manner.

Kara's a happy athlete

Karen and photo-extrordinaire, Margaret Gagnon playing bumper cars.

Claude, Ben, James ready tear up some trails.

Oh beloved rice krispies ball, worth every step of the 26.2 miles...

Tanford all smiles at the finish. Great run!

Victor Ballesteros and Lauri Abrahamsen announcing finishers (VB got a little carried away with the bull horn and had to be escorted out of the park.

Liana getting a well deserved hug after pacing like 80 runners and shuttling people around all day

The following day (Sunday) I held the Race Planning clinic with co-host Victor Ballesteros (and a cameo briefing by Kara T.)  Thanks to Margaret and Claude for bringing pancakes and Starbucks coffee, and Liana for bringing the baked goods!

Once More Unto the Breach, Dear Friends

What do you know, another race in a couple of days. If it weren't for six of my athletes running the same event in either the 50 miler or the event partner distance, Golden Trails Marathon, I wouldn't have thought about the Firetrails race once. As it is, I've been shelling out race week and race day instructions and advice to these eager folks, so I was forced to look at my own preparations (not as fun). Anyway, I'm feeling fine (better than I was) and gaining interest in racing for 50 miles.

Lucho at Leadville 100

 I'm really looking forward to the running clinics while I'm in the Bay Area. Not only will Tim Waggoner (Lucho) be joining me for two of the clinics (actually facilitating one of them while I sit in the back of the crowd and ask ridiculous questions), but, after kicking my butt in the Firetrails 50, Victor Ballesteros will be joining us (hopefully for ALL three clinics and group runs afterwards!). I'm certain he'll be at the Race Planning and Strategies clinic on the 14th, showing off his Victory Drop Bags and talking about some of his awesomeness, like running the 168 mile Tahoe Rim Trail in August and other memorable events his speedy self has dominated.

Victor Ballesteros loaded up with hydration for a long, long run.

There's still plenty of room in all three clinics. For only $30 a clinic, it's one of the last great bargains.

I also have two slots opened up in my coaching and if you want more information, get a hold of me through friending me on my Facebook page or email me.

Off to the Bay Area…

Run Video Fun

Feeling nostalgic for last year, I went through some videos I put together from runs with great guys, some I haven't seen in a long time!

First, the famous GZ run from his doorstep to Bear Peak and back…  Check out the mop of hair on the boy!  (March 2011)




And the full version:




Next is the Pawnee Buchanan Pass Loop from last August with several guys, including 2nd place Leadman finisher this year (by a scant 24 mins), Troy Howard.  Haven't seen any of these guys in a long time, other than Troy up on Powerline at Leadville 100 this year and Todd G. last weekend.




And, for those friends who've never been up Green Mtn in Boulder, here's the final section of the climb to the top.  I bumped into two nice dudes from Denmark who are fairly accomplished runners.




And here's what the running clinics are going to be like this and next weekend.  Probably don't want to miss them…

Inanimate Resurrection

Thanks to a kind and industrious athlete I train, I'll be owning a new full suspension 29er in a week…  Coach in place.  Bike in place.  Sponsors in place.  Ripping myself inside-out with training starting November 1st... bring it.  Leadman cometh.

Ran a fun 10 with GZ today. Legs and mind coming around for Firetrails 50 miler this Saturday.

Many people pray for food.  I pray to come back as Paz's bass.

How to Travel to an Ultrarunning Race

Why limit the excitement and enjoyment to the activity of running the race?  Finding a way to the start line can be part of the thrill and danger of ultrarunning.

People are getting soft.  Don't believe me?  Look how much you Ooo and Aah at video and pics of normal little runs [hikes] up mountains by skinny, dirty runners with no jobs or homes, sleeping in the back of a 1978 Vega.  You drool over these images in your grey cubicle, nearly sweating through your Dockers chinos, and then burn the mental image into your brain, replacing the main character with yourself, as you bound up the 100 ft mound in the neighborhood park (that used to be a garbage dump).  Jumping up and down like Rocky among the scent of old oil drums buried deep beneath your dancing sneakers.

Sad.  You could be sharing the same giardia filled streams with any of these guys but quickly justify your grassy toxic dump GPS'd hill run with the fact that you actually have a life and, thus, some semblance of responsibility.  But I digress.

Gain back some of that adventurous youthful ability in the travels and accommodations to your next race.  Fly by the seat of your khakis and wing that shit.

You'll want to keep your "plans" to yourself or at least somewhat vague.  I mean, no reason to bother your family with silly details like driving 110 mph through the desert half asleep with one index finger on the wheel or spending the night behind a gas station in East Los Angeles.

"Can you fellas point me to the nearest ATM?"

Transportation.  In the true spirit of adventure, leave that 7 year financed mini SUV in the garage and find some freestyle mode of transportation.  If you don't have any friends dumb enough to be involved with ultrarunning and can't sucker anyone into believing this will be "just like a vacation" to drive you to the race, then post some carpooling posts on local running club boards or on Facebook.  Make sure to be clear about the "NEED RIDE" detail.  Otherwise, you'll end up with two idiots meeting at a coffee shop with all their luggage and gear and neither will have a car, thinking the other was supposed to drive.  Don't laugh, I've seen it.

"You must be here off Craigslist for the ride to that place in the woods?"

Craigslist is an option too.  They have this "ride share" section (at least more dirtbagging-type towns do, anyway).  You're either going to be riding with a business sales guy chugging pepto bismol and listening to conservative talk radio loudly, or you'll be in the back of a windowless van that smells like urine and has what appears to be dried blood on the ceiling.  If you make it to the race with all your orifices intact, then anywhere you end up sleeping won't seem nearly as bad.

Accommodations.  Race Directors will often write on the race website IN BOLD AND ALL CAPS (AND SOMETIMES DIFFERENT COLORS) that you can't camp here or park there, blah, blah.  It's dark at night and no one will see you.  Besides, the parks' budget is smaller than an Arkansas teenager's weekly allowance, so there's like one park ranger covering 5 million square miles of land and the chances he'll catch you (or even be in the same area code) are nil.

Once, when I travelled to a certain race in Pennsylvania, I found an open (or, rather, unlocked) window in a ski hut cabin, so I crawled in and spent the night there before the race.  Some might call this breaking and entering.  I didn't break shit.  I call it a warm sofa.  Oddly enough, that experience ended up as an article on minimalism in Trail Runner Magazine (last time I talk about my travel experiences on a run with an Editor).

Anton slept on a park's bathroom floor the night before a race a few years ago.  That's roughing it.  I'd rather sleep naked on an open boulder field at 13,000 ft in January than be snuggling up with fuzzy feces.  Geoff Roes has got the "roughing it" when traveling to races down to a science.  He's got all the camping gear shit and he's a cook that can turn Ramen Noodles into spaghetti con le vongole (I italicized it to make it look fancier), so he's living it up in the woods while the rest of you soft, 300 series BMW driving, flask water bottle belt wearing yuppies are trying to figure out how to open that child-sized piece of soap in your hotel bathroom.

You're better than this.

If you live to make it to the start of the event, it'll seem like one of the easiest races you've ever run after the hell you put yourself through to get there.