Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Buffalo Run 50K
With 4,000 feet of elevation gain and 32 miles this is a very tough race, but one I thoroughly enjoyed. This would be the first of my longer training runs in preparation for the Wasatch 100. I will be doing at least one long tough training run each month until September. Full race report: I had heard a lot of good things from friends about the Buffalo run, so I wanted to do it this year. I was trying to decide between the 50k and the 50m, and I knew that I could grind out the 50m, but I hadn't run anything long since October and I wanted to gradually build up my miles for later in the year, so I decided on the 50k. I had several friends doing the race, but I was late getting to the start and by time I got to the line we were within a minute of starting. Seth Wold saw me and said hi and we chatted for a bit and I told him to go get it and Jim started the countdown. I started out in the front of the pack and within a minute I found my good friend Mat Williams, so the two of us talked during the first mile while we went up the long hill. Eventually he dropped me, but I wasn't far behind. So far I was feeling good, but didn't want to push too hard because I knew it would be a long course. After we crested the first big hill I could still see Matt, and I wanted to catch up to him so we could chat, but he was moving pretty fast, so I picked up my pace to a 7:00 and finally caught him around mile 4. We chatted some, but he dropped me again before the Lone Tree hill, where I decided to power hike. At the first aid station I just stopped long enough to fill my bottle and then I took off. The run down into the valley was fun and I resisted the temptation to push it hard, although I did pick up my pace and it felt good. There was a group of about 15 of us that headed up the switchbacks together. Everyone was pushing pretty good and it seemed to help me push not wanting to get passed. I ran most of the time, but on the steepest section I power hiked while taking a gel and an S-cap. The run back to Elephant Head aid station was a bit muddy, so it was a little tricky staying out of it, but overall the course was in excellent shape. I was still feeling really strong, so I didn't even stop at the aid station. Just before the drop to Lone Tree I passed my friend Dustin Erickson, who placed 6th in the 25K. We missed our high five attempt and then I saw my friend Nick at the bottom of the hill and I made sure I didn't miss this time and gave him a good smack on the shoulder. I wish I could have stopped to say hi, but I didn't want to stop my momentum. Just before climbing the hill back up to the flats I saw my longtime friend Allison from high school and we exchanged "Hi's". On the hill I took another gel and an S-cap and once on top I tried to get into a nice steady pace without pushing too hard. I wanted to save my energy for the second lap. Once I came around the bend I could see the aid station and the wind picked up quite a bit. I tried to pick up my pace on the downhill and I was still feeling really good. I passed Matt just before the aid station and he was looking good. At the aid station I looked for my drop bag where I had some Cytomax and I had a good drink of that and downed a gel. I was thinking about dropping my long sleeve shirt, but it was so windy that I thought I might need it again. I said hi to Lily and she helped me with a few things and I was off. That was my longest stop of the race. The first hill on the second loop was an absolute killer. I thought I was feeling pretty good until I started the climb and all of the sudden my energy was gone. I felt wasted. I was thinking I must not be very tough if I am feeling like this at this point. I just tried to power hike and hoped my energy would come back. What made it worse was the strong headwind pounding us relentlessly. I was kind of in a funk from about mile 17-20 and it was very tough to climb back out. The hill took a lot out of me and once I reached the top it was hard to get going again. I was running a 9:30 pace and tried to speed up, but my legs just wouldn't go. Finally when I reached the Lone Tree hill I started power hiking again, took another gel and an S-cap and hoped I would be feeling good at the top. I filled my water at the aid station and then thankfully on the descent back into the valley I found my groove again. My legs started to feel better and I picked up the pace a lot. I passed 4-5 people that had passed me while I was in my funk and by time I reached the switchbacks to climb back up I was feeling strong and energized. The climb up the switchbacks was so fun. I felt just as good as I had on lap number one and I passed a few more people on my way to the top. I passed the marathon distance around 4:30, which isn't fast unless you consider the elevation gain over over 3K that I had already put in. Just before the top I had another gel and S-cap on the steepest section as I hiked and when I reached the top I had two runners in my sights. I was feeling good and eventually passed a guy that was trying to hold me off and then I tried to catch a girl that was moving great. I followed her all the way to the aid station where I finally passed her because my stop was less than 20 seconds to get water. On the downhill I pushed the pace and felt great, but noticed that my second toe on my right foot was hurting a lot. I had put some mole-skin on the toe to prevent a blister and I remember there was a crease at the bottom and I knew that was causing it. It really started to hurt, so at the bottom on the hill I stopped and took off my shoe, gaiter and sock and removed it. I hated stopping, especially since I was feeling so good, but it helped a lot and I felt better. The girl I had passed at the aid station passed me again and I would follow her into the finish. The last 4 miles were fun. I was feeling as good as I had felt all day and nothing hurt, except my toe a little where I had the mole-skin. I actually ran a lot of the last 4 in the 8's and felt so good and strong. Except for the girl nobody had passed me in at least 12 miles and I reeled in 4-5 runners that last 4 miles. I wanted to pass the girl, but she as strong and kept pushing hard. Once we came around the bend and could see the finish we both picked it up and there was another runner in our sights. She passed him with about a quarter of a mile left, but he picked up his pace a lot at the end and I couldn't make up the distance. I was still feeling really strong at the end and felt like I had a lot left in the tank, which makes me feel really good about my training so far this year. It was good to see Matt at the finish. I was really happy for him. He ran a great race and had made incredible strides this year. It was also fun to see Craig and Kelli come in on the 50 mile race. They were awesome. I also got to say hi to Crockett, Bryce and hang out with Seth and the guys for a while and eat some buffalo stew. This was a really fun event and was very well organized and I had a great time. Congrats to everyone that ran and to those that reached their goals. Also, props to Bryce for going 30+ miles while fighting a nasty cold. It is very inspiring to watch everyone out there and makes me want to get better. I finished in 5:37 and I was very happy with that. My goal had been 5:30 and I felt like I would have to run a perfect race to hit it.
Grandeur Peak 3/18/11
Matt Van Horn and I decided we would do a pre-work climb/run of Grandeur Peak via the West Ridge. This would be 8 days before the Buffalo run, so it would give my legs plenty of time to recover for the race. Here is the report I put on my training blog: I woke up at 4:00 am to go climb/run Grandeur Peak with Matt Van Horn this morning. We definitely had our challenges today. First of all it was wicked cold at the start, and the wind that beat down on us for the first 30 minutes was horrible. That West ridge is sure windy and exposed. At least the lower trail was dry. The last mile to the top took us forever because there was about a half inch of light powder on top of a icy hard crust, and no tracks or trail, so we slipped and slid the rest of the way up. It was tough and slow. We finally hit the summit in 1:40, which is 20 minutes slower than the last two times we did it. It was still dark when we reached the summit and I took a gel and checked out the incredible view of the valley lights below. Heading down the back side was also quite challenging because the snow had a hard crust that you would punch through to deep powder. It was slow going down to the saddle where we finally hit a packed snow trail. I guess we were the only ones dumb enough to go to the top. After descending off the steep east face I took a look down into the valley and back up at Grandeur. Wow! What a view. You really have to work for a view like this and it gave me chills. Very awe inspiring. We ran down to Church Fork, and then on the Pipeline to Rattlesnake Gulch. From there we ran down to the canyon road and then back to the car. It took us almost an hour longer than the last time we did this route two weeks ago. It was a lot of fun anyway. We saw some deer, elk and had some impressive views along the way. This route is definitely one of my favorites.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
February/March training
I have really had a fun month training for the Buffalo 50K on Antelope Island that will be held on March 26th. I have tried to do some kind of training daily with at least one bigger training day each week. I have been out to the island twice in the last month with Craig and Matt to run. The first time we went out and ran the 25/50K loop and had an incredible time, and then we went out and ran a portion of the 50M course that runs along the shore on the east side of the island. We did a 21.5 mile day, which was my longest run so far this year. Other than a little bit of mud at the end it was a perfect day.
Last Saturday I did a 19 mile run on the Jordan River Parkway in Lehi. The day before I had wanted to do 20+ on the same trail but because of some work issues I only got in 8, so I had to go back the next day. It was an incredible run by myself in perfect temperatures. The Saturday before I ran Grandeur Peak again with Seth Wold, Matt Van Horn, Bill Hiatt and two other friends. It was such a fun morning. We hiked up the West ridge to the summit and then ran down to the Pipeline trail, where we continued to Rattlesnake Gulch and then out the canyon and back to the cars. It is only 11 miles, but feels like a lot more with all of the elevation gain/loss.
I have continued to run as many peaks as possible, and I usually try and do at least two every week, although sometimes I have to settle for one. So far I have climbed 17 peaks in 2011 and I have a goal of getting 65 which I should be able to do as long as I keep up my current training schedule. Mt. Wire, Grandeur Peak and Lake Mountain are still the peaks I have been climbing most because I can get up and down quickly and then get into work, but I am really getting excited for the Spring mountaineering season. This year I want to do the Triple Traverse, the Pfeifferhorn, Lone Peak and possibly the Grunge couloir and the Beatout (White Pine to Bells).
Last Saturday I did a 19 mile run on the Jordan River Parkway in Lehi. The day before I had wanted to do 20+ on the same trail but because of some work issues I only got in 8, so I had to go back the next day. It was an incredible run by myself in perfect temperatures. The Saturday before I ran Grandeur Peak again with Seth Wold, Matt Van Horn, Bill Hiatt and two other friends. It was such a fun morning. We hiked up the West ridge to the summit and then ran down to the Pipeline trail, where we continued to Rattlesnake Gulch and then out the canyon and back to the cars. It is only 11 miles, but feels like a lot more with all of the elevation gain/loss.
I have continued to run as many peaks as possible, and I usually try and do at least two every week, although sometimes I have to settle for one. So far I have climbed 17 peaks in 2011 and I have a goal of getting 65 which I should be able to do as long as I keep up my current training schedule. Mt. Wire, Grandeur Peak and Lake Mountain are still the peaks I have been climbing most because I can get up and down quickly and then get into work, but I am really getting excited for the Spring mountaineering season. This year I want to do the Triple Traverse, the Pfeifferhorn, Lone Peak and possibly the Grunge couloir and the Beatout (White Pine to Bells).
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Mount Wire X 5
The end of last year I had some really fun adventures. One worth note was doing Mount Wire 5 times in a day. I did this with Matt Van Horn, Judy Z. and Michael H. It was an incredible day.
Last year on Black Friday MatthewVH and I climbed Upper Bells Peak to work off our Thanksgiving fat and we had a much better time than all of those shoppers wrestling over discounts. At least we thought so. We had been talking about doing multiple ascents of Mt. Wire for quite a while, and figured this would be the perfect day. The storms that came through earlier in the week changed the conditions dramatically, bringing in a lot of snow that would change this from a hike/run on a nice trail, to deep snow and below freezing temps. We talked about doing something else, but decided to just go for it and have a great time.
Summit #1: The first climb was started just as it was starting to get light. It was bitter cold, but after only a few minutes I was plenty warm. I wore a Windstopper fleece vest, jacket and hat, gloves, two long sleeve shirts and a short sleeve poly-pro shirt. A few people had already been up since the last storm, so we were able to follow their tracks, but there was still plenty of snow. We hiked fast to the ridge and from there the real slog started. Hiking in the snow is much more exhausting than on a trail and I started to get warm really fast. At the saddle Matt stopped for a wardrobe adjustment and I lead the way with Judy behind me and then Michael behind her. We chatted the whole way up about peaks we wanted to climb and various adventures that we wanted to tackle in 2011. There was no wind at all and the sun just started coming up over the peaks to the east as we reached the first towers. I made it to the top first in 1:03, with Judy right behind. Michael was a few minutes behind and then Matt about 5 minutes later. We took a group photo and then quickly headed down. We could kind of jog on the descent, but had to take it easy on the steeper sections because it was icy. I was first back to the car with Matt and Judy right behind. Total time 1:37. We took about a 10 minute break, eating some snacks and hydrating. I took a gel and ate a granola bar.
Summit #3: This was the most difficult climb of the day for both Matt and me. It was now hot. Well, the temperature was still below freezing, but with the sun out and reflecting off of the snow, I was hot. I shed one of my long sleeve shirts and now I was only wearing one short and one long sleeve shirt with the sleeves pulled up. It was a total slog. My legs started to get tired, I was sweating a lot and we both slowed down. Luckily we talked the whole way up which made it somewhat bearable, but both of us had doubts about making it up five times. Judy and Michael were on the summit waiting for us and I arrived a few minutes before Matt, as he really slowed down on the final push. Total time up was 1:15. We took a group photo, I took another gel chased by a snowball and we headed down. I felt a lot better on the way down and got my energy back. Back at the car I took more salt, drank more Gatorade and ate two boiled eggs, a gel and a candy bar. I was feeling a lot better. This time Judy Matt and Michael all left about 5 minutes before I did, as I was taking my time eating to make sure I got back my energy.
Summit #4: It took me a mile to catch up to Matt, but he was listening to his ipod. I was kind of hoping we could chat, but I didn't want to bother him. He was singing out loud and using his trekking pole as a guitar. I was feeling much better on this climb and I finally passed him on the final push to the top. Judy and Michael were several minutes ahead, and I was surprised when I reached the top and found out I had made it one minute faster than they had (1:18). We were all pretty tired at this point and Judy and Michael told me they were not going for a 5th summit. I was sure that I would keep going because I still felt really strong and when Mat got to the summit he told me he had no plans on stopping now. We took our final group photo of the day and after I had a gel we headed down. It had cooled off a little bit on the way down and I knew that the last trip up would be colder. My feet were starting to hurt and my boots felt very heavy, so I decided I was going to change into my Brooks Cascadia's even if they made my feet wet. The last mile was the first time all day I started to hurt. At the bottom we decided to take a long break to eat and hydrate. I made a sandwich, drank more Gatorade and I had to get into the car and turn the heat on because I couldn't get my gaitors off. The strap was frozen solid, so I had to thaw it out. I hadn't felt cold in such a long time and it seemed weird, but this was a reminder that it was still below freezing out there. After about 10 minutes I was able to get my boots off and they were HEAVY! They had started soaking up water and they were bricks. I couldn't believe I had been hauling them up that mountain. The Cascadia's were pure heaven on my feet.
The total elevation gain for the day was between 10,500 - 11,000 feet in 20 miles. With dry conditions this could be done much faster and we would like to try this in the summer to see how many more we can get. This was definitely one of the best adventures of the year, and I also reached my goal of getting 52 peaks for the year, which made it just a bit sweeter.
Last year on Black Friday MatthewVH and I climbed Upper Bells Peak to work off our Thanksgiving fat and we had a much better time than all of those shoppers wrestling over discounts. At least we thought so. We had been talking about doing multiple ascents of Mt. Wire for quite a while, and figured this would be the perfect day. The storms that came through earlier in the week changed the conditions dramatically, bringing in a lot of snow that would change this from a hike/run on a nice trail, to deep snow and below freezing temps. We talked about doing something else, but decided to just go for it and have a great time.
The route we would be taking to the summit is just over 4 miles with about 2200 feet of elevation gain. It is pretty steep and last week I climbed it car to car in 1:12, but the conditions were completely different when we arrived at the trailhead. There was snow covering the entire trail. Matt and I were joined by our friends Michael and Judy, who are both local mountaineering vets. Because of the cold and snow we looked like a group about to climb Mt. Rainier and not something as simple as Wire. The temperature was a balmy 10 when we started. I had been debating on what shoes to wear and had to settle for my Gortex hiking boots in order to keep my feet dry. I did however bring along a few pairs of trail runners just in case I thought they would work.
Summit #1: The first climb was started just as it was starting to get light. It was bitter cold, but after only a few minutes I was plenty warm. I wore a Windstopper fleece vest, jacket and hat, gloves, two long sleeve shirts and a short sleeve poly-pro shirt. A few people had already been up since the last storm, so we were able to follow their tracks, but there was still plenty of snow. We hiked fast to the ridge and from there the real slog started. Hiking in the snow is much more exhausting than on a trail and I started to get warm really fast. At the saddle Matt stopped for a wardrobe adjustment and I lead the way with Judy behind me and then Michael behind her. We chatted the whole way up about peaks we wanted to climb and various adventures that we wanted to tackle in 2011. There was no wind at all and the sun just started coming up over the peaks to the east as we reached the first towers. I made it to the top first in 1:03, with Judy right behind. Michael was a few minutes behind and then Matt about 5 minutes later. We took a group photo and then quickly headed down. We could kind of jog on the descent, but had to take it easy on the steeper sections because it was icy. I was first back to the car with Matt and Judy right behind. Total time 1:37. We took about a 10 minute break, eating some snacks and hydrating. I took a gel and ate a granola bar.
Summit #2: The other 3 took off before I was ready and it took me about 3 minutes to finish my gear adjustments and snacks. I took off my fleece jacket. It was still cold, but I felt great. It took me a mile to catch up with Michael and I passed him on the way up the ridge. I started to get really hot, so I took off one of my long sleeves and now I was only wearing a short sleeve, long sleeve and my vest on top. About half way up I unzipped the vest. This was one of the longest parts of the day for me because I was by myself and didn't have my ipod on, so the time seemed to drag a bit. I was still feeling really good and didn't have any soreness at all. My legs felt great. I never did quite catch up to Judy and Matt and they reached the summit a few minutes before me (1:06) with Michael a few minutes after me. I took a gel and we took another group photo and didn't stay on top very long. We went as quick as we could given the conditions and the trail was slowly getting more packed in, which made things a bit easier. The sun was now out and I was really warming up on the descent. We got back to the cars and took another break. I took off my vest, took a gel and ate more snacks. I also drank quite a lot of Gatorade and took an S-cap. Michael and Judy left first with Matt and I about 5 minutes behind.
Summit #3: This was the most difficult climb of the day for both Matt and me. It was now hot. Well, the temperature was still below freezing, but with the sun out and reflecting off of the snow, I was hot. I shed one of my long sleeve shirts and now I was only wearing one short and one long sleeve shirt with the sleeves pulled up. It was a total slog. My legs started to get tired, I was sweating a lot and we both slowed down. Luckily we talked the whole way up which made it somewhat bearable, but both of us had doubts about making it up five times. Judy and Michael were on the summit waiting for us and I arrived a few minutes before Matt, as he really slowed down on the final push. Total time up was 1:15. We took a group photo, I took another gel chased by a snowball and we headed down. I felt a lot better on the way down and got my energy back. Back at the car I took more salt, drank more Gatorade and ate two boiled eggs, a gel and a candy bar. I was feeling a lot better. This time Judy Matt and Michael all left about 5 minutes before I did, as I was taking my time eating to make sure I got back my energy.
Summit #4: It took me a mile to catch up to Matt, but he was listening to his ipod. I was kind of hoping we could chat, but I didn't want to bother him. He was singing out loud and using his trekking pole as a guitar. I was feeling much better on this climb and I finally passed him on the final push to the top. Judy and Michael were several minutes ahead, and I was surprised when I reached the top and found out I had made it one minute faster than they had (1:18). We were all pretty tired at this point and Judy and Michael told me they were not going for a 5th summit. I was sure that I would keep going because I still felt really strong and when Mat got to the summit he told me he had no plans on stopping now. We took our final group photo of the day and after I had a gel we headed down. It had cooled off a little bit on the way down and I knew that the last trip up would be colder. My feet were starting to hurt and my boots felt very heavy, so I decided I was going to change into my Brooks Cascadia's even if they made my feet wet. The last mile was the first time all day I started to hurt. At the bottom we decided to take a long break to eat and hydrate. I made a sandwich, drank more Gatorade and I had to get into the car and turn the heat on because I couldn't get my gaitors off. The strap was frozen solid, so I had to thaw it out. I hadn't felt cold in such a long time and it seemed weird, but this was a reminder that it was still below freezing out there. After about 10 minutes I was able to get my boots off and they were HEAVY! They had started soaking up water and they were bricks. I couldn't believe I had been hauling them up that mountain. The Cascadia's were pure heaven on my feet.
Summit #5: This was the best I had felt since summit climb number one. My feet were feeling so good, my energy was great and I wasn't hurting anywhere. I couldn't believe how good I felt and I pushed the pace a bit. Matt kept up and we had fun talking and joking all the way up. The sun started to go down and the temperature dropped a lot. I still wasn't feeling cold, but if we had stopped for more than a minute we would have felt it. This was definitely the most fun I had all day. I thought for sure I would be dragging and hurting on that final climb, but I felt as good as I had all day. The trail was now packed in and my feet stayed dry and were warm all the way up. I got to the summit a few minutes before Matt and took in the incredible views as the sun had just set. It was awesome and I still felt great. My Garmin died on that final summit, so I didn't get exact miles for the day, but it was somewhere around 20. I actually felt like I could have done a few more, but I knew that wasn't going to happen on this day. The descent was fun and Matt and I joked and laughed the whole way down. We finally got back to the car at 6:00 pm, almost exactly 11 hours after we started. I couldn't believe how good I felt.
The total elevation gain for the day was between 10,500 - 11,000 feet in 20 miles. With dry conditions this could be done much faster and we would like to try this in the summer to see how many more we can get. This was definitely one of the best adventures of the year, and I also reached my goal of getting 52 peaks for the year, which made it just a bit sweeter.
2011 goals
Wow, I haven’t posted anything on this blog since October. I have been getting in some fun training runs, and hitting as many peaks as I can. I just found out that I got into the Wasatch 100, so I really need to amp up my training. I will be doing at least one 30 mile run per month, and climbing 1-2 peaks per week. Right now I have mostly been climbing Lake Mountain, Grandeur Peak and Mount Wire. Not the kind of peaks that are going to make a mountaineer salivate, but they have been perfect for my training because I can get up and down in a few hours and still make it into work on time. I have been able to get in some good elevation gains and miles during the winter, which I think will pay off later in the year. So far for the year I have climbed 12 peaks in 7 weeks.
Last year I had a goal to climb 52 peaks (one for each week), and I finished the year with 58. I was really happy about that and other than the 50 mile run it was the accomplishment I was most proud of in 2010. I calculated the elevation gain and it was well over 150,000 feet of total elevation, and with all of the runs I did I would guess I had over 200K in elevation gain for the year. I also figured I probably gave up about 7 days of sleep, as most of the peaks required me to get up early. It was definitely worth it though. I think I had my best fitness year ever by far. I ended up running over a marathon distance 7 times, and completed 3 ultra marathon distances and I have even bigger plans for 2011.
My goals for 2011 are to first and foremost complete the Wasatch 100. Everything else that I do will be to get ready for that race. Here is a list of my goals:
-Finish the Wasatch 100
-Complete one road marathon
-Complete a half marathon in 1:35
-climb 65 peaks
-Run Gannett Peak in a day
-Do a Kings Peak double
-Do a Timpanogos double
-Grand Canyon R2R2R
Last year I had a goal to climb 52 peaks (one for each week), and I finished the year with 58. I was really happy about that and other than the 50 mile run it was the accomplishment I was most proud of in 2010. I calculated the elevation gain and it was well over 150,000 feet of total elevation, and with all of the runs I did I would guess I had over 200K in elevation gain for the year. I also figured I probably gave up about 7 days of sleep, as most of the peaks required me to get up early. It was definitely worth it though. I think I had my best fitness year ever by far. I ended up running over a marathon distance 7 times, and completed 3 ultra marathon distances and I have even bigger plans for 2011.
My goals for 2011 are to first and foremost complete the Wasatch 100. Everything else that I do will be to get ready for that race. Here is a list of my goals:
-Finish the Wasatch 100
-Complete one road marathon
-Complete a half marathon in 1:35
-climb 65 peaks
-Run Gannett Peak in a day
-Do a Kings Peak double
-Do a Timpanogos double
-Grand Canyon R2R2R
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Pony Express 50 mile ultra marathon
Wow! What an experience. What a fun race. I completed my first official ultra marathon yesterday running the Pony Express 50. This has been a really fun year so far with a lot of fun crazy adventures and this was probably the best one so far. I had to wake up at 3:30 AM and I only got 3 hours of sleep, but when I woke up I was feeling really good. Two of my best friends, Rob and Greg would be crewing me and then met me at 4:00 at my house and we were on our way. On the drive out I went over my expectations for the race and what I thought I would need from them to reach my goals. They both seemed really excited and it was a lot of fun having them both there with me. Greg was at one time a top 10 runner in high school, while Rob has never really been all that interested in sports or athletic pursuits, but both of them were pumped, which was cool.
We arrived at Lookout Pass about 30 minutes before the race started. This gave me a little bit of time to make final preparations, go over all of my food and hydration needs with my crew and check in and get ready. I started to get a little nervous because you just don’t know how your body is going to respond going further than you ever have before. I thought I was ready and had trained well all year, but you just never know. Luckily I was with two of my my best friends and they were able to lighten the moment a lot. Actually, they made me laugh all day long which really helped.
A few minutes before the start Davy had some words for us and then we were off. There was a woman that went out really fast, and then me, and then the rest of the group seemed to be lagging back a bit. I really didn’t get a chance to meet any of the other runners and I had hoped to meet some on the course, but I was quickly pulling away from most of the pack. It didn’t seem like I was running fast at all and when I checked my pace I was at an 8:30 and I felt totally fine, so I went with it. My original plan had been to run about a 9:00 pace for at least the first 25. After the first mile the woman had opened up a lead on me and I couldn’t even see anyone behind. I was running alone in the dark with a smile on my face. The stars were stunning and I saw a few falling stars. The temperature was cold, but it actually felt really good for running and I didn’t need a warm hat or gloves, although I had on a long sleeved shirt. I told my crew to meet me at mile 3 just in case I felt like I wanted something, and at 2.7 I hadn’t seen them pass me yet, so I was getting a little worried that I would miss them, but they soon arrived and I was feeling so good that I told them to go ahead to mile 4 and to have a gel and some water ready for me.
Probably one of the most annoying things that happened the whole day were two cars that passed us very early on going probably 50 miles per hour. One was a large truck that kicked up so much dust I had to cover my mouth and nose for about a minute. I was really angry at the lack of consideration of these drivers and there may or may not have been a few choice words from my end.
At mile 4 I had my first stop at the car. Actually I didn’t really slop, but grabbed a gel and some water and quickly downed them on my way. They told me that the woman was about 3 minutes ahead of me and I have to admit I wanted to catch her. The guys were really fast getting me what I needed and I have to say that they were phenomenal throughout the race. I could not have had a better crew. Not only did they take care of me and do everything that I asked, but they would jump out of the car every time they saw me and run up and ask what I needed before I got to the car. I told them I would meet them at mile 7 and I was off.
The next 3 miles were really fun. I felt solid and I just listened to the music, looked at the stars and ran. Incredible. I still couldn’t see anyone behind me, so I knew that I would probably not see the other runners for a long time if ever. At mile 7 I actually took another gel and had more water and Rob told me that I was exactly 50 seconds behind the girl. I kind of laughed because he was really getting into it and I reminded him that we still had 43 miles to go and I told them to meet me at mile 10.
The sun was now starting to come up and I could now see the woman that I had been chasing. I was slowly gaining on her and my competitive juices were tempted to push and pass her, but I just held back knowing that I needed to save my legs for later in the race. Just before mile 10 I was right on her heels and both of our crew cars were parked very close to each other. We both stopped for a quick break, and as soon as we started running again I caught her. Her name was Nanette and we talked and ran together for the next 6 miles. This was also her first official ultra, so we talked about our training and what we had done over the summer to get ready and she is a really nice person and it was fun to be running with someone. It sure made the time fly by. She was being crewed by her husband and for the rest of the race he would continue to check on me every time he passed. They were amazing people.
Nanette and I chatted until mile 13 where my crew was waiting for me with a gel and some Cytomax, so I walked while I took them and she kept running. It took me about 5 minutes to catch back up, but eventually we were running together all the way to Simpson Springs. Nanette and I passed 3 of the 100 milers that had started an hour earlier than we had and I was sure that they were just holding back to conserve their energy and legs, but it was still cool to be passing runners that started an hour before we did.
There was a pretty good hill leading up to the springs, and I felt strong the whole way and we never had to stop and walk. At the springs they took our number and Nanette stopped to make some gear adjustments, and I wouldn’t see her again for over 15 miles. I was now leading the pack of the 6:00 AM starters, although I never thought I would win the race because Davy told Jun that some really fast experienced runners were starting at 8:00.
The next several miles were much harder running alone. I continued to pass the 100 mile runners, but I didn’t usually chat with them long. The road was now really flat with a long straight away. I could now see several of the 100 milers and I made it a goal to pass as many of them as I could. Over the next 10 miles I counted 7 more of them that I had passed. I was still feeling really strong, but the sun was now up and it was getting really hot. I had been taking at least one salt pill every hour and now I increased the amounts of fluid that I was drinking as well. I would alternate between Gatorade and water and taking Cytomax every two hours. I was also taking a gel about every 2-3 miles to make sure I was getting enough energy. So far I was feeling really good.
I hit my marathon in 4:34 just as I passed a bloody dead rabbit on the road. The heat was bothering me a little, so at my next crew stop I changed from my black tank to my white one and Greg also put sunscreen on me while I drank some Gatorade. I ate some potato chips and two cookies and I was feeling pretty good. I was wondering when I would see Jun and I was hoping that we would catch me so we could run together, but I hadn’t seen his crew car, so I knew he was still several miles behind.
Miles 28-35 were pretty tough for me. I was feeling really good, but my joints started to hurt and the heat was making it more difficult to want to push. I kept catching myself falling off of my pace and every time it was more difficult to pick it back up. This part of the race was a real grind and it would have really helped to be running with someone as the miles were dragging on a bit. I did get passed by Davy during this section and he was looking strong. We chatted for a few minutes and I actually picked up my pace, but I couldn’t keep up with him and he quickly moved ahead. About 30 minutes later two other guys that started with Jun passed me and I asked about him. They said that they though he was having some issues, so I started to worry about him, but when I went off into the brush for a bathroom stop a few minutes later I finally saw his crew car for the first time, so I knew he wasn’t far behind.
Heading up to Dugway Pass is by far the most challenging part of the course. It is very steep and I found myself hiking for the first time all day. I could have run it, but I could hike it as fast as I would have been able to run, so I decided to give my legs a little break. While heading up the pass I finally saw Jun making his way up from behind. It was great to see him and we talked and joked the rest of the way up to the pass where we both started running at a really good pace. This might have been the most enjoyable part of the race for me. We were over 37 miles and the extra boost from seeing my friend really helped so much. We were actually running pretty fast and passed several runners on the way down and they all commented on how strong we looked. I kept sending my crew ahead because I didn’t want to break our stride, but at mile 43ish I finally had to stop to get a drink and my legs were getting really tight when I stopped, so I had Greg rub them out and after I got back on the road Jun was too far ahead for me to catch. It was a little demoralizing, but I wouldn’t have wanted him to stop. He was looking strong and I wanted him to keep pushing while he was feeling so good. I was hopeful that I could have kept up with him and pushed all the way to the finish, but I just wasn’t strong enough. It did help me so much having him there for those 5-6 miles. I was definitely running faster and stronger while we ran together.
Miles 43-47 were definitely the most difficult of the entire race. It was now very hot, my legs were screaming and pushing any kind of pace resembling quick was out of the question. My crew was stopping every mile for me and I was taking them. I would wash off my face, drink and take gels as the thought of solid food made me want to throw up. I just remember grinding and thinking that I wanted to finish strong, even though my body was telling me otherwise. At mile 46 I sat down for the first time and Rob and Greg both asked me if I was alright. I was fine, but I just finally got tired. The heat was a beast. I also noticed that someone was gaining on me and I thought it was Nanette. It put a smile on my face because the last time I saw her around mile 33 she was really hurting. I was really pulling for her to push hard, but at the same time it motivated me to push harder too. Her husband pulled up next to me and offered me some grapes and I thought I could get them down so I accepted and they tasted so good! It was a real boost.
At mile 47 I had one of the best surprises of the day. Greg hopped out of the car in full running attire and announced he was going to run in with me. I was really excited and hoped that he would make it with me. He hadn’t exercised at all since our trip to Ibapah Peak that was over a year ago. Ironically, we were now in the shadow of Ibapah and I pointed it out to him, as we could see the peak ahead. I told him to just tell me some funny stories to take my mind off of the pain and it worked. The stories really aren't blog appropriate, but they sure took my mind of of things. My pace picked up and the last 3 were actually much easier than the previous 5 had been. We were now running a sub 10 minute mile pace. It was so fun and helpful to have Greg running in with me.
Even though I knew we had to pass the finish and go a half mile and then turn around, I still wasn’t prepared for the demoralizing feeling. That was by far the most difficult thing for me and I thought about Davy maybe doing that as one last mental hurdle to get over before you get your 50. The last few hundred yards were tough. I was spent and happy I wasn’t doing more miles on this day, although looking back I think I could have pushed it further. When I reached the finish I was elated. I had done it. This was one of my goals for the year and there were certainly times that I doubted myself, but I did it. I hurt everywhere, but it was worth it. I didn’t feel much like eating for a few hours after, so I didn’t get to enjoy the burgers at the finish, but that was ok. Getting the finishers medal was sweet enough. So my first official ultra is in the books and I loved it. I learned so many things about myself on this day and I can’t wait to get back out there and do it again. Also, congrats to Jun and Davy for rocking the 100 and inspiring me for my next big running challenge.
We arrived at Lookout Pass about 30 minutes before the race started. This gave me a little bit of time to make final preparations, go over all of my food and hydration needs with my crew and check in and get ready. I started to get a little nervous because you just don’t know how your body is going to respond going further than you ever have before. I thought I was ready and had trained well all year, but you just never know. Luckily I was with two of my my best friends and they were able to lighten the moment a lot. Actually, they made me laugh all day long which really helped.
A few minutes before the start Davy had some words for us and then we were off. There was a woman that went out really fast, and then me, and then the rest of the group seemed to be lagging back a bit. I really didn’t get a chance to meet any of the other runners and I had hoped to meet some on the course, but I was quickly pulling away from most of the pack. It didn’t seem like I was running fast at all and when I checked my pace I was at an 8:30 and I felt totally fine, so I went with it. My original plan had been to run about a 9:00 pace for at least the first 25. After the first mile the woman had opened up a lead on me and I couldn’t even see anyone behind. I was running alone in the dark with a smile on my face. The stars were stunning and I saw a few falling stars. The temperature was cold, but it actually felt really good for running and I didn’t need a warm hat or gloves, although I had on a long sleeved shirt. I told my crew to meet me at mile 3 just in case I felt like I wanted something, and at 2.7 I hadn’t seen them pass me yet, so I was getting a little worried that I would miss them, but they soon arrived and I was feeling so good that I told them to go ahead to mile 4 and to have a gel and some water ready for me.
Probably one of the most annoying things that happened the whole day were two cars that passed us very early on going probably 50 miles per hour. One was a large truck that kicked up so much dust I had to cover my mouth and nose for about a minute. I was really angry at the lack of consideration of these drivers and there may or may not have been a few choice words from my end.
At mile 4 I had my first stop at the car. Actually I didn’t really slop, but grabbed a gel and some water and quickly downed them on my way. They told me that the woman was about 3 minutes ahead of me and I have to admit I wanted to catch her. The guys were really fast getting me what I needed and I have to say that they were phenomenal throughout the race. I could not have had a better crew. Not only did they take care of me and do everything that I asked, but they would jump out of the car every time they saw me and run up and ask what I needed before I got to the car. I told them I would meet them at mile 7 and I was off.
The next 3 miles were really fun. I felt solid and I just listened to the music, looked at the stars and ran. Incredible. I still couldn’t see anyone behind me, so I knew that I would probably not see the other runners for a long time if ever. At mile 7 I actually took another gel and had more water and Rob told me that I was exactly 50 seconds behind the girl. I kind of laughed because he was really getting into it and I reminded him that we still had 43 miles to go and I told them to meet me at mile 10.
The sun was now starting to come up and I could now see the woman that I had been chasing. I was slowly gaining on her and my competitive juices were tempted to push and pass her, but I just held back knowing that I needed to save my legs for later in the race. Just before mile 10 I was right on her heels and both of our crew cars were parked very close to each other. We both stopped for a quick break, and as soon as we started running again I caught her. Her name was Nanette and we talked and ran together for the next 6 miles. This was also her first official ultra, so we talked about our training and what we had done over the summer to get ready and she is a really nice person and it was fun to be running with someone. It sure made the time fly by. She was being crewed by her husband and for the rest of the race he would continue to check on me every time he passed. They were amazing people.
Nanette and I chatted until mile 13 where my crew was waiting for me with a gel and some Cytomax, so I walked while I took them and she kept running. It took me about 5 minutes to catch back up, but eventually we were running together all the way to Simpson Springs. Nanette and I passed 3 of the 100 milers that had started an hour earlier than we had and I was sure that they were just holding back to conserve their energy and legs, but it was still cool to be passing runners that started an hour before we did.
There was a pretty good hill leading up to the springs, and I felt strong the whole way and we never had to stop and walk. At the springs they took our number and Nanette stopped to make some gear adjustments, and I wouldn’t see her again for over 15 miles. I was now leading the pack of the 6:00 AM starters, although I never thought I would win the race because Davy told Jun that some really fast experienced runners were starting at 8:00.
The next several miles were much harder running alone. I continued to pass the 100 mile runners, but I didn’t usually chat with them long. The road was now really flat with a long straight away. I could now see several of the 100 milers and I made it a goal to pass as many of them as I could. Over the next 10 miles I counted 7 more of them that I had passed. I was still feeling really strong, but the sun was now up and it was getting really hot. I had been taking at least one salt pill every hour and now I increased the amounts of fluid that I was drinking as well. I would alternate between Gatorade and water and taking Cytomax every two hours. I was also taking a gel about every 2-3 miles to make sure I was getting enough energy. So far I was feeling really good.
I hit my marathon in 4:34 just as I passed a bloody dead rabbit on the road. The heat was bothering me a little, so at my next crew stop I changed from my black tank to my white one and Greg also put sunscreen on me while I drank some Gatorade. I ate some potato chips and two cookies and I was feeling pretty good. I was wondering when I would see Jun and I was hoping that we would catch me so we could run together, but I hadn’t seen his crew car, so I knew he was still several miles behind.
Miles 28-35 were pretty tough for me. I was feeling really good, but my joints started to hurt and the heat was making it more difficult to want to push. I kept catching myself falling off of my pace and every time it was more difficult to pick it back up. This part of the race was a real grind and it would have really helped to be running with someone as the miles were dragging on a bit. I did get passed by Davy during this section and he was looking strong. We chatted for a few minutes and I actually picked up my pace, but I couldn’t keep up with him and he quickly moved ahead. About 30 minutes later two other guys that started with Jun passed me and I asked about him. They said that they though he was having some issues, so I started to worry about him, but when I went off into the brush for a bathroom stop a few minutes later I finally saw his crew car for the first time, so I knew he wasn’t far behind.
Heading up to Dugway Pass is by far the most challenging part of the course. It is very steep and I found myself hiking for the first time all day. I could have run it, but I could hike it as fast as I would have been able to run, so I decided to give my legs a little break. While heading up the pass I finally saw Jun making his way up from behind. It was great to see him and we talked and joked the rest of the way up to the pass where we both started running at a really good pace. This might have been the most enjoyable part of the race for me. We were over 37 miles and the extra boost from seeing my friend really helped so much. We were actually running pretty fast and passed several runners on the way down and they all commented on how strong we looked. I kept sending my crew ahead because I didn’t want to break our stride, but at mile 43ish I finally had to stop to get a drink and my legs were getting really tight when I stopped, so I had Greg rub them out and after I got back on the road Jun was too far ahead for me to catch. It was a little demoralizing, but I wouldn’t have wanted him to stop. He was looking strong and I wanted him to keep pushing while he was feeling so good. I was hopeful that I could have kept up with him and pushed all the way to the finish, but I just wasn’t strong enough. It did help me so much having him there for those 5-6 miles. I was definitely running faster and stronger while we ran together.
Miles 43-47 were definitely the most difficult of the entire race. It was now very hot, my legs were screaming and pushing any kind of pace resembling quick was out of the question. My crew was stopping every mile for me and I was taking them. I would wash off my face, drink and take gels as the thought of solid food made me want to throw up. I just remember grinding and thinking that I wanted to finish strong, even though my body was telling me otherwise. At mile 46 I sat down for the first time and Rob and Greg both asked me if I was alright. I was fine, but I just finally got tired. The heat was a beast. I also noticed that someone was gaining on me and I thought it was Nanette. It put a smile on my face because the last time I saw her around mile 33 she was really hurting. I was really pulling for her to push hard, but at the same time it motivated me to push harder too. Her husband pulled up next to me and offered me some grapes and I thought I could get them down so I accepted and they tasted so good! It was a real boost.
At mile 47 I had one of the best surprises of the day. Greg hopped out of the car in full running attire and announced he was going to run in with me. I was really excited and hoped that he would make it with me. He hadn’t exercised at all since our trip to Ibapah Peak that was over a year ago. Ironically, we were now in the shadow of Ibapah and I pointed it out to him, as we could see the peak ahead. I told him to just tell me some funny stories to take my mind off of the pain and it worked. The stories really aren't blog appropriate, but they sure took my mind of of things. My pace picked up and the last 3 were actually much easier than the previous 5 had been. We were now running a sub 10 minute mile pace. It was so fun and helpful to have Greg running in with me.
Even though I knew we had to pass the finish and go a half mile and then turn around, I still wasn’t prepared for the demoralizing feeling. That was by far the most difficult thing for me and I thought about Davy maybe doing that as one last mental hurdle to get over before you get your 50. The last few hundred yards were tough. I was spent and happy I wasn’t doing more miles on this day, although looking back I think I could have pushed it further. When I reached the finish I was elated. I had done it. This was one of my goals for the year and there were certainly times that I doubted myself, but I did it. I hurt everywhere, but it was worth it. I didn’t feel much like eating for a few hours after, so I didn’t get to enjoy the burgers at the finish, but that was ok. Getting the finishers medal was sweet enough. So my first official ultra is in the books and I loved it. I learned so many things about myself on this day and I can’t wait to get back out there and do it again. Also, congrats to Jun and Davy for rocking the 100 and inspiring me for my next big running challenge.
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