Just Another Running Blog

February 07, 2012 - Rough Week.. Then a Struggle with the Canyon

2012-02-07T16:23:00.000-08:00

Coming off a solid weekend where I ran 25miles (3.5hrs) in the Canyon on Saturday and 18miles on a mix of trails & roads on Sunday, I was feeling really good about where my training was going. Then came Monday. Despite traveling for work, I managed a solid 10miler on single track on the Black Canyon Trails in Phoenix, but honestly, I just didn't feel quite right. As the week wore on, my schedule ramped up at work (along with my stress levels) so my running really took a nose dive. Not only did I feel to physically tired to run, but mentally, I just didn't have it. That's just not like me.. but I guess it happens.

Leading up to my Saturday run in the Canyon, my weekly mileage was at a pathetic 23miles. Funny thing is, I felt like I had put in 120miles of hard running.. I was tired.

Saturday morning came and I ended up meeting up with a couple of my running buds - - Erin Hutchinson (one of the original Canyon Runners) & Ace Baty (a wild man who is known for his epic solo adventures). We met up with Jared Scott at the Canyon and start dropping down S. Kaibab as the sun started to come up. The first 1/2 mile was wicked slick, but after that the trail was only icy in spots. As such, we kept the pace very conservative and just "shot the breeze".

Excluding a couple flat sections, we kept the pace really mellow and ending up hitting the River in about 57min. Not a bad time considering we had it in cruise most of the way.

At that point, we started to split up.. Erin turned back for the Rim, while Ace, Jared, & I headed for Phantom. On the run over to Phantom, I knew I was in for a long climb out. My legs were heavy and my energy felt low. At that point, I decided to shoot for running in the neighborhood of 75min from the River to the Rim. My thought was that if I could run that pace feeling like I do today, I should be able to run that almost any time.

Before I knew it, we had our water bottles refilled.. gels consumed.. and we were on our way back up. Right out of the gate, I knew that I wouldn't see much of Jared. He had quickly taken the form of a mountain goat and was flying up the steep climb as if it was an escalator. I had chosen a more cautious approach and was simply dropping into "grind mode". I knew I was going to be battling just to keep a solid pace, so I just started grinding out the miles.

Most of the run was a blur excluding the stops for the mule trains. I kept my effort constant and my pace seemed to follow. As I pushed up the final few steps, I looked at my watch and saw 1:15:03. Considering both my mental and physical states.. I'll take it.

What now???.. My goal over the next few weeks is to get things going. I am trying not to put too much pressure on my training.. but at the same time trying to focus on "just running". My hope is that work will subside a bit over the next 4 to 6 weeks and I will be able to get a little better balance with the training. Time will tell.. until then.. "just run"..

January 31, 2012 – How Time Flies

2012-01-31T19:38:00.000-08:00

It’s pretty amazing how quickly January came to a close. It seems like we were just celebrating Christmas yesterday. Now all of a sudden we are getting ready to start February. Where did January go???.. I blame this “velocity of life” on how busy I have been in pretty much every phase of my life. All good stuff.. but crazy nonetheless.

Despite how hectic things have been, I have managed to run enough to keep fairly fit. I came into January with 4 running goals - - Stay Healthy, Be Consistent, Get in some Long Runs, & Maintain High Mileage. I have stayed Healthy. I have been Consistent.. I have got in at least 1 good Long Run a week.. but my mileage has been lacking a bit. My hope was to keep things between 90 and 100.. Unfortunately my mileage has fluctuated from 50 to 85.

So here I am… it’s February .. I am in decent shape.. and I have Moab 55k in 3 weeks. Of course, I want to do well at Moab, but I have races later in the spring that I really want to focus on. As such, the plan for this month is to pretty much train through Moab and get ready for some strong running leading up to Leona Divide 50mile in April…. And then San Juan 50mile in June.

January 10, 2012 - 2012 Run / Race Schedule

2012-01-10T14:07:00.000-08:00

Well 2012 has begun and I am looking forward to another solid year of running. Since TNF 50, I have taken some down-time and slowly began to focus on Mileage and Long Runs. This has allowed quite a bit of time to think about racing in 2012. Below is my first stab at a racing schedule for the upcoming year. The hope is to compete in a few more organized races and mix up the training / racing enough to keep it fun.

February - Moab 55k

March - Mesquite Canyon 50km or Grand Canyon R2R2R

April - Leona Divide 50mile or Grand Canyon R2R2R

May - Grand Canyon Single Crossing

June - Lake City - San Juan 50mile

September - Imogene Pass Run

October - Long Beach Marathon

November - Grand Canyon R2R2R

December - TNF 50mile Champs

December 05, 2011 - North Face 50mile Championships

2011-12-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

Thoughts Coming into the Race:

As race day approached, I found the anticipation of getting things going almost unbearable at times. Tapering is always such a tough mental exercise in patience.

The depth of this event was incredible and I couldn't wait to get out there and test myself in a 50miler against these guys. My last organized 50miler was Jemez in 2009. Based on my training & mindset leading into that event, I wouldn't say I was "racing"... so I was approaching this as my first 50mile race.

Getting to the Race:

Before I got to the start line, I had a bit of "drama" to deal with... First, they held the pre-race packet pick-up in Downtown San Francisco. For me that was an adventure.. but I made it out alive.. barely. Second, I show-up Saturday morning at 3:30am for the Shuttle Service to the race and to my surprise.. There was no shuttle!!!.. Talk about stress.. Eventually, I found my way to the starting line with a few minutes to get ready.. I am still not sure why the race decided not to pick us up??.. Despite all the drama, I ended up making it to the starting line.. and I felt ready to race.

The Race:

At 5am the gun went off. As we march off into the darkness, a large pack forms and quickly settles into a conservative pace. Excluding 2 guys from Salomon, we all stuck together and settled into a 6:15-ish /mile pace... each of us not wanting to lead due to a wicked head wind. Unfortunately for me, I some how was in the front with another runner, Jordan McDougal.. and we were providing a bit of a wind break for the field. During these miles, the Salomon guys took off and were quickly out of sight.

After 5miles of staying together and breaking the wind, I decided I wanted to close some of the gap on what was now 3 Salomon runners. Within a few miles, I had worked some separation from the rest of the field and was closing the gap on at least 2 of the front runners. Looking at my Garmin, I noticed that I dropped a couple 5:30-ish min miles.. but to be honest, I felt very comfortable, so I wasn't too concerned.

Around mile 10, I whipped by one of the Salomon Runners from South America. At the same time, I had managed to put about 2min on the "chase pack". Around that point, I came to a Y in the trail. I didn't see any markers telling me to turn, so I kept going straight up hill. As I looked over my shoulder, I saw the string of headlamps make the left turn that I passed.... Ouch!!.. I had already gone off course!!.. Even though it was very early in the race, it sucked in that I had put some effort into developing some separation.. and now I had just lost it all.. and then some due to a wrong turn..

I tried to stay calm.. but I couldn't.. I put in a surge and within a mile I had regained my lead on this group and was back in third. The problem was I burned up a bit of energy doing it. I should have accepted the fact that I went off trail and been more patient with regaining contact, but my temper just didn't allow it.

Honestly, the next 10 to 15miles are almost a blur. There was a group of about 10 of us that stuck together. We eventually caught and passed the Salomon rabbits, but I lost contact with the lead group around mile 24 when I stopped to take a leak. I was never able to regain the time I lost. The next 6 miles up to mile 30 I just tried to stay relaxed and I hope for a strong finish. I knew that I was only a few minutes behind the leaders and there was still plenty of race to run.

Somewhere around mile 30, I started getting passed.. first by Adam Campbell and Tim Olsen. Next by Jezz Bragg... then a few other folks... Then Jason Schlarb came wizzing by me.. It was pretty clear... I was bonking. Looking at my Garmin, between miles 31 and 38, I dropped a couple 12 to 13min miles... and believe me, it was NOT all uphill.. there was a good amount of gentle down.. and flat that I was now having trouble with. My quads were crying.. my stomach was growling.. I was in the pain cave and not liking it. In retrospect, I wonder if some of this was mental. I know that there was a definite physical aspect, but mentally, I became resigned to the fact that I wasn't going to catch up with the leaders and I think this simply crushed my motivation.

Around mile 38, I started to pull out of this hole and actually felt pretty good. I had been passed by a good number of runners, so now my focus was to go after as many as possible and hope for a Top 10 finish. I was steadily increasing the intensity of the next 10 miles. The miles started to fly by and I was passing people left and right.. Most of the people were 50k participants, but it was still a good feeling to catch and pass people on the trail.

At mile 47-ish, I noticed that one guy (ended up being Mike Foote) was on my tail and despite how hard I pushed, I wasn't able to gap him. He would continually close any gap I could muster up. With only 2 to 3miles to go, I kept telling myself, "If I keep my foot on the gas, he won't be able to get me".. so that's what I did. With about 1mile to go, I come to another section of trail where I see ribbons going in both directions. Based on the advice of one of the 50k runners and a couple spectators, I went straight... I quickly noticed that in the crazy bunches of ribbons flagging the course, there was no "orange" color.. which is my color... Dang it!!.. I took another wrong turn. I can see that 2 other 50 mile guys were smarter than me and went the right direction (Mike Foote & Jason Schlarb). Not wanting to lose all the hardwork that I had put in over the past 10miles to hold-off these guys, I started letting the legs go!!..

My last mile was a 5:20. I ended up passing Mike Foote with about 20m to go, so the wrong turn didn't cost me any placing.. but it definitely made me work harder than I wanted over the 50th mile.

I ended up finishing my first 50mile Race in 8th place in a time of 6hrs 52min. This result was not exactly what I expected, but all things considered, I am happy with both the effort and the outcome.

Post Race Reflections:

After any race where things didn't go exactly as planned, I have a tendency to reflect and try to figure out what I need to do differently to reach my goals. As such, below are a few things I need to do to be a more competitive Ultra Guy.... if that's what I want to do.

(1) Long Runs - Need to do more efforts over 4hrs. In the past 12months, I only had 3 runs longer than 4hrs.

(2) Nutrition - Still need to work on dialing this in over the longer efforts to prevent the severe "downs" in energy.

(3) Course Navigation - Some how I need to get better at this. May be a case of taking more time at "unclear" junctions.

(4) Experience - Learned that Ultras are like any other race.. If you want to win, you can't count on coming from behind. Fighting the urge to "let guys go" in the middle of the race is just as critical in the Ultra distances as it is in any other distance.

All in all... I had fun.. and I look forward to the next adventure in 2012!!..

Solid Few Weeks... Plus a Link to TNF 50 Preview

2011-11-29T12:05:00.000-08:00

First things first, my training over the past few weeks hasn't been "stellar" but it has been solid. I have been able to mix in a good amount of climbing (short & long) with some faster paced runs. Other than having to fight a very weak cold over the past 5 days, I feel really good.. and I am ready to do battle with an amazing field at TNF50 this weekend.

With that being said, I am amazed to see just how deep this field is. Below, I have copied a link to a race preview that outlines just how stacked the race is this year. To add to this author's list, there are a good number of solid runners that he doesn't even mention (some noted in the comments to the article). It's going to be a wild race...

http://www.irunfar.com/2011/11/the-north-face-50-mile-championships-2011-mens-preview.html

Fun Turns into Pain & Misery.. then Relief

2011-11-14T15:38:00.000-08:00

Part 1 - Fun: After a smooth (but early) drive to the Canyon, I showed up just after sunrise. I was pretty excited as I had a long day planned. My plan was to head down S.Kaibab to Phantom.. then follow the Kaibab trail over to Cottonwood Campground at the base of the N.Rim. Then turnaround and do it in reverse. I have done this one several times and always find it challenging.

On my "jog" over to the SRim, I am feeling pretty tight. My right hip & left knee weren't too excited about the tough running ahead, but my hope was that they would loosen up over the course of the run.

When I got to the Rim, the first 1/2 mile or so was covered in about 2 inches of ice. Not wearing traction, I decided to take it VERY easy. I noticed some of the hikers were actually sliding down on their "bums". It reminded me of watching Polar Bears slide across ice and snow.. it was pretty amusing until slipped.. then I thought maybe their technique wasn't such a bad idea.. I was too proud to join them.. and my short shorts weren't conducive to a comfortable "slide".. so I just took even easier... I covered the first Half Mile in almost 10min.. yahoo!!..

The rest of the descent was a lot less exciting and I eventually hit the river in about 56min. Not too bad.

After a quick stop at Phantom, I started to make my way over to Cottonwood. Similar to all my long runs over the past month, I tried to keep the effort fairly tempered. I was flying along until about Ribbon Falls (couple miles shy of Cottonwood). At that point, my right hip flexor started to give me a bit of trouble.. Then about a half mile further, I noticed that my left IT Band wasn't too happy. Every time I lengthened my stride on a climb, it sent shooting pains up and down my leg.. uh-oh.. not a good sign. I decided to keep going since I was so close to Cottonwood.

When I got to the water stop, I filled up.. munched a bit.. did a quick stretch.. and headed back to Phantom. I made it from the River to Cottonwood in 1hr 5min.

About halfway back is when I slipped into.... Pain & Misery...

Part 2 - Pain & Misery: So I am about 22 miles into a 33 mile day... and the last 7miles cover the most difficult portion of the course. Things don't look so good for me. The buzzards hadn't started to circle, but with each step, I kept wondering "how much longer will I get to run before my knee & / or hip tighten up to the point where I can't run".. Mile by mile went by and though my pace was fading, my leg / hip held up enough that I could continue moving forward.

As I approached the S.Kaibab ascent, I noticed my split from Cottonwood to the River was 1hr 6min. Now that I am to the final 7miles, I was really worried that I would have to hike almost the whole thing. Each time I took a climbing step where I had to push off with my left leg.. extreme pain would shoot through my legs. As always, there is only one way out of the Canyon... Climbing up.. so I kept moving forward, prepared for a long walk if necessary.

As I pumped my way up the Canyon trail, I decided to keep my steps as short as possible and just try to keep from over extending too much. This plan worked.. and every time I forgot the strategy, I was quickly reminded with shooting pain. Before I knew it, I was to Cedar Ridge (about 25min from my Car) and I had yet to walk a single step.. That's about the time I felt... Relief.

Part 3 - Relief: I hustled my way up the rest of the run and got to the top of the Rim fromm the River in a sluggish 1hr 30min. At the finish, I was overcome with a feeling of.... Relief. That run could have gotten ugly really quick, but I somehow got through it.. and actually other than the "tightness" felt pretty good. I am not sure what to take from that run other than I need to stretch a TON... I guess I gained a little humility and perspective as well. I realize that doing these longer runs is no joke... and that I have to be focused on all the small things during the week to make sure my body is up to running these longer distances... or.. maybe there is another explanation.. I am just a wuss and I need to suck it up.

November 11, 2011 - Busy Couple Weeks.. But Some Great Running..

2011-11-11T10:19:00.000-08:00

Over the past couple weeks, I have been feeling really good.. It's the best I have felt since my summer training. My mileage has ranged between mid90s to low100miles / week, my pace in workouts has come easily, and I am recovering quickly. What more could I ask for.. Below I have highlighted some of my major runs during an intense 8day period....

Grand Canyon S.Kaibab Rim to Phantom & Back - This was a solid run. My focus was to keep it somewhat conservative all day. I didn't want to dig to deep on my first trip out. Despite, taking it easy I managed a 56min trip from the Rim to River. The run from the bridge to Phantom was very relaxed and took me about 15min round trip. On the run up, I once again focused on keeping the pace under control. Despite hiking behind a mule train for 7min, I made the climb out in 1hr 11min. That is really fast for me especially considering how much I tempered my effort. I hoped this was a sign of things to come...

A1 21miler - This run is a fairly flat run for the first & last 7miles. The middle 7 is very rolling, but somewhat fast. I kept it somewhat subdued the first 7miles on the gradual uphill grade and averaged 6:40/mile pace. The next 7miles, I decided to pick it up a bit and kept each mile between 5:50 and 6:10/mile pace. My original plan was to "throw-down" over the final 7miles, but my legs were still feeling the Canyon run from a few days before. As such, I decided to keep the pace steady, but not too fast. I ended up closing out the final 7miles at a 6:20/mile clip. I was very happy with the effort.

Elden Up Over & Back from Buffalo Park - This run starts at Buffalo Park then hop on the Pipeline Trail, which is quite rolling, to Forces of Nature Trail. This trail is a rocky, winding single track, which connects me to Fat Man’s Loop. The footing is about the same as Forces of Nature Trail. I then run to Elden Lookout Trail, which takes me to the Summit of Elden. From the Summit, I head down Elden Road to the Gate, where I have water & gel waiting for me. At that point, I turn around.. and do it again in reverse. All in all, this run includes ~5,500 of climbing and ~5,500 of descent… and covers about 28miles. The trails range from super technical to smooth dirt road. A great mix…. and a tough day of running.

As I started this run, my focus again was to keep the effort fairly subdued. The miles came very easily and throughout the run I continually beat splits from my previous runs on this course. The last 5miles I really pulled back the effort as I didn't want to "dig to deep". Eventually I finished the run in 3:48:05 (my fastest time about 1.5min). My splits were Buffalo to 1st Lookout Trail Sign 36:27, 1st Sign to Summit 34:37, Summit to Elden Road Gate 37:07, Gate to Summit 49:09, Summit to 1st Sign 28:05, 1st Sign to Buffalo 42:38.

All in all, I am feeling really good about where I am at right now. I just need to keep things on track through early December. It appears that the start list for the North Face 50miler is turning into a Who's Who of Ultra Running. I am really looking forward to competing with these guys.

October 24, 2011 - What's Next..??

2011-10-24T14:39:00.000-07:00

During my recovery time from Chicago, my plan was to take a good number of days off.. then ease my way back into some relaxed running.. I started to do this last week and then I came down with the "cold that won't quit"..it's very mild, but it just won't go away.. It's forced me to take a few more days off / easy.. which probably isn't a bad thing... Also, during this time, I wanted to decide on.. "what's next". Over the past few weeks, I have batted around a few ideas... Do I chase the Qualifier in the Marathon... Take some time off.... Race an Ultra... Run a fast Rim to Rim to Rim.. ???..

Since I haven't run an organized Ultra since Jemez 50miler in May of 2009, (which was an eye-opening experience to say the least)... I decided that running an Ultra would be the most enjoyable thing for me to do next. After a little bit of searching around, I decided on the North Face 50mile Championships in San Francisco. The main reason I chose this race is that it is typically very competitive. The way I see it, if I am going to race, I want it to be as competitive as possible.

So once I get back to "healthy", the plan is long runs.. and more long runs mixed in with some tempos and fartleks. I am pretty excited about the race and I am REALLY looking forward to getting in some good, long trail runs..

October 10, 2011 – Chicago Marathon

2011-10-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

Leading up to Chicago was an interesting process. After TRR, I had to deal with some MAJOR fatigue issues which affected my ability to train. Looking back, I would guess that it took somewhere between 3.5 to 4 weeks to get my energy levels back to “normal”. That leaves me about 2 weeks to train… oh wait, I have to taper… so that leaves me no real time to train.

In all honesty, I thought most of the training had already been done. I just wanted about 3 to 4 weeks to “sharpen” things up with some speedwork & tempo runs. Unfortunately, my fatigue just didn’t allow for that. As such, I went into Chicago a little leery of what might happen… I thought it was possible I could have a great race, but I wouldn’t have put money on it.

So race day is here. The forecast called for temps in the 80s and high humidity. With both my training and the weather in mind, I decided that I wanted to be very conservative early and just work into the race. My plan was to run the first mile at a pace I felt VERY comfortable doing… and hope it was close 5:15min/mile. If that happened, I would just hold the pace.. If it was faster, so be it.. if it was slower, then I would push the pace to see how it felt and make a decision on whether I could maintain it over the entire course.

As I made my way into the Elite Development corral area, I felt a bit like a cow with his herd as I was pressed up against my fellow competitors. Then they allowed the Corral A folks to come up and suddenly I felt more like I was in a mosh-pit at a Metallica concert getting shoved from every direction. Taking in the smell of B.O. and Icy Hot, I kept thinking…”Dude, this a marathon.. not 100m dash.”.. but that is just the mentality of some folks I guess.

The gun went off and I shoved my way through the sea of slower runners that felt compelled to get in front of me 5seconds before.. Hopping to the outside, I settled into a pace I felt was comfortable and hoped that the pace was “fast”.

When I came through mile 1, I looked at my watch… 5:37. Yikes. That was A LOT slower than I thought it would be. At that point, I decided to push the pace to see where that would put me.

As I pushed through mile 2, I felt myself working a fair amount. My split for mile 2 was 5:13. At that point, I did some quick thinking… I knew I could hold that 5:13 to 5:17 pace for the next 10 to 12miles, but I was dead certain that today, I had no chance of finishing if I did. So I decided to slide back into mid 5:20s, which still wasn’t exactly comfortable, but it felt good enough that I thought I could maintain that pace to the finish.

The miles slowly passed and several times I contemplated dropping out. I just didn’t have it. My right hip was tight, my left foot & knee hurt, and I had zero “juice”. I have only dropped out of one race my entire life.. a 10k Cross Country race in College in which I had the flu and was running with a 102degree temperature. I HATE dropping out, so I kept telling myself that wasn’t an option ... and pushed ahead.

I was able to maintain 5:25 pace through the half way point, but I could feel the heat starting to take it’s toll.. and my body was already feeling kind rough.

My pace started to slide as I entered what I think is the hardest part of the Marathon distance… Mile 15 through 20. For me, it becomes a mental battle of staying on pace during these miles. Even though I grunted and pushed through this section my pace slid into the 5:45 to 5:50 range.

I recall at mile 18 that I had to focus on “shortening my stride” and focusing on turnover. I usually start thinking this around mile 22.. so that’s not a good sign, but what can you do.. keep moving forward.

The last 3miles were down right painful. Though my breathing was fine, my body felt like a pile of hamburger… ground-up. I hobbled my way to the finish and crossed the line in 2hrs 29min 6sec.

Sometimes at the end of a race when I don’t meet my goals, I automatically slide into a depressed state that can take weeks to pull out of. Today, that didn’t happen. I was just happy that I made it to the finish. The time was nowhere near what I think I am capable of running… but today was just not my day and I still found a way to dig-deep and gut out a respectable finish. The time may not be the result that I have dreamed about over the past 6 months, but the effort and determination that I had to draw upon were just as big of an accomplishment to me.

September 25, 2011 – Recovery + Crash + Rest + Tour de Pee Vee Half Marathon

2011-09-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

It’s been a while since my last post, because honestly, there hasn’t been too much to post about. Following Transrockies I took a few days off and did some easy runs. To get ready for my next big race – Chicago Marathon, I followed the easy week with a 90mile week, but was struggling with low energy in my workouts. The third week out from Transrockies was more of the same. I hit around 115miles for the week, but on my last run of the week, which was a long run on A1 Forest Service Road, my body broke down on me.

After that I run, I did some thinking… Looking back, my body has been tired since I was about 2weeks out from Day 1 of TransRockies. Though I took some down time, I don’t think it was enough… my body is pretty hosed. First it was due to the wicked training we did for TransRockies.. then add the actual TransRockies race and I was pretty well in the tank.

As such, my focus over the next few weeks… Get Rested. Hit Some Solid Workouts. Get Ready to Run Fast at Chicago. So this week, my miles dipped down to just under 70miles, but I had a solid 200m workout on Wednesday, and a good tempo run on Saturday at the Tour de Pee Vee Half Marathon in Prescott.

The race was a really low key “local” style race. It started at 7am, so I had to wake early and hit the road by 4:30am… ouch!!..

The course was surprisingly difficult. Not only does it start and finish at an altitude of 5,100ft, but the race was constantly rolling up and down hills. It was not what I would call a fast race, but it was fun to run over some new terrain.

I ended up posting a 1hr 12min 15sec time over the course, which I was pretty happy with considering the level of difficulty. This was good enough for 1^st Place and a new Course Record. Coming into the race, my hope to run right at 1hr 12min “comfortably”. I felt I achieved this as I never felt as if I had to dig too deep, excluding a couple of the long uphills around mile 10.

At this point, I feel as if I am headed in the right direction. I think that my original goal of running a 2hr 17min Marathon at Chicago is not out of reach, but it really all depends on what happens over the next couple weeks and on race day. I am going to focus on what I can control and I think good things will happen…

Tour de Pee Vee Half Marathon Course Profile:

September 4, 2011 – TransRockies Stage 6 – Finish it up!

2011-09-04T15:17:00.000-07:00

Course Description: Well the course designers didn’t make it any easier on the last day. It’s a 24mile day that starts out with 3miles of Road Running taking you into 3 fairly tough climbs totaling 5,100ft of total elevation gain. The finish is about 1mile after the last climb down a forest service road.

What Happened: Mike and I were prepared to run a solid day.. recovered and relaxed.. but focused. The mood at camp the last night was very subdued. All of the teams that we had been battling over the past few days had now let their guards down (including Mike & I) and talked a bit more. It was good to see that even though the competition was fierce all week, we could all let it go and enjoy each other’s company.

Despite the relaxed nature of camp, the next morning we had to finish the race. Stage 6 started out just as all the other stages. Very Steady. We were clipping along at 6min – 6:20min/mile pace til the first climb. At that point, Mike and I had about 30sec on the field and decided to work the climb. By the time we were at the top, we began to relax a bit and kept it mellow on the downhill.

Starting the next climb, both Team Bend and Team Salomon had closed the gap significantly and by the time we hit the 2^nd Aid Station, Team Bend was no more than 20sec behind. They were working it pretty hard.

In response, Mike & I put our foot on the gas. We kept it going til we got to the final climb. At this point, my mind almost “shutdown”. We were dragging up the last climb. Definitely our slowest running all week.. but mentally it was tough to push, because I kept thinking, “It’s over.”

Well, we slowly got up the last climb, and booked it down the last 1.5miles into the finish. Approaching the finish line, it started to sink in…. We just WON TRANSROCKIES!!!!.. Crossing the finish line Mike & I exchanged hi-fives, hugs, etc..

Mike was an AMAZING partner. He is an amazing runner.. but more importantly, an amazing person. There were a lot of moments I felt like I was just “along for the ride” as he drove us to victory.

The competition at the event this year was unbelievable. It was a dog-fight all week.. .but a real blast. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

The support from all the Flagstaff Runners (+25people) and Flagstaff Volunteers was out of this world. When things were going well, they were there with hugs. When things weren’t going so well, they were there with open-hands to help pull us up. I knew Flagstaff had an amazing running community, but after this years TransRockies, I have a whole new appreciation for this town and it’s athletes. AWESOME!..

The support from Flagstaff went beyond the folks at the race. The well wishes we received from the folks not at the event was equally impressive and equally appreciated.

Thanks to everyone for the calls, emails, texts, etc. Each bit of encouragement played a huge part in our success and was VERY appreciated. Thanks!!!

The BIGGEST THANKS to my Wife & 3 Boys for their understanding and flexibility. Love you guys!!

Mike and I "Finishing It Up"

Celebrating the Good Times!!

Interview at the end of Stage 6:

September 4, 2011 – TransRockies Stage 5 – Fired Up and Ready to Run Hard

2011-09-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

Course Description: Stage 5 is basically Stage 4 stretched over 23miles vs 14miles. You climb for about 10miles. The grade gradually increases as you get closer to the summit. Then you run for several miles along the ridge at an altitude of just under 12k. Then you drop down some single track and forest service roads into the town of Vail.

What Happened: At the end of Stage 4, Mike and I felt really solid. I am starting to feel better on Day 4 and 5 than I did on day 1, 2, or 3. So we are pretty fired up.

To assist in the motivation department, during the ceremonies for Stage 4, there was a brief moment of silence as they set up some equipment. At that point, someone in the crowd yelled, “Flagstaff is going down!!!” We are not sure who yelled it.. or why, but we definitely deposited that in the “motivation bank” and planned to use it during Stage 5.

As we line up in Red Ciff for the start of Stage 5, we were fired up. Adding more fuel, I see Max King is wearing his “skort”. Honestly, I am not a big fan of this. He did this last year on Stage 5 and beat my partner and I. It’s just not a good feeling getting beat that way. I looked over at Mike and words were not necessary… we were going to run hard all day long.

The gun went off and as with every day, several teams set the pace. We were cruising along at about 6:30/mile for the first 3miles. Eventually, the field spread out and it was once again Team Run Flagstaff vs. Team Bend.

Around Mile 4, the grade got a little bit steeper, so Mike and I decided to push the pace. Over the next few miles, we were unable to shake the guys from Bend, but we just kept applying pressure. Before we knew it, the trail was getting steeper, and at that point, we started putting chunks of time on the field. By the time we hit the summit, we couldn’t see who was in second place.

Not wanting to get caught, we decided to run even harder along the top. As we got to the start of the descent, we still couldn’t see 2^nd place. We decided to continue cranking until we were at least a few miles out.

Hitting the single track downhill portion, our focus shifted on trying to stay on course. Our pace slowed quite drastically as we scanned the course for yellow ribbons. This hadn’t been an issue over the first 4 days, but today it seemed as if the markings were not adequate. We closed out the downhill very cautiously, and before we knew it, we could hear the music coming from the finish. At that point, we took a deep breath, pulled back and cruised in not knowing what was going on behind us.

We finished in a time of 2hrs 55min 25sec. Team Salomon finished in 3hrs 8min 52sec (they got off course and lost a few minutes)… while Team Bend finished 3^rd in 3hrs 9min 50sec.

Doing the math, we figured out that we increased our lead over 2^nd place by nearly 15min. Though it felt good to have a bit of cushion, we still had a long, hard Stage 6 to get through. As soon as we finished, we had a brief chat… there would be no letting up.. and we would run stage 6 as if it were stage 1. Finish it up.

Mike & I Striding Towards the Finish

Interview Following Stage 5:

September 2, 2011 - TransRockies Stage 4 - Running with Fire

2011-09-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

Course Description: Stage 4 is a climbers dream. It's a shorter stage, but what it doesn't have in distance, it makes up for in steepness. The course starts in Camp Hale where you run about 2miles to the base of the toughest, steepest climb of the week. The climb is about 3miles long and you gain nearly 3,000ft.. topping out at around 11,700ft. From there, you run on the top, which is a rolling net gain trail that lasts about 2.5 miles. Then you drop straight down for several miles.. running through a half mile long ice cold river whose bottom is rocky and ridiculous... but fun. The last several miles into Red Cliff are a slight grade and make for some very fast running.

What Happened: Coming out of Stage 3 and some of the drama throughout the subsequent day and evening, Mike and I were ready to race... and race fast. As the gun went off, we forced ourselves to take the first several miles somewhat subdued. The pace was set by Mario Mendoza, whose partner dropped out the day before. Apparently, he was on fire too, because the first few miles were sub6min pace. Pretty aggressive considering that we are charging towards a wicked climb. The biggest difference from today and the previous days was that Team Bend was starting out behind us. I wasn't sure if it was strategic or if after yesterday's super-human effort they were fatigued.. honestly, I hoped for the latter.

As we made our way to the climb, Mike and I quickly hopped to the front and started pressing the climb. Within a mile, the only teams visible were the Inov-8 Boys and Team Bend. As we continued to fire our way up the steeper grades, we began to put more space between us and the rest of the field. We committed to pressing the pace even more as we didn't want a repeat of Stage 2 where we got caught on the downhill and flat sections. By the time we hit the first ridge and closed out the final uphill portion, we had quite a bit of breathing room. Now it was time to crush the rolling section to ensure we had some space on the downhill.

We dug deep on the top and averaged 6min miles for the rolling, high altitude section. Now time for the descent. No holding back this time. Quads be damned.. we decided. We are NOT going to get caught this time.

Smashing our way down the backside, we both started literally screaming at the top of our lungs. All of the negative garbage from the night before was surfacing and now flying out of us via yells. Undoubtedly we looked and sounded insane, but honestly, it felt good and help to propel us down the mountain.

We made quick work of the river portion and made it through without so much as a slip. We then focused on turnover and hammered the final few miles into Red Cliff at a swift 5:20/mile pace.... crossing the finish line in an amazing 1hr 44min 33sec . Team Inov8 Finished 2nd in 1hr 47min 55sec .. Team Salomon finished third in 1hr 48min 00sec .. while Team Bend was fourth in 1hr 50min 16sec... For a point of reference on how fast all the teams ran, the winning time last year was1hr 58min 5sec

After finishing, we found out that Ryan Bak, suffering from a bit of a tight hamstring developed in Stage 3, had a tough time with some of the technical terrain and fell several times... He eventually needed stitches and damaged his toe pretty seriously... being a tough guy, he committed to finishing the event.

After today's effort, we regained the lead by a very slim margin of a little over 1min ahead of Team Bend. Day 5 was set to be another battle, but we were ready.

Inteview at the end of Stage 4 (nice look on my face to start the inteview):

September 1, 2011 - TransRockies Stage 3 - At the Bottom of the Emotional Barrel

2011-09-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

Course Description: Stage 3 from Leadville to Camp Hale is a relatively flat stage that covers 24.2miles while climbing only 2,800ft. You start at 10,500 ft. and finish at 9,300ft. There are two small climbs and a long steady descent.

What Happened: Even though there were no major climbs for Mike and I to take advantage of we were hoping that the overall elevation of the course would propel us to another strong day and hopefully help us build a bit more of a lead.

As the gun went off, we once again sat at the back of the lead pack and let some of the other teams set the pace. The first 3miles or so were on pavement, so I was able to relax and run without thinking much. As we approached the trail, the first small climb was in front of us. Mike and I, as in previous days, hopped into the lead and started pressing the climb. By the time we hit the summit we had about 45sec on Team Bend and a bit more on the rest of the field. Max and Ryan ate this lead up pretty quickly on the subsequent downhill and before we knew it they were out of sight.

The plan was to hold a solid pace through the next aid station and work the next small climb. We stuck with the plan, but for the first time all week, neither Mike or I had a lot of "zing" in our legs. I was dragging myself over the course to the first Aid station. The trail and surrounding scenery seemed to all blend to together. I felt as if I was barely awake.

At Aid Station 1, the volunteers inform us we are about 1min back... not too bad considering.

After trudging along through the middle miles, we hit Aid Station 2. We get the news that we are only 2min behind... I am thinking "Great. Maybe we can close a bit over the last 3miles and maintain our overall lead."

The next portion was downhill, winding single track. We pushed fairly hard to ensure we didn't lose much more time... and hopped down the final stretch of trail into Aid Station 3. We are told... "You guys are 6minutes behind!!!.." What the _ _ _ _?!!! How did that happen??.. After cursing for the next 3miles, we picked up the pace a hair and hoped that we wouldn't lose much more time.

As we came through the finish chute, we are actually berated by the announcer. "Well, the Flag Boys couldn't hold on and they lost the lead... The Boys from Bend really put it on them today".. and so on. Ouch!!.. not sure that was called for, but I guess it was true.

We finished in 2hrs 53min 55sec. Team Bend finished in 2hrs 47min 3sec. Last year's winning time was 3hrs 7min 4sec.

The next few hours were undoubtedly the lowest point of the race. We lost the lead. We were tired. Oh yeah, and it's only Day 3. I was starting to make excuses and become resigned to the fact that we may have to settle for 2nd place.

After a few hours of sulking, a few "things" happened at camp that sparked the competitive fires. By the time the Stage 3 ceremonies were over, I was literally on fire... I wanted to race.. now!.. After digging ourselves out from that emotional low, Mike and I now found ourselves with a new, fiery edge. We were ready to compete again. Bring on Day 4!!!

Mike and I making it through Stage 3.

August 31, 2011 - TransRockies Stage 2 - Up and Over Hope Pass

2011-08-31T13:15:00.000-07:00

Course Description: Stage 2 up Hope Pass is a bit of a monster. It's the shortest day, but tough nonetheless. You start out running up a gradual grade for about 2miles. At that point, you start the 3mile-ish climb up Hope Pass topping out around 12,600ft. Then you drop down the root and rock covered descent that is by far and away the most technical portion of the entire week. Once at the bottom, you spend the next 5miles on rolling, winding, rocky single track all the way to the finish.

What Happened: Day 2 started out similar to Day 1.. at a pretty steady clip. Mike and I sat at the back of the pack most of the first 2 miles. At that point, we started to maneuverer our way to the front before we hit the single track climb. The first 1/2mile of the climb was led by the Inov 8 guys. We had heard that they were awesome climbers, so I wasn't too surprised. As the trail started to really "jack-up", Mike and I whipped around them and took the lead. We were hoping to put some time on the field during the climb, so that we didn't have to work as hard on the steep down hill portion.

As we gun our way up to the top, we are putting bits of time on the field here and there. We have about 1mile to go and as we look down, we see the familiar faces of Team Bend staying about 45sec back. We were hoping to have more time, but we didn't panic, we just kept pushing. A few minutes later as we grind our way to the top and the gap between us and second is opening up a bit more. At that same time, I feel this hand hit the small of my back and then.. SHOVE.... 2 seconds later.. I feel it again.. SHOVE.. We are crushing it and Mike has the energy to push me up the Mountain... no other way to put it.. IMPRESSIVE...

As we crest Hope Pass, we have about 2min on Team Bend and the Salomon Boys from Europe - Tom Owens & Ricky Lightfoot. It's time to hang on for dear life...

As we hammer our way down the backside, we are trying to keep the pace under control as we know it's going to be a long week and we wanted to save our quads for the later stages. Next thing we know, we here what sounds like "hooves" clomping down the trail. Through the rustling branches, Team Salomon literally flies by us. It was a sight to see. They seemed to have taken the form of wild animals as they swiftly strided down the rugged terrain. I wish I was carrying a camera because the sight was definitely picture worthy.

Once we get to the bottom, we begin to press the pace in hopes of closing the gap on Team Salomon. About 1.5 miles down the winding, rolling single track, we saw Team Bend and they were closing fast. Before we knew it, they had flown by us whipping around the turns on the single track. How tight they took the turns and clung to the ground reminded me of Sonic the Hedgehog. In response, we pushed the pace a bit and closed the last few miles pretty hard.

At the end of the day, Team Salomon won Stage 3 and we finished in 3rd place. Their time was 1hr 52min 50sec while we finished in 1hr 54min 47sec. Over the same course last year, the winning time was 2hr 4min 45sec. Despite taking 3rd we still had a 2.5min lead over Team Bend. Now the focus is on recovery and regrouping before we hit Stage 3.

Mike & I Pushing Up Hope Pass

August 30, 2011 - Stage 1 of TransRockies - Buena Vista to Railroad Bridge

2011-08-30T15:42:00.000-07:00

After all of the training... talking.. driving... waiting.. it is finally time to get the 2011 TransRockies Race going. Stage 1 is a hot, dry stage with one "major climb" and technical terrain that leads you to the final 3mile stretch on a SUPER hot road that feels as though it will never end..

Starting a few rows from the front, we heard the gun go off. Mike and I sat on the heels of lead pack over the first 3 miles. The pace was pretty steady at 6:20/mile. As such, several teams dropped back as we made our way up the very gradual ascent.

Before we knew it, we were side by side with Team Bend (Ryan Bak & Max King). The other teams had fallen off a bit, but weren't too far behind. As we made our way to Mile 5, we were able to keep it fairly relaxed as we responded to several surges from Team Bend. When we hit the one major climb for the day, Mike and I quickly hopped around Ryan & Max and started pushing our way up the climb. Over the next 2.5miles, we were able to put about 90seconds on Team Bend.. and felt really good doing it.

As we started to make the descent, we started to relax into a nice 5:20/mile pace. This wasn't putting us out and we were confident that we wouldn't lose our lead. About 2miles later, we heard the stomping of feet.. and they were closing fast. I was in a bit of shock. Doing the math, these guys had to be running close to 4:40min/mile... As they completely close the gap, Max says, "Putting a surge on us uphill??.. that's not nice." Though it was a little disheartening, Mike and I responded by picking up the pace. We were on a flat section, but the sand was probably 6 to 8in deep on most of the trail. At this point according to the Garmin, we were dropping 5:10min/ miles. I am thinking, "How long can these guys keep this up??".. and ... "Is it going to be like this all week??"..

After 2miles of battling at this absurd pace, Max and Ryan take their foot off the gas. Mike and I keep it going for another mile or so and eventually regain our 90sec lead.

That is where it stood going into the final 3miles. 90seconds. Worried that these guys were going to roll us up on the flat, we started really cranking down the road. The miles were in the 5:40min/mile range and felt really hard as this road is super exposed, hot and just down right nasty.

We crossed the finish line in 2hrs 17min 42sec (9min faster than last year's winning time). This put us in the lead by 3min 55sec. We were really excited, but we knew there was still A LOT of race left to run.

August 29, 2011 - TransRockies.. Quick Post with more to come..

2011-08-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

Well, the 2011 TransRockies Race is over and Mike Smith and I won. It was amazing. Right now, I am still trying to digest the experience. As such, over the next few days I am going to write up and post a short recap of each stage.

Thanks to everyone for the constant support!!.. It helped immensly and made the event that much more special.

August 14, 2011 – Rolling into the Big Brother’s Big Sister Half Marathon

2011-08-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

This week the plan was to finish up a solid week with a Race. The Big Brother’s Big Sister Half Marathon (according to several Garmin readings this course is closer to 13.5miles).

My recovery from a hard effort at the Canyon went a bit smoother this time. By the time Mike and I met up on Wednesday at Buffalo Park for our workout, my legs were in a pretty good place. The plan was to hit a 4mile tempo on the rolling loop and then mix in some hill repeats on the “sharp” graded hill.

The 4mile Tempo went by pretty quickly. We kept the pace right at 5:20/mile, which felt pretty good. Then we took a short break and hit the 8x Short Hill Repeats. At that point, we felt like that was enough considering we had a hard effort coming up on Saturday.

Well.. before we knew it, Saturday had arrived. Chris Gomez (yet another local fast guy) was there so we knew the race would go out fast. Chris is famous for his fast starts… and usually fast finishes.

The gun went off and as expected, we shot out of the gate at a low 5min/mile clip. Mike looked over at me and said, “This is stupid”.. referring to how difficult this pace felt at the start of such a long, hard race.

After the first mile, Chris had about a 5 second lead on me… and about 10seconds on Mike. At that point, we started our ascent up Mars Hill.. this climb is UGLY. It covers almost a full mile and starts out fairly smooth… but by the end, the use of a grappling hook wouldn’t be out of the question.

Once we started climbing, I got antsy and started to press the climb. By the time we got to the top, I had about a 10second lead on Mike & Chris. This didn’t last for long.. and surging up this hill turned out to be a HUGE mistake. As I ran the flat section after Mars Hill, I was literally gasping for air. I was reeling.. it didn’t take much time for Chris.. then Mike to close the gap and quickly whip by me. I attempted to go with them, but the damage was done… I was in “recovery mode”.

I kept Mike and Chris in sight hoping to make a move to close the gap at some point, but it just wasn’t there. Mike ended up gapping Chris by a good distance and I was unable to close any serious time on either of them.

When I came through mile 8, I finally fell back in a good rhythm and decided it was “do or die” time. I worked my way into a solid pace and by the time I hit 2.5miles to go, Chris only had about 25 to 30seconds.. down from 1.5minutes. Mike was nowhere to be seen.

As Chris flew around a turn, I saw him look back for the first time… DANG IT!!!.. He spotted me. There was no more “sneaking” my way up to him. Over the final 2.5miles, I wasn’t able to close much of the gap.. and thus, ended up finishing in third place with a time of 1:17:45. Not a bad time considering the course is long.. we are at 7k ft.. the course is pretty difficult.. and I ran a VERY stupid race. Further, it served it’s original purpose of knocking some of the rust off before TransRockies... Good enough.

The View of My Short-Lived Lead (Photo by Bret Sarnquist)

August 9, 2011 - Link to an Interview with Mike Smith on TransRockies

2011-08-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

http://everymantritrr.blogspot.com/2011/08/elite-racer-interview-mike-smith.html

August 7, 2011 – Ending a Great Week with another Hot Day in the Grand Canyon

2011-08-07T16:16:00.000-07:00

This week we had a pretty hard week of training in front of us. Speed work on Monday & Wednesday.. then finish up with a final Canyon run.

Monday’s workout was 20x200m. We kept the first 12 under control and steadily increased the pace over the last 8. It ended up being a really solid session.

The 200’s were a perfect prelude to our 10mile Tempo run on Wednesday on Lake Mary Road. The plan was to stick the pace on 5:30 /mile (~5:15ish altitude adjusted). Mike and I were joined by Martin Fagan (Irish Half Marathon Record Holder - 60:57… wicked fast guy!!). We started out ripping low 5:20s and I felt VERY comfortable doing it. At the end of Mile 4, Martin decided to “open it up”. Within a half mile he had put 15seconds on me. It was pretty darn amazing to watch… but mentally it blew me up. My 5^th, 6^th, & 7^th miles were off.. At mile 8, I was able to bounce back, and averaged 5:28s over the last 3miles. A solid workout.

Mike & I decided the next run would be a Rim to Phantom and back via South Kaibab. As mentioned in other posts, this trail is a real “rough” run. It’s made even harder by the wicked heat and the total lack of water (excluding the pump at Phantom Ranch).

From the Start, Mike led the downhill and we were making excellent time. I knew it would make for a tougher climb out, but the beating our legs were taking will benefit us come TransRockies. We steadily pushed our way down and got to the river in 51:15…. a new downhill record for me.

We quickly covered the mile or so over to Phantom Ranch. We stopped for a gel and a couple refills. Now back to the Steeps we go…This flat section from Phantom back to River always gets me a bit anxious. With each hesitant step, you get closer to the back-breaking South Kaibab trail… then next thing you know, it’s up you go..

I wanted to attempt to push this fairly hard. My legs felt pretty good and I thought I had a chance to run pretty fast. I was really slamming my way up. I got to Midway pretty quickly, but on these super exposed switchbacks, I could feel some life getting sucked out of my legs.

I continued to grind my way up.. and I made it to Cedar Ridge in 55min from the River. At that point, I knew I still had a good shot of putting in a solid time. I really cruised the remainder of the trail and finished the climb in 1:12:51. My second fastest climb up S.Kaibab from the River. My total roundtrip from the Rim to the River & Back (excluding Phantom Ranch) was 2hrs 4min 6sec. A new round trip record.

At this point, I am thinking… “We are ready”.. The Speed is there.. The Climbing is there.. The Strength is there.. and we have been running almost exclusively at Altitude.. Now we just have to pull back the mileage.. Let the legs come back a bit... and.. Run.

July 30, 2011 – Closing out July with a SOLID Week

2011-07-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Monday morning came and as I crawled out of bed, I was still having trouble walking to the bathroom. My quads felt like hamburger… and that’s what running in the Canyon can do to you. Since I have been doing a fair amount of steeps, I was a bit surprised that felt like this.. but it goes to show you that nothing compares to the Canyon when it comes to pounding.

Despite the soreness, I ran my planned runs on Monday. The hardest being the 10x800m portion. Instead of hammering the workout, I just ran it a little faster than my goal Marathon pace of 5:15/mile.

On Wednesday, the soreness had converted to tiredness. I was actually starting to get concerned that I was working my way into being over-trained. I knew that my workout would be a perfect indicator of if I was just tired.. or if I was at a point where I needed to back off a bit and take a few easy days.

The planned workout was a “Fast” run up Mt. Elden Road starting from the Gate. This route is about 5.5miles and you gain about 2,500ft. I knew if I worked hard and ran a good time, I was probably fine.. but if I worked hard and only hit an average or below average time.. then I would have to back off some..

Well, I charged my way up the road, and despite feeling tired, I knew I was on pace to run a solid time. As I reached the summit, I looked down at my watch and breathed a sigh of relief… as my watch read 42minutes.. My fastest time. The last 2miles the tiredness really held me back, but I was able to hold it together and run a fast time.

Friday was my next “workout”. My plan was to start at Snowbowl road & Hart Prairie Road.. Run the 4.5miles to the Weatherford-Kachina Trail junction.. then run the “Loop” – Weatherford-Humphreys-Kachina hard.. and then run the 4.5miles back to my car. Total mileage is around 29miles… The route is very technical in most parts. It starts around 7,500ft and you climb up to 12,000ft.. then come right back down. This is a tough one..

My 4.5mile warmup to the trail head I took really easy. I made it to the trail head in 35:53. Then I started to work. I pushed my way pretty hard up to Doyle Saddle. The last few times I have run this there were numerous downed trees, but the Forest Service had cleared about half of these over the summer… Thanks guys!!.. This makes for a much nicer / safer run.

I made it to Doyle Saddle from the Kachina-Weatherford Junction in 48:38.. and it felt fairly easy. Now I am at 10,500ft.. the air is noticeably thinner.. and it’s time to Hammer up to 12,000ft.

I push my way through the rocky trail and make it past the grown over sections.. now I am above treeline and closing in on the 12k point, which signals the end of the ascent. I covered this section in 32:29.. and I am on pace for a pretty fast Loop.

I cautiously start to make my way down Humphrey’s trail. This Rocky, Sandy, Root covered trail is very technical.. each decent my number one goal is to stay on my feet. I decided from the start to take it very easy as I didn’t want to risk getting injured. As such, I made it to bottom in 44:15.. this is about 6min to 8min slower than my average, but my legs were kinda tired and I just didn’t want to risk taking a fall.

I hit the Kachina Trail ready to roll. My thought was to steadily build into the run and push the sections that I can. With all the rain, this rocky trail now has grass & ferns growing over most of it. Each step was a bit of a question mark.. would I step on a rock?.. would I step on a root?.. who knows..

I pushed pretty steadily through this section and got back to the Kachina-Weatherford junction in 49:19. My total time for the Loop was 2:54:41. Pretty much a tie with my fastest time ever on this course. Always a good feeling.

Now I just have to run 4.5miles back to my car… I took this section very easy.. and good thing, because I was beat!!.. Honestly, I felt awesome for the first 3hrs 45min, but that last 20min was a bit painful. I ended up covering the last 4.5miles in 34:41…

My total time for the entire 29miles was 4hr 5min 15sec. Not bad considering the route.

Now the plan is to get recovered from a tough week… and hit it again next week. We are a little less than 3weeks out from Day 1 of TransRockies and I am starting to get pumped!!.. Soon enough, we will be running our way through the Rockies.. Can’t wait!

July 23rd, 2011 – Back in the Canyon Again

2011-07-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

Coming into the week, my legs were a bit flat considering my Sunday run was a steady to hard effort over 28miles. The plan was to keep things rolling and hope by Wednesday I would get a little snap back in my legs before / during our Tempo Run. Then we would need to recover quickly, because we were headed to the Canyon on Saturday for a Rim to Phantom & Back.

Well, Wednesday came and Mike & I were staring down Lake Mary Road preparing for an 8mile Tempo Effort. During the warmup, my legs felt pretty flat and my body was kind of tired, but I was sure I could work through it. As we got started, the first mile was a bit rough and we only managed to run a 5:39. When we saw the split, we didn’t panic, but we made an effort to push the pace. For the next 3miles, we managed to hit 5:30pace. Then coming into the turnaround, our pace slid.. not sure why, but we hit a 5:45…yikes!!.. Then over the next 3 miles we pushed the pace back to 5:30 and finished the day strong. While doing workouts at 7,000ft of elevation, "comebacks" are rare.. So considering how I felt from the start and the fact that we were able to bring back the pace after a couple rough miles, I was very happy with the effort.

Now it’s time for some summer Canyon running..

Mike, Rob, 2 of the Run Smart Project Attendees, and I left Flagstaff at 4am. Mike intelligently decided to drive fairly slow as each mile of the highway seemed to be lined with numerous elk. You definitely don’t want to hit one of those guys in a Subaru Outback..

Soon enough we were entering the park and preparing for the trip down. Equipped with an 18oz water bottle and 2 gels, I knew I would be cutting it kinda of close in the hydration department, but with Mike & Rob going down with me, I felt comfortable taking the risk. Had I been running solo, I would have definitely carried at least one more bottle.

At 6am, we were at the S.Kaibab Rim ready to launch… As we prepared to “drop-in”, we discussed how Canyon running reminds us of a scene in Point Break, where they discuss how “Big Wave Riding is a total commitment…. Once you paddle out, you can’t just call time-out and paddle back in”.. That’s how I feel about the Canyon.. once you run down, you can’t just call time out and cruise back in.. you have to run your way out.. plain & simple.

If that conversation wasn’t enough.. we were about 2 steps into the decent, when a group of “well-prepared” hikers said to us “Good luck!.. Are you guys sure you have enough gear???”.. Rob & I both responded with “I hope so”.

As we jetted down to the river, we could feel the sun pushing its rays on us .. and baking the rocks. These rocks seem to soak up the heat and turn exposed sections into what feels like a giant oven. At that point, we discussed changing the run due to the heat, but we eventually agreed to stick with the original route.

Before I knew it, we were at the river in 51min 20sec. Smoking fast decent. My hope was that we wouldn’t pay too much for the quick pace on the way back up.. but only time will tell. Rob then took the lead for the ~1.5miles over to Phantom and pushed the pace fairly steadily. Once we got to Phantom, we filled up the water bottles and ate some gel. Now it’s time to start running!!..

We steadily made our way back to the river.. and before we knew it... we are climbing. My focus was on keeping the pace steady during the hot, lower sections and then pushing the section from Midway to the finish. I was able to stick with my plan, but I have to admit the heat was making things tough. As I looked over my shoulder during some of the switchbacks, I could see Mike and Rob keeping a fairly even gap between us.

As made our way up Midway, I noticed that Mike had closed 45sec on me and was only about 25sec back. We kept this distance until the long flat stretch after Skeleton Point. That’s when Mike swiftly closed the gap. Up until today, I had been able to put quite a bit of distance on Mike on the “Steeps”.. so seeing him running so well was VERY exciting. I kept thinking how much this is going to help us in Late August when we head to TransRockies.

Coming into the uphill section into Cedar Ridge, we are pretty much stride for stride. This exposed section was VERY Hot.. and it’s VERY Steep. By the time I had hit Cedar Ridge, I was a little bit ahead of Mike.. and my legs felt like Jello. Within one minute of leaving Cedar Ridge, I got a second-wind, and really started cranking over the last climbs. I motored my way up the rest of the climb and finished the ascent in 1:15:37. My time for the roundtrip from Rim to River & Back 2hrs 6min 57sec was a new PR for me.. and the good news is Mike was only 1min behind at the finish… and also ahead of my previous PR.

On the cooldown back to the car, we worked the “rubber” out of our legs and talked about the day. I swear there is something magical about the Canyon… when things go right, it leaves you with a unique feeling of accomplishment that few (if any) other runs can deliver. I love that place.

June 17, 2011 – Ending a Solid Week with a Hard 28miler

2011-07-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

Well, another great week of training in the books. My mileage was right at 110miles for the week and included 3 great “workouts”. Monday was a solid Hill Circuit at Buffalo Park… Wednesday Mike, Rob, & I hammered up Humphrey’s Summit Trail from the lower Snowbowl Parking lot to the Weatherford Trail Head (~3k ft of Elevation Change over ~ 5miles.. topping out at 12k). For the climb, I ended up running my fastest time ever – 49:51.. then we hammered the way down the technical trail pretty good.. 37:58. A great day’s work.

Then came Sunday.. Mike and I decided to run 28miles steady on the A1 Forest Service Road. We decided to do the 7miles out to the Wing Mtn Loop.. then run the 7mile Loop twice.. and then head back. With some deadness in our legs we pushed our way through the first 7miles which is mostly uphill in a steady 47:17 (6:45/mile avg). This pace actually felt pretty comfortable, but we still had 21 miles to go.. so I was just hoping that it wasn’t too aggressive. On top of that, the Wing Mtn Loop has a Heart-Breaking climb over the last 1.5miles that seems to suck the life out of my legs and sometimes my spirit.

As we make our way around the Loop the 1^st time, we settle into a solid 6:15/mile pace. We were able to easily carry on a conversation, so I felt good about the pace. We held this pace for a majority of the Loop, then we rounded the final turn and headed toward “the Hill”. As we powered our way up the hill, I could feel all the spring fall out of my step.. and the enthusiasm sucked out my soul. A short while later and it’s over. In a matter of seconds, we are back on track. A good sign.. The time to recover from the Hill was pretty quick… We finished the loop in 44:59 (6:25/mile pace)… Now it’s time to go around again.

We quickly dove back into the 6:15/mile pace.. and made quick work of the first 6miles.. We made our way back to the Hill at a good clip and were now ready to climb again.. this time, it felt a little harder.. but after charging through it.. once again, I was able to make a quick recovery.. I ended up closing the 2^nd Loop in 45:06 (6:26/mile pace)… Now it’s time for the 7mile gradual decline back to car.

This last section went pretty smoothly. It started raining on us pretty hard, which was actually kinda nice. Other than a slight side-stitch, the miles seemed to fly by and before I knew it, I was only 2miles from the finish. At this point, I decided to pick up the pace a bit. My side-stitch started to grab pretty hard as I increased the effort, but I grunted and pushed my way through it. I closed my last couple miles around 5:50/mile pace.. and ended up covering the last 7miles in 43:26 (6:12/mile pace). My total time for the 28mile run was 3:00:53.

A great run.. a great week.. With each week like this, I am feeling more and more confident about the races coming up. The work isn’t done.. but it’s nice to see things moving in a VERY positive direction.

July 09, 2011 – Keepin’ it Rollin’

2011-07-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

As the first week of my Chicago / TRR training comes to a close, things appear to be on track for some solid late summer / fall races.

This was my first official week training with Mike and it definitely beats running solo. Not only do I find myself pushing the runs harder, it has also been less draining mentally. Knowing that you are going through this “journey” with someone else just makes it easier…plain & simple.

We started the week with a wicked hard track workout… 3x1mile ; 3x1000m ; 3x400m.. On Tuesday, I ran from my house up the Mt Elden Single Track Trail that parallels the Road up to Sunset.. around to Brookbank and back home.. This covers about 16miles and includes about 3,000ft of climbing. Wednesday we hit Lake Mary Road. My legs felt like tubes of toothpaste, but I was able to run the short 6mile Tempo right at 5:30pace. Thursday I took it pretty easy and just did a long flat trail run.. Friday we came back and ran “The Loop” around Humphreys. This is one of my favorite runs in Flagstaff. With weary legs we made the ~3,000ft climb / descent over the 20mile course, which tops out at 12,000ft, in around 3hrs. Not my fastest time, but a solid run considering the previous amount of work put in.

Definitely a solid week of work… We just have to keep it rollin’ and I believe good things will come in August & October..

July 02, 2011 - Running Steady

2011-07-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks, things have been going really well. My focus has been to increase my leg speed with some lower volume speedwork while keeping my weekly miles in the 90miles/week range. I felt like I was really lacking in this area after being so trail / long run focused for the past 6months. In addition, my teammate for TransRockies, Mike Smith, just finished running a low 2:21 marathon in early June, so I want to make sure I can at least keep up with the guy.

These past few weeks have gone better than I could have expected. Each week consisted of short/fast repeats & Double Runs on Monday; Long Runs &/or Double Runs on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday; Longer Repeats or Tempo Runs on Wednesday; and a +3hr Run on Saturday.

I kept all of my track work at 4:50/mile or faster. My Tempo Runs were at 5:30/mile or faster. My Long Runs, I was able to recovery quickly enough from the weeks work to run really steady. - - Remember, I am training at 7k ft, so all of this stuff is no only harder to complete.. but also harder to recover from than it is at sea level.

With all of that being said, I am VERY ready for next Monday. That is when the real training begins.

Here we go!!

On a personal note: During this 3 week period, we welcomed our 3^rd Little Boy to the Wolfe-Pack. He & Mom are doing great.. and he has been a real joy!!

June 25, 2011 - Big News - Congrats Jared!!

2011-06-26T09:25:00.000-07:00

I will post a link when the website gets updated... Jared Scott of Flagstaff / Grand Canyon finished 6th Overall at the Mountain Running Championships in New Hampshire today. By finishing 6th place, he qualified for the US World Team.. which will compete at the World Mtn Running Championships in Albania this September.. Congrats Jared!!!

June 21, 2011 – Lord of the Flies

2011-06-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

This week of training is going very well thus far. I have been able to stick pretty close to schedule and my body has been able to bounce back from last week’s sessions.

During a 90min run today, for the first time ever I was attacked by bugs. It was both crazy.. and hilarious.

About 35min into my run, I noticed I was being followed by several buzzing insects. With all of the blooming flowers, I assumed that they were bees.. maybe hornets??. Within a few minutes, the number of insects swarming around me were growing rapidly. Before I knew it, I had about 50 to 60 insects not only following me.. but buzzing my eyes, ears, head, neck, legs.. they were EVERYWHERE!!..

I tried batting them away with my arms to no avail… so I used my t-shirt. This seemed to provide some relief, but it was very temporary. I even tried to outrun the little buggers, but apparently these guys are in good shape.. 3miles of sub 6min pace didn’t even phase them.

Now I am getting close to the Arboretum. There are several buildings that I start to run towards while swinging my shirt & arms like a madman… and the bees are still with me. I find an unlocked door and quickly jump inside. In a fevered-pitch, I tell one of the ladies, “I am being chased by Bees!!”… She looks at me with a half smile and responds with, “Those are Horse Flies”. Good to know.

Feeling kinda stupid, I walk back outside and let one of the swarming insects land on my arm. Sure enough, it was a horsefly. Well ain’t that somethin’.

I am sure the folks at the Arboretum had a good laugh.. and rightfully so. The rest of my run was a lot less exciting… which was a good thing.

June 18th, 2011 – First Week of Pre-Chicago-TRR Training

2011-06-20T12:58:00.000-07:00

Over the past 10days, I have enjoyed some really great running. My focus has been on getting ready for some really hard training starting in July in preparation for Chicago & TransRockies. As such, I actually hit the track & pavement for the first time in over 6months. It’s kinda fun to get out there every now and again.. but truthfully, I GREATLY prefer running on the trails.

I started the week with a solid 22 Miler running from my house to the rolling Pipeline trail over to Forces of Nature trail.. then climbing Elden Lookout trail (2,500ft over 3miles). Once at the top, I hopped down Sunset Trail to Schultz’s Creek, which brought me around to Elden Road and back to my house. I covered this in 2hrs 42min.

On Monday & Wednesday, were my “road” days. I did a Track workout Monday morning before work.. and a short Tempo Run Wednesday on Pavement. Both of the workouts went really well.. other than my legs felt a little off. They just weren’t used to running on those surfaces.

Saturday I came back with a steady 21miler on the “famous” A1 route. This route is on Forest Service roads. It takes you 7miles out to the Wing Mtn Loop. This first portion has some rolling hills, but is mainly a slight elevation gain. Then you run the 7mile Wing Mtn Loop going clockwise. This route starts out with fairly sharp down hills and then on to gentle uphills. The last mile or so is pretty rough. The road jacks-up pretty good and you have to do a bit of climbing. Once you get around the loop, you just have to run the mainly downhill 7miles back to the finish.. a really nice run.

I ran this loop at a pretty steady pace.. avg 6:30/mile. Nothing too fast, but considering that I ran it in the middle of the day when it was 85degrees, it was windy, and my legs felt like tubes of toothpaste before I even started… I was VERY happy with the effort.

All in all… a great first week of training.. Now I just need to get in a couple more.. and get ready to really get after it starting in July.

June 6, 2011 - Quick Look Back... and What's Next

2011-06-10T14:36:00.000-07:00

After the GC Single Crossing, I have been doing a bit of reflecting. Initially, I have to admit I was kind of disappointed with the outcome of the run. I really expected to be at or under 3hrs. I knew coming in that I was "under-trained", but I still had high-hopes. As I started looking back at my training, it is pretty obvious why I fell short of my goal.. and to be honest, I should be happy that I ran as well as I did.

Looking 12 weeks back from the run... The first 6 weeks I was running 80 - 90 miles/ week with some solid runs. The next 6weeks I was running about 25-30miles/week and did not have too many "solid" runs.. I had only one trip to the Canyon in the entire 12 weeks.

What to take from that??.... Well, I should be VERY happy with the effort and the time.. especially considering how far my training was off.

Enough of the past.. it was a solid run.. and most of all, it was fun.

Since the GC Single, I fought my way through an upper respiratory virus and stomach virus. Neither of which were fun.. but now I am actually back to running consistently. It's probably going to take me a few more days of running to feel solid again, but I'm happy to be healthy.

Ok.. Now the fun stuff.. What's next??.. I am signed up for the Chicago Marathon in October. That race is going to be my true "focus race".. but after some deep thought.. and discussion, I have decided to make my way back to Colorado for the 2011 TransRockies. My partner is going to be the local speedster.. Mike Smith. He won the race in 2009 with Rob Krar (another Flagstaff fast dude)... so there is a bit of pressure to repeat that success... which should just make us train that much harder..

For the first time this year, I am SUPER STOKED about running. TRR is an awesome event.. Chicago is going to be fun.. but I am most excited about Mike & I training together.. if everything goes as planned, we should be wicked fit by late August. CAN'T WAIT!!!...

May 27th, 2011 – Grand Canyon Single Crossing – New Record

2011-05-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

As planned this weekend, Jared Scott and I were attempting to break the Grand Canyon Single Crossing record. The current record is 3hr 6min 47sec held by Allyn Cureton of Williams, AZ. He set the record in 1981, so if you do the math, this record is 30years old!!..

After camping on the NRim Thursday night, we woke at 5am on Friday morning to prepare for the day. After a quick bite to eat, we drove the 20min over to the trail head. There we did a quick warmup and stretch, then we were off. We got started right at 6:45am.

Our plan was to run how we feel. If Jared felt good he would lead.. If I felt good I would lead. We didn’t want to wait on each much as we knew this could slow both of us down and be counter productive.

So as planned, Jared & I exchanged the lead numerous times as we steadily pushed our way down the NRim decent. As we whipped by hikers and skipped through the almost dry waterfalls, we kept the mood light and talked about anything and everything knowing that the next stretch from Cottonwood Campground to the SKaibab Bridge would be a bit more “intense”.

After quickly filling up our 18oz water bottles at Roaring Springs, we pushed our way to Cottonwood Campground. Our split from the ~7miles from the NRim to Cottonwood was 51:47. This was a few minutes faster than I expected, but it felt fairly comfortable, so things are good.

After about 10min of pushing past Cottonwood, Jared had to stop and stretch his Hamstring as it was starting to grab. Jared told me not to wait, so instead, I slowed the pace and took a bathroom break until I saw that he was running again. Dropping 5,000 feet is tough on your body and when you are transitioning to flat running it reminds me a little bit like transitioning from the bike to run in a triathlon.

At this point, I am about 30sec up on Jared and running hard, but comfortable. My plan was to run consistent and stay within myself. My measure of “consistency” is effort not pace. So I didn’t want to feel like I was digging deep until after Midway up SKaibab. Everything was going perfect.

As we rolled into Phantom, I eased the pace in preparation for the climb up SKaibab as planned. During that stretch Jared passed me and put about 20seconds on me and he looked really comfortable while he was doing it. At that point, I was thinking, “This guy is going to break 3hrs for sure”.

We quickly filled our bottles and I decided to stop for a quick stretch and a gel. My hip flexor had gradually been tightening up so I figured doing a couple quick stretches would be worth the time. Huge mistake. As I bent over to grab my leg every muscle from the middle of my back to my calves started flipping-out!!. CRAMPS!!.. Ok, so no more stretching.

Within a few minutes, I actually felt back to normal and pretty good again. Jared was about 45seconds up on me as we got to the bridge. My split on the ~8.5miles from Cottonwood to the SKaibab Tunnel was 53:07 (Cumulative = 1:44:54). A little slower than I expected but cumulative time was dead on. My goal was 1hr 45min.

On a positive note, there is just ~6miles to go. On the flip-side, it is up SKaibab. I am guessing it is already somewhere in the 80-85 degree range… There is no water until you get to the top.. The trail is super exposed and crowded with people… oh yeah and it’s wicked steep (5,000ft of climbing in ~6miles).

So off we went up SKaibab. My plan to keep pretty mellow until I hit “Midway”. Jared always takes a different strategy and pushes the lower part of the climb pretty hard, so I knew he would jump out on a bit.

As we pushed our way up to Skeleton Point, about 1/3 of the way up, I am on pace to be right around 3hrs and Jared is about 2min ahead of me…. But it is HOT!!!

Jared is literally “floating” up the steeps at this point and I am starting to think that I won’t be able to close the gap. I keep chanting my mantra of “consistency” as I the temptation creeps to make a move to close the gap. I am sure if I started to hammer at this point I would be “gassed” by the time I hit Cedar Ridge.. so I begin to become content with the fact that I am well on pace to run right at 3hrs.

Within minutes of Skeleton, I can see a long mule train ascending the trail. Oh no. I am hoping and praying that I get lucky and am able to get around them with limited impact on my time.

When I get to the switch backs heading into Midway, I hit the train. I begged the mule driver on the back to let me by, but I unfortunately I got the response “.. Have to wait til it’s safe”. I kept asking and pleading.. then it turned into a little bit of cursing under my breath. They finally pulled over after what seemed an eternity… 6min had passed. OUCH!!!.. I looked up the trail and I couldn’t even see Jared anymore. He got past the train at the perfect time and didn’t lose any time. Just the luck of the draw.

I know that I am not going to hit the 3hr mark or get close to Jared, but I keep thinking I have a chance to break the original record, which would still be a huge accomplishment. I start to hammer up the rest of the switchbacks. Before I know it, I am trying to make up some of the lost time and pushing harder than I should.

As I push across my way past the Tonto trail head.. then up and around to the last climb up to Cedar Ridge, I can actually see Jared. Honestly, I was shocked. At the same time, my body was feeling pretty spent. Over the last quarter mile climb leading to Cedar Ridge, I started cramping.. calves, hamstrings, and quads. I ran out of water somewhere around Midway and my body is thirsty.

Another unpleasant sight was around Cedar as well…. Another F’n Mule Train. Jared looked like he was going to time it right and catch them right at Cedar Ridge where he wouldn’t have to stop.. I doubt I would get that lucky.. but we’ll see.

After Cedar Ridge, I had to move into a Run-Hike strategy to keep from “locking-up” with cramps. To break the old record, I would have to throw-down.. and my body was definitely not up for that. At that point the realization kinda hit me.. no record for me today. I could only hope that Jared had enough left in the tank to get the record.

As I round the turns, I smell the mules.. and Bam.. back to walking behind the mules.. This time the guides let me over a lot more quickly and I lose only 1 minute. A few minutes later, I see Eric Bohn who is there to cheer me on over the last 7min.

As we close-out the last section, he gets the text… JARED SCOTT BROKE THE RECORD.. THE NEW RECORD IS 3HRS 6MIN 10SEC.

Shortly after, I closed out my run, finishing in 3hrs 13min 45sec.(Split from SKaibab Tunnel to Kiosk = 1hr 28min 51sec)

As I finished my run, I was REALLY happy that Jared got the record.. but also disappointed that my day didn’t go quite the way I wanted. As I said before, that’s just the luck of the draw. I am not the only one who has been held up by mule trains.. Had Jared not gotten the record, I think I would have been a little more upset.. At this point, I am just happy to know that a really good guy, a great runner.. and a friend now holds the GC Single Crossing Record… Congrats Buddy!!!

Splits Split Cumulative

NRim to Cottonwood 51:47

Cottonwood to SKaibab Tunnel 53:07 1:44:54

SKaibab Tunnel to SKaibab Kiosk 1:28:51 3:13:45

Things done right

Fueling was pretty well spot on

Water/Gel in 1^st Water Bottle

Gel at Roaring Springs + Refill Water Bottle

Gel at Phantom + Refill Water Bottle & Drank a Water Bottle while there

Gel just at Midway & Finished Water – Since it was hot, it would have been nice to have a refill around Skeleton Point.

Things to do differently

-Mule Trains – Any way to plan around them??.. Need to research.

-Training – My training was pretty minimal over the past 6weeks due to “life” events. Further, I should have been running in the Canyon more. I only ran 4 times in the Canyon over the past 5months. To run really fast in the Canyon, I believe you have to train in the Canyon.

Thanks

Thanks to Aerie, Avin, & Nick (My Family) for giving me time to train..

BIG THANKS to Caleb Schiff for being our “shuttle driver”.

Thanks for all the support from everyone before & afterwards. I really appreciate it!!

May 21, 2010 - Run for the Mountain 10k

2011-05-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

Well.. after a whirlwind of a last few weeks, I decided to make my way out to the Run for the Mtn 10k at Ft. Tuthill in Flagstaff. My thought was that this would be a great "tune-up" for next week's GC Single Crossing. The race is a 10k that navigates a lot of rocky single track and several solid climbs and fairly technical downhills. I knew coming in that I was not only a bit "under-trained", but I hadn't done a lick of speed either.. so I wanted to go out and try for a solid day.

The gun went off around 8am.. and within 400m, I was pretty sure I was going to be racing for 2nd place. Local fast guy, Chris Gomez was cruisin' along and seemed pretty comfortable. At the same time, I knew that I didn't have a lot of gears to shift into and I was feeling like I was pretty well topped out. So the plan was to hold on to a solid pace and have a good day.

That's pretty much what happened. I ended up in 2nd place with a time of 34:39. Chris ran a 33:50. This is not a normal 10k (elevation, rocky, hilly, etc), so I can't complain too much about the results.

Now the plan is to take a nice easy week coming into this Fridays.. GC Single Crossing Record Attempt.. The 30 yr old record is 3hrs 6min.. pretty darn fast.. hopefully by next week, that record will be a little faster..

May 11, 2011 - Busy Couple Weeks..

2011-05-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

WOW!!.. What a crazy last few weeks. During the last 14days, I moved houses.. celebrated Easter.. visited family in Oklahoma.. then came back to work to find a VERY full Inbox.. All of this has really cut into my running.. Now that things have settled a bit I am hoping to get the mileage back up and going..

Below is a picture from my trip to Oklahoma.. a bit of the local culture.. Yes, those are Rattlesnakes.. and.. Yes, he is barefoot.. and Yes, he is chuggin' a beer..

April 16, 2011 – What A Weekend!!

2011-04-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

Friday Run - I started off with a Canyon run on Friday morning before work. The plan was to get up early, drive to the Canyon, run a Rim to River & Back with Jared Scott, and drive to work.. all before 9:30am…

To get this done, I got a really early start. Jared and I were heading down S.Kaibab a little after sunrise. A beautiful sight to say the least. As we made good time down the trail, we came to Cedar Ridge and noticed a lady lying in the middle of the trail covered in a mylar blanket. We stopped and asked her what was going on. Apparently, she was heading down and broke her ankle. At this point, no one was going to get help, so we ran pretty hard back up to the top and Jared called the rangers.

After a few minutes of laying out the situation, Jared hung up the phone.. and behind us stood a ranger. Now that is service!!!.. I was amazed at how quickly he had shown up. He told us he would take it from here.. so we began to retrace our steps down S.Kaibab.. Once again, we came upon the lady. She was AMAZINGLY calm.. maybe she was in shock..??.. but she was unbelievably relaxed and polite.

After informing her that the Ranger would be there in a matter of minutes, we decided to run to Tonto and back to the Rim as I still had to get to back to work.

We hammered our way back up the switchbacks making great time. As we closed in on Cedar Ridge, a chopper was landing to pick up the injured hiker. Apparently, she had a full blown broken ankle and needed immediate medical attention. Once the helicopter left, we finished the run.

At the end of our run, we both had a sense of satisfaction that we were able to lend someone a hand when they really needed it.

Saturday Run – A few weeks ago, I decided that I wasn’t going to race the Zane Grey 50miler. As such, I offered to pace one of my buddies, Brian Tinder. A very deep field was scheduled to run, so I was really excited to see him mix it up with some of the Ultra World’s top athletes.

The plan was to hook up with Brian at the mile 33 aid station. From that point, we would hammer our way through to the finish.

Brian rolled into the aid station a few minutes slower than he had originally expected, but he looked really good. Spirits were high and I thought he was ready to close the race out strong.

We were making good time through the first 3miles from the Aid Station… then Brian hunkered over and started making this horrible, deep gut, throw-up sound.. but nothing was coming out. Brian had a case of the dry-heaves. The temperature was hovering around 90degrees and it was SUPER dry. Rut-roh.

He tried everything.. water, gels, etc.. but nothing seemed to help him, so with about 7miles to go, we went into a full-blown walk just trying to get to the next aid station. For a while, I tried to be encouraging.. but having been in bad places before, I didn’t want to be annoying, so I just shut my mouth for a while.

Once we started hitting the really exposed areas, we talked our way through it.. Brian was still stopping pretty regularly to dry-heave.. and I am feeling pretty damn worthless.. because there is nothing that I can do, but… be there.

We finally got to mile 43, and Brian decided that was enough. I know he made the right decision.. Live to fight another day.

My wife & kids were waiting at the finish, so I went ahead and ran the final 7miles, which was actually pretty enjoyable. It allowed me to reflect a bit on the weekend.. and how rewarding it was.… Not because of the miles covered, but due to the feeling of lending a hand to a lady in need.. and to be with a friend when he needed me.

April 14, 2011 - Top 5 Ways To Tell You Are Getting "Serious" About Running

2011-04-14T16:31:00.000-07:00

Top 5 Ways to Tell You Are Getting "Serious" About Running...
(#5) You often refer to food as "Fuel".

(#4) When traveling, you are the one person that get's sore, because you are not in the kind of "shape" necessary to sit for hours on end.

(#3) Your shoe collection is on par with Imelda Marcos.

(#2) You're a Man.. and you are obsessed with your weight.

(#1) 90% of your shorts collection consists of shorts that are at least 10in above the knee.

April 9, 2011 – Snow Rules the Weekend in Flag

2011-04-11T18:22:00.000-07:00

Well after another solid week of training (+80miles on trails ; 2 Solid Workouts), I am starting to feel really good about the direction of my fitness and my training. I was hoping to get a Canyon run in this Saturday, but due to the weather and the “threat” of a government shutdown, I decided to stay local.

Between Friday night & Saturday afternoon, Flagstaff got about 12in of snow!!.. so I figured I would break out the snow shoes.. So after shoveling snow for about 1.5hrs, I ended up running up Mars Hill over Lowell Observatory Mesa.. down the back side to the train tressel and back. It’s about a 10miler including the 1mile to & from my house.. The fresh powder definitely added some difficulty. Other than a few cross country ski tracks at the base, I was trail-blazing the whole time. I finished the entire run in 1hr 36min, which I was really happy with considering the conditions.

We are suppose to have some really nice weather this week, so I am hoping the trails will be clear soon. Snow is awesome.. but that amount in April is tough to smile about..

April 07, 2011 - Top 5 Ways To Tell You Are Running A Lot of Trails

2011-04-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

Top 5 Ways To Tell You Are Running A Lot of Trails:

#5 - You are sporting at least 1 open wound – Scratch, Blister, or Gash (Bruises count too)

#4 - Your Road Shoes are looking more & more shiny everyday

#3 - You have at least 1 toe-nail that has gone goth (aka, the dreaded Black Nail)

#2 - Your quads have grown such that wearing “skinny” jeans is now impossible.

#1 - Your Ankles are covered in “Perma-Dirt”. The kind of grime you need a power-washer to remove.

April 02, 2011 – Elden Up Over & Back from Buffalo Park

2011-04-03T14:02:00.000-07:00

As I roll out of bed before sunrise… stumble down the stairs.. and hobble my over to my running gear, I am reminded that I have had pretty big week of running. Probably the best week of training that I have had since last November. On Monday, I ran a 10miler which included a 10x1min Fartlek on the somewhat technical & hilly Soldier Pass Trail. Wednesday, I ran a Hill Circuit at Buffalo Park that leaves you sore no matter what shape you are in.. Both workout went VERY well, but now I am wondering if I can pull off the elusive 3 quality workouts / runs in one week.. in a few hours I will know.

Route: The route planned for the day was a very challenging one that I haven’t done in about 18months. I would start at Buffalo Park run to the Pipeline Trail. Then hop on the Pipeline Trail, which is quite rolling, to Forces of Nature Trail. This trail is a rocky, winding single track, which connects me to Fat Man’s Loop. The footing is about the same on Fat Man’s. I would then run to Elden Lookout Trail, which takes me to the Summit of Elden. From the Summit, I will head down Elden Road to the Gate, where I have water & gel waiting for me. At that point, I turn around.. and do it again in reverse. All in all, this run includes ~5,500 of climbing and ~5,500 of descent… and covers about 28miles. The trails range from super technical to smooth dirt road. A great mix…. and a tough day of running.

I started my run around 6:40am at Buffalo Park. As soon as I got going, I had made the decision to run hard early and see how long I could hold on. I figure this will help prepare me for the Grand Canyon Single Crossing in May, where I hope to employ the same strategy. I figure that is my best chance at not only getting the record, but squeaking a “victory” over Jared Scott who is an animal on the S.Kaibab climb out of the Canyon.

On this day, I also decided to wear an iPod. I have NEVER worn one running before, but I estimated that I would be running for 4hrs and I thought it might help keep my mind busy. In all honesty, I have always been “anti-iPod” when running, but one of my buddies Andrew Lemoncello, a 2008 Olympian wears them on some of his long runs, so I thought.. “hey, if an Olympian puts them on occasionally, why can’t I”… By the end, I had decided that I actually liked it for a change.. I won’t wear it on every run, but it will be nice to mix in occasionally.

Back to the run….

I rocked the 5miles over to Elden Summit Trail in 36:50. Now it’s time for probably the toughest part of the run.. the Elden Summit climb.. I ended up covering that portion of the run in 36:54. If not for the all the snow and ice covering the final 400m I would have been several minutes faster..

Now time to run down the road. Pushing through the Mega-Wind at the top, I cruised the downhill pretty steady and got to the gate in 37:24… and reached the half-way mark in 1:51:10. That was a lot faster than I expected to run, but since I had put so much effort into the front half, I wondered if I would be able to sustain over the second half.. only one way to find out.. get to runnin’!!

I started my way back up Elden Road and I could definitely feel a little bit of tiredness. I focused on finding a good groove.. and before I knew it, I was at the top of Elden again.. my time up the road was 48:20… not bad at all.

As I braved the snow and ice.. falling about every 3 to 4 steps… down Elden Lookout, I started thinking I should easily go under 4 hours.. maybe even under 3hr 50min.. just need to keep moving. I hit Fat Man’s Loop from Elden Lookout in 29:21…

Now the homestretch..

As I am pushing my way over the rocking portions of Fat Man’s, I am starting to feel the accumulation of a tough day. I keep telling my self.. only 30min.. only 20min.. etc..

I am still hoping to get under 3hrs 50min as I get back of Buffalo Park. I can see on my watch that it’s going to be close.. with about 300m to go, I begin to really open my stride.. with 200m left, I break into 5k race pace.. with 100m, I go into full-blown, Carl Lewis, open-hand sprint… and finish the day in 3hrs 49min 26 (finally split from Elden Lookout = 40:34)

What a confidence builder!!.. After a rough couple months, I finally feel good about the direction I am headed.. I have another tough week next week.. so I just need to keep consistent.. and listen to my body… and run.

The Peaks from the top of Elden

Top of the Elden Lookout Trail - Snowy & Gnarly

The view going down Elden Lookout Trail

The view going up Elden Lookout Trail

March 26, 2011 – Elden Up Over & Back

2011-03-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

After completing my first full week of running in over a month, I decided to go for my first true long run. I was a little worried about how it may go, but I had built up enough confidence over the past 7 days that I felt like I could at least get through it.

So a small group including myself, Jared Scott, & Paul Saladino decided to conqueror Mt Elden. The route we agreed to was starting on Elden Road at the “Gate” climbing up to the Summit (~2,500ft over 5.5miles) then heading down the backside via Elden Lookout Trail (~2,500ft over 3.5miles) to the backside parking lot.. then turn around and do it again. Total miles are about 18 and we would ascend about 5,000ft. No doubt this would test my fitness.

We got started around 1:30pm. The idea was that it would be warmer. Unfortunately, it was still in the 30’s and the wind had began to gust. If it’s like that at the bottom, then you are pretty well guaranteed that it is going to ugly at the top.

As we moved up the road, we tromped our way through mud, snow, ice, and the occasional dry patch. It felt really good to get out with some of the guys again. As we chatted, the top quickly approached and before I knew it we were at the first tip ready to run the 1mile across to the summit. The wind was KNARLY!!.. I would love to know what the gusts measured. If I had to guess, I would put it above 50mph. We got to top right at 50min.

After a quick break at the top, where it was pretty darn cold, Paul decided to head back, while Jared and I went down the South Side. The first 5minutes was pretty snowy.. several times I stepped off the trail and found myself in mid thigh level snow. After getting through the snowy section, it was pretty smooth sailing. We rolled the technical sections fairly well and got to the parking lot in 32min 18sec.

After a quick fueling stop, it was time to turn around and do it in reverse…

We kept the moderate to steady pace up Lookout Trail. In my opinion, this trail is probably the steepest most technical “trail” in Flagstaff. The run turns into a real muscular challenge and about midway up an aerobic one as well. I am amazed that Jared is able to keep a consistent conversation going because my heart rate is starting to climb as we hop up the trail.

At one point, we take a quick pit stop to take in the view and “temper” the effort. Jared has a race in Boise next weekend and this is my first hard effort in a month, so neither of us wanted to dig to deep during this run. As such, we kept the pace very relaxed over the last mile or so. The footing and snow helped a lot with that as well. I think we were on pace to go well under 40min, but the last 400m we were once again post holing and trying not to slide off trail. We ended up getting to the Summit in 45min 19sec. Not bad considering the conditions and the relaxed attitude.

With the most difficult sections completed, now we just had to roll our way down

Elden Road and the day would be done.

After getting pretty much blown off the top of the mountain, we began the decent at a steady clip. Once again, we didn’t want to dig to deep so we kept it at a conversational pace. The running felt really easy, which was a good sign for me that I may not have lost as much fitness as I had thought.

We ended up getting back to our cars from the summit in 44min 28sec. Our total running time was 2hrs 52min 30sec. Not my fastest time for the route, but considering the conditions and the focus on keeping the effort moderate, I was VERY happy with the run.

For the first time since my Marathon Training in December, I am feeling like I am heading in a positive direction with my running. Though being sidelined for the last month was painful and frustrating, maybe it was just what the doctor ordered. I am really excited about getting back to form and the training that comes with it. Next week will be a good test as I have several workout planned… and for the first time in a while I am really excited about it..

Jared Scott braving the elements - gloveless & with a short-sleeve shirt

I am trying to get a little extra altitude via the towers

Paul Saladino explaining to us how cold it is at the top

The view from midway up Elden Lookout Trail

Jared Scott taking in the view.. and aHammer Gel

March 19, 2011 – Running Again.. Yahoo!!..

2011-03-19T16:37:00.001-07:00

Well, I am halfway through my antibiotics… I have run 35 – 45min a day for a whopping 3days in a row.. After each of those, I felt pretty wiped-out, but it was nice to get out and run again. I was planning on running a 20miler with some of the guys down in Sedona, but since I am trying to ease my way back, I decided to stay local and just take it easy.

I ended up running one of my “standard” 10milers. Mars Hill Up-Over-&-Back. From my house, I ran the 1.5miles to the trail.. then up Mars Hill.. ~500ft of climbing.. then I coasted the flat section on Lowell Observatory Mesa then down hill to the train trestle, which includes another ~500ft of elevation change.. then I turned around and did it in reverse..

Though I still felt pretty weak, I was happy with the run. It took me about 72min. When I am in good shape and running hard, I usually run that in a shade over 1hr.

It was fun to be out running again… It was also refreshing to have a “normal” run without all the drama. I am really looking forward to next week where I am still going to focus on staying healthy, but I am hoping to push it a little more. Keeping my fingers crossed!!

March 12, 2011 - Change of Plans

2011-03-12T08:52:00.000-08:00

After recovering from the trauma of a “wild” weekend at the canyon, I have been doing some thinking. I mentioned in my last post that I was contemplating a R2R2R reschedule based on my health and inability to get in the necessary long runs. That issue was further exacerbated this week when I once again got sick. Looking back at my calendar, I have been under the weather 24 out of the last 40days. That’s not good. Previous to this “sickly” stretch, I went almost 22months without even a cold.

I am in the worst shape that I have been in 2yrs. I am 10lbs over my typical “race” weight. Needless to say, I am not feeling too confident about my ability to run a fast Rim to Rim to Rim. To be honest, I am thinking I might struggle with a local 5k at this point. With that being said, I have decided not to run the Rim to Rim to Rim this Spring. Depending on several factors, I may give it a shot this November. Instead, I am looking at training March-April-May for a Single Crossing Record Attempt.

A little background on the Single Crossing: The record is currently held by Allyn Cureton of Williams, AZ. He set the record in 1981. The course starts at the NRim and finishes on the SRim via the Kaibab Trail. He covered this stretch in 3hrs 6min 47sec in a race. (Races are no longer allowed in the Grand Canyon). Many big name trail guys have attempted to break this record over the past 30years, but the record still stands. A testament to how fast this time really is.

I have put together a band of local fast guys to go after this record. The confirmed list includes Jared Scott, Paul Saladino, and Brian Tinder. The “maybe’s” include Ian Torrence, Eric Bohn, Caleb Schiff, and Mike Smith. Each one of us has a VERY legitimate chance to take this record down, so I am hoping with each other’s help, one or all of us will get it done.

We are currently getting the logistics together for a run towards the end of May. It is looking like Friday, May 27^th will be the date.

Though I am disappointed about not running the Rim to Rim to Rim this spring, I am equally excited about the opportunity to run a fast Single Crossing. It should be a fun Spring!!..

March 5, 2011 – Crashed in the Canyon.. Then Crashed my Car…

2011-03-06T17:22:00.000-08:00

This week started with me trying to get my strength back after being sick for the 2^nd time in 5 weeks. Basically, I have had one “healthy” week in the past 5 weeks. Not ideal for training, but getting sick happens. All week, I kept my runs really easy. They ranged from 20min up to 50min. Each run left me really spent, but I did feel stronger each day.

Knowing I still wasn’t 100%, I decided to do a Long Run in the canyon with the thought of taking it fairly “easy”. I probably wouldn’t have normally chose to do this, but the April 15^th Rim to Rim to Rim date is starting to get close and I don’t feel like I am where I need to be… so I thought it was worth a shot.

My day started at 5am… after a piece of toast and some coffee, I grabbed my gear and started the trek down Highway 180 at 5:45am. When I left it was only 11degrees, but by the time I got to the S.Rim, (around 7:15am) it had already warmed up to 32 degrees… and off I went.

CRAHING IN THE CANYON - The first 10min of the run were a bit sketchy due to ice, but once I was past those sections, it was smooth sailing. I got to the bridge in 56min and felt pretty good. I kept the pace moving and filled up with water at Phantom Ranch and ate some of my gel. Now for a steady ~8miler to Cottonwood Campground. Once again, I felt pretty good.. I didn’t have much pop in my legs, but still good.

After about 55min of running, I got to Cottonwood Campground. That’s when things started not going my way. Both the water pumps were shut off and I was out of water. Rather than add mileage to my run and get water at Roaring Springs, which may be shutoff too, I decided to just head back to Phantom. Honestly, I never felt too thirsty until I was about 15min from Phantom, but I think I was digging myself into a bit of a hole. The tough thing about digging holes is if you dig too deep there’s a chance you won’t be able to climb out.

Once I got to Phantom, my pace had slowed quite a bit and I was pretty thirsty, so I took my time and drank quite a bit of water before heading back up S.Kaibab. After filling up my water bottle and nearly empty gel flask, I was off. At that point, I was tired, but still feeling like I could have a solid effort up to the top of the South Rim.

Once I started the climb, my thought was to stay within myself until I got to Midway, where if I felt good I would push the pace. On the exposed sections, the sun was beating down and it was really starting to heat up, but I kept trudging along. Soon enough, I was at Midway. I hit that sections around the 4hour mark and all of a sudden my body was done… so was my water bottle and gel flask. I decided to hike a little and see if that helped. It didn’t. I was in full-blown bonk mode telling myself that I just need to keep moving forward. This isn’t the first time I have been in this position, but this time felt a little different as my mind would really wonder and I started to get dizzy.

From Midway, my typical time to the SRim Kiosk is about 35min. Well, 35min had passed and I hadn’t even made it to Cedar Ridge. I was DYING!!.. but I was still moving forward. Once I got passed Cedar Ridge, I started grabbing handfuls of Snow on the side of the trail, but it didn’t seem to help. My body just wanted to stop.. and I wanted to let it, but I knew if I stopped I may not get out.. so I kept moving forward… at a snail’s pace, but forward never the less.

As I pressed on, I began to get REALLY dizzy and I noticed I was weaving on the trail. It felt like a bad dream.. Everything was hazy and surreal.. I couldn’t focus my eyes.. and I was really thinking I may not make it even though I could see the top. About then, a VERY nice hiker stopped me and asked me if I was alright. She filled up my water bottle and gave me a Power Bar. She made it possible for me to muster up enough energy to press my way out of that horrible place.. I had made it out alive.. now I just had to walk a mile back to my car.

I LOVE the Canyon. It has to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I love being able to run there as often as I do, but when you have an excursion like this one, you hate it.. and that is just reality. Not only is it one of the most rewarding places to run /hike, but it has to be one of the most unforgiving places as well. I would attribute this mainly to the fact that you hike down first.. saving the brutal uphill for a finale. It’s not like any other type of running. Once you are at the bottom, it’s a total commitment. You can’t DNF… You can’t take the easy route home.. You HAVE TO get to top and there is no easy way… you just have to do it. When things go well, it leaves you feeling high.. when it doesn’t go well, you are just happy to be alive.

CRASHED MY CAR - So stumbling back to my car, I am feeling happy to be alive, but disappointed that things didn’t go better.. My head was still cloudy and I just want to get home. Once I got to the car, I drank some water and had a few snacks and I was off.. Still not feeling “right”, I hit the Highway. My eyes were hardly able to focus... but it’s nothing I can’t get through. Next thing, I know I am getting very drowsy. Then BAM.. I wake up.. and I am flying off the opposite side of the road over rocks, stumps and into the forest.. CRASH.. the side of my 4Runner smashes into a tree and I come to a stop. What the..??? .. I had fallen asleep and crashed into a tree!!!

Eventually, I was able to dig myself part way out and a family was nice enough to stop and tow me out. I was VERY lucky that I didn’t hit an oncoming car, or a tree head on, or a million other horrible things that could have happened. I truly feel blessed by God.

So that brings me to where I am at today. I don’t want to make a knee-jerk reaction, but I now contemplating cancelling my Rim to Rim to Rim and replacing it with something else.. like a Single Crossing Record Attempt, etc. I don’t want to put myself in that position again, and unfortunately, I haven’t been able to coordinate running with other people. I also have had so many health issues in the past 6 weeks that I am just not in the shape I want to be in.

My decision isn’t final, but that’s where I am at today..

View from S.Kaibab before the Start

Ribbon Falls from Kaibab Trail

My Poor 4Runner After the Accident

February 23, 2011 - Sick.. AGAIN!!..

2011-02-23T12:07:00.000-08:00

I started feeling a little "off" last night and I was hoping it was nothing a good night's sleep wouldn't cure.. Well, I woke this morning with a 102degree fever and a sore throat. What a bummer!!.. I went to the Dr and tested negative for Strep & Flu.. so I am hoping this will pass quickly.

With that in mind, I am starting to think I will push out the R2R2R. This week was suppose to be the start of my intense canyon training, now it looks like I am going to be bed ridden for at least the next few days.. My thought would be to move it to April 8-9 or April 16-17.. My only concern with that is it often starts getting hot around then.. but I am thinking I would rather come in fully prepared than under-trained.

One big negative with moving my run out is that I won't be able to come back and run Zane Grey 50miler on April 17th.. I guess those are the breaks..

February 21, 2011 - Camelback "Mountain" II

2011-02-22T16:39:00.000-08:00

I was down in Phoenix for meetings, so I thought I would give Camelback "Mountain" a go.. I was unsure how smart this would be considering I had so much trouble with my Hip Flexor the last time I ran.. but when I am in Phoenix, I can hear that dang trail calling me.. so I figured I would give it a shot..

After changing quickly into my short shorts and NB 101's, I headed to the Cholla Trail Head. When I got there, I saw the Parade of people hiking that thing.. it was pretty crazy. My first thought was "it's pretty cool that so many people are getting up this thing today".. but my second thought was, "don't count on running too fast".. what can you do.. Just Run...

I wanted to start out pretty mellow to test my hip .. and after about 5min of ducking and dodging people on my up, I had gained enough confidence in it, that I started to push a bit.. Even though I had several stops waiting on slower hikers, etc, I made it to the top in a respectable 18min 57sec. Not too bad.. now I had to traverse the "busier" side.. Echo Canyon.

I decided right off, to just relax and go with the flow of "traffic".. by the time I got about half way down, I was way off pace, but the trail seemed to thin-out, so I pushed the pace between "slow-spots".. When I got to one-third left, I had caught another runner from behind and I don't think he liked it much. He was shaved-headed, super ripped and was now taking the down hill VERY aggressive. As he recklessly jumped and slid down some of the steeper sections, I couldn't help but stay right on his tail.. Over the final 100m, he broke into some kind of stride that resembled a wild animal.. he was hopping down the choppy wash-boards like a gazelle.. That's when I put on the brakes as I knew one misstep and I am going to lose a good portion of my face.. I got to the end in 17min 22sec... My bald headed friended was slumped over and peeking back at me with a subtle smile.. I'll give it to him, I pride myself in running technical downhills fairly well, but this guy just put it on me.. When I turned around to head back up Echo, I looked over my shoulder and saw that my new friend's smile had turn upside down... I guess that was my consolation prize..

The way back up Echo was a lot less dramatic and a lot more painful. Once again, navigating hikers was as much or more difficult than the actual climb. I got back to the peak in 19min 59sec.

On my way down, I took it fairly easy until I got the more runnable sections. At that point, I pushed the pace as much as the traffic would let me. During the Cholla descent, my NB 101s had burst open on both feet (see pics below). In certain sections, my feet would actually hang out the sides.. I have never demolished a shoe like this before. Though I REALLY like the 101's and their predecessor 100's, I only had maybe 20miles of solid runs on these things.. Honestly, I blame the "blowout" on the rough, technical grade of Camelback.

As I hop by people with ripped up shoes, short shorts, and no shirt.. I near the finish. With about 20m to go, I pass a couple of 16-ish year old girls who started giggling as I stride to the finish. Then after I pass them, I hear a LOUD whisper, "Nice Short Shorts".... followed by more giggles. Hey.. at least they noticed.

"Demolished" Shoes - Thankfully RunFlag replaced them Free of Charge!!

February 19, 2011 – Mt Elden “Beat Down”

2011-02-19T11:42:00.000-08:00

As the sun was just coming up, I stepped out the front door greeted by several inches of snow & whipping winds… so why not go run up Mt Elden where the snow is deeper and the wind always blows harder..

After a short drive to the Y (Schultz Rd/Elden Rd), I hopped out and got to running. The conditions weren’t too bad.. in town the temperature was a fairly warm 31 degrees.. a slushy snow was falling pretty steadily.. and the roads were covered in slush.. I quickly ran to Elden Road gate (which signals the start of the climb), I was surprised that there were no foot prints, tire tracks, and no plows being “warmed-up”.. so it looks like I get to “trail-blaze”.. On the run up, the snow amounts on the road ranged from a 3inches to 10inches.. I felt a bit like Rocky training to fight the Russian in Rocky IV.. except I didn’t have a cool trainer yelling words of encouragement.. I only had the wind throwing snow pellets in my face.

Once I got to the top, I decided to only go to the first tower.. as it was COLD & WINDY!!!.. Forgot to mention, that I was only wearing shorts.. what was I thinking??.. From the gate, that ~4.5miles took about 50min. Pretty slow… but considering the conditions, I was pleased that I got that high on the mountain. The only negative was that I started feeling “tight” in my right hip flexor. This was probably thanks to doing nearly 50min of “high knees”.. so I stretched a bit hoping it would subside.

After the stretch & taking a few quick pics, I headed back down the mountain.. It seemed like the wind had picked up a notch. I started having trouble seeing thanks to the icicles forming on my eyebrows and frozen snow on my eye lashes.. Further, my legs were starting to sting.. They began to take on the color of canned beets. Not a good sign. So in response to the cold, I pushed the pace hard until I got down to a lower / warmer altitude. It must have been quite a sight seeing me practically sprint down the mountain in shorts, with frozen legs, an ice covered face, and soaking wet.. what a goober!..

The Road Up:

The Road Down:

Once I got 2/3 of the way down, it was noticeably warmer, but the hip flexor issue had really started to become a problem. I figured I had about 2.5miles to get back to the car and at this point and I was in full-blown “limp mode”. I slowly crawled back to my car doing the 2inch shuffle. I was feeling SUPER frustrating and Beat Down. My total time running was a brutal 2hrs.

As for the hip flexor, I am hoping that with a couple easy runs and lots of stretching, things will straighten out quickly. I guess time will tell.

For those who have never seen it.. below is the Rocky IV Training Montage.. It was a lot cooler in the '80s

February 15, 2011 - NPR Segment on Running R2R2R

2011-02-15T10:31:00.000-08:00

Recently, the local NPR station did a cool segment on running the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim that will air across the Southwest. The spot included interviews with Ian Torrence (Ultra Legend), Dave Mackey (Current Record Holder), and myself..

Link to "Running Grand Canyon Ultimate Challenge":
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/knau/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1763102

February 12, 2011 - Sedona Marathon

2011-02-13T13:52:00.001-08:00

Well this weekend, I went to Sedona to run the 6^th Annual Sedona Marathon. For those of you who haven’t run in this event, I would highly recommend it.. The organizers do a great job and offer cool prizes.. The course is WICKED tough.. but the scenery is beautiful. I ran this race last year and had surprisingly good results… Last year, I hadn’t been training much, so I came in with hopes of running around 3hrs. I ended up winning the race and running it in 2hrs 44min… which was a course record. Honestly, I was pretty shocked.. This year, I felt like I was in good shape, but no doubt, still recovering from being sick. This week was my first full week back, so I didn’t know what would happen on race day.

Sedona Marathon Profile.. OUCH!!:

During my warm-up, I felt pretty good.. loose, but I had a good amount of energy. By the time, the race was ready to start, with my adrenaline finally pumping, I started thinking about the course record. The first mile I ran with one of my running buds, Brian Tinder. We kept it pretty relaxed and were chatting quite a bit. Other than a gal sprinting by us in the first 200m.. then 20m later, falling back behind us.. (was she doing wind-sprints???).. we had already put some space between ourselves and the rest of the field. At mile 2, I started to get the “itch” and decided to pick up the pace… that’s when “course record” started echoing in my mind… so I figured “what the hell”.. I might as well go for it. I started to push the pace fairly steady. Despite the difficulty of the course (Hill.. after Hill.. after Hill), I was able to keep my pace between 5:50/mile & 6:05/mile fairly comfortably. By the time, I hit the dirt road section of the course, I still felt pretty solid and decided to continue the push.. Before I knew it I was at the Half Marathon in just under 1hr 19min… now for the second half of the race…

After the turnaround, I remember hitting negative splits last year and I was already ahead of last year by 4min.. so I am starting to think “sub-2hrs 40min”.. As I worked my way over the next few miles, I started to physically feel the wear-and-tear of the first 13miles.. I had also worked up quite a lead due to my fast start, so my mind started to wonder a bit. Before I knew it, I was back on the pavement with about 9miles left to go.. still with a chance to break my record, but a sub-2hrs 40min was probably out of reach.. Also, at that point, my body was pretty tired, and I started calculating how fast I would need to run to maintain a lead..

I ended up dragging myself through the rest of the race… each hill feeling longer than the next.. I finished in 2hrs 50min and in 1^st Place. Brian held on for 3^rd place and ran 2hrs 59min.. nearly 10min faster than he ran last year!!..

All in all, I was happy with the race.. Hey, a win is a win. Now, I am looking forward to the next 6 -7 weeks of some intense Grand Canyon training…

February 6, 2011 – Mt Elden… then Mars Hill

2011-02-06T13:28:00.001-08:00

For my first “real” run since being sick, I decided to run Mt. Elden Rd from the Y (Schultz Pass Road / Elden Road – junction) on Saturday, which is about 14miles round trip and almost 2,500ft of elevation change. I considered heading to the Canyon, but I am still not feeling 100%, so I decided to play it cautious.

I got started around 8am and ran the 1.5mile Road Section to the “Gate” as a warmup in 10min 58sec. Once I hit the dirt road section I decided to start pushing the pace a bit. I felt good, but my legs were still “heavy” and my body still recovering from my bout with the Death Virus.. all things considered, I felt good. From the Gate to the Summit is 5.5miles. The footing was really good for a majority of the run. There were a few icy sections but a majority of the road was great. I ended up getting from the Gate to the Summit in 46min 16sec. A solid time.. My fastest time last Spring was a high 42min.. so I am still trying to get back to that point, but I am pretty happy with the effort and outcome.

After briefly taking in the view, I began to head back down… out of no where, the wind started to really pickup. Each gust brought with a bit of sting, so I decided to push the pace a little until I got to a lower elevation. Before I knew it, I was at the gate in a split of 41min 11sec.

The final paved 1.5miles, I pushed pretty hard and covered this stretch in 8min 45min (5:50/mile pace)… always nice to finish strong.. My total time = 1hr 47min 12sec.. A super-solid run.

On Sunday, I decided to do a recovery run up Mars Hill (500ft of Elevation change in 0.5miles). The weather was really nice, so I was looking forward to getting out and just running for as long as I felt I could. Once I got to Mars Hill, I quickly figured out the footing was going to be “slick” at best.. actually, it was like an ice skating rink almost the entire way.. At one point, I did the slipping-sliding.. herky-jerky.. thing where you try to catch yourself, but was unsuccessful.. I ended up sprawled out on the ice face first.. it probably looked hilarious.. I quickly bounced up.. looked around.. and proceeded to “slide” my way back home… With Yak-Trax or Microspikes, this might be runnable.. without some kind of traction aid… better bring a helmet!!..

February 2, 2011 - Running for Vinny

2011-02-02T18:16:00.000-08:00

I recently received an email from a CoWorker, Willy Davison and Family about financial assistance for their son Vinny. He was born very prematurely and thus has had to deal with a lot. In an effort to help Vinny & his parents, I have decided to run the Sedona Marathon on Feb 12th in his honor and use the event as a fund raiser by asking people to make donations via the website they set up (link: http://www.lovethatvinny.com/).

I am posting this on my Blog in hopes that folks reading this will be willing to make a donation. All of the money raised will be used to "relieve financial stresses and to access the resources that will give him & his parents more life". Further, I would encourage you to send this to anyone else that may be interested in contributing to this great cause.

Quote from Willy: "We're not very good at asking for help, but are quickly realizing that Vinny needs us to be his voice in this situation."

Link to place donations

http://www.lovethatvinny.com/

January 30, 2011 - I'm Back Baby!!.. Kinda... & Tentative 2011 Race Schedule

2011-01-30T08:51:00.000-08:00

After 9 days of ZERO activity due to what I am calling the "Death Virus", I finally went out for a run. I made it a whopping 20min.. and needed a nap afterwards, but it felt good to get out and move my legs. I am planning on a few more short runs, then hoping to get back after it... The plan is to listen to my body and come back as slowly as necessary... typically coming back slowly is not one of my stong suits, but after going through this, I don’t want to breathe any life back into the “Death Virus”…

TENTATIVE 2011 RACE SCHEDULE

The plan is to break the year into 3 parts. In the Winter / Spring, I plan on focusing on the “Ultra” Distances. My focus will be on breaking the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim record, which currently stands at 6hr 59min 57sec by Dave Mackey of Boulder, CO.

In the Spring / Summer, I will focus on getting some “wheels” and running some shorter local races.

In Summer / Fall, I will go into full blown Marathon Training. My hope is that I can recruit a couple partners as running with quality guys will be a huge boost. My focus race will be the Chicago Marathon. My hope is to go sub2hrs 20min…

After Chicago, I might consider running the North Face 50mile Championships depending on where my mind & health are.

Summary of “Planned Races”
Race Name:                                         Date:
Sedona Marathon                                 February 12th
Mesquite Canyon 50km                        March 12th
GC R2R2R                                          April 1st
Zane Grey 50Miler                               April 16th
GC Single Crossing                              ?? – When Road Opens to NRim
Gaspin in the Aspen                              June 18th
Snowbowl Hill Climb                            Mid July
½ Marathon – TBD                              Late Aug / Early Sept
Chicago Marathon                                October 9th
North Face 50Mile Champs                 December 3rd

January 22, 2011 - SICK.. What a Bummer!

2011-01-22T12:47:00.000-08:00

I was really hoping to get in a good 30miler this weekend, but unfortunately I have been fighting a wicked cold for the past few days. I am SUPER BUMMED.. I haven't been sick in about 18months, so I guess I was due. Feeling like garbage definitely makes me appreciate "good health".. I think the hardest part has been taking what will be my 3rd Day Off in a row from any excercise. It's amazing how addicted one can get to running.. both physically & mentally.

Hopefully, this junk will pass soon and I will be back on the trails...

Running Times Article - Grand Canyon R2R2R

2011-01-22T12:39:00.000-08:00

The Link below is to a Running Times Online article about Rim to Rim to Rim Record attempts.. They actually included my attempt last year (page 2).. pretty cool..

http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=21755&PageNum=1

January 15, 2011 – Starlight Run in the Grand Canyon

2011-01-16T18:15:00.000-08:00

My oldest son had a basketball game in Flag at 11:45am, so it was a VERY early start to the day. I woke up at 3am and was on the road by 4am. My plan was to run down S. Kaibab to Cottonwood Campground & back. That would give me ~31miles and a little over 4hrs of running.

When I got to the Canyon, I quickly grabbed my gear and headed for the trail. Head-lamp on and stars shining brightly, I started thinking.. “hmmm… with no sunlight for the next hour or so, this is going to be a very tricky run to down S.Kaibab.” As I headed down, I was navigating the ice, rocky terrain, tight turns, etc with caution.. as such, I was basically hiking / jogging.. there was no way at this pace I would have time to get the full run in. Once I made that decision, I relaxed and just focused on getting to the bottom safely. Just shy of the river / bridge, the sun came up, which gave me a jolt of energy.. I ended up getting to the bottom in 1hr 23min - - my slowest time EVER… but I have never ran it in the dark before either.

I quickly made the 7min run over to Phantom, filled up my water bottle and headed back. On my way back to the bridge, I decided I wanted to focus on pushing the pace on the trail up. I could still feel Thursday’s Camelback run in my legs, but I figured it would be good to run with some soreness & tiredness in my legs. I pushed the entire ascent very consistently. Halfway up, I saw one of my buddies Ace Baty who was running his way to Ribbon Falls.. always good to see a familiar face on the trail especially after such an intense trip down to the river… after a quick chat, it was back to work.. I ended up finishing the ascent in 1:17:48 (1^st Half = 37:50; 2^nd Half = 39:53) - - My fastest time this year. Still more than 5min slower than my fastest time last year, but I am still feeling good about steadily improving.. compared to where I was at last year, I am several minutes faster.. so hopefully by Spring I will be running faster.. time will tell..

By the way, I made it to the basketball game with time to spare.. and my son played a GREAT game!!

My Veiw as I Head to the River

The Sun is Almost Up!!!

Is that the Colorado or Willy Wonka's Chocolate River

January 13, 2011 – Camelback “Mountain”

2011-01-16T17:49:00.000-08:00

I was in Phoenix for work, so I decided to run up one of my Phoenix favorites.. Camelback. There are 2 trails; Cholla & Echo. Echo = 1.2miles one-way & Cholla = 1.5 miles one way.. each one-way trip includes 1,264ft of elevation change. The trail ranges from technical to down-right “unrunnable” (for me at least)…

It was a super beautiful day.. 75degrees and clear. I was able to sport the short-shorts and no shirt, which is a great feeling in January considering that I have been wearing gloves, jacket, and a hat for the past 3months..

As I got started on the Cholla side, I began passing the “multitudes” of winter hikers. Many of them are sporting Camelbacks, rugged-hiking boots, and an I-Pod… most of them look at me in my skimpy shorts, NB 101’s.. and nothing else… with looks that range from.. “what a dork”.. to.. “that guy is going to hurt himself”.. I am usually too busy drooling from the steep climb.. and focusing on each “technical” step to pay much attention.. The time seem to fly-by and I got to the top in 18min 50sec - - a new record for me.

Then I careful took off down the Echo side… hopping from rock to rock.. Things went pretty smoothly excluding a few runs off trail down some “mystery” washes…My goal for each descent is to “not fall”.. I achieved that goal.. and I got to the bottom of the Echo trail in 17min 13sec - - about average.

After a quick drink, I headed back up the Echo trail… I was working pretty hard up each steep section and trying to keep a consistent push during the few flat sections. Up the final steep climb, I shifted to a power-hike.. cutting the trail and going into full blown boulder-hopping.. huffing & puffing, I got to the top in 19min 25sec - - another new record.

Heading down the first section of Cholla is a bit tricky.. gravel, steep drops, and a “trail” that consists of blue dots on a giant rock face. Once down that, the trail is very runnable, so I put it in cruise and hit the bottom fairly quickly.. 18min flat.

All together, that was my fastest Up-Over-and-Back on Camelback.. which a positive sign that I am starting to get my “steep legs” back.. just need to keep climbing.

January 9, 2011 - Mt Elden Run - - COLD!!

2011-01-10T20:07:00.000-08:00

My training this Winter has been pretty consistent so far. Coming off an intense Summer & Fall, my focus has been on having a lack of focus… Meaning, I really want to “just run”… nothing too stressful until mid February. I have been running about 1hr per day during the week and then doing a good long run on the weekend of at least 3hours.

This weekend, I ran from my house to Mt. Elden Summit. The total run is about 24miles. This time of year the terrain can be anywhere from snowy.. to muddy.. to icy.. The first 5miles I ran on snow packed trails full of “foot-holes” and slush. Considering how rough the terrain was my split for this section was a steady 7min pace. For the next 1.5miles leading to the “Elden Gate”, it was pretty smooth sailing as this is entirely on pavement. Once I got to the gate, I started to make the 5.5mile 2,395ft ascent up Elden Road. During the winter this dirt road is typically snow plowed to the summit. As such, at the bottom it is usually muddy.. and at the top it is usually icy. This trip was no different. I made the trip up at a good clip… I got from the gate to the summit in a shade over 50min. Considering the footing, I was pretty happy. That’s when things got interesting…..

At the top you run about 1mile to get from the first set of towers to the second. This is the most exposed and has some of the craziest weather. When I crested the “lip” coming into the first towers, I was blasted in the face with wind gusts that seemed to be 50mph plus… I figured, “hey, I have come this far, why not finish it up”.. Making the 1mile trip over to the summit, I was pelted with ice in the face and hit a few gusts of wind that I would pick me up and throw me over the side.. pretty crazy. I made it to the top and quickly turned around and headed back down. I was happy to get past the “lip” and head back down the road, but as I started to head down the road, I noticed that my fingers were in serious pain. I am sure anyone who does “winter sports” has had this experience and will think I am a wuss, but man, my fingers hurt. I shook them hoping to get some blood flow… then I was breathing on them.. at one point, they hurt so bad, I considering “taking a leak” on them.. not sure if that is something Bear Grylls would recommend, but they hurt so bad it sounded like a good idea.. Thank goodness this was unnecessary, as the lower I got, the warmer the weather turned.. and I can still say that I have never intentional urinated on my fingers…

The rest of the run was a lot less of dramatic… I was happy that I kept a consistent pace and finished the run in just under 3hrs.

Fuel: 18oz of Water with 1.5 scoops of Perpetuem – consumed over entire run.

1 Hammer Gel at 2hours

January 3, 2011 - First Canyon Trip of 2011

2011-01-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

On my first Canyon trip of 2011, I was reflecting on my last trip of 2010.. two weeks before. To say I was “humbled” might be an understatement. A few days before the trip, I received a txt from my buddy Jared Scott that he had run the leg from the river to the rim in 68min 30sec… That is SMOKIN’ fast. With that in mind, I wanted to come back with a strong performance as well… didn’t happen. Instead, I finished the last couple miles from Cedar Ridge doing the “Death March” all the way to my car.. humbled.

Now in retrospect, it seemed to make sense.. I am coming off of road marathon training, which doesn’t correlate directly to fast canyon running. This time I had more realistic expectations.. just run the whole time.

I decided to carry my 18oz HandHeld waterbottle filled with 2 Hammer Gels, and 2 more Hammer gels that I would eat at the bottom and the other at “Midway” on the trip back up. I left my Yak Trax in the car, which turned out to be a mistake…

On the trip to the River, it was VERY snowy & icy. As one of my training partners, Rob Lloyd, likes to say.. “I looked like Brian Boitano”.. This lasted til Skeleton Point (about Halfway down).. then there was just an inch or so of snow to contend with.. which is no big deal.. My total time to the River was 57:02.. not bad considering the conditions.

After the downhill, I made the quick trip to Phantom to get a refill and quickly headed back to the bridge. On the trip up, my focus was on running conservative & consistent. I felt really solid the entire time, but was slowed from Skeleton Point to the top due to the ice and snow.. Regardless, I posted a solid 1:20:38 from the bridge to the Rim..

At the end, I felt the run was great.. and as always, it's awesome to be in the Canyon..

Pre-Run View of the South Rim

2010 Race Results

2010-12-29T09:59:00.000-08:00

Race	Date	Results	Time
Sedona Marathon	Feb-10	1st Place Overall	2hrs 44min
Cottonwood Half Marathon	Apr-10	1st Place Overall	1hr 12min
Grand Canyon R2R2R	Apr-10	2nd Fastest Known Time	7hrs 12min
Run for Mtn 10k - Flagstaff	May-10	3rd Place Overall	34min
TransRockies Run	Aug-10	2nd Place Overall - Mens Open
Imogene Pass Run	Sep-10	2nd Place Overall	2hrs 22min
California International Marathon	Dec-10	23rd Place Overall	2hrs 28min

Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim - April 23, 2010

2010-12-29T09:48:00.000-08:00

Well the day started with a 3:30am wake-up. After grabbing a quick bite and some coffee, I was out the door and on the road by 4:30am…. The weather was cool and the roads were icy, so I drove nice and easy versus my normal approach of attempting time travel on Hwy 180.

When I got to the South Rim, the sun was just coming up and it was a “nipply” 30degrees. While cranking some tunes, I put on my gear (Run-Flag TShirt, Gloves, Arm Warmers, Stocking Cap, Adidas 6oz flats, Nathan Vest with 5 Gels, Bag of Chomps, and 2/3 of a Power-bar, and Yak-Trax). I sent a txt to the guys and was off to the SKaibab “launching point”.

About 6min later I hit the SRim. It was 6:12am, so I decided to wait til 6:15am to start. When 6:15am came, I started my descent. I am not sure what the deal was but I really didn’t feel “great”. I couldn’t decide if it was the mental weight of knowing what was in front of me or the previous weeks training. The 6 days leading up to today, I had the Cottonwood Half Marathon and a couple Elden Summits. I reassured myself that my fitness was good enough that it didn’t matter…

About 40min down, I started to feel the drive to “push-it”.. so I did. I ended up getting to the river in 55:38. A little faster than planned, but my legs felt good, so no big deal.

When I hit the flat past the bridge, I started to push the pace a little. My plan was to work the 9 mile rolling section from Phantom to Cottonwood both on the way out and way back. My water bottle was still full, so I didn’t stop at Phantom.

I was rolling pretty steady when I hit Wall Creek. I had to wade across that bad boy. Normally, it’s barely running and you just have to hop a couple rocks, but today it was raging (so was Bright Angel Creek..crazy). My feet got a little wet, but within a few minutes all but my socks were dry.

I covered the section from the River to Cottonwood in 1:04:19 (Cumulative 1:59:57)… about 7min/mile. Sounds kinda slow, but heading from South to North you gain over 1,000ft in elevation… so not too shabby, but definitely a split that could be faster. I filled up my water bottle, which took 25seconds and I was off to Roaring Springs with my watch reading (2:00:22).

When I got to Roaring Springs, I filled up my 2/3 empty gel bottle with water and started the Ascent up the North Rim.

As I headed up, my legs weren’t exactly “springy” like I was hoping for. I wondered if they were tired from the previous week or if it is just what happens after dropping ~4,500ft and then putting in a steady 9miler???.. either way, I figured I would just try and push through it.

The NRim was going pretty good. I forgot how much easier this climb is than SKaibab. Even though you are at a higher elevation, there are a good number of flat parts to catch your breath. The waterfalls were amazing as they were flowing pretty heavily thanks to all of the snow melt.

When I got about 3min past Supai Tunnel (~2miles short of NRim Summit), I hit some wicked mud. The kind of mud where you get no traction and slide in every direction. I was actually begging for snow & ice, which I had heard was still being measured in feet close to the top. Then I hit the beginnings of the snow & ice. What the ???!.. This stuff was ridiculous. It was 2 to 3 feet deep with gigantic holes from previous hikers post-holing. Completely unrunnable. This went on for the remainder of the climb which was about 1mile. My split was 1:25:11 (Cumulative 3:25:34). I am sure that I lost at least 10min on this section, but I was still on pace to break the record.

When I got to the top, I threw my Yak Trax on the kiosk, grabbed some grub, and headed back down with my watch reading 3:26:46. After sliding on ice then mud for 2miles, I returned to some good footing and starting to conservatively push the pace.

When I pulled into Roaring Springs, I quickly filled up my water bottle and empty gel bottle. I went +2hours on about 20oz of water and felt like it didn’t put me in a bad place. The cooler temps really made a difference in the hydration department. Had it been 20degrees warmer, I am guessing that wouldn’t have been enough water and I would have made a big mistake.

As I was approaching Cottonwood, I felt like I still had plenty of water, so I blew through without stopping. My split from the NRim was 1:04:34 (Cumulative 4:31:20). I was now about 1min20sec off where I had planned to be, but I thought if I worked the “gentle” downhill to Phantom, I still had a chance.

As I pushed towards Box Canyon, I hit the first climb feeling confident. At that point, the inside of my right thigh and right calf started to “grab”. Cramps. Rut-roh. Up to now, I hadn’t done any salt replacement since it wasn’t too hot. Hoping it wasn’t too late, I took 2 Endurolytes and ate some chomps. I backed the pace off for a mile waiting for my quad to “unlock”. As the pain subsided, I gradually worked my way back towards a steady pace.

About 5min shy of Phantom, I finally saw a familiar face. Jared Scott. It was a huge mental boost to have him there. We ran into Phantom around 5hrs 24min and I quickly refilled my water bottle. After giving him a very quick summary of the day, we hit the bridge. My split was 1:00:54 (Cumulative 5:32:14). I needed to run just under 1hr 28min up SKaibab to break the record. 2 weeks before, I ran a 1hr 12min split, so I felt that it was definitely attainable.

When my legs hit the first section of steeps, I knew it was going to be tough. I was hoping that I would rally at some point, because my legs felt worked. As I hit the switchbacks (almost halfway up S.Kaibab), I took my first “hiking” steps of the day. Big mistake, but the way my body felt, I just didn’t want to push myself over the edge and have trouble finishing. When I got to the top of the switchbacks, I was still on pace to break the record. I ran for another mile or so, then returned to power hiking. That’s when Eric Bohn met up with us. Even with the positive push from Jared & Eric, I started to feel like the tank was just too empty. When I got to the steep, waterboard section leading up to Cedar Ridge, I knew that I would have to throw-down to get the record. Since that was not an option, I decided to throw in the towel.

I decided not to push too hard since the record wasn’t going to happen, so I just power hiked and chatted with Jared & Eric. When we got to the final switchbacks, I decided to run to the finish, just to ensure that I broke 7hr 15min. As I rounded the last turn, I saw Caleb and Jillian (Eric’s sister). It was awesome to have everyone’s support. I just wish I could have got the record… It would have made it that much sweeter..

My split up SKaibab was a painful 1:40:28 giving me a total Rim to Rim to Rim time of 7:12:44. I can’t complain with that time. Other than the record, I am not sure if anyone has run faster. As I sit slumped over at the South Rim kiosk, I looked around and saw the support around me and thought “man, I am a lucky guy”… I also couldn’t help but think about Caleb’s description of the Canyon “She's a bitch and can leave you feeling on cloud nine or as if she sent you through a meat-grinder, made a beef patty of your ass, threw some hot sauce in your eyes, chewed you up and then regurgitated what was left and fed it to the ravens.

My final thought as I left the SRim.. “I’ll be back”.

Spilts (Plan vs. Actual)

Section Actual Split Plan Split

SRim to River 55:38 58:00

River to Cottonwood 1:04:44 1:00:00

Cottonwood to NRim 1:26:23 1:30:00

NRim to Cottonwood 1:04:34 1:00:00

Cottonwood to River 1:00:54 1:00:00

River to SRim 1:40:28 1:30:00

Food / Fuel

Gel Bottle = about 4 Gels finished about ½ up NRim

1/3 of a Power Bar on way down from NRim

Bag of Chomps from Roaring Springs to Phantom

2 Endurolytes just after Cottonwood Campground

1 Gel pack 1/3 the way up SKaibab

Things to do Different / Opportunities for Improvement

Bring a few more gels

Optimal time to run probably in late-Oct / Nov / early-Dec due to temperature and snow / ice

Taper (or semi-Taper)

Push the “flats” harder

Run with a group vs. solo