Tis Grand!

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

Steamboat 50: Fast Enough...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Finally, a few random tidbits...

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

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

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

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

Rockin' Da 'Boat!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Time off... and CONGRATS!

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Grand Mesa Adventure...Part Two

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

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

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

My Grand Mesa Adventure...Finally!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To be continued...

Quick update...

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

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

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