Didn't want to go trudging...

so I ran on the man made surface today. After being spoiled with so much dirt and mild temps this winter I think it made me a bit soft. Now that the snow and "normal" temps have returned I haven't been as inspired to be the "trudging through knee deep mountain hardman." Wait, I'll take that back just a smidgeon. I had a blast this past Thursday on Towers in absurdly slow and choppy conditions.

But this morning I didn't want to wallow in the pow. During my time shoveling the light and fluffy this morn, I brainstormed the HARDEST paved loop route from my front door. Ironically as HARD as this paved route was it had 75% less vert than my average long run in Lory/Horsetooth.

So I retired the shovel for the day and laced 'em up. From my place on the north side of CSU's campus I made my way to Lee Martinez Park where I gained the Poudre Trail and headed west. (I love the fact that no matter how much it snows the bike paths are meticulously plowed before any of the motorized streets.) My shoes grabbed the cement just like Jeremy Lin has grabbed the heart and hope of every Knicks fan. My quads began to quiver with the imperceptible change of grade. I was running uphill, barely.

Soon enough I popped out onto Overland and connected to the Behemoth known as Bingham Hill! I was soon faced with the inevitable question. Do I tuck tail and turn around or do I run out into the abyss of Bellvue and the Fort Collins countryside? Minutes later I found myself hurtling down the other side of the Behemoth! It was the point of no return.

As the adrenaline subsided I made a hard left onto Centennial Dr. I had heard legends about a Dam Hill that had pulverized the fittest men and women. Now at the base I tilted my head all the way back with mouth agape in horror. Could it be climbed? In winter? The conditions were horrible. Hard packed ice and snow. I could see the tracks which led to the wreckage of at least 17 automobiles. And all I had to guide me was a thin layer of foam and rubber underfoot.

I summoned the courage from my third Shot Blok and dug in. Minutes later I was at the top! Holy cow, what a relief! My footwork was spot on and kept me from submerging into the dark depths of Horsetooth Reservoir. I ambled along the rollercoaster road. Soon I saw all the trails I could have been trudging in. But not today, I was on a mission running the HARDEST paved loop from my front door.

In the clouds on Centennial Dr I looked down and barely noticed the coliseum of Hughes Stadium. Minutes later I had another choice. Do I descend to the level of mere mortals or do I climb to the heights of the Bouldering Gods above who inhabit the Piano Rocks, Torture Chamber, and Duncan's Ridge? It must have been a sign.

In the swirling clouds above I saw the silhouette of a lone runner ascending. A right turn it was! Another gnarly climb looked down on me condescendingly. I gritted my teeth and waged epic battle once more. Minutes later I was at the top! It was all downhill from here. I had slayed the dragon!

I saw the lone runner again. This time he was running at me. Up the hill he had just descended. Madness! Who in their right mind would have the bravery to rouse the giant again. As our eyes met I knew the Knight who was up for this challenge. He also chose the surface less taken today. It was Pete the Punisher! With his experience I knew he had the resolve to overcome a challenge of this magnitude. After a Braveheartesque inspired speech I wished him luck on his journey.

I was sent screaming down to the intersection of 38E where I Tokyo Drifted making an insane left turn! From here it was cruise control. I made another left onto the new bike path connector off 38E that will see you through to the Spring Creek Trail. Once on Spring Creek I wound around Rolland Moore and dipped under Shields. Then I gained the Walsenburg connector that spit me out in the neighborhoods south of campus.

The homestretch. I mustered up my last milligram of strength and wobbled through the heart of campus with onlookers gawking as I bobbed and weaved. Soon I saw the construction cranes above me with Laurel St. appearing more and more majestic.

I did it! After the cars passed I crossed Laurel victorious! I just completed the HARDEST paved loop from my front door! I soaked up the moment and highfived all the cheerleaders during my cool down walk. I sat on my front porch a man content. After untying my shoes I knew the run was over. But it shall now go down in history. These words shall give it life for generations to come.

Addendum for the Running Nerds:

Time: 2:44:03.6
Miles: 21.1275
Pace per mile: 7:46.2
Calories: 200.000001
Water: 0.0000000001 (ml)
* I got one snowflake on my tongue which impacted my calorie and water intake for the day*

Superbowl Sprint

I got out today for my 3rd running at the Greeley Superbowl 5K. This is a local classic for a number of reasons: 1. The race starts and finishes at Bells Running, the hub of the Greeley running community. 2. The race benefits my alma-mater, Greeley Central High School and its XC Team. 3. Age group winners receive pies or a dozen cookies which can be brought to the Superbowl party you are attending in the afternoon. 4. A stroll down memory lane- The course winds through the neighborhoods and houses I used to tee-pee late at night as a boy. 5. The ageless wonder Doug Bell. At 61 he beats most men half his age. Case in point- turn back the clock 3 years ago to this race. I ran 17:23. Doug ran 17:10. Enough said. Always good to spend some time and catch up with the legend.

Coming into this years race I was thinking I'd finish with a PR. My once a week track workouts with Stefanovic and the occasional Ruehle have kept me honest. The extrinsic motivation of two tempeh burgers awaiting me after these circle sessions sealed the deal! My first two runnings at the GSB 5K were consistent. At my first 5K ever in 2009 I ran 17:23. Two years older I came back and ran a slightly slower 17:26. This year I got it done and escaped the 17:20's by running a 17:17. A new 5K PR at 32 years young! That sub 17 minute goal is still in my mind. I would definitely need to get some specificity to hit that...the love of the trails seems to kick that goal to the curb a bit.

The race was very spread out. Each of the top three finishers ran in no man's land all day; nobody close to push or pull you along. The winner was a Windsor HS runner in 16:40. I earned the silver and Doug picked up the bronze in 18:23. Four peanut butter cookies later I was at my parents house. Now it's time to watch the Olympics of Advertising...along with some football.

Change

C- Contemplate life. Concentrate on the present.
H- Happiness. Humility.
A- Answers. Adjustment. Alertness.
N- New life.
G- Gratitude. Grace.
E- Energy.

2012 is the year of change for me. Currently I am going through some significant changes in my life. The joy of running has given me ample time and thought to digest my situation and gain some clarity.

Life had become mundane. On its most basic level: eat, sleep, work, run, be with people. I needed more. I needed to get out of my comfort zone and routine. I needed to learn and try new things. I needed to lose myself in order to find more.

Two weeks ago I joined the National Guard. A choice that will guide me for the next eight years. Many friends and family have asked, "Why?" In no specific order I answer: to serve my country/community, to be part of a team, to experience a different culture, to learn a new trade, to honor my grandparents and other relatives that have served, to find new purpose, to earn extra income, and to improve the number of push-ups I can do.

In July I ship out to basic training for 10 weeks. Originally I had planned on running Salida and Zane Grey before Western States. With the change came another change; my race schedule. With various weekend trainings before BT I am looking at Cheyenne Mtn 50K and Quad Rock 50M. States will be a race to celebrate; marking the transition into a new phase of life. After boot camp and once I get some miles under my belt I want to jump into 1-2 more races before years end.

I have been grateful for the support from family, friends, and the folks at Montrail and Mountain Hardwear during this time of shaking things up! With all the change running has been great to process and stabilize each day. When the voice of change began to whisper, three things I learned: Answer it. Let go. Move forward.

2011 Review, Genesis 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Competitive Eating and Ultrarunning

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Steamboat Survivor

Photo: Jesse Malman

Photo: Dylan Bowman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo: Dylan Bowman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thoughts on Steamboat

L to R: McHenry's and Arrowhead

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

Looking down on the Arrowhead Arete

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

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

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

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