Quad Rock Results

A fun day on the hometown trails! Results here.

More to come in the next few days!

Welcome to the Quad Rock...

In your best Sean Connery impression say out loud to yourself, "Welcome to the Quad Rock." Makes you smile doesn't it? Make sure you emphasize your pronunciation of ROCK. The chatter and the temps have been heating up in preparation for next weekends inaugural running. This will be the second ultra to call Fort Collins home alongside the one and only year of the Bluesky 50K. With that said I am looking forward to putting my "undefeated record in ultra races occurring in my hometown" on the line. It is equally impressive as my: Walk to Avo's, eat two tempeh burgers, talk smack with the boys, walk back home, FKT of 2:32:45. And there will be the X-Factor to contend with at QR. More on that later.

Here's a look at the boys in the 50 miler:

MIA- Mike Foote, Jason Schlarb

1. David Riddle- 2011 JFK 50 champ and CR of 5:40! Hands down the speedster and naturally gifted runner of the group. His strength is his speed. Most of his results are 50K's with a few 50M and 100K finishes. He wins nearly everything he has raced. The unknowns: his performance at "altitude" and racing a tough 50M with lots of up and downs.

2. Jacob Rydman- He's having a great 2012 with 2 bronze medals at the Cali Spring Classics of WTC and AR. QR will be the toughest 50 he's raced. Running on all cylinders he'll be one to watch.

3. Paul Terranova- he races a lot of 50K's with a few 50 mile/100K finishes. At Bandera he was right behind Clark this year. He could surprise a lot of runners.

4. Jason Koop- More long haul experience (races 50M and above)than the top three runners combined. He's running strong this year- 2nd at RTTM, 2nd at CM50K, and QR will be his 3rd ultra in 4 weeks. Jason and I battled it out last weekend, won't surprise me a a bit if we're side by side with only a few miles to go.

5. Corey Hanson- Bellvue's Best. He knows these trails better than anyone. His house is a 1/2 mile from the start/ finish. He's got the freshest legs of the bunch with QR being his first race of 2012. Reports from BG indicate that he's running strong. His high muscle glycogen stores are a result of years of GHB fueling.

6. Ryan Burch- (let's see if I can pull off this writing in the 3rd person awkwardness). He's put in consistent training this year with weekly track workouts, solid long runs, a 5K PR, and consecutive sub 30 minute PR's on The Hill. He's only raced one ultra in 2012 with a solid run at CM50K. Next to Corey he has the blueprint memorized for these trails. His best distance is 50 miles. The unknowns: is he fully recovered from CM50K to put forth an A effort? How will he handle the hometown pressure to put a W on the board?

7. The X-Factor. This contender can take out anyone racing next weekend in the blink of an eye. Going unnoticed in nearly every race this deadly force can strike at a moments notice. Look out for the Quad Rock Rattler! My Friday and Saturday runs saw my left foot come within 10 inches of two different rattlesnakes. Friday I was off the race course on the Foothills trail when I ran by a disguised rattler next to a yucca plant who started his battle rattle as I passed him. Way too close! Saturdays encounter was even more alarming. I was ascending the summit rock of Arthur's. 10 feet from the summit coiled up in a small depression on the rock I passed a small two footer who was eerily quiet in the shade. I "woke it up" to distance the snake from the most popular hiking destination in Lory and alerted the ascending groups of hikers on my way down. Needless to say...good luck and watch your step next weekend!

Cheyenne Mountain 50K

Photo- The Gazette, Jerilee Bennett. Post race interview. It was a fun day of racing at the second annual CM50K. I had originally planned to race Zane Grey but had to change the schedule because of National Guard commitments. I had run each distance at CP the last two years so I decided to change it up and find a new race in Colorado to get a measure of my spring fitness level. The morning started out cold. 40 degrees with 20 mph winds. It really bites the skin when you're in shorts and a singlet. I knew I would warm once I began running but the time leading up to the start was filled with shivering and goosebumps. 7:50 AM, still sitting in the car with the heat on. 7:51-7:56, standing inside indoor bathroom. 7:57-START, acting like I wasn't shivering while talking with Koop. By far the best pre-race warmup I've ever had! The race began and I was feeling sluggish. It took a few reminders to tell myself I was racing and not on a training run. Koop and I weaved through the opening miles of undulations and hair pin turns on the trails of Cheyenne Mountain; Colorado's newest State Park. I led the race the first 14 miles with Koop always within 5-20 seconds. He took the lead as we wound down the low grade trail with the finish line in sight to complete our first lap. Jason had a few seconds on me as we clocked the first lap in 1:57. The opening undulations came at us for round two and I was content running a few strides behind him. Jason's stride looked effortless. It's a bit deceiving; he's moving so smooth it doesn't appear like he's going fast..and that's the artistry. Did I mention he ran Zane Grey last weekend- 50 miles of gnarly mountain trails?

Photo- pikespeaksports.us, Tim Bergsten. Spot on AS support- Brandon Fuller. At the 20 mile AS I passed him while he took in some fluids. At this point I tried to create a decent gap and get out of sight on the wooded trails. At mile 23 I couldn't see him when I looked back and thought I was leading by a minute. The next few miles he would get closer and closer as I looked back. I was running consistent and it appeared like he was going faster and faster. At the top of a climb nearing mile 26 he was 5 seconds back. I started envisioning us throwing death moves on each other during the final 5 miles of primarily descending terrain. I foreshadowed the finish being an all out sprint and then puking upon completion. The pain cave looked me right in the eye.

Photo- The Gazette, Jerilee Bennett. Coach Stefanovic expected a win so I knew I had to gut it out. Get on with it! I pushed the descents and put in a solid 5 miles thinking he was just behind the bend when I would look back. Thankfully I created enough of a gap to cancel my foreshadowed ending and crossed the line in 3:57:35 and a second lap split of 2:00. Koop finished 1 minute and change behind me. Overall I had a fun time at this event. The course was flawlessly marked and you can't go wrong with a hot catered meal and post race massage/ART awaiting your finish. This race would be a great choice for anyone considering their first ultra. Great markings, aid every 4-5 miles, a two loop course to gauge pacing, and a good post race area to relive your success! Brandon Fuller's report. In other news...a huge shout out to Dylan Bowman for droppin' the hammer at Leona! Welcome to the Big Dance my friend!

Photo- pikespeaksports.us, Tim Bergsten.

Photo- pikespeaksports.us, Tim Bergsten.

Totally Epic Proportions

I really tried to psych myself up to run the "Round Up" this year. After a lengthy match of mental tennis going back and forth with the pros and cons of this run I'm glad I chose the alternative today. The "Round Up" is only for the hard core runner who enjoys self-flagellation. El Jefe Mejor refers to it as his annual session of "mental callousing." The numbers speak for themselves: 30 miles, 10,000 ft. vertical gain. Here's the kicker- that 30 miles is run on only 4.5 miles of trail! It is literally vertical suicides to each mile marker and back to the bottom as you incrementally ascend Round. Absolute madness I tell you! I myself overdosed on the "mental callousing" running suicides on the b-ball court from 4th-7th grades. The other kicker- (I shouldn't have even asked this question...but I was curious) RB: What time are y'all starting? NC: 5:30 AM. RB: Leaving your house at 5:30? (Another question I just had to ask) NC: No, running from the TH at 5:30. So I did the math. This meant leaving the warm and friendly confines of my residence at approximately 4:35 AM. In the battle of Sleep vs. Round, Sleep handily won.

The alternative. I then had to figure out my long run for the weekend. With Quad Rock quickly approaching I figured I should get a few more laps on the course before the Big Day. Last November Clark and I ran a loop of the course from his door with the addition of both Rock summits. 27 miles, 4:22, 9:45/mile. Today I ran a lap from the door of Bellvue's Best also with the addition of both Rock Summits. 27.6 miles, 4:38, 10:05/mile. Less than 1 mile of repeated terrain, shorter drive time, "mental refreshment",a Goding sighting, and a 10:45AM start time...PRICELESS!

Clark and I were discussing what a superhuman effort on the 50M course would be. It got as low as 7:15. As I look at my times above that were run at steady conversational efforts I'm thinking that only a handful of runners will break 8 hours. 7:30 breaks down into two 3:45 laps...and there will be carnage on the second lap especially if its hot so there will be no negative splitting on this one. If I compare apples to oranges on other two loop 50M courses I've run, the closest lap splits I've had were still 21 minutes apart. That came at CP last year - my best time at Fruita came with at least 40 minutes difference between lap times. To break 7:30 at Quad Rock I'm predicting that the first lap will need to be at least a 3:30 to come back in 4:00. And Quad Rock has significantly more climbing than CP and Fruita. The more I think about it sub 8 sounds more realistic. Nick's CR at Jemez of 8:07 is run on a course with approx. 1000 ft more climbing and at higher altitude. I'm curious to see what time will set the inaugural bar...and pray for sub 80 degree temps on race day!

March Madness

Early miles. Tiernan (in white shirt) looking directly at Horsetooth Rock.

Stevenson, Tiernan, Pedatella. Horsetooth Rock summit.

Pedatella, Clark, Tiernan, Burch. Horsetooth Rock summit.

Group. Arthur's Rock summit.

Tiernan, Pedatella, Stevenson, Kosick. Arthur's Rock summit.

Arthur's Rock view. Horsetooth Reservoir below.

Group. Arthur's Rock summit.

The finish line. 5 men. 37 miles later.

Wow! I am a happy man with the time change and the BEAUTIFUL weather that has sun kissed the Front Range. It has been a huge gift having the extra hour of light and the warmth to run in shorts and a shirt. Ladies and gentlemen Spring Fever has arrived! I've also noticed that people in general have been more apt to smile, say hello, and overall are friendlier on the trails and in town.

The above changes have prompted me to make a few changes of my own and ponder a few others. 1. The 70 degree days have put a solid dent in the snowpack which made for treachery free running on Round Mtn this past Friday. The extra sun after a day at work is calling me to run some of the local peaks that are a little further to get to...and being able to finish without a headlamp...priceless. 2. With the extra warmth I've pondered running shirtless on multiple occasions. However, with the complexion of a surrender flag I have done just that. 3. For those that know me and my complexion well I am proud to say that I have already applied sunscreen twice this past week and doing so crushed my numbers from last year. 4. I'm learning more from nature and applying some of these principles to my life. Snakes shed their skins. Other mammals shed their fur. With the changing of the seasons coming quickly I got out the clippers and took off my winter coat. This is crucial for the heat that will come at States and the hours it could save. 5. It's just great to be outside when it's nice. Dinners on the porch. Riding the bike. Walking the town. Driving with the windows down and the volume turned up. The smell of BBQ's. Awesomeness.

So yesterday I had an awesome run at Lory. One of those runs where you could run effortlessly all day. I felt content doing one of the activities I love in a familiar place that has cultivated that passion. The run was 16 miles. 16 miles for the soul and 16 miles knowing that I would be running at least 35 the next morning.

Usher in Sunday morning and the FCTR version of March Madness. The run circumnavigates Horsetooth Reservoir primarily on dirt. Runners choose either the 23 or the 35 mile option that adds mileage summiting Horsetooth Rock and Arthur's Rock. Pick your start time and enjoy a great group long run for the day followed by a BBQ hosted at Alex May's house (and a huge THANK YOU to Alex and fam for their hospitality).

Around 7:45 I embarked for the day's journey with Clark, Tiernan, Pedatella, and Kosick. It amazes me time after time how much easier and enjoyable it is to run long distances with a group. The collective energy makes the miles and minutes tick by so much faster. All of a sudden we were back at Alex's house! Stats: 37.1 miles with a Westridge bonus. 5:52 run time, 9:30/mile, 7000+ vertical gain, 700 calories, 2 summits, 1 big reservoir run around.

On another note...my first two weekend trainings with the Guard have been great! It has been positive to get out of my comfort zone and experience military culture firsthand. It's refreshing having a time in my life to enter a new world and all the new experiences that come with it. I'm really looking forward to challenging myself in new ways and experiencing so many things that can only be experienced if you choose to serve. Last weekend I got to battle with pugil sticks. I played dodgeball for extra PT. I have needed a job where I can use my mind and my body. The Guard helps tremendously with that need. How many employers want their employees to be fit and actively help them do that? It's encouraging having an employer that expects me to sweat and stay in shape. So far I've been able to do 49 pushups and 41 situps in a minute. I'm also working on improving my mile PR with no warm-up which currently stands at 5:20. New challenges. Good stuff.

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.