No Finishers at Western States

In fact, no starters. The race has been cancelled this year due to the forest fires in the surrounding area. There are over 800 forest fires in California with more than 300 in northern CA alone. A couple of fires have the potential of reaching key location on the race course by the weekend - in particular, the Westville Fire has the potential of reaching the Foresthill Divide Road and the Peavine Fire could reach Last Chance and Mosquito Ridge Road. This would put runners, crews, volunteers and spectators at risk. In addition, given all the smoke and pollutants in the air, the air quality has deteriorated significantly. This prompted Placer County Pollution Control District officials to issue a warning advising individuals to reduce exposure to unhealthy air and avoid vigorous outdoor activities. I'd say a 100 mile trail run qualifies as vigorous outdoor activity.

The cancellation of Western States is unfortunate given the competitive field that was slated to participate this year. In addition, it negates any Grand Slam or Last Great Race efforts. However, this is definitely the right call by the Race Committee. The safety and well being of folks has to be the #1 priority. I am sure the Committee agonized with this decision but in the end had to go with a no risk option. You can read the full text of the official announcement here. Both Karl Meltzer and Andy Jones-Wilkins have written on their blogs about the decision. Bottom line is the Committee made the right call and we should all move on. One thing I am curious about is the entry fees are non-refundable and at $300 a pop, that is a decent amount of cash (about $120,000). The race no doubt has incurred expenses that cannot be recouped but it seems like they could donate at least a portion of the money to help with efforts to battle the fires or to assist in rejuvenating burned areas after the fire. Just a thought.

Change of Plans and Western States Preview

In looking at my race plans for the remainder of 2008, I have decided to forgo another 100 mile race this year. Instead, I have decided to run the JFK 50 and go for a 50 mile PR. To date, most of the ultras I have completed have been on very rocky trails with significant elevation change. While I love this sort of technical terrain, I am curious to see how I fare at some races with more gentler terrain. My physical fitness and mental toughness are at all time highs and I want to really try and race an ultra to see what I can do. Plus, my plans for 2009 include a 100 mile race on gentler terrain so JFK seems like a logical choice. JFK is the oldest (correct me if I am wrong) ultramarathon and will be celebrating its 46th year in 2008. It is definitely a race that I want to do at some point so I figure why not now. I still plan to do Annette's New River 50K in October and may do some other 50Ks in the fall as well. I am still kicking around Hellgate but may defer that to another year.

Western States is this weekend and as many have written, looks to be one of the most competitive fields ever. Karl Meltzer has done a great preview on his blog so I won't bore you with a detailed prediction. I agree with most on the men's side and see the podium as follows:

1. Tony Krupicka
2. Hal Koerner
3. Brian Morrison

Tony has shown he can dominate the 100 mile distance and while I don't think he will "dominate" per se, he does get the top spot. I think Koerner runs another great race and likely leads midway, but ultimately grabs the bridesmaid spot. Morrison had States won two years ago but collapsed on the track and was DQ'd when his crew helped him across the line so that he could get medical attention. last year he DNFd so if anyone has "unfinished business" it is him. Maybe I am sentimental but I think he grabs a podium spot. I also like Andy Jones-Wilkins for another top-10 finish and the masters course record. He will have a battle with the likes of Meltzer and Jorge Pacheco. Again, maybe I am too sentimental but I see AJW's experience ruling the day.

The women's race is equally as stacked with speedsters. It is hard to bet against Nikki Kimball with her repeated success in Auburn. I think Meltzer nailed the order on this one.

1. Nikki Kimball
2. Kami Semick
3. Jenn Shelton

Actually, I hope I am wrong on both the men's and women's picks (sorry Tony and Nikki) because all of these picks are fairly obvious. With such deep fields in both races, it would be cool to see some surprises. You can follow along on the webcast here. Regardless of the outcome, it is surely to be a heck of a race.

Summer is Here

WOW, IS IT HOT!!!!!! The mercury has really risen this week as we have had three consecutive days of 95+ degree temperatures. There is no respite for at least another five days as the first big heat wave of 2008 settles over the southeast. Folks running Old Dominion this weekend are in for a treat as they will no doubt face high in the upper 90s with humidity near 80%! Great heat training for those running Western States or Badwater. I am running neither so it just plain sucks right now. I have managed to get in three quality runs the last two days after being sidelined with a head cold Monday through Wednesday. I am planning on a couple of longish runs over the weekend. On Sunday, I plan to get out in the heat and do 1 to 2 hours in the afternoon. Once I get used to running in the heat, I really don't mind it. Hopefully, I will "get used to it" soon. For now, I will back of the pace 10% or so and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate...

Back on Track

Well, the post-MMT happies have finally worn off and it is now time to resume a regular running routine. I took some time off to recover well and really give my IT band time to get in a better mood. Good news is all seems to be okay at this point. I have been running some and managed about 15 miles the week after MMT with another 10 or so walking and biking. I got in about 30 miles last week mostly recovery runs with nothing longer than 7 miles. However, I did do a 4.5 mile quasi-tempo run on Thursday night and managed to run it in about 33:10 (7:28 pace). Not rocket speed but was able to get good leg turnover early and motored pretty well up the many short hills. It was a great "test run" on the IT band as I expected any lingering issues would definitely surface during the effort. Nope, got nothing and credit the fast healing to heat, massage and frequent stretching. I am pretty excited about recovering so quickly from MMT - all leg and foot soreness was gone by the Wednesday following the race with only some tightness in the IT band remaining until early last week.

Although I have some races tentatively scheduled for the remainder of 2008, my schedule is pretty open with only Laurel Valley as a definite at this point. I plan to do Hellgate in December and want to do another 100 miler in the fall. Grindstone is a possibility but I have a big conflict that may make that race a no go. I am also looking at the Bear 100, Superior Sawtooth 100 and the Pinhoti 100. Bear would be great but with escalating airfares and near $4.00 gas, may be a stretch on the running budget. Superior looks really interesting and is often compared to MMT. Pinhoti is a new race this year but looks to be run on some pretty amazing trails. I am open to any suggestions from readers for both 100 mile and other distances.

I really get excited this time of year as the "peak" of ultra season comes upon us. Western States, Hardrock, Badwater and Leadville (to name a few) are all upon us in the next couple of months. Plus Vermont and Wasatch round out the Grand Slam and of course Mount Blanc over in France in August. Will be fun to watch. Post your race suggestions to the comments field.

Massanutten 2008

Massanutten, THE race for me in the first half of 2008. I had been anxiously awaiting a return to Front Royal since the day after the race last year. Much of my training and other races were used as "experience" for this years race. After entering in December, I was ready to begin focusing on training hard for the big day. I will spare you the details but the training was as much mental as it was physical. Much of my issues last year were created in my head so that I was already defeated when the physical issues surfaced late in the race. Last year, I felt as if I "grew up" at Massanutten, at least a bit. With the augmented training and another year of running ultras, I had grown even more. This year was all about a new experience for me. After all, I had more course knowledge, was in better shape and was so excited for the race that I felt I could improve significantly over last year.

We rented a great house in Front Royal with Mike Mason and his family and Todd Walker. We also had crews, pacers and other friends staying with us so we had a great group at the house. I arrived Thursday afternoon and fell in love with the Gooney Lodge the moment we arrived. On Friday, Mike and I hiked up to Buzzard Rock to check out the course and noticed how wet it was. No surprise as it pured rain on Thursday evening. We also stopped by Kerry Owen's house and talked with her, Mike Bur and Rich Limacher. Although I am a member of the VHTRC, living in Charlotte, NC does not afford a lot of opportunity to hang out with other members, so I enjoyed this immensely. We had a great dinner at the house Friday night and the rest of the crew arrived that afternoon. Before I knew it, the alarm was going off signaling 3:45 AM - time to ROCK!

The weather seemed almost perfect - cool with a light breeze. With the shout of "Get out of here", we headed down the road and I settled in to a good pace with Joe Clapper. I had no business running at his pace but I felt okay and figured I would hang while I could. I started with an empty water bottle (advice given by another VHTRC member) so I stopped briefly at AS 1 to fill up. Before long I caught back up to Joe and talked with him a bit while we ran. I really enjoyed the conversation and before long, Brennen Wysong and CJ Blagg joined in. I was definitely moving faster than expected to be running with this group, but I felt good and figured there is plenty of time to slow down in the next section. I shared about one mile with Amy Sproston, chatting about her recent trip to Bolivia. She went on to win the women's race.

I arrived at Shawl Gap about 25 minutes ahead of schedule, filled up and headed out. Joe, CJ and company left me in the dust on the way into Shawl Gap and I didn't see them again until Bird Knob (them descending, me ascending). I cranked up the tunes and just ran, arriving at Veach Gap. I declined the pancakes but did say hi to Bur, whom I had met the day before. The next sections were uneventful and I just kept plodding along and leapfrogged a bit with a group of three other guys. Stopped briefly at Milford to fuel up good and clean my sunglasses and then it was off to Habron. The leapfrog game continued all the way into Habron Gap. I felt terrific and was well ahead of my 2007 split. The first ( and most difficult in my opinion) climb loomed on the way to Camp Roosevelt. I ate a lot at Habron and took it really easy on the climb up to let the calories process. Soon, I was headed down again and was amazed how great I was feeling. It was still early but I was very syked. At Camp Roosevelt, I sat down for a couple of minutes and drank a couple of extra cups of Gatorade and ate some banana then headed to Gap I.

The climb on the way to Gap I wore on me a bit but I had a ton of fun running the downhill despite the trail being sloppy. All of sudden I heard the infamous rattlesnake of MMT 2008 and saw him off to the left of the trail. He didn't seem to feel like talking so I headed off and made my way to Gap I. There were several muddy and wet spots on the course up to this point and my shoes (Montrail Streaks) were draining great. I hoped this would continue. I got to Gap I around 1:45, ahead of schedule and way ahead of 2007. I didn't stay long because I wanted Kern's Mountain to be over. After climbing Jawbone, I made the left onto Kern's and picked my way through the boulders and started running the ridge line. I slowed down a bit here so I was passed by some folks but soon got re energized and caught back up. Eventually, I latched on to a train with Sniper, Mark and Rande and followed them all the way to the water drop at Crisman Hollow Road. I filled up, jumped into the big mud puddle (fun fun fun!) and started the final 5K to 211 East.

Descended Waterfall and passed the turnoff to go to Gap II and climbed up and over to the jeep road. Sniper and Co. (sans Rande who passed me before Waterfall) caught up on the jeep road and we ran into 211 East together. I said hello to Dr. Horton and Bryon Powell who both offered encouraging words. My family arrived about 5 minutes after I left but I am glad Rich got me out of there. I felt great going up to Bird Knob but took it easy on the climbs. Several runners passed me as they descended including Joe, CJ, Brennen and Amy from the early morning section of the race. One I got to the top I started running and ran most of the "ant hill road" in to the aid station. It was pretty windy so I downed some soup, filled my bottles and headed off. I wanted to run this section well and that is what I did, ran and ran and ran. It felt so much better to stretch the legs out after the climb. I passed several folks on their way up including Sherpa John, Jeff McGonnell, John Straub, Ed C., Gary Knipling and many others. Gary remarked how much better I looked compared to last year. I thanked him and made my way down and in to 211 East II.

Rich was ready to roll so we headed off. I didn't need to turn my headlamp on until the final 45 minutes of this section. The moonlight was magnificent. We moved a bit slow but managed good progress and arrived at Gap II (no snake this time) where I planned to fuel up really well. After a full quesadilla and a grilled cheese we headed off to tackle Jawbone the second time. I labored pretty hard on the climb but was able to move on the descent in to Moreland pretty well. I decided to eat some soup and drink some Coke here to prepare for the long section over Short Mountain that was upon us. I filled up my hydration bladder and pulled up my arm sleeves and started off. It was raining off and on and the wind was gusting but it wasn't too bad. Mark was still with us and we climbed up and were soon on the ridge. The Short Mountain section is just hard. It is over 8 miles long and you are out there for a long time. We made decent progress but I was stumbling and Mark was having trouble staying awake. We stopped for a bit to get our heads straight and then started up again. Sniper and his pacer soon passed us around the halfway point. I was anxious to get to the switchbacks to run and stretch the legs. Before long we were there and I ran as hard as a I could and was soon at the Edinburgh aid station right at 2:00 AM. By comparison, last year I arrived just before 6:00 AM. I ate some more soup and drank some ginger ale. Also, I brushed my teeth and bid goodbye to Rich. I thanked him for all of his help and me and my new pacer (Rebecca Phalen) headed off to Woodstock Tower.

This is another 8+ mile section that just goes on and on. I knew (from Sniper last year) that there were three signs and that the mileage on the first two was inaccurate but the third was pretty close. I was struggling big time and not eating for some reason. I couldn't figure out what the issue was but I had no energy and could not make any decent progress (how about not eating you moron...). Rebecca was great at motivating me to keep moving. I felt sick and she urged me to start eating clif blocks, which went down okay. I also wasn't drinking enough. This is also where my IT band started bothering me a good bit. I noticed some tightness while on Short Mountain but it went away when I ran. This time, running was excruciating, particularly downhill. Not a good sign. I could power walk though, so that is what I did. We got passed a lot but there was nothing I could do about it. In the 3:40 or so (I know, pathetic) it took me for this section I only drank 20 ounces of Gatorade and ate 2 gels and a pack of clif blocks. No wonder I had no energy. Kind of a boneheaded mistake for me to make. We limped in to Woodstock Tower just before 6:00 AM. I was still way ahead of last year but wanted to keep moving. If this turned into a death march, I wanted something in the bank. I ate some grilled cheese, crackers and Doritos and we headed off.

We ran in decent spurts on this next section but still got passed by one runner. Not that it mattered. Although I wasn't moving as fast as I wanted, I WAS giving it all I had. Soon we got to Powell's Fort and we decided to work on my leg some. I ate some sausage and pancakes and drank some Coke and water. Rebecca is a physical therapist so she massaged my leg and rubbed some mineral ice into it to loosen it up. Afterwards, we got up and headed off. We ran a good bit of the road as the rain started coming down and soon were at the trail. She did a terrific job of motivating me to "run to the next streamer" or "run to the bend in the road". The trail was wet and sloppy and we climbed over several blow downs. My IT band was still bothering me but I could still power walk. The biggest issue was the loss of mobility in the right leg. I could push through the pain but could not physically lift my leg enough to run the downhills. We tried fashioning an IT band strap out of my bandanna but I couldn't get it to provide any relief. Oh well. Soon we were at the last aid station. I still had a full bottle so I said "16 in, 16 out" to the cheers of all the aid station workers. Only 5 miles to go but at my pace it would probably take 2 hours.

We motored on and climbed up and up and up to the top. I had lost a good bit of dexterity and almost fell back several times. I lost focus here some and was so frustrated I was almost in tears. Rebecca kept up the positive talk and got me back on track. Soon we headed down and I power walked/ran as best as I could. We got to the gravel road and then the paved road and then, at last, the bridal trail to the finish. Finally, I went across in 31:34 - a 3:30 improvement over last year!

I was elated that I was done. I thought I would have run a better time, particularly as well as I was moving earlier. But, these things are not easy and there is always an unexpected twist. A 3:30 improvement to me is a great accomplishment. I gave it everything I had and didn't waste time in the aid stations this time, so I consider it a resounding success. After some pictures, high fives, hugs and a tasty cheeseburger (thanks Quatro and Tom Corris), it was time to get cleaned up and climb in the car for the ride back to Charlotte. MMT 2008 was over - hard to believe.

This race is in my blood for some reason. I just love everything about it. The VHTRC does a great job and my wife commented how friendly everyone was. Thank you to RD Stan, all the volunteers, aid station workers and everyone who made the run possible. I can't thank my pacers Rich and Rebecca enough for keeping me focused and moving forward.

Massanutten, I just love it and for me...MASSANUTTEN ROCKS!!!

Rocks Await!

Well, IT is here!!! A week from now (literally) I will be out on the Massanutten course somewhere, hopefully feeling strong:-). Massanutten (or simply MMT) has been at the center of my training (and life according to my family) since January. It was my first 100 mile race last year and I got a huge boost in mental confidence through "debuting" on such a rugged course. Although I was successful (click here for the 2007 report), I made a lot of mistakes that cost me hours of additional time on the course. So, in a sense, I have some "unfinished business" this year. I have made tremendous improvements in my running and whole approach to races over the last 12 months. I will spare you all the details but one area that has vastly improved is aid station efficiency. The Bedrock that lolly gags in and out of aid stations and "holds court" for a spell is a thing of the past. This is one area that cost me dearly last year. I do give myself a bit of a break since I have only been at this ultra thing for not even two years. However, I HAVE made tremendous improvement here and hope that it transcends to a better MMT in 2008. Since MMT last year, I have completed three tough trail races (2 were significantly harder than the other one) and was much more efficient in the aid stations by getting what I needed and then hitting the road. I have the capability, just have to put it to use.

My fitness (both physically and mentally) are significantly better. Some of that likely comes from the experience of another year but a significant piece is from some alterations to my training since January. There is absolutely no doubt - MMT is my focus race this year. MMT is to Bedrock what Western States is to guys like AJW and LB. For those that know me well, I am a bit of a research freak. However, I have not obsessed about the details as much this year. While educating yourself about the course and getting some advice from past participants is no doubt important, agonizing over multiple year split times and a host of other "things" is totally unproductive. I feel much more relaxed as the "rock concert" looms.

A good friend of mine that is also running MMT joked with me the other day, that the race is "all he seems to think about". I remarked that it is okay because in 10 days there is no reason to "think" about MMT any longer as it will be a memory (hopefully a "pleasant" one). I know it will be a ton of fun and the VHTRC does such a great job with this race that all you really have to worry about is the running (and walking). It is amazing how "easy" things look on paper or as you verbalize them. In the end, the experience is what matters. I will no doubt get an experience this year. With my training, mental resolve and better attitude going in, the experience should be an epic one at that. Stay tuned for a link to where you can track my progress next weekend. Peace.

Hooky Run

Back in March this training run was put on the calendar as a great final "push" before tapering for Massanutten. The last couple of months I have been running in the afternoons but wanted to dedicate a full day to this run so I decided to take a Friday off - hence the "hooky run". A running buddy of mine had to bail out at the last minute so I went up knowing that I would be running most of the day solo. I run alone in many races so this was no big deal.

I had been corresponding with Adam Hill who lives in the area I was running and puts on several tough organized training runs throughout the year. Basically I told Adam what I wanted to do in terms of distance, elevation gain and time on my feet and he "designed" an appropriate route for me. I have emailed with him several times over the last year but had never actually met him before. So, off I went to the Kitsuma trail head (about 1:45 from Charlotte) on Friday morning to meet up with Adam and his friend Paul. They both would run some of the early portions of the run with me. We met up around 7:00 AM and after discussing the map/route a bit, we were off. The planned route went on the Kitsuma Trail over Kitsuma peak and down to the picnic area. It then followed asphalt for about 3 miles past Andrews Geyser and up across the train tracks to the Heartbreak Ridge trail (name much deserved). Heartbreak Ridge spilled onto the Toll Road that you take out of Montreat up towards Mt. Mitchell. At that point, you could go right and head towards to Blue Ridge Parkway ("BRP") on the way to the Mitchell summit or go left and head down the Toll Road into Ridgecrest or Montreat and back to Kitsuma. If I followed the route I could get between 30 and 40 miles in. I hoped to get at least 5,500 feet of climb and about 7 to 8 hours on my feet. I planned to take a fairly easy pace hopefully simulating the late stages of a 100 mile race.

The Kitsuma trail is a great stretch of trail that very quickly climbs up over the Kitsuma peak and then blasts its way down into the valley. We ran along and Adam pointed out several wildflowers. We all remarked how "early" they seemed to be out this year. Adam and Paul are much faster runners than I am and I explained that I was purposefully taking it slow and they were fine with that. We had a great time talking and just enjoying the trail. About 3 miles in, Adam had to bid us farewell and after thanking him for all of his help, Paul and I continued on. In the event of any difficulty, Adam gave me his cell phone number (remember this for later). Paul and I made our way to the picnic area where I used the restroom and we headed up the asphalt road. Although it was road, this section was very peaceful as several folks said hello to us and we did not come upon a single car inn the 3 mile jaunt. Paul pointed out a cabin he and his family have rented during trout fishing trips. The cabin had a pretty cool history as it was built by a "train baron" who placed it such that he could see the trains traversing the mountains and ridge lines around him. Before long, we made our way up the steep trail and got on Heartbreak Ridge.

We climbed several (I think eight or nine) switchbacks up the trail taking notice of many fallen trees. We both remarked how it would be an amazing sight to see and hear such large trees come crashing down. I could tell I was holding Paul back so I eventually advised him to go on and enjoy his run as I was going to be taking it easy for a good while. With that, he was off but I would see him again. I absolutely loved the Heartbreak Ridge section as the trail was challenging and the views were absolutely spectacular. There were many occasions where I was unable to pass up stopping and taking in the unadulterated beauty around me. I placed a call to my buddy who was at the office to "rub it in" a bit but kept on moving. I felt great and was eating about 2 gels and 3 shot blocks every hour. I had plenty of water but knew it would be a little tight getting to the first water source. I noticed lots of dogwoods and mountain laurel along the trail and it was gorgeous! I was careful to follow the yellow blazes and took note of the landmarks Adam advised me of in his excellent directions. Before long, I arrived at the Toll Road and noticed the campers and bear cabin on my right as I intersected with the road. I decided to turn right and do an out and back up to the BRP but would not go to the Mitchell summit. I figured I would have an opportunity to "add on" mileage if I wanted to down lower on the Toll Road (boy was I right). I was amazed how peaceful it was as the silence was broken by the occasional car as I approached the BRP. I made my way back down the Toll Road and before long was right back at the Heartbreak Ridge intersection. I reviewed the map once more and then headed on my way.

For those that have not run on the Toll Road, it is a very rocky and technical stretch of "road". Actually, it is very MMT-esque in certain spots (especially higher up). It is all runnable but you really have to watch your footing in several stretches. Fortunately, it was fairly dry so the rocks were not slick. I can imagine how difficult it would be during the Mitchell Challenge in February when it is coated in ice. Eventually I came to a fork - on the left, a white gate and on the right the road appeared to circle around. I took the left and went around the gate. Now the real "fun" would begin as I was about to get 6 or 7 bonus miles and about 2,200 feet of bonus elevation gain. Not to mention a nice lesson in rationing water...

This section was very steep and mostly downhill. It was great technical running and I was having a lot of fun. The trail was totally exposed but offered incredible panoramic views to the east and south. I continued my way down but did find it curious that some of the landmarks weren't showing up. I rationalized that I unknowingly missed them since I had not run this section before. After about an hour or so, the trail leveled out and presented me with another fork. To the left it went steeply up through private land while to the right, the trail went down into the woods (although I did see old ribbons on the trail). Straight ahead was a rolling "double track" section. I went straight but after about a mile, the trail ended at a waterfall. I was certain Adam would have mentioned a waterfall so I headed back to the fork and took the "right" fork and followed the old ribbons. Eventually the trail turned into a deer path and soon I was in knee deep leaves when the trail just stopped. Uh oh! I called Adam and left a message and then called Mason at work since I knew he has run this route several times before. Mason's immediate reply was: "I have always wondered where the trail behind that white gate went"... My mistake was all the way back at the white gate on the Toll Road. Ugggh! I passed the gate about an hour ago and had about 5 ounces of water left...

I got right to work and climbed and climbed and climbed and then, climbed some more. The sun was beating down on the exposed trail and I noticed a dark cloud forming. Fortunately, the cloud didn't materialize but my cell phone did start acting weird. I couldn't get the screen to work and it would only answer on speakerphone. Oh well, onward and upward - literally. I admit I was a little scared due to the water situation. I have never been "off course" or gotten lost before so I suppose I was due. I started thinking of contingencies but soon I saw the white gate. Wow, I made pretty good time on the arduous climb back up. Might as well have been the pearly gates to heaven because I was psyched to see it. Now I know where I was and this gave me some unexpected rejuvenation. Another call to Mason and I learned that water was not far away. Adam returned my call and made sure I was back on track. I told him that given the bonus miles, I might bail out at Montreat but would decide later. Soon I was at "Earl's Cabin" and filled up my bottle, hydration pack and doused my head in the cold clear mountain water. It felt great.

I started running and really cranking out a good pace. I looked at my watch and it said I had already been 29 miles and climbed 7,300 feet! Wow! Soon I saw the green bear cabin and decided to call Adam and get directions on how to bail early. At Sourwallow Gap I headed into Montreat and met Adam and Paul. My watch showed a final distance of about 33 miles and I had been going for about 7 hours. I still had tons of energy but it was smart to cut it short.

Adam and Paul had all kinds of snacks for me including a Clif bar, cookies, trail mix, sports drink and even a beer. I devoured the Clif bar, cookies and most of the trail mix. I also drank most of the sports drink but passed on the brew. I had only met these guys this morning but they treated me like a lifelong friend. We talked about my run some and then headed to Paul's house so he could take me to get my car. He offered me more food and a shower if I wanted to clean up. I decide to just go to the car and head home but was very appreciative of his hospitality. Before Adam left he told me I had a "gift" at my car. When Paul and I arrived, Adam had left me a really cool pint glass on my hood. What a great gesture. After thanking Paul, I made my way back to Charlotte.

This was a fantastic training run and an incredible set of trails I got to run on (even the bonus section which I have dubbed the "Bedrock Spur"). I got a huge boost of confidence going into MMT with this run (and the Crowders Run the weekend before). I got another rugged run in the Streaks (they worked great), got to test out some more race day gear and discovered some wonderful trails to train on. I even got a "finisher's award" - the pint glass :-) Most importantly though, I made two new good friends in Adam and Paul. These guys are two of the most genuine and "real" people I have met who just love being out in the woods pushing the limits. After all, isn't that what the "it" in trail running is all about? Running with friends in the woods and enjoying the nature around us.

Now I am officially tapering for Massanutten and feel really great going into the race. Stay tuned for a few more posts about my preparation and of course a race preview in a couple of weeks. Peace to all.

Crowders Mountain Training Run

I had one of my best training runs ever today at Crowders Mountain State Park. With Massanutten looming in just four weeks, I only have a few opportunities to get good quality long efforts in before my taper. Mason and I have a great day planned for next week up in and around the Black Mountain/Mount Mitchell area. Our friend Adam Hill is planning a route for us that I am sure will be phenomenal. I wanted to get a really solid workout on some technical trails with some good elevation change. My plan was to use today's run and next weeks run as "test runs" for MMT. Today I tested out the Montrail Streaks, which are what I plan to use at MMT. I will give a full review in a separate post but suffice it to say, I really like these shoes. I also tested out a new waist belt from Nathan that worked like a charm. All in all, today's run was fantastic. Over the course of about 5 hours, I got 28ish miles in and close to 6,000 feet of elevation gain. Crowders has several options for loops and I combined several sections to create the hilliest run I could. Some keys about this run:

• Nutrition worked great, ate a GU every 45 minutes and some shot blocks on the hour (I also ate two peanut butter sandwiches and drank a 20oz. Gatorade on the way).
• Hydration - drank GU2O for the first 2 hours and then switched over to water
• Had no ankle or foot issues throughout the entire run
• Finally think I have managed to get 100% comfortable "picking lines" to run on technical terrain rather than trying to "hop" from rock to rock in a timid fashion. I am certain that running with confidence and committing 100% to the "line" played a big role in my not only not rolling the ankle but also staying upright all day.
• The weather was a hodge podge, warm at first and then windy and cool as the showers moved in during the last 2 hours of the run.
• I had a ton of FUN today working the hills and running in the rain. What a blast!

I have really noticed that my climbing has gotten A LOT better. There is a ~2 mile climb that used to take me about 40 minutes (when training for GEER back in the fall) that I did today in 30 minutes! I also came back down about 3 or 4 minutes faster for a round trip improvement of almost 15 minutes. This is a big boost for me going into MMT. I was so jacked after the run that I started calling folks to tell them about it, which is something I rarely do. Hopefully next week will go as well as today did. I will write more about the Streaks in the next couple of days.

Alexander Supertramp

I saw the movie Into The Wild this past weekend and thought it was a great story. I started reading the book a couple of years ago but got sidetracked and never finished it. Alexander Supertramp is the name moniker adopted by Chris McCandless during his journey across America and to the Alaskan wilderness. The story certainly has adventure at its heart but it also unmasks many of the pitfalls in our society today including the obsession of most folks with materialism, status and bank account balances. One of the best lines in the movie is when Alex notes how amazed he is at just how bad people generally treat each other every day. Think about it. How often do you get angry over such minuscule details such as someone driving too slow, talking too loud or looking too different? I now I do far too often.

My rant does have some running content. As I watched the movie I was reminded of several parallels with ultra running and trail running in particular. See, I admittedly used to be obsessed with materialism and even owned a Rolex at one point (I know, ludicrous). Discovering trail running (through ultras) in 2006 introduced me to a purer form of myself. Over the last two years, I have developed much more appreciation for the "simpler" things in life such as my family and frolics through the woods testing my endurance. Tony Krupicka is often noted for his "minimalist" approach to life and how running through the woods exposes his own "primal existence". I can certainly identify with that, at least on some level.

Anyway, my training is going very well as I have about two more solid weeks before tapering for Massanutten. I feel very good both physically and mentally and am starting to get details such as crew and pacers all worked out. A couple of epic training runs await including a beast of a day next week with Mason. Details/report to follow afterwards. Definitely check out Into The Wild either in print or on the screen and see if you can unleash your own Alexander Supertramp from within.

Pacing

I drove up to the Umstead 100 this weekend to volunteer as a pacer. This is the first time I have done pacing duty and ended up running with my friend John Straub. I really liked the whole pacing thing - helping someone finish their race, previewing a race course, etc. What I found I enjoyed the most was the camaraderie with the runner and learning things that will help my own race efforts.

John ran a great race. When I arrived, I soon found that he was on loop 6 (75 miles) rather than loop 5 (62.5 miles) as expected. We got right to work once he was ready and I would run with him for both of his final two loops. He said he felt okay but that his stomach was not cooperating - gels were intolerable so he was relying on Boost, PBJ and shot blocks. As this was a loop course he had several landmarks that he was using to mix up the run/walk combination. A very good idea and one that can be applied in point-to-point races as well. We kept the pace up and I did my best to push him as much as I could and it seemed like we were passing someone every 10 minutes or so. We checked into the aid station and after a quick stop headed out to the "sawtooth" section of undulating ups and downs. We power walked the uphills and bombed the downhills. Soon we were at the turnoff and a bit later back at the start/finish. John took some Tylenol and I grabbed some more gel and changed out of my long sleeve shirt.

We walked the first mile to let John recover some and then began to pick up the pace. John did not know it, but when we left on loop 7 he was in 20th place and we passed a lot of people on the last loop. Many of these were folks a lap or two behind us but I was sure he had picked up several spots. More importantly, he wanted to break 23 hours and it was only 12:00AM so I knew his goal would be met. I did not share any of this with him until much later and focused on pushing him to keep going. Even when we walked, it was at a good clip and when running, I could tell he was really giving it his all. Before long, we were back at the aid station and I decided to carry his drop bag with me so he wouldn't have to worry about waiting around for it.

Shortly after leaving, John "lost" all the calories he had just ingested but with less than 5 miles to go we were not worried. I adopted a "nobody gets by" approach at this point, John just didn't know it yet. I would really push the walk up the hills and John was right there. I would hammer the downhills and he was right there. We topped off at the last water stop and about 1.5 miles from the finish my watch read 2:22 AM so I spilled the beans:

Me: "John, what was your time goal again?
John: "Sub-23 hours.:
Me: "Do you think you can run 1.5 miles in 38 minutes?"
John: "Um, yeah, why do you ask?"
Me: "Cool, because that is what you need to break 21 hours!"

John was siked and I was glad I didn't say anything until now. We declared that the new goal was 20:45 and took off. We passed Jaret and got to the turnoff an my watch read 2:32, so the goal was again changed. I told John to GO! and he did in an effort to get in at 20:40. His final time was 20:40:56. Upon finishing, I strolled over to the leader board.

Me: "Um, John you are top 10 overall."
John: "No way."

It WAS true, John was 8th male and 10th overall. What a great race for him and a great experience for me. While I take no credit for John's result, I do think my presence helped keep him focused and made time go by more quickly. I think there are some key things every pacer should do when jumping in to run.

-Asses the "status" of your runner - hydration, stomach, fatigue, etc.
-Be assertive but remember "who" is boss - the runner.
-Subtly find ways to push them and keep them motivated and encouraged.
-Ask often about electrolytes, pain, feet, etc. as they are likely to forget things late in the race.
-During rough patches, let them recover but keep them focused on hydration/calories.
-Be prepared to run in silence or to talk your head off - whatever the runner prefers.
-Have fun and stay in good spirits yourself.

Not exhaustive but this also would serve anyone well to do this in your own races. I look forward to hopefully pacing more in the future.

LaSportiva Raceblades Review

There has been a good bit of press recently on LaSportiva. They have really stepped up with sponsorship for a number of well known ultra veterans including Karl Meltzer, Mark Tanaka and Emily Baer. They have sponosored a mountian running team for several years and have had several notable athletes excel at many distances on trails. Their shoes have gotten a lot of press over the last couple of years as the "minimalist" approach to shoes has caught on. I tried some Inov-8 shoes last year and really liked the flexibility but the shoes were just a bit too narrow for me. I also am a big guy at 6'2" and 183 lbs so I have to be a little careful not to use "too little" shoe. With all of that qualification, here are my thoughts on the Raceblade.

I really like the whole set-up of this shoe. It has a very flexible sole and a real "grippy" outsole. I also like the extra protection around the toebox and the general lower profile of the shoe. Even the "Ferrari-esque" color scheme is tolerable. Perhaps my favorite feature is the connected tongue of the shoe. The shoe goes on kind of like a wetsuit booty and fits nice and snug around your foot. Although I haven't run on dusty trails with them, I expect that this will help to keep small rocks and dust out. I tested the shoes a couple of weeks ago while down in Georgia with my family during my kids spring break. I ran some fun trails in and around the Okefenokee Swamp Recreation area. They were flat as a pancake but with a lot of rain in the days before, they were muddy and slick in several spots. I managed to put about 40 miles on the shoes over 4 days and had no issues with them at all. I even ran about 4 miles on asphalt with them and they worked great. The shoes drained very well and did not give me any blisters. The question remaining was how will they work on technical trails and should I use them in a 100 miler?

I ran the Bel Monte 50 Mile in these shoes and the course was a beast (as my previous post says). Lots of rocky trails and a good number of water crossings. I had no issues whatsoever in the shoes including no blister or toenail problems. I did turn my ankle several times but blame my lack of recent rocky trail running for that and not the shoes. Again, the shoes drained very well after several ankle deep water crossings. In short, I really like these shoes a lot and think they are an excellent choice for me. However, I only expect to wear them during the first half of Massanutten. These shoes would be great for someone who is very good at picking lines through very technical terrain, which I am not. I tend to just hop from rock to rock in the really gnarly sections and think a more substantive shoes (i.e., Montrail Vitesse or Vasque Mercury) is more appropriate for this. Particularly in the later stages of Massanuteen when I am fatigued and the rocks grow in size. For me, this shoe is ideal for up to 50 miles or perhaps a 100K distance or a 100 on gentler terrain than MMT. I have not tried the Fireblade but Karl Meltzer seemed to really dig it during the Coyote Two Moon.

I may try the Fireblade later in the season and if so, will post a review. With MMT only a month and a half away, I am hesitant to try something new at this point. LaSportiva shoes are definitely worth checking out.

%@#*&% - A Bel Monte 50M Report

One word sums it all up - TOUGH!! This was the 4th annual Bel Monte Endurance Run and the inaugural year of the 50 mile distance. I ran the 50K last year which I appropriately dubbed the "Bel Monster". Well, this year the Bel Monster returned in all her glory and did not disappoint. This is probably the worst race I have ever had in terms of finish time yet one of the most rewarding efforts I have managed since getting into ultra running.

A group of us from Charlotte drove up early on Friday and helped out some with the pre race set-up activities. We all remarked how wonderful the weather was and how great it was to not be in a corporate office on such a fabulous day. The starting temp was expected to be in the low 30s but if it was below 40 I would be surprised. The sky was dark but clear and we started what would be a beautiful day of running in the mountains. I started out hard, probably too hard but I wanted to try and cover the first couple of sections in a quick time, which I did. Unfortunately, I did twist my ankle pretty badly on the descent down Kennedy Ridge but I still managed to get there ahead of schedule. The temps warmed up pretty quickly as I headed down the road towards the next aid station but I was still making good time and the level surface helped to stretch out my ankle a bit.

I felt great as I left to go down toward the Torrey Furnace. This was my favorite section of the course as it was entirely single track and had a fun downhill to the furnace. Unfortunately again, I rolled my ankle severely as I neared the bottom. It really hurt but I took it easy and got to the climb back up. The laws of gravity are unfortunate sometimes in that what goes down must eventually go up:-). My ankle was throbbing but I got some Advil and that really helped. I felt very good otherwise. The next section was a long out and back along the Mill Creek trail with several ankle deep water crossings. The cool water felt good and I continued to make decent time. At this point I knew running a good time was out the window so I just focused on moving forward and figured this would be an excellent training run for Massanutten (after all that was why I entered this in the first place). At the end of the trail there is a lovely series of switchbacks that just suck the life out of you. I was pretty pleased with my effort here and with the plunge back down as I managed to make it without rolling the ankle.

After finishing the Mill Creek section again we spilled out onto the road section from earlier in the day and I decided to try and push as hard as I could manage. I knew I had a beast of a climb next and the most technical section of the race in the final 13 miles so if I was to make up some time, this was my chance. I passed about 11 people in this 3 mile section. Although 4 or 5 would later re-pass me on a downhill, running the road section fast was definitely a good idea. Next up was the climb back up Kennedy Ridge. I hoped to make good time here and wanted to get to the jeep road up top it in less than an hour and I did, 56 minutes to be exact. I then ran most of the way to the final aid station and...you guessed it, rolled my ankle yet again about 50 yards from the station.

I filled up and headed out hoping to make decent time on the last section. Very soon you face a very technical ridgeline section that rolls up and down. I just did not have the confidence to run the downhills on it so I ran the flats and tried to run some of the uphills. I know this is kind of weak and whiney but I figured better safe than sorry. This kept me moving and before too long I was at the one mile plunge down to the road to the finish. I power walked/stumbled down and then ran the final road/trail section into the finish to cross the line in 12:20. I had hoped to break 11 hours but most folks ran about 60 to 90 minutes slower than expected. Considering Mike Mason, the overall winner ran close to 9 hours and fast guys like Greg Loomis barely broke 10 hours, this was definitely a beast of a course. In fact, very early on they extended the final cutoff to 12:30 from 12 hours. As slow as I was, I was pretty much mid-pack. Of the 100 or so that started, only 60 finished!

I was pretty dejected after the race and even into this week but I am over it know. My focus is Massanutten and getting prepared for it and this race went a long way to do that. In fact, I would argue that this 50 miles is harder than either half of Massanutten. Also, not to make excuses but I have not run much on technical trails yet this year so that is a likely reason for the lack of confidence and the ankle rolls.

What a beautiful day in the mountains and I had a blast seeing folks on the course. I also ran in the LaSportiva Raceblades, which worked great. I will post a brief review of the shoes shortly.

Thanks to Gill, Francesca, Marty, Sniper and all the other volunteers who put together such a fantastic race. The aid stations were well stocked and the course was very tough but also very scenic and enjoyable. Definitely a race I will return to.

Bel Monte Preview

Well it's finally here - the first ultra of the season. The Bel Monte Endurance Run 50 Miler. After an extended break at the end of 2007, I focused my training on setting a marathon PR which I successfully did at Myrtle Beach in February. My fitness level and mental confidence are both in a good place for this point in my season. Despite some difficult work and general life issues, I have been able to channel much of my energy into training and Bel Monte will be an excellent opportunity for me to assess where I stand. The course will be a beast as the 50 mile option is new and features about 12,000 feet of climb and an abundance of rocky trails. The 50K option is no walk in the park with over 7,000 feet of climb. Both attributes are key for my training for Massanutten, which is my focus race for the first half of 2008.

Last year, I ran the 50K at Bel Monte and the race was dubbed the "Bel Monster" due to the multitude of difficulty I faced, most of which was self inflicted. I have learned a lot since then and hopefully will not make the same sophomoric mistakes. But, should I do so, hopefully I can overcome them much more effectively. I will also be wearing the LaSportiva Raceblades that I have been running in lately. I love the feel of these shoes and am curious how they will feel after running a technical course for an extended period of time. I will include a report on the shoes after the race along with my usual report.

Goal time? I don't really have one (at least that I will admit to). I hope to run well and think that I can post a pretty nice time if all goes to plan. As for predictions, I think Mason is the obvious choice for the win. He is in shape and will be on fresh legs. He grabbed third at GEER 100K only 3 weeks after taking top 5 at Wasatch and we will cover much of the same course. The weather looks to be ideal as long as the wet stuff stays away. Stay tuned for the report.

Also, the Coyote Two Moon is cranking up this Friday. This is a new race that "replaced" the Coyote Four Play run put on by Chris Scott of C4P fame. Coyote Two Moon looks to be a heck of a course with a 100K and 100 mile option. Interestingly, it features a staggered start so that everyone finishes within a four hour window. The faster you are, the later you start. Some notable names are running including Meltzer, AJW, Koerner and Ishikawa. On the ladies side, not a lot of household names but Betsy Nye looks to have a good shot. That is who Meltzer is picking so who am I to disagree. The men's race will be interesting. Meltzer is definitely fresh and is a mountain specialist and I don't expect Koerner or AJW to run hard after Cool and with States beckoning. The wild cards are Ishikawa or Justin Angle. At the end, I think Meltzer grabs it. Will be fun to watch.

Catching Up

Things have been pretty hectic the last several weeks but training continues to go very well. Since Myrtle Beach I have gotten in two long runs (one 22 miler and one 34 miler) and a good bit of up tempo/speedy stuff. My next race is the Bel Monte 50 miler on March 22 and I feel pretty strong coming into it. Interestingly, I have run almost 100 miles more in 2008 than I did at the same time last year. Plus the majority of these "extra" miles are at a much quicker pace. I expect this added base building will serve me well at Massanutten. My left knee is a little achey (perhaps too much last week) so I am taking a bit more time off this week than planned. I am not really planning on tapering for Bel Monte since it is primarily a training run for Massanutten. Also, I have not written much about the vegetarian thing much but that is going very well. I still eat meat about once a month but am limiting that to seafood. I have not eaten any red meat since Thanksgiving with the exception of a cheeseburger after Myrtle Beach. I will write a preview of Bel Monte next week.

There have been a lot of great ultra performances the last few weeks. Anne Lundblad ran a very fast 5:38 at the Mt. Mitchell Challenge breaking Annette's course record (5:50). Annette herself ran an impressive 3:54 at the Black Mountain Marathon to take the women's top spot. By the way, both of these women are 41 years young! Who says speed goes away with age?! Annette followed up the marathon win with a 4:36 at the Way Too Cool 50K last weekend for 13th woman. Pretty impressive considering she is coming off injury. These two women should be an inspiration to us all.

There have been many impressive male performances as well including Michael Wardian's 2:55 at the Camusett 50K in New York setting a US 50K Road Championship record. Andy Jones-Wilkins also ran a 3:31 at Camusett and 6 days later cranked out a 4:04 at Way Too Cool. And, he is running the Coyote Two Moon 100 next weekend. With these strong performances look for a strong race at Western States by AJW, perhaps the masters course record. Speaking of Way Too Cool, the Oregonians dominated taking 10 of the top 25 spots including the male and women's winners. Sussanah Beck of Eugene broke Anne Trason's record by 4 minutes running a 3:55 en route to the women's title and 25th overall. Other strong OR performances were turned in by Todd Braje (overall winner in 3:32) Hal Koerner, Jeff Browning and Ian Torrence to name a few. In fact, Browning and Torrence had quite a battle down the last stretch.

This year is showing signs of being a tremendous year of performances and Meltzer, K. Skaggs, Tony K. and Jurek haven't even really raced yet. Although Tony K. and K. Skaggs did tie for the win at the Moab Red Hot 50K. As a humble mid pack runner, I am tremendously inspired to see these top athletes run so strong. Seeing performances like Anne and Annette at the Mount Mitchell races and the success of Jeff Browning (a self-proclaimed former mid-pack runner), gives credence to the "best performances are yet to come" argument.

Myrtle Beach Marathon

I had a feeling that a good race was likely in order when the accordion player started cranking out Stairway to Heaven and Bob Marley's Is This Love in succession. More on that later.

Myrtle Beach is the last marathon I ran before getting into ultras in 2006. I have been eyeing it over the last year as a possible spot to go for a marathon PR. My previous marathon performances have been lackluster at best with most in the 3:50s and one just inside 3:48. Therefore, I figured with the improvements I have achieved in both physical and mental fitness that I had a significantly better marathon time in me. So I signed up and figured I woould focus my early season trainning on speed and tempo style workouts to try and get some better leg turnover. I really wanted to run a time in the low 3:30s and hopefully give myself a shot at breaking 3:30. As my previous posts have indicated, I have been in a bit of a funk since mid-January and my training has not gone as well as I would have hoped. I have gotten some good quality workouts in but the focus just has not been there. I resolved that I would go to Myrtle Beach and give it my best and hopefully give myself a chance to break 3:45 or possibly even 3:40.

My friend Don and I drove down from Charlotte on Friday afternoon and had a mostly uneventful trip save for a few missed turns and a minor traffic delay. We got to the packet pick-up and were amazed at the volume of folks around. One thing I do enjoy about races is the pre-race buzz that is in the air and with 10,000 entrants for the various events, the Myrtle Beach expo was humming. I ran into fellow NC ultrarunner Joey Anderson who was doing his second marathon in as many weeks and still has the Mt. Mitchell Challenge this weekend. Talk about endurance. Don and I grabbed our stuff and milled around the expo hall for a bit but soon left to grab some dinner and get to the hotel.

We settled in at Villa Romana for diner and the food was excellent. The entertainment was an accordion player who was just annoying enough to keep the conversation flowing. He serenaded the dining room with an eclectic mix that included a score from Phantom of the Opera, several 1970s classic rock songs, a bit of reggae and even a rendition of Frank Sinatra's New York, New York (at least that is what it sounded like to me). We were also treated to learning all about the insurance business and getting a full rundown of the latest white supremist issues as the tables on either side of us engaged in a spirited discussion. After our fill of declaration pages, deductibles and racial epiteths, we headed to the hotel to crash.

Morning came and the weather was perfect as we jumped on the shuttle bus to the start. Temperatures were in the low 40s and it looked to be a fabulous day for running. At 6:30 we were off and I quickly weaved my way through, stopping to run with Joey and his friend (and cancer survivor) Karla. What an inspiration Karla should be to all of us. My plan was to run a steady 1:53 first half and negative split the second 13.1 to get in under 3:45. I settled into a comfortable pace and soon relaized I was clicking off 8:00 miles, which is pretty quick for me. I tried to settle down and back off to 8:30 pace but by mile 11 realized that I had likley gone out too fast. I didn't feel bad and in fact, felt great. However, I was concerned that I was going to run the first half more than 5 minutes faster than planned.

As I approached the halfway mark a voice called out that they recognized me from a marathon two years ago. Turns out this was Robert who ran with my 4 hour pace group at the Thunder Road marathon in 2006 and was hoping to break 3:30 today. As we crossed the halfway mark I lamented that 1:47 was much faster than I wanted to run but figured any "damage" was done. I felt great and was just worried about the miles yet to come. We decided to wotk together and switch off pacesetting each mile. We managed to bang down several sub-8:00 miles up through the mile 20 point where I backed off a bit to preserve my legs for a strong finish. I was a little behind on fluids so I drank several cups and downed another gel and got back to work. I ate a gel every hour and also at miles 20 and 23. I was drinking sportsdrink and water at each aid station stop and took an S-Cap at the start and again at mile 20.

I settled in for the final 10K and slowed a bit through mile 22 and then tried to push to the finish. The race was going incredibly well and I knew that breaking 3:30 was an outside shot. All day I kept waiting for the inevitable "blow-up" but it never came. Around mile 24 I coould feel the fatigue coming in but I labored on and crossed in 3:33! That is a new marathon PR for me by almost 15 minutes. The last time I ran Myrtle Beach I ran a 3:57 fighting a head cold the whole way. Suffice it to say that this year was a bit more successful. I was pumped as the result was way beyond my expectations. Working with Robert definitely helped me to push a bit more in the second half and allowed for a second half split of 1:46. While I was very surprised with my time, I was even more surprised that I could have ran a bit harder earlier and not blown up at the end. No need to psychoanalyze since I am extremely pleased with the result. I ran a little slower in the final 10K because I knew sub-3:40 was in the bag as long as I ran smart. Anything better was gravy.

After the race, I ran into Mark Long who ran a strong 3:25 ahead of Mt. Mitchell this weekend and Boston in April. After getting a shuttle back to the hotel, Don and I made the jaunt back to Charlotte. The weather was perfect all day and the course had good spectators along the main corridors of the course. Hopefully, this PR will set the stage for a successful 2008 for me.

Myrtle Beach Marathon Preview

I am headed down to Myrtle Beach, SC tomorrow to run the marathon on Saturday. This was orignially billed as a PR attempt but my training has not been as great as I would have liked. All the stuff going on has been a bit of a distraction and I am just not sure what kind of legs I have. I know that I will run a smart race as I have "matured" immensely as a runner since my last run there in 2006 (before I caught the ultra bug). The weather looks to be fantastic and hopefully the wind will stay at bay or at least behind us. Hopefully all will come together and I will have a great day and get that PR. If not, if I can run a smart race and get some good training in as I transition to my ultra season, it will be a successful trip. Stay tuned for a report later this weekend.

Baby Steps

My "funk" has gotten some better over the last week or so. I have gotten some quality runs in including a couple of speedwork sessions and have been pleased overall. Perhaps a little time "away" was helpful. I have the Myrtle Beach marathon next weekend where I hoped to run a PR. I still hope to PR but have tempered my expectations a bit as I am not where I feel I should be in my training. That said, with a solid week this week and next who knows... I haven't tried to run a good marathon time since starting ultras so it will be interesting to see how I do. As with all races, as long as I have fun and perhpas learn something, the race will be a success.

Work is still work and while all of the life situations are not great, I have a better perspective from which to sort things out now. I talked with a running mentor of mine this week about a lot of the "stuff" and his thoughts and comments were very helpful. He has dealt with the whole "corporate thing" before so he understands that aspect of life. I have found that just laying it out to folks helps to some extent. I am really looking forward to getting cranked up for the Bel Monte 50 miler in March. I am sure that will be a tough yet very rewarding race. it will also be very good training for my favorite "rock concert" in May known as Massanutten.

These are all baby steps but at least it is a start.

Dark Days

Many of us have heard of the "dark moments" term often used to describe difficult times in a race. How we handle those moments often means the difference between success and failure. I am in the midst of some serious "dark days" right now. I will spare all the details but suffice it to say, I am under immense pressure due the current market environment and how financial institutions are "performing". Some very difficult decisions are going to have to be made as a result. Aside from the overall funk I am in, I am also not motivated to train. Running provides such a much needed release for me and it is difficult to cope with all of this without it. I wish it were as easy as lacing up the shoes and heading to the trails, but I just don't have the motivation. Hopefully it will pass. I have always wondered if I don't suffer from depression from time to time. While I have never been diagnosed, it sure feels like it right now.

My situation is not all bad, I have a healthy body and the ability to pursue my adventure interests. Things could certainly be worse on the job front - I could be in the position of not having one. All of that said does bring perspective but doesn't makes things easier. Hopefully, I will push through all of this soon but until then I would appreciate your prayers and/or thoughts.

Knocking Some Rust Off

Today I officially ended my break from running and over the next couple of weeks, will get geared back up for the early races in 2008. While the break has been very good both mentally and physically, I was psyched to get back out there. I did my best to stay in shape by riding the bike, training on the elliptical machine and doing slow easy runs. However, I definitely lost a good bit of speed (not that there was that much to begin with) and some overall fitness but overall felt okay today.

Mike and I ran in the trails at Kings Mountain State Park which is about 45 minutes from Charlotte on the NC/SC border. It is adjacent to Crowders Mountain State Park, where I did a good bit of training for MMT this year. I have been to the park before but never to run. I really liked the trails and found it an ideal place for both tempo runs or easy recovery pace runs. While there are no big climbs, there are several rolling sections (especially on the back side) that give you a nice break from flat terrain. There are a couple of spots that would be good for mini hill repeats as well. I had limited time this morning so I only did one loop plus an add on section up to Brown Mountain. It is listed as about 17 miles but I think there was at least one extra mile tucked in there somewhere.

I really noticed some fatigue in my legs (especially hips and quads) after about 2 hours. That is not surprising to me since I have not been running lately and did give a decent effort early on. I also bonked somewhat after about 2.5 hours, likely due to being a bit behind on calories. The weather was surprisingly humid which made the 50 degree temps feel much warmer - 30 minutes into the run and I was already drenched. I managed to roll my left ankle a couple of times which felt wonderful. :-) Towards the end of the season this year I had overcome my seemingly chronic ankle-rolling ways but a month away from the trails provided a window for them to creep back in. I iced it for a bit this afternoon and it feels okay now.

I would be lying if I said the loss of speed and some fitness didn't bother me but a wise man once said that the first run after a meaningful break should be difficult, otherwise you didn't take a long enough break. Mike made a good point in that my endurance seemed fine and the fitness will come back before I know it. I hope to run on these trails much more this year and could even envision putting on a race there someday. 2008 is a year that I have big expectations of myself (preview to follow soon) and am excited about taking the first steps today. Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

New River Trail 50K

I wanted to post some information about a new 50K trail race planned for 2008 - the New River Trail 50K. The inaugural event will take place on October 11, 2008 in Fries, VA, which is about 13 miles from Galax, VA near the NC/VA border. This region has some fantastic trails and natural areas and will no doubt make a great locale for a trail race. The race is being organized by ultra runner extraordinaire Annette Bednosky. Annette needs no introduction but for those whose head has been underground for the last few years, she is an accomplished ultra running veteran with wins at several races including Western States, Rattlesnake and most recently, Hellgate. If her RD ability is half of her running prowess, we are all in for one heck of treat come October.

Proceeds from the race will go to The National Committee for the New River (NCNR) an organization that protects, restores and educates about one of the oldest rivers in the world. The New River's watershed includes North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia and the NCNR does work in all three states. Entrants will also have the opportunity to make a contribution to NCNR's Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program. This option will be included on the registration form at active.com (link included on the race website).

Annette is striving to have this be a "green" race, using local, recyclable items and products from companies with "green" practices as much as possible. In the spirit of being green, minimal disposable materials will be used and those that must be disposable will be recyclable. Finally, she is striving to have 75% of the goods used for aid station supplies and runner giveaways come from local manufacturers and/or growers. Way to go Annette! This is a great way to support the local economy and help out Mama Earth at the same time! This is something we should all do more of. I know what my plans for October 11th are and encourage readers to visit the race website to learn more and sign up through the online registration link. You can also contact Annette through the website with any questions that you have.

Best of luck to Annette with the New River Trail 50K. This is sure to be the first year of a great event. Be sure to check out the website and learn more about the race and the causes it supports.