Baby #3 and other things to look forward to.

Baby number 3 is due any day now.  To be honest, I'm freaking out!  We are very excited but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around how to handle this responsibility.  Time, money, energy, stress, commitments, etc.  I should cut something out.  Running seems like an easy choice but I've thought about this a lot and I don't think that is the right move.  Running adds real value to my life.  It is my therapy, meditation, church and health all wrapped up in one.  I need it!

This doesn't mean that I won't have to adjust.  I do have responsibilities to my family and I can't go out running every night when I get home.  Homey don't play that.

My week's are made up of 3-4 runs of 5-8 miles.  I can do these in the early morning.  Waking up at 4 am sucks but the morning is peaceful and I feel energized for my day.  After work I have time to be with the family.  This is a sacrifice I am willing to make.  I'll go out on the weekend for one long run and maybe grab an evening run once or twice a week.  I think this can work.  I'll miss the trail some of these days but if Meg will compromise for my races and long runs I can compromise with running on the streets.  Who knows, maybe I'll get fast!

2014 has professional stresses that I'm not ready to talk about so I decided I need something to look forward to.  I'm feeling good.  My weight is down to 185.  My diet is much improved.  I have remained injury free for some time now.  I want to run 100 miles again.  Once was great but twice would prove to myself that I'm not a fluke.

There are a couple of 100 mile races that I'm interested in.  Western States and Big Horn both appeal to me. The cost, travel, lottery, etc turned me away.  I want to try something completely different.  Last year I noticed the White Rim Trial in Canyonlands National Park.  We were standing at the overlook and I saw this road.  Someone referred to it as the 100 mile road.  3 years of running ultras changes your perspective a bit.  100 miles?  I could run that.

I started looking into it.  I couldn't find any run reports.  It is a popular mountain bike ride but it seems that runners have not really gone after it.  It sounds like there are a handful of runners who have completed it.  This could be cool.  I started talking to some people and it sounds like I have a crew and a couple of pacers.  I'm hoping to get some other runners to join me.  This is my goal run for 2014.

Life is going to get tough.  I'm going to have to get tougher.  Like training for a run of this magnitude there will be ups and downs but the journey is pretty awesome and if you keep your head up and eyes forward the goal can become a reality.

Here we go.  Ready or not!

Satisfaction

Run Rabbit Run is in the books.  My training had been more focused for this race than any other race this year.  I DNF'd Zane Grey.  I had a tough time finishing the Grand Canyon and fell apart the last 10 miles of the San Juan Solstice.  I even sputtered in the last quarter of the Dirty 30.  Those races were frustrating but my training hadn't been that great.  In all honesty it has been a year long recovery after Leadville.

Things started coming together and I had a solid 2 weeks of training before my taper where I felt tired and strong.  I had peaked at the right time.  I stuck to a good taper plan and hit the race with an ambitious goal of 10:30 with a stretch goal of 10 hours.  In 2011 I clocked in at 11:30.

I started off the race well and really felt great in the middle sections of the first half.  I clocked several miles under 10 minutes and was cruising along.  I made it to the top of the Rabbit Ears at 5:01.  Sub-10 hours was a possibility.  About 70% of the climbing was complete.  I came off the pass and logged some good miles until the end of mile 28.  There is a 500 foot climb at this point and I hit a wall.  I walked several miles and stumbled into Base Camp aid station.  I sat down, focused on eating and tried not to think about the next 20 miles.  I sat down for a good 8 minutes.  This was disappointing.  I left the aid station walking and struggled to run the downhills.  My hips, back and groin had all tightened up and my energy levels were zapped.  I was worried about breaking 11:30.

I slowly walked 3-4 very runable miles and kept eating.  Then I came back from the dead.  The food had given me energy and my core loosened up.  I put in some strong miles and my new goal became sub-11 hours.  I continued and climbed up the backside of Mt Werner at a very good clip.  When I got to the top I realized if I ran sub 8-minute miles for the next 6 miles I could break 10:30.  I tossed on some The Black Keys, let out a roar and let it rip.  It felt like I was sprinting for 45 minutes.  The miles clicked away and the goal was in reach.  I gave it all I got and crossed the finish line in 10:30:11.

It felt great to finish a race strong.  It was great to hit my goal.  I had come short on all my race goals this year and was starting to question what I was really made of.  This finish was very satisfying and will hopefully propel me to a sub-10 hour 50 miler some time in the future.

The baby is coming soon and time will be harder to come by.  It is nice to know that I can accomplish these type of goals with average training weeks around 35 miles.  I'll continue to focus on diet and begin some core training during the winter months.  It is great to end the racing season on a high note.

Tetons and Yellowstone

The family took a week long trip to the Tetons and Yellowstone a couple of weeks back.  We loaded up the car and made the 9 hours drive up to Jackson, WY.  We spent our first 3 days in the Tetons.  The Tetons are familiar to everyone.  The iconic peaks are photographed and published frequently.  Until you stand in their presence you cannot truly appreciate their majestic power.


The peaks are wicked and sharp.  Their appearance changes from different points along the range.  They are awesome and they beg you to explore.  I had planned on not running much during this vacation.  My family puts up with it all year.  This was a time to spend together.  Fortunately, I was able to sneak away one morning while Meg and the kids went on a wagon ride breakfast.

From the moment I looked at the map I saw a loop that would be perfect.  21 miles up Paintbrush Canyon and down Cascade Canyon.  This was perfect.  I asked the ranger about it and he told me at least 5 times that it would take 9-12 hours.  I cordially nodded my head in agreement and started planning my run.  Bear spray would have to be included even though the only bear I came across was a black bear.  There was still snow at the top of the pass but I was comfortable going at it in shorts and a short sleeved shirt.

I was amazed as I rounded each turn.  The mountains connect with me like no other place and the Tetons were special even in this regard.  The steep, rocky cliffs climb up in an impossible and beautiful way.  I wanted more before I even finished.  I finished the run in 5 hours and took a soak in the lake as I waited for the family to come pick me up.  I was reenergized and happy.

We enjoyed our time in Jackson and plan on going back.  We then made our way to West Yellowstone via Idaho.  This was a great drive through beautiful farm country with the backside of the Tetons framing the eastern skyline.

West Yellowstone is kind of a dump.  Our cabin was nice though and we enjoyed the stay.  Unfortunately, I did not plan far enough in advance to get lodging in the park.  We will be sure to stay in Mammoth and at Roosevelt Lodge next time around.

Our first day in the park we made our way through the West Entrance and down to Old Faithful.  We were held up in a 1 hour traffic jam because of a Bison in the middle of the road.  We then hit many of the hot springs and geysers on the way to Old Faithful.  The place is ridiculous but I was a little frustrated with the amount of people.  This really hit its boiling point when we got to Old Faithful and there were several thousand people waiting.

Maybe it's unfair but this cheapened the experience for me.  The parking lot was like pulling into Disney and the crowds were suffocating.  We need parks where beauty is accessible but I prefer the places where you have to earn the view.  There is something special about being alone in a place where few people go.  That is when you can really connect with the earth and feel its power.

I was discouraged and worried about the rest of the week but we found some great places in Yellowstone where the crowds thinned.  It was a great trip overall.

I look forward to the next 6 weeks of training as I prepare for Run Rabbit Run.  I'd like to put up a good time.  Last time I ran it it took me 11:30 to finish.  I'm hoping to finish an hour faster with a stretch goal of sub-10.  I have a lot of work to do.

Until the race I look forward to a few more adventures.  The journey is often times better than the destination.

San Juan Solstice

The San Juan Solstice 50 was meant to be my last race of the year.  I say "meant" because I felt I needed a break but this race totally reenergized me.  The course is a loop course around Lake San Cristobal that starts and ends in Lake City with 3 distinct climbs.  2 of the climbs are sustained climbs of over 4,300 feet of gain.  After the second climb the course tracks above 11,500 feet for 11 miles before dipping down for the final climb.  After the final climb the course dumps back into town.

The race is very well run.  From the pre-race dinner, to the course markings and aid stations, to the post race breakfast and award ceremony it is one of the best run races I've run in.  I hope to be back.

I managed through the first climb without any issue.  I had a little trouble pushing pace down from that climb but felt pretty good.  The second climb was pretty brutal.  I kept good pace but it took a lot out of me.  This climb tops out above 13,300 feet and it was a long time coming.  Once on top I had looked forward to making some good time for the 11 high altitude miles.  The affects of 2 major climbs and altitude slowed me down considerably.  I didn't have a chance to get much high altitude training prior to the race and I think it hurt me in this section.

By mile 30 I was feeling spent.  I stopped at the aid station fueled up.  They had some instant potatoes that I took down.  It reenergized much like they did at Leadville.  It is my power food.  I need to put this stuff in a flask!  I rolled the next 10 miles at a really good clip.  I felt great as I descended down to the final climb.

As I dropped down from 13,300 feet to 9,550 the temperature increased significantly.  I would guess it increased by over 25 degrees.  My stomach turned a bit and I lost all energy.  The final climb up Vickers Ranch was disastrous.  It took me 1 hour and 22 minutes to climb the final climb of over 1,700 feet over 3 miles.  At that point I reconnected with David for a few tough miles.  It was nice to have company.  I took it easy dropping into town and finished in 13:39:44.  The last 10 miles took me 3 hours.  I'd like to have those back but overall I was very happy with completing a very difficult race.  About 200 runners started the race.  169 runners finished.  My time was good enough for 107th.

Dakota Jones crushed the course record set by Matt Carpenter by over 24 minutes with a time of 7:35:09.  He ran an unbelievable race.

Here is a short clip of photos from the race.

Homestretch

I am coming into the homestretch for the year.  San Juan Solstice is right around the corner and then I’m taking some time off.  My body is screaming for a break.  I feel strong but joints, aches and pains have been accumulating and I’m afraid the results could be really bad if I don’t lay off.  This comes with mixed feelings.  I think it is going to be really hard to sit.  In my mind I've gone from giving myself at least one solid month of no running to more recently just one week.  Summer is a great time to get out and run the high country and that is my favorite place to run.  Deep down I know that I need to shut it down and let my body heal.  I know that I have years of running ahead so a month isn't anything in the grand scheme of things but I have a feeling it is going to seem like an eternity.  At least I’ll know when I come back it will be because I want to and hopefully I’ll be re-energized.

I ran the Dirty 30 last weekend and finished about 9 minutes later than last year.  That’s not a bad result but the way I felt during the race was far different than last year.  Last year I felt stronger as the race went on and felt fresh afterwards.  This year I got weaker as the race went on and didn’t feel great afterwards.  There is a picture of me during the race and my form is garbage.  My left knee has been giving me the most recent problems.  In the picture you  can see it totally caving in.  On Sunday I ran 20 miles in the hills and felt good until the last 4 downhill miles.  I had not flexibility and there was some concerning pain.  I’m sure it is a result of compensating for my ankles and probably some poor core strength training.  Bottom line is, my body needs a break.

Before the break I will take on the San Juan Solstice 50 miler out of Lake City, Colorado.  I can’t wait for this race.  The San Juan Mountains have a pull on me like no other mountain range.  It is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth.  The race climbs over 12,000 feet and ranges from 8,500 to over 13,000 feet in elevation.  It is a beast.  My only goal is to finish and have fun.  I’ll probably cruise in in around 15 hours.  That is the same time it took me to run the Rim to Rim to Rim and the vertical gain is pretty much the same. 

I found a place on Lake San Cristobal.  The race pretty much circles high above the lake.  The family is coming with me.  It should be a great time.

Rim to Rim to Rim

Grand Canyon from S. Rim looking straight up towards the N. Rim

The group at camp before the big run

I put the Rim to Rim to Rim on my bucket list soon after I start running ultras.  The canyon is in an unforgiving place and this run demands a lot of respect.  There is no dropping out; you make it or you spend a night in the canyon and spending a night in the canyon after a day of extreme exertion wasn't an option I wanted to experience.  So it wasn't until after a couple of years of committed running that I felt ready.

After Zane Grey I was feeling a bit lost as a runner; I had just DNF'd my first race and physically and mentally I wasn't in a great place.  Completing the Rim to Rim to Rim was good medicine.

Ryan, Jerry, John, David and myself a couple miles in.

The first serious descent.

Our group of 15 met in Morrison to head to the Grand Canyon.  The drive to the Grand Canyon goes through some insane country, and 13 hours later we got to the campsite on the North Rim.  We set up camp and took a walk out to the rim.  It was a pretty awesome view, and all of us were fired up for the next day.

Sherpa John had planned the whole trip.  He provided us with some great information about the run and cooked up a pasta dinner.  We prepared for the next day and and called it a night.

Some people in the group headed out for an early start.  John, Ryan, Jeremy, David, Jeff, Maverick and I all started at 5:10.  The sun had come up enough that we did not need headlamps, and I was hoping to be back before I needed one again.                                                                            

The look down off the side of the trail.

We ran 1 mile from our campground to the North Rim which sits at an elevation of over 8,300 feet.  The North Kaibab trail drops down to the Colorado River in just over 15 miles to 2,400 feet.  The first 4 miles winds through a spectacular network of switchbacks and cliff hugging trails through the steepest section on the North Rim.  The last 7 miles down to the Colorado River has a mild pitch through amazing canyon country.

The water had been turned on the first time this year so we had plenty of water opportunities on the way down the trail.  These watering spots usually had a bathroom and some camping opportunities.  On the way down from the N. Rim we passed Roaring Springs, Cottonwood and Phantom Ranch.  The morning was cool and we stayed in the shade all the way down to Phantom Ranch.

Phantom Ranch is at the bottom of the canyon.  There are some cabins, camping spots, bathrooms and a rough restaurant.  We stopped for water and the bathroom before heading up to the South Rim.

Cliff hugging trail early in descent.

Some great trail.

I was running with my Nathan Vest.  I had a 2 liter bladder, one handheld, food, gel, E-Caps, and salt.  At this point forward, I made sure all were full before leaving a water stop.  I must have drank over 500 oz, yet I was still severely dehydrated after the run.

The Canyon heated up considerably as we started up the S. Rim, and the group began spreading out with this climb.

Nearing Phantom.

We chose to climb up the Bright Angel Trail instead of the S. Kaibab trail.  The S. Kaibab trail is shorter and is also the trail that is used for FKT's but there is no water and little shade.  The Bright Angel Trail is spectacular as it winds along the Colorado River for a mile before ascending up the south side.

The walls start closing in as we near Phantom Ranch.

Bright Angel climbs up over 4,000 feet for the next 10 miles and winds through steep canyons and shaded oases.  Indian Gardens and Bright Angel  are the two water stops along the way.

The South Rim is where most tourists go when they visit the Grand Canyon, so the Bright Angel trail has a lot more traffic.  In many ways it helped by providing a little extra energy.

The heat of the day began to take its first toll.  I had a bandanna and hat that I soaked in every stream or water opportunity to help keep me cool.

The climb was relentless and the miles went by slowly.  I tried to handle the run like a 100 mile race.  I knew I would have to track back the other side of the canyon but it was better to focus on the next water spot instead of focussing on the whole.    This seemed to help, but the climb was still a challenge.

I ran with Jeff for the majority of the climb.  We passed Maverick a few miles up after he had blazed ahead around mile 5.  We caught up with Carley and Val a couple of miles from the top.  Jeff pushed ahead of me and John pushed ahead soon after.  They remained a couple of switchbacks ahead as the climb continued to grind.  That was when I began thinking about an ice cold coke and some food. It was enough motivation to push on.

Jeremy was on his way down after running up S. Kaibab and across to Bright Angel.  Jeremy was running strong and looking good.  David, Jerry and Ryan started heading down as I got to the top, also looking good as they started back.

John, Jeff and I hit up the cantina; I got that ice cold coke, a gatorade, a banana, an orange, and a turkey sandwich.

It's kind of funny coming up to the South Rim.  Although you pass by a lot of people on the trail you always feel like your are in a serious canyon. But the S. Rim is Disney World compared to the 25 miles of trail that lead there.

                   

South Rim

Many people come to the Grand Canyon and enjoy the views from the top.  Some will venture down the trail for a mile or two.  I know we looked like some sort of freak show to most of the people up there.

It was nice to fuel and clean up, but it was time to go.  I felt like a new person after lunch.  Jeff headed out a bit early and John made real good time down the canyon.

I had a little pressure behind my left knee for about a mile.  I ran with Carley and Val for a few minutes before taking off on my own.  The knee shook out and I felt great.

The run down was a blast.  It was the first time in the day I was running by myself.  It was a good time to reflect on where I was and how lucky I was to be there.

I thought back to when I moved out to Colorado.  I was 40 pounds heavier and only ran 3-4 miles a run for occasional exercise.  Who would have thought that running would become central to my life?  It made all this winter's runs in the snow, cold and dark worth it.  I was running the Grand Canyon!  I felt totally blessed.

I let out a couple howls to hear them echo off the walls and coasted down Bright Angel while taking it all in.  I was drinking a lot of water trying to counter temps in the low 90's.

Fortunately, some clouds and light rain moved in as I reached the last couple of miles before the Colorado River.  The temps dropped a bit and the rain was

refreshing.

There were a lot of people doing the Rim to Rim that day.  It was impressive to see people young and old, large and small getting out there and accomplishing something bigger than themselves.  There is something special about being in nature and pushing ourselves to places we've never imagined; I was happy to be part of a day when so many people were fulfilling their dreams.

As I approached the river I started getting excited at the idea of food and a cold drink at Phantom Ranch.  I got into Phantom Ranch and was pretty happy to only have 15 miles left.  I bought some Peanut M&M's, an ice cold lemonade and a couple of postcards to mail to Bre and Brady.  I sat down and wrote to both of the kids.  I think about them a lot on my long runs; I feel so lucky to have them, and I am so proud of them.  It was so cool to be able to write to them and tell them how I feel.

Some clouds and rain were a welcome relief.

The post cards will be brought up from the bottom by mule and

hopefully be delivered sometime in the next week.

It was nice to escape for a little while but I had 15 miles and about 6,000 feet of climb ahead of me.  I gathered my things, grabbed a salt shaker, and took about a half a teaspoon down.

Off I went.  The next 6 miles were fairly flat, so I ran all the flat and downhill and walked the uphills.  The sun was back and beating down like it has for millions of years.  I was hot!  There were far fewer people on this side of the canyon.  You had your day trippers who were staying at Phantom Ranch wandering around along with some runners doing the Rim to Rim to Rim back to the south.

It became tough to keep running after a while, and I was not looking forward to the climb out, but at that point I had no choice but to keep pushing on.  It was amazing how the canyon

looked so different in the afternoon light.  There was an occasional deer and many lizards.  The Aloe plant shot out its amazing flower as if it were laughing at the Canyon.  It was quiet.  It was about this time when it hit me just how big and unforgiving this place really is.

I caught up with John and Jeremy who had just finished a side hike off to a waterfall.  Apparently 50 miles wasn't enough!  I trucked along with them for a bit until we rolled into Roaring Springs.  Jeff and Gary were both there.  I was feeling rough and I wasn't alone; we were all at different stages of fatigue.

I kept up with John and Jeff for about a mile and then had to slow it down; I was feeling weak and a little light headed.  One foot in front of the other.  On I went.  It was quite possibly the hardest 4-5 miles I've ever done.  The climb was relentless.  My legs began cramping badly and the sun was going down.  I kept on, and after what seemed like an eternity, I topped out on the North Rim!

Big Canyon.  Running alone.  Pretty unreal!

I still had another mile to go to the campground, so tossed on my jacket and marched on through the dark.  I finished in just under 15 hours.  50 miles; 12k of climb.

There was a fire going at camp, and Jeremy was cooking up a never ending supply of kabobs.

What an incredible day!

Looking up  the last big climb.

I went to my tent to change into something warm.  My legs seized up and both cramped into  the kind of cramps that wake you up at night. I couldn't do anything about it.  Jerry bailed me out with some pickle juice and coconut water.  It took a few hours to get hydrated and get my body temperature up.  I drank more than I ever had but I was still very dehydrated.

I ended up peeing blood that night.  Fortunately, it was only one time.  I got back from the doctor today and all systems are in good shape.  I'll never stop learning about nutrition and hydration on these runs.

I want to give a special thanks to Sherpa John for putting on a great Winter Fat Ass Run Series.  I enjoyed several of the runs and they were always well planned.  He put a lot of his own time and money into this Grand Canyon trip.  I am grateful for all the work he did.  Thanks John!  I encourage you to join him on his runs in the future.  He promotes community and has some very fun runs.  Check him out at http://sherpajohn.blogspot.com.

Special thanks to Jeremy for supplying and cooking all the kabobs.  Thanks to David Hill for driving out there.  It was a great run and great to meet so many good people.

Check out Sherpa John's video of the run: http://networkedblogs.com/LqP38

"If my path is to worry then I'll walk in shame because I'd rather find beauty and pain."

 Greensky Bluegrass