Via Venia

Minimalism Take Two - My Minimalist Shoe Criteria and Shoe Selection for 2012

2011-12-22T21:00:00.000-08:00

After re-reading my post from last year about minimalism and my shoe selection for the year, it is clear that I was inexperienced in the world of running long distances, especially on more technical trail and that I also had an ambition to try to include too many shoes in my rotation. However, after a year of heavy experimentation I think I've figured a few things out. I seriously cringe to admit this, but I probably tried 25+ different pairs of shoes...hey I did sell most of them on eBay this fall and got some of my money back, but still :) a problem on a few levels.

My shoe closet early this summer. If your shoe closet looks like this you have a problem...thankfully I'm down to about 1/3 of this amount and hopefully can cut it back more this next year.

The first problem is having so many shoes really does go against a minimalist ideal which is still the purest part of running to me...stripping down the excess and focusing simply on moving efficiently through the mountain environment. Second, it presents a major physical problem of not letting your body adapt to any one shoe, platform, or consistent feel from run to run. I had many races this year where I didn't have a clear favorite from a shoe standpoint and this had me running races in shoes that I hadn't put a ton of miles in prior to...never a great choice.

Part of my issues this year centered around what was appropriate for running more volume and most of that on much more technical terrain than the previous year. I nearly doubled both my hours and mileage running and increased my vertical gain by 4 times. This affected what kind of shoe ended up working best. On top of that, since last January my feet have grown at least a half to a full size in length and have significantly widened to the point where most of the shoes in the picture above were simply too narrow by the time Fall rolled around. For example, in Dec. 2010 I wore a NB MT101 in size 13 and now a size 14 MT101 is too narrow.

I moved from running North Face 50K last Dec. in the New Balance MT101s (size 13, a 9-10mm heel to toe drop shoe) to running my next 4 ultras in Inov-8 F-Lite 230s (4mm drop), zeroed MT101s (size 14)/NB M700 xc flats (2mm drops), and my last 2 ultras (only 4 weeks apart) were in the Merrell Trail Glove (0mm drop and practically no midsole). So, I was going down the ladder to more minimal shoes as the season went on all the while I was gaining more mileage...probably not the most advisable scenario, but I had my reasons...mostly by the end of the season the Trail Gloves were one of the few shoes wide enough to comfortably fit my feet.

Summiting Sun Top approx mi 38 at the White River 50 - wearing 2E width NB M700 xc flats. Photo - Glenn Tachiyama

Approx. Mile 18 at the Foothills 50K Frenzy in Boise, ID this October in the Merrell Trail Gloves.

The end effect of this year is that my feet now fit in a small selection of shoes. I've also found that, while running in a shoe like the Trail Glove is nice and super minimal, for that reason, it may not work for my main ultra shoe until I can get some more years of running under my belt and even then, I would probably only use them for non-technical trail under 50 miles. My legs took a while to recover from my last ultra and I think that this was in part from moving the majority of my running in the last two months of my year to running in Trail Gloves, which were, by far, the least substantial shoe I had used all year for trails.

So, where does that put me this year? I've settled on some main features that I'd like my shoes to have and listed them below. Keep in mind this is looking at things from my perspective of wanting to run quite a bit (8-15 hrs/week), race ultra marathons and run a lot of technical trail in the high country this summer. If your goals or tastes are different the criteria would change.

1. Appropriately shaped and wide toe box/last.

This is a deal breaker for me. If the shoe doesn't allow room for my feet to move freely, I'm not interesting in using it. There are enough options, even for a guy with wider feet like me, this next year that I should be able to honor this first rule.

2. Adequate protection for technical trails.

This includes having a rock plate, enough midsole to absorb some of the gnarliness (this is where the Trail Gloves fall a little short), good traction with some lug to the sole, and security in the mid-foot to keep the shoe from moving around on the steep stuff (this often, as with Inov-8 this last year, comes in conflict with rule #1 so the balance can be tough sometimes).

3. Light.

Simple...It's not as fun for me to run in a shoe if it is much over 300 grams (10.5 oz) for my size 14 (which would be more like 7.5-8 oz or 220 grams for a standard mens size 9) plus I can be more efficient and stable on technical terrain the lighter and less bulk the shoe has.

4. Low heel-to-toe drop.

I prefer zero drop, but am open the reality that a little more might be advisable for running high mileage and ultramarathons. I think there is plenty of room for discussion to be had along these lines (that I won't go into here) and I'm still trying to figure out the sweet spot for me too. That said, anything over 6mm drop just feels super strange for me and most shoes over that are, are either too narrow, heavy or just aren't any fun to run in anyway; so I most likely won't be going over 6mm (only one shoe I'm looking forward to even falls in this category...the adizero Hagio) this year and will probably do most of my running at 4mm or less with a preference toward 0mm starting out.

5. Well constructed, breathable, minimal upper with soft enough interior to go sock less.

The upper should function to keep the shoe on your foot in a secure way, but after that, it needs to get out of the way. This means good breathability, good draining of water, soft interior, and minimal protection in the toe area (toe bumper/rand) from hitting rocks, roots, etc. all the while being durable enough to last around 500 miles...no small task. As far as the sock less part, that is personal preference; I hate wearing socks and feel like I have better proprioception without them (plus more room in my shoes). If I have to wear socks, I wear thin Drymax socks and then only for super wet, longer runs.

I don't know that I've found any shoes yet that accomplish every single one of these tasked perfectly, but I've got a few that come close and a few that I'm looking forward to trying in the next couple months. Below are my main shoes going into this year:

Road:

My go to shoes: VFF Bikila with the Altra Instinct coming in very close behind. I like the light and quick feel of the Bikila, but the fit of the Altra is better. If the altras were lighter and had half the midsole they currently do, that would work well for me.

Some shoes I'm looking forward to in this category:

-Altra Provision, a racier version of the Instinct with less midsole...should be good UPDATE 1/31/12: Apparently the Provision is not a lighter racier version of the Instinct, but a firmer update that includes the ability to add or remove pronation control from the shoe...I'll still try them, but not what I was expecting them to be.
-NB Minimus Zero Road (if the wider widths fit good), they look light and durable. a good combination.
-Merrell Road Glove, like the Trail Glove, but for roads.
-VFF SeeYa, super light five finger
-Merrell Bare Access, zero drop, but with some cushion

Non-Technical trail up to 50k and shorter technical trail (sub ultra):

Go to shoe: Merrell Trail Glove for sure. Best fit of any shoe I've run in. Does really well on many different surfaces and rock protection is much better than you would think, but maybe a tad light for ultras, we'll see.

Some shoes I'm looking forward to in this category:
-Merrell Trail Glove in wide version
-Adidas Adizero Hagio (if wide enough; might use for long road runs too), successor to the adizero Rocket.
-NB Minimus Zero Trail (in 2E or 4E width) crazy light, super stripped down; great concept.
-VFF Spryidon, more substantial Fivefinger.

My trail glove after about 200 miles on them. Super durable...they hardly look used. I'll get 600+ miles out of them for sure.

Technical trail and 50 mi+:

Go to shoe: Right now it is the Altra Lone Peak. Although heavier than criteria #3 above, it fits many of the other criteria rather well. Most importantly it has a great toe box that gives me plenty of room...all in all it is working well for me this winter, but I think will be too much shoe and too heavy for me come summer. Just got the Merrell Mix Master in and, although I haven't run in it yet, the fit is very good initially and it has nearly all of the qualities that I list above. I anticipate it will work well for me...between it and the NB MT110 I hope I can find my technical trail shoe.

Shoes I'm most looking forward to in this category:
-NB MT110 (in 2E width)
-Altra, new version of the Lone Peak with less midsole (i.e. lighter and more responsive...unsure on the details of this shoe yet, but know they are making one)
-NB MT1010, 4mm drop, minimus last, but looks like a little more shoe than I usually prefer

Altra Lone Peak after 50 miles. Zero drop with great width, good outsole and protection.

Merrell Mix Master. Light and simple. 4mm drop, sleek, super breathable upper, good lugged outsole and rock plate. These should be a strong competitor for the MT110. I'm looking forward to some miles in them soon.

Loose/Soft/Muddy terrain:

Go to shoe: Not much in this category for me that fits good...hoping the Mix Master or NB MT110 will do ok for this type of running but haven't tested them. Walsh PB Ultras have good traction, but I likely won't use for longer than a 2 hr run just because the fit is a little off for me. However they are probably my best super loose option.

Shoes I'm most looking forward to in this category: Nothing that I know of. I'd love to try the Salomon Fellcross, but Salomon doesn't make it in a 14 and it would probably be too narrow if they did.

This has turned into quite the post in length (sorry about that), however, I suppose that I wrote it more to summarize some of my own thoughts than for any other reason. Hope it helps some of you and feel free to ask any questions you might have about some of the shoes I've tried. I'm sure the list will shift and change throughout the year and a post like this next year might look a little different, but that's the fun of it and being able to look back and see where you were at a certain point in time.

I'm planning on posting a summary of the year and a look at next year in week or so. Also, I'd like to give a quick shout out to Joe Grant for fielding my shoe questions during the year. He's been influential in forming some of the criteria above for me and I'm sure will continue to do so. Also to Aaron Harrell for geeking out with me about running stuff when I'm sure I wore my wife and parents out long ago on shoe info (thanks for putting up with me guys :) ).

Flagline 50K

2011-10-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted, but I'm still out there running despite a few hurdles since White River. I felt really good after White River, but near the end of the first week of recovery I developed and IT band/lateral quad issue that had me out of commission from any significant running (read 20-25 mi/week) for nearly a month. As I started to recover, I was trying to find a race to get in before fall and came upon Flagline which happend to be the same weekend that I needed to head to Portland for a work related training. I got in a good 2 weeks of running in the 8-9 hour (42, 46 mi) and felt good to run Flagline conservatively without any taper. I've also been dealing with a foot issue as a result of too narrow toe boxes (and possibly compromised form) in some of my shoes, especially (sadly) most of the Inov-8's that I'd been using throughout the first half of the year. I did the two weeks previous to Flagline in the Merrell Trail Gloves which, although very minimal, provide a wider toe box and yet more protection than a Vibram Five Finger. After a couple technical mountain runs in them in training, I was pretty confident they would be up to the task of running Flagline although I've not run anything that far or technical in something that minimal. In the end they turned out great and my feet have never felt better at the end of an ultra. I ran with no socks and had no blister issues and now after at least 100 miles on them, they are my go to shoe for running trails and mountains and don't do too bad on the road either (although I wouldn't do an exclusive road run in them).

Heading out nice and slow on a perfect morning for a run. Photo - Derek Schultz

Back to Flagline: I started out much more conservative than I usually do and I think this paid off given the circumstances because after a easy 15 miles that I felt great for, I could feel my minimal base of training since White River starting to catch up with me. The great part was that although I started to feel poor, I really didn't slow down much and actually ran all of the biggest climb of the course (1100 ft climb) at mile 22-24 ish. The last 4-5 miles I was suffering, but again didn't slow significantly and ended up finishing in a new 50K pr of 5:25:22. Crazy thing was there were a lot of fast folks here (probably because it was the US Track and Field 50K national championship race) and I only ended up getting 41st place. It was a fast course, but had enough climbing (3,600 ft) to keep it interesting and was almost 75% single track at higher elevation (between 6,300-7,000 ft for most of the course). It was a good experience for me and although I was a little more beat out after than I wanted, I feel like I'm slowly adapting and this year will really build a great base for me next year.

My feet after finishing; dirty, but feeling pretty good :-).

Next on the radar is the Boise Foothills Frenzy 50K in 2 weeks. I'm recovering good enough that it is still a consideration, but it will have to be run conservatively as well. I still figure it is good experience and should be a fun, first year, event. The main focus for the last 2 months of Fall/Winter is the North Face 50 mile and will be what my training from here on out is centered on. I had my worst ultra race to date there last year in the 50K and am looking for some redemption not to mention rubbing shoulders with some of the super fast elites that seem to show up there every year. Plus the Marin Headlands of San Francisco are just a great place to run! Look for a race report from Boise up in a couple of weeks and maybe even something else sooner.

White River 50 Race Report

2011-08-02T22:13:00.000-07:00

-Around mile 28, I started circling the drain. I never felt that bad, but had hit a patch of some real low energy levels. Not a bonk, but a serious low in motivation and optimism. Slowly, but surely, the unexpected happened...-

The day was crisp and clear...perfect weather for running in the mountains. (all photos Sue Henry unless noted)

Listening to the pre-start course briefing...it looks like we are a little out of place height wise here.

Second ultra together...more to come I'm sure...great job Dad!

Uli Steidl lead out the pack on the airport gravel road for the first mile before hitting the single track next to the White River. After some gently rolling terrain, we started the climb and I was really itching to hit the climb. After the first couple of miles of climbing, I was actually a little bummed that it wasn't steeper for this climb. I had hoped for a pretty agressive climb, at least for some sections, but instead it is a pleasant runnable switchbacking meander up to 6,000 ft from the 2,500 ft starting elevation. This was all fine and good, but it didn't enable me to make some time like I was hoping...this I should have save for the second climb, which was steeper and more to my liking. After topping out on the ridge the trail rolls a little and it is during this out and back section that I got a good view of the folks ahead of me. The first one to pop around a bend in the trail was Uli and he was just floating over the ground and looked really effortless...he had at least 3-5 min on Gary Gellin and Timothy Olson who both looked good. At the turn around I had to sit down quickly to readjust my shoes as the either the laces or something was off and I was getting an aching pain on the top of my left foot that had started around mile 5. The weird thing was that I hadn't experienced this pain at all in training so it must have developed very quickly during the first couple of miles even though I intentionally made sure my shoes weren't too tight.

Anyway, on the return trip of the out and back, I felt great and was bolstered even further by gorgeous views of Mt. Rainier as well as seeing my Dad running easy and strong about 20-30 min back. The descent back down to the river was much steeper and technical than the way up and I was really enjoying it. I got caught by a few folks that were pushing the down really well. Namely Craig Thornley and Krissy Moehl. Craig ran around me quickly and was out of sight in a matter of seconds, very impressive. Krissy took much longer to come up on me and in the process I had the not so bright idea to try to hold her off till the Buck Creek aid station. Although, I managed it till nearly the end of the descent, I think I might have overcooked it a bit and came in the the 26 mile aid station a little dragging.

Changing shoes at Buck Creek...the easiest 26 miles I've ever run...although, I was a little worried the second half would not be so effortless.

Zach was my crew chief and he wasn't going to let me be satisfied with just a good first half.

Not sure what pep talk Zach was giving to Papa, but he looked as unimpressed as he did about my first half.

I had decided to make a shoe change at this aid because of the laces issue I was having and also change water belts from my one bottle to a two bottle system anticipating a hotter second half of the race. As I left the Buck Creek aid, I knew I wasn't going to be able to stick to my goal of running the second climb as good or better than the first. I just didn't have it in the legs and the fact that I had 24 miles to go after 26 mi and 4000 ft of gain already run started to weigh on my mind. Around mile 28, I started circling the drain. I never felt that bad, but had hit a patch of some real low energy levels. Not a bonk, but a serious low in motivation and optimism. It wasn't till I hit the mile 31.7 Fawn Ridge aid station and got a few drinks of coke in me, some water dumped over my head and picked up the great energy of the fabulous volunteers that I started to feel better. I left that aid with a much better outlook and proceeded to mix power hiking (which I apparently suck at cause I was getting caught by others that were hiking) and running (which I did fine with and actually gained on people when I ran) at about a 50/50 ratio. I thought the last climb was going to get out of the trees and afford a better view of the course and Sun Top where I was headed as the course description said it was exposed on this section, but I didn't feel like it was that exposed at all compared to running many of my long runs at home all above tree line. I also didn't get that mental boost of the view that I always look forward to above tree line until I actually hit the Sun Top climb, which was a steeper grade and felt much better than the more rolling, forested trail before it. By the time I hit Sun Top, I was feeling better and after a quick refuel there was off down the 6.4 mile 3000 ft descent to Skookum flats. I had been putting in 1 L/hr of water since mi 26 and still getting at least 200-300 cal/hr in the whole time even though I felt poorly.

After getting the legs moving a little faster, slowly, but surely, the unexpected happened...I started to revive exactly when I thought, before the race, that I was going to feel the worst. By the time I hit the bottom of the descent at mile 43 and hung a right into Skookum aid, I was in much higher spirits and had made really good time on the road.

My wife, Alyssa, was a great support and I was surprised to see her at this aid station, but it really lifted my spirits. Thanks Alyssa for being so encouraging on a tough day watching two kids while I got to play in the mountains all day!

The trail out of Skookum is a flatter trail right next to the river with a little more technical flair too it. After a stiff first mile, the engaging nature of the trail got the best of me and I started to loosen up and feel much better. By the time I was half way through this 6.6 mile section, I had started to hit a pretty good clip (I'm guessing around low 9:00 mi) and felt the best I had felt since the first half of the race. I had made enough time up on the road descent from Sun Top that I started entertaining a sub 9:30 finish time. As I got closer to the finish, I started feeling even better and was really pushing as I knew it would be close. Once I hit the gravel road for the last .25 mi to the finish I felt great and had energy to push the rest of it out hard. This whole process of revival at around 45 miles and 8 hours and 45 min into a run still blows my mind. I had read so many accounts of other ultra runners that have experienced it, but it really is something you have to experience yourself to truly believe it is possible. I figure my other ultras, since they were done by mile 31 or so just never gave me the opportunity to find this out...that and I was in way better shape going into WR (which probably had more to do with it).

Heading down the finish straight with Zach coming in behind me. Photo: John Wallace III.

Zach making 50 look easy in flanel, khakis and sandals. Photo: John Wallace III.

The satisfaction of finishing my first 50 miler starting to settle in. Photo: John Wallace III.

Zach finished to the applause of the crowd and then wanted straight up in my arms...couldn't be happier.

The family just shortly after the finish. What a great day!

Final time was 9:29:36 good enough for 56th place out of 244 finishers. Although having slightly higher goals before the race, after experiencing it and know how it worked out, I couldn't be happier with the outcome for my first 50. I think this race will mark the beginning a whole new level of learning and growing as a runner and person. It was by far the most work in training (which didn't seem like a ton of work most of the time) I've ever put toward something and it paid off...I may turn myself into a runner yet...we'll have to wait and see.

All in all, White River was a great experience and yet I feel I still have much to learn. I've got to get my shoe situation worked out better as that was a small issue and pacing will play an important role in the future. However, my training, hydration and eating were the best they have been for any of my races and I think improvement, especially in ultras is a long evolutionary process that requires patience and consistency. My recovery is going well and my short run today felt the best I ever have post ultra, so I think my increased base and elevation gain in training is starting to pay off. I'm looking forward to getting back up some local peaks soon and hopefully out to another race of 50 mi or more in the next month or so.

Catching up Before White River

2011-07-25T16:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I've be out of blogging for a little over a month now, but that doesn't mean I haven't been doing anything :). I've been running a lot recently averaging between 50-65 miles most weeks and putting in lots of elevation gain (somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000-15,000 ft of gain/week). This has been the most consistent and quality running block for me ever and has me feeling really good and ready for the White River 50 mile race coming up this Saturday. I've had too many great runs to share here, but numbers for the last 5 weeks leading up to White River are as follows:

25 runs
276.20 mi....ave of 11.05 mi per run and 55.24 mi/week ave (last week was a taper week at 43 miles which brings the average down)
50:14:19 h:m:s
65,516 ft gain...ave of 2,621 ft gain per run and 13,103 ft/week ave

My peak long run 2 weeks ago was a 25 mile, 6,000 ft gain, 5 hour run up high on the Elkhorn Crest Trail...this was really a great run and capped of my peak week (July 3-9) of 65 miles and 15,000+ ft gain. Here are some photos/video from that run:

At Elkhorn Peak Summit looking down at Goodrich Lake

Looking South along the Elkhorn Crest Line

Twin Lakes; iced over still in the middle of July

From a separate run looking down the Pine Creek drainage from the ridge north of Rock Creek Butte.

White River Race report to follow next week :)!

Back At It

2011-06-19T16:51:00.000-07:00

I'm finally back to somewhat normal running with this last week that totalled 53 mi and 11,145 ft of gain. Some nice routes are opening up that I've been wanting to do for some time now. Pocatello took a little more out of me than I had thought it would, but now I feel back to at least pre-Pokie levels if not a little better and actually a little more recovered on my small little nagging pains and what not. I thought I'd basically just share a little bit in pictures from this last week:

Looking up at some of the upper section of a climb up to the Pine Creek Reservoir...4.15 miles + 2,500 ft gain = best technical mountain run/ascent of the year;hopefully more to come later after the snow melts some more.

View at the top of the climb. The reservoir is in the middle left of the pic. Still iced over.

Looking up at the Elkhorn Crest...going to run up to the ridge and summit Rock Creek Butte (not visible in the pic) later in the year from this route. Notice that the trees in all these pictures have taken a beating, not sure, but I think there might have been a significant snow slide/avalanche as many parts of the upper climb had some pretty apparent damage.

If I would have had more time, I would have tried to climb this exposed slope. As it was, I was up at the res. at 7:00 am and needed to be back in town by 8:30...next time :).

My mom descending one of the trickier snow traverses that were near the top. She's one adventurous woman and never turns down an offer for a run, no matter what kind of junk I lead her into :).

This trail has seen better days. Great, more technical section near the top of the descent.

A rare picture of myself as usually I don't have people with me on many of my runs and don't take a camera very much. Feeling pretty lucky to get out up here on such a nice morning...after we descended back into the trees had to put the shirt back on though :)...it was 37 degrees when we started out and probably low 40's when we got back at 8:15ish.

Hope everyone is enjoying the beginnings of more summer like weather...we've got a forecast for temps in the 80's a couple of days this next week, should be fun.

Pocatello 50K+ (37 mi) Race Report

2011-06-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

I'm finally back in and settled after this last weekend in Pocatello, ID. After reports of potentially nasty weather, we lucked out with a fairly nice day (for running at least) in the high 40's with no real precip to speak of. The course was in decent condition considering the high levels of snowpack that the area has had and this made for a decent amount of trudging and sliding, but this only added to the challenge and fun of the whole event, which is a truly great mountain race (I'd love to come back when the circumstances are right for a trip up Scout Mt. which was not included in the course this year because of too much snow). Here is a short run down of how the day went:

My Dad and I at the 50K start (City Creek aid station). He tore it up out there...50 years old, never ran in his life before 2009 and decided to throw it all out there for 37 miles...and he only came in 23 minutes behind me, crazy!

We started out at 8:30 am at the City Creek aid station (for the 50 milers). I thought we might see a few 50 milers run by before we started and I was right. Dakota Jones came flying in about 5 mins before we were set to take of. After Dakota left we got ready to go and I stepped aside, after a suggestion from Yassine the night before, to take a moment to take it all in and be thankful for the opportunity to race that day. He said that he likes to take a moment and have gratitude for being able to be out there and toe the line on that day in addition to all the support that we get from our family and friends and to take that gratitude with him the rest of the day. It was really a profound suggestion and made a huge difference for me in putting things all in perspective. Yes, this was a race, but really it was so much more than that after all the miles ran in training, the times Alyssa takes care of the kids so I can get in those longer weekend runs, and even the mountain itself and how it speaks to, refines, and captivates me all gave me a continued sense of gratitude for the health and ability to partake in something like this. Thanks for the wise words Yassine!

I choose to run the race in my Inov-8 F-Lite 230s and they performed flawlessly. I also took a handheld water bottle (mix match camelback holder and random bottle) and an Inov-8 Race Elite 2 hip pack, which I really like as it is big enough to put food gloves and a packable coat in, but not really noticeable when running. I started out probably a little farther back than I should have, but had been burned by running out too quickly at the North Face 50K in SF 6 months ago so I didn't want to go out too fast this time. This was more of a problem at Pocatello, because the trail went down to narrow single track and a moderate climbing grade almost immediately and I spent nearly the first 20 mins just trying get around people. By about the 4 mile mark, I hit a section they called the Barkley section that looked like this:

This is what the start of it looked like...yes the route when right up the middle of this creek.

The upper sections were more like this...lots of side-hilling over snow to be had in the upper parts of this first climb.

By the time I hit this section, although I didn't know it at the time, I had probably worked my way into the top 10 and was feeling good...I wish the climbing would have kept going because after I crested the top of this 5 mile climb w/2,500 ft gain in 1:03 I hung fine for the next mile or so on the flat ridge, but as the elevation started to drop off, I found myself not able to hold the downhill pace of the front runners. I was still going at a solid, for me, 7:45-8:00/mi pace but this was not enough to hang on to the group. The next section was 10+ mi of downhill with only one small 600 ft climb in the middle and 2,500 ft of descent. I covered the section fairly well with 9:00/mi pace for those 10 mi, but it was not enough to catch any of those in front...this is something I'm going to work on soon.

Next, I hit Mink Creek aid station and had to spend a fair amount of time switching out some gear and food. I only took the food I need for the first 16 mi from the start as I knew I had a drop bag at mile 16, but not sure if this paid off in the long run as it took longer than I'd like to see (4 min.) to switch out my wrappers of Clif shot gel and blocks and re load my hip pack and hand bottle pocket with the the food I needed for the rest of the race. I took my shirt off at this point as I was getting a little warm and didn't need to put in back on till about 45 min before the finish.

After leaving Mink Creek I hit the second large climb and felt decent, but not quite the pop in the legs as the first climb...this is expected :) at this point. After reaching some higher altitudes 6,300 ft+ the snow started to cover sections of the trail. The elevation leveled off at around 7,000 ft for an out and back to the Scout Mtn aid station that was around 1 mi each way and mostly snow. This was a good spot to see some of the other runners. I saw my Mom (Susan, who was running the 19.5 mile race (actually 21 something) and gave her a high five. She was looking great despite being nervous about her ability to run the course (which I never doubted) and ended up finishing a respectable 9th place in here first trail race at 48 years old...very well done Mom! I reach the aid station and the guys there had it rockin'. I had heard that Roch Horton was running the aid station and apparently Karl Meltzer was there too although I never saw him...I did see the Red Bull on the table (should have made the connection :) ) and grabbed a can on the way out to see if I could get any rejuvenation from the sugar and caffeine, plus hydrate a little extra on the descent. I was worried about being a little dehydrated and low on electrolytes, but never ended up getting any cramps or anything. I worked my way up through the snow covered out and back heading out and saw my Dad (Loren) heading in and gave him encouragement to keep pushing strong. He was looking good, but it was only mile 21 and I expected him to be strong at this point...the real test for, which he passed convincingly, would be after the marathon mark, which was his personal best distance to date (North Face trail marathon in December 2010).

The next section was a long brutal downhill, did I mention I've got to work on downhills :)! It was 6 miles long with 2,000 ft of descent. I covered it at a passable pace, mid 9's after I got through the snow that was covering the first 2-3 miles of the descent. This, however, killed my over all performance I believe. I felt fatigued from the downhill, yet I was not covering at a fast enough pace to make it benefit me. Definitely a problem. By the time I hit Mink Creek aid station for the second time at mile 29, I was ready for some uphill. I hit the porta potty for a quick stop, grabbed some chips and pb&j for some salt and different tasting food. I'd been hitting Clif Shot gels and Bloks most of the race, but was getting a little tired of eating them at the moment. All in all, I think I did pretty good on food with an estimated 1,700 cal put in during the race and never felt like I was going to bonk.

The climb out of Mink Creek started pretty gradual and I was able to hit it at a pretty good pace for this late in the race (11-12 min/mi), however, after 2 miles when it turned onto the Corral Creek loop that it would end on, things got steeper and I started to come apart a little. I tried to run as much as I could of this section, but was reduced to a hike for probably 30-40% of it. It crested out around 6,400 ft and then had a 2 mile section of flattish running on a fire road before turning on to the Corral Creek trail for a quick, and somewhat tricky for this point in the race, 1,000 ft descent over the next two miles. I hit the road which I knew meant just a little over a mile to go. After running by myself since Mink Creek, I was a little surprised to have someone come up on me just as I was taking to the road. I looked back to see that it was one of the ladies (found out later her name was Emily Judd and she got second place at the Bighorn 100 last year!) from my race (identifiable by the bib color) and she looked stronger than I felt. She right away passed me and I thought I would have to let her go at that point. However, after getting the legs turning over for a minute or two, they revived a little and I was able to close the gap back to her. We were cruising on a slight downhill at around an 8:00 mile at this point and I decided to see if I had anything left in the legs. I pushed it a little harder and went passed her and proceeded to open a gap of about 100-200 ft or so. We zoomed by Mink Creek aid on the way to the finish and I knew there was around .25 miles left. This is when I noticed her closing the gap again and I though, you've got to be kidding me...37 miles of running most of the race by myself and it's gonna be a sprint at the line. I backed off just a little to make sure I saved a bit for the last 100 meters or so...after we turned into the campground she was probably only 50 ft behind me and I turned it on at this point reaching into the low 6's to close it out hard and retain 12th place overall at 7:15:00 with Emily finishing just 2 seconds behind me. I've never met Emily before, but thanks for pushing me and congrats on a solid race!

Saw my Mom, who had already finished. I got changed and grabbed a little food and then proceeded to wait for my Dad to come in. I told my Mom that he was probably going to be a while as I felt like I was breaking down a little at the end and that Dad, who hadn't done as much training or other ultra's like I had, must be hurting more than me. I was proven wrong and he showed up only 23 minutes after me for a solid 17th place and 7:38:17. At 50 years old and just starting running less than 2 years ago, this is an amazing feat...very well done Dad! He's gonna keep me honest with my training because if I fall apart and we are in the same race...he will inevitably eat me up in the final miles with his exceptional stamina and I can't let my old man beat me right ;). Official results here.

Well, Pocatello was a great experience and really gives me confidence for running 50 miles at White River in 2 months. I've already run twice since Pocatello and am amazed at how quickly the well trained body recovers. I did a short 4.5 mi run last night with 450 ft of gain going easy and felt pretty good most of the way. I wouldn't be surprised if almost all the soreness is gone in a day or so. We can do so much more than we often mentally limit ourselves to. If you want to do something, go for it! You'll be surprised with where you can go.

May 15-21; Closure

2011-05-22T16:38:00.000-07:00

5 runs
36.20 mi
6:26:50 h:m:s
8,214 ft elevation gain

Here are some pictures from my run on Friday. It was a nice day and I got up as high as I have all year with only a mile or so of trudging through snow ;).

The lower part of the upper section of the 2,500 ft climb around 5,400 ft. Jack didn't seemed bothered by the little bit of heat today (low 60's, hey this is hot for us ;) )

Getting near the exposed ridge probably around 5,800 ft. Jack in the same pose as before.

Looking back down on the valley at around 6,200 ft. Felt nice to be up high out in the open. This was a new route for me and really was an interesting and at times technical climb. (at least as technical as a forest service rd. can get)

Looking up at the ridge that I was headed towards from the same spot as the last picture.

With this week, I put the wraps on a significant winter training block. It started this last January and was a slow, but steady process of laying a foundation for the summer adventures that lay ahead. I'm taking a week off to rest up for the Pocatello 50K+ (36 miles) next weekend (which my Dad just bumped up to also after originally planning on running the 20 mile version), then after adequately recovering, getting up this summer to enjoy the thin air of the high county around Baker City. I'm actually looking forward to the everyday running this summer just as much as the racing ahead...here's to everyone's adventures, wherever they may take you.

May 8-14: Last Long Run

2011-05-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

Had a good last week of any of my significant training. Took it easier in the beginning of the week before putting in a hard 7 mile climbing run on Friday with a 22 miler on Saturday to put the wraps on things before the real tapering starts. Felt great on that last long run except for a stupid expedition through about 4 feet deep snow that I skidded, stumbled and scraped my way through for around 1.5 miles. Lesson learned. All in all felt great on the run and put in plenty of food (780 cal), although could have used more water at the end (only had one bottle). I'm going to keep this short and sweet so here are the numbers for the week:

5 runs
47.83 mi
8:07:15 h:m:s
9,864 ft gain

Take care everyone.

May 1-7 Training Peak for Pocatello

2011-05-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

I peaked out in my training for the Pocatello 50K+ (35 mile) mountain race coming up with my best week on record. I'll go straight to the numbers, then share about a few runs:

6 runs
63.49 mi
10:07:18 h:m:s
9,684 ft gain

This was a good week to follow up last weeks mileage and gain and I felt pretty good most of this week other than a bone bruise or something in my left foot that has been in the background for a couple of months now that flared up after a 4 mi time trial that I did on Tuesday this last week. My two runs on Friday and Saturday were very confidence building and made me feel ready for the race coming up. On Friday I ran 19.30 mi in 3:09:43 with 2,804 ft gain. Five miles of this was run up high at 5,200 ft and I ran into some snow sections that were 2-3 ft deep and required a walk/slog to get through.


This is what the "Waterline" road looked like. I traveled on it for over 5 miles and this is what it looked like when it was good and runnable. When the road got into a north facing or sheltered corner the snow got deep and my feet got wet. Good for endurance training though.

Because of the condition of this road, I modified my route and instead of coming back through it again, I tacked on a different section and 1 more climb and ended up getting more mileage than I had planned (18 mi). All in all this run went very well and I put in nearly 700 calories in the 3 hours which is a great amount of food for a run of this distance (probably the most ever for a run for me). The next day, I met up with Davey Peterson and we ran a 14.29 mi route w/2,305 ft gain in 2:13:36. This was pretty quick for this route after 19+ the day before. A highlight was a near pr effort on the biggest climb right off the bat. By mile 11 I was feeling it and just made my way home as best I could.

Starting this week, I'm beginning a slow 3-week taper to let my body catch up and recover, but I will be putting in a 21 mile mountain run this Saturday to cap on my long runs before Pocatello. Really looking forward to getting out to race again!

A view of the Elkhorn's last week. The snow is still stacked pretty high above 5,500 ft or so, but I'm dreaming of running above treeline this summer.

Quick Update: Last week and the month of April

2011-05-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

Time is flying and things are starting to pick up both in running, work, and life. All is good though and I'm enjoying the new weather and change of pace from churning up icy/snowy climbs in cold temp that was pretty common for me this winter.

This last week, April 24-30th, was a real breakthrough week for me in both time and elevation gain (which usually trend together), my best mileage for a week is 57.93 mi w/6,051 ft gain back in Aug. last year so just missed that mark (but will probably break it this next week), here are the numbers:

6 runs
54.37 mi
9:27:01 h:m:s
13,588 ft gain

My best amount of elevation gain for a week before was in January where I put in 7,325 ft in 32.64 mi (224ft/mi). This weeks's gain takes a significant jump upward and comes out to 249ft/mi., so more volume and a higher ft/mile ratio. The jump in gain is in part due to doing most of my runs, even my easy days, with a 1,200 ft climb or more and also in part to a great weekend running with Yassine in Portland. I was able to get in 26.5 mi w/ 7,795 ft of gain in the two runs and had a great time getting in some single track with awesome views and climbs with a great runner like Yassine. Thanks for the encouraging and enjoyable weekend Yassine!

This weekend ended the month of April as well, so here are those numbers:

26 runs
213.56 mi
34:03:12 h:m:s
35,611 ft gain

This was my best month in all categories and really is giving me a newly found confidence that I'm getting in shape enough to race the whole 35 miles at Pocatello rather than race 20 and sorta race/survive the rest like I did at the North Face 50K in December. We'll see what happens, but regardless I know I'll have a ton of fun. I've still got this week and the next that will be strong weeks to start wrapping up the training for Pocatello before tapering off before the race. Take care everyone.

Week of April 17-23

2011-04-25T14:59:00.000-07:00

Well, had a good week recovering and rebuilding from Robie Creek's hard effort. Felt pretty sapped at the beginning of the week, but came around nicely by Saturday and rounded out the week with some pretty good numbers for a cut-back week:

5 runs
40.00 mi
0:6:38:17 h:m:s
7,295 ft gain

This is my second 7K+ gain week in a row and I'll most likely be in the 8-9k this week so it will be a good month of climbing for me. Tried a few routes to get up higher this week and got denied both times by snow levels that are still hanging around at 5,000 ft and higher. I'll bide my time while it melts of and might have to start doing some repeats at lower elevations to get in some of the longer climbs that I want to before the Pocatello 35 miler coming up. Here are some pictures from the week:

Looking back down the climb up Salmon Creek at the lower elevation levels...good little road with a nice and steep, but fully runnable grade.

Jack enjoying the snow a little more than I was at this point...I was planning on getting up another mile and 500 ft higher, but was stopped here around 4,900 ft elevation.

Nice day and great to be out despite the snow.

Looking back down the hill from the spot where I turned around.

The Elkhorn's calling my name, I'll still have to wait a couple months to get up on the ridge.

Looking back into the west part of Baker Valley.


Zach getting some special treatment this morning with breakfast on the couch while he got a morning movie while mom got ready before I went to work...this can't become a habit :).

Race to Robie Creek 1/2 Marathon

2011-04-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

So, I had the unexpected chance to run the Race to Robie Creek yesterday. I'll jump right into the report:

Picture before the start. First time in my new Inov-8 race get up and first time in shorts and a tank top for 6 months.

I went with a pair of the new Inov-8 Road-X 233's, a road racing shoe by Inov-8 (who has been an off-road only company till this year). Really was surprised and liked this shoe. This was only my second run in these and I wore no socks and had zero issues the whole run. Great shoe. I plan on doing a review of the shoe as well as some reviews of others in the near future as I continue to get more time in a lot of different models. I'm really looking forward to their even more minimal road shoe, the Road-X Lite 155, that comes out in a month or two.

Eating a vanilla Clif Shot before the race and asking Zach if he wanted some. He tried some, but didn't like it too much...yet, he will ;).

At about the .5 mile mark with people running way to fast for what lay up ahead.

I took a Clif Shot about 10 min before the start (I hadn't had any lunch and the race started at 12:00 so I was hungry :) ). I started up in the front 100 or so runners and the first mile was flat and everybody took off like it was a 5K. I looked down at my garmin and was going at a 7:00/mile pace about .5 mile in and I was getting passed right and left by runners. I decided at that pace just to let them go. There was a little climbing on the paved road from mile 1-2 of about 250 ft with a little downhill for .5 mile afterward. I didn't gain much ground on people at this point, but heard some people breathing way too hard at this point in the race and knew I just needed to save myself for the main work ahead. When I hit the flat at the bottom this downhill I lapped my garmin which showed a time of 18:49 at mi 2.52 with 270 ft of gain and 46 ft of loss in the books good enough for 7:27 pace. I thought this was the start of the real climb, but it turned out there was another 0.81 mi of flattish road before I hit the dirt road and started the climb. I covered this small section with 136 ft gain at a 7:46 pace and was eager to start the climb.

One thing that surprised me about the race that I hadn't expected was how hot it was. Training in Baker recently has been in the mid to low 40's so the mid 60's that we had on race day combined with the hard climbing and being in a canyon for most of the climb (read no breeze) made for a very hot feeling run. I was a little worried about this as I haven't sweat that much in 6 or 7 months, but my body did its job and I took a little extra water from the aid stations. I basically focused on even pacing, relaxed breathing and legs, and running the racing lines through the corners, which surprisingly to me, 80% of the runners didn't seem to care whether they were running on the outside of the road or not. I'm no pure road runner, but I don't see the need to run extra in a race and plus it gives something to focus on too. I immediately started reeling people in on the climb which helped build some momentum for me. I don't think I got passed once from this point onward until well after the summit when a few downhill speedsters went by me. The climb started gradually and I was able to maintain a good pace in the low 8:00-8:15 range. Near the end it pitched up somewhat and I was reduced to a more moderate 10:00 pace. I had figured before the race that a 1:10:00 at the summit of the climb would be my top goal. As I started getting closer to the top, I realized I would come close to this time and ended up coming through at 1:07:22 with 8.3 mi and 2,100 ft of climbing in the bag.

I knew the rest was downhill and proceeded trying to keep at a pace that I would be able to keep the rest of the way. I pulled out another Clif Shot and nursed it for the next couple miles. The downhill was significantly steeper than the climbing side, but was able to fall into a low 6:00-6:20 pace and feel fairly comfortable. This, however, still didn't prevent a few folks from screaming past me (with very loud heel strike slaps I might add...not worth it in the long run I would think). I still passed a handful of runners who looked like they had lit all their matches a little to early and were in a little bit of a survival mode. I saw the 11 mile sign and did some quick calculating and realized I could actually come in under 1:40:00 which I had not even thought possible before the race. By the time I hit the 13 mile mark (12 mile mark was either missing or I didn't see it), I knew I would come under 1:40:00 and actually saw a struggling runner up ahead so I put it into high gear to give myself a shot at reeling him in. I made it passed him with about 100 meters to go and strode into the finish line. I looked for my time, but the clock was all bugged out at the finish (I had also noticed the summit clock reading incorrectly when I came over). I read later that they had some issue with the clocks, but the timing chips worked great so the times were not messed up. My garmin time showed 1:37:23 and I was thrilled, later I found my official time was 1:37:22 (official results here). They didn't have the overall placings on this pdf, just age group placings, but I did a rough estimate and came up with 42-44th place. This gave me a final pace of 7:33 as I had run the 4.61 mi of downhill at a 6:15 pace. I turned around and shook the hand of the runner who I passed at the end and told him "Good job!" and went on to grab some fluids at the finish festivities feeling very happy with a hard effort and feeling great at the end of the run. I never felt amazing at any point in the day, but I felt solid the whole run. I hadn't planned on racing Robie Creek. My brother offered me the chance on Monday last week, when one of his co-workers had to drop out. However, my training had been pretty ideal for this race and it capped off a 50.73 mi week for me. My coach, Yassine Diboun, assured me we'd have no issues training through the race and I agreed that it was my desire as well not to taper and it worked out great. I haven't raced in over 5 months, and even though I wished it was on some single track, I still had a lot of fun and was a great test of fitness early season.

Zachary with my brother Stephen at the start.

Zach getting some of the single track in that I never got.

Ultra training has started. Good form already don't you think?

Not sure, because I wasn't there to witness, but looks like he was entering into a mini pain cave here.

Not sure I'll do Robie Creek again, but who knows? It really plays out like a tougher road race, but was more like a typical hard climbing day in training for me...probably a little easier grade actually, which presented its own challenge of needed to run low 8:00/mi pace to stay on it on the climbs, something most routes I do simply are too steep to allow. Goes to show that doing mostly climbing in training and virtually no speed work can still end up producing a fairly good, faster paced race. This wasn't an ultra, but I think some of Geoff Roes' thoughts on speed work apply. Read his post here: Need for Speed? Not saying that speed work isn't helpful, but that it seems that if you do lots of climbing and more strength oriented running, you can do well on some faster long distance runs, but that it doesn't seem work the other way around. If you do lots of speed, but then try to do a 12 mile run with 2,500 ft of vert you're going to be sucking wind...this has been my personal observation, and if Roes is telling the truth about not doing any speed work, he certainly did much to strengthen his theory at this year's Chuckanut 50K where he ran a new course record time at a race that tends to favor some faster runners. Anyway, on to this weeks numbers:

6 runs
07:33:22 h:m:s
50.73 mi
7,554 ft gain

Some good running this week as the snow slowly comes off...looking forward to doing some significant climbing in a couple weeks as more routes open up. Have a good week everyone. Any let me know if you have any questions about the race or comments about speed work for long distance running (20 miles+ ?).

Baby Charlene and catch up on running

2011-04-10T22:06:00.000-07:00

Well, we had our baby and it was a girl! Her name is Charlene Rivers Henry born on March, 30th 2011 and weighed a whopping 9 lbs 8 oz. She is a very sweet baby and we are loving getting to see her get used the the world. She is doing well and eating lots! We are starting to slowly catch back up on some sleep and adjust to having two kids with completely different needs right now. Here is a picture:


Here she is probably around 1 hr after being born. She is a little swollen from delivery, but was wide eyed for hours.

More pictures of her to come.

During the week she was born, I got in:

4 runs
24.78 mi
3:30:25 h:m:s
389 ft gain

I knew this week was going to be crazy and I didn't feel that great on any of these runs, but was glad to get out when I did. This week also ended the month of March and my numbers for the month were:

24 runs
191.22 mi
29:55:16 h:m:s
22,678 ft gain

This is my biggest month on record in both miles and time so things are moving along. Conditions in the mountains didn't let me reach a new mark in elevation gain, but this month is looking good so far as I got in a pretty solid week, at least numbers wise cause I felt really poor most of the week:

6 runs
48.75 mi
7:37:22 h:m:s
6,828 ft gain

Had a couple of good runs this week. I went up the Cell tower climb on Monday with a run of 8.69 mi in 1:24:21 with 1,435 ft gain. I was a little sore after this run, but it felt so good to be back climbing again. The middle of the week I felt pretty bad. I've been low on sleep and the weather turned nasty for a few days with temps in the mid 30's and 25-30 mph winds. The week ended on a high note, though, with a run of 11.30 mi in 1:48:27 with 1,724ft gain. This run felt good and I got up higher than I've been in a while which always helps the mood. Here are some pictures from that run as well as some pics of me modifying a pair of my running moccasins to handle some of the more rocky terrain:

Peeled the 2mm soles off these. They probably had 50% life left in them.

Cutting out my new soles from some "Leadville" Vibram rubber from Luna Sandals. 10mm thick and good grip. A big thanks to Jules at Luna for being willing to work with my odd request.

Comparison with the "trail" RunAmocs on the right. The trail versions come with a 6mm Vibram sole, which I've worn down to about a 4 or 5mm I would guess...these just weren't protective enough for the higher mileage I've been putting in lately on the trails, still a great moc though.


Finished product; I call it the RunAmoc Ultra. As far as I know, this is the only model in existence :). Maybe Soft Star reads my blog and will start making them...probably not though. The color of the sole was not my choice, but Luna was out of their regular black color...I didn't care that much so had them send me this color...they gave me a great deal so no complaints at all.

On top of the ridge leading to the Cell Towers; looking east over Baker Valley.

Looking west at the Elkhorn Mountains from the same spot as the photo above...they are getting tons of snow still.

Newly finished mocs out on the trail. Worked great on this rocky stuff and even did as well as a moccasin could do in snow.


This is the type of trail conditions for I had for about 5 miles of the run. Lots of melting snow, mud and puddles. Made it interesting and fun. I didn't have any complaints. I hope it keeps melting though :).

Well, that's it for this week. Onward...

March nearing an end

2011-03-28T11:37:00.000-07:00

We are well on our way to finish out March in style by bringing a new baby home most likely before this week ends. I'll be sure to update with pictures as soon as it is realistic for me to do so.

Running has been great recently and has really been key in dealing with some stresses at work and getting ready for a new baby. My two year old son still doesn't value sleep as much as I'd like to see, but what are you gonna do :).

I had a couple of interesting experiences running, first was on Wednesday. I was completely wiped from work for various reasons and really didn't feel like doing anything but collapsing into a comma. However, because, I've been in the habit of running nearly every day for the past three months, there is something natural feeling about getting geared up for a run. I put on my running clothes like a zombie and stumbled my way out of the house with some water an a couple gel packs and started moving. I felt like I was sleep-running the first couple of miles, but then the unfailing effect of increased blood flow and movement seemed to snap me out of it and by around mile 3 I was feeling revived from the dead. I ended up putting in 10 miles instead of the planned 8 and felt twice as good when I got home from the run than I had only 1:30 earlier. It is counter-intuitive that burning 1500 calories would actually revive you, but I think there is some insight into how our bodies are designed to function: being outside and moving, not confined to many of the modern ways we end up spending our day (like right now typing at a computer :) ).

The second experience happened when I went out for a 2nd run on Saturday after I had just put in a 14.5 mile trail run that was supposed to be 17.5 miles where we got off track multiple times and had to bag the original route because of some time constraints. It was snowing and 33 degrees with the ground absolutely drenched. The day had ended, Zach was in bed and Alyssa taking a relaxing bath and for some reason I felt like I should get out for a run to finish the miles that I set out to do the beginning of the week. This felt like a completely irrational desire given the conditions outside and the circumstances. I even waffled on it a few times but ultimately put on my cold weather gear and headlamp and headed out. The snow was falling in such large flakes initially that I could even see the ground with the head lamp on, so I ran most of the run with it off until the snow fell a little lighter. Running in the dark in a Spring snowstorm at 8:30 at night made me wonder why I do it. Why run? And especially why subject myself to a run such as this? The 4.66 mi that I ran we really insignificant in the big picture of things and I had nothing to prove to anyone in the process. I have thoughts like this run through my mind during the run, but before I really had a good answer for them, I realized what it was. I stopped thinking and just felt the movement. My legs moving, the sound of soft footfalls on wet ground (tap, tap, tap, splash, tap), breathing in cold wet air. There was something automatic and freeing just about the movement and the process. I wasn't running fast or a particularly interesting route, but realized it didn't matter. The run was worth it in and of itself. Future races and hopes of success in those races weren't important and didn't provide any motivation for this run. I feel like this run was most likely the first time I really "felt" like a runner. Sure, I've self identified as one for a while now, but for this run I had no real reason to get out and do it other than for the pure enjoyment. I had many good reasons NOT to run that night and no real benefits to run (4.6 miles flat miles were going to make me any stronger or more fit...probably going to bed early instead would have :) ). Here is what I wrote in my running log that night:

"2nd run. 33 degrees and snowing...wet ground. Not sure why I really wanted to run tonight, but it was one of those things that defy logic...I had every reason not to run tonight. Tired from a full day taking Zach to the pool then running 14.5 mi early afternoon and hanging with Zach afterwards while Alyssa was out. Looked outside around 7:30 and it had started dumping rain that turned into snow. Tossed around not going, but ultimately decided to go. Out in the wet snow, I realized what kind of a hold this human form of movement has on me. It was everything I'm not too fond of in a run: at night, in town, on roads, cold and wet, but I loved it none the less."

All said a good week of running. It was my highest mileage so far this year and I felt great most nearly the whole we other than the little heel issue I'm still dealing with. This week I'm taking a few days off and hoping for a baby soon. Here are the numbers and some pictures from the week:

6 runs
52.14 mi
8:07:55 h:m:s
5,471 ft elevation gain

Running with a storm on the way in the background on Saturday.

Turned out is was snow and it started to get close. A curtain of snow slowly moved toward us. Very surreal weather...typical Baker City spring!

The aftereffects of the moving wall of snow.

Great new climb I found on Sunday. Too bad the rest of the route didn't work out as planned.

Have a good one everybody!

No baby yet...

2011-03-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

Well, no baby, but things are still going well over in Eastern Oregon. Had a good weekend with my son Zach just playing around whether that was at home while mom was out to a baby shower or over at Papa and Grandma's house in the hot tub. He really is a good kid:

Always a very happy kid (well not always, but most of the time ;) ). I've been blessed to get to be his "Dada". Still makes me happy every time he says it :).

The week of running went well even though I was working through a few sore muscles here and there. I was going to tone down some of the vertical gain this week, but as is likely for me, I was continually drawn to get as high as the weather will permit this time of year. It was rewarding to get in a few good climbs both getting back up to the Cell Towers on Friday for a 6.06 mi 1:12:40 run with 1,780 ft gain and hitting a new route up Trail Creek Rd off of the HWY up Dooley Mtn (pictures below) for 11.18 mi in 1:47:17 with 1,887 ft gain on Saturday and finished up the week today with 10.84 mi in 1:40:38 with 1,119 ft gain. So having put in 4,786 ft in 26 miles over three days, was not necessarily the lighter vert week that I was thinking, but in the end I'm satisfied and truly enjoyed the time out, which is what ultimately matters in the end. I'm also feeling pretty good physically as well and most of the soreness eventually worked is way out as the week went on.

Numbers for the week:

6 runs
46.66 mi
7:40:23 h:m:s
7,135 ft gain

Here are some pictures from the week:

My Mom and Dad with the pups on Thursday on the ridge south of the Interpretive Center. They have been one of my most consistent running partners and supporters and will surely both make the jump into the ultra marathon distance this year.


My Dad and I. Never thought we'd being running long distances a couple of years ago, as we were both either told or thought we were too big to be runners with me at 6'5 and him 6'4...slowly finding out we were limited only by self-imposed barriers and are having a great time running.

Heading up Trail Creek. The route looked promising at this point with snow levels not as high as I expected.

Sign where I turned around, approx 5,300 ft elevation. Still more climbing available after this, but snow was getting a little deep.

Looking back down the hill at my tracks from the sign post above.

My Mizuno road racing flats may not have been the best choice for the snow, but I've been working through a small issue with the back of my heel that has limited my footwear choices more than I'd like.

Hopeful for a good week and some baby pictures by the next blog post :)!

Spring! Sort of...

2011-03-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

Well it has been quite the week. We are still waiting on baby to come so will keep everyone posted on that. Running wise it was a good week to finally get out back on some dirt and elevation as the weather is slowly warming (although very windy) and snow is melting. This means mud, but I'll gladly take that at this point. Numbers for the week:

5 runs

45.03 mi
6:57:23 h:m:s
5,340 ft gain

Most significant was a 12 and 14 mile back to back this weekend. Went out on Saturday for 12.14 mi in 2:02:57 with 2,034 ft gain and followed up on Sunday with 14.01 mi in 2:11:43 with 1,708 ft gain. Felt good to get in the type of runs I've been wanting to for quite some time. My body felt pretty good both days and I was able to hold a consistent pace from beginning to end on both runs, so my fitness is slowly improving. Picture below was from Saturday's run looking west over Baker Valley and the Elkhorn Mountains.

Mud, Still a lot of snow, and Spring on the way

2011-03-06T15:50:00.000-08:00

Well I just ended this weeks worth of running on a high note with a great 10.5 miler (w/1,366 ft of elevation gain) with one of my most consistent running buddies Barry. It was a very Spring like day over here reaching the mid 40's by the end of our run (around 12:30). Here are the weeks numbers:

6 runs
42.33 mi
6:26:17 h:m:s
4,709 ft gain

Lastly I took my phone with me on my run up Elk creek yesterday and here are some pictures as well as a video from that run.

What the road looked like at the start of the run. Hey if you don't like mud don't be a trail runner right?

View of the Cell Towers from the South. I have a staple climbing route (on my grandparents property) that peaks out at these towers but it comes from the North side (not shown here)

The obligatory photo of my furry running pals ;).

Conditions at the top of the climb were I turned around, approx 4,200 ft elevation. Still some snow (about 6-10 inches).

And here is a little video at the top:

We are expecting a baby within the next couple of weeks so things are getting exciting around here. Take care everyone!

February Summary

2011-03-02T08:03:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to post my February numbers for those interested. I haven't been posting any week by week training post like I did leading up to the North Face 50K this December, but I might do some of that when I get closer to racing the White River 50 mile race this July if it is interesting to anyone.

Here are the numbers for the month:

23 Runs
157.99 mi
26:26:56 h:m:s
23,550 ft elevation gain

While my total elevation gain was a little lower than last month (26,312 ft) I got in what I did in 7 less runs than last month. Therefore, my average run was of a much higher quality than the previous month. The best stat for this month has to be my Average (1:08:59) and Median (1:03:46) run times. I'm definitely becoming more and more comfortable running longer. I remember last year when I though anything over 45 min felt like a longer run. Both January and February this year have been more significant training periods (by time and elevation gain) than anything I did last year, so things are looking good so far.

In the Doldrums of Winter

2011-02-28T16:31:00.000-08:00

Well, it hasn't been that bad :), but I did have a rather rough week mentally coming off one of my best weeks of the year the week before. The temperatures plummeted near the end of the week into single digits and we continued to get more snow. Most all of my preferred routes in the mountains were shut down to anything but snowshoeing, so I did 4 out of my 6 runs on the road. This week was a cut-back week of sorts in regards to mileage so it ended up looking like this:

6 runs
36.01 miles
6:03:24 h:m:s
4,657 ft gain

My most notable run was a relatively easy 8 miler on a snow covered dirt road on Sunday. I never felt great all week, but I suppose your bound to have down weeks just like in anything else. Alyssa and I have been fairly busy keeping up with our little guy, preparing for a new little one in March, and I've been taking on more responsibility at work. This all contributes, I'm sure. I do know that once the trails clear up, I'll have a problem in wanting to run too much, so all that is left is to enjoy the last bits of winter before things start to roll into spring. Until next time...

Snow and More Snow!

2011-02-22T18:33:00.000-08:00

Well, it was a great week of running last week, but I was not prepared for all the snow we've been getting! This changed a few of my long run plans, but I still got out for some good runs and even put in some strong and fast efforts. This was my most mileage this year and I'm feeling better than ever. This weeks numbers:

6 Runs
46.02 miles
7:11:38 h:m:s
6,474 ft gain

Now for some pictures:

Zach and Junior on a nice easy run around town...stopping for some groceries on our way home from a 6 mile run.

At the summit of the Dooley Mt. grade on Saturday. It was snowing the entire way, but it was still early in the day, so we only had a few inches to deal with. Great 8 mile uphill run from the bottom.

The view of our backyard getting dumped on Saturday afternoon...my Sunday plans were getting rearranged.

The view from the bottom of Keating valley Sunday afternoon. We did a 12 mile road run because all the high country trails I had in mind were not runnable. Ended up be a very fast effort for me, especially this time of year, as I was able to do this 12.2 mile run in 1:38:34 (8:03/mile ave.) and it had a 900 ft climb in the middle of it.

Take care everyone and enjoy the last few weeks of winter. Spring is coming...

Late-Winter Long Run

2011-02-14T07:29:00.000-08:00

I've been on a slow buildup of mileage since I re-started training the 1st of January. My first week of February I put in 37.53 miles and 5,512 ft of vertical and followed that up last week with 42.88 mi and 6,939 ft of vertical ending in a long run of 12 miles and 2,640 ft of vert.

I decided it would be nice to take some pictures and a few videos to share what longer runs in the higher mountains look like this time of year in Easter Oregon. It turned out to be a beautiful and exceptionally nice day, topping out at 50 degrees, which is somewhat rare this time of year.

Now for the pictures:

Just starting out up the road (road lasted only about .3 mi) Approx. 4000 ft Elevation

1st 3 mi. had heavy snowmobile traffic which makes the running relatively normal...this would change :).

Getting close to halfway, mileage-wise (approx 5,000 ft elevation)

My running buddies: Jack (black, boarder collie) and Jr. (white, Papillon mix). Both put in an impressive 27 miles this week, with Jr. putting in 21 miles in two days over the weekend.

My go to shoes this winter: Inov-8 X-Talon 190. The large lugs really help give some added confidence on the crusty snow/ice mix. Great shoes!

X-Talon prints next to puppy prints, still not punching through the snow yet.

At the top and happy to be out on such a nice day!

Take a look at the videos below:

This first one shows the snow conditions near the top (really the last mile or so of climbing). I must have had my hand over the mic, so the sound is all muffled and I didn't have it in landscape which looks much better when it is off my phone:

And this one has a clip from about 5,500 ft elevation and 5 miles in and one at the top 6,500 ft elevation and 6 miles:

Have a great week everyone. I encourage you to get outside in some way or another, the winter isn't so bad when you actually get out in it...now getting motivated to get out in the first place can be another story, but don't think about it, just go for it!

New Race and January Summary

2011-01-31T20:42:00.000-08:00

First off, I just signed up for the Pocatello 50K which is on May 28th in Pocatello, Idaho. This looks to be a burly 50K that is actually 35 miles long and sports a healthy 8,000 ft of gain...just the kind of race that interests me. Check out the race website here.

Next January's numbers:

30 runs
153.26 mi
26,312 ft
27:57:55 h:m:s

And a stat I like to see: Median Elevation gain 1,037 ft...this means that half or more of my runs had 1,000 ft of gain or more...this is good for me and is reflected in my new best for a month of elevation gain of 26,312 ft. This bodes well for this years running if I can keep consistent and healthy. The good news was that I didn't feel like January was a huge effort despite running in some rugged temps and snow covered trails for the majority of it.

The biggest change I've instituted this month was the decision to run everyday. I made this decision in the first week of January and have run 26 runs in a row since with only 1 day off in the month (on that day I went on a 45 minute hike with Zach and Alyssa while we were on vacation). I am attempting to gain a new level of consistency in my running that I feel I lacked last year. It seemed that when I was struggling with some soreness or nagging tendonitis it was a result of subjecting my body to large shocks all at once. I would take a day or two off when I got sore, but then first run back I would bust out a 12 miler at a quick pace and wonder why my body wasn't liking it...this month I never even broke 10 miles, but put in at least 45 min or 4 miles (usually with 1000 ft of gain or more) a day and had long runs in the 1:30 range around 8.5 to 9.5 miles with 1,500 - 2,500 ft of gain. So in short nothing crazy, but nothing unsubstantial.

I realized one thing along the way...being an ultrarunner isn't sexy...success in the sport is likely the result of putting in a lot of seemingly insignificant runs to the point where your body is as prepared to run as it is to eat, sleep, laugh, and work. That is what I'm attempting at this point...I'll let you know how it goes. I know one thing; I'm enjoying every minute of it.

A nice sunny, but brisk run in Joshua Tree National Park earlier this month.

Minimalism and My Shoes Choices for the New Year

2011-01-14T14:05:00.001-08:00

The shoes to the left are my New Balance MT101s with the mud and timing chip from the North Face Challenge 50K. This race will be the last one for these shoes. I've made a decision to try to limit the differential from heel to toe on my shoes to a 6mm drop or less. These are 10mm so they are outside this window. They are really a good shoe and have served me well, however, I have found the extra heel to slowly erode away at my form and allow for a little more sloppy running than I'd like.

I found my way to the New Balance MT100 and MT101 (the 101 was an update to the 100) because I got a very bad rock bruise while descending a 6.5 mile 3,600 ft climb on a very rocky trail/road here in Eastern Oregon wearing my Vibram FiveFinger Treks. I spent the better part of two months slowly trying to recover while still wearing the Treks and the trail version of Soft Star RunAmoc running moccasins without much success. I kept re-bruising the same spot on the ball of my right foot. This led me eventually to the New Balance MT100 as I was continuing to crank up the mileage for my first 50k and couldn't afford to simply take the time off to let the foot heal. I have since then slowly made my way back down the minimalism spectrum to where my go to trail shoe is the Inov-8 F-Lite 195 and X-Talon 190, both of which have a 3mm heel-toe drop and not as much cushioning as the MT100/101s and weigh hardly more than a FiveFinger.

I know for most people the MT101 is a minimal shoe...I supposed it is to me too or I wouldn't have considered it. However, with the 10mm drop it allows for my heel to land much earlier (read microseconds) than it would without the heel. Even if landing on the forefoot or mid-foot (natural foot strike for barefoot running) in these shoes your heel inevitable lands earlier because of the heel lift. I tried, without much success, to cut the heel down on my MT100s, but it was very hard to get an even cut all the way through to ensure a consistent surface on the rear half of the shoe. That said, the MT101s are now relegated to being used sparingly only when I feel that my calves or tendons have been overworked and need a little break without actually taking time off.

Because I started my running career in Vibram FiveFinger KSO's I became a staunch minimalist and was not willing to compromise with a shoe that had any cushioning or heel on it...at that time FiveFingers and barefoot were really the only option. Since then many companies have come forward with more minimal offerings in a wide spectrum from completely zero drop to moderate heel heights (4-6mm). I've also, through my experience had to temper my initial barefoot enthusiasm and now look at shoes as tools to use if and when appropriate. My guiding axiom for shoe selection is: "Don't wear more protection than necessary for the terrain to be run on."

Now, I know this can be different for some people than others and believe that shoe selection is really a personal issue. It includes being able to read your body and know it is responding/recovering to the running you are doing. I've found that road running requires less cushioning than trail running, and the technicality of the trail also changes shoe selection. Note: I have NOT found arch support, pronation control, or much cushioning (around more than 10mm of cushioning) necessary for any running condition, therefore probably 90% of shoes on the market are quickly not considered. This is my bias towards minimalism and for carrying the lightest and least amount of shoe possible on my feet for the task at hand. I want the shoe to adapt to my foot rather than my foot having to adapt to the shoe.

For me, I have used or plan to use these shoes for the purposes listed below. Some of the shoes listed I have owned for over a year and a half and some I have yet to try but plan to. Also note, I'm an experimenter and therefore like to constantly try new ways/approaches to gear and training. I by no means feel that the amount of shoes I own or list are necessary to run. A pair for road and a couple of different pairs for trails are all that would be necessary to the serious runner. I may get there someday (which would be part of the goal for a minimalist), but part of that process is finding what works well and what doesn't.

Here is the list (YTBR indicates "yet to be released" and as so I've not tried them, but intend to use them for the category listed):

Road Training: Vibram FiveFingers (KSO, Sprint, Bikila), Luna Sandals, Terra Plana Evo, Soft Star RunAmoc Lite Street, Inov-8 Road X-Lite 155 (YTBR).
Road Racing: Vibram FiveFingers (KSO, Sprint, Bikila), Terra Plana Evo, Mizuno Wave Universe 3, and Inov-8 Road X-Lite 155 (YTBR).
Non-Technical Trail (elevation gain less than 100ft/mile and minimal rocks): Inov-8 F-Lite 195, Inov-8 F-Lite 230, Leadville Luna Sandals, Vibram FiveFinger Trek (probably sparingly), Inov-8 Bare-Grip 200 (YTBR, when muddy/soft), Merrel Trail Glove (YTBR), and New Balance Minimus Trail (YTBR)
Hardpack Technical Trail (elevation gain > 100ft/mile and worse footing and/or rocks): Inov-8 F-Lite 195, Inov-8 Roclite 285, Inov-8 F-Lite 230, Merrell Trail Glove and New Balance Minimus Trail (YTBR, depending on the level of rock protection for both of these and probably only on shorter runs)
Soft/Muddy Technical Trail and Off-Trail: Inov-8 X-Talon 190, Inov-8 Bare-Grip 200 (YTBR, if enough protection from rocks), Inov-8 Roclite 285, Inov-8 X-Talon 212, and Inov-8 Oroc 280 (for off trail and very slippery conditions only because they have metal tips embedded in the shoe)
Winter Training (temps below freezing, with snow/slush/ice): Inov-8 Oroc 280 (especially great for ice), Inov-8 X-Talon 190, Inov-8 F-Lite 195 (cold hardpack snow), Inov-8 Bare-Grip 200 (YTBR), Inov-8 Road X-Lite 155 (YTBR, for road), Terra Plana Evos (for road), InovCrescent Moon Gold 12 running/racing snowshoes (deeper packed snow), Crescent Moon Gold 10 snowshoes (backcountry snowshoeing)
Recovery/very occasional use: New Balance MT101 (to relieve achilles/peroneal tendons and calves)

Ok, that is quite the listing, I realize, but hopefully it was either interesting or helpful to someone :). You might have noticed a lot of Inov-8 shoes in the list and this is partly because I'm a semi-sponsored runner for them (see sponsors page). But mostly (and this is the reason I applied for sponsorship with them), it is because they have a whole host of neutral trail shoes with a 6mm drop or less with more sole types for specific off road uses than I thought existed (all the shoes listed above besides the MT101s are 6mm drop or less). So far I have been very impressed with their shoes and gear and hope to get extensive time in some of the models I haven't tried yet. If you are looking for trail shoes, especially for technical terrain, I think Inov-8 has the most options for the minimalist runner.

Yes, New Balance (w/the Minimus), Saucony (w/the Peregrine), and a few others (Altra, Stem) are starting to come out with minimal trail shoes, but so far these companies are only offering one model for trail running, where as there are 8-10 Inov-8 shoes that I would say fit the minimalist criteria for non technical and technical trail running. More selection means being able to choose the most appropriate shoe for the task at hand and this hopefully leads to the most enjoyable and injury free running experience.

I promise not all my running posts this year will be so gear oriented :). Hope you all are getting out in some form or fashion this winter...it's tough in someways in the winter, but it has its charms and rewards too.

New Year and Year in Review

2011-01-09T19:24:00.000-08:00

Well the holidays are behind us and I just returned yesterday from a family vaction in Palm Springs, California. I didn't know what to expect heading down there for running, but was pleasantly surprised and actually did a little more running that I should have because of all the nice single track they had heading up into the foothills surrounding Palm Springs. I put in 37 miles, 7 hrs 28 minutes and 8,645 ft gain into 8 days of running down there. It was really nice weather near the end and I had to pinch myself a few times during an awesome 8.5 mile run up to the summit of Murray Hill (2,500 ft elevation gain) where the weather was so nice I was cruising along shirtless in 55 - 65 degree temps.

Well today was a rude awakening getting out for a run and it was 25 degrees and solid ice on most of the streets. Lucky for me I received a pair of Inov-8 Oroc 280s for Christmas from my parents and got to test them out today. They were great and really gave me some extra confidence on the ice. They have about 8 metal carbide tips embedded into the tread, kind of like a studded tire on a car.

I've got plans to try and get into the high country around here as much as I can despite the arctic conditions we've been having (single digit and even negative temps in the mornings). Just before we left to Palm Springs, I tested out some Crescent Moon Gold 12 racing/running snowshoes, that I recently purchased, on some of the more packed snow trails behind my parents place and they worked great as well. I was able to keep a running cadence and not trip all over myself, which is all I could hope for from a pair of snowshoes for running purposes. In addition to these two new winter running gear items, I've got my regular snowshoes (Crescent Moon Gold 10 backcountry shoes) and my parents let my wife and I borrow a pair of XC skis if we have time to make it up to Anthony Lakes ski area (45 min drive). I think these new tools should let me get up in the mountains much more this year than last year, where I mostly ran around town.

So far my plans for next year are not solid yet other than the White River 50 Mile race in July. The first half of the year is going to be hard to travel in for us as Alyssa and I are expecting our 2nd child (first biological child, so first birthing experience...scary but exciting) in March and am therefore needing to stay close to home during that time. I'm looking to get in some real solid months of training locally and do some longer training runs that I normally wouldn't do if I had a race coming up right around the corner.

Looking back last year will be marked as the year where I found out that I really enjoy running. I started out the year having only begun my running career 4 months prior (started running near the end of August 2009) and planned on doing a 60K at the Peterson Ridge Rumble in Sisters, Oregon on April 11th. I ended up barely finishing the 30K (ended up being just over 20 miles) because of my only significant training injury of the year which happened in February and March. I had only run something like 30 miles after recovering from my injury before running the 20 mile race in April.

After that I really started to make gains in my running. I did a local half-marathon in May that had 900ft of gain and placed 3rd with a time of 1:47:13 which was 10 minutes faster than my first half-marathon I did in September 2009, which was flat as a pancake and I stumbled in at 1:57:10.

During the summer, I just did some local 5k and 10k road races (all we really have here in Baker City), managing to push my 5k pr down to 19:23 and my 10K pr to 41:10. These were leaps and bounds faster than my times just 6-9 months prior.

My largest month of training during the year was in August where I put in 185 miles, 26 hrs 49 minutes, and 18,499 ft of elevation gain leading up to my first ultramarathon (and my first run longer than 20 miles for that matter...I had a weird thing mentally where I wanted to do my first ultra before I did a road marathon...hard for others to understand, but I really was fascinated with ultrarunning before I could even run more than 5 miles and it basically took me a whole year to get my legs conditioned to run for 31 miles. Ultrarunning in the mountains captivated my imagination and continues to be my motivation to run).

On September 18 I finished the Cle Elum Ridge 50K, near Cle Elum, Washington, which had 6,500 ft of elevation gain over rocky muddy single track. I placed 20th place overall out of 96 finishers with a time of 6 hrs and 40 seconds. Looking back this is by far my best performance of the year and August (my training month leading up to it) was my best month of training all year...so probably shouldn't have been a surprise :).

After that high note, I make a rookie mistake (that sounded good on paper) of signing up to run the Portland Marathon only three weeks after my first 50K and not taking any recovery time after my 50K. As most of you that have read my blog know, this led to a nagging IT band issue that hung with me through the marathon and into my running a few weeks after. All said and done, I'm glad I ran the marathon for the experience and didn't really post too bad of a time at 3:38:18 considering I ran in Vibram Five Fingers, in pouring rain, under recovered, 3 weeks after my first ultra. Still, I was hoping for a much better time and will look to put in a good marathon sometime in the near future...it isn't on the top of my priority list, so don't hold your breath :).

To cap the year off, I heading down to the Marin Headlands in San Fransisco to run the North Face Challenge 50K. If you want more details on that, just look to the previous post below. Safe to say, I learned another huge lesson and gained some valuable experience that will shape my training and racing for the future.

I look forward to the year to come and have the main goal of having consistent injury free running and a fun time doing my first few 50 mile races (and possibly beyond). Here's to a great year of living to the full and running free.

I'll leave you with some numbers from this last year:

January -121.74 mi, 3,194 ft
February - 38.38 mi, 992 ft (injured from Feb 12th to Mid march)
March - 21.95 mi, 392 ft
April - 70.74 mi, 2,070 ft
May - 82.28 mi, 4,404 ft
June - 82.27 mi, 8,456 ft
July - 112.89 mi, 11,046 ft
August - 185.20 mi, 18,499 ft
September - 162.94 mi, 18,279 ft
October - 101.91 mi, 5,771 ft
November - 131.71 mi, 13,927 ft
December -39.52 mi, 7,066 ft

Totals for the Year: 194 runs; 1,151.54 mi; 174 hrs 25 mins; and 94,096 ft Elevation Gain

North Face Endurance Challenge 50K Race Report

2010-12-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

Hard to know where to begin on this one. As most of you know I started out dreaming of doing the 50 mile course and later made the switch to the 50K. Needless to say, this was a good decision and I learned a lot about myself and my body that will help me prevent what happened at this race in the future.

After a long 2 - day car drive, that had some setbacks in the form of a flat tire and a closed mountain pass, I hopped on the shuttle bus around 5:30 am and arrived at the starting line area about 6:15 all ready to go. This left me standing around, slightly under dressed in the dark for about 40 mins until my 7:00 am start. I lined up at the start right up front because I intended to set out at a fairly good pace and didn't want to get behind too many slower runners on the first climb (which turned out to be not an issue as the first climbs were up wider fire roads not single track). I ended up flying through the first 8 miles (1400 ft of climbing and 1400 ft of descent) in 1:11:05. I remember thinking that I had planned to be through this point 1:40 and tried to slow my pace down on the next climb, but I think the damage had already been done.

After climbing another 6.2 miles and 1700 ft I reached the Bootjack aid station, what I had figured would be the relative half-way point being that it was just after the largest climb of the day even though it was at the 14 mile mark. I had intended to hit this aid station at 3 hrs, but ended up coming in at 2:23. This had me worried at this point, but after grabing some food, refilling my water bottle, and re-tightening one of my shoes (knowing that I had a big downhill coming up) my legs felt really good so I set off down the Bootjack trail at a comfortable, but brisk pace. I had seen both Michael Owens and Erik Skaggs come into Bootjack at the same time as myself (although they were racing the 50 mile). Michael continued on and Erik dropped. It was my first real run in with any of the top 50 milers, but there would be a few more before I was done.

In my planning of my race strategy, I had entirely underestimated the next section of the course, which I figured would take me around 1 hr. After 2,300 ft of downhill and 1100 ft of ascent in a span of 5.8 miles my legs were really feeling the effects of the hard pace I had put out early in the race. I did not expect the hills to be as drastic in their grade as they were. Many were too steep for me to run and a few of the sections were covered in stairs. I ended up taking 1:20:05 to get through this section, but also lost most of the good feeling I had in my legs only an 1hr earlier.

It was near the end of this section that I was caught by Uli Steidl. He was at this point off the front and was suffering a little. I asked him how he was doing when he pulled up on me and he looked at me and said, "I'm done, but not yet finished." as he pointed over the hills toward the area we knew the finish waited. Being charged up a little by the run in with last year's 50 mile winner and former White River 50 mile course record holder, I started to feel better and held pace with Uli for a mile or so before he left me on a short section of road that descended to the Old Inn aid station, where I saw him leave just as I was getting in. At this point I was not feeling good and knew my legs were deteriorating quicker than I wanted to see. I briefly thought it might be wise to drop at this point in the race knowing I had 12 miles left and a good chunk of climbing to do. However, Uli's words came back to me and I vowed to finished the race even if finishing strong was not looking likely.

I wish I could say that Uli's words carried me in unwaveringly to the finish line, but by the time I reached Muir Beach @ mile 22, an aid station I'd seen before at mile 8 (feeling great at that point), I had made it up in my mind that I needed to drop. My energy levels were ok, but my legs were just shot. I looked up and could see the 1000ft climb that awaited up a very muddy slope and just said it wasn't going to happen. I went up to the aid station official and told him of my intention to drop and he asked me what was wrong. I told him my legs were shot and I didn't think I had it in me to finish and I asked him if there was a way to get a ride back the start finish area where my dad would be waiting after he finished his race. What I heard back was not what I expected. He said, "I'm not going to let you drop just yet." I didn't think I was hearing him right and had mentally already checked out of the race and was trying to get used to accepting that I would not be able to finish. I tried to argue with him for a second and he just made me sit in a chair and drink about 20 oz. of coke and some saltine crackers. He then told me to start walking up the climb and if I still felt the same way in 15 min to come back down and he would let me drop. Reluctantly, I started out up the climb at a walk (which most people were doing as the ground was extremely muddy and the hill steep). I didn't feel any better. My calves were thrashed and my extensor tendon in my left foot above my big toe was hurting as it had since about mile 18. I looked down at my watch and it had been over 15 mins. but after I looked back down to see how far the aid station was, going down did not look appealing at all, so I kept going up.

About half way up the climb, I heard someone come up on me. I turned to look and heard someone say "Hey." before they kept on, at a running cadence up the climb that I had considered not runnable. It took me a few seconds to realize it was Jenn Shelton giving chase in the women's 50 mile race. After a few more minutes of climbing she was out of sight and I was left to hike the rest of it with the other runner. Once I crested the top I actually sat down on the side of the trail for about 15 seconds to try to gather myself together and as I was sitting there (which felt so good) I realized that while I was sitting down that nothing was really hurting at all. This gave me some confidence that although I was hitting an level of muscle fatigued I have not yet experienced before, that I was not doing any damage that would indicate I was injuring myself. I also realized, while I didn't feel any better since the aid station where I had made my mind up to drop, I didn't feel really any worse. I then got up and proceeded to slowly jog my way down 700 ft of downhill over about 1.5 miles to the Tennessee Valley aid and see how I felt there.

I made it in and grabbed a handful of chips and some oranges and ate those trying to think of what I was going to do. It was not 45 secs at that aid station before Uli's words came back to me, "I'm done, but not yet finished." I was definitely done and I had pulled into this aid station @ 5:43 which was close to where I was hoping to finish the race, yet I still had a significant climb and 5.8 miles till the finish. I was physically and emotionally defeated, but I mentally made a choice, in part because of Uli's words and in part because I was catching a small glimpse that I might actually be able to finish which is by far more appealing to me than dropping out, but I did not think it possible at the previous aid station. I left that aid station resolving to finish even if I had to walk in.

First thing out of the gate was the last 700 ft climb which I took mostly at a hike. I slowly made my way to the last aid station which was 2.7 miles out from the finish and mostly downhill. I only managed a 10:50/mile pace for this last section to finally finish back where I had started 7:09:01 earlier. The course ended up being 32.3 miles on my garmin and this length was corroborated by some other reports I read from the 50k race so it looks like the course was at least an extra mile long.

The lessons learned at this race were many, but the few that stand out to me right now are as follows:

1. Start out and stay on pace for the full race...I started out way too fast trying to push a time goal and paid for it. In ultrarunning nothing comes easy or without effort so don't plan on a race without some struggle in it.

2. Course knowledge is very helpful...I had looked over the course profile and the aid station charts quite a bit, but still ended up underestimating the difficulty of the course...a mistake I hopefully won't make again.

3. Make a commitment to finish regardless of time, unless you are seriously injured. The very fact that I considered not finishing, mostly at first because I knew it was going to be a bad time and my legs were toast, tells me that I didn't come in mentally prepared to see it out to the end. Uli Steidl gave me a new perspective that tells me even if it's not your day, stick it out to the end. Many top names dropped that day after they were out of the chase. I don't judge them for that, but I gained much respect for Uli because he didn't.

4. Don't travel 2 days straight in a car in the winter right before a long race...enough said.

5. Keep your expectations grounded and realistic. Don't underestimate yourself, but don't assume you're in top form just cause you feel decent...I came into this race expecting to race a faster race than I did in September, but I obviously was not in the condition to do so. I don't regret trying to run this race hard, but I know I could have done better if I had tempered my early race excitement. If I would have looked at my training leading up to Cle Elum in Sept. compared to the training leading up to this race I would have realized I had a much better base coming into Cle Elum and should have adjusted my time goals accordingly.

All in all, I feel like I had a satisfying experience and really had my eyes opened in a lot of areas. Sure, I'm super disappointed about the performance, but I'm happy I finished and was able to learn and grow from the experience. I owe a big thanks to that aid station official for seeing that I could still continue on to the finish even when I had mentally checked out and could imagine myself making it. Thanks for all your encouragement, everyone. I'm looking forward to a some rest until I start back into some training Jan. 1st. I'm also planning on coming back next year to the Headlands to compete in the 50 Mile race...and this time I should be prepared in all the ways I wasn't this year.

Nov 21-27, Change of plans 50K not 50 Miles

2010-11-29T09:26:00.000-08:00

The weeks runs:

Sun, Nov 21 PM - Interpretive Center Via Westside Ascent Trail, Mixed street/trails

Time:	02:39:08
Distance:	16.34 mi
Elevation Gain:	775 ft

Ran with Barry to the top of the Interpretive Center. Probably was a mix of 60% road 40% dirt/gravel road and trail. Low 30's and snowing for most of the run. Felt pretty tight at first. Legs finally loosened up around mile 8, but I never felt fresh, which I suppose is normal for a first back to back weekend. Rolled the dice a little with my tendon by using the f-lite 195s, but they worked out great and my tendon must be healing up. I just couldn't bear the thought of running all of the road in something with a larger heel and as thick as the MT 101s. inov-8 f-lite 195s.

Mon, Nov 22 - OFF - Lap Swim 20 min.

Tue, Nov 23 PM - BSS - Pathway - BSS, Street Running

Time:	00:28:11
Distance:	3.33 mi
Elevation Gain:	10 ft

Ran a quick shake out run after work. Temps were dropping fast and was around 12 degrees when I left. Supposed to drop significantly below zero tomorrow. Felt decent considering the mileage I put in last weekend. I'm just going to run easy for the next couple of weeks and be at full strength for the NF 50K. Dropped down to the 50K yesterday and will take a shot at 50 miles next summer. Inov8 F-Lite 195s.

Wed, Nov 24 PM - BSS - Henry Home - BSS, Trail running

Time:	00:42:26
Distance:	4.48 mi
Elevation Gain:	492 ft

Ran to mom and dad's then did the beginning section of the cell site road twice. Temps were in the single digits and there was about 3 inches of snow on the ground. Felt alright once I got going...hard to get going in these temps. Inov8 F-Lite 195s.

Thurs, Nov 25 AM - 2010 Baker City Turkey Trot 5K+, Road Race

Time:	00:22:36
Distance:	3.37 mi
Elevation Gain:	20 ft

This year's Turkey Trot was a great success...tons of people came out with the temps in the single digits to run or walk this race. Felt alright, but didn't have much to give the last mile. Not unexpected considering the mileage I put in last weekend and the fact that I haven't run this fast (6:42/mile pace) since at least September on any given run and that the roads were completely iced over...I'd love to have tried Inov8's OROC 280's out in these conditions. It was good to see most of Baker's runners come out to run/support this. Inov-8 F-Lite 195s.

Fri, Nov 26 - OFF - Lap Swim 45 min (good swim session on this day).

Sat, Nov 27 PM - Water Tower, street running

Time:	00:40:18
Distance:	4.20 mi
Elevation Gain:	289 ft

Ran w/headlamp. 22 degrees and 3 in. of snow on the ground. Felt alright, but not yet fresh or fully recovered. Going to take next week real easy to be fully recovered for the 50K and then take most of December off running to give my body a chance to recharge. NB MT101s.

Totals for Nov 21-27:

7 runs (I had a few short warm up/transportation runs in there that I didn't list in the rundown)
33.72 mi
05:09:31 h:m:s
1,595 ft Elevation Gain

Well, as the title of this post shows, I decided last week to drop my race entry down to the 50K instead of 50 miles. I was initially really bummed out to do this, but had received some great feedback from ultrarunner Yassine Diboun, as well as my parents and wife that it might have been just a little too much to try to squeeze in this year. I guess I figured I could have carried a little more fitness over from my first 50K in September and the PDX Marathon in October, but it seemed that I instead struggled getting back to full health after hitting these first time milestones rather than being able to use them as base for a 50 miler. I'm now looking to make my first bid at a 50 mile race @ White River in Crystal Mountain, WA which takes place in the later part of July. By that time I'm hoping to get a large enough base under my belt that I will be able to actually race the distance rather than just survive it, as I would have been left to do should I have gone through with the 50 mile race this next weekend.

I'm starting to get excited about racing this 50K now. It is very similar to the 50K I did in September even down to the 6,500 ft of elevation gain. This course is supposedly more runable than Cle Elum with the terrain being mostly fire roads where as Cle Elum was nearly 100% rocky/rooty/muddy single track. I'm thinking this should translate to a slightly faster time than my 6:00:42 at Cle Elum, but I think with this much elevation gain, you have to be conservative initially anyway. I'm hoping for a 5:45 as I feel stronger both mentally and physically than Cle Elum, but I'm really just going to have fun and see what happens. Thanks for following my training the last month or so...I probably won't post a training update for this next week, but will post a race report when I get back. Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving.

Nov 14-20 - 2 Weeks Out

2010-11-22T08:48:00.000-08:00

First the rundown for the week:

Sun, Nov 12 AM - Auburn - 17th - H St - Pathway, Activity Type: Street Running

Time:	00:32:44
Distance:	4.38 mi
Elevation Gain:	27 ft

Ran with Jack (dog). Took the first .5 mile as a warm up then put in about 3.5 @ around 7:00-7:15/mile pace then last .3 was easy cool down. Wanted to mix up the type of running I've been doing with something a little different and was feeling a little too tired to do something longer again today. Hoping that with some shorter runs I'll be up for back to back long runs this next weekend. Ran with the Kinvaras because I thought it might be easier on my tendon in my foot. Seemed good on that front, but the arch support (although still quite minimal by most standards, I'm just used to no arch support) in these shoes irritated my left arch, also they are a little too cushioned for my liking. It's a good thing they are light because otherwise I'm not sure I'd use them at all. Not sure where their niche will be, maybe long road runs, but I wouldn't pick them again for this type of run. Saucony Kinvaras.

Mon, Nov 15 AM Lap Swim

45 min, 1.25 miles. Jumped in midway on a ladder with Bob and Paula. Did 400 (6:30), 500 (8:00), 400, 300, 200, 100 (@ 1:15). Felt good and was probably the hardest swimming set I've ever done at this point.

PM Cell Site Rd - North Overlook, Activity Type: Trail Running

Time:	00:43:50
Distance:	3.99 mi
Elevation Gain:	1,172 ft

Didn't have much time today to run longer, but felt pretty good on this run even with all the vertical. Legs felt average on the climb, but felt really strong on the descent. Warmer today in the low 50's which was a nice change. Tendon was practically a non-issue today which is a great sign as I haven't really been talking any significant time off and yet it still is getting better. Right hip was a little sore I'm sure from using the Kinvara's yesterday. They are just too squishy a shoe for me I think. I'll have to use them carefully and sparingly in the future. NB MT101s.

Tues, Nov 16 Pm, David Eccles - Indiana - 17th, Activity Type: Street Running

Time:	00:53:01
Distance:	5.65 mi
Elevation Gain:	181 ft

Ran with Dad and pushed Zach in the stroller. Felt alright. The road sure puts out a larger stress on the muscles, that and wearing minimalist shoes. Test ran in Dad's Terra Plana Evo's which felt really good, much better than the Kinvara's did 2 days ago. Looking to go longer and higher tomorrow if I recover well enough through the night other wise might take tomorrow as my only day off for the week. Terra Plana Evos.

Wed, Nov 17 AM, Lap Swim

30 min, .8 miles

PM, South Interpretive Center Ridge Route, Activity Type: Trail Running

Time:	00:45:48
Distance:	4.69 mi
Elevation Gain:	815 ft

Ran with Dad. 40's and very windy...probably 30-40 mph on the ridge. Was feeling pretty tired today and will probably take tomorrow off or maybe run short (under 30 min). Good little climb up to the ridge and then rollers after that. Descent was good technical practice as well. Was nice to get out. Got dark on us just as we were finishing around 4:40 pm. NB MT101s.

Thurs, Nov 18 OFF AM, Lap Swim

25 min, .68 mi

Fri, Nov 19 AM, Vista Heights - Freeway Overlook, Activity Type: Trail Running

Time:	00:32:13
Distance:	3.50 mi
Elevation Gain:	399 ft

Ran in the dark at 5:50 AM. I was hoping to start the run at 5:00 as this is the start time for the NF 50 mile, but was hard to get going. I usually don't run in the mornings so this will be a new discipline that I will try to do at least once a week. 24 degrees and dark...ran with a headlamp. NB MT101s

Sat, Nov 20 AM, Elk Creek - Cell Site - Elkhorn Ridge - Elk Creek, Activity Type: Trail Running

Time:	03:57:58
Distance:	23.00 mi
Elevation Gain:	3,639 ft

Long run today with dad. Probably a little more than I should have put in, but wanted to get in something comparable elevation gain wise to the NF 50. Pretty cold today in the mid 20's starting out and then between 25-35 degrees throughout the day. Wasn't feeling tops, but managed to get in the distance at a fairly decent pace of 10:20/mile. Legs are a little sore and tired, but I'm going to try and get out tomorrow for at least 15 miles. NB MT101s.

Totals for Nov 14-20

6 runs
45.20 mi
07:25:37 h:m:s
6,172 ft Elevation Gain

Although not part of this last week's running I wanted to mention that I did manage to get in my second long run yesterday (Sunday):

Time:	02:39:08
Distance:	16.34 mi
Elevation Gain:	775 ft

Well I'm now two weeks out from the NF 50 mile race. Still not sure if I'm capable of finishing this distance, but that is part of the mystery of doing an ultramarathon...you don't really know what your capable of until you give it a shot. This weekend really took me to a new place of what I thought I could actually handle physically and mentally. I've been really pushing the envelope on what would be considered smart to try to squeeze in training and racing wise for my first year of running and I can feel the effects of that. Yet, I am constantly amazed at what our bodies are capable of handling and know for sure that we don't tap into our full human potential nearly enough. What I love about ultrarunning is that not only does it teach you your limits, but it also allows you to be surprised by your capabilities. This mixture of harsh truth and unexpected surprise builds character and keeps things interesting. Till next week...

Nov 7-13

2010-11-15T13:41:00.000-08:00

Sun, Nov 7 PM Vista Heights - Sports Complex Activity Type: Street Running

Time:	00:46:22
Distance:	5.25 mi
Elevation Gain:	403 ft

Decent little run to try to get back into the swing of things and see how my feet were doing after the weekend. My left arch was feeling better, but my right peroneal tendon was still sore on my right foot. Slowly, but surely these little aches and pains will work themselves out, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to ramp up the mileage like I need to for the 50 miler yet...we'll see how the rest of the week goes. Raining and 40's. VFF Flows.

Mon, Nov 8 PM OFF, 30 min Lap Swim

Tue, Nov 9 PM Ag Shop - Cell Site Activity Type: Trail Running

Time:	00:52:03
Distance:	4.43 mi
Elevation Gain:	1,353 ft

Ran this route nice and easy to see how my feet were doing and if the MT101's would help with the tendon issue on my right foot. Good news was that they helped a bunch. I think the 10mm heel lift on these shoes, while not liking that spec much in the past, might really help me keep running for the next few weeks and give my tendon a break. Run was nice and I ran it at a really casual pace most of the way. Started to snow heavily about halfway through and I ended up being a little cold with only shorts, my heavy icebreaker and gloves. Good to feel like I can do a run like this and still recover my tendon...if I can get in some consistent running the next couple of weeks, I may just be crazy enough to try the NF 50 miler. Just found out today that Dave Mackey is going to be there in addition to Tony Krupicka, Geoff Roes, and all the other top names that are going...will be super competitive and a real unique opportunity to watch. NB MT101s.

Wed, Nov 10 PM - Vista Heights - Activity Type: Street Running

Time:	00:38:09
Distance:	4.01 mi
Elevation Gain:	398 ft

Ran up Vista Heights and around town late at night. Temperature was around 30 degrees and ground was frozen. Felt ok. A little sore from yesterday's decent, but not bad. Looking to run a little longer tomorrow...we'll see how that goes. NB MT101s.

Thurs, Nov 11 PM - Virtue Flats Activity Type: Trail Running

Time:	01:28:53
Distance:	9.17 mi
Elevation Gain:	726 ft

Ran with Dad and the dogs out at Virtue Flats. Was feeling a little sore initially and tendon in my foot was a little tight, but everything loosened up as we got going. A few good sections of climbing. Was a little muddy in spots, but we were still able to make decent time up and around the hills. NB MT101s.

Fri, Nov 12 OFF - 30 min, .9 mi Lap Swim

Sat, Nov 13th PM - Elk Creek - 4 Corners - Activity Type: Trail Running

Time:	01:39:55
Distance:	10.94 mi
Elevation Gain:	1,335 ft

Ran up Elk Creek with Dad. Fairly nice weather @ low 40's and no precip. Road was dry until we got into the timber and then there was some snow, ice, and mud mix; fully runable conditions though. Peroneal Tendon was tight for about 2 miles and then by about mile 4 I didn't even feel it until I was done...this is a good sign as it actually felt more sore near the end of our 9 mile run Thursday. Felt pretty good most of the way on this run and pace was good @ 9:08/mile especially since we weren't really pushing. NB MT101s.

Totals for the Week of Nov. 7-13:

5 Runs
33.80 mi
05:25:23 h:m:s
4,216 ft Elevation Gain

This was an encouraging week as I thought last week my hopes of putting in any significant mileage were pretty much non existent. Although this week doesn't represent the type of mileage I was hoping to be putting in by this time, I'm feeling better at the end of this week than I was at the start of it and this is a good sign that my tendon on my foot might be coming around. I'm planning on keeping steady runs in the 4-8 mile range the beginning of next week and then hitting a back to back weekend of long runs in the 15-25 mile range (probably around 3 hours each run, the distance will depend on the amount of elevation gain). Depending on how I recover from this upcoming weekend, I'll know whether my body is up the task...I know that if it is, I'll be shooting for a completion oriented pace as opposed to the sub 10-hour pace I originally had in mind, but the experience will be well worth while.

I felt good on my run on Saturday and enjoyed getting out into the more wintry conditions at the higher elevations. The change to winter though often dreaded is actually a nice change of pace for now. It is so nice to get up in the mountains and beats running in town any day. The running gets so much more simplistic and the time flies up in the mountains...I look at my garmin much less and just enjoy the run.

Have a good week everyone.

Oct. 31st-Nov 6th

2010-11-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

Sun, Oct. 31 OFF

Mon, Nov. 1 PM High School - Cell Site Via Cell Rd Activity Type: Trail Running

Time:	01:06:53
Distance:	6.17 mi
Elevation Gain:	1,471 ft

Ran with Trevor and Tanner to Mom and Dad's drive way and then met up with Mom and Dad and the dogs for a run up to the cell site. Felt decent most of the way, but the outside part of my right foot started to ache a little and by the time I got down and felt my foot I could feel that creaky tendinitis felling that I've experienced before with my Achilles tendon. Looked it up and sure enough there is a tendon group called the peroneal tendons that run through the area that is sore. Not sure what to think lately...I was just feeling like I was getting over the hump of recovering from Portland and resolving any IT band irritation and this popped up. I didn't really have any warning that this tendon group was even hurting before the run and I had taken the day off yesterday. I'm just going to take it day by day and see if it will heal with some easier running. Inov-8 F-Lite 195s.

Tue, Nov 2 OFF - 22 miles on Road bike

Wed, Nov 3 PM Run to Pool Activity Type: Street Running

Time:	00:18:40
Distance:	2.08 mi
Elevation Gain:	0 ft

Ran with Dogs to pool to test out my feet to see how they were recovering. Tendon on the right foot felt surprisingly strong, but arch area on my left is giving me some troubles still. Barefoot.

Thurs, Nov 4 PM XC Practice #45 Activity Type: Street Running

Time:	00:33:42
Distance:	4.05 mi
Elevation Gain:	19 ft

Ran to high school and then around pathway. Stopped and played a game of ultimate medicine ball (like ultimate frisbee) then put on another 2 miles getting back home. Still feeling the arch on my left foot, however, I did some tinkering with my foot strike and it seemed if I shifted my foot strike slightly forward from what I was doing that the arch felt better. I need to watch this and see how it goes. VFF Sprints.

Fri, Nov 5 PM State XC Course Activity Type: Trail Running

Time:	00:28:13
Distance:	3.13 mi
Elevation Gain:	19 ft

Ran the State XC course the day before the race. Nice course, felt alright, but for some reason, my feet are still not recovered...what a weird week. VFF KSOs.

Sat, Nov 6 OFF

Totals for Week of Oct. 31st-Nov 6th

5 Runs
15.84 mi
02:31:12 h:m:s
1,508 ft Elevation Gain

Man, this was a hard week for me. Just as I started feeling good, my feet started to act up on me. I've never had any significant foot issues since I started running, but I did run the marathon in my Five Fingers and then probably tried to ramp up the mileage again too quickly after Portland even though I was taking a more tapered approach to the re-entry phase than I did after my 50K in September. All part of the learning process. What makes things most difficult at this point is deciding whether to pull the plug on the race that is in 4 weeks. The conservative thing to do would be to just cancel my race plans...and I may have to if I don't see a big improvement this week as it is probably just too much to try to fit in in a short amount of time. I was really excited about this race...one option could be to see if they will let me transfer my 50 mile entry down to a Marathon entry (which my Dad is doing) and that way I could still race and see some of the course as well as the runners that I was looking forward to seeing. I'll post my decision as I reach it. Have a good week!

First week of real training after PDX

2010-11-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd blog each week on how my training is going for the North Face Endurance Challenge 50 mile trail race that is coming up this December 4th. The first two weeks after the marathon were mostly filled with rest, some lap swimming, helping out with the Cross country team and slowly easing myself back into some shorter runs.

The weekly totals for those weeks are as follow:

Oct. 10th-16th, PDX Marathon week:

2 runs
29.44 mi
04:08:21 h:m:s
1,020 ft elevation gain

...this was basically just the Marathon and then 4 days off and a short warm up run with XC team at their meet in Milton Freewater.

Oct. 17th-23rd:

5 runs
18.11 mi
02:30:32 h:m:s
799 ft elevation gain

...biggest run was 6.16 miles on Saturday up Vista Heights and then to the Water Reservoir. This week was mostly about feeling my body out and see how my legs, especially the IT band was going to react to some longer runs. Did most of the runs either barefoot or in my Luna Sandals. I think almost every run the IT band was tight after about halfway through...I wasn't worried too much though because I knew I had plenty of time and it was get better slowly.

Now on to this week which was the first week really back to some normal sense of running for me. I'll use my running log format which I keep on Garmin's website (this also saves me the work of typing most of this twice :) ). Let me know if this is too much info or if it is interesting to see the process for these weeks. I could just post a weekly summary like I did for the two previous weeks if the individual run breakdowns are too much.

Sun, Oct 24 PM Night run w/Jack Activity Type: Street Running

Time:	00:31:53
Distance:	4.06 mi
Elevation Gain:	83 ft

Ran in the dark with Jack. Felt good for first two miles and then felt low on energy. Leg still not 100%...I'll just have to wait and see. Kinvara's worked out alright, I'll slowly rotate them into some of my runs and see how they break in. Saucony Kinvaras.

Mon, Oct 25 OFF

Tue, Oct 26, PM Sam-O - Spring Garden loop Activity Type: Street Running

Time:	00:35:32
Distance:	4.15 mi
Elevation Gain:	25 ft

Recovery day. Legs are still not fresh. Knee felt a little irritated around mile 3. Was going to go up vista heights, but bagged it and will save for another day. Not sure how long this is going to take, but I need to wait it out before I push up the mileage again. Saucony Shay XCs (Racing Flats).

Wed, Oct 27 Mixed run - Warm up - Speed Work - Vista Heights Activity Type: Street Running

Time:	01:00:35
Distance:	7.68 mi
Elevation Gain:	413 ft

Ran a warm up at XC Practice and then did a speed session on grass infield. 20 length in 10 minutes barefoot. Then cruised over to post office to meet up with Barry for a quick climb up Vista Heights to the top of the dirt road. First day where I actually felt somewhat decent. Hope this is the start of the upward trend. Inov8 F-Lite 195s were really great. Not the best feeling on the road, but felt superb off road up the Vista climb. Super light and extremely comfortable. First run in them with no socks and had zero issues. Love these shoes and really look forward to future products from this company. Inov8 F-Lite 195s.

Thurs, Oct 28 OFF

Fri, Oct 29 PM Vista Heights night run w/Barry Activity Type: Street Running

Time:	00:45:45
Distance:	5.17 mi
Elevation Gain:	400 ft

Good little run with Barry. My legs are starting to feel better each day. I still need to make sure I give myself plenty of good rest/easy days after some of the longer runs as I build back up...but I think it is slowly happening. Ran up Vista height to the top of the dirt road and felt good all the way. Got some big dreams for the future as long as I can keep if fun and stay healthy. Modified MT100s worked pretty good, especially on the dirt, but will have to be tested further to see if they are suitable for longer runs as my mod job wasn't the best and I didn't account for the forefoot being stiffer because of the rock plate and therefore compressing less than the mid to rear of the shoe which made it feel a little more uncomfortable near the end of the run. Zeroed MT100s + 1.11 miles Barefoot.

(Note: this post refers to a shoe where I cut the heel off the shoe to make the forefoot and heel height the same, like it is barefoot, if you have any questions about this feel free to ask).

Sat, Oct 30 AM Elk Creek - Water Shed Loop Activity Type: Trail Running

Time:	01:20:13
Distance:	8.76 mi
Elevation Gain:	1,180 ft

Ran with Mom, Dad, and Barry. Felt really poor the first 20 minutes, probably from too big of a breakfast right before and knee (IT band) didn't loosen up till after a few miles. All in all, I'd say that this was my first run that I felt somewhat back to form. Now just need to rest and recover for a couple of days and then see how I feel as the next week progresses. 195s were perfect. Inov-8 F-Lite 195s.

Sat, Oct 30 AM XC District Meet Activity Type: Trail Running

Time:	00:11:36
Distance:	1.24 mi
Elevation Gain:	77 ft

Just ran a little around the course as I watched the meet. Legs were definitely tired. Soft Star Ramblers.

Totals for week of Oct 24th-30th:

6 Runs
31.05 mi
04:25:37 h:m:s
2,177 ft elevation gain

This was a good week, both mentally and physically. It showed me I can finally get back into a few longer runs without any real issues coming up which is progress.

On the list for this next week is a run in the 2 hr + range...I'm thinking probably Marble Creek to the Elkhorn Crest Trail as the mostly likely candidate (3,600 ft elevation gain - 6.6 miles up 6.6 miles down - it would be a killer half-marathon to put on next year :) any takers?)...might even see some snow. Hopefully mileage is up in the low forties, but this might be difficult as it is the last week of Cross Country and I will be traveling to Eugene for the State meet on Friday and back on Saturday, so those days might be hard to get a run in. I might be able to squeeze some shorter runs during the off ours (earlier morning or night). All in all, I don't have specific weekly mileage goals other than really getting in some long runs that will give me the confidence to know my body is up for 50 miles. I'm guessing my peak week might be in the 50-60 mile range. I suppose I'll know around the 3rd week of November whether I will be at that point or not, but I'm mostly just going to enjoy the nice cool fall weather and the joy of running in the mountains while they are not completely covered in snow, however, I'll be running in mountains in the snow through the winter as I don't want to be confined to street runs only like last winter...we'll see how it goes as the snow starts to stack up.

Wow this was a really long post...probably a record for me. Hope it is of interest to some of you. Have a great week.

Portland Marathon 2010 Race Report

2010-10-15T08:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I feel like I've finally recovered from the Portland Marathon this year. At least recovered enough mentally to write this post. It was a great learning experience and I will not forget the training advice and limits that this race imparted to me.

First off, it taught me the hard lesson of doing too much, for too long, and racing two races of large caliber very close together. I started out the day feeling pretty good. It was raining, which was expected from the forecast, but that was not enough to get my spirits down. I mentally had my mind very much around this race as it was going to be 2 hours and 30 minutes less time and 5 miles less than my trail ultra 3 weeks earlier. What I didn't know, at least fully, was that I hadn't let my body recover like I should have from the 50k. I was so pumped at having finished the ultra, that I jumped right back into running the week after logging 6 runs and 28.23 miles with 2,300 ft of elevation gain right after I had done my first ultramarathon...not smart. I didn't feel the wheels starting to come off until a week and a half before the PDX Marathon when I just started feeling very tired and wasn't recovering from what were normally, harder, but not extremely hard runs for me (8-10 mile runs). What really tipped me off, was when I went for a 12 mile trail run with 1,600 ft gain and 1,900 ft decent the Sunday a week before the marathon as my last long run. I felt great on the run and ran it at a very quick pace for this type of run 9:12/mile. However, as soon as the run ended, the outside of my left knee started to tighten up in addition to my left hip feeling sore. For any longtime runners, you know this is the unfortunate sign of an IT Band issue. It wasn't better the next day, so I took a few days off and did a few runs in the 2-3 mile range without issues and hoped for the best at the marathon. Well, at about mile 8 or 9 the knee started to slowly deteriorate. I just told myself to keep things easy and smooth and was hoping it would maybe go away, but it turned out that I just ended up dealing with the extreme discomfort of an irritated IT band for about 17 of the 26.2 miles of the race...not the way I wanted to experience my first marathon. All in all, it was the most painful running experience I've ever endured and this is not how it should have been. If I would have taken more time to adequately recover from my 50k (for which I felt great for at least 90% of the 31 miles, quite unlike my marathon), I'm sure my body would have been more than up for the challenge of the marathon and the experience would have been much more enjoyable. However, the lesson learned is invaluable so I don't view the race as a failure.

It rained the entire race and my feet were soaked from mile 1 forward. I opted to run in the Vibram Five Finger KSOs (see the picture above) instead of my Luna Sandals because of all the water and that I hadn't quite gotten my tying system for the sandals down pat before the race. The VFF worked great, other than the fact that I hadn't really run a long run in them for over 2 months, so that combined with the water resulted in some pretty bad blister issues on the inside/arch area of my right foot.

I came in at 3:38:18. I am very happy with this time in lieu of the difficulties described above. I was shooting for a sub 3:30, but it was not meant to be. I had no issues with my endurance or energy, but my legs were not recovered to handle the mileage at the pace I needed.

The picture at the top holds some special meaning for me as it will from this point forward mark a moment of pain and discomfort that I will remember, not for the pain, but for the errors in training, expectations, and thoughts of running fast, yet not giving rest my body needed. I also will enjoy the fact that my friend and brother-in-law Barry Spooner was pictured to the left of me in this shot. It was at mile 21.3 and we were both feeling rather poor at that point. Barry had started out at a much quicker pace than myself and I did not catch up to him until around mile 20.5. We ran together, mostly in silence for about a mile and a half before if became apparent that Barry was hurting a little more than I was and I continued on around a 8:30 ish/mile pace to complete the race. Too his credit, Barry pushed on to finish 7 minutes later than myself coming in at 3:45:18.

My thoughts surrounding this race continue to develop, but right now I am focused on resting and recovering completely and then honestly re-evaluating where I am at physically and mentally and deciding whether I'm up for a race I have sign up for on December 4th in the Marin Headlands outside San Fransisco, CA. It is The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Mile Championship race. I'm not sure about 50 miles yet (or the expected 10,000+ ft of elevation gain), but there is only one way to find out. This is a pretty big race as far as ultras go and some of the ultrarunners that I really admire are going to be racing in the 200 runner field that I'm signed up in. I'll be sure to keep you updated on my decision regarding the race and how my training goes leading up to it. It will be a quiet next week or two though, as I plan to take it very easy and let my body fully recover before hitting a short mini training cycle of about 3-4 weeks of good mountain running with a few long runs in the 20's. I'll keep you posted.

What I've been up to.

2010-09-30T09:42:00.000-07:00

First post in 5 months, wow! The picture to the left describes much of the last five month, although not in a lot of detail. This was at Alyssa's sisters wedding in Twin Falls, Idaho last month and is representative of out summer...on the road, have fun with family and friends, but staying very busy...maybe too much so.

Being a Dad these last 6 months has been a great experience, one that I'm sure will still continue to evolve with time.

Other than my new Dad responsibilities, I've been busy learning how to become a runner, with my first trail run in April in Sisters, Oregon at the Peterson Ridge Rumble 30K. photo here

Next the Baker YMCA Triathlon in May, this was my 3rd triathlon as I did two last year. I'm still a struggling swimmer, but it's coming along
Next was the Elkhorn Classic, which was great. We were in the best cycling shape we had ever been in and did very well. Here are a few pictures:

With my brother Stephen.

Since the Elkhorn, I've been doing a lot of trail running (40 to 50 miles a week for most of the weeks here in the mountains around Baker), helping coach high school cross country and just recently (September 18th) finished my first Ultramarathon (longer than a marathon) which was a 50K (31 mile) trail race in central Washington. It had 6500 ft of elevation gain and took me 6 hrs and 40 seconds (6:00:40) to finish which gave me 20th place out of 98 runners. I was very happy with the race and it was my major athletic goal of the year. Here are a few pictures of the race...the start here (I'm in a red long sleeve on the far left)...creek crossing around mile 22 here ...what it looked like most of the day here.

Anyway, as you might have guessed by my chronicling of the year thus far, I have ventured into the realm endurance sports and am really enjoying it, especially the running. I always thought I was too big to be a runner @ 6' 5" and 210 lbs, but since this last January I've dropped down to 180 lbs and feel very good running, even long distances. I've been really interested and actively experimenting in minimalist/barefoot running since I started last August...but that's another post for another time.

Next up, is the Portland Marathon on 10/10/10 which I hope to run in my recently acquired Huarches Sandals (purchased here). I'll be sure to post a race report on how that goes.

I'm sensing that this blog is going to evolve, as all things do. I'm anticipating it to be a mix of writing about my running and other adventures along with thoughts on many of the various subjects I've touched on previously. I think it was too much to try think of truly thoughtful posts every time in the past and so I will resort to more routine postings about happenings here in Baker and hopefully a good thought will come through here or there.

On Running, Running On

2010-01-19T13:28:00.000-08:00

So, I've been an MIA since September (I could of sworn it was only a couple of months since I blogged last). What in the world have I been up too, you might ask? Well throughout the last few months I've been mostly working, running, going through the adoption process, and trying to stay positive through it.

More on running. It has been a key factor in reducing stress and keeping me healthy (I think from even a lot of the sicknesses going around, but I've got no data to back that up). I think we've possibly moved past the major cold part of the winter which was probably the toughest part of my short running career so far. I can see how winter can be a big struggle for many people. However, if I got myself out in it, things changed and I realized that there is so much that goes on in winter that I never picked up before. Manly, that the natural environment is in a largely in a state of rest, which contrary to our American perceptions, is probably an important activity.

Running will continue to be an important part of my daily activity, with a few races that I'm looking forward to running later this year.

In regards to Alyssa and I's adoption process we are continuing to run onward. It is quite the process and can be thoroughly discouraging at times. We are still waiting to hear about a potential third committee that we were selected to go to, but other than that, no news.

Spiritually, things haven't been particularly revelatory, but I feel a subtle growth none the less. I don't feel that I know anything more, but that I am actually willing to admit I know less, which I supposed is potentially the growth. I think it is the letting go of my need to know and have answers that might be of more value to me now. Don't get me wrong, knowledge is not inconsequential, but it has often been co-opted by blinding self-confidence in me instead of wrapped in humility and compassion.

Just some thoughts of this day. Hopefully this a return to the practice of blogging for me. Take care everyone.

Busy Summer!

2009-07-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

It has been busy this summer for us, but a lot of fun. We have been at a family reunion in Idaho last week and have been training for a beginner's triathlon that takes place in Boise, Idaho in a couple of weeks. I hope to update with some thoughts soon.