The Bryce 100

The Bryce 100

on the way to Pink Cliffs

Over the weekend I ran the Bryce 100. It was the inaugural race and also first time that I have run a 100 miler before September. Leading up to the race I didn’t really get the same excitement and nervousness that I usually do for races. I was worried that this would affect my motivation to put in a good effort and at times it did. The race started off on an interesting note riding in the back of a U-Haul for 2 miles to the start line. Then the briefing by the race director was short and to the point. He went over the course markings, aid stations, etc. and in the next breath before anyone could get prepared he casually said “go.” The first half of the race went by rather smoothly except for dirt building up in my shoes. This dirt build up would lead to foot problems later in the race. I had the privilege of running with some of my regular running partners Ryan and Harrison and also with some that I don’t get to run with much outside of races. Harrison, Ryan and I ran together for the first 15 miles or so.

Jeff Bertot and Harrison Fluman

 

 Then after that Harrison and I stuck together until mile 80. The scenery is definitely amazing in Bryce! This was the first time I have ever been to Bryce and I was blown away. It seems like I was stopping to take pictures at every turn. The miles seemed to go by pretty easily until mile 50. At most aid stations Sami and Lindsey were there waiting for us to come through. We also had Britta, Nick, Jim, Pam, Cammie, Debbie and Breein out and about to cheer us on. Sami did a great job taking care of me at every aid station she could get to. As soon as I would come in she was getting me anything I needed and even doing a little foot cleaning at times. She is best crew I could have out there with me and she does a great job of keeping me moving. I really enjoyed the course except for the fine gritty dirt. It worked its way into my shoes and then once it was there it got in between my socks and feet. No bueno. There wasn’t any way to stop it from happening so I just had to deal with it. Eventually I developed some blisters between my toes and toe bottoms of my feet became really raw and painful. This cost me a lot of time later in the race. So at mile 50 Sami worked her magic on my feet, popped some blisters and taped up my toes a bit. It seemed to do the trick for now.

 

 One of my favorite parts of the race was when Harrison and I saw my uncle Forrest just before he reached the Pink Cliffs aid station for the first time. He looked like he was having a great time and really enjoying himself. When Harrison and I got back to the Straight Canyon aid station at mile 61 I was not feeling so great. I didn’t want to eat, my legs were tired and I just didn’t want to do anything but sit for a while. Sami and Harrison weren’t having any of that so we were back on the trail. We hiked slowly up the canyon as I tried to get down a tortilla with nutella. There were delicious but nothing sounded good at this point. I was walking really slowly and Harrison pulled away a bit trying to get me to speed up. This was a bad low spot for me. I had a few thoughts about heading back to the aid station and dropping out. But something kept me moving and eventually I started feeling better after the tortilla settled. At the next aid station Harrison was picking up his pacer Britta. Sami helped me fix my feet once again and Britta gave Harrison and me some bling (glow in the dark bracelets, oh yeah!) then we were off. Britta did a great job pacing us. She would start running the flatter sections, then Harrison would start running and then I would follow. I really didn’t feel like running much but I didn’t feel like being on the course by myself more. The section before the Proctor aid station at mile 80 was brutal. It consisted of mostly steep uphill or steep downhill with very little runnable sections. This section destroyed my feet some more and when we got to Proctor I had to do some major work. I told Britta and Harrison to go on without me. I didn’t want them standing around waiting on me to be ready to go again and I also knew I would slow them down if I left with them. They didn’t want to leave me behind but they eventually headed off into the darkness. It took about 15 minutes more for my feet to be all bandaged up and ready to go again. From Proctor to the finish I had a horrible race. My feet hurt so much that I had told myself I would drop when I got to the next aid station. I was walking a lot of the downhill parts which is the most frustrating thing. The rest of my body was feeling pretty good but the bottoms of my feet were killing my spirit. I finally made my way to the last aid station where Sami was waiting for me once again. She could tell that I was in bad shape and let me stay longer than she normally will. I couldn’t seem to get warm so we crawled into the car and turned up the heat. I begged her to let me take a 10 minute nap but she told me I had to get moving. I changed into some warmer clothes and an hour after getting into the aid station I was finally heading out. The last section was my lowest part of the race. A one point I was sleep walking off and on for about half an hour. Every step was a struggle and I was moving extremely slow. But I kept moving forward.  I was passed by many runners over the last 13 miles but I didn’t care. I just wanted to be done so badly. I was getting extremely frustrated and cranky. Eventually I called Sami and asked her to start walking up the road to meet me so she could walk me into the finish. After what seemed like days I finally saw Sami coming down the trail towards me and I started to cry. It’s crazy how these races can work your emotions. She did her best to encourage me to move faster but I was locked into my bad attitude. We were moving very slowly but she kept me moving and after what felt like a year of walking the finish was finally in view. I managed a halfhearted jog down the final stretch and then I was DONE! I finished in 27:05. This wasn’t the hardest race that I have been in but it was one of my toughest mentally. Not being able to run any of the last 15 or so miles destroyed me mentally. In the end I am glad to have completed the race and not given up. There were many points over the last 40 that I wanted to DNF but there was always something or someone (Sami) telling me to keep going. I would recommend this race to anyone looking for a quality early 100 miler and I may even be back myself next year to try and exact some revenge.

I just wanted to thank those that were there to support me, all the volunteers at the aid stations and my amazing one woman crew Sami! Thanks for always believing in me and keeping me going even when I feel like giving up!

Moab Red Hot 55k 2013

    My race season started a little early this year...like a month and a half too early. Normally the Buffalo Run out on Antelope Island is the first race of the year for me and for good reason. In the winter I like to dial back the miles and recover a bit before I get back to normal running usually in February and early March. I didn’t get in nearly enough training miles, mostly due to the fact that the weather was very cold most of January and early February and I found it hard to motivate myself to get out and run. During the months on November and December I worked out at Bomber Athlete with Joel Hatch doing strength training and conditioning. I know without this training I would have been hurting far worse during this race. I wanted to focus on running more miles at the beginning of the year so I stopped going to Bomber, but the running didn’t quite turn out how I had hoped.
    My girlfriend Sami and I headed down to Moab the Friday morning before the race. She would be running the 33k, her longest race so far. The drive seemed to go by quickly and before we knew it we pulled into Moab around 5 pm. We explored the town a bit then headed into Eddie McStiff’s to pick up our race packets. Then we headed to dinner with friends and family that had journeyed down to race or to cheer on the racers. We made it to the condo we were staying at by 8 and started preparing for the next day and we were in bed by 10:30.
    Race Day. I had mixed emotions as I got up. Not super excited knowing that my fitness level wasn’t where it should be and this race would be more of a long training run. On the other hand I was super excited because this would be the first race for the HUMR Ultra team that I am lucky enough to be a part of. I also had a brand spanking new UltraSpire race vest, some sweet Smith glasses and PI clothes that I have been looking forward to using. We gathered up our gear and headed to the start area.

 Race Start - Photo by Forrest Stuart

    Time to run. I started the race near the front of the pack standing next to Shane Martin and Harrison Fluman. That was the last time I would be close to those two until the finish line. I started out running a decent pace but wasn’t trying to push it. My plan for the day was to just run how my body was feeling. The race starts out heading up a jeep road for a little over a mile then drops us down the back for 2.5 miles of  cruising downhill. I settled into a comfortable pace as I watched Harrison and Shane disappear off into the distance. Jared Clark caught up to me and we ran together for a while. The road splits sending us to the right to run the 12 mile loop the 55k’ers run before heading back to the split and towards the finish. This loop was by far the best part of the race for me. I felt like I was moving at a decent pace and not expending too much effort. My legs were feeling pretty good at this point but my left ankle was getting cranky from the uneven terrain. It's something that happens most races so I've grown to expect it. There was a HUMR support group consisting of my aunt Pam Stuart, Lane Farka and Steve Montano on this loop to cheer us on. It’s always a mental boost to see some familiar faces out there.

Almost half way - photo by Joel Schenk

 
    I don’t really remember the next section very well. I just got in a zone and kept moving forward until I got to the last big climb of the day. Looking at the elevation profile from my garmin the climb really isn’t that bad. It felt a lot harder than it was. I’m more out of shape than I thought. My quads were starting to rebel. As I was grinding away climbing up the slick rock I looked back and noticed Ryan Lauck, another member of the HUMR Ultra Team, climbing strongly up the hill. He caught up to me and we hiked up to the aid station at the top of the hill together. He left the aid station before me and I didn’t see him again until the end.
    At the aid station Bryce Warren caught up to me and we would spend the rest of the race leap frogging each other. From the aid station it was mostly downhill with a few small climbs thrown in. The only problem was that it was almost entirely on slick rock. Not good for my tired feet and legs. The flagging through here was hard to find at times and I spent a little extra time looking for the correct route. My quads were hurting pretty bad at this point so I had to put on some Trampled by Turtles to take my mind off the pain. The music worked and I started moving a little faster.
    I refilled my water at the last aid station and had a couple orange slices then it was back to work. A little after the aid station I caught up to Sami. Her hips were hurting her a lot and she wasn’t able to run the last part of the course. She's too stubborn to give up so she kept moving forward the best she could. I walked with her for a little while. During that time Bryce passed me and I knew that I wanted to catch him. Sami gave me a kiss for good luck then I was back on my way. More jeep roads and more slick rock. I knew the end was getting close so I pushed as much as I could. I caught up to Bryce and passed him a couple miles from the finish. I cruised into the finish with my friends and family cheering me in. I finished the race in 5:34:59. My goal was to finish somewhere around 5:30:00 so I was happy with my time.
    I had a great adventure with some great friends and some wonderful family. I was able to see where my fitness level is and what I need to work on before the next race. The thing that I love to most about these races is that I get to test myself and see what I am able to accomplish when I set my mind to it. I may not have had my best race but I got to enjoy some sunshine and some dirt in the middle of February. I’m proud to be a part of the HUMR Ultra Team and excited to see how the year unfolds for us. I had a lot of fun and can’t wait for the next HUMR adventure…

The Wasatch 100 Mile Endurance Run

Disclaimer: This race report is WAY too long. I suggest you have a pot of coffee ready and some snacks close by. Enjoy.

The big one is finally here…the Wasatch100. This is the race that I have been looking forward to since I started this crazy ultra marathon running. I remember Bj showing me the elevation profile of the race from an article in Runner’s World magazine a few years ago. At that point I had run one road marathon(Ogden) and was (kinda)preparing for a second. After I had read through the article and checked out the elevation profile I told Bj he was insane and there was NO frickin’ way I would ever attempt this race, NEVER. As you have already figured out we can never really predict our future or what we will do with it until it is here. So now I am sitting in my living room with my body recovering at a much faster pace than any of the 4 road marathons I have run reliving the events that took place a few days ago. I will do my best to accurately describe my experience along this journey known as the Wasatch100.

The 2012 running of the Wasatch100 was held on September 7th and 8th, but really started many months if not years ago for me. All the training runs and other races have been leading me up to this. The first step was to apply and get “drawn out” during the selection process in February, which I did. Now the real work begins. I started the year off slowly after having IT band issues at the Bear100 and not having the issue resolved until the first part of February. My first race of the year wasn’t until the Squaw Peak 50 miler in early June with the San Juan Solstice 50 miler three weeks later. I knew this would be good gauge of my fitness doing two tough 50 milers three weeks apart. I did well at both along with a strong showing at the Speedgoat 50k in late July. Doing well at these races gave me the confidence I needed for Wasatch. After Speedgoat I tried to get in a good three weeks of training, but as usual I felt that I should have done more…

Race Day

The alarm goes off at 3:15a.m. and I feel like I haven’t slept a wink. Sami and I drag ourselves out of bed, feed the dogs, load the car and get ready for the next 36 hours. My body feels like there is electricity flowing through it as I think about the journey I am about to embark on. We drive out to the start, park the car and head for check-in. Almost there and I remember I forgot my handheld water bottle, crap! Luckily we had packed a spare along with some Hammer Nutrition Sustained Energy powder. Sami ran back to the car to grab my handheld for me(thanks Sami!) as I got checked in. I started seeing familiar faces as I waited for the race to begin. Lori, Harrison and Dan came out to see us off along with our spouses or significant others. Sami and I hugged and said our goodbyes for now, knowing I wouldn’t see her for at least eight hours. Later on I used seeing her as my motivation to get to aid stations faster. Aric and I ended up towards the back half of the 290 runners at the start line. I was hoping I could start further towards the front so I knew I had some work to do right out of the gate.

Start Line - Photo by Lori Burlison

BANG!!! We’re off…kinda. It’s a slow walk for about 50 yards through the bottleneck of a start. I am able to find a clear path on the left side of the pack and I take off passing a huge group of runners. I pushed a little harder at the beginning so that I could get in a good position on the climb up to Chinscraper and not get stuck behind a long line of runners. The course cruises along the Bonneville Shoreline Trail for about 3.6 miles over past Fernwood picnic grounds before meeting up with the Great Western Trail. Around mile 5.5 I roll my left ankle trying to avoid some horse crap and step off the edge of the trail. Fantastic. As if 100 miles isn’t enough, I have to give my ankle another reason to hurt. I hobble down the trail for a bit and my ankle loosens back up. Now the real climbing begins and I just settle into a comfortable pace behind a group of 3 other runners. The climb goes by quickly and is uneventful. After Chinscraper the trail kinda rolls along and I find a nice running groove. I take a quick stop at Landis Springs to refill my handheld water bottle then get back to enjoying the beautiful morning. The air is crisp and the sun is just starting to shine on the tops of the mountains around me. Mornings like this are one of the many reasons why I run. The climb continues until we reach the Francis Peak radar towers then we get to enjoy a little over 4 miles of downhill on a service road to the AS#1(Maintenance sheds - Francis Peak, mile 18.76). I came into this race with a goal to run a sub-27 hour race so I looked up some splits from last year and found Emily Judd’s results. She ran a 26:40 so I figured her splits were good to pace off of. On all of my drop bags I wrote down the time that she came into each aid station just so I could gauge how my run was going. I rolled into Francis Peak at 8:59, right on time for her first split. The aid station personnel were stellar all day. As soon as I ran in they had my drop bag ready to go and started refilling my Nathan race vest and my water bottle right away. It took me a little longer than I wanted to trying to get the Hammer Sustained Energy powder out of the plastic baggie and into the water bottle but not a bad pit stop. Time In: 08:59 Time Out: 09:04

It’s amazing how something that happened 3-4 days ago could seem like it happened months ago. That’s how these next few sections feel to me so I don’t know if I will be able to describe them as accurately as I want to but I will give it a shot. I remember the course heading back out on the service road for a couple miles or so. Then the course heads off the road onto some singletrack that resembles more of a game trail at times disappearing in the tall brush and bushes. The trail has quite a few downed trees for the runners to navigate over along with a few stream crossings. I remember 2 or 3 short but steep climbs through this beautiful wooded section. Then before I know it I pass someone walking towards me down the trail and he lets me know the aid station is about a half mile away. I’m usually pretty skeptical when people give me distances during a race but he turned out to be right. I popped out of the trees, climbed up a small hill then ducked through a wooden fence to AS#2(Bountiful B, mile 23.95). I was handed a cold towel to wipe off my face and cool down a bit. I saw Shane Martin at the food table getting down some calories. I drank some Coke as my pack and bottle were refilled then I left with Shane and Seth Hales. Time In: 10:13 Time Out: 10:14

We start walking up the service road and Shane and I are joking around. Shane asks me if I want to race to the top of the road but neither of us felt like throwing up so we decide against it. Seth left the AS a little behind us and all of a sudden I hear him yelling to the aid station volunteers. Seth was looking back to check on a friend of his still in the aid station and I guess he saw him faint in some shrubs where he said he was going to rest for a while. Seth and 3 volunteers ran over to check on him. Shane and I figured that there wasn’t anything more we could do for him that the volunteers couldn’t so we kept moving along as we could see he was taken care of. Shane and I hung together during this section between Bountiful B to Sessions Lift Off. This whole section takes place on a dirt service road. We kept the pace very easy, walking all the hills and running the flats and downhills. It was nice to have someone to talk to after being alone for most of the race up to this point. Seth caught back up to us in 2 or 3 miles and let us know his friend was okay. Seth and Shane were thinking that he pushed a little too hard at the beginning and also may have had some flu symptoms and not know it. The last part of the section before AS#3(Sessions Lift Off, mile 28.23) is downhill and I push the pace a little and get into the aid station a minute or so before Shane and Seth. Again the aid station volunteers are great. The volunteers top off my vest and water bottle with cold water and ice as I grab what supplies I need for the next section. I’m only in the aid station for a couple minutes then I am on my way again. Time In: 11:05 Time Out11:07

I head out of the aid station and before long the course has me climbing some more switchbacks heading up to Sessions Pass. It’s starting to get hot so I make sure that I am keeping up with my hydration and fueling properly like I have been to this point. This section didn’t have much of an impression on me. All I really can remember is running the last mile or so along the mountainside being able to see AS#4(Swallow Rocks, mile 31.94) not too far off. I enjoyed a popsicle in the shade of a tent as my water was being refilled and sat down for a few minutes. My pack was bouncing around a lot on the downhills so I readjusted the straps then I was off. Time In: 12:42 Time Out: 12:47

Okay, 7.5 miles to the next aid station and the first time that I get to see my crew, yipee! I know the mental boost that I get from seeing my friends and family at these races and all I want to do is get to Big Mountain. By now I have had thoughts of doubt, asking myself why I am even doing this crazy race. It’s hot, dusty and lonely on this section. The miles seem to drag on and all I want to do is get there faster. I go back to some of the quotes Aric has posted on Motivational Mondays to get myself out of this funk. The one that resonates with me the most at this point is one from the Ryan & Lindsay Lauck. BE HERE NOW…I look up from the trail and take in the beautiful view that I have the opportunity to enjoy. I’m back in a good state of mind knowing that being able to do this is a privilege that not everyone is able to experience. I cruise along again just feeling good to be in the mountains on a beautiful day. Before I know it I can hear the cowbells and loud cheering of the Big Mountain aid station. Down a few switchbacks and I see Lori with a big smile taking pictures of me running down the mountain. It’s always nice to see Lori and I appreciate her pictures. They let me see my race from a different point of view. Thanks Lori! Not much further and I run out of the trees to a big roar of cheers and cowbells just for me. I run into AS#5(Big Mountain, mile 39.4) with a giant smile on my face. Sami, Bj, Forrest, Britta and Nick are there leading the cheers. A volunteer takes my pack and water bottle from me so they can check my weight to make sure I am hydrating and eating properly. I weigh in at 139 lbs. Two pounds more than at the pre race briefing the day before. I didn’t have my shoes on at the pre race weigh in so I was really closer to only a pound over. So good news. I hop off the scale and another volunteer hands me my drop back as I head over to my crew. Britta brought me a Slurpee and it was delicious. Thanks again Britta! Bj and Forrest asked me if I needed anything as the volunteers refilled my race vest. I could see it on Sami’s face that she was a little worried about me. I was feeling pretty good considering I had just finished 39 miles. I gathered my supplies for the next section, put on my race vest, got some more encouraging words from Sami and the rest of the gang and headed out with Forrest towards Lambs Canyon. Time In: 1:39 Time Out: 1:45

Running into Big Mountain - Photo by Lori Burlison

Forrest and I took it a easier on this section. This was the first time that I heard Aric had dropped. Forrest told me he hurt his leg and had to drop at Bountiful B. For some reason I thought he was just joking around so I didn’t believe him. Aric ended up pulling his right hamstring and did have to drop. I feel bad for him, he trained really hard this year and had set himself up to have an awesome Wasatch100. Heal up quick buddy, I know you’ll be back soon stronger than ever. It was starting to get really hot and I didn’t want to put myself in a bad position working too hard in the heat. We had more of a survival approach. There wasn’t anything really exciting on our way to Alexander Ridge. It was just nice to have Forrest there to talk too. Thanks Forrest! At one point I tripped over a root sticking up in the trail but it had to be the nicest fall I have ever taken. I landed in a bed of pine needles 5 or 6 inches deep. I really wanted to just lay there but Forrest wouldn’t let me so I got up and we kept moving forward. After we topped out at Bald Mountain the course took us down a steep and rocky single track trail. Not my favorite section. Eventually we made it to AS#6(Alexander Ridge, mile 47.44). Tom Remkes was here fueling up. He looked a little beat down by the heat but you can never count Tom out. I was feeling overheated so I sat down under the tent the volunteers had set up and asked for some ice. I put the ice in my hat and rubbed some more on my face, neck and arms. I drank some Coke and ate some watermelon as the volunteers filled my vest with water and ice. I readjusted my shoes a bit then I was ready to go chase after Tom again. Time In: 3:36 Time Out: 3:43

We headed out on a service road which (felt like) it lasted for 20 miles. It was really only about 2.5 miles. There was little cover from the sun so we trudged up the road roasting like Thanksgiving turkeys. We caught up to Tom and fell in line behind him. Finally we reached a trail heading off into the trees but the cover didn’t last for long but at least the rest of the way to Lambs Canyon would be downhill or flat. We were still following Tom when I saw him kick something and stumble. He pulled off the side of the trail and let us pass(by now we had a few other runners in line behind us). Forrest picked up the pace a bit for the last 3 miles into the aid station. It felt good to do some actual running for a change. I could feel some energy come back into my body as we neared the aid station where Sami and the rest of the crew were. I hiked up the last hill to AS#7(Lambs Canyon, mile 53.13) welcomed by crews from my friends, family and strangers alike. This is the second location that I had to weigh in. This time I was 132 lbs. I had lost 7 pounds since I was at Big Mountain. A little concerning but not too bad. I felt like I was drinking too much water before I got to Big Mountain so I guess I cut back on my water intake and overcorrected too much. Matt Connors was sitting in a chair in the aid station when I got there and I joked that he couldn’t leave until I was ready to go too. He didn’t listen and that was the last time that I saw Matt until after the race was over. He ran a great race this year. I sat down and my crew swarmed around me. Sami helped me change out my socks and brought me a new shirt to change into. Britta grabbed me a plate of food and gave me the rest of the Slurpee she had brought me at Big Mountain. Harrison and Bj were helping me get my supplies ready for the next section. Ryan was there to cheer me on and Karen was there volunteering at the aid station. It’s always good to see some friendly faces during these journeys. Tom had come in after me but left a few minutes before me. I ate some potatoes, mac n cheese and almost finished off my Slurpee then it was time to be on my way. Thanks Forrest for pacing me through that tough section, you helped set me up to finish the race the way that I wanted to. Time In: 4:59 Time Out: 5:16

Coming into Lamb's Canyon - Photo by Sami Dennis

Now it was Harrisons turn to pace me. We headed up the road walking for a while to let the food in my stomach settle then we would jog and walk on and off for a while. We caught back up to Tom who was going through a rough patch. I guess he was 10lbs. down at Lambs. The 3 of us walked the rest of the way up to Lambs trail together then Harrison and I pushed ahead once we hit the single track. From the bottom of Lambs trail we have a 2.1 mile 1500 ft climb to the top of Bear Ass Pass. Harrison kindly brought some trekking poles for me to use the second half of the race. This was the first time I had used trekking poles and I got to say I really liked them. They helped relieve my legs from doing all of the work and kept me moving strong. We hiked all the uphills but there were quite a few flat sections on the switchbacks that Harrison would coax me into running. Not far from the top we ran into Lori taking more pictures. She commented on how we looked like synchronized runners because of our matching outfits, but I have no idea what she is talking about :)

Climbing to Bear Ass Pass - Photo by Lori Burlison

We soldiered on up the hill fueling mostly on gummy bears and licorice that Harrison brought for me. At this point the Powerbar energy chews and Honey Stinger waffles were not sounding good at all. We made it to the top of Bear Ass Pass and took a moment to soak in the beautiful scenery around us. It felt good(and bad) to be able to run some downhill for a while. After about 2 miles the trail spills out onto the road heading up to Upper Big Water. We weren’t on the road longer than a minute or two when I look over my shoulder to see Tom right behind us. This guy is tough and never quits. So we hike another road together joking around with one another. Tom was hiking stronger than me so he would get out in front of me a few hundred feet than Harrison and I would jog to catch back up to him. A little ways from the aid station we ran into Davy Crockett and he hiked with us back to the aid station. Just before the we reached AS#8(Millcreek, mile 61.68) I ran past Tom telling him to stay behind me so I could at least beat him to the aid station. He said “okay” but then he sprinted past me and beat me there. Once again the volunteers were amazing and had my drop bag ready for me promptly. I sat down in a chair as Harrison grabbed me some chicken noodle soup and some ginger ale. I put on my warm clothes and headlamp for the night and finished my soup and ginger ale. I could tell that Tom was feeling a little better as he refueled and got out of the aid station a few minutes before me. That would be the last time that I saw Tom until the finish. Harrison and I made sure we had everything we needed for the night and headed out. Time In: 7:27 Time Out: 7:35

More climbing. I was tired of the heat and ready to welcome the night. We pushed on upwards to Dog Lake, slow but steady. It was still really warm and I wished that I hadn’t put on my arm sleeves and my jacket but I didn’t want to stop to take them off. I just pushed up the sleeves on my jacket and pulled down my arm sleeves around my wrists. My stomach wasn’t having the best time at this point but I was able to keep eating as long as I didn’t take in too many calories all at once. So less food, more often. I was still fueling mainly on gummy bears and licorice with some Hammer Sustained Energy mixed in. There wasn’t anything really exciting on this section just slogging away up to Dog Lake. Then from there we headed down for a little over half a mile and I was able to run this section without much effort. After the downhill ended we had another hike that lasted for about 2 miles. Not too long and we rolled into AS#9(Desolation Lake, mile 66.93). There was a nice fire going and a few runners sitting around it looking tired and worn down. I sat down on a log facing away from the fire so that I didn’t get sucked into the trap of coziness. A volunteer refilled my race vest as Harrison got me some chicken broth and ginger ale, my go to fueling at this point. We didn’t stay long but the check out time on the splits page has me there for 25 minutes. I’m sure it was 8 minutes or less. Time In: 9:07 Time Out: ?

We leave Desolation Lake and guess what, more climbing. I actually feel really good for being 67 miles into the race. I have to credit the trekking poles, calf sleeves and the SportLegs supplement that I had been taking every 3 hours during the race. The pills claim to keep lactic acid from building up in your legs and I am a believer that they work. From Desolation Lake we hike up over 700 ft in about three quarters of a mile. Part of my goal throughout this race was to not stop moving unless I was at an aid station. For the most part I succeeded and moving even if it was slow. Once we topped out at Red Lovers Ridge we had about 3 miles of rolling single track that we were able to run fairly consistently except for walk breaks every so often to let my lungs recover. Before I knew it we were at AS#10(Scotts Pass, mile 70.79). I still had enough water to make it to the next aid station so all we stopped for here was some more chicken broth and ginger ale then we were on our way to Brighton Lodge. Time In: 10:22 Time Out: 10:24

I could feel that we were close to Brighton Lodge and all I wanted to do was get there. The course led us down a service road for a couple miles then we ended up on road road. Most of the time I would hate running on road but I knew that it meant I was getting close and it was kind of a nice break not having to watch every footstep carefully. We kept up a decent running pace which wasn’t fast but we were running. This section thankfully went by quick. Just before we got to the lodge 2 little deer jumped out of the brush and almost gave Harrison a heart attack. That made me laugh and lightened my mood a bit. We reached AS#11(Brighton Lodge, mile 75.61) a little after 11:20. We walked through the doors to the lodge and were greeted by cheers. A volunteer took my pack so that I could get weighed in for the last time. 137 lbs. back to my starting weight. I threw my arms into the air for a little victory knowing that it was the last time I would be weighed and I was cleared to finish the race. My crew had a table towards the back set up for me with my running supplies. I had a grilled cheese sandwich that was delicious and drank some more ginger ale. Breein, Shawn, Forrest, Lori and Bj were there and gave me some encouraging words. Sami worked on my feet to prepare them for the last 25 miles to the finish. I was worried about the batteries in my headlamp so Forrest swapped them out for me went and brushed my teeth for the first time since 4 in the morning. I put on some new socks, laced up my shoes and gathered my supplies. I spent a little extra time at Brighton to make sure I was ready for the brutal last 25 miles that lay ahead of me. A few more encouraging words from the crew and I was ready to go. Thank you Harrison for keeping me moving strong. You are an awesome pacer and I hope to return the favor for you sometime. Time In: 11:23 Time Out: 11:49

Bj would be my pacer for the last 25 miles. We start hiking away from the lodge and part of me just wants to go back and snuggle up in a warm sleeping back but the stronger part of me wants to keep moving forward. From the lodge we have a stout climb ahead of us. 1450 ft of vertical gain in the next 2.85 miles. When you think about it that isn’t too bad of a climb but at mile 76 it felt like I was climbing in pudding. It probably didn’t help that I didn’t get enough calories in my system back at the lodge and hadn’t been eating any of my Powerbar chews for a long time. Bj did a good job getting me back on track. Half way up the climb I started feeling very sleepy so I took my first PreRace capsule for the race. It perked me back up along with the Powerbar chews and I was back to moving better again. After we topped out of the tough climb we were treated to some nasty downhill to the next aid station. Rocky, dusty and steep. We powered through. My headlamp was noticeably dimmer than it was before I had the batteries changed. I remembered that I had put the old batteries back in the same box as the new ones and must have pulled them out when I had Forrest change them for me back at the lodge. Luckily the batteries lasted long enough to get to AS#12(Ant Knolls, mile 80.27) where they had some replacements for me. I sat down as the volunteers refilled my race vest and Bj got me some chicken noodle soup and ginger ale. We replaced the batteries and were back out on the trail. Time In: 1:31 Time Out: 1:36

Next up? You guessed it, more steep climbing up to Grunt Pass. The name is fitting. After we reached the pass we were treated to a runable section of flat and downhill. This section is only a little over 3 miles but felt much longer. My downhill legs weren’t cooperating as well as I would have liked but I was able to move at a decent pace considering how far I had come already. Soon we can hear the chatter of people at the aid station and Bj lets out some whoops to let them know we are coming in. We have reached AS#13(Poll Line Pass, mile 83.39). More of the same as far as fueling goes…chicken noodle soup and ginger ale but this time I added a piece of bacon. DELICIOUS! Refueled and we are back on our way. Time In: 2:36 Time Out: 2:45

This next section felt like it just kept going on FOREVER. It probably didn’t help that I was starting to check out mentally and getting pretty cranky. My left foot was bothering me pretty bad at this point and I had to keep popping PreRace to stop myself from falling asleep. I wasn’t wearing a watch anymore so I didn’t have anything to judge the time or the miles with. Bj kept me moving forward the best I could and eventually we made it to AS#14(Rock Springs, mile 87.39). This aid station has to pack everything in so it is pretty bare bones. They did have some chicken broth so I had some of that along with a cup of Coke. I sat on the ground for a while trying to regroup. I grabbed a handful of Skittles and ate them but Bj didn’t think they were good enough fuel so he made me eat some sports chews. While sitting there a woman and her pacer stopped shortly and left before me. It was a little bit of a blow to have someone pass me this late in the race. I used it as motivation and picked myself up off my ass and headed back out. Time In: 4:10 Time Out: 4:17

I hate the next section, HATE it. We get to enjoy Serenity Point then everything starts to suck from there. First up, the Dive. Rocky, dusty, steep and nasty. Everything I want to be dealing with after being on my feet for 88 miles. The dust covers the rocks so I can’t see them. I step on the rocks and fall down cursing. Repeat. We get through that section, sweet, now onto the Plunge. This is the point in the race where I kinda snap. My body hurts, I’m exhausted, I want to go to sleep and my mind is starting to turn on me. Why am I here? Why the hell did I sign up for this? This is frickin’ stupid. This mentality lasts until about a half mile before Bj and I reach the last aid station. Bj has his Garmin watch on and lets me know that I have gained ground on Emily’s splits for last year. Saaaaaay what! This snaps me out of my funk and it’s game on again. We get into AS#15(Pot Bottom, mile 93.13) and Bj tells me I have about one hour and forty-five minutes left if I want to go under 27 hours. Bj grabs me some chicken noodle soup and some ginger ale as I take a few minutes to clean out all the dirt in my shoes from the Dive and Plunge. With a renewed attitude we head out for the final 7 miles. Time In: 6:21 Time Out: 6:27

After leaving Pot Bottom we head up a service road. We are still chasing down the woman and her pacer that passed us at Rock Springs but now we are gaining ground. We cross a few streams and are running anything that is downhill or flat. On the uphills I use the trekking poles that Harrison let me borrow to dig hard into the dirt and propel myself forward. I am determined to get up to the top of the hill as fast as I possibly can. We catch and pass the woman and her pacer and keep pressing on. I can feel the adrenaline give power to my legs that hasn’t been there for hours. Bj and I reach the turn off that will lead us down to the Homestead. He tells me that I have to run a decent pace to have a chance so I give it everything that I can muster. The service road is very rocky and my left foot that has been hurting for the last 50 miles is really getting cranky. Shut up foot. I know that my foot will hurt going at a fast pace just the same as at a slow pace. So we might as well finish as fast as we can. We reach the Y in the road and keep running until we get to some uphill and slow to a power hike. The downhill is beating me up and I am starting to doubt that I can make it under 27 hours. The road heads back down again and it gets really rocky. Awesome. Bj leads the way and I move slowly, making sure not to roll my ankle this close to the finish. The rocky road(mmmmmm…ice cream) doesn’t last very long and before I know it we are on some sweet single track moving fast(at least it felt fast to me). We cruise through the scrub oak trees knowing that every step gets us that much closer to the finish. Bj pulls over to water the trees and I pick up my pace as I run by. I don’t know why but passing Bj gave me a boost. I pushed harder. I am giving everything that I have left. Bj caught back up to me and I remember mentioning to him that I was feeling weak. Bj’s response was “No you don’t.” Okay. I’ll keep pushing then. Towards the end of the single track there are a few switchbacks. I can hear people on the trail below us. We are catching someone and I get another adrenaline boost. I know that I’m really only competing against myself but catching runners at the end of a race just gets me trying that much harder. We finally spill out onto the road and pass the runner at the same time. Bj checks his watch. We only have 8 minutes and neither of us are sure how far it is to the finish. Looks like were going to have to keep pushing. Bj leads the way and I try my best to keep up. Another mental battle ensues. I don’t want to run anymore but the stronger part of me wins again. There are only 5 minutes to go until 27 hours. I have suffered for so long, why not 5 more? Aric’s quote pops into my head, “Bring it home empty.” I feel a little extra energy make its way into my legs and my mind says, let’s go. Bj and I are running side by side now cresting the last little hill before the finish line comes into view. We still have around 3 minutes, I am going to make it under 27 hours. A massive wave of emotion and energy flow over me. I sprint the rest of the way in not knowing exactly how much time I have. I run through the finish to the sound of my friends and family cheering me on. There is no way to describe the feeling that I get after completing such a challenging journey. Especially one that I came within 18 minutes of my goal time. Sami runs up and gives me a hug. This is why I run. This amazing, indescribable feeling I get when I accomplish my goal.

Running to the finish line - Photo by Lori Burlison

The Wasatch100 was a huge success. I finished in 26 hours 58 minutes and 21 seconds. I couldn’t have done it without the help and support of my family and friends. Thank you. My friends and family are the source of my inspiration and keep me going when I want to quit. A special shout out for my pacers. Forrest, Harrison and Bj. I couldn’t have done it without you guys and am truly grateful that you took time out of your lives to help me complete this journey. Thanks to the HUMR’s that were there and cheered me on, HUMR’s rock! And of course, thank you Sami for being there for me through all of it. The training runs, putting up with my crankyness during the tapering process and being there every step of the way. Last but not least I want to thank God. Thank You for watching over me and giving me the strength that I needed to finish this journey safely. The quote that sums up Wasatch the best for me is: The task ahead of you is never greater than the strength inside of you. Now…on to the next one.

Finished! - Photo by Lori Burlison

Speedgoat 50k 2012 Race Report

Speedgoat 50k Race Report 2012 So here we are again. Another day and another race. This time it’s the Speedgoat 50k, the toughest race per mile that I have done. My Garmin showed me ending up with 32.3 miles and 11, 343 feet of elevation gain in 7 hours 8 minutes and 53 seconds. Race weekend started off with Sami and I piling all of our gear and accessories into the Soob Friday afternoon and heading down to Snowbird resort. We checked into our hotel room, got settled in then headed out to meet some of the HUMR group to have some dinner. After dinner we headed back to the room so I could get myself prepared for the next day. We got to bed around 11 but I didn’t sleep very well and before I knew it the alarm was going off at 4:45 a.m. We gathered our things and headed down to the lobby to meet up with the rest of the crew. We take a short drive and we are at the start line checking in, getting some sweet swag, chatting excitedly with each other and pointing out the pro runners to each other like school girls gushing over Justin Beiber. 5...4...3...2...1...GO! The race begins and the front runners are sprinting down the trail and heading up the mountain. That’s the last time I will see them until the finish. I settle into a comfortable pace with Bj, Ryan and Matt as we start our first climb of the day. We start pretty conservatively walking up the hills and Matt leaves us here as he keeps up his run. I bumped into Justin Nelson and he ran with us a bit as we chatted about our recent races and those coming up. He took off and it was back to me, Bj and Ryan until around mile 3.5 where Ryan dropped back a bit and then at mile 5 I started pushing a little harder and left Bj. I have had my best training year yet so I was feeling confident I could try to push myself harder than I did 2 years ago at this race. I caught back up to Matt around mile 6 or so and we hiked the rest of the way up to Hidden together where Britta was waiting to cheer us on and hand out popsicles to the HUMR‘s. Thanks Britta! At aid station #1(Hidden Peak, mile 8) the volunteers re-filled our water quickly and we were back out on the trail in no time. We run down a service road for a little bit then we are back on some sweet single track winding through a beautiful field of wildflowers. On the this downhill section I decided to open it up a bit and I start cruising at a faster but comfortable pace until I catch some runners ahead of me. The wildflowers are growing right up to the trail and hanging over some making it difficult to pass. The first runner I catch lets me pass but the next one has headphones in with his music blaring so he can’t hear me. He also has some trekking poles sticking was out from his sides making it even harder to get by. After a few failed attempts to get his attention I just settle in behind him until the trail finally opens up a little and I can get by. Once I get past him I have a wide open trail to the next aid station. Aid station #2(Mineral Basin, mile 10.2) was close enough to the last one that I didn’t need to stop and just kept on rolling through. A little more downhill on a service road takes me to Larry’s hole before I am climbing up another hill. The climb doesn’t last very long before I am heading back downhill. The trail is steep and technical single track before we turn onto a jeep road that is so washed out that it is basically a dried up river bed. I get my first signal that I am a little behind on my electrolytes when my groin gives me a little twinge going through the rocky section. This rocky downhill lasts for about a mile and a half before I find myself climbing again. Just as I start climbing I catch a glimpse of Justin again but he has been climbing better than I have and I lose sight of him again quickly. After the climb the road drops down to a flat out and back section with aid station #3 (Pacific Mine, mile 14.8) at the end of it. As I head to the aid station I get to see the runners ahead of me heading back out. I pass by Joe Grant who took 2nd place at the Hardrock100 two weeks ago and he compliments my beard as he passes by. Thanks Joe. As I pulled into the aid station I got a cold water soaked towel on my neck that felt amazing after the hot flat section I had just run. The volunteers were awesome(they were awesome at every aid station) and quickly filled up my hydration vest as I ate a potato and some watermelon. I put my vest back on and headed out with a popsicle to enjoy on the way. Back along the flat section I saw Matt with Bj not too far behind him. We exchanged some motivational words as we ran past each other and continued on our respective ways. The next section consisted of mostly hiking with running mixed in when the grade of the jeep road allowed. I had left Justin back at Pacific Mine AS but he caught back up to me within a couple of miles. He told me that he rolled his ankle back on the rocky downhill around mile 13 and that it is giving him trouble on the downhill sections. His ankle wasn’t affecting his climbing though and he pulled away from me about a mile and a half into the Miller Hill climb. I felt good with my pace so I didn’t try to stay with him. It was starting to get hot now so I made it a point to drink extra water. My groin was still twinging every now and then so I needed to hydrate as much as possible. My weak ankle started to hurt around mile 20 which is about par for me. My feet were hurting also but my energy was good and I was still in it mentally. I pushed on until I reached the top of the climb and cruised some flat and downhill back to Larry’s Hole. My groin gave me a few twinges here but never fully cramped. I had to be careful with my downhill stride to prevent the cramp from coming. Once I get a cramp I usually can’t get back to normal running for the rest of the race. So a little more climbing and I’m back at the Mineral Basin AS(mile 19.4 according to Karl but my Garmin said it was about mile 21.5) for the second time. I was at the aid station only long enough to get my water refilled and grab a few snacks then I was off. Leaving the aid station there is a sign that says the next section has about 2200 feet of gain in 2.2 miles so basically climbing Malan’s at mile 22, lovely. I trudged up the climb for what seemed like forever with my quads burning the whole way. Halfway up I ran into to Lori and I got a mental boost seeing someone familiar and hearing her encouraging words. Thanks for being the Lori! She told me I looked good but I felt pretty worked over. I make it to the jeep road and head down for a little bit. My groin starts acting up again so I decided to slow down a bit. In about 50 feet I didn’t really have a choice about going fast or not because the course sent me on a route straight up the mountainside to Baldy. This section was brutal with loose footing and steep terrain. Karl is a sick man. Eventually I made my way to the ridge and jogged over to the peak. Jogging down from the peak my groin and left hamstring were acting up again so I slowed down and kept the pace easy. I couldn’t get all the way caught up on my hydration to solve the problem apparently. Soon the trail spills out onto a service road where Britta is waiting for the HUMR’s to come through. She gives me two popsicles which hit the spot. Yum. As I cruise down the road to the Tunnel AS I see Bryce coming up. He gives me some encouragement and squirts me with some cold water that feels great now that the heat is in full force. As I come into the aid station Shane Martin comes down the road to meet me and see what I need. I just get a refill on my water and head out. Running through the tunnel was great. Nice and cool and out of the sun. I wish it would have lasted longer. More service road and more downhill for about 2 miles. My groin doesn’t give me any trouble finally so I am able to open up the pace more than I had been. Next up is the last climb, one and a half miles with 1500 feet of gain along the Ridgeline Trail. I know it’s the last climb so I do my best to keep pushing but the pain in my legs and feet starts to get to me mentally. I keep moving but am going at a much slower pace than I wanted to. I decide to focus on the runner ahead of me and not let him get too far ahead. There are also two runners behind me and I use them as motivation to not get caught. After what felt like an eternity I see Lori’s smiling face a little ways down from the top of the ridge. Sitting at the top of the ridge are a group of spectators drinking beer and relaxing in their camp chairs. I really wanted to trade places at that moment but they told me they would give me a beer at the finish so I trudged along up the hill. Bryce ran part way down the hill from the aid station(Hidden Peak 2, mile 27 on my Garmin) to meet me and see what I needed. He took my vest from me and refilled my water as I ate a few potato chips, a slice of watermelon and drank some Coke. Sami was there cheering me on which gave me a giant mental boost. Thanks for being there babe honey, you’re the best! My feet were hurting pretty bad at this point so I wanted to sit down and clean the dirt and rocks out of my shoes but Bryce kicked me out before I could even try. 5 miles to go…I take off running with a renewed energy from seeing my friends and family. The two runners that were behind me going up the ridge are now in front of me giving me someone to chase. There is about a half a mile of large loose rocks at the beginning of the downhill making it difficult to keep up a fast pace. Next there is some single track that spills out onto a service road. The service road is steep and technical. Part way down there is some loose road base that had been recently put there turning the run into scree skiing for a moment. I caught up to the two runners in front of me at this point and decided to see if I had anything left in my legs. I started pushing the pace and felt pretty good. My groin and hamstring didn’t give me any issues. Back onto the single track and I could smell the barn. I really don’t like the finish to this race because the trail sends you back and forth a couple times and all along I can see the finish down below teasing me. I keep pushing to make sure I don’t get caught and in no time I am on the final stretch. I come around the last turn to a burst of cheers from friends, family and strangers alike. I cross the finish line and am greeted by Karl Meltzer with a handshake. I can finally relax. Sami, Bryce and Karen are there to baby me; getting me food, ultragen and a chair so I can finally sit down and watch the rest of my friends finish. Overall I am really happy with how I ran this race. I did a great job getting in and out of aid stations for the first time really. I usually linger a little too long and I made it a point to get out quick. My legs responded extremely well all day except for the twinging of my groin and hamstring on some downhills from time to time. Luckily it never turned into a full on cramp. I stayed on top of my hydration and calorie consumption too. I must have started out behind on my hydration causing the twinges in my legs. I was aiming for a sub 7 hour finish and didn’t quite make it but I was basing that goal off of last years course instead of the harder course this year. Thanks to all the friends and family that was there either volunteering, running or just there to offer support. You all make these races much more enjoyable than they could be without you there. Congrats to all the HUMR’s who finished that beast of race, you guys rock!!!

San Juan Solstice 50 Race Report

Say whaaaat! Yep, it's another race report and this one is actually done in a timely manner...San Juan Solstice 50 miler. For the happenings before the race I will refer you to Aric's blog(http://leavenothing-manners.blogspot.com/2012/06/san-juan-solstice-50-race-report.html) That just made my report that much shorter, thanks Aric. So...race day morning. I wake up from a restless night of tossing and turning at 3:30am. We prepared our gear for the journey ahead. Those Chewbacca noises Aric was talking about were coming from me. All I have say is good thing the walls weren't thin in the cabin or I would have felt a little awkward...anyway we get out the door and head to the Armory to check in. We are all checked in by 4:45 and all we have to do is wait for the start. As we are hanging around waiting for the gun to go off I can feel the excitement build more and more(the Pre-Race I took 30 minutes before may have helped intensify that). 5 minutes to go and the lights are shut off in the Armory to signal the runners to the start line. We all head over to the start line and before you know it, BANG!!! It's business time. Bj and I start off together as my strategy for every race with him is to use him as a pace setter until the end and I can usually outrun him to the finish. Just kidding Bj, I enjoy the company. We were separated from Aric, Breein and Shawn before the start of the race so I wouldn't see them until the finish. The start of the race, like most races, went by pretty quickly. All the built up adrenaline and excitement I guess. Bj and I cruise up the dirt road at an easy pace and shortly have our first "Lori sighting" of the day. Thanks for being there and taking pictures Lori, you're awesome. I just wish her sidekick Sami(my beautiful girlfriend) could have been there too. In no time we hit the single track and start our first of 3 major climbs. At the pre-race briefing we were told that we would inevitably get wet so we might as well run through the first stream crossing(there were many) but Bj and I decided to cross using the logs hoping to keep our feet dry. We lucked out. The stream was lower than normal and we were able to use logs to cross all the streams without getting wet. Major bonus. My feet don't do well on runs when wet for an extended period of time. The climb up to AS #1 at the top of Alpine Gulch isn't more than I am usually used to on a run but when you throw in the elevation it feels a bit harder. Still Bj and I made kept a decent pace to the aid station. A mile or so back I started our game of lead changes early when I passed Bj while he was taking a picture...1. I came into the aid station just ahead of Bj who refilled one of his bottles quickly. I didn't need water but I made the mistake of taking off my pack to double check my water level. This led to lead change #2, Bj was back in the lead. From the aid station the climb intensified and so did the views.

We climbed for about 3 miles before we got a break from straight uphill. The wind was blowing up top and kept the temps down as we traversed along the ridge above treeline. This was our first exposure to above 13,000'elevation. This early in the race I didn't feel it's effects much but that would change later on. After the traverse we were treated to some downhill, about 5 miles of it. We kept our pace pretty casual so we could preserve our legs for the rest of the race. Somewhere on the downhill we took a pee break and I was able to pass Bj again. Up to this point there had been a few more lead changes so we'll call this one lead change #7. Our next Lori and Jared sighting was about a half a mile before AS #2, thanks for the mental boost. We rolled into AS #2 Williams Creek(15.7) somewhere in the 3 hour 20 minute range. We both had drop bags here so we refilled our water bottles and hydration packs, restocked our supply of running food and we were on our way. For the next couple of miles we ran on a rolling dirt road. I could tell Bj wasn't feeling his best so I tried to encourage him and get him back into the race. I initiated a few more lead changes along the road to take his mind off of his tired legs but it didn't seem to be working. Once we hit the jeep road off of the main road I could tell he wasn't his normal self. I started hiking at a little faster pace than we had been so I could get out ahead of him and hopefully entice him to catch back up to me. No go. Today his legs just weren't responding to what he wanted them to do and I started to pull away. Lead change #13 and it would be the last today. The jeep road signaled our next significant climb. I hiked most of this section but when I came across a part that wasn't too steep I would run it. Eventually I made it to AS #3 Carson(21.5). I had a drop bag here as well since the next 9.5 miles could be very unpredictable. I had a jacket and arm sleeves in my pack and decided to keep them not knowing what could happen exposed above treeline. The aid station volunteers took great care of me(all the aid stations had great volunteers),got me fueled up and headed back out on my way. As I was leaving the aid station I saw Bj for the last time before the finish. I yelled some encouraging words to him and continued on my was up the mountain. The remainder of this climb would do it's best to break my spirits. The scenery on the way to the top of this climb was amazing and I used it to fuel my drive.

This climb finally topped out about mile 25. There was a lot of run-able sections now but the climbing and the elevation were taking their toll. I did my best to run as much as possible but if I ran for too long my ears would start to ring and I would get light headed. I would slow down to a walk until I felt better and run again. This lasted for the next couple of miles. The elevation was delivering body blows but I refused to go down. Scenes from "Rocky" kept going through my head, hahaha. Eventually it went from rolling trail to all downhill. By this point my weak ankle was starting to act up. It hurt when I started to run again but I found out if I ran far enough it would loosen up and not hurt as bad. By now it has been hot for a couple of hours but the heat is really starting to set in and being exposed above treeline isn't helping. Now a giant cloud of smoke has blown into the area making it even harder to get air. Around mile 28.5 the trails dives back into the trees and I get a mental boost. The trail is winds through pine trees, their dropped needles making the trail soft. I'm able to run a decent pace until AS#4 Divide aid station(31). Over the last section I found myself praying a lot asking God for strength and the will power to finish what I had started. Over the remainder of the race I found myself praying more and more. He gave me everything I needed to complete my journey and more. Thank you God. I refilled my water, threw down some watermelon and other snacks and was back on the trail. If you have read Aric's blog already you know that the volunteers were telling people that the next 9 miles were rolling. I guess I didn't know what their definition of "rolling" was but climbing for the next 2 miles didn't seem to fit the description. It was really hot now and the smoke cloud only made the heat worse along with making it really hard to breathe. This section was mainly run on a dusty jeep road and was completely exposed. This was probably my lowest point in the race. I was hot, tired, aching and couldn't breathe very well but I pushed forward. Around mile 37 we start heading down again. The jeep road is very rocky and steep. I start feeling better running downhill and I chose my line through the rocks carefully to keep from falling or rolling my ankle. Soon I turn a corner to see Jared and Lori. What a nice surprise! I chat with them briefly, hand of my GoPro to Jared and head on my way. Jared told me that I'm about 2 miles from the next aid station. Sweet! I cruise the next 2 miles at a decent pace and I am in the aid station with a popsicle in my hand before I know it. AS #5 Slumgullion(40) is full of volunteers and people cheering on the runners. I take some extra time here to clean the rocks out of my shoes and clean my socks. I was hoping this would make my feet feel like I had just started this run. Not quite, but better than they were. Only 10 miles to go... From the aid station there is about a mile or so of downhill before the last climb. Overall it's not that bad of a climb, but after 40 miles my legs were not happy about it. I tried to keep myself in it mentally and just kept grinding away up the hill. It seemed to go on for 5 or 6 miles but in reality was only about 2. I wanted to stop and take a break so badly but I knew if I stopped I would lose all the momentum I had going for me. So I pushed on. With each step I got closer to the top of the climb and around mile 43 I was done with the last major climb. Now I had to convince my legs that running was a good idea again. The next 3 miles before the last aid station was the true definition of rolling. I would hike any of the little hills and run the flat and downhill the best I could. I was finally at AS#6 Vickers Upper Ranch(46.5). I refilled my hydration vest, visited with the volunteers a bit, downed some Coke and I was on my way again. Just over 3 miles to go... The Coke was a bad choice. Actually the Coke probably wasn't the bad choice, it was the amount of Coke. I asked for half a cup at the aid station and got a full cup. Instead of just drinking what I wanted to I finished the whole thing. This would cause my stomach to hurt for the remainder of the race. Once the trail started downhill at a decent pace I just let loose. I was mentally done and wanted off of the mountain ASAP. I felt pretty good considering and I ended up passing a few runners. I hit the dirt roads in town and my body decided to test me one last time. A tiny uphill pitch in the road reduced me back to a walk. After that I forced myself to finish of the run properly and ran the rest of the way in. I saw Lori about 2 blocks from the finish and she ran in with me. 11 hours, 22 minutes and 28 seconds later and I am done. Good for 26th overall. Wow, what a race! I came in expecting it to be difficult but it exceeded my expectations. The smoke and the heat were the two biggest factors that made this race harder than I thought it would be. I'm proud of what I accomplished and I am quite certain that I will be back again to push myself even harder now knowing what I am getting myself into. Congrats to the rest of the HUMR crew that ran this race with me: Aric, Bj, Breein and Shawn. Nice job to everyone for finishing a tough, tough race. Now on to the next adventure...

Squaw Peak 50

Squaw Peak 50 2012 Race Report So...it's been a while. I've been lazy about writing reports on my training this year(or lack there of) but I figured I would get one done for my first race of 2012. The problem is that I have waited too long to write this and now I’m not remembering everything that well so bear with me. Usually I would have a race or two under my belt at this point in the year but I had to get over a few injury setbacks early in the year. Back to the point…SP50 2012. Last year I did well at this race(9th overall, 1st in my age group) on the snow altered course. I was bummed last year that I didn’t get to run the original course so this year I was geared up to run it. So finally the Friday before the race came around. I gathered all my supplies I would need(plus enough for 2 or 3 more people apparently), loaded up the car with Sami, picked up Bj and Lori and then we were on our way to Provo. I had all the normal pre-race feelings thinking about what tomorrow would bring. We got into Provo around 8 or 9 and checked into our hotel 20 minutes from the start. Bj and I prepared our supplies for tomorrow and made sure we were set for the early morning start. We tried to get to bed around 10 but we were full of excitement and stayed up chatting for a while. The alarm went off at 3:30. Damn. I feel like I just fell asleep. We got ready pretty quickly and we were out the door. 20 minutes later we’re at Vivian Park getting checked in and making sure our drop bags are in order. I threw down a couple Pre-Race tablets, took a trip to the restroom, threw on my hydration pack and hip belt and waited for the start. A little chatting with some friends and then we were off. This race starts on my least favorite surface, road. It’s only for 2.5 miles or so and it’s early in the morning so it isn’t that bad. Bj and I start off together as usual and we head off into the early morning darkness. Pretty soon we are running with a bunch of guys from the Ogden group. I have my first Bryce sighting for the day and get geared up to battle him. Bryce beat me last year at Squaw and also at the Bear100 so I was looking for a little redemption. He has been calling me “go-fastie” and if he is going to nickname me that I am going to have to beat him sometime…hopefully today. We cruised along down the pathway talking and joking around filled with the adrenaline from race day. Tom Remkes was especially chipper today and seemed to focus most of his energy on bugging Bryce. Eventually we hit the single track and started our climbing for the day. There wasn’t much excitement heading up to the first aid station. Bryce decided to run the steep climb and Tom followed after to him so he could pester him some more. The rest of us just settled into a decent climbing pace but nothing too hard. As we got into the aid station Bj refilled his water bottles and I didn’t need anything so I just kept on going. I wanted to get ahead of the group of runners at the aid station and I didn’t need anything this early in the race. A little ways out of the aid station Bj caught back up to me and we headed up the rest of the climb. A little ways from the top of the climb we caught back up to Bryce, Tom and Matt C. We all cruised the downhill single track together until we reached the jeep road. From there Bj and I decided that we were feeling pretty good and we picked up the pace a bit. As we started to separate from the others Tom commented that Bj and I were “a cute couple”. Thanks Tom. The downhill didn’t last very long and soon we were climbing up again. It wasn’t very steep so we kept a good pace until we hit aid station #3 at mile 10.4. This was one of the aid stations that we had drop bags at and as we were getting our supplies ready for the next section Bryce, Tom, Phil L. and Matt passed us again. More uphill, but really runable. We were able to catch back up to the Ogden group that had just passed us and Tom was still having fun pretending like he wasn’t going to let us pass him. This section seemed to go by pretty quickly and without anything really exciting. We reached aid station #4 grabbed some supplies and took off just as we saw the Ogden group coming up the hill. As we were leaving the aid station Bj rolled his ankle on a loose rock. He hobbled for a little while but shook it off. The majority of this section is on a jeep road and lots of rocky downhill. We were ready for a change from the long uphill grind we had been doing and got a little burst of adrenaline. We were running 7:38 - 8:15 minute miles most of this section. There’s a game I like to play when I’m racing with Bj where I will keep track of all the lead changes between us. So when the run starts to get monotonous or if one of us hitting a bad spot I’ll speed up a little so I can be in the lead then usually slow down right after so Bj can pass me back. So at this point I believe we were somewhere around 23 or 24 lead changes. I was aiming for an average of one lead change per mile so a little ahead of schedule. We pulled into the aid station #5 where we had our next drop bags. We were almost done fueling up when Matt and Tom came into the aid station. Phil came in next and was in and out except for Tom messing with him a bit telling Phil that he had to walk back up to where Tom was sitting to check in and out properly. The aid station volunteer finally just told Phil to go and he was off. Bj and I left shortly after and Matt a little ways behind us. Matt caught up to us and the three of us ran together. Phil stopped at the road to refill at his mobile aid station provided by his family. The three of us passed him and that was the last time I saw Phil until the finish line. Yuck. Now we have 3-4 miles of road running to do with a slight uphill grade. It was starting to get hot at this point and the road was destroying my trail loving heart. Then Davy Crockett provided some temporary relief handing out popsicles on the side of the road. Awesome. Thanks Davy. After the popsicle was gone I starting having a mental battle. All I wanted to do was walk the rest of the way to the next aid station but the little voice inside wouldn’t let me do that. I struggled to stay with Matt and Bj but made sure I did. We looked back and we could see other runners starting to catch up. Finally I decided I didn’t want to spend one second longer than I had to on the damn road so I started pushing the pace a bit. Bj came with me and I think this is where we separated from Matt. Eventually we hit aid station #6. Hallelujah! Sami and Lori were suppose to be here but unfortunately they missed us by about 10 minutes. I was looking forward to seeing Sami knowing that she would give me a mental boost. I just kept telling myself that they would be at the next aid station and that helped me keep pushing on. Bj topped off my hydration pack with a couple cups of ice, refilled his handhelds and we were off. Back on dirt, finally! Not single track, but it will do. We are still heading uphill but it was all runable. A couple miles from the aid station and nature calls to Bj. He thinks he can make it to the aid station then we round the next corner and he changes his mind. He finds a suitable spot to take his pit stop and I decide to keep trudging along. I thought there was a good chance that it was the last time I would see Bj until the finish. I rolled into the next aid station welcomed by hoots and hollers from the volunteers. I love the feeling that I get when I am being cheered on. It always gives me a boost. I refilled my hydration pack and lingered a little bit at the snack table. I took a shot of Coke then I headed out. I didn’t get too far before I heard volunteers cheering again and I looked back to see Bj and Jeff Bertot. So we meet again. Last year at Squaw Peak Jeff and I battled each other for the last 15 miles or so. It looks like this race might turn out the same. Game on. I slowed my pace a bit so that I could run with Bj again and as I did Jeff passed me. Now our focus was to keep up with Jeff. We caught back up with him pretty quickly and we all ran together for a while. We reached a part of the trail that had a tree down across it and when I went to push off of it my foot slipped a bit and I came down funny on my left foot. I felt a little tweak in my hamstring. There was a tiny hill after this part and my hammy felt tight and uncomfortable. This made me a little nervous but I stretched it out and it felt better. The last part of the section before the next aid station was downhill. Usually I would be happy about that but my feet were starting to hurt(something that has been happening on longer runs since the Bear100) and my weak left ankle was acting up like it does. I coasted the rest of the way into aid station #8. We had our last drop bags here so we loaded up for the long hot section ahead. We headed out with a popsicle in hand and walked for a minute or so until we had finished them. The climb was pretty mellow so we trotted along the trail winding back and forth across a creek and threw some Aspen trees. We had caught back up to Jeff and we all hiked together until the trail got steeper. Jeff slowed his pace a bit(which I wanted to do) but Bj pushed forward so I followed because I couldn’t let him get out of sight. This part of the trail was a grind and made me work a lot harder than I wanted to at this point. My legs were screaming for mercy but we pushed on. Eventually the trail levels out and Jeff caught and passed us. Jeff led us down the rolling trail that turned into just downhill. I really didn’t feel like running at this point but I kept up with Bj and Jeff. My feet were hurting pretty bad at this point and the trail wasn’t helping much. There were lots of roots trying to trip me(a few almost succeeded) and plenty of rocks along this narrow single track. While running down this part we caught up to a few other runners and added them to our pack. Around mile 39 the real racing begins….Bozung Hill. Bj starts up the hill at a pace faster than I wanted to go but I’m stubborn and couldn’t let him get ahead of me. About a quarter mile into the climb Bj just steps off the side of the trail and stops. He was feeling the effects of the hill and needed a breather. I was surprised because he had been kicking my ass on all the climbs up to this point and I didn’t think I would be able to out climb him on this day. I gave some encouraging words to him as I climbed past. I knew that if I stopped at all on this hill that it would take me a long time to get back into the climb mentally. The trail isn’t even a trail. Just a beaten path through the scrubby trees and plants that reside on the steep hillside. This whole time it seems that Jeff is getting stronger and I look up every now and then to see him get further and further away. My legs feel drained at this point but I keep pressing forward. The hill only lasts for about a mile but it feels like 5 miles at the least. I finally reach the top but have a little confusion with the trail markings. After sorting it out with a couple other runners I am back on track. My legs are shot so I walk and lightly job for a while even though the trail is flat or only slightly uphill. I reach some snow and put some in my hat to cool down, take in the views for a moment and then I am back into race mode. Soon I come across Ryan Lauck hiking up the trail from the aid station where he is volunteering. It’s good to see a familiar face and he lets me know I only have about a quarter mile to the Windy Pass aid station(#9). Yes! I get into the aid station and see some more friendly faces. Jim is running the aid station and Britta is there to help out. They refill my water and get me some potatoes with salt. I swap out my socks and I am on my way down the mountain, finally! The downhill is a welcome break from grunting upwards so I start enjoying myself more. It doesn’t last long as the trail gets rocky and I’m not able to run as fast as I think I should be. My ankle is bothering me on the loose rocks and my feet fill bruised. I run on the good stretches and walk where the possibility of rolling my ankle is to high to be worth the risk. I’m just moving along in my own world when I get the best surprise of the day. Sami! Yay! She has hiked up the trail about 3 or 4 miles from the next aid station to see me as soon as possible. Thanks for being there babe, you helped me more than you know. Lori was just a little ways down the trail ready to get my photo. We said hello/goodbye and I was on my way with Sami running down behind me. The downhill felt like it lasted much longer than it should but eventually I popped out on an open plain. A little more downhill and I was at the last aid station. I had run out of water about a mile before and was pretty thirsty. A volunteer refilled my hydration pack and got me a cold towel. The cold towel on my neck felt amazing after suffering in the heat all day. I lingered a while enjoying the offerings they had. I finally got myself out of there and just as I was leaving I could see a green shirt come around the corner. Bj. I quickly checked out and took off down the road. Apparently Bj didn’t know that I had seen him so he had his bottles refilled quickly and started to chase after me. I was a little shocked to see him that close to me. He looked beaten when I left him heading up Bozung Hill. Bj yelled at me when he reached the road to the finish. I looked back and just kept on running. I couldn’t let him catch me now, not this far into the race. I looked back one more time and waved at him to catch up but he just gave me the “go ahead” gesture and I didn’t see him again until the finish. I picked up my pace. I felt miserable running on the road with sore, tired legs but I pressed on knowing that I was almost done. I passed a runner walking because he was dehydrated and got passed by a guy less than a half mile from the finish. I later learned from Bj that he is a fast road marathoner so that lessened the sting a little. I turn the corner onto the park sidewalk and get a good welcome from the crowd. Sami has made it back down to cheer me in with Cammie, Brevin and Wyatt. I cross the finish line after 9 hours 49 minutes and 15 seconds good for 11th place overall and 1st in my age group. Bj is just under 4 minutes behind me. Jeff finished the race really strong in 9:33:04 good for 6th overall. Now the score is one to one...until we meet again. I am happy with the race I ran and proud of the result. I know that I could have had a better time if it wasn’t so bloody hot, but you have to play the hand you are dealt…there’s always next year.

2010 Recap

2010 was my first full year of running. I had a little trouble getting into running in the winter but by February I was really enjoying it. There's nothing quite like running the trails after a fresh snowfall. My first race of the year was the 25k Buffalo Run. It was a good starting point for my race year. It was a relatively easy course out on Antelope Island without much elevation gain.

Next up was the Ogden Marathon. I wanted to redeem myself from the year before so I made sure I trained better. My cousin Jeromy came down from Idaho to run it and we both were trying to finish under 3:15. Having a running partner makes races easier for me. We cruised through mile 20 together and I felt like I had a little left in the tank so I took off to see what I could do. I finished in 3:12:** for my marathon PR. Jeromy finished just under 3:15 and being in the next age bracket up qualified for the Boston Marathon. I needed to finish under 3:11 to qualify.

The next couple races would be a bit more challenging. My cousin B.J. starting looking into races in northern Utah and found a couple we had to do. They were the 28 mile Logan Peak trail run and the Speedgoat 50k. Logan Peak was up first. We didn't quite know what to expect but were excited for the challenge. The race started with lots of climbing which B.J. powered us through. I was having my rough spot of the race during this climb but B.J. kept us moving. I remember telling B that I was done with running and he would be alone at Speedgoat since I hadn't signed up yet. But when the climbing is over there's always some sweet downhill. This is where I got my 2nd wind and happened to be B's low point. It was my turn to keep us moving forward. We ran the whole race together and finished just over 5 hours. Good enough for 7th place. By the time we got to relax a bit and think about what we had just accomplished I was excited about running again.

The Speedgoat 50k was a more difficult task but at least we learned a few things from Logan Peak. My uncle Forrest and aunt Pam hooked us up with a room at Snowbird so we could sleep close to the start. This race had about 11,000 ft of elevation gain over the 31 miles. Learning from Logan Peak we paced ourselves a little better on the beginning climb and settled into a nice power hike. We reached Hidden Peak and the views were breath taking or maybe that was the elevation gain. From there came some sweet downhill but knowing that we had to come all the way back up made it more bittersweet I guess. A few miles into the downhill we ended up running down a washed out jeep road which was basically like running down a dried up river bed, not cool. Probably my least enjoyable downhill ever. Mercifully it came to an end after a couple miles and we were to the aid station at the bottom. After a popsicle and an ice cold towel on the neck we were off. Back to climbing. B.J. was having trouble eating and this section was where it got bad, but we settled into a moderate hike and kept pushing on. The hiking seemed to go on forever before we got the an aid station at the tunnel just under Hidden Peak. From there, the sick man that Karl Meltzer(the race director) is, the course dropped down about a 1000' before we had to climb back up to Hidden Peak. We took it slow and as we were about up to the top we got to see some family members that came out to support us. It always lifts my spirits and gives me a boost of energy to see them out there for us. We grabbed some fruit at the last aid station before we headed down to the finish. I told B that I would race him to the bottom. He told me to go ahead. His stomach was not liking the pounding from the downhill. The last 5 miles were a struggle for me but I kept pushing myself. It was more mentally tough knowing that I should be able to run faster on the downhill than I was actually going. My legs were flat out tired. Once I crossed the finish line all those negative feelings and thoughts vanished. I finished in 7:31:** and in 34th place. B finished two spots back in 7:37:**. It's amazing what the body can do. By far the most difficult thing I have done.

The last race of the year for me was the Top of Utah Marathon in Logan. I wanted to qualify for the Boston Marathon so I could run it with Jeromy when he goes. I was told the TOU course was easier than the Ogden so I felt good about my chances. It started great. Running down the canyon from Hardware Ranch was sweet. I had about a 10 minute cushion halfway through the race so I felt good. After mile 14 all of the would change. The course started winding through town and drained me mentally. There's just something about running through neighborhoods that destroys my happy running attitude. B showed up along the course and gave me a boost for a while but then I would crash again. He ran with me the last 5 miles but I just couldn't keep a consistent pace. I was checking my watch and knew it would be close. About 2 blocks away my watch hit 3:11 and I knew I was done so I walked a bit before finishing at 3:14:**. I was kinda bummed but learned a lot. Thinking back I realize I didn't run enough in the 2 weeks before the race. My next attempt will be at the Ogden Marathon 2011. If I don't qualify this year then I'm probably gonna take some time off from road races and focus on longer ultra-marathons.

Not much happened after my failed attempt at TOU. The road marathons beat my legs up so I took some time off. Well actually, I ran the Xterra 20k the next weekend, which was pretty painful and uncomfortable. I kept the pace really easy and was there more as motivation for my uncle Forrest. He did great and ended up winning his age group. Now I took some time off and couldn't really get myself back into running mode the rest of the year. I had really low mileage in October and November. I picked it up a bit in December and tried to get to my year end goal of running 1000 miles. I ended up around 950, I'll take it for my first full year of running.

Now I'm looking forward to 2011, but I'll save that for the next post.