Running the Range

HARDROCK

2011-04-03T15:58:00.004-05:00

As I read the entrants list I have to laugh, Callahan, Clark, Jurek, then there's my name just a few spaces above Karl Meltzer. Let me say this right up front, I know I am in way over my head, which leads me to search for an answer to the question that will inevitably come from those who don't get it...why? In a sport (or in my case a hobby) where participation puts your better judgement into question with most folks, explaining why I would want to run this race is somewhat of a challenge. The easy answer is of course...to see how far I can push my body, or the chance to run on the most difficult 100 mile course in the country. I'm sure at some level both of these reasons play into why I am doing this, but it is somewhat more complicated than that. For the past five years my naive belief that if you whole heartedly apply yourself towards something and work at it tenaciously, success will follow has been somewhat dispelled. Unfortunately I have been reminded all to often that's not the way life works. Whether it be a career, a business venture or parenting, things haven't always turned out the way I planned just because I worked hard at them. Although I realize God allows us to experience set backs and frustrations in order to grow us and to make us stronger for what lies ahead (which in and of itself is a scary thought) that has done little to reduce the pain and disappointed of my perceived failures. On the other hand I know success, brings with it confidence and confidence gives us courage to attempt even greater things in the future. So anyway... why Hardrock? I need to remind myself that it is possible to dream big, even knowing there is no way I can achieve them on my own power. I need to apply myself totally while keeping focused on where the power comes from. In the end I need to experience the joy of knowing I have held nothing back, achieving what I set out to do and in the process gaining the confidence to begin moving forward, rebuilding so much of what seems broken.

For those unfamiliar with The Hardrock 100... it's web-site refers to it as a graduate level challenge for endurance runners. Just to be entered in the lottery you must complete one of nineteen other 100's deemed tough enough to qualify you. This year's race is scheduled for July 8, and is run through the San Juan Mountains of South West Colorado at an average elevation of 11,200 feet. The race boasts 68,000 vertical feet of elevation change split evenly between up and down. To put that in perspective; sea level to the top of Everest and back would be around 58,000 feet. Throughout the duration of the 101.3 miles, runners must climb above 12,000 feet 13 times, once climbing to 14,000 feet going over Handie's Peak. Even in July several of these passes will still be covered with snow.With a 48 hour time limit, the longest of any 100 miler in the US, the average finishing rate is an encouraging 72% run in an average time of 41:10.

Despite running well at Coyote Two Moons ( a Hardrock qualifier) before the race was called late in the race due to dangerous weather conditions, I am well aware of the challenge in front of me. I have three months to get in the best shape of my life. So, to help me engineer a plan that will give me the best possible shot at crossing the finish line, I have enlisted the aid of five time champion and fellow Utahan Karl Meltzer. Among Karl's many achievements, he has won Hardrock five times and holds the Counter Clockwise Course Record time of 24:38. If there is anyone who might provide some wisdom on reaching the finish line at Hardrock it would be Karl, who has been coaching runners since 2007. This past week was the first week of my official Hardrock training plan. In addition to sound direction, I found the accountability of having to report into him is also a great motivator. Next week the miles jump to 56, it will be fun to see how my body reacts just two and half weeks after C2M. Hopefully today's snow will be the last, and at least some of the trails in the lower elevations of the Wasatch will soon be clear for training.

Having both a structured training plan and the Wasatch Range to train in, gives me a great deal of confidence to do well come July. In the weeks between now and then, I will use this Blog to share thoughts not only on how my 48 year old body is responding to this level of training, but also the challenges of juggling all of this with being a Husband and a Dad, as well as working a full time job. I am sure I will learn a lot about myself in the next three months. While that is not always a pleasant thing, I pray I will be able to manage it all, knowing no matter how hard I try I can never do it solely on my own strength, but that of a God that has not given up on me, even when at times I have given up on myself. That's all for now...I need to go run!

Coyote Two Moons - Giggles & Grins with Gail Force Winds.

2011-03-27T15:36:00.004-05:00

Wow, I haven't written anything on here in a looong time. Plenty to say, just not the will to say it. More on that another day. So after more than a year, what led me to find out if my Blogger account was even still active? I guess it was the joy of participating in the sort of event that reminded me why I even got a Blog in the first place.

Last weekend my family and I headed to Ojai, CA for the Coyote Two Moon 100 the only ultra marathon with a bowling component. This was a return visit to C2M, after last year's run ended early for me, along with most everyone else, due to unusual, winter like weather, which dramatically hit the sunshine state mid race, quickly deteriorating conditions. There had never been a question whether I'd return to seek redemption along the Nordhoff Ridge...C2M's contagious (or is it outrageous) fun had hooked me, as Roch Horton said "If National Lampoon was ever going to put on an ultra...this was it". Mastermind Organizer, or "The Buffoon" as he is known, Chris Scott, has found a way to take fun and suffering and turn it into a weekend agenda where entertainment is part of the entry fee and participation the reward (not to say I wouldn't like one of those really nice buckles with the coyote on them). What is perhaps my favorite aspect of this event however, is it's subtle contradictions. While C2M is a brutally difficult undertaking (around 54,000 feet of elevation change) and draws some of the top runners in the country, no one is allowed to call it a race...it's more of a 100 mile Fun Run. No one here takes themselves too seriously as The Buffoon would never allow it. That said, nothing is left to chance either, and everything from the high quality Patagonia SWAG, to the amazing volunteers that man the ten well stocked aid stations that dot the course, is planned and executed with careful attention to detail, providing an exceptional experience for all involved.

This year's fun and festivities kicked off for the Lambert family Thursday night at the C2M Bowling Bonanza,a chance for good bowlers to earn coveted bonus minutes and bad bowlers to embarrass themselves. One of the things that makes this event unique is the opportunity to win bonus minutes, or to be assessed "boner" minutes, both of which are then used to adjust your actual clock time. Minutes are won or lost through various behaviors such as prompt responses to emails, participation in non running events, not to mention your general disposition towards others during the big run itself. In other words, have fun...deduct minutes off your finishing time, take yourself too seriously...add minutes. Despite looking quite dashing in my C2M bowling shirt, I failed to break 100 for the second year in a row. An Omen?...perhaps!

Friday brought beautiful weather along with a magnificent lunch, a few instructions for the runners and of course, more entertainment and C2M fun.

In contrast to most other running events, the goal at C2M is not for everyone to start together, but rather for everyone to finish together, that is why C2M has a staggered start based on projected finish times. The first, and largest group of runners would get going at 6:00 PM Friday evening, with the fast, skinny guys starting as late as 10:00 AM Saturday morning. Once the 100 milers are off the 100K'ers begin taking off with the idea that everyone will finish between 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM Sunday morning for what else...MORE FUN! After last year's DNF, Chris was nice enough to put me in the 6:00 PM group giving me the full 40 hours to finish. Although a little chilly, it was a beautiful night in Ojai and any chance of significant precipitation was not forecasted until later in the day on Sunday.

Everything started off great, I was feeling good and the new Hokas felt fast, I arrived at the first aid station, eleven and a half miles into the race and well ahead of schedule. Chris, who seemed to be everywhere that day, told me I was going out too fast and needed to slow down or I was going to get out ahead of the aid stations, possibly arriving before they were open. What Chris didn't realize was that this was the first time in my life anyone ever told me I was running too fast, so this only served to push me harder. Although long (7.5 miles) and arduous (4,600 vertical feet), the second major climb was feeling as good as could be expected, then started seeing something in the beam of my headlamp that looked like snow. I initially dismissed the notion as there was no call for snow on Friday night that I was aware of, but soon had to come to terms with the fact that the temperature was dropping, the winds were picking up and the snow was getting heavier. Moving through the second aid station, continuing the climb to the top of Topa, I knew I was in trouble as I had on only shorts, a t-shirt and a light jacket and the weather was only getting worse. As snow began to obscure the faint trail that twisted it's way to the summit, suddenly, out of nowhere, I had the oddest sensation that my Dad, who passed away over five years ago, was with me and wanted me to know I'd be OK. Although a little freaky, the thought of my Dad watching over me gave me great comfort and motivated me to get quickly to the top and back down to the aid station. Although happy to be wrapped in a warm blanket at the Topa aid station, my drop bag and warm, dry clothes were still over six miles away at Rose Valley. Thanks to Dan Decker and the rest of the amazing volunteers who were braving the storm on our behalf, I headed off for the bottom of the ridge and Rose Valley. After two hours of negotiating some seriously "off canter" trail that was crumbling beneath my feet, I arrived at Rose Valley and a drop bag full of warm, dry clothes. Despite the difficulties on top of Topa, I was the third runner through the A/S and still well ahead of schedule.

The next 32 miles unceremoniously came and went as the energy and warmth I had hoped daybreak might produce never came, leaving me damp and chilled most of the day. Each subsequent run to the bottom of the ridge thrashing the quads a little bit more, each march up to the top a little more painful. I could feel my wet feet beginning to prune and the soft skin on the bottoms feeling like it could tear off at any moment. I pulled into the Gridley Top Aid Station for the first of three visits at just after 2:00 PM feeling more chilled than tired, and happy to have maintained my position on the course up to this point, although I knew the faster runners were on their way.

Leaving Gridley Top I made the seemingly endless descent into Cozy Dell, my final resting spot a year ago. I had been looking forward to Cozy Dell all day as this was the first time I would see Karen and the kids since starting 22 hours earlier. I arrived Cozy Dell early, only to discover I had out run my crew. I decided to sit for a while, slowly tending to my feet, hoping Karen would soon arrive with dry shoes and socks. As soon as I thought it, there they were, what a sight for sore eyes. After quickly slipping on a pair of dry Cascadias and downing a Red Bull and some Pizza, back up I went. This climb proved to be the toughest part of the day both physically and emotionally as it seemed to go on forever. As I came to the top of the single track and spilled out onto the Ridge, I could feel the temperature drop almost instantly and the winds pick up. A minute later the snow was flying once again, intensifying with every step. Despite the shift in weather, reaching the ridge was a huge boost to my confidence as I knew I had only one more major climb to go. Soon I was in the warm and friendly confines of the Gridley Top Aid Station, so focused on the task at hand and the odd looking Farm Animals (was that Luis Escobar dressed as a Chicken?) that were manning the A/S, I was somewhat unaware of the storm that was raging around me. After receiving some quick information on trail conditions from Chris (there he was again, this time dressed as a pig) I headed off to Gridley Bottom. The run to Gridley Bottom was wet, and I could begin to feel the wind cutting through to my core. Chilled, but sure that I was close to the bottom and the A/S, I relaxed my focus and made the mistake of following the road instead of the flagging. I was soon wandering around an orange orchard totally lost and confused, cursing both Sunkist and my own stupidity. As I slowed down to try to make sense of what had happened and what to do next, I became increasingly cold. Eventually I was able to retrace my steps back to where I left the course and get myself back on track. Before I knew it, I was at the Gridley Bottom A/S and once again in the care of my family as well as a host of hearty volunteers including Bill Kee, who had also Captained the first A/S. After changing into dry... everything, getting some food and warming up, I was off for the final climb of the day. Warm once again, I was making steady progress on my way to the ridge, counting down in my head how much time might be left before I reach the top and the Gridley A/S for the final time. The higher I climbed the worse the weather became, but based on landmarks, I was confident of the fact that I was nearing the top and would soon be heading off on my journey back to Thatcher and the finish line. Then, in a matter of seconds it was over.

Throughout the climb I passed by a number of runners who were heading down to the Gridley Bottom A/S, despite being cold and wet we still managed to exchange pleasantries, encouraging each other along. Then at around 1:00AM along came a familiar looking group of runners, familiar only because I knew they were ahead of me and should have been on their way to Thatcher by now. This time no pleasantries were exchanged, just four words..."they called the race". I was shocked, just 30 seconds ago I was marching towards the finish line and now I was turning around to head back down to Gridley Bottom. Another year of battling the Nordhoff Ridge had come to an end. Last year I chose to drop because of the weather, this year I was stopped for the same reason, neither felt very good.

Although painful, I fully support Chris' decision to pull the plug. As cold and wet as we all were, and as bad as the weather was on the ridge, someone could of easily become critically hypothermic. In the end, sometimes a Race Director needs to protect runners from their own bullheadedness to press on. Although for many, the day (or two) was over, for others the job of rescue and recovery had just begun. Sunday morning, a hearty band of volunteers headed back up to the ridge armed with warm dry clothes and good spirits to assist the volunteers who were forced to spend the night on the ridge, make their way down to Gridley Bottom, abandoning equipment and vehicles up on the Ridge.

As I sat in The Ojai Pizza Co. Sunday night, a local news station was covering the storm that had hit Southern California so hard. A significant amount of time was dedicated to the storms impact on The LA Marathon and the trials that runners had endured that morning. I smiled. It reminded me of 2007, when so much attention was given to the Chicago Marathon where heat and humidity ruled the day, and the race was eventually called. What you didn't hear on any news source, was how on that same day, 550 miles to the south, a couple hundred runners endured triple didget heat indices for twenty to thirty hours without incident at The Arkansas Traveler 100. In neither case did I ever once hear a runner blame the Race Director (or Buffoon) for not getting them across the finish line, instead focusing on their own preparedness or lack thereof, and the volunteers that so graciously helped them through. Even though I had no buckle to show for my efforts, I was reminded once again of what a special group of people I get to run with and how proud I was to be part of the Trail and Ultra Running Community. That in itself would serve as my reward this weekend.

A PUBLIC NOTE OF THANKS TO THE BUFFOON

Chris I owe you a big Thank You. It has been a hard year for our entire family, I think I shared with you at The Bear, that Karen and I were forced to close our store due to the economy, ending one of the few "dreams" I have ever allowed myself to have. The resulting Bankruptcy and relocation have put us in a position, not to mention a location, we never thought we would find ourselves. In addition, we have been separated from our 16 year old daughter Molly since December 2009, as she has been in Missouri at a Therapeutic Boarding School, successfully working on a number of issues that haunted her for years. In the past when pressures such as these have mounted, running has always been my escape, but when running literally became my business and the struggles of a running shop the center of much of what was causing me stress, it kinda complicated that whole running as an escape concept. It really wasn't until last weekend's return visit to Ojai and C2M, that I can say running has been fun, as it has seemed more like work these past twelve months. At times I am surprised I kept running at all, maybe I didn't know what else to do, I've never been good at Golf and you've seen me Bowl. Anyway I just wanted to say thank you for helping me to remember that all this running stuff is, or at least should be, about having fun. There hasn't been a whole lot of joy this past year, but last weekend was a blast for the whole family and perhaps helped me rediscover the blissful diversion of running.

"He who refreshes others, will himself be refreshed"
-Proverbs 11:25

-Waldo

Rock Creek Trail Races

2009-10-28T15:41:00.016-05:00

With every job there are things you have to do and there are things you get to do. Directing the Rock Creek Trail Series falls into the category of things I get to do. The joy I have received from putting on these events at Lake Perry over the past three years rivals anything I have accomplished through my own running.

Although I am older, I didn't start running until I was in my thirties, so I am still able to recall the sense of accomplishment I felt after finishing my first 10K, just outside of Washington DC. I also remember the adrenaline rush and total exhaustion that accompanied my first trail race, The Afton Alps 50K, run on the bluffs of the Mississippi River just east of the Twin Cities. While running has certainly helped me battle a genetic weight issue and has given me a slew of health benefits, it is racing that has shaped my life more than anything else apart from my faith and my family. The confidence gained from running races, not to mention the insight it has given me into all aspects of my life has been profound. I am certain that if it were not for finishing the Leadville Trail 100 in 2005 , I would have never had the confidence in myself to open Great Plains Running Co in 2006. The archives of this blog are filled the many things I have learned about myself, my faith and the many roles I assume in a given week... husband, father, friend, encourager. This is why I love Rock Creek. I love the stories, the stories of people who are doing things they never thought possible. For some that might mean running their very first 5K or maybe their first trail run, for others (some of whom have never even ran a marathon) it could be the end of a long journey towards their first 50K. Getting to be there when they finish, and seeing that look on their face is worth any cost associated with putting on an event such as this. I would trade neither time or money for the privilege of being part of their accomplishment. It is pure joy and this past weekends final event did not disappoint.

After months of prep work and a week of grunt work complicated by cold, wet, windy weather, Saturday finally came, and with it sunny skies and warmer weather. While all three races head down the trail at the same time, the day really has three distinct "vibes". Almost before you know it, the 5Kers return, followed later in the morning by the Half Marathoners and eventually the 50Kers arrive one by one throughout the afternoon.

In past years I have completely missed the 5K due to setting up aid stations. This year however, MK Thompson assembled an awesome team of aid station volunteers that allowed me the opportunity to catch the final few runners and post race fun. Thanks to Ben Holmes and the KC Trail Nerds, Gary Henry and the Lawrence Trail Hawks, Greg and Zach Pruett as well as Ruth and Fred Fox for providing such experienced leadership at our aid stations and taking such good care of our runners. Races don't happen without people like this!

At our Rock Creek Podiatry night just three days before the race, Dr Chris Brodine encouraged Half Marathoner Corey Bandal to step down to the 5K to avoid complicating a foot that was already bothering him. Now as we all know, runners very seldom listen to doctors, especially when they tell us not to run, but Corey, in an unprecedented move for a trail runner, listened to Dr Chris and then went on to win the 5K just seconds ahead of Jim Beiter, proving to the Rock Creek world he is both wise and fast. In the women's race Kristi Mayo showed us all that Rick isn't the only speedster in the family, as she finished first amongst the ladies and fifth overall.

Speaking of Mayo, Kristi's hubby Rick "blistered the 14+ Mile Half Marathon course in a time of 1:43:43 (that's a 7:18 pace on rocky, rooted and leaf covered trails) That was just 3 minutes off his 13 Mile Half Marathon time last May, which by the way was leaf free. Coming in second, just 1:40, was hard charging Dave Wakefield in his final tune-up before next week's Ozark Trail 100. Best of Luck Dave, I look forward to seeing your new Belt Buckle. In the woman's race race, Mud Babe Shelley Flones cruised the course in a time of 2:25:08 comfortably winning her second Rock Creek race of the year! Second to the line in the woman's half was Dena Phillips, who along with husband Kyle (who ran the 50K) keeps getting faster and faster. At just past noon came my first "moment" of the day. Throughout this year I have watched Dianna Brodine fall in love with trail running. She set a goal last winter to run each of our races and finish up with our Half Marathon in October, she did exactly what she set out to do! At the 4:24 mark on the clock, Dianna came down the Skyline trail for the final time of 2009, when she reached it's end, she was a Half Marathoner. Congratulations Dianna for being courageous enough to set a big goal and tenacious enough to achieve it.

Once the Half Marathon awards are over and the first few 50Kers are in, the day begins to take on a different tone, as one by one 50Kers arrive back, tired and perhaps a bit bruised, but full of emotion over what they just accomplished. Christopher Farney lead the way, running the second fastest time ever on this course, winning in a time of 4:34:37, an impressive 8:52 pace under any conditions. Sixteen minutes back was Kyle Amos, who by the way, was just two weeks removed from a "smokin'" finish at the Heartland 100. The women were lead by Kim Deckert, who completed her sweep of the four "long"events that make up our series competition. Kim's exceptionally strong second lap helped bring her home in a time of 6:21:01. Kim's consistently strong performance throughout the year also earned her the top spot for the 2009 Rock Creek Trail Series, Series Championship, awarded each year to the man and woman who perform the best over the course of our four "long" events.

As the day wore on, we came to my favorite part of the entire year. The time of the day when the 50Kers who were fighting their way through their first 50K, return triumphantly to the finish area, where I get to welcome them home and place their finishers medal around their neck. While the afternoon was filled with plenty of inspirational stories, there were four special moments that will stick with me.

Although this was certainly not his first 50K finish, it was the end of a long year for Greg Burger, a year where Greg rediscovered his speed, running well in a number of races including his first finish at Leadville. Greg has been a big supporter of this series and has always done well here, but in 2009 Greg finished in the top four of each of our four races and claimed the series championship. It was well earned, and a pleasure for me to give such a great guy (and strong supporter of our series) this award. Next came Becky Collins. Becky had volunteered for a couple of our events last year and decided this trail running thing looks like fun. I remember getting an email from Becky last winter saying she was thinking of running the 50K and was working through the amount of training involved. Throughout this past year no one trained harder than Becky, she ran all of the Rock Creek events as well as a number of other local trail events. All this on top of a heavy training load. Becky was right behind Kim Deckert for the series championship heading into our night run in July, unfortunately nutritional issues forced Becky from the race and contention for the series championship. Not to be detoured, Becky kept her eye on her original goal of running a 50K in October and went back to work. At the 6:45:35 mark, Becky rounded the last corner with tears in her eyes as she came across the finish line. When I asked her if she was OK, her reply was "I'm fine, I'm just so happy" I'm sure as she was surrounded by family and friends, she was relieved it was over and proud of what she had done. I am confident here will be more to the story as her accomplishment will no doubt inspire others to dream big. Almost an hour after Becky had finished, a large crowd, inspirational signs in hand, gathered near the finish line awaiting the arrival of good friend Bret Deardorff. After running the Half Marathon at last year's finale Bret laid down the goal of running the 50K this year. While Bret was an experienced cyclist, he was newer to running and fully aware of the enormity of his goal, and went to work immediately. It has inspired me to watch Bret chase after this throughout the year. He has run in each of our events and made steady improvement all year. Bret showed he had the toughness needed to run a 50K when at our night run he resisted the urge to drop at the 20K mark and battled the last 10K to finish just after midnight. Bret was also one of two guys who fought the cut offs with me all day at Western States only to pick up my pieces after a disappointing DNF with just 15 miles to go. So when Bret crossed the finish line I could not have been happier for someone. While he didn't look so good at the half way point, he now looked great, fully aware of what he had just accomplished. Way to go Bret! At the 9:18 mark Tom Detore crossed the finish line leaving just one runner on the course, GPRC's own, Tina Askins. A former bodybuilder, Tina had started running last year and was attempting to finish er first 50K (as a matter of fact, it would be her first finish of anything longer than a half marathon) Working with Tina has given me the opportunity to understand first hand both her struggles and successes with her training. So while coming into Saturday's race Tina had some long runs under her belt, I knew it would take a "Herculean" effort on her part to finish in under the allotted ten hours. Thanks to great volunteers (all of whom were doing everything they could to help Tina around the course) we knew she was around three to four miles out. We also knew she was running with MK Thompson, who was pacing her in for the final five miles. Minutes later a phone call from Gary Henry confirmed she had left the final aid station and was on her way. At the 9:50 mark a phone call from MK alerted us to the fact that they were about a half mile away, one more rocky climb and then flat, smooth trail the rest of the way. Knowing Tina was in earshot, the 15 of us still there started cheering and ringing the cowbell trying to usher Tina home before the clock ran out. With just over three minutes left on the clock Tina came into sight and seconds later was across the finish line. We all took turns giving her a hug and congratulating her on what she has just done, there was not a dry eye in the place. Fifteen of us had the privilege of seeing Tina finish and being part of her moment in the sun, but perhaps even more-so, we had a glimpse of what makes this sport so special. It was the punctuation point at the end of a day filled with moments like this.

As I drove home that evening, thinking about all I had witnessed throughout the day, about Dianna and Becky, Bret and Tina, as well as a hundred and one other stories, I was reminded of one of my favorite running quotes...

"It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside your head that wants you to quit".

-George Sheehan

Thank You from both Karen and I to all the runners and volunteers who made Rock Creek such a success in 2009. It has been a year full of memories that we will not soon forget. We look forward with anticipation to what special moments 2010 will bring. Have a great winter. Hope to see you all at Psycho Wyco in February, then back out at Perry next March.

For more great photos from Rock Creek please visit Dick Ross' seekcrun.com.

Heartland 100/50

2009-10-19T21:30:00.013-05:00

Ultra Marathons are often held in dramatic locations such as The Rocky Mountains, The Sierra Nevada, Death Valley (in July) and the Ididirod Trail (in February) In contrast there is a race held in Kansas that is unlike any other, as it is run entirely across historic tall grass prairie in a county where cattle outnumber people 40-1. The Heartland 100, held each October through the Flint Hills of Eastern Kansas, is what I once imagined all of Kansas would be like when I first moved here from Washington DC 15 years ago. The desolate nature of this land is hauntingly beautiful and it's weather... harsh.

For runners, EXPOSURE is the key word at Heartland, as there is no place to hide from the elements. Another key word here is SOLITUDE. Although you can see for miles in every direction, there is very little to look at other than the ever present tallgrass prairie, which is inevitably blowing in the wind.

Heartland is special to me. I ran my first 50 here in 2002 and my first 100 here in 2004, and although I have been at Heartland for each of the past seven years, four times running, and for the past three years, manning the Battle Creek Aid Station, this year would be different, as this year I was planning on doing both. My plan was to run the 50 Mile and then join Karen and the rest of the team at the Battle Creek A.S. and support the hundred milers on their way to Cassidy throughout Saturday night and Sunday morning. My hope was to gain the perspective of both runner and volunteer in the same race, in the same year.

Our weekend started Friday afternoon as Karen, the girls and I, along with good friends Bret and Theresa Deardorff, and their daughter Hannah, headed to Cassidy to grab "a meal like no other", at the pre race dinner, before heading out to Battle Creek to set up the aid station. The challenge with Battle Creek is that it is both the first and the last aid station runners encounter in both races. That means servicing runners from 7:00 AM on Saturday until 9:30 AM on Sunday. Once we had things ready to go for Saturday morning and spent some time star gazing, it was time for some sleep.

After a VERY COLD night in the back of the van, it was up at 4:00 for the 6:00 start. Bret was kind enough to shuttle me to the start before heading back to get the aid station ready for visitors. It was great to see so many good friends at the start, but especially exciting to see three friends from Topeka who were each about to start their first 50 miler. Then, right at six, with headlamps lighting the way, we were off.

From the very start I felt good. After all the the steep climbs and vertical descents of Superior, it felt good to run. My goal was to hit the turnaround somewhere near the 5 hour mark and then decide (based on how I was feeling) what to do on the way back. Fueled with little more than VESPA and PERPETUEM I hit the turnaround in about 4:45, and much to my surprise, felt pretty good... so, I decided to push it a little on the way back. With the unexpected, but much appreciated help from Dena Phillips and Christy Knowles, I was able to get through the first two aid stations quickly on my way back. Then shortly after my antique I pod (which had been serenading me with a little early 80's "new wave") went dead in the middle of an extended dance mix of DEVO's "Whip It", and just as I was getting tired, I arrived at Battle Creek to the cheers of family and friends. This was a huge emotional boost when I really needed it. Karen got me what I needed (800 mg of Ibuprofen) and back on my way, confident I had a legitimate shot at finishing in under 10 hours, something I had only done once before (at the 2004 Ice Age Trail 50 Mile). After power hiking up the last big climb, I knew it would be flat the final 6 miles into the finish, so I went into a run 8:00, walk 2:00 cadence. This worked well and actually helped me to pass the one runner I could see in front of me. At the 9:45 mark, as I neared the final turn about a quarter mile from the finish, I knew I was going to finish in under 10 hours, but now I realized I might actually get in under 9:50 (my previously fastest 50 miler). As I ran the final quarter mile and neared the finish I could see the clock and quickly realized I was going to make it in under 9:50. As I crossed the finish line to the most awesome sound in Ultra Running, Jim Davis' cowbell, I was taken aback, as a PR was not what I was expecting just four weeks after Superior. Unexpected, but fitting in a way that it was here, at Heartland, a race that has provide me with more than it's share of special moments had once again lifted my spirits at a time when I so badly needed it. Perhaps that's what they mean when they refer to this race as the
SPIRIT OF THE PRAIRIE.

As I caught my breath, I was greeted by John Knowles (a good customer, and local trail runner) who was running his first 50 Miler. I knew John had had a good race as I saw him running strong near the turnaround and received updates from his wife at the aid stations. He certainly did have a good day, and finished in ninth place for his 50 Mile debut in a time of 9:31:15. Congratulations John!

Oh, but the fun was just beginning!

I returned to the aid station with Bret a little before 5:00 PM, just as one of the last 50 Milers was coming through. He grabbed a Coors Light from his drop bag, drank it down, and was off (you gotta love ultra runners). On our way back we had the opportunity to run across Kyle Phillips, another friend from Topeka, who like John was running his first 50 Miler. When asked about the race on Thursday, Kyle had told me his plan was 6:00 to 6:00, but when we passed him about a half mile from the finish, although he was obviously in a lot of pain, it was only 4:15 PM. After a quick high five, Kyle pressed on and crossed the finish line in 10:23:10. A remarkable effort from a genuinely likable guy and strong runner. Way to go Kyle! As we continued down the road back to the aid station we came across Jenn Franklin, one of our GPRC team members. Like Kyle, Jenn was also talking about a 12 hour finish, but here she was, still going strong 48.5 miles into her first 50. Jenn would be the fifth woman across the finish line in a time of 10:42:51. A little further down the road we came across Ruth Fox from Manhattan, who volunteers and runs a number of our races and who went on to finish in a time of 12:08:36.

Of course their were many others, each with their own story, each pushing forward. In all, 43 of the 44 starters made it back to Cassidy, but none faster than 52 year old Phil Sheridan who finished in a time of 7:33:45, before, like me, heading off to an aid station to spend the night "working".

As always, the night provided it's share of excitement, as weary and very cold 100 milers came through our aid station situated just 9 miles from the finish. While it is always fun to see good friends such as Kyle Amos, Darin Schneidewind, Paul Schoenlaub, Gary Henry and Adam Monaghan roll through, two stories from this years Heartland 100 stand out.

Just after 11:00, Amy Palmiero-Winters of Hicksville, NY came through our aid station. Amy was the first woman through and was moving well. Little did we know that as she came through, she was on her way to a historic finish. You see, Amy had one of her legs amputated earlier in life and was about to become the first female amputee to run 100 miles. Her positive attitude and tenacious efficiency were sobering, her accomplishment, inspiring. Amy finished in a time of 18:54, eighth overall, she was the top women in the field.

Almost eleven hours later, Kevin Fredrickson of Lawrence, KS came visited our temporary home. I didn't realize until later the enormous mental challenge Kevin had to overcome and manage these past twenty seven hours. Anyone who has ever run an Ultra Marathon knows that a huge part of the game is mental, so you can imagine when you have car trouble and arrive an hour after everyone else has left, the mental aspect becomes even more complicated. Kevin, who was running his first 100 Miler, had to overcome several emotions including frustration I'm sure, not to mention holding back the temptation to go out too hard in an effort to "catch up". Somehow Kevin held it all together under circumstances that would have unraveled the best efforts of other runners, including myself. Kevin went on to finish his first hundred in a time of 28:52.

It is stories such as these that are the reward for volunteering at events such as this. While running an ultra can certainly bring personal satisfaction and perhaps other deeper self discoveries, volunteering at an ultra delivers a totally different experience, as you begin to experience the event through the eyes of others and are drawn into their struggles as well as their triumphs. I can't help but believe that at some level this makes us more sensitive, more compassionate and more aware of those around us. If we all lived out our lives and treated others with the same servant mentality "ultra" volunteers have treated us in the past, how much better of a world could this be? I would challenge anyone who has never had the opportunity to do so, make a point to volunteer at an Ultra in 2010. I promise you, you will never view an aid station the same way again.

Congratulations to Jim Davis and Randy Albrecht for another perfectly executed event under some trying circumstances. I believe I heard this was the coldest Heartland ever! Thanks also to Gary Henry and others for some great photos. See more at www.ultrastory.com.

Superior Sawtooth 100

2009-09-23T15:10:00.033-05:00

One of the benefits of not finishing Western States, the first of the three races that make up the Grand Slam, is that you are free from subjecting yourself to the pain of the Wasatch 100. The Wasatch 100 is run in the mountains east of Salt Lake City and considered by most to be the toughest of the four races that make up the Grand Slam, her 36 hour time limit would seem to support that claim. So with any hope for the Slam now over, I made the easy decision to steer clear of Wasatch and head north instead, to the Superior Sawtooth 100 (actually 102.6) I'm still not exactly sure why, but for some reason the 38 hour time limit, the 21:42 course record, or the fact that in the last three years only 4 people had finished in under 25 hours didn't seem to concern me, after all, this is Minnesota.

I knew the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT)was rugged from having lived up there, but it was the beauty of Minnesota's North Shore I had remembered. Picturesque rivers cutting their way through granite and birch on their way to Lake Superior, Loons, the Northern Lights! It is always amusing to me how the mind seems to hold onto, even embellish the good memories, but so quickly forgets those which were painful. Even after the reminders from twelve time finisher (the guy who took these photos) and fellow Kansan Stuart Johnson, I failed to fully recall the brutal nature of this trail, not to mention the 42,000 feet of elevation change and the impact that might have on pace.

Good buddy Dave Wakefield (who was running the 50) and I arrived Two Harbors Thursday night for the pasta dinner and pre race meeting, a low key affair after the Hoopla of Leadville. No weigh in, no med check, just a few comments from RD Larry Peterson followed by self introductions and we were back in the car, headed to Lutsen and the Cliff Dweller Hotel.

The SS100 is a point to point race. Most runners sleep near the finish in Lutsen, before being shuttled to Gooseberry Falls SP Friday morning for the 8:00 AM start. The 50 Milers start at 6:00 AM on Saturday at the half way point near Finland and will catch us (blow by us like we were standing still) one by one throughout the day on Saturday. The cut off time for both these races is 10:00 PM Saturday night...Piece of cake, right? In addition 100 or so Marathoners will start their race from around the 75 mile point later that morning. These are folks we will never see!

After a good night's sleep and a peaceful trip to Gooseberry Falls SP we were ready to go. Stuart along with wife Deb, were also running, Stuart going for his thirteenth finish at Superior and Deb, like me, her first. As we were all planning on running about the same pace, I hoped I would see quite a bit of Stuart and Deb throughout the race as I had no pacer and after the first few aid stations, no crew.

There were no shotguns, no rifles, to be honest I'm not sure if anyone even said go, but at 8:00 sharp we were off. No one seemed in a big hurry to be the first to the trail head, but one by one we all started moving down the trail anticipating what lay ahead for us over the next day and a half.

Ultra Marathons, especially hundred milers, are as much about enduring the distance mentally as they are about enduring the distance physically. Stuart had told me that at SS100 it was the mental aspect one really needs to manage if you want to finish. There is plenty of time to get it done but more than likely you're going to use most of it. As we made our way out of Gooseberry Falls SP I was still trying to come to terms with this fact and that I was planning on running (or whatever my movements might be called by late in the day on Saturday) for 36 hours when the longest I had ever run previously was 29:17 at Leadville.

While many hundred mile courses are broken up and remembered by distinctive sections of trail that are unique when compared to other sections of the same course, this one did not. The SHT keeps coming at you with a rugged consistency that for me makes recalling specific sections of the course difficult. Yes the course is beautiful and to a certain degree varied, there are lakes early and rivers late, but more memorable are the many characteristics of the trail that constantly annoy you, demanding your attention throughout, allowing you very few opportunities to relax once you venture beyond the friendly confines of the aid stations.

To say the course has rocks and roots is like saying the Sahara has sand. The roots that criss cross the SHT are more like the toes of some giant T-Rex, that in many cases don't allow your foot to find earth, leaving running on top of the giant roots, step by step as your only option. If this wasn't enough fun, it really got interesting once the roots got wet compliments of an afternoon thunderstorm.
The rocks that litter this trail are numerous, but even worse they are huge, often times used as steps to scale the steep ascents. When the ascents turn to descents the giant rock fields become downright scary.
Speaking of ups and downs, for some reason the SHT was built without the use of switchbacks, so most of the 42,000 feet of elevation change are either straight up or straight down....I know, I'm exaggerating again!
What else?... Oh yes, there are the 2x6 planks you get to run on throughout the race. Again very fun when wet, especially when falling off puts you in deep muck at best, deep water at worst.

It is hard to convey with words the "epic" proportions of Superior's rocks , roots and steep grades. Even individually these features would slow down the best runner's pace, but when thrown all together the result lacks proper adjectives, and when thrown all together in the dark...it becomes the stuff Ultra Nightmares are made of.

So hour after hour we all do our best to just keep moving forward as one by one runners drop from the race as a result of Superior's brutal nature and above average temperatures.

At some point on Saturday Dave was the eighth 50 miler to come by me. I remember asking him how he liked the course, and as he quickly moved down the trail I heard him answer back "it's kicking my ass." Later that afternoon Dave would finish the 50 miles in 10:02, three hours slower than his usual 50 mile pace, but good for an impressive third place finish (and third fastest time ever recorded on this course) against some of the best ultra runners in the upper Mid West.

My race continued on throughout the day on Saturday very uneventfully, very few highs or lows, just the never ending work and concentration associated with staying vertical on this trail. I had lost touch with Stuart and Deb but I was doing well both physically and equally as important mentally. My only scare came late in the race at the final aid station which I arrived just before sunset of the second day. Stuart had warned me to put a headlamp or flashlight in this final drop bag, knowing from experience it could be late in the day when you arrive, and with over seven miles to go, it could be dark before you finish. I was smart enough to heed Stuart's advice but not smart enough to hang on to my regular glasses earlier in the day when I swapped them out for my prescription sunglasses. So after 97 miles and almost 33 hours, it was once again dark, and although I had a light, I literally couldn't see more than about three feet in front of me. Ironically, although I love running at night, I am as blind as a bat without my glasses so this little lack of foresight was going to cost me some time as I was reduced to a fear induced shuffle, afraid that if I pushed too hard I would risk twisting an ankle or perhaps a face pl Not long after dark as I was feeling my way around Moose Mtn, much to my surprise I ran into Stuart and Deb. We were all glad to see each other and glad we were all still "in it". As the three of us were making the final push into Lutsen I started to get some anxiety about how little time I felt we had, and what would happen if I did injure myself in someway...not finishing at this point was not an option. Somehow my mind concluded the best way to deal with this fear was to run, never mind the fact that I couldn't see, just run....so I did. Soon after that, and again due to my lack of vision, I somehow convinced myself I was lost, or in some way running in circles. This little personal freak out session lasted for maybe a mile before I came up on another runner who assured me that right around the corner was a bridge and once across that we were less than a mile from Caribou Highlands Lodge and the finish line. Once I actually crossed the bridge, eliminating my concern the other guy was delusional, all my fears lifted and I was able to run most of the dirt road into Lutsen to become the 29th runner to finish. When all was said and done 33 of the 70+ runners finished in under the 38 hours allowed. The winner, Angus Repper, crossed the line in 26:31:47. Just five runners finished in under 30 hours.

As I ran the entire race using only the time of day feature on my watch, the race clock hanging near the finish line was the first time I had really thought about elapsed time since Friday morning. So almost instantaneously as my eyes connected with the numbers 37:13:56 the tears began to flow. It had been a long race and representative of what had been a long year. The finish at Vermont had been little consolation to the near miss at Western States, and another DNF at Leadville had hit me hard. The economy had been hitting retailers hard for a year now and we were no exception. Personal issues had been weighing heavy on me and spiritually I was angry. Everything about this year has been tough and for the most part unresolved. So to reach the end of the race for me was hugely symbolic. Something in me needed to see a battle won, a conflict resolved. The resolution that has been so elusive in other parts of my life had presented itself on the Superior Hiking Trail and deep inside it was more than I could bear. As I sat there with my face in my hands I could only hope that perhaps this might provide me with the courage and motivation to keep up the fight and see through to the end the other battles that continue to rage.

Leadville 2009

2009-09-19T20:46:00.005-05:00

It was a month ago today and it's still hard to find words. Last week's finish at Superior took the edge of the pain but did not eliminate it. The thing I find hardest to move beyond is that it was 100% avoidable, all I had to do was drink. To do poorly here hurts. Leadville has always been, and I suppose will always be that "special" race, the one I really focus on, every runner has one, for most it's probably one they do well in... as for me, I am 1 for 6 at Leadville? But it's that one finish, just weeks after my Dad had passed away, that I suppose keeps me coming back. While in someways every DNF makes that finish, and the memory of my Dad carrying me through the night, that much more special., it is more than just a little frustrating to come here year after year and go home empty handed. Until this year my only DNF's came on these trails. And so I finally bring myself to document this year's effort if for no other reason than to move on.

In 1969 a young Mario Andretti won the Indianapolis 500 and for over 40 years now he, his son, Michael and his grandson Marco as well as nephew John have tried to get the Andretti name back to victory lane. Every year they come with quality cars and high hopes that this will be the year. Every year they go home frustrated, certain there is some sort of "Indy" curse that has been cast on their family.

Since my only Leadville finish in 2005, I have been back four times, each of those times my race against the clock in the mountains near Leadville came to an early end. This year was perhaps the most disappointing of the four. Struggling from almost the very first step, running out of water twice and eventually watching my wristband get clipped along the Winfield Road at 6:05 Saturday evening. It was perhaps the least enjoyable race I had ever run. A day that lacked everything I enjoy about this sport. A meltdown that could have been avoided.

The race started at 4:00 AM, the same as every other year, the only difference was this year we started in short sleeve shirts. This was a stark contrast to last year when runners lined up with sleet falling and 34 degree temps. The unusually warm weather we were enjoying had been forecast all week giving all of us ample warning to re think our gear selections and fueling plans. Despite the forecast I decided to stick with my plan of carrying two bottles, providing me with 20 oz of water and 20 oz of electrolyte (NUNN) drink every 2.5 hours or so. (One of the complexities of Leadville is the distance between aid stations. With aid stations distanced every 10 miles, there is little room for error)

The day started off like most other "Leadvilles" however it was even before the sun came up I could feel the impact of the warm thin air on my respiratory system, none the less I arrived May Queen just five minutes behind schedule.

Now heading up Sugarloaf with the sun overhead I began drinking more than normal but found it hard to keep my breathing under control (this aspect of my day frustrated me enormously and really began to work on me emotionally. At great expense I came to Leadville two weeks before the race, hoping the extra week would prove significant in my bodies ability to acclimate to the high altitude of Leadville's 10,152 ft. when it became obvious that the extra week had meant nothing in terms of my bodies ability to adapt I could feel myself grow agitated) I struggled more through this section than any previous attempt and arrived the Fish Hatchery aid station 25 minutes behind schedule and very down with myself.

The next 17 miles really became the race, or should I say the end of the race, for me. I became so hot and so dehydrated through these two sections I could hardly even run the downhills without feeling like my chest was going to explode. I ran out of water 45 minutes outside of Twin Lakes and arrived at the aid station a complete basket case over an hour behind schedule. I really felt bad for my crew. Karen, Zach, Dave, Jessica and Anthony did everything they could do, but I was a mess. It took medical personnel over 20 minutes to get my respiratory rate down as they pumped over a half gallon of liquids down my throat. I now had cut offs creeping up on me and had to get moving, unfortunately the only direction to go out of Twin Lakes is up, 3,500 feet straight up Hope Pass to 12,600 ft, not the best environment to recover in.

I headed out of Twin Lakes now with 70 oz of water on my back and another 20 oz in my hand. It was obvious this was the set up I should have had since May Queen if not the start. Had I gone with the Camelback the entire way how would I feel now? This is obviously a question that can never be answered, but I would have to think I would be far better off and much farther down the trail. Instead I was dragging my overly depleted carcass up a mountain. A mountain that usually forces you to bundle up a bit, but not today. The climb was hot and steep and dry, with not even a slight breeze offering relief. Although I drank almost the entire 90 oz between Twin lakes and the Hopeless aid station, I was too far behind with my hydration and my body was slow to catch up. Although I made it through Hopeless ahead of the cut off it had become obvious I wasn't going to be so lucky at Winfield. I struggled over the top of Hope and down the other side. It was here, as I made my descent off Hope, passing friends that were on their way back up and then on to Leadville, that I finally started feeling better. Too little, too late as they say, but still, it felt good to breath. It also felt good to see so many people I knew.

Congratulations to Paul Schoenlaub on his seventh Leadville finish and to Greg Burger on his first. Congratulations also to Coleen Voeks on a "gutsy" finish, persevering through the night, overcoming her demons and crossing the finish line with just twelve minutes to spare, and to Nick Lang who came back from the dead, sneaking out of Winfield just before the cut off, then finishing in a strong 28:51. And a special congratulations to Gary Henry who is now one up on me, collecting his second Leadville buckle with a sub 29 hour performance. All in all seven Kansans finished this year's Leadville Trail 100. I believe that's a record!

So another Leadville has come and gone and left me empty handed and broken hearted. This should have been the year. I was in great shape and injury free. I had two full weeks to acclimate and plenty of time to get focused on the task at hand. I had a decent weather and a great pacer (Dave Wakefield) waiting for me at mile 50...I never got there! I made a stupid mistake on something as basic as hydration, and while there are races where you can make a mistake and still sneak by, Leadville is not one of them. Leadville has a way of making you pay for you mistakes.

As I allow myself to think about 2010, a hiatus from Leadville is probably in order. Perhaps this race has taken on an unhealthy importance in my life. Perhaps a year off might bring perspective.

So on to Minnesota where I started running trails. Northern Minnesota has always been the place I feel most at peace. Although I know the Superior Hiking Trail is brutally rugged and times at this race are slow (The Superior Sawtooth has a 38 hour cut off), it will be good to be back home.

The Leadville Plan

2009-08-06T13:09:00.013-05:00

On August 22 I will go to the starting line of the Leadville trail 100 for the sixth time. In my previous five attempts, I have finished it only once. It was my second attempt and just weeks after my Dad had passed away from Pulmonary Fibrosis, a decease brought on by years of smoking. It was sadly ironic to me to be running a race in an environment that is starved of oxygen, when just a short time ago, I watched my Dad live out his finals days struggling for the stuff. I ran the race that year full of his memory and sure of his presence. I view my finish that year as a gift, not just from him to me, but from me to him as well. Other than that one special year, the other four attempts have ended early for a number of reasons, the most painful was last year when I missed the time cut off at mile 87, after battling some of the most epic weather I have ever experienced for over 26 hours.

This year I head to Leadville as confident as ever that I will "find my way back to Leadville" on Sunday morning. One of the reasons I feel so good about this year, is Pacer Dave Wakefield. Dave is a great friend and a great runner and I know he will do everything he can to get me through. To that end Dave has asked me to put down my "race plan" on paper so that he can help keep me on track. So although this is predominately for Dave, and focused primarily on the last 50 miles, I am posting it hear for the benefit it might provide someone running Leadville for the first time and perhaps help my non running friends understand how one approaches running this sort of a race.

SATURDAY MORNING: Up at two. Eat breakfast first thing. Sausage, egg and cheese biscuit along with some scrambled eggs on toast. Start nursing a bottle of Nuun. Forty five minutes out down a VESPA, and thirty minutes out down a VERVE as we walk to the start. Remind me to go out slow, not push too hard up the mini powerline, and step out of any "conga lines" I don't like the pace of. Check in, pray and right at 4:00 away we go.

LEADVILLE TO MAY QUEEN: 13 Miles; I will try to run this in about 2:40, a little slower than past years, hoping to keep a little in reserve for later in the race. I will begin with the following nutritional plan and will plan on following it the entire race unless something goes wrong. Keeping on this plan for the full 100 miles is the key. Every time I leave an aid station I should have a 3 hour supply of these products and every time I come in one, someone should be checking to see if I'm taking an appropriate amount. Dave, late in the race you tell me to eat, drink, etc...just make sure you see me do it so to be sure I'm not lying about it)

VESPA -1 every 3 hours
MTN BERRY SHOT BLOKS - 1 block every 20 minutes
S-CAPS - 1 every hour
NUUN - 1 bottle along with one bottle of water between every aid station.

MAY QUEEN TO FISH HATCHERY: 10 Miles; Again, I need to maintain a controlled pace. I personally believe the first 23 miles of this race are critical for "low-landers", if you push too hard, either on the trail to MAY QUEEN or up and over SUGARLOAF, you expend a lot of oxygen early on that you will wish you had later in the race. Remind me not to bomb down the other side of SUGARLOAF, I'll need those quads later. Hope to arrive Fish Hatchery in 9:15 AM (5:15 hrs)

FISH HATCHERY TO HALFMOON: 7 Miles; If I controlled myself in the first 23 miles this should be a more enjoyable section than in past years when I tried to run it on legs I had just thrashed bombing down SUGARLOAF like an idiot. My goal is to run the first mile, then walk and eat for a few minutes before running again all the way to TREELINE. From TREELINE to HALFMOON, the grade will somewhat determine pace, but hope to move through this dusty road section fairly quickly and get to HALFMOON by 10:45 AM (6:45 hrs)

HALFMOON TO TWIN LAKES: 10 Miles, First two miles are still on dirt road, followed by 7 miles on the rolling COLORADO TRAIL (although near the beginning there is about a .5 mile section of very steep up-hill that will get your attention) followed by a 1 mile steep descent down a rutted out fire road. Need to maintain momentum through this section. The Aspen grove near the Beaver Ponds seems to suck the life out of me every year. Plan on arriving by 12:45 PM (8:45 hrs)

TWIN LAKES TO WINFIELD: 10 Miles; I Must leave this aid station focused and strong for what lies ahead. Remind me to run the field section and keep my spirits up as I climb HOPE. This is where the race begins, after a 1.5 mile run through the field and across the river the course climbs 3,000 vertical feet up to 12,600 feet and HOPE PASS. It is all on trail and kicks my butt every year. This is where I hope running a more controlled pace early on will help me maintain pace and stamina. Once up and over, it's 2,500 feet straight down to the Winfield Rd. I always push too hard here as I love running down hill, but feel if I run with more control this year I will have more left for the second crossing. from there it's a little over two miles into WINFIELD and the half way point. I plan to arrive by 4:30 PM (12:30 hrs)

OK DAVE, HERE WE GO!

through.WINFIELD TO TWIN LAKES: 10 Miles; As we head back the other direction along the Winfield Rd we want to make sure that we have everything we need, we should start with a run/walk strategy to get moving again and to give you a chance to assess where I'm at. This will also conserve energy for the second pass of HOPE. Start with run 2/walk 2...run 3/walk 2...run 4/walk 2...etc...this should get us down the road to the trail head in around 25 minutes. This side of HOPE is shorter (2.5 miles) but steeper. The bottom half is the worst, but the top half has less oxygen so really the whole climb is just awful. Make sure to keep me on my a fore mentioned nutrition plan as we climb and just keep talking. Keep me focused on anything you can think of other than running. Walk in front, but don't loose me. Once above treeline give me short range goals for us to work towards, with very quick rest in between. Once we cross over the top let me lead down unless I start acting stupid. We need to quickly get in and out of the HOPE PASS aid station when we get there, a quick cup of RAMEN and some COKE and off we go. The run down HOPE should be fun if I have run a smart race to that point. The top half is very runable and the air fills with oxygen the lower we get. As we get near the bottom it becomes quite rocky, you may want to take the lead through here as you will be in better shape to find a "good line" down. Once off the trail, it's through the field and across a very cold river and on into TWIN LAKES. Don't let me get lazy here as I will be feeling a bit beat up from the double crossing. Even if we start the run/walk through the field we will still come out ahead. Once we hit pavement we want to run all the way to the Firehouse that is home to the TWIN LAKES aid station. If we're on our game we should be there by 8:00 PM (16:00 hrs)

TWIN LAKES TO HALFMOON: 10 Miles; Karen knows exactly what to do here and will take care of me, so you can get whatever you need. This is a slightly longer stop (7-8 minutes) as I will eat my most substantial meal of the day here, change into warm clothes for the overnight and try to get focused on the last 40 Miles, with HOPE PASS now thankfully behind us. As we leave TWIN LAKES we are greeted by a huge climb up an old rugged fire road. It will be important to keep up a good pace even though we are walking. Once to the top we have rolling terrain for the next 9 miles, 7 on trail and 2 along the Halfmoon Road. My goal through here would be to run all the flats and downhills and power walk the ups. This is pretty good trail, if I'm still feeling good let me lead through here until we hit the road. Once on the road it's side by side into the HALFMOON aid station. It would be awesome to be there by 11:00 (19:00 hrs)

HALFMOON TO FISH HATCHERY: 7 Miles; No crews at the HALFMOON aid station so you will need to get my drop bag. (Even though I have a crew that will help me tremendously throughout the race, I still use drop bags for the absolute essentials. Anything can happen on race day, not only to the runner but to the crew as well. Our first year in Leadville the power steering on our Suburban went out at 5:00 in the morning on the road that winds around Turquoise Lake. Having drop bags is like insurance for the runner and less to carry for the crew). In it, there will be a small zip lock bag with my nutrition stuff. There will also be some spare batteries and warmer/dryer clothes if I am needing them. The sooner we get out of this aid station the better as a lot of people linger here huddled around a propane heater. That is not a good idea and I suppose a number of these folks never end up leaving. OK, back on the Halfmoon Rd. Start out with the same run/walk strategy as on the Winfield Rd. We need to keep moving through here as this is where it can start getting cold. This is especially true once we pass our crew at TREELINE and enter a VERY EXPOSED section of the course where it can be cold, damp and windy. Grabbing a very light shell from our crew along with some caffeine might be a good idea. Just keep me moving through here even if it is telephone pole to telephone poll. We get through this section in good shape and it's only 23 miles to go, and if we get to FISH HATCHERY by 12:45 AM (20:45 hrs) we will have 9:00 hours to do it in!

FISH HATCHERY TO MAY QUEEN: 10 Miles; We will be well served to make sure I am in control and focused before leaving this aid station as the last major climb is before us. A large dose of caffeine would also be an excellent idea. As we leave the aid station we will want to run as much of the 1.5 miles of paved road as we can before turning left onto the infamous POWERLINE trail, up to the top of SUGARLOAF. This section of trail is steep, long, rutted and has at least three false summits. If that's not enough, last year MK and I found ourselves in a complete white out (yes, a blizzard in August). This is perhaps the climb that makes everything that comes before it (conserving energy, keeping up on my calories, electrolytes and hydration, keeping warm and dry, etc...) so critical. If not, we will both pay the price for it here, me physically and you mentally. The job here is to just keep me moving up the mountain. If we're on pace, we have four hours to go 10 miles, that's 24 minutes a mile. Other than that there's not a lot of strategy at this point. This is for many, the time of the race Ken talks about during the Prue race meeting, this is the time to dig deep and find that inexhaustible well of grit, guts, determination and courage. This is the section to remind me how hard I've trained all year, and reinforce how badly I want this. Remind me of what happened here last year and how its not going to end that way this year. Whatever you do DON'T TELL ME WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME. Keep me eating and keep me drinking (again, don't take my word for it as I quite possibly will lie to you, see me eat, see me drink, remind me about VESPA when it's time) Once over the top, we should try to run a little of the downhill, once we get to the COLORADO TRAIL section you should lead and help me find a clean line down as it is kind of rocky. Once off the COLORADO TRAIL we have just a half mile to go before we hit the final aid station MAY QUEEN. Hopefully it's around 4:30 (24:30 hrs)

MAY QUEEN TO LEADVILLE: 13 Miles; This is no place to dilly-dally. There are lots of runners who never left for one reason or the other filling the cots that line the far side of the aid station. If it is still dark, we are in good shape. If we see light on the horizon....well, let's just plan on getting there while it is still dark. We have about 8 miles of trail ahead of us followed by 5 miles of road, 3 of which are uphill. The first section of trail (to the TABOR BOAT RAMP) is rolling and moderately technical, we can run the downhills through this section. After TABOR it's all pretty runable, and would be a section to push a little if need be. Once off the trail, it's down the mini power line before turning east and heading towards Leadville. After 1 mile of very flat runable road we hit the BOULEVARD, 3 miles of chunky gravel, all uphill. Finally, we hit pavement, and after another hundred yards or so we will make our final turn and there before us a mile away is Leadville. Our strategy for this section will be largely based on two things, one, what kind of shape am I in, and two, what time is it. If we are in good shape on both counts, use the carrot. If we are in trouble on count two, use the stick. If things go our way, it should be right around 8:00 when we hit the red carpet and Merilee.

A Midsummer's Night Dream

2009-08-01T15:23:00.006-05:00

I remember it like yesterday. It was 2006 on an unusually warm December afternoon. As I recall it was near sunset and I was doing everything I could to keep up with Dave Wakefield and Matthew Rodriquez as we pushed hard down the Blackfoot trail, hoping to get back to our cars before dark. Although I had lived in Topeka for the better part of twelve years, it was my first time out on the trails of Perry Lake State Park, and I was taken aback by its rugged beauty. As we ran, the subject of putting on a trail race came up, or maybe even a series!? All three of us loved running trails and felt, given the opportunity, others would too. At that time the closest thing to what we were talking about was the Topeka to Auburn Half Marathon and interestingly enough it was one of the largest drawing races in Topeka year after year. But would people actually drive out to Perry Lake and run a race up and down on rocky, rooted trails? They were already doing it in Kansas City, Ben Holmes and the Trail Nerds were seeing tremendous growth in the number of runners participating in trail events. But this wasn't Kansas City, this was Topeka, the town where members it's own business and banking community told us we'd be better off opening our store (Great Plains Running Co) somewhere else, because "people don't run in Topeka"

Although our first trail clinic drew only five runners, the Rock Creek Trail Series has enjoyed steady growth since our first race in May of 2007. We have been blessed not just by the growth, but more so, by the positive feedback we have received from so many runners, and the privilege of watching so many we now call friends, doing things they never could have imagined. The best part of my job is getting to stand at the finish line and congratulate people who I know just accomplished something they never thought possible.

So with that as a backdrop, the timing seemed right for a new challenge, for both runner and Race Director. I love running trails at night. I love how your senses are alive as you become totally immersed in the process of what you're doing, and wanted to give others the opportunity to share in that experience and to make it part of the Rock Creek Trail Series. While the race received a lot of initial curiosity we had no idea how many people would actually show up and do it and with early registration numbers so low I was concerned we had made a mistake. In the end however registration gained momentum and we headed into our big night with eighty runners from eight states (including Alaska, Ohio and Colorado) ready and willing to take on a new challenge.

Race week preparations were going as planned and then came Saturday. Without going into detail, I'll just Saturday challenged us in ways no other race had. This would be a good time for a well deserved shout out for Lee Crane and MK Thompson. Without the two of them I have no idea what might have happened that night. They truly saved the day, or should I say night.

The race went off with only a few "hitches" created by an overly tired race Director and some new timing/results software. The weather was beautiful and the trails were in great shape.
It was hard for me to take it all in as the runners started to arrive. Headlamps bobbing down the trail, marked with glow sticks, runners totally charged up about what they had just done, Norma manning "mission control", tiki torches and paper lanterns lighting up an awesome post race party organized by Karen and Co. and I would be remiss if I failed to mention our male volunteers sporting the latest in mermaid lingerie (you had to be there). Channel 49 had called the store and said they couldn't make it out, but if we took a picture on my cell and sent it to them they would try to mention it. I don't know why but that totally cracked me up. There was no way to capture what was happening with a picture, it was much bigger than that. The dream Matthew, Dave and I shared that December afternoon had been realized beyond my wildest expectations. I hope those who were there felt it, and claimed it as their own. It is awesome to see what is happening in the Topeka running community and throughout North East Kansas.

I hope you all walked into work Monday morning with just a little more swagger in your step than you did the week before. If not you should!

I hope you can join us on October 24th for our big year end finale, the Rock Creek 50K, Half Marathon and 5K. See you then.

Vermont 100

2009-07-29T16:37:00.012-05:00

It's hard to believe that it has almost been two weeks since Vermont, yet the preparations for Rock Creek's first ever night race caused last week to scream by, climaxing in an unforgettable night on the trails of Lake Perry (more on that later)

If not for the commitment I made to raise funds for Family Service and Guidance Center I probably would never have even gone to Vermont. Any hopes of a Grand Slam finish for 2009 had been forfeited last month at the Auburn Lakes Trail aid station just 15 miles from the Western States finish line, and as Karen and I prepared to head off to Vermont I found myself less enthused than I had ever been prior to an event of this nature. The DNF at Western States had obviously taken more out of me than I was willing to admit. My confidence was shaken and life wasn't doing anything to ease the pain. I was afraid I had "lost it" and felt like an ultra running "poser". How would I now move on and finish Vermont, let alone Leadville or Wasatch? Suddenly coach Donnie Palmer's humorous battle cry used last season by his championship T-West XC team was reverberating through my mind..."No Expectations" So with that as my mantra we headed off to Vermont, as I also knew that if nothing else, five days in Vermont with just Karen would do us both a world of good.

As anyone who has spent much time around ultra running's great races will tell you, the town's that play host to these events are generally of a rough and tumbled variety. So when our rental car pulled into the picturesque little village of Woodstock, VT, I'm sure Karen thought I had made a wrong turn somewhere. Woodstock is the quintessential New England town that looks as though it was the model for a Courier and Ives Christmas Card. After just ten minutes at the Deer Creek Inn B&B, our base camp for the week, I was sure that for the first time I had stumbled into a race weekend that would be enjoyed as much by my "non running spouse" as it would be by me, the runner.

I had run Vermont last year and knew that even though the hills are relentless, this was a race that I could finish, and "to finish" was my only goal, hoping to gain confidence and maybe a little momentum heading into Leadville. Last year's race was run in 90 degree temperatures with very high humidity causing me stomach problems all day long. Although this year's forecast looked much more promising, my plan was to simply get me home in the same 26:25 as a year ago.

After a Thursday and Friday filled with touristy distractions and good food, race day finally came. Vermont, like Leadville has a 4:00 AM start time which necessitates a 2:00 AM wake up call, a somewhat cruel way to start a very long day. With cool temps and light rain, the race starts on time. After a short stretch of dirt road, the race race then hits it's first section on trail, muddied by recent rains. Just as runners are finding their "groove" around sunrise, you begin to hear "it",the clip clop of horses. That's right horses. Vermont is the last and only ultra where horse race is run concurrently with the run. Although somewhat odd at first, this quickly becomes "no big deal" apart from the smell that spices up the course the rest of way.

As the race unfolded from there things became quite uneventful as my splits were almost a carbon copy of last year's race. Things stayed this way through mile 47 and Camp Ten Bear. Although my legs were feeling better than I had even hoped for just three weeks after Western States, it was my feet that were troubling me. I had traded conventional laces for the stretchy "Yanks", no tie lacing system worn by a lot of triathletes and other people who can't tie their shoes (just kidding). I had thought the elasticity of the Yanks would eliminate the discomfort of tight shoes associated with the inevitable foot swelling later in the race. What I failed to foresee was how little stability or security these laces would provide on uneven terrain, which there was plenty of. My feet were sliding all over the place and eventually began to hurt worse with every step, hills were the worst and unfortunately the hills just kept coming and coming. After "gimping" my way through to mile 70 I changed my shoes and headed out in my Salomon XAPro 3D Ultras, a good shoe for softer terrain, but on the hard packed dirt roads of Vermont they felt like bricks on my already bruised feet. Fortunately it was shortly after this that I met up with a young guy who played football at Connecticut who had been pacing, but recently lost his runner. Perhaps it was an age complex or the fact that he was built like a house, but something stirred in me to work a little harder through this section, and before I knew it we were at "Bill's" and the mile 88 aid station where Karen had my Mizuno Wave Ascends waiting for me. Although these felt infinitely better, it fell into the category of too little too late as now every step was an opportunity to expand my pain tolerance. More than anything, it just made me mad. Here I was owner of a running shoe store, running a race where the only problem I was having was with my shoes!!! (kinda pathetic) When I saw Karen at the 95 mile aid station I knew a sub 24 or 25 hour finish was not going to happen, I only hoped I might get in in under 26 hours (what happened to my no expectations plan). It didn't take long to realize that wasn't happening either, my feet were killing me and causing me to slow down and by mile 96 my only goal left was to beat last year's 26:25. Finally after pushing the pace as hard as I could on the final ascent, I crossed the finish line in 26:10 and found my way to the nearest chair.

Vermont was in the books and I now had a pair of finishes there to go along with a set of buckles from Arkansas as well as Heartland. Would this also be the year I get my second at Leadville?

I was happy to be done and even more happy to shed my shoes, yet truth be known, I was still unfulfilled. My goal at this point in the summer was to be half way through the Grand Slam, 200 miles down and 200 to go, yet as I sat in my little chair I'm reminded of the reality that I am still 15 miles short, and will be all summer. I contemplate how might I feel on September 12th if I have covered 385 of the 400 miles? It becomes obvious that the fact I fell 15 miles short of a finish at Western States will haunt me a little more with each of the other three I finish.
On the other hand the one thing running has taught me is if we allow ourselves to be teachable there is always something we can gain from our experiences, and that alone is reason enough to press on.

If the lesson from Western States was about the need we all have for friendship and the support that a community can provide. Then the lesson from Vermont is even more personal. The DNF at Western States and the fact that I had finished this event before, removed a lot of the pressure that I place on myself, and allowed me to enjoy the other aspects of the weekend more than usual (wow, isn't that why we have hobbies) In the end my memories from this year's Vermont 100 will be more about my time in Vermont with Karen and the fun that we had throughout those five days, than it will be about the actual race. So as I look forward to Leadville on August 22, my hope is to put the race in its proper perspective, relax and enjoy those moments with family and friends I am sure I have allowed to slip by in the past.

2009 Western States - Chasing the Cutoffs

2009-07-01T17:28:00.014-05:00

It had been almost eighteen months ago that I started training for this day, and now the wait was finally over. After a years hiatus due to wildfires in 20008, the 35th running of the Western States 100 was finally at hand. High in the Sierra Nevada of California, 400 runners lined up at 5:00 in the morning to begin a journey that would hopefully deliver us to the town of Auburn, some 100 miles away by 11:00 the following morning. Along the way the course would wind its way over high altitude mountains passes, through blazing hot canyons and across the fast moving (and butt cold) American River before finally spitting runners out onto the track at Placer High School. While every runners is determined to finish this race before the thirty hour cut-off, four of every ten will not. After 26 hours and 85.2 miles my race came to end at 7:03 AM Sunday morning when myself and pacer Lee Crane arrived at the Auburn Lake Trails aid station three minutes after the 7:00 cut off. While in school, an 85% would generally garner you a solid B, Ultra Running is not so kind and anything less than 100% is considered an incomplete. Although the shiny silver and bronze belt buckles that serve as rewards are reserved for those who finish in under 30 hours, the experience (as well as the memories, images and lessons that come with it) of running this magnificent trail is a prize unto its own.

The race starts straight uphill, 2800 vertical feet in three and a half miles before spilling over into the Granite Chief Wilderness Area and the "alpine" section of the Western States Trail. This entire section of the race was much more difficult then I had anticipated and the altitude, which is generally not a problem for me complicated things even further. While the elevation profile for the trail would imply fairly consistent downhill progress in these early miles, the reality is the section from Emigrant Pass to Robinson Flat (30 Miles) is an intense roller coaster that makes getting into any sort of rhythm difficult, while the thin air inflicts damage that would have both short term and long term consequences. The final insult is the heat through Duncan Canyon and the climb to Robinson Flat. It is here that I first began to come undone, with the heat and the altitude each taking their turn beating me down with nausea and light headedness, my progress slowed to what ultra runners refer to as a death march. When I finally arrived the aid station I immediately let my crew (Bret Deardorff and Lee Crane) know I was in trouble and they went to work. After about 15 minutes of getting me cooled off with numerous ice packs, re hydrated with water and NOS Energy drink and nourished with a few bites of watermelon I was off, just a precarious 20 minutes ahead of the cut off, but I was still in the game.

The next section of the trail begins to drop runners into the section of the course known simply as "the canyons". This section can be very exposed, very hot and very steep and at times all three. It is in this section the two most notorious climbs can be found, Devil's Thumb (1,400 vertical feet in just .65 miles) and Michigan Bluff (1,700 vertical feet across 2.7 long miles) While I certainly had my share of struggles through this section of the course, it was anticipated and I was certainly not alone. Even seven time winner Scott Jurek succumbed to the canyons this year dropping at Devil's Thumb when "the well ran dry". With daylight running out and my crew and headlamp waiting at Michigan Bluff (Mile 55) I continued to move as quickly as I could fearful of navigating these trails in the dark. Although my arrival at Michigan Bluff was much later then I had originally planned due to some soul searching atop Devil's Thumb, I had made up valuable time and was now a full 45 minutes ahead of the cut offs. Even better, from this point on Lee would be running along with me, helping me maintain the pace needed to reach Auburn, still some 45 miles away.

As we left Michigan Bluff and headed for Forest Hill, it was now dark. While we now had headlamps I was unfortunately without my "regular" glasses which I had placed in the drop bag we would find in Forest Hill, seven miles away. While this made me a bit uneasy, as I am quite blind without them, we were blessed with very "good" trail all the way, and as we moved through this section my confidence began to build that we might actually pull this thing out. Once in Forest Hill it was time to eat the first "real" food of the day. Bret had gone and gotten what was quickly "the best pizza of my life". After a couple pieces of pizza and another can of NOS we were off, feeling good that the toughest part of the course was now behind us and some gentle downhill was just ahead.

Over the next fifteen miles Lee and I moved fairly efficiently through the course, maintaining our 45 minute lead over the cut-offs. Although it was now the middle of the night and my energy (along with my mood) was ebbing and flowing, the VESPA I had been taking every three hours was working well and I was very aware of where we were at in relationship to the clock. My feet also felt good, still in the same shoes (Brooks Cascadia) I had started in almost 23 hours ago. The only distress signals my body was sending me was some serious pain in my quads as well as what was quickly becoming a very serious chaffing issue.

At 4:15 AM we reached the Rucky Chucky aid station. It was here, that after almost 24 hours of running we would now cross the fast flowing American River. After securing our packs and water bottles we grabbed hold of the one hundred yard long cable and stepped into the ice cold river. As we worked our way across the massive underwater boulders, illuminated with glow sticks we were greeted by some of the most dedicated volunteers I have ever met. Every ten yards we were greeted by a volunteer in either a wet suit or fishing waiters who were there to help us negotiate the tricky river bottom. Without these folks in place this experience would have moved from surreal to nightmarish. Once on the other side of the River we met Bret and began the long slow climb out of the river valley up to the Green Gate aid Station just before sunrise.

It was now 5:15 and we had now been at it for over 24 hours. As we started our on the 5.5 mile trek towards the Auburn Lake Trails aid station, I was counting on the energy from the sunrise to help move us along. This was a section of trail I knew was mostly downhill and very runable. Although the seven o'clock cut off would be tight, I was confident we would make it. Then it happened! After making up some good time through the first long downhill of this section, my quads called it a day. As we started down the next descent it wasn't as though they hurt, they just wouldn't hold me up, the only way I could run was in what might best be described as a modifies sumo wrestler position, using my "glutes" to keep me from falling. While certainly quite comical to watch, it was not very efficient and my pace slowed to a death "waddle". Then just before 7:00 we first heard, then saw the Auburn Lake Trails aid station and with energy that could only have come from above (as within was on empty) Lee and I gave it one last push. Surely if we're there within a minute or so they'll let us keep going I thought as the horn blew signalling the top of the hour, but as we rounded the corner into the aid station we were informed that the aid station was closed and that our race was over.

I'm sure it seems silly to some to put so much into a race that in the end matters very little, but after all that we have been through this past year, and all that we are still going through, I was badly in need of a little good news and was counting on a finish to reassure me that in some things hard work does pay off, that effort really does equal success, and perhaps signal an end to what has been a really hard year .....Once again however running has reflected the realities of life rather then redefining it; There are no guarantees, hard work does not always insure success. Although at times life can be a great adventure, much of the time it can be, at best drudgery and at it's worst painful and unfair. Whether we cross our finish line at 100 or 85, the question that remains is, were we authentic and did we whole heartedly apply ourselves without reserve to those things we are led, called or created to do. Finally,we are reminded that everything works better when we invite others into the process. It is this, that in the end is my take away from Western States. A reminder about our need for people. Without them victory is hollow and struggle insurmountable. To outsiders running seems a solitary sport, and for some it is, but as I moved down the trail this past Saturday I was constantly aware of all the people who ran with me; my late father who I'm sure gets a kick out of watching me torture myself, my dear wife and awesome kids who don't just tolerate but support and encourage this crazy hobby of mine, the crew at Great Plains Running Co who are truly the best group of folks anyone could ever hope to work with, friends Rick Mayo and Gabe Bevan (along with their families and crew) who also ran, and finished in under 24 hours (way to go guys) family and friends who prayed for me throughout the day and of course Bret and Lee who without their presence I still might be sitting in a chair at what was the Robinson Flat aid station.

So although I won nothing that might help me hold my pants up, I can hold my head up and look forward to Vermont, now just two weeks from Saturday. If between now and then you see someone running down the road looking like a Sumo wrestler, that's me.

I hope to add pictures in a day or two!

Tapering

2009-06-09T16:44:00.002-05:00

For those unfamiliar with endurance running, a runner's "taper" is the final two or three weeks of training before the big race. A time when all the hard training has finally come to the end and is replaced with a period of less intense workouts as well as rest, allowing overworked muscles to recover and repair in time for their ultimate test. It is also a time when commitment to the goal is replaced by worry as to whether or not one has done "enough" to achieve it. Suddenly the hours that seemed to be in such short supply only a week ago are now moving ever so slowly, and finally the calories that were so easily burned up during heavy training, now need to be carefully considered.

This is where I am. The heavy lifting now done, I find myself at the mercy of the calendar and the clock. Waiting for the opportunity to start up that first major climb out of Squaw Valley, the opportunity I along with 370 other runners were denied last year due to wildfires that burned throughout Northern California. Any taper will test your patience, but when you've waited this long to run a race it'll drive you nuts, especially when there is no guarantee it won't happen again. I suddenly find myself checking California's emergency management web-site nightly.

So I will count my blessings and try to wait patiently, thankful for the health and the opportunity to be part of such an event. Thankful for my wife Karen who not only accepts this part of me, but encourages me as well. Thankful for friends such as MK Thompson and Lee Crane who have lessened my load as Race Director of the Rock Creek Trail Series and (along with Rock Star UltraRunner Dave Wakefield) have encouraged me through the many miles of training. Thankful for Lee Crane who will pace me the final 38 and Bret Deardorff who will crew me throughout. Thankful for the growing trail and Ultra running community of NE Kansas, a community that I am proud to be part of. Finally I am thankful to God, not just for all of this, but for what He will teach me this summer. Some people read "inspirational" books in search of learning something of God. I have done the same and through the process I have read many great books, but ultimately I run, and when I run, I ultimately will run into a God who has something he wants to teach me (which is good cause I have a lot to learn) What will be the lessons of 2009?

Almost time for dessert

2009-05-30T16:44:00.005-05:00

Someone once said "Training is like the main course and the race is like the dessert". Well the main course is almost over, Western States is four weeks from today.

It has been almost two months since my last post just a few days after the Rockin' K 50 Miler and these past eight weeks can be described as nothing other then insane. The impact of a tough economy continues to weigh heavily on our family business, Great Plains Running Co. While we are surviving better then others, it has been tough and tiring work. In addition, our race race season (the ones that we direct) shifted into high gear with three events, three weekends in a row. Somewhere in there the Free State 100K which was intended to be my final tune up race was abruptly ended when lightning and tornadoes forced RD Ben Holmes to pull runners off the course ten miles from the finish. At home, May, which is always a busy month was exceptionally hectic with two Birthdays (Zach & Cassie), Mother's Day, an elementary school graduation (Cassie) and a middle school graduation (Molly). Oh yeah, this is also supposed to be the highest volume training period in my preparation for June 27th's Western States 100. While all of this has somewhat taken a toll on me physically, mentally and spiritually, I am encouraged by the fact that life seems to be getting somewhat back to normal and in a week the heavy training will be over and I can begin tapering.

With April and May then behind us, I can begin to focus on the actual race. As I assess where I am at physically I am feeling surprisingly confident, not just as it relates to Western States but for the other three races that follow. My foot problem appears to be fixed, I have been much more race specific in my training this year, and with parenting challenges becoming less "dire" then a year ago I should have the opportunity to be better prepared mentally as well. And so, as I prepare for the final week of hard training, the list of things I worry about is thankfully short;

Wildfires: Last year's race was canceled for this reason, a repeat would be a real drag as I now have committed two year's of training to this race.
My Quads: To quote Rick Mayo after his return from the WS100 training camp, " There is no way in the Midwest to prepare for the intense downhills that can be up to four miles. long".
Snakes: Rattle snakes are common at Western States, and after two near misses with Copperheads this spring, I'm a little spooked!
Staying Healthy: This is not the time to get a summer cold.

It has been a long road to get here. A road so full of emotions that at times it has seemed insignificant and silly. Still I am drawn to it because in so many ways it parallels the struggles we have faced as a family. Struggles that have been painful and scary, and struggles that at times I feared would destroy us, yet by God's grace we have been able to keep moving forward. That is my prayer for this summer; that our store, our daughter, myself, we all keep moving forward, for there are lessons to be learned along the way, lessons that will make us stronger if we allow them to.

Rockin' K

2009-04-12T20:04:00.021-05:00

I remember a song, maybe from an old musical, I think the name was "They call the wind Mariah" I have no idea what made me think of that song or who they are, but at last Saturday's Rockin' K 50 Mile Trail run I was coming up with a few names of my own for the 40-50 mph winds that blew throughout the race. Now Rockin' K (like the Heartland races) is almost always going to have wind, but this year it reached "epic" proportions with gusts clocked at over 50 mph by the NWS out of Salina. I know sometimes we here in the Heartland can feel our trail running venues lack the romance of the mountains with their heart pumping climbs and lung searing altitude. Although I'm not a mathematician, I'm pretty certain that running into a 45 mph headwind across open prairie on one of the first 70 degree days of the year, is about as difficult, if not more so, then ascending most trails through the mountains.

While certainly the hardest parts of running in wind like this is staying hydrated and pushing against the resistance (when heading straight into it) or the feeling of being pushed (when running across it)... Funny, it never really seemed to be at our back? But the other maddening aspect was the noise, that kind of wind is loud, and after nine, ten hours of it, the noise starts to get to you. I remember how quiet it was when I was finally finished and got in my car and shut the door. So quiet it was kinda eerie.

When all was said and done that Saturday about 58% of the starters made it through the entire 50 miles, I was thankful
to be among them. Several stopped after the first loop,
tempted by good food, a cold drink and a place out of the
wind. Special congratulations to Salomon/Great Plains Running Co team members Rick Mayo (2nd in a time of 9:19:21) Paul Schoenlaub (3rd) and Stuart Johnson (5th) Way to go guys!

All in all, a great day at the "K". Phil and Stacey put on a great race and for Kansas, the scenery is pretty darn good. Whatever "conditioning" my legs loose out on by not getting to climb big hills, they more then make up for in resistance training compliments of a stiff Kansas breeze.

Rock Creek Trail Series

2009-03-29T21:05:00.003-05:00

Last weekend, Great Plains Running Co's 2009 Race season kicked off with the first race of the four event Rock Creek Trail Series. I was a bit worried how many runners we might have show up for the 10K and accompanying 5K as we moved up the date of the first race by a month and half. In addition we had problems getting our brochures out on time and various issues with our web-site which have now been resolved. Despite my concerns and thanks to an absolutely beautiful morning, 75 runners made the short trip out to Perry Lake State Park for what turned out to be a very fast morning of racing. By the end of day three new course records were set as well as three new master's records.

In 2007 the Rock Creek Trail Series was created in an effort to help grow the sport of trail running in North East Kansas. Ben, Kyle and the Trail Nerds were already helping runners
in the Kansas City area discover the joy of going "off road" while the Kansas UltraRunning Society (KUS) had been going long for years. In 2006 we had just over 200 runners enter ROCK CREEK events and last year we saw that number jump to over 330. Not only were the sheer number of participants increasing, but the quality of the runners were improving as well. Over this past winter we've seen more and more runners hitting the trails and several step up to run their first Ultra. Hunter Munns (who finished second overall in the 5K) and the Sunflower Striders have recently added a trail dimension to their club and a recent article in UltraRunning magazine lists Kansas as having more Ultra finishers in 2008 then any other state in the Midwest with 339. While we were certainly not the first on the scene (KUS) or the largest (The Nerds) we are proud of the role we have been able to play these past few years in growing the sport that has given me so much.

We are equally proud of our runners! The times that were posted last Saturday are proof that the quality of trail running in our area has improved dramatically. Yes it was a beautiful, cool morning and the trail was in great shape, but I believe the real difference is experience (time on trails), training and the increased competition. Congratulations to Eric Wenrich (37:45) and Kim Deckert (49:27) on their record setting 10K victories and to Gabe Bevan (23:02) , new course record) and Kelly Hennes (27:21) in the 5K

As proud as we are of those who are setting the pace up front, we are equally proud of those folks who come out of curiosity, wonder why the miles are so hard and yet are instantly hooked. We look forward to watching them in the year ahead as they accomplish things they never thought were possible.

So, it would seem trail running in North East Kansas is alive and well, and with three of four winners coming from Topeka, it appears Topeka is developing somewhat of a trail culture, which should make for an exciting year at Rock Creek.

Arkansas

2009-03-23T21:33:00.011-05:00

Although diverse in character, there are just a few places in this world I would consider near perfect. Ely, MN near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is near perfect.The beaches that make up Outer Banks of North Carolina are close to perfect. The island of Kauai, just about perfect. And for trail running, the mountains of North Central Arkansas are just about as perfect of a place as you could find.

Last week, good friend, Dave Wakefield and I along with our families headed to Mountain View, Arkansas for the fifth annual Three Days of Syllamo. A somewhat masochistic, 94 mile, three day trek through the Ozark "mountains". RD Steve Kirk prides himself on finding every foot of elevation gain available to test runners with an event that kicks off with a 50K on Friday, followed by a 50 Miler on Saturday and finishing up with a 20K on Sunday for those who are still standing. "Base Camp" for all three events is the Blanchard Springs Campground about 20 miles from Mountain View. Blanchard Springs is a spectacular setting and is only to be outdone by the beauty of the Syllamore Trail which runs out each side of the campground.

Last year Steve out did himself with the elevation charts, and after battling through the tough 50K on Friday, I was only able to manage 50K (of the planned 50 Miles) on Saturday, before struggling through Sunday's finale. This year, Steve's resourcefulness was tested by an ice storm that brought down thousands of trees, literally shutting downs the region's trail system. Not to be defeated, Steve rerouted all three races, still managing to find around 24,000 feet of elevation gain and worked with local authorities to open what trails he could.

Day one's 50K, which became a just a little more then a Marathon this year went as well as could be expected. Both my new orthodics and my new nutritional plan (Vespa and Shot Bloks) worked wonderfully. I ran it in just about 5:20 and felt like I left a lot in tank for tomorrow's 50 Miler. Dave was true to his name (Rock Star Ultrarunner) and blistered the course in 3:38 finishing second heading into day number two.

Day two's, 50 Miler is where the fun begins. First a couple chest deep water crossings in 30 degree tempertures, then heading on out onto a course with over 12,000 feet of vertical gain across it's 50 Miles. The orthodics I used on Saturday were awesome and teamed with a pair of
Brooks Cascadias my feet felt about as good as they have in a long while. Vespa continues to amaze me as I only took in about 700 calories during the 10:36 event. Big Dave ran his heart out, finishing second, some 20 minutes behind new race leader Adam Casseday of West Virginia.

My legs, now with 77 miles and nearly 40,000 feet of elevation change on them were two hurtin' units and simple things like walking to the car seemed like a monumental challenge. How would my legs feel the next morning? How would I get up and run another 20K?

The start of the 20K on the third day of this event is somewhat comical as seemingly no one wants to go out first. Slowly but surely we all "jog" across the large field near the start, hoping that by the time we hit the trail out legs will have woken up. With five runners within just ten minutes of me heading into Sunday, I make the decision to try to push my pace a bit, and after about two miles I'm surprised to find out my legs have more left then I would have imagined. I'm able to push myself through the 20K in 2:17, feeling fortunate to maintain my position and finish the event in a time of 18:14:01. Dave ran with the leader on Sunday securing second place, while Paul Schoenlaub moved up to third, giving the GPRC/Salomon team a strong showing with a second and third. Stuart Johnson also ran strong and finished in the top ten.

This is really a great event, with a great feeling of community surrounding it. Beauty, mountains without altitude, miles of great singletrack, awesome organization and helpful volunteers, what could be better? I heard one runner ask Steve Kirk "is this Heaven?" No, it's Arkansas.

The pain that keeps on giving

2009-03-09T21:17:00.003-05:00

Well it's been a few weeks since Psycho Wyco, but the way my feet feel it could have been yesterday. The problem with my right foot has now been bothering me for over three months. I suppose I should feel fortunate that podiatrists have told me that there is nothing structurally wrong with the foot and that I can actually continue to train on it as long as I can stand the pain. The frustrating thing is that it hurts alot and does not seem to be getting any better (kinda like the economy). But just as my frustration begins to turn into concern (OK, panic) that I may not actually be able to train at the level needed in order to complete Junes Western States 100 and the subsequent 2009 Grand Slam, some good news from my podiatrist Timothy Gately.

He believes that the arthritis in the big toe (which is designed to absorb over 40% of the foots impact during the toe off phase while running) of my right foot is causing the #2 toe to bear more of the impact then it was created to endure, causing significant inflammation in the joint of that toe. While working to reduce the inflammation we are also trying out various orthodic options that will help force my foot towards the big guy at toe off. The initial reaction to the orthodics is pretty positive and this weekends Three Days of Syllamo should be a pretty good test.

Psycho Wyco 50K

2009-02-15T13:39:00.021-06:00

Yesterday was the fifth running of the Psycho Wyco Run Toto Run 50K, a well organized, albeit somewhat sadistic event put on in Kansas City by Ben Holmes and the Kansas City Trail Nerds. This is the third year I've run this extremely popular event and once again left me wondering why I decided to do this to myself once again. The three loop course is run on bridle trails throughout Wyondotte County Park, Bridle means trails more appropriate for horses than humans. The trails are rocky,rooted and rutted and the three loop 50K course contains almost 9,000 feet of elevation gain.

This year's Psycho came just one week after the Rocky Raccoon 100, where I pulled out at mile 63 with a thropping right foot. I had already made the decision to run Psycho prior to Rocky and decided to stick to the plan even though I knew it would be somewhat of a stretch to get through the 50K, especially if it was icy or muddy...it was both.

The main reason for doing this had more to do with not wanted to miss the event then it had with really wanting to run it. Ben Holmes and the Nerds have done a tremendous amount of work growing the sport of trail and ultra running. They have developed a enthusiastic community of runners and volunteers that work hard, are fun to be around and deserve to have their activities supported. The aid stations at this race have always been well staffed, but this year's race was special, as over the past year I have gotten to know a number of the Nerds who man these muddy oasis'. The other reason I didn't want to miss this years race was to cheer on the continued influx of Topekans at this very off road event. The number of trail runners continues to grow in Topeka and it is very cool to see so many Topekans do so well yesterday. Among the top performances were good friend Dave Wakefield who took sixth overall in the 50K, Kevin Lemasters who took fourth overall and won his age group in the 20 mile. Kim Deckert who finished eighth in the women's ten mile while winning her age group and Becky Collins who was right behind Kim finishing ninth in the 10 mile.

All in all my race was pretty much a carbon copy of last year, finishing in 7:25, just nine minutes off last year's pace. Significant only in the fact that I had just run 63 miles last weekend and the mud was perhaps a bit worse this year. The real by product of "getting through" these two long weekend runs (other than a very sore right foot) is the endurance base and confidence to begin the heavy training for this summer's Grand Slam. The Three Days of Syllamo is just four weeks away. Three days, 95 miles and untold elevation change throught some beautiful, but brutal country in North central Arkansas. Last year, day two was full of challenges and I eventually completed just 31 of the planned 50 miles. My hope is that the Rocky/Psycho double has built into me a liitle more endurance for the long run ahead.

In closing, first; a big shout out to GPRC-Salomon runner Rick Mayo who tore up the course in and finished in second place and finally, a big thanks and congratulations to Ben Holmes and all his Trail Nerd volunteers for another year of fun on their sadistic slip-n-slide.

Rocky Raccoon 100

2009-02-08T20:40:00.003-06:00

So, yesterday I had the opportunity to join some friends and run the Rocky Raccoon 100 just north of Houston, TX. I had not planned on running this event until about a month ago when I thought it sounded like "fun" and would be a good test of muscle memory as I had not run much since the Mother Road 100 due to a injury to my right foot. Well what I found out was that if muscles have memories, mine have chosen to forget. The lesson; attempting a 100 miler with a training journal low on miles and heavy on ego is not recommended.

Rocky Raccoon is an extremely well organized event run on a fairly flat twenty mile loop (for those with limited math skills that means you get to run the course five times) For me, multiple loop courses are somewhat mind numbing to begin with. In the case of the RR course, each lap seemed to grow increasingly difficult with steeper and steeper hills and tree roots that grew larger with each trip. The day was hot and humid with highs in the mid 70's, a bit of a shock to the system for those of us from points north, but overall a great day for running!

Early on I knew this was not to be my day. The course ran much tougher then I anticipated and although I was on track after 20 miles, the heat was starting to get to me and my right foot was already throbbing. After 60 miles I was still in the hunt for a 25-26 hour finish but the pain in my right foot was beginning to concern me and I was searching for a good reason to keep running.

There are races you dream about, train for, sacrifice for and once into, are willing to push beyond and through what may seem like reasonable reasons to quit, fighting on in hopes of finding your way to the finish line. For many this was one of those races, for me it was not. As I said I thought it would be fun and once it was no longer fun it was hard to keep going. So when the very real concern of inflicting long term damage to an already injured foot became an issue the decision was really quite easy.

The real fun of the weekend was not getting in a 63 mile training run but in seeing several of the Trail Nerds complete their first 100 Miler, watching fellow runner Gary Henry dig deep and get his RR100 buckle after a DNF here a year ago, getting to run 20 miles with fellow podiatry patient Ben Holmes, and having the opportunity to witness my friend Lee Crane complete his first 50 Miler in 10:28. Way to go Lee, Gary, Darin, Coleen, Gabe, Nick, Danny and all the others who got 'er done!

The Mother Road 100

2008-11-11T23:30:00.000-06:00

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to Run the second edition of the Mother Road 100 along historic Route 66 in Oklahoma. The Inaugural edition of this race was two years ago on the East side of OKC (that's the way they say Oklahoma City in these here parts) and supposedly they got a substantial number of request to do it again, so this year it was run on the west side of OKC (I just like saying that). After a quick five hour drive from Topeka, I checked in at the Comfort Inn, where I would also spend the night before the 6:30 AM bus ride to the start in Elk City, OK some hundred miles to the the west.
My first warning for what lie ahead was found in the race handbook under the heading of AID STATIONS ,where the Race Directors disassociated themselves from the volunteers who manned them, letting us know that they were not part of the race organization, therefore they (the RD's) take no responsibility for what the aid stations may or may not have in the way of nourishment... Que the Hitchcock music! After a good night sleep and a 90 minute bus trip to Elk City, warning number two was quickly revealed....two porta potties for two hundred runners? Now I must confess I'm not a big fan of Race Directors running in their own races. Some, like Stan and Chrissy Ferguson make it work by switching off each year. This way at least one of them is totally available to runners, volunteers, etc..But what generally scares me when Race Directors run is that I'm never sure who's experience they are more concerned with, theirs or the runners? In this case one of the RD's summed it up pretty well when two miles into the race I heard him say to another runner..."let's face it, this is a totally self absorbed sport and when you're running an ultra you're not thinking of anyone other then yourself" Comforting words coming from the Race Director.

Despite the concerns bubbling up inside me, my day got off to a pretty good start. I was moving along at 9:30/mile pace and feeling pretty good. Although I knew the race was run on road I was somewhat unprepared mentally for how much traffic we would encounter along Rt 66, especially early in the race. The other distraction, was the constant presence of Interstate 40, buzzing with traffic some 100 feet away. Sixteen miles into the race we reached the first "manned"" aid station and I quickly understood the disclaimer in the Race Handbook. It was also at this point I began to hear my body voice it's initial complaints about the firmer surface and its impact on my feet and my knees. Thirty-One miles in we reached the first "Major" aid station where we were allowed to send drop bags. At this point, 50 kilometers and five and a half hours into the race, I was ready for some food, not "drop bag" food but aid station food. Upon arriving at the Route 66 Museum, hosts to the 50K aid station, I was greeted by two very kind ladies who offered me my choice of Chips Ahoy or a few pretzels, period! Maybe the Race Directors could have been slappin' together a few PB J's rather than running! Although I was beginning to become a little undone mentally over this I pressed on eating anything and everything I placed in my drop bag. Although this provided brief relief, I was fading and fading fast from a lack of calories. It was only the kindness of other runners and their crews that helped me through this part of the race. Thanks to those crews that gave me Milky Ways and Turkey Sandwiches, which got me going again. About the time I had calmed down thinking the worst was behind me, it actually managed to get even weirder. Just after dark, closing in on the 50 mile aid station with nine hours behind me I found myself on I-40, yes we were running on the interstate...in the dark. Once that thrill ride ended and we exited quickly and carefully, we had the privilege of running through the busy town of Wethersford and the half way point of the race. In the pre-race instructions we were told that intersections would be marked with arrows on one side and MR100 logos on the other. That must have only applied to certain intersection as none of the thirty to forty intersections in Wethersford were marked. At one point I was so certain I had made a wrong turn, I turned around and started running back to where I had come from only to be assured by a on coming runner that we were still on course. We finally reached the Half Way point and as I changed into warm highly reflective clothing and grabbed some food and lighting I began to seriously contemplate dropping. I had had enough and didn't think I could handle much more. Arguing with myself I left the aid station and walked for a mile before convincing myself to keep going and not allow this race to end my year on a bitter note. I had run fifty miles in under ten hours and had a very good shot at running my first Sub 24 hour one hundred. If I quit, the race won, the only way to somewhat redeem it, was to beat it. With that behind me, I actually started to feel (and run) a little better. The change of shoes at fifty miles proved to be a good strategy. While the Guides (Saucony) were the right shoe to move quickly through the first half of the race, my feet had been aching over the past few miles and the move to the Hurricanes (also Saucony) gave me enough added forefoot cushioning to deal with the pain and start runnning with more confidence. Other then being under dressed and very cold everything was going pretty well. All I had to do is get to the seventy two mile aid station where I had a drop bag with my warm and wind proof Marmot Dry Climb Wind shirt and a stocking cap. The seventy two mile aid station was manned by the TATURS, Tulsa Area Trail Ultra Running Society (If that's not it I think it's pretty close) This was the first aid station that was what you would expect to find at a hundred mile race. Although it was outdoors and very cold, it was loaded with anything a runner would want to eat. I feasted! Life was good, my belly was full, the only thing missing was...you guessed it, my drop bag. Somehow my drop bag ended up somewhere else. Whatever the emotion is between tears and anger, that's where I was. The guy running the aid station sensed I was about to have an out of body experience and offered me the jacket off his back then found fresh batteries for my headlamp. For some strange reason the thought that kept bouncing through my head as I left the friendly confines of the TATUR Aid Station was of Vivian Leigh in A Streetcar Named Desire uttering those famous words "I have always depended on the kindness of Strangers" We were now on a six mile section of dirt road, a surface I normally love to run on, but after seventy two miles of asphalt this seemed awkward and I felt clumsy. It was now just before first light, I had about twelve or thirteen miles to go and about three hours to get it done. It was about this time I remembered my brief career Bow Hunting and the harsh memory that the temperature always dropped right before the sun came up. Yep, it sure did, and although I was still in shorts, it was my hands that took it the hardest. Almost in tears at the eighty-nine mile aid station (again, totally and completely outside) once again another runner's crew came to my rescue with some of those little hand warmers. Hands now warm I began the final push for home. Every bone in my body hurt on impact and my feet felt like an odd combination of concrete and glass. My Quads were heavy and swollen and my hamstrings tight. The first light of the new day however brought with it incredible energy. Less then two hours and this trip through hell would be over. Finally at 8:39 AM I , my now size 12 feet and my size 11 1/2 Saucony Hurricanes reached the finish line of the Mother Road 100 to the sounds of the Rocky. I had my sub 24:00 finish, for whatever that's worth. Once finished, my thoughts turned back to food, based on the medical check I had lost thirteen pounds in one day. Upon asking where I could find the burgers I was directed downstairs. Yep, just moments after running a hundred miles you have to descend an old concrete stairway to find the food and claim your drop bags. I believe this falls under the heading of adding insult to injury. All I could do was laugh.

As I Race Director myself I do not make these comments lightly. If the events I experienced had simply been the result of unforeseen events or of crazy accidents that inevitably happen I would not even bring them up. However what I saw was IN MY OPINION such a blatant lack of accountability and planning not to mention concern for the runners, I feel it would be irresponsible of me not to share my experience. That said, several runners seemed to enjoy their day and I am sure will be back in two years for the Mother Road Part Three. As for me it is the voice of my Mom I hear reverberating in my head as I hear her warning me not to play in the road.

Gettin' my kicks on Route 66

2008-11-06T22:34:00.000-06:00

In some ways this Saturday's Mother Road 100 along Route 66 on the west side of Oklahoma City is the end of my year. It will be my fourth 100 (Vermont, Leadville and Arkansas being the other three) and hopefully my third finish. 2008 certainly did not go the way I had hoped. Fires cancelled Western States and after 85 miles, rain, hail, snow and cold eventually ended my day at Leadville. So although my hopes of completing the Grand Slam ended in August, a successful Mother Road will be moral victory and a nice finish to the year.

However in another way this race really marks the beginning of my quest for the 2009 Grand Slam. Finishing three and three quarter 100's will give me great confidence heading into next year.

I have a much better understanding of how my body reacts to this sort of stress physically, mentally and emotionally and know that if I stay healthy and keep a positive attitude I can do it.
The muscle memory from the four races this year should provide a big advantage next year, especially late in the races.
I have now seen the entire length of the Western States Trail as well as the Vermont 100 course, both of which were mysteries to me heading into this year.
With friend Dave Wakefield pacing me at Leadville next year I am confident I will break my three year dry spell there.
Although each year my body grows older, experience hopefully makes me a little wiser. 2008 taught me a lot about myself and provided me with rich experiences to draw from in the future when the road gets tough.

So although 100 miles of flat Oklahoma asphalt is not as exciting a proposition as some of these other races, for me it represents a turning point. A chance perhaps to put 2008 in the rear view mirror and to look forward to what lies ahead in 2009.

Thanks to the Runners.

2008-11-02T20:55:00.000-06:00

Yesterday's Road to OZ marked the end of another year of races produced by Great Plains Running Company. This was the second year for Karen and I as RD's and for GPRC's seven events. Road to OZ capped off a year that saw over 1,000 participants cross our finish lines, a 55% increase over our inaugural season in '07. Although a ton of work, 2008 was a blessing to us both, as time and time again we were inspired and amazed by the accomplishments of local runners and the generosity of our volunteers. We have been truly humbled by the enthusiastic response we have received from all those involved, and I can honestly say it is an honor for us to be part of these events and to have the opportunity to meet so many great people. We look forward to even greater things in 2009. Here is a quick recap of the past year.

Things really got going in May with our first two events of the year. It was obvious with our first event of the Rock Creek Trail Series that it was going to be a busy year at Lake Perry with many new faces turning out for the 5K/10K. We had five married couples and four father and son combos. Many of these folks had never run on trails before and were instantly hooked. Some loved it so much they went right on by the final turn and just kept on running. When all was said and done however, experience reigned supreme as 54 year old Dan Kuhlman edged out 53 year old Keith Dowell by a second to win the 10K. We also had a number of runners who had never even run a Marathon before, go ahead and sign up for October's 50K. You gotta love it!

One week later it was time for Springburn and the Saucony/Red Robin Kid's Run.
After a very slow start to registration, things exploded and Springburn turn turned out to be our biggest event of the year with nearly 160 running the 12K/5K and over 250 kids showing up on Friday night, whew! While both races saw a number of talented runners, perhaps the biggest news of all was 14 year old Jacob Morgan (now a Washburn Rural Freshman) winning the tough 5K in 18:46. Once again Springburn proved that if you give people a challenge that will stretch them and then make it fun, runners will show up. It is the same reason 360 or so runners showed up in mid January on a 8 degree morning to run the Topeka to Auburn half Marathon and that is why I believe Springburn has been so well received. It's tough, but "doable" (if that's a word). Once again Red Robin was a great host and Saucony a great sponsor, and the addition of Topeka Young Life as beneficiary brought in a number of new runners. In recognition of the construction taking place on the old Menninger property, we will make every effort to maintain a healthy relationship with St Francis and hope to avoid any re-routing in 2009. We also look forward to partner with the YMCA's Strong Kids program to make our kid's runs better then ever, while raising support for the Y's program that tackles Childhood obesity.

Muddy weekends in June and September greeted the next two events in the Rock Creek Trail Series. June is time for Ticks and September brings out the Spiders, what fun we have. Next year the third event will be moved to a little later in the day as we introduce Rock Creek Trail Midnight Madness with tentative distances of 5, 10 and 20 miles.

Mid September is time for those final long runs in preparation for fall marathons and such. In an effort to support runners in that process and to say "thanks" for another year of business GPRC presented the second annual FREE for All, and it really is...FREE! We shuttled a full bus of runners out to Dover then looked for the most difficult way for them to get back and set up a few (6) water stops along the way. Once they returned to the store either by foot or by big green van, Quiznos catered a feast for the tired bunch that were ready for anything October Races might throw their way.

October 25th marked the series finale for Rock Creek with a 5K, Half Marathon and a 5oK. After a LOT of rain early in the week we were finally able to get our leaf blowers out there to get the 18 miles of trail ready for the three distances. Kudos to Lyle Reidy and the Folks at the Kansas Trails Council for building a Trail system that handles water as good as any I've seen. By race day the trails were just about perfect and the weather was beautiful. In total, just shy of 150 runners showed up on Saturday. The 5K was full of several new faces and a slew of younger runners. Maybe that's where all the Monster went? The Half Marathon and 50K were both awesome. Both races had elite runners set new course records and several seasoned runners jostling for position and PR's up front. Trail Nerd Caleb Chatfield set a new course record of 4:14:45 in the 50K and local news anchor and Nerdo Mud Babe Sophia Spencer won the women's race. But the other thing both races had were all the cool, personal stories of runners succeeding at something they had worked towards all year. Something they could never have imagined doing a year ago. Something very few others will ever understand. To see people like Greg and Rachele Pruett, Roy Wohl, Christa Murphy, GPRC's own, Jenn McAnarney and countless others finish their first 50K is a great feeling and makes all the hard work worth while.

Last but not least is Road to OZ. A race that I still think has the most potential of them all, but admittedly may scare some people away. Our goal is simple,embrace the Wizard of OZ as part of our heritage (hey, you gotta work with what you got). So we invite runners to dress like Dorothy (or any other OZ character) run through the Kansas countryside and if you're fast enough you just might win a piece of the yellow brick road. After the adults are done, the kids get to run in the Munchkin run. What could be better. Well this year we had a lot more runners and few more Dorothys along with some Flying Monkey's, Scarecrows, Lions, Tin Men and witches, both Good and Wicked. We also had some really fast runners who led the way. Todd Allen broke his own course record in a time of 24:13 and Tristan Collins became the "Fastest Dorothy" in a time of 25:22. All in all this was a fun way to end the year and next year when we push this race back a week so high school cross country runners can participate I think this race will get even bigger, and certainly crazier.

Now all that's left is to wash the water coolers and re stock the first aid kits and we'll be done with 2008 and although it's been a long year and I'm thankful for the break, I'll admit however I spent much of my morning making notes on how to improve what we offer runners in 2009.

I am thankful for this opportunity to give back to the sport I love, and to support those who are dedicated to it. I have learned a great deal this year about myself as well as others, and thank those who have shared their journey with me throughout this past year. I look forward to all that God has in store for 2009, but for now I am happy for a few more Saturday mornings at home and more time with our kids, the unsung heroes of the GPRC races.

Time to Refocus

2008-10-30T20:57:00.000-05:00

Can it really be the night before Halloween? I haven't "blogged" (that always seems like such a strange word) for almost two months. I think my failure to finish Leaderless for the third year in a row hit me harder then I realized or would admit. Since my last post I have been busy with race directing responsibilities at GPRC. In eight weeks we have put on two Rock Creek Trail events, the 21 Mile Free for All and we'll conclude our year this Saturday with the Road To OZ. Somewhere in the middle of all this the Arkansas Traveller 100 came and went. With very little running between Leadville and Arkansas I was able to push hard the final few miles to get in under 25:00, my PR for a trail 100.

Personally this is one one of those periods of life that feels like the middle of a cold rainy night, 70 miles into a 100 mile race, you're struggling up a huge climb and every step you take sends shock waves through your entire body. Your headlamp just went out and the bladder in your Camelback burst. Yes, sport imitates life, or is it visa verse?

Now with the Mother Road 100 just 9 days away, maybe it's time to start getting focused. I've done almost no real running since Arkansas and it shows, both in my attitude and my midsection. I have paid my money for the 2009 running of the Western States 100, and after this past year's cancellations due to wild fires, this year's running will have extra significance for all who run it. I have no intention of anything other then a sub 24 hour finish which means I need to train hard and train smart over the next six months. With Western States already on the calendar and another attempt at Leadville imminent, another attempt at the Grand Slam seems to be in the cards. So with that, the Mother Road becomes not an end to 2008, but rather the beginning to 2009. This will be a time to reflect on the lessons of this past year as well as a time to plan the next, and if I can do it in under 24 hours all the better.

Wasatch Front 100

2008-09-09T20:30:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Stan Ferguson and the other four Slammers who made it through Wasatch and onto the finale in Arkansas with their Grand Slam hopes still alive.

This was a tough week. I had hoped all year to be in Utah on this day, but with Grand Slam hopes dashed in the mountains of Colorado I decided to save some money and stay at home. I still plan on running Arkansas as it's close enough that we can drive there in less then a day and get a hotel for under $70. I also look forward to cheering on those few who complete their Slam. It will have been a long journey for them. From the fires and cancellation of Western States to the extreme heat and humidity of Vermont, then onto the winter like conditions in Leadville and the rugged terrain of Wasatch, before finally finishing on the rocky trails of Arkansas. There will be no shame in finishing this year's Grand Slam, asterisk or not.

As for next year we will have to wait and see, however with the automatic entry into Western States along with my inability to stay away from Leadville, it is very likely we will try this thing again in 2009. I mean, could it possibly be any worse?

Lingering Pain

2008-09-01T11:51:00.000-05:00

Before the start of every Leadville Trail 100, Race President Ken Chlouber promise runners if they dig deep and finish the race the pain will only last for 30 hours, but if they choose to drop before they reach the end, the pain will last for 365 days. Never has this been more true then the two weeks following this years race.

In 2004, my first year at Leadville, I was happy to have reached the 70mile mark before missing the 70 mile cut-off at Halfmoon Campground. In 2005 I finished Leadville in 29:17. The race came just two months after my Dad passed away and the emotions were still very raw. To this day I view this race as a gift from my Dad who's memory I carried with me throughout the event. In 2006 I came to Leadville in the best shape of my life. In May I had left my job of 12 years at Payless Shoe Source and had plenty of extra time to train that summer. However as the race drew near, Great Plains Running Co was born and a date was set for a September opening. Despite the physical preparation, emotionally I began to loose focus as well as desire. I spent the entire week prior to the race at the kitchen table writing orders and finalizing our bank loan. By the time Saturday came I was exhausted and needless to say failed to finish the race. The lesson...This race is only part physical, you must be totally focused on the task at hand and wholly confident in your ability to finish. One of Leadville's many mottos is "There are no shortcuts" In 2007 I failed to do the proper training, talking more about logging miles then actually running them. It's no surprise 2007 was my worst year at Leadville, barely making the cut-off at Winfield and turning around on the backside of Hope Pass. While it is never fun not to finish, in each of these years I was able to move on fairly quickly, but 2008 has not been as easily forgotten.

As I think back on what went wrong in all honesty I can't blame the weather. Yes I was wet and cold and that I'm sure had some bearing on where I was at emotionally, but the thing I am most upset with myself about is my decision to have a pacer, but then not spending the adequate time preparing her for what she would experience (a cranky, tired, whinny runner) and how best to help me through it, based on what I know works for me when I get to that point. Not properly preparing the person you are going to rely on to "get you through" not only does you no good, but is unfair to them as well. I honestly feel one would be better off going at alone, then relying on someone else to help you through, when they have little clue what to do with you. So, that said, my apologies to MK who did everything she could think of to keep me moving despite the frustration I'm sure she felt and which I could have helped avoid.

So, if for no one other then myself these are the things I should have told MK prior to the start of the race.

Challenge me with questions and small goals that can build confidence. "Hey Willie, do you think you can run for 30 seconds" (Along Half Moon Rd we lost a lot of time because I got lazy, this is a flat section that needs to be run even if it's partially run you can bank a lot of time vs. walking the entire thing.)
Build on these little "victories" Move from run :30/walk 2:00 to run :45/walk 2:00 to run 1:00/walk 2:00 and so on. (On the Half Moon Rd at Leadville a run/walk strategy works well from telephone pole to telephone pole)
Don't ask me if I'm eating and drinking (I'll lie) Just give me a GU and politely tell me to eat it.
Don't let me become a victim of the race or my own pain. Tell me you don't want to hear me whine. I must stay on the offense to get through.
Set me up for successful aid station stops. Set a realistic departure time before we're all the way there, give me adequate warnings and then get me out on time.
If nothing else works tell me I'm probably too old to be doing this anyway then get out of my way.

Leadville 100

2008-08-18T16:21:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday’s Leadville Trail 100 proved to be one of the more “interesting “ runs I’ve ever participated in. After an absolutely beautiful week in Colorado the weather took a nasty turn on Friday and much of the state saw temperatures well below average, as well as heavy rain and even snow in the higher elevations. At 10,152 feet above sea level Leadville is the nation’s highest city and very much part of the “higher elevations”, so as we went to bed Friday night we knew Saturday was not going to be a typical August day in the Rockies. At 4:00 AM Saturday morning around 480 runners lined up at the start in Historic downtown Leadville in a cold rain that was just a foreshadowing of what was to come. As the race began to unfold I felt great and was right on plan through the first 40 miles, despite numerous rounds of rain, sleet and hail. The next 20 miles takes runners up and over 12,600 foot Hope Pass to the Ghost town of Winfield, CO and the turnaround point of the race. This moment of joy (for those who make it in under 14 hours) is soon overshadowed as you are quickly reminded that all this accomplishment wins you is the right to turn around and go back over again. As I finish the “double crossing” and arrive back in Twin Lakes I am well ahead of the cut offs and welcome the fact that from this point on I am allowed to have a “pacer” (MK Thompson) join me for the final 40 miles, providing safety and encouragement. As we leave Twin Lakes the weather begins to worsen . It is now dark, cold and wet, yet God provides the strength to press on. We manage to stay on pace for another 17 miles but by the time we arrive at the 77 mile aid station at the National Fish Hatchery outside Leadville I am coming undone and when I meet my wife Karen, who is waiting I fall completely apart. I am shivering cold and my breathing has become labored , I have no desire to take even one more step. Unfortunately over the years Karen has always found a way to get me to do things that I have absolutely no desire to do, so after 20 minutes of whining she and MK get some hot soup in me and away we go. The next three and a half hours provided a cruel ending to my 2008 Grand Slam attempt. After slowly struggling the 5 miles up 11,000 foot Sugarloaf Pass we were greeted by the worst storm of the day, a complete white out that reduced visibility to mere feet. The only way I knew where to go was by following MK’s footprints in the snow. This final bout with the elements reduced our slow crawl to a death march that eventually got us to the 87 mile aid station too late to make the 6:30 AM cut off. After almost 27 hours both my race and my hopes for this year’s Grand Slam were over. In all only 41 % of those who started the race made it to the finish line in the allowed thirty hours and eighteen of the remaining twenty-four Grand Slammers had failed to make it through Leadville.

So what does one learn from an experience like this? What is God trying to say? Some will offer up the easy answer, suggesting there is more to life then a race or running , inferring I should get my priorities in order and take this as a sign to refocus on those things in life they view are really important. But I don’t believe God dismisses our passions as quickly as others sometimes do. God gave us our gifts and He gives us our passions. For some running is a gift, for others it is a passion, for a few it is both. For others it may be golf or scrapbooking. Our part of the deal is to allow God “in” to our passions and gifts, giving Him, not ourselves, the honor and the glory while pointing others in the direction of a living God who cares about those things that are important to us, that He Himself placed within each one of us, making us unique creations created in His image. When we allow God this sort of access into our daily grind, we put ourselves in the position to be “schooled” by the one who knows us best. For me these lessons have been numerous and invaluable crossing over into all areas of my life. That is why I’ll continue to run. That is where I find God. On a cold, wet trail in the middle of the night, when I am too weak to carry my own burden any further and finally step aside to let God go to work. Hopefully someday I’ll learn to set my pride aside sooner, before I find myself in such trouble. Hey, maybe that’s the lesson of Leadville 2008.

Cold Front Coming

2008-08-14T09:41:00.000-05:00

As you can see it's been a beautiful week here in Leadville and with just two days before the start of the Trail 100 our warm temperatures and blue skys are about to leave us. The latest forecast from the NWS calls for daytime temperatures falling into the high 40's by Saturday and overnight lows below freezing. Oh yeah, it's supposed to rain all day and throughout the night, oh boy!

With less then two days to go the mood at the hostel is antsy as everyone is ready to go. Most folks will work on putting together their drop bags (which will require some extra thought due to the weather forecast) today before the big pasta dinner this evening. With registration for the race up from last year at around 580 runners, the newly remodeled 6th St should be packed.

I plan on heading into Dillon for a movie with Zach and Molly today to get my mind off the race. Hopefully the Mummy will be a nice distraction.

Altitude Adjustment

2008-08-12T18:52:00.000-05:00

I suppose there are a number of ways to prepare your body for running at altitude, however I can't imagine one more enjoyable then spending a week in Leadville acclimating amidst the beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains. Myself, Zach (my son) and Molly (my daughter) along with a number of other LT100 participants take over the Leadville Hostel for the week prior to the big event on Saturday. Wild Bill and Kathy take care to make sure all of their guest, especially their runners are well taken care of, they have yet to disappoint. Went for my last run prior to the race today, a 4.5 mile run around Bald Mtn at 12,000 ft. Running since Vermont has been limited (by design) averaging just 20-25 miles per week. This allows my legs to recover while at the same time maintaining fitness, at least that's the plan. I am beginning to see that getting from race to race is going to be as much of a challenge as getting to the finish line of the races them self. In addition to the recovery, the demands of life don't go on holiday so that I can stay focused on the next event. A lot of effort and time goes into preparing to run a 100 mile race, not just by the runner, but by the runner's family as well. I am blessed to have a family that has always supported my participation in these sort of events and am doubly aware of the "strain" running four of these will place on our entire family. So in the weeks between each event I try to find that delicate balance between staying focused, and giving all I can to minimize the impact this could potentially have on our family. I am also increasingly aware of how fortunate I am to do what I do and to have a team of truly great employees at Great Plains Running Co who not only support and encourage me, but also make it easy to be gone as they continue to give our customers great service while I'm away.

Vermont 100 - One down Three to Go.

2008-07-20T22:20:00.000-05:00

OK, first off, this race is much tougher then advertised. I have never seen so many hills, they just kept coming and coming.

Finished the race this morning just after 6:23 A.M. in a time of 26:23:42. It turned out to be a tough day as the temperatures climbed to 90 degrees with extremely high humidity. In addition a Kansas style afternoon T-storm brought down branches and wreaked havoc with some of the aid station tents. It was the heat however that messed with me, causing me stomach problems from around mile 45 on. At mile 84 I was able to “get some of it up” and felt a little better, but was reduced to running the last 16 miles on nothing but Ginger Ale in my water bottles. There were two moments in this race where I felt so sick I thought for sure I was done, but the support of a couple aid station volunteers and the kindness of two gracious runners helped get me through. God is good, and I felt is hand of protection on me as I struggled throughout the later stages of this race. He gave me peace when I was “losing it”, strength when I needed it and at times I even saw Him use others to help me through to the end. I know there are those who can run events like this under their own strength, even without recognizing or “tapping” into its source. For me, there is no way I could have gotten through yesterday on my own (If I’m honest with myself, I know that’s true in all areas of my life).

Well, now it’s time to turn my thoughts to Leadville which is in four weeks. Physically I need to recover from the stresses of this past weekend. Rest and Ice Cream our on tap for the week ahead. Mentally I need to get focused. Because of the altitude (the entire race is run at elevations over 10,000 feet) Leadville is a tough race for “lowlanders” as we’re called. Also I need to get beyond the fact that in addition to my one finish at Leadville I also have three DNF’s (did not finish). Spiritually I need to remember the lessons from yesterday and remember that God can bring me through my pain given the opportunity, I just need to stay out of the way and let Him work.

Horses?

2008-07-18T18:48:00.000-05:00

Uh, how did I miss that? Discovered today at check-in that there is a 100 mile horse race that runs simultaneously and on the same trail as the run!?

Other then that little surprise, check-in was pretty uneventful. Got my T-Shirt (kinda ugly but hey it's a Patagonia), weighed in (found out I didn't gain as much as I thought) and dropped off my drop bags. At the pre race meeting they informed us that the forecast for tomorrow includes record high temperatures. Just about that time a big thunderstorm rolled through just to add a little extra shot of humidity. On returning to town to grab a steak (my night before meal of choice) I learned that the storm had knocked out the town's power and that dinner was on hold, could it get any better? Well it did. Power was soon back on and I had a great steak and a nice glass of wine at Spooner's Bar and Grill in Woodstock. Well it's off to bed as I have a 1:50 wake up call for the 4:00 start. I look forward to finally taking my first steps in the 2008 Grand Slam.

Vermont

2008-07-17T19:34:00.000-05:00

Is it that time already? Arrived to clear blue sky in Vermont today feeling like I haven't run much the past couple weeks (probably because I haven't) and that I'm at least five pounds heavier then I was going in to Western States. Since California my mileage has been in the 25/week range, partly due to the fact I was trying to let my legs recover from all the downhill I ran and partly because I had a busy few weeks of "fathering". Oh yeah, I began commuting to work riding my bike, more to save on gas then for the exercise, however the added cross training certainly is a nice benefit.

Packed drop bags today and thought through my plan for Saturday. I'm on my own for this one as Karen stayed in Topeka to be Mom. The forecast for Saturday is HOT, near 90 degrees with rain throughout the day and night, oh well, no smoke:) My plan is to try to run hard until it gets hot, then pull back on the pace until evening when it begins to cool down. Would like to finish in under 24 hours and get the buckle. Those who finish between 24 and 30 hours get a plaque and the opportunity to move on to Leadville with their Grand Slam hopes still alive.

In closing I just want to congratulate Paul Schoenlaub on his finish at last weekends Hardrock 100. This is the toughest race in the US and once again Paul goes from St Joseph, MO to the top of the Rockies and runsa great race. Way to go Paul!

Grand Slam*

2008-07-01T14:35:00.000-05:00

Yes, forever more the 2008 Grand Slam will have an * associated with it due to the cancellation of Western States. However, thanks to the Wasatch/Grand Slam race committee for making the decision to recognize the investment (physically, emotionally and financially) 36 runners had already made toward the goal of "slamming" in '08 and offering a modified version of the slam. I would also like to thank this group for not listening to the over compensating, testosterone influenced voices of those who felt that the Western States curve ball was not enough to make this year's slam more complicated and therefor thought the entire thing should be made even more difficult by running either Cascade Crest or Angeles Crest on back to back weekends with Wasatch, please, give me a break, as if having to audible six months into training , extending the season by four weeks, running four 100 milers in eleven weeks wasn't enough. Oh yeah, did I mention that Arkansas Traveler had a less then 50% finishers rate last year and that only one of four Badwater finishers ran it to completion. Traveler has 30,000 feet of elevation change on a course so rocky i was unable to wear shoes for three days following the event. Last year Traveler was run on the same hot and humid day as the much publicized Chicago Marathon. Temperatures in the 90"s with heat indexes well over 100 made for a chaffing fest like noone had ever seen as there was no way to stay dry in the Arkansas sauna. Despite the tough conditions Race Directors Chrissy and Stan Ferguson have put together a GREAT group of volunteers that serve the runners in a way most races could only aspire towards. Needles to say, I think Arkansas is a appropriate substitution and maintains the integrity and credibility of the Grand Slam.

So, how great is this, I still get to run the Grand Slam* this year and I already know I get to go back to Squaw Valley next year. For now...on to Vermont.

Race Therapy

2008-06-30T15:45:00.000-05:00

Earlier in the weekend we heard about a local 20 Mile trail race to be held on Sunday. The race, The Burton Creek Trail Run was put on by the BIG BLUE ADVENTURE SERIES and held just north of Tahoe City. So at about the time I thought I would be finishing one race, I instead toed the line (with a number of other Western States runners) for another race. There is something about running with intention that is therapeutic and therefor this was just what the doctor ordered. Despite a pair of unhappy quads, I was able to get myself moving thanks to a pair of SKINS COMPRESSION SHORTS which held my quads in check and my MONTRAIL STREAKS which always make me feel fast. The course was beautiful, forest, meadow, single track...perfect. I ran the race in 3:37:56 (a 10:54 pace for the 20miles) which is good for me but surprising me due to how sore my legs were from all the miles on Saturday. Despite the disappointment over the cancellation of Western States, the weekend produced some quality mileage (55) and some good hill work (20,000 feet of elevation change) capped off with the 20 mile Burton Creek run. Hopefully this will position me to be in good shape for Vermont, now just three weeks away.

A little hang time

2008-06-29T15:19:00.000-05:00

As the disappointment of the race being canceled, our energies turned to trying to enjoy this time we (Karen and I) had been given. It has been a long time since just the two of us had gotten away so this was an unexpected an badly needed gift. Saturday began not at 3:00 AM as we had planned but instead more like 9:00. Yes race cancellations do have their upside. After coffee at our new favorite coffee and juice stop, Mountain Nectar, I went for a run while KB took a walk over to the nearby Squaw Valley Resort where she was greeted by a very different crowd then the one staying over in the village. While Karen was walking amongst the rich and famous I headed back up Emigrant Pass. On Friday they asked us to keep off the trail beyond that point so I decided to explore. Heading back down the main access road I jumped off and explored some of the other service roads that took me up to to the top of some of the other peaks that encircle Squaw Valley. Once back down at the bottom, quads throbbing, I decided I better get in some real running so headed out on a nearby bike trail that meandered along the Truckee River towards Lake Tahoe. Although the run was absolutely beautiful at times my mind would wander to wear I would be if we were actually racing that day. Robinson Flat, Devils Thumb, Michigan Bluff all places that would have to live in my mind for another year.

Moving On

2008-06-28T14:15:00.000-05:00

There is a Japanese proverb which Running Times Magz. and Scott Jurek made popular in running circles which translates "Stumble seven times, get up eight times". Long before the Japanese used it, Solomon said "They may trip seven times, but each time they will rise again" -Proverbs 24:16 (NLT) Either way the Proverb is appropriate to those who participate in the sport of long distance running, arguably more so when your surface of choice is trail. This spirit of "Perseverance over defeat" filled the air in Squaw Valley in the days following the cancellation of Western States.

With the wind shifting to the south, the air in Squaw Valley improved considerably Friday morning giving us all a chance to get out a run a bit this along with the announcement that we would all receive automatic entries into next years race, lifted peoples spirits and began to get people to think about moving on from the very somber place many of us were on Thursday. For me Friday marked the official beginning of training for Vermont although at this time the whole idea of the Grand Slam was still very much up in the air. Rick, Gabe and I decided to head up the 2,600 vertical feet to Emigrant Pass (this we decided is a cruel way to start a race) and and continue on before turning around at about 7.5 mile mark and heading back. The rest of the day was filled with rare one on one time with Karen (something we just don't get enough of) concluding with a dinner the Western State folks put together in about 36 hours. This time was filled with stories about where you were when you heard the race was canceled and how you would explain to your spouse you spent all that money to get here and all you have to show for it is one expensive T-Shirt. Everyone said they would be back for next year and how this experience would make that much sweeter to get across the finish line. Updates on the fires that were engulfing Northern California indicated that two fires had actually moved onto the Western States Trail and that 100 miles down the road in Auburn the air quality had gotten so bad you could hardly see across the street. If there was still any doubt in anyones mind whether the WSER board had made the right call this pretty well ended it.

We are not in Control

2008-06-26T21:49:00.000-05:00

Late last night we were told by a member of the WS 100 board that this years race had officially been canceled. It had been hinted at earlier in the day, but even so the news hit runners with a feeling of disbelief. I still can't put words to how I feel after pouring so much of myself into preparing for this event over the past five and a half months (as well as for the Grand Slam which is now also up in the air) The amount of time, money and emotion that has been spent by myself along with the 369 other runners will yield... nothing, nothing but a T-Shirt from a race that never happened.

One of the hardest things for me is that there is no one to blame for this, no place to target anger or frustration. I know being angry or frustrated about a race being canceled may sound petty to some, especially when people are fighting to save their homes, and I will be the first to agree that is where our thoughts and prayers should be. Still it hurts and in a way you feel cheated, and I don't know about you but when I'm hurt and cheated my nature wants to place blame (it's something I'm working on). The race was rightfully canceled because of over 800 wildfires that are burning out of control in Northern California, three of which burn within a mile and a half from the trail. These particular fires are not even being faught as they are in very remote back country and there are more pressing fires that are threatening entire communities. The smoke from these fires blankets California from San Francisco to Reno, Nevada and has reduced visibility to, in some cases , less then a mile. The air is so bad you can taste it in your food and at the end of the day, your clothes smell as if you've been at a camp fire. Even walking around Squaw Valley today it would burn your eyes something fierce. The authorities are telling people to stay inside.
The whole situation is just further proof (as if I needed any) that we can prepare and prepare, but ultimately we are not in control. Although it hurts, there was no other choice for the Western States 100 Organization,.There's nothing that anyone can do, it just is.

Training is officially over

2008-06-24T22:56:00.000-05:00

Yes that's right, it's now June and Western States is just four days away. I'm currently acclimating in Squaw Valley at 6,200 feet. Went for a short four mile run this afternoon and had an awesome massage this evening. Oh how I love tapering!

First and formost, my apologies for the long gap in posting, I guess blogging became just another thing on a never ending to do list and lost out to family, our store, training for the Grand Slam, and other interest, including some daily time with God. I will make every effort to keep up with this going forward.

Well to bring you up to speed on what's been going on the last four and a half months. I have run over 1,100 miles including five ultras (Psycho WyCo 50K, Three days of Syllamo 50K x 2, Rockin' K 50 Mile and Free State100K) in preparation for Western States. I lost over 20 pounds on the infamous "spider diet" (no you don't eat spiders) and have been blessed to stay injury free.

It feels as though the training plan I put in place has served me well and I feel about as good as I've ever felt heading into a race. In addition to the 14 day rotating schedule of training runs that included hill work, speed work and back to back long runs on the weekends.I also included once a week weight training, yoga and plyometrics.

I have also gone through a range of emotions relating to why I want to do this and what I hope to learn when it's all over, but in the end it comes down to two things.

1) I hope to rediscover joy in the daily routine of life. I have over complicated my running in recent years in much the same way I over complicate my life. I tend not to invite God into my daily "agenda" until things are falling apart and suddenly there I am, at the end of myself running to God looking for help. This is true when I screw up in life in much the same way I go looking for God around 70 miles into a 100 mile run when it's dark and I am hurting. Through living my life this way I developed this twisted view of life that the most I could hope for was that I would endure the inevitable pain and darkness life dishes out in the same way I endure a race. I have come to believe that God desires more for us then to simply endure.He wants us to enjoy the life he's given us and to worship him by putting Him at the center of all we do.

2) The second thing I hope to gain through this journey is greater humility. While doing something like this could easily become a very self focused endeavor, my goal is to make this about more then just me as there is no way I could ever do anything like this on my own power or abilities. This is about a God who provides strength, A family that is patient with me and supports me. It is about our store, Great Plains Running Co and our great crew that keeps me motivated and allows me to be away from the store for these four events without worry, it's about my Dad, it's about finding pride in being from Topeka, it's about encouraging people to make healthy lifestyle changes and finally it's about me letting go...letting go of years of trying to do it all on my own power, creativity, etc... letting go of selfish ambition and looking only for ways to please myself...and letting go of me being lord over my own life. I pray that through this process of letting go I will become less important to me and God along with all the wonderful people who he has placed in my life will become more.

Implamenting the Plan

2008-02-10T15:29:00.000-06:00

Haven't blogged since 1/23 when I created this thing. This will be a discipline I'll need to work on as I have never really journaled my entire life. I guess I've always thought it best to keep my thoughts safely inside my head. Anyway...

With the Grand Slam now a reality, the last couple of weeks have been filled with taking care of the logistics involved in an endeavor such as this. Registration Forms, flights, lodging, service requirements ( 3of the 4 races require some form of trail or volunteer work as part of your application) and of coarse a training plan that will not only get me to the starting line of Western States in the best shape of my life, but one that will also keep me healthy and injury free during the 10 weeks between June 28 and September 6 when the slam concludes at the Wasatch Front 100 outside Salt Lake City.

The first phase of training has been focused on building a strong base that will support the more intense effort that will be needed later this spring. The plan is built on a 14 day schedule that basically repeats itself, with intensified pace or increase mileage, every two weeks. The 14 day schedule includes 2 speed days, each with their own focus, 2 different hill workouts, 4 longer runs ans 2-4 recovery runs. Core and Strength (weight) work play a big role during this period as well, Both machines and and balance/body focused weights (walking lunges, balance ball dumbbells) are utilized. As you can see from this schedule this is not a time to just heap on miles, but build mileage slowly while stressing the body with targeted workout that will also help make it stronger and faster. As the workload has steadily increased I have also discovered Sleep and Nutrition will need to be addressed. The increased stress on my 45 years old body is already being felt. Without a plan for better sleep and improved nutritional support I may not make it to June.

During the build up to Western States a number of races have been incorporated into the training schedule. These races serve a variety of purposes; one, they are a much more favorable option then going out on a six hour training run by yourself. two, they provide an opportunity to get out on trails, the surface the majority of Grand Slam miles will be run on and three, racing helps keep you sharp for the actual race. There's an old saying, "long slow distance,makes long slow runners" With the demanding time cut-offs in these races one can't afford to be too slow.

On Saturday, February 10 the First of these races was to be held. The PsycoWyco 50K outside Kansas City, a race last year run in 15 degree temps on trails of ice, causing me to fall so often (despite the sheet metal screws drilled into my shoes), that it took me 7:48 to finish the three lap course. This year with 8" of snow falling throughout the region on Wednesday, anything was possible for Saturday.

I really must be crazy

2008-01-22T21:50:00.000-06:00

Ever since early in December when my name was drawn for this years running of the Western States 100 I have been singularly focused on getting myself into the best shape of my life by June 28. For the past couple of years training has had to take a back seat to the work that my wife and I put into opening Great Plains Running Company, a specialty running store in Topeka, KS that is the culmination of our 20+ years of retail experience and nearly as many running. During this time I have continued to "struggle" my way through numerous ultras, even a few 100's, but all done on very little structured training. With our first full year now behind us and a strong team at the store, I found myself totally psyched to start training for Western States, then it happened.

It has always been a struggle of mine to keep balance and perspective when I increase my training. I don't know if there is such a thing as an abusive gene, but excessive behavior has long been part of my make-up. Whether it was drugs and alcohol in my teens and twenties, my career in my thirties and forties or running for the past 20 years I have always had trouble knowing when to say when. So when a friend suggested that since I was going to go to all the effort to get myself ready for Western States that I might as well register for Vermont, Leadville and Wasatch ( the other three races that comprise the Grand Slam of ultra running), I knew I was on the edge of letting this year get way out of control.

I am a runner of very modest ability, and should probably have dismissed the notion before it ever had a chance to take root in my imagination. Attempting the "slam" would certainly be met with skepticism if not laughter and rightfully so. Only 183 runners have completed the Grand Slam, and many runners far more talented then I have tried and fallen short for one reason or another. But running ultras is not logical business, it's more about emotion, and thinking rationally has never been my forte. What do we have if we don't have dreams, and if we don't pursue our dreams what does that say about our personal view of what is possible. In Philippians Paul writes; "in Christ all things are possible". I'm sure Paul was referencing things far more significant then running, however I don't believe we should put limits or restrictions on God's promises. So it is with a dream, God's promise and my wife's blessing that I decided to submit my entry for the 2008 Grand Slam.

It is now late January and my applications have been sent in for all four races, which will be held across a ten week period this summer. The four events cover four Hundred miles, 75,000 feet of elevation gain and 78,000 feet of downhill. The time allotted to do this is 126 hours. Oh Boy!

Today, January 23, my name was officially posted on the Grand Slam web-site. I must admit it is kind of humorous to me to. While there are many logistics (travel, lodging, crew, pacers, etc...) that need to be worked out, the training is once again the focus and the goal remains singular, to finish the Western States 100 on June 29, keeping my life in balance between now and then. Pray for me.