A Trail Runners Blog

One of the many benefits of my Team Inov-8 Jacket by GORE....it's drool-proof!


This is Sophie crashed out around lunch after a very busy second birthday on Monday. This year she knew it was all about her and had a great time! Happy birthday, sweetie! More on her blog.

- SD

If you're like me, you probably throw around the word "electrolyte" regularly without really knowing what they are. It's that salty stuff that helps you consumer water, right? ;-)

Dr. Shawn Dolan at First Endurance has an updated article about electrolytes that spelled it out quite thoroughly. Here's a sample that taught me something about how the body triggers thirst:
"During exercise, the body loses fluids and sodium through sweating. This causes a decrease in blood volume, thereby increasing sodium and chloride concentrations in the blood. The increased concentration of electrolytes in the blood through decreased blood volume is what triggers the thirst mechanism. By the time an athlete becomes thirsty; the electrolytes are already out of balance, so restoration of blood volume is critical for the prevention of dehydration. Water consumption is effective in increasing blood volume; however, there is a consequential dilution of sodium in the blood due to the increased blood volume and excessive sodium losses in sweat, so electrolyte replenishment is key."Electrolyte concentration triggers thirst...who knew? Go here to read the whole article. It's worth checking out.

- SD

Inov-8 showed off some of their upcoming products at the Kendal Outdoor Retail Show (KORS) in the UK this month, and I see a couple of must-haves for my closet! Of course, I am a bit biased. But still, it looks like some great new product coming down the pipe:

A 212-gram mountain running shoe, potentially their fastest yet...


The X-Talon 212 is due out in mid-September (soon!). Also a new line-up of Women's shoes...

A 230-gram racing flat...

And some new Elite backpacks for mountain running...

VERY cool. I've got my eyes on those 212's for sure. Some of these items are slated for 2009 releases. You can check out the official press release for more info.

- SD

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of joining 110 ultrarunners for the 7th annual Where’s Waldo 100k at Willamette Pass, OR. Some of the fastest runners on the planet came to duke it out for the USATF 100k Trail Championships on this challenging course, which features over 20,000’ of vertical change in five climbs. Many others came to enjoy the scenery, meet the wonderful volunteers, and get in a solid day of communing with Mother Nature. This race had been on my “must race” list for ages, largely due to the fact that anyone who has done it came back raving about the soft single track, awesome volunteers, and BBQ at the end. Finally fate put me here!

3am came early on Saturday and my Dad (Dr. Larry Dunlap) and I headed up to the start from Eugene, OR. I was still coughing from a cold I picked up last week, so we had a good discussion on how to approach a race when you’re still under the weather. Luckily he would be volunteering at Charlton Lake (the 50k point), so it made sense to just take it easy and see if I could make it there in one piece. Karma threw a few more elements at us as we arrived – I forgot my socks (thank you Tom Riley for the loaners!), I didn’t catch that there would only be one drop bag delivery on the morning of the race (oops), and I forgot my Sudafed. That’s okay though. I was still so excited to be here that I couldn’t get stressed about anything.

(Sniffling at the start, photo courtesy of Olga)

At 5am we donned our headlights, got a few words from the Race Directors, and headed up into the hills. I got a good luck hug from Olga, who was racing here and then pacing at the Cascade Crest 100 next weekend. Dancing headlights circled like fireflies ahead of me as I walked the first hill and made conversation with other runners. The consensus was there would be three big challenges today – heat (projected to be near 100 degrees by 2pm), mosquitoes (wha?), and Maiden Peak (the fifth and most brutal climb, which comes right about 2pm natch). Right now it was a pleasant 60 degrees, and the first two miles warmed us up enough to tackle the single track on the back side. We got into a mule train and chugged down the hill.

(New constellation? Nope, it's just nighttime runners heading up the first hill)

I paced with Laura Gould from Sequim, WA, and we shared stories of kids invading drop bags before races and other mischief that occurs when little ones help with training. Maybe Sophie is cuddling up with my socks right now! Laura was tackling her first 100k, but had some solid 50-milers under her belt. She asked “what’s it like going 100k?”, and I shared that in my limited experience it is physically similar to a 50-miler, but the mental/emotional roller coaster gets a few more larger dips and peaks. The smile on her face told me she was going to do just fine (which she did, finishing 4th Woman overall in 12:26).

We tiptoed through a camping area at the bottom of the hill and arrived at the Gold Lake aid station (mile 7.4) where a frocked Sean Meissner helped me refill my bottles and drop my headlight. I was coughing more than I would like, but it could just as easily been from drinking dust on the busy single track. I let the pack go ahead of me and walked up the first section towards Mt. Fuji, watching the morning sun light up the meadows.

(Julie Cassata from Seattle, WA, paces us up Mt. Fuji)

The meadows were pleasant to view from a distance, but up close they unleashed a black cloud of Oregon-sized mosquitoes. Every time we got close to a meadow I could hear thigh slapping up and down the trail as the little devils feasted. I paced (quickly) with two gentleman who swore to me that the next aid station would have repellant. Just when we thought we had it bad, we watched another guy pull off the trail to relieve himself and was quickly subsumed in a swarm of hungry insects. His arms swung wildly to slap away the pests, and he fell over, arcing pee all over the place. When he caught us a few minutes later, he said “in case you didn’t see that, I wouldn’t recommend stopping to pee near a meadow”. Now that’s an understatement!

We hit the steep section up Mt. Fuji, and Hal Koerner and Nate McDowell were already heading back. That meant they were nearly 3 miles ahead of us and we were only at mile 10! Amazing. The chase pack was hot on their tail, with Sean Andrish, Neil Olsen, Troy Howard, and Jeff Browning within a couple of minutes. The course record was in joepardy for sure.

(Troy Howard heading back from Mt. Fuji; he finished 10th in 11:09)

The Mt. Fuji aid station (mile 12.4) did have repellant and the volunteers ran us through clouds of Off! like hot wax at the car wash. The mosquitoes were instantly a non-issue, and we all heaved a sigh of relief. We climbed up to the top of Mt. Fuji, passing the Women’s front runners Meghan Arbogast (defending champion), Prudence L’Heureux, and Krissy Moehl all within a minute of each other. Doug Randels from Eugene, OR, arrived at the top with me somewhere around 30th place, and we got a visual tour of where we would be headed from the volunteers. We were covering some serious ground!

(Defending champion Meghan Arbogast leads the Women down Mt. Fuji)

(Prudence L'Heureux in hot pursuit)

(Out and back to the peak of Mt. Fuji)

(Doug Randels and I take in the morning views on Mt. Fuji;
that's Waldo Lake in the background)

The Mt. Fuji aid station (mile 14.9) set us up one more time before we tackled the rolling single track out towards Mt. Ray. This section was so much fun it was hard not to feel like a kid jumping on fallen logs and weaving in and out of the short valleys and creeks. Any time you needed a break, a meadow crossing would pop up and give your legs a rest.

(Doug Randels cuts through one of the lush meadows)

The Mt. Ray aid station (mile 20.5) was a quick stop for watermelon, Pringles, and ice water. It was getting hot enough now that the sweat rate was constant, but the sponge-wielding volunteers were happy to wipe us clean. These guys were amazing! I loaded up and hit the trails again.

That nasty cold of mine started to give me a run for my money on this next climb. My cough was producing far too much phlegm, my head was throbbing, and it felt like my throat was swelling shut. I had brought some DayQuil with me, but wondered if that was too much of a wild card to take during a race. I didn’t want to end up napping on the trail after all! Instead I passed on the drugs and just chalked it up to “crap you have to work through on an ultra” and pressed on to The Twins aid station (mile 27.1). I met some super-nice runners along the way, and we traded off the lead until we saw the sign that said “gypsies ahead”…I wasn’t sure what that meant, but it was definitely going to be fun! The gypsies were charming and accommodating, soaking us with cool water and feeding us frozen fruit pops. I could have hung out there all day. I took some aspirin, chugged a ton of liquids, and grabbed one more ice pop for the trail. Refreshing!

(The gypsies took great care of us at The Twins aid station)

We crested over the third peak on the course, and took the fast single track down towards Charlton Lake. The sun was really on us now, and each exposed section of the course felt like a convection oven (for a nice, even browning). Luckily in this section of Oregon, there is an acre of shady tall pines at every turn so the heat was short-lived. I had to take a bio break and hoped to make it to the next aid station, but my bowels cried “final warning” about a half mile before I got there. I spotted a perfect set of fallen logs to do my business, and was pleased to find a newspaper (sports page no less) right there. I guess I wasn’t the only one who thought this was the perfect spot! I took an extra minute to get caught on the Olympics and jumped back on the trail with Bekele speed. ;-)

I arrive at the Charlton Lake aid station (mile 32), where my Dad was happy to help me out. He noticed my coughing right away, and I took a seat to reapply some sunscreen and think about whether it made sense to drop. My head kept going back and forth…the cold symptoms had me spooked, but the rest of me was doing fine. One of the volunteers told me the next section would be the hottest and very challenging. I asked my Dad if I dropped how long he would need to keep volunteering, and he said two hours. Two hours? Screw that. I’m at least going to the next aid station! My Dad sponged me down, filled the water bottles, and I was off.

Like many times I have contemplated dropping before, it often helps just to get on the other side of the decision. I walked along the lakeshore trail pondering deep thoughts and let a bunch of runners pass me. As they did I noticed that most of them were coughing, had fever-like symptoms, and a few had even lost their voices from the dust and heat. Hmmm, maybe I wasn’t that sick after all! It inspired me enough to pick up the pace and get runnin’.

(Kevin Troyer pauses in one of the hot sections)

I soon hooked up with Kevin Troyer from Portland, OR, who was running this race for the second year in a row and looking great. We soon found out that we shared favorite haunts in Portland, both worked in tech, and were drawn to ultrarunning for similar reasons. Like a two man crew team, we ran in stride through the hottest sections of the course and quickly found ourselves at the Road 4290 aid station (mile 37.2). We each took a refreshing cold sponge shower and picked up the pace. They let us in on the news of the frontrunners – Hal Koerner had dropped, citing foot pain from a recurring injury. That left Neil Olsen and Nate McDonald setting the pace, with Jeff Browning, Joe Grant, Mark Lantz, Jason Bryant, and Sean Andrish in the chase pack. The Women’s race was also close, with Krissy Moehl and Prudence L’Heureux slightly ahead of Meghan Arbogast. All of these men and women were well on pace to beat the course record even with the hot day.

Kevin stopped to take a bio break about two miles later, leaving me to run alone up the climb to the saddle. It was very peaceful…eerily peaceful in fact. That’s when it donned on me that I couldn’t hear a single plane, car, or person. We were serious out there in the boonies! I think Oregon is one of the few places on the planet where it can be this peaceful for hours on end. When all you can hear is the wind, trees, bees, and your own breathing, you've definitely found a special place.

(Trails, meadows, trees...these views were around every corner on this course)

My runners high was kicking in nicely, and I felt that magical moment where I could hear the heartbeats of everything around me…trees, flowers, bees, the earth. They all beat at different rates, but if you listen closely you can hear the harmony that syncs them together. When I matched the rhythm of my steps to their collective beat, I felt like my spirit connected, and the running became effortless. “This,” I repeated to myself, “is why we run.”

(Flowers, trees, bees and more)

I caught up to two runners as the climb got steep enough to walk, and cleared my throat to say hi. Much to my surprise, my cold symptoms had pretty much vanished! I guess I didn't need DayQuil, I just needed a heavy dose of daylight. I had caught up to Chris Thornley (brother of RD Craig) who had come up from Flagstaff, AZ, to do this race a fifth time. We hiked the steep stuff together, chatting with another runner who had caught us. I did my best to keep up the chatter, but was still drunk from my dance with Mother Nature over the last few miles. As we reached the saddle at the top, I wished him luck and charged down to The Twins aid station (mile 45).

At this point, there was no doubt in my mind I was going to finish this race. My spiritual tanks had been topped off, my cold was gone, and the gypsies at the aid station had me flush with food, water, and frozen fruit pops again. I even pet the monkey for good luck!

(Touch my monkey!)

The heat was formidable on this side of the mountain, so I kept up a fast pace on the downhill to get the benefit of the wind. One runner I passed yelled out “it’s 101 degrees on my watch…we’re officially f**ked”. It did feel toasty on the exposed sections, but so much of the course was in tree cover I don’t think it was quite that hot. We would certainly find out as we climbed up Maiden Peak, the steepest part of the course.

As we entered the Maiden Peak aid station (mile 50), 55-year-old Dave Stevenson blew by me like I were standing still. It is always so refreshing to have a super-master school you like that! About four of us loaded up as much fluids as possible for the 3.8 mile climb, and grabbed whatever calories we could stomach. I paced along with Tony Huff from Boise, ID, and we found a good pace running the flats and walking the uphill. Within a mile it got REALLY steep…probably a 18-19 degree incline. The conversation quickly shortened to yes/no answers as we focused on getting up the hill without blowing our calves out. But much in thanks to Tony’s pacesetting, we made it to the top in one piece.

(Tony Huff atop Maiden Peak, with some clouds moving in)

Tony bombed down the steep scree like a banshee, while I took it easy and hung back. The clouds were moving in now, and a few claps of thunder were a prelude of fun to come. The last aid station came quickly (mile 55), and volunteer Bev Abbs was there to set me up. She said the climb had been tough on a lot of folks, pointing to Sean Andrish who was laying on his back and nursing his calves. I had to applaud those who went out hard - this course would certainly take down anyone it could. I wished Sean a speedy recovery and headed down into the last section.

(One of the Rosary Lakes reflects the thunderstorm moving in)

The last section was what you would hope for in a 100k…lots of easy downhill, with plenty of lake and mountain views to keep you distracted. The thunderstorms continued to cheer us on, and threatened with the occasional light rain. I felt good through the finish, and brought it home in 13:13, good enough for 28th place (7th in the open category). Oddly I felt better at the finish than I did at the start!

(Neil Olsen, the 2008 USATF 100k Champion; photo courtesy of Richard Bolt)

(The spoils, photo courtesy of Richard Bolt)

My Dad and brother were at the finish, and we chowed on BBQ and beer as I learned about the top finishers. Neil Olsen had come from behind for the win in an amazing 10:06 course record (read his account here), snatching the overall and Masters 100k national titles. Nate McDowell claimed second (10:10) after leading the pack through much of the race, while 25-year-old Joe Grant took third (10:11). In fact, eight runners had finished under 11 hours with seven under the previous course record! Prudence L’Heureux charged to the finish to win the Women’s title in 11:12, with Krissy Moehl (11:24) and Meghan Arbogast (12:03) completing the podium. You can see the full results here.

My thanks to c0-RD's Craig Thornley and Curt Ringstad and their team for putting a fantastic race. Hopefully we were able to raise a few bucks for the well-deserving Willamette Pass Ski Patrol who really take good care of this area. The course markings were perfect and you have one of the most superb volunteer teams I have ever experience. It was truly epic!

- SD

Three weeks ago, I was clocking big miles to get ready for the Where's Waldo 100k this Saturday. Everything was going well thanks to the unapplied Western States training, and I started to have glimpses of a Top 10 finish at a USATF National Championship. Oh how grand it will be! (play Olympic theme song now)

Then the other (trail running) shoe dropped. Man oh man, how soon we forget that the most important part of a race is to show up healthy.

First, an annoying bump on my hip grew to the size of a golf ball in less than three days, and I found myself using a lunch break to get an abscessed cyst removed. The lunch break turned into a day off as the doctor removed a cup and a half of "fluid" (yuck) and then instructed me to "leave the wound open to heal for few days". Ex-squeeze me? When I got a peek at his handiwork, I nearly fainted. These things are nasty...bad enough my wife won't even look in my direction. And let me tell you, nothing cuts into your training like a huge open wound on your ass. ;-)

A few days later it healed enough to be stitched up, which was more pleasing to the eye but not much of a boost to the running. I put on my gear every morning in hopes to go through the motions, but most of the time I didn't. Then I got to the bonus round by catching a cold from Sophie, leaving us both hacking through the night. When I finally got on the upside of the cold two days ago, I went for a run with heavy legs and lungs like a half-soaked sponge. Drat! So much for my illusions of grandeur for the Where's Waldo 100k. I think just getting to the start is a good accomplishment at this point.

My ass up/lung hacking days on the couch have been blissfully distracted by the Olympics on TV. It makes me really appreciate what these athletes are able to do, setting multiple world records under the spotlight of the world. We often forget that more than half the battle is to just show up fit, healthy, and in the right state of mind.

I'm going to be at the start of Waldo with my best game face...hope to see you there!

- SD

Some ultra stories that you might find interesting:

1) Kevin Sullivan, who placed 2nd at the Vermont 100-miler in his first 100m event (16:15), is interviewed by his local Andover, MA newspaper here. You can also read reports from Inov-8 Team members Andy Jones-Wilkins and Devon Crosby-Helms about their respective wins at the Vermont 100.

2) Danny Abshire, co-founder of Newton Shoes, tells Inc Magazine about how his experience at the Leadville 100 helped prompt him to start a shoe company from scratch (even though he wasn't in the biz).

3) Seattle's Van Phan has a nice blurb and pic in the Seattle Times.

4) Karl Meltzer talks about preparing for his speed record attempt on the 2,174 mile Appalachian Trail.

5) Peter Lubbers and Catherine Sullivan take on the 12 Hours of Cool.

I'm doing more reading than running these days, much in thanks to an abscess on my hip that is requiring some down time. Should be in good shape by start time for Where's Waldo.

SD

Michael Wardian added the USATF 50-mile Trail Championship to his collection (he has the 50k and 100k USATF Road titles as well this year) with a blistering 6:52:50 finish at the White River 50m last weekend. Wardian narrowly beat out 25-year-old Adam Lint from Indiana, PA (6:59:36), 2007 USATF 100-mile champion Jasper Halekas (7:04:25), and 2007 50k/100k road champion Greg Crowther (7:07:39) on a perfect weather day. William Emerson picked up the win for the Mens Masters (7:30:21) just ahead of 100k Trail Champion Mark Lantz (7:52:16). A shout out to Inov-8 Team member John Basham who took 8th (7:15:58) overall.

(Wardian on his way to a win, photo courtesy of Glenn Tachiyama; more here)

40-year old Suzannah Beck from Eugene, OR, took seven minutes off the course record to win the Women's (and Masters) Division in 7:32:12, placing 10th overall. She beat out a fast field and proved her 2008 WTC 50k win was no fluke, edging out Miwok 100k winner Kami Semick (7:42:54) and local Annie Thiessen (8:29:45).

(Beck makes ground to catch Kami Semick at mile 37, photo courtesy of Glenn Tachiyama; more here)

It sounds like all 202 finishers had a great day! (all results here) If you have a race write up, be sure and leave a link in the comments.

- SD

Nike is gearing up for The Human Race 10k on August 31st, where 1 million+ runners will don their iPods to race in 25+ locations around the world at the same time. The race is designed to highlight the Nike+ product line, which tracks and communicates your pace while you run, and allows you to upload it to compare your results to others. Strangers linked together through iPods yet running side by side...certainly an epitome of the information age!

Maybe it's just me, but isn't the theme of this race a tad too oxymoronic? Enter a race, tune into your own playlist while you run, then go back home and upload the results to compare how you ran to all those people you didn't talk to during the run. Isn't this missing the point of having a group event in the first place? Is it easier to upload and compare than just meeting people at the race? For a blog- and social network-dependent world, perhaps this is the most intimate the digerati can be.

I'm bummed that there isn't a Human Race nearby, for I would like to witness it. If anything just to see thousands of runners screaming "ON YOUR LEFT!" to no avail. The blissfully deaf iPod runners are a nightmare in most road races...imagine everyone having one going at full blast! There is definitely going to be some carnage.

I love my iPod (and Nike+), but just can't get my head around this event. Am I crazy?

- SD

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of joining 2,000 runners for the Napa-to-Sonoma Half Marathon, a pleasant point-to-point road race near Sonoma, CA. We met our friend (and Runners World writer) Kristin Armstrong to soak in as much wine country as the weekend could offer, and it turned out to be plenty! Such a wonderful weekend retreat.

We ventured up to Sonoma on Saturday, the day before the race. The Sonoma Mission Inn didn’t know what hit them when Sophie came barreling into the lobby with Rocky (the pug) and Martha (the Bernese Mountain Dog) sniffing and licking everyone in sight. The recently adopted pro-dog policy at the hotel was about to be fully tested with a 2-year-old at the reigns! We stashed our gear and Kik joined us to battle the afternoon heat with poolside cocktails, laughter, and dipping our toes in the water (Sophie went all the way in, of course).

(Sophie loves "jumping" in the pool)

One of the first things you notice every place in the Sonoma/Napa area is that the locally grown food is out of this world. Even Sophie’s side of fruit came with blackberries the size of my thumb, deep dark blueberries, and strawberries so sweet you would swear they were soaked in honey. Dinner at Café La Haye was no exception, with perfectly seasoned carrot soup and fresh pasta with English peas that melt in your mouth. It’s heaven! Carb-loading heaven, that is. But calories don’t count the day before a race, right?


(Headphones abound at this race)

The next morning came early (ugh), as we took the bus to the start. Kik and I both pulled the classic idiot moves by assuming it would be warm at 5:30am. Turns out it is freezing! So we did the best we could with the drop bags provided and dressed condom style. Fashion by Kirkland! It made it a little less awkward when leaning up against larger and warmer people…at least they are protected. 7am came soon enough, and we were all sent off into the Domain Carneros vineyards.


(Kik and I geek out with our Kirkland condom outfits)

It didn’t take long to get warmed up, since the biggest hill starts about 300 yards into the course. But it felt good to get the blood pumping. Kik took charge right away, a sure sign that her trail running in Santa Barbara is producing some mountain goat skills. I keep trying to convince her to join us at the Santa Barbara 9 Trails this year, but ultras remain too mysterious to her. That’s okay, since it wasn’t that long ago she was saying a marathon was too long. Judging by her curiosity, I bet we’ll see her in an ultra in the next year.

(Kik leads the charge up the hill)

We topped the hill and began a long descent into a maze of vineyards. The road ahead of us was a sea of yellow jerseys from the uber-large Team Challenge fundraising group. One of them told me they raised over $2 million, which is pretty impressive. Kik and I made conversation with others while cruising along at a 7:45 min/mile pace. The leaders were long gone, throwing down 5 min miles for a chance at the $1,000 prize. One was even a Kenyan, so you know you gotta be fast to beat this crowd!

The fog began to burn off a bit around mile 5, and the volunteers from the Hanna Boys Center were ready with water, Gatorade, and snacks. You wouldn’t know from their smiling faces that many of these kids came from at-risk situations to attend the Hanna Boys Center residential facility. Clearly there is something magical going on at that place, since those 100+ boys were the happiest folks on the course. We did our best to thank them all for putting on a great race.

(Friendly folks at mile 5)

We found flatter ground around mile 9, and I was amazed at how fast the time was passing. Kik had a great pace going, just fast enough to break a sweat, but slow enough to talk about life, love, kids, and point out the beautiful scenery. Kik is an ideal running partner in that way. She is always exploring her physical, spiritual, and emotional worlds, pushing all of them just enough to stay familiar with the boundaries and stretch them as needed. If she is in the moment, she is fully in the moment. If not, it’s because she is recalling a time that she was. Add in her natural gift for prose, and the miles just fly by effortlessly.

Although the course was fairly flat, it did have its challenges. The toughest part of the course for me was the uneven pavement, which had more odd angles that most trails I run. I guess in an area where there are as many tractors as cars, this kind of thing happens. But running backwards to get a picture can be deadly!

(Kik laughs as I stumble)

Right about the time I said “holy cow, we’re almost done”, we turned onto Broadway St and headed towards Sonoma Square. The guy in front of us said “follow me to Murphy’s Irish Pub for beer!”, and we cracked up. I pointed out that it probably wouldn’t be open at 8:30am, and he just replied “I own the place…it opens when I get there”. Kik and I stuck with him right to the finish!



(Cruising down the final stretch)

Christi, Sophie, and the dogs were there to greet us at the end, where we finished in 1:45:15 (only 37 minutes behind the winner!). We collected our wine glasses, got some early morning tasting in, and enjoyed the live music. Sophie chased the ducks at Sonoma Square, requiring me to put in mile 14 and more. It was so much fun to just get out there and enjoy it, and still have enough energy left to make a day of it.

(Sophie finds the ducks, so I get to run some more)

(All smiles at the finish)


Kik should be writing up her experience for RW, so be sure to keep an eye out for that condom picture. My thanks to Race Director Matt Dockstader, Austin runner Sam Kelley (who gave me his race transfer), and the wonderful volunteers for putting on a great weekend. I now know why it sells out every year!

- SD

Mike Wolfe (Missoula, MT) and Erik Skaden (Folsom, CA) worked together in the last 25 miles of the Tahoe Rim Trail 100m to share the 2008 USATF 100m Championship in 18:59, while Nikki Kimball took the Women's title in 20:18. The official results haven't been posted, but you can read about it here. It sounds like Jon Olsen set the pace for the first half (sub-8 hours!), but then had to drop around mile 60 (damn that Red House Loop!). Nikki Kimball battled it out with Beverly Anderson-Abbs for the first half, despite Bev nursing a leg injury. Kimball drove hard to the finish, while Bev hung on for second place and winning the Womens Masters division.

In the 50-mile, Thomas Reiss defended his title in a course-record 7:52:19 to best former winner Jeff Kozak and become the Nevada State 50-Mile Champion.

I will post the results as soon as they are up. In the meantime, congratulations to everyone!

- SD

Charisse D'hamers, a trail runner living in Calgary, Canada, was attacked while out on her usual 10km trail run a couple of days. Luckily, she survived with minor injuries despite being bitten 8 times.

You can read the details here. Note to self - playing dead does not work with bears! Best to get big and yell.

- SD

I was lucky enough to get a preview copy of the new film Dean Karnazes, Ultramarathon Man (50 Marathons, 50 States, 50 Days) which is set to debut in theatres across the US on July 31st (go here to find a screening near you and buy tickets). This documentary by JB Jenna (also an ultrarunner) gives an insider peek at the 2007 cross-country adventure where Dean, his family, and his support crew take on the epic challenge of running a marathon in each state for 50 days straight, rain or shine.

I found the film entertaining and enjoyed how filmmaker JB Jenna mixed snippets of each marathon with "jogging interviews" with Dean and his family to tell his story. Make no mistake - this movie is about Dean, so you will hear a lot of what is in his book repurposed to get folks up to speed. But once it hits marathon #4, there is enough new material for even the Dean-overdosed to enjoy. At that point the focus is less about Dean, and more about how he interacts with fans, family, and a PR machine firing on all cylinders.

One of the first things that struck me about this film is the significant logistical challenge of running 50 marathons in 50 states, particularly when you are coordinating press in each location and inviting a random number of strangers to come with you. All it takes is a spat of bad weather or a no-show from the police escort, and a casual run becomes a liability nightmare as runners get strewn along the course. The film does not hold back on showing these issues, from runners stopping due to hypothermia (ironically surrounded by runners in North Face spring attire), potentially lost runners, no-show police escorts, physical injuries, and more. It's really quite amazing this went off without a major catastrophe.



What kept the film close to my heart was the stories and faces of the runners who come to join Dean on his marathons. Whether is it the woman from South Dakota who survived cancer and ran 50 marathons in 3 years (this one with Dean was #50, and she just about drove him into the ground with her pace), the Japanese newlyweds who felt inspired enough to reroute their wedding to Hawaii so the groom could join in on the run, or the endless amount of stories of people getting off the couch to run their first marathon, you can't ignore that the power of this film is the real stories behind the story of Dean. I'm not sure if this elevates Dean to the level of "American Hero" like the promotional material states, but you can't ignore that he has positively impacted hundreds with his adventures.

The film concludes with his sub-3 hour finish at the New York Marathon, and his first steps out the door to run back across the US to continue the journey. Did Dean find himself on this adventure, or keep going because he wasn't able to? It's hard to say. But for someone like Dean, perhaps that's the best way to conclude that it is not about the goal, but about how you get there.

If you see it, come back and let me know what you thought!

- SD

23-year-old Kyle Skaggs did what many thought was impossible, and broke the 24 hour barrier at the incredibly steep Hardrock 100-miler (33,000' elevation gain). His time of 23 hours, 23 minutes set a new course record by three hours and beat second place Scott Jaime by over six hours. Diana Finkel of South Fork, Colorado won the Womens division in 31 hours, 9 minutes.

Amazing, you guys!

Read more here at the Durango Herald, and check out the full results here.

- SD

(photo courtesy of Jack Pincus, Durango Herald)

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of joining 370 runners for a 4th of July weekend run at the Angel Island 8k/16k/25k/50k near Tiburon, CA. This fast-yet-challenging race put on by Pacific Coast Trail Runs is a local favorite due to the rapidly changing 360 degree views of the Bay Area, alternating roads and single track, and the addictive camaraderie among the runners. We had glorious running weather, allowing many to achieve PR’s and enjoy some time in the sun afterwards.

I hadn’t originally expected to do the Angel Island 50k, but after the cancellation of Western States I eagerly signed up for 100 miles worth of other races to feel “whole” again. My goal for this race was to see how close I could get to evenly splitting the first and second half of the 50k (which I have never done), plus get some good pics and meet some new faces (natch). There’s an old adage among marathon runners that says “for every mile you run too fast in the first half, it costs you 2 minutes in the second half”. I suspect the ratio is more like 1:3 for 50k’s, and perhaps 1:5 for 50m/100m (maybe even 1:infinity if you go out really hard). The Angel Island 50k course has an ideal layout to test this theory thanks to a 2x3 loop format where each of the three loops gets shorter and steeper. I just need to find a way to hold back my excitement to get back on the trails enough to find that negative split.

On the ferry out, I saw many familiar faces and had a chance to catch up with Mark Gilligan, whom I hadn’t seen since our Death Ride/TRT100 week a year ago. He let me know that his 2nd place finish at the TRT100 had torn some leg muscles that required quite a bit of healing time, and he was just now getting back into training (and targeting the Angeles Crest 100, so I guess he’s not scared off!). His girlfriend was also ready to run, tackling the 25k. As soon as we hit the shore of Angel Island, we rushed to get our gear ready. Around 8:40am, all the runners lined up together and we took off into the foggy hills.


(Aaron, Sarah, and Wendell Doman give us pre-race instructions)

About a quarter mile in, we hit some Dipsea-like stairs that we would get to know intimately on each loop over the next few hours. The short-course runners bolted up like gazelles, with 17-year-old David McDiarmid, Jason Wolf (tapering down for Ironman Lake Placid in a few weeks), and Rasmus Hoeg from Wisconsin leading the pack. Anirban Chowdhury and Jacqueline Tarrant, also 25k runners, kept them in sight as we topped the stairs and broke out along the perimeter road. Among the 50k runners, it was Ray Sanchez out front in his Badwater Ultra training gear (just a few weeks away!) closely followed by Juan Sanchez (not related), Carson Teasley (now getting ready for the Rio 100) and Troy Howard (one last run before tackling the John Muir Trail next weekend). I paced along with Will Gotthardt (fresh off his win at the Pacifica 50k), Mark Gilligan, and marathoner Arne Eiksund who came all the way from Norway to do his first 50k. What fun to run with such an amazing group of people!

(Heading up some single track along the ridge)

The fog was still thick as we hit the far side of the island (mile 3), keeping the temperature in the high 50’s. The first (and fourth) lap was mostly road running, so the 8 min/mile pace felt quite conservative. It all changed as we found the single track about a mile from the aid station, and the 25k runners broke into a sprint with 50k runners Juan Sanchez, Ray Sanchez, and Mark Gilligan chasing after them.

(Mark Gilligan, Andrew Anglemeyer, and Carson Teasley tacking the foggy hillside)

I came in to the aid station (mile 5.6) with Will Gotthardt and Troy Howard, and I refilled my one water bottle (with a Nuun tablet) and headed into the second loop. We joked that the stairs felt like “lunge intervals” since there were just enough steps to feel the burn deep in the hamstrings. Yip! That’s gonna sting in a few more laps.


(Eugene Flannery grabs some shade on his way to the top)

Will paced us up the climb on the second lap, showing us proper technique for high speed stiff-arming of shrubs along the way. The sun met us halfway up, burning its way down through the fog and exposing an anthill full of runners. For one day, this island was ours! We got a good chuckle out if it.


(Arne came all the way from Norway to tackle his first 50k)

As Will and I descended the last section of single track, we were caught by the speedy Juan Suarez. That meant either he took a wrong turn or was about to crush the course record by a half hour! It didn’t take long to figure out that Juan had accidentally skipped the second loop, but no worries, he could just take the second loop next and be back on track. We came into the aid station (mile 10.6) together, refilled, and headed up the stairs again. Juan was clearly going faster than us, but he stuck with us until he knew he was on the right path this time.

(The fog clears a view to Mt. Tam)

Loop three had some great single track all the way to the top, and it was so much fun to bounce around the trail that I found it difficult to stick to a slow pace. Luckily there were plenty of runners to talk to along the way, and the view was getting clearer with every step. I ran slowly right to the peak, took a pic, and picked up the pace for the way down. I didn’t have any other runners around me, so I snuck on the headphones and cranked up some Allman Brothers to keep me company. Ramblin’ Man, indeed!

(Sally Carrington takes a breather at the top)

(Here comes the sun!)

The aid station area (mile 15.3) was glowing in the sun when I arrived, and the lawn was full of resting runners soaking it all in. I took a slightly longer aid stop to refill Hammer Gels, Jelly Bellys, and slam a Vespa before running past the now-open bar/restaurant and tackling the stairs for a fourth time. My split read 2:03…still a bit fast, but I sure felt like I had energy left. I took my time up the stairs, but let my wild horses run as soon as I hit the road. The wind was a bigger factor at this point, but on this island, headwinds quickly become tailwinds if you just keep running. ;-)

My legs thanked me for finally having permission to go fast, and responded by increasing my turnover and pushing the pace. The wind and fog rushing by made it feel like I was running 60 mph! I passed Ray Sanchez, who was saying something about “I thought it was only three laps” while easing up. I eyed another runner ahead and it took a few miles for me to catch him…and then realize he wasn’t in the race at all. I let him know that next time he wants to run that fast, get a race bib and t-shirt to commemorate it!

(The fast road along the perimeter)

Before I knew it I was pulling into the aid station (mile 21) again for more water and some tasty peanut butter crackers. My watch said my split was 90 seconds faster than the first lap, so I was on track. I asked the volunteer how far behind I was, and he just pointed to my left and said “you’re even with that guy for first”…there was Juan Sanchez filling his water bottle! He had just pulled in 30 seconds ahead of me, now fully caught up on the distance. We headed up the stairs AGAIN, and both got on the right trail this time around.

Juan was keeping a phenomenal pace, so my attempts at conversation were short and focused just to stay with him. When we got to a flatter section, I was able to chat with him a bit more. It turns out that Juan was doing his 5th ultra, and lived up in Napa Valley after living previously in Mexico City. We trading off the lead so he could pull us up the hills and I could pace the flats, squeezing in conversation when it fit. Juan took the last half mile of single track with tremendous speed, and it took everything I had just to keep him in sight. We entered the aid station (mile 26, 60 seconds faster than the previous loop) where the volunteers loaded us up on water and Coke. Then we gave each other that steely-eyed “high noon” look, and launched up the stairs as fast as we could. The game was on!

Within minutes, we were running each other into the ground and forcing walk breaks every 5-6 minutes. Juan would pass me, have to take a break, then I would pass him. He was an absolute gentleman, thanking me as he passed each time. When I wasn’t gasping for air, I did the same. Juan went hard on the last climb, and by the time I got sight of him, he had gapped me by about 30 seconds and was giving it all he had on the return trip. He was “all in” as they say in poker terms.

(Juan Sanchez screams down from the peak)

I tagged the summit one last time, cinched down everything, and tore down the hill. Troy Howard and Andrew Anglemeyer were just a few minutes behind, kind enough to shout out the time gap as I went by. It sounded like I was keeping pace but not making any time, so I opted for some focused surges of 1-2 minutes. At one point, I saw Juan along the ridge as he passed a picnic bench, so I counted off the seconds until I reached it. I was 38 seconds behind. That was enough to keep going hard, so I kept on surging.

I hit the last section of single track, now flooded with tourists (who kindly stepped out of the way and gave a cheer). I used every open gap I had to go hard, but I wasn’t seeing Juan on the upcoming switchbacks. It turns out he had taken a short wrong turn, then used his fear-induced energy to sprint down the hill a good minute ahead of me. I came into the final stretch to finish in 2nd (4:08), with Troy Howard (4:13) and Andrew Anglemeyer (4:15) right behind me. Juan greeted me with the biggest smile, and we thanked each other for keeping us going strong in the last few sections. I didn’t quite get my negative split (2:03/2:05), but was very close and probably could have done it without the tourist traffic.


(Scott, Juan, and the deep blue sea)

As we ate chili and soup and caught up on calories, there were lots of smiles coming across the finish line. Will Gotthardt came in 6th (an age group win), which puts him in 1st place for the Pacific Coast Trail Run Ultra Series. Norwegian Arne Eiksund clocked a respectable 4:36 PR in his first 50k (9th overall), and was greeted by his wife and three daughters (many of whom ran the 8k).

(The Eiksund family)

(Mike Nuttall celebrates his PR with Danielle Perron
and Pierre Barsalou from Montreal, Canada who both ran the 25k)

59-year-old Mike Nuttall ran 4:56, cracking five hours for the first time ever and looking fresh at the finish. Some guys just keep getting faster! Juliet Morgan from Redondo Beach, CA, was right behind him to net the Overall Female win (4:58) and blasting her to a huge lead in the Pacific Coast Trail Run Ultra Series. In fact, it seemed like every 3-4 runners was shouting “PR!” as they crossed the finish. You can’t ask for much more than that. (all results here)

(The 50k winners, Juliet Morgan and Juan Sanchez)

I loaded up on snacks and caught the ferry back home, ear-to-ear smiles the whole way. I wasn’t sure if it was the even split goal or coming off of all the Western States training, but that run felt controlled and awesome from start to finish. My soul was full of fireworks, refreshed by the Island of Angels and the fantastic RD’s and volunteers of Pacific Coast Trail Runs. Can’t wait to get back!

- SD

The Auburn Journal wrote an article about Tim Tweitmeyer's 200 mile run to raise awareness for a resolution (and hopefully upcoming Senate bill) to give the Western States Trail federal protection as a national historic or scenic trail. Hopefully Tim isn't going have any issues with the forest fire smoke - 200 miles is a long way!

Read the full article here.

- SD

Our very own Gretchen Brugman (now training for the TRT100, her first 100) wrote an article about the cancelation of Western States. Donald Buraglio and myself were quoted. Be sure to read the whole article here.

I have been debating whether or not it is proper etiquette to wear the 2008 Western States t-shirt that came in the race packet. I haven't done the race, so according to Bad Ben's rules of t-shirt etiquette, I shouldn't don the threads. But is there a special rule for canceled races? What do you guys think?

I'm thinking no, it shouldn't be worn. But I comprimised by deciding that it was okay to wear the shirt for one day (today) for a memorial run along the Tahoe Rim Trail. The smoke isn't too bad up around Tahoe (still brutal around Foresthill), so I headed out for a casual 12 mile out-and-back. It was such a peaceful run, and I kept repeating "oh, that magic feeling...nowhere to go" from The Beatles' You Never Give Me Your Money. Sometimes it's good to not be tethered by a goal race. ;-)

Added a few new races to the schedule - Angel Island 50k next week, the Napa to Sonoma 1/2 Marathon with Kik Armstrong two weeks after that, the brand new Skyline to the Sea 50k in September, and back to the Santa Barbara 9 Trails in November. I can't fit in a replacement 100m this year since all my key weekends are committed, so it sure felt good to sign up for 100 miles worth of races. As the case with entering Western States, I was instantly revitalized by projecting the adventures to be had.

Onward and upward. I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

- SD

I haven't received any direct communication, but those in the know have been telling me it's official - the Western States 100 has been canceled. The smoke, fires, and access difficulties are proving too risky to move forward. I'm sure it was a tough decision for Greg Soderlund, Tim Tweitmeyer, and the Board, and I'm glad erred on the side of safety for the runners and volunteers alike. I'll post anything official that gets sent.

Such an odd feeling right now. Three years of lotteries, hundreds of hours of training and preparation all leading up to a single day, and just like that, it's gone. I'm sure everyone else is feeling the same, runners and volunteers alike. It's so weird to go from obsessing about one race every second of the day, to unpacking drop bags and not having the energy to even think about another race.

A couple more beers, I'm sure it will pass. ;-)

This next beer is for all of you who had the dedication, drive, and passion to be in Tahoe this week in the best shape of your life. Even without a race, there should be deep satisfaction in this accomplishment. I will drink one beer for each of you...better get started!

- SD

So I arrived at Lake Tahoe today to find...actually to not find...the Lake due to substantial drift smoke from the over 800 forest fires going on in California right now. One of them, called the Foresthill Fire (earlier called the Mosquito Fire), is a 75 acre fire on Mosquito Ridge Road not too far from the Bath Road aid station (mile 60.6). It is contained as of this morning, but the smoke hanging in the valleys remains substantial. I took a jog this morning, and although I wasn't "hacking", I was as dry as a desert sandstorm at high noon in hell. Hopefully this isn't going to be a factor for the Western States 100 on Saturday...


The current weather forecasts for Foresthill (as accurate as they can be this far out) say this should all blow over by Friday, returning to the 95-100 degree heat we all know and love. However, the SpareTheAir forecast says unhealthy levels of smoke and particles will remain through the weekend thanks to Delta breezes pulling even more from the Napa fires, and high pressure over the area will create a heat vortex on top of that. There is also a slight chance of thunderstorms - sweet! Note to self...add Visine, oxygen masks, and rain gear to the Michigan Bluff drop bag...

- SD

The Western States 100 is six days away and I am now officially freaking out. I keep reminding myself I shouldn't be worried...I've done the miles, I'm running faster than ever, and even my heat training is going well. It's not like I'm trying to win the damn thing. So why am I waking up in a cold sweat each morning like a death row inmate scheduled to walk the green mile come Saturday?

I think the main culprit is tapering, a process with which I am not very familiar. To honor the taper means to give up the long and/or hard runs, both of which are my main source of stress relief. I'm doing that, down to about 1/3 or my high miles just a few weeks ago. In place of it, I now have big spans of time to worry and fret. It doesn't help that I'm planning drop bags, finishing final steps with my crew, and by nature of doing both of these, thinking of every possible thing that could go wrong. Even Rocky the Pug senses I am nervous, curling up next to me as I sit on the couch and stare into space.

"It's all part of the process," I tell myself, "and only acknowledges how epic this experience will be." Then I swallow hard, and repeat the phrase over and over. ;-)

About the only thing that gets me sidetracked is to think about it as a race I'm not in, and pontificate about the battle for the Top 10 Men and Women. This is going to be an incredible year for both, that's for sure. For the Men, you have the following:

• Proven Western States competitors that have placed well in this race before, such as Hal Koerner, Erik Skaden (running faster than ever), Graham Cooper (same), Andy Jones-Wilkins (ditto), Jon Olsen (yup), Brian Morrison (with something to prove), Glen Redpath, Jean Pommier (I bet sub-2o this year), Jeff Riley, Kevin Sawchuk (going for his 1000-mile buckle), Craig Thornley, and more.
  
• Proven Ultra Gods like Karl Meltzer, Anton Krupicka, Lon Freeman, and top ultra runners who have done well in Tahoe before like Sean Meissner.
  
• Road and Trail Speed Demons like Michael Wardian (2008 50k/100k Road Champ), Todd Braje (WTC 50k winner, sub-2:30 marathoner), Michael Buchanan (Helen Klein 50m record holder), Chikara Omine (many 50k/50m course records), Scott Wolfe, and Dom and Wade Repta from Canada (top Miwok finishers).
  

For the Women, it's just as crazy:

• Proven Western States competitors like Nikki Kimball (3-time winner), Bev Anderson-Abbs (3-time 2nd place), Caren Spore, Meghan Arbogast, Annette Bednosky (former winner), and more.
  
• Ultra Goddesses such as Jenn Shelton (sub-15 hour course record at the Rocky Raccoon 100), Jenny Capel (faster than ever), Michelle Barton (who has won just about everything she entered in the last year), and the list goes on.
  
• Speed demons like Devon Crosby-Helms (marathon, 50k, and 100k champ) and Susannah Beck (2:34 marathoner who crushed WTC 50k this year).

I've heard that so many of the Men and Women are running in top form this year - it's going to be a serious honor to crack the 2008 Top 10. Not that it wasn't any other year, of course. ;-)

Okay, time to relax and try and get some sleep. Heading up to Tahoe soon to get a bit of acclimation rolling, and I hope to see y'all up there. In the meantime if you have some taper relaxation tips, I would love to hear them!

Cheers, SD

Chris Strasser at Mountain Hardwear/Montrail passed on the new job opening below, which sounds like a great opportunity for somebody who wants to work in the industry. The job is located in Richmond, CA - go here to apply online.

- SD

Promotions Coordinator, Mountain Hardwear/Montrail

General Position Summary:

Develop and execute Montrail event programs, athlete sponsorships and promotional programs to effectively increase awareness of the Montrail brand and strengthen the Montrail image. Support the Promotions Project Manager in all areas of operations with a focus on the Montrail Brand. Contribute to the development and implementation of promotions strategies for all product lines.

Essential Functions/Major Responsibilities:

Coordinate and execute all Montrail sponsored events. Manage preparation, direct all onsite activities and evaluate effectiveness of event. Programs may be on the local, regional, national or international levels. Travel on the behalf of Montrail to all events.

Manage Montrail athlete team. Serve as key contact with involved parties to ensure sponsorship commitments are fulfilled. Coordinate all team uniforms. Execute programs to promote Montrail athletes, which may include but are not limited to photo shoots and other grassroots efforts.

Develop and execute other grassroots promotional programs to increase Montrail brand awareness.

Assist Promotions Project Manager with Mountain Hardwear events, athletes and other promotional programs. Process all sponsorship requests (event, athlete, and other promotional) including organizing, evaluating and screening in-coming requests and presenting findings. Travel on the behalf of Mountain Hardwear to appropriate events and sponsorships.

Assist in content generation for the Mountain Hardwear and Montrail consumer sites and blogs. Identify possible blog entries and encourage Mountain Hardwear and Montrail athletes to post articles and photos.

Assist in the development of promotional budgets and overall budget tracking procedures for promotions marketing.

Collaborate and work closely with internal and external marketing partners.

Secondary Functions:

Coordinate activities/projects with marketing department to enhance and maintain overall brand image and marketing consistency.

Establish and maintain lines of communication with all Mountain Hardwear management, product managers, sales representatives, staff and other departments as well as appropriate external contacts in order to contribute to the smooth flow of information and efficient operation of the organization.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Job Scope:

Job is frequently varied with a moderate degree of complexity. Incumbent follows some established practices and procedures and occasionally contributes to the development of new ones. Duties are performed with moderate supervision or directions and work is checked or verified sometimes visually and/or by results. Decisions are made within general policy guidelines. Errors can adversely affect the smooth and efficient operation of the department and the use of its resources.


Supervisory Responsibility:

This position is not supervisory at this time.


Interpersonal Contacts:

Contacts are normally made with others both inside and outside the organization. Internal contacts will include the Marketing Director, Promotions Project Manager, Retail Marketing Manager, other members of the Marketing department, Product Managers and other company employees. External contacts may include consumers, athletes, vendors, sales representatives and anyone involved in outside promotions and events. Interactions tend to focus on information exchange, problem solving, or giving and receiving directions. Contacts occasionally contain confidential/sensitive information. Incumbent often initiates contacts on his/her own by phone, email and the face-to-face interaction.


Specific Job Skills:


Possess excellent event and project management skills with ability to work under pressure, meet tight timelines and coordinate multiple tasks simultaneously. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Possess strong communications and writing skills. Ability to write standard business letters and edit as necessary. Mental ability to conduct interpersonal interactions with members of the public, vendors, sales reps, and other company personnel. Possess research and analysis capabilities with regard to promotions including but not limited to events, athletes, and consumer initiatives. Ability to operate independently and follow general guidelines. Ability to read, write, and speak English fluently. Must possess good working knowledge of Outlook, Word and Excel. Physical ability to use telephone, computer hardware/software including keyboard, type, sit and stand for extended periods of time, and occasionally lift/carry up to 50 pounds. Ability to travel worldwide on commercial transportation.

Education and/or Experience:

Bachelors degree or equivalent, preferably in marketing or a related field or equivalent work experience. 3+ years marketing experience with 2+ year’s event/promotional and/or outdoor industry marketing experience preferred.


Job Conditions:

Job may require hours that exceed 8 hours per day and/or 40 hours per week during peak season or rush projects. Job requires travel throughout the US, occasional weekend and evening meetings/travel and exposure to some physical hazards. Exposure to a computer CRT.