Colorado Trail - Segment 1

A call was put out last week by JT for an out & back group run on segment 1 of the Colorado Trail.  I thought it was on Saturday, but later found out the group was heading out on Sunday morning.  Since that didn't work for me, I opted to go it alone on Saturday as it sounded like a fun, long run on "new to me" trails.

Run Stats

I began the run at 5:30am, so my jaunt up Waterton Canyon was in darkness.  The coolest moment of the day came when I was passing a towering cliff that had to be 100' high.  I looked up with my headlamp and found ten pairs of glowing eyes looking down at me about 3/4 of the way up.  They were so far up that I couldn't see anything but the eyes.  I'm sure it was the herd of bighorn sheep, but it was crazy to think of them spending the night on the face of a cliff.

Thankfully dawn had arrived by the time I reached the dam and began the real CT (sans headlamp).

Looking northeast at Turkshead Peak

The first several miles of singletrack feature switchbacks as you climb up to Lenny's Rest.  As much as I would have loved being with a group, the solitude in the forest was exactly what I needed.  No talking, no music...just me and the sounds of woodpeckers, chirping birds, and whatever that weird noise is that squirrels make.

The trail conditions were awesome considering it's still March!  If you strung together all the snow patches I encountered over the 32 miles, the snow/ice would have accounted for about 2-3 miles.

These weren't fun, but they were short.

Well, some where a bit longer.

Couple of spots opened up the view to the west.  Raleigh Peak?

Cool views of Mt. Evans.

Long Scraggy Peak?  I wish I knew what I was looking out at.  One of the burn areas on the right.

From high above the South Platte.  Fun running down, but a slog coming back up!

Need some help with this.  Dog?  Cougar?  The middle of the print looks funny with the three bumps.  I'm wondering if it's a print inside of a print. 

Here are the two others close to the one above.  These look more like some sort of small cat.  For reference, I wear a size 12.5 shoe.

Segment Two Trailhead

The start of segment two was calling for me to come!

Is this pronounced like Goudy or Judy?  Oh the things you will think about for over an hour on a long run!

If the temps weren't hovering around 32 here, I would have considered hanging out a bit.

I decided to once again experiment with nutrition on this run.  I tried a 30 miler last year and ate only potatoes, and a bunch of different cookies & crackers.  That test didn't go so well.  On this run, I decided to skip the gels and eat nothing but Scooby Snacks.  They're actually quite tasty to me, and they pack 130 calories, 22g carbs, 120mg sodium, 2g protein into nine dog bones.

The results?  I give 'em two thumbs up.  There are about 90 bones in the box and I ate 60 of them.  No, I didn't actually run with the box in hand!  I felt fine the entire run and never got tired of the taste/consistency.  I'd pop two in at a time and let them sit in my cheeks a bit before gobbling them down.  During the second half, I needed a quick shot of water to help since my mouth was a bit more dry.

With all that said, I have a really bad habit of getting to the last 5-8 miles of a run/race and feeling like I should be able to stop eating and be fine to the finish.  I have done this too many times to count.  When I got to the dam, I felt like I was on the home stretch and stopped eating while clicking off a couple miles in the mid-7's.  Not smart.  Had I kept with the program and not try to be a superhero, I would have returned to my car feeling solid.  Instead, the last two miles to the trailhead were borderline miserable.  Someday I will learn.  Someday.

The Love-Hate Workout

All is well getting back into a training cycle for the Quad Rock 50 in May.  In fact, that will kick off a series of three races in a span of six weeks.  One thing I can't ignore about these races is the vertical.  All of them will be quite hilly.

Quad Rock 50 = 11,000+'
Golden Gate Dirty Thirty (50k) = 7,680'
San Juan Solstice 50 = 12,000+'

With the above in mind, I've kicked off my weekday early morning Mt. Falcon sessions.  Instead of running a full loop and hitting every trail (which I enjoy immensely), I'm sticking with a 3-2-1 to force myself to workout on the most painful (mentally & physically) part of the park.  The first three miles from the lower lot is not fun, but provides the most vertical bang for your buck.  So starting at 5am, I run up to the shelter (3 mi) and back down to the lowest point, turnaround and head back up two miles, and then repeat by climbing that first dreaded mile.

It's funny how this workout creates the same conditions of mental anguish I've experienced in trail races with lap courses.  All I can think about during the first 3 mile climb is that I'm going to be doing most of it all over again.  I'm hoping that repeating this workout will toughen me to realize it's not a big deal and I just need to suck it up.

I resampled the GPS data and got 3893', but I'm thinking that is still several hundred feet too high.

The problem I see right now is I'm running too much.  I'm not talking about mileage, but how I'm getting my miles in.  I'm going to toss in an extra "hiking only" morning soon.  It's a weakness right now and I know all three races will expose it in short order.

Runnin' The Strip

The week of 2/20 found me at a conference in Vegas for a few days.  I was fresh off the Red Hot, but had the itch to run a bit after sitting around most of the day.

If you're looking for trails you can run to from the Strip, they're no where to be found.  Even though you can see mountains in almost every direction, you'll need a car to get there.

So running the Strip was my only non-treadmill option.  Unless you like constantly weaving around people, I learned quickly that the only time to run the Strip is early.  That may be a problem for some, but I'm not much of a nightlife guy, so I ventured out around 6am and joined all the other runners pounding the pavement.  It was actually an enjoyable run.  There's no shortage of things to look at. They have elevated pedestrian walkways at most major intersections, so you get several small climbs mixed in.

I don't have much else to report from a running front.  My next race is the Quad Rock 50 in May, so I'm looking forward to a training block without the pressure of an immediate race.  I need to start ramping up my miles and begin getting back over to the foothills for some climbing.  More importantly, I still need to heal up the ache in my knee.

2012 Red Hot 55k Report

In all my ultras to date, I've entered with a plan to run my own race.  I'll figure out various aid station splits to meet my goal time, and then I simply put my head down and try to make it happen.  For the Red Hot, I took on a very different approach.  No splits and no conservative start.

My goal was to crack five hours after running a 5:16 last year and knowing I could do a little better.  I knew that shaving off 17 minutes would require a "racing" type effort from the start and that's not typically how I roll out there.  Shortly before the race, I decided that in order to make it happen, I'd go to school.  My teachers would be Todd Gangelhoff and Joe Ziegenfuss.  Both of these guys have thrown down some impressive times at many races.  Todd went sub-5 last year, so my plan was to chase them and observe how they ran.

The morning was chilly as the sun rose into bright blue skies.  After a quick pre-race meeting we were off into the spectacular canyons and mesas.  It was quite convenient for me that Joe and Todd began running together, so I hung back as school was in session.  A few miles in, Joe pulled over for a bathroom break and Todd and I just kept trucking along.

The meeting - Pink ribbon is Good.  Blue ribbon is bad.

Photo:  Colorado Runner Magazine

If you've ever run with Todd, you would know what a strong uphill runner he is.  There's a decent amount of climb in the first 10 miles of the race and Todd's pace was hot.  We were easily clicking off some miles in the low 7's.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about a major blowup later on.  Who was I trying to kid?  I've only run that pace in a road marathon.  Around mile 14, we hit a long flat stretch and Todd and another dude started pulling away as I just couldn't keep that pace going any longer. 


I came into aid station #3 and one of the volunteers said I was 15 minutes behind the leader.  I laughed since no one has ever provided me that information in a race before.  My response?  "Thanks, but that time is only going grow!"


At mile 18.5, I pulled over for a bathroom break and lo and behold, Joe comes flying along.  I quickly hopped back on the trail and we chatted for a bit.  Apparently Joe had been about 300 yds behind me for the last 15 miles. 


What followed was Joe and I leapfrogging a bit and helping each other stay on course during the slickrock section.  He was typically in front of me and at times started to pull away.  It was around now the pain "tennis match" began.  My knee began the "bandera ache", and my left hip was giving me a sharp stinging sensation.  The hip thing began about a week before the race, but I figured it would eventually run it's course. The knee and hip nicely alternated in delivering their pain.  While the pain was real, it was nothing compared to the sting of a DNF, which was still fresh in my mind from Bandera.

The only pic captured on course.  Joe about 300 yds ahead.

After passing through the mile 28 aid station, we were running next to each other and agreed that breaking 5 hours was not going to happen.  I was discouraged, but tried to hold it together enough to stay under 5:16.  Joe slowed down to run next to me, but I told him to go on ahead.  My breathing was a bit off, so I really couldn't talk.  It didn't take much and he move ahead by a quarter mile or more.


With about a mile to go, I started to recognize the final stretch and looked at my watch.  4:43.  I'm not sure what we were thinking when we thought we wouldn't make it under 5 hrs.  That really got the juices flowing and I started pushing it hard on the downhill stretch.  Joe had built up quite a gap, but I was able to cut some of it and cross the finish line about 10 seconds after him.  4:50.  13th place!

So happy to be done!  One of my top three favorite finish line scenes awaited.

This race was by far the hardest I've pushed it in an ultra.  I can't thank Todd & Joe enough for being the carrot that kept me going.  I know I would have walked more in the second half if Joe wasn't up ahead running.  I carried my camera and it would have been a perfect day to capture some shots of the course, but when you're chasing some seriously fast guys, taking the camera out is not an option.  I did once towards the end, but that was so I could not kick myself for carrying it and never using it.

I'm not sure if I could run this race any faster.  Maybe a just a tad, maybe not.  It is very hard running an ultra like this with a marathon type pacing effort.  Very hard, but very rewarding.  

After the race, Tanya & the girls took me back into Arches for some....hiking!  Yes, we cruised around Balanced Rock and a few arches.  It felt good to walk and the weather was simply gorgeous.  I can't get enough of Moab and maximizing the day was all we wanted to do.  Since I didn't take many pictures during the race, here are a few from Arches.

No rest for the weary.   It was easy to scrounge up some energy when this awaited!

This pic cracks me up.  Megan holding up the South Window Arch.

Now for a little perspective on how large the South Window truly is!  It is probably 1000 feet behind them.

Moab's Red Hot 55k Update

4:50.  We couldn't have had better conditions to run in out here.  Todd G = 4:42 (7th).  Joe Z = 4:49.  Not sure who won, but it was somewhere in the 4:12 range.

Winter Runs

I've been trying to keep some running momentum lately and it always helps to have some fun excursions to keep things fresh.

Two weeks ago, I met up with JP, JY, JZ, and CB for some miles at Matthew Winters/Red Rocks/Green Mountain.  As always, it's a great time running with any of those guys.  Especially when we start on a frigid and dark morning.

The sunrise was welcomed by all, but the clouds stole some of the desired heat.

The driest CO trails I've run on since November.

Mt. Morrison and Red Rocks provides a nice backdrop.

A bunch of TURDs.  (Trail Ultra Running Dads - Thanks CB)

Last weekend, we had the opportunity to spend some time in the Icebox of America.  Just being in the mountains with a spectacular view of Byers Peak from the condo, the pull to get out and run was quite strong.

Did I mention it was cold?  The first morning, I got a half mile into my run and passed a Bank of the West sign that showed the temperature at minus 11 (not sure how accurate it was).  I cruised up County Road 72 from downtown Fraser pressing my gloves onto the exposed skin of my cheeks and entered the National Forest at Elk Creek.  At the trailhead parking lot, there was a snowcat parked off to the side.  Could it be?  Yes, groomed trails/roads!  It was brilliant.  I ventured a few miles into the forest on hard-packed snow and could have run for many, many more had time allowed.

The next day I drove to County Road 73 to start my run.  It was downright toasty on Sunday.

I got about a half mile into the run and snapped this picture of Byers Peak.  My camera froze and became non-functional on both days, so this is the only shot I came home with.

After about four miles of dirt road running, I came to the end of the line.  The road turned into a snowmobile only trail.  I continued on it another mile trying to step where snowshoers or cross-country skiers had left tracks, but the snow was not nearly as solid and I was breaking through.

All in all, I feel like I found a great place for some mountain running in the winter.  Those county and forest service roads are either plowed or groomed!  I got close to Byers Peak and summit fever hit, but that will have to wait for another, much warmer day.

The view from the condo and my amateurish sketching abilities.

The Upside of a DNF

"If you see failure as a monster stalking you, or one that has already ruined your life, take another look.  That monster can become a benevolent teacher, opening your mind to successes you cannot now imagine."  -Martha Beck

Life has moved on after Bandera.  My knee seems to have recovered well and I've managed a handful of 10 mile runs without any pain.  I'm now trying to ramp my miles up a bit for a week or two before the Red Hot 55k in Moab next month.

It has been funny processing through my Bandera experience.  In 2010, when I ran Boston and had a lackluster day, I was left with a frustration about how it turned out.  Yes, I finished the marathon, but fell way short of the goal I had set for the day.  After the race, whenever I looked at my Boston shirt or jacket, I wanted nothing to do with it.  I had this odd feeling that I didn't deserve to wear them.  All things Boston just reminded me of that failure and missed opportunity.

I assumed I'd have similar feelings about Bandera after having to drop.  But a funny thing has happened.  Whenever I see my bib, race sweatshirt, or buckle from last year, a fire is kindled within.  My DNF has ignited something that is burning strong. And I know it wasn't there pre-DNF.

I recently taped my Bandera bib to my bathroom mirror, so I see it before most training runs.  Why?  Well, there are several things I want to be reminded of each day:

- Never take for granted the opportunity to run.  One slip can end it all, or at least impact my ability to continue running well.

- Don't assume I'm going to run well or finish a race just because I did the year before.

- Remember the feeling of having to tell myself (and others) why I quit.  Yes, I know I thought I was making a nagging injury worse during the race.  After Bandera, it took no time at all to get tired of hearing myself spout out excuses when asked about it.  I know now more than ever, how much easier it is to say, "I finished."

- I need to be tougher.  I need to exhibit more Grit.  I need to squash that voice inside that says I can't do it.   It speaks out during most ultras and I need to have the determination to ignore it. I didn't have it that day in Bandera and the bib reminds me of that.

The DNF at Bandera has been a huge positive for me.   While I hope it never happens again, I feel more focused & humbled, and I know this will prepare me to run a smart race in Moab and beyond.

2012 Bandera 100k Report

Most of you know my end result at Bandera this year, so let's dive into all the other memorable parts of the weekend.

I decided to fly out on Thursday night instead of Friday.  I wanted a little extra time to hang out and see San Antonio.  Thus I flew into Austin and drove to Bandera that night.

The next morning I took an easy jog along the river across from my motel/cabin.  The park had a dirt path that followed the Medina River for about a mile.  Perfect.

No doubt about where I was.

The morning was pristine and the river was glass.

Click on the pic to see the crazy ladder up the tree and the rope swings.  Fun times in the summer for sure!

The deer population in Bandera is doing just fine.

By 9am, I was cleaned up and ready for the 40 mile drive to San Antonio.  With fairly limited time, my destination was the touristy River Walk area.  Once I parked my car, it was easy to get down to the river except I had no clue where to go and didn't feel like walking for miles.  Voila!  Along came a water taxi.

Taxi!  Taxi!

I had no idea the River Walk goes on for miles and miles and my taxi was heading in the direction away from downtown.  I actually didn't mind because the driver was a nice guy and I was his only passenger.  He made it clear that he wasn't a tour guide, but then proceeded to talk non-stop about all the stuff we were passing.  We cruised for about 45 minutes before we finally arrived back in the restaurant section.

Trying to scout out a lunch spot.

I finally wished my water taxi driver friend a farewell and quickly decided on the Rio Rio Cantina for a riverside lunch.  With a big burrito ingested, I soaked in the sun at my table and almost fell asleep before I was snapped out of my stupor by some loud music.  I was only four tables down from a mariachi band serenading a couple.  Seems they don't play the typical mariachi music in San Antonio.  See below...

I couldn't visit SA without the requisite shot of the Alamo.

By early afternoon I was ready to head back north for the pre-race meeting.  After a quick lap around the Alamo, I hopped into the car and enjoyed the relatively short drive back to Bandera.

If anyone needs a mechanic that's honest and will tell you like it is, this is the place to go.

Oh yeah, the race.  I almost forgot.  One of the things I remember most from last year was that if you try to run this race with any small aches & pains, this course will slowly, but surely expose that weakness and completely attack it during the second half.  This would prove true again this year.

Saturday morning was cool, but perfectly comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt..  All the pre-race prep went off without a hitch.  While standing at the start line I met Darcy Africa.  Cool lady and fun to chat it up with another Coloradoan.

About 10 minutes until "go" time.

And we're off!

Greeting the rising sun from atop Sky Island.

One thing that stood out to me within the first few miles was how quickly I got separated from the pack.  The real fast guys & gals were up ahead and out of sight, but there was no one else around me by mile 3-4.  Last year I ran the first 31 miles around a bunch of people.

Heading over to Ice Cream Hill.  Certainly not a sweet treat.

For the first few hours, there was a perfect cool breeze.  I couldn't ask for better conditions to run in after all the cold and snow in Colorado.  Oh, and to just have dry dirt to run on - It was bliss.  Sure there were a few rocks mixed in, but I was seriously having the time of my life and cruising at a comfortable pace.  I know the course was just chuckling away knowing how good it was going to get me later.

A typical Bandera trail.

The typical Bandera trail with the infamous leg shredding Sotul.

The slicing Sotul plant didn't seem that bad this year, but it sure did look lush and taller than I remember.  Not only did my knees & ankles get bloodied up again, but my thighs and fingers (ouch!) got their fair share of cuts too.  I kept telling myself it's all part of the unique Bandera experience!

Ice Cream Hill

The Field.  It's flat, long and a bit mind-numbing.  

At about mile 19, I caught up to Pam Smith (eventual 3rd place woman).  She was in a rough patch and struggling.  I tried to say something nice, but figured she probably didn't want to talk.  It wasn't long before I looked behind me and she was no where to be seen.

Catching a few back of the pack 25k folks heading up Lucky Peak.

I don't remember where they took this pic, but why not stick it here.

The trail you're "lucky" to encounter at the top.

The descent of either Cairns Climb or Boyles Bump.  Can't remember which, but they're both the same.

It was around mile 28 that I caught up with Darcy.  At this point, I knew I was either running a great race, or she was just having a really bad one.  The answer was the latter.  She had issues with her hamstrings before the race, and you bet they were not feeling good after 28 miles on Bandera trails.  She said she was going to drop at the turnaround.  I was bummed for her, but knew she was making the right decision.  Her race schedule is always intense and another lap around the Hill Country SNA could easily set her back.  We parted ways and I ran into the turnaround in 4:40 feeling great.

After a few minutes to load up, I was heading back out for round two.  I remember dreading this moment last year as my blisters had already formed.  This year was much different.  I wasn't running as fast, but overall felt just fine.  Within a half mile, I heard footsteps behind me and who should appear?  Pam Smith.  The new Pam Smith I should say.  She was chipper and running strong.  We chatted for a bit about her rough patch and then off she went.  By mile 35 she was gone and I was starting to get concerned as my knee began to ache.

The story starts to wind down here.  I ran slower and slower as the ache increased.  The rocks were doing what they do best.  Even though I felt 100% going into the race, clearly that wasn't the case.  Miles 37-45 were spent debating between what I could do to make it better or whether I should even keep going.  Meanwhile the breeze had disappeared and the temps had climbed significantly.  I had stopped eating and felt the hole I was in was just too great to overcome this day.  The decision was made to drop.  The last three miles to the aid station (mile 48) were spent getting down on myself because my aunt, uncle, and cousin would be waiting there to see me for the first time all day.  All they would get to see is me walking in with the news it was over.

In my few years of running, this was my first DNF.  It felt a bit weird to take off my chip, grab my drop bag and drive away.  There was no finish line, no "I did it" moment, no closure.  I was left with a pit in my stomach and the dread of having to explain to everyone who knew I was running Bandera why I couldn't finish.  Yes, it was the right decision, but it was a sucky one.

Well, it quickly gets much better now.  My Aunt Hildy, Uncle David, and cousin Rachel were so awesome!  They drove me back to Austin while we listened to the Texans beat up on the Bengals.  They fed me some scrumptious food and we talked for hours.  Rachel & I got to talk running as she's a month away from her first half marathon in February.  I got to witness her going out and rocking her longest training run ever on Sunday!  All in all, I thoroughly enjoy their company and can't thank them enough for giving up their weekend and taking such good care of me.

Here it is Jaime!  Check out these babies!  I ate four of them.

In closing, I remember when Brandon DNF'd at Leadville last summer and blogged about the experience.  He had been shooting for the big buckle and it wasn't his day out there.  My favorite part of his story came when he got home.  His daughter was waiting with a homemade big buckle.  Man, I got all choked up when I saw this picture.

Well, I returned home late Sunday night to find this note on my pillow.  My youngest, Zoe, had worked all weekend on this story.  Just for me.  It's a little silly in parts and her spelling is coming along, but you'll quickly see why there is no way my life will get hung up by DNFing at a race.  I have so much to be thankful for and my family will always be the biggest blessing in my life.

Click to read.

Bandera Update

Once again, this race didn't go as planned.  I ran a great first lap in 4:40 and then encountered knee soreness around mile 36 that slowed me way down.  Walking felt better, but running produced a radiating pain all around the knee I whacked a month ago.  I tried to work through it over the next 11 miles, but it became apparent my only option was to walk the rest or drop.  So I dropped at the next aid station (mile 47).

I'm definitely disappointed, especially with my knee feeling fine now.  I can only guess it wasn't 100% healed up and became inflamed after several hours of hopping rocks.  Without a doubt, I'll be back (hopefully next year).  I had an awesome time this weekend and the race result is the only sour spot.

I'll put out a race report with pics in the coming days.

Looking ahead to 2012...

What an awesome year 2011 was!  Is that due to running more than I have in the past?  All my races but two were on trails?  Bagging a 100 miler?  Running in the San Juans?  Awesome trail runs with friends?  All of the above?  I won't rehash everything that I've already blogged about, so let's look forward to this year.

My goals for 2012 will continue to be simple.

• Push the pace a bit more during training runs.  
• Keep running races since they motivate me to get out the door when my body is saying "sleep in".  
• Take a few more risks during those races.  
• Keep running with friends whenever possible.  
• And keep enjoying each run while living in the moment.  

When asked by my wife right before the start of the LT100 what I was looking forward to most, I responded, "Living in the moment...maybe?"  That off the cuff response has stuck with me the rest of the year as it has helped me to appreciate each day and season for what it has to offer.  Why fret over the past?  Why stress about the future?  Rain/Sun/Snow/Wind/Heat/Cold?  Why worry about things I can't control?

Our church is in a series on "Be Happy" and there are so many things that resonate with how running makes me happy.

Last Sunday, this guy was quoted:

"I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it."
Groucho Marx 

This verse was shared:

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Matthew 6:34

And this poem of a 14 year old was read:

Present Tense (a poem by Jason Lehman)
It was spring, but it was summer I wanted,
The warm days, and the great outdoors.
It was summer, but it was fall I wanted,
The colorful leaves, and the cool, dry air.
It was fall, but it was winter I wanted,
The beautiful snow, and the joy of the holiday season.
It was winter, but it was spring I wanted,
The warmth and the blossoming of nature.
I was a child, but it was adulthood I wanted,
The freedom and respect.
I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted,
To be mature, and sophisticated.
I was middle-aged, but it was 20 I wanted,
The youth and the free spirit.
I was retired, but it was middle-age I wanted,
The presence of mind without limitations.
My life was over, and I never got what I wanted.
* Jason was 14 when he wrote this poem. It was published in a Dear Abby column, on February 14th 1989.

So we're off and running in 2012 already.  Bandera is a kick in the pants way to get it started.  It's quite possible I won't achieve any redemption there, and that's okay.  I'm just happy for another day to run and that my training has given me the chance to improve.

My 2011 Numbers...

Total:  3135 miles
Average week:  60.3 miles
Average month:  261.3 miles
Average per day:  8.6 miles
Average per run:  10.3 miles
Time:  500hr12min (almost 21 days of running)
Number of Runs:  305
Rest Days:  76
Biggest Month:  341 miles (November)
Biggest Week:  111 miles (Week of 8/15)
Smallest Month:  180 miles (January)
Smallest Week:  4.3 miles (Week of 8/22)

By The Years
2006:  406
2007:  1469
2008:  1267
2009:  1720
2010:  2743
2011:  3135