Lost in the woods Running

If I were sponsored....

2012-01-23T11:11:00.000-08:00

The marketability of trail running has no doubt grown over the years. Though still very much a fringe extreme sport, it is evident that companies are starting to invest more of their time and money on ultramarathon athletes. It's nearly impossible to show up to a big name race and not see the logos of brands like Montrail, North Face, Udo's Oil, Innov8, Hoka One One, Patagonia...the list goes on. More and more runners are reaping the benefits of having companies support their endeavors, and thus more and more branding opportunities are showing up at events. Many of these athletes, for obvious reasons, use the brand(s) that sponsor them. In most cases the athlete very much likes the company they represent, because they enjoy the product, or have previously performed well with the product. It's a wonderful symbiotic relationship.

All of this made me wonder how it would look if I were actually sponsored by brands that I use on an everyday basis. I think we'd come up with a fairly wild assortment of logos, and a notable few that would look wonderfully out of place at any trail race. Here is my dream list of sponsors.

How could I survive, let alone train, if not for the amazing, calorie filled, delights of Taco Bell? I can't even count the number of times I've had a workout, and the first thing I eat afterwards is a scrumptious burrito, nachos, and mexican pizza. Gotta replish those glycogen stores!

Men don't need nipples, but since we have no choice but to have them, why not protect them? Johnson and Johnson band aids never fail to save my tatas from the unbearable risk of chaffing due to sweat, moisture, cheap fabrics, and the perky cold.

Now this would actually be a cool brand to be sponsored by, along with rival brand Quicksilver. Nothing says fashionable than showing up to a race in my trademark Hawaiian boardshorts. I have toed the line to more races in my blue floral shorts than other other pair of pants. Short shorts? Heck no! Boardshorts say I'm stylish, laid back, but I also want to protect the thighs from the often rugged nature of the trail.

Laugh if you want, but I'll be laughing my way to a PR. I won my first ever ultramarathon after eating several(more like four) delightful confections for a pre race breakfast. These 200-300 calorie gems have won their way into my heart, record books, and stomach. The coffee ain't bad either.

Why waste another $1.00-$1.50 on the same boring chocolate flavored gels? I mix things up by putting a small jar of this pure gold in my drop bags. Just a little scoop gives me twice the calories of a gel, plus the carbs and protein. Combine it with its partner in crime, peanut butter, and it's a match made in heaven.

The ultimate pre, or post run cocktail! It has the sugar for carbs, salt for electrolyte balance, and alcohol to dull the senses long enough to sign up for another ultra. Margaritas are also excellent for aleviating pain in the later miles of a race, or at least allowing to forget how much pain you were actually in. The only downside is that margarita is not an actual brand, though getting Jimmy Buffet to sponsor me would be pretty sweet. A good IPA is also a nice substitute.

Last, but certainly not least! The same food that got me through college is the same food that gets me on the road to race recovery. You can find noodles for as cheap as 10 cents, or as high as (gasp) 50 cents a bag. It's got all the sodium and carbs you need to recover strong for the next run.

Well, that's all I can think of for now. In case you're wondering if I really use the above brands, the answer is yes. My nutrition is terrible, and I like a good drink every now and then. If you happen to know anyone working in the marketing department for any of the above companies, please give them my info so I begin representing their brand as soon as possible.

My new slogon: "Mike Runs on Dunkin". It's got a nice ring to it :-)

ps: A very real thanks to previous sponsors The Sole Source in Harrisonburg, VA, and Brooks Running. For the most part I currently use Brooks, Drymax, Ultimate Direction, New Balance, Saucony, Nathan, Mountain Hardware, Smartwool, Skins, Moeben ,Patagonia, and everything else listed above.

The Don Padfield Project

2012-01-19T07:37:00.000-08:00

For some Virginia trail runners, and those associated with the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club, you might know who Don Padfield is. Don had run well at some of my earliest ultras, and was actually considered one of the fast guys in the VHTRC. He often ran and trained with Keith Knipling and other local trail studs. A few years later, I noticed I was beginning to run very similar times to what he had been doing just a few years earlier. In fact, we have actually run the same ultras within 5-10 minutes of eachother's times. Honestly, I hardly knew the guy, yet a single race report he did for the 2007 Hellgate 100k really solidified that he and I were cut of similar molds.

In his 2007 Hellgate report he makes the following statement.

"I have been running ultras for a little over four years and in that time have placed either in the top 10 or top 10% in nearly every race. I have been very happy with this “success” but have always looked at the race results and thought, how is it that the top runner beat me by 45 minutes or 2 hours or some other incredible amount of time? What did it take to run that much faster? "

I would say that I am basically at a similar point in my running career where I am wondering the same things. For reference sake, Don's intention was to WIN the 2007 Hellgate 100k, but he ultimately dropped late in the race after being in 2nd and 3rd place all day. His intense training leading up to Hellgate, however, carried over and 2008 ended up being one of his most successful years of running, which he capped off with an impressive 3rd place 12:22 at Hellgate.

2010 was actually the year I trained the hardest I ever have, and it was by all means a very successful year of running. I finished with a few top 3's at some larger ultras, in addition to some other top 10's. Yet, even with all the extra work, I found myself rethinking the same Don Padfield quote. Even in the 50k's where I finished 3rd, I was still anywhere from 25-40 minutes behind the overall winner. In the 50 mile races the gap grew to nearly 2 hours, and in 100's sometimes 5-10 hours.

In the last year, or so, I have figured out that I run about 2 minutes per mile slower than the elites. This figure balloons in 100 mile races since the slowing of my pace in the later miles is tied to endurance, as opposed to speed. But, if you do the math it's pretty accurate at most distance between a marathon and 50 miles.

Marathon: I am probably capable of something around 3:05-3:10 if I soley focused on road running. So, having the winners come in 2 minutes per mile faster looks like a 2:15. Spot on.

50k: If I can run a "flatter" 50k in 4:30, it probably means the winners will be finishing in 3:30.

50 miles: The last 50 miler I ran was in 7:35, and the winner was 5:52. I was 103 minutes behind, so once again almost exactly two minutes per mile slower.

So, just like Don, I am wondering just how much faster can I get? I very much believe I am still getting faster, stronger, and smarter as an athlete. As a late bloomer in the world of running, it is kind of nice knowing that you still have ample room for improvement. Looking at the ages of some of the more dominant runners, it is safe to say that late 20's to mid 30's is the peek time for distance runners. This means the next few years could hold the most potential. My goal is to try and cut into that massive gap between myself and the fast folks and see how close I can get. Or, at least, as close as an average Joe like me can get.

I've always approached running from an underdog's perspective. I am not a fast runner. I have never broken 21 minutes for a 5k, my half marathon PR is a 1:42, and I have never run faster than 3:30 for a marathon. Lastly, my VO2 max is 52. Maybe this is a surprise to you? Yet, somehow, I am finishing ultras with folks with sub 18 minute 5k's and countless sub 3 hour marathon finishes. So, what is it that has made me disproportionately "faster" at long distance events? Perhaps that's a topic for another day :-)

Willis River 50k recap

2012-01-15T08:56:00.000-08:00

Short recap of yesterday's run. I was back in the Richmond area for my sister's engagement party, so I figured I get in an affordable trail run as well.

The Willis River 50k, formerly the Swinging Bridge 50k, is hosted by the Richmond Road Runners at Bear Creek Lake State Park. The mid January date means that this race has been run in all kinds of weather, including the notorious -2 degree start from 2009. I remember that year well, as it yielded the three slowest top 3 times ever (including my directionally inept 5:38 3rd place). For $25, this is a really nice low key event that I have more, or less used as a training run to start my year off strong. The course can be difficult to follow at times, and though it is not a mountain course, it offers a challenging variety of hills, terrain, roots, trees, and streams. It is one of the few courses that is much harder than its distance and elevation profile would suggest. The route consists of a 20 mile out and back (you return to the start/finish), followed by another 10 mile out and back for the 50k. The course used to include the actual swinging bridge which made the course a mile longer.

Race: 25 degrees at the start, with temps rising to the 40's. The course was probably the muddiest it has ever been due to heavy rains the week before. This certainly slowed times down a bit. My makeshift goal time prior to the run was about 4:40 on a really good day, but realistically to be in the upper 4:40's. I figured I'd run the 35k portion in 3 hours, then aim for 1:40ish for the 10 mile loop, thus my 4:40. The idea was to be conservative, then make a push at the leaders who I let go very early on. My little strategy was working at first, then backfired as I was aggressive a little too soon, making my push at mile 11, when I should have waited a few more miles. Even with the mud, I got to the 35k point in 3:02. Still close to my goal split. However, I ended up having an epic calorie bonk from miles 22-25, which slowed my pace a solid 3 minutes per mile. I ended up sacrificing more time at the last aid station getting in some food so I could finish strong. I hammered the last 5 miles back to the finish, but was slightly annoyed at myself for not eating enough during the middle of the race. With better nutrition, a mid 4:40's time was definitely doable. Once I had my calories, I finished feeling like I could have kept going a good bit longer at the same pace. Still, a time of 4:55 isn't bad for a muddy day, epic bonk, all while working off a little holiday pudge.

Glad to break in 2012 with a decent run. It was fun to go home and watch the Olympic time trials and cheer on a few friends dreaming of Olympic glory. It was great to hit the muddy trails and cold streams with some friends. Thanks to the volunteers, and especially the gentleman that cleared 25 downed trees on the course (a man named Radar?). Thanks for your effort!

Into the Heart: Beyond the Trails and Blue Skies

2012-01-12T10:18:00.000-08:00

Romans 5:3-4

"We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope."

It was a bitter cold, and eerily windy winter night. The date was January 13th, 2005. An emotionally temultuous 2004 had come and gone, yet the advent of a new year forshadowed far bleeker things to come. 2005 had yet just begun, but the hauntings of the prior year had not settled. It was only two months after I completed my first ultramarathon, which was only possible because I relentlessly pushed my body on behalf of my grandma's own enduring. My grandmother was four months into a battle with a cancer that had attempted to ravage her body over the last two decades. On this eve, and seemingly hallowed ground, her valiant battle came to an end. It was in the late hours of the evening that a mighty wind shook my grandparent's small apartment. On that single gust the Lord took my courageous grandmother into his arms and beyond the veil of our world.

I am reminded that running serves a myriad of purposes. It can be as mundane as a daily training routine, a weight loss plan, for competition, personal achievement, or for rememberence. However, when we strip away all the superficial layers that make up the motif of our passion, we'll find that there is always something rooted deeper than our often nonsensical pursuits. There are those times we find ourselves enamored with every footfall, and the times in stark contrast where we question why we even step out the door for a run. Awards, times, goals, natural surroundings and fellowship are part of the allure, but inward is where the greatest secret is kept.

I am thinking of the stories told and untold that shape me. That shape us. Testing ourselves and our limits is a way of smiling in the face of the mortality that faces us all. None of us will live forever, and thus why live life set inside the so called parameters defined on our behalf by societal norms? As humans, we are given a range of physical pain and pleasure, as well an the same measure of emotional and mental agony and illumination. Why live life in mediocrity, in the middle 50%, always in the safe zone? To experience all of these IS to experience ALL of what being human is about. I hope you're all thinking of that Teddy Roosevelt quote that essentially says the same thing. Sometimes it takes the most bitter and darkest of times to come to the realization that we can still celebrate in the trials, as well as victories, so long as we are still alive to do it. That is what we call character.

I love hearing how runners like Shannon McGinn began running because of cancer, or how a hero like Anita Finkle can still bring it for 100 miles months after her final treatments. On the opposite side it saddens me when fellow runners lose loved ones, or suffer their own hardships outside of our peaceful little world of ultras and trails. What I do know is that the things that will bring these people back is something, some place where they will need to dig deep and find restoration. This is where the Apostle Paul's message in Romans rings loud and clear. Suffering isn't just some emo method of self induced harm, or penance for self righteous betterment. It is a constant reminder that life is not just about how you live in the best of times, but how you look yourself in the mirror, stand up straight, and go forward into the headwinds of the distant lands of conflict. Even ultra stud Geoff Roess said it's not about how fast you run in the fast parts of a race, it's about how "fast" you can still go during the worst parts. Sounds pretty similar to me. Sometimes the greatest motivation in life is seeing something on the other side of the storm that is worth fighting for, and then stretching your arms to reach it. That is what we call hope.

I am happy that running is not my greater joy, or the source of my fulfilment. It is, however, a wonderful and metaphorical reminder of what truly matters. When I acknowledge that, that is when the best part of me comes out. That is when I love running the most, but better yet being alive has never felt better.

The incredible shrinking man

2011-12-28T10:46:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with running, but I've suffered some noticable shrinkage over the years. Alright folks, heads out of the gutter, this is a family friendly blog. Bottom line, I am shorter now than I was 10 years ago. What the heck happened to me?

When I was little, the doctor told my parents I was projected to be anywhere from 5'9" to 6'0" when I was fully grown. Looking back, the guy turned out to be spot on. Oh what 12 years of college will do for you. Anyway, my father is 5'7", my mother is 5'2", and my sister is 5'1". Not exactly amazons. My freshman year of high school I was as "tall" as my dad, and by the time I was a senior I officially became the tallest Bailey in our DNA pool that ever lived. My 5'10" uncle held the standard for years, but upon my physical for college, I eclipsed the mark by a fraction of an inch. Not that this means much, but I found it wonderfully ironic that an adopted Asian was now THE tallest person in a completely English, Irish, German, and Sicilian family. Who says all Asians are short?

A few years later in college I had another physical and was measured at 5'10" and a half inch barefoot, and 167 lbs. Throw on some rugged boots and even the WWF could have billed me as being a six footer, and due to lifting weights, looked every bit of 180 lbs. I was probably the strongest and most physically imposing as I have ever been between ages 20-22. Believe it or not, I actually bench pressed 280 lbs at one point. Couldn't run a 5k, but I was a beast in the weight room.

Flash forward to Christmas vacation last week. I found an old wall where my parents measured my growth as a child and decided to see how I stacked up as an adult. My guess is I haven't grown in 10 years, so I shouldn't have been far off from the last measurement of 70.5 inches. Well, I stood straight, back to the wall, shoes off, heels down, and....what the? 69.5 inches. Dang, a solid inch shorter!

Honestly, I'm not that surprised. Since age 14, I've thrown my back out four times, three were since 2007. All of which, combined with my general poor posture, have my alignment out of wack. I remember after the worst "throw out" in '07, I lost an inch of height instantly, but didn't notice the difference until I looked in a mirror. I still have tight back muscles, and posture I've tried to correct with new workout routines, but perhaps professional PT is the only way to fix this. None of the issues have effected my running as far as I know. In fact, a few of my friends think all the running may have compressed my spine, but I'm not sure if there's any real science to back that claim. Maybe my weaker lower back muscles make me more susceptible to compression, if that's even a plausible side effect. Could it also be hip flexors, IT band, or glutes causing the issue?

If you read this and have any insights, I'd love your feedback. One of the biggest flaws in my running form is my posture and the fact I hunch over and stick out my bedunkadunk. Yup, this Asian boy has some junk in his trunk. Must have been all that Sicilian pasta growing up ;-)

Glancing back and looking forward

2011-12-27T11:27:00.000-08:00

2011 will go down as a rather unqiue year of running. I felt neither driven, nor very motivated at any given time, and yet somehow I still managed to run more than expected. For the most part, I did very little of what anyone would call training, but still completed a few fun local ultras, and one big enchilada of a race. The highlight of my year also happened to be one of my greatest running memories, the completion of the Western States 100. As severly undertrained and unmotivated as I was to run all spring leading up to the Big Dance, I still fought my way through an injury to keep my dream of a sub 24 hour Western States finish alive for over 90 miles. That in itself was something to be proud of. I only wish I could have been in the shape I know I can be in, the kind of shape that could have possibly seen me crossing the finish in 21-22 hours, not over 25. But, so it goes, and life has many opportunity cost trade offs. So as it is with running.

Ironically, it was only towards the end of 2011 that I started running more out of pure enjoyment. Perhaps it was simple redemption from the draining hot summer, but once the cool October weather hit, it was game on. I found out that my legs can still recall their former endurance, and that the days of sub 8 hour 50 milers hasn't come and gone.

Onto the next year!

Nothing like starting 2012 with anything but an ultra. I'll be running the super low key VHTRC Red Eye 50k to ring in the new year. Then again, it depends on how much I celebrate the night before. Two weeks after that I'll be revisiting the race course I love to hate at the now named Willis River 50k. I'm only running it because I'll be in Richmond for a party, and it's only $25. It's always been a convenience race, and not a run I ever really enjoyed. Close to family and cheap. My only goal is to stay on course. I lost 20 minutes at the '09 50k, where it was below freezing at the start, and lost 5 minutes at last year's 35k. Third time's the charm right?

Beyond this winter, it may be too far ahead to know what I'll be doing. Yes, even March and April are too far off. I'd love to take a final stab at MMT, but if I'm living in, let's say Colorado, then my eyes might drift towards the sleepy little town of Leadville. Who knows, maybe 2012 won't be a year for 100's. Then again, who know's what it'll bring?

Happy early New Years!

The Current Buzz in Ultrarunning

2011-12-20T08:40:00.000-08:00

Back in July of 2011, I wrote a post titled "The Great Debate". It asked the question, what kind of talent would be drawn into ultras if there were higher prize money on the line. In fact, I even mentioned a hypothetical situation where $100,000 might be offered up. Well, a lot of recent buzz has centered around the Run Rabbit Run 100 miler in Steamboat Springs that is hoping to award, you guessed it, a $100k purse!

I'm not saying I predicted it, because a lot has evolved in the ultramarathon world of racing and marketing that pointed to things like this happening. This will absolutely change the face of the sport, possibly polarizing the ultra purists and those who want to see a more progressive trend towards lucrative earnings.

I will never be in a position to earn prize money by running, and most of us will not. Thus, it's almost a non factor in why I would choose to run. The reason I don't run high profile big city marathons is because I don't like the crowds, logistics, and costs of running on roads in cities. Nobody is forcing me to run them, and plenty of other events have sprung up to give me more cost effective and enjoyable options. I simply see a $100k ultra as another option. If you don't like paying $200-400 entry fees for races like Leadville, WS, and JFK, don't run them. The popularity of the event shouldn't make you feel more, or less complelled to participate. It may make it seemingly more attractive, but you have other chances to run beautiful trails for much less opportunity cost.

Big money races, however, will cause whatever "governing" bodies to have to tighten down rules and regulations. Andy Jones Wilkins, a seven time top ten finisher at Western States, caused a bit of a stir by pointing out possible rule infringements by elites at the 2010 Western States 100. This raises the question, who will be out on the often remote mountain courses to "police" whether runners are following the rules? Mike Spinnler, the JFK 50 race director has a very hard stance on the use of listening devices. Anyone caught in person, or by photographic evidence will have their results erased from the records. Most high profile races, especially those with prize money, have a set of rules and guidelines for runners. How do you monitor these to control proper use of pacers, crew, and gear?

I believe the purist stance would be to have NO pacers, NO drop bags, and NO crew. If women's marathon records are considered illegitamate by the USATF because they "paced" with faster male counterparts, then how would pacers be allowed in ultras? I would then consider how many runners have had multiple clothing and nutrition options because of drop bags and crews having them ready at aid stations. An experienced crew can shave minutes, or more off a 50-100 mile just by being efficient. Perhaps the only fair way to go about this is to say that runners cannot use any nutrition outside of what the aid stations provide, and that whatever you wear, you must carry for the entire event. If a race has temps that range from 30-100 degrees, then you should be equipped at the start for all potential conditions. This would mean the folks who are showing up to the races are hopefully better trained to tackle the distance and elements, then when they're allowed to basically have their own roving aid stations with them. This could cut down the massive number of people, some very undertrained, from entering competitive lotteries. I wonder if Yiannis Kouros ever used a drop bag, or if Anne Trason regularly had pacers?

Drug testing. I hate to say it, but cash prize events should test the athletes before, not after the races. It would inflate the entry costs a lot, because drug testing isn't cheap, but it would help keep the sport clean. Maybe. A $100k prize, especially held at altitude, could entice more than a handful of runners to try doping, even if they never did before. $100k would support many of the current elite runners, who when not running, often work normal day jobs like the rest of us.

For now, and I suspect most of 2012, I'll be keeping myself away from the huge starting lines and races. But, for those friends stepping up to the bigger stages, I'll be cheering you on.

Am I due for a blog name change?

2011-12-12T11:44:00.000-08:00

To be perfectly honest, this blog started off as a training log back in 2008. Having completed a few races at that point my mom asked if I was doing anything to journal my running experiences. At the time, I was not. Thus, this was simply meant to be a way of keeping track of my race observations and experiences for basically an audience of one.

In 2009 and 2010 I started running a little bit more, but was also gaining a bit of notoriety for getting lost on trail runs and during races. I have taken a 17 mile detour on a 27 mile training run in the middle of winter. That's directionless efficiency at its finest. That particular escapade resulted in hitch hiking into town, and eventually getting two police escorts back to my vehicle. It doesn't end there as I've taken detours of several miles at a handful of ultras, several resulting in time losses of 20-30 minutes. It doesn't seem like much, but when you run a 50k in 4:48, and realize you would have been under 4:30, it really bums you out knowing the extra two miles you ran probably knocked you off the podium. Mishaps during 100's are a little more forgiving because of the larger time cushion, but even then the times I've lost 30 minutes looking for a turn, or course flagging, can be a matter of finishing 9th, or 5th (aka the 2010 Old Dominion 100).

The idea of naming my blog "Lost in the Woods" is nothing more than a clever little self depricating way of acknowledging my proclivity for getting lost. It hasn't always been about taking a wrong turn. In fact, sometimes I've been on the correct path, but second guessed my whereabouts due to previous inabilities to stay on course. For the better part of the last three years, I couldn't show up to a race without someone asking "you gonna get lost today?", "hope you stay on course!", or "hey, it's wrong way Bailey". I've had a number of people I've never met who recognize me as the guy with the blog about getting lost. In a way it's very humbling to know people read this, but also funny in that it's almost like being known as a beer mile, or Krispy Kreme champ. I can't really tell if it's good, or bad, so I just smile and wave. It's nice good to know my reputation gets around with surgeon like precision. My efforts to be the most clueless runner on earth were finally recognized in 2009 when my running club, the VHTRC, unanimously voting me as the recipient of the "Stupid Award". Stupid is as stupid does, and I does a lot stupid.

....However, it should be noted that I was never off course in the year 2011. Was it because I wasn't running enough to have the opportunity to get lost? Maybe, I am slower now, and less likely to miss a turn? Or perhaps with age comes conventional wisdom...like carrying turn sheets, paying attention at pre-race briefings, and studying a description of the course.

This beckons the question, do I keep the blog titled "Lost in the Woods"? It has almost become a term of endearment, and I think readers often a enjoy a guy who doesn't take himself too seriously. I've actually become a little attached to the title of being THAT guy who always gets lost, even when I don't. For now the name stays, but mostly because I can't think of anything better.

Crooked Road 24 Hour

2011-12-05T08:51:00.000-08:00

(photo courtesy of Ricky Scott. Looks like I was sleep running those first few laps)

Just a short recap of Saturday's event. Got up at 4:00am and drove down to Rocky Mount, VA. The event started at 8am, and it was quite chilly, but the weather was nearly ideal for most of the day. I didn't set any goals for the run, though I considered 50 miles to be a nice goal distance, which would wrap up the day well before sunset. I really never had any intention of being competitive for the full 24 hours, mostly due to my lack of running volume over the last six months. My weekly "long" runs have been roughly 10 miles, and my mileage around 40 miles per week. I also had a bit of a gear hiccup in that the shoes I ordered to arrive several days before the event got lost in the mail (they were Hokas btw). So, I ended up having to find shoes to wear last second and opted to run in an old pair of racing flats and trail shoes. How’s that for improv? At any rate, I showed up to run in my requisite Hawaiian board shorts, and sleeveless flannel shirt. Yup flannel. Clearly, I take this running business seriously
;-)

Well, I ran the first 15 miles at exactly 7:30 per 0.95 mile loop. It wasn’t really planned, it just sorta happened, and I noticed I ran almost identical lap times for the first two hours. Clearly, this was not a 24 hour pace, nor was it ever intended to be. Apologies to anyone who thought they’d see a similar Mike Morton...esque Hinson Lake earth shattering run. Did I just use Mike Morton’s name as an adjective? After that I was just happy to roll through the marathon mark and then the 50k. I spent most of miles 33-40 walking and jogging with my friend Bill Gentry, a local ultra legend, and really had fun just laughing and talking. He's a phenomenal runner and always makes for good company. I spent some other laps meeting and greeting with cancer survivors Anita Finkle (eventual women's winner)and Shannon McGinn. Both of them have truly incredible stories and it was an honor to run with them, even if only a little while. These women are special athletes and have used their battles to really inspire people inside and outside of the running community.

From miles 40-50 I ended my social butterfly period and wrapped up my goal of 50 miles with a few hours of sunlight left. Though I didn't plan to run more, my body felt great, and I wanted to stick around for pizza. I spent the last ten miles pretty much stuffing my face with food, eating, talking, eating, and eventually realizing I needed to actually do some running. I knew other runners were gaining quickly on my distance, but I kinda realized it was irrelevant knowing I was going to be stopping very soon. I was a bit surprised how good I still felt when I stopped, and momentarily entertained the notion of running more, but I was well pleased with just over 100k in the bag.

Congrats to Glen Redpath on an exceptional run, 139 miles, and the overall win. It was a pleasure running with him for a handful of loops, and very humbling to watch such immense talent up close. I was sad to hear elite female, Anette Bednosky, stopped at 50k. It takes guts to come out to a 24 hour event so soon after an apparent car accident. It was also inspiring to see all the folks completing their first ultra, or attempting to run any distance beyond their previous best whether it was 10 miles, or 100. I met a runner named Amy that really embodied this spirit as she was out running the day after her doctor cleared her to run post ACL injury. I can’t blame her, and would have done the same thing ;-)

If anyone is thinking about a nice December ultra, I'd easily suggest this event. The $40 entry fee gets you a long sleeve technical shirt, and great race support. The course is a fairly fast gravel loop measured at a USATF certified 0.95 miles. There are little hills that add up, and the RD stated a gain of 120 ft per loop, which one should consider if desiring to bust out a PR. The course is set up so you can park your car, and personal items, right off the course. There are bathrooms on the course, food, drinks, and cheering volunteers awaiting you through every loop. The support out there was terrific, and the volunteers were enthusiastic and energizing the entire time I was there. It might be one of the most catered 24 hour races on the east coast. The event was limited to 100 runners this year, so mark your calendars, and be sure to sign up for the 2012 event!

Thank you to all the volunteers! You give me a reason to come back next year and do all 24 hours :-)

Stuff that I used in 2011. The shoe edition

2011-12-01T06:59:00.000-08:00

*Updated 12/6/11

A lot of opinions regarding running gear have made their way to various blogs and social network chatter. This is no exception, and in all likelyhood is probably going to be more of the same. At any rate, I do hope that the few folks reading this will come away with a good idea of the gear that I use and ultimately help them in their pursuit of becoming a better runner/enjoy running more/make running more comfortable etc. I have been rotating about 8-10 pairs of shoes per year. It would seem like I've hopped on the bandwagon having used everything from Five Fingers to Hokas. Over the last few years I can thank The Sole Source running store for helping supply me with all the latest and greatest footwear, as well as Brooks Running. Without their support, I'd be spending thousands of dollars on shoes I may not even like.

I suppose the best place to start is to acknowledge what kind of runner I am, so you know where the background of my opinion comes from.

Age: 30

My speed: I am what I would consider a front middle of the packer. This is best described as being slightly faster than your average runner, but still significantly slower than the elites.

Body type: 5 ‘10” and 155 lbs. Sounds like an ideal size, but I’m actually built kind of “top heavy” in that a lot of my weight distribution is in the upper body, large torso, and shorter legs. Not that I look like some freak, but I look more like a wrestler than a runner. For smaller framed men and women, these reviews may not be as practical, and that goes for biggger athletes as well. If you're 6'4" and weigh 250, I would need to write another review to cover your needs. That's an idea!

Feet: Size 9.5. Right foot is about a half size larger than the left, and my big toe is not the one that sticks out farthest. This is important to know as far as how shoes fit on my particular feet. I am also about as flat footed as Fred Flintstone. Zero arch, no pronation, skinny heels, and efficient stride. I am most likely to blister and lose toenails on my big toe(not sure why).

Surfaces that I worn these shoes on: Treadmill, roads, indoor track, gravel trail, Massanutten rocks, smooth Leadville trails, Western States trails, snow, ice, smooth trails and river crossings. Wet and arid conditions.

Onto to the reviews!

In the last few years I have adapted to lighter weight shoes and shoes with a smaller heel to forefoot drop. This was a gradual process in which I built up my miles in a year span so that I could eventually log higher miles, as in 80+ miles per week, in shoes weighing less than 8 ounces. While I don’t run minimalist all the time, I do it enough to keep my feet strong and my stride efficient. It should be noted that I don’t wear just one specific type of shoe all the time. If you consider a work out plan like P90X, which focuses on muscle confusion, I would say your feet are no less different. Wearing one type of shoe, be it minimalist, or bulky, can cause the muscles/joints in your feet to weaken due to no variation in footwear. If you want your legs and feet to become stronger on multiple running surfaces, you wouldn’t only run on roads would you? No, you’d diversify your surfaces to include rocks, roots, smooth trails, and roads. Also, because races, especially in Virginia, have such varying terrain, it only makes sense that I run in multiple kinds of shoes when training on the trails specific to a race course.

Shoes are a lot like the food pyramid. You need a little of everything, but not always a ton of one thing. Minimalist shoes increase proprioception and the muscle memory needed for good foot strike form. However, they can't correct your entire body's form, which still requires effort on the runner to learn and practice. Bulkier shoes are great for the long haul and can prevent injuries sustained in long distance events. When the muscles break down, it can certainly help to have a shoe to support the body when it weakens over time and distance. Minimalist can help strengthen your feet, yet may simply not be enough to realistically protect you at all distances. Some bodies just aren't compatable with light footwear for long races.

Brooks Cascadia 4: The recent Cascadia 6 have had mixed reviews, and thus I have stuck with and oldie, but a goodie. These shoes have a medial post and great rock protection. While they are not minimalist, they are light enough to feel fast on smooth trails and even roads. The Cascadias keep your feet in good shape on technical rocky trails and rocky descents. Recommended for trail races 50 miles and longer. 12 ounces per shoe, 11mm drop. The Cascadias drain water well, but I wish they had a gusseted tongue to help keep debris out.

* Updated 12/6/11

Hoka One One Bondi B: 11 ounces, 4mm drop. These are the complete opposite of minimalist. The Bond B sits high off the ground, has tons of cushion, yet still feels light weight for it's girth. The 4mm drop promotes a pleasant forefoot strike regardless of the 1 inch+ of foamy heel. This giant buffer, however, has a good and dark side, like the force. The bad thing is that I believe all the sponginess will weaken your joints, which are designed to stabilize the body on impact and push off. The plus side is that if you are running on tired joints and muscles after, lets say 50 miles, the Hokas would probably give them a welcome break. The "rocker" motion is supposed to take stress of the quads and transfer to the glutes. I would not recommend running all your miles in these shoes, but perhaps 50%, and another 40% in traditional shoes, and the remaining 10% in minimalist footwear. Minimalist shoes are like practicing boxing on a punching bag with bare hands. They promote good form and muscle memory while building up natural strength. Chunky shoes like Hokas are similar to training with 16 ounce boxing gloves on. They help protect your hands, aka feet, so you can go the distance AFTER you have learned to strike correctly. Hokas tend to run about a half size small. Still not sold on the idea any running shoe is worth $170 (that goes for Newtons as well). I paid $100 for my new Bondis.

Vibram Five Fingers Bikila: 6.8 ounces and a true zero drop. I don’t wear these often, but every few weeks I will put 10-15 miles on them. I have owned the Bikilas for over a year now. I keep my runs under 10 miles. These are a good shoe for recovery runs and tapering because they force a short, efficient, and low impact stride. They are enough shoe for smooth trails, but they won’t protect your feet from sharp jabs caused by even small pebbles. The uppers also won’t protect your feet from much. I run mostly on crushed gravel, or paved roads. Use these kind of shoes wisely! I’ve seen too many overzealous runners get injured from thinking they can go from zero miles to a 50k in a couple months wearing these. A couple months is not even close to enough time for your feet (plantar fascia), Achilles, and legs to compensate for a lifetime of running in high drop shoes.

Brooks Green Silence: 7.2 ounces, 8mm drop. Not really minimalist shoe as far as the heel drop. These are, however, a very light shoe that didn’t feel like they needed to be broken in. I had this pair for about 16 months, and they still feel good. Scott Jurek set the American 24 hour record, running 165 miles wearing only these. While I certainly wouldn’t recommend that, I can support the idea that these could get most people to a 50 mile finish in good shape. Most people won’t find it to be enough for more than a marathon. Though ok on non-technical trails, I’d keep it on pavement. The foamy heel, which cut the weight down, gets roughed up very easy on rocks. Some might find the lack of lateral support and protection hard on the feet, but again there’s always a trade off for lighter shoes.

La Sportiva Wildcat: 13 ounces, 12mm drop. These are the heaviest shoes I run in, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. These sit much higher than any other shoe I have, other than the Hokas, and probably have close to a 1 inch heel. Initially I worried the high heel would be unstable and lead to rolling my ankles, but the mid height ankle supports the foot very well. These excel on rocky trails and offer some of the best rock protection of any shoe. That said, they are not the fastest feeling shoes, nor the best for roads, though I’ve done 10+ mile runs on pavement just fine in them. The Wildcats sport an under the lace “gaitor” that is an improvement over previous lacing systems where the laces were under the “gaitor”. The mesh upper breaths very well, but it also invites water and can be rather cold in winter weather. Most will find the toe box a bit on the wide side, and the shoe runs about a half size too small. Recommend , and designed for long technical ultras, including 100 milers.

New Balance Minimus: 7.1 ounces, 4mm drop. Well, to put it plainly these are like water shoes with a little more cushion. The Minimus has enough protection to venture onto some rocks, but I would not consider doing a technical ultra in them. Though they are more shoe than the Five Fingers, they still require a solid build up before regular high mile use, if any. Just because the commercials show Tony Krupicka dancing on boulders doesn’t mean you should automatically run 30-100 miles in them. The shoe drains well, but the upper provides little protection. Recommend for shorter non technical trail runs, and possibly “smoother” trail ultras like Way Too Cool, Holiday Lake, etc. I also found the toe box felt quite cramped and uncomfortable after a few miles. Wearing socks, especially thick socks only adds to this. Some people opt for running sockless, or at least a very thin sock.

New Balance MT100: 7.8 ounces, 10mm drop. The soft material provides just enough protection from the rocks to get away with running an ultra in them. I still wouldn’t want to kick any rocks too hard in them. The mesh upper drains well, and the lack of any real material for the tongue means getting the shoes wet doesn’t add much weight. On highly varying surfaces, there is some lacking lateral support, and you could find yourself feeling a little uneasy. The shoe rides low and provides a good sense of where the ground is, and offsets the risk of ankle roll. The MT100 can be worn as a cross country flat, or for a 50 mile ultra. For the right people, it could even be used for a 100 mile race, though not suggested. The only real weakness of the MT100 is the traction, which I felt to be somewhat poor with the minimal cross shaped grips. Built for speed, but not necessarily rocks.

The Race Within a Race- JFK 50 miler 2011

2011-11-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

About a month ago I told Anna Bradford, a 16 time JFK finisher with the Reston Runners that I wanted to volunteer for the team this year. I also stated a desire to pace a first time JFK runner, and preferably first time ultra runner. Little did I know what the day would have in store for me.

It was a day of course records, personal worsts, and the dramatic fight for both. It was a day that started off like the most idyllic of autumn days. Perhaps it was the cool chill of the November morning, the sun rays beaming through the swaying trees along the C&O canal, or boisterous crowds of Weverton and Antietam. It was a day that began like so many others, yet finished like none that came before.

It is 5am and breezy 32 degrees. Just about par for the course, as far as JFK 50 weather goes. The 5am wave starts and disappears into the dark, low lit, empty streets of Boonsboro. A couple hours later the 7am runners follow the same path, but are instead greeted by the glow of the early morning sunrise. Today, I am pacing Tom Buck, a runner who is back at JFK after a DNF at mile 27 last year. Not more than a few hours into the day the phone buzzes. Tom dropped about 5 miles into the race due to sever cramping. He was freezing and alone on the Appalachian Trail after all the other 5am runners passed him. He waited a while and had been yelling for help when a nearby boy scout troop finally found him. It appears potential food poisoning was the culprit that knocked Tom out of the race early. Looks like I wouldn't be doing any pacing today. Or would I?

As the day progressed I made my way around the course to help crew and cheer on runners. At mile 15 everyone was still peppy and happy. At mile 27 people were showing signs of fatigue, but were still generally happy and moving well. For most folks that warm fuzzy feeling starts to fade after the 30 mile mark, and when they arrive at mile 38 the day is almost sealed. It was at Taylor's Landing, mile 38, that this story begins.

Anna Bradford is having one of her slowest JFK races ever. She arrives at mile 38 ONE minute under the time cut off. One minute from getting pulled from the vent, and ending the streak. After 16 finishes, a PR of 9:29 in 2009, she is well aware of the situation, and what needs to be done if she wants finish JFK number 17 today. That's when the call comes in. It was like a major league baseball manager calling to the bull pen for the closer to come in and get it done. I was summoned to pace Anna to the finish and help turn the situation around. However, it wasn't just Anna! There was another Reston Runner, Pat Brown, who was flirting dangerously close to the cut off as well. I now had two people to get to the finish. Could they both maintain the pace needed to cover the last 12 miles in 3 hours? Would they fade on the rolling country roads of Williamsport? Would one get dropped as the other got stronger?

We get down to business, and start running. We know we don't have the luxury to walk it in, and any time running is minutes in the bank for the finish. It's a mix of running and walking on the remaining 3 miles of C&O towpath. Pat is looking good and he catches us and eventually passes. The sun is dipping lower on the horizon, and provides one last reminder that we will be running into the night. The sound of the dam signals the end of the notorious towpath, but the beginning of the final 8.2 miles of hilly roads. We grab our reflective vest, make our way onto the road, and begin the final push.

Eight. We pass the first of the mile markers that indicate the final eight miles of the course. For now it's a matter of maxing out the stretches of running between the inclines. I pick out visual markers, like a telephone pole, or a sign, and ask Anna to run until we get to them, and even beyond if she can. Though the effort is draining after 42 miles of running, Anna pushes, and good old Pat Brown is still hanging with us. It's not long before we pick up a few other runners looking for some guidance. We're on in the same boat, all trying to make it under the 12 hour cutoff. As the new "peloton" charges through the remaining six miles we pass dozens of other runners. Many of these folks were in their own fight for the finish, and for some of the 5am runners, and those hurting bad, we understood the sad reality that they would not finish in time. Sometimes the reality of a DNF is motivation enough.

Five miles to go, and 90 minutes to get there. It seems as if we are in a "safe" place to finish, but there's no point in cutting it close. All it takes is a random car accident closing down a road, train crossing, or twisted ankle, and you don't finish in time. I tell Anna, "better to finish 10 minutes under, than 1 minute over. Let's not get too relaxed." We are running impressive stretches of a quarter mile, half mile, and taking walking breaks as a nice "reward" for the tiring effort. I am paying close attention to everyone's breathing, cadence, and foot strikes. These folks are on heavy legs and tired lungs, but they maintain.

Downsville, mile 46. We roll through the last aid station, and Anna pushes hard. Our small pack of women drop back, to which I explained that they are still doing fine and there is no need to hold Anna's pace. We have 75 minutes to go four miles. The dark roads seem endless. The monotony of the pitch black is occasionally disrupted by the blinding glare of oncoming head lights, or the illumination of the road by vehicles behind us. It's us, the road, traffic cones, and silent grit. Is that coffee, or the smell of a skunk? Does anyone else smell the intense odor of pot? Ah, the odiferous scents of an ultra experience.

We're down to 63 minutes to go 3 miles. We keep truckin' to the same old beat. We arrive at the final water stop with 1.5 miles to go. Anna and Pat are tired, but there's no stopping for us. We are running fast, and our peloton is down to just us three Reston Runners. ONE mile to go! I take one more glance back to see how far behind our new friends are, but much to my surprise/delight, they have held Anna's pace and are bringing it. We are a well oiled machine motoring our way to the finish. We make the final right hand turn, push up the last little hill, and lock onto the finish line. Anna and Pat have made one of the most epic late mile turn arounds I have ever seen. They finish with Amie, a first timer who hung with us to the end, and another runner named Jenny. 11 hours and 35 minutes. Anna and Pat made up a 24 minute gap with the time cut off in just 12 miles. Two minutes per mile gained beginning at mile 38. Wow!

In my five years running the JFK 50 miler I have had experiences that have allowed me to see aspects of this race that most runners will not. I have DNF'ed the event after being pulled, and I have completed the run with basically every pace group from 11 hours to 7 hours. Up until this year, the only runner groups I had not run with were the sub 6 and 7 hour elites, and the 11 to 12 hour runners. This year, that all changed.

It was truly an awe inspiring experience to watch the 5am starters and follow the physical and emotional genesis of the back of the pack group. There is so much team work and motivational effort that comes together within this particular population, so it was amazing to see it first hand. I don't think many elites, or middle of the pack runners, realize how much more it takes to run 11-14 hours for fifty miles. The solidarity, determination, and comradery I witnessed was truly humbling. I am so proud of Anna and Pat for really shifting their bodies into an untapped gear when the going got tough. I am also grateful for the ultrarunning community, and groups like the Reston Runners for really being the embodiment of the ultra marathon spirit.

Congrats to all finishers, newbies and old schoolers. You all remind us that even our least stellar runs can produce the most motivational and gutsy performances.

See you next year!

-Mike Bailey (aka "frozen eyeball guy", "marathon costume guy", "lost all the time guy", "Asian guy with long hair guy"...etc)

Stopping to smell the roses

2011-11-04T10:14:00.000-07:00

I realized it's been a while since I posted something about my actual running. Where it is, where it's going, and where it's been. I suppose I've intentionally and unintentionally taken a few giant steps back from the running game.

Intentional: I run only when I feel like it, and am not on any particular "training" schedule. This means I never feel that a run is forced, though often I find myself starting most runs slow, and finishing fast. Just because it is nice outside doesn't necessarily mean I have to run to enjoy it. Plenty of days I have simply grabbed my camera and gone walking for a few hours. I find I can enjoy the fine details of my surroundings in a way I don't when I am running. Somedays I run fast, some are slow. Some runs are long, some are very short.

Unintentional: In a fairly bizarre accident, I cut my big toe open getting out of a hot tub. I proceeded to take 9 days off from running, in which I feared I would gain 50 lbs and be a fat joke once running resumed. To put all fears aside, I tested out the legs yesterday and was profoundly happy that I had not lost any speed with my blubbery body. In fact, the 9 days off made me quite restless in my desire to resume running, but also forced me into taking time to simply walk and smell the roses. It's funny how in life when something is no longer an option it often becomes the object of greatest appeal. We all want what we don't have, and we sometimes desire even more what we can't have. I could not have running, thus, I wanted it back bad.

Alas, I am feeling great about not "racing" this entire fall and winter. September through November have tradionally been high training and racing months, typically resulting in 3-4 ultras, long training weeks, and maybe a casual marathon. However, this year is different. I don't miss racing. I'm not keeping track of what races my friends are doing, and I'm not OCD in my need to quench my cravings for all things ultra related. Now is purely a time of rest, self reflection, and time well spent with the 99.99% of my social aquaintances who don't run. The "normality" of these moments, I believe, will give me a greater long run appreciation of what ultra runners do with their bodies. We can sometimes lose a sense of our incredible human accomplishments by being around fellow ultramarathoners too much. Imagine if every friend you had was a Harvard graduate. It might make you feel inadequate of something that others outside the social circle would highly regard.

Ironically, I just signed up for my first ultra of the fall. It's called the Crooked Road 24 Hour. The event is a consumer friendly $40, and I am simply going out there to have fun and run a little. Some folks have already asked if I am going to try and run hard, but in all honesty I am not. Plus, I hardly think 25 miles per week is anywhere close to enough running to be competitive at any distance, no less a 24 hour run. But, as stated before, I'm just going to have fun. As long as fun remains a word I can associate with running, I'll take it.

Top US Ultramarathon Course Records

2011-10-24T12:07:00.000-07:00

*updated 10/28/2011

My list of the current most impressive ultramarathon course records on US turf. My opinion is largely tied to the history of the event. In other words, older races that have seen their share of gifted runners, have a bit more credibility. Also, any race where the course changes significantly from year to year also makes it tougher to pin point a strong record. I will add that my opinion may not be worth anything, but it is, afterall, just my silly opinion.

JFK 50- Eric Clifton's 5:46 from 1994. The fact that hundreds of the top distance runners in the US have failed to break this mark makes it the most impressive current course record I can think of. Clifton, a 2:38 marathoner, simply had the perfect day. Numerous 50 mile champs and sub 2:20 marathoners have tried, but no one else has yet to break the 5:50 barrier at JFK.
*I do, however, predict that Michael Wardian will set a course record in 2011. He's fresh off an impressive course record 5:33 at the Tussey Mountainback 50 Miler. I predict low 5:40's if not something in the high 5:30's, possibly in the 5:38-5:42 range. I also think guys like Geoff Roes, Todd Braje, Matt Woods, and Andy Henshaw have the ability to challenge the record in the future. There are a couple other guys on the bubble like Michael Arnstein, Max King, and Oz Pearlman, but, for now, my money is on Wardian.

*Recently added- Ian Sharman's 12:44 from the 2011 Rocky Raccoon. Sharman crushed Eric Clifton's long standing course record, and handily won over a deep field with Karl Meltzer, Tony Krupicka, Mike Arnstein, Mike Wolfe, Zach Gingerich, and Hal Koerner.

Hardrock- Kyle Skagg's 23:23 in 2008. Nobody else has broken 24 hours. Arguably the toughest official 100 miler in the country. The record isn't very old, and few true elites have run Hardrock, but it is by no means a "soft" record. I think the person who breaks the record will absolutely have to be a high altitude runner, perhaps Kilian Jornet, a healthy Tony Krupicka, or Geoff Roes. Skaggs, afterall, trained an entire summer on the Hardrock course before racing it. Kilian is probably the most realistic challenger considering his UTMB dominance. It does sound like Hardrock legend Karl Meltzer wants to reclaim the course record. But, in which direction?

Leadville- Matt Carpenter's 15:42 in 2005. It would take another high altitude specialist to challenge this. Not even Krupicka, in his best form, came close. This will stand for a while, and more impressively is that Carpenter never really pursued ultras. Recent winning times have been nearly a minute per mile slower.

Badwater- Valmir Nunez 22:51 in 2007. The combination of being able to run in extreme heat and run the equivalent of a 150 mile 24 hour race is mind blowing. 120+ degrees for 135 miles, and a "chilly" 90 degrees at night. I can't think of anyone who could challenge this, though recent happenings suggest Mike Morton could, though I doubt he's interested in the Badwater record, or race. But, you can't ignore that his 163 miles covered during a hot, sandy, Hinson Lake 24 hour suggests he could be the man. His time serving in Afghanistan doesn't hurt either. We also can't rule out former/current champs Oswaldo Lopez and Akos Konya.

Speaking of Mike Morton. His 163 miles on a hot day at the Hinson Lake 24 hour in September was just sick. He ran through crowds of 250+ slower runners(much slower), and nearly matched Scott Jurek's American record for 24 hours. Scott ran a fast, paved, course in ideal conditions (with other fast pace setters). Morton's performance belongs on this list. His Western States course record is also a story of legend. He's been off the radar for nearly a decade, but wow is he back in a big way. He may not race again for a while, but what a come back!

Any Ann Trason course record will probably not get broken any time soon. Though, I suspect someone like Ellie Greenwood has the speed and tenacity to challenge some of them.

Western States: Geoff Roes' 15:07 in 2010. After the results from 2011, this record may not last as long as originally thought. I suspect a sub 15 hour time isn't too far off. But, for now, to have the course record of the oldest 100 mile race, is still pretty impressive.

Promise Land- Clark Zealand's 4:30 from 2002. On the grand scheme of things, Promise Land is probably considered a smaller race. However, over the years some very talented runners have run this event, and nobody has really come near Zealand's time of 4:30. Most years winners have been a solid 15-20 minutes off. In truth, I could see some west coast elites coming out and running 4:20's, but it hasn't happened yet.

*New. Jim O'brien's 1989 17:35 at Angeles Crest. Overlooked this race, mostly because I'm an east coaster. But, sure enough this event has been around 25 years, has had a remarkebly consistent course, and was 2 miles longer during O'brien's CR year. Guys like Jurek, Koerner, and Pacheco haven't really come any closer than 1-2 hours. Jurek wasn't close to O'brien's time, eventhough this overlapped the time he started his amazing 7 year winning streak at Western States. Gives some perspective doesn't it?

Mountain Masochist: Geoff Roes' 6:27 from 2009. Geoff knocked a ridiculous 21 minutes off Dave Mackey's impressive CR. The speed was lacking in the '10 event with a 7:23 winning time, but in most years nobody even comes within 30 minutes of Geoff's time. I'd say Tony Krupicka's White River course record is close to on par, but that course is about 3 miles shorter than the Masochist (53ish mile course).

Okay, I am adding Geoff Roes' 18:30 from the 2009 Wasatch 100. It's an old race with some gnarley climbs. Not quite Hardrock and Leadville type of altitude, but enough to make it rough on the flatlanders. Geoff knocked over an hour off Kyle Skagg's '07 record, and other than Mr.Meltzer, nobody has been within an hour of Geoff, or under 19 hours. Mr. Roes owns 3 of arguably the top 10 most impressive US ultra course records.

Honorable Mention- Maybe these are more impressive. Less impressive. What do you think?

Tom Johnsons 5:33 from the 1994 American River 50, along w/Ann Trason's 6:09 in '93

Tony Krupicka's 6:27 from the 2010 White River 50. Bested Uli Steidl's old CR twice.

Zach Gingerich's 13:23 from the 2010 Umstead 100. Warm day, where he crushed the CR. Nobody else has been under 14 hours, though I suspect another low 13's, or sub 13 may happen soon.

Andy Henshaw's 6:47 from the 2011 Mad City 100k

Dave Mackey's 7:53 at the 2008 Miwok 100k.

*Not a race, but it's worth mentioning Jennifer Pharr Davis' AT overall speed record of 46 days and 11 hours. Completed July 2011.

MMT or Grindstone: Which is Tougher?

2011-10-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

Virginia is home to many exciting and popular ultramarathons. With the frenzy of new races every year, there is always a general curiosity as to which are the toughest. Virginia is also home to some well known 100 mile ultras, including two of the toughest east of the Rockies. There's the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 (MMT), and the Grindstone 100. So which is tougher? Ask around and you'll get arguments from both sides supporting one, or the other as the toughest. 100 mile phenom Neal Gorman has shared his insights, from an elite's perspective, on his blog Trails and Tales. As both of these races have increased in popularity, the debate is being tossed around in even more conversations. Well, here's my take.

Based on stats alone you would automatically assume MMT is the easier race. Here's how they size up.

MMT- Elevation gain 16,200 ft. 101.2 miles. Course record(on current course) 18:18. 81.3% trails, 81.7% dirt roads, 1.7% paved. Average finish time: 31 hours. Cutoff: 36hours. 4am start. Temps: 60-90 F

Grindstone- Elevation gain 23,200 ft. 101.8 miles. Course record(on current course)18:46. Mostly single track and some fire roads and pavement. Average finish time: 30 hours. Cutoff 38 hours. 6pm Friday start. Temps: 40-75 F

My anwser is two sided. Bear with me. I believe Grindstone is a harder race for slower runners, and MMT is harder for faster runners. The average times are roughly an hour faster at Grindstone, eventhough the cutoff is two hours more. How can that be? I think it's because slower runners must run through two nights at Grindstone and only one at MMT. Though not as technical, running even moderately rugged trails is slower at night, than in the day. The sleep deprivation factor is also worse, and the slowest runners will actually be slower at Grindstone then at MMT. Thus, the additional two hour cutoff. The time gap between the middle of the pack and the back of the pack at Grindstone is about seven hours, while the same gap between pace groups is roughly four hours at MMT. Therefor, Grindstone is the tougher race for the slowest runners.

MMT hurts faster runners mostly due to the extreme technical nature of the course. The photo to the above left is a small sample of what the rest of the course looks like. It doesn't matter if you can run a 2:30 marathon, no amount of speed will get you over those rocks any faster. At MMT, it largely comes down to how long you can keep moving forward after your feet have taken a days worth of beating. Often, it's not the super fast runners that win MMT, but rather the fast ones who have enough conditioning and will power to keep at it for hours and hours over those relentless rocks. At Grindstone the fastest runners get to finish in the daylight, including many sections towards the end that are semi technical. Not only are these folks faster to begin with, but they benefit from being able to see the trail better, and thereby making it more runnable for themselves. Typically, the night portion of a 100 mile race is mentally the toughest for all runners. So having it come at the beginning of Grindstone can be easier, but not for those who know they will be enduring a mind draining second sunset. Slower runners are already limited to the visibility of their lights, and at MMT depth perception at night is even harder with the rocks.

But, what about Grindstone's climbs? Facts are facts. Grindstone has 7,000 more feet of gain, and quad busting descent than MMT. However, these climbs are sometimes spread out over several miles, thereby making them runnable for faster runners, and long power hikes for everyone else. Still, I believe it's quicker to power hike uphill for 3 miles at Grindstone, than having to tip toe through MMT's rock gardens regardless of whether it's uphill, downhill, or flat. Grindstone, without a doubt, will bust up your quads and have you dreading anything downhill after 60 miles. Yet, even if you chose to walk at Grindstone, your walking speeding would still be faster than at MMT. Even if you aren't capable of running the climbs at Grindstone, people who are very good climbers (aka Donna Utakis) would excel, whereas at MMT even their exceptional climbing ability would be negated once the course leveled out. MMT's rocks simply negate everything you could do faster on less technical trails.

Cumulative body damage. Once again, MMT's rocks deliver a double whooping. They slow you down AND they abuse your body. Grindstone trashes quads, but MMT has a special way of causing agony in a rare way most other races cannot. Ankle twists, pointy rocks, falls, cuts, and bruises are all part of the race of attrition. The potential to get royally jacked up is higher at MMT, and the odds that you'll suffer any of these gems is likely for any speed runner. You will probably run a higher percentage of MMT feeling beat up than at Grindstone.

Let's not forget the weather either. Grindstone's early October date usually yields rather pleasant and ideal race conditions. Typically runners might get a chilly night in the 40's and highs in the 70's at daytime. They are running in the cold, more than in the sun. MMT, however, is notorious for it's shifty weather patterns. They've had hail, severe storms, and temperatures that could be anywhere from 50 degrees to over 90 and humid. You might even experience all of these conditions during the same race. Due to the unpredictable weather, you might get caught off guard with soaked clothing and shoes. Also, at MMT, runners often have to deal with longer gaps between aid stations during the hottest parts of the day. During the "hottest" parts of Grindstone you have aid every 5-7 miles, not 8-10. Managing your gear and logistics is probably trickier at MMT.

Neal Gorman stated, Grindstone may be a tougher race, but MMT is a tougher course. That's an idea I mostly agree with, though I will reiterate my belief Grindstone is disproportionately tougher for the back of the pack runner, and MMT is disproportionately tougher for the speedsters. Ironically, Neal ran nearly identical times at both races, which would suggest they are equal. Neal was more "relaxed" towards the end of Grindstone due to 2nd place being almost 50 minutes back, whereas he was chasing Karl Meltzer for most of the first 60 miles at MMT. Overall, however, I will say that MMT is indeed the tougher event to experience.

Coincidently, Karl Meltzer owns both course records on the current courses. In regards to why the course record is slower at Grindstone, I'd say it's because Karl was never challenged at that race, and ended up running most of it fairly conservatively. Well, not in the same way he would have run with someone nipping at his heels. Grindstone has also not been around long enough to see the same caliber of runners MMT has, though that should change in the next few years. When Karl won MMT last year, he was not being chased the last 30 miles. Though in 2006, on a different version of the MMT course, Karl broke 18 hours chasing Sim Jae Duk who ran 17:40. He did that on possibly a tougher course(back when it still had over 18,000ft of gain). Realistically, I think if Grindstone had at least three elites competing for most of the day, we might times in the mid to low 17 hour range.

So, there you have it. MMT edges out Grindstone, in my humble silly opinion, as the tougher race. The reality is that both are tough races, and if you really want to find out for yourself, the best way is to run them!

(Photos courtesy of Rob Dolan and Chet White)

2011 Grindstone 100: A pacer's narrative

2011-10-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of pacing my friend Zsuszanna Carlson at the rugged and wild Grindstone 100. In this story, I'll refer to Zsuszanna by her nickname, simply "Z", because no matter what, I always mispell her name. Anyway, I had offered to pace her several weeks before the race, but didn't confirm actually pacing until two days prior. I was more than happy to oblige. This was my second time pacing at Grindstone, and one of many times running with my friend Z.

The objectives were quite simple. Pick up Z at mile 66, North River, and run with her to the finish. When your runner arrives after 66+ miles of mountain running through the night, you're never quite sure what you're gonna get. A number of the runners coming into the aid station looked sleep deprived, haggard, weary on trashed quads, you name it. Could you really blame them? Would Z be joining the ranks of the walking dead? Initial word was that she was 4th, or 5th female, and running very close to our local friend, and strong runner, Kerry Owens. This was good news, but news that, at this point, may be several hours old. Then just around noon, Kerry pops out of the woods and seconds later there's my friend Z. Z is the fourth female and looking energized, but she is also 15 minutes off her time splits from last year. In 2010, Z was fourth female in 29:40. Would today be the same?

Z doesn't stay at the aid station long and pretty soon we are off to conquer the final 35 miles. The fall weather is as lovely as you could ask for. It was cool in the morning, but near 70's in the day. A perfect temperature to be outside, yet for the tired runners it came as an exausting wave of heat. At times like this even the beauty of your surroundings can't dull out the growing pain and fatigue. We climb to the ridgeline with Kerry, but pull away nearing Lookout Mountain at mile 72. Several runners have dropped at the aid station, including the first female. Z is in 2nd place! Another quick in and out, and soon enough we are making our three mile descent into Dowells Draft. This is where Kerry finally passed us for good, and would charge on to become 2nd female. Z's quads are shot, blisters are hurting, and the relentless pounding is taking it's toll. Our goals now are to beat last year's time and maintain a top 3. I know what she is feeling, but I also know what it will take for her to reach her goals. We talk about life, relationships, running, and so on. Talking is the most I can do to keep her focused off the pain, but we gotta keep moving.

Mile 80 comes and goes, and then a long climb up Crawford Mountain. It is late in the day, but the remaining sunlight keeps it warm on the exposed southwest ridges. 87 miles done. The sunlight fades away and the chill of the evening approaches. Z is looking strong and determined. We shift from fleeting moments of goofy song singing to silent focus. Z is tough, but even so she reminds me how much she is hurting. The miles roll on, but don't we know how far back the next female is, and with ten miles to go, Z is very close to her projected finish from last year. We don't want to finish in the same time, we want to beat it. The night brings cold, but the climbs bring heat. It's an on and off battle to regulate body temperature and to keep moving forward.

The moon is about two thirds full and casting shadows along the trail. Then there's the occasional bobbing of headlamps in the distance and the quick small talk as runners pass eachother in the quiet night. Though it breaks the monotony to see other runners, there's always the fear that one is a female contesting for a top 3. We hear a female voice. What? It turns out the female is a pacer for a male runner. Z is still 3rd. The time gaps between these short interactions are a little reminder of how isolated you really are on the mountain. We arrive at Elliot Knob and make the final descent of the race. Z's quads are thrashed, and after 95 miles of ups and downs, this one hurts the most. The lights from the town below are a welcome site that make us feeling like we are finally in the home stretch. However, Z is still running, and trying to break 29:40. It will be close.

We spot tents in the woods, and smell the odor of recently extinguished camp fires. We are very close to Camp Shenandoah, and we are now 1.5 miles from the finish. Z has 29 minutes to cover 1.5 miles to set a personal best. With this knowledge she starts walking. "Z, you gotta run this! Any mistake, and we don't break 29:40" I urge her not to cut too close, though we are so near to the finish. It doesn't help either that the trails are sparsely marked, and it is very dark. A wrong turn would be easy to do. Z is now running with all her might. We make our way around the lake. There's only a half mile to go! What a sight to behold. The clear night sky, a bright autumn moon reflecting off the lake, and then there's Z running her heart out. Truly a majestic backdrop for an inspiring finish. We enter into the camp, and from 100 yards away we can see the finish clock. It is 11:31pm, and Z has finished her second Grindstone 100 in a personal best time of 29:31. She also finishes as the 3rd female. I simply stand back and watch my tired friend enjoy her accomplishment. I am proud of Z, and thankful to be part of her journey.

4th Annual Grindstone 100 Predictions!

2011-09-28T06:40:00.000-07:00

*Last updated 10/4/11 (weather forcast-sunny highs in the mid 70's, lows in the 40's)

Ladies and gentleman! Here come the 2011 Grindstone 100 predictions.This will be my third set of predictions for Grindstone, so here's to hoping they are the best. 23,000 ft of climb. Over 100 miles of varying terrain. Quirky fall weather. Who's ready? Karl Meltzer still owns the course record of 18:46. I'm sure he could have run much faster, sub 18 perhaps, but he was never challenged in the race, having won by over 2.5 hours. The men's field is deep, but as always expect a few drops here and there. I'm sure to miss a few folks, but here are who I think are the key players.

Neal Gorman: Grand Slam record holder is no longer an up and comer in the sport of ultras. He is already there. This summer alone he has been 2nd at Massanutten (19:40), 1st at Old Dominion(16:16 with 20 minute detour), and 3rd at the oxygen deprived Leadville(17:48). Predict Neal for the win in 19:15

Andy Jones Wilkins: *update- AJW will not be running*

Keith Knipling: Tons of experience in the VA mountains. He's the TWOT 100 record holder, which overlaps a large section of the Grindstone course, and he's been a contender in this race before. Predict 22:30

Frank Gonzalez: He's been a running machine this year and is fresh off a course record win at Cheat Mountain Moonshine Madness (7:16). Frank the tank is my sleeper for the top 3, and I think he'll be in around 22 hours.

James Brennan: Ran well at his only two 100's (Vermont in 19:19 and Rocky Raccoon in17:34). James seems to always be in the hunt. I suspect he'll be in the top 10 and cracking the sub 24 barrier.

Jordan Chang: 1st 100? Jordan is a fast youngster who could make things fun. It'll be interesting to see how his road speed plays out in the mountains. Prediction???

Matt Hart: solid coach and runner. Don't know much about Matt, but he will probably be a top 5 contender. Predict 22:45

Jason Lantz: Lots of 100 mile experience. Another guy who can run sub 24 on pretty much any course, even when he has a "bad" day. 2 time Old Dominion champ (in the hot years). Predict a 22:30, and a top 5

Patrick McGlade: fast youngster who already has an impresive resume of wins, and a cross country run to boot. DNF'ed in '09, ran for fun in '10. Depending on whether he is running for fun, or competitive, he could be in the mix. Capable of 22-23 hours, or better.

Craig Thornley: Has finished WS consistently in 18-20 hours. Lots of experience on the west coast, and ultras in general. I suspect he'll challenge for a top 5. Predict 22:45

Mario Raymond: Another very seasoned runner, who's been running well the past few years. He has broken 24 at Grindstone before, and I'd expect the same. Predict 23 hours, or better, and a top 8

David Ploskonka: Had an inspiring and gutsy "return from the dead" performance at MMT. Dave is fast, and pacing will make or break his race. Predict 23:59, or better if he stays on course

David Ruttum: '10 Old Dominion winner. He's run well at Grindstone before. Predict a top 6 22:15

Sleepers in the men's race. Potential sub 24 and top 10:

Yosuke Murase- 2011 grand slammer has really come into his own as an ultrarunner the past couple years.

Tom Syre is a fast youngster, though I think this is his first 100?

Aaron Mulder is another consistent runner who could sneak into the top 10.

Thad Meyer has done well in 24 hour races and Matt Bugin is yet another speedy 50k and 50 mile guy in the mix.

I've been informed that Jason Wiley is one to watch as well, and is a strong late race runner

Age Group: look for Mike Campbell to set an age group course record. The guy seriously proves aging does not mean slowing down.

Women's race: ?? Grindstone has historically had very, very few woman. Not sure why the draw isn't there. Not really sure on the contenders, though I suspect Alyssa Wildeboer may be the fastest. Zsuzanna Carlson and Kerry Owens have a lot of experience, and could round out the top 3 women.

*update- Sophie Speidel informs me Katherine Dowson is one to watch. She was the 2009 Bear 100 winner and Bighorn 50 winner.

Per Zsuzanna Carlson, Deb livingston is another speedy one, though it appears much of her success, and wins, have been at the trail marathon and 50k distance.

Alicia Hudelson has the women's Superior Hiking Trail record, covering 205 miles in 4 days and 15 hours.

Rebecca Phalen- solid local runner. Not sure what she's been up to recently, but in previous years she's done well.

The women's race thickens!

Ultramarathon Hall of Fame. Who would be in it?

2011-09-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

I found myself daydreaming during a hike the other day about an ultramarathon hall of fame. Most sports have one, and actually many non sport related careers and industries have them. So, hypothetically, what if ultrarunning had one? There is an American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame, but as far as I know there isn't a general one for the entire sport. Setting aside the formalities of what governing body would decide, or what is considered an ultra, here's who I think would make the list. You'll notice it's mostly an American roster, largely due to the fact those are the only names I am familiar with, but we all know many other countries have produced amazing ultramarathoners.

For starters, I suppose in order to be "qualified" of a hall of fame type "career", there should be some longevity, records, contribtuions, and overall success in the world of distance running over 26.2 miles. Of course, many of these folks are still competitive today, but I'd probably consider runners whose careers pre date the last five years. Perhaps prior to 2006, which, for the time being, would probably rule out current elites like Geoff Roes, Tony Krupicka, and Killian Jornet. Just an example.

The hypothetical Ultrarunning Hall of Fame class of 2011

Yiannis Kouros- the big kahuna
Ann Trason- the best female ever
Terry Fox- though he never formally ran ultras
Ted Corbitt
Sandra Kiddy
Marcy Schwam
Bernd Heinrich
Tim Twietmeyer
Stu Mittleman
Allan Kirik
Barney Klecker
Oleg Kharitonov- HOF performance, 11:28 100 mile world record. It should be noted that a 14 hour 100 was done in 1934 by Arthur Newton who set the bar for the distance.
Scott Jurek
John Geesler
Roy Pirrung
Sue Ellen Trapp
Chad Ricklefs
Bruce Fordyce
Dennis Herr
Karl Meltzer
Nikki Kimball
Howard Nippert
Carl Anderson
Valmir Nunez
Matt Carpenter
Arnulfo Quimare
Dean Karnazes- the guy everyone loves to hate
Eric Clifton
David Horton
Pam Reed
Mike Morton
Kami Semick
Courtney Campbell

Potential HOF'ers: Annette Bednosky, Anne Lundblad, Anita Ortiz, Hal Koerner, David Goggins, Monica Scholz, Dave Mackey.

It'll be interesting to see who is still running in ten years, as the sport really seemed to explode in the mid 2000's. With so many talented runners, I wonder how many will be quick 3-5 years stars, and who will stick around for a while?

A newbie's point of view: Shenandoah 100 Century Ride

2011-09-13T05:56:00.000-07:00

Let me preface this short story by saying I sometimes intentionally enter endurance events without training, or experience, to make it tougher. The Shenanhoah 100, not the mountain bike race, was one of those events.

Having completed numerous long distance running events , I thought it would be fun to attempt a long distance event on a bike. I don't own a bike, and hadn't ridden in one in over 8 years. More importantly, I had never been on a road bike, which I quickly learned was a very different experience.

Thus, in August, just weeks before the SVBC's Shenandoah 100, I hopped on a road bike for the first time in my life. My friend Benjamin Jacobsen, a young, faster, local cyclist, was going to let me borrow his bike for the ride, and riding gear. Well, now I've got a bike! Now let me tell you this. Learning how to simply get on a road bike took about 10 minutes, and remaining upright was a challenge during my entire first ride. The seat felt high, the stearing was shakey, and the feel was rigid. After only a few miles, my butt hurt, my neck was stiff, and my shoulders ached. I poked along at about 10mph on the flat sections and was too wimpy to go faster than 24 mph on the downhills. All in all, my first road ride ever was 16 miles and nearly 2 hours. It was more learning effort, than physical effort, but how would this compare to riding 100 miles? Would it take me 10-12 hours?

A week later I got in my second road ride. This short 14 miler would be my last ride leading up to the following week's century.

Sept 11, 2011. On the ten year anniversary of the tragic events of 9/11 I started my first endurance ride. It reminded me a lot of how I felt at my first ultra. There were hundreds of cyclists who looked fit, experienced, and ready to roll. Then, there was me. I wore running shoes, because I didn't own any "clip ins" which apparently help a ton. It was a cool 60 degrees, it was 8am, and we were off! And.... just like that I fell off my bike causing a small log jam of bikes behind me. Less than three seconds into my ride and I already fell! Fail. Not how I wanted to start the day. Geeze, my only goal today was to finish under 10 hours, maybe I should just try to survive! Pretty soon the hundred, or so, riders made there way into the first of four 25-28 mile loops. The course is shaped like a clover leaf, so you never repeat sections, but aid is always at the same spot.

Things were comfy early on. I talked with a few folks and told them I had just started riding. When we hit mile 17, I proudly proclaimed that it was now my longest ride ever. This was immediately followed by suggestions to slow down my pace, and take it easy. Of course, this meant I sped up. Whenever I receive sage advice like "slow down", I rarely follow it. Not much to really add other than the first 28 miles went by quick. The rolling hills and long straight aways started really working my legs in loop 2, but my confidence on the bike was growing. Here and there I would get into nice flat stretches averaging around 30mph, and even hitting 40 on the downhills. There was never an opprtunity to draft, mostly due to not having enough riders around. I was either struggling to keep up, or passing people. At any rate, I know it took up a lot of extra energy riding by myself into the headwind. So it goes.

Lap 3 was the toughest for me. My right IT band started really getting sore around the 100k mark. I stopped stretched, took a couple ibuprofen, and continued to ride with a rider named Tyler Spurlock, who happened to go to the same church as me. It was nice having company again, and we rode together for about 10 miles. Leaving for the final loop, my IT band was really throbbing, but it was a pain I had gotten used to several years ago when it really inhibited my running. I figured it couldn't get any worse, and it didn't. So, I sucked it up through the mostly flat 4th loop, enjoyed the crystal clear views of the valley, and took it easy. There were a couple odd looking "course markings" that almost sent me off route, so I waited to see other riders. Surprisingly, the course was so welled marked, I never actually made any wrong turns.

In the end, I casually rolled into the finish 101.8 miles later, in 7 hours and 40 minutes. I was a little sore, but in a good way. Considering I used completely untrained muscle groups for that long, I was pleasantly surprised at how good I felt post ride. (though the ibuprofen was probably still working). I also realized around mile 70 that I hadn't use any of my small gears, which is why I kept losing time on the climbs. Many of the riders who did the century were more likely to be more experienced and faster than the less experienced folks like me. Quite a few people opted to cut the ride down to either a 75 mile, or 50 mile version. So, I am quite pleased with my debut. I will also note that I never went anaerobic during the ride. My heart rate was always pretty low, aside from a few steep hills. Due to the lack of conditioning needed for long rides, my muscles fatigued far sooner than required to to stress my cardio. In running, my legs are conditioned, so they often hold up longer than my lungs, and thus I go anaerobic. When my cycling muscles get trained, then I can finally start using my cardio to ride faster. After that, look out!

Stats:

Average speed during my 102 mile ride: 14.2 mph
Average speed on my two short training rides: 9.0 mph (for 16 and 14 miles)
Highest training week: 16 miles. Other riders (150-200 miles)
Longest ride: 16 miles
Bike: 22 lb Giant
Nutrition: refilled 2 water bottles 3 times, consuming about 130 ounces
Calories: 300 pre-ride. About 900-1000 during (130 cal per hour)
Weight: before 157.5, after 156.5
Time: 7:40, time at aid and pit stops 0:30, total riding time 7:10. Finished about an hour ahead of the riders who told me to slow down during loop one :-)
Loop splits:
Loop 1: 27.8 miles (1:58) cum 1:58 (27.8 miles) time at aid: 0:12 (waited for potty)
Loop 2: 25.2 miles (1:54) cum 3:48 (53.0 miles) time at aid: 0:08 (waited for potty)
Loop 3: 26.0 miles (2:02) cum 6:00 (79.0 miles) time at aid: 0:08 (I'll pee later)
Loop 4: 22.8 miles (1:40) cum 7:40 (101.8 miles) finish (went pee pee)

Final thoughts: I think with basic experience gained from a century ride, I think I could knock an hour off this time, if I were to ride the exact same event a week from now. With regular training, maybe even sub 6 hours by next year's ride. But, that would require a bike, and a growing love for having my rear end hurt all the time. The SVBC puts on a great low key event. Very cheap to enter, and you can enter last minute. The well marked course gave me an opprtunity to see many of the beautiful back coutry roads that I rarely drive. Lastly, riding 100 mile has given me a new appreciation for Iron Man athletes who swim 2.4 miles, rode 10 miles furthur than I did, and then run a marathon. I also can't fathom how Tour Du France riders average their speed at altitude, through the mountains, for three straight weeks. No wonder so many turned to PED's, sheesh.

Lost on the Roads? Mike becomes a cycling newbie!

2011-09-07T11:44:00.001-07:00

(photo courtesy of SVBC)

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." Ah, the famous line by Doc Brown from Back to the Future. Actually, where I'm going is entirely on roads. So that quote was completely pointless, other than an opportunity to quote one of my favorite 80's movies.

On Sunday September 11, 2011, I will be riding in the 29th annual Shenandoah 100 century ride. I thought it would be nice to spend time reflecting on beautiful country roads on a day so many people will be remembering the tragic events of ten years ago. In case you were wondering when I started cycling, the answer is about two weeks ago. I am borrowing a friend's road bike, and have only completed two rides of 16 and 14 miles each. Other than riding through campus on my mountain bike in college, these are the only road rides I have ever done. Hardly enough experience to merit wanting to ride 100 miles, but lack of experience has never held me back. Afterall, I'm the same lunatic who completed a 50 mile ultramarathon having never run further than 6 miles.

That being said, I know very little about cycling. After 60 ultramarathons, I can say I am a somewhat intelligent source of information regarding running. Starting from scratch in a new hobby has really appealed to me recently. The desire to complete a century ride came in the same summer I began taking Zumba classes because I thought they were a unique physical challenge, especially for a guy with no rhythm. So, I'm taking what little I know about cycling, mostly obtained from my "coach/friend" Benjamin Jacobsen(a strong local cyclist), and seeing what I can do in a 100 mile ride. I'm pretty confident I can ride 20-30 miles without much effort, but 100 should be a formidable challenge. Given that every 3 miles of biking uses up the same energy as 1 mile of running, I will treat this like I would a 50k. Nutrition will be somewhat different, clothing will be much tighter, and my butt, neck, and shoulders will hurt.

I have no clue how long this ride will take. It's not a competitive event, yet I hear the fastest riders will be done in 5 hours, or less. The slowest riders will finish in 10 hours, while the average should expect to finish in 7-8. My only real "goal", other than to finish, is to see how well I can stay with the mid pack. I'd like to see what I can do, knowing I'm still hesitant to blaze the downhills, and my pacing will be all over the place. At any rate, it should be a lot of fun trying something new. I love taking on new challenges, and I love that this summer I have really diversified my physical goals. My goals were to complete a 100 mile run on trails, almost pass for someone who can do Zumba, bench press 250 lbs, and complete a 100 mile century ride. Only the century ride is incomplete. As my friends joked, I'm like Lance Armstrong in reverse :-)

Wish me luck!

The Great Debate: Kenyans, Ultras, and Who's the greatest?

2011-07-13T11:16:00.000-07:00

-Geoffrey and Geoff, and their two big course records

I was asked the other day who had won the legendary Western States 100 miler. The same person also asked "was it a Kenyan?". I chuckled, and said "no, it was actually a Spaniard. Kenyans don't run ultramarathons." I've actually heard quite a few people assume that since Kenyans and Ethiopians are basically the fastest road runners in the world, that the same folks must be winning all the ultras. It often surprises my friends who don't have the "ultra inside scoop" that many of our races are won by north American runners, often with cool beards, long hair, and normal day jobs.

The main debate is that the best ultrarunners may not be faster than marathoners, but in a 50-100 mile race they would still win. Notice I'm not talking about 50k's because it's only 5 miles longer than a marathon(yes mountains would make it tougher). However, when Josh Cox set the 50k American record he simply ran a 2:18 marathon and tacked on 5 miles at a track to finish in 2:47. He recently went after the world record doing the same thing and came very close with a 2:43. No doubt impressive, but there are guys who could do it 10 minutes faster if the money was there. Ultimately, given the same training, I say the top marathoners crush our ultra elites Roes, Krupicka, and Jornet. Here's why.

The ultrarunner supporters believe that even the best ultra guys and gals would still beat the fastest road marathoners. Consider how Tony Krupicka, Hal Koerner, Geoff Roes, and others largely dominate road guys like Michael Wardian. Wardian, who btw wins plenty of ultras, is a 2:17 marathoner, but still loses by hours to the other guys if the race is 100 miles and in the mountains. I agree that guys who train 150+ mpw in the mountains will have a much better chance at outrunning a faster road runner who trains 120 mpw on roads. Mountain runners have bodies that are simply more conditioned to go the distance with varying elements (such as extreme weather and geography).Tough terrain and vertical climb are the first things to negate a marathoner's raw speed. The second thing is that nutrition is vital in longer races. Elite marathoners can subside off a dozen cups of water, but they are completely spent when they cross the finish. Tweeking their nutrition plan so they can learn how to consume substantial calories, would be the difference in sustaining their pace through an ultra distance. The transition from 26.2 miles to 50 to 100 is tough, and obviously not every elite marathoner's body is designed to do it. However, those that do would clean house.

The bottom line is that elite marathoners have fewer variables other than air temperature. They often have a predictable running surface, minimal elevation change, and minimal time for weather to change since they are done within a couple hours. Tony Krupicka's 2:40,Koerner's 2:35, and Scott Jurek's 2:38 marathon personal bests would get scorched on a marathoner's familiar turf. However, I believe that once the fastest marathoner's start training like ultrarunners (ie eating while running, running trails with lots of vert) they would start to crush our current level elites. So, why aren't Kenyan's and Ethiopians running ultras?

Money! Ultras are low revenue events that more than likely provide no prize money. The few races that do have a cash prize, like the North Face, still only give out $10,000 to the winner at their national championships. Unlike many Americans who enjoy the "luxury" of the income their jobs earn, many 3rd world athletes will compete where the most money is. The Boston Marathon dishes out $150k, NYC $130k, and Chicago $125k. They can't support their families off belt buckles and medals. Perhaps if our ultramarathon athletes were in the same situation, they'd be training for the big bucks, but that really hasn't been the attitude of ultrarunners. Ultrarunning has always been very low key, laid back, and out of the spotlight. Sometimes it can't help be anything but out of the lime light. Afterall, how could you ever televise a mountain ultra? Where on the trail would sponsors put their logos, other than on the athletes already competing? You can't generate money when trails and national parks limit entry fields to 300-400 runners, unlike the big city marathons where you have 30,000 people paying $120 a piece to run. Ultramarathons simply aren't designed to draw a lot of income(ok, maybe JFK "rip off" 50 miler for $195). Imagine a 50 miler through NYC, and finding a tv station that would want to cover at least 5.5 hours worth of running just to see the winner finish! Too big of an investment risk.

Now let's suppose, hypothetically, that The North Face, or Montrail ever got to the point of tossing out a $100,000 cash prize. You still might not get THE fastest folks who don't want to risk injury by training, or racing an ultra, but you'd definitely get many others. Historically, the top ultra runners have been between 2:35 and 2:45 marathon speed. Seven time Western States winner Scott Jurek had a personal best of 2:38 when he was dominating ultras in the early 2000's. I think ultras are drawing more crossover runners who can't quite be competetive in big city marathons, but can win at ultras. I'm talking about guys like Matt Woods, David Riddle, Michael Arnstein, Matt Carpenter, Max King, Michael Wardian, Uli Steidel, Todd Braje, and others who are capable of anything from 2:14 to 2:30 marathons. Plenty fast, but not enough to win against guys running sub 2:10. Uli, Carpenter, and King have the most speed in the group (all sub 2:15 PR's), and all have adapted their training to suite ultras. If they can win ultras doing this, of course even faster folks would also be winning. So, you can see the allure of going to ultras where you could at least make a run for some victories/cash. Even the women are raising the bar. You've got 2:49 marathoner Ellie Greenwood, 2:53 Kami Semick and Jenn Shelton, all the way to low 2:40's Devon Crosby Helms. Very fast, but even they couldn't hang with the elite women dropping 2:20's.

It sounds crazy, but I think if the money was there, you'd see course records fall left and right. Western States would go from 15:07 to sub 14:30, JFK would drop to 5:30ish, and we'd see a bunch of 100 mile course records drop by hours. Imagine someone like Haile Gebrselassie making a move at Western States and dropping a 4:45 mile into Forest Hills, or setting a 2:25 marathon split at American River en route to a 5:15 course record (27 minutes under Krupicka's 5:42)? It would be crazy, but very plausible. I could be wrong, but the only reason guys like Roes, Mackey, and Jornet are winning ultras is because the money hasn't drawn in the big dogs yet. Would I even want ultras to become some mega marketed machine? I think it would destroy the character of the sport and take away many of the little things that make ultras so endearing. Ultras have always been about an individual journey to push beyond, and a place where first and last place received the same reward when crossing the finish. Maybe a 2:03 marathoner would fall apart trying to run more than 40-50 miles? Maybe not? There's no doubt that elite marathoners have amazing mental toughness to maintain sub 5 minute miles for 26 miles. But, there's a grit and toughness that a rare few have(marathoner, or ultrarunner) that keeps them relentlessly moving forward after 60,70, and 90 miles. That being said, I would still be rooting for my fellow ultra guys/gals to prove that being the best long distance runners means more than just being fast.

Squaw Valley to Auburn: Final Thoughts

2011-07-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

This will be my last post concerning anything Western States until December. The lottery drawing for the 2012 race will ultimately determine my future with WS, though it seems back to back selections are very unlikely. Last years selection odds were 12:1, and assuming next year has more applicants, it would project a 13:1, or more ratio. Thus, being selected two years in a row seems something of at least a 100:1 chance. However, since I was already selected once, I suppose I am now back in the 12:1 odds pool with everyone else again :-)

Final thoughts on my 2011 race

Pacing: I didn't wear a watch, and obviously it would have helped nudge me to hit certain time goals. Going "old school" without a pacer, or crew didn't seem to bother me either, though a motivator late in the race may not have been bad. WS is a well stocked course, and I never felt like I was lacking anything I needed running solo. The volunteers pretty much are like an adopted crew team, but for family and friends who want to support their runner being on a crew is probably very rewarding, needed, or not.

Nutrition: My weight was never down more than 4 lbs, or up 2 lbs. In fact, beyond mile 55 (Michigan Bluff), I was within 1 lb of my pre-race weight. Bottom line, even without a watch I kept very good track of my liquid and calorie intake.

Pre race "training": I only trained 40 mpw leading up to WS. I also had a handful of slow 20-30 mile runs, but nothing fast. It would have been nice to toss in a few quick 4:30-5 hour mountain 50k's for training. Ideally, I would have aimed for 80+mpw, topping out at 100, but it wasn't in the cards this spring. Trying to be balanced with work, social life, and other hobbies made it tough to really want to dedicate so much time to running. There's always a trade off.

Performance at WS: Obviously, finishing any 100 is something to be proud of. Like they say "there's no such thing as an easy 100". WS certainly isn't an easy 100. My biggest physical setback during the WS run was clearly the deterioration of my left quad starting at mile 38. In a big race like WS, it's really demoralizing to know you have 62 more miles to run on a bum leg. I would have liked to have at least made it to Forest Hills (mile 62) feeling relatively fresh, but that was cut short by about 22 miles. Lack of training volume is probably to blame, as my muscles simply were not conditioned enough for runs longer than 40-50 miles. There were significant amounts of the course beyond mile 62 I knew I could have run. My time of 25:26 reflects the fact I kinda "walked it in" after I knew sub 24 was gone. I really believe if I spent a dedicated, and strict 3 months training specifically for the WS course, that I could run in the 21-22 hour range. But, that's easier said than done.

Post Race Recovery: There are only two other races I was more sore after finishing: my first 100, and my first ultra. My left quad was the primary culprit of my post race limping. My right quad was barely sore, calves fine, and ZERO blisters. I lost one toenail because of a rock I kicked, but at least it wasn't due to blisters. Had a bit of a bruise on my right foot from lacing my shoes too tight. At first I thought I may have broken a metatarsel, but the bruising and swelling has gone down a lot since the race. It's kind of funny, but my feet never really hurt during the race, mostly afterwards. My left quad is also feeling much better, which is a good sign that the pain I felt during WS was just a strain, and not a serious injury. Don't get me wrong, it still hurt a ton during the race, and going faster simply wasn't an option.

That's all I got to say about Western States until the next lottery drawing. Wouldn't it be crazy if I got selected again! I'm hoping next June I can enjoy the coolness of Squaw Valley and chuckle to myself saying "didn't think I'd be back here so soon." I'm looking forward for another chance at a silver buckle. Like a true runner, there's always a goal on the next horizon :-)

Western States 100 Race Report: Will versus Skill

2011-06-29T16:08:00.000-07:00

June 25th, 2011

I’ve run nearly 100 miles, but I’m not there yet. Placer High School is just one left turn away and I can already hear the announcer calling out the names. Soon my foot hits the red surface of the famed track where it all began 38 years ago. 25 hours and 26 minutes after the epic journey started, it all comes down to a 300 meter run around a small local track. The sight of not seeing a sub 24 hour time light up the finish clock surprisingly has no impact on the excitement I have. I am now joining the ranks of 7,200 other runners who have come before. Others like Gordy Ainsleigh, Ken “Cowman” Shirk, Ann Trason, Scott Jurek, Tim Tweitmeyer, and Jim King. Our times may have been different, but for the most part we came to Auburn by the same path, the Western States Trail.

Flashback to 25 hours and 27 minutes ago.

It is 5am and 40 degrees. Today is all about running Western States old school. Running it in a way that would make the founding fathers proud. I have no watch, no crew, no pacer, and I only carry water bottles. I use only 2 drops bags, which only contained shoes, socks, and a headlamp. I am joined by 400 other anxious runners gathered in wild anticipation of will take place over the next 15 to 30 hours of their life. We are of many different ages, ethnicities, nations, religious beliefs, professions, physical abilities, income levels, and political affiliations. But, on this special morning, we are united together in a humbling moment of solidarity. We all dream and hope to conquer the next 100.2 miles and arrive in Auburn, California. The stories among the crowd are countless, and regardless of the events that unfolded in so many unique ways, they all brought us to this same time and place…...Squaw Valley.

The 2011 Western States starts! It’s a frenzy of excitement and pure electricity. Less than a mile up the first 2,550 ft climb to Emigrant Pass, elevation 8,750 feet, I take my first glance behind. Within moments my eyes well up on the verge of tears of what I am experiencing. It's a trail of 250 runners snaking down the dusty road behind me, their star like stream of bobbing headlamps, and the orange glow of an awakening sunrise over east Lake Tahoe. If it weren’t for the sound of my breathing, I’d have guessed I was still in a dream, only an alarm clock away from reality. But, it WAS real, and this fraction of a point in time was merely a sample of what lay ahead for the next 25 hours.

Over one hour later, and half mile of vertical climb, I am only 4 miles in. The view of the Sierra Nevadas from Emigrant Pass is as breathtaking as the wind is sharp. The dirt road became snow, and then snow became ice. We drop off the northwest face of the mountain, and now it’s time for the real fun to begin. I experience 15 miles of precarious running over snowy “trails” and icy mountain sides. My body endures dozens of spills, awkward shifts in the calf deep snow, and even more body cracking falls onto the rigid ice. One false move and you’ll slide down the mountain, pull a muscle, or lose the trail. It’s way too early to risk any of those things. The snow keeps things interesting and is a fun distraction from the distance we are covering. Soon enough 15 miles are in the bag, and we have 20 more miles of re-routed course to do. The trail becomes more runnable and dry, and I find myself with the enjoyable company of Jill Perry, Scotty Mills, and Monica Ochs. The fellowship is welcome, but we are running our own races, and after several miles I am running alone again.

30 miles are done, and I am making good time. Not going fast, but not going slow. Wait, what’s this climb coming up? The climb up to Mosquito Ridge (mile 31) is exposed, long, and worst of all unexpected. The new course threw me an early curve and I hit my first low point of the race. I am feeling sleepy from a lack of calories, sweating heavy, and wondering how I let myself get so worn out so early. I arrive at the aid station 4 lbs down from my pre-race weight of 157.6 lbs. 6 hours and 7 minutes have passed. I need food, cold water, and shade. The runners continue coming in with the same haggard look. Doubts start creeping in. Can I bounce back strong after being so depleted so soon? I still have 69 more miles, and there are two very tough climbs coming soon. “Mike, shut up!”. I eat enough to feel full, get some much needed liquids, and like magic I leap out of my chair ready to wage war again!

Devils Thumb and Michigan Bluff are usually brutal climbs for the unprepared, but I welcome them. Around Dusty Corners(mile 38), I started feeling something was a little off with my left knee. The inner part of my lower quad was feeling sore, but only on flat surfaces. I had been saving my legs by running much of the harsh downhill gently, so I doubted it was from that. I eased up the pace, fueled myself well, and powered through the two notorious climbs where my knee felt fine going uphill. It is now mile 55, over half way done, and I feel fresh. However, my left knee area is giving me some major cause for concern. The pain is now getting sharp, my legs goes a bit limp on each stride, and there is now swelling. I consider pain killer, but I don’t want to “mask” the pain of a potential injury, nor do I want to risk nausea and other potential bad side effects.

I continue on in growing discomfort and fear my day is turning for the worse. If only my left leg felt as fresh as my right, then I could be running pretty much everything right now. I settle for a power hike, and when it’s tolerable I switch to a jog. I had hoped to breeze through the famous Forest Hills crew area triumphantly, but instead I walk the entire mile long road in. I rest, prep for the final third of the race, and contemplate my strategy. 13 hours and 56 minutes have clicked by. After nearly 20 minutes I painfully make my way out of Forest Hills. My left vastus medialis (lower quad) is absolutely throbbing now. A 24 hour finish is slipping away and the doubts creep back into my weak willed mind. Could I have had a chance at a 21-22 hour finish if my leg weren’t hurt? Was it my lack of training? Am I not fit enough to be here? Did I gain too much weight strength training? Did the snow and ice earlier beat me up too much? Once again, I snap out of it and clear my thoughts.

I arrive at mile 65 and the sun is setting. I turn on my headlamp, shuffle along, and now 70 miles are done. I can’t believe I am literally watching my sub 24 hour goal vanish into thin air. I traveled 3,000 miles for this chance, and I’m not letting it go without a fight. That’s when I cave in and accept the offer for Tylenol. Like a wish granted from a genie the pain is gone within minutes. Over the next 15 miles I push hard. Too hard. At mile 78 I arrive at the Rucky Chucky river crossing and a large exuberant crowd. I am energized, and best of all feeling like a rock star! It is 11:13pm, my weight is exactly the same as when I started, and the short seated ride across the river was a welcome break. Miles 80 and 85 come and go. The three Tylenol I’ve taken over the last several hours begins to wear off and the extent of the self inflicted damage becomes obvious. I pushed well beyond what my left quad should have done, and now I was paying the price. The big effort put me back on sub 24 hour pace again, but it was too little too late. By mile 90 it was quite clear my body, even pain free, would not be able to cover the rocky terrain fast enough to break 24 hours. The quest for sub 24 is done, and I am okay with it. Why push hard, and risk becoming the first person to not break 24 hours? 24:15, 24:20, 24:30? None are worth the beating without the silver lining, which in this case is a buckle of the same color.

I have run 93.5 miles. I turn off my headlamp in the chilly night and soak in the pure darkness of the trail. There is a crescent moon gently hanging overhead, and the clearest blanket of stars you’ll ever see. The air is cool, clear, and pure. I take a deep breath, and look above to the Milky Way wrapping itself around the night sky from horizon to horizon. I could stay in this moment forever, but I have a finish line to get to.

The night time gives way to yet another warm glow of another sunrise. For some it is a blessed sign of a new day and a new push towards that finish, but for others it is a haunting reminder that precious time is running out. I trudge along past No Hands Bridge, then Robie Point. From here it is a mere 1.3 miles to Placer High School, and the finish!

25 hours and 26 minutes. 100.2 miles. One belt buckle. One runner. The journey is complete.

Western States is a race that was an honor to be a part of. The VOLUNTEERS absolutely make this race worth it. Every time I came into an aid station they treated myself and others as if we were the most important person in the race. Their goal was truly to get everyone to the finish. The history is unparalleled, and the organization first class. It was a once in a lifetime experience, but a once in a lifetime experience I will be trying to do again, and again, and again. 2011 will go down as the year I ran my 60th ultramarathon, but also as the year I completed my first Western States 100. If you asked the average person what a Cougar belt buckle is worth, they would say a few bucks. If you ask a runner at Placer Field how much a Cougar belt buckle is worth, they would say "Everything!".

Run strong friends,

Mike Bailey, 60 ultra finishes at age 30 years 5 days.

2011 Western States Predictions and Preview

2011-06-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

(photo courtesy of Luis Escobar)

Let me be the first to say that this year's Western States 100 will be an incredibly exciting race to follow. The field is deeper than ever, and last year proved that people can race 100's from start to finish. It was an exciting battle between Geoff Roes, Hal Koerner, Kilian Jornet, and Tony Krupicka early on. As the day progressed Jornet and Krupicka pulled away from the field and raced step for step for nearly 80 miles. Then, the tempo changed as a struggling Geoff Roes surged and passed not only Jornet, but eventually Krupicka at mile 88. In the end we saw the two fastest times ever at Western States, and the birth of a new era of 100 mile racing. This is a significantly tougher race to predict because I am far less familiar with the west coast ultra scene (being from VA). Also, Western States has been known to humble even the fastest road marathoners, 50 milers, and folks that would smoke a flatter 100.

The biggest factor in this year's event is the snow. Twice as much as in previous years, which although unconfirmed, may lead to a re-route in the early miles. What does this mean? Well, it could shave off a few thousand feet of early climb and replace it with fast roads. While this could lead to faster times overall, it may also cause runners to go out too fast and fizzle out beyond the 100k mark.

Enough rambling, here are the predictions everyone wants to see! I'll be making modifications based on news over the next few days. The predictions should be locked in by Sunday.

The Women's Race

Kami Semick- She's due at Western, and her talent appears timeless. I'll predict 18:30 for the win

Ellie Greenwood- might have the most speed on the women's side. Won American River in 6:25, and 100k Championships in 7:29. 18:45 for 2nd

Meghan Arboghast-Last year's 2nd female in 19:15. Predict 3rd in 18:55

Nikki Kimball- former champ I'd like to see go top 5 again. 4th 19:05

Anita Ortiz- The 2009 women's champ (18:54). 5th in 19:22

Tracy Garneau- Defending champ will have pressure. 6th in 19:38

Joelle Vaught- 19:45 (coming off a 20:19 in '10)

Pam Smith- 19:56, rounding out the top 8, and women under 20 hours

Caren Spore- 20:10, first woman over 20 hours

Rory Bosio- under the radar for a top 10, 20:25

Amy Sproston- Pine to Palm 100 and JFK 50 winner. She's gotten super fast since leaving the east coast, and has been hanging with, or beating her new west coast female elites. 20:30 maybe top 10?

Liza Howard- smoked Rocky Raccoon in 15:45. Predict 20:40 due to terrain and temps.

Annette Bednosky- 2005 women's champ. Predict 21:00 flat (master's win)

Sandi Nypaver- 2010 Grindstone winner. Youngster will go top 15. Would place higher, but she has never run against this kind of talent. Predict 21:45

Aliza Lapierre- novice (I think?) to 100's. 21:55

The Men's Race

Kilian Jornet- learned a lot from his 3rd place 16:04 in 2010. He's been heat training with hand bottles(he ran w/out water last year). Sorry Geoff, but I predict a sub 15 hour course record in 14:55. This is a bold claim for sure!

Geoff Roes- Defending champ and course record holder (15:07). The 100 mile win streak is on the line. I'm going against the odds and saying he will be 2nd in almost the same time as last year. Prediction 15:10.

Tony Krupicka- out due to severe knee injury on recent training run. May be out for remainder of 2011. Get well soon Tony!

Nick Clark- After a 4th place 16:05 in 2010, I'll predict 3rd in 15:45

Hal Koerner- 2 time winner will revenge his DNF at mile 80 last year. I predict 4th in 16:06

Dave Mackey- running strong all spring. Predict 5th in 16:20

Jezz Bragg- UTMB 100k winner, predict 6th in 16:36

Ian Sharman- destroyed Rocky Raccon in a CR 12:44. Again WS ain't flat, but Ian ran 17:26 last year and he is faster. Predict 16:55, last runner under 17 hours

Tsuyoshi Kaburaki- one of Japan's best was 2nd overall in '09. Top 10 in 17:08

Dan Barger- '10 MMT winner. Predict 17:25

Jae Duk Sim- Korean MMT 100 cource record holder. Might match '06 MMT time with 17:40

Michael Arnstein- another really fast guy, but better 100 miler experience than last year. 17:45

Graham Cooper- '06 winner ran 17:22 in '07. Predict 17:50, and last runner under 18 hours.

Todd Braje- Burning River winner in CR 15:29. Fast in "shorter stuff" but this is 100 miles. Predict 18:10, I will throw in a "random" DNF prediction at the 100k mark

Jason Loutitt- sleeper for top 10, predict 18:00 even.

Mike Wolfe- super fast, but 100 mile novice. 18:15

Lon Freeman- Predict 18:30

Gary Robbins- still injured after setting a CR at the 2010 HURT 100.

Dan Olmstead- kind of a sleeper. DNF'ed in '09. Predict 18:40

Bill Fanselow- big time sleeper, but has run some fast 50's. Predict 18:45.

Adam Lint- better known, but a sleeper for this race. Predict 19 hours even.

Last, but not least, a prediction for myself!

Mike Bailey- 23:30

I gotta tell you, this was a HARD race to make picks on. There will likely be a few runners who don't start, and I expect the requisit DNF here and there. I hope everyone stays healthy until next weekend. I'll be curious to see how Karl Meltzer makes his picks on his website. Let me know if I missed any names, or if there are any drastic updates on the course, or forcast. Good luck everyone!

The home stretch. Nearing Squaw Valley

2011-06-15T09:23:00.001-07:00

With Western States 10 days away, I am technically tapering. However, I'm pretty sure that in order to taper one must have been previously training, which I was not. Anyway, thoughts going into Western are pretty minimal. I wish I were in the shape I was in last summer and fall when I could fairly comfortably run 50 miles at a 9 minute per mile average. The combination of running roughly 35 miles per week in 2011, coupled with the 12 lbs of bulk I put on doesn't necessarily help for long distance running. Less than half the training volume and 8% more body mass. Then again, maybe I am just making excuses? In all honesty, getting into Western caught me off guard, as well as catching me at a time when I really desired to step away from running. Thus, much of what I have done as far as "training" has felt very forced and undesirable. But, I wanted to give myself a fighting chance of being able to finish Western, and not squander possibly my only opportunity to run this legendary race.

However, I may not be the out of shape blob that I picture myself as. I did run a casual 8:43 at the North Face 50 miler a few weeks back, and bounced right back into my weekly running without a hitch. I currently feel as strong as I have all spring, and the added muscle weight has made me notably more powerful on the climbs. It has also made carrying hydration packs and handhelds far less taxing on my uper body and back, which in the long run (pun intended) may reduce the stress on my legs. The only downside is a loss of speed and the fact that the extra weight does add up over longer distances. But, my 100 mile running stride is far less impactful and violent then my quicker road stride, or 50k trail gait.

Goals:

The few times I've really hyped up an event, it didn't turn out well (ie. Leadville and Massanutten). At Leadville, I was in fantastic shape to race, but my muscles got absolutely owned by the lack of O2 at 10,000 ft. At Massanutten, I had a newspaper and magazine article about my race, and I made it just past half way. I don't believe in jinxes, but clearly a lot of pomp and circumstance has never proven to make me run better. On the flip side, my best performances have come at races I signed up last minute, or never mentioned I was running. Other than this blog, and perhaps a few facebook mentions, I don't think I've really talked up Western States, which ironically might be the most suitable race for jazzing up a lot of attention.

...back to my goals. I just want to finish, and at best finish under 24 hours. I will, however, be trying to run the best I am capable of at my current fitness level. I don't want to run Western States and wonder if I could have given it a little more. If I never have another chance to run this race, then I want to know I did my best whether it be 20 hours, or 29:59. I just want to finish.

Well, that's all for now. You can follow the race live on the Western States website. I am bib number 90.

North Face 50 Miler

2011-06-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

Race recap

Basically, I knew right away I was not running this race hard. The North Face 50 was intended to be my last long training run before Western States in three weeks. Better late than never in forming some semblance of a "training" routine. Luckily, I scored a free entry from the DC Striders which was very cool and considerate of them. I had hoped to run somewhere in the 9 hour range, but not faster than 8:30. Myself and a few others started off too fast for my intended pace, having hit splits of 1:51 for the half marathon, 3:59 for the marathon, and then pulled back to a 4:49 50k split. Maybe in a different year I would have tried to see how long I could maintain this projected 7:05-7:20 finish pace. From that point on I really didn't want to run any faster than a casual jog. Just for kicks I decided to run the last mile hard and clocked a 6:51 mile after 49 miles. The game plan worked, and I had a lot in the tank at the finish, even though the amount of walking I did would have suggested otherwise. Easier effort, 8:43, 33rd out of 200. 59th ultra finish. I have now more than doubled my age in ultramarathons.

Today was a beautiful day to run with temps starting around 55 degrees and warming to near 80. The course is pretty fast, with some great single track that sits within a few feet of the Great Falls cliffs (aptly named if one actually fell). The course has one section repeated three times which seemed a bit uncreative, but made pacing easy. The out and back course allowed for us to see/cheer on the frontrunners, as well as the folks at the back of the pack. There were always tons of runners on the course racing various distances which made for plenty of company, albeit clogged trails at times (there were also quite a few hikers on the trails). Overall it was a nice course, lots of shade, and a pretty fun atmosphere put on by The North Face. I'd recommend this race for first timers, because they really try to make everyone feel amazing at the finish. Great post race festivities too.

The Dream Race- More than just running

2011-06-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

In a few short weeks I will be arriving in Squaw Valley, the home of the legendary Western States 100 mile trail race. This is an iconic race that has grown in lore over the years. Names like Gordy Ainsleigh, Tim Twietmeyer, Ann Trason, Scott Jurek, Hal Koerner, and now Geoff Roes come to mind when I think about Westerm States. It's the oldest 100 mile race in the country and now draws an incredible international field of talent in both the men's and women's races.

For me Western States is more than just a race. It's a brief look at how far I've come in the last seven years as a young adult, a person, and lastly as a runner. In 2003 I began jogging at a local track and found myself gasping for air as I completed four loops to finish a mile. I remember how in 2003 I went from slowly jogging one mile to two miles, and then three miles without walking. I recall being able to jog small hills in my neighborhood that I always had to stop and walk up.

2004 was the breakthrough year when I completed my first race ever. I had yet to run a 5k, 10k, or even a marathon. I had yet to run further than six miles. But, on November 20th, 2004 I found myself crossing the finish line of a 50 mile ultramarathon. In the dark,wet,cold, my body endured the worst beating it had ever endured....but, it endured. I ran that race for my grandmother who was fighting a losing battle with cancer. When I awoke at 7am that morning I was the same old me, but at 5:39pm an ultrarunner was born! I may have crossed a finish line, but my adventure into the world of running had just begun.

Over the years I have succeeded and failed many times. I failed in my attempts at completing the historic Leadvill Trail 100 and Massanutten Mountain Trails 100. I've suffered hypothermia, cuts, punctures, gashes, and collisions with trees and rocks. I've been lost on the trails more than anyone else I know, and I've been in a car accident literally hours after finishing a race. I've given up when I shouldn't have, and I've kept going when I wanted to quit. While still in my 20's I've notched 60 ultramarathon finishes. In those races I've won several, finished nearly dead last, met many fascinating people, and experienced beautiful new worlds through the joy of running. Over the past seven years, other than my faith in God, running has been a constant in a world of incredible inconsistancy. It has been with me through the trials and triumphs, life and death, joys and sorrows. The footsteps of the run mimmick the proverbial race of life which we must all participate. It has been like an old friend, just as the trails and mountains have been ears to my thoughts.

I am not a runner, nor am I a gifted athlete. I do not have a V02 max over 60. I am not Ryan Hall, or Haile Gebrselassie. Heck, I am not a sub 6 minute mile runner. I have to bust my butt everyday just to be the slightly better than average athlete I am. But, I am a human being who never thought settling for average was good enough. I am stubborn, moderately cocky, and have just enough ego to make the most of what I have.

When I get that silver Western States Cougar buckle, it'll be a nice little reminder of how far I've come as a person, not just as a runner. When I round the track at Placer High School, I will remember that finishing mile 100, began 8 years ago finishing mile number one.

(photo: by Rob Saraneiro of the VHTRC)

MMT Results

2011-05-16T05:17:00.001-07:00

My predictions weren't too shabby this year. I nailed the top three spots in order for both the men (including 5th place), and women. Two of the predicted times in the top five were within 5 minutes of the actual time. Unfortunately, blogger was down thursday, and didn't update some of names I had added, which included the 4th(Evan Cestari) and 9th place men. The humidity, rain, and mud might have slowed things down a bit this year, but overall no huge surprises. As always, a few drops happened, and we saw the usual 63-65% finish rate.

Karl Meltzer: predicted 17:50, actual 18:18. Karl says he could have probably gone sub 18 had he been pushed a little more the second half
Neal Gorman: predicted 18:40, actual 19:40
David Frazier: predicted 21:30, actual 21:25
Jason Lantz: predicted 22:20, actual 22:15
Eva Pastalkova: predicted potential CR 22:55, actual 22:30 (new record, old was 22:38)
Sheryl Wheeler: predicted 24:30, actual 25:53
Jeremy Pade: predicted atleast 23:59, actual 22:45

Another year of fun in the books. There were 5 finishers in the 60+ age bracket. Neither of the two 70+ year old runners were in the results. I suspect in the next few years the 60 and over age group will double, and the 50+ will become even deeper than now. MMT is still mostly a 30-60 year old competitor race, but there seems to be a nice growing field of under 30 year old runners hitting the rocks. I'd love to see more women come out to this event, and hopefully the recent great performances will encourage that.

The shoes on my feet

2011-05-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

Did a quick inventory of my current footwear. Since 2008, it has overwhelmingly become more "minimalist". Minimalist in the light weight nature of the shoes, mostly under 10 ounces, and minimal in the heel to forefoot drop. Here's what I am running in whenever I actually get off my butt to run. Weights are based off a size 9.5, which is what I typically wear (sometimes 9, sometimes 10)

New Balance Minimus- 7.1 oz, 4mm drop
New Balance MT100- 7.8 oz, 10mm drop
Vibram Five Fingers Bikila- 6.1 oz, 0mm drop
Nike Mayfly- 4.6 oz, ??
Adidas Clima Cool Chill- 9.0 oz, ??
Brooks Cascadia 4- 12 oz, 11mm drop
Brooks Green Silence- 7.2 oz, 8mm drop
Pearl Izumi Peak XC (trail)- 9oz, 8mm drop

Massanutten 100 Preview

2011-04-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

"Prediction?...Pain"- Mr. T (Rocky III)

The Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 is less than three weeks away. With 16,200 feet of elevation gain over 100 rocky miles, it is one of the toughest 100 mile foot races in the country. With the scenic backdrop of Fort Valley and the Shenandoah, it is also one of the most scenic east coast courses.

For the folks running, or following along, my only goal is to generate a fun buzz about this noteworthy event. The men's race looks to be the most competitive field ever at MMT. Here's my list of folks you should keep an eye on come May 14th and 15th. No pressure if you see your name. This is all for fun! Now for the breakdown...

The Women's Race!

The Contenders

Kathleen Cusick- Second female in 2010. She's got good experience and has really improved over the last few years. Ran a solid 25:39 last year! Prediction 25:15

Eva Pastalkova- Probably the most speed on the women's side and she has finished the CAT 100 solo and the Wild Oak 100. She will likely contend with the top men and threaten Sue Johnston's event record of 22:38. Tough as nails, as long as she stays on course ;-). Prediction 22:55

Sheryl Wheeler- the defending Women's Champ is back. She crushed it last year in 24:54, and now with two years of experience, look for her to improve more. I think Eva will lead from the start, but a well paced late mileage attack is Sheryl's strong point. It will be a battle. I predict a possible sub 24. Prediction 24:30

Others to watch: Zsuzsanna Carlson and Kari Brown.

The Men's Race:

Contenders:

Karl Meltzer: Past MMT winner and 100 mile specialist. He will be pushed by a fast field this year, so a course record may happen, assuming the forcast is good. I predict first place with a time of 17:50, just shy of Kim Sae Duk's 2006 event record of 17:40. Karl will have plenty of company the first 60 miles, but I think he will start pulling away and win with a cushion of at least 30 minutes.

Neal "Grand Slam" Gorman: Broke Joe Kulak's impressive Grand Slam record, including 4th at Leadville, 2nd at Wasatch, and 2nd at Vermont. Not to mention 13th at Western States. With altitude not as a factor, Neal will be hanging to keep Karl company. For how long, we'll see. I predict a 2nd overall, in 18:40

David Frazier: The young gun has shown good speed at 50k and 50 miles (6:44 at BRR). Completed the rugged Wild Oak 100, and also had enough speed to drop a 3:32 50k this spring. Pacing will be his strength, or curse. Will his Stonewall division entry make things tougher for the first time MMT'er? I predict a top 5 with a 21:30 finish.

Dan Rose: Proved he can run the rocks with a course record 14:57 at the Reverse Ring. He has 2:40ish marathon speed and 140+ mile 24 hour endurance. If he puts it all together I suspect a solid finish near 20:30. He's used to flatter stuff, but if he masters the rocks, he'll put on a show. As a 7 year cancer survivor, he knows how to put up a fight!

Brian Schmidt: The 2010 Grindstone winner will bring his A game to MMT. Always strong, and always a contender. Look for a finish around 20:45. Top 4 prediction. Will the Leesburg Mafia see the podium?

Todd Walker: dropped out, short notice

Mike Mason: Has finished top 3 at MMT, and Grindstone. Knows he can run 22 hours, if his training is good. Top 5 and 22:45, perhaps another tie with Todd Walker('10 Grindstone 100)?

Jason Lantz: Former Old Dominion 100 winner, and another guy with lots of 100 mile experience. Capable of a top 5, so I'll predict he runs 22:20

Jeremy Pade: Good marathon speed, and has shown impressive results at the 50k and 50 mile distance. First MMT, and 100 miler, so it's tough to put him in the top 5, but I think he's got a great chance to break 24 hours and be within the top 8-10. Hope he proves me wrong. Prediction 23:59

Keith Knipling: any other year, and I'd say top 3 for sure, but there's too many fast guys. However, he's got the most MMT experience. Home trail advantage helps a lot here. He can break 24 hours with his eyes closed, and since they'll be open I'd say 22:50, or better.

James Blandford: ran a strong 23 hours last year, and coming off an impressive 7:15 at Bull Run Run. Top 7 prediction. 22:55

Matt Davies: Ran a 5th place 22:30 last year. I suspect more of the same, if not faster. A year of experience can only help. Prediction 23:00.

Others to watch, and potential sub 24 hour finishers:

Cam Baker-18:26 at the 71 mile Reverse Ring

Mario Raymond- has run 22:39 at MMT, and sub 24 at Grindstone 100. Sleeper pick for a top 5. Always a top 10 contender at any race.

Yosuke Murase: He's been running well this year, including a solid 7:55 at BRR.

Brian Greeley: Probably the fastest guy not on the "contenders" list, mostly because his best races are at shorter distances. MMT is a great place to prove that theory wrong! (update, looks like Brian is injured and not running. Heal quick!)

David Plaskonka: Good speed, and coming off a top 10 at Bull Run in 7:28. However, his navigational skills may be worse than mine, and that's not easy.

Good luck everyone. Maybe I'll run with you next year!

Are you an Ultrarunner, or are you Normal?

2011-04-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

Ultrarunners are without a doubt "unique people". Let's be honest, most work normal day jobs as a cover for the fact they are a few fries short of a Happy Meal. Many have come to me and asked,"Am I crazy for wanting to run 100 miles, suffer sleep deprivation, and bodily harm, just to get a buckle?". My answer is yes. You are a weirdo. Welcome to the family!

However, sometimes it's not as easy to determine if you are normal, or an ultrarunner. It is universally known that one cannot be both, at least not at the same time. I've written this to help you out a bit. I've come up with some phrases, or ideas, and then I've determined what a normal person would think, and what a looney ultramarathoner would think. By the end of reading this, you should have a clear diagnosis. I will warn you that the very fact you found this blog about ultrarunning is a sad indicator that you are already profoundly leaning in the direction of NOT normal.

1. Using marathons as long training runs

Ultrarunner: thinks this is a normal, albeit expensive way to train. It mixes things up, and it's easy because it'll likely be flat, and you'll see a lot of friends doing the same.

Normal person: I've run for years doing 5k's and 10k's, and thought that was an accomplishment. I dream about running a marathon one day, but, 26.2 miles is still ridiculously far.

2. Gear consisting of GU's, hand bottles, hydration packs, salt tablets, compression socks, specialty clothing, trail shoes, hats, flasks....

Ultrarunner: business as usual. Got it all already!

Normal person: Are you running in the Sahara or something? Aren't flasks the fashionable way to carry alcohol? What the heck are those white powdery pills, and one ounce packets of slime?

3. Running 50-100 miles is normal

Ultrarunner: that's not too shabby, but I'd really like to do one of the longer races like Badwater, or Spartathlon.

Normal person: I don't even like to drive that far. That's why they made cars (I believe every ultrarunner has heard these at least once).

4. I run 100 miles to get a fancy buckle

Ultraunner: totally worth every blister, shut down kidney, and hyponatremia.

Normal person: dude, you can buy nice buckles at a store...and what the heck is hypnatremia?

5. I do hill repeats...

Ultrarunner: ...so I can be better prepared for the 4500 ft climb up Hope Pass at Leadville

Normal person: ....so I can be better prepared for the 200 ft climb up heart break hill at Boston. Better yet, I'll just run somewhere flat and not worry about hills.

6. Running a 5k

Ultrarunner: not worth an entry fee. Who needs another race t-shirt anyway?

Normal person: wow, 3.1 miles kicked my butt. I also got a cool shirt and the money went to a good cause.

7. Fat Asses

Ultrarunner: I have the inside scoop on these fun, aided, FREE, club events. It's a nice social way of getting in my little 50k, or 50 mile training run. Plus, who needs awards and more shirts?

Normal person: It's not nice to call people fat....Oh, it's the name of a run? If I'm gonna run 30-50 miles, I'd kinda like something to show for it :-/...but, I would NEVER run that stupidly far!

8. Marathon medals

Ultrarunner: they make good paper weights and coasters for the coffee table.

Normal person: If only I could find the way to earn just ONE!

9. 10 minute miles

Ultrarunner: I'd die to average a ten minute mile for an ultra!

Normal person: not bad for a few miles

10. Peeing infront of others

Ultrarunner: Not just peeing, but pooping, farting, snot rockets, chaffing, vomiting, bleeding, sweating....Let's face it, we display just about every bodily fluid and function on the trails.

Normal person: find a porter potty, or public bathroom. Geez, that's gross.

11. Western States, Badwater, JFK, Hardrock,...

Ultrarunner: Those are some big time races that I've either done, or like to do

Normal person: aren't those the name of a hospital, the description of drain water, an assasinated president, and a type of music?

12. Extreme conditions

Ultrarunner: 130 degrees in Death Valley, or -60 in the Antarctic

Normal person: the winter and the summer

Well....What's the consensus? Are you normal, or are you an ultrarunner? :-)

Hope this helped!
-Mike

MMT Out. Western States In.

2011-03-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

I dropped from the Massanutten 100 entrants list this morning. I have waited nearly four months to drop, two years to attempt again, but I am doing so in good conscience. I am not injured, I still enjoy running, and I want to keep it that way. I very much would like to run MMT, but it will need to wait at least another year. My eyes can now be fully set on kicking some rear at Squaw Valley. While I longed to avenge my MMT DNF from '09, I'd rather not sacrifice a chance to show what I can do at the big dance. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I don't want to squander the chance at giving it my best. I've never run two 100's six weeks apart, and I figured this wasn't the time to test it out. I want that sub 24 hour cougar buckle! Best of luck to my VHTRC bud Doug Sullivan, who it seems, was happily able to claim my MMT slot.

Off the radar

2011-03-23T11:58:00.000-07:00

Friends, it's been a while. Does anyone still read this blog? For the few that still do, let me update you. I unofficially "retired" from ultra marathons last November, 2010. Ironically, as fate would have it, I was selected in BOTH the Massanutten 100 and Western States 100 lotteries. The odds of getting into both in the same year is 1 in 40.

You would at least think running Western States would be enough for me to get my butt in gear and start training...but it hasn't. Any other year, and I would be drooling at the propect of spending a summer's day running from Squaw Valley to Auburn. Usually a month off from real running is all I need to re-energize, but things are very different right now, and I have no real desire to run ultras, or attempt to run them "fast". Don't get me wrong,I'm still running, but only 25-40 miles per week instead of the traditional 70-90.

I'm enjoying my time away from the "task" of running. I still love trails, mountain vistas, and running fellowship. But, more and more that is all I really want out of running, not medals, closets stuffed with race shirts, and buckles. The idea of starting lines, finish lines, and competetion have lost much of their former appeal. Can I still run two tough 100 mile races with my current mindset? I guess we'll find out.

2010 Year in Review

2010-12-08T07:41:00.000-08:00

2010 Was a fun year. The first several races of 2010 were more, or less training runs where I did not race. A lot of it was build up for the Old Dominion 100. The highlight of my year was ironically also the lowlight. My DNF at the Leadville 100 was obviously disappointing, but at the same time I would never trade in the memories of my unforgetable week in Colorado.

I hoped to cap off 2010 by being competetive at the Hellgate 100k, but my brain had kind of checked out of running for the year after the JFK 50. Honestly, I pushed myself hard this year, and my body needed the rest. I've run over 3,000 miles this year, a goal I had set out to achieve on January 1, 2010. This past year I became a sponsored runner for the Sole Source and continued my partnership as a 2nd year member of the Brooks Inspire Daily group.

Highlights from 2010

Promise Land 50k- 5:51, big PR on a day I didn't "race". Will aim for sub 5:30 next year if I run.

Capon Valley 50k- 4:48, would have been another top 10, had I not gotten lost. Still, this run reminded me how I can do relatively well even when I run 2 miles further than everyone else.

Old Dominion 100- 21:52, 9th place (was 4th through 100k). Good to PR on a super hot day and tough course.

Skyline Challenge 50k- 5:16, 3rd place, only 5 weeks after 100 miler

Great Eastern Endurance Run 50k- 4:55, 3rd place

JFK 50 Miler- 7:35, 63rd out of 1038. New 50 mile PR (previously 7:57)

The Culmination

2010-12-07T05:58:00.000-08:00

June 25th, 2011

Looks like I'll be spending my birthday in Squaw Valley. 10% chance of getting selected in the Western States lottery. In on the first try. Time to scratch off another item on the bucket list :-)

Another Autumn in Boonsboro- JFK 50...again!

2010-11-23T10:39:00.000-08:00

For five of the last six years I have found myself in southern Maryland at the start of the JFK 50 miler. Although I dislike the actual race course, there's a clear emotional connection that I will admittedly always have of the JFK 50. It's been a constant in a life that has been inconsistent and it always brings me back to that chilled fall morning of 2004 when I toed the line of the first race I had ever run.

Most years there's an anticipation months and weeks before JFK, but this year I hardly gave the race a second thought. In truth, I really had no desire to be running that weekend, or running JFK for that matter. Still, I made the all too familiar trip to Boonsboro, packed my race items in about 10 minutes, and wound up at the starting line for the fifth time.

The race summary is short. The weather was perfect all day with morning temps in the high 30's and rising to nearly 60 by noon. I ran conservative in the early miles and made up time on the Appalachian Trail. I was the 124th runner entering the trails at mile 2.5. I entered Gathland at mile 9.3 with ultra phenom Jill Perry, and had a chance to talk briefly with her which was really cool. By the time I arrived at Weverton Cliffs I had moved up a drastic 50 spots by mile 15.5. I suppose all my trail running has it's advantages, right?

However, the C&O Canal towpath is what makes or breaks your race. If you go out too hard in the mountains you will fizzle out on the towpath. JFK is a notoriously good course for fast marathoners as it is mostly flat from miles 16-42, and then becomes rolling paved roads for the final 8 miles. My goal was to complete the 26.3 mile "towpath marathon" in under four hours. In fact, I managed a respectable 3:49 split for the first 26.2 miles of JFK, and exceeded my goals by running the towpath in 3:50. There's not much to explain about the towpath other than it is flat, sometimes scenic, and often monotonous. It's really mostly a mental game to keep your legs moving. Other than the time at aid stations, I was fairly pleased to be running 8:00-8:30 miles most of the day.

The monotony was also broken up by running with Dave Miller, a fast marathoner, from the Reston Runners, and the goal of chasing down my buddy James Brennan. James was on my 5 person team, and all day he had been about 2-3 minutes ahead of me at the aid stations (James rocked it and finished in 7:24). As the miles clicked away I ended up setting a 50k PR of 4:30, and was pleasantly surprised to have a lot of gas in the tank beyond 35 and 40 miles. A regular schedule of a gel, salt, and soda every 20-30 minutes worked wonders on my energy levels, and I never once felt tired, sleepy, or cramped. The fatigue of literally running non stop for 42 miles really hit once I got off the towpath and back on to paved roads. This was a challenge, and my paced dropped considerably trying to run small hills and into a pretty solid head wind.

The last 8 miles of JFK are always tough. I ended up walking about a half dozen short climbs, but ran everything else. In the end I ran up to the finish line and was pleased to be done in 7 hours and 35 minutes. 62nd overall out of 1100 starters and 1014 finishers. As JFK has become an extremely competitive event, the times are only getting faster and faster. It was a 20 minute personal best in the 50 mile distance, and a 57 minute personal best at JFK. It was a day that I felt couldn't have gone too much better, and it was an encouraging reminder of how far I have come since my first JFK in 2004. Six years ago I finished this race in 10:39. I would have never guessed that half a decade later I would complete the same event three hours faster.

Much thanks to the Reston Runners support crew, and the Jim Team. Ultramarathon number 55 is in the books!

Great Eastern Endurance Run 50k

2010-09-28T05:15:00.000-07:00

Saturday September 25th, 2010

It had been 4 years since I ran the GEER 50k hosted by the Charlottesville Running Company. I wanted to return to beautiful Sherando Lake and run some of my favorite local trails. There were some significant changes to the 50k course in 2007 so that it ran entirely different trails than the course I ran in '05 and '06. In fact, the course was very similar to the Bel Monte 50k course that is hosted by the same folks.

The race started at 6am. I was wearing a sleaveless flannel shirt and my Hawaiian boardshorts. One could say this was hardly the appropriate attire for such a race, but it reminded me not to take things too seriously. There were two races, a 50k and 100k, that had the same start and used the same trails until the 100k folks detoured at mile 22. At 6am it was still dark, so I had to use a headlamp. Myself and Sean Andrish broke away early to lead the runners down the dark road through the Sherando Lake recreation area. The lead 100k runners, Harland Peelle, and Eric Grossman were right on our heals as we made our way to the first section of single track.

Sean's pace was too fast for my comfort level and I backed off. My headlamp was also very low on battery power (I had not swapped fresh batteries since the Old Dominion 100 in June). With poor visibility I found myself stumbling over rocks and roots, as well as urging other runners to pass. It was around this time I followed Eric Grossman down what seemed like a very rocky trail. It didn't feel right, and behind us I saw headlamps continuing up the trail we missed. It turns out Eric mistook a dried out creek bed for the trail. No worries, but we did get passed by about 5 runners (a couple 50k guys, and a couple 100k).

I hit the first aid station at around sunrise(6:48am) and ditched the headlamp. I was thrilled to have full visibility of the trail, and have a beautiful sunrise to accompany it. However, I was already soaked with sweat, and it looked like it was going to be a warm day. Things were pretty mediocre early on. I ran well,felt good, wasn't getting passed, but I wasn't passing anyone either. I made sure to run well on the 2.5 mile section of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and was running what felt like 6:20-6:30 miles down the steep 3 mile gravel road to the Priest Vista aid station. This out and back would be the first place I could see runners, and figure out where exactly I stood in the race.

About a half mile from the aid station the first place 50k runner comes flying UP the mountain. Basically, I knew right then that I was not going to contend for the win. I was partially suprised Sean Andrish was not leading, but more surprised how far ahead the two 100k leaders were ahead of me. When I finally arrived at the aid station I was the 5th 50k runner, and there was no sign of Sean. Was he hurt? Did he miss a turn? On my way back up the mountain I finally saw Sean, and it turned out he had run several miles off course. At the top of the climb, returning back to the Blue Ridge Parkway I was passed by two more 100k runners. I thought to myself "Am I going that slow that these guys are doing my 50k pace for their 100k?". Afterall, these runners were going twice as far as me...and they were passing me!

That self monologue was enough for me to speed up and not only pass the 100k runners, but the two 50k runners ahead of me. By the time I reached the next aid station there wasn't a runner in sight behind me. However, it was still early and the temps were rising. On the big climb up to the Slacks Overlook (mile 19) I was starting to get gassed. My muscles were getting tight, and I found myself stopping to stretch more often than I would have liked. I had only eaten two gels, and a handful of M&M's, and a bonk seemed like it was looming around the corner. I popped two gels, a few S caps, ran the moderate climb to Torry Ridge, and held on for another grunt to the highest part of the course, Bald Mountain. It was here the 1st place 50k runner passed me on the second out and back of the course. Needless to say, he had about a 3 mile lead, and there was no way anyone was catching him. In the meantime my energy levels were going south, but I had yet to see the 2nd place runner. A minute from the Bald Mountain Aid station I see second place, and then I see nobody else, which meant I was in 3rd.

Knowing I was in 3rd charged me up pretty good. I took more salt, and another couple gels to get me through the rest of the race. From here I had 7 miles of downhill trails, followed by a flat paved mile to the finish. The 4th and 5th place runners were about 10 minutes back, and I knew I could hold them off as long as I didn't do anything stupid. The return route was blazing fast, and I was able to safely pass runners coming towards me. I was feeling good, and on the road to the finish I glanced over my shoulder one last time and not a single runner was in sight. I crossed the finish in 4:55, a 1 hour and 34 minute PR for the GEER course. 3rd Overall. I was only a minute behind 2nd place, and the winner cruised in one of the fastest GEER times ever of 4:16.

The first time I ran the GEER 50k in 2005 I ran a very respectable 6:45. The following year I came back and ran a 6:29. I had always been impressed with the runners who came in under six hours, and was simply in awe of the guys who could break the five hour mark. I believe the course might be faster than some of the older GEER 50k courses. Therefor, I can't compare my 4:55 with a time from previous years where it would have been close to a winning time. However, many folks who completed GEER will no doubt consider it one of the tougher 50k's in the area and deserve a big congrats on finishing a tough trail race. After my finish, I stayed and watched the remaining 50k finishers come in. It was inspiring watching so many men and women testing their limits for 7-10 hours and still finish with smiles.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Leadville 100 Race Report

2010-08-23T20:05:00.000-07:00

"Race" Report

In short the end result of my race was very disappointing. I dropped at 50 miles after having a relatively solid start, or so I perceived. My overall cardio seemed to be fairly comfortable at high altitude, and in fact I was capable of maintaining a pretty good pace early on, which may have been my undoing. If you want to know how I came to such a lousy ending, then by all means read on.

The 2010 Leadville Trail 100 started under a crystal clear canopy of stars. At 4am the starting gun fired, and the record number 800 runners began their way down the legendary 6th and Harrison route. My race started off frantically as I found myself barricaded from the crowd of runners, and thereby trying to work my way through the masses to the middle of the pack. In the melee to get to the start I lost a glove and was forced to dart off into the chilly 40 degree morning with just one glove on. Not the way I pictured starting the fabled Leadville 100.

The first few miles went by quick and I found myself talking with a few local runners about the race. In the heat of the moment I couldn’t believe I was running Leadville and really soaked up the crowds and atmosphere. Smooth roads soon gave way to single track trail as we made our long circumnavigation around Turquoise Lake. From this point to the first aid station there would be little room for passing. I decided to settle into a comfortable, and at times frustatingly slow pace with the peloton. At seven miles we could hear the front runners passing through the Tabor boat ramp, and within ten minutes we were there as well. As I continued to chat with fellow runners it was noted that we were on pace for a 20 hour race, which seemed oddly fast considering how much I felt like I was holding back.

The early miles of the race were easy, flat, and I felt absolutely no discomfort running at 10,500 ft. Other “flatlanders” were noting horrible headaches, being short of breath, and nausea, but I hadn’t felt any symptoms of high altitude sickness. All in all it seemed like I had a great day of running ahead. Meanwhile things were still very surreal as I looked back behind me and saw a mile long parade of headlamps around the lake. Between the firefly like train of lights, the clearest of morning skies, and the slight glow of sunrise being revealed, this was by far the most enchanting race start I have ever experienced.

I arrived at May Queen (1:58 elapsed at mile 13.5) and was making solid time, but again not pushing too hard. While this looks brisk on paper, I could have easily let myself get caught running closer to a 1:48-1:50 split, which would have only been ten minutes behind the leaders. Instead I was intent to sit back in 68th position with 700 plus runners still behind me. “Be smart, start slow, and kick after the halfway point”. That was my mindset in the early hours, but soon I found myself being more aggressive than necessary.

At 20 miles we climbed the semi-steep Hagerman Pass above 11,000 ft, but instead of feeling winded because of the altitude I was feeling strong and starting running the climbs. This push allowed me to pass a hearty number of runners, and no doubt placed me in the top 50 arriving at the fish hatchery (3:48 split at 24 miles). After the fish hatchery we made our way down four miles of open road that literally lives up to the Race Across the Sky name. The views of neighboring Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive, Colorado’s two highest mountains provided a distinct back drop that really added to the grandeur and enormous scope of the course. This was, however, where my race began to unravel.

For a good number of early miles I leapfrogged with Steven Baker, a really fast youngster also from Virginia. Between miles 25-35 we both noted having extremely heavy feeling legs, a feeling I know is not typical for me, or Steven. Given the moderate pace early, ease of the course thus far, it was clear that the dead feeling in my legs was far from normal. At any rate I made my best effort to jog the flat sections, but soon ended up walking the gentle hills and even downhills. Something was very wrong. My legs felt like they had already run 100 miles, I was getting passed by many runners, and we were just arriving at Half Moon (5:28 split at 32.5 miles).

After some solid calories I rebounded and was able to make an honest effort down to Twin Lakes at mile 40. It was here I prepped myself for several chilly river crossings and the notorious climb up to Hope Pass, elevation 12,600 ft. Although I dropped at mile 50, my race basically ended at mile 44. The climb to Hope Pass is long, steep, and seemingly endless. You climb forever through the woods, climb forever to the tree line, and still have a long trudge across the pass. At first I needed rest breaks every quarter mile, but soon it became every 100 feet and eventually every 20-30 feet. By the time I made it up and over the pass, I had been passed (the term pass was ironic on so many levels here) by 30-40 runners. Runners with trekking poles and those from high altitude made the climb look effortless.

Before Hope Pass I legitimately believed I had a shot at a 22-23 hour finish. I saw that time slip farther and farther away as the mountain kept climbing. When I got to Winfield, I was 1:15 slower than my goal and it took me 4 hours and 20 minutes to go ten freakin’ miles! My fifty mile split time of 11:15 was an indicator of an impossibly slow second half, and the sub 25 hour finish needed for the gold buckle was gone. At this point my will was still strong, but my legs were rendered useless. Quads shot, calves trashed, feet throbbing, and ham strings tight. While climbing and descending Hope Pass was certainly a massive feat in itself, I certainly don’t think it was enough to wreck my legs as much as they were.

After an hour sitting, drinking, and eating at Winfield I got up and attempted to jog. The legs were non responsive and by now it looked as if my body would not allow me to return back over the daunting climb up Hope Pass. At this rate I risked being at above 12,000 in the dark, without my warm clothes, and probably missing the cut-off at mile Twin Lakes II (mile 60). The horrible reality was that my day was over, and my quest to finish the Leadville 100 fell miserably short. However, I never once questioned my decision to drop. My legs simply did not have enough to make it to mile 60, no less the finish line.

Things I learned at Leadville

1.Altitude not only effects cardiovascular performance, but also muscular recovery. Although my breathing was surprisingly efficient above 10k ft, lack of oxygen to my muscles (and lactic acid build up as a result) made my legs worthless after 25 miles and almost non functional at 50 miles. Two days post race the lactic acid is gone, and my legs feel good again. Go figure.

2.Trekking poles are priceless. I saw many runners with these going up Hope Pass. After using hiking sticks to climb Mt. Elbert the day after running 50 miles at Leadville I realized the value. Mt. Elbert is a tougher, longer, steeper climb than Hope Pass, and I hammered through it almost nonstop with tired legs. The use of trekking poles takes a TON of weight off the legs on not only the climbs, but descents. I believe if I had used these at Leadville this race report may sound drastically different. It’s almost unbelievable how much energy is saved with poles.

3.In further retrospect I sincerely don’t believe I ran too hard. However, my nutrition was shaky at best. I consumed plenty of water and salt, gels every now and then, but was in a serious deficit which probably made climbs much tougher than they needed to be. I focused too much on drinking, and not enough on eating. The fact that I had only lost 2.3 lbs at 50 miles was a bit misleading in terms of caloric intake.

4.Three to four weeks at altitude is essential for running well at Leadville. This means living at 10,000 ft and not just hanging out in Denver at 6,000 ft. Obviously, because of work, this is not realistic for most people and definitely not realistic for me. Where can I find one of those altitude tents?

5. Pacers are allowed to carry the racer’s gear. This is usually not allowed, but Leadville is okay with. I wish I knew because I had offers for a pacer, but declined. Lesson learned.

Leadville 100 Preview- The Race Across the Sky

2010-08-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

10 Days until the Leadville 100 Trail race!

I am very excited and a little anxious about the Leadville Trail 100. I have been wanting to do this race for the past three years, but never had the time or money to run (atleast not at the same time). There are 800 runners entered for the 2010 race, making it the largest starting field of any US 100 mile race. This is drastically different than the 55 runners that started at my last 100 mile race. I consider Leadville to be one of the truly big time ultras in the country due to it's rich history, beauty, uniqueness, and talent that it draws. I would say only Western States is a more historic ultra, along with races like the JFK 50, Mountain Masochist, American River, Wasatch, and Badwater. 2010 also happens to be the final year that the event will be managed by the original race directors who have overseen the race since it's beginning 28 years ago. Apparently, I picked a good year to run!

With the Old Dominion 100 miler only two months ago, I have a very fresh grasp on my capabilities and fitness. Just five weeks after Old Dominion I ran one of my better 50k trail races, notching a 3rd place finish with 130+ starters. My training hasn't been as hardcore as it was prior to Old Dominion, nor have I run a single 80+ mile week since. I've been running a balanced, and hopefully more efficient 60-70 miles per week, as opposed to the usual 80-90 miles per week. This is a reflection of reduced miles during a VERY hot summer of humid 90-100 degree days, and wanting to have more of a social life.

I'm not going to fool myself into thinking Leadville is anything like Old Dominion. The vertical elevation gain for Leadville is 15,000 ft compared to 14,000 for Old Dominion. Pretty similar elevation profiles, and also similar in the fact that there is a lot of road running. However, the average altitude for Leadville is 10,500 feet compared to 1,200 feet in Virginia. Not even close. Thankfully, I have experience running and hiking at altitude, even altitudes exceeding Leadville's, and have not encountered any problems other than shortness of breath. Then again, I wasn't trying to run 100 miles.

In a perfect world I would train in Colorado for months before the race, train on the course, run 150 miles per week, and toe the starting line with the intent to kick butt. Sadly, I live in Virginia, have no place to train at altitude, work full time, and have limited vacation time. The big dawgs like Tony Krupicka, Duncan Callahan, Jamie Donaldson, and Timmy Parr live and train at high altitude all year long. This is obviously coupled by the fact that they would be phenomenal runners at sea level anyway. The good news is that with Virginia's brutally hot summer, I will likely be cool as a cucumber when the temps hit 80 degrees, when all the high altitude runners will be overheating. Then again, I'll be sucking major wind crossing the notorious Hope Pass, the highest point of the course at 12,600 feet. I will let folks know how Hope Pass compares to Sherman Gap in terms of toughness, and universal distain by runners.

Goals:
1. Finish under the 30 hour cut-off and not die of altitude related problems.

2. Finish under 25 hours and get the big honkin gold buckle. Leadville is generous here because most races require a sub 24 hour finish to get the "special" buckle. I can do this as long as nothing catastrophic happens(ie injury, major stomach/muscle problems/altitude sickness)

3. Finish under 24 hours, because it's really cool to say you ran 100 miles in a day.

4. Finish under 23 hours. This would make all three of my 100 mile finishes be under 23 hours. I think this will be tough, but doable if I run smart.

5. Finish under 21:52 for a new 100 mile PR. Not likely, but worth a shot if my day is going surprisingly well.

6. Sub 20 hours. Probably a very unrealistic goal, as this would likely be a top 10-15 finish among runners who live at high altitude.

Stay tuned for my race report, and wish me luck!

The Big Five Zero: My 50th Ultramarathon!

2010-07-26T11:49:00.001-07:00

(Bill Gentry on his way to a well earned 100th ultramarathon finish! Photo by Bobby Gill)

My great journey into the ultramarathon world began at 7am on November 20th, 2004

I just turned 29 last month, and if you asked me six years ago whether or not I would be able to finish a marathon by age thirty, I might have said no. This past winter I started compiling a list of my ultramarathons, and road marathons, and realized I had been cranking out an impressive number of runs. As it turned out, barring major injury, ultra number 50 was going to happen at some point in 2010. The number 50 caught me off guard, as it seemed it only took less than six years to reach this rather big milestone. The most staggering statistic in all this is that between 2004 and 2007 I ran less than a dozen races. This means I ran about 33 ultra events in 2008 and 2009 combined, which was aided by the fact that I literally ran 3-4 ultra events a MONTH at times during those years.

For the record, there may be events included in my overall tally that people may not count as a true ultramarathon. I have completed quite a few "Fat Asses", which are simply non-competitive runs of ultra distance put on by running clubs. I only included one 31 mile training run, and one 34 mile pacing effort, which I only "counted" as ultras because of their 7-9 hour duration and terrain.

This all brings me to this past weekend. On July 24th, 2010 I completed the Catherine's Furnace 50k. Run organizer Jeff Reed had to make notable changes from last year's course due to road access issues. This new set of circumstances allowed for runners to choose from a myriad of distance options, all of which allowed runners to cut the run short. Given the fact the daytime high called for 101 degrees, and a heat index over 105, many runners found these shorter options especially welcome. Other runners would find these shorter options increasingly desirable as the day wore on and the thermometer climbed over triple digits.

(Scott Crabb and Greg Zaruba leading down the Pink Trail. Photo by Bobby Gill)

There's not a lot to write about the run itself. I used the run as a means of catching up with friends that I never get a chance to see during races. I was more than happy to let the fast guys gallop ahead without feeling any need to chase them down, or try to keep up. Instead, I decided to run with my buddy Bill Gentry who was running Catherines 50k in order to achieve his own milestone, his 100th ultramarathon finish, an odyssey he began in 1991. The trio of Bill, myself, and Amy "Flame" Brown stayed together for almost the entire run and were often in the company of other runners. The climbs were good, the stream crossing fabulous, and the volunteers wonderful. It's been a very long time since I ran an ultra from start to finish with the same person,and in fact it had been over four years since I had done so.

The run was indeed very hot and humid, yet always seemed to be on the comfortable side of things due to the shaded trails and occasional breeze. Every now and then the trail would be exposed on an uphill climb, and it was hard not to notice the sun beating down on your shoulders. Despite the scorching temps, Bill and I had no doubt that we were going to finish the true ultra length option for the run, although we were given plenty of offers to cut the route short by 4-5 miles. On the way back to the finish, our companion of 27 miles Amy Brown trotted ahead, and I stuck with Bill. Bill had encouraged me not wait on him, but I insisted that I was going to be his wing man and guide him into his 100th finish. So, me and Bill chatted it up for the remaining miles and coasted it in for my 50th ultra finish, but more amazingly Bill's 100th.

I wonder how many 29 year olds have finished 50, or more ultras? There can't be many, but I'm sure in the coming years more and more runners will reach that mark as ultrarunners tend to be getting younger and racing more often. If things stay on track, I'm due for 100 ultras by the time I'm 35. That being said, I'm in no rush to see how fast my 100th will come. If you combine the mileage of the 50 marathon and longer running events I've run, then I've already surpassed 2,000 miles of total distance. In fact, the distance covered is now more than running across the USA at it's shortest route (Jacksonville, FL to San Diego, CA is 2096 miles).

Here's to the next 50!

Skyline Challenge 50k

2010-07-13T06:55:00.001-07:00

July 10th, 2010
Start time: 6:00am

The Skyline Challenge 50k is a 31.4 mile trail race held in Gore, VA. It's located very close to the Virginia/West Virginia border near Winchester, VA. This was the second running of the event, but in a different location than it's innaugural run.

Recap: I drove up to Gore, VA with my fellow Harrisonburg friend Natalie Kennedy the night before the race. We drove 2 hours through pouring rain, fog, and more pouring rain. It became clear that tommorow's race was going to be wet and muddy, but perhaps a bit cooler than the 100 degree temps we had the previous week.

After arriving at the Cove Campground in Gore we had the park attendants pull up the doppler radar, which showed a massive green blob of rain hovering over the area until morning. Being the tough, rugged, athletes we are, Natalie and I opted to book a room at the local Marriott instead. A few Marriott mess ups later, we found ourselves in a large luxury suite complete with flat screen HD tv's and two private rooms for just $80. Yeah, we were roughing it.

After perhaps the best pre-50k night's sleep ever, I woke up at 4am to a dark rainy morning. At 5:15am I grabbed my #5 bib and waited around for the start.

The Numbers: I have an uncanny way of finishing races very close to my bib number. This is all coincidence since my bib number, which is usually low, is based purely on an alphabetical system. Thus my last name Bailey usually ends up with a low bib. A guy like Sean Andrish, however, would have a low bib either way due to having a low seeding, and a last name that starts with A.

Anyway, with bib #5, I made my impromptu goal a top five finish. Was this a bit too optimistic just 5 weeks "recovered" from a 100 mile race? Read on to find out.

After a quick prayer the race started promptly at 6:02am and all 127 runners were off. With overcast skies, rain, and fog, it was still considerably dark out for a 6am start. I started off fairly conservative and felt no need to chase down the 10 or so runners ahead of me. However, about a half mile down the first road I caught up with the lead runners who were all surprisingly just standing around in bewilderment. Apparently, the frontrunners had missed a turn? A few moments later the remaining 120+ runners joined up with us, thus creating a mass of runners once again clumped together. As runners began to figure out the course markings, all the of lead runners found themselves behind the back of the pack runners. I went from being in the top 10 to virtually last place in a matter of seconds. Yowza! This was the most bizarre start to a race I have ever run.

For the next few minutes I picked my way past the back of the pack, the middle of the pack, and then closer to the front. I honestly tried to pass people as carefully as possible, and admittedly knew it must have looked weird for the last place runner to come frantically blasting through the field. Soon enough the craziness of the first mile passed, and I found myself with the obstacle of climbing several miles of steep, 18% grade, muddy trails. The footing was so slick that I literally had to grab branches and small shrubs to keep myself from sliding back down the mountain. I can't imagine what these climbs must have been like for the last place runners after hundreds of feet had already mushed up the surface.

After the mud there was some more climbing, less steep, much more runnable, and traction friendly. Once we hit the Tuscarora Trail is was go time! The trail was rocky, but not nearly like the debris fields that are the Massanutten trails. I made good time here and passed a few folks, ran by the fog blockaded overlooks, and made my way to the steep half mile powerline aid station (mile 9ish). This short out and back spur gave me the first view of the runners about 5 minutes ahead of me and the runners 5 minutes behind. I counted about six runners ahead, including elite female Eva Pastalkova, and ultra legend Courtney Campbell. Unfortunately, I didn't know if there were others even furthur ahead that had already gone through. At this point, I presumed I might have been somwhere between 10-15th place. I had no idea, and just decided to run my own pace and not worry about my placement. On my way out of aid station I saw my friend and local speedster Andrew Jenner just a minute or two back, and buddies Tom Syre and Joe Parker about 4 minutes back and gave them a quick shout out.

Once I got back to the main trail I was again back to some quick ridgeline running. Andrew Jenner caught up to me and followed me down some steep and slippery switchbacks down the mountain. There were about a half dozen blow downs that broke up any fast running and were a little tricky to navigate around. However, after the switchbacks ended it was a few miles a fast downhill followed by 8 miles of rolling roads. On the road section my buddy Andrew passed me and it seemed like he was really hitting a groove. I still managed to catch up to Eva Pastalkova and enjoyed sharing some good conversation with her until the course turn around at mile 17. Eva recently moved to Virginia, and has taken the east coast ultra community by storm. Knowing how strong of a runner she was, I was pretty content to just follow her lead and maintain the pace.

Just before the turn around, race director Brad Hinton, drove by and said me and Eva were the 5th and 6th place runners. Surely that wasn't correct? As we neared the turn around we still hadn't seen any other runners. I had expected to see the first runners well before then, but low and behold they were just minutes from the aid station when they passed us. This is the moment my competitive juices clicked and I shifted into a second gear. I pulled away from Eva at the turn around and pursued the leaders. The long road section, much of which was downhill before, was now going to be uphill on the way back. I resolved to just put my head down and keep moving forward.

Retracing the course wasn't really fun, but I got to see every other runner in the race, and gave shouts of encouragement whenever I could. The energy from seeing the other runners was enough to get me running all of the uphill back to those notoriously steep switchbacks that we came down 10 miles ago. On the way up the big climb back to the ridgeline I caught up with Courtney Campbell(which is a guy). Courtney was one of the most dominant utlrarunners in the country from 1995-2004, and it was really an honor to get a chance to chat with him for a bit as we headed up the switchbacks. Courtney semi-jokingly said he was "a shell of his former self", to which I replied "the shell of your former self is still ahead of me!". He's not as fast as he was in his prime, but at age 45 the guy can still fly. Once we hit the top of the climb and were back on ridgeline Courtney took off, and I was sure I wouldn't see him again. Still, I regrouped and pushed the pace, eventually catching up to and passing my friend Andrew who was going through a bit of a rough patch.

I kept the good tempo going and made my way back to the powerline section which was now fully visable without the fog. Man it looked way steeper than in the morning when you couln't see ALL the way to the aid station. Surprisingly, I had caught up to Courtney and when we left the final aid station together there was nobody in sight. Just before reaching the Tuscarora one last time we saw John Hayward moving quick, and he was only a few minutes behind us. This was enough motivation for me and Courtney to run some sub 7 minute miles in the last 4 downhill miles of the race and ensure our position, and his Master's win. As we neared the finish I asked if Courtney was ok with finishing together and he politely obliged. I will admit that I got a little worried that he was going to drop me near the end since he is such a fast downhill runner, and I'm still working on it.

That being said, we hit the last mile of flat road to the finish and casually jogged it in holding hands as we crossed the finish in a time of 5:16. It was very classy of Courtney to share a 3rd place overall finish with a much younger runner like myself, and he still won the Master's division. To be fair, in his prime, Courtney would have finished thirty to forty minutes ahead of me. John Hayward, who chased us most of the day had a terrific run and finished just six minutes behind us despite starting a few minutes late. First place had a time of 4:55, and second place was Brian Greeley in 5:08.

The Skyline Challenge 50k is a very good run. It is well organized and the post race atmosphere/food was terrific. There is a big lake you can swim in after the run, and plenty of space to camp. The course is tougher than it looks on paper, containing about 6,000 feet of vertical, technical trail, steep climbs, but also some quick road sections. The "thrify fifty" option costs only $20, and is well worth it to run this beautiful course. Thanks to James and Brad Hinton, Athletic Equation, and all the volunteers on a great event. I hope to be back soon!

Great job local runners and friends!

Andrew Jenner 5:33 6th overall
Joe Parker 5:44 11th overall
Tom Syre 6:29 top 25
Natalie Kennedy 8:13

Old Dominion Revisited

2010-07-07T09:57:00.001-07:00

28 Days later...No, not the name of some zombie movie. Rather a recap of the last 28 days since the Old Dominion 100 endurance run.

Recovery: I am really pleased how well my body bounced back after OD. As stated in my race report, I woke up after the race with some stiffness in my hip flexor, but really nothing major. The worst damaged aquired was an under the skin blister than pushed my left large toenail above the skin line.

The four weeks after Old Dominion were 39, 61, 60, and 75 miles.
I feel like speed returned in about 2 weeks, and three weeks for endurance needed for 20+ mile runs. I think my legs could handle a fast 50k, but not much more.

Self Evaluating my Performace at Old Dominion

Pacing- I think I paced exactly how I wanted to, and did not feel that I went out too hard. I ran an 8:38 50 mile split, and think in similar conditions I could cut that down to 8:15-8:30. I realized I can make pit stops, walk hills, and change gear and still comfortably get to 50 miles in 8:30 on that course.

Things I did well: I kept fluids and salt going all day. This managed my weight well, and I was never +/- more than 4 lbs all day. I had a good attitude going to and from aid stations, which brightened up the volunteers, which then made me more energized.

Things to improve: I should not wear Injinji socks again. I have blistered badly every time I've worn them. I have run in the Brooks racing flats for 50 miles before and never had blisters. That being said, I believe the blisters started showing up near 45-50 miles into the race. I opted to wait until mile 64 to get them fixed, which was too long to wait. The blisters got so bad it effected my running, and I lost a lot of time.

Stomach problems: never had issues until recently. I had bad stomach problems at the JFK 50 which I believe caused me to drop from a project finish time of 7:40 to my actual finish time of 8:32. I walked nearly all the final 11.5 miles because of the stomach. Too much sugar, sugary gatorade, and gels, will do that. I made the mistake of using a heavily sweatened Gels at OD, instead of lower sugar gels like GU. I also found out more and more people are getting upset stomachs from Ibuprofen and Advil, which I used (though not necessary) at both JFK and Old Dominion. Lesson learned, cut back on sugar and pain relievers and lose the stomach issues.

I'm looking for to running Old Domiion in the future, although not next year. I think with the lessons learned from this year, I could go back and break 20 hours.

1998 Remembering My First Race

2010-06-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

Long before I started distance running, I was actually a sprinter on my high school track team. In 1998 I signed up for the indoor track squad at Clover Hill High School in Richmond, VA. It was a walk on team, but I still had to try out for different events to see which I was best at. The word "best" would be an overstatement as I was either average, or below average at everything. However, I didn't plan to take track too seriously, and saw it as a means of getting in shape for varsity baseball in the spring. Afterall, as a pitcher with a low 80's fastball, and a student with a 4.0 GPA, track & field clearly wasn't going to be my ticket to a college scholarship.

Either way I found myself at track practice for the first time. My 7.0 second 55 meter dash wasn't fast enough, my 26 second 200 meter dash was okay, but still on the slow side. I cleared 5'2" for the high jump, when most A-squad guys could jump over 6'. I even tried out for shotput, occasionally tossing the 12 lb ball over 30 ft....a full 15 ft shorter than my 250 lb peers. As a last ditch effort to make a single track roster, I ran a time trial for the 400m dash and clocked a pedestrian 1:07 for my first attempt and almost passed out on the spot. With all the A-squad, aka fast guys, already named to specific events, there was a pretty good handful of guys and gals who remained with limited talent, myself among them. We became the B-squad, better known as the slow pokes.

As far as running events, coach Mike Justice had pitty on me, and placed me on the men's 4x400 team. He was convinced I could probably get my 400m time down to around 60 seconds with practice, but we both knew I wasn't going to run in the 50-55 second range needed to be on the competitive team. With that, my first track meet was at Manchester High School on a cool autumn night, 1998.

I was the lead runner for our 4x400 team. I had waited hours for our big event to come around, and had gotten pretty pumped up watching all the other events take place. Our team of guys had spent the last few weeks practicing baton hand offs, pacing, and going through rigorous track repeats. Finally, it was time for action! I took off my green and white track warm up and made my way to the track, gold baton in hand. My teamates gave a few last words of encouragement, something to the effect of "Kick their ass Mike!", and "You got this dude!". Aaahh high school. As I stepped to the starting blocks, I glanced around at the competition, and noticed I was among guys who looked way too fast to be in a B-squad race. Never the less, I crouched down, waited for the gun, BANG!, and was off. I blew out of the blocks with reckless abandon and completely forgot what race, and what distance I was running. After 100 meters I was already in the lead, by 200 meters I was on record pace, and at 250m I was literally 30 feet ahead of the second place runner. I could hear the people in the stands getting louder and louder in wild expectation of witnessing something great.

I was 30 seconds into a 400 meter dash when my body realized in needed oxygen. I had blazed through 30 seconds of anaerobic chaos and that's when the lactic acid starting flowing, the muscles screamed, and the lungs came to the verge of explosion. In other words, Mike went out too damn fast! As I banked around the turn at 300 meters my body felt like it has ceased forward motion. If the first half minute was a speeding blur, the last 40 seconds was an eternity. The world was starting to stand still, as if the rotation of the earth were coming to a screaching halt at that very track. One by one the other runners started passing me. I watched in disbelief as they gracefully trotted off into the distance, meanwhile the sounds of my frantic gasping overwhelmed whatever cheers came from my teamates. I rounded the corner down to the last 100 meter straight away, easily in last place. I jogged along at a feeble pace, embarassed, tramautized, and ready to collapse. The hand off to my teammate was more an act of desparation to put an end to my misery. After 400 meters I wobbled over to the side of the track and flopped on the ground for ten minutes.

I wish I could say I had fond memories of my first race. To be honest, I wanted to quit the track team right then and there. I didn't. I stayed aboard for several more months and ran at several other track meets and invitationals. I'd like to say I got faster, but I didn't. I never ran another 400m event, and found myself sticking to the 4x200 and 300 meter races. Afterall, I ran a pretty fast 200 meters during my initial 400 meter race. That's gotta count for something, right? I ran another embarassing 300 meter dash when I slipped out of bounds at the start and thought I was disqualified. However, the race officials prompted me to keep running, but now already 50 meters behind everyone. Although I almost caught the last place runner, I finished the event dead last, for the second time in three races.

After high school, I would not run again for four years.

Old Dominion

2010-06-06T17:40:00.000-07:00

June 5th-6th, 2010.

The 32nd Old Dominion 100 Mile Endurance Run began at 4am this past saturday morning at the Shenandoah Valley fairgrounds. 55 runners embarked on a day of 90 degree temps, high humidity, and swampy evening conditions. This event, years removed from the days of 100+ runners, seems to be regaining strength in the wake of "politics" and the increasingly popular Massanutten Mountain Trails. Sadly, in previous years there have been as few as 25 entrants to this race. Old Dominion is the 2nd oldest 100 mile foot race in the country and only the famed Western States 100 is older. Due to not getting into MMT this year, the rich history of Old Dominion, and being home turf, I decided in mid May to enter.

The first fifty miles of this race are fast. There are only a few major climbs, lots of road, and only a couple rolling hills. In a little over an hour I reached the top of Woodstock Gap, still very much in the dark, and followed by dozens of headlamps in the distance. We arrived at the first crew access point, mile 19.6, and I commented that the time was really flying by. I hit my marathon split in 4:10, and my 50k in 4:55.I spent most of the morning running with Abran Moore who was on his 3rd attempt at earning the coveted pure silver buckle. Abran went on to run a very strong second half and finished in 20:12, finally earning his buckle! 5 hours 8 minutes into the run, I pulled into the Four Points aid station at mile 32.5. When I arrived, the drop bags had not arrived yet. Without a crew, I had no access to my gels, second water bottle, and s caps. This was the only time I can say I was concerned about logistics. Thankfully, an awesome volunteer let me borrow a water bottle and salt caps. During the morning I also ran back and fourth with Montrail runner, and eventual female winner (19:54), Sabrina Moran until she took off for good around mile 35.

All in all, the early miles went as expected. Things felt easy, runners were still social and upbeat, but that is to be expected before the miles strip it away. Despite muggy conditions early on, I maintained a pretty solid pace and was still within 30-45 minutes of leaders Bobby Gill and David Ruttum through Four Points II, the 47.7 mile aid station. The time keepers said I was just 8 minutes back of Moran, and closing the gap on Brad Hinton. After crossing the 50 mile point of the race in a fairly relaxed time of 8:38 it was obvious that we were now entering the hottest, and most exposed part of the day. It was around a road climb at mile 52 where I caught and passed a struggling Hinton. Brad was last year's OD 2nd place finisher, however, this was not one of his good days the heat was taking it's toll. Unfortunately, Brad made the wise/hard decision to drop at mile 56.

Entering Edinburg Gap (mile 56) I was in 4th place and still feeling strong despite the conditions. I realistically wanted to make a run for a top 3, but knew the three folks ahead of me were all legit runners who could maintain their pace. I also had hopes for a sub 20 hour finished, which would require an 11 hour 22 minute second half over tougher terrain. As I changed socks, I noticed I was developing some problamatic blisters on my left foot, which may have been a result of wearing Brooks ST4 racing flats for 56 miles. I decided to swap into my half size larger Nike Pegasus, and wore them for the remainder of the race. The steep climb up the ATV trail was challenging yet went by quick. Ironically, it was the smooth downhill off the mountain that gave my feet the most issues as my beat up toes painfully hit the toebox on the downward grade. Hesitantly, I opted to walk sections of the downhill which I would have otherwise hammered hard. Through mile 60, I was still in 4th place overall, but the downhill walking provided opportunity for three runners to pass me, including Abran Moore.

At the Little Fort aid station, mile 64.25, I was welcome by my old friends Mr. and Mrs. Pugh. Their son introduced me to ultras in 2004, and they have managed the Little Fort aid station at OD for over a decade. Little Fort may very well be the best aid station on the entire course, and it is where I decided to get my left foot patched up. Leaving Little Fort, I renewed my running,thankfully with less discomfort than before. It was just a short jog up the road to a sign that said "65 miles, go right, 93 miles, go left". I think at that moment it hit me just how rediculously far running 100 miles is. I had run 65 miles and still had 35 to go. During miles 65-75 I repeated a part of the morning road section and indulged in some fast trails leading into the 75 mile Elizabeth Furnace aid area.

Most people would agree that miles 75-86.5 are the toughest at Old Dominion. In short, I concur. Leaving mile 75 I started feeling queezy. Was it the hard pace through the first 100k? Was it the 30+ gels consumed? Who knows? All, I know is I couldn't stomach anything for the next 12 miles. Oddly enough, I managed to be very agressive up the notorious Sherman Gap climb and made it to the Veach East(mile 82) aid area in the waning minutes of daylight. From mile 82-86.5 I hit my lowest point. During the long climb out of Veach East I was running on fumes. I had now gone 3 hours without any calories, and my energy was completely gone. I took a few rest breaks up the mountain and got passed by two more non-bonking runners. I will admit that the 6.5 miles between mile 80 and 86.5 seemed like the longest I have ever run, or walked.

Leaving Veach Gap west, mile 86.5, my stomach starting coming around and I started laying down a few quick miles. Afterall, aside from sore hip flexors, my muscles still felt very good. The night section of the race felt surreal. The on and off rain throughout the evening made it feel like a sauna. With a headlamp on there was maybe 50-100 feet of visibility, and the fog was so dense you literally see the water vapor in the air. Lack of course flagging, perhaps a streamer every half mile, and the thick mist caused for more than a couple "oh crap, did I miss a turn?" moments.

At mile 93, I reached the top of Woodstock Gap for the last time. I could see the glow of the town lights below and it was a welcome site. I knew it was a mile of steep switchbacks down the mountain, and another couple miles of hilly country road, and three miles into the town of Woodstock. My stomach issues would linger for the remainder of the run, so I opted to just take it easy knowing that a silver buckle was now in the bag. From miles 80-100, I was only able to eat three gels, for a whopping 300 calories over the final 20 miles of the run. I made my way through empty town streets, the silence occasionally broken by the chirps of birds, or the grunts of local cows. Through the quiet night I patiently made my way back to the Shenandoah County fairgrounds,and completed the traditioned half mile lap around the horse track. I crossed the finish line at 1:52am with no spectators, no high fives, no fanfare, and no handshakes. I had run alone for nearly 50 miles of the race, and alone is how I finished. I made my way back to a friend's house for a shower, brushed my teeth, and hit the sack for a few hours of prescious sleep.

At 9am this morning we had our awards breakfast, and it was a great opportunity to share our great stories of the previous day's hardships, triumphs, and journeys. 100 mile races are a unique experience. You can never truly compare what your body and mind will go through in a 50k, or 50 miler with what takes place during 17-30 hours of constant forward motion. When I finished my first 100 miler in 2007 I could barely walk the few days after the event, and my legs and feet were swollen for days. This morning I woke up to find myself in amazingly good shape. There was obviously some minimal sorenss, but not much different than what I typically feal after a good effort at a 50k. My pre-race weight was 150 lbs, my post race weight was 146, thus a sign of good hydration and sodium managent during the day. I suffered only one small blister, one large blister on my big toe, and had a couple decent looking falls. Overall damage: not bad at all.

Thoughts on Old Dominion 100 as an event. I would classify race management as old school. Don't expect live updates, a slick website, or tons of race marketing. OD doesn't give out buckles for finishing under the cutoff like most 100 milers. However, if you do break 24 hours you will recieve one of the finest sterling silver buckles awarded at any ultra. That being said, they don't give out many buckles, and historically less than half the people who start the race will earn one. The race also boasts a drop out rate of nearly 50%. The OD course doesn't contain the rocky trails of MMT, the vertical climb of Grindstone, or the oxgyen deprivation of Leadville. It is truly 80% paved/dirt roads with about a dozen miles of gnarly trail, and a deceptive 14,000 feet of climb(the same as Leadville and Vermont). The course is significantly harder the second half, which leads to many folks going out too fast early and the June race date often results in very hot and humid conditions. For $135, which is cheaper than some 50 milers, I would recommend Old Dominion. The race itself and location are full of history,the volunteers amazing, and any Shenandoah area ultra runner should try experience this part of the valley.

-MB

Massanutten Inspired

2010-05-19T06:51:00.000-07:00

The stories from last weekend's Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 are still coming in. Every year, this is one the most inspiring events to watch, running or otherwise. The rocks of MMT arguably create the most brutal, joint battering, foot bruising, running conditions of any American footrace. The 36 hour cut off, volatile May weather, and 9-10 mile stretches between aid stations can wreak mental havok on even the most prepared athletes.

I had the priviledge of volunteering, albeit for only seven hours, at the picnic area aid station. I also bounced back and forth to the visitor's center aid station, thus allowing me to see runners at mile 77 and 87. Unlike earlier in the race, runners are truly battling within themselves as they come through these late aid stations. Sadly, because I was only working until 2am, I only saw the top 15 runners come in and was unable to see many of my friends come through the picnic area.

Things that I will remember from the 2010 MMT are as follows:

1. My friend, and trail "Mom", Caroline Williams finishing with less than 2 minutes to spare. Caroline went the furthest of all runners during the February snow run of the Reverse Ring(46 miles). She completed the September version of the Ring(71 miles). Now she has an MMT buckle. Without a doubt, Caroline has proven to be far tougher than she looks, and very dedicated to her goals.

2. Sheryl Wheeler once again making a late move to take the women's title. She proved her 2nd place from last year was no fluke, and crushed it from 60 miles to the finish. In the end, Sheryl ran one of the fastest female times ever at MMT.

3. Dan Barger looking relaxed and smooth, even after 87 miles en route to a win.

4. Aaron Schwartzbard flying through our aid station trying to catch a tiring Todd Walker. I have never seen anyone look as fresh, or move as fast as he did through 87 miles. Aaron eventually caught and passed Walker to finish 3rd.

5. Joe Kulak's physical collapse at mile 77. Joe is a very experienced MMT runner, and an overall elite in 100 mile races. At mile 77 he struggled to get off the ground, threw up, was shivering, and had a glazed look in his eyes. Slowly, to the concern of many volunteers, he made his way back to the trail. He later fell asleep by a tree and lost hours on his typical sub 24 hour finish....but he finished.

6. Mark Tanaka's epic chaffing. I think he used up all the petroleum jelly at our aid station literally spooning it onto his twig and berries. Mark also get's the quote of the night award for "chaffing so bad that his left testical was swollen." In addition, Mr. Tanaka had a bad reaction to cheese and requested mustard instead of cheese on his turkey sandwiches. Nothing like a good sense of humor when your going balls to the wall (pun intended)

7. Drops from elite runners Sean Andrish, Mike Mason, and Harland Peelle. Ironically, many so called "back of the pack" runners were able to fight their way to the finish line to gain 100 mile glory.

MMT 2011- I finally have priority, so I will likely get in. Two years in waiting. Time to settle unfinished business.

Oops, I did it again! Capon Valley 50k

2010-05-08T13:50:00.000-07:00

The Capon Valley 50k was a VERY spur of the moment decision. It was only two weeks after the Promise Land 50k. My friend Janet was running her first ultramarathon, and I had a lot of VHTRC friends running. Thus, a week before the race I signed up and got one of the last remaining spots on the entry list.

Well, where do I begin? I drove up with my new friends Jenny Nichols and Beth Minnick and camped out before the race. It was pleasant evening of conversation, food, and a tent camping. We awoke to ominous dark clouds and a light pitter patter of rain drops. After a nice breakfast, all 200+ runners made their way to the start.

From the get go I had every intention of finishing in the top 10. Defending champ Karsten took it out hard from the start, and I followed only a few yards off his heels. After a half mile or so a group of about a dozen runners formed a pretty consistent chase pack. The bottom line is that nobody would match Karsten on this day and he would go on to win in a breezy time of 3:54. Meanwhile the dark clouds, wind, and rain rolled in and kept things on the cool side/adventurous side.

The Capon Valley 50k is largely a runnable and fast course. However, with varied terrain(everything from paved roads, single track, to gravel power line paths) and 4500 ft of short steep climbs, the run is far from being a blazing fast race. For the first 20 miles I cruised along well. I was hitting the flats and downhills pretty hard and running most of the gradual climbs. For the first three hours of the race I was jockying for a top 10 spot. At any given point I was bouncing between 9th and 10th overall.

***That's when it happened (crap!) On a long straight away, around mile 21, I realized I hadn't seen a course marking in quite a while. I was in my own little world, and I kept thinking I would see one, but when I came to a trail intersection with no markings, I realized the horrible truth...I had missed a turn. As crazy as the markings were at times, I missed a turn on a very unconfusing part of the trail. Curse words flowed like the flood of Noah. I was so mad at myself for missing a turn. I resolved to turn around and correct my course. I ran a long way,kept running, and finally spotted a runner who waived me in the right direction. All in all, my estimate is that I ran about a mile beyond the turn, thus adding 2 miles to my day. I had run out of water, and I was upset. My top 10 position was gone as 5 runners passed me during my detour. Damn!

Miles 25 to the finish were a slow frustrated drag. I had run VERY fast in an attempt to regain 15+ minutes of lost time, but by running 7 minute miles I had also burned myself out in the process. Mentally, I was out of my game, and I considered just hiking it in to the finish. I was passed by three more runners, and my position fell to 18th. I was hot, tired, and my legs felt trashed from the demoralizing addition of miles that stretched a 5.7 mile aid station segment to over 7.5 miles.

Leaving the final aid station all I could do was laugh at myself. My legs came around and I was able to actually run the final road stretch to the finish.

In the end I still finished in a respectable time of 4:48, 18th overall out of 181 starters. It seems like I always find a way to sneak in the top 10% of finishers in every race. Oddly enough, most people said their GPS's measured the course at around 29 miles, so my added mileage actually gave me a true 31 mile 50k. The 10th runner finished in 4:32, just 16 minutes ahead of me. Is it fair to say that without my extra 2 miles I would have finished in the top 10? I dunno? I do know that following the course is part of the game, and the runners who finished ahead of me were able to do what I couldn't...stay on course. That being said, doing the math my finish time would been in the low 4:30's. Oh well, that's life. On the bright side I got a comfy hand made pillow with a cat on it for finishing in the top 25.

On another note not competely, selfishly centered around me and my issues, the women's race was PHENOMENAL! The talent was so amazing that ten women were under last year's winning time of 5:20. Amy Albu won the women's race with a sub 5 hour finish. My friend Jenn Nichols PR'ed her 50k time by 42 minutes with a rockin' time of 5:31. Our partner in crime Beth Minnick ran a very impressive 5:11 to get into the top 10 women. Last, but certainly not least, my friend Janet Choi finished her FIRST ultra marathon with a solid time of 6:36. Way to go Janet!

Finally, the volunteer staff was terrific. Despite my lack of directional ability, this is a very well marked course. There were many, many other twists and turns where I could have gotten lost, but didn't because of good flagging.

-Happy Trails
Mike "Wrong Way" Bailey

Ode to the Spring, the Promised Land

2010-04-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

In 2006, I wrote a "race" report for the Promised Land 50k. I forgot that I had written it, and four years later found delight in re-reading my novice/innocent view of ultra running. When I wrote it, I had only been running for 18 months, was proud of my 6 ultras, and finished the 34 mile odyssey of Promised Land in a well earned 7:39. The 2006 Promised Land was known as the year of lightning and rain. For me, it was a voyage deeper into the heart of ultra running, and my first taste of the Horton phenomena.

April 2010.

Promise Land, by far, has some of the best pre-race/post-race atmospheres of any local running event. An evening bonfire, my fire spinning,the mountains, and catching up with friends is one of my favorite ways to wind down before a day of running.

At 5:30am I arrive at the starting line of the 10th Promised Land 50k. It is now the 46th ultramarathon start in my relatively young, yet veteran running life. I could easily be mistaken for many of the young college students making their debut, but my youthful appearance belies the near 2,000 race miles under my feet. I have no watch, no goal time, nothing more than the desire to spend a cool spring morning in the mountains with my friends.

As the race starts I chat it up with some of the front runners. We run together for a few minutes until the gravel road got increasingly steeper. My pace dropped, while the leaders pulled away and all I could see were their lights getting smaller and smaller. Pretty soon the leaders are completely vanished into the blackness of the early dawn. Bobbing headlamps illuminate enough of the ground for me to make intelligent strides, yet not completely prevent a mistep here and there. As the sun crept over the distant mountains, there was now enough light to start running faster than the cautious pace carried over the first 3 miles. I rolled along the grassy ridges, taking in the views, and occasionally pairing up with another runner for a few moments of conversation.

Crossing over Sunset Fields, the day is as lovely as ever. The only thing bugging me is a shoelace that requires six pit stops to fix throughout the run. An oddly marked turn down Apple Orchard was the only other issue, but proved to be no more than a 2-3 minute delay. The next 8 miles go by like a flash. A quick road section, some sweet single track, followed by rolling climbs, and a fast descent to the bottom of Apple Orchard Falls. On the short out and back to the aid station I had a rare chance to see runners a few minutes ahead of me, and a few minutes back. I admit seeing these runners momentarily sparked a "race" mentality that told me to either try to catch up, or not be caught. Times like this, I realize how little I enjoy having external stimulus, like another runner, effect the natural flow of my run.

That being said I unaturally picked up the pace, passed two runners, and tried to distance myself from the half dozen folks just minutes back. Apple Orchard Falls is a mixed blessing. It's a tough climb, yet beautiful. Without the presence of the falls as a distraction, I guarantee this section would seem harder than it already is. Cresting the top of the climb I felt tired, but the best I ever have at that point. With 3.5 miles left I got a nasty cramp in my right rib cage. I dropped down to a slow jog, but luckily my friend Vince Bowman offered up his last salt capsule. Still only managing an uncomfortable jog I watch Vince sprint like a gazelle down the last road stretch. With nobody to chase down, and nobody behind me, I opted to just cruise the last 2.6 miles at a relaxed 8 minute mile pace. Pretty soon my cramp is gone, my legs feel solid, and I'm just enjoying a little daydreaming before the finish.

One mile to go! I stroll pass the one mile marker and glance over my shoulder. That's when I see another runner maybe 50 yards back (grand masters winner Ken Gregorich). He seemed to come out of nowhere, and he was moving fast. Seriously? Couldn't I just jog it in at a cozy pace? I felt compelled to retain my position, but now was forced completely out of my comfort zone and into the "race" mentality I try to avoid. I don't know for sure, but I guess I ran the last mile in the 6:30 range. I wasn't going all out, but still going fast enough to not get caught. I crossed the finish feeling as good as I ever have after an ultra.

Promised Land 2006 7:39 finished 109th out of 197
Promised Land 2009 6:39 finished 46th out of 273
Promised Land 2010 5:51 finished 23rd out of 290
Promised Land 2011 ???? I guess we'll find out next year

Forget that silly groundhog. Spring doesn't officially start until you run the Promised Land 50k. Thanks to all the volunteers, sponsors, and students who
helped not only this year, but every year since 2001.

Run the flats, walk the hills
-Mike "Wrong Way" Bailey

Inspiration in full bloom

2010-04-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

The trail is my muse

This is the time of year my romance with running starts anew. I'll be the first to admit that my relationship with the trail got a little stale over a long, snowy winter. But the snow has thawed and given way to the verdant splendor that is the Shenandoah Valley. Crystal clear views of distant mountains can be seen from my favorite summits, and the formerly bare trees have added a warm coat of green. I've met a new group of local runners who share the same passion for hitting up 15 miles of pristine trail on a chilled saturday morning

However, it isn't merely the cycle of the season that has me excited to run. I have been inspired by the people around me who have brought a new energy and zeal for the past time I can sometimes tire of. I have a friend, whom seven months ago just began to jog, and three days ago completed his first half marathon. My sister finished her second 10k, my cousin completed his first half marathon, and another friend is about to complete his run across America! In all of these instances I have shared much joy in following, and supporting whatever way I can, the hopes and aspirations of my friends and relatives. It isn't about the running. I'm proud of my sister for busting her butt to get into MCV grad school. I can assure you that it required far more dedication and effort on her behalf than any single race I ever completed. On the flip side, I am seeing old trail running friends set new personal bests for themselves, and witnessing the birth of ultrarunning's future stars.

So what is really taking place? The fact is that my desire to run is not motivated by a particular finish time, or placement in any specific running event. My desire to "race" is almost completely gone. On any given run I have no set objective as far as distance and speed. In the past I have attempted to have specific routines like a track session, tempo run, or long run. Sometimes I would run just to get in my workout for the day. This "task list" made running more of a chore than a time of peaceful reflection. I feel much more of a sinergy with the trail, rather than me versus the trail, or me versus the clock. Nowadays I merely put on my shoes and let the run determine itself. Often I find myself running more relaxed, at rest, and often further/faster than had I gone out with a plan. The results have spoken for themselves. I'm logging more mileage, more frequently, and still capable of capping off my 15-20 mile excursions with miles in the low sixes. The best part is that I wake up the next morning wanting to go out and do more.

Inspiration, I missed you.

What I Wear: Shoe Guide

2010-03-31T20:08:00.000-07:00

New Balance 840 (11.6 oz) $85- These may have been my favorite trail shoe yet. Though listed at 11.6 ounces, they sure felt like they were closer to 10. These shoes had wonderful traction thanks to the cleat like design, and the low riding feel made me very confident running fast over rocky/uneven trails. I wore these when I wanted to bust out a fast 50k, or take on a challenging rock covered course. The range on this shoe had me PRing on the rocks of the Big Schloss 50k, to the roads and flat towpaths of the JFK 50. However, after 50 miles on the jagged Massanutten rocks, this shoe didn't quite provide enough protection (after 13 hours),and my feet started to hurt.The only other con is that the shoe started to lose its cushioning after "only" 7 ultramarathons and approx. 700 miles of training. Note: the 840 is no longer in production, otherwise I would keep wearing them.

New Balance MT100(7.8 oz) $75- Sorry,the picture wouldn't download. These shoes have been made famous by ultra stud/minimalists Kyle Skaggs and Tony Krupicka (crew-pitch-kuh). The shoe felt more cushioned, and more road friendly,than the previous NB 790. However, the shoe has retained a relatively agressive tread and a low to the ground feel. The lack of much of a tongue and racing flat design are intended to for efficient runners who want to go fast. Keep in mind that lack of weight means less rock protection. There are fewer overlays, and some people will find lateral transitions a bit sloshy. I wore this during a run on the rocky Massanutten mountain, and it did not grip well on the rocks. It was a bit sloppy for quick stride changes due to trail conditions. This will likely be a shoe people work up to running long in. For the right people, you could run 100 miles in it. I will personally be expecting this to function like a lighter shoe that performs like the 840 w/out the bulk. I hope to make this my go to 50k racer. Good for non rocky trails.

Brooks ASR 6(12.2 oz) $95- I had the priviledge of testing these for Brooks last spring. These are the trail version of the well like Adrenaline road shoe. Aside from more agressive treads, this still feels like a road shoe. I felt the heel was a bit clunky, and the shoe soaked up water way too much. It also felt a half size too big, and was not a good fit for narrow feet like mine. I would not recommend for very rocky trails. This would be an appropriate shoe for light trails and roads, but because of that why wouldn't I just opt to wear a lighter road shoe? For runners new to trails, these might just work.

Mizuno Wave Ascend 2 (12 ounces) $90- I put about 500 miles on these, including 21 straight hours during my run of the 71 mile Massanutten Trail Ring. This is a trail only shoe that does not feel good on roads, but is solid on everything else. The rock protection was great, and I only had one bad case of blisters during a 58+ mile run on a 90 degree day. Overall it drains well, can take a lot of rocky miles, but leave it at home for the street runs. This version has since been replaced the Ascend 3.

Montrail Mountain Masochist(10.8 oz) $90: This shoe is designed to take on conditions similar to the famed race. It's great for road to trail transitions, and will tackle some of the rougher stuff too. I actually dislike the design of the shoe. The tongue is too chunky, and the heel is far too high for a trail shoe. Although the heel cup was excellent at stabilizing, the thick heel made running on rocks very sketchy. This layout promotes a heel strike and off balance/ankle rolling feel. After cutting about a half inch off the heel, and pulling out the tongue padding(yes that sounds weird) the shoe was perfect. Note: too much stuffing in the tongue holds in water,thus making the shoe heavier. Cutting the heel and removing the padding allows for a more natural forefoot strike, and cuts several ounces off the weight. The gussetted tongue successfully kept debris out for the entirety of my last 50k trail run. During the same mountain 50k, the shoe felt solid all day. The only remainining issue was the heel cup cut up my heels on some of the steeper climbs. I had some pretty raw heels after the race that took a few days to heal (no pun intended).

Brooks Launch (9.3 oz) $90- haven't worn yet, but these will be my fast road shoes. I will use these for quick 10k tempo runs all the way to marathon, or even a non technical 50k/50 mile.

Nike MayFly (4.8 oz) $45- These feather weight shoes are designed for only 100k of use, but I have managed to go well beyond that. Like the Vibram 5 Fingers, people should build up the distance in these. Heavier runners will not do well with the non existent cushioning and zero support. At 155lbs, I can get away with it. I use this for indoor/outdoor track speed work, treadmills, and no more than 10 miles at a time on roads.

Brooks Racer ST4(8.6 oz) $85- This was my "go to" shoe for all things road. These are perfect for the marathon and shorter distances, but they were also just cushioned enough for me to run two 50 milers and one 50k trail run in them. Keep in mind that the 50 milers had very little rocky trail in them. I've put about 500 miles on these as well. Good for running fast, and running long.

Brooks Cascadia 5 (12oz) $90- a nice "green" upgrade of the award winning Scott Jurek designed trail shoe . This version has wider laces, and drains water more efficiently than other models. The liner also has a touch more cushion. The universal platform agian suites most feet and arch types. I put roughly 1,000 miles(and counting) on my Cascadia 3's. These shoes have run hundreds of miles through ice cold water, snow, sleet, mudd, rain, rocks, and whatever else you could throw at them. The Cascadia's are my shoe of choice for rocky 50k-100 mile events. Heck, they'll even feel good for a few hours on the roads if you like.

Brooks Ghost 2 (10.8 oz) $100- Good for very long road runs of marathon distance, or more. I would probably use these for non technical/road 50-100 milers, and 24 hour runs. They worked well for some track work outs, however they did feel a bit spungy, like there was too much cushion. A nice shoe for light and heavy framed runners with various arch types.

50

2010-03-19T09:16:00.000-07:00

On November 20th, 2004 I finished my first race ever. It was not a 5k, or 10k, but an ultramarathon. After the race, I told myself I was never going to run another event like that again.

On March 27th, 2010 I will be attempting to finish my 50th running event of marathon distance, or longer. So much for never running another ultra.

I've been reflecting on what I enjoy most about running. In recent years I've only taken one major leave of absence (June 2009-November 2009) from competitive events, and this was due to a non running related injury. However, this period of time did not mark an absence from running since I still completed several organized club 50k trail runs, albeit at a much more relaxed effort.

This spring I have once again kept my efforts pretty low key, and non "competitive". I frustrated myself in 2009 by trying to unrealistically PR every event (even on back to back weekends), and wound up with mediocre results and not enjoying the events like I should. After 50 events, I realized that having fun has made my pursuit of long distance running far more enjoyable than merely running to finish in a particular place. Another reality after five years of running and testing different training methods is that I probably will not get much faster. Small "fat ass" events aside, I am usually a consistent top 25% finisher at most big events.

Beyond 50 endurance events I don't really have any major objectives. I have already achieved most of my ultrarunning goals.

Finish an ultramarathon- complete
Finish a 100 miler under 24 hours- complete
Finish a 50 miler under 8 hours- complete
Win an event (non Fat Ass)-complete

As one who still enjoys a good challenge, ironically, I don't necessarily think making new goals is in my plans. For the time being, I am enjoying the view of running from a purely hobby standpoint. Up next...spring time in the Shenandoah and snow free trails!

Blood and Sweat: The Mike Bailey blood donation distance project

2010-03-07T16:48:00.000-08:00

By Mike Bailey

36 Virginia blood drives were cancelled in January due to record winter snow storms. Virginia Blood Services is in great need of blood, and distance runners are ideal candidates given their healthy blood supply. One pint of blood can save three lives.

The question is simple. How does donating 1 pint of blood (not plasma) effect long distance runners? Numerous reports and Q&A’s are available for shorter distance athletes, but there is a lack of information available for marathon and longer runners. I decided to see for myself, and made myself the guinea pig for my little experiment.

Prior to donating blood I knew a couple key facts.

1. No strenuous activity for 24 hours after giving blood
2. It takes 56 days to fully replenish your red blood cell count
3. It takes 72 hours to rehydrate
4. Donating blood has had crippling, and dangerous effects on runners (including being hospitalized)

With that knowledge, I gave the standard 1 pint of blood. This would equal having 10% less red blood cells available to carry oxygen to my body. In order to compare and contrast the effects, I recorded training stats and personal vitals for two full weeks after donating. I chose a two week period of time because this was the average length of time shorter distance runners (ie 5k-10k) said it took to feel somewhat normal again. I did everything I was advised to do, which included extra fluid intake, not missing meals(not really an issue for me), extra sleep, taking iron supplements, and eating iron rich foods.

Key stats prior to donating:

Age: 28
Body Weight: 155 lbs
Miles per week running: 60-70 (mpw post donating stayed the same, or increased)
Weekly long run: 18-22 miles. Best long run was 20 miles at 7:27 pace
Weekly tempo run: 5-7 miles at 6:55- 7:00 pace, or 8-10 miles at 7:05-7:10 pace

My primary objective was to attempt to keep my post donating training as similar as possible to my pre donation training. I completely understood that my endurance and speed would decrease, but I really wanted to learn a few important things. How much would my initial performance drop? How long would it take to regain my fitness? Simple science suggests that 56 days would be needed for full recovery.

Here’s my breakdown of the two weeks after donating.

Day 1. My body felt fatigued from the start. It was like running at 10,000 ft. I plodded along at an 8:30 minute mile, and struggled to maintain anything faster than 8:00 per mile. I could not maintain anything faster than a 7:30 for more than a few minutes. My cardio was gone, and my legs felt a bit shaky. I required walking breaks about every mile. My total run was 9 miles at roughly a 9 minute mile average, which factored in the walking breaks.

Day 2. Ran 7.5 miles at an overall 8:00 minute pace. 3 miles were at 7:20 pace. Drastic improvement, but still a long way from normal.

Day 3. Third day was a hard mixed workout. Ran 5 miles, including two miles at a surprising 6:46 pace.

Day 4. Felt tired and worn out

Day 5. Ran 13 miles total. 10 miles were at 7:27 pace

Day 6. Long run of 20 miles. Felt good and relaxed, but I kept the pace pretty easy

Day 8. Horrible tempo run. 5 miles at 7:21 pace

Day 9. Better tempo run. 6.4 miles at 7:09 pace

Day 10. Long run, easy paced 21 miles. Felt comfortable, but again I was not going hard.

Day 13. The Big Two week test: Seneca Creek Greenway Trail 50k. Short race report at the bottom.

Summary:

The initial effects of donating were drastic. I felt like a shell of my normal self, but within the first week I felt continued improvement. With each new day I could run a little farther, and a little faster. I also noticed that I was feeling soreness in my legs after workouts that would not normally leave me feeling sore. Some of the little aches lingered for a few days, but would subside after about 48 hours.

Two weeks after donating I could say that I was at about 90% of my pre donating capacity. I believe the reason why shorter distance runners feel 100% recovered after only two weeks is because they compete at shorter distances. In other words, it doesn’t take as long for the body to renew itself for a 6 mile race as it does for a 30-50 mile race. I think ultra runners tap into muscular and cardiovascular reserves that require the most amount of time to repair and prep for the next big effort. This would leave us at a longer lasting disadvantage when giving blood. I would expect no less than 6-7 weeks for ultramarathoner to fully recover from donating. If you plan to race prior to this window of time, I highly suggest you use it only as a training run. I would not donate within 2 months of a focus race.

2010 Seneca Creek Greenway Trail 50k
Short and sweet version

I knew my body wasn’t 100% recovered going into this event. After all, I was only two weeks out from donating blood. My plan was to run as hard as my body would allow for as long as it would allow. With half of the course covered in snow, and the rest of it covered in mud, it was a little tough to tell how my time would reflect my fitness. Honestly, I don’t think the trail conditions slowed the times down much. At most it caused the 50k to run 10-15 minutes slower than last year. In 2009 I ran the 50k in 5:18 on a day I thought I bonked a bit.

This year for 20 miles I was running with a group of 50k runners who all finished around 5 hours. 5 hours is a pretty solid time on this course, moreso given the trail conditions, and typically anything under 4:30 is considered an elite time. Needless to say it only took a few minutes for my body to go from feeling awesome to complete shut down mode. By mile 22 my legs felt like they had run 50 miles already, and I still had 10 miles to go. My heart rate was elevated, the lungs felt winded, and once again I felt like I was running at 10,000 feet. I think this crash was a combination of two factors. The first being the lack of any run over 22 miles since Dec 4th, and the second being the effects of donating blood. Last year the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail 50k was my 6th ultra of the year, and in 2010 it was my first ultra of the year. Either way I felt like I was hit by a Mack truck.

At the mile 25 aid station I was almost ready to drop from the event. I had walked two chilly miles into the aid station, lost my glove, and had 7 miles to go. I forced myself to leave the aid station, but about a quarter mile later a runner asked me if I lost my glove. He said he found it and left it at the aid station I just left. Ugh! I walked 3 minutes back to the aid station to get my lost glove, and at that point I was 90% certain my day was over. After some mental wrestling, I slowly walked away from the aid station, having tacked a half mile to the already long 32.5 mile course.

The slow drag to the finish was alleviated by tagging along with other runners and allowing fun conversation to disrupt my negative mindset. It was at that time I realized my run wasn’t going as bad as expected. The lady I was running with (and she was running strong) turned out to be running the marathon, not the 50k. It also turned out that she started an hour earlier than me. That meant I was actually four miles ahead, and an hour faster. Not nearly the disastrous 6:30 to 7:00 hour finish time I played through my head. I thank my new friend Rebecca for keeping my mind occupied, and my legs running for the last 4 miles. It was a pleasure finishing the run with you.

Moral of the story. Donating blood is a wonderful cause, but it will wreak havoc on athletic capacity in ultra runners for a few months (not just weeks). But, also know that your running is probably a selfish act in itself, and donating blood saves lives every day. Find a 3 month period of time you don’t have any key races planned, and then donate. It takes 30 minutes for the entire process, and just 5 minutes for the donation itself.

Best Wishes,
Your guinea pig ultra donor,
Mike Bailey

Winter Running Tips and Gear Guide

2010-02-04T11:57:00.000-08:00

You want to run, but there's a foot of snow outside, and it's 10 degrees. Before you ditch the roads and trails for the mundane treadmill consider some of these suggestions.

Footwear will be the main concern when there's snow, or ice on the ground. Nobody wants to slip and slide their way to a slow run and a potential injury.

If snow is the only thing on the ground, I will slip on a pair of my favorite trail shoes.

The Brooks Cascadia 5 (on the left), and the Montrail Mountain Masocist are perfect for when road and trail conditions get nasty.

Although these shoes are designed primarily for rugged trails, they come in handy when sidewalks turn into slippery, uneven, snow paths. I recently wore a pair of the Masochists for a 8 mile snow run, and they were comfortable right out of the box. The grippy soles on both these shoes will give you the traction needed for picking up the pace on snow. Also, the shoes drain water quickly which keeps the weight of the shoes feeling light.

Inside the shoes, I would recommend a nice wool blend sock, like the Smartwool ones above. Most good non-cotton socks will help keep moisture away from the feet, and keep your toes warm even when wet. The better the moisture and friction control, the less likely you are to develope blisters.

If the conditions are ice, then it won't really matter what shoe you have. Yaktrax can be placed around whatever shoes you have on, and can be removed just as easily. The metal coils will dig into the ice to give you enough grip to resume running with confidence.

(standard pair of Yaktrax)

Clothing: I caved in last year and finally started wearing tights when I knew the temperature wasn't going to get above 32 degrees. Fashion aside, your muscles will thank you. 40 degrees and higher, I always wear shorts. I also go by the rule of thumb to dress like you would normally when it's 20 degree warmer. During a recent 15 degree, snowy, windy night run I wore my wind/water resistant Brooks LSD coat. It is a pretty light weight jacket, but I was more than warm for a nice two hour excersion. I also opted for a pair of wind resistant gloves. The only thing I wish I had was a balaclava to keep my face warmer.

Hydration when it is cold can be tricky. Obviously, your body still sweats, so you'll still need to drink 20-30 ounces per hour. However, cold temps can lead to frozen water bottles and camel backs. In order to prevent this you can buy a sleeve for your tube, since the tube is usually the only exposed part of the hydration system, or you can wear your camelback under your jacket. This will keep your fluids close to your body. If carrying a water bottle, flipping it upside down will help slow the freezing process since it will start from the top. Also, mixed drinks like gatorade will freeze slower than plain water because of the sugar and sodium.

This is a standard 20 ounce Ultimate Direction hand bottle which many runners now use. The hand strap makes it easy to carry for long durations, and there is a pocket for either keys, gels, etc. Plus, the soft rubber mouth piece will ensure you don't knock any teeth out. I normally use one of these for runs of an hour, or less(in hot weather I may need to carry two). I normally run races with this, since most ultramarathon aid stations are 4-5 miles apart.

For longer runs I will opt to wear the 70 ounce Nathan hydration vest. I have found it to be very light weight, comfortable, and the front chest pockets make accessing items very easy. There is also enough room to stash clothing, a cell phone, or food. I normally take this out on 15-25 mile training runs where water sources may be limited.

Last but not least, watch out for cars and snowplows. I hope this helped. Let me know if you have any questions, or if you have specific races you need advice on.

Run safe!
Mike

Three Bridges Marathon

2009-12-06T14:55:00.001-08:00

This morning I participated in the inaugural Three Bridges Marathon in Crozet, VA. Crozet is just west of Charlottesville and is in the heart of vineyard country. The Marathon is hosted by the Ragged Mountain Running Store in C'ville.

I think there's something special about running a new event. You have no clue what the course is going to be like, and you get to be the first person to report on it (like me right now).

This marathon is the perfect, low key event, that should spark the interest of road and trail runners. It is technically a road race, but the roads are through the woods and provide beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. You also have some nice streams, which you will cross using three bridges(hence the marathon name) Three Bridges goes against the idea of the big city marathon. The starting field was limited to 100 runners, but only 30 people ran. This is a wonderful adjustment from the 20,000 at Marine Corps.

The details:

The course: Not very difficult, but don't expect a PR. This is a loop course consisting of four six mile loops, plus a hilly 2 mile spur at the beginning. This course may be hard on alot of runner's legs because it is a gradual uphill for 3 miles, and then downhill for 3 miles. There are very little perfectly flat sections. Some folks won't like the repetition of the loops, but atleast you get to see other runners.

Cost: A $30 donation to Meals on Wheels. Benefiting a great cause, and a low entry fee. This beats paying $90 to reserve your entry 6 months in advance for larger races.

Weather: It was 18 degrees when I woke up this morning. The race starts early, and the course is almost entirely shaded. It snowed 6" before the race. The temps were never above 30 degrees for runners. It's December, just expect it to be cold.

Aid Stations: gatorade and water. Honestly you don't need much else. They even had cookies at one location. Because of the loop course you get aid every 1.1-1.5 miles. I honestly got a little spoiled with aid so close together. The volunteers were amazing as well. A few of the folks would even run WITH you so you didn't have to slow down for water. I can't think of any other event where the volunteers were so active and cheerful. These guys/gals were awesome!

Schwag(prizes): If you're running this to win something, you're running it for the wrong reason. The marathon, suprisingly, has custom race bibs(not generic blank with numbers). The overall winner gets a prize, along with the top 5 finishers. Age group winners also get awards. This is very generous considering the low number of entrants. In addition to a modest finisher's certificate, I also got a nice pair of Under Amour technical socks for finishing 4th. Did I mention you also get a nice black bag, with goodies in it? For only $30, this event gives you alot.

Race Management: Low key, but very good. From the parking area it was a half mile to the starting line. Since it was 25 degrees, we were offered warm rides to the start. They even had vans driving runners from the finish back to the parking lot. An official race clock was positioned at the halfway point of the loop, and EVERY mile of the course was marked.

Final Thoughts: This is almost like a "fat ass" style marathon. In other words, it's not for runners who need alot of catering. If you want big shiny medals, a fast course so you can qualify for Boston, a cute t-shirt, thousands of fans to cheer you on, a pace group, and a buffet at each aid station....by all means, stay at home.

However, if you already have too many race shirts to count and you don't care about medals. If you want a scenic course with mountains as your backdrop. If you want an affordable event, friendly volunteers, and donate to a good cause.....by all means, run this event next year. I'll be keeping my calendar open.

2009 JFK 50 Race Report

2009-11-25T06:31:00.000-08:00

Background:

Going into the JFK 50 miler I had only one goal...Finish! Last year I was told by EMS to drop at mile 34.4 due to vision loss, brought on by mild hypothermia. My DNF has been an annoying little monkey on by back for exactly one year.

I kept my goals for JFK realistic. Two weeks earlier I had a tendonitis scare at the Mountain Masochist 50 that caused me to hike the last 10 miles of the course. After the race, I was so sore, I really questioned if I should even attempt JFK. I had no clue if two weeks was enough time to heal from my MMTR wounds, but I knew I was not going to be 100%. Two weeks later, I found myself back in Boonsboro, Maryland for the 47th JFK 50 miler. My body felt well rested, I certainly felt recovered, but I knew it could all change by mile 30. Conservative was going to be he name of the game.

After the usual pre-race gathering the Boonsboro Education Complex, we make the long walk to the start. There's a bank we walk by with a digital thermometer, and every year I compare race morning temperatures. In 2004 it was 32 degrees, 22 in 2005, 19 in 2008, and 43 in 2009. The forecast called for mostly cloudy skies and a high near 60. Today looked to be the most ideal running weather since 2006 (I did not run that year), and the best weather I have ever had for JFK.

At the start I hammed it up with Hal Koerner and Scott Jurek. I had hung out with Hal at the finish of American River earlier this year. I had talked about doing some west coast events, and he shared how he really wanted to return to the east coast. Hal's a pretty fun, low key guy. Scott, on the other hand, was very focused and quiet. He's listed as being 6'2", but towered over everyone at the start. These two guys account for 8 wins at the Western States 100.

At 7am we were off. The lead pack started suprisingly slow, as I managed to hang with them for the first mile. I had no intention of keeping their pace, but wanted to be clear of the mid pack field before hitting the trails. As the road gradually turned up to the mountains, the front runners were long gone. I hit the Appalachian Trail head in 20:59, which was one second faster than last year. I kept telling myself "be conservative". I was running all the climbs, but consciously backing off a bit on the downhills and flats. Slowly, I started picking my way past runners who were unacustomed to running on wet, leaf covered rocks. The AT, is my favorite part of the course.

Gathland (mile 9.5)- I arrived in 1:25. Five minutes slower than last year. I didn't think I was going that much slower, but apparently I was.

Weverton(mile 15.7)- Arrived in 2:28. Seven minutes slower than last year. The conservative pacing was working well, but I was a little concerned that I was too slow getting to Weverton. I had taken much of the downhill off the AT slow. I ran behind a group of four guys, and fought off the urge to pass them. I knew I had to save the legs for the 26.3 mile towpath.

The strategy worked liked a charm. My legs felt fresh as I hit the towpath and soaked in the views of the river. I started knocking out some quick miles, and in retrospect was probably going too fast. However, I was pleasantly able to maintain the pace, and pretty soon I was in full cruise control. Before I knew it, I had ran a 3:59 marathon split to start the day, and arrived at Antietam (mile 27.1) in 4:08. This was 2 minutes faster than last year. I ran the first 11.4 miles of towpath 9 minutes faster than last year. Wow! But, was it too fast?

Once again the miles kept clicking away. I hit my 50k split in 4:46. Pretty soon, I was reunited with my "old friend" Snyder's Landing. This was the location of my DNF last year. After a quick in and out of the aid station, I said "So long sucker, you won't stop me this year!" Again, I hit cruise control and powered through a few more miles.

Bonk! Around mile 36, or 37 I starting getting very sleepy. I knew this was a calorie issue, not a sleep issue. I quickly attempted to eat a handful of m&m's that I had stored in my pockets. While chewing the m&m's I realized I didn't have the stomach to swallow them. I spit most of them out, and took a swig of gatorade to force down the rest. Red alert! Houston we have a problem! I arrived at the aid station at mile 38.5 and picked up my pacer Janet. I was desparate to get some calories in, but my stomach was in full on barf mode. A cup of coke was all I could muster, and we made our slow walk down the remaining three miles of towpath. I was now getting passed regularly by many runners, including Reston Runners teamates Dennis Kelleher and Doug Berlin. Both would finish in a quality time of 8:06.

I tried the occasional jog, but was quickly forced into a speed walk. I knew if I ran the last 12 miles in 2 hours, I could break 8 hours by about 4-5 minutes. The bubbling and churning in my belly told me that breaking 8 hours would have to wait another day. The last leg of the race was ugly. Janet was a great pacer, and if anything we were having a good time. Here and there I would run(and run hard) sections of the road. The legs felt great, the stomach not so much. I talked to some of the cows about the benefits of compression socks. No I wasn't loopy, just trying to find humor in this moment of discomfort. At mile 45, I was passed by my friend Frank Probst. At age 66, Frank ran an astounding 8:18.

At this point, I wasn't sure if I was going to break 10 hours. I had been walking for a couple of hours now. My JFK personal best was 9:31, and it didn't seem I would top that. I kept expecting to see more and more runners from my Reston Runners team pass me. I would look behind me for those bright yellow Reston Runners shirts, but saw nothing. They must be really struggling I thought to myself. The weather was so perfect, I couldn't imagine why everyone was running so much slower?

With 2 miles to go, I had a revelation. I was doing my math all WRONG! For whatever brain fart reason, I kept thinking 4pm was a 10 hour finish, but it was a 9 hour finish. I had only been looking at the minutes on my watch, not the hours. I was going to finish closer to 8:30! Janet and I picked up the pace, again with nausea still being an issue, and rounded out the last two miles. We made the turn, and with the finish in sight, I began to pick up the pace. I was all smiles crossing the finish in 8:32. I had walked almost ALL of the final 12 miles, and finished in 8:32! Was I a little upset at not breaking 8 hours? Maybe a little. However, the monkey was finally off my back, and my 2008 DNF was redeemed. I thank my friend Janet for pacing me during those nasty, stomach sick, 12 miles. It was great to have company during the lowest point of my day. I thank all the race volunteers, but especially my Reston Runners team for making JFK a special event.

Final Thoughts: This year's field was stacked! I ran about 40-50 places behind last year, eventhough I ran faster splits. Last year one woman broke 8 hours, this year I believe 10 women did. Two woman ran under seven hours. Five men ran times that would have won prior races. Four of them broke 6 hours. Perfect weather definitely aided the blazing times.

Other performances that stood out:

Dee Dee Loughran- 8:37 PR, and she's over 50!
Frank Probst- 8:18 at 66
Anna Bradford- 9:29, huge overdue PR
Jim Ashworth- 8:37, another overdue PR
Mike Vance- 6:59. He's a 2:40 marathoner who ran his first ultra
Jack Tozier- finished after a disappointing DNF last year at mile 44
Mary Klaff- 9:22
Dennis and Doug- 8:06, both may have even broken 8 hours

Closing

On November 20, 2004 I finished the JFK 50 miler in 10 hours 39 minutes. It was a cold, wet, and dark trudge to the finish. My longest run prior to that day was six miles. Exactly five years later, my 50 mile personal best is a 7:54, and I finished JFK over two hours faster (on a rough day). Five years ago, I could barely walk after running 50 miles. In 2009, I felt like a million bucks.

We all had a starting point. We can never forget where we started. Five years ago, I went from being a casual 3 mile jogger to a 50 mile ultramarathon runner..in one day.

Red, White, and Blue for 26.2

2009-10-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

(photo courtesy of Bobby Gill)

There was a certain superhero that made an appearance at the 34th Marine Corps Marathon. Each year, thousands of active duty US Marines come out to volunteer at the People's marathon. In order to show his gratitude for the service that these brave men and women have made to their country, he ran the entire 26.2 mile course with a flag in hand. On his front he wore a sign that simply read "Thank you Marines". Just a small thanks to our brave military. The Flash is a fictional superhero, but the men and women of the US military are real heros.

The Marathon:

The Marine Corps Marathon is attended by thousands of US Marines, and also many other active/former military. I knew carrying the American Flag meant alot of responsibility. I feared wearing the costume might seem like I was mocking the flag, so I made sure it was properly flying at all times. In the nation's capitol, anyone who dares carry the flag, better do so with respect. I had laid down some rules for running with it.

1. Stars must fly in the upper left corner.
2. Unless at a water stop, I will NOT be seen walking with the flag
3. Run at all times and show no sign of fatigue
4. Never let the flag touch the ground
5. Allow servicemen/women to salute the flag
6. Allow any military person to carry the flag if they ask
7. Keep the flag raised as high as possible, especially through crowded streets. It must be clearly visible at all times
8. Acknlowledge the fact that the run is about the Flag and troops, not the costume
9. If I cannot keep rules 1-8 intact, I should give the flag up to someone who can

At 8am the cannon blast roared, and I pushed through the crowded city streets. I had no intention of running fast. The first five miles were at 9:30 pace. Within the first hour several things became very obvious. It was going to be a very grueling run in the costume. It was much hotter than the '08 milkshake costume because my legs, head, and arms were covered. Temperatures exceeded the forcasted 58 degree high and climbed to 65 degrees. The second clear fact was that the flag, although only a few lbs, would be harder to carry than I thought. The final fact was that the flag was inspiring alot of people.

The reaction from the crowds was the same from Georgetown to the Iwo Jima memorial. Already lively folks would cheer upon seeing the costume, and cheer louder when I pointed to the flag. Runners came up beside me to get their photo taken with the Flash. On other occasions military runners requested to run a few moments with the flag, or beside it. It was an honor having these true heroes running with me. When seeing the flag, the Marines volunteering would stop, put their feet together and give a salute. Gripping and inspiring.

While it was easy to get caught up with all the attention, I wanted to be perfectly clear that I wanted the attention on the American flag and the Marines.

The rest of the marathon went on with the same enthusiasm. I'd gave a high five to the Georgetown bull dog, and shout outs to the high school bands. Although it became increasingly difficult throughout the marathon, I kept a smile on my face, and the flag held high. I was particularly touched around mile 11. I stopped to tie my shoe laces, so I asked a bystander to hold the American flag for me. Without hesitation he grabbed the flag and held it as high as he could. He held it with pride and dignity. I realized what an honor it was for him to have that one moment. I realized what an honor I had to carry the red, white, and blue for 26.2 miles.

By mile 23 I was starting to feel the effects of major deydration. I had been drinking 3-5 cups of water and poweraid at each stop. I ate sport beans and orange slices when possible, but still I was losing water weight at a rapid pace. The last two miles were a struggle, but I was determined to show no sign of fatigue. Afterall, would the real Flash get tired? The American flag must stay in strong hands. Up the final hill I pushed through to the finish.

Although time was not a consideration in this run, I did manage to finish in 3:58:55. It was considerably slower than the 3:29:45 I ran the previous year in the milkshake costume. My biceps and shoulders are sore from carrying the flag for almost four hours. A slight discomfort, and well worth it.

Thank you Marines. Semper Fidelis "Always Faithful"

Grindstone Preview

2009-09-28T14:38:00.001-07:00

Clark Zealand's second annual Grindstone 100 is less than five days away! Apart from the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100, Grindstone is arguably the toughest 100 mile course on the east coast. There was debate whether, or not last year's course was a few miles short(97 miles), and also lacking a few thousand feet of climb. This year, that debate is over. The course has been re-mapped to bring the vertical gain over the advertised 23,000 feet and the distance to 100 miles. Runner's will get their money's worth, that's for sure.

Weather: It may change, but it looks like temps in the 40-60's, and alot of rain for most of the race. The trails will be muddy, and the rocks will be slick.

Here's a look at the men's race. Defending champ Harland Peelle is not back this year. Top runners Keith Knipling and Don Padfield will also be absent. However, the addition of Karl Meltzer to the roster immediatley brought some well warrented attention. Forget bib numbers and seeding, here's my amateur breakdown of the men's race.

Karl Meltzer- He is always the man to beat, especially in 100's. He wants a win bad after his 2nd place battle with Geoff Roes at Wasatch. Karl has never run this course, and unlike MMT he will not have years of experience with this race. However, I don't think Karl's lack of course knowledge will hurt him. I predict a course record run of 18:30.

Todd Walker- If he doesn't get lost, this 2008 MMT champ will be contending for a win. He said his fitness wasn't 100% at this past MMT, so perhaps he's been training hard this summer. Expect Todd to go out hard from the start and not look back. He and Karl have run together before, so this will be nothing new. Prediction 20:45.

Jason Lantz- Old Dominion 100 winner may fly under the radar. He's got good 100 mile experience, lots of sub 20 hour finishes, and should be well within the top five. My guess is 21:30

Patrick McGlade-my sleeper pick. Has wins at the Swinging Bridge 50k, 24 hour trail run(tied course record), had a win at a 12 hour trail race and a 2nd place at the GEER 100k...on back to back weekends! Patrick is tough as nails, and trains his butt off. If fully recovered from all the races, I see a potential for a 21-22 hour finish. Maybe faster?

Mike Mason- After a breakthrough performance at MMT, Mike know's what it takes for a top 3 finish. He's been enjoying life as a proud new father, so let's hope he can notch another big effort for the little one. With good pacing I see 20-21 hours.

Chris Reed- awesome 2nd place run at Grindstone last year. He's the highest ranked returner, and the course knowledge should be helpful. A top 3 contender that could run around 21-22 hours.

Mario Raymond- Underrated(sorta), but fast. He's got enough speed to sneak up on the leaders, and could overtake them if they struggle. Ran 22 hours at MMT a few years back and passed Sean Andrish in the process. Look for a possible top 5, and a finish under 23 hours.

Adam Cassadey- Had a great 100 mile debut at MMT in 2008, and another sub 23 hour run in 2009. He's fresh off a win at the Iron Mountain 50. I think a top 3 is in his grasp.

Other Men who should be in the battle for a top 10 finish and/or a sub 24 hour finish

Justin Faul- 21 hours at Old Dominion, his first 100. He always finishes in the top 5-10%.
Jack Kurisky- almost broke 24 hours last year. Should contend for Master's win.
Bobby Gill- if the IT band stays intact, he could have a great 100 mile debut.
Kent Gallup-under 25 hours last year. He has alot of 100 mile experience
Russell Gill- very experienced. Should also contend for the Master's win.
Byron Backer- lots of experience, and always a strong runner
Jared Hesse-looked good at the training runs. If he paces smart, he could go top 10.
Gary Knipling- after an age group performance of the year type run at Superior Sawtooth 100, Gary will use his wealth of 100 mile knowledge to comfortably be the first 60+ finisher, and I predict he'll do it under 32 hours.

The women's race: No returning champ Krissy Moehl, and no young wonder woman Sabrina Moran. But, there's still a good race shaping up!

Donna Utakis- She's great at the long distance stuff and has experience on MMT type courses. She was under 24 hours last year, and could do it again. I expect a 1st, or 2nd place finish.

Frannie Conte- She's probably the fastest woman in the field. Smart pacing, and she will be in for the win. She'll probably be ahead of Donna for the first 30 miles, but Donna will catch her as the race goes on. Should be a battle.

Sophie Speidel- Will contend for the Master's win. She's been training hard, and training specifically for Grindstone. Could easily be in the top 3.

Dorothy Hunter-my sleeper pick for the women's race. Says she aiming for 27-28 hours. She has the perfect pacing and attitude for this type of course. If she sets small goals for herself during the race, as she did in the training runs, she could also be in the top 3.

That's it! I'm sure there are gonna be some surprise performances nobody will predict. That's the wonderful thing about our sport. On any given day, somebody can bust out an amazing run. Hope everyone is tapering and resting up. Should be a great race!

Mauna Kea Revisited

2009-08-16T19:43:00.001-07:00

Top to Bottom- Mauna Kea from Hilo Bay, the access road, and me getting winded at 13,000 ft and saying "why am I doing this?"

It's been two years since I summitted Hawaii's Mauna Kea. Mauna Kea literally translates as "White Mountain" , and I have had the priviledge of being there during the snow season. Yes, it snows in Hawaii. Located on the Big Island, Mauna Kea is the highest mountain in the Pacific, standing at 13,796 ft. It is a dormant shield volcano and from the ocean floor to the summit it is the tallest mountain in the world!

The reason why I did the ascent was simple. It's a beautiful place, very few do the full round trip. I began my morning at sea level and drove an hour and a half to the Mauna Kea visitors center. After only 45 minutes of accilimation I sign the waivers so I can begin my way up the mountain. Running at altitude can be harmful, but running at altitude when you began your day at sea level is silly.

The gravel road begins at 9,000 ft and winds up the mountain for 9 miles to 13,796 ft. After a few seconds of running, I realize the trail is too steep and I begin a long power hike to the summit. An hour went by, and I guessed I was a few thousand feet into the climb. That was until I passed the 10,000 ft marker a few minutes later. The thiner air was already making the climb seem longer. For a brief second, I had a hard time imagining doing this brutal ascent for nearly four thousand more feet. Flatlander from Virginia+altitude=lung busting effort

As I went further up the mountain the lack of oxygen was slowing me down. I kept moving forward and kept putting one foot in front of the other. I was getting more adjusted to the altitude, but not fast enough to compensate. I passed 11,000 ft, then 12,000. Mauna Kea seemed like it just kept going up. I would get over one massive volcanic hill, and see more on the horizon. My surroundings started off as arrid desert, then slowly transitioned to fine red volcanic sand. I hiked through stinging light rain, sunshine, fog, and whipping winds. Finally, I came to a stretch where I could see the true summit. I saw that I had about a mile to go, but also a very steep climb.

As I crested the top I was welcomed by the sight of several space observatories. Mauna Kea has perhaps the clearest skies on the planet, and air that has been purified by several thousand miles of ocean. It was the longest nine miles I had ever hiked, however, I was not at the true summit. I ran down into the mountain's culdera, and climbed about 100 feet to the true summit. I was above the clouds, and could see the ocean from 360 degrees. It was a sight straight from a dream. I took a short video, some photos, ate a little, and hurried to get out of the cold. The temperature was 87 degrees in Hilo, 77 at the start of the run, and a windy 37 at the summit.

The run down was so steep my feet felt like they were on fire. As the altitude decreased I could feel my lungs growing stronger and stronger. Soon I was back at the visitor's center to verify my return from the summit. The Mauna Kea ranger immediately said "Looks like you decided to turn back early". What did she mean by that? I then told her that I had gone all the way to the top and ran back down in exactly four hours. She explaned that most people who hike to the summit get rides back down.

All in all, it was a rare, beautiful experience that I will never forget.

Part II: Unsung Heroes of Ultrarunning

2009-08-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

Anna Bradford- Anna has run everything from 5k, marathon, to 100 miles. Her running accomplishments come second, however, to her dedication to the running/walking community. Anna is a former club president(Reston Runners), volunteer, mentor, and coach to many runners of varying abilities. Even among her own challenge to run 100 miles at Vermont, she was seen motivating and pushing runners to finish. Anybody that knows Anna knows that she runs as much to help others achieve their goals as she does to achieve her own.

Rebecca Byerly- Rebecca has used her running and journalism skills to highlight stories that are rarely viewed by western culture. Last year she ran 125 miles across the Sahara during the Lybian challenge. While alot of what she covers relates to running, there is a cultural barrier that she is breaking through. Her feet allow her to film places and people that we may have never seen. She is just getting started, and I think we will see much of her wonderful and impactful work.

Michael Huff- Mike has been running for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund for several years now. He dedicates his running to serve those who have served us. Many soldiers return from duty with life changing injuries. Mr. Huff has vowed to make their lives better, as well as for their families. Mike is also one heck of a runner, having impressive runs at the challenging Grindstone 100, Hellgate 100k, and Western States. Mike's purpose to running is inspired by his strong faith in God, and dedication to be "Always Faithful"(semper fidelis)

Frank Probst- As a standout runner in his earlier years, Frank is still a force in his mid 60's. Frank has proven that longevity is attainable in a sport that abuses the body, as long as you care for it. When he's not breaking age group records, he's showing that he can still whoop up on guys a third his age...including me!

John DeWalt-not sure if he's an unsung hero, because so many folks already call him a hero. He's 73 and just conquered the toughest 100 miler in the country(Hardrock)...for the 14th time! Nuff said, this guy's already a living legend. If you see him, show some respect.

Dennis Herr- same as above, but younger. Probably too legendary to consider unsung. If you don't know who he is, find out, and then pick your jaw off the ground. This guy rocked the running scene with David Horton when ultrarunning was just a baby. They are old school.

Ed Demoney- Ed has served the running community far longer than I have been alive. He's been a race director, accomplished runner, and is still out on the trails. I wish I knew more about him. Age is just a state of mind, and Ed proves it at 72 years young.

Gary Knipling- Gary is now better known for his brews, knowledge of wildlife, and sense of humor. Gary can be found hosting, or volunteering his time at just about every VHTRC event. Gary truly goes out of his way to serve others, and it's seems to be his way of life. By the way, Gary was a 2:40 marathoner in his prime. Never question his toughness, since he also finished yet another MMT 100 this past May.

Anstr Davidson- see above with Gary. Founder of VHTRC. Gives so much back to the running community.

Phil Rosenstein-ran across the entire US in the fall of 2008 to raise money for the Mario Lemeuix foundation. He ran 3,300 miles in 94 days and raised over $20,000 for cancer research. Phil humbly kept publicity about himself to a minimum, but always made sure to highlight the foundation.

The Unsung Heroes of Ultrarunning

2009-07-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

Too often a time in ultrarunning we get caught up in talking just about the elite runners. I admit there's a mistique about there speed and ability that makes us in awe of them. The fast guys and gals are well deserving of their achievments. Not only are these folks great athletes, but most are good people who support their communities and give back to the sport of running. They don't necessarily ask for the spotlight, but their success as runners often draws it to them. I wanted to take some time to acknowledge some local Virginia and mid Atlantic runners who I think are some of the great unknown stories in running.

James Moore- James admits he's not the fastest guy in the world, but he may have the biggest heart, and biggest smile. James has run the 370 mile out and back of the C&O canal several times, but probably none more inspiring than his 2001 run. James raised money for the Susan G Komen foundation in support for his wife, Rebecca's battle with cancer. James is not only an accomplished runner, but one of the true spokesman for ultrarunning. The guy is the definition of class. Today, Rebecca is the image of health.

Helen Hipps- an avid walker, Helen can be found at the heart of most volunteer leadership roles. She is usually the first to arrive, last to leave, and never looks for a thank you. While she is not cheering on her husband, the charasmatic and wide smiled Ed "Cappucino", Helen is pouring herself out to those around her. Helen may be the most unsung hero in our community. She does the most, and asks for nothing in return. I speak for many people when I say "Thank you!"

David Snipes- better known as Sniper. Yes David is quite social, but he is often giving advice to younger runners and newbies. He helped me survive my first trail ultra, and willingly will go as slow as needed to make sure you finish. Nobody DNF's under his watch. Sniper also knows more about every trail and every race than probably anyone else. He's a great coach, solid mentor, and dedicates alot of time to hosting training runs, and volunteering. He's also the second person to run the MMT, Old Dominion Memorial, and Old Dominion one hundred milers on three straight weekends!

Other wonderful folks worth mentioning:

Vicki Kendall-ran an inspiring 28 hours at MMT,Vicki may shatter every 60+ woman's record when she gets there. Like a fine wine she only gets better with age. Her usual partner in crime is the wonder woman Barb Isom.

Doug Blackford-I literally first ran into Doug in 2005. I tripped, fell, and ran right into him. Doug has recently entered the 60+ age bracket and is threatening to win many age group awards and records. That is if Mr. Frank Probst isn't running neck and neck with him. Doug runs under the radar, but continues to crank out fast 50 mile and 50k times. Often times, he doesn't accept finisher awards because he already has so many. Keep an eye out for Mr. Blackford.

Tom and Kirstin Corris-good runners, great volunteers, and great people of the community. Tom leads MMT training runs, BBQ's, and Kirstin is right there with him (often with mouth watering recipes). Like a good neighbor, the Corris' are there.

Alisa Springman- again, probably not unsung because she has become one of the more talented female runners out there. Alisa runs 100 milers as training runs, and does stuff like Badwater as her "focus" runs. Sponsored by Brooks, Powerbar, and Drymax. Okay, she may be a bit mainstream for this list, but gotta give props to my friend.

Quattro Hubbard and Joe Clapper- Both are a combination of class clown, life of the party, and big brother. Both fellas dedicate alot of time to VHTRC. Don't underestimate Joe, the guy can still light it up.

If there is anyone I missed, feel free to give them a shout out. I believe these are the folks to make our running communities what they are. They are the reason people come out to trailrunning/road events, and the key reason they stay.

Healing and Recovering

2009-05-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

It's been five days since MMT and the car accident. If the accident never happened, then I would have probably been running on monday. The only reason my legs would have been fresh enough to run monday is because I only "ran" 52 miles at MMT, and about 25 miles of that was slow walking. However, since the accident DID happen, I have only managed to walk minimally.

Monday and Tuesday were both painful and sleepless days. Monday I finally fell asleep at 6am. Yes, I was up all night and fell asleep the next morning. My legs felt like a five alarm fire and I squirmed around alot in my bed. By the time Tuesday rolled around my internal clock was way off due to having about six hours of total sleep since Friday. On Wednesday I started my first day of work at my new job.

It is now Friday evening. I just got back from the gym and did my first weight lifting workout in over a week. I did not do anything with the legs. My left leg feels perfect. It only suffered some minor abrasions, although I was picking broken glass out of it for several hours after the wreck. My right leg got the worst of it. As if the cuts from the airbag, windshield, and dashboard weren't enough, let's toss a fully grown man on top of it. It looks like Freddy Kreuger's face, and feels like Freddy slashed it with his claws. Almost all of the original layer of skin is gone, and the layers that were scraped off went pretty deep. Wednesday I took the bandages off for good, and the wound has started to scab over quite nicely. It will surely be the largest scab I have ever seen and will make for one hell of a scab collection. The skin has grown very tight around the wound and has limited to flexibility of my leg. I am hoping that the scar tissue will have more elasticity and I can regain my full range of motion. Other than that there is still a little bit of swelling, although not nearly as much as earlier in the week.

As the days go by I will be able to assess a good starting point for running again. Until today, I have been walking with a noticeable limp. If I sit for a long period of time I have a harder time walking then if I have been up and about for a while. Once I'm on my feet things start to feel better quickly. That being said, it may be another week until I can walk normally. Perhaps after that I may start doing some light eliptical workouts, or swim when the pools open. Honestly, I think it will be two to three more weeks before I consider even a light jog. Thankfully with my new job and the return of some of my best friends Iwill be able to fill my new found time with plenty of fun.

MMT- Never a dull moment

2009-05-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

My race:

A nice cool 5:00am start, in which I ran the first 2.4 road miles in 18 minutes to the Buzzard Rock trail head. I ran smooth and well paced for the first 24.7 miles arriving at Habron gap at 9:41am. I was being conservative for the remaining 77 miles, and felt in complete control. The weather was warm, but overcast and generally comortable until about 10am. A friend at an aid station told me that Bryon Powell had picked me for a top ten finish on his popular iRunFar blog. Flattering, but I am glad I didn't know that before the race, because my only goal was to finish.

After leaving Habron, it became very hot on the next long climb. Over the next four hours we would encounter very hot and humid temperatures. By mile 27 my body stopped sweating. I had noticed my bandana and arms were bone dry when they should have been soaked. Many runners ran with empty bottles, and I made sure to refill and soak in the streams. During the long 9.5 miles to Camp Roosevelt I felt nauseus, dizzy, and tired. On the decent down to the Stephen's trail I came across runner #130 (Martin) who was limping badly. He had rolled his ankle pretty good so I decided to stick with him for a bit and keep him company. We had a nice conversation, sometimes an expletive would pop up as he tripped over the rocks. We joked around, and when the trail became less rocky he told me to move on.

The 9.5 miles to Camp Roosevelt took over three hours. The day remained toasty, the horse flies were eating me alive, and I still felt like poop. Entering Gap Creek at mile 39.8 we ecountered our first thunderstorm. The rain brought a welcome cool down, and I had a great second wind on Kerns Mountain. The high point was short lived and I was feeling lousy again all the way to Bird Knob. It was weird how my legs felt fine. I had no blisters, feet felt good, and nothing was really hurting. However, my energy was gone and I couldn't take advantage of the fresh legs. I was drinking a lot, sweating again, and eating well. Apparently it was not enough and my body was not getting the needed energy from the food and liquids (including lots of salt).

The climb up Bird Knob was slow and frustrating. I was averaging two miles per hour, which was slow enough to endanger me at later cut-offs. At the top of Bird Knob the booming rumble of thunder and black blouds rolled closer. Within minutes I was being pelted by heavy rain, wind, and stinging hail. The lightning was getting kind of sketchy and the temperature was actually getting cold.

In a matter of minutes we went from 80's to 60's. The trails turned into streams that were several inches deep. The rain was cold, and my slow walk wasn't enough to stay warm. I had no dry/warm clothes for another 15 miles. The sun was getting lower and I was beginning to shiver from the cold alot. To think that five hours ago I was suffering major dehydration from the heat, and now I was close to hypothermic. At my slow and feeble pace it would take at least five hours to get to my next drop bag. I knew I would not make that long cold and wet. I dropped at 52 miles, and sat in a car for three hours until the aid station closed down.

The Accident: At 1:00am myself, volunteer Harry Smith, and runner Bill Wandel were making our way back to the Skyline Ranch. Harry was driving, it was raining on and off, and the roads were very slick. As we were coming down Fort Valley rd, just five miles from the ranch, our Jeep's right wheels slid off the road. Harry thinks his vision of the road may have been hindered by headlights from a car coming around the turn. With no shoulders on the road, the Jeep took a slanted dive towards a creek bed. We slammed head on with a tree at about 35-40mph. Harry yelled "hold on, we're gonna hit!".

I was half asleep, but fully awake during the seconds before impact. It was a loud crunch, and then everything was over. I had no idea if the jeep was going to flip, slide down to the creek bottom, or hit something. It was a relief to still be conscious, but I felt a burning sensation in my legs, and Bill Wandel(who was in the back seat) was now on my lap. I did not know if mylegs were cut, bruised, or perhaps broken.

The seconds before impact are the scariest, but the minute afterward is hectic when you're trying to figure out what your body looks like in a smoke filled vehicle. The Jeep had filled with powder from the airbags and the odor began to have a suffocating effect with the windows closed. I asked Bill if he was ok, and he said he couldn't move. I was forced to crawl out of the drivers side door, which was now pointing up towards the road. I was worried the Jeep would still flip, or slide down the embankment, but a large rock had been holding it in place. The same rock, however, also prevented us from opening the passenger side door to get to Bill.

After about five minutes we pulled Bill out of the car, and he seemed to be in shock. Bill leaned against the Jeep for ten minutes as we waited to flag down any passing cars. It was a surreal sight standing out in the rainy dark while our Jeep was sitting smashed off the side of the road. The headlights pointed aimlessly through the trees, and the horn sounded a continuous buzz.

Shortly after two women were able to call 911, but it was still about 25-30 minutes after the crash that the fire department and ambulance showed up. Bill was the first to get treated and was placed in the ambulance. EMT's tended to my abrasions and cuts, and brought Bill to the hospital for further review. Bill was not wearing his seat belt, and his head shattered the front windshield. He also hit the dashboard with tremendous force, thus causing some cracked ribs and other internal injuries. We are all hoping his wounds are minimal.

Back to MMT:

Men's race: Karl Meltzer won more than two hours ahead of second. Mike Mason had a ground breaking performance taking 3rd behind Glen Redpath, and Keith Knipling finished a tough day looking strong to take fourth. Todd Walker was having a great race, but got lost and told me he ended up running 105 miles instead. Potential contenders Bradley Mondgold and Jeremy Ramsey did not start due to sickness/injury. Darkhorse pick Nick Pedatella, whom I passed on the way to Habron Gap, dropped due to injury, as well as Karsten Brown.

Women's race: Amy Sproston took first, and challenged Sue Johnston's legendary course record pace early in the day . She was my pick to win, and I called it saying she would finish top ten overall. She finished 10th. Sheryl Wheeler came out of nowhere and made a late push during the night to take second. Robin Meagher held on for 3rd.

Today's MMT saw the greatest number of drops ever, due mostly to the extreme and unpredictable weather. Anybody who finished this race would be qualified to teach a course on toughness and fortitude. Congrats to all finishers. And last, but not least thanks to all the volunteers who spent days in the same rough conditions to help us out.

***Accident update 10:30am 5/18/09***
I heard from Harry Smith this morning, who was the driver in the accident. He said Bill Wandel should be getting out of the Winchester hospital today with minor injuries. Bill is feeling well and his spirits are good. I had a very restless night due to the burning pain in my right leg. I changed out the bandages and took some ibuprofin and fell asleep at 6am. I am feeling much better, but still a bit sleep deprived. Overall, I thank God that no one was seriously hurt. We're all very thankful.

No more races

2009-05-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

As of today, I am taking a leave of absence from races. I will let time decide when to start again. Right now it is getting too expensive with the gas, entry fees, and sometimes motel stays. I love running races, but it has become a bit much. I have run 18 races in the last 7 months, all but two were ultras. I have sacrificed quality for quantity. By racing too often, I have not had the results I am capable of posting. I know a few folks that race as much as 100 miles per weekend over long stretches of consecutive weeks. I have realized that way of life is not for me. I am 27 years old, and I would like to enjoy running for the rest of my life.

My priorities have not been in line recently. Over the last couple of years I have lived in four different places and worked several different jobs. Running has been a nice constant, but it has detracted from other things. Since I am gone almost every weekend, I have not had a chance to meet more people in my area. Although I make new friends through running, I know these are people I will not see on a weekly basis. I want to start developing more local relationships with the people in my community. I have been wanting to get more involved in my church, but that is tough when you don't come back home until mid day Sunday when service is already over.

Running is a great thing, and I do love it. However, running is not everything. I get tremendous fulfillment out of running races, and it does give me a sense of accomplishment. But, like many things those feelings are only temporary. I think this is the very reason people can become "addicted" to running. It gives you a high, and every week it calls to you. You find yourself wanting to find bigger, crazier, longer races to get your fix. Once again, I enjoy the atmosphere, the people, and the physical challenge, but for now I have other things I want to focus my energy on.

My future: I'm probably gonna adapt to the idea of running a few focus races. I will continue to run "fat ass" runs for fun. I will know when the time to return is right. However, for the remainder on the spring and summer, I am taking a much needed leave of absence.

Why I Run. My story

2009-04-21T20:28:00.000-07:00

I always hated running. During my senior year of college I attempted to get back into running as a means to drop a few of those college pounds. My first run involved me jogging two laps around a track, huffing and puffing, and then walking the remaining two laps to complete one mile. This was in 2003, and would be my introduction to the world of running.

After I graduated from James Madison University in 2004, I started making a list of things I wanted to do in my lifetime. One of those goals was to complete ONE marathon. It didn’t matter how fast, I just wanted to be able to tell my grandkids one day that I finished one. I didn’t know anyone who had run a marathon, but anyone who could run 26.2 miles had to be an amazing and gifted person(and a total nut job).

So, I began jogging 1 mile, 2 miles, and then 3. After six months I could slowly jog 5 miles without stopping. In the autumn of 2004 I told a friend of mine about my goal of one day running a marathon. He rocked my world when he told me he was training for a 50 mile race. Way to one up me! I didn’t even know races longer than a marathon existed. He said the race was called the JFK 50, and jokingly said I should run it. I still don’t know why to this day, but at that moment I stood there and told my friend "Okay”. I had never ran more than 6 miles, never ran a local 5k, and yet I thought I could finish a 50 mile race? Everyone I told thought it was a total joke. My co-workers thought I might make it ten miles, and even placed bets to see how far I would make it before I quit.

Around the same time, I received a phone call from my father. He told me that my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. She had been through it before, but the tone in my father’s voice made it clear that this was different. The doctors had failed to diagnose the cancer sooner, and it was already aggressively spreading. They gave her three months to live. She was diagnosed in September, so at this rate she would be gone by November. I was supposed to run my 50 mile race on November 22nd. Grandma knew that I had wanted to run a marathon, and a 50 mile race would be an even greater accomplishment. She supported me with everything I did growing up, and my only hope was that she would still be alive when I finished. My motive for running the race completely changed. My dream was that I could finish the race, return home, and show my grandma our finisher’s medal.

Three months passed. My grandmother’s health continued to deteriorate at an alarming rate. It was a heart breaking site, but I made sure to be by her side as much as possible. Once full of vibrant life, she was a shell of the person she was only a few months ago. Through incredible pain and chemotherapy treatments, my grandmother continued to fight. She would not give up on life.

I had no business finishing the JFK 50 miler. I did not have the training, experience, or natural ability to finish that race. I should have never made it to the finish line on that dark, cold night of Nov. 22nd ,2004. What I lacked in physical ability, I made up for in sheer will and determination. As I ran, I knew that my grandmother was clinging to life. I knew that no matter how battered my body was that she was experiencing worse. It was the thought of my grandmother’s endurance that gave me the power to finish. That motivation gave my body what it needed to go the distance.

I returned home and sat by my grandmother’s side and shared with her the story of the amazing race. I told her that she was the one who gave me the power to finish, and I thanked God that she was still alive to be a part of it. Grandma continued to fight two more months until she passed away on January 13th, 2005. She fought like a warrior and lived longer than anyone thought she would. She is what endurance is about.

Why do I run….?

I run to go further than anyone thinks I can. I run to disprove my own doubts about my ability to do great things. When I run, I discover something new about myself. Running is an expression of self, and is the artistic interpretation of physical motion. I am free from the distractions of my job, money,car payments, insurance, and relationships. It clears the mind of pollution and brings things back to the basics of breathing . Running puts life into perspective. It reminds you to let go of all that does not truly matter, and grasp tightly to everything that does. When I run, I feel alive. My senses are triggered in ways they are not when sitting behind a desk, or watching tv. I am back in my primitive state, just a man amongst the woods and trails. This is where we belong, and that is why nature always brings to me a sense of peace and completion. It brings me back to God’s creation, and makes me thankful for everything granted to me.

When I run I remind myself of those who have truly endured. What we endure as runners is never permanent. Our pain is temporary, our wounds will heal, our bodies will recover. By pushing my body to the limit I acknowledge God’s gift of the human body’s ability to do extraordinary things. It’s not about abusing myself, or learning through suffering . It is a celebration of life and the human will. I will always remember how my grandma battled cancer. I know there are soldiers fighting on the front lines to keep our country safe. If running can be a dedication to the strength and spirit of the “common” man, then let it be. We are only common if we allow ourselves to be. Be uncommon.

Let no one ever tell themselves they are average. Know that the last place runner has pushed their body to the same limit as the runner who finished first. Their times may be different, but their effort was the same. The same can be said for any distance. One person’s struggle to finish a 5k is no less a victory than another runners struggle to finish a 100 mile race. Like I said, it is neither the distance, nor speed that counts. It is the heart.

We run to discover extraordinary parts of our being, and it reveals parts of our character that the world has convinced us does not exist.

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”- Pre

“God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” – Chariots of Fire

American River 50- No pain, No gain

2009-04-07T15:13:00.000-07:00

The 30th American River 50 miler began with clear skies and cool temperatures. We arrived at the start at 5:15am, and were greeted by 45 degree weather, dry air, and a chilly breeze. Race director Julie Fingar promptly started the countdown to the 6am start, and then all 705 runners began their trip down the American River bike path.

I knew the first 27 miles of the race would be run on very flat paved bike path, and the last 23 miles would be on single track trail. I did not set a time goal for the race, but developed smaller split goals during the race. The race started off fast as the runners would make a four mile loop before returning back to the start. On the two mile stretch out I was running a 7:15 pace, and saw the leaders at the turn around only a few minutes ahead. I ran the first couple of miles behind fellow east coaster Annette Bednosky, but she took off and ran a great race finishing 3rd in 7:11. I was content to settle into a comfortable speed and fought off the temptation to pace with faster runners. I came into the Watt Ave 5.33 mile aid station in 37:30. A 7:05 min/mile was a bit faster than planned, so I modified my pace back towards a 7:30min/mile. The bike path was rather long and uneventful, but I did enjoy a beautiful sunrise over the Sacramento hills at 6:49am. Over the next stretch I ran with Jen Pfeifer. We traded places several times as she made “pit stops”, but eventually she laid the hammer down and began to pull away. She would go on to finish 2nd in the women's race in a breezy 7:03. At around mile eight I started to feel a slight discomfort in my right hip flexor. I had run a hard 50k the week before, and I was positive that lack of proper recovery was coming back to haunt me.

I passed through mile 16 in exactly two hours, and decided to back off the pace even more. My makeshift goal was to hit my marathon split in 3:20, and get to the 50k mark in 4:00. If I could stay consistent I had a strong chance at breaking 7 hours and 30 minutes. I was currently sitting in 29th position out of 705 runners leaving the Nimbus Dam overlook at 18.7 miles. As we descended back down to the path my right quad muscle completely gave out. It had been starting to tighten up during the previous several miles on pavement, but now it felt so crummy that I had to completely stop. I spent a few minutes trying to stretch out the muscles, but no amount of stretching could loosen it up. For the next couple of miles I made a futile attempt at a run/walk method, but after a few steps I would have to stop. It was to no avail as my quad had completely blown out. I limped along, and walked into the Negro Bar 22.6 mile aid station. It felt like my right leg had already run a 100 mile race, while my left leg was still completely fresh. At the aid station I informed the volunteers that I was unable to resume running, and asked if it would be possible to walk the remaining 32 miles and still finish within the 13 hour cut off. At the current pace, I had 10 hours to finish, and dreaded the thought of having such a long day ahead. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Mentally I was determined not to DNF. I did not care if it took me 13 hours, as long as I made it to the finish in Auburn. It was a humbling feeling getting passed by countless runners, as I walked along holding my right leg in hopes that somehow I could put some life back into it. I literally got passed by 100 runners as I wound up in 129th place just over halfway through the race. As an ultra runner you know that things like this are eventually going to happen, but I had hoped it wouldn’t happen only 18 miles into one of my biggest races of 2009. Although I could not run, I knew that I could walk and make forward progress. I tried to soak in the surroundings and take in the beauty of the river and valleys. I have never run in such lush green open pastures and rambling foot hills. I walked the entire stretch from mile 20 to the 26.2 marathon marker. I had walked the last six miles and was amazed to see that had I still hit my marathon split in 3:57. This pleasant surprise gave me a huge motivational lift as I entered the Beals Pointe aid station at mile 26.7. I was able to grab 6 ibuprofen from a volunteer and quickly downed four of them. The weather was perfectly sunny, the temps were now in the high 60’s, and I could feel my competitive juices flowing through my blood. I did not travel 3,000 miles to limp across the finish line in 13 hours. I did not come to California to be pitied. I said to myself "To heck with the pain. I'm not here to limp around. I am here to run!" This wasn't about being a tough guy, or foolishly trying to run through an injury. This was about commitment and heart. The ibuprofen was kicking in, and my legs were moving again. I may not run a 50 mile PR, but it wasn’t too late to give 110% from here to the finish. At first my legs would only allow me to run a few hundred feet, then a quarter mile, and soon entire stretches between aid stations. The last 24 miles of American River are the slowest, and contain almost all of the surprisingly challenging 3800 ft of elevation gain. I knew if I pushed hard I may be able to break 10 hours, but would my right leg hold up?

From Beals to Granite Bay(mile 31.7) I passed what I counted to be around 15 runners, and did not get passed once. My right quad muscle continued to scream pain, especially on the down hills, but I still managed a 4:51 split for 50k. I did not try to block it out, but instead used it to continue my aggressive, albeit slow push forward. To a degree I figured my leg could not hurt more than it already did, therefore why not keep the momentum going. Passing through Buzzard's Cove and Horshoe Bar at miles 34 and 38, I passed another dozen or so runners. By mile 40's Rattlesnake Bar I knew could clearly break 10 hours, and now breaking 9 hours seemed like a plausible goal. The temperature was now in the mid 70’s, and feeling quite warm on the exposed open trail. The trail for the last third of the race is largely on open fields, and followed along a very narrow and dusty horse trail. This was the only section where we encountered riders on horseback.I even had a horse's tail hit the mouth piece of my waterbottle. My leg was still feeling jacked up, and every now and then I was forced to walk because the muscle would lock up on me. On occasion I would take advantage of when the trail would zig zag back into the cool shade of the trees, and then I would speed things up again.

At 2:00pm I arrived at the three mile long gravel road that climbs 1,000 feet to the finish. The initial climb was very steep, but would mellow out as we got closer to the top. Again this road had almost no shade and really slowed folks down. Finally I saw the first mile marker that indicated 3 miles to the finish. I hiked into the Last Gasp aid station and did one last refill of the water bottle with now only 2.5 miles left. As I ran past the half mile marker I could hear the announcers at the finish. It was just one more turn around the bend and one more steep climb to the Auburn overlook. My friend Nathan greeted me with about a quarter mile to go and jogged me into the finish area. Nathan then broke off to take photos of the finish as I crossed in a respectable time of 8:40. Race director Julie Fingar congratulated me on the finish as I was handed my custom American River 50 finisher’s jacket.

After the race I was greeted by several runners and volunteers who had witnessed my struggles early on. They had seen me grabbing my leg in pain at mile 19, and saw me again when I hobbled into mile 26. There were other runners who had passed me when I was walking, but then I had passed when I made my push. Folks said they were inspired by my grit and determination to finish, and finish strong. Like I said, I did not travel 3,000 miles to limp across the finish. Instead I ran strong and crossed the tape feeling empowered, yet humbled. After the finish I made my best attempt to walk around and take in the carnival like atmosphere. I had an Inn and Out burger with Western States champ Hal Koerner, and sat in the warm California sun soaking in the day’s achievement. Hal had a rough day as well and DNF'ed when he also had some issues with his quads. Meanwhile my right leg felt like it had been run over by a bus. I will surely pay for today’s masochistic effort during the next week, but right now I feel nothing but satisfaction.

In closing this was the toughest race I have ever run. I don’t mean that this was a tough race, it’s actually one of the easiest 50 mile courses I have ever run. Fast, flat, and scenic. It was tough in the fact that I had lost my ability to run at 100% so early in the race. Common sense says that I should have dropped rather than endure a long 32 mile walk to the finish. Common sense does not apply to ultras. What I learned is that even though your body is not 100%, that doesn’t mean your effort can’t be. I feel like the American River really tested my character as an ultra marathon runner and tested my commitment to a race when things go wrong. I could have easily bagged the run when I knew I wasn’t going to be able to set a new PR, but I’m glad I fought off the urge and stuck with the plan. I may have “only” run an 8:40, but I’m pretty darn proud of how I got to that 8:40. Someday, I hope to revisit this course, and give it a second try. But, if that day should never happen, then I am satisfied with my one finish, regardless of what time the clock read.

**NEW**Note to readers: I don't encourage ever trying to run through an injury. My "injury" was muscle related, but did not involve a muscle tear, or pull. It was an overworked quad, that had not fully recovered from a prior race. I acknowledge the crucial difference between being tough and stupid. Again, had this been a sprained ankle, pulled hamstring, or torn ligament, I would have dropped. Pushing through major discomfort/pain, and pushing through a severe injury are two different animals. Be tough, be aggressive, but be smart enough to run another day.

MMT Training Run #2...Lost, and found

2009-02-28T19:01:00.000-08:00

MMT 100 Training Academy is sponsored by VHTRC and Mr. Tom Corris

Today was "supposed" to be a 25 mile jaunt from Camp Roosevelt to Woodstock Tower. Once again I managed to get insanely lost. I am truly an idiot. I brought no turn sheet, never checked the map, and ran the course like it was the Ring and not MMT. I have had it so ingrained in my head that I must always follow orange(the Massanutten Trail blaze) that I will follow no other color.

Today we were supposed to run the MMT and then turn off on a blue blaze at mile 3.5. Well goofy Mike missed the turn and continued another 13.5 miles in the wrong direction! I went up the extremely steep Waterfall Mountain, an inappropriately tough climb on any day, and then proceeded on to the next mountain(Kerns). I had remembered someone telling me that Waterfall Mountain is not part of the MMT course. That's when I knew I was nowhere near where I should be, and that I must have missed a turn way long ago in a galaxy far, far away. The big problem was that with all the back tracking and miscellaneous wandering, I had logged over 17 miles with no food or water. The closest aid, would have been another 11 miles away, and I had no idea how to get there.

So I am stuck on some mountain, now freezing my butt off, and I am very lost. I wander up and down the roads and trails and yell for assistance. I see no people, and see no cars. I was getting very worried that I would have to hike 20+ more miles to get back, and risk getting caught in a cold rain shower at night. After about a half hour two hunters drive by. My face is so numb that my words come out all gibberish. After some puzzled looks, I rub my face and get it warm enough to spout out at least one coherent sentence. The guys couldn't offer a ride, but suggested going to the "ranger" station down the road. 15 minutes later another car passes. It is a father and son. The dad seems very hesitant to let me in, but finally offers a ride down to the "ranger" office. The office is closed and I am left off route 211, and the father and son drive off. They were obviously a little out of their comfort zone giving me a lift, but I appreciated it. I knew nobody from the club was going to pass anytime in the next few weeks.

Not too long I managed to get a lift from a nice Latino fellow. His idea was to take me to the New Market police dept and have them gimme a lift back to Woodstock where my car was. The municipal building was closed, and on top of that the nice Latino guy was driving with a suspended license. And to think he was helping me find a police officer? Finally we find an officer parked outside a 7-Eleven(save the jokes for later). However the New Market police cannot offer a ride outside their Jurisdiction. I have no money,no cell phone, and have no phone numbers memorized. Dispatch informs that no one from the VHTRC has reported missing a long haired Asian dude roaming the mountains. Wow? Did they really think it took me over five hours to run 8 miles. I can tell I was really missed ;-)....At long last a Shenandoah County officer agrees to meet the New Market officer at a Sheetz in Mount Jackson. What's with the rendezvous at all the gas stations? Every now and then I would hear over the police radio " we have individual in transit, and we are en route to the transfer location". Man oh man. I felt like Americas most wanted, kinda like Bonnie and Clyde...just with no Bonnie..and no actual crimes. Several looong hours later I arrive at Woodstock tower in my police escort. God knows what a klutz people think I am.

Icy 8 Hour Trail Run

2009-02-28T17:10:00.000-08:00

We had about 70 runners at the first annual Icy 8 Hour trail run. It is called "Icy" because it is held in February, and because it was 26 degrees when we started. The course allows for runners to choose either a 4.7 or 8 miles loop, and you can combine loops at any time during the run. The course was rolling hills, fast, and a bit bumpy because of horse tracks. The only thing is that only completed laps count, thus you get no credit for partial laps. This would become a little tricky later in the day when I tried to figure how to maximize my mileage.

Upon starting I recognized a couple fast runners, and figured I could possibly finish well, if I played it smart. Francesca Conte and Russell Gill, both team Montrail runners added some fun to the mix, and my bud Justin Faul who is consistently a strong runner also seemed like a challenger. Mike Huff, a US Marine and fellow VHTRC member, had recently been running very well. Speedsters Scott Buttz and Thad Meyer were also key players. I also figured there would be a few sleepers who would have good races.

My game plan was to run only 4.7 mile loops. I had figured on a good day I could get in 11 loops for 51.7 miles. Pacing was good early on. I chatted it up a bit with a few friends on the first loop, which we ran at an easy effort. I ran right through the aid point at the end of the first loop which created a little separation early. I made sure to look as fresh as possible when I passed other speedy runners in hopes of gaining a little mental edge on them. Even if my overall pace was a 9 minute mile, I wanted them to think I was dropping sub 8's all day. I hit my marathon split at 3:45, and my 50k split in 4:39. I was not really focused on any other runners, because it was impossible to tell how far everyone had run until the end. Several folks were running really fast in the later hours of the race, but I found out they were on relay teams. Frannie Conte looked like the biggest contender since she was always flying when she passed me. It turned out that she stopped at 33.6 miles. Other than Frannie, there were a handful of other folks that still looked really strong.

At about mile 32, I started to slow down a lot, eventually dropping to a 10 minute mile. I knew I wanted to run at least 50 miles, so with two hours left I needed to redo my strategy. I had run 38.6 miles in six hours, so I chose to run one 8 mile loop and one 4.7 mile loop to bring my total to 50.3. I went out on the eight mile loop fast, and was back to running 8 minute miles, but bonked hard towards the end and finished the loop in 70 minutes. I now had fifty two minutes to complete my final 4.7 mile loop. At this time of the day the temperatures had risen to the upper sixties and was feeling quite warm. The ground which was frozen in the morning had become very muddy and slippery. Even with the slushy footing I made a final push to complete my last loop in 49 minutes. Total mileage was 50.3, and my 50 mile split was around 7:53.

A very personal highlight for me was having my parents at the race. They were able to see me come running through the check point after having run 45.6 miles, and then see me again when I finished. It was the first race that they got to see me actively running, and first race they saw me finish. At the awards presentation there were over 30 runners who completed a 50k or more. That is an incredible number, with a few first timers as well. The race director then gave out the awards for 3rd and 2nd place, both had tied for 44.6 miles, but the 2nd place went to the runner that completed it faster. I knew that my 50.3 miles had been good enough for first. The truth is, I had actually already won the race before I even went out on my last loop. Regardless, my parents got to see my first race, and had a chance to see my first ever 1st place finish. Pretty sweet and satisfying! In the end I reminded myself that much faster runners could have completed 55-60 miles, but on any given day who knows who will show up? I was just blessed that on this day, I was able to run just a little bit further. I also think that strategy was almost as important as speed in events like this.

On the whole, I recommend this race series. You get a nice technical shirt, good food, chip timing, and a pretty location at Lake Anna State park. I may have to hit up the 12 hour this fall, but think I will hold off on the 24 hour.

Swinging Bridge 50k

2009-01-29T16:38:00.000-08:00

I have finally acquired the nickname "Wrong Way Bailey". Why it took this long, I have no clue?

The Swinging Bridge 50k is the only ultra trail race hosted by the Richmond Road Runners. This year, the January race had record low temperatures at the start of the race. At the 8am start time, the thermometer displayed a brisk -1 degrees F. It was by far the coldest I have ever run in, easily beating out the 13 degrees at the 2007 Holiday Lake 50k, and the 19 degrees at the 2008 JFK. I had no idea about how my body would respond to running in such cold. There were a few key details that I new were going to be crucial if I wanted to finish.

START: I wore 3 layers of clothes, and yes also my cute new tights. The pre-race briefing was held around a couple of warm fires, which was nice, but made it feel that much colder when we had to walk to the start located about a hundred yards away. In total, we had around 100 folks who braved the cold to run. I made sure to be at the front of the pack when the race began. My face immediately went numb, and it was so cold I could barely feel my breaths going through my frozen nose. Within 10 minutes the sweat on my face was already freezing, thus creating a white "beard". Attempting to talk was foolish and my words sounded like gibberish coming from my numb lips.

Miles 1-3: Less than two miles into the race, I stop twice to tie my shoes. The lead pack darts off into the woods, and I am losing precious time as my frozen fingers attempt to get my laces tight. I end up running behind a big group of runners, but push ahead as soon as the trail widens. It only takes a few minutes before I realize that I am not on the trail, and no other runners are near by. I run back the way I came, and sure enough I find where I went off trail. The runners I just passed are now ahead of me. This cycle occurs several more times. Run ahead...get lost...have runners I passed catch up. It was frustrating knowing that my extra effort was being negated by my inability to stay on the trail. All of this occurred in the first 8 miles, and added up to around 20 minutes of lost time.

In the mean time I am having other issues. The water in my hand bottle is completely frozen solid. There is nothing to drink. The lid is also frozen closed, so the only way to get liquid is to stop, bang my water bottle on a tree, and hope it breaks away some ice I can chew on. The other big concern on mine was the creek crossing. Most of the creeks were frozen solid, however one still required getting wet. While the water wasn't as bad as I thought, it did freeze me shoes solid. It felt like I was running in shoes dipped in concrete. The ice on my shoes got so thick that the shoes would not flex, and ended up cutting my ankles.

Miles 8-11: With all of my navigational and ice problems, I decide to make this race a training run. I decide to run with some folks who haven't gotten lost, and run at an easy pace with them to the turn around at mile 11. At this point we are starting to see a few of the lead runners who have already been to the turn around, and are about 20 minutes ahead of us. When I arrive at the turn around I realize that I still have 20 miles to make this a good run. I decide to step it up to a higher gear and see what kind of ground I can cover. I am somewhere around 20th place at this point. When I reach mile 22, I have moved about a half hour ahead of the folks I was with at mile 11. I start to catch up to some of the faster runners, but the big effort over the last 11 mile stretch leaves me a little tired going into the final 10 miles.

Mile 22: The RD tells me I have moved up to 3rd place. It appears as if I passed a good number of runners, and a few other top runners dropped. I know I should be able to hold onto a top 3 spot as long as I don't get lost again....I spoke too soon. Yet another mistake puts me off the trail about a mile from the aid station. At mile 27 I pass by the 4th place runner, Michael Huff, during one of the out and back sections. He is about 10-12 minutes behind me. Again I push hard over the last 4 miles in order to secure 3rd place. On the way back I stayed on the trail and managed to space about 21 minutes over Mike. I finished the day with a time of 5:38. Third place overall. First place finished in 5:11, and second in 5:30. It was by far my sloppiest 50k run, and I really need to take a course on navigating.

This year had much slower finish times, and a very high drop out rate due to the extreme cold. Last year six runners finished under 5 hours. The top two runners last year were both under 4:30. This year's field was not as deep, but probably run in tougher conditions. Congrats to Justin Faul, an up and comer on his 2nd place. Also, great job to Dave Snipes on his 5th place finish and PR on the course.

Wrong Way Bailey strikes again!

Milkshake at the Marine Corps Marathon

2008-11-13T13:10:00.000-08:00

For the 2008 Marine Corps Marathon I dressed up in a Milkshake costume. That's correct, a cup, a lid, and even a straw. The whole shabang! Now why on earth would a person choose to do this you ask? Well, I obviously have no problem with looking like an idiot now and then. I had run the Baltimore Marathon two weeks earlier with my friend Kelly Noonan. We had planned to run Marine Corps together at roughly a 4:15-4:30 pace. Kelly was running as a training run for the JFK 50 miler, and I was gonna go slow to taper for a big 50+ mile trail race the following weekend. Given the slow pace, I figured I could have a little fun and wear a costume during the marathon. I knew it would be different, and it would make things entertaining for the other runners and crowds. So, the night before Marine Corps, there I was at the local costume shop. Milkshake in hand. The hot dog costumes were all sold out, and I really wanted to be a food item of some sort.

Upon meeting the other Reston Runners before the race I decide to reveal my plans. Some folks had no reaction, some laughed their butts off, others probably thought it was just plain stupid. At 7:30 a.m I strap on the costume, and wonder if I can really make it 26.2 miles in this thing. The costume was not very heavy, but it was pretty much a big wind sail. It was made of cheap fabric with no ventilation, and a very unbreathable head piece. With temperatures rising to the mid 60s, I knew hydration was going to be VERY important, as I would be sweating twice as much as normal, with no airflow.

BOOM! At 8am, the starting cannon goes off. Me, Kelly N, Ellen M, and Donna R all pass through start line about a minute after the gun. Cluttered crowds kept the first quarter mile very slow. A person in a Teddy Roosevelt costume was the only other dressed up runner I saw. The "Teddy R" costume was about 8 feet tall, and weighed 40 lbs. I don't know how the guy did it, but I read that he finished the marathon in 6:26. Wow. Anyway, me and Kelly ran together at about 9:15 pace the first few miles. Pretty soon, Kelly was nowhere in sight. With 18,000 marathon runners, I had no chance of finding her. For the next 4-5 miles I ran with Ellen Mannion and Donna Rostant. We were all running about 8:30-9:00 pace. Not too long, I lost sight of both Ellen and Donna, assuming they ran ahead. I decided to try to "catch up" but never saw them again.

All by myself I decided to really have some fun. The streets were literally lined by hundreds, maybe thousands, of fans cheering the runners on. My Milkshake costume was a hit, although I had to explain that it was not a chicken, duck, or Spongebob. Soon I was being greeted by rows of fans sticking their hands out for high fives. I would run by the crowds and yell "I can't hear you, Make some noise!" Seconds later the crowds would burst into loud cheers. I also encouraged the crowds to "get loud for the other runners", and to get ready because "It's milkshake time!" I soaked it all in as much as I could. It was a phenomenal feeling to connect with the fans, and see all those people smile.

Before I knew it, my 8:30 pace dropped to a 7:00 pace. I must have really been moving through those busy street sections. A milkshake running 7:00 minute miles? I really was just doing an easy fun run. At first the crowds loved the sheer silliness of my costume, but later in the day I think they began to appreciate how tough it must have been in that sweltering outfit. But, I kept smiling, and kept running at an oddly brisk pace for someone in a full costume. The entire day continued to be a big party for me. I never tired of waving and smiling to everyone, posing for pictures, and giving kids big high fives. Other runners even thanked me for making the marathon more entertaining for them. Other runners who were struggling in the late miles, managed to squeak a smile at the sight of my milkshake body. That alone made the whole gimmick worthwhile.

At 25 miles I was told that I was on pace to break 3:30. I had no time goal for the marathon, but thought a sub 3:30 would be kinda cool. I just needed to run 1.2 miles in 8:30. I pushed hard down the final flat, and then steep uphill to the finish. The same crowds that had lined the streets earlier must have moved to the finish, and I received a boisterous ovation from everyone. I was still grinning, still giving high fives, and still waving as I crossed the finish in 3:30:45 -- chip time 3:29:45

The Massanutten Trail Ring

2008-09-08T16:15:00.002-07:00

Background of The Ring

For those who don't know, the Massanutten Trail is a 71.1 loop trail in the Shenandoah Valley. It travels 35 miles south, and then returns 36 miles back north. Most hikers will break up the trail into a 4-6 day event. The trail contains some of the steepest climbs, and possibly the rockiest surface of any race in the US. In 2002 a couple members of the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club decided that this set up was perfect for a race. The race was aptly named The Ring for the fact that the trail and mountains create a geographic ring around Fort Valley. There is a 100 mile race called Massanutten Mountain Trails that covers much of this trail, however in The Ring, all easy sections have been removed, and a few tougher climbs added.

I will not lie. This race will test your manhood, and it will take it from you. But, only if you let it. Few people sign up to run the Ring every year, and even fewer people finish it.

Unlike "normal" races this event is a Fat Ass style run. That means you don't pay to enter, the aid you do receive will be limited, no silly t-shirts, no medals, no buckles, and no prizes. This run is simply about being up to the task of finishing. It's all about your personal goals, and no fanfare. The first and last finishers get the same amount of nothing. Just a huge sense of personal achievement, which is priceless.

The 2008 Ring Race Report

7:00am- The race begins. It is an overcast and humid morning of September 6th. Hurricane Hanna has moved up the east coast, and threatens to drop massive amounts of rain on the mid-atlantic states today. It's about 70 degrees outside, and the rain is starting to come down.

Of the 26 runners signed up, a couple decide not to show because of the looming forcast. Still, 24 runners are ready to tackle one of the toughest races east of the Rockies.

Start to 13 miles: The trails are pretty tame so far. Only a few climbs, and very runnable surface. With only one aid station in the first 25 miles, the biggest challenge is carrying all your food and water. With a 70 ounce camel back, 20 oz hand bottle, and food, I was lugging about 8 lbs on my back. Not alot if your hiking, but it took a little getting used to at running speed.

Rain and Wind- it rained for about four hours between 8am-12noon. I recall pretty heavy rain and wind on the ridge tops around 10am. This was about as bad as the weather got, which wasn't nearly the all day drenching we expected. For the most part the rain kept temperatures cool, and the wind didn't effect too much aside from knocking some trees onto the trail. I figured I'd be running in wet clothes and shoes for most of the race, so it didn't bother me at all. The 1.5 inches of rain did create many puddles, and some slippery trails. Think wet leaves on wet loose rocks. A good recipe for disaster.

13-25 miles: I ran this section pretty fast, although I took a wrong turn and ended up running a half mile further than everyone else. I had wondered how other guys had caught up, when I had tried to push the pace. I was 3rd overall into the first aid station at 25 miles, with a group of three just seconds behind. At about 25 miles in, the weather cleared up and remained nice for the rest of the day.

34 miles and Waterfall mountain: This is where the fun really begins. The first 50k are like any other trail race. Some of the rocks are hard to run on, but no there are no really tough climbs. Waterfall mountain changes all that. 900 feet of vertical climb in 0.6 miles makes this one of the steepest climbs anywhere. My heart rate redlined on this section, as it probably took every bit of 20 minutes to do on fresh legs. About 2/3 of the way up, the trail flattens, and you think you're done. No. You still have a few hundred more feet to go. This part will either make you cry for mommy, or laugh to keep from crying. I mostly thought " holy crap, you've got to be kidding me?" It never seemed to end, but ironically it is a pretty short climb, just steep as hell.

When you finally finish climbing lovely Waterfall mountain, you are only halfway done! Some folks tend to drop out of the race at this point, since they realize it is no longer fun. The next 36 miles are tougher than the first 35, and that just doesn't sit well with some people. The truth is you have 5 more peaks to summit, which is around 7,000 more feet of climbing. The downhills also really suck after a while too. Oh, and the sun is going to set soon, so you get to do it all in the dark.

35-40 Miles: I jog into the 35 mile aid station at Crisman Hollow rd. Until now I've been breezing through the aid stations in a couple minutes. I decide to take about 10-12 minutes to sit down and take some weight of my feet for a bit. I change socks, eventhough my shoes are still soaked. I'm making sure to take in alot of calories at the aid stations from here on out. Next I get to climb Short Mountain, which is not short. The trails along this ridge are runnable, but after rolling my ankle 101 times on the previous ridge, I decide to go slow. The frustrating part of this run is that even on the flat sections, you still can't go fast. You want to run, but it won't help by trying. It took me about 2.5 hours to cover each 8 mile section between aid stations. You really don't realize why it takes people that long until you actually do it yourself.

48-56miles: The night time settled in. I turn on my headlamp, which helps, but I still can't spot every rock out there. My biggest fear at night is that I will take the wrong trail and end up in the middle of nowhere. From here to the finish I will spend 8 more hours in the middle of the mountains alone. By now a couple more runners drop, and some decide they don't want to run in the dark. As far as the trails, it was actually easier to do the climbs at night since you couldn't really tell how steep the trail was, or how much further you had to go. I decided to have my mp3 player on to prevent me from feeling too isolated. The back side of the mountain was very still. No wind, no noise, no views. Only, thorns and some ghetto looking trail. Upon reaching the ridgeline, I was greeted by what looked like Christmas lights. It was lights from the valley, glittering hues of gold and yellow. It was a pleasant sight, and rather enchanting in the cool night. Above me was a crescent moon and the clearest night sky I have seen in some time.

56-62.5 miles:I arrive at the Woodstock Tower aid station. As I looked at my watch, I noticed that the miles seemed to feel longer and longer. I kept saying to myself "it seems like the next aid station should be getting close?". More and more darkness. More rocks, more thorns, more climbing. It was around 56 miles into the race I started getting sore. My left ankle was starting to swell from rubbing against my shoes. My quads were still good, but my hip flexors were pretty stiff from the climbs. This made lifting my legs kinda tough. I actually had no blisters. Very surprising considering the rocky course, and wet feet. I honestly did not feel like going back out into the dark for another 6 hours. However, I made it this far, and I really wanted to tackle the Ring.

62.5 miles and Signal Knob- leaving the final aid at 63 miles I felt very sore and beat up. I knew that I would have another whole mountain to climb, and a brutal descent down. 8.6 more miles meant atleast 3 hours at my current pace. Gotta keep slugging at it. The climb up to Signal Knob is actually on a fire road. It starts at a rather pedestrian grade, but then decides to kick it up a notch as you near the summit. The last half mile or so are rather steep, but then again it was hard to tell at 2am in the morning. At the summit I took a moment to take in the view of the valley. I turned off my headlamp to soak in the natural ambience. Again, it seemed magical. Thousands of golden lights. For a second you could almost forget the 66 miles it took to get you to that point. But, that's the last enjoyable moment of the race.......

66.6 miles to the Finish- yes 66.6 miles is the exact point where the hellish decent down Signal Knob begins. Coincidence with the numbers? I think not. After the beautiful overlook, the trails decides to become a bunch of jagged rocks again. And then the rocks get bigger,more jagged, and more loose. Lets be honest, almost everyone's feet hurt like heck at this point, and these rocks add insult to injury. The trail is not steep, but it taunts you. I wondered "why the hell did they make THIS part of the official trail?". It wouldn't be fun to even hike on. It was like someone took a truck full of big stupid rocks and decided to dump then directly on the trail. I managed a very entertaining balancing act, trying not to snap an ankle for fall on my face. Every time you thought the trail was clearing up into something managable, it was like....nope,not yet, we still got a few more miles of these rocks you need to do. It felt like it would never end, it was so monotonous. Finally, the trail eased up for the last dowhill mile or so. On this last mile, I strongly debated if I actually enjoyed the race. That notorious final 5 miles, which is heavily documented in the lore of Ring runners, lived up to the hype. Although probably not that bad by itself, it does suck a bit after 67 miles.

71.1 Miles- 4:45 am. technically 72 miles for me since I strayed off the trail several times.

....Well, I must say that I am proud to be the 56th person inducted to the "Fellowship of The Ring". Only 15 of the 24 starters finished, and the last guys came in 28 hours after they started. I am also one of the youngest runners to finish, and had a very respectable finish time of 21 hours 45 minutes. This was easily the toughest run I have completed to date. Technically much harder than my 100 mile finish. A day after the run I feel pretty good. The ankle is still a little tender, no blisters, some sore hip flexors, and stiff quads. Going up and down steps isn't quite a cake walk yet, but noticebly better than yesterday. The Ring is everything I hoped it would be. The Ring is a memorable run, a physical test, very mentally challenging, and as rewarding as they get. Great volunteers, event coordinators, and fond new memories.

Mike Bailey- The Ring, inductee Class of 2008

Mountain Valley 10 Miler

2008-05-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

This was the second annual Mountain Valley 10 miler, located in Keezletown, VA. The course is mostly rolling hills and runs alongside the beautiful base of Massanutten Mountain. Since I began running races in 2004, I have logged 785 race miles in 18 events. That is an average of 43.6 miles per event, and that is not a miscalculation or typo. The events I run are ultramarathons, or races over the traditional 26.2 mile marathon distance.

The Mountain Valley 10 Miler was my first non super long distance race. A mere 10 miles. However, this race reminded me alot of when I first started running. Not because of what I experienced, but because of what one of my friends experienced. About a month ago, I read about this 10 mile race in a small ad in the local paper. It was low key, fairly new, and would have fewer than 50 runners. I thought it would be a fun race for me, but a better race for my friend John Fontana. John had recently signed up to run the Rock 'N Roll half marathon in VA beach. He had decided to take on the physical challenge of running 13.1 miles. John was a standout cross country runner in high school, so the tools for running were there, they just needed to be re-sharpened. The main challenge is the distance, and mentally knowing that he will need to run the equivalent of a 5k, plus an additional 10 miles. Thus, the 10 miler would prove to be a key training run in overcoming the mental hurdle of a half marathon. If John could finish a 10 miler, he could absolutely finish a half marathon.

May 24th Race day!

Me and John got up at about 6am. We drove to a local bagel shop for some breakfast before heading to the race. The weather was perfect. Low 60's, sunny, with a decent breeze. We both register ourselves, get our t-shirts, and bib numbers. We had about 40 minutes of down time before the race in which we did some light stretching and a short jog. I honestly couldn't tell if John was nervous or not. I was pretty laid back, so hopefully that helped. The other runners showed up all looked pretty serious. I had a feeling it was going to be a fast group. I recognized some former elite college runners and my friend Jack, who had just run the Boston marathon in an impressive 2:57.

The RACE begins! We line up at the start...and then GO! 8:03 am. I hit my stopwatch so I can keep track of John's pace and mile split times. The group goes out fast, and the front runners are already distancing from the pack. I initially thought we started too fast, but we clocked the first mile in at 8:33. At this point I told John that he would control the pace of the run. I did not want John to run my pace, but me to run his. The next couple of miles gradually climb until about 3 miles into the race. John's pace was still pretty good, and we were taking advantage of the "flatter" road sections. The road was mostly open, and the wind was both good and bad. It felt nice to have a breeze, but sometimes the headwind seemed to slow things down.

3.5 miles- This is where the climbs start. I mentioned this to John, so he seemed pretty ready for the vertical running. This big hill went for about a mile, and John was able to run the entire thing in impressive fashion. However, the hill descends as steep as it goes up, which can take a toll on your legs. That was supposedly the only big hill....it wasn't.

5 miles: I told John he was now in uncharted territory. His longest run previously was 5 miles. From this point, he would have to run twice as far as he ever had. A big challenge for anyone, but he was up for it. The only question was how John's body would respond to the extra miles.

6 miles: More hills. This section was a surprise, since we ended up going up another steep hill. I think this is the only spot that gave John trouble. The road got so steep that running and walking would be about the same speed. Needless to say these were the slowest miles of the race. So we walked a few feet, got to the top of the climb, and began running again. The next few miles after this were mostly flat like we thought.

7-8 miles: Didn't do much chit chat. I wanted John to be in his zone. I occasionally asked how he felt, and if the pace was ok. This is probably where the fun part of running becomes more serious. You're initial adrenaline wears off, you might be a little hungry and thirsty, and you want to stay strong for the next two miles. Your thoughts focus more on your breathing, strides, and your listening to your body.

9-10 miles: I tell John this is the home stretch. I am very impressed with how well he is running after 9 miles. We pass back through the little town we started in, dodge the other vehicles on the road, and have the finish in site. We pass through the finish cones, John is a few steps in front of me. 1 hour and 33 minutes. I never told John, but I had predicted he would run under 1:35, and so he did. A very good performance. John doubled his longest run ever, and looked strong at the finish.

After the race: We get our finishers medals, some snacks, and do some picture taking. I think John is more confident now than ever that he WILL be able to finish the Rock 'N Roll half marathon. With a couple of months left to train for it, the question is not if he will finish, but how fast? My guess is he'll run under 2 hours. The other runners posted some very fast times on the day, making me wonder what I would have run. However, I had more fun seeing a friend test his limits. It didn't really matter if it was 1 mile, 10 miles, or 100 miles. It was rewarding to see him through from start to finish, and with very little help from me. Ironically, John's best friend from high school introduced me to ultra running in 2004. I guess things are coming full swing. We'll have to wait and see if I can recruit someone to run an ultra next!

-Good job John. Well done chap!

Magic at the Relay for Life

2008-05-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

In 1984 Dr Gordy Klatt ran 83 miles in 24 hours at the first Relay for Life. His goal to raise money for cancer research. Over the years, this has become one of the country's most popular fund raising events, with thousands of participants. I have personally lost close family members to cancer.

In 2006, I signed up as a one person team at the Rockingham County Relay for Life. Most teams consist of 10-15 people who take turns walking a track for about 12-13 hours(or an hour each). My goal was to run, not walk, the entire event by myself. Word of my one person "relay team" spread and soon I found myself on the evening news and in the local paper.

The Relay for life began at 6:30pm on May 11th. I registered myself as a one man team and quickly the organizers knew that I was the crazy guy who was attempting to run the entire night. Soon I was escorted by a TV reporter for an interview and some sound bites for the news. It felt strange to be in the spotlight for running, especially since I never considered myself a great runner. It was a great opportunity to tell the world about both my grandmothers who faught cancer, and how I planned to run 70 miles in their honor. Every hour of the run would represent one month they battled this disease. By 9:00pm the festivities were on full blast, and there were hundreds of people walking the track. For the first four hours I found myself weaving slowly through crowds of walkers, and other folks standing around enjoying the night. I never took into account the large masses of people I would be running against. After midnight things started to thin out and quiet down. Many people now realized that I was not joking about running the entire night. I had completed my first marathon and was in a nice groove. The night brought temperatures in the low 40's, and it got downright chilly in the early morning. I had set up a table with food and drink by the side of the track, along with a mileage chart that showed people how far I had run. Many people stopped to look at my display and learn why I was doing what i was doing.

By about 3:30am I had completed 50 miles. I was getting tremendous support from everyone at the event. Adults and kids would take turns running, or walking with me, and would continue to join me until the end of the run. I was told that I was an inspiration to others and soon a few folks were also running as long as they could. People came by to give me free food and drinks. I even had a few songs dedicated to me by my "fans". I was being cheered on every lap, and when my feet were sore, people continued to tell me to keep going.

At 8:00am exactly I finished 70 miles. 280 laps. My feet were so sore from running 13.5 hours on pavement. For the next month or so people would stop and tell me they recognized me from the Relay for Life. I was the guy who ran 70 miles. Although many better runners could have run further, I was the first the try it at the Relay for life. The record still stands as the most miles run in an overnight event. The fanfare died off. The news of my run stopped. However, it still remains as one of the most memorable nights of my life.

2007 Umstead 100 miler race report

2008-04-08T08:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this is for last year. I had wanted to run the 2008 Umstead, but it filled up very quickly. I will try again in 2009. Here is my race report from 2007.

The Umstead 100 miler is my first crack at the 100 mile distance. I've had IT band problems all winter, which hurt my training and almost prevented me from running this event.

Morning/Start

Anyway, I got about an hour of sleep the night before the race. Yikes!.I don't remember what I had for breakfast, but I do remember thinking it would be about 35 degrees. It wasn't. At 6:00 am the 259 runners clumped together at the start, and trotted off into the dark. The course consists of eight 12.5 mile loops, with a subtle 8,000 ft of total gain over 100 miles. The elites were way out in front from the start. I fought off temptation to run faster, and run with others also going too fast. I decide to play it smart. The first 25 miles were smooth and easy. There are about six miles on each loop that are surprisingly hilly. Later in the race, I would hate these hills.

Halfway point

The day got quite warm. Temperatures would creep into the mid 70's, which feels like 80 when you're running. I slowed things down, and decided I would pick up the pace when it got cooler. My goal was to break 24 hours, so I ran with some folks who were also on that pace. I didn't know what a 24 hour pace felt like. I soon ran ahead of these runners and wondered if I was making a mistake. I was joined by my pacer Dave Snipes at 50 miles. I clocked into the halfway point in 9:43. Blisters were starting to show up on the balls of my feet. It felt like my skin was sliding off the bone. At the 100k mark, I had my blisters wrapped, changed shoes, and changed socks. My feet looked pretty crummy.

The Night Time

The 259 starters were now down to about 220. The afternoon heat caused a number of 100 mile runners to drop to 50 miles. A couple elite runners fell victim as well. The night time offered some coolness. The full moon meant we could run without headlamps in some areas. Runners were getting more spread out, much less chatty, and you could tell fatigue was setting in. I felt strong though. As I crossed 70 miles, I knew I was in uncharted territory for distance. I was still on a good pace to break 24 hours. My blisters were really feeling raw, and some little aches and pains from earlier were becoming much more present.

Early AM

87.5 miles-I was getting tired, but it was more a sleepy feeling. I hadn't been up this late in a long time. My laps were getting pretty slow, but I never felt out of it. I still looked pretty strong. I pulled into the aid station, and knew that I had just 1 more loop to go. 24 hours was in the bag! This was a victory lap, although not a fast one.

The Finish!

About 1 mile from the finish my pacer left me. He wanted me to run to the finish on my own. Run I did. I would have never thought I'd still be running after 99 miles. Adrenaline was on full blast. No pain. I sprinted to the finish in 22 hours and 47 minutes. I announced to the crowd that it was my first 100 miler. A big moment came a few minutes later when I was presented with my "100 Miles, 1 day" silver buckle. It was surreal. It was a pretty big goal of mine to earn a coveted silver buckle for running 100 miles in a day. I had done it in my first try with the help of a great pacer/friend(Dave Snipes), and wonderful volunteers. Immediately afer finishing my legs felt great, but I knew the post race pain would be coming soon. After a short nap by the a warm fireplace, I awoke to find my legs would barely move, and my blisters were throbbing. Food was not sitting well, and I had the chills. A quick glance back at mile silver buckle reminded that it was all worth it. After all, how many humans can say they have run 100 miles in a day?

The Future

I was back to jogging about five days after the race. My right leg had swollen up, but was back to normal in a week. After two weeks, I was back to full strength. I will definitely run other 100 mile events. 50k's and 50 milers are great, but there is something special about a 100 mile event. You have to train for it, and you must commit to every inch of the race. There's no getting lucky, and no easy way to finish. Aka the quote" there is no such thing as an easy 100 miler". The distance makes it tough.

2004 JFK 50 miler: My first race

2008-03-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

2004 JFK 50 miler( Boonesboro, MD)

On November 22nd, 2004 I toed the start at a very unlikely race. Who tries to run 50 miles, when they've never even run a 5k? The answer...me. My training comprised of 25 miles a week, with 6 mile "long runs". Before the race, I felt a bit like Dorothy in the land of Oz. I felt really out of place surrounded by all these fast looking runners. Who was I kidding? I was no runner. I was a poser just trying not to die. Surprisingly, the race began pretty good. I learned to walk the hills, run the flats. I carried no food or hand bottles(mistake #1). I thought I would run 9 minute miles the entire time(mistake #2). I wore cotton everything, and wore $40 shoes(mistakes 3 and 4).

The morning is cold, about 32 degrees. The starting gun fires, and the 1,000 runners clustered on the small town streets get on their way. Through the first stretch into the mountains my running is good. I think I was still running on pure adrenaline and excitement at this point. My pace felt good for the first 15 miles. I was pretty surprised I was keeping it up considering I had never run anywhere close to this far (ie. 6 miles). At 19 miles I hit the wall. Around that time I figured I was in over my head. I thought about quitting for a little while. I mean 20 miles was still more than I ever imagined doing, but I didn't come here not to finish. Pretty soon my running turned to walking, and my walking became slower. Hey, only 31 more miles. I tried to jog, but wouldn't get very far before wanting to walk again. It was on and off for the rest of the day.

At 27 miles my spirits were still high, and I was able to joke around with other people. By 38 miles I was pretty much done. We entered the final 8.2 mile road section of the race which felt miserable on my feet. A cold rain began falling, and the night was coming. I just wanted to go home, take a hot shower, and sleep. By 44 miles I was in pure misery. I had to keep going.

How did I drag myself to the finish? Motivation. I was motivated to finish for my grandmother who was fighting cancer at the time. I wanted to tell her that I was thinking of her, and that she was the one who kept me pushing through the pain. I'm stubborn, and I wanted to prove to everyone who didn't think I'd finish that they were wrong. In the end I DID finish. 10 hours and 39 minutes in the cold November night, I crossed the finish line. All I had ever wanted to do was finish one marathon in my life time. 26.2 miles? No, but how about 50! One of the best memories, and feelings of achievement I have ever had.

Nov 22, 2004 (5:39pm)- ultrarunner Mike Bailey is born

About Mike Bailey

2008-03-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

About me:

Name:Mike Bailey, Virginia
Age:27
College: James Madison University, 2004
Favorite type of running: trails
Running Clubs I'm in: Reston Runners, Virgina Happy Trails
Favorite Distances: 50k and 50 mile, but will do others
Number of Ultras: probably around 28 by the end of 2008
Year I began running: 2004
Year I began Ultras: 2004
First race: JFK 50 miler(2004)
Why I run: comradery, the physical challenge, mental challenge, beautiful courses, travel, meeting new runners who share the same passion