10th Annual Alternate Chili Run: Wyandotte County Lake, Ks.

After the Lake Perry 50k, I decided to lay low through November in an effort to get healthy. I only ran a total of 180 miles in the month of Samhain. It was also the first month of the year that I didn’t race or run an ultra, so when December came around I was feeling healthy for a change. I decided to run in the KC trail Nerds Alternate Chili Run at Wyco Lake last Saturday.

A Lunar Eclipse to start the day

The MARA Chili run is a road race held on the eight mile paved loop at Wyco. It’s been held there for years. A decade ago, Trail Nerd founder Ben Holmes and a couple running buddies held an unofficial chili run at the same time on the 10.35 mile Psycho Wyco trail (absolutely OFF-pavement) and a tradition was born. Ten years later the Alternate Chili runners nearly outnumber the “roadies”. It’s not a race but a run with multiple pace groups. It’s kind of become a preview or “a taste” of the Psycho for anyone contemplating entering February’s Psycho Wyco 50k. There’s also usually a bunch of first time trail runners ready to be converted.  Overall, it’s a great time on the trails with great company and no pressure to push a very fast pace (I was going to say a “relaxed” run, but there is no relaxing on this course…ever).

Anyway, it was fun to see a bunch of the area runners I’ve raced with over this past year and talk about our 2011 runs and what our 2012 plans are. (I’m always humbled by what KC area trail runners are out there accomplishing)! The alternate chili run was a great day on the trails and a good way to wrap up an “easier” training month.

Now…it’s time to pick it up!

So far my plans for 2012 start with Coleen’s Frozen Ass run in January. I ran this last year as my first 50-mile run and am planning on getting 50-miles again this year. The Psycho Wyco Run Toto Run 50k is in February (toughest 50k in the mid-west!).  I’ll be shooting for my 6^th consecutive finish there. Then there’s the Pi-river rotation ½-marathon in March followed by the Free State 100k in April. I’d also like to do the Hawk 50-miler this year depending on how fast I recover from Free State. And I can’t forget about the Psycho Psummer 50k, either.   

All in all, sort of a repeat of last year’s schedule….until my 1^st 100-mile race attempt in the fall. I haven’t decided which race yet but I’ve narrowed it down to two: The Arkansas Traveler 100 or the Mark Twain 100 in Missouri…. I’d love to hear from anyone with experience at the Traveler 100 or with the trails of the Mark Twain (since it’s an inaugural event).

Anyway, gotta catch some zzz’s. Finals just ended after kickin’ my tail and in the morning I’m hittin the Clinton Lake North Shore for a 25-mile loop.

Thanks to Dick Ross for the Chili Run photos, thanks to Ben Holmes and the Trail Nerds for another awesome event and thanks to all my fellow runners Saturday for the camaraderie and motivation!

See you out on the Trails!

Kickin it pre-race. Somebody told Dick I looked like Geoff Roes....
Clearly they hadnt seen me run...
I actually look more like Danny DeVito 

Lake Perry Rocks! 50K Trail Ultra: A better-late-than-never race report

Back on October 22^nd I ran in the Lake Perry Rocks! 50k but have been way too busy since to get around to writing a race report. Someday I’m gonna write a race report the very next day after a race (probably AFTER I graduate).  Anyway, here goes…

Wow, what a great day that almost didn’t happen. The Friday before the race I started getting flu symptoms. Early in the day I thought it was just normal pre-race jitters, but by 7pm I was feeling really sick.  The pernicious little“ I can’t run tomorrow” thoughts started creepin’ in helped by the fact that I was still nursing a sore right ankle from a sprain at Rock-Haven two weeks earlier and sprain aggravation at last week’s Fall Fell trail race. Feeling sorry for myself I decided to go to bed and re-evaluate my condition in the morning. What a difference a good night of sleep can make.  The flu feeling was gone but the sore ankle was still there so ignoring what my ankle was telling me, I grabbed breakfast and made the two’ish hour drive to Lake Perry in the dark.

The chilly weather woke me up as I milled around the race HQ talking to friends, getting checked in, turning in my drop bag and making some final gear checks. Finally, the RD, Bad Ben Holmes gave the pre-race brief complete with warnings of the leaf-covered rocks (braille-running, he called it), and it was go-time.

Great Lake views

I started out slower than usual (still a little wary about the previous night’s sickness). That was alright because I’m notorious for going out way too hard. I ran with Travis Kierre and Brian Brooks, two tremendous local ultra-runners and cool guys to boot. Travis was running the half marathon so about a mile or so in he got a rocket up his a$$ and took off to catch the front-runners. Brain and I let him go. The next few miles were pretty uneventful, just running and chatting. At mile four or five I picked it up a little bit and left the pack I had been running with. It just felt like the right thing to do and the terrain was pretty runnable. I also knew that some roller-coaster-ankle-breaking-technical terrain was coming up and I wanted to make good time while I could.

 I ran through the first manned aid station and was happy to see Mark Van Nuland manning the post. I’ve ran a number of races with Mark and we typically run a similar pace. He had also volunteered at the Free State Ultra and done a great job taking care of runners there. Rocks! being a two loop course, I knew I’d be in good hands on loop two. That aid station was also the point where Willie lambert’s old Rock Creek trail races used to start so there was an element of nostalgia there too.

Brian passed me in the rolling tech terrain and was running strong. That’s one thing about these races, just when you start to think you’re a bad ass, you get humbled by some of the athletes in these races. Brian finished this race in good form and then he and a contingent of KC trail nerds would run the Dogwood 50k the very next day! Two 50k’s in two days. Awesome.

They must all be looking at the runner..."that idiot didn't stop!"

Overall I felt pretty good the whole first loop. In fact, lacking some familiarity with the course and having no idea where I was when I came through the aid station at mile 15+, I failed to stop and utilize my drop-bag. My original strategy was to reload my gels, throw some body glide on a couple trouble spots, and pop a couple S-caps. At mile 17 or 18 it dawned on me that everything was looking familiar.  Oh well, I saved a ton of time by not stopping and besides, the Rock Creek aid station had to be coming up soon. Had this been a longer or less-supported race, I may have been in trouble but it turned out ok. In fact, I’ve been learning that I can run long without a lot of the gear that I’ve always thought I needed. Back in July at the Psycho Psummer, I had not even used my nathan pack opting instead for a couple hand-held water bottles. I’m starting to believe you just don’t need all that crap, especially in a well-supported race (as all of the KC Trail Nerd races are).

From the half-way point to the second rock creek aid station I didn’t see a single other runner. I felt like I was moving well and when I hit the aid station mark told me there were 15 to 20 runners in front of me. I mooched some body glide and the s-caps I’d been craving and took off.

My second time through the roller coaster tech terrain I took some hiking breaks on some of the ascents as my legs were getting a little tender. I also rolled the hell out of my right ankle (again!?!?!). It hurt like hell for about a ½ mile but once I got through the roller coaster, I was able to pick up my pace and run the rest of the way in. It felt like a real breakthrough. I had never gotten stronger in a race beyond the 25 mile mark so it felt good to pick up the pace from mile 26 to mile 31.

I hit the finish line 45-minutes earlier than my previous 50K PR. Now, since all fifteen of my previous 50k’s were on courses called Psycho, Psycho Psummer, or Flat Rock some of this could be attributed to Lake Perry being a little more runnable of a trail. But it was also my first top twenty finish in the 50K distance (17^th overall). Glad I didn’t listen to the pernicious thoughts trying to talk me into not running this race. They say to listen to your body, but if I did that I wouldn’t do half the shit that I do because my body is a serious slacker.

Finish line, 31+ miles in the books!

What a great race. Huge thanks to Bad Ben Holmes and the KC Trail Nerds for a stellar event. Thanks for bringing races back to Lake Perry. The Rocks! Race series is a worthy successor to the Rock Creek trail races. Thanks also to Brian & Travis for sharing the trail (for awhile, anyway). Tons of gratitude to all of the awesome volunteers who make the races happen. Much thanks to Dick Ross and his fellow photographers of www.seekcrun.com, nobody does it better! It was also great to see Cameron out there again running the 10k, and Eric Viera and Gary Henry killin’ the ½ marathon.

Most of all, thanks and love to Jessica, Alyena, and Ayden; my unconditional support crew! The good luck note you guys left on my desk was awesome!

Up next, some time off to heal and plan my 2012 race year.

The bling

 Trail Nerd "Bad" Ben Holmes & Trail Hawk Gary Henry.
These guys are the Trail running scene in the area and continue
to do so much for the sport

Better late than never: Gray’s & Torrey’s Peak back in August

Ok, so I’ve been pretty busy and just never got around to posting more from the Colorado trip. (sigh) The life of a graduate student…besides, I’d rather trail run than write about trail running. So, even though it was so long ago as to now be nearly irrelevant, I’m gonna do a post anyways. If nothing else, my brother John deserves a shout out for his efforts on the mountain. But to keep it brief, (I am training for the Lake Perry Rocks! 50K, after all…and did I mention grad school?), this post will be in pictures. So here we go…

Early start. Headlamps & moonlight

Gray's Peak (left) & Torrey's (right) in a little alpenglow.
 The trail was seriously rocky but runnable.

John movin fast with Kelso mountain in the background.

Halfway up Gray's looking over at Torrey's

A good look at the connecting ridge from Grays to Torreys.

John & I on Gray's Summit

Some tired jerk on top of Torrey's Summit

It was a pretty good day. I'm not used to being on a mountain with so many other people. I usually explore mountains a little farther from Denver. From what I'm told, the fifteen or sixteen other groups we saw is far less than what one typicaly finds on these peaks. Still, judging by the reactions I encountered, I'm pretty sure we were the only ones running it (...at least parts of it!). Perfect weather, perfect conditions, great workout and we were back in Westminster in time for lunch.

Next up, the Lake Perry Rocks! 50K Trail Ultra on Saturday. I'm a little banged up but the taper is going well. I should be rested and ready to go...(so stoked).

See you on the trails.

2011 Fall Fell Trail Race

I ran in the 2011 Fall Fell Trail Race at Kill Creek on Sunday. Kill Creek is a challenging set of trails located near De Soto, Ks. Roughly 17 miles of hiking, mountain-biking, and horse trails are adjacent to the old Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant’s grounds. I’ve ran this race a number of times over the last several years and since about 60% of my training runs happen there, the race really feels like a “home game”.  My race almost didn’t happen. The day before, I had rolled my ankle pretty bad on the Rock-haven trails at Clinton Lake and had also been fighting plantar fasciitis for a couple of weeks. I went to bed Saturday night feeling pretty crappy. A good night’s sleep however, is great medicine.

Fall Fell is a quick 7-mile race that has two creek crossings and a section of trail that may be among the most technical in the Kansas City area. Many ankles have gotten eaten up by the “eddy” trail segment. I went out pretty easy to see how the wheels felt and was able to keep a comfortable pace for the first half of the race (through the “hank” segment). But then it was time to run the Fells.

The Second Creek Crossing

 I hit the first river crossing (cold!), and climbed into the rocky “eddy” segment. I really felt strong here and was able to speed up. Probably the first time I’ve ever ran faster on Eddy than I did on Hank but the wheels were feeling good. No one passed me through this section and I was able to catch three other runners. About the time my shoes dried out I hit the second river crossing. Now all that was left was the mile or so slow grade back up to the start/finish area. My ankle was starting to feel a little tight so I backed off a little. About this time Eric Viera caught up with me and we were able to pick our pace back up and leave the pack that had started to gain up to us (why does everybody else seem to get faster as they leave “eddy” while I slow down?). We kept a good pace all the way through to the finish and were rewarded by the race director with free Mizuno socks (sweet!).

All in all, it was a pretty good day. I finished a full minute slower than my time last year (1:03:00) but still somehow managed seventh place in the 31- 40 age division (23^rd overall).  Huge thanks to Ben Holmes and the KC Trail Nerds for another 1^st Class race event. Thanks again to Dick Ross of seekcrun.com for the pictures; Dick is an invaluable part of the trail race scene here in the KC area and does awesome work! Thanks to Eric Viera for sharing the last mile of the trail. Thanks to runner #57, (I think he said his name was Kerry) for keeping me going, you were hot on my tail the whole dang race. It felt like I just couldn’t shake you! Also, a huge congrats to Wes Brown on his overall 8^th place finish. Like me, I know you consider Kill Creek races to be “home games” and I think you “protected this house”. Finally, much love to Jessica, Alyena, and Ayden.

Next up, a short week and then Lake Perry Rocks! 50K Trail Ultra.

Going out easy from the starting line

Trail of the Week: Mount Galbraith & the Cedar Gulch Trail

Well, I’m back at school in Kansas City after wrapping the summer with a trip to Colorado’s Front Range. Instead of writing a lengthy trip report, I’ll just use several blog posts to touch on the significant runs or climbs from that awesome week. Jessica, Alyena, Ayden, and I rolled into Westminster on a Saturday (nine hours by car from KC - with two toddlers!) and by 0530 Sunday morning I was running on a trail in the mountains just outside of Golden. By trip's end I had bagged four summits (two 14’ers), ran a ton of miles and had a blast with Jessica and the kids doing “touristy” stuff. So, let’s start in Golden Colorado with a Trail of the Week…

Mount Galbraith (elev. 7260 ft.), sits on the northwest side of Golden across hwy 6 from Mount Zion (a popular Para-glider launch point). It’s flanked by Clear Creek Canyon on one side and Golden Gate Canyon on the other. From what I was told, the trail can get pretty crowded on the weekends due to its proximity to Golden, Denver, and Arvada; but on that Sunday morning I had it all to myself.  The trailhead is in Galbraith State Park on Golden Gate Canyon road about a mile west of Hwy 93. It took about 15-minutes to get there from Westminster.

The sun hadn't made it over the mountains yet at 0530 so I grabbed a headlamp, hopped the creek near the trail head and began the ascent up the “Cedar Gulch trail”. After gaining 800 feet in the first 1.3 miles the trail leveled out a little and joined the Galbraith loop trail for a circle around the summit - bushwhacking in order to nab the summit since the trail itself doesn't lead to the top. After a short breather on top I reversed my steps instead of continuing the loop; this way, I could get in some extra mileage. 

The footing wasn’t too bad except for some seriously rocky outcroppings which climbed over several ridges (a couple were un-runnable). From the “loop” portion of the trail, I had great views of Golden below and the Denver skyline back to the east. I also enjoyed an interesting aroma in the air that turned out to be coming from Coors in Golden! Near the summit I ran into some local wildlife and snapped a few shots - (I run with the camera when I'm in the mountains [see the pic below]).

Overall, it was a terrific Colorado “warm-up”.  Six miles, 1100 feet of elevation change, an animal encounter, and back to Westminster in time for breakfast.

That afternoon, I hiked with the family up Bergen Peak near Evergreen. It was Alyena and Ayden’s first time on a mountain and they just soaked it up, running up and down the trail and asking a million questions about the “bigger” mountains to our west. It’s great to see them both already gaining an interest and respect for the mountains I love. Alyena’s my four year old Sierra Clubber, she was mad when she saw some trash that someone had ditched, “why’d they throw it there?!” she asked, “don’t they have a trash can?!”.  “Daddy’s truck!” added Ayden. Yeah, after that drive from KC to Denver with a four and a two year old, the X-Terra did resemble a trash can so pack out what you pack in because my truck is full.   

Ayden & Alyena the next day, kickin it in Georgetown.

For more info on either the Cedar Gulch Trail or Bergen Peak check out Steven Bragg's Run the Rockies: Classic Trail Runs in Colorado's Front Range. 2004. Colorado Mountain Club Press.

Coleen’s Sweaty Ass Trail Run

Back in January, I ran in Coleen’s Frozen Fat Ass Trail run. In fact, my first post for this blog was the lengthy race report. In case you missed that post, a “Fat Ass” run is a trail run with little or no aid, no frills, no T-shirts, no medals, no entry fee, and no set distance. Generally held on a loop course, the winner is simply the runner who runs the farthest and/or longest. It’s more of a group run than a race with more socializing than competition…tons of fun. I decided to make the Frozen Ass my first 50-mile run. I was also fortunate enough that night to be the final runner still going the next morning, earning the coveted “last ass on the path” award. So, as the reigning “Ass champion”, I was looking forward to the summer or “sweaty” version of the run.

Sweaty Ass Run time:

A couple of weeks earlier at the Psycho Psummer 50k, I was asked by a number of people if I would be defending my Ass title.  I hadn’t planned on it since I ran so hard at Psycho and knew that it would likely take 50 or 60 miles to repeat as the Ass champ. I was debating even running but the Lawrence Trail Hawks put on such good Ass races that I didn’t want to miss out. I also liked the challenge of running two 50ks within 20 days of each other (it would be a first for me). But defend my Ass title? Not likely. The summer version just had too many accomplished ultra-runners who were planning on running the entire night. Still, I thought I’d go out easy and see how my legs responded.

I got off work and made it to the Prairie Center an hour before the 8pm start time. I ran into Larry Long who was going to get in an early lap. I was anxious to get running so I took off for a loop with Cameron, who had drove in from Topeka. It was a good chance to let him see the trail or the first time since the sun hadn’t quite gone down yet. We made it back into the race HQ just in time to hear RD Coleen’s pre-race instructions and the “official” start to the Sweaty Ass.

I wanted to stretch out my legs so my first “official” loop I ran with Larry Long, Danny Miller, Mark Van Nuland, and some others who were keeping a pretty brisk pace. I think I stuck with ‘em for two maybe three loops before I decided to back down.  I also ran for a short while with Rick Troeh, he was getting ready for the Pikes Peak marathon (it’s on my life-run list…so jealous). He had ran a solid Psummer Psycho and seemed like he was ready for some altitude.

Overall, the night was pretty uneventful. There’s no real technical terrain or elevation change on the Prairie Center trail.  The weather was nice (although the clouds kept the stars hidden all night). It was tons of great company and a fun night on the trail. I wasn’t really feeling 100% so I stopped running at the 50K mark. A quick look at the board revealed I was the eighth place Ass for the night. Good enough for me.

Big thanks to Coleen and the Lawrence Trail Hawks for a great night. The Hawks’ races just keep getting better and better. Thanks also to Larry, Cameron, Danny, Rick, Mark, and countless other runners for being good running partners. As always, thanks and love to Jessica, Alyena, & & Ayden!

Next up…the internship is over tomorrow and then I’m heading to the Colorado Front Range for some Altitude!

Psycho Psummer Run Toto Run 50K: ...its how you finish.

Cameron Taylor & I
Pre-Race.

It’s been a busy summer and I’ve been neglecting the blog. The internship has just a couple more weeks to go and then it’s off to Colorado’s Front Range for some altitude! I didn’t get the chance to climb last summer. I was leaving active duty, moving, and getting started at KU Med, so I’m definitely ready to get back up there. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to travel all the way to the Sangre de Cristo’s or the San Juan’s to get up in the rugged back country, but at least I’ll be in the mountains again...if only briefly.

Kansas may not have the altitude, but we’ve got the humidity.  I ran the Psycho Psummer 50k for the 5^th straight year a couple of weeks ago and the humidity was in full effect. So here is my better-late-than-never race report.

I’ve had the fortune (or maybe misfortune) of running this race every year since it began back in 2007. The Psycho Psummer 50k at Wyandotte County Lake is just like its winter counterpart, the Psycho Wyco 50k, in terms of seriously gnarly terrain. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more difficult or demanding course in the mid-west.  Throw in some Kansas July heat and humidity and you’ve got a race that has sent people back on gurneys. I wrote a lengthy Winter Wyco race report in February so I won’t harp on the terrain too much here but when you run at Wyco, you have to bring your “A” game and you have to expect to move slower than normal.

Friday July 8th.  I hit Gary Gribbles Running Sports for packet pickup and spent some time talking to Bad Ben and Travis Kierre, where I learned that the summer course had been changed so they could offer a 10-miler and then re-routed because of some flooding.  2011 would see us run counter-clockwise around the lake on three 10+ mile loops rather than the two clockwise 15+ mile loops like in years past. Also gone were “Festers wander”, the “Wyco Triangle”, and “Sonic the hedgehog” ridge and hill. A brand-spankin’ new section of single track built by the trail masons & earth riders would replace the missing sections.  So, while it sounded like it’d be an easier course, there’s really no such thing as an easy day at Wyco…and then there’s that humidity…

Race Day: I was a little worried going into this race.  From February through April I was averaging 60 to 70 miles a week. Since the start of the internship my weekly mileage has been around 40 miles (50 on a good week). I’d also been getting less sleep, feeling chronically tired, and had NOT really gotten acclimated to the heat. I still wanted to run well and liked my chances given how 2011 had been going so far (winter wyco PR, my first 50-miler, my first 100k, ½ marathon PR, etc). Still, I was not overly confident and was thinking as much when Bad Ben said “go”.

1st Loop: As usual I took off entirely too fast and was sucking wind by mile five. When I realized I was ahead of Larry Long and Brandon Hidaka I knew I needed to back way off (Larry had finished the Free State 100k about three hours ahead of me). I also ran part of the first loop with Wes Brown and saw Rick Troeh, both these guys were running really strong and I had to let them go ahead. From mile 4 to mile 10 I felt like I was moving in slow motion and just couldn’t get my wind. Still, my first loop was 2:09:00 so I was in decent shape.

2nd Loop: I got in and out of the aid station really quick. A little ways into the second loop I met Todd Kibsgaard and we would leap-frog each other a number of times the rest of the day, although he did find a strong surge late in the day and finished ahead of me by a few minutes.  At the mile 17’ish aid station I was feeling a little sick. Dave Wakefield, Topeka’s super-star ultra-runner (fresh off his run of the entire 142-mile Kokopelli trail) was working the aid station and gave me some advice on getting some calories. In the heat I was kind of just doing water and S-Caps and unconsciously avoiding food.  He must have seen how jacked-up I was and diagnosed me as “un-fueled”. Other than that brief near-bonk, it was a good loop. The second loop “felt” better than the first loop but was 30 minutes slower! I was; however, in position to PR for this race as long as I could avoid the third loop “death march” of past Psummer Psychos.

3^rd Loop: Again, I got out of the aid station as fast as I could. I knew that despite the heat I had to keep a sense of urgency on the final loop. I was using one of my hand-held bottles to douse my head in water every 10 to 15 minutes but still felt that I was over-heating. I started pushing the S-caps as well and downed a couple of Stingers to avoid a repeat of the second loops near-bonk. I hit the three hills section and climbed pretty strong through all three of them. Finally, I hit the finish line to smash my previous psycho psummer PR by 30 minutes.

Another 50k in the books.

I don’t know how much of my best time can be attributed to the course changes but I’d like to think that the late race surge was a contributor. After the race, I felt as good physically as I ever have following a 50k so I feel like the race was a breakthrough of sorts. Anyway, this post was way longer than it needed to be, coming so far after the race.

As always, huge, huge thanks go out to Ben Holmes and the Kansas City Trail Nerds for another stellar event. Thanks also to the great volunteers that braved the heat to take care of us. Thanks to Dick Ross again for an awesome batch of pictures. Thanks to Rick, Todd, Matt, Wes, Larry, Brandon, and a ton of other runners I’m sure I’ve left out. You guys all ran great and kept me moving on a day I struggled early. I’ve also got to mention my friend and fellow former-Marine Cameron Taylor who has recently returned to the world of running. He ran the 10-miler and had a nice race. Most importantly, thanks and love to Jessica, Alyena, and Ayden who continue to support me as I find out just how fast and far I can run!

Next up: Coleen’s Sweaty Ass Trail run at the Prairie Center. I’m trying to run two 50k+ runs in three weeks. I ran the Frozen Ass back in January as my first 50-miler but I don't typically run as strong in the summer heat as I do through the ice. I'd like to do 35 to 40 miles but we'll just have to see how the legs respond.

See you on the trail.

Rock the Night Away Trail ½ Marathon: June 24th, 2011

A couple of years ago, Willie Lambert, then owner of Great Plains Running Company, directed the Rock Creek Trail Runs, a series of races between May and October just east of Topeka Kansas at Lake Perry. They were fun events held on really great trails. When GPRC shut down and Willie moved on to greener pastures; eastern Kansas trail runners lost not only a terrific running store and a super friendly and talented ultra-runner, but a great series of trail races. Despite an impressive and fun system of trails, Lake Perry went without a trail race for some time. That all changed in 2011 as the Trail Nerds created a new Lake Perry trail race series called; appropriately, the Rock On! Trail Series. Friday night June 24^th at 8:30 pm was the Rock the Night Away Trail ½ Marathon.   

So after work on Friday, I met up with an old Marine Buddy, Cameron, who was running the 10K version of the race. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at Boston Market (still not sure how he managed to run after eating that gi-normous  pot pie…oh well, gotta feed the machine!) and then made the drive to the Branded B Ranch at Lake Perry. We got there early and had plenty of time to stretch and chat with runners. I saw a number of Trail Nerds and Hawks but felt for the most part that it was an unfamiliar crowd.  I also wasn’t feeling very strong only being four days removed from a 22-mile training run at Wyco Lake. My left ankle was starting to act up again and I just felt a little lethargic. Overall though, I was still ready to go.

Finally the sun went down. I wished Cameron good luck and after Bad Ben’s pre-race brief we took off down a gravel road and ducked into the woods. As is common when 100 runners share the single track, I got stuck in a conga line for awhile and had trouble passing people. I’ve learned that this is a good thing as it keeps me from “going out” to fast and since my ankle was feeling tender, I needed to be conservative.  Besides, I had decided that I wasn’t aiming for any particular time-goal, it was just my Friday training run so there was no rush…just a good pace, good company and a chance to enjoy some great trails.

Speaking of great trails, there are so many in the area that I think Lake Perry gets a little overlooked sometimes but it is a rocky, rooted, rugged and scenic trail with just enough hill work to be fun. Running it at night was an awesome experience. So dark in those woods, I had no idea where I was at any given time on the trail. Occasionally I could hear the waves hitting the rocks so I knew when I was near the water and there were a couple of manned aid stations but apart from that I felt pretty isolated. There was a four mile span where I didn’t see another soul. I had no idea if I was in last place, first place or even off course…I just kept following what I thought were (hopefully) course marker flags.

Finally, I popped out of the woods and back onto the gravel road we started on for the short run back to the Ranch. Tough course! There would be no PR this day, in fact it was my slowest ½ marathon by a half hour!?!  Oh, well according to the results it was good for 19th place and I had a blast. Huge thanks to Ben Holmes and the Trail Nerds for bringing back the Rock races! Thanks also to Dick Ross for the photography (again!!). Great course, great venue, great volunteers, and great way to keep Willie’s races going! I’m looking forward to the Rock On! 50K  later this fall.  

As always, love and thanks to Jessica, Alyena, and Ayden!

Trail of the Week: Camp Alexander

I’ve been really busy since starting my internship in May at the VA Eastern Kansas Health System. Tons of commuting between KC, Leavenworth and Topeka has made time more precious. Of course, when I’m not at the VA, on the highway, or with my family, I’ve just been running on the trails rather than writing about them.  But I’ve got races coming up and trails to talk about, so… for the four (five counting my mother) remaining readers I can’t think of a better way to end the hiatus than with a Trail of the Week. And; (speaking of my mother who still lives in my old hometown), what better “first” trail of the week than Emporia’s Camp Alexander. 

 

In 1886, a former slave from North Carolina named Elijah Alexander purchased nine acres in Kansas to farm. Working hard, he took land that no one else wanted and turned enough profit to acquire thirty more acres and make weekly trips into nearby Emporia to give some of what he produced to the poor. When he died in 1923, his will left all of his money and land to “the children of Kansas”. Camp Alexander was eventually established and now covers nearly 80 acres (in addition to the original property on which Elijah Alexander is buried).

Located about five miles east of Emporia on old highway 50, the camp contains around four miles of well-maintained single-track trail. The camp itself is used as a kid’s summer day camp (fishing, activities, crafts, archery, etc).  The camp staff, local mountain bikers, trail advocates, and volunteers have done an awesome job building and maintaining a trail system that compares favorably with some of the trails we have in the KC area. Whenever I’ve traveled back to E-town to visit family my training hasn’t missed a step thanks to Camp Alexander.

In terms of the terrain, the trail meanders through the woods along the Neosho River. It also has a section out in the open prairie that is exposed to all of the Kansas elements (wind, sun, rain, snow, wind, wind, and wind). There are a couple of deceptively challenging up-hills, some fun down hills and a fair amount of rocky and rooty technical terrain. The scenery isn’t bad either as you’ll pass two nice ponds, a couple wood bridges, an old train car and a few other surprises. On the trails I’ve seen deer, turtles, snakes, hawks, and even came nose to shin with a bobcat one Saturday.  Overall, Camp Alexander is an interesting, fast, and fun trail that’s worth a loop or two (or three or four).  The area also has a couple of shorter trails (Emporia State University MTB trail & the Pioneer trail east of town) making it a surprisingly decent place to hike or run if you find yourself in Emporia. When you come off the trails you can grab some great food at local favorites Bobby D’s Merchant Street BBQ or Coach’s bar & grill.  Gotta give some props to E-town!

Up next, I’m running the Rock the Night Away Trail ½ Marathon at Lake Perry Friday night and the Psycho Psummer 50K is fast approaching!

See you on the trails!

Decision, Decisions:

I spent the last couple of weeks training hard and agonizing over what race I would run this weekend. The Trail Hawks and Trail Nerds went and scheduled ultras on the same damn day.

The Hawk 50 mile race is two 25-mile loops at Clinton Lake while the Trail Nerds Rock On! 50K runs the trails at Lake Perry. Both promise to be awesome events.

Originally, the idea was to just see how I was feeling after Free State and then make a decision on the basis of what distance I felt my legs could handle three weeks after my first 100k. I took a whole seven days off following Free State (not one mile!) and have been feeling terrific since. I’m running fast and have had a number of 13+ mile training runs over the last two weeks. I really feel like I could handle either distance.

So…which race? Turns out the more I thought about the Hawk 50 the more I had to admit that the thought of 50 more miles on the same course I just did 100k on is about as appealing as a Road 10k with 2,000 runners in down-town Cleveland (no offense, Cleveland).  That leaves the Rock On 50k as my choice, right?

Well…maybe not, here’s the deal. My semester at KU Med is wrapping up (my final final is next week) and I start an internship with the Topeka, KS VA Health Center on May 23^rd (great organization, did you know they created bar-code point-of-care medication administration systems? Do yourself a favor and read Best Care Anywhere by Phillip Longman).  

Anyway, add to this that I’m working on gathering all of the requirements for a commission in the Navy Medical Service Corps and I’m simply running out of days and time before the internship starts. I’ve just got too much to do! Therefore, much to my disappointment, I’m not running either race. Saturday morning I’ll just do a loop at Kill Creek or Blue River and then spend the weekend with Jessica, Alyena, and Ayden since I get the feeling that the busy summer will cut into our family time. So apart from some serious FOMO (fear of missing out), I think backing off is the right decision.

Good luck to everyone running the Hawk 50 or Rock On 50k, both races are sure to be epic, well-run, top-notch events! You can’t really make a bad choice here. I hate to miss ‘em…go kill it for me and I’ll see you at the Rock the Night Away race in June and of course, at the Psycho Psummer 50k in July.   

Free State Trail Runs Ultra-Marathon: Hell or 100K

In my case, the 5^th annual Free State Trail Race began the night following the 4^th annual Free State Trail Race. I was staring at a moving ceiling in a hotel room, bleeding in places that I didn’t even know existed and feeling sicker than I ever had before. 100K, the next step on the way to running 100 mile races had turned into a wall and a setback.  I had dropped 10 ½ hours in. Although officially listed as a 40-mile finisher, it was my first Did Not Finish (DNF) for any distance. I went into the race with an upper respiratory infection and left so sick that I didn’t run again for nearly a month. Dejected and broken, I thought “maybe 50k is my distance”.  But, common to most ultra runners, time heals and we forget those types of thoughts…or we use them as fuel and try it again.

In the three months leading up to this year’s Free State; I had averaged 60 miles per week, had notched my first 50 mile race (Colleen’s Frozen Fat Ass), and had PR’d at the Psycho Wyco 50k. I was confident but still had Free State failures in the back of my mind. Trail Nerd founder and Race Director Ben Holmes along with Kyle Amos created the race in 2007 to serve as an in-between distance event as well as to show off the impressive Clinton Lake North Shore trails. A technical but mostly run-able course, the North Shore is an ideal local venue to step up in distance from 50k to 40 mile races to 100k and then on to 100’s.  But free state demons come in many forms over the last couple of years; getting off course, tornados, Kansas’ spring storms, hidden tree roots, and of course last years DNF.

While my nerves were a wreck the week of the race, I was surprisingly relaxed at 6am as I milled around the starting line chatting with friends and stretching. After a few words from Co-RD’s Ben and Sophia, we were off. Finally, nothing left to do but run…all day.

1^st Loop (miles 1 to 20.7)

I went out nice and slow by necessity. The North Shore trails are “true” single track so passing isn’t easy. For the first mile I just tried to be content in the conga line. I’m notorious for going out too fast too early in races so the forced pacing was a good thing.  Around mile two I fell in with a runner who was slowly passing people while offering some good conversation so I matched his pace and stayed with him through Cactus Ridge finally letting him go as we hit the Swim Beach. I learned later this was Farhad Zarif, a really strong runner. He was cruising and when he said his goal was a 12-hour 100k, I knew I had to cool my jets.

I hit the rugged and rocky Shoreline Red Trail and ran pretty much the entire portion, “no way was this gonna happen on loops two and three”, I thought. Next was a short climb up to the Land’s End aid station where I caught up and passed with a large group of runners. My usual ultra-race strategy is to run self-supported which helps cut time (aid stations can eat up a clock!); still, it was a 100k so today I would use “every other” aid station. 

I made it out to the Corps of Engineers aid station feeling really good and ready for the nine miles or so back to the start/finish area on the more rugged “white trail”.  The course is sort of an out and back loop. Out on the blue and red trails and then back on white. Blue hugs the lake, tracing the shore while the white trail climbs up into the little valleys and outlets. White is typically higher above the lake level than blue and red so it’s got more elevation gain and loss. Red is a nearly un-runnable section covered in eroding shoreline and huge rocks and ankle twisting talus.

Somewhere between mile 14 and mile 16 a runner passed me who was wearing a red Marine Corps KC running club T-shirt. “Hey…I’ve got a couple of those”, I yelled. Turns out it was Gunny Robert Stewart! He hadn’t recognized me with the beard I had started growing after getting off active duty. He and 15 or so other Marines were running the Half-marathon. I ran with him for a while chatting about old times before he picked up the pace and moved on. I wanted to stay with him but since I still had 46 more miles to go I wished him luck on his race and watched him run off into the woods.

About that same time, Alec Barowka, a young runner from De Soto, Ks caught up to me and then matched my pace (after we leapfrogged for a couple miles). He was attempting his first 100k and this was also his first trail race. A few miles later we picked up Jarad Cruse, (a runner from Basehor, Ks). The three of us would run the next 20 miles together. Both guys were strong runners and we all kept each other moving. 

Mile 20.7, first loop in the books in 3hrs 55min, not bad for this trail (my best ever on this course in training was 3:45).

2^nd Loop (miles 20.8 to 41.4)

Five minutes with the drop bag refilling Gatorade and Gels and I was ready to go. Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant Jeff Schertz hit the finish line of the half marathon so I stopped to congratulate him and then it was back on the trail!

OK, in order to make the cut-offs, a runner has to be leaving the main area for their third loop by 5:15 pm.  So, even though I was ahead of my schedule, I wanted to make sure not to slow down on the second loop too much. To that end I ran with an Ipod (in one ear only), which I never do. It worked. There’s nothing like some Enter Shikari to keep you running. Alec and Jarad we’re still with me and we hauled ass until we hit Cactus Ridge when we all decided to back off a little to keep from burning out.

The red shoreline..again. This time we hiked a good portion of it as our legs were starting to fatigue and my tendinitis suffering left Achilles was really aching.

I left land’s end feeling strong and picked up the pace for a mile or so. I still felt decent as we hit the Corps of Engineers area and ran into Graham Fox. I picked up the pace a little after giving him a primal yell. It was Graham’s first 40-mile race and he was running strong.

Around mile 38 I felt really good and picked up the pace to finish the 2^nd loop  8:59:00 into the race. My 40 mile goal going into the race was 9 to 9 ½ hours . I was feeling great mentally. Last year I hit 40 at 10 ½ hours and then dropped. The thought of dropping hadn’t even crossed my mind all day.

3^rd Loop (miles 41.5 to 62)

Jarad and I moved consistently, if slower, towards cactus ridge. Alec had dropped at 40 due to a hip problem. He had hung in there with our pace and 40 miles for his first trail run was pretty damn impressive. I think he’s got a bright future in the sport.

At mile 43, I had to “mark some territory”, Jarad kept moving and I never saw him again. He found some wind and ended up finishing about 15 minutes ahead of me. He also ran a heck of a race, fighting through some knee pain due to ITB issues.

The rugged Red shore trail destroyed my legs and aggravated the Achilles. Things were starting to seize up! I took some S-Caps at Land’s End hoping to get the neurons firing again. At this point I just wasn’t moving very fast and my body was starting to disobey orders from my brain. The bonk was threatening to hit. This was supposed to be a trail run, not a trail hike.

Corps of Engineers, nine miles to go! I was in the midst of a “death march” and was starting to get “the lean” and for the first time that day, the negative thoughts were creeping in. As I left the aid station the enormity of what I was doing hit me and I started to not care about how strong I finished. I knew that I could finish but was just feeling awful. I could hike the whole nine miles…who cares!

At eight miles to go it suddenly became very clear. It became a choice. Sustain a death march over nine miles and then just be glad I was done or get my ass moving and earn a damn buckle. 

So after a mile worth of heated argument with myself, I decided to get my ass moving.  Of course, moving is a relative term (my pacing had to be 16 or 17 minute miles). It might have actually been faster to just hike but mentally, I had to run this one in!  I was going to finish in time for a buckle or they were going to have to drag my dead carcass off the course…hell or 100k!

The sun had also gone down about six or seven miles from the finish. This can be the toughest part of any ultra. You’ve already ran a boat load of miles and your body is starting to shut down, the temperature drops, and it gets really dark and lonely on a trail (not to mention the technical terrain gets difficult to run over).  This race was turning into the toughest physical thing I’d ever done.  Besides the obvious fatigue; my tendinitis was killing my left ankle, I had cuts on both Achilles from my shoes, chaffing in places I won’t even talk about, and I had lost the toenail off my right big toe.  I thought of all the training, all the people who’ve supported my running, how far I’d come since last year’s race, my family, my kids, and a million other things and was able to get my legs running again (somewhat!).

I got passed by a couple of runners in the last three miles whose “running” pace was a little faster than mine. This was strange for me, in the 50k’s I’ve ran, I’m the one making late surges in those final miles. But at that point I didn’t care, I was running and still in the fight.

The trail exit to the finish line surprised me and I made the final climb up the gravel road to see Ben, Sophia , Mark Van Nuland, and a couple other Trail Nerds cheering me in and just like that it was over. 15 hours and some change. Not a bad day’s work. A little bit of hell, but finally, a 100k finish.

Huge thanks to Ben Holmes and Sophia Wharton, who continue to be the Race Directing benchmark to which I compare all others! The things they’ve done for the KC trail scene are immeasurable and they’ve helped hundreds of runners push beyond boundaries unimaginable!

Eternal gratitude to the KC Trail Nerds and other volunteers who make these events happen and always seem to know what runners needs are before the runners even know!  Big time thanks to Dick Ross of seekcrun.com for all of the pictures. I know he gets paid by the RD’s but I think he just goes above and beyond every time. How many races can you get unlimited free photos?!! Awesome! Big respect to Jarad and Alec, you guys ran strong and kept me moving fast, we crushed the cutoffs! Finally, much love my kids, Alyena and Ayden who sacrificed a good chunk of their Easter weekend so daddy could chase demons around Clinton Lake. And as always, love and thanks to my wife Jessica who continues to put up with the aftermath of the regular havoc I wreck on my body as well as all of the training miles and dietary obsessions that infiltrate our life.   

Some thoughts in retrospect:

I think I want to run another 100k before I take a stab at 100 miles. Just like my 50k and 40 miles distances; I know I can get faster and more efficient. 2012 will be my first 100 miler attempt. Got a number of candidates (Heartland, Rocky Racoon, Ozark Trail, Lean Horse, Javelina, hmmm). Gotta get faster!

Anyway, thanks for reading and we’ll see you out on the Trails!

                                              Feelin good at 40 miles!

Training Update: Late March through April 17th

OK, so it’s been a little while since the last post. In six days is the Free State Trail 100k at Clinton Lake near Lawrence, Ks. Since my “crash & bonk” at the Pi-day trail half marathon, training has been going really well. I’m averaging 50 to 60 mile weeks and have had nearly 20 runs of at least 10 miles. I’ve ran with the Trail Hawks and Trail Nerds at Kill creek a couple of times but the majority of my miles have come from long solo runs with some short speed work thrown in. There's been an opportunity to hit a variety of terrain to keep challenging my legs. Hillsdale Lake’s rugged horse-trails, the Prairie Center’s smooth paths, Kill Creek’s variety, Shawnee Mission Lake’s technical single-track, Wyandotte County Lake’s vertical miles, and tons of others. Now that I live closer to Lawrence, its also been cool to be able to get some miles in on the actual race course. My loops there have been getting faster over the last two months. Hopefully, a little more familiarity with the course will pay off. (On race day, the goal is to hit the 40 mile mark in 9 hours, that should set up a good 100k time).  

I’m a little beat up. I sprained my left ankle on April Fool’s day (barely a grade 2), there's some tendinitis brewing on my left achilles, and I’m about to lose a toenail on my right foot. Wow…TMI. Anyway, I’m still going into the race in better shape and in better health (knock on wood) than last year, when I had an upper respiratory infection. I really had no business racing. It was supposed to be my 1^st 100k but I dropped at 40 miles and couldn’t run again for nearly a month. I'm pretty stubborn and it was the only time I’ve ever dropped down a distance in a race. It was also the sickest I’d ever been in my life. Just couldn’t tough that one out.

But, that which doesn’t kill us…

Let’s do this…hell or 100k!

Coming in May…

I’ll start doing some gear reviews. A couple of shoes from La Sportiva, Dry Max trail running socks (woohoo!), some North Face gear and anything else I can get my hands (or feet) on. I’ll also start doing Trails of the week, a review of trails that I run on in Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado.    

Inaugural Pi-Day River Rotation Trail Half Marathon:

Pi, Pie, and legs that Die.

Last Saturday I ran in a local trail race that will definitely be added to my annual race list. The Pi-Day River Rotation Trail half Marathon on the River Trails in Lawrence Kansas is a new race offered up by the Lawrence Trail Hawks. The inaugural running was a huge success from what I could tell. The brainchild of Trail Hawk president Laurie Euler, in honor of Pi-Day, this is a race you’ve got to run. Great course, terrific volunteers, a cool concept, and who doesn’t like shoveling down a piece of pie after a 13.5 mile run?  Hmmmm, I need to ask Laurie if she’s a descendant of Leonhard Euler, who popularized the use of the Greek letter for Pi in 1737....a strange coincidence??

Anyway, I didn’t really go into the race with any time goals or expectations since I’m in the midst of training for the Free State Ultra 100k next month. But, predictably, I got the competitive itch a couple miles in and ended up a little disappointed by what I thought should have been a stronger finish.

After a pre-race brief from the RD, I took off with a quickly moving group that included Trail Hawk, Gary Henry. Towards the end of our 1^st 5 mile loop he picked up the pace and forged ahead. I was still feeling pretty good at this point but didn’t want to push too hard so I didn’t try to keep up. One really cool thing about this race was the opportunity to be a spectator.  Doing a rotating loop course would have the front runners going out on their 2^nd loop coming straight back at us. A quick and silent count told me that I was in 18^th place…but wait, I wasn’t supposed to care about that today, right? Anyway, I was feeling good about my pace and place and decided to just keep the same speed the last 8.5 miles…at least that was the plan. It only worked for one more loop.

      3.5 miles to go: Usually when I bonk, it’s during an Ultra-run (mile 30 or 35 or something). For some reason unbeknownst I crashed and burned during my last loop. From mile 10 to 13.5, I fell from 18^th place to 31^st. A wave of fatigue hit me and I just couldn’t get my body to respond. If it had been an ultra, I could have re-fueled and I’m sure it would have passed but in a half marathon, there just isn’t any time to recover from a crash like that.  So needless to say, I was disappointed in my weak finish. In retrospect it wasn’t so bad, I’ve only ran two previous half-marathons so I still managed a PR for the distance by nearly 20 minutes. I guess I’ve come a long way as a runner over the last two years if I PR and am still ticked off. There was a time not so long ago when surviving and finishing were the only goals. Bonk aside, the race was a blast! Mostly, it was just really cool to be a part of the first running of what should become a popular trail race. I’ve already marked Pi-Day on my 2012 race calendar….and April 4^th, 2016 (Square Root day). I’m thinking maybe a duathalon; of course, square radishes aren’t as good as pie.   

       Huge thanks to the Lawrence Trail Hawks and congratulations to RD Laurie Euler for a stellar event. I would have never known that it was her first time as a Race Director if I hadn’t been told; every aspect of the day was right on! Huge thanks to all of the volunteers who made the event happen, the Trail Hawks are simply awesome! Huge thanks once again to Dick Ross of www.seekcrun.com for the awesome pictures you take and the cheer-leading that you do at these races!  

As always, love and thanks to Jessica, Alyena, and Ayden!

2011 Psycho Wyco Run Toto Run 50K Trail Race:

 What are the Cut-off Times?

          I’m rarely among the front-runners in an ultra but I’ve also never been concerned with cut-off times. However, in the weeks leading up to this race I was starting to think that my 5^th consecutive Psycho Wyco 50K finish was in danger. First there was the snow (tons of it). KC had been getting a more-than-usual amount over the last couple of months. One snowfall after another had made training tough. Every trail run since forever had been a slow, post-holing, exhausting ordeal; in fact, one mid-January Saturday saw my slowest Wyco Lake loop ever (nearly three hours!?!).  There were also the cut-off times themselves, which I had heard through the ultra-grapevine would be more aggressive this year.  Finally, there’s the terrain, its always an issue at the Psycho. If you’d never ran the 10.35 mile loop trail around Wyandotte County Lake, you would not believe that such terrain could exist in Kansas, I’ve seen GPS estimates of at least 5000 feet of climbing per loop. This course is arguably the toughest, slowest, and most frustrating 50K course outside of the mountains.  Add some roots, rocks, snow, ice, and mud and you’ve got “…a worthy setting, if the devil decided to have a hand in the affairs of man”.  There’s no such thing as an easy day at Wyco, you’ve got to bring your A-game every time.

Loop One – I took off with a couple hundred runners. The field of deep snow we ran through before hitting the woods seemed to confirm my fears as I envisioned post-holing for 31 miles. Once we queued up to enter the actual trail I could see that it was packed down pretty good and would be as run-able as I’d seen it in weeks. I was soon moving along with a good group that included Matt Wilson and Graham Fox. These guys are both solid trail runners so I was as happy with my pace as I was with the trail conditions. After moving through the “Wyandotte triangle” without incident, Matt picked up his tempo. The side of me that wanted to stay with him was held back by the side that has learned hard lessons about going out too fast, too early.

          I was really getting aggressive on the down-hills; however, and had a blast going down “fall-down” hill, an endless series of quick switchbacks that drop you down, down, and further down below the dam. From there it was a run across a frozen field and a serious climb back up to lake level and the mile 5 aid station. Mile 5!?!?! That’s it??  The course distances were marked by signs this year...I think I was better off not knowing.    

            I passed the aid station without stopping and started the long haul up the paved road. It’s the one section of the course that’s always “run-able” but I rarely see anyone “run” it due to the vertical gain. A huge drop off and an awesome view to the Northeast make the road a fun climb and a great excuse to slow down.  From the top of the hill we moved back into the forest and down “speed-demon ridge”, which a few of us locals still call the hedgehog (you know…after Sonic). I’ve seen a few runners do Sonic-style rolls down this thing. The ridge is always a highlight of my loop at Wyco and so today I really let it rip, yelling obscenities all the way down as those who know me also know that my level of enjoyment on a run is directly proportional to my usage of profanity.

         Fester’s wander, a super-cool part of the course that was designed by the race director’s dog (the late “Fester”), was up next and I felt really strong throughout this single track section. Strange, with its many quick ups and downs and winding trails, it’s usually a slower section. It was also the site of my first ever hallucination in an Ultra (on my third loop of this race in 2008). Getting into it from the North requires a brutal long climb up to speed demon's sister ridge.  Once I got up that initial climb, I felt great and was able to make short work of the Wander. In fact; each loop of the wander was a more "enjoyable" experience this year for some reason...all the training must finally be starting to pay off.

        The mile eight aid station was a site for sore eyes as it meant I only had a couple more miles in the loop. I tried to pick up my pace. In my opinion, the last two miles of the course are the toughest.  They include the aptly named “three hills section”, which are three serious hills that hit one after the other...after the other. I was feeling good but decided to hike the majority of the hills knowing that I’d see them again...and again (the nine hills section?). I hit the start/finish area in just over two hours which on this course, in these conditions, for me is pretty good (my best loop ever was 1:46:00 which I did on 70 degree early last fall). I quickly reloaded my gels, changed into short sleeves as the temperature had climbed into the 40’s, and took off for another round feeling good and no longer concerned with cut-offs.

Loop Two - By this time I had started running with Rick Troeh, who would act as an excellent pacer for most of the second loop and part of the third. It was probably the longest I’d ever run with the same runner during a race.  We were moving the same tempo and seemed to really hit it off. It’s always cool to find someone who runs a similar pace. I do so many solo miles in training that running with a partner is a nice change and can make the miles go by a little quicker…and of course I’m always scouting for potential partners for the running ambitions I harbor that require teammates (like the Trans Rockies stage race, the Ragnar Relay and some others).  I also ran part of the loop with Graham and Mark Van Nuland, who were running the 20-mile race. Both were running very strong races and were a huge boost to my pacing as well.  I felt pretty fatigued the second time through festers wander and started to wonder if my lack of a taper and Thursday's episode (see last post) had left a high toll. I just tried to focus on staying positive and keep the conversation going with those around me. It seemed to work, Rick and I hit the start finish area at the 4 ½ hour race mark.

Loop Three – We both got through the aid station quickly. I’ve found that to be a key in races. I try to run as self-supported as possible and avoid stopping at aid stations. When I do need aid, its get-in and get-out.  My best ever Psycho Wyco race time was 7:47:00 in 2010, and I credit not stopping at aid stations for finally getting me sub 8-hour finishes. Today, I realized that I could beat that 2010 time if I didn’t bonk or blow up. For the third loop, I decided to drop the hydration pack. I was trying to get out on the final lap with a fast “runner's” mentality. The theory was that instead of slogging along with a bunch of water on my back doing a “survival shuffle” as I’ve done in years past, I would run with just a water bottle in each hand like I was on a 10 mile training run going for speed. I felt pretty fast out of the gate.

         Ok...so speed is a relative thing. As we crossed the road before the Wyandotte Triangle, I felt good but not fast. Rick felt a surge right before the Triangle and really kicked it into a new gear. It was a tremendous effort and he would have an extremely strong finish getting in before me by about 20 minutes. My early third loop burst fizzled out. I slowed down and got passed by a number of runners in the triangle which kind of pissed me off. I wasn't mad at them, at that point it felt like I was falling into the death march of previous years so I was mad at myself. For the most part I had stayed positive the whole day but at that moment in the triangle, I was in a really dark place.

         After my last slide down "fall down hill' and the climb back up, I hit the Damn Dam aid station and decided to use their services for water. They slipped me a couple S-caps and I slogged up the paved road. Actually, I ran most of the road (albeit slowly) on this final loop and at the top overtook two of the runners who had passed me back in the triangle. By the end of Fester’s Wander I had passed the other one as well. Again, I really just race myself, but it served as a little mental boost. When I was in my triangle death march I never expected to be able to get going again. Catching up with them was huge for me, to know that even when things get their darkest, you can just keep your head down, plug through it and claw your way back to respectability. They also all offered words of encouragement which provided a mental lift. It was just a little moment of everything that I love about endurance sports. 

         I hit the mile 28 aid station and decided I’d try and sustain my new found pace through the three hills section…it didn’t happen. I held a decent trot but had to hike most of the three hills themselves as my legs were starting to feel tender and the traction on the trails was really getting bad. Still at this point, all I had to do was keep moving forward and I soon heard the cowbells and hit the final tree-lined chute to the finish line. I was somehow able to break into a full sprint and was stoked when I saw that the clock read 7:29:00. I really thought that my triangle lapse had cost me my course PR. Inexplicably, I had beat it by 14 minutes, notched my fifteenth 50k and scored a fifth consecutive Psycho Wyco finish. Somehow, even with the week I had and the derailed & over-snowed training, I managed to run my strongest Wyco ever. I still don’t know what the cut-offs were…and I don’t care!

          Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you to race directors Ben Holmes & Sophia Wharton for all that you do for the Trail and Ultra Running scene. Every time I run with Ben I learn something about the sport. You guys are the Race Directing Benchmark!

Huge thanks to all of the race’s phenomenal volunteers, Nobody does it better!

Huge thanks to Dick Ross (www.seekcrun.com) for the thousands of photos you take at these events. I think at least half the pictures I own come from your camera.

Thanks to Graham, Matt, Mark, Rick, and countless other runners I met today, you guys all ran strong and kept me motivated!

Finally, Love and thanks to my wife Jessica who continues to support my ambitions no matter what I seem to do to myself physically, and my kids who always make sure daddy gets a recovery run when he gets home. By the time I start running 100’s, they’ll be a highly trained crew!

Psycho Wyco Run Toto Run Race times:

2007 – 8:30:23

2008 – 8:05:15

2009 – 7:46:18

2010 – 7:43:00

2011 – 7:29:00 (at this rate of improvement...I'll be a top five finisher when I'm 60 years old!

My 8 hour finishes were back of the pack. My sub-eights put me about in the middle. While I've had some top 25 finishes at races, the Wyco just continues to give lessons in humility!

Thanks for reading!