Wasatch 100

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Last month I headed up to the Wasatch Front 100 in Utah for a day (and night) in the mountains and a race that was being called the “most competitive Wasatch ever”. The field was stacked with Geoff Roes (last years winner and HURT 100 record holder), Karl Meltzer (multiple time winner at Hardrock 100, Wasatch 100, Bighorn 100 and others), Hal Koerner (two time defending Western States 100 and Angeles Crest champ), Josh Brimhall (Teton 100 and Headlands winner) and several other top ultrarunners. At 5 a.m. on race day we headed off down the single track leading up to the first big climb, gaining around 4500' in the early morning darkness. I settled in with the lead pack of Geoff, Karl, Hal, Josh and Jared Campbell and it was somewhat comical watching each one of us rotate to the back to let off a little of the pre-race hydration. As we crested the climb the pace quickened and Geoff took off—gone for the rest of the day.

At the first aid station I was running 5^th, but 10 minutes in front of my expected split. It didn't feel like we were going that fast (and fast is probably an inaccurate modifier but perhaps it was fast for a very small child or a hundred miler), but I knew I should slow down and try to run my race for the first 60 miles. So began my long day in “no man's land”, around 40 mostly solitary miles of incredible mountain scenery and some fine, technical single track. My brain rambled around for awhile—I thought about chainsaws, my three year old son's dinosaur knowledge, pancreatitis, and Will Ferrell. But mainly I thought about what I always do when running—running...I guess my multitasking abilities are limited.

I passed Hal around mile 40, and we talked a little about his recent TransRockies race where he ran some with the talented and good looking Matt Sims. I think that mile 40 to 54 is one of the most crucial of the race. It is hot and affectionately known as “the oven”, but because it is early it is an easy place to push too hard and blow up. I could see Josh a few minutes ahead, but I held back knowing that the cool ridges of the Wasatch Crest were not far ahead. My legs were feeling great, and I just wanted to get out of the heat with my stomach intact. The last time I pushed an early hot stretch in a 100 miler I ended up dropping at mile 60 with some serious puking (although my puke made it to mile 65 I think). Anyway, I felt good as I headed out of the aid at mile 54 and caught up to Josh shortly thereafter as we climbed up toward the crest. Josh is one of the finest runners and nicest people that I know, and it was good to run with him for a while.

The next stretch of the course is my favorite as you climb up among aspen, alpine lakes and views along the ridge lines stretching all the way into Park City. I was psyched to run it alone, and it was peaceful as the sun began to set. I pulled into the Brighton aid in 3^rd place just as the sun went down, had a little soup and headed out for the last 25 miles. I saw a few moose on the punishing climb up Catherine's pass, and my stomach started to turn. For the next few hours I was unable to put down any calories. My intake was limited to small sips of water, and I definitely lost some time in the next 15 mile stretch. Running in the mountains at night is a beautiful experience, and I figured the underlying stench of sweating through 80 miles in the heat would keep any mountain lions away.

Hal caught me around mile 85, and for the next 7-8 miles we ran somewhat together. His legs were hurting so I'd catch up on the climbs, and my stomach was still sloshing so he'd catch me on the downhills. Hal is an incredibly positive guy, and even though he wasn't having the race he hoped for managed to keep the humor flowing. My stomach finally settled about mile 90, and I was able to get down some gels. Seeing as how it was now sometime in the early morning I figured a banana and coffee gel combo was appropriate. From there to the finish I felt great—legs, mind, and gut—the core areas for ultrarunners. I came in to the finish in 21:39 in 3^rd place, dusty, tired but grateful for the gift and opportunity to be able to traverse the Wasatch Crest on my two feet (and sometime hands). Full results at www.wf100.com

The following day I experienced the outstanding hospitality of the Utah running crowd. Thanks to Karl, Jared, Roch Horton, Scott Mason, and Catherine Mataisz (friend of Rock/Creek who helped design the old Tremont Ave store) for sharing some food, cold beverages (yep even in Utah) and nap time. Thanks also to the race staff and volunteers for continuing to put in countless hours to make all happen. I'm pretty sure they put in more time than we runners do to prepare for the race, and they definitely smile more. Finally, thanks to Rock/Creek for all the support to get me to the starting line and finish in one piece.

a glimpse of heaven, a taste of hell... - Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. Lao Tsu


OK, it's just going to be 50 miles, but that single step thing still holds true. I've been working towards this event for awhile now and feel strangely ready for it. Not that I should be surprised - Matt is awesome and he knows what he's doing. Sure, I may have looked with wide eyes at the time and mileage I was putting in (my high week was 64 miles - I've never come close to that before - but somehow, my body always responded well when called upon. Of course I had the occasional bad run, but I could usually attribute that to a combination of high temps & humidity, poor nutrition that day, and maybe some lack of sleep the night before. (that's definitely the #1 thing I need to work on!)

I'm heading out last minute this time, arriving in Reno at noon on Friday. (Last year for the Leadville100, I was at 7000' for 8 days, then got up to 10k' the day before. In general I felt good on the course there, but did have some late race breathing problems... cause still unknown). TRT stays between 6000' and 9000', so nothing quite as severe, but it should still be a big factor in my success. Our total elevation gain will be just under 10k' so stout but not impossible. I think one of the big unknowns is how the sandy areas will affect my feet. Bringing some duct tape just in case :) Kathy, Natalie, Wendi, Jamie, Chad, Kris, Randy, Brenda & Lee are all going, so we should have a great time. Unfortunately Jaclyn has 2 torn ligaments and has to sit this one out. (stay off your feet & get better!!) After the race I'll be hitting Steamboat for some R&R before heading back east.

Check out the course description here, with a link to the map.

A couple of thanks to folks integral to my prep:
• the best coach around, Matt Hart
• Rock/Creek Outfitters, for their support of our team
• my magical massage therapist Christian at Body Wisdom
• to all my friends keeping me company on the trail
• to Rebecca & Dreama for watching Ollie & Lenny while I'm gone!!
• (and to my bikes for not hating me while i've ignored them :)

I'll try to post something in regards to my survival soon!

Feelin just a little like Dale....

So goes the song that has been my mantra for the past few months. Chad Wamack gave me a mixed cd with track 2 being a little ditty about a fella who's feeling a little like Dale Earnhardt. It goes like this-

I've been taking it slow all week

Yeah,

but now I've got some pedals down under my feet,

I got some vinyl and I got some glass,

I'm gonna roll it up, roll it down and hit the gas.

Now I'm passing the rigs like they're standing still And

I'm doing more weaving than a Carolina mill.

You know there's faster cars but they got no heart

Now when I'm feeling like the intimidator, Earnhardt.

I got a little bit of Dale in my blood tonight,

I'm taking the corners tight,

On the straightaway I'm passing them high on the rail,

Feeling just a little like Dale.

Not a yellow flag that can slow me down,

There's not a trooper alive that can track me down

When I'm covering ground in that hovering steel

I got the wind in my hair and my hands on the wheel.

So, if you should look up in your rear view mirror

And see fire and rubber just getting nearer

Stay to the right and cover your eyes

Cause old number three will be barreling by.

I got a little bit of Dale in my blood tonight,

I'm taking the corners tight,

n the straightaway I'm passing them high on the rail,

Feeling just a little like Dale.

I got a little bit of Dale in my blood tonight,

'm taking the corners tight,

On the straightaway I'm passing them high on the rail,

Feeling just a little like Dale.

Feeling just a little like Dale.

To top it off, this is my new favorite beer- Dale's Pale Ale from Colorado. I found it at a local wine/liqour store as it has a higher alcohol content. It's nice and hoppy, refreshing and comes in a can (backpacking beer?) If you find any cans down at Blue Hole in Soddy, it wasn't me. It's pretty darn tasty and gets me in the mood for racin....

Since Racin is what we're here to talk about, lets get it going. The Tahoe Rim Trail 100 is only 2 weeks away and I'm gettin pretty fired up. Really, I am pumped to go do this thing. Well, at least my mind is. To be honest, I feel like crap. Every time I start a big taper (3 weeks) I start to feel all janky and tweaked. When you are training hard and really rollin, things are supposed to hurt a little and somehow its easier to ignore the subtle little pains. Now that I've cut way back on the mileage and started to rest, things have become more pronounced. While I feel completely healthy and without injury, I do feel a little tired which tells me I actually had a pretty good training block.

So far this has been an amazing year of racing and training. It all started with a new race, a 50k trail run at Tsali (the famous single track mtn bike trails) in January. It was a last minute decision to race as I was already signed up for another event 3 weeks later and didn't want to trash my legs going into it. My goal was to pace a friend and training partner (he is much faster than me) for about half the race and then slingshot him ahead to a solid finish (he has a tendency to go out too fast...) Well, as luck would have it, I managed to hang on for longer than I expected, finishing 3rd in 3:54, 2 minutes behind Jeff Edmonds and 7 minutes behind Mark Lundblad from NC. Given my fitness and the nature of the course, I was super stoked.

Fast forward 3 weeks to the infamous Mtn. Mist 50k. The Mist is where it all began for me. It was my first ultra, just 4 weeks after my first marathon in 1996. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was cold and I was scared. I battled it out with Janice Anderson over the last 6 miles only to have her beat me by less than a minute. It was however good for 10th place or so and gave me the impression that I might do ok at these things if I learned how to do it right. Well, it took about 10 more years and more than 30 ultras to figure it out (I didn't say I was a quick learner...) The Mist this year would fall on my 36th birthday and I felt like I had a chance to win it. I played my cards right, running conservatively on the wet and slightly muddy course for an hour or so before dropping the hammer. I would catch the eventual winner several times, leading the race through several technical spots, only to be dropped on the climbs. In the end, I would have to settle for 2nd, crossing the finish line in 4:09, 2 minutes back from David Rindt.

While it was a new PR on the course for me, it wasn't what I had hoped for. Did I run and train too hard after the Tsali race? Was I still tired? I don't really know. What I did know is that I was hungrier than ever for a win and ready to crank it up a notch.

Next up was the Black Warrior 50k trail run in Alabama. It would be my first time at this event and I was psyched to give it a go. This time I had 4 weeks to recover from the last event and I think I trained a little smarter too. We started way faster than I wanted as we were lumped together with those running 2 shorter events. After a few miles I backed off the gas and regrouped. As I began to recover, I came upon the race leader who was becoming increasingly frustrated with the INTENSE mud and gunk. I used this opportunity to unleash a pretty solid 15-20 minute effort freeing myself for the remainder of the day. The course was really fun, following rolling terrain through pretty forests and a prescribed burn. The mud was challenging but frustrating and while I did slow significantly at the end, my time of 3:51:09 was good for a PR and a new COURSE RECORD! Yeehaa!

3 weeks later we traveled up to "Ole Kentuck" for the Land Between the Lakes 60k trail run. I was intent on breaking Eric Grossman's long standing course record and pocketing $800 for doing so. I felt like my fitness was there and more importantly I was hungry to make it happen. Unfortunately, much of the hunger dissolved a few miles into the event. My legs were absolutely SMOKED from trying 4 ultras in 10 weeks and the constant rains had turned the course into a giant freakin mud pit. The course- 3 loops of the Canal Loop was actually pretty runable for the first hour, as we were the first to hit it and the mtn bikes hadn't torn it up that week. Then after 100's of runners went through on multiple laps, it become increasingly more evident that this would not be the day. The footing became really tough, and cornering at high speeds, running downhill fast and even pushing off became difficult. I tried to suck it up and just get r done. Well, that is until I realized I might not even win the event. Because there are 4 different races going on (1-4 lap events) it is hard to figure out where you are in the race. With 1 lap to go I was told I was in 5th place. Holy crap! Now I was really frustrated. 1st the course record was gone and now I was getting dropped. I then became a man on a mission, digging to make every hill count, eventually catching the leader on one of the last climbs. I invited him and encouraged him to come with me, but I think that the late surge got the best of him. I suffered in to the finish line in 4:49 only 4 minutes off Grossman's record and the loot. OUCH!

Oh, did I mention that my wife Wendi took 1st place honors at Mtn Mist, Black Warrior (also a course record) and the LBL race? Winning 3 ultras in the span of 7 weeks! She is incredible!

Ok, so finally the racing is over. Early in the season I had decided that I would use the 4 events to "race" myself back into shape. So far so good. I knew that I would need a short break and then I wanted to really increase my mileage. Now don't expect to read about some kind of over the top Anton Krupicka type of mileage. For me (I've always been a low mileage kind of guy, often training for ultras on 30-50 mpw) that meant trying to double what I normally do and try to hit 70-80 mpw. While the first few weeks were tough, my body soon adapted to the increased stress. In fact, I was overwhelmed by how great I felt. My long runs also got better. Instead of doing back to back 15 milers on the weekends in between races, I was able to get a 30-50m run in just about every weekend. For the first time I begin to think that I might even be able to be competitive at the 100m distance instead of finishing hours behind the winner like I did at the 2007 TRT 100.

While most competitive 100m runners log 8-12 weeks of consistent 100-140m weeks, I just can't seem to make that happen. Having a full time job, a wife, 2 kids, tons of animals at the farm and leading weekend Climbing and Kayaking Trips just zap my time and honestly, they interest me more. I can't imagine spending less time with my family than I already do. That being said, I was able to string together a few solid weeks running in the 70-120 mile range. My last big week included an awesome trip to California with my wife to train at altitude in the mountains. We spent several day in Kings Canyon National Park before heading over to train on the TRT course. We had a blast just running, soaking in the rivers, eating and sleeping. We actually felt like athletes for a few days. Wendi got her first ever 100m week in and I felt great about what we were able to accomplish.

That pretty much brings things up to date. Now it's just time to chill, stay healthy and get focused. Lord willin and the creeks don't rise, I'll get a little Dale in my blood and get myself some TRT action. A big thanks are due to ROCK CREEK, PATAGONIA, LA SPORTIVA and Ultimate Directions for helping me out this year with their amazing products. Without them I would be racing in cut off jorts, some chucks, a truckers cap and an old syrup bottle.

Jamie Dial

I've got the hankerin' for some Doublemint Gum...

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of spending two (really three) days on the trail in what turned out to be some stellar running! I have done the "double" workout before, but this brought it to a whole new level for me. On May 1st, my good running friend, Mike Day, and I jumped in a car with his wife and three of his kids, and took off for the mountains! Our plan...to run for 24 hours on the AT starting at Wayah Bald heading south. Our goal...have fun and see just how far our legs and the trail would allow us to go!?! We had planned on starting at 6 pm on Friday from Wayah Bald, then run until 6 pm Saturday. We arrived at the summit parking lot at 5:30 and after a few minutes of tossing the football around with Mike's son's (Thomas, Kevin, and Sam) I started getting my things together. My crew person was to be another running friend coming in from Knoxville, Andrew Moore. Andrew was to meet Mike's wife, Melinda, at Winding Stair Gap 10 miles in, so that he could gather my things together as he was about to follow me through the night on my journey into Georgia. Sure enough, we cranked up our running at 6 pm on a cloudy evening and began our descent off of this beautiful bald. The wildflowers were everywhere, and even though there were still no leaves on the trees, the forest floor was quite lush. I was pumped to see the large flowered trillium in bloom, along with Mayapples, crested dwarf irises, and countless others that I didn't know the names of. I felt great and was cruising along at a good pace running almost every hill as I approached the side of Siler's Bald. I came around the corner and was somewhat startled to see Andrew sitting at the corner of the field! He had come up the trail to run with me into the first aid stop! We had a great time running, and the weather was perfect, even though some storms were looming overhead.

I didn't spend too long at Winding Stair Gap, and was quickly off on the trail again. I rounded a few corners on my climb out of there and started to smell the fresh soil. I absolutely love the smell of the mountains, but this fresh smell of soil was quite potent, and I couldn't figure out why until I rounded the next bend and saw over a dozen wild hogs running along the slopes below me! They stopped and snorted a bit, but did not act agressive, so I just softly spoke to them as I cruised on by. I was still feeling really good but was becoming slightly worried about my caloric intake as my stomach had been sloshin' around since Siler's Bald, and I couldn't figure out what was up. I ran up to Rock Gap just before dark, and made quick work of the aid stop there before taking off to head up Albert Mountain. This was an absolute blast, and even though it started raining fairly steadily, I was in good spirits, although still a little concerned about my stomach issues. I navigated the rocky descent from Albert quite carefully, given the wet surface, and came up on Mooney Gap where Andrew had a sweet set up for me with a tarp strung up for me to get dry (he rocked the house!!)! I spent a little bit more time here, as I knew had a longer stretch coming up along with a tough climb up Standing Indian Mountain. The rain grew more steady along this stretch, and although it was a bit foggy, I was still moving fairly consistently. After a brief bathroom pit stop near the summit of Standing Indian, I again bumped into Andrew on the trail! It was great to have him to run with off of the mountain, and before I knew it his car emerged from the mist and fog at Deep Gap.

Andrew was going to drop aid at Dick's Creek Gap, then drive to camp out and get some shut-eye on the other side of Tray Mountain at Tray Gap, so I left out of Deep Gap with my Ultimate Directions running pack filled with drink and goodies. I couldn't believe how technical the trail was after leaving Deep Gap, and my pace seemed to slow considerably given this tough climb through a virtual boulder field of a trail. Again with some stomach sloshiness, but laughing all the way as I was still having loads of fun! I was looking forward to my first step into Georgia. After that first technical mile or two, the rest of North Carolina was great and the roller coaster was a little more smooth. There was no mistaking the gnarled tree at Bly Gap, and I high-fived the NC/GA sign as I cruised on by! I arrived at Dick's Creek Gap pretty high on life, but pretty low on calories! My stomach sloshiness was finally fading, but the muscles in my quads were starting to feel a little beat up considering the amount of trail that had been forced to cover with very little fuel entering my system...as by now the thought of another gel or chew made me want to gag. It was 6:30 in the morning as I headed up the next big climb.

I marveled in the plethora of wildflowers that were presenting themselves in the morning light. I crossed my arms around behind my back and just started to enjoy this stroll through the woods. After a couple of hours, the climb was over, and I started to run some more, but my knees were having none of it, so I slowed to a hike again. I would repeat this pattern thousands of times over the next 7 miles or so, and it became increasingly frustrating. I soaked up the views when I finally arrived at the summit of Tray Mountain, being thrilled to be there, but I figured in my mind that this may be the last view of the day. I thudded with each step off of it's rocky summit letting out audible noises of pain with each footstrike. I saw Andrew at his car in the gap and ran the few switchbacks feigning comfort and confidence, but I knew that my adventure on the AT was over...17 hours and 62.4 miles from where it began! (Thanks to Matthew Johnson, who had also been enlisted aid help, for the ride home!)

Fastforward to Sunday afternoon, and I was enjoying sippin' on some of Asheville's finest brews while kicking my feet up in one of our deck chairs. As I listened to the wind blow through the leaves and some tunes reverberate through the speakers, I began to feel an aching in my legs. This, however, was not the type of aching that I would have expected, as the soreness had pretty much already subsided for the most part and I was feeling like I had recovered quickly from the 100k effort from a day ago. As I sat there, I began a self assessment as to what madness was creeping through my veins, and decided that it was the siren call of our mighty mountains! Alas, I longed to creep out into the forested night again and was already formulating another adventure in my mind. As I then walked along barefooted in the backyard with my dog, Duke, I also began to assess just how my body might handle another adventure on the trail. Everything appeared to be in good working order after having a "systems failure" on the AT. I had spent 17 hours sockless in my Asics Hyperspeeds on some pretty technical trail, so I also checked in on the "dogs" to see what their input might be...all good...well, we'll see!?!

At 4:30 a.m., I stepped out of my front door, again sockless, but this time in one of my all-time favorite shoes...my NB 152's. I put on some music and began down the road while This Might Destroy You's album, Young Mountain, was just cranking up...wow, that seemed pretty appropriate. It is only a mile from my house to the Mountains to Sea Trail, and then about 10 miles from there to the French Broad River, where I would begin up the infamous 18 mile Shut In Ridge Trail. The night air and the dirt underfoot felt great...yep, I was loving being back out on the trails! I was hoping to make it all the way to Mount Pisgah before my wife, Suzanne, would come and pick me up. It took a couple of hours to get in the groove, but shortly after that, I found myself heading through the rhododendren tunnel just off of Hwy 191 as I entered the beginning of the Shut In! I was hoping to make good time on the Shut In, and my legs were now feeling up to the task, so I muscled up the 20% grade in earnest. By this time more appropriate music was entering into the stratosphere between my ears...ah, Explosions In the Sky. Up we go!!The clouds were parting, the threat of rain receded, and I continued to run stronger. I was having a blast, then just before getting to Bent Creek Gap, I got a call from Suzanne (yes, I had to carry my cell phone on this adventure...oh well). Urgency set in, as the clock was now ticking, and I had some really tough miles to cover as she was getting ready to get in the car to come and get me. Fortunately she had a few errands to run before heading up the Parkway. I was doubtful at this point that I would make it to the Shut In "finish" before she would get me, and we had a busy day ahead of us (which would make it tough for me to convince her to continue following me up the trail). My left knee was starting to hurt a little bit on the downhills as well, but fortunately my journey was mostly uphill on my quest to Mt. Pisgah! I was still feeling refreshed to be out on the trail and couldn't believe that I was eating up the trail so quickly (considering that my legs were not "fresh" by any means). As I made my way through the rocky, serpentine-like trail between Mills River Overlook and Hwy 151, I began to think about the last "infamous" two miles of the Shut In. I called Suzanne just before approaching the Parkway crossing to find out that she was indeed heading towards the Parkway and would be "nose up" on the road in search for me in a matter of minutes! "I'll race ya" I said! I hung up the phone, threw a bunch of sport beans into my mouth, put my head down, and started cranking up the trail just past 151. I switched back to This Might Destroy You, which again seemed accurate, as this stretch of the trail is known to eat it's young, then spit them back out on the other side battered and bruised with tear stained cheeks! I just couldn't believe how good I felt, but made it hurt by giving it my all! Just before I began up the last super steep incline, this song came through the headphones (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htGmTJNsOr0&feature=related) and as the climax of the song crept closer, I crested the top of Little Pisgah and began my final descent! Oh the rush of leaping off of those final steps into the parking lot and letting out a cry of joy and exhaustion! 27 minutes for that last stretch! I was pumped!! I didn't see Suzanne (YES! I had outkicked the Odyssey), so I ran to Buck Creek Gap on the other side of the parking area and sprawled out in the grass with a big grin on my face! As my wonderful wife pulled into the parking space behind me, I was sitting there soaking up the views and wondering about this fascinating Creation that we have so little time to marvel in...that of these wonderful mountains, hills, and valleys...and that of the human body! Here's to the shedding off of those worldly limitations, and here's to taking a chance with everything that you've got! peace.adam

Collegiate Peaks 50 Miler

I went up to Buena Vista, Colorado last weekend to get my race season going as everything is finally melting out after a snowy spring.  The area is probably better known to the boating crowds from Rock/Creek Down Under but with several fourteeners and hundreds of miles of trails (including the Colorado Trail) it is a sweet running or hiking destination (also a good Disco destination if you head to the local watering hole on Wednesday nights). As I drove into town Friday night I relived some old memories from the several summers that I guided raft trips on the Arkansas River. The race itself is a combo 25 mile and 50 mile event, with the 50 milers turning around and repeating the same loop in the opposite direction.  The course is mainly on four wheel drive roads with several miles of single track and a few of pavement.  It starts at 8000 feet and has around 5-6000 ft of climbing with some decent climbs.  

The race began at the end of Main Street by the river and with a few quick words from the race director we were off into the cold, foggy morning.  I settled into my pace and took in the mountain and river views.  The weather was cool and overcast for most of the morning; it just felt good to be out there running.  At the turnaround there was another 50 miler, Nick Clark (a UK transplant living in Fort Collins) right behind me me and a few others within a few minutes. There was a brief moment as I crossed the river and saw the town play hole that I was thinking "Maybe I should have brought my kayak and only done the 25 miler..."  Then I remembered that post-run ice baths feel warm compared to the Arkansas River in May.  After the turnaround we had a several mile climb up out of the river and for the next 10 miles Nick stayed about 30 seconds or so back, and we put 15-20 minutes on the 3rd and 4th place guys.  Right before the 38 mile aid station he caught me, and we chatted for a bit as we rolled into refuel.  He then put a few steps on me, but I started to feel really good (or really stupid) and decided that I should make a move on the next big climb.  I passed Nick and kept running steady and soon put some distance between us.  I didn't see him as I came into the last aid station at mile 44 so I chomped down a gel and headed for the finish.   The final few miles parallel the river on roads and single track, and apart from the headwind I felt pretty good, although I'm pretty sure they added a few extra miles than when I ran the same stretch at the start of the race (just like at the StumpJump when Dawson and the gang somehow make the parking lot in front of Signal Mtn High School longer at the finish).  I came into the finish at 6:58, five minutes off Tony Krupicka's CR from 2007 and the second fastest time in race history.  Nick came in a few minutes later at 7:03 and third place, Bryan Goding, came in at 7:37.  All in all, it was a good race and I was happy with the result.  The race was my first since StumpJump last year so I was anxious to see how my fitness for Bighorn was coming along.  Besides, with my brother moving back here in a few weeks, I'd better be fit so we can pound each other down.  Now, I just need to find a little polyester to wear to Disco night.

Gear list for race:

Patagonia Nine Trails jacket

Patagonia Silkweight T

Patagonia Nine trails shorts

Smartwool PhD ultralight running socks

Pearl Izumi Synchroseek III running shoes

Nathan waist pack

Ultimate Directions handheld bottle

--John

2009 Oak Mountain 50K

A clear crisp day greeted all 125 starters at the 2009 Oak Mountain 50K on March 21 in Pelham, Alabama. The true distance is a closely guarded secret, but one local says about 33 miles, around 29 of which is single track, some quite rocky/technical/menacing. “All starters” included Rock/Creek team members Matt Sims, Natalie Sims, Kathy Johns, Chad Wamack and Matt Karzen. Chad and I settled into a nice sane pace for the first couple miles, joined soon by Natalie Sims who materialized on our heels within a mile. The three of us ran together, thoroughly enjoying the morning glint of sun off the fogged lake, to the first aid station at mile 8-ish. About 2 miles later, I was right behind Chad, watching his feet and the rocky trail, when I saw his right ankle fold/roll to the outside – it hurt just to watch it, so I KNOW it hurt Chad. Chad soldiered on for a while, but the trail is pretty rocky with lots of ups and downs, so eventually he had to slow. For the next 4 or so miles, Natalie set the pace, which was assertive (she is a pusher, no doubt). About mile 14, we dropped steeply into the base of Peavine Falls, crossed the creek, and climbed the vertical wall to the other side and the 2nd aid station. I knew the upcoming 7 mile stretch was a good place to make some time, so I throttled up a bit here and passed several people, including one poor guy who did a chest plant on the sketchy fast descent to the aid station at mile 21. This aid station is where things can come a bit unhinged at this race, because it’s the start of a long and deceivingly relentless climb up a wide trail/road. This year, however, I had renewed inspiration and strength from Matt Sims’ ongoing motivational coaching tidbits. I also had some super comfy Salomon XT Wings, so my feet and my mind were right. I pressed the long climb back to Peavine in under an hour, making a couple more passes and gapping those in pursuit, to enter the last aid station in 11th place. I was pretty haggard and starting to tighten up a good bit, but the last 6 miles or so are either downhill or gentle rollers, so I continued to push as best I could – it did hurt. I caught and passed one more competitor, but two guys I had passed earlier caught me and opened a 45 second gap – I just could not keep up or close it back. I crossed the finish line in 5:25 and 12th overall. Matt Sims, as is his routine these days, ran up front from the get-go, ultimately killing it with a 4:44 and a 3rd place overall – yet another stellar performance for him. Natalie and Kathy finished solid as the 4th and 7th females, respectively, logging strong miles in preparation for their upcoming 100 miler in the process. Chad wisely withdrew at mile 21 to begin the recovery process for his ankle, which was deep purple and quite swollen when I saw him at the finish area, but I know he will get that thing healthy and be back huge soon for his 100. Overall yet another wonderful day of running at what is an outstanding and well-run event.

Mississippi 50

My strategy for this race was a lot different than the previous year...looking at the entry list, I hardly recognized any of the names that might be in contention. There were certainly perennial runners there from the state that I knew of, but none that had posted results lately. Having come off the RR100 attempt 4 weeks earlier and then squeezing in another big mileage week, I knew my legs were not going to produce the fastest result, but my endurance level was very high, giving me confidence that, unless one of these guys is going to come out bucking, I had a good chance for a two-peat.
So off we went at 6am into the fog- and smoke-filled air (from the scheduled forest burnings). The day was guaranteed to be a hot one, the hottest so far for the year, and it did not disappoint. So back to the strategy...My plan was to go out blazing on the first of three loops, and stretch out the guys behind, making them work hard and be as uncomfortable as I was. I went out on the first loop with the eventual winner of the 50k, and our loop split was a 2:06. After flying through the aid stop, I took off again, and eventually settled into a more comfortable pace, knowing that if the rest wanted the win, they would have to work now in the heat to make upo the time. On the loop, there are two out-and-back sections, so at each one I could gauge the guys behind. The first time I saw them, I thought I might be in trouble.
There were two pairs, both of which looked to be enjoying themselves..which is not what I was hoping for...at the second out-and-back I looked at my watch and got a split on the first group of trailers...16 minutes...ok, now I felt a bit better, but knew that I was running out of steam, and that the last loop would be crucial. So as the temp rose to above 80, off I went on loop 3. Felt good until about 3 miles left, and the bottom fell out. I coulodn't absorb any water, and the heat was kicking my tail, but I pressed on, determined to finish this thing out as hard as I could, even if that meant to the detrement of my now frizzled legs. As I got to the turn around of the last out-and-back on the loop, I anxiously counted the time until the 2nd place guy came...but he never did. I finished up my last loop with my slowest split, but knew that I had done what it took for the day, and I knew that I had done my best.
As always, the Salomon S-Labs did the trick! Still the best light debris trail shoe I have worn...and the Patagonia shirt gave me no issues whatsoever, and cooled me off when the wind blew, which rocked! A HUGE shout to Kris Whorton! She freakin' killed it! Just check out her last lap split! It was great to see both the Whorton's out there! Thanks to all the guys at Rock Creek for the support, and it is a pleasure to be a part of the team!