2012 is finally over and its time to focus on the new year. Since this is a running blog, that's what I will focus on. 2012 racing didn't pan out like I had hoped. There were definitely some solid races and some PR's but we all have that ONE focus race. My 2012 focus race was Wasatch. Ironically that was also my last post. After the disappointing run in September it took some time to recover both physically and mentally. The physical part seems good (hamstring feels pretty nice) the mental part is still a little bruised. I did run the Zion Traverse and the Antelope 50k but they were both with little expectations. The Zion run was definitely a great time. No times, no pressure and lots of fun and friends. Antelope 50k went much better than I expected. A great race send off and may have lifted the spirits just a little.
For 2013, I obviously have some goals in running. The race schedule is filling up quickly and my calendar is looking good! No luck with Western or Hardrock lotteries but I am holding out hope for Wasatch. To the right I have posted my 2013 schedule and I am very excited. I will be returning to some of my favorite familiar races and trying a few new ones. There are a few 100's and the spotlight run is not even a race. It is Softrock- 3 days 100 miles on the Hardrock 100 course with Scott Jaime as the tour guide.
In the "off-season" I have focused on strength training a bit with friends at Bomber Athlete. Tried to slow down the running to let the hammy heal properly all the while nervous I was losing my fitness.
For the new year I really want to do a much better job of focusing on consistency and even blogging. Why blogging? It makes me more accountable and helps me track and see what works and what doesn't.
My secret weapon- HUMR's! The Happy Utah Mountain Runners are the key. The keep everything fun and keep me accountable. I enjoy them and they help me just enjoy it when I may not.
The PI Ultra Team has gone through some changes for 2013 and I will be stepping away and no longer be the Team Director. 6 years ago the team was an idea and I had no idea what it would become. I am very proud of what we did and enjoyed it very much.
In 2013 I will be running under the HUMR Ultra Team banner. A small group of like-minded people who love the trails. We collected some great sponsors and some help. We got some great kits and we will be having an amazing time this year so keep your eyes open people.
So 2013, I am gonna push it. See what i am capable of but focusing on the journey.
I look forward to seeing some familiar faces in Moab this February and seeing some sweet single track all year!
For 2013- If your Dreams don't scare you, they are not BIG enough!- Dream Big!
Showing posts with label Races. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Races. Show all posts
Friday, January 4, 2013
Friday, February 24, 2012
Moab Red Hot 55k Report
Photo: Compliments of UltrAspire
I tossed and turned all night long, apparently the lasagna just didn’t agree with me. When the alarm finally went off I was still in bad shape. Not only was I worried about a week’s worth of shin splints but now my stomach wasn’t being friendly. I tried to take care of that issue before we left to the start but no luck. Showing up to the start line in Moab is always a joyous occasion. So many familiar faces that you haven’t seen since the fall are all there with grins from ear to ear. I wandered around a bit saying hello and found my place at the start line. The thought was to go out at a decent clip and see if I could get myself to throw up. When the RD said GO, we were off. After about 20 yards I realized that taking first place wasn’t going to happen. After about 30 yards I realized a podium spot was just out of reach too. Dang! Oh well, time to find a rhythm and go. The first 20 miles were pretty uneventful. I locked into a solid pace and though at times it was just a bit faster than I wanted, I wanted to treat this as a long training run but also take a few chances. About mile 21-22 is when the grind up the red rock starts and ironically is when my shin splints kicked in for the first time. I looked at my watch and knew I was primed to go sub 6 which was my goal. I have run this race 3 other times and knew the downhill starting about mile 26 was a point where I always made up time. SPOILER ALERT! - This year would be different. The red rock was bringing me to my knees with pain in my shins. By the time I hit the downhill I was in bad shape. I could not take the pounding on my favorite part of the course. I knew I needed some things to change if I would hit my goal. For the next 4-5 miles I became a slave to my watch. I looked down continually and tried to do math in my head to predict my finish time. It wasn’t until I knew that a sub 6 was out of reach that I quite looking. For about a mile or so I was a little bummed but that soon passed when I started to think about the year I had in store. Was this my goal race? No. Was this going to determine my season? No. Was this race going to set the tone for 2012? No. SO I decided to cruise in and play an all too familiar game. Near the end of a race I like to watch the runner in front of me. If they turn around to check where I am, when that happens the game begins. When I see that, I tell myself- pass them. So there are races when I hope they don’t turn cause I don’t want to go faster but today I needed the fun. Well it happened to only 3-4 people but it worked. I came through the finish line in 6:17- 43 minutes faster than last year but 17 minutes short of my goal. This tells me 2 things- training is getting better and I still have a long way to go. Luckily I get to train with some of the best people I know so it’s easy to get out the door. Overall I consider Moab a success- a good place to start. I already look forward to next year on the Red Rock. Congrats to all my friends on their day. It was great to see so many people I know. I am already looking forward to the Buffalo Run 50 miler in a few short weeks. As for the shin splints- there still there but if I ever ran pain free I may be in too much shock to run.
As for some details…. I used my amazing UltrAspire Isomeric Pocket handheld bottle to carry straight water (it was a balmy 60+ degrees during this one). For nutrition I used First Endurance Liquid Shot mixed with EFS drink and water. I combine 3 ounces of liquid shot with one scoop of EFS powder and top off the 10 oz flask with water- PERFECT! My energy and hydration were spot on all day. No issues at all. After the race and before the beer I chugged down a bottle of Ultragen-cappucino style!
Photo compliments of UltrAspire
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Wasatch 100 2011 Race Report
(The best game face I have)
Read all about it! Wasatch 100 2011 is in the books. It took me a few days to finish up the report because I needed it to sink in. Not sure it has still but if I wait too long I may forgot some good schtuff. This report may be a little lengthy but it is my blog so I can do what I want…right? Okay, we agree and now we can move on.
Leading up to the race I was pretty nervous. I wasn’t feeling very confident for a few reasons. One- I had to take off the month of July due to my separated shoulder. Two- I DNF’d at the Swan Crest 100 in July of 2010 and not sure I recovered mentally from that. Three- I hadn’t run longer than 47 miles since my Grand Canyon Rim 2 Rim 2 Rim slog in April. August proved to be a great month of training- probably my best month ever. I got in some quality running, great hiking and lost 20 pounds. The days leading up to the start I made sure I was getting all my plans in order and my gear ready. I didn’t want to share my goals too widely because I didn’t want the added pressure. I didn’t post on my blog for the same reasons.
As my wife and I drove to the 5 am start time I began to process some things and discuss something that had been on my mind for a few days. I had been receiving quite a few texts, emails, phone calls and post on Facebook and Twitter wishing me luck. The reason it was consuming my thoughts was because some were from people I have never met and some from people that I haven’t seen in years. For so many people to take the time out of their day to send a quick little- “Good Luck” or “we’ll be following online” was pretty moving. I was actually very surprised and must admit it felt pretty nice. So thank you to everyone who help lift my spirits. As I parked and got ready for the start, memories of my 2008 Wasatch came rushing back. It was all too familiar and it sure hadn’t seemed like 3 years ago. I saw some friends and we all exchanged our well wishes. I joined the herd and awaited the start.
3-2-1 and we were off. I knew we had to cover some trail before it filed down to a conga line and we would begin our climb after Fernwood. I knew I wanted to get out a little quicker so I could make better time up to the top and through Chinscaper. The climb was pretty slow and go with so many people lining the mountainside. The wind was picking up but the temps were already into the 70’s. After the climb up Chinscraper we hit some very overgrown singletrack. The late snow melt made it nearly impossible for the trail to get worked on before the race and it made it a bit slower for me.
I got into Francis Peak about 30 minutes faster than 2008 and was feeling good. I got the pleasure of meeting Jeff from PA and ran with him for 4-5 miles. It was his first hundred miler (Jeff finished in 32 hours!- great job!). As I approached Francis Peak I hear a familiar voice yell out- “come on Manners”. Huh? Who was up here? None other than Mr. Rick Robinson- the guru of ultra crewing. Rick knows more about Ultras than most of the runners. He has been crewing his son-in-law for years at some of the greatest ultras in the US. He had my drop bag laid out and reminded me to make sure I was eating. It was such a mental lift to see him. It was only 20 miles into the race but man was it much needed. Rick got me out of there pretty quick and I was on my way to the Bountiful B. This has some pretty amazing views but I don’t care for a few of its climbs. I arrived at the “B” ahead of my 2008 times but I wasn’t about to look at my splits yet. I was in and out of there pretty quick. After I left the “B” my focus shifted from running to finding a nice little spot in the woods to take care of some business. Little did I know I would need to take care of business a whopping 13 times over the next 75 miles. Sure made for a long(er) day!
It was pretty uneventful through the next few sections other than finding some nice hidden spots in the woods. I felt good and my legs seemed to be in good shape. The only issues I was having was with my left big toe. Earlier in the race on some very over grown single track I decided to go back to my soccer days apparently as I tried to kick a 20+ pound rock. It felt like my big toe just exploded but I was pretty apprehensive to look. Uphill and flat sections it felt fine but going down was pretty painful. Lucky for me the last 75 miles there was almost no downhill…..HA!
(Weighing in at Big Mountain)
When I pulled into Big Mountain I felt good. I got to see my family and this is where I picked up my first pacer- Alicia. This was also the first weigh in on the course. The scale showed I was down 10 pounds after 39.4 miles. The volunteers barked at me to start eating more or they would make me. My nutrition and hydration had been spot on all day so I really didn’t want to mess with that in any way. My crew took great care of me and had me back on the course in no time. I shared some thoughts with Alicia to make sure we were on the same page. She did AWESOME. Over the next 2 sections I felt fantastic! I ran pretty hard and felt great.
(Kids giving me love before I left Big Mtn)
Pulling into Lamb’s I was running strong and the legs were working like a charm. As I came up the hill I saw my next pacer- Breein and she was all smiles. I went through the weigh in and was down 2 more pounds (12 total after 53 miles). I leapt off the scale and tried to get lost in the crowd so they wouldn’t say anything. Breein got me all taken care of for the next section and my wife and kids got me fueled and motivated. Alicia did such a great job over those 2 sections. Her first pacing duties and she definitely earned and “A” from me!
(Pacer exchange- Breein (L) Alicia (R)- Alicia doing a Popeye impression)
Breein did an amazing job getting me up over Bear Ass Pass and into Millcreek. She made sure we kept a pretty good pace and she kept my mind occupied. I was starting to feel a little heavier in the legs but not bad considering. Once we hit the road to Millcreek I walked. My toe was killing after a nice downhill section from the pass and it felt like I developed a good blister on my heal. Breein was very patient with me as we continued to walk up the longest road on the planet!
Once into Millcreek I decided to sit down and take care of a few things. Up to this point I had tried to get in and out of the aid stations fairly quick. I changed my socks (my left big toe was sticking out and looked pretty sweet!). It also revealed a nice blood blister on my left heal as well. Since both my pacers are nurses- yep certified nurses- they took care of my blister and patched me back up. Melony did a great job of making sure I got my socks changed (Sami and her actually cleaned my feet) and got my cold weather stuff for the night ahead. I could of swore I was an Indy car at points of this race- it was awesome! Mentally I think I started to shift here as well. My legs were starting to get more tired, the trip to the port-o-johns and the woods were really taking their toll and my feet were starting to show signs of going south. My wife and kids gave me words of encouragement and parted by saying- “see you at the finish tomorrow”…..bitter sweet for me- seeing them at the finish- sweet, the fact it wouldn’t be until “tomorrow”- bitter!
(Sitting at Millcreek while Melony and Sami clean my nasty feet-fantastic smile and hair—eh?)
Breein was still with me as we made the trudge to Brighton. I wanted to run but it just didn’t feel like a good idea. Going into the race I had a real vague game plan- run when you can and when you can’t….don’t. Breein was a champ as she literally pulled me to Deso Lake and then up to Scotts Pass and down to Brighton. The descent to Brighton was on the road but we actually made pretty good time and it was just a beautiful night out! We pulled into “the morgue” and I must say I felt 1000% better than 2008. In 2008 I spent over 1 hour 30 minutes in a race induced coma before I got up and crawled to the finish. This time was different. My stomach was starting to go but man I was happy to be there and be able to function on my own. I thanked Breein for all she did (which was a ton) and said hello to the man that was going to get me to the finish- Larry. Larry answered the call to show up at Brighton in the wee morning hours and get me to the finish.
As we left Brighton I told Larry it may take me awhile from here since things were starting to rally against me. He got me up to Catherine’s Pass before we went down the nasty section to Ant Knolls. At Ant Knolls I grabbed a pancake with nothing on it to hopefully serve as a sponge in my stomach. I was hoping it could settle everything going on in there. The grind out of Ant Knolls…SUCKS! Poor Larry is training for the Bear 100 in a couple weeks and thought he was getting in a nice 25 mile run…surprise Larry- we were hiking. I couldn’t gather the zest to get my legs going. I wanted to run but just didn’t have the energy. The sun came up and we both had our heads on a swivel looking at how the sunrise kissed the mountains. Ahh---this is life I thought until I realized what the hell I was doing and how far I still had to go. The calming thought for me at this point was I was confident I would at least finish. That was a good feeling. At Pole Line my stomach was worse. I was starting to feel more nauseous and knew my goal of a sub 30 was gone but my back up plan was sub 32. After all, it took me 34 hours and 51 minutes in 2008 so a sub 32 is definitely an improvement. Here Larry handed me a ginger chew. I have seen them and heard great things about them but I hate ginger. I thought I might as well give it a shot. I sucked on it for a good 45 minutes and by damn if that little sucker didn’t calm my stomach. SA-WEET- tasted nasty but worked. It was still slow and go and I kept apologizing to Larry- he wanted to run and I just couldn’t. I think I was now in survival mode. We hit Rock Springs and I sat down for a minute to gather a little composure before we went out on the nastiest, scariest and most intimidating part of the course…for me at least. The last miles of the Wasatch 100 has quite a reputation and in 2008 it lived up to it with me and crushed me!
I wish I could put into words the last 12-13 miles but there is no way I could do it justice. As Larry and I approached the plunge and dive I started doing some math in my head. I looked at my split card and Rock Springs and saw just how far off I had gotten for a sub 30 (my goal). I accepted a sub 32 but then I started to think a sub 31 was in the cards. Here is where I really feel my dad came into to play major role. I lost my dad 7 years ago and he never got to see me run. I wasn’t that crazy in the head….. yet. As I approached that nasty descent a thought came in…..what if I tried to get to Pot Bottom fast as I could and then see where I was with 7 miles to go? I told myself to pull up a recliner in the pain cave cause I was going to have to get “really comfortable at being uncomfortable” (obviously not my saying but it s spot on). I knew I was going to have to endure some major aches and pains this next section, maybe more than I have ever felt before. I took a leap of faith and was off. I was pushing the red line for most of this section and I kept looking down at my watch. I was passing people through here and they all looked shocked. I had my head down and had one thing on my mind. I kept thinking about my goal- sub 30 and how truly close I was. What if I never run Wasatch again, what if I never get this close again, what if, what if, what if….. I kept repeating all the neat little mantras I could. Partly for motivation but also to keep my mind off how much I hurt:
Why are you here?
Can I give more…YES!
Go out there and see who you are?
Before I knew it I was at Pot Bottom. I looked at my watch- 9:13 am. Yikes, I had 1 hour and 45 minutes to cover 7 miles. Looking at that you would just think- no problem. Heck a 12 minute a mile pace is 1 hour 24 minutes. I can do that. Reality check- I had already run 93 miles and the last 6 were absolutely brutal. The next section isn’t much easier on the quads or jacked up feet. I refilled my bottle and told the guy I needed to go. He asked- “you going for a sub 30.” I replied- “gonna try”- he said- “think you can do it, you gotta go hard.” I said- “we will know within the next 2 hours.”
I really felt I had my life passing through my mind here. So many people have helped me get to this place and now it was up to me. I thought of my family and everything they need to put up with, my pacers who took time from their family and lives to come and aid a friend, all the well wishers who took time from their lives to shoot me some encouragement, past experiences of pain and triumph, my training friends who helped me get to the start line and lastly…ME. I wanted this. I really wanted this. More than ever I wanted this. It was my chance to prove a little something to myself. My chance to put my one and only DNF to rest. My chance to erase some negativity if only for awhile. I made a commitment to myself that right then and there I was going to hurt more than anyone else to go sub 30. It was time to attack the course that crushed me 3 years ago.
Well, I DID IT! Final section 1 hour 30 minutes. I crossed the finish line in 29:46.30. I covered the last 2 sections in 3 hours and 10 minutes. My kids came sprinting over to me and all the pain was gone if only for a moment, I heard people cheering but I never looked up. I was talking to my last and final pacer of the day- my dad.
I realize that it was a trail race. I realize it took me 29 +hours (but not 30 :)). I realize I came through in 76th place. I realize I was 9+ hours slower than 1st place. But I PR'd it by 5 hours! I also realize I learned something from it and after all, isn’t that why we do it?
I want to congratulate all the people who toed the line and especially my friends who ran it- BJ Burlison (sub 30) - his 1st ever 100 miler, this kid has talent and I was so happy to see him already finished. Jim Skaggs- Mr. 2011 Grand Slammer!
Thanks to my pacers- Alicia, Breein and Larry. I couldn't have done it without you 3. You were all so amazing!!!! Thanks to everyone who cheered me on from where ever you are. Thanks to everyone who believed in me even when I didn't. And to my family- there is nothing more I can say that hasn’t been said. This was for you- our team! I know I am truly a lucky guy. Not sure why or how but I am so thankful to be surrounded by such amazing people. Pride filled me after the race not just for the time but because I am proud to know all of you and call you my friends...thank you............
Gathering my composure at the finish line (above)
(At the finish line. Never thought I could feel that good after 100 miles of Heaven and Hell!)
Ahh….the material reward!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Moab Red Hot 55k Race Report
Me crossing finish line: Video by Jim Skaggs
Woke up nice and early to make sure I was all stretched out and ready to go. I have fallen into a ritual stretching routine that helps me feel pretty loose and ready to roll from the start. I made my way down the hall to meet Jim Skaggs and his wife who graciously hauled me to the start so my wife and kids could sleep in. At the start the old race juices started flowing. The wind was really blowing and I could tell it was going to be one of those unpredictable weather days. As I meandered around at the start to see some faces and give some - "good lucks" I started to remember how I was probably not quite ready for 34 miles. Once we took off I fell into a nice comfortable pace and knew that the first 17ish miles were pretty runnable and I wanted to make sure I kept a good pace. After all my longest run to this point was 18 miles so at about 20 anything could happen. I felt pretty solid up to about miles 19-20 at that point my groin and hip flexor really started to stiffen up. As we rolled through aid stations I could see a group of runners that I would most likely flip flop with the rest of the day. I decided to take it easy over all the red rock up and downs and try not to aggravate the groin anymore more and then try to push to the end.
At one of the aid stations while I was fumbling with some gels I hit a button on my watch and essentially turned of my chrono. A few miles later I realized it wasn't on so I had no idea what my time was. Once I hit the last little climb on the course I decided to go for broke. I knew I had about 4-5 miles until the finish and I knew it was runnable so I told myself to go for it. I went through the first mile basically getting a stride going and finding the best way to run with a stiff groin. Once I figured it our I picked it up even more. I actually felt good and got my breathing in synch so the last couple miles were really enjoyable. If it wasn't for the head wind all day long I know the times would have been much better across the board- mine included. So after I crossed the line there was definitely a few moments of disappointment but after seeing my family I realized it was time for a much needed family vacation in Moab.
Overall I realize where I am for the year and though my time was slow, I really can't expect too much more unless I want to put a heck of a lot more into it. The first 19 were great and the last 4 felt solid. So that in between part needs to go. One thing for sure is I love the trails. They may not love me as much but they will.
One special thing about race day that stayed in my thoughts- my dad. He passed away 6 years ago to the day of the race. I really felt I was spending some quality time with him and my thoughts. He never got to see me run the trails (he passed before I even started) but I know he would have loved the stories of the places I have been. Although I was slow and missed my goal, the time with him was priceless.
Miss ya pops!
Monday, August 2, 2010
SwanCrest 100 Report- DNF
I am going with 2 versions of the Swan Crest 100 race report. One will be short and sweet and the second will be longer with some details.
Report #1- Short and Sweet
I DNF’d at mile 68.7. No injuries, no bears- just feel like shit now mentally, not too bad physically.
Report #2- Long with some details.
First and foremost I can’t say enough about what Brad and the Swan Crest gang pulled off for their first year. This was a truly amazing event and experience. Great time had by all and came away with a few more trail friends. In my opinion this is a must do race.
To the race- the pre race meeting took place at Hammer Nutrition headquarters in Whitefish, MT. From the check in you could see the Swan Crest mountain range. The basic overview- “look down there as far as you can see then follow the ridgeline to here- that’s pretty much it- 100 miles.” Ya right! Don’t forget to go up then down then up then down then over some trees then under some trees the around some trees and don’t forget that the huckleberries are starting to come on so bears are an issue. Hmmm, easy enough? After watching the “what to do if Bears attack” video, we mingled a bit then left to get some shut eye.
Woke up at 4 am Friday morning (thank Brad the RD for letting me crash on his floor) in order to get ready to meet the shuttle bus to the start an hour away in Swan Crest. Loaded the Hammer Nutrition van with about 10 other suckers and we were off. As we took the drive it was fun to hear so many ultra stories from around the country. Out of the 10 runners in the van I believe there were 6 states represented. Sure made me even more intimidated hearing all the experience knowing this was my 2nd 100 ever- Wasatch 2008 as the first. The bus unloaded and we had about 30 minutes until the start. There were 44 runners in the inaugural race and I felt very lucky to be one of them. As the race started we headed out for a few miles on a road before we took a turn up an old dirt road. Unbeknownst to me this was about the only true runable section with any distance to think of. After about 10 miles we can to the first aid station and I was feeling pretty good. It was early but I just felt great. After we left there we had about 9 miles to Napa Point Aid Station through some crazy and fun trail/bushwhacking. The single-track started and it was gorgeous! Take away the stinging nettle and the fact the growth was head high and you couldn’t see your feet- this was great. We were warned that this section was overgrown and to be on the lookout for bears. After about 100 yards we came across our first bear crap on the day- right in the middle of the trail. Wow, starting to hit home now. After we “saw a clearing” I thought we might be able to push a bit but no dice. There was at least one mile of avalanche debris and it was tough. There was no trail to speak of and you literally had to hop over, on and around some crazy intense deadfall. When we finally left the debris field I notice my bib number was ripped clean off my shorts. We got back to a trail and headed up which would turn into a common theme for the day. More miles and more bear scats latter we found our way to Napa Point. There would be a small out and back section here to get us on our way for the next 25 miles before another aid station. Going into Napa Point I was about 10 or 11 back from the front and still feeling pretty good but like the saying goes- “if you are feeling good in an ultra- don’t worry it will change soon enough” and it did!
The next 25 miles pretty much set the tone for the rest of my race. We were essentially on the ridgeline of the mountains and it was hot. When we passed through a burn section the temps seem to rise by 10 degrees. We came upon the first clear run off and I filled up my pack and bottle and trekked forward. I thought if I keep hitting these until Six Mile AS (#3) then I would be in great shape but after a while I started to realize that I was going to be in trouble with my hydration unless we found another creek soon. I didn’t find one soon enough and I was dry! Nothing for almost 2 hours. No water, gel, calories, food, electrolytes…AN YTHING! I could feel the energy slowly dwindle and my mouth and throat got really dry. As people passed they too were dry and we shared some glares but we knew there was nothing we could do but hope for a creek. I started to cramp everywhere. By the time we hit the next creek for water I was in a bad place. I just kept one foot in front of the other and finally made it to Six Mile. Once there I got some coke and tried to find something to eat but my stomach didn’t want anything. I sat for about 20 minutes trying to get my wits and I must say without a few individuals from the volunteer crew this stop may have lasted a lot longer. From here we had to go straight up to a peak 1.5 mile away and grab a playing card and jet back down. The way up was not bad and once we hit the top, I got an instance shot of adrenaline. The views were incredible! I grabbed my 8 of hearts and hauled ass back to the aid station. I made some good time and before I knew it I was at the aid station and ready to leave before dark. I caught up with another guy and we slowly plodded to Quintokken AS. It was starting to get dark and the footing was getting sketchy. We made a turn down a long trail with some overgrowth and we say a shadow coming towards us. We both stopped and went for the bear spray. As the figure got closer we started making noise and yelling but we got no response- then I heard a familiar sound of trekking poles. It was a runner who had been lost for a couples hours with no water and no light source. He was an older gentleman and he was in bad shape. He had no idea where he was and was heading the wrong way. He wanted to go back to the last aid station since he said he missed it but with his condition he wasn’t going to make it in the dark. I told him to come with us to AS #5 and not to worry about the race. He reluctantly agreed so I handed him my headlamp and pulled out a small handheld flashlight for me. This took a long time. It was hard to keep him moving and making sure he got across a couple river crossing. When we hit the aid station, Brad the RD was there so I told him about the situation. Due to all the circumstances they made sure he didn’t go any farther and his race was done. I sat with him at the fire to make sure he was okay and we exchanged some very kind words. It was great to see him the next day and he even introduced me to his daughter and granddaughter who were there. At AS #5 I met back up with Jim and he waited for me to get some food and we headed out for the next 16 miles in the dark. This was pretty slow and go section, we stopped a few times to enjoy the night and even caught about 10 minutes of shut eye. It was great to be back on the trail with a familiar and coherent person. A few miles out of Broken Leg aid station we heard a large crashing in the bush and we both froze. Not sure what it was I made more noise and we slowly and cautiously kept going in the dark. We finally hit Broken Leg and we were done. We probably wouldn’t have made the next cut off and we both agreed that going 5 more miles to Strawberry was not the right choice. I couldn’t believe I just DNF’d. As disappointed as I was I had no idea it would only get worse. We sat in the aid station for about an hour before we got a ride to the finish. After a shower and seeing the sun, things started to set in. As I watched the few finishers come across- 20 out of 44 finished, I was starting to get more and more disappointed. I was hesitant to call my wife and kids since I felt I failed and let them down. Even as I write this and relive those moments, I am disappointed. 68.7 miles out of 100 wasn’t my goal. No words can explain the race and I am left with some great moments but an empty feeling as well. I know people DNF and many are the ones I look up to in this gig but to finally have it happen to me- that’s different right? Not sure how I am gonna rebound or how long it will take but I know I will be go back next year to see if I can finish that beast. There were many experienced 100 mile runners there and the consensus was pretty much the same- this is one tough son of a bitch. There were some Wasatch finishers there (myself included) and we all seem to think that this was harder. It was remote, you had to take maps, bear spray and be willing to not run most of the course. It didn’t have the elevation as some of those tougher races- about 22,000’ but all you did was go up then go down and repeat…A LOT.
The race and local are beautiful. This race is a true gem and the first 100 miler in Montana. Hats off to everyone there and the local folks were very gracious. This is not a race for everyone and maybe not even me but if you want a true test- this will give it to you.
So bottom line- DNF. No excuses and no blames. I just didn’t get it done. Next up??? Maybe the Grand Teton 50 then shut it down for the year. Thought about doing the Bear but I am thinking I may just pace or crew.
Report #1- Short and Sweet
I DNF’d at mile 68.7. No injuries, no bears- just feel like shit now mentally, not too bad physically.
Report #2- Long with some details.
First and foremost I can’t say enough about what Brad and the Swan Crest gang pulled off for their first year. This was a truly amazing event and experience. Great time had by all and came away with a few more trail friends. In my opinion this is a must do race.
To the race- the pre race meeting took place at Hammer Nutrition headquarters in Whitefish, MT. From the check in you could see the Swan Crest mountain range. The basic overview- “look down there as far as you can see then follow the ridgeline to here- that’s pretty much it- 100 miles.” Ya right! Don’t forget to go up then down then up then down then over some trees then under some trees the around some trees and don’t forget that the huckleberries are starting to come on so bears are an issue. Hmmm, easy enough? After watching the “what to do if Bears attack” video, we mingled a bit then left to get some shut eye.
Woke up at 4 am Friday morning (thank Brad the RD for letting me crash on his floor) in order to get ready to meet the shuttle bus to the start an hour away in Swan Crest. Loaded the Hammer Nutrition van with about 10 other suckers and we were off. As we took the drive it was fun to hear so many ultra stories from around the country. Out of the 10 runners in the van I believe there were 6 states represented. Sure made me even more intimidated hearing all the experience knowing this was my 2nd 100 ever- Wasatch 2008 as the first. The bus unloaded and we had about 30 minutes until the start. There were 44 runners in the inaugural race and I felt very lucky to be one of them. As the race started we headed out for a few miles on a road before we took a turn up an old dirt road. Unbeknownst to me this was about the only true runable section with any distance to think of. After about 10 miles we can to the first aid station and I was feeling pretty good. It was early but I just felt great. After we left there we had about 9 miles to Napa Point Aid Station through some crazy and fun trail/bushwhacking. The single-track started and it was gorgeous! Take away the stinging nettle and the fact the growth was head high and you couldn’t see your feet- this was great. We were warned that this section was overgrown and to be on the lookout for bears. After about 100 yards we came across our first bear crap on the day- right in the middle of the trail. Wow, starting to hit home now. After we “saw a clearing” I thought we might be able to push a bit but no dice. There was at least one mile of avalanche debris and it was tough. There was no trail to speak of and you literally had to hop over, on and around some crazy intense deadfall. When we finally left the debris field I notice my bib number was ripped clean off my shorts. We got back to a trail and headed up which would turn into a common theme for the day. More miles and more bear scats latter we found our way to Napa Point. There would be a small out and back section here to get us on our way for the next 25 miles before another aid station. Going into Napa Point I was about 10 or 11 back from the front and still feeling pretty good but like the saying goes- “if you are feeling good in an ultra- don’t worry it will change soon enough” and it did!
The next 25 miles pretty much set the tone for the rest of my race. We were essentially on the ridgeline of the mountains and it was hot. When we passed through a burn section the temps seem to rise by 10 degrees. We came upon the first clear run off and I filled up my pack and bottle and trekked forward. I thought if I keep hitting these until Six Mile AS (#3) then I would be in great shape but after a while I started to realize that I was going to be in trouble with my hydration unless we found another creek soon. I didn’t find one soon enough and I was dry! Nothing for almost 2 hours. No water, gel, calories, food, electrolytes…AN YTHING! I could feel the energy slowly dwindle and my mouth and throat got really dry. As people passed they too were dry and we shared some glares but we knew there was nothing we could do but hope for a creek. I started to cramp everywhere. By the time we hit the next creek for water I was in a bad place. I just kept one foot in front of the other and finally made it to Six Mile. Once there I got some coke and tried to find something to eat but my stomach didn’t want anything. I sat for about 20 minutes trying to get my wits and I must say without a few individuals from the volunteer crew this stop may have lasted a lot longer. From here we had to go straight up to a peak 1.5 mile away and grab a playing card and jet back down. The way up was not bad and once we hit the top, I got an instance shot of adrenaline. The views were incredible! I grabbed my 8 of hearts and hauled ass back to the aid station. I made some good time and before I knew it I was at the aid station and ready to leave before dark. I caught up with another guy and we slowly plodded to Quintokken AS. It was starting to get dark and the footing was getting sketchy. We made a turn down a long trail with some overgrowth and we say a shadow coming towards us. We both stopped and went for the bear spray. As the figure got closer we started making noise and yelling but we got no response- then I heard a familiar sound of trekking poles. It was a runner who had been lost for a couples hours with no water and no light source. He was an older gentleman and he was in bad shape. He had no idea where he was and was heading the wrong way. He wanted to go back to the last aid station since he said he missed it but with his condition he wasn’t going to make it in the dark. I told him to come with us to AS #5 and not to worry about the race. He reluctantly agreed so I handed him my headlamp and pulled out a small handheld flashlight for me. This took a long time. It was hard to keep him moving and making sure he got across a couple river crossing. When we hit the aid station, Brad the RD was there so I told him about the situation. Due to all the circumstances they made sure he didn’t go any farther and his race was done. I sat with him at the fire to make sure he was okay and we exchanged some very kind words. It was great to see him the next day and he even introduced me to his daughter and granddaughter who were there. At AS #5 I met back up with Jim and he waited for me to get some food and we headed out for the next 16 miles in the dark. This was pretty slow and go section, we stopped a few times to enjoy the night and even caught about 10 minutes of shut eye. It was great to be back on the trail with a familiar and coherent person. A few miles out of Broken Leg aid station we heard a large crashing in the bush and we both froze. Not sure what it was I made more noise and we slowly and cautiously kept going in the dark. We finally hit Broken Leg and we were done. We probably wouldn’t have made the next cut off and we both agreed that going 5 more miles to Strawberry was not the right choice. I couldn’t believe I just DNF’d. As disappointed as I was I had no idea it would only get worse. We sat in the aid station for about an hour before we got a ride to the finish. After a shower and seeing the sun, things started to set in. As I watched the few finishers come across- 20 out of 44 finished, I was starting to get more and more disappointed. I was hesitant to call my wife and kids since I felt I failed and let them down. Even as I write this and relive those moments, I am disappointed. 68.7 miles out of 100 wasn’t my goal. No words can explain the race and I am left with some great moments but an empty feeling as well. I know people DNF and many are the ones I look up to in this gig but to finally have it happen to me- that’s different right? Not sure how I am gonna rebound or how long it will take but I know I will be go back next year to see if I can finish that beast. There were many experienced 100 mile runners there and the consensus was pretty much the same- this is one tough son of a bitch. There were some Wasatch finishers there (myself included) and we all seem to think that this was harder. It was remote, you had to take maps, bear spray and be willing to not run most of the course. It didn’t have the elevation as some of those tougher races- about 22,000’ but all you did was go up then go down and repeat…A LOT.
The race and local are beautiful. This race is a true gem and the first 100 miler in Montana. Hats off to everyone there and the local folks were very gracious. This is not a race for everyone and maybe not even me but if you want a true test- this will give it to you.
So bottom line- DNF. No excuses and no blames. I just didn’t get it done. Next up??? Maybe the Grand Teton 50 then shut it down for the year. Thought about doing the Bear but I am thinking I may just pace or crew.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Logan Peak Trail Race
Well, it took awhile but it's time to write up a quick report.
Let's see- I am trying to remember what happened on that day, it's been 10 days or so and I am getting old. Got up really early and met Jim so we could car pool up to Logan. We checked in and I got a good stretch in thanks to Joel. I have been having issues with my lower back again and with this race starting a climb for the first 4+ miles I wanted to get it worked on. Once the race started I just tucked in with Jim and Joel and knew it would be a 6+ hour day. I ran this race a couple years ago and got a time of 6:30. I wasn't sure how today would work out since I used June as a taper month (more on that later). As we went up the grind, I noticed it was a pretty casual pace. I wasn't overly concerned knowing what was in store later on. Once we left the first aid station it opens up abit through the front side of the mountain. This is were I was feeling good. I took off on a pretty good pace and it felt great so I just decided to keep it until it felt labored. Missing SP50 earlier in the month was still in my mind and I knew my training wasn't were it needed to be but I thought this would prove to be a good training run with good vert and good miles. The way up the peak was slow and go with some uphill running here and there but it was too early to take many chances with my fitness. It was a slog up to the peak but once there it was time to do some glissading with snow running mixed in. This felt great and really got my juices flowing. Over the next few miles I passed about 6 or 7 people until we hit the 2nd to last aid station. From here you take a fire road for a few miles then you hit the jackpot. Going across the fire road I felt like crap. I knew I should be running but the legs didn't respond. Once I hit the turn for the downhill I got a bit excited. Downhill doesn't always feel good on the knees and quads but this was some of the prettiest single track there is to offer. I picked up my pace and started to let gravity and beauty take over. Unfortunately this section in short lived and then you start a few minor hills before you wrap around the front side and join back up to the dry creek trail.
The last 4 miles are relentless. It gets pretty technical and you know that walking really isn't an option. I caught up to Jim during this section and ran down before I was rudely sent to the ground by a cow. Yep and damn cow! Out of the corner of my eye (while navigating the jagged rocks on the downhill) a cow appeared out of the bushes and soon as I looked up my toe caught a rock. I was going too fast to catch myself so I had no choice but to give in to gravity again and I hit a rock HARD then slid on my side and back for a few feet before coming to a stop. I assessed the situation as I lay there and I was bruised and cut but never heard a snap so I figure I was good to go. My vest was ripp3ed up and my quad had a gnarly knot in it but considering what could have happened I was pretty pleased. The knot in the quad slowed me a bit but I coasted to the finish in 6:10- good enough for 34th. I was pretty pleased with the time considering all that has been going on. Beat my old time by 20 minutes.
Logan Peak is a fantastic race and Bruce and company do a great job. Definitely a race I expect to go sub 6 on next year.
The last week or so I have gotten in some good mileage and some vertical and things are starting to calm down. Next up is the NUTS 1/2 marathon which I will be RD'ing. Kinda sucks I cant run it. It's a great course.
Let's see- I am trying to remember what happened on that day, it's been 10 days or so and I am getting old. Got up really early and met Jim so we could car pool up to Logan. We checked in and I got a good stretch in thanks to Joel. I have been having issues with my lower back again and with this race starting a climb for the first 4+ miles I wanted to get it worked on. Once the race started I just tucked in with Jim and Joel and knew it would be a 6+ hour day. I ran this race a couple years ago and got a time of 6:30. I wasn't sure how today would work out since I used June as a taper month (more on that later). As we went up the grind, I noticed it was a pretty casual pace. I wasn't overly concerned knowing what was in store later on. Once we left the first aid station it opens up abit through the front side of the mountain. This is were I was feeling good. I took off on a pretty good pace and it felt great so I just decided to keep it until it felt labored. Missing SP50 earlier in the month was still in my mind and I knew my training wasn't were it needed to be but I thought this would prove to be a good training run with good vert and good miles. The way up the peak was slow and go with some uphill running here and there but it was too early to take many chances with my fitness. It was a slog up to the peak but once there it was time to do some glissading with snow running mixed in. This felt great and really got my juices flowing. Over the next few miles I passed about 6 or 7 people until we hit the 2nd to last aid station. From here you take a fire road for a few miles then you hit the jackpot. Going across the fire road I felt like crap. I knew I should be running but the legs didn't respond. Once I hit the turn for the downhill I got a bit excited. Downhill doesn't always feel good on the knees and quads but this was some of the prettiest single track there is to offer. I picked up my pace and started to let gravity and beauty take over. Unfortunately this section in short lived and then you start a few minor hills before you wrap around the front side and join back up to the dry creek trail.
The last 4 miles are relentless. It gets pretty technical and you know that walking really isn't an option. I caught up to Jim during this section and ran down before I was rudely sent to the ground by a cow. Yep and damn cow! Out of the corner of my eye (while navigating the jagged rocks on the downhill) a cow appeared out of the bushes and soon as I looked up my toe caught a rock. I was going too fast to catch myself so I had no choice but to give in to gravity again and I hit a rock HARD then slid on my side and back for a few feet before coming to a stop. I assessed the situation as I lay there and I was bruised and cut but never heard a snap so I figure I was good to go. My vest was ripp3ed up and my quad had a gnarly knot in it but considering what could have happened I was pretty pleased. The knot in the quad slowed me a bit but I coasted to the finish in 6:10- good enough for 34th. I was pretty pleased with the time considering all that has been going on. Beat my old time by 20 minutes.
Logan Peak is a fantastic race and Bruce and company do a great job. Definitely a race I expect to go sub 6 on next year.
The last week or so I have gotten in some good mileage and some vertical and things are starting to calm down. Next up is the NUTS 1/2 marathon which I will be RD'ing. Kinda sucks I cant run it. It's a great course.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Pocatello 50
Holy Schleet Batman!
First- hats off to Jared and Ryan and the countless volunteers who make this race possible. What a great course and overall race. The start/finish is perfect!
Okay here we go. I ran the Pokey 50 last year as a member of a 3 person relay. I was lucky enough to draw the 3rd section- which is listed as the toughest leg. This year I ran the 1st section which is considered the “medium toughest” section- the 2nd leg being the easiest. I got in late the night before the race and slept under a pop up canopy with Buffalo Run RD –Jim Skaggs. IT was a sleepless night for me with the wind whipping the canopy walls all night long.
When morning broke I got up and assessed what I was going to wear. The weather was calmer and the clouds were grey but overall the start was pretty nice. I opted for some short shorts, short sleeve race shirt, visor and light windbreaker. From the start we took off down the road and my pace felt relaxed but I couldn’t get a handle on my breathing- it felt forced and labored. I wanted to push myself seeing I was only going 16 miles and knew this would be a great run to prep me for Squaw Peak. I was going to take off my wind shell but soon as I reached for the zipper, I felt a few drops of rain. I thought what the hell and took it off anyway and tied it on my waist. A few more miles into the gradual climb I came around a point and the wind hit me right it the face. WOW! Immediately I reached for my shell and threw it back on. Good thing to because the rain started to pick up. By this time I was running some absolutely stunning single track. I didn’t mind the rain and the mud wasn’t too bad yet. As we started a little decent to the first aid station, the trail got really slick. I got into a line of about 8 or 9 runners and no one could stay up. People were slipping, falling and using the grass and trees close by as emergency turn out lanes. One guy started flailing about and before I could stop he punched my right in the mouth. As uncomfortable as it felt it was kind of funny.
When we hit the first aid station I decided not even to slow down. Once off the service road it turned into some nicer slippery single track. Good thing I didn’t know what I was about to encounter or I may have stopped at the first aid station and stayed. As I looked u ahead I saw “the climb”. There was no trail only a few markers spread going up the mountain. This climb was a real b$#&%! Not only was it pretty steep and no trail but the wind starting picking up - few times it knocked me sideways a bit. The next 60 minutes may have been the longest of my life. I was in short shorts, visor and windbreaker carrying a water bottle which for me sounds about right but I had no idea there would be 40-50 mph winds coupled with sleet the size of BB’s. I let out some primal screams a few times due to the cold and pain I felt when those damn BB’s hit me. My ears were frozen my fingers looked like sausage links and well my skull was frozen- yes Skull. My hair was frozen and I was cold but I have never felt a frozen skull- it hurt like hell! Once on top I took a deep sigh of relief and followed a few people ahead of me only to find out they were lost in the white out. Not good! There were about 10-12 of us wandering around and I was scoping out who may be the first person we would eat. After about 20-30 minutes we found the trail and it took me a good mile to mile and a half to really start to feel like I was running and by that time it was a muddy slip-n-slide. On the decent I went down pretty hard on my stomach (superman style) and got up covered in mud. A few cuts but I was okay. There was a small creek crossing the trail so I decided to lay in it to clean up. It worked and it wasn’t nearly as cold as the top of the mountain. Once we hit a little firmer trail I took off. I felt pretty strong heading into City Creek and my time was 3:40. I figured the time on the mountain cost me at least 30 minutes so I was pretty pleased with the time.
When I got back to Mink Creek I was pretty bummed to see my canopy had blown over and my stuff was soaked- sleeping bag, clothes, bag- everything! DAMN! Right then I remembered I had an extra bag of clothes in the car. Sweet! Once I got cleaned up (thanks Matt and Brandy) I helped around mink Creek and was told the race was cancelled. The weather was just too bad. They absolutely made the right choice! My 2nd leg runner Greg- crushed it! He topped his time from last year by 2 hours!!!! Incredible! Great job Greg! Next year I get #2- right? Unfortunately Matt (3rd leg) was unable to run and this would have been his first experience into trail running. Keep running Matt! Good friend Scott Jaime was leading the race by 5-10 minutes heading into the last leg- I think there would have been a new CR. Great job Jaime!
To top off an already dismal day, when I called home to check in I found out my mom was about to go in for surgery. While I was gone she fell and broke her hip. I got right home and didn’t get to spend too much time talking to people but hopefully I will see you all around this year. Next up Squaw Peak 50!
First- hats off to Jared and Ryan and the countless volunteers who make this race possible. What a great course and overall race. The start/finish is perfect!
Okay here we go. I ran the Pokey 50 last year as a member of a 3 person relay. I was lucky enough to draw the 3rd section- which is listed as the toughest leg. This year I ran the 1st section which is considered the “medium toughest” section- the 2nd leg being the easiest. I got in late the night before the race and slept under a pop up canopy with Buffalo Run RD –Jim Skaggs. IT was a sleepless night for me with the wind whipping the canopy walls all night long.
When morning broke I got up and assessed what I was going to wear. The weather was calmer and the clouds were grey but overall the start was pretty nice. I opted for some short shorts, short sleeve race shirt, visor and light windbreaker. From the start we took off down the road and my pace felt relaxed but I couldn’t get a handle on my breathing- it felt forced and labored. I wanted to push myself seeing I was only going 16 miles and knew this would be a great run to prep me for Squaw Peak. I was going to take off my wind shell but soon as I reached for the zipper, I felt a few drops of rain. I thought what the hell and took it off anyway and tied it on my waist. A few more miles into the gradual climb I came around a point and the wind hit me right it the face. WOW! Immediately I reached for my shell and threw it back on. Good thing to because the rain started to pick up. By this time I was running some absolutely stunning single track. I didn’t mind the rain and the mud wasn’t too bad yet. As we started a little decent to the first aid station, the trail got really slick. I got into a line of about 8 or 9 runners and no one could stay up. People were slipping, falling and using the grass and trees close by as emergency turn out lanes. One guy started flailing about and before I could stop he punched my right in the mouth. As uncomfortable as it felt it was kind of funny.
When we hit the first aid station I decided not even to slow down. Once off the service road it turned into some nicer slippery single track. Good thing I didn’t know what I was about to encounter or I may have stopped at the first aid station and stayed. As I looked u ahead I saw “the climb”. There was no trail only a few markers spread going up the mountain. This climb was a real b$#&%! Not only was it pretty steep and no trail but the wind starting picking up - few times it knocked me sideways a bit. The next 60 minutes may have been the longest of my life. I was in short shorts, visor and windbreaker carrying a water bottle which for me sounds about right but I had no idea there would be 40-50 mph winds coupled with sleet the size of BB’s. I let out some primal screams a few times due to the cold and pain I felt when those damn BB’s hit me. My ears were frozen my fingers looked like sausage links and well my skull was frozen- yes Skull. My hair was frozen and I was cold but I have never felt a frozen skull- it hurt like hell! Once on top I took a deep sigh of relief and followed a few people ahead of me only to find out they were lost in the white out. Not good! There were about 10-12 of us wandering around and I was scoping out who may be the first person we would eat. After about 20-30 minutes we found the trail and it took me a good mile to mile and a half to really start to feel like I was running and by that time it was a muddy slip-n-slide. On the decent I went down pretty hard on my stomach (superman style) and got up covered in mud. A few cuts but I was okay. There was a small creek crossing the trail so I decided to lay in it to clean up. It worked and it wasn’t nearly as cold as the top of the mountain. Once we hit a little firmer trail I took off. I felt pretty strong heading into City Creek and my time was 3:40. I figured the time on the mountain cost me at least 30 minutes so I was pretty pleased with the time.
When I got back to Mink Creek I was pretty bummed to see my canopy had blown over and my stuff was soaked- sleeping bag, clothes, bag- everything! DAMN! Right then I remembered I had an extra bag of clothes in the car. Sweet! Once I got cleaned up (thanks Matt and Brandy) I helped around mink Creek and was told the race was cancelled. The weather was just too bad. They absolutely made the right choice! My 2nd leg runner Greg- crushed it! He topped his time from last year by 2 hours!!!! Incredible! Great job Greg! Next year I get #2- right? Unfortunately Matt (3rd leg) was unable to run and this would have been his first experience into trail running. Keep running Matt! Good friend Scott Jaime was leading the race by 5-10 minutes heading into the last leg- I think there would have been a new CR. Great job Jaime!
To top off an already dismal day, when I called home to check in I found out my mom was about to go in for surgery. While I was gone she fell and broke her hip. I got right home and didn’t get to spend too much time talking to people but hopefully I will see you all around this year. Next up Squaw Peak 50!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Timp Trail Marathon
I’ve heard that you learn something new in every race. Well, this was one of those races.
I had to get up at 3 am and meet Jim at his house about 4 am. We drove down to Provo for the inaugural Timp Trail Marathon. All the way down it was raining pretty hard and the outside temps were around 40 degrees. I think we kept testing each other to see if one of us would back out so the other could follow but no dice. We arrived at the start to check in and grab our bib. It was still coming down and the runners were all gathering under the pavilion. After some pre-race instructions we all head to the start line for the 6 am gun.
We were off, we started up right away but it was runnable. It was on fire road and gravel so it was actually a nice start considering what we were about to encounter. As we came around the mountain to see the light of Provo, we saw a trail sign to turn and go down. Well about ¼ of the way down I looked up to see almost all the front runners coming back up. I immediately put on the brakes and turned around. We had taken a wrong turn. The sign was there for later in the race- about mile 25. As we got back on track, the fire road soon turned into a slog through sticky mud. The rain had taken its toll already and the course was muddy. Going through the first aid station I felt pretty good. I had a good couple weeks of training and never backed off going into this one. My legs were a bit tired but I was hoping this would all pay off later in the year. About 6 miles in I went to take a drink for my hydration vest and only got air- what the hell? I had 2 liters 6 mile ago and sure wasn’t drinking that much. As I stripped the vest off my back I realized how saturated my shorts were- especially in the back. DAMN! My hydration bladder had a seam leak. Well, I decided it was to be a long day!
When we started our first real climbing around mile 11, I noticed myself sweating much more and using a lot more energy. This wasn’t good. It turned slow and go for awhile and when the trail became runnable again it was the kind of mud that takes your shoes off. I ran with Jim Skaggs a majority of the day and lucky for me he let me takes little nips off his water. It wasn’t enough but it was something. As we headed up the most beautiful section I have seen in a long time I could feel a bonk coming on. No water which meant no way to wash down some gel. I was literally running on empty. I took a few drinks from the creeks (keeping my fingers crossed still) but I really had no choice. Every add station I hit I threw down potato chips and water praying it would get me to the next aid station.
We got to run through some amazing country and when we started our first decent, I was flying- way too fast for me but I was in a groove. I slipped and fell a few times but no damage, I was essentially mud glissading. After the last aide station we still had one or two short but decent climbs and then it was a bomb downhill. By the time I hit the downhill my calves were really ceasing up. They were screaming! The last 5 miles I just took off. I looked down and saw I was clocking about an 8 and sub 8 mile but had no desire to slow. As I neared the finish, I saw my niece and wife who had hiked up the trail to see when I would be heading down. They gave me that last little surge and I finished under 6:20- well 6:19 was my time.
Looking back at all the rain, mud, snow, nutrition and hydration issues- I feel pretty good about the day. I kept reminding myself I am getting ready for Squaw and this race was incredible! I enjoyed everything about the race itself- trails, scenery, start/finish, volunteers, RD and all. I definitely recommend this race to anyone. Don’t let the marathon distance fool you. This is one tough mutha!
So what I learned to day was- check your gear! If I would have noticed the leak the morning of or night before, I like my chances of a top 20 spot. As I sit, 33rd. Great day on the trails and a good one for my confidence heading into the last 2 weeks.
I had to get up at 3 am and meet Jim at his house about 4 am. We drove down to Provo for the inaugural Timp Trail Marathon. All the way down it was raining pretty hard and the outside temps were around 40 degrees. I think we kept testing each other to see if one of us would back out so the other could follow but no dice. We arrived at the start to check in and grab our bib. It was still coming down and the runners were all gathering under the pavilion. After some pre-race instructions we all head to the start line for the 6 am gun.
We were off, we started up right away but it was runnable. It was on fire road and gravel so it was actually a nice start considering what we were about to encounter. As we came around the mountain to see the light of Provo, we saw a trail sign to turn and go down. Well about ¼ of the way down I looked up to see almost all the front runners coming back up. I immediately put on the brakes and turned around. We had taken a wrong turn. The sign was there for later in the race- about mile 25. As we got back on track, the fire road soon turned into a slog through sticky mud. The rain had taken its toll already and the course was muddy. Going through the first aid station I felt pretty good. I had a good couple weeks of training and never backed off going into this one. My legs were a bit tired but I was hoping this would all pay off later in the year. About 6 miles in I went to take a drink for my hydration vest and only got air- what the hell? I had 2 liters 6 mile ago and sure wasn’t drinking that much. As I stripped the vest off my back I realized how saturated my shorts were- especially in the back. DAMN! My hydration bladder had a seam leak. Well, I decided it was to be a long day!
When we started our first real climbing around mile 11, I noticed myself sweating much more and using a lot more energy. This wasn’t good. It turned slow and go for awhile and when the trail became runnable again it was the kind of mud that takes your shoes off. I ran with Jim Skaggs a majority of the day and lucky for me he let me takes little nips off his water. It wasn’t enough but it was something. As we headed up the most beautiful section I have seen in a long time I could feel a bonk coming on. No water which meant no way to wash down some gel. I was literally running on empty. I took a few drinks from the creeks (keeping my fingers crossed still) but I really had no choice. Every add station I hit I threw down potato chips and water praying it would get me to the next aid station.
We got to run through some amazing country and when we started our first decent, I was flying- way too fast for me but I was in a groove. I slipped and fell a few times but no damage, I was essentially mud glissading. After the last aide station we still had one or two short but decent climbs and then it was a bomb downhill. By the time I hit the downhill my calves were really ceasing up. They were screaming! The last 5 miles I just took off. I looked down and saw I was clocking about an 8 and sub 8 mile but had no desire to slow. As I neared the finish, I saw my niece and wife who had hiked up the trail to see when I would be heading down. They gave me that last little surge and I finished under 6:20- well 6:19 was my time.
Looking back at all the rain, mud, snow, nutrition and hydration issues- I feel pretty good about the day. I kept reminding myself I am getting ready for Squaw and this race was incredible! I enjoyed everything about the race itself- trails, scenery, start/finish, volunteers, RD and all. I definitely recommend this race to anyone. Don’t let the marathon distance fool you. This is one tough mutha!
So what I learned to day was- check your gear! If I would have noticed the leak the morning of or night before, I like my chances of a top 20 spot. As I sit, 33rd. Great day on the trails and a good one for my confidence heading into the last 2 weeks.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Buffalo Run 2010- report
What a great day on the island! Well I decided to drop down the 25k. I had to decide if I wanted to race/run a 25k or if I wanted to finish a 50k. I opted to see what I could do in the 25k. Since the last 2 weeks I didn't get good training in I wasn't sure what to expect on the course. On the drive out to the island I turned off the radio and phone and just thought in silence. The plan was to go out and just enjoy the day and see some old friends. Once I got to the start, the plan changed. I decided to push hard for the first 5 miles and see how I felt. Since this race starts and goes up gradually 600+ feet I immediately thought my plan was ruined. I just do not go up well at all. To my surprise I did alright and felt decent so I kept chugging along. My pace was comfortable but not too slow and as I settled into it I found it was easier than I thought. I hit the first aid station and was looking forward to the 2 mile downhill. I just let gravity take control and try to keep my fat butt upright. Worked again! Hit the bottom and knew the long switchbacks were in play. I opted to run this as much as I could knowing I had some miles to go after the climb was over. As I neared the top I got a pat on the back from a familiar face- Greg Norrander. Great guy and it gave me a little boost (thanks Greg). He was in the 50k and looking strong! When I got to the top, Jared Campbell (5ok) passed me and I decided to run with him for awhile until he dropped me at the next gradual climb. After that we hit a fun little single track that winds around, up and down until you hit Elephant again. Once there I thought I had an outside chance at my PR. This was my 5th year running the 25k and I remember my favorite ultra quote- "Take chances" (Brian Fisher). I thought- what the hell! After I left Elephant Head I was ready to redline it until I puked or passed out. I was hoping to pass out cause I hate puking. Running through the little valley and heading up the quick steep climb I knew from that point to the finish would test me. I can usually dig down and find some "manjo" (more on that later) to finish pretty strong. All I could think about was "Take Chances"! I felt if I pushed hard I really could get my PR. Well, I ran hard as I could and kept telling myself it would be over soon. As I headed down the to the finish I kept glancing at my watch and knew redlining may be cutting it close so I tried to find another gear. As I hit the fence line I heard some familiar voices as well as saw some smiling faces. I crossed in 2:31:26 which was my PR by over 3 minutes. Not huge but for a guy like me, it was pretty cool.
It felt good to run the race the way I did considering my poor training. I was there just in time to see my good friend Scott Jaime finish the 50 mile. Read about that HERE. As I was on my way over to some Buffalo Stew I saw Nick Clark who just set the CR for the 50k. Read about that HERE.
Meandering around the finish area I got to meet some new people and catch up with some old friends. Maybe this is why I run these races. I will rack this up to a very successful day on all fronts. Congrats to all who ran, volunteered and supported. A BIG thank you to RD Jim Skaggs- a great guy, great RD and good friend. Thanks for putting on such a great race. Once again the race received rave reviews all around. I recommend this race to anyone and everyone! It sure is attracting some solid runners and a large number to boot.
Read more about "manjo" is my next post and remember- Take Chances!
It felt good to run the race the way I did considering my poor training. I was there just in time to see my good friend Scott Jaime finish the 50 mile. Read about that HERE. As I was on my way over to some Buffalo Stew I saw Nick Clark who just set the CR for the 50k. Read about that HERE.
Meandering around the finish area I got to meet some new people and catch up with some old friends. Maybe this is why I run these races. I will rack this up to a very successful day on all fronts. Congrats to all who ran, volunteered and supported. A BIG thank you to RD Jim Skaggs- a great guy, great RD and good friend. Thanks for putting on such a great race. Once again the race received rave reviews all around. I recommend this race to anyone and everyone! It sure is attracting some solid runners and a large number to boot.
Read more about "manjo" is my next post and remember- Take Chances!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Moab Red Hot 50k Report
My family and I headed down to Moab for the annual Moab Red Hot races. I felt lucky to go down since the day before the race was my 6 year anniversary being married to my very supportive and beautiful wife. I registered for the 33k and had been waffling with the idea of doing the 50k. The night before we left I decided to stick to the 33k and packed accordingly. I only took what I would need for the 33k so I couldn't change my mind at the last minute. Once we got down there we drove over to Eddie McStiff's for check-in. I stood in the 33k line and told them my name---I wasn't on the list. They checked the 50k list and there I was. So, I decided to just do the 50k. Why not?
After check-in we got a table and enjoyed the "runner's special". Athletes started piling in to check-in and I got the chance to see some familiar faces and good friends. This helped make it official- I was back. Sitting out since June of 2009 was tough and I started to get those butterflies in the tummy.
We went back to the hotel and I got my stuff ready while the family hit the hotel pool. I didn't sleep well- partly due to excitement as well as nerves.
Race morning was a balmy 14 degrees. The race kicked off at 8 am and it was cold. You could see all the runners trying to figure out what to wear. I opted for shorts, shirt and a long sleeve. When the race started I settled into a pretty comfortable pace knowing it was going to be a long day. We hit the incline right off the start and there was no dirt to be found. Snow everywhere. Combined with the slickrock, there were quite a few falls all along the course. About 5miles in we started our next little climb and the snow was easily mid shin deep for close to 4 miles. This made it tough. I felt good up to the 20 mile mark and was pleased with my pace. The sun was out now and the temps were rising. I shed the long sleeve and just had my short sleeve to work with. As i hit the 2nd to last aide station, I started to feel the heat a abit and needed to get more fluids. I pulled into the aide station to fill my bottles and get out. Problem: they ran out of water. Damn! The next aide station was close to 6+ miles away and I was already behind in the fluids. Some runners shared some choice words and a group of us left the aide station. I was no more than 100 yards out and started to cramp up. First my right calf then my left. Perfect. We were starting a nice downhill section on slickrock and I had to walk a majority of it. Unfortunately for me, I was forced to walk a real good chunk from here. I stopped a couple times and gobbled down some snow but it didn't help much. I kept reminding myself that I just wasn't "born to tun". A mountain biker came by and I was only about a 1/4 mile from the aide station so I asked him if he had seen it and how much farther. He replied- "about 2.5 miles to 3", my face sunk. He mentioned due to the trail conditions they couldn't make it to the original location. Well that was just perfect I thought. When I finally made it to the last aide station, they were out of water as well. By this point I wanted it to all be over. A rush of adrenaline/anger kicked in and I took off to the finish. I would be curious to know my actual pace to the finish cause I felt like I was movin.
When I got to the line, the clock read 7:24. I was relieved to be done but pissed at my time. I was hoping for at least an hour off that.
All in all, I got time on my feet and got to run with some great people. We got in a quality family vacation and hopefully it helped me more for the Buffalo Run 50 miler in March.
When you go that slow in races they do have an award. Here it is below.....kissin a camel on Valentines Day!
After check-in we got a table and enjoyed the "runner's special". Athletes started piling in to check-in and I got the chance to see some familiar faces and good friends. This helped make it official- I was back. Sitting out since June of 2009 was tough and I started to get those butterflies in the tummy.
We went back to the hotel and I got my stuff ready while the family hit the hotel pool. I didn't sleep well- partly due to excitement as well as nerves.
Race morning was a balmy 14 degrees. The race kicked off at 8 am and it was cold. You could see all the runners trying to figure out what to wear. I opted for shorts, shirt and a long sleeve. When the race started I settled into a pretty comfortable pace knowing it was going to be a long day. We hit the incline right off the start and there was no dirt to be found. Snow everywhere. Combined with the slickrock, there were quite a few falls all along the course. About 5miles in we started our next little climb and the snow was easily mid shin deep for close to 4 miles. This made it tough. I felt good up to the 20 mile mark and was pleased with my pace. The sun was out now and the temps were rising. I shed the long sleeve and just had my short sleeve to work with. As i hit the 2nd to last aide station, I started to feel the heat a abit and needed to get more fluids. I pulled into the aide station to fill my bottles and get out. Problem: they ran out of water. Damn! The next aide station was close to 6+ miles away and I was already behind in the fluids. Some runners shared some choice words and a group of us left the aide station. I was no more than 100 yards out and started to cramp up. First my right calf then my left. Perfect. We were starting a nice downhill section on slickrock and I had to walk a majority of it. Unfortunately for me, I was forced to walk a real good chunk from here. I stopped a couple times and gobbled down some snow but it didn't help much. I kept reminding myself that I just wasn't "born to tun". A mountain biker came by and I was only about a 1/4 mile from the aide station so I asked him if he had seen it and how much farther. He replied- "about 2.5 miles to 3", my face sunk. He mentioned due to the trail conditions they couldn't make it to the original location. Well that was just perfect I thought. When I finally made it to the last aide station, they were out of water as well. By this point I wanted it to all be over. A rush of adrenaline/anger kicked in and I took off to the finish. I would be curious to know my actual pace to the finish cause I felt like I was movin.
When I got to the line, the clock read 7:24. I was relieved to be done but pissed at my time. I was hoping for at least an hour off that.
All in all, I got time on my feet and got to run with some great people. We got in a quality family vacation and hopefully it helped me more for the Buffalo Run 50 miler in March.
When you go that slow in races they do have an award. Here it is below.....kissin a camel on Valentines Day!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Moab Red Hot- Pre-race
So in a couple days I will be running my first race since Squaw Peak last June. I am truly excited. I really look forward to getting back out there with all the other athletes and running through the Red rocks of Moab. With the winter training I have put in I am looking forward to running this again. I ran it 2 years ago and had a great time. It will be nice having a change of scenery and a mini vacation with the family. I have toyed with the idea of upping to the 50k but I think I will stick to the 33k. Still early in the year for me and I feel comfortable with my Achilles going 33k. I am not going to put a time on this race or a prediction. I am going to try and run it how I feel and push maybe more than I normally would. Use this as a solid trainer for my 50 miler next month on Antelope Island.
My race schedule is really firming up. I wanted to run two 100-milers this year- one being the Bear 100 and after Hardrock denial (whew!) I just sent my stuff in for the Swan Crest 100 in Montana. Looks like an exciting and beautiful course and the fact you need to carry bear spray for the entire race or get DQ'd seems interesting. I think the key will be to try and stay close to a runner or 2 and if all hell breaks loose with a grizzly- start tripping people.....HA!
Well, I hope to see some familiar faces in Moab this weekend and have a few beers to catch up on the ultra life!
Man, I am excited............
My race schedule is really firming up. I wanted to run two 100-milers this year- one being the Bear 100 and after Hardrock denial (whew!) I just sent my stuff in for the Swan Crest 100 in Montana. Looks like an exciting and beautiful course and the fact you need to carry bear spray for the entire race or get DQ'd seems interesting. I think the key will be to try and stay close to a runner or 2 and if all hell breaks loose with a grizzly- start tripping people.....HA!
Well, I hope to see some familiar faces in Moab this weekend and have a few beers to catch up on the ultra life!
Man, I am excited............
Monday, June 8, 2009
Squaw Peak 50- 2009 report
Well, it just wasn't my day. I know anything can happen in a race but I was sure hoping for more. I got to the start in time this year which was a plus. I dropped off my drop bags and began to focus on my 3rd running of the race. Once again my goal was 11:30 and I really thought I could do this. To put it in perspective, the winner finished in 8:05.
I lined up next to my buddy Phil and the race began. I wanted to get off the bike path ahead of a lot of runners in order to be in good shape at the beginning on the dirt trail and climb. I settled in behind Tom and Kacey. As we hit the dirt I felt like I put myself in a good spot not to get stuck behind too many people on the first climb. After a stop to take care of a wardrobe malfunction I was off again. I decided not to look at my split card until AS #6. I didn't want to put any added pressure on myself and just wanted to run according to how comfortable I felt. I felt strong early on and just tried to keep on top of my nutrition. I was hoping for a little cooler temps and even a little sprinkle during the day but no luck. I came into AS #5 and knew I needed to run Hobble Creek road in order to have a realistic shot at my goal. In the two prior years I walked almost if not all of the road. I HATE running on roads! I ran about 90% of it this year and was pleased with the effort. I got to AS#6 and checked my split card for the first time. I was 2 minutes off my projected pace. At that point I was psyched. Last year I felt I had a great second half of the course and looked forward to getting it on again. I left 6 and about 15-20 minutes later, all hell broke loose. It started with my Achilles. It felt great all day and I hadn't even thought about it but I got some good pain and then what I would describe as "spasms". I sat on a rock to assess what was going on. I rubbed my Achilles for about 5 minutes and began to push up the dirt road. Out of nowhere my stomach turned south. I decided to walk ab it to see if I could gather myself. I knew by going this slow I would need to push somewhere else along the way. I hit AS#7 and still wasn't feeling that great. I looked forward to leaving 7 because I love this section of the course. Fortunately/unfortunately it lasted long enough this year to enjoy it. I came into 8 and knew I couldn't stay long. I grabbed my drop bag, reloaded and off I went. After the endless climb I got into a little groove and ran the single track do the bottom of Windy Pass. It looked like a death march up the mountain and I was next. Half way up I came across a guy who decided 2- 10 ounce water bottles were going to be enough for him. SURPRISE- it wasn't. He was in pretty bad shape so I gave him some of mine and kept on going. As I was going through the bowl on Windy there was another guy just shivering on the side of the trail. I gave him my gloves and arm warmers in hopes that would help. As I got into AS #9 a few other runners already notified the volunteers about the dude shivering on the mountain so they grabbed a blanket and went after him (I hope he was okay, I never heard anymore about him- you can keep the clothes though). I left 9 knowing my goal was out of reach and could only think about my wife and kids waiting for me to show up at 10. Poor family waited along time. I bombed down the mountain and before I got to 10 I saw my 2 kids and my sister. What a rush! I then saw my wife who took pictures of her ego broken husband. I limped into 10 and spent a few minutes with the family before heading down the final 3+ miles of road. I HATE road! With about a mile and a half to go, my wife jumped out of the car and paced me the rest of the way. Boy did that ever help. Without her I wouldn't have gotten my PR. I would have probably walked it in-Thanks honey! As like the 2 years past, I met my 2 beautiful girls and we crossed the line together. 12:26:44. YIKES! Not real happy about it but hey- what can I do about it now. Overall I am disappointed in the result. Yes I got a PR but my time was less than stellar. No excuses- I just didn't have it on this day. My littlest one said' "what took you so long", my response- "it just wasn't daddy's day". No excuses, the mountain beat me down.
It was great to see so many friends and family at the finish. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by so many great people. Thank you all for your support and friendship. Congrats to all those who ran- too many people to mention. Congrats to Corky Esquivel for a PR of 13 hours- good luck at Wasatch this September. A huge congrats to Scott Jaime- 1st place in 8:05 and 8th fastest time ever. Way to go Fast Eddy! You deserve it!
It's too early to break down what went wrong/right but I am sure I will figure some things out. Prediction for 2010- under 11 hours! No question. Squaw Peak is already my focus race for next year. Race results are not up yet but I will post the link soon.
Hey- did anyone else get cut to hell on all the over growth?
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Pocatello 50
Finally, a race report and back on my blog. First- this is a must do race for everyone! Whether you do the 50 or the 2 or 3 person relay. Put this race on your to do list and you will not be disappointed. Jared Campbell, Ryan McDermott and company put on a first class race with some beautiful trails. To all the Pocatello locals, THANK YOU! You all have a nice backyard.
Now, I did the 3 person relay with Phil (Ogden, UT) and Greg (Dillon, Montana). Phil did the 1st leg (16.9 miles 4500' gain, 5150' loss), Greg the 2nd (15.6 miles 3600' gain 2950' loss) and I was lucky enough to do the 3rd. Getting up at 4 am and not running until 2:30 pm makes for a tough day. I guess it can be like crewing and pacing rolled into one. Phil and Greg both did awesome in some tough terrain and conditions. It was hot and challenging. When Greg came into the end of the 2nd leg, I was less than ready to go. I wasn't sure what the course had in mind for me but I did see the thunder storm roll in. Knowing I was going to be on top of Scout Mtn (elev. 8600+ feet) I wanted to get up and down as quick as possible. My leg was 19.3 miles with 5580' of gain and 5580' of loss. The trail to the top took me awhile. I got the first aid station in 1:10 but after that it was slow and go. Once on top of Scout, it was time for some glissading. My plan was to stay upright on my feet and do the best I could but gravity and poor glissading skills ruined that plan. I slipped and feel on my ass and it was game on. I was cruising down the mountain and giggling like a school girl when over to my left noticed the trail- oops I was going too far down. I dug my feet into to the snow in hopes of stopping and it launched me close to 10 feet in the air down the mountain onto my back and moving again. I finally came to a stop (a little scared but still laughing) picked up my gear (had a small yard sale) and found the trail. From there it is about 4 miles of sweet and quad pounding downhill. As I hit the last aid station I got the pleasure of meeting Greg Norrander who takes amazing race photos. After a small delay there we went down the road for about a mile and then started a climb of 600'. That doesn't sound like much but it felt like pure hell. After the climb it was down again to the finish. I did my leg in 4:47 which wasn't too good but crossing the finish and seeing my relay buddies was pretty cool. Team time 13:24 but more important a great day on the trail with some great people. Thanks to Greg and Phil for letting me run with them and spending the day. I got to hang out with Bryon Powell for a bit and listen to his summer plans. (Bryon-wear those socks with pride, those racing stripes will make you faster...promise)
Again- way to go Pocatello 50 race organizers, volunteers, runners and all. Great race and a priceless time. See full results HERE.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Buffalo Run 25k 2009- 2:45
Whew! What a day. Taking advice from a good friend and more than experienced ultra runner- I decided not to be a slave to the watch. What a crazy yet rewarding experience. Having not run more than 10 miles this year I knew it would be an adventure but hey that's why I do this anyway right. Got to the island about 40 minutes early to make sure I knew what to wear. All I really took was my Pearl Izumi sleeves with the standard shorts, shirt, socks, shoes and of course Smith sunglasses (great plug there). It was a beautiful morning. I headed over to the start and ran into Anthony and Mike wandering around with the crowd. Jim (RD) announced to get to the start. As we listened to the count down I made a quick adjustment to the iPod when all the sudden... GO! Oh crap- I got off to a slow start and knew I blew my chance of winning this race so I settled into a comfortable pace. The course was changed from the last few years, from the start we headed up a hill. I wasn't ready for any climbing yet even if it wasn't a typical mountain climb. I knew this would test the Achilles out of the gate. Mentally I was feeling great, I came to lone tree with out breaking my pace but this had a steeper section and I had to walk it a bit. I hit the aide station just in time to see my buddy Phil undressing down to his underwear- man was I outta there! After the aid station there is a nice little decent and every year I get after it all the way down. Its a fun section before you start the switchbacks. Not knowing exactly how my legs would respond to the climb at the start I figured I should power hike the switchbacks as well as run. I took a camera with me this year knowing I wasn't going to have the legs to just go for 3 hours but I also decided I didn't want to get out of my groove in any way so the camera stayed tucked away.
At the top of the switchbacks I settled in with a group of about 5 runners and just tried to keep pace. We made it back around to the aide station and I knew this was new territory for the year mileage wise. Not knowing how long I had been on the course was strange and although I knew about what mile I was I figured my legs would really slow down here. I kept on moving and just hoped for the best. As the finish got closer my legs were heavy but I was in a little rhythm so I didn't want to slow. From the top of the mountain I could see the finish and the runners in front of me. This is where my competitive juices kicked in. When the person in front of me would turn to see where they were, I took it as a challenge. From the top of the mountain to the finish I probably passed close to 8 people. Not that I was blazing but having my winter weight still and gravity- I flew down the mountain. I came to the finish and finally saw the time- 2:45. The goal was sub 3 so for that I felt good. The Achilles held up and overall I was pretty happy. I finished 61 out of 201 and 17th in my age group. Being my first race of the year and my longest run of the year, I felt good. Sometimes its tough to sit at the finish knowing I finished 61st when there are so many runners there but in the end I am there for challenge and the experience. I have some goals but none are to win. Maybe some day I will put on my own race and not open registration so I can win it.
A great big THANK YOU to everyone that made the race possible. Jim Skaggs just raises the bar every year. I have run all 4 years of the race and let me tell you, they have all been fantastic! I saw a lot of familiar faces and met many others. All in all it was a beautiful day! My family and I hung out after my race for about 3 hours and just took it all in. Maybe that's why I run these things......
Monday, September 8, 2008
Wasatch 100.....34:51
I DID IT! I DID IT! I still can't believe it. 34 hours and 51 minutes. As I sit here typing and trying to ignore all the little and big pains, I just can't believe how lucky I am. I definitely could not have done this alone. My wife and kids were troopers. They had a tough ordeal too. Seeing them at the aide stations and finally at the finish were more reward that I could imagine. Scott Mendoza, crewing me at critical times, lending me his pants and just flat out taking care of me..thank you, especially for the apple juice. Rick Robinson, the ultra crew master! Driving and crewing making sure everyone was taken care of. Phil Mendoza-helping me get to the start line with great training runs and seeing him at the finish- Your next buddy! Go rock the BEAR! Julian, AJ, Ray Jean, my sister Wendi and her family Henry, Cari and newly acquired Summer.
Edward-what can I say? I could not have done it without him. Pulled me through and got me to the finish. I would like to officially announce the Wasatch 100k winner-Scott Jaime. Having his knowledge one the course, nutrition, running and life have proved invaluable.
The race started and I was off. I wasn't sure what to expect for the next couple days but I knew I was on a journey. I was stuck going up towards chinscraper behind a line of nearly 25 people. Once we hit the top of chinscraper, I let the legs go. I got into Francis Peak 30 minutes slower than I wanted but I still felt pretty good. Over the next few stretches, I felt great. I ran and everything just seemed to be right. I got into Big Mountain 30 minutes faster than I wanted so I had made up 1 hour. I got in and picked up Scott for the rest of the day. Here is where things started to turn bad. Over the next 30 miles, I couldn't get ahold of stomach. I was in bad shape. I got into Lambs and there was my beautiful family talk about an instant pick up. Up and over Bear Ass pass into Millcreek and things weren't getting much better. Getting out of Millcreek was tough. I was warm, sitting down and was with friends and family-why would I want to leave. The nausea didn't get better and eating was difficult. I stumbled into Brighton but not before and ultra first for me......vomiting. I was in bad shape. I got into Brighton and was met with a sleeping bag and I went over and laid down. I felt like death and informed Scott Mendoza, I was done. There was no way I could go another 25 miles, not in this shape. I laid down for about 1 1/2 hours and things weren't much better. Scott Jaime asked, "what do you wanna do?", "you have to eat something." I just couldn't eat! I mulled over how I felt (again) and in my head, I was done. Then, I see a guy trying to fill out a DNF form but he couldn't bring himself to sign it. I went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. I asked myself one simple question. "If I dropped out willingly, would I be able to look into the mirror again and like what I saw?" That's all I rally needed but as I went back to Scott and Scott, I saw the guy finally sign his DNF form and I knew it wasn't for me. I looked and Scott and Scott and said LETS GO! I wish I had a camera right there cause both their faces almost looked confused. We left Brighton and I told Scott Jaime, "Push me hard because I am going to finish." The rest of the race was a little slow and go especially the last 14. Talk about hell. Lots of running straight down. As we hit the road to the finish, I still couldn't believe it. I grabbed Aspen from my sister, got Samantha hand and we RAN across the finish line together again.
Overall, I feel great. It scared me how close I came to dropping but I didn't. Not a speedy time but to be honest I DON'T CARE. I learned a lot about myself on this journey and I wouldn't trade it for everything. As great as the race and finish were, getting the support from so many great people was even better. I really feel fortunate to be apart of so many people's lives and seeing the support I received was extremely humbling. I want to thank everyone again! I love you all. My first 100 miler. I heard a quote that is pretty cool- "be the hero of your own life story". I guess anything is possible.
NO EXCUSES, NO REGRETS...I DIDN'T LEAVE ANYTHING!
Edward-what can I say? I could not have done it without him. Pulled me through and got me to the finish. I would like to officially announce the Wasatch 100k winner-Scott Jaime. Having his knowledge one the course, nutrition, running and life have proved invaluable.
The race started and I was off. I wasn't sure what to expect for the next couple days but I knew I was on a journey. I was stuck going up towards chinscraper behind a line of nearly 25 people. Once we hit the top of chinscraper, I let the legs go. I got into Francis Peak 30 minutes slower than I wanted but I still felt pretty good. Over the next few stretches, I felt great. I ran and everything just seemed to be right. I got into Big Mountain 30 minutes faster than I wanted so I had made up 1 hour. I got in and picked up Scott for the rest of the day. Here is where things started to turn bad. Over the next 30 miles, I couldn't get ahold of stomach. I was in bad shape. I got into Lambs and there was my beautiful family talk about an instant pick up. Up and over Bear Ass pass into Millcreek and things weren't getting much better. Getting out of Millcreek was tough. I was warm, sitting down and was with friends and family-why would I want to leave. The nausea didn't get better and eating was difficult. I stumbled into Brighton but not before and ultra first for me......vomiting. I was in bad shape. I got into Brighton and was met with a sleeping bag and I went over and laid down. I felt like death and informed Scott Mendoza, I was done. There was no way I could go another 25 miles, not in this shape. I laid down for about 1 1/2 hours and things weren't much better. Scott Jaime asked, "what do you wanna do?", "you have to eat something." I just couldn't eat! I mulled over how I felt (again) and in my head, I was done. Then, I see a guy trying to fill out a DNF form but he couldn't bring himself to sign it. I went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. I asked myself one simple question. "If I dropped out willingly, would I be able to look into the mirror again and like what I saw?" That's all I rally needed but as I went back to Scott and Scott, I saw the guy finally sign his DNF form and I knew it wasn't for me. I looked and Scott and Scott and said LETS GO! I wish I had a camera right there cause both their faces almost looked confused. We left Brighton and I told Scott Jaime, "Push me hard because I am going to finish." The rest of the race was a little slow and go especially the last 14. Talk about hell. Lots of running straight down. As we hit the road to the finish, I still couldn't believe it. I grabbed Aspen from my sister, got Samantha hand and we RAN across the finish line together again.
Overall, I feel great. It scared me how close I came to dropping but I didn't. Not a speedy time but to be honest I DON'T CARE. I learned a lot about myself on this journey and I wouldn't trade it for everything. As great as the race and finish were, getting the support from so many great people was even better. I really feel fortunate to be apart of so many people's lives and seeing the support I received was extremely humbling. I want to thank everyone again! I love you all. My first 100 miler. I heard a quote that is pretty cool- "be the hero of your own life story". I guess anything is possible.
NO EXCUSES, NO REGRETS...I DIDN'T LEAVE ANYTHING!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Wasatch SpeedGoat 50k
Karl is sadistic! I could start and end my post with that line.
Here's how it went down. Friday night at the Clif Lodge....brutal. I ate a Subway sandwich and apparently it didn't jive with my body. I was up all night sweating. Got up Saturday morning and still not much better but I thought I took care of it. I got to the check in and the nerves started to kick in. Nerves and bad Subway really don't mix well.
At the start the stomach started grumbling even more, SWEET! The countdown began and we were off. It was pretty warm for a 6:30 start and I already predicted a long hot day was ahead.
We climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed (well you get the picture) and being a very poor hiker, it took its toll on me. I felt like a Yugo going up and I was in the slow lane. I kept trying to remind myself that this was merely a training run but competitive juices kept flowing and I battled those demons all day. Once we hot the tram at the top it was time to go over the Mt Baldy and then start our decent. Let me just say I do NOT like anyone named Mary Ellen anymore. We hit the bottom of Mary Ellen Gulch and it was hot!! Getting ready to leave the aide station, Roch Horton said "alright 3000' foot climb ahead so go get it!" Aw man, I didn't need to hear that. I knew it was there but just hearing it hurt. I started the climb out of Mary Ellen Gulch and just puttered along. We followed a little run off creek most of the way up and i took full advantage of the refreshing cold water. I kept dipping my hat and washing my face. I needed any help I could get. It took a good 2-3 days for me to get out of there but once I did, I felt pretty good. We hit another water only station then climbed up to the Peruvian Tunnel. I actually felt better here than I thought. Stop at the aide station and talked to Jim Skaggs (Antelope RD) for a bit I told Jim that I wasn't sure if my mom heard me or not but I kept crying out to her up Mary Ellen, he laughed and I disappeared into the tunnel. Made a nice little decent then up next was "the ridge" as I called it from last year. I hit the ridge with the hopes of doing better than last year. Last year it absolutely broke me down! I did a little better today but still lots of room for improvement. Once you hit the top of the ridge, Karl decided to sent us back down again. This part is difficult mentally because this is where you pass runners who are headed down to the finish. After following the snowy switchbacks and heading towards the tram, I caught up to my buddy Phil. There we were, 1 year later sitting at the last aide station and trying to figure out if our route down would be the tram or the trail. Last year we chose the trail and lived to tell about it so we took the trail again. We were both struggling but we were going to finish and we did just that. Only about 50 feet from the finish line, I saw my wife and Aspen and that was special. Crossing the line at 10:46ish (not sure official time...yet). It was over. By the way, Nate McDowell won in 5:43! I was so close but I couldn't catch him....
All in all it was another learning experience. Saw some familiar faces and shared some stories..to me that's what its all about. Congrats to anyone who finished. I just read a guy GPS'd it at 13,000 vertical feet CLIMBING in 28 miles. Karl is sadistic!
Here's how it went down. Friday night at the Clif Lodge....brutal. I ate a Subway sandwich and apparently it didn't jive with my body. I was up all night sweating. Got up Saturday morning and still not much better but I thought I took care of it. I got to the check in and the nerves started to kick in. Nerves and bad Subway really don't mix well.
At the start the stomach started grumbling even more, SWEET! The countdown began and we were off. It was pretty warm for a 6:30 start and I already predicted a long hot day was ahead.
We climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed (well you get the picture) and being a very poor hiker, it took its toll on me. I felt like a Yugo going up and I was in the slow lane. I kept trying to remind myself that this was merely a training run but competitive juices kept flowing and I battled those demons all day. Once we hot the tram at the top it was time to go over the Mt Baldy and then start our decent. Let me just say I do NOT like anyone named Mary Ellen anymore. We hit the bottom of Mary Ellen Gulch and it was hot!! Getting ready to leave the aide station, Roch Horton said "alright 3000' foot climb ahead so go get it!" Aw man, I didn't need to hear that. I knew it was there but just hearing it hurt. I started the climb out of Mary Ellen Gulch and just puttered along. We followed a little run off creek most of the way up and i took full advantage of the refreshing cold water. I kept dipping my hat and washing my face. I needed any help I could get. It took a good 2-3 days for me to get out of there but once I did, I felt pretty good. We hit another water only station then climbed up to the Peruvian Tunnel. I actually felt better here than I thought. Stop at the aide station and talked to Jim Skaggs (Antelope RD) for a bit I told Jim that I wasn't sure if my mom heard me or not but I kept crying out to her up Mary Ellen, he laughed and I disappeared into the tunnel. Made a nice little decent then up next was "the ridge" as I called it from last year. I hit the ridge with the hopes of doing better than last year. Last year it absolutely broke me down! I did a little better today but still lots of room for improvement. Once you hit the top of the ridge, Karl decided to sent us back down again. This part is difficult mentally because this is where you pass runners who are headed down to the finish. After following the snowy switchbacks and heading towards the tram, I caught up to my buddy Phil. There we were, 1 year later sitting at the last aide station and trying to figure out if our route down would be the tram or the trail. Last year we chose the trail and lived to tell about it so we took the trail again. We were both struggling but we were going to finish and we did just that. Only about 50 feet from the finish line, I saw my wife and Aspen and that was special. Crossing the line at 10:46ish (not sure official time...yet). It was over. By the way, Nate McDowell won in 5:43! I was so close but I couldn't catch him....
All in all it was another learning experience. Saw some familiar faces and shared some stories..to me that's what its all about. Congrats to anyone who finished. I just read a guy GPS'd it at 13,000 vertical feet CLIMBING in 28 miles. Karl is sadistic!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Logan Peak Race - 6:30
Another race in the books. Finished 2nd (in my age group), 16th overall. It was a small number to enter only 39. Official time was 6:30 which I am okay with I was hoping for 6 hours but until I get some good climbing legs races will continue to hammer me when going up. I feel good with running flats and downhill but going up, well that’s a whole other story.
The race started at 6 am and had a great feel to it. Kelly Bradbury, race RD, did a great job. This event in its 2nd year is a must do. She keeps it very personable and puts a lot of time into it. The course was marked extremely well. I was nervous about the course and getting lost being the first time on it but once I got going and saw the marking I had nothing to worry about.
The run starts and you go up for what felt like forever. I struggled with early shin splints and due to my week leading up to the race (eating burgers and brats and no sleep) I couldn’t blame my body for feeling like crap. (With Melony’s family in town from Texas, we had a fun week outlined with a trip to Lava Hot Springs and lots of Bar B Q’s……not good to combine with a race but it has been a blast.)
I really struggled going up for the first 5-6 miles. The trail was great and that part of the course was awesome. We hit a flatter section with some rollers and it was great to get the legs going. The shin splints eventually went away and things started to feel normal.
Once we hit the aid station before we went to Logan Peak I was prepared for some big time climbing. As I was going up some of the lead runners were coming down. One guy was coming down and said “I hope you like snow.” AGAIN! First Squaw, then Logan Peak. It was slow and go through much of the climb to the towers on Logan Peak. As the lead runners came down I tried to look at my time to get an idea how far I was behind them. At this point, things felt good and I was just looking forward to the view on top. Once I got there it was nothing short of perfect. Views all around. I decided not to stay long and quickly starting sliding down the mountain. Fun times. I had a good pace all the way to the aid station and actually caught up to about 3-4 runners. I didn’t stick around long and was on my way. I knew by the map that from here on out was pretty much down hill. I made a conscious decision to let it loose. I knew it would hurt and knew I would most likely bonk with the temperatures rising but this is a training run…right?
As I caught up to a few people I decided to play a game with myself. If I saw a runner in front of me and they turned around, I felt like it was my obligation to pass them. The game worked. I forgot about certain things and went for it. I passed about 9-10 in all on the way down and felt good.
The final aid station had me catch about 3 guys. I said to myself, “I need to finish in front of these guys.” It was about 5 miles to the finish and all down hill and pretty technical. I got a good pace going and caught up to another runner. He let me pass and then just stayed right on my heels. He really pushed me down most of this. I didn’t want him to pass me so I set a pace that was border line red line for me. He didn’t budge. Then I remember a quote (not sure from where) and it goes something like….I know they are hurting as bad as I am but I can take the pain. I decided to see what he had. I shifted up one more gear. I know felt like my knees were going to pop out of the skin and my quads were ready to blow. I kept telling myself that I could endure what I felt but with the dogs barking and the knees screaming I was about ready to concede when I heard a few noises I haven’t heard before. I thought, well he may be struggling, so I pushed just a bit more and then I heard nothing. I took a glance and there was nobody there. WHEW! I backed it down just a bit to catch my breath and ran the rest of the way to the finish. 6:30 finish but I felt good.
What a race, what a day.
The race started at 6 am and had a great feel to it. Kelly Bradbury, race RD, did a great job. This event in its 2nd year is a must do. She keeps it very personable and puts a lot of time into it. The course was marked extremely well. I was nervous about the course and getting lost being the first time on it but once I got going and saw the marking I had nothing to worry about.
The run starts and you go up for what felt like forever. I struggled with early shin splints and due to my week leading up to the race (eating burgers and brats and no sleep) I couldn’t blame my body for feeling like crap. (With Melony’s family in town from Texas, we had a fun week outlined with a trip to Lava Hot Springs and lots of Bar B Q’s……not good to combine with a race but it has been a blast.)
I really struggled going up for the first 5-6 miles. The trail was great and that part of the course was awesome. We hit a flatter section with some rollers and it was great to get the legs going. The shin splints eventually went away and things started to feel normal.
Once we hit the aid station before we went to Logan Peak I was prepared for some big time climbing. As I was going up some of the lead runners were coming down. One guy was coming down and said “I hope you like snow.” AGAIN! First Squaw, then Logan Peak. It was slow and go through much of the climb to the towers on Logan Peak. As the lead runners came down I tried to look at my time to get an idea how far I was behind them. At this point, things felt good and I was just looking forward to the view on top. Once I got there it was nothing short of perfect. Views all around. I decided not to stay long and quickly starting sliding down the mountain. Fun times. I had a good pace all the way to the aid station and actually caught up to about 3-4 runners. I didn’t stick around long and was on my way. I knew by the map that from here on out was pretty much down hill. I made a conscious decision to let it loose. I knew it would hurt and knew I would most likely bonk with the temperatures rising but this is a training run…right?
As I caught up to a few people I decided to play a game with myself. If I saw a runner in front of me and they turned around, I felt like it was my obligation to pass them. The game worked. I forgot about certain things and went for it. I passed about 9-10 in all on the way down and felt good.
The final aid station had me catch about 3 guys. I said to myself, “I need to finish in front of these guys.” It was about 5 miles to the finish and all down hill and pretty technical. I got a good pace going and caught up to another runner. He let me pass and then just stayed right on my heels. He really pushed me down most of this. I didn’t want him to pass me so I set a pace that was border line red line for me. He didn’t budge. Then I remember a quote (not sure from where) and it goes something like….I know they are hurting as bad as I am but I can take the pain. I decided to see what he had. I shifted up one more gear. I know felt like my knees were going to pop out of the skin and my quads were ready to blow. I kept telling myself that I could endure what I felt but with the dogs barking and the knees screaming I was about ready to concede when I heard a few noises I haven’t heard before. I thought, well he may be struggling, so I pushed just a bit more and then I heard nothing. I took a glance and there was nobody there. WHEW! I backed it down just a bit to catch my breath and ran the rest of the way to the finish. 6:30 finish but I felt good.
What a race, what a day.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Squaw Peak 50- 12:44
Whew. What a day! I guess I was a little off in my earlier post, Squaw Peak 50 pre-race. I said the race will really start for me at mile 33. WRONG! The race starts at 5 am. Phil and I pulled up to the race, got out of the car and woo-hoo, the race was under way. We sprinted to drop off our drop bags and get to the start. Not only were we late but it was raining pretty good too.
I clocked some PR down the first 3+ miles on the paved path. I knew I had to get ahead of alot of people to keep my chances of a sub 12 alive. Once you get off the path, you start going up and I didn't want to get pinned behind everyone. I ran with Phil until the pavement ended and he stopped for a potty break and I kept going.
The rain has made for an unexpected experience. MUD! The trail was a mess. We were going straight up and the mud was brutal. People were sliding an falling everywhere. I later found out a few people broke bones on this part. Yikes. The rain got harder and heavier as we made our way up the muddy single track.
I was definitely behind in my splits and was trying to adjust mentally to the fact that after 7 miles I was off on my times. Things turned for me surprisingly enough when it started to SNOW. Yep, wasn't expecting snow in June. Started off as a flurry and while others were complaining I thought, hey-this is pretty cool. My feet were soaked which is a huge peat peeve of mine and the snow just froze them. As we trekked along, we had entered a blizzard. The snow was now falling sideways due to the wind and I would guess there was at least 3 fresh inches on snow on the ground.
The views were spectacular and the snow made it surreal. I chose not to pull out the iPod and just enjoy nature.
I came into AS #5 and was feeling the effects of a long decent. Once we hit Hobble Creek road, I was pretty beat up. I used alot more energy than I was expecting with the slick conditions and my feet felt pretty bad. Once on the road, i wanted to see if I could make up any time but I just didn't feel it. I was sputtering along and came across Jaime and Ron Remkes. WOW, talk about speed walking. Without them there I would have really struggled but talking with them helped me forget how I felt and they really pulled me on the road.
We hit AS#6 and I was in and out quick. Just a few hundred yards past the AS, I stopped and took my shoes and socks off to clear them out. Good move on my part. The sun started to come out so I stopped and pulled off my Pearl Izumi Fly jacket which saved me thus far. Once I took off the jacket, it revealed the Team Pearl Izumi-Smith race shirt. Talk about an adrenaline rush! I felt so proud to wear it and once I saw it I had to get moving. I am just the manager, not an athlete so I couldn't let them down. I passes quite a few people up the road to AS#7.
In and out of AS#7 quick and headed toward #8. This is my favorite part of the course. It is beautiful. Aspens, creeks and groves of trees everywhere.
Hit AS#8 and got in and out of there quick too. Walked all the hills and caught up to a couple guys who were running so I thought, what the hell. Stayed with them all the way to Windy Pass.
Windy Pass beat me last year but I will be a little cocky and call it a draw this year. It cheated and decided to be covered in snow. It was a crazy rough climb but I kept on keeping on. It wasn't as bad as I thought and I actually passed a few people going up which is a far cry from last year.
Ran with Kasey, Billy and Joel until AS#9. In and out quick.
Time to haul off of Windy.....wait-tons of damn snow. Took longer to get down but knowing I would be done soon I flew. Got to AS#10 and there was my family. Surprise! That felt great. I took off my Nathan vest, grabbed a handheld and hit the road.
I ran the entire road to the finish which for me felt great. As I turned the corner to the finish I knew I would finish sub 13 which was nice. I picked up Aspen and grabbed Sami's hand and headed toward the finish. 12:44! I will take it. Considering the conditions I feel good with this. I cut out almost 2 hours from last year and overall I felt good. What a difference a year can make.
Thanks to everyone who helped me through this.
I left a few things out but didn't want to write a novel. If we talk soon I will share a few "war" stories.
I clocked some PR down the first 3+ miles on the paved path. I knew I had to get ahead of alot of people to keep my chances of a sub 12 alive. Once you get off the path, you start going up and I didn't want to get pinned behind everyone. I ran with Phil until the pavement ended and he stopped for a potty break and I kept going.
The rain has made for an unexpected experience. MUD! The trail was a mess. We were going straight up and the mud was brutal. People were sliding an falling everywhere. I later found out a few people broke bones on this part. Yikes. The rain got harder and heavier as we made our way up the muddy single track.
I was definitely behind in my splits and was trying to adjust mentally to the fact that after 7 miles I was off on my times. Things turned for me surprisingly enough when it started to SNOW. Yep, wasn't expecting snow in June. Started off as a flurry and while others were complaining I thought, hey-this is pretty cool. My feet were soaked which is a huge peat peeve of mine and the snow just froze them. As we trekked along, we had entered a blizzard. The snow was now falling sideways due to the wind and I would guess there was at least 3 fresh inches on snow on the ground.
The views were spectacular and the snow made it surreal. I chose not to pull out the iPod and just enjoy nature.
I came into AS #5 and was feeling the effects of a long decent. Once we hit Hobble Creek road, I was pretty beat up. I used alot more energy than I was expecting with the slick conditions and my feet felt pretty bad. Once on the road, i wanted to see if I could make up any time but I just didn't feel it. I was sputtering along and came across Jaime and Ron Remkes. WOW, talk about speed walking. Without them there I would have really struggled but talking with them helped me forget how I felt and they really pulled me on the road.
We hit AS#6 and I was in and out quick. Just a few hundred yards past the AS, I stopped and took my shoes and socks off to clear them out. Good move on my part. The sun started to come out so I stopped and pulled off my Pearl Izumi Fly jacket which saved me thus far. Once I took off the jacket, it revealed the Team Pearl Izumi-Smith race shirt. Talk about an adrenaline rush! I felt so proud to wear it and once I saw it I had to get moving. I am just the manager, not an athlete so I couldn't let them down. I passes quite a few people up the road to AS#7.
In and out of AS#7 quick and headed toward #8. This is my favorite part of the course. It is beautiful. Aspens, creeks and groves of trees everywhere.
Hit AS#8 and got in and out of there quick too. Walked all the hills and caught up to a couple guys who were running so I thought, what the hell. Stayed with them all the way to Windy Pass.
Windy Pass beat me last year but I will be a little cocky and call it a draw this year. It cheated and decided to be covered in snow. It was a crazy rough climb but I kept on keeping on. It wasn't as bad as I thought and I actually passed a few people going up which is a far cry from last year.
Ran with Kasey, Billy and Joel until AS#9. In and out quick.
Time to haul off of Windy.....wait-tons of damn snow. Took longer to get down but knowing I would be done soon I flew. Got to AS#10 and there was my family. Surprise! That felt great. I took off my Nathan vest, grabbed a handheld and hit the road.
I ran the entire road to the finish which for me felt great. As I turned the corner to the finish I knew I would finish sub 13 which was nice. I picked up Aspen and grabbed Sami's hand and headed toward the finish. 12:44! I will take it. Considering the conditions I feel good with this. I cut out almost 2 hours from last year and overall I felt good. What a difference a year can make.
Thanks to everyone who helped me through this.
I left a few things out but didn't want to write a novel. If we talk soon I will share a few "war" stories.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)