Well, I have had 3 weeks of absolutely no running, ok I freaked out one day and went for a 20 min jaunt, but basically 3 weeks with no running. I feel good.
After a long season of running my body was screaming for some time off, I’m normally a little stubborn, but thought I would see if I could do a little cross training and let my body reset itself, heal up some plantar fasciitis and other niggles that need healing. My wife wanted to try out a gym membership for the winter and get her legs back after her first 50K. I thought it would be smart to join her, do a little cross training and spend some time in the sauna stretching, massaging and sweating out some toxins.
I now crave the trails even more and am so excited to get back into by daily routine. A peaceful couple hour run, 3000 ft of climbing and the much-needed quiet time I enjoy in my daily trek climbing mountains and weaving the trails. This is what I was missing, my body was happy to rest and is now ready for another packed season of running.
Rest is an important part of taking care of your body and I feel the key to a long enjoyable life of running is the moments of rest. Ultra running can be very demanding on your body’s joints, muscles, organs, hormone producing glands and mind. Taking a moment to let it sink in, look back at all the fun times and get excited for more is something I hope to do every year.
I guess I should start running again
Now that I’ve had time to add on a few pounds, kick the feet up and bum around the house in sweats just a little more then usual, I’m ready to start running. My first couple runs have felt amusingly awkward. Sometimes running can feel effortless, like floating. I find it comforting to fumble and stumble through these last few days’ efforts, as I know I am building a strong foundation to build on throughout the year.
My plan is to progressively keep adding miles the next few weeks until I’m back to 100 or so a week. After that feels comfortable and the legs respond I will start incorporating some tempo work and increase my effort each week until races are upon me. I’m really looking forward to where ultra running is going and I look forward to being a part of some exciting events this year in beautiful places.
I thought I would post some recent articles I’ve been in the last couple weeks. Hope you enjoy…
Here is a link to Tony Krupicka’s article with Running Times where he talks about Ultra’s becoming more competitive. He gives me a shout out in it, which was a HUGE compliment. He is one of a few people who have inspired me to push beyond what I thought was possible and be free running in the mountains. I feel we share a connection through our love and joy of nature and running up to a peak every morning. Thanks Tony!
Here is an interview I did with Abraham Louis who’s recently been on some cool journeys across America by foot and bike. I met him at White River 50 miler 2 years ago and he’s a fellow Wisconsinite like myself. I’m looking forward to going back to Wisconsin this May for a good run at the Ice Age 50 miler.
Thanks for following, I will be posting again soon to let you know how training has been going since my Bandera 100K win and exciting things happening down the trail.
The last 20 miles were probably the toughest running of my life. I felt nauseated, every millimeter of my body ached, but I could not give up. I’m too stubborn for that. The will to finish and not give up, no matter what, was too strong. I knew they were hot on my tail, I could feel their breath on my neck. I willed that finish line closer and closer and after many soul-strengthening moments, there it was, I did it. I can now rest.
1st Place Finish with my friend Darrell who was part of my cru and the culinary artist of the weekend. Picture by: Marla Hendricks
Like most ultra runners, I continually ask my self “what in the hell am I doing.” The answer is easy, I have no fricken clue, but isn’t life funny? Humans are a funny breed. We do many things for fun, that others would call torture. Like golf, going to the mall, eating rocky mountain oysters. I don’t do those things, but I do run in circles for hours upon hours with a funny smile that resembles pure bliss. I probably need some type of psychiatric help, but running out in the mountains and forest seems to do the trick.
Picture by: Marla Hendricks
Even with moments of pain, I sure had a blast at the Bandera 100k National Championship. Texas was fun, the trails were interesting and the people were great! Thank you Joe Prusaitis for putting on such a great race.
The 100k distance is made of two 50k loops. It starts with some gnarly climbing over dump-truck loads of loose rock outlined with serrated prickly sotol cactus bush for good measure. Followed by way to flat, maze of a middle section that brings you back to a mess of more scrambled rock. It ends with a few more climbs and a bunch more of black toenailing rocks letting you know your alive. After you’ve had one go around, a bunch of us decided it would me fun to swing around twice. I personally liked all the rocks and prickles, it made you have to be entirely focused the whole race or loose your front teeth (your choice).
Dave in hot pursuit @ Cross Roads (mile 22). Picture by: Marla Hendricks
The first loop Dave James and I traded back n forth the roll of leader as a group of hungry Western State qualifying hopefuls nipped at our heals. I made it though the first loop around 3:52 and was hoping to finish around 8hrs. With the heat (70F), exhaustion and an extra mile I didn’t have much chance for the CR, but am quite happy to pull off a victory with a time of 8:28 and walk the days that followed. The CR holder Dave Macky was in striking distance the 2nd 50k and I was giving everything I am to not see him until the finish. Dave, Joe Uhan and Dylan Bowman were all within a minute of each other and came through about 10 minutes behind me. It was quite a race and I believe everyone dug really deep to finish the race as strong as they could. Amazing field of runners showed up for this race and looks as if that will tend to be the norm at the races I have lined up for 2012.
Somewhere out on the course, too busy looking at the ground
Picture by: Marla Hendricks
One take away from this run compared to other races I’ve done was the rocky terrain. The magnificent mountains and vistas are normally the fire that engage my passion for most races, but Bandera was a little different. I spend a lot of time looking up at races and getting energy from the beautiful landscapes, missing the very earth that breaths life into my feet and catapults me on my way. The terrain at Bandera was a lot different then the freshly groomed trails I run in Oregon. This gave me a good amount of time to focus on the true source of which I vibe with all day, the earth. I have a tattoo on my leg of a tree with the roots swerving around my ankle and my foot connecting me to this source. It keeps me grounded even when I’m trying to move as fast as I can in life. It reminds me to be present, focus on every step and to not worry what trivial trials lie ahead. I will remember to thank the earth for its love n care with running and every other step I take.
Still feeling good and Chapas Aid Station (mile 42). Picture by: Bryon Powell @irunfar
I want to give a huge shout out to my sponsors who supply me with the tools to put in such an effort. Pearl iZUMi for helping with the gear and amazing Peak kicks to help me fly over the rough terrain. I ran in a prototype for the up and coming Peack 3.0, so excited for this shoe, I couldn’t ask for a better trail shoe. First Endurance for my fuel and Ultragen recovery drink to keep the legs ticking. I also take First Endurance OptygenHP, which has helped keep my cortisol levels down and gives me the ability to adapt to high volume training. And to the amino acid supplement Vespa Power, I could not have run the race I did with out this product. It helps tremendously with recovery and my mental focus through out the race. Also allowing me to use fat as my fuel, so I’m not destroying my stomach with excess sugary concoctions. I actually only had about 2 goo’s an hour and couldn’t take in any calories the last 2-3 hrs, as the heat of the day would not allow.
Also a huge Thank You to my Vespa Power Cru of Darrel, Marla, Bruce and Joe who where at all the aid stations they could get to with fresh supplies and cheering me on. Darrel is also a professional chef who was grilling up a decadent storm of perfection each night that kept my tummy and legs quite happy. It was a fun trip and I’m very grateful I have had the chance to experience Texas to the fullest.
Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting so…get on your way. ~ Dr Seuss
January 1st 2012 run up to Queen of Hearts trail that over looks Ashland.
I feel that 2012 will be the most focused I’ve ever been. Over the next year I want to connect the earth, my body and mind to be one and ready for whatever will be. I’m excited to put forth a strong effort in all I do as I train, work, love and live. I’m very grateful for life and I look forward to enjoying this journey as it unfolds.
2011 was a lot of fun, I’m excited to see what 2012 has in store. I’ve raced all over this past year and my body has responded well to the volume. My body has been a little worn down from the North Face run, but I look forward to one more go in Bandera Texas next weekend. I’ll be racing the 100k and it looks like another strong field of runners.
I plan to give the body a good rest after next weekend, to let this past year soak in and let my body gear up for another exciting year in 2012. After Bandera I plan on going for more relaxed runs/hikes with my wife and just kick back for a while until I feel rejuvenated and ready to ramp up the training come spring.
North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile Championship
The championship run in the Marin Headlands lived up to the hype. We went out hard, pushed the pace at every turn and growled and grunted pretty much every step of the way. I was privileged to take part in this year’s battle of endurance and strength and witness some impressive performances from both the women and men’s races.
I worked hard in the weeks leading up to this race, continuing to understand more and more on how to push myself while still enjoying the pure nature that is trail running. Racing throughout this past year has brought up many emotions and thoughts into why I try to push my body to its limits. I feel like I do well checking in with myself. Anytime running is not just simply playing around in the woods, its time to back off and readjust my focus. Trail running has turned into a deep and satisfying passion of mine that I hope burns for years to come. I look forward to races such as TNFEC, but more importantly I look forward to every moment connecting with my surroundings and running through the wilderness.
Moments before start. Photo: Debbie Loomis
Five am is a little early to start a run for me, but the weather was warm, the stars were shinning bright and there was a pack of hungry headlamps hovering through the first handful of miles. We were clicking off some fast splits, but 6 min miles seems to be pretty easy with adrenaline charged legs that have been tapering for the last week.
As the morning trickled on it was nice to catch up with friends, talk about the hours ahead and see just how many rabbits jump out from the get-go. Sitting around 15-20th place felt comfortable and let the legs warm up while enjoying the morning’s breeze.
Not much happened those first few hours. We ran up some switchbacks and flew down some dicey terrain. I missed a turn (around mile 12) and bush wacked for a minute before deciding I was not on path. I made my way back and cranked hard up some switchbacks to make up for lost time. I used up some energy on the way up Cardiac (mile 18), but I knew I needed to keep the leaders in reach. They were flying strong, so I was a little worried on their lead, but I kept reminding myself to be patient and to remember the race was unfolding just as it should be.
The scenery was beautiful all day; the Headlands have quite the collection of shimmering ocean waves, stair laden connectors to gorgeous single track with a mess of dipping and downed trees to jump or limbo at ones discretion. I had a motto for the day which was: presence…every step, every goo and every view. I felt in tune with my body most the day, but was maybe a little too focused on the race this particular day instead of taking mental pictures to collage the day together in my mind. It was a different feeling than I’ve had in other races, but I also really enjoyed the intensity of my focus and desire for the step ahead. Every run and race is such a uniquely individual experience yet we all share in the joy together and connect through similarities.
My most vivid memory of the race is when I caught up to Adam Campbell a little bit before the turn around (mile 22.8). We then spent the next few hours running and enjoying the day together. We talked some, we laughed, I think I cried a wee bit J. It was a great experience to run with such a cool dude. I feel like we connected and really fed off each other’s energy, while we went through the lows and highs, pushed each other a long and had good company for a solid 10+ miles. Adam is one strong dude and I look forward to spending more time out on the trails with him next year.
After a long decent down some rootsy switchbacks, Adam gained some ground on me and I was feeling a little down. My hamstrings kept cramping on the descents and I had to slow to a mellower cruz to get them back to functioning. For some odd reason, not one aid station had salt-caps, (little rant- they spent the time to cut up like a 1000 bananas, but could not have a bottle open of salt-caps?) weird but I guess you should be ready for anything. At one point I actually took a Nuun tab and stuck it in my cheek, I kept sucking on it and taking it out when it got to fizzy. I know I could have put the tab in my water, but I really just like the taste of water to put down goos, so I didn’t want to spoil my drink of delightful H2O. This fizzy mess was a nice distraction and it eventually helped settle the cramping for a bit.
I was not feeling very strong at the time, but as I climbed up some steps I noticed that I was gaining on some of the people in the top 5. I came up to Mike Wardian and Geoff Roes in the next mile, which gave me confidence that patience was paying off. Being this close to some of the best runners in the biz and people I really respect and admire made me switch gears and remember that I was still in this battle. Roes told me to keep giving it hell so I thought I would listen. I put some breathing room between us as I kept pushing the climb.
Photo: Brett River
So I kept rolling, feeling confident and ready to keep pushing. Then, right before a quick right hand turn a few miles before the Old Inn aid station (mile 38.9), I accidently kept climbing instead of hanging a right. I was feeling good and enjoying the run a little too much that I forgot an important detail…following the tape. I kept climbing way, way too much until I reached the top of the road with no markers anywhere. I should have been more aware, but wasn’t. I added a good 10 or more minutes to my day and ended up another 3 or 4 spots back, but I wasn’t done yet. I crawled back and eventually passed everyone again to their amusement of seeing me twice in the last hour.
By Muir Beach (mile 42.5) I was back with Roes and we started the climb up the Coastal trail. I didn’t have much left in my legs, but I came to the race to give all I had even if the podium was out of reach. Every step was a glimpse of more knowledge about my body. I wanted to take myself to the edge, be alive and free, experience this run to it’s fullest extent.
My cramping legs could not handle the downs as well as I liked, but they never fully locked up. I wiggled down to Tennessee Valley (mile 45) and was ready to finish this thing off. The climb hurt, but I wasn’t broken yet. My thoughts disappeared into the days dust as I just enjoyed the last miles before an ice-cold GF beer at the finish. My mind was clear and relaxed; it was a very satisfying day.
I ran the last few miles hard as to not be caught with so little to go and came across the finish in 4th with a time of 6:38:50. I didn’t think that I could run a 50 miler that fast; I am content to have experienced such a wonderful day.
Hal and i soaking in the afternoon sun. Photo: Deb Loomis
Throughout the day many emotions, feelings and connections took place. I’m very grateful to experience this gift of life and share it with so many good people. I was also able to be a part of my amazing brides first 50k. I felt connected with her as we both pushed our self’s to new experiences. I’m so proud of how Krista dealt with her own adversity and came in sore, but with a huge smile. Well done beautiful.
Photo: Brett Rivers
Sharing these memories with so many incredible people over the past year of running and racing has been unbelievable. I look forward to many years of the same and I am very excited to see how 2012 unfolds.
Moving to Ashland was a sweet idea! My wife and I are truly blessed to live in such a beautiful peaceful place with some of the finest people in the world. My Ashland family was on the top of their game this past weekend with endless smiles and support along the Pine to Palm 100 mile endurance run. Thank you Ashland!
I’ve been looking forward to racing this course again since last year’s inaugural monsoon of a race. Last year I was rained on for 18+ hours and stripped of all the amazing views Ashland has to offer. This year Pine to Palm had its redemption. The weather was ultra perfect. Temps were between 40 and 80 F with a whisper of a breeze to cool and push us along. The sunrise and sunset of radiant blood orange broke through the clouds to add some color as we journeyed from Williams, Oregon, dipped into California and explored further vistas back home to Ashland, Oregon.
Running a race in your own back yard has perks… like when you forgot all your water bottles at home the night before, you can have some friends deliver some to you bright and early, seconds before a 6 am start. So with that hiccup out of the way, Yassine, myself and a gang of ultra studs and stud-ets braved the first 5000ft climb to get things rolling. I met Yassine a couple years ago and in our handful of moments together we always catch incredible views together. Mt Rainer, the Puget Sound, and a plethora of other mountains, valleys and sunrises are what we partake in as we chase each other around the West. We stuck together for the first few hours catching up and cruising along at a relatively safe pace for the start. The early hours were bliss while we swerved around some single track up to Little Greyback Mountain as the sunrise made the sky glow with fire.
Sunrise. Pic Petretto
With such a beautiful start to the race, I was excited to see what other views I missed last year. I flew down to the first aid (O’Brien Creek, mile 13.6), filled my water and was on my way. The next section is a few miles of dirt road, which I was ready to get out of the way and back to some single track around Applegate Lake. Those miles ticked by as I pushed the pace a touch hot, yelled at some snarly dogs to stop nipping at me, while Yassine was nipping at my lead.
Cruising to Seattle Bar. Picture Pete Beck
Feeling a bit depleted coming into Seattle Bar (mile 26.4) I knew I was in for a rough patch. I’ve been working with my diet and energy burning the last month to try to figure out my stomach issues once and for all. I’ve basically taken grain carbs out of my diet and have been sticking to veggies, meat, nuts and fruit.
Enjoying some Turkey up at Stein Butte. Picture Bradley Whelden
My food choices are as natural as possible, making fat my fuel as I run mountains. I do use carbs, but try to use them strategically to make my body as efficient as possible. I’m also supplementing with an incredible product called VESPA, an amino acid supplement that helps my body stabilizes energy, metabolize fat and optimize recovery. I’m still working on it and those first 5 hours of running I should have eaten a little more. I was on about 100 calories an hour and it came back to haunt me later. Rookie mistake, yet I look forward to completely dialing in my nutrition for running and daily living. One positive of the day was that using VESPA, my stomach was the best it’s ever felt, which I’m sure i wouldn’t mind getting used to!
The climb up to Stein Butte (mile 30.9) is where I began to feel a little more seriously deflated. I just could not climb very strong, and even though I was still moving, things were just not clicking like they should have. I figured this would pass and I needed to just keep pushing and ride it out. Seeing good friends at the top helped to bring on a smile and the views of Applegate Lake and the surrounding peaks made the suffering a little more manageable. It’s incredible up there and I’m definitely going to have to go on a run/hike with my wife for a picnic soon.
Climbing. Picture Bradley Whelden
The day was heating up and I knew I wasn’t gapping the runners behind me like I wanted to. At least I had some down grade to pick up the pace and get me to Squaw Lake where my crew was ready to amp me up and for me to enjoy a couple mile loops around the shimmering lake of glass. Around the lake I tried to get my mind back in the game and also suck down some of First Endurance’sUltragen, a protein drink with a bunch of calories in the hope of turning my energy levels around.
Still no luck, but I kept running, even though I just didn’t have that next gear. It felt like a nightmare when you’re being chased and everyone else is moving fast and you’re stuck in slow motion. My heart wanted to go, but there was nothing in the tank.
The climb up to Squaw peak was difficult. The heat was on, my throat was dry with my water bottle empty, goo was disgusting and my mind was in a bad place. A dark place that did not want to move, and there was still 50+ miles to go.
I did however stumble over to Hanley Gap aid (mile 49.5), which included an out n back up to Squaw peak. From above, Squaw Lake looked like a diamond etched into the land giving me a twinkle of hope, but still no pep in the legs. Rennagades aid station also cheered me up with their Rasta man vibrations and I was told I had at least a 25-minute lead on whoever was behind. I thought it was Yassine, but found out Downey was on my tail and having a good day.
Hal Marley!
The hardest climb up to Dutchmen Peak (7500ft) was approaching and I knew I needed to keep moving if I didn’t want to get caught. My sloth like movement was not what I had in mind, but I figured as long as I kept running and not walking up this big climb I would be doing ok. I was not in the brightest of moods and anytime I let my mind take over, all it said was to stop. Fortunately I don’t like listening to those voices and I chose to let the energy of the great outdoors drive me on instead.
When you’re stripped to such a raw point you can only really go one of two ways, to the ground (stopping) or to the sky (pushing on). At this particular moment of the race as I was making the last 1000 ft push to the top of Dutchmen, I reached my end. I didn’t know what else to do and nothing felt right. Later on thinking about it I was calling it just a little “soul burn,” meaning my spirit was tested but I stayed strong and learned from the experience. I like ultras for many reasons, chief of which may be the way they make me appreciate the challenge of battling your mind and turning the pain from anguish to a growing experience. I learn the most about myself when I am pushed out of my comfort zone and go internally as deep as I can go. It wasn’t pleasant, but I bounced back renewed, awakened and rejuvenated.
Despite my lack of desire for any sustenance, my wife stubbornly insisted that if I could even consider the idea of the taste of Ultragen, I needed to finish it off. I slammed down the Ultragen, walked a moment with Krista and for the first time in a race put on some music. I needed a divine moment and as the air cooled and the voice of god came down as Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, I was back!
Finally, I put on a big smile, sang some songs as loud as I could and ripped the downhill section in pure bliss. I had energy for the first time in many hours and damn did it feel good. It’s a hard 4500ft plummet to the bottom at Glade Creek (mile 73.7), but I knew I was getting closer. The sun was setting and the sky was changing colors just like it had 12+ hours earlier. It was beautiful but reminded me that I needed to make it to mile 80 to pick up my pacer Aaron and a headlamp.
I made it in the nick of time, just before dark, to Wagner Gap (mile 79.7) to pick up my good friend Aaron who helped pace me last year at my first 100. It was a hard battle through the cold last year and I could not believe Aaron came back to help again. It was a great “pick me up” to be running with someone after 10+hours alone. And it felt good to know Aaron was going to drag me on home for my 2nd 100 mile run of the Pine to Palm.
We were having a good time and in high spirits. There was a slight haze of red surrounding the mountings in the background. The night was upon us and the last few miles were right there. I had a tough middle section, but feeling this good at the end made up for it. We cruised some beautiful single track, running through neck high grassland, breathing the fresh cool air and running our hands through the grass as it flowed in the wind. We pushed hard, but made sure to keep living in the moment. Racing was not a thought in my mind, it was more about enjoying the last few hours of the day. Grateful to have experienced this journey and also smiling that it was coming to an end.
We weaved some switchbacks as we came across some friends camping by the out n back section to Wagner Butte (7000+ft, mile 85 and 89) after a 3000ft climb. We were able to say hello, sing Happy Birthday to Maya and were then booted out to make it back home. The stretch to Wagner Butte is some rocky single track. It’s a little hard lifting your legs after 85 miles, but makes it worth it when you get to the end and have to scramble 20+ ft up the rocky cliff to the Butte. I turned off my headlamp and just took in the moment. It was a silently peaceful night with the town’s glow below and the stars and moon lighting up the sky. It was perfect and I was so happy on top of the world at Wagner Butte.
Well as they say, it was all downhill from there so we decided to keep it rolling. The sounds of the night were in full bloom, the stars glowed bright, the body ached but the mind was solid. We cruised down some loamy single track as we reached more friends at Aid 2060 (mile 90). All we had in front of us were 10 miles and then it was time for a Gluten-Free beer! My pacer didn’t let me slouch, we were on our way, and it wasn’t going to be slow. My body twinged as I plotted down the road, trying to keep enjoying but desperately ready for it to all be done.
We hit the last few miles of technical/rocky trail down to Hit road. Taking in the moment and realizing that we accomplished it again. It was a long day, but worth every second. Entering Ashland bright with lights and seeing people waiting for me with the token t.p. finish line, it felt darn good to be home. I was more than content to be done running and ready to kick the feet up. All in all it was a wonderful experience for my 2nd trip of Ashland’s Pine to Palm 100 mile endurance run, 1st place in 17:19, and done.
I keep learning more and more each race. I’m so excited to be dialing in my nutrition with the great products like First Endurance to help fuel and recover my body. VESPA was another positive factor for aiding in my body’s metabolism of fats and speeding up my body’s recovery. A couple days of rest and my body is back to feeling great and able to run; the body is amazing.
Also, I can’t say enough of how good the Pearl iZUMiPeak II’s are working for me. They are the perfect balance of light weight and the protection I need for a long journey of many miles. It’s nice to have a good pair of shoes I can trust and know that the feet won’t be too cranky at the end of the day.
All done! Picture Joanne
I couldn’t have asked for a better place to run a hundred. Hal, Kelly, Carly and all the amazing volunteers made this race flow just perfect. I’m so grateful to have had you all out there and supporting me along the way, thank you. A huge thank you to Joanne for helping crew and videotape throughout the day, it was awesome having you out there! Aaron, my bad-ass pacer the last 2 years, you’re definitely one of my favorite people to run with and I always know it will be a good time running around with you. And to my beautiful wife Krista who has everything so dialed in and knows exactly what I need to keep going. Just one look in your eyes and I’m ready to give all I got, thanks for your selflessness.
I was privileged to run TransRockies or big kids camp a few weeks back and am finally getting around to writing about it. Running has brought me to lots of breathtaking spots while meeting incredible people and TransRockies was no exception. The Rockie mountains are pretty neat and I was able to run across many a fine vistas in our route from Buena Vista to Beaver Creek.
Coming up Hope Pass
In this expedition from camp to camp I was joined by my good friend Ian Torrence (You can check out his write up about it here) who is one of the key contributors of prodding me along to my love of the trails. When I first moved to Ashland three years ago he was one of the first people I became good friends with and he just so happened to be an amazing Ultra runner. He would invite me out to group runs on the weekends that seemed to get longer and harder as he realized I could sorta keep up. I thought he was trying to kill me at the time, but I’m so grateful for his help in starting the fire that has turned into my passion for running in the mountains.
Team Jerseys, matching sweaters.
Fast forward three years and Ian and I are back at it again (shake n bake) as teammates on the Pearl iZUMi running team. If you would have told me 3 years ago that I would be running through the Rocky Mountains, traveling 120 miles in 6 days, I would say you’re nuts. Turns out I am nuts and I love to run 100+ miles a week on a weekly basis. So when you add good friends and the Colorado Rocky Mountains, it turns into one of the best vacations someone could have.
Ian was a great partner to have out on the trails. We ran hard, but also made sure to have lots of fun, soak in the beauty and not stress about the racing side of the event. We accomplished all three; many memories of fun times, beautiful 360 degree views and we also rolled into 6th place with a total time of 18 hours and 57 minutes.
The more time I spend out in the mountains the deeper my passion grows for running in them. Jumping from rock to rock, skipping over roots and trees and feeling a true connection to the simplicity of nature around me. The back drop of huge mountain peaks (14ers) like Mount Elbert (Hey hey hey) or Mount Massive were just incredible to feel their presence as we passed around them like ants weaving their trails and dwarfed by their greatness. How blessed I am to have experienced these moments in the mountains, just by the fact that I started ultra running as a fun little hobby to better understand my muscles through massage school a few years ago.
Valley from Hope Pass
On our daily runs through the Rockies I brought my camera with me and was able to capture some of the views for you to check out. If you have a chance I would just go look for yourself, but here is some beta for you to make that decision later.
Thank you Pearl iZumi and Nathan Hydration for helping me get to explore such fun areas. And to my amazing wife who understands my love for running like a wild man through the woods on a daily basis.
