Live Epic Has Moved

Live Epic is evolving. As a result, the blog has moved to dylanbowman.com

Thanks to Ted Mahon and Jason Bowman for helping me put this together!

I just posted about my recent experience at the Imogene Pass Run as well as some thoughts on next year's race schedule. My intention is to post much more frequently on the new site so please do check in often. Thanks for reading.

Leadville 100 - 2011

Hundred milers are completely ridiculous. The challenges they offer are uniquely painful and profoundly humbling. My experience at the Leadville 100 last Saturday was very special. The distance whittled me to my core and left me genuinely appreciative of my existence, and the people I share it with with. Ironically, there is nothing more life affirming than crossing the finish line of a 100 miler feeling like a dead body. It is incredible.

The race started at a casual and conversational pace with a large group of us chatting and catching up in the pre-dawn darkness. We had an awesome group and it was fun conversing with so many guys whom I look up to in the sport. As expected, Mike Arnstein was already way off the front by the time we hit the Turquoise Lake Trail, while our pack hit the bottle neck and finally went single file. The banter continued all the way to Mayqueen which I think we hit at about 1:43. My old man was there alone for the second year in a row to hand me a new bottle and take the sleeves I had been wearing at the start.

Nearly all the guys I had been running with had to stop for refills so I exited Mayqueen alone and continued up the road to the Timberline Trailhead. I intentionally hadn't stepped foot on the course since last year's race and had forgotten how frustrating and rocky the Colorado Trail section is that connects runners to Hagerman Pass Road. Timmy Parr caught up to me here and we soon caught Mike on the steeper sections of trail just before the road. Mike's strength is obviously road running which he exhibited as soon as we hit Hagerman, beginning the climb up Sugarloaf Pass. Timmy went with him as I forced myself to stop for a bathroom break, fighting the urge to chase so early.

The sunrise was insane and the climbing was easy. I could feel myself really easing into the race as I began the long descent down Powerline to the Fish Hatchery. Good friend and ultra inspiration Ryan Burch soon caught me on the downhill (as usual) and we ran together for a while discussing the meditative utility of running in big mountains. Ryan is such a good guy. I'm so happy his race went so well. We soon caught Mike and Timmy near the bottom as we descended into the ground fog that had collected in the valley as a result of all night thunderstorms. It was pretty amazing to see from above.

The four of us hit the Fish Hatchery pretty much simultaneously and were greeted by a big crowd of supporters. Mike was out first and proceeded to lay down what appeared to be a sub-six minute pace out to Halfmoon Road. I was out second with another very quick transition, but Timmy caught and passed me maybe a quarter mile down the road. Obviously I was not concerned with place yet and acknowledged the fact that I could never run with these guys in a race on pavement or at a distance shorter than 100 miles.



Ryan Sandes soon came up from behind as we approached Treeline. We agreed that the early pace might have been a bit too hot so we both eased off the gas a bit. I got another new bottle from Courtnee at Treeline and made a concerted effort to drink a lot as the cloudless morning continued to warm up. I had already eaten a ton of food (something I think is important in the first 30 miles of 100s) so my sloshing stomach helped me to remain conservative, slow, and relaxed on the jeep road to the Colorado Trail. Ryan and I continued to run together and both stopped for refills at Halfmoon Aid. We caught Timmy, who was dealing with a little bit of a rough patch, a little after leaving and the three of us made the tricky right turn onto the CO Trail together.

I felt great and my spirits were high as we hit the shady, soft single track below Mt. Elbert. Burch soon rejoined our group and we ran as a four man wolf pack all the way to Twin Lakes on what is my favorite section of the race course.

The raucous crowds of Twin Lakes Aid were awesome but they were overshadowed by my growing concern about lack of salt intake. Butt sweat had already dissolved the pills I had in my back pocket and I did not have a resupply with my crew. I worriedly inquired in the garage as to where I could find some S! Caps but learned the race wasn't providing any. I was a little pissed off to say the least. You'd think they could have afforded it with my $300 entry fee. I immediately dumped a bunch of table salt from a shaker into my palm and hungrily devoured it. Luckily Timmy's crew handed him a bag of S! Caps and he was willing to share. Really a stand up move on his part.



Our wolf pack exited together with Mike still a few minutes off the front. What waited for us outside of Twin Lakes was the crux of the Leadville 100 race course. The Hope Pass double crossing is a place where the race can be won or lost, so I knew I had to execute over the next twenty miles if I was going to have a chance of doing well. My climbing legs didn't feel like showing up for the first go at Hope though. Ryan and Timmy began running some of the less steep stuff and all I could do was watch as they pulled well ahead. Burch was hiking well also and it took everything I had to stay with him for most of the climb.

By the time I hit Hopeless Aid my spirits were very low and pessimism had snuck into my thoughts. I was really down and felt I had no business running with the accomplished men I'd been with all morning. Timmy was having issues of his own and I was surprised to see him sitting in the aid tent when I arrived. I could see both Sandes and Burch ahead but knew I had to focus on myself for the remainder of the climb if I was to pull out of my rut.

Luckily, with the help of a couple caffeinated gels, I was able to do just that. By the time I hit the downhill on the South side of Hope I was feeling much better. Soon after leaving the top, I did something I've never done before - I caught Burch on a downhill. He obviously wasn't pushing the pace, but it did help to boost my confidence and make me think that maybe I was going to have a good day after all. We dropped down onto Winfield road together and I instantly felt a new gear in my legs. It was a great feeling and I rode this momentum all the way to the Winfield turn around at about 7:55 - a full 25 minutes faster than last year.

Ryan Sandes had taken the lead from Mike and they were about 7 and 5 minutes ahead respectively at the turn. I picked up good buddy, training partner, and two-time Leadville podium finisher Zeke Tiernan at Winfield and together we smoked the road back down to the Hope Pass Trail. Zeke was absolutely critical to my success this year. It was such an advantage to have someone so knowledgeable about running and familiar with the course for such a long period of time. I cannot thank him enough for his enthusiasm and companionship on Saturday. What a stud.



My climbing legs came to party on the South side of Hope which was very encouraging. We ran all of the flatter stuff near the top and could tell it was only a matter of time before we caught a fading Fruitarian. Sure enough we blew past Mike and his pacer about three switchbacks down on the North side descent and barely stopped at Hopeless aid. My game face was on and my legs were agile as we negotiated both the terrain and the outbound runners all the way back down to the meadows outside of Twin Lakes. I was simply on fire as we reentered Twin Lakes Aid to the energizing cheers of the crowd.


I chugged a whole can of Coke and quickly left hoping to take full advantage of what was turning out to be an extended patch of good, energized running. But the ensuing climb quickly became a slog. I ran as much as I could but was starting to worry that we had run the second downhill on Hope a bit too hard, as some pretty serious pain was starting to creep into my Quadzillas. Zeke could tell that things were starting to hurt and offered me tons of support and distracted me with conversation. I didn't talk much but it was definitely nice to have him when the miles started to accumulate and drag on.

As we approached Halfmoon Aid there was a stake in the ground with a sign announcing that we had completed seventy miles of our journey. The sign really served to remove what wind remained in my sails. Mile seventy in a hundred is a cruel and brutal place to be. Everything hurts and you still have to mentally embrace running thirty additional miles. Holy shit. One step at a time.

We soon reached Treeline where Team ShredBo was amassed. It was such a boost to see them throughout the day but at Treeline I really needed their energy. They could tell that things were unraveling but were careful to lie and tell me otherwise. I'm so lucky to have those people in my life. Courtnee walked out with me and I could tell she was a bit nervous about my condition. She was a champion crew chief though and managed my race beautifully as usual all day long.




The road miles back to the Hatchery were a battle. I did not want to run but knew that walking was not an option if I was going to sustain my position in the race. I grunted and moaned and avoided Zeke's insistence that I eat and drink. Things were really going downhill fast. We got back to Fish Hatchery in one piece but I was really hurting. Zeke and I hugged and I thanked him for his commitment to my race before leaving the Hatchery with good buddy, Clint Coerdt who was to take me back over Sugarloaf Pass to Mayqueen.



We got to the bottom of Powerline where the South Africans told me that Ryan was struggling also. I got a little shot from that but still did not have the energy (or the time) it would have taken to mount a comeback. Clint, who did Hope with me last year, did everything he could to pull me out of my funk on the climb up Powerline. My poor condition made me worry that someone was gaining from behind but we never saw a soul as we looked over our shoulders on the extended sections with good visibility. Our progress was embarrassingly slow and I couldn't find a rhythm to save my life. I'd break into a running cadence every so often for about fifteen steps before confronting another wall of a climb that I'd have to hike. Fucking Powerline.

Clint continued to tell me how well I was moving when really I was in a pathetic crawl. I knew he was lying but I didn't have the heart to tell him to shut up. The false summits kept coming and the morale kept dropping as we made our way up. Eventually we hit the top and began the downhill where I finally found a second wind. The quads still had life and were able to really hammer the downhill and CO trail section all the way to Mayqueen.

Feeling moderately better, I began strategizing the last half marathon. Local Aspen/Antarctic running legend, Rickey Gates was there hanging with Team ShredBo and he assured me that the gap between me and Ryan was not closable. He told me to just hold it together for a solid second place. This became my plan. Hold it together and get the damn thing done as quick as possible.


I dropped off Clint, who did an awesome job again this year, and picked up fellow Roaring Fork Valley resident and accomplished runner Jeremy Duncan who would escort me to the Red Carpet. Jeremy told me that Neal Gorman had moved into third place which made me really nervous. Neal is a closer and a very accomplished 100 mile guy who chased me hard to the end last year. I didn't want to give him any hope this year so I did everything I could to crush the Lake Trail. And that I did, as Jeremy and I got off the Lake and down the Powerline cut before even turning on the headlamps.


I knew I had second place locked up so, once we hit the Boulevard, I lost all motivation to run. I walked pretty much every step up the Boulevard until we hit the pavement and enjoyed every minute of it. Jeremy and I crested the last little hill and could finally see the finish line. I could hear the well lubricated voices of my joyous crew from a half mile away and rode their cheers all the way down 6th Street, down the Red Carpet, and across the finish line. Officially I finished in 17:18:59, which was good for the 6th fastest time ever, while also being the fastest non-winning time on record. What an incredible day.




I can say with full confidence that my race at Leadville last weekend was the greatest race of my life, and maybe my single greatest accomplishment. I could not be happier with the way things went. That being said, I know I can do better on this course and will be back soon to try. I'm sure I'll start thinking about Leadville 2012 next week and obsess over it until next August. That has sort of been the trend over the last two years.

I'd also like to say what an honor it was to share the trail and conversations with so many respected and accomplished runners up front last weekend. Among others, I had the pleasure of speaking at length with Ryan Sandes at the finish line on Sunday morning. What a classy and deserving champion. It would be really cool to see him come back.

The icing on the cake for me was seeing good buddy Rocky Kroeger cross the finish line in his first attempt at the distance early Sunday morning. Dude is the most passionate and enthusiastic guy I know and certainly has the heart to succeed at anything. I hope he chases a big buckle next year.

Finally, I'd like to thank my crew, the infamous Team ShredBo. I love you guys and appreciate the love you show me. I almost feel like it's an unfair advantage to have you all in my corner. I'm so happy and lucky to call you my friends and family. For those of you who had to deal with ShredBo and its obnoxious size, I offer my apologies. It will be larger next year. Fire it up!


My brother did an incredible write up on the race from his perspective. He is far smarter than I. Read it here.

The Occasion

Leadville is finally upon us. This wonderful occasion has utterly consumed me ever since I successfully crossed the finish line last summer in my first attempt at the 100 mile distance. To say that I am nervous would not due justice to what I've been feeling leading up to this historic race. The emotion is much closer to absolute terror. Physically I feel very strong, fit, and rested. Still though, I've had an inexplicable bad feeling about this weekend and my ability to perform at a level that would make me competitive.

This is not meant to be a sandbagging comment. I've had the exact same feeling leading up to both 100 milers I've completed and both turned out much better than I could have ever expected. Those experiences have helped me to grow as an athlete and as a person and have left me as prepared as possible for the effort ahead of me. I have never felt more capable as a runner. I have never felt more comfortable embracing imminent suffering. I have never been more ready to perform.

My brother and I had an email exchange this morning where I relayed my feelings of fear. Wise as always, this was his response:

"expectation leads to disappointment. just run your race. let the wave of your training and dedication carry you...whether it carries you to the hospital or the finish line has no bearing on your ability to shred and rage life. practice is nothing without non-attachment. the two fuel each other so that the journey can become the destination, so that the fruits of effort are no more important than the effort itself. or something. im looking forward to a good rage. let me know if you need a pacer for like a quarter mile."

The yoga of ultrarunning put in a beautiful perspective. There is a fire in my belly. All I can do now is rise to the occasion and enjoy every step of the journey. Team ShredBo will be out in full force. Fire it up.

Aspen - Crested Butte - Aspen

I've long had the desire to complete the storied voyage from Aspen to Crested Butte under my own power. Much like the 4 Pass Loop, it is sort of a right of passage on the local hiking/running scene. After many summers I was finally able to execute my own version of the trip and check this one off the bucket list.

Friday


I left the Jeep behind at the Maroon Lake parking lot at 6:30 on a typically priceless Aspen morning, and made quick work of the frustratingly rocky trail that covers the 1.6 miles between Maroon and Crater Lakes. The sun was just making its way into the Maroon Valley and I quickly found a decent rhythm on the climb up West Maroon Pass. There was not a breath of wind at the top so I prepared a short picnic of Mandarin Orange Gu while enjoying the beautiful lonesomeness of my adventure.


The descent down to Schofield pass road was heaps of fun and I was happy to engage in conversations with the few early morning hikers I encountered. Typically I'm not too keen on the stop and chat while on the trail, but the spirit of my undertaking was making me unusually sociable. I connected to the 401 trail at Schofield Pass and commenced to soul shred 8 miles of fantastic singletrack all the way to the tiny outpost of Gothic some 5+ miles from my ultimate destination. Most people thumb their way into town from Gothic but I was content to tread the dirt road into town under the locomotive power of my own two legs.


I arrived at my hotel around 11am and had my first beer at 11:45. It was perfect. I had never been to CB in my entire Colorado based life, so I spent the remainder of my day cruising the main drag in town (Elk Ave.), eating and drinking myself silly. I noticed a lot of mountain bikers in town, and after a barstool inquiry, I learned that a Leadville 100 qualifying event was taking place on Sunday that would cover 100 kilometers on the trails and dirt roads around town. I wish I could have been a spectator. Early to bed early to rise.

Saturday

I was pleasantly surprised to find the coffee shop next door to my hotel was open for business at 6:30am. It was even more pleasant to learn the day old doughnuts were free. Breakfast of champions. I was back on Gothic road by 7 on another glorious morning, smiling with every step.

My route home would take me over East Maroon Pass via the Copper Creek Trial. This meant that once I hit Gothic, the way home would be entirely different from the way there. Awesome. The climb from town to East Maroon Pass was entirely enjoyable and runnable. I was awestruck by the beauty of Copper Lake just below the pass and took my time there chatting with campers and taking pictures. Copper Lake is a special place in the universe.




I crested the top of East Maroon Pass soon thereafter and ran relaxed on the ensuing downhill. My rhythm was only briefly interrupted when I encountered thousands of downed trees covering the trail. Crossing the path of destruction left by an avalanche is a good way to gain respect for the immense power of nature. I felt very small as I negotiated my way through the run out.



It is outings like these that help to remind me how fortunate I am. The ability to run in mountains everyday is a gift. Even more, this trip reminded me that running's place in human history started with the practical application of getting from A to B. It's interesting to experience running as a means of transportation rather than as a means of exercise. It sounds overly profound but the simple act of running took on a whole new significance and joy for me this weekend. Let's hope I can carry this joyous momentum with me to another small mountain town in less than three weeks.

Hardrock

Just outside of Aspen, the twin peaks of the Maroon Bells stand guard over an otherwise unassuming high alpine valley. At the base of these gnarled and jagged mountains there is a sign warning overeager mountaineers of the dangers inherent in every summit attempt. The sign simply reads, "These Mountains Don't Care." This simple sentence took special resonance with me last weekend in a different mountain range in Southwestern Colorado.

The stoke train disembarked from Aspen Thursday evening and arrived in Silverton Just as the sun was setting on Hardrock eve. I made contact with team Joe as they were finalizing race strategy at camp, which had been erected ten steps from the start line. I retired into the luxurious accommodations of my Jeep's trunk and slept fitfully anticipating the long day ahead. After the gun sounded, team Joe indulged on coffee and pastries from local ultra java lounge, the Mobious Cafe, before heading to the first crew access point at Cunningham Gulch. Joe looked perfectly subdued running just behind race leader and eventual winner Julien Chorier as Tony and I struggled to remain calm in the competitive race atmosphere. I must admit, I was fired up for most of the day feeling almost as though I was competing.

Overall, the rest of the day was relaxed and pleasant with brief interruptions of controlled panic when Joe required our services. I laid in the grass in Ouray (can't wait to go back there) and watched as Nick Clark and Dakota Jones came and went looking near death just past the halfway mark of this brutal race. Joe came in just minutes after they left feeling and looking a bit "haggard." Still he looked to be in better condition than Nick and Dakota, so we were confident in his ability to reel them in on the long ensuing climb up Virginius Pass.

Unfortunately, Joe got off course shortly after leaving (costing himself nearly an hour) and then lost control of his stomach on the subsequent descent into Telluride where we were waiting for him. When he arrived he looked to be seriously busted. No doubt, a lesser man would have succumbed to defeat right then and there. He took twenty full minutes in the aid station doing whatever he could to take calories into his rebelling digestive system. He never spoke about dropping and told me that I could bow out of my pacing duties if I did not wish to participate in a death march. I, of course, was all geared up and eager for our adventure, so we walked out of town together towards the unforgiving Oscar's Pass.

We hiked every step to the top where Joe's condition seemed to improve. After vomiting nearly every fifteen minutes coming up the pass, Joe was finally able to keep down cookies and a little gel and he seemed to have regained a bit of energy. Joe led us across the ice fields near the top as I timidly followed secretly fearing for my life. I have never felt as vulnerable in my life as I did on top of Oscar's pass at 3:30 in the morning. Those snow fields were terrifying.

We made it down to the Chapman aid and Joe's condition steadily improved. I could feel the momentum swinging in our favor as dawn reached the San Juans and brightened our spirits. Soon thereafter, the wind was abruptly taken out of our sails as we went off course and climbed to the top of a pass we didn't need to, probably adding close to 3,000 feet of extra vertical. It was pretty devastating and demoralizing for us. I admit I lost a bit of positivity here and tried to pull Joe along a bit quicker to mitigate the hour we had just lost. It's no use to dwell on it now, but I can't help but feel responsible for this error.

Either way, we put our heads down and crawled (literally) up to the top of Grant Swamp Pass around 7am and really ran well all the way to KT aid. In our delirium we chatted and joked with the kind volunteers for a few minutes before setting off for the last brutal climb of the race. We embraced at the top of Porcupine Pass thinking we had successfully conquered the final climb only to be confronted with the wall that is the Putnam Ridge just a mile later. This course never ends.

The last eight miles typically become about survival but Joe was able to run very strong across the river and all the way into town where The Rock was waiting for him. I was moved by my experience with Joe and his stubborn determination to get it done under any circumstances. The last thirty miles took eleven hours and required nearly everything I had. It was absolutely one of the most difficult and awesome experiences of my life. Immediately afterwards I thought there was no way I ever wanted to participate in this race. Now, a week later, I can't stop thinking about it.

Those mountains don't care. That reality is the reason why this race, and the spirit of Hardrock, are so attractive to people like me. Language is totally ineffective in trying to describe this race. Hardrock needs to be experienced. I can only hope I will be fortunate enough to stand on the start line in 2012.

Recovery and Rediscovery

In the weeks that followed the 2010 Leadville 100 I dug myself into a massive hole of exhaustion by being overly ambitious in my training and over confident in my body's ability to recover. Included in this learning experience was a thoroughly enjoyable, albeit punishing, Maroon Bells 4 Pass Loop adventure run, followed a week later by a 50 mile race at Steamboat's Run Rabbit Run event. My race at RRR50 left me utterly shattered and finally injected some long overdue rest into my life. I didn't feel right again for two months. This startling episode of immense fatigue is something I intend to avoid for the remainder of my life as a runner.

Now, a little more than 2 weeks removed from SD100, I am happy to report I feel very strong. I took six full days off after the race (total of 8 zero days now in 2011), and have been slowly building back towards consistent two hour days on the trails. I've been very cautious about this feeling of strength and fully intend to listen to what my body indicates is a reasonable amount of mileage in the coming weeks. So far, I've been successful practicing this body awareness and have cut a couple outings short when my legs just weren't feeling it. I've also made a few appearances in the yoga studio and have visited local miracle worker Andrea Rubel for some glorious massage and chiropractic work. I believe very strongly in the benefits of both these activities and intend to consistently implement them into my training and recovery. My hope is that this gradual and conservative approach will leave me primed and peaking in late August - specifically around the weekend of the 20th.

We have finally emerged from the seemingly endless winter here in Aspen, so it certainly hasn't been easy to practice moderation in my training. I've been like a kid in a candy store recently, eager to have lonely sweat sessions in the backcountry and get reacquainted with my favorite ribbons of dirt. I look forward to a long summer of discovery and adventure in my beautiful backyard.

My next adventure will take me to the mighty San Juan Mountain Range in Southwestern, Colorado just over a week from now, where I'm thrilled to be pacing/crewing for Joe Grant at the unforgiving Hardrock 100. My involvement in Joe's race was sort of a last minute development due to a very unfortuante injury which has sidelined ultra legend Anton Krupicka from his scheduled pacing duties. Under the circumstances, I'm happy to come off the bench for one of the world's best in order to help Joe's cause. Hopefully I can hold up my end of the bargain.

Joe and I still haven't met in person yet, but our recent phone conversations have me confident we will have a good dynamic come game time. Tomorrow we are meeting in Twin Lakes for an evening assault of Mt. Elbert followed by a slumber party in Aspen. Should be excellent team building. As of now, the plan is for Joe to run solo until Telluride (Mile 72), where I'll be waiting to escort him through the night back to Silverton. I'm truly excited to experince a 100 miler from the crew/pacer perspective and am looking forward to enjoying the atmosphere of this epic event. Fire it up.

San Diego 100

The Before
My California runcation started one week ago today with a late afternoon flight out of Aspen on an unreasonably beautiful Western Colorado day. Courtnee and I arrived in Santa Barbara a few hours later to a warm welcome from good friend, crew member, and SoCal cultural ambassador, Ryan McInally. We headed south to Ventura where we we were to spend the majority of the next week enjoying the incredible hospitality of the McInally family.

Coincidentally, a cousin of mine was also graduating from UCSB that weekend so we made a trip up to campus on Thursday to join in the celebration. It was great to see so much family who provided me with endless encouragement for the terrifying endeavor that lay before me. We left for the San Diego area early Friday morning and spent the afternoon attending the pre race meeting and preparing gear for the adventure of the following day. I was able to sleep well and awoke at 5am feeling rested and ready for the challenge. It was already shaping up to be a glorious day as we nervously clustered at the start line awaiting the gun.

The First 60

Photos by Brett Rivers
Shortly after we took off, I was happy to feel a serious pep in my step. I had done a lot of resting in the previous few weeks in hopes of arriving at the start line with a renewed sense of enthusiasm. Yassine Diboun quickly took the lead as Rod Bien and I settled into what felt like an honest, yet easy pace. We introduced ourselves and had a nice conversation about various running related topics for the first 5 or 6miles.

Soon thereafter, I pulled away from Rod which began a long day of lonely yet beautiful and enjoyable running. Yassine was already a few minutes ahead running strong but I did a good job of removing any thoughts of competition in the first half of the race. Miles clicked off with ease as the sun rose over course and the temperature slowly climbed.

In typical Dylan fashion, I managed to get off course for about 5 minutes shortly before the aid station at mile 23. Thankfully I was able to keep my morale high and accept my minor mistake without single "F-Bomb." I caught back up to Rod, who had passed me while I was off course, shortly after the Penny Pines aid station and we commented on the unexpected heat and technical footing of the ensuing descent. I am especially bad technical downhill runner so I felt super slow here but overall I was having a lot of fun.

The only hitch in my race was a slightly off stomach that was already unhappy with gel consumption, and getting even more upset with every mile. I can typically eat gels til the cows come home but, for some reason on Saturday, they were just not sitting right. I was still able to force it down but would struggle with gagging for a solid minute after every bite. Needless to say, I was concerned that this was happening so early on but my body and mind were in a good place so I continued to motor without giving it much thought.

On the long climb up to the Pioneer Mail aid, I occasionally caught a glimpse of Yassine who was moving well about two minutes ahead of me. It looked like we were both running virtually every step of the climb which I took as a good sign since RD Scott Mills had called this section "The toughest part of the race." Thanks for the Popsicles Scott. That was a great touch.

I pulled into Pioneer Mail at mile 44 a few minutes back of Yassine and not feeling great. The heat and sun were starting to get to me and my stomach was in knots. Still though, I was cool headed and staying business oriented. I walked for a few minutes out of the aid station trying to collect myself for the rolling but gradual descent to Sunrise aid and the race's halfway point.

The next section is very exposed and I was becoming quite unhappy. The trail (PCT) was beautiful however, and would have been a lot more fun had I not already endured 45 malnourished miles. I chalked it up to a rough patch and figured I would pull myself out of my rut quickly. Unfortunately my condition deteriorated even more all the way through the Sunrise aid which I exited at about the 8:10 mark - still only a couple minutes behind Yassine.

Again I walked for a few minutes out of the aid trying to encourage myself with the cliche statement, "You're halfway there, only 50 miles to go." Needless to say, this thought does more to deflate you than anything when you have already ran for 8+ hours and 50+ miles. Oh well. Nothing to do but man up and try to be smart.

That is exactly what I did for the next 7.5 excruciating miles to the Stonewall Mine aid at about mile 60. At this point, I could no longer even open my gel flask without gagging. My stomach just quit cooperating altogether. I could feel my race unraveling and my attitude was growing increasingly bad. I began walking some of the downhills approaching the aid station which was pretty embarassing but totally necessary at the time.

When I arrived, my crew could tell I was in bad shape. I relayed the issues about my stomach and decided it would be wise to chug a Red Bull and fill up one of my bottles with Coke. It turned out this would be my nutrition plan for the remainder of the race. The best decision I made all day.

The Last 40

As soon as the Red Bull hit my blood, my race totally changed. I was back. I began having a great time again as the sun slowly lowered in the sky and the tempuratures steadily dropped. The Stonewall climb was a welcome challenge as I hiked most of it while trying to focus on my exhales. I reached the turnoff and demolished the ensuing descent, following Yassine's Inov-8 tread the whole way.

When I got to the bottom and the Paso Picacho aid, I was very pumped up. I was moving better here than I had in the first ten miles. Those positive feeling quickly turned to panic when I learned I had arrived at the aid station in first place. I hadn't passed Yassine and figured that I somehow cut the course and was going to be DQed. I was reassured by the aid captain that I had indeed been on course the whole way and that I must have been Yassine who had been lost. I wasted no time pounding another Red Bull and filling a bottle of Coke. Soon thereafter, I left in lead and would never relinquish it.

My new nutrition plan (liquid diet) continued to pay off and I felt great. I passed through the aid at mile 72 and grabbed my headlamp and flashlight for the lonely night section. The sun slowly set and soon enough I was alone in the dark cruising a beautiful and remote peice of singletrack. It was awesome. Near the top of the climb, runners started passing me going the other direction. I felt for them as they still had nearly 50 miles to go and long night ahead of them.

I went back through Sunrise aid again at mile 80 and got more Coke and Red Bull. The next 7 miles challenged me greatly. I felt like I was off course the whole time. Whenever I would see a flag, I would be overcome with joy and if I hadn't seen a flag for a few minutes I would have similar feelings of dread. Convinced I was off course, I even back tracked a few times only to find that I was on the correct route. Finally, at about mile 85, I went way off course, costing myself close to 15 minutes and almost the race.

I was very upset but took my critical mistake in stride. I was still running literally every step of the gradual uphill and my legs felt great. I got back on the correct trail convinced I had blown it but continued to crush the PCT all the way back to Pioneer Mail at mile 87.

I arrived at Pioneer Mail to find that I had somehow remained in the lead. This was a huge boost to both me and my crew who had grown very concerned about me during the previous stretch. As a special bonus, my crew had also secured me a pacer to escort me for the final half marathon. I, of course, intended to run this whole race alone but when the opportunity for companionship arose that late in the game, I was happy to take it.

My pacer turned out to be a ringer by the name of Jeff Hines, the inagural winner of the SD100 event back in 2001. Jeff had already consumed a six pack of beer but was an eager and priceless friend to have for the last stretch. We dominated together and had a great dynamic that I really valued. We knew that I had the win and CR all but sealed up so our race became about being smart and enjoying the moment.

The campground was welcomed sight for me as we approached one in the morning. Jeff and I crossed the finish together in 18:00 and I was beyond stoked. Lots of hugs and high fives were exchanged as I tried to collect myself and absorb the fact that I had managed to win.

All the joy was also accompanied by serious concern for my own well being. You see, I hadn't really urinated since 8am and had been consuming many liters of fluid throughout the day. I tried to pee probably 8 different times throughout the race and was only able to muster a few ounces of dark orange liquid just a couple times. I know the damages that ultras can inflict on human kidneys, so I was very concerned. This was compacted by the violent episode of projectile vomiting that occured not long after I crossed the finish. I felt like absolute shit but was also very happy. It was a strange moment in time for me.

The After
At about 4:30 in the morning, after tossing in my bed for several hours, I finally urinated. It was a small victory for me as I fist pumped alone in the dark bathroom of our hotel. I even woke up Courtnee to inform her of my accomplishment. Soon after, the flood gates opened and my stomach settled. I was ok. I was ecstatic.

This was another awesome ultra experience that I can add to the list. SD100 is an absolute top notch event. I dare say, a must do. The trails and weather were beautiful, and with 95 miles of single track, what more can you ask for? Big thanks to RD Scott Mills and his army of volunteers! You guys were awesome. I will definitely come back to this one.

Finally, thanks to my wonderful crew! I love you guys and appreciate that you are willing to support me through even my most questionable endeavors. You are the best.

Next is pacing at Hardrock! Gonna be Epic. Stay tuned.

SoCal Stokefest

In just over a week I'll be standing at the starting line of the San Diego 100 Mile Endurance Run anxiously anticipating the agony and ecstasy that lay before me. This will only be my second attempt at the hundred mile distance but I hope to draw on what little experience I have, in hopes of producing a result that I'm proud of. My training has been pretty mellow by design since Collegiate Peaks, and I'm finally starting to notice that energetic feeling in my legs again after about a week of legitimate tapering. Needless to say, I am so excited to test my mettle against this abusive distance again and can hardly wait to get the pilgrimage under way.

I am not approaching this race with any concrete competitive goals. In fact, I hope I can keep racing out of my mind well into the second half of the day, and instead focus on running as well as I can given my current level of fitness. That all being said, I am very excited to race against the very competitive field that has been assembled. Of course, the field is not as deep as another California 100 in June (we all probably missed on the lottery), but it still should be entertaining to follow the front pack throughout the course of the day.

In thinking about this race during the last few weeks of preparation, I have determined a few things that I would like to accomplish for myself next weekend:

1. Stay ON Course - Easy enough right? Well not really for me, especially for how confusing this particular course is. I have been studying the maps and have every intention of running with my head up all day. Seriously though, this is my #1 goal. Seriously.

2. Stay out of my own head - The mental meltdown I suffered during Collegiate Peaks was quite startling and discouraging for me. Quite simply, I cannot let that happen again, especially at the 100 mile distance. Instead, when I hit inevitable low points, I intend to focus on how fortunate I am to do what I do. Staying positive and optimistic will be hugely important.

3. Stay THE Course - Finish by whatever means necessary. To this point, I have finished every ultra I have started. I don't intend to break the streak. Simple.

I will have a pretty solid team of friends and family there to support me along the way, but I intend to run this race pacerless ("Meltzer-Style" or "Soul Shredding") which should be interesting. I'll be wearing a somewhat fresh pair of Fireblades, rocking Sportiva Yellow, and chugging liters of EFS, Water, and Coca-Cola (nutrition of champions) along the way.

That's it. Ain't nothin' left to do but to do it. Fire it up.

Collegiate Peaks 50

All things considered, I am very happy with the effort I put forth on Saturday in Buena Vista. Ryan Burch was absolutely on fire and I was lucky to stick with him as long as I did. I was even luckier to hang onto second place as I endured a very difficult second lap highlighted by a 12-15 minute detour at about mile 30. Getting off course is becoming a very unfortunate habit of mine that I really need to address. More on that later.

The race started comfortable and conversational as Ryan, Duncan, and I ran within a few steps of each other on the road section leading to the trail. When we hit the dirt, Ryan and I broke away from the rest of the 50 milers and started making up time on the few 25 milers that remained ahead of us. We began yo-yoing here and exchanged the lead several times over the first 18 miles. Ryan would dust me on the downs and I would make up time on the ups or flats. Pretty typical for me really.


I felt pretty good and it was nice to run with Ryan for a while. The aid station at mile 18 was when Ryan finally shook me. He got out quickly and hit the ensuing long screamer downhill with a vengeance as I fumbled with my bottle. Before I knew it, he had opened up a 60 second gap. The lead grew to 90 seconds at the turnaround and I could really feel Ryan pulling away. I still felt decent and was confident that I could maybe make up time on the long climb to the aid station at mile 32.

This is where things went all wrong for me. I had my head down trying maintain a good pace on the dirt road section knowing that flats are my strength. All of the sudden I realized that I hadn't seen anybody going in the opposite direction for several minutes and I started getting that sick feeling that I was off course. I continued on for a couple minutes until I saw a mountain biker who confirmed what I had been dreading. Of course, I turned into a huge head case and immediately entered panic mode. Very poor way to react to such a situation.

When I made it back to the turn I missed I was furious with my mistake. It was literally the best marked turn on the entire course. So embarrassing. I was running way too fast on the climb and had abandoned efforts to drink or eat anything. Quite simply, I totally lost focus. I asked a runner heading the opposite direction how many people were now ahead of me and I was surprised to learn that I was still in second place. I was heartened by the news and stole a quick glance over my shoulder. Duncan was like 30 seconds back and looking very strong. Again I chose to panic and run way too hard.

When I reached the 32 mile aid station I was in a bad place mentally and physically. It was hot and I was sure that Duncan and Corey would pass me at any second. On the ensuing downhill I began to really entertain the thought of dropping. It's embarrassing to admit, but I am a total mental cupcake sometimes. After all, I was still in second place and on pace to run a pretty stout time. I reached the aid station at the bottom of the hill and was glad I didn't see my old man (who had been there on the first lap) because I probably would have caught a ride back to town.

Thankfully I began to regain my composure and nutritional discipline. The rest of the race was a grind but I am very happy I got it done. The last five miles were probably my best of the entire race and I crossed the finish feeling strong just under 6:58. I was so pumped to hear how well Ryan's race went and I can't wait to see what he puts together at States. He'll be a serious sleeper there. Corey Hanson rounded out the podium while Duncan endured a pukey episode to finish fourth - his third strong 50 miler in like 9 weeks. Total freak.



As for my habitual navigational errors, I suppose I just need to concentrate more. When I do get off course, I really need to focus on staying positive and not losing my marbles like I did for 10+ miles on Saturday. I am very encouraged that I still managed to run a very respectable time under the circumstances of the day though. I really did have a great time and enjoyed the course and the whole race experience thoroughly. Plus I got another great tan.

This was my first trip to Buena Vista which is a fantastic little town. The race is a Colorado classic and I can certainly understand why. Very well organized with a low key feel which is exactly what I like. I'm very excited to put together a better race here in the future. It was great meeting many new running friends and hanging out for a few hours after the race. I'm so happy I have fallen into such a great community of athletes/human beings. It almost makes the race experience itself seem secondary.

I wore my trusty La Sportiva Fireblades again and crushed about 18 ounces of EFS during the race. I can't overstate how much I love these performance products. I'm truly fortunate to have the support of such quality companies.

Next up is the San Diego 100 on June 11th! Hugely stoked about this race. Fire it up.

Ultra Sitting

As an appreciator of all things epic, I feel compelled to post this even though it has nothing to do with running, skiing, or any other kind of mountain recreation. Rather this post revolves around epic physical inactivity. This past Sunday, my brother Jason completed a ten day Vipassana meditation course in Elbert, CO. Throughout the course of ten days, Jason was completely silent, and had zero human interaction. He consumed only one meal per day and spent the majority of his time traversing the deepest recesses of his mind in near constant meditation. Vipassana provides an avenue for "self-transformation through self- observation" with an emphasis on the relationship between body and mind. Participants in the course are forbidden to communicate with each other, practice yoga, journal or do anything else that might resemble activity.

I get restless in the time it takes me to sit and write a simple blog post, so the thought of sitting for ten days literally makes me squirm. I am in awe of this kind of mental endurance. From what I can gather, ultra sitting is a lot like ultra running. There are moments of near perfection and moments of utter despair and desperation. The mental discomfort this endeavor provided was apparently equalled by physical agony. Jason insists that sitting for that long over the course of many consecutive days can be excruciating on the physical body. Needless to say I am extremely proud of and inspired by my brothers accomplishments. I can't help but think I might have try this one day.

You can find more information on the particular course my Brother did here.

This was actually the second time Jason has completed a ten day course. He did an absolutely unbelievable write up about his first experience that I would highly recommend to anyone interested.



This past Sunday I was feeling far less accomplished than Jason. You see, Sunday marked the official end to Ski season here in Aspen and as such, every local is obligated to rage. Aspen Highlands Mountain is always the quietest of the four during the season and is widely considered to be a local secret because of its high snow totals and awesomely big terrain. On closing day though, Highlands turns into a full mountain party as thousands of people turn out to celebrate. It has become the best party of the year in Aspen and always attracts a colorful crowd. You can tell we had a good time (Notice the belt buckle).





Thanks for reading.