2010 Wasatch 100 Race Report

As I sit here with a terribly swollen right leg, feet I’m unable to recognize, and aches and pains covering my entire body, I’m still trying to process what happened to me during my first 100 mile journey on foot. It truly was as advertised: “100 Miles of Heaven and Hell”… and then some! The gist of it is that I pushed when I felt good, clawed my way out of some dark pitfalls, and ended up with a very satisfying 28:59:02 finishing time. For those interested in hearing the details, read on…

Every journey begins with a thought
After finishing the St. George Marathon last October, I knew I wanted to attempt a few ultra marathons in the 2010 calendar year. It wasn’t until the last minute – on a whim – that I put my name in for Wasatch. I surprised even myself by doing so, but my family thought I was completely nuts! Really though, I didn’t think I had much of a chance getting in and was more or less trying to get an extra draw for 2011. Fate played me a different card, though! Upon being drawn, I knew I had to get to work. With a little over 6 months to prepare, I was in for some intense training. I used my 50 milers and 50K as training tools and felt like I had a really great plan going into Wasatch.

The Beginning
After some nervous weeks, race day finally arrived. I caught the bus from downtown Salt Lake and we made our way to the starting line. A light drizzle and some wet roads along the way had me a little worried, but upon arrival my fears were diminished; the ground was slightly damp, the clouds were slowly rolling away, and excitement was filling the air. I felt an amazing calm come over me. Not sure what it was, but I did know that 100 miles is a long distance to travel on foot. Worrying at this point would only compound problems that may arise later. After a few quick words and a countdown from the race director, 250ish runners were on their way to tackling the beast that is Wasatch.

After heading north for a very easy first few miles, the trails turns east and begins it’s ascent up the mountain. The trail was not very wide and passing was difficult, but I found myself amongst a group that was keeping a pace which felt comfortable to me. As we made our way up the first few thousand feet of the mountain, we became engulfed by fog and the trail was starting to show signs of crisp, new-fallen snow. It felt as though we were climbing into the clouds… So surreal! The ominous Chinscraper - wrapped in clouds - loomed in the distance, taunting us. Eventually we rounded the bowl beneath it and overtook the steep summit en-route to the first water stop. After a quick water break, we began descending the fog-enveloped dirt road that led us to the first aid station of the day: Francis Peak (mile 18.6). I refilled my bottles, grabbed some gels and some fruit, snagged my shades and my iPod, and was off.

My legs felt great at this point! My pace was relaxed and I was thoroughly enjoying myself as well! The scenery was unmatched and the fog was finally beginning to let up. However, it was here that one of two major problems on the day began rearing its ugly head; my stomach felt great, but unfortunately my bowels did not. I know it’s not very pleasant, but it’s something that affected me throughout the race. I probably lost somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 minutes over the course of the race in the squatting position (I stopped counting around the 12th break), but it’s a reality that I had to deal with. You gotta take the punches and roll with it! Aside from this problem, the sections to Bountiful B (mile 23.9) and then to Sessions Lift Off (mile 28.2) absolutely flew by. I honestly don’t remember what I was thinking through here. I was just enjoying the lush scenery. I love these moments when I’m able to just “zone out”.

Immediately out of Sessions is a pretty tough climb. I worked my way through it and upon reaching the top of the climb I made my way towards Swallow Rocks (mile 34.9). I loved this section! It flattens out for the most part until you make one last small ascent before reaching the valley where the aid station is located. As you crest the hill, the scenery opens up in front of you and you’re presented with a breathtaking view of (essentially) the rest of the course. I’ve spent a lot of time in this area over the years, so it felt a bit like home to me. I plowed my way into the aid station, drank some Coke and grabbed a few cookies, and then it was off to meet my crew and my first pacer at the next stop: Big Mountain.


On my way to Big Mountain I was trying to hold back my emotions. I couldn’t believe I was really doin’ this thing! I also had a song come on that reminded me of my brother. I felt so blessed to be out here and wished he was able to share this day with me, but he’s fighting his own battles right now (maybe next race, Ty). Eventually I made my way around Big Mountain and heard cheers off in the distance. What great motivation! As I’m descending I start seeing pink flamingos and hearing vuvuzelas. I arrive to a spectacular scene and catch sight of my crew for the first time today. I’m quickly led to a scale to weigh in (2 pounds up), then escorted to my chair where my crew is at my beck and call. I spout the list off to Lydia who starts filling up my pack, I run to the john, and everything’s ready to go when I get back. Next thing I know I’m off with my first pacer for the day, Scott.


The Middle
Getting to Big Mountain in good shape was huge for me. Now that I had someone in tow the rest of the way, I felt like I could push just a little bit harder. Scott did great at keeping me on pace. I kept him informed of my goals to the next aid stations, and he always encouraged me to push - especially on the downhills. Occasionally, I’d tell him to run ahead and I’d try to catch him. This was a fun way for me to stay motivated and to hopefully extend my time cushion in the process. Scott is a very strong runner so I never actually caught him (he’d just end up waiting for me), but it was fun trying!

Eventually we made our way into the Alexander Springs A.S. (mile 47.4), now only a few minutes behind on my goal. Everyone at this station was wearing tie-dye and the atmosphere was great. They even had a table where they had a line of Coke (cup of Coca-Cola). I thought that was pretty clever! After a quick stop, we made our way down into the furnace that is the hottest section of the course. I ended up taking another break behind a tree through here and I think this is where my second big problem of the day started. Due to all the squatting I’d been doing, my right leg started hurting behind my knee (on the back side of my leg). I’ve never hurt in this area before and I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I tried stretching it out but that didn’t help. Eventually I just decided that I had to go along with it ‘til it got better (it only got worse throughout the race). We still made great time to the Lambs Canyon A.S. (mile 53.1) and gained 15 more minutes on my goal time!


I weighed in (now 2 pounds down), changed into my other shoes (1/2 size bigger), and changed socks as well. I had a few sweet blisters going on, but nothing that required too much attention so I just duct taped the problem areas. My stop was long, but definitely worth the time spent! The crew was awesome in getting me everything I needed! They always end up waiting for me – the sign of a great crew. I never have to wait for them! We took off up the road in Lambs – running every so often – and finally reached the trailhead to start the ascent. The ascent went pretty quickly (aside from another break) and Scott encouraged me to cruise on the descent down into Millcreek, just as the sun was beginning to go down. It felt great to open it up for a bit! After 3 miles of road up Millcreek Canyon, we arrived to the crew at the Upper Big Water A.S. (mile 61.7) where I changed into my night gear and donned the headlamps. I also bid farewell to Scott and thanked him. He was on-point the entire leg he ran with me and got me into this stop 40 minutes up on my projection! Huge thanks to him!


I left Upper Big Water with my next pacer, Bart. Bart and I have known each other since we were about 12. We’ve been through some crazy adventures together and it was great talking and passing the time with him. He made me forget about my pains and kept my mind focused elsewhere. It was exactly what I needed at the time! We ran all the downhills and flat portions on the way to Desolation Lake (mile 66.9) and I felt great upon arriving there. After a quick stop, we made our way up the climb out of Desolation and started on the road to Scott’s A.S. (mile 70.8).


This trail to Scott’s is relatively flat and runnable. I was able to run sections of it, but my form was way off at this point due to my knee getting more and more stiff, mostly due to the cold. After a quick stop at the aid station, we started on the trek to Brighton. I should have been able to run the entire Guardsman road down to the Big Cottonwood Highway, but I was altering my stride too much and it hurt to put much pressure on my knee for long periods of time. I think I ended up running about half of it and getting passed by several runners along the way. Bart kept my mind off my pains with more great stories and reminiscing. It was exactly what I needed because my mind was beginning to question whether or not I could finish.


After a long slog, we finally rolled into Brighton to cheers from the crew. I was elated to reach this point and was still over 10 minutes up on my projected pace! Credit to Bart for dragging my sorry butt to Brighton! I went into the lodge and weighed in (now 4 pounds up), refilled my pack and water, took a bathroom break, and re-taped my feet. After putting on a fresh pair of socks I was ready to tackle the last 25 with my dad.


The End
My dad will be the first to tell you that he’s not a fast runner. He’s finished numerous marathons so he has no problem with the distance. More importantly, he’s consistent and will tackle anything you put in front of him. Over the years hunting together, our group has teased him and has enshrined the name “Billygoat” upon him due to the terrain he goes through while we’re out there. I was lucky enough to have the “Billygoat” with me on the gnarliest part of the course.

The climb up to Point Supreme (10,450 feet & the highest point of the course) went exactly as I’d expected; a consistent slog. The time passed very quickly though and I began seeing a trend that would last the rest of the race – feeling pretty good on the ups and the knee revolting on the downs. Too bad there’s over 10,000 feet of cumulative descent during the last 25 miles! Just my luck! We found a decent pace into the Ant Knolls A.S. (mile 80.3) and only stayed briefly to rifle through our drop bag and refuel. After tackling the short, steep uphill known as “The Grunt”, we made our way over to the Pole Line Pass A.S. (83.4) where we refilled on water and took a few solid food items from the table.

Upon leaving Pole Line we were treated with another fairly long stretch of uphill. This was exactly what I needed since my knee was very stiff now. By this time, I was no longer able to straighten my leg, so the uphill was nice as I was able to keep it bent for the most part. The fun didn’t last for too long though, as another downhill was presented and I was forced to shuffle into the Rock Springs A.S. (mile 87.39). It was also very cold at this station. Reports were that it reached 23 degrees during the night, and I imagine that when I was here at 5:30AM, it would have been right around that number. The cold just made my knee tighter. I was pretty deflated to say the least! Not to mention that I knew what was ahead…

The next section offered the two most talked about downhill sections of the course – The Dive and The Plunge. Before race day I’d wanted to really hammer these, but with my current condition I knew I wouldn’t be able to. As we came into the bowl where The Dive is located, we looked straight down into the abyss to see runners’ lights below us. What had we come up against? I was baffled at how quickly the trail dropped into oblivion! Making my way down was painful, but I got through it. The Plunge then presented fine powdered dust that was at least 5 inches deep! I couldn’t believe people actually hiked these trails. It was far worse than I’d ever imagined! After suffering through it and a few more rollers, we made our way into the Pot Bottom A.S. (mile 93.1).


I could smell the barn! It was actually going to happen; I was going to finish! After re-evaluating, I figured I could get in under 29 hours. We shed a layer at the aid station, refueled, then we were off to tackle the final climb. I felt great on this climb out of Pot Bottom. It was a nice wide trail, then a nice dirt road. My dad and I were able to walk side by side and talk about how the race had progressed up to this point. Upon hitting the top of the road, we began descending into Lime Canyon for the final few miles of trail. I’m not gonna lie, the trail here sucked! It was technical and a bit steeper than I’d hoped for, honestly. It was also through here that I got passed at by at least 6 more runners. I couldn’t go any faster though, as my leg had progressed to a point where it hurt putting pressure on my knee at all. My dad was walking downhill as fast as I was able to run! After what seemed like an eternity, I came out onto the road with .7 miles to the finish. I knew I had to run at sub-8 minute pace to get my 29 hours, so I lowered my head and clenched my teeth while I ran it in for a 28:59:02 finish! I was done!


The Aftermath
The memories of my day at Wasatch are still so vivid. I wish I could express every emotion that I left out there on the trail. I wish Lydia could relive the race through my eyes. I wish my friends and family knew what I’d endured out there. Maybe this is what makes ultras so personal; you toy with agony and ecstasy for mile upon mile, yet you’re tormented with an inability to convey your experience. You can’t really do it justice, so you don’t say much. Instead, when asked what it was like, you respond with something like 'It was tough, but I had fun and came out alive'. One of my favorite quotes reads: “Those that understand don't need an explanation. Those that need an explanation will never understand.” Pretty fitting in this circumstance.

Of course my experience could not have been had without the help of many…

The hundreds of volunteers: Truly, they’re the ones who make it possible for us runners to have these experiences. I couldn’t believe the enthusiasm and willingness to help all day long. Kudos to them!

The runners: Congratulations to all of you, whether you finished or not. Thanks for the encouragement and camaraderie. It was a day full of memories to take home!

My pacers: They each provided me with exactly what I needed at the time. Scott, who helped me bank some time and encouraged me to push. Bart, who kept my mind off things when I was struggling and kept me on track. And dad, who pulled me along through the night and gave me a consistent pace to follow. Each of them did their job and then some! There’s no way I could have done it without them! I’d still be laying out there somewhere if it weren't for these guys.

My family: First, to my wife who supports me in all my crazy endeavors. She never bats an eye, just offers support and encouragement throughout. I could not have done this without her love and whole-hearted support! Also to my parents who come to each race and do whatever they can to support me (including pacing and crewing). They give up their time and efforts on my behalf and I couldn’t be more grateful. Also to my siblings who show up and offer their support (Britt was there at every crew stop screaming her guts out for me!). You all helped make this journey possible!

I can't quite say what lies in my future of running, but Wasatch will always hold a place in my heart. Now the question is: Have I been punished enough or will I keep coming back for more? Time holds the truth.

Gettin' Down To It

So here I am, 8 days away from the biggest physical undertaking of my life. I’m filled with lots of mixed emotions right now. Of course I’m feeling excited! Of course I’m feeling nervous! The part I don’t necessarily enjoy is the waiting game. I’m done with my difficult training and I just want to get on with it.

All this energy that I’m used to expending is now thrashing my mind in multiple directions. One minute I’m on an emotional high and the next I’m questioning things. Did I train hard enough? Did I put in enough time? Typical feelings before any major event I guess. My confidence is not being shaken, however. I truly know that I put in the time, the miles, and the focus to be successful. Now it’s just about execution. That, and making sure I rest sufficiently over the next week (which can be tough for me). Looking forward to it!

2010 Speedgoat 50K Race Report

It always takes me so dang long to post these race reports! Definitely something I need to improve on... Anyway, I had the opportunity to run the Speedgoat 50K on July 31st. Once I found out I was on the list for Wasatch, I put in my entry for this race knowing that it would be a great training opportunity. I mean, a 50K race that has 24,000 feet of cumulative elevation change is no walk in the park.

Since finishing Squaw Peak in June, my focus has been solely on Wasatch. I’ve logged some great runs and put in the miles necessary to be successful. However, about a week before the Speedgoat, I realized that I was overlooking this race entirely. I wasn’t giving it the respect it deserved. So I went into the race with only a few days of tapering. Mistake? Probably. But I also tried to find out as much about the course as possible so I could come to terms with what I was facing. Turns out this was exactly what I needed! Had I gone into this race completely overlooking it, the consequences could have been magnified.

Race day comes around and everyone’s gathered up at Snowbird. After a short briefing from the RD Karl, we line up and head out at 6:30am sharp. The first few miles are a fairly gradual uphill where I was able to keep a decent running pace. That pace soon came to a stop however, and a power hike was needed as we made our way up towards Hidden Peak which stands at 11,000’ elevation. There was a bit of scrambling over some large boulders, a few small snow crossings, then the rocky trudge up to the peak. After hitting the Hidden Peak aid station, I felt pretty good. I was maintaining my pace and trying not to run too hard just yet.

I made my way across the ridgeline and over to Mt Baldy, the highest point of the course. From there, it’s a steep descent down into the next basin. So steep in fact, there was some rope assistance for a short segment. Pretty gnarly! I maintained a perfect pace through the basin and eventually hit the next aid station. Here I had to empty my shoes since I had a few pebbles in there, grab some fuel and water, then I was off.

The next section was maybe my favorite of the course. It was super rocky, technical, and made me focus on my footing the whole way. I felt like I could have gone much faster here, but I held off just a bit trying to save my legs for damages to come later on. Through this section I talked with a couple people and just maintained my relaxed pace. I wasn’t here to break any records after all. Finally, I made my way to the intersection at the bottom of the canyon and headed out on the out-and-back section where the aid station was. This section is nice and flat for about a mile. It was a nice relief! I was also able to see the others that had already hit the aid station, coming back towards me. I reached the aid and grabbed some orange slices, got a nice cold towel to wipe my face off, a cup of Coke, then I headed back.

I was feeling great on the flat and picked up the pace slightly. Once I got to the intersection however, I took a right (I came down the mountain from the left) and slowly began to ascend and was forced into a power hike once again. This was absolutely my least favorite section of the day! I was basically alone, my back was starting hurt, and the climbing never stopped. It was just several miles of the same grade of ascent, twisting and turning my way through the forest. I had to keep reminding myself that I was lucky to be able to enjoy these views; Lucky to be able to have legs strong enough to power through this crappy terrain. Eventually though, I reached the short descent just before the aid station. I was beat! I spent a little bit longer at this aid than I would have liked, but I was trying to get back on my game.

As I head out, I realize that I can nearly see my next destination. Around 2 miles away, but very near the top of the mountain that stands in front of me is The Tunnel. I begin my climb and start feeling a little better about things. Before I know it, I’m at the aid station and refueling again. The aid station volunteer gets word that the winner has just finished. I’m 5 hours and 45 minutes into my run, with at least another 10 miles to go I would guess. How I would love to be done right now! I pushed these thoughts out of my head and ran through the tunnel.

Once I come out the other side and back into the light of day, I begin my descent down to the bottom of the basin. I was feeling great! I pushed the pace slightly, but not too hard knowing that I still had one more climb and one more descent in front of me. I worked my way through the bottom of the canyon, then over to the opposite side where I begin the last ascent up to Hidden Peak. This ascent took us along the ridgeline and it was epic! The scenery was outstanding. My body was beat. The trudge was relentless. I even stopped a couple of times to catch my breath. Eventually however, I reached Hidden Peak again. I refueled with more oranges, ginger ale, and some red bull, then made my way down to the finish.

From the peak, it’s about a 5 mile descent. I’d been saving my legs for this descent all day so I was gonna let it rip! I ended up passing 5 people on the way down. However, just before I reached the last person, I started to feel some tightness in my lungs. So I slowed down slightly, but then my blood pressure dropped. Not good! I actually ended up passing the guy but I was not in a good place. I slowed down after a few hundred yards and tried to maintain a steady pace. My body was not having it, though. I started feeling slightly dizzy and knew I had to do something. I pulled out a gel and sucked it down, but it did absolutely nothing! I eventually had to walk for short spurts, and was subsequently passed by the last runner I went by earlier. I could hear the finish, but we were winding away from it. I was getting frustrated! Eventually, the trail began heading in the right direction. When I was about 200 yards away I could see the finish, so I started to run hard again (though my body was screaming to stop) so I could “look strong” when I crossed the line. I finished in 7:43.09 officially.

As I stopped, I was greeted and given a finishers medal. I bent over so they could put it around my neck, but I was not feeling well. I was happy when I saw my parents and my wife (wasn’t expecting them to be there), said hi, then told them I had to go puke. I trotted clumsily through some bushes, bent over and puked 3 times. So much for looking strong! The aftermath was apparent on this day; I had worked my body over! Turns out I hadn’t taken any salt caps since The Tunnel aid station, where I had taken one every 40 minutes or so prior to that. Two full hours of ignoring my electrolytes turned out to be the reason for my demise! Guess that’s what happens when you get too caught up in finishing fast. I tend to learn my lessons the hard way, though! Overall, it was a great race put on by a fantastic group!

And the few pics at the finish where I don't look like death...

Finishing "strong"

Immediately following the puke-fest

Feelin' better

It's A Wild Life

Coping with Mother Nature is part of the deal when you’re out there on the trails. After all, it’s her environment that we’re so blessed to indulge in. Thus we’re forced to take things as they come; the good and the bad. Such is the mantra of an ultramarathoner!

You never know what could present itself on race day, so you train no matter the circumstance. If it’s pouring outside (my least favorite scenario), you get out there and deal with it. If it’s 100 degrees, clear skies and no breeze, you deal with it. Injuries, you deal with them too. And while there is some sacrifice in dealing with tough situations, the reward from that one perfect run makes up for the hard times. That’s why I keep going back for more punishment.

Every so often though, a situation is presented to you and you’re forced to deal with it instinctively. Much of how you react comes from experience, yet there’s always new situations being presented to teach you, and to mold your character. I’ve had a few such experiences as of late.

The first happened several weeks ago when I was out for my long run. It happened to be the 4th of July weekend so I had multiple obligations to attend to. As such, my long run had to be done during the night. Perfect! I needed a night run to test my lighting systems and to practice running in the dark anyways. So I began my journey at about midnight:fifteen, apparently being the only person in the area as I saw no other cars around. The trail is one that I’m very familiar with and could run in my sleep (pun intended). The first hour or so went by without issue. The legs were strong and I’d covered nearly 5 miles - which is quick for me - on this section. I was feeling great physically and my mind was sharp and focused. Little did I know, things were about to get a little chaotic.

At about the 75 minute mark, I heard a howl off in the distance. Coyote! Honestly, I felt like I was witnessing something beautiful and really connecting with nature. It was serene to be quite honest. This emotional high continued for about the next fifteen seconds when I was suddenly - and quite rudely - interrupted. The interruption came in the form of a coyote barking, just 200 yards or so away from me. The emotion flushed out of me instantly and I was scared to death. I didn’t even stop, just turned around mid-stride and literally sprinted, all while singing loudly and waving my lights around! I probably looked and sounded like a crazy person! Later come to find out I made the right choice as coyote barking is a warning sign, usually when they’re protecting something like infants, or a fresh kill. Not being able to see them and knowing there was no one else within several miles of my vicinity made my decision pretty easy. It’s something I didn’t even think about, just acted upon.

The only other incident that frightened me a little bit was when I tweaked my ankle a couple weeks ago. Obviously doing that is scary enough, but then to have mother nature compound the situation sucks even more. I probably never would have seen it had my ankle been ok, but coming down the mountain I was going quite slowly. As I approach a rocky section I see movement out of the corner of my eye, and almost immediately heard that distinct sound – a rattlesnake. Turns out I about stepped on him, but was aware of his presence due to my pace. Makes me wonder how many times I’ve ran right by one and never seen it! I love snakes though, so that more startled me than anything.

I’ve had some tough lessons out there, not only this year, but in past experiences as well. The one thing I take away from all of it is that Mother Nature makes the rules! Regardless of how fit or experienced you are, you can quickly become humbled.

Fantasies

Running has been coming up in conversation a lot lately. Whether it’s family, friends, those at social gatherings, or people I meet out on the trail, the topic seems to surface. For the most part, I don’t go into detail about what kind of training I do or what kind of races I run. I just tell people that I enjoy running. I’m pretty reserved in general and I never want to come off as boastful. I love what I do and I’m proud of myself, so I don’t need validation from others to make me feel good.

Recently though, I’ve been asked by a few people (including Lydia) what my fantasy race or ultra goal is. Honestly, it’s not something I’d thought much about prior to being asked. I’ve felt like I didn’t want to undermine or belittle Wasatch, either. I know, lame. Really though, ever since hearing of my dad pacing a neighbor at Wasatch some 15 years ago, it’s been a fantasy of mine... One of those things you think about once in awhile, but never something that little ol’ me could possibly do!

With the recent running of the Western States, Hardrock, and Badwater ultramarathons, I’ve thought more about my fantasy ultra goal. Someday I’d love to run Western States and experience it as told from so many. And Hardrock is definitely at the very top of my list! Although these types of races may be considered more “iconic” or “tougher”, Wasatch is and always will be, my fantasy! I’m just hoping it doesn’t become my nightmare too :)

So it’s time to keep pushing myself every day. I’m getting to the meat of my training and it feels great! I’m focused and it helps me live my life with greater meaning and a better sense of direction. Hard to believe that I’ll be living my fantasy in just over 8 weeks! How many people can say that?!?!

Squaw Peak 50 - Pictures Edition

As promised, a few pics from the Squaw Peak 50 Miler a few weeks ago...

2010 Squaw Peak 50 Mile Trail Run

I’ve been absolutely unmotivated to write anything lately. I would think about it at times, but really, why does anyone care about my training or my aches and pains? Cuz let’s get real… I only have a few readers so it’s not like I’m boring a large population or anything. Still, it feels nice to have something of value to say sometimes!

So why write now, you ask? Partly because it’s been too long, but mostly because I experienced the epic Squaw Peak 50 back on June 5th (I've had this report written for well over a week, but was waiting for pictures; those will have to come in a follow up post since I haven't had time to sort through them all).

I actually found out on Mother’s Day that I was officially in the race. That was a nice present for a dude! But I’d been training like I was already in the race, so I was prepared. So prepared in fact, I had set some seriously ambitious goals... Like running under 11 hours for instance (I actually felt like I had 10 ½ in me but wasn’t about to tell anyone that). I got some nice long runs in during training and pretty much felt at peak fitness.

Was I getting cocky, though? That’s usually the tendency when you start getting taller, better, faster, stronger (I despise Kanye btw). I think God had other plans for me and felt I had a need to be humbled, because I came down with a cold the week before the race. Arrrggghhh! It ran its course and left me with some chest congestion on race day. Better than a sore throat… Maybe?!? I re-evaluated my situation and realized 11 hours was completely unrealistic on this day. New goal… 12 hours.

The course is not flat. In fact, I recall only a few short stretches of flat running. I haven’t seen any official figures, but it’s somewhere in the ballpark of 14,000 feet elevation gain and 14,000 feet of descent. Not your cookie-cutter distance race (not that a 50 miler ever is).

Elevation profile courtesy of Phil Lowry

So the start comes and goes and the first 10 miles click by without a hitch. I was a couple minutes up on my projection and was feeling relatively fresh. As I’m working my way up the climb to the aid station (mile 14.6), I start feeling fatigued. Shortness of breath, elevated heart rate; all the signs are rearing their ugly heads. Then I start coughing a bit and realize it’s the elevation… My congested lungs apparently aren’t enjoying anything above 8,000 feet or so. This is gonna be a long day! I push on through the aid station and eventually my lungs recover on the nice downhill.

After a 7 ½ mile downhill, I’m back under my 11-hour pace. Sweet! I can deal with this… Slow down at the higher elevations & smoke the downhills. Back on track! When I hit mile 22 where the trail meets Hobble Creek Road, I was more than 5 minutes up on my 11-hour pace, and about 20 minutes up on my 12-hour pace. I was also ecstatic to see my crew for the first time. In the ultra-running world, CREW is said to stand for Cranky Runner Endless Waiting. They would end up seeing the gamut from me on this day; from elation to absolute misery. After a quick pit stop to meet them (Lydia, Mom, Dad), I run the 4 mile stretch of road up Hobble Creek. I use the term “run” very loosely! It was more of a hobble (pun intended) than a run. It was hot and exposed; I wanted my beloved trail back. Instead I was stuck with this miserable pavement!

This is where my dreams were crushed and the reality of my circumstance punched me square in the face! My stomach went south and I was a bit dehydrated. I wobbled into the next aid station (mile 26.1) and was staggering around like a drunk at the bar. I started downing cups of Coke (a-Cola) and jamming food into my mouth, trying to get things to turn around. No such luck! I mix some slogging and walking through the next 4 miles, attempting a recovery which never came. Luckily I had ultra-running stud Davy Crockett to follow. I just tried to mimic his pace in order to stay on track.

As I roll into the mile 30.0 aid station, my stomach is sloshing with all that liquid and food. At the advice of local ultrarunning legend Karl Meltzer who's working the aid station, I start eating salted potatoes and drink some amazing bullion he’d brewed up, take a few more S-Caps and I’m on my way. The trudge continues ‘til I hit the 33.5 mile aid station. As I run down the hill, I see my crew and they have a chair waiting for me. Heaven! I sit and try to get my wits about me again. After a long stop which included a change of socks & some sunscreen, I grab a second water bottle and my iPod, then head out for the longest section of the day. I’m now just 2 minutes ahead of my 12 hour goal. Hopefully my playlist (aptly named Melt-Your-Face) of metalhead jams could keep me motivated. Metal is the only way to go when you need to find that extra gear!

All other sections on this course hover around 1 hour. My projections gave me 3 hours for this next section. It was mostly uphill, with the memorable “Bozung Hill” – a 1200 foot climb in under 1 mile – to cap it all off. The stomach never let up the whole way, and just before the base of the massive hill, my lungs (once again) let me know they didn’t approve of what I was doing. To put the icing on the cake, I was a bit dehydrated. Lucky me! I decided to carry two bottles instead of three, which turned out to be a mistake. I ran out of water about half way up the big hill, being saved only by a large snow bank just off the path. I dug in up to my elbow and began filling my bottle with slush (other burrows indicated I wasn’t the only one doing this). With the saving grace of the snow melting in my bottle, I was able to push on to the aid station just off the back of the hill (mountain).

All the volunteers were amazing, but especially those at this aid station! This was an extremely remote location… A 7+ mile hike from any direction. They carried everything in on their backs and were as well-supplied as any aid station on the day. Top notch! So I filled both water bottles, ate some delicious homemade cookies, and left at the 9:49 mark, now 11 minutes up on my 12-hour pace. How did that happen??? Probably the generous amount of time I gave myself to complete that gnarly section.

Right out of the gate was major snow. Ya know, the kind where it’s easier to glissade, slip, slide, sit-on-your-butt-and-sled-down kind of snow! Slippery snow turned to soft snow, then sloppy snow, then mud, until I was finally clear of it; good solid single track for the rest of the way. I finally peed again (it had only been 6 hours or so… Yikes!), then attacked the downhill. I felt good for the first time in over 20 miles! I ended up passing 3 runners on this section, finally arriving at the last aid station. I hung out with the crew for a few minutes (Britt & Brian were there too), then told my dad to keep me company on the last leg. Off we went down the road toward the finish.

Not gonna lie, it was nice having someone to chat with again! I probably talked his ear off. Thanks for being a good sport dad! After passing a few more runners, I eventually arrived to cheers at the park and ran it in for a finish of 11:39:53 officially. I ended up 48th out of 243 starters. Not too bad, though I was never racing anyone but myself. It was finally over! Afterwards, I jokingly asked my family who signed me up for this craziness. They just laughed as they already knew I needed my head checked!

Huge thanks to the volunteers! Without them, this race would not be possible. They deal with runners all day, work in less than ideal conditions, and not only do they not get paid for it, they volunteer. They must like the abuse! Lydia and my parents also deserve much thanks! They spent the entire day driving through the mountains, just to see me for a few minutes here and there. They gave up an entire day for me and I couldn’t be more grateful… Thank you guys so much! Also, a big congrats to all the runners on a memorable day!

All in all, I’m pleased with how my race went down. I pushed through some major adversity and stuck with it. I learned a lot through my trials, and I’m proud that I was able to persevere. I even ended up hitting my (adjusted) goal! I know I’m very capable of much more on a good day, but this is a significant boost to my morale; even when the chips were down I was able to push on. Also, the good thing about my result is it leaves room for improvement next year. I’m looking forward to it already. Now bring on the training for Wasatch!