Frozen Dead Guy 50K

On Saturday, I ran the Frozen Dead Guy 50K with Sherpa John and a handful of others.  It was a great group of guys and I had a  blast.  We ran from Nederland to Boulder via trails & dirt roads.  It took us a lot longer than I had expected, the occasional knee deep snow slowed us a bit.  We veered off the original route, by choice, someone wanted more vertical, and blazed trail longer then we expected, like for an hour.  We ended up covering 27 miles with 4,075’ of gain and 6,509’ of loss.   It was a great workout and a really fun day.    

I want to thank John for putting this winter expedition together.  You Rock!!!

 

We decided to veer off the planned route and found a bit of snow.   At first the snow was up to our knees or thighs. *some were shorter than others.

Brad volunteered to break trail.  Thanks Brad!!!

We enjoyed some climbing.

It was not the typical ultra run, it was an adventure.

A little break after an hour or so of breaking trail..

We finally hit some groomed trails.

It was a gorgeous day, even the rock climbers were out.

The home stretch on Mesa Trail.

Thank you John for putting this adventurous day together. 

Best Traction Gear for Running on Ice & Snow

YakTrax Pro have been around for a while.  First, I have not bought a pair for myself because of the bad reviews, both from running friends and internet reviews (mostly REI).  I have used them though, my father bought a pair 10 years ago, loves them, and says they still work great. Granted he is 76 years old and doesn’t run.  He uses them mainly for walking the dog and maybe orienteering.  I just ran with a guy that told me he went through 3 pairs in a month before switching and the last pair broke during a long race.  He ran back with only one.  Although they might be good on the snow for walking and hiking, maybe even jogging, I don’t think they are that great for running.  In my opinion, they are not even that great on ice, the traction is just wire coils and can even be more slippery on smooth ice then without.  My father still argued me that they are great on ice.  I haven’t experienced that.

Pros: They are light, small and easy to pack, and can be comfortable depending on the shoe
Cons: Not fast or easy to put on, not the greatest on smooth ice, and the rubber is not durable for running
Website: http://www.yaktrax.com/

Weight: 3.25oz each     Cost: $29.95

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IceTrekkers by Kako with Diamond Grip Traction System.  These are what I am currently using and are working great for me.  I haven’t heard anything negative about them except that they are heavier than the YakTrax.  I take that back, I also heard that if you do not dry them after, they may rust.  *No rust on mine yet.  My only suggestion is that you try them on in the store; they fit different depending on the shoe.  I initially tried the medium sizes 6.5-9 and the rubber pressed too tightly on my toes - size 9 shoe, Saucony ProGrid Razor 2. Using the larger size, there is some slight play, but not noticeable during runs.   I’ve used them a bunch including during sections of  Pikes Peak Fat Ass 50K and a number od other timed events.   These are what I recommend.

Pros: Durable, great on icy trails, easy to put on during a run standing up
Cons: Heavier than YakTrax, have been know to rust, a bit pricier
Website: http://www.icetrekkers.com/

Weight: 5.95oz each     Cost: $41.95

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MicroSpikes  Although I haven’t tried them yet, all my friends love them . . . that live in Boulder.  The spikes are a bit large for mixed trails, snow & no snow.  But if you live in an area where the trails stay hard packed, these are by far the best choice.  I live in a area where the sun melts most of the snow and ice off the trails,  so I felt that these were a bit overkill for me. With that said, I wear just my trail shoes until I start sliding.  My last run was mostly fresh snow covered trails for 18 miles and I never put them on. 

Pros: Durable, best overall traction, easy to put on during a run standing up
Cons: Heavier than the IceTrekkers, really expensive
Website: http://www.kahtoola.com/microspikes.php

Weight: 6.15oz each     Cost: $59.95

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Grip Hobnail Kit To me these seem like a great option, but I am a bit apprehensive and they are pricey. They are $45 for the kit and a set of 10 replacement screws are $20. They are super light, temporary attachment, and don’t seem to destroy the rubber soul.  I do question the possible damage they could cause during long runs or multiple uses.  They mention that the screws can easily be attached and removed at a trail head, but after watching the video, I don’t want to stand there in the cold putting them in.  She took about 20+ seconds to attach each screw, in an ideal environment.  So I would predict at a trail head, it would take about 5 minutes to screw both shoes.  The other question I have is, how often do they fall out?   I would really like to try them.

Pros: Super light, removable
Cons: Very expensive
Website: http://www.sportiva.com/products/footwear/accessories/at-hobnail-kit

Weight: about 0.35oz each shoe     Cost: $45.00

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The Screw Shoe: For Running on Packed Snow and Ice! By Matt Carpenter

This is by far the cheapest option, but I  haven't tried it yet.  From my research and conversations, everyone feels the screws no matter the size screw.  Carpenter swears by it though.  He has a great site that walks you through process.  Check it out.   

Pros: Super light, removable, very cheap
Cons: Some say they can feel the screws through the rubber, not as aggressive as a spike
Website: http://www.skyrunner.com/screwshoe.htm

Weight: about 0.43oz each shoe     Cost: $0.10 each

Kilian Wants Carpenter's Pikes Peak Marathon Record *Update

Kilian Jornet is coming to Colorado this August to attempt to steal Carpenter's record for Pike's Peak Marathon or something like that. I would love to see the finish, don't know if I will be awake after Leadville though, let alone in the mood to drive and watch the race. Now the question is, will Carpenter be running?

*Update: If Carpenter runs, which he always does, I want him to beat Kilian. Not that I have anything against him, they are both good guys - humble, it is just seeing Carpenter win being over twice Kilian's age, gives me hope as an older runner. Go Carpenter!

This was posted on Kilian’s site:
August 19: Pikes Peak Marathon, 42km (Colorado - USA) http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/ Trail Running A Classic of American, 3rd oldest marathon on the USA and the 1st mountain race. One that felt like a long time.

http://www.kilianjornet.cat/es/blog/2012-trai-running-calendar

My First Ultra Marathon Mistakes

My first ultra, the Devil Mountain 50,  was total training for me.  I was told to just go out and enjoy it.  so I did until I bonked really hard, but once I crossed that finish line, I forgot all about it.   And man I learned a lot. 

Thinking about it now, I can’t believe some of the things that happened, it just makes me laugh. 

Pre-Race Mistakes

• Did not fully pack my running gear the night before – long drive and too tired.
• Used an inflatable air mattress – it went flat in the night.
• Hit the snooze button too many times.
• Lost tract of time and missed the start of the race.
• Wrongly predicted/calculated my pace.

Race mistakes   8G7HP3XTB5CE

• Too much caffeinated GU early in the race in conjunction with good music – a bit hyper.
• Ran out way too fast due to missing the start and wanted to make up the lost time.
• Forgot my headlamp in the drop bag at the last aide station.
• Did not eat around mile 40, wasn’t hungry – Bonked later.
• Did not inspect my feet for blisters at any of the aide stations. 
• Thought a blister on my foot was a rock in my shoe, but couldn’t find the rock?

Quad Rock 50 . . . Almost Sold Out!

Quad Rock 50 on May 12th, 50 Miles with 11,575’ of gain, is almost sold out. For its inaugural year, it is amazing how fast and early it will sell out. As I mentioned earlier, I am really excited about the race. I just started to think about the logistics though, A FIVE AM start? Looks like I am sleeping there. I have to run more hills; I haven't done 11,000’ of gain in a day ever, close though.  And its been a while since I ran 11,000’ of gain in a week.  I have some training to do.  It is 3 months away, there is time, but I have to kick it in.

As of February 13th, there were 19 spots left in the 50 mile race and the 25 mile sold out about a month ago.

Needless to say, it is going to be a fun race and an awesome season.

COURSE MAP      http://gnarrunners.com/quad-rock-50/

“Push the Pace” Another Free Race!

It was a fun cold cold day for a run.  CRUD sponsored, “Push the Pace” at Falcon Trail around the air force base.  It was 18 miles of snow covered slippery trail with 2190’ of gain.  Another Free Race, Yea!!!.  I took 7th place! Granted there were only 7 runners, I guess it was too cold for everyone else.  The guys out in front of us were hardcore, and were gone right out of the gate. One guy was wearing shorts too.  We never saw them again. 

It was so cold, that my beard and hair were frozen solid.  And this was the only photo I got ‘cause my camera was frozen too.  I warmed it with the car heater.  *Mental note keep camera in a less exposed location. 

Very Important!  When running with a hydration pack in such cold weather; it freezes!  Well at least the tube and bite freezes.  I tend to run a lot in cold weather and being a former ice climber, I am used to it.  When I started running, I blew all the liquid back into the bladder, but there was some left in the bite and became solid.  Also, my cheeks were so numb, that I had to push my cheeks with my hands to get the liquid back in the bladder.  So, I took the tube and bite and stuck it down my shirt, waited about 10 minutes and I was able to drink again.  I kept the tube down my shirt for the rest of the run.  The other guy, Dave, bought a new insulated hydration pack, so he didn’t worry about it; the tube frozen solid in 10 minutes. He did not drink the entire run.  *I did offer.    

Helicopter Coverage of Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc

This is just an awesome video of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc.   I would love to do this race, but it is held at the end of August and with my work schedule, it just will never work out.  Hopefully, I will still be running in another 20 years when I retire.  But on the flip side, there are tons of other cool races right here in Colorado that I haven’t done yet and I am going to start reeling them in. 

May We Always Be Crazy!!!

I Got Schooled During My 18 Mile Run Today!

It was a gorgeous day on Lookout Mountain, the sun was strong, and good temperatures, ranging between 19 – 30 degrees.  There were not that many cyclists due to the snow, but the unicycle guy showed up half way through my first lap.  He was flying with maybe 5 minute mile up hill pace.  The wheel on his uni was huge; I would guess 36” or so.  I didn’t get a shot of him this time, he surprised me from behind. 

GREAT STORY, I GOT SCHOOLED:  There were a handful of runners and I ran with a few to pass the time.  After running one lap up, 4.6 miles with 1250’ of gain, I turned around and headed back down for exactly a mile.  *I checked my data after the fact.  I saw a guy running and asked if I could run with him.  Since, I can never plan my runs ahead of time, I generally run alone – not by choice.  He said “sure”, but in a way like if you can keep up.  OK, I held on for a while, but I just couldn’t keep up.  Here is my excuse or excuses,  I was tired from the first lap, also ran 26 miles the day before, and did I mention he was flying.  After checking the data, I was running just under a 7 minute mile up hill and I couldn’t keep up with him, damn.  I didn’t expect that.   Then, I turned around and saw another runner coming, she was flying too, but I wasn’t going to let a second runner kick my butt.  She did not want me to beat her, that was for sure, but every push she made to pull away, I matched it.  It was killing me though.  She was tough, really tough, and looked like she was in her early 20’s or so.  After getting to the top, it was best to run on my own, since I had 12+ miles more to go.   I  headed back down and to do it all over again, yup one more lap, but not as fast.  It was a fun run. 

It was a beautiful day!!!

Your Guide to Finishing the Leadville Trail 100 Run ~Wyatt Hornsby

If you are running the Leadville Trail 100, definitely check out Wyatt Hornsby (The Running Man) guide.   It is well done and gives a fresh voice to attacking the race.    He broke it down into two section. the first fifty and the second half.  Blog: The Running Man

Your Guide to Finishing the Leadville Trail 100-Mile Run (Part I: Miles 1-50)

Your Guide to Finishing the Leadville Trail 100-Mile Run (Part II: Mile 51-Finish)

Great Podcast! S! Caps creator Karl King

Over a year ago, a cyclist buddy of mine, gave me a Ziploc baggy with a handful of S! Caps for an upcoming race.  It completely changed my runs and I have been using them ever since.  If you haven’t used them yet, check them out, Succeed S! Caps.  

I have a 40 minute drive to work, so I listen to a lot of podcasts.  Yesterday, I listened to Karl King’s interview, Trail Runner Nation and it was awesome.  It is a must, even if you are not an ultra runner, I wish I would have know this in my backpacking days.    

chat with S! Caps creator Karl King December 30, 2011

Performance enhancing drugs in UltraRunning? Well not exactly...but Karl King has come close with S!Caps. Karl's contribution to the trail is legendary: Sodium 341 mg + Potassium 21 mg add heat + elevation, let simmer for a couple hours and you are ready to serve up a great day on the trail. In this podcast Karl shares with us how he developed S!Caps and ways we can use them to improve our trail experience. Thanks Karl King!

Read more...

LEADVILLE TRAIL 100 TIPS: Do I Need A Crew?

Do I need a Crew?  It’s my first 100 and totally unknown territory for me.  It is not required, but suggested and I know why.   The zombie effect . . . there are just so many variables – the ‘X-factors’ particularly for your first 100.   In my last 50 mile race at the 50K aide station, I relaxed a bit, reapplied sunblock, ate, and drank.  Then off I went,  about 20 minutes into the run, I realized I forgot to grab my headlamp.  I thought, no worries I be back in plenty of time . . .  Bonk!

The guys over at RunUpHillRacing.com put together another great resource, the “Crewing Guide to Leadville.” They broke it up into eight sections, Crewing explained, Making a plan, Gear, Efficient Aid Station Management, Dealing with a troubled runner, Communication/tracking,  Stepping Through the Aid Stations, Taking Care of Yourself, and Final thoughts.

* The guide is very well done and is a must to read even if you have already run Leadville.

Crewing Guide to Leadville 100 Run (intro)

What’s crewing? Briefly, crews meet runners at points along the course with food, fresh water bottles, clothing changes, etc., supplementing the support and supplies available at aid stations.

While having a crew can be extremely helpful, it’s neither required nor necessary. A lot of runners from out of town can’t afford to bring crews with them and don’t know locals who can help. Some runners choose to go without crews, preferring to do the race as a solo effort. ~ RunUpHillRacing.com

http://runuphillracing.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/crewing-the-leadville-100-run/

LEADVILLE TRAIL 100 TIPS: Pacers/Crew Guide to Leadville 100 Run

Leadville will be the first time that I may need a pacer, it’s my first 100 and unknown territory.  I know it is not required, some are against it completely, but it will be awesome to run with someone at my pace and not theirs.  It is going to be a “full” long day.     Physically, I have an idea of how taxing it will be and I feel that I can somewhat prepare for it.   Now mentally on the other hand,  I have no idea how it is going to hit me.  It is harder to train that mental side / zombie effect, there are just so many variables – the ‘X-factors’.   *I will be doing a few long night runs after work, but I don’t think it will be enough.  What I need to do is stay up for 24 hours and then go for a long run, that might do it, that would be fun.

So for my first 100, I will use a pacer and hopefully have one who is somewhat experienced as a pacer and/or a well seasoned runner.  Two people have already showed interest, hopefully they will fully commit.   Either way, I will be printing out a copies for them and even have extras on hand just incase someone bails.  

The guys over at RunUpHillRacing.com  put together a great resource, the “Pacers/Crew Guide to Leadville”.  They broke it up into six sections, Pacing basics, How To and Pacing Strategies, Pacing Legs, Pacing Gear, Crew and Aid Stations, and Finding a pacer. The guide is very well done and is a must to read even if you have already run Leadville.

Pacers/Crew Guide to Leadville 100 Run (intro)

This is a guide to the Leadville Trail 100 Run, for Pacers, Crew, and Racers. Although focused mainly on pacing, I think the information us valuable to crew and runners too. 

Since 1996, I've paced and crewed 8 times, raced twice with top-20, sub-23hr finishes, and have coached several runners. I've worked with runners from all parts of the pack including perennial top 5 finisher Joe Kulak, several 25-27 hour finishers, and runners who have dropped. I have also crewed at the LT100 mountain bike race twice. I know the race from the inside out and gladly share my knowledge, including some insider tips that you can't find elsewhere. ~ RunUpHillRacing.com

http://www.runuphillracing.com/write/LeadvillePacerGuide.html

Best Emergency Wind Pants for Ultra Runners: Mont-bell Dynamo

When I first started ultra running, not that long ago, I was very concerned about gear weight and I guess I still am.  My first self-sufficient race had a required gear list which included long pants.  It was the Aneto Marathon up in the Spanish  Pyrenees and took place in August, so in my mind I probably would not even need them.  Hence I wanted the lightest pair possible and spent a couple of weeks researching.  Finally I found the Mont-bell Dynamos.  Honestly, I had never even heard of Mont-Bell, but luckily, the mother ship was up in Boulder.  I tried them on, they fit great, compressed down to the size of a racquetball, and only weighed 2.8oz, but I still hesitated because they were pricy, $69; I bought them anyways.  The thing is they are the lightest and smallest pair I could find and now looking back, due to their size, I have no problem throwing them in to my Camelbak  or fanny pack for long runs, which makes them that much more practical.  It is Colorado, the weather changes every half hour.

On the negative side, I wish they were a bit more stretchy at least in the inseam & buttocks area.   Although they are not really inhibiting, I would consider going up a size. The next size up, the large, felt too big on me, so I went with the small.  But with all that said, they are really no different than any other wind pants in terms of flexibility.  

Check them out: http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?p_id=2305123

• 12-denier rip-stop Ballistic Airlight nylon
• 100-wash rated Polkatex® DWR treatment
• Compressed: 2.6" x 1.8" x 3.6" (stuff sack included)

Here is a photo of me holding the pants in the stuff sack.  Compressed they are very small and I have relatively small hands. 

Colorado Trail Maps: Big Daddy’s Maps

Last night, I was looking for a clear map of Mathew Winter’s park, I wanted to get a better idea of how to link a few trails.   It seemed all the maps I found were either missing something or hard to follow.  Then I found, BigDaddyMaps.com just by chance, they are an adventure trail map source primarily for the Denver/Bolder area. The site seemed a bit cheesy at first, but after navigating around, I found some great maps.  It is the best source for trail maps that I have found and they are free.  The maps are simple, easy to read, downloadable, and are ready to print.  The one thing that I feel is missing are the trail elevations gains, they do include elevation profiles, but you have to guess the gains.  Some of the maps include a Google Earth file, but so far not the trails I have looked at.  Either way, if you need a map, it is worth checking out. 

Here is a list of all the available running trail maps.

Most Beautiful Location for an Ultra Marathon: Formentara, Spain

A friend of mine, Pere, is hosting the “FART” Ultra Marathon, yes that’s right F.A.R.T, Formentera All Round Trail, March 3rd 2012.  This is its inaugural year and the course looks awesome!  It is a 72K course that follows the coastline of the island.  If you have not been to Formentera, it is amazingly beautiful,  turquoise waters, beautiful beaches, great food, friendly people, and the history of the island is incredible!   Website

Check out these photos . . . Doesn’t it look like a cool course?

Here is the course map, doesn’t it look awesome?  Course Map


Registration

It is not known for it mountains, but it is not flat.  It is perfect.

Look at these waters . . . .

On the island, you will find five defense towers that were built in the XVIII century to protect the island against pirates and you run around at least one of the towers. 

Quad Rock 50

It is official, I am registered for the Quad Rock 50 on May 12, 50 Miles with 11,575’ of gain . .  Joy!  I am really excited and it looks like an awesome course; I prefer non-looping courses, but at least the second loop is in the opposite direction.  

I think it is a perfect Leadville training race and I will be able to iron out some of that ‘x-factor’, food, pacing, foot care, and the unknown.  Also, It is not that close to the event, which will give me plenty of time to recover; I think I am going to get a little beat up.  I love hills, but I am not really looking for the undulating terrain.  Generally my races are up and then down;  it is definitely going to be fun.  

It is filling up fast, as of 1/26 there are 20 spots left in the 25 mile and 62 spots left in the 50 mile.  For its inaugural year, it will definitely sell out faster than average.  

Needless to say, I am excited.

COURSE MAP

http://gnarrunners.com/quad-rock-50/

WATCH: Tim Waggoner Inspirational Interview

Check out this great interview with Tim Waggoner of Colorado, he is a solid athlete with a history to back it and the kind of guy you want to hang with.  Awesome Video!!! 

Tim Waggoner’s Bio:  15 time Ironman. 16th over-all and top amateur at Ironman Hawaii in 2000. USAT Triathlete of the year in 2000. 12th professional at Hawaii in 2002. US Ironman Champ in 2004. 2:30 marathon at Denver. 6th place at Leadville 100 run in 2010. 8:37 at Leadville 100 bike in 2011. Leadman in 2012.

Big Mountain Trail Run Looks Fun!

Big Mountain Trail Run this April (4/21) looks like a series of fun courses, a 5K, 10K, or Half Marathon in Cheyenne Canyon, Colorado Springs.  I have run in that area, it is gorgeous and hilly; my kind of running.  The 1/2 seems to have 2000’+ vertical gain and it is 70% single track .  Also the finish is down hill, which is always exciting.  Those moving trees will get you every time.  The 10K is 90% single track – very cool!

http://www.bigmountainar.com/BMTR2012.php