I Have Moved!

For those that do not know, I have moved over to a new Blog Address. See you over the hill and thank you for following!

http://trailrevelations.weebly.com/ 

Finishing Positive, Evaluating the "Why," and Mentally Winning

A lot can happen after a particularly poor performance or DNF. From experience, dwelling on a particularly poor showing is detrimental and can impact long-term results down the road. After not finishing Superior, I had a void feeling about the entire season, even with all the positive accomplishments and joy that running brings. For the last two weeks, I had been running once per week and cycling for enjoyment just to move after long work days, but it felt unguided and aloof. With luck, I stumbled upon a late entry to the Trail Loppet and decided it was my ticket out of unfinished racing. Going into the Loppet I knew quite a few things about my body. I continue to have nagging foot problems, had not done speed workouts since July, and mostly drank beer for the last two weeks, leading to not stellar fitness. So, why the Loppet? Quite simply, this race is one of my favorites due to challenging terrain, its urban setting, and the vast amount of talent that it draws. It is the showdown of unbelievable ski fitness vs. some top-notch trail and road runners around the area. With that said, my goals were to enjoy the gorgeous fall weather and race atmosphere, run as hard as my body would allow, and simply finish with a sense of accomplishment. Starting with that mindset lead to an extremely positive day.

Despite a late start and some early snafus, the Loppet did not disappoint. As expected, the race started out hard and I settled into a pace that felt aggressively quick for my fitness. Luckily, I had a suffer buddy to accompany me for the first half of the race. After the first two miles, my breathing settled enough to gradually spit out a few sentences as we went through the south end of Wirth park and off towards Quaking Bog. If anything blows me away about this race, it's the vast amount of single track that exists right in the heart of Minneapolis. Although I swear some of the Loppet's course is comprised of deer trails, it is pretty sweet to run full speed through what seems like dense forest from the south to north end of the park! Like usual, I was gassed after 5 miles of the race hitting the pavement to watch people slowly pull away. Never have I had to hold down the puke sensation, but I was clearly running out of my fitness zone. I hardly ever push THAT hard on trails, but the Loppet always brings that mentality out.

As my pace dwindled and legs tightened up later in the race, I tried to simply focus on the "why" of why I love running. My draw to running comes down to a couple of core things. First would be a natural love for the outdoors. For me, there is no easier way to get outside and enjoy the elements than through movement across both familiar and new terrain. In my lifetime, I have experienced so many new places just through foot or bicycle travel, many being close to my house and impossible to get to via another mode. Take this year's trips to Bozeman for instance. After one week, I covered nearly all of the trails in Hyalite Canyon, taking in incredible memories throughout the journey. How else could I accomplish this task in under a week! I look at that as a blessing. Next, running has always been a fierce mental opponent over a variety of distances.  Although unfit on Saturday, I was able to push through a half dozen painful moments to fall only two minutes shy of my PR on this course which was set during peak marathon condition. By having the ability to pull through seemingly intense pain or exhaustion, I have been able to transfer resilience to other areas of life. I think my work ethic, mental sharpness, and overall outlook has been strengthened by training and racing over time. Lastly, I would say I am drawn to run because of the community. The Midwest has a never ending pool of talent. Every time I think my training routine is perfected, I learn something new from others. Just when I think I am in peak form, there is always a handful of better athletes. In the most unexpected places, a new friend and training partner will appear. And best yet, Minnesota offers so many top notch events that I have to pace myself to not over-race each year.

With all of those thoughts, I realized that I can reflect even while falling into a hypoxic haze. To most, pushing that hard doesn't sound like fun, but for the above reasons, I always love a hard effort whether prepared or unprepared. This year's Loppet was a success, not due to overall results, but due to how much I learned in the process. In the future, I will break through disappointment by redefining the "Why" and putting forth my best effort instead of dwelling on the past.

Learning from 100 - Sawtooth Recap

Disappointment doesn't come easy and that is probably why it has taken me over a week to even think about recapping Superior 100. I came into Superior feeling fairly rested after what I would consider a full summer of racing. From the start, my goals were to run a sub-24 hour time, start the day patiently, and take care of my body. I had no desire to be on the course for 27+ hours or walk myself home. Some people are happy with that, but personally I don't find it worthwhile or interesting (no offense to others that hold differing opinions). Mentally, I was prepared to suffer but prepared myself for a DNF due to nagging injuries that I started the race with, mainly issues in my left foot from continuous Plantar Fasciitis that has recently flared.

Superior 100 Race Start

Race morning was greeted by hot weather and not a lot of sleep. Mallory and I shared a gorgeous night of camping at Gooseberry Falls State Park with my generous pacer, Jason. The night was brief due to a late arrival, but I find it most relaxing to sleep under the stars and outside prior to a long day on the trails. Race day focus and a good portion of nerves made me forget to check in on race morning prior to start. Thus, just before we were off, I embarrassed myself, admitted the error and was finally an "official" part of the race. Scott Jurek's well known pacer Dusty Olson sprinted off the line, leaving us more mellow folks to ease into the day. I felt the humidity early, but ultimately felt pretty good. By A.S 1 I was finally warming up and settling into a good rhythm of eating, running, and walking the more sustained inclines.

Unlike my 50 mile ventures, I never stepped out of my comfort zone running. For me, this took patience and some adjustment in mindset. Although I much prefer faster racing, this did give me the ability to take in multiple Lake Superior views along with the general beauty of the Superior Hiking Trail. For those that have never been, I would highly recommend hiking or running as many segments as you can. It is truly unlike anything else found in Minnesota!

By A.S 2, I was dry....really dry! I had drained my entire hydration pack (1.5L) and felt slightly in trouble. As I fumbled to hydrate and eat, I was informed that I was in 3rd! I wasn't keeping track and was damn near shocked by this. I was told to not worry about position early and really hadn't given it a thought. All I wanted was sub-24! Upon leaving I still felt dry and overheated, thus backing off my pace more. All I could think is "shit this is slow!" So, I plugged in the headphones and subtracted the self-doubt of dehydration, working to push forward and drink. Unfortunately, this mostly failed. For one reason or another, my body was out of self-regulation early which I mostly chalked up to the minor cold leading into the race. By A.S 3, I was not passing fluid and more concerned. On top of that, my hydration bladder jammed, leaving me to take a hand bottle to the next stop 5 miles down the road. I left calm and collected, but I started to form some doubts.

Credit to my crew (Mal & Jason) who figured out my hydration mess by the next stop. I was greeted by a working pack, ice for my hat and a nutrition re-stock. Additionally, I was greeted by an overheated 2nd place runner by surprise. I think the feeling was mutual as he immediately stood and began his exit from the aid station. By the time I left A.S 4, I was feeling better. I was no longer peeing dark brown, I felt cooled off due to the ice in my pack and hat, and mentally I was refocused. As I slowly covered ground between 2nd and 3rd place, I felt some relief creep back into my body as I finally had my hydration back under control. The trail between AS 4 and AS 5 was extremely gorgeous. Passing the overlooks of Bean and Bear Lake was spectacular and was a relief in one of the more challenging portions of trail. Unfortunately, as the worry of dehydration left, my foot injury began to flare. After a couple of rest weeks, I was hopeful that I had the problem under control prior to this race. Unfortunately, that turned out to be untrue.

At 42.5 miles, my legs felt fresh and I was recharged by the sight of my dad as I entered into the A.S.

Coming into AS 4

This was his first opportunity to attend a trail race and I was pumped as he has been a huge influence in my sporting life. With that, I tried to place the pain of my foot out of my brain and focus hard on the journey ahead. Between this section and the halfway point, things went south for me. In the pre-dusk light, I faltered and limped my way to Finland (next aid point). At this point, I truly started to disconnect and question why I was putting my body through 100 miles. After finally arriving, I crumpled into a chair and tried to painfully work the knot from my foot. My hip was burning from overcompensation and I could feel my body slowly become unbalanced. Changing shoes and picking up Jason as a pacer brought some hope and much needed company to the situation as I had been running in 2nd and 3rd for 30+ miles by myself. Upon leaving, I was hopeful things would change with a new pair of shoes and some company.

Moving into the dark, things got tricky as expected with the amount of rocks and roots on the SHT. With each step, my foot continued to unravel, taking the rest of my body with it. I looked at Jason and broke the news that I was done for the day. I flat out had no desire to push it further as it was getting worse. Mile 57 took forever as I mostly walked to what would be my last aid stop. The disappointment of the day came out and I was mostly angry to drop out in a close 3rd place. Jason went on to pace the eventual women's winner and 2nd place finisher to the finish which relieved some of my feeling that I let him and those that supported me down (silly me).

Reflections:
After a week, I have had a lot of time to reflect on this race. Ultimately, it taught me a lot about where I want to focus this passion in the upcoming years. I am proud of this season and the improvement it has shown. Although I have a lot to learn, I think I can make more dramatic steps in the years to come through smarter training, a more focused race schedule and the awesome support that I gained this year. I walked away from Superior 100 with the realization that I won't pursue another 100 miler in the future for the following reasons (not meant to offend others of varying opinions or finishing times, I recognize that just completing 100 is a great feat of accomplishment for most):

• Race Speed: With multiple 2:40ish marathons under my belt, I appreciate the speed of the 50 mile distance. I hate walking and do not have the current desire to slowly trudge my way to a 100 mile finish "just because." Where 100 demands more mental strength, 50 demands more pure speed and athleticism as a runner. I will continue to gamble on trail speed any day of the week.
• Mindset: With the added popularity of trail running, I feel like 100's have become like completing an Ironman. It is everyone's ultimate goal. I will be the first to say I think that mindset is stupid. Like Ironman, 100 mile races are for a select few. For the rest, I think it is just plain dumb. I refuse to get sucked into this mindset and I would rather focus on where I can race the most and compete with the best. For me, running isn't about finishing. I feel a great sense of achievement through mastery, not completions or finishing medals/buckles.
• Personal Life: Racing takes its toll. My goal is to remain balanced and experience longevity in this pursuit. Although I am thankful for my wife's never-ending support, there is a thin line between balanced and over-reaching. This is probably the most important.

My early ambitions for next year include running a 2:35 road marathon, improving on my discipline in 50 mile races, and possibly traveling for a 50k-50mile race out West. As my ability continues to grow in the 50 mile distance, I may look into racing at the 100k distance as I view that as both a target for achievement and my style of competition.

Post Season: I am fairly confident that Superior was my last race for the year. It is time to regroup, recharge and do other things for a while. What do I have on the short list? Well, aside from house projects, I plan to hike, cycle, fly fish, camp, and enjoy life with my wife and golden puppy. Every year, race season closes with the feeling of accomplishment and moderate parts relief / sadness. Although I love racing, I am always ready for a change of gears and more beer. Once the snow flies, I plan to become more adept in Nordic skate skiing as a way to strengthen my body and train for next year off the roads. I don't have serious plans for running until December time frame, but hope to get out on some relaxed trail adventures, enjoying the leaves and camaraderie of friends. Cheers to that.

Refocusing Perspective - Bridger Ridge Run Report



Unmarked Course = Pocket Sized Maps

Back from Montana, I have had a couple of days to re-evaluate my late season attitude towards racing. In short, I returned home on Saturday exhausted with a longing to remain in the mountains. This wasn't a new feeling and is typically the short lull that follows any great adventure involving backpacking, fly fishing, and weeks spent living in a tent. What was missing however, was my long to return running. In short, I was and in some ways, still am completely sick of running. Bridger Ridge Run set me back in more ways than one both physically and mentally, marking my second lackluster performance of the season. After a week of post race blues, I have come to realize that it is time to move on and get healthy again! In hindsight, it is funny to even look at the race negatively. I knew my chances of actually "racing" were limited given I completed an all out 50-mile effort two weeks prior, had never run on such exposed and technical terrain, and was coming from sea-level a day prior to run a course that was mostly at 9k feet of elevation or beyond, cresting 4 major peaks in the Bridgers. Ok...being competitive sometimes sets you up for unrealistic expectations. With one look at the majority of the top 30 competitors in the medical tent post-race, I actually came out pretty unscathed minus a couple flesh wounds.

Upon reaching Montana last Friday, my brother and I had the pleasure of fly fishing for most of the day with my uncle who lives in Missoula. He drove up to meet us for the first half of the week, catching up over camp fires, fishing, and microbrews. In the later half of the day, I went to a required pre-race meeting in hopes to ease my nervous energy and look at aerial photos of the course. Unfortunately, learning the course was mostly unmarked and being surrounded by only local mountain runners, didn't quite do the trick. I felt like a fish out of water as everyone knew each other by name and there was only about 6 people that had not previewed the course. I left a bit antsy but some canyon fishing and camping calmed my jitters.



Hand after one week

Race morning as usual blew by. I woke up at 5 am to eat and break down camp with Josh, catching a glimpse of the sun rise prior to start. Wave 1 participants looked intense and I put myself near the back knowing that I wanted to start out easy, evaluating my climbing legs and unprimed lungs during the first of 4 summits. In hindsight, this was pretty dumb, because I had to waste a lot of energy getting around people within the first half mile. Upon stumbling to the top of Sacajewea at a little under 10k of vertical, I felt ok as I went into the first of many hairy descents. I realized quickly that this wasn't built for the clumsy as a path didn't exist and I was left to pick a route through the 50% slope and sharp shale. I would mark myself as "good" at descending, but this left me to re-evaluate. As I aggressively descended, pushing to maintain a position within the top 15 runners, I fell on a steeper pitch, ripping open my leg, both hands, and hip. This woke me up and instantly made me question what the hell I was doing prior to a week long backpacking trip! With blood running off both hands and down my race number, I decided to tame the pace and just survive the rest of the race only 5 miles into the game. After a little cost vs. benefits mental analysis, I was fine with the decision that a) today was going to be brutal and b) I am not wrecking an entire week in the wilderness for a better performance! Although I look at the choice as smart, the results weren't any easier to claim! Not to mention, I still couldn't enjoy most of the views, because the course was too technical to look up from.

 

Cresting Bridger

Up until mile 7, the course was mostly winding switch backs and steep descents as the trail headed towards Ross Peak. At Ross, AS2 finally arrived where someone hesitantly handed me water and Gatorade despite my bloodied appearance. After a quick wash of the hands, I hit the "wall" of a climb up Ross. The wall was like nothing I have ever endured. It consisted of less than a half mile and more than 1,000ft of climbing. It was a hike, a suffer fest, and an all out scramble that included grabbing trees to keep the momentum moving forward. After cresting the summit, I figured from the map that most of the climbing was complete. That couldn't have been further from reality. Bridger Bowl (AS3) was the highlight of the entire day as my brother, Josh, scrambled to the summit to watch, cheer and take photographs. Bridger was an entire village of people wildly cheering and standing on surrounding peaks as the 300+ runners passed. After, one peak remained and I hit the only stretch of what I would view as runnable terrain. Once through AS5, the route turned quickly to 40%-50+% descents that sent me wildly through loose scree and rocky outcroppings. Beyond through with the day, I was just looking forward to the finish and praying that I would stay upright as just about everything was throbbing. The last couple of miles were hot as it was close to noon. I was trying to capture a couple of positive reflections and gladly let two last minute heroes pass on the descent. I somewhat looked in spite and pure amazement as these two older guys were willing to risk any resemblance of health and safety to bomb the last descent. I found it funny and proceeded to grab the loose brush surrounding the trail as I skied into the finish.



Butterfly me ASAP!

Josh and plenty of others were there to congratulate me and fellow finishers. People were crossing the line in punctuated bursts as time carried on. The first two ladies were actually only a few minutes behind. I quickly made my way to the medical tent to get both hands and legs washed and dressed. My finger was still bleeding quite profusely. The list of injuries was the most impressive (and horrific) I have ever seen within the top finishers. The fellow next to me ripped his entire heel off, a couple others clearly didn't pace appropriately and were en-route to proper medical care, and there was plenty of skin that was lost. After some scrubbing and bandages, I exited feeling lucky and smart. Josh later told me that someone within the top 5 completely broke a hand in multiple places and that there were plenty of medical encounters along the entire course!

In short, my attitude is coming around. Currently, this type of running just isn't for me. Minnesota has absolutely nothing that could replicate a course like this and I was frustrated by the lack of fast running that I could do. I love flying through descents and running single track, but this was frankly above my skill-level and ability at the moment. With that being said, I have also realized how far I have come in the past year. This year is only my second season on trails and really, only my first (Last year I did one 50k and one 50 miler). I am by no means an expert and I didn't grow up running. In reality, I have only been at this endurance game for 6 years post-college.

Right now, I am dealing with a couple of injuries that may determine the rest of my season. I have fairly bad tendonitis in my knee from Bridger and a left foot that has been slow to heal since Voyageur 50. With a lot of racing in a short stretch, I want to find my training rhythm and regain some health before tackling anything else. With Superior 100 in 3 weeks, I would say it is highly unlikely that I will give that distance a try this year. My competitive spirit won't allow me to participate unless I am healthy, in peak shape, and near the top come finish line. Stranger things have happened, but I will likely wait until late fall to run either Twin Cities Marathon or a last minute 50 miler to close out what has been a "learning" year of racing. Although it is easy to lose perspective, I couldn't be happier with how far I have come or the adventures that I have completed thanks to the blessings of good health, a supportive wife, and hard work. It has paid off and I look forward to pursuing this journey further.

Post race backpacking

The Arctic Grayling...Very Rare and Somewhat Ugly

The Vast Terrain - I am in there...

 



Bridger Ridge Run: Summer Bucket List



Arial View of Ridge Run

In a few short days, I will once again have the opportunity to head west towards Bozeman, Montana. This trip will feature an awesome race on the front end (Bridger Ridge Run) and then some highly anticipated R&R in the form of fly fishing and backpacking for the remainder of the time. In honesty, the Ridge Run for me will be more of a "bucket list" highlight to a great season, rather than a race.
A little less than two weeks after Voyageur, I feel like I am just beginning to find my strength again and my focus is truly on the Sawtooth 100. I guess we will see how that attitude goes once the bib is on. Experience tells me I will run as hard as I possibly can.


View from 1 of 4 summits

What I do know from my July vacation is that this trail is a beast! With a little more than 17,000 ft. of total elevation within a touch less than 20 miles, its guaranteed to be a kick in the teeth. For all of the climbs, the payoff is views in every direction! I am fortunate (or unfortunate depending on how you look at it) to race in Wave 1, which is never awarded to 1st time racers. Experience has shown that my best chance of a good performance at altitude is through the shock-and-awe tactic. This involves arriving no later than a day before and getting after it. Everyone is different, but I am typically more sluggish 3-5 days into any adventure above 5,000ft of elevation.

As I mentioned, the rest of the week will be spent backpacking. The destination of choice this year is the Spanish Peaks, lying just shy of Big Sky, Montana. With plenty of high alpine lakes, most days will be spent hike 8-10 miles, setting up camp and then fishing. However, we do have a few peaks in mind to make it interesting! If we are lucky with weather and approach, maybe I will have a few pictures to archive from the top of Beehive Peak. This is a classic scramble that ends in a low Class 5 approach to the summit.

Once I return on the 17th, I plan to write a review on Bridger Ridge Run and also begin a series on lessons that I have learned from this season.

Thank you for reading!


Voyageur 50: Triumphs, Challenges & Slippery Rocks

The approach of Voyageur 50 this year was met with much anticipation and less anxiety than last year. It was nice to feel prepared. I knew what to expect and had a general idea of what the course would entail. I had high hopes to improve upon my performance (8:36, 8th last year) and marked it as an "A" race on my calendar. However, I have always learned to prepare for the unexpected in ultra distance running and this race wasn't any different. I should have known when I struggled to locate a room within an hour radius of Duluth, that this year would be unique. Alas, I had completely overlooked that thousands of people would transcend Duluth for a weekend of "Tall Ships" gazing,  Master and Commander style if you will. Luckily, I was able to reserve the last spot in Banning State Park to camp a mere 45 minutes away from Carlton.

Upon reaching Banning State Park on Friday evening with Mallory, my anxiety for race day was settled by a hike near the Kettle River and a calming self guided walk to check out the history surrounding limestone mining in the area. We ended up walking more than two miles in the woods, taking in the sights and interesting surroundings that 16 plaques of history had to offer. I even learned something new. Not about the land, but my wife. Mallory is a history nerd! Overall, the night was relaxing and I fell asleep to the setting of the sun and chirp of birds. I couldn't think of a better way to prepare. Mentally, I committed to camping prior to every race. It seems counterintuitive, but there is something calming about sleeping outside.

3:45am - My internal alarm got me up a couple of minutes before the cricket chirp of my alarm. It was game time and I was quickly wrestling to pack up camp. The moon was fairly bright, so we kept the disturbances minimal and we were in the car within 15 minutes. The drive to Carlton was uneventful and I mostly filled the time by mentally prepping for the day. Upon arrival, the rest of the morning was a blur, punctuated by the fact that it was only 48 degrees out....in July! The crisp air was welcoming as I remember fondly getting cooked in the latter half of last year's race.


Still Early and Crowded

6:00am - Minimal small talk was made and the gun went off. As expected, the pack immediately splintered into small groups and I found myself out front with around 8 others. The first mile felt great as it was on pavement, fast, and an easy mindless warm-up to a long day. Prior to hitting AS1, we crested a gorgeous overlook of the St. Louis River and glimpsed at the sun peeking over the horizon. This was probably one of the most scenic sights I encountered during the day. Miles 1-3 were quick, technical, and entertaining.
The pace during the morning was steady and somewhat stunning as we made our way to AS3 across the St. Louis River and through an area called Chambers Grove. I continued to look at my watch in disbelief as we would take the non-technical and a longer pavement section at 6 min/miles. Although I was comfortably within my limit, I wondered multiple times how the day was going to play out. By mile 9, I was already acutely aware that my stomach problems from Friday were going to resurface. What I had written off as nerves, clearly wasn't. Chambers ultimately marked the end of mellow terrain and the end of my ability to eat for many hours. With a succession of climbs, the pain in my stomach worsened and I would have to waste time locating a place to crouch more than 7 times during the rest of the day. At first, this wasn't concerning, but as the day continued, I wondered how my body was going to respond in the later half of the race without nutrition.

Powerline Section 2

Different from last year was the addition of another powerlines section earlier in the course. For those that have not done Voyageur before, the powerlines are a succession of extremely steep ravines, comprised mostly of thick clay. As the name entails, runners follow the path of the high voltage lines through this exposed area in fatiguing fashion. With two sections of this terrain, my goal was to limit wasted time and energy in this area as this year's race contained an out and back trip through both sections. I made a conscious effort to hike each steep section and run the crests as we were still less than 20 miles into the race. Overall, I gave up a small portion of time but controlled my stomach and energy level appropriately.

By AS5 I was feeling terrible and my stomach was mentally breaking me. Although it was still early, I honestly had doubts that I would finish the day. I quickly exchanged my empty hydration pack for a bottle and slowly made my way towards the course's next large obstacle, Jarrow's Beach. The beach was my marked nemesis from last year as it contains over a mile of jagged moss covered boulders. This section is barely walk-able in areas, let alone run-able. Once again, the goal was limit wasted time and limit injuries. Within the first half mile, I slipped and fell twice as I tried to navigate the rocks, wet from the mornings mist. Eventually I exited unscathed. Shortly thereafter, I hit the turn-around sitting in 7th position. I hadn't looked at my watch for over an hour due to my stomach, so I was surprised to see we hit 25 miles in a little over 3 hrs and 30 minutes. I was immediately stunned because the winning time for the marathon (on the same course two weeks prior) was 4 hrs. I knew we were going quickly, but I had no idea. By turn around, I was committed to re-evaluating my health at each aid station. Instead of the planned 300 calories per hour (1 gel every 30 minutes + electrolyte drink), I had only taken down 2 gels total and was mostly operating off of whatever liquid I could hold down.

Trip 2 through Jarrow's was uneventful. We passed the next 15 runners leading up to the entrance of

Jarrow's Beach Borrowed from Jordan Hanlon

the "beach" and ran into many more clamoring through it. At this point, I was alone and falling into a nice groove somewhere around 8th place. Once out of the beach I immediately slowed down my pace to try and ward off excruciating stomach cramps leading into the next A.S. There, I was able to drop my hand bottle for a filled pack and begin the journey back through the powerlines. The second trip through the powerlines were really a turning point mentally for my race. After exiting, my stomach was still an issue, but I honestly believed that I could close out the last 20 miles. My legs moved efficiently and I found a groove that was easy to maintain. Prior to coming into Chambers AS (11 miles out from the finish), I caught site of a runner in the distance, which boosted my energy. I worked hard to pass as quickly as possible on an uphill section, putting forth the appearance that I had plenty of energy left. Upon reaching Chambers, I filled up my pack quickly and exited onto the pavement for a gradual climb that felt like an eternity.
What was a fast descent to Chambers became the late round of a street fight coming back. The rain
started to fall and the grade of the hill ramped up, challenging my burning legs late in the game. My only motivation was the soft ground ahead upon exiting the pavement for a gradual buffed out ski trail. After what seemed like an eternity of climbing, the entrance gate came into sight and my feet were relieved to be back on soft ground. By AS 2 on the way back, all I wanted was the finish. Mentally, I kept myself sharp by constantly thinking that someone was catching up. I instilled a fear of being chased to the finish which kept walking to a minimum. In all honesty, I ended up having more than a 20 minute gap on the 7th place runner. Between AS 2 and AS 1, I struggled to maintain pace as my energy faded. I counted every last yard to AS 1 as I longed for the strong energy that this station would put out. With luck, AS 1 came as a surprise given my GPS watch was off by exactly one mile due to dense forest in sections. The volunteers were enthusiastic and I saw my wife for one last time before turning to finish the last 2.9 miles. It was a blur, but I fondly remember trying not to puke as my wife offered up a Starburst.
Leading back to Carlton, I tried to savor the last section of the course. I took in the energy of the St. Louis River, stopped to look over the crest seen early in the morning, and watch as two large deer pranced effortlessly through a densely wooded section. Soon enough, I was to the last mile of pavement. As I looked once more at my watch, I was overjoyed to see that I was within my goal time (7:30 - 8:00). I closed out the last mile in 7 minutes, draining the last bit of energy that I had for the day. Rounding the corner to the finish has never felt so good. A small crowd had gathered as the rain fell and the day ended just as it started, casual.



Best Summary of my "I have to shit face"

Take-Aways: Voyageur 50 was a huge win for me on a number of levels. Mentally, I survived 50 miles and ran well while my body constantly tried to break my will to succeed. Consuming a total of 3 gels, 2 cookies and 2 Shot Bloks in over 7 hours was an extreme test of mental courage as I literally had very little energy to operate off of due to sickness. Physically, I subtracted 55 minutes from last year's time and closed the day in 6th place, missing 4th place by a mere amount of time. Overall, my issues were likely less GI based and more virus based as I was sick Friday through Sunday. Being able to run, finish, and PR to such an extent only highlights how powerful a strong mindset is come race day. It would have been easy to fold at any time after mile 15.

Voyageur is one of my favorite ultra's for so many reasons. The race director and committee put forth a highly organized classic ultra that is well marked, extremely challenging and full of amazing volunteers. Each aid station is top notch and the people are awesome. Additionally, Voyageur is even more casual than the typical ultra. People roll up in flannels, the cost of the race is 1/2 what you will pay elsewhere, and the start quietly rolls out of a yet-to-wake Carlton, MN. Although I will continue to explorer other race venues, Voyageur 50 will always be on my radar for years to come.

Thank you to my wife for being the best crew personnel ever, Fitsok for blister free feet, and TCRC for shoes, clothing, and sage advice. Additionally, a special thanks to Coach D of Beyond Performance for getting me to the start race ready!

Coming Next: Next week I travel to Bozeman, Montana to run the Bridger Ridge Run. I just caught word that I am in the 1st wave, meaning I will be up front with the crazies. Right now, I am waiting for a large blister under my big toe nail to subside before I put together a goal for that race. I may just use it as a "bucket list" event if my body can't heal in time. After all, it is ranked as one of the Top 10 Most Gorgeous Trail Runs.

Really, my mind is on Superior Sawtooth 100. This will be my first attempt at the distance and the course is beyond difficult. With over 29,000ft of elevation change, it is obvious I won't be throwing down a 7:44 50 split. I look forward to capping the season with Sawtooth and reaching the finish in under 24 hours (stiff goal).

Shifting Gears: Snapshot of Bozeman, MT

Since racing Superior 50k in the middle of May, I had slowly dug myself into a rut mentally. I was still training hard and loving every second of it, but other parts of life had me down. Mainly, the daily office grind and lack of movement had me on a one way quest to seek an adventure and change of pace. Together, my wife and I decided to load the car, 8 month old retriever puppy in tow, and point it west to Bozeman, Montana for a week of camping in the mountains. The plan was to relax, hike, fly fish and of course, she was also gracious enough to grant me plenty of time to run in the mountains on a daily basis, which I capitalized on. As a family, we had a great time exploring the area and our puppy, Jameson, constantly impressed us (surviving paddle boarding, a concert, 4th of July, and 16+ hrs in the car each direction!). For the majority of the trip, we stayed in Hyalite Canyon, just outside of Bozeman. This canyon is recreational paradise and a few short minutes from town. Overall, it is amazing what fresh air, rushing rivers, and mountains can do to a soul in one weeks time! If you ever find yourself in Bozeman, this running recap may help you find some awesome trails!

Sunday June 30th - Drove to the far side of Hyalite Reservoir and ran for 1:05:00 to stretch the legs out. The best part of the day was leaving with my hydration pack and no shirt, expecting to run the same trail for the entire hour (up to Palisade Falls). Well, the joke was on me (silly tourist), because I climbed 0.6 miles on asphalt to the end of the trail (and a spectacular view of the falls) to gaze for 2 minutes, before descending and finding another option! I ended up running service roads to the East Fork of Hyalite Creek trail, which was super buffed single track and amazing to run. Overall, I climbed just over 2800ft and did a round trip of 9 miles, ending the day with 5600ft in the bank.



Wildflowers near Mt. Baldy

Monday July 1st- Woke up early to check out Fairy Lake, which happens to be the start of the Ridge Run. Wow, I felt like Travis Pastrana ripping through forest gravel with my mother in-laws Jeep! After an eventful drive, we got out with our wired puppy to explore the lake and take in the views. Upon looking at how remote the trail was (and only having a slight clue of the route to Bozeman via ridge), I elected to start at the "M" and climb the ridge from there for 2.5 hrs. This was a beastly decision at 11:45 am with temps already in the high 80's. My flat-land legs were ground to reality just past the "M" as I sucked water ravenously and wondered when the switchbacks would end and/or level out. At a little more than 4 miles I was only 45 mins committed and thought better of my plan to run 4.5 hrs in mid-day heat! After climbing two peaks, I stopped for a bit to take in the views.

The wildflowers were spectacular and plentiful on the route. I noted how spectacular and challenging the terrain was before turning back after 1.5 hrs. The thought that the descent would be easier was soon erased from my memory as I hobbled and struggled to stretch out on grades that varied from 25% to 50%. To think this would be the end of my 20 mile race come August made me smile and realize I was in for a real challenge! I ended the day with over 7900ft of vertical in 7 miles, with a time of 2:38:15. I was glad I didn't shoot for 4.5 hrs as it would have trashed the remainder of my week in Bozeman!

Tuesday July 2nd - Ahhh, the glorified long run day! I started my quest for 3.5hrs at 6:30 in the morning off the East Fork Trail on the far side of the reservoir. I couldn't resist completing this trail as it was so glorious on Sunday! I started slow and tentatively as my legs were plenty trashed from Monday's throw down, alternating between running and speed hiking up switch backs. I made it to and around the lake (5 miles in) within 50 mins which was a pleasant surprise and a touch ahead of my personal goal. I took in the views and enjoyed the solitude, watching trout rise early to the quiet sound of a creek. I didn't see a soul the entire morning! After a touch of food, I started a quick descent which was more hospitable than the day prior, with the steepest grade being around 20%.


Cheesy Early Morning Capture

At an even clip, I hit 10 miles and the conclusion of the trail at 1:26:00 with the goal of making a new plan. I still had 1.5 to 2 hrs of running left and plenty of energy. I descended the service road and approached Hyalite Reservoir for the next 30 mins, choking on dust as cars and horse trailers breezed by. Upon filling my pack, I checked out a trail bordering the creek we were camped on (Lick Creek Trail). After some exploring and additional uneventful single track, I turned it to the asphalt to churn out the remaining miles to the tent. Overall, this run was a little shorter than planned, with 19 miles total in roughly 3 hours. Vertical ascent was 2750ft and the descent was roughly 3500ft, with the majority of miles 15 - 19 straight down hill.

Wednesday July 3rd - I woke up tired and slow to the tune of a couple days of tough vertical and a few too many Moose Drool Ales. I called Wednesday a recovery day and hit the Blackmore Peak trail, tucked close to Hyalite Reservoir. I didn't know what to expect from this trail, but it happened to be pretty anticlimactic. At first, I struggled to build motivation as the trail was made up of short narrow switch backs that raised and fell with no apparent rhythm. Finally, I broke out on forest roads to stretch the legs out and shake out the lactic acid from days prior. After entering what looked like downhill single track, I fell into a nice rhythm of switch back climbs, looking over my shoulder at Hyalite Reservoir every so often. Within 2.5 miles I reached Blackmore Lake, which isn't as beautiful as the lakes tucked up on the East Fork trail...but still pretty spectacular. A bit more climbing, and I had enough for the day. I retraced my steps and ended back at the trail head in under an hour. To tack on a few extra minutes, I ran a ski trail to the reservoir where I met my wife and called it a day after 7 miles and 3000ft of total vertical.

Thursday July 4th - What gets the festivities going better than a little trail race. Mallory coaxed me into a 10 mile trail race near Big Sky at the spectacular cost of $10! The race field was pretty small and made up of mostly hard-bodied like minded folks just out for a good workout. When the gun went off, I strolled casually for about 0.25 miles before getting impatient and taking charge. I lead by 200 yard for the first 3 miles when the real race began. As we turned off a gravel road to the horse trails a volunteer chuckled and said "let the race begin!" Note to self, pay attention and heed to the locals! Soon, the vertical stacked up and I was trying to suck in every ounce of oxygen possible to no avail. I graciously hand gestured for the next eager racer to pass so I could regain composure. I was congratulating myself for great pacing while enjoying the sweeping mountain views and wildflowers along the way. After 5 miles, I was still pondering where this descent was at! Man, I was done climbing for the day and playing tag between 2nd and 3rd place. Finally, at 6.5 miles, it happened and I was ready to go. I soon found my partner for most of the race couldn't descend and I took that as my queue to make it count. For the next 2 miles I descend as recklessly as possible at a 5:20 min/mile, hopping stones and dodging trees to the best of my ability. With one mile left, I was surprised to see the first place leader and questioned whether he was just toying with me for the last mile. Soon, I learned he took a wrong turn and a gut-turning foot race ensued for the closing mile. I had nothing left and was oxygen depleted, so a 5:20 was the best I had to turn in. I took 2nd, 15 seconds off the lead. Overall, what a great day and gorgeous race this was! Mal and I enjoyed the company of others, relaxed in the sun, and cheered on the 5k runners before exploring Big Sky and fishing the Gallatin river for the rest of the day prior to heading to Bozeman for evening festivities.

Friday July 5th - It was our last day in Montana and we were slated to drive home later in the evening. I woke up early and hit the History Rock Trail (also in Hyalite Canyon). More gorgeous single track gave way to sweeping meadows and great views of the valley. My goal was to run the trail to a forest fire road that was about 2.5 miles up the valley according to my rough calculations.

  I visually made note of some visual checkpoints and set off in relaxed fashion with the mindset of enjoying my last run in the mountains. The trail started easy (great warm-up) and then topped out with steep switchbacks that gave way to a spectacular view (pictured). Soon enough, I found the forest road that I was supposed to take home. Really, I should have just stuck to the single track and continued climbing, because the road wasn't that interesting. It was a fairly gradual 5.5 miles of descent, passing small creeks and remote campgrounds. Mostly, I was just getting tired of the thick mud lining my shoe lugs and making my travels tiresome. Upon finding the creek, I turned off the forest road for a touch to hit some mellow single track and then cool in the river. Overall, I made it another 9 mile trip with 2300ft of ascent and 2900ft of descent.

 

Summary: I came home with the realization that Bozeman is recreational paradise. I hit 3 major rivers, at least 3 major mountain ranges, and 3 different ski resorts all within little more than an hours drive (summon the flat-land depression music now). Additionally, I walked away with confidence and motivation for the rest of the trail season and upcoming Voyageur 50 mile race. I may have also sobered up a touch in regards to the Bridger Ridge Run. That race will be a full on bear, but I am looking forward to facing a new and completely different type of trail running challenge over 20 miles!

 

Stats from Bozeman: I got in 61 miles of mountain trail running with a grand total of 27,650 ft of vertical within 6 days. Upon arriving home, I topped the week off at 76 miles to cap one of my remaining weeks of training prior to Voyageur.

 

 

Coming Soon... Reports from Voyageur Trail 50, Bridger Ridge Run, and the journey to the Superior 100 mile race!



Breaking the Cycle: Training to Race Trails with Speed

Overcast Start to Running Scouting the Voyageur Course Near Duluth

Where has time gone in the last two weeks? With four weeks out from Voyageur 50, I am looking forward to the last push of high mileage to show up ready to crush my mediocre rookie performance last year. Not that I was disappointed by my effort (1st 50 ever in 8:36:00), but I feel more knowledgeable and prepared to race well this time around. Since making the transition to trail running, my view of the "trail community" is ALMOST entirely positive. Compared to road running or cycling, the atmosphere is much more relaxed, runners are eager to volunteer and help each other, and most importantly, everyone is like minded and open to meet new friends! With this being said, one misconception gets under my skin. The misconception is this: Performing well over an ultra-distance trail event doesn't require speed training. If you are looking to truly maximize your race on the trail, this couldn't be any further from the truth. Not only does slogging long miles at one speed put you in a doom loop of slow times, but it does nothing to boost your fitness. True, most people can't run as quickly on the trail as they can on roads. However, climbing and descending hills well takes an elevated level of fitness and strength that you won't need on the roads. Getting in 1 or 2 speed based threshold or fartlek type runs per week will allow you to run comfortably at a faster rate...and that is guaranteed. What does a distance speed workout look like for someone running a marathon or a 50k? Here is an example that is meant to boost my threshold and allow for faster, more comfortable splits while racing long.

11 Mile Workout
1 mi. warm-up at 7:15 min/mi
3 mi. - 18:25
0.5 mi. at 7:30 min/mi
3 mi. - 17:55
0.5 mi. at 7:30 min/mi
3 mi. - 17:40
0.1 mi at 7:30 min/mi
1 mi. cool-down and stretching

The key to this workout is to adjust the splits so that you are fighting exhaustion but not totally maxed out and wrecked for the week. By running easy in between sets, there is time for a short recovery before the next set.

My Last Two Weeks:
Over the last two weeks, I have been at between 80-90 miles per week. Balancing a life outside of running and a full time desk job has been a stretch at times, but there is light at the end of the tunnel with key races coming up. I have taken a few day trips to break the typical training courses up. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to run in Duluth, taking a day trip and running 4.5 hours of the Voyageur trail. The course looks beautiful this year and getting back to Jay Cooke should be a treat since flooding basically washed the entire course away last year. During our course preview, we found wild asparagus, stumbled upon what looked like a squatter property riddled with shotgun shells, picked up a few ticks, and cooled off in a few rivers. All in all, it was a great weekend day trip that left me inspired!

Coming Up... This week I head to Bozeman, MT mainly to reset my buttons until August. The grind of cubicle life has left me pretty flat, so I am looking to fill a week with adventure in the mountains. I plan to document a few of my more epic runs including a ridge scramble that ties together four 9k - 11k ft peaks, climbing 9500ft of elevation before descending in Bozeman 22 miles later. This should challenge the flat-land legs and give me a preview of the Bozeman Ridge Run course I am set to race in August. Additionally, I have picked off a couple other peaks based on summitpost. I will put my phone in my pack...not only for safety, but to capture the beauty...Look for some beauties and laughable stories upon my return! Cheers!

Part 3: Building Your Support Network

The trail to success can be narrow and exposed without the right support. Building the correct network can provide innumerable benefits along any goal driven journey. In running and fitness, this couldn't be closer to the truth! Below are ways that you can increase your performance and balance the rhythm of your life while tackling a new athletic endeavor.

1. Education - Over the past 6 years, I have utilized a number of coaches to increase my training knowledge, to become more efficient (time spent & running economy), and to generate new ideas. Whether it is mental or physical training, investing in a coach can be a great reality check and a breath of fresh perspective into what you are working towards. With so many "certified" coaches however, seeking out the correct coach may be the hardest part of the journey! Just because someone is an athlete, it doesn't mean they have great advice. You can apply the same logic towards an over ambitious academic with fancy certifications! To get beyond the "pony show" of evaluating certifications and plaques, I have found it helpful to answer the following questions when meeting with a new coach.
• Does he/she have specific experience working with athletes or attaining a similar goal to what you have in mind?
• What are his/her view points on the priorities that are important to you (e.g family, life balance, etc...)? Is this person a good role model for the above priorities?
• Has this person been recommended by a friend or expert within the particular field?
• Can you easily converse with this person and/or see yourself as friends outside of the coach/client relationship?
• What is your ideal communication channel? Can the coach accommodate this channel?
• Financially, does this potential coach fall within your means?
2. Family - Although the definition of family varies for each person, achievements and the work that comes with each milestone should be shared with others surrounding you. Not only has my family been a good network of super-fans and aid along the way, but they have also kept me grounded and responsible for things that TRULY matter. If I am over-training, not prioritizing, or not having fun, they are the first in my network to call it out. Sometimes blunt honesty is the only thing that can snap me out of obsessive stupidity. At the end of the day, most endeavors are just adventures away from the hum of everyday life. Family may be the most powerful tool that I have within my network. By maintaining perspective and balance, it is astounding how efficient I have become in other aspects of life.
3. Friends - Specific to many endurance based endeavors (insert running, cycling, climbing, etc...) focused self-induced pain is one of the only ways to reach a new level of performance. Naturally, the brain rebels or only puts up with a portion of the intensity that is needed to achieve greatness. I have found that over time, my threshold for pain has increased, however, like-minded friends can help during lulls or the days where it is tough to summon that fire. Before turning an endeavor social, keep in mind the following:
• Stick to the Plan - Just because you are meeting someone, don't throw your personally tuned workout out the window. Going too long, too fast, or too ____ undermines the entire goal of making smart, calculated progress.
• Soar with Eagles - Nobody likes the friend that always shows up to the "c" workout when they should be in the "a" group. Maybe I should translate that. Surround yourself with like or better talent. You and those along for the workout will appreciate it!
• Adjust the Frequency - As covered above, balance must remain top-of-mind when tackling endeavors outside of life's top priorities. With that being said, some people have more time than others to meet up for group based workouts. Find the frequency that best suits your schedule and stick to it! As soon as it becomes a hassle, the costs outweigh the benefits!

The Road to July...
Over the past couple weeks, I have had a break in action post-Superior. Naturally, my training progression has been the following...recovery (lots of cycling), re-hydration (plenty of beer drinking), refocusing (back to the training plan). For the last two weeks, I have enjoyed 70-85 miles a week with two speed focused sessions and a longer Saturday run. My sights are set on Voyageur 50 mile in mid-July, followed by the Bridger Ridge Run in Bozeman, Montana (two weeks later). The latter is what I am truly excited for! I was honored to get selected through a lottery system for Bridger. This race has been featured in multiple "top 10" and "bucket list race" publications. It looks like a huge challenge for anyone, especially someone that doesn't access mountains on a daily basis. In preparation for July and August racing, I plan to use some long hill repeats and shorter local 5k - 10k races to maximize fitness.

Proper Eating for Lasting Health

As football came to a close for me in 2005, I accepted the reality that I could either lose weight or become fat. I had seen plenty of former standout athletes fall off the bandwagon, continuing to eat, but neglecting to exercise. With equal parts fear and motivation, I set out to lose what I built to play football. Below is a recap of steps I took to lose 70lbs and transform my body.

1. Accepting a Challenge: One of the first things I did was make a bet with my father. In October 2005, we constructed a gentleman's agreement to tackle our weight loss together, setting out to see who could reach 185lbs by Christmas. If you are competitive, a challenge may be what you need to seek motivation and consistency towards your weight loss. Notice, this challenge had three things; a measurable end result, a partner to add company along the journey, and an end date.
2. Building upon Met Goals: As I stated within my last post on goal setting, working feverishly to attain a goal is foolish unless you move forward with another larger goal. After quickly whittling my frame down to 182lbs by Christmas, I needed another challenge to maintain my effort. Over the past months, I had lost weight through eating smarter, exercising in new ways (running, cycling, and lighter weight lifting), and limiting alcohol consumption. As I began to form a novice endurance base, I fell in love with running and cycling outdoors. For me, a longing for the outdoors was not a new discovery. From a very young age my parents instilled a sense of adventure in me, encouraging me to explore the dense forest surroundings in our backyard near Seattle and taking me on backpacking trips at a young age. Due to my new found interest in running, I registered for Grandma's Marathon in 2006, to keep my motivation consistent. Through the winter months, I established a routine of running regularly and eating properly to achieve my goals.
3. Utilize Resources: Fast forward a year. I completed my first marathon and achieved my goal of running under a 4:00 hour time. This left me inspired and naturally intrigued to discover what my body was capable of. I knew with more work, I could run faster, I just didn't know where improvement would stop. At this time, I was hovering around 180lbs and felt like I could do more to improve my eating habits. I utilized two sources to gain an understanding of how to "eat for fueling a specific activity." Sports Nutrition for the Endurance Athlete, written by Monique Ryan, opened my eyes to fueling and hydrating properly for successful endurance endeavors. I have read this book a handful of times to improve upon my diet. More recently, cookbooks such as The Feed Zone, and Scott Jurek's Eat and Run, have provided new ideas and recipes that keep me interested in eating healthy. If running isn't your thing, other resources may provide useful along the journey. In the end, I have found that knowledge has taken me a step beyond where motivation would have left me as a runner.
4. Defining Healthy Eating: Fueling for an endurance endeavor is an ever evolving process of personal experiments. What works for some, may never work for others. With that being said, simple logic goes a long ways. I have avoided eating overly-processed food in order to get down to a stable weight that I find optimal for running. Eating large quantities of fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc... has kept me lean and healthy. One of the largest steps I took to lose the last 10lbs was to give up red meat. This happened to be a personal choice, after I discovered that red meat and pork, among other things made my body feel terrible while exercising. I do consume chicken and fish, however it is on a more sparing basis then when I played football. Since this topic is vast and could be stretched into an entire series of posts, I will summarize the lessons I have learned in four bullets:
• Pay attention to what is in your food. Read packages and avoid ingredients that are unnatural (scientifically developed).
• Don't follow X athlete's or X nutritionist's advice. Build your own knowledge and then determine what works best for you personally!
• If it's raw, it can't be bad: consuming food in its natural form (i.e. fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc..) will go a long ways in improving any one's daily nutritional habits.
• Eating healthy doesn't need to break the bank. Sure, you can go to Whole Foods or a "natural" co-op and spend more than half of your living wage, but you don't need to! Utilizing avenues such as a local farmer's market or stocking up on certain items when they are "in-season" can prove to be affordable and provide the variety needed to keep eating interesting!
5. Don't Get Discouraged: In the end, I have built my personal health over a 6 year period of constant education, experimentation, and consistency. If I subtracted one of these three key elements from the overall "process," I would not be where I am today. If you are setting out to achieve something large, recognize that you may fail, face resistance, and become delayed within the process. If you recognize this, the journey will be that much sweeter!

Follow me next week as I write about how to build a support network.

Superior Trail Races: 50k Recap

It has been a little over a week now since Superior 50k came and went. Quite honestly, I still haven't been able to set aside my longing for the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) after 8-days. Prior to my first experience with this race, I heard about the "steep climbs, endless roots, and jagged rocks" that supposedly make this race "slower" to navigate. I quickly found out how well this course played to my strengths!

While I waited for the pre-race directions to finish, I was reminded why I love the atmosphere surrounding trail racing more than road running. The crowd was jovial and it was a pleasure catching up with many of the same top guys that showed up to Chippewa 50k a few weeks prior. The morning warm-up rushed by and soon we were cruising down the only stretch of pavement that would be seen for the next 30 miles. The pace within the first mile was aggressive, but I knew that would change quickly as we hit the single track. The journey to Aid Station 1 was probably the most technical with a few sharp climbs and a couple gorgeous look outs as we ran across the top of a few surrounding overlooks. In sections, the trail had mud holes that could honestly swallow ankles and shins with endless muck. Pine forests, rushing rivers, and steep ravines reminded me a lot of time spent backpacking Colorado and Montana. Repetitively, I kept telling myself that this was the most amazing course I had ever run! I was absolutely loving the more sustained climbs and descents, instead of the repetitive quad busters that are seen in the typical Midwest race! AS1 came and went with no aid as I was carrying gels and hydration of my own. It was a pleasure to run with two others that I have raced against for a couple years now. It made the time pass as we exchanged stories and kept the pace consistent. After passing the first aid, the trail was less technical allowing us to push the pace and put some time between those that were following for a while. The rain began before the second aid station, but it wasn't troublesome as it was mostly a mist.

After AS2 we started the final climb to Oberg Mountain. The top 4 men rushed past during this climb, creating a bit of concern that we were way behind them already. We ratcheted the pace up as we scurried through the fog to reach the top of Oberg. To my surprise, we were greeted by a spectator cheering in a full Indian head dress. Not only was this hilarious, but the guy had a stash of cookies, Gatorade and beer for those interested. We exchanged high fives and started wildly descending back to AS2 with haste. In this section the pace was low to sub 6 min/miles once the technical part of the descent was finished. I was happy to still feel energized and comfortable at mile 20 as Chippewa happened to be a disaster just a few weeks prior.

Passing through AS2 I was able to grab more fuel and what happened to be frozen nutrition from Mallory. This kept the mood light and energetic as I love that she crews for me every race! It was mildly hard to eat at this point as the cold set into my hands making them extremely immobile. I worried a touch about it, but crossed it out as there was work to be done to stay attached to the two guys I was running with. The approach to the last A.S went quickly as the path was mostly in great shape still, even with a couple hundred runners. I maintained focus, continued eating, and pushed to make progress. Just shy of the last aid opportunity, we passed a runner that fell out of the top 5. This was energizing as I was hoping to make up ground.

The last few climbs were some of the most challenging of the day. With the rain came slick rock, roots and mud, making some of the steepest inclines simply challenging to speed hike. I took a hard fall down a descent while trying to avoid the heard of 25k runners going the opposite direction. This split open my knee and left numbness in my hand for the rest of the race. Luckily, the last climb put us in a dense fog that was entertaining and preoccupying for the remainder of the race. I focused on the pine needled trail along with runners appearing and then vanishing into the fog. It was quite the site. At this point I was solidly in 8th and just hoping to finish strong. Like every 50k, I struggled the most between miles 26-28 and then finished feeling amazing.



Although my Suunto watch was off on mileage (likely from the dense forest areas), the boom of the river welcomed me back into Lutsen. I hastily ran up the last hill, trashed quads and all, to be spit out onto the asphalt for one last mile. As I ran, I looked down at my watch to see that I was closing out right at 6 min pace. Once again, a testimony that 50k's are just a touch too short! I finished the race 8th overall, running much stronger than at Chippewa. Overall, I counted this performance as a personal victory. I was hoping to finish in a better position, but forward progress is truly all that matters within these first two races. I stuck to my plan this race, consuming 200-300 calories an hour of gel and fluid, took 4 salt tabs to avoid cramping, dropped my 50k time by 17 minutes, and gave up only 4 minutes on my 25k splits. All of these were huge victories that proved my training and earlier learnings are paying dividends.

Many thanks to John Storkamp and all the volunteers that put on a top notch race. If you haven't done a Storkamp directed event, you are missing out! The organization and execution is flawless each time making me always put these events at the top of my list (RockSteadyRunning). Additionally, thanks to TCRC and FitSok for providing me with support, apparel and the correct gear to run without unneeded distractions!

 

Going Forward:

The next six weeks for me are going to be the highest mileage I have ever run in preparation for the Afton 50k and Voyageur 50 mile races in July. I am shooting to peak correctly for Voyageur and continue to improve at the 50k distance as well. After a couple days of cycling, I was back and fully recovered by Wednesday, looking forward to continuing on this wild journey! Thank you for following me!

Part 1: Setting Goals from a Personal Perspective

A quick Internet search shows just how vast this topic is (over 94 million hits on Google!). From famous athletes, to self made millionaires, to authors, everyone has an opinion. I don't want to bore you with the typical "set measurable or S.M.A.R.T goals," I just want to share what has worked for me along a 6 year journey of recreating my fitness. As I was running today, I realized I could write an endless amount of posts on this topic, but I will try to summarize it into four succint points on which I can expand upon.

1. A truly challenging goal has no shortcuts and takes fierce persistence

This may seem insanely obvious to some, but honestly, how many advertised shortcuts exist these days? With the "great American time constraint" as I call it, nothing irritates me more than reading about the next 30-day cleanse or "weightloss challenge" that is broadcast on social media or reality TV. Why set yourself up for simply losing 10lbs and then go back to eating terribly and never working out? If there is one thing that I have learned, it is that fitness isn't born overnight. I have truly succeeded because I have tirelessly worked towards reaching each goal that I have set. Becoming an efficient runner isn't as simple as lacing up a set of shoes and redlining down the trail. Matter of fact, that will lead to injury and a quick distaste for running. Going too hard too soon won't produce the freedom and joy that come over time.

When I set out to run a Boston qualifying marathon time after my first taste of the distance, I worked extremely hard and failed on three separate occasions. Once, I failed by only 2 minutes and barely had the strength to walk away from the finishing area because I was so devestated. Sure, I could have quit or told myself that I had reached my running "limit," but I knew this was selling myself a lie. Instead, I walked away each time with a new determination to eat healthier, train smarter, and learn from my failures. In the end, I have broken this original goal on 5 different occasions by over 30 minutes! This brings me to the next thing I have learned.

2. Each goal is a building block for the next

If you really desire to become phenominal at something or want to get into the best shape of your life, don't be trapped by what I would coin as the roller coaster effect. To illustrate the roller coaster effect, I will share a conversation that I will never forget.

While walking into an athletic facility last winter, I ran into an acquaintence that I recognized from the triathlon world. He is a middle aged iron distance athlete who appears to invest a lot of time into training for long distance races each year. As we were comparing notes, he smiled and told me it was once again time to get into shape for the next Ironman. Briefly, he explained how his fitness was like a roller coaster. Each year he gets in phenominal shape for Ironman, completes the race and then promptly cancels his membership and forgets about his fitness until Spring rolls around again. Just think how much easier it would be for this athlete if he had maintained some of that peak fitness to apply it to next season. If his fitness wasn't squandered in between each season, he would be able to reach a higher level each season!

Personally, I have invested in my health for the long haul by constantly setting new goals. After qualifying for my first Boston Marathon, I redialed my marathon goal to break 3 hours. After that, I set it for 2:50 and so on. With each goal, comes a new challenge to keep me honest and moving forward. Don't invest in a goal only to stay stationary!

3. Learn from Mistakes and Move On

Just recently, I turned in one of my personal worst ultra-marathon performances after training extremely hard for the Chippewa 50k. Even before I crossed the finish line, I considered dropping out of the race. Instead, I stubbornly dug in and told myself that I didn't want to start the ultra season with that mindset. As I crossed the line, I was left whole heartedly disappointed, but somewhat proud of my drive to finish what I started. After I decompressed for a couple of days, I did a mental inventory of everything that I did incorrectly. I realized that I ignored my nutritional strategy, didn't hydrate adequately, and allowed myself to be caught up in the competition, not the freedom of running through the woods. In the end, I used these painful memories to ensure that Superior 50k went much better. I completed Superior 17 minutes quicker for a new PR on a course that had double the vertical!

Missed your goal? Lace up and get after it!

Don't let failure turn into a paralyzer. Once you go down that path, it is hard to mentally regain health. Everyone fails and it is bound to happen to you if you are in the game long enough. The good news is that these failures turn into great stories down the road. Better yet, these failures can be great teaching points for blowing that missed goal completely out of the water on the next shot. When you fail, decompress, write down your errors, and capitalize on the nearest opportunity to sieze that goal. Waiting and brooding will only cause more anxiety and self doubt!

4. Make Contingency Plans

With each challenging goal comes exposure to failure. Success can be derailled after months of preparation due to any variety of external factors in life. Instead of putting each goal onto a life or death pedestal, take a moment to consider a contigency plan. This secondary goal shouldn't be an easy escape route, but rather a distant option to save just an ounce of what you have been working towards. Imagine working super hard to reach a marathon goal time only to wake up unprepared for 90 degree heat in the middle of Autumn. Ask me about Twin Cities Marathon in 2007, it happened! Ultimately I walked away with a time 20 minutes slower than what I trained for and a new perspective on adjusting goals! If I went for my original time, I would have never finished and ended in the medical tent. Why throw away all that work to completely fail when you could adjust and learn from the experience!

3 Step Guide to Redefining Physical Fitness: My Journey

After six years of constant work, I believe that anyone can reinvent their physical self and overcome unfathomable odds. I state this as someone who went from a 220lbs frame to a 150lbs frame, working to recreate the body I originally built up to play college football. Before my football days came to an end, I could literally feel my elevated heart rate and absolutely hated running. I couldn't stand to run more than 100 yards. I never had the desire to go out for a run. So, what changed or motivated me to lace up the shoes? It is quite simple really, I felt terrible and was scared that every ounce of muscle would transition to fat once I walked away from football. To give you a view of my progress, here is the before and after statistics of my effort.


Football (2004)

• Weight: 220lbs
• Body Fat: 15%
• Resting Heart Rate: 63
• VO2 Max: 41
• Bench Press: 345lbs
• 90 Degree Squat: 625lbs

Current (Testing taken in 2011)

• Weight: 151lbs
• Body Fat: 3%
• Resting Heart Rate: 36
• VO2 Max: 69* (last tested in June, 2011)
• Best Marathon Time: 2:47

In the next 3 weeks, follow me as I lay down the road map of how I personally worked my way into competitive running, conquering my health and fueling my itch to compete. I look forward to dissecting the following topics which I perceive as pivotal to developing a healthy lifestyle:

1. Proper Goal Setting and Consistent Work Ethic
2. Eating Properly for your Health Goals
3. Building Your Support Network