March 29, 2013

The 12 Hours of Moab run is in the books. This is a great little weekend of trail running put on by Gemini Adventures every March. There are multiple races going on at once, with 100 mile, 50K, 24 hour and 12 hour events all happening simultaneously. The 24 hour and 12 hour events include solo runner and relay teams vying for as many 5.3 mile laps as possible in the given time. It's a beautiful course, and with runners switching directions each loop, it mixes things up nicely.
I ended up running 48.33 miles in 11 hours and 15 minutes. There's no way I could have squeezed in another lap in 45 minutes. My plan to go slow went pretty well, but I could have reigned it in a little more. It's easy to be swayed by the little competitive ego when there are friends around. I know I went out a bit too fast for me, because at last year's relay, I was only able to run a few of my 6 laps under 1 hour even with the 2 or so hour break between each. This year I did the first 3 laps in 2 hours 57 minutes. A speed improvement for this guy, but not a tactical one. Oddly enough the 4th lap was by far the most unpleasant.
Mentally it was a great day. Running for long distances through beautiful landscapes can at times allow you think, feel and experience without the filters and tension of everyday life. I would even go so far to compare it to a psychedelic experience. You run and you run, and you breath deeply, and your footsteps are crunching rhythmically underneath, and maybe you're listening to music, and after a while it's impossible to keep your guard up anymore...and then the magic happens. It's been always happening, but you didn't notice until now. It may not last the whole run, but when it hits, it's magical. I had 3 or 4 laps of pure bliss on this run. Clear thinking. Clear feeling. Clear experiencing. Coincidentally, these magic moments were the times when I stopped worrying about others being faster than me, and I stopped caring about the result.
Physically it was a pretty good day. No pain anywhere, but on the last lap my right knee got really tight, and my back was not supple to say the least. I'm trying to figure out the system here, because I know it's all related. Tight back, tight painful right hip, tight painful right knee, stiff right ankle. Other than that, it was acceptable.
We went down to the race with a whole crew and everyone had a great day. Tara did awesome, and got 5 laps and earned a really nice blister under the toenail of her big toe. Days later we would drive a red hot paperclip through the nail to relieve the pressure. Not for the faint of heart. Our friends Julie, Jody, Dan, Stacy (who signed up on a whim at the last second, and killed it.) and Ramona all had great races.

March 17, 2013

I'm using every available opportunity to get outside, and with the weather slowly shifting to magnificent spring, I'm having to exercise some serious self control. Can't blow up now. I haven't yet paid the price for the foundation to support all my lofty plans. I'm getting closer, but slow and steady is the plan. We're heading down to Moab on March 23 to run the 12 hour solo event during the multiple trail running events put on by GeminiAdventures. There's so much going on, it's like a little trail running festival. It will be a good test of my self control. Go slow.  

  

Year to date miles run: 213 

Year to date elevation gain: 44,026ft

"As soon as you have made a thought, laugh at it."  -Lao Tzu

 Good Water Canyon

 Dan and Dan taking in the view.

 It was hard to keep a consistent pace. Too much to see.

 Head down, trying to close the gap on Dan C. Dan G just behind.

 Solo trip to Stansbury Island. Following the ridge on the right to the peak.

I think of trips with the dogs as solo.

 Getting closer and the dogs seem to be questioning my route.

 Heading down the west ridge of Grandeur. All my friends are faster than me.

Plenty of adventure and insight out there.

 Chasing Mike again.

 Caught up with him long enough to get this.

 I love this town.

 Going steep never gets old to me.

 Maybe that's my way of avoiding actual, quick leg turnover, running.

A chance to run fast.

February 24, 2013

I can feel a shift in the weather. Winter is still firmly in control, but a tiny bit of warmth and sunshine has been peeking in. I went for a run the other day in shorts and a t-shirt, and although it snowed the very next day, the warmth was wonderful. The trails are in poor shape, with the old snow freezing, consolidating, and getting covered with new layers of powder. You never know where you're stepping, so I've been opting more and more for asphalt city runs. It's not my ideal scenery, but I've learned to make the best of it, and I've been using the mind numbing city miles to listen to audiobooks. Dual purpose runs!
Also, and I know I'm way behind here, I'm loving the Strava on line run tracker. It's cool to see how you stack up against others who are running the same courses. Plus, you can't lie about your results, because it's tracked from space! Year to date, I've run 155 miles with 32,300 feet of elevation gain. Again, that's outer space verified.

A halo around the sun, warning of a storm.

Heading down, steep and rocky.

Breaking trail in the hills above my house.

Untouched. Beautiful light.

Coyote on the hill. I woke them from their nap.

A special moment for me. Watching them move across the slope is something I won't soon forget.

Heading home. Fully absorbed. 

View from my window. Early morning moon as I get ready to head out and run the streets.

February 10, 2013

It's still winter, and I've been doing a lot of dreaming and planning for the spring and summer. As the snow falls, I'm still training and making steady progress, although all this daydreaming of springtime isn't healthy with so much winter left.
Running on snow is weird. I've felt a bit of strain in my right hip from the unpredictable and unstable surfaces of packed and unpacked snowy trails. Your feet are constantly slipping, and often violently shifting in unpredictable directions. I've been spending more time than usual on stretching and mobility, and in a rare move of restraint, I substituted a long gym session for this weekend's long run. Thirty miles on the airdyne in one hour thirty five minutes.
Speaking of the gym, the strength and durability work is going well. I can't speak highly enough of the Wendler 5/3/1 program. Strength is important, and I look forward to my time with the barbell.
Last week, my friend Dan and I did two trips to the summit of Mt Olympus. It was a great early season gut check and I felt better than expected. As always, this early in the year, recovery was a little slow. On the bright side, we were only 10 minutes off my time for the last Mt Olympus double I did in June 2011 to prepare for Leadville. 13.2 miles, 8400ft gain, 7 hours.
Over the last couple years, my love of trail running has led me to amazing places in the high country of the Wasatch. I've developed a love for scrambling and low level climbing, and elevation is always attractive to me. Combining trail running with semi technical scrambling and climbing has become a bigger part of my daydreams and planning for future adventures, and these daydreams and plans have led me to some decisions. Participating in the Hardrock 100 is a big goal for me. Getting in though, is a huge hassle. If I want to keep trying the lottery, I have to continue running races on their qualifier list. I'm not going to worry about it this year. In 2011, I ran Leadville, qualifying me for the Hardrock 100 lottery for the next two years. I didn't get in either year. Last year was a total wash with injuries, so I'm due to run one of their qualifiers, but I'm not going to. If I get the fever later this year, maybe I'll try to get in to one at the last minute, but for now, my quest for Hardrock is on hold. My race list for now is as follows:

March 23 - 12 Hours of Moab (registered)
April 13 - Bosho Marathon
May - ??
June - ??
July 13 - Devil's Backbone 50 miler (registered)
August 10 - Kat'cina Mosa 100K (registered)
August 17 - Pacing at the Leadville 100
August 25 - Pacing my perfect wife at the Lean Horse 100
September 14 - Alpine to Slickrock 50 miler (not yet registered. DNF last year, so I need redemption)


As soon as the high country is accessible, I'll be working on some big personal goals here in the Wasatch. I don't want to speak too soon. I don't want to get ahead of myself, so I'll just continue the slow and steady progress. I'm planning on a big summer.

10 rep deadlift @310lbs

Mt Olympus double. Dan, taking in the view at the saddle.

                    

Mt Olympus double. Dan headed down for the last time, dropping into the inversion.

  Weekday snow slog above my house.

 The barbell, more often than not, is the answer.

 10 mile run from Little Dell Reservoir to Big Mountain Pass and back.

Headed down from Big Mountain Pass.

 My friend the airdyne.

Long run substitution.

January 27, 2013

Over the last 30 days I've run 88 miles with 21,000ft of elevation gain. I've been much more focused on training smarter, and I've been taking the runs pretty easy. Lot's of stopping to take pictures, and just having fun. This week was a back off in preparation for an increase in weekly mileage. The weather didn't allow less mileage to mean less difficulty, though. I headed up Mt Wire on Friday, and the warmer temps made for one of the most torturous days on the trail that I can remember. 2000ft of elevation gain in about 1.5 miles with shin/knee deep slush that hardened to concrete with every post hole. It was nice to get above the inversion though. Today I did a 10 mile loop starting and ending at my driveway. More slush, but not as bad. I still can't believe how lucky we are to live in such a wonderful place. To run from my house, in a loop, for 10 miles, climbing almost 3000ft without seeing a single other person is as good as it gets.

Climbing out of the inversion. Mt Wire, 7200ft.

A stark reminder that there's still plenty of wildness just above the city.

Clouds and snow closing in on downtown Salt Lake City.

About 1.5 miles from home. Dropping down to Ensign Peak as the snow starts blowing sideways.

January 21, 2013

I've lived in Salt Lake City for well over 10 years, and despite my love of the mountains, I haven't ventured out much in the winter. Everything is harder in the winter, but to connect with and understand the landscape, it must be experienced in every season. I am committed to getting up to the high(er) country through the rest of this winter, and to hopefully gain a new understanding and comfort with the snow and cold. I don't have hundreds of dollars to buy ski gear, but I will get out as far and as high as I can with what I have. I have spikes, crampons and an ice axe. It'll have to do.
My first winter trip up 9000ft Mt Olympus was a humble start. The ice axe made me feel pretty bad ass, even if I only used it for balance on the scramble once or twice. Really, I'm probably a danger to myself and others with that thing.
My training is moving along smoothly, and after two months of lower mileage and an overall reduced training volume, I'm feeling healthy again. The knee feels good, and my energy has returned. I hadn't taken any significant rest since early 2011 when I started training for Leadville, and last summer (precisely when my knee gave up) I jumped to almost 60 hours a month of total training. New year, new smarts. Two days a week of lifting a la Wendler. Three days a week of running (for now). Two days a week of non running endurance and conditioning. Seven days a week of mobility, recovery, and self care. Pressure and time.

January 16, 2013

In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer.   - Albert Camus

I am officially registered for these races.

Devil's Backbone 50 miler

Kat'cina Mosa 100K

There are more adventures and maybe another race or two in the works.

I learned some valuable lessons last year about what this body can and can't do. I've entered this year with a sober new humility, and my practice will be it's expression. I have energy to be expressed, and energy to be gained from wild places, but I'd like to get in as many years as possible of hard living. Perhaps, if this focus can be maintained, I can get stronger and faster, and maybe smarter. I'm up there in the snow and cold, and in the gym, laying down the foundation.