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North Face 50

Photo: Brett Rivers

By now everyone has heard all about the atrocious conditions that greeted us in the Bay Area this weekend.  We’ve had a disturbingly warm Indian summer here in Aspen and, by all accounts, fall has been extremely pleasant on the West Coast as well.  My girlfriend, who has recently moved to San Francisco, along with many friends in the area, billed this past weekend as the “storm of the year.”  Perfect timing.   Thoroughly in need of a vacation and long run, I tried to ignore the foreboding weather forecasts and stay positive and appreciative about my opportunity to take part in this race.  I felt like my preparation was strong and that the heinous weather might just work to my advantage.  Either way it was going to be another fun day, racing in a new place with many great friends and amazing athletes. Read the rest of this page »

December 7, 2012 | Categories: Racing, Running | 5 Comments »

Run Rabbit Run 100

Photo: Jason Bowman

There was a point around mile 60 where I thought this might just be my day.  I had inadvertently ended up in the lead on a section of the course that played into my strengths and I felt downright awesome.  Of course, mile 60 is still quite early in the grand scheme of 100 miles, but I could not help but think that I might be able to pull this one off if I could just maintain through the night.  Then Karl took me to school.  Studying how he executed his race last weekend is like reading a textbook.  It was a masterful run.  I feel like I’ve learned more from losing to Karl than I have from any other experience in my ultra career.

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September 23, 2012 | Categories: Racing | 6 Comments »

Speedgoat

 Coming off Hidden Peak the first time. Photo: Harmony Teitsworth

Ouch.  I’d never met Karl before, but still felt it was appropriate to call him an asshole as soon as I crossed the finish line at Snowbird last weekend.  That is one mean course and definitely lives up to its reputation as a “Meltzer designed nightmare.”  The mountainous nature of the course was incredibly engaging throughout and a welcome departure from the relatively flat, exceptionally runnable courses I’ve raced on this year.  I definitely want to improve certain areas of my training in order to compete better in these types of environments.  Luckily I live in a place that provides such an opportunity.

I went into the race with very low expectations due to lingering malaise and fatigue from my Western States fiasco some five weeks earlier.  My body just hasn’t felt right since which led me to withdraw from Angeles Crest, and instead opt for the “easier” 50k distance a little closer to home.  The hope was simply to gain useful experience running against legendary figures of our sport and spend a weekend away with my girl, amid the therapeutic energies of the mountain running community.

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August 2, 2012 | Categories: Racing, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

3 Pass Loop

Snowmass Creek – Buckskin Pass – Willow Pass – East Snowmass Pass – East Snowmass Creek.

Any self respecting runner living in the Roaring Fork Valley has at least heard of the famed Maroon Bells Four Pass Loop.  Anyone who has done it, knows that it’s quite a kick in the pants.  The kind that can lay you out for a day or two.  Luckily, there’s a similar, yet less aggressive, local alternative when one doesn’t have the time or energy necessary to complete the classic loop.  The little known and under appreciated Three Pass Loop was brought to my attention last year in an online post by long time Aspenite, Ted Mahon.  Ted’s adventures always inspire my own recreation and his recent race at Hardrock motivated me to link up these trails which I’d run individually many times.

You can give his post a read for a more detailed account of the route but suffice it to say, it is a great run.  Like the Four Pass, the Three Pass can be done in either direction and can be extended into a multi day backpacking trip if that’s more your cup of tea.  One thing worth mentioning is that, unlike the Four Pass, all the climbing is pretty much packed into the middle third of the run.  Its pretty much a long, very gradual climb to Snowmass Lake, followed by 3 consecutive ascents and descents of beautiful 12,500′ mountain passes, before a long, very gradual downhill back to the car.  Great day in the big backyard. Read the rest of this page »

July 21, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Western States 2012

Photo: Brett Rivers

The Beginning

We found ourselves off course just five miles into a long day and alternated frustrated obscenities all the way through the Lyon Ridge aid station.  Though I knew our error was minor, I was the most guilty of immediate panic.  My goal going into Western was simple.  Run at the front until I could no longer run.  Make it hurt, fight like hell, and finish no matter what the circumstances.  In this sense, I succeeded.

It has been two weeks since the battle and I am still struggling to generate intelligent thoughts about the race.  Things spiraled out of control so fast and so intensely late in the day that I’m still picking up the pieces of my collapse.  Each new experience brings new lessons.  If I’ve taken one lesson in a fortnight of obsessively second guessing my race, it is simply to ALWAYS RESPECT THE DISTANCE.  Powerful and painful lesson learned. Read the rest of this page »

July 7, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | 12 Comments »

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