For those that wanted to run long, you could gallop you way through the half marathon. The short course adventure was 10 km.

Course

The website doesn’t have a lot of goodies for the course. What I do know is the course wiggles on the Wee-Chi-Tah trail within the city and is promoted as having many short, steep climbs and scream inducing descents.

Course  Map – although not sure how the course exactly goes.

Results

Half marathon

The top three males ran sub-7 min/miles to finish the trail half mary in under 1 hour and 30 minutes. Koby Styles flew at an average of 6:29 min/mile and won with a 1:24:55 (chip time). A bit over three minutes back, Matt Dunlavy finished in 1:27:17.

Top 5 male

1. Koby Styles – 1:24:55
2. Matt Dunlavy – 1:27:17
3. Brian Baumgarten – 1:28:49
4. Wayne Strohman – 1:34:00
5. Greg Wallace – 1:37:02 (*Top Masters 40+*)

The female win came down to the feet of Elaine Bell and Lucy Montgomery. An average of one second per mile separated the two…if you can call that separation. Elaine had the extra quarter-gear to sneak in front of Lucy by 17 seconds with a time of 1:41:41 (chip time).

Top 5 female

1. Elaine Bell – 1:41:41 (*also 8th overall*)
2. Lucy Montgomery – 1:41:58 (*Top Masters 40+, 9th overall*)
3. Kelly Aviles – 1:47:41
4. Donna Tweedle – 1:56:32
5. Sonia Soprenuk – 1:57:25

10 km

At just over 8 min/mile average pace, Merry Wolf went on to win the female race and fourth overall with a time of 50:15 (chip time). Two and a half minutes later, Lauren Lindley cruised in for second with a time of 52:47 and eighth overall.

Top 5 female

1. Merry Wolf – 50:15 (*4th overall*)
2. Lauren Lindley – 52:47 (*eighth overall*)
3. Caroline Johnson – 56:29
4. Laura Bays – 57:18
5. Shay Barnes – 57:37 (*Top Masters 40+*)

The male race saw Kolin Styles have only one thing close to him throughout the 10 km – his shadow. Kolin’s 6:37 min/mile pace was nearly 60 seconds per mile faster than the next chaser. Kolin won in 41:02. Top Masters, Byron Benoit crossed second in 46:05.

Top 5 male

1. Kolin Styles – 41:02
2. Byron Benoit – 46:05 (*Top Masters 40+*)
3. Eike Meuller – 48:00
4. Daniel Mathena – 50:19
5. Justin Eggemeyer – 51:28

Complete Results for both races.

Inspiration Station

Check out the wisest finisher(s) from each event. I hope this stuff fires you up as much as it does me.

• Half marathon: Ted Netzer and Jack Demao – 61
• 10 km: Paul Welch – Are you ready? – 79

Life is play. Play is life.

Race Reports and other Media

• hmm, well none that I could find. Share one if you have one.
• MarathonFoto – Race pics.

Congrats to all you sweaty and stinky trail runners. Shower up, cooler temps are on the way.

The Fall/Winter season of trail running in the TALON region is about to start – Are you ready!

If you haven’t checked out the regional race guide I created that includes the most complete collection of trail and ultra events in the region (TX, AR, LA, OK, NM), now would be the perfect time. Simply click here to grab the most current living version of the TALON Trail/Ultra Running Race Calendar and Guide. Currently 105 events in this bad boy!

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

Related Articles:

• The Falls Trail Run – Capt’n Karl Trail Series – 30 km Superman Flyover
• The Falls Trail Run – Capt’n Karl Trail Series – 2010 Results
• Hog’s Hunt Trail Run 2010 Results
• Hells Hills Trail Run 2010 Results
• Grasslands Trail Run 2010 Results

Greg has also created a set of three core workout DVDs specifically created for us – the runner. As trail and ultra runners, a strong trunk seems hugely beneficial to support you, the runner, especially as the miles begin to increase.

I have had the McMillan Runner’s Core Routine series for a few months now and thought I would share my thoughts so far on them.

The Specs

Each DVD in the series builds on top of the previous one. The first DVD, Stage One, contains the foundation set of core exercises that the other DVDs (Stage 2 and Stage 3) build upon. Simple enough.

Each DVD contains the following:

• Core Exercise demonstration – The how-to for those unfamiliar with a core exercise.
• Three Follow-Along Workouts – Each workout (defined as Level 1, 2, or 3) progresses in difficulty by increasing time, number of reps, exercise modification, or additional new exercises.

Follow-Along Workouts – Length and Exercise Examples

To get an idea of the amount of core work fun available in each DVD, I provided some estimate workout times for the shortest, level 1, and the longest, level 3. I also listed a couple of the exercises  to get an idea of what you will be doing.

Stage One DVD

• Level 1 – ~12 minutes
• Level 3 – ~26 minutes
• Exercise examples – Plank and Metronome

Stage Two DVD

• Level 1 – ~15 minutes
• Level 3 – ~25 minutes
• Exercise examples – Plank w/leg lifts and Scissor kicks

Stage Three DVD

• Level 1 – ~17 minutes
• Level 3 – ~30 minutes
• Exercise examples – Rolling Plank and Donkey kicks

Yellow school bus not required for these exercises.

Additional Equipment

To do all the exercises in each workout, stage One DVD requires an Exercise Ball (for balance exercise). Stage Two and Three require an Exercise Ball (back extensions and cross crunches) and Medicine Ball (or weight of some sort – I just used a free weight I had at home – for cross crunch and good morning exercises).

How often?

Greg recommends incorporating a follow-along workout 2-3 times per week.

Test Drive and Thoughts

The flow

It doesn’t take long to notice the general vibe of the work – relaxed and focused. This isn’t a high energy, turn you into a puddle workout program. This doesn’t mean it is easy, you just won’t see Greg jumping around screaming at you to do “just one more!” and your heart will remain in your chest.

Prior to each exercise, key form tips are displayed on the screen. Then Greg verbally guides you through the exercise as another athlete performs it.

A running rep count or time countdown (depending on the exercise) is displayed on the screen and mentioned by Greg. I liked that I could just listen and focus on the exercise and not watch the TV continuously. Nice detail. I also really liked hearing the five seconds left countdown for timed exercises like the Plank. Those words were music to my ears.

Tunage and Production

The background music throughout is – just OK. Voiceless Vanilla.

The overall production isn’t super glossy but it gets the job done. The overall feel seems a bit more refined in the Stage Two & Three DVDs.

The fun

The core set of exercises weren’t new to me, but the modifications throughout the program added significant new challenges to a familiar exercise.   I especially liked that the entire workout set felt like a balanced approach. It felt like I was getting worked from various sides, angles, and upper body / lower body.

The metronome is currently my most grit-your-teeth exercise. That exercise has me working from the start. Damn long legs!

I like that each DVD contains three levels of increased challenge. You can develop confidence and exercise proficiency and continue to challenge yourself at higher levels.

The length

The initial Stage One / level 1 program, at 12 minutes in length felt over before it started but may be a great entry for those new to core work. Fortunately, there are two more levels on the same DVD that up the challenge.

Some days when available time is limited, I like that all the core workouts finish within 30 minutes. If one wants to get a little ultra core crazy, I could see doing a level twice or doing a progressive super-set (level 2 + level 3). There are a variety of combinations you could do with this if desired.

Value

The Stage 1 DVD costs the same as the Stage 2 /3 set. Something must have gotten less expensive in production after the first go around. If I already had a fair amount of core work experience, I may be able to go right into Stage 2. If I was fairly new to endurance sports and core work, starting off with Stage 1 would be my likely choice.

You must take an honest assessment of where you are at.

Who Would Most Likey

The McMillan Runner’s Core Routine DVD series could provide the most value for runners of all abilities that are looking for guided, chillin’, time-sensitive, running specific core workouts.

If you’re looking for a high-energy, intense, core/cardio workout, this is not what you are looking for.

I personally enjoy the workout set and look forward to giving it a solid six month trial and will let you know how it goes.

• McMillan Runner’s Core Routine: Stage One
• McMillan Runner’s Core Routine: Stage Two and Three (Two DVD set)

Running Warehouse offers a discounted price if you purchase both Stage One and the combined Stage Two/Three set.

You will also receive an Endurance Buzz visitor discount at checkout if you purchase one or both.

Here are Exercise Balls if you need one.

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

[The DVD series was provided by McMillan Running but the review is purely my own. This article contains links that may support this site.]

Related Articles:

• McMillan Running – Interview with Texas Ultrarunner Meredith Terranova

Trail runners from around the country and world played on the flatter, yet scenic Lean Horse 100. This Hot Springs, South Dakota event had 169 finishers across the three races distances (100 mile, 50 mile, 50 km).

Mickelson Trail

Course

The 100/50 mile courses are out-and-back, starting in the city then lead athletes out along Mickelson Trail. The 50 km is a one-way run starting 31 miles outside then city and then run it in. (Not sure if the 50km description is correct. The website states different things depending where you look.)

100 mile – ~4000 feet ascent/descent

50 mile – ~2000 feet ascent/descent

50 km – mostly all downhill with ~2100+ feet of drop. (again, may be incorrect.)

Good footing throughout with short section of paved trail, followed with dirt road, and groomed trail.

Course Maps

Results

100 mile

Top male and female

• Mike Vance (NE) – 15:25:00 (First 100! – Won by over two hours.)
• Anita Fromm (CO) – 22:00:05 (Nearly 90 minutes in front of the next chaser.)

TALON Results

• Stan Ferguson (AR) – 21:18:15 (* 11th overall*)
• Geraldo Ramirez (TX) – 23:26:53
• Kathy Hoover (OK) – 25:13:25 (* Fourth female*)
• James Bryan (TX) – 25:19:41 (* First 100!*)
• Steve Blake (TX) – 27:40:10
• Peter Bennett (TX) – 28:14:00
• Yen Nguyen (TX) – 28:14:00
• Marla Hendricks (TX) – 29:10:49
• Earl Ortiz (NM) – 29:25:00
• Jim Newton (TX) – 29:29:00

Complete 100 Mile Results

50 Mile

Top female and male

• Kathy Youngren (AL) – 7:25:59 (*2nd overall*)
• Jeremy Morris (NE) – 7:05:50

TALON Results

• Shannon McFarland (AR) – 9:22:00 (*10th overall*)
• Dale Lee (TX) – 9:50:46 (*11th overall*)
• Jamie Huneycutt (AR) – 9:53:35
• Tom Lane (AR) – 10:16:28
• Tom Gill (LA) – 10:35:28
• Chrissy Ferguson (AR) – 10:39:20
• Mark Phelan (TX) – 11:30:49
• Pete Ireland (AR) – 11:49:56

Complete 50 Mile Results

50 km

Top male and female

• Todd Falker (MO) – 4:31:47
• Bernita Lovelace (AR) – 5:41:52 (*TALON athlete and 4th overall*)

TALON Athletes

• Bernita Lovelace (AR) – noted above!
• Jay Huneycutt (AR) – 6:46:04
• Carla Branch (AR) – 7:02:13
• Mirek Malinowski (TX) – 7:53:46

Complete Results

Inspiration Station

The wisest finisher from each event. I hope this stuff fires you up as much as it does me.

• 100 mile: Earl Ortiz (NM), Mary Croft (NM) –  age 64
• 100 mile special note: Larry Cawthon (CA), age 63, finished 6th overall in 20:16:56.
• 50 mile: Pete Ireland (AR – TALON Athlete) – age 70
• 50 km: Eugene Bruckert (IL) – age 75

Too cool!

Race Reports

• “I dropped my bottles on the grass, asked the lady if I could stop now and planted my butt in a chair. It was the awesomest feeling in the world to finally sit down and know that I didn’t have to get back up until I damn well felt like it.” by Chris @ Hello, My Name is Chris and I’m a Runaholic
• “And CRAP! I was running no faster than what they were walking!! But still, I continued to shuffle, and tried to just relax, stretch my stride out a little and just let gravity be my friend.” by TZ @ …miles to go before I sleep…

Congratulations to all the runners, those that completed the entire journey and those that didn’t, because it is not finishing that only  inspires, but the courage to step to the start line in the first place.

Feel free to share any thoughts on the event in the comment link below.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

(Photo: Courtesy of Ken ratcliff)

Related Articles:

• Vermont 100 – 20in24 – Headlands 50 – Devil’s Mountain Ultra – Leadville Silver Rush 50 – TALON Athlete Results
• DWD Devil’s Lake – Run Toto Run – 2010 TALON Results
• Top 100 Mile Times in 2009: Michael Adams at Lean Horse

The Hill Country Running Company is providing a free trail running clinic by local professional athlete, Andrea Fisher in Austin, Texas. The clinic will consist of both presentation and Q&A learning opportunities. Basic and more advanced topics will be presented benefiting 10 km to the 100 mile ultra nuts. Definitely appears to be something for everyone.

Check out the HCRC new page for more information.

In the Dallas Morning News article, is an inspiring note about Texas flatlander, Drew Meyer.

Ultramarathoner on track: Drew Meyer, 63, of Fort Worth completed the Leadville Trail 100-mile run Sunday in 28 hours, 59 minutes, 37.7 seconds, placing second in his age group. Meyer has completed three of the four 100-mile events for a Grand Slam of Ultrarunning. The final race is the Sept. 10 Wasatch Front 100 mile Endurance Run.

Some of you may want to know, what is the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning?

This BA accomplishment requires completion of the four oldest 100 mile trail runs in the United States – in the same year. The 100 mile list includes Western States 100 (June), Vermont 100 Endurance Run (July), Leadville 100 Trail Run (August), and Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run (September).

Do you noticed something? Bam, Bam, Bam, Bam – four months in a row!

A few trivia stats for this challenge:

• 197 athletes have completed the adventure since 1986 (when this crazy idea started). A total of 226 finishes. Yes some have done it more than once!
• Average finisher age: 45
• Number of Grand Slams from TALON athletes: Texas -12, Arkansas – 8, New Mexico – 8, Oklahoma – 0, Louisiana – 0.

A huge amount of positive vibes sent out to Drew for the upcoming Wasatch 100. Go Drew!

You can check out a short Western States interview I did with Drew prior the Western States 100.

The innovation in trail running shoes seems to be in hyper-drive these days and 2011 will offer even more choices to find what works for YOU! It was fun to read a recent Running Times article covering new trail running shoes at the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Utah.

Below are some of the new shoes coming down the pipe.

Less is More

There are a large number of trail running shoe companies coming out with more minimalistic/natural-running shoe options. Here are a few that I have noticed.

Montrail

I recently noticed Montrail coming out with their minimal trail shoe (Spring 2011) – Rogue Racer (8.5 oz, 10 mm heel-to-toe drop).

(Photo: Courtesy of Montrail blog)

More Insight:

• Good Trail Running Soul article on the Montrail FluidPost technology with notes on the Rogue Racer.

New Balance

The New Balance Minimus shoe with 4 mm heel-to-toe drop and under 8 ounces in weight.

Here is a cool video with New Balance trail running athlete, Anton Krupicka highlighting the new shoe line.

(If you can’t see the video, click here.)

More insight:

• Good interview with NB Minimus product manager, Katherine Petrecca.

Merrell

Merrell is coming out with the Trail Glove (Men’s) and Pace Glove (Women’s) minimal trail shoe.

More insight:

• Description and little pics at the Merrell blog.
• Better pics at Feed the Habit.

Inov-8

I already felt Inov-8 had a nice variety of more minimal shoes. Well the selection is expanding and includes a complete range of road shoes as well.

One such example.

Bare-Grip 200 – No mid-sole or stiffening which allows for significant flexibility and natural foot movement.

More insight:

• Article on the Bare-Grip 200

Keen

Keen is delivering the A-86 (9 0z).

More is More

On the other side of the spectrum are shoes with much more cushioning than we have normally seen.

Hoka OneOne

The Hoka Mafate (11 oz) raved about by sponsored athlete, Karl Meltzer, has a definite unique look for a trail shoe. Although not new for 2011, it may be new to some of us.

These shoes have a sole that reminds me of the moon boots from my snow covered youth winters. Anyone else?

More insight:

• Hoka OneOne website
• Nice experience review of the shoe at The MRC.

Tecnica

Tecnica is coming out with a Hoka-like product called the Inferno Max (12.2 oz).

You can see a picture of the bright orange ones over all utahoutside.com.

—

With the huge growth of the sport, kind of cool to see the shoe industry stepping up their game as well.

Fun times are afoot (ha ha!) for both developers and runners.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

Related Articles:

• Western States 100 Race Report – Drew Meyer
• 2010 Western States 100 – Our Texas Trail Runners

Final 5 km – Down, down, down – to the finish.

The  Taos Ski Valley Up & Over 10 km Trail Run in New Mexico will work all the muscles! (2010 Results Summary)

Course Profile

Course Flyover

To give a bit of an idea of what this course is like, check out this video I put together. Special thanks to Jason for providing the Garmin data. You can check out his endurance adventures on his blog.

(If you can’t see the video, click here.)

Ahhh…so many places to play. Gotta love it.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

Related Articles:

• Taos Ski Valley 10k Up & Over Trail Run – 2010 Results
• La Luz Trail Run – 2010 Results
• Western States 100 – Oldest Male Finisher a TALON Athlete
• Show Me The Trails – Resources to Get Your TALON Trail Run Fix
• Run The Caldera Trail Run – 2010 Results

Why is trail running so cool?

The amazing views, the locations, the people. What an amazing way to explore our world…and ourselves along the way.

Here is one such example to kick start your week.

Run3 TransRockies Run

A fellow TALON athlete, Michelle, recently finished her first multi-day trail running adventure at the Run3 at the GORE-TEX TransRockies Run. Michelle’s three days on Colorado singletrack and fire roads were…EPIC.

Day 1 – 20.6 miles

Day 2 – 14 miles (Up Hope Pass @ 12,000+ feet)

Day 3 – 24.4 miles

Michelle created the following video on the three day adventure that is a real buzz to watch. As a warning, it is 15 minutes long but you will be transported to the Colorado Rockies and may just get a little workout from simply watching.

(If you can’t see the video, click here.)

Who wants to get on the trail after watching this? Yes, please!

Multi-day Stage Run – Lessons Learned

Do you have interest in doing a multi-day epic adventure run? Michelle was kind enough to share her insight from the adventure that may be able to help you.

• It’s all mental. I consciously changed my attitude on the 3rd day and it made all the difference.  Reminding myself to savor each moment on the trails and to enjoy the scenery really helped me get over the pain I was feeling.
• I didn’t have a nutrition plan. I carried on me all the food and GUs I had practiced with and ate what I was craving when I felt I should.  The first day I only wanted GUs and the second day I only felt like real food – Granola bars and candy.  As someone who is susceptible to stomach issues I feel like this really worked for me.  In almost 15 hours of running, I didn’t have any stomach problems.
• Take care of your feet. I wrapped my feet the night before Stage 1 and kept it on for all three days.  As my partner was really battling with blisters on the 3rd day, my feet continued to feel great and I had very little swelling.
• Use Trekking poles. Whether it was mental or actually helped, I loved using poles.  It helped my hand’s from swelling and really helped save my legs on the steep ascents and descents.
• Don’t let the altitude scare you. I got to the race area 2.5 days early and my partner got there the afternoon before race day.  We both handled the altitude just fine.  If you’ve trained your body for a stage race, it will be more ready than you think to handle the altitude.
• Don’t be shy. The first day everyone we met was from outside the United States.  Over the three days we met the most interesting, inspiring people and it made the hills go by much faster!
• Carry cash. The massage therapists are not included in your race fee.  Take cash and be sure to tip them.  You will want a massage.
• Don’t set up your tent near the porta-potty. It is not worth being close to the bathroom.  With 300 people getting up during the night, the doors will slam continuously.
• Less is more. If you train in the Texas summer, you won’t need the same amount of fluids in the mountains.  I carried a 2 liter bladder and a 16 ounce bottle of electrolytes.   Even with aid stations 7 miles apart, I was never half-way empty.  My pack could have been much lighter with less water.  Also, get a pack with front pockets, having your camera and food at easy access is a huge time savor.

Michelle’s final words of wisdom – Throw away the bucket list.  Just do it!  Do it now!!

Nice list of tips. Definitely wise to take care of the feet for ultra events. I have never heard someone complain at the end of a race about taking care of a hot spot early on. You will hear plenty of ouch, ouch, ouch war stories from those that decided not to.

I will have to say, I have never found a reason to be close to a Spiffy Biff for any extended period of time.

Ah yes – be an experience creator!

So trail running…

The views – check

The locations – check

The people – check

What an amazing way to explore our world…and ourselves along the way. – check

Go get some!

A huge thanks to Michelle for sharing this will us. Be sure to check out her blog, Wed with the Fishes, which follows her outdoor adventures and other moments of life.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

Related Articles:

• No Related Post

Last weekend, a beautifully challenging trail run called the Taos Ski Valley 10k Up & Over Trail Run took place on the New Mexico summer slopes. This gnarly 10 km run was the last race of the 2010 La Sportiva Mountain Cup Series.

(Taos Ski Valley)

Bryon Powell from iRunFar.com reported and participated (nice run!) in the event so no need to recreate the wheel, go check out Bryon’s race action summary and video interview with the male winner – A Race to the Wire at Taos Up & Over 10k

I wanted to highlight how the TALON athletes did but unfortunately the results don’t list their state.

Here are the complete results for your viewing pleasure.

Race Reports

• “It was a gorgeous day – race started at 9, temps were in the mid 70s and no wind.    No kidding, I climbed for 41 minutes.   It was brutal.” by Jason @ Jason Taylor
• “This view tends to trigger an immediate and vigorous fight or flight response in first-time visitors – the skiing ability of the visitor generally being the determining factor in whether the response is fight or flight. Maybe that’s why there’s a big sign out front basically saying “Don’t freak out, you can’t actually see most of the mountain from here”.” by yohkohb @ Santa Fe Trail Runner

Congrats to everyone on what appeared to be a very special day in the mountains.

If you have any event experiences to share, please add in the comment link below.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

(Photo: Courtesy of K. Muncie.)

Related Articles:

• Taos Ski Valley Up & Over 10 km Trail Run Course Flyover
• La Luz Trail Run – 2010 Results
• Run The Caldera Trail Run – 2010 Results
• Jemez Mountain Trail Run – 2010 Results
• Jemez 50 km Trail Run: Flatlander Training Codes

A less than two mile run has never looked more fun than the always crazy TATUR Mud Run.

Last weekend, this Tulsa, Oklahoma event brought out the crazies and for a good cause, with proceeds benefiting the Oklahoma Firefighter’s Burn Camp (A five day camp for children that are burn victims).

With sunny skies and highs in the 90s, a bit of mud never sounded so good…and apparently a very special day for weddings!

All the photos are courtesy of Photography by Annalisa. Thanks Annalisa!

The Course

Location – The Mud Bowl

Two options – The adult long course (1.38 miles) or the children’s short course (~ 1 km).

Running? For some, yes. For most, a darn good core workout.

Obstacles and mud a plenty!

Beware of the shoe monster!

A few of the obstacles included:

• The Slip and Slide – 45 foot long slide down a hill with a mud pit waiting at the bottom.
• The Hill Climb – Cargo rope up a muddy, gooey hill.
• The Tire dive – Dive through the tire. You can guess what is on the other side.
• Terrible Tank Traps – Three consecutive giant pools of mud.
• and more mud, more obstacles, more fun!

Results

Ha! Results? Apparently so, there was some kind of official race division.

The top males apparently learned to walk on water with their 6:xx min/mile pace.

Top 5 male

1. Jay Jump – 8:34
2. Ricky Mears – 8:43
3. Tegan Magsam – 9:10
4. Scott Ostrem – 9:38
5. Jacob Gable – 9:47

The top five females cranked out right around an 8 min/mile average. The “race” was hot, hot, hot between the top four with a total of 15 seconds between them.

Top 5 female

1. Grace Skocik – 10:57
2. Brooke Sheperd – 11:03
3. Miranda Burcham – 11:07
4. Stephanie Fink – 11:12
5. Becky Busch – 11:42

Complete results.

Race Reports The Pics

Race reports, um, well, who cares. Let’s see some more pics!

Fact - #199 is about to take one for the team!

The Slip and Slide - Pic 1/2

Slip and Slide - Pic 2/2

White no more...but still smilin'!

Eyes clayed shut - still looking strong!

Even More Pics!

• Complete TATUR Mud Run collection by Annalisa.
• Complete TATUR Mud Run collection by Stapleton Photography.

Life is Play. Play is Life. Trail running has never looked so tame.

Anyone have any experience report to share from the event?

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

(All Photos: Courtesy of Photography by Annalisa.)

Related Articles:

• Lake McMurtry Trail Run 2010 Results
• TATURS The Six Hour Snake Run 2010 Results
• Oklahoma Trail Running and Ultrarunning Clubs
• 2010 Western States 100 – Our Oklahoma Trail Runner
• Show Me The Trails – Resources to Get Your TALON Trail Run Fix

TALON athlete and ultramarathon coach, Amanda McIntosh, was out in Leadville to crew and pace for her client Liza Howard. In case you didn’t know, Liza won the whole darn female race (results summary)! A pretty inspiring finish for a flatlander debut on a mountain course. Ya think!?!

And between Liza and Amanda, these two TALON flatlanders have won Leadville three times – Surprise!

To get a unique perspective of the race at the pointy-end, Amanda was kind enough to share her thoughts on this amazing experience.

Enjoy!

When we arrived, Liza had already figured out all of the logistics of having two crew vehicles and three pacers.  She gave each of us a piece of paper outlining where, when, and how everything would go.

Car 1 would go to Mayqueen and Winfield (50 mile turn around), and car 2 would go to Treeline and Twin Lakes. Along with the race outline, Liza gave each of us flashcards with everything she wanted us to have for her at each station and what to carry while pacing her. Her organization made our crewing and pacing much easier.

The Race

Liza was in the lead through Treeline (@32 miles) but indicated to us that her leg and foot were bothering her a bit. She took a couple of tylenol and continued.

At Twin Lakes (@39.5 miles) she and last year’s Female champ came in together. During the long climb and steep decent over Hope Pass (@45 miles) Liza reclaimed and increased her lead.

Mental toughness and running strength are attributes that would help her in the later portions of the race. Shortly after 50 miles she began to have stomach issues which caused cramps and frequent pit stops. When I met to pace her at Treeline  inbound, Liza was feeling pretty bad. For the next 4 miles I asked her to stop taking in nutrition and just drink water. At Fish Hatchery (@ 76.5 miles) she got some saltines, tums, and a coke. The gut issues subsided a bit and she was able to run at a good clip and make up some time. She climbed power line with her usual strength and finesse and then bombed down the rocky trail between Haggerman Rd. and Mayqueen in the dark.

Pacing Liza was amazing! By the time I ran with her she had about an hour lead on the second female and I couldn’t keep from being excited about the prospect of her winning. I won the race in 1999 and 2000, but it was incredible to think that this gifted athlete I had been working with was going to be the second woman from San Antonio, Texas to win this high altitude, mountain race. It was difficult to curb my enthusiasm while we were running, but I didn’t want to put too much pressure on her either. We talked, laughed and did a lot of deep breathing (stomach issues tend to make your breathing shallow). As we came into Mayqueen (@ 86.5 miles) I gave Liza a hug and let her know that I would see her a mile from the finish to run in with her. I knew she was in great hands with her next pacer, Tony.

The Finish

The feeling at the finish for me was overwhelming. Liza and I had been through a lot during her training, with an injury and balancing training with work and family. It wasn’t always easy but Liza always had a positive attitude and a smile on her face. She is a joy to work with because she is committed, compassionate, strong, and yet truly a woman and mother. She possesses all the attributes of a great person and superior athlete and I am honored to be her coach.

First, although not a complete secret, athletes of all levels can and often do have various types of stomach issues during ultra events. Being flexible with nutrition once things get funky can save the day.

Second, you can’t help but sense the positive impact a supportive and knowledgeable crew can have on an ultra athlete. All of this is not quantifiable and may depend on the athlete, but man, I think it can be huge.

Finally about Liza…

Watch out ultra world, she is roaming and hungry!

A big thanks again to Amanda McIntosh for sharing her experience at the Leadville 100. You can check out Amanda’s coaching site at http://www.amandamcintosh.com/ .

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

(Photos: Courtesy of Kamal H.)

Related Articles:

• Leadville 100 Trail Run – 2010 TALON Results
• Are You An Experience Creator or Excuse Maker?
• Leadville 100: Liza Howard Pre-Race Interview by iRunFar.com
• 88 TALON Athletes Registered for Leadville 100 Trail Run Saturday
• TALON Ultramarathon Coaches For Trail and Road Running

Most veggie burgers I had found for purchase are primarily soy based. Me no likey.

Well a veggie burger actually exists that tastes good, yes good, and isn’t primarily made from soy!

Where did I find this tasty, vegan, veggie pattie?

Crazy enough – Costco. While strolling through the isles I noticed a big old box of Gardenburger California Burger veggie patties.

Hmm, let’s take a look at the ingredients.

Primarily brown rice based! Sweet! There is still some soy but low on the list. Sodium level is higher than I would like but still had to give these a try. The only danger of trying something new like this from Costco is you have a whole pile of them left if they taste like poo. I decided to live on the culinary edge.

The next day, I cooked one up for lunch. After 20 minutes of cook time, I cut the veggie pattie in half and could see all the brown rice grains which I thought was kind of cool (doesn’t take much to entertain me. . The first bite tasted like real food. There was texture, there was taste. As far as veggie patties go – these rocked!

If you are interested in a veggie pattie that has a rock-star taste, I would definitely give the Gardenburger California Burgers a try. Costco had the best price by-far versus other grocery stores.

Anyone else tried these veggie burgers, know of others you like, or have a killer recipe?

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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