Well Done Mauri!

A small intimate group is a nice way to spend a couple days high in the Andes. I’ll take it over a big group of very familiar faces anytime. The last couple of days have been well spent, getting to know athletes from around the world with different cultures (awkward at times) and languages (also awkward). Needless to say there were definitely a few awkward moments, and there inevitalbly always is, when you spend time out of your comfort zone. You know you’re out of any kind of comfort zone, when the time spent running feels like the only comfortable thing you’ve done over the last couple of days.
For someone that isn’t used to my bubble being invaded, having to touch cheeks with strangers in another country as the standard form of greeting certainly isn’t something you get used to in just a week. Hence the waiting faces of puckered lips hovering over me as I’m introduced to new people. Awkward! I do love the “man” shake that has replaced the standard “hand” shake though.

So, with no other Americans (that I knew) heading for Chile to El Cruce de los Andes, I knew it would be a good chance to get to know some other athletes from around the world like Iker Karrera, Francois D’haene, Anna Frost, Emma Roca, Gustavo Reyes, and Oihana Kortazar. These were the selected few that I would get to hang out with, travel with, try to use hand gestures to converse with and eat copious amounts of meat with over five days in Chile and Argentina.

Almuerza with the gang

You would think that I would be a little better at preparing for travel to another country by now but I think I’m actually regressing. Yes, as an “elite” I do have quite a few things taken care of for me on a trip like this. When the organization invites you and takes care of everything you tend to get really lax and start forgetting that you still need to think for yourself sometimes. As I’m landing in Temuco, Chile I’m just hoping and praying that there’s one of those guys with a sign that has my name on it.

The Airport in Temuco with my friend waiting inside with a sign that said "Max". Thank goodness for him.

Phew! There was. Ok, so far so good, I can at least get to Pucon, it can’t be that big and he knows where I’m going right. Errrr, “what hotel?” he asks. Oh crap, I think I remember something about Gran and I’m going to Pucon, so I say “Gran Pucon?” and he nods and says “ok, Gran Hotel Pucon.” Ahh, another disaster averted. I have got to start printing out this info before I leave. You don’t realize how much you rely on that stupid phone for this kind of stuff until you can’t use it.

Arriving at the hotel I knew this was going to be a good week. A sun drenched beach out the hotel back door, an aerobics session with dancers on the back patio, and banners for El Cruce clued me in that this wasn’t some rinky dink organization sending us out into the mountains and jungles to die. Mauricio Pagliacci would be our organizer, interpreter, and right hand man for the few days we were here and he was indispensible. As we said our good byes, I told him we couldn’t have done it without him and it was with 100% conviction that I told him that.

No explanation

The local entertainment at our hotel. Can't beat this place.

Beach view: Tropical vacation or 3-day stage race? Hmm.

I eased into day one (day before the race start) with a 1hr jog with the other runners, a little time spent on the beach, then a day lounging with not much to do but relax before the race. Not bad. There was a little lost in translation and a mild kerfluffle as us athletes that were gunning for the win and trying not to get disqualified tried to sort out the required gear list. There were no less than four different lists floating around and no one could actually tell us the official list. So we floundered with that for a while, had Mauri stressed out trying to figure it out, and 6 athletes worried about being disqualified at the end of stage one. As it turned out, with over 2000 athletes running the last thing on the organizers minds was what gear we were actually carrying and they never did check what we had.

I honestly did not know what do expect of the course, the competitors or the organization of everything so the first day I just stood back and let others take the lead. Transfer to the start line was right on time, so far so good. All the invited runners lined up on the start line for some photos (see Facebook) then with some confusion (and me following) we took off in groups up over a ramp and down over the chip mats and we were off.

Day 1 Start

Gustavo and others leading, Francois, Iker, and I following close behind. We ran a rolling rocky and sandy trail that took us around the Villarica Volcano on trails very similar to some of my summer running routes up in the Cascades. In fact, much of what we ran over the course of 3 days, aside from different plants, looked and felt very much like what I would run on a summer weekend up in the mountains around Bend. It felt like home with towering volcanoes with cinders underfoot, sandy flats, and forested trails as we came down to treeline.

Picture postcard shot

After a while on the trail I was feeling pretty confident that eventually I would be able to take the lead and not get lost. Course markings were great with flags every 100-200m. At just before 12km to go on a flat section of cinder wash I pushed past the group of five and before Francois realized it, I had broken away. He was in hot pursuit, but now that I had a break and it was a flat section of an 18 mile run, well, he didn’t really have a chance at that point. The rest of the course raced across the plateau of the volcano with crunching cinders underfoot before dropping 2000ft or so through deep jungle to the finish line. Much of the course seemed freshly cut through the forest and wound up, down, and around massive trees and rock outcroppings. We hit a quickly descending 4km double track to the finish and stage 1 was complete. 3 minutes on Francois, 4 on Gustavo, and 5 on Iker. With a good lead going into Stage 2 I could relax and make sure that all I really had to do was stay with them and not let them get away on the longer stage.

Part of the difficulty with El Cruce is the transfers. Imagine trying to coordinate getting 1000 racers from the finish line, to camp, then back to the start line in the morning. It’s a lot of work when access into the mountains is by small winding dirt roads and travel is slow. All week, Anna Frost and I would compare this race to Transrockies since that’s what we knew of stage racing and we’d both been there and enjoyed racing in the stage-racing format. We realized that these are two very different but similar events and that comparing them to each other isn’t really fair or relevant but none-the-less, we still did, and what I found was that we couldn’t conclude that one was any better than the other. Transfers here were a pain and the run-in/run-out format that Transrockies has is definitely preferred. El Cruce though changes courses each year, which is pretty cool that if I went back next year I would experience a completely different part of Chile/Argentina. This doesn’t really lend itself to always having the luxury of run-in/run-out at each camp. The camps are where you can make it work.

Camp 1

The people at both are incredible even if knowing a bit more Spanish would make El Cruce easier to figure out. What I’ve found is that whether you’re in France, Chile, or the good old USA, a trail runner is a trail runner and probably a pretty good person. Something about the suffering that everyone goes through during the day breaks down a few barriers and brings everyone a little closer in the evening. Even with a significant language barrier (I have got to learn Spanish) I had great conversations with folks from Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Spain, etc. The same interesting and amazing stories of overcoming I hear from people at Transrockies every summer too. El Cruce camps were isolated in the wilderness which was definitely pretty cool to be completely surrounded by mountains, Transrockies has a good mix of both wilderness and city parks. Organization and trail marking, both of utmost importance is great in both events which makes both of them also bucket list events if you’re a trail runner. The only thing I wished for at El Cruce were the lounge chairs we kick back in every afternoon at Transrockies, man those are nice.

Day 2 started with a bit of confusion. With the logistics of getting everyone to the start line being what it is, at El Cruce it’s not so much a race (except when you’re and invited athlete and racer) as it is a journey, therefore, you can start whenever you want. Yup, when ever you want. With chip timing that makes it easy. If you’re trying to race, not so much. I’m off in the bushes taking care of business when Iker and most of the field take off from the start line. When I pop out Francois is there waiting for me telling me we have to get going, that everyone already started. Ok, no big deal since if we catch up to them then we’ve already got a little lead anyway, but dang, I’m not ready and so I spend two miles warming up and trying to take off a jacket and base layer and tie my shoes while not falling too far behind. I’ve got my pack in one hand while trying to take off my race jersey and my base layer with the other. Eventually I made it up to the front pack of 3 and I joined them to make it four. We ran through old growth forest with crazy trees, plants, and bamboo groves. Over streams and through alpine meadows just like at home.

Insert inspirational photo here

And tourism photo here

And postcard shot here

We popped out of the trees and into the volcanic wasteland after climbing about 2000ft with still another 3000ft to go for the day. We continued to climb up cinder slopes and across lava fields with clouds shrouding the Quetrupillan volcano. Now down to Francois, Iker and me we traveled together up to the top pass. From there it became flatter and gradually I began pulling away again. Now down, down down we went. Back through swamps, forest, across mountain streams with waterfalls, Francois chasing me and never seeing another person except for the few race volunteers out on the course. Another 3 minutes on Francois today. With 5000ft of decent I was spent. Quads shaken, hammies tight, feet soggy, muddy and sore I had a comfortable 6 minute lead going into the last stage of 18 miles.

Camp 2 was set between two towering ridgelines with rock spires reminiscent of the Ande’s to the south. Even after 25 grueling miles I was still looking for a way across the river and up to the peak. While I could very well have started up I realized that the down would be the hard part and I resigned myself to staring up at them and taking photos. Had it been the last day, I seriously probably would have tried climbing them.

Camp 2

Awesome

What to do all day at a stage race

This being Chile with an Argentinian crew, we of course had a Barasa (huge BBQ) each day and ate copious amounts of meat for both lunch and dinner. They would cook meat continuously throughout the day for the stream of people finishing. With a huge open fire pit going strong, the guys would rack meat between two grates and stand the racks up right next to the fire to let them cook. Interesting way of doing a large amount of meat. Take note.

Mmm, Meat. Fire. Smoke. Perfect combo.

Here we are, the final day. An 18 mile stage with a gradual 2500ft climb up, gradual descent, across the Argentinian border to the finish. What could go wrong? Well, Iker was about 1 min behind Gustavo at this point so these two would duke it out for third place today. Right out of the gate they began their fight to the finish. It was a road and I couldn’t keep up. After a couple miles of warming up I eventually caught back up right before the pitch turned steep and we gradually lost Gustavo to the climb. Up through the forest we climbed to tree line again. Today we got our first taste of some mountain weather as temperatures dropped and the wind howled over the barren lava fields at the top of the pass. We couldn’t see the Lanin Volcano looming to the right just over the

Iker and Francois Charging Day 3

Day 3: Chile to Argentina

Argentine border but we knew it was there. Mountain peaks were shrouded in clouds but off through the distance we had great views of the valleys below. With a nice cushion I could cruise, take some photos, and trip over some rocks. The last few miles became a road race and I gradually pulled away and ran it in to the finish.

Argentina!

Just over the Argentinian border we finished with the huge El Cruce Columbia banner overhead and the largest support/media crowd we had seen for days.

Finish line photo op

Not sure they're used to having photos taken of them.

This was quite an amazing trip and one I will not forget. A South American race has been on my list for quite some time and this will not be the last. I was glad to have the support of the great race organization to help with logistics as my very limited Spanish would not have been adequate to get all the information I needed in order to have a stress-free trip. Mauri was awesome to have around and the phrase of the week became “Well done, Mauri!” Yes, it’s an inside joke but now anytime anything goes smoothly a fist goes up and “WELL DONE, MAURI!” is sung aloud.
My thanks goes out to Mauri, the race organizers that brought us together for a more than just a race against competitors as we’re now all great friends, and of course my wife that let me out of the country with a two month old at home.

On the bus ride back through the Argentine country side toward Chile as the sun set over the mountains, the river flowed down the valley, and silence in the rattle trap bus left me alone to think I was filled with a great peace and feeling of gratitude that I was there and am fortunate enough to be able to experience the places around the world in a way that connects me to them like only running through and over them can do.

Junin de los Andes

I have to hand it to sponsors like Mountain Hardwear, Montrail, Swiftwick, and others that help make these experiences possible for me. Yeah, it’s a lot of hard work to get here but it wouldn’t be possible without some help. Gear that works makes it easy to focus on the race and experience without having to worry about what’s working and what’s not. The MHW Fluid Race Pack, Montrail shoes (of which I cannot speak), Swiftwick socks, MHW shorts, and Rudy eyewear are exceptional pieces that make it a bit easier to work on pushing harder.

New Friends

Gear List:
MHW Fluid Race Pack
MHW Ultrarefuel Short
Rudy Project Rydon II glasses
Montrail “secret” shoes
Swiftwick Aspire socks
MHW Ghost Whisperer jacket
MHW Butterman ½ Zip
MHW Butter Beanie
Hammer Nutrition Huckleberry Gel
Hammer Nutrition Bars
Reco-Fit Compression Leg Sleeves

By: Ellie Greenwood

First I should start this post with the note that I am decidedly not a gear freak. Second I should mention that, in all honesty, I’m not the most knowledgable on the specifics of this running shoe and that. Please don’t start throwing around words like ‘drop’, my eyes will glaze over instantaneously. I don’t read shoe reviews or eagerly await the release of new models. Bad for a sponsored runner? I don’t know, I’m too busy out running and leave the discussions of the ins and outs of all things new in the shoe world to the product designers and gear junkies. I just like a good pair of shoes; ones that get from A to B as fast and as comfortably as possible. I’m also more inclined to wear a heavier shoe than many these days, oh and did I mention that I hate trying new shoes for fear that I might have a ‘bad’ run. Yeah, I’m a little stuck in my ways.

So last week I got delivery of a pair of Montrail Fluid Flex’s which Montrail were keen I try out. They looked cool! They looked slick! But oh man, these are not like any other Montrails I’ve worn before. Was trying them out going to ‘ruin’ one training run? Hmm, I padded around in the house and to the store in them a bit, but was a little hesitant to actually go run in them. After a few days I decided to take the plunge, after all – they are running shoes so best to try them for what they were designed for. Otherwise they’re a kind of expensive pair of slippers.

The Montrail Fluid Flex are a light shoe (in this more technical report by my Montrail team mate Max King, Max notes the womens 8 weighs in at 6.1oz). They are NOT Montrail Masochists. And for you real old school peeps – they are most 100% NOT Montrail Hardrocks. The Fluid Flex are light but feel pretty squishy and spongy (yep, those are technical shoe-review terms!) Certainly the upper wraps securely around your feet but I worried that the softness on the ball of the foot might not provide enough cushioning as I was used to. So I started my run with 1.5kms of downhill – yeah, always good to try that fear of lack of cushioning on the ball of the foot with a downhill tarmac mile

On my first outing I ran 10km in them and would have kept them on for more but I decided to ease into them gently rather than risk pounding my legs more that they were used to (Little Miss Cautious). Last night I ran 11km in them to the start of my speed workout (which was to be 4 miles, 1 mile, 1 mile) with a spare pair of more trusted road shoes in my Mountain Hardwear Fluid 6 pack just in case. I never took the Fluid Flex off my feet and and now sure I’ll be wearing them for my first race of the year – a road half marathon in a few weeks time.

Where I’ll not be wearing these shoes any time soon is on the technical root and rock strewn trails of Vancouver’s North Shore. If you are used to a lighter and more minimalist shoe I can see some might be happy to run technical trails in the Fluid Flex but for that I’ll stick to my Montrail Bajada’s. The Fluid Flex’s are a hybrid shoe and I certainly feel 100% stoked to run on tarmac with them, and would have no hesitation on running on non-technical trails and crushed gravel paths in them. For right now, I’ll also stick to about 30km or shorter runs in them, again – if you are used to a lighter shoe I am sure they would be suited to longer runs but I’m not used to light shoes, and as I’ve said before – I’m a little cautious

And for all you gear junkies who can’t wait to get your hands on a pair of these, they should be on store shelves come February 1st. I can highly recommend them.

Hope you all started your training year off well. I always like to run 50km on Jan 1st and as the shower facilities were closed it seemed sensible to rinse off in the Pacific.

UPDATE: Ellie set a personal best at the “First Half” half marathon in Vancouver wearing the Montrail Fluid Flex! Congrats Ellie!

Read more on Ellie’s Blog, Trail Running Tales.

I just did it! I am now signed up the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, Europe’s premier 100-mile race. I started the race in 2011 but dropped out shortly after halfway. My season had been long and I was out of condition, both mentally and physically, to run 100 miles around Mont Blanc. In retrospect I should have finished the race, no matter how long that took, but I was miserable and decided to drop out instead. That won’t happen this year. No, in 2013 I will be primed to not only finish UTMB, but to finish well. And to do that I need to start getting into shape early, and I’m going to do that the only way I know how: by running a 50k six months prior. That’s right – the Red Hot 50k.

The Red Hot 50k is just one of a host of early season ultras that have become more popular as the race schedule has become longer. Founded in 2006, the Red Hot runs through some of the most scenic trails just outside of world-renowned Moab, Utah. Nowhere on Earth is quite like Moab. It’s a land of paradoxes: a barren landscape that fosters life; a desert characterised by water. And it’s a land that is always changing – what was once a lifeless desert turned into a mining mecca and then morphed into a mountain biking and jeeping paradise and now is a combination of all those and more. Moab epitomizes outdoor sports with its trails, its unique landscape, its outdoor culture and the endless possibility for adventure provided by the great expanse of wilderness right outside one’s door. In other words, Moab is the perfect place to hold an ultramarathon.

The Red Hot 50k holds a special place in my heart. I grew up in Moab, and though I didn’t start running ultras until I moved to Durango, Colorado at the age of fifteen, my first two races were in Moab. The Red Hot in 2009 was my second-ever ultra, a landmark race for me because I had the experience of one race behind me, but the gusto of a novice in competition. I managed to squeeze out a fifth place behind such legends (in my eyes at least) as Karl Meltzer and Dave Mackey. Since then I have run the race every year except 2012, when I just sort of went climbing instead while all my friends ran the race. I even won the race in 2011. But the results have become less important for me than the experience. The fact that the race is in Moab means I get to go home for the race, something I almost never get to do with the kind of race schedule I have had lately. And the fact that the race is early in the season means that people are more relaxed. Positions aren’t unimportant, surely, but neither is this the uber-competitive UTMB. Everyone – friends, all of us – just goes for a pretty long hard run. It’s about getting into shape and having a good run in the desert more than anything.

The course certainly provides a solid amount of desert viewing. It begins on the Gemini Bridges trail, which takes runners right into the heart of the backcountry. We then take a large loop to the north, ascending an anticline that at its top reveals incredible views of Arches National Park and the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park. The next section of the trail weaves across the Poison Spider Rim on the Golden Spike trail, providing magnificent views of the Lasal Mountains, the Colorado River and the town of Moab itself. Finally, the course connects into the Poison Spider trail for a fast finish across the mesa and down to the river. The best part comes next: beer. And a party at my house. And perhaps a swim in the river if you haven’t had enough suffering for the day.

When the time comes to run UTMB, I am going to be standing on the start line with clearcut attrition on my mind. But next weekend I’m going to be at the start line of the Red Hot 50k shaking hands and talking to people when the gun goes off and surprises us all. Then I’ll run as hard as I can and just try to get back into the motions of racing after not competing since the Hasetsune Cup in Japan in early October. The sport of ultrarunning is many-faceted, and I try to make the most of each facet. One of those primary facets is to have a good time, so next weekend at the Red Hot, that’s what I’ll be doing. And I won’t be alone. If you get the chance to come out for the race, make sure to stop by and say hello. This is an exciting time to be an ultra runner.

-Dakota Jones

Now here is a shoe that I’ve been waiting for for a long time: a truly great trainer that combines a good amount of cushion with a lot of flexibility and a minimal, but well fitting upper in a natural running shoe package. Even if you run in “minimal” shoes, some days your legs just feel beat up from the miles, and a little cushion is what you really need for a recovery run. Keep the flexibility and feel of the more minimal but add in some cushion to absorb a little impact. That’s the idea behind the Montrail Fluid Flex.

Fluid Flex in action (sort of, not really action I guess)

First off, any shoe has to have a great fit. That automatically rules out many other attempts in this category. The Fluid Flex has an upper that hugs my foot from heel to metatarsals then begins to open up with a more forgiving toe box. That’s a good thing. I’ll also tell you that I have a pretty normal foot, aside from being short of course.

Second, it’s got to have a low heel-to-toe drop (4mm or less) by the very nature of having a natural running shoe. As I’ve tested more shoes out, I’m now more sensitive to how high the drop of a shoe is. The lower drops have now become my preferred choice because of my running gait. I’m a forefoot striker so it’s obviously a personal thing. If you don’t land on your heel, why would it need to be built up. Pretty obvious. If you’re trying to work on your foot strike, having some cushion with a lower drop can be beneficial too. The Fluid Flex comes in at 4mm.

Fluid Flex Men's

Fluid Flex Women's

Third, for it to really be in that natural category it has to have that low drop but my second requirement is a flat foot bed. There is another shoe out there, and it’s “pure” coincidence, but it has a very similar feel to the Fluid Flex but the foot bed has a very contoured feel. For that natural feel, I believe that contour can feel good at first but can really have some negative affects later. For me, I can’t do the contour, just feels too weird. The Fluid Flex is flat, and flat is good.

Fluid Foam Midsole

The rest of the package combines the Fluid Foam midsole, an EVA foam that is more durable than traditional EVA and light weight (Mens 9 is at 7.6oz, Womens 8 is 6.1oz), with great flex grooves that let the shoe flex with the foot rather than your foot having to work with the shoe. The outsole is designed to save weight by minimizing rubber to high abrasion areas, but to still give traction in semi-off road terrain. It’s a great hybrid outsole that is at home on both road and easier trail. Is it great for really technical stuff, no, not really but it’s not meant to be.

Fluid Flex Out Sole

For me, the Fluid Flex is one of the best all around training shoes on the market, and trust me I’ve been through a lot of shoes to find the ones that work. Check your local specialty running store Feb 1st for the Fluid Flex hitting the shelves.

I’ll be honest, I came into this race feeling pretty confident. I mean, after UROC (iRF interview) I had a good reason to, but I definitely had to temper that feeling of invincibleness with the fact that both my other attempts at 50 miles had ended in a death slog to the finish. They were two and three years ago…

Read the rest http://www.irunfar.com/2012/11/6740.html.

Charging Hard on the Towpath

Getting ready for the 2 mile, #207, right of the yellow stripes

July 2nd to September 14th. During this time I spent 10 weeks in Fort Benning, Georgia experiencing all that comes with Basic Combat Training (BCT). I did my research and had a pretty good idea of what I was in for. Little did I know of the perspective to be gained upon completion of this adventure. Choosing to join the National Guard was yet another decision in my life that I would have never seen myself doing at earlier junctures in my life. Then it happened. The same can be said for many of my interests throughout life: aggressive inline skating, powerlifting, ultrarunning, and now the military. They each share some type of physical challenge, very unique cultures, and have received looks of befuddlement when I tell people where my life is going.

I am now part of the 1 percent. But not the 1 percent that wears diamonds on their soles. Our First Sergeant said that 1 in 4 Americans have the ability to graduate Basic Training. Less than 1 percent of Americans choose to serve. I had always thought the military was much larger…the perspective begins to change.

2nd Platoon: "Death Dealers"

Introduction:
I was assigned to Delta Company 3/47 Infantry Regiment, 2nd Platoon, Roster Number 207. After a restless first week in Reception I was anxious to get the real training going. Reception is all of your inprocessing. You get your shots, haircut, uniforms, fill out paperwork, hurry up and wait, eat, and perform no physical activity.

The bus stopped. Just like the movies a Drill Sergeant stepped on board and began yelling at us to get off the bus. Welcome to Basic. Running through the sand with duffel bag on my back, backpack front loaded and laundry bag in my arms. They call it Shark Attack. Lots of yelling, lots of in your face, lots of intimidating to see who will start to breakdown.

The first night we were introduced to the Shower Drill. Take 50 dudes and line them up in a row with towels around their waists and shower shoes on their feet. Push them through the bathroom like cattle. Start the stopwatch. One minute to brush the teeth. One minute to shower. In less than 15 minutes our platoon had completed personal hygiene time.

Loving the applesauce in my MRE

The Food:
Being a vegetarian I wondered if I would have to give up this lifestyle choice during Basic. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was not an issue at all. Out of the 20+ Meals Ready to Eat (MRE’s) there were four vegetarian dishes. In the chow hall the meat eaters would get meat and potatoes while I would get potatoes and potatoes. I often supplemented protein with chocolate milk, cottage cheese, and the very hip peanut butter packets that had an eerie resemblance to a gel pack. I was beginning to feel at home. Random fact- I had scrambled eggs 70 days in a row. You eat what you’re served.

Meal times were hilarious. Total awkwardness. It would have been awesome to be an outsider looking in on this phenomenon. We had to look down at our food at all times. No talking. No eye contact with others. Our only utensil was a small shovel. If my favorite Drill Sergeant was there we had to keep one hand on a glass at all times. All of this was done for a simple purpose. Eat and eat fast. A simple task of refueling. 10 minutes of no manners whatsoever. Shovel, chew, swallow, repeat. The cool thing is how your body adapts. At first it was hard to get everything down in our alloted time. Three weeks later and 10 minutes felt like a sit down meal. I now understand why a number of ultrarunners who have served are so good at eating challenges…

Gotta love the socks!

The Running:
My life lesson of 2012 has been that of letting go. Major changes occurred in my personal life that caused me to reflect and reevaluate who I am. It was time to let go of my wants, needs, and desires for a season. A season of losing myself with the hope of finding myself anew. Since my first ultra in 2006 running has gradually changed from a hobby to a lifestyle for me in 2012. It is a large part of my identity that is outwardly visible but doesn’t define who I am. Basic was the time to let go of it for 10 weeks and see what I might learn from voluntarily putting a passion on the shelf.

Rappelling

In all I guesstimate that I ran about 80 miles during Basic. The moments I could run were pure joy. They were moments of freedom when I could break away from the structure, supervision, and homogenized bubble that surrounded me at all times. I would sneak in 20 laps around the track when other soldiers had remedial PT. These were my long runs.

While others trained for Hardrock, Speedgoat, Leadville, and Steamboat I trained for the 1 and 2 mile. It was a successful summer of “racing” for me. 4-O. At 32 I was the oldest and fastest out of the 200 Delta Co soldiers. The Drill Sergeants shook their heads. Who was this old man who didn’t eat meat that was leading the pack against teenagers nearly half his age? It didn’t make sense. In the 1 mile I ran my first sub 5 minute mile clocking a 4:59. Word spread to the Lieutenant Colonel that an old dude could run. A challenge was presented. I earned the 192nd Brigade Coin of Excellence. However, it would be taken away if anyone beat me during the three remaining PT Tests and presented to the new victor. I whittled away at my two mile time with each test: 10:53, 10:44, and a 10:37. I can now add a coin to my ziploc bag of finishers medals/awards that have their home in the “Running Box.” It’s easy to run consecutive PR’s when you don’t have a previous benchmark!

Coaching on the range

Apparently the military has had to reduce the running volume during Basic Training. More and more soldiers were getting injured. The government did some research and discovered that the Play Station Generation simply had weaker/less dense bones than their older and denser counterparts. They were seeing more stress fractures etc at Basic while Airborne School was seeing a lot more broken bones! Kids need to move more.

I missed regular running. I knew I missed it when I would get excited to run 40 minutes around a track in all the heat and humidity that comes with Georgia in the summertime. I would finish looking like I had just exited a swimming pool. Never have I sweated like I did in Georgia. Walking away from the track I wore a smile.

Upcoming: Basic Rifle Marksmanship, the Gas Chamber, Communication, Appreciation and more!

What do you do on your weekends? Get a bunch of really fast runners together and go on a nice epic long run in the mountains is one of the best answers I could have come up with, so…

Timberline Trail

Mike Palichuk, me, Ellie Greenwood, Amy Sproston, Stephanie Howe, and Zach Violett

If you’re an avid runner, especially trail runner, there are a few places on Earth that you want to make sure you get to before you kick the bucket. Mt. Hood and the Timberline Trail is one such place. Several years ago I had the opportunity to run/hike this trail with a good friend of mine and it was one of the most epic experiences I’d ever had. The Timberline Trail circumnavigates Mt. Hood in Northwestern Oregon in about 42 miles with some significant elevation gain taking you up and down the flanks of the mountain several times. Passing through several varied ecosystems, you’ll see the most amazing things that are never visible on the mountain from just a sightseeing trip to the famous Timberline Lodge or even a car tour around the area.

Elliot Glacier Washout

The trail takes you through the Elliot Glacier wash out, a stark landscape of glacial debris, rock, sand and water, to high alpine meadows with the most picturesque picnic locations you can imagine, and then down the west flank into the deep old growth forests of the Northwest. On a misty day that the Northwest is ever so stereotyped with, the dampness of the landscape brings out the smell of the forest and makes running the trail a richer and more epic experience that can’t be described in written form.

Mt Hood from Portland

Ever since that circumnavigation a few years ago I’ve been trying, without success due to the busy summer/fall schedule, to recreate that experience. When Ian Sharman posted on Facebook two weeks ago that a group of runners from Bend, Portland, and Vancouver B.C. were going to make the attempt this coming Sunday, I knew it would be the perfect bookend to a long racing season. Despite the long list of accomplished ultra runners assembling on Oregon’s highest peak, this will be a run through pristine wilderness focused solely on the purpose of enjoying what we like to do best, run the most beautiful trails in the world. It’s getting back to why we started running trails in the first place. We function best in the wide open outdoors and express ourselves and our passion through movement. It’s gonna be frickin’ awesome. Can you tell I’m excited. Stuff like this is what keeps me running and what makes me want to just be outside. This may be one of my favorite trails I’ve even been on and it’s in my backyard, I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to return.

Timberline Trail

You can follow our trip on Facebook or Instagram at MaxKingOR. I’ll add some photos up of the trip on Facebook as well.

Timberline Trail

It’s amazing how some days just work out. But in reality you can look back at all the things that went into the day to make everything work out the way they did, so in a way, nothing ever just works out. It’s how well you know your self and how thoughtful your preparation is toward that day. Now, I’m not saying that I had all of this planned out and knew exactly how the UROC race was going to go. I was by no means confident in my ability to get through 62.2 miles (or 63.5 as it turned out) because I was scared out of my mind, had never run that far before, and recent attempts at much shorter distances have turned out much worse.

This is getting to be a familiar position for me.

However, what I feel like I did do well was change what didn’t work in the past and use my brain the best I could to effect a different outcome. From my perspective, Ultrarunning is still in its infancy in terms of what we know about how to train. More and more information is put out there each year by guys that have experimented on themselves and have experienced both success and defeat. The sport of ultra running will be defined by who is willing to change their training to maximize their performances. To further the sport along, it is the defeats and blow ups that are often most helpful but the successes do have some value too, until a time in the future that the successful methods are pushed beyond their limits and they too become a defeat. Looking in the past at more competitive running events like the 5k, 10k or marathon, we’re living in about 1960 or so. There have been some major breakthroughs to the sport in Roger Bannister’s four minute mile, marathons that have gone sub 2:12, and legendary coaches such as Percy Cerutty, Arthur Lydiard, and Bill Bowerman are just starting to see there methods become more concrete coaching philosophy. All of these events are what helped push training theory forward to the basic training structure that all middle distance athletes train by. The bar that these pioneers raised their respective events to has since been eclipsed through slight tweaks to their methods but the general guidelines that they defined haven’t changed. Science has helped, but in most cases, science only serves to confirm what coaches have figured out through real world experimentation.

Ellie!!

So, ultrarunning is at this stage where athletes like Scott Jurek and Jeff Browning and coaches like Ian Torrence and Matt Fitzgerald have laid the foundation of what the general training guidelines need to look like but there is still a long way to go before we reach the performance plateaus that shorter distance events have experienced the past decade or so. But, then there are people like Ellie (awesome run at UROC) and Sage Canaday who have come out of the gate with impressive performances and consistently impressive results.

Sage, eating...again.

There’s a lot more to ultrarunning as well. Ultrarunning may be on a much slower learning curve based on the amount of knowledge that will be required by an athlete in a few years. A more intimate knowledge of the athletes body and the ability to tune in to special needs is a must in an ultra race much like it is in a marathon but even to a higher level due to the duration of a race. Right now, it feels like the sport is in a transition with respect to training theory.
Nutritional knowledge will become more important than ever before, and to a very individualized level. We haven’t yet reached a point where ultrarunning has any kind general training platform. Athletes will continue to experiment with different methods and a maybe a few will show promise.
Look at the 10k or marathon even: we run over distance in training, we run intensity workouts that are near or at the distance of the even. No one has ever attempted doing 100 mile or even 50 mile training runs regularly in training for these distances, but looking at the progression of ultrarunners there is clearly a benefit to running these distances as the body continues to get stronger and adapts to the training load that results from these extreme distances.
Take also tapering and peaking as another example. Greg McMillan has found that the optimal peaking method for shorter distance races is to continue with a high intensity level and only back off marginally in quantity. He and Ian Torrance have found that to be true in ultras as well and it does have basic scientific validity, but I’ve also found, just through experience, that the opposite of dramatically decreasing both mileage and intensity leading up to an ultra has lead to great success. So, I’m not saying they’re wrong as I have a lot of respect for both as great coaches but hey, maybe there are a few things that still need to be worked out and obviously we all know that everyone is different and it’s not one approach that will work for everyone.
Most ultra runners haven’t been able to push the bounds of what is humanly possible due to real jobs, family, and/or a lack of willingness to really put in the work that may be required to move the sport to the next level.
We’re just now starting to see an influx of enough money to the sport that is allowing guys and gals the ability to focus their careers toward running professionally. With this movement toward professionalism we will no doubt see some great performances come from these athletes.

What we do after races, sit.

UROC showed me that changes I’ve been able to make to my training is paying off and while I haven’t figured out everything (probably not even 10% of what I will eventually need to know), I’m at least headed in the right direction and that’s always a boost to confidence.
Coming into this year I focused on shorter races knowing that during the late summer and fall I would be focusing on longer ultra races. This would give me time to experiment with new training techniques and hopefully be stronger by the time fall rolled around. A few things that I feel like have made a big difference leading up to UROC were things that every one reading this will be like “duh, how did he not know that” but that’s what I’m saying, coming from a different background it’s a whole new train of thought.
Hills. Hills have been probably the single biggest benefit to running longer and, oddly enough, faster at short distances as well. I’m stronger because of it and have much better endurance over the longer distances and more power in the short distances. It’s easier to get back into track shape with the inclusion of hills in my regular training.
Second would have to be the addition of Udo’s Oil, an Omega 3, 6, 9, supplement that has helped in the conversion of fat to fuel my body in races over three hours. I’ve noticed a significant increase in the time that I can run without carbohydrates without bonking. Shoot, I shouldn’t have given that secret out. My theory is, I’ve had a issue converting fat to fuel ever since I started ultras because of my background in track and road running has never required it. I’ve always burned hot, utilizing the rocket fuel of glycogen for my entire running career since 7th grade.
Prior to the last couple months my tendency was to get by on the least amount of carbohydrate fuel that I could in an ultra and that typically led to a horrific bonk at some point in the last 10 miles. So, taking the advice of a few runners that have a lot of success in taking in what I thought were way too many calories, I tried it this time. Along with the fat burning, this helped even out my energy levels and kept me from ever really feeling a low point. Through 3 hrs I was taking in 200 cal/hr then upped it to 400 cal/hr from there on. As long as I’ve been using Hammer Gel I haven’t had any stomach issues with the higher caloric intake. Throughout the race, I was just waiting for that bear to climb on my back. (but I threw a stick at him and he ran off)
UROC was a great feeling of accomplishment not only to win a major championship race against some of the best in the sport but because it was a personal success of staying strong through out a race distance that I’ve never attempted and have never felt comfortable with.

And so, just to test my fitness a little further while I’m on a roll the last couple weeks, I’m headed to Tennessee for the Stumpjump 50km and a tour of the Swiftwick factory. I don’t want to jinx it but my first run after three days off after UROC felt pretty good. We’ll see what a little ART work, stretching and some easy running the next couple days can do to get me through a 50km. Why does everyone look at me like I’m nuts when I say I’ve got a 50km this weekend?

Another year, another double. Yes, I did it again and it was hard, again. The double this weekend of a 50k Saturday and a half marathon Sunday isn’t easy but it’s actually next weekend’s UROC 100k that really frightens me. I’m ok with up to 50k right now but 100k is further than I’ve ever run and the last 50 miler (a couple years ago) was one of the most painful races I’ve ever had, and that was a flat one. So, I’m not sure how this is going to go.

Mt. Bachelor from the Flagline course

Wieners!

I’ve put in the training this summer as best I could and best that I know how with several long races that really tested my endurance, with a lot of elevation gain that I’ve been finding helps the most with endurance, and with probably not quite enough really long runs but as many as I could muster.
Usually I don’t like tapering for a race as it means feeling out of whack with my legs and the uncommon feeling of not getting in enough training that I feel like I’m getting out of shape, but sometimes it’s a bit of a taper that gives you the chance to really just relax a bit and find some other things to do that you’ve been neglecting, like work. With a taper, it’s important to relax and know that all your training is behind you and there’s nothing you can do in the coming week or two before a big race that’s going to make you any better, the only thing you can do, as my coach used to say, is screw it up. So you rest more than you think you should, run less than it feels like you need to and get a few more things done that weren’t likely to get done if you’d been training hard, like dishes.
A week in between two big races (or three) really takes some patience. It’s the hardest time to be a hard charging, always motivated, competitive athlete. Trust me, all you Type A runners know exactly what I’m talking about. This week (or what little there was between travel) was spent occupied at work and at home with very little running involved hoping that I would be recovered and ready for this coming weekends 100km. Saturday immediately after the 50km, I was quite selfish and took a long 45min turn in the Recovery Pump that was available courtesy of Mark DeJohn (awesome ART guy). Squeezing and pulsing compression on my legs right after that hard effort was exactly what I needed before hopping on a plane to SLC and Ogden, UT. Of course, to continue the recovery I made sure that I got two large burritos down at the race, some Hammer Recoverite prior to that, and back into full length Reco-Fit Compression Sleeves.
Limited recovery sleep was all I could get with a late night arrival into Ogden and an early wake-up for the Xterra Championships Sunday morning but the legs didn’t feel too bad…until I started the warmup. No offense to anyone senior of my years but I felt like I was 90 and I’m guessing that this is what every run will feel like when I show up to a race and there is only one participant in my age group, and oh yes, that will be me. My last race will be the one right before my wife murders me for being gone every weekend.
Once I got moving with no serious injuries my legs started feeling better and knew the competitive racing would take over and give strength to my legs. The rest you know the story to and I don’t see a reason to go into details, except to say that Paul Mitchell (not the real guy) gave me some sweet racing stripes for this coming weekend. Lets just hope they do what they’re supposed to.
Recovery is the name of the game this week and we’ll have to wait until Saturday to find out how well I played this game these last two weeks. It’s always somewhat of a crap shoot as to how well you taper or peak. Everybody accepts a change in training load in different ways and I’ve been finding that tapering for an ultra is unknown to me and seems to be much different than tapering for a 3km Steeplechase. I’m scared out of my mind of the 62 mile distance but know that, barring any injury or rogue roots and rocks, that I will finish.

To follow all the action there will be a live webcast of the race on Saturday at www.ultraroc.com. Follow along on twitter as well at ultraroc.com and irunfar.com.

Oh, and by the way, I got hooked up with a twitter account finally. @MaxKingOR Follow meeeeeee!