Back to Back Efforts!

                               I have always recovered well from races or hard workouts but 20 miles in to this Saturday's Cayuga Trails 50 I was beginning to doubt my recovery abilities.  I hadn't felt many ill effects of the week before until that point but as we hit the steepest descent of the day for the first time my hamstrings were not letting my stride open up. Matt was running behind me but I could tell he was stronger so I let him pass and he bounded away.
      The weekend before had been my fourth stop on the La Sportiva Mountian cup, at the Rothrock Challenge 30k in Pennsylvania.  I rode up with Jason and Allison Bryant and their chipmunk, the little guy.  We camped the night before, which was just about the only thing the heat was actually good for over the weekend, and I got some insight into the course from the Bryant's who had run the race before.  I had done a lot of training over the spring on steep technical terrain but nothing really prepared me for what lay ahead.  The course itself was brutal.  Steep climbs followed by even steeper descents full of boulders and loose rocks.  That coupled with the 90 degree heat turned an 18 mile race into more of an ultra effort.   Tough as it was though this was definitely one of the funnest races I have ever run, especially the boulder field following the aid station at 13 miles! This boulder field was truly a "climb" and even though I didn't run it I was still able to build a lead by the time I reached the top.  By the time we hit the final aid station however Gabe had re passed me.  I spent a little extra time at the aid station and only gained on him slightly on the following climb.  I knew that the final couple of miles were a gnarly descent and that was where I hoped to move,
although with the heat I wasn't sure I would be able to.  The whole day I had felt the my descending was my strongest asset and with the course ending on the technical descent I was able to pull out the win.  If it had ended any other way I'm not sure.  The win gave me a solid lead in the points standings as well making an already fun weekend even better.  The next day however when I headed down the hill for my run I knew I might be in trouble.  My legs were every bit as sore as they had been after Bear Mountain, and although I didn't have the sluggishness I sometimes feel after an ultra I was still slightly worried.  By mid week however I felt pretty much fully recovered with only a slight hamstring tightness still lingering, and by the time I toed the line at Cayuga Trails any doubts I had were gone.

The Boulder Field

Rothrock Finish!

        This was the first running of the Cayuga Trails 50 where the National Championships will be held next year and the race and course were amazing! The trails were not nearly as technical as I expected but the scenery definitely lived up to my expectations.  The first three miles of the course climbed up through Lucifer falls on a trail cut right into the side of the gorge.  My legs felt comfortable on the climb although I felt slightly uneasy to find myself in the lead.  I didn't lead for too long however and by the time we hit the steepest climb of the day I was in 7th or 8th.  I had suffered a small setback when I swallowed a moth, a first for me, and couldn't stop choking.  By the top of the climb however I was running with Matt, as we closed on Denis, with only Sage out of sight.  I ran with Matt for most of the first loop.  We passed Dennis and had reports that we were gaining on Sage.  Matt kept the pace quick on the flat sections and I pushed the uphills until around mile 18 when he dropped me on the steep down. To be honest the pace he had been setting for the last several miles had bordered on uncomfortable for me and once I settled into my own rhythm I felt a little better.  I didn't lose too much time however and I had caught back up to within 15 or 20 seconds of him again just before the Old Mill aid station when my stomach heaved and I started to puke.  This is a recurring problem for me in ultras and something that I have yet to figure out.  I lost about a minute to Matt during that point and by the turn around at half way I was about 2 minutes back, and saw that Matt was within 30 seconds of Sage.  I tried to climb hard after the turn around but following my normal pattern after hurling I hit an energy low and found myself struggling just to hike up Lucifer Falls.  Looking back on the race I am truly ashamed of the next section of my race.  I was at a low for sure but most of the section between Old Mill and Underpass is mostly downhill and as low as my energy was I should have been able to keep a solid pace and be within striking range when I rebounded.  I let my current state get the best of me at that point however and I gave up.  My legs were tight from Rothroc and I used that as an excuse to throw in the towel.  It's always hard with 20 + miles to go to grasp the idea that you will actually feel better and be running strong again at some point.  My experience told me to keep pushing but I simply gave up.  I was about 90% sure I would drop out at the Underpass aid station and told myself that if I got caught and was in fourth by that point that my day would be over.  I almost wanted to get caught so I could lay down and sleep.  I was still in third however when I shuffled into Underpass and saw my wife, 5 months pregnant standing there with my water bottle.  I knew at that moment that I had to finish.  Less than a mile later I hit the steepest climb of the course for the second time and was shocked to find myself climbing strong.  I knew that I had lost too much time to even think about winning so I just focused on running quick and praying for continued strength. I felt strong on the flat road sections that followed and by the time I reached buttermilk falls halfway through the loop I was confidant I wouldn't get caught and thought that I might even have a chance at catching one of the leaders if they fell off.  At the aid station I ran into some trouble dropping my salt tabs twice as I left the table and then realizing I had forgot my gel and having to run back to grab one.  As I left the aid station the second time someone yelled that I was 9 minutes down.  I asked if that was from first or second and although I wasn't surprised my heart dropped when they yelled second.  I climbed Buttermilk falls very strong however and was still cruising when I hit the Underpass aid station for the last time.  The next few miles were amazing!  Out of nowhere I was sprinting up hills and hurdling logs, running faster than I had all day.  All of a sudden people started telling me I was close to the guy in front of me (I still didn't know if it was Matt or Sage). "Your a minute back one guy yelled." I automatically doubled it in my head as they were running the other way but still I felt encouraged.  I pushed even harder.  Then on a long gravel stretch with about 5 miles to go I caught sight of Matt about a minute up on me. He saw me too and I knew the race was on.  Gaining or not I knew Matt would fight.  By the time we reached Old Mill for the last time I had closed the gap significantly on Matt but my hands and lower arms were starting to tingle.  I had felt this only twice before both times before a complete energy loss where I could barely walk, so as Matt ran through the aid station without stopping I took a few seconds to fill up.  Then I was off again down through the gorge.  My first time through the gorge I took the stairs carefully, at least by my own standards, so that I wouldn't get hurt.  On this final descent I didn't care.  I leaped whole flights barely staying on my feet on the landings.  I still couldn't see Matt on the flat sections so I knew he was doing the same. Still I kept pushing. Then with about half a mile to go the trail turns onto a paved road and there is just a loop of the field before the finish.  As I came out of the trail I could see Matt on the grass and I knew I wouldn't be catching him.  I also saw a guy starting his second lap on the right hand side of the road so I moved to my right to keep my distance.  He moved the same direction.  I kept moving to my right thinking he would move to his right but he kept moving to his left until we collided.  With miles of two way traffic on single track trails behind me I collided with someone on a 20 foot wide road with less than half a mile to go.  I yelled my apologies and kept running. As I looped one side of the field Matt passed me looping the other, still a minute ahead of me.  I had flown on the last descent and hadn't caught up more than a couple steps, if that.  I yelled "great job" to him as we passed, and then rounded the turn into the final stretch myself.  As disappointed as I was to have come so close and ended up third I still knew that this was probably my best performance yet at an ultra distance so I pumped my fist as I crossed the line and congratulated Matt and Sage on their races.  A few minuted later Brian crossed in fourth taking the last cash spot, followed closely by Yassine to round out the top five. I hung around the finish for a little bit as it started to rain and then went to my cabin for a shower and a nap.  There is always a feeling of content when you finish an ultra no matter where you place.  The rest of the day you can rest in that contentment, and the accomplishment of what you have just run.  Then it's time to recover and train, because no matter how great your accomplishment was, you can always do better the next time.

Opening Miles.

Trail through the gorge at Lucifer Falls!

Don’t Judge A Race By its Finish!

 Looking at the three pictures above it would be easy to assume that the Bear Mountain edition of The North Face Endurance Challenge has gone much the same way the past three years.  But that is one of the amazing things about ultra races.  The course can, be the same, the competitors can be the same, the start can be the same, and the race can even finish the same way, but the experience that takes place between those points, even though it may result in the same finish, can be vastly different each time, and no matter how much you think you know you can always come away with a new lesson learned.

                My first year at Bear Mountain was my second ever ultra marathon and the first that I was truly taking seriously.   I started fast, could not shake Leigh Schmitt, realized how tough a technical ultra could truly be, spent myself by mile 25, and watched Leigh run away from me, as I walked up a pathetically gentle grade.  At the point I decided ultra running was not for me and that I would drop out at Camp Lanowa and never run an ultra marathon again.  My wife however was not at the aid station so I couldn’t drop out.  I started jogging, prayed, felt better, prayed more, started running, caught Leigh and won the race!  I learned that day to always keep moving no matter how low you get.

                Last year was probably my easiest experience in an ultra.  I started out slower, ran with Leigh, and in the second half opened up a small lead that I held to the finish.  I had low points but no moments of crisis.

                This year was truly a challenge and although I was able to pull on my experience from the previous two years to reach the finish line, I faced newer and tougher obstacles than before.  The race started out well enough.  I had forgotten my headlamp but with the help of some other runners the trail was plenty lit for me. By the time the sun came up a group of four of us were solidly in the lead.  Jeff Gosselin from Quebec, Willie Shefer from Hawaii, Iazaldir Feitoza from Brazil, and myself.  After a few more miles it was down to Willie, Jeff and I as Iaza was feeling tight.  The three of us ran together through most of the first 20 miles, until just before Lake Skannatati, when Willie started to fall off and Jeff started to pull away.  It was then, just before the aid station at 20 miles that I took my tumble.  I knew that one day I would take a gnarly header I just expected it to be in training instead of a race.  But this course has some pretty rugged spots and all it takes is one misstep. Luckily for me this one happened in front of a camera so I don't have to describe the fall!  You get to watch it! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6p1CtmPKSU
Credit for the video goes to Joe Azze.
This link should work until I can embed the actual video!  There are a few things I would like you to note about this video.
1. The hyperextension of my left leg as I fall.  I don't know how I didn't break anything.
2. The sound when I hit the tree.  Volume does make this video better
3. Last but possibly most impressive I would like you to note that I kept the package of Sport Beans in my mouth through out the entire fall.  Even when my head bounces off the ground.  I don't remember holding onto them but apparently I didn't want to litter so I gave them to my dad at the next aid station. If you carry it in you carry it out.  I did leave some skin on the rocks though.

 Joe mentions in his blog that he didn't expect me to finish.  Immediately following the fall, and countless times afterwards I shared his sentiments.  As I got up my left leg was completely numb and I still thought it was broken but as I started to walk it held my weight.  After a minute of walking feeling started coming back to my leg and although the knee hurt slightly I was able to run slowly and was happy to be alright.  As I came into the aid station I said my most fervent prayer of thanks, and asked for the strength to continue the race.  I took an extra few minutes at the aid station to refuel and get my courage back up.  I could feel my shirt sticking to the blood on my back so I took it off and hit the trail again.  2 miles later I was back in the zone!  I had just found my rhythm again when I missed a right turn on the trail,  I saw the ribbon in my peripheral right after I passed it and as I shot off the trail to get back on course I cranked my ankle.  This was actually the tougher injury to deal with.  I walked for a bit and as I started to run again my Achilles and shin tightened up.  It made running uphill very painful so I hiked the climbs.  I was already slow on the descents because of my knee so I knew I was losing time.  Brian Russiecki passed me just before camp lanowa, and as I left the aid station Leigh was just coming in.  I was struggling with the idea of finishing but surprisingly over the next three miles I was able to get in a rhythm again and I told myself that I would race to the next aid station and that if I caught Brian I would keep going.  Then I hit a steep climb and as my spirits started going down again I swore that I would finish no matter what.  Partly because I actually had reasons to quit and wanted to fight through my problems and finish, partly because I knew that no matter how bad I felt that God could carry me through, and mostly because this was my mom’s first time watching an ultra event of mine and I didn’t want to wimp out.  I had just made this decision when I saw Brian and Jeff at the top only about a minute ahead of me.  I assumed Jeff was long gone so seeing the lead only minutes ahead put me back in the game and I started the chase.  I didn’t catch Brian by the next aid station but I did catch Jeff.  I was just coming into the aid station as Brian was leaving.  The past two years the next section of trail had been one of my best so I felt confident that I would catch him.  I started off strong looking for a burnt orange shirt.  Apparently they must be in style because every other hiker on the trail, and there were quite a few hikers, had a burnt orange shirt.  My hopes would rise every time I caught sight of one just to have them dashed when I realized it was another hiker.  I was moving well at this point so I knew that Brian must be flying.  Finally, on the one small climb between 35 and 40 I caught him.  I thought I would pass him and breeze on to the finish but as we hit the downhill again he picked up the pace and instead of breezing away I started having trouble keeping up.  I knew at that point it would be a fight.  At mile 40 I stopped to fill my bottle and eat.  Brian continued on and gained about 30 seconds on me.  I had to fight to catch him but after about a mile I did.  At that point I really wanted to settle in but I knew he was stronger on the downhills at the moment so I pushed the pace on the climb.  I was afraid of crashing but I was able to drop him.  I never looked back so I didn’t know if I was pulling away or not but as I left the aid station at mile 44.7 I could hear cowbells ringing up the trail and I knew he was within a minute of me.  The next section over timp pass is always tough and I knew if I could get over it strong I would hold on to the finish.  My calves were spasming but I kept pushing hard to the top and drinking and by the time I started down the backside of the pass the spasms were gone.  Then with 3 miles to go I rolled my ankle again.  I heard it pop and it hurt so much that I yelled. But at that point there was nothing to do but keep going.  I kept praying for my ankle over the final miles and it actually didn’t tighten up.  As I neared the finish Leah handed me my TNF Jersey and I put it on as I crossed the line.  I was shocked to see that I had run my fastest time on the course by over ten minutes!  I had walked a lot more than previous years and had assumed that I was going slower!  Brian finished strong only a few minutes after me, with Jeff holding on for third.  Leigh who was recovering from a bad bike crash came in fourth.   

Every year this race at Bear Mountain has been special for me.  I love it because it is back in my home state and my family can come.  I love the atmosphere of the event, and although it beat me up pretty bad this year I love the rocky technical terrain.  Each year has been special but the trials that I went through on the course, all the prayers that I prayed and all the times that I had wanted to quit but didn’t put this win above the rest.  Now it’s time to regroup and get ready for the next one!  Congratulations to all my fellow competitors and sufferers in The North Face Endurance Challenge this year.  And a big congrats to my friend and fellow traveler Jordan Whitlock who embodied the spirit of all ultra runners on Saturday by never quitting!  

The Hillbilly Half

     The Hillbilly Half Marathon in Olympia WA this weekend was the second stop for me on The La Sportiva Mountain Cup.  This is a series that I have wanted to compete in for several years but with the amount of travel it takes to make it to enough races it was impossible for me.  Fortunately this year I have the support of The North Face, who cover all the travel bills and make it possible to seek out new adventures! I flew into Seattle the night before the race, rented a car, found the start and trying to take some of Jason Bryant’s advice on how to have fun on the mountain cup, set out for a run on the course.  Problem was I had forgotten my headlamp and with the pacific northwest cloud cover the night was pitch black!  I made it about a quarter mile up the mountain on a gravel road before I decided that I had a better chance of getting hurt than seeing any part of the course and headed back.  I camped on the race sight and was up early and ready to run!
     At 8:30 the next morning we were on the line and ready to go.  I was joined again by Matt Byrne and Pat Casterline from the week before as well as Jared Scott, the 2011 series champion.  Right from the start it was the pack of as four as well as one of the local athletes Josh Klimek.  The course climbed immediately leaving no time for a large pack.  I felt comfortable on the initial climb running with matt and letting Jared and Josh have a slight lead.  By the time we reached the first aid station and headed up into the woods Matt and I had caught Jared and it was a three man race.  Once the course left the road it climbed steeply up the heavily forested mountain side.  I assumed the lead climbing comfortably with Matt and Jared close behind.  We hit another gravel road shortly and the three of us bunched up again as the road flattened briefly before rearing up steep again towards the pine covered mountain top.  As soon as we hit the climb, my legs which had been feeling great for the first portion felt a little heavy.  Matt who had sounded winded made a strong move on the climb towing Jared with him and I lost a few steps.  I could see the road climbing to the top of the mountain and was trying to save my legs a bit but after only a couple minutes of climbing Matt and Jared turned right off the road and disappeared into the woods.  I followed a few seconds later and although I could not see them I could hear them sloshing through puddles below me.  This next section of the course was a roller coaster of fun.  The course cut snaked its way down the mountain through thick pines on a rutted double track of racks mud and water.  Lots of water!  The rocky descents at Chilly Cheeks last week had honed my downhill skills and I quickly caught Jared.  I tried to get around him to catch Matt but He sprinted to the inside of the turn and shut me down.  Now that I was on his shoulder he ran aggressively and we soon caught Matt.  Matt then picked up the pace as we barreled downhill arms waking to keep our balance, sprinting the short ups and lunging into the turns.  Soon Jared got around Matt and I followed.  I thought of sitting on him for a bit but I felt stronger on the downhill then the two of them and I knew my climbing legs were not as strong as theirs and thought I might get some distance before the next big up.  Also Jared had shut me down on the pass earlier and just because he was making it tough I wanted to get around him.  I saw my opportunity on a short up where he took the outside line to avoid a stump and I sprinted for it.  He sprinted as well but after a little bit of shoving I got around.  He shouted “good pass” to me as I tried to get some distance.  Unfortunately the course started to climb again almost immediately and he went back around me followed by Matt.  I don’t think that I have ever witnessed so much passing during a trail race!  We hit the turnaround shortly after and I tried to use the descent to catch back up but I was starting to run into trouble.  Often when I travel I experience a very painful side stitch, and as we descended the hill it hit me full force.  My breaths started to come out as grunts as I tried to fight it off and stay in sight.  The course wound so much that I wasn’t able to see more than five or ten seconds ahead of me so I was unsure of how far they had dropped me by and my mind assumed the worst.  Pretty soon the trail crossed an open hillside however and I could see them about 30 seconds ahead.  Matt had overtaken Jared by that point and had a small lead.  I could hear him laboring heavily, still as he disappeared into the woods I could tell his legs were still in full flight.  That guy is tough.  Over the next several minutes my stitch got worse and as I ran doubled over I just kept praying to catch up.  At the next aid station I stopped briefly and drank some coke hoping it would erase the cramp.  I think it helped some.  Either way we were nearing the top of the climb and the last few miles would be predominately downhill, my strong point.  When I reached the gravel I couldn’t see either of my competitors ahead of me but as I let my stride open up I prayed that I would see them soon.  A few minutes later Jared came into my sight as the road flattened out and the adrenaline of the chase carried me to the trail.  By the time we left the road I had cut the distance in half and as we started to wind through the pines I could actually see him ahead of me and hear Matt further down, and I allowed myself to believe that I might actually win this race!  Then I got sick.  It came out of nowhere and the next thing I knew I was on the side of the trail puking.  I thought I might actually make it through this race but no such luck.  I tried to get everything out as fast as possible but by the time I was moving at a normal pace again I couldn’t see or hear anyone ahead of me.  The next section of the course was the steepest descent yet and desperate for another chance I hit it all out, no longer praying to catch up, just to stay on my feet.  I virtually sprinted down the mountain jumping over complete sections of trail where cinder blacks had been sunk into the mud to prevent erosion and somehow not falling or leaving the trail.  I kept it up for several minutes and by the time we hit the final section of gravel road Jared was barely ahead of me and I knew Matt couldn’t be too far ahead.  As we hit a short uphill I sprinted past Jared who by this time was nursing a bad calf and was able to see Matt just reaching the top Jared shouted a welcome to the mountain cup and a few words of encouragement as I went by.  I kept up the hard pace feeling better now that I had finished being sick, trying to let my legs go as fast as possible on the steep downhill.  On the next short up Matt looked back and saw me.  I knew it was going to get harder from here.  I charged over the top and continued to hammer the down.  By the next switchback I was in full sight of Matt and confidant that I would soon be pulling next to him!  Then I saw the power lines at the finish line and my spirits dropped.  This road had seemed so much longer on the way up, and now even though I was catching I knew I was out of time.  I sprinted all out anyway still closing but it was too late.  Disappointed as I was watching Matt cross the line ahead of me, I knew he deserved the win.  His run and his toughness were impressive to say the least.  There were several times that I thought I had dropped him only to have him fight back and drop me on the next climb, laboring the whole way but never slowing.  Jared as well had put up a heck of a fight until his calf cramped. He jogged through the line in third shortly thereafter followed by Pat and then Josh.  I talked to Jared for a bit afterwards getting some good insight into the next few races on the series from both him and Ian, the La Sportiva Team manager.  I definitely can’t wait to race again in Texas as I know Jared will be wanting to win that one bad as well.

Jimmer and I at the airport.

     It was after the race that I got my biggest surprise of the weekend.  I was on facebook on my phone trying to find a way to see a childhood friend up in Bellingham when I saw that my college coach and good friend Greg Jimmerson lived in Seattle!  For some reason I had thought he was in the Mammoth Lakes area.  I shot him a message and by the time I had driven back to Seattle he had called me.  I dropped my rental car off and the airport and he picked me up.  We went for a run, caught up on life and old friends and then had the famous Jimmer lasagna for dinner with his wife Melanie and son Cody.  That was followed by an epic game of Horse on the Nerf Basketball hoop and I lost for the second time of the day.  Not even my signature “Foot shot” could save me, although Cody almost did.  Then I got to prepare for parenthood by reading stories with Cody and playing with Super-dog, Super-Chicken (Angry Bird), and Super-Car.  I was worn out by 9:45.  Jimmer and Melanie had kindly offered to let me stay the night so I slept in a guest room and Jimmer drove me to the airport in the morning.  Seeing him was really a blessing.  He was a great coach and still has a way of encouraging me, not only in my athletics but in life, and my walk with Christ.  As fun as the race as getting to see him and his family was the best part of my weekend.  As I the plane lifted off the sun shone on the previously cloudy city and reflected off of the majestic rise of Mount Rainier.  I felt completely content with my life at that moment and thanked God for what he was doing in my life.  I also put in a prayer for the race in Texas.  Doesn't hurt to start early ;)

Mt. Rainier from the airplane!

Chilly Cheeks 7 mile and the La Sportiva Mountain Cup

Ever since I decided to compete in the La Sportiva Mountain Cup this year I have been looking forward to the Chilly Cheeks 7 mile in Reading PA this weekend.  This was my first race on the series and my first shorter distance trail race in years.  In fact I have not run a race like this since high school back in the Adirondacks!  After college I have gotten back into trail running and racing but it has been at longer distances where everything is about control and conservation.  As I careened down the first steep technical downhill through the Pennsylvania woods just a couple miles into the race this weekend, there was no semblance of control whatsoever.  A few minutes later there was no trail whatsoever!  Just a line of orange ribbon strung out through the brush and fallen trees.  I couldn’t even think about racing I just let my legs fly as I ducked branches, hurdled logs and let the adrenaline rush of just having fun carry me until I hit the next climb.

I had left the previous evening out of northern VA, with my wife and friend, Jordan Whitlock.  Jordan is one of my favorite people because he has a cool name and because he is always up for an adventure.  We arrived in Reading around eight went for a shakeout run and a swim, thanks TNF for a nice stay, and then it was time to rest up and race!  The next morning was warmer than I expected and with a later start there was plenty of time for a relaxed breakfast before heading out to the course.  I had not seen any of the course in person yet but Jordan and I had a good 2-3 mile warm-up and got to run a solid portion of the course backwards.  This at least gave me a good idea of what shoes to wear.  After the warm-up Jordan and I stripped to our racing gear, snapped a picture and headed up to the finish line.  The start was nowhere in sight!  Luckily Jason Bryant one of the La Sportiva athletes was heading out to the start and pointed us in the right direction.  When we got to the line Ryan Woods and Matt Byrne, two other La Sportiva athletes I recognized were there, along with some solid looking local guys.  Now that everyone was at the start it was shaping up to be a good race!

Jordan and I before the start.

There was no gun to start the race just an old fashioned ready,set,go and we were off!  I settled into the front pack around 4^th-5^th.  Jordan and I had decided to treat this race like a 10 mile because that’s roughly how long it was going to take us.  After cruising down hill for about half a mile the course took a 90 degree turn straight up a bank of leaves roots and mud!  The steep climb strung out the pack, and I found myself in third with Matt, and Ryan right behind me.  We popped out of the woods and after a short road section headed back up the mountain.  By now I had the lead and with Matt, Ryan, and another La Sportiva runner, Pat, following closely behind.  We climbed slowly on a gravel path before plunging down the side of the hill on mountain bike trails.  I flew down the hill more because I was out of control than because I was trying to gain any time but when we came out of the woods at the 2.8 mile aide station I had a several second lead over Ryan.  Then it was straight back into the woods.  No trail. Just orange ribbons, rocks, trees, and fun.  I have plenty of practice chasing my dog through the woods so I think I gained a few more seconds on this section before we headed up the mountain.  The next few minutes were pretty brutal.  My legs burned as I pushed the pace up the mountain. No switchbacks, just steep climb.  I felt that Ryan was catching me at this point but I didn’t look back.  I felt sure that I was going to get caught on the climb.  I was pushing hard but didn’t feel like I was going as fast as I should be, yet  by the time we reached the next aid station my lead had increased.  At this point I expected the course to continue up but instead we followed a fairly level trail along the side of the mountain.  My legs came back to me and soon after my confidence returned as well.  The course didn’t stay level for long and pretty soon we were climbing up the side of what the local call Mt. WhaDaFugg.  By now my legs felt a lot stronger and even though they were burning I felt that I moved up this last climb better than the previous one.  The cheers from the top of the hill definitely helped!  I made it right to the top by the spectators and then slipped and fell.  I was barely moving at that point so it hardly slowed me and I was back on feet and heading down the mountain!  The next mile was all fast, downhill, single track with logs, bike jumps, and nice soft footing.  The downhill continued until a few hundred meters from the finish when you turned off the main trail, hurdled a guard rail, crossed the road and scrambled up a steep rock covered hill to the finish.  The last hill was steep and I was happy to not have to sprint it, even though the cheering made me run it pretty hard any way.  As I came to the top Leah asked if I was having fun.  Definitely YES!  I topped the hill and crossed the line in 47:37 tired, muddy and happy.  Matt followed soon after in second with Jason in third and Ryan in fourth after he had made a wrong turn on the way up the mountain. Pat came across the line in 5^th making me the only non La Sportiva athlete in the top 5.  Jordan followed closely behind in a tight race for 8^th spot. 

After a cool down with Jason, Jordan and a some of the La Sportiva Team the post race the fun continued with lots of food, and for most people beer, which had also fully stocked both aid stations.  We enjoyed the awards ceremony and Ron Horn’s humor before hopping in the car for the drive back to VA.  The first stop on the Mountain Cup was a success, now it’s time to get ready for the HillBilly Half in Olympia Washington on Saturday!  

A Year in pictures!

 Because I am not very good at writing consistently on this blog and it would take too long to rehash my year in a normal post, and because a picture is worth a thousand words I have decided to post my 2012 story in pictures!

We started the year off the right way with a solid climb up Big Schloss!

Then had an awesome tunneling adventure at Corzet tunnel!

After finding our way through the old water filled tunnel we took the new railroad tunnel back through the mountain and almost got caught by a train!

 Then my friend Matt took us all up to Atlantic City for his 21st.  Even though we lost money we had an awesome time!

My spring was dominated by races.  My first big race of the year was the USATF 50 mile championships in Texas.  I had an awesome trip, won the race and also had a pretty sweet post race adventure at Camp Eagle!

My next race was the TNF Endurance Challenge 50 mile in NY!  My good friend Jordan Whitlock came up from VA with my wife and I.

This was possibly my best race of the year.  I felt strong the whole way and picked up another win!

Our next stop was the TNF Endurance Challenge in DC!  Dan Hibbs, Jake and Dacia Reed and Cory Evans all stayed with us for the event making it one of the best weekends of the year!

Jake, Dan and I lead the race for the first half before Jake dropped us.

Jake cramped in the final miles and I ended up catching him but he held on for second!

Following up on DC I got to go to
Ecuador!!  It was an amazing  experience!  I met some great people and saw some amazing scenery!  My race was a disaster but the experience was unforgettable!

When I got back from Ecuador it was time for a break and for some summer fun with family!

 This may also have been our last year at the cabin in Long Island. I have a ton of memories here and I was glad to get at least one more summer out on the bay!

The rest of the year was spent running, working and playing!

I got to climb some mountains with family and friends! And race a bunch more races!

Some were good!                                                                       Others were bad :(    But all were fun!

                                              In the end we finished off the year the way it should be.
                                             With the best of friends at Drew and Jordan's Wedding!

              It was one of the best years of my life and I am excited to see what this next year holds.
                                                Happy New Year Everyone!

Running on a Prayer

                To me prayer is as much a part of my daily run as the shoes on my feet or the route that I choose to run.  I can’t think of a better time or place to meet with my creator than when I am running.  It is one of the greatest gifts he has given me and there are few other activities that give me a greater sense of being or purpose than simply running.  It is the special sanctuary that he has provided for me to meet with him.  There is not a race that goes by where I don’t call on him for strength before or during the event.  That being said there are plenty of races where I am full of energy and confidence and while I realize this strength is a gift from above it does not take a lot of faith on my part to see myself finishing the race.  Saturday was not one of those days.  As I stood at the aid station at the start of my third loop through Great Falls Park during The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 mile in DC, hands on my knees, eyes fixed on my feet, it was hard to envision myself finishing the next loop.  I closed my eyes said another prayer and started walking out of the aid station my brother Andrew next to me as my pacer now.  “I’ll finish this loop” I told him, “Then I might think about finishing the race, but it’s not likely.”

              
 The day had actually started off pretty well.  We took off from the start at 5am and within a few minutes it just me and two of my college teammates, Jake Reed, and Dan Hibbs out front.  They had both come up from Lynchburg the night before and stayed out my house.  I have run countless miles with these guys so the early hours passed quickly as we caught up on our lives and sloshed through ankle deep mud.  We ran together out front through the first Great Falls loop, going out a little past the first turn around by difficult run when we didn’t notice the ribbons stopping.  It was a good thing I was at the panel event the night before or else we might have tried to keep going!  Near the end of the first loop Dan who was running his first race over 10 miles started to tire slightly, and although we all stayed together my stomach was starting to cause issues, and it was becoming apparent that Jake was the strongest of the group at that point.  As we began the second loop things started to get interesting.

              
 I made it about 200 yards out of the aid station when breakfast started to come up.  Jake and Dan kept moving were just barely out of sight by the time I was back running again.  On the first climb of the loop Jake started to pull away from Dan and by the top of the climb I had pulled even with Dan as well.  I attempted to catch Jake on the downhill and got to within about 10 seconds of him by the turnaround before I had to stop and throw up again.  I kept moving pretty well through the remainder of the second loop hoping that my stomach would start feeling better.  Somewhere along the way I lost sight of Jake, and the doubts started coming.  By the time I finished the loop my stomach was getting worse again and I was just wishing that the day was over. 

              
 Through the third loop I reached one of the lowest points that I had ever reached during any race.  Nothing I ate would stay in my stomach and my body was beginning to feel deprived of any sort of energy.  There were a few things that got me through this loop. Number one was God, I don’t know if I had the strength to stand and still he kept me running.  After that the support of my wife Leah kept me going.  She is always incredibly encouraging and I couldn’t stand to drop out after dragging her out at five in the morning to watch me run.  Still I am not sure that I would have continued on if it wasn’t for the support of people out on the course.  I work at The Running Store, which is less than an hour from where the race takes place and I have met some awesome people there over the last few years that were running as well, and cheered me on as they passed me out on the course.  I had also met several people at the panel event the night before the race who I recognized out on the course as they yelled “Go Jason!”  I tried to shout encouragement back to everyone but at times I was too tired to say anything so if you read this I want you to know you guys were awesome out there!  At the first turnaround on the last loop I was able to get an idea of how far behind Jake I was.  I had been told two minutes when I started the loop but as I began to descend towards difficult run he was already hauling back up the hill at least 4-5 minutes up on me and looking devastatingly strong.  I was reminded of a workout at Liberty my senior year when I had been doing a threshold type run with some pickups out on the IM fields.  I was actually feeling pretty good and generally had a good amount of distance on Jake in workouts but with a mile and a half to go he was still with me and I remember thinking that he must be feeling pretty good.  Then we went up a small hill and he just left me continuing on to run close to 4:40 pace for the remainder of the workout.  He wasn’t going 4:40 pace as he passed me going up the hill but he looked every bit as strong as he did that day a few years back.  By the time I finished the third loop he had extended his lead to eight minutes.  At this point I had finally been able to keep some fruit down and although I wasn’t feeling any stronger I knew that with food in my stomach I might start to feel better soon.  I was still thinking of dropping out but the encouragement I was receiving along with a strange trend I had of feeling amazing during the run back between Great Falls and Algonkian got me out of the aid station for the long haul back to the finish. 

            
   It’s never something that I notice happening but for the third year running I left Great Falls feeling terrible and then by the time I hit the single track along the river a few miles later I was flying along an feeling amazing.  Well at least feeling amazing.  The last two years I would have been flying, today the mud made that next to impossible.  What had been slick conditions on the way out with a few areas of deep mud on the way out had become a trampled mud soup for the return trip.  At one point I saw the toe of someone’s shoe, barely visible, sticking up out of the mud.  Later on someone would tell me that this guy had lost his shoe in the mud and continued on to finish the 50k with one shoe!  I hope that’s true, because that’s an awesome story.  Despite the mud I still felt like I was keeping a strong pace as we closed in on Frazer aid station I was shocked to see Jake up ahead of me.  I had started to have hoped of catching him but was mostly resigned to the idea that this was his day and I was happy for him.  As I caught him I asked him how he was doing and he said that he was cramping pretty bad and was having trouble running.  I told him to hang with me and kept my pace.  I felt bad but I didn’t know when my next crash was coming, I half expected to fall apart in the final few miles and have Jake come back past me again.  As the final miles wound down the crash never came and I still felt strong as I came out of the woods with less than half a mile to go.  Matt Woods was standing there and gave me a high five, at the exact spot where he ended our battle last year in one of my best ultra races ever. 

               
As I crossed the finish line I could barely believe that I had finished much less won.  I think the finishing picture shows it all on my face, fatigue, relief, and thankfulness.  I know that this was a day where my strength was not enough.  I know that it was God’s strength and the encouragement of some awesome people that got me through.  A few minutes later Jake crossed the line to seal the 1-2 for our old Liberty University team.  I think it would have been a really interesting race if he hadn’t cramped up and I look forward to racing him again when we can both have a better day.  I love all of The North Face events but DC is special because it is close to home and I get to see so many people I know race and see their hard work pay off as they cross that line.  In the women’s race fellow TNF athlete Nikki Kimball took the win in course record time which is crazy considering course conditions.  She has been having a stellar spring and it will be exciting to see what she can do at Western States.  I should also note that it was Nikki who got me set up with The North Face in the first place!  Dan finished his first, and he says only, 50 mile which was impressive because this was a spur of the moment decision for him and his longest run before had only been two hours and thirty eight minutes!  I think he summed up the pain that ultra runners go through best later that night around a bonfire at my house when he said “my blood hurts.”  

               

Endurance Challenge Bear Mountain!

When you are planning to run an ultra, or any race for that matter, there are a number of challenges that you are faced with.  You try to have a plan for what you will eat and drink, what you will carry, and what you will pick up at Aid stations.  You prepare yourself mentally for the competition, the challenging sections of the course, and the pain that you will put your body through.  But often times the hardest challenge can be overlooked.  In this case that was getting up at three in the morning.  As it turned out when three A.M. rolled around on Saturday I was not up to this particular challenge, so I reset my alarm to 3:30 and went back to sleep.  Unfortunately the inevitable can only be prolonged for so long, and less than an hour later, along with my faithful crew (wife Leah, and my brother and sister), and fellow racer Jordan Whitlock, I was boarding a bus for the short ride to the start line.  Fast forward one more hour and I found myself, along with several hundred fellow crazy people who would give up their entire Saturday to run 50 miles, charging under the start banner and into the dark misty woods, months of training and planning behind us, 50 miles of mountains, rocks, and adventure ahead.                                               

 The course at Bear Mountain wasted no time getting down to business. After 200 meters on a paved road at the start the course dropped down a hill into the woods and we were scrambling down a trail that resembled a semi dry creek bed.  I settled into about 4^th or 5^th place running next to my friend Jordan and tried to enjoy the friendly conversation and stay on my feet until the sun came up.  There was still a large lead pack as we hit the first aid station, I tossed my bottle and headlamp to Leah and she handed me a full bottle on the run.  Now that’s quality crewing! A few miles after the first aid station things started to thin out a bit as we hit the first real climbs.  Mike Dixon, recent winner of the Vermont 50 held a small lead, and I ran in the chase pack with fellow TNF athlete Leigh Schmitt, Ben Nephew, and Brian Rusiecki who was just coming off a very solid 6:14 win at the Bull Run 50.  The humidity was very high for spring in NY and even though I had an easy rhythm going I felt that I was breathing harder than I should have been as we topped the early climbs.  Coming through the second aid station I swapped my bottle on the run again and continued back into the ever-present fog.  Over the next section of the course Mike continued to lead, as I settled in with Leigh, and Ben, who both looked very strong.  We talked a little while we tip toed over and through wet slippery rocks occasionally catching a glimpse of Mike up ahead of us.  We cruised through aid station three in the same order and entered what I consider the toughest and most scenic part of the course.  Each of the next three aid stations are separated by around 7 miles of rugged, slow terrain.  No aid for the next hour!                                                     

       After scrambling over a gnarly rock section and through a swamp the course shoots up a rocky incline and out onto an open rock outcropping with 360 degree views.  To racers on Saturday this meant a panoramic view of white, as the fog continued to hang low over the ground.  The openness also allowed me to see Mike for a while and I picked up the pace a little to catch up to him.  Coming into aid station four at mile 20.7 Mike and I were running together and Leigh was only a few strides back.  At this point I had battled through some stomach problems but was feeling strong.  I left the aid station a few seconds ahead of Mike and as we came to a creek I decided to jump in.  I was warm and my feet were already as wet as they were going to get so I figured I should cool off, so I hopped into a deep pool completely submerged myself and then jumped back on the trail with Mike feeling like a new person. I would repeat this several times over the course of the day.  Over the next several miles I was able to build a small lead over Mike and Leigh.  Coming down the last descent to the aid station at camp Lanowa my confidence was hitting an all time high. The next thing I knew I was hitting the ground. Fall number two, a PR for falls during a race for me. There went my confidence! I picked myself up off the ground made sure I wasn’t hurt, and then continued down the trail to the aid station and mile 27. Following the aid station there I battled some more stomach issues, and the low points that everyone goes through during an ultra, but by the time I got back to Anthony Wayne with 10 miles left I had refueled and was feeling great again.  At this point I was told that Leigh was in second a few minutes back.  I hadn’t banked any more time on my lead since camp Lanowa at mile 27 so I knew he was running strong.  The final 10 miles of the course flew by.  I felt strong and although I knew that I had picked up the pace I will admit that I glanced back a few times over the final miles to see if Leigh was in sight, especially during the climb over Timp Pass!  Once that final climb was behind I was able to relax a bit and enjoy the run into the finish.  It was a great feeling coming up over the final hill and seeing the finish line, my family and everyone that came to support me.  I wouldn’t be where I am without their support and encouragement.  I threw my arms up as I crossed the line, gave a prayer of thanks, and got a hug from Leah and my team manager.  A few minutes later Leigh crossed the line in second followed by Ben Nephew in third.  Brian and Mike were only a few minutes back rounding out the top five.  After I recovered for a few minutes I grabbed a hot meal and enjoyed the atmosphere as I watched Jordan finish out his race and my friends Bob, and Dan finish up their 50k adventures.  The North Face and Hawkeye do an amazing job of putting on events and it was awesome and inspiring to watch people celebrate as they crossed the line and reached their goals.  As for me my goals for the day were achieved, now it was time for recovery and preparation for my next set of goals.  Only four weeks until Endurance Challenge DC!  Should be fun!