BIGHORN TRAIL 100 MILE – A lesson in problem solving

“It’s better than descending the canyon, it’s better than descending the canyon!”  This was the phrase that, much to the annoyance of anyone within earshot, I was incessantly repeating, OUT LOUD!  I was blurting this outwith as much anger and passion as I could muster while trying to keep myself from blacking out around mile 99 of the Bighorn 100.  I slowly covering the last mile, 1 very long, hot, exposed mile of a long journey.  I was suffering from heat exhaustion, (verging on heat stroke-I had stopped sweating), sleep deprivation, full body destruction, and severe calorie deficiency.  I refused to allow myself to pass out, thereby needing medical attention and getting DQ’d at mile 99 of my 100 mile race.  The descent of the “canyon” I was using as motivation to keep moving forward had just happened. Mile 88-95 of the Bighorn 100 involves descending a 7 mile, exposed canyon trail which starts at ~7500ft and ends at ~4200ft.  Most of the rocky descent is in excess of 15-20% grade, making it a difficult journey on fresh legs much less legs with 90+ miles on them.  But this was the end of the journey; let’s go back to the beginning.

First I’d like to take an opportunity to thank a few people who made this journey possible.  First, my family who supports me and my fun little hobby, you may not understand or even like it but, you are always my number one fans!  To my sponsor Performance Running Outfitters, you truly provide me with the ability to pursue these ridiculous adventures.  If anyone should ever happen to be in the Southeastern Wisconsin area and need anything related to running or outdoor activity this locally owned business are your experts.  For my running club Lapham Peak Trail Runners and all of the individuals who mentored me, the advice was priceless.  Finally, to Team Red White & Blue, an organization driven to help those who have sacrificed more than could be imagined live happy lives.  Coming from a military family, and being a US Navy veteran myself, I am constantly in awe of sacrifices some made while serving, and if you wish to support them this is a great group, just click on the link.

I arrived in Sheridan, WY after a 15 hour drive.  After check-in I went for a little hike up into the canyon that would be the race start and (after a drive) around the courses high point, at 9800ft.  It was during this hike that I realized I was truly ready to run my first 100 mile trail race.  My training had gone well; I was fit and not injured (thanks to my coach IanTorrence).  I practiced, what I thought was a solid nutrition/hydration strategy.  I had erred on the side of keeping it simple with my gear; I figured a more minimalist approach would leave less chance for malfunction. Most importantly I had committed to a reasonable set of goals that would allow me to focus on my own race.

Goal setting was interesting for a race challenge of this magnitude.  This was my first 100 mile race so everything was uncharted territory.  I must have answered the “goal” question a hundred times in the weeks leading up to the race.  After speaking with my coach and running mentors, I chose a tiered goal that would allow me to mentally accept and adapt to any unique challenges that the course would provide.  Bighorn being one of the more challenging 100 milers (as if 100 miles is ever easy, sheesh!) would provide me with ample opportunity to practice this art.  My goals were as follows:

1.       Finish the race, un-hurt, and still having fun!
2.       Break 30 hours.  (Bighorn has a 34 hour cutoff)
3.       Break 24 hours. (Usually less than 15 people do this at bighorn)
4.       If all of the above have been met push as hard as possible for top 10.



Why there was tiered goals (Photo: Joey Luther)

I was asked a lot if I really thought I could run sub 24 or break into the top 10 in my 1^st 100.  I usually answered that I wasn’t really sure but my fitness was good and it would all depend on the course.  (Now there’s a committed answer, right!)

Well race day came (JUN 19), and I found myself calmly riding a shuttle to the race start at 10:45 AM.  Yes that’s right the Bighorn 100 mile actually starts, not at some silly zero dark thirty time but rather, at a casual 11am.  Now this late start also has its drawbacks, by 11am it is already starting to heat up!  This year WY and most of the mountainous west has had an abundance of rain and heat.  This meant it was going to be hot and humid.  The course itself was going to have mud, lots of it!  The conversation in the shuttle and at the start was pretty relaxed, and soon it was time to run.

The Bighorn 100 is an out and back course, it has 3 big climbs and descents, an elevation gain over 17,000ft, and a peak elevation of 8,950ft.  Being that it is an out and back you cover 2 of the climbs in the first half, and 1 on the return.  This means you have to be somewhat conservative with your quads in the beginning of the race as you have 2 really steep, technical descents later in the race.  The race begins with a 7 mile climb straight up a very exposed canyon.  Since the heat was out in full force I took this climb pretty easy.  I watched the lead group fly up the canyon at what seemed like 5k pace.  The leader of this group was a 19 year old runner from OR named Andrew Miller, he would eventually go on to smoke the course in 18:29 and set a new record.  As for the rest of the group running with him, a lot of them would end up dropping out.  Coming to the top of the canyon I stopped to admire an absolute breathtaking view, and then began to run the up and down the bumps which would bring me to the first real downhill of the day.

View of Tongue River Canyon from top (Photo: Andy Wellman)

I was running with a group of about 20-30 people, a little back from the leaders, many whom had run this or other similar 100’s at a very comfortable pace.  This early in the race my only priority was to manage the heat, keep eating, and to try not to make any silly mistakes.  I was working hard to stay cool by wearing a bandana filled with ice, keeping ice in my hat and water bottles, wearing a cotton t-shirt which I kept soaking wet, and soaking myself with water from the mountain runoff every chance I could.  It seemed all the 100 mile veterans were doing the same.  Then one by one all of us started to have stomach issues.  I realized something was not right with my stomach when my adductors and quads all cramped climbing up a pretty easy hill around mile 11.  I stopped to stretch everything out, and realized that although my stomach was allowing me to eat it was not absorbing anything I was putting in it. My muscles were not getting any glycogen and they cramped.  The only thing I could do at this point was slow down, keep eating, and manage the pain.  It was really frustrating watching the group I had been effortlessly running with, although now smaller, run away from me.  But that only lasted for a brief second as my mind was busy trying to solve my current problem. (Scratch goal #4)

I managed to run off and on dealing with the cramps for the next 10ish miles before coming to a mountain creek that would allow me to fully submerge myself.  I did, for several minutes.  I am not sure whether I finally cooled my core enough to turn my stomach back on or it just gave up and started to work, but suddenly my cramps were gone and I had a ton of energy.  Luckily for me this energy and abating of cramps happened right before the first huge descent into the mile 30 aid station.  I happily ran down this insanely steep (think 2200ft in less than 3 miles) trail into the Footbridge aid station.  I was greeted by what looked to be a combat field hospital.  There were runners in all states of destruction.  I am pretty sure I moved up 75 spots by just moving in and out of Footbridge Aid in a few minutes.  Upon leaving this station you begin climbing all the way up to the turn.  That’s right, almost a 20 mile continuous climb.  Unfortunately for the runners, the previous weeks had been so hot that all of the snowpack up high had melted creating a swampy muddy mess for a majority of this climb. I was able to run/hike most of this climb, when I wasn’t loosing shoes in ankle to knee deep mud.  It was somewhere in between 35-40 miles that my next problem appeared, BLISTERS. 

Bighorn Canyon, Jaws Aid is far away in the middle (Photo: Andy Wellman)

Let me back up a bit, I have never had a blister, EVER, on my feet.  I ran my first 50 miler without socks and did not get blisters.  So when at mile 35ish I began to feel this weird sensation on the bottom of my feet could only guess that the mud and water was finally taking a toll.  Well I was right because around mile 40ish two huge blisters one on the ball of each foot exploded.  (Scratch Goal #3) This was a whole new level of pain that took my breath away.  Unfortunately for me, I land on the balls of my feet when I run, so I had two options.  I could change my running gait, possibly causing some other injury to appear, or I could grit my teeth, keep running, and accept the pain.  I chose the latter.  I made decent time to the turn-around point (Jaws Aid Station), and even though my feet were trashed, I was in pretty good spirits.  I had been eating well (Gels, broth, and PB&J quesadillas) and had great energy.  I quickly changed shirts, grabbed my headlamp, and ran back into the night.

Being above tree line, at high altitude, in the middle of the night, during a new moon (no moon) makes it appear as if you can reach out and touch the stars.  The night sky was beyond impressive.  Other than being asked what my goals were for the race, I am pretty sure the next question I answered most was how I was going to run all day, night, and some of the next day without sleeping.  Well with such inspiring star filled skies at night and mountain/canyon filled vistas during the day my mind was so overwhelmed with beauty it forgot to even recognize fatigue.  I moved (hiked/jogged) pretty well down the technical, muddy descent back to footbridge aid (mile 66) arriving about the time the sun came up.  It was here that I decided to assess my feet.  I removed my mud soaked shoes and socks and cleaned my feet.  The damage had been done, all I could do was cover them in Vaseline, put on clean shoes and socks, and move out.  (Lucky me they stayed dry and clean all of 30 seconds!) That same insane downhill I ran to get into Footbridge back around mile 30, I would now be climbing out.  There were several times over the next 3 miles where I was scrambling on all 4’s to keep going up.

By the time I reached mile 70 a combination of the food I had been eating plus the sun rising allowed my running legs to find another gear.  I only had two smaller climbs plus the final huge descent left, so at this point if my body wanted to run hard then that’s what I was going to let it do.  I moved really well for the next 12 miles, making the obscene climb up to the final big aid station at mile 82.  Here I made my second big mistake of the race (1^st was the feet), I sat in a chair! Persuaded by a great medical volunteer, that she might be able to help with my feet, I SAT.  I should have known they were beyond help at this point, but the promise sounded so good.  While sitting in the chair I realized I was going hypotensive (my blood pressure was dropping), I began to shake, and was quickly losing all the valuable energy that had propelled me that last 12 miles so effortlessly.  I got up and out of that station as quickly as I could but it took me almost all 5 miles back to the top of the canyon to pull myself back together. 

So as they say what goes up must come down!  Well this race started with a 7 mile climb up a steep, exposed, technical canyon and now with 88 miles in my legs and destroyed feet I was going down that same route.  I ran down as hard as I could before I would have to slow myself to keep from blacking out due to the pain in my feet.  It took a supreme effort of concentration through the fatigue to stay upright in this mess.  (Plus some gum from the aid station volunteer so I wouldn’t crack my teeth while gritting them!)  I managed to make it to the bottom of the canyon to the final 5 miles of flat, completely exposed, sun baked road during the hottest part of the day! (Lucky me!)  That brings me back to how this report started, with me trying mightily to not be disqualified at mile 99 of a 100 mile race for passing out and receiving medical attention.  I somehow managed to pull myself together enough to jog that last mile through the finishing arch, (100 miles in 29:45:26) where I immediately fell to the ground.

“I am done!” That was my first thought as I lay on the ground, on my back, with tears streaking down my face.  I am not sure why I was crying (although tearing up may describe it better).  I am pretty sure at that point my body was going to do one of two things vomit or cry, and I guess it chose the latter.  I say my body chose because my mind had finally shut off and I had zero control over my body.  Amazing, thirty seconds earlier I was running and now I couldn’t even move.  Well I eventually got it together enough to enjoy a post-race soak in the creek, dinner, hanging out re-hashing the race with all the other finishers, and a few hours of sleep.

The next morning was the awards ceremony where it seemed I was not the only one with feet that felt like smashed hamburger.  I left WY a little more tired and beat up then when I arrived but elated with the fact that I had finished this adventure.  This race tested me and my problem solving abilities like no other.  I told people at the finish that this was the second hardest mental and physical challenge I had ever completed.  Amazingly finishers of multiple 100 milers all said they agreed that this race was a whole new level.  Over 440 people started the race and barely 190 finished.  That’s almost a 60% DNF rate.  The Bighorn 100 mile course had claimed many victims but I was not one of them.  There are things I will do different in my next race, and things that will stay the same. (I will write about that coming up.)  Overall though this was a spectacular race, the beauty of this course is beyond words, hopefully some of the pictures do it justice.  I can’t thank the race organization and volunteers enough, you are all first class!  As for me I am taking a few weeks off, then focusing on some strength training (Got to look good for the beach, yeah right!), and then shifting my fall focus to some cross country (think 5k-8k) trail races I have always wanted to do.

Enjoy the race photos and gear list below!!

 

 

Gear

Shoes: Hoka One One Challenger ATR (Performance Running Outfitters: PRO)

Shorts: Pearl Izzumi 3/4 Ultra Tight (PRO)

Jersey: Performance Running (PRO)

Socks: Smartwool: PHd Outdoor mid crew (PRO)

Hat: Team Red White and Blue

Nutrition: GU (regular & Roctane) & S-Caps (PRO)

Bottles: Amphipod 20oz & 12oz (PRO)

 

Race Photo's

Pre-Race Napping (11am start time)

 



Single Track up Tongue River Canyon with Needle in background (Photo: Andy Wellman)

Tongue River Canyon Trail (Photo: Bighorn100)

Trail Outbound (Photo: Bighorn100)

Final 1 mile of road (Photo: Bighorn100)

100 Miles Complete!!

 

Thanks for reading; I hope you enjoyed the write up.

See you outside!!

AUGUST 2012 Training Recap

AUGUST Training Recap

This month I focused on building speed into my training as well as consistently running back to back long runs, for the upcoming North Face 50K in Sep.  I began the month by shifting my first two runs of the week to be a sub race pace tempo run and an interval workout.  I was running my tempo runs near a 7:00 pace, and the 800 intervals were being run near a 2:40 pace.  These runs were completed Monday and Wednesday.  On Tuesday I was swimming an interval set in the AM and biking hills in the pm.  On Thursday I would do a tempo swim for 1.5 miles.  Then on Friday I was doing a 3 hour long run a little above 50K pace, and then on Saturday AM I would run for 1-2 hours easy.  This training schedule seemed to allow me to get in quality work and some distance as well. 

At the end of the month one of the members of my trail running group, Lapham Peak Trail Runners, celebrated his 50^th birthday by running a 50K fat ass, at Lapham Peak State park.  He consistently podiums in ultras so, as a test, I decided to run with him.  I was planning on running 3 of the 5 loops about 17.5 miles.  I did this, but near the end of the run my right knee really started to hurt.  The pain did not go away with ice or rest in the following few days, so I made an appointment for some chiropractic and ART (Active release Therapy) work.  The ART was good, but as usual the chiropractor worked his magic and within a few days the pain was receding. 

During my long runs I was really able to dial in my use of VESPA and race nutrition, to the point where I would take 1 VESPA JR 45 min before the run and another at the 2 hour mark, and only take 1 or 2 gels for the entire run.  I feel as ready for this 50K as I can with the fact that I could not descend stairs a few days before.  Stay tuned for a post related to my diet, VESPA, and some of the things I changed to include more fat and eliminate carbs, to increase my fat burning efficiency, to enhance race day performance and recovery!  Also for the race report from The North Face Endurance Challenge 50K.

TOTALS

Run     182.9 miles      27:14:01 hours

Swim   11 miles

Bike     77 miles

2012 Dances With Dirt Trail 1/2 Marathon Race Report

This was a race I had been looking forward to for the last 12 months.  I ran the ½ marathon last year as a fun run coming back from two injuries.  With a time of 2:30ish last year I knew had a serious ax to grind with this race.  The Dances with Dirt Devils Lake course is described as being tough with some crazy stupid sections thrown in.  It resembles a Q with a 3 mile single track, followed by a 7 mile loop, and finishing with the same 3 miles.  What makes the course so awesome is that the first 3 miles are all climbing.  Odd for Wisconsin you say, well not when you consider the western half of WI is filled with bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River or other large lakes, such as Devil’s Lake.  Once you complete the first 3 miles of climbing you enter the looped 7 miles of the course, there is a little more climbing in the first mile, then some actual scrambling up the side of a bluff, to get to the top for the amazing views.  This is followed by a gradual descent back to the original 3 miles.  This final 3 miles is now a screaming fast plunge filled with rocks and roots, buckle up because it’s a fun ride down.

I rode to this race with another Zach, this time Zach Otto, not Zach Bitter.  We got there a bit early to meet his brother in law Mark, who had flown in from Oregon to check out what Wisconsinites call crazy trails.  While he was regaling us with stories of running with Hal Koerner and Jenn Shelton (she chicked him in his last marathon), I saw my friend Dave.  Now Dave was supposed to be running the 50K, but he had separated his shoulder 4 days before, so following his doctor’s advice that he rest and not run the 50K he was running the ½, sounds acceptable to me.  I decided I was going to try and perfect racing with VESPA during this race.  After eating a breakfast of moderate protein, high fat, and a little carbs (fruit), I drank nothing but water for 3 hours prior to the start of the race.  45 minutes before the gun I took a VESPA JR and 1 S Cap.  I stuck a gel in my shorts and 1 in my handheld as backup. 

Pretty soon it was go time, we lined up, and I took a spot a little off the front. Mark however took a spot right on the line guess that’s what running with Jenn will do for your confidence.  Off I went with the front 30-40 people, there were over 300 in the race, so I could get onto the single track climb with out a ton of walkers in front of me.  Well that was the plan, but that pace at which the group was running was way faster than this ultra runner is used to 1 mile into a race.  But we hit the single track and I started to climb.  Still going at a ridiculous pace, because I was leading my little train, I actually began to pass people a little over 1 mile into the climb.  This went on for the rest of the way to the loop.  Once we hit the loop I fell in behind two College CC runners and realized, to their horror as well as mine, the loop was reversed this year so instead of a 2 mile climb and 5 mile gradual decent we would be climbing for the next 5 miles.  Holy cow time to pack a lunch this just got fun!  Well I pushed through the climb, managing to only body surf the trail once.  Once we hit the bluff and its grand vista, I slowed my pace so I could enjoy the view without falling off the edge.  To my surprise there was the individual I thought was leading the race performing yoga poses out on a rock, guess the view was too much for him!  On with racing, a quick scramble on all fours down the bluff and I was back at the 3 mile monster decent.  Yee haw time to let my HOKA’s fly, and fly they did.  I managed to pass no less than 8 people in the first mile.  I came screaming down the hill to the finish with a sub 2 hour time.  Shortly after crossing the finish line I was told I placed in my age group, guess getting older has its benefits.  For my award I got a sweet mini, indestructible, flashlight, and as much craft beer from the tappers as I could drink.  I settled in and eagerly awaited the finish of all of my friends and fellow Lapham Peak Trail Runners who were attempting all of the distances. 

My testing of VESPA was awesome I took only 1 VESPA, water, 1 S cap and 2 gels over the 1:50 it took me to finish.  My energy never waivered, even though I was way above threshold for most of the race.  My energy levels combined with my HOKA’s ability to absorb the punishing descents allowed me to fly past my competition in the final miles. The RD’s promised that the course would be tougher and it was.  I would highly recommend this race series to anyone!  The course is tough, they have multiple distance options, the views are awe inspiring, competition fierce, you can camp at the start finish, and the after party is conducted in true UTLRA fashion.



Tom Schiessl, Me, and Melinda Pedersen at the finish, up next where's the beer!

 Thanks as always to my sponsors Performance Running Outfitters and VESPA you make exceeding racing potential a pure joy!

Gear Used
Shirt - Sugoi PRO Race Team Jersey - Performance Running Ooutfitters PRO
Shorts - The North Face Better than Naked Split - PRO
Shoes - Hoka One One Stinson Evo B Trail - iRunFar.com
Calf Sleeves - CEP - PRO
Handheld Nathan bottle - PRO
VESPA - VESPA
Suceed Caps - PRO
Gels - PRO

2012 Ice Age Trail 50 Mile Race Report - Cramps n PR's





2012 Ice Age Trail 50 Mile Race Report

To run or race the Ice Age 50, that was the question I had rolling in my mind for the last month.  To accomplish the latter, racing, I was going to have to very comfortable in my ability to do the former, run.  Going into the race I had been able to consistently train without major injury.  I also was able to more closely dial in my nutrition and gear for racing.  I had better trained my body to burn fat, was using VESPA, and had just received my new shoes, the HOKA stinson evo.  Friday arrives, my bottles get filled, packets get picked up, and I pretend to sleep for a few hours.

The morning of the race I had the pleasure of sharing a ride with, the eventual winner, Zach Bitter.  The conversation was non-stop from the moment we got into the car, man were we wide awake for 4:30 in the morning!  We caught up on training, eating, and racing.  We also talked about our goals for Ice Age, his were slightly loftier than mine.  After the destruction of my body in my last 50 mile race, a 10:35 finish, I had set my main goal as an 8 hour finish, with a stretch goal of seeing that finish time start with a 7.  We got to the race and quickly got our things together.  This was the first time I have ever seen the line for the men’s bathroom longer than the women’s.  Well everyone got ready, Jeff gave us the course run down, told us about Craig and his Ice Age 500 (extra crazy!!), the national anthem was sung, and bang off we went.

The front of this race was FAST!!!  This concerned me as I have trained my body to run on fat, and if you begin to tap your glycogen stores too quickly that is what your body will utilize, and in an ultra that just won’t work.  I fell in with a large contingent of LPTR’s and we quickly blew through 5 miles in a little over 40 minutes, yeah everyone seemed to be moving fast.  Around mile 7 I caught up to my friend David Schmidt, whom I paced last year at the Kettle 100.  We compared race goals, settled in, and began conversing.  Anyone who runs with me knows I LOVE to talk while running; it seems to make me faster!  Well it must have been working because we cruised into highway 12 in about 2:30ish, which is a 7:30 finish.  I was feeling great, the pace seemed sustainable and my nutrition was spot on, I was using VESPA and a combination of coconut water and gels.  Dave and I refilled, re-grouped, and headed out.

I was really looking forward to this section of the course, not for its technical aspects, but rather because the turn around at Rice Lake would allow us to see who was in the race lead.  I had earnestly thrown my vote in Zach’s direction and was hoping that would be the case.  Well Dave and I were making great time so the course leaders, Zach in front, did not pass us till after Esterly Rd, which meant they were only about 4 miles ahead of us!  We hit the turn and off we went.  This was very exciting; the last ultra I ran had 60 starters, while this one had 350.  Being that Dave and I were probably in the top 40 meant we passed a lot of people after the turn, and it was fun seeing everyone have a great time.  Right around mile 25 I started to have issues running up hills so I told Dave to go on, I would power hike the hills, and catch up after highway 12.  I also began to feel small cramps in my hip adductors and calves so I swallowed every bit of salt I had.  I ran through the highway 12 aid station, begged some salt tabs, and took off. (Photo 1, 2)

27 miles into the race I was still on a 7:30 finish pace, but that was about to come to a screeching halt.  At mile 28 my body locked up in a full assault body cramp, from my forehead to my toes every muscle I had seized up.  I stopped running, started taking in more salt, began walking, and tried to figure out what was going on and how I was going to fix it.  Barring a disastrous injury I had never before let the DNF thought cross my mind.  Had I not been between aid stations I would have called it a day.  As soon as that thought came, I realized it was time for the mind to will the body into motion.  (Photo: Smiling through cramps) I began a process of jogging and stumbling, while cramping, which would have impressed even the best drunken Frankenstein impersonators.  During this stretch between highway 12 and Horserider camp I had the pleasure of running with and getting to know some great people, amazing enough the only muscle that seemed to be working properly was my jaw so the conversation began!  The first of these guys was John Nagel, from Juneau Alaska.  The minute he told me where he was from I mentally pictured myself running with Geoff Roes, why you ask, well I figured if he was Geoff and I was keeping pace with him, then I was still ok!  Come to find out John not only knows Geoff but works as a guide at Geoff’s Alaskan Ultrarunning Camp.  The second individual was Logan Polfuss.  Logan has run an impressive list of races already this year and has several more to complete.  He was battling his own demon’s this day and he was working through them by talking, well holy smoke that works for me!  We started talking, my mind told my cramping legs to shut up, and I am pretty sure everyone we passed was extremely impressed at how quickly we both were running while seemingly not breathing due to speaking.

Shortly before Horserider camp the leaders passed us again with Zach in the lead, I informed Logan my bag was in Zach’s car so I either need to pick up my pace or pray that he stuck around after his finish!  We ran into Horserider where I saw Dave’s wife, I asked where he was, and she promptly lied saying he was only about 20 minutes ahead of me.  I didn’t see Logan so I put on the tunes and took off looking for Dave.  By this point I was angry with my body and decided to remind it who was in charge by promptly picking up the pace.  I began to pass people hoping to catch sight of Dave.  Well I did, except he passed by me about 25 minutes before the aid station, Dave’s wife had told me 20 minutes when it was more like 60, but I was cutting that time down.  I hit the turn and then raced back to Horserider where I dropped my waist pack, grabbed my hand-helds, and flew out of there like I was racing a 5k.  The final 7 miles Ron Bero, a fellow LPTR, and I began playing tag on the trail.  He was feeling the climbs and I was smashing the down hills, not sure if this was my anger or my new shoes!  Ron and I were passing people and running for home.  Ron pulled ahead about 30 seconds and we ran through like that.  I came around the corner, sprinting, with a huge grin on my face, and was greeted by a finish time of 8:35, a 2 hour personal best!!!  I was ecstatic I had met my original goal of finishing in 8, but more importantly I had overcome a debilitating 11 mile stretch of cramps to finish strong.  My energy levels remained consistent, even through the cramps, and I credit both VESPA and my higher fat diet for this!  My recovery has been fantastic, 1 day post race I went for a monster bike ride. I credit my diet, and my new HOKA's for my speedy recovery, these shoes are fantastic and a review of them will be coming shortly.

Congratulations to everyone who raced on Saturday.  Congrats to Zach Bitter on his win, and thank you for not leaving with my bag!  Thank you to all the volunteers and everyone else who graciously helped me out through the lows!

Gear Used
Shirt - Sugoi Race T - Performance Running Outfitters
Shorts - CW-X Stabilyx Ventilator - Performanace Running Outfitters
Calf Sleeves - CEP - Performance Running Outfitters
Hydration - Nathan 2VElite waist pack - Performance Running Outfitters
Shoes - HOKA ONE ONE Stinson Evo, provided by iRunFar
Nutrition - VESPA, Gels, Coconut Water, Salt

Still not tired of talking, John Zinzow and I

Dave and I at the Finish

March Training Recap

March Training

Following is a brief synopsis of my training and racing for the month of March. 

Look out with a mild winter the snow has melted and the trails are starting to dry out.  I continued building my base mileage during the month while decreasing my time spent cross training.  I also added in hill workouts at Lapham Peak State Park, as the trails have opened back up for running.  I also began completing longer runs on the trails, oh boy does the trail find muscles you haven’t used in awhile.

TOTALS

RUN   186.3 Miles  26:28:31

BIKE   45 Miles

SWIM 7.75 Miles