Runs On Beer

Running for a Cause Part II; 100 miles in 24hours

David — Sun, 05 May 2013 16:18:39 +0000

With only a little less than two weeks until my first 100 mile ultramarathon, the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100, it’s difficult to summarize my thoughts and feelings. It seems like the last few weeks have gone by in a flash and there’s a ton of things swirling around my head. I am both terrified and ecstatic. It’s still a bit unfathomable to think about waking up at 4am and running for 24 hours straight. There are so many unknowns going into a race like this, such as the weather (high heat during the day, cold mountain tops, and thunderstorms), fueling (taking in enough calories, staying hydrated, not becoming nauseous and puking), the terrain (very technical with LOTS of rocks, not tripping and breaking any bones), and so much more.

These unknowns are also what make the race so alluring. While the unknown can be scary, it can also be exhilarating! I have no idea how my mind and my body will hold up over 100 rugged miles over 24 hours of running, but I’m excited to find out. Pushing oneself outside of their comfort zone is a fundamental way to experience growth. I’m fully anticipating experiencing extreme highs and lows during the race, but am looking forward to breaking through all the outer layers and possibly learning something new about myself.

I am beyond thankful to have a team of selfless and dedicated friends who are genuinely excited to crew and pace for me. Having crewed and paced others at several races varying in length, I know first hand how self-less an act this is. These people will spend an entire day driving around the back woods of Virginia meeting me at predetermined aid stations throughout the course to fuel me up, be there for anything I may need, and cheer me along. Then they will switch back and forth to run with me through sunset and into the night over the last 38 miles of the race.

To give some background of just how self-less crewing and pacing an ultramarathon are, check out this Runners World article detailing the many pros and many cons.

I would be infinitely more nervous if I didn’t know that I would have these friends there to keep me moving; one foot in front of the other. Knowing that I have the support of so many friends and family will definitely be something I draw upon when I lit low points during the race. In a wide range of ways, many of my friends and family have inspired and helped me throughout the years of running and are part of the reason I will tow the starting line at 4am on May 18th.

I’ve been signed up to run my first 100 miler since early December. I’ve thought about running a 100 miler for some time, and always intended on using my race as a means to raise money for a cause that is important to me. I had considered a number of charities but none had really clicked with me. Some time had gone by and with my race approaching, I figured I would just run the race for myself. Then I heard that a friend from high school had recently been diagnosed with Leukemia. It definitely hit home, having someone who was so young and had spent so much time growing up in the same environment and town as myself, diagnosed with cancer. Those who battle cancer know what it means to persevere and push on no matter what, because sometimes all you can do is keep moving forward; one step at a time, with your eyes set on the horizon.

Therefore, I will be running the MMT 100 to raise awareness and collect donations for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in honor of Brittany and all those who are unrelenting in their fight against cancer.

Please consider donating any amount here.

More information on Brittany and her fight against Leukemia can be found on Facebook.

One Boston

David — Sun, 05 May 2013 16:10:48 +0000

It’s been a little over two weeks since the bombings at the Boston marathon. I was incredulous when I first heard reports that two bombs exploded at the finish line of the marathon. I immediately thought of all my friends who were running and spectating at the marathon and began reaching out to fellow RVRR club members to try and see if everyone was unharmed and accounted for. It took some time, but we were able to confirm that all of our friends and fellow runners were safe. The whirlwind of events that transpired over the week following the bombings had me in sort of a funk. Driving home from work on marathon Monday, I kept thinking about how excited I was to run my first Boston three years prior and how accomplished I felt when I crossed the finish line, the same place that had now turned a day of joy and celebration to terror and sadness.

I did what most runners likely did that afternoon, I laced up my shoes, put on my blue Boston marathon tech shirt and went out for a run. My run helped clear my mind a bit, but I still had a feeling that this attack was somewhat personal. The assailants didn’t only attack innocent men, women and children, or an entire city– they attacked all runners.

The first woman to run the Boston Marathon, Katherine Switzer, is known for her famous quote, “If you’re losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon”. I couldn’t agree with this statement more. It is very inspiring to watch a marathon; not only to observe the individual runners triumph over completing 26.2 miles, but also to observe the many spectators and runners who are complete strangers, cheer and celebrate each other along their journeys.

The tenacity and kindness of runners and marathon spectators alike couldn’t have been more evident after a horrific attack such as this. From the Marathoners who ran through the finish area straight to donate blood, to those who ran to the aid of the victims within seconds of the blasts. Along the marathon course, spectators offered blankets, water, and food for the thousands of marathoners corralled outside of the city.

Being runners, we will do one thing that runners do best; we will persevere. It’s this unwavering mentality to push on no matter lies in front of us, no matter how much it hurts, or how far we have left to go, that is one of the great qualities that runners are known for.

Hellgate 100k Race Recap

David — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 01:34:04 +0000

To Hell and Back Again…

Hellgate Elevation Profile - Photo by The Roanoke Times

There were only 139 runners ~~brave~~ ~~crazy~~ stupid enough to run this race. The Hellgate 100k is known as being a one of a kind race, as the race director, David Horton, created the event to inspire humility. Previous race winner, Eric Grossman described Hellgate as being the most representative race of what an ultra means to David Horton, with it’s “huge withering climbs, brilliant wide-open vistas, plenty of brutal technical terrain but also miles of free running.”

This race was like no other I have ever run, starting from the very beginning. Zsuzsanna, Barry, and I met up around 8am Friday morning for the 6.5 – 7hr drive to the finish of the race. We arrived, spoke with David Horton, and the Grindstone 100 RD, Clark Zealand and picked out our bunk beds. Admittedly, I was a bit skeptical of sleeping in bunks in this cabin for the weekend, believing I would really want to have my own space and sleep in a real bed after missing a night’s sleep to run 60+ miles. However, finishing a race and being shuffling distance to clean, dry clothes, bathrooms and showers was beyond appreciated. After a great pre-race dinner, we headed back to the cabin to lay down for a bit before the pre-race meeting. David talked about the weather and course, highlighted some of the top runners and milestone runners (9 shooting for 10 Hellgate finishes) and tried to find rides to the start for all of the runners.

Then we had roughly 2 hours to kill before heading to the race start. All of the bunks quickly filled up with nervous runners trying to grab any amount of sleep possible before venturing into the woods for an all night run. As seems to happen all so often, it felt like I finally was able to fall asleep just as someone turned on the lights for a quick gear check before our 10:50pm departure. I quickly geared up and headed out front to meet up with my ride. Two of the other runners in the car have run the race a few times and were reminiscing about some of the previous years and how mild the weather was this year. I asked if they had any tips for a first timer and they replied to start out slow, hike the first few big climbs, and be diligent in keeping an eye out for course markings, as there are many turns that could be easily missed.

We arrived at the race start, a very nondescript parking lot in the dark woods. We checked in and lined up on the trail. With a few minutes before the 12:01 start, we sang the national anthem and David said a short prayer for the safety and well being of all the runners. A runner followed with a prayer of his own, asking for the well being of the race director, who was scheduled for open heart by-pass surgery on Monday morning.

Photo by Jack Anderson

12:01 am – Here Goes Nothing

Despite Barry and I settling into a solid pace for the first few miles, we were constantly being passed by other runners. We felt like we were running fairly quickly and agreed to maintain our pace and let everyone else go, as we wanted to be conservative for at least the first half of the race. After the first 3 miles or so we hit the first aid station and made a left onto a dirt road to begin our climb up to Aid Station (AS) 2 at Petites Gap.

1:00 am – Aid Station or Moon?

On the drive to the race start a few Hellgate veterans offered a few tips, one of which was to run out of AS 1 until you turn right and hit some of the steeper terrain. There it would be smarter to conserve energy and hike the rest of the way. Planning to run fairly conservatively for the first half, I took this to heart and planned to follow their suggestion. However, after running for quite some time after AS1 and traversing a few switch backs, I kept thinking to myself “where the heck is this going to get steeper?” The dirt/gravel road maintained its grade for the majority of the 2+ miles to the top, all the while zig-zagging back and forth offering views of all the bobbing headlamps below. About half-way up the climb, there was a bright, foggy light at what looked like the top of the climb. Barry and I questioned if it was the moon, or lights at the aid station. It wasn’t until a switch-back or two further where our perspective changed and we were able to confirm that it was indeed the moon and we unfortunately could not see the top of the mountain or any signs of the aid station.

3:00 am – Hide and Seek

We could see the aid station with a bonfire and Christmas lights for some time leading into AS3 Camping Gap but we zigzagged all over before finally arriving at this aid station. Honestly, I don’t remember too much about this section except that I was starting to get fairly sleepy. I was very happy to be running with Barry. I never got terribly sleepy, but I was yawning for a while and definitely voiced a few times how tired I was. I believe this was the section where we hit the fog. All of a sudden we just ended up in fog which made visibility very sketchy. The tiny water particulates essentially blinded you from the light from the headlamp. My handheld light did little to make it any better. As quick as we came into the fog, it was suddenly gone after a few miles.

Photo by Kristin Eddy

7:00 am – Where the Heck are You Sun?

Having recently run the Stone Mill 50 which starts in the dark at 6am, I anticipated that the sun would rise around the same time, and that I wouldn’t need my headlamp any longer come 630-645. However, the mountains of Virginia had different plans for me. 6am comes and goes and it’s still completely dark. 7am comes and goes and while the sky is getting a bit brighter, a headlamp/handheld is still needed on the wooded trails. I’m completely bewildered why the sun hasn’t really shined its light on us yet. It wasn’t until around 8am where it was bright enough for us to turn off our headlamps and run by the light of day. While mentioning this to apparent phenomena to Zsuzsanna after the race, she asked where we were in the race. Barry and I calculated that were likely about half way between AS5 and AS6. Zsuzsanna mentioned that the sun came up at the normal time around 645 and that we were on the West side of the mountain, thus the delay in sunlight getting to us. Whew, so I wasn’t going crazy out there!

8:00 am – Half Way There?

AS 6, Little Cove mountain, is where i first started understanding what everyone meant when they kept mentioning “Horton Miles”. Doing the math at this AS, I figured I had about 30 more miles to go and needed to run that in around 5 hours in order to hit 14 hours. This didn’t seem all that possible, yet I was fairly sure we were on pace for somewhere around a 14 hour finishing time. Therefore, we had to be further in the race than the advertised 34.5 miles. I didn’t let this get me down, as I knew I was making good time. So I pushed on, not knowing how far I truly was into the race or what time I was on pace to finish at. This was okay by me, just another small mental speed bump to get over wondering whether I had 20+ or 30+ more miles to run.

10:00 am – Hamburger & Body Glide

This section seemed to go on for quite some time and was actually the coldest time during the race. After the sun was up, we would run through some really chilly sections, cold enough that I needed to put my thin gloves back on a few times. This is another section I don’t recall much from, except from AS7, Bearwallow Gap, where we were able to access our drop bags for the second and final time. Rolling into the aid station, I was greeted by a very excited David Horton who checked us in. Then it was on to business; drop headlamp, empty garbage from pockets, restock with Hammer gels, and refill my hydration bladder. I jumped at the offering of some real food, the first of the race for me, and enjoyed 1/2 of a hamburger. I also burdened one of the aid station workers to apply a generous amount of Glide to the chafing on my back caused by my pack.

Photo by Kristin Eddy

12:00 pm – In the Zone

Barry and I rolled through AS 8 somewhere around noon. As was true with many other sections throughout the race, AS 7 to AS 8 seemed to go on forever. I couldn’t recall if that was know as the “forever section” or if the next section was. Going through the aid station, I stopped for a bit of electrolytes, ate 1/2 a quesedilla, and was informed by a volunteer that this next section of 7.6 miles was known as the forever section. I took two Ibuprofen as a preventative measure, and decided to put my headphones in and see what I had left in my legs. Barry and the other runners pulled ahead while I slowed to eat, and prep for the last ~13-16 miles. I rolled past Barry and suggested he also take an Ibuprofen, as he was struggling with his knee, and let him know I was going to see what I had left. I pulled ahead and wouldn’t see Barry again until the finish. I got into a nice groove running down this washed out dirt road section, getting an expected boost from my music. The course made a right onto single track trails which were primarily covered in leaves and rolling in terrain. I was able to keep a solid momentum, running the majority of everything and moving along at a solid clip. I started picking off a few runners and rolled into the final aid station feeling strong. I paused long enough just to take two swigs of mountain dew from the bottle and I was on the final section of the race. The next 3 miles were a continuous climb straight up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was focused and power hiked the entire club, mixing in short sections of running. This climb went on and on and on and around each bend, you were offered of a view of more climbing ahead. This also provided a great line of sight for any runners that were up ahead, and I was motivated to continue powering up the climb, passing 2 or so runners. I came to the top, crossed the road, passed the 2nd place female and her pacer, and prepared myself for 3 downhill miles to the finish.

1:30 pm – Alive

Think back to the last time you truly felt alive, I mean truly alive; blood pumping, heart beating, smile on your face, every emotion running through your body, yet you don’t really feel any single one in particular; you’re just completely in the moment, alive and happy to be, feeling a bit invincible. It’s not an emotion we are lucky enough to experience too frequently, perhaps for the better. Climbing 3 miles up the last mountain, I knew I had some juice left and that I would give everything I had once I reached the top, crossed the Blue Ridge Parkway and began the final 3 down hill miles to the finish. I was racing to finish under 14 hours and try and catch as many people as I could, I was racing to run away from everything, and I was racing to go nowhere in particular. The last 3 miles were the perfect grade down, not too steep where you have to slow yourself down with your legs or risk having a ridiculous leg turnover. The trail was wide, packed, rocky fire road which was extremely runnable making it was easy to blast down the trail. I ended up running the final 3 miles in somewhere around 19 minutes and passed 4 runners. I popped out on the dirt road and knew it was only a short distance to the 1 mile mark, I was definitely moving at 6 minute or quicker pace at this point. I rounded the corner to the campground and only had a short uphill road section to the finish line outside our cabin.

1:48 pm – To Hell and Back Again

After finishing and thanking David for allowing me into the race, and saying how great the experience was, I shuffled inside to change my shirt and grab a towel and made it back outside just in time to see Barry finish strong in 13:58 and change. My final time was 13:48:47 and I placed 24th overall out of the 139 runners who started. I am more than happy with my race and finish time. Hellgate is truly a special race with everything from the communal lodging for the weekend to the course and terrain. Running this race has given me great confidence to run my first 100 miler.

Photo by Kristin Eddy

A few take aways I had from the race:

Food - Eat when you can. There were a few sections where I was focused/not feeling great or was exhausted and I wasn’t eating much. When I would “come to” I doubled up on Hammer Gels to help keep the calories up. This seemed to work well and I didn’t have any real stomach issues.

Run when you can, power hike when you can’t – The course was definitely not short of climbs. Some where very long (3+ miles) and gradual, others a bit shorter and steeper, there was really a mix of all types of climbing. I ended up running a good majority of these. However, when I needed a break I would power hike and try to keep at a solid and steady pace.

Hand held Flash Light – I was hesitant to bring a handheld flashlight, as I had just purchased a new, powerful headlamp, however i was fearful something would happen to it, or the batteries would go and I would be alone in the dark without any light to replace them. Ultimately the hand held was pain the butt, but was glad I had it in a few sections. After eating some food from my pack, I was able to tuck the light in up front when I wasn’t using it.

Volunteers Are an Underrated Race Component – I must mention that the volunteers were truly top notch. Coming into aid stations, everyone was helpful and provided tremendous support. They were quick to refill my hydration bladder at almost every stop and were even willing to rub glide on my back chafe from my pack. They were quick to find my drop bags and told me to get running when I was done and they would zip it up and put it where it needed to go. I can’t say enough great things about all the volunteers and how truly I appreciated them all!

Calories Consumed:
20-25 Hammer Gels
4-5 Clementines
1 package of Cliff Blocks
2.5 packages of Honey Stinger Chews
1 Honey Stinger Waffle
1/2 a hamburger
1/2 a quesadilla
1 cup broth & noodles
1 mint cookie
~10 orange slices
~2 handfuls of potatoes
2, 5 hour energy shots
A few cups of GU brew
4 ibuprofen

Clothing & Gear:
Brooks Shorts
North Face tech t-shirt
New Balance MT 110 shoes
Salomon Exo IV Calf Tight Sleeves
Drymax Lite Trail Socks
Nathan 1.5L Hydration Pack
Petzl Myo-Rxp 2 Head lamp
Running Warehouse Arm Warmers
Ascis Everyday Liner Gloves

Stone Mill 50 Recap and Hellgate 100k Look Ahead

David — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:19:59 +0000

50 mile Start - Photo by Woolheater

Two weekends ago I completed the Stone Mill 50 in Maryland, my third 50 mile trail race.

The weather for the 50 miler was kind to us, as It was a beautiful day for running with a low around 28F and high around 52F. The course was very runnable with a mix of single track and fire road, making the course very runnable. However, the cumulative stress from many flat miles was adding up and I found myself in a rough patch around the 28 mile mark after running a 3:30-3:35 for the first half of the race. While running on a towpath along the Potomac river, instead of suffering and thinking about how far I still had to go, or how tired/sore I was becoming, I thought back to my experience pacing Dan Brenden at the Vermont 100 and asked myself, “What would Dan do?” I reminded myself how happy Dan was to be out there running and seemed happy throughout 100 tough miles, so I put on a big smile and said good morning to every walker, cyclist, and jogger that I passed and kept my focus looking out, admiring the beauty of the river in the gorgeous morning weather.

Sunrise - Photo by Trombatore

This was just the first of many times I brought my thoughts back to my time spent with Dan in VT and was able to put on a big smile and just try to truly enjoy where I was at that very moment. Experiencing lows and being able to “enjoy” them with a smile on your face, reminds you that perspective and mental toughness is truly one of the most important variables, and obstacles, in any ultra distance. I had some pain and tightness in my hamstring, knee, and foot all on my left side around the same time. I was run/walking a bit from the 28 mile mark to around mile 34 when I was able to take two Ibuprofen. 20 minutes later I was back in business, as my stride returned to normal and the pain was dulled. I popped in my headphones and cranked out the last 16 miles, passing more than a handful of runners over that time. I was able to push harder and run faster the closer I got, knowing I was chasing a sub 8hr finish and a new 50 mile PR. I was trying to hold my place and possibly catch anyone else in front of me, and ultimately just be done running! I finished the race in 7th place overall with a new 50 mile PR of 7:52; just 42 seconds behind 6th place who had passed me during my run/walk low around mile 30. Overall I am very happy with the race and my result. I set a new PR with little specific training, and really enjoyed much of my time out on the trails, especially the first ~25 miles spent running with my buddy Jayson.

The following morning, we woke up early to drive into Philadelphia to cheer for many RVRR teammates in the full and half marathons. I am happy we decided to make the trip into Philly and hobble around cheering for everyone. It was great seeing the faces and the joy and gratitude for everyone we cheered for, especially those running their first marathons. This weekend marked four years since I ran my first marathon back in 2008 and my mom was quick to remind me that when asked if I was going to do another marathon after I finished four years ago, I responded, “No way” and now I competed in a race nearly double the distance and almost 4 years to the day. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when no one tells you that you can’t and when you have the support of so many amazing friends and family.

Hellgate Elevation Profile - Photo by The Roanoke Times

Looking ahead, I have been recovering/tapering for the last two weeks since Stone Mill, as I am signed up for my first 100k on December 8th. I am running David Horton’s Hellgate 100k in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. I’m definitely a bit nervous about this race, as it will be the longest distance and likely continuous hours I will have run at one time. Plus the race starts at 12:01 AM on Saturday morning and has many big climbs and descents with around 24,000 feet of elevation change and plenty of technical trails. Reading previous race reports and course reviews, it’s easy to conclude that this race is unlike many others, is extremely difficult and in return is very rewarding and “special”. I can’t say that I feel fully prepared for the race, but I have done some great training over the last 6+ months. I don’t also feel 100% recovered from the Stone Mill 50 but am fully committed to giving 100% and finishing this race one way or another. It’s going to hurt for sure, but isn’t that what I signed myself up for? Either way, I am looking forward to the challenge and opening a new page in my ultra running book.

Runcation

David — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 02:58:57 +0000

Run·ca·tion
(rən/ˈkāSHən)
Noun: An extended period of running, especially one spent away from home or while traveling.

My recent trip to Portland, Oregon was the latest in my series of runcations. Previously, I have traveled to Colorado (Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins) as well as California (Lake Tahoe/Squall Valley, Yosemite and San Francisco) with plans to explore these cities and their surrounding wilderness while on foot. Not all runcations require a week away from work and a flight across the country, some of my most memorable runcations have been a short car ride away, consisting of weekends discovering new trails with friends be it in New York, Vermont or other East coast states.

This most recent trip had other significance, in that it also marked my first 100 mile week. Over the 7 days spent in Portland, I logged around 104 miles over 22 and and half hours of running, moving time. A good deal of this was spent climbing or descending, as we ran three different volcanoes and spent time zig-zagging our way through the Columbia River Gorge area, valleys around Mt. Hood, and the Tillamook State Forest.

There may be no better way to explore a new city or area than by on foot. Running allows one to get a good feel for a new city or connect with the mountain or trails in a very personal way. Running allows you to cover a lot of ground in a shorter amount of time compared to hiking, and usually presents you with opportunities to get away from the crowds. Below are some tips to consider for a successful runcation.

Tips for a Successful Runcation:

1. Plan Ahead
Carry a map, let someone know where you’re running, be sure to check the weather, pack layers, bring sunblock and a change of dry/warm clothes, pack a hand held bottle or running pack.

2. Fuel Properly
This means carrying plenty of calories and water for your planned adventures. Also, if you’re running trails/mountains and not near many towns or places for food, you may want to bring food and water for when you finish your run. Its NOT fun returning after a few hour adventure with no food waiting for you and an hour or more drive back to civilization. Don’t be silly, prevent yourself from getting hangry before it happens!

3. Travel with a Friend
Find someone with similar fitness and love of running. You don’t want to get out there and hold someone back or be held back. It’s important that everyone is capable of logging the miles and equally excited to explore a new area. Also, if you’re out running in a remote area it’s much safer to run with someone. I’ve been lucky enough not to encounter many dangerous situations or unfriendly wildlife, but anything can happen.

4. Don’t Forget to Enjoy it
This last tip seems simple enough; you’re on vacation, you’re supposed to be enjoying yourself. However, this is perhaps the most important tip of them all. After a few long days of running, a wrong turn or difficult trail, down on some sleep, a bit hungry and thirsty and you could have a recipe for disaster! Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses, take in the sights, slow down and look for wildlife, flowers, and trees not native to your area. If you don’t remember to take it all in and enjoy yourself, it’ll quickly be over.

Stay tuned for additional posts covering some of the runs and trails I experienced while in Portland, including: Multnomah Falls and Larch Mountain, Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, Kings Mountain, and Elk Mountain.

You Always Remember Your First

David — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 20:56:43 +0000

RVRR Crew pre-race - Photo courtesy of Sally H.

Having run 11 Ultras (nine 50ks and two 50milers) as well as countless training runs all across the country, I’ve had the honor of experiencing many amazing trails and races. However, NJ Trail Series Mountain Madness 50K holds a special place in my heart, as it was the first race that took me beyond the 26.2 barrier back in 2009. Since running this race in it’s inaugural year, I’ve been back each year since. As with most trail/ultra races, this race has a great community of runners, volunteers, and race directors which add to the enjoyment of the event. It’s also held in early Fall when the leaves are changing and the weather is crisp making for beautiful and fast running conditions!

In the events inaugural year in 2009, I went up with a few friends, the two who ran the 50k ended up getting lost and needed to take a taxi back to the start. My other two friends ran the 7 miler which ended up being closer to 14 miles with some wrong turns added in. Running any race with friends can really make all the difference in the world. You have people to carpool up with and BS with prior to the race start which helps settle the nerves and keep your mind off the race. Even better is having friends cheer you along during the course, cheer you through the finish, and enjoy some post-race beers together. What really what made this year special was being able to share this great trail race with so many of my RVRR friends. It was a special day for three RVRR teammates who were lining up to attempt their first Ultra, and a fourth running her first trail race.

9 AM – Race Start

The course was different this year in that instead of having roughly 8 miles of easier trails to spread out the pack, we ran roughly a half a mile before turning onto single track up the first notable climb. I went out comfortably with the lead pack of around 10 guys to try and avoid the likely bottleneck throughout this section. I was feeling good, passed by a few on the climb and settled into 5th or 6th with my buddy Bill. I had the pleasure of running the first ~18 miles with Bill who was running his first marathon/ultra marathon. Running with him kept me relaxed and helped me keep moving at a quick and steady pace. It felt just like we were out on a training run, but with more people and covering the miles at a quicker pace.

~Mile 10 - Photo courtesy of Joe A. of MpFit

My Nathan pack has been having some malfunctions recently which I haven’t been able to pinpoint. The bladder doesn’t seem to leak outside of the pack, yet when I put it inside it begins to leak, a lot! I lost about half my water (3/4 L) within the first few miles and was pretty soaked. I didn’t plan to stop at any aid stations long enough to refill it, plus there would have been no point if it would just leak again so I made do with what was left in the bladder. This caused me to be pretty thirsty by the time I got to each aid station, forcing me to stop at each aid station longer than I would have liked. I still was in and out fairly quickly pausing only to drink a cup or two of water, pick up some orange slices, a hammer gel and some PBJ’s (thanks Alli). Bill and I went through the first two Aid Stations together and then passed John from Sneaker Factory who was also running his first ultramarathon, we chatted a bit and Bill and I continued on our way.

I really had pretty close to the perfect race one could ask for; I didn’t get off course, had no tumbles, and never really hit a low or felt super spent. I ran by myself from the point I pulled off from Bill but didn’t really mind it, the time seemed to go by fairly quickly. One runner passed me not long after splitting from Bill. I knew that I was moving fairly quickly and believed this guy HAD to be running the 25K because of how quick he was moving and how fresh he looked. After a mile or two, I pulled up to a battered Jayson Kolb who was in a rough place due to a few falls. He mentioned that the next 50k runner was about 4 minutes up. I had thought Jayson was in third place and couldn’t believe that the other guy was running the 50k. I tried not to dwell on it too much, buckled down and kept moving forward with my eyes on Aid Station 6 at the Start/Finish.

Focused coming into AS6 - Photo courtesy of Joe A. of MpFit

Well before race day, I decided I would put in my headphones at this final manned aid station. The last ~7.77 miles are arguably the most runnable of the entire course and I knew music would motivate me to give everything I had over that last bit of the race. Just as I descended onto the carriage trail with about a quarter mile to go to the aid station and turn around point for the start of the final loop, I crossed paths with Jason Friedman who was in 3rd place. I took note of the time and pushed into the aid station. I dropped all my food, aside from one Roctane Gu, drank a cup or two of water and sprinted out of the aid station with much encouragement and motivation from everyone to race for 3rd place and the cash prize that went along with it. When I reached the point I crossed paths with Jason, he was just about 6 minutes ahead of me. I knew I would have to run with everything I had just to have a chance of catching him, but I knew it was possible. In previous years running this race, I’ve caught runners and put 12+ minutes between us over as little as ~3 technical miles before the finish. As I anticipated, my music gave me the much needed adrenaline rush that it typically does in the last few miles of ultras, enough so that I was running nearly all out in hunt for 3rd place. I focused on my breathing and my footing, knowing one spill could take me out of the picture. These last miles had many straight sections where you could see a quarter mile or so ahead of you and I kept wishing that I would catch a glimpse of 3rd place. I knew I was running wicked fast, but I had no idea how strong Jason was running. Just when the adrenaline from my music was fading and the fatigue was sneaking back into my legs, I caught a glimpse of Jason at the top of a short and steep switchback section. I powered my way up the climb and made my move by sprinting past Jason as fast as my legs could carry me, as I wanted to be out of his sight to ensure he didn’t have time to react and chase me down.

Finish - Photo courtesy of Sally H.

I thought to myself, “Okay, now you’re in 3rd place…just keep cranking, give it everything you have.” I had no idea if he responded and was giving chase, so I glanced behind me on a few climbs and around a few turns and didn’t see Jason. This didn’t put me at ease so I continued to run all out trying to focus on my footing, praying to see the orange and pink ribbons indicating ~1/2mile or so to the finish. I begin coming up on runners finishing the 25k and some 50kers who had yet started the final 7.77 mile loop. I passed by the runners and was soon back on the carriage trail around the lake for the final quarter mile sprint to the finish.

This race has ended up becoming a sort of fitness gauge for myself each year to see how my training is progressing. With only a few small variations in the course throughout the first three years, it’s interesting to see the improvements in my finishing times.

Year – Finish Time – Finish Place
2009 6:17 3rd
2010 5:53:50 6th
2011 5:19:42 3rd
2012 5:01:53 3rd

Podium - Photo courtesy of Joe A. of MpFit

I think this is a true testament to the progression I’ve made in my training and racing over the last four years (note: my marathon times have also dropped from around 3:23 to 2:53). I’m feeling super fit, and feel like I’ve been doing a good job balancing higher mileage weeks (75-80+mpw) with rest and easier days/weeks. I’m hoping to continue with this momentum, train through the winter, continue to do lots of long trail runs on the weekends with friends. I’m looking forward to the future possibilities in my running and looking for a good first 100miler come late winter/early spring. So if you have any recommendations, please let me know!

Also, be sure to check out other RVTR race reports by Gene and
Dixon

Ultra-marathon Pacing – The Vermont 100

David — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:36:14 +0000

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” -John Muir

Dan, Hugette, and I at the Finish of the VT 100 - Photo: Chip Tilden

The president of RVRR and I decided to head up to Vermont to crew and pace for some of her teammates from Mountain Peak Fitness. I planned to help crew for our friend Zsuzzana Carlson for the first half of the day after which, Laura would jump in at mile 70.5 to pace her to the finish. We each wanted to get in a solid run, so we decided that each of us would pace someone instead of trying to split the 30 miles between us.

Laura, Zsuzzana, and I the night before the race

I was originally paired up to pace someone running her first 100miler. She ended up dropping around the 50mile mark and after she pulled out, I decided to head to mile 70.5 to sign up to pace whoever needed me. Within a few minutes of arriving I was assigned to a runner slated to arrive in 20 or 30 minutes. I quickly geared up and chatted with Hugette, who was telling me about Dan and his attempt to break the Grand Slam of Ultraruning record this year. Hugette was very gracious for my volunteering to pace, and you couldn’t help but get excited from all her energy and positive words about Dan.

Pacing and crewing is an interesting thing, as its a very selfless act. You dedicate money, time, and so much more in order to help a runner get to the finish line. While at first glance it may appear that very little is gained by a crew/pacer during a 100miler, the truth is quite the opposite. Crewing and pacing for my friend Mike during his first 100miler at Western States this year was an amazing experience. Not only did I have the ability to help a close friend accomplish a remarkable goal, but I also experienced all the energy that goes into running and putting on an ultra-marathon. I would quickly learn how rewarding pacing a stranger could be.

Dan Brendan rolled into Camp 10 Bear around 6:35pm complaining of a strained or torn quadricep muscle. He ran right to Hugetta’s car, got some food, a headlamp and fresh batteries, and some ace bandage in case he needed it for his quad later in the race. Dan and I rolled out of the aid station around 6:40pm and to be honest, I was thinking “great, this old guy would be walking the rest of the way or dropping shortly”. Little did I know who I signed up to pace, as Dan was not your average ultramarathoner, as if such a thing exists. As we began our journey together and got to chatting, I quickly began realizing just how decorated and experienced a runner Dan is.

Dan is one of the most modest people you will may ever cross paths with. While runners, and more specifically, ultra-runners, tend to be pretty laid back, its not uncommon to come across the bragging type, myself not excluded. Had I not asked Dan all the questions that I did, he would have never boasted that this Vermont finish would mark his 105th, 100miler in the last 10 years and his 10th sub 24 hour VT 100. Yes, you read that correct thats 105,000 miles in the last 10 years logged exclusively during 100 mile races, wow!

When you share hours and miles with a stranger, running tends to create a type of bond and a pathway for honest and open dialog, often prompting one to tell a stranger things they may find difficult to discuss with anyone else. True of this type of commradarie on the trails, Dan and I shared stories of our trials and tribulations, loved ones lost, races run in remembrance of very special people, and so much more.

Dan & Hugette at the Finish of the VT 100 - Photo: Chip Tilden

Aside from being extremely modest and thanking the swarms of people cheering him along during the race, and believe me there were many, Dan was extremely appreciative of my company. Not only was Dan a pleasure to run with, but he didn’t seem to hit any lows during our last 30 miles together. If he was feeling bad, he didn’t complain or slow down. He kept a smile on his face the entire 8 hours we ran together and continually exclaimed how great it was to be out in the beautiful VT woods sharing the miles with me, and I couldn’t have agreed more. Endurance running has a funny way of stripping away the layers and all the protective barriers we as humans put up. However, when you cross the finish line of an ultra, your true emotions and feelings are exposed on the surface. In addition to his impressive running feats, Dan is also known for his signature finishes. At the end of every ultra-marathon, after 20-30 hours of non-stop running, Dan picks up his long-time girlfriend and walks across the finish with Hugette in arms. Dan mentioned a few times throughout our time running of how much he looked forward to carrying her across the finish line and how it was probably his favorite part!

So in my decision to volunteer as a pacer and get in some solid weekend mileage, I had the honor of running with one of the ultra-worlds greatest runners. I truly feel like I was the lucky one to have had the opportunity to run with Dan and learn many things over those 30 miles. Dan showed me that it’s possible to run a 100 miles with a smile on your face and that the greatest reward is the journey itself when you love what you’re doing. I will definitely recall Dan’s genial attitude during any lows during my next race and think to myself “what would Dan do?”, knowing that he’d keep pushing with a smile on his face, happy to be exactly where he is!

I highly recommend checking out www.run100s.com and signing up to volunteer or pace at a race, because you never know who you might cross paths with and what you may take away from the experience

UPDATE: Dan completed the Leadville 100 in 29hrs and 12 minutes and is well on his way to breaking the Grand Slam of Ultra-running with a record 7 finishes when he runs in the Wasatch Front 100miler on September 7th.

Running For a Cause

David — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:30:18 +0000

Tomorrow I am racing in the HAT 50k in Havre de Grace Maryland. I had the pleasure of running this race last year for the first time and am excited to be returning this year. In addition to trying to put forth a solid effort and better my time, I will be running in honor of a friend of mine. Tammy, A co-worker and friend, was recently diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML).

I was talking to Tammy a week or two ago about her training and upcoming races, only to hear a few short days later of her diagnosis. Hearing news like this really helps put into perspective how lucky each and everyone of us is and how fragile and special life is.

If there’s anyone I know who’s got the best chance of beating something like this, it’s definitely Tammy. As true with most runners and athletes, despite being a bit hard-headed, we’re fighters. We do what we love and part of that is the competition and the challenge. Hell, if running marathons and ultra-marathons was easy, wouldn’t everybody be doing it? (ha). Around mile 20 into a race, just as you start to get fatigued and start questioning why the hell you thought it would be a good idea to run a race, something clicks and you dig-down to fight off the demons telling you to stop running; “Hey Idiot, you can stop running anytime. It will all be over, why continue to put yourself through this.” But, you push through that and fight your way to the finish. Tomorrow, I won’t be running just for myself. Instead, I’m dedicating this race to Tammy and all those who are pushing through in a much more difficult race. When I inevitably begin to feel tired, and my legs hurt, and I want to slow or stop, I’m going go think of Tammy and how much she would give to be out there running with me if she could. I’m going to embrace the pain around mile 20 because so many others out there would give anything to be in my shoes. So, this one’s for you Tammy. Keep kickin’ ass, keep your spirits high, and never give up! You’ll be back on your feet and on the trails and sailing in no time.

To all those battling cancer or sickness, here’s to you! Keep on fighting like hell, don’t ever give up, and once you get to the finish line, the beer will taste so much better!

Follow Tammy’s journey in her fight with Leukemia on her blog The Road Less Traveled and drop in to provide some words of encouragement.

26.2 Brew

David — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 20:06:49 +0000

Samuel Adams Boston Lager was first launched on Patriots day, which coincides with the Boston Marathon, 27 years ago in 1985. In celebration of The Boston Beer Companies 28th Anniversary release of Boston Lager, they teamed up with the Boston Athletic Association to produce Samuel Adams Boston 26.2 Brew.

This beer is going to be a special beer exclusive to the Boston area for the week or so leading up to the marathon. Sam Adams describes the beer as being, “…fitting for both runners and spectators on race day, because it is a lighter body beer with a slightly lower alcohol level than many of the other beers in the Samuel Adams line-up.” 26.2 Brew is going to be brewed with coriander and salt, an American take on the German Gose style perhaps?

As the majority of runners know, beer is king and nothing beats a post-run beer! Therefore, what better way to celebrate the accomplishment of qualifying and running in the Boston Marathon, than by kicking back a few 26.2 Brews after the big day? Although, I am not running the marathon this year, a number of friends from RVRR will be and I plan on getting my hands on some of this beer to try.

What are your thoughts on the BAA’s collaboration with Sam Adams?

2011 Philadelphia Marathon Race Report

David — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 22:11:38 +0000

Amazing RVRR support!

The Philadelphia marathon has a special place in my heart, as this was my first marathon back in 2008. At that time, little did I know that I would be back three years later shaving 30 minutes of my time with a new PR (2:53:13)!

I’ve trained fairly consistently over those three years, run two additional marathons (NJ and Boston), and run a total of 9 ultras (7x50k, 2x50mi).

Sept 2010: 132mi
Oct 2010: 150mi (Mountain Madness 50k)
Nov 2010: 153mi
Dec 2010: 63mi
—————–
Jan 2011: 157mi (Watchung Winter 50k)
Feb 2011: 203mi
March 2011: 243mi (Hat 50k)
April 2011: 249mi
May 2011: 270mi
June 2011: 192mi
July 2011: 221mi
August 2011: 258mi (Mahlon Mayhem 50k)
Sept: 215mi (VT 50)
Oct: 169.2 mi (Mountain Madness 50k)

Coming off Boston in April 2010 and my first 50miler in May 2010, my mileage dropped a bit to recover. However since September 2010, my monthly mileage has almost exclusively been 150+ miles, with the bulk of the months well over 200 miles per month. While this may seem pretty impressive to the average runner, it is by no means even a fraction of what the “sub-elite”, faster runners are logging. However, a large difference in most faster runners training and mine is that I do not follow any training plan. In fact, I don’t plan any workouts, long runs, etc. Instead, I run by how I feel, what the weathers like, what obligations I have to fulfill, etc. This training works for me, however, I definitely believe a bit of structure would be beneficial for my training. I could really use more direction in my workouts and a bit more honesty in keeping my easy runs, well easy.

Mile 25

Leading up to the marathon, I had the confidence of a solid base of training and several huge ultra PRs, but lacked the confidence of running fast on the road for almost 3 hours. I had done very little race specific training and nearly no long road runs. Aside from one tempo workout at the end of October (6x1mi at 1/2 marathon pace with 0.5mi recovery) for a total of 14 miles, my next longest road run was 15 miles back in late August. This is just how my schedule played out with a few ultras and recoveries mixed in. Being realistic with my training, or lack thereof, I set a stretch goal of 2:50 if everything went perfect and I felt amazing. My realistic goal which would still be a 5 minute PR, was 2:55. I was confident I could go under the 3hr mark, but was not sure by how much. My race day plan was to keep it controlled early on but try and loop in with a group and see what I had in me. I wanted to run ~6:29-6:35/mile for the first half of the race, try and hold/speed up a bit to the 20 mile mark and then push and run a fast 10k to the finish. I ran a pretty even race, with perfect execution (not bad for winging it)! I came through the half in 1:26 (6:35 pace) and went through the 30k in 2:03 (6:38 pace) and finished in 2:53:13 with an overall pace of 6:36 meaning I was able to make up a bit of time on the last 10k. Although I was able to negative split late in the race, these were by far the toughest miles. I felt relatively relaxed and easy throughout the first 18 or so miles, trying to keep smooth knowing I wanted to push the last 10k. Quite unlike my first marathon when the last 10k and more specifically last mile, seemed to fly by, these last miles felt quite long. I didn’t really hit the infamous “wall”, but I was definitely working to keep up my pace.

Post race with my buddy Lindsay

Having tweaked my nutrition over my last several ultras, I’ve become used to eating every 30 minutes and planned to stick in the ballpark. Even though I would be on my feet much shorter than in an ultra, I knew running quicker would burn up calories pretty quick. I took 1 gel thirty minutes before the start and then took 5 gels over the course of the race, taking one with water just about every 30-35 minutes. I also took beer at both stations around miles 19 and 22!

Overall, I’m super stoked with my result and new PR. Muscularly I’m much more sore than in previous marathons and ultras, partly I believe, because I did very few road long runs. My longest road run being ~15 miles a few weeks before the marathon, so I think while I was fit, my muscles were not used to the pounding on the roads. Taking all of this into account, I know that with a bit of focus, more specific training (long runs, tempo, hills, and marathon pace) I can go sub 2:50.

With that being said, I entered my name into the hat for 2012 Western States 100 lottery. The lottery drawing is December 10th, so I’ll be waiting until then to determine my training path forward. If my name is selected (~1-5% chance), I’ll spend the next 6 months figuring out how to train for my first 100miler. If my name is not selected, I may ramp my training back up and see about running a spring marathon and finding an alternate 100miler to run this upcoming summer or fall.

Also, big thanks to my amazing friends and all the support from everyone in RVRR. It was amazing hearing you guys cheer me through the race. One couldn’t ask for a better running club and support crew!