Black Canyon 100k – a race report. A scorching start to the season!

Flowers and love notes were not on our mind this Valentine’s Day morning at Spring Valley high school track. The early morning began with a chilly 50F start and a blowing wind. Within a few hours – in true desert fashion - it sizzled into the low 90s.

The Black Canyon 100k was part of the Montrail Cup series this year and the top 2 finishers for men and women gained automatic entry into Western States 100miles – a premiere ultra running race in America.  It was the most talented field in probably Arizona’s ultra-racing history. The big familiar names starting the race included Hal Koerner, Dave Mackey, Ryan Ghelfi, Kaci Lickteig, Angela Shartel, and a dozen more.

Five miles into the race a group of 8-10 of us comfortably wound along the single track watching the sunrise and barely paying attention to the couple of early lead runners 1-2 minutes ahead. My strategy for the day was to run at a comfortable pace for 40+ miles focusing on conserving my energy and staying hydrated to ensure a fast, strong finish.

Early into the race the pace was quick but comfortable.
Photo by Bret Sarnquist: www.longrunnutrition.com

In the first 20 miles I peed 3 times as an indicator to my hyrdation, I focused on breathing through my nose to control my pace and conserve moisture loss, and sipped on my CarboPro liquid energy.

Just after the aid station at mile 24, Ryan Ghelfi began his move with Ford Smith in tow. I decided to latch onto this small train and found myself easily keeping pace. We passed several runners and made our way up to the top 5. At the next aid – without a crew to speed my way through the aid station – I fell back about a minute. On a switchback ahead I saw that Ford was now leading Ryan and their pace had picked up slightly. I decided to stay on my own pace and slid back slightly.

Following the train. Starting to get hot!
Photo by Bret Sarnquist: www.longrunnutrition.com

Then Ryan and Ford took a wrong turn. I glimpsed them below on a trail and when I made it to the switchback ahead I realized it was actually a junction. The correct trail went in the opposite direction. I yelled but they were well ahead and probably out of ear shot. I continued on hoping they would realize their mistake quickly.

I made my way to the first river crossing and relished the refreshing flow of a desert river with what had become a searing sun overhead. As I made my way up the opposite canyon wall I glimpsed with relief Ryan and Ford making the river crossing.

Ryan slid past – on a mission – and made up quickly for the time lost with the wrong turn. Ford crept up soon after but less intent to push the pace as quickly now that the heat had set in.

Ford and I came into the Black Canyon City aid station, mile 37, together realizing we would soon move into 3^rd and 4^th place. A sense of excitement coursed through my mind.

Then a simple mistake on my part put the rest of my day in dangerous peril. I had mixed up my drop bag locations and in my confused state I forgot to grab a salt tablet to keep my electrolytes in balance. A mile down the trail I realized my omission but pressed on. Crossing the river a 2^nd time we started on a long switchback haul up the canyon wall. The heat drilled into me. My head became woozy, my body ached, and my energy suddenly evaporated. I realized I needed electrolytes badly but it would be 6 more hot miles before the next aid station. I slowed to a crawl and watched Ford climb strong up and over. I contemplated the effects of heat stroke and had to push away thoughts of disappointment and potentially dropping at the next aid station.

I passed the 40 mile mark and realized that instead of starting my race at this point it was now purely about surviving. I shuffled into the mile 47 aid station and immediately grabbed 2 salt tablets and downed it with cupfuls of Gatorade. I soaked myself with ice water and headed back out before I could think of alternate endings.

I found myself slowly recovering feeling fine on the downhills and flats but still without energy for the slightest bit of incline. I kept sucking on a mixture of CarboPro and Gatorade and dousing myself with cold water.

I did a mental self-check and found my legs to be strong – no aches and little tiredness. I realized how strong my legs have become and the potential they hold for upcoming races.

At the last aid station with 4 miles to go I realized I could still break 9 hours. I took another salt tablet, downed more Gatorade, and felt my energy reserves kick in. I estimated to finish before 9 hours I had to run under 8 minute miles. I imagined my recent fast finish focused workouts and easily covered the remaining miles faster than I thought possible and finished strong.

Post by CarboPro.

At the Black Canyon 100k I learned that racing ultras is just as much about focusing on survival as racing alone. With many complicating variables mixed together it takes a consistent calculating focus. However, even more critical is the ability to flow gracefully along the trail in overcoming both mental and physical challenges. I struggled mentally to remain graceful and through persistence I successfully rebounded from that long, low point in the race.

It was an epic battle among Ford Smith, Ryan Ghelfi, and Dave Mackey for the top 2 slots to Western States. All three raced strong and made it an exciting race to participate in.

Aravaipa Running hosted a great race. A highlight for me was relaxing at the finish post race, sharing stories, cheering on finishers, eating wood-fired pizza, and making new friends and catching up with old ones. 

Dealing with 2015 Jitters

I am like a 5 year old on Christmas Eve ready to tear into the presents piled under the tree. Why? Well...

For the second year I am continuing on the Run Steep Get High Mountain Running Team which has now partnered with Salomon! And also continuing as a CarboPro Elite Athlete. I am very thankful for their support and I am looking forward to a great year of mountain running and racing!

So excited that I even had my race schedule lined up in the first week of January! - a first for me.

Danger! This may entice you to go run the steeps! Here is a preview of the mountains I will be climbing.

Registered:
Jan 10 -- San Tan Scramble, San Tan, AZ, 50K - Placed 2nd and ran 5 minutes faster than last year! A fun low desert fast rolling course with a wicked climb and descent. A great race report was posted my friend Charlie Ware who I ran with for most of the race.
Feb 14 -- Black Canyon 100k, AZ, 100k - A Western States qualifier makes it a top contending race!
March 7 -- Old Pueblo, Sonoita, AZ, 50M - If my legs recover in time this is an ol' time favorite in my backyard.
June 27 -- Mont Blanc 80K, Chamonix, FR (ULTRA World), 50M - oh yeah! Need I say more?
July 19 -- Audi Power of 4, Aspen, CO, 50K - A tough ski resort mountain race that may help be competitive in both the world and U.S. Skyrunning series.
Aug 1 -- Tushar Sky Race (ULTRA US), 50K - Not sure if I am more excited about the amazing mountain course or the fact the race organizers use composting toilets instead of port-a-pots!
Sept 5 -- The Rut, Big Sky, MT (ULTRA US & World), 31M - This was too much fun last year and now more local fast friends will also be competing at this race.
Oct 4 -- Flagstaff Sky Race, AZ (ULTRA US), 55K - A great way to end a long Skyrunning series on Arizona soil.

Pending:
March 28 -- Crown King Scramble, AZ, 50KM - I would love to do this race but need to see how my legs are feeling before committing.
May 9 -- Transvulcania, La Palma, ESP (ULTRA World), 50M - still crossing my fingers hoping I can squeeze in! Please, oh please, oh please...
Dec 6 -- TNF Endurance Challenge, San Francisco, CA, 50M - this was too exciting to follow via IRunFar's twitter feed in 2014 that I figured I need to throw myself into the mix and experience it first hand!

Photo Source: The Rut

Actually, I am starting the year with mostly jitters and a dash of anxiety thrown in. It started in October when I won the 2014 US Skyrunning Ultra series. For the prize - an expense paid trip to a World Series Skyrunning race - I selected Mount Blanc 80k in Chamonix, France which includes intense climbing, the world's best competition, stunning scenery, and a foreign mountain range.

Then to add to my jitters I flushed out a demanding 2015 race calendar which included my 2014 favorites The Rut and Flagstaff Sky Run.

So, to control the jitters I need to focus on tasks at hand and remain in the present.

Making a few specific New Year's running resolutions has seemed to help:

First, I signed up with a coach. I did well in 2014 and remained disciplined and consistent. But, I felt it was time to invest in my ultrarunning career and move from pure determination to a bit more finesse. The assurance and confidence I am gaining with my coach has helped ease the jitters and keeps me focused.

Second, I resolve to take advantage of being a trail runner whenever I can. I learned this from my buddy, Charlie. So, now if I find myself near a trailhead due to work I bring my running gear along and enjoy some extra mid-week mountain trail time. I even have a monthly running check-in meeting with my boss!

Third, I realized it will take more than just running to gain strength. I schedule in a weekly yoga session, a couple of drill/plyos sessions, and even an occasional bike ride or hike.

What has helped you so far this year stay focused and in the present?

Photo source: Vo von Sehlen, The Runner's Edge

 Photo: Ian Sharman.

Beating Out My 15 Miles of Disappointment

I beat last year’s time at Javelina Jundred by 69 minutes with a first place win over top rated competition.  And yet I didn't train specifically for Javelina, a 100mile race, coming off of a summer race series of much shorter mountain races.  So how did I pull through?

Javelina Jundred 100M with Oswaldo Lopez and Miguel Lara Viniegras.
Photo: Chriss Furman Photography

Waves of disappointment swept over me repeatedly in the last 15 miles of my Javelina Jundred race. My pace was slowing down and I felt I wouldn't meet my goals. I was beating myself up mentally. With 9 miles left to go, my wife joined me as a pacer.  Despite all her encouragement I still struggled mentally.

Near the top of the last climb with 5 miles to go I literally spewed out my negative mental suggestions onto the side of the trail. Took a swig of water to flush my mouth and set off running with my pace quickly recovering.

Not sure how but I made it! ...and the 2014 season ended greater than I had imagined! Relief and gratitude swept over me.

I am truly grateful for all of the support along the way from family, God, old and new friends, race volunteers, competitors, and more. Tremendous support also came from the Run Steep Get High Mountain Running Team and CarboPro - many thanks!

Finishing Javelina Jundred in 1st!
Photo: jeffgenovaphotography.com

Relieved to be done and ready to sit
down at Javelina Jundred.
Photo: jeffgenovaphotography.com

The progress gained and confidence built this ultra trail running season was perfectly expressed in my Javelina Jundred 100mile final race of the season. 1st overall, 69 minutes quicker than the previous year, and I ran 99% of the race. I persisted and accomplished the goals I set out to achieve.

Expert race direction by Aravaipa Running and top runners including Miguel Lara Viniegras, Oswaldo Lopez, and Kaci Lickteig made it a truly memorable race. Miguel, a Tarahumara speedster, finished 2nd overall and strongly applied the pressure to keep me running. Oswaldo, a past winner of Badwater 135, may not have had his best day but stayed cheerful and positive. Kaci, finishing 3rd overall and 1st female at Javelina, set a new course record!

My post-race interview
Other post-race interviews

Reflecting back my primary goal stemming from previous years of over training injuries was to stay injury free - and I did! At several points throughout the season I thought I would have to take time off, DNF or DNS (did not finish/start), etc. Prayer and support from my wife led me through these trials. Working to stay mentally focused and spiritually minded paved the way for a strong, successful season.

Enjoying the day volunteering with

friends. Photo Kristi McCauley

At the moment I am truly enjoying some time off training and racing. Volunteering at the inagural Colossal Vail 50/50 near Tucson, AZ I had a blast supporting both friends who organized the race and friends who ran the race. Beautiful weather, rolling scenic vistas, and a down home feel made it a special event that should be on your racing plan for next year. My local trail training buddies swept the top podium places for both the 50K and 50M races.

I found that volunteering at a race is not only a gift to the runner competing but also a gift to the volunteer him/herself. After volunteering race day I left with deeper meaning friendships, new friends, and a heightened sense of place in this growing movement of trail runners.

Huffin' it up the mountain in
Flagstaff. Photo: Ian Sharman.

Looking forward I have begun mapping out my 2015 season. My focus will be on the Skyrunning Ultra series events again including 1 (maybe 2 if my funds allow) races abroad on the international stage (travel and fees covered thanks to my 1st place overall in the U.S. series this year). Anyone care to join me in Chamonix, France, June 27th for the Mont Blanc 80K?

I will continue to build on the great training and racing lessons learned this year to continue my forward progress as an elite mountain trail ultra runner through 2015!

Skyrunning: The Highest Footrace in Arizona

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Run the Rut! A euro-style party on the mountain.

The Rut based at Big Sky Resort in Montana lived up to the hype – a tough, technical, grueling, euro-style SkyRunning race – complete with a talented competitive field including top international runners and energetic spectators throughout. The race management, volunteers, spectators, and other competitors made it a race to be remembered!

Sweet single track along the Rut.
Photo source: Vo von Sehlen, The Runner's Edge.

A late decision to race the Rut as part of the US Sky Running series proved to be an excellent decision. Working this year to develop my ultrarunning race portfolio beyond Arizona and in highly competitive races I am extremely pleased thus far with my season. Many thanks to the Run Steep Get High Mountain Running Team and CarboPro for their support. I have been grateful to have quickly improved in my first competitive season with valuable lessons learned which I take to heart to improve. Setting race goals and then reflecting upon them has been critical to help me push my boundaries.

If I am to have a shot at winning the US SkyRunning Ultra series finale at the Flagstaff Sky Run 55K, October 4, I will need a perfectly dialed race built upon the lessons learned from the Rut and Speedgoat.

Start of the Rut in freezing temps at 6am. Photo by IRunFar.com

My goals, outcomes, and lessons from the Rut:

Goal: Finish in the top ten.
Outcome: 8th overall in a stacked field. Compared to my previous race, Speedgoat 50K, I finished significantly closer to my fellow US Skyrunning compatriots Paul Hamilton and Ricky Gates. Now I will need to be confident to run with them but still save something for the final climb at Flagstaff.

Finishing 8th overall at the Rut. Photo Source: The Rut

Goal: Climb strong up Lone Peak and then finish strong the remaining 10miles.
Outcome: My climbing throughout the race was much stronger than at Speedgoat where I fell apart on the 2nd climb. I still felt the altitude above 10,000ft but lost little ground except to speedy Ricky Gates. My legs held strong and my energy levels stayed consistent thanks to CarboPro with an occasional Stinger energy chew packet. However, my stomach did give me trouble the final 6 miles inhibiting me from catching Dan Kraft and holding off Ricky. This might have been due to being dehydrated and forcing down some watermelon after the intense Lone Peak vertical. It sat and grew in discomfort through to the finish. If only I was better at forcing it back up I might have been able to ditch the discomfort. Despite the cooler weather I should plan to carry a 2nd water bottle with the longer intervals, 1-1.5hrs, between aid stations.

Near the top of Lone Peak, 11,170ft with Ricky Gates closing the gap.
Photo source: The Rut

Goal: Fly easily down technical, pounding descents and gain ground on others.
Outcome: My first time racing in the Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra I have become a huge fan! Stable, sure footed, responsive – I never tweaked an ankle or lost my footing through the technical, treacherous, and pounding downhills. I have been dealing throughout the season with instability in various shoes and too-frequent ankle tweaks. I confidently and aggressively flew down the hills and was able to easily gain ground. This allowed me to be more relaxed during the climbs and ration my energy output.

Screaming down a roped section. Photo source: The Running Competitor.

Next Up. With only 3 weeks (2 at the time of posting this) between the Rut and the Flagstaff Sky Run my focus is to recover and keep my legs fresh. The competition at the Flagstaff Sky Run will be intense with Paul Hamilton, Dan Kraft, Chris Price, Jeremy Wolfe, and probably others. I’ll need to run a smart race with everything perfectly dialed. Luckily, I’ll have the home court advantage.

Approaching the last aid station with Lone Peak in the background.
Photo source: The Rut

Steep climbing at The Rut. Photo source: Vo von Sehlen, The Runner's Edge.

Nutrition: On Becoming A Salad Convert

As a runner I rarely went for salads. I like to maximize my calorie intake efficiency. Making a salad seems to consume just about as many calories as it provides. But, my wife has always helped ensure I eat a salad by making them even when I cook our dinner.

I don’t subscribe to fad diets but we do follow the age-old wisdom of eating our veggies.  And being a 90% vegetarian, fresh quality veggies are critical.

Over the last couple of years I have become a salad convert. Yes, it’s true. I even read the salad listings at restaurants now instead of skipping that section. It all started by joining a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) supplied by River Road Gardens that provides the best tasting and diverse greens.

River Road Gardens, Tucson, AZ

I live in mid-town Tucson and I get all my veggies from a farm a mile from my house! To get to the farm I bump down the city road (due to our infamous Tucson potholes), over the ghost of a river which once irrigated this land, and around the bend to the farm. A whole acre of it. Settled along the ancient river flood terraces and in what once was a historic agricultural community with deep sandy loam and organic enriched soil.

Farmers Jon and Emily, River Road Gardens

Farmers Jon and Emily own River Road Gardens, an urban, biodynamic farm, and cultivate the land shared in a unique relationship with the Tucson Waldorf School. I chat with them and get a sense of the season, the soil, the insects, the ups, the downs, each week when we pick up our produce share.

Beets, mixed salad greens, kale, pak-choi, and swiss chard pack me with a power house of nutritious green energy through the cool season. These veggies form the base for my meals and snacks throughout the day including green smoothies blended with almonds or cashews for morning energy. Liquid salad!

Liquid salad is a great way to eat your greens on the go plus stay hydrated! Despite odd visual inspections and dubious comments by others it can be easily flavored to suit your taste buds.

Having my own small backyard garden along with farm produce, I typically have excess. Fermentation or freezing is the secret to preserving excess well into the next season. About anything can be easily lacto-fermented including carrots, beets, cabbage, chard stems, peppers, cucumbers, and more. According to Sandor Katz ferments pack a vitamin B punch too!

Winter veggies harvested from my backyard garden

Now as my freezer slowly empties of stashed frozen chard and kale to make my summer time smoothies, I’ll have a brief pause before fall greens start growing again.

Warm season veggies harvested from my backyard garden

Mountain Repeats the Key to being a Speedgoat?

Speedgoat 50K 2014

Second in the ultra-series of the U.S. Skyrunning 2014 series is the famed Speedgoat 50K. With 11,000 vertical feet packed into 32ish miles it packs a punch. The best part of Speedgoat are the spectator-lined, mountain top ascents. The free, early morning tram ride for crew and race spectators helps pack those mountain tops.

Calming my pre-race jitters.

Speedgoat plays well into the theme of the Run Steep Get High Mountain Running Team I am on. The race kicked off with a mad dash up 9 miles to the first peak incentivized by a bonus $1000 prize. Sage Canaday led the way and the overall win (see iRunFar's results summary). I instead chose to be the slow and steady goat keeping a comfortable pace up the first climb of the day. I ran most of it using a quickstep shuffle run on the steeper grades. The few short and really steep occasions I slowed to a fast hike.

1st climb of the day to Hidden Peak, mile 9

My quickstep run serves me better than a fast hike for a couple of reasons: 1) its faster than most runners’ in their fast hike mode, and 2) the short shuffling steps keep my breathing rate elevated helping to keep my legs oxygenated. My fast hiking mode on the other hand is typically slower than most fellow runners (I have always been a slow hiker). I can’t seem to keep my breathing elevated which causes a greater burn in my legs as they struggle for oxygen.

So up and over the first ascent we go, Hidden Peak at ~11,000ft, then we bomb down the back side of the ski area into Mineral Basin. I’m running with Mike Wolfe and Lars Kjerengtroen. The trick I found with Speedgoat is keeping an eye out for sudden diversions from the main trail – several of which we almost missed. These diversions were essentially off-trail routes on steep slopes that we bombed down or scrambled goat-like up. This course was designed – it seemed – to specifically try to completely blow out your legs.

Around the course mid-point a short out-n-back allowed me to assess that I was somewhere in the low teens – in good position to move up and into top 10. I felt strong climbing back out from the lowest point in the course (7600 ft) and into a morning that was quickly warming.

I reached the mid-mountain aid station, refueled, and set off for the final 2 mile climb to the second peak, Mt Baldy also just over 11,000 feet in elevation. The grade quickly steepened and I found myself fast hiking. I couldn't catch enough oxygen and my legs burned. We top out on a ridge just before the final off-trail diversion up. And up it went at about a 40% grade for over a 1/3 of a mile all the way to Baldy Peak.

My legs screamed! I paused every couple hundred feet up. I did not train for this I quickly realized. Would I make it to the top? If I did could I get myself back up the final ascent? Looking down I saw three runners I had passed earlier in the climb quickly gaining. My motivation to keep climbing simply was to stay in the top 10.

Mountain Repeats. Chatting with Sage Canaday, winner and course record holder, after the race, I inquired how to best train for a race like this. I half-joked that hill repeats should be replaced by mountain repeats. Of course that’s what Sage does. In Boulder, Colorado where he lives he explains he does mountain repeats uses a steep ‘V’ shaped valley to go up one-side, bomb back down, and then go up the next side, repeatedly.

So, I reach Mt. Baldy, dizzy, stumbling, and exhausted. I take a short glance around and thread the trail ridge down to the road and into the Tunnel Aid Station. I estimate that I lost 25min off my pace struggling up Mt. Baldy. My Dad hands me a CarboPro filled bottle, I stuff down some watermelon, and a ½ banana, and then shoot through the tunnel and quickly drop over a 1000 feet. Then the third and final ascent back to Hidden Peak begins. I feel a little better but still struggle.

The 3rd climb, back to Hidden Peak, feeling the thin air and heat.

I come into the final aid station hot and tired. The aid station volunteers throughout the race and especially at Hidden Peak were amazing. I felt like a race car driver pulling in for a full service pit stop. Every need and desire anticipated and efficiently provided.

The Final Descent. I love bombing down mountain descents. Thankful that my training left me with strong legs I was able to remain agile and absorbent along the steep and technical descent. The descent threaded up and down slopes off-trail, on-trail, across streams, and a few ski slope service roads. I raced down to try to finish under 6 hours without realizing until too late that the race had an extra 1.5 miles beyond 31 miles.

Karl Meltzer, the race director, at the finish.

7th Place Overall. I finished to a high-5 from race director and Hoka ultra-runner Karl Meltzer. Moments after finishing I began feeling nauseous and my leg muscles started to spasm and cramp. Brushing my face I felt the deep gritty layers of salt and realized I was not only severely dehydrated but lacking salt. Karl kindly and quickly found me 4 salt tablets which I washed down with cold water and began to recover.

Spectating Buddies. Reconnecting with my Dad at the finish I discovered a tight-knit community formed up on the mountain top during the long hours of spectating among the cheering friends and family. My Dad made buddies with Sage’s parents and a number of others. This is what makes ultra-running great – the comradery of not just the athletes but the support and cheering received from fellow competitor’s friends and family.

Lessons Learned. Overall, I felt I ran a smart race especially with such a deep and talented field. My nutrition plan worked well and kept me evenly energized throughout thanks to support from CarboPro, Honey Stinger chews, and the abundance of watermelon and bananas at the aid stations.

However, I underestimated the warmth and intensity of the high altitude sun mixed with the dry air to stay better hydrated and take in sufficient salt.

And my training preparation will next time incorporate mountain repeats instead of hill repeats! Anyone in Tucson want to join me for a Mt. Wrightson Multiple Ascent Massacre?