Grindstone 100 Race Report

"If you start to feel good during an ultra, don't worry, you will get over it." - Gene Thibeault

A few questions I have been asked one too many times are Why do you run so much? Why do you put your body through that? and, my personal favorite, What are you running from? My typical response is I like to test the limits of what my body can do.  Last weekend while I was at the Grindstone 100 - I realized why I run so much.  I train hard so that I have the opportunities to run races like the Grindstone 100.

Tent City

When I showed up to Camp Shenandoah where the start/finish was on Thursday, I wasn't sure what to expect.  After setting up camp I chatted with a few of the other racers for the rest of the evening.  By the time I woke up on Friday and ate a small breakfast, it was time to check in. After the prerace meeting I tried to relax for the next few hours before the race started.  I tried sleeping but that was nearly impossible... the adrenaline was starting to kick in.  Finally around 5:00 p.m. I slowly made my way to the start line to prepare for the race. We waited inside the dining hall for close to an hour due to the rain.  At 6:00 p.m. it was time to start, and 263 brave souls took off for the mountains in what would turn out to be a cold, wet race.

If the race ended here I would have won but unfortunately we still had 100 miles to go!

As we made our way around the lake in the opening mile, I was running in the front at a modest pace. I settled into a nice pace

Andrew Snope and I around 5 miles

early on knowing I had a long night ahead of me. The first 5 miles went by without any issues. As it grew darker, I started the first big climb of the race, a 3500 ft climb stretched out in to 5 miles.  It was raining as we made our way higher and higher.  I felt good on the climb up to the top of Elliots Knob.  Once at the top you punch your bib before heading back down the gravel road and onto a single track.  I didn't want to push the pace on the descent so I let the lead group go.  My lack of technical trail running showed up on this descent as I fell twice within a 5 minute span.

The next few miles were a blur as I pulled through Dowells Draft aid station at mile 22 in 3:54.  I felt good.  I grabbed some bananas and oranges and took off for the trail spending less than a minute at the aid station.  

Somewhere around the 24-25 mile mark things turned from good to terrible because I started to feel sharp pains in the knee that I had surgery on in late June.  I immediately started to walk because I was afraid of doing any more damage to it.  I was not sure if it hurt because I fell or if I stepped on it wrong, but either way I decided to play it safe and walk it out.  While walking I was on an emotional roller coaster.  My first thought was that I'd have to drop because I still had 75 miles to go.  Luckily I was in the middle of the woods so I had no choice but to keep walking.  Somewhere during my stroll I changed my mind - I decided I would walk the remaining 75 miles because I had 38 hours to finish. I knew that I needed to complete this race in order to qualify for Hard Rock and Western States.

I took some Ibuprofen and just continued walking. When I arrived at the Lookout Mountain aid station, I grabbed some fruit and refilled my water bottles.  As I was walking out of the aid station I decided to try running.  Low and behold my knee wasn't bothering me too much.  So for the next 6 miles I ran what I could and walked when I had too.  I caught up to John Robinson, and we ran together into the North River Gap aid station at mile 36.  

Typically I don't use drop bags because my wife crews for me - but since she couldn't make this trip, I had no choice but to use them. I've heard horror stories from other runners in different races about how long it can take to locate a drop bag.  To my surprise by the time I weighed in, a volunteer already had my drop bag ready for me. I was looking forward to the treat I had waiting for me in my bag... Naked Juice.  I started drinking these juices at Delirium 24hr, and I will continue to use it in the future because it tastes amazing.  It's not only refreshing but it also gives you the calories and sugar needed during a long run.  

This is where things started to turn around for me and I have to thank John and my mango Naked Juice for that.  We had a 7 mile 4,000 ft climb staring us in the face.  John was in front dragging my butt up this thing.  He was flying up it and I was doing everything I could in order to stay with him.  There were parts of this climb that were stupid steep but then there were runnable parts.  John and I didn't talk much during the climb.  We just put our heads down and kept climbing.  We passed a couple of runners along the way and 1 hr 57 minutes later we were at the top.  I can say without a doubt that if I was by myself during that section it would have taken me 20-30 minutes longer.

Once at the top, we started running again.  It was easy dirt road running which was a great change from the technical single track earlier in the race.  We made quick work of the Little Bald Knob aid station at mile 44 and kept moving towards Reddish Knob aid station, which was just 4 miles away.  The rain had stopped and the stars had come out which made it a little more enjoyable.  We had a quick climb up Reddish Knob where we punched our race numbers again before we headed to the turn around.  John and I ran a good portion of the road section before reaching the turn around 10:46 into the race.  I was extremely excited to feel this good 51.5 miles into the race.

We hiked a good portion of the road back up to the Reddish Knob aid station before grabbing some grilled cheese sandwiches.  I rarely eat things like that during a race but it was cold, and my body craved something warm.  John and I ran a pretty good pace on the road back.  We turned onto a single track trail which meant it was time for a long descent back into North River Gap aid station.  We could start to see the first signs of daylight. Not quite ready to turn off our head lamps, we took the beginning part of the descent slowly.  With a couple of miles left of the descent it was light enough to turn our headlamps off which gave me a jolt of energy.  John stopped to eat something and I pushed on down the mountain.  I picked up a couple of other runners and even caught up to my buddy Andrew Snope.  I was flying down the mountain and came into North River Gap full of energy.  I stuffed my face with a lot of food and weighed in.  Once again, the volunteers had my drop bag ready for me before I finished weighing in. I pulled out my other Naked Juice and hit the trails.

At that time, I was in 11th place and I was head hunting the people in front of me.  I was running fast and closing the gap on them.  The next 6 miles were runnable and I wanted to take advantage of that.  I had the feeling that we all seek during an ultra... a feeling that I could run forever.  With each and every stride I took I was gaining ground.  Within 6 miles I had gained 12 minutes on the runner ahead of me.  At the next aid station, I quickly refilled my water bottles, grabbed some oranges and kept going.

It was 8 miles to the next aid station.  I was still feeling good and ran a majority of the trail to Dowells Draft aid station.  I was hurting but knew I would be able to push through the pain as I only had 22 miles left.  I came into the aid station in 10th and left in 9th. Shortly after leaving the aid station, the trail turned up.  Up and up I went.  I did not recall any of this from earlier in the race.  It just kept going.  It sucked every bit of energy I had out of me.  For as good as I was feeling just a few miles ago, I was feeling that bad up this climb.  Eventually I made it to the top and when I tried running I had nothing.  I couldn't run the flats and I couldn't run the downhills.  I was in a world of hurt.

I walked as fast as I could hoping that I would be able to start running again but every time I tried I was unable to. My knee was practically screaming out at me. I walked all the way to the Dry Branch aid station at mile 87.  I left the aid station knowing I had one more big climb left.  About 1 mile up that climb I turned around and saw Andrew flying up the climb.  He said a few encouraging words to me before taking off for a strong 7th place finish.  After about 3 more miles, I made it to the turn off to head down Elliots Knob. I thought that I would be able to let gravity take over and run down the gravel road, however I was sadly mistaken.  I tried running but my quads and knee were shot. So I walked.  Eventually the road leveled off, and I was able to muster up an "ultra shuffle" into the final aid station.  

As I left, I really tried to enjoy the last 5 miles.  Knowing my race was almost over, my energy returned.  I was able to power hike the short climb and once at the top I was able to run again.  It felt good.  Once I was back at the boyscout campground, I only had 1.5 miles left.  I started to think about the journey that I just went on.  All of the ups and downs and how much I truly enjoy ultra running.  I made my way back around the pond and onto the final stretch.  I crossed the finish line in 22:33:30.  My comeback to ultra running was complete.

 

Clark Zealand, the race director, put on a first class event.  This race embodies everything that is ultra running. I rarely run the same race twice but I look forward to returning to this race next year at 100% and shaving a couple hours off my time.

Preparing for my 100 mile adventure in the mountains

"The very basic core of man's living spirit is his passion for adventure." - Christopher McCandless

On Friday at 6 p.m., I will line up with a very large and competitive field at the Grindstone 100. We don't have any mountains (or hills really) in Charleston, so to help prepare me for the 23,000+ feet of climbing I have to do in the Grindstone 100, I spent three of the last four weekends in the mountains of North Carolina and South Carolina.

On my first weekend mountain trip (September 5), I arrived to Mt. Mitchell on a Friday and managed to complete a quick and easy 15 mile run. My main run for the weekend was on Saturday - where I hammered out 25 miles. I started my run from the Black Mountain campground up to the the summit of Mt. Mitchell and worked my way along the Black Mountain Crest trail, which is deemed the most rugged trail on the East Coast by Back Packer Magazine, over to Winter Star. I planned to run the entire trail down to Bolens Gap but unfortunately weather and a lack of water caused me to turn around at Winter Star. I woke up on Sunday feeling a little sore, but forced myself to run an easy 7 miles - bringing my total mileage for that weekend to 47 miles.

Mt. Mitchell Selfie

My wife decided to join me on my second trip to the mountains. We decided to travel up to Table Rock State Park to camp.  I ran 14 miles in Charleston before leaving at noon on Friday, knowing we wouldn't arrive to Table Rock until well in to the afternoon.  On Saturday, I made my way up the Pinnacle Trail and then along the Foothills Trail to Sassafras Mountain, which is the highest point in South Carolina. Once again I was forced to turn around due to weather and lack of water... one of these days I will carry enough water on my training run (promise!). All in all, it was a good 22 mile run with tough climbs and some fun downhill single track.  Running even just that short section of the Foothills Trail really makes me want to explore all 77 miles of it and possibly make an attempt at the fastest known time... maybe next year.

View from Sassafras Mountain

I decided to head back to Table Rock to close out my third weekend training trip in the mountains. I went by myself and decided to enjoy some backcountry camping.  On Friday I ran to the top of Table Rock, then over to Pinnacle before heading down the Pinnacle Trail.  As soon as I returned to my car, I grabbed my camping pack and headed 4.5 miles back up the Pinnacle Trail to the Foothills Trail where I camped for the night. I had to sleep in running shorts since my pants were soaking wet from all the rain that poured down on me as I made my way to camp, and I didn't bring nearly enough clothing to keep me warm in my hammock - it was a rough night. I planned to get up early the next morning to see the sun rise, but quickly decided against that due to the frigid temperatures (low 40's is now considered freezing to this Charleston boy). When I finally woke up, I quickly packed up camp and dropped my things off at my car before lacing up and heading back up the trail to the top of Table Rock. I only logged a total of 25 miles, not including the 9 mile hike with a 30 lbs pack, for the weekend.

Breakfast on Bald Knob as the sun comes up

Considering I had surgery in late June and have only been training for the last month and a half, I am not sure what kind of shape I truly am in.  Ideally, I'd like to have two more weeks to train for Grindstone but I doubt the race director will move the race back for little ole me.  So come Friday when I toe the line, I am going to do what I do best... compete.  This will undoubtedly be the hardest race I have ever done.  Forget the night running or the technical single track, the elevation change alone makes me want to cry when I think about it.  No matter what happens, as long as I make it out alive, I am happy to make my return to running ultras again.

Elevation Profile of Grindstone 100

Homestead 10 x 5K - I did it for the honey!

"I sure wish it was hotter and more humid out... said no runner ever." - unknown

 

After one successful week back running, I had a genius idea... why not run the Homestead 10 x 5k which was the next weekend? Sure I would only have trained for two weeks before the race, and my longest run was only ten miles in the last five months, but what the hell. My knee felt good, and I had wanted to run the 10 x 5k ever since I moved to Charleston.

I thought this was a great race to ease me back into competition since I would not have to run 31 miles straight, and instead only had to run a 5k on the hour for 10 consecutive hours (ha!). I decided to sign up after promising my wife that I would stop immediately if my knee started to hurt.

As a runner, the problem with living in the south during the summer is the heat. This summer has been relatively mild, right up until three days before the race when a heat wave hit the south. I started to rethink the idea of competing in this race when I heard news anchors advising people to stay inside unless they had to go outside, and if they had to go outside to not go out during the hottest part of the day. In the end, I  decided to move forward with my plans to compete because a little bit of heat wasn't going to scare me away.

The morning of the race was overwhelming for me. I realized just how much I missed racing... not only the competition, but the ultra running community/family. There are truly no better, crazier people than ultra runners.

Lowcountry Ultra's Race Director Tim Waz (and closet Alabama fan) sounded a siren to signify the first 5k was about to begin. We lined up to the start line, and five minutes later we were off. My strategy going in to the race was to run the first few 5k's as quickly as I could, and then hold on for dear life after that.  

Photo Credit: Nicole Taylor

I started off strong and in control, running the first 5k in 20:11. After finishing I quickly grabbed some fruit and water. Before I knew it, it was time to line up again. Off we went for the second 5k, which I ran in 20:18.  I felt good after the second run, but I knew I would not be able to hold that pace throughout the rest of the race. So I planned to slow down on the third and fourth runs, which I did finishing in 21:24 and 21:48.

Photo Credit: Nicole Taylor

After the fourth run, I noticed a significant increase in temperature since the start of the race. It was extremely hot...  I'm talking so hot you could fry an egg on the pavement.  We later found out the temperature reached 102 degrees Fahrenheit, and with the heat index it was a staggering 126 degrees Fahrenheit. Downright miserable. 

Nonetheless the brave souls running this race heard the horn which meant five minutes until the start of the fifth race. My legs were hurting badly by this point. However, I found out I was in 2nd place and was determined to stay there. Bren Tompkins, aka Spiderman, was in 3rd place, and I knew I had to stay focused if I wanted to keep my place. So off we went.

Photo Credit: Nicole Taylor

I managed to run the fifth 5k in 23:06. At the end of this run, I couldn't take it anymore. I made the decision to do something I've never done before... drop from the race. I had my mind made up.  My knee wasn't hurting but my legs were screaming. I convinced myself it was okay to drop since I just started back. I sat down, and sent a text to my wife letting her know about my decision to drop. She had the perfect response, "Enjoy the pain - it was not so long ago that you were wanting to feel like this but couldn't because of your knee." I stared down at those words, and knew she was right (which is rare ;-P). I picked myself up, stretched and then made my way to the start line.

Run #6 went down in 23:45.  Bren was gaining time on me quickly.  I knew I needed one last, hard effort on loop #7. I went out with Bren on this run, losing only a handful of seconds to him with a finish of 23:30. I was a little delusional at this point. I tried not to think about the three runs I had left. 

Fueling up in between runs (Photo credit: Nicole Taylor)

At the end of the eighth run, I finished with a time of 24:03. I was exhausted both mentally and physically. I tried to continue eating fruit and drinking water after each run, but the heat was not helping my appetite. The last thing I wanted to do was eat, but remembering how the award ceremony ended at my last race, I did myself (and everyone else) a favor and forced the food down.

At the start of the ninth run, I was leading Bren by only seven minutes and forty-five seconds. I didn't want to lose my edge so close to the finish, but I knew I could only do so much. Bren took off on the ninth lap, while I was left playing catch up. I managed a finish of 24:20, while Bren moved up two minutes closer to my overall time. 

There we stood at the start of the tenth and final lap. I kept reminding myself this was the last run of the day, as if that would make this run easier.  My legs were squealing... my mind was trying to convince me to walk this one out, but I knew I would be disappointed if I did that. "Pain is temporary," is what I kept telling myself. I also thought of one of my good ultra running buddies, Masumi, who could not be at the race that day - and decided to run this last loop for him. A smile crept on to my face as I turned the corner one last time to see the finish line. I finished the last run in 25:20. 

Photo Credit: Nicole Taylor

Relieved to be done with my first race since knee surgery, I collapsed (willingly this time) on the grass for a few minutes. I was ecstatic to finish in 2nd place overall, and even more excited knowing that I would receive a jar of Tim Waz's homemade honey.

I cannot begin to express how grateful I am to be back running. My knee has made a full recovery thanks to Dr. McKoy at Southern Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, and I'm focused on my next quest - Grindstone 100.

Feels good to be sore again

"To keep from decaying, to be a winner, the athlete must accept pain... not only accept it, but look for it, live with it, learn not to fear it." - Dr. George Sheehan

To say the last 5 months have been a roller coaster ride would be an understatement. I cannot put in to words how much I ached to run during this time. After resting for several months and getting an injection in my knee, the doctor decided to run a MRI and determined that my plica band would not return to it's normal size. The doctor recommended arthroscopic knee surgery on June 23rd, and we scheduled surgery for June 24th.  My surgery went really well, and the doc told me I could start running 4 weeks post surgery.  At the end of the fourth week, my knee still didn't feel great so I decided to take an additional week off to give my knee the extra time to heal. At the end of the fifth week, I started running a couple of days a week - no more than 1-2 miles at a time.  Talk about a tease - I really had to practice my self control so that I wouldn't hurt my knee again. By week 6 I was able to run with only a little bit of pain.  When I went back to the doctor for my post-op checkup at the end of week 6, he gave me the green light to start running based off of my pain level.

Within the past week I have made major progress with my running. My knee feels great, and (knock on wood) I haven't felt any pain.  What I have noticed is how out of shape I got in the 5 months of being injured. I am making sure to slowly build my fitness and to listen to my body closely to prevent any more injuries. I have been doing a combination of running and biking.  This week alone I have run 51 miles and biked 81 miles - not too shabby for my first real week back running.

My time away from running has really made me miss two things.  1) I really missed lacing up my shoes to go for a run before the first glimmer of sunlight appeared.  Over the past week I have retrained my body to get up at 4 am to run, and it feels great. I love running in the morning because very few people are out on the roads. In my opinion, there is no better way to start a day than with a good run.

2) For some sick reason, I have missed the pain that I have in my legs right now.  Every time I get up from my desk, I am reminded how much my muscles hurt.  I am reminded that I have a long ways to go to get back into the shape I was in before my injury, but each and everyday I am getting stronger and faster.  I have to reteach myself to embrace the pain and push past it.  I have to reprogram not only my muscles but also my mind to learn to run with the pain.  I have to learn to live with the pain and not fear it, but welcome it.

This is not something that is going to happen overnight.  It's going to be a tedious process but I am confident that come October 3rd, I will have trained enough to get by body where it needs to be to get through the grueling race known as Grindstone.

It's been a long time coming, but I am back. Roll Tide!

Here's to 2013!

"Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." - Les Brown

As I transition into 2013, I feel accomplished and confident after a very successful 2012.  I qualified for Boston. I finished my first 100 miler (the Leadville Trail 100) in 21:26 (19th place) which was 3 1/2 hours ahead of my goal time. In October, I ran The North Face Endurance Challenge-Atlanta and placed 5th behind some very accomplished ultra runners.  As successful as 2012 was for me, I want to make 2013 an even better year of ultra running. I have several lofty goals for this year that I plan to accomplish - here we go:

• Run at least 4,000 miles (77 mpw)
• Run 120 miles in the 24hr Adventure Trail Race in May
• Run at least 5 miles everday until May 5th
• WIN 1 ultra marathon
• 20,000 push ups (55 per day)
• 36,500 sit ups (100 per day)
• Run the entire 444 miles of the Natchez Trace Parkway in 1 week all while raising $10,000 for the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital (more to come on this adventure)

By accomplishing these goals, I hope this will serve as proof that a fruitarian diet is not deficient in anything.  I know that if I ate the Standard American Diet (SAD), I would not be able to run as much as I do now without sustaining injuries.

Now that my goals are listed for your viewing pleasure, I have another reason to work hard to achieve them.  I am certain I will be able to accomplish each and every one of these goals - so stay tuned for the ride!

Happy Trailing!

Americans Continue to Balloon

"Exercise each day as if your life depends on it" - Dr. Douglas Graham

It is well known that Americans are getting heavier each year.  Numerous studies have proven that the obesity rate in America continues to climb at an alarming rate.  According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1/3 of U.S. adults are obese.  However, a recent Gallup poll shows that it's not only our actual weight that continues to climb but also our perception of what the "ideal" body weight should be.  According to this poll, in 1990 men said their "ideal" weight was 171 lbs. while men today say their "ideal" weight is 181.  Even worse the average man now weighs 196 lbs.  This is up 16 pounds from 1990.  This trend in weight isn't just restricted to men.  Women now say their "ideal" weight is 138 lbs which is up 9 lbs from 129 lbs in 1990.  The average woman in 1990 weighed 142 lbs and women today say they weigh 160 lbs.  So what's caused this change in the perception of our "ideal" weight?

We've all heard the excuses people have given as to why they cannot workout. No matter what the excuse, bottom line is Americans are getting bigger each year and with this higher weight comes higher risks of health issues such as diabetes, heart disease and cancers.

The Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday always make it more challenging for people to eat healthy, balanced meals.  People load their plates full of turkey, mashed potatoes, pies and anything in between.  They pack on the pounds and just chalk it up to the holidays.  They say they will lose the weight when the new year comes; however, few people actually have success at shedding the pounds.  It is becoming socially acceptable to eat until you can no longer move - which is cause for concern.

Since I am in the beginning stages of my fruitarianism I tend to cheat during the holidays; however, I limit it to just one or two meals.  To ensure that I won't stray too far off from my diet, I visited my local fruit distributor in Nashville to load up on plenty of fresh fruits and veggies before making the trip to Virginia to celebrate the holidays. Instead of making excuses and pretending it's okay to eat unhealthy and gain unnecessary weight, I have chosen to set myself up for success by eliminating potential excuses. I have all the fruit and veggies I need get me through the week, and I will allow myself to have one or two small plates of "holiday" food.  I encourage you to set yourself up for success and eliminate excuses as to why you can't live a healthy lifestyle.

Back To The Basics

“Running is a very natural activity. If you get too caught up, you find yourself constantly seeking to make running something that it isn’t. You should let it be what it is - a very simple activity. Running has become too complicated for many people and they wind up turning sour on the sport, or losing the focus of their direction.” -Bill Rodgers

I put in a lot of miles of running while training for the Leadville Trail 100 and the North Face Endurance Challenge in 2012.  After my North Face race, I was exhausted and I lost my love for running. During the North Face Challenge, I remember thinking at different points on the trail that I hated running.  My body was beat up and telling me to stop.  So I decided to take some time off after the race.  I did not run for the next few weeks, and it wasn't until a month later that I decided to go out on my first run.  That was all it took.  It wasn't a long run but it did get me thinking about what's next and I started to get that itch to run again.  

I have an exciting 2013 race schedule planned, and I'm determined to take my running to the next level while keeping things simple.  Last Saturday I went to Murphy Produce (where I buy all of my fresh fruits and veggies), and I dusted off my running shoes. It was a great week of running in which I put in more than 43 miles.  Every single mile was ran without a watch and all five runs were ran without a planned route.  I love running like this because it's the purest form of running there is.  This week was exactly what I needed to get back into the ultra mindset. 

"My philosophy on running is, I don't dwell on it, I do it."-Joan Benoit Samuelson

Leadville Trail 100 Race Report

There is only one word to describe the Leadville Trail 100 run – EPIC. 

Living in Nashville, the thing that concerned me the most about running Leadville was the altitude. I went out to Colorado two weeks before the race to acclimate and ease my concern.  I was able to stay in Boulder with a good friend of mine (thanks Lucas!) who helped me relax before my big day. Thursday before the race I picked up my mom and wife, and we drove to Silverthorne where we stayed the night.  On Friday morning we drove into Leadville so I could check in and enjoy the pre-race atmosphere.  I was happy when I weighed in at a light 138.6 lbs.  After check in and registration, I went over some last minute details with my mom and wife about their job responsibilities as my crew.  They were an important part of my race and I had all the confidence in them.  That night I fell asleep surprisingly easy and slept soundly until it was time to get up at 3 a.m.

Standing on the start line at 4 a.m. on Saturday morning, I tried to soak in the atmosphere as much as possible.  The time was here.  I worked the last nine months for this moment.  I wanted to enjoy this day as much as one possibly can during a 100 mile run.  If you have never experienced the Leadville Trail 100 it is something I highly recommend. 

All 800 runners were standing on the corner of 6^th and Harrison - anxious and ready to run a legendary race in which they will be tested to the limit, both physically and mentally.

Start to May Queen 0-13.5 miles

The gun goes off and 800 runners run down the Boulevard towards Turquoise Lake in the early morning darkness.  I kept reminding myself that I had 100 miles to run, and I needed to take it out slowly.  I settled in to a nice 8:30 pace within the first few miles.  I made my way to the front of the group I was running with so I would have a clear trail to run on. I knew it was nearly impossible to pass on the Turquoise Lake trail.  My goal during this part of the race was to make it to May Queen without falling and to get there in less than two hours.  As I turned off of the trail and onto the campground road, I could hear and see the crowd.  Hundreds of people lined both sides of the street to cheer on the runners.  I looked at my watch and saw 1:55.  PERFECT.  I found my crew and handed them my jacket and shirt.  I swapped water bottles, grabbed some medjool dates and a banana, and then took off running.  After running a few steps, I realized I forgot the most important thing – so I ran back to kiss my wife.  This was the routine at every aid station for the rest of the race.

May Queen to Fish Hatchery 13.5 – 23.5 miles

Hagerman Pass Road

After leaving May Queen aid station I had to run up the Colorado Trail to Sugarloaf Pass, the second highest point in the race at 11,100 feet above sea level.  As soon as I hit Hagerman, which is a dirt road leading to Sugarloaf Pass, I started power hiking.  Looking down to Turquoise Lake was absolutely stunning.  The sun was rising over the lake, and I was able to concentrate on the breathtaking views rather than the running part of the race.  I did not want to destroy my quads on the 3-ish mile run down Powerline to Fish Hatchery, so I took it nice and easy.  I chatted with Darcy Africa, the winner of Hardrock 100, for a little bit. I arrived at Fish Hatchery at 3:42 into the race.  I gave my water bottle to my crew and then checked in.  Inside the aid station I grabbed a handful of watermelon and headed back to my crew.  They filled my pack with dates.  I grabbed another banana and stole another kiss from my wife. I was feeling great and refreshed - Tree Line was my next destination.

Fish Hatchery to Tree Line 23.5 to 27 miles

This is a flat four mile section on paved road.  Most people complain about this section but I actually enjoyed it.  Maybe I enjoyed it because I do not mind running on road and also because you have Mt. Elbert (14,433 feet) and Mt. Massive (14,421 feet) in the background. I started feeling pain in my legs when I was running into Tree Line at mile 27.  There were only a few cars parked at Tree Line so it was easy to find my crew.  I grabbed more dates, a new water bottle and some Advil.  Of course, before I left I kissed my wife.

Tree Line to Twin Lakes 27 to 39 miles

I started to feel my first low point of the race during this section as the thought of running 30 hours crept into my mind.  I was trying to stay optimistic but I was beginning to hurt.  I passed through the Half Pipe aid station and made a rookie mistake.  I did not fill up my water bottle even though it was only half empty.  As I left Half Pipe, I had about 9 miles to go before reaching Twin Lakes.  I was trying to eat as many dates as possible in order to stay ahead of my nutrition.  The lowest point in my race came about 5 miles from Twin Lakes.  I ran out of water and I was walking.  One runner caught up to me and told me there was a water station just around the corner.   When I arrived, I quickly filled up my water bottle and took off running again.  As I ran down the last steep downhill into Twin Lakes, I felt a burst of energy.  I looked at my watch and saw 6:27. I was about an hour ahead of schedule and in good spirits.  I was on a runner’s high and wanted to spend as little time as possible at Twin Lakes’ aid station.  I grabbed a bunch of fruit and had my crew fill up my water bottles.  While I was changing my shoes my wife informed me that I was around 33^rd place.  I was excited but at the same time I realized I still had 60 miles to go, and I knew the toughest climb of the race was yet to come.  I told her I wasn’t thinking about what place I was in because my goal was to break 25 hours.  I kissed my wife and headed to climb up Hope Pass.

Twin Lakes to Winfield 39.5 to 50 miles

I had so much energy after leaving Twin Lakes that I had to restrain from running too fast in the marsh leading to the base of Hope Pass.  I crossed the river, which felt good on my legs, and ran as far as I could up the climb (which wasn’t very far).  I had climbed the front side of Hope Pass twice so I knew what to expect.  I settled into a hiking pace that I felt I could hold to the top without destroying my legs.  As I came out of the tree line I could see Hopeless aid station.  This made me smile as I knew I was only a few hundred yards from the top of the climb.  Hopeless aid station is Leadville’s most famous aid station because it is staffed by llamas and their farmers.  A kid came running up to me and asked what I needed.  She grabbed my bottle and ran ahead to fill it up.  By the time I got there my bottle was ready.  I grabbed some fruit and continued hiking my way to the top.  I did not want to spend any time on top of the pass so I leaned into a jog and made my way down the backside of the mountain. 

Top of Hope Pass

I had not seen this side of the mountain so I did not know what to expect, other than what I read in race reports.  At certain points while running, I had to grab hold of a tree to slow myself down.  I got a couple of miles from Winfield and saw Mike Arnstein going up the mountain.  He told me I was looking better than most people in the Winfield aid station.  This information helped me remain on a runner's high.  I continued to run down to the aid station slowly. I turned the corner and saw Winfield.  I looked at my watch and noticed I was 9:36 into the race.  I was about 1 ½ hours above my goal time.  I saw my crew and dropped my water bottles off with them so that I could weigh in.  136.2 lbs. – perfect.  I had only dropped two pounds. 

Running into Winfield

The night before the race, Mike Arnstein sent me a text asking if I wanted a pacer to pace me for some of the race.  Since I didn’t have one lined up, I said yes.  Mike gave me Zach’s number and told my crew to call him in the morning.  Zach met me at Winfield, and we headed off to climb the backside of Hope Pass.

Winfield to Twin Lakes 50 to 60.5 miles

As I was running out of Winfield with Zach, I updated him on my energy levels, goals for this section and expectations from him.  There were only a few things I needed from Zach.  One was to make sure I eat every hour and the other was to GET ME TO THE TOP.  We settled into a nice hiking pace.  To say the back side of Hope Pass is steep is a complete understatement.  The 25% grade made me want to quit at times but Zach did a great job keeping me focused.  Once we crested the top of Hope Pass, we could see our destination into Leadville.  It was a long ways away.  We arrived at Hopeless aid station, where I refilled my bottles and grabbed as much fruit as I could.  I ate plenty of watermelon, bananas and oranges.  At this point in the race, I had high spirits and wanted to get back to Twin Lakes aid station as quickly as possible.  The river crossing is just under a mile from Twin Lakes.  I had Zach run ahead of me to find my crew and let them know I was coming.  I got into Twin Lakes at 12:52 into the race.  Once again my crew did a perfect job and had everything ready for me.  My wife told me I was around 30^th place and once again I told her I did not care. I changed back into my dry shoes, stuffed my face with watermelon, refilled my bottles and kissed my wife all within 3 minutes. 

Short Steep Hill leaving Twin Lakes

Twin Lakes to Tree Line 60.5 to 73 miles

I climbed up the short steep hill out of Twin Lakes and made my way towards Tree Line without Zach.  With less than 40 miles left in the race I decided to test my limits.  My game plan coming into the race was to make it to the 60 miles mark feeling well and then start pushing, so that is what I did.  I caught a couple of people and ran along side them for a few miles.  We started chatting, and they asked me about my goal time.  When I said I hoped to finish in less than 25 hours, they told me I could now walk to the finish line and get in under that time.  After hearing this, I had a burst of energy go through my body and started to run.  I pulled into Tree Line where my crew was waiting for me.  Knowing I only had 4 miles to Fish Hatchery, this stop would be less than a minute.  My crew refilled my bottle - I kissed my wife and then started to run again.

Tree Line to Fish Hatchery 73 to 77.5 miles

I knew I would have to climb Powerline after Fish Hatchery, so I decided to take it easy in this section.  I settled into a run/walk combination until I could see the lights of Fish Hatchery.  It was starting to get dark, and I wanted to make it to the aid station before sunset.  I ran into Fish Hatchery at 16:15.  Full of energy, I dropped my bottle off and told my crew what I needed as I ran into the aid station.  Once again I grabbed as much fruit as I could and went back to my crew.  Zach was nice enough to pace me for another 10 mile section.  I kissed my wife, and then Zach and I took off for Powerline with our headlamps. 

Fish Hatchery to May Queen 77.7 to 86.5 miles

While hiking up Powerline, I could only see one set of headlights in front of me.  I knew I was somewhere in the top 25 but I didn’t want to worry about my place in the race until I got to the top.  A lot of runners end their race at Powerline.  It is a cold, dark, long and steep climb.  So once again Zach’s job was to get me to the top.  Another reason Powerline is so demoralizing is because it’s full of false summits.  Every time you think you’ve reached the top, you turn the corner and have to start climbing again.  I knew this coming in to the race, but after 80 miles of running,I forgot exactly how many false summits there were.  It was cold and dark but my spirits were still high.  When I caught the guy in front of me we were at the top of the climb. I remembered Mike Arnstein told me once I reached the top of Powerline, I can run as fast as I can down and into May Queen.  So that is what I did.  I told Zach to give me my handheld flashlight, and I would see him at the finish.  I took off at what felt like a full sprint down the dirt road.  I knew that I was going to finish well under my goal time, so now I began to focus on my finishing place.  After a couple of minutes of running, I looked back and saw no one.  I was running so fast that I left the other racer as well as my pacer.  I was at a full out sprint and my next destination was May Queen.  As I turned off of the dirt road and on to the trail I could hear the music playing at the aid station but I knew I still had a couple of miles to go.  I kept a fast pace and kept an eye on the trail.  The last thing I wanted to do was fall.  When I got off the trail and stepped onto the road, I was yelling at the top of my lungs.  I was 18:43 into my race with only 13.5 miles to go.  I passed my crew and went straight to the aid station.  I grabbed all of the fruit I could fit into both hands.  My wife hooked my iPod to me, I kissed her and took off running into the darkness; only wearing my shorts and a light jacket around my waist. 

May Queen to the Finish 86.5 to 100 miles

Finishing in less than 25 hours was a given at this point, however I knew I was in the top 25 and wanted to stay there.  I left May Queen and began running on Turquoise Lake trail.  I had a routine of running for as long as I could, and then allowing myself to walk for 30 seconds when I felt like I could no longer run. After running up a small hill, I noticed someone in front of me walking.  I passed him and then another person along Turquoise Lake trail.  It was in the middle of the night and getting cold.  To keep my mind from concentrating on the cold, I started trying to figure out what place I was in.  I came up to a road and was unsure where to go.  To the right of the trail was a runner curled up in a sleeping bag with his crew surrounding him. One of his crew members was nice enough to point me in the direction to the finish line.  I was approximately 6 miles from finishing! Once I got back on the trail I started running again until I reached a dirt road. I knew this meant I only had 5 miles left until I reached the finish. I turned onto the Boulevard and began the three mile climb.  I settled into a brisk hiking pace until I reached a point where the Boulevard is not so steep.  I looked up and saw four sets of headlamps in front of me.  This gave me the opportunity to pass two more runners.  Before I knew it, my competitive side was out in full swing. I immediately began running again.  As I passed the first person, he told me to go and get the guy in front of him.  I took his advice and was off.  I turned onto 6^th Street, which was the final mile.  I crested the top of the last hill and could see the finish line.  I took one more glance behind me to make sure no one was coming.  I soaked it all in and crossed the line yelling and screaming in 21:26 hours.  I had finished in under my goal and would get a BIG BUCKLE. I finished in 19^th place and 4^th in my age group.

Feeling like a million bucks!

Post Race

One of the great traditions about Leadville is that the race organizer, Merilee, gives every finisher a hug and medal after crossing the finish line.  After receiving my hug and medal from Merilee, I walked over to the med tent for my final weigh in.  134.6 lbs. - I only lost 4 lbs during race!  You would think I would have been exhausted after running 100 miles in the mountains, but I was full of energy and unable to sit still.  After I ate some food, I slowly made my way back to the hotel.  Finally, the soreness started to kick in.  I took a shower and laid down to go to bed; however, my mind kept racing with the events of the day.  Everything about that race was perfect. 

I ended up getting only 3 hours of sleep that night.  I woke up the next day to watch the rest of the finishers come in.  I have so much respect for the runners who are out there all night.

Having finished Leadville in 19^th place in only my second ultra and my first 100 miler, I came to one realization - the all raw fruit and vegetable diet works.  It worked better than I ever imagined it could.  I ran the entire race on bananas, dates, watermelon and oranges.  I consumed 3 gels during the race, only because I needed quick calories in between aid stations. 

As you can imagine, I had a lot of people question my diet during my training. However, I experienced great results, largely in part to eating only raw fruits and vegetables. If you’re interested in learning more about this diet, please visit www.thefruitarian.com. 

Me, Mike Arnstein and Zach Newquist (all Fruitarians)

Most importantly, I have to say a huge thank you to my wife and mom.  They were my crew and a big part of my race.  I made a lot of sacrifices while training for Leadville, and I’m blessed to have a very understanding and supportive wife who encourages me every step of the way. I would also like to thank my pacer, Zach.  He kept my spirits high and made sure I stayed focused.

Leadville is the most exhilarating race I have participated in, and I look forward to returning to beat my current finishing time within the next three years!

El Plato Grande