Old Man Still running

The weather looked so nice today that on a whim, I decided to run up Mount Timpanogos after work.  I usually go up about 15 times each year, but I've trained other ways this year, so this was the first time I made it all the way up there (I tried in June when there was still too much snow.)

This is a great way to benchmark my fitness because I've run up so many times.  (This was my 63rd summit). Afternoons are great to run up there because the trail is pretty empty as most people are already back down or almost down.  I had the trail mostly to myself.  I was delighted to see my ultrarunning buddy, Brent Rutledge from Lehi coming up as I was heading down.  I haven't seen him in a few months.  He's training for The Bear 100.

This went very well.  I didn't push it too hard, but still did the second fastest round trip I've ever done, and the fastest I have ever done solo. (My PR was running with others).  My roundtrip time was 3:22.   

Splits:

Scout falls: 20:14, rock slide 42:41, Basin trail junction: 1:17, Saddle 1:44, Summit: 2:05, Saddle 2:17, trail junction: 2:31, Scout Falls 3:09, Trailhead 3:22.

In never fails, when I push the time toward 3:30, I face plant at least once.  The trail is just too technical.  As I was approaching a problem section, I was thinking that I better be careful and not face plant, right after that thought, down I went.  Boom.  Scraped a knee and sprained a finger a bit.  But I was fine.  But I also have four near-face plants.  Very close to going down, just caught myself in the nick of time.  My left foot is the problem that usually trips.

So, I'm very pleased by my fitness.  I never felt any altitude problems at all.  I didn't slow down near the top.  All my altitude work this month has really helped.   I think I'm ready for Wasatch 100.

OK, call me stupid.  ---- Everyone together now, "STUPID"  Thanks.  I just can't taper in the middle of the summer when the weather is so perfect.  Tomorrow I am thinking of returning the the scene of the crime, last Saturday's run.  Now that I know the trail on the west, why not run the entire Bear River - Smith Fork trail end-to-end and set a speed record?   This would be running across 7 forks and 6 major ridges.  About 25 miles with 7,000 feet of climbing.  And then of course need to return back for over 50 miles.

Perhaps stupid, but I do recall one of my best 100-mile races ever, Leadville 100 in 2006 when I didn't taper at all, doing a tough backpack the days leading up to it.

Not a race, but I did establish a speed record on a trail on the North Slope of the Uintas.  I ran the trail out and back for 59 miles and about 13,000 feet of climbs.  I know I should be tapering for Wasatch 100, but the weather was too ideal to pass up an adventure run.

Read all the details and view the pictures at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=415

While I was being good and resting today, I received a distress call from my brother up on Lone Peak.  He and my nephew were descending but nephew Rob could not move any more with heat stroke/exhaustion symtoms.   I rallied, called my brother in law and we raced over to the Orson Smith trailhead.  By that time, my brother had descended and looked bad.  We were in contact with Rob by cell phone and he was doing a little better up on the mountain.  Ed and I raced up the trail.  I was still pretty pooped from yesterday, so I sent Ed ahead.  He is a nationally ranked triathlete, very fit.  It was 95 degrees out.   Ed made it up to Rob about ten minutes ahead of me.  By that time Rob was descending.  He had received some drink and help from a passing hiker.  We then escorted Rob down.  Thankfully everything worked out well.  It turned out to be a good excuse to go up on the mountains today.

Major tapering this week.  Rest and relaxation.  I went to the pool and did some heat training in the hot 105 degrees hot tub, but discovered that won't be needed this year because the forecast for Wasatch will be perfect weather.  Lambs canyon will be in the low upper 60s-low 70s.  Overnight will be near freezing, probably about 34.  Sunny, perfect.  Should be fast times.

Did some weights and core.  Also working the hamstrings to keep away the taper pains that usually like to start there.

All systems go for Wasatch.  Hoping for cool, wet conditions.  Looks like I might get my wish.  If we get a little snow on the ridges, that will really help pound down the dust.  Nice.  No heat this year. Hoping for at least a one hour improvement over last year.  Track results at:

http://www.wasatch100.com/

	miles	Split	Goal	Clock	2009
Start	0	0	0:00	5:00 AM
Francis Peak Aid	17.7	8.1	4:00	9:00 AM	4:01
Bountiful B	24	6.3	5:10	10:10 AM	5:18
Session Lift-off	28.2	4.2	6:00	11:00 AM	6:10
Swallow Rocks	34.9	6.7	7:45	12:45 PM	7:56
Big Mt	39.4	4.5	8:55	1:55 PM	9:09
Alexander Rg	47.4	8	10:55	3:55 PM	11:16
Lambs Cyn	53.1	5.7	12:25	5:25 PM	12:55
Big Water	61.7	8.6	14:55	7:55 PM	15:23
Desolation	66.9	5.2	16:55	9:55 PM	17:38
Scotts Peak	70.8	3.9	18:15	11:15 PM	19:01
Brighton	75.6	4.8	19:25	12:25 AM	20:10
Ant Knolls	80.3	4.7	21:20	2:20 AM	22:09
Pole Line	83.4	3.1	22:30	3:30 AM	23:23
Rock Springs	87.4	4	23:50:00	4:50 AM	24:45:00
Pot Bottom	93.1	5.7	25:40:00	6:40 AM	26:42:00
Finish	100	6.9	27:30:00	8:30 AM	28:33:02

Race report will be coming. 

Cool temperatures in the day were great for fast running.  I fell behind my PR pace in the morning because of mud and slick trails from snow.  I was pretty tentative on the downhills.  But on the sections that usually are hot, I was able to push the pace hard.  For the first time I reached Big Water in Millcreek Canyon before dusk.  I was ahead of my schedule to finish in 27:30.

But as has happened my other times here, during the climb to Dog Lake and Desolation Lake, I bonked, low energy.  I was still on schedule, but runners were passing me for the first time in many miles.  Up on the ridges in Scotts, the temperature took a dive and I didn't have enough warm clothes on, so that sapped the energy.  However, coming down into Brighton, I found the speed again and passed several runners.  My stay at Brighton was too long, but I recovered well and had warmer clothes on.  During the night it would dip into the 20s in places.

By mile 80, I was still very close to my schedule, but during the section to Rock Spring, I slowed and lost my motivation to really post a great time.   I was just happy to continue on to the finish.  When dawn came, I was further along the course than ever, just a mile or so from Pot Bottom, but just plodding along.

With about three miles to go, I looked at my watch and noticed that I could still PR if I stopped being lazy and started pushing the pace.  So I did.  My goal now was to reach the pavement, one mile to go, by 28:20.   I did, and then I clocked a mile of about 8 minutes or better to make sure I beat my PR.   I did by about five minutes.  A small victory, but a good time.  However, the guys I ran with earlier in the day finished around 27 hours.  So that is what I could have done with a perfect race.  

Wasatch 100 is very, very tough. Thankfully the cool temperatures made it just a little bit easier this year.  Because of that I will recover very fast and be ready for Bear 100.  I have some added motivation to perform better, not be so lazy, and hang in there to the very end.

Rest and recovery.  The worst part is my sinuses...all messed up, probably will go into a bad cold.  I can jog down stairs with minimal pain.  Going over the race in my head makes me very determined to do better at the Bear 100 in a 11 days.  I didn't give Wasatch 100 my best effort, so I need to redeem myself.

Very funny thing today.  On my phone, I retrieved a message from last week.  A guy found my lost camera in the Uintas.  I lost it on Dead Horse Pass nearly a month ago and even ran up there again to search for it once I discovered it was missing.  Somehow by looking at the pictures on the camera, this guy figured out I was the owner!   I had joked with my buddies that this might happen.  I don't know details because I also got his phone mail.

Looking for runners interested in pacing at Bear 100 a week from Friday up Logan Canyon.  Let me know if you are interested.

I'm seeking volunteers to help out with my race next month, Pony Express Trail 50 and 100-miler.  This is out in the west desert of Utah on the historic trail.  See www.ponyexpress100.org 

I need to find some volunteers to help with checking in runners, directing traffic at the start, an aid station at the 50-mile finish, timing, runner tracking, cheering, etc.   It is on UEA weekend, so the kids are out of school that Friday.  Bring them out.  This is a family event because each runner must have a crew car driving along with them.  So it is pretty crazy to see first-hand how someone runs 100-miles.   Let me know if you want to join in the fun.   October 15-16.

Did a recovery run.  Ran up Timp. Took it relatively easy but felt fully recovered, no ill effects left over from Wasatch. No soreness, no fatigue.  Felt like I could run up hill for a long time.  Legs didn't feel heavy.   Reached the top in 2:14.  I started around 2:30 a.m.  The trail was clogged with college kids.  I counted 80 on the way up.  I passed everyone on the trail reaching the summit first except for a couple guys sleeping in the summit hut.

The crowd this week on the trail seemed unusal.  They didn't seem to know what to do when a trail runner approaches.  Perhaps these are a bunch of college kids hiking for the first time.  But it was a real problem.  As I would approach, they would see me but not know what to do.  They are in the middle of the trail, taking up the entire width.  They then figure out that they need to step over to the side but they try think they can get in a few last steps in the middle of the trail before I arrive but they can't.  So I either have to screech to a halt or almost plow into them.  Oh well.  I was considering doing a double today but the trail was so clogged, that I didn't want to go up again.   I took the steep short-cuts going up and down to bypass several groups.

There were another 50 kids going up as I was coming down....and another 50 in the parking lot waiting for dawn.  Busy day on the mountain!  My round trip was 3:54, nice and easy.  I tried to keep the pace slow enough to avoid face plants, but I went down once with one mile to go.  Didn't scape anything or get hurt.  Only go dirty. 

Love the comments from the "kids" on the trail.  "You're a freaking animal."  I resist the urge to reply, "I'm just an elderly 52-year-old man going out for a morning stroll."  The funny comments are when they thing something is wrong, that I'm running down fast to get some help, or some sort of crazy ambulence with a green light.  "What's wrong?"  Today I didn't say anything, but usually I say, "She's going to blow!  The mountain is going to blow!"

It was a nice morning run.  I'm feeling ready for Bear 100 on Friday.  Still interested in someone pacing me Friday afternoon in Logan Canyon.   No biggy, just helps save several minutes and gives you a chance to taste a 100-miler.   I don't usually use pacers, but with local races it is fun to share the experience.

Ran to and from the Club House and then seven miles on the treadmill.  Almost got hit by a car on the way.  A woman delivering papers had her dome light on, she cut a corner I was running on, didn't see me and I almost had to jump for my life.  I think that woke her up.  She just can't be driving like crazy on our roads, even if it is 5 a.m.

Last week was recovery, this week taper for the Bear 100 on Friday.  Pretty funny.

My training strategy is to get my foot speed back up, thus the dreaded TM.  Funny how I just don't feel comfortable at all running sub 7-minute pace anymore.  It will take awhile to get that back.  However, after running seven miles, I felt warmed up and more comfortable at faster paces.  Looking toward Pony Express Trail 100 in a month when I will need the foot speed.  The dream is for a sub-20-hour 100. 

I'll probably keep this up during my taper this week.

Same routine, ran to the club house, newspaper lady saw me today and didn't run me down, get to the club house, enter at 5:08 (opens at 5:00), the alarm goes off, cops come, same routine as yesterday.   The cops are getting tired of coming over for nothing. 

Ran treadmill to get foot speed, alarm keeps going off with each person entering the building.  Fun stuff.

Looks like I'll have the highest mileage week on the blog for the third time this month.

The quick version, full version later.

This was my 7th time running Bear 100 that goes from Logan, Utah to Bear Lake in Idaho.  It doesn't go direct.  The course zigzags and does massive climbs along the way of over 20,000 feet total.

Started fast as usual, running with the top 10 and stayed ahead of Jon for the first climb as he was obviously carefully holding back.  Settled in to my schedule for 26-hour finish goal. Funny how I can stay close to it. At Paul's aid station, I was 20 seconds ahead of my schedule.  Last year I was right at my predicted schedule at his aid station. Right before that I took a face plant.  Usually my face plants involve skinned knees.  But this time it was a true face plant, the face planted in the dirt, scraping up my forehead.

The day went well.  I felt no ill effects of running Wasatch 100 two weeks ago.  In fact my hill climbing felt stronger than ever.  I could run the hills clear to the end of the race.  Things went well until the early evening around mile 62.  I had some serious issues that slowed me down.  The most serious happened at mile 68.  Somehow I injured my foot, my problem tendon.  I thought I would have to DNF, but I tested in our for 7 more miles and it calmed down.  Looks like I may have just badly bruised the foot, it is all black and blue.  We'll see in a couple days went things calm down.  Hopefully I didn't tear the tendon causing it to bleed. 

At mile 70, I felt incredible as my stomach finally calmed down and I had the right number of calories in my system.  For last 30 miles I passed many runners and loved running up the hills, felt very strong.

I did take four wrong turns!  Pretty funning became I've run the current course two times before.  But at night when running fast, it was tough to see the course markings which were few.  I ended running an extra 1.5 miles.  So, without those blunders, I probably would have reached my 26-hour finish goal.  I finished in 26:30, nearly two hours faster than my best time last year.  I was very pleased.  Out of the 170 starters, I finished in 27th.

Big thanks to Brad and Geri Clements who crewed me during the night.  They have it down to a science.  Brad would run out to greet me to see what I needed and then run to the station before I got there.  They had a chair and table all set up for me each time.  Geri had her handheld on a big timer so I could see how long I was at the station. She would call out the minutes.  My visits were nice and fast.

	miles	2010 goal	2008	2009	2010
Start	0	0:00
Logan Peak	10.5	2:30	2:42	2:33	2:23
Leatham Hollow	19.7	4:00	4:20	4:10	4:00
Richards Hollow	22.5	4:35	4:58	4:44	4:34
Cowley Canyon	30	6:20	7:15	6:38	6:24
Right Hand Fork	36.9	7:50	9:01	8:06	7:52
Temple Fork	45.2	9:45	11:12	10:09	9:48
Tony Grove	51.8	12:00	13:18	12:17	12:04
Franklin TH	61.5	14:30	16:30	14:51	14:37
Logan River	69.5	16:50	19:42		17:09
Beaver Lodge	75.8	19:00	22:17	20:15	19:27
Gibson Basin	81.2	20:45	24:52:00	22:15	21:10:00
Beaver CG	85.3	21:50	25:52:00	23:28	22:10:00
Ranger Dip	92.2	24:10:00	28:21:00	25:57:00	24:23:00
Finish	100	26:00:00	30:51:00	28:21:00	26:30:15

 Here's what place I was in coming into the various stations:

 

Logan Peak	18
Leatham	30
Richards	29
Cowley	31
Right Fork	30
Temple	32
Tony Grove	33
Franklin	33
Logan River	36
Beaver Lodge	32
Gibson	31
Beaver Creek	28
Ranger Dip	27
Finish	27

Recovery going very well.  The foot seems fine, we'll see in a couple days.  I have a couple blisters healing, nothing very bad.  Quads a little sore, but I can jog down stairs already.

So, my 35th 100-mile finish is in the books (see list on the left).  Of my seven Bear 100 attempts, this was by far my best race.  With a very competetive race this year, I finished in the top 16%.  This was also my 11th straight 100 finishing in under 30 hours.  I've never before finished two in under 30 hours two weeks apart before this.  One more number, 17th straight 100 without a DNF. OK, just one more:  My 64th ultra finish in just over six years.

Bouncing back. Feel much better today.  Appetite back. 

Spent time looking at my performance and was pleased with how well I ran the last 25 miles.  That usually is my huge problem.  In the chart below you can see the improvement for each split compared to last year.  The Franklin split should have been at least 10 minutes faster, I cruised, but I lost the time due to the wrong turn.

	miles	2010 goal	2008	2009	2010	split delta
Start	0	0:00
Logan Peak	10.5	2:30	2:42	2:33	2:23	-10
Leatham Hollow	19.7	4:00	4:20	4:10	3:59	-1
Richards Hollow	22.5	4:35	4:58	4:44	4:33	0
Cowley Canyon	30	6:20	7:15	6:38	6:23	-4
Right Hand Fork	36.9	7:50	9:01	8:06	7:51	0
Temple Fork	45.2	9:45	11:12	10:09	9:48	-6
Tony Grove	51.8	12:00	13:18	12:17	12:04	8
Franklin TH	61.5	14:30	16:30	14:51	14:37	-1
Logan River	69.5	16:50	19:42	17:12	17:09	9
Beaver Lodge	75.8	19:00	22:17	20:15	19:27	-43
Gibson Basin	81.2	20:45	24:52:00	22:15	21:10:00	-17
Beaver CG	85.3	21:50	25:52:00	23:28	22:10:00	-13
Ranger Dip	92.2	24:10:00	28:21:00	25:57:00	24:22:00	-17
Finish	100	26:00:00	30:51:00	28:21:00	26:30:45	-16

My total time in the aid stations was 60 minutes.  I'm pleased with that.   It was 40 minutes faster than last year.

Continued good recovery.  Not yet ready to run.  Thoughts drifting toward running Pony Express Trail 100 in 17 days.  Looks like we will have at least 50 runners.  Fun times.

I've posted my Bear 100 report at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=463

I wanted to greet Karl Meltzer as he approached the Wasatch Front on his epic end-to-end run of the Pony Express Trail.  I had a little trouble finding him because he took a wrong turn at Fairfield, but after a quick call to jun, who checked the spot tracking online, he helped me figure out where he was.   I parked my car when I saw the RV's in the distance and ran back and surprised Karl.

He was in great spirits and seemed to enjoy the company as I ran with him across Cedar Valley.  I enjoyed hearing about his adventures thus far.  Lots of crazy mishaps with his crew, navigation challenges.  He's anxious to arrive home this afternoon in Sandy and will take tomorrow off because of media appointments.

His pace is good, averaging about 5 mph, but for a good portion he ran 10-minute miles.  After seven miles, I was beat, still not fully recovered from the Bear.   I let him know who won the Bear this year and how it all went.

He seemed to enjoy the run through western Utah.   He ran through my Pony Express 100 route during the last couple days.   I awarded him the first Pony Express Trail 100 belt buckle.  He got a kick out of that.

As we ran, his eyes were on Lone Peak in the distance.  He kept commenting how it was coming closer and closer.  That was his target for arriving home.  For the rest of Utah, he plans to leave the trail a bit and run on trails for awhile.  I'm sure the dirt road and pavement pounding is getting to him.  When I ran with him, he would seek out the dirt and even grassy shoulders to run on.   His feet are doing great and Hokas holding up very well.

It was a fun morning.