Boston Predictions

Boston is so close I can taste it.
For the very first time, I'm actually stoked to do this race! Yeah, I ran a long and hard race less than two weeks ago, but besides a little residual fatigue, I feel good... really, really good...

And fast.

This is a totally new concept and experience for me. As I sit here, I'm full of confidence and mentally prepared to run low-6 minute miles for an entire marathon. Wait, I had to just re-read that... I'm having a hard time believing what I just wrote and that I honestly think I can go sub-2:50 (or faster). I say this because less than two years ago, I had already run numerous marathons in an attempt to just qualify for Boston, all of which had been failures from a time perspective. (My first 6 or 7 road marathons where all between 3:15 and 3:35.)

And now, having only run one road marathon per year the last two years, I've managed to shave 10 minutes off my PR at each, putting my current best at 2:55. It's hard to quantify what finally clicked, but it's an exhilarating feeling to have finally gotten to this point. Surely, it's just strength and consistency that did it.

Anyway, for the sake of making me accountable, I'm going to show some cards and mention some of my goals/predictions.

• D-Goal: Just Finish
• C-Goal: Sub-2:55 (new PR)
• B-Goal: Sub-2:53 (JT's PR and lots of smack-talking rights)
• A-Goal: 2:45-2:47

JT and I have an over/under bet on whether or not I'll beat Joan Benoit Samuelson. Considering she ran a 2:47.xx last October - setting the over-50 female world record - I consider this a lofty goal. JT has 'over', and there's a good chance he'll be winning a 6 pack on this one, but I love the challenge!

Sub-2:46 also has a nice ring to it since it's the women's qualifying standard for the Olympic Trials, and Karl Meltzer did think I was a woman going into Hardrock last summer, so why not? This will be another goal in the back of my mind.

Oh, and Andy, who clearly has more confidence in me than I do, thinks I'll break 2:40. He's a good friend, but he obviously needs to get off the LSD. No offense.

This should be fun. At the very least, I like my chances of breaking the 'Skinny Guy with Cystic Fibrosis and Gout' World Record...

2010 Blue Canyon 50 Mile Trail Race

(Updated 6/20/10: I've added a few more photos, all courtesy of Thuy Greer, who was working the mile 17/37 aid station. Thanks! More to follow in the next day or two...)

One of the amazing things that draws me to ultra-distance races, above and beyond the health benefits, is that regardless of what place you finish, there is a unique, challenging, painful, emotionally draining adventure and corresponding story that unfolds in the hours between the start and (hopefully) the finish. Last Saturday's Blue Canyon 50 Miler in CA was the epitome of this.

As I previously posted, I claimed my first race victory by winning in 11:02.00, but this isn't the primary reason this race was so rewarding and memorable. Additionally, there is good reason for such a slow winning time. Allow me to elaborate...

The whole decision to enter came about spontaneously and very last minute when my friend Andy Henshaw (the 100k race winner the past 2 years) was able to get me a complimentary entry (thanks to the RD, Robert Gilcrest) to the event as long as I was able to book a flight in time. This all happened on Tuesday evening with me scheduling a Friday morning flight to Santa Barbara. Another cool piece of the puzzle came together when, despite the short notice, my uncle from Dana Point decided he was overdue for a last minute weekend getaway, and made the drive north to come witness the carnage. Having never witnessed an ultra before, he would be in for a shocker on Saturday!

Race morning came around and those of us running either the 50 miler or the 50k had what we thought was the luxury of a 7:00am race start. The 100k runners on the other hand, were sent off into the dark at 4:30am. With temps only forecast to hit the low 90's this didn't seem like a big deal at the time, but in hindsight, having temps that reached at least 103 degrees, I would have killed for the 4-ish start. This was the only criticism I had for Robert after the event.

Anyway, after the official start we were immediately met with the steepest climb of the day (total gain for the day would end up being in excess of 14,000 ft):

The mileage isn't shown in the above course profile but this initial climb is covered in barely over 3 miles. While not easy by any means, I was stoked when I reached the summit having run every step except for when I needed a GU or salt. So far, so good. After a nice, gradual descent down a jeep road I arrived at the first aid station (mile 6.3) in 1:05.

(Mile 13. Photo courtesy of Kevin Steele)

At this point I was ahead of all but two runners, and it was at this aid station that it was confirmed that they were running the 50k distance which meant I was officially leading! Receiving this bit of good news I now had renewed energy to tackle the second big climb of the day.

This climb was not quite as steep as the first but definitely lasted longer. This is partially due to it being the longest stretch between aid stations, at 6.8 miles. It was while running in unshaded areas on this climb that I first noticed how hot it already was outside. It was about 9:00am and it's safe to say temps were already in the mid to upper 80's! (Concerns about what temps 3:00 in the afternoon would bring were now lingering in the back of my mind...) Anyway, I arrived at the Angustoro Pass aid station around 2hr and 20min in. This is where I took my first full refuel, dunked the bandana in some ice water, and hit downhill #2.

Being all downhill on a jeep road again, it only took about 38 minutes to cover the 4.6 miles to the next aid station (mile 17+/-), but during this descent I began to notice hot spots on my feet for the first time, and start to feel knee pain from the descending. At the aid station I decided that since I was well hydrated I'd take 400mg of ibuprofen to reduce the inflammation in my knees. From here the aid station workers said it was 4 miles to an unmanned water station and then another 4 until the next manned aid station. Status: 1st place still with NO signs of any runners behind me. In fact, I was only about 6 minutes behind the two 50k leaders!

(Mile 17. Photos courtesy of Thuy Greer)

Here I'm going to break away from the monotony of a verbatim play-by-play and fast forward to the memorable events a little further ahead in the day:

I found almost all of the terrain over the next 8+ miles to be very runnable, BUT despite topping off my water at every oportunity, I found myself running out between aid stations since my sweat level was soooo much higher than I'd ever experienced. It was now officially blast-furnace hot! In hindsight, I think carrying a hydration pack would have worked better than just two 20oz handhelds. As an example, due to the mid-day temps at the turnaround, it took me an hour to go 4 miles from the last aid station to the turnaround and back, and only 35 minutes to completely deplete my water supply!

Something else that attests to the impact of the extreme heat (skipping ahead a little here), was that this 27+ mile split to the turnaround took me 5 hours.... whereas the next 22+ took me over 6!

The pattern of the day for those next grueling hours: Hit an aid station. Proceed to slam down gels and salt like it's my job. Drink as much as possible and top off my water bottles. Leave aid station running. Run out of water in 30 minutes. Begin walking. Suffer for 45 with no water and thus no ability to run. Repeat.

(Coming into and leaving aid station at mile 37. Photos courtesy of Thuy Greer)

Whenever I would try to run with no fluids, I found myself overheating almost immediately and getting dizzy/disoriented/clumsy. Knowing that I was probably dehydrated AND extremely low on salt, I at least had the presence of mind to just walk and try to keep my core temps as low as possible. This was the pattern for the last 14 miles. The peak of suffering came at about mile 44. No water, lots of ups and downs on the course, and no aid station within sight. The way I was stumbling around at this point led me to become legitimately scared of losing consciousness. I began to pick my footing VERY carefully, thinking that if I passed out I at least didn't want to hit my head on a huge rock or fall down a ravine (been there, done that, not fun)! Side note: It's amazing how extreme levels of mental and pysical anguish cause you to change your priorities. I went from being psyched that I was leading a race for the first time, to not even caring if I won or even finished for that matter. I just wanted the suffering to stop...

Just past this low point, I stumbled across a slow moving stream and despite knowing that giardia was a real possibility if I drank the water, it was a no-brainer that I had to drink or I wouldn't make it to the next aid station... and drink I did! I must have chugged close to two bottles of water right there and taken 10 salt tablets. It was amazing how quickly this caused me to become lucid again. While I still was miserable, I no longer felt I was in danger of severe injury.

On this home stretch before the last aid station (which marked 2 miles to go) I came across a couple of women walking the course to check on runners. After a brief recap of my condition, I had a volunteer who was willing to run the last 2 miles with me just to make sure I didn't lose consciousness. We were able to bomb into the finish since it was almost entirely downhill from here. THANKS GRETCHEN!! I was pretty worried before running into her, but after she joined I had not only someone to look after me, but someone to talk to and get my mind off the pain, and this did wonders!

Finally the finish line showed itself! Water bottles were thrown aside, a barrel roll on the grass ensued, and I could finally collapse in the shade!

(Crossing the finish. Photo courtesy of Kevin Steele)

Final time: 11:02.00
(In the end only 3 other runners finished the 50 mile distance and two of them were runners that dropped down from the 100k. My margin of victory was over 2 hours and 40 minutes.)

(Photo courtesy of Kevin Steele)

In the above picture, I had just finished and Gretchen was helping me with my waist belt... look at how much salt is soaked into my shorts; even for me this was a TON! I again need to thank my doctor and dietician at National Jewish Hospital in Denver, for helping me figure out my salt intake issues last summer. Without them, I can safely say a race like Blue Canyon would have put me in the ER or killed me.

In ultra running the saying truly applies: 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.'

Saturday's race didn't kill me, so I guess a thank you is in order to both mother nature and the Blue Canyon race course!

I would highly recommend either the Blue Canyon races or the upcoming DRTE 100 Miler (same start/finish, different course) to those who are looking for a HARD, HARD ultra. Check them both out at the Blacksmith Endurance website: http://www.blacksmithendurance.com/bluecanyon/

With less than a month until Hardrock I am supremely confident in my ability to rise to the challenge...  it's now time to keep the body in one piece and focus on high altitude training!

Brooks

(Here's a cool track I just stumbled across... it's instrumental, but awesome none the less. Could be a good running tune. Enjoy.)

Summer '10 Race Calendar

It's only the 2nd week in May and I can say 2010 is already shaping up to be my most epic runnng/racing/adventuring year ever!

February-May 2010

This year to date I've run the following:

• (1) 100 Mile Trail Races (Rocky Raccoon)
• (2) 50 Mile Trail Races (Desert R.A.T.S. and Collegiate Peaks)
• (1) Trail Marathon (Salida)
• (1) 8 mile race
• (2) 10k's
• (1) 5k

So that's 8 races in just over 3 months, (including 3 ultras) and my body is feeling great! However, this is just the tip of the iceburg. The following is my race schedule from now through October:

• 5/16/10 Colfax Marathon, Denver, CO (2:57.xx goal time)
• 5/22/10 Jemez Mountain 50 Mile Trail Race, Los Alamos, NM
• 5/29/10 Bolder Boulder, Boulder, CO (Tentative)
• 6/18/10 Bighorn 100, Sheridan, WY (Pacing Jon Teisher)
• 6/26/10 Western States 100, CA (Pacing Andy Henshaw)
• 7/9/10 Hardrock 100, Silverton, CO
• 8/8/10 Silver Rush 50, Leadville, CO
• 8/21/10 Leadville 100, Leadville, CO
• 9/18/10 MAS 50, Moab, UT (or equivalent 50 miler)
• 10/9/10 XTerra Trail Marathon, Colorado Springs, CO
• 10/16/10 24 Hours of Boulder, Boulder, CO

Along the way I'll be doing high altitude training on just about every weekend that I don't have a race. The plan is to do Hardrock in less than 32hrs and Leadville in less than 21hrs. Everthing else I'm doing leading up to these races is strictly for the purpose of training for these 100 milers!

So far, so good...

2009: Running. Racing. Adventures. Life. A year in pictures...what a ride!

(Photo layout updated 6/17/10)

As I sit here on a cold Colorado night and yet another snowstorm rolls into the Front Range, I finally am afforded the opportunity to sit back and reflect on the amazing events of the year. Rather than bore my friends and readers with too much dialogue, I've decided that the pictures I've amassed over the past 12 months will speak much louder than words, and truly do justice to the moments that made my life a fun and interesting adventure!

Hopefully there will be something in here that is entertaining for anyone who reads it as I haven't limited this to just athletic accomplishments.
So sit back, relax, and have a good laugh...

PART 1 - Running: The Highs
(The 'lows' that follow are way funnier!)

An unexpected early season 50 mile PR of 8 hour and 49 minutes! I had previously only completed one 50 mile ultra marathon and it had taken over 11 hours. This race really boosted my confidence and got me contemplating whether or not I should enter the Leadville 100.

(Photo 1) Desert R.A.T.S. 50 miler in Fruita, CO:
(Photo 2) Here I am with my then roommate, the great Tony Krupicka, after finishing the 2009 Desert R.A.T.S. 50 in

Fruita, CO:
(Photo 3) The salt loss in my sweat after finishing... I guess I do have just a touch of Cystic Fibrosis after all:

(Photo 4) Just a few weeks after my 50 mile PR, I qualified for the Boston Marathon by running a 3:05.54 at the Colorado Colfax marathon in Denver. I was fighting a cold on race morning, but from the look on my face you can tell that I didn't care as I crossed the finish line!
(Photo 5) No pictures while running, but a 10th place finish at the Bighorn 52 miler in Sheridan, Wyoming... here, the usual pre-race nerves:
(Photos 6&7) Skipping ahead a ways, I had a 5k PR at the Run for Hope in July: 19:10
(Photos 8&9) After a scary experience in Minnesota at the Voyageur 50 miler (pics below), I bounced back with another PR on my 4th running of the Pikes Peak Ascent. 3:24.xx:
(Photo 10) Along with my great friend Sean after he finished:
(Photos 11&12) Even my dad had a record setting and age-class winning day:
(Photos 13-17) The following weekend was my crown jewel... finishing the Leadville 100 in 23 hours, 21 minutes, and 27 seconds:
(Photos 18-20) 4 weeks after Leadville I had another 50 mile PR at the North Face Endurance Challenge, in D.C.:

                                       

                            

                                     

                                                         

        

                            

                                    

                            

                                     

                             

                             

                                     

                                                

                                                 

                                                

                                        

After this race I finished 4th at the Xterra Trail Marathon in Colorado Springs in early October. Then began the much earned taper and rest that I have been in until a couple of weeks ago.

PART 2 - Running: The Lows. AKA: Running is a contact sport!!!

The following pictures all depict the damage that I inflicted on myself either during races this year or in training while en route to the 'highs'.

(Photos 1&2) January '09: The Carlsbad Marathon.

Yes, this was the result of me eating it in on a relatively flat, paved, road course. I am very coordinated:

(Photos 3-5) Do you like how I ommitted the details about me ending up in the medical tent during the Bighorn 50? Forgive the hair, but here are pics from the morning after being released and sleeping in my car. The bandage covers where the IV was inserted and I had mud still caked on me:

That just prepared me for the carnage of the Minnesota Voyageur 50 miler. For a full report, click the link found elsewhere in my blog, but in a nutshell, I had several losses of consciousness due to hyponatremia, was found in a river at the bottom of a ravine, and spent the night in the ER in Cloquet, MN.

(Photo 6) So optimistic. If only I knew what was to follow:

(Photos 7-14) 49.5 miles and a night in the ER later. Abrasions from head to toe (literally):

(Photo 15) Got enough publicity for them to write an entire article about me:
(Photo 16) Let's not forgot Leadville:
(Photo 17) ... and last weekend:
(Photos 18&19) Various toes:

PART 3: Life outside of running!

(Photo 1&2) The Leadville after party:

(Photo 3) Me and the money I could be saving with Geico!

(Photo 4-6) DC and NYC:
(Photo 7) In front of the port authority in NYC. Enjoying a cold PBR with dinner!
(Photo 8) Times Square:
(Photo 9-14) Spent a lot of time around Leadville, camping and hiking 14'ers:
(Photo 15) I even drank a little:
(Photo 16) Is that you, Michael Phelps??
(Photo 17) It only cost me a drink to get JT to lick a urinal cake!
(Photos 18&19) At the Dear and the Headlights concert (great band):
(Photos 20-22) Fun in the snow:
(Photo 23) There can only be one 'Most Interesting Man Alive'... let's take this to the parking lot!
(Photo 24) Pre-wet-willy:
(Photo 25) Practically a local celeb after my TV appearance (I'm kind of a big deal!):

PART 4: Looking back and ahead

2009 Race Results:

2009 Total Miles Run (through 12/23/09): 1543

2010 Race Calendar (tentative):

February-Rocky Raccoon 100

March-No Runs Planned (South x Southwest in Austin, tentatively)

April-Desert R.A.T.S. 50

May-Collegiate Peaks 50

July-Leadville Silver Rush 50

July-Hardrock 100

August-Leadville 100

Even in March or April of this year, I would have never imagined finishing the races, or having the experiences I did... but by just taking one day at a time, being blessed with my health, and having great friends, family, and doctors/nurses in my life, I had the greatest year of my life and one I will never forget!

I have a lot of living left to do, so bring on 2010!

Brooks