tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53752127241681545152024-03-04T22:34:01.470-08:00The Trail AficionadoLook for occasional posts about new trail experiences around the 54 States and Territories. I recently accepted a position as an active duty National Guard member of a traveling inspection team which is affording me the opportunity to see different parts of the United States on a weekly basis. Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-91628107139464385732015-05-21T09:41:00.000-07:002015-05-21T13:29:53.682-07:00Pre-Flight Adventure in the Oregon Wilderness<div>
After a long week spent in Salem, Oregon evaluating the Army National Guard Support Facility we relocated to Portland Sunday night in order to more easily catch our flights home Monday morning. I had an 11:30am departure so I would have a couple hours to kill Monday morning. Originally I searched the local area map and decided I would battle rush hour traffic and drive through downtown and across the Willamette River to <a href="http://www.forestparkconservancy.org/forest-park/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Forest Park. </span></a></div>
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Another interesting option was suggested by a longtime friend of mine, Chris Winson, who lives in Southwest Portland. I stopped by his house on the way to the airport hotel Sunday night and we enjoyed a bratwurst and a brew. I told him my plan to run Forest Park the next morning and he quickly suggested driving 40 minutes east of Portland on I-84 to the <a href="http://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Eagle_Creek_to_Tunnel_Falls_Hike" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Eagle Creek to Tunnel Falls trail</span></a>. He had hiked the trail previously and emphasized that to get the most out of it you really should make the 6.5 mile effort to the tunnel. His description of the awesomeness of this trail became tantalizing. I had to come up with a time plan.</div>
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Backward Plan</div>
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1130 - plane leaves Portland</div>
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1045 - check-in and get through security </div>
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1030 - return rental car </div>
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1000 - shower, pack bags, and load up car </div>
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0945 - refuel rental car </div>
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0910 - leave trailhead after uploading <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/307045320" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Strava</span></a> and texting Trish my safe return from the wilderness</div>
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0900 - finish route (actual run time 1 hour 59 minutes 55 seconds)</div>
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0655 - begin running (plan to average 10 minute miles up and 8 minute miles down with photos)</div>
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0645 - pull in to parking lot and pay $5 for the park fee</div>
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0610 - leave hotel</div>
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0600 - free breakfast starts in hotel lobby (muffin and apple; I still have the apple)</div>
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0530 - wake up</div>
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So this is how it works, at least for me anyway; and it timed out perfectly. I guess in retrospect I never accounted for any wiggle room except for about 10 minutes of photo taking.</div>
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I began my trek up the river gorge just before 7am. The temperature was 50 degrees so I wrapped a light jacket around my waist in case it got cooler on the way up or began raining. I never used it and it never rained although all of the vegetation was wet from last evening's showers. The first half-mile is paved as I didn't realize that I could have driven further into the park. The Eagle Creek trail advertises approximately 1600 feet ascent over 6 miles which is about a 5% average grade. This is very runnable albeit at a reduced pace. Except for stops to take pictures and a couple of rocky sections I rarely slowed to a walk and managed exactly 10 minute miles reaching the falls at 1:05. <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/307045320" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://www.strava.com/<wbr></wbr></span>activities/307045320</a><span style="color: #555555;"> </span></div>
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The greenery, moss covered everything, and the sound of cascading waterfalls is never-ending. The trail is mostly on a somewhat even surface rather than sloping toward the edge. This is good because like the website states there are several steep drop-offs and recommends neither dogs or kids. I know my dogs would be fine as most dogs have common sense; they generally seem smart enough not to go jumping off of cliffs. That being said, I would not take children under the age of 13; well considering today's mindset maybe up that to the age of 16.</div>
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After only a mile and a half there is a diversion trail to go down to <a href="http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/119747.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Punch Bowl Falls</span></a>. You can get a great view of it from above along the main route. At the 5-mile mark I found a slippery log crossing and managed to carefully get to the other side without dropping my phone into the rushing stream below. At mile 6 it was eerily quiet as I expected to hear the sought after Tunnel waterfall. I could hear the river below but no thundering falls so I began to think that the trail was longer than advertised. After another 5 minutes all of a sudden I rounded a bend and there was <a href="http://www.columbiarivergorge.info/tunnel-falls1.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Tunnel Falls</span></a>, a plunge type of waterfall ever so gradually retreating over the millennia of time.</div>
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I stashed my water bottle on the side of the trail and put my phone on video mode while I entered the tunnel behind the fall. The experience of being so close to a roaring cascade of water and mist is quite simply breathtaking and awesome! Droplets of water fell on my head as I entered the tunnel and immediately I spied light at the other end. Once through the dynamite-bIasted tunnel I found the trail continuing up and around another bend. I was at my pre-planned time limit and after testing my wits and peering into the plunge pool I backtracked through the tunnel back to my water bottle.</div>
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I was completely chilled and wet from the mist and now ready to accelerate my pace on the 5% downgrade of the trail. I hand carried one of those flimsy free water bottles from the hotel and had not even taken a sip until I turned around. I would only drink half of it by the end. I guess the humid environment, adrenaline, and excitement of a solo wilderness adventure led to no concern for my hydration. The sun began to break through the clouds on the return trip and illuminated the mossy covered forest and hillsides in a different manner than on the way up. About a mile down the trail I encountered another trail runner near the slippery log crossing and another half-mile further seen another trail runner on his way up. I increased my stride and pace trying to see if I could beat the 2-hour clock. I did it by 5 seconds and called Trish to tell her I was ok.</div>
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Being able to do this is trail on a Monday due to a travel day was a blessing. According to reviews the Eagle Creek trail is very popular and crowded on weekends. I began to see small groups of hikers during the last two mile as it was now approaching 9am.</div>
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Needless to say, if you are ever in the Portland area I highly recommend taking the 35-minute diversion east of town on I-84 to exit 41 and experience the trail magic for yourself.</div>
Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-69628850274757298342015-01-30T11:25:00.001-08:002015-05-21T09:48:27.060-07:00Message to Friends About Leaving Tucson and Career Change<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Initially I planned to post a quick message to FB and let all of you know that I have been afforded a career opportunity which involves relocation to Washington, DC. Well, that turned into a blogpost because some of what I have to say is for those who really are interested and make the effort to read the blog and my message is a bit longer than the typical 100 word FB post.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have been accepted to fill a Maintenance Officer position on the Army Resource Management Survey team based out of the DC region at National Guard Bureau. This is a start-up program so I will be stepping in at the ground level. The position is an Active Duty Operational Support tour for up to 3 years. My wife Trish, the dogs, cats, and I are moving March 1</span><sup>st</sup><span style="font-size: small;">. I will have the option to return to my current employment upon completion of the tour.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">It's interesting that it is has taken 30 years of ascending the same career path ladder to finally have an opportunity to showcase my knowledge, skills, and abilities. You would think that after 12-18 years a person should have almost every qualification needed to be an expert in their field. For many in the civilian sector that may be the case. The typical person that joins the military comes from a blue-collar, lower to middle-class background with very little financial ability to seek advanced education. We typically are underachievers during our high school years, enlist in the military, gain a technical specialty, serve our country, start families, fight wars; and then maybe attend some college courses in our precious spare time taking 10-15 years attaining a Bachelor's Degree. All of this pretty much describes me.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">I can recall back to basic training every step taken during my military career. I wasn't always careful about early choices especially the ones that got me in trouble or ended in divorce. After the Marine Corps and into my later 20's I gained a better awareness of the importance of military education and professional accomplishments. Before every seemingly meaningless school or absence from home I explained to Trish that each certificate or deployment created a building block. Over time all of these blocks can be assembled into a solid foundation that strengthens a Soldier and furthers their career. Becoming an Army Warrant Officer is the strongest part of my foundation and was initially built by leadership schools I attended as a younger enlisted person. You can't just stack a bunch of blocks on top of each other though; you need mortar to hold them in place. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">The mortar that holds all of my blocks together has been my love of running. Yes, this is a running blog and we've finally arrived at the subject. When I re-discovered the joy and benefits of running and fitness in my mid-20's I didn't have a life-plan; I just went out and ran. Mostly I was replacing bad habits with good habits. Once I found I had a knack for running I started competing in marathons; I scored the maximum of 300 points on the Army Physical Fitness Test every time I took it; I became a member of the National Guard Marathon Team for over 20 years eventually. I received fitness related comments on evaluation report comments that went in front of promotion boards; I attained awards based on running accomplishments as well as my technical abilities. My running helped me exceed standards at every level of military leadership schooling I attended – combined with excellent academic test scores. Running has not only helped me physically but also strengthened me mentally. I think you get the point; running is the mortar that holds my foundation together.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Over the years I have dealt with superiors, peers, and subordinates who have questioned me about my dedication to running. Some have called me selfish; some said I wasn't properly focused; some were jealous; most said I was crazy; a few admired what I did and supported me. I have had to explain and defend myself countless times. I took advantage of physical training time afforded to us at work and did training runs during lunch breaks. For the most part I ran on my own time spending several hours on weekends preparing for 50 and 100-mile races. Running has helped me to meditate on how to deal with problems at work; family issues; career choices; and plain just made me feel alive. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">I had a superior complain once, "There is a perception that Chase Duarte gets paid to run marathons; he doesn't know his job." "Very perceptive," I said, "But you're missing a couple things." I have gone on fitness related orders 81 times over 22 years using my earned vacation time and at the same time excelled at my job. The part my superiors never recognized was that I was responsible for influencing dozens of people to enlist in the military that were searching for direction in life and wanted to accomplish something meaningful. I also spent countless hours giving advice, mentoring, and making training plans for hundreds of Soldiers who needed help maintaining their eligibility just to stay in the military. I've influenced many Soldiers to seek a higher rank and accept challenging positions as aviators and maintenance officers. It's called recruiting, retention, and most importantly – mentorship. It's also setting the example and leading the way.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">On the subject of leadership, if you are a leader then get to know your people. Have some fun at work. Don't be an asshole and don't allow assholes in the workplace. I once had a supervisor who told me, "You don't come to work to have fun; you're paid to do your job and nothing else." He was an asshole. I allow my employees to have fun. They rarely let me down. They always accomplish the mission and clean-up priorities with a sense of urgency. They're basically making me look good. I reward them often even if it is slightly under the table. Learn from this; turn negatives into positives. It can be difficult and take time but perseverance pays off. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">The last thing I want to mention here is some tidbits of advice. Take care of yourself and your career. No one will do this for you. Some people think they know what is best for you and will make decisions on your behalf without talking to you first. Don't ever allow this. When someone does talk to you, shows interest in who and what you are, and empowers you to do what you do best…recognize this as mentorship. Mentorship is a good thing but unfortunately it has become a rarity; too many people are self-serving and only concerned about their evaluation reports. Don't act self-righteous or become hypocritical in your actions. Strive to be fair and objective but also defend your morals. Improve yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually. Learn from life's experiences and develop some common sense. Learn from your mistakes and then quit repeating them. Set goals; short, mid, and long-term. It's ok if they seem unattainable at the time. I was good at goal-setting awhile back but I failed to make the long-term goals challenging enough, like writing and publishing a book. Now I'm in the process of doing it. Live life with a sense of adventure, get outside and soak up the sun. Don't let haters bring you down. Use experience to evaluate situations and take decisive action. Pave your own path.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">The bottom line out of this rant is that you need to take care of yourself in all areas of your life. Prepare yourself for success. It may take awhile for opportunities to present themselves but when they do; you will be prepared to accept any challenge. Trish and I are looking forward to this new adventure and chapter in our lives. We're excited about the opportunity and eager to see what new experiences life has to offer. </span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-66347118934103667512014-07-10T14:01:00.001-07:002014-07-16T17:25:47.102-07:00The Hardrock Quandary<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have entered the lottery the past four years. I had 8 tickets in the 2014 lottery and next year would have 16 if I had a valid qualifying race. I could have started trying sooner and bettered my chances of getting selected to the point that I probably would have been drawn by now. <a href="http://trailsofglory.blogspot.com/p/western-states-100-mile.html">My first 100-mile finish was Western States in 2006 </a>which was considered a qualifier at that time. I was afraid of Hardrock in 2007 and 2008. I only had two hundreds under my belt, the second one being <a href="http://trailsofglory.blogspot.com/p/wasatch-100-mile.html">Wasatch in 2007</a>. Hardrock is considered a post-graduate run and I was only in my second year of school preceded by an <a href="http://trailsofglory.blogspot.com/p/dnf-at-angeles-crest-100-mile.html">early dropout at Angeles Crest in 2003</a>. I couldn't fathom trying something that difficult that early in my 100-mile career. Then I read some race reports and eventually traveled to Silverton, Colorado to help Bob Bachani with his race in 2009. Last year I paced him for the last 40 miles during his third finish whcih awarded him his Post-Doctorate of Distance. I've also trained on many of the trails and seen about 65% of the course. I'm not afraid anymore.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After <a href="http://trailsofglory.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-summer-spent-in-mountains-2013.html">last year's Leadville finish </a>I should have had two years of eligibility in the lottery good through 2015. The HR Board determined that <a href="http://hardrock100.com/images/hrh2014-2015-2016list.png">Leadville would no longer be a qualifier </a>and allowed those of us who finished in 2013 to use it for only one year. Kind of a bullshit move if you ask me. I don't have a problem with removing Leadville but to take away a year of lottery eligibility was unnecessary. My quandary is that I would need another qualifier this year instead of backing off for a year and taking it easy; which is what I've been doing so far this summer. I basically had written off the HR post-graduate accomplishment and decided to move on although it still bothered my soul.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now as Hardrock weekend approaches and I am sitting it out in Tucson it has occurred to me that I have put too much effort and sacrifice into making this happen to let it go. To throw it away just to start over with one ticket a couple of years from now makes no sense. How can I accomplish the seemingly impossible task of running an HR qualifier between now and December 1<sup>st</sup>? </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">First of all, there are very few qualifying runs left. My only two options are on the same weekend of September 27<sup>th</sup>. <a href="http://www.bear100.com/">Bear 100 </a>traverses the Northern Wasatch Range near the border of Utah and Idaho north of Salt Lake City starting in Logan. <a href="http://trailsofglory.blogspot.com/p/bear-100-mile.html">I finished Bear in 2009</a> coming off a torn hamstring four months earlier. I power hiked all of my training and had a goal of 34 hours, 2 hours under the 36 hour cut-off. I managed some light running on downhills but stuck mainly to the hiking plan and finished in just over 30 hours including a 30-minute nap. Bear is a beautiful course especially in the fall when the leaves are turning color and only one state away from Arizona for travel purposes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The other race is much closer to home and starts in Pine, Arizona north of Payson. The <a href="http://www.mogollonmonster100.com/">Mogollon Monster </a>is run along many of the Mogollon Rim trails and is actually 106 miles in length. A good portion of the route is on trails that I have run during my 5 Zane Grey 50-mile finishes. The race cost is $235 and I would have to complete 8 hours of volunteer work between now and then. The major plus to this option is that I can drive up there and not incur nearly the travel costs of going to Utah. Plus I could more easily get a pacer to go with me. I believe the obvious answer is to stay nearer to home and hug the Monster. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My biggest conundrum is how I get ready to attempt this feat in two and a half months with some level of confidence that I can finish in the 36-hour cutoff. Another problem is convincing my wife Trish that this is something that makes any sense at all. We've had some recent discussions and determined that running 100 miles maybe isn't the best thing for one's health. I can't deny that I have looked like death warmed over for up to a week after some of my 100-mile finishes. I think that after learning some lessons about taking care of myself during the event I have fared much better afterwards. I believe that being realistic about my current ability and accepting that 3 miles an hour from the start is the proper thing to do will lead to a successful finish. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For now I am going to plan a couple of longish (30-40 miles) mountainous trail run/hikes between now and Labor Day weekend. That gives me 3 available training weekends. I have National Guard drill on two other weekends between now and then so those are out. I could go back-to-back days on a couple of weekends and plan one overnighter. The whole goal here is to finish the 106 miles with no time goals except meeting the cut-offs and gaining my qualifier. I would have to try and not only stay awake all night but for another 12 hours the next day; excellent Hardrock training by the way.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have to admit that the mountains are a part of who I am. The challenge of getting out there all day and night in the weather and amongst the natural beauty is something I cannot just walk away from. I am going to give myself until after Labor Day weekend to make my decision on this. Any thoughts…encouragement…stupid…crazy…impossible...are greatly appreciated.</span></span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-72786959157713465472014-04-29T07:58:00.001-07:002014-07-16T17:25:04.246-07:00MY FIRST BOSTON MARATHON EXPERIENCE - 2014<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The 2014 trip to Boston would be my first. I had never been to New England or run the famous Boston Marathon. I have completed over 50 marathons and ran Boston qualifying times in almost everyone of them. I had been continually asked over the years by fellow runners, family, and co-workers, "Are you going to run Boston?" </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"No...why would I?" The travel costs and logistics of finding a place to stay, and the horror stories of standing around in corralled waiting areas for hours prior to the start of the race; none of this sounded fun to me. Another major factor against running Boston for me and my Guard team running compatriots is the fact that the National Guard trials marathon is only two weeks after the Boston race. Who would run Boston and expect to run a fast enough time 13 days later at Lincoln, risking not making the team for the upcoming year?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well, after the tragedy of the Boston Marathon finish line 2013, I and every other marathoner that could qualify wanted to be in Boston April 21, 2014 to help support the event and community by displaying our presence in defiance of terrible acts of wrongdoing. I ran a minus 20 minute Boston qualifier and was reasonably certain I could attain a spot in this year's expanded field of 36,000 runners. The Guard team was also eager to represent so I traveled with a small contingent of the team. I showed up for the first time in 24 years of running marathon races.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Trish and I flew out of Phoenix on Saturday two days before the Monday race. We found a non-stop 5 plus hour flight into Logan Airport. As soon as we boarded the plane I recognized Shalane Flanagan sitting in the first row of first class. She is currently the best female marathoner in the U.S. and was heading to Boston to run her own amazing race (7<sup>th</sup> place and 3-minute PR in 2:22). The flight was filled with runners all making their own pilgrimage to the running Mecca of Beantown. The entire flight experienced abnormal turbulence. The flight attendants had their hands full trying to keep a hundred hydrating runners in their seats and out of the aisles standing in bathroom lines.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We stayed at the Constitution Inn in Charlestown, northeast of downtown Boston. The Freedom Trail right outside our door led us past the USS Constitution and the Bunker Hill Monument. Saturday evening we walked over to Warren Tavern and enjoyed a pint of Harpoon IPA. The tavern dates back to 1780 and is known for George Washington's visits for "refreshments." </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Sunday I went over to the race expo to get my race number and packet. Luckily this was the third day of the expo and many runners had already been there. It was still very busy and was abuzz with excitement and energy. Later that afternoon we stopped for lunch at a brewpub downtown next to TD Garden where the Bruins and Celtics play. There happened to be a hockey playoff game that afternoon and downtown was filled with fans wearing jerseys and pre-lubing for the game.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally the day of the race arrived. Boston Marathon starts unusually late in the morning compared to other races. This year they developed a 4-wave start, each 25 minutes apart with the first wave starting at 10am. Each wave was separated into 9 corrals all according to your qualifying time. I was in wave 1, corral 7, number 6433. We got dropped off by our support people at the final bus transport to Hopkinton Village. At 9am the first wave was allowed to leave for the .7 mile stretch to the start line. I spent a long time waiting in line at the port-o-johns and eventually jogged to the start around 9:30. Plans were made the previous week to meet my friend Tim Vandervlugt at the start so we could run together. He had the same wave and corral as me and with only 1,000 people in each corral I didn't think it would be that hard to find him. We agreed to meet one-third of the way back on the left hand side. I got there and looked around until less than one minute before the start when he showed up.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The weather turned out to be perfect. It was a sunny day in the low 50s with a light tailwind and a predicted high of 65 degrees. There were already hundreds of people outside of the corrals cheering for runners and offering last minute support in the form of Vaseline, band-aids, and water. There was even a group of college students offering beer, cigarettes, and donuts. A vibration of excitement filled the air as the Star Spangled Banner was sung followed by a 4-ship Blackhawk helicopter flyover. The start-gun went off and we began to walk toward the start line. It would take 5 minutes to reach the actual start before we clicked on our watches and the chip on our race bibs gave proof we had crossed the line.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My plan was to run 7:15 mile pace with Tim for 13-16 miles. Tim expressed that from there he wanted to pick-up the pace and see what he could do. I knew that I needed to purposely slow the pace after the halfway mark in order to save some energy for Lincoln in two weeks. We started out easily amongst a throng of screaming spectators. Shortly the course was lined in trees instead of people and many runners peeled off to relieve themselves after standing in line too long holding their water. This looked like a good idea and was the perfect time to take care of business. With the pit stop our first mile clocked 7:41.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our pace quickly settled in around 7 minutes as the first part of the race course is slightly downhill. The pack did not thin out as we ran elbow to elbow and had to keep an eye out not to step on heels. The spectators along the course were like nothing I had ever witnessed. The entire route was lined with cheering and screaming fans. They were shouting, "U..S..A.., U..S..A..," and singing "Sweet Caroline," by Neil Diamond. The runners joined in on the chants and sang along with the chorus. It was incredible! I have never experienced this before, it was spiritual and motivational. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After 8 miles the pack had still not thinned out very much. My right ankle was aching a bit probably from wearing lightweight trainers instead of the Hokas I had been training in. Occasionally it seemed that the temperature was getting warmer and it might become hot but then we ran through a shady stretch and a light breeze cooled us off again. Tim and I decided to keep up the 7 minute pace until after the famous Wellesley College section of screaming female fanatics at mile 13. Around mile 12 I could hear the girls from a half-mile away. Many of them were holding signs describing their ethnicity or special talents that could be transferred to a runner by giving them a kiss. I watched many male runners zip over to the side and get a smooch. I ran by low-fiving their outstretched hands and grinning ear to ear as the high pitch of frenzied excitement continued for almost 2 miles.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After Wellesley Tim kept up the pace and I slowed to 7:30 miles. My feet and ankles were feeling the effect of pavement pounding so I lessened my pace to that of a comfortable long run. This would last until Heartbreak Hill. Never running the course before and hearing stories I could only visualize Heartbreak Hill on an elevation map. It didn't look like much but then again you have to run 20 miles to get to it. There was a hill right after the 19-mile marker that I thought was Heartbreak but it was too short. Shortly after the 20-mile marker I experienced the Heartbreak. Due to the hill it turned out to be my slowest mile split of the race at 7:50. I managed to run every step and not give into the temptation to take a walk break. At this point in the race there were dozens of people walking on the sides of the street. Whenever the desire to slow down to a walk occurred I moved over to the right side of the road and slapped hands with the multitudes of children waving their hands out for high-fives. The influx of energy and emotion from the crowd kept me moving.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With 10K to the finish my legs were tired and I searched for each mile marker. The crowds lining the course were three to five rows deep and the cheering was deafening. There were people standing on mailboxes and milk crates. At mile 24 it began to sink in that my journey on the historic Boston Marathon course would be over in 15 minutes. Part of me didn't want the race to end but physically I was aching to cross the finish line and stop and find my wife Trish.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I passed the "1K to go" marker which is just over half of a mile and then shortly after that made a left turn onto Boylston Street where last year's tragic events unfolded in the form of a terrorist bomb. Last year's horrific human-caused tragedy resulting in hundreds of injuries and three deaths would be transformed this year into a determined celebration of life. At this time the thoughts and scenes from last year did not surface as I went by mile 26 and surged for 2 tenths of a mile in order to cross the finish line amidst a screaming mob of cheers. Shortly after I stopped and walked a couple hundred feet on painful feet, ankles, and knees I collected my finisher's medal. I finally found and captured the elusive unicorn.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My finish time of 3:11:51 hopefully would prove that I saved a little for the trials in two weeks. At the 13.1 mark I was at 1:33 so my second half was 8 minutes slower than the first half. This is typical but the closer the gap is for the better. It indicates a more even paced race throughout. When the difference is over 10 minutes it usually means that you crashed and burned somewhere after 16 miles and much suffering took place. This wasn't the case for me as I managed to run every step of the way. Every finisher was provided with a lightweight poncho to keep warm and then walked through a gamut of food and drink giveaways. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The pain of running 26.2 miles slowly dissipated as I found Trish and other friends who had already finished their race. It turned out to be a beautiful afternoon in Boston on Victory Day. As we walked the 2 miles back to our hotel we noticed all of the pubs and restaurants were filled with people watching the marathon on television and enjoying libations. For the Boston Marathon, community, spectators, and runners around the world, they got their city and their marathon back. This is one day that I will never forget.</span></span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-22092586902286642202014-04-10T12:13:00.001-07:002014-07-16T17:24:48.516-07:00Aravaipa Running - Crown King Scramble 50K Race Report 2014<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">April 5th is the 11<sup>th</sup> time that I have run to Crown King from the floor of the Phoenix desert valley. I did the 50K 10 times and the 50-mile once. Like the back of the race shirt says, "Spines to Pines." I wasn’t sure I would publish a race report this time simply because my traverse, time, and finish place aren’t unusual or amazing. The fact that <a href="http://trailsofglory.blogspot.com/2013/03/late-race-report.html">I started doing CKS in 1997 </a>and am still doing it 17 years later tells a different story.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Trish, me, and the dogs (Rangas and Reo) drove up to North Phoenix Friday night and got a hotel room 40 minutes away from the start at Lake Pleasant. The weather prediction for Saturday called for a cooler than normal day in early April. Last year was in the high 80s and this year didn’t get over 70 and was maybe 55 degrees at the finish with a 10mph breeze. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many times in the past I only carried two hand-held 20 ounce water bottles. This is usually enough except for the warmest days. But since I’m not concerned about blazing times and a little extra weight I opted to wear a 70 ounce Nathan’s hydration pack. I knew I would only need to refill this one time but it was convenient for carrying other supplies as well; gels, e-caps, bandana, etc.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We arrived at the 6am start with 15 minutes to spare. I quickly checked in and donned my hat and sunglasses and jogged over to line-up. It’s always fun to see everyone for a minute or two before take-off. I found Scott Modzielewski (Mojo) running for his 12<sup>th</sup> plus time and shook hands with many others like Rich McKnight, Joe Galope, and Nick Coury. James Bonnett did the countdown and we were off. I don’t think I ever seen anyone take off as fast as shirtless Dave James. I thought he was in another race at first the way he sprinted off into the distance.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first mile and a half is on rolling pavement and then onto dirt roads. The next several miles are scenic and casual cruising along at long run training pace jacking jaws with friends. I started running with Mojo and then sidled up with Paul Bonnett for awhile. The sky was partly cloudy as the sun came up in the east over Lake Pleasant. It was turning into a gorgeous morning.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As far as 5 miles into the race I ran with Bret Sarnquist for a bit. He won Mesquite Canyon 50K two weeks earlier and was using CKS as a trainer for Zane Grey 50-mile in 3 weeks. I was impressed with the way he held back and started conservatively in order to better tackle the late hills.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xzuGYPfAgviFpb7DJ90gCu3kdJw4mCJ1AnVqRbaaR8noa-ltTGwV3z-c8QUwY-gZMPpj-GrE1AihsJ75CnPYkKbmgS8uqDQr0MXcV8z8XrBFx_AzOGqbqh4digJVQwPfr9CRDIvfXHz_/s1600/crown+king-796566.png"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xzuGYPfAgviFpb7DJ90gCu3kdJw4mCJ1AnVqRbaaR8noa-ltTGwV3z-c8QUwY-gZMPpj-GrE1AihsJ75CnPYkKbmgS8uqDQr0MXcV8z8XrBFx_AzOGqbqh4digJVQwPfr9CRDIvfXHz_/s320/crown+king-796566.png" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6000744471741902498" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Like I stated earlier this is the 11<sup>th</sup> time I’ve been out here but this time I felt totally in tune with the beauty of the Sonoran Desert combined with the history of the area in the Bradshaw Mountains. I chose once again not to look at my GPS watch although I could hear the beeps every mile. I took short walk breaks on the early steep hills and pushed the pace on the long gradual downhills. The first 8-mile Cow Creek aid station came and went quickly and before I knew it I reached the 15-mile French Creek aid and hunkered down for the real challenge that lay ahead.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSrU4p0EZ8Za8ab4IJ83_ZuJCPSHDbr-YI8yrNYDOaTlXS9JP0IXI-F7wp9lTHgTAGlfrlbBWzMbWUgHHikPjAk0_6XyVjRKalbwNiXmKt-LE-ZVLTzEs_sUla-GKFtRdBbjlKnCmHn5g9/s1600/CK2-799164.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSrU4p0EZ8Za8ab4IJ83_ZuJCPSHDbr-YI8yrNYDOaTlXS9JP0IXI-F7wp9lTHgTAGlfrlbBWzMbWUgHHikPjAk0_6XyVjRKalbwNiXmKt-LE-ZVLTzEs_sUla-GKFtRdBbjlKnCmHn5g9/s320/CK2-799164.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6000744478397725682" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Miles 15-19 are probably the toughest part of the course but it’s early enough that you still have energy coming out of 15 to take it head on. That kind of strategy backfires for most people except the super strong or completely naïve. The steepest hill on the course is approaching mile 19. The best advice I can give here is to walk up it slowly. The sun is beating down on you and your legs are burning from lactic acid. Better to get to the top undamaged, fill your water bottles at the 19-mile aid at Silver Mountain, and take advantage of the very runnable next four miles into Fort Misery.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I set off on a downhill from 19 and maintained a decent clip coming into mile 23. Normally this is where the heat can be unbearable. Today was nothing but cool breezes and a moderate sweat when chugging up a hill. The aid station volunteers have a nice set-up at Fort Misery and were dressed in super hero costumes. Leaving 23 is uphill for a half-mile but has some decent runnability after that until around mile 26 when the deception takes place. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgcP9k1PRER5l8Gbj0jA8aj2OBLWeO9v6V9CV0kR-SsP9iFkVmHwGBEO6nzH4AkboejjLAt3pwEzKoD5YqcOX4dJRGcMLM2XB17jM4QAl45Y-E6QDhkNPNunMVGzNqCnrpqDrjVUR3MRr/s1600/CK4-701658.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgcP9k1PRER5l8Gbj0jA8aj2OBLWeO9v6V9CV0kR-SsP9iFkVmHwGBEO6nzH4AkboejjLAt3pwEzKoD5YqcOX4dJRGcMLM2XB17jM4QAl45Y-E6QDhkNPNunMVGzNqCnrpqDrjVUR3MRr/s320/CK4-701658.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6000744488596884594" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oro Belle aid station mile 27 sits in view from way down below a couple miles away. You will lose sight of it every once in awhile as the road curves back and forth into a mountain draw. It comes back into view again and somehow isn’t any closer. You always know you’re getting nearer when you see Linda Van’s joke signs coming up the last climb to 27. Example: "This Hill Might be Easier if you Were Younger." As a bonus once you reach the long sought-after aid station there are still 2 more miles of ascent to top-out. Most people are pretty much blown at this point and end up walking to 29. It was no different for me. I got my arm swing going which helped pick up my walking pace.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With a half-mile to top-out the road turns sandy and you are in the pines. One last short climb and there sits the radio vehicle signalling the top of the hill. Here comes your reward, what you’ve been waiting for the entire day – two miles of soft dirt road in shady pines all the way to the finish, albeit in the company of several ATV riders. I breakdown the last 2 miles into three sections; first I look for the heliport sign; then the left-hand split to town; lastly I look for the cabins coming into sight on the left and you are less than a minute away – total relief!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I mentioned I never looked at my watch and was concerned that I was much slower than last year. When the clock showed 5:25 I was surprised to be only one minute behind. I really enjoyed the course and am glad I decided to throw the clock out the window much earlier in the day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This year Aravaipa Running lined up a new finish area which had lots of room to spread out for runners, family, and supporters. There was a band playing on stage, cheap beer specials, and an awesome spread of food catered by The Mill restaurant. It was great fun talking with the first and second place male finishers from Tucson, Gabe McGowan (4:13) and Dennis Pollow (4:19). I also ran into Mike Wilke, an old comrade in <a href="http://trailsofglory.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-rincon-catalina-boondoggle-tucson.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook">previous ultra boondoggles</a>, who had just finished his first CKS.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After a 5-year hiatus Crown King Scramble 50K made a comeback in 2013 and is just as healthy this year. All of the new people that ran this year need to bring two friends next year. At one time in the late 90's and early 2000’s CKS was the fifth largest 50K in the United States. The main allure to come out to this race is the camaraderie everyone shares trying to conquer the climb and then join the party at the finish. You really can’t turn around and quit. It may take all day but you will get there. </span></span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-35522540031529317382014-03-27T12:16:00.001-07:002014-07-16T17:24:30.824-07:00Race Report: Aravaipa Running - Mesquite Canyon 50K, Saturday March 22, 2014<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I woke up at 3:30am the morning of the race to drive to <a href="https://www.maricopa.gov/parks/white_tank/" target="_blank">White TankMountain Regional Park</a> in Waddell, Arizona, 173 miles from my house in Vail, Arizona. The 50K start time is at 7:30 so leaving the house at 4:15 was necessary to arrive there by 7am and get ready. The sun started to rise on the White Tank Mountains while I was still driving west on I-10 near Avondale. I had never given much thought to that big range west of Phoenix during past trips to California. Now those same mountains held many mysteries as to what I should expect over the next several hours of trail running.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the coolest things about being part of <a href="http://www.aravaiparunning.com/tag/team-aravaipa/" target="_blank">Team Aravaipa </a>this year, besides my awesome teammates, is that I have experienced several new mountain trails that I never knew existed in the Phoenix Valley. I pulled into the overflow parking lot just in time to pin on my race number and stash my after-race bag. The temperature at the start is already in the low 60s with a forecast high of 82 degrees. I line up next to Jane Larkindale and her husband Jim Holmes, both of whom also drove up from the Tucson area. Jane won the 50-mile event last year. She like many other runners are here to get a good training run in for <a href="http://zanegrey50.com/">Zane Grey 50M</a> in 5 weeks. I'm here to ramp up my race distance in preparation for <a href="http://www.aravaiparunning.com/crown-king-scramble/">Crown King 50K</a> in just 2 weeks.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My plan was to do a training 50K on this semi-mountainous single-track trail. I use the word semi because the highest elevation is around 3200 feet and the toughest climb on the course is 1700 feet over 3 miles. No drop in the bucket but definitely not alpine. One logistical factor of note is that there are 9 miles without aid or water between miles 4 and 13 and returning from 13 to 22. This prompted me to use a 70 ounce hydration pack. I also carried a 20 ounce hand-held for electrolyte fluids. I did notice several runners only carrying 2 hand-held bottles. I’m not a big hydration freak but knowing that the course is exposed on a sunny 80 degree day made my decision easy. Luckily there were light breezes up on the higher trails as well as some wispy clouds to take the bite out of the direct sunlight.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have been regularly training in the <a href="http://trailsofglory.blogspot.com/2014/01/hoka-rapa-nui-2-trail-shoe-review.html" target="_blank">Hoka One One Rapa Nui trail shoes</a> and wore them during the race. They seem to be holding up well at over 300 cumulative miles. The week prior I used the Rapa Nui on the 21 mile Esperero Loop in Tucson, gaining 5,000 feet in 8 miles and then mainly descending over the next 13 miles. My quads were abnormally sore for four days after that run and I was concerned the Hokas were losing their magic. It turned out that it was just Esperero being difficult. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I clicked my Garmin on but made a conscious decision to not look at my time during the entire race. I started off at a conversational pace for the first two miles. After reviewing the elevation profile I knew somewhere around mile 3 would be the start of a 7-mile 1600 foot gradual ascent. The profile looks worse on paper than it feels while actually running. After some initial short steep sections the trail is very runnable even on the gradual uphills. I don’t mind walking up hills when needed but the majority of the uphill through Mesquite and Slick Rock canyons is doable even if only in granny gear.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">By mile 5 the field had thinned out and I focused on bodily feedback while enjoying the beautiful desert views. The trail ascends along canyon walls and as you get higher the views of the surrounding valley are expansive. Thankfully we got a good soaking of rain a couple weeks ago; the wildflowers were in full bloom and very fragrant. Jeremy Dougherty caught up with me on the last mile of ascent on this section. We chatted about how great the day was turning out. After topping out at 10 miles the course drops precipitously for 2 miles through an obstacle course of ankle twisting rocks. Jeremy’s ability to negotiate the downhill was better than mine and he quickly disappeared ahead of me. The first 30K runners coincidentally were halfway up their ascent from the Black Canyon aid station.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbaAnPRZeRu0xnPYDSh_xtocLD2rQdvD5UFEfaNmwdaaFRMj5lG6Os-SBNKV2KWJe4HbxHKr_xF8854f5DYyOGhm-tpFV6rBlhCqT_D4L24vyFg3JDBOkjVYFtkoot6_yGCwROnJd3JPf/s1600/MesquiteCourse046_595-793868.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbaAnPRZeRu0xnPYDSh_xtocLD2rQdvD5UFEfaNmwdaaFRMj5lG6Os-SBNKV2KWJe4HbxHKr_xF8854f5DYyOGhm-tpFV6rBlhCqT_D4L24vyFg3JDBOkjVYFtkoot6_yGCwROnJd3JPf/s320/MesquiteCourse046_595-793868.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5995550123464676226" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Aravaipa Photo Gallery)</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The descent into Goat Canyon is a preview of the climb back up from the 13-mile Black Canyon aid station. By the time I reached the turaround and aid the temperature at 1500 feet elevation was noticeably warmer than up on the higher trail. This was especially evident running through the sandy sections on the way back into Goat Canyon and climbing out to the top-out at mile 16. Occasionally as I passed other runners on the uphill I noticed several were sweating profusely and taking breaks. This served as a good reminder to ingest a couple of electrolyte caps. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Speaking of nutrition here’s how my day went. I carried 5 GU salty caramel gels and only used 3 of them. These are delicious by the way and have 20mgs of caffeine. I drank three 20 ounce bottles of Gatorade and a small cup of ginger ale. At the 13-mile aid station my 70 ounce hydration pack was still half full and only needed another 20 ounce refill at mile 22. So in total I drank 60 ounces of electrolyte fluid and another 70 ounces of water over 5 hours. I used 4 e-caps and 600mgs of liqui-gel ibuprofen. I also had about a half-dozen Tums and a single ginger capsule to settle any stomach issues. Oh yeah, I had a small handful of peanut M&Ms at mile 5 and a half of a tortilla wrap at mile 13.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijELUeZXwB7qipLuATkybrylMFLZ62XbAnmQteC0LJZR60f8LxZkHLkVEVRg0227P7N2_48FDxZK2WOloHLbA1fItRkee-w4OfrwaIgJXrbWE06BnHUF5YBFt_9o45PKz9nAg_1zXGd-wT/s1600/MesquiteCourse116_595-796222.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijELUeZXwB7qipLuATkybrylMFLZ62XbAnmQteC0LJZR60f8LxZkHLkVEVRg0227P7N2_48FDxZK2WOloHLbA1fItRkee-w4OfrwaIgJXrbWE06BnHUF5YBFt_9o45PKz9nAg_1zXGd-wT/s320/MesquiteCourse116_595-796222.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5995550130994994690" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Aravaipa Photo Gallery)</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After topping out at mile 16 on the return to Mesquite aid station, the course gradually descends for 6 miles providing excellent single-track running. Through here I struck up a conversation with Andrew Heard. We both shared our positive experience with the Rapa Nui Hoka shoes. It seems we both found some form of nirvana with the Hokas. After the aid station at mile 22 the next four miles of trail undulates through Willow Canyon. I was amazed by the beauty of multitudes of wild flowers and classic Sonoran Desert vegetation in all of its spring greenery. Then all of a sudden the real adventure began – Ford Canyon.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Fear the Ford,” I had heard many say before the race. “It gets hot in there.” Ford Canyon is 2.5 miles of gradually descending wash and boulders. It reminded me of hiking through a riverbed and getting to places that you have to backtrack in order to find better passage. Except on Ford Canyon the trail keeps going. I managed to shuffle as much as possible in between climbing boulders and jumping down off of rock ledges. Through 27 miles of the course I had yet to see water until Ford Canyon. There were stagnant pools from previous rainfall. A couple of times I had to splash through pools of water getting my feet wet for the first time. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczB30saWhDlHlAskNMgeOZ91RBfzPytAj_pgPUn9GmDvtYWrVBji_Oxa-YBkO1XXAa78-ogJiRurN61WhGweMlpuQB3Q-ApeI6iCgdz9ukJuWHxJixFnyrTnZG1rwK3umVLJQul3hcQNN/s1600/MesquiteCourse143_595-798795.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczB30saWhDlHlAskNMgeOZ91RBfzPytAj_pgPUn9GmDvtYWrVBji_Oxa-YBkO1XXAa78-ogJiRurN61WhGweMlpuQB3Q-ApeI6iCgdz9ukJuWHxJixFnyrTnZG1rwK3umVLJQul3hcQNN/s320/MesquiteCourse143_595-798795.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5995550145698941842" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Aravaipa Photo Gallery)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MsC6FnByT9Do-_8KPiM1SSh7sf9xnDGts8L0Iw-XBQBnF6rPl4p8wOmMral6ZA2yEimbdtsM6KTkfuuiVbrIBWCZA-cjgjZZtVJHOlIdBqzMBlmDVsW33XTcRmXIEB6VVsFdQNqD1yvQ/s1600/MC50K14-701920.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MsC6FnByT9Do-_8KPiM1SSh7sf9xnDGts8L0Iw-XBQBnF6rPl4p8wOmMral6ZA2yEimbdtsM6KTkfuuiVbrIBWCZA-cjgjZZtVJHOlIdBqzMBlmDVsW33XTcRmXIEB6VVsFdQNqD1yvQ/s320/MC50K14-701920.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5995550156515673218" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Photo: Giridar Gajapathy)</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiDW9NWF4ObGV0ZvXglsgPVjMNodhANPiaojfihDSSOzRG8I5PqxjQlbZbJtXFkos8uSjVs7qqGJmDs6Z4xzo-2teetGDwCmOPFjbvCEAihksC3jjnWE8XXcHdud3UQ7ZOyVbe15jMzb4/s1600/MesquiteCourse103_595-708822.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiDW9NWF4ObGV0ZvXglsgPVjMNodhANPiaojfihDSSOzRG8I5PqxjQlbZbJtXFkos8uSjVs7qqGJmDs6Z4xzo-2teetGDwCmOPFjbvCEAihksC3jjnWE8XXcHdud3UQ7ZOyVbe15jMzb4/s320/MesquiteCourse103_595-708822.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5995550187038123442" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Aravaipa Photo Gallery)</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Eventually the trail scrabbled up the side of the canyon and continued for another mile to the Ford Canyon aid station. I thought I had around 3 miles remaining but the aid station volunteers said 1.9 miles to go. This was joy to my ears. I pushed the pace into the finish and for the first time looked at the clock to see 5:19. I ended up in 9<sup>th</sup> place overall. The first master runner had just finished one minute ago unbeknownst to me. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Overall it turned out to be a fabulous day. The trail had mostly pristine single-track with lots of runnability and an interesting diversion through Ford Canyon. I finished the run feeling great physically, no cramps, nausea, or overheating. Unfortunately I still needed to drive 173 miles home.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.aravaiparunning.com/" target="_blank">Aravaipa Running</a> really does a tremendous job organizing their races; from sign-up to the start line; course marking and aid stations; and the finish line and post-race festivities. Mesquite Canyon is definitely a race to put on your list of adventures.</span></span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-30567666335608914582014-03-06T07:16:00.000-08:002014-03-06T07:16:40.110-08:00What Makes You Want to Go Back?<span style="color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What makes you want to go back to the same races year after year, especially when there are are countless opportunities to do something different? Is it the scenery, the challenge, camaraderie, or maybe the great post-race party? <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Looking back I recall making the comment that I don’t care to do the same things over and over again. But as time has passed I haven't always lived up to that claim. To start with, I have been employed at the same job for 20 years. I have served in the military for 29 years and counting. I did a 100-mile trail race that involved going around the same loop 6 times and I once ran around a quarter-mile track 369 times in 24 hours. Maybe I am a creature of habit.</span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #ff9900;">Repetition is built into our nature. The sun rises, we brush our teeth, drink our coffee, and drive to the same job on the same roads at the same time everyday. These are the type of activities that can make life mundane until we learn to identify the subtle nuances. What most often alters our experience are different </span><wbr></wbr><span style="color: #ff9900;">flavors and toppings, cloudy versus sunny, rain or snow, beer or wine, wisdom and knowledge, and meeting new people. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I discovered certain running events to be so attractive that I found myself signing up for them year after year only realizing several years later, “Hey! I’m doing the same thing over and over again. What gives?” Upon reflection I remember what drew me back; the changing conditions, the new friendships, and hoping to improve my time. That’s what this article is about; those repetitive events in life that I went back to more than 3 times and what it was that made me want to go back.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">1.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span> </span><b>Air Force Marathon, Dayton, Ohio, 4 times</b> – This race is my least favorite of come back races. So why did I continue to go back? The inaugural Air Force Marathon started in 1997 in celebration of the Air Force’s 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary. They gave finishers a really cool medal displaying a different aircraft every year. The medals are big and the first one had the Wright Brothers aircraft on it. The race was held in mid-September and it turned out to typically be warm and humid. It is a road course with many long straight-aways and a circuitous 10K journey around a very flat airfield. There are a couple nasty hills between miles 21-24 and then you can see the finish line 2 miles away. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That year I was in my marathon running prime and I ran a fast race and finished in the top 5 and won some nice gifts. The weather killed me though and after the race was over I nearly collapsed and spent a half hour laying in the grass and the shade of a vehicle, eliminating the contents of my stomach. Being that the race was new and I had never participated in an inaugural event I thought it would be neat to try and go back every year. You always see these people raise there hand to proclaim they have run all 37 years. And I always wondered how in the world they pulled that off? Well I thought this could be my event. I went back the next two years and battled the humidity of central Ohio in late summer. I finally gave it up but did end up revisiting the race 9 years later when they changed the course to eliminate some of the nasty hills in the late part of the race.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">2.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span> </span><b>Marine Corps Marathon, Washington, D.C., 5 times</b> – Marine Corps will always have a special and historical place in my heart. It was my first marathon and I was serving in the Marine Corps when I ran it. There are also painful memories associated with that race. I was 19 years old in 1986 and not very prepared for the marathon distance. Previously I had run two half-marathons going back to my junior year of high school. Those were my longest runs. I had been running 5 miles 4 times per week in the two months leading up to the race but had no real long run training. Race day came and after 13 miles I ran into uncharted territory. I made it to 20 miles and hit the wall. I was bonking and my legs began to feel like washcloths being wrung out of moisture. I walked most of the last 10K and eventually finished. I took a hiatus from running after that and never got serious about running again until 5 years later. I revisited the race in 1992 and took nearly an hour off my time. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Marine Corps is held in late October and the weather can be unpredictable; some days are really windy, others hot, and oftentimes very cold. The leaves are changing color and the course runs a circuitous route through many of the Capitol Mall monuments. The finish is up a short steep hill that takes you to the base of the Iwo Jima Memorial. I ran the course 3 more times over the next decade with my last race in 2003. In 1997 it started to rain after the gun went off and never stopped. I always enjoyed walking the Mall the day after the race to get the blood flowing in tired legs. Marine Corps Marathon has become one of the largest marathons in our country capping registration at 30,000 participants.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">3.<span> </span>Zane Grey 50-Mile Trail Race, Payson, Arizona, 5 times </span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">– I first ran Zane Grey in 2000. I had 3 other 50-mile races under my belt as well as a few 50Ks and felt I was ready for what was arguably considered the toughest 50-mile race in the country. You had better be prepared when going to ZG; this course will eat you alive and spit you back out if you’re not careful. My first adventure on this course that runs just under the Mogollon Rim involved getting lost off course two different times. I finished in 11:30, the longest time that I had ever run in racing or training. The trail has everything that a trail runner can imagine; undulating hills, rocky unrelenting trail with washed out sections, pine forests, and beautiful expansive views of the desert below. The other thing ZG can have a lot of too in late April is 90 degree heat which makes a recipe for nausea and cramps.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It took me a couple of years to get the gumption to go back and try ZG again after the first time. I ran the race in 2003 when Bob Redwanc first directed the race. He succeeded in making the race nationally recognized as part of the Montrail Trail Race series. Many of the top trail runners of the day showed up and the day turned out to be highly competitive. I ran what would prove to be my best time of 10 hours, suffering from debilitating leg cramps out of the 44-mile aid station. I used ZG as a trainer race in 2006 prior to my first 100-mile finish at Western States two months later. I truly believe that anyone planning to run a 100-mile race can benefit from what ZG has to offer as far as mental conditioning and body fueling lessons. I actually chose to run ZG two years in a row, 2011 and 2012. I opted to take 2013 off. This is one tough course.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">4.<span> </span>Pemberton 50K, Fountain Hills, Arizona, 6 times </span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">– Pemberton has become one of those great races where you will find everyone you know. It is held in early February before it gets warm and usually doesn’t snow. The Pemberton loop in the McDowell Mountains has become very familiar to many people especially since Javalina 100 began several years ago. The race is a two-loop route of 15.5 miles with very little hill climbing all on dirt single-track trail. The race date is perfect as it is a good early year trainer for Old Pueblo 50-mile and Zane Grey later in the spring. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I first met Brian Wieck, the race director, as a local ultra-runner before he moved to Helena, Montana. Every winter he visits his family in Fountain Hills and directs the 50K. If you are looking to set a personal best or make the jump from the marathon to the challenging distance of 31 miles then this is the course for you. Brian’s mother makes several crock pots of delicious chili to eat at the finish. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">5.<span> </span>Crown King Scramble 50K and 50-mile, Lake Pleasant to Crown King, Arizona, 10 times and counting</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"> – Crown King is where I cut my ultra-running teeth in 1997. I had been getting burned out running road marathons and often times during the winters in Tucson I ran the back country trails with my running buddies. One day on a long run a friend of mine, Darryl Wagner, started telling a story about an adventure he had earlier in the year 1995. He spoke of a race that starts on the desert floor at 2,000 feet of elevation at Lake Pleasant northwest of Phoenix. From there he ran up and down dusty roads for 15 miles where the race became drastically more difficult for the next 14 miles. The route turned into rough jeep roads with steep climbs and searing sunshine. At mile 29 he topped out on the course near 7,000 feet of elevation at which point he stumbled downhill for two miles into the town of Crown King and collapsed. This sounded intriguing.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I signed up for CK in 1997 as my first attempt at a distance beyond the marathon. There are some logistics to consider as this race is point-to-point. My wife Trish dropped me off at the start and then went back to the hotel with the kids and dog before driving to Crown King to see me finish. The race was difficult as advertised. I ran it like a marathon and paid later on the hills. Due to a bit of ultra-running naivety I managed to finish ahead of all other runners but collapsed in a state of bodily shock after the finish line. I vowed never to do that again until the race director Mike Sheedy offered to compensate my entry for next year’s race. The game was on. I went back 8 years in a row.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After 5 CK finishes, I fast-hiked the entire course in combat boots due to a high ankle problem. Another year I decided to do the unthinkable and take on the 50-mile course. The 50-miler starts at 3am on a dirt road outside the town of Wickenburg. After 21 miles the course joins the 50K course and then the real fun begins. I outran the early water stations that morning and ended up going 10 miles without fluids between miles 7 and 17. Apparently I didn’t suffer too greatly as I managed to win the race that year.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Crown King became an annual party for many of our running friends. Every year a few more people would come up and run or just go to Crown King for the socializing afterwards. We rented cabins in the pines and relaxed for one or two days in the mountains. Trish ran the race 5 times and we managed to convince many of our friends to do their first ultra at Crown King too. The race was discontinued after 2007 and just last year in 2013 was resurrected by the Coury Brothers and James Bonnett. This is really cool to see as James has been a top finisher at the early age of 15 and even outkicked me coming down the hill to the finish. I went back last year and am signed up for April 2014 for my 11<sup>th</sup> scramble to the town of Crown King.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">6.<span> </span>Kauai Marathon and Half, Kauai, HI, 5 times and counting </span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">– Kauai is one of those experiences that grow on you. We had the good fortune to be able to visit the island for the first time in 2009. I had just healed from a hamstring tear a few months earlier and could only safely run the half-marathon. Kauai is nicknamed “The Garden Island” and deserves its moniker. The race starts on the southern part of the island at Poipu Beach and runs a circuit through the Tunnel of Trees at sunrise. Most mornings at 6am there is light rain and a gentle breeze to help you coo off before the warmth of Labor Day weekend.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2009 also happened to be the inaugural Kauai Marathon and Half-marathon race. It was special to be able to be a part of something new. I ran the half-marathon the first year coming off of a hamstring tear. We traveled again in 2010 when I completed the full marathon distance. Once the course splits off from the half-marathon at 11 miles the marathon course enters into a hilly part of the island away from the coastline. I encountered long gradual hills, short steep hills, and long steep hills. The course goes through small communities on the island and the aid stations reflect a very local flair. After experiencing the full marathon I was hooked. By the way, you can count on adding about 10 minutes to your current marathon time due to the hills and sometimes muggy weather if the clouds break too early in the morning.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When I say Kauai grows on you I mean that after spending the winter in Tucson and experiencing the dry heat of summer, I begin to dream of tropical breezes, cool waves, salt air, and pina coladas. Thus we made the trip back in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Last year’s race came two weeks after completing Leadville 100. It was my slowest Kauai marathon but I still managed to win my age group. The race organizers bestow a repeat medal for those runners who have entered and finished every year. In 2014 I am going for the Six-peat. This really could be the race that someday I can say I ran all 25 years of the race. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">7.<span> </span>Lincoln Marathon, All-National Guard Trials, Lincoln, Nebraska, 18 times and counting</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"> – How to tell the story of Lincoln? I think that all of the details on that one will have to wait for the book. Suffice it to say that nobody does something 18 times unless there is a very compelling reason. Mine was the fact that since I renewed myself as a runner in 1991 I discovered that the National Guard has a marathon running team and that to be a part of the team you have to go to Lincoln every May and compete against all of the top National Guard marathoners in the country. The team selection is renewed annually thus the need to update your status on the team by running the marathon every year.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The benefits of team participation are many; like traveling to events around the country and representing the team and the military at expo booths and wearing the Guard team uniform in races. After making the team the first time in 1992, my third marathon and my second since October of 1991, I couldn’t wait until next year to go back. It became a family affair where my best friends have been made. Trish has traveled with me many times and ran the half-marathon at least a half-dozen times. I went to Lincoln for 9 straight years before I missed a year. I ran with the Minnesota team for 3 years before moving to Arizona where I eventually became the State coordinator. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I DNF’d in 2004 due to an injury and missed 2005-06 due to other military training. I revisited the team in 2007 and haven’t missed since. 2014 will be my 19<sup>th</sup> finish in 23 years. A lot of people think that traveling to Lincoln every year for over 20 years is a bit strange and I couldn’t argue. It is the Midwest and the weather isn’t usually pleasant and unpredictable in the early springtime. It is middle-America though and a good central point for the all of the states to include four territories to travel to. The race course and organization is top notch as well. You won’t find a better supported race anywhere with the community out in full force as well as the Nebraska Army and Air National Guard setting everything up and taking it all down.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As long as I am a member of the National Guard I will go to Lincoln in order to see if I can continue to make the All-Guard team. Quite honestly, it’s really the main impetus for me to stay in the Guard.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">As you can see, what makes me go back is the camraderie, the scenery, the renewed challenge, and the friendships. What makes you want to go back?</span></span></span></div>
Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-69512228831065514152014-02-25T19:21:00.001-08:002014-03-05T10:54:04.753-08:00THE RINCON / CATALINA BOONDOGGLE, TUCSON, ARIZONA - 2006<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> I responded to Matt’s e-mail and then waited for the proposition of trail routes. In the meantime I drummed up other parties that are known for their boondoggling abilities. Jerry Riddick is always good for a double or triple range attempt. I know this by hearing him talk of Santa Rita, Patagonia, and Huachuca crossings. Chris Fall and I drew up a plan called the “Four Headed Monster” four years ago involving the ascension of all four major peaks surrounding Tucson in one day. We had finished Mica and Wrightson on the hottest day of that year so far and scratched. Matt completed his first 100 mile last summer at Lake Tahoe on a double out and back 50 mile course. Mike Wilke and Matt have both attempted the double range crossing in previous years and were held up by snow and injuries. I had just finished my first 100 mile at Western States this past summer after a DNF at Angeles Crest in 2003. Raoul Erickson said he was in. I had never met Raoul until now but he looked like he was capable of doing anything he set his mind to. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> We got together one week out to finalize logistics and the route. We had determined to start no later than 7am on the 25<sup>th</sup> of November. I went home and told my wife Trish what the plan was and it might involve 18 to 24 hours. Since Thanksgiving is a four day weekend I could afford to kill a day. She said “Why don’t you guys quit planning and talking, and finish something for once.” Good point.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> We showed up at Raoul’s “DON’T EVER PARK IN FRONT OF” door by 4<sup>th</sup> Avenue Saturday morning at 5am for transportation in his Suburban out to Happy Valley on the eastside of the Rincons. Steve Olsen from Oro Valley showed up for the first half of the run as well as Jerry Riddick. Those two both agreed to wear dresses because of the shortened route. Chris then showed up and said he was only going halfway so we let them off the hook because we didn’t have a third dress. Raoul had “company” from out of town drop in late so he had to opt out completely. He also had to arrange last minute transportation due to the Suburban being unserviceable. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> Basically a run of this magnitude, whether stopping at Molino Basin or going the whole way to Oracle involves early caloric intake and continuous hydration. All of us were well stocked with 100+ ounces of water and energy drink and plenty of snacks, gels and energy bars. The plan for aid was as follows: At the 5 to 6 hour mark Tom Kittle was meeting us at Redington Pass at FR 37 with drop bags and water as well as Ross Zimmerman with water and Gatorade. Ross wanted to come out and scout around on his mountain bike for next weekend’s 50K. From here Tom, and it turned out Ross and Pam also, were to drive over to Molino Basin Campground with more drop bags and water. Jerry’s wife Cathy was also scheduled to pick himself, Chris and Steve up for a ride back to town and home. Mike, Matt and I had drops ready for Tom to leave at the fire station at the Control Road at mile marker 25 on Mount Lemmon. That was our assisted plan. We had back-ups like chemical treatments for spring water and the old dependable spigot at the Palisades bathrooms. Also, we were still uncertain of a ride home from Oracle that night or next morning or Sunday afternoon. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> As I write this I know Matt is putting together a more technical description of the route and splits so I won’t go into as much detail. (At this point in time none of us owned a GPS watch, we did have cell phones though). I’ll give a brief overview of the route and describe the highlights of the day as I witnessed them. Like I said, we started at Turkey Creek TH and climbed up to Deer Head Spring and went north toward Spud Rock then through Mica Meadow and on to Italian Spring Trail. We decided not to go through Manning Camp or over the actual top of Mica Mountain. Steve and Matt have never been to the peak so we took a short break before heading down Italian Springs while they took the detour to bag the peak. The temp at the start of the run was near 50 degrees and the skies were clear with light winds. By the time we reached the top the temps were near 40 and the scenery was the best I have ever witnessed in my several trips to this mountain. There was some frost in the shady areas and Deer Head Spring was green and beautiful. </span></span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The trail conditions were quite immaculate in comparison to others we would cover later that day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> After a short rest while Matt and Steve looked at the 8,666 sign on Mica Mountain we headed down the Italian Springs Trail. So far most of the trails we covered were virgin to me. I had never been on any of the trails on the east and north side of the peak before so this was a real treat. The views from Italian Springs upon first descent are expansive to the east and west. The rock formations along the trail a couple of miles down are similar to Texas Canyon east of Benson. The trail is rough in spots but it appears that the Forest Service is in the process of working on many areas. As we got to the lower elevation we had to go through a couple of different gates. Trying to figure out accurate mileage through here is like taking the average of several different stories. Anyway, as we ran toward Redington Road I looked to the northwest at the immensity of the Catalina range in the distance and realized that we had a very long way to go.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> We hit Redington at five hours, almost an hour earlier than we estimated. Ross was here already on his bike and met us on the trail. He had water and Gatorade at the Trooper. We filled up and ate food out of our packs. Tom was expected around six hours so we figured we had enough water that Ross could give him the message to go to Molino. Just as we crossed the road to the trailhead Tom came driving up. At least now we could grab some more food and change into t-shirts. The portion of trail through Redington and Bellota Ranch is very runnable as it gradually descends for six or seven miles before coming to West Spring Tank. From there the trails climbs steeply to East Saddle before dropping over the north side 1.2 miles into Molino Basin. The entire section from Redington to Molino is advertised at 10 miles.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> The pace and banter through the mid-day was very casual. The temperature never seemed to get above 70 degrees and there were wispy clouds to take the bite out of the sun. Every couple of miles we stopped and snacked and talked. Someone mentioned that the reason they had decided not to run the whole thing is that they hadn’t done enough training to get ready for it. I said “This is what you do to get ready for other runs.” </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> The 10 mile section took us about 3 hours. The climb up to the saddle was slow going but the reward was you could see the world below on both sides of the saddle. We arrived at Molino before 4pm and ate dinner.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> Dinner for me consisted of a thermos of still warm mashed potatoes and bacon, a cold chicken burrito, cantaloupe, salt and vinegar chips all washed down with an Ensure. I really felt good after that. Chris, Steve and Jerry were elated to be finished while Matt, Mike and I were watching the sun drop by the minute. We spent 45 minutes or so socializing and packing warm clothes and flashlights for the night traverse. Eventually we walked out to the trail and ascended our way to Prison Camp.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> By the time we reached the Sycamore Reservoir TH the sun had set with a pale glow in the background of the Arizona Trail sign. With the wispy clouds the sunset was awesome as a backdrop to the many rock formations in the front range of the Catalinas. It was still dusk as we descended to the reservoir and luckily just light enough to manage our way up to the Bear Canyon intersection without turning on our lights. We began the descent to Palisades with adapted night eyes but nothing could prevent some trepidation crossing the landslide ruts that crossed the trail. Maybe the drop-offs below looked worse because of the darkness. Right after crossing the first slide Mike slipped off the trail and I thought he was going down. Just as I was reaching down to grab his hand he caught a foothold and steadied himself. Hmmm, good time to pull out the flashlights.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> We reached the Palisades junction sign and discovered there was a washout right at the bottom where trail used to cross. We climbed up over the boulders and searched for signs of trails in the bushes and overgrowth. Matt turned out to be the best route finder in the night and once again was on while Mike and I were getting poked in the head with sticks and Cholla branches. Here again maybe the darkness exaggerated the poor condition of the trail but I found it to be overgrown so badly that our pace became a slog. It wasn’t pitch black due to the city lights which became lighter as we got higher. The moon was unsubstantial at about less than a quarter darting in and out of light clouds. We finally reached the bench rock overlook and took a snack break and broke out some warmer clothing. The trail from here to Mud Springs never improved except through the large boulder section where the weeds are less. As we approached the gully leading up to Mud Springs we could look off to our right and see the black abyss of Pine Canyon. I felt like we were headed into the belly of the whale as we crawled through the rocks and trees in the gully. Except for several matchsticks across the trail after the springs, the trail was easy to follow on up to Showers Point Campground. About a mile from the campground is where I began to feel chilled as the wind whipped up.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> We stopped for a bite to eat just before the dirt road leading to Mt. Lemmon. I had already donned my light shell jacket over my long sleeve Coolmax shirt. Due to the Camelbak making my back wet from sweat I couldn’t get warm sitting there. This is the first time the thought crossed my mind about hypothermia. Oh, I wasn’t even close, but conditions would get worse being it was only 10pm. Doubt crept in so I got up and moved out briskly to the restrooms at Palisades. Palisades is where our run plan first encountered a symptom of failure. The water spigot was capped. We had gone the last five and a half hours without a refill. Due to the extraneous weight carried in our packs it is hard to accurately determine how much water remains in the bladder as you are going along. Each of us pulled our bladders out of our packs and were reminded of a bad dream during Christmas. We each had around 20 ounces to carry us five miles up the road to the fire station. This was doable. Unspoken thoughts start to occur when fear creeps in. I went into the bathroom out of the wind and put on my pants and stocking cap and wondered if it made any sense to call Trish to ask her to drive up and get me. It felt good in the bathroom with no wind and I could sip my water but I was low on food. I knew we had our food and water drop five miles up a paved road. How long could it take; an hour? Mike was in the other bathroom and Matt seemed just as calm as ever. We rallied up and fast hiked up the hill till we got warm. The wind was blowing at our backs as we watched the city lights. Once we topped the hill above Spencer Campground there was renewed motivation to shuffle down to the Butterfly TH.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> One drawback to wearing pants to stay warm is that when sweat is generated through body heat then all the cuts and scrapes from earlier shiggy get reinvigorated. This happened several times through the night. We reached the fire station at midnight and found the stash that Tom dropped earlier in the day. There was light from a lamppost to see so we huddled behind the building to avoid the wind and eat our dinner. I had a Rockstar Juiced in my bag which provided the equivalent of about four cups of coffee. I also had a chicken chimichanga and more cantaloupe. We finally realized we had better get our butts off the ground and get moving to stay warm. Unspoken thought number two occurred as I watched Matt and Mike putting on more warm clothes. “Why didn’t I pack more clothes?” “I wonder if they have anything to spare?”</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> We reached the Oracle Ridge TH and read the sign that said 12.5 miles to Oracle. At three miles an hour we’ll be done by 4am, cool. Not quite. I never realized there could be so much uphill on a gradually descending ridge. There were several other criss-crossing road options and since the route used the road at times it was sometimes uncertain where we were. At times we would veer off trail onto cattle trails until they died out and we backtracked to the real trail. At least twice I felt sleepy and wanted to fall down into the weeds near the barbed wire fence and take a nap. I occasionally wondered why it looked like Mike and Matt never got sleepy. Maybe they were but I just couldn’t tell. Unspoken thought number three occurred at this time. “Do you guys want to stop and take a 10 minute nap?” But then I thought, “What if we wake up and the sun is shining overhead?” “Trish will definitely be worried because I didn’t call.” I last talked to her at East Saddle and joked that I would either be home in time for dinner if I opted out at Molino or in time for breakfast if I went all the way. It had been twelve hours since I talked to her last so I figured she was already wondering where we were; so the nap was out of the question.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> There was not much talking. We took turns leading trail depending on when one of us would get off and the one behind became the new leader. After 5 hours we finally reached the AZ trail intersection that drops to Cody Loop Road in 1.8 miles or Mt. Lemmon Highway in 2.4. We had our hearts set on the 1.8. I called Steve Olsen at home to give him a heads up and his wife answered the phone and said he was already at the trailhead. I called his cell and he answered and said he was at the end of the 2.4 mile section. Luckily he was amenable to finding the other trail and we shuffled our fastest 1.8 mile split for the entire night. Steve was there when we finished and took our pictures. It was just after 6am and there was distant light in the sky. Steve took us to Circle K for cappuccinos and then brought us back to Raoul’s place to our cars. We grabbed our stuff from Steve’s truck and exchanged congratulations. I told Matt, “I’m not crazy; you’re the one who’s crazy." "Wait at least a month before announcing the next boondoggle so we have time to reminisce about this one.”</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> In the end we spent 23 hours and 12 minutes traversing 60 miles on ‘pointless, unnecessary work.’ Thank you to Tom Kittle for spending his day with his kids driving around the mountains; Ross and Pam for being out there especially at Molino with cheerful faces; and especially to Steve for his generosity and sacrifice early in the morning to help out our wayward souls. For future double range crossers who want to raise the bar I would suggest an extra jacket and start two to three hours earlier as you will still have light up to Mud Springs on Palisades. The extra daylight would enable a Box Camp trail option letting you out further up the road past Spencer Canyon. Another idea would be to start in Oracle and get Oracle Ridge and it's myriad option of trails done first. If anyone is up for an adventure let me know, I am an official boondoggler. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Happy trails,</span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-72545284946772033472014-02-07T07:32:00.000-08:002014-02-07T07:32:01.158-08:00Your Inner Dialogue; Processing Negativity<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Training and racing are physically and mentally taxing. This is especially true when performed during a progressive training schedule leading to a goal event. Inner dialogue is something we all deal with and hopefully find a way to channel the negative thoughts into positive results. It’s not easy and it’s not usually pretty. I beat my brain up many times from convincing myself to keep going and sometimes just to get started in the first place. Many times it’s repetitious mind games that cycle through our heads which turn into mantras. Sometimes it takes awhile and sometimes it doesn’t always lead to success. The key is to always come back even if you take a break. Never completely give up; you will never forgive yourself. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here are three recent examples of problems that I have dealt with and their outcomes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Setting</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> – 9am Wednesday morning:<span> </span>I look out the living room window and see the neighbor’s flag waving at a 45 degree angle east to west; temperature gage says 51.3. What's that...like 30 degree windchill factor? It’s time to take the dogs for their daily walk and ball throwing of 20 minutes before I go out on my daily run. It’s also my warm-up walk. I’m bundled up with a jacket, scarf, long pants, stocking cap and gloves.<span> </span>I head out the door with two leashes and two dogs.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Inner Dialogue</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> – Brrrrrrrr…f**k…do the treadmill today…only ran 5.5 miles yesterday…got to do 8x400...not on the treadmill. Did 6x400 last week…need to make progress...10x400 next week...can't skip this week. I could go tomorrow…the wind’s only 5-10 mph and the sun’s breaking through a bit. What if it’s windier tomorrow, then I’m screwed…got to go today. I can run them downhill with a crosswind…could also run east to west, wind at my back…recover into the wind. I don’t need this shit…speed kills. The trees are moving, this sucks…got to go today…f**k! </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Repeat three times and then put on shorts and T-shirt, Garmin GPS watch, sunglasses, hat on backwards and head out the door.)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Result </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">– Ran 3.5 mile warm-up, half of it into the wind and was chilly. Started the 400s at the top of a mile-long gradual downhill and turned around and ran up the grade on the recoveries. I need as much help on leg turnover as I can get. The extra momentum provided by the downgrade lifted my spirits so I pushed harder. I finished with a half-mile cool-down and walked into the house sweating and feeling good.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Setting </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">– Leadville 100, mile 43 going up Hope Pass outbound: I left Twin Lakes, mile 39 aid station over half an hour ago. I’m almost halfway up the ascent to Hope Pass. I’ve never done this race before. I paced a buddy last year on the last 24 miles in the dark. It appears to be the easiest of the 100-mile Hardrock qualifiers. The course has a lot of runnable surface except for Hope Pass, twice. I need a qualifier to enter the Hardrock lottery. Training went well leading up to the race. We flew in two days before the race; not too much recent acclimatization to the elevation. I’ve been on what I think is a conservative plan this far into the race and still flirting with the sub 25-hour buckle.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Inner Dialogue </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">– This sucks…(stop on switchback, bend over, grab knees, gasp, look down below and see a train of runners in various states of fatigue)…I’m never doing a 100-miler again…at least not a mountain 100…(continue plodding). What’s that sound? Funny…someone’s puking…poor bastard…my quads are blown…not even halfway. Is that thunder? Shit…the weather over Hope usually sucks…no rain though…no lightning…where’s the lightning? Man, just one close lightning strike…not enough to kill me…just end my race, concussion maybe…not my fault, can’t blame me…I tried. (Stop, bend over, gasp, gasp). Is that Hopeless aid station? That’s not topout!…f’ing liars. Wow! It’s sunny, no rain, no lightning, damn, I have to keep going…no excuses. It’s all good. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Result </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">– I finished the race almost 4 hours slower than my goal. Coming up Hope Pass from the other side was worse than the outbound side. I got back to Twin Lakes, mile 61 aid station coming back at sunset over an hour slower than my pre-race plan. My quads were shot but I did a lot of walking in training and put myself in gear and walked the remaining 39 miles. Got my Hardrock qualifier.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Setting </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">– Ran this morning for the fourth day in a row; heading to the gym in the late afternoon for weights and core-work: I’m working night-shift temporarily and have been on a new workout regimen. I run every morning before lunch Monday through Friday and take physical training time later at work to do a second workout. I alternate days with upper-body and leg weights. I do abdominal sets, core-work, and push-ups. I finish the workouts with 30-40 minutes on the stationary bike. Today is day 4, Thursday; I’m sitting at my desk thinking about the dinner I brought for later. It’s time to go to the gym.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Inner Dialogue </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">– I’m hungry…you just ate 3 frickin’ snacks…save it for later. I don’t need this crap. One day off…who’s gonna know, gonna care…no one cares, why should you? Give it up for one day. I’m tired…you were tired yesterday…you’re always tired. One piece at a time…abs, weights, bike, done…I’m hungry. Just skip today…that will lead to two days then it’s the weekend then it’s a whole week then a month then three months then six months. You’ll be soft as hell…you’ll have to start over…it’ll take six months to get back…you’ll kill yourself doing it…you know it. Just do it.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Result </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">– I left my desk and changed into gym clothes. I was tired. I walked to the gym and started my abdominal routine, went through the upper-body weight routine, and then finished up with 30 minutes on the stationary bike while reading a book. I’m not tired anymore. I’m not even hungry but I know my body needs some carbs and protein so I feed it. I will finish the work week on Friday with a morning trail run and a yoga session in the afternoon; that always makes me feel better. The hard work will be done except for an 18-mile long run on Saturday. <span> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span>Go ahead, talk to yourself, work it out, rattle the noggin' and get in gear. </span></span></span></span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-55399002166919865162014-02-04T19:09:00.001-08:002014-02-07T07:09:57.404-08:00Why Do You Wear Your Hat on Backwards?<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Occasionally I get asked why I wear my hat on backwards. It makes me wonder why anyone would bother to ask. My usual response is, “I like it that way…shit…I don’t know” Today on my daily run around the military post I waved at a couple of soldiers sitting under a ramada smoking cigarettes. They waved back. They see me run by every day. Being an officer in the U.S. Army it might come across to them as out of uniform to be strutting around in non-Army running shorts with my hat on backwards looking unprofessional. So it occurred to me that maybe I should come up with a good response for the next time someone inquires:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">“Why do you wear your hat on backwards?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">“Because I can;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Because I’m a punk;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Because I’m an asshole;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Because I’ve earned the right;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Because I’m fast and I don’t want the wind blowing it off;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Because I’ve been wearing it this way since high school.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">“Aren’t you in your mid-40’s? Are you trying to make some kind of statement?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">“No, not a statement, a representation. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It represents my disrespect for authority;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It represents my disdain for society's opinion;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It represents the fire in my soul;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It represents the dust trail left in my wake;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It represents the sun at first light of day;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It represents my fatigue and determination;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It represents my eternal spiritual youth.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">“What do you mean by your eternal youth? Are you trying to deny your age?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">"Not at all..."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">“Wearing it reminds me of stealing apples from a farmer's tree on cross country training runs;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It reminds me of jumping into the river from the top of the train bridge;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It reminds me of running through cornfields hiding from the cops after curfew;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It reminds me of rebelling against my parents;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It reminds me of unbridled enthusiasm and untiring summer days off from school;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It reminds me of staying out all night and then doing it again the next night;</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It reminds me that I don’t have to grow up if I don’t want to.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">“So why do you really wear your hat on backwards?’<br /> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">“Because I can.” </span></span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-15439771384535464062014-01-13T08:19:00.001-08:002014-01-13T08:24:32.892-08:00Hoka Rapa Nui 2 Trail Shoe Review<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I've known about Hoka shoes for some time now and like many runners was skeptical of their pillow-like, puffed-up appearance. I canvassed a large group of trail runners regarding their experience with the Hoka One One shoes before committing to paying $170. Almost everything I heard was positive so I researched the options available. I found a slimmer more economical model of Hokas in the Rapa Nui 2. Since I had never worn Hokas before I liked the idea of trying this leaner model first. This review is based on my purchase of the Rapa Nui 2 for $129.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIc3oT8nidrmsBFmW0W2Qca9Jya5FvHHTLOZFhGw7KOZBV8n0C8HQI1LCfghUD9O1NSlv3nIns5vY02sxC0EZJztB7FkAnqUmRnSjKiHZk7rUt05mcdDVn3ppb7Jr9WPJ7SNZawLiZfT0O/s1600/Rapa+Nui+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIc3oT8nidrmsBFmW0W2Qca9Jya5FvHHTLOZFhGw7KOZBV8n0C8HQI1LCfghUD9O1NSlv3nIns5vY02sxC0EZJztB7FkAnqUmRnSjKiHZk7rUt05mcdDVn3ppb7Jr9WPJ7SNZawLiZfT0O/s1600/Rapa+Nui+2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">During four weeks of training I logged 100 miles wearing the Rapa Nui. I mostly alternated days with other road and trail shoes I had been using and on a couple occasions ran back to back training sessions in the Hokas. Here is a list of the training runs I performed:</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Arizona Trail 10-miler with hills of 3-5% grade</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">24 total miles at Across The Years broken down by 17 miles then another 7 miles to finish; one-mile loop on a flat cinder track</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- 26K Trail Race at <a href="http://www.aravaiparunning.com/san-tan-scramble/">Aravaipa's San Tan Scramble</a> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As you can see I put this shoe through a wide variety of workouts and surfaces. The only thing missing is an actual road race. I purchased the trail version of the Rapa Nui; they also have a tarmac version with a smoother outsole. The trail shoe has small lugs but nothing compared to some of the more aggressive trail shoes on the market.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrG5KqrCgjuzKXmXUtgtjVVdZuRhqqjldq3pGFM1SFzZ8TzfX24ssDNMF2I0n-M_iBURH0UK62XNyoHD_eDnmJPZ5iFhf1hvU4bWECY_K7WlP1iUNhbSAvn6kTzWIOSziVB1iLQC0mhPrQ/s1600/Trail+shoe+compare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrG5KqrCgjuzKXmXUtgtjVVdZuRhqqjldq3pGFM1SFzZ8TzfX24ssDNMF2I0n-M_iBURH0UK62XNyoHD_eDnmJPZ5iFhf1hvU4bWECY_K7WlP1iUNhbSAvn6kTzWIOSziVB1iLQC0mhPrQ/s1600/Trail+shoe+compare.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saucony Peregrine on the left</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Also, the women’s style of this shoe is called the Kailua; my wife Trish just bought a pair and is pretty happy with them. I need also note here that what made me look at the Hoka brand shoe to begin with is that I have been recovering from ankle ligament problems, otherwise known as<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey4WSb-BVDQ"> Incurable Shitty Ankle</a>, in both feet for several months. I found no relief in Asics, Brooks, Saucony, or any other brand of shoe. I was limitied to running every other day. Having pancake flat feet I use orthotics and put them in the Hoka shoes. The orthotics fit well and did not require a half-size up like other reviews have recommended.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I read a lot about the Rapa Nui not being quite as thick in the midsole as other models like the Hoka Stinson or Mafate. I’ve never tried those shoes so I can’t compare the feel but my first impression when lacing this shoe up was they didn’t feel bulky although I gained an inch of height. The shoe has a solid stable base with a firm but cushioned feel. I didn’t get the marshmallow feeling reported from other Hoka users. The lacing system is a non-elastic drawstring with a locking mechanism. Normal laces are provided if you choose to switch them out. I’ve heard some runners say they had problems with the lock coming loose on the run. I experienced no issues and managed to find a comfortable level of snugness throughout all of my runs.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">During the first strides I took I noticed a spring in my step and much lessened joint jarring in the knees, hips, and ankles. On the 17-mile jog/walk run I incurred some raw spots on the top of a couple of toes but this did not continue once the skin healed the first time. On the trail during gradual climbs I noticed an increased ability to drive up the hill with minimal effort, almost like I had more energy to use on the push-off stage of my stride. After I broke the shoes in on the trail I tested them on a 6-mile road run. After an initial warm-up of two miles I got into a solid rhythm at around 7-minute mile pace from miles 3-6 with noticeably less effort than what I was experiencing in my Brooks road shoes averaging 7:15-30 pace. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">An observation I made after Across The Years was the absence of muscle soreness and joint pain during the days of recovery following the race. The plan was to start in the Brooks until my feet began to ache and then switch to the Hokas. After 18 miles my feet and knees were pleading for a change so I stopped and laced up the Hokas. My feet felt new again and my knees were relieved. I put 17 miles on the Hokas until it seemed the cushioning had gone a bit flat. I changed into a Saucony trail shoe and found little relief and changed back to the Hokas 9 miles later. Once I refit into the Hokas they felt brand new again and I completed 7 more miles before stopping at 51 miles and calling it a night. I did not run the next day but did not experience the usual aches and pains I normally have after a 50-miler. Two days later I ran an easy five miles and felt surprisingly fresh.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"> A comment I frequently hear from Hoka users is the ability to run down hills much faster and with less impact than in other shoes. I positively verified this experience on the Wasson Peak trails of West Tucson. The first downhill portion of the run is two miles of loose baby-head type rocks. I leaned forward and ran downhill with solid foot placement and impact shock absorption, also, no rolled ankles. Later, I ran down a longer hill on a steeper decline of pea gravel and packed dirt. I maintained positive energy and sustained leg strength during a quickened pace over 5 miles. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-R2DfYN_S_Zl18Lh-046XF_oVLSA5OFcXFdUxoYfZU3h150GEQ_R_T7d8BHJdBjHdUdLIwRXkFRAAxqYOWLUZssPItF6S9-s0Tn8EgtIIlSfFyhHvjD6w07oS-jEfvvoY3le_ED7uOdD/s1600/Wasson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-R2DfYN_S_Zl18Lh-046XF_oVLSA5OFcXFdUxoYfZU3h150GEQ_R_T7d8BHJdBjHdUdLIwRXkFRAAxqYOWLUZssPItF6S9-s0Tn8EgtIIlSfFyhHvjD6w07oS-jEfvvoY3le_ED7uOdD/s1600/Wasson.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steep trail descent from Wasson Peak</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Although advertised as a trail shoe the Rapa Nui runs very well on the road. The lugs are more prominent than the tarmac version and have worn down a bit in the heel and toe but in my opinion provide better traction on wet surfaces. I wasn’t sure how effective this shoe could be during a speed workout so I tried them on repeat 200s. After primarily running trails the past couple of years my leg turnover is diminished so I employ striders at the end of runs and occasional sets of 200 and 400 meter interval repeats. In comparison to training flats I was able to run each repetition two seconds quicker in the Hokas. I sense an increased amount of energy from each toe push-off leading to a longer more powerful stride.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvC8mxZx1AHywoGVazNI0uAlXjDLWvlhXj2b4upl2Q1fLvi2ajFYAwT8TZPEJWi7y_-o6Ib4JsFzijPvk0XsBZvdeJKX85DIdakZc_TM7bJgJOgkqsPTUoxVc8v5nxFGUay8oMucWGqFN/s1600/Rapa+Nui+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvC8mxZx1AHywoGVazNI0uAlXjDLWvlhXj2b4upl2Q1fLvi2ajFYAwT8TZPEJWi7y_-o6Ib4JsFzijPvk0XsBZvdeJKX85DIdakZc_TM7bJgJOgkqsPTUoxVc8v5nxFGUay8oMucWGqFN/s1600/Rapa+Nui+1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last weekend I raced a trail 26K in the San Tan Mountains. I was able to maintain a good tempo-like pace averaging 7:45-8:00 mile pace on sandy trails and moderate hills. The Rapa Nui Trail shoe held up very well providing my feet a comfortable ride for 2 hours and 14 minutes.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m impressed with this shoe and overall very satisfied that I tried something different that has worked for me so far. I thought about trying the Rapa Nui in a road half-marathon race next weekend in Houston but instead I found that Hoka makes a lighter shoe called the Bondi Speed. This shoe is touted for speed training and race distances of half-marathon and above. I am getting a pair next week and will let you know what I discover. I think the Rapa Nui is a great shoe for daily training, trail racing, and recovery runs. In a nutshell, my training pace is quicker by 15-30 seconds per mile and I don’t experience the typical post-run aches in pains in my joints. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Happy running!</span></span></span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-48231198587202258222013-09-19T12:13:00.001-07:002013-10-02T09:42:33.968-07:0013 Lessons for Running Longevity<div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Some might say that I'm not the best person to bring up this subject since I have tended to be somewhat unorthodox regarding training and recovery methods over the years. I beg to differ. Although I have suffered my fair share of injuries and ran through many of them I am still having success after 22 years of competitive road and trail racing. Back in 1991 I found motivation to quit smoking and used running as a substitute habit. My initial thinking was if I ran well in high school then I should see if I still had any talent 6 years later. If I found something I was good at then it would probably keep me interested.</span></span><a name='more'></a><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">It's hard to say from a subjective point of view whether I was bound to be a competitive person from the early years of my upbringing or if I learned it later in life. I grew up with confidence issues due to a variety of things. I had a family environment where accomplishments weren't recognized; I wore glasses starting in the 4<sup>th</sup> grade and soon after that got fitted with braces on my teeth. On top of all this I was somewhat of a runt, always shorter than other kids and weighing less than 125 pounds into my senior year. I wasn't destined to be a starter on any team sports. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">In elementary school I always did well in the running events like the 100 and 200 yard dash at the end of the year field meets. I still have a box full of 1<sup>st</sup> – 3<sup>rd</sup> place ribbons to prove it. Then in 9<sup>th</sup> grade after a family relocation to another town and high school I discovered the pain and ecstasy of cross country running. Eventually through my high school years I learned to run farther and more often which led to growing success in running events but not enough to excel at the collegiate level. I joined the Marine Corps instead.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Forget the recruiting posters you have seen for the Marines. That's not how all Marines look going to boot camp or coming out. I joined the Marines more as a 'middle finger' to the authority figures in my life. In my mind I would probably not survive the training so in a way it was a sick challenge. The Marine's success comes from the mental fortitude that is instilled from learning tradition combined with a high level of physical fitness and a huge sense of camaraderie for your fellow Marines. I learned a lot of things in boot camp and matured greatly but once I got into the fleet I focused on my specialty and spending my paycheck partying like an 18-year old with no curfew. So maybe just being around that environment of machismo attitudes and the slogan that proclaim Marines to be "A Few Good Men," all led to a good old fashioned brainwashing. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Fast forward a couple of years to 1991. I started training for the marathon when my son was born and quit smoking for his and my health. I had run my first marathon 5 years earlier on a whim when one of my supervisors challenged me to sign-up for the Marine Corps Marathon and go with him to the event. I didn't know what long runs were. I raced a couple half-marathons and figured that was good enough. I could run the 3-mile PT test in 16 minutes so I didn't need any speedwork right? I upped my weekly training runs to 6 miles three times a week. The race was painful but I finished and then didn't run again for 6 months. Now, five years later I found a book on marathon training and did everything it called for. I even set a 3 hour marathon goal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>#1. Always set realistic goals, short, mid, and long-term.</b> <b>Realism can prevent overdoing it. Setting goals helps keep you focused on what's important.</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;">I did everything right. I finished in 2:45 and was completely elated and sore afterwards. I was enlisted in the Army National Guard at the time and discovered that they had a marathon team. I just ran one of the better times amongst other Guard runners in Minnesota so I was selected for the team. We traveled to the annual trials where I bettered my time and made selection to the National team. We traveled a half a dozen times per year to military sponsored marathons like Marine Corps in D.C., Navy in Florida, and Air Force in Ohio. If there was extra funding we did something more interesting like Juneau, Alaska. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">For most of the 1990's I ran 4 marathons per year and ran them all hard for team and individual placement. My finishing times fluctuated from race to race depending on training routines and how well I recovered. I incurred minor injuries like Plantar Fasciitis and other tendinitis issues throughout my lower legs. I struggled with chrondomalacia or runner's knee. I ruptured my Iliopsoas muscle and had to do physical therapy to strengthen my core. Corework was not the hot topic fitness fix to all problems back then like it is now. Heck, who even knew a runner that lifted weights; and god forbid leg weights. I did sit-ups and push-ups routinely and that was about it. I didn't have time for anything else. Working full-time with a family and owning a home doesn't leave much free time. It takes ingenuity to fit 60-70 miles in per week without the family noticing you are gone. We all know that the 20-mile long run is accomplished on the weekends while everyone else is still in bed so that was a no-brainer; getting up at 4am and be done by 7:30. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;">#2. Glucosamine-Chondroitin is not a placebo. This supplement can strengthen cartilage alleviating the symptoms of 'runner's knee.'</span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;">#3. Strengthen your core; this is mandatory. Planks, yoga, weights, etc.</span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;">After moving to Tucson in 1994 I met a lot of local runners and we got together to train quite frequently. Being single after a divorce and living in an apartment I had nothing but time so I put it to good use by running two a days and 100-mile weeks. I went on road trips with my buddies throughout the State of Arizona to run road races and we would really clean-up on the awards. A lot of times during some of these races I felt like I had another gear that I couldn't reach. I finished a lot of races feeling like an underachiever, like I could have done better but didn't push it hard enough. I began to realize that during training I was overdoing it. I was racing most of my training runs. A few of us were highly competitive and when we ran together in training the pace would ratchet up and up until we were setting training course personal records. We hammered all of our workouts. I remember one workout where we ran 20 x 400 meter fast intervals on the outside lane of the track and walked the stagger (40 meters) for recovery. </span></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;">#4. Don't leave your race in the workouts.</span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">In retrospect I had some decent PRs but never realized it at the time. I will never come close to running like that again. After watching the results over the years some of my times remain highly competitive. I remember talking to my friend Rick and we were discussing our marathon training philosophy. We determined that in order for us to do well we needed to maintain a fitness level that would allow us to run a quality marathon with 4 weeks notice. That meant always maintaining enough endurance and tempo speed that if something came up you could sharpen for a couple of weeks and attempt a PR. This may have had some merit but more often than not I regularly ran marathon times 10-20 minutes slower than my PR. It wasn't until I remarried and broke away from "The Hammers," that I only ran one day on the weekend and actually got some rest.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;">#5. Plan rest days into your training schedule.</span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">The funny thing about the whole year after I got married and backed off hardcore training I was setting PRs in everything. I brought my marathon time down by 3 minutes and ran 2 other marathons in the mid 2:30s during the year of 1997. I ran my first 50K ultra-marathon and won the race. For almost 2 years I ran well and also did my first 50-mile race. I learned the value of a day off. I also learned that a day off from running could be used to cross-train. It didn't matter if it was biking, swimming, or lifting weights; I did something other than running.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;">#7. Cross-train; treat every 10 minutes of cross-training as one-mile of equivalent running. I cross-train less than most athletes but still accomplish over 250 miles of RE mileage every year.</span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">I think it was the ultra-distance that ultimately taught me the value of recovery. I had this running/biking friend at work that used the philosophy of taking one day off of running for every mile of the race he had just run. I had a hard time with that when it came to the marathon. How could I have 26 easy days after every race? And if it was a 50-mile that kind of time off was just crazy; I would be completely out of shape. I understood the essence of what he meant. I would take a week off completely and then cut my normal mileage in half for a couple of weeks and intersperse cross-training on the other days. I also learned that it's ok to walk during an ultra-distance race especially on the uphill.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;">#8. Don't be afraid to take walk breaks, especially early. Saving your legs early will lead to running later. Running until you can't run anymore only leads to slow walking.</span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">It wasn't until much later that I discovered exercise physiology. I used some of what I learned during physical therapy sessions and a lot of what I learned in books. This was also around the time that internet popularity took off and I eventually became very good at self-diagnosis, or so I thought. I lifted upper-body weights regularly but still avoided doing legs. I believed the myth that if you lifted your legs in the gym then your muscle bulk would slow you down. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">The other thing I discovered was exercise science, to be exact, how to train more effectively for the marathon. I found ways to improve by adjusting the pace of my long runs. I would run easy for the first 4 miles and then build to marathon race pace for the next 10-12 miles and then finally cool down the last four miles. I eventually monitored my long runs in time run rather than distance covered although to this day I still keep a daily and yearly mileage record. I also learned the value of anaerobic threshold training. Rather than always doing intervals balls out I discovered there was a difference between running an interval at a medium pace with less rest versus running them faster with full recovery in between.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>#9. Measure your long runs in time instead of distance. This way you can slow down if necessary and not be a slave to the mileage.</b> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Honestly, it still took me a long time to figure a lot of this stuff out. I trained for and attempted my first 100-mile race and DNF'd. Then later I threw my training log in the trash and lost focus on everything competitive. I didn't even try out for the Guard Marathon team during those years. Due to a combination of mental burnout, multiple tendon and soft tissue injuries, and a career transition from enlisted to officer, I didn't run. During a long training school away from home I found time to contemplate my situation. After a long rest and recovery period over the previous 12 months I felt reinvigorated and set a goal to get in shape to run 50 miles. I would need these 50 miles to qualify to enter another 100-mile race. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;">#10. A soft tissue injury will heal itself in time unless you stress it before it heals, then it will become a stress fracture. Know the difference between the pain of healing and the discomfort of recovery.</span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">I finished the race and the next few years I forged ahead on the 100-mile path. It wasn't until a couple years later it all came crashing down when I tore my upper hamstring attachments on one leg. It healed without surgery but I needed physical therapy to re-strengthen the hamstring. Once again, being a goal-setter I planned to run another 100-mile run four months later. The injury led to adopting a leg weight lifting routine. I learned that too much running leads to a disparity in hamstring and quadriceps strength. The only way to correct this is by other means; a crap-load of biking and/or leg curls and extensions in the gym. Instead of just getting on a normal road bike I bought a single-speed. You know the saying, "If it works then do more of it." I began a routine for lifting weights that I learned from PT as well as a dynamic stretching routine that is performed after a warm-up of 10-15 minutes. I still use this routine throughout the week after I warm-up and before I commence to run the main portion of my run. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;">#11. Myth: Lifting leg weights in the gym will make me a slower runner. Not true; lift for strength and endurance, 3 sets of 10-12 reps.</span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;">#12. Warm-up with easy jogging for 10 minutes and then stretch before the main workout.</span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #990000;">#13. Yoga is great for increasing blood flow to tendons and joints as well as the meditative effects we all can use to deal with the stressors in our daily lives.</span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Now I am finding that no matter what I do aside from stepping away from competition I am always going to deal with soft tissue injuries in one form or another. The way to decrease the frequency of these issues is by being smart and using these things that I have learned and continuing to study new methods. I need to take appropriate time off when needed before I step back into another phase of speed improvement. I sometimes wonder if I had my wobble board, stick, foam roller, and stim machine back in 1995 would I have performed better. Maybe, but knowing me I would have just run that much harder leading to the same problems in the end. Nothing seems to work better than time, experience, and acquired wisdom.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;"><strong>Run smart; run easy then hard then easy again; run for fun; run for life; run for you. Stay thirsty my friends.</strong> </span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-26600668394675826712013-09-17T17:35:00.001-07:002013-10-02T09:43:19.170-07:00Skechers GObionic Trail Shoe Review<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">I recently tested the Skechers GObionic Trail shoe on two of the many rugged mountain trails around Tucson, Arizona. I wore the shoes on two 14-mile single-track trails on back to back weekend training runs.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nTDNHqNvWJKX7dXlcihtjrIra3pqVLJI8A5XjPgnAIfHysDYqT0w4JSOWS8ZbBPxJgpcw8RmBeq_7rDbSwH2GzQNZSz5DHXXJRTeIxUVunBbpaVJWqgOKD_xgP2Oj39Uv9id-VDN_POI/s1600/Skecher+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nTDNHqNvWJKX7dXlcihtjrIra3pqVLJI8A5XjPgnAIfHysDYqT0w4JSOWS8ZbBPxJgpcw8RmBeq_7rDbSwH2GzQNZSz5DHXXJRTeIxUVunBbpaVJWqgOKD_xgP2Oj39Uv9id-VDN_POI/s640/Skecher+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">The first unique feature I noticed about the GObionics was the removable 4mm heel drop insole that could be removed allowing for a zero-drop, barefoot-like running experience.</span><a name='more'></a><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> The material covering the last is the same as the sock-liner so wearing them with or without the liner is equally comfortable. I typically use orthotics for extra stability on longer runs but employ weekly sessions of barefoot style training as well. I used the 4mm insole and inserted my orthotics. Even though I used extra space I could hardly tell the difference due to the stretchable mesh of the upper. </span><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Once laced up I found the toe-box had plenty of room for my toes to spread out. Initially I did not notice the most rearward lacing holes and found that without using them my heel wasn't snug enough. I re-laced to the last set of holes and now my foot felt hugged like a sock. I liked the even feel of the Resagrip outsole lugs tracking the ground and was surprised how much cushioning there appeared to be in this lightweight shoe. I felt like bounding up a hill, so out the door I went.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Test Run #1: Mt. Wrightson Ascent and Super Trail 14 Miles – Very rocky trail in the Santa Rita Mountains climbing 4,000 feet over 5 miles followed by a 9-mile descent of runnable single-track across boulders, blow-downs, and scree. As an added bonus it rained in the high desert so traction control would be put to a further test. The GObionic's ability to absorb the impact of sharp edged rocks was truly evident from the start of the run. I never looked into whether the GObionics had a rock plate before trying them. It was obvious now that the lightweight Rock Diffusion Plate was doing a wonderful job. For such a lightweight shoe I was impressed by the amount of cushioning I felt when bounding from rock to rock. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">As it rained steadily I discovered the lugs of the outsole gripped very well on slick rocks. Even when my clothes were soaked through, the GObionic Trail shoe drained completely with no sloshing or foot slippage. I always felt confident during toe-off and foot placement. Once I descended onto aggregate and pine needles I was able to increase the pace. My feet felt well protected and comfortable after an hour and a half of continuous gradual downhill running. The shoes provided good stability whether detouring deadfalls or navigating stretches of scree.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Test Run #2: Sabino Basin 13.7 Miles – Out and back on rocky desert trail at Sabino Canyon Recreation Area in the Catalina Foothills of Northeast Tucson. The beginning of the trail is on pea gravel and a short stretch of pavement followed by moderate hills through an expansive canyon. The majority of the trail is on runnable single-track scattered with large rocks, tight turns, and frequent canyon drop-offs. Trail conditions were dry on a warm sunny morning. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">The gripping ability of the traction lugs remained exceptional. Once again I was impressed by the amount of cushioning offered without the feel of sharp rocks bruising my feet. After over 2 hours of running in the heat I never developed hot spots or any signs of blisters. Because of the breathability of the ultra lightweight tongue and upper my feet never felt hot. Post-run, I examined the bottoms of both shoes for wear patterns. I noticed some wear on the forefoot lugs due to the shoe's propensity to forefoot strike but also developed a bit of wear on the outer edges of the heels. Anytime you have a lug configuration like this you can expect some early wear and tear. After only 30 miles on the GObionics it will have to wait a while before I can weigh in on long-term durability.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">After two rugged mountain and desert trail runs I am happy with the Skechers GObionic Trail. I found a trail shoe that fits nicely and is comfortable in wet conditions and hot temperatures. It is well cushioned and has a very effective Rock Diffusion Plate. For further testing I will increase the time and distance up to 50 kilometers and monitor total accrued mileage. After my initial review I highly recommend the GObionic Trail shoe for trail runners looking for great fit and comfort.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">For more information on Skechers shoe products please check out Twitter: @SkechersGO and visit Facebook: /SkechersPerformance</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">You can also see more of the shoe reviewed at Skechers website: </span><a href="http://www.skechers.com/style/53610/skechers-gobionic-trail/bkor" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">http://www.skechers.com/style/53610/skechers-gobionic-trail/bkor</span></a></span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-36883390455348868902013-08-27T15:16:00.001-07:002013-10-02T09:43:43.280-07:00A Summer Spent in the Mountains – 2013 Leadville 100 Mile Race Report<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">My Leadville experience started one year ago when I traveled to Leadville, Colorado to crew and pace a National Guard Marathon teammate, Troy Frost. I had heard many stories about the 100-mile race in Leadville and finally got to see the course in person. We drove to all the aid stations and I paced the last 24 miles through the night. Troy did very well finishing under 25 hours and I knew that I would come back in 2013 for my turn to take on the challenging high elevation course.</span><a name='more'></a><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">The elevation really is the toughest thing about Leadville even though there is also 16,000 feet of ascent and descent along the way. The town of Leadville is billed as sitting at the highest elevation for an incorporated city in the United States at 10,192 feet. The race starts in Leadville and eventually heads south over Hope Pass at 12,500 feet and down to the 50-mile turnaround. The low point of the race is at 9200 feet at mile 39 and 61 of the out and back course. Living in the Tucson area and training on the trail systems nearby closely simulates the training effect needed to prepare for such an event.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">For 12 weeks leading up to the race I had amassed over 600 miles on various terrain and inclement conditions. It started with assisting Bob Bachani in Flagstaff, Arizona where one Saturday in early June we ascended Mt. Humphreys (12,600 feet) four times from a starting elevation of 9,400 feet. I did this with Bob in order to be prepared to pace him at Hardrock 100 in July in the San Juan Mountains of Southwestern Colorado where I covered 45 miles and attained 16,000 feet of elevation. I climbed three passes over 13,000 feet and two more at 12,300 and 12,700. Back in Tucson I trained with Chris Fall where we spent a lot time on the top of Mt. Lemmon (9,157) and Mt. Wrightson (9,453) running up and down trails that I hadn't used before. I employed the use of back-to-back days on a couple of weekends in order to cover 35 miles in two days thus duplicating the tired leg effect on day two. One of my less interesting but productive training runs was circling around a 1-mile loop in 105 degree heat 52 times in Bruce Gungle's neighborhood (Westside of Tucson) over a 12-hour period. Some studies show a correlation of physiological adaptation between training in the heat and at altitude. I managed to stay injury free and with two weeks left before race day I felt as ready as can be.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">I used a two week taper to give my tendons and ligaments a break from the strain of excessive training. I went for a couple of massages and increased my protein intake during week one. The second week I carbo-loaded and upped my hydration. During the middle weekend I went out for a 10-mile run on Phoneline trail at Sabino Canyon. It felt good to stretch my legs out on something runnable, albeit I managed a 10-minute mile pace when most of my training was at 12 to 20 minute mile pace. My wife Trish and I flew to Denver on Thursday two days before the race; rented a vehicle and drove the 100 miles to Leadville.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">We met up with a couple other Guard team runners, Mike Hagen, who was also entered in the race and others who would help crew and pace, Mike and Connie Streff, Becky Lindner, and Mike ZIegle. We all headquartered out of a large house outside of downtown and began to prepare drop bags and catch up on rest. At check-in I weighed a hefty 166 pounds, 5 pounds over my normal weight. I attribute this to my taper diet. Nevertheless, Trish and I made a big pasta dinner for everyone on Friday afternoon and we settled in for the evening around 7pm. The race starts at 4am so to get 5 hours of solid sleep the night before is rather lucky.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">I woke up at 2:30am Saturday morning and took a hot shower to loosen up my muscles. I ate a banana and a cup of oatmeal and grabbed my 70 ounce Nathan's hydration pack filled with water and a 20 ounce handheld bottle used for electrolyte fluid. I had pre-packed a stocking cap, gloves, and lightweight shell in the pack in case of inclement weather. The forecast was low 40s at night and low 70s during the day with intermittent mountain rain showers. Due to the unpredictability of conditions over Sugar Loaf Pass early in the race and Hope Pass later in the day, I opted to wear compression shorts in order to keep my hamstring and quadriceps muscles warm. I also wore calf sleeves and Smartwool socks. I started the race in Montrail Masochist trail shoes that had less than 200 mile of trail use on them. At 4am it was necessary to carry a flashlight for at least an hour and a half.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Leadville 100 is different than any 100-mile race I am familiar with. First, the race organization allows up to 1200 runners to enter. Typical mountain 100s are only permitted to a few hundred. Out of 1200 about 1,000 make it to the start line uninjured from their training. There is no qualifying run for entrants to be able to sign-up. Most 100s require at least the completion of a 50-mile race beforehand and oftentimes within the last year. Due to the lack of a qualifier a lot of people that enter the race aren't really prepared for what this course has to offer and about 50% of the field will drop out. There is also a 30-hour cutoff to finish with other mid-race cutoffs along the way. Similar races of this difficulty have 32-38 hour cutoffs so you will find a couple hundred finishers bunched up in the last hour before the cutoff.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Chris and I came to Leadville with a lot of confidence in our conditioning and ability to keep a conservative pace. At the same time we both thought there was a chance if we ran smart and within ourselves we could contend for the sub 25-hour 'big' finisher's buckle. To make the 30 hour cutoff a runner would have to average an 18 minute mile pace but to make sub-25 that pace average drops to 15 minutes. I chose not to wear a GPS watch due to the variable nature of the course. I didn't want to expend mental energy worrying about fluctuating from an 8 minute mile on the road to a 27 minute mile on Hope Pass. My main plan was to run an 11/14 split; 11 hours for the first half and 14 for the second half.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Finally, after a rendition of the Star Spangled Banner the race corral of 1,000 runners erupted in cheers and surged forward down 6<sup>th</sup> Street of downtown Leadville. The race announcer sent us off with, "See you tomorrow morning!" It is kind of neat to look back and see hundreds of LED lamps bouncing up and down in the darkness. The first mile of the race is on pavement and then turns to a smooth dirt road. With a gradual descent the road becomes rocky and at 4 miles turns onto single track trail through campgrounds around Turquoise Lake. The single track continues around the lake to the first aid station May Queen at mile 13.5. All of the trail is runnable to this aid station but depending on how far back you were up at the start line it is easy to get stuck in a Conga line of runners and held up. I took it easy and relaxed my pace coming into May Queen at 2 hours and 15 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">After May Queen Campground we continued on pavement for a short stretch and then entered a wooded section of rocky single track ascending to Hagerman Pass Road. The dirt road travels for a couple of gradually ascending miles up and over Sugar Loaf Pass into the Powerline section of trail. The Powerlines are kind of fun going out because there are runnable rolling hills with an ultimate descent of a few hundred feet. The sun is up, the weather is cool, and the trail is downhill. After the Powerline the course turns onto pavement for 2 miles making its way to the second aid station at Fish Hatchery or Outward Bound at mile 24.5. I caught up to Pam Reed coming into Fish Hatchery. She was running for her 7<sup>th</sup> Leadville completion. I got into Fish Hatchery at 4 hours and 20 minutes; still on 25 hour pace.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">At Fish Hatchery I was able to see Trish and crew/pacer Mike Zeigle. I filled my hydration pack and grabbed a quick snack. It's really nice to see friendly faces and share your experiences on trail but time spent at aid stations adds up quick and before you know it you've spent 2 hours not moving during the entire race. I managed to be expedient most of the time. Leaving Fish Hatchery the course runs a mile on pavement and then turns south for a couple more miles of pavement. A person can really make time here if they choose. I employed a run/walk strategy through here in order to save my running legs for later. After the pavement the course goes back to dirt for a few miles heading to 31 miles and the Half-Pipe aid station.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">The day began to warm-up after Half-Pipe running along the jeep road with little shade from lack of trees. I continued to run/walk and recognized my Guard team buddy Mike Hagen up ahead. I bumped him when I caught up to him and discovered he was having a sour stomach. I carried a Ziploc baggy full of e-caps, Tums, Ibuprofen, and ginger capsules. I gave him two ginger caps and handed out another to a nearby runner also having issues. We parted ways and I went ahead ascending into wooded single track trail topping out at Mt. Ebert aid station. Mt. Ebert is a water-only aid stop with 3 miles remaining to Twin Lakes aid so I didn't stop and kept going with 20 ounces remaining in my pack. The 3 miles of downhill into Twin Lakes is an exceptionally beautiful part of the course during daylight hours. You can see the lakes below and then the community of Twin Lakes nestled below the mountains. After dropping down a steep hill to the aid station you are welcomed by spectators lining the streets. It's like a big party. I came into the mile 39 aid station of Twin Lakes at 7 hours and 20 minutes. I was about 15 minutes slow on my 25 hour pace chart but not worried about it. I would need the energy I conserved to get over the first Hope Pass ascent coming out of Twin Lakes.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Twin Lakes is the low point of the course elevation-wise at 9200 feet. The next 6 miles of the course ascends Hope Pass at 12,600 feet. About a mile out of Twin Lakes there is a river crossing with no way of avoiding wet feet. This year the water level was lower than normal but still calf high and refreshingly cold. Shortly after the crossing the trail heads into the woods and climbs relentlessly toward Hope Pass. By relentless I mean non-stop, lung-busting switchbacks. Around this part of the course is where I first recall hearing other runners vomit from queasy stomachs. It is also where the front runners of the race were descending Hope Pass on their way to the finish. After 3 miles the trail lets out above tree-line and into Hopeless aid station mile 45. All of the aid provided at Hopeless is carried up by llamas the night before the race. There remains another mile of climbing to the actual pass and then a four mile descent into the turnaround at Winfield aid station mile 50.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">After descending the backside of Hope Pass the course remains on the Colorado Trail until a half-mile before Winfield. At this point the trail lets out onto a dirt road where runners contend with race crew traffic. At mile 50 you must weigh-in to see how your nutrition and hydration is holding up. I was 3 pounds lighter than check-in but not down enough to be considered a problem. I took a couple of minutes to spend time with my crew. At the 50-mile mark you can pick up a pacer if you choose. I didn't have one lined up until mile 76 but it turns out that since so many runners end up dropping out of the race at the turnaround there are many volunteer pacers willing to go on with a stranger. Trish found one of those eager souls and I accepted. His name was Ben and he would watch me suffer for the next 26 miles.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">I was still able to jog on the flats as we left Winfield as we headed down the road back to the trail leading us to the backside ascent of Hope Pass. The climb going this way is shorter but much steeper. I took several 10 second breaks bent over and holding onto my knees, stretching my hamstrings, and catching my breath. After what seemed forever we made it to the top and shuffled back down to Hopeless aid station. I had emptied all of my fluids getting here so I refilled. At 55 miles into the race and after two ascents over Hope Pass my legs were trashed. Luckily it was all downhill back to Twin Lakes II. I managed to shuffle down the hill while other runners seemed to still be able to sprint down the hill as they flew by me. Once we crossed the river on the return I could only manage a brisk walk.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">I got back into Twin Lakes mile 61 at around 15 and a half hours into the race. I was about an hour and a half behind the 25 hour plan and decided to scrap that idea completely. I was still facing a 3-mile climb to Mt. Ebert and knew I would be hiking. I changed out of wet shoes and socks at TLII and evaluated my feet, no issues. Ben continued with me and we had a strong hiking pace going uphill. Whenever we came to a runnable portion of trail I couldn't even shuffle. The muscles in my quads and hamstrings were wasted. I was truly relegated to walking and had to come to grips with the fact that I would probably end up walking 39 miles to the end if I wanted to finish. Thankfully I had employed a lot of walking during training so when I walked now I kept a brisk pace. Unlike the 'walking dead' syndrome I was at least able to click off 17 minute miles. 8 miles later at Half-Pipe II my buddy Mike Hagen and pacer Mike Streff caught back up to me. We exchanged fatigued expressions but determinedly continued our trek. Mike still managed to shuffle ahead and was soon out of sight.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">So, 4 hours later I walked into Fish Hatchery II at mile 76.5 and sat down in a chair. It was now near 11pm and I felt the first cold night air coming on. I changed into some warmer clothes and chugged one-third of a Monster energy drink. This was the first caffeine I had in 3 weeks. I picked up my new pacer, Mike Ziegle, and we moved slowly up the road toward Powerline. After sitting for a few minutes I had stiffened up. I calculated that with the climb through Powerline and Sugar Loaf Pass I would have 3-4 super slow miles. I could still afford the slowdown and finish less than 30 hours. All hopes of anything close to 25 hours were out the window. Rather than fret about it I relaxed the pace and put my head down as we worked the seven false summits through the Powerline section.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Even on the downhill side of Sugar Loaf I managed to only walk. My leg muscles hurt too much to withstand the impact of running. Mike and I enjoyed good conversation and I continued to ingest gel packs to stave off hunger and bonking. I had eaten near two dozen gels during the race and they were not working anymore. I needed real food which I made a point to get at May Queen II mile 86.5. Trish drove over from FHII after Mike and I left. She was planning to get a longer nap before pacing me to the finish but got lost on the country roads. She did find her way just in time and got to the aid station just as Mike and I arrived.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">I restocked my fluids and gels and walked out of MQII with Trish around 4:30am. I had 5 and a half hours to go 13.5 miles to the finish. I just needed to stay moving and awake. Staying awake was easy and I kept moving at a 20 minute mile pace. I had begun to feel a blister developing on the ball of my right foot several miles after the shoe change at TLII. Now it was becoming painful. It felt like a sharp stone was pushing through the bottom of my shoe. Keep moving, don't stop. The other irritating problem that had arisen was chafing. I wore compression shorts to prevent chafing between my legs. Well that worked but I still chafed everywhere else in the groin area. This was truly becoming a sufferfest. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #336666;">We made it around Turquoise Lake as the sun began to rise; only 6 miles to go from the boat ramp. We continued to walk through the campgrounds wishing that some happy camper had fresh brewed coffee to offer, no luck. Runners and shufflers had been streaming past me for the last couple hours. It should have been demoralizing but what other choice did I have? Apparently my walk pace was no longer brisk as most walkers were passing me as well. I think my hip flexors were so tight I could no longer get good stride length. I was slowly locking up. We finally turned onto the Boulevard and had 3 miles to go. The sun was glaring in our faces and I was getting hot. We came to the end of the dirt road and a race guide told us we had one mile left. It's kind of cool to hear that you covered 99 miles and only have one mile left. My watch said 8:38am which meant that I could still get in less than 29 hours if I could walk a 22 minute mile. I continued to cling to this one last standard for some reason. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">We turned onto 6<sup>th</sup> Street heading into downtown and with three blocks left I had 11 minutes to get sub-29. We were on a downhill so I started to shuffle then walk then shuffle. The cheering crowd at the finish seemed to cheer louder when I ran so I ran to the finish banner and came in at 28:55. I bent over in exhaustion and then was escorted to the scales to weigh-in. I was still down 3 pounds to 163. It seemed that everywhere on my body ached. I don't remember feeling this poorly after other 100-mile finishes but at least I was done and had completed my sixth 100-mile race.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">It is hard not to ask questions and try to figure out what I may have done wrong or how I could have done something differently to produce a better outcome. My training was better than any previous 100-mile preparation. I was injury free coming into the race yet I still broke down after 60 miles and managed to survive enough for a completion. I guess there are several factors that have to be considered and one of them is age. I started the sport of ultrarunning in 1997 and had been running marathons since 1991. I am 46 and I still enjoy participating in these events but may stick to the shorter 50 to 100K distances to maintain longevity in the sport. I'm writing this report a week and a half later and still find that after 9 hours of sleep at night the alarm clock is waking me up. The blister I spoke of earlier is just now healing. I incurred a subcutaneous blister under the pad of the ball of my right foot. After the race it turned into an open flesh wound. I finished the race near 160 pounds but have lost a few more pounds since then. I'm looking forward to a vacation on the beaches of Kauai next week, even though I am running my 5<sup>th</sup> Kauai marathon on Sunday.</span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-31648579700585793842013-03-20T07:54:00.001-07:002013-10-02T09:44:21.797-07:00Late Race Report<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Sorry for the delay on the following race report. I got sidetracked a bit with some other adventures. Those of you that have signed up for the resurrected Crown King 50K in two weeks may find some interest in this and hopefully will convince more of you to check it out. The race is more than half full.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Crown King Scramble 50K Race Report 1997</span></b><a name='more'></a><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I thought it would be a good idea to write a race report in retrospect on my first ultra 16 years later before internet race reports and result tracking were commonplace. With the return of the Crown King 50K this year after a 6-year hiatus, my entry into the race brings back nostalgic memories of some wonderful and interesting experiences. This event produced a lot of firsts for me which still provide lasting memories. For those of you still sitting on the fence about entering Crown King for the first time or maybe you already have and want a little more insight, then this report is for you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In the '90s not only were race reports lacking, race advertising was pretty low-key. If you went to one race and came back to your car you might have several fliers for upcoming races under your windshield wipers. The local running clubs usually had a quarterly rag published with upcoming race info and recent event results. A lot of it was by word of mouth. That is how I heard of Crown King, listening to the unbelievable tale told by a marathon running buddy of mine about his experience scrambling up washed-out dirt roads and gullies through untamed and inaccessible desert wilderness. On one Sunday morning long run, Darryl Wagner told us the story of how he in March of 1995 showed up late to the start of his first ultra race in the middle of the Arizona desert. He took off behind the entire pack and ran a brisk marathon race pace to catch the leaders by mile 15. This is where his troubles began. He didn't take enough water and was getting overheated and dehydrated and wanted to lie down and pass out. He managed to place 3<sup>rd</sup> overall and spent the rest of the afternoon in Crown King licking his wounds and searching for a ride back to his car in Lake Pleasant. Hmmm…I thought, that sounds kind of…weird.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I heard that story in 1996 and decided to challenge myself the following year. I had been running 3-4 competitive road marathons a year since 1992 and was looking for a change of scenery. This running up and over mountain passes sounded like just the thing. I had done a couple TTR events to prepare like Wasson Peak (14 miles), Bear Canyon (17 miles), and I even ran Esperero Loop (21 miles) the weekend before the race. All that was left to do now was drive to Phoenix Friday night after work and find a motel to stay at before the race and I was on my way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We drove up to Phoenix Friday night with our two kids, Ashley and Caleb, nine and five years old, and a new 8-week old Golden Retriever puppy. I don't remember the name of the motel but it was some ratty little place by the freeway in North Phoenix. They didn't allow dogs so we snuck the puppy, Montana, into the room under a blanket and tried to keep him quiet. We arrived too late to get a decent meal so we grabbed some fast food around the block. Luckily I had carbo-loaded the previous two days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Morning came way too early as we had an hour drive to the 6am start and I still had to get my race number. I was a bit anxious on the drive to Lake Pleasant and turned on some music to escape my thoughts. About 10 minutes away from the start destination, Green Day's <u>Brain Stew</u> came over the radio. This song vividly illustrated what I unknowingly would experience a few hours later:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Consolas;">My eyes feel like they're gonna bleed<br /> Dried up and bulging out of my skull<br /> My mouth is dry<br /> My face is numb</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;">As time ticks by<br /> And still I try</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Consolas;">On my own… here we go</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">My mind is set on overdrive<br /> The clock is laughing in my face<br /> A crooked spine<br /> My senses dulled<br /> Passed the point of delirium<br /> <br /> On my own… here we go</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Perfect…now that song will be in my head for the next 5 hours. At least it was better than Barney the Dinosaur singing "I Love You," which has happened and it's no fun. We pulled up along the highway near the start at twilight and opened the door to the cool desert morning air; actually it was a bit too warm for 5:30 in the morning. It was going to be a hot day in March. The kids were sleeping in the car so Trish dropped me off and let me go on my way while she went back to the hotel to get everyone cleaned up and to get some breakfast. We had never been to Crown King before so we had no real idea of how long it would take to drive up the 26-mile road through Cleator from Bumble Bee off I-17. It turned out that Trish's drive time was as near perfect as could possibly be, albeit inadvertently; more on that later.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The sun began to make its way above the horizon about 5K into the race. I carried a Gatorade bottle refilled with water in one hand <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(without a hand strap) </span>and had another one stashed in a drop bag at mile 15 in case I felt I needed two bottles later. Carrying at least one bottle was recommended by race direction. As I ran down the dirt road toward Castle Hot Springs I felt the warm desert breezes on the hilltops and the cold patches lingering in the washes at the bottom of the descents. I was just getting warmed up for a long day. Around 10K into the race I had caught up to 3 other runners that had gone ahead of me from the start. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I wanted to say something to break the ice as I joined their pack, "I could go for a stack of blueberry pancakes." I was met with snorts and glances of derision. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">One of them whom I didn't recognize said, "What are you doing out here? I thought you were a road marathoner." True enough, I wasn't sure what I was doing out here either… </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We came to the 8-mile aid station so I stopped to fill my bottle and see what kind of snacks were on hand. I had heard that these ultra aid stations were like mini-smorgasbords in the middle of nowhere so I was eager to get some breakfast. The other 3 guys breezed in and out before I had my bottle cap unscrewed so I quickly grabbed an orange slice and took off. After another 2 miles I caught back up to them but this time nobody said anything because we were all huffing and puffing up a steep hill. I managed to pull away and never did see them again. The road turns and twists and has many short but steep climbs and descents all the way to the 15-mile aid station. I stopped here to pick up my second bottle and posed for some pictures with the saloon girls that were handing out goodies. I think Linda V may have been one of these helpful girls. I didn't see my three cohorts coming yet so I took off toward the wilderness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">From the 15-mile mark the road turns onto the Crown King Trail. It's basically a jeep road and the further you go the nastier it gets with ruts and gullies everywhere. It was fairly runnable up until the hill at mile 19. I'm not sure that the term "hill" fits the bill here; the road ascended up the side of a small scrabbly mountain. I was forced into a walk and as I scrambled up toward the top. I was continually disappointed by false summits. It was starting to get warm so I was quite relieved to find several jugs of water available for self-replenishment at top-out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">After shaking my legs out I found a nice stretch of runnable road almost all the way to the 23-mile Fort Misery aid station. I would be remiss if I didn't mention a few more of the rolling hills between 19 and 23 but nothing like the monster at mile 19. Fort Misery was a welcome sight. The Phoenix Hash House Harriers set up this aid station and were having a good time of it. Most of them had camped out the night before in a small meadow area. They had Bloody Mary's, Mimosas, beer, and Tequila shots as well as your usual aid station drinks. I knew many of the kennel from previous hash runs so it was kind of a reunion. I even got flashed for good luck by one of the well endowed harriettes as I was leaving the aid station.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Miles 23-27 are simply described as…hell; relentless uphills, screaming quads and aching hamstrings, sizzling heat, large loose rocks, countless switchbacks, oh…and let's not forget, ATV riders going up and down the hills stirring up trails of dust clouds. All of this while looking up the side of the mountain to a tiny aid station outpost 4 miles away. <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Literally, you can see the aid station four miles away and about 2,000 feet above. </span>The lyrics from <u>Brain Stew</u> began to physically manifest in my body. My face was numb and my mouth was dry; my eyes were bulging out of my skull while the clock laughed in my face. After every switchback I looked for the runner behind me but could see no one on these short stretches. I was only safe by a minute or two at the most. Up until mile 23 it never seriously occurred to me that I could win this race. Now that I had the lead this far it would have been heartbreaking to give it up by walking. I was forced to walk though because my legs were fatigued and muscles burned and cramped. I looked at my watch and after 15 seconds of walking I would force my legs to a trot until walking was the only option again. I made it to the mile 27 aid station in this manner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">27 was a much needed respite for calories. The volunteers were enthusiastic and helpful. I was nauseated but I made it a quick stop due to fear that the next runner would be approaching. The next two miles proved to be the most difficult as I was not prepared mentally for the non-stop uphill I would face to mile 29. The course gradually ascends from mile 27 and snakes in and out of the recesses of the mountain rising up from the road. The snow was still melting which made for many mud puddles to negotiate. After what seemed interminable I saw volunteers with water jugs cheering from the top of the last hill. This was the final top-out. They yelled, "It's all downhill from here!" When has this ever happened to you and it was true? Well, the next mile was all downhill and then there was a kind of flat section for about 100 yards and then it was all downhill again until the finish. Amazing…finally the home stretch!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">With a half-mile to go I made a left turn toward town and pushed my legs as fast as they would go down the muddy road. As I approached the bridge into Crown King proper I could see my wife Trish pulling into town from the opposite direction. She managed to time her arrival perfectly as I was just finishing the race. I crossed the line near the entrance to the saloon and walked over to the trees and collapsed. Trish had parked and ran over to find out how I was doing. I couldn't speak, my throat was constricted and my body was cramped, I felt like I was going into shock; I wanted to cry. After pushing my body far beyond its normal limits and not knowing any better I managed to accomplish something I had never done before. By the way, the next runner came in 15 minutes later.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Mike Sheedy, the race director, came up to me after a few minutes. I had all the color back in my face and managed to sit at a picnic table. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">He asked, "Are you coming back next year?" I couldn't believe my ears; I thought to myself…are you kidding me…who does this stuff twice? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I said, "No, once is enough, I feel like shit!" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">He said, "We always comp the entry fee for the winner into next year's race." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I said, "Hmmm…I'll think about it."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">After seeing Scott Modzelewski finish and proclaim in triumph that he just finished his 30<sup>th</sup> ultra-marathon I wondered what kind of people I had gotten involved with. After a plate of BBQ and a couple glasses of free keg of beer I saw Mike again. He asked me again what I thought about next year. This time, less than an hour later I said, "Yeah…I think we'll be back." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Since 1997, Trish has finished Crown King 50K 5 times and I have completed it 8 times. I ran the 50-mile race in 2003 after swearing to never do the 50-mile version on this course. It started at 3am outside of Wickenburg and joined the 50K course with 25 miles to go. The event grew from 3 people on a Western States training run in the early 1980s into a race and ultimately in 1998 had 222 finishers to make it the 5<sup>th</sup> largest 50K in the United States. If you haven't experienced this yet then you're missing out on a classic. </span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-58057509368089599272012-10-11T06:19:00.000-07:002012-10-11T06:40:59.429-07:00Profile and Interview: Adrian Korosec - The Leadville Experience<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-3ecyZwSGFGhxJXJFmxANdjHadgkO8nGiWR2e3g5quWMF68Abibnu4FHBXFUcQ7dAt9iuIEgn3X20l_2g3Bnd7LnC25etuXWBhryaNGkvJzXpxCkt7kPOiZcTLYfgfYy-boz3AtScwdM/s1600/Adrian+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-3ecyZwSGFGhxJXJFmxANdjHadgkO8nGiWR2e3g5quWMF68Abibnu4FHBXFUcQ7dAt9iuIEgn3X20l_2g3Bnd7LnC25etuXWBhryaNGkvJzXpxCkt7kPOiZcTLYfgfYy-boz3AtScwdM/s640/Adrian+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">PROFILE OF RUNNER:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Name, age, city and state,
how long lived there?</b><br />
Adrian Korosec, 41, Tucson, AZ, 4 years<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">B.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Place of birth, where did you grow up, high
school, college, military, other?</b><br />
Milwaukee, WI., Brookfield, WI., Marquette University HS, Regis Univeristy –
Undergrad, University of Denver – MBA with International Emphasis<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other than running – hobbies, interests,
pets, kids, current employment?</b><br />
Rock climbing, skiing, mountaineering, tennis, canyoning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pets – Our 4 chickens (Matilda, Ruby, Gidget,
Mrs Doubtfire), Tucson Racquet and Fitness Club<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">D.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Favorite distance to run or race on trail and
on the road?</b><br />
50 mile trail, Marathon road<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">E.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Favorite race course or event?</b><br />
Old Pueblo 50 Mile Endurance Run<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">F.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Favorite Tucson area trail to train, run,
hike?</b><br />
Sunset to Aspen(lower to upper) to Wilderness of Rock and back<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">G. Favorite vacation
destination?</b><br />
The Italian Dolomites<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">H.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Favorite post-race/run food, drink and
activity, ie. hot tub, ice cold river soak, etc?</b><br />
Burgers, potato chips, Coke, beer. A nap.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pet Peeves?</b><br />
Rocky trails, arrogant people, bullies, current state of politics in the USA
and most other countries.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">J.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Current book you are reading or favorite
author?</b><br />
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">K.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Favorite quote or saying to live by?</b><br />
“If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are
living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lao Tzu<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">L.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Person you look up to, emulate, hero?</b><br />
My father, who passed away 10 years ago.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What has been your worst running injury?</b><br />
Just a pulled hamstring…lucky so far.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">N.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you could no longer run or lost the use of
your legs what sport or activity would you pursue?</b><br />
Distance (open water) swimming, scuba</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Interview:</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Adrian</st1:city></st1:place>, thank you for taking time out of your
schedule to talk about your recent </span></span></span><a href="http://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/page/show/311976-lt-100-mile-run"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Leadville
100</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> finish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No problem at all. I’m happy to do this.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You just finished your
first 100-mile race at Leadville. Before we talk about that I want you to tell
me about your past and what kind of influences you had in your early life that
led you to love the outdoors and the trails.</span></span></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right from the beginning my family was always
doing outdoor activities. We lived in a suburb of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Milwaukee</st1:city></st1:place>; there were a lot of trees and
woods and places to go exploring. My father got us into camping. We had 80
acres of land in the country. We would dig ponds and have fires and barbeques,
clearing woods and growing grasses and a tree farm. I spent a lot of time
outdoors on the weekends with my family.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then I started playing outdoor
sports. I liked soccer especially. I started before age 12 and played through
high school. I did some track and field but didn’t do much on the running side.
My coach put me in the shot-put and discus. Not sure what my coach was thinking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just field events…no
running?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, no running, but soccer got me there and
as far as outdoor life, early on we hiked and camped. Also did a lot of cross
country and downhill skiing. I got used to winters in <st1:state w:st="on">Wisconsin</st1:state>
being cold but I enjoyed the winter in the mountains whether it was <st1:state w:st="on">Colorado</st1:state> in the mountains or just cruising through the
woods on a cold snowy day in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Wisconsin</st1:state></st1:place>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you do any of the
long distance cross country skiing like the </span></span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasaloppet"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Vasoloppet</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> or the </span><a href="http://www.birkie.com/"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Birkebeiner</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t get into any endurance sports until
2008. We would ski for just a couple of hours.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you get involved in
orienteering?</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, but I was in Boy Scouts which helped me
learn to read a map and navigate with a compass. I haven’t caught onto the whole
GPS thing yet. I have a GPS watch and use it primarily to track mileage. I’m
still old school. I do a fair amount of backpacking where I use the map and
compass for route finding.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what led up to your
desire to start endurance events in 2008?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t have anyone to start running with. I
didn’t have a mentor to suggest, “Hey, let’s go out running.” We did have dogs
though. We had two dogs. I had to start work at 6am so I would get up really
early to take the dogs for a walk. I needed to get quality miles instead of
quantity so I started running with the dogs. I would do 3 miles every morning
all year long; cold and dark to hot and humid.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you just picked the
idea up as a way to get exercise?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, and so when I
started running more, I thought to myself…you know there’s some pretty cool
long events like trail running events I should look into. I was on the internet
learning about ultras. I kept this to myself; no one knew I was doing this. I
thought…this is going to be really cool…one day I’m going to run a 50-mile run.
I was thinking all of this at mile 2 of my daily 3-mile run.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s very interesting.
All of this is while you were still in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Wisconsin</st1:state></st1:place>?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just started in 2007 and then we moved here
in 2008. Both dogs died around 2007. When dogs went away the running started
happening more and more.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Were they old dogs?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were but the younger one died on a run
when it got hit by a car. It was a hit-and-run driver during the wintertime.
It’s a sad story, she was still a little bit alive and I had to carry her in my
arms through a snowy field and try and get her to the vet. It didn’t help, it
was very traumatic. It didn’t stop my running, but it did prevent me from
getting a dog again, the heartbreak is too much. The other one died from cancer
and old age.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked because we had
two old dogs recently that died within 3 months of each other, both at the age
of 14. Since then we got two new dogs and started all over.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think Kirsten and I are almost at that
point. We don’t have children and she works from home so we’re at that point
where we can do that again.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running dogs are what we
needed. Cattle dogs and Border Collies just love to run and go hiking. So, when
you were in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Wisconsin</st1:state></st1:place>
did you do any of the trail runs or races up there?</span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did a few runs before <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Arizona</st1:state></st1:place>. I started with a few 5Ks. I lived
in the Kettle Moraine area which is very hilly. I did the </span></span></span><a href="http://www.badgerlandstriders.org/home/Races/GlacialTrail50M50K.htm"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Glacial
Trail 50K</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. I decided to get off the road and on the trails and started to
believe I could run the longer distances. The first one I found was Glacial
Trail but I hadn’t run a marathon yet. So I signed up for a marathon after the
50K. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVH9djVb8cDhIQDErK76rxbNTvHVWBazV11tKXjjZzFJKSOAONIHPFkAAGhE7U_kywh2n_LTgCq7oOajTDsBYx_a0SYGSFd3TzBisXxKmnw1L4cw6gEBJLI2vpDtjpE1ukNeTko0yPKWoF/s1600/Adrian+2+being+passed+by+8+year+old+in+first+career+race.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVH9djVb8cDhIQDErK76rxbNTvHVWBazV11tKXjjZzFJKSOAONIHPFkAAGhE7U_kywh2n_LTgCq7oOajTDsBYx_a0SYGSFd3TzBisXxKmnw1L4cw6gEBJLI2vpDtjpE1ukNeTko0yPKWoF/s640/Adrian+2+being+passed+by+8+year+old+in+first+career+race.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adrian in his first career race being passed by an 8-year old.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One thing that helped me get
more into trail running before the 50K was that I started running with a trail
group in Madison called Fat Thigh Thursdays, very much like the TTR group. They
ran together on Thursdays but on the weekend they have these longer runs like
50K and odd long distances. I did a couple 20-milers and really enjoyed it</span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After you moved here in
2008 how long did it take you to realize there is such an extensive system of
trails here and the fact that there is a group that goes out and runs them
every year?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We quit our work in <st1:state w:st="on">Wisconsin</st1:state>
in 2008 and resolved to move to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Arizona</st1:state></st1:place>.
We took that year off and spent 3 months in South America traveling and
mountaineering in <st1:place w:st="on">Patagonia</st1:place>. After that we did
the </span></span></span><a href="http://www.pcta.org/about_trail/overview.asp"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pacific Crest Trail</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
from <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Mexico</st1:country> to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Canada</st1:country></st1:place>.
That took from April to September. Then we moved to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Arizona</st1:state></st1:place>. I went to the Running Shop and
asked where some local trails were that we could run. They introduced me to the
Phoneline Trail. I got connected with Lynda Hendricks and she suggested I talk
to Ross Zimmerman. I talked to Ross and told him about our PCT effort and he
thought I’d be ok. My first run was the Saguaro West Loop.</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I picked up the schedule and
thought…Holy Cow, look at these runs, week after week, what about tapering and
recovery? At first I thought they were races and I ran them hard. Now I’ve
since change my attitude and realize that most of us run them slow enough that
we can enjoy them week after week. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still into
competition. If I see you two miles from the finish I’m going to try to hunt
you down. It makes it exciting.</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjme3J2QDobrxUYZ4kHlI67Rd9qMbVy8gndqSbYQOMLQJScM3wHipaYP_80Fk8Uerj-MGMO14cOCQ8-7PdfiTR1HwlCAqc3wFDdlhrmM1ZR1EW_P0ldAQv-YBzAaL-vVYW0jfVya6vxdVI/s1600/pct+ending+221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjme3J2QDobrxUYZ4kHlI67Rd9qMbVy8gndqSbYQOMLQJScM3wHipaYP_80Fk8Uerj-MGMO14cOCQ8-7PdfiTR1HwlCAqc3wFDdlhrmM1ZR1EW_P0ldAQv-YBzAaL-vVYW0jfVya6vxdVI/s640/pct+ending+221.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to ask you about
the PCT crossing. How did you plan that logistically?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are guide books available that detail
town stops. You try to plan a town stop every 5-10 days. So you’re basically
linking together 5-10 day backpacking trips. The trail crosses roads along the
way so you either have towns on the trail or up to 5-20 miles away. You get to
the road and hitchhike into town. Go to the grocery store and buy 5-10 days of
food and pack it up. Go to a restaurant and hotel and eat a ton and shower and
head out the next day and keep going. </span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If there aren’t good grocery
stores available you might stop at a <st1:city w:st="on">hot springs</st1:city>
resort like <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Warner</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Springs</st1:placename></st1:place> which is 5 days
travel of 100 miles at 20 miles per day. You mail supplies to that point ahead
of time. So you ship out 10 boxes and about halfway through the trail ship
another 10 boxes. A lot of people ship everything at the start and then realize
they are tired of the stuff they’ve been eating and end of throwing it away in
a hiker box for other people to take. </span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That sounds like a whole
lot of camping?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a whole lot of 5-10 day backpacking trips.
Then you stay in town for two nights once in awhile for recovery time. There’s
whole lot of eating during this time because of calorie deficits. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any plans to do the </span></span></span><a href="http://www.aztrail.org/"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Arizona Trail</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">?</span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, for sure. I think that will be about a
one month to 40-day hike. We like to through-hike rather than section-hike. We
both are pretty locked down in our careers so this will be a section-hike.
Maybe a plan of 3 two-week vacations over a couple of years.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Arizona Trail is
something I would like to do as well.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be fun to try to maybe run it or
fast-pack it with a little help from friends along the way. I do like the
self-sustained version though because it’s much lower key. A lot of people that
try and run these long trails end up getting injured. I’m more into enjoying
the outdoors.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little more
well-rounded it sounds like. Ok, why did you pick Leadville as your first 100?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, we own a condo in Keystone so we had a
place to stay only 45 minutes away. Second, a good friend and pacer I had with
me, Billy, lives near <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Boulder</st1:city></st1:place>.
Third, it’s a classic 100. It has a lot of name recognition and is well
supported. I read the book, <u>Born To Run</u>, so that was in my head. It’s a
legitimate 100; there are some good climbs and lot of flat running. It climbs
over two passes each way. I actually thought it would be a good beginner 100. I
stand by that it is a good 100 for first-timers. It’s very well run and
organized. It’s a pretty crowded 100 so you’re not going to get too lonely out
there. The aid stations are well organized; they’re really looking out for your
welfare. There’s also a lot of crew out there. It’s nice to feel like a
rockstar when everyone out there is cheering you on.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, that is a great
race for crowd support, I was amazed. The majority of the race is over 10,000
feet elevation. Any worries going into the event about altitude?</span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichANNqaIMHr_4-CpQfLtkS7cvnd_73al94x4Uc8rhQADUpKzX0X71_74QKOggYxscaBWAiDBzRVFGy3Lcf0mPd7UHdW7IrnvwX0w4rVLis9v8EQX7kZnhn0vdFQDfFLYIdKm6rezZAeT2/s1600/lt100runprofile2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichANNqaIMHr_4-CpQfLtkS7cvnd_73al94x4Uc8rhQADUpKzX0X71_74QKOggYxscaBWAiDBzRVFGy3Lcf0mPd7UHdW7IrnvwX0w4rVLis9v8EQX7kZnhn0vdFQDfFLYIdKm6rezZAeT2/s640/lt100runprofile2010.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One-way to turnaround</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was concern but I’ve had a lot of luck
at altitude. I’ve been to 22,000 feet without oxygen pretty easily but
experienced some headaches at the top. I lived in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Colorado</st1:state></st1:place> for 10 years and had a lot of
experience at altitude and never really affected me very much. Things can
happen at altitude that you never know are going to happen and very quickly. I
thought that training here in the mountains around <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Tucson</st1:city></st1:place> from 7,500 to 9,200 feet I would be
good.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s talk about your
training in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Tucson</st1:city></st1:place>.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a really good cardio base and endurance
level to start with. I had just done Ironman in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Tempe</st1:city></st1:place> last November. I had from then until
August to train. About two and half months beforehand is when I really started
amping up on specific training for Leadville. Very typical 100-mile training –
going up to <st1:placetype w:st="on">Mt.</st1:placetype> Lemmon Saturday and
Sunday and camping overnight on top when I could. I would do 4-5 hours on
Saturday and 5-7 hours on Sunday.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You chose to go a little
longer on your second day? That is the reverse of what you normally hear people
doing.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well I thought why not go a little longer the
next day while fatigued. I was a little more fatigued after a full week at my
job before going into the weekend. I play a lot of tennis by virtue of my job
when members are looking for someone to play against. So I play tennis four
times a week at about 2 hours per day. I ran between 5-15 miles at a time
during the week along the Rillito Path, junk miles. It got me used to running
tired and I knew at Leadville there would be a lot of flats where I needed to
learn to shuffle. That’s where I would practice my 10, 11, 12-minute miles. It
was really hard to run 10-minute miles in the beginning but then I was like…10-minute
mile pace is pretty fast when I slowed down to 11 and 12-minute miles.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So at the end of the week after
playing tennis on the hard surface courts I was sore. I would take it easy on Saturday and then do the longer run on Sunday. I did as many of the hilly rocky
trails as I could. I was doing obscure trails like Red Ridge going down to
Canada Del Oro and back up. I did Samaniego Ridge down and back. I was really
prepping for rocky hilly terrain which Leadville has some of that but not like <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Arizona</st1:state></st1:place>. It was awesome
training. It seemed ridiculously easy to get up over <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Hope</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Pass</st1:placename></st1:place>
when the time came.</span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.trailsofglory.blogspot.com/2012/09/pacing-and-crewing-leadville-100.html"><span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When
we were crewing our runner at Leadville</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I was fortunate not to get the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Hope</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Pass</st1:placename></st1:place>
section. I did Sugarloaf. My buddy that did do Hope had a rough go of it. Was
going under 25 hours a goal for you?</span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a dream. I wasn’t going to push a time
on my first 100. That’s the innocence of doing a thing for the first time.
There’s no pressure. No one is expecting anything. Go enjoy it and then set a
goal the next time when you’re educated and know what’s going on. I didn’t want
to fail; there is so much unknown. The longest run I had done is a 50-miler.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t need to do a
longer run than that. Are you going to run 100 miles to train to run 100 miles?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s still that whole unknown from 51-100,
the darkside. Just enjoy it and be in the moment. I was looking at the times for
25 hours and I needed to do a 15-minute mile average. I ended up at 15:53. Even
in all my training runs I wasn’t maintaining 15 minutes. So I knew it probably
wasn’t going to happen. No goals, total innocence, enjoy it and that’s exactly
what I did. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That was the fun thing about
doing the marathon for the first time and the 50K. It was all this big mythical
thing in your mind and impossible and now you’re doing it. I really believe
that the first time you do something you should really enjoy it.</span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve seen too many
people including myself, go out on their first 100-mile with this idea of a
goal pace and time. It’s a DNF waiting to happen. You have a great mentality.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody wants to be the guy with the wheels
coming off. That’s going to happen to some extent anyway. I didn’t want to be out
there suffering the last 25 miles. It’s hard enough as it is.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you do most of your
training runs by yourself?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of my running is done solitary. Recently
I started running with a buddy in the morning but generally speaking I was
solo.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reason I ask is
because I remember you saying you were going out at 2pm for some of these runs
and I’m thinking…I wonder what kind of lightning storms he’s encountering…Did
you see any cool stuff?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, a lot of big lightning storms. I would
try to find a big grouping of <st1:place w:st="on">Aspen</st1:place> trees and
try and hide-out. It was like shock and awe…Ke-kee-keee-Craaack – BOOOM!! It
was close. You had to run for cover. Every run that I did from June to the
beginning of August – 100% of my runs had rain. Probably 50% had lightning
storms. Sometimes I would move down to the road if I could when it got really
dangerous. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The scariest time was coming
back to the summit of Samaniego Ridge. It’s amazing how those storms come up.
First you hear the noise and see the clouds come up the valley and then the
mist comes in; almost like one of those zombie movies where the fog is rolling
in. This comes over the ridge, then the rain comes and then the lightning
comes. That’s when you hunker down. It added some excitement to the training
runs. I’m a mountaineer so I know how to judge an objective dangerous situation
that I have nothing to do with. I know when to bail, when to hide, and when to
keep moving. It was great, it was everywhere, truly shock and awe…BOOOOM!
Explosions all over the place and then it would move on and I would get moving
again.</span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very cool! How about
<a href="http://trailsofglory.blogspot.com/p/encounters-in-wilderness-real-or.html"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">animal encounters</span></a>?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw my first bear in the Catalinas on the
Lower Aspen Trail; a nice big healthy black bear running up the trail and
stopping to turn and look at me. That was special. Very few snake sightings…maybe
two. I seen bobcats, coatimundi, and no mountain lions. Out of the major
mammals they are the last thing I want to see.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t seen one
either. Talk about your crew’s perspective at Leadville?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kirsten had crewed at 50-milers before so she
had experience. My friend Billy has always been a runner but just recently
finished his first 50-mile at San Juan Solstice and did very well. He was
always faster and stronger than I was. I knew he would do well. He went 26
miles with me from mile 60 at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Twin</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Lakes</st1:placetype></st1:place> to May Queen.
Kirsten brought me home from May Queen to the finish. It was fun running with
my wife. It’s good to have someone that loves and understands you. All pacers
kind of need to deal with their runner at that point no matter what their
relationship is but having your wife there; she was especially supportive.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was dark the whole
time running around the lake, right?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was. The sun was just rising as we came
into town. The peaks were just becoming pink. Just having two crew members was
a tough job for them. I really appreciate my crew for what they did. They were
either driving or running and it was difficult for them to catch any sleep. I’m
pretty self-sufficient and the aid stations are very well stocked. I think I
could do it by myself especially with drop bags. The advantage to having the
crew is that they supply mental support. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We could do these things by
ourselves but I saw some of these poor guys running alone at night without a
crew and they were struggling. I felt really bad for them because they didn’t
have that moral and mental support that I had.</span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is something to
that. I’m fairly self-sufficient as well but at both of my DNFs I had no pacer;
it’s especially hard overnight.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing everyone else’s crew definitely lends
to helping you gather energy as well. What I took from </span></span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadville,_Colorado"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Leadville is that it
has a lot of history</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">; the town and the run. Yeah, it has a lot of flair and
I’m not usually one for flair, and it has a lot of pomp and circumstance. The
thing has grown and it was sold off and now a multi-national conglomerate owns
it. But they still have some of the same people that started running it. The
pre-race meeting in that little gymnasium and the old mining town aspect of it;
it has that community feel to it. I really got into that. </span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That’s what I like about Old
Pueblo 50. It’s my favorite run because it’s totally local and all of our
friends our there. To me it is about the social aspect; it’s about people. Some
people argue that Leadville doesn’t have that but I would argue that it does
have that if you look deep enough and get under the skin.</span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They let in almost an
unlimited number of runners. 800 show up on race day. I didn’t go to the start
line so I imagine it was a huge start. Outside of that, from a crew aspect I
couldn’t tell there were 800 runners out there.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You get the feeling at the start especially
around the lake when you can see the endless string of lights. But it’s single
track and everyone is running too fast anyways. I wasn’t passing anyone; people
were passing me on occasion but nothing very different from a large TTR run
when everyone’s getting sorted out in the first 10 miles. Emotionally, my crew
was amazing. What a crew does for a runner in a 100 is very special. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kirsten picked me up at May
Queen so she was driving the car alone from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Twin</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Lakes</st1:placetype></st1:place>
to meet us at Fish Hatchery and she took a nap. We ended up coming into Fish
Hatchery a lot earlier that I had anticipated. So she was napping in the truck
and I didn’t realize she was there so I was afraid that she may have gotten
lost or the car was broke down. On the way out of the aid station I borrowed a
phone and called her and woke her up. She was a 100-yards away. I told her were
going to May Queen and good luck finding the place. It’s dark out there. She
was upset she missed us but she needed sleep. This was going to be her longest
run ever and starting at 2am. She had a 32-hour day. So for them to come
through for me without hesitation or complaining or giving me any thought they
weren’t having a good time, that’s really cool.</span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No issues for you staying
awake?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, I took some advice from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Dallas</st1:city></st1:place> after he did the Javalina 100. Staying
awake seems like the hardest part on these things. He suggested to ease off of
the caffeine before the race and don’t use any until later in the race. I quit
caffeine for about two weeks before the race and didn’t use any for the first
60 miles. I started getting tired right after May Queen. I started kicking
rocks and feeling lazy. I was too tired to look at gels and see if they had
caffeine plus I was tired of eating them anyway. It was a real chore to get
from 13 miles out to 4 miles left. Then it’s up the endless Boulevard but you
know you’re in and you’re going to finish.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’ve learned that 26 hours
isn’t a long 100 in comparison to others. I think I like the events that are
less than 20 hours. You finish around midnight, enjoy a beer and a burger and
go to bed. I should just get really fast at 100s, like 17 hours.</span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I agree, just get faster. That leads to my
next question. What kind of goals or ideas do you have for upcoming races? You
know, you are qualified to enter Hardrock now that you finished Leadville?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not know that. I would entertain that.
That’s one of the toughest 100s. Being in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Colorado</st1:state></st1:place> I would put that on the list. I
don’t have anything planned now. I’m going to let that sit for awhile. I do
plan on doing Tucson Marathon so I’m getting back to speedwork. I want to
qualify for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Boston</st1:city></st1:place>
again. I like running at the marathon pace, around 7:15 miles. My PR is 3:14 so
I would like to run 3:09. My recovery from Leadville was very quick. The next
day I was playing 18 holes of golf riding a cart. I was bike riding two days
after and running within a week. I would also like to run a fast Old Pueblo in
March as well.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 29.25pt 0pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You talked about completing
an Ironman. Do you still do a lot of cross-training?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since Ironman I have hardly been on the bike
or in the water. In my opinion cross-training is very beneficial. I was faster
when I was training for Ironman than I am now. I have a problem with finding
time to get everything done. I really like rock climbing at Cochise Stronghold
and the Catalinas so a lot of the weekends I’m choosing between getting my long
run in and going rock climbing. I do enjoy bicycling and doing the Shoot-out
for 2-4 hours. I get dropped after about 25 miles but I can hang for quite
awhile. The reason I started running in the first place was to get in shape for
mountaineering and to lose weight.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnFcjSgV7WUojGeNkW3PsZdOat_Fuc1MS-cG_YWA0OkuO3UaMKfD3xJBCqGyagsOUIevACxFzSWWUeQwEfeMsSnNFfr_z-0n7Pcq44STWBQe3Od1NTueMiOJrdbHC1_fChG2Rs9YJ8mkZ/s1600/Adrian+1+with+kirsten+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnFcjSgV7WUojGeNkW3PsZdOat_Fuc1MS-cG_YWA0OkuO3UaMKfD3xJBCqGyagsOUIevACxFzSWWUeQwEfeMsSnNFfr_z-0n7Pcq44STWBQe3Od1NTueMiOJrdbHC1_fChG2Rs9YJ8mkZ/s640/Adrian+1+with+kirsten+006.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Wisconsin</st1:state></st1:place> there is a lot of eating and lot
of drinking. I was 185 pounds then and not in the best shape of my life. I was
getting fatter and smoking cigarettes so it wasn’t a good situation. Then we
moved and a lot changed. Pacific Crest Trail kicked things off and then moving
here and meeting TTR people and working at the Racquet Club has all really
helped my life out tremendously. TTR especially, every weekend there is
something to do. </span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if there isn’t
something on the TTR schedule then there is a race somewhere.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know and that reminds me I have to figure
out a rock climbing thing this weekend. It’s a balance issue, everyone has this
issue. I don’t rest enough and a lot of us have that because we are so driven.
If there’s a rest day that means I can go play tennis or I can go rock climbing
all day. That’s like a 7-hour endeavor with a big pack; that’s a rest day. So
your workout suffers the next day and then the recovery run after that becomes
a recovery walk. I could become a better runner but its picking and choosing
how you spend your time.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re enjoying
yourself. It sounds to me like your activities are pretty well-rounded.</span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re never going to be the fastest. Some
people are but I’ll never be the fastest so I want to go out and enjoy it as
quick as I can but enjoy it.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well we are in our 40s…</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we have age-group aspirations…Hahahaha!
Unfortunately that age-group of 40-45 year olds are still in pretty decent
shape. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just changed to the
45-49 year age-group and it doesn’t make a difference. Those same guys just
move on with you.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m learning how to pick and choose my races
carefully. My buddies wanted me to go to the <st1:placename w:st="on">Goblin</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype> 50K which is in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Utah</st1:state></st1:place>. It’s like a small
TTR run with about 30 people. I was first male of the whole thing so my award
says First Place Finisher – Male, but the actual winner was a woman. That’s the
closest I’ve come to winning a race but there is a triathlon up in Show Low,
The Deuces Wild, which I placed second in my age group the last two years.
That’s my favorite triathlon because, “Hey, I can win my age group.”</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You never know whose
going to show up. I believe the key is to stay healthy.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:city></st1:place>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe all my activities have helped me not
have very many injuries. My worst problem was a tight hamstring.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sounds like you could
give some advice to a newer runner to this sport?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:place></st1:city>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would say to start slow. Find an enjoyable
3-mile trail loop or route and run that until you feel comfortable. Get used to
the footing and the distance. Increase your mileage by 10% every week. Don’t
make big jumps in mileage. Don’t get overzealous. Find enjoyment in the moment.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What advice have you
received from other people that you have most benefitted from?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:place></st1:city>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remain in the present. Don’t get too far
ahead of yourself. I found myself at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Twin</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Lakes</st1:placetype></st1:place> thinking about the
distance to Fish Hatchery and then to Sugarloaf and then to May Queen and then
the finish. My god it’s a long way. Don’t think too far ahead; it’s an undue
stressor.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very good advice. Well
here we are at the last question. What is the meaning of life?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:place></st1:city>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to enjoy a simple life. Look at what
we have here…you can go out in the mountains and not deal with the problems
that many people in other places have to deal with. Don’t focus on material
possessions. I did that for a long time and luckily have been able to scale-down.
Enjoy the people that you are friends with and find happiness in life. I want
to be happy in my life.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well said, it looks like
you have it dialed in. Thanks again for your time <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Adrian</st1:place></st1:city>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adrian</b></st1:place></st1:city>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re welcome. It was a great discussion.</span></span></span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-37069825576785942512012-09-11T11:19:00.000-07:002012-09-11T11:19:46.158-07:00Pacing and Crewing - Leadville 100<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-040.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-040.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4322" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-040-300x224.jpg" height="224" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-040-300x224.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>In the middle of August I traveled to Leadville, Colorado at the request of a friend who planned to run his first 100-mile race. While Tucson and most other places this time of year are in the throes of heat and humidity, Leadville’s temperature rarely gets above 70 and quite often drops below 40 degrees overnight. The historic mining town of Leadville is situated above 10,000 feet of elevation and sits among several famous ski resorts such as Breckenridge, Aspen, and Vail.<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-0371.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-0371.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4314" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-0371-300x224.jpg" height="224" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-0371-300x224.jpg" width="300" /></a>Leadville 100 has been around for 30 years and has a storied history. Its popularity seems to have skyrocketed after Christopher McDougall’s book <span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;">Born to Run</span> which tells about the epic battles of yesteryear between the Tarahumara Indian runners from Mexico and Ann Trason’s early feats of accomplishment. My friend and National Guard Marathon teammate, Troy Frost, a Colonel in the Montana Air National Guard, called me up three weeks prior to the race and asked if I could help pace him during a hefty portion of the race. I have always wanted to run Leadville 100 myself so I took the opportunity to lend a hand and get a glimpse of what this race has to offer.<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-pace-2.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-pace-2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4315" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-pace-2-300x179.jpg" height="179" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-pace-2-300x179.jpg" width="300" /></a>As a pacer for an ultra-runner there are many things to be prepared for. The biggest challenge for pacers is that they are usually picking up their runner somewhere late in the race typically after 8, 10, or 12 hours and 40-70 miles of running. This is a challenge because as a pacer you have a lot of energy and are wide awake, prepared to be on duty possibly overnight and your runner is feeling the opposite physically and mentally. Your vital job is to keep them going on the right path and encourage them to eat and drink when they don’t always have their wits about them to do remember on their own.<br />
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Your runner may be fatigued and sleepy and your challenge is keeping them awake and moving forward through encouraging conversation, storytelling, singing songs or cadence, or whatever creative method you can come up with. Depending on the slowdown that inevitably takes place in the second half of the race you may be out on the course 2-3 times longer than you would normally be for that distance. Another difficulty is that the runner that has been on the course all day is working hard and staying warm by generating body heat or cooler by sweating. As a pacer you may not be making as much of an effort and need to dress for the occasion. The pacer needs to be prepared for all conditions carrying extra clothing, calories, more water than you think you will need, and extra supplies like headlamps and spare batteries.<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-055.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-055.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4316" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-055-300x224.jpg" height="224" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-055-300x224.jpg" width="300" /></a>The most important job as a pacer is keeping your runner on the course. You need to study the course details and be aware of course markings. There is nothing worse than running extra miles after missing a turn because you weren’t prepared. This is especially difficult at night when it is easy to turn on a headlamp and put your head down looking for good footing when the course marker flags are at head level in the trees.<br />
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Inevitably many ultra-runners experience down-spells caused by nausea, cramps, altitude headaches, dehydration, or just plain bonking. Most pacers aren’t medically trained physicians but the reason they are pacing is typically because they have been there and done that in races of their own. They have a plethora of experience and know what it takes to alleviate cramps and avoid dehydration to begin with. They have experience with nausea and vomiting and know which foods or drinks relieve those symptoms. Sometimes it might just be knowing when and how long to take a rest break between aid stations. The hardest job can be keeping a runner ahead of cut-offs preventing them from being pulled from the race.<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-pace-1.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-pace-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4317" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-pace-1-300x179.jpg" height="179" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-pace-1-300x179.jpg" width="300" /></a>At Leadville I was joined by two other pacers and Troy’s wife Pam Frost, a Chief Warrant Officer Three in the Montana Army National Guard, who also helped crew. In a race like Leadville where there are over 800 starters crewing can be complicated in the early stages of the race. Crew access to aid stations in the early part of a race have a lot of traffic and limited parking because everyone is arriving near the same time. This could mean parking a couple miles away and walking to the aid station. With this in mind we opted to bypass the first aid station at 13 miles and catch up with Troy at the mile 23 aid station. Without knowing the runnability of the course it becomes an educated guess as to what pace your runner will average so you should plan to arrive early or make alternate arrangements like the placing of drop bags.<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-047.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-047.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4324" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-047-300x224.jpg" height="224" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-047-300x224.jpg" width="300" /></a>We estimated too long and arrived at mile 23 after Troy had gone through already. Since we knew this was a possibility ahead of time, Troy made a drop bag for this aid station in case he needed to stash excess clothing and flashlights from the early 4am start. Since this is an out-and-back course the same drop bag had dry warm clothes for later that evening at mile 86 when the temperature would plummet. After we looked up what time he came through we had a real good idea of his pace and the rest of the day we were able to make reasonable estimations as when to expect him at the remainder of the crew stops.<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-043.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-043.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4323" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-043-300x224.jpg" height="224" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-043-300x224.jpg" width="300" /></a>Drop bags – a quick definition – for those of you who don’t know the term “drop bag.” It is a bag used to stash clothing, special needs drinks and food, shoe and sock changes, inclement weather gear, and anything else that the typical aid station does not offer or can’t be brought in by your crew. Most races of long duration offer this service and are fairly prompt about getting your gear back to the finish after the race.<br />
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-051.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-051.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4318" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-051-300x224.jpg" height="224" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-051-300x224.jpg" width="300" /></a>Leadville allows for pacers to join their runner at the halfway turnaround point of 50 miles at Winfield aid station. Mike Zeigle, a former National Guard Team runner now retired from the military and living in Wisconsin, picked Troy up at 50 miles and went the next 10 miles back over Hope Pass at 12,500 feet of elevation. The course gains 2500 feet over four miles and then descends the same amount before crossing a thigh high creek crossing into the Twin Lakes aid station. Mike’s 10-mile leg was valuable because Troy had just done this climb in reverse; having a pacer to accompany him kept his spirits up when the last thing he was looking forward to was another monster hill all over again. Mike looked more tired than Troy coming into 60 miles and had stories to tell about llamas and the climb over Hope Pass and an unfortunate fall on the way down.<br />
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-054.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-054.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4319" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-054-300x224.jpg" height="224" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-054-300x224.jpg" width="300" /></a>Our team coordinator, Sergeant First Class Mike Hagen, from the Army National Guard in Lincoln, Nebraska, picked up with Troy for the next 16 miles to 76.5. As a crew we helped Troy change his shoes after the water crossing and handed him food and drinks from the aid station tables. The aid station volunteers were outstanding taking care of refilling hydration packs and finding drop bags. We replenished Troy’s pack with gels and made sure he had a working flashlight for after sunset and sent him and Mike on their way.<br />
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One note of mention for crewing runners; handling is an important job even though the aid station volunteers are willing to do all of the work. The runner typically has some preconceived ideas about specific things they want at different times of the race. If it isn’t already in a drop bag then you should have it available for them in an easily transportable container or bag that has been organized beforehand. Also, an encouraging positive attitude and familiar faces are extremely helpful to the runner who is fatigued and may be questioning why they are even doing the run.<br />
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Another thing to think about as a crew is to have a base camp of sorts; a hotel room, campsite, or house in the general area. This is useful because many times you will drive into and out of aid stations for many miles bringing you close to where you started. Take advantage of the opportunity to go back to camp and freshen up, get a nap or a meal. Your runner could be several hours before reaching the next crew accessible point.<br />
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Mike and Troy were out a bit over 3 hours and came into the Fish Hatchery aid station mile 76.5 around 9:30pm. It was dark now and headlamps and handheld flashlights could be seen like lanterns swaying in the night coming up the road into the aid station. My pace section was next and entailed the remaining 23 miles of the course and running overnight to get Troy to the finish. I knew we had one more major climb of 1000 feet before the last aid station at May Queen mile 86.5. I also knew that after a warm day of temps in the mid-70s the overnight temperature would be as low as 32 degrees. I was prepared with a full 70 ounce hydration vest, a handheld water bottle filled with electrolyte fluid, headlamp and flashlight, e-caps, energy gels with caffeine, ginger capsules, Tums, ibuprofen, gloves, stocking cap, rain jacket, garbage bag, and arm warmers.<br />
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-057.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-057.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4320" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-057-300x224.jpg" height="224" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-057-300x224.jpg" width="300" /></a>Troy held up well and made great forward progress although every muscle in his body ached and his mind was telling him to stop. He never got sleepy but after 90 miles his legs were shot and we were relegated to a brisk walk. A lot of this was on a hilly rocky trail around Turquoise Lake. We eventually got around the lake and hit the road for the remaining 6 miles of the course into the finish in Leadville. The temperature did drop into to the 30s so we took out our cold weather stuff and walked as fast as we could finishing at 4:06am for a 24:06 finish time. Troy’s goal was to break 25 hours which awarded him the gold finisher’s belt buckle.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrXSE5x5GyueK9b_rOdKgY4hv-lDzuHqJGGzkOJ1nThOUS2dO1Yt9j26AWbvvtT2dQPclOY0MpnXP-F1TEDVoCf_yI32HKCln60-XBZlKGe0jPeQkAB5DIJcbQ-ZgXbjHlrYp-dIo4Gkq/s1600/Leadville+pace+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrXSE5x5GyueK9b_rOdKgY4hv-lDzuHqJGGzkOJ1nThOUS2dO1Yt9j26AWbvvtT2dQPclOY0MpnXP-F1TEDVoCf_yI32HKCln60-XBZlKGe0jPeQkAB5DIJcbQ-ZgXbjHlrYp-dIo4Gkq/s320/Leadville+pace+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Now it’s time sleep and celebrate a hard earned accomplishment. It was a very successful day for Troy and his crew and pacers. As you can see, this review from a pacer and crew perspective at the Leadville 100 highlights most of the important things to consider and be prepared for when assisting the 100-mile ultra-runner. Surprisingly the day goes by quicker than you would imagine when you are privy to watching the race unfold while sitting back and enjoying some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Good luck.<a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-059.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Leadville-Backyard-059.jpg"></a>Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-62161586535749017322012-08-09T08:02:00.000-07:002012-08-09T08:02:55.898-07:00Destination Races and Places<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I compiled the following list of 15 races based on my desire to visit these beautiful and challenging courses. I broke the list down into 3 categories: Top 5 for Beauty and Challenge; Top 5 in the Northwest United States - an area where many of us in the Southwest do not frequently travel to; and my Top 5 Vacation Locales. Check out the links and plan your own destination race.</span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Top 5 for Beauty and Challenge</span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hardrock 100</b> - Silverton, Colorado, July<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.hardrock100.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">www.hardrock100.com</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmTmW-pEc-aBPLK2l_StPmuNNn780guY-ruN3IGcHQT4yFmn8Dilw1AZ8fMISWHE8HZCXSGv1PRnaf6qx5YrcBsn3u_8JA1ZHBVj1fa_2bbg8IEPeh-3VYWmWuKDNJ0-5os1I_5CqV6k5/s1600/HR2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmTmW-pEc-aBPLK2l_StPmuNNn780guY-ruN3IGcHQT4yFmn8Dilw1AZ8fMISWHE8HZCXSGv1PRnaf6qx5YrcBsn3u_8JA1ZHBVj1fa_2bbg8IEPeh-3VYWmWuKDNJ0-5os1I_5CqV6k5/s640/HR2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is kind of crazy to call this a dream race but in modern times it is very difficult to get into as an entrant. You need to qualify by running one of several of the most difficult 100-milers in the country. Then you have to beat the lottery where 1,000 people are vying for 130 spots. This will be my third year of trying to get in. The race itself is in the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado, dotted with 14'ers like Handies Peak which is the highest point on the course. The elevation profile boasts of 33,000 feet of ascent and 33,000 of descent. Most people don't really want to get in the race but if they don't enter then they never stand a chance...scary.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Superior 100</b> - Lutsen, Minnesota, September<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.superiortrailrace.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">www.superiortrailrace.com</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dfLEOyJquKgG6M-9RcyuHBg4AuV3r2ZyvRuENlW12pqeG1x0zQoehXSTQmeAEJi-9DJDFAp1r7EO1hJlQvjq4v2elKoug0-yE2a9WqYaPOPcIoO73YIoRrmdwomYk2WIZCCujQZ3U97a/s1600/Superior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dfLEOyJquKgG6M-9RcyuHBg4AuV3r2ZyvRuENlW12pqeG1x0zQoehXSTQmeAEJi-9DJDFAp1r7EO1hJlQvjq4v2elKoug0-yE2a9WqYaPOPcIoO73YIoRrmdwomYk2WIZCCujQZ3U97a/s640/Superior.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Being originally from Minnesota I had always wanted to visit the North Shore in the fall when the leaves are changing color. We traveled to this race in 2006 and I ran the marathon distance covering the last 26.2 miles of the course. It was gorgeous with bright yellow, orange and red leaves next to cool running creeks and views of Lake Superior. I would like to see the first 75 miles of the course as well. It's also a Hardrock qualifier. It's a great time of the year to visit Minnesota, especially that far north. It hasn't started to snow yet but is cool enough to kill off the mosquitoes. An extra Boundary Water Canoe Area sidetrip after the race wouldn't be a bad idea either.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Western States 100</b> - Auburn, California, June<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.ws100.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">www.ws100.com</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdhDUTtAN0K1kz9ZjEMWt-WBhzpO0Nh6MIhsOLicn1a7Z0IvBxwKPJ3k6mbBaAGA5549-8aLcU-hkzzPvG_p-Pv54pd7T7Xu98cSDh0kzeC0vc0c-YCZg38iPgosiUzICwtd0Ft8TCj5K/s1600/WS1001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdhDUTtAN0K1kz9ZjEMWt-WBhzpO0Nh6MIhsOLicn1a7Z0IvBxwKPJ3k6mbBaAGA5549-8aLcU-hkzzPvG_p-Pv54pd7T7Xu98cSDh0kzeC0vc0c-YCZg38iPgosiUzICwtd0Ft8TCj5K/s640/WS1001.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Western is billed as the oldest 100-mile race in America starting in 1974. I ran Western States in 2006 and it became my first 100-mile finish. The course is challenging with more downhill than up but also absolutely beautiful with well-stocked aid stations and volunteers galore. Going to Western is like attending a running party. With the increased popularity of ultrarunning, this race is entered by lottery and must have completed a 50-mile race of less than 11 hours to qualify. I want to go back just for the Western experience and then soak my legs in the Yuba River with a craft brew for a week after I finish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Miwok 100K</b> - Marin Headlands, California, May<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.run100s.com/miwok/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">www.run100s.com/miwok/</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRffBfdvEeolFRFaZigMF6Ef5QTv3PG1oz0ofh8QKUkXafdi9MjIqv4ZraPfIawmiJky33c4SMki-UQ3-Tw7H3PT3kMsQWO44sQ3ZNEjj2LM_V6Be2PqZGKdokJohBamRgl07dj02JQbF/s1600/Miwok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRffBfdvEeolFRFaZigMF6Ef5QTv3PG1oz0ofh8QKUkXafdi9MjIqv4ZraPfIawmiJky33c4SMki-UQ3-Tw7H3PT3kMsQWO44sQ3ZNEjj2LM_V6Be2PqZGKdokJohBamRgl07dj02JQbF/s640/Miwok.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Miwok is held on a variety of trails in the Marin Headlands north of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Trish and I ran the Headlands 50K two different years and enjoyed the trails as well as the area and everything you could do before and after the race. Like Waldo it is a 100K and is a distance that I have not put emphasis on in the past. The Miwok course is non-stop ups and downs and the ridges are not filled with trees allowing expansive views of the coastline. Miwok is an annual trainer for many who are entered to run Western States 7 weeks later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Imogene Pass Run 17.1</strong>, Ouray, Colorado, September<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.imogenerun.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">www.imogenerun.com</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatJsFt2aJGfTTVGBmmUi9JiXtbphHvsdAoGgb9ToU9yKouBPtREIGhSXTo5TXn1-8UTa69hJftbLi3pe8k0_utz7MQhVxG4n4RRVKz0SCwxobiUIJOujZzslFTo3pqHYXr1PuqxJbWIGT/s1600/Imogene.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatJsFt2aJGfTTVGBmmUi9JiXtbphHvsdAoGgb9ToU9yKouBPtREIGhSXTo5TXn1-8UTa69hJftbLi3pe8k0_utz7MQhVxG4n4RRVKz0SCwxobiUIJOujZzslFTo3pqHYXr1PuqxJbWIGT/s640/Imogene.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Imogene Pass Run (IPR) takes place in the Western San Juan Mountains. The distance is just over 17 miles but the challenge is in the elevation gain of over 5,000 feet in the first 10 miles and then a descent of over 4,000 feet over the next 7 miles. It is a point-to-point race from Ouray to Telluride held the weekend after Labor Day. The whole thing sounds fun to me; a great time of year transitioning from summer to fall; the high alpine mountains; and two great towns to hang out in and tell trail stories, of course with a craft IPA in hand.</span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Top Five Northwest Destinations<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Gorge Waterfalls 50K</b> - Columbia River Gorge, Oregon, March<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.gorgewaterfalls50k.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">www.gorgewaterfalls50k.blogspot.com</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jxd4dwQvJ8ojpyuEc_FCgbJLFZXmZnAPZNV1YbMqVTl0FQtv0mXNwknUlMF9oP-NhYdxlldRbnHqVH5RfM1yNyWLNYf2O-skLxVbGn4N94rW0LOa1MXX_JRM7EtOQ7zVtRhpYmRLYYWc/s1600/Gorge+Waterfalls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jxd4dwQvJ8ojpyuEc_FCgbJLFZXmZnAPZNV1YbMqVTl0FQtv0mXNwknUlMF9oP-NhYdxlldRbnHqVH5RfM1yNyWLNYf2O-skLxVbGn4N94rW0LOa1MXX_JRM7EtOQ7zVtRhpYmRLYYWc/s640/Gorge+Waterfalls.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I discovered this race by reading the 2011 race report after its inaugural run just outside of Portland, Oregon. I came very close to hitting the "send entry" button this year before it filled up but I was supposed to get deployed and wasn't sure if I would still be in country on race day. The pictures of waterfalls abundant and greenery everywhere make it look like you are running through an enchanted forest. The race is in March so it will be wet and chilly but exhilirating.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cle Elum Ridge Trail 50K</b>, Cle Elum, Washington, September<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.cleelum50k.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">www.cleelum50k.com</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8aRR-3DFc8g0rVzueKw3jksQjCRcGJ58tXa52UwXd2xhLwJJhkpw0TuQ2bbhdGAF31h9DdQqfeiEHie06HRHBv0qntOlMTbhznX2bRBn-GLANhnL-JQi2PXx_2t3MjYL5tTNG3lNhiDOt/s1600/Cle+Elum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8aRR-3DFc8g0rVzueKw3jksQjCRcGJ58tXa52UwXd2xhLwJJhkpw0TuQ2bbhdGAF31h9DdQqfeiEHie06HRHBv0qntOlMTbhznX2bRBn-GLANhnL-JQi2PXx_2t3MjYL5tTNG3lNhiDOt/s640/Cle+Elum.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Another Northwest destination race located outside Seattle, WA in the Wenatchee National Forest. The race is held in mid-September on an oblong loop course with 7,000 feet of elevation gain. It is advertised as Washington State's second oldest ultra at 16 years running.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Whiskeytown Trail 50K</b>, Redding, California, October<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.sweatrc.com/Whiskeytown_Trail_Runs/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">http://www.sweatrc.com/Whiskeytown_Trail_Runs/</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSf6hQ4DZyovxxej0I-RwLdEikUXU-ryy6KOUxQBA0Xq7p2tzRto2qvAKtv9eHrCwCGh0m5ORCNoH299P6vRfwgjXh2uTU8mrEALvJW9LEkCR8PTuzcFrNq18CsFVfkMpfzg7mR5avKav/s1600/Whiskeytown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSf6hQ4DZyovxxej0I-RwLdEikUXU-ryy6KOUxQBA0Xq7p2tzRto2qvAKtv9eHrCwCGh0m5ORCNoH299P6vRfwgjXh2uTU8mrEALvJW9LEkCR8PTuzcFrNq18CsFVfkMpfzg7mR5avKav/s640/Whiskeytown.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whiskeytown Lake is just outside of Redding, CA. This race is a low-key ultra in Northern California with just around 50 people in the 50K and another 50 in the 30K. The area is beautiful and there are multiple creek crossings on the course (15 times across Mill Creek between miles 18-21) which has around 5,000 feet of ascent and descent. The main draw for me is the road trip possibilities that can be done in this area. Fly into Sacramento and drive to Redding for the race. After the race take Hwy 299 to the west over to Eureka, spend the night and then the next day take the Coast Hwy 101 down to Ukiah. The last leg takes you back to Sacramento. The drive goes around the Mendocino National Forest and through Humboldt Redwood State Park. We plan to take an extra day and drive the Lost Coast - Mattole Road and stop in and see Ken Young. Check out more info here: </span><a href="http://www.americansouthwest.net/california/lost-coast/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">http://www.americansouthwest.net/california/lost-coast/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cascade Crest 100</b> - Easton, Washington, August<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.cascadecrest100.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">www.cascadecrest100.com</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have raced so often in the Southwest that I have a real desire to travel to the Northwest and check out more races. I had previously traveled to the White River 50-mile in 2002 and was treated to far off views of Mt. Rainier. The Cascade Crest course is a loop 100 which appeals to me because I like to feel like I reached a destination. The course is also run around the beautiful Cascade Mountain Range. Cascade has over 20,000 feet of elevation gain and is a Hardrock qualifier. Also, this race is hard to get into as it filled up in 7 minutes in 2012.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Waldo 100K</b> - Willamette Pass Ski Area, outside Eugene, Oregon, August<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.waldo100k.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">www.waldo100k.org</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Waldo is interesting to me because it is also in Oregon, a state that I haven't yet visited much less run in. I have also never run an official 100K and this one is tough, primarily single track with 11,000 feet of elevation gain. Here is a little better description of the course: There are three major climbs of more than 2,000′ each and two minor climbs of more than 1,000′ each. The highest point is 7,818′ at the top of Maiden Peak and the lowest point is at Gold Lake, about 4,900′. The name of the race was decided on when it was clear that runners could only ever “see” Waldo Lake from the high peaks and never arrive there. Cool!</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Top Five Vacation Spots to Run<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tarawera Ultra 100K/85K/60K</b>, Rotorua, New Zealand, March<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.taraweraultra.co.nz/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">http://www.taraweraultra.co.nz/index.html</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ok, I know there are famous ultras in France, England, Switzerland, Greece, etc. but New Zealand beats all of the old countries in my mind. Biggest problem with getting to this destination is the airfare - typically around $1700. Here is the description of the course: The Tarawera Ultra is a point to point run from Rotorua through to Kawerau. The vast majority of the run is on singletrack trails through native bush or forestry roads with less than 10% being on a sealed public road (between Blue Lake - Tikitapu to just past the Okareka Aid Station). In the Tarawera Forest you will be on deserted forestry roads, some of it, alongside the river. This is a trail run - not a road race.<br />
It is a net downhill with a 357 metre (840 foot) elevation loss. The running surface is excellent with free-draining volcanic soils with some technical roots and rocks on the Oaktaina and Tarawera section of the course from Humphries Bay to The Outlet. There is a river, lakes and creeks for you to cool off if you start to feel hot during the run. Total evelvation gain for the 100k is estimated to be 2776m or 9100 feet.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The main draw for me is the exotic location and multitude of outdoor activities available on a week long excursion away from home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Big Sur Trail Marathon</b>, Big Sur, California, September<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.envirosports.com/default.asp?PageID=20876" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">www.envirosports.com/default.asp?PageID=20876</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> This is a trail marathon and not the road version of Big Sur which attracts a "few" more people. The run is held along the Old Coast Highway and is an out and back along a gorgeous hilly trail with constant views of the coastline. The event is limited to 300 so you have to sign-up early.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Equinox Marathon</strong>, Fairbanks, Alaska, September<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.equinoxmarathon.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">www.equinoxmarathon.org</span></a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Here is an interesting marathon which also has a 40-mile option. The race is in Faribanks, Alaska on the day of the Autumnal Equinox. The website states the race is in its 50th year. The race is run on trail and just below the Arctic Circle. Technically I have run a marathon in Alaska when I ran the Frank Maier Marathon in Juneau on the very southeast leg of Alaska along the Canadian border. Fairbanks is almost in the center of the state and leaves no doubt that you are up north.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Copper Canyon Ultra-Marathon 50 Mile</b>, Urique, Mexico, March<br />
</span></span><a href="http://caballoblanco.org/ccum-official-press-release/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">http://caballoblanco.org/ccum-official-press-release/</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you haven't heard about this race then you haven't read <u>Born to Run</u>. For 2013 the race does have a new director after the passing of Micah True, the race founder. Some proceeds and prizes from the race go to the local Tarahumara people as well as many donations of food and clothing. It is billed as a 50-mile (80km) run at the bottom of the Urique canyon, in the Barrancas Del Cobre or Copper Canyons of Mexico with side canyon trips. I've never run a race in Mexico and this destination with the community of runners coming together with the local people looks like a worthwhile event.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tahoe Rim 50K</b> - Lake Tahoe, Nevada, July<br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.tahoemtnmilers.org/trter/trtindex.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">www.tahoemtnmilers.org/trter/trtindex.html</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7MiCoNcT0YjPV02SR3WKQa93Bdn4h6HVGWKrqjwCQ4IGBplV0XrakILFOCO5_WD-RLWEivryJqu9k-BqOdypjAw-89zB6EowPzPLnx85fZHDNn6upNdsCZWuJk2My522EyQaS-QwvDzGw/s1600/Tahoe+Rim2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7MiCoNcT0YjPV02SR3WKQa93Bdn4h6HVGWKrqjwCQ4IGBplV0XrakILFOCO5_WD-RLWEivryJqu9k-BqOdypjAw-89zB6EowPzPLnx85fZHDNn6upNdsCZWuJk2My522EyQaS-QwvDzGw/s640/Tahoe+Rim2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Trish and I ran Tahoe Rim Trail 50K/50M in 2003. A couple of the races on my dream list are races I have done previously. That tells you something about why they are still on the list. One, they are worth going back to and secondly, they can be impossible to gain entry into either due to lottery or filling up so quickly that you get left out if you're not paying attention. Tahoe Rim Trail race is run on the eastside of Lake Tahoe and has spectacular views. The race has expanded to include a 100-miler. I did the 50-mile which is an out and back and would not be interested in covering the same terrain four times and in the dark.</span><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Where would you like to travel to for a race? Please share your ideas of a destination race and explain why.</span></o:p><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="Tahoe Rim2.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_15" o:spid="_x0000_i1038" style="height: 4in; visibility: visible; width: 406.5pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:\Users\CHASED~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtml1\04\clip_image023.jpg"> </v:imagedata></span></v:shape></span><o:p></o:p></b></div>Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-7639832342823769342012-07-21T16:19:00.000-07:002012-07-21T16:51:54.588-07:00Tonja Chagaris: Loving the Family LifeI recently sat down with Tonja and talked with her about being a new mom and what her future holds as far as motherhood and trail running. I found Tonja to be completely enamored with her new life as a mother and also discovered that she is focused on attaining some challening goals. What follows is her profile and then her interview.<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">PROFILE OF RUNNER:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">A. Name, age, city
and state, how long lived there?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Tonja Marie
Chagaris<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">39 years old<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">Tucson</span></b></st1:city><b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">, <st1:state w:st="on">AZ</st1:state></span></b></st1:place><b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"> 21 years<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">B. Place of birth,
where did you grow up, high school, college, military, other?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">PHX AZ, grew up in
Bagdad, AZ and Grants <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">New Mexico</st1:state></st1:place>.
I went to high school in Grants <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">New
Mexico</st1:state></st1:place>. I then went to Cosmetology school in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Tucson</st1:city></st1:place> to become a hair
stylist<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">C. Other than
running – hobbies, interests, pets, kids, current employment?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Gabriel my seven
month old son, health and the human body, we have two dogs (Cade and Layla). I
currently own a hair salon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">D. Favorite
distance to run or race on trail and on the road?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">On the trail I like
50 Milers and on the road I like the half marathon distance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">E. Favorite race
course or event?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Avalon 50 miler on <st1:place w:st="on">Catalina Island</st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">F. Favorite Tucson
area trail to train, run, hike?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">Sabino</span></b></st1:placename><b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Canyon</st1:placetype></span></b></st1:place><b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"> trails to run and
Mt Wrightson to Train<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">G. Favorite
vacation destination?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Anywhere there is
mountains and water.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">H. Favorite
post-race/run food, drink and activity, ie. hot tub, ice cold river soak, etc?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Sleep and then eat
cold food.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">I. Pet Peeves?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Not having my chapstick
or gum while running<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">J. Current book you
are reading or favorite author?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Favorite Author at
the moment is James Patterson and I'm reading one of those books that you’re
not supposed to tell anyone…..by EL James.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">K. Favorite quote
or saying to live by?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Always looking
forward to the next adventure<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"> L. Person you look
up to, emulate, hero?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">My husband for his
patience and his ability to think things through. Julie for her relentless
drive and stamina and my mother.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">M. What has been
your worst running injury?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">A bulged disc in my back<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;">N. If you could no
longer run or lost the use of your legs what sport or activity would you
pursue?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Arm cycling<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Interview</b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, we both have the day off from work so
it’s nice to come over in the middle of the afternoon to talk about your trail
experience.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, thanks, it should be fun.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s get started. How did you first get
involved in trail running?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, through Alli and Trish, your wife.
I met them through the Hash House Harriers. I did a few half-marathons and
marathons and then Crown King 50K. I hadn’t really run that much on the trail
before I went out and did Crown King.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that was also your first ultra as well?
Were you athletic as a child and into your early twenties?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, I kind of just jumped into Crown King
and fell in love with the sport. I never did sports as a kid. I just ran. I was
grounded a lot so I was only allowed to run. I picked up running from my
mother. She made me run because I was chubby. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you had someone in your life that said,
“You know, you might want to take up running.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She ran and made me go with her. When I was
living in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Mexico</st1:place></st1:state>
it was really because I was getting in trouble and would continually get
grounded. We lived right next to the middle school where she could watch me run
around the track. When I could finally run further away from the house I
figured out that when I wanted to go drink and smoke I could get there faster
if I ran faster. I was destined to become a good Hasher.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HaHaHa, that’s funny!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually I got my older sister to drop me
off in the desert and I would run home. That gave me more time to hangout. No
one ever put two and two together.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You never participated in Track or Cross
Country; how about as a young adult, did you continue to run?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I always ran for physical fitness, 3-4
miles. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You were mindful of the health benefits?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also the stress release. I had a
friend/client, Reesa, while I was doing her hair asked me if I wanted to try a
half-marathon. The half-marathon was my first event. I went to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San Diego</st1:place></st1:city> with her and her boyfriend and did
the <a href="http://www.kathyloperevents.com/sandieguitohalf/">San Dieguito
Half</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You skipped the 5K and everything and went
straight to the half?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran the half and then did the Rock N’ Roll
Marathon in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San Diego</st1:place></st1:city>
three months later.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What year was that?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>’98 or ’99.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first RN’R Marathon was in 1998 in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San Diego</st1:place></st1:city>. Trish, Alli,
and I did it as well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t the first one so it was 1999. It
was before Pete so I did it by myself with no support. A friend dropped me off
at the start and picked me up at the end. I did a few more marathons before I
finally discovered running in the mountains. I grew up in the mountains so I
felt at home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You had been living in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tucson</st1:place></st1:city> since 1991. Did you know about all the
trails in the ranges surrounding <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tucson</st1:place></st1:city>?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did Phoneline once with a friend but it
wasn’t until meeting up with TTR that I really discovered them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your connection to TTR was Alli and Trish? Do
you remember what your first trail was?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Mount</st1:placetype>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Wrightson...</st1:placename></st1:place>not exactly
easy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You jumped right up to Crown King. What was
the appeal to do the longer distance?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My inner drive. I remember when I finished I
called my mom and said, “That was cool, now I’m going to do a 50-mile.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was kind of a natural progression. You
didn’t mind being out there 5, 6, or even 10 hours?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, not at all, I thought it was wonderful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You already have two 100-mile finishes;
Western States and Cascade Crest. What was your impression after finishing your
first 100?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first time you have no idea what you’ve
gotten yourself into. I had done a 100K in training so once I hit that mark I
realized…Wow! I’m going past my furthest point. It was hard. I was really sick
at mile 70; too much Ultra-Fuel. If it wasn’t for Julie I couldn’t have done
it. She picked me up at 60 and I didn’t want to disappoint her after she
traveled up for the race and took the time to help me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was supposed to run Western in 2008 but
it got cancelled due to the fire. I was relieved because I had been diagnosed
with a bulged disc at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you got through it and finished? Any
sleeping issues?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, as the sun came up is where I had the
hardest time staying awake; the transition from dark to light. Once the sun is
up I’m fine. We were heading into mile 83 and I needed to sleep. I remember
walking by other people that were sleeping. I asked Julie if I could have 10
minutes and I was already running tight on the cutoffs. She was frustrated with
me and gave me 5 minutes. I only lasted 3 minutes while she tapped her feet so
I really just put my head in my hands and never fell asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other than that I just couldn’t eat or
drink later in the race. I put crackers in my cheek for the last 30 miles. At
mile 93 I was really tight on time and she wanted me to run up the hill and I
couldn’t. I knew once we hit the top it was downhill and then I flew. I made it
to the last aid station with a minute to spare. I ran all the way to the last
hill before climbing up to the pavement. I finished in 29:35.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> How about t</span>he feeling coming around the track?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, it was such a great feeling. Pete was
there as well as my sister and her kids, my mom. I participated in the heart
studies after the race so they took my blood and found my blood pressure to be
92/50 and wanted to know if I was ok. I just wanted to go to sleep. I
experienced an instant diet. I came home 10 pounds lighter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMnngJbj-JYilGN64YsPaaWsWiWdfjc1PpgiTbjnKvoKzYbGNSlooWZPzqL444e771wYexlfHXZQHjSsnudpT9E7kxCamN2SmIquOf65M65cenT4614ymYJXiLBeU4W6TUmaQkeEde88P/s1600/tonja+5" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMnngJbj-JYilGN64YsPaaWsWiWdfjc1PpgiTbjnKvoKzYbGNSlooWZPzqL444e771wYexlfHXZQHjSsnudpT9E7kxCamN2SmIquOf65M65cenT4614ymYJXiLBeU4W6TUmaQkeEde88P/s640/tonja+5" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about the week after, how did you do with
your recovery?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took about three weeks off and started
training again to help Julie by pacing her at Wasatch. I was struggling and
struggling and after about six weeks I discovered I had lost all of the iron in
my body.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you continue to lose weight for a couple
of days after the race?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, that particular race I did.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cascade Crest was a year later? How did that
go comparatively? Did you apply the things you had learned?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in much better physical shape. I had
cross-trained. The course was much harder than Western. I wanted to run 27
hours and ended up running 27:19. I still had problems staying awake with the
sun coming up. Julie paced me again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9WXbzt1cloA4Rz99SFOptD-3oTNX5LjzyZNjwduq19T0jrWFOFWV1J-P0IU2YelofmiZObCzXbgiwo5KDIfEZA1QdTLaiTsb3iVqyAUqhpGuSO36-_JGWu9wvSrbeOH6RO1qFboT2e-C/s1600/tonja+4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9WXbzt1cloA4Rz99SFOptD-3oTNX5LjzyZNjwduq19T0jrWFOFWV1J-P0IU2YelofmiZObCzXbgiwo5KDIfEZA1QdTLaiTsb3iVqyAUqhpGuSO36-_JGWu9wvSrbeOH6RO1qFboT2e-C/s640/tonja+4" width="480" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see you are signed up for Bear 100?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually I was signed up for Bighorn 100 in
June. It was too early. My body wasn’t ready. I kept struggling with little
injuries. Also I had just closed my business. It was all too much at one time.
I had to let something go.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How are you doing now?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I have an appointment with the foot
doctor to see if I have a stress fracture in my heel or not. It’s from coming
back too soon combined with a lot of standing doing my job as a hairdresser.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you handle the standing day after day
and week after a week? Do you build a tolerance to it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do have a tolerance for it. My legs do get
fatigued. I couldn’t go running after work. My long distance running is better
because of it especially when you’re used to standing for 10 straight hours
without sitting. I wear a lot of compression hose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you use the calf sleeves during training
and races.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have but I also have had issues where my
calves start to swell and they get too tight. I love to wear them after the run
for recovery. They make a difference.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re about three months out from Bear. How
are you feeling about this? Do you have a plan especially with the heel issue?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to get that taken care of. What’s
happening is I will run and then take two days before I can bear to stand on my
heel. It’s tolerable when I walk but it is painful when I start running. It’s
right at the back of the heel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you going in for an MRI?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m being referred to a specialist and
probably get a bone scan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily some of these races will give you
some or all of your money back if you know far enough ahead of time that you
can’t make it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, that happened with Bighorn too. I’m
going to attempt more cross-training and see if that helps.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kind of activity did you do during the
early part of your pregnancy?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran pretty much all the way through, just
not as far. I could still run 13-15 miles at a time up until about 6 months. I
biked and swam and even did a Triathlon. I lifted weights, upper and lower
body, four days a week. I was in pretty good shape until the baby came.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about after the baby was born? How much
time did you take off completely?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started running after two weeks in little
bits. Up to 6 weeks post-partum I tried to up my mileage. I did Pemberton 50K
11 weeks after the baby was born. I injured myself there and have been
struggling since then.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aside from the problems you developed you did
pretty well at Pemberton but I suppose it wasn’t worth it because of the injury.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, it wasn’t worth it to push that hard. I
finally got a 50-mile finish two weeks ago at <a href="http://www.squawpeak50.com/sqw_mstr.htm">Squaw Peak</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a tough 50-miler. How did it go?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was my second time. I didn’t expect to
finish because of my foot. I really expected to drop at mile 26 but using Advil,
the pain subsided. This was third 50-mile attempt this year and first finish.
It took me a long time but I needed the finish. I used to regularly make the
top 10 females but this time I asked Pete, “Am I at the end again?” And he’s
like, “Yeahhh…” That’s the biggest difference since having Gabriel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A funny thing happened during the race. I
was starting to get sick in the same place as the last time I ran the race
around 35 miles, due to the elevation. I was able to text Pete as we started to
climb the peak and tell him that I was really sick. There were about 10 of us
near each other and we would take ten steps and take a break…take ten more
steps and stop. The aid station at mile 40 was at the top. My issue was mainly
with the stomach, everyone else was having breathing difficulty. The other
thing was that every time I sat down I would start to fall asleep. I kept
telling myself to get up and get going. Then I started having an allergy
problem with something in the bushes. The last time I did the course there was
a lot of snow so we could climb faster. This year we went through all the
shrubs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I’m telling Pete all of this on text
and he’s responding back to me to just stop at 40 miles and have somebody bring
you down. Talking about being remote, I started laughing and said, “These
people walked up her to 40! I have to walk myself down.” So he left the baby
with Julie and Van and came running up the other side to meet me. I kind of
knew it because he stopped texting me. I had a good laugh though thinking that
someone would carry me down the hill. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You certainly need to be self-sufficient on
the trail. How does your foot feel when you are walking up hills?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going uphill isn’t as bad but it still hurts.
The downhill is when it really hurts and there is a lot of downhill on the
Squaw Peak course. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reason I ask is because if you’re dead
set on doing Bear in the fall you could train by fast hiking. Three years ago I
incurred a catastrophic injury to my hamstring. Post-injury after some rehab I
signed up for Bear and did a large part of my training by hiking up Mt.
Wrightson and Mica Mountain. It worked out pretty well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hiking would be better and actually that’s a
good idea. I’m really slow right now anyway. I remember Jane saying that you
get faster after you have the baby. No you don’t. She did, I didn’t. Everybody’s
different.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After Gabriel was born what was the hardest
thing physically that you dealt with related to your training?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My gait is different and my fatigue level.
I’m tired a lot. My foot placement has changed because of the structural change
in my hips. They are supposed to go back to normal but not always. I’m still
wearing the same type of shoes but my toes are rubbing through in different
spots. Also, the wear pattern is different. I think that’s where some of my
injuries are coming from as well as the weight gain.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How have you dealt with the weight? Mostly
diet, increased exercise…?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve lost most of it. I haven’t been
cross-training as much. I’m still nursing so that keeps your weight up. I
really miss the physical conditioning but I know it will come back with time. I
want my body back.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So are you and Pete going to try again?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes. We would like to have another baby and
will try soon. I’m getting older and don’t have a lot more time before I am
into my forties. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cool. How does that fit in with your running
related goals in the future?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really want to try for one sub-24 hour 100.
I need to do it in the next few years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interesting. So you need to search out some
of the more runnable trail courses like Rocky Raccoon, Javalina, or Arkansas
Traveler?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, definitely. I would also like to take
about 30 minutes off of my 50-mile time. I typically place 6-7<sup>th</sup>
among women and think that the extra time should help break into the top five.
The last time I ran Avalon 50-mile in 2010 I placed 4<sup>th</sup>. I missed 3<sup>rd</sup>
place by just a minute or so. I was in 3<sup>rd</sup> near the end but the next
girl just barely beat me to the top of the last climb and I couldn’t catch her
on the steep downhill finish. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those are good goals. It’s amazing what some
of the women are doing right now especially as they get past 40. What running
related accomplishments are you most proud of?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The completion of the 100’s. Doing a
double-crossing of the Grand Canyon. The Canyon is my favorite place to run.
I’ve done three double-crossings. We just did it in April and took Christy Hall
along. She wanted to kill us but it was good experience for her. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never done a double-crossing in one day
and it has been years since Trish and I did a single. Speaking of experience,
if you could give one piece of advice to a newer trail runner, what would it
be?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Figure out what you need to eat and drink and
then keep on top of it. Also, you’re going to feel bad at some point, keep
moving, it will turnaround. If you take a road runner and put them on a trail
they need to learn to eat and drink fluids, take salt and keep their internal balance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the flipside, what memorable advice have
you received from a veteran trail runner?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To try and eat real food. I can’t rely on the
gels alone. I like to use mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese
sandwiches, fruit – watermelon, cantaloupe, and grapes. Bob Bachani turned me
on to Ultra Fuel but I had a bad experience once where it turned my stomach and
I couldn’t use it anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kind of pre-race rituals do you have?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The night before I usually eat fish,
potatoes, and a salad. In the morning I try to eat a well-rounded breakfast and
stay relaxed. Ritually, I need to have my gum and Chapstick. I also carry my
black bean on my wrist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, what is that?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We call Gabriel, “The Bean.” Pete bought me
this bracelet so now I can carry “The Bean” with me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t sound like you are very
superstitious. I’ve known you for awhile and remember that you tried new things
with diet and supplements over the years. Can you talk about a couple of things
that you really found to be the real deal?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-benefits">Vitamin D</a>
is huge. A few years ago I had some issues with tendon soreness and recovery
problems. A lot of it had to do with low levels of Vitamin D. I take 10,000 IUs
a day. When we run we deplete our Vitamin D level even though we are out in the
sun. Once I got my levels back to normal the aches and pains began to subside.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.allstarhealth.com/f/endurance_research_labs-athlete_octane.htm"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Athlete
Octane</span></a><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"> is also amazing stuff. It’s in liquid form and is high in anti-oxidants.
You can use it as part of your diet but also half an hour before training. It
helps your recovery and helps oxygenate the blood quicker. Remember when we
gave you Athlete Octane when you were lying on the ground after the 50-mile
race in Texas – Grasslands?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t actually remember taking it but now
that you mention I do recall something that I was given that helped me out.
That was a brutal humid day.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well here we are at the last question.
What is the meaning of life?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Family…love…my meaning of life has changed.
Having Gabriel has totally changed my view of things. Being an ‘A’ type
personality, I was stopped in my tracks and forced to slow down and actually
enjoy everything.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TA:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very nice. Thank you for taking the time to
talk.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonja:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re welcome, I enjoyed it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<br /></div>Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-15248240663491102632012-05-14T10:48:00.000-07:002012-05-14T10:48:01.111-07:00Pre-Race Rituals and the BPP<div>
<img alt="" class="mceWPmore mceItemNoResize" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif" title="More..." /><a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Coffee-2.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Coffee-2.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2117" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Coffee-2.jpg" height="212" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Coffee-2.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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Establishing a routine before a race or big training run can be daunting without some preparation and thought ahead of time. After many years and races I have finally established pre-race rituals that give me the confidence I need going into a race. With the <strong>Backward Planning Process (BPP)</strong> you can toe the line feeling ready to go without forgetting the little things.</div>
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When I was attending the Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course as a prerequisite to a promotion to Staff Sergeant in the Army I had to give a brief on the BPP. The Army has a methodology for everything and most times reading about it in a manual or presenting it on Powerpoint will put you to sleep. I was able to draw on personal experience gained from running marathons and ultras to help with my presentation. Essentially, the BPP starts by identifying when the event begins - let's use 7am - and then identifying the task that needs to be completed just prior to the last task and so on until you reach the start of the plan. It goes like this:</div>
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<strong>- 7:00am</strong> - The race starts.</div>
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<strong>- 6:50</strong> - Line up for last minute instructions, shoe-lace re-tying, find a good position, listen to the national anthem, turn my GPS watch on...</div>
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<strong>- 6:45am</strong> - One last chance to use the latrine.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Porta-Potty.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Porta-Potty.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-2116" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Porta-Potty.jpg" height="107" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Porta-Potty.jpg" width="160" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Be respectful and use only designated areas.</dd></dl>
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<strong>- 6:40am</strong> - Leave after-gear bag, (Note: this is different than the drop bag), pre-packed with warm-ups and clothes to change into after the race, comfortable shoes, sandals, maybe baby wipes or a wet washcloth in a ziploc bag for cleaning up.</div>
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.<strong>- 6:35am</strong> - Remove warm-ups and keep items you will need on the run; water bottles or hydration pack, gloves and/or hat, sunglasses, gels, e-caps, NSAIDS (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs). Also, this is a good time to apply last minute body-lube in those places that need it.</div>
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<strong>- 6:20am</strong> - Warm-up; depending on the race you may not need to jog around beforehand. Shorter faster race efforts are enhanced by a 10-15 minute pre-race warm-up followed by 5 minutes of easy stretching. If it's longer than a marathon you're probably better off saving your energy.</div>
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<strong>- 6:10am</strong> - If the race offers to place drop bags for you then this is a good time to find where that is and drop them. The drop bag can contain a variety of items and is a subject in itself for another post but in essence the drop bag is primarily used for a change of clothing when the weather is unpredictable or expected to change. It's a good place to pick up a jacket, flashlight, or extra water bottle. It's also a good place to leave items you no longer need to carry and would like to see again.</div>
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<strong>- 6:00am</strong> - Arrive at the race and find a place to park. If you haven't entered yet or still need to pick up your race packet and number then adjust this time to 15 minutes earlier: 5:45am.</div>
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<strong>- 5:30am</strong> - Let's assume the race is a 20-minute drive from where you are staying and you already have your bib. Leave with 10-minutes to spare in case of detours or last minute necessities like stopping to use the restroom or grabbing a cup of coffee. Not only is coffee a great bowel mover but the slight stimulant of the caffeine helps focus the mind. Caffeine is also proven to release fatty acids into the bloodstream which is burned as energy before using glycogen stores in the early part of endurance events. Why do you think cyclists are always hanging out in coffee shops before their ride?</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Coffee-11.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Coffee-11.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2119" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Coffee-11.jpg" height="185" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Coffee-11.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<strong>- 5:20am</strong> - Do a physical check and gather all of the items you want to take with you; drop bags, warm-ups, gear bag, water bottle, coffee, race number, keys, money, identification, phone, sunglasses. Shades are easy to forget when it is dark in the morning.</div>
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<strong>- 5:15am</strong> - Attach race number or timing chip and put gels, e-caps, NSAIDS in pockets where they fit best and are accessible. Also, grab a handful of toilet paper; you never know where this might come in hand; even porta-potties run out.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Porta-Potty-2.jpg" href="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Porta-Potty-2.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-2120" data-mce-src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Porta-Potty-2.jpg" height="194" src="http://www.trailrunningclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Porta-Potty-2.jpg" width="259" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Do you think there will be any paper left?</dd></dl>
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<strong>- 5:05am</strong> - Get dressed; all of your race clothing should have been identified last night and placed together in one spot in the corner of the room or on a chair. I like to vaseline my toes before putting on my socks. I also use calf sleeves so it is a good idea to put those on before lubing the feet. Depending on past race experience you may want to use a couple of band-aids or medical tape for your nipples. Trust me, if you haven't heard of this before then watch some of the runners later in a race and look for the fading red streaks on the front of their singlet. If you are lucky, chaffing won't hurt too much until you are in the shower afterwards. Chaffing has caused many runners to DNF.</div>
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<strong>- 5:00am</strong> - Drink fluids; I like to have some form of electrolyte drink in the morning mixed with a tablespoon or two of Chia seeds. This is also a good time to ingest any vitamins or supplements that you choose to take. I like to take 400 mg of liqui-gel ibuprofen to offset any last minute aches and pains. I also take an electrolyte cap to pre-load my sodium intake especially if the weather is going to be hot and/or humid.</div>
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<strong>- 4:50am</strong> - This is a good time to brew some coffee, cook some instant oatmeal, eat a banana or bagel, eat an energy bar. You have 2 hours until the race. Unless you are running a 10K or shorter your body can use this extra bit of nutrition and will have plenty of time to digest before the run.</div>
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<strong>- 4:40am</strong> - Take a hot shower. You don't have to use soap, just get your muscles warmed-up. I like to do the wall stretch while the hot water sprays onto my lower back, hamstrings, and calves.</div>
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<strong>- 4:35am</strong> - Alarm clock goes off and you have a couple of minutes to remember where you are and then stretch your body in bed like a cat. Brush your teeth.</div>
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There you have it, less than 2 and a half hours before race-time and you are guaranteed to be prepared. For some of you this might be overly-detailed and a bit OCD but it is tried and true. For me, the Backwards Planning Process kicks in when my alarm clock goes off but it is useful in many other areas of life as well. It would be helpful to do a little planning and preparing the night before by putting out race clothes and shoes, pinning your race number, preparing the coffepot, filling water bottles and hydration pack, charging the GPS watch, just to name a few.</div>
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By the way, that Army course I gave the BPP brief in; I came out Honor Grad with the highest score in the class.</div>
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Happy and successful running to all of you!</div>Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-5305421792708751182012-05-14T10:28:00.000-07:002012-05-14T11:05:58.353-07:00Profile and Interview with Julie; Running as Long as I Can<br />
What follows is the transcript of a discussion I had recently with a female trail runner I met in 1995. I remember the first time I saw Julie coming around a bend on a hot dusty trail in July of 1994 somewhere in Sabino Canyon. I was on my way to getting lost on one of my first trail runs in Tucson. I didn't actually meet Julie until about a year and a half later on my first TTR run. The following interview provides some very sound advice that has changed very little over time; namely, never regret where you've been, live for the moment, and run as long as you can.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">A.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Name, age, city and state, how long lived
there? Julie (known by many names), 50+ years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Been in Tucson 33 years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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school, college, military, other? Phoenix, attended the University of Arizona <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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pets, kids, current employment?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Currently employed and lately haven’t had a lot of time for running, let
alone any other activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am trying
to learn to play the ukulele but haven’t had much time for that either.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">D.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Favorite distance to run or race on trail and
on the road?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>100 milers are definitely
my favorite but I haven’t done that distance for a few years now.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">E.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Favorite race course or event?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a hard one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are so many great runs and I’ve been
running ultras for almost 25 years, it’s hard to narrow down to one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love running in Colorado and Utah though.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">F.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Favorite Tucson area trail to train, run,
hike?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Catalinas – I have a number of
routes where I train.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a special
tie to the Catalinas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My great
grandfather rode the trails on his mule in the early 1900s and was said to have
known the Catalinas better than anyone at that time.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">G.</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Favorite
post-race/run food, drink and activity, ie. hot tub, ice cold river soak, etc?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like to sit down and get off my feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sleeping is good too.</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">H.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Favorite vacation destination?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grand Canyon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I never get tired of going there.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pet Peeves?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>People running on my heels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
like my space.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">J.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Current book you are reading or favorite
author?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Currently reading “Quiet”
by<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Susan Cain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also recently read, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Death Clouds on Mt Baldy” about the boy
scouts that died on Mt. Wrightson. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">K.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Favorite quote or saying to live by?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My personal philosophy is to never look
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t regret decisions you make or
things you can’t do anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Live in the
moment.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">L.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personal hero or someone you look up to,
emulate? My husband is one of the toughest people I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He finished Wasatch 100 on his 4<sup>th</sup>
attempt with bad feet on sheer guts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
perseverance astounds me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I get
tired or whiney I think about what he did. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a lot of respect for Jerry Riddick who
sacrificed his Leadville 100 run to wait for me when my pacer dropped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finished the Leadville that year as a
result of his unselfishness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My current
running buddies, Tonja and Christy, have a lot of qualities I admire.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">M. What has been your worst running injury?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Calcaneous stress fracture</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks for inviting me over to your home and
taking the time to talk. You have a great view of the mountains here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s one reason we moved here. I love the
Catalinas. My great-grand father used to ride his mule into the Catalinas
around the turn of the century. He would check the UofA instruments.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What routes did he use?</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe one of the routes was up Box Camp
and another route was through Prison Camp from Soldier Trail. He references
Sycamore Reservoir in his diary coming up from Sabino.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you ever discovered any old routes that
are too obscure to use anymore?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not out there. We went hiking on Brush Corral
Trail in December. I read an article reprinted in the paper about a phoneline
going into Spud Rock Station and Brush Corral. We’ve always seen the phoneline
going up to Bigelow. I didn’t realize there was one on the eastside up toward
Reddington. We hiked up there and looked for it. After a while we actually
found it along with an old broken insulator. It was interesting to still see a
telegraph wire from all those years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cool. Do you know how Spud Rock got its name?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may have heard the story but don’t
remember…<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always thought it was because the rock
looked like a potato. Around 1890 a German man moved up into the Rincon’s and
grew potatoes near that site. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s funny! I would have never guessed
that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Me neither.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let’s talk about how you became a runner. How old were you when you
started running?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran a little in college just for fun, no
competing. It wasn’t until I got out of college and took a job in California. I
didn’t know anybody there. It was kind of during the running boom. I was bored
so I started running. My whole goal was to get to three miles without stopping.
It took months and months, probably 4-6 months. I would run a mile and stop. I
had a hard time breathing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many days per week did you do this?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe four days. I couldn’t do it without
stopping. I finally got there. I went to work and told someone and the first
thing they said was, “How fast did you run?” I didn’t know; I didn’t have a
clue. So the next time I went out I timed myself. All I had was a dress watch.
I had no idea about pace, no idea what was fast or slow. I was running in the
old Nike shoes; they were completely flat. So I went into work and they asked,
“What time did you run?” And I said, “21 minutes.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh no, you
didn’t run that.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is that fast?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they said,
“Well yeah, that’s kind of fast.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">So then I wondered if I could go farther. The next day I
went out and was able to run four miles and a few days later I ran five miles.
For some reason there was some sort of physical or mental block about getting
to three miles and once I was able to do that I was able to up the mileage
without any problem. So I regularly ran six miles and eventually got a job back
in Tucson in the summertime and then stopped running.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A friend of mine
in Phoenix was into hiking and wanted to hike the Grand Canyon; a rim to rim to
rim hike in two days. We planned to do it the next year in June. So I thought
that I should start running again to get back in shape. I got up to three miles
again and that was my training for the hike. After that I didn’t have a goal so
I started looking into the road races.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was your first race?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My first race was the 4-mile Ramp Run up and down
the parking garage at the UofA. Then I entered other 5K and 10K runs. I worked
up to the half-marathon and then I met Bob D. He was running with a group that
included Ross and Gene.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you met him as part of the Trail Runners?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I met him at work; he was part of the group.
I enjoyed hiking and had done a lot of the trails around here. Bob got me into
trail running. My first run with the group was Mt. Wrightson in 1988. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So not a super long trail but pretty
difficult at just over 10 miles. Looking at published race results it looks
like one of your earliest trail races was Crown King 50K in 1992?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That sounds about right. There’s too much
information on the internet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know but Ultrasignup is a great source for
this stuff. Usually earlier than ’95 or ’96 you can’t find results anywhere
else.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually my first ultra was called “Doc
Holliday;” it was a 35-miler in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had you run close to that distance
previously, like a road marathon?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, I did the LA Marathon. I was hoping for
a sub-3 hour race but I got messed up with my water intake and got a side
stitch. I ended up around 3:12.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s pretty impressive. You must have had
some other decent road times?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My fastest 10K is 38 minutes. I’ve done a
17:55 5K. In the half-marathon I ran 1:26-27. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow! That was all at local races?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was all local stuff, so yeah, I was
fairly fast.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would say so. I don’t know what the
competition was like then but I imagine you were a regular top 3 finisher?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh yeah, I won a number of races depending on
who entered that day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who were some of your competitors?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Janet S. – now Janet H.; she always beat me
though. She’s amazing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you’re racing off the road at “Doc
Holliday” over 5 hours, what was the appeal?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it’s just because I hiked before I
started running and I liked being in the mountains on the trails. Running the
trails was just a faster way to see more terrain. I was not an athletic child
by any means. I think it was more to prove to myself that I could do something
athletic now. Growing up I was very small and thin so I wasn’t very good sports
material.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was going to school there was no
such thing as girls cross country. I think I would have been very good at that.
All they had was certain track events and you know, I’m not a sprinter. So
there was never any appeal for me to go into sports; it wasn’t something I was
encouraged to do. When I found I could do it then it was more to prove that I
could do it better.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time you started running the trails
were there other women of comparable ability that you could run with, train
with, to help push each other?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mostly trained with Bob at the time and
Gordon N. when he was living here. I just kind of hung with them. Jennifer and
Melody were running pretty well at the time. I did do runs with them too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve heard the story of how the Crown King
event got started which was probably three or four years before you ran it. It
was basically a very small group of people that ran up the backside of the
mountain to get ready for Western States. How did you get turned onto it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was just looking for another run to do, I
heard about it, and decided to do it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you traveled to runs like this were
there other women that you would see more often and recognize that you were
competitive against?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, well you were asking about other people
that were competitive and I should mention Sherry; she was running trails at
the time. We were kind of competitive with each other. A little later Honey started
running and she is still pretty strong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you have a good camaraderie?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, but you know, they were all up in
Phoenix. Thinking back, women-wise, there were not a whole lot. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While you were running with Bob what kind of
advice were you getting?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would always say it’s not important how
fast we go, it’s the amount of time we are out there on our feet. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kind of running gear did you guys use?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gear was hard to figure out because we didn’t
have running packs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pam R. was running
with the Benny group and they all ran with the syrup bottles that had the
handles. I remember finding a pack called the Rear Gear; it was an insulated
quart-size pack that went around your waist. I can’t believe that I used to
drink very little water. Gene and Ross would drink out of the creeks. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You never used the creeks?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, I never do that. Perhaps they have
immunity to it. So it was mostly trying to figure out gear and what to eat…no
gels. There were Power Bars, those things were horrible – hard as a rock. I
would use granola bars, candy, orange slices.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No glucose tabs or salt…electrolytes?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, nothing like that, not even up to the
100-mile distance; although we did use food from the aid stations. It was easier
then. I’m finding as I’m getting older it’s harder. I think something happens
as you age when it comes to how you process electrolytes; something with the
endocrine system. A female friend of mine that I help every year at Hardrock,
she never had stomach problems, never had issues. Over the last three years she
has just been taken down with stomach problems. It seems as you get older you
have more stomach issues. As I’m getting older I ‘m having problems regulating
my electrolytes. I never even took electrolytes in the past. It would make an
interesting study.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember when I
did Vermont 100 in a fairly fast time; I had nothing but Power Gels. I ran the
whole thing on Power Gels. It’s just weird; I tried it again at the next race
and it didn’t work. You get something dialed in and think…oh this is my
secret…and it doesn’t work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It might be a matter of five degrees
difference in temperature or humidity. It throws it all off.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You ask, “What did I learn back then?” Well I
learned stuff but it doesn’t mean it was always applicable to the next race.
I’m constantly learning because things don’t always work you know. If you have
a really stout system then maybe you can dial it in.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When was your first 100 and what convinced
you that the 100 was something you wanted to continue doing? <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the natural step after the 50-mile
distance. I always told myself that I needed to get some 50’s under my belt and
take the time with the shorter distances. My first 100 was Leadville.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not an easy first 100…<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the elevation that takes people out of
the race. If you take that course and move it to a lower elevation then it’s
not a difficult course as far as 100’s go. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Living down here at the time did you do any
special training to get ready for Leadville?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went up to Flagstaff and trained. I never
really had any issues with elevation when I was hiking a lot. I hiked up to Mt.
Whitney in California and places in Colorado. Leadville goes up to 12,600 feet
so going up Mt. Humphrey’s near Flagstaff is pretty equivalent. It was good
training, you could start down at the ski area; it was like going over Hope
Pass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You eventually finished Leadville 10 times. What
did you earn for that?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They gave me a 10-year buckle which is too
big to wear.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you ever worn any of your buckles?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, I wore a Wasatch buckle once; it was
the buckle for going under 30 hours.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Speaking of awards, there are some pretty
cool awards out there. Do you have one in particular that you really like?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The award from Leadville when I won the
women’s race and the 10-year buckle. You know I have some ties to Leadville. On
my dad’s side, my great-great-grandfather was a miner in Leadville. They
eventually moved down to Tombstone to mine for silver. Those ties make it a
little more special that I had family that lived up there.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The year that you won Leadville, were you
thinking ahead of time that you might have a chance to win or was it something
totally unexpected?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It kind of came as a surprise actually. I had
run a 20-hour personal record time at Vermont 100 a month earlier. I was just
trying to better my time from the previous year’s race at Leadville and it what
it came down to, I was the last woman standing kind of thing. The woman ahead
of me that I expected to win, (Martha S. had won the previous year) ended up
having some difficulty and I passed her right before May Queen. At that time I
knew I was in the lead. There was no stopping me at that point. It was funny,
Rick K. was pacing me, after May Queen I just went through the aid station; he
likes to graze at these things and was trying to catch up to me. His flashlight
went out and I wasn’t waiting for him. At that point I didn’t know where the
next woman was and I was feeling good and going for it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sounds like you had the adrenaline going…<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes. The next year I ran Western, Leadville,
and Wasatch and went under 25 hours at Leadville again. I ran Wasatch with
Duane; that was his finish at Wasatch.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you start and stay with him the entire
time?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I was entered as well. For me, that was
my most special finish of any 100-mile run. He had tried to finish Wasatch for
the three previous years. His whole thing was, “I’m giving up ice cream until I
finish it.” So the year previous he had trouble with water. Some of the aid
stations had filled the water jugs from streams. He got sick and the only thing
we could attribute it to was the water at the aid stations. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to run
it with him mostly to carry enough water to get us in between where our crew
was; where we knew good water was. I would stay with Duane in the aid station
and get him out and then run to catch up with him after I filled up the large
Camelbak I was carrying. We got to mile 75 at Brighton Lodge and he was doing
really well. We felt we were going to make it under the time cut-off and I
didn’t fill up the pack with enough stuff for him. We got into the next station
and they had very little remaining since we were in the back-of the-pack, Coke
and crackers, that was it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he started
bonking because he didn’t have enough to eat. We finally got into Pole Line aid
station and now we had lost time and were on the edge of whether we could
finish under the cut-off. We had a drop-bag there and were able to get stuff.
Fred R. , who has finished Wasatch a number of times, always at the end, came
into the aid station. He knows where he has to be and at what time in order to
finish. Duane had already left and I was getting my stuff together. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said, “How’s
Duane doing?’ <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">I told him I didn’t know if we were going to make it. He had
fallen behind and now is discouraged because he doesn’t think he can make it
under the time. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fred said, “Let
me see what I can do.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">He went ahead and caught up to him and then stayed with us.
He encouraged Duane and kept telling him he could do it, to keep running. After
awhile Duane’s not listening to me anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, after almost 35 hours I’m sure.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d been together for a long time; it was
good to have someone fresh there who he could talk to and encourage him. Of
course Duane knew where he had to be but Fred stayed with us the entire time
and got him moving again. I remember we were coming in with 6 miles left. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fred said, “I
think we have 5 minutes to spare.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">I just laughed. In my mind 5 minutes is not a whole lot of
time. I was like, “Come on D-u-a-n-e!” People were driving out to see where we
were. We were at the back. We got to the finish line in time for the awards
ceremony so everybody was there. Everyone was lined up along the finish
yelling, “Ice Cream!!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HaHaHa!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He finished with 14 minutes to spare. He won
the ‘Spirit of Wasatch’ award.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that counted as an official 100-mile
finish for you too?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes I was entered so I could go the whole
way. Since I had done two</span></span></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> already Duane asked, “Will you
go ahead if I can’t finish?” I said, “Absolutely not! If you don’t finish then
I don’t finish.” To me, that was my most special finish. And we’re still
talking to each other.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was 1998. Outside of your 10-year
accomplishment at Leadville are there any other streaks that you have
accomplished or are still pursuing?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, I would like finish Wasatch 10 times.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What number are you at?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have 6 completions. I had to cancel last
year due to too many commitments at work and family. The year before that I got
sick before the race and had to drop out early. I had either Valley Fever or
some sort of fungal infection. I went through medication to get rid of it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How does it look for this year’s race?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m entered. We’ll see how the training goes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well that’s the problem; it’s a September
race and you have to train through the summer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>August is tough. Humidity and I are not on
very friendly terms anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking back to the mid-90s timeframe it
looks like you have a streak of several race wins around the age of 36. Did you
feel like you were at your peak then?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think my peak was actually around the age
of 40. I set a course record at the Avalon 50-mile at 40. Then I started
feeling indestructible and ran Phoenix National Trail 50-mile a week later. I
ended up with a stress fracture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the calcaneous fracture? So you
finished the race with the fracture?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got the fracture after that. It took awhile
to get diagnosed. At first they thought it was Plantar Fasciitis. Although
symptom-wise it felt good starting and then hurt later in the run; the opposite
of what Plantar does. I ended up on crutches for awhile. Then since I was still
having problems with it I started favoring the foot and ended up with back
problems from overcompensation. I went through several years of figuring that
out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You must have some tenacity because you did a
lot after that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had some good years after that and then I
started getting older.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you ever been the type to keep a
training log or write things down over the years regarding your training
routines and mileages?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrote down what I would do over the
weekends going into a 100 so I had an idea of mileage. Do you know my first
Leadville I didn’t train over 40 miles per week? <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really? Actually that’s about what I average.
How many miles per week were you running during your peak years?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would get up to 80 miles per week at the
most. That was during peak training. I usually averaged around 60 miles per
week. I wasn’t doing high mileage but then again I didn’t have the time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kind of cross-training do you find to be
most effective?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know that I found any to be very
effective. I lift weights, legs and upper-body. I got in really good shape
lifting when I had the stress fracture. I hired a trainer at the time. The
trainer helped out especially since I had the crutches. I was also running in
the pool.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pool running, that’s the most boring thing
ever. You mentioned you did some biking. Did you ever do the El Tour de Tucson?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, actually we raced El Tour a couple of
times. I was biking a lot on the weekends.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you ride bike when you weren’t injured?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, except if we had decided to do El Tour. I
never really liked riding. It takes too much time; time to put on all that gear
and worry about tires…<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My thoughts exactly; it seems to me that you
have to ride the bike at least two and a half times the amount of running to
get the same benefit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then I’m always concerned about getting
hit by a car. We got hit by a car so now I’m really paranoid. I get these
flashbacks when I ride now. We were riding along and I heard the squeal of
brakes behind us. It was in the evening. We had lights on and reflective vests.
I heard the squeal of tires. I looked behind me and saw a car and literally…my
life flashed before my eyes. We got knocked around and fortunately she didn’t
run us over but pushed us along the pavement for awhile. I still flashback to
that; I’m really nervous now riding in traffic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow! I don’t blame you. That would take some
time to get over. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let’s talk about
running shoes. So much has changed over the years with shoes. Do you have a
favorite pair or type of shoe?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As long as I can remember I have always worn
Asics. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You never bought into the trail shoe craze?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No. I do have some trail shoes that I use up
at Hardrock because of traction but for the most part I run in road shoes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about the minimal style shoe?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, I’m afraid that I’ll injure myself. I’m
afraid of changing from what I’ve done because it works for me. With the
minimal shoe you have to start out real slowly and work into it; I don’t have
the patience for it. I remember talking to Joe Plassmann at La Milagrosa and
thought he was running real fast in those shoes but on the downhill he was
going, “Ouch!...Ouch!...Ouch!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did allude to having that problem on the
downhill. As much time that you have spent in the mountains what has been your
most frightening experience?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had a number of mountain lion
encounters. I’ve also had a bear encounter when I was by myself. The mountain
lions concern me a little. I generally don’t run the trails by myself except
Phoneline. I don’t go out like Gene or Kandi. I wouldn’t stand a chance against
a mountain lion. Garrett talked about an encounter he had. Another trail runner
years ago spoke of an encounter on the old Old Pueblo course. After that he
started carrying a gun.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you always have a training partner. I
remember some time ago you and my wife Trish ran Bear Canyon Loop together.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I remember that. We had fun.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kind of goals do you have for the
future?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be able to run as long as I can. It’s not
about time anymore. I try not to look back; instead I focus on what I can do
now. The goal now is to go out and finish it and enjoy it without suffering too
much.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you ever do speedwork?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never done speedwork.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are there any trail runners that you look up
to, now or in the past?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m kind of out of the circuit and don’t
really keep up with things currently. I admire the people that are still out
there throughout the years. Gene Joseph amazes me; the longevity that he has
been able to keep. The people that have proven longevity really impress me. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you think about all of these course
records that keep getting broken around the country and the fast times that
trail runners are putting up, including women?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s amazing. I think some of it had to do
with the economy. There are a lot of younger runners still living at home or
not working so they have a lot of time to train.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good point. You do hear about several of the
enclaves in Colorado and Washington where several runners live together and it
seems all they do is run and model race gear. Well t</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">hat’s all I
have. You are the model of longevity. Thank you for taking the time to meet
with me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julie:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re welcome.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<br /></div>Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-43219607810144807252012-03-23T12:19:00.002-07:002012-03-23T12:37:12.927-07:00IPA For a Better Body<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is my pleasure today to reveal an old discovery of mine and share it with you. This is somewhat similar to my theory of <a href="http://trailsofglory.blogspot.com/p/electro-magnetic-destiny.html"><span style="color: red;">Electromagnetic Destiny</span></a> from several years ago in that my experiences in life are the main support for my argument. I have researched several clinical studies that provide scientific connections to support my clinical impressions. In absence of medical proof, I submit that drinking moderate amounts of India Pale Ale and some heavily hopped Stouts will decrease inflammation in the body, enhance the processing of lactic acid in the muscles, prevent atherosclerosis, and strengthen the liver.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Over the years I have seen multiple posts, questions and advice sought for a variety of ailments from joint pain, tendon strains, dizziness, delayed onset muscle syndrome, just to name a few. And most times the tongue-in-cheek one word response thrown out there by Joe, Bruce, or myself has been, "IPA" or "Stout." Well, I am about to reveal to you the proof behind why these gentlemen actually know what they are talking about.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">From the following study by W. J. Simpson, titled </span></span><a href="http://www.scientificsocieties.com/jib/papers/1993/1993_99_5_405.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Studies on the Sensitivity of Lactic Acid Bacteria to Hop Bitter Acids</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, compounds derived from hops have several effects. They impart a desirable bitter flavor to beer and protect the beer against spoilage by lactic acid bacteria. It has been shown that hop compounds and their derivatives interfere with the function of the cell plasma membrane in the aerobic organism. In other words, Hop Bitter Acids (HBAs) act as</span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionophore" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> mobile-carrier ionophores</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">. The major bitter acids in beer are called iso-alpha acids. Of these, Humulone is the primary alpha acid that occurs in most hops. It gives the desirable soft bittering finish to the beer; Cohumulone, adds the harsh unpleasant bitterness to beer. Recently, new high-alpha hop varieties also high in Cohumulone have come onto the market and are considered to impart a good bitterness. Isohumulones derived from hops are the major bitter compounds in beer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While alpha acids contribute most of the bitterness to beer, most of the hop flavor and aroma is contributed by volatile essential oils. Of these, Myrcene lends American hops many of their distinctive flavors. When added late in, or after the boil of wort, Myrcene adds the intense, pungent aroma associated with American </span></span><a href="http://www.winning-homebrew.com/dry-hopping.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">dry-hopped</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> beers. When boiled for longer periods, like 60-90 minutes, it yields the characteristic citrus and pine aromas of American craft beer. Myrcene is also found in some citrus fruits. </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hop_varieties"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Several hop varieties</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">; Ahtanum, Cascade, Centennial, and Simcoe, to name a few; have a </span></span><a href="http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/natural-health/27886-why-regular-intake-of-grapefruit-prevents-diabetes-heart-problems-"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">grapefruit</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> quality that lends to a pleasant citrus aroma. The relationship between hop bitter acids and the citrus characteristics found in Myrcene oil, combined with moderate amounts of alcohol are proven to reduce inflammation and in my experience, relieve lactic acidosis.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/167027-overview"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lactic acidosis</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> is a condition experienced in the muscles of the body after intense or prolonged bouts of exercise. It is my clinical impression that consuming an IPA or beer that is high on the </span></span><a href="http://beer.wikia.com/wiki/International_Bitterness_Units"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">international bitterness unit (IBU) scale</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> can help relieve lactic acidosis. Another method of treating acidosis in the body is to start with small amounts of citrus fruits and gradually add larger amounts. Citrus fruits do not increase the acidic level of the blood; instead they are converted to carbon dioxide and water and have an alkaline effect on the body. It only stands to reason that consumption of HBAs that are of the citrus variety combined with a moderate amount of alcohol, all conveniently found in any </span></span><a href="http://beeradvocate.com/lists/style/116"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">good IPA</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">, are going to lead to better health and recovery.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><a href="http://www.researchgate.net/publication/26717515_Hop_bitter_acids_efficiently_block_inflammation_independent_of_GRalpha_PPARalpha_or_PPARgamma" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hop bitter acids effectively block inflammation</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. They have also been studied in traditional folk medicine for sedative and antibacterial purposes. In this study published by the people at PubMed, they demonstrated and compared the anti-inflammatory effect of various classes of HBAs in </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibroblast" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">fibroblasts</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, which are important players in the inflammatory response. The very compounds that make hops valuable to a brewmaster have captured the attention of researchers who are intrigued by the immune-modulating effects of plants. In particular, the alpha and beta acids from hops appear to block the release of inflammatory chemicals called </span></span><a href="http://arthritis.about.com/od/inflammation/f/cytokines.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">cytokines</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> from white blood cells. The <st1:placename w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">National</st1:place> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:placename> for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports that hops contain phytosestrogens, which are compounds that mimic the effects of estrogen in your body. Scientists are just now learning about the anti-inflammatory properties of hops.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In</span></span><a href="http://www.herbalintegrity.com/content/products/Isohumulones-modulate-blood-lipid-status.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> a clinical study by the people at Science Direct</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, they stated, isohumulones derived from hops are the major bitter compounds in beer. It was reported that isohumulones activated </span></span><a href="http://ppar.cas.psu.edu/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">peroxiosome proliferator-activated receptors</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> (PPARs). PPARs are</span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcription_factor" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> ligand-activated transcriptional factors</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> that regulate lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, glucose homeostasis, and inflammation. "They showed that ingestion of isohumulones ameliorated insulin resistance, reduced the size of hypertrophic </span></span><a href="http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=15505" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">adipocytes</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">, and reduced plasma glucose and lipid levels in diabetic mice. Supplementation of isomerized hop extract (IHE) showed increased plasma HDL-cholesterol levels. These observations suggest that the intake of isohumulones may have some health benefits in patients with obesity, diabetes, and atherosclerosis and may also be beneficial in the prevention of these conditions." Interestingly, the recent findings that PPAR also plays a role in protecting against the development of a fatty liver that results from excessive ethanol intake suggests that isohumulones in beer might actually help to prevent alcoholic liver disease. Hops contain chalcones and other polyphenols that are similar to the catechins in green tea. Xanthomul, one of the primary chalcones in hops, inhibits the activity of human hepatic stellated cells - the primary instigators of inflammation and scarring in liver disease. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is my contention that with the supporting evidence above, a person that drinks hoppy beers in moderation will improve their quality of life and find increased longevity. You see, you may just be able to have your beer and drink it too.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chase Duarte</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Copyright 2012</span></span></span></div>Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-45323970168045887492012-03-23T12:14:00.001-07:002012-03-23T12:41:27.291-07:00Profile and Interview with Joe "Cool" PlassmannI recently sat down with Joe Plassmann and had an entertaining conversation about how to enjoy life. I was also enlightened about a couple of running injuries and how to overcome them. Joe has a great attitude about everything it seems. I wanted to call him Joe 'I never had a run that sucked' Plassmann but opted for Joe Cool instead because of his ability to discover the cool things life has to offer. Enjoy!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">PROFILE OF RUNNER<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></b></div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="color: #990000;">A. Name, age, city and state, how long lived there?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe Plassmann, Tucson AZ, 46, in Tucson for 24 years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSz2nGKgpt4uZRr8GG8c2E5cy-gqI_kMa_l5T533AZ8iwiDzHIHIz_rHtnJpYUcaJLTWUA-oT1j4-DEb20pF_D5MkVNZOlKXeZV_WRimKtgX7_lNWYwg-lwr1-BkXcaUfAgbW0ou98dwIP/s1600/Joe+P1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSz2nGKgpt4uZRr8GG8c2E5cy-gqI_kMa_l5T533AZ8iwiDzHIHIz_rHtnJpYUcaJLTWUA-oT1j4-DEb20pF_D5MkVNZOlKXeZV_WRimKtgX7_lNWYwg-lwr1-BkXcaUfAgbW0ou98dwIP/s640/Joe+P1" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="color: #990000;">B. Place of birth, where did you grow up, high school, college, military, other?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Born in Santa Fe, NM. Grew up in Los Alamos, NM, NMSU Computer Science.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">C. Other than running – hobbies, interests, pets, kids, current employment?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Kids, home and apartment repair. I work at the University of Arizona as an IT Manager, managing systems for PIRL (the Planetary Image Research Laboratory) and HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">D. Favorite distance to run or race on trail and on the road?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Any, but generally prefer longer and on trails. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">E. Favorite race course or event?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">I have a soft spot for any loosely organized running event, racing or not. It’s just great to hang out with other runners; they tend to be such cool people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">F. Favorite Tucson area trail to train, run, hike?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Bear Canyon Loop is da Bomb.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">G. Favorite vacation destination?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Places where it’s cooler than Tucson in the summertime. Sometimes way cooler. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">H. Favorite post-race/run food, drink and activity, ie. hot tub, ice cold river soak, etc?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">I especially enjoy post-Ultra fridge surfing. I already love food, but that focused state of nutrition deficit correction is such an intense experience - I really enjoy it. It seems to become my mission after every long run to attempt to consume all caloric content in the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it’s because I can’t eat turkey at Thanksgiving, I don’t know.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">I. Pet Peeves?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Negative people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">J. Current book you are reading or favorite author?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">I like to read a lot of things, right now I’m reading a lot of young adult books that my 11 year old son has read and wants me to read too. There’s a lot of fantastic stuff out there for pre-teens now, I sort of feel like I need to do it to stay in touch with him. Also, we’re working through the “classics” together, Tolkien, things like that. For myself, I recently read a massive tome called the “Bastard Battalion”, written about the 83rd CMB (my Dad’s unit) in WWII. Also a few books on Autism to see if they can help me figure out my 13 year old. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">K. Favorite quote or saying to live by?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Run! this ain’t no walking club!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">L. Person you look up to, emulate, hero?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Gandhi. How someone like him could convince an entire nation to eschew violence and effect incredible social change under such adversity is such an amazing story. Seeing those ideals being taken to heart and being used even today gives me hope for us as a species.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">N. What has been your worst running injury?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">On the scale of maximum awfulness, it has to be plantar fasciitis. A few years ago I had sciatica aggravated by a ruptured disk, which required surgery. The injury management, surgery and recovery for the sciatica took a long time, over 2 years, but for some reason the journey, even though the pain was often intense, was mostly positive. I learned a lot about myself and how to take care of myself during that time. The PF however, was just terrible. I couldn’t run a step for 6 months, and that, compounded with other issues, just kept me depressed for months.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">O. If you could no longer run or lost the use of your legs what sport or activity would you pursue?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></b></div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #434343; mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I suppose swimming and/or hand cycling to stay in shape. Drag racing or downhill skiing on one of those ski sleds would probably have to do it, or maybe I could become the first paraplegic BASE jumper.</span> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Questions</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hey Joe, thanks for taking the time to meet with me and talk.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re welcome. The <a href="http://www.meetmeatmaynards.com/">Meet Me at Maynard’s</a> event is a great place to get together.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From looking at your profile, your job at the UofA sounds very interesting. Do you actually see the photos of Mars? Have you found any good trails to run or cool mountains to climb?</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Absolutely! It’s amazing. We do three dimensional elevation models too. There are some places that are spectacular. If there was oxygen it would be a great place to run.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you see stuff that piques the imagination?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh yeah, spectacular! If you’re into geology Mars is a fantastic place.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you ever see anything that looks like a trail, even a gully that could be traveled? Something that might make you take a second look?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only things we see are manmade; the rover tracks. Eventually the wind blows away the tracks. There’s a friend of mine that actually studies that process. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPPkBAdlxr78pU6BhCF6Gj0qRTK_vxlzCoHbLS394MhnRFmThvRYPokkk4kcTaoiWToQloPYedTf54bau-93A25Cw-iTHaAsI3K0FTJ7jSVgS3Stb18xXlOD176MycH2INr6nBD_98FPG/s1600/Mars+Rover+Track.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPPkBAdlxr78pU6BhCF6Gj0qRTK_vxlzCoHbLS394MhnRFmThvRYPokkk4kcTaoiWToQloPYedTf54bau-93A25Cw-iTHaAsI3K0FTJ7jSVgS3Stb18xXlOD176MycH2INr6nBD_98FPG/s640/Mars+Rover+Track.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How long have you been in this field?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I followed my girlfriend down here in 1988. I had originally planned to go to graduate school but then I realized I didn’t want to go to school anymore so I put my name in at the University and got hired at the planetary lab. I have been there ever since. Every time I think about going back to school I just don’t feel like studying anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, I don’t blame you. It took me 10 years to finish my Bachelor’s and I have no interest in studying anymore either.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish I did but I just can’t fathom the thought of sitting down and taking tests. My last year in college drove me nuts; I just didn’t want to do it anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Books cost way too much anyway. So I see that you like to go to cooler places than Tucson. What activities do you enjoy doing at those destinations?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A friend of mine is into whitewater and sea kayaking. Several years ago we started to go to Alaska every year for a couple of weeks. Once we’re there we look at a map and say, “Where would be a cool place to go?” And then figure out a way to get there.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio44mP6FRNKL67lKm-2NzfPeyx0YizbEMTVJoHLOCFrX3cMekp3STZjZWIjV4T3NM5uH5euaw4jzTaxhuDBOFR8DLa30fdfb6UZ_fkhESSEe3KDNvKjJFdHx-XciDpfJdCRFsfvlieHD_S/s1600/Joe+P2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio44mP6FRNKL67lKm-2NzfPeyx0YizbEMTVJoHLOCFrX3cMekp3STZjZWIjV4T3NM5uH5euaw4jzTaxhuDBOFR8DLa30fdfb6UZ_fkhESSEe3KDNvKjJFdHx-XciDpfJdCRFsfvlieHD_S/s640/Joe+P2" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trish and I sea kayaked off the coast of Kauai. It was a great experience. Are the trips pretty strenuous or are you just looking at the scenery?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re pretty strenuous. The guy I go with is a type A personality. I’ve been on whitewater trips with him before; he’s a class V whitewater kayaker and I’m maybe class III. He’s destination oriented, like let’s go see that glacier.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So there’s an endurance aspect involved?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, it’s like; let’s look at a map and find the coolest way to get there. The longest trips are about a week and a half. We can usually find a Forest Service cabin to rent and take a water taxi to get there. So we stay in the cabin which is great because it rains all of the time. It’s like a base camp but we do bring overnight gear and stay out one or two nights. Summertime in Alaska…it never gets dark, so you can paddle 20 hours a day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvG4zsJ5NCa1lzorajvfv1TD2bv61xV0QEqBujXC4O4eN7ubsJdzKZGOzDoPWv_te23RRk2KE8SF8bfzMf9g4FJmRZHcustOIJrfZWJItM9PbbfvpwfFy6RDkNrmPN3Gk7EppepvNyl-C/s1600/Joe+P3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvG4zsJ5NCa1lzorajvfv1TD2bv61xV0QEqBujXC4O4eN7ubsJdzKZGOzDoPWv_te23RRk2KE8SF8bfzMf9g4FJmRZHcustOIJrfZWJItM9PbbfvpwfFy6RDkNrmPN3Gk7EppepvNyl-C/s640/Joe+P3" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Man that sounds great!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re going up this year to see the dogsled races in a couple weeks. It’s a family thing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that the <a href="http://iditarod.com/">Iditarod</a>?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes. It turns out they have a big party a week before the race starts; they do all sorts of shorter dogsled races. A friend of ours in Anchorage is putting us up, just the family. It should be a good time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well those sound like great things to do when it’s too hot here. Do you run in Tucson throughout the summer?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sort of learned the first few years I was out here that I really just suffered during the summertime. It was so awful. Then I realized I just needed to confront it. I went out for a run one day in 110 degree heat in the middle of the day. I suffered horribly and got home and realized that it can’t get any worse than that. So when it’s 106 it’s better; at least it’s not 110.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know, you’re right. The biggest problem I had with summer running was the snakes. I didn’t run trails all summer the first couple years I lived here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well you know, snakes don’t want to bite you. They want to stay out of your way; you’re too big to eat and you’re scary. You have to learn how to give them space. They live here, we’re just passing through.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No kidding. Let’s talk about your recent <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004438/">Plantar Fasciitis</a> injury. Have you ever experienced that before?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never had it before; I had no idea what it was. It was last June; I thought I bruised my foot. Since I was running in floppy feet (VFFs) all of the time then I thought I just stepped on a rock. It hurt between the heel and the arch.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure, that’s what it feels like initially.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually it never went away. Every time I walked on it I could feel it. It never healed. Finally I went to the massage therapist and she pointed out that I had Plantar Fasciitis. Once she told me what it was then it was totally obvious.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had Plantar Fasciitis before and know that it can take several months to get past it. How did you stay active?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t. My mother passed away around the same time and between me and my sister taking care of her it was a very stressful experience. After that was over with I had lost interest in doing anything for a long time. I took up beer drinking as an activity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How did you keep your weight in check?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gained a little bit. I gained a pretty good beer gut which I still have some of. My son likes to poke me, “Dad…you’ve got something going there.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HaHaHa…Beer guts at our age are very problematic and hard to get rid of. After you got past the injury, how long did it take you to feel good about your fitness?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m still getting there. I started running in December. It just feels so good to run. I don’t even care. I’m just happy to be able to run.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, your recent 3:00 Bear Canyon loop in VFFs is very respectable. It doesn’t seem like you lost that much. Has the comeback been painful?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It always feels good to run no matter how bad of shape I’m in or how much it hurts. I’ve been in excruciating pain but the problem is that it just feels so good to run that even when it hurts it feels good. I would go home and lay down on the floor and couldn’t even get up. </span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s so funny when people say, “God, the run I had today just sucked!” You know, I’ve never had a run that sucked. I’ve had runs that really, really hurt. I was in so much pain that all I wanted to do is lie down. Still, every time I got home I never said to myself…I’m not happy that I ran today. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a great mentality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the right attitude to have. People that hate running, I don’t understand it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When did you first call yourself a runner?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I own an apartment complex and have had some really cool tenants over the years. I used to ride mountain bike a lot and at the time I had a tenant I used to mountain bike with and he said, “Oh you’re tall and skinny, you ought to be a roadie.” So he got set me up with a nice road bike and I started road riding for a few years. Then I had another tenant who was a runner that went to The Workout Group (WOG) and he said, “You’re tall and skinny, you should be a runner.” So he dragged me out to WOG and I started running…in the mid-late 90s. Then I had an Australian friend of mine that was a tri-athlete, also an extremely good runner, Matt Chamberlain. He wanted to go up to Colorado and do the Boulder 5430 Ironman. His wife told him there was absolutely no way he was going to drive up there, do an Ironman and drive all the way back to Tucson. So I volunteered to drive for him. I went up there and I saw everyone swimming around the lake, then went out for a bike ride and then a run and I said…you know, all I need to do is learn how to swim.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you picked up the Triathlon, did you ever do an Ironman?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The farthest I had ever done was the half-Ironman. There might still be an Ironman in the future somewhere. Ironman takes a lot of work and time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about trail running, how did you get there?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trail running is Jerry Riddick’s fault. He started showing up at WOG and said, “You know, there’s this trail running group.” It sounded interesting. My first run was Bear Canyon. I was friends with Tom Gormley so I decided to run with him. He showed up hung-over, he was sweating and pale. We made it to the bathroom before the bridge leading to the trailhead and he turned and looked at me and said, “Joe, I’ve got to stop.” I could hear him in there throwing up (Raaalph noises). He came back out and caught up to me again and took off; I never saw him again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><strong>TA</strong>: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HAHAHA<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then I thought…yeah, these trail runners, these guys are tough. I found the Trail Runners to be a cool set of people to hang out with; very dedicated, there to have fun and not pretentious at all. I felt like I was at home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How did you get started running in the <a href="http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/">Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs)?<o:p></o:p></a></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001706/">sciatica</a> really bad about three or four years ago to the point that I couldn’t even sit down. I had to get a special chair at work. Nobody could figure it out for a long time. One doctor prescribed Vicodin; another therapist said something was wrong with my piriformis. After that there was nothing else to try. It took months and months to figure out the problem. It turned out to be a ruptured disc. I got cortisone for that which worked. I found a surgeon who performed a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laminectomy">laminectomy</a>. He was really cool, he said afterwards, “Go and run as much as you want and in 20 years come back.”</span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s still a lot of physical abuse going on in trail running and certain endurance sports. I was seeing a massage therapist and learning how to take care of myself. I started reading about more natural running styles and one of the things I realized I did was a lot of heel striking. I started working on that and then wandered into the Running Shop one day and found the Vibrams and thought…that looks pretty cool. </span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A friend of mine would actually do all of her warm-up barefoot and then put shoes on for the run. I did that with her. Then of course after being seen wearing VFFs everyone would ask me if I had read <u>Born To Run</u>. I had no idea what they were talking about. All I knew was that it felt good.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So right from the start you went out and used them every day?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I did was go out to WOG and do the warm-up and the strides in VFFs then I would switch out to regular shoes for the rest of the workout. After six months I put the Vibrams on and never took them off.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do they work for you on the trail?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I keep thinking I wish could still wear shoes because running fast downhill in VFFs isn’t possible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you think about some of the other models that shoe companies like New Balance are coming out with now; some even have rock plates?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bought a pair of the NB Minimus and couldn’t get used to them. It was one of the older models before the zero toe-to-heel drop. I also bought a pair of the Merrill Trail Gloves and I liked the way they feel but they’re the shoes I got Plantar Fasciitis in.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do you think that happened?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure. I’m always trying to figure out a way to run faster downhill. The Trail Glove gave me better toe protection. I didn’t change my mileage at all; probably 55-60 miles per week in the VFFs. It was just a few weeks later I started getting the pain. The Merrill’s are a very snug shoe; maybe some kind of circulation problem caused the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the times you are running on the trails in Tucson it doesn’t appear that you are short-stepping it. Do you have problems with foot bruising?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never bruised my feet. I certainly get tired. I step on sharp rocks all the time but have never bruised my feet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You must have some tough feet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was talking to a guy who was ex-Navy and he said when the Vibrams first came out they gave them to the Seals and some of the guys really loved them. They used them on their missions. What they noticed is that everyone that really liked them were skinny guys.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interesting. I see you ran Jemez 50-mile a couple of years ago. Did you run that race in VFFs?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not; I had not totally converted yet. I wore INOV-8s. They felt good. I was out there 14 and a half hours. The race really trashed me. I was not prepared for the altitude. Four points on the course are over 10,000 feet. I thought growing up in Los Alamos would have helped. You just can’t go from 2400 feet in Tucson and then the next day run over 10,000.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year you did Old Pueblo 50-mile in the VFFs, how did that go?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are two sections, the backside of Gunsight Pass and past the 33-mile aid there is some really rocky downhill. I just picked my way through that stuff. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about the next day after the race, any calf tightness or Achilles tenderness?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, just that I kicked a rock on that second section and lost a toenail. I was really concerned I wouldn’t be able to do the distance. I had trail shoes at the 33 aid station just in case and opted not to use them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard you say you can’t run in normal shoes anymore?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so used to feeling the ground. Every time I put shoes on I feel like I’m walking on sponges. It doesn’t feel right.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do your road training times compare from shoes to VFFs?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel faster and stronger. I don’t race that much. I haven’t really tracked my times. I don’t worry about it too much. The last thing I want to do is worry about my time especially at my age.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kind of running related goals do you have for the future?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think a lot about the 100. My wife wants me to run <a href="http://www.leanhorsehundred.com/">Lean Horse</a>. Her family is from South Dakota and it would be a great excuse for her to get back to the Black Hills area. If figure is she’s into it then I should be thinking about it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I totally agree. Will you stick with the Vibram plan?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would like to find a good minimal shoe that works well on the trail. I don’t think the Vibram is the shoe for the 100; maybe something from New Balance. I just got a pair of the VFF Trek Sport with the synthetic upper and they’ve been working pretty well on the last few trails although they do not give as much protection as the leather one. There were a couple times I ended up with a cactus spine in the side of my foot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you actually wearing out the VFFs, you know, getting holes in them?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, it takes awhile. I put over a 1,000 miles on my original pair of KSOs. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve got over 500 miles on my Bikilas and holes in the toes. Talk about some accomplishments that you are most proud of.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finishing my first 50 mile race at Old Pueblo. It was really awesome to know that I can run 50 miles. I used to think people that ran marathons were incredible. It’s impossible to wrap your brain around going twice as far until you do it. In the beginning I was terrified. So what I did was tell myself that I’ll just run half of it and see how that feels. After 25 miles I halved it again so I only had to run 12.5 miles and then after that I only had to run 6 and a quarter. Kind of like <a href="http://www.jimloy.com/physics/zeno.htm">Zeno’s Paradox</a>; just keep chopping it up. Don’t think about the whole distance, think about half the distance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you ever finish the marathon before going to the ultra distance?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My first long distance race was a 50K. A friend of mine in Oregon back from my climbing days, he had gotten into ultra running. He wanted to me do this run in Oregon called the <a href="http://www.siskiyououtback.com/">SOB – Siskiyou Out Back</a>. He would call me every week or so and bug me about it. Finally he irritated me so much I signed up for it and then I beat him by 25 minutes. </span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did a road marathon the next year at Tucson.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kind of advice can you give to a newer trail or ultra runner?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have to have fun being a runner, if running isn’t fun then ultra-running is not for you. If you’re out there beating yourself up and you get home and life sucks then it’s not for you. I get such joy out of running. It feels so good.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s the best advice that you have been given?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best training advice I received is from Matt Chamberlain. He said you have to run the distance of your race in training over a 48-hour period. So if you’re doing a 50-mile race then in training you should go out on Saturday and run 30 miles and then on Sunday run for 20 miles. Last year I had a good race at Old Pueblo. I did one of the OP training runs on Saturday and then the next day did Tanque Verde Loop. I was so trashed afterwards but it was the perfect set-up. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very good advice. Last question, what is the meaning of life?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">Joe</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re only here for a short while, take advantage of the time that’s been given to you. If you find yourself sitting and staring at the boob tube you’re doing something wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">TA</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That sums it up pretty good Joe. Thanks for letting me get into the mind of Joe Plassmann.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joe</span></span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: #0400;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re welcome, it was fun.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-29779146746019405322012-03-19T15:46:00.000-07:002012-03-19T15:46:39.657-07:00Overcoming Trail Snail Syndrome<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Most of us that love to run trails don’t spend a lot of time on the road or track. If you’re really averse to the road then you probably don’t run many road races either, especially short distance stuff under the half-marathon. When I first transcended from the road to the trail I left the track behind. My road speed proved very beneficial on the trail for a couple of years until I gradually slowed down. Besides age, a lot of the slowdown was due to the shorter leg stride used on trail as well as a lot of slower running and walking up hills. I realized I had developed TSS – Trail Snail Syndrome and now must overcome it by spending time each week working on leg turnover.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQ0j4kerUc41aWbWnpTeRXZBij-VvNMHVv9ipPqlCG0ubi28ECGVutqz5fcJdFlTQHP1g7QI-6Z1w7UvGQxGR_PMIgQjria-7mK20NCQmIacjh3n9vYJ9lKriAAJN3vtUMmNLKN7wQjsJ/s1600/track-photo-300x217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQ0j4kerUc41aWbWnpTeRXZBij-VvNMHVv9ipPqlCG0ubi28ECGVutqz5fcJdFlTQHP1g7QI-6Z1w7UvGQxGR_PMIgQjria-7mK20NCQmIacjh3n9vYJ9lKriAAJN3vtUMmNLKN7wQjsJ/s400/track-photo-300x217.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">I started with 8 x 100 meter striders at the end of a 4-6 mile run. After a couple of weeks I moved to 6 x 200 meter sprints. Don’t get discouraged in the beginning by worrying about your speed; it’s the effort and consistency that counts. Build up to 12 x 200 before moving onto 400 meter intervals. If you have a GPS watch then take advantage of it in absence of a high school track or measured distance on a road. I set mine for the number of reps I intend to run and the rest time and/or distance I plan to take and then listen to the alarm prompts. It’s kind of robotic; the less thinking, the better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you don’t like speed work then don’t make it a full-time thing. Throw in 6 weeks of a progressive plan like the one outlined below every few months. If you don’t know what your current two-mile time is then do a test run. Then test yourself again at the middle and end of the 6 weeks and see your progression. If you choose to build on after the initial 6 weeks you can move up to half and full mile intervals which will really help develop your pacing ability. If you are determined to stay off of the track and on the trail and still want to get faster then run fartlek or speed play sessions once a week. In the desert I alternate between saguaros. Also, hill repetitions although slower, will bust your lungs and burn your legs. The strength and power developed from the push-off and knee-lift will translate to faster times on the flats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">As a Master Fitness Trainer I get asked for advice from soldiers a lot about how to get faster on the 2-mile run which is part of the bi-annual Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT). Believe it or not the Army actually has a manual for everything including how to do speed work. I have tailored their quarter-mile interval workout into a usable plan which can be adapted to anyone’s level of current fitness or goal time they would like to achieve. This is the exact plan I prescribe to the soldier trying to attain a high maximum score on the run. Most soldiers I know don’t run more than three days a week, in fact most of them only run 4 miles a year, so the plan’s total distance is not intense. Also, I always recommend a 4-week base build-up of mileage prior to running intervals; 3 days a week, 2-3 miles building to 3-4 miles per run should be good enough.</span><br />
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<strong>INTERVAL TRAINING PLAN</strong><br />
Current 2 mile run time = 13:00<br />
Goal 2 mile run time = 12:00<br />
Method: Bi-weekly interval training consisting of 200s and 400s<br />
<br />
<table><tbody>
<tr><td align="center" width="50"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Week</span></strong></td><td><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Monday or Tuesday</span></td><td><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Thursday or Friday </span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">1.<br />
</td>
<td>6×200 with 200 jog/walk rest 40-45 seconds (1.5 M)</td><td>4×400 w/400 jog/walk rest 1:30-1:35 (2 M)</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">2.</td><td>8×200 @ 40-45 seconds (2 M)</td><td>5×400 @ 1:27-1:32 (2.5 M)</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">3.</td><td>8×200 @ 38-43 seconds (2 M)</td><td>6×400 @ 1:25-1:30 (3 M)</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">4.<br />
</td><td>2 Mile time trial<br />
(Goal – sub 12:30 = 1:34 1/4s)</td>
<td>6×400 @ 1:23-1:28 (3 M)<br />
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">5.<br />
</td><td>6×400 @ 1:21-1:26 (3 M)<br />
</td><td>7×400 @ 1:24-1:29 w/1 minute<br />
Jog/walk rest (2.5M)</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">6.</td><td>8×400 @ 1:20-1:25 (4 M)</td><td>8×200 @ 36-41 seconds (2M)</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">7.</td><td>APFT 2 mile goal = sub 12:00 = 1:30 1/4s</td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<strong>Notes:</strong><br />
- Prior to all speed workouts, ensure that you do a warm-up jog of at least 10 minutes followed by light stretching of quads, hamstrings, calves and groin. I also suggest running 2-4 wind sprints – short pick-ups starting easy and building to full speed and then decelerating over a total distance of 100 meters each.<br />
- Each speed session should be followed by a cool-down jog after the last recovery jog/walk. The cool-down should be 5-10 minutes of easy jogging. The purpose of the cool-down is to flush lactic acid build-up from the fast twitch muscle fibers. This will decrease the amount of soreness and recovery time.<br />
- I placed the distance of each workout in parentheses (2 M). This includes the rest interval distance which is equal to the repetition distance unless stated otherwise. With a proper warm-up and cool-down you can add about 2 miles to these distances (a mile for the warm-up and another mile for the cool-down). Most speed days will range from 4-5 miles.<br />
- The goal on each repetition is to stay within the 5 second time block through the entire workout. Starting out too fast and finishing too slow defeats the purpose of the workout. If the workout is extremely difficult after the second repetition then adjust the time block. After the workout is finished and you don’t feel tired then you may be ahead of schedule and will need to speed up on the next workout. Another option is to cut the recovery in half but keep in mind that the recovery is longer in order for you to run faster on each repetition.<br />
- Week 5 has two days of 400 meter repeats. The first day is faster reps with longer rest. The second day is slower reps with shorter rest to mimic a more continuous effort.<br />
- I recommend running a third day easy each week at a minimum usually in between the speed days to loosen your legs and build your base.Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5375212724168154515.post-21982683727474247322012-03-19T15:38:00.000-07:002012-03-19T15:38:04.457-07:00Top O' the Rocks<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am blessed to live and run in Tucson where I am surrounded by five mountain ranges, all with extensive trail systems. The Tucson Trail Runners use many of these trails to organize an informal series of annual runs. Over the last 17 years I have traversed every one of the series runs multiple times. Even though I have logged thousands of miles over well known terrain, I have a different trail experience each time. Some days I might be tired from a long day at work or a hard training run the day before. Those days are opportunities to take a better look at my surroundings, especially the condition of the trail, focusing on where and how I place my feet. On the flip side, I might be more rested for the trail run and ready to fly over the rocks and shoot for a fast time; in which case I will throw caution to the wind and let my feet do the thinking.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhieTyWsuWa7SXoILZRAY83iJanZJgn95cT3v8ypzG5AOtjKOFuSgYlj3razgj_CtvXw70-Qhx4NgSqw506IEaLOx5ng7DdovKcqC2oPVZbFzMN5p2TWeXjeGuqXi5SVFxCMurEEk1nfM/s1600/Sabino_Basin_2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhieTyWsuWa7SXoILZRAY83iJanZJgn95cT3v8ypzG5AOtjKOFuSgYlj3razgj_CtvXw70-Qhx4NgSqw506IEaLOx5ng7DdovKcqC2oPVZbFzMN5p2TWeXjeGuqXi5SVFxCMurEEk1nfM/s640/Sabino_Basin_2010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Depending on your state of fitness, energy level, or training intensity, your stride length and foot placement will change significantly. After finishing a trail run I can usually describe my day as a ‘Top O’ the Rocks’ or a ‘Tween the Rocks’ kind of day. If I am mentally sluggish or physically tired I tend to shorten my stride and step around or between objects rather than over them. This is especially true when running downhill. When I run tentatively too much I am more susceptible to ankle rolls and further fatigue sets in. When I am rested and feeling strong I can bound from rock to rock or over rocks, roots, and trees more efficiently with less impact. I can keep my body moving forward rather than expending energy with excessive lateral movement.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One of the benefits of trail running is how varied terrain strengthens the smaller supporting muscles of the lower legs and increases ankle resiliency. Both methods of negotiating objects on trail – over or around – have training effect especially in the ultra distance where you will experience different energy and fatigue levels throughout the day. There are often times the legs and feet need to know how to run on cruise control relying on the </span><a href="http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/myelin-a-specialized-membrane-for-cell-communication-14367205" target="_blank" title="Myelin"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">neural myelin wrap </span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">developed from the many hours of practice of foot placement on trail. For example, in the middle of the night you will need to rely on those automatic connections and strengthened muscles to keep you upright and on course. Look for tangents and avenues of approach that enable forward movement and solid foot placement. Don’t over think the trail; let the mind-body connection flow. Time on your feet is your greatest training advantage.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a recent 15-mile hilly trail race, a friend of mine commented on how much faster I was able to run the downhill than he was. He is six inches taller than me and had much longer legs. We started the race together but when we got to a steep climb I power-hiked while he lifted his knees higher and pushed up the hill. I gradually lost sight of him until 45 minutes later on the downside of the course. As I was twisting and turning my way down the switchbacks with expert and subconscious foot placement, I caught a glimpse of him below. I caught up quickly and we cruised into the finish together. Even though I shortened my stride on the uphills and even walked at times, I managed to lower the course PR by 10 minutes. It wasn’t so much that I ran faster on the downhill that day, although I did; I ran more efficiently by saving my energy earlier in the run and relied on previous practiced foot placement. I really enjoyed a ‘Top O’ the Rocks’ trail day.</span>Chasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03363607214801232042noreply@blogger.com0