Tales of Endurance

An Altitude Run Up the Highest Point In Utah - Kings Peak 13,528 feet

2009-09-27T08:03:00.000-07:00

a few weeks ago mandy and i got to talking about running at altitude. the conversation then naturally moved to the highest peak in utah.. kings peak at 13,528ft is the 7th highest of the us state highpoints. so when i arrived friday mandy had a plan for us to run the 30.1 miles round trip to the top and back. it was incredible.

rather than a blow by blow i'll give you a list of interesting tidbits:

there is nothing i enjoy more than an 8hr run with my girl and the terrignar.. seriously.
we started at henry's fork trailhead (9,430ft) and ran 15 miles to the summit 13,528ft (our run time was 4hrs 18mins).. then back.
from 12,000ft on it felt like i was dragging a prius with someone sitting on my chest
i got poo on my hand (adventure running it's always pretty)
i drank straight from a stream at 12,000ft without treating the water (i'm becoming more bold these days with all the talk of iodine actually having no effect on giardia)
we used nuun to nutralize the taste of iodine treated water (i did treat a bottle's worth lower down)
mandy, jack russell terrignar eddie and i completely underestimated the effects of running at this altitude and were goofy stupid at the top. i actually think eddie might have had doggie altitude sickness. however once below 12,000ft he quickly returned to normal.
my montrail hardrocks once again saved my feet. great protection for this very rocky run. mandy wears the montrail masochists
mandy took so many great photos it was really hard to figure out which to post..

...and now a dog drinking nuun

Evan Honeyfield sets a NEW Fastest Known Time for Teton Circumnavigation

2009-09-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

i caught up with evan honeyfield this year at the grand teton races. he was running his longest race to date, the grand teton 50 miler. he did awesome, went under the previous course record and took 2nd place with an impressive run. he's what we call a "marathoner".. and by that title i usually mean a very fast marathoner. if you aren't fast but you run marathons i just call you a runner, but Evan excels at the marathon distance. last week he emailed nuun / la sportiva runner luke nelson and myself of his intension to better his and luke's fastest known time on the teton circumnavigation loop i put together. i thought he might be capable of taking an hour off one of the first times laid down. at the end of the day he took 36mins off the record - impressive. his report on the run below.. congrats evan!

photo credit: Greg Norrander

My 2nd Longest Run Ever (Again) - Teton Circumnavigation Run FKT

Before I talk about the Teton run I want to discuss a most unholy marriage I put in place that has almost bred perfection. I’m talking the combo of Nathan and Ultimate Direction hydration products. I have both an Ultimate Direction and a Nathan single bottle waist belt that both occasionally eject a bottle on the trail while running (usually steep or very rocky descents). A Nathan bottle has a gate in its ring on the lid. The Ultimate Direction waist belt is more comfortable and has a little nylon loop. Gate meet loop; the worry free marriage.

Back to the Tetons. My wife and I camped on Shadow Mountain Thursday night. I arose early, saw frost on the windshield and promptly jumped back in the sack. Finally arriving at Lupine Meadows at 8:20am I realized my mistake. Fifteen minutes after hitting the trail around 8:30am I had removed my shirt and was really sweating soon after. I relished every bit of shade cruising up Cascade canyon as I needed to refill both hand held bottles only 1:40 into the run.

The plan for the day was to carry the unholy marriage empty until I hit the descent into Death Canyon as I knew water sources in the remaining ~14 miles are suspect after this point. I also planned to load up on the Nuun after my hard lesson of severe cramping at the Grand Teton 50 miler two weeks prior.

The south fork of Cascade Canyon was once again my favorite section of the run. Hitting Hurricane Pass in 2:04 I tried to take in the spectacular view (so sorry I don’t own a digital camera) and gag down a Carrot Cake Clif Bar (the Cool Mint Chocolate is so good how could Carrot Cake be so bad?). En route to Buck Pass I started to feel light headed and took a walk or two. At Static Pass I hit a gel and started thinking about my Rossi S7s and how awesome this descent would be in 25” of blower. As the ski dream faded I dropped into Death Canyon and I filled up all three bottles as planned and then descended to the Patrol cabin in 3:31. As my left calf had felt twinges of cramping I drank a bottle double Nuuned which did the trick.

The hill leading out of Phelps Lake was like the next three short climbs – a few short walks and cooking in the sun. I took the opportunity to have some fun and run through every stream as I headed across the lonely Valley Trail. At Taggart Lake I skipped the bridge and waded across. I thought about a nice long swim and then remembered my task. I ran out of water heading up towards Amphitheater Junction (2.5 miles to go) and really started to hurt. Feeling light headed again with a touch of weirdness in my vision I toughed it home to meet my wife in 5:34:31 and pound some serious fluids.

I was hoping for about 20 minutes faster, but I think the time is actually perfect as it is still within reach of many others, including Luke Nelson, my running companion from last year’s loop. The Tetons rarely disappoint in scenery or challenge and I had a great day.

The next day I jumped into the Horseshoe Challenge 20k in Driggs, ID as my wife was racing. My warm up was the 20 feet hobble to the start line. About two miles in my legs came alive and I begin to roll. The downhill portions were a blast with some crazy windy single track. I owe a shout out to Wray Landon for helping me run the correct route as a few markers were missing. Using completely different leg muscles than Friday I was able to pull off the win. In contrast to Friday’s solidarity, it was a great social event seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

Next up is miles 76 to 100 at the Bear 100 supporting Luke Nelson. I am hoping to follow that up with an Old Faithful to Bechler run in Yellowstone in early October that should include some sweet hot springs soak breaks, some river crossings, and maybe some wolves or bears. And if all goes well a rim to rim Grand Canyon run is brewing.

Evan H

Running in the Tetons - Jared Campbell's Table Mtn Alaska Basin Loop

2009-09-23T14:25:00.000-07:00

jared's awesome photo of the grand teton and the middle teton
there are a number of really talented runners in the salt lake city area who i am lucky enough to call friends. la sportiva runner jared campbell is one of them. i think i was on my 2nd week of running after a year off when i wholeheartedly said to jared i was "in" on whatever he had planned. let's just say it was a stretch for me, and he did a good deal of waiting around for the "slow guy".what jared put together in an area i have run in and am fairly familiar with was amazing . if you are willing to go off trail a bit there is no limit to the incredible terrain you can travel, as you can see in the photos. this it very counter to what most ultrarunners are into, and that's fine.

Overview of the Table Mountain to Alaska Basin Loop

thank you jared for the awesome run! check out his blog on it and his photos.

If You Only Take One Thing, Make It Fish Oil

2009-09-17T06:50:00.000-07:00

i'm often asked what supplements i think people should take. actually just yesterday patagonia hot shot ultrarunner rod bien just asked me that exact questions. so i figured i'd respond to the world... here is my response:

"the only supplement i suggest for every client i have is fish oils. most diet's ratio of omega 3 : omega 6 is completely out of whack.

but other than that sweeping generalization, it's impossible to say. i had my blood work looked at by my "witch dr." or, ah homeopathic genius. i'm on vitamin I, E and sometimes Zinc. but we're each different. it's worth having your blood work looked at i think. also get pharmaceutical grade supplements, studies don't favor the kind you can buy in the grocery stores unfortunately."

that's right, fish oils. the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 in our diets has changed drastically with the evolution of industrialized food. we're feeding our meat more grain and corn and less of their natural green diets. the result is that the meat we eat has a lower content of omega 3. the ratio should be 1:1, and is now more often 1:30! in his book The Omnivore's Dilemma michael pollan hypothesizes that this change in ratios caused by our industrialization of meat production might turn out to be the single biggest factor that effects our health as a population. consuming fish and more to the point fish oil supplements can help us balance that ratio. i'm partial to carlson's and i buy them from hammer nutrition.

the following is taken from a major cardiology news site (www.theheart.org)

New review endorses CV benefits of fish oil

August 3, 2009 | Lisa Nainggolan

New Orleans, LA - A new review concludes that there is extensive evidence from three decades of research that fish oils, or more specifically the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) contained in them, are beneficial for everyone [1].

This includes healthy people as well as those with heart disease—including post-MI patients and those with heart failure, atherosclerosis, or atrial fibrillation—say Dr Carl J Lavie (Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, LA) and colleagues in their paper published online August 3, 2009 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

"We reviewed everything that was published on omega-3 that was clinically important, and the major finding is that there are a tremendous amount of data to support the benefits of omega-3, not just as a nutritional supplement—people have known that for years—but evidence that it prevents and treats many aspects of cardiovascular disease," Lavie told heartwire.

The omega-3 data may not be as impressive or as plentiful as [statin data] but it should be 'promoted' to clinicians.

Lavie said he believes physicians are not as familiar with the omega-3 studies as they should be: "Clinicians know the findings of many statin trials even if they do not know all the details—they know that there are a ton of statin data. The omega-3 data may not be as impressive or as plentiful as this, but it should be 'promoted' to clinicians."

Omega-3 PUFA, says Lavie, "is a therapy that clinicians should be considering prescribing to their patients. Not just as something healthy but as something that may actually prevent the next event. In HF, it may prevent death or hospitalization and the same thing post-MI." He and his colleagues reiterate the advice of the AHA: that those with known CHD or HF eat four or five oily-fish meals per week or take the equivalent in omega-3 supplements; healthy people should consume around two fatty-fish meals per week or the same in supplements.

Most data on EPA and DHA

In their review, Lavie and colleagues explain that most of the data on omega-3 have been obtained in trials using docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the long-chain fatty acids in this family. The most compelling evidence for cardiovascular benefits comes from four controlled trials of almost 40 000 participants randomized to receive EPA with or without DHA in studies of primary prevention, after MI, and most recently with HF, they note.

for more info see mark sisson's blog:
The Definitive Guide to Fish Oils
Rapid Fire Q&A: Fish Oil Guide Follow-Up

"This is no catered hike" - Mandy Hosford's 2009 Wasatch Front 100 Race Report

2009-09-15T14:47:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Wasatch Front 100 Endurance Run - This is no catered hike.

My first goal for the WF100 was one that I hijacked from my friend David Hayes: let's first get to the starting line. This means getting accepted into the race, staying healthy, and selling your soul for the summer to stay true to a training program that would physically and emotionally prepare you for the task at hand: 100 miles and 26,131 feet through the Wasatch mountains. My second goal was to improve upon my previous time of 34:05 when I finished the WF100 in 2005. Early in the summer, I enlisted Matt Hart as my coach to help me attain these goals. Three months later found Matt driving me to the starting line for the WF100 and in jeopardy of missing the start altogether owing to some bad map beta from, um, yours truly. Matt had kindly agreed to come out to Utah for the race to watch the spectacle, hang out with Karl Meltzer, and even pace me through the last, and perhaps most grueling, 25 miles of the course.

Needless to say, Matt got me to the start in the nick of time, snapped a photo of Darla Askew and I buzzing with anxiety, and within minutes we were all off and running. I had planned to follow split times from two previous WF100 wonderwomen, Liz Irvine and Krissy Moehl, both of whom had completed this gnarly course in less than 24 hours. It was a lofty goal, but I was mainly eager to learn how to run smart, as these two incredible women had done, and I chose to try to follow their example for as long as my legs and heart would allow. So when I pulled up on Francis Peak 20 minutes ahead of the 1st split, I was concerned that I had once again gone out too fast and could expect to begin paying the price rather soon. At this point, I was behind Betsy Nye and Prudence L'Heureux and I knew that I needed to SLOW down. It felt like arriving at a party too early in that it was eerily uncomfortable and I was a little embarrassed.

Over time, I fell into a rhythm and started to get closer to landing the splits so that I was tracking quite nicely through the day. My goal now evolved to just make the splits for as long as possible and have a good time. Chatting with the kids at the aid stations was a special treat because they have no expectations of you whatsoever, except maybe that you'll be smelly and dirty, which I was. At most aid stations I was told that Betsy Nye was "right in front of me" and I was in 2nd place. Prudence had dropped and Betsy had her eyes on the prize of a sub-24 hour finish. I was just thrilled to be feeling good, still smiling, and reveling in the delight that there was no place I'd rather be at that moment. It was a joy to be cruising along the Great Western Trail, in my backyard, knowing that I was on track to improve upon my previous time. I was eager to get to Big Mountain at mile 39 to see Matt and reassure him that I felt great and was having an awesome time. When I finally got there Matt and Krissy lubed me up with sunscreen, rations, and hearty pats on the back to keep me trucking.

Upon reaching lambs Canyon (mile 53) at 4:30 pm, I was grateful to be out of the sun and psyched to pick up my first pacer, Bryon Powell, the barrister turned blogger d'ultrarunners. An incredible cadre of friends was on hand to load me up with love, good thoughts, homemade cookies, and whatever else my heart desired. Master puppeteer Matt kept everyone focused on getting me in and out of the aid station and soon I was off and running again, this time towards Millcreek Canyon and eventually, the Wasatch Crest. We had a brief stop at Big Water in Millcreek Canyon where I was honored to witness Matt Hart putting his dance moves to use as he helped me don my headlamp and long sleeves. Still laughing, Bryon and I motored with good speed and good humor all the way to Brighton (mile 75.6) where I took the steps to the lodge two at time because I was so excited to grab Matt and get moving through the remainder of the course. The best part about Brighton on the WF100 course is leaving it, which is exactly what Matt and I did as soon as possible so as to commence the 25 miles and crushing 9000' drop to the finish line at the Homestead in Midway, Utah. Matt had his game face on and was ready to get me to the finish with style, a good time, and fast feet. I was simply elated to be so far ahead of my time from the first WF100. David Hunt had told me that the race begins at Pole Line Pass. He couldn't have been more right.

So shortly after midnight at Pole Line Pass I toed the "starting line" of the real race that was to come. We had just pulled up on "Team Legend," Betsy Nye and pacer-to-the-stars, Roch Horton. My heart rose, then sank. I appreciated that I was in a good position to acheive my goal of making Krissy's splits. I was amazed to be in Betsy's proximity as she was handily reeling in her sub-24 hr finish so long as she stayed connected to her goal, and to Captain Roch. However, I admit that I felt totally intimidated by being in a position to overtake Betsy. I was honored just to be in the race, but scared to actually begin racing. I can not say that I even know what scared me. I was just overwhelmed and mentally unprepared to duke it out with five-time WF100 winner, Betsy Nye. Four years ago, I was hiking through Pole Line Pass at nine in the morning with my pacer, Ari Menitove, who had an iPod connected to mini-speakers. We were hiking and rocking to James Brown and taking full advantage of the plush aid stations. This year, I realized that I was in a race, not a catered hike. So I tried to race, and temporarily moved ahead of Betsy, but my stomach and my nerves didn't buy into the idea. I stopped eating well and starting hitting the ground with regularity. This shook my body, my confidence, and my will. Regardless, Matt pulled me along with words of encouragement and the occasional hard candy. Before I knew it, we had hit the road to the Homestead. Matt thought that the finish was right there upon reaching the road and I wordlessly communicated to him that he was sorely mistaken. Upon crossing the finish line at the Homestead, I was sure I would cry. I still can't believe that I didn't. If the whole team had been there I most surely would have. I owe it all to my crew, Shannon O'Grady, Kirsten Bruns, and Christy Clay, as well as my pacers, Matt and Bryon. I was so sad that it was over. It had been the most intense, entertaining, collaborative, and inspirational 23 hours and 25 minutes of my entire running career. Everyone, except me, believed that I could meet and perhaps exceed my goals and I owe them everything and then some for their faith in me. Running is indeed a team sport and I had the most amazing team. I can't wait to shed the compression socks so that I can crew and pace my team and friends as they pursue their respective endeavors. So with lots of love, gratitude, and respect, thanks to everyone who carried me in their hearts at the 2009 WF100!

It goes without saying that my coach is the world's best. He took over 10 hours off of my finish time. Insane!

Mandy's finish in Homestead, Utah - photo by Bryon Powell
"Do you realize what you just did?!" Matt Hart & Mandy Hosford - photo by Bryon Powell

Running Mount Timpanogos Emerald Lake Loop

2009-09-10T18:08:00.000-07:00

yesterday i asked mandy for a "high altitude run". the night before she provided me with a highlighted topographic map and driving directions to Mount Timpanogos. it was an easy 1hr drive from SLC to the timpanokee trailhead. this run is an amazing 15 mile loop with a bit of off trail glissading to connect the ridge back to the trail. it might just be the best 15 mile loop i've ever run. the trailhead is at 7,300ft and the summit is a whopping 11,749ft and entire route is pretty much runnable vert. my buddy karl meltzer told me the day before he made the summit once 1hr 18min 49sec and the roundtrip record is held by his doggie binger at 1:58.58. i'm out of shape so i got up there in 2hr 06min. i love running at altitude, even if it looks more like hiking at altitude. i just threw the video together so you can get an idea of what blew my mind.

thank you mandy.

Geoff Roes 2009 Wasatch Front 100 Checkin

2009-09-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

Caught Montrail UltraRunner Geoff Roes on his way to checkin (with the new iPhone video) to see what he had to say about the big showdown.

A New Addition to the nuun UltraRunning Team - Brian Robinson

2009-09-04T05:49:00.000-07:00

i first heard about brian robinson while watching the movie the runner. jb benna's documentary on montrail ultrarunner david horton's record setting run on the pacific crest trail. in the documentary brian is introduced as the first person to complete the triple crown of fast packing, completing all three major trails in one calendar year; the appalachian, pacific crest and continental divide trails. as if that wasn't enough in 2008 he set the new course record at the barkley 100, while becoming only the 7th person to finish the race. below is a bio and here is an interview before the western states 100 miler this year... we're stoked to have him on the nuun team!

Brian Robinson earned the trail name “Flyin’ Brian” in 2001 when he became the first person to complete the Calendar Triple Crown, a 7,400-mile, triple thru-hike of the Appalachian, Pacific Crest and Continental Divide Trails, all in the same year. His 10-month odyssey through 22 states traversed the entire lengths of the three major US mountain divides.

Brian started trail running as conditioning for long hikes. Since then, ultra running has become his primary passion. For three years he focused on the Barkley, finally achieving success in 2008 when he became the 7th person ever to finish the Barkley 100, in a course record 55 hours 43 minutes. After one failed attempt, the John Muir Trail speed record remains his obsession.

Far from an athlete when younger, Brian was a Rubik’s Cube champion and master Bridge player. He graduated from U.C Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and worked for Tandem/Compaq before quitting the rat race and accepting the financial consequences of pursuing a dream. Now 48, Brian resides in Monterey, CA with his wife and adventuring partner, Sophia and stepson Skyler.

Roch Solid! Crewing & Pacing at the 2009 Cascade Crest 100 Miler

2009-09-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

roch horton before running 100 miles
there are a couple hundred milers in washington state. with the plain 100 having just one aid station and no course marking is a different kind of beast. therefore charlie chrisman's cascade crest 100 miler is THE 100 for washington ultrunners. in 2007 justin angle and i paced patagonia ultrarunner jamie gifford to a win. this blog has some good video of bill huggins, darcy africa, nuun ultrarunner bruce grant and of course jamie gifford finishing in easton, wa that year.

this time around i had the honor of crewing and pacing my friend and mentor roch horton. roch runs for patagonia and vasque and is a legend. he's finished hardrock 100 nine times - nuff said.

i won't go into the blow by blow - instead i'll just list some thoughts and observations. oh and the videos are coming soon...

phil shaw ran his gutz out. it was fun to watch him get the course record of 20:33:43
scott wolfe did an awesome job taking roch the final 30 miles to the finishline
wow - jamie gifford ran his 10th cascade crest 100 (he's got a couple of wins in there too)
charlie chrisman is a great race director
it was very cool to see jim kerby (he's a bad ass)
jonathan bernard can run a 100 miles in a good mood the entire race
i heard laura houston's no name aid station was the best on earth, and roch said they had "real good coffee" in the middle of nowhere
proud of rod bien for running such a smart race
i am torn between UTMB and CCC100 next year
every nw runner i saw at olallie ate one of scott mccoubrey's pirogis
roch horton is fuckin tough

roch horton and rod bien before the race
roch's bag of race necessities and his laminated pace chart

race director charlie chrisman
2nd place rod bien and his team of justin angle and walter edwards
adventure racer miles ohlrich finishes his first 100 miler in 6th place!
2nd place rod bien showing me his rewards
monica ochs made my day a whole lot more enjoyable

a shot of roch's bag with quotes - i like: "sex is speed, endurance is love"

top 20
jonathan bernard and pacer western states fast guy phil kochik

A New Addition to the nuun UltraRunning Team - Luke Nelson

2009-09-01T06:42:00.000-07:00

i've known luke ever since he sent me an email to declare his intentions to go after my speed record around the tetons. it's standard procedure to alert the previous record holder that you are giving it a go. he got it and you can read his report on the effort here.

since then he's been picked up by the la sportiva team and has focused on ultrarunning. with no room left in my 2009 budget for the nuun ultrarunning team there were two guys i was so impressed with that i had to add anyway. the other i'll announce very shortly. here is lukes bio..

Even though Luke is a relative newcomer to to trail running he has been having a solid summer. With solid finishes in races ranging from 4.7 miles to 50 miles, including two course record wins: one at the 5 mile Menan Butte Challenge, the other at El Vaquero Loco 50k, podium finishes at The Wasatch Steeplechase, Kelly Canyon Trail Run, Wasatch Speedgoat 50k, a 4th at his first attempt at a 50 mile course- The Pocatello 50, and top ten finishes at two of the largest La Sportiva Mountain Cup Races: the Jupiter Peak Steeplechase and the Shop To The Top in SunValley. He is planning on building on this year's successes and intends on continuing to improve himself as a runner, randonee racer, and all around endurance athlete this upcoming fall, winter and next summer. The next big event on his schedule is the Bear 100, which will be his first attempt at that distance. If running didn't keep him busy enough Luke is a full time graduate student in the Idaho State University Physician Assistant Program, a husband to an amazing wife-Tanae, and father to an amazing two year old daughter- Brynlee, you can read more about his mission to balance out family, school and endurance athletics at his blog.

Currently Loves the Bannanuun for every day training, and the orange ginger for racing.

Running the PCT in the North Cascades

2009-08-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

i knew it. i knew once i got out and experienced the north cascades of washington that i would be absolutely blown away. 2 nights, 3 days of bliss with mandy in one of the most beautiful and rugged places on earth. friday mandy lead me on my first "real" climb up the southwest face of liberty bell spire. saturday i dropped her at rainy pass on the pacific crest trail (PCT) and met her 21 miles later to finish her run of almost 40 miles on the day. this was her last really long run before the wasatch front 100. she's going to rock that race and it's been such a pleasure to coach her. without a copy of the map on saturday it was a bit of a mis-adventure for me, and in turn mandy as well. but we were back to the nuun van just as the sun set. mandy had a 9hr day so a leg soak with the puffy's on was a necessity.

the next day we started at cutthroat trailhead and ran to the lake and then the pass. from there mandy headed back to return the favor and drove around to rainy pass to pick me up. as you can see in the video i continued on a bit further to granite pass to see tower mountain. the way the PCT was etched into the side of this mountain just stoked my fire to run the entire PCT someday. CORRECTION: Scott Williamson & Adam Bradley currently hold the Pacific Crest Trail record of 65days 9hrs 58min for the 2,655 miles from mexico to canada. still check out jb benna's documentary the runner on horton's record (there are a lot of pacnw runners in it).

i'm slowly crawling out of my injury train wreck and running in the north cascades has completely revitalized me. it may have been quite a few miles over what i should have run, but there is healing in these hills and the intangible factors of healing served me well. there is nothing i enjoy more than a long run in a beautiful place with a beautiful person. this same person had a surprise spread of peanut butter and jam, recovery drinks and mango's waiting for me when i arrived at the van. life is good.

oh and i had a chance to thoroughly test the new nathan quickdraw elite handhelds. my honest opinion-
good:

once set up they don't have to be adjusted, meaning you aren't constantly pulling the strap tight around your hand.
you actually don't have to hold them - the strap is thicker and will stay on your hand without squeezing (pretty sweet)
the trash pocket makes life easy when you come through the aid stations you know exactly where the trash is.

bad:

they seem over-engineered and not simple enough. it feels like a lot of material.

Climbing Liberty Bell Spire North Cascades

2009-08-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

mandy is a climber. i am not. well not yet. i've got some experience with a rope and harness having adventure raced for years. that consists of ascending and rappelling up and down a rope with the occasional tyrolean traverse. i guess ski mountaineering and climbing a few mountains has given me some base knowledge as well. however i was pretty much a complete rookie when it comes to the tactile art of rock climbing. weeks ago mandy pulled out one of her books and decided on the fred beckey route up the southwest face of liberty bell spire. taking the blue lake trail to the climbers trail, the route then goes at 5.6 in 4 pitches with 3 raps to the notch.

at the gym the day before i received the following text "we're doing this route fast & light ultra style, not freedom of the hills fashion.". nuff said. we both wore our harness for the run in. i wrapped the rope around me like a backpack and mandy stuffed the rest of the required gear in a small bd climbers pack which doubles as her purse as it turns out - fast and light. we ran the 1.5 miles in and started our scramble up to the notch. i really had no idea what i was in for as far as technical climbing.

after getting to the notch mandy quickly figured out the route. then started up this slot chimney thing. i was kind of amazed by what i was witnessing and tried not to think about how i would accomplish the same feat. after coming out too far on the rock and having to fight back a panic attack i figured out my way up the route. it just got easier and considerably more enjoyable from there. mandy is an amazing instructor and a fantastic climber. it was fun to watch (see photo below).

as the wind picked up, so did our urgency to get to the top. the temperature was low and the wind was howling. these two things conspired to make my hands a lot less agreeable, just when i needed them most. i found that i love the feel of climbing rock and the grit of climbing it. we got to the top and quickly hid from the wind to celebrate. the views were amazing.

other than some confusion on their exact location we had a very fun 3 rappels down the mountain and an easy downclimb and run back to the car. i'm totally hooked. climbing rock reminds me of climbing trees as a kid. i love it.

Running On Orcas Island

2009-08-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

this past weekend i had the pleasure of taking mandy hosford to the san juan islands for some runnin' and some campin'. we headed out early sunday when most people were headed back to reality. mandy is a salt lake resident so i wanted to impress her with the best of the pacnw. i have a short list that seems to grow daily, but on that list is rainier, san juans, north cascades, snoqualmie and the olympic peninsula.

the sun was out for her first ferry ride and we arrived with plenty of time to get our run on. i'm on the good side of my recent injury battle. surgery to remove my neuroma was a complete success. i'm still dealing with an ab/hip issue but it might prove to be manageable. at least i feel like i'm doing the right things to make it manageable. regardless, i can't think of a better place to reacquaint myself with trail running on what i knew would be beautiful and buttery smooth singletrack. plus the quiet beauty of the islands is good for your soul.

with a copy of james varner's orcas island 50km trail map in my pocket and virtually no recollection of the time i ran the race left in my brain we headed out. we started with the 1,500ft foot climb up mount constitution via the mountain lake loop, then finished with the mount pickett loop for about 16 miles and 3,000ft of gain. the views of the island were amazing. the climate and singletrack were a stark contrast to the trails mandy is used to running in the wasatch. after the running and a soak in mtn lake (for the legs) we headed to eastsound to enjoy some good music and good food. a nap in the sun on the grass finished us off - life is good.

monday started in the fog and was a perfect way to wake up and enjoy the quaint little town of eastsound and the shore before heading home on the ferry. this one should be high on your list of place to enjoy and run.

BACKCOUNTRY.COM'S Semi Annual Blow Out SALE

2009-08-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

it's that time of year!! my incredibly cool sponsor backcountry.com is having one of their MASSIVE SALES right now.

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Enchantment Basin Hike

2009-08-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

if there is magic on earth - it lives in the enchantment basin. i got my first taste of this place this winter. i was lucky enough to join a couple friends on a backcountry ski tour up aasgard pass. i vowed to return as soon as possible.

well this weekend i hiked the entire 20 miles of trail, and it did not disappoint. my 17 year old nephew is visiting his uncle from new hampshire for two weeks. the goal was to show him one of the most beautiful places on earth and challenge him a bit.

my friend heidi joined us as we left seattle at 5am saturday morning fueled by excitement and the deamon bean. generally speaking you apply in the winter for a camping permit for the enchantment basin. if you are lucky your name gets drawn.. but this takes forethought and more advanced planning than i am capable of. every morning however at 7:45am there is a drawing of around four permits for those that show up on time. the day before 15 people fought over 4 permits. we were insanely lucky in that only 3 other parties showed saturday morning... so we all got the permits we wanted. sweet!

off the 8 mile road trailhead we headed toward stuart lake and aasgard pass. once up to colchuck lake you get the first view of aasgard pass, dragontail and the colcuch glacier. maybe it's the name, maybe it's the skiable bowl, maybe it's the imposing presence of the dragontail - i just love that piece of rock. it's impressive to say the least. i will return with skis this winter for sure.

we decided to camp down near perfection lake which seemed to be about 1/2 on the route. i was excited for dinner, not just because i was hungry but i also wanted to test out my new msr reactor stove. this is an amazing piece of gear. it boiled water every time in less than 3 minutes. it's entirely self contained and is so efficient that it's the perfect stove for backcountry ski tours where it's colder and more exposed (re windy) than your normal camp.

we then headed up out for a quick hike up to the prusik peak saddle. prusik peak is an impressive wedge of rock (it's in the pictures below). makes me think about learning to properly climb. thankfully my recent injuries were distant thoughts. i'm pretty sure the magic of the enchantments helped me feel better than i have in a long long time.

we finished the night with some recovery clif hot chocolate, my favorite wintertime bevy. for heidi and i the night was restless. previous to this trip, the highest josh has ever been was the summit of mt washington in new hampshire (6,288 ft). we were now over 7,000 and he had hiked further than ever before so he was out cold.. dead body sleep.

heidi and i did a bright and early morning run around perfection lake and then up prusik pass. it was the perfect way to start a day, in the most perfect place on earth, perfection lake.

the hike out was essentially all downhill and by the end my young nephew was starting to show wear and tear. he held in there with his combat boots even as heidi and i started to jog the smooth downhills. we just couldn't help it. josh was a helpful and happy addition to the trip, and he did awesome.

it's a 20 mile point to point with just under 6,000ft of climbing if you go the assgard pass route. i want to see how fast i can run it when the body starts to work as designed again. i also want to take everyone i know to this magical place. it truly is one of the best trails i've ever experienced.

heidi is a talented journalist and she wrote a blog post as well. check it.

Wonder-Girls Circumnavigate Mount Rainier on the Wonderland Trail Video

2009-08-12T05:50:00.000-07:00

here is the video i took of the girls adventure running around mount rainier in 2.5 days. 94 miles with 20,000 ft of gain.

a bit of history on this route. my buddy, mtb pioneer, patagonia ambassador, bad ass and all around nice guy, john stamstad was the first to run the wonderland trail for speed in one shot. in 2003 he ran the trail non stop in a time of 24hr 01min. he drove the route and dropped supplies for himself first, then ran it. he basically set the standard for speed attempts on the trail. kyle skaggs of hardrock course record fame then ran it supported in 20:52 - stout!

i love peter bakwin's site fastest known times. it's fun to read through the fkt's and imagine the incredible effort and fun i'd have attempting some of these. here is what the page on the wonderland trail says. "The Wonderland Trail has not seen a huge amount of speed record activity. In 2003 mountain biking legend John Stamstad ran the trail self-supported in 24:01. His trip was reported in the May 2004 issue of UltraRunning Magazine. Kyle Skaggs beat that time on Sept. 23-24, 2006, 20:53."

Wonder-Girls Circumnavigate Mount Rainier on the Wonderland Trail

2009-08-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

i had the district pleasure of crewing krissy meohl and ellen parker this weekend as they ran the 94 mile wonderland trail that circumnavigates mighty mount rainier. if you know ultrarunning you know krissy. if you have been paying attention to the local nw ultras this summer you have seen ellen's name because she has been tearing it up. if you know trails in the pacnw then you know the wonderland trail is 94 miles with 20,000 feet of vertical gain - no joke. most folks take a week or two to hike it. the girls had planned to knock it out in 2.5 days.

since we all had work to do friday we drove down to longmire late in the day. the girls were quick with their prep and hit the trail around 6:55pm, running counter clockwise. a few miles later i met them along reflection lakes (ellen's favorite part) video below. they were truly enjoying themselves, that much was obvious.

they finished in the dark at box canyon (mile 13) later that night. we camped here. up early, coffee, breky and out. the girls had 19 miles to go so it gave me a bit of time to play, before meeting them again at the white river camp ground. they looked good although ellen had some leg pain at that point. a simple comment really, and an issue that never bothered her again. but one i couldn't get out of my head. worried dad syndrome. from there they were on their own to the finish. which meant they took bigger packs (ellen was borrowing my nathan hpl #063 horton pack and loved it), sleeping bags and two whole days worth of food. they finished saturday with 25 miles to mowich lake. there was apparently a discussion about calling me since ellen's blisters from white river (where she got 4th!) were back with a vengeance.. but they toughed it out.

from longmire to mowich (and a little bit further) the girls said was the most beautiful sections of the wonderland trail. i was insistent on finding that out because one thing was clear - it's a whole lot easier access than i had imagined, and there are campgrounds and water everywhere. crewing sort of demystified the wonderland trail for me (and i've got big plans for this trail - right ty draney?!).

sunday my 17yr old nephew josh (who is visiting from new hampshire) and i met the girls with a variety of soupy ben & jerry's ice cream to congratulate them. there was pain in ellen's face as she said "matt, i'm in the hurt locker" when they arrived at longmire. i applaud her toughness. they got it done - congratulations girls!!

some of my twitter posts here.. and the video is DONE - it will be posted later today.

Rapid Fire Answers to Some Race Day Nutrition Questions

2009-07-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

i was recently asked the following questions for an article and figured i'd publish. my answers are short on purpose but might be helpful to some.

1. What foods are you eating during an ultramarathon (early vs late in the race)? How often do you eat (every hour, every 30 minutes?)

i try to get 200-300 calories per hour unless the wheels come off and there are certainly times where i'll eat more than that as tolerable. but i shoot for 250 or so. any more than that and i can't keep the pace i want as blood flow is in the stomach and not the legs. gels are the base and i eat every 20-30 minutes. after a few hours i'll have perpetuem mixed into a paste in a gel flask (bit of protein). i have my crew keep me away fro the junk food at the aid stations, like literally dont' let me in there. bananas and roch horton's turkey sliders have worked well for me - avocado wrapped in turkey. small bit size nuggets.

2. About how much sodium are you taking per hour (mg's), knowing that it depends on the weather, hot versus normal weather... Do you use S-Caps?

i don't use S caps. i use nuun (they are a sponsor too) and endurolytes. because nuun is flavored i'll end up drinking more than just water with pills. i keep the endurolytes as just in case backups. 360 mg of sodium per hour about - but it totally depends and i'm not a big sweater, or a salty (stained) sweater either.

3. About how many ounces of fluid are you consuming per hour? Hot versus Normal weather. Do you use an electrolyte drink or water or both?
i'll consume 16 oz when it's cold and as much as 30 when it's blazing hot. so the mid range is about 18-20oz per hour average.

4. Any tricks you have found to works when you start to get nauseous?

i've been blessed with an iron stomach (more curses then i care to mention). on the ocassion i need some settling down those little ginger chews are magic.

5. About how many calories do you consume per hour?
about 250

2009 SpeedGoat 50km Pictures

2009-07-18T07:41:00.001-07:00

photos i took at the SpeedGoat 50km, Snowbird, UT.

the seeded runers race bags
race director karl meltzer just before the start

climbing up to hidden peak mile 8.5 on course
1st place woman - my client mandy hosford!!
race director karl meltzer.. directing
view on top of baldy peak
more baldy
my 2nd father - karl metlzer sr.
karl & bryon powell in the background looking tough
the awesome awards created by wynn davis
twitter updates twittering updates.

The Start of the SpeedGoat 50km - Snowbird

2009-07-18T05:41:00.000-07:00

today i'll be twittering updates and video of Karl Meltzer's SpeedGoat 50km, Snowbird, UT.

i'll be twittering updates here.

updated with pictures from the course.

2009 Western States Photos

2009-06-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

i took more video than anything else but here are my photos from the 2009 western states endurance run.

run the fastest from squaw to auburn and you win this cougar
this is the actual devil's thumb at mile 47 of the western states 100 course
michael wardian and sean meissner check in
me and carmen wasserman running her 1st western states
the trail up devil's thumb
little miss ripped bev abbs (3rd place) popsicle in hand, nuun tat on arm
ajw cools down at devil's thumb
gary robbins cools down at forest hill
eric grossman after crossing the river
carly giving hal a well deserved hug after an amazing performance

1st woman anita ortiz right after finishing
2nd place krissy moehl! awesome run girl!
krissy moehl w/pacer devon crosby-helms & mother peggy - feeling a bit worked
ajw's feet after western states
japan's finest - 2nd place tsuyoshi kaburagi

gary robbins stoked

Gary Robbins's 2009 Western States Video

2009-06-29T09:19:00.000-07:00

for the last year montrail canada's gary robbins has been storming the ultrarunning scene. he's a new comer to most, but not me. in my previous life as an adventure racer gary was a canadian staple at any major event. and just like myself, found a true passion and in gary's case a true talent for ultrarunning. he's always the most upbeat and stoked guy on the course, even when suffering like a dawg (as you'll see in the video). here is the video i took of gary on the 2009 western states 100 course. gary went out hard and was in the top 10 the first half of the race and told me the lack of heat training caught up to him. he finished in 23:07:20 for 46th place. congrats on getting that sub-24hr belt buckle gary! he also told me the next day that he plans on coming back next year.

check out the photos and updates from

Anita Ortiz WINS the 2009 Western States 100 Miler

2009-06-28T23:39:00.001-07:00

anita ortiz ran a pretty amazing race to win the 2009 western states 100 mile ultramarathon. anita and bev battled early but then she took the lead for good at michigan bluff. she ran squaw valley to auburn, california in 18:24:17, 1st woman, 9th overall. i met anita at the 2008 transrockies, where she was putting on a similar display of female dominance. what makes her win so impressive is that three of the top women in the sport were there to compete, krissy, nikki and bev. what makes this win incredible is that it was her 1st 100 miler! - when you're good, you're good (or great i guess).

check out the photos and updates from

Hal Koerner WINS the 2009 Western States 100 Miler

2009-06-28T23:27:00.000-07:00

this. is. simply. amazing.

hal koerner wins his second western states 100 miler in a row! he dominated likely the most competitive field of 100 mile ultrarunners ever assembled. as he said in his pre-race interview he wanted to "go out hard" and "put a gap on" the field. he ran from squaw to auburn, ca in 16:24:55

hal's a buddy of mine and i couldn't be more stoked for him. congrats hal! seriously incredible running. you have inspired me hal.

check out the photos and updates from

Brian Robinson Pre 2009 Western States 100 Interview

2009-06-28T17:31:00.000-07:00

"In 2008 Flyin' Brian Robinson set a course record of 55hr 42min. He was the first person to hike the 3 major N-S U.S. trails in a single calendar year: Appalacian, Continental Divide, and Pacific Crest, 7400 miles in 300 days. " that is the description of flyin' brian robinson on the barkley marathon website. i am admitedly infatuated with this seemingly impossible 100 mile race in tennessee, and after hearing how he set a new course record (yes i wish i had video taped that) he was nice enough to give me a quick interview. brian finished in 45th in a time of place in 22:52:47.

check out the photos and updates from