Sawtooth review

Well it's been nearly 2 weeks since I ran Sawtooth.  I told myself I'd wait a while before blogging about it so that I'd have some time to let it sink in.  Here's what I can say about it:  It's really hard!

There's no doubt about it, 100 miles is a long way to go on foot.  Sawtooth was by far the most difficult thing I've ever done.  I have this strange mixture of pride and disappointment concerning the race.  I'm proud that I finished, that I ran the whole time and for the most part kept my spirits up.  But I'm also disappointed that I ran slower than what I thought I was capable of.

Concerning the aspects of the race that I'm proud of;  like I said, I'm very pleased that I pretty much didn't stop.  I don't think I took longer than 10 minutes at any aid station.  I never really stopped and pouted or felt defeated.  I never once questioned myself if I would make it all the way.  I was confident that I would always locate the strength I needed.

Running Sawtooth was a continuous series of peaks and valleys, especially after about mile 40 or so.  It was then that things started to get tough.  I'd slow down, my legs would be screaming, my feet would be screaming (whoever said you can't feel more than one pain at a time has never ran 100 miles!)  But suddenly, my strength would return and I'd be running again.  I never knew how long either episode would last, but my mindset was to take advantage of the good stretches and use them and not to worry about the bad stretches and just work through them.  The key was always to keep moving forward.

I think priority number one for any 100 miler and especially for a person's first 100 miler is to finish.  First and foremost the goal is to finish.  I never lost sight of that goal.

However, it's in that priority number two that my disappointment lies, finishing time.  I thought my window would be anywhere from 27 hours to 32 hours.  People have said for Sawtooth you pretty much take your Voyageur time and multiply it by 3.  That would've put me in that window I had set for myself.  I hit the 50 mile point in about 13 hours, which was right on time, I still should've been in that window, and by mile 60 or so, I was feeling really good.  Gregg and I had by that time established a rhythm and I was having a great race.  I was moving up on people and began having thoughts of finishing high.

But at about mile 70 or so, the wheels really fell off.  Going through Crosby-Manitou was an especially difficult challenge as the climbs through the first half of that section were relentless.  I pretty much walked the first 2/3 of that entire section and starting losing a lot of time.  There would be a lot more walking to follow.

Most of my difficulties came with my quads being so incredibly sore.  I don't know what it was, probably the downhills that beat them up, but I've never had soreness like that in my quads before.  Also, my feet were really hurting.  Even now, nearly two weeks later, my toes on my right foot are a bit numb and I have a very tender spot on the outside of my left foot.

So will I do it again?  The answer to that question is easy: Yes!  It was an amazing experience.  It was absolutely everything I thought it would be but better.  The course was beautiful, the aid station volunteers were friendly and helpful and of course my crew and pacers, my friends, were perfect.  I simply couldn't have done it without them.

I did discover some things.  I did find out.  I gave it everything I had, but at the same time, I know I have more.

Sawtooth and the Big Mystery

Back in January I decided that I was going to sign up for the Sawtooth 100 miler.  It was around February that I started telling people.  At the time, September 9th seemed so far away, now it's nearly here.  Gulp!

It's funny, I've been thinking about this race for well over nine months now and I still can't seem to get my head around what this race is, what it will be like.  I know we start at 8am on Friday at Gooseberry.  I know the race ends, 102.6 miles later, at Lutsen.  I know it will hurt.  A lot.  But most of the rest is a mystery.

I assume it'll take me between 27 and 33 hours to complete.  I assume I'll want to quit at some point.  I assume I'll have moments of pure joy.  But this unknown.  This exploration into uncharted territory frightens me and excites me at the same time.  What will it be like to hurt at 3am, barely able to lift my legs over the unending hills?  What will it be like to cross that finish line?  And that's why I signed up.  To find out.

Sometimes, I think you just have to accept the unknown, to revel in the mystery and have the confidence that it will all work out.  Usually, if you give it all you have, it WILL work out.  And that is my other known factor in this.  It's my trump card.  I WILL give it all I have.

Tragedy!

I had a major catastrophe happen in my home late last week.  I can't be sure, but I'd nearly call it a life threatening situation...my coffee maker broke!  Imagine the horror I had to face!  No coffee in the morning; that sweet aroma filling up my tiny apartment.  That first, warm sip of the sweet nectar of the Gods.  My morning ritual taken from me by some cruel hand of fate!

Ah, but I was hearty.  I'm a runner and runners know how to deal with discomfort, so off I flew to McDonald's for an early morning coffee and a return to that electric ride of caffeine in my bloodstream.

And since then I've made due, mostly by drinking my coffee at work.  I haven't bought a new coffee maker yet, I really hate driving up the hill but that dreaded trip is coming soon, I'm sure.  Seriously, I can only deal with so much discomfort!

Watching the Moon

Staring out tonight at this amazing full moon.  I'm wondering what reflections I'll see in it.  Who else is also staring at it?  It's a beautiful thing to see.

I recently learned that the Earth once had two moons, orbiting together on the same plane.  They collided, and essentially became one moon, as if they were meant to be that way.  Circling around on the same orbit until eventually they came together.  It's why the side of the moon that we don't see, the so-called "dark side of the moon" is made up of completely different elements than the side we do see.

In "The Symposium" Plato gives us the dialogues of a dinner party, where many of the guests at the party discuss their respective views on love and desire.  The guests see love as many things; a response to beauty, a cosmic force, a motive for social action and ethical education.

Aristophanes, a poet, tells a tale of human unity.  How we were once two people, together, with our cosmic mate, if you will.  Some were two men (of the sun), some were two women (of the earth) and some were a man and a woman together.  Those who were man and woman were known as being of the moon, since the moon is like both the earth and the sun.  What Aristophanes tells in his story is that the Gods split us in two and since then we've been in constant search to find our mate.

"Long ago, our nature was not the same as it is now but quite different.  For one thing, there were three human genders, not just the present two, male and female.  There was also a third one, a combination of these two...For another thing, the shape of each human being was a rounded whole, with back and sides forming a circle.  Each one had four hands and the same number of legs, and two identical faces on a circular neck.  They had one head for both faces, which were turned in opposite directions, four ears, two sets of genitals, and everything else as you would imagine from what I have told you so far...The reason why there were these three genders, and why they were as described, is that the parent of the male gender was originally the sun, that of the female gender the earth, that of the combined gender the moon, because the moon is a combination of sun and earth."  -excerpt from the speech of Aristophanes from Plato's "The Symposium"

There's a great movie called "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" which is essentially based on this tale by Aristophanes.  The movie is a musical and the song "The Origin of Love" sums up the theme.

Sometimes is seems that love is a cosmic force.  I've seen it work miracles.  I've seen it transform people. And all this time, the moon has been there, watching us.  Watching those miracles happen.

5 Days in Boulder

That John Denver guy knew a thing or two.  I'm out in Boulder, Colorado right now for some work and play.  Newton running has brought us out here for a two day coaching class and a 3 day retail summit.

It's been great being out here.  The sun is always shining, the views of the flat irons and the front range are tremendous.  I just got back from a run of a little over an hour, climbing up for the first half until my heart was threatening to pound out of my chest.  I stopped for a bit at the top of a pass, took in the amazing scenery, let my heart rate calm down and then took the trail back down into town.

Walking along Pearl Street has been nice; people watching, the street performers...We've had some really good food and met some interesting people.  And I've learned a TON!  I'm also pretty excited because one of the speakers we get to meet today is Olympic Gold Medalist, Frank Shorter.  The man who possibly single handedly started the running boom in America.  That will be fun.

Still, I do miss Duluth.  The trails, the lake, the view from Hawk's Ridge, the peonies at the Rose Garden...and I can't wait to get home.

Voyageur Review

To be perfectly honest, as I sit here right now, I could probably sum up the Voyageur in one word; Ouch! But as you'd expect from a 50 mile race, there are many things that occur and many things that one has to go through from start to finish.

I started out my morning with a 4am wakeup.  A little bit of coffee an english muffin, and three M&M's (one red, one orange, and one yellow) and I was ready to go.

The forecast called for temps in the 80's and a 50% chance of rain in the afternoon.  When I got to Carlton at 6am it was obvious that it was going to be a very warm day and eventually the forecast proved to be right.

We got going at 7am and as I did last year, I hung towards the middle of the pack, keeping things slow and easy for the first 3.5 miles.  This first section of the race is mostly single track trail, filled with roots and rocks, it's great fun to run on this challenging terrain when you're fresh.  Not so much after you've already ran 47 miles however, as happens upon your return back to Carlton.

After crossing the swinging bridge, it's there that I often feel like the race actually starts.  We swing onto some open ski trail in Jay Cooke.  It's a chance to run a bit quicker if you like, and to chat with runners.  I ran with fellow DRC Team Member, Ron Hendrickson through a good chunk of Jay Cooke.

For me, the first 10 miles or so went by very smoothly and I was feeling great.  Then, the power lines.  It's in the infamous power line section that the first introduction of hurt begins in the Voyageur.  Many of these steep hills are simply un-runnable, you work your way up and gently tread your way down them, over and over again, all while being exposed to the sun and heat of the day.  I got behind a couple of guys who were probably going a bit slower than I wanted to at the time, but I decided to hang back with them and move ahead a little later.

I got through the power line section rather easily and moved on down the trail, still full of running and feeling very good.  For most of the rest of the first half of the race, I was feeling great.  I was passing runners and moving smoothly.  I began to imagine who I would catch, could I move in to the top 10?  Either way, I just wanted to stay consistent and prepare myself for the voyage back.

Running the long downhill into the zoo, I started to see some of the lead runners making their way back. Another fellow DRC Team Member, Chris Rubesch was looking solid in 5th place at the time, we wished each other luck and continued on our respective ways.  (Chris would end up running a great race and finishing 4th)

I got to the Zoo in 4 hours 3 minutes, which was a bit slower than I had hoped, but not too bad.  It was great to see everyone there, helping out and chatting.  Kandi, Paul, Shane and Dave were awesome and really lifted my spirits.  It was tempting just to stay there and hang with them for the rest of the day!

However, I still had the second half of the race to go, so I started the long climb out of the zoo and over Spirit Mountain.  It was there that I started having trouble.  It was very, very hot down by the zoo and my stomach started cramping.  I was experiencing some difficulty and decided to take things easy for a while and hopefully I could get through this bad patch and start moving better again soon.

There comes a time in every 50 mile race when things are not going well and having the experience of being through that before comes in very handy.  Also, having run the same race last year was of great help to me because I knew what to expect and what parts of the course would be more runnable than others given my state of discomfort.

So I was able to locate some strength and locate some motivation and once the long climb was over I was able to start pushing again.  I had been passed by quite a few people between the aid station and my slow climb but I knew that there was a very good chance that I'd see some of them again as the second half of the race is a totally different thing than the first half of the race.

Things started improving as I made my way out of Magney and down Skyline.  I got to the Becks Road aid station and I was starting to feel better.  It was obvious to me that I'd worked through the bad patch and I was able to start moving more fluidly again.

Moving through the rest of the course on the way back was still a lot of work.  As you'd expect, my legs were heavy and sore, my stomach was still not 100% but it was getting better.  It's in these times of the race that you simply move forward, running when you can and walking when you need to.  And when I say "running", it's really more like a shuffle, nowhere near the kind of running that one does for the first part.

Often, for the trip back, you're running by yourself and things can get lonely but as you come into an aid station, you hear human voices and your spirit magically lifts!  This happened to me at the Peterson's aid station.  I had just turned a corner and slowed to a walk, my head was down and I was hurting.  Then the aid station volunteers spotted me through the trees and started cheering!  Instantly a smile came to my face and I was running again and there, at the aid station, I discovered a magical food; salty bananas!

I can only describe salty bananas by saying they taste just as bad as you'd expect!  I watched as another runner took a bit of banana and rolled it in a bowl of salt.  "Brilliant!" I though to myself and since she was doing that, and was ahead of me, I figured I'd try it too.  Plus with the intense heat, I had been loosing a lot of salt and my stomach couldn't really handle my Heed/Whey drink I had left in my drop bags, so I was only taking water at the aid stations.

I rolled a chunk of banana in the bowl of salt and took a tentative bite.  Yuck!  It tasted exactly like salt on a banana, which is not a tasty combination.  But it worked!  I started running again out of the aid station and though my stomach complained a bit later, my energy level returned and I was able to run much quicker and more consistent.

Two more aid stations came before the end and I went with the salty bananas the rest of the way.  I was certainly dead tired and ready to be done, but I knew that I'd finish fine and knowing that really improved my mood.

It was great to see familiar faces, friends of mine at the last aid station at Jay Cooke.  Lisa, and Ron (who unfortunately had to drop out) and Shane really brightened my spirits and helped make the last 3 miles along the river more tolerable.

I moved along through the roots and rocks as best I could, walking through some of the more rocky sections and some of the ups but mostly just trying to get the damn thing over with!  After what seemed like a long 3 miles, I came to the Munger Trail.  I was nearly home!

It's such a relief coming back to the Munger and making that turn into town toward the school.  It's funny how you can be so incredibly tire and still locate some strength to run hard, to finish strong.

So it was another successful Voyageur for me.  I ran a little slower this year than last year, but I feel like I ran better.  I certainly ran tougher and smarter.  It helped having some inspiration from so many volunteers and friends that came to watch and those who were in my heart and mind.  Thank you all!

*(Photos courtesy of Paul Behrens)

Shoes!

No, I don't have a problem, I'm totally in control of my shoe buying.  I can quit anytime I want.  It's just that I don't WANT to quit right now.  Shoes are simply too fun!

From racing flats to trail shoes, from road trainers to minimalist shoes, I've had them all over the years.  Every catagory, nearly every brand, in an entire spectrum of colors.  My all time favorite being these beauties:

Mizuno Phantom

The Mizuno Phantom.  The best shoe ever made!  I bought a pair of these in 1999 and my feet partied in them for quite some time.  I still have the same pair, boxed up in my closet.  I break them out on occasion, when I'm feeling nostalgic.

Among the others shoes that are sharing closet space with my beloved Phantoms and those that I'm running in today, are these:

My Arsenal

Shoes, I've convinced myself, are not an indulgence.  They are a necessity for enhancing the running experience.  They aid in your swiftness your agility.  They offer protection and speed.  And dammit, they're really cool!