TrailFit Review: Casio Pathfinder PAW1300 Series

Posted February 24, 2009 at 11:34 AM by Paul Peterson

Section: Gear & Apparel

It is essential to track and monitor your body’s performance and response, as well as the surrounding elements to which you are exposed, whenever you are participating in outdoor activities such as trail running, hiking, backpacking and fastpacking. GPS technology provides information such as speed, altitude, and bearing, but often requires athletes to carry yet another device and is generally incapable of providing weather-related information.

Casio has introduced the Pathfinder Series as a way to disseminate vital information to trekkers using the low-profile and convenient platform of a wristwatch. I recently had the pleasure of exploring the 3V model of Casio’s Pathfinder PAW1300 Series and tested it on several types of training runs and within various environments.

Many of the PAW1300’s features and attributes were very appealing.  The following list is comprised of the features that I found most beneficial:

Atomic Timekeeping. With this watch you will always have the correct time, thanks to direct radio communication from the atomic transmitter in Fort Collins, Colorado. Solar Battery. The solar cell is charged frequently from both direct sunlight and artificial indoor light. Not only is this environmentally friendly, both you’ll never have to worry about your watch going dead in the middle of an adventure. Digital Compass. Know your bearing at all times. The embedded compass displays the angle value, direction indicator, and four graphic direction pointers. The watch also allows the user to store and recall compass readings. Barometer. The Pathfinder stores barometric readings every two hours, and graphs pressure for the last 26 hours. This allows users to predict weather patterns on the fly. Altimeter. Using air pressure readings, the watch estimates, stores, and graphs current elevation and elevation changes. It even can alert you when nearing a target elevation. Thermometer. A built-in sensor can display temperature in degrees F or C. It also works underwater, and be used to take stream or lake readings. Auto Backlight. At night, just tilt the watch toward your face, and the LEDs automatically light up. Tough Band. This watch can truly take a pounding without breaking.

As seen above, the feature list of this watch is truly impressive. I remember being impressed by calculator watches when I was kid, but these Pathfinders truly raise the bar of features that can be assimilated into a normal-sized wristwatch.

This bevy of features leads to the only real downside of the watch: its tremendous complexity. This is demonstrated by its hefty 153-page user’s guide, which I had to wade through several times before I became adept enough to calibrate and operate the Pathfinder’s sensors. Plan on investing some serious time into properly learning this piece of equipment.

Once the watch sensors were properly calibrated and I had conquered the learning curve, I found the various measurements to be fairly accurate. I particularly had good experiences with the altimeter, and determined its readings to be quite close to known benchmarks along some of my favorite hikes. And the elevation profile is a nice feature as well.

The Casio Pathfinder PAW1300-3V (Pictured, above right) retails for $300. With this hefty price-tag, the Pathfinder is certainly not for everyone, but should find a strong niche among outdoor enthusiasts and athletes (both recreational and competitive).  If you are a trailrunner, adventure racer or even a dedicated back-country trekker, I would recommend adding one of the Pathfinder models to your running arsenal as it’s features will be specifically appealing and advantageous for your purposes.

Fastpacking: The perfect mix of running, hiking and nature

Posted February 23, 2009 at 02:09 PM by Amanda Black

Section: Gear & Apparel, Training

Have you ever wanted to fuse the beauty and surroundings of a hike with the face pace of a run?  Well, if you did - then your in luck - because that’s exactly what the newest craze, called “fastpacking”, is all about.

Fastpacking is about taking as little gear as possible so you can travel greater distances in the wilderness unhampered.  And what gear you do take with you should be necessary camping gear: (sleeping bag and tarp), food, cooking utensils, water, and everything should be durable and light.  The total weight of your pack should be around twenty pounds or what you can comfortably run with for a long period of time.

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: TheFinalSprint.com

Wardian Claims U.S. Ultra Distance Triple

Posted July 31, 2008 at 12:09 PM by Bart Moylan

Section: News, Ultramarathons

Earlier this year Michael Wardian (MarathonGuide.com) won U.S. championships at the 50- and 100-kilometer distances. He added a third U.S. distance title Saturday at the White River 50-mile in Crystal Mountain, Washington.

Wardian finished in 6:52.50, the third fastest time in race history. Adam Lint finished second in 6:59.36 and Jasper Halekas was third in 7:04.25.

Susannah Beck won the women’s race in 7:32.12 and Kami Semick finished second in 7:42.52. 

USA 100 Mile Trail Champs Set for Tahoe Rim Trail Run

Posted July 18, 2008 at 01:44 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

The next stop on the USA ultramarathon championships circuit will be beautiful Lake Tahoe, Nevada, this Saturday for the USA 100 Mile Trail Championships. This year’s event will be hosted by the 2008 Tahoe Rim Trail 50K/50M/100M Endurance Runs.

The 2008 championship field includes some of the Nation’s top ultra runners in both the men’s and women’s competition. Leading the women’s field is 2006 champion Connie Gardner (Medina, Ohio), who has also recorded national championships wins in the 100-mile run in 2003 and the 100-kilometer run in 2002; and Nikki Kimball (Bozeman, Mont.), the USA 50 Mile Trail champion in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, and added the road race title in 2005.

Among the favorites in the men’s field will be, Jon Olsen (Modesto, Calif.), Erik Skaden (Folsom, Calif.), and Ian Torrence (Ashland, Ore.).

This year’s overall 100-mile men’s and women’s winners of the USA Track & Field National 100-mile championship will receive $1000 each. The top ten men and women USA Track & Field runners will receive overall medals. Additionally, the top three finishers in each five-year age division starting at 40 years of age will also receive medals.

For more information on the 2008 Mountain/Ultra/Trail circuit visit http://www.usatf.org.

Via: USA Track & Field

California Wildfires Nix Western States 100

Posted June 28, 2008 at 12:36 AM by David Monti

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

For the first time in 35 years, the Western States 100, America’s most prestigious 100 mile trail run, has been scuttled, another casualty of the epic wildfires which are devastating the state of California.  The race was to begin on Saturday.

“It is with deep regret that we announce today that the 35th running of the Western States 100-mile Endurance Run has been cancelled, due to the unprecedented amount of wildfires that have struck northern California in recent days and the health risks that have been associated with these wildfires,” wrote Western States Board President Tim Twietmeyer in an e-mail message to registered runners.  Twietmeyer continued: “Since the beginning of more than 840 wildfires statewide, 312 wildfires in northern California and more than 3,200 lightning strikes in the Tahoe National Forest alone on June 21, the race’s organizers have worked closely with a variety local, county and state agencies in determining the best course of action for our race. It has become apparent that given our race’s paramount concern - the safety or our runners - holding this year’s race would pose too great a risk to our runners, to our aid station personnel and to our volunteers.”

Twietmeyer pointd out that at least two of the fires were within two miles of the race course which runs from Squaw Valley to Auburn.  The storied course has some 40,000 feet of climbing and descending, which much of it held at extremely high altitudes.

Organizers are pulling together alternate activities for the runners including annual events such as runner check-in for goodie bag pickup on Friday morning, the pre-race briefing and raffle on Friday afternoon, the showing of Western States documentaries on Friday night, and a special gathering of runners commemorating the race’s start on Saturday.

“You have dreamed big and made countless personal sacrifices to prepare for one of the greatest days any trail runner can ever have,” Twietmeyer’s statement read.  “As a group, the Western States Board would like to commend you for your dedication and devotion not only to the preparation that is required for our race, but to the community of trail runners of which we are all a part.”

The race was founded in 1977, and it’s winners’ list boast such ultra legends as Ann Trason, who won 14 times, Scott Jurek, who won seven times, and Twietmeyer who had won five times.

(c) 2008 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved.  Used with permission.

Wardian Wins USA 100k Champs, Shatters Mad City Course Record

Posted April 14, 2008 at 09:12 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News, Ultramarathons

Michael Wardian (Arlington, Va.), made his first appearance at the USA 100 km championships on Sunday, running 6:56:57 to win his second ultrarunning title of the year at the Mad City 100K in Madison, Wis. The championships were hosted for the second time by the Mad City 100K.

Wardian, who also won the USA 50 km championships last month, was content to let Steve Stowers (Berkley, Calif.) and Adam Lint (Patton, Pa.) handle the pace work for the first 40 km before moving into the lead before the 50 km mark. Over the last 50 km Wardian continued to build his lead and by the time he hit the tape, had recorded a win by 17:31 over Stowers. Lint would finish 4:32 later for third.

Leading the women’s field was Carolyn Smith (Milwaukee, Wis.), taking the championship in 8:25:26 for a 26:41 win over Connie Gardner (Medina, Ohio).

Former 2-time national champion Ann Heaslett (Madison, Wis.) was third in 9:40:37.

In addition to earning $2,000 each for their victories, Wardian and Smith earned spots on the U.S. team going to 100 km World Cup race in Tuscania, Italy, on November 8, 2008.

Official Results:

MEN - 1. Michael Wardian 6:56:57 2. Steve Stowers 7:14:34 3. Adam Lint 7:19:06 4. Mark Godale 7:36:31

WOMEN - 1. Carolyn Smith 8:25:26 2. Connie Gardner 8:52:07 3. Ann Heaslett 9:40:37

For more information, please visit: [Mad City 100k], [Lisa Smith-Batchen]

Via: Jim Estes, USA Track & Field [USATF]

Crowther to Defend USA 100km Title at Mad City 100K

Posted April 11, 2008 at 08:46 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News, Ultramarathons

Greg Crowther (Seattle, Wash.) will head to Madison, Wisconsin this Saturday to defend his title at the 2008 USA 100 km Championships. The championships will be hosted for the second time by the Mad City 100K.

The distance, 100 kilometers, is just over 62 miles, where 37 competitors will run a scenic 10-kilometer course around Lake Wingra ten times, providing support crews and spectators many opportunities to see the athletes during the event.

Crowther will have his work cut out for him as Michael Wardian (Arlington, Va.), makes his first appearance at the 100 km championships. Wardian won the USA 50 km championships last month, setting a championship record of 2:55:05.

Age-group aces Kevin Setnes (Eagle, Wis.) and Roy Pirrung (Kohler, Wis.) are also entered in the men’s field. Last year they finished third and fourth respectively.

Leading the women’s field will be Carolyn Smith (Milwaukee, Wis.), third in last year’s championships. Smith is a frequent competitor in international ultramarathons, in 2005 she finished 11th in the world at the 24-hour run championships, helping the U.S. win the team bronze medal.

Joining Smith will be U.S. national team member Connie Gardner (Medina, Ohio), who finished 5th among the women in last year’s national championship race in Madison. Gardner has also recorded national championships wins in the 100-mile run in 2003 and the 100-kilometer run in 2002.

Former 2-time national champion Ann Heaslett (Madison, Wis.) will also compete in the championship. In last year’s national championship, Heaslett finished as the 4th-place woman in a time of 8 hours, 45 minutes, 27 seconds.

At stake are spots on the U.S. team going to 100 km World Cup race in Tuscania, Italy, on November 8, 2008. Guaranteed spots on the team will be offered to the first male and the first female in the USA 100 km championship race. Additional athletes may qualify if they run 7 hours, 20 minutes or faster for men, or 8 hours, 40 minutes for women.

A prize purse of $9,650 will be awarded to the top six U.S. male and female finishers in the championships division with the champions taking home $2,000.

For more information on the 2008 MUT circuit visit www.usatf.org.

Via: Jim Estes, USA Track & Field

Dean Karnazes Selected to Carry Olympic Torch

Posted April 9, 2008 at 11:12 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News, Ultramarathons

According to his new blog entry at Runner’s World, “Ultramarathon Man” Dean Karnazes has been selected to carry the Olympic torch while it passes through his hometown of San Francisco, CA.

Karnazes, an elite (and at times controversial) ultra endurance athlete, is coming off of an impressive victory at the grueling Atacama Crossing, a 275-K race across the Atacama Desert in Chile.  He was also the recipient of ESPN’s 2007 ESPY Award for “Best Outdoor Athlete”. 

In his announcement about being selected for - and accepting - this honor, Karnazes wrote:

“It is with great honor that I am letting you know I have been selected to carry the Olympic Torch as it passes through my home city of San Francisco.  The selection process had begun quite some time ago, but it was requested that all those being considered for this distinction keep the information confidential.

The Olympic Torch Relay is a highly emotional event, one that accentuates excitement, passion, joy, optimism, and inspiration.  It also sets the tone for messages of good-will and unity, hope, peace, harmony, friendship and pride.”

To read Karnazes entire blog post, which includes his stance on the now extremely politicized torch relay and the Beijing Olympic Games in general, please visit:  http://dean.runnersworld.com/

To learn more about Karnazes, check out the following episodes of TheFinalSprint.com Running Podcast:

TFS Podcast 9: Interview with extreme ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes TFS Podcast 83: Dean Karnazes on the ESPY, 24-hr record, and criticisms from Scott Jurek

Active at Altitude, Trail Runner & Running Times Magazines to Host Retreat

Posted April 3, 2008 at 05:17 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News, Trail Running, Training

Elinor Fish and Adam Chase, editors at two top U.S. running publications, Trail Runner and Running Times, are leading a unique retreat for trail runners including guided trail runs, training theory and writing about running seminars at Active at Altitude, a residential sports-training centre near Estes Park, Colorado, June 20 – 22, 2008. Situated at 8000 feet above sea level, Active at Altitude is a bed-and-breakfast style accommodation conveniently located just 35 minutes from Boulder or a 90-minute drive from Denver International Airport.

The retreat is for runners who can already run for at least an hour at eight- to 10-minutes-per-mile pace, want to boost their fitness and learn training principles in a fun and social atmosphere. Retreat packages start at $300 and include group trail runs, seminars, morning yoga classes, a cooking class, meals and accommodation.  Elinor and Adam will conduct three seminars covering training plans, goal setting, running form, injury prevention, buying shoes and other gear, nutrition/fuelling, intervals, hill training and race strategy. In addition, the two writing seminars will provide aspiring writers with tips and tools for composing entertaining (and potentially sellable) stories for a personal blog, website or magazine.

The retreat is an enriching weekend all about healthy food, beautiful trails, fresh air and camaraderie in a beautiful and relaxing environment. On Saturday evening, Celeste Magnuson will lead a Living Foods Lifestyle class about cooking fresh, health-boosting and satisfying raw-food meals. Massages by On the River Massage’s Jacqui Chiplin will also be available at an additional cost. To view a full retreat itinerary and to reserve a space now, visit www.activeataltitude.com.

ABOUT US Elinor Fish is Managing Editor of Trail Runner (www.trailrunnermag.com), has been a competitive trail runner for 17 years and has led running clinics and retreats in Canada and the US for 10 years.

Adam Chase of Boulder, Colorado, is the Trail Editor at Running Times (www.runningtimes.com), author of The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running and President of the American Trail Running Association.

LIMITED TO ONLY 12 PARTICIPANTS!

Rates are $300 plus tax per person sharing a bunk room; $350 plus tax per person for a double room.  For further information email Terry Chiplin at //';l[1]='a';l[2]='/';l[3]='';l[31]='\"';l[32]=' 109';l[33]=' 111';l[34]=' 99';l[35]=' 46';l[36]=' 108';l[37]=' 105';l[38]=' 97';l[39]=' 109';l[40]=' 103';l[41]=' 64';l[42]=' 101';l[43]=' 100';l[44]=' 117';l[45]=' 116';l[46]=' 105';l[47]=' 116';l[48]=' 108';l[49]=' 97';l[50]=' 116';l[51]=' 97';l[52]=' 101';l[53]=' 118';l[54]=' 105';l[55]=' 116';l[56]=' 99';l[57]=' 97';l[58]=':';l[59]='o';l[60]='t';l[61]='l';l[62]='i';l[63]='a';l[64]='m';l[65]='\"';l[66]='=';l[67]='f';l[68]='e';l[69]='r';l[70]='h';l[71]='a ';l[72]='= 0; i=i-1){ if (l[i].substring(0, 1) == ' ') document.write("&#"+unescape(l[i].substring(1))+";"); else document.write(unescape(l[i])); } //]]> or call 970-586-4432 www.activeataltitude.com

Karl Meltzer to Host Utah Ultrarunning Camp in July

Posted March 28, 2008 at 11:42 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons, Training

The University of Utah and Karl Meltzer will hosting the Utah Ultrarunning Camp on July 9-13, 2008. The camp is focused on the ultra runner looking to expand his knowledge and improve on performance, generally on mountain courses.

The camp will be held on the campus of the University of Utah with heavily supported runs within the beautiful Wasatch Mountains. It will involve discussions on nutrition, training techniques, preparation for ultras and many secrets Karl has used to train efficiently and perform successfully.

Guest runners Nikki Kimball and Ian Torrence among other speakers will lend their expertise to making this camp a spectacular event for ultra runners interested in improving their current practices.

The camp includes most meals, lodging (if necessary), transportation to/from and support during all trail runs, interactive lecture sessions from a variety of noted experts, roundtable discussions with world-class ultra runners, laboratory testing, video analysis of technique, a final dinner provided by Karl’s sponsors and much more.

Camp prices are $900 for Utah locals, or $1200 for those who opt to stay at the plush hotel accommodations arranged on the university campus. A discount of $150 will be provided to those who share a room (two queen-size beds).

For the camp itinerary, more information and to register, please visit www.karlmeltzer.com

Jurek, Kimball Named UltraRunning Magazine’s Runners of the Year

Posted January 21, 2008 at 12:37 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

Scott Jurek of Seattle and Nikki Kimball of Bozeman, Montana have been voted the 2007 UltraRunning Magazine North American runners of the year.

Jurek won Colorado’s Hardrock 100 Mile in July, generally considered the toughest of the 39 100-mile races in North America, and set a new course record of 26:08:34 in the process. In September he raced against Europe’s finest in the 246-km Spartathlon in from Athens to Sparta, Greece, winning the race in 23:12:14. It is the fourth time in the past five years that Jurek has won the award.

Kimball won the prestigious Western States 100 Mile in June in 18:12:37, the second fastest women’s time in the race’s 34-year history. She also won the 101.2-mile Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc, Europe’s largest ultramarathon, in a course record 25:43:45 and two of the most competitive 50-mile races in the country, White River in Washington State and Mountain Masochist in Virginia. Kimball easily out-polled her nearest rivals, California’s Beverly Anderson-Abbs, Anne Lundblad of North Carolina, and Oregon’s Krissy Moehl, who finished in a virtual tie for second.

Jurek’s Hardrock win and Krissy Moehl’s women’s course record in the same event were honored as top Performances of the Year.

In age group awards, 53-year-old Kevin Setnes’ impressive 7:39:21 100 km at the IAU Championships in Winschoten, Netherlands was honored as the top male performance. Gunhild Swanson, who finished South Dakota’s Lean Horse 100 Mile in 23:13:00 at age 63, was voted the top female performance.

A board of 21 voters from all regions of North America submitted ballots this year. Complete voting results will appear in the March 2008 issue of UltraRunning and on the UltraRunning website at www.ultrarunning.com. UltraRunning, with offices in Healdsburg, California and Denver, Colorado, covers running events that are longer than a 26.2-mile marathon. For further information, please contact publisher John Medinger at //';l[1]='a';l[2]='/';l[3]='';l[27]='\"';l[28]=' 109';l[29]=' 111';l[30]=' 99';l[31]=' 46';l[32]=' 103';l[33]=' 110';l[34]=' 105';l[35]=' 110';l[36]=' 110';l[37]=' 117';l[38]=' 114';l[39]=' 97';l[40]=' 114';l[41]=' 116';l[42]=' 108';l[43]=' 117';l[44]=' 64';l[45]=' 109';l[46]=' 110';l[47]=' 104';l[48]=' 111';l[49]=' 106';l[50]=':';l[51]='o';l[52]='t';l[53]='l';l[54]='i';l[55]='a';l[56]='m';l[57]='\"';l[58]='=';l[59]='f';l[60]='e';l[61]='r';l[62]='h';l[63]='a ';l[64]='= 0; i=i-1){ if (l[i].substring(0, 1) == ' ') document.write("&#"+unescape(l[i].substring(1))+";"); else document.write(unescape(l[i])); } //]]> or call 707.431.9898.

ULTRA RUNNING 2007 UltraRunning Magazine’s Runners of the Year (first place votes in parentheses)

Men 1. Scott Jurek, 34, Seattle, WA (9) 199 2. Karl Meltzer, 40, Sandy, UT (5) 153 3. Kyle Skaggs, 22, Ashland, OR (3) 137 4. Hal Koerner, 31, Ashland, OR 131 5. Anton Krupicka, 23, Bozeman, MT (1) 105 6. Greg Crowther, 34, Seattle, WA (2) 96 7. Akos Konya, 33, Oceanside, CA (1) 84 8. Andy Jones-Wilkins, 39, Ketchum, ID 52 9. Philip McCarthy, 39, New York, NY 42 10. Jasper Halekas, 31, Oakland, CA 32

Performance of the Year 1. Scott Jurek’s Hardrock 100 Mile, 26:08:34 (7) 80 2. Scott Jurek’s Spartathlon 246 km, 23:12:14 (9) 77 3. Lon Freeman’s Miwok 100 km, 8:09:52 (2) 37 4. Howard Nippert’s IAU 100 km, 6:49:31 33 5. Kyle Skaggs’ Wasatch 100 Mile, 19:35:14 (1) 26

Women 1. Nikki Kimball, 36, Bozeman, MT (13) 223 2. Bev Anderson-Abbs, 43, Red Bluff, CA (1) 148 3. Anne Lundblad, 41, Swannonoa, NC (3) 146 4. Krissy Moehl, 30, Bend, OR (2) 145 5. Connie Gardner, 43, Medina, OH (2) 132 6. Kami Semick, 41, Bend, OR 90 7. Annette Bednosky, 41, Jefferson, NC 64 8. Devon Crosby-Helms, 25, Seattle, WA 54 9. Caren Spore, 39, Davis, CA 45 10. Suzanna Bon, 43, Sonoma, CA 38

Performance of the Year 1. Krissy Moehl’s Hardrock 100 Mile, 29:24:25 (8) 95 2. Connie Gardner’s Ultracentric 24-Hour, 145.26 miles (6) 87 3. Nikki Kimball’s Tour du Mont Blanc 163 km, 25:43:45 (3) 57 4. Jenn Shelton - Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile, 14:57:18 (2) 51 5. Nikki Kimball’s Western States 100 Mile, 18:12:37 (1) 31

Age Group Performances of the Year

Men 1. Kevin Setnes, 53, WI, IAU 100 km, 7:39:21 (7) 65 2. Roy Pirrung, 59, WI Ultracentric 24-Hour, 138.51 miles (2) 47 3. John DeWalt, 71, PA, Hardrock 100 Mile, 47:36:23 (5) 46 4. Scott Mills, 56, CA, Hardrock 100 Mile, 32:43:17 (3) 32 5. Karsten Solheim, 70, AZ, Western States 100 Mile, 29:57:38 (2) 25

Women 1. Gunhild Swanson, 63, WA, Lean Horse 100 Mile, 23:13:00 (7) 89 2. Nancy March, 59, CA, Leona Divide 50 Mile, 10:06:50 (1) 53 3. Juliane Scheberies, 73, CA, Ruth Anderson 50 km, 6:36:23 (2) 41 4. Suprabha Beckjord 53, DC, Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile, 58+7:54:27 (4) 35 5. Admas Beligne, 54, NY, Pioneer Trek 100 Mile 3-stage, 18:13:14 (3) 31

UltraRunning Runners of the Year 1981 – 2007 1981 Marcy Schwam Bernd Heinrich 1982 Marcy Schwam Stu Mittleman 1983 Janis Klecker Bernd Heinrich 1984 Donna Hudson Bernd Heinrich 1985 Sandra Kiddy Stu Mittleman 1986 Sandra Kiddy Chuck Jones 1987 Mary Hanudel Charlie Trayer 1988 Ann Trason Stefan Fekner 1989 Ann Trason Sean Crom 1990 Ann Trason Andy Jones 1991 Ann Trason Andy Jones 1992 Ann Trason Eric Clifton 1993 Ann Trason Kevin Setnes 1994 Ann Trason Tom Johnson 1995 Ann Trason Tom Johnson 1996 Ann Trason Tom Johnson 1997 Ann Trason Tom Johnson 1998 Ann Trason Kevin Setnes 1999 Daniele Cherniak Mark Godale 2000 Deb Bolig Dan Held 2001 Ann Trason Rich Hanna 2002 Ann Heaslett Chad Ricklefs 2003 Nikki Kimball Scott Jurek 2004 Nikki Kimball Scott Jurek 2005 Anne Lundblad Scott Jurek 2006 Anne Lundblad Karl Meltzer 2007 Nikki Kimball Scott Jurek

Trail Running Shoe Review: New Balance MR790

Posted January 16, 2008 at 10:28 AM by Paul Peterson

Section: Gear & Apparel, Footwear, Reviews, Special Features, T.F. Reviews

Product: New Balance MR790 Price: $80.00 Shoe Type: Lightweight Trail / Racing Fit: Half a size small Weight: 7.9 oz Pronation Factor: Neutral Best for: Lighter runners with access to softer surfaces

Many trails near my home in northern Utah are steep, rocky, and foreboding, requiring heavy tank-like trail running shoes that can withstand the punishment of the terrain—and protect my feet as well. Many of these dedicated trail running shoes weigh up to a pound apiece in order to offer high levels of support and protection.

However, there are times in my trail running when I don’t quite need that level of stability and “armor”, but rather, I want speed and agility. In other words, I want a lightweight trail shoe, the trail equivalent to a road racing flat.

Fortunately, New Balance has come through with this wish, with their MR790 model trail shoe. At a feather-light 7.9 ounces, this trail shoe is lighter than my road-racing flats! But how will they perform on a trail?

Read the rest of this review at our partner site: TheFinalSprint.com

Obsidians Announce 22-Hike Schedule for Visitors to U.S. Olympic T&F Trials in Oregon

Posted January 15, 2008 at 03:09 PM by Martin Kennedy

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News

The Obsidians outdoors club has announced a schedule of 22 hikes for visitors to this summer’s U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials and concurrent Oregon Bach Festival.  Outings include 12 coastal, forest and mountain hikes and 10 urban hikes, presenting visitors an introduction to both the natural wonders of western Oregon and the unique attractions of Track Town, USA.

The trials will run from June 27 through July 6, with a two-day break in action on July 1 and 2.  The Oregon Bach Festival runs from June 27 through July 13.  For those individuals and families using these events as the basis for more extended vacations to the area, Obsidian hikes will be offered during the weeks before and after the trials, as well as during the two-day break in the middle.  Most hikes will be easy to moderate, in the five to six-mile range.

On the mornings of the meet itself, the Obsidians will lead urban hikes along the city’s riverside paths and forested ridgeline trails, as well as pilgrimages to the Steve Prefontaine Memorial (“Pre’s Rock”) [Pictured] and a togas optional tour of “Animal House” film locations.

The full schedule (presented below) is available along with additional information and registration procedures online at http://www.obsidians.org/otrials. The website can also be accessed through the Obsidians primary home page at http://www.obsidians.org.  All sign-ups will be done online using a unique registration system designed by the Obsidians just for this project.

Obsidians, Inc., is an 80-year-old not-for-profit, all volunteer, organization with more than 500 members.  All hikes will be led by experienced men and women familiar with the areas.  There will be a $5 nonmember fee per person (minors under 18 free, with parents) with a suggested sharing of driving costs.

To check out the complete hiking schedule offered to visitors of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Euegene Oregon, please visit: http://www.obsidians.org/otrials

Janicki, Sakurai Win IAU Trail World Challenge 50 Mile

Posted December 11, 2007 at 12:48 PM by Jamal Walker

Section: News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

This year’s Sunmart 50 mile event served as the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) Trail World Challenge. Runners representing twelve IAU federations ran side-by-side with the Open field to vie for the overall championship. The men’s winner Jaroslaw Janicki hails from Poland and broke the tape in 6 hours, 7 minutes and 46 seconds. The women’s winner, Norimi Sakurai from Japan, clocked in at 6:34:58 at the 18th Texas Trail Endurance Runs on Saturday.

Janicki, 41, former winner of several high profile ultra marathons including the Comrades Marathon in South Africa, set the pace from the beginning and slowly separated himself from the rest of the field.

“I am happy about winning, but somewhat surprised by my results,” stated Janicki who usually competes on the roads and was attempting a trail ultra for the first time. Janicki won his first Sunmart, the famous Stallion trophy and the $1000 victor’s purse. Coming in 22 minutes behind Janicki was Marc Vanderlinden of Belgium in 6:29:21 and third place went to Jose Azevedo of Luxembourg in 6:32:04.

Sakurai, 36, is also well known internationally in the women’s ultra marathon community and was this year’s winner of the IAU 100K World cup in The Netherlands. Sakurai ran with the men’s leaders and her most serious challenge was the weather.

“The conditions were tough,” stated Sakurai. “I am happy about winning, but this effort was very tiring.”

There was a seesaw battle for second and third place as Helen Crossan of Ireland passed Adela Salt of England on last lap and finished in 7:18:24. Salt finished in 7:22:03.

In the men’s 50K Jim Harrington, 42, from Negaunee, Mich. defended his title in 3:42:33. Harrington surged to the lead from the beginning and no one attempted to stay with his pace on a hot day.

“I’m lucky to win this event,” stated Harrington, “Everything went well, I drank a lot of Gatorade and that is what saved me.”

Harrington won the trophy and the $600 cash prize for the 50K victory. He spoke for everyone by complementing the race organization and was especially appreciative for the support on the course on a tough day. Jamie Cleveland, 35, from Austin, a newcomer to ultras finished runner-up in 3:55:53. Francisco Garza, 42, from Houston rounded out the top three and finished in 3:58:59.

The women’s 50K was the best race of the day as Andrea Jarzombek, 33, from San Antonio bested defending champion Wendy Terris, 38, of Portland, Ore.

Jarzombek stated, “Being new to this distance my goal was to finish and I wanted to run within myself. At a certain point, I felt I could open things up.”

Terris was in the lead, but probably had gone out too fast for the conditions. Jarzombek passed Terris going into the final lap and won in 3:46:12 (second overall). Terris bettered her time from last year and came in 3:51:59 (third overall). Tania Pacev, 48, from Littleton, Colo. placed third in 4:19:55.

This year’s Sunmart event attracted over 1,100 runners from 32 states and twelve countries.

18th Sunmart Texas Trails Endurance Runs Huntsville, TX, Saturday, December 8, 2007

50 Mile - IAU Trail World Challenge MEN 1) Jaroslaw Janicki, 41, (POL), 6:07:46, $1000 2) Marc Vanderlinden, 49, (BEL), 6:29:21 3) Jose Azevedo, 42, (LUX), 6:32:04

WOMEN 1) Norimi Sakurai (JPN), 6:34:58, $1000 2) Helen Crossan, 40, (IRL), 7:18:24 3) Adela Salt (GBR), 7:22:03

50K MEN 1) Jim Harrington, 42, MI, 3:42:33, $600 2) Jamie Cleveland (TX), 3:55:53 3) Francisco Garza, 42, TX, 3:58:59

WOMEN 1) Andrea Jarzombek (TX), 3:46:12, $600 2) Wendy Terris (OR), 3:51:59 3) Tania Pacev, 48, CO, 4:19:55

Deeper results at: http://www.doitsports.com/results/page.tcl?id=14723

Via: Running USA

2007 MUT Awards Winners: Runners of the Year and Contributor of the Year

Posted November 30, 2007 at 10:57 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

The Mountain Ultra Trail (MUT) Council of long distance running has chosen the 2007 USATF Mountain Runners of the Year, Ultrarunners of the Year, and Contributor of the Year. The following will receive their awards at the annual USATF National Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii on Saturday, December 1 at an awards breakfast.

Rickey Gates, 26, Boulder, CO, (Pictured)is the mountain runner of the year. This is the first time Gates has received this award. He had a stellar year winning the USA Mountain Champs and USA Trail (10km) Champs on back-to-back weekends in June, and made his second consecutive Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team. Gates raced extensively on the European Mountain Running Circuit this past summer with his best finish, a fourth place at the WMRA Grand Prix event Grossglockner in Austria. He finished 57th at the World Mountain Running Trophy as part of the ninth-place U.S. team.

Simon Gutierrez, 41, Alamosa, CO, is a repeat winner of the masters mountain runner of the year honors. Gutierrez made his sixth consecutive Teva U.S. Mountain Team with his second place finish at the USA 10km Trail Championships in Steamboat Springs where he won the masters title. He was first master at the Mount Washington Road Race where he finished in third position overall. He was the overall winner at the La Luz Hill Climb. He won the WMRA World Masters Mountain Running Championships in Bludenz, Austria in September, one week after the World Mountain Running Trophy where he placed 65th. He works at the San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center as an outpatient manual /orthopedic physical therapist and works closely with the Adams State men’s and women’s cross country and track teams.

Christine Lundy, 37, Sausalito, CA, is the women’s mountain runner of the year. Lundy was the USA Trail Champion at Steamboat Springs, CO, and with the win made her third consecutive Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team. She placed second at the USA Mountain Championships, was first at the NACAC Mountain Running Championships, and finished seventh at the Mt Obudu Mountain Race (Nigeria). Lundy placed eighth and was the second scoring team member for the Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team at the World Mountain Running Trophy and with her teammates won the gold medal for the second year in a row. Lundy also directed the Mt. Tam Trophy Race which served as the final mountain team selection race. She is a veterinarian in San Francisco.

Anita Ortiz, 43, Eagle, CO, is the masters mountain runner of the year having also won the award in 2004. As the USA Mountain Running Champion, Ortiz made her record fifth Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team. This mother of four was also the overall female champion at the very competitive Teva Mountain Games 10Km in Vail, and was the masters USA 50 Mile Trail Champion at White River 50 Miler. Ortiz is an elementary school teacher and serves on the USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Council.

Greg Crowther, 34, Seattle, WA, is the ultrarunner of the year. Crowther was the USA National 50km Champion setting a course record of 3:04:35. He was the USA 100km Road Champion running 7:14:31, placed second at Miwok 100km trail, finished in eleventh place to score for the bronze-medal winning USA 100km Team at the IAU World Cup in The Netherlands running 6:52:52, first place and course record at Bridle Trails 50km, and first place at SunMart 50 Miler in 5:37:36. Crowther is on the faculty at the University of Washington, where he is acting lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering. He graduated from Williams College in Vermont in 1995 with a degree in biology and earned a Ph.D. in Physiology & Biophysics from the University of Washington.

Roy Pirrung, 59, Sheboygan, WI, is the masters ultrarunner of the year. Pirrung dominated his age group in most every race he entered. He finished 1st at the 24-hour national championships, second at Sunmart Texas Trail Endurance 50-mile, second at the USA 50km Road Championships, first at the USA 100km National Road Championships in an American Record time, first at the Ice Age Trail 50 miler, second at the USA 100km National Masters Trail Championships, fourth at the USA 50km Trail Championships, third at the IAU World Cup Masters 100km Road event, breaking his own American Record, and was first master at the USA 50 Mile Road Championships and the Door County Fall 50-miler. Pirrung organizes the USA 24 Hour Team and also has been a member of the team for the past six years.. He is a fitness trainer at Sports Core for Kohler Company and is the Vice Chair of the USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Council.

Nikki Kimball, 36, Bozeman, MT, is a repeat winner of the ultrarunner of the year award. Kimball finished first in course record time at the Spokane River 50km Race, finished second at Miwok 100km, first at Western States 100 Miler setting a course record, and finished first in course record time at the Ultra Tour Du Mont Blanc. She was also winner of Mount Masochist. Kimball, like Crowther, is a graduate of Williams College. She is a physical therapist in Livingston, Montana.

Beverly Anderson-Abbs, 43, Red Bluff, CA, is the masters ultrarunner of the year. Anderson-Abbs finished first at the Muir Beach 50km, finished first at the Costa Rica Coastal Challenge, first masters and course record at the Way Too Cool Race, first place and course record at the Pony Express 50km, second place at the Peterson Ridge Rumble, first place and course record at the Diablo 50 Miler, third place at Miwok 100km, first place and course record at the Mt Diablo 50km, second place at Western States 100 Miler, second place at Where’s Waldo 100km, National Champion at the USA 50km Trail Championships, and first place at the Whiskeytown 50km which served as the Pacific Association USATF championship.

Contributors of the Year:

The White Mountain Milers Running Club is the Mountain Running Contributor of the Year. The Milers hosted the USA Mountain Running Championships and was very supportive of the USA mountain running program and the USATF New England Mountain Running Circuit. The Mad City 100km Road Race is the Ultrarunning Contributor of the Year. The event, directed by Tim Yanacheck, hosted the USA 100km Road Championships and served as a selection race for the USA 100km Team. The event earned the prestigious designation as a bronze IAU event. Other nominees in the Contributor of the Year category included Running Times magazine, Teva, Windermere Real Estate, Fleet Feet Sports Boulder. Past winners in this category include the American Ultra Running Association, Teva, North Texas Trail Runners, and La Sportiva/GoLite.

In order to be considered for the USATF Mountain and Ultrarunning awards an athlete must show top results in U.S. competitions for 2007 (November 1, 2006 through October 31, 2007) to include mountain races (these may be on paved/gravel surfaces as long as there is significant elevation loss or gain) and trail races of varying lengths, as well as road races for the ultra category (distances beyond the marathon). International results are also considered. The nominee must be an ambassador for the sport. Nominee must be a USATF member for 2007 and to be considered for the masters category, athlete must be a minimum of 40 years of age.

To see the MUT award criteria and the lists of past recipients, click here.

Photograph: Mountain Runner fo the Year Ricky Gates (Courtesy of Team Bacon Strip)

Elite Endurance Athletes Brace for The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship

Posted November 25, 2007 at 11:25 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

The North Face Endurance Challenge, a four-region, nationwide running event for outdoor athletes seeking to explore their personal limits, culminates in grand fashion on the Pacific shores north of San Francisco on December 1, 2007. The event, which offers distances of 10K, Half Marathon, 50K, and 50 Miles, is also the series’ championship event, where 50-mile participants will compete for the largest prize purse in trail ultrarunning. The male and female winners will each receive $10,000.

Many of the world’s most elite endurance runners have registered for the event in hopes of going home with the big prize. The entrant list is highlighted by several members of The North Face Endurance Team as well as many other legends of the sport that have never competed toe-to-toe.

WOMEN’S 50-MILE CHAMPIONSHIP

Devon Crosby-Helms (San Francisco, CA) Crosby-Helms, 24, has quickly established herself as one of the up-and-coming elite female endurance runners in the country. In March 2007, she won the Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon with a time of 2:52:49. She is also a member of the U.S. Women’s National 100K Team, having finishing 15th overall at the 2007 World 100K Championships in September.

Susie Gray Dyck (Ankeny, IA) Dyck arrives at this weekend’s Endurance Challenge championship courtesy of her impressive win at the September 1 Des Moines race, where she credits positive energy—and pacing from her dad—for delivering a win in her first-ever ultramarathon. Her time of 8:10:10 was 45 minutes faster than that of her closest competitor.

Elizabeth Hawker (Chester, United Kingdom) A member of The North Face Endurance Team in Europe, Hawker arrives at the Endurance Challenge Championship just two months after registering a record run from Mount Everest Base Camp to Kathmandu – a distance of 188 miles with over 32,000 feet of climbing and 46,000 feet of descent which she covered in three days, two hours, and 35 minutes. Sporting a unique blend of mountain durability and road-running legspeed, “Lizzy” won gold at the 2006 100K World Championships in Korea and is a past champion of The North Face Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc, widely considered the most difficult and prized mountain endurance title on the continent.

Justine Morrison (Washington, DC) Morrison, 27, is still a relative newcomer to endurance running, but had an attention-grabbing, breakthrough win in the August 4 Washington DC Endurance Challenge when she finished with a time of 8:32:20. Morrison registered a strong sixth-place showing at the Mountain Masochist 50 (Lynchburg, VA) on November 3 in what appeared to be a warm-up for the Challenge Championship.

Kami Semick (Bend, OR) Semick, a member of The North Face Endurance Team, headlines one of the most competitive women’s endurance race fields in some time. She has had remarkable success racing on the trails where the Endurance Challenge championship takes place; in 2007, she won the prestigious Miwok 100K here, and she also took the 2006 Headlands 50K USATF Trail Championship. She enters this weekend’s race after winning the October 6 Endurance Challenge 50K (Seattle) and the November 4 San Jose Marathon with a time of 2:55:28.

Jenn Shelton (Virginia Beach, VA) At 23 years old, Shelton is more than one of the future stars of endurance running – she is a current star. In 2006, she won the Lynchburg (VA) Ultra Series, a circuit of three tough 50K and 50-mile mountain races. Also in 2006, she placed second in the highly competitive Mountain Masochist 50 (Lynchburg, VA), clocking an astounding time of 7:57.

Caren Spore (Davis, CA) Spore, 39, brings legspeed and a bevy of experience to The North Face Endurance challenge Championship. Locally, she has won two consecutive Dick Collins 50 Milers (Oakland, CA) as well as the very burly Ohlone 50K Wilderness Run (in course record time). In 2007, she was a very close third at the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run.

Diane Van Deren (Sedalia, CO) Van Deren, who is a member of The North Face Endurance Team, clicked off a streak of impressive ultramarathon wins on her way to the 2007 Trail Runner Trophy Series Ultra Title. She won the Dances with Dirt 50 Miler (Hell, MI), McNaughton Park 150 (IL), and the 24 Hours of Frisco (CO), where she registered a record 114 miles on high altitude trail along the way. The 10,000+ of vertical climbing on the Endurance Challenge course will play to Van Deren’s strengths, as she trains and races regularly in the rugged Rocky Mountains.

MEN’S 50-MILE CHAMPIONSHIP

Matt Carpenter (Manitou Springs, CO) Matt Carpenter casts a long shadow over every race in which he toes the line. The 43-year-old has claimed titles in some of the world’s most prestigious off-road running events, ranging in distance from 10K to 100 miles. In 2005, he demolished the Leadville Trail 100 course record with a time of 15:42:59—90 minutes better than the previous record. Also, Carpenter owns the course record and has won eight times at the Pikes Peak Marathon, a beyond-grueling event which climbs 7,815 feet to the top of 14,115-foot Pikes Peak before descending another 13 bone-crunching miles. He also has the record for the Pikes Peak Ascent—a race which he has won a record six times.

William Emerson (Portland, OR) Emerson, 44, is a past champion at the Quad Dipsea, a 28.4-mile run on some of the same trails covered in The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship. He is the recipient of multiple USATF Masters Ultrarunner of the Year Awards and in 2004 won an amazing 18 ultramarathons.

Karl Gilpin (Russellville, MO) A newcomer to the sport of endurance running, Gilpin won the Endurance Challenge 50 in Des Moines, Iowa, by averaging a 6:47-per-mile pace. Iowa was his first-ever attempt at the ultra distance, but his pedigree indicates he could be a diamond in the rough. Gilpin, 28, was a former Division II All-American cross-country runner.

Phil Kochik (Seattle, WA) Kochik nipped at the heels of Uli Steidl (see below) during the October 6 Endurance Challenge and promises to be right near the front of the pack again on December 1. He owns the very fast course record at the Rainier-to-Ruston 50-mile ultramarathon (6:19, set in 2006) and placed fifth at the 2007 Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run (17:26). No stranger to the 50-mile distance, Kochik won the USATF 50-Mile Trail Championship in 2005 when he ran 6:58 on a very difficult mountain course in Crystal Mountain, WA.

Hal Koerner (Ashland, OR) Koerner comes into the Endurance Challenge Championship after claiming one of the sport’s most prestigious and sacred titles: in June, he beat out a deep, elite field to win the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. Koerner’s record also includes a win at the 2006 Angeles Crest 100-Miler and five victories and a course record at The Bear 100 in Idaho’s rugged backcountry.

Joe Kulak. (Oreland, PA) Kulak, who runs on The North Face Endurance Team, has completed the grueling Leadville Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run in high-altitude Colorado 11 times. A past Trail Runner Magazine Trail Runner of the Year, he owns the speed record for the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning, having completed the nation’s four most renowned 100-mile races (Western States 100, Vermont 100, Wasatch Front 100, Leadville Trail 100) in the same summer in a cumulative time of 75 hours and seven minutes.

Guillermo Medina. (Solvang, CA) A member of The North Face Endurance Team, Medina has won many ultramarathons covering distances up to 100 miles. In 2005, he was the winner of the Angeles Crest 100-Mile Endurance Run in southern California and is a perennial top-three finisher at the nation’s toughest endurance races.

Leigh Schmitt (Conway, MA) Schmitt comes to The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship by way of winning the August 4 50-Mile Endurance Challenge in Washington, DC, with a blazing time of 6:59:34. Schmitt owns course records at the Vermont 50, Vermont 100, Jay Challenge Marathon (VT), and Finger Lakes 50 (NY).

Uli Steidl (Shoreline, WA) Steidl, who received a trip to The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship by winning the Endurance Challenge 50-mile race in Seattle on October 6, excels at a wide range of distances. He’s run in the World Cross Country Championships and notched 13 sub-2:20 marathons—a distinction that places him among the world’s most elite runners. At the ultramarathon distance, he has been unbeatable—literally. He has won every 50K and 50-mile trail ultramarathon he has ever entered, breaking course records in all but two of them.

Sam Thompson (Seattle, WA) Thompson is widely considered one of the sport’s up-and-comers and has exhibited remarkable durability and resilience in notching top finishes at the country’s toughest ultramarathons in 2007. In 2006, Thompson shuttled throughout the country while completing 51 marathons in 51 days in 50 states, plus Washington, DC.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Results to The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship, plus the other three distances offered by the event (10K, Half Marathon, and 50K), will be posted at www.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge by Monday, December 3, 2007.

2008 USA 100 km Team Selection Procedure

Posted November 21, 2007 at 11:15 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Destinations, International, News, Ultramarathons

The USATF 100 km National Team will compete in the 200 International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) 100 km World Cup Under the Patronage of the IAAF in Tuscania, Italy on November 8, 2008.

The annual 100 km World Cup race is the one international venue at which USA Track & Field (USATF) has fielded an ultra distance team for over a decade.  The United States will be represented by the USATF 100 km Team of up to six men and up to six women ultrarunners. 

The team and alternates will be selected by the USATF Mountain/Ultra/Trail (MUT) Running Council which was established in 1998 to help USATF administer ultrarunning in the United States.

Qualifying Window: May 8, 2007 - August 10, 2008 Team Announced: August 13, 2008

For more information, including the standards for consideration for 2008 US National 100 km Team, please visit: USA Track & Field

Sunmart Texas Trail Endurance Runs to Host IAU Trail World Challenge

Posted November 16, 2007 at 10:01 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

The 18th Sunmart Texas Trail Endurance Runs, scheduled for Saturday, December 8 in Huntsville State Park, will host the 2007 IAU Trail World Challenge for the 50 Miler and the 50K events. In 2006, Sunmart was given a tryout as the IAU Trail World Challenge and overwhelmingly satisfied the criteria for hosting an IAU (International Association of Ultramarathoners) event.

The 50 mile race and 50 kilometer event are expected to attract over 1,000 ultra-marathoners from more than 40 states and 14 countries. The 50 mile route is comprised of four 12.5 mile loops through the park’s extensive trail network. The 50K route covers a two loop course. The 50 mile event begins at 7:00am, with the 50K race set to start at 7:30am at Huntsville State Park, which is 60 miles north of Houston. A prize purse will be awarded in both the 50 Miler and the 50K.

Sunmart’s popularity as one of the premier ultra events in the U.S. is well established. Sunmart has a scenic course in the piney wood of Southeastern Texas, smiling and helpful volunteers, great food and plentiful race premiums. The addition of a world class international field will add to the race’s reputation and commitment to excellence.

For more information on the event, call Roger Soler’s Sports at (210) 366-3701 or visit: RogerSoler.com or Sunmart.net

Via: Running USA Wire

Live High, Train Low: The benefits of altitude training

Posted November 13, 2007 at 08:17 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: Training

Many endurance athletes utilize altitude training. While it was once a controversial topic, researchers now universally agree that when done correctly altitude training offers many benefits. 

So how does altitude training work? When you are exposed to hypoxia (oxygen reduced environments) your body struggles to produce the required energy needed to perform due to less oxygen available.  This struggle initiates many physiological adaptations that enhance the efficiency of your body’s respiratory, cardiovascular, and oxygen transport systems.

Scientists now believe that the best method for improving sports performance is by following the “live high, train low” concept.  Traditional altitude training has athletes train at high altitudes, but the positive benefits were canceled out by the fact that with such little oxygen athletes have a reduced ability to train hard. Athletes can still benefit from training at high altitudes, but it is necessary to come back to sea level for high intensity training sessions where oxygen is more available. The “live high train low” concept allows for the best of both worlds.

Read the rest at our partner site: TheFinalSprint.com

Adventure Xstream Race Series Set to Air on Altitude Sports Network

Posted November 9, 2007 at 11:34 AM by Jeremy Sussman

Section: News, Adventure/Relay

Gravity Play Sports is excited to announce the first national television broadcast of the Adventure Xstream Race Series & Xstream Expedition Adventure Race on Saturday, November 10th at 3:30pm MST on Altitude Sports Network*. Altitude will televise the hour long broadcast of the Adventure Xstream Adventure Race Series on Saturday, Nov. 10th in addition to 13 other times throughout the fall.

“The Adventure Xstream Adventure Race Series is a great programming acquisition for Altitude,” said Doug Ballmer, Director of Programming for Altitude Sports Network. “The race series is located in the Rocky Mountain region and the multi-sport racing family has a loyal fan base within our telecast territory. We are excited to bring the fast growing sport of adventure racing to Altitude.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Gravity Play Sports. All of us in the adventure racing arena, from the Gravity Play Sports office to our participants throughout the nation, are looking forward to the Adventure Xstream Adventure Race Series on TV,” said Will Newcomer, President of Gravity Play Sports.

Trousdale Productions out of Durango, Colorado produced the television broadcast and the DVD. Music on the television broadcast is from Durango based bands Formula 151 and the Lawn Chair Kings. Trousdale Productions is an independent video and digital media production house specializing in custom video production. To purchase the Xstream Expedition DVD that Trousdale Productions produced please visit http://www.GravityPlay.com

Gravity Play’s commitment to the sport of endurance and adventure racing continues as the Adventure Xstream Adventure Race Series advances into its eight year as the Rocky Mountain Region’s premier and nation’s largest, Adventure Racing Series. Combining a multitude of outdoor sports including; mountain biking, kayaking, trail running, rappelling, navigation and more… Gravity Play Sports provides premier athletes as well as the weekend warrior an outdoor venue for competition and personal achievement.

Nestled into the heart of the Rocky Mountains, spectacular race venues include: Buena Vista, CO; Durango, CO; Breckenridge, CO; Vail, CO; and Moab, UT. Teams of solo, two or four will be challenged in a number of multi-sport disciplines. 4-person coed teams will vie for significant prizes and prize money throughout the Series.

Altitude Sports & Entertainment is a regional sports and entertainment network. Altitude is the television home of the Colorado Avalanche (NHL), Denver Nuggets (NBA), Colorado Rapids (MLS), Colorado Mammoth (NLL), Colorado Eagles (CHL) and Colorado Springs Sky Sox (PCL). In addition, Altitude offers entertainment and community programming as well as boxing, rodeo, auto racing, golf, skiing and extreme sports, as well as outdoor and lifestyle shows. Altitude is currently available in more than 5.2 million homes.

* Channels: DirecTV channel 644; Dish Network channel 410; for cable listings visit www.Altitudesports.com

Via: Outdoor Newswire

Keeping it safe on the trails

Posted November 3, 2007 at 04:25 PM by Lisa Cieplechowicz

Section:

Trail running can be a great workout and an excellent way to challenge your body and take your run to the next level.  It can also be very mentally fulfilling by providing opportunities to enjoy nature and escape into a world of peace, quiet, and beautiful scenery.

Although enjoyable, trail running, like other forms of exercise, also comes with some inherent and potential risks.  Rocky terrain, unknown paths, and unfriendly wildlife can make any trail run a challenging experience.  So the next time you’re heading out to a trail, keep these helpful tips in mind to stay safe and have fun:

1) Get the low-down on a particular trail before you begin your run.  Consult trail guidebooks, check the internet if possible, talk to people who have already run the trail you’re considering, or speak with the appropriate land-management agency to ensure the trail is safe and open to the public – whatever you do, make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into!

2) Pick the right shoes --the wrong shoe can make any running experience a drag.  For trail running, stick to shoes that provide adequate ankle support and provide a snug (but not overly tight) fit.  Also, you want to find a sneaker that has a water resistant, yet breathable upper, and a sturdy sole to protect you from rough terrain.  There are plenty of models to choose from - but make sure that you choose something that is both comfortable and protective. 3) Let someone know what trail you’ll be running on.  This way, should you get lost or injured, that person will know where to look for you.  Better yet, bring a running buddy with you if possible, to even better lessen your chance of getting lost, and to ensure help if you fall to injury.

4) Use common sense. If the trail conditions aren’t what you expected or what you prepared for, turn around and head towards a running path you’re more familiar with.

5) Keep your eyes on the trail.  Many trails tend to be loose, rocky, and steep, which makes it imperative to pay attention while running. 

6) Be a smart faller.  This may sound silly, but it is a legitimate thing to keep in mind.  Trails can be tricky places to run on, so the occasional wipe-out isn’t uncommon.  To help avoid serious injury to your collarbone and head, either roll into the fall or try to brace yourself with an extended arm.  This strategy may not ward off scratches and bruises, but it may just save you from a serious injury.

7) Head out early enough so you’re off the trail before it becomes dark out. Without street lights to help guide your way, trail running after dark can turn into a potentially dangerous situation.  However, if you think you might end up on the trail after sunset, make sure to have consulted tip #3.

8) Let wildlife know you have entered their territory.  Most animals will avoid contact with you if they can help it.  An article from Running Times gives a detailed description of how to conduct oneself while on the trail.  Making loud noises will not only announce your presence, but it will often scare aware even large animals such as bears and wolves.  Talking to a running mate or singing will usually do the trick.  The article stresses to also keep in mind that you should be particularly cautious during dawn and dusk, as these are the times when most predators are roaming about.

Stay safe and have fun!  See you on the trails!

Research sources and for more information on trail running, please visit: [Trail Runner Magazine], [eHow: How to Choose Trails], [eHow.com: Trail Running Safety], [Outside Online], [A Trail Runner’s Blog], [Trails.com], [Trail Running Blog]

Via: TheFinalSprint.com

Trail Runner Magazine’s 2007 Trophy Series Results

Posted October 30, 2007 at 07:50 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

Trail Runner magazine, North America’s leading publication for off-road running, announced the winners of the fourth annual La Sportiva Trail Runner Trophy Series this week on www.trailrunnermag.com. After the series wrapped up on September 30, results from 115 races, ranging from 5K to 150 miles, were collected and points for 21,000 Trophy Series participants tabulated to determine the final standings.

Diane van Deren of Sedalia, Colorado, dominates the Ultramarathon Division standings with 1356 points, with no other competitor (male or female) breaking the 1000-point mark. Van Deren capped off a busy summer, including eight ultras, with the 24 Hours of Frisco in Frisco, Colorado, on September 23. There, she logged 114 miles for the women’s victory and 456 Trophy Series points.

Christine Crawford of Whitewater, Wisconsin, is second with 885.8 points after a speedy 4:35:36 second-place performance at the Rock Cut Hobo 50K in Rockford, Illinois, in September. Third is Laurie McGrath, of Baden, Ontario, a fast-rising ultrarunner profiled in the January 2007 issue of Trail Runner, who covered 110 miles at the Dirty Girl 24-Hour ultra in August for the women’s victory.

Right behind McGrath at the Dirty Girl 24-Hour race was Jim Orr, also of Ontario, who logged 108.5 miles there, earning enough Trophy Series points to place him at the top of the men’s Ultra Division and fourth in overall. Orr also took top honors at the Sulphur Springs 100-miler, in Ancaster, Ontario, with a time of 17:14:53.

Dale Reicheneder topped the Marathon and Shorter Division once again (he was the 2005 champion), after competing in 19 races and scoring five age-group victories. The 41-year-old litigation attorney from Malibu, California, held off defending champion Hugh Davis and Brian Beckort, both from Tell City, Indiana, by only a handful of points to become the 2007 Series champion.

Canadian Janice MacKay of Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, capped off her successful racing season, punctuated by three age-group wins at the Keweenaw Trail Running Festival in Copper Harbor, Michigan, with a second-place age-group performance at Mount Hood, Oregon’s Timberline Marathon in 4:20:57. MacKay’s six impressive trail-race performances kept her ahead of second-place Julie Gerke of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, who won her age group at the Odyssey and Running Fit Trail Marathons, and Donna Gering (Ironwood, Michigan), in third place after four Trophy Series events.

Top male and female winners in the Ultramarathon Division and Marathon-and-Under Division’s 10 age group categories will receive prize packages including gifts from Trophy Series sponsors La Sportiva, Injinji, Spenco, Julbo, Mont-Bell, Kahtoola and Petzl.

Mark Tanaka of Castro Valley, California, is winner of the randomly drawn Grand Prize of an honorary position on La Sportiva’s Mountain Running Team. Tanaka will receive four pairs of La Sportiva running shoes plus a team-apparel package including socks, headlamp, singlet, running T-shirt, shorts, warm-up jacket and headwear. La Sportiva will offer this same Grand Prize in the 2008 Trail Runner Trophy Series.

Pick up a copy of Trail Runner’s January 2008 issue to read more about the male and female division winners. This special Trophy Series issue will also include the 2008 Trophy Series Race Directory, a special Take Your Mark story highlighting three outstanding races belonging to the series and training and nutrition articles to get you primed for race day.

Plans for the 2008 Trophy Series are already underway. Race directors interested in being a Trophy Series race should apply before November 12, 2007 here.

2007 Trophy Series Standings Highlights

Top Ultramarathon Women 1. Diane Van Deren, Sedalia, Colorado, 1356 points 2. Christine Crawford, Whitewater, Wisconsin, 885.8 points 3. Laurie McGrath, Baden, Ontario, 840.2 points

Top Ultramarathon Men 1. Jim Orr, Toronto, Ontario, 834 points 2. Karl Meltzer, Sandy, Utah, 800 points 3. Akos Konya, Oceanside, California, 700 points

Marathon and Shorter Age-Group Winners, Men 10-19 years old-Clint Hugie, Salt Lake City, Utah, 107.1 points 20-29 years old-Dan Dehlin, Marquette, Michigan, 285.5 points 30-39 years old-Brian Beckort, Tell City, Indiana, 460.4 points 40-49 years old-Dale Reicheneder, Malibu, California, 683.2 points 50 and over-Heath Hibbard, Montrose, Colorado, 319.1 points

Marathon and Shorter Age-Group Winners, Women 10-19 years old-Alanna Wildman, Milaca, Minnesota, 104.8 points* 20-29 years old-Rachel Post, Plymouth, Michigan, 144.1 points 30-39 years old-Mary White, Kirkwood, Missouri, 166.8 points 40-49 years old-Julie Gerke, Basking Ridge, New Jersey, 209.6 points 50 and over-Janice Mackay, Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, 346.6 points

*Wildman had the same number of points as several other women in her age group, but was named the winner for logging the fastest marathon time of 4:41:43.

For full results, please click here.

Via: Trail Runner Magazine

Vincente, Csomor Win XTERRA Makena Beach Trail Run 10K in Maui, Hawaii

Posted October 29, 2007 at 05:44 PM by Bart Moylan

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News, Trail Running

At the blast of a cannon, 355 trail runners from 14 different countries and 30 U.S. states took off for the XTERRA Makena Beach Trail Run on Saturday. With a backdrop of bright blue skies and palm trees swaying in the balmy breeze, this trail run is the kickoff event for a weekend of XTERRA adventures.

Competitors chose from two off-road courses, a 10K or a 5K - each serving up a plateful of Mother Nature’s finest ingredients including loose gravel and lava rocks, soft sand and humid temperatures.

XTERRA 10K It was Mexico’s Octavio Vincente who stole first place in the XTERRA Makena Beach 10K in 46 minutes and 34 seconds. His first time in Maui, Vincente came to support his three friends competing in Sunday’s XTERRA off-road triathlon. On a whim, he decided yesterday at registration to compete. With victory sweet, he said with a smile “Maui is beautiful and I like XTERRA, I want to come back next year.”

Right on his heels was local star Paul Hopwood of Paia, Maui in a time of 46:48. Hopwood was followed by Paul Welch of Stowe, Vermont who took third in 48:47.

The women’s winner of the XTERRA Makena Beach 10K and the Hawaiian Airlines prize of roundtrip airfare from the West Coast to Hawaii was Hungarian triathlete Erika Csomor, who broke the finish tape in a speedy time of 49 minutes and 43 seconds. A few weeks back, she raced in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, finishing 10th place and plans to compete in the XTERRA World Championship off-road triathlon on Sunday. “This was a warm up of sorts; the course was quite nice, the sand hard - I think XTERRA is cool.”

Rachel Cieslewicz of Salt Lake City, Utah was runner-up in 50:19. Lindsay Krause of Littleton, Colorado had a time of 52:52 to take home third.

XTERRA 5K The first to cross the finish tape in the short course was Lahainaluna cross-country coach, Dagen Bendixen of Lahaina, Maui in a time of 22 minutes and 37 seconds. The first time running in an XTERRA event, this first place will make his kids proud. He called the course “brutal - the hills and sand were never ending. I thought the hill would be done at any time, but we kept going up and up and up.”

He was followed by Yasuhiro Jojima of Tokyo, Japan who crossed at 23:06, while Mike Irwin of Haiku finished less than a minute later in 23:48.

For the women, it was 11-year-old phenom Dakota Grossman of Pukalani, Maui who smoked the rest of the pack, breaking the tape in 27 minutes and 10 seconds, 12th place overall. The next generation of XTERRA, she said “XTERRA is fun! The course was good. The hardest parts were the hills and the rocks.”

Kula resident Nancy Robberson finished second in 28:29 with Heather Biglow of Boulder, Colorado third (28:54).

Proceeds from this event benefit the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Maui County.

More information on the world championship weekend can be found at: XTERRAplanet.com

Written by: Monica Bridle Via: Running USA Wire

American Odyssey Relay Planned for Spring 2009

Posted October 23, 2007 at 01:26 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News, Adventure/Relay

People Burning Fat Productions has announced its latest relay run, the American Odyssey Relay Run Adventure, which will occur in the Washington D.C. area. The approximately 200-mile course will traverse Civil War battlefields and other historic locations. The event kicks off in Gettysburg, Pa. before weaving through Maryland and finishing near the Mall in Washington, D.C.

“Like our other relays, the American Odyssey will be a first-class destination event that attracts visitors from around the country and the world,” said Eric Lerude, president of People Burning Fat Productions. “This is our most ambitious effort to date, with an extraordinarily scenic course that showcases many attractions and historical points of interest.”

Bethesda-based Xtend Fitness is producing the American Odyssey in partnership with People Burning Fat Productions. Xtend President Bob Fleshner is serving as the event director. He has almost 30 years experience running and has been involved in planning numerous events in the Washington D.C. running community.

“We’re extremely excited to host this event, which is the first of its kind in the region. These types of races draw thousands of runners in other parts of the country, and we have all of the opportunity to rival similar world-class relay runs. I can’t wait to share our great running resources with other runners,” said Fleshner.

The American Odyssey course will be divided into 36 legs. Teams of 12 run three legs each. It will take about 24 hours to complete the relay. Relay organizers are currently in the process of obtaining approvals and permits for the course. The event is expected to occur in the spring 2009.

Event organizers are currently seeking approvals for the relay. Bob Fleshner, the event director, can be reached at (301) 706-2266 or //';l[1]='a';l[2]='/';l[3]='';l[33]='\"';l[34]=' 109';l[35]=' 111';l[36]=' 99';l[37]=' 46';l[38]=' 121';l[39]=' 97';l[40]=' 108';l[41]=' 101';l[42]=' 114';l[43]=' 121';l[44]=' 101';l[45]=' 115';l[46]=' 115';l[47]=' 121';l[48]=' 100';l[49]=' 111';l[50]=' 110';l[51]=' 97';l[52]=' 99';l[53]=' 105';l[54]=' 114';l[55]=' 101';l[56]=' 109';l[57]=' 97';l[58]=' 64';l[59]=' 98';l[60]=' 111';l[61]=' 98';l[62]=':';l[63]='o';l[64]='t';l[65]='l';l[66]='i';l[67]='a';l[68]='m';l[69]='\"';l[70]='=';l[71]='f';l[72]='e';l[73]='r';l[74]='h';l[75]='a ';l[76]='= 0; i=i-1){ if (l[i].substring(0, 1) == ' ') document.write("&#"+unescape(l[i].substring(1))+";"); else document.write(unescape(l[i])); } //]]>

People Burning Fat Productions has founded and produced two additional relay runs: the Reno-Tahoe Odyssey, which is prepping for its fourth year and will occur on June 6-7, 2008, and the recently held inaugural Arizona Odyssey.

Via: Running USA Wire

IAU 50K Trophy for Papanikitas (BEL) and Hofer (AUT)

Posted October 17, 2007 at 11:36 AM by Bart Moylan

Section: Destinations, International, News, Ultramarathons

The Belgian Marc Papanikitas (Pictured) and the Austrian Sabine Hofer successfully earned the IAU 50K Trophy 2007.  Marc Papanikitas was also victorious in the Open Race in 3h06m36s about three minutes ahead of runner-up Julian Rendall (GBR) with 3h09m39s and six on the Austrian Bernhard Santner (3h12m44s). 

Monica Carlin won the Open Race (3h32m17s) by the women but didn’t take part in any of the selection races so couldn’t be ranked in the final ranking of the Trophy.  The Australian June Petrie finished second in 3h35m38s only 29 seconds ahead of Sabine Hofer (AUT) who finished in 3h36m07s just fast enough to win the Trophy.

The top ranking by the men and women: series Final TOTAL 1 PAPANIKITAS MARC BEL 3:10:47 GISTEL 3:06:36 6:17:23 2 RENDALL JULIAN GBR 3:13:10 BODDINGTON 3:09:39 6:22:49 3 SANTNER BERNHARD AUT 3:17:10 50K MANK 3:12:44 6:29:54 4 MASAMI SOEDA JPN 3:16:31 LAKE SAROMA 3:14:41 6:31:12 5 FARQUHARSON ANDREW GBR 3:14:53 BODDINGTON 3:25:24 6:40:17 6 PELGRIM BERT AUS 3:15:33 CANBERRA 3:46:32 7:02:05 7 STEIB PÉTER HUN 3:09:10 WINSCHOTEN 4:21:29 7:30:39 8 BORDONI CARLUCCIO ITA 3:44:40 ROMAGNA 3:48:59 7:33:39 9 SALA LUCA ITA 3:58:06 ROMAGNA 3:52:12 7:50:18

series final total 1 HOFER SABINE AUT 3:44:36 50K MANK 3:36:07 7:20:43 2 PETRIE JUNE AUS 3:46:13 CANBERRA 3:35:38 7:21:51 3 SATOMI MATSUO JPN 3:48:56 LAKE SAROMA 3:42:14 7:31:10 4 WILSON HEIDI GBR 3:45:33 BODDINGTON 3:45:55 7:31:28 5 TUCKER SARAH GBR 3:43:01 BODDINGTON 3:50:57 7:33:58 6 GOODERHAM EMMA GBR 3:50:11 BODDINGTON 3:45:17 7:35:28

Via: International Association of Ultrarunners Photograph: Marc Papanikita (Courtesy of Sporten Voor Nabestaanden Van Geweld)

TrailFit.com Senior Writer Paul Peterson Qualifies For U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials

Posted October 9, 2007 at 05:51 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News

I am proud to announce that Paul Peterson, a Senior Writer for TheFinalSprint.com and TrailFit.com, has qualified for the November 3 U.S. Olympic Men’s Marathon Trials.

On Saturday, Paul completed the St. George Marathon’s fast course in 2:18:09; meeting the U.S. Olympic “A” qualifying standard. 

A former cross country runner at Calvin College, Paul now trains and lives with his wife in Logan, Utah. 

He also works as a GIS and Photogrammetry Specialist at GEO/Graphics, Inc. and is the owner of Marathon GIS.

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: TheFinalSprint.com

Montana Ultramarathon is “Bearly” Civilized

Posted October 4, 2007 at 03:04 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

I was perusing USATF events page, checking out all of the October races that were 27+ miles, when an interesting race name caught my eye: 

The 26th Le Grizz Ultramarathon. Startled by such a name, I wondered if the name was a play on the word “grizzled,” as in, some grizzled veterans will be running this 50 mile race, or if there might actually be grizzly bears on, or near, the race course. Once I glanced over at the location (Hungry Horse, MT), I suspected that the latter might be just as accurate as the former.

link to the official race website and, sure enough, the page background displayed a growling bear. With a mixture of excitement and trepidation, I surfed the website, run by the Cheetah Herders Athletics Club in Seeley Lake, MT.  There was a link titled “Great Moments”, so I clicked on it.

I’m not sure what I was hoping to find in a page title “Great Moments,” but I suspect that a great moment in an ultramarathon run in the middle of the Montana wilderness might be a little different than one in an ultramarathon in, say, the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex where over 6,000,000 people (including myself) reside.  I also wondered whether one of those “Great Moments” might include an actual encounter with a grizzly.

I found one entry that read, “1991 - Andy Nicoll runs in a ripped 3-piece suit as a simulated grizzly mauling victim.” Okay, there was a little drama, but it was strictly human, not ursine, in nature. But is the risk of literally running into a Grizzly Bear a real danger while running the Le Grizz Ultramarathon?

I clicked on the “Maps” link and found out that the race is run along the banks of the Hungry Horse Reservoir, which is located just south of Glacier National Park in NW Montana. This is definitely bear country. Glacier National Park is home to both Grizzlies and Black Bears.  I found this little tidbit on the Glacier National Park Bear Page published by the National Park Service:

Trail Running While taking a jog or a run may be good exercise, joggers and runners run the risk of surprising a bear on the trail. Trail running is discouraged as there have been an increasing number of injuries and fatalities due to runners surprising bears at close range.

Whew! I couldn’t imagine having to be aware of bears during a 50 mile race.  Still, Hungry Horse Reservoir is not actually within the boundaries of Glacier National Park. Is it close enough so that the threat of bears is a real one?

Apparently so. Hungry Horse Reservoir is located just west of the Great Bear Wilderness Area. According to the Montana’s official state state travel information site, “wildlife [in the Great Bear Wilderness Area] includes wolverine, deer, elk, moose, grizzly bear, black bear, mountain goat, and mountain sheep.”

The Le Grizz race brochure states that food storage must be “in bear-proof containers.” It also states that, “the road is lightly traveled in October (before hunting season) and winds through wild, mountainous country where grizzly bear still roam. Deer, elk, moose, black bear mountain lion, bobcat and coyote are common.” The brochure also discusses what steps need to be taken if a competitor encounters a bear.

So it seems like the real deal. An Ultramarathon you can run while being chased by a Grizzly Bear. If you’re the adventurous type (or maybe even a little crazy) you can still late-register for the event, which will be held on Saturday, October 13th, 2007. The race director, on the Entry Policy page, states that he will, “personally handles late entries, and may evaluate your character flaws as a free service.” If you’re the type who doesn’t mind running 50 miles while being chased by Grizzly Bears, perhaps you won’t mind this “free evaluation,” either.

For more information about Le Grizz Ultramarathon, bears, and Montana, visit: [Le Grizz] [State of Montana] [National Park Service]

Scott Jurek Earns Second Consecutive Spartathlon Title

Posted October 1, 2007 at 11:16 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Destinations, International, News, Race Recaps, Ultramarathons

On Saturday, American ultramarathon runner Scott Jurek once again followed in the footsteps of legendary messenger Pheidippides and successfully defended his Spartathlon title.  Jurek completed the 152.85 mile (246 km) course from Athens to Sparta in 23 hours, 12 minutes, 14 seconds.

Piotr Kurylo from Poland finished second in 24:29:41 and Valmir Nunes of Brazil finished third with a time of 25:37:40.

Jurek’s time is the sixth fastest in race history.  Last year, Jurek became the first North American to win the legendary race and ran the fifth fastest time in the modern race’s 25-year history.

The iconic Yannis Kouros still holds the course record of 20 hours, 25 minutes which he set in 1984; a year after the race began.  Kouros competed in four Spartahlons - winning each of them (including the inaugural race) - and holds the four fastest times ever recorded.

Although 332 runners began this year’s race at the Acropolis in Athens, only 125 were able to finish the grueling ultramarathon and cross the finish line in Sparta.

For more information, please visit the Spartathlon website: http://www.spartathlon.gr/

To hear Scott discuss his experience and victory at last year’s Spartathlon, check out: Episode 34 of The Final Sprint Podcast

PHOTOGRAPH: Jurek crowned champion of the 2006 Spartathlon (Courtesy of Nikos Apostolakis)

ATRA Introduces Athlete Spotlights on Website

Posted October 1, 2007 at 11:49 AM by Martha Jones

Section: News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

Capitalizing on the fantastic Gold Medal performance at the 2007 World Mountain Trophy Race in Ovronnaz, Switzerland earlier this month, ATRA in concert with the Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team is launching a new section on their website, www.usmrt.com.  The section, entitled Athlete Spotlight, features an interview with a current or former Mountain Team member.

The first spotlight features Jay Johnson, co-owner of Fleet Feet Sports in Boulder, CO, and also the only American to ever win an individual Gold Medal at the World Trophy race.

“All of our athletes have fascinating stories to tell about their running experiences,” said Team Manager Nancy Hobbs. “We want to share their memorable tales with others who are interested in learning more about our sport, its history, and its future. It’s only fitting that the first feature be on Jay. He and Fleet Feet Sports have been big supporters of the mountain running program even signing on as a team sponsor this past year which also marks the 20th anniversary of Jay’s gold medal.”

The October Athlete Spotlight will feature 2007 World Trophy bronze medalist Laura Haefeli, Del Norte, CO. Additional athletes will be featured each month.

The mountain team website was launched this summer, and is meant to serve as a resource for information on the Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team and mountain running in general. It includes a mountain running history section, photos from past and present teams, flash movies about the 2006 and 2007 teams, and more. Look for more additions to the site, including a race calendar, in the coming weeks.

The 2007 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team competed in Ovronnaz, Switzerland on September 15. For the first time in the history of U.S. mountain running, the team took home two team medals as the senior women’s team repeated their Gold medal performance from 2006 and the junior women’s team captured silver.

Via: MUT Council (USA Track & Field)

Husband and Wife Savor Victory at USA 50 Mile Championship

Posted September 25, 2007 at 11:47 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

Anne Lundblad posted a new course record by more than 8 minutes in her victory at the USA 50 Mile Championships on the Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK course in Boalsburg, Pa.

Just half an hour earlier, Anne’s husband Mark Lundblad held off strong competition to take the men’s title. Second place in the women’s open division went to Missy Foy, who overcame being broadsided by a spooked deer less than halfway into the race. Rebecca Harman took third.

Lundblad and Foy, both masters runners, also swept the masters division. Eric Grossman and Leigh Schmitt took second and third in the men’s open race. The men’s masters victory went to Roy Pirrung, followed by David Castellani and Len Ruth.

Via MUT Council (USA Track & Field)

Trail / Mountain / Off-Road Race Calendar: Fall 2007

Posted September 19, 2007 at 07:22 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

TrailFit.com is now featuring seasonal race calendars courtesy of USATF.  They are divided into regional maps and by type of event: Trail, Off-Road and Mountain races. 

The map below will take you to a list of all the Trail, Off-Road and Mountain races through November 30th, 2007. If you’re itching to race on the roads, the September race calendars for Marathons, Half-Marathons and Other Road Races are available on our partner site: TheFinalSprint.com.

Trail, Off-Road and Mountain Racing Calendars, by Region [Click on your region for the applicable race calendar]

Scott Jurek to defend Spartathlon title; Run in the footsteps of Pheiddipides

Posted September 19, 2007 at 04:49 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: Destinations, International, News, Ultramarathons

In a recent blog post, America’s top ultra-elite runner Scott Jurek writes about his plans to defend his title at the 25th annual Spartathlon. 

The Spartathlon is a legendary, 152.85 mile (246 km) ultramarathon race held in Greece since 1983 between Athens and Sparta.  Now in it’s 25th year, the Spartathlon will take place from September 28-29, when in excess of 300 international runners will participate in the classic event.

In 2006, Jurek became the first American man to ever win the Sparathlon; crossing the finish line in a time of 22:52:18.

In his blog entry, Jurek writes:

I’m happy to officially announce I will be going back to Spartathlon this year. It is coming up quickly and I have been able to get in excellent training upon returning from France. Valmir Nunes of Brazil, a previous Spartathlon winner, is in top shape this year after dropping last year due to injury. Another previous winner, Jens Lucas of Germany, will also be running, but possibly slightly tired after a stellar second place finish at UTMB. Markus Thalmann of Austria is one more past champion helping to stack the field. American 24 Hour record holder Mark Godale is also in great form this year and I expect many more great competitors to be ready to give it their all.

This year, Jurek will once again try and challenge Sparathlon icon Yiannis Kouros.  Kouros won the inaugural Spartathlon and still holds the record time at 20:25:00. Kouros competed in four Spartahlons, won all four and holds the four fastest times ever recorded. In 2005, he decided to trace the steps of Pheiddipides completely and ran - out of competition - the Athens-Sparta-Athens distance.

To read Jurek’s entire blog post, please visit: www.scottjurek.com/blog

TFS Review: nuun portable electrolyte hydration

Posted September 12, 2007 at 10:00 AM by Paul Peterson

Section: Nutrition/Hydration

Proper hydration is essential for runners and other athletes.  Sports drinks are good options, but many people don’t enjoy their very sugary taste and/or experience stomach problems from the excessive carbohydrate intake.  Looking for an alternative? Try nuun’s portable electrolyte hydration.  Read on for our comprehensive review and the results of our product testing.

Product: nuun portable electrolyte hydration Price: $6.50 per tube (12 tablets) Rating: Excellent 8.6/10.0 Pros:Effective hydration on the go; convenient; versatile; won’t cause stomach discomfort; variety of flavors Cons: Lacks vitamins; no individually packaging Overall: An effective and convenient hydration option for runners, cyclists and other endurance athletes.

nuun is a portable electrolyte tablet. The tablets come in a small container that resembles Airborne and quickly dissolve when added to 16-20oz. of water.  They are also effervescent so no mixing or shaking is required for the tablets to dissolve (unlike many sports drink powders).

Read the rest at our partner site: TheFinalSprint.com

TFS Review: Trigger Point (TP) Stability PODS

Posted September 9, 2007 at 10:00 AM by Paul Peterson

Section: Gear & Apparel

Trigger Point Technologies hit a home run with their TP Massage toolkit, which is designed to release trigger points, restore muscle elasticity, and improve biomechanics for runners, cyclists, and other athletes. For me, TP massage as been key component of returning my body to health and my recent rise in running performance (Also see my full review on the TP Massage Ball).

Another oft-overlooked aspect of injury prevention, performance, and biomechanics is core strength. Many runners will be willing to train for hours and hours each week, but fail to put any time into improving their core — the result of this neglect is sometimes poor biomechanics that propagate into injury.

While actively recovering from my barrage of injuries in 2006, I dedicated myself to improving core strength, both during physical therapy and at home. From wobble boards and stability balls, to simple crunches and bridge exercises, I consistently invested about 15 minutes per day into my core muscles. And it has been time well spent, as I have logged over 1400 miles in 5 months and set several big PR’s…all while staying injury-free.

The TP Stability PODS are designed to increase core strength through challenging balance and symmetry. They come as a set of three different-sized, concave, foam…er…pods (for the lack of a better description). The differential heights of the three pods represent three difficulty levels (I, II, and III). In other words, it is much harder to find balance with the tallest pod than with the shortest pod, which engages greater work in the core muscles.

Read the rest at our partner site: TheFinalSprint.com

Bored with your trail running route?  The solution may be simpler than you think …

Posted September 3, 2007 at 03:37 PM by Bart Moylan

Section: Motivation, Training

So you’ve just blown through one of your regular trail routes and you are feeling like it’s become too routine, as if you’ve just done your regular 3-mile loop in your neighborhood.  As you think to yourself how mundane that loop was the thought hits you in the side of head like a wild right hook from Chuck Liddell, the trails I’m running have become just like the pavement, uninspiring and ridiculously repetitive! 

One of the reasons you left the pavement for the woods was the different surroundings but somehow that does not seem to be the case.  Lost is that sense of adventure, excitement or what lurks up ahead.  Logic would dictate that you should change trails, routes, hills or mountains.  However, what if that’s not possible, or you have already tried that, but can’t shake the monotony?

Well, you should start by considering your attitude towards your training runs and workouts, as well as how your routine generally unfolds.  Does this sound like you? ...

You arrive at the trailhead, do a few stretches, throw in the headphones and set out with the goal of trying to finish the run as soon as possible so you can get back and take care of the seemingly endless to-do lists for work, school, the kids, etc?

If so, then try to remember those feelings you experienced when you first began trail running.  What did you truly enjoy?  Getting your heart rate up as you cruise by the wonders of nature?  The incredible views?  The diversity or other characteristics of the trail itself?  The break from all of the noise and commotion of city? 

Or, when you stop and think about it, you now realize that you have been so caught up with lingering thoughts from your days stresses that you have been essentially oblivious to all of that natural beauty and those wonderful benefits? 

You need to clear your mind once you arrive at the trailhead.  This is your personal time, intend on making it the best as possible.  This will allow you to take in the surroundings without being preoccupied.  Next create some mental notes of what you want to see on this run.  A few examples might be some seasonal flowers that are in bloom, a view of the surroundings towns, or a view of the hill you just sprinted up. 

Now once you arrive at one of these predetermined sites, stop!  Yes that’s right; stop running.  Even if you are shooting for Beijing, a small break here and there, especially on your cross training days, will not be detrimental, but will rather help you to really enjoy yourself and motivate you to keep pushing forward. 

Those few moments of reveling in your accomplishment, thinking about how you simply dominated that hill, or even staring off into the horizon and seeing the incredible view is what it’s really all about.  Whether you are a recreational trail runner, competitive track star doing some cross training, just trying to stay in shape or even on a quest to finish that first marathon; allowing yourself these brief moments to appreciate your surroundings and your achievements can reinvigorate that inner fire and be essential to your long-term success.

Bear Naked: Ideal choices for fueling your active lifestyle

Posted September 1, 2007 at 10:00 AM by Paul Peterson

Section: Nutrition/Hydration

Runners like myself are constantly searching for foods that can both fuel our bodies for optimal performance and yet also satisfy our cravings and hyperactive metabolisms.

Unfortunately, the plethora of high-end and natural food choices in today’s marketplace often fail to meet those criteria by being tasteless and/or prohibitively expensive.  However, one emerging player that seems to have finally gotten it right is neophyte brand Bear Naked.

Whether you’re looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle, are vegetarian or vegan, prefer organic, or are just plain hungry - Bear Naked is likely to offer something that will fit your fancy and power your workouts.

Bear Naked, a hip, home-grown business based out of Norwalk, CT, produces three primary food products: granola, low-sugar cereal, and organic hot cereal.

Their granola line features “Fruit and Nut”, “Peak Protein”, “Banana Nut”, “Apple Cinnamon”, as well as, the new and intriguing “Blueberry Walnut” and “Peanut Butter and Jelly”. The low-sugar cereals come in “Triple Berry Crunch” and “Vanilla Almond Crunch”, while the organic hot cereal is available in “Medley” and “Rolled Oats”.

Although differing in flavor, all of the Bear Naked products embody one, essential attribute: high-quality nutrition to super-charge your performance.

The granolas and cereals are free of trans fat, cholesterol, high fructose corn syrup, and refined sugar. They are comprised of real whole grains and are hand-crafted in small batches; placing an emphasis on quality by abstaining from assembly-line manufacturing.  The hot cereal is 100% organic and, along with the cold cereal, are vegan-friendly.  The entire product line is also all-natural and appropriate for vegetarians.

These attributes were extremely appealing to me as an endurance athlete who understands the importance of proper nutrition.  Processed, sugary foods are known to increase inflammation, and are simply a less efficient fuel mechanism for athletes.

A key fringe benefit to eating natural, unprocessed foods is that they empower you to choose an appropriate amount and quality of sugar. This allows health-conscious runners to watch their calories (unlike most granolas and many cereals that contain a deceiving amount of unnecessary calories), but still obtain a very fulfilling and nourishing meal or snack.

Personally, I love any hot cereal because of the taste, high fiber, low sugar, and other whole-grain benefits. I decided to temporarily retire my store-brand oatmeal, and give the Bear Naked organic hot cereal (Medley flavor) a whirl. Bear Naked boasts that their ingredients are ”Bearly Processed and Utterly Naked ... that you can actually pronounce”.

Well, I’ll see about that! Let’s see ... ingredients: whole grain oats, rye, sunflower seeds, barley, and whole grain flax. All organic and I can pronounce all of them (as opposed to most processed foods that contain ingredients that seem more appropriate for chemistry experiments).

All of these ingredients offer significant health benefits: Flax is an excellent anti-inflammatory, offering essential fatty acids like omega-3’s Sunflower seeds contain high-quality plant protein The other grains provide power-packed, complex carbs and fiber to keep you satisfied.

Oh, and it tastes pretty darn good too! I especially loved the sunflower seeds. To give the hot cereal a little extra boost of sweetness over the whole grains, I enjoyed adding about a teaspoon or so of brown sugar and honey (I’ll take those sugars any day over high-fructose corn syrup!).  Once berries come into season, I look forward to adding strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries for different types of natural, energy-boosting sweetness!  In the mean-time, have fun experimenting with bananas, peanut-butter and other whole-some items.

Another reason I like hot cereal is for the “stick to your ribs” feeling of a hearty (and yet healthy) breakfast. Like many runners, my metabolism is ”through the roof”, and I need something that will carry my hobbit-like appetite until at least my mid-morning snack!  Although hash browns, eggs, and sausage sure taste good, they contain far too many fat-based calories and often leave me dragging and feeling greasy for the rest of the morning (feelings that are definitely not conducive to running).

I also noticed that the Bear Naked hot cereal was more robust and filling than my tried-and-true generic oatmeal and that I needed a smaller amount of the Bear Naked product to feel full than with other cereals.  The hot cereals are also very affordable (unlike many high-end organic products); costing only $4.99 for a 30oz. supply.

However, even with a hearty breakfast (and especially with that darn metabolism), active individuals like myself require an ample amount of snacks throughout the day to stay energized. Like an exercise-addicted cow, I “graze” from dawn to dusk.  Although counterintuitive, this type of consistent eating (in moderation), will actually keep you leaner and prevent unnecessary binging.

Bear Naked’s granola pouches are a phenomenal option for this type diet.  These little granola packs are small, light (2 oz.), and re-sealable; making them wonderful travel companions for people at work, at play ... or ”on the run.”

Since they are re-sealable, they also serve as a good food companion on longer road runs, trail adventures, and even races. The packets are very convenient and will fit easily into most running hydration and fuel packs.  For example, I had no problem storing one into my 2-bottle Fuel Belt.  Another positive of the resealable packs is that I did not feel obligated to eat the entire contents in one sitting. This is an especially nice feature for folks watching their caloric intake and eating patterns.

Bear Naked granola was voted ”Best-Tasting Granola in the Country” by Men’s Health (Mar. 2005) and Organic Style (Nov. 2004). I found the granola to be quite tasty myself, particularly the “Fruit and Nut” flavor. Other reviewers have high accolades for the new “Peanut Butter and Jelly” flavor.  The granola is also available in a 12oz. bag (4.99) and a 30oz. “Big Bag” ($9.99); both of which represent a comparatively, solid economic value.

Overall, The Final Sprint’s team and I were extremely impressed with and would highly recommend Bear Naked’s variety of nutritious, moderately priced, convenient and delicious cereals and granolas

Check out the Bear Naked website for more information about their product line, nutrtion facts, and to locate stores in your area that carry their products.

Online training community gets a makeover as “MotionBased” becomes “Garmin Connect”

Posted August 31, 2007 at 08:38 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Access., News

Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN) , today announced the launch of Garmin Connect—a community Web site for customers to store, view and share activities/locations recorded by Garmin fitness and recreational devices. Garmin Connect (found online at connect.garmin.com) is the evolution of MotionBased maintaining many of the same features and the entire customer and activity database but with a more powerful technology infrastructure and streamlined user interface.

“We are thrilled with this opportunity to enhance our relationships with Garmin Connect users,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “As we continue to develop ways to use GPS technology and other Garmin products for personal betterment, our focus on fitness helps people make strides toward a healthier lifestyle.”

The first version of Garmin Connect is scheduled to launch in October 2007 to exclusively support the recently announced Forerunner 50, Garmin’s low-cost fitness watch, through automatic wireless downloads. The second release of Garmin Connect is scheduled to launch in December 2007 adding GPS support for use with other Garmin products and will inherit the MotionBased customer and activity database, which currently stores more than 1.5 million public activities and is growing at a rate of 3,500 per day.

“The Garmin Connect team is excited to foster the community that is home to thousands of activities each day, and we embrace the opportunity to further integrate with Garmin’s growing family of innovative products and passionate people,” said Aaron Roller, co-founder and CTO of MotionBased.

In addition to improvements in performance and the user interface, the transition to Garmin Connect will introduce more features and a new subscription model. Garmin Connect will now be FREE for all customers who wish to store and access all of their activities uploaded to the site. Garmin Connect will still maintain a paid-subscription service, Garmin Connect Plus, to access advanced features. Existing MotionBased customers with annual paid subscriptions will be grandfathered into Garmin Connect Plus.

Garmin Connect will support a variety of operating systems (Windows 2000/XP/Vista; Mac OS X by the end of 2007) and browsers (Internet Explorer 6+; Firefox 2+; Safari 2+).

Garmin Connect’s Web-based subscription service complements Garmin’s fitness and outdoor devices, including products in the Forerunner, Edge and eTrex lines, as well as others. Following an activity, Garmin users upload the data and can personalize and categorize each activity. Garmin Connect calculates measurements such as time, distance, speed, elevation and heart rate. Now more compatible across operating systems and Web browsers, Garmin Connect displays this information through charts, illustrations, reports and a variety of map representations including street, photo, topographic, and elevation maps as well as the popular Google Earth application to visualize their activity. Users can replay their workout using media controls as they watch themselves move along the mapped route coupled with an elevation profile.

Each activity stored in a personal online digest and marked as public may be accessed by anyone visiting the Garmin Connect site. Visitors have access to all of the activities at no cost, and they may search activities by keyword and location to find popular routes while traveling, or to engage in “virtual races” with other Garmin Connect members.

The launch of Garmin Connect was announced at EuroBike 2007. Additional information about Garmin’s other recent announcements may be found at http://www.garmin.com/.

Bill Rodgers Sportswear going out of business; holding 50% off close-out sale

Posted August 31, 2007 at 03:26 PM by Jamal Walker

Section: Gear & Apparel, Apparel

Bill Rodgers Sportswear announced that they are going out of business and are holding a close-out sale on all merchandise.

“First, let me thank you for using our products in the past,” said Rodgers in a marketing announcement.  “Now after 21 years of manufacturing the Bill Rodgers Sportswear line of running apparel we are closing our doors.”

Rodgers is offering deep discounts on the entire line of merchandise; including top-quality running and general athletic apparel for both men and women.  For more information and/or to place an order (No better time to stock-up and take advantage of these great values then when prices are at rock bottom!), please click on the following link:

http://www.shopfest.com:80/cgi-bin/shopper.exe?storeid=00008&preadd=action&key=00008-U547:

Rodgers, 59, won the Boston and New York City Marathons four times, and remains one of the most recognizable faces in U.S. distance running.  He still travels the running circuit and appears at dozens of events each year.

Video: “Taking extreme sports to the top” (North Face Ultra-Trail)

Posted August 23, 2007 at 10:39 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Destinations, International, News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons, Special Features, Videos

The hardest of hard-core athletes took off on Friday on a gruelling race up and around Mont Blanc in the North Face Ultra-Trail championship. The fifth edition of the race will wind around 163 kilometers of Alpine trail in three countries, with nearly 9,000 meters of altitude change. More than 2,200 people this year are participating in one of the toughest runs on the planet.

Check out AFPTV’s report from the start line in the following video:

Endurance Relays: A New Spin on an Old Favorite

Posted August 22, 2007 at 03:02 PM by Lisa Cieplechowicz

Section: Motivation, News, Adventure/Relay, Training

Picture this: running hundreds of miles across state highways and trails, sometimes with only the moon to light your way, supported by dedicated teammates who are ready to trade-off with you every 3 miles or so follow along in a decorated van, while you all envision the festivities that await you at the finish line. Sound like something you’d enjoy? Then maybe you should consider signing yourself up for an endurance relay race.

Relay races used to bring to mind images of high school or college athletes running around an oblong track with side attractions consisting mostly of marching band music and fundraising booths. And though there’s nothing wrong with such an athletic event, these days there are alternative activities to consider. Welcome to the age of the endurance relay race, where distances are lengthened to stretch across hundreds of miles, limited time-frames are instilled, and food and fun often meet you at the end of your journey.

Endurance relay races take the idea of standard relays to the next level. From longer distances to picturesque courses to the chance to compete in some over-night racing, endurance relays make the process of relay events both fun and rewarding. Who wouldn’t like to brag to their friends that they ran hundreds of miles across cities and states? Even more important than bragging rights, many runners in such relay events cite the lifelong friendships these endurance runs can spawn. Team sports are known for their ability to create strong bonds amongst teammates and endurance relay races are no exception. As quoted in the NY Times by a participant, “It takes a certain kind of person who wants to run through the night, and after 30 hours together you know who you can be lifelong friends with.”

Read the rest at our partner site: HesFit.com

TFS Review: CLIF Bar

Posted August 22, 2007 at 10:00 AM by Paul Peterson

Section: Nutrition/Hydration

Product: CLIF Bar Price: Retail $1.39 to $1.69 each, $15 for a box of 12 Rating: Excellent 8.8/10.0 Pros: Enjoyable taste, inexpensive, easy to digest, many flavor varieties, vegan/vegetarian friendly, 70% organic ingredients Cons: Texture is not immediately appealing Overall: CLIF Bars offer the best bang for your buck in the world of energy bars. Not only is the taste tolerable, but most flavors are actually very good, although like many bars it suffers from a peculiar texture. CLIF Bars are great to consume before and after races and workouts, with few digestion problems. In addition, they contain no animal products, and are filled with soy protein and carbohydrates.

I remember my first experience with energy bars, well over 10 years ago. I recall being somewhat curious and even a little excited about this new concept. I thought to myself, Will it boost my performance? Will it give me boundless energy?

My eager optimism crashed as soon as I began it to eat it. I managed to scarf down the dense, chewy mass, and proceeded to get a gut bomb that lasted the duration of my run. In the early days, some of those bars were terrible!

Then I discovered CLIF Bar. Conceived as an idea in 1986, debuted in 1992, and incorporated in 1997, CLIF Bar has chewed its way to the top as a leading maker of energy bars.

It is now ubiquitous in bike shops, grocery stores, and race goodie bags. Along with its rich history, CLIF Bar upholds many environmental, health, and social ideals via its philosophy and operations, and also through support of numerous outside organizations.

Read the rest at our partner site: TheFinalSprint.com

Impact of extreme weather conditions on marathon running performances

Posted August 10, 2007 at 10:00 AM by Megan Hueter

Section: Nutrition/Hydration

In general, marathon races are among the most physiologically demanding endurance events in the world with runners competing for a distance of 42 kilometers (26.2 miles). (3,6) Competitive marathon runners often maintain a pace equaling 70-90% of their VO2max (max output) for over two hours. (6) Both biological and environmental factors affect the thermoregulatory balance in marathon runners.

Marathon races are considered mass participation events, and heat injuries occur in less extreme conditions. When running in closer proximity to other runners, it has been reported that the physiological heat stress is three times more straining on the body compared to someone running solo in identical weather conditions. (6) As mentioned earlier biological and environmental factors play a role in maintaining thermoregulatory balance in marathon runners.  Biological factors such as dehydration, metabolic rate and gender limit thermoregulatory control. (3)

Prolonged exercise challenges the multitude of systems which try to maintain temperature homeostasis (or, the body’s normal temperature, 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit).  The thermoregulatory system in the body works to maintain heat balance and defends core temperature (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) during exercise.  Marathon running imparts a large internal heat load to the body’s core due to the inefficiency of converting chemical energy to mechanical work. (3)

During marathon running, 75-80% of the energy required for running is transferred as heat to the core.(3) The body’s mechanisms for heat dissipation (for example, sweat) must offset this generated heat in order for the body to avoid hyperthermia, which is a dangerous condition characterized by a high body temperature. (4, 11) Exertional heat stroke occurs when an athlete produces more metabolic heat than can be dissipated into the environment. This has been reported to occur even during cool weather marathons. (11)

Cooling mechanisms of the body include conduction, convection, evaporation, and radiation.  The bulk of heat dissipation occurs due to evaporation as sweat.  In hot, dry conditions almost 98% of dissipated heat is through evaporation, which is why hydration and re-hydration throughout marathon running becomes important. (4)

Dehydration raises core body temperature and severely affects physiological function by decreasing the following: circulatory blood volume, blood pressure, sweat production, stroke volume, and increasing vascular resistance which leads to decreased blood flow to the skin, a decrease in sweat output, and a decreased ability to dissipate heat. (4) Fluid losses during prolonged distance events such as marathon running have been reported to be as much as 7 liters.  In addition, sweat rates have been estimated at 1-2 liters/hour. (5)

Weight loss after marathon racing due to fluid loss and dehydration has been reported in one study to range from 1.0 to 5.23 kg following a marathon race in relatively mild weather.  Even with 2-3% dehydration of body mass, is research shows that athletic performance will suffer. (4,5)

The environment affects the body’s physiological response to exercise during events that requires a higher metabolic rate, especially marathons. Hotter climates can be tolerated during lower intensity exercise, but during high intensity exercise, cooler weather is preferred to maintain thermal balance within the body. (3, 6) It has been determined through research that an air temperature of approximately 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) is optimal for endurance exercise such as marathon running. (6)

A latest research article entitled Impact of Weather on Marathon-Running Performance by Ely et al. was published in 2007 in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Journal.  The purpose of this research study was to analyze marathon performance from multiple mass participation marathons across the country.  This study sought to quantify the impact of weather on different populations of runners (slow vs. fast runners) and between genders. 

The results of this study showed that for both men and women top finishers, performance slowed as WBGT increased across the quartiles. WGBT is an instrument which accurately measures the combination of heat and humidity. When female and male data were compared there appear to be no significant differences between genders.  An increase in WBGT showed to have a greater impact on slower runners. 

The main finding of this study was the progressive slowing of marathon performance that was observed as WBGT happened from between 5-25 degrees Celsius (41-77 degrees Fahrenheit).  This proves that even modest changes in WBGT can impact race performance. Slower runners are said to be effected greater because of having a lower fitness level, being exposed to the conditions up to 50 minutes longer than elite athletes and being grouped together more tightly than the elite athletes. 

Understanding the effect of extreme weather conditions on marathon running is important because high heat and humidity will alter a runner’s performance.  It is important that marathon runners acclimatize to the heat if they know the marathon they are running will be held under hot conditions.  Also, going out too hard initially on a race may leave the athlete dehydrated, so he or she may want to start out a little slower.

Replacing fluids throughout the race is vitally important. Even if the runner does not feel thirsty, sweat rates and weight loss during marathon running is reported as being very high.  One study reported that drinking water during exercise, compared to no fluid intake, significantly reduced rises in core body temperature, prevented decreased stroke volume and cardiac output, and decreased reduction of plasma volume.  Consumption of a minimum of 250 ml of fluid every 20 minutes during exercise is recommended. (4)

In conclusion, thermoregulatory balance is difficult to maintain during marathon running and is significantly impacted by biological and environmental conditions.  Awareness, acclimatization and fluid balance are important during marathon running to reduce the risk of heat injury. 

References:

(1) Adner MM, Scarlet JJ, Robinson W, and Jones BH.  The Boston Marathon medical care team: Ten years of experience. Physician and Sportsmedicine. 16: 99-106, 1988.

(2) Armstrong LE, Casa DJ, Millard-Stafford M, Moran DS, Pyne SW, and Roberts WO. American College of Sports Medicine. Position Stand: Exertional Heat Illness during Training and Competition.  Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 39(3): 556-572, 2007.

(3) Cheuvront SN and Haymes EM.  Thermoregulation and Marathon Running: Biological and Environmental Influences. Sports Medicine. 31(10): 743-762, 2001.

(4) Coris EE, Ramirez AM, and Van Durme DJ. Heat Illness in Athletes: The Dangerous Combination of Heat, Humidity, and Exercise. Sports Medicine. 34(1): 9-16, 2004.

(5) Costill DL, Kammer WF, and Fisher A. Fluid Ingestion During Distance Running. Archives of Environmental Health. 21: 520-525, 1970.

(6) Ely MR, Cheuvront SN, Roberts WO, and Montain SJ.  Impact of Weather on Marathon-Running Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 39(3): 487-493, 2007.

(7) Hughson RL, Green HJ, Houston ME, Thomson JA, MacLean DR, and Sutton JR. Heat Injuries in Canadian Mass Participation Runs. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 122(10): 1141-1144, 1980.

(8) McCann DJ and Adams WC. Wet bulb globe temperature index and performance in competitive distance runners.  Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 29(7): 955-961, 1997.

(9) Moran DS. Potential Applications of Heat and Cold Stress Indices to Sporting Events. Sports Medicine. 31(13): 909-917, 2001.

(10) Pugh LG, Corbett JL, and Johnson RH. Rectal temperatures, weight losses, and sweat rates in marathon running. Journal of Applied Physiology. 23(3): 347-352, 1967.

(11) Roberts WO. Exertional Heat Stroke during a Cool Weather Marathon: A Case Study. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 38(7): 1197-1203, 2006.

Via: TheFinalSprint.com

Polar launches multisport training system

Posted August 10, 2007 at 06:51 AM by Martha Jones

Section: Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Access.

Polar, the leader in heart rate monitoring and fitness assessment technology, today announced at the Outdoor Retailer Show the nation-wide availability of the RS800G3 multisport training system, the most comprehensive planning and analysis tool for athletes who train across multiple disciplines.

The RS800G3 multisport training system’s integrated view helps athletes plan their training, measure their body’s response, and then analyze their performance against personal goals. By providing the data that helps athletes avoid over- and under-training, the system helps users train in the most efficient manner possible to achieve peak performance and fitness.

Read the rest of Polar’s announcement at our partner site: TheFinalSprint.com

Ultra Elite Runner Profile: KRISSY MOEHL

Posted August 4, 2007 at 07:00 PM by Charlie Nickell

Section: News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons, Special Features, Interviews

Name: KRISSY MOEHL aka “Ruler of The Hardrock 100”

Favorite cartoon character: W.E Coyote, poor guy never gives up.

Eat healthy or whatever? Try to eat healthy, but I am known for my sweet tooth. Dessert just isn’t dessert unless there is chocolate (preferably dark).

Lima beans, soy beans, pinto beans or couscous? Pinto beans & couscous!

Pizza topping? Lots of veggies.

You find a diamond ring on the trail. What do you do? I probably wouldn’t see it.

Read the rest of this profile at: TheRunDown.net

Broadcast coverage of the 2007 WS100 on NBC!

Posted July 28, 2007 at 08:00 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons, Special Features, Videos

Tune into NBC today at 3pm EST (12pm PST) and watch broadcast coverage of the 2007 Western States Endurance Run (WS100) on NBC Sports’ “ World of Adventure” presented by Jeep!

For more information on this televised program, please visit: NBCsports.com

For more information about the WS100, please visit: ws100.com

Ultra marathoners discuss epic run across Sahara Desert covering over 4000 miles in 111 days

Posted July 20, 2007 at 10:31 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News, Adventure/Relay, Ultramarathons

“Achieving Success In Extreme Outdoor Sports Adventures”

Who: Ultra marathoners Charlie Engle and Ray Zahab (subject of the upcoming documentary Running the Sahara)

NOTE: Click here to listen to TheFinalSprint.com’s audio interview with Engle

What: Elite athletes Charlie Engle and Ray Zahab completed the equivalent of 2 marathons (55 miles) per day for 111 days straight covering six countries and over 4,000 miles across the Sahara Desert. The goal was to accomplish the impossible - to push themselves to the limit and learn about the people and places of the Sahara. The trip began in Senegal and ended at the Red Sea in Cairo Egypt. Engle and Zahab’s journey will be documented in the upcoming film Running the Sahara.  Join Engle and Zahab during the Outdoor Retailer convention as they share their personal experiences from this remarkable journey and discuss how everyday enthusiasts can maximize endurance and incorporate technology like Magellan GPS to enhance their performance in extreme adventures.  Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: TheFinalSprint.com

UltraRunner Scott Jurek wins Hardrock 100-mile Endurance Run; Sets new course record

Posted July 20, 2007 at 06:11 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News, Ultramarathons

As Brooks Sports athlete Scott Jurek raced across the finish line of the Hardrock 100-Mile Endurance Run, he pumped his fists victoriously and leaned down to kiss the Hardrock. The first of 97 finishers, Jurek set a new course record, surpassing the previous best by 27 minutes and completing the course in a breathtaking 26 hours and eight minutes. (Note: Click here to watch a video of Scott’s finish!)

The Hardrock 100-Mile Endurance Run, which winds runners through Western Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, is considered a post-graduate run, stringently selecting its runners and forbidding the participation of novices. The 100-mile run boasts 33,000 feet of total elevation gain, with an average elevation of 11,186 feet.

A Seattle resident, Jurek is a consecutive seven-time champion of the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, a course record holder and defending two-time champion of the Badwater Ultramarathon, and the defending Sparathon champion. In addition to his many running accolades, Jurek provides assistance to other athletes through his Beyond Running program, which offers trail running camps, day clinics, coaching and consultation to runners of varying skills and abilities. 

Jurek has been a product advisor and sponsored athlete of Brooks Sports, Inc. since 2004 and recently renewed his contract with the company, which develops performance running footwear, apparel and accessories. Jurek contributes to Brooks by not only taking part in advanced biomechanical testing, but assisting in product development and weartesting of the company’s gear for all-season, off-road runners. 

“It is great to see Scott set his sights on another race and come away again with both the win and course record!” said Brook’s Sports Marketing Manager Jesse Williams. “His continued success is a testament to a combination of methodical training, excellent execution and products that can enhance his performance.”

Jurek will be present at the 2007 Summer Market Outdoor Retailer show, held August 9-12, 2007, in Salt Lake City. He’ll appear at the Brooks Sports booth (# 36143) and compete in TrailRunner magazine’s Uphill Challenge.

To listen to TheFinalSprint.com’s podcast interview with Scott, please CLICK HERE.

Release courtesy of: Brooks Sports

Photo: Scott Jurek at the Badwater Marathon; taken by Louis Escobar (Reflections Photography Studio).  To see more photos by Lois, please visit: www.allwedoisrun.com

Logan Peak Run: Recap of my first trail racing experience

Posted July 17, 2007 at 08:45 AM by Paul Peterson

Section: News, Race Recaps, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

I have lost count of the total number of road, track, and cross country races I have participated in since I began running at age 12. My best estimate is somewhere between 250-300 races. However, my total number of trail races is a bit easier to tally: zero. Yes, although I frequently do training runs on dirt single-track, I have to admit that I was still a trail race virgin at age 28.

That changed a few weeks ago when I completed the inaugural Logan Peak Run, a trail marathon in the local Bear River Range outside of my town in northern Utah. I convinced my training buddy Cody to sign up for the race with me, and our plan was to run together the whole way and simply finish (while hopefully having some fun in the process).

I picked a tough course for my indoctrination into trail racing. Initial measurements reported the route to be 25 miles in length, but the race director suspected it was actually longer due to switchbacks and other features that are difficult to measure on a topographic map or even with a GPS unit. The course starts at 4900’ elevation and maxes out at over 9700’ on Logan Peak. The cumulative total of climbing and descent was over 7200’. I suspected that I might be a little in over my head. For this first edition of the Logan Peak Run there were 27 runners, a good turnout considering the race director was shooting for only 20 runners. But several of the participants were seasoned, decorated trail runners, so I knew stealing a win as a road-runner in this field would be out of the question. I knew I would be out of my element. But beyond competition, I was looking forward to the trail, the scenery, and the company.

Start to Mile 4.5 -The race started promptly at 6:30AM. The first part of the course left a city park and immediately entered the Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST), a mountain-front trail that intermittently stretches across over 90 miles of Utah’s Wasatch Front. There were some immediate rolling hills. Cody and I found ourselves in 4th or 5th place by the time we departed the BST at the mouth of Dry Canyon, around Mile 1. At Dry Canyon, the race really begins, as there is non-stop climbing to Mile 4.5 on rocky single-track.

We started ascending Dry Canyon and caught a few people. However, we would get passed whenever I stopped to take pictures. I figured as long as I was going to be up that high, I should bring my camera! It was a slow grinding climb (3000’ in 3.5 miles), and we were glad to see the first aid station. Mmmm...trail mix and pretzels. Mile splits were first 4 miles were 9:45, 12:31, 14:41, 16:02. This includes stops, as I wouldn’t stop my watch when we took breaks.

Mile 4.5 to Mile 11 - After departing the aid station, the course turned off of Dry Canyon and onto the south portion of the Syncline Trail. Finally, we got some relief from the constant uphill. Terrain was variable - flat, up, down. But in general, this portion of the race was really nice. Despite being a local, I had never been on this trail, and was treated to some great views of my local valley (Cache Valley) and the surrounding canyons.

Cody and I were holding steady somewhere near the Top 5 for position. After a couple miles of single-track, the race merged onto the Welches Flat jeep trail, which wraps around the north side of Providence Canyon. Near Mile 10 we were discharged onto another jeep trail at the top of Providence Canyon, above the old rock quarry. Terrain was still quite variable, but the route featured much of uphill that required walking. Once again, we were quite glad to see the second aid station, near Mile 11. This station featured even better food, and we took a 5-minute siesta during which we focused on cramming food down our mouths. Coming from a road racing background, I must say that trail races really know how to do aid stations right!

Mile splits for this stretch were 16:50 (includes stop at first aid station), 9:05, 7:59, 13:55, 10:09, 14:23, 16:45 (includes stop at second aid station).

Mile 11 to Mile 16 - This segment was an out-and-back to the namesake of the race:  Logan Peak. We faced a 1000 overall vertical ft climb in 2.5 miles to reach our destination, which for all intents and purposes served as the halfway point of the race. As usual, we were walking the uphills, and running the best we could on the flat and downhill parts. The hardest factor was that the peak was in view the entire time, but we had to circumvent a ridge to get up on it first.

I was planning on doing the “Rocky” dance at the very top of Logan Peak, but after the final quarter mile shuffle up to it, I didn’t have the energy to jump around, make jabbing motions, and yell “Yeah! Yeah!”. Instead I just filled up my water, ate a Gu, and talked to the volunteers. Several people passed Cody and I during our aid break on the peak, since we were once again spending too much time eating, chatting, and taking pictures. Everyone else seemed focused on running or something. I was amazed at how fast most runners passed through the aid stations. There is a definite skill and strategy to this, one that we had not yet learned.

Finally, we started back down Logan Peak, back to aid station #2. We passed back several people, and also got to see the runners behind us who were at various points of their ascent up Logan Peak. It was nice to see the whole field and give them encouragement. Trail races are laid-back events, and it was cool to give and receive smiles from our competitors. This downhill stretch was a welcome relief after the long climb, and we made it back relatively quickly to the aid station at the beginning of the out-and-back. Once again we stopped for trail mix, cookies, drinks, etc, etc. Several people passed us back. I took their picture.

Mile splits for this segment were 14:36, 19:53, 8:07, 8:52, 14:02 (includes aid stop).

Mile 16 to Mile 22 - After we were finished at the aid station, we continued on the original jeep trail. Terrain was undulating (a pattern for this race). Walk, run. Walk, run. I was still feeling pretty good, thanks to the frequent and long aid stops. Around Mile 18, we turned left onto the northern segment of the Syncline Trail, and started traversing the south rim of Logan Canyon. Views were fantastic, and I had never been on this stretch before. Highway US-89, the route to Bear Lake, Jackson Hole, and Yellowstone, was about 4000’ below us.

After a couple miles on the Syncline Trail (on which we were moving at a good clip), we caught up to runner ahead of us who had come to a stop at a junction in the trail. We soon saw the dilemma. There was a race sign pointing right, and some flagging on the right junction, but all common sense told us “go left”. We decided that someone was playing a mean trick and that going right would take us off a cliff, so the three of us agreed to go left. We soon saw flagging again on our chosen course, and were 99.9% sure we made the correct decision. We found out later that some random vandal turned the sign around and messed with the flagging to be a wise guy.

Cody and I ran with the other runner for several miles and chatted a little bit. Even with conversion, this stretch of single-track dragged on and on, and I kept expecting to see Dry Canyon again “any time”...but it never came. Cody and I eventually passed the other runner, who had decided to walk more than we wanted to. Finally, we came to the nose of the ridge and started winding back down to Dry Canyon. Hurrah, no more uphills! On this stretch we passed a runner that we remembered seeing in the Top 3 earlier in the race. That was satisfying; we were tired but not slowing down at all. Some of our road marathon fitness was indeed carrying over to the trails. We soon made it to the Dry Canyon aid station, the same station that served as our first stop nearly 4.5 hours earlier.

Mile splits for this segment were 12:01, 9:58, 11:37, 13:41, 12:04, 14:24 (includes aid stop).

Miles 22 to 26.5 (finish) - We didn’t linger as long at this final aid station, as we wanted to finish off the race before it got too hot. Moreover, we didn’t want anyone else to catch from behind as we snarfed food. Cody and I started the final segment down the trail, beginning our 3000’, 4.5-mile descent. Gravity was working better than ever as a method of running, but my feet were protesting heavily from 20+ miles of battering on rocky terrain.

With about 2 miles to go, I was really smelling the barn, but momentum was halted when my foot hit a big rock at 7:00/mile pace. Gravity + steep downhill + lots of rocks is a bad combination, and I took quite a tumble. I think I absorbed most of the fall with both shoulders, as they really hurt afterward. My left palm got bloodied pretty good, and my right calf cramped up at same time. I peeled myself off the rocks and took a quick assessment: scraped hand with a flap of skin hanging, but nothing deep. Shoulder hurts, but not dislocated. Calf is starting to unlock. Nothing to do but start running again. We found our groove within a few minutes. And I was happy to draw a little blood in my first trail race.

Near the bottom of Dry Canyon we passed another runner who had previously been quite a distance ahead of us. Always a good thing. A random hiker at the bottom of the canyon yelled at us that we were 4th and 5th. We didn’t believe him. We exited Dry Canyon with a mile to go, and climbed back up onto the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. The rolling hills of the BST were most unwelcome, but we were almost there, and my legs still had some pop. We made the turn off of the BST, back onto the grass leading back down to the park.

Cody and I sprinted to the finish after nearly 27 miles and 5.5 hours of running. Cody finished a couple seconds ahead of me, and we took 4th and 5th overall (the random hiker was right!) Mile splits for this segment were 9:01, 7:33, 8:30 (with tumble), 7:56, 3:06 (11:08-pace).

Our official times were 5:29:31 for Cody and 5:29:37 for myself. Leland Barker, winner of the 1999 and 2001 Wasatch 100, had the winning time of 4:52:55. Third place was only 5 minutes ahead of us, and 6th place (the top woman) was a mere two minutes behind. We were exhausted, but pleased with how we chose to spend our morning!

I learned several things during my first trail race: There is an art to walking. Watching the top runners early in the race, I noticed that they would walk wherever the uphill grade warranted. Sometimes the walk break would only last a few seconds, sometimes several minutes. The experienced were very efficient with their energy expenditure. There is an art to refueling. The top runners were in and out of aid stations extraordinarily fast, yet made sure they were well-hydrated and fueled. Study the course before the start and carry a map. Fortunately, I was fairly familiar with the area where the course marking had been vandalized. Not everyone was so lucky, and some lost some valuable time heading the wrong direction. There is a much more personal responsibility involved in trail races than in road races. Watch your feet! I still have some scabs and sore spots from my superman dive near the end of the race. I was fortunate to have no deep cuts, dislocations, or broken bones, considering I landed full-bore on a bed of rocks. Slowing down a little while I was running fatigued would have paid off. Road racing skills do not transfer over to the trails. I was “out of my element” when it came to technical footing, extreme uphills, and extreme downhills. Trail running is a different beast than road running, and I respect trail racers immensely for the skills they possess. Fitness is fitness. Despite being ”out-skilled” by my competitors, the fitness I had acquired through years of road marathon training was adequate for me to not just survive, but finish strong in a trail race. The ability to efficiently burn glycogen and fat is key for all types of endurance racing. Aid stations at trail races rock! Every station was essentially a buffet line. They turned out to be a bit too good: according to my GPS watch, I spent about 42 minutes stopped. I suppose if we hadn’t have taken so many breaks we could have placed higher...or we might have run slower! Trail races are fun! I don’t think I’ll ever be as good of a trail racer as I am a road racer, but I’ll surely come back for more! The people are great, and the scenery and sheer challenge are unparalleled. Trail racing can bring a fresh new element to even the most hardened road warrior.

Video: Athletes Prepare For ‘Ultra Challenge’ In Wheelchairs

Posted July 11, 2007 at 10:44 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: News, Trail Running, Special Features, Videos

Three people are determined to participate in the ‘ultra challenge’ event that will take place in Alaska and they are doing it regardless of their physical limitations.

Dave Malkoff reports for CBS in the following video report:

Ragner Wasatch Back Relay: 2007 Race Report

Posted July 11, 2007 at 08:20 AM by Paul Peterson

Section: News, Adventure/Relay, Race Recaps

Once you’ve been bitten by the “relay bug”, it’s hard to keep away from team running events. My first overnight relay experience was the Wasatch Back Relay (Utah) in 2005, and I had a fantastic time. Since then, I’ve gone on to run the Wasatch Back two more times, and also the Wild West Relay (Colorado) and Relay Del Sol (Arizona).

The Wasatch Back is a particular favorite of mine; the fact that it starts in my “back yard” and traces its way through some of the most beautiful areas in Utah keeps me coming back again and again. For the 2007 race on June 22-23, I rounded up my MarathonGIS.com team again, fresh off of our 2nd place finish at Relay Del Sol this past March. Our goal for Wasatch Back: Top 3 and a finish time under 18 hours.

These goals would be no small task. Since its inception in 2004, the Wasatch Back Relay has grown from 22 teams (2004), to 89 teams (2005), to 178 teams (2006), to 316 teams (2007). Due to this rapid growth, the race is now the 3rd biggest overnight team relay in the U.S., only slightly smaller than the 350-team field of Reach the Beach. (Hood to Coast is the largest relay, with well over 1000 teams). Another result of this growth and large number of teams is that the competition gets deeper and faster every year! Our team would face many formidable foes.

The Wasatch Back course (Overview pictured below) presents its own challenges as well. With over 14,000 ft of cumulative elevation gain, and an average elevation of about 6000 ft above sea level, the terrain throws a serious monkey wrench into your stride and pace! Combine that with temperatures that can soar to over 90 degrees, the rigorous Wasatch Back route can slow even the most competitive runners to a crawl. The keystone leg of the course (Leg 34) is nicknamed ”Ragnar”, after a tough, fearless, 9th-century Norse king. The Ragnar leg climbs nearly 1700 ft in 4.0 miles, reaching a max elevation of 8900 ft. Sub-10:00/mile pace is considered blazing on Ragnar. Its preceding leg, nicknamed ”You got to be kidding me”, features an equally intimidating ascent of nearly 1500 ft in 3.6 miles. While most legs of the Wasatch Back are not this difficult, it gives you the idea that the race is no cakewalk!

Our team started at 5PM Friday evening, with several other teams: two college-based teams (BYU and Weber State) and two running store teams (Runners Corner and 26.2 Running Company). The other 300+ plus teams had started earlier at staggered times during the morning and afternoon. BYU, the two-time defending champions, had seeded themselves to run the 177-mile course at a blistering 5:24/mile pace. However, the other four teams, including ourselves, were seeded to run at 5:45/mile pace. Regardless of the actual performances, it looked to be a dogfight for the top spots.

Within the first hour of running, the race was proving to be quite an adventure.  By the start of the third leg, all five teams (including ourselves!) had taken at least one wrong turn. One team had taken two errant turns. The Weber State team was running strong and had made the least mistakes to build a lead of several minutes. However, the race settled down a bit from there. Weber continued to build their lead, and BYU eventually passed us during Leg 9 and started to gradually pull away. Meanwhile, we placed a sizeable gap on Runners Corner and 26.2 Running Company.

By Exchange 12 (1/3 of the way through the race), we were locked into third place. Over the next 13 hours and 120 miles, all the way to the finish, we remained in third place, with the gaps on both sides steadily increasing.

BYU was never able to cover the spread Weber State built early in the race. Weber went on to win the race with a 11-minute advantage over their rival. Their times were 17:40 and 17:51, respectively. Our MarathonGIS.com team finished a distant 3rd in 18:29, with 26.2 Running Company edging out the co-ed Runner’s Corner team with times of 19:18 and 19:25. The Roadrunners, a team with an earlier 4PM start, finished a close 6th with a time of 19:31.

We were pleased with our 3rd-place finish. Our 12-man team ran hard, had fun, and supported each other. Our pre-race estimate of 5:45/mile pace proved to be too ambitious for the altitude and terrain, but afterwards we all agreed that 6:16/mile pace was a nice accomplishment as well. In any case, we achieved as a team what none of us could not even begin to approach as individuals. And the memories taken from this race will certainly not involve nerdy statistics such as pace. My best memories of the 2007 Wasatch Back Relay will revolve around wrong turns, broken van doors held together by bungee cord (true story), and my teammates and friends.

This is indeed the most appealing part of these overnight relays: the team aspect. All teams, whether fast or slow, come together to support each other, enjoy each others’ company, and experience a 180-mile journey together. The beauty of the Wasatch Back Relay route is magnificent, and takes its participants through some of the less-traveled jewels of northern Utah. Journeys such as these are best shared with other people.

Race Recap: Great Midwest Relay (GMR)

Posted July 10, 2007 at 03:34 PM by Perry Romanowski

Section: News, Adventure/Relay, Race Recaps, Training, Training Tips

The following race recap was written by endurance “joggler” Perry Romanowski; a unique and talented athlete who successfully juggles while running marathons and other long-distance events at competitive paces.  For more information about Perry, “joggling”, and/or to support his current charity venture, please visit: JustYourAverageJoggler.com.

The Great Midwest Relay (GMR) is a two-day race featuring a 190-mile trek from Madison, WI through Milwaukee, WI to Chicago, IL.  2007 marked the third annual running of this team event which is the longest distance race of its kind in the Midwest.  Relay teams of 6-12 people run 36-continuous segments along bike paths, wooded trials and streets following red arrows the entire way.  Some of the proceeds from GMR are donated to the Special Olympics and runners of all skill levels are encouraged to participate.

This year, 120 teams started and 115 teams finished.  The winning time was a blazing 19:55, but the average finishing time was just around 27 hours.  It was the first year I participated, so this review is presented from the vantage of a newbie.  Overall, it was an enjoyable experience.  A few minor issues with the event organization were unfortunate but in the end, I’d recommend you try it if you have an inclination for team fitness events.

Quality of the Pre-Relay Race Preparation One of the first exposures you get to most races is their website.  The GMR website is a pretty good one complete with all the critical information you’ll need.  It has a section for registering, event details, rules, maps, driving directions and results from previous years.  There’s even an active message board hosted through Yahoo!  It’s an extremely useful site.

Participating in a relay race is a bit more complicated than a marathon or other solo event.  You can’t simply register, lace up your shoes and show up before the gun goes off.  For the Great Midwest Relay you’ll have to assemble a team, arrange transportation and figure out all of the rules.  You can learn some practical details from other runners at the message board or follow some of these 10 tips for running an ultra-marathon relay.

Race Day Review The race began on Friday morning in Madison, WI.  Each team was assigned a different start time (from 8am through 3pm) based on their expected finish time.  They did it this way so everyone would finish around the same time.  It’s a great idea but only if they give you the right starting time.  Our team predicted we would do a 9 min/mile pace.  Unfortunately, the event organizers started us with the 7 min/mile pace group which made for a lonely race after we were passed by most teams around mile 120.

The packet pick-up at the starting area was well organized.  You were given race shirts, numbers, transition area directions and the relay band.  There was even a table where you could buy things you may have forgotten like light reflectors and vests.  It ran smoothly and would’ve been perfect except for the fact that they didn’t have enough t-shirts for all the teams.  They assured us that there would be shirts at the finish but these never materialized.  It was a bit disappointing.

At the start, all the relay members were together so you could cheer on your first runner.  Then runners 7-12 drove off to the seventh transition area while runner 2-6 went to the second transition area to meet runner 1.  There were 36 race legs which varied in length from a short distance of 1.8 miles to a long one of 9 miles.

The transition areas were manned by volunteers who were really friendly and helpful.  It was these areas that made the event feel like a race.  Here you got to meet runners from the other teams, talk about your experiences and discuss how the race is going.  You also got a sense of how well you were doing compared to the other teams.  In a solo race you can just look around to figure this out.

I was the twelfth runner so didn’t even start my first leg until 9:30 pm.  This was quite a long wait and something you should think about when you are assembling your team.  Other things to think about…

Who will drive Who will navigate When & where to eat When & where to sleep How to pass your non-running time

We didn’t properly prepare for the sleeping part because my team got maybe 3 interrupted hours of sleep at maximum.  If you’re interested, you can click here for a hour-by-hour recap of the Great Midwest Relay.

Great Midwest Relay Finale and Overall Impressions The relay race finished at a great location along the Chicago Lakefront.  While our team wasn’t competitive we did manage to finish in a respectable 88th place.  (We also came in first place in the Joggling division).  Unfortunately, our team was one of the last ones to cross the finish line, so most of the crowds were gone.  In fact, there were very few people there at all.  This was a bit disappointing however, seeing the rest of my team there was great.

Perhaps the most disappointing thing about the finish was the fact that they ran out of finisher medals.  We spent all day and all night, barely sleeping, not showering and at the end we didn’t get finisher medals.  Since everyone was so nice and the race was well-run overall I won’t complain too much.  But it was disheartening not to get those medals.

Ultimately, I was pleased with the GMR.  Clearly this is a complicated event to organize and a challenging one to participate in.  But there’s an excitement about doing a relay and being on a team that is unmatched in solo events.  The pressure to perform is different and your times just don’t matter in the same way.  Sure, you want to get out there and do your best but when you have teammates around you to help pick you up, it makes things a lot more enjoyable.  I’ll probably do the GMR next year.  And if you’re looking for a challenging race like this, you should consider doing it too.

TF Podcast 1: Interview with elite ultra endurance & trail runner MICHELLE BARTON:

Posted July 9, 2007 at 12:20 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Koerner ends winless streak and earns top honors at Western States 100

Posted June 25, 2007 at 08:00 PM by Jessica Galvano

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News, Race Recaps, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

Sixth time’s a charm. For Hal Koerner, a sixth attempt at the Western States Endurance Run brought a long sought after victory. A five-year streak without title ended for Koerner Saturday night as he crossed a finish lined with spectators. At 9:12 p.m., Koerner received a winner’s welcome from a host of camera flashes and a freshly star-studded sky.

Although he finished third in 2004 and ninth in 2003, Koerner has returned to the renowned 100-miler each year with an eye for first. In his previous races, Koerner had remained with the pack, matching their steady pace rather than setting his own. Saturday, however, the Oregon ultrarunner ran almost every mile without the company of his fellow competitors. His 2007 strategy: run alone, take the lead and keep it.

After a 5 a.m. start at Squaw Valley, Koerner set out at an aggressive pace, attacking the ascending California trails. He was the first runner to arrive at Lyon Ridge, the race’s 10.5-mile checkpoint. Into the eleventh mile, Koerner had already managed to separate himself from the field. Koerner took an early five-minute lead on Washington’s Phil Kochik, the only top-5 finisher in his twenties; second place finisher Erik Skaden remained eight-minutes back; and last year’s winner, Graham Cooper, trailed the leader by a full ten-minutes.

Koerner’s quick pace—never exceeding an average of just over nine and a half minutes per mile—kept him securely ahead of the competition. Minutes behind a charging Koerner, Kochik, Skaden, Cooper, and Jones-Wilkins battled for the remaining top-5 positions. Skaden moved into second place as he approached the 70-mile Peachstone aid station, a slowing Kochik still on his heels. The 100-mile race, seemingly endless at the outset, intensified as the runners began to run out of trail. With Skaden comfortably in second place, Kochik, Cooper, and Jones-Wilkins vied for third. In the final seven miles, Cooper rallied with a late surge to settle the contest. Idaho’s Jones-Wilkins was fourth to finish, followed by a fifth-place Kochik.

Lacking the chaotic circumstances of the 2006 finish, this year’s 34th running of the Western States Endurance Run yielded impressive times and consistent performances. After leading the entire competition, 31 year-old Koerner crossed the line at Auburn’s Placer High in 16:12:16. Skaden finished 24 minutes later in 16:36:49 and fellow Californian Graham Cooper took third in 17:11:41.

Research sources and for more information: [Auburn Journal], [WS100 Official Site]

Kimball retains title at Western States Endurance Run

Posted June 25, 2007 at 07:00 PM by Jessica Galvano

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News, Race Recaps, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

Nikki Kimball, first place women’s finisher in the 2004 and 2006 Western States Endurance Run, approached the start of this year’s 100-miler with hopes of a third title. Despite her previous successes in California’s notoriously challenging ultramarathon, Kimball was not convinced of certain victory.

Like many of her peers, the Montana runner regards the Western States 100 as one of the most prestigious ultradistance events. As expected, this year’s female field boasted established athletes from across the United States and around the world. With fierce competitors all eager to be the first across a very distant finish line, not even Kimball’s years of experience could calm her pre-race nerves.

Once the race began, Kimball settled into a leading pace and her uneasy start surrendered to assured strides. Early on, Kimball matched the times of the leading male runners; at the first checkpoint, almost eleven miles into the course, she trailed third-place male finisher Graham Cooper by only three minutes.

California’s Beverly Anderson-Abbs, the female runner-up in last year’s race, again proved to be Kimball’s biggest competition. Although Kimball led for almost the full 100 miles, Anderson-Abbs equaled the defending champion’s pace for the first ten. By the time Kimball entered the Red Star Ridge aid station, however, she had managed to pull away from the California contender. After 16 miles of unforgiving trail, Kimball’s lead—originally only seconds—had become minutes.

Relatively cool temperatures no doubt eased the typically warmer mid-day miles, allowing Kimball to maintain her ambitious pace. She continued to extend the margin and entered the final miles with an insurmountable advantage.

In Auburn’s Le Febvre Stadium, a dedicated crowd eagerly awaited the night’s first female finish. At 11:12 p.m., Kimball delivered the winning performance. A time of 18:12:38 not only bettered her personal best on the California course, but also won her the honor of a spot in the overall top-10.

Anderson-Abbs secured a second-place finish in 19:31:18, an improvement of over thirty minutes from her 2006 time. And while the native West-coasters took first and second-place, third-place went to French runner, Karine Herry with a time of 20:12:38.

Research sources and for more information: [Auburn Journal], [WS100 Official Site]

VIDEO: Koerner, Kimball win 2007 Western States 100 Endurance Run

Posted June 25, 2007 at 08:00 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons, Special Features, Videos

Congratulations to Hal Koerner and Nikki Kimball on winning one of the world’s most grueling, athletic events: the 100 mile Western States Endurance Run.

Koerner was able to top an intense challenge from Erik Skaden and edged out 2006 champion Graham Cooper to win in 16 hours, 12 minutes and 16 seconds.  On the women’s side, Nikki Kimball blew away the competition and won in 18:12:38; two hours ahead of runner-up Karine Herry. 

WS100 reports that nearly 300 runners battled through the weekend and successfully completed the legendary, ultra-endurance event.

WS100 Top Finishers [Name-Time(Age-Gender)]:

MEN: Hal Koerner - 16:12:16 (M-31) Erik Skaden - 16:36:49 (M-35) Graham Cooper - 17:11:41 (M-37)

WOMEN: Nikki Kimball - 18:12:38 (F-36) Karine Herry - 20:12:38 (F-39)

Click on the video below to watch the top two finishers cross the finish line and much more!

VIDEO: Courtesy of WS100 PHOTO: Courtesy of Seattle Running Company

Western States Endurance Run kicks off today, July 23rd!

Posted June 23, 2007 at 12:10 PM by Martin Kennedy

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

It starts today: the 2007 Western States Endurance Run!  Regarded as one of the most arduous endurance events in the world, the WS100 really seperates the men/women from the boys/girls. 

Think you’re tough enough?  Do you have what it takes to push through the intense elevations and rough terrain for nearly two consecutive days? Would you be able to endure this 100 mile ultra-distance trail marathon from Squaw Vally to Auburn? 

Before you answer ... get a taste of what this so-called race (or what is more aptly characterized as an “epic-battle") is like by watching the the below promo video:

Video: Ultra-marathoner Hopes to Set 24-HourWorld Record on Treadmill

Posted June 22, 2007 at 10:47 AM by Martha Jones

Section: News, Special Features, Videos

Ultra-marathoner Dean Karnazes tried to break the world record for the most miles run on a treadmill in 24 hours. He made his attempt high above Times Square in New York City.

Check out the following video from the Associated Press in NYC:

Ultra Elite Runner Profile: MICHELLE BARTON

Posted June 22, 2007 at 10:09 AM by Charlie Nickell

Section: News, Trail Running, Ultramarathons, Special Features, Interviews

Name: MICHELLE BARTON (photo by Mark Haymond)

Favorite cartoon character is: Tasmanian Devil

Healthy eater or whatever? I’ve been a vegetarian for 18 years. I inhale lots of couscous and Starbucks.

Lima beans, soy beans, pinto beans or couscous? Trader Joe’s couscous salad and Recover-EASE are my secret weapons.

Pizza topping? Anything that is not dead. Not tortured souls. Any veggies.

You find a diamond ring on the trail, what do you do? Post a sign and wait a couple of weeks. If no owner found then sell the diamond and buy race entries and anything Sierra wants. Race entries are a girl’s best friend, not diamonds.

Read the rest of this profile at: TheRunDown.net

Race Recap: Holcomb Valley 33 Mile Trail Run

Posted June 21, 2007 at 03:09 PM by Greg Hardesty

Section: Destinations, U.S.A., News, Race Recaps, Trail Running, Ultramarathons

Holcomb Valley 33 Mile

When: Sunday, June 10 Where: Big Bear Lake, Calif. Race Directors: Pam and Gary Kalina

Course description: Out-and-back run in the mountains of Big Bear Lake in Southern California, starting at an elevation of 6,750 and peaking at 8,212. More than 17 miles are on beautiful (and rocky) Pacific Crest Trail singletrack; the rest is on fire/access roads.

Number of finishers: 114

Top three male finishers: 1) Jorge Pacheco 4:31:05 2) Dean Dobberteen 4:54:29 3) Josh Nordell 4:56:31 Top three female finishers: 1) Michelle Barton 5:20:15 2) Ronni Wilde 5:52:39 3) Renee Roberts 6:07:34

Read the detailed, first-hand race recap at: TheRunDown.net

Stunning victory for Shvetsov at Comrades Marathon

Posted June 17, 2007 at 04:30 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News, Race Recaps, Ultramarathons

Size doesn’t matter, at least not in the Comrades [Marathon].

Tall, strongly-muscled, long-striding Russian Leonid Shvetsov, 38, finally disproved the belief that big men can’t win the “down” Comrades when he shattered Bruce Fordyce’s venerable 21-year-old record in the ultramarathon between Pietermaritzburg and Durban by more than three minutes in what second placer Grigoriy Murzin described as the greatest ultradistance performance of all time over 89.3 km (55.5 mi.).

Shvetsov, who placed 13th in the 2004 Olympic Marathon and is 1.85m (6’ 4") tall and weighs around 72 kg (158 lbs), finished in 5:20:49 to win by nine minutes, 31 seconds –-the biggest winning margin since Fordyce beat Mark Page by 10:46 in 1988.  Shvetsov, who took the lead for good with more than 33 km to run, said afterwards that he felt the record could go soon after he ran through halfway of the 89.3 km distance.  At halfway in Drummond he was still almost two minutes behind leader Petros Sosibo, who would eventually fade to 48th place.

“The most important thing in a race like this is to focus on the distance and preserve power in your legs,” said Shvetsov.  “Never give everything you have until the very end.”

South African men failed to win the down run for the first time since 1999. The first South African in Durban’s Kingsmead Stadium was Mncedisi Mkhize in third place. He ran 5:32:58 to finish 2:38 behind Murzin’s 5:30:20.

In the women’s race one of the Nurgalieva twins took the title –-but not Yelena, who was going for a historic fourth win and set a course record of 6:09:24 in last year’s “up” run. It was Olesya who crossed the line first, in a personal best 6:10:11. Six foreign women finished in the top ten, with Farwa Mentoor (fourth) the first South African for an astounding sixth time in a row.

Interestingly enough, in the 2005 down run Olesya had also finished ahead of her sibling, when Tatyana Zhirkova beat them both.

Top Results:

MEN - 1. Leonid Shvetsov (RUS) 5:20:49 CR* R200,000 2. Grigory Murzin (RUS) 5:30:20 100,000 3. Mncedisi Mkhize 5:32:58 75,000 4. Fusi Nhlapo 5:33:56 40,000 5. Leboka Noto (LES) 5:35:35 30,000 *Course record; previous Bruce Fordyce, 5:24:07, 1986

WOMEN - 1. Olesya Nurgalieva (RUS) 6:10:11 R200,000 2. Yelena Nurgalieva (RUS) 6:10:40 100,000 3. Madina Biktigirova (40+/RUS) 6:22:03 75,000 4. Farwa Mentoor 6:24:38 40,000 5. Marina Myshlyanova (40+/RUS) 6:25:26 30,000

Written by: Riel Hauman (c) 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved.  Used with permission.

34th Western States 100-mile Endurance Run

Posted June 15, 2007 at 11:56 AM by Jessica Galvano

Section: Destinations, News

Beginning in the Squaw Valley and finishing in Auburn, the Western States Endurance Run spans 100 miles of rugged California trails, ascends to an elevation of over 15,000 feet, and attracts some of the world’s most dedicated outdoor runners.

As one of the longest-running and most prestigious ultramarathons, the Western States 100-miler boasts over 400 entrants for its upcoming 34th year.

Description: 100 miles of raw, rocky trail running. Runner-reputed “best” ultramarathon. Start: Squaw Valley, California (June 23, 2007 5 a.m.) Finish: Auburn, California (June 24, 2007 until 11 a.m.) Male Favorites: Graham Cooper (CA), 2006 winner; Brian Morrison (WA), 2006 race leader, physically unable to finish; Greg Crowther (WA), this year’s 50 and 100K USAT Road National Champion; and Lon Freeman (CA), set new record at Miwok 100K this May. Female Favorites: Nikki Kimball (MT), first-place finisher 2004, 2006; Anne Lundblad (NC), UltraRunning magazine’s 2005 & 2006 North American Runner of the Year; Beverly Anderson-Abbs (CA), champion of 2006 Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run; and Kami Semick (OR), winner of the 2007 Miwok 100K. Online coverage of the 2007 Western States 100-miler will be available at www.ws100.com with updated race progress throughout the course of the day. This year’s large turnout has also prompted NBC to record the event for expected broadcast on August 11 at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Up for the ultimate physical challenge? If you’ve already conquered marathons and now hunger for a more “extreme” running competition, the Western States Endurance Run may be just the thing. Information about how to qualify, training programs, and details of the application are available on the WS100 site as well. Applications for the 2008 race will be available in July and will be accepted until November 15 for a lottery to be held on December 1.

For more information, please visit: [Official Site], [Trail Runner Magazine], [UltraRunning.com]

Russians & South Africans poised to dominate Comrades Marathon

Posted June 13, 2007 at 10:13 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News, Race Recaps, Ultramarathons

South African men have won the last three “down” Comrades Marathons, but it seems likely that a Russian will be first across the line this Sunday, June 17, when the 82nd running of the world’s largest ultramarathon takes place between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. The distance of the race this year is 89.3 km.

The ultramarathon will be run on a Sunday for the first time in history. This unpopular decision, widely seen in the running community as the result of the Comrades Marathon Association bowing under political pressure from governing body Athletics South Africa, has led to a decrease of about 15 percent in entries. The last few years the race was held on Youth Day (June 16), a highly politicized public holiday in post-apartheid South Africa.

Foreign women have dominated the Comrades in recent years, with the last local victory coming in 1998 when Rae Bisschoff won. Most pundits expect that this year will be no different.

South African hopes for victory rest on defending down run champion Sipho Ngomane and Brian Zondi, who was second behind Oleg Kharitonov in last year’s “up” run. In 2005 Ngomane finished second in the Two Oceans ultramarathon over Easter and then ran a storming Comrades to finish in 5:27:10, the fifth fastest time ever, and at 23 became one of the youngest winners ever.

In this year’s Two Oceans Ngomane was seventh. Two weeks before, he had won the downhill Elands Valley Marathon for the third time in a row, running 2:21:03 (the slowest of his three wins). In February he also ran the Matla Black Gold Marathon.

Zondi’s courageous run in the 2006 Comrades, his first, won him many fans and although his surge at the top of “Little Pollys” hill ultimately was his undoing, he showed that he was not afraid to challenge the the more experienced runners. He has kept a low profile this year and one has to look far down the Two Oceans results list to find him in 55th spot. He must have gained further confidence after his third place in the 2006 SA Marathon. The question will be whether, as a relatively inexperienced ultrarunner, he can produce the correct tactics for the down run – a totally different affair than the up race.

It should be remembered that in 2005 Ngomane’s lead over the last 10 km was cut substantially by a hard running Kharitonov. The Russian made a tactical mistake by hanging back – one he is sure not to repeat this time. He will be running his seventh Comrades and after two consecutive second places in the down run came through last year to finish first in the opposite direction.

Kharitonov beat Zondi by more than 2 minutes and although it was the slowest winning time since Alberto Salazar triumphed in 1994, the world 100-mile track record holder displayed remarkable strength. He has become a consummate ultrarunner and even though he may lack the speed of some of his rivals, his strength may be enough to overcome the pounding of the down run and see him through over the last 10-15 km.

One runner who could beat him is Russian compatriot Leonid Shvetsov, the fastest marathoner among the top contenders (he has a 2:09:16 PB), who was second behind Andrew Kelehe in the 2001 down run. He finished only 37 seconds in Kelehe’s wake and disproved the belief that the down run is better suited to small, light-framed men (he is 1.85 m tall and weighs around 72 kg). Shvetsov is 38, a year younger than Kharitonov, and last year showed that he has lost little of his marathon speed when he was fourth in the Lake Biwa Marathon in 2:10:59. In 2004 he was good enough to finish 13th in the Olympic Marathon. A medical doctor who lives in the USA, Shvetsov is a serious challenger for the top spot.

Another challenger, even at 49 years-old and arguably the best Comrades runner since Bruce Fordyce, is Vladimir Kotov, who has never won the down run. The fourth-place finisher in the 1980 Olympic Marathon who now is resident in South Africa, Kotov won three up runs in a row and set the record in 2000, but has always fallen short when the race finishes in Durban. He has been battling an injury during the last months of 2006 and early 2007 and it is unlikely that he will be able to improve on his third place of 2006 and fourth in the previous down run.

Kotov decided not to run the Two Oceans this year and has been training quietly, following his usual regimen of cold-weather preparation in Europe, and even at 49 his rivals will make a mistake if they discount the tough Belorussian.

Other runners who have a chance for one of the coveted ten gold medals given to the top-10 finishers –-although not necessarily for a win-– are 2003 winner Fusi Nhlapo, 1999 champion Jaroslaw Janicki, Kelehe, Johan Oosthuizen, Mohala Mohloli, Claude Moshiywa and Elias Mabane. Kehele has a remarkable record in the Comrades: he has been out of the top five only twice during the past eight years, placing second, fifth, first, ninth, fifth, fifth, third and seventh.

In the women’s race Olesya Nurgalieva makes a return after concentrating on the marathon last year. Russian women have won for the past four years, and in three of those the winner’s name was Nurgalieva – the other half of the twins, Yelena. The only time the two sisters were beaten was in 2005, the last down run, when Tatyana Zhirkova easily broke their dominance. (That was also the only time Olesya finished ahead of Yelena, who was injured.)

All three will be back –-as will be Marina Bychkova-– and although the twins finished “only” third and fourth in the Two Oceans, with Zhirkova an out-of-sorts seventh, they will start the race as favorites. They have a huge amount of experience, but should not forget that runners have won the demanding race on their debut in the past.

And this time there is such an entrant who can put a spoke in the wheel: another Russian, and the athlete who beat them all to win the Two Oceans (also on debut), Madina Biktagirova. Like Kotov a former citizen of Belarus, Biktagirova is by far the fastest marathon runner in the field and in the Two Oceans showed no sign that it was her first race longer than a marathon. Her winning time was the second fastest ever and if she can handle the extra distance on Sunday she will be hard to beat.

Although Biktagirova’s PB of 2:24:46 was run ten years ago, even her 2:28:21 for victory in last year’s Eurasia Marathon has not been approached by any other woman in the Comrades. In the 2006 Boston Marathon she finished one place and 10 seconds ahead of Olesya Nurgalieva, who is twelve years younger than Biktagirova’s 42.

Bychkova has never won, but has one of the most formidable series of performances in the Comrades: she has not been lower than sixth in the last eight races, with second last year in the second fastest time ever (when Yelena Nurgalieva set a course record 6:09:24) and fifth in the last up run.

The battle for being the first South African will probably be fought between Farwa Mentoor and Riana van Niekerk. Mentoor has achieved top spot among the locals for five years in a row, with a highest placing of third in 2004, but seems more comfortable on the up run. In the Two Oceans she was a relaxed ninth (also the first South African).

The only problem with Van Niekerk, third South African last year behind Mentoor and Yolande Maclean, is that she may have raced too much. Her prodigious schedule this year included wins in the Om die Dam 50 km (where she clocked the fifth fastest time ever by a South African on a standard course over the distance), the Indian Ocean Marathon, the Jackie Mekler 50 km, and the PetroSA Marathon, while she also set a PB 2:43:00 for third in the SA Marathon. She beat Maclean in the first two of these races. She was 16th in the last down run.

Other South Africans who will try to break up the Russian juggernaut are Lindsay van Aswegen, Mene Olivier, Madeleen Simmons (formerly Otto) and Grace de Oliveira.

The sheer distance of the race and the severity of the terrain makes the Comrades outcome very difficult to predict. The only thing one can say with certainty is that the 2007 race will again produce a titanic struggle for the first prize of R200,000 (USD 28,000). A surprise, especially in the men’s race, is very possible, as Nhlapo in 2003 and Ngomane in 2005 showed.

The facts and figures around the logistics of the race are staggering: 1.1 million water sachets, 400,000 plastic bottles, 2,000 littler bins and 10,000 litter bags, 448 bags of oranges, 5400 kg of bananas, 350,000 sachets of energy drinks, 1000 kg of chocolates, 500 kg of potatoes, more than 200 kg of biscuits and 2000 cases of Coca-Cola will be distributed along the route.

One of the Comrades legends, five-time winner Wally Hayward, will be honored with a new medal named for him, which will be presented to those runners who miss gold but still run under 6 hours – a time first beaten in 1953 by Hayward. His Comrades career spanned sixty years and the record of oldest finisher ever still stands behind his name – he achieved the feat at the age of 80 in 1989. Hayward died last year at the age of 97.

Written by: Riel Hauman (c) 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved.  Used with permission.

Race Recap: 2007 Shadow of the Giants 50K

Posted June 13, 2007 at 08:39 AM by Charlie Nickell

Section: News

We need to stop pre-judging these events. Excited to mingle with a few Major League baseball players, we thought Shadow of the Giants was a Willie Mays or Barry Bonds tribute. But, a foot race outside Fresno? Darn, no celebrity steroids on Saturday.

OK, if it’s not the 5 or 405 freeways we’re lost. Interstate 99 and Highway 41? They named a freeway after a thrift store that can’t source anything more expensive than a buck? What does a dollar buy in 2007 aside from one of Baz’s race day shirts? There are more billboards on the 91 in Spanish than in English. Funny how San Diego’s PCT50, located only miles from the Mexican border, has zero billboards in Spanish; travel hundreds of miles to the north and they litter the place.

Anyway, I’m impervious to subliminal advertising and ignored the overgrown marketing campaigns while continuing the journey to Pescado Camp and the infamous Shadow de el Gigantes. Oh mierda! And, Highway 41? If one more person moves into this area they’ll have to rename it the 42. Where are the strip malls, association Jacuzzis, empty tennis courts and rarely used green belts? Toto, we’re not in Orange County anymore.

Shadow of the Giants 50K, we get it; really big trees blocking sunlight. We rarely see big trees much less run in their magnificent shadows. It’s like tanning in Newport Beach next to a fence. While running, you can yell at the foliage “Hey, you’re blocking my sun!” Most trees we’re familiar with are easily demolished by a head-on Razor collision.

Located on the southernmost tip of Yosemite National Park, Shadow of the Giants 50K is most properly coined. The trees are ancient huge with some in the 3,500-year-old category – Baz can relate. As you pass the tall wooden soldiers they peer down and smirk. They’ve seen it all before. “Move along please, your Salomons are aggravating my roots.”

Read the rest of the race recap at: TheRunDown.Net

Race Recap: 2007 Bishop High Sierra 50m/50k

Posted June 6, 2007 at 03:55 PM by Greg Hardesty

Section: News

They say that in chess, the best players think several moves ahead. As we drove into Bishop for the 14th annual 50-miler and 50k (actually, a 33-miler, but who’s counting?) on May 19, we were doing the same thing, inspired by the city’s name and thinking of our next move, as in:

When can we visit the world-famous Schat’s Bakkery, and why do they spell it that way? Did the master carb maker OD on yeast, or something? And if you eat too much of the bread, do you get a bad case of the schats? Our past as pre-pubescent altar boys was making us nervous. Is this metropolis of 3,000-plus, located at the foot of the eastern Sierras, some sort of dumping ground for wayward bishops? Drop and give me 10 Hail Marys, and wash it down with gourmet bread – or go straight to hell. Do not pass go, do not collect the cell phone numbers of 7th-grade boys. What’s the deal with fishermen and “fresh” jerky? There are roadway signs all along Highway 395 on the way to Bishop. Our vegetarian and vegan runners (we know many) almost ran straight back from whence they came.

But, alas, they stayed – and so did we.  But boy, were we in for a tough day.

The Bishop High Sierra 50k may be beautiful – the shimmering mountain backdrop is so unreal, it looks like a Hollywood set—but it’s no walk in the park. In fact, during the early stages of the race, which basically is a gradual uphill that is deceivingly difficuly at this elevation (4,400 to 8,200, roughly), we were reminded of a game of chess we managed to play the night before the race at the local Carnivore Inn (complimentary sausage buffet in the morning): Specifically, we were reminded of our opponent’s final move in that chess match: Bishop to K4. Checkmate!

Read the rest of the race recap at: TheRunDown.Net

Team Nike Wins Adventure Race Championship

Posted June 1, 2007 at 11:43 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News, Adventure/Relay

Team Nike crossed the finish line at Fort William just after 6 a.m. on a bright sunny morning to win the 2007 Adventure Racing World Championships, according to Sleepmonsters.

Rob Howard reports:

The team that calls themselves ‘the winningest’ team lived up to their reputation and successfully defended their title, forging powerfully ahead of all challengers and winning by a comfortable margin. (The second placed team, Wilsa Sport Helly Hansen have not yet started up Ben Nevis and it will be another 8 hours at least until they finish.)

With the town still asleep in the early morning a crowd of racers and supporters enthusiastically cheered them home as Race Director Phil Humphreys sprayed champagne. Standing under the finish gantry Nike stood arm in arm, enjoying their moment and talking to the press.

After becoming the first team to cross Ben Nevis in an adventure race (all previous attempts have been called off in bad weather) the team naturally still had trekking on their mind. “The trekking was the hardest,” said Mike Kloser, “but through the week each stage seemed to get harder and harder. It was one tough course.”

“I was glad Ben Nevis was in the course,” said Chris Forne, “but it caught me by surprise a bit. I didn’t expect that ridge after the summit. I was thinking that I didn’t really want to be on this narrow, rocky crest at this stage of the race. My feet were doing their usual thing and not enjoying themselves so much by that time.”

Forne was a new member on the team, stepping in when former captain Ian Adamson retired, and he has no doubt been watching and cheering them on this morning. “Chris fitted in fine,” said Mona Merrill, “but you know when you have a common objective you get along. Mostly we just tried to keep with Chris and his navigation was great!”

Via: Outdoor Newswire

Know the warning signs of heatstroke

Posted May 30, 2007 at 10:00 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section:

Heatstroke is a sudden uncontrolled rise in body temperature that affects the brain so that it can’t function properly.  It should never happen to you because you get plenty of warning. 

First your muscles are affected, then your circulation and then your brain. As your temperature starts to rise, your muscles feel like a hot poker is pressing against them. As it rises further, the air that you breathe feels like it’s coming from a furnace and no matter how rapidly and deeply you try to breathe, you won’t be able to get enough air.

When this happens, stop exercising and cool off by moving into the shade or pouring water over your head.  If you continue to exercise, your body temperature will rise further and affect your brain. Your head will start to hurt, you’ll hear a ringing in your ears, you may feel dizzy, you may have difficulty seeing and then you will end up unconscious on the ground.

When a person passes out from heatstroke, his brain is being cooked just as the colorless part of an egg turns white when it hits the frying pan. Get medical help immediately. Usually, the victim should be carried into the shade and placed on his back with his head down and his feet up.

He should be cooled by any possible means. Liquid should be poured on him, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s from a hose, a water bottle or a cup. It could be water, soda, beer, milk or whatever you have. After he is revived, he should be watched for more than an hour as his temperature can start to rise to high levels again.

This post is written by Dr. Gabe Mirkin, M.D. and used with permission.  Dr. Mirkin is board certified in Sports Medicine and has practiced for over 40 years. He has completed more than 40 marathons and was a talk show host of a nationally-syndicated radio program for about 25 years. For more articles by Dr. Mirkin, please check out: www.DrMirkin.com

Switch it up and challenge yourself with a trail running adventure!

Posted May 26, 2007 at 10:00 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: Training

We’ve all experienced that day when we finally grow tired of seeing the same houses and landmarks along our running route.  What’s a runner to do? Fear no more!  Add some excitement, change your scenery, enjoy nature and increase your workout intensity by trying: Trail Running!

Trail running typically takes place on hills, mountains, hiking paths, etc - and is exponentially growing in popularity among runners, triathletes, hikers and other athletes.  As a matter of fact, there are now approximately 6.5 million regular trail runners in the United States.  The main allures of trail running comes from the more challenging and scenic courses.  Constant changes in terrain are common; therefore, proper training and equipment are recommended before participating in any sort of formal races or events.

Akin to hiking, trail running requires much stiffer-soled shoes in comparison to road or track running, as the land may be harder to grip. Many companies manufacture shoes specially designed for trail running, such as: Nike, The North Face, Saucony, Merrell and New Balance (among many others). These can be purchased at the same basic prices as typical running sneakers, often varying anywhere from $60 to $130, depending on quality and brand. 

Aside from special equipment, trail running provides noteworthy benefits for your body and mind. As a runner with awful knees, I often find the term “pounding the pavement” to be a far-too-accurate description for my ventures on the open road. If you also find the pavement to be a bit too hard for your liking, trail running can provide softer surfaces.  Trail running also provides a more intense, total-body workout and you get the added benefit of running with through beautiful, natural soundings.

More often than not, I enjoy running by myself. When running alone on a trail, it is recommended that a whistle and some form of identification be brought along in case of an emergency (and never run them at night!). Going with a partner would also be a wise, safety precaution (and may make it more enjoyable as well).  Many runners choose to bring small backpacks on the trail with them to carry potential necessities such as: water, protein or granola bars, maps, flashlights and cells phones (Just always make sure you clean up after yourself and respect your surroundings!).

Although trail running can help strengthen your ankles, knees and leg muscles - you will also need to be more careful and alert because of the varying obstacles and uneven ground.  Otherwise you leave yourself susceptible to falls, ankle sprains and other injuries.  In addition, make sure that you are wearing shoes that fit properly (they should also be 1/2 size larger than your foot size) to prevent potential toe and foot injuries caused by running downhill.

The extra concentration required by trail running and exercising on unpredictable terrain will do more than just keep you safe.  It forces the enlistment of your cerebral muscles, neuromuscular ability and skeletal muscle spindles to do some of the work. This will provide improved coordination and balance; improving your performance and helping your body to adjust to unexpected rocks, branches, etc.

When you feel that you are ready to take a step beyond recreational trail running, races are available. Distances range anywhere from 5 km to 100 miles and trails can be found nearly everywhere in the United States, including the New England states, California, Indiana, Washington, etcetera. There are also tons of courses internationally. Many areas even have clubs you can join where members meet up on weekends to run different trails.

Trail running’s popularity is continuing to grow and offers many benefits (despite it’s inherent and additional challenges).  For all you gung-ho runners out there who are bored of the same old scenery and are looking for a new, exiting way to exercise, perhaps trail running is just the challenge you’ve been looking for.

A few research sources and for more information: [Runner’s World], [Wikipedia], [Lifetimefitness]

Road ID: Products that can literally save your life

Posted May 22, 2007 at 10:09 AM by Paul Peterson

Section:

On Wednesday, January 24 of this year I heard a chilling story of a local runner who was struck and critically injured by a vehicle while running in a bike lane along a low-traffic road. At the scene and for hours afterward, emergency personnel were not able to identify her.

Just this weekend on en route to our marathon, we were forced to take a long detour. The main mountain pass to our destination was completely closed down, a rarity since it is a U.S. Highway. While sitting in traffic and listening to AM radio, we learned that a cyclist was struck by a vehicle, resulting in a large accident that killed both the cyclist and several occupants of the vehicle.

These are stories that have come from my own backyard in the past 6 months. And they are not just stories, but are real accounts of factual events and they hit close to home. Tragic events such as these hurt my heart and make me wonder, ”What if this happened to me? How long would it take for my wife to find out? Hours? Days?”

Recently I began wearing a Road ID simply because I couldn’t stand the thought of being unidentified in an accident and what that would do to my wife.

Although that was my primary reason for wearing Road ID, it also directly benefits the wearer through disseminating medical information that a person who is unconscious or in shock simply cannot give. This often results in smooth medical transactions and even saved lives. Many testimonies pertaining to these benefits are found throughout the Road ID website.

Read the rest at our partner site: TheFinalSprint.com

Race Recap: PCT50 Trail Run

Posted May 18, 2007 at 04:32 PM by Charlie Nickell

Section: News

If you really want to confuse someone, tell them you’re running the Pacific Crest Trail 50-mile race through the beautiful Laguna Mountains in east San Diego. Before entering this race, there were no mountains in San Diego that we were aware of, Laguna was a place to meet overly friendly men with perfect cuticles and Pacific needed an “a” on the end to become a beer. The world made perfect sense.

After running in the 2007 PCT50, we’re singing a new geography tune. With an elevation gain of more than 7,500 feet, the PCT50 definitely runs up and down something large; if it’s called the Laguna Mountain range, than who are we to argue? The PCT50 delivers some of the most spectacular topography in the most unexpected area. Having driven Interstate 8 to transport Mexican families into the U.S., we’ve passed this area a dozen times and thought it was just another place for America’s Most Wanted to assimilate into some obscure community.

This seems to be a re-occurring theme but the PCT50 is less than two hours from Orange County and once again we had never truly visited the area before. Leaving silk plants and cell sites resembling palm trees is tough, but venturing to the PCT50 reminded us that we need to leave our home theaters and experience everything this planet has to offer—even if it means doing it by foot.

It was freezing standing around after check-in at 5 a.m. I was bundled up, but Kyle Hoang was shivering so much he made me cold. He reminded me of Alexander the purple Otter Pop that my kids drip all over the house. Kyle looked like he was having a seizure but then I remember he had no insulation with a body fat composition of negative 7%. He works at REI and doesn’t have the warmest jacket in the entire universe? Is it me? As I’ve documented many times, Kyle is a running machine and the official human gallstone; sooner or later, he’s gonna pass. Kyle would place 5th in this year’s event (8:36). Not bad for a Popsicle.

Seconds before the start, Kirk Fortini introduced himself to me as a fan of The Run Down. Maybe he doesn’t have cable or still lives with his mom. I’d never met Kirk before but remembered him from Twin Peaks 50/50. He’s the Arnold Schwarzenegger of trail running and looks like a personal trainer who got lost on his way to the gym. His biceps are the size of my ego and his bulging green shirt was ready to explode. With absolutely no desire to do squats or inverted curls at Todd’s 24 Hour Fitness, I ran a few meters ahead of Kirk and noted his presence as a possible source of anti-inflammatory steroids, a gold foil bikini or post-race body shave. Kirk looked haggard (that’s being kind because he can beat me up) two miles before the turnaround as we passed each other going opposite directions. I figured he was terminating early but in true Arnold form, he managed to mumble “I’ll be back.” And, 13 ½ hours later, he was!

There would be no RD race instructions on this chilly May morning. After the three- minute warning expired it was “GO” from race director El Cubano and we were off. The race begins adjacent to Interstate 8 so it wasn’t surprising when we immediately hit gridlock. Too early for road rage and having left my 9mm Glock in the glove box, everyone quietly stacked up and then spread out, stacked up, then spread out again. Dean Dobberteen cut over the double yellow line to get out in front but he did it with such style and grace I doubt it was a ticketable offense.

After negotiating the first half mile, it dawned on Mike Mazza that he left his hat and iPod on the starters table. Accustomed to direction-filled street race check-ins, Mike was obviously thrown by the personal nature of the PCT50 early-morning greet and had problems multitasking at dawn. And he claims to live in Orange County? I saw him turn around and figured he was setting the new course record for earliest DNF but in actuality he was going back to fetch his precious belongings. As he disappeared toward the cars, I found myself humming a Men Without Hats tune and it all seemed very ironic. After next running into a tree and falling approximately three times, Mazza then passed me at mile four. Trying to see if he would turn around again, I told him one of his car windows was down and someone might jack his ride but he sells insurance and told me to get lost. I wouldn’t see the recently converted street speedster until well after Penny Pines. Mike finished his first 51-mile run in (9:53). I like it when people go the extra mile for me but am not sure how it feels to go the extra mile for oneself.

The first six miles to the initial Fred Canyon aid station is a nice rocky ascent. At this juncture, you’re so rested and pumped that you don’t really pay close attention to the technical nature of the trail. It’s something you’ll definitely notice on the return trip. If we had one dollar for every runner who said, “I don’t remember that” on the back portion of an out & back, we’d be rich. “I don’t remember that hill” is a good one. The early downhill portions take on a whole new flavor going back up them 6 to 11 hours later. How soon we forget.

Miles 6 (Fred Canyon) to 13 (Dale’s Kitchen) include some of the most challenging sections of the PCT50. The trail gets steep in areas and has numerous turns and loose rocks. Eric Kosters and I got a whiff of something and figured it must have been a rotting deer or someone cooking menudo. Just then some guy c omes bolting out of the brush and bounces off looking light as a feather; we don’t think he flushed or put the lid down. Because of the high shrubs or just the time of morning, this area seemed to be the favorite restroom stop for the runners. At first we figured it was just the animals relieving themselves but the odors reminded us of our grandfather’s bathroom and we held our breath and picked up the pace.

From Dale’s Kitchen to Todd’s Cabin is some of the prettiest forest you’ll see – short of hanging out with Bambi and sharing an Otter Pop . The trail has a roller coaster flow and the shade is a welcome savior

By far, the hardest part of the course is the steep single track in and out of Todd’s Cabin. You know John “El Cubano” Martinez (unstable) gets a big kick out of this little arrangement. Fine John, you have your RD fun and inside jokes with KM, GH and GK. On behalf of the participants, The Run Down has filed with the runners union and next year’s entrance will be blocked by lazy Teamster members; half of whom will die of heart attacks just reaching the trail. This is almost America and we have rights.

Todd’s Cabin to Penny Pines is extremely exposed and on some of the ridges you get completely cooked. This is the first opportunity you get to see the awesome desert view to the east. The only other time I ran this trail was during April’s preview run when it was completely covered in snow. Needless to say, the contrast in weather from my last encounter was the difference between heaven and hell – or, “American Idol” season one and this current crappy version (come back, Sanjaya!). Snow was replaced by dirt and rocks, crisp air was replaced by oven-hot dragon’s breath and cloud cover was replaced by the nonexistent ozone layer.

To say I was disappointed to find out that Penny Pines wasn’t an adult movie star is an understatement. Penny Pines to the turnaround is as vast and barren as it gets. It reminded me of my checking account. The awesome desert view is hard to enjoy when you feel like having a baby – without an epidural—would be a more pleasant experience than what you’re currently doing. At this juncture, there are lots of runners headed the opposite direction and you better get over or get ran over. The trees in this section were obvious victims of a massive forest fire. All black and lifeless, they suddenly reminded me of my legs. That was good because I had forgotten about the pain for 10 minutes and was ecstatic to get back to more self- pity and internal doubt. What a great Saturday! Maybe I’ll get hit by a car tomorrow—driven by a hamburger-seeking Paris Hilton, of course—and feel better.

The turnaround is rather uneventful. I had expected a band or at least a sign, “Good Luck You’re Halfway Home.” Instead, the grim reaper with an umbrella greeted us, recorded our bib numbers and pointed to the end zone 25 miles away; great, go long. This ridge was hot and the only shade was being used by some lost fisherman. We felt like grabbing the umbrella like in Capture the Flag but resisted and moved on.

The return trip is a game of survival just trying to stay alive from aid station to aid station. I felt like a sea lion swimming from iceberg to iceberg avoiding predators. The Penny Pine drop bag area was good for a few laughs. I knew Kirk Fortini (Arnold) was at least 45 minutes back so we rifled through his drop bag only to find a 5 x 7 glossy picture of Jessica Deline (Twin Peaks RD), a naked Ken doll and a Nicole Simpson Pez dispenser. To each his own, live and let live, judge not thy neighbor…I hope he gets some help, that sick son of a gun.

Normally, we don’t cover our personal race day escapades but, we’re making an exception because this was my first 50-mile run and I made so many errors that it served up too much editorial material to pass on. I ran the entire race with buddy Eric Kosters, the glamour stud from north Orange County (chicks dig him; he’s also popular in Laguna). Eric and I met during our first 50K back in November 2006 so it was appropriate that we experienced the new 50-mile frontier as a team. We were the slow-motion version of “The Nielsen & Moore” show. Finishing was the only goal. Eric was smart and fully supported by his Mom, Dad, fiancée and son who were also gracious enough to assist me in various ways. If there was a book on what not to do in a 50-mile race, this would be one chapter:

Never give out your Friday night accommodation plans to fellow nomadic participants. Rob Cowan, Michelle Barton and Kevin Nasman, easily zeroed in on my whereabouts and were my floor-dwelling roommate s at the Laguna Mountain Lodge. These are three of the greatest human beings I know and I wouldn’t trade Friday night’s pre-race gel, tabs, electrolyte product face off for the world but… I couldn’t sleep with so many bodies in the room. With an eerie feeling that someone was standing over me, I felt like I was getting robbed. Plus, the lodge owner warned me that max room occupancy was two per room and I feared a power tool, goalie mask and some homemade sausage might be in the works. “The Laguna Chainsaw Massacre.” End result, rest but no sleep. Running 50 miles with a pre-existing injury isn’t the best idea. With tendinitis in my left ankle I had prepared myself mentally for some pain. Six miles into the run, my ankle felt so bad I considered dropping. I started popping so many anti-inflammatories I looked like Robert Downey Jr. at breakfast. Nothing worked. I eventually had to run at a slight side angle while doing my best impersonation of the illusive snow crab and today I would be the PCT50’s “Deadliest Catch.” While it looked completely lame, my bizarre running technique occasionally cut the pain for 10 seconds here and there. Wearing new 2-in-1 compression shorts was a recipe for disaster. Michelle Barton had helped me locate these shorts and I had forgotten she’d do anything to beat me. It worked. The crotch blew out at mile 25 and chaffing isn’t a word to describe the friction. At times I was shooting sparks and had become a serious forest fire threat. Handfuls of Vaseline brought intermittent relief (and fond memories of pre-adolesence) but it was so global that I ended up driving home on a wet towel in my birthday suit. I envisioned some nice family driving by in a raised SUV and having to explain to the CHP officer why I was naked. I wondered if you could still enter the PCT50 as a registered sex offender. I made the huge mistake of using the bathroom at Todd’s Cabin and ignoring the ultra credo, “Beware the chair.’’ After running 30 miles, I don’t recommend going inside any fixed structure. Out on the trail, I couldn’t tell how tired and hot I was but sitting down on a nice cool toilet I began to realize how wiped out I really was. The bathroom carpet was floating and undulating like an ocean swell and when I reached out to grab it I got nothing but air. Running around in the forest, it’s hard to tell if your focus or perception is off due to the vastness and undefined nature of the surroundings. Go in a bathroom and its “Poltergeist” with fixed objects moving around like the inside of a pinball machine. Having never used hand-held hydration carriers, my arms weren’t prepared for the thousands of mini-curls 50 miles would produce. Sunday, I struggled to pull a few Post-Its apart. Never having a blister in my entire life, I figured there were rocks or twigs in my shoes and just blew off the various burning sensation from mile 33 on. The stinging sensation actually took my mind off the tendinitis. Taking my shoes off at the end of the race, I was shocked to see five toes completely obliterated. Looking over to my left, I noticed my never-opened Body Glide dispenser sitting undisturbed in the car door pocket. Good thing I brought that. I would use it later on my face cheeks while slapping myself silly during the ride home.

Read the rest of the race recap at : TheRunDown.Net

Vitamin B-12 does a body good

Posted May 17, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Christopher Jack

Section: Nutrition/Hydration

For many of us, the importance of a balanced diet goes without saying; keep the vegetables, fruits and whole grains but toss the chips, cookies and beer. 

Nothing in life can be that simple though, so listen up.  Without the inclusion of a range of micronutrients into your diet your performance may suffer, but so could your memory, balance and energy.  To help ward off any serious and long lasting bodily complications, a good starting point lies within the B vitamin family: vitamin B12.

One of eight water-soluble B vitamins, B12, also known as cobalamin, plays a crucial role in the production of red blood cells and myelin, the fatty insulation around nerve fibers, promoting the health of the entire nervous system.  Like other B vitamins, B12 helps convert carbohydrates into glucose, which can be transformed into energy. 

Read the rest at our partner site: TheFinalSprint.com

Quote of the Day: 5/16/07

Posted May 16, 2007 at 06:00 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Motivation

“Slow me down, Lord! Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind. Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time. Give me, amidst the confusion of my day, the calmness of the everlasting hills. Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of singing streams that live in my memory.”

- Unknown

Video: Edmonton ultramarathoner sets world record

Posted April 4, 2007 at 10:50 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News, Ultramarathons, Special Features, Videos

An Edmonton woman named Sandy McCallum has run her way into the record books after finishing a sixth desert ultramarathon in one year.

For details, watch the following video report from CBC and then visit trainharder.com: