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Friday, July 31, 2020

Never Summer 100K 2020.

Never Summer 100K, 2020 Gould, CO



Back for round 2 of NS 100K and what a week it was! 

2020 has been a weird year, this race was the only ultra that I did this year and to be honest, the whole trip was a much needed getaway from Nebraska. We used the days before the race to have a family vacation in Colorado. We went white water rafting Thursday west of Fort Collins and did a 14er together on Friday, not sure that was the wisest move w/what was up next but both adventures were an absolute blast!


Ok on to NS100K. I have such a love for this race. It is by far the prettiest race I've ever done, just so gorgeous every step of the way. The race is in July in North Central Colorado in the heart of the Never Summer Wilderness area. It has 62 miles & 17K foot of gain throughout. This was my 2nd time running it. I completed it in 2017 in 21:04. I also paced Sarah, Gabe & Scott in 2018 w/Matt. I did race photos 2018 as well, which are on my blog if you ran it that year or are curious of the course go check them out. It's the race Sarah & I met Gabe & Scott at in 2017 and has become sort of a celebration of our friendship in the mountains type of weekend ever since. Waiting for the year we can all run it together again!

So after the 14er on Friday we got back to the hotel early afternoon, with the race starting Saturday morning at 3AM I needed sleep. I laid down around 6PM and set my alarm clock for midnight. It was a 2 hour drive from the hotel to the race start so I needed a bit of time to get up, get ready and make the drive over. I got to the race start w/out much for nerves. I knew the race from doing it in 17 and sort of knew where I needed to park and all that logistical stuff that is sometimes a little anxiety producing. I saw Cory Logsdon take off with the first group of runners and about 15 minutes later I started w/4 other people at 3:10 AM. I really liked the staggered start, it was nice to having just a few of ya run into the mountains with your headlamps versus a whole big group.

Diamond Climb


The 1st 6 miles of this race are a 2400 ft climb. The climb really starts to wake up your legs as you  near the end. It took me 1:24 to do those 6 miles, which was 10 minutes faster than in 2017. I felt like I was moving a bit faster than I'd wanted to but I felt it was good to stay with my group for these miles in the dark, It helped not have to stress about getting off course. So after those first miles of climbing you stay up over 10K and have another significant climb until around mile 15. This part has some gorgeous alpine lakes & incredible views. I saw a moose this year and some sheep last time. Such a beautiful part of the race.




Overall, this race has 7 mountains that you summit over the 62 miles. The 3rd one is the hardest, referred to as Diamond Peak. You begin the climb up to Diamond at around 9500K and in just over a mile you hit the high point of the day at over 12K. It is a very steep climb straight up w/no switchbacks, it felt harder than I remembered. I took more breaks this year than last time, at least it felt that way. The data shows that I got to the top of Diamond in 5:20 this year, vs 6 hours even last time. Once you get to the top of this, you are only about 20 miles in the race but you have already done over half of the elevation gain of the day so in a way it feels like half way point. This is a big downhill from here then the remaining climbs are manageable, not easy but not as bad as Diamond. Problem is, typically your legs feel shot & pretty much done for the day here.

But onward. I worked my down diamond in pretty decent time and then started the 4th big climb of the day, this one really took the most out of me and the run back down I had stomach issues and could not make good time back to the aid station. I considered switching to 50K many times but ultimately decided that Mr Randle had drove all the way out here from Denver to pace & I was really looking forward to those miles so we were going to get it done.


Matt picked me up at mile 50ish after almost missing him at the aid station. We got lucky there. I felt good leaving mile 50 and we cruised for a few miles. We were at the 50 mile mark at at 14:07 this year vs 15:50 last time I did this race.  We ended up having a quite a bit of really good miles until my stomach started giving me fits and we had to take it easy for the last like 5 miles or so. There was an incident with a sink hole of mud that was both dramatic and hilarious, as are most things this late in an ultra day. 

Ended up with a finish time of 17:17 vs 21:04 in 2017. Which I was very happy about.

2020 Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/3814963712/overview

2017 Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/1097288375/overview


Here was my training leading up to Never Summer. With not being able to travel much I was not getting the vert I typically would of for a race like this.  Starting March 24th I ran at least 7 miles a day for 50 days in a row.










Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Loess Hills & River Valley Traverse

Introducting the Loess Hills & River Valley Traverse.

What is it ?
Ten trail miles at each of five state parks thourgh the Loess hills, Missouri River Valley & the Platte River.

Park #1 - Indian Cave State Park, 65296 720 Rd, Shubert, NE 68437
Park #2 - Waubonsie State Park, 2585 Waubonsie Park Rd, Hamburg, IA 51640
Park #3 - Platte River State Park, 14421 346th St, Louisville, NE 68037
Park #4 - Schramm Park State Rec Area 20874-21146, NE-31, Gretna, NE 68028
Park #5 - Hitchcock Nature Center, 27792 Ski Hill Loop, Honey Creek, IA 51542

You can tackle the entire route in either direction. *note that car travel is required between parks.

And yes there is going to be an FKT on this - "Elevation Gain Per Hour"

Elevation Gain per hour is pretty self explanatory. Total elevaton gain divided by how many hours it took you to complete all 50 miles. (drive time excluded but pause time included)

Also looking at an FKT category that is fastest Grade Adjusted Pace as well. This will make sure there is no incentive for avoiding the tough stuff!

Rules for submission of FKT's
All 5 runs must be on Strava and each park must be 1 run.
All runs must be entered as "Race" to include paused time.
All runs must be public on strava.


always looking for way to create epic adventures in the midwest and as a bonus it doesnt get much prettier trail running in these parts than these 5 parks. - go get it!










Friday, April 10, 2020

How I'm handling these times.



Hey friends! Thought I would write a bit.

Before the world changed drastically overnight I found myself completing the Grand Canyon R2R2R super excited for having completed a bucket list item in the beginning of the year while training for many more bucket list adventures and races over this upcoming summer and fall.
This adventure turned out to be every bit as epic as I had imagined. It was an amazing expierence and I would highly recomend it for anyone. Then after R2R2R spening a week in the southwest soaking in hot springs, running in Flagstaff and Sedona. Meeting new friends, playing on trails. It was all pretty epic. (I plan to write about it soon too)





Then, as you all experienced as well, the world drastically changed w/the Covid-19 virus and plans halted. Races were canceled and I found myself in a weird place mentally, one I had never been in before. I started to understand better the feelings of anxiety, depression and hopelessness so many people feel regularly, and feel for them all so much more. It was hard to handle even for a very short term and not to an extreme leve, I could not imagine having to overcome it everyday and at a much higher level. So super prpos to every mf doing that rn! 

So, I’m an adventurer and traveler at my core, I’ve knows this my whole life but it’s been even more evident 3 weeks into this staying home and staying low thing. I got back home to the Midwest around the beginning of March and things started changing. I started feeling overwhelmed with all the unknown and trying to filter the news to understand what to absorb and what to ignore (which would be a full time job in itself). I was on my phone and computer way more than I like to be personally. Then 16 days ago I realized I couldn’t do what I was doing anymore and that I was in control of that. I was over anxious, I was not running much and not enjoying it, my head hurt, I just wanted to lay around after work and wait for all this to get over. So I decided on 7 miles a day, 7 days a week. I think I liked the simplitcity of that and it takes take just an hour each day. So starting Tuesday morning March 24th and just finished up day 18 today. I"m typcially trying to hammer it out in the mornings before getting started on my day but once in a while i'll let it go and catch the 7 miles on lunch break.

I’m normally always training and running with these big pursuits in mind, but that is not why I started running years and years ago. I started running because it makes me a better me. Because it helps me have an activity to do, stay positive mentally, meditate, find that zone, all the things that running brings. That is why I started and I honestly feel back to those basics during these times. I’m still training for pursuits that will come in time, but not having anything upcoming that you can really depend on its nice to have found running for these reasons again. I plan to keep this streak going until we are out of these times or until I catch covid-19. If I have any signs of it at all I will stop running immediately. But for now, while I’m feeling good physically and coming back around mentally I’m having a good time running 7 miles a day 7 days a week. Hope you are all finding ways to cope as well. Happy trails! XOXO





Monday, March 2, 2020

Grand Canyon R2R2R

Grand Canyon R2R2R Recap

It's a warm sunny Sunday morning in Las Vegas, NV when I pick up my rental car. I have one quick stop before heading to the Grand Canyon, a meet up w/a long time online friend to share some miles in Red Rocks Canyon and hear about his running of the Grand Canyon years prior. I follow the GPS on my phone through newly built homes, neatly organized in subdivisions cut into the rock bottom of southwest Nevada. I believe I have the right house and hear a "Come on in" as I walk up the porch. Stephen, an accountant and someone I became friends with through a mutual love of running in wild places and sharing them w/the world thru Instagram was just finishing up a little work before we drove out to for some miles. We did an 8 mile loop that he was familiar with and was totally new to me, beautiful miles rolled by as we chatted about adventures of past and what the next few days held for me. This was some nice time to get a last bit of info before heading out to the canyon.



Before the sweat even dried I was on the open highway across Arizona, the sun was playing on the orange and red rock all around me as I drove east. I arrived in Williams, AZ as the sun was setting and loaded up on some groceries for the next few days of Grand Canyon fun. I mainly took dried fruit, a nut mix, some PB&J's made with frozen waffles, and other various treats. 




I had been to the Grand Canyon a few times in the past. Once when I was 18 I headed out there from Colorado to visit my brother and see it for the very first time. We hiked down to Phantom Ranch together and did a few other hikes that trip. That trip would be followed up with many more as the years passed by with the people closest to me in my life. I felt as I would start to piece together the significance of each those trips and the people I shared them with the deeper I got into the canyon.




As I was making my way east across Arizona, Josh & Robby were making their way west from Colorado Springs to the south rim. They had arrived at the room a few hours before I did. I remember having a strange feeling come over me as I pulled up to the room, this was the building that my brother had worked at 20 years ago, and now I was staying here, trying to set out tomorrow to run all the way across the Grand Canyon in one day. The R2R2R (Rim to Rim to Rim) route takes you from the south rim across the floor of the canyon back up the north rim and back in one day. In total it stretches 46 miles with a total of 11,000 feet of gain. Twenty years ago when I came here, looking out I would not of believed you if you said someone ran across this place. Only through seeing other people accomplish it did I ever even think it was possible. Then, thanks to many thousands of training miles, ultra races, mountain adventure it went from possible for someone to possibly possible for me. Then not that long later here I was, getting my pack ready at 5:00 am and walking out the door of our room, through the parking lot, on the tracks and then finally.... down in to the canyon!






From the 1st few steps into the canyon this did not feel like your typical run, the feels were different. It was hard to pinpoint what made it feel different to me than an ultra, or a mountain traverse or even a similar canyon run but what I think it was that the Grand Canyon was not just monumental in American culture but also monumental in my life. In my life it had been a place of great adventure, a vacation with family, a learning of native American culture, an appreciation of everything southwestern, my 1st Navajo taco, my 1st long distance multi-day hike, my first big adventure with Suzi,  overnight hiking and backpacking with my mom & siblings. I didn't realize it until I re-stepped foot into the canyon but this place held the memories of my life, and with these 1st few steps we were making one more of them. And thanks to the ice that had filled the 1st couple miles, we were being safe not to make the memory making stop at this trip. as the canyon cliffs are steep and so incredibly unforgiving to even the smallest of trail running screw ups.



We worked our way down the canyon with everything after the ice feeling like a breeze. the nice downhill grade allowed us to just enjoy the views and the trail as we made our way down to the river. Around mile 9 you start your big climb back up to the North Rim. This climb begins with like 3-5% grade and then slowly build to 10+ as you approach the North Rim. The last few miles were snow packed and had us back in our yak trax. Arriving at the rim was neat, it was all covered in snow and super cold. we ate a bit but tried to get back into the canyon quickly because of the temp. That stretch coming back (after the snow/ice) is pretty runnable. Especially after you get past the "drop-offs" that had me fairly frightened. Also the bridges, running over the bridges was fun but also terrifying. 
 






Around mile 40 we returned to the bottom and Phantom Range. It was mid day and the sun was shining again and we had all warmed back up. I chatted with a tour guide who moved to the canyon from Ohio and was now leading the mule trains down to Phantom Range. He told me he was "truly living his dream." We spent a bit of time here talking about the climb back out. You have 2 options here, the way we came down, longer but less steep or S Kaibab trail, shorter and super steep. We decided on Kaibab trail and headed out. There wasn't much running until we were having to hike again. I spent much of these miles dry heaving as I couldn't get my stomach to quit knotting up on me. we spent many of these miles waiting on me to get done dry-heaving, which was frustrating me but the other 2 were so patient. you could hear the echo's of my heaves throughout the canyon walls, it was something I wont forget lol.








We made it out of the canyon just as it had gotten dark and no one was around. We were 3 miles from our car and freezing cold. I was still dry-heaving but had made my way into one of the 2 concrete bathrooms at the trailhead while we waited for a ride back to the car. 

looking out the day after thinking about the adventure we just had.


I returned to the Canyon the next morning and the place was buzzing with tourist. I made my way through them and looked out over the edge trying to comprehend what we had just completed. What it meant to me personally to have accomplished this goal. And what it meant about what the future held. With R2R2R behind me.. the future is wide open to more and more adventures. The canyon will remain a place of pure adventure in my life and I cant wait to bring Kiera here. To share miles with her on the trail and backpacking experience with her before we conquer the Colorado Trail.  But until then, we'll go out and run gravel roads in Nebraska, day dreaming of these places and these type of days.


https://www.relive.cc/view/vLqeNVYPoRv
https://www.strava.com/activities/3149541522