Yakima 50k and Montrail Fluid flex review

     I want to find out who is responsible for designing the new Montrail Fluid flex shoe because they are getting a valentine's card from me next February 14th. Brian Morrison at Fleet Feet Seattle gave me a pair of these beauties to try out and review. I take a shoe review seriously. I believe a good shoe can change over time and what was once a sweet ride can become an injury machine if it breaks down too fast. I decided to beat the Fluid Flex into the ground and find out what they were made of.
     I had been using the Montrail Rogue Fly as my training and race shoe for trails this last year. The Fly is a great shoe only it is so minimal my feet were taking a pounding. What I loved about the Fly was exactly what they transferred to the Fluid Flex. This shoe is light, 7oz for Men's 8.5 with a slipper like upper which hugs the mid foot and yet leaves enough room in the toe box for piggy spreading. What the Flex has which the Fly lacked is a layer of cushy cushy Evo foam to absorb the abuse one doles out on rough trails or hard cement.

The added cush combined with a lug pattern built to be a hybrid for trail and road, as there are lugs only on the forefoot and heel, keep the weight in check. The shoe has a 4mm drop and a flat bed which leaves the running to the runner not the shoe designer. My only gripe so far is the offset tongue which follows the curve of the foot makes for some openings in the upper along the tongue allowing debris to get in. The Ultimate test: Yakima 50k
     The Yakima 50k has some seriously gnarly trail sections. From crumbly rock to baked jeep road to sandy switchbacks this race is a killer on the feet. With the same average elevation gain and loss as Hardrock per mile (almost 10,000 ft for 50k) if you can get past your burning quads to even feel your feet at the finish you probably didn't run hard enough. Add in beautiful views of sweeping sage covered valleys backed by snowy mountains, a bodacious hit of sunshine and the perks of a James Varner Rainshadow Running event (Beer and bluegrass at the finish), and you've got a picture perfect race day.
     I van de camped at the start and awoke to find blue skies and friendly faces. I got my bib and it was number 1. I was a marked man. I was also really proud to pin numero uno on as it was validation of my past two wins at this race. I was hoping to land top three as this year the field was fast with speedsters coming in from Montana, Oregon, Utah and the Great White North.
     We hit the trail and I climbed, descended, climbed, repeat. Up, down almost never flat except one long sagey valley midway between aid stations 1&2 and 4&5. The course is an out and back. My plan was to run the first half and race the second. I rolled into the half way aid station #3 in 6th place feeling great in 2:38. I relied on only PBJ, water and S-caps. My feet felt great. I found by sipping water more often and never gulping, my stomach did not get overloaded or queazy. There was a nice breeze this year which kept the temp down and made for faster running. I started racing and slowly picked off the first two guys in front of me. By the time I got to the last (never ending) climb I passed the kid who was in third place and tried to put some distance between us but he stuck with me for a long time. I was finally able to pull away on the 9th false summit of the climb. By kid, I mean he is 17 years old and a hell of a runner.

The final plunge down the mountain is so steep and perilous it should be named either the Toebang Express or maybe The Bungee Jump. I plummeted down and almost wiped out 6.5 times. Yes I kept count. I sprinted back across the Yakima river's rickety bridge and on to the finish in 5:15:14 taking four minutes off my Course Record time of last year, running a negative split and good enough for 3rd place this year. Maxwell Ferguson destroyed the CR in 4:55 and Matt Hart captured second in 5:00:30. Smiles, handshakes, beer, pizza, cramping, laughing, watermelon, and a long drive home capped a great weekend.
     You never really know what damage you've done until you take a shower. As I washed off my toes I still had all my toenails! The combination of the Montrail Fluid Flex and Drymax socks kept my feet in great shape for such a brutal course. I had a nice round blister on my heel from the rock I refused to stop and eject but that is a combination of my dumb tenacity and the gap in the shoe tongue.
     In all I have run the Montrail Fluid Flex on roads, on soft PNW singletrack and on cruddy desert trails at race pace. My conclusion: Amazing shoe! Right now I feel I may have found my shoe for Hardrock 100. I might have to wear gators though and I think I ripped out some of the stitching while kicking rocks or rubbing up against sage brush. Still, someone at Montrail is getting a Valentine.
   

Coyote Backbone

      When the Race Director says to do something, you do it. When the race director is dressed in a full cow suit complete with udders, you don't question, you do. Chris, the RD for the Coyote Backbone 68 miler was very clear: Racing is bad form and you will be penalized with minutes added to your final time. Entertaining aid station volunteers, visiting interesting sites along the trail, bringing frivolity to the event will be met with minutes taken off your final time. I packed a pair of Glasses with nose and mustache in my running pack and hit the Backbone Trail at it's start in Santa Monica, California. It was Noon and hot. I was sweating like crazy before I had a chance to warm up. I watched as a few young guys took off fast up the trail, I hung for a while then fell in with Evan Hone and we chatted until I lost a piece of a pin from my pack, I stopped to search, he went on. That was the last I saw of the fast young contingent.

     Site number one on the sites not to be missed list was Eagle Rock, a big formation with Hollywoodesque views of L.A. I hopped off the trail and scrambled up to find a great view and some volunteers from the next aid station who said I was the first person from the 12 O clock starters to visit. We took pictures, had some laughs and they said I'd earned a bunch of bonus minutes (negative minutes subtracted rather than Boner minutes which are added at the race end.) By climbing Eagle rock I had managed to pass the fast young guys in front of me. This is the game of Coyote runs. It is about fun. I fell in with a group of four guys who skipped Eagle rock and we came into the first aid station together greeted by Wendy Wheeler Jacobs in a full bunny suit. She was the shepherd for the noon start group. We ate, they ran off, I stayed and made jokes then looked around and found the hidden easter egg at the aid station which netted more minus minutes. Back on the trail I caught the group, passed them and went on to the next aid station. It was still really warm for my Northwest blood and I knew I was on the cusp of trouble with an overheated stomach. I tried my best to drink enough, keep up with the electrolytes and motor on. I rolled into an aid station at mile 23ish and started feeling lethargic and like not eating, I lingered (why not) and talked to some runners I'd met at dinner the night before. I ate a bit, reloaded my waters and hit the trail at the same time as a tall guy who was in good spirits. I used his enthusiasm to pull me up the trail and soon I felt better too. His name was Jay Smithburger from Ohio. I knew his name from Ultrasignup.com results. He was about my age and we soon were chatting away. The aid station at mile 32 had a Poquito Tiajuana theme and was sponsored by Patagonia and manned by my host for the weekend George Plomarity. It was great to see George and to get a quesodilla. The rest of the run turned from evening to night. Jay and I ran together both going through waves of feeling good and bad. It was like having a pacer, a trail buddy. We had an unspoken pact to stay together. Our pace seemed to fit each other and really, this wasn't a race even though we were moving at a good clip and never did get passed. By mile 52 my stomach overruled my decision to put chicken noodle soup in it. When I returned from yodeling to the bushes I decided to try a Ginger chew and a huge strawberry. They stayed down. From there it was a balancing act of night running, selective eating at aid stations and bad milage math. Eventually we squeezed through Buttcrack Rock, passed by Sandstone Peak and caught the scent of the Pacific Ocean. The last 2.5 miles of sweet single track we could see the finish line party in full swing about a quarter of a mile down the canyon only it takes 2.5 miles of switchbacks to get there. We did. Our time on the trail was around 13:35. It was 1:35 in the morning. Jay had to catch a 9 O'clock flight back to Ohio. We said our congratulations and goodbyes then I crawled into my rental car and slept for four hours before waking hungry knowing there were pancakes and Spam at the finish party.
     Coyote Cohorts are everything right with trail running. Community over competition. Fun rules the day and a sense of mischief imbues the weekend. The cast of characters who ran the race or volunteered were a list of ultra running celebrities having a blast. These are the people I want to be around. I will definitely be back for more and more and more. Thanks George for inviting me in.
     Later in the week I found out I finished 5th! 41 minutes ahead of Jay even though we hit the finish line at the same time.

Nightlight Hewey

     I am packing for the Coyote Backbone 68 mile trail run. Run, not race as per the Race Directors. The Coyote Cohorts put on trail races/ runs with an emphasis on fun and frivolity over fast and furious. I've heard tale of their doings and am anxious to see for myself the whimsy of their ways.
     Coyote Backbone starts in Santa Monica (L.A.) and goes up to the Backbone trail system which wends northwest up the coast until it drops back down in Ventura 68 miles later. I expect the trails to be dry and rocky with a chance of Rattle snakes and movie stars. I hope I do not run into movie stars as they can be dangerous when threatened. For shoes I'm trying to decide between Gucci, Inov-8 or Montrail Rogue Fly.
     This run/ race starts in 3 waves. Slower runners begin at 6am, mid pack at 9am and faster folks start at 12 noon. The idea being lots of socializing on the trails and most people finishing at around the same time. I start at 12 which also means- bing- Night running! I love me some nightrunning. Which leads to: A NEW SPONSOR!

     I have been lucky enough to sign on with PRINCTON TEC for my headlamp and hand torch needs for 2013. I was sent a box of lights and batteries and have been trying them out and love them. After test running headlamps while marking Chuckanut 50K last week, I think I have my light system dialed in. I will be using the Apex pro headlamp (lithium version) and Amp hand held. The funny thing is that the Coyote Cohorts give each runner a nickname prior to the race which sticks with that runner forever. My nickname: Nightlight Hewey.
     Forecast is for rain in L.A. and a high of 67degrees. It sounds dreamy to this NW dude. I'm still deciding on what to wear (costumes are encouraged). And what to do to entertain aid station workers. If you put on a show they take minutes off your finish time. If you kvetch, they add minutes.
     I really should get to packing. Where did I put my sunglasses? Sunblock? Botox?

LordHill 50k n' stuff

     I realized why it takes me at least a week to write a race report. I race really hard and it takes me a while to fully recover both physically and mentally. "The Stupids" is not only a great name for a punk band but the actual term for the mental vapidity which afflicts ultra runners post event. A combination of post event let down, physical exhaustion and sleep deprivation creates a bitter stew which, once tasted, makes one a slack jawed nincompoop. The longer the race, the longer the stupids lasts. Luckily for me and the readers of this blog, 50k stupids last less than a week.
     The Lord Hill 50k was run on Sunday Feb. 24th, the day after Theo's 8th birthday party. If anything can make you ready to run an Ultra, it is attending a child's birthday party. Lord Hill has been around for 10 years but has not garnered a reputation as a destination race but rather a tune up for the season. Roger Michel and his Evergreen Trail Running put on an excellent, low key event which gathered around 65 runners for the 50k but a total of almost 400 runners for the combination 50k, 20m, 10m, 5m. The 50k and the 20 milers started at the same time. The course is a ten mile loop which starts out steep, gets steeper, then levels out and rolls until you go back down and repeat.
     Disclaimer: I got into the race for free by winning an entry via a FleetFeet Seattle contest. I had two goals in mind. I wanted to win and set the course record. I hear these words on the screen and in my head and I seem like an egomaniac. Such pomp, such confidence, who do I think I am? It is very odd weighing persona, results and expectations with other realities like being a short, aged, city dweller. So there I was at the start line, in front. We ran off into the grey morning, up the damp single track and I hung with the lead pack of five or six. We hit the Lord of Hills and the lead guy, a young dude in a trucker hat with a mustache said, "that's gunna suck the third time." So I knew he was running the 50k. We got to the first aid station (out of 2) and to my delight they had Nutella and Jelly sandwiches! Score! I grabbed some and dashed out trailing the pack. I caught up with a nice guy named Jason who was doing the 20 mile and we chatted almost the whole way back to the start. Lap two I dropped off my vest as the day was staying a balmy 46ish. The course has a couple of out and back loops where you can see who's in front of you and by how much. Approaching aid station Nutella I saw trucker hat and he was about .8 of a mile in front of me. I decided to push this lap harder. I passed the rest of the 20 milers and the final 50ker. It was now just me and trucker hat dude. At the start of the race, RD Roger said anyone could drop down to the 20 mile if they weren't feeling it doing the 50K. I realized as I approached the start/finish I could drop down and win the 20 mile then do another loop to get in my miles for the weekend. No. I signed up to race 50k, 50k it would be. I ran off on loop 3. Loop courses are social as there are people all over the place. I got to see a lot of friends out there, some many times. I was red lining but feeling good. My hydration, nutrition and salt were spot on. I was heading for Nutella central and waiting to see how far behind I was and I waited and waited, finally, when I was almost at the aid station along came Trucker. I Nutellaed up and was on his heels. I caught him soon thereafter (mile 26 or so) and we chatted about running and whatnot. His name was Jordan and it was his first Ultra. He is in college and lives in Bend. He is half my age. He said he felt good but really needed to learn more about nutrition during races. We passed Glenn Tachiyama taking pictures and he captured the moment. Then we hit a hill and Jordan said, "see you later." as his legs wouldn't allow him to run up the slope. I still had Nutella pumping through my blood and sprinted up the incline and down the following miles. Now I had the win in hand, now for the C.R. I thought the Course Record was 4:18 held by Miles Ohlrich who was also running today. I came into the start/finish line at 4:04 with only a 1.1mile mini loop to complete. That 1.1 loop was a nightmare. Up, up with some more up before the final sprint down a dirt road to the finish. I broke the theoretical tape in 4:15:24. Roger congratulated me on my CR. I said, "Yeah, got it by 3 minutes!" He said, "Uh, no, actually the old record was 4:36." Jordan came in 11 minutes later in a time also under the CR. Mel Boss from Kelowna BC got third Overall and 1st woman.

     A great day racing. I also got the chance to hang out with a lot of runners who I'd never hung out with before. The community of Ultra runners is growing every year. The post race soup chats and note comparisons and jokes and smiles is what makes this a sport like no other.

Orcas and Bridal Trails 50ks

     The first two races of the year are done and done. My first ever trail race was Bridal Trails in 2008, I was training for the Boston Marathon and Allen Skytta said I had to be part of his team along with Tanya Hoffman and Owen Connell. I was to run two 5 mile "laps" of a muddy horse track at night through a twisty, deep, forest lit with glow sticks and packed with other runners. So I did. I was hooked and blame my entire trail career on Allen and his poor decision making.
     Since 2008, I have had some great runs at Bridal Trails. It is a 50k made up of 6 loops around the perimeter of a State Park designated for horsey people and the poop machines they ride. The mud and whatnot is usually quite deep, the weather traditionally crappy and the single aid station stocked with friendly faces and the usual ultra fare. One year I ran the 50k solo in a pair of Santa boxers because... I had a pair. This year I decide to go hatless and instead wear a tall blonde wig and a head lamp because... I have one. It was a very cold race day and I was glad for the wig as it proved to be quite warm and, dare I say, attractive. At least that's what I gathered from the comments at the start line. The frigid conditions meant the horsemuffins and the mud were frozen solid making the track much, much faster than usual. I was cold and it was light out which, If one runs really fast, can last for the first 3.5 loops as the race starts at 3:15pm with dark descending at around 4:30pm or whenever one's wig slides down over one's eyes. I usually run races slower at the start and then pick it up as the race progresses. Bridal Trails is different as I try to put in as many miles as possible before the forest closes around me like an eyeslitless burka. I got in almost 4 laps before the lights went on and the wig came off. The ground was killing my feet as the frozen mud was uneven and I was pounding it with a new pair of shoes I was testing out. Having no idea where I was in the standings I thought I was either first or second. Much to my surprise I was first! Then they noticed I didn't have the wig and I wasn't a woman so I was relegated to second place Men's. Lesson learned on that front. Fun race, my second fastest 50k ever as I came in at 3:44. Next year I'm thinking Abe Lincoln- Ultra Runner.

     If you haven't been to the Orcas Island 50k, it is hard to explain. Imagine a summer camp with cabins and a lodge at the base of a mountain covered in old growth forrest at the edge of an island dangling off the West coast like a snot rocket that didn't quite clear. Add in a pot luck, a bunch of beer, a bluegrass band, thrift store shirts, about 250 runners and the best race direction, course and volunteers anyone could ask for and you would start to scratch the surface of what James Varner's race is like.
     This was my fifth Orcas 50k. I have finished 16th, 6th, 5th and 5th. Each year the course changes slightly. This year it was totally remodeled. The old course had 4000-5000 ft of climbing, this year's was  8,500 ft. I loves to climb. My race plan was to let the super stacked field go and burn out on the climbs, then collect the carnage in the last two major climbs which start at mile 20. So I did. I ran smart and measured up the first two climbs chatting with Jason Hynd. The views from Mt. Pickett were ah-maze-ang. Blue skies, San Juan Islands, low fog, Mt. Baker lurking in the back round like a naughty volcano. We descended to the second aid station and I felt like I was starting to wake up. Motoring around lake Will-It-Never-End, I was looking forward to the mile 20 aid station where Gary Robbins (Hurt 100 Mile Course Record Holder Eh!) was playing caddy to my chocolate croissant. I stuffed it down my throat in about...17 minutes as I tried to eat and climb up the mountain at the same time. A random fellow told me I was now in 13th place which translates to mean I was in 14th place as random fellows on the trail always give false information. "One more mile to the aid station!" snicker, snicker. Anyway, I felt great and powered the climb catching a few people on the way. I pushed the downhill rollers on my way to the final climb. I knew I needed to punish the last climb at it was, The Last Climb. I ran almost the entire way up the back of Mt. Constitution and passed four more souls before hitting the aid station at the top. The next four miles were zigzaggy downhill and I pushed it hard. I wanted to leave it all on the course but kept wondering why? I knew no one was going to catch me and my place was secure so why push? Because I was challenging myself. I wanted to run my best time, I wanted to know I left it all out there. I got to the 1 mile left sign and charged harder, then much to my wondering eyes did appear, Matt Cecill from Victoria, who kicked my ass at Deception Pass 50k in December. We were about half a mile from the finish and he was surprised and disappointed to see me. We exchanged pleasantries and I felt kinda bad passing him because he's a really nice guy but this was a race. We came to a steep, short hill and I knew if I sprinted it I would send him the message that I was still burning strong. I did, all the way to the finish. My bib number was 123 my finish time was 4:56 I got 7th place and 8 a ton of food in the lodge afterwards. Because you are trapped on an Island, time slows down, conversations go longer and no one really finishes than leaves. Everyone sticks around and mingles until the drive to the ferry dock where you wait and mingle more until you get on the boat and then go upstairs to mingle your way back to the mainland. I'll be back next year to run my 6th Orcas 50k. I am lucky to have this race so close to home.

2012 review 2013 preview

It is alive! The blog wakes, a little groggy, after a long winter slumber. It looks around, sees an empty bottle of scotch, candy cane wrappers, a half full container of recovery drink powder. What the? Wiping the crust from its single eye it focuses on an expired 2012 Tribute to the Trails Calendar. There are races circled and notes jotted on at least one weekend of each month. Some have exclamation marks, some have tear smudges. The blog sits up, shakes its googly head and starts spitting up numbers: 3338 miles run, 64 miles per week, 9 miles per day. Wait... there is more: 11 ultras run, five wins, one failed FKT attempt, two marathons paced. Feeling better Bloggy attempts to stand, gets dizzy and sits back down, "Hooboy! 2012 was not all that easy." Here it comes, more info: Poisonous Spider Bite, bacterial infections, blood poisoning, chased by moose, ankle ligament, ten X tendonitis, dehydration, bonk de bonk bonk bonk. Better? Blog tries to sit up again. This time it works. Feeling lighter, feeling optimistic, head clearing, Blog stands. What's this? A crisp new 2013 Tribute to the Trails Calendar. Oh, it's on!

2013 is off to a great start. I tried to take as much of December off as possible to rest my body. I did race the Deception Pass 50k on Dec. 8th and got 8th place in an unexpectedly talented field. Lemons turned to Margaritas when I found out my time was the new Master's Course Record. Then the Margaritas turned back to lemons when I was informed I, once again, didn't clear the lottery for Western States 100. Either way, my scurvy has cleared up considerably.

Lotteries for important Ultras suck...unless you are ME! That's right. I got back into HARDROCK! The Ultra of Ultras. My goal has been to get back to Silverton and race Hardrock smart. It has been two long years of waiting and I'm finally back. July 12th & 13th. Hello verticle, it's me, Adam.

Tenative schedule for 2013 looks something like this:
Bridal Trails 50k, Orcas 50k, Coyote Backbone 68mile, Yakima 50k, Sun Mt. 50mile?, June? HARDROCK BABY, Squamish 50mile, Wasatch 100?(if not, UROC or RRR), oct,nov,dec.
Working on some exciting new sponsorship opportunities. I will keep Blog well fed all year but might give him next December off too... If he cleans up his room and brushes his teeth.

Carkeek 12 wet hours

     There is no glory waiting out there for me. My thoughts as I turned off the alarm at 4 something in the AM on Saturday. I could hear the wind whipping a heavy rain against the windows. Downstairs the coffee maker was percolating as I climbed into my pile of running clothes as quietly as I could. My back froze as I tried to get my Drymax socks on, Damn it! Breathe man breathe. The tweak in my back slowly let go and I continued. No glory out there. The rain erased any thoughts of piecing together a costume.
     Black shadows of human shape gathered around the fire as it bent left then right making a bright spot in an inky ravine. I pinned on my number and tried in vain to identify who I knew under their hooded rain coats. The dark would dissipate and return again in the length of this 12 hour race. Glory be damned, we started running. By the end of the first 1.95 mile lap I was soaked to the marrow. I had gone out fast in an attempt to build some body heat, and now realized I would have to stay fast or slow down and let the cold creep in. I stayed fast, the rain kept pace, the blackness slowly leaked West leaving a beautiful, sodden single track of mud and stairs in its place. I ran.
     The pace was fast. My aid station wagon was stocked with chocolate croissants, muffins, chicken broth, S.caps, Dookie Wads and, like my shoes, 2 gallons of water. Wherein last year I managed to stop every other lap, this year I found excuses to stop almost every lap. The wet was taking its toll on both my time and my nutrition as I was having difficulty trying to keep fed inbetween loops. I started to wane in the rain. My spirits were raised greatly when I found Shawna Tompkins and ran a few loops with her. When she slowed to run with some other friends, I was back to being alone with the trail and the sound of the incessant rain on leaves, which started to drive me nuts. I grabbed my ipod and tried to sedate with podcasts, it didn't work, I was depleted and bonking, I walked the steeps.
     Kevin Douglas was runner up last year and was back for more this year. I was ahead of him. If he passed me I would have an excuse to quit. No glory at Carkeek but still, you can't quit if you are leading. So I didn't. I ran/walked a loop with Matt Hagen, one of my favorite people in the running world, the company was great but my head was spinning. I decided to aim for a 50 mile day(26 loops) and call it good. Sam Thompson who co directs the race with Brock also owns a mobile food truck call Seattle Biscuit Co. Race entry includes one biscuit sandwich from the truck. I ordered on loop 19 for pickup at the end of loop 20. I finished the loop, got my "Che" Biscuit (eggs, ham, pickle and maybe cheese) and sat to eat. Kevin was just leaving as he'd taken off a loop to eat. I ate hearty and it was delicious. Betsy Rodgers who was marking loops on the big board asked if I was done and I said yes to the biscuit and no to ending the race. My buddy Jim Norton had shown up early to run some loops with me. I roused my creaky bones off the wet cement and we headed slowly into the woods. The biscuit kicked in and I started to feel strong again, we ran a good clip over the well trod mud for three loops when I stopped at my car to refuel. Nothing looked good. As a matter of fact it all looked bad, really bad, I ran down an enbankment to a fence and started chundering like a bad prom date. Jim came up behind me and said, "well I guess we're done huh?". I said, "No. Now I feel better and I'm pissed off." A cup of chicken broth later we were back on the trail. I felt like I was starting over anew.
     The clock wended it's way down to a few hours left and on we ran. Jim stuck with me, my lovely wife Jane came and visited inbetween soccer duties and brought crackers and a handheld of hot chocolate (perhaps the best thing ever) I kept at it. Kevin wouldn't quit. I wouldn't quit. Jim wouldn't quit. The loops kept coming, the clock kept running, the night crept in dark and wet until it simply ended. 30 loops. 58ish miles, 13,000ft of climb and descend. I won, Kevin finished a loop behind me, third a loop behind him. Jim stayed with me for 10 loops which was the difference between winning and going crazy from the rain. There is no glory at Carkeek 12 hour but the personal demons I faced this day and my own struggles and perseverence made me really proud of this finish.