In the Wasatch

Twin Lakes at Sunrise

Where do you start when your going to write about the past two months?  I think if you were to ask my friends it would start with an email, text or phone call saying something like: "Hey want to head out for a run?" Funny thing is they don't respond as much as they used too.  "Umm I have to wash the dog..."
Unlikely, but yes I realize I am slightly or rather majorly obsessed.

Mt Baldy on Alta - Brighton loop

More and more I have grown to realize that my obsession with running is mine and mine alone.  Over this last year I have grown into the community of Trail and Ultra running and now have found my home.  With the assistance of support groups such as  the Wasatch Mountain Wranglers and others I have been able to focus my obsession even more.  To make matters even worse my wife has been so supporting of my running that I think she is trying reverse psychology. Ha! Its not going to work honey!

Gobblers Knob w/ Tim

One of the hardest things that I have to do is explain what I am doing to other people, in particular family.  Most people like to hear about distance and elevation.  But for me the best part comes with the experience.  It could be a short run to a peak and back like View Benchmark or it could be an all day run through the back country like Kings Peak, but not matter the what and where its the experiences that drive what I do.  I find it almost impossible to describe these experiences, smells, feelings, sights.  Words and blog posts cannot really describe them.  

Wasatch Wranglers - Timpendance Night Run

For instance, in the picture above I was able to head out on a Timp night run with a group from the Wasatch Mountain Wranglers.  In terms of runs it was fairly standard.  We had a fantastic time.  There was one thing that made this particular summit different. I forgot my headlamp.  Being a night run this is a very important piece of equipment to have.  Fortunately someone gave me a loner. Unfortunately it had older batteries in it.  This made the decent very difficult since I couldn't see until I was on top of rocks in the trail. The experience was awesome, I felt like I could hear and see almost anything.  The night was alive, it was fantastic.

Bear Canyon trail coming back from Lone Peak

Another experience was when Tim and I decided to go up Lone Peak.  We stopped short of the summit because of weather and Tim wasn't feeling all that well.  When we were coming down the Bear Canyon trail it felt like I was running on top of the world.  I really didn't expect that from this trail.

There were many other runs that I did this summer but another that stands out was my double Timp that I did.  I had been debating on if I was going to attempt it this summer or not.  I knew in my head I could do it I just had to commit.  With the help of my Wife and some Wranglers I headed out one morning for the first summit of the day.  It was a normal busy day on the trail, many groups of scouts and students heading up and down the summit. At one point in time I had decided that I didn't think I had it in me, but by the time I reached the bottom I knew that I had to go back up. I said goodbye to everyone, restocked and headed back out.  It became more than some adventure on a mountain.  People had recognized that I was on my way back up and asked what I was doing.  Some even cheered and gave me words of encouragement.  But in a completely different way I felt like I could almost feel the mountain.  Again to complex to describe in words, but its almost like we were one.  I finished that last summit with a total time of around 8 hours.  When I got done I almost felt sad to leave, like some how I had made another friend and was now leaving them behind.  I had now earned my TURD title as Dave Crockett had put it. (BTW it stands for Timpanogos Ultra Running Dude. )

Quest for Kings w/ some really cool guys

Quest for Kings (Kings Peak) this last weekend was another one of those runs that turned out to be more than what was expected.  To be honest I was terrified of going.  Don't get me wrong, I wanted to run Kings, and I wanted to run it bad. But being somewhat of an introvert I was nervous about heading out to meet with a group of guys (and gals) I really hadn't spent much time with.  It was a real stretch for me personally.  As with always my wife pushed me out the door with her great words of encouragement.  Long story short I had the time of my life.  I was hooting and hollering going up gunsight pass.  The views were amazing and the feeling was even more.  It became a very personal experience for me.

If there is one thing that I continue to learn this summer is that the distances might challenge me and push me further, but its the experience that I yearn for.  Its what keeps me going at 4 in the morning.  Knowing that when my feet hit the dirt and the sweat starts that I will be there to get that experience, good or bad.  And that ultimately it will become part of who I am and who I want to be.

Antelope Island 50k - Post Race

Yesterday I ran my first 50k on Antelope Island.  This race is put on by Jim Skaggs a over 10 year veteran of ultra running. He puts on a fantastic race with awesome volunteers.  The weeks coming up to the race I was not feeling all that great.  I had been sick, fighting injury, somewhat burned out on running (mostly because of roads), and time commitments were conflicting with getting out and getting on the trails.

About two weeks ago I was feeling all of the above when I had a small window to get out and run on a Saturday.  I stressed over where I should go.  I decided heck with it and headed up to Timp.  I knew I wouldn't be able to reach the top but I was going to see how far I could get.  I few up to the saddle running the entire way, something that I had not been able to do before.  It felt good and it felt like I had restored a part of the spirit that I had been missing.  That spirit built and injuries faded as I approached race day.

Goats on Timp

The week of the race flew by and fall was definitely in the air with race day lows projected to be in the upper thirties. I wondered if I was going to be able to enjoy the race or just freeze to death.  I spent Friday night at my dad house up in Layton so that I could get as much sleep as I could.  I woke early in the morning before my alarm and started to get ready.  I headed out the door and I could feel the chill in the air.

After reaching the island and the starting line most people were huddled in their cars with the heaters on trying to keep warm.  I felt bad for the 100k's that started two hours earlier, it must have been very cold.    Dennis had decided to register for the race as well and we met on the island.  He joined me in my car, my father soon joined us as well as we all huddled to get warm.

Someone nocked on my window and told me that the pre-race meeting was starting soon.  I headed over to the tent that was completely full of people.  I tried to listen from outside but I couldn't hear over the chattering of my teeth.  Jim started us off promptly at 8:00 on our new and improved timing mat (aka line in the dirt).

Freezing at the start

We headed off going south and climbing the hill that separates the start line from next bay over.  We quickly made our way up and along the ridge talking with people on the way.  Everyone thinned out very quickly which made it nice.  Dennis was trying as hard as he could to hold himself back, something that he would repeat often through out the race.  I told him to go ahead but he wouldn't.  I am sure he could have finished sub 5 hours if he had.

Coming into the first aide station I felt strong and confident.  This was the section of trail that dad and I had ran in August.  I keept to my fueling schedule as well with a gel every 30-45 min followed by a salt tab shortly after.  I had also brought some ezekiel bread in tortilla form (which proved to be an awesome choice).  After the switchbacks on the main trail heading up we came to the point where the trail followed the old road around the back side of the island.  We headed on down to where the trail runs along beach.  This is where I ran into my first real difficulty.  I love my Altra Lone Peaks, they are agueably the best shoes that I own, but the tail piece of 1/4 inch plastic on the back on the back that is supposed to prevent rocks from jumping up and into the shoe turned into a shovel.  I started shoveling tons of sand into the back of my shoe, which I could feel making its way down to my toes.  I was not happy about this.

After getting off the beach we started our biggest climb on the course making our way to the ridge line and the third aide station.  It was steep and I did a lot of walking.  By the time I made it to the top I was feeling tired and somewhat unsure about what I had signed up for.  I caught up with Dennis at the aide station.  He must have waited 10 minutes for me.  I was surprised he wasn't doing his normal pushups.  I took a second to talk with the volunteers and get some good food in my system before heading off.  They mentioned that last year they had almost a foot of snow.  Suddenly I didn't feel like complaining much.

On the way down to Garr ranch my stomach started to feel upset.  I wasn't sure if it was something I ate at the last aide station or just me feeling tired.  I got to the dirt road almost to the ranch and had to walk.  I thought I was going to loose everything I had eaten and it was only at mile 18.  I was getting really concerned that I might be hitting the wall, that everything was just going to stop.  I almost felt as if my dream of becoming an ultra runner was going to end right there on that dusty windy road.  After some walking I felt like running again.  Dennis in his awesomeness forged ahead and was busy concurring the trail.  As he reminded me later by his famous saying "Some people are here to run a race, others are just here to bag kills".  He's a stud.

I dropped in behind another runner and just kept moving forward.   Suddenly as if out of no where everything changed.  I didn't start running 7 min miles, or even 9 but I started to feel good, really good. Something in my head started to click and everything started to fall into place.  I put my headphones on and tried to remember my posture.  Coming into 9 mile gate aide station I felt fantastic.  I hadn't dreamed of feeling this good at 20 miles.  It was something I really didn't expect.  Shortly after mile 22 on the Skyline Marathon I tanked.  I was worried about a repeat, but it wasn't ever going to materialize.

The volunteers at 9 mile gate deserve a standing ovation.  I believe they would have given me a foot rub if I had asked them :).  I kept going, up and down the rollers feeling fantastic.  I didn't dare to hope for more or even think about it in my head for fear that it would all just disappear in the blink of an eye. We hit the last aide station and everything seemed to accelerate from there.  It was just amazing.  I felt like I was having the time of my life.  I had never expected to feel like this not now, especially approaching 28+ miles.  It almost felt like I was running with angels.  Kind of sounds crazy now, but it all made sense to me then.

Dennis was awesome and a true friend.  He stuck with me all the way to the end.  We crested the ridge to head back down to the staring line, and he got fired up.  We were both screaming and yelling charging down the hill like a couple of crazy kids all hopped up on caffeine.  It was truly a great finish.   Crossing that line in the dirt was everything I had ever hoped for. We crossed the line at 5:51:51.  It was a respectable time for me.

Dennis and I at the end

It was an adventure. Something that defines you and who you are.  The ups, downs and the in-between, I know I will cherish every moment.  Amazing and spiritual are the only words to describe it, any other words just would not do.  I owe a lot to my supportive wife for supporting me on this journey.  She was with me every step of the way.  The only other person I can thank is my Father in Heaven.  I could never have taken this on without his loving support.  Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way.

I do have to say there was one disappointment at the end of the race, the Moab Red Hot 50k is full :(.  Hopefully I can find my next challenge soon.  Zions 100k or traverse anyone?

Timp Summit #3

I was finally able to talk Tim into coming with me up to the timp summit this weekend.  I knew that the trail would be closing on Sunday for a month so I figured it would be a good time to get one last trip in before it closed.  It would also be another good day of training for the Skyline Marathon.  We got up to the trail head at 5:00am, and you would have think we showed up late to the party.  We had to park way up the road to aspen grove and hike over to the Timpooneke trail head. I guess everyone else thought that they should get one last hike in as well.  We got stuck behind two moose on the way up just by the bridges.  

Tim and I on the summit of Timpanogos

Tim did great for his first time.  I thought he was going to kill me for dragging him up there, but in the end we had a good time. I think our total time was around 5 hours.  I forgot my Garmin this trip.  Tim did mention that we got to the summit at 02:40:00.  Its always good to run with friends and share the experience.  Hopefully we can get a bigger group out when the trail re-opens in the fall.

Timp Summit #2

Well I must have gotten Timp in my blood, because I wanted more.  I tried to find someone to head up the trail with me this Saturday but no one was available, no worries I headed up myself.  I got up to the trail around 5:15 and the parking lot was completely full.  I had to park at the turn outs on the main road  to Aspen Grove.  So after getting a little bit of a later start I headed up the trail.  Right off the bat I fell in behind some serious trail runners.  They were keeping a good pace so I endeavored to keep up.

Timpanoke trail to the summit

I was able to keep up with them till the upper meadow and then they got quite a good lead on me.  But no matter I was still feeling it.  I kept on going and reached the summit just short of 2:20.  It felt good to gain an extra 20 minutes on my last time.  I hung out on the summit listening to a couple of runners discuss their adventures and future runs.  I listened to Craig Lloyd and Scott Wesmann talk about training for the Wastach 100.  I am still amazed at how great the trail running community is.  Maybe one day I can be crazy enough to try something like that.  Maybe...

Does it count if no one sees you summit?

Timp Summit

Chris had gotten it in my head that Timp would be a fun trail to run.  I had only hiked Timp once a long time ago and the only thing I remembered about it was steep and long.  Unpersuaded by my previous memories I decided that I would take the plunge.  Its always better to have someone with you to share in your pain so I convinced Dennis to come try it with me.  

We left the house at 4:30 and got to the parking lot around 5:15.  We started up the trail and I really wasn't sure what exactly to expect. I had never done anything quite like this before.  Running on the foothill's of Timp was one thing but summiting was an entirely different idea to me. 

Dennis and I on the Summit

Dennis was nice enough to occasionally wait for me, although he was doing pushups while waiting... Its always nice to have someone to push you when you need it.  I ended up reaching the summit in 2:40:00.  It felt really good and I felt alive.  We ended up doing the full trail in just about 4 hours.   It was a great run and I was very happy I did it.

Trip total:
Time: 4 hours
Distance: 15 miles
Gain: 4,800 feet