1st Place: Kendall Mountain Run

I've been looking forward to Kendall Mountain all year. The race runs up jeep roads, with some high scrambling, from the quintessential Colorado town of Silverton up to 13,000. This year would mark my 5th year in a row of racing and I was determined to better my previous finishes from the last 4 years of 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, and 2nd place respectively. This year I knew I was fit and I was gunning for both the joy and the victory.

After camping out near by and waking up in near paradise I was ready.

By mile one I had a few second lead and knew I had to keep racing. The run gains 3,700 feet in about 5.5 miles. I pushed on up the steep rocky jeep road which was more wet even a little sloppy in a few places: a direct result of the the extensive winter and all the high mountain snow. Around 1 mile into the race I even had to run through a stream that was loudly flowing across the dirt road.

The 6 miles uphill are unrelenting. They are steep, rocky, steep, with thin air, and did I mention steep! Miles 2 through 4 were painful! I simultaneously ignored the pain and welcomed it. I ignored the hurt and welcomed the challenge. My lead was a minor 15 seconds over Tate Lagasca. Finally we reached 12,000 feet. Normally this is a great place to open up and run faster and smoother as the terrain (although higher) is not as steep. However, this year there were 10 snowfield crossings going up. Aravaipa Running did a great job shoveling in steps into the snow crossings for the runners.

                                          Photo by Meghan Hicks/IRunFar 


At 12,700 feet the jeep road running ends and the run heads straight up Kenadall mountain. Runners must power hike and pull themselves up using both hands and feet, until they summit and are treated to the amazing views in the heart of the San Juan's and Weminuchi. But Alas, upon touching the summit rock I immediately turned for the decent. My lead was a scant 20 seconds. I carefully bombed down the scramble climb back to the road and then tried to maintain about a 5:30 downhill pace which of course was intermittently interrupted by the snowfields crossings.

The downhill was fast, yet controlled and allowed my lead to grow. I wore the trusty Altra Olympus for traction and support. And honestly I can't complain about excessive soreness. I crossed the finish line in 1:44:19 a little more than 2 minutes over 2nd place. The run was a little slower with the snow crossings. I figure they slowed everyone down by 2-3 minutes. Overall, the day was fantastic: the snow crossings and blue bird skies and mountain snow interlaced with tendrils of mountain meadows, and smooth mountain peaks.

Praise God I can breath and run in such a pristine ethereal venue!

1st Place: CR at Run the Wolf

Schweitzer Mountain Resort: Sandpoint, Idaho: July 6th: Inaugural Run the Wolf 25k: US Skyrunning Race

The race started out with a short 100 yard warm up followed direct with the first hill of the day. The course ran straight up the blue ski run for 400 feet. I took the lead and maintained a consistent yet easily controlled cantor, not full on running around a controlled jog. At the top I turned and ran down a serpentine single track back near the start and then headed off in a general counter clockwise loop of the main course. There was good competition and we ran along on the skiing roads and catwalks of the resorts in a pact of about 4-5 runners. After 2 miles of mixed catwalks and single tracks the front pack that I was leading had dwindled down to one other runner Peter Butler who was matching my pace stride for stride. 

Around mile 3 we got on a wide service road with even, smooth, mostly flat footing. We picked up the pace now running sub 6 minute miles. Neither of us were willing to relax the pace. The road started a slow yet ever increasing decent. Peter and I picked it up. We were now running sub 5:30 miles. This was too fast... yet I could do, surely Peter would slow down. Peter thought the same; that surely I would slow down from the incredible pace. There was only one thing to do: Run Faster! I increased the pace to hover at 5:00 minute mile pace. This was fast! But it was "sea level" and we were running downhill. Peter reciprocated and kept within a yard of me. My mile splits were the following: 5:46, 5:07, 5:21, 5:15. This included clocking a 16:14 5k. Wow! 

Finally with 4 speedy miles in a row Peter subsided his pace. I now had the lead just in time to start the 2 mile and 2000 foot climb up the ski slope. At this point I slowed dramatically to a steady, consistent hike focusing on just continuously putting one foot in front of the other over the incredibly steep terrain. My next 2 miles were a 12:34 mile with a gain of about 600 feet, then a 20:34 mile with an outrageous gain of 1,316 feet! Whoa! I estimated my lead had now grown to about 2 to 3 minutes. I ran on feeling confident and strong. 

The next 8 miles consisted of double track, single track, another crazy steep mile long 1,400 foot climb up a steep mountain wall and a 1,600 foot decent down a single track with 40 or more switchbacks. 

I crossed the finish line in 1st place setting the Course Record in 2:31 about 8 minutes ahead of Peter. The Altra Olympus is amazing! They held up to the brutally fast sub 5:00 minute pace, the continuous pounding of mountain running, and provided the support and grip need for the trail and off trail running!