Old Man Still running

Salt Lake Track Club Winter 5K

Previous YearRecent EntriesHomeJoin Fast Running Blog Community!PredictorHealthy RecipesCrockett's RacesFind BlogsMileage BoardTop Ten Excuses for Missing a RunTop Ten Training MistakesDiscussion ForumRace Reports Send A Private MessageWeek ViewMonth View
Graph View
Next Year
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2008200920102011201220132014201520162017
15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

Location:

Saratoga Springs,UT,

Member Since:

Jan 31, 2008

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Local Elite

Running Accomplishments:

2016 Finished 12 100-milers during the year.  86 career 100-mile finishes, 9th in the world.   First person to do 6 consecutive summits of Mount Timpanogos.  Won Crooked Road 24-hour race. Achieved the 5th, 6th, and 8th fastest 100-mile times in the world for runners age 57+ for the year.

2013  First person to bag the six highest Wasatch peaks in one day. First and only person to do a Kings Peak double (highest peak in Utah).  I've now accomplished it four times. 

2010 - Overall first place Across the Years 48-hour run (187 miles), Overall first place Pony Express Traill 100.

2009 - Utah State Grand Masters 5K champion (Road Runners Club of America).  National 100-mile Grand Masters Champion (Road Runners Club of America). USATF 100-mile National Champion for age 50-54.

2006 - Set record of five consecutive Timpanogos Summits ("A record for the criminally insane")  See: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=42

2007 - Summited 7 Utah 13-ers in one day.  See: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=14 

Only person to have finished nine different 100-mile races in Utah: Wasatch, Bear, Moab, Pony Express Trail, Buffalo Run, Salt Flats, Bryce, Monument Valley, Capitol Reef.

PRs - all accomplished when over 50 years old

5K - 19:51 - 2010 Run to Walk 5K

10K - 42:04 - 2010 Smile Center

1/2 Marathon: 1:29:13 - 2011 Utah Valley

Marathon - 3:23:43 - 2010 Ogden Marathon

50K - 4:38 - 2010 Across the Years split

50-mile - 8:07 - 2010 Across the Years split

100K - 10:49 - 2010 Across The Years split

12-hours 67.1 miles - 2010 Across The Years split

100-mile 19:40 - 2011 Across the Years split

24-hours 117.8 miles - 2011 Across the Years split

48-hours 187.033 miles - 2010 Across the Years

Long-Term Running Goals:

I would like to keep running ultras into my 60s. 

Personal:

Details at: http://www.crockettclan.org/ultras/ultracrockett.pdf Married with six kids and six grandchildren.  Started running at the age of 46 in 2004.  My first race since Junior High days was a 50K. I skipped the shorter road stuff and went straight to ultramarathons.  I started as a back-of-the packer, but have progressed to a top-10-percent ultra finisher.  Wish I would have started running at a much earlier age.  Have had several articles published in national running magazines.  Check out my running adventure blog at www.crockettclan.org/blog

Favorite Blogs:

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Total Distance
3479.00
La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow Miles: 147.00Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 653.00Mizuno Wave Elixer Miles: 14.00Montrail Wildwood Miles: 545.00Montrail Wildwood - Red Miles: 35.00Vasque Velocity (Grey Yellow) Miles: 69.00Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 650.00La Sportiva Wildcat - Green Miles: 32.00La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 394.00La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (new) Miles: 309.00Hoka Miles: 350.00Montrail Wildwoods - Red Miles: 39.00Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Black Miles: 45.00
Total Distance
5.00

Finally got home after driving 3,150 miles to and from Houston for my daughter's reception.  It was nice to spend a week traveling alone with my wife.  First time in 28 years without kids around.   I had planned to do some running, but only did a treadmill run in a hotel.  The weather was pretty cold each morning I wanted to go out, near zero. 

Once home, the weather was so nice that I went out running with the dog in the snow.  That dog sure loves snow.  Ran up into the foothills.  Gee, that was my first time on the trails since my 83 miles in the Grand Canyon.   I enjoyed it.  It is time to get back in shape and lose this holiday weight.

Driving by Huntsville State Park, north of Houston, really got me itching to run Rocky Raccoon 100 next month.  We'll see.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow Miles: 5.00
Comments
From Maurine/Miles on Sat, Jan 02, 2010 at 20:10:25 from 97.117.66.225

Welcome back! Hope 2010 is a great year for you.

From flatlander on Sun, Jan 03, 2010 at 22:51:00 from 76.31.26.153

Davy, hope you had a good time down here in H-town. That's a long drive, I've done it many times. If you decide to run Rocky Raccoon, let me know if you would like a place to stay.

From jun on Mon, Jan 04, 2010 at 11:25:49 from 66.239.250.209

Have you not signed up for Rocky Raccoon yet? It would be a cool way to start the new year off, that's for sure.

From Smooth on Mon, Jan 04, 2010 at 11:37:44 from 174.23.217.47

WELCOME HOME! That was a L-O-N-G drive! I was in Kingwood, (north of Houston) for 10 days after Thanksgiving! It snowed there on Dec 4. Ran on the Greenbelt trail which was mostly concrete. One of these days I'm gonna run the Texas Marathon on New Years morning, a 4 loop course on the Greenbelt.

Hope you have a GREAT year of running adventures!

Total Distance
7.00

Lost an hour sleep last night due to an earthquake that hit just three miles north of my home.  It was 2.9 and only 0.2 miles deep.   It sounded like a truck drove through our house.  Our backyard goes up against Redwood Road so we always hear big trucks go by that rattle the windows a little, but this was different.  I heard the water pipes in the wall rattling like crazy.  I yelled out, "What was that?"   The dog also was startled and jumped up barking like crazy.  My wife said, "It must be an earthquake, the whole house was shaking."   That got me really worried because I knew Cedar City got hit by a 4.1 yesterday.  I wondered if they got hit by a really big one that we felt.  My daughter is down there at school.   My wife went back to sleep but I worried.  So I got up and checked the USG site on the internet.  Wow, it was centered in our town.   We also had one a few years ago that I didn't feel.  

Did miles on the treadmill this morning.   The knee still is an issue but not bad enough to go get an MRI.   The pain calms down after five miles.  It will be a worry until I do my next ultra to test it out.   I ruled out running Rocky Raccoon 100 next month.  It would cost me $500 minimum.  I just can't afford it now.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Aaron Kennard on Tue, Jan 05, 2010 at 13:08:10 from 174.51.250.151

Wow...that's crazy. That's really close to home.

Sorry to hear the knee is nagging, that's a bummer to have that question mark always looming.

From jun on Tue, Jan 05, 2010 at 20:13:40 from 63.224.104.209

Wow. I didn't know what hit out there last night. That is crazy. I have been in several earthquakes as I am originaly from So Cal, but the one that sticks out most was the 6.0 that hit about 4 miles east of our house at 7am in the morning back in 1990ish. That one woke us up and gave us a real shock. The aftershocks were no picnic either. I feel your fear.

From Jon on Tue, Jan 05, 2010 at 23:03:56 from 75.169.151.39

We'll miss you at RR. Glad you're ok with the earthquake. I had a few on my mission in the Philippines, with the biggest a 6.8- definitely woke up to that one.

From Holt on Wed, Jan 06, 2010 at 15:57:30 from 204.113.55.41

When I was a kid we had a 5 down here and I remember it was like a train driving straight through the house and I was on the top bunk, just riding it out like a surf board!

From Smooth on Thu, Jan 07, 2010 at 18:01:51 from 174.23.217.47

The first thought came to me when I heard about the earthquake was: I wonder if Davy felt that or was he out running when it happened!

I would be terrified!

Racing can get expensive. You're running Boston, right? That's an EXPENSIVE trip!

From crockett on Fri, Jan 08, 2010 at 11:52:45 from 71.36.75.164

Yes, I'd almost forgotton about Boston. Another good reason to save money.

Total Distance
7.00

Treadmill

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Total Distance
7.00

Treadmill

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Total Distance
15.00

More treadmill.  After six miles I finally got warmed up and enjoyed the rest of the time.   Watched small airboats be launched onto the Utah Lake ice.  I guess it is time to go do some ice runs. 

Running motivation rather low with the cold weather and smog.  The knee is a worry and will likely limit me this year.   Just mild pain when I run and it goes away when I stop.   I need to test it out on a very long run to see if it swells.   Trying to lose weight.  Lost about four pounds of the holiday gain so far.

Race plans for 2010 still uncertain.  Right now I'm leaning NOT to try to get in Hardrock 100 this year.  The cost and time investment is just daunting.   I entered the Wasatch 100 lottery.   I'm really thinking of doing more adventure run this year instead of so many races.   I've been planning a week-long backpack trip with my buddies in August to the Uintas, Mount Lovenia area, very removte.   I've run through there once.   I'd love to run the Uinta trail end-to-end again sometime this year.

P.M.

I ran out on frozen Utah Lake with the dog.  It feels pretty solid, but not quite as thick as last year.  There is about two inches of snow on the surface.  In some places the ice would depress very slightly because of my weight causing a crack in the snow layer to appear, but not the ice.   I couldn't find any thin ice away from the shore.  There were plenty of tracks around including snow mobile tracks.   We ran about five miles.  The dog had a blast and probably ran ten miles total.  Check out the photo album on facebook.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 15.00
Comments
From Smooth on Sat, Jan 09, 2010 at 23:49:57 from 174.23.217.47

SO HAPPY you got to run on the lake w/ your dog. NICE pic. Everytime I tell someone you run across Utah Lake, they just can't believe it! As a matter of fact, I was telling Teena about you running across Utah Lake just this afternoon on our run. You are AWESOME! Can't wait to read about your 2010 adventures!

From jun on Sun, Jan 10, 2010 at 18:57:33 from 63.224.104.209

I like your plan for this year. I've been wanting to get over to the Lovenia / Tokawana area for a few years now and just haven't made it. I doubt I will this year, but maybe next, although I am planning a backpacking trip with my brothers and dad this summer, maybe we'll head over that direction.

I hope that your knee heals. That's a bummer it is still giving you stress. Best of luck with your schedule. Like you, I am planning more adventure runs than races. In fact, I only have two races on my schedule so far this year; Sapper Joe and Pony Express. Not sure what others will pan out. I'm actually looking more forward to the adventure runs. Best of luck.

From crockett on Sun, Jan 10, 2010 at 23:17:14 from 71.36.76.225

Looks like our backpacking trip will be in August, a 40 mile loop going in from West Blacks Fork, going aorund Mount Lovenia, 13 miles on the Highline, and then out East Blacks Fork. I went through there during my end-to-end Highline, hit Lovenia around dark. Should be fun. We'll take four days.

From jun on Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 11:26:24 from 66.239.250.209

Sounds perfect. I need to pull some maps and start finding a good route. I was thinking of possibly going in off of the Mirror Lake Hwy and looping around somewhere from there. I haven't entered the Uintas from the west in years.

From crockett on Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 11:43:41 from 216.49.181.254

Yep, lots of options going in from Mirror Lake, the various basins, lakes, etc. Downside, is that is the most congested area. Tons of people. On the other side of Rocky Sea Pass they thin out.

Total Distance
7.00

Treadmill miles.   Its getting easier.  I stayed at marathon pace for most of it and never was breathing hard.

Well, I signed up for Rocky Raccoon 100 early next month in Texas.   Funny how that instantly gives me motivation to train harder.

 

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Comments
From jun on Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 11:50:26 from 66.239.250.209

What's really funny is your game-time decision to run it. Awesome.

From Maurine/Miles on Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 15:30:18 from 63.255.172.2

Guess you found the money. Good luck getting ready for it.

Total Distance
10.00

Treadmill miles, good workout, boring.  Looks like two newbies, probably New Years Resolution workouters are being very consistent at coming into the rec room at 5 a.m., so I have some early company.   I've been too nice about not turning on the TV to sports stuff.  I'm getting too bored, I guess I will have to turn it on.  They don't have headphones set up for it.  I've resisted outdoor running this week because of the terrible smog, and down my my house at near the lake, morning temps have been about 5 degrees.

The knee seems to be behaving better, giving me hope that it can just be managed.  The pain is minor for ten miles.  My guess is I won't even notice it later into a 100-mile run because so many other things will be much more painful.   Got to love a sport were you prioritize pain.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Smooth on Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 22:18:06 from 174.23.217.47

Prioritize pain!!!! LOVE IT! :)

5 degrees and smog!!! YUCK!!!

Good TM miles! Glad you signed up for RR100...plopping down the $ is always good motivation! :)

From jun on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 11:11:36 from 66.239.250.209

Are you heading out there with Jon or will you go down with the family? It should be a fun trip. I hope your knee stays in check.

From crockett on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 11:30:26 from 216.49.181.254

Yes, I got the same flights as Jon, so I'll have fun with him and his crew/pacers.

From Nevels on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 11:39:33 from 131.204.15.93

Two quotes come to mind:

"If something hurts at the start of an ultra, don't worry; by the end, something else will hurt worse."

and

"If you start to feel good in an ultra, don't worry; you'll get over it."

Got to love the long stuff...

Good luck at Rocky

From Jon on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 11:46:49 from 138.64.8.51

Boy, reading all these thoughts from you guys are sure getting me excited for my first 100. Hope I'm not underestimating what it will take... though I'm sure I am...

From Nevels on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 11:56:01 from 131.204.15.93

Don't worry too much about it. As long as you can eat/drink enough, stay awake, and are stubborn enough to just keep moving, you'll be fine. At least that's what I tell myself going into one...

From crockett on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 12:06:43 from 216.49.181.254

Just hope for some cool hallucinations after sunset. Remember, don't talk back to them, they can get nasty and start chasing you. Have one of your pacers go chase them away.

When I see them, I usually pull my hat brim down, and just look at my feet. They scare me.

Total Distance
6.00

Treadmill miles.  Listened to sports radio, that dulled the boredom better.  No knee pain today!.  I think the knee is recovering and getting stronger with consistent daily running.

Signed up for another 100.  Tahoe Rim 100 in July.  It's the USATF and RRCA 100-mile national championships.  Last year I won the 50+ age group.  I need to go defend the title.  Since I signed up for this race, I won't try to get in Hardrock 100 (also in July).   Maybe another year.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 6.00
Comments
From Smooth on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 23:40:48 from 174.23.217.47

SO GLAD to hear the knee is getting stronger and no pain!

Yahoo for signing up Tahoe Rim to defend your USATF & RRCA 100 national championship title. I remember those hefty buckles, awards, etc. you posted. SO COOL!!!

From Bryce on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 00:15:58 from 174.52.190.220

Hey Davey, Since you seem to be in a signing up for 100's kinda mood, are you up for the Big Horn again this year? I'm thinking about it as my first 100, whataya think about Big Horn verses say the Bear 100? Difficulty? terrain?, scenery? too many questions. . .?

From crockett on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 10:27:33 from 216.49.181.254

Yes, I plan to sign up for Bighorn 100 if I come back from RR100 without injury. Bighorn is about two hours easier than the Bear if the course isn't too muddy. Both are very scenic, the Bear has the fall colors, Bighorn has the spring flowers and vista views. This should be my 5th Bighorn 100 finish, so I enjoy it. Bighorn can get very muddy in sections so it can be tough on the feet. One year my feet were wet for almost the entire time. Also one year there was so much snow they had to change the course. Same thing happened to the Bear one year.

From Jon on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 10:49:01 from 138.64.8.51

If RR goes well and my hip recovers, I've considered doing either Bighorn or Grand Mesa 100 (1st time race) in the summer.

From crockett on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 11:53:26 from 216.49.181.254

That Grand Mesa 100 does look interesting, good to have another 100 within driving distance. Wish it had a Friday start like Bighorn, Bear, Wasatch, and Pony Express.

From Bryce on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 22:51:13 from 174.52.190.220

Thanks Davey! Looks like I'll see you at the Red Hot 50K in a few weeks. Good luck at Rocky Racoon, hope all your wheels stay on.

From crockett on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 23:18:56 from 71.36.76.225

I'm doubtful for Moab Redhot 50k. I didn't notice it was scheduled on my wedding anniversary. Also, it would only be one week after RR100. I did that once before, run it a week after RR100....kind of a slow experience, not as fun if rested.

Total Distance
7.00

Treadmill miles, bunch of incline.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Jon on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 10:52:11 from 138.64.8.51

Speaking of incline- do I need to train much up/down for RR? I know it is relatively flat, but do you think hill training is still necessary? Right now I haven't been doing any, with all my bike and elliptical.

From jun on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 11:43:23 from 66.239.250.209

No, when Crockett says 'lots of incline' he really means down, not up.

From crockett on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 12:04:25 from 216.49.181.254

No I don't think so. The hills at RR100 are short. I'm throwing in inclines on my treadmill workouts right now because I only have an hour in the morning. Flat is just too easy. I like to feel punished. I crank it up to 10-20% for several minutes of bursts. My flats on the treadmill aways include 2-3% incline to offset the lack of wind and the belt movement. Another crazy thing I do on treadmills is simulate trails at times by putting in hopping, like I'm hoping over rocks. I'm sure the others in the rec room think I'm nuts. For me that helps additional muscles get some action and varies things. One thing I can't simulate on treadmills is ankle twisting. I'm worry a little bit that I haven't had much action on the trails in the past weeks and my ankles are getting wimpy. But I think I'll be OK for RR100.

From jun on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 12:08:36 from 66.239.250.209

You should duct tape some legos to the belt before starting your routine. You can hop over those. If you need some, I have millions of legos. It comes with having three boys.

From crockett on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 13:01:40 from 216.49.181.254

Good idea. And then I could attach some Knex twigs up above to simulate running through bushes to toughen up my arms and legs against scratches.

From flatlander on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 13:25:28 from 198.207.244.102

Hope you have a good time down here, and if you guys need anything let me know, even if it is just a cold Coke. (Actually, as I recall, Davy likes his flat and warm.) But you can't glue legos to my wife's treadmill.

From jun on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 13:31:03 from 66.239.250.209

Crockett, that's the spirit. What we need to design is a TM that replicates trail running. Currently, all TMs replicate running on the road, and poorly at that. If they truly wanted to replicate running on the road all TMs would lean to the left.

From crockett on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 14:06:39 from 216.49.181.254

flatlander, I don't have a pacer, if you want to come run some, let me know. I don't really need a pacer, but am open to sharing the fun with someone.

From crockett on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 14:09:43 from 216.49.181.254

jun, to truly have a trail running treadmill, it would need to also simulate face plants. Perhaps it could just randomly speed up now and then.

From Smooth on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 17:31:41 from 174.23.217.47

Laughing so hard at the visual of the simulated trail TM!!! You guys are so funny! :) :D

From jun on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 18:15:54 from 66.239.250.209

Simulated?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57qH17xa9cY&feature=related

I don't think it would have to 'simulate'.

From Smooth on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 18:20:48 from 174.23.217.47

:D OUCH!!! :D SOOOOOO FUNNY!!!

From flatlander on Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 13:38:41 from 76.31.26.153

Thanks, pacing might be fun, I'll let you know within a few days when I get a better handle on what's going on around here on that weekend.

Total Distance
21.00

A mental endurance workout, 21 on the treadmill.   I saw three groups of people come and go from the rec center and I kept on going.  When I reached 10 miles, I had warmed up and felt fine, so I just kept on going.  Listened to podcasts of old-time radio, Jack Benny, watched Sports Center, and listened to music, looking out on frozen Utah Lake with the smog draping it.

The workout was a no-carb workout, so I burned some good calories.   My body is pretty used to running for three hours without food.   I've lost 7 pounds since New Years, and almost back down to my usual weight.  I would like to lose 5 more before RR100.   Mile knee pain still their. The pain goes down if their is less weight on it.  Hmmm, Maybe I should probably start working out with treking poles again, to get used to them again.  Those really help reduce the weight on knees. They could really help.   I also need more training with fast power hiking.  My walking pace is too slow.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 21.00
Comments
From jun on Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 13:34:00 from 97.126.237.192

Sounds like a good, tough workout. 21 miles on a treadmill is amazing. I would need to watch a marathon movie to make it through that. Great job.

From Aaron Kennard on Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 16:03:58 from 174.51.250.151

wow...that does sound like a mental workout. Nice job.

As a novice I'm curious, what is the reason you do a no-carb workout of that length?

From Twinkies on Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 16:12:57 from 67.166.116.191

21 on the treadmill. Great job. My treadmill record is 18 miles. You've got me beat.

From Jon on Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 20:49:41 from 75.169.136.232

Maybe I should do some fast walking in the next 3 weeks... of course, that is just time away from other training.

From Bryce on Sun, Jan 17, 2010 at 18:10:01 from 174.52.190.220

Thanks for posting the no-carb thing. Reminds me I need to start doing that a little to get back to fat burning. . .too many short fast runs in the winter.

Total Distance
20.00

Rocky Raccoon 100 is now the focus in less than three weeks.   It is a 20-mile loop that is run five times in Huntsville State Park, near Houston.  I ran it in 2005 and 2008.   I have yet to break 24 hours there, but I should if the knee holds up.

So, today, I ran 20 miles on the dreadmill. I ran the first 16 miles at marathon pace but then had to back off because the knee started to ache.  Shoot.  I backed off to 10:00 miles which is a more sustainable pace for RR100.  I finished my 20 miles in 2:45, which is much faster than I will do a loop at Rocky.  (My fastest loop there is 3:08). But my workout was pretty tough, because I threw in some tough inclines to punish me.   The treadmill thinks I climbed 3,000 feet and burned 3,500 calories.  It was pretty funny, at mile 16, the guy cleaning the rec room said, "you still here, how far are you going?"  I said I didn't know, but had gone 16 miles.   I heard gasps from the others working out.

I did this workout as another no-carb run.  I've been asked why I do no-carb workouts.  My theory is that it helps my body handle running stress better, and it can make the transition to fat-burning very easily.  For some people, when the body needs to start burning fat, they bonk (hit the wall).  So, my theory is it helps me.  But it also helps get lose some weight.  The danger of it, is that I get very comfortable running without calorie intake during 100s, and tend not to eat enough.   I really have to monitor that and try to take in 250-300 per hour during a race.   If I don't, after 14 hours or so I'm in danger of a major bonk.   That happened last year at Wasatch 100 and JJ100.  It then takes a couple hours or more to recover.   I pulled out  of it in both cases and finished fine.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 20.00
Comments
From Smooth on Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 17:42:43 from 174.23.232.65

WOW, climb 3,000 ft and 20 miles on the treadmill! AMAZING!!! Most people can't stand more than an hour on that thing. Have to chuckle at the cleaning guy and others' reaction to your having run 16 miles. They would drop their jaws if they know what you're gonna be running in 3 weeks. GOOD LUCK at RR100.

Very interesting points on the no-carb training run. My stomach starts to growl after about 2 hrs of running. You did drink water, right? just no carb or gatorade?

From crockett on Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 17:55:25 from 216.49.181.254

Good question Smooth. For that long treadmill run I drank about 60 oz. of water. However, I think I was getting dehyrated toward the end and should have started taking electrolytes too.

From Aaron Kennard on Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 22:32:49 from 174.51.250.151

Wow...that sounds like a TOUGH workout. 8:15 is a solid pace for all that time with no food and with hill climbs thrown in. That's an interesting theory about the no-carb thing.

From Benn Griffin on Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 10:35:47 from 72.224.24.63

Sick run; You most certainly earn the "ROCK" in cROCKett !!

Total Distance
14.00

Tough treadmill workout.   Ran steady at about 7:40-mile pace with 5% incline with some bursts to 10%.  Seven miles in less than an hour.  Felt good and strong.  The knee felt fine, I think it is getting stronger.

P.M.

Another treadmill workout similar to the morning.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 14.00
Total Distance
6.00

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 6.00
Total Distance
7.00

Treadmill, 7:30 pace

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow Miles: 7.00
Total Distance
28.00

This was my last long run before Rocky Raccoon 100 in two weeks.  28 miles of mental torture on the treadmill.   Started at 5 a.m. Actually, it wasn't too bad.  If I hit the treadmill first thing in the morning when I'm still sleepy, my mind doesn't get bored fast.   I guess I sleep run for the first hour of so.  I did keep the lights off at the rec center.   The first person showed up at about 6:45, so I had the place to myself for awhile.   People came and went, and I kept on running.

I hit the marathon mark around 3:40, felt fine and just kept going for a couple more miles.  The knee did  start to ache around mile 26, which is 10 mile further than last week.  So that is good.  It seems to be making progress. It was nice to spend four hours on the feet.   Things held up pretty good.

I did this as another no-carb run, so I was a little hungry at the end.  The view out on the lake was beautiful after the storm.  The were a cool bank of fog stretching up and down the lake, looking like a snowy hill in the middle of the lake.

I don't feel too guilty about not running outdoors in the cold.  I think running at 70-75 degrees is good for my training right now, because the last time I ran RR100, the heat in the 70s affected me.   Since I'm not running trails right now, I'm trying to do some ankle exercises now and then.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 28.00
Comments
From Twinkies on Sat, Jan 23, 2010 at 13:53:28 from 72.37.244.84

An ultra marathon on the treadmill. Your amazing Davy. I wonder if there is a world record for the most consectutive miles on the treadmill. You may be the owner of that own. Great workout.

From Jon on Sat, Jan 23, 2010 at 14:53:46 from 75.169.153.253

Boy, you tell me to start resting, and then you go for a 28 mile run. Makes me feel lazy and out of shape for the race...

From jun on Sat, Jan 23, 2010 at 15:19:43 from 97.126.237.192

There are no words to describe my initial reaction to reading you ran that far without actually moving. Good luck resting.

From Twinkies on Sat, Jan 23, 2010 at 15:45:43 from 72.37.244.84

I looked up the record. Apparently there are some people (those in the ludicrous category of runners) who have gone further on the treadmill, a lot further. Check this out:

http://www.recordholders.org/en/list/treadmill.html

From crockett on Sat, Jan 23, 2010 at 16:54:33 from 71.32.232.48

Oh yeah, there are some crazy records on the treadmills. Remember DeanK tried to break one a couple years ago from a platform above Time Square. He failed miserably. Jarom Thurston has a Brazilian friend that set a treadmill record a few years ago, but unfortunately it wasn't certified. He tried again last year, but failed.

From Smooth on Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 22:50:40 from 174.23.232.65

GREAT job running an ultra on the treadmill. Such mental toughness! Running outside will be such a treat!

Total Distance
9.00

More Treadmill.  7:30 pace.   Did several 1/2 miles at 8-9% incline at that pace.  Got the heart pumping fast.

Planning on running my yearly 5K on Saturday at Saltair.   I'll be sucking wind because I don't do any speed training.  But still, last year I won the 50+ age division.  It makes me feel like a sprinter.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 9.00
Comments
From jun on Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 18:25:54 from 66.239.250.209

your race report from last year was one of the very first posts I read on your blog. Interesting how much has happened in one year.

From Smooth on Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 23:44:46 from 174.23.232.65

Go get'em Davy!

Total Distance
9.00

Since I plan to run a 5K on Saturday, I thought it was time to try to get my legs moving at 5K speed.  It has been months since I did anything approaching a 6-minute mile.  So I hopped on the treadmill and ran a 19:59 5K.  I fully understand it is a ton easier on the treadmill, but at least I got my legs moving.  It was really hard the first half mile but then the legs woke up and understood that I was making them turn over fast this morning.   I ended at a 6:10 pace.   After that, the rest of the workout seemed very easy, even a full mile at 7:30 pace with 9% incline.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 9.00
Comments
From Smooth on Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 23:41:10 from 174.23.232.65

Man alive!!!! A full mile at 7:30 @ 9% incline! You woke up those fast twitch muscles alright! GOOD LUCK on your speedy 5K! :)

Total Distance
8.00

Treadmill miles

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 8.00
Total Distance
9.00

Treadmill at 7:30 pace, some long stretches at 10%.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 9.00
Race: Salt Lake Track Club Winter 5K (3.1 Miles) 00:20:46, Place in age division: 3
Total Distance
14.00

The day arrived!  This is the day each year when I pretend that I'm a road-runner.  Usually my only 5K for the year.  Last year I won the 50+ age group, but now a year older, I wondered what to expect.   I hate 5Ks.  I despise 5Ks.  They are too fast and I don't train for them.  They are too painful.  I just don't enjoy them.  But I go and torture myself anyway, to pretend that I'm some sort of fast track runner, for at least a day.

I loosened up with 4 miles on the treadmill early morning and then two more miles on the course.  It was nippy this year, below 30 and there was an annoying headwind for the first half.

My first mile was 6:19, about right, but the first half of mile 2 was torture with the headwind.  Stupid me, I should have tucked behind a large runner to block the wind.  I was just trying to hang on.   Mile 2 was a slow 7:00.   It never did feel like I was warmed up.  Usually it takes me 10 miles to really warm up.  No such luxury during a 5K.  I had noticed two old guys pass me about the half-way point, probably in my age group.  I tried and tried to keep up but failed.  Then with one mile to go another old guy caught up.  No way!  I refused to let him pass me.  No, I didn't trip him, but each time he caught up, I put on a burst of speed and put at least 10 yards on him.   Mile 3 was 6:45, better, but still pathetic.   With a tenth to go, the guy again caught up.  I put on a final burst of speed and did finish ahead of him.

20:46 or close to that.   About 23 seconds slower than last year. 3rd place in the 50-54 age group.  I know I have a sub-20 in me, but I would have to train for this distance and I just am not motivated enough to do that.  I can see that I can no longer just show up for these races and hope to win my age group.  To win, I will have to train for the distance.  Age just doesn't stop.

I went home and ran four more miles with the dog.    I now look forward to a more enjoyable distance -- 100 miles on Saturday in Texas.

Comments
From Jon on Sat, Jan 30, 2010 at 17:49:07 from 75.169.143.180

Hey, top 3 ain't bad. But it takes a strange person to say a 100 is more enjoyable than a 5k!

From Twinkies on Sat, Jan 30, 2010 at 23:30:27 from 67.166.116.191

I don't know what you're saying about slow miles. Anything under 8 minutes seems fast to me. Great job and good luck at RR.

From Bryce on Sat, Jan 30, 2010 at 23:48:53 from 174.52.190.220

Davey, only you could write an entertaining race report for a 5k! Nice job. Enjoy RR.

From Smooth on Mon, Feb 01, 2010 at 21:12:11 from 174.23.232.65

Hey, way to fend off that old guy at the end! NICE kick to the finish! I hear ya about 5Ks...so NOT fun! Just showing up is gutsy enough! CONGRATS on top 3! Have fun w/ the 100 this Sat.

Total Distance
4.00

walk with the dog

Mizuno Wave Elixer Miles: 4.00
Total Distance
6.00

Easy treadmill miles.  Sharp pain in the knee on the very first running step caused limping.  Strange.  Seemed more like a kink than the usual.  Hurt the rest of the day when walking.  Just will rest it.   Probably will be gone tomorrow...kind of like phantom taper pains....but it is in the problem area of my knee.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 6.00
Total Distance
6.00

Easy treadmill miles.  Knee felt better, mild pain like a couple weeks ago.  Less pain when running slower.  I'm hoping that the soft trails at RR100 will help.  Looks like the course will get some good rain this week, dry on Friday, and dry during the race.  We'll probalby have some muddy spots to go through, but I doubt it will be terrible.

I signed up for two more races.   Bighorn 100 in June, and Ogden Marathon in May (Zions bank had some entries for customers....I grabbed one).

So, I have a busy year planned

  • Rocky Raccoon 100
  • Antelope Island 100 (running the 50 course twice)
  • Boston Marathon
  • Ogden Marathon
  • Squaw Peak 50
  • Bighorn 100
  • Tahoe Rim 100
  • Wasatch 100 or Cascade Crest 100
  • Bear 100
  • Pony Express Trail 100

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 6.00
Comments
From Maurine/Miles on Tue, Feb 02, 2010 at 15:18:21 from 63.255.172.2

Wow - sounds like a busy year. Did you have to get permission to run outside the time boundaries for the AI 100?

From Maurine/Miles on Tue, Feb 02, 2010 at 15:18:40 from 63.255.172.2

And what about the Pony Express Trail 100?

From crockett on Tue, Feb 02, 2010 at 15:19:39 from 216.49.181.254

Yep, the park and RD are letting me do it.

From crockett on Tue, Feb 02, 2010 at 15:20:08 from 216.49.181.254

Pretty bad to leave off my own race.

From Jon on Tue, Feb 02, 2010 at 19:35:55 from 75.169.149.120

Holy cow!!! 7 100's, 2 marathons, and a 50.

40% chance I'll do Bighorn with you, 90% chance for the Bear.

From Jim Kern on Wed, Feb 03, 2010 at 01:09:57 from 97.117.52.32

I'm looking forward to crewing for you on Antelope Island, also hope to see you at the start of the Ogden Marathon.

From jun on Wed, Feb 03, 2010 at 10:53:00 from 66.239.250.209

Um, wow. Just wow.

From crockett on Wed, Feb 03, 2010 at 12:20:32 from 216.49.181.254

Yea, belive it or not I'm planning on doing less this year than last. One less marathon, one less 50. Getting old, need to ease into retirement.

From Dragonvulture on Wed, Feb 03, 2010 at 12:26:47 from 65.44.116.4

You ran more miles in races than I did my entire 2009. Good luck on the 100 this weekend, I'm a big fan. Hope to try an ultra this year, or maybe next year, just not sure where to start, still haven't run a full yet though, but not too concerned about that.

From crockett on Wed, Feb 03, 2010 at 12:43:49 from 216.49.181.254

Dragonvulture, start with Antelope Island Buffalo run. That is a great race to venture into ultras.

From jun on Wed, Feb 03, 2010 at 13:04:01 from 66.239.250.209

Retirement? Ha. You'll never retire.

From Dragonvulture on Thu, Feb 04, 2010 at 07:29:22 from 75.169.158.33

Thanks for the advice on the Antelope Island run, I am looking into it and may try to do it this year. Looks like a very fun race to run.

Total Distance
7.00

Easy treadmill.   Last mile did power walking at 5% approaching 12:00 pace.   I want some more practice doing fast power walking, probably will do more after work.  I'll probably be putting in longer walking stretches during the 3rd loop (mile 40-60), and I need more practice keeping my pace at least 4.5 mph.

Very minimal knee pain.  That is a relief.    I think I'll be fine.  Usually the week before a 100 I go almost dormant, but this time I'm keeping up some consistent running because it seems to keep the knee happier for some reason.

I'll be flying to Houston on Friday with Jon, Paul, and Cody.   We'll be the FRB contingent at RR100.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Smooth on Thu, Feb 04, 2010 at 00:00:20 from 174.23.232.65

NICE runs to keep everything loose and "oiled" this week.

I saw your race schedule on your yesterday's post! WOW!!! Looks like it's gonna be a fun racing/running year for you!

GOOD LUCK at RR100 this weekend!

Total Distance
5.00

Very easy treadmill miles.   Goals for RR100 are:   1. break 24 hours.   Have to do that.   But if the knee is fine, breaking 22 hours is very possible.  My 2005 time was 26:53 (my first 100 finish), 2008 was 25:38 (had significant feet problems and it was hot).   So, I hope to do well

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 5.00
Comments
From Nevels on Thu, Feb 04, 2010 at 10:30:52 from 75.143.93.243

Good luck this weekend, Davy; burn it up!

From Cody on Thu, Feb 04, 2010 at 10:31:03 from 69.9.58.17

See you soon.....

From jun on Thu, Feb 04, 2010 at 10:32:57 from 66.239.250.209

I think that is a really good goal and well within your abilities. You ended last season on a high note in your 100s. I think this first of 2010 will be fantastic. Good luck.

From flatlander on Thu, Feb 04, 2010 at 10:59:00 from 198.207.244.102

Nothing over 60 is predicted for the weekend, and at night it should drop into the high 30s, so we ordered good weather for you guys. Also dry, although it rained last night quite a bit.

From Scott Wesemann on Fri, Feb 05, 2010 at 11:23:35 from 66.239.250.209

Good luck with your race. I'm looking forward to reading the report.

From Aaron Kennard on Sun, Feb 07, 2010 at 15:23:21 from 174.51.250.151

Amazing Job this weekend Crockett!! Almost 21:07 and 40th place overall, very impressive!

http://edsresults.com/2010_rocky_raccoon_live_results/

I look forward to reading how it went.

Race: Rocky Raccoon 100 (100 Miles) 21:07:58, Place overall: 41, Place in age division: 5
Total Distance
100.00

Read my race report at http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=169

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow Miles: 100.00
Comments
From Smooth on Sun, Feb 07, 2010 at 20:20:30 from 174.23.215.144

CONGRATS on the HUGE PR and 3rd. Cannot wait to read the whole report!

From jun on Sun, Feb 07, 2010 at 22:54:53 from 97.126.237.192

Congrats again on a great race. That is an amazing PR and it was cool to see you crush your last RR time. Way to go. You must not have really had any low points. How are you feeling now? Say Hi to Steve Bohman for me tomorrow. It will be his first day at your office. He's nervous.

From Vis on Sun, Feb 07, 2010 at 23:54:27 from 208.88.8.22

Great race. Way to crush your past times in this race. I'm jealous of your 100-mile prowess.

From Superfly on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 at 00:10:50 from 208.117.127.110

Good job on a massive PR.

From Nevels on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 at 00:39:12 from 65.81.141.216

Congrats on the new PR; I was following y'all (along with a few more) all day, and it was cool to see you all blazing the course...

From Dragonvulture on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 at 07:49:23 from 75.169.155.41

Congratulations on the great PR!

From jun on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 at 14:45:25 from 66.239.250.209

You and Jon are killing me without a proper race report.

From Jim Kern on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 at 22:50:31 from 97.117.52.32

Wow. Great race Davy. What a way to start the 2010 ultra season.

From crockett on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 at 23:08:42 from 71.36.68.210

Thanks everyone. My race report is at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=169 I'll add some pictures later.

From redrooster on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 at 23:26:03 from 67.40.119.216

awesome job. that is incredible. You guys sure know how to have a good time. the year is off to a great start. congrats!!

From flatlander on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 at 23:26:25 from 198.207.244.102

Again, great race and great report. As you say, it was almost perfect weather and no elevation, but I'm guessing you will be posting a lot of fast times this year -- you are literally off to a very fast start. Hope you come back and see us again next year.

From Scott Wesemann on Tue, Feb 09, 2010 at 11:57:11 from 66.239.250.209

Great report and congrats on the PR. I enjoyed it. Very inspiring.

From Jon on Tue, Feb 09, 2010 at 19:57:45 from 75.169.145.105

http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=169

If you're not going to post here, then I'm not going to comment here. Go to above link for comments... :)

Total Distance
0.00

OK, I passed the first 100-mile recovery test this morning.  I was able to jog down the stairs without grabbing the rail.   What a victory.   Recovery going well.  Usually my taste buds are wacked out for a couple days.  No so, this time.  I suspect this difference is that I didn't get dehydrated or hot.

Comments
From Jon on Tue, Feb 09, 2010 at 23:25:11 from 75.169.145.105

Wait... you can jog? Down stairs?!?

From crockett on Tue, Feb 09, 2010 at 23:33:01 from 71.36.68.210

Yep, I can't explain it. Recovery is very rapid this time. Even thought about running the treadmill in the morning, but decided to wait one more day. Calfs still a little sore, and left quad a little bit. Makes me wonder with four months since my last 100, is that the reason I went faster? We shall see. Next 100 is in just 45 days...another pretty flat course. It will be interesting to do the first 50 in the dark.

From jun on Wed, Feb 10, 2010 at 10:55:16 from 66.239.250.209

It could be that you have just found the fountain of youth and are actually getting younger. Congrats.

Total Distance
0.00

Still taking it easy.  Left quad still isn't pain-free going down stairs.  So still not going to risk pulling it.   Besides that, it feels like I've bounced back.   Have gotten plenty of sleep all week.

For fun I compiled all my ultra race results.  57 finishes.   Check it out.  Oh, and also notice the changing banner on my blog, lots of different pictures of races and adventure runs I've done.

I've had a good string of results for my last five 100s where there were at least 100 starters.  My finishing rates (top percentage) were:  17.1, 17.1, 17.8, 14, 12.2.   Finishing in the top 12.2%  of a 100 is the second best I have done.  The best was 2007 Leadville, with a 10.2% finish.   Both were very strong races for me.

Of course, I have places well in much smaller 100s, winning three.  I guess last year's Moab 100 was pretty good, with a 4th place finish out of 45 starters, for 8.9%.   Across the Years, 24-hour run was also good, top 10.4%.  I plan to enter that again this year, going for the 48-hour race.

Funny that for distances marathon and shorter, I almost always finish better than the top 10%.   Usually between top 5-8%.   So maybe I should turn into a sprinter.  Ha, ha.  The big difference is those 100s attract national competition and can be very competitive.   The huge short road races on average have a less competative field.

Comments
From jun on Fri, Feb 12, 2010 at 11:10:36 from 66.239.250.209

That is really awesome. I can't wait to really dive into that website and look at all of the races. Really cool.

From jun on Fri, Feb 12, 2010 at 11:13:29 from 66.239.250.209

I didn't realize that you had redone your website until I clicked on the link. It looks really good.

From crockett on Fri, Feb 12, 2010 at 11:50:44 from 216.49.181.254

Yep, I was kind of forced to redo my blog site because if kept getting hacked. I think there was a security hole in the wordpress theme code I was using, so I changed to something newer and then had some fun altering the code and making it look better.

From jun on Fri, Feb 12, 2010 at 11:54:53 from 66.239.250.209

This is what I just read:

"Yep, I was kind of forced to redo my blog site because it kept getting hacked. Bunch of words Craig doesn't understand, so I changed to something newer and then had some fun altering the code and making it look better."

Well, it looks great. Nice jorb.

Race: Moab Red Hot 50K (34 miles) (34.5 Miles) 06:45:41
Total Distance
35.00

I ran Moab Red Hot 50k as a fun-run recovery run to get the legs working again after Rocky Raccoon 100 last Saturday.   This race is like an ultrarunner convention for Utah and Colorado runners because it is well attended by many of the usual ultrarunners from both states.   The Colorado contingent is always kind to me and I have some good friends from that group, so this is a fun event to see many running friends from both states.

I drove down this morning, on the road at 3:30 a.m., arriving at the Gemini Bridges before 7 a.m., plenty of time to get ready for the 8 p.m. start.   It was below 20 degrees at the start, so pretty chilly.  This year there was a ton of snow.  I think we ran on at least 15 miles of snow.  Some of it was pretty deep.

I decided to not race this run, but just have fun, meet some runners, and not push it hard.   After greeting many people at the start, we were off.  I positioned my self mid-pack and just took it easy.   For the first two miles I tried to keep up with fellow ultra team member from Salt Lake, Eve Davies, who was running with her dog.  I kept her in view, but after two miles it felt like I was on loop 5 of Rocky Racoon.  The left quad was sore and the knee was starting to hurt.  I had thoughts of bailing out, but kept on going.

The snow was an amazing challenge.  At times it was fairly deep, requiring some fast footwork and high stepping to get in a nice rythmn.   On the flats you had to just lean forward and keep your momentum going to push through the snow.  At the top of the rim it was about two feet deep.  I wondered how the front-runners made it through the section.   Usually there is a fast downhill from the rim, but it wasn't fast today, pretty slow.  I had to be careful not to twist my bad ankle.  

After two hours, I felt much better, more like Loop 3 of Rocky.   I was able to push ahead of Eve and didn't see her again until the finish.   At times I would test the legs out and run pretty fast, passing many runners, but I didn't want to get the heart rate up for very long so backed off.

What was really interesting to me is that I struggled the most on the flats.  It would use the same muscles that weren't fully recovered from the flat 100 last Saturday.  I really enjoyed the hills up and down much better and could push the uphills pretty hard, always catching mid-pack runners around me.  

At the half-way point, I caught up with Cory Johnson of Ogden, and we had a fun time running and talking for a couple miles.   He then went ahead.  My knee was having challenges on the hard slickrock.  It eventually calmed down.

I continued to really enjoy the afternoon.   The snow was blinding in the sun, and I think I put my sunglasses on too late and sunburned the eyes a little bit.  They are pretty tired tonight.   Well, I kept on pushing ahead and got to meet other runners.

I did blunder at one point.  I was following footprints instead of flags and started down a wash with many footprints.  Obviously many runners had gone down this way, but soon I noticed footprints also headed back up and no flags, so I headed back and then saw that I missed a turn.   That was an extra half mile.

As I neared the finish, very kind cheers when out, "Davy Crockett's coming!"   Wow, that was nice.   I finished in 6:45.   Not bad.  The course seemed to be about 15-20 minutes slower this year, we'll see in the results.  I heard a rumor that they might have cut out a mile or two this year, but I didn't notice it.

In the other two years I ran the race, I felt wasted at the finish, but this year I felt super.  I wasn't walking funny and felt fine on the drive home.   It was a fun day.  Now and then it really is fun to not "race" a race and just enjoy the run and do some sight-seeing.  On the shuttle back, I was able to finally meet Chris Boyak for Colorado and also met FRBer Bryce.

To get a feel for this race, view the video I took during the race last year.  Keep in mind that this year there was snow everywhere.

See a video of the deepest section of snow.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow Miles: 35.00
Comments
From Maurine/Miles on Sat, Feb 13, 2010 at 23:21:04 from 76.29.187.11

Good job, Davy! You da man. Very impressive how you keep cranking out the races. When I grow up I want to be just like you.

From Smooth on Sat, Feb 13, 2010 at 23:57:28 from 174.23.239.148

WOW! My first thought was, whadaheck? Didn't he just run a HUGE PR RR100 race a week ago? I guess only ultra pro like yourself would run a 50K as a recovery run...and to run in 2'deep snow to boot!

AMAZING! GREAT JOB, Davy! Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Man alive, just the drive down and back would have tired me out!!!

From jun on Sun, Feb 14, 2010 at 00:34:59 from 97.126.237.192

The word I think I'll use is 'astounding'. I would have not thought you would have gone for a run like this so close to finishing a 100. Really amazing. Great job on the finish. Sounds like it was a ton of fun.

From Bryce on Sun, Feb 14, 2010 at 11:23:40 from 174.52.190.220

It was good to finally meet you Davey. Sounds like you had a great race. Vey impressed you were able to pull that off, the drive, the race and getting a great report up in less than 24 hours. All with in a week of your Rocky PR! I'll look for your lights on the Island in a month or so!

From Twinkies on Sun, Feb 14, 2010 at 17:31:35 from 67.166.116.191

Great race Davy. I amazed that you can pull that off 1 week after RR. I am also jealous that you got to run in Moab. I love running there.

So what's on you schedule for next weekend?

From Jon on Sun, Feb 14, 2010 at 21:55:47 from 75.169.157.138

I haven't even run a step yet, and you did a 34 mile race!

From Superfly on Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 10:14:30 from 208.117.127.110

Wow you drove down that morning. I didn't know anyone at the start (other than Logan and Steve). Wish we could have met. Great job man the snow was horrible. Up to my knees while breaking the trail across the top.

From Superfly on Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 14:19:21 from 208.117.127.110

Love the video's. It was fun to show my wife some of the course.

Total Distance
7.00

Fairly easy treadmill miles.  Heavy legs for the first mile, then felt better.  No muscle soreness, just some of the usual knee pain.  It will get better every day if I stick with it.

Recovery.  I know my recovery approach from RR100 seems like nuts.  Perhaps it is, but what I've learned is that I actually recover faster if I get out and work again as soon as possible.   It seems to speed recovery.   The 50K chased away all my quad and calf soreness.

Training plans.  Next three races are flat and fast (Antelope Island 100, Boston, Ogden).  So my training will be a little different this year during Feb-May.   I'll do far less hill work, and try to get the speed up.    I'll use Squaw Peak as hill training going into the mountain 100s. 

What will my focus race be?  Hard to tell.  It is pretty hard to get my excited about a marathon, so I doubt Boston or Ogden will be much of a focus.   Bighorn is usually an adventure instead of a race.   Perhaps Tahoe Rim 100 is my next focus race.  I'd love to defend my "national championship" for 50 and older.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Total Distance
7.00

Treadmill.   I see that last year I was still doing treadmill in February.  I'm looking forward to having the foothills melt off and see the mud go away.   My legs felt very good this morning, not heavy like yesterday.   I  maintained about 8:00 miles with about 4.5 incline average.  Very little knee pain, hardly noticed it.   Looks like I'm back to training.   I'll probably go run the Striders 10K on Saturday for a tempo run.   That is a good tough 10k.  The legs should be loose by then.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Comments
From jun on Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 10:28:16 from 66.239.250.209

I really want that mud to dry in the foothills too. I'm ready to come back and do the Lake Mountain 50k again. This warm weather has me jonesing to run on dirt.

From Smooth on Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 21:28:58 from 174.23.239.148

Just read your post yesterday. It is so impressive to read about your recovery and training plans. Simply INCREDIBLE!!!

Total Distance
14.00

Treadmill.  Legs feel recovered.

One thing that strikes me as odd is that for the two months leading up to RR100, I only averaged 35 miles per week of training, yet I PRed.   I guess once you have an established mileage base, you don't have to train like crazy during the couple months before a race to still do well.   Would I have done better with more training?   One can only wonder.

p.m.

More treadmill.  Ran a 21:14 5K, starting at 8:00 pace, ending with 6:00 pace.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 14.00
Comments
From Paul on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 13:15:47 from 65.103.252.214

I agree. Last year I trained less than ever, but PRed several times at different distances. I think it was lifetime base.

From Smooth on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 17:16:45 from 174.23.239.148

GOOD points to think about!

Total Distance
10.00

Jun made me feel like such a slacker for sleeping in and not running, so after work I went and punished myself by running ten treadmill miles.  Not quite ready to run on pavement with the knee.  Would rather have the trails dry up first.

Concentrating on weight loss.  Finally got that holiday fat off.  Trying to get my sustained weight below 170 for the first time in over 25 years.   That should help take the pressure off the knee.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Smooth on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 22:51:16 from 174.23.239.148

:) Yah, blame it on jun!!! :)

From Jon on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 23:06:21 from 75.169.140.185

Hey, what's your favorite ultra in terms of challenge and scenery?

From Bryce on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 23:25:15 from 174.52.190.220

Hey, if you run the Striders 10K I'll see you there. I may run, or maybe I'll just give you a good loud CROCKETT! as you run by my house.

From jun on Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 10:58:43 from 66.239.250.209

Ha, I just read this. Glad I could inspire, even if by guilt.

Jon asks a great question. I can't wait to see what the response is.

From crockett on Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 16:56:38 from 71.32.233.142

I'm going to skip the striders 10k because of the weather. Don't want to drive that far just to run in bad weather.

From crockett on Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 17:08:52 from 71.32.233.142

Favorite 100 for scenery has been Bighorn 100. I know Hardrock is much more scenic, but I haven't done it yet. Challenging has been Plain 100 and HURT 100. HURT is kind of a sick challenge with all the climbs and slick roots and rocks. Plain is a tough challenge because the course isn't marked and it is self-supporting. I've enjoyed that challenge. Because of the low finisher rate there, I feel good about my 2 for 2 finishes there.

Total Distance
7.00

Treadmill.   The "hand talker" was there today.   This lady walks on the treadmill and yaks very loudly to her mom the entire time.  What is facinating is to see her hand gentures while on  the treadmill, they are amazing.  I almost think she is going to slap me on the machine next to her.   She will slap her hands together while talking and make sweeping gentures that are amazing.   I'm impressed how she can do it.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Smooth on Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 17:07:09 from 174.23.239.148

May be her mom is deaf! Nice entertainment for 7 miles! :)

Total Distance
36.00

Hit the treadmill at 5 a.m. for a two-hour session.  No one else was came in, had the room to myself.   Cranked out 13 miles or so.

After that, I changed into my warmer running clothes and joined a group of FRB runners on the Jordan River Parkway in Lehi.  Smooth put this run together.  It was great fun meeting all these enthusastic runners. 

I started out running with Maynard, who has run Squaw Peak 50 several times. There was a very cool wind in our face so after awhile I pushed the pace faster to get warmer.   I could look behind on the corners and see Kelli and Teena about a quarter mile behind.   I wasn't sure where they were going to turn back, so headed back about a 1/2 mile too soon.  I was anxious to head back in order to warm up with the wind at my back.   I figured out that I turned around too soon, because I couldn't see Kelli a nd Teena behind anymore, so after reaching Thankgiving Point, I reversed course until I met them.

Kelli and Teena came at me, turning 7:30 miles.  Wow....I fell in with them and hung on for a mile or so, but my knee started to ache bad, so I just had to slow down.   After a ten-mile out and back we went back to the cars, ate, and rested and waited for the others. Ten miles done.  Soon Smooth, Maynard, LuzyLew, KathieKimmy showed up.    Kelli, Tenna, and I were anxious to stay warm, so we started running south toward Willow Park and Saratoga Springs.  Teena took off, she has some good speed. I was starting to feel the miles so I hung with Kelli talking about crazy running until we reached Willow Park and then I went chasing after Tenna who was at least a half mile ahead.

On the way back, I reversed course again when I met up with Smooth, LuzyLew, Kelli and ran near them for the rest of the run.   After we got back to the car, I was plesantly surprised to see that the girls brought a nice recovery feast.  Rad joined us. I had fun being one of the girls for awhile drinking hot chocolate and eating oranges.   The FRB ladies are great runners and really encourage each other well.  Several of them are also going to run Boston. I was honored to run with them.

p.m.

5 more slow miles with the dog.....cold...brrrr

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 13.00Montrail Wildwood Miles: 18.00
Comments
From Teena Marie on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 16:19:49 from 174.52.45.85

It was so so so good to finally meet you! I had heard stories of the legendary Davy Crocket!!! I am seriously in awe of you. 31 miles today was like nothing for you. WOW!!!

Thanks for hanging with us.

You are amazing!

From LuzyLew on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 17:09:03 from 69.169.167.157

Aren't those girls the bomb? It makes you want to run 30 miles on a Saturday when you know they have delicious post-run treats and hot chocolate just waiting! It was so fun to run with you guys. Eighteen felt like eating candy. We had a nice time finishing up those miles together. Nice confidence builder for Boston (for me). But I'm floored at the miles you did this morning. By comparison, it made 18 seem like cake! So nice to meet you. I hope one of these days to be brave enough get out to your race in the West Desert and see how far I can go. Enjoy the rest of your Saturday!

From Smooth on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 17:18:34 from 174.23.239.148

Davy! What an honor to have you join us for the run. You do know that you are my ultra hero of all times, right?!!! So fun to have you be one of the girls! :)

From Kelli on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 17:21:24 from 71.219.89.82

I was honored to FINALLY run with the infamous Crockett!! I t was nice to get to chat with you a little about this crazy ultra running. You are my HERO!

Thanks for hanging and chatting with us after we do not do long runs without a FEAST after, we run to eat! ;o) Hope the rest of your day is great. You are truly inspirational.

From Jon on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 17:32:51 from 75.169.139.242

Wow, hyperlink overload...

30 miles?

From crockett on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 17:32:57 from 71.32.233.142

Thanks Kelli. I was impressed with your strength and pace. I really think ultrarunning is in your future. You could do very well at it, just need confidence on the trails. You have a good understanding about pace and distance. Anyway, way to go. You'll do great at Boston.

From jun on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 19:53:33 from 97.126.237.192

Am I the first to notice that you just ran your third Ultra in 3 weeks? 100, 50k, and another 50k? It's only slightly impressive if you are Superman. It is outrageously overwhelming to mere humans like me. Great job today. I hope your knee feels ok.

From crockett on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 20:30:22 from 71.32.233.142

jun....he, he. I added 5 more miles this afternoon. 36 today.

From Smooth on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 21:24:58 from 174.23.239.148

36 just like that! Two weeks after a-2hr-100-PR and a week after a 50K race!!! Nothing is impossible for you!!! WOW! :)

From Maynard on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 22:00:01 from 71.213.23.86

Crockett: it was nice to officially meet you finally. You are a bit of a local legend in the Ultra scene. One of these years, when I'm convinced I can (and want to) run more than 50 miles, I've already decided your Pony Express race is the one!

From Teena Marie on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 22:29:51 from 174.52.45.85

WHAT???? MORE MILES????

Only YOU!!!!

Seriously amazing! :)

From Kelli on Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 12:03:15 from 71.219.89.82

5 more miles, just like that. No biggie. I do have to agree that all of this after setting a 2 hour PR is truly inspirational. Do you not require rest? Oh, wait, sleep is over rated, I remember!

I watched Running on the Sun last night about the Badlands Ultra. HOLY COW! The blisters gave me nightmares.

From crockett on Mon, Feb 22, 2010 at 11:18:02 from 216.49.181.254

Maynard, legend? No. I'm just an average old joe who works hard at it, pretending I am still young. I run lots of races because I know the sands of time are going to start spilling out of that hour glass any day, then I'll need to find a nice rocking chair and cane. I will then just sit back, rock, tap my cane, and watch my teeth soak in a glass. Unlike all you youngsters, I took up running at age 46.

Yes, come try running Pony Express, a great easy way to test going further distances.

From jun on Mon, Feb 22, 2010 at 11:54:37 from 66.239.250.209

Cool.

Total Distance
13.00

Treadmill.   I'm ready to do early morning runs outside, but the weather is now even colder this week before sunrise.  Great.  Once the wind dies down, I'll probably just go out anyway.

p.m. 6 more treadmill miles.

A nice ultrarunning video to get you excited for the snow to melt. 

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 13.00
Comments
From jun on Mon, Feb 22, 2010 at 11:52:58 from 66.239.250.209

Hey, I just watched that video like 2 minutes ago on youtube. It showed up on my Recently Added list. Cool video. I recognized some local runs/races on there. Nice add to your post.

From crockett on Mon, Feb 22, 2010 at 12:11:05 from 216.49.181.254

Yes, recognized some Kings Peak shots, at least three, a couple Wasatch, several Tahoe Rim, several Cascade Crest, a White River 50. Quite a mix of courses.

From Smooth on Mon, Feb 22, 2010 at 12:25:56 from 174.23.239.148

THANKS for sharing the video! Puts a smile on my face! :) Have a GREAT week!

From Jon on Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 19:28:58 from 75.169.146.150

Matt does amazing videos. Love his.

Total Distance
7.00

Treadmill.   15 degrees outside.   Whats up with that?

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Dragonvulture on Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 18:48:53 from 65.44.116.4

It wasn't that bad. I did forget to check the temp before I went out and only froze my lips and was covered in frost when I was done. But it was a very nice morning on the Jordan River Trail.

Total Distance
7.00

Tough treadmill.   Five of the miles at 10% incline, 8:00 pace, holding on to the front.   Was only going to do one mile that way, but kept pushing myself more and more.  The heart and lungs got a good workout.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Comments
From jun on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 11:01:59 from 66.239.250.209

Burly

From Smooth on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 11:22:26 from 174.23.239.148

WAY to toughen the pneumo-cardio system. I would have fallen off at that incline and speed!

Total Distance
16.00

Treadmill, sluggish today. Ready for the rain and snow to quit falling.

p.m.  more treadmill while watching curling.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 16.00
Comments
From Smooth on Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 23:28:38 from 174.23.239.148

The snow and rain finally quit; but the wind started up. Me think the weather will be perfect for running this weekend.

Was fun to see your wife at the movie last night!

From Scott Ensign on Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 23:51:44 from 65.100.253.126

the treadmill isn't boring enough by itself that you had to add CURLING to the equation? are you trying to see just how bored a person can stand to be?

Total Distance
5.00

Slept in.  Had a 100-mile dream.  Was on pace for a 24-hour finish, but for some reason I stopped and took a 7-hour nap, finishing in 31 hours.

p.m.

After reading Paul's blog and his speedy workouts, I felt like such a wus.  So I went to do a speed workout.  Ran miles on the treadmill.   6:40, 6:15, 6:31, and 5:53.   Not bad.  Felt good when it was over.  Got the old bones moving pretty fast.  But if I'm going to continue this speedy madness, I'll need to get a hernia fixed, otherwise it will literally rip my guts out. 

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 5.00
Comments
From flatlander on Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 10:25:02 from 198.207.244.102

Well, you still beat me.

From jun on Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 10:42:31 from 66.239.250.209

Awesome dream. I had a dream the other night about running the Pony Express 100. Yeah, it already haunts me. I blame you for that.

From Jon on Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 19:20:26 from 75.169.151.8

Maybe you should take a nap.

Total Distance
35.00

I was going to do an early morning run, but when I saw the weather report called for ideal day-time weather for running, I decided to delay and do a long afternoon run.   After a two-hour stake presidency meeting, I got the OK from my wife to go on a very long run.  I invited her to drive way out, meet me for a lunch, but that idea didn't thrill here. My crazy run ended up being 35 miles.  I ran from home all the way out to Fairfield, to Cedar Fort, to Cedar Pass, through the Ranches, and then back home.  I took my sweet time, wanting some good time on my feet and to work my knee.  My running time was 6:32.

It was great to be running outside again.   By staying in the lowlands, I didn't have too much problem with mud, but when I went over the ridge between Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain, I hit some rather deep snow.   I ran on the snow for about three miles, kind of slow going, but lots of fun. I saw plenty of foot prints of wildlife, dear, coyotes, and what looked like a big cat.  I also saw some foot prints of another runner from earlier in the day.  I rarely see prints or other runners in my private training area.  It was good to know someone else is venturing out several miles from their home.  It looked like the runner came from Eagle Mountain.   That made me think about how many ultrarunners there are in Saratoga Springs.  Out of a city of about 16,000 people, I can only count 6-7 runners who have run at least a 50k in the past few years.   I'm the only one who has run a 100-miler.  That is really a low ratio and shows what a nitch sport this still is.

I spilled out in the Cedar Valley.  The sun peeked out and it became warmer.  The sleeves rolled up.   I reached mile 7.9 at 1:35 in Eagle Mountain city center.   I hooked up with the Pony Express Trail road and really enjoyed the nice soft straight dirt road.   I could see Fairfield off in the distance.  After running another 20 minutes, Fairfield looked just as far away.  It was an amazing illusion.   It seemed to never come closer.

Finally I did arrive at Fairfield.  I ran over to Camp Floyd, filled up my water bottle and took a very long bathroom break.  Got to love the clean heated bathroom there.   That was the 15.2 mile mark, and I had 2:55 running time.

On the way again, I now ran along the busy highway 73 toward Cedar Fort.  It had a nice shoulder and I could jump to the side of it on some dirt that was nice.   The litter along the way was very depressing to see.   All the cigarette butts and beer cans were disgusting.  Why do people have to throw stuff out of their car.  I just can't understand it.   I counted a beer can rate of 30 per mile on that side of the road.  Clearly the beer of choice for these litterers is Bud Light.

I reached my first aid station, a convenient store at Cedar Fort at the 19.9 mile mark after running 3:47.   I bought some goodies and Gatoraid.   While I was sitting and eating, some bikers rode up.  They looked very tired.   I listened but didn't strike up a conversation.  I thought it would sound stupid if I told them I was on mile 20.  They were complaining that they still had 10 miles to go on their ride.  I just smiled to myself.

On my way again, the bikers went by after I had run another mile.  I was listening to the BYU-New Mexico basketball game, and I was bummed out that they lost.   Running along the highway was getting old.  I spent plenty of time on the dirt side-shoulder to stay far away from the cars and trucks going 70+ mph.   I reached the 26.2 mile mark (Cedar Pass) after 4:49 running time.   At mile 28, 5:12, I reached the Ranches Parkway and stopped at my second aid station, a Maverik store.   I bought a nice big hot cup of hot chocolate and went outside to a picnic table and drank the entire cup.

As I ran along the Ranches Parkway (now away from the highway), I was passed by a woman pushing a baby cart.  She also had a big dog on a leash.   She was going fast, at least 7:30 miles.   It was impressive to watch.   There was no way I could keep up with her at the speed.   I made the turn to head toward Saratoga Springs.   There were sections of the Pony Express Parkway that had a no shoulder, so it was a bother dodging cars, but finally I reached Saratoga Springs.  I tried to push the speed for the final three miles.  The light was getting dim, but I was able to reach home right before dusk.

It was a great afternoon.  My legs held up great.   It was so good to be outdoors again and away from the treadmill.  My training area still needs a few weeks for the snow and mud to go away, but I can see that spring is coming.  That is four Saturdays in a row with at least 35 miles!

I noticed that I'm down to 170 pounds.  Haven't been that low for a couple years and I didn't stay there long.  That spare tire is almost gone.

View the route

Montrail Wildwood - Red Miles: 35.00
Comments
From Scott Ensign on Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 23:00:50 from 65.100.253.126

geez, and I was trashed after just 14 today. nice job. How am I ever going to get in good enough shape to do the rim 2 rim with you guys someday? I would love to do that, it sounds like an incredible experience.

From Smooth on Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 23:06:11 from 174.23.198.220

AWESOME afternoon run. THANKS for sharing your journey. 35 miles on the fly! So inspiring!!!

From jun on Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 23:23:03 from 97.126.237.192

Monster day . . . . again. Great job. I'm jealous all of you got to get out in this beautiful weather. Congrats on feeling great. That's awesome.

From Bryce on Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 23:31:28 from 174.52.190.220

That's an impressive run Davey. What great a abilty to be able to casualy head out on an afternoon run and go 35 miles! Good to know alot of hard work pays off.

From Aaron Kennard on Sun, Feb 28, 2010 at 00:37:10 from 174.51.250.151

I imagine its hard to keep a spare tire around when you're putting in that many hours running each week...sounds like a great day out there!

From Jon on Sun, Feb 28, 2010 at 02:06:18 from 75.169.140.147

Your Saturday runs this month: 100, 35, 36, and 35. Nuts. Nuts. Nuts. And Nuts.

By the way, Cache Valley has less than 10 100-mile runners out of 100,000 people, so about the same ratio as your area.

From Teena Marie on Sun, Feb 28, 2010 at 19:57:23 from 174.52.45.85

WOW!!! I am in awe, really. I especially love how you take the time to notice so many things. However, I must admit, I hope I never notice wildlife tracks during my runs! Well, at least not those of coyotes, etc. :)

Congrats on your legs holding up, four weeks of 35+ miles, and your 170 lbs!!! :)

Total Distance
15.00

I started off the new month with a good after-work run.   I ran across Cedar Valley along the Pony Express trail from Eagle Mountain to Fairfield and back.   It is 10 miles of flat dirt road and 5 miles of rural pavement.   Good speed is possible.   My route can be viewed here. 

I completed the 15 miles in 2:09:37, kind of easy (3:45 marathon pace).  Going out I had a tail wind, coming back a cool head wind.  I should have brought long sleeves and gloves for the run back, was pretty chilled at the end, right at dusk.  The half-way point was Camp Floyd in Fairfield where I filled my water bottle.

My pace splits to some check-points was:

out: 7:58, 8:22, 8:40, 8:30   (1:02 out)

back 8:36, 9:04, 9:13, 9:08   (1:07 back)

Gives me plenty of room to push for quicker splits next time.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 15.00
Comments
From RAD on Mon, Mar 01, 2010 at 23:31:19 from 67.172.229.125

wow...okay, I know we met last Saturday (in Teena's car? I was the crazy blonde that just came to chat? :) )But I had no idea you were so amazing! Seriously, I love to hike almost more than I love to run and have multiple times considered trail running. I just read your Timp Quint and am in awe! I'd love to pick your brain on how to get to a point where you can do so many amazing things - When I grow up I want to be CROCKETT!

Oh, and my son's name is David and I always call him Davey Crockett, so I feel right at home here on your blog :)

It was great to meet you for just a moment and when I'm done donating my body to children I'll have to start working on my ultra trail running!! Amazing, simply amazing and awe inspiring!!

From crockett on Mon, Mar 01, 2010 at 23:58:04 from 71.36.80.124

Hi RAD. It was good to meet you. Yes, trails are where it is at. So much more enjoyable and easier on the joints.

Your comment prompted me to again read that crazy quint Timp adventure from 2006. That was about the stupidest and most painful thing I've ever done. I'm confident that my record will stand forever because there isn't anyone so stupid and stubborn as me. I did once try to break that record a couple years later but gave up after three summits. I vowed never to try again to break that record and so far have kept that vow.

From Smooth on Tue, Mar 02, 2010 at 00:43:35 from 174.23.198.220

SWEET run to Fairfield and back. NICE pace! I am not brave like you to venture out west alone! I think your mileage passed mine for the year! :)

From Kelli on Tue, Mar 02, 2010 at 09:27:45 from 71.219.89.82

558 miles already and it is just March 1st. Yep, you are indeed crazy. BUT AMAZINGLY crazy, INSPIRATIONALLY crazy.

From Scott Wesemann on Tue, Mar 02, 2010 at 14:37:02 from 66.239.250.209

The Quint Timp is probably the craziest most difficult, epic adventure that I have read from Wasatch hiking/mountaineering. I would love for you to do the W.U.R.L (Wasatch Ultimate Ridge Link-up) just to see how it compares. :)

Oh, and nice runs that last few days. Reading your reports makes me want to get out and run something long on a trail.

Total Distance
17.00

Again went out to Cedar Valley for a flat long run (17 miles) from Eagle Mountain to Fairfield and back.  I took a longer route this time with less pavement.  Very remote feeling out there.   I had a stiff headwind heading out and on the way back took my sweet time.  My pace going out was 8:45, coming back 10:03, with a 9:23 overall.  I ran this after work and finished in the dark.

Its been nice to do these after work runs with daylight, but I'd rather do early morning runs in the dark.  This seems to take away too much of the day, being away from home.  Somehow running while the family is asleep seems like my free time.   I'm ready to attack the foothills before dawn.  Just want it to get warmer!

See my route.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 17.00
Comments
From Smooth on Tue, Mar 02, 2010 at 23:01:33 from 174.23.198.220

WOW! Another great run out to Fairfield after work. I seriously don't know how you find the energy to do it. You run all times of the day and night! TOO COOL for words!

From jun on Wed, Mar 03, 2010 at 00:08:07 from 97.126.237.192

Cool run. Let me know when the trails on Lake Mountain are dry. I'd love to come down for a very early morning run, if you'd like the company.

Total Distance
7.00

I took a page out of Kelli's workout book today and also did a speed workout.  Yuk.  Mine was a little different.

1/2 mile at 6:18

1/4 mile at 5:42

1/4 mile at 8:34

Total one-mile pace around 6:45.    I did this six times without rests in-between.

I didn't enjoy it, but it felt like it was helpful in getting my foot-speed up and my lung strength up.   It felt easier than running 10k at 6:45 pace.

Feels lilke I'm coming down with a cold.  I've been very lucky for months to stay well.   We'll see.   I think all the cold outdoor stuff lately lowered my resistance.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Kelli on Wed, Mar 03, 2010 at 21:28:06 from 71.219.89.82

OKAY, I will never complain again about my speed workout. I think I would have passed out!

You are one speedy guy AND you can do the distance as well. AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING.

DO NOT GET SICK!!!

From jun on Thu, Mar 04, 2010 at 11:48:07 from 66.239.250.209

I haven't even seen you in like months so your sickiness can't be blamed on me. I know how you feel though. It really sucks. Feel better. Great workout today.

Total Distance
8.00

My cold hit me full force last night.   We'll see if I try to run today.  Usually that makes me feel better.

p.m. 8 miles on treamill.  Did some hill work.  6 miles at 8:30 pace with average of 10% incline.  Was planning on only 5, but felt good and kept going.   Could tell my heart rate was up more than usual due to the cold, but ended out feeling much better.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Nevels on Thu, Mar 04, 2010 at 16:36:59 from 131.204.15.93

Davy,

Any really insightful tips for a 24-hour run? I've got one coming up (actually, just a 12-hour race that I'm doubling), and I was just looking around for different strategies (my current strategy simply being to go run, nice and easy, for a day).

From crockett on Thu, Mar 04, 2010 at 17:37:58 from 71.36.80.124

My only attempt of a 24-hour was ATY in 2008. http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=134

I still have a lot to learn how to do these well. Keys seem to be minimizing any stops, having very handy access to you things, and dressing warm at night if chilly. I hope to return to ATY in 2010 to try a 48-hour run.

From Nevels on Thu, Mar 04, 2010 at 17:41:08 from 131.204.15.93

Cool, thanks.

I'll have access to my stuff every mile, and I'm planning on bringing every article of warm clothing I own, just in case....

From crockett on Thu, Mar 04, 2010 at 17:56:52 from 71.36.80.124

So the key to a good time would be to be very organized with your stuff. The temptation is to stop often, and if you mess around finding things, that really wastes time. I brought a table so I would have things laid out and I could grab things without stooping over or sitting. That seemed to help.

From Nevels on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 14:40:38 from 131.204.15.93

Good call. I was planning on having a table out, but making sure things are at least somewhat organized is a good idea.

I'm thinking that I'll try to limit myself to stopping, at most, once every 5 or 6 miles (it's a one mile loop), maybe once every 10 (with the obvious exception of bathroom breaks if need be...)

Thanks...

From crockett on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 14:49:59 from 216.49.181.254

You'll want to balance that with the ability to carry very little. I wouldn't even carry a water bottle at times, could drop it off and pick it up very fast.

From Nevels on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 14:53:12 from 131.204.15.93

Yeah... I learned that trick at the 12 hour last year. I basically carried the water bottle for one lap, set it down for the next one or two. Makes a ton of difference.

Total Distance
10.00

Dang!   It looks like six inches of snow out there.  What a surprise.   I need to go borrow Twinkies new snow shoes.

Feels like I'm pulling out of my cold this afternoon.   Did 10 treadmill miles at 6:58 pace with 1% incline.  It felt easy.   Recent training seems to be making a difference.

 

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Twinkies on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 11:15:46 from 72.37.244.84

Snowshoes are great. Although if the snow is only six inches deep, you don't really need them. They do come in handy when the snow is about two feet deep. I think this snow will melt pretty quickly, it doesn't stay around much in march.

From Kelli on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 15:05:02 from 71.219.89.82

It felt easy? Oh my heavens, you are really superhuman. I can not believe I met a super hero! You totally need to do the Badlands 135 miler, you are just as amazing as those people!

have a good weekend.

From crockett on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 15:09:43 from 216.49.181.254

Kelli: No, I see you went out and ran in the snow today. Makes me feel like a slacker. I'll never run Badwater. I hate running in the heat for a long time. Even 80 degrees eventually shuts me down. I admire those who do run in it, but I also admire those who climb Everest. Something I never desire to do.

From jun on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 17:38:21 from 66.239.250.209

Wow, those are fast miles. I agree with you about BW and Everest. While I do aspire to doing some tall mountains in the next several years, I would never consider Everest as one of them. Too much of a tourist thing. Not interested.

On the other hand, I was talking with my wife last night about taking a week and running a chunk of the AT back east over a week or so. Ever thought of doing that and would you be interested a year or two from now?

From Kelli on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 17:52:16 from 71.219.89.82

Badwater is more than a little nuts, but if you WANTED to run in that heat, you would kick some serious trash! Most of the longer distance runners do not have the speed at the same time, or maybe they just do not talk about it. BUT you seem to have both. You need to do a 5k just for fun, you would win!

From RAD on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 18:37:05 from 67.172.229.125

My question is the same as Kelli's - It felt easy? With a cold? I've never attempted 10 on a TM - not sure I want to :)

Badwater is a crazy race, so is Everest; however, I'd love to do Kilimanjaro!

From crockett on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 19:02:44 from 71.36.80.124

Jun: I've read many long journals of those who have through-hiked the AT. An amazing experience but with a huge cost. The humitity and bugs makes it less attractive to me. Nearer to home is the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) or the Continental Divide Trail. I've been on pieces of both. I just dream about long adventures on trails like that. Life and family needs make that impossible so I just read the facinating journals of others.

Kelli: I hate 5Ks. They make me feel like I am going to die. 10K are better. I usually go run the Rex Lee and Freedom Festival 10Ks in Provo and place in my old-foggie age group. I hope to break 43 this year. Came 8 seconds short last year.

From Jon on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 21:57:19 from 75.169.151.89

Snowshoes for 6 inches? I may have to remember that one to motivate you in the future.

From Bryce on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 at 22:54:35 from 174.52.190.220

Easy speedy Davey! That's crank'em out! good job! You might run a sub 3 marathon if you're not careful.

From Kelli on Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 14:36:44 from 71.219.89.82

I hate 5k's as well, but I am sure you would place in one! We did the Freedom Festival 5k last year, SOOO many people!

Have a great weekend, I wonder how many miles you ran today???

Total Distance
40.00

For my crazy long run today, I was out at 3:15 a.m.   My objective was to run up and over Lake Mountain, down into Cedar Valley, and then run around Lake Mountain, through Eagle Mountain, the Ranches, and then back to home.

It was below freezing with a little breeze but I was dressed warm.   There was a half moon out that illuminated against the snow.  I didn't need to turn on my headlamp while I ran on the roads.   I ran past the police station, hoping they wouldn't see me and wonder what this crazy guy dressed in dark clothes was doing out on the streets so early.

I ran a couple miles to the dirt road that heads up to the top of Lake Mountain.   Within a mile, the snow arrived.  Thankfully some trucks had been up the road after the snow fell yesterday so I could run in their tracks.  It was so quiet and peaceful climbing the steep road in the snow.  My climb would be over 3,000 feet and it got colder and colder.  It must have dropped below 20 degrees because my water bottle froze near the top.

The truck tracks headed up to the towers but thankfully there were some snow mobile tracks on the road that continued down the other side.  This is a nice long gradual descent for about seven miles.   I was amazed how much snow there was.   I ran along the snow mobile tracks and wound through the valley with just a red headlamp to light my way.  The moon was still out and I had plenty of light.   But the snow wasn't going away.   The snow mobile tracks ended, they turned back up.  But it was OK, I just bounded throught the snow.  It continued to be deep until I got down to 5,500 feet and then as I spilled out into the valley, the snow totally disappeared.

I was very surprised to see that yesterday's storm that dropped six inches of snow at my house didn't drop any snow in Cedar Valley.  I had counted on using the snow for my water bottle.   Oh well, I would run on the one bottle clear until mile 28.  It was very cool, so I didn't get too dehydrated. 

Dawn arrived, but much of Cedar Valley was covered in a low fog.   As I ran into the fog the temperature dropped again and I had to put my hand in my pockets even though they had warm gloves on.   My pace was pretty easy, I was just enjoying the early morning.  As the sun peeked over the mountain, the fog quickly dispersed where I was and I was facinated watching the fog lift toward the mountain.   Frost covered all the brush around me and sparkled in the sunlight.  I also spied a herd of 12 antelope who were watching me very closely.  It was so quiet and peaceful, one of those great running moments.

My run continued through Eagle Mountain city center now on the pavement.   I then turned on the parkway and started to see other runners out for an early morning run.  I realized that I probably looked strange with my gaitors and extra warm cloths.  But it was still near freezing.    At a park out in a field, I stopped for a long bathroom break and then headed up and over Unity Pass.   Snow appeared again.  Interesting.  No snow on the west of the mountain, but starting at the pass a bunch fell.

I continued to run on pavement for the rest of my run.  All the trails on this side of the mountain were very wet and muddy, even the road shoulders.  I stopped at the convenient store in the Ranches, drank plenty, and ate a donut.   On my way again, I finished my run enjoying listening to music and singing like crazy, feeling great.  The cows didn't seem to mind.

My route can be seen here.

That is the fifth Saturday in a row with at least 35 miles.

p.m. 5 miles with the dog while listening to the BYU game.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 35.00
Comments
From jun on Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 14:48:08 from 97.126.237.192

Absolutely amazing. Not just the fact that you ran that far again, for the 5th straight week, but the description of your run (a good chunk of which I'm familiar with) was just stunning. Glad you are feeling so good and strong. I hope it keeps up. You'll have a great Buffalo 100.

From jun on Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 14:49:07 from 97.126.237.192

p.s. your link doesn't seem to work for me.

From crockett on Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 14:59:18 from 71.36.80.124

I fixed the link. It also displays the elevation profile.

From flatlander on Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 17:35:42 from 75.233.51.209

Very nice run, thanks for the description.

From Kelli on Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 17:55:29 from 71.219.89.82

WOW!!! That is an amazing and scenic trek, and you started so darn early in the morning (that would be like sleep running to me!) Very impressive, yet you always are! When I grow up I want to be you (well, a female version!)

Rest well, and go get some more doughnuts! You have earned at least a dozen.

From auntieem on Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 21:03:24 from 67.182.146.94

Very impressive. You inspire me; I think I will try for a 100K next.

From Scott Wesemann on Sun, Mar 07, 2010 at 00:29:22 from 75.162.73.244

Very cool, and I enjoyed reading it.

From Jon on Sun, Mar 07, 2010 at 17:42:49 from 75.169.140.88

That's it, I'm un-friending you. I cannot in good conscience spend time with someone crazy enough to do 35-100 mile runs for 5 straight weeks, since that person is obviously seriously disturbed and may be a threat to me and my family.

Just kidding :) Except for the seriously disturbed part. But you are setting yourself up for a heck of a season.

From crockett on Sun, Mar 07, 2010 at 17:52:30 from 71.36.80.124

Well, the string will likely come to an end. Saturday I plan to run the Rex Lee 10K and hope to PR (break 43). Last year I placed 2nd in my elderly age group.

However, once I did PR in a 10K and then immediately PRed running up to the top of Timp and back. So you never know. Maybe I should just run back home from Provo after running the 10K.

From Jon on Sun, Mar 07, 2010 at 18:09:40 from 75.169.140.88

Maybe you should run from your house TO Provo for your 10k!

From Cody on Sun, Mar 07, 2010 at 18:20:42 from 174.52.244.185

Seriously disturbed is right. But you are getting the results!

From Kelli on Mon, Mar 08, 2010 at 14:06:16 from 71.219.89.82

I am sure once you PR in the 10k (and possibly take the entire age group out), you will add another 20 or so miles....

Total Distance
0.00

With my string of five Saturdays in a row with at least 35 miles, that got me wondering.  How many times in my life have I run long runs on a day?   I'll call 20 miles a long run.   It turns out that I have 180 days with 20 miles or more.  My biggest year was last year, which might explain why I PRed at RR100 last month.

2002 3
2003 7
2004 25
2005 24
2006 28
2007 26
2008 21
2009 38
2010 8
 

I have a ton more between 15-20 miles because of all my Timp runs and early morning training runs.  But 20 miles or over seems like a much bigger effort, so that is what I'm calling a long run.

 

Total Distance
8.00

Treadmill.  Four miles at 5:53.  Backed off the pace after that because quad complained.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 8.00
Comments
From jun on Mon, Mar 08, 2010 at 10:39:57 from 66.239.250.209

Speedy.

From Bryce on Mon, Mar 08, 2010 at 23:13:31 from 174.52.190.220

that's REAL speed Davey, Nice!

From Kelli on Tue, Mar 09, 2010 at 15:05:09 from 71.219.89.82

I was thinking 5:53 am, but now I see you meant SPEED. Seriously, you are fast.

From crockett on Tue, Mar 09, 2010 at 16:09:31 from 216.49.181.254

Kelli, well for me, there is a huge difference getting a treadmill to drag my sorry behind at 5:53 pace than doing it out on the road. I can maybe do one mile at that pace on real pavement and then I want to throw up or pass out.

From Kelli on Tue, Mar 09, 2010 at 17:43:08 from 71.219.89.82

Hey, I can not even get the treadmill to drag me that fast---I would flip off of the thing and break something for sure! And, you have to remember, you are talking to the woman who actually runs slower on the treadmill and it feels harder!

You are just super fast, that is that!

Total Distance
14.00

Did it a little different this morning.  I ran to the rec center, ran the treadmill and then ran back home.   The rec center is only a mile from home, so I don't have to get all bundled up.  However running back all sweaty was a little brisk.  It was nice to get outside, even it was was pavement.  The lights across the lake are great see before dawn.

p.m.  Fast four miles of pavement with the dog.

 

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 14.00
Comments
From Kelli on Tue, Mar 09, 2010 at 15:06:22 from 71.219.89.82

I have contemplated the same thing, but it is just too cold. I will run to the gym when it gets warm out there, then the air conditioning inside will feel like heaven!

Nice job!

From Smooth on Tue, Mar 09, 2010 at 22:34:32 from 174.23.198.220

Pretty soon it will be warm enough for you to run to work. GOOD JOB!

Total Distance
9.00

Treadmill.   Mixture of speed and hills.  Two fast miles at 6:15 and 5:58. That is all I could take with speed.  One tough much slower mile with incline at 25% for much of it.  Fun stuff. The rest of the miles were about 7:30 pace.  I did notice the 10k mark went by a little after 45 minutes, so I guess overall I was going pretty fast.  (I didn't do the hills during that stretch). 

I'm starting to think of going into a taper.  Antelope Island 100 is just 16 days away.  I don't have any firm expectations.  Well, I do expect to win, since I'm the only one running it.  Do I expect to PR?  Probably not.   Pretty tough to push hard when I will be the only one running the course for the first 60 miles.   I'll start around 7 p.m. the evening before the big race.   I should finish the first 50 miles before 5 a.m., so I'll have a head start on the Antelope Island 50 runners.   The front runners will catch me around 60 miles or earlier, and then I will have plenty of company as people catch up to me.   Hopefully it will motivate me to try to keep pace with runners who have 50 fewer miles on their legs.   Should be fun.  I expect that I'll finish with the back of the pack, so I'll have some nice friendly company when I'm almost dead.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 9.00
Comments
From Kelli on Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 15:45:20 from 71.219.89.82

I wish I could be there to help you finish in your almost dead state (not that I believe that!) I actually bet that you could keep up with a bunch of them even though you are 50 miles ahead. You are one seriously strong runner!

I say taper, so only do like 25 this Saturday!! ;0)

From Jon on Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 19:54:56 from 75.169.146.30

Does Jim know you're starting the 50 early?

From crockett on Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 10:25:47 from 216.49.181.254

Jon, yes, of course, all legit. Park gave appproval.

From Jon on Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 20:26:28 from 75.169.152.81

Is he going to give you your own results page?

From crockett on Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 22:11:06 from 71.36.80.124

Well, I do the website for him, so there is a good chance!

Total Distance
8.00

Eight easy treadmill miles while watching basketball.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 8.00
Race: Rex Lee 10K - oops 9K (5.6 Miles) 00:37:50, Place overall: 36, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
8.00

I was really focused on this 10K because I really believed I could PR and break 43 minutes.  To make a long story short the race organizers cut the course short this year, didn’t tell us, or even mention it at the awards.  It turned out to be a 9K.  I would have been rather angry, but the race is for a good cause and in the name of a man, Rex Lee, who I really respected.  His wife also grew up with my mother.  So, I chilled out.  But the race was a mess.   I had a super race and was on pace to crush my PR, I mean crush!   I believe I would have finished in at least 41:55 if the course was the correct length.

The long story is, that I went to Provo, checked in, and then warmed up for two miles.  I felt great and fast.   The first thing that confused me is that they moved the start back about a half block further down the street, so I worried that the course would be long.   The gun went off and I started well.  The first mile is the toughest, with a hill during the second half mile.   I hit what might have been the one mile mark at 6:57.   I thought I was going faster than that, so I immediately didn’t trust the mile markers.   Next up was a very long downhill.  I found some good speed and started passing people.  I keep a tall runner age 48, in my sights who I have never beat.   I hit the mile 2 sign at 11:11, clocking a 4:15 mile.  I yelled out, “No way.”   I knew something was wrong.  I hit mile 3 at 18:01.   No way was I averaging 6-minute miles, but I knew I was averaging well below 7-minute miles.

The rest of the race went great.  I never hit a wall, and around the real 4-mile mark was passing people.  The legs felt great and the lungs were working fine.   As I was nearing the finish, I looked at my watch and concluded that my watch must have stopped at some point, no way was I on pace to break 40.  I finished in 37:50.   I was very confused.  I talked to another runner with a GPS and she explained that the course was 0.6 short.  I then remembered that in past years there were to detours on the course to add that mileage in.    I was very disappointed because I knew I would have had a PR.

The next disappointment was that they allowed 10K racers to switch to the 5K but didn’t change out their chips.   So there were several 5K racers who finished ahead of me clocking 10K placement times.  Michelle Lowry was cheated out of recognition for winning the women’s 10K because 5K runners claimed the price.  What a mess.

Well, the good news is I won my age group!  There were about 500 9K runners.   My mile pace was about 6:45 on a course with some good hills.   If the course was right, I know I would have pushed even harder.   No other old guy was even close to me and I think finished about five minutes behind.

So, I go away with a pleasing feeling that I would have finished in 41:55.   This is a great indication that my training is going very well, even for short distances.   I’m still getting faster.  If they throw out the 5K runners from the 10K standings, I probably finished around 30th place.

Oh, and I did get a kick out of the reaction of the crowd when they called out my name, Davy Crockett, during the awards.  Lots of laughing from the BYU students.   Laugh it up kids.  I bet I beat you all!

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 8.00
Comments
From flatlander on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 15:16:03 from 198.207.244.102

Congratulations on a great race, those are ultra-fast splits. For some reason it must be hard to measure a race course. Two out of the last three races I have run have had measurement issues.

From allie on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 15:20:05 from 67.177.0.102

march madness! wow. great race, despite all the mess. i especially like the 4:15 mile!

From Jon on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 15:24:04 from 75.169.152.81

Nice race. That's real disappointing, though, to go through all the trouble of doing a race and not be able to get a "real" time.

From JulieC on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 15:31:34 from 67.41.190.13

ditto on the mess. you would think knowing beforehand that the race was short that I could run faster but it actually bugged me and made me "give up" because there was no possible way to PR today. I too would have PRed by 30-60 seconds trying to beat 43 minutes. Whatever. All for a good cause and I am sure REX the runner on the other side and LAW-abiding probably was getting a kick out of the family goofing up the distance :D. Good run!! you ran 54 seconds faster than I. Trade ya times :D, especially that second mile.

From jun on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 15:37:05 from 97.126.237.192

Awesome race. Sorry it was such a mess. Your speed is incredible though. You are really on a high right now. Great job.

From Jim Kern on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 19:57:32 from 97.117.37.178

Great race. I spoke with Jim Skaggs before the Striders 10 mile. He wants to know if you want a timing chip for Antelope Island.

From Scott Ensign on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 20:41:46 from 65.100.253.126

Davy, nice job and great time, sorry about the course problems. what can we say-typical BYU, right? that is why I work at USU and not BYU! but a great event for a great cause, Milton Lee is a very famous chemist in that department, I have known him since i was a student in the early 80s, really impressed by his work. Is he Rex Lee's son?

OK- May 8- put it on your calendar for the Smithfield health days 10K. we'll get you your certified PR there on a beautiful course up and back Smithfield canyon. hope you can make it.

From Smooth on Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 23:55:37 from 174.23.198.220

Hey Mr. SPEEDY-not-so-old-Davy Crocket!!! CONGRATS on an excellent 9K race! Sorry about the terrible mess! Really no excuse for the organizers! WAY to show the younguns how to run a 4:15 mile! ;-)

From MichelleL on Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 10:53:44 from 71.35.238.210

Well, you didn't get your 10k, or your deserved pr, but at least you pleased the crowd. I was telling my husband about all the people I talked to at the race and he got a kick out of your name too. Must happen a lot. I'm sorry that you missed a great opportunity to post a major pr. It was nice to see you, and I am glad the weather held off until after the race.

Total Distance
15.00

Out the door at 4:55 a.m.  Didn't go to the rec center because it always takes them several days to get the lock timer fixed up when daylight saving time kicks in.  So, I had no excuse but to brave the cold.  30 degrees out and it was pleasant.   Ran pavement.  Easy pace, about 8:30, some hills.  http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/ut/saratoga%20springs/310126866228460278

p.m.  Spring is here!   Reran the same route after work with the dog.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 15.00
Comments
From Smooth on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 20:49:57 from 174.23.198.220

AWESOME runS. Happy Spring day! Hey, I didn't notice the PM you sent me about Boston roomie until today. My friend, MarcE (also on this blog) was looking for someone to share room cost. Hopefully he hasn't canceled his hotel booking. You may want to send him a PM. I text him just now as well as forwarded your email to him. I sure hope it works out for you guys.

Total Distance
23.00

This morning I was out running at 3:55 a.m.   I previewed (in the dark) the half-marathon course (Shamrock half marathon) being run this Saturday in Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain.   It starts Westlake high school. It is a challenging course, will be fun, but really not a viable course for the long-term.   It has to cross busy roads four times and runs along a busy road without a shoulder and blind corners for about two miles.  It jumps from bike paths to roads, to sidewalks.  There are lots of turns and it crosses about 20 streets.  So not very fast at all. But there are some fun stretches including above the golf course in the Ranches, over a hill south of the Ranches, and the last two miles are fast downhill.   There is about 800 feet elevation gain and decline.

Course  Website

My splits were:  7:44, 7:59 (hill), 8:56 (hill), 7:56, 9:09 (getting lazy), 8:42 (sight-seeing), 8:22, 9:21 (hill), 9:08, 8:15, 8:35, 7:17 (downhill), 7:44, 1:20.    Total was about 1:50.   I think 1:45 is probably a pretty good time for me on the course.  I suspect I’ll push for about 1:40.

I did take a wrong turn after mile 5 (took the mistake out of my splits).  I turned too soon and did an extra 1.5 miles in a neighborhood.  I figured it out and then just went back to the mile 5 location and started the watch again.  No biggy, extra miles are good and I had time.

I did notice that the race director had painted mile marks and arrows on some nice sidewalks.   That’s not good.  They are small, not big enough to keep me on course in the dark.  I also took my sweet time checking street signs.   It was a fun run and I look forward to racing it on Saturday.

p.m.

8 miles with the dog.  15 miles in two days was probably too much for her.  She was happy to get back home.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 23.00
Comments
From jun on Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 11:13:13 from 66.239.250.209

My favorite part was the "8:42 (sight-seeing)". Sounds so like you. The course sounds fun, even if it is contrived. It is on Saturday, right? You still planning on hitting a few miles with us on Thursday out in Cedar Valley? It will just be me and Scott W.

From crockett on Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 14:05:24 from 216.49.181.254

jun. Yes, I think I'll join you for some of it as long as the weather is OK. Looks like the storm won't arrive until later in the day so it actually might be warm and pleasant. Let me know the plans.

From Nevels on Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 14:20:25 from 65.4.23.143

Interesting sounding course... Perhaps you could look at it as an "urban adventure race."

From crockett on Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 14:35:40 from 216.49.181.254

Nevels. Yep. I could probably stop at two convenient stores along the way for a snack and still beat most the field. Even better, bring a club and hit some balls down a fairway we will run by.

From Kelli on Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 19:37:15 from 71.219.89.82

I was excited because we were tied for mileage this week, now I see I have entered three days and you have only entered 2!!! Holy cow, you are a RUNNER! And aren't you doing like 50 or something on Thursday?

From crockett on Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 21:24:17 from 71.36.81.227

Well, I broke the tie with four miles this afternoon. You are still ahead for the month. No, I'm only going to do 20 max tomorrow because I have the 1/2 marathon on Saturday that I should place high in (if only local runners show up). But beware, next week will be a 100+ mile week with Antelope 100 next weekend.

From reeses on Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 23:49:47 from 71.36.81.227

crockett isn't really that fast. I raced him today and he couldn't keep up.

From Kelli on Thu, Mar 18, 2010 at 14:01:49 from 71.219.89.82

DANG IT!!! With 20 today I will never catch up, but I did not really expect to!

Total Distance
4.00

Four fast miles with the dog to keep loose.  Will run some miles with jun tomorrow morning bright and early.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 4.00
Comments
From reeses on Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 23:45:41 from 71.36.81.227

Davy, thanks for the great run today.

Total Distance
26.00

I got up bright and early at 2:30 a.m. to join jun and scottw for a long early morning run in Cedar Valley.  I helped jun map out a course that would allow him to do big miles, returning to the car or use convenient stores for aid stations.  It worked out great.  I'll let jun tell the details.   I ran about 9-10 minute miles.   I did the first 2.5 loops of the course, putting in a little over 21 miles, all in the dark.   As we passed by ranches, we would wake up the dogs and they would go crazy.  The temperature was cool but fine, probably about 26-32 degrees.  It would vary with some warm pockets.

Here is where I ran

All went well, until we finished the 2nd loop.  Jun was about 100 yards ahead and scottw about 300 or so yards behind me.  jun stopped at the car, but I went on ahead to get seven more miles.   But as I continued running up a very straight road, I couldn't see jun or scottw's headlamps behind me.  Where were they???   I continued on, then thought I saw at least one light.   At the 3.5 mile mark from the cars, I turned around, and in less than a mile ran into jun.  He said scottw never returned to our cars!!   How could that be, he was so close behind.  jun went on and I ran back to the cars.   No sign of scottw!!  His car was still there.   I shined my green light all over.

I concluded that somehow scottw had taken a wrong turn near our cars.   Come to think of it as we had been running, he had mentioned that he was all turned around and had no idea where we were.  I jumped in my car and drove all over Cedar Valley, on all the roads within three miles of our cars.  No sign of scottw.   Wow, what happened?   I was sure he was fine, but if he got lost, I realized he would have a devil of a time figuring out where the cars were. I could imagine his frustration trying to explain to someone that he had been running around in the dark with some guys, got lost and had no clue where his car was.

I drove on the first loop we did, thinking he took a wrong turn and ran that loop again, but no sign of scottw so I drove toward the Ranches and found jun.   jun told me not to worry.  He was going to continue to run.  I was worried, so I drove back to the cars to search some more.  Thank goodness, scottw was sitting in his car.  Sure enough, he had taken a wrong turn and ran loop 1 again and then got confused in Eagle Mountain city center which way to go.

Now that it is over, it is REALLY funny.  How in the world can someone get lost in a wide-open valley without any trees, as flat and flat can be where you can see for miles.   I said goodbye to scottw and then drove and found jun still running.  We had a good laugh.  Amazing.   Lesson to be learned.  Whenever you do a crockett aventure run, you must study the map and even better take a GPS.  Something always goes wrong on crockett's adventures.  You can get lost, even in a wide-open valley without trees.

p.m.   I took a vacation day in order to watch the NCAA games.  It was worth it.  That BYU game was amazing.   I did an additional 5 miles while listening to the post game.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 21.00
Comments
From reeses on Thu, Mar 18, 2010 at 11:31:19 from 71.36.81.227

You are nuts. You should have brought me, I could have sniffed out the lost human.

From Kelli on Thu, Mar 18, 2010 at 14:03:58 from 71.219.89.82

Oh, poor Scott!!! But, I get it---it was DARK!!!

I think the MOST nuts thing about all of this is the 2:30 am start. THAT IS CRAZY!

Now rest up for your race.

From jun on Thu, Mar 18, 2010 at 17:50:24 from 63.224.105.30

Ha. So much fun. Thanks again for the route. I'm going to have to head back there and get all of the loops in. Thanks for coming along.

From Scott Wesemann on Thu, Mar 18, 2010 at 23:28:43 from 75.162.81.238

That was a great day exscept for getting lost. Thanks for spending all of that time looking for me. I made some mistakes out there, but learned some good lessons too. It was fun meeting you. Good luck with your race on Sat.

From Jim Kern on Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 14:08:07 from 138.64.8.52

If this wasn't a 'Davy' report I would think that's the best excuse I've heard for a runner to ride around in a warm car while his partners are running.

From Smooth on Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 16:16:23 from 174.23.198.220

Did you know old Parker, the guy that played Davy Crockett died yesterday? Your commentary on jun's blog had me in stitches!

CRAZY run in the middle of the night all over Cedar Valley!

GOOD LUCK w/ the local urban half tomorrow!

Rise and SHOUT! GO COUGS!

Race: Shamrock Half Marathon (13.1 Miles) 01:37:53, Place overall: 12, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
15.00

I ran in a new half marathon, Shamrock Half Marathon, held in Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain.  It starts in Saratoga Springs at the High School , heads west into Eagle Mountain, making a couple loops in the Ranches sub-divisions, and then returning to the High School.  The first and last three miles are rural, running by farms, and the rest runs through neighborhoods.  This half is pretty tough with lots of turns and about 800 feet hill climbing.

I got hit by a sinus infection yesterday, so the bacteria probably affected me, but I still pushed through it.   It was a brisk 23 degrees at the start and 32 degrees at the finish, but the sun came out during the race and made it feel warmer.  I dressed about right.   I believe there were 98 runners who started and only one other person I knew, buddy Mark Ellison.   Strange that it didn’t attract many runners from Saratoga Springs.   I did a little warm-up run, but it was too cold to spend much time out before the start.

We started a little after 8:00 a.m. and I quickly took the lead to get my legs going.   I was still leading at the 1/2-mile mark, but then backed off.   For the first five miles I really struggled to get warmed up, but after that felt much better.   My splits for miles 1-5, were 7:06, 7:17, 7:58(hill), 7:43, 7:49.   About four runners passed me before the first mile and buddy Mark Ellison passed me during mile 2.   I was able to keep him in sight for the rest of the race.   Another pack of several runners  passed me around mile 4.  At mile 5, I think I was in about 9th place.   As I made the turn in the middle of the Ranches, my oldest son Davy was in his car at the intersection heading to work.  He honked the horn and yelled out the window.

Finally at mile 5, I felt semi-warmed up and my legs enjoyed the gentle uphill.  I was closing the distance on the pack ahead of me.   Finally we got some downhill which my legs appreciated but still a couple more young runners caught up and passed me.   The final runner to pass me was a girl, who caught me as we crossed a busy road around mile 7.5.  We crested a steep hill at mile 8.7 and I really blasted down a quarter mile dirt road very fast, almost catching three runners ahead.   My splits miles 6-9 were 7:30, 7:13 (downhill), 7:54 (hill), 7:42 (up and down).  

I was now headed back to Saratoga Springs.  I could see Mark only a quarter mile ahead, I was gaining on him, but every time I was thinking I would catch him, either he sped up or I slowed down.   I did pass a runner slowing down right before mile 10.   We crested the final hill at mile 11, and I knew there were two fast miles to the finish.  The girl and a guy were in my sights.  I passed the guy at mile 12 and then started to close the distance on the girl.  Could I catch her before the finish?   It looked like I could, came within 20 yeards, but with only a quarter mile to go, my left quad complained so I backed off.   My splits for miles 10-13 were: 6:58, 7:41, 6:55 (downhill), and 7:13.  I was obviously feeling great near the finish, clocking negative splits.  I wished the race was a couple miles longer because I could have caught 4-5 runners ahead who finished within a quarter mile of me.  

I came in at 1:37:53.   I had hoped to break 1:40 on this tough course, so I was pleased.  I came in 12th place overall and first in my age group.  I received a nice little plaque. Two runners in their 40s were only a couple minutes ahead, so I was close to winning that age group too.   I was also pleased that all my miles were sub 8:00.  I believe I could have continued sub-8s for quite awhile more. 

For cool down, I ran for awhile on the track.   I think that is the first time I've run around a track in 30 years.   Wow, what a bore, felt almost as bad as a treadmill.  I went back to the finish and cheered lots of people as they came in.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 15.00
Comments
From Smooth on Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 16:41:19 from 174.23.198.220

AWESOME race, Davy! CONGRATS on taking 1st AG and surpassed your goal on a tough hilly, winding course! You finished strong and could have made top 10 easily if there were more miles. All that with a sinus infection and off of a BIG mileage week! EXCELLENT performance! You're AMAZING!

From Kelli on Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 18:11:10 from 71.219.89.82

Tracks are way worse than treadmills!!!

Nice job on a tough course, it sounds quite brutal!!! Maybe that is why more people did not run it, they were scared!!!!

Great job on the miles, all under 8 and fast whether up hill or down!

From JulieC on Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 19:17:12 from 70.56.109.58

GREAT RACE!! ONE question, was the course accurate :D ?

From reeses on Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 19:41:13 from 71.36.81.227

I believe it was measured well,at least with a GPS several times.

From Jon on Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 21:02:26 from 75.169.145.188

Nice job, Davy, winning your age group and smoking all the young folks! Is there anything you can't do?

From RAD on Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 01:45:20 from 67.172.229.125

Nice work Davy! Eagle Mtn and Saratoga is a lot like Herriman...NO where flat to run, it's either up a mountain or down a hill.

Great job on the hardware take home, and AMEN to the horrible track! I guess it's boredom like that which would make someone run up Timpanogos.

From Kelli on Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 13:13:54 from 71.219.89.82

Just dropping by to see if you headed out for 7.01 miles to beat me....

From calliej on Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 17:45:40 from 97.126.137.211

My first time coming to your blog.....Holy cow you are awesome!!!! I am so impressed with your awesome running history. You give me hope that I can pull myself together and have a good running career. You Rock!!

Do you by chance know a Brenda Holtom?

From jun on Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 21:34:43 from 63.224.105.30

Great race Davy. Nice report too. Sounds like it is actually a fun and challenging course. I hope they are able to keep it up.

From Maurine/Miles on Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 23:36:25 from 97.117.73.228

Great job, Dave. Wish I could be out there running with you. Are you ready for the first ever Buffalo Run 100 next weekend?

From Riley on Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 20:38:00 from 71.213.107.204

Nice run Dave. I ran the Shamrock as well. I came in just behind you at 1:40:28. I took 15th overall and 2nd in my AG. Only my 3rd half and it was a tough course. I read your history and it is very inspiring. I'm 34 and just getting serious about running. It makes me happy to see that if you live right, you can have a great running career. Have a nice day.

Total Distance
4.00

p.m. treadmill

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 4.00
Total Distance
7.00

I'm in my Boston taper now, backing off on miles and just staying loose this week.  Oh, I will have a longish run left Friday night.  Did a hilly treadmill workout this morning, 5-15% incline, 7:30 pace, holding on to the front.

Plans for Friday on Antelope Island.  I'll start around 7 p.m.  Jim Kern will crew for me for the first 50 miles.   Jim Skaggs will drop a gallon of water for me at the first aid station location.   I'm on my own for the first 18.9 miles because there isn't crew access.  I should finish that loop by 10:30 p.m. and then Jim Kern will crew me at least every six miles.  The goal for the first 50 is to get done in 9:30.   That will give me a 1:30 head start on all the 50-mile runners who will be chasing me down.   Looks like there could be some rain on Friday.  Hopefully it will be gone before evening.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Kelli on Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 17:36:23 from 71.219.89.155

That is quite the incline at that pace, crazy guy!

Best of luck to you! I would have loved to have come and watched or cheered you on or tried to keep up for a half of a mile! Darn family and half marathon!

From jun on Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 11:39:07 from 66.239.250.209

Yes, good luck. Twinkies and I should stumble by you as you near the finish to your 100. I'm pacing Matt for the last 17 miles of his 50.

From crockett on Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 23:20:38 from 71.36.81.227

Jun, I may reach the Ranch between 11 a.m.-12 pm. probably near Twinkies. But I'll be moving slowly at that point. It will be interesting to see what speed I can put together during the night with the rain/snow.

From Smooth on Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 23:28:17 from 174.23.198.220

VERY FAST pace for that "uphill" run!

GOOD LUCK on Sat. Can't wait to read all about it!

Total Distance
4.00

Four very easy miles.  

Last night went up to Jim Skaggs' and helped assemble the 580 or so race packets.   It took us over three hours. (six of us).   Wow, there will be a lot of runners on the island on Saturday.   Looks like weather Friday night may be somewhat miserable, cold rain turning to snow.   Looks like most of the course will get less than an inch of snow when it does turn to snow.   Oh well, it will just be an extra challenge.   It is better to face the rain/snow and dark on fresh legs than after 14 hours of running which is usually the time when you run during the night in a 100-miler.  Looks like the first part of the course that climbs up to 4800 will be having flurries/snow Friday evening. That is better than rain.   I'll probalby be going slower than planned.

Comments
From Oreo on Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 19:48:20 from 174.27.170.206

I'm excited for the race on Sat! Good luck with your adventure!!

From crockett on Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 23:12:19 from 71.36.81.227

Good to hear you'll be there Saturday. Good luck in the 50k. There is a chance you could see me heading toward you in the first couple miles of your race.

From Jon on Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 23:17:05 from 75.169.154.94

Snow? Good.

From Bryce on Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 23:47:01 from 174.52.190.220

Wow, that's alot of folks! Good luck out there Fri night.

From crockett on Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 23:58:30 from 71.36.81.227

Yep, Snow. Looks like there could be as much as two inches on the upper portions of the 50K course by the time you start. Good advantage to you. Lots of people will be very timid. If all goes well, I could be returning to the start again about the time you start. (my mile 69). Just follow my footprints, ha, ha.

Total Distance
0.00

Big-time taper.  No running going on, just rest.  Didn't sleep well last night, crazy dreams about running on Antelope Island.   Hopefully I'll sleep well tonight.  Looks like I will be running in a wet windy winter wonderland Friday evening.

I hope to finish in at most 22 hours.   I now plan to start at 6 p.m.  The milestones I will have in my mind are:   Reach the Ranch (32.8) by midnight.   That is a 6-hour 50K+.  Should be possible unless the weather is really bad.   Return to the start (50) by 3:30 a.m.  That is a 9:30 50.   That could be a problem if I end up having to sit in my crew car to warm up at times.   Do the next loop and return to the start (68.9) by 8:00 a.m.  That is when the 50K runners will start.  I would really like to get there before they come running at me.   From there, it is up in the air.   Getting back to the ranch (82.8) by 11:00 a.m. would be super. Fast 50 milers would be passing me, those who can do the first 32.8 in five hours.

 

Comments
From Smooth on Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 00:05:00 from 174.23.198.220

Hope you're sleeping well tonight. That's some serious planning and plotting. The Fri evening's wwww doesn't sound fun. But I'm sure nothing stops the legendary Davy Crockett! It'll just be more exciting!

From CookieLegs on Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 11:35:24 from 155.101.152.105

Good luck with your buffalo run this weekend - that's a lot of miles! Hope the weather cooperates at least a little, and that it ends up being better than forecast.

From Scott Wesemann on Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 12:30:19 from 66.239.250.209

Good luck at the Buffalo. I'm looking forward to reading your report.

Total Distance
0.00

After work heading the Antelope Island to start my  100-mile run.   Hopefully this entry will be replaced by a 100-mile race report.   Taper pains are hitting me.  I hate them.  Typical is that it feels like you pulled a muscle but you never did anything to pull it.  It will usually be sore for a day or so and you worry about it affecting your race.  Almost always it has no affect after you get warmed up.

Weather looking better.   Hopefully it will be in the form of snow, not rain.

Comments
From KP on Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 13:55:51 from 65.208.22.25

Good luck!!!

From Jon on Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 20:02:16 from 75.169.141.133

Good luck buddy!

From Smooth on Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 00:05:05 from 174.23.198.220

You're probably running now. GOOD LUCK! Can't wait to read your report!

Race: Antelope Island Buffalo Run 100 (100 Miles) 22:15:00, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
101.00

Read my full race report.

Quick update before I go to sleep.  I ran 100 miles on Antelope Island.  I got permission from the race director and from the park.   I ran the 50-mile course twice, starting the evening before the race, finishing the first 50 by 4 a.m. and then merging in with the 50-mile race  that started at 6:00 a.m.   About half the field caught up with me.  Lots of shocked runners when they discovered I was keeping up with them yet had run 50 extra miles.  My two 50-mile times were 9:48 and 12:17.  Not bad.

My time was very good, second best 100 time I've had. However, I had lots of stomach problems that really slowed me down and the cold during the night made me have long stops to warm up in my friend's car.  However, the trails are smooth and very fast, so the times I felt good, I could really cruise and make up time.   Because of all the stomach/bonking issues, I lost at least 5 pounds.  A pretty painful way to lose 5  pounds in less than one day.

Lots more later.  I need sleep.  It was a tough,  fun experience.

Vasque Velocity (Grey Yellow) Miles: 69.00Montrail Wildwood Miles: 32.00
Comments
From Huans32 on Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 22:08:52 from 98.202.0.57

WOW!!!! Awesome job man. That is amazing. 100 miles on a 50 miler race. Your an animal.

From AmyBQ on Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 22:16:16 from 68.55.192.111

Thats amazing! Congrats. I ran the JFK 50 miler and it was fun but I cant imagine doing 100. Rest now!!

From Teena Marie on Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 00:32:11 from 174.52.45.85

Crocket ... A MILLION WOWS!!!! My hubby and I are just sitting here in awe! You are amazing!

EXCELLENT 100-miler!!! I can not wrap my head around it!!!!

Hope you are sleeping soundly! Can't wait for all the details! :)

From Benn Griffin on Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 07:29:47 from 96.240.245.142

Super Race, sir!

From Maurine/Miles on Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 12:07:49 from 97.117.78.66

Dave! It was so great to see you finish. I got to see my first finisher on a 100 miler, got to see the first 100 mile runner on Antelope Island, and you set a course record!

From Scott Ensign on Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 12:31:48 from 71.35.219.159

wow. you are my hero, no doubt about it. you own this blog.

From Cody on Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 12:46:18 from 174.52.244.185

I am sad I didn't get to cheer you on, but you are my hero!

From Scott Ensign on Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 12:48:49 from 71.35.219.159

hey don't plagiarize my lines Cody. think of something original. or were you meaning that I am your hero? which is then of course, fine.

From Jon on Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 14:50:07 from 75.169.142.176

Amazing. Just amazing. As always. Doing a 100 miler by yourself? Wow. Glad I could see you for a minute during it.

From KP on Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 14:55:25 from 98.81.1.33

Awesome! Can't wait to hear more...

From crockett on Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 20:38:50 from 71.36.81.227

Thanks everyone! I'm still drained but recovering fast. No injuries. My full run report can be read at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=241

From JD on Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 20:58:32 from 166.128.176.255

Just read your report. Truly incredible!

From Kelli on Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 20:58:36 from 71.219.89.155

OH, I can not wait to go read the full report! You are AMAZING!!!! I am sorry to hear about the tummy issues, that is what scares the most about running any type of ultra! 5 pounds in 24 hours, OUCH! And, man, I felt for you with the weather. I wondered how you were doing out there....BRRRR!

I am glad you finished and survived! What is with the extra mile?????

From Twinkies on Mon, Mar 29, 2010 at 01:18:06 from 67.166.116.191

Running that course once was great. I could not have started over and run it a second time. It was great seeing you there. I saw your green light on the hillside a few times before our race started. Seeing you battle it out on the West side of the island was an inspiration. You're an incredible runner.

From Nevels on Mon, Mar 29, 2010 at 11:43:33 from 131.204.15.93

solid run and solid time. congrats on another epic 100.

From Oreo on Mon, Mar 29, 2010 at 11:53:13 from 206.81.136.61

Crockett - thanks for the words. I had a blast out there. I love following your adventures. Keep it up! Amazing.

From Nevels on Mon, Mar 29, 2010 at 12:03:58 from 131.204.15.93

just read the full report... way to push through the bonks and the dips in motivation (having recently pulled a similar "run 100 in conjunction with a shorter race" stunt, i really feel your pain on this one...)

again, great report, and congrats on a rather impressive run.

From Scott Wesemann on Mon, Mar 29, 2010 at 13:23:19 from 66.239.250.209

Wow! What an impressive run. Congrats on your time, especially with all of the stomach issues you had. I enjoyed the report.

Total Distance
0.00

Recovery going very well.  Stomach finally recovered, appetite almost back.  Very little soreness in the quads.  One little blister on the right ankle.   Looks like I'll be running again by Wednesday.   I'm going through the usual kicking myself, recalling all the times I was lazy out there, especially the last 8 miles.  Oh well. Makes me anxious for the next 100 race, but that won't be until June.  Time to pretend I can run marathons.  Boston is three weeks away.

Comments
From Jon on Tue, Mar 30, 2010 at 01:10:14 from 75.169.155.155

Man, it is not possible to be lazy the last 8 miles of a 100. Just surviving and moving forward is victory. Go easy on yourself. You just ran a solo 100 and set the CR!

From crockett on Tue, Mar 30, 2010 at 19:06:55 from 216.49.181.254

Jon, Yea, I hear you about not kicking myself, but that is the process I use to reach higher next time. Memories of being a slacker and regretting it can motivate me next time. I think I missed an opportunity to break 20 that I didn't realize was there. I didn't realize the course was so fast for a 100. I didn't realize the weather would not be that bad, so I didn't set my sights high enough. Oh well. I'll target Pony Express 100 for my first sub-20 attempt. There are very few over-50 ultrarunners who have run a sub-20. It would be cool to do it. I think it is possible now.

From Maurine/Miles on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 12:13:53 from 97.117.77.234

If anyone can do it, I have faith that you can!

Total Distance
8.00

Treadmill, 7:30 pace at 2%.   Back in the saddle.  Right quad a little heavy, but besides that, had no difficulties.  Very odd, it just feels like this is a Monday after a longish run on Saturday.  The resilience of the human body is amazing once it adapts to a high level of stress and work.  My co-workers like to recall how in 2004 after my first 100-finish, I limped around in sandals for several days at work and looked really beat up.  I couldn't run for nine days.   Now, I return to work on Monday and no one knows I ran a 100 over the weekend unless they ask. "Did you go running this weeked?"  "Yep."   "How far?"   "Uh, 100." To me it is facinating how the body systems can deal with this now like it is no big deal.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 8.00
Comments
From jun on Wed, Mar 31, 2010 at 11:10:55 from 205.158.160.209

So glad you are feeling well and recovering. Sounds like you are ready for a very productive season this year.

From Jon on Wed, Mar 31, 2010 at 23:57:26 from 75.169.139.220

Yeah, it's easy to deal with things like this when you're completely NUTS!

From Maurine/Miles on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 12:14:41 from 97.117.77.234

And I'll bet your co-workers just shake their heads and say you are nuts.

Total Distance
10.00

Treadmill at 7:30 pace, 2% incline.

I noticed that I weigh 170 pounds.  Wow, I don't think I've been in the 160s since the '70s.  I'm going to have to find my plaid bellbottoms and bring out the disco music.  "Stayin alive...."  Yep, that is what I'm doing.  You punk youngsters were still in diapers or as my kids like to put it, you were "still dead."

Time to start training for Boston.  It is in just over two weeks.   I need to get the foot speed up.   Uh, I guess I should run a little pavement too.   Do I really have to?

Mizuno Wave Elixer Miles: 10.00
Comments
From jun on Thu, Apr 01, 2010 at 11:16:03 from 66.239.250.209

No, you don't have to run on pavement. It's all smoke and mirrors.

As for the 70s, while you haven't traditionally dressed the part you have certain sung the part during long runs.

From Twinkies on Fri, Apr 02, 2010 at 01:05:45 from 67.166.116.191

I agree with Jun. You don't need to train on pavement.

Caitlin Smith won the Nike Women's Marathon last year training only on trails.

From Maurine/Miles on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 12:15:38 from 97.117.77.234

You were looking mighty slim at the end of the Buffalo Run. Heck - stay away from pavement - it is evil.

Total Distance
8.00

Treadmill  4 miles at 6:58 pace and then backed off to 7:30, then to 8:00

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Maurine/Miles on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 12:16:16 from 97.117.77.234

See - just do treadmills and save the pavement for Bahstahn.

Total Distance
14.00

Treadmill. First 10 at 7:30 pace with 2%, and periodic step-offs.   Last 4 did spurts of 10% incline.

Weight 167.  Will target 165 which will be 12 pounds lighter than what I was when running RR100.  Feeling lighter on the feet.  Also doing more upper body and some core.

Busy this weekend helping with the Internet broadcast of General Conference.  This is my 20th conference.  We've come a long way in 10 years.   My conference experience always involves a computer in front of me.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 14.00
Comments
From Faceless Ghost on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 13:38:00 from 67.169.248.86

We had some friends over for dinner last night. At some point, we started talking about running, and one of our guests said to her husband, "Tell them about the old man horse." He told us about the time he hiked up Timp, and somewhere near the top some guy "who was way older" went running past his group like it was nothing. He said, "when I saw his light coming I thought it had to be a horse or something, because it was moving way to fast to be a person. We just saw a green light flying up the switchbacks . . ."

From crockett on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 14:26:53 from 216.49.181.254

Faceless....pretty funny. Now I'm not only old, but a horse too!

From crockett on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 14:29:39 from 216.49.181.254

Once I had both my green and red light on and a group of young guys became convinced that I was an alien. I remembere the scared looks I saw on their faces. They were very relieved to see I was human. I encouraged them to keep up with me. They did, for about 50 yards. I later heard back from others who had been with other groups hearing about comments up and down the mountain about aliens.

From jun on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 15:05:30 from 63.224.108.99

Interesting story Davy. Was Scott one of them and was he lost?

Crazy about your weight. I am guessing it is all of the treadmill miles without any nutrients. This is going to be a very fast year for you.

From crockett on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 15:33:32 from 216.49.181.254

On another occasion, I was again using the red light. A group was convinced that I was a mountain bike. As they watched my progress, they also concluded that no one on foot could move that fast.

Another funny experience. I was once blasting down the trail very fast and really alarmed a young co-ed. She yelled out, "what's wrong?" I guess thinking I was running for help or something. I yelled back, "She's going to blow!! The mountain is going to blow!" Hopefully she figured out that Timp isn't a volcano.

From Smooth on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 15:50:37 from 174.23.251.49

You're sooo funny, Davy! You are truly one of a kind! Hope you're enjoying your help w/ General Conference!

Saw your "traffic lights" pics on the Buffalo Run 100 miles last week. See, you even spooked the buffaloes. :)

From Kelli on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 at 16:49:38 from 71.219.92.128

Fun stuff!!! You are still fast even after a 100 miler, I would have been sleeping all week! And congrats on the weight loss and being lighter on your feet. They say 2 second per mile per pound.

Nice speedy run. Enjoy conference.

From catherine on Sun, Apr 04, 2010 at 16:28:15 from 67.169.248.86

Faceless and I are still laughing about "she's going to blow!" today. :)

Total Distance
14.00

Treadmill, trying to get the feet used to turning over fast.   Did 6 mile at 6:40 pace with some step-offs.  The last two a little slower.   Continuing to work on doing some core, upper body, and calfs.   Trying to find a way to not have my calfs cramp up during the marathon.  During all the few marathons I've run, my calfs have always cramped causing me to practically walk the last 4-6 miles.  And I have only run a few marathons, I'm still a rookie.  I think I've run in 5 marathons.  Compare that to 59 ultra race finishes (31 of them 100s).

p.m.  Six more TM miles, most at 6:40 pace.  Felt much more comfortable, but was on a different treadmill.  Seems like the feet are getting more used to going faster. Quad soreness all gone from the 100 last week.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 14.00
Comments
From CookieLegs on Mon, Apr 05, 2010 at 16:21:23 from 155.101.152.105

Hi. I'm not a marathoner, and only just got back into running more on a regular basis. But I came across a link once on avoiding calf cramps during marathons, and am sending it along to you in case it helps. http://mysite.verizon.net/jim2wr/id66.html. (The article is a bit dated, so just take what you can from it!)

Good luck in Boston!!

From crockett on Mon, Apr 05, 2010 at 17:24:47 from 216.49.181.254

Thanks CookieLegs, some good thoughts in the article. I think my main problem is just not enough tempo run training. The more I do, the longer it takes for any cramping to kick in. Perhaps it has to do with fast twich muscle fibers. I just don't do enough training at marathon pace. But I think I've been doing better. In the article it also mentions pre-race-loading of electrolytes. I've never bought into that, haven't seen any convincing studies. In fact, that can harm your performance. You need a balance.

From Kelli on Mon, Apr 05, 2010 at 18:33:48 from 71.219.92.128

My husband has to seriously LOAD up on electrolytes (and SALT) before marathons to help him avoid cramping. It has been fairly successful for him, but he drinks like 60 ounces of Gatorade a day for two weeks before.

From crockett on Mon, Apr 05, 2010 at 19:58:58 from 71.36.72.18

Kelli, I would greatly caution anyone doing something like that. I believe all it is doing to help is to make sure Scott is well-hydrated before the run. Then during a run he probably is careful to make sure he is taking in electrolytes. Our bodies do not store up excess electrolytes. They quickly dump the excess. It is not like carb loading.

The concentration of sodium in the blood is highly regulated and remains relatively constant. All that “electrolyte loading” does is train your body to be more dependent on sodium, like dumping salt on every meal you eat. If it is more dependant, during a race, it will need more salt during the race, making cramping even more likely. If you take in a bunch of sodium, your kidneys will excrete the excess fairly quickly, within hours. If you take extra potassium, it is also excreted.

Also, there are a lot easier ways to get the right amount of electrolyte replacement than drinking tons of Gatorade. Yuk. But if it works for Scott, great. I just don’t believe it is helping, other things are.

From CookieLegs on Mon, Apr 05, 2010 at 20:46:22 from 71.36.82.238

I've never even come close to running a marathon, but from a biology standpoint, I tend to agree with Crockett regarding the electrolyte loading. The body tries to maintain a certain ratio of water/sodium/potassium and doesn't like it when that ratio gets out of whack.

I do agree with the article's suggestion that it is best to replenish your fluid, minerals, and electrolyte stores by taking in an electrolyte solution/gel periodically during the early miles of the marathon. Using the drinks/gels as early as you can delays depletion of your body's stores. Of course, this all depends on the race day temperature and how much you are sweating during the race. (ie, if it's 70 & sunny, start early. If it's 40, it probably isn't as important.)

Kelli, do you and Scott ever take gatorade/gels during your long runs? Some people have called you a running machine, but I think of you more like a running angel!! You should do great!

Crockett - I think you'll do great too!!

From CookieLegs on Mon, Apr 05, 2010 at 20:49:28 from 71.36.82.238

Oh, and I think it would work great to drink plenty of gatorade the morning of the race, and maybe the night before, just not 2 weeks before. Of course, if you drink bunches of it the night before, you'll be up using the bathroom all night long, so maybe save it for just the morning! :)

From Kelli on Mon, Apr 05, 2010 at 21:13:16 from 71.219.92.128

That is interesting! At the Ogden marathon, Scott crawled in (really, his time was 3:36 or something, but he was on par for a 3:12 at mile 21). He was in the medical tent for 3 hours while they waited for the sodium (or was it potassium?) levels in his blood to go back up. They were the ones that suggested he drink a ton of gatorade (and pedialyte) and put salt on everything. He actually takes sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium pills every day. Who knows what it is doing for him. He managed to BQ in St George, so it must have worked somewhat!

This time around he has not done much of anything, aside from all of the pills. he drinks maybe one gatorade a day (after running). He does take GU's and drinks both water and gatorade while running, and he takes some salt pill they gave him at Wasatch Running. Seriously, if running is this complicated, WHY DO IT?????? he is a very efficient sweater, so he has to replenish it all somehow, but it seems like overkill to me.

As far as me, I will take a PowerBar gel maybe once in a long run every once in a while, and I have had up to 3 during a marathon. They make me sick, but the caffeine is a good kick. I also get sick with gatorade, it is too sugary. During a race, I grab a cup of water and gatorade and mix them so I can handle it, but I do not drink much. When I do, I am proud i could handle it. I am working on the drinking and eating, I need to be able to do it so I can be amazing and run an ultra like Crockett!

Thanks for calling me an ANGEL!

From crockett on Tue, Apr 06, 2010 at 10:43:20 from 216.49.181.254

Wow, what a story. I'm amazed they told him to do that. To me it sounds like during a race, his body just dumps electrolytes very fast...perhaps he sweats a ton or something. During a race it is all about electrolyte replacement and it really varies by person. For most people Gatorade doesn't have enough electrolytes to replace the loss. Boy, I wouldn't try to push all that stuff between races unless he had tests beteen races and a doctor told him too. High sodium diets can eventually do bad things.

But yes, during a race electrolyte replacement is critical. I take an S-cap about once per hour. Others have to take more because they sweat more or they have so much sodium in their diets that they require more.

Anyway, if you really want an expert option, Karl King who develops and markets the Suceed! Caps is really the one to ask. He understands all the science behind this and knows of all the studies. He loves consulting and replies to emails fast. He is at karl.king44@yahoo.com

From Kelli on Tue, Apr 06, 2010 at 14:48:43 from 71.219.92.128

Thanks, I will tell my husband to e-mail him. I think the S-caps might be what they gave him at Wasatch Running.

What they told him after Ogden was that his body is too efficient at sweating and that he goes into races already depleted. Honestly, he did a bunch of whacky stuff before St George, but he did not feel like it helped all that much. He believes he just needs to get used to it. However, he takes all of those pills in some funky combination as told to by some sports doctor. We will see, but it is worth talking to your guy and seeing what he says!

I hate pills, vitamins, all of that stuff! i like to just get what my body needs from food!!!

Total Distance
10.00

Last night I read in Ultramagazine how Jenna Gruben died in a car accident on the way home from Moab Red Hot in February. I ran in that race. She placed 3rd among the women in the 33K.  Very fast.   I guess that really bothered me because all night I was dreaming about the Moab course and I felt so bad for those who were close to her.  She was from Colorado.

So, I didn't get a great-night's sleep and turned the alarm off to get a bit more.

p.m.

Stupid sinus infection is back.  Back on antibiotics.  Treadmill 10 miles, 7:30 pace with 5% incline, plenty of step-offs, but the pace felt comfortable.

OK, so much for resting and tapering.  On early Saturday morning, I'm planning on running the Paria River down in Southern Utah, Northern Arizona.  The canyon runs from east of Kanab to Lees Ferry on the Colorado River.   I've done the route three times before.  My brother and his sons, and sons-in-law are doing a backpack of the canyon starting on Thursday.   I'll run in Saturday morning, catch up with them and help them finish.  For most of it, there is not trail, just a giant slot canyon with about 400 river crossings.  There are some springs along the way.   I would probably start after midnight and catch them by mid-morning and hopefully exit by early afternoon.  The entire route is roughly 40 miles but it is tough to run it fast.   I'd be doing much of it during the dark.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Jon on Tue, Apr 06, 2010 at 12:56:43 from 75.169.141.196

Yeah, sad. I had seen that on a few blogs right after it happened.

From Bryce on Tue, Apr 06, 2010 at 23:02:55 from 174.52.190.220

Very sad about Jenna, so sorry for those close to her.

Sounds like you are running very strong right now!

Have you heard any reports on R2R2R condtions this year? thinking of heading down this weekend.

From Smooth on Wed, Apr 07, 2010 at 00:48:31 from 174.23.201.210

You're writing new rules on tapering! Have FUN running the Paria River. Be careful!

From crockett on Wed, Apr 07, 2010 at 10:28:38 from 216.49.181.254

Looks like conditions in the GC would be great this weekend. A little warm at the bottom, in the 80s. North Kaibab water should be on at the Roaring Springs cabin unless there has been a broken pipe somewhere this winter. No water from there to the top and back.

From Jon on Wed, Apr 07, 2010 at 22:35:50 from 75.169.143.136

Is Paria the one you and Bob were talking about in the car last Nov?

From Bryce on Wed, Apr 07, 2010 at 23:52:07 from 174.52.190.220

Thanks Davey.

From crockett on Thu, Apr 08, 2010 at 17:57:34 from 71.36.72.18

Jon, Yep probably the same run we were talking about. Bob started today at 1:00 p.m. with two sons and three sons-in-laws. I think they are biting off more than they think, trying to cover 40 miles by Saturday afternoon. The river crossings and sand make it pretty tough with packs. Just wears on you. I'll probably start around midnight Friday night and try to cover 30 miles to catch up with them by morning. No pack for me. This is one of the most spectacular hike/runs I've ever done. I'll do it in the dark, but it still will be a hoot. There is nothing like running through giant slot canyons in the dark.

Total Distance
6.00

Quad busting hill workout on the treadmill, four miles.  Two miles out on the pavement in the wind.

I'm looking forward to my Paria Canyon run Saturday.  In 2002, just two months after I becamed determined to get in shape when I was about 60 pounds heavier, somehow I got in my mind the idea to "run" Paria Canyon in one stretch with my brother-in-law Ed, who was in much better shape than me.  If you want some laughs, read my write-up.   This was there first time I even tried to do long miles in one stretch.  By the time I reached 20 miles, I was breaking down.   It would still be two years before I discovered ultras.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 6.00
Comments
From Smooth on Wed, Apr 07, 2010 at 22:33:01 from 174.23.201.210

That was a fun read...leaky camelpak...running on painful knees...must sound silly to you now. Can't believe you guys hitch-hiked back. That swimming story is pretty cool...evidence of your hardcore determination!

GOOD LUCK re-visiting Paria Canyon this Sat.

From jun on Thu, Apr 08, 2010 at 12:47:16 from 66.239.250.209

So, I guess not that much downtime before Boston? Or is running a 42 mile ultra a warm-up?

Oh, and I've cleared the 30th of this month for Nutty Putty. My wife is mad, but what's new? Ha.

From crockett on Thu, Apr 08, 2010 at 13:02:42 from 216.49.181.254

Well, my problem is I just can't get too excited about a marathon, even Boston. The thought of running through canyons gets me very excited, much higher priority. I might even go down earlier on Friday to run some canyons during the day. Next week I'll taper/rest.

From jun on Thu, Apr 08, 2010 at 13:04:58 from 66.239.250.209

Well sir, I can't blame you in the least. I got asked yesterday if I had plans to run a road marathon this year and my answer was a very honest "no". Plus, it's a week before. You'll have plenty of time to recover. I wouldn't pass up canyons either. When I lived in Cedar City I used to go canyoneering about every 2 weeks. In fact, my first real trailrunning experience was running the Subway. Did the whole thing in 2:20:00. We had no clue what we were doing, but that it was fun.

From crockett on Thu, Apr 08, 2010 at 13:11:22 from 216.49.181.254

Yep, April is prime-time running in canyon country. Next week ultrajim is taking a group to the Grand Canyon. I'm jealous. Funny, I'm going to do Boston which people make a lifetime goal, and I kind of wish I was staying home. Oh well, my brother Bob will get me enthused about Boston, he's very focused on it. I'm mostly interested in witnessing all the hype and watching people.

From jun on Thu, Apr 08, 2010 at 13:13:27 from 66.239.250.209

Once you get out there it will all kick in. It's hard to feel the electricity when it's primetime running season out here. When do you guys leave?

From crockett on Thu, Apr 08, 2010 at 13:18:13 from 216.49.181.254

I may not even see my brother at Boston. He runs in the second wave, I'm in the first. I'll try to link up with him at the finish. I'm just doing a fairly quick in and out, flying in Saturday night, flying out Tuesday morning. Flying in to Hartford, CO, because it is cheaper. Staying Sunday night with a Novell friend out there for business.

From jun on Thu, Apr 08, 2010 at 14:26:17 from 66.239.250.209

Oh, then just put that notch on your belt that you've run Boston and get back to work on the trails. So much to do.

Total Distance
9.00

Details and pictures later.

Drove to the Whitehouse trailhead 30 miles east of Kanab to camp for the evening.  Did a late afternoon run up and down amazing washes to the Paria Rimrock area and viewed incredible hoodoos, including the Toadstool Hoodoo.   Made it back to camp before dusk and then tried to get some rest before my huge run after midnight.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 9.00
Comments
From jun on Sun, Apr 11, 2010 at 23:38:55 from 63.224.105.22

Tick, tick, tick. Yeah, I know it's only been a few minutes, but still.

Total Distance
42.00

Detailed run report is now here including pictures and audio clips.

This turned out to be one of the most amazing, toughest adventure runs I have ever done.  My brother, two of his sons, two sons-in-law and a friend were on a three-day backpack of the Paria River.  This is an end-to-end hike from east of Kanab to Lees Ferry on the Colorado River through one of the most amazing and large slot canyons in the world.  You hike from Utah to Arizona. I've hiked/run this route three times before.  It is around 40 miles total depending on the conditions of the river and the various trails taken.

My plan was to catch up with the group, and cover their two-day distance of 27 miles, do it in only 8 hours, timing it so I would join them in the morning.  And then hike the rest of the route (13 miles) with them.

I started my run after midnight, at 12:30 a.m.   The river was the highest I have ever seen it due to the run-off and warm temperatures.  I did notice that with the cooler night temperatures, the river went down about a foot compared to the afternoon depth.  It was still pretty high and in the narrows areas covered the complete width of the canyon.  The run would include at least 400 river crossing as I would need to zig-zag crossing the river in order to run along the beaches on the sides.   The river would become higher and higher the further I went, until all the crossings were at least thigh deep.  The water was a brownish mud color, so you could never see the bottom or be sure how deep it was before you stepped into it.

The challenging feature of this run was I did the most difficult portions in the dark.   It was tough work keeping the pace up, focusing on the best route, developing skill in the river crossings, and somehow finding the springs in the dark.   For most of the time, I had a blast, all alone in the dark, with cliffs towering above me on both sides for hundreds of feet.  Stars could be seen high above in the gap between the clifftops.  The sounds of the river were constant.  At other times, it became very tough and frustrating, especially as the river became deeper in narrow areas.  It was impossible to go fast in those sections.

To make a long story short for now, until I write my run report, my plan was very successful.  I had worried that I had passed my brother and company camped somewhere in the dark.  But when I reached the last spring area, I was hopeful that I would find them.  About an hour after dawn I arrived there and found some campers.  "Are you the marathon guy?" they asked.  They were amazed to see me running in.   I was pleased to know they had talked to my brother.   They were right around the next corner.   I ran into camp, and let out a whoop!  It was a great reunion, so deep in the canyon.   I arrived exactly as planned, just as they were preparing to leave their camp.   I had traveled the 27 very tough miles in 8 hours.

We hiked together for awhile, but as the hikers started to tire with their much heavier packs, they wanted to keep their feet dry at a river crossing.  I decided to push on ahead at a faster pace, but I no longer could run because of I had a tight hamstring that flared up during the hiking.  So I just walked it in  for the last seven miles and finished the typical 4-day backpack in 13 hours.   That was about 7 hours faster than my best previous attempt. If I had run the entire route, I think I would have finished in about 11.5 hours.   If the river was much lower, I think I could do it in 10 hours now that I know the route even better.   Something to shoot for in the future.

It truly was one of the toughest, amazing running adventure I had ever accomplish.   I long to return.

I now have over 1000 miles for the year, the earliest I have ever reached that milestone in a given year.

See Bob's pictures  I am in at least one.   I ran all the cool slot canyon areas during the night and caught up with them as we spilled out into the wide-open desert.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 42.00
Comments
From Scott Wesemann on Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 12:31:49 from 66.239.250.209

That sounds like an amazing run/hike. Was the water really cold? That is some pretty hardcore stuff doing that at night. Nice job.

From flatlander on Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 12:39:56 from 198.207.244.102

I hiked Buckskin gulch last summer with my son and son-in-law. We didn't go all the way down, but I believe it empties into the Paria river? I'll never forget the dead tree branches stuck in the slot canyon 20 feet over our head. Good report, thanks.

From jun on Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 13:10:31 from 63.224.105.22

Fantastic job Davy. Glad it all worked out and I can't wait to read the whole report.

From crockett on Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 14:45:47 from 216.49.181.254

Scott: The water wasn't as cold as I was fearing. It was only a bother where I had to hike long stretches through the water without coming out. My pace also kept me warm as long as I didn't stop.

flatlander: I've also been in buckskin several times. Once I did it end-to-end (12 miles) with my two young teen age boys. The pools were so cold, that half-way (6 miles) we agreed we didn't want to return back that way. So we pushed clear to the confluence with Paria and then hiked out Paria for 19 miles. My boys still talk about that torture I put them through. Many people do hike buckskin at night, a very eery experience that feels like you are in a cave.

From Smooth on Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 23:29:31 from 174.23.237.236

WOW! Very cool! Bob's pix are awesome!

From crockett on Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 00:43:18 from 71.36.72.18

You can read my full adventure run report on my blog with pictures and cool audio clips. See: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=259

From Kelli on Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 18:30:05 from 71.219.92.128

You are so flippin' amazing! And then you are going to run a marathon, what, 9 days or so later??? NUTS!

I do not know how you get the courage to just go out there and do these runs, especially in the DARK and alone and in foreign territory!

From Kelli on Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 18:34:15 from 71.219.92.128

OH----and congrats on the 1000! Awesome, awesome, awesome. You are A-MAZIN'!

From crockett on Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 18:42:07 from 216.49.181.254

Running in the dark doesn't bother me at all if I'm running on trails/routes that I have run on before and know what to expect. Running a new route in the dark is somewhat scary, mostly from the fear of getting off course. But if I'm prepared, and have what I need, running in the dark with a good light is just like running in the day. I made this run with a good emergency blanket packed away and plenty for food (although I ran out of food with a couple miles to go).

From Kelli on Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 18:46:34 from 71.219.92.128

So glad you did not get lost those last two miles! Do you bring a compass?

Total Distance
0.00

I posted my full Paria River Run report at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=259

I'm in a forced taper for Boston.  The run left some muscle soreness in my left lower leg.  Nothing concerning, just will take a couple days to go away.   The rest is good.    The tight hamstring I felt during the last ten miles didn't amount to anything, thank goodness.  I think all the water crossing just used the hamstrings a lot more pushing the legs through the water.

Comments
From RAD on Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 15:42:38 from 67.172.229.125

SO inspiring. Great job on the run, and enjoy Boston! Hope the taper works well and leaves you fresh legs for the bean town adventure!!

From Scott Ensign on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 00:20:16 from 71.35.223.135

have fun in Boston. My brother is running, he kind of looks like me, maybe you will see him. I SHOULD be running but my qualifier race was a week too late. anyway have fun and good luck!

From Bryce on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 00:23:29 from 174.52.190.220

Incrediable adventure and report Davey! Thanks for sharing your journeys.

Total Distance
0.00

Still resting and gaining weight.  Funny how that Saturday 40-mile, and after-run feast, left me five pounds heavier.  Go figure.   Left lower leg soreness amost gone.  My bad left ankle (injured a year ago) is sore too.  I've just learned to ignore the pain, it never gets terrible any more.  During a really long run, other stuff hurt far more, so I don't notice it.

Starting to think a little about Boston, coming up soon.  Maybe tomorrow I'll start training for it.

Comments
From flatlander on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 16:37:15 from 198.207.244.102

First step is to see if you can run one mile without stopping. Then two. I am pretty sure you will eventually get to 26, just be patient, it might take 3 hours.

From jun on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 23:37:55 from 63.224.105.22

"Maybe tomorrow I'll start training for it."

So classic. It actually made me laugh outloud, resulting in questioning from my sis-in-law who is visiting.

Question: your ankle . . where does it hurt? I still have ankle pain that is nagging, but that's it. I've chalked it up as tendonitis because I really don't think it is twisted based on how it feels. Just curious what yours is (yes, I know I could look at old posts and find out for myself, but that's more work than I want to invest).

Total Distance
7.00

OK, I'm in the 6th day of my one-week Boston Marathon training program.  I searched high and low on the Internet for a one-week training program.  Why is it so hard to find one?  I finally found one that I think will work.

Day 1.  Run 40 miles with wet feet the entire way.  Do more than half of it in the dark.  Pretend like the boulders you pass are slower runners on the road.  Finish in 13 hours.  - CHECK

Day 2. Eat like a pig. No miles - CHECK

Day 3. Sleep in. Run in your dreams. No miles - CHECK

Day 4: Sleep in some more. Laugh at people running on pavement. No miles - CHECK

Day 5: Sleep in and watch people run on TV. - CHECK

Day 6: Introduce your feet to at 6-minute pace again. Do two-a-days on the treadmill.  This is crash course now, cramming for the exam.  - CHECK

So, I'm right on schedule.  I think this one-week Boston training program is very cool and will work fine.  I highly endorse it.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 7.00
Comments
From RAD on Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 10:56:18 from 67.172.229.125

I am SO going to do that program when I finally qualify for Boston! Thanks for sharing!

**Best of Luck**

From jun on Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 10:57:41 from 66.239.250.209

Put it in a book, you'll make millions. At least it can be one chapter. Other chapters you could include would be titled: "ultrarunner diets: a guide to double-cheesburgers", "run fast, fall down, get back up", "101 songs to sing poorly to", and finally, "red light, green light".

Seriously though, are you going to wear your gators at Boston? I think you should.

From KP on Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 11:06:41 from 65.208.22.25

awesome training plan! that's about what I do on a typical week (minus the 40).

From crockett on Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 11:08:13 from 216.49.181.254

I should wear my skull gaiters. I'll have my handheld. Maybe if I cut myself and had blood flowing out of knee I'd really look like an ultrarunner doing Boston. Throw some dirt over me, and salt-stain my shirt. Heck, if I do all that, why not run with my green flashlight too.

From KP on Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 11:10:26 from 65.208.22.25

you should start at midnight and do a triple. that would get you well over a 100k in!

From crockett on Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 11:11:29 from 216.49.181.254

There is a group of at least a half dozen ultrarunners doing a double. They are starting at 6 a.m.

From Kelli on Fri, Apr 16, 2010 at 17:48:06 from 71.219.75.178

I think that sounds like the BEST training schedule I have seen yet!!!

Good luck, we will watch for you in those crowds.

From Jon on Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 13:32:14 from 75.169.140.47

Good luck this weekend!

Race: Boston Marathon (26.2 Miles) 03:24:15, Place overall: 5357, Place in age division: 345
Total Distance
29.00

Wow, what an experience running in the Boston Marathon.   My detailed race report can be read here: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=299

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 29.00
Comments
From flatlander on Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 22:05:40 from 198.207.244.102

Nice report, thanks. I tracked a lot of runners today -- not many of them PR'd for Boston, and I didn't see anybody with an overall PR. Congratulations on a great race on a tough course.

From Scott Ensign on Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 22:44:16 from 70.58.98.10

nice job and report Davy. You beat my brother by 40 seconds, bib#11291. sounds like a great day for running.

From crockett on Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 22:49:23 from 70.168.1.23

Wow, just five ahead of him. Looks like he ran steady. I was about 5-6 minutes ahead of him at halfway, but he closed in and almost got me.

From KP on Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 00:11:29 from 98.67.110.134

Congrats! What a great race report. Thanks for sharing.

From Steve Piccolo on Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 00:19:29 from 66.60.122.240

Davy, great job setting your PR at Boston. And very interesting race report!

From Superfly on Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 10:35:09 from 208.117.127.110

Man your a racing machine. Good job on another solid race in 2010.

From Twinkies on Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 20:02:25 from 72.37.244.84

Crongrats on a new PR. What a fun race. Your as impressive on the roads as you are on the trails.

From Scott Ensign on Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 23:15:37 from 70.58.98.10

I just talked to my brother, he was right next to the guy who went into cardiac arrest at mile 25, saw him fall and everything. You must have been just 50 seconds ahead of that. Scary.

http://wbztv.com/bostonmarathon/boston.marathon.heart.2.1644890.html

From bunkgoats on Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 10:24:37 from 75.36.225.40

Great job on a PR! Awesome race report too.

From Scott Wesemann on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 12:02:29 from 66.239.250.209

Congrats on the race. I enjoyed the report.

From Teena Marie on Sat, Apr 24, 2010 at 11:38:58 from 174.52.45.85

Check out that time!!!! Just thinking about everything you accomplish puts a huge smile on my face. You are incredible!!!! :)

From Smooth on Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 20:48:13 from 174.23.172.155

LOVE reading your report! You totally took it all in and ROCK Boston. So cool that you were recognized by your secret admirer on the "dirt shoulder". I had to chuckle about the part being hit in the face by people tossing their clothing...and the paper cups river. Imagine how much more cups the back of the packers like me had to navigate thru. I slipped couple of times.

AWESOME race and PR! You're my hero!

Total Distance
0.00

Sleep has been the story since I ran Boston.  That night, I just had to stay up and watch the Jazz game to the end  (past 1 a.m.) and then needed to get up at 4:30 a.m. to catch my flight.  The night before I only had a few hours of sleep because of pre-race excitement.  So yesterday, boy did I sleep.  Slept on the plane, when I got home, and then nine hours last night.

Recovery?  I think I've recovered (just a tiny bit of shin soreness) and plan to run after work.  I signed up for the Thanksgiving Point half marathon on Saturday, hope to place in my age group.

Comments
From jun on Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 13:39:51 from 66.239.250.209

Geez, maybe we should just get you a pair of racing flats and tank top.

Oh, and email me the Nutty Putty run details. I'm getting fairly excited.

Total Distance
9.00

Time to push hard training again.  I feel fully recovered from Boston.  Stormy weather out this morning so hit the treadmill.  Hill workout. 7 miles at 8:00 pace with incline 10-15%, holding on the front of the treadmill so I can close my eyes and snooze.  All systems go, nothing really complaining.   The other miles were easier at 5%.  

Ogden marathon and Squaw Peak 50 are the next races to focus on.  Quite the diversity.  But my theory is to train to keep the foot-speed up but also start hitting the hills much harder.  If it works out, I'll PR at Ogden and then have the footspeed for Squaw Peak to course PR there (my sixth time running there). Also doing much more core, upper body, and calf workouts.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 9.00
Total Distance
7.00

Treadmill

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Race: Thanksgiving Point Half Marathon (13.1 Miles) 01:34:52, Place overall: 24, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
15.00

Just five days after running Boston, I thought I would go ahead and run a new half marathon that is in the neighboring city of Lehi, Utah.  It would be an interesting test to see if I have indeed recovered from Boston.  100% of the entry fees from this half go to funding a new Children's museum at Thanksgiving Point.  They ended up raising $32,000.   The race director is ultrarunner Kendall Wimmer.   He did a fantastic job putting the course and together.

The course isn’t fast, but it isn’t terrible tough either.  It winds and rolls like crazy.  A cool feature is that at mile 3 in runs through the stunning Thanksgiving Point gardens.  The tulips were out in force.   It also runs along the Jordan River over to Willow Park and then returns.  In only its first year, 630 runners started, a pretty big race.  It was an impressive event, very well organized and plenty of great food at the end.  They did a fantastic job pulling in sponsors and had great awards including generous cash awards.  

The morning was perfect, not a cloud in the sky.  The start is early, shortly after dawn at 7:00 a.m.  It was about 38 degrees at the start.

My legs felt good early on and I started in the top ten for the first mile, then backed off as we ran along the golf course and through the gardens.   About 8 runners passed me in that stretch but I kept them in my sights.  For the bulk of the race, I held about 20th place.   There were tons of aid stations, but I ran through every one without taking anything, just using my hand-held water bottle with diluted Ensure.  My legs started to feel a little slow around mile seven, but I was proud that I kept the foot on the gas pedal the entire time..

My miles splits were: 6:15, 7:01, 7:10, 7:20, 6:58, 7:02, 7:27, 7:07, 7:15, 7:28, 7:23, 7:24, and that last mile was probably near 8:20, although that mile might have been a little long.My average mile pace was 7:15.

A couple guys passed me around mile ten and one of them noticed my Boston shirt and recognized that I was running just five days after Boston.  I replied, “Yep, pretty crazy.”  I was fading during the last mile and two runners reeled me in, but I kept pushing the entire way.

I finished in 1:34:52.   Good enough for 24th place overall and first place in my age group.  The 2nd place guy in my age group was more than ten minutes slower.  I was shocked to see that I was only three minutes out of the money.  Could have won $300 for masters champion if I would have really pushed like crazy.  I ended up in 4th place in the masters.

It was nice getting to all the goodies at the finish with just a small handful of runners milling around, pretty deserted.   That's a good clue that you finished well.

It was interesting to see that my pace was almost exactly the same as the first half of Boston.  However, this felt much tougher because of the altitude.  My lungs were really working.  No cramps and I felt fine at the finish.  I hung around and cheered the finishers, having fun talking to many other runners who somehow recognized me.  

At awards, I received a nice trophy.

 

 

Comments
From Kelli on Sat, Apr 24, 2010 at 15:50:14 from 71.219.75.178

YOU ARE A MACHINE!!!!! No way could I have run a half marathon today, and with that time!!! You are incredible. Just more proof that you are my running HERO.

Great job.

From Jon on Sat, Apr 24, 2010 at 16:01:29 from 75.169.159.140

Congrats on a good half. Especially the same week as your marathon. You're nuts.

From jun on Sun, Apr 25, 2010 at 00:17:16 from 97.126.225.138

Really cool. Congrats. My sister ran that race today. It was her first half marathon ever. She loved every step of it. Glad you did so well.

From Smooth on Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 20:59:02 from 174.23.172.155

WOW! WOW! WOW! Very impressive race so soon after a PR Boston just 5 days earlier. You are a running genius, manimal! Yep, you're my hero! Bowing to your greatness as I type this! :)

CONGRATS on super recovery!

Total Distance
17.00

Ran the "Handgun route" out out to Eagle Mountain town center, through Ranches and through the Church farm. 17 miles.  Started at 3:00 a.m. and finished at 6:00 a.m. for a 10:41 pace.  Not bad on the rounte, felt fast. About 5.5 miles was on pavement, the rest on dirt roads.  Had some climbing, about 900 feet.   I call it the "Handgun route" because the map of it looks like a gun: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/ut/saratoga%20springs/346127229247492886

The bad news is that my problem tendon in my ankle is very bad again.  Not quite as bad as last April, but pretty bad.   I'm wondering if seasonal allergies flair it up.  I'll have to research.  I can't remember twisting it bad again.  On all the uneven dirt roads it really complained but was better on the pavement.  A little discouraging, but I know it eventually gets better.  Healing is VERY slow and just stopping running altogether doesn't seem to help a ton.  Sticking to pavement or treadmill does help.  Boring. 

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 17.00
Comments
From jun on Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 12:38:05 from 66.239.250.209

I think you should go for the treadmill time record. It is currently at a straight 300 hrs. Shouldn't be a problem, right?

From Jon on Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 19:40:26 from 75.169.140.9

Hey, do you know what you July race schedule is?

From crockett on Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 20:03:50 from 216.49.181.254

July for me is Tahoe Rim 100.

From Jon on Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 23:23:47 from 75.169.140.9

I was curious if you were still interested in Grand Mesa 50/100, but I guess that is a no.

Total Distance
19.00

Got out again early, at 3:00 a.m.   This was the same run as the previous morning but I added a couple miles to the handle of the gun and increased my pace to 10:14 average.  Felt like I was going faster, but there are some slow climbs and dirt roads.   Boy, the cold air really sinks down to the middle of Cedar Valley.  Both mornings my hands in gloves really got cold for a few miles in that area but then it got warming going up Unity Pass to the Ranches.  The nearly full moon was out, very bright.  For over half the run I didn't use my flashlight.   The problem ankle was much better today.  I wore different shoes and that probably helped.  I'm encouraged.   I also noticed that a possible side-effect of taking Zyrtec for seasonal allergies is tendon disorders.   Has me wondering because both last year and this year, I started having the tendon pain when I started taking Zyrtec.   Yesterday I switched to something else.  We shall see.

The map of my run is at: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/ut/saratoga%20springs/439127238059614718

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 19.00
Comments
From jun on Tue, Apr 27, 2010 at 13:10:42 from 66.239.250.209

Nice miles. Glad your ankle is feeling better. I hope it is attributed to your medication and allergies. That will make for quick healing.

Race: Provo City Half Marathon (13.1 Miles) 01:34:26, Place overall: 31, Place in age division: 2
Total Distance
14.00

I've been plagued by peroneal tendonitis again (ankle), just like a year ago, but not quite as severe.   It doesn't bother me much on the smooth, mostly-flat surfaces, but kills me on the trails.  So I took three days off completely to see if it would help.  It did a little, but still, as I was standing at the start, trying to keep warm, the ankle was in some good pain.  Oh well.

The Provo City marathon runs mostly on roads in South Provo and out toward Utah Lake.  It is mostly flat and also runs about four miles on the Provo River paved trail.   I didn't enjoy this half marathon as much as last week's Thanksgiving Point marathon because this one has way too many cars going by, very bothersome.

A great feature of this race was the weather.  A squall of rain hovered over us and just stayed there.  Twice hail fell from the sky.  I enjoyed it, because I usually do better in poor weather compared to the competition.  It just doesn't bother me much because of all my early cold weather training.  But I did finish before the real downpour started.

I treated this race like a long training tempo run.  I wasn't very serious about it, but still did pretty well.   After two miles, I pretty much settled down into my place, not being passed by other runners but only catch a couple.   I got a little lazy going up the Provo River trail. But wow, during the last two miles, incredible energy kicked in and I was able to pass a couple runners and finish very strong.  That is a nice sign for the Ogden Marathon in a couple weeks.  It felt like I could continue sub-7 miles at that point for quite a few miles if the race was longer.  

My mile splits were: 6:27, 7:01, 6:58, 7:01, 7:09, 7:13, 7:12, 6:56, 7:50, 7:44, 7:37, 7:31, 6:40, and 1:07.   I finished in 1:34:26.  That was 27 seconds faster than last week.

I got second place in my age group, surprised that someone beat me because I never saw him.  But he beat me by five minutes, probably among the fastest in the state in my age group.  I've been getting accustomed to winning my age group in these short races.

I was 31st out of 669 starters. 4th place masters (age 40+) (74 starters).

This was a nice tune-up for Ogden.  That is three times this month that I've run a half marathon in 1:34.  If I do that in Ogden, that will beat my split from last year by 4 minutes. That would be sweet.

 

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 14.00
Comments
From jun on Sat, May 01, 2010 at 14:36:05 from 97.126.225.138

So that's what I have. I'll need to remember that. I definitely have the same tendonitis you do, but it must not be as severe because it really only bothers me on tight turns and when I'm not running. If I do something weird on a trail I can feel it, but that's about it, the rest of the run its fine. In fact, I tend to feel better on trails then on the road; I don't know why. Glad you had a good race. Good luck at Ogden. I'll be up there cheering on my mom in the half mary. You should be passing her at some point. I'll yell something obnoxious to you.

From crockett on Sat, May 01, 2010 at 15:40:14 from 71.36.67.218

Healing tendonitis is tricky. Sometimes using the tendon seems to heal it faster because it gets more blood flow to it. They heal so slowly because of low blood flow. So at times it seems like taking days off doesn't help much. But having this problem for over a year is a bummer. I probably have a little tear in it.

From Smooth on Sat, May 01, 2010 at 15:49:25 from 174.23.172.155

WOW, Davy! WAY to use the half maries for tempo runs...racing every weekend! You're AWESOME! You're in GREAT shape for a PR at Ogden! CONGRATS on taking podium again.

From jun on Sat, May 01, 2010 at 16:01:46 from 97.126.225.138

Yeah, a year is a long time. I've been going on about 2 months now and its aggravating. Oh well, I guess its part of the game.

From Tom on Sat, May 01, 2010 at 16:12:55 from 67.199.180.90

Nice job on the great time even with it being more of a training run. I saw you just past mile 10 at the water stop and you were running strong (I was the one handing out gatorade - wasn't officially a volunteer nobody else seemed to be either).

Good luck getting past the tendonitis.

From MichelleL on Sat, May 01, 2010 at 16:56:31 from 67.41.226.109

Nice job, Davy. Didn't see you at the race.

From crockett on Sat, May 01, 2010 at 17:12:06 from 71.36.67.218

Tom: I remember seeing you at that station. I remember two friendly looking guys.

Michelle, I saw you at the start, standing just behind you but you were busy greeting people. Sorry I didn't say hi. I ran behind you for the first half mile but then backed off. Great race!

From Jon on Sat, May 01, 2010 at 19:05:44 from 75.169.136.131

"I've been getting accustomed to winning my age group in these short races."

Not many people on the blog can say that about 1/2 marathons :)

Congrats.

From Paul on Sat, May 01, 2010 at 19:18:23 from 174.27.230.30

Good job. I'm amazed at how much you race!

From crockett on Sat, May 01, 2010 at 19:30:11 from 216.49.181.254

Smooth: Thanks, you are the most supportive runner on this blog.

Paul: Well the reason I do so many of these "short" races is actually because I'm lazy. It seems to be the only way I can push myself to do tempo runs at a pace near 7:00. Taking home hardware is also nice.

From Jon on Sat, May 01, 2010 at 19:53:38 from 75.169.136.131

I couldn't afford that many race entry fees!

From crockett on Sat, May 01, 2010 at 20:02:26 from 216.49.181.254

Well, I got into another race today. Got through the lottery for Across The Years. This is a world-class timed race. 24-hour, 48-hour, or 72-hour. I got into the 48-hour race. I will run Dec 29-30. Did the 24-hour version two years ago. It was a great experience. I'm excited to try to push well past the 100-mile distance.

From Scott Ensign on Sun, May 02, 2010 at 17:42:14 from 76.250.34.30

you are ironman. as Ozzy would say. greatjob

Total Distance
8.00

In San Francisco on business. Treadmill at 7:15 pace.  My son Ryan opened his mission call last night -- to Guatemala.  My grandfather was the first mission president there in 1952, going there with Spencer W. Kimball to open the mission. My grandfather built up the Church there and built the first meetinghouse (recently demolished). His son, my uncle, also served as a mission president there.  So, it really is a great inspired call for our family.

Tonight I went to dinner with my Bay-area sibblings.  Two sisters and a brother.  I don't see them very often.  It was a lot of fun.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 8.00
Comments
From Kelli on Tue, May 04, 2010 at 10:56:47 from 71.219.75.178

Congrats on the mission call!!! So, he opened it without you there? I hope you were at least on the phone. That sounds like it will be a great place for him with all the family history there.

Hey, Spencer W Kimball is my relative, but I can not remember how. I think he was my grandpas uncle or something like that. Anyway, my mom's maiden name is Kimball, so my relative was with your relative opening that mission.

Great job on the TM. man alive, you crank out the speed on those machines. I am so impressed with that, I struggle in the high 8's!

From crockett on Tue, May 04, 2010 at 11:21:24 from 12.35.79.3

Ryan opened the mission call Sunday evening. I was there. It had arrived Wednesday, but he was in Arizona. His loving sister hid the call and made a creative treasure hunt that took him a half hour to get through. Even had one clue hidden in my "stinking running stuff." The call was hidden in the mail box, right where it should be. He will be the fourth of my kids to serve a mission.

From Smooth on Tue, May 04, 2010 at 11:30:19 from 174.23.172.155

CONGRATULATIONS to Ryan's mission call! What a great place for him to serve. You have such WONDERFUL kids.

Very speedy TM run. Enjoy your business trip in San Fran.

From Kelli on Tue, May 04, 2010 at 14:07:40 from 71.219.75.178

How many kids are left?

From crockett on Tue, May 04, 2010 at 14:14:32 from 12.35.79.3

Daughter got married a few months ago, so no mission for her, but I have a 12-year old son.

From Kelli on Tue, May 04, 2010 at 14:16:23 from 71.219.75.178

Well, then, you have a few years on him.

From flatlander on Tue, May 04, 2010 at 15:05:51 from 198.207.244.102

Congratulations. Sounds like you have raised a great group of kids.

From Rye on Wed, May 05, 2010 at 10:11:51 from 174.27.56.170

Mission calls are awesome. My son leaves today for Lansing Michigan and my daughter leaves in two weeks for Washington DC South. I am joining the 800 club fast. Good luck sending him off. Good luck with the running!!

Total Distance
27.00

12 on the treadmill in the morning.  In the late afternoon after my conference, I hit the pavement of San Francisco.  For some reason running on city streets just seems wrong and makes me feel uncomfortable, not safe.  All the people, all the cars, it just seems weird.  Pretty funny that I feel much more at home running in the mountains during the middle of the night with the moose and mountain lions.

I ran along the bay, from Bay Bridge to Golden Gate Bridge and back.   Lots of people running by 7 p.m.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 27.00
Comments
From Smooth on Wed, May 05, 2010 at 00:15:07 from 174.23.172.155

Could you feel the difference at sea level? I think the next best thing to running in the mountains is running by the sea! Wonder where Dean Kanasas run. I am glad we don't live in big city though.

NICE runs to make a marathon+ day!

From crockett on Wed, May 05, 2010 at 00:39:44 from 12.35.79.3

Smooth, Yes, could really feel the oxygen, never got winded. And yes, pretty funny, I did think about DeanK running over the bridge. Has a nice cool headwind while running west.

From jun on Wed, May 05, 2010 at 13:25:10 from 66.239.250.209

Wicked-cool. Great pic.

From Metcalf Running on Thu, May 06, 2010 at 11:11:25 from 207.225.192.66

Awesome Run!! Great picture!

From Maurine/Miles on Sun, May 09, 2010 at 12:44:23 from 97.117.66.119

I ran over the bridge one time and really enjoyed it.

Total Distance
0.00

No running today.  Me right hamstring is a little sore from the run yesterday.  No reason to push it.

Race: Run to Walk 5K (3.1 Miles) 00:19:51, Place overall: 18, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
11.00

Got up, ran a couple miles on the treadmill to test out the hamstring.  There was no pain so I decided to go do a 5K in Provo to get some speed work in.  It was a nice race with about 250 runners.  Runners Corner was a sponsor so many of the fast runners from the Sojourner's running club were there (I'm a member).  Michael Vick, probably one of the fastest runners in Utah County won for the third week in a row in the races I've been in. 

At check-in, the young guy asked my age (51) and commented, "boy, you don't look that old!"  That made my day. 

I took off just behind a pack of about 5 Sojourner's runner girls in pink.  I hung behind them pretty well for the first mile, clocked in 5:45.  I think that is my fastest unaided mile since age 18.  The girls pulled ahead except for a couple that I kept in my sights for the entire race. Mile 2 was clocked in about 6:39, and mile three in about 6:36.  

This is only the 8th 5K I've ever run and during the last mile I felt pretty good.  Usually it feels like I'm going to die.  I then knew that a PR and sub-20 was a real possibility.  I wasn't red-lining but kept the pedal down.  I almost reeled in a young Sojourner girl.

I finished in a 5K PR of 19:51.   I was 18th overall, finishing not far behind the fast young runners.  It looked like most, of the runners ahead were Sojourner club runners.  I placed first in my age group and won a $20 gift certificate.

Finally I broke 20.  I had a goal to break 20 before going to the grave, so now the grim reeper is after me.  Wait, not so fast, I still want to go sub-20 in a 100-mile race....that is sub-20 hours. 

Looks like all systems are go for Ogden Marathon.  I'll just do tune-up runs this week.  I'll be bold and state my goal.  I really hope to approach 3:15 at Ogden.  If I can do that, I can come very close to placing in my age group.

 

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 11.00
Comments
From KP on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 16:02:49 from 98.81.7.93

Boy, you don't look that old!

Congrats on a great PR!

From Jon on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 18:17:26 from 174.19.189.39

A PR?!? Congrats. That's a great sign for Ogden.

From JulieC on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 18:33:40 from 71.35.251.24

Great race!! way to go!! You are going to run well at Ogden!! What's your goal time there? I am running it too. Good luck!!

From JulieC on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 18:35:17 from 71.35.251.24

BTW my goal was to get under 20 for the 5k last year and missed it by 4 seconds then was kind of glad as if I did I would then set some silly goal of getting under 19 and that would be impossible. So before Grim gets me I better get moving on that goal. You re-inspired me. Thanks : D

From Scott Ensign on Sat, May 08, 2010 at 20:07:56 from 65.100.253.227

way to break 20 Davy, and win 20 bucks in the process. how come there is money at all your races? I am going to start crashing those! great job.

From Maurine/Miles on Sun, May 09, 2010 at 12:43:19 from 97.117.66.119

Great job, Dave. You are a pretty awesome all around runner.

From jun on Mon, May 10, 2010 at 10:07:16 from 66.239.250.209

Hey, congrats on a the AG win and accomplishing your PR goal. I remember last year when you wanted to go sub-20 in a 5k. Glad to see you did it. That is really cool.

From missy on Mon, May 10, 2010 at 12:19:09 from 63.230.6.3

Nice Race Report....I came by because you are getting famous over there on Scott Wesemann's Blog. :) PR is great! Looks very much like my last race, even with the fast start. You beat me by 7 seconds tho! Grats to you!!! I'd say your legs are multi talented. Speed and Distance! :D

I used to run with the Sojourners years ago..let's count it up...about 8 years ago I stumbled into Runner's Corner with owie toes, and Hawk pointed out my running shoes were too small. He then invited me to a Saturday LA Freeway run. I had only run 3 weeks my entire life (and a max length of 6 mile on a treadmill) and did the 10-12 mile loop.

By the time I got home and hit the shower, and put some shampoo in, I reached up my arms to rinse it out, my arms were so stiff I almost couldn't rinse my own hair. I laid in bed for 6 hours just in my towel, I was too sick to get dressed. Good Memories! That was by far my best year of running adventures.

Total Distance
10.00

Ten treadmill miles 7:30 pace at 5%.   The tendon in the ankle continues to be a bad pain, but I think I've figured out some help for it.  On Sunday morning getting out of bed, I could hardly walk on it.  The worst pain is always first thing in the morning.  So, I've resorted the last to nights wearing theboot while sleeping which totally keeps pressure off the tendon and lets it rest.  Last two mornings it has almost been pain free.  Still pain while running, but it seemed to warm up after about 8 miles.  The danger seems to be favoring it, causing the other leg to work too much.  Oh well, at least I'm running and it isn't crippling.  I'm feeling the phantom taper pains coming, so its good to get some miles to chase those away.  I noticed in the rec room this morning that all but one New Years resolution person is sticking with it.  Most didn't last more than two months.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Rye on Tue, May 11, 2010 at 18:25:10 from 174.27.92.174

Ten miles on a TM. You are a stud....I had a friend that told me that he never believed in New Years Resolutions. He stated that if it seemed important enough to set a goal at the first of the year, then you should start now..... I think that's why they seem to fail so often.

From jun on Wed, May 12, 2010 at 11:20:20 from 66.239.250.209

That really sucks about your ankle. I have found with mine that if I can sleep with my foot almost in a flexed position (similar to you wearing your boot) that it helps in the morning. Mine isn't nearly as bad as yours, but I do know how you feel. Good luck with that. You have Timp Trail Marathon in a week, I hope it is better by then.

Total Distance
7.00

Continuing my taper before Ogden Marathon on Saturday.  Seven treadmill miles at 7:30 pace with 5% incline.  Ankle feeling somewhat better.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 7.00
Total Distance
0.00

Zero Day.  Resting.

Focus now on Ogden Marathon.  My pace last year for the first 1/2 was very good.  My fade on the second half was poor because of major cramping.  Hopefully that can be avoided this year.  Second half should maintain a 7:43 pace average.

mile 2009 Ogden Boston 2010 Goal
3 0:20:10 0:20:35 0:20:08
6 0:40:17 0:41:41 0:40:16
9 1:02:28 1:03:26 1:02:23
12 1:25:22 1:25:48 1:25:31
Half 1:34:08 1:34:15 1:34:00
15 1:50:23 1:49:08 1:48:39
18 2:14:08 2:13:41 2:11:47
21 2:39:06 2:39:53 2:34:55
24 3:05:59 3:05:34 2:58:02
Full 3:24:49 3:24:15 0:03:15

Total Distance
0.00

Stupid taper pains last night.  It will be good to run again.  I picked up my race packet, ready to go tomorrow bright and early.  Temps will be 34 degrees at the start, so I'll dress warm and then peel it off before the start.  I checked the entrants and the top 4 in my age group are running again this year.   I can't touch the top 2, they are way out of my striking distance, but 3 and 4 can be caught.   We shall see.

Check out my latest crazy project:  http://www.facebook.com/ruthcrockettjournal

I've linked together on facebook more than 200 cousins and am coordinating an effort to type in and publish the massive journal of my great-grandmother.

 

Comments
From Rye on Fri, May 14, 2010 at 20:17:53 from 174.27.100.178

Good luck!

From Bryce on Sat, May 15, 2010 at 00:31:25 from 174.52.190.220

Crank'em out in O-Town Davey! Good luck, 3:15 is in the bag for you.

Race: Ogden Marathon (26.2 Miles) 03:23:43, Place overall: 146, Place in age division: 7
Total Distance
29.00

I ran in the Ogden Marathon, held in Ogden, Utah. It is a nice, mostly downhill, fast course that winds down Ogden canyon.  It starts at 5,400 feet and ends in downtown Ogden at 4,300 feet.   After my good Boston race, I had lofty goals, hoping to finish in 3:15.  Running that fast for 26.2 is pretty flaky, you never know what my happen along the way.  In my case today, I didn’t reach my goal but did set another marathon distance personal record (PR),and improved my Boston Qualifying time (BQ), so I really cannot complain. I was on pace to reach my goal through the first 17 miles, but the wheels then started to come off because of a new problem.

Last year I really felt like a road marathon rookie, despite my 60 or so ultramarathon finishes.  That day I was very uncomfortable at the start, trying to figure out what road marathons were all about.  Road races with thousands of runners are so much different than trail races.  But this year, with my Boston experience, I now felt more like a veteran.   This would be the third marathon I had run with serious desires for a good time.

At the start area with more than an hour to wait, after huddling around a fire barrel for awhile, I decided to ditch that activity filled with smoke.  Instead I went jogging up the canyon road, away from the crowds so I could focus and prepare.  B.J. Christenson was the only other runner doing the same.  I greeted him and wished him luck. B.J. is a very fast tiathlete and he led today’s marathon for at least the early miles.   It was so peaceful , quiet, and beautiful.  I was so glad to be away from the crowds.  I did about a two-mile warm up run.  It was about 35 degrees in the canyon. I was dressed nice and warm during this warm-up.

It was almost show time.  I lined up toward the front and was greeting by several friends.  It was fun to see them.   At 7:00 a.m., away we went!   The first mostly downhill miles are pretty fast.   I maintained a good pace, clocking miles 1-3 at 6:15, 6:45, and 6:39 for a 20:18 5K.  Not bad.  I was 30 seconds ahead of my goal pace. 

I set my sights on a runner who seemed to have a good consistent pace.  While I slowed down and sped up, I tried to keep that runner in my sights and was pretty successful.   I struggled a little because I wasn’t warmed up yet and various pains arose, shifting for one spot to another.  But by mile 6 I was feeling pretty strong and fast.   Miles 3-6 were 6:45, 6:48, and 6:49, very consistent.  My 10K time was 41:24 which would have shattered my 10K PR by almost two minutes if this was a 10k. (My 10K PR is pretty soft. It should be easy to break.  I haven’t run a 10K in almost a year).

After mile six, the course flattened out with some long straight-aways as it approached the Pineview Reservoir.  I did my best to keep my pace respectable.  Miles 7-9 were 6:54, 7:11, and 7:23 (short hill).  I was over a minute ahead of my goal pace. Sweet!  Things were going well.

A guy noticed my Boston shirt and asked me how I did.  It is funny how my Boston Marathon shirt generated much more respect and  comments in this race than when I wear an ultramarathon shirt during a marathon.  Someone who knew me commented to the guy, “Davy, tell him how many 100 milers you have finished. I replied, “31.”   The guy was confused and they went on ahead as his friend explained who I was.  Many people recognized me and were so kind and said hello.

I could feel my pace starting to slow a bit as other runners were passing me with more frequency on the gradual uphill.  Miles 10-12 were 7:21, 7:50 (aid station fill up), 7:31.  I was focusing to keep my mile splits below 7:45.  I hit the ½ marathon mark at 1:32:54.  I was still over a minute ahead off my goal pace for a 3:15 finish.

At times I would jump off the pavement and run along a dirt shoulder.  For some reason my legs would go much faster on the dirt and I would pass people. But those good dirt areas didn’t last long.  Next up was the only significant hill.  Miles 13-15 were 7:55, 7:49, 8:32 (hill and aid station fillup of my water bottle. A volunteer poured Poweraid on my hand.  Took time to wash it).  That hill split time was much better than last time.  I was right on my pace goal time.

I then started to struggle somewhat.  After the climb, my legs seemed to be slowing down.  Lots of people were passing me.  My breathing was hard. I also slowed down at this point at Boston.  I knew some good downhill was coming up so I just hung on for the next couple miles.   The downhill came during mile 18.   Miles 16-18 were 8:14, 8:03, and 7:46.  I hated seeing those splits above 8 minutes.  I had fallen to 45 seconds behind my goal pace.  

I knew it was now or never to push the pace to stay on goal.  But then the wheels started to fall off.  I started to feel terrible.  Fellow ultrarunner, Tom Remkes passed me around mile 19 moving well.  I did my best to keep him in my sights and it worked for awhile, but during mile 20, even though it was downhill, I had no speed.  My heart was pounding like crazy in my chest.  I knew I was red-lining even at a slow 8:30 pace and I was feeling horrible.   I had no other choice but to slow to a walk.   I walked for about a half minute and started to feel better as my heart rate dropped.  Running again, I decided that all I could do was to find a more comfortable pace and hang on. 8:30 pace could be managed.  I knew my 3:15 finish goal was gone.  I just couldn’t figure out what was wrong.  Altitude?  Age?   After I finished, it was more obvious.  I was becoming dehydrated.  It wasn’t very hot, but my stomach just wasn’t processing the fluid very fast and I wasn’t drinking enough.  This same thing happened during Bighorn 100 last year.  The heart rate went up and my speed dropped significantly for a long time until I recovered.  Miles 19-21 were 8:17, 8:45 (walking spell), and 8:20.

After mile 23 the course leaves the road and goes on a paved trail along the river.  It rolls up and down and winds back and forth.  I hate this section at this point in the race.   Chad Carson, in my age group passed me during mile 24, moving very well.   I wished him luck and watched him disappear ahead.  Shortly after that, my heart rate went back up and again I needed to walk for a quick recovery.  Miles 22-24 were 8:18, 8:27, and 9:25 (walk and aid station refill). 

Despite my challenges, I noticed that my 24-mile split time was still a PR, a minute and a half faster than Boston last month.   I focused to not lose the PR.  Finally we got off the paved trail and were back on the flat roads.  Now, it was all about hanging on and keeping the legs swinging.  I could hear the crowd, loud speaker and music roaring near the finish area.   I could see the finish a mile away.   Mile 26 was tough.  I pushed hard, but then felt cramping coming on.  I caught and passed another runner, but I woke him up and he started running faster and got the lead back.  (He thanked me after the race).   Miles 25 and 26 were 9:07 and 8:51.  Push, push, push!  Don’t give up.  I crossed the finish line at 3:23:43, and new personal record (PR). 32 seconds faster than Boston last month.

Craig Lloyd was near the finish line and congratulated me.   It was fun to see him. He commented that I looked more hammered than he had ever seen me.  I was in bad shape, but still on my feet and coherent.   I didn’t leave any effort back on the course, but my behind was kicked around mile 20.  After talking with him for about ten minutes, I checked my heart rate.  It was still pounding at 130 bpm.  Craig bid goodbye and I went to the runner area and discovered that I was really thirsty.   I had finished before the heat of the day, but still was dehydrated somewhat.   It was fun to talk to many of the finishers who I knew.  I lay down on the grass and tried to recover.  An hour later, my heart was still beating at 90 bpm but I felt much better.

For the next three hours I had fun talking to many other ultrarunners and some FRB (Fast Running Blog) runners, and watched thousands of runners finish.   The back of the pack really suffered because the day became quite hot.   I was hoping to see my buddy Jim Kern finish, but after the 5:45 mark, he still wasn’t there. I went out, retrieve my start bag and checked the results.  I finished 7th in my 50-54 age group.  I was only 3.5 minutes out of the age-group award.  Oh well.  That is still pretty fast for an old man like me who started running just six years ago.

I walked up the course and at the 6:10 mark, saw Jim Kern walking toward the finish with a half mile to go.   I jumped in with him and we walked and ran to the finish.  He did a great job, finishing his second road marathon.  We had fun talking for quite awhile.

So, my marathon is done.   This is my last road marathon for the year.  I really think 3:15 is within my ability, but it would take a perfect race, or a race at sea-level.  That is hard to achieve because you never know what your body will really do.  I will run another ½ marathon next month.  I enjoy that distance much better at speed.  

Will I keep doing road marathons?  I don’t know.  I still don’t really buy into the concept of chasing minutes and seconds.  All that effort to make a minute improvement over last year’s Ogden Marathon.  It seems pretty funny.  But the end results were good.  I have no real soreness anywhere except my problem ankle.  It now is time to do trail and hill training.

mile 2009 Ogden 2010 Boston 2010 Ogden
3 0:20:10 0:20:35 0:19:39
6 0:40:17 0:41:41 0:40:02
9 1:02:28 1:03:26 1:01:31
12 1:25:22 1:25:48 1:24:13
Half 1:34:08 1:34:15 1:32:54
15 1:50:23 1:49:08 1:48:30
18 2:14:08 2:13:41 2:12:33
21 2:39:06 2:39:53 2:37:55
24 3:05:59 3:05:34 3:04:05
Full 3:24:49 3:24:15 3:23:43

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 29.00
Comments
From Tom on Sat, May 15, 2010 at 21:05:28 from 74.211.9.52

Man I don't know how you do so well week after week running races most every weekend and consistently pulling off great times. Nice job!

From jun on Sat, May 15, 2010 at 21:35:25 from 63.224.108.154

Great job. It was good seeing you today. Good luck at Squaw. I'll see you at some race or run, here or there, soon enough.

From crockett on Sat, May 15, 2010 at 21:37:38 from 71.36.64.205

Thanka Tom, jun. Jun, thanks for not snapping a picture of me when I was half dead.

From Smooth on Sat, May 15, 2010 at 21:58:34 from 174.23.172.155

Davy! It was so good to see you in the finisher's corral. You did not look hammered. CONGRATS on the PR. WAY to fight to the end with dehydration and elevated heart-rate. YOU ARE AMAZING! BEST WISHES to you at your upcoming trail and ultras.

From JulieC on Sat, May 15, 2010 at 22:41:18 from 71.219.44.64

Hi. Ummmm YOU STARTed OUT WAY FAST!! Just reviewed your 5K splits!!! I think you might meet your 3:15 goal by holding back at the beginning. You are some big MILES guy!! Have you run Squaw Peak 50? I was just informed I am let in that race last Sunday by the race director. I was on the waiting list so I signed up for this race. Now it looks like I am going to run my first 50 miler in just three short weeks. Any advice? Eat, run and be merry is what I am thinking. Happy Trails!! : D BTW I don't remember passing you. I was in too much pain to notice passing people.

From crockett on Sat, May 15, 2010 at 22:51:28 from 71.36.64.205

Yep JulieC, I don't know how to hold back at any distance, even 100s. I just go fast when I feel good. Typically I get my second wind around 30 miles or so and can get fast again. Around mile 20 is always a challenge for me for some reason.

Squaw Peak is great fun. Looks like will will probably have more snow this year, but that is OK. I've finished it five times. I'll be there. Looks like I did two race reports on it, they might help.

http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=113

http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=153

Here's a link on preparing for Squaw Peak last year.

http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=152

From flatlander on Sat, May 15, 2010 at 22:54:20 from 75.223.131.134

I think as an experienced ultra runner you were able to fight through a lot of stuff today better than most regular marathoners would have done. Great race and report, thanks.

From Aaron Kennard on Sat, May 15, 2010 at 23:13:44 from 174.51.250.151

Cool report, and nice job on gutting out a marathon PR!

From JulieC on Sat, May 15, 2010 at 23:18:13 from 71.219.44.64

Thanks. That will help me a lot. See you there : D

From Bryce on Sun, May 16, 2010 at 00:52:08 from 174.52.190.220

Great report Davey. I love how you give the good, bad and ugly of it all and the full out, go for it from the start attitude! Always inspiring to read. Nice job on the PR, sounds like it was a tough one to get.

From jtshad on Sun, May 16, 2010 at 08:53:48 from 69.20.183.178

Great job today, the second half was tough for lots of folks! Way to hang tough and finish with a new marathon PR!

From Kelli on Sun, May 16, 2010 at 12:47:04 from 71.219.75.178

I LOVE THIS REPORT!!!! LOVE IT! You are such an amazing runner. WOW. I also believe you could get that 3:15, but I hear you on that "chasing a minute" thing. It gets tiring always trying to be better and faster, and it really takes away from what running is---at least for me.

I ran Ogden last year and i hit a major wall at the same time you did. It was downhill, I should have been able to fly, but I could not.

Now, about the Boston shirt. I think it is just because it is so dang bright!!!! It stands out, I think they do that on purpose. I can only pick pout shirts of races I have run, in Boston I found a few other Uta runners with St George and UVM shirts on. One day I hope to be able to pick you out by your ultra shirt because I will have run it, too!

Whatever you decide to do, you are AMAZING. Really, a super phenomenal runner.

From Teena Marie on Sun, May 16, 2010 at 20:18:32 from 174.52.45.85

Seriously, you are the man!!! I have never met a person who warms up running miles BEFORE a marathon ... but now I can say that I have. You are the real deal.

Congrats on holding on to the new PR.

You really are amazing.

From Oreo on Mon, May 17, 2010 at 12:02:32 from 206.81.136.61

Great marathon! I almost broke off and ran the North Arm going alongside Pineview - such a great trail. Squaw... here we come. When you're done you should do it again and make sure I'm not off the side somewhere curled up in the fetal position... plus you'd get another 100 done.. Keep it rollin.

From Scott Ensign on Mon, May 17, 2010 at 21:42:22 from 65.100.253.227

way to go, you held up well under adversity and PRed. enjoy the trail running season now, it will be a nice shift of gears and you have earned it.

From Jon on Sat, May 22, 2010 at 18:29:17 from 75.169.141.158

Nice job setting a new PR, Davy, even though you missed your goal time. I agree about the starting line- up the canyon is much better than at the first. Good luck at Squaw!

Total Distance
0.00

Still bummed out about my Ogden performance.  That is silly because I PRed, and that further emphasizes to me why running marathons is kind of stupid.   Measuring an accomplishment solely by a clock seems wrong.  But what nags me about Saturday is that I didn't reach my goal because of a preventable mistake.  A missed opportunity.  Well, learn from it and move on.

I'm still convinced that it was a dehydration problem.  Some think I just went out too fast, but I discount that because I felt fine the first 14 miles and never cramped up even afterwards.   With the 70 or so races I've run in the past six years of marathon length or higher, I just haven't really seen much overall difference from going out slow vs. fast for me.  I still subscribe to running at the pace that feels good.   A couple times I have gone out too fast and cramped up later because of it. But other times I've gone out fast and later at mile 90 able to crank out the fastest splits of the race.  I think more importantly is managing intake.  I didn't do that well, thinking the marathon distance is just too short and fast.

I'm ready and motivated to start serious training for my summer 100s.  However, the marathon left my ankle in poorer shape.  I was going to hit the trails this morning, but really couldn't.  Discouraging, because this is exactly where I was one year ago from today with the exact same injury.   Well, wearing the boot for 12 hours seemed to help lots.  Otherwise, legs feel great, just a little soreness in the hamstrings.   I will run the new tough Timp Trail marathon on Saturday. 

Comments
From Kam on Mon, May 17, 2010 at 12:05:05 from 68.66.163.179

Don't be bummed out. You probably are right about being a little bit dehydrated. At the same time, races are such a crapshoot. You had a pretty strenuous effort a couple weeks ago, and maybe your legs weren't totally fresh? Once in a while the stars align and you have a perfect race. Once in a while the stars are completely out of alignment, and pretty much everything goes wrong. I bet your perfect marathon would put you around 3:10, and a somewhat better than average race would have you under the 3:15 you are shooting for. Way to gut it out on Saturday. You came in faster than 90% of the pack! Amazing.

From crockett on Mon, May 17, 2010 at 12:38:59 from 216.49.181.254

Kam, thanks. Yep, I understand about the crap shoot. 100s are crap shoots too. Problem is that I do so few of these road marathons, missed shot and I'll be older next year. Oh well.

From Maurine/Miles on Tue, May 18, 2010 at 19:03:17 from 63.255.172.2

Davy - I think we have the same ankle issues - except I am wussier about mine. I ice mine at night and wear the boot to bed when it is sore. I also had some herbal injections in the ankle that were supposed to help regenerate damaged tissue. On rocky trails I am wearing an ankle brace that supports both sides of the arch to try and keep it from getting bad again.

Good luck in that training.

Total Distance
9.00

Out running at 3:30 a.m.   I ran up to the top of Lake Mountain to the towers.  About 8.5 miles round trip with 2,600 feet elevation climb.   It is a tough climb with some pretty steep sections. and some rough footing with rocks.  It is great training for Squaw Peak.

The good news is that I felt fully recovered from the Saturday marathon, no fatique or muscle soreness.  I was also very surprised that I was able to keep a run (jog) going for the first three miles until the steep dark band (see above, 19%+ grade).  At that point I needed to stop and put on a jacket and gloves.  At the top the wind was howling like crazy.  I didn't stay around long.   I really took it easy going down because of the ankle.  At times I would twist it a little and let out a yipe.  But I'm going to try to keep using the ankle and resting it between runs.  I'm hopeful it will start getting better. 

I've been resisting urges to enter the Utah Valley Marathon to redeem myself from Saturday.  I'm instead entered in the half marathon.  That is wiser, because the following Friday I run in Big Horn 100.  I've never really raced hard a half marathon, so I should give it a go and try to break 1:30.  I have a list of the top-20 marathoners in my age class in the state who I compete with.  About half of them seem to only run St. George.  I noticed that four of them are running in the Utah Valley Marathon.  I probably couldn't beat them anyway.  None of them are in the half marathon, so that leaves the door open to a possible age group win.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 9.00
Comments
From jun on Wed, May 19, 2010 at 12:04:30 from 205.158.160.209

I think doing the half is a good idea because it really becomes a good speed workout prior to the Big Horn race.

And by the way, I had no idea you were running Big Horn. I was asked by someone back east to pace them the last 50 miles of that race and I had to turn them down because I didn't want to try and drive out there all by myself. If I paid attention and realized you were going I would have asked if you wanted to drive out together and split some costs. Dang. Missed opportunity!!!!

From crockett on Wed, May 19, 2010 at 12:07:50 from 216.49.181.254

Well, the problem with Bighorn is it requres so much time away from home. For the 100, have to leave Thursday morning, and usually don't get home until Sunday night. So you probably wouldn't have wanted to tag along anyway. 4 days away. This year I may try to drive home after I finish on Saturday and skip the awards on Sunday.

From jun on Wed, May 19, 2010 at 12:10:39 from 205.158.160.209

That really is the big reason I chose not to go. The guy who wanted me to pace him offered to cover a lot of the costs out there, so that wasn't the issue. Most of it was the amount of time I'd be away. I do plan to run the race next year though.

From crockett on Wed, May 19, 2010 at 12:16:05 from 216.49.181.254

That is the only thing I don't like about this race. I like the Friday 11 a.m. start (although would rather have it a little earlier), but I don't like it that they require you to arrive by Thursday afternoon to checkin and deliver drop bags. It wastes an extra 1/2 day.

From Scott Wesemann on Wed, May 19, 2010 at 12:41:58 from 66.239.250.209

Nice run Crockett. I did that run a few weeks ago and had a blast. That descent must have been tough on that ankle. That is awesome that you are running a trail like that a few days after a marathon. Awesome!

From Faceless Ghost on Fri, May 21, 2010 at 12:57:21 from 173.8.90.229

That looks like a great route. Would you mind sharing the details?

I was in Saratoga Springs last night and I decided to try your Lott Canyon route. I'll probably be back next week. Maybe I should try for the towers next time.

Total Distance
7.00

It is all about hills.   Run up and down and up and down Granview Blvd (1-mile stretch climbing 300 feet) with the dog Reeses. She pooped out when half way up a third time so I brought her home and then did a fast 2-mile tempo run at marathon pace.   I felt very strong and fast.  Great feeling. Enjoyed the afterwork run.   I'll have to do more of those in the warmth.

Reflecting on the year so far, I guess it has been good, PRs at 5K, 1/2 marathon (twice), marathon (twice) and 100-mile. On top of that I ran the Ogden faster than all the runners in my city.  So feeling pretty good about things as I put away the road marathon hobby and start getting serious about the trail running season.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 7.00
Comments
From jun on Thu, May 20, 2010 at 13:29:16 from 205.158.160.209

Cool.

Total Distance
0.00

Ankle was a major pain today, so took the day off.  Looks like the Timp race will be a rainy mud fest.  That really makes me excited as long as I don't twist the ankle.  Love to get out there slogging hard against the elements in a race.

Comments
From missy on Sat, May 22, 2010 at 17:16:21 from 63.230.6.239

You were right predicting a rainy mud fest! You are a real trooper for heading out in that rain....but that is what ultra people do! :) Can't wait to see your race report.

Race: Timp Trail Marathon (26.48 Miles) 05:24:06, Place overall: 15, Place in age division: 2
Total Distance
28.00

I ran the new Timp Trail Marathon. A trail race on these trails has been considered for several years and finally came together.  These trails run on the western face of Mount Timpanogos and go from 4,900 feet at the start to 7,681 at the highest point.

I decided to run this as a training run, not really racing hard, but giving it a good push to test out the ankle and get some climbing in to prepare for Squaw Peak 50 in two weeks.  The ankle was very painful on Thursday and Friday, but for some reason the pain went almost totally away Friday night.  Go figure.  It still felt good Saturday morning.  But it wasn't a miracle because the pain could be felt throughout the race and I had to be very careful with it. 

In summary, I had a great experience. The weather was terrible, but that made it challenging and very fun.  The rain was really coming down when I arrived at the start at 5:15 a.m.  My son was camping with scouts up on the course and he said it started snowing up there around 3 a.m.  I decided to still dress light, just adding a garbage bag and wearing tights because of all the mud and cold water that would be tossed up on them.

We started running at 6 a.m.   There were probably about 80 starters or so. For the first few miles I ran in 5th place.  We had some climbs but also some fairly flat dirt roads where we could turn up the speed.  I really tried to ignore all the slippery mud and instead try to run like it was a dry surface.  This seemed to work well. The faster I ran, it seemed easier to deal with the mud.  But my ankle was a big problem and just couldn't deal with any slipping.

There was an important intersection that wasn't marked very well at all and I think several took the wrong turn.  I may have jumped to 3rd place for awhile because Tom Remkes blundered and took that wrong turn.  Throughout the race, I think I saved five runners from taking significant wrong turns.  

The course to mile 14 was rolling and pretty flat trail and dirt road on the Bonneville Shoreline trail.  I kept the speed going pretty well, although backed off about mile 10 and was passed by four other runners.   I reached mile 14 at about 2:05.  Next up was a very, very tough and steep muddy climb.  It sapped my energy.  For awhile I saw no runners behind me, but I slowed big time on the climb and three others appeared and were on my tail.  

During the huge climb up Grove Creek we were met by several Scout troops coming down.  I didn't see my son's troop, I think they went to Battle Creek.  One troop stopped and let out big cheers as I ran by.  Twinkies caught up and passed me at about mile 15 or so during the climb.  I just didn't have to motivation or energy to really push it hard.  The rain/snow had finally stopped, but we entered into fog and soon were running through slush.  It then turned to snow, about four inches.  And by the time we reached the top, it was about 10 inches.  There were some shorter climbs that were horrible, very muddy and slippery, but I didn't let them bother me.

There were also totally fantastic downhill runs.  At times I really flew like crazy until I was scared that I would twist the ankle.  Eventually we merged in with the half marathon back of the pack.  The further I went, I would past faster half runners.   The final downhill was great fun, but the course wasn't marked as well as other places, so I was in a little doubt and slowed down somewhat.  Another runner who had been on my tail for several miles finally caught up and passed me.  I looked back and there were other runners coming on strong. I refused to let them catch up and pushed the last mile very hard.  

I reached the finish in 5:24:06.  Second in my age class to the usual dude, Leon.  He seems to just beat me in many races.  I felt fantastic at the finish.  The ankle held up pretty well.  I had no cramping and no sore muscles since I didn't push it very hard.  But still I finished well. 

I think this race compares and is similar to the difficulty of the BST held in Salt Lake.  Perhaps it is a little easier, especailly if conditions weren't so severe.  A nice race for its first year.  It is somewhat pricey for the distance, but you do get a nice running shirt, a custom finishing medal and some great hot food at the end.  It is just nice to have another challenging local trail race nearby.

La Sportiva Wildcat - Green Miles: 27.00
Comments
From missy on Sat, May 22, 2010 at 19:23:58 from 63.230.6.239

Awesome Race Crockett!

I was so proud of all of you taking off this a.m. So cold..so wet!

Not too long after you took off..one runner came back down to the pavilion and said he must have taken a wrong turn..Mark Sanderson said that it was the lead runner..He was covered in mud up his backside! He was a good sport about it and said..alright and he head back up the trail..I wonder how many extra miles he got in.

I was so tempted to run that race, or do it as a training run...just for the Medal..Shaun Christian showed it to me earlier in the week..and bugged me a few times about entering..for sure I will want to do it next year.

Grats on a strong finish..and I am happy your ankle held up. :D

From crockett on Sat, May 22, 2010 at 19:51:24 from 70.56.103.207

Yep, that was Tom Remkes. I think he and his friend were running 3 and 4. I started coming down with another runner but stopped and convinced him that we needed to stay up. Tom ran strong and I think finished only about 15 minutes after me.

From jun on Sat, May 22, 2010 at 19:51:41 from 63.224.105.124

Hey man, cool race. I was really wanting to run this one, but the timing and the price just didn't go well together. I'm surprised to see that there were as few entrants as there were. I thought there would be more. Maybe some of it was the weather. Great job on place in your AG and doing well over, especially for not pushing it.

From Twinkies on Sat, May 22, 2010 at 23:07:32 from 67.166.116.191

Great job Davy. Thanks for playing in the mud with me today. I glad your ankle held up.

From crockett on Sat, May 22, 2010 at 23:23:39 from 70.56.103.207

Good to meet you missy, thanks for saying hi. Twinkies, I'm only proud that I didn't take a face plant in the mud. One time I tripped pretty bad and saw myself heading for a huge mud puddle. I caught my balance at the last minute.

From Scott Wesemann on Sun, May 23, 2010 at 02:52:23 from 75.162.69.51

Nice race Crockett. You truly are hardcore in every way.

From runningafterbabies on Sun, May 23, 2010 at 21:11:14 from 67.177.9.74

I am seriously impressed. Way to go! I'm glad your ankle held up in those conditions.

From Kelli on Tue, May 25, 2010 at 19:30:04 from 71.219.93.114

I love the positive attitude despite the cruddy weather! But a mud bath is quite good for the skin I hear. Glad the ankle held out---take care of it!

Total Distance
6.00

The ankle was really bad Sunday, but after 17 hours in the boot felt much better.  Got to hit the hills.  Rain/snow out this morning.  Wow, it really must be dumping up on the Squaw Peak course.  Could be an interesting event this year, no PR likely.

Treadmill.  Tough incline workout, holding onto the front.  Pushed much of it between 20-30% incline.  After that for awhile, it was amazing how easy 15% felt and how 5% felt like downhill.  The right quad is a little sore because I can tell I used it more than the other Saturday, protecting the left ankle.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 6.00
Total Distance
8.00

Tough hilll/speed/tempo run.  First hill repeats with the dog.  One mile up, 400 feet climb, one mile down and repeat.  8:53 (up), 6:26 (down), 8:40 (up), 6:12 (down) for 30:10 total.  The dog had enough so I took her home and then went out again for a 4 mile rolling tempo run.  7:55, 7:51, 8:05, 8:55.  Had to back off the last mile, the ankle was complaining too much.  Looks like eventually I'll need to get an MRI for the ankle to see if the tendon is torn.  But for now I'll grin and bare it, use it, rest it, and hope it gets better like last year.

Plan for the weekend is to run the Orem 10K to go get that PR that the Rex Lee 10K (really 9K) cheated me out of.  The hope is to bust my PR by about two minutes.   We shall see.  In the meantime, hills, hills, and more hills to get ready for the snow run at Squaw Peak 50.

Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 8.00
Total Distance
6.00

Took  yesterday off.  The ankle was really in bad pain, very discouraging.  But with 12 hours in the boot when I got up early it felt much better.  Seems like the tendon wasn't as tight.  So, I played it safe and went to the treadmill where I could manage the even surface.  It went well and wasn't a problem as long as I kept the pace slower than 8:30.  The faster pace puts much more pressure on it.  Thats OK, I can train at a slower pace if thats what it will take.

But, I didn't take it easy.   I ran at 20-21% incline at 10:00 pace for most of the time.  The treadmill says I'm climbing a little more than 100 feet per minute.   I do hang on to the front, so it is like hanging on to a rope tow, but it is a great workout to get the legs pumping up the hill and the heart gets going. I can tell I'm making good hill training progress.  It is just a bummer to be on a treatmill when the weather is so fine.   The machine thinks I climbed 6,000 feet.   Once I backed off the incline to 10% and cranked up the pace, it was amazing how easy it felt.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 6.00
Comments
From jun on Thu, May 27, 2010 at 11:01:41 from 66.239.250.209

With Squaw a week and a half away you don't need to push the pace anyway. I think you are doing the right thing by just taking it easy on the ankle and working your uphill legs. Very smart.

Total Distance
6.00

More treadmill hills

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 6.00
Race: Smile Center 10K (6.2 Miles) 00:42:04, Place overall: 11, Place in age division: 4
Total Distance
15.00

My goal was to PR today. I reached my goal, but still wish I would have done better...never satisfied. I knew my former PR time of 43:08 was very soft.  At Ogden with downhill aid, my 10k split was 41:24, so I knew a big improvement was possible. 

The weather was great.  I did a nice warm up and felt ready.  The ankle was behaving.  I saw two in my age group that I knew I couldn't beat, oh well.  Off we went.  I fell in behind Maryann and Michelle.   It was fun to watch them duel for a little while.  Maryann led first, then Michelle past her.  By mile 1 they started to disappear from my ability to watch. 

Mile 1: 6:14.  Good start.

Mile2: 7:05.  Bad mile.  Slight uphill and I could feel the quads complaining from all my hill work this week.  But after a turn and slight downhill came and I felt better.

Mile 3: 6:25  Finally warming up

Mile 4: 6:47  Still OK

Mile 5: 6:35  I think this mile was short.  I thought things were going great and I just started to get lazy coming in

Mile 6: 7:28   Lazy, lazy.   I had plenty in the tank for a fast sprint for the last tenth.  Almost plowed over a teenager (finished the 5K) crossing the course not looking.  I had to let out a scream in order to not collide with him.

Finish time: 42:04.   I PRed by 1:04.   Not bad.  But the PR still feels soft.  One more chance July 5th and the Freedom Run on a tougher course.  But I think more hills actually help me.  My legs just get lazy on the flats.  They need something to wake them up using different muscles.

4th in my age group, but the age groups were messed up, non-standard.  46-54.  They let the youngsters in.  Still, with 11th overall, that means there were four old guys in the top 11.  Pretty competitive. 161 finishers.

So, for 2010, so far I have PRed at 5K, 10K, 1/2 marathon (twice), full marathon (twice), and 100 miles.

Next up.  Squaw Peak 50 next Saturday in probably about 5 miles of snow.  Should be fun. No PR there, too tough.  Course PR is also unlikely wth the snow and gimpy ankle.  It will be a nice training run for Bighorn 100 in a few weeks.  Oh, also Utah Valley half thrown in before Bighorn....a quest for sub 1:30.

After returning home, I didn't rest, I went and hit the hills.  Took the dog.  At a steep hill with some ground cover, half way up, she refused to follow me.  She just turned around and started to head for home.  I've never seen her do that before.  I called for her to wait, picked her up and carried her up the steep hill.  Once on a bare dirt road she was fine.  Pretty funny.

A non-running interesting experience after the run.  I've been working on an time-intensive family history project.  15 years ago a very distant relative (now dead) sent me rare pictures of some ancestors.  Somehow those pictures got misplaced during our move to Utah 11 years ago.  I've searched many times for them.  Finally last night I did a two hour search of the house and came up empty. I was ready to give up and conclude that they were thrown out by mistake. Then, last night I had a dream reminding me of what the envelope was like that the pictures were in.  It was so clear that I woke up, now remembering clearly what I was looking for.   After my run, I searched in a couple new places that I hadn't checked.  Within ten minutes, I found the treasures!  Amazing! 

And, even more thilling, near these treasures, I found another missing treasure that has bothered me for years.  I thought I gave away this treasure by mistake 11 years ago.  But I found it!  It was a copy of a book on the pioneers I wrote.  This copy traveled on the Mormon Pioneer trek reinactment on the wagon train in 1997.  It is signed by Elders Ballard, Huntsman, Christensen, Holland, Pinnock and other digitaries who visited the wagon train.  I was thrilled to find it again.  It has been a wonderful day!

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 15.00
Comments
From Kelli on Sat, May 29, 2010 at 16:40:39 from 71.219.93.114

That is one smart dog!!!

I thought this race was on Monday for some reason! We did the 5k last year and it is a GREAT course and they put on an awesome race. And they have quite the turnout when it comes to super competitive runners, so your placing is AMAZING!! Last year my 9 year old came in 4th or 5th in his age group, but his age group was up to age 15!!! 9 year olds can not compete with 15 year olds, come on! I did not like that!

ANYWAY, great job on a year of PR's. You are definitely having a banner year mister.

From MichelleL on Sat, May 29, 2010 at 17:19:56 from 67.41.165.45

Wow nicely done. You've just been racking up the PR's this year. And I bet you aren't done, since this 10k pr won't stand for long.

From jun on Sat, May 29, 2010 at 17:27:22 from 97.126.224.79

What an incredible experience finding those little treasures. That must be so gratifying.

I just have a feeling this is going to be an amazing year for you. Even with the ankle you are running stronger than ever and I think you really have a lot of great races going for you this year. Good luck.

From JulieC on Sun, May 30, 2010 at 10:13:42 from 71.35.249.154

see you at Squaw Peak. should be interesting!!

From Aaron Kennard on Sun, May 30, 2010 at 11:42:39 from 174.51.250.151

congrats on another PR...and that dream experience was pretty cool, kind of amazing how that works.

Total Distance
6.00

Intended to do more miles, but the ankle was a pain.  Did hill repeats on a soft desert bushwack above Saratotga Shores school.  Up and down a ridge, a 66 foot climb over 0.15 miles, so an incline of about 440 feet per mile.  Can blast down pretty fast because the surface is nice and soft.  Did it ten times and by that time I was pounding out a distinct trail in the desert floor.  Times for the 0.31 laps were: 3:13. 3:08, 2:58, 3:02, 2:58, 3:01, 3:02, 3:35,3:22, and 3:33.  Nice tough short workout.  Then did some cross country and road running.

This week it is all about hills and heat.  Squaw Peak 50 will be hot this year and I need to get a little used to the heat or I'll suffer in Hobble Creek Canyon.  I don't need a bunch of miles this week.

Thinking about running some of the course on Thursday, the section from the top of Hobble Creek road to Little Valley.  I usually crumble on that section and get lazy.  I would like to run it on fresh legs to inform my mind how easy it really is.  If I could stay strong on that section, that could carry me to the finish better.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 6.00
Total Distance
9.00

Hills and dirt roads above the school.  Did a 2.4-mile loop three times and then some roads.  Took it easy about 9-minute pace.  Felt good and strong.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 9.00
Comments
From jun on Wed, Jun 02, 2010 at 10:35:34 from 66.239.250.209

Good luck this weekend. I hope your ankle holds up. I hadn't thought about it until now, but I should have volunteered at an aide station. That would have been fun.

From crockett on Wed, Jun 02, 2010 at 10:40:25 from 216.49.181.254

Jim Skaggs usually does the aid station up and Windy Pass, the toughest one to get to. You could check with him. They could always use help there and that is a ten mile round-trip run.

Total Distance
7.00

Hills and Heat....that is training ticket.  Ran up Lott canyon, a steady tough climb from my house.  Brought the dog.  I was impressed, she hung with me the entire way and didn't complain, her toughest climb.  I'll just keep the light training going without a taper.  Seems like the ankle does better with work.  Days off makes it hurt more.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 7.00
Comments
From jun on Thu, Jun 03, 2010 at 13:43:46 from 66.239.250.209

Two more days. Good luck sir. Should be a good race with good weather. I hope the snow just melts more for you.

From crockett on Thu, Jun 03, 2010 at 13:53:14 from 216.49.181.254

Should be fine. Snow melting very fast. On the front side, just want the snow banks melted enough back so there is a running surface on the road the traverses the mountain. Should be.

And thanks for calling me "Sir." Respect for the elderly. Good for you....young punk.

From jun on Thu, Jun 03, 2010 at 13:54:24 from 66.239.250.209

Ha . . . .Hahahahahaha.

It was a sign of respect for your running skills, not your age. Ok, maybe a little for your age.

From crockett on Thu, Jun 03, 2010 at 14:00:45 from 216.49.181.254

Young punk. No appreciation what us elderly go through just to get out of bed every morning and put our teeth back in, creak our arthritic joints, chug down some metamucil and Ensure, and then go out and run 100 miles.

From flatlander on Sat, Jun 05, 2010 at 22:23:00 from 75.223.125.28

Amen to all that old man stuff. Best of luck on Saturday, Davey.

Race: Squaw Peak 50 (50.9 Miles) 10:56:59, Place overall: 28, Place in age division: 3
Total Distance
51.00

I'll may write a more detailed report later.  The Squaw Peak 50 is a very tough 50-mile race held in the mountains above Provo, Utah. It has huge climbs and decents.  This was my sixth finish in six years.  I have never run it faster than 11 hours.  That was my goal this year.  Conditions were good.  The snow really melted fast last week on the course.  It probably slowed my down only about 10 minutes or so compared to dryer years.  It was a little hot for my tastes, but I reached Hobble Creek canyon road a little earlier than usual, so it wasn't too hot.

Here's my results and split times compared to my goal pace.  Pretty sick how close I was to my goal.

  miles Goal 2010
Start 0 0:00  
Hope CG 5.6 1:04 1:01
Rock Canyon 8.5 2:04 1:58
Kolob Overlook 14.6 3:04 3:01
Pole Haven 20.9 4:04 3:58
Top Hobble Crk 26.1 4:55 4:45
Sheep Cyn 30 5:50 5:44
Little Valley 33.5 6:45 6:40
Windy Pass 41.5 9:20 9:15
Big Spring 46.5 10:25 10:25
Finish 50.9 11:00 10:56:59

So I did it!  I really don't think I can run that course much faster.  Today was a near perfect day.  I had no issues at all.  The ankle held up well and didn't really slow me down much.  I knew that I had a little time cushion when I arrived at Little Valley, that my goal was still real.  The toughest section of the course to Windy Pass would be the decider. Two runners ahead of me were in my sights and they had a nice strong pace, so instead of trying to catch and pass them, I just hung with them.   I set a milestone in my mind.  Reach the bottom of the huge climb by 8:15 mark to give me an hour to get up and over the hill. 

I beat that and then quickly caught up with runners ahead pushing up the steep hill.  I did compression breathing to find some extra oxygen.  One of the runners noticed I was doing that and did the same and later thanked me.  I was stuck behind another runner who was holding me up a little, but I didn't ask to pass, because I wasn't sure I could hold the lead.

I did try scooting up the snow portion, but that didn't seem to be much faster, but it did get me by all the other runners.  I then kicked it in gear and after I reached to top of the first ridge, I couldn't see anyone on my tail, so I ran harder.  Once I reached the very top, I was pleased that I had left the string of other runners pretty far behind.

Once at Windy Pass I had a bunch of friends running the aid station there.  They all cheered me.  I was the only one there and they took care of me fast.  I stayed one minute and told them I needed to try to break 11 hours.   I knew it would be very hard.   I had to cover the last 8.5 miles in 1:45.  I knew a course PR was in the bag, no problem, but beating 11 hours was going to require some fast running.

There was a bunch of deep snow to go through for a half mile, but after that I cranking up the pace.  I saw LuzyLew with about 6.5 miles to go.   About a mile later, it happened.  I went down with a bad face plant.   My left leg cramped up and I could hardly walk.  But after about 3-4 minutes delay I was off running again.   Now my goal was in big jeapordy.

I hit the last aid station with 35 minutes to go.  Could I run the paved road down the South Fork of Provo in 35 minutes, 3.4 miles?  I've done it before to finsh this race, so I would try hard.  At the aid station I ran through it and only took an ice cold drenched towel that I used to cool me down.  It was very hot.   I tried to visualize that I was just finishing up a Marthon.  All my crazy marathon experience this year payed off.  I ran that stretch in 32 minutes.    ran the entire way on the road, no walking.  I almost caught up to the runner ahead of me, but when he saw me, he started running.  His pace was good.  I had no desire to race, just to wanted to beat the clock. I did it!   I finished in 28th place overall in a very competitive field of about 250 runner.

I beat my previous course PR (Personal record) by 43 minutes.   A huge improvement.

 

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 51.00
Comments
From Smooth on Sat, Jun 05, 2010 at 23:17:21 from 174.23.172.155

YAY!!! CONGRATULATIONS on the HUGE PR!!! WOW!!! You ran a very smart tough tough SP50....matching your goal time so nicely!!!! GREAT race! EXCELLENT performance!!! You're my hero!!! THANKS for the report!

From jun on Sat, Jun 05, 2010 at 23:18:07 from 97.126.224.79

Wow, that is seriously awesome. Way to PR on a tough course on, what I think, is a tough year. Not only did you have snow, but it was pretty hot out today. Great job. Like I said a little while ago, this is definitely going to be your year. Congrats.

From RAD on Sat, Jun 05, 2010 at 23:21:25 from 67.172.229.125

43 MINUTES?!? HOLY MOLY! PLUS taking a face plant with MILES left to go and picking it up to PR and hit your goal?!? Again I'm amazed, impressed and inspired to someday grow up to be you!

I call my son David Davey Crockett sometimes (I think I've told you this) and secretly when I do sometimes I think about him growing up to be an awesome runner like you and hanging out with his mom at races :)

CONGRATS again on an amazing race, goal reached, PR, 28th place and inspiring all of us!!

From Dragonvulture on Sat, Jun 05, 2010 at 23:22:22 from 75.169.158.230

Congratulations on the PR and another great race. Hope to be running it with you next year. Always enjoy your very detailed reports, and wonder at how planned and at how close to plan you are on all your legs.

From jun on Sat, Jun 05, 2010 at 23:24:39 from 97.126.224.79

Oh, and I forgot to mention that had you not mentioned falling on your face at least once I would not have believed it was you writing this report.

From crockett on Sat, Jun 05, 2010 at 23:39:53 from 71.36.86.21

Thanks all. You are very kind. I appreciate the nice words. Ultra are so weird. It is very hard to have a race that comes together like this, no stomach issues, no bonking, etc. The heat really took its toll on the back of the pack. I heard tales of runners up on top of the mountain laying down moaning, others puking their guts out.

Jun just a half mile before my face plant I was thinking to myself how pleased I was that I had not fallen. I have fallen in that stretch three previous times, so I cautioned my self to be careful, But a few minutes later when I decided to crank up the pace, down I went. The trail in that section is pretty rough.

From jun on Sat, Jun 05, 2010 at 23:42:29 from 97.126.224.79

Well, congrats, really. I can only hope to be able to be a part of it next year.

I've heard that if you sign up for Buffalo Run 50, Squaw Peak 50, and Katcina Mosa 100k that you are guaranteed a sport in Squaw Peak. Is that true? Maybe that will be my race plan next year.

From Maynard on Sat, Jun 05, 2010 at 23:43:33 from 71.213.28.77

Congratulations on the sub 11, Crockett. Squaw Peak chewed me up and spit me out unceremoniously and without regard for my diminutive self-image early on. Sounds like almost everything came together for you. Well done!

From LuzyLew on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 01:42:31 from 69.169.167.157

I am speechless. I was in awe back in March when you had run 30 miles on a day we were working our way to 17 miles--but seeing you today blowing down that hill with purpose,speed and stealth after I was DYING getting up just a few miles (sorry, I hope the face plant wasn't my fault for distracting you for a second along the trail). I can not, I mean really can not imagne how you guys can do that race (much less under 11 hours). I only ran 17 miles of it today and I had to walk a good distance to the end. My friend took 12.5 to finish. I literally thought I was going to die going up and down that tiny portion of the race from aid station 10 to 9. You are beyond tough. I can not wrap my brain around the level of endurance and strength it would take to finish that beast. You guys are too much. That was unreal.

From JD on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 09:56:52 from 209.183.51.42

Congratulations on running a great 50 miler! Talk about taking a huge chunk off your PR! Great job and I really enjoy reading your reports.

From Oreo on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 11:24:24 from 174.27.150.29

Awesome Crockett! Those are impressive goal times and to stick to them is sweet. That climb was insane - and then you see the summit climb - augh like a dagger. Keep it rollin. Awesome finish.

From Bryce on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 11:44:26 from 174.52.190.220

Great to see you yesterday Davey. You finished really strong! I could see you for a while, coming out of little valley, and thought I might beable to catch you, ha, you kicked in the motor up Bozung and left me and eveyone else in the dust and then bombed that downhill very impressive, especially with the crash! You ran a solid race out there, great job, another huge PR for the Crocket! awesome race and year!

From Aaron Kennard on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 15:47:54 from 69.18.151.138

Wow...impressive and strong finish.

You somehow make running fifty miles through the mountains look like a walk in the park! Awesome, 2010 is your year.

From Jon on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 18:49:00 from 75.169.140.87

A huge PR, a "perfect race"- wow, sounds like a great day. Congrats! Not surprising, of course, but well deserved. And now you have Bighorn 100 in just a few days!

From crockett on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 19:57:51 from 71.36.86.21

Thanks all. Bryce you really had an impressive race for your first mountain 50. You were gaining on me quickly until I woke up and pushed harder.

Recovery going very well. No blisters at all. I feel a little drained today but the only soreness besides the usual ankle are two fingers that were sprained from the face plant. By the way, that was a real face plant. My face was covered in dirt. My main motivation for a wet towel at the last aid station was to wash up on the run down the road so I wouldn't get laughed at too hard at the finish line.

I felt surprisingly strong and fast the last seven miles. That gives me encouragement for Bighorn 100 in two weeks. I'll do Utah Valley Half next Saturday for fun.

From Holt on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 20:48:48 from 75.169.90.161

Congratulations Davy! Way to go get that goal!

From JulieC on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 22:55:02 from 207.224.202.191

you AMAZE ME. All you ULTRAS do. I was thinking I needed to lock myself up after the course beating I took. And then I thought of you and other big Ultra people and was like "how in the heck do you keep coming back?" SERIOUSLY, HOW? So awesome to get that BIG PR!!! Perhaps we'll meet some day. UVM next week? Minimal soreness? What are you made of? Are you from that running clan in "Born to Run"?

From Scott Wesemann on Mon, Jun 07, 2010 at 01:20:28 from 75.162.93.167

Congrats on your race Crockett. Awesome!! I enjoyed the report.

From Fritz on Mon, Jun 07, 2010 at 19:52:40 from 65.116.116.6

Nice work beating your goal. It's unbelievable that you have done 31 100's in less than 5 years. Someday I will have to pick your brain on how you do it.

From crockett on Mon, Jun 07, 2010 at 23:59:18 from 71.36.86.21

JulieC, you would have met me if you would have hung with Darcie when she caught up to you. She arrived at AS#7 just as I was leaving. Karl and Roch laughed at me, shouting to me, "Davy, you are going to get chicked!" It didn't take too long. Darcie was nice and said she would see me later, I replied, "not until the finish!" She ran very strong ahead and soon disappeared, beat me by more than a half hour.

From josse on Tue, Jun 08, 2010 at 20:48:33 from 75.231.80.254

WOW what a great improvement and I am sure you could if you wanted to run it faster. Great job!

Total Distance
20.00

Back to training before tapering next week.  Did a rather easy recovery run, not a lot of hills but plenty of miles to work out any kinks in the legs.  They felt good, no pain in the muscles left over from Squaw Peak 50 on Saturday.  The tendon problem is still there but managable.

I was out the door at 2:15 a.m.   What a wonderful morning for running. Perfect temperature.  Heard an owl hooting at me as I approached Eagle Mountain.  Once on the flat dirt roads and pavement, I turned out the flashlight and just ran in the dark, letting my feet feel the road.  I didn't push the pace too hard, just kept going.  Long bathroom break at Pony Express Park.   Aid station stop at the convenient store in the Ranches and then I ran on the new road, newly paved, still closed, Pony Express Parkway that connects Eagle Mountain to Saratoga Springs.  Very nice.  That will get the traffic of narrow back roads and will be a nice quick way to run out to the Ranches.

Ended up with a little more than 20 miles.   http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/ut/saratoga%20springs/624127609359570277

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 20.00
Comments
From jun on Wed, Jun 09, 2010 at 13:57:52 from 66.239.250.209

Nice, back at it quick. Are you going to the Pony Express Celebration that I think is going on this Saturday to commemorate 150 years (or is it longer)?

From crockett on Wed, Jun 09, 2010 at 14:01:55 from 216.49.181.254

Yes, legs iching to run more. Feeling good. Plotting my Big Horn 100 stategy.

Is that at Eagle Mountain...probably, I think this is their Pony Express Days yearly city event. 150 years. Going to run UV half marathon Saturday and then have a family party, 102nd birthday of my grandmother.

From jun on Thu, Jun 10, 2010 at 00:28:52 from 63.224.110.65

Holy cow. 102, that is amazing. Good for her. Good luck in your half mary.

Total Distance
7.00

Decided to benchmark my fitness by timing a tough hill climb route I've done many times.   My previous best in 2007 was 1:08:17.  The route starts right behind my house, across Redwood Road.  It is a seven-mile out and back that climbs a total of 1500 feet.  The last half mile up is very rugged and steep, so it is a tough seven miles.  It first goes up almost a mile of pavement, up Grandview Blvd, goes into a gravel pit area and continues up a dirt road straight into Lott Canyon.  The road narrows and winds up the canyon until it finally arrives at the top of a ridge where you can look over to top to Eagle Mountain.

I pushed it pretty hard, at race speed, but didn't red-line.  To my surprise, I crushed my previous PR by nearly five minutes.  1:03:30.  I made it to the top in 39:26, and 24:04 down, for a 6:52 pace average coming down (had a terrible headwind slowing me in stretches).

I'm starting to think despite my advancing age, that I better set my sights a little higher this year, that I can do better than I think.  In each race that I have really pushed since Feb, I've either set a course PR or a distance PR.  So, something is working this year.

Splits: 1st Gate: 8:21, 2nd Gate: 19:15, Top: 39:26, 2nd Gate: 49:39, 1st Gate: 57:16, Bottom: 1:03:30.

 

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 7.00
Comments
From jun on Thu, Jun 10, 2010 at 20:57:13 from 97.126.230.46

Awesome. I know that run well. That is the canyon Scott and I went up think it was going to take us to the top. I can vouch for how tough it gets.

From Kelli on Thu, Jun 10, 2010 at 22:48:11 from 71.219.93.114

A 5 minute PR??? NICE! However, I could have saved you the trip and just told you that you are getting WAY fast! Nicely done.

Total Distance
0.00

A day off today for a one-day taper before Utah Valley Half Marathon tomorrow morning.  I'm hoping for cold and rain with a tail wind.  Looks like I have a 70% chance of getting my wish, should weed out those that never run in poor conditions.  The goal is: win my age group, and break 1:30.

Focusing on Bighorn 100 in a week.  My best time on the normal course is 29:00:16.  In 2008 I did much better on the altered snow course, 26:45.   But that course is much easier because it avoided the most difficult slow section that slogs through mud and snow.  This year I hope to make a huge improvment and mentally be ready for the most difficult sections of the course.  I showed at the Timp Marathon that I could blast through the mud and snow, so I'll just repeat that at Bighorn.  It looks like we will have some snowy sections near the top of the course, probably with some drifts of about two feet deep that involves a little post-holing, pretty typical.

My wild goal is for 26:00 and a top-20 finish.   I'll be careful not to kill myself on the huge initial 5,000 foot climb. Last year it wiped me out and I ended up dehydrated. I'll probably be in 30th place at the point and then just be content to pick of runners for the next 25 miles and then hold my position. 

Comments
From jun on Fri, Jun 11, 2010 at 14:37:32 from 66.239.250.209

Good luck tomorrow.

From Nevels on Fri, Jun 11, 2010 at 15:27:33 from 131.204.15.93

Sounds like a good plan for Bighorn. It's amazing how many people you'll pick off after just a few hours of consciously reigning in the pace.

Good luck...

Race: Utah Valley Half Marathon (13.1 Miles) 01:30:14, Place overall: 26, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
28.00

I ran the Utah Valley Half Marathon and kind of also ran the marathon too (we’ll get to that).  I decided to run the half marathon, instead of the marathon, because I have Bighorn 100 next week and didn’t want to do anything stupid just six days before that race.  But, I also was determined to race this half marathon hard.  I knew it would be a fast course and that a PR was possible.

I had two goals, break 1:30 and place first in my age group.  I had looked at the entrants list and didn’t see any of the top distance runners in the state faster than me in the race, so I thought there would be no reason why I shouldn’t push for the win.

The course starts up in Provo Canyon near the tunnel before the turnoff to Sundance.  It followed the highway all the way down the canyon, with one of the lanes closed off for the runners and then went straight down University to the Provo Town Mall.  It was straight and fast.  There were a few hills, but the most significant one was at mile 2.

Rain was the big concern.  At the start it looked like we would get lucky and race during a lull in the storm.   To warm up, I ran up the canyon and a little way up the Sundance road.  I then positioned myself among the top 30 runners near the start, looking at all the fast, skinny young Sojourner runners.  The start was late, it waited to start at exactly the same time as the marathon, 13.1 miles behind us, further up the canyon.

It was still somewhat dark as we started, dark enough that I had a problem seeing my watch clearly for a few miles, but I could tell I was doing fine.  I started running right behind Maryann, but before the end of the first mile she kicked it in gear.  Going down the canyon I was passed by quite a few runners as we settled into our pace.  My splits in the canyon (miles 1-5) were 6:13, 7:15 (hill up), 6:22 (hill down), 6:37, 6:53.  I knew that I needed to keep my splits under 6:50 to reach my goal. All was going pretty well. I was breathing hard as usual but the legs felt fine.

However, the weather turned bad around mile three.  A soaking rain started to fall.  I had to slow in order to put my phone/mp3-player in a ziplock bag.  Thankfully, the soaking only lasted about a mile, but we had great fun avoiding puddles.  The course would be wet the entire distance.

I don’t remember any runners passing me for miles, probably the last one did around mile 4. But ahead of me a large gap got longer and longer.  I could see one of the Sojourner girls far ahead.  The gap probably got as wide as 1/3rd mile or more.   I never stopped at any aid station along the way, just used my handheld bottle with Ensure and that worked great, giving me the energy I needed.

By mile 8, I finally felt warmed up and felt super so I pushed the pace a little harder.  I could see that the gap was closing ahead of me, especially on a long gentle hill.  My splits for miles (6-11) were 6:51, 7:00, 6:56, 7:05, 7:08, 7:00.

With a couple miles to go, a guy (Kerry Brock) finally caught up with me.  His first question was, “How old are you?”  I didn’t want to tell him, so I asked how old he was.  “49.”  I let him know I was 51.  He was relieved and so was I, we were in different age groups so didn’t have to really race against each other to the finish.  We both felt confident we were leading our age groups. He said he had been working very hard for the past several miles trying to reel me in. (At the finish another runner said he tried and tried for many miles to catch me, but couldn’t and he finished about 40seconds behind me). We had fun talking for awhile and he was interested to hear that I was un ultrarunner and doing this race as a long tempo run.  I pushed ahead again, feeling energized from the conversation, but by mile 12, he caught up and passed me.   I was watching my watch carefully and could see I had a very realistic chance of breaking 1:30, but then I saw the steep overpass ahead and knew that would slow down my last mile.  We were reeling in the girl ahead but never did catch her.   At the top of the hill I almost caught Kerry but he pushed ahead strongly and I didn’t really want to sprint.

My final two mile splits were 6:59 and 7:07.  The last hill slowed me down too much.   I crossed the finish line in 1:30:14. I crushed my half-marathon PR by over 4 minutes!  My friend was about six seconds ahead of me.  Close enough, I was very pleased.  The finish area was pretty deserted because I finished 26th overall.  I indeed did win the 50-54 age group by over five minutes.  In fact, Kerry and I were the top two finishers for all those age 35+.  Not bad for a huge race with 900 finishers.

I rested and warmed back up in my car for about 40 minutes and then decided to head back on the course and run it very slowly backwards to cheer everyone and see friends.   North of the bridge I was able to watch the winning marathon runner cruising to his finish.  I said hi to Sasha who was in 6th place.  It was great fun to clap and cheer for hundreds of runners and many recognized me.  I planned to run back until I found Smooth and company, but somehow I missed her.  I did stop to help a couple runners who were cramping and maybe missed her during one of those times.  But that was OK.  At times I reversed course and ran awhile with friends.

I ran clear back to the mouth of Provo Canyon and then turned around when Mark Sanderson arrived.  (It was about at the 4:00 mark) I calculated that my total miles were now more than the runners around me.  So now it was time to finish my marathon.  I kicked it into gear to finish the final 6.5+ miles.  It did look rather odd that I was running 8-minute miles while the others around were running 15-minute miles or walking.  People gave me lots of cheers, I felt rather embarrassed.  At each aid station, I stopped and feasted.  I figured since I didn’t use them during the half, why not use them now?  I had great fun and finished my marathon+ at about 4:55.

I congratulated some ultrarunner friends at the finish. I had missed the half/marathon awards, but went  up and they gave me my plaque. It looked nice.

 

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 28.00
Comments
From Kelli on Sat, Jun 12, 2010 at 16:07:02 from 71.219.93.114

Crockett, that is awesome! Now you KILL the ultras AND every other race you enter. That first place finish was well deserved. I so wish I had seen you, you would have made sure that I did not get lost! I was so confused because half marathon runners were coming in and I though maybe I was confused----but it turns out I was right and should have stuck with my gut!

Way to go on the race, you are incredible. You never cease to amaze me with your distance and your speed and your miles! You beat me today. Maybe I will go run some more.....NAH!!!!!!

From jun on Sat, Jun 12, 2010 at 16:16:46 from 97.126.230.46

Way to go on all accounts. It sounds like it was nearly the perfect race. Congrats on the win and a new massive PR. Now, it's all about "GO USA". England is looking good.

From JulieC on Sat, Jun 12, 2010 at 18:37:45 from 168.103.185.123

you never cease to amaze US all!! GOOD JOB!!

From Kelli on Sat, Jun 12, 2010 at 20:05:14 from 71.219.93.114

AH, I got to watch part of the game while I was running (finally something worth watching while on the TM!) To me, the worst part about soccer is the darn tie---I want a WIN!

From Smooth on Sat, Jun 12, 2010 at 22:05:20 from 174.23.236.38

Davy! CONGRATZ on the huge PR and

AG win! WOW! So very impressive!!! You are taking names every race you run! Too bad I missed seeing you running back up the course to bring friends in and making it a full, you're simply too cool for words! It was a good day! Perfect race! GOOD LUCK at Bighorn 100! Can't wait to read your report! :)

From crockett on Sat, Jun 12, 2010 at 22:09:42 from 71.36.73.105

Thanks Smooth, and congrats on your great race. 5th place in your age group. Well done. Huge race of 1,300 runners. Yes it would have been fun to run in with you. One of these days.

I found the results at: http://strideracing.com/2010/june/utahvalleymarathon.html

From catherine on Sat, Jun 12, 2010 at 22:26:23 from 67.169.248.86

Great job on the win and PR! Thanks tons for posting the link to the results. :)

From Dragonvulture on Sat, Jun 12, 2010 at 22:31:26 from 75.169.138.134

Congrats on the great race and great PR. A nice warm up for the big one next week which I'm sure you will do great.

From Paul on Sat, Jun 12, 2010 at 23:32:00 from 174.27.230.30

Hmm, I should have looked for you at the start or finish. Would have been nice to say hi and catch up. Great job in the AG win.

From Bryce on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 00:10:42 from 174.52.190.220

Hey, I thought when you got older you got slower, so much for my excuse. Nice job, another PR, and a sppedy one too! Congrats on the win, good luck at Big Horn.

From Jon on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 00:13:15 from 75.169.136.39

I think it's funny that it took you 8 miles to warm up! Congrats on the AG win and go kick butt at Bighorn!

From Walter on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 10:59:54 from 24.10.169.110

Wow, you are going to bighorn next week after a half marathon race? Im not worthy, im not worthy! And I get all the flack about running every weekend! lol Maybe someday Ill run an Ultra and some trail.

From Teena Marie on Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 11:04:27 from 174.52.45.85

Congrats on the HUGE PR and the 1st place!!!

I am so happy for you!

You seriously are amazing! :)

From RAD on Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 10:38:06 from 67.172.229.125

Congrats on a half, full and hardware to boot! Always a great read on the race report. Can't wait for the 100 next week! I love that you finally felt warmed up at mile 8! 'Normal' people don't understand how it takes that long to start feeling good. I'm at about 4-5 right now, someday I hope to get to an 8 mile warm up! :)

CONGRATS again - always amazing!

Total Distance
6.00

Six easy miles with the dog in the foothills.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 6.00
Total Distance
4.00

Lunch power walk up Yellow Fork Canyon.  Never have gone up that canyon before, very nice.  I've run across the top of it before several times coming from Cedar Valley up and over to Butterfield Canyon, but never come up from the east.  Next time I'll bring running gear.  Just staying loose for Bighorn 100 on Friday.

Comments
From Kelli on Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 20:06:47 from 71.219.93.114

I was wondering how one would taper for a 100 mile day!!!!

GOOD LUCK THIS WEEKEND, in case I forget to say it later in the week. You will do amazingly well, I am sure.

From Smooth on Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 23:16:51 from 174.23.236.38

So excited for you this Friday! GOOD LUCK! Can't wait to read the report!

From crockett on Wed, Jun 16, 2010 at 10:30:28 from 216.49.181.254

Thanks Smooth and Kelli. Kelli, I had to at least get 10 miles in before the race just in case you tried to do post two back to back 100 mile weeks.

Seriously, I don't know why you don't go run an ultra right now. You would to very well in a 50 miler compared to so many others I see run them who are far less prepared. Time on the trails is all you are missing.

From Kelli on Wed, Jun 16, 2010 at 15:15:23 from 71.219.93.114

You have more confidence in me than I do!!! But, truthfully, the trail thing is what worries me the most. I am so clumsy when I run. I think you are right, I should just do it. But the closest one I could find that would work time-wise was Goblin Valley. maybe I do not know the right place to look?!?

No worries, this will be a low week for me. Since I am doing the Ragnar relay, I get limited miles this weekend. I am stuck in a car most of the time. You get to be the leader of the pack this week!!!!

Here is something I wanted to ask you: How often do you replace your shoes?

Total Distance
1.00

It was a rough day.  To get a jump on the terrible wind storm that would hit Wyoming, I decided to do much of the driving today.  I went to change the oil at Jiffy Lube in Riverton and they offered to replace my bad battery.  Boy was that a mistake.  They did something that fried my car computer or security system.  Afterwards the security system had the car locked up, it wouldn't start.  It had to be towed to a dealer and they let me know it would be $512 repairs and they don't have the part.  So much for using that car.  My wife rescued me and I went back to Jiffy Lube to let then know clearly that I was firm that they would pay for it all.   I guess they heard me because later in the day they called my wife and let us know they were covering the repair costs.  Lesson learned, never let those oil change places get near the electrical system.

So, with a four hour delay, I was on the road and made it to Casper, Wyoming for the night.  Had a nice tail wind for some of the trip.   The race isn't until Friday, but they make you get here on Thursday to check in and deliver drop bags.

Comments
From KP on Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 09:45:23 from 65.208.22.26

yikes! what a frustrating day. good luck this weekend! i'm looking forward to the race report.

From Maurine/Miles on Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 09:54:20 from 63.255.172.2

Man, I hate when car repair places cause more damage then they fix. Good luck on the race - hope the wind is gone by then.

From Scott Wesemann on Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 12:04:15 from 66.239.250.209

Good luck with your race Davy. I'm excited to read the report.

From Jon on Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 17:00:31 from 192.107.247.6

Good luck tomorrow. Glad to hear everything worked out with the car.

Total Distance
0.00

Checked in and resting all I can now, just watching US Open golf and NBA finals.  Great way to rest.  I'll go to the prerace dinner soon.   Lots of good friends in this race, it is always fun.   Looks like it will be a muddy year and three miles of snow near the top of the course.   I just need to mentally not let it get to me and plow through it fast.  100 miles here we come!

Comments
From Kelli on Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 19:56:19 from 71.219.93.114

GOOD LUCK!!!!! Have fun, can not wait to hear about the mud and snow. I am sure you WILL plow right through it FAST.

GO LAKERS!

From Dragonvulture on Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 20:15:31 from 65.44.116.4

Have a fantastic race! look forward to read the report.

Total Distance
0.00

I'm at the Bighorn 100, just resting until the start.  I enjoyed the pre-race dinner last night.  I ate with Beat Jegerlehner and his friends Steven Ansell and Harald Walther.  All four of us are Plain 100 finishers.  There are only a couple handful of runners who have ever finished that race, so it was unusual to have four of us in one place.  Between us we had 6 finishes in that tough race in Washington.  We had a great time talking about our crazy tales in that race.  Beat is a tough runner who finishes multiple 100s each year.  In September he is going to run a 200-mile race in Italy that has about 70,000 elevation climb.  Harald is going to run in the famed the UTMB 100 (Mont Blanc).  That race goes around Mont Blanc, Switzerland and has thousands of runners in it.

After eating with them, I ate with Matt and Ann Watts and Sue Norwood and Jim O'Neil.  Sue and Jim are stalwarts on the ultrarunning circuit.  They spend their summers going from race to race in their camper.  I first got to know Sue when I read her massive day-by-day journal of her run on the entire Appalachian Trail.  After that fun I went back to my room, rested and watch the LA-Boston game.

I had about six hours sleep last night, far more than usual before a 100, so I'm good to go.  I'l watch some of the soccer game and then go to the pre-race briefing.

Comments
From KP on Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 09:05:05 from 65.208.22.26

Good luck!!! I can't wait to read the report.

From RAD on Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 09:42:23 from 67.172.229.125

WOW, those are some amazing runners. I would LOVE to have sat back and listened to some of those stories!

Good luck on the race, I also can't wait to read the report. I'm sure it will be another good read!

From Aaron Kennard on Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 15:48:09 from 174.51.250.151

Good luck Crockett and have fun!!

I met Matt Watts while running down Green mountain above Boulder last week and we chatted for 10 minutes or so, nice guy. He told me he was doing Bighorn. I also saw him doing the dirty thirty, my first 50K, a couple weeks ago.

Race: Bighorn 100 (100 Miles) 26:38:24, Place overall: 19, Place in age division: 2
Total Distance
100.00

My 5th Bighorn finish and my 32nd 100-mile finish. A quick report before I get some sleep.   I had a good race.   The race starts (at 11 a.m. on Friday morning) with a huge climb of more than 4,000 feet in 4 miles.  I purposely held back a little, although it turned out I did my fastest climb of the 5 years.  Go figure, it didn’t feel like I pushed it super hard.   I came into the 13-mile aid station in 30th place.   I hoped for a top-20 finish, so my strategy was to just be patient and pick off runners one by one.   My strategy hit a snag when I needed to take a 10-minute bathroom break at mile 22.   I probably fell to about 42nd place.  

At mile 27 the course takes a dive, losing 3,000 feet in under three miles to cross over the Little Bighorn River.   I believe that I passed 8 runners, back in 34th place.   However, I spent a long 10 minutes at this aid station to fix a problem shoe and was again passed by several runners.

From mile 30 to 48 the course does another huge climb of more than 4,800 feet but it is spread over 18 miles.  I discovered that many runners who beat me on the morning climb no longer had an uphill running gear.  I passed runner after runner as I ran probably 75% of that climb.   My pace was personal record pace.   The leader of the race, Mike Wolfe, came running toward me, already on his way back, at about mile 39, 18 miles ahead of me.  I was stunned because I knew he was on course record time.  (He did break the course record, finishing in 18:43, when I still would have 30 miles to go.)

I had never before reached the 43.5-mile aid station in the daylight.  Usually I have to turn on my light at about mile 41.  On this day I didn’t need to turn it on until mile 46.  So I was very pleased.  From mile 42 to the top at mile 48, the course is muddy, snowy, and swampy.  I did my best to not worry about wet muddy shoes and just plowed through the problem areas.   Near the high point, we slogged through about a quarter mile of icey, swampy water.  Our feet really got cold. I reached the turn-around at mile 48 at the 11:38 mark at 10:38 p.m.   I didn’t stay long and headed back out into the cold.  It was below freezing near the top (about 9,000 feet).  I reached the turn-around in 24th place.  So I had passed about 18 people since my long pit stop.

Doing the turn-around is exciting because you could see how your friends are doing behind you.  But the 18 miles back down are frustrating.   Now in the dark it is very hard to push a fast pace.  Much of the trail is pretty technical with lots of rocks to trip on and I just didn’t want to face-plant.   Oddly, my split times going down in the dark were a little bit slower than my split times going up in the light. (I did spend a little more time in the aid stations)  I returned to the footbridge aid station (Little Bighorn River crossing, mile 66) at the 17:02 mark. (4:02 a.m.).   Despite my slowness in the dark, I was now over an hour ahead of my best time.   Usually, I’ll spend about 20 minutes at this point recovering, eating, and perhaps working my feet.  But today, I decided to make my stop very fast, probably about 4 minutes.   When I jumped up to leave, I noticed that about 5 other runners were surprised and had concerned looks on their faces as they were still taking their time.   Away I went.

Next was a climb of 3,000 feet out of the river gorge in under three miles.   I just did a steady pace and in under 1:30, the climb was done.  I had passed a runner in the process who I had never seen before.  I was probably in 16th place.   Dawn arrived at about mile 68, but the sun didn’t shine on me until about mile 74.  It was pretty nippy.   At times I could see a half mile behind me.  No other runners were seen. At the aid station at mile 76.5, I chowed down on bacon and potatoes fried in bacon grease.   It really hit the spot and gave me new energy and calmed down my stomach.  

From mile 76.5 to mile 84 I got lazy and took the foot off the gas.  I was passed by three runners.  But at the aid station at mile 82.5, I made a six minute stop.  In past years, my stop there is usually 20 minutes to wash my feet, lube them, and get clean socks on for the finish.   Not this year, I decided to save time, stay with my muddy wet shoes and hope that my feet didn’t hurt too much for the finish.   At this aid station, I was in 19th place.   I arrived there at 9:32 a.m.   The 30K race started at this point at 10:00 a.m. and followed the rest of the 100-mile course.  So at mile 85, the 30K runners caught up to me.   It was odd to have company around me because for the past 9 hours I had seen very few runners because we were so spread out.  The front packs were fast and I just couldn’t keep up, so I would step aside and let 30K runners pass me.

But at mile 88 after a final steep 1,000-foot climb, I really put it into gear for the massive 4,000-foot descent.   I passed about 20 30K runners as I blasted down the hill.  They gave me stunned looks and comments because they knew I was a 100-mile runner.   But after mile 92.5, they all passed me back as I eased off.  The last five miles is dirt road pounding.  The course doesn’t finish where it started, that would make it only 96 miles.  It continues for another 4 miles into the town of Dayton, Wyoming at a park.   I was passed by two 100-milers.  I did my best to keep a strong run going and re-passed one of those runners.  All my road races were helpful.  I knew how to keep the legs moving on flat roads.   The heat was pretty bad for the finish, but I came into the park and crossed the finish line at 26:38.   My previous best time on that course was 29:00. 

I finished in 19th place, 2nd in my age group. There were 154 starters.  There were 95 finishers.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 100.00
Comments
From Lily on Sat, Jun 19, 2010 at 23:16:23 from 67.199.181.73

Holy #%$^! I can't believe you did this today! My hat is off to you. Great job, you are a stud in my book!

From Jon on Sun, Jun 20, 2010 at 00:12:21 from 75.169.143.94

Wow, amazing time and place. Nice job starting conservative and passing lots of runners. Simply studly!

Was the 2008 Bighorn on a different course?

From RAD on Sun, Jun 20, 2010 at 00:35:10 from 67.172.229.125

Wow, passing 30K'ers after doing 88 miles?!? I'd be one of the people giving you 'that look' too :) Nice work, especially on the PR of 2+ hours! Amazing report, I'm with Lily "hats off to you!"

From crockett on Sun, Jun 20, 2010 at 07:45:19 from 174.155.183.125

Yes, the 2008 course was different because of deep snow that year. They couldn't get in for those top elevation aid stations. The course avoided the highest nine miles of that 18-mile climb. It its place was another 3,000 feet of climbing but the replacement 18 miles was mostly dirt road instead of the technical, muddy stuff. It probably was about one hour easier. I did 26:45 on the 2008 course. So either way, I even beat that time.

From Oreo on Sun, Jun 20, 2010 at 14:54:18 from 174.27.145.88

Yeeeahh. Awesome 100. Amazing. You are having a great year.

From Kelli on Sun, Jun 20, 2010 at 18:57:03 from 71.219.99.30

STUNNING! Well, I am not really stunned. I expected nothing less from you. You are so flippin' cool!!! Really, you are!

Thanks for taking the time to write the detailed race report, it really helps the rest of us wanna-be and already-are ultra runners! You are wise, maybe even beyond your years!!! ;0)

Hope you get some much deserved rest.

From Teena Marie on Sun, Jun 20, 2010 at 20:46:42 from 174.52.45.85

Seriously ... no words!!! Amazing!!!

Happy Father's Day!!! :)

From Tom on Sun, Jun 20, 2010 at 20:54:56 from 67.199.180.90

Great race report and I echo what the others have said...Amazing!!! Even more amazing is if I've calculated correctly this it your 10th straight Saturday with a race report! And it's not like you have loafed on any of them. How do you do it? Must be superhuman or made of steel or something.

From KP on Sun, Jun 20, 2010 at 20:56:57 from 173.24.252.21

awesome job! i love me some bacon and eggs, but i can't imagine that bacon grease helped to settle your stomach. you are a true ultra runner - you've got an iron stomach! thanks for sharing the report.

From JD on Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 11:53:06 from 70.96.78.157

Congratulations! Your 32nd 100 mile finish? Amazing. You're running really strong this year. Thanks for the inspiration to aspiring ultra-runners. You make the impossible seem easy.

From jun on Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 13:28:07 from 66.239.250.209

Way to go man. That is a proud time. I checked the times on the guy who asked me to pace him out there and I saw that he DNF'ed. I'm not sure where, but I get the feeling it was somewhere near the mid-point. Glad I didn't drive all the way out there to pace someone who didn't even finish.

From Dragonvulture on Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 16:58:29 from 65.44.116.4

Congrats on another great 100. Your reports make running 100 miles sound like fun. And I'm probably just crazy enough to one day make the plunge, thanks to hearing what can be accomplished with some hard work, dedication, and being a little crazy. After a few semi-gradual steps.

From crockett on Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 19:57:07 from 71.36.70.23

Thanks all. Tom: Yes, I do many of these races as motivating training runs. Even Bighorn 100 was a training 100-mile run for bigger races this season. KP, believe it or not during very long distance runs, your body really craves the grease, probably because of electrolytes being low. They had 30 pounds of bacon out there to cook. That station is a big hit at mile 76. The grease and salt do a great job in combatting nausea. Dragonvulture, yes these 100-milers seem like they are getting easier but I also know that when you aren't looking they can smack you down and spit you out. You never know. I see from the results that some very experienced runners DNFed. Several of them were ahead of me for some time.

Total Distance
0.00

Still pretty drained today.  Last night stomach recovery was having challenges, but I'm eating again now.  Muscles feel OK.   I can tell that I pushed this race pretty hard because recovery seems like it is taking a little bit longer.  My energy should bounce back by tomorrow, but running again is probalby still 3 days away.

The race results are at: http://www.bighorntrailrun.com/results/2010FINISH.HTML

Comments
From DonGardinero on Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 19:52:50 from 152.216.7.5

A fine performance!!! Congrats on such a great finish time.

Total Distance
0.00

Recovery is continuing.  I no longer feel ill.  You just gotta love a sport that makes you physically ill for a couple days after you do it.  Great fun.  I still went into work on Monday because I feel guilty staying home because I know my illness is self-imposed.  I can jog downstairs now, but the calves are a little sore.  Nerve endings have reawakened, any swelling is gone, so now and then the nerves throw a pain here and there.  But all is going well, and I look forward to training again soon. 

I came away with just one blister, on the outside right heel.  Very common for me in any shoe I wear.  I should try to figure out how to prevent that.  Also, my muddy gaiters rubbed on the back of my legs so much that I have scapes on both legs that are pretty cool.  I didn't notice the pain there much.   Some other scapes and cuts here and there from running through brush.

The next big race is Tahoe Rim 100 in 25 days, the 100-mile national champtionships.  I'll be defending my grand-master's championship from last year.  I'll need to run at least an hour faster than my Bighorn time.   Last year I did 25:43.  The course will be different this year, probably a half hour harder.

Comments
From jun on Thu, Jun 24, 2010 at 19:51:33 from 97.126.235.79

Somehow I think you'll do just fine at Tahoe. I considered heading out for the 50 this year, but couldn't get registered in time. I really want to get out there. Good luck.

Total Distance
11.00

Back running again.  After a business meeting at Park City, I hit the trails up there.  I've never run the trails there below the tops of the ridges.  I've skied those slopes many, many times so it was fun to run across slopes I knew very well.   I took a pretty direct route up to Scott's Bowl and then ran down almost entirely on single track.  Bikes are not yet on the upper trails I was on because there is still snow in places.  The run down was great fun winding in and out of the aspens, forest, and fields.  Its great to be in the mountains again.  No better place to run.  Great to be away from the roads.   It was nice an peaceful.  Plenty of thoughts about Wasatch 100 came into my mind.  Amazing that it is just 2 1/2 months away.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 11.00
Total Distance
20.00

What an adventure.  I decided to try to do my first Timp summit for the year.   I was on the trail at 1:30 a.m.    I noticed the first snow near Scout Falls....not good, that is way too low for snow.  Well, I've been up and down that mountain many times early in the season when in still had tons of snow.  I knew the safe snow routes to take.

I caught up and passed a couple groups who were trying to keep their feet dry in an area where the runoff was flowing down the trail.  After the rock slide, I caught up to another group wandering around in the giant snow field slope.  They couldn't figure out where the trail continued.  I gave them stern words that they should not be attempting the trail this early in the season if they had not ever been up it before, and certainly not in the dark.  That could be disaster if they went off track. They wanted me to guide them, but I told them I would be going too fast.  So, I took off, but they kept following.   So after awhile I looked out for them, warned them whent they were off the trail.  We had tons of snow fields to cross.  There was more snow than trail.  When we reached the huge snow slope below the basin, I explained where the trail was under the snow but said I was going straight up the slope.   They watched me go and didn't follow my route.

When I arrived in the basin (10,000 feet), I could see that it was still almost totally covered in 1-2 feet of snow.  In some places the snow was six feet or more.  Wow, this was the most I have seen up there.  I was wearing my micro spikes on my shoes, and they were doing super.  I had great traction.

I crossed the basin with no problem and then looked up to attack the slope up to a shelf under the saddle.  The trail was totally covered in snow, it would be of no help.  In the past I just headed toward the sound of the water fall and found the safe route through the cliffs.   But this morning I heard three water falls.   I just couldn't see well enough in the dark to find the right route.  I made my way up and was probably only about 30 yards from being on the shelf, but the final yards would involve a rock climb.  I probably was in the wrong place.   I knew once I got by this area, I would face one more steep snow slope to get up to the saddle and then it would be clear trail to the summit.  But I decided this just wasn't worth it.  This wasn't running, it was slow mountain snow climbing, so I headed back down.  I wimped out, I've done this before in the dark going up snow slopes, but I felt nervous in the dark. It didn't look like anyone had yet gone up above the basin this season. Oh well, I made it up to 10,500.   I could do this in the day, but it will be much easier in a couple weeks.

I crossed back over the basin and then found the group just arriving.  I warned them not to try to go above the basin since there was no trail and they had no clue where the correct route was.   I had a nice fun run down and dawn arrived.   We had tramped down a pretty good trail in the snow all the way up to the basin, so I expect lots of hikers to start making their way up to that point.

I decided to go for some real running in the beautiful morning with all the aspens.  As I was about to start, I ran into Thayne Clark and Scott Holmes out for a run up and over Alpine Loop to Aspen Grove and back.  I asked if I could join in.  We had a great run.  Thayne knows all those trails very well and took us on all sorts of nice routes.   It was great fun and I had a nice workout.

As I was driving home through Lehi, I saw several runners on the road.  I thought, "I wonder if Smooth is out running?"  Sure enough, in another block I drove by Smooth.  I rolled down the window and yelled and hello.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 20.00
Comments
From flatlander on Sat, Jun 26, 2010 at 13:02:31 from 198.207.244.102

That group was lucky to have you show up. A lot of people get in trouble not knowing what they are getting themselves into.

From Smooth on Sat, Jun 26, 2010 at 13:10:44 from 174.23.236.38

Seriously, you are amazing to run in the middle of the night through unseasonal deep snow up Timp. You are such an AWESOME mountain goat! :)

THANKS for hollering hello at me. I was just bragging about you to my newfound friend wondering what kinda of crazy adventure you'd be doing this morning after a PR Squaw Peak and Bighorn! YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!

From jun on Sat, Jun 26, 2010 at 15:37:31 from 97.126.235.79

Good information about Timp. I was planning on doing it next week, Friday, but now I might push that out another week. Sounds a little epic up there. While I have a ton of mountaineering experience, I'm not about to risk anything in the dark. Glad you didn't either. Good job on getting some great miles in. You must be feeling great after Big Horn.

From Maynard on Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 12:36:18 from 71.213.28.77

Thanks for the update on the Timp snow conditions! I was just the other day wondering when I'd be able to head up there. Looks like I'd best hold off a bit.

From DonGardinero on Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 00:35:57 from 75.162.166.216

Don't you ever sleep? You were out on the trail just as I was falling asleep for the night. Nicely done.

Total Distance
23.00

Long pavement run this morning.  I wanted to run the new Pioneer Crossing highway end to end that is nearing completion.  I'm probably the first to do that, because you need to do it in the dark when the workers aren't around.   I was out the door at 3 a.m.  The road is really nice.   A runner's paradise because they have porto-potties all over the place.  They are putting finishing touches, landscaping, sound barriers, traffic lights, side walks.  It was very peaceful running down the wide road in the nearly full moonlight.

Once in Lehi, I ran up State Street to Thankgiving Point.  I went as far as the golf course clubhouse, ran along the 10th hole, through a neighborhood and then jumped down on the path along the river.   The Montainview Corridor is making some progress.  They are starting a bridge over the river, probably first a small construction bridge.   I ran the path all the way home.  It is now essentially open as it now goes under the new Pioneer Crossing where it crosses over the river.  Very nice.    The run was about 22.5 miles and I did it averaging 9:30 pace.

Map: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/ut/saratoga%20springs/543127773463920566

The focus is now on Tahoe Rim 100 in less than three weeks.   I'll try to get some good training miles in before a taper.  I've run the race three times before.  My best time is 25:43 and I've been in the top 20 all three times.  I believe I'm the only three-time finisher in the race.  The course is changing about 24 of the miles, at least an additional 2,000 feet of new climbing.  I'm not sure what my goal should be yet since I have no idea what the new section is like.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 23.00
Comments
From Jon on Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 11:38:25 from 192.107.247.6

Port-o-potties all over the place? That does sound ideal.

From Kelli on Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 14:14:26 from 71.219.99.30

Oh my, you just never stop!! You are amazing, really, I can not say that enough.

Best of luck with gearing up for the next one.

From Jon on Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 16:22:09 from 192.107.247.6

Hey, how would you rank your 100's in terms of difficulty? SPecifically, Bear vs Bighorn?

From jun on Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 19:48:57 from 97.126.235.79

First, cool run.

Second, I would really like to see you post something on your website blog about how you rank the 100s you've done; difficulty, fun, quality, etc. I would find that very interesting.

Total Distance
18.00

Out again at 3 a.m.   Ran over the foothills to Eagle Mountain, into Cedar Valley, back through the Ranches to home.   The cold air sure sinks and stays in Cedar Valley.  Seems like it always is 10 degrees colder or so there.  Stopped at the convenient store at the Ranches.  Overall pace average fairly easy at 10:15.

Map of run: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/ut/saratoga%20springs/723127783401497606

The geek that I am, I measure my improvement in races by my percentage finish against the field.  Here are a couple charts.  I've thrown out races where I didn't really race (fun runs), and also threw out races where the field was too small or not competitive enough.  Generally races of 40 or more people.   Here is the chart for my ultras over a six year period.

The improvement trend is pretty noticeable, especially during the past year.  Next, let's take a look at my road race finishes.   I finish in a higher percentage because generally the field is less competitive with far more less serious runners.   But the trend here is even more dramatic.

I think the biggest improvement factors for both charts is probably mileage base.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 18.00
Comments
From Kelli on Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 14:40:56 from 71.219.99.30

10 degrees cooler sounds NICE!!!

Man, I am not reading your blog anymore. I feel like a total slacker!

From jun on Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 16:39:39 from 66.239.250.209

Is it sad or cool that I know the route you are running to the smallest detail even without looking at the map?

From crockett on Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 16:50:05 from 216.49.181.254

Added a couple geeky charts showing my lifetime (past six years) race performance.

From jun on Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 16:56:24 from 66.239.250.209

NERD!!!

Actually, that is really cool. That is awesome to see how it has trended down. Although it is equally awesome just to see the total number of ultra races you've done, not including adventure runs, which would easily double that number, I would think. Congrats.

From Kelli on Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 19:05:08 from 71.219.99.30

MICE!!! now did I hear you right that road races are less competitive??? WOW, now I am really scared to do a trail race.

Hmmmm....mileage you say. I think someone just told me the exact opposite a bit ago. I think I will trust you!

Awesome improvements, very impressive. And the charts just blow me out of the water, I can barely get a picture on here!

Total Distance
11.00

Alarm went of at 2:45, but I couldn't do three days in a row that early, sluffed off and slept in.  But the good news it that there was some activity going on over at American Fork Hospital.   My first grandchild was born three week early, a yet-to-be-named grandson.  I am now officially very old.  Mother and baby doing just fine.

In the afternoon ran in the canyons to the west of Herriman, a very nice network of horse/bike trails that then connect with 4wd roads up on the ridges.  Did a 10+ mile loop going up Yellow Fork, the left fork, connecting to what is called City Canyon and up to the top of the ridges climbing up 2,000 feet to 7,700 feet with very nice views of the valley and copper mines to the north.   I've been on the 4wd roads up there before several times.   I could not see evidence that any runners are using those wonderful trails and roads way up there.  I ran along high ridges and then descended down into the upper portion of the right fork of Yellow Fork.  I then blasted down the rolling, soft bike trails to complete my loop.

I would like to do more training there.  The trails are wonderful.  I like it better than the heavily used Corner Canyon across the valley because it is much less used.  Now that I know the area pretty well, I can run it in the dark.  I'll probably run there before work some days.

Map of my run: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/ut/herriman/795127793930733663

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 11.00
Comments
From flatlander on Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 12:23:05 from 198.207.244.102

Congratulations, great news. As a veteran grandfather of three years, I am available for any advice, but basically it boils down to lots of candy.

From KP on Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 12:31:48 from 65.208.22.25

congrats!

From jun on Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 17:15:51 from 66.239.250.209

***Sarcastic comment was left on facebook***

Congrats. That's really awesome.

From Jon on Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 18:17:03 from 192.107.247.6

Congrats, grandpa.

From fly on the Wall on Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 18:52:04 from 204.113.19.47

"Grandpa Crockett"

:)

From Derunzo on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 08:16:03 from 65.220.66.195

I just checked out the Map of your run.... I really need to move back West!

Looks amazing!

From jun on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 14:28:07 from 66.239.250.209

Those trails look cool. My uncle shoots nature photos around there and I've been interested in running those trails for a while now. I'll have to get over there one time. Thanks for the info.

From Smooth on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 at 15:09:55 from 174.23.191.197

CONGRATULATIONS Grandpa Crockett!!!!

AWESOME trail run as usual, what a studly grandpa!

Total Distance
7.00

Heat and Hills. Returned to Yellow Fork canyon and ran up another spur, did a steep ridge climb, followed a trail that took me back down and then ran up another spur with a huge climb to the top of the ridges.  A great workout, reminded me of the Chinscrapper climb at Wasatch.  I had the trails to myself again.  I had to turn back because I was running out of water.  With two miles to go, I drank the rest and then blasted down the soft single track clocking 7-minute miles.  Great fun.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Kelli on Fri, Jul 02, 2010 at 14:46:22 from 71.219.99.30

Nice job there at the end with the heat! You have had quite the week. I am glad you have opted to get a little sleep the last two days, you must need it!

Do your feet ever hurt?

Total Distance
12.00

Steep, steep hills.   From near Jordanelle State Park, ran up the old Mayflower mining trails to the Deer Valley ski slopes.  The mining road was overgrown at that point and slow going so I looked up and just decided to climb straight up the black diamond slopes.  I was able to find some deer trails away from the tall grass and pushed it all the way to the top of Deer Valley resort.  At the top, there was an employee there and I asked about any roads or trails that head down the Jordanelle side.  He was puzzled and asked how I got up.  I explained that I came straight up.  He was dumbfounded.   I managed to find some trails and also went straight down a slope until I rejoined the mining roads below the Mayflower lift.   It was a great workout.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 12.00
Total Distance
16.00

steep hills. climbed a canyon in Midway to the top of the ridge above Pot Bottoms aid station location for Wasatch 100. Ran on the high road all the way north and came down the very long road through Wasatch Mt Park dow to Midway by the Homestead and back to the summer home.  Pretty hot.  Tough workount.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 16.00
Race: Freedom Run 10K (6.2 Miles) 00:42:20, Place overall: 58, Place in age division: 3
Total Distance
13.00

I ran the Freedom 10K for the 4th year.  This is a fairly tough course with some long hills, making it a tough course to PR on.  I ran it with my sister and brother-in-law.   Another brother-in-law and niece ran the 5K.

I had a pretty good race, set a course PR by almost a minute and came within 16 seconds of my 10K PR.   I didn't realize I was that close because my watch wasn't working.  It would have helped push me more if it would have been working.

My splits were 6:44 (long hill), 6:32 (downhill), 6:42, 7:00, 6:47, 7:19 (long hill).

My family had a good showing.  My brother-in-law, Ed, placed 2nd in this age group, my brother-in-law Greg placed 3rd in his age group, and I took third.  There were 1,233 runners in the 10K.

After returning to our family reunion in Midway, I needed more, so I went a ran up and down Sids Canyon above the Homestead.  It is about three miles up and climbs about 1,600 feet.  Near the top a guy with a dog was jogging down.  I pushed to the top and then decided to try to push hard and overtake him. About half-way down I did.  I was surprised that he started to hang with me.  I pushed it pretty hard and he kept up pretty well. It was a blast.   At the bottom I stopped and said, "You must be an ultrarunner."  He asked, "Have you run this before?"  He was suprised that I hadn't run down it before.  He said he runs it all the time but it had been a long time since he ran that fast down it.   He was Kerry Collings from Midway and this was his training trail.  He basically his trail.  He does trail work on it and keeps it in great shape.  I could tell that someone was carring for it.  He recognized my name and explained that he was running Hardrock 100 next week.  Wow, that was cool to meet him.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 13.00
Comments
From Smooth on Mon, Jul 05, 2010 at 23:17:21 from 174.23.191.197

CONGRATZ on the course and 10K PR! WOW, excellent placement in such a huge field and deep competition.

VERY COOL that you ran into a fellow ultra trail runner!

From MichelleL on Tue, Jul 06, 2010 at 00:25:26 from 67.41.165.45

I seem to see you at every race I do. Sorry to burst your bubble about the timer being a minute off, sounds like you had a great time anyway. To be that close to your PR on this course is awesome.

From crockett on Tue, Jul 06, 2010 at 10:26:11 from 216.49.181.254

Hey, no problem Michelle, I passed it on and burst the bubble of many others. I was rather confused at the finish because it didn't feel like I ran a minute faster, so no problem. We had a good time.

From Kelli on Tue, Jul 06, 2010 at 13:26:23 from 71.219.99.30

Yeah to your family and congrats on the course PR!

From jun on Tue, Jul 06, 2010 at 16:23:10 from 66.239.250.209

Congrats on a great race. There is no mention of crazy 5k runners stretching across the road this year. Did they fix that problem from last year?

From crockett on Wed, Jul 07, 2010 at 11:03:07 from 216.49.181.254

Crazy 5k walkers were still there in force covering the entire road. I just went to far outside of them to avoid weaving. Near the end some strollers were a bother blocking things up.

Total Distance
14.00

I did a new run that included about 3,600 feet of climbing.  I started at the Yellow Fork trailhead west of Herriman and climbed clear to the top of the highest of the Butterfield Peaks that have the towers on them.  It was an amazing run first through scrub oak, then maples, then aspens, and finally pines. Going up the prickly pear cactus were in bloom, some of them bright pink others yellow.  They were incredible.  Coming down the flowers were closed.  I saw plenty of deer along the way.

The view at the top was amazing.  To the west, I could see a glimpse of Tooele, the salt flats, and the Great Salt Lake.  To the North, I could see the Bingham Copper Mine and the entire Salt Lake Valley.  Further south, I could see Utah county, Utah Lake, all the Wasatch mountains clear down to Mount Nebo.  I could see all of Cedar Valley.   The best view was to the south, a view of the massive, hidden valley of West Canyon.  Few have been in this valley because it is private property, but it was a wonderful site of green forest and steep mountains surrounding it.  I wish it was open to enjoy.  I know there are some ancient Indian settlements that are being protected.   The mountain valley with streams looks like the perfect place for cabins.  Oh well.

It took me almost 2.5 hours to get up the seven or so miles.   I took it pretty easy.  I did this run as a low carb run to lose some weight.  I ran down pretty fast, in 1:10.   It felt very similar to a Timp run up to the saddle and back.  Roughly the same miles and elevation gain.   I see no evidence of any other runners or hikers doing this.   I'm glad I discovered this and plan to do it many more times.  It is much closer to home and work than Timp.  The route is very runnable except for a very steep rough section for about a half mile or so.

Map of run: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/ut/herriman/497127846923913797

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 14.00
Comments
From Kelli on Tue, Jul 06, 2010 at 23:14:13 from 71.219.99.30

I hate running on low carbs, glad you made it through the run. It sounds like a great view from the top!

From Scott Wesemann on Wed, Jul 07, 2010 at 13:09:24 from 66.239.250.209

That looks like a sweet run. I may give it a try sometime.

From crockett on Wed, Jul 07, 2010 at 13:16:24 from 216.49.181.254

If you want to try it sometime, let me know, I can give a better description, there are lots of side trails, can be confusing. After a couple times in the area I figured out the most direct route to the top.

From Scott Wesemann on Wed, Jul 07, 2010 at 13:22:52 from 66.239.250.209

Well, you know I don't so so well with confusing and side trails. Ha :) Thanks. I will keep this one on the to-do-list and then let you know if I am planning on it. I haven't done much over there but have been wanting to for a while. I would actually like to do quite a lot of the ridge at some point, although I don't know where I would start.

From jun on Wed, Jul 07, 2010 at 14:48:28 from 66.239.250.209

Let me know when you want to do it Scott, we can go look for aliens together.

From Scott Wesemann on Wed, Jul 07, 2010 at 15:01:54 from 66.239.250.209

If there is a warm bathroom in the middle of nowhere I am in for sure.

From crockett on Wed, Jul 07, 2010 at 16:27:15 from 216.49.181.254

From Butterfield Peaks, It looks like doing the ridge around West Canyon to the highest peaks may be possible, but it doesn't look like there is any trail, bushwacking in small brush. Would be slow going, ups and downs.

Access to the ridge line has more possbilities from the west side (Tooele side). I've been to the ridge top above Cedar Valley before, but access was from the west side because of the very steep eastern slopes and no trails up to it.

From Kelli on Wed, Jul 07, 2010 at 19:31:48 from 71.219.99.30

Yes, I was thinking this might not be the run for Scott, we can not afford to lose him again. He will need an escort (that does not sound right, a buddy maybe???)

From Scott Wesemann on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 at 00:15:45 from 75.162.67.136

Kelli- HAHA! That was good. So I did some research and the best way to access the ridge is through Ophir on the Tooele side. I want to get up there this year if anyone wants to join me for some peaks.

Total Distance
14.00

A repeat of the same run I did on Tuesday, up to Butterfield Peak.   On the trail at about 4:15 a.m..   I kept some split times to push me in the future.  Last picnic area: 24:07, ridge road: 1:02, sign frame: 1:27, summit: 2:02:53, sign frame; 2:22, ridge road: 2:37, end of yellow fork: 2:49, finish: 3:14:25.  Plenty of room to improve.  I did it 20 minutes faster than Tuesday, most of that time improvement on the climb.   This is one very challenging section, steep rough single trace only used by horses that feels like the Windy Pass climb at Squaw Peak.  It is great.  It climbs 1,000 feet in about a mile and then connects to a dirt road that takes you to the top.

Dawn arrived while I was high on the ridges, a spectacular site with the orange glow and the city lights.   I saw plenty of deer and a few cows high up on the mountain.

I've climbed 9,000 feet so far this week.  Not bad.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 14.00
Comments
From jun on Thu, Jul 08, 2010 at 13:20:33 from 66.239.250.209

Man, that just sounds really cool. Your comment about all of the climbing this week has me thinking about goals for next year. While I have focused on longer runs each month this year, I'm considering doing an elevation goal for next year. i.e. 25,000 of climbing each month or something like that. Thoughts?

From crockett on Thu, Jul 08, 2010 at 13:59:01 from 216.49.181.254

In 2007 and 2008 I tracked approximate elevation climb in my log. For those years I averaged per month, 33,000 and 36,000.

From jun on Thu, Jul 08, 2010 at 14:04:39 from 66.239.250.209

See, that is super cool. I think I'm totally going to do that.

From Scott Wesemann on Fri, Jul 09, 2010 at 00:16:49 from 75.162.67.136

That is sick guys, but pretty dang cool.

Race: Hobbler Half Marathon (13.15 Miles) 01:30:41, Place overall: 22, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
22.00

I decided this cap off my week of training with a long tempo run.  With Tahoe Rim 100 a week away, working on some foot speed would be helpful.  My climbing training went well this week, so I need some speed work and signed up for another half marathon.  I hoped that the course would be fast and let me break my half marathon PR.

I ran in the new Hobbler Half Marathon put on by race13.  This half starts up in Hobble Creek and finishes in a park in Springville. They bussed us up and dumped us off in the middle of the road, not much room for a start of the race.  I warmed up by running a couple miles up the canyon, up on the Squaw Peak 50 course on the dirt road at the top of the canyon.  Three other runners did the same.

At the start, we were all very crowded with lots of slow people near the front.  There was about 434 runners in the field. The crowd near the front slowed me down in the first few hundred yards but I soon broke free and was running in the top 20. A Kenyan was with the leaders and eventually won the race.

I have run up the Hobble Creek Canyon several times as part of the Squaw Peak 50 and Katcina Mosa 100K but never have run down it before.   It had some great downhills.   For the first few miles, I ran near Lorenzo, a solid tall runner a few years younger than me.  I've never beat him in a race and still didn't today.  He soon was a small figure down the road.  My splits for the first miles were: 5:53, 6:32, 6:33, with a 19:35 5K split, better than my 5K PR.

Things were going well.  I banked time and eventually was up to 1:30 ahead of my PR pace.  I was very surprised how many small hills there were along the way and lots of winding turns.  The course wasn't as fast as Utah Valley Half.   My splits for the next three miles were: 6:37, 6:32, and 6:43, with a 40:07 10K split, two minutes faster than my 10K PR.  The downhill was helping a bunch.

More short hills appeared and things started to slow down.  I tried very hard to keep my splits near 6:40.  Miles 7-9 were: 6:42, 7:04 (hills), and 7:03.  I knew I now only had about a minute cushion on my PR pace.  I pushed it harder and mile 10 was 6:47.  I was hanging on.

But then things fell apart as the heat blasted us now that we were out the canyon and the sun was pounding on us.  Also the last three miles were a gradual hill and my legs could feel it.  I had to stop at an aid station for about 15 seconds to fill my bottle and pour water on me.  Coming in my splits were: 7:25 (aid station), 7:25 (heat), and 7:56 (out of gas).   I reached the finish at 1:30:41.  It was only 27 seconds over my PR.  I was pleased.

22nd overall and 1st in my age group.   It took 1.5 hours for the awards to be given out.  They need to do better.  Also, to help with the heat, they should have started an hour earlier. I ran laps around the park to use some of the time waiting.  My legs feel good.  I need some more heat training this week during my taper.  Next up is Tahoe Rim 100 on Saturday.  It runs on the ridges high above beautiful Lake Tahoe.

Today I can't keep my thoughts away from Hardrock 100, going on now in the mountains in Colorado, the toughest western 100.  I have so many friends in it and they are all still climbing the mountains.  I'm envious.  One of these years I'll go do it.  Sorry to see Karl Meltzer had to DNF.  I'm sure his injuries caught up with him.  Tough to run with a healing broken arm. 

P.M.  More heat training. Five miles with the dog.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 17.00
Comments
From ryandla on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 14:27:52 from 174.23.185.248

that heat once out of the canyon was killer - glad i wasn't the only one feeling it. nice job on a great time

From flatlander on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 14:29:17 from 198.207.244.102

Very solid race, someday you will beat the long-legged stallion, since you are still improving. Good luck at Tahoe Rim.

From Smooth on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 14:35:53 from 174.23.191.197

CONGRATZ on winning your division. You keep churning out these AWESOME speedy races. EXCELLENT performance!!! GOOD LUCK next Sat. Can't wait to read all about it!

From JD on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 14:45:13 from 70.96.78.157

Good speed you got there. Good luck at Tahoe!

From Burt on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 14:54:32 from 206.19.214.144

Excellent speed Crocket. I wonder if the Kenyan is the one Mary Ann has taken under her wing. Great job!

From crockett on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 15:06:29 from 71.36.79.167

Burt. Yes, I believe so. Mary Ann was with him.

From Burt on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 15:10:26 from 206.19.214.144

Yep. Confirmed on Facebook. She's hoping to get him into the Bryce Canyon race to pay for his Visa.

From Tom on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 15:12:44 from 67.199.180.90

Nice job Dave. Those last few miles were killer with the uphill and heat. Not as fast a course as I was expecting.

Lorenzo is tough to beat, I've only managed it a couple of times, probably when he was out of shape. You'll get him one of these times.

From jun on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 15:34:59 from 63.224.108.173

Congrats on a strong finish. It sounds like kind of a tough race.

From Lily on Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 17:12:25 from 67.199.181.73

Wow, I am impressed. You continually impress me!

From Jon on Sun, Jul 11, 2010 at 18:58:22 from 75.169.156.117

Nice race- and good luck at Tahoe!

Total Distance
0.00

In honor of my friends running Badwater today, I did heat training.   My workout was in the 105 degrees hot tub at the Saratoga Springs pool.   By kicking, I can bring my heart rate up and try to endure the hot temperature with a heart rate above 100. It is brutal and very uncomfortable.  I could only stand 25 minutes of it.  But I think this will help get more used to heat for my race at Tahoe on Saturday.  The afternoon will be rather hot when the course dips down near the lake.

I'll do very little or no running before race day.  I need to heal up a reaccurring internal injury.  Running aggrevates it, so I just need to stop.   Tapering is good.   No running training at this point will help my race on Saturday.   Heal up and I'm good to go.

To follow Badwater splits, see: http://dbase.adventurecorps.com/results.php?bw_eid=51&bwr=Go   They start in three waves.  The most experience Badwater runners are in the third wave that starts 1000 PDT.

 

Total Distance
0.00

More swimming and hot tub.  The pool and hot tub were much cooler today, so hard to get the heart rate up, but still got some heat training.   Will probably get out in the heat this afternoon.   Following Badwater progress today is getting me psyched for some heat on Saturday.

Comments
From jun on Tue, Jul 13, 2010 at 12:43:22 from 66.239.250.209

I have the webcast and twitter page up. It's pretty cool.

When do you leave for Tahoe? Do you drive out on Thursday or do you go tomorrow? Best of luck. I think you are looking at another course PR.

From RAD on Tue, Jul 13, 2010 at 12:44:11 from 67.172.229.125

Wow, heat training does NOT sound fun - but in honor of those in Badwater I think it's commendable!

Good luck with the healing and race in Tahoe, I love that area!

Total Distance
0.00

Still in major taper mode.  No running, just resting...some minor exercises to keep the taper pains away.  Doing heat work, driving around without the air conditioning, etc.

Last night went to the Paul McCartney concert.  Wow, it was great.  Brought back lots of memories from the '60s.  He did lots of Beatles stuff.  We had a great time.

Comments
From Maurine/Miles on Wed, Jul 14, 2010 at 13:25:21 from 63.255.172.2

Which race is Saturday? I listened to part of the concert while out running last night.

From Jon on Wed, Jul 14, 2010 at 23:01:10 from 75.169.137.147

Somebody signed up for the Bear...

From Kelli on Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 16:02:51 from 71.219.99.30

Heat training, YUCK! I seriously do not do well in heat and admire anyone who can handle anything over 75!

Have you seen "Running on the Sun?" SO COOL!!! It really puts that race in perspective, anyone who even attempts it is an amazing athlete. Oh man, and the last 13 miles....HOW DO THEY DO IT??????

Good luck Saturday. HAVE FUN!

From Dragonvulture on Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 16:19:18 from 65.44.116.4

When are you planning on running Timp next? I'm getting the itch, (havn't been up there in over 20 years) but not sure if the mountain is clear enough, or if I can wait until my planned August 8th climb.

Good luck Saturday, which race are you doing?

From Jon on Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 21:26:25 from 75.169.137.147

Good luck at the lake this weekend!

From crockett on Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 22:47:49 from 68.29.136.123

Running Tahoe Rim 100 on Saturday. It will be my 4th time, and hopefully my 4th finish. They had to alter the course this year because of a permit and now it has about 3,600 feet more climbs. It is a beautiful course, but there is near record heat this weekend.

Timp is climbable now. I know many people made it to the top July 4th weekend and it has melted a ton since then.

Total Distance
0.00

At Carson City, NV.  Race checkin is tomorrow afternoon.   It is 103 here today.  Driving down I continued my heat training by driving much of it without air conditioning.  The hot temps don't seem to bother me much, good sign.  Tomorrow morning, I'll checkout the new portion of the course and maybe golf some.

Comments
From flatlander on Fri, Jul 16, 2010 at 14:50:04 from 198.207.244.102

Good luck defending your title. Can't believe the heat there, very unusual for that area.

Total Distance
5.00

Its been a good day in Carson City, NV.  Got up with the dawn and golfed nine holes.  Had a good round.  Next, I went and powerhiked and ran down some of the new sections of the 100-mile course near the Diamond  Peak ski resort.  The big new climb isn't that bad.  Over  half of it is on snowcat roads that switch back and then the last half mile or so is straight up a ski slope, so that will be interesting.   I then checked out the section that comes down to the ski resort.  It is a beautiful trail shared with bikes, nice and smooth that follows Incline Creek, so it is shady and cool.  Looks like a ton of fun!  The climb up the slopes will be hot, probably with the sun in my face, but I'll just push hard and get it over with.

Next, I checked in. Several people recognized me and I had fun talking with them.  The best news is at the weigh in, I'm about nine pounds lighter than last year.  Wow, that is a nice surprise.

I'll go to the race briefing at 2:15 p.m. to say hi to friends, go to dinner with friends and try to hydrate well and relax.   All systems are go.  I think the course will be about an hour slower than last year due to the course change.  My goal is to at least match my time for last year which was 25:43. I'll need to get up around 3 a.m. for the 5 a.m. start.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (new) Miles: 5.00
Comments
From jun on Fri, Jul 16, 2010 at 16:20:55 from 66.239.250.209

Good luck. Sounds like an awesome experience.

From JD on Fri, Jul 16, 2010 at 16:27:41 from 70.96.78.157

Have a great run.

From crockett on Fri, Jul 16, 2010 at 19:10:07 from 173.129.45.14

You can track online results at: http://trtlive.com/ The race starts at 5:00 a.m. PDT.

From Holt on Fri, Jul 16, 2010 at 20:10:26 from 75.169.90.161

Good luck Davy!

Race: Tahoe Rim Trail 100 (100 Miles) 26:05:39, Place overall: 15, Place in age division: 2
Total Distance
101.00

Race report at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=347

Detailed race report later. Tahoe Rim Trail 100 was tough this year.  The weather was hot and the new revised course was tough.  The toughest new feature is a climb right up a ski slope without switchbacks that we had to do twice.  It was about the same as the Windy Pass climb at Squaw Peak.

My strategy was to run fast when it was cool, back off when it was hot, and then run fast again at night.  Worked great except for gut problems and terrible chafing for the last 30 miles.  I believe I was running in 3rd place for the first 15 miles when it was cool.  Once dusk came with cooler temperatures, I had a blast again cranking up the speed 

I had a good race, but not perfect.  Some issues probably cost me two hours.  But still, I finished 15th out of about 110 starters.  I guy in my age group finished in just over 24 hours, so he took the age group championships this year.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (new) Miles: 101.00
Comments
From Rob Murphy on Sun, Jul 18, 2010 at 14:35:16 from 76.27.120.29

Very impressive. It's always fun to read reports from the other world of ultra running.Your accomplishments are inspiring.

From RAD on Sun, Jul 18, 2010 at 15:16:05 from 67.172.229.125

Simply amazing - again! The hill climb does NOT sound fun, but to do it twice, wow! Chaffing for only 30 miles, huh? :) I seriously thought I read that wrong, you are one tough guy!! Nice work and great job on the finish despite having some set backs!

From jun on Sun, Jul 18, 2010 at 22:48:49 from 97.126.227.106

Congrats on another 100 finish. Sounds like the race got a lot tougher this year. It's amazing to me how you can find energy 75 miles into a race, in the dark, to blast by people. I tried tracking you online. Didn't have any problems till about 10:30 last night and then the website seemed to have problems till after I went to church this morning.

From crockett on Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 22:15:13 from 71.32.234.114

Race report at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=347

From JD on Thu, Jul 22, 2010 at 15:29:59 from 70.96.78.157

Really enjoyed your report. Congratulations on another 100 miler well run. Too bad about the chafing issues, sounds like it (understandably) slowed you up quite a bit the last part of the race. Impressive the determination you have!

From Holt on Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 14:47:52 from 174.27.236.205

Of course you are MUCH tougher than Boozer! Good job Davy. I am at such an impass (spell?) trying to run fast on the roads but wanting to get out into those beautiful trails.

Total Distance
0.00

Back home.  I have mixed feelings about my 100-mile run.  On the bright side during long stretches I felt very strong and fast.  I ran through sections of the course faster than ever before and was astonished at times how I could run the uphlls strongly.  On the downside, non-training issues slowed me down way too much, very frustrating.  The last 20 miles took me 6.5 hours because of chaffing that just couldn't be solved.  I'm chalking this up as a very good training run.  15th place isn't bad either.   Those two guys who were ahead of me during the first 15 miles didn't even finish the race.

Recovery?  Legs hardly sore at all, but the heat wore me down.  Glands swolen yesterday be not any more.  I can't stand being in the sunlight or heat at all, makes me feel sick.  That will all go away in a couple days.

Comments
From Smooth on Mon, Jul 19, 2010 at 20:31:30 from 174.23.244.221

Congratz on bagging another 100. Can't wait to read the write-ups. You are amazing!

Total Distance
14.00

Was at Scout camp with my son for three days at Mapel Dell in Payson Canyon.  Got up at 4 a.m. and did a run up a pipeline trail to a lake and then up a side canyon as far as I could go on what looked like a rough hunter horse trail.   Turned back once the trail turned into mostly bushwhaking.   Fun morning run.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 14.00
Total Distance
15.00

On the trail at 4:20 a.m. and climbed almost to the top of Butterfield Peaks before I ran out of time.  Took a longer route and took it easy.   Wow, talk about wildlife this morning!  I ran into what I think was my first mountain lion.   It was ahead of me on the road and screeched at me very loud.  It was definitely a large cat.  Even with headphones on, it got my attention.   It ran a little up the road and then it turned around and screeched very loud at me again.   It repeated this again and finally went off the road.  I went by very carefully.  It had no interest in greeting me.  Not long after that I spooked some deer that really ran off fast.  They probably heard the mountain lion.  About a half mile later as it became lighter, two foxes were on the road, spotted me, kept watching me and then ran away.   Coming down I saw two eagles flying above me and near the bottom a bunch of pheasants.  What a morning!   The sunrise was spectacular too.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 15.00
Comments
From Chad on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 13:56:48 from 168.177.153.171

Wow! Where are Butterfield Peaks?

From crockett on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 14:17:44 from 216.49.181.254

Butterfield Peaks are the two peaks side by side with towers on them west of Herriman, south of Butterfield Canyon. Oquirrh Mountains. Access is from Yellowfork Canyon.

From Tom on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 14:37:18 from 137.65.56.16

Wow! What a way to start the day!

From Scott Wesemann on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 15:46:52 from 66.239.250.209

Don't let Kelli read this or she will never go trail running again. :) That is really cool. when I had my cougar encounter it yelled at us too, but ran almost right at us and then ran away as it yelled again. It was at night and scared the crap out of me.

From crockett on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 15:48:27 from 216.49.181.254

Yes, and don't tell Kelli that it was right above her house, licking its chops. She'll run treadmills indoors the rest of her life.

From Smooth on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 17:39:16 from 174.23.218.43

WAY to run where the wild things are...right up your alley! VERY COOL to see all that wildlife all in one morning!

I'd be cougar breakfast for sure! Scarry!

From Kelli on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 20:45:22 from 71.219.99.30

You guys are FuNnY!!! But, see, this is why I do not run in that direction alone EVER, not even on the roads!!!! They are spotted there ALL OF THE TIME! It is just plain nuts that you guys are so willing to run with them---PLAIN NUTS!!!! I need to get me some mountain lion mace.

Quite the eventful run. You did forget to mention that you were also running under a beautiful full moon, that is probably why all of the crazy wild life came out.

Now, to rethink this weeks running: must reconfigure plans for treadmill runs as to avoid the mountain line that was obviously afraid of Crockett but would probably eat me for lunch.

From crockett on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 21:38:27 from 71.32.234.114

I did forget to mention the spectacular full moon. It was amazing. One time it was shining through the trees as I was climbing up toward it...looked like fire.

From Jason McK on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 23:18:30 from 97.117.40.115

Wow - that sounds eventful.

From RAD on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 23:19:54 from 67.172.229.125

Wow! I live right at the bottom of Rose Canyon Road (that goes up to yellow fork) and we've had Mtn Lions attack people's horses before and one lady met one running as well. After all those stories I hate to even go ROAD running around here alone in the morning!! That is why in the winter when it is still dark and I'm alone I take my dog :)

From Kelli on Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 09:40:08 from 71.219.99.30

As I left this morning for my run I smelled SKUNK, so I am really glad you did not run in to one of those yesterday!!!

Total Distance
7.00

After work I ran up Yellow Fork and coming down found yet another very long single track, very nice.  Ran into Cody Haycock who will be running Wasatch 100.

Planning on a birthday run this weekend.  Turning 52 so need to run at least 52 miles.  I'm planning on establishing a speed record for the Uinta Highline trail.  In 2007 I ran it with Matt Watts from Chepeta Lake to Hayden Pass in 30 hours, but this time I'd like to do the entire length from Leidy Peak to Hayden Pass, probably 75-78 miles.  And, I think I can do it in less than 28.5 hours depending on thunderstorm wait-outs (there could be many).   There are 8 passes to climb over.  It is a spectacular run but very gruling because of all the rocks in the Uintas.  I'll be renting a SPOT, so you probably will be able to track my progress online.  I'll be starting early Friday morning.

It will be a speed record mostly because no one else has recorded a time in under two days for this length of the trail.  Someone claims that Creighton King and Rob Landis did Highline Trail in a day in the 1980s, but it isn't known how long it took them and which length they did.  In any event, I'll do it solo.   I like posting speed records not for recognition but to inspire others to try to do the same and break it.  The Highline Trail doesn't get a lot of attention and is a hidden jewel in the US back country.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Scott Wesemann on Thu, Jul 29, 2010 at 13:04:08 from 66.239.250.209

That sounds like an insane (but fun) run. Good luck up there. I can't wait to read about it.

From calliej on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 00:50:31 from 97.126.140.212

Good luck with your plans! Hope that you have a great Birthday week too. Can't wait to hear about your adventure.

Total Distance
2.00

Race: Uinta Highline end-to-end (78.5 Miles) 33:19:12, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
79.00

Read my detailed report here.

Not a race, but worthy of a highlighted report.   I ran/hiked the Uinta Highline trail from Leidy Peak (northwest of Vernal) to Hayden Pass (near Mirror Lake) east to west.  In 2007 I did 65 of these 78.5 miles with Matt Watts in 30 hours.  This time I did then entire trail solo.

What an adventure.  It is so remote.  The only hikers I saw were near Kings Peak.  Other than that I saw a Forest Service guy at mile 27 and a sheep herder at mile 42.

It was a tough, tough run.  It is impossible to maintain a fast run because of all the obstacles, hundreds of creek crossings, lots of marshes, mud bogs, and trails with bowling ball or bigger rocks.  You get a good pace going and are quickly brought to a slow run/walk around the obstacles.  If you run too fast, you also lose the trail because it is very faint in so many areas. But still I covered it all in 33:19 which can be posted as the record.  My motivation for posting speed records is to get it documented so someone else can try to break it.   I also broke the record for the section of the trail from Chepeta to Hayden.  Did it in 28:33.

What is amazing, is that I only covered 18 miles during the night!  I had to climb three major passes in the dark and lost the trail dozens of times.  Without my GPS and my waypoints, I would have had to stop for the night.  With maps it is impossible to navigate many sections during the night.  When I would lose the trail, instead of going back, I would just bushwack to my next waypoint, usually within a half mile and then pick up the trail again.  Trail markers are tough to see at night.  Elevation grinded me to slow hikes above 11,500 feet.  My entire run was between 9,950 and 12,500.

The mosquitos were blood thirsy starting at mile 32.  I really regretted not bringing spray.  I probably was bit 100 times before a hiker near Kings Peak let me use his spray.  I also stopped to help this group because a boy of about 12 was throwing up repeatedly.  His father didn't know anything about electrolytes and they had only been drinking water.   I left them with some Succeed caps.  I hope they helped because they still had a long way to go and only a few more hours of sunlight.

My last 15 miles or so were a death march.  My feet was very sore from the rough trail.  I couldn't slow to take care of them because I would be eaten alive by the bugs.

After the run, I washed up the best I could and hitched a ride to Kamas with some guys were were running an aid station for the bike race Tour De Park City.  Nice guys.  They were flabergasted to hear about my adventure.  I then called my wife and she drove up to take me home.  On Sunday we spent the entire day retrieving the car left back at the eastern trailhead.

Well, I'll write a detailed run report sometime this coming week.   Even though the distance was less than 80 miles, it felt like a 100-mile race effort, a slow one.  The GPS showed 13,000 feet of climbing.  There was probably several thousand more.  As far as toughness goes, this is easier than Wasatch 100.  But this course is much slower, just impossible to run fast.

My GPS track across the Uintas:

Comments
From catherine on Sun, Aug 01, 2010 at 23:52:07 from 67.169.248.86

Wow. Great job. And nice of you to help the hiking family.

From flatlander on Mon, Aug 02, 2010 at 10:45:28 from 198.207.244.102

You must be one of a handful of people who have the skills, stamina and courage to attempt something like this. I can't imagine a more difficult run. My son once started throwing up at high altitude. We had to get off the mountain fast, very scary. He was immediately OK once we got below 10,000'.

From jun on Mon, Aug 02, 2010 at 11:49:57 from 63.224.106.149

What an awesome experience. I can't imagine doing that alone. It's very lucky that you had a few other times on much of the trail to help you through it. Crazy. Totally amazing.

From Jason McK on Mon, Aug 02, 2010 at 13:39:21 from 63.255.173.99

Crazy - or Amazing! After I typed this, I saw that is what jun said too.

From crockett on Mon, Aug 02, 2010 at 13:45:32 from 216.49.181.254

Yes, this type of adventure pushes the limits of what I feel OK about doing. Remoteness, loneliness, difficulty, length, etc. Stay tuned to my upcomming report about crazy things my mind was doing once it became sleep deprivived. Very strange to go into semi-dream state when you are still running. Really strange stuff.

From Jon on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 00:52:21 from 75.169.146.179

Holy cow, Davy. I was reading about that trail just this week, wondering if I should ever do it. Based on your description, I don't think I will- that sounds crazy. Hope you got some good pictures, and congrats on finishing another crazy run.

From Scott Wesemann on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 at 01:16:24 from 75.162.91.8

Wow! Congrats on an incredible adventure. That sounds tough, especially alone and in the dark.

From crockett on Wed, Aug 04, 2010 at 00:44:01 from 71.32.234.114

I've published me detailed report of this adventure here: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=360

Total Distance
4.00

One of the rewards of doing a very long run on the weekend is taking time off.  I did and have enjoyed the rest.  Went out to do a quick recovery road run with the dog and and the legs felt great and strong.   Plans for Saturday are to first run the Provo River half marathon with its fast downhill course...PR in the cards.  I'll get up to the start early and put in some warm up trail miles.  After I finish, drive up to Hobble Creek canyon, run in seven miles to Little Valley and then pace Mark Ellison in the Katcina Mosa 100K for his last 24 miles.  I'll probably run backward on the course until I find him.  So I'll do 50+ miles for the day.  Should be fun.  My wife's out of town, son at youth conference, so what else is there to do but run?

For the 1/2, I wear my Boston Marathon shirt to impersonate a hot shot road runner, and then I'll get into my true persona and wear my trail garb with handhelds and to head up into the mountains.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 4.00
Comments
From Smooth on Fri, Aug 06, 2010 at 10:32:19 from 174.23.203.161

You sure know how to play, er run! What a fun filled weekend ahead, PR 1/2 to start off the day, then pace a friend on a beastly mountain race! U DA MAN!!!!

From jun on Fri, Aug 06, 2010 at 10:53:01 from 66.239.250.209

Sounds like the perfect day. I fully expect to see you along the trail. I also expect you to make fun of me. I'm sure I'll be looking pretty bad by that point.

Race: Provo River 1/2 marathon (13.1 Miles) 01:32:10, Place overall: 57, Place in age division: 3
Total Distance
48.00

What a wonderful day of running.  Got up bright and early and headed to Provo to catch the buses up to South Provo Canyon for the Provo 1/2 marathon.  I took one of the first busses so I could get in some trail miles in the hills far above the start to get away from the chaos there.   Dawn arrived as I was running up the Great Western Trail.  I also did some laps around the massive field up there.  As I came down I stopped at the top of the hill and watched the total chaos with a couple other guys laughing and the sights down below.  As happens every year a guy with a bull horn tells people the wrong place for the start location and people go up and down the road as busses keep trying to come into the very tight dropoff place.   It is sadly very funny to watch.  You just have to wonder why they don't learn from the mistakes and just repeat them over and over again every year.  I need to remember to never do those races again.  They are just too silly.  The awards are silly, the shirts are silly.

I started out fast as usual hoping for a PR, but the hill they added last year and this in the middle of the race just saps the energy and at that point I backed off, knowing that I still had big miles to do the rest of the day.  Still I did fine.  The cyclists going up the Parkway were pretty rude.  Some were determined to ride as fast as they could in their lane dispite the flow of runners coming down.  I tried to let then know that hundreds were on their way.  One guy who almost hit me screemed at me.  Strange that they just couldn't realize that something was different today and they needed to be more cautious.  Bikers get a bad rep at time and many times it is justified.  I hope they changed their ways once the entire parkway became clogged with runners/walkers.

I reeled in a guy that looked like he was in my age group, caught and passed him on the last mile.   My splits were: 5:54, 6:22, 6:22, 6:44, 6:23, 7:23, 7:30, 7:48, 7:19, 7:55, 6:44, 7:51, and 7:55 to the finish.  Had fun seeming friends there.   They do a nice job at the finish, loved the pancakes.  Results were posted very fast.  I was 60th out of 1,395 runners.  Finished in the top 5%.  That is now my goal for all road races.

Well, from there I drove straight up to Hobble Creek canyon to join in with the ultra race, Katcina Mosa 100K.  I ran in 7.4 miles (big climb) to the Little Valley aid station where I was to meet Mark Ellison and pace him 22 miles to the finish.   I first spent a half hour resting there and trying to help Heath Thurston continue his race.  He ended up DNFing there.  It was great fun though as many other friends arrived.  Mark still wasn't there so I ran backwards on the course about 1.5 miles until I found him.  He was running OK but was having stomach issues.

The rest of the day was a complete blast!   I love pacing during ultras because you are fresher than your runner (I had run 14 fewer miles).  I just played all day.  Sometimes sticking with Mark, helping him and other runners near him, and I made some new friends.  Other times I blasted up and down trails.  My energy level was very high and I felt very strong and fast.   At the aid station I could camp out there and feed my face like crazy, again giving me plenty of energy.  I had no stress of racing, just the fun of serving others, sight-seeing, and running like crazy.   Mark finally found his second wind with ten miles to go and I was able to get him to run pretty fast on the wonderful single track in Dry Canyon.  I love that section and at times blasted along the rolling trail then waiting for Mark to catch up.  When we dumped out on the pavement, I discovered that I could run at a 7-minute mile still if I wanted to.  It was funny finishing the 48 miles I felt much better than I did finishing the half marathon in the morning.   At the finish, were so many ultra friends, I knew practically everyone.  We had fun swaping a few stories before I had to leave.   The weather turned out to be perfect.  A thunderstorm rolled in during the early afternoon that really cooled things off and the cloud cover and breeze kept in nice and cool.  Usually this race is blazing hot and uncomfortable.   So ends a perfect day of running.  It feels like I put in a great training day, tempo run, hills, and trails.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 16.00
Comments
From Smooth on Sun, Aug 08, 2010 at 00:46:20 from 174.23.203.161

a PERFECT day indeed on ALL levels! so happy for you! :)

From DonGardinero on Sun, Aug 08, 2010 at 01:18:43 from 75.162.185.31

Your endurance level is amazing. I'm always impressed.

From jun on Sun, Aug 08, 2010 at 09:56:17 from 63.224.107.154

Sorry I missed you at Little Valley. I was hoping to see you on the way out, but the trail breaks off too soon. I was fast through the aid stations today. I think Little Valley was my longest stop and it was only about 8 min. Everywhere else was under 4 - 5. Glad you had fun pacing Mark. That's awesome hew as able to PR. I tried to wait around as long as possible at the finish. I was there for about two hours after I finished, but then had to head home. Great job today.

From Lily on Sun, Aug 08, 2010 at 10:09:12 from 67.199.181.73

Hey I ran next to you for a minute at the Provo Trail half. You are an amazing guy. I agree the added Hill is a big killer. It threw me for a loop for a mile or 2. I had to totally gather my whits the rest of the race. I never did see all the results. Did they post them at the park? I don't think it's online yet?

Nicely done! You had huge mileage yesterday.

From crockett on Sun, Aug 08, 2010 at 10:55:28 from 71.32.234.114

Yes, they posted them at the finish. I was in a hurry to leave and the only way I found them is to follow a guy with papers in hand who took results from the finish line out to the parking lot and posted them on a van where they were handing out the shirts. It was almost like they were hiding that location. Funny race. You did a great job. Good to run near you until you pulled away.

From Kelli on Sun, Aug 08, 2010 at 13:44:39 from 71.219.102.155

Great race and so glad to hear about you and your energy levels spreading happiness all over the ultra trail. I am sure you were a huge help to Mark and many other runners.

From Matt on Sun, Aug 08, 2010 at 14:42:29 from 98.202.72.183

Nice job. Just another casual 48 mile day. If I ever got Ultra I'll have to talk to you.

From Teena Marie on Mon, Aug 09, 2010 at 12:13:23 from 174.52.45.85

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Can't help but smile thinking about how much you enjoy this! :)

From Maurine/Miles on Mon, Aug 09, 2010 at 12:20:34 from 63.255.172.2

Great job racing and helping others. I was never fond of the Provo River Trail Half because it seems like they do a schlocky job for all the years it has been running. I think they start their planning all over each year and never review previous years or ask runners what they think.

From Scott Ensign on Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 12:28:02 from 129.123.3.31

geez you are superhuman to do all that and run a great half time as well. I thought the 48 miles on the day was a typo at first!

Total Distance
0.00

Strange how that 48 miles Saturday really wore me out.  I must be getting old.  Yesterday I slept a ton and was pretty sore.  Today I've bounced back, gazing up at the mountains, longing to be there.  That is a good sign.

Here is my update graph on my percentage finishes in road races for the past five years.  (top x percent) Note the tread line. Saturday I finished the half marathon in the top 4.3%.   I enjoy this chart because it is evidence what old dudes can do.  I see too many guys in their late 40s and early 50s who are convinced they are just too old to take up running or do very well.  Look at the trend line, when I started the trend line was in top 20%.   20% on Saturday would have been about a 1:47 half marathon.  Not bad, but it shows that you can reach so much higher if you want.  Age won't shut you down as much as you think.   For much of the afternoon on Saturday I ran with a 61-year old who took the two-hour early start in KM100K.  He was doing great, staying at Mark's pace.  He was really questioning if he could finish Bear 100 next month.   I hope I convinced him that he could.  He improved on his KM100K by nearly three hours this year over last year.

Here's my updated ultra finish trend.  It isn't quite as steep a slope, but I'm recently staying ahead of the trend line.  Started at about a 48% finish which is back of the pack (given usually lots of DNFs) to top 15% which is usually quite a bit better than mid-pack.  The ulta graph is tougher to get down because the slope is based on the competition.  In my ultra races there is almost always national competition, not just local.  In my road races, except for Boston, it was all local competition.  Another factor, the local road races probably have an average age of 35 or less.  In ultras it is closer to 45 year old.

Comments
From jun on Mon, Aug 09, 2010 at 12:06:29 from 66.239.250.209

Yeah, it must be that you are getting old. It couldn't possibly be the fact that in the last three weeks you have run a 100 miler, 78 miles in the Uintas, and a near 50 miler which included a race at tempo. You're right, its just because you're old. Hahahahaha.

FYI, there is a small part of me that is so happy I didn't run into you on Saturday. I can only imagine the abuse you would have given me. It does make me laugh though.

From crockett on Mon, Aug 09, 2010 at 12:12:08 from 216.49.181.254

No, I probably wouldn't have abused you (much), I would have been in shock. I was in enough shock when I checked with the Little Valley checkpoint guy and discovered you had already come and gone. "Dang, I missed him." as I looked down the road.

From crockett on Mon, Aug 09, 2010 at 12:47:38 from 216.49.181.254

Updated my charts on this post.

From jun on Mon, Aug 09, 2010 at 12:54:15 from 66.239.250.209

Really cool. So much for getting old.

From Jon on Mon, Aug 09, 2010 at 13:05:47 from 75.169.149.139

Awesome. If you keep it up, you'll be me in a few years.

From crockett on Mon, Aug 09, 2010 at 13:31:43 from 216.49.181.254

Well, if I would have started in my youth, looking at aging trend studies, I would have likely been able to do 2:40 marathons or better in my late twenties where I should have peaked. I expect I'll peak this year or next. Then I'll use a cane and find that rocking chair.

From Jason McK on Mon, Aug 09, 2010 at 13:45:20 from 63.255.173.99

Canes are over-rated.

From Smooth on Mon, Aug 09, 2010 at 14:52:53 from 174.23.203.161

That is some cool data analysis!

Davy, you just keep getting better as you aged, like cheese and wine!

Anyway I look at it! You are one of a kind! Simply AMAZING!!!! Truly a LEGEND!

From Kelli on Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 16:35:16 from 71.219.102.155

All of that is just proof of how amazing an athlete you are (and, yes, that old dudes can run!) As I told Smooth, you guys are aging like fine wine or cheese!

Total Distance
12.00

Early morning run, 3:45 a.m. out to the ridge between Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain.  Its been a couple years since I ran that ridge.  Some massive construction on top, put in some sort of huge tank multiple stories high burried on top.  Interesting.   Had a great run in the meteor showers, saw a bunch of shooting stars.

Not worried about doing many miles this week.  Next week should be huge mileage.  I'll backpack the entire week in the High Uintas.

Comments
From jun on Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 18:05:39 from 66.239.250.209

You heading out with your brothers and boys? Sounds like it will be an amazing week.

You won't be up there while we are running King's by chance? It would be cool to see you guys.

From AZDesertmonsoon on Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 18:07:01 from 204.17.31.126

Tonight is supposed to be the peak for the meteor shower early in the AM. I hope to see some.

From crockett on Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 18:10:45 from 71.32.234.114

It will be with my usual backpacking buddies plus my brother, Bob. We'll be going in West Fork Blacks, summit Lovenia, go around it, over Swan Pass, and out East Fork Black, 40-50 miles and then I'm sure Bob and I will do trail runs each day. So we will be further to the west of you, two valleys over.

From Jim Kern on Fri, Aug 13, 2010 at 17:10:49 from 192.107.247.6

Davy,

Next week I'll be backpacking east of Logan with a couple guys from my ward. We will summit Mt. Elmer, Mt, Jardine, Flattop, and Naomi Peak. Last week I took one of the guys, Lon Stevens, with me to Bairgutsman. It was his first trail race. He finished 42nd overall in 2:40. For next summer's trip we plan to do the Bear 100 course in three days.

Are you going to run the Antelope Island 100K on November 6th?

From jun on Sat, Aug 14, 2010 at 00:00:13 from 97.126.225.186

Hold the phone, what's this 100k you speak of Jim? Link?

From jun on Sat, Aug 14, 2010 at 00:06:41 from 97.126.225.186

Never mind. Found it. Looks awesome.

From crockett on Sat, Aug 14, 2010 at 08:18:12 from 71.32.236.24

The new 100k? Maybe, looks fun. That is during prime-time for canyon country adventures, so I might rather spend the time in the canyons. We'll see.

From Kelli on Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 17:46:02 from 71.219.102.155

You guys are crazy, seriously. I love that you are crazy, but you really are certifiable.

Hope you are enjoying your trip!

Total Distance
4.00

I backpacked all week in the Uintas with my brother Bob and other friends who I have backpacked with for the past 15 years.  I really looked forward to getting in some serious training this week above 9,400 feet.  I put together the route this year and convinced the group to do more than usual, around 50 miles.  My pack started out at 39 pounds and ended up at 32 pounds (minus food and fuel along the way).   We had a wonderful time, one of our best trips and only saw a handful of people in the high wilderness.

Day 1: We got to the West Fork Blacks Fork trailhead later than planned, so we only put in a little over four miles.  We camped in a nice location north of Bucks Pasture.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 4.00
Total Distance
26.00

I got up early to do a run.  Went out of the tent around 3:30 a.m.   I ended up running up the West Fork just one mile short of Deadhorse Lake.  It was rather slow going in spots because of all the marshes and mud bogs to cross.  I then ran back, timing my run to finish at 6:30 a.m. when everyone got up, so I didn't cause any delay.  It was a beautiful early morning run.  I ran in a big herd of sheep sleeping near the trail.  They made a racket and ran away from me.  I then woke up the shepherds dogs going up and coming back.

Day 2:  We backpacked up to Deadhorse Lake (nearly 11,000 feet).  Pretty funny that I nearly covered the route three times today.   It was nice that I knew the route and could help everyone know what to expect.   We hoped to do more miles today, but Carl from Virgina was having difficulty with the altitude and really slowing down, so we decided to just stop for the afternoon.  

We did fishing (caught many trout and kept six for dinner).   Bob, David and I did a run up to Deadhorse pass  (a 600 foot climb to 11,530 ) and really enjoyed the views there.  When we got back to camp, I discovered that my camera was no longer in my pocket.   I dropped it somewhere while blasting down the trail.  Well, why not go back up?  So I did.  I searched and searched but no luck.  Oh well, it was old.  Time to buy another one.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 8.00La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 18.00
Total Distance
12.00

Day 3:  No early morning run because I knew it would be a tough day.  We first climbed up to Red Knob Pass (nearly 1,000 foot climb).  I was surprised the Brad's 18-year-old son kept up with me as I pushed it hard up the trail.   We then all dropped out packs there and all but Carl (still slow because of altitude) went and summited Mount Lovenia (13,219).  This is one of the toughest high peak in Utah and rarely summitted.  We saw no evidence of recent visitors.   It was lots of steep boulder climbing and loose scree.  When we were aproaching it, I had fears that it would be too tough, but once we were at the base, I could see it was doable. 

As we approached, far down below in the basin we could see over 1,000 sheep.  We could hear them and at times it sounded like they were cheering us on.  They were about 700 feet below us.  We ran into a loan backpacker who had come up from the East Fork Blacks Fork.

The guys did great, we learned that the best route is right up the steep ridge where the boulders are bigger and more stable. At the top the views were spectacular.  We could see all the way to Timp and Mount Nebo.  We could see views of Kings Peak and Gilbert and many other peaks I could name.  It was an amazing view totally worth it, but it really wore out everyone.   I led the group down very fast and Carl recorded a funny video of my arrival back to Red Knob.

We retrieved our packs and then decended down into the Lake Fork basin.  The weather looked threatening, so I pushed the group to make it down into the forest.  A couple were worn out and wanted to stop very soon, but I pushed them to do at least another mile.   We found a beautiful camp next to the Lake Fork River.  After we had our tents set up it rained for about an hour or so.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 12.00
Total Distance
19.00

I got up early again today for a run.  I was out of the tent at 4:30 a.m. and made my way up to the spectacular Crater Lake, two miles away from our campsite.  I didn't use and trail, just used my GPS and went through some thick forest.   I eventually did link up with a trail in the dark for about a mile until I lost it.  That was helpful.   I saw the lake at early dawn and then headed back to camp, arriving just as the group was cooking breakfast.

Day 4: The weather was cool today, mostly overcast.   Our goal was to make it to a lake below Squaw Pass, 12 miles away.  We made very good time along the Highline trail.  I really enjoyed the trail, because the last two times I was in this area, it was dark.  I finally could figure out sections of the trail include the trail up Red Knob Pass and across many meadows.

We reached the lake around 12:30 p.m.  Perfect timing because we saw a big rain strorm coming.  We franticly put up our tents as we watch a thick cloud come down from Squaw Pass racing toward us.  It turned out to be perfect timing because for the next three hours or so it rained and even snowed!

Once the rain stopped, I got out of my tent and explored the area.  David and I climbed up to Squaw Pass (400 foot climb to 11,760).  At camp for the rest of the day, we were cold and our feet were wet.  We all ended up going to bed early to stay warm.  Near dusk, all the clouds raced out of the sky and we now had clear skies and a spectacular high mountain sunset.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 19.00
Total Distance
21.00

Day 5:  I didn't do an early morning run because it was just too cold.  It was below freezing and I had a rough night sleeping.  Bob's water pump even froze.  But once the sun came up in the clear blue sky we finally felt warm again.

We climbed up and over Squaw Pass and decended down Little East Fork Blacks Fork all the way to the trailhead and campground.  The lower sections of the trail were very rough and not pleasant.  Lots of trail boulders and mud bogs.  At one point I could hear Carl scream from 100 yards back, "Boulders, I want more boulders."   Cracked us up.

Once we got to camp, Bob and I hoped to do 20 more miles to summit another 13er, Mount Tokewanna, but we arrived too late and were worn out.   Instead, after a couple hours rest,we did a trail run on the Bear River - Smith Fork trail that runs east-west on the North slope of the Uintas. 

I pushed it very hard on the 1,000-foot climb,  arriving at the top in only 49 minutes where I waited for Bob.  We then ran across the ridge in the forest to the point it starts decending into the Middle Fork.  We then turned around and ran back.  I really pushed the downhill hard and at one point ran a 6:30 mile on a great section of trail.  I was very pleased with my strength and speed, even with the long backpack today.

The weather was perfect today, no rain and nice and warm in the evening.   Many people arrived at the trailhead because the bowhunting season starts Saturday.  We were glad to finish before the hunters came.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 21.00
Total Distance
13.00

Da7 5: Bob, David, and I left camp at 7:15 to do a trail run to retrieve the cars parked back at the West Fork (we were camped in the East Fork).   We did a nice tough run with 1,800 feet of climb along the way.  I really love that trail, it is in good shape and doesn't have the millions of boulders in the trail like others that go up by the rivers.  This trail (Bear River - Smith Fork) trail runs cross-wise up and down into the valleys.  We ran up and over into Middle Fork and then up and over into West Fork.  The descent into West Fork was long and fast on wonderful switchbacks.  It was a blast.   I ran the stretch fast, at my pace, but stopped several times to wait for Bob and make sure he didn't take wrong turns.  David did great and pressed on ahead.  He completed the run in about 3 hours.  My "running time" was 2:16.

We then drove the cars back to the East Fork, picked up the rest of the guys and headed back to civilization after a wonderful week in the wilderness.  We pigged out on pizza in Kamas.   Funny how this week I ate far more than I usually do, but still I lost about five pounds or so.  This was a great training week for Wasatch, high altitude and dragging a pack around for about 40 miles or so.

I put in 95 miles this week.  I had hoped to do 100, but the poor weather Thursday shut down doing more runs.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 13.00
Comments
From Holt on Sat, Aug 21, 2010 at 20:09:19 from 75.169.90.161

Sounds like an awesome adventure!

Total Distance
0.00

After that amazing week in the Uintas, I'm dreaming about returning.  My new favorite trail in the Unitas is the Bear River - Smith Fork Trail, at least between the West and East Forks of Blacks Fork.  It is much better than trails like Henry's Fork, etc, that go up drainages with boulder infested trails and mud bogs.  This trail has much tougher climbs because it goes up and over high ridges.   I'm contemplating returning this season to give the section between Bear River and West Blacks Fork a try.  No idea how far that is, probably at least 12-13 for a marathon out-and-back with about 7,000 feet of climbing.  Another wish is to run the trail from Bear River to East Smith Fork and back, maybe about 70 miles total, probably 17,000 of climbing.  I'd also like to bag Tokewanna, another 13er I didn't have time to do last week.  I've now done 10 Uinta 13ers.

Comments
From jun on Sun, Aug 22, 2010 at 21:52:28 from 97.126.232.37

I've wanted to go tag Tokawanna for a long time. One of these days.

Total Distance
14.00

Back to training.  Wasatch 100 in only 16 days.  Out the door at 3:30 a.m.  Out to Eagle Mountain, through the Ranches and back.  Nice full moon, much of it without my light on.  Perfect cool temperatures.   I will need to start some heat training next week.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 14.00
Comments
From jun on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 12:13:28 from 66.239.250.209

I've read reports that a good portion of the trail is really over grown this year. Is that normal or does it get cleaned up prior to the race?

From crockett on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 12:26:43 from 216.49.181.254

Really, the only bad section usually is near Bountiful B. They take the course through a section that seems like it really isn't much of a trail. They could be complaining about that section. All other sections of the course get a lot of traffic, perhaps sections in the last 15 miles could be overgrown. I actually hope for bad conditions. I usually do better against the competition if conditions are uncomfortable.

From jun on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 12:27:49 from 66.239.250.209

That makes sense. The comment was made after they had run the first 40 miles.

From crockett on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 12:39:36 from 216.49.181.254

Yep, it was probably that Bountiful B section. It was slow going last year. That was the section where I had some fun and hid in the bushes as Phil Lowry was catching up to me. Then I jumped out and scared the pants off him. He went on to beat me by more than two hours. Hopefully I can hang in there better this year.

From jun on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 12:43:19 from 66.239.250.209

Yep, that sounds like the section.

I think if you can maintain good energy and pace from Lamb's Canyon all the way to Brighton you should be able to knock quite a bit of time off. The last two years that seems to have been your trouble area of the race, specifically Big Water to Scott Hill.

From crockett on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 12:48:19 from 216.49.181.254

Yep, Big Water to Scotts has been my downfall. Bonking after sunset. I haven't had that problem since, so I'm hopeful. I'll concentrate eating well after Lambs.

Total Distance
4.00

4 hot miles up Lake Mountain in 95 degrees.  The flies were horrible so I gave up.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 4.00
Total Distance
40.00

Detailed version here.

I wanted one more long training run before my 100s next month, Wasatch and Bear.  I thought it would be good to do lots of climbing at an easy pace with plenty of time on the feet and get some altitude.  So, back up to the Uintas.

I'll give more details on my blog with pictures, but I ended up running the Bear River - Smith Fork trail from West Bear River to the slopes of Mount Tokawanna. This trail is very different from the other trails in the Uintas.  It crosses up and over ridges down into the North Slope canyons, so it is constant climbs and descents. The trail was pretty rough and hard to find from West Bear to West Blanks Fork.  This is mainly due to the tragic June 2002 fire caused by boyscouts that wiped out three of the canyons.  The trail is still there and I can tell gets some maintanence, but looks like not for a couple years.  Hundreds of dead fall to jump over.  Most were small, but they were fire dead fall with spikes on them where the limbs were.  One wrong move and you get a spike in your leg.  I was lucky and careful.

Navigating in the dark was very hard.  I lost the trail for at least a total of 1.5 hours and I was stubborn, tying to find it.  I eventually found the entire trail, probably the first person to be on the whole thing in years.  Some of it is now used for cross country skiing, other portions are now ATV trails.  Most is just neglected.  The Boy Scout camp should go do some trail work. on the trails near their camp.

Anyway, I had a great time.  The 20 miles going out, much in the dark and wandering around, took me 8 hours.  I gave up twice but then found the trail.  Coming back it took under 6 hours.   I didn't quite summit Mount Tokewanna, the 10th tallest mountain in Utah.  With under two miles to go and 2000 more feet up, a bad storm blew in.  I had a head wind of 30-40 mph and when the hail started to fall on my, I aborted.  I didn't have winter clothes and was a little chilly.  I felt uncomfortable about completing it solo today.  If I feel axious about it, I just don't do it.  So I turned around and had tons of fun bounding down the grassing slope for three miles.  I'll do it another time.  The proper ascent is from the Middle Fork.  Easy stuff.

I saw plenty of wildlife.  On the way back I saw my second wildcat.  It was ahead of me on the upper Mill Creek area where the trees were sparse.  It didn't see me and I could have got closer, but I decided to make noise.  It then ran away up the hill.

I had a great time.  It was a very tough training run with about 9000 feet of climbing, tons of hopping over dead fall and my feet were wet nearly the entire time.  The weather in the lower lands was pretty good, just a couple of short showers.  But those weird dark clouds were on the higher peaks all day.

So, Goodbye Uintas for another season.  I had great fun up there this year.  TOday was good, above 9000 all day and nearly up to 12000.

I wrote this without reading glasses, pretty blind.  Maybe I'll clean up all the typos later.  Time for sleep.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 40.00
Comments
From Jim Kern on Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 23:51:44 from 97.117.42.147

Sounds like you are ready for Wasatch. Good luck.

From jun on Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 15:39:34 from 97.126.232.37

Cool trip report. Thanks for sharing. I look forward to the next couple of months to see how every does in their 100s. Good luck.

From crockett on Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 19:15:06 from 71.36.82.14

Detailed report at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=396

From Kelli on Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 22:23:39 from 71.219.102.155

I would not worry about the typos, we do not care!

Crockett, you are an animal. I am glad you get to run with them to (but be so careful, those things scare me!!!)

I bet we could arrange for you to be a Scout Master and you could lead them on a good clean up through the trails.

Excited for your 100's, are they here?? I would love to come and watch at least the finish of one or help out in the race!!

BTW, did you know that you have a PR in the future? The year 2020 to be exact. ;o)

From crockett on Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 22:42:01 from 71.36.82.14

Kelli, thanks. Wasatch 100 is the race to see, but warning, you can really catch the ultra bug.

If you or anyone one else is interested, I have no crew lined up for Wasatch. I can survive without one, but it does help. A crew would meet me on that Friday at 3-4 checkpoints, Big Mountain, Lambs Canyon, Big Water (Millcreek), and maybe Brighton (after midnight). I'll finish Saturday morning at Midway, hopefully close to dawn this year.

For Bear 100, I have a crew and pacers all lined up.

From Scott Wesemann on Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 23:41:43 from 75.162.85.220

What a great adventure. I really enjoyed reading the report. That is some rugged terrain that doesn't see a lot of traffic. Nice work!

From Kelli on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 09:18:10 from 71.219.102.155

I would love to help out!! Scott?? Craig?? I do not know where any of these places are (aside from Brighton) but I am sure I could find them. I bet my husband would help out, too. LMK what we can do and I will figure it out. It is not this weekend but next, right?

Total Distance
0.00

Recovered well from the grueling adventure yesterday.  Funny how my only soreness is in my left wrist, don't know why.  Either from gripping a bottle too hard or a fall.

I'm having fun tracking Chad Brackelsberg on the Highline Trail.  I think he is trying to break my record.  He has a good advantage in that he's backpacked the entire trail before and has 300 actual waypoints.  He's carrying a SPOT receiver and so far, so good.  He's at mile 13.4 (Chepeta) about 40 minutes ahead of my pace. He started at sunrise, I started in the dark, so was slowed in the first part.   Chad will hit high winds and cold tonight.  I hope all goes well.  I really, really hope he breaks my record because then I will be highly motivated to do it again next year.

Chad is a much faster runner than me, I like his chances.  Last year he ran Wasatch in under 25 hours.  I gave him a bunch of advise for this Highline run.

His Spot it at: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0TuBeqI9VSR3L7mqDbyaD2eHn2hveakCf

Comments
From Kelli on Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 22:19:49 from 71.219.102.155

That is a cool way to follow a runner!!! I love that you WANT him to beat you, that is awesome! Now off to read what you did yesterday that may have hurt your wrist, must have been brutal!

From crockett on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 17:41:13 from 216.49.181.254

Well, Chad blew away my Highline Trail record! He's the new king of the Unitas. He did it in 28:08, more than five hours faster than me. Incredible. He had three GPSes running and the total miles were 83 miles.

From Kelli on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 20:07:39 from 71.219.102.155

5 hours?????? well, that will keep you motivated to do it again!

Total Distance
0.00

Stayed up late following Chad online as he ran the Uinta Highline Trail.  Then I dreamed about it all night.  I kept expecting him to falter, but he didn't.  He crushed my record by over five hours.  28:08.  Granted, I didn't really try to race it this year, but still...  Now there is a time very challenging for me to try to beat.  Very impressive.  He had three GPSes running and they showed 83 miles.   Wish I could try to best his time this weekend, but that would be stupid, so I'll focus on a real race, Wasatch 100.

I need to do some tempo runs, heat training, and some more weight loss.   I know I'll be tempted to do another Uinta run next weekend because the weather is looking good.  We shall see.

Comments
From Lily on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 23:41:02 from 67.199.181.73

You're an animal Davey. :)

Total Distance
12.00

Treadmill miles.  WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?   Yeah, I know.  First time on the crazy machine in months.  Here's my crazy thought process.   For Wasatch 100 as I start tapering, I need to work on footspeed.  The treadmill helps me do that.  It even helps me get used to a power hike pace of at last 4.5 mph.  And, I can crank that incline way up, was doing powerhikes at 35%.  Woa, baby.  Also, in the 75 degree+ room, I'm doing heat training, sweating like crazy.   Also did weights and core....yuk, yuk, yuk, yuk, yuk, yuk, gag me with a spoon.

Felt good after the crazy workout.  I know others in the room think I'm insane running at huge inclines and grunting and groaning like I'm killing myself.

p.m. 4-mile tempo run in the heat.  Boy that was hard.  Haven't done fast runs like that in over a month.  Interesting how fast you lose it. After three miles it felt like I was starting to warm up and I felt better.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 12.00
Comments
From JD on Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 13:38:49 from 70.96.78.157

I can relate. I ran on the TM last week for the first time in months. Great tool for speed work, and it was a nice little break from the current routine.

Total Distance
15.00

The weather looked so nice today that on a whim, I decided to run up Mount Timpanogos after work.  I usually go up about 15 times each year, but I've trained other ways this year, so this was the first time I made it all the way up there (I tried in June when there was still too much snow.)

This is a great way to benchmark my fitness because I've run up so many times.  (This was my 63rd summit). Afternoons are great to run up there because the trail is pretty empty as most people are already back down or almost down.  I had the trail mostly to myself.  I was delighted to see my ultrarunning buddy, Brent Rutledge from Lehi coming up as I was heading down.  I haven't seen him in a few months.  He's training for The Bear 100.

This went very well.  I didn't push it too hard, but still did the second fastest round trip I've ever done, and the fastest I have ever done solo. (My PR was running with others).  My roundtrip time was 3:22.   

Splits:

Scout falls: 20:14, rock slide 42:41, Basin trail junction: 1:17, Saddle 1:44, Summit: 2:05, Saddle 2:17, trail junction: 2:31, Scout Falls 3:09, Trailhead 3:22.

In never fails, when I push the time toward 3:30, I face plant at least once.  The trail is just too technical.  As I was approaching a problem section, I was thinking that I better be careful and not face plant, right after that thought, down I went.  Boom.  Scraped a knee and sprained a finger a bit.  But I was fine.  But I also have four near-face plants.  Very close to going down, just caught myself in the nick of time.  My left foot is the problem that usually trips.

So, I'm very pleased by my fitness.  I never felt any altitude problems at all.  I didn't slow down near the top.  All my altitude work this month has really helped.   I think I'm ready for Wasatch 100.

 

 

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 15.00
Comments
From jun on Thu, Sep 02, 2010 at 12:07:46 from 66.239.250.209

I think you're ready too. Who's pacing you this year?

From crockett on Thu, Sep 02, 2010 at 12:11:56 from 216.49.181.254

No pacers or crew lined up for sure yet. A crew would be nice. Kelli is considering. If someone wants to run with me, it is welcome if logistics could be figured out. I think I have Bear 100 covered, both crew and pacers.

From jun on Thu, Sep 02, 2010 at 12:18:29 from 66.239.250.209

I'm taking Darrell Phippins from Brighton to the finish, but I took Friday off of work in case someone needed earlier pacing or crewing. I might be able to help out at a few places. I'm hoping to get a whole bunch of miles in that day.

From Scott Ensign on Sat, Sep 04, 2010 at 22:14:22 from 67.41.171.223

I would like to run timp sometime to see if I have what it takes to run trails. if you give me some heads up on one of your next runs, maybe I could join you?

Total Distance
2.00

OK, call me stupid.  ---- Everyone together now, "STUPID"  Thanks.  I just can't taper in the middle of the summer when the weather is so perfect.  Tomorrow I am thinking of returning the the scene of the crime, last Saturday's run.  Now that I know the trail on the west, why not run the entire Bear River - Smith Fork trail end-to-end and set a speed record?   This would be running across 7 forks and 6 major ridges.  About 25 miles with 7,000 feet of climbing.  And then of course need to return back for over 50 miles.

Perhaps stupid, but I do recall one of my best 100-mile races ever, Leadville 100 in 2006 when I didn't taper at all, doing a tough backpack the days leading up to it.

Comments
From jun on Thu, Sep 02, 2010 at 17:26:15 from 66.239.250.209

I'll say it, but only because I'm such a good friend . . .

STUPID!!!!

From Maurine/Miles on Sun, Sep 05, 2010 at 10:36:54 from 97.117.59.81

Stupid!

But way cool.

Race: Uintas North Slope 59-miler (59 Miles) 18:08:00, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
59.00

Not a race, but I did establish a speed record on a trail on the North Slope of the Uintas.  I ran the trail out and back for 59 miles and about 13,000 feet of climbs.  I know I should be tapering for Wasatch 100, but the weather was too ideal to pass up an adventure run.

Read all the details and view the pictures at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=415

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 59.00
Comments
From Jon on Sun, Sep 05, 2010 at 10:02:58 from 98.71.139.73

I have to say- this run seems pretty par for you, not so crazy anymore. But doing it 1 week before Wasatch? Even for you, that's nutso. Looks like fun, though.

From crockett on Sun, Sep 05, 2010 at 11:38:51 from 71.32.232.159

I should be fine for Wasatch. No soreness at all from Friday. Just need some rest and relaxation.

Total Distance
6.00

While I was being good and resting today, I received a distress call from my brother up on Lone Peak.  He and my nephew were descending but nephew Rob could not move any more with heat stroke/exhaustion symtoms.   I rallied, called my brother in law and we raced over to the Orson Smith trailhead.  By that time, my brother had descended and looked bad.  We were in contact with Rob by cell phone and he was doing a little better up on the mountain.  Ed and I raced up the trail.  I was still pretty pooped from yesterday, so I sent Ed ahead.  He is a nationally ranked triathlete, very fit.  It was 95 degrees out.   Ed made it up to Rob about ten minutes ahead of me.  By that time Rob was descending.  He had received some drink and help from a passing hiker.  We then escorted Rob down.  Thankfully everything worked out well.  It turned out to be a good excuse to go up on the mountains today.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 6.00
Comments
From Tom on Sun, Sep 05, 2010 at 10:29:25 from 67.199.180.90

That's pretty scary about your brother and nephew. Glad to hear everything turned out ok.

From Maurine/Miles on Sun, Sep 05, 2010 at 10:36:04 from 97.117.59.81

Scary. Glad you were able to help out and all turned out okay.

Total Distance
3.00

Major tapering this week.  Rest and relaxation.  I went to the pool and did some heat training in the hot 105 degrees hot tub, but discovered that won't be needed this year because the forecast for Wasatch will be perfect weather.  Lambs canyon will be in the low upper 60s-low 70s.  Overnight will be near freezing, probably about 34.  Sunny, perfect.  Should be fast times.

Did some weights and core.  Also working the hamstrings to keep away the taper pains that usually like to start there.

Comments
From Bryce on Mon, Sep 06, 2010 at 23:25:11 from 174.52.190.220

Good luck Friday Davey! You're right, perfect weather. Should be a great run.

From Scott Wesemann on Tue, Sep 07, 2010 at 02:17:16 from 75.162.85.220

Good luck Friday. You have been getting in some incredible mileage and elevation lately. I'm excited to see your results.

From jun on Tue, Sep 07, 2010 at 10:52:54 from 66.239.250.209

Good luck this weekend. Hope to see you out there.

From Jon on Wed, Sep 08, 2010 at 21:11:25 from 98.71.139.73

Kick some trash!

Total Distance
0.00

All systems go for Wasatch.  Hoping for cool, wet conditions.  Looks like I might get my wish.  If we get a little snow on the ridges, that will really help pound down the dust.  Nice.  No heat this year. Hoping for at least a one hour improvement over last year.  Track results at:

http://www.wasatch100.com/

  miles Split Goal Clock 2009
Start 0 0 0:00 5:00 AM  
Francis Peak Aid 17.7 8.1 4:00 9:00 AM 4:01
Bountiful B 24 6.3 5:10 10:10 AM 5:18
Session Lift-off 28.2 4.2 6:00 11:00 AM 6:10
Swallow Rocks 34.9 6.7 7:45 12:45 PM 7:56
Big Mt 39.4 4.5 8:55 1:55 PM 9:09
Alexander Rg 47.4 8 10:55 3:55 PM 11:16
Lambs Cyn 53.1 5.7 12:25 5:25 PM 12:55
Big Water 61.7 8.6 14:55 7:55 PM 15:23
Desolation 66.9 5.2 16:55 9:55 PM 17:38
Scotts Peak 70.8 3.9 18:15 11:15 PM 19:01
Brighton 75.6 4.8 19:25 12:25 AM 20:10
Ant Knolls 80.3 4.7 21:20 2:20 AM 22:09
Pole Line 83.4 3.1 22:30 3:30 AM 23:23
Rock Springs 87.4 4 23:50:00 4:50 AM 24:45:00
Pot Bottom 93.1 5.7 25:40:00 6:40 AM 26:42:00
Finish 100 6.9 27:30:00 8:30 AM 28:33:02

 

Comments
From jun on Thu, Sep 09, 2010 at 13:11:05 from 66.239.250.209

Good luck man. I think you will be near or ahead of Darrell Phippen throughout the race. I think he's shooting for about a 30 hr finish. Maybe I'll see you along the Big Water to Brighton trail (using that as a warm-up before meeting Darrell). Pretty sure I'll see you today at packet pick-up as I have to get a pair of shoes from Darrell there. I think you'll beat last years time if the weather stays like it is supposed to.

Race: Wasatch 100 (100 Miles) 28:28:47, Place overall: 48, Place in age division: 7
Total Distance
101.00

Race report will be coming. 

Cool temperatures in the day were great for fast running.  I fell behind my PR pace in the morning because of mud and slick trails from snow.  I was pretty tentative on the downhills.  But on the sections that usually are hot, I was able to push the pace hard.  For the first time I reached Big Water in Millcreek Canyon before dusk.  I was ahead of my schedule to finish in 27:30.

But as has happened my other times here, during the climb to Dog Lake and Desolation Lake, I bonked, low energy.  I was still on schedule, but runners were passing me for the first time in many miles.  Up on the ridges in Scotts, the temperature took a dive and I didn't have enough warm clothes on, so that sapped the energy.  However, coming down into Brighton, I found the speed again and passed several runners.  My stay at Brighton was too long, but I recovered well and had warmer clothes on.  During the night it would dip into the 20s in places.

By mile 80, I was still very close to my schedule, but during the section to Rock Spring, I slowed and lost my motivation to really post a great time.   I was just happy to continue on to the finish.  When dawn came, I was further along the course than ever, just a mile or so from Pot Bottom, but just plodding along.

With about three miles to go, I looked at my watch and noticed that I could still PR if I stopped being lazy and started pushing the pace.  So I did.  My goal now was to reach the pavement, one mile to go, by 28:20.   I did, and then I clocked a mile of about 8 minutes or better to make sure I beat my PR.   I did by about five minutes.  A small victory, but a good time.  However, the guys I ran with earlier in the day finished around 27 hours.  So that is what I could have done with a perfect race.  

Wasatch 100 is very, very tough. Thankfully the cool temperatures made it just a little bit easier this year.  Because of that I will recover very fast and be ready for Bear 100.  I have some added motivation to perform better, not be so lazy, and hang in there to the very end.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (new) Miles: 101.00
Comments
From Maurine/Miles on Sun, Sep 12, 2010 at 10:25:53 from 63.255.172.2

Davy,

Congratulations on a new PR. I was hoping to get a chance to talk to you as I ran down Millcreek, but my IT Band was flaring so accepted a very cold ride on the motorcycle that I yelled at you from.

You were looking pretty strong, so I am glad you were able to keep it all together.

From jtshad on Sun, Sep 12, 2010 at 11:16:15 from 69.20.183.178

Congrats on the course PR and pushing through the sections of low energy/motivation. You are an inspiration!

From Jon on Sun, Sep 12, 2010 at 17:58:17 from 98.71.185.47

As always, nice run, Davy. See you in 2 weeks!

From Jim Kern on Sun, Sep 12, 2010 at 23:51:46 from 97.117.48.61

Congrats on another 100 finish and a new PR.

From Jason McK on Mon, Sep 13, 2010 at 12:32:01 from 63.255.173.99

Wow - another 100 miler and a course PR! Impressive.

From rockrun on Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 13:23:26 from 75.148.97.169

Good job, I was on the course between Lambs and Brighton Pacing a friend... he was on pace for a sub 24 and bonked about the same place you had issues... nothing I could do to get him going he was finished... he ended up resting for a few hrs at Brighton and finished in 29ish hrs... I have paced this race a few times and the one word that always comes to mind is "Intriguing" the way this course chews up the toughest of people is amazing... one day I will attempt it!!

From Kelli on Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 22:18:39 from 71.219.102.155

I can not believe anyone could call themselves lazy after completing 100 grueling miles!!!

I thought of you all afternoon Friday as I sat through 2 soccer games, a football practice, and a boring family function! I so wanted to be there cheering you on! But, I was cheering you on in my head!

I really thought about you when it got so darn cold. BRRRR....I bet that took a toll for a bit.

Well, no matter what you say or feel, I am impressed! Quite the run. And you PR's and had a darn speedy mile there at the end. How can one do that after logging 90+ miles???? It stinks to not do as well as we want, but you are still quite incredible in all of our minds and eyes!

Rest up and enjoy some time off before the next one.

From crockett on Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 13:35:52 from 216.49.181.254

Posted my longer Wasatch 100 report at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=451

From Fritz on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 23:44:15 from 67.186.240.44

Nice job Davy. You are a machine. Good look at the Bear 100.

Total Distance
0.00

Rest and recovery.  The worst part is my sinuses...all messed up, probably will go into a bad cold.  I can jog down stairs with minimal pain.  Going over the race in my head makes me very determined to do better at the Bear 100 in a 11 days.  I didn't give Wasatch 100 my best effort, so I need to redeem myself.

Very funny thing today.  On my phone, I retrieved a message from last week.  A guy found my lost camera in the Uintas.  I lost it on Dead Horse Pass nearly a month ago and even ran up there again to search for it once I discovered it was missing.  Somehow by looking at the pictures on the camera, this guy figured out I was the owner!   I had joked with my buddies that this might happen.  I don't know details because I also got his phone mail.

Comments
From DonGardinero on Mon, Sep 13, 2010 at 23:17:44 from 152.216.7.5

Wow, that's incredible!!!

From jun on Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 13:13:43 from 66.239.250.209

That is seriously nuts. Even more amazing that your camera still worked and he was able to figure out it was you.

From crockett on Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 13:23:01 from 216.49.181.254

Yep, looks like it was sitting up there for three weeks in all the elements. I still haven't talked to the guy to know exactly where I left it.

From Jim Kern on Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 05:15:50 from 97.117.48.61

You are after all the famous Davy Crockett!

From Jon on Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 21:49:46 from 98.71.185.47

Man, you might beat me at the Bear!

I once lost a backpack while hiking- it rolled down the mountain into a lake. 2 months later, someone called us- they had found it and identified me by my middle school ID. Crazy. Still had some food in it, though I didn't eat it.

Total Distance
0.00

Looking for runners interested in pacing at Bear 100 a week from Friday up Logan Canyon.  Let me know if you are interested.

Comments
From jun on Thu, Sep 16, 2010 at 18:24:36 from 66.239.250.209

No takers? Now I'm even more jealous I can't do it.

From Jon on Thu, Sep 16, 2010 at 18:26:18 from 74.177.84.235

I'd love to do it again, but I'll be a bit busy next weekend.

Total Distance
0.00

I'm seeking volunteers to help out with my race next month, Pony Express Trail 50 and 100-miler.  This is out in the west desert of Utah on the historic trail.  See www.ponyexpress100.org 

I need to find some volunteers to help with checking in runners, directing traffic at the start, an aid station at the 50-mile finish, timing, runner tracking, cheering, etc.   It is on UEA weekend, so the kids are out of school that Friday.  Bring them out.  This is a family event because each runner must have a crew car driving along with them.  So it is pretty crazy to see first-hand how someone runs 100-miles.   Let me know if you want to join in the fun.   October 15-16.

 

Total Distance
15.00

Did a recovery run.  Ran up Timp. Took it relatively easy but felt fully recovered, no ill effects left over from Wasatch. No soreness, no fatigue.  Felt like I could run up hill for a long time.  Legs didn't feel heavy.   Reached the top in 2:14.  I started around 2:30 a.m.  The trail was clogged with college kids.  I counted 80 on the way up.  I passed everyone on the trail reaching the summit first except for a couple guys sleeping in the summit hut.

The crowd this week on the trail seemed unusal.  They didn't seem to know what to do when a trail runner approaches.  Perhaps these are a bunch of college kids hiking for the first time.  But it was a real problem.  As I would approach, they would see me but not know what to do.  They are in the middle of the trail, taking up the entire width.  They then figure out that they need to step over to the side but they try think they can get in a few last steps in the middle of the trail before I arrive but they can't.  So I either have to screech to a halt or almost plow into them.  Oh well.  I was considering doing a double today but the trail was so clogged, that I didn't want to go up again.   I took the steep short-cuts going up and down to bypass several groups.

There were another 50 kids going up as I was coming down....and another 50 in the parking lot waiting for dawn.  Busy day on the mountain!  My round trip was 3:54, nice and easy.  I tried to keep the pace slow enough to avoid face plants, but I went down once with one mile to go.  Didn't scape anything or get hurt.  Only go dirty. 

Love the comments from the "kids" on the trail.  "You're a freaking animal."  I resist the urge to reply, "I'm just an elderly 52-year-old man going out for a morning stroll."  The funny comments are when they thing something is wrong, that I'm running down fast to get some help, or some sort of crazy ambulence with a green light.  "What's wrong?"  Today I didn't say anything, but usually I say, "She's going to blow!  The mountain is going to blow!"

It was a nice morning run.  I'm feeling ready for Bear 100 on Friday.  Still interested in someone pacing me Friday afternoon in Logan Canyon.   No biggy, just helps save several minutes and gives you a chance to taste a 100-miler.   I don't usually use pacers, but with local races it is fun to share the experience.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 15.00
Comments
From jun on Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 11:27:39 from 97.126.232.37

It's interesting you say that because FG and I ran into the same problem with hikers on Labor Day. I was surprised how many of them didn't know what to do as I was coming up behind them, or worse, coming down towards them. I was even yelling "Trail" and "On your left" really loud and people just didn't get it. Very frustrating.

Glad you're feeling good. Bear should be great this year. Good luck.

From crockett on Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 11:31:16 from 70.56.100.141

Yep, what usually works for me is yelling "Coming through, coming through" But that sounds so rude, hate to do that. I first just try saying hi and good morning, but that doesn't usually work.

From Faceless Ghost on Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 13:23:27 from 69.169.157.242

That was me calling your name at the trailhead, As for the comments, we got plenty, too. Some guy told us we weren't so tough because some old guy had been there before us. I guess he was giving you a backhanded compliment :)

As for the other hikers, there were a ton but we didn't have many real problems. Although someone's German shepherd did bite two of the guys I was running with.

From crockett on Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 14:36:02 from 70.56.100.141

I was wondering who that was. Thanks. I think what happens is once they see one running they start learning and know what to do for the next. Thayne Clark was running up ahead of you. I met him coming up near Scout Falls.

Dogs. I think I hit the same group. Big group had two dogs off leash. When I hit them I almost tripped over the dogs. I told them that they should have their dogs on a leash.

From Faceless Ghost on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 00:46:12 from 69.169.157.242

By the way, I've got a busy schedule but I *might* be able to pace you at Bear. I can't make any promises, but if you still need someone, send me an email and give me an idea of where I'd need to be and when.

Total Distance
9.00

Ran to and from the Club House and then seven miles on the treadmill.  Almost got hit by a car on the way.  A woman delivering papers had her dome light on, she cut a corner I was running on, didn't see me and I almost had to jump for my life.  I think that woke her up.  She just can't be driving like crazy on our roads, even if it is 5 a.m.

Last week was recovery, this week taper for the Bear 100 on Friday.  Pretty funny.

My training strategy is to get my foot speed back up, thus the dreaded TM.  Funny how I just don't feel comfortable at all running sub 7-minute pace anymore.  It will take awhile to get that back.  However, after running seven miles, I felt warmed up and more comfortable at faster paces.  Looking toward Pony Express Trail 100 in a month when I will need the foot speed.  The dream is for a sub-20-hour 100. 

I'll probably keep this up during my taper this week.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 9.00
Comments
From Tom on Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 14:37:10 from 137.65.56.16

Glad to hear you didn't become road kill! Good luck with working toward the sub-20 100.

From Maurine/Miles on Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 16:10:54 from 63.255.172.2

Good luck on the Bear 100. I drove the Pony Express Trail on Saturday. That is a long way to go (and you are going twice as far)!

Total Distance
8.00

Same routine, ran to the club house, newspaper lady saw me today and didn't run me down, get to the club house, enter at 5:08 (opens at 5:00), the alarm goes off, cops come, same routine as yesterday.   The cops are getting tired of coming over for nothing. 

Ran treadmill to get foot speed, alarm keeps going off with each person entering the building.  Fun stuff.

Looks like I'll have the highest mileage week on the blog for the third time this month.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 8.00
Comments
From jun on Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 10:38:46 from 66.239.250.209

What's funny is that you'll have the highest mileage on the blog and still have only run 3 or 4 days, with most of the days being low mileage. Ha.

From Chad on Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 11:26:42 from 168.177.153.5

There is a crazy newspaper lady in Lehi that's come close to running me down at 5am. Does she drive a maroon minivan?

From crockett on Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 11:35:25 from 216.49.181.254

I think it is all part of a new contest being run at the newspaper. They award points for taking out runners, bikers, etc.

From Jon on Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 21:43:05 from 98.71.187.180

Maybe I'll do a 10 mile run tomorrow, just to beat you on the mileage board.

From crockett on Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 21:44:44 from 208.53.57.47

Go ahead a try, and then I'll do 20

From Jon on Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 18:23:48 from 98.84.0.196

You first.

From Scott Wesemann on Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 21:31:32 from 75.165.248.18

Good luck at the Bear this weekend.

Race: Bear 100 Endurance RUn (100 Miles) 26:30:15, Place overall: 27, Place in age division: 3
Total Distance
102.00

The quick version, full version later.

This was my 7th time running Bear 100 that goes from Logan, Utah to Bear Lake in Idaho.  It doesn't go direct.  The course zigzags and does massive climbs along the way of over 20,000 feet total.

Started fast as usual, running with the top 10 and stayed ahead of Jon for the first climb as he was obviously carefully holding back.  Settled in to my schedule for 26-hour finish goal. Funny how I can stay close to it. At Paul's aid station, I was 20 seconds ahead of my schedule.  Last year I was right at my predicted schedule at his aid station. Right before that I took a face plant.  Usually my face plants involve skinned knees.  But this time it was a true face plant, the face planted in the dirt, scraping up my forehead.

The day went well.  I felt no ill effects of running Wasatch 100 two weeks ago.  In fact my hill climbing felt stronger than ever.  I could run the hills clear to the end of the race.  Things went well until the early evening around mile 62.  I had some serious issues that slowed me down.  The most serious happened at mile 68.  Somehow I injured my foot, my problem tendon.  I thought I would have to DNF, but I tested in our for 7 more miles and it calmed down.  Looks like I may have just badly bruised the foot, it is all black and blue.  We'll see in a couple days went things calm down.  Hopefully I didn't tear the tendon causing it to bleed. 

At mile 70, I felt incredible as my stomach finally calmed down and I had the right number of calories in my system.  For last 30 miles I passed many runners and loved running up the hills, felt very strong.

I did take four wrong turns!  Pretty funning became I've run the current course two times before.  But at night when running fast, it was tough to see the course markings which were few.  I ended running an extra 1.5 miles.  So, without those blunders, I probably would have reached my 26-hour finish goal.  I finished in 26:30, nearly two hours faster than my best time last year.  I was very pleased.  Out of the 170 starters, I finished in 27th.

Big thanks to Brad and Geri Clements who crewed me during the night.  They have it down to a science.  Brad would run out to greet me to see what I needed and then run to the station before I got there.  They had a chair and table all set up for me each time.  Geri had her handheld on a big timer so I could see how long I was at the station. She would call out the minutes.  My visits were nice and fast.

  miles 2010 goal 2008 2009 2010
Start 0 0:00      
Logan Peak 10.5 2:30 2:42 2:33 2:23
Leatham Hollow 19.7 4:00 4:20 4:10 4:00
Richards Hollow 22.5 4:35 4:58 4:44 4:34
Cowley Canyon 30 6:20 7:15 6:38 6:24
Right Hand Fork 36.9 7:50 9:01 8:06 7:52
Temple Fork 45.2 9:45 11:12 10:09 9:48
Tony Grove 51.8 12:00 13:18 12:17 12:04
Franklin TH 61.5 14:30 16:30 14:51 14:37
Logan River 69.5 16:50 19:42   17:09
Beaver Lodge 75.8 19:00 22:17 20:15 19:27
Gibson Basin 81.2 20:45 24:52:00 22:15 21:10:00
Beaver CG 85.3 21:50 25:52:00 23:28 22:10:00
Ranger Dip 92.2 24:10:00 28:21:00 25:57:00 24:23:00
Finish 100 26:00:00 30:51:00 28:21:00 26:30:15

 Here's what place I was in coming into the various stations:

 
Logan Peak  18
Leatham 30
Richards 29
Cowley 31
Right Fork 30
Temple 32
Tony Grove 33
Franklin 33
Logan River 36
Beaver Lodge 32
Gibson 31
Beaver Creek 28
Ranger Dip 27
Finish 27

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (new) Miles: 102.00
Comments
From catherine on Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 15:57:10 from 69.169.157.242

That's so far! Great job. I hope your foot ends up being okay.

From jun on Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 15:57:16 from 184.48.111.250

From what I can tell from the website you may have evened finished in the top 25. Very impressive. I hope your foot calms down and heals quickly. Congrats on a great race. I wish I could have been there yesterday.

From Oreo on Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 16:14:24 from 174.27.138.215

Seriously awesome Crockett!!Look forward to the long report...

From crockett on Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 16:32:36 from 71.35.208.71

Finished 27th

From Aaron Kennard on Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 21:05:56 from 24.8.144.22

WOW! Your ability to continue on despite problems and injuries is incredible, and especially to continue on so strong. Congrats on another amazing 100 miler. Hope your foot will heal quick.

From Jim Kern on Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 21:09:09 from 97.117.48.61

Fantastic race, congrats of the race PR.

From crockett on Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 21:18:55 from 71.35.208.71

Added what place I was in coming into the various aid stations.

From Scott Wesemann on Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 00:23:14 from 75.165.249.90

Very nice race. Congrats on your time.

From Tom on Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 11:23:48 from 137.65.56.16

Huge congratulations on an amazing run! You've had a great year this year, very inspiring!

From daceg on Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 11:58:39 from 205.126.77.76

That is awesome! Congrats on the race.

From crockett on Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 18:35:02 from 216.49.181.254

Posted my detailed race report at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=463

From Jon on Wed, Sep 29, 2010 at 21:03:29 from 98.84.46.139

Nice job, Davy.

Total Distance
0.00

Recovery going very well.  The foot seems fine, we'll see in a couple days.  I have a couple blisters healing, nothing very bad.  Quads a little sore, but I can jog down stairs already.

So, my 35th 100-mile finish is in the books (see list on the left).  Of my seven Bear 100 attempts, this was by far my best race.  With a very competetive race this year, I finished in the top 16%.  This was also my 11th straight 100 finishing in under 30 hours.  I've never before finished two in under 30 hours two weeks apart before this.  One more number, 17th straight 100 without a DNF. OK, just one more:  My 64th ultra finish in just over six years.

Comments
From jun on Sun, Sep 26, 2010 at 23:27:42 from 97.126.232.37

Not too shabby. Not too shabby indeed.

Indeed.

From burp on Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 01:37:20 from 151.118.136.52

You're killing it!

From Bryce on Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 09:38:46 from 67.186.213.216

It is amazing and a real tribute to your training and talent that you can do so many of these and consistently finish strong and continue to improve year over year. Very impressive. I am greatful that you write such detailed accounts of your experiences in these races as I am albe to learn alot just from reading them. Thanks.

Total Distance
0.00

Bouncing back. Feel much better today.  Appetite back. 

Spent time looking at my performance and was pleased with how well I ran the last 25 miles.  That usually is my huge problem.  In the chart below you can see the improvement for each split compared to last year.  The Franklin split should have been at least 10 minutes faster, I cruised, but I lost the time due to the wrong turn.

  miles 2010 goal 2008 2009 2010 split delta
Start 0 0:00        
Logan Peak 10.5 2:30 2:42 2:33 2:23 -10
Leatham Hollow 19.7 4:00 4:20 4:10 3:59 -1
Richards Hollow 22.5 4:35 4:58 4:44 4:33 0
Cowley Canyon 30 6:20 7:15 6:38 6:23 -4
Right Hand Fork 36.9 7:50 9:01 8:06 7:51 0
Temple Fork 45.2 9:45 11:12 10:09 9:48 -6
Tony Grove 51.8 12:00 13:18 12:17 12:04 8
Franklin TH 61.5 14:30 16:30 14:51 14:37 -1
Logan River 69.5 16:50 19:42 17:12 17:09 9
Beaver Lodge 75.8 19:00 22:17 20:15 19:27 -43
Gibson Basin 81.2 20:45 24:52:00 22:15 21:10:00 -17
Beaver CG 85.3 21:50 25:52:00 23:28 22:10:00 -13
Ranger Dip 92.2 24:10:00 28:21:00 25:57:00 24:22:00 -17
Finish 100 26:00:00 30:51:00 28:21:00 26:30:45 -16

My total time in the aid stations was 60 minutes.  I'm pleased with that.   It was 40 minutes faster than last year.

Total Distance
0.00

Continued good recovery.  Not yet ready to run.  Thoughts drifting toward running Pony Express Trail 100 in 17 days.  Looks like we will have at least 50 runners.  Fun times.

I've posted my Bear 100 report at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=463

Total Distance
7.00

I wanted to greet Karl Meltzer as he approached the Wasatch Front on his epic end-to-end run of the Pony Express Trail.  I had a little trouble finding him because he took a wrong turn at Fairfield, but after a quick call to jun, who checked the spot tracking online, he helped me figure out where he was.   I parked my car when I saw the RV's in the distance and ran back and surprised Karl.

He was in great spirits and seemed to enjoy the company as I ran with him across Cedar Valley.  I enjoyed hearing about his adventures thus far.  Lots of crazy mishaps with his crew, navigation challenges.  He's anxious to arrive home this afternoon in Sandy and will take tomorrow off because of media appointments.

His pace is good, averaging about 5 mph, but for a good portion he ran 10-minute miles.  After seven miles, I was beat, still not fully recovered from the Bear.   I let him know who won the Bear this year and how it all went.

He seemed to enjoy the run through western Utah.   He ran through my Pony Express 100 route during the last couple days.   I awarded him the first Pony Express Trail 100 belt buckle.  He got a kick out of that.

As we ran, his eyes were on Lone Peak in the distance.  He kept commenting how it was coming closer and closer.  That was his target for arriving home.  For the rest of Utah, he plans to leave the trail a bit and run on trails for awhile.  I'm sure the dirt road and pavement pounding is getting to him.  When I ran with him, he would seek out the dirt and even grassy shoulders to run on.   His feet are doing great and Hokas holding up very well.

It was a fun morning.

 

 

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Maurine/Miles on Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 15:11:15 from 63.255.172.2

That is awesome that you went out and supported him and that he got the first belt buckle!

From Jon on Sat, Oct 02, 2010 at 15:35:03 from 74.177.99.190

That's cool. Very thoughtful with the buckle. Glad to hear he's doing well.

Total Distance
12.00

Four on the treadmill, hated it, the  rest outside.  Trying to feel comfortable with 7:30 pace.

p.m. Three more miles with the dog after staring at a computer for eight hours helping broadcast general conference on the Internet.  Morning session was interesting because they had audio configured wrong at the pulpit, no sound for first 20 minutes from speakers.  Users kept refreshing their browsers over and over again slamming our servers.  Fun times.

Knee a little sore...over-use pain.   Guess I'll have to rest.   Thats the way it goes.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 12.00
Comments
From Jon on Sat, Oct 02, 2010 at 19:29:04 from 74.177.99.190

I was wondering if good ole' Davy tripped over a cord or something. I found that the audio only worked ok, just not the video.

Total Distance
0.00

Looking at the database of all-time 100-mile finishes, I've climbed up to 42nd in the world.  If I keep my pace for a couple years more, it looks like I have a chance to be in the top 5.  We'll see.  They don't have one of my finishes recorded, I'll have to fix that.

Comments
From LuzyLew on Mon, Oct 04, 2010 at 12:36:48 from 208.187.197.42

That is a LOT of miles dude. That is something else. No one runs as many miles as you, I don't know who those other 42 could possibly be....congrats!

From Jon on Tue, Oct 05, 2010 at 18:38:16 from 98.71.176.28

And that's in just 5 years! Where is the list?

From crockett on Tue, Oct 05, 2010 at 19:17:17 from 71.36.84.70

http://realendurance.com/

The reports can be seen on the summary link/tab

You are in there.

Total Distance
8.00

Treadmill.  Couldn't resist the hills so cranked it up at times.   Wish I could get into marathon pace speed shape again.  It will take some time.  Mountain races are done.  My next two are flat as can be, so it is all about foot speed.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 8.00
Total Distance
1.00

Being lazy and sleeping instead of running.

Went over to the dark-side and finally joined that crowd and bought some Hokas to run Pony Express 100 in.  My feet always get very sore from those hard dirt roads so these should help and they are as light as road shoes.  Karl Meltzer told me they were ideal for his Pony Express Trail run, that he couldn't have done it without them.  So, I'll give them a try.  Very pricey but Karl's shoes last more than 500 miles.  I'll test them out in the morning.

Hoka Miles: 1.00
Comments
From Faceless Ghost on Wed, Oct 06, 2010 at 20:58:56 from 128.187.97.3

I'll admit it--I'd try the Hokas in a second if they weren't so expensive. I'm old enough to remember people criticizing both fat skis and full-suspension mountain bikes. Maybe this is the same and we'll all be running in moon boots in a couple of years.

Be sure to tell us what you think after you've got a few miles on them.

From Jon on Wed, Oct 06, 2010 at 21:04:23 from 98.71.139.173

Yeah, let us know what you think.

From crockett on Wed, Oct 06, 2010 at 23:46:35 from 71.36.84.70

What sold me was running those few miles with Karl hearing him comment that he has a pair still good after 500 miles. I'm tired of seeing my LaSportiva Wildcats wearing out after 300 miles, so I figure the cost should be a wash. It also looks like it will solve a blister problem I have on my right heel, outside from heel strikes. It doesn't feel like I'll get one in these. Toe-box room seems good. It really does seem like foot fatigue will be less of a problem. I ran a mile on the road tonight at they felt fine. The real test will be blasting down a rough trail.

From jun on Thu, Oct 07, 2010 at 10:16:02 from 66.239.250.209

I don't know what to think. My whole world is crashing down around me.

From Maurine/Miles on Thu, Oct 07, 2010 at 10:36:15 from 63.255.172.2

I am tempted, but that is a lot of money. Hope it helps.

Total Distance
9.00

Ran dirt roads and ridge trails.

The Hoka test went very well.  They really feel like 4WD shoes.  Usually I pick my way, trying to find the smoothest route in rough areas, but when there are just smaller rocks, no reason to do that at all in these shoes.  Pretty amazing.  So the next worry is, but that means you don't feel the trail as well with your feet.  Will you twist ankles more?   I don't think so because the stability of the shoe is great.   I can still feel the trail, but I just don't feel the smaller rocks, I feel the bigger rocks that could cause me to twist.  So I discount that worry.

Tripping?  I think I may trip less.  The toe kind of angles up.  My problem is always catching the left toe while bringing it forward.   The jury is still out on this one.

Blisters.  Feels very good, didn't feel hot spots.

Wide enough?  I have sesmoid problems, and need a wide shoe.  These might put too much pressure on them, but I can probably make adjustments with the insole to get more room if needed.

Foot protection.  Wow!  I expect foot fatigue to really go down.  They protected my problem tendon insertion point very well.

Toe Box.  Plenty of room.  I usually run in size 10.  I got a 10 1/2 because I wanted more room in the toes.  The heels slip a little but I solved that with some tape in the shoe behind the heel.  

Shoe laces.  Feels good, and you can change the tention fine.

Downhill running.  I tested them out on some pretty rugged stuff in the dark.  I can tell right away that they will help increase my confidence on the downhill.  I felt very in control.

Speed on the flats.   Yep, these shoes are light.

Hill climbing?   I had no real issues.  On the very steep stuff the shoes creased against my big toes but I expect that to go away as the shoes are broken in.

So, so far, thumbs up.   If they hold up for 600 miles, they are worth the price.

Mud and water?   From all that I hear, this is not a shoe to use during a muddy, wet race like Big Horn 100.   They don't have the mud traction you need nor do they dry out fast enough.  I plan to only use them for dry stuff.  They would have worked fine for Wasatch and Bear.

Hoka Miles: 9.00
Comments
From Maurine/Miles on Thu, Oct 07, 2010 at 14:29:53 from 63.255.172.2

I look forward to seeing them.

From Smooth on Thu, Oct 07, 2010 at 17:21:08 from 67.41.235.104

Thanks for the shoe review! Very excited for your upcoming PE! Wish I was in good enough shape to run 50 especially since it's my b'day! :)

I met a family friend at SG. He's running his first 100 in your PE. He has the same birthday as mine turning 62 on Oct 16...I'm jealous! :)

Race: Lake Mountain 50K (30.7 Miles) 04:59:20, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
31.00

I wanted to test out my Hoka shoes on a a long run so I got up bright and early (2:00 a.m.) and ran all the way around Lake Mountain which is really close to 50K with 3,664 of climbing along the way. Not really a race, but a race against my course PR time. It is mostly 4WD/ATV roads with some 2WD dirt roads thrown in and a little bit of pavement.   I have run this course eight times before, but this is the frist time that I did most of it in the dark.  I turned off my light for the last half mile.

How did the Hokas do?  My first thought is, Wow!  I shattered my PR and course record by 30 minutes!  Doing this all in the dark just adds to my amazement.   I can't give all the credit to the Hokas because I was prety well-rested, with not much running since Bear 100 two weeks ago.  Also, I used a Garmin 305 for the first time and it helped to push me.

But still, the shoes felt fast!  Usually at night I have to very carefully keep my eye on the trail but with these babies I can keep my head up more and just run over the rocks.  Minimalist critics say, "That is a shattered ankle ready to happen."  I think they need to pipe down until they test drive these bad boys.   I ran up and down some pretty technical stuff in the dark and not one time was I even close to twisting my ankle.  So, barefoot dudes, before you poo-pah these, go give them a whirl.  Yes, I didn't feel like some Native American out there touching Mother Earth, but I was speedy.  In fact since I could look around more instead of staring at my feet, I could see more of nature around me.

I started out a little after 2:00 a.m.  For this run, I started in Eagle Mountain where main street intersects with Lake Mountain Rd.  That is a nice place to start because you don't have to drive on any dirt roads to get there.   I put some aid station stuff at mile 8.5 (Israel Canyon Rd) and mile 17.5 (Redwood Road).   I brought with me only one handheld water bottle and some gels in my pocket. The temperature was great, with the low at 41 degrees.

To help push me, I set the Garmin virtual trainer to my PR time for the course of 5:29.  I would simply use that to push me to try to stay ahead of that imaginary runner.  By the time I reached the power lines at mile 5.6, I was already almost a mile ahead of my PR pace.  My goal was to keep that buffer clear to Enoch Pass along some pretty technical stuff and lots of ups and down.   The lights across Utah Lake were spectacular.  

I reached Enoch Pass (mile 12.5), the high point of the course at 2:04, just under a mile ahead of the PR pace.   I knew the next 5 miles downhill were critical to run fast. I pushed hard to approach 7-minute miles.   I reached Redwood Road (mile 17.6) at 2:48.  I stopped for about seven minutes to drink and eat from the stuff I had dropped off there.  I needed to drink a bunch because there would be no more aid station stops. I was 1.8 miles ahead of my PR pace.

The next mile or so was pavement running on remote Redwood Road, miles away from anything.  A couple cars passed by, I'm sure wondering about this crazy guy with a green light running in the middle of nowhere at 5:00 a.m.

I made the turn at the far south end of the mountain to make the 700-foot climb up to Solder Pass.  I knew this would make or break my race.  I just had to push this uphill section hard, so I ran every step and at the top I was still 1.75 miles ahead of my PR pace. I could taste victory.   I reached Soldier Pass (mile 21.5)  at the 3:31 mark.  It was now almost all downhill and flat.  By the time I reached the bottom of Cedar Valley, I was 2 miles ahead of my PR pace.

The home stretch is almost totally flat dirt 6.5 mile road run to Eagle Mountain.  To really smash my PR, I needed to run it all, no walking or shuffling.  So I did it, not terribly fast, but I kept my pace most of the time under 10-minute miles.  I hit the marathon distance at 4:15.  Not bad for dirt, 3,600 climbs and in the dark.

By the time I reached the finish, I was more than 2.5 miles ahead of my PR pace.   I hit the finish line in 4:59:20.   Add about ten minutes for aid station stops.  It is interesting to consider my best 50K time was a 4:59 split at Across the Years two years ago.  I don't run very many 50Ks.

For Pony Express Trail 100 on Friday, I hope to reach the 50K mark at about 5:00, so this is a very good indicator that it will be possible.  I felt great at the finish and could have gone on and on. As I reached my car, I caught up with a couple runners out for a morning run.  I didn't talk to them, but it would have been funny to tell them I just finished a 5-hour 31-mile run around Lake Mountain.

The Hokas held up well.  I'm glad I tested them because there are some hot spots that I now know about.  The edges of the shoe are a little bit too high on my ankle and rub against the ankle bone, but I know how to deal with that.

Hoka Miles: 31.00
Comments
From Rob Murphy on Sat, Oct 09, 2010 at 11:53:29 from 24.10.248.6

Nice run. Always nice to win too.

I've been reading both your blogs lately. Planning a Grand Canyon run with Jon Allen and Cody Draper this Monday. For a green road runner like me, your blog has been a great education. Thanks!

From Maurine/Miles on Sat, Oct 09, 2010 at 12:23:00 from 97.117.58.8

Are you planning on a PR at PE100?

From jun on Sat, Oct 09, 2010 at 12:23:13 from 97.126.232.37

Congrats on a new Lake Mountain PR. I've had dreams of doing that course in under 5 hours. Glad the shoes held up. You are going to be tough to beat at Pony Express.

Just a word of warning, if you try and scare me during the night at Pony Express (assuming I will be within miles or hours of where you are) there will be retribution. I told M the other night that my biggest fear isn't running 100 miles, it was that Crockett would try and do something to mess with me in the middle of the night. Hahahaha.

From crockett on Sat, Oct 09, 2010 at 12:34:16 from 216.49.181.254

Thanks all. Have fun Rob, I had a good time with Jon there last year. I'll probably get there in November.

Jun: Thanks for giving me some good ideas. I also have friends out on the course who can scare the wits out of people...heh, heh.

Maurine, yep always shooting for a PR. But you never know, 100-miles is such a flaky distance.

From Kelli on Sat, Oct 09, 2010 at 17:30:53 from 71.219.65.246

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE HOT SPOTS? Share your secrets.

Congrats an the new course record. that is GREAT. Glad the shoes worked out so well. Best of luck on the Pony Express trail!

From RAD on Sat, Oct 09, 2010 at 17:46:30 from 67.172.229.125

Nice work Crockett! Sounds like PE is going to go very well - just don't scare Jun :)

Oh, and I loved the "I don't do many 50K's" Most people would assume that's because it's too long!

From Smooth on Sat, Oct 09, 2010 at 23:39:56 from 67.41.235.104

CONGRATS on the win and PR! :) WAY to finish a 50K before most people roll over in their beds! You are AMAZING!!! Can't wait to read about your PE 100 next week!

From Faceless Ghost on Sun, Oct 10, 2010 at 12:55:17 from 69.169.157.242

"I didn't feel like some Native American out there touching Mother Earth, but I was speedy."

Oh snap! Take that, Chris McDougall :)

From crockett on Sun, Oct 10, 2010 at 21:27:40 from 71.36.84.70

Kelli: Hots spots - Several strategies. Bag Balm to lube, Elastikon to tape, and insole adjustments (raising, carving pieces off, etc). I never get blisters on the toes anymore, Bag Balm does the trick and large enough toe boxes. Right heel has been my problem this year with any shoe I wear. I usually have no significant problems under 50 miles.

From Kelli on Sun, Oct 10, 2010 at 22:25:00 from 71.219.65.246

I was doing better, but the last two races have been a nightmare. Thanks for the suggestions! WHERE do you buy bag balm?

From Maurine/Miles on Sun, Oct 10, 2010 at 22:28:18 from 97.117.63.220

I usually find bag balm at either Good Earth or Whole Foods. If you want to borrow some to try from me - I have a big tin right now.

From crockett on Sun, Oct 10, 2010 at 23:14:58 from 71.36.84.70

Walgreens has it too...cosmetics. Bright green box.

Total Distance
5.00

Tapering. Road and treadmill miles. Also doing heat training.  Half hour in the hot tub, kicks working the hamstrings (they tend to get taper pains, so working them is good on race week).  Weights and core work. Drove to and from SLC with the heat on.  Brutal.   Will reach 79 degrees on Friday during the race.

Trying to keep all the runners happy but not caving in to special requests.  Race bags stuff, plenty of Hammer products.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 5.00
Comments
From jun on Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 00:03:50 from 97.126.232.37

Looks like all the heat training I did this summer will pay off.

From Jon on Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 15:18:00 from 75.169.159.185

Make sure everyone drinks enough... I know the 88 deg temp in the Grand Canyon got to me, even after a hot summer.

From Maurine/Miles on Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 16:08:02 from 63.255.172.2

I did not know we could be annoying and do special requests!

Good thing I just ran the hottest St. George Marathon ever for heat training.

Total Distance
2.00

More heat training. Here's my theory about heat training and it seems to match some theories among Badwater runners.  You don't have to spend weeks getting your body used to the heat, it can be done in just days.  Two weeks probably is ideal but one week can be plenty.  Also, you lose it fast, doesn't store up.  I think it is kind of like getting used to altitude.  Takes a couple weeks.   With a week of daily heat, I think it helps combat the nausea and effects of heat during a run.   Today again did hot tub and then drove with the heat blasting in the car for about two hours total, both.  Today it felt much easier than yesterday.

Getting your body used to dehydration is another matter.  I think that takes a long time working your body through stress over and over again. I don't purposely get dehydrated, but it happens enough that it isn't a big deal and I can go many miles with an empty bottle.

Friday shouldn't be that bad, approaching 80 during the race, but it only lasts a couple hours. With an hour earlier start this year, I should be up and over Dugway Pass during the hottest part of the day.  It is usually cooler on the other side.  Hopefully when I hit Blackrock the sinking sun will be cooler.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 2.00
Total Distance
2.00

Race: Pony Express Traill 100-mile Endurance Run (100 Miles) 20:53:05, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
100.00

The brief version for now:

5th annual race, we had a much more competitve field this year.  The race starts in two waves, slower runners at 5:00 a.m. and the faster group at 7:00 a.m.  The race is run on dirt roads and is a very fast course with less than 3,000 feet climbing.  I am the race director, but again this year I raced.

I started out very fast as usual.  I reached mile 16.6 in 2:16, that is 8.2 minute miles, a crazy fast pace to start a 100-mile race.  I was in the lead by 17 minutes.  I soon started to pass all the early starters from both the 50 and 100-mile races.   My lead extended to over three miles, but I became very distracted by race director duties, including greeting all runners I passed and some times slowing to answer questions.   I wasted probably a half hour dealing with a safety issue when a runner was ignoring a rule and refusing to respond to direct instructions and warning.  He was upsetting several runners.  Finally I caught up to this early starter and had to threaten disqualification.  It bothered me that he was ruining my own race.

But still I held the lead all the way to the turnaround at mile 58.5.  However, I lost the lead at mile 59 when I had to stop.  For the past 12 miles the heat (80 degrees) had pounded me.  My stomach was in high rebellion and I threw up over and over and over again trying to find something it would accept.   Finally at mile 59 I got into my crew car (cars drove along providing support for each runner instead of aid stations along the way). I turned on the air conditioning and rested as I sipped on coke.   The first and second place runners passed me as I stopped.  Finally after almost 15 minutes of rest, I pushed myself out of the car, feeling much better and started running again.   Jun was in fourth place just a hundred yards back or so. When he saw me start running again he commented to his pacer that this would be the last time he saw me.  It was.   I started running faster than I had since mile 34.

The sun went down and the temperature dropped to 71.  At mile 68 I passed the second place runner. I was about two miles behind the first place runner.  OK, I was now feeling good and fast, the stomach had recovered and I was able to eat again.  I considered, could I regain first place?  I didn't really know how far ahead Ed was, but I put together a strategy in my mind.  I knew Ed was used to racing pretty flat coursed.  Up ahead we and a long nine-mile climb. I had the strength to run uphill and I was sure I could get up that hill faster than Ed.  But I knew I had to chase him down without him detecting it.  If he did, he would run faster to keep his lead.

So, I figured out a chasing strategy and discussed it with my crew-guy who was driving along.  Because a half-moon was out, I would run the entire nine miles without turning on my light so Ed wouldn't see it. (You could see lights for miles across the desert)  Also, usually when you catch up with your crew, the crew drives forward a defined amount of miles (in this case 2 miles), so the runner ahead can see the headlights of your crew car moving forward and thus figure out how far behind the runner is.  I explained to my crew guy, Josh, that we would use a trick.  Josh would not drive ahead until I was a mile ahead of him, and then he would go forward 2 miles.  So, Ed would think I was still two miles back from where Josh stopped his car, but in reality I would be back only one mile from that point.  Our trick worked.  Josh would report that Ed was ten minutes ahead, then eight, and finally four.  I would have Josh wait as much as 15 minutes, so it seemed to Ed that I was still 2 miles behind but I was only one-half mile.  Josh and I were having great fun with the trick.

Finally I reached Dugway Pass.  My friend Carl was at the checkpoint there and he asked, "Do you have a light."   I replied, "I'm sneaking up on him"  Carl laughed and said he knew what I was doing, he had seen me do similar things before.   I looked down below the pass and could finally see Ed's headlamp moving pretty slowly down the steep road.  I had told Josh to not go over the pass for 12 minutes.   I was going to attack the lead.   I blasted down the steep road in the dark, still without my flashlight on.  Ed approached his crew car and started to fill his drinking bottle.  When I was only about 30 yards away, I turned on my bright light.  I really surprised Ed.  "Is that you Davy."  I replied that it was.  All he could say is, "Well the win is all yours now."   I passed him by very fast and shortly later Josh started driving over the pass to rejoin me.  I flashed my light up to him so he could see that I was now in the lead.

When Josh drove up, as I refilled, I explained that our strategy would now shift.  Josh would not drive forward until Ed caught up to him.  Josh would then drive forward to me and report how far ahead I was using his odometer.  Josh grinned, understanding this new trick.  "I'm learning from the master." He said.  I laughed, we were having a great time.   With each two miles, I extended my lead by a half mile.  When I was about a mile and a half ahead, I told Josh that he no longer had to measure the distance.   I had "dropped" Ed for good.  Now I finally turned on my light and even shone it behind me so he could see my position.  I explained to Josh that this was to "demoralize him" making him feel like he could no longer catch me.  First place was again mine to keep.

On the stretch of road we were on, in the dark you could see lights over 12 miles ahead.  Finally I reached a two-mile lead.  My next worry was, where was Jun.  I knew that he was smart enough to use similar tactics to sneak up on my.  But I soon could see his crew car lights and understood that I was about five miles ahead.

So on and one we went on the long-straight Pony Express road.   Friends heading in their car to the finish would stop and report about the runners behind.  Ed was struggling, but Jun was moving very well.  I knew that if I could finish by 4:00 a.m., I would have the win.  So I just kept pushing.  I detected that Ed was about 30 minutes behind and Jun way further back.  Finally Jun's dad driving to see where Jun was, reported that I was just 1.7 miles from the finish.

I pushed up the last hill and reached the finish at Simpson Springs in 20:53.  I won the race again for the second straight year.  It is rather embarassing to win my own race, but I wasn't going to hand over the title, someone else would have to earn it. It also was a 100-mile distance PR for me by 14 minutes.   Along the way, did my fastest 50K ever and fastest 50-mile ever. 

Ed finished at 21:30:00 and Jun came in at 22:46:12.   All three of us had broken last year's course record, but I had lowered in by more than two hours.  I had hoped to break 20 hours, but the race director distractions and the sickness during the heat prevented that.

For the next eight hours, I greeted finishers and awarded them their belt buckles.  I was thrilled that finally a woman had finished the race.   The last runner came in at 29:41:24.

The KSL Outdoors show co-host, Russ Smith managed our race headquarters.  He and I called into the show.   I'll link to a recording later.

Out of the 19 starters, 15 finished.  In addition, 19 runners ran the 50-mile race, 14 finished including Maurine, ScottW.   Course records were also set in that race.

I went home very satisfied.  The race seemed to be a great succcess.  The heat pounded everyone, but the finish rate was good and I saw lots of smiles.  Thanks to my great race staff of volunteers, seven of them.

Hoka Miles: 100.00
Comments
From Kelli on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 17:27:15 from 71.219.65.246

It was so hot yesterday, I was worried about all of you guys (and gals!) Glad to hear y'all survived and that 3 of you beat the old record. That is awesome!

Sorry to hear about the sick tummy (see, this is why I KNOW I could not do it) but glad you got some cool air and Coke. I tell ya, that coke works miracles.

Congrats on your race time AND fulfilling the darn director duties. I am very curious what rule was being broken....

And I think it is totally okay to win your own race. You never hand o0ver a win. Way to mess with Ed on the way to catching him and after. Ya gotta do something to pass the time, right?

Rest well Superman.

From crockett on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 17:37:56 from 71.36.84.70

If two or more runners share the same crew, they must run together or stay within 3-4 miles of each other. If the distance is larger, the crew would have to drive back and forth on the road to support the runners causing increased dust. The runner was sharing a crew with two slow runners and before the race, I reviewed the rule with them. They all agreed. However, this runner ran ahead as much as ten miles and I detected that the crew driver was driving back and forth and ignoring the slower runners for a long time because he had to drive so far. It was getting very hot. I detected that something was going on and I flagged the driver down and asked about his runners. He explained that he had tried to tell this runner to slow down but he refused. The runner was then recruiting other crews to take him on. That also is against the rules because it creates a disturbance among the crews who are trying to help the runner or runners that they had agreed to support before the race. The crew chief finally returned and said he made the runner stop. When I reached the runner sitting on the side of the road, I discovered that he had broken these two rules. Another crew did offer to take him on, so I told him if he didn't stick with them (he was again running too far ahead) I would disqualify him. Well, he behaved, but when he reached the finish, I discovered that he had shifted to yet another crew during the night. I was pretty angry with this guy and I won't accept him into my race again.

From JD on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 17:45:18 from 32.176.57.247

Congrats! I see the Hoka's served you well.

From Rob Murphy on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 17:59:33 from 24.10.248.6

Very impressive win. Especially with having to expend so much mental energy on things other than running your own race. Congratulations!

From catherine on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 18:54:35 from 69.169.157.242

Congratulations! Sorry about the lame rule-breaker.

From Kelli on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 19:45:08 from 71.219.65.246

What a jerk. The rules seem to be for very good reasons---the dust and for the safety of each member sharing the crew. How selfish of him, really. what a bummer that he demanded so much of your time. But maybe the anger drove you to run faster!

Scott and i just got back from a run where we discussed the details of my measly 50k nest week. I am so unprepared, BUT we had a good talk about you (and Scott, Craig, and Maureen) and all of the stuff you brought with you and so on. I am just not sure that I can make it with the aide stations being 6 miles apart. Any suggestions for me? I can drop bags at them, but I would have no clue what to put in them as I can not eat. I think I can carry everything I need in my pockets. I really do not want to have to stop much at the aide stations. What do you think? Any wise words for me??? I know you are exhausted and the last person you need to worry about is me, so you can get back to me later!!!

OH--and my husband is going to run the Squaw Peak 50 next year (I think he is crazy-but Pikes Peak has converted him to trails) He would love to go on any runs that you are willing to have guests on (just promise not to lose him!) So keep him in mind should you ever decide to host a running adventure.

From Maurine/Miles on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 20:01:46 from 97.117.58.136

You are the master! I love your sneak racing technique. Good thing the moon was bright and the road is pretty level. Congratulations on an awesome win.

Too bad to hear about the rule breaker. He should have had his own crew if he wasn't going to share his toys.

From Holt on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 20:38:53 from 71.213.84.126

Good work Davy - someday I am going to join you on that one!

From RAD on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 21:10:34 from 67.172.229.125

Great race report as always, I like the tactics employed!

You are brave to run your own race, I'd be frightened of having too much stress dealing with the things you did on the trail, but hey...maybe it did give you motivation to keep moving!

Excellent work Crockett! We are definitely NOT worthy! :)

From Superfly on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 23:24:07 from 208.117.127.110

Great job man!

From Smooth on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 23:24:54 from 67.41.235.104

Davy ~~~ CONGRATULATIONS on the win and a successful race. You are my hero!

LOVE LOVE LOVE your sneaky tactic...sure puts a smile on my face! :) :) :)

You are truly the master of ultra! I can't wait to do it someday...hopefully next year!

From Jon on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 23:57:37 from 98.71.191.82

Wait- you set a 50k, 50m, and 100m PR, plus could have broken 20 hours? Ok, now you're just showing off.

Congrats, Davy. Loved the whole sneaking up story.

From jun on Sun, Oct 17, 2010 at 11:09:27 from 97.126.224.27

Davy, what an amazing race. That was a ton of fun. I can't believe you were really worried about me catching up. I'll have to remember that for next year. Great job catching and fending off Ed. He was looking strong after Fish Springs when I saw him.

Bummer about the rule breakers. As a racer who relies heavily on my crew out there I can vouch for how critical it is that they are there when you need them. I really feel sorry for the racers who were further back having to wait on their crew because they were up helping the selfish runner in the lead. Its really a shame.

I'm going to send you an email later regarding the finishing aid station. My parents have a great idea for next year that will make it easier and more accomodating for the finishing runners.

Thanks again. I can't believe I took 3rd. I also can't believe that I was respected enough in that race for you to even be concerned about me. Now I just need to find a belt to put my buckle on.

From crockett on Sun, Oct 17, 2010 at 13:33:34 from 71.36.84.70

Jun: you looked very strong at the turn-around when I was a ball of sick mush. I had visions of seeing you streak by. I kept asking my crew, where is Craig? At night that road is so weird. Lights looks like they are so close but are miles away. You really have to study them closely to understand the truth. So it messes with your mind, making you think runners are on your tail. Turns out I was more than seven miles ahead of you when I finished. At the finish, Carl thought I was just a quarter mile away, but I was over four miles away. He kept asking me why it took me an hour to go such a short distance. This is what I really love about this race, the whole chasing lights factor.

From Teena Marie on Sun, Oct 17, 2010 at 17:57:32 from 174.23.122.157

You always amaze!!!

It has been fun to read all the reports and hear about the many fantastic aspects of your race.

A huge congratulations.

From crockett on Sun, Oct 17, 2010 at 20:55:12 from 71.36.84.70

Jon, For your amusement, here are my splits for the 100-miler: 5K - 21:30, 10K - 46:00, marathon: 3:53, 50K - 4:45, 50-mile 8:51. My last marathon during the race was about 5:10, so I slowed down a wee bit, but still a respectable pace to finish up with. Much faster finish than my Rocky finish in Feb.

From Tom on Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 14:50:27 from 137.65.56.16

Great job. Quite an impressive race and running year. Amazing!

From Scott Wesemann on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 03:01:47 from 75.165.249.90

Congrats on your victory and course record. You sure were looking strong out there when you passed me. I really enjoyed this race and thought you did an excellent job with the organization. It was a great time and I can't wait to do it again... although I think I may try the 100 next year.

From flatlander on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 15:43:34 from 198.207.244.102

Great job, this is an impressive event you have organized.

From crockett on Sat, Oct 23, 2010 at 15:25:30 from 71.36.84.70

Finally wrote up my real race report. I'll be submitting this to ultrarunning magazine. You can read it at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=484

From RAD on Sat, Oct 23, 2010 at 15:55:55 from 67.172.229.125

Love the pictures! Thanks for sharing Crockett.

Total Distance
0.00

Still feeling a happy glow feeling from the race weekend.  Memories of smiles from runners are still in my mind.  I think things went very well.  I'm feeling relief that we didn't have any signficant problems.  Frank Bott got a flat tire, but got out fine.

I enjoyed watching the back of the pack finish Saturday morning.  What was very cool is that tourists and scout troops started arriving at Simpson Springs in the late morning.  One group had heard the broadcast that morning on KSL.  They all were facinated and peppered us with questions.  We could point down the road and they could see 100-mile runners approaching the finish, so they hung around a long time.   When finishers came in, there were loud cheers and clapping from all these tourists who just couldn't believe what they were witnessing.  They started taking pictures of the finishers with their belt buckles, etc. 

It was great fun and made me feel very proud to be part of this.  I still recall the day I when I left my house, my wife waved, and I ran alone to the north to start a run on the Pony Express Trail.  I never thought it would evolve into something like this.

You can listen to the KSL outdoors program here.

My recovery is going very well. Two blisters are healing.  The Hokas prevented any foot fatigue, no sore feet!  Muscles feel good.  Energy low because of the heat.  I feel very uncomfortable in the sun still.

My family is in awe of the champion trophy on our kitchen table right now.  Thanks jun for pulling that together.  If you wouldn't have made it look so nice, I might have let you win.  But it was too nice.  I kept thinking about it during those last ten miles.  I wasn't going to let anyone snag it from me at that point.

Comments
From jun on Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 11:01:04 from 66.239.250.209

Wow, I didn't know about the tourists and scouts. That is so cool. I now have a firm commitment from all of my scouts and many of their parents to be out there next year.

It was an awesome race. Well put on and a near perfect day. I'm glad the trophies turned out so nice and that you and other liked them.

I can see this race becoming pretty popular because of the format. It is simply the perfect opportunity for people who want to support their friends and family, but have never been able to in this way before. I really think it will get as big as you want to allow it.

Next year I'm going to work extra hard to make sure one of those trophies ends up on my table. You're right, they are just too cool. Congrats on organizing an incredible race.

From Maurine/Miles on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 10:44:27 from 63.255.172.2

That is awesome to hear. You did a great race.

I have one blister under a toenail that is still painful, otherwise, by body is recovering well.

Total Distance
0.00

Well, no Boston for me.  I was debating about going and didn't decide in time.  That is OK, I'll instead do something else and save all the money.  I'd like to get my marthon time down more anyway. I did sign up for Ogden again.  Boston should probably make the qualification standards tougher.

Well, ready to run again.  Soreness and blisters have healed.

Comments
From RAD on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 15:25:13 from 67.172.229.125

I agree they should tighten restrictions...especially for women (even though I have yet to qualify at the current standard).

I'm in awe that you're ready to run again after a 100! I'd still be recovering if it was just a full I'd run. Nice work Crockett!

From jun on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 15:28:12 from 66.239.250.209

Jealous. I want to run again. I'm hoping that the weather will hold for one more week and I can get one last Timp summit in.

From crockett on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 15:44:15 from 216.49.181.254

Yep, kind of surprised how fast the recovery is going. Usually when I go faster like this, I get more muscles soreness. The first time I raced that course my quads were all cramped up. But I jogged down stairs this morning with no problem. Must be the Hokas. Kind of tempted to try to sweet talk the Goblin Valley 50K RD into letting me in Saturday. We'll see.

From Maurine/Miles on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 18:00:56 from 63.255.172.2

Wow - good job. I'm holding off running until my one toe quits hurting.

From crockett on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 18:02:56 from 216.49.181.254

Yes, that is wise. Hold off until aches and pains go away and also mentally until you really want to get out there again. No rush. The body needs rest. Just shine the medal.

From Maurine/Miles on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 18:17:18 from 63.255.172.2

Funny - one of my coworkers that I usually take running came into town tonight for meetings. She was really shocked when I said I wasn't running right now. Then I pointed to my St. George and Pony Express Medals and said - 75+ miles of racing in 2 weeks did my feet in.

From crockett on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 18:18:50 from 216.49.181.254

I had all my medals for the year hanging on our kitchen light. They were cool wind chimes. Finally my wife made me take them down.

From Maurine/Miles on Tue, Oct 19, 2010 at 18:21:21 from 63.255.172.2

I have them all thumbtacked on my office wall. Which everybody sees as they walk into the rest of the office. I figure I spend more time here than at home, so can enjoy them more.

What do you do with the belt buckles?

From Smooth on Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 14:03:21 from 67.41.235.104

Davy ~ CONGRATZ again for a successful Pony Express...winning it and organizing it so well!

You are recovering marvelously! Are you running Goblin on Sat.? I hope so!

Will you share some of your wisdom and tips about blister? I ran in a pair of brand new trail shoes, 12 miles on the Park City Rail Trail in preparation for Goblin Valley. Got a blister on my right 4th toe. I seem to get it there with new shoes where the toes flex and the shoe's toe box bend. THANKS!

From crockett on Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 16:42:33 from 216.49.181.254

Smooth, didn't realize you were heading to Goblin Valley. That is great, it is a nice run, I did it their first year. Crease shoe blisters are a pain. Hopefully your shoes will break in and not be a problem. What I probably would do is tape that toe all the way around with some smooth medical tape, a type that won't come loose. If it comes loose, it is a real bother as it moves around inside the sock. I think that should do the trick until the crease stops. The tape has to be smooth so it doesn't rub against the neighbor toes. I also always lube my toes with Bag Balm.

From Smooth on Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 17:06:37 from 67.41.235.104

Thanks Davy! I'm going to get some Bag Balm and good tapes!

Total Distance
0.00

Didn't run this morning.  Yesterday I got a flu shot and felt really crummy last night, so with 10 hours of sleep, I feel better again.  The body likes lots of sleep for a few days after a 100 anyway.

Looks like Goblin Valley 50K has a good chance of rain this weekend.  I probably won't try to get in.  It will probably be nice in the morning though because it looks like the forecast if for thunderstorms and those usually happen in the afternoon/evening.

Comments
From Lily on Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 16:56:45 from 67.199.181.73

My husband and son got sick from their flu shots. No fun.

Hey you did awesome in the Pony Express. I am always very impressed with you.

From crockett on Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 17:12:32 from 216.49.181.254

Thanks Lily, still feeling very good about my Pony Express race. I had a dream for a 20-hour finish, but didn't quite happen. Yet few guys over 50 approach 20-hour finishes, so it is a great way to end the season.

From Bryce on Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 00:46:05 from 67.186.213.216

Yes Davey, what Lily said. Nice job out there! Great win and a great time and CR too. Very, very impressive. You've had a great season. Congrats!!

Total Distance
0.00

Still being lazy.  Five days without running.  Alarm clock went off and I didn't get up. It is fun to be lazy now and then.

Thoughts turning to Across The Years 48-hour run in Arizona on December 29.  Some world-class runners always come to this event.  It is great fun.  Two years ago I did the 24-hour version.  This year I'll do the 48.  No clue how far I will go, but I'll likely try to do the first 100 in about the same time I did last week and then hang on and see how many more miles I can get.  When I finished Pony Express Trail 100, I still felt good to go if I had to.

Looking at the cast of characters in the field, a top 4 finish is probably the best I can hope for.

I'll likely also go do Jim Skaggs' 100K on the Island coming up.  Good training for ATY.

Comments
From jun on Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 13:36:41 from 66.239.250.209

That 100k on Antelope Island looks awesome. Pricey for the time of year though. Time to get focused on Christmas (my wife's words, not mine). Ha.

From Jon on Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 19:20:35 from 74.177.117.232

Lazy is good after a 100.

From Maurine/Miles on Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 12:18:42 from 63.255.172.2

I'll be at the Death Valley aid station, so say hi as you zoom by.

Total Distance
0.00

The alarm went off, but I slept in again.  Six days without running.  When will this madness end!!!!   Probably tonight since I plan on running a 50K in the wee hours of the morning between storms.

Good luck to all those running Goblin Valley 50K.  Weather should be OK during the race, just a little bit nippy.

Comments
From Maurine/Miles on Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 12:19:14 from 63.255.172.2

Are you going to run Eagle Mountain again?

From crockett on Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 12:34:30 from 216.49.181.254

Yep, around Lake Mountain.

From Kelli on Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 12:35:14 from 71.219.65.246

I am in awe. Really.

Have fun on your 50k, you are crazy and amazing all wrapped into one.

From crockett on Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 12:58:08 from 216.49.181.254

I thought about coming and joining you guys but doing my own 50K saves money and time. Run fast, don't hold back, treat it like a marathon, just a few more miles.

From Lily on Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 17:48:56 from 67.199.181.73

Crazy Crockett, another Ultra? How do you do this? amazing amazing

Total Distance
31.00

Finally stopped being a slacker and got out and ran.  I again ran the 50K Lake Mountain loop.  This time I started at about 9:30 p.m. and ran it in the moonlight.  Very nice.  Two weeks ago I had run it with two weeks rest after a 100-miler and this time I ran it with one-weeks rest.  I was interested to see the difference.

I was able to race the first 12.5 miles well, only three minutes slower than my PR two weeks ago, but on the long downhill I started to feel those 100-mile pains, so I slowed down and just enjoyed the rest of the run.  For much of the second half I ran with my light off.  The full moon was amazing.  Even when it was behind thick clouds, there still was a glow bright enough to see.  All was quiet except some coyotes who noticed me and yapped and some dogs who had keen eyes and see me come and go.

I was home in bed by 4:00 a.m.  Glad I didn't try to go to Goblin Valley, I probably would have struggled to break 5:00.  Need another week to fully recover for racing.

Start miles PR today
Reformation Ridge 4.0 0:35 0:36
Israel Canyon Rd 7.7 1:11 1:11
Enoch Pass 12.5 2:04 2:07
Redwood Road 17.5 2:47 2:56
Soldiers Pass 21.7 3:31 3:51
Lake Mt Rd 24.3 3:57 4:23
Finish 30.8 4:59 5:43

Hoka Miles: 31.00
Comments
From Maurine/Miles on Sat, Oct 23, 2010 at 11:17:51 from 63.255.172.2

Awesome job, Davy! Wonder how the PE 50 race would be on a moonlight night instead of during the day.

From jun on Sat, Oct 23, 2010 at 15:06:04 from 206.53.153.173

Bwahaha. Only Sir Crockett would run an ultra a week after running a 100. And to think that I thought I was cool for running 4 miles up a mountain yesterday. Pft.

From Scott Wesemann on Sun, Oct 24, 2010 at 22:07:01 from 75.165.249.90

Wow! This just goes to show how far a slug like me needs to go. My legs were tired yesterday after our short mountain run on Friday. I can't even imagine doing a 50K right now, and I only did 50 last week. Impressive!

From crockett on Sun, Oct 24, 2010 at 22:21:07 from 71.36.84.70

Recovery just comes faster the more you do it. This weekend after the 50K, legs still feel great but the energy rather low for the weekend, still haven't fully bounced back from the 100.

From Smooth on Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 16:52:04 from 63.228.197.20

WOW!!! Only you can call running a mountain 50K loop days after a record breaking PE100 a recovery run! Simply remarkable!!!!

Total Distance
0.00

Still being lazy.  Well, time to get to work again.  Signed up for the Halloween Half in Provo Canyon on Saturday.  I've run down the Sundance road before....wow, crazy steep stuff.  Should be a fast tempo run, maybe I can snag the old-guy age-group award.   Then next week I'll probably go run Jim's 100k on the island.  That should be fun.

Comments
From jun on Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 22:00:23 from 97.126.235.122

Wow, cool. Me and the whole family will be there racing. We'll be in the back of the pack running slow though. Will you dress up?

From crockett on Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 22:06:17 from 71.36.84.70

I should probably wear my coonskin hat.

Total Distance
7.00

Treadmill.  Yuk.

My only problem left over from the 100 (and my 50K) is a painful lump on the tendon where the shoe tongue of the Hokas jam into the foot. It will take awhile for that lump to go away.  Shoots pain down a nerve into the foot.  I'll probably have to cut that shoe tongue back.  Too long and not enough cushion in it. 

Starting to think about races for next year.  I may skip Bear after seven straight years there to go experience a new race.  There are a bunch of good ones in September.

 

 

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Kelli on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 18:59:17 from 71.219.65.246

Oh, the treadmill is not so bad! But now that I have experienced trails, i can see why you would really hate it!

Races for next year already, huh? I am thinking of retiring while I am ahead.

From Jon on Fri, Oct 29, 2010 at 21:11:39 from 98.71.130.239

I think there is something to be said for experiencing a wide variety of races, rather than doing the same one all the time. Go for it.

From crockett on Fri, Oct 29, 2010 at 21:19:21 from 71.36.84.70

Yep, there is a race in upstate NY near where I lived in the 80s at a ski resort I used to ski on. Would be fun to get back there and if the competition is similar to last year, I could contend.

Total Distance
4.00

Treadmill, weights, core.  Wimpy workout.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 4.00
Total Distance
5.00

Five quick road miles

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 5.00
Race: Provo Halloween Half (13.1 Miles) 01:27:59, Place overall: 73, Place in age division: 5
Total Distance
15.00

This race is a fun run, and it was fun but had way to many problems to be seriously competivie.  But it is a riot to look at all the wild costumes people were running in.  Wow.  Very creative.  The course is very fast.

The problems were a many. But you would expect growing pains as the race went from about 600 last year to about 2,500 this year.  They really skimped on buses.  Many people had to wait a long time at the start because there were no buses there.  Those who did take early buses had to wait two hours at the start, but that was OK, we had fun talking or warming up.  The starter began the race when a bus was totally blocking the road 100 yards ahead.  Most the mile markers seemed off (one only about 0.8).  The course appeared to be short about 2 tenths making it about two minutes or more fast.  Perhaps the Garmins had trouble in the canyons.  But if so, they all did even those coming in an hour later. The finish bags arrived too late to sort so it took a long time to find bags.  And the worst, there were very few buses at the finish, so runners had to walk miles back to their car or wait for hours for buses.  (I called my wife to pick us up.)   So if you run this race, you need to go at it with just a fun attitude, because it can be fun while you are running because of all the costumes, a great run for the family.  It also is a blistering fast course, wow!  If you have the downhill speed you can really fly.

The race runs from the Mount Timp trailhead above Sundance and finishes in the Riverwoods.

I went up with my son Kevin who was running his first half.   I was worried about the chilly weather at the start and we got there over two hours early, but they had a nice huge warm tent to wait in and look at all the bizarre costumes.   After awhile I went out to run up the road.  As I was running up, I was confused to see a ton of runners coming down the road in the dark. One of the buses let out runners way up the road for some reason.  I guess he missed the turn.  The dawn was incredible. I loved the peace away from the crowds climbing up the Alpine Loop road.  The light glowed off of Mount Timp.  But I was dressed too warm, started to sweat so I returned to the tent and talked with friends and Kevin.

The start was delayed because runners were still arriving because of the lack of buses.  After the last bus arrived, the starter didn't give the bus enough time to get out of the way.  He fired the gun and away we went.  The bus was blocking almost the entire road.  Luckly I was in the first group of about 20 runners, so it wasn't a problem.

The first four miles are wicked fast and steep.  I think we lost 2,000 feet in only four miles.  I forgot to bring my Garmin, so not sure of the mile splits, but if the mile markers can be trusted on the first section they were 6:10, 6:13, 6:20, and 6:44.   It was great fun to blast down the road.   Before reaching the Provo Canyon highway, my calves started to cramp up, so I slowed a little.  I just haven't done enough tempo runs for the past few months, but the steep descent also affected things.  I already saw runners stopping because of cramping problems.

Well, the rest of the run just followed the highway and then jumped on the Provo River Parkway at Vivian Park, a route I have run many times.   I was surprised that at mile 10, the 1:30 pacers caught up to me.  This just didn't seem right.   As I got thinking about it, either they were early or the course was going to be short.   I hung on and kept them in my sights.  They seemed to slow near the finish because they would be arriving more then two minutes too soon.

I pushed as hard as I could and finished in 1:27:59.   PR time for a half by over two minutes, but I was still confused, it didn't seem like I went that fast.  I watched people finish for the next hour and all the pacers showed up to the finish 2-3 minutes too soon. They were all very confused. I concluded the course was short.  Others confirmed it.

I did make a road runner rookie mistake.  I didn't tie my shoes tight enough.  With the downhill course, my feet slid around and I ended up with huge blisters on the balls of my feet.  After I finished, I had wanted to run the course backwards and run Kevin in, but I was in way too much pain after the finish walking on the blisters.  I had to treat my feet and then spent a half hour searching the pile for our bags.   Kevin showed up at 2:34:34.  Well done for his very first half!  He got it done.  The steep downhill worked his legs pretty hard.

My age group was very competitive this time. I finished in 5th. Many of the best local road runners were there.  I recognized several as they passed me.  I wished I could keep up but just couldn't.

Despite all the challenges, it was a fun morning, and very nice to get in a fast run.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 15.00
Comments
From JulieC on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 17:41:04 from 168.103.184.124

GReat race!! the garmins may be to blame...as I mentioned about Hobble Creek. Today my garmin picked up my fastest pace as 4:30 (NOT) and that only happens when it doesn't pick up for a bit. That would explain why at mile five (out of the canyon) the miles were more on but before that my garmin wouldn't read a mile until after each marker. Who knows. Maybe we should drive it :D.

From crockett on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 17:45:47 from 71.36.84.70

Could be but another thing that bugged me is that according the the mile markers they placed, mile 9 was only about 0.8. I ran it in 5:38. Yeah right, more like 7:30 pace at that point. Seemed like the miles after that were right. I'm betting they placed the mile markers starting from the finish and from the start, meeting in the middle, but had to have a short mile.

From JulieC on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 17:49:15 from 168.103.184.124

I went off my garmin for all the miles so it wouldn't get me ticked or off focus. But the canyon thing has happened to me many a time. Some days it will pick up in AF canyon by my house and the next day I could be on the opposite side of the road running up by the reservoir and it doesn't read and the mileage is shorter by over .3 miles.

From crockett on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 17:50:04 from 71.36.84.70

Another way to come up a little short is cutting all the corners on the Sundance road. I certainly cut a few, but I'm betting the pacers didn't.

From JulieC on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 17:50:51 from 168.103.184.124

Basically you PR'd. You should run Bryce Canyon Half in July. The canyon is lower than the runners (no garmin issues) and the course is just as fast. : DDD I am trying to cheer you up : DD. Want more : DDDDD?

From crockett on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 18:01:30 from 71.36.84.70

Ha, ha, JulieC, you are too kind. Thanks. OK, I'll accept my PR an aided PR, aided at least by the crazy hills, perhaps the distance too. It was close. I didn't beat the pacers like you did.

From allie on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 20:39:12 from 174.23.195.124

great job today, and congrats on the PR. i agree, there were a lot of noticeable "growing pains" this year. wow. so many people!

From Walter on Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 00:11:45 from 24.10.169.110

Great job today! I always start out wondering if I should run hard or run it for fun. Im too competitive. lol

From crockett on Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 10:51:29 from 71.36.84.70

Funny how this half left me with legs that are more sore than after finishing my 100-miler two weeks ago in PR time.

From crockett on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 17:08:15 from 216.49.181.254

The nerd and OCD-type that I am, I used Google Earth to measure the course (granted not presise, could lose or gain some). The distance came to 12.75. Seems consistent with the GPSs and just too far off the margin of error. Perhaps I'm too honest with my PRs, but I'll chalk this one up as a nice fun run.

From JulieC on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 18:18:49 from 71.35.248.67

did you get 51.25 miles for Squaw Peak this year? I did. I will agree that most likely it is off a bit for sure. But what about Hobble Creek and its "sanctioned" course reading about 12.63 miles for Nan I think. I will have to look back. Did you run Hobble this year? My good friend ran the Halloween course earlier that day. She is fast and was doing so well she ran to the end and kept going to get to 13.1 miles even-- her time for real distance was incredible, she would have won= 1:22:10. So that makes it about 1:20 if she ran the "short" course. She ran with Melanieb. Anyway....OCD is okay. Sasha would have to let us know too. Thanks for the update. I think I will run the course WICKED slow and see if my garmin loses hold of the satellite :D. Wanna join me? can't for a few days as my calves are like yours of course.

From JulieC on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 18:21:48 from 71.35.248.67

So that gives me a 1:29 something since my garmin said my AP was 6:51, right? Oh well, I did run UP a mile at the start and back down. : D

From crockett on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 18:34:56 from 216.49.181.254

For my PRs, I'm OK if the course is over and OK if it is under by a little. I've never run Hobble Creek, but boy, if it is 12.63, that is alarming. That canyon isn't very narrow nor are there a ton of trees. The Rex Lee run this year was 9K instead of 10K this year. Someone said the race director said, that's OK, everyone gets a PR. Not. Yes, I was be happy to run it again some time. I imagine USATF has some margin of error they accept. They measure the shortest possible route a runner can take without being DQed, so cutting those corners coming down. Their crazy document is at: http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/certification/manual/manual.pdf

Note that an event like Hobble Creek can be "sanctioned" without having the course "certified." My Pony Express Trail 100 was "sanctioned" but the length hasn't been "certified."

From JulieC on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 22:10:04 from 71.35.248.67

so....I downloaded my garmin info for Sat's race and interestingly at mile 4 my garmin says I ran 144 ft uphill. NOT. There was NO uphill then. HENCE, I believe my garmin lost connection there for a bit. That is where the canyon wall is steep on the left side of the wall. I can't even make cell phone calls there as they give out as I am driving away from Sundance skiing. It also put that crazy fastest pace hit at mile 9 (4:30, not in this lifetime) where you go under the bridge briefly. What I am saying is we might want to calibrate our bikes like USATF says and check it out....NOT : D. Basically something fishy with garmination and true accuracy with canyon walls and steep terrain. Not that I am saying it is exactly 13.1. but closer than we think. Just another OCDer lovin' the over-analysis of a race. It is intriguing. BTW I ran that ridiculous 9k. Really not impressed with the organizer's attitude.

From JulieC on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 22:16:16 from 71.35.248.67

Nan got 12.85 for Hobble Creek. Some got less. IT IS USATF certified. So IS the Halloween Half I was just told by my friend Kim.

From JulieC on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 22:17:30 from 71.35.248.67

AND HOW IN THE HECK DO YOU RUN THAT MANY 100 milers? YOU SO TOTALLY ROCK DUDE!! (sorry for the quote from Finding Nemo) but it so fits for you. You are a running machine.

Total Distance
0.00

Amazed at how beat up I felt from that half marathon.  I must be getting old.  Sore calves and I slept over 10 hours last night.  Weird.   Looking at the results, a big field, 73rd overall out of 2443, top 3%.  In my age group, I was 5th, but the top 5 all finished within 2:26 of each other, then there was a gap of 5:30 until the next runner.  I believe I'm closing the gap with those who usually beat me.  If I really cared, I could really train for speed and road foot speed.  But, I don't, so it is back to the trails I go.

FYI, when I consider overall results, I always include women who beat me in those results,  To me, I'm racing against them too.  Good for them.  11 beat me.   In 100-milers and 50-milers, I'm finally getting to the point where only about 2-3 beat me.

Comments
From jun on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 13:41:39 from 66.239.250.209

I'm really to the point where I don't distinguish between men and women results any more. So many women are faster than me that I just figure we're equals any more. A runner is a runner is a runner is a runner, especially when it comes to distance running.

From Predog on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 13:57:39 from 24.10.136.228

Well if it makes you feel any better I can barely walk and I'm only 23. My calves are absolutely destroyed.

From crockett on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 14:03:18 from 216.49.181.254

That is the way most ultras treat it. While they award first place for men's and women's seperate, their overall results always includes everyone. At times a woman is even the overall winner. Road races go the other direction and seperate things. I even get confused on this blog with a woman lists herself (for example) as third place overall.

From jun on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 14:04:33 from 66.239.250.209

I get confused too. However, I generally just assume that I'm not very smart and don't understand how running works, especially racing.

From Maurine/Miles on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 16:15:21 from 63.255.172.2

That's why I tend to stick with Last Overall....

Total Distance
0.00

Sore calves but feeling better. Too many people asked me today if I did a huge run over the weekend because they can see that I'm walking weird.  Pretty funny to tell them that I only did a half marathon.

New month, still on track for my highest mile year.  December will likely be a 400-mile month with Across the Years race.

Total Distance
2.00

Calves getting better but still sore on the downhills and down stairs.  I signed up for the Antelope Island 100K.  Just two days away, hopefully the soreness will be gone.  The danger of doing a very long run with tight calves is shin splints.  I've had that happen before, really bad resulting in internal bleeding/bruising.  Pretty nasty, takes a good month or more to heal.

Spent a half hour blasting the calves with water jets in the hot tub.  That always seems to give them a great deep massage and turn them to mush.  Also swam some laps.  Its been months since I've swam.  Boy, you really lose it if you don't do it often.

Total Distance
0.00

Heating pad treatment on the calves overnight.  Seemed to help.  I'll still have some soreness tomorrow.  It could loosen up and not be a problem or could seize up.  If this were a 100-miler, I doubt if I would start.   But this is just a fun 100K.  It would be nice to set a PR at this distance.   The only other 100K I've run is KM100 which is a crazy slow 100K.  At ATY 2007, I reached 100K distance at just under 12 hours.  At Pony Express this year, I would have been close to that mark, but I sat in the car for a rest right before the 100K mark.  So beating 12 hours would be nice.

I'm heading out to the island this afternoon to help Jim set up.

Predictions.   I think two runners from Colorado are the favories, Zach Hermsen and Tim Long.  Zach ran a sub-24 at Leadville this year. Tim ran Bear in 23 hours. I don't believe I can keep up with them.   There are also two swift guys from Wyoming who have run sub-8 50s, Christopher Dingman and Chris Lundberg, but they haven't race over 50 before.  Can they keep up the speed past 50?  Probably.  Then there are about nine others that are about my speed if my legs will work.

Comments
From jun on Fri, Nov 05, 2010 at 11:49:27 from 66.239.250.209

Wow, stiff competition. You know the course well though and that could be a big advantage; knowing when to push and knowing when to hold back. Good luck.

From crockett on Fri, Nov 05, 2010 at 13:25:35 from 216.49.181.254

Looks like some others have signed up, Phil Lowry, Brian Beckstead, Ed (from pony Express), and others.

From jun on Fri, Nov 05, 2010 at 13:30:05 from 66.239.250.209

Well, that doesn't seem to matter: Phil has lost his mojo now that he's moved up Narth, Brian will be in his prototype shoes which should fall apart at around mile 30, and Ed will probably be doing a back-to-back 100k somewhere in CO on Sunday, so he'll hold back (he'll also miss his flight, but that's a different story).

From Scott Wesemann on Fri, Nov 05, 2010 at 13:33:58 from 66.239.250.209

Good luck with your race and your calf.

From crockett on Fri, Nov 05, 2010 at 13:34:30 from 216.49.181.254

Looks like Ed ran JJ100 a week after Pony Express with a pretty good time 24 hours and change.

From crockett on Fri, Nov 05, 2010 at 13:46:55 from 216.49.181.254

Ed ran JJ100 a week after Pony Express and finished in 24:00:50. Pretty good. Impressive a week after PET100.

From jun on Fri, Nov 05, 2010 at 14:02:55 from 66.239.250.209

For sure. That guy is definitely strong and pretty fast. He didn't seem to like the heat at PE. I would imagine that tomorrow's temps will be a lot better for him. It will be interesting to see how things play out.

Race: Antelope Island 100K (62 Miles) 11:58:00, Place overall: 12, Place in age division: 2
Total Distance
64.00

Full race report posted here.

My goal was to break 12 hours.   I cut it a wee bit close and really had to push the last ten miles or so.

It was a spectacular, perfect running day on the island.  This new course runs for several miles along the western beach and during loop 2 there was a cool breeze coming off the Great Salt Lake.  It really felt like an ocean breeze, full of salt.  Really neat.

My race went pretty well.  The field was pretty competitive, some speedy runners entered the last couple days.   My sore calves were not a problem, after a couple miles they felt fine.  In fact I was the overall leader as late as mile 12.  It was fun to run with the front-runners, even when we all went off course and went through a muddy march.  We ended up all going in seperate directions to get out of it.  When we finally run back out on the lake bed, Phil Lowry saw us come out with our lights and said we looked like Picket's charge at Gettysburg, all coming down on the lake at different points.  Really funny.

I backed off my pace as usual, sticking with Phil until about mile 20 and then started to struggle with a bad blister, left over from that stupid half marathon last Saturday.  It really slowed me down for the next 20 miles until I stopped, cleaned things out and removed tape that wasn't working. 

I finished the first 50K at 5:15 and reached the 50-mile mark at 9:27.   Around mile 48, I felt fantastic and turned on the jets.  At that point I knew reaching my sub-12 hour goal was in major jeapordy.  But I concentrated very hard and used my Garmin to keep my pace up.  Crossed the finish line at 12:58 to really nice cheers.  Brian Beckstead and others hung around until I finished.  That was nice.  This was a 100K race PR for me, mostly because there are so few 100Ks to run.   I really loved the fast course with the varied trails and the four tough long, but runnable, climbs. I came up two minutes short of my 100K distance PR during a longer race.   At 2008 ATY I reached 100K at 11:54 on a totally flat track..   By my Garmin today I reached 100K at 11:56, the course being a tiny bit long. (my off course adventure and a big detour around some buffalo added a little).

Looking at the Garmin data, my fastest mile was a 7:42 at mile 9 when I took the lead blasting down some switchbacks. Slowest was a 21:00 mile during the 1,000-foot two-mile climb on Loop 2.  During Loop 1, it was a 17:05 mile at this same point.  Looks like we only lost about 3 minutes going off course.  Mile 62 was a 9:24 mile as I "sprinted" to get under 12 hours.

Looks like I only walked about 3.5 miles of the entire 62 miles.

Hoka Miles: 62.00
Comments
From jun on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 00:16:10 from 97.126.235.122

Congrats on a great finish. That is a really fast time. Sounds like it was the perfect day for a run.

From Jim Kern on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 01:33:54 from 174.52.105.62

Davy, I was thinking about Antelope Island all day. Glad to hear you did so well. I thought about volunteering for the 100k, but today was the First Dam Run in Logan, my second anniversary of running and my third running of that race. The 10k old guys were glad you were not there

From DonGardinero on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 01:51:22 from 72.174.220.3

Nicely done, especially with the leftover blister.

From Jon on Sun, Nov 07, 2010 at 14:37:10 from 98.71.130.239

Good race again, Davy.

From crockett on Sun, Nov 14, 2010 at 14:04:00 from 71.36.84.70

Full race report posted at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=496

Total Distance
0.00

Recovery going very well, can already jog downstairs (with some quad pain).  No calf pain.  I think it is funny that I will recover faster this week from running a 100K race, than recovering last week from a half marathon.

Looking back on the 100K, I feel pretty good about it.  With a perfect race, I think I could have run about 45 minutes faster on that course.  That gives me something to shoot for next year.

Comments
From jun on Mon, Nov 08, 2010 at 20:30:00 from 97.126.235.122

I'm sure there are always little things that can be done to cut time. Hopefully, yours were easy to identify and you can drop some additional minutes next year.

Total Distance
14.00

Back to training.  Focus on the flats, many miles and very long runs to get ready for ATY in less than 50 days.  Treadmill this morning.  Planning and starting up two-a-days.

Feel recovered from Saturday, just minor pain in the blister spots that aren't totally healed.

p.m. tempo run at the Lehi Legacy center indoor track.   Averaged about 7:40 pace.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 14.00
Comments
From Jon on Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 22:52:44 from 98.71.130.239

Did you know if you google "R2R2R", Crockett Clan blog is the very top result? Pretty cool.

From crockett on Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 10:21:35 from 216.49.181.254

That is funny. That link goes to my very first R2R2R. It isn't even on my blog. I was wondering why people ask me questions and refer to my first one, no knowing about my others. I'm sure it is top because it has been around so long and many people are linking to it.

From jun on Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 23:42:41 from 63.224.110.85

You've gone R2R2R? Weird.

Total Distance
16.00

I went out for a night run in Cedar Valley.  I started at Camp Floyd in Fairfield and ran a 25K loop that circled around the Jake Garn airport, went to Eagle mountain and then returned.  This would make a good route for a 50K race some day because it almost exactly 25K, very fast and flat and would bring people out to Camp Floyd.   People might think it is boring because it is so wide open and flat, but I get a kick out of running in that wide-open valley because it messes with your mind, the long straight sections seem to never end.

Map of the run: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/ut/fairfield/167128966569676934

I intended to run the loop twice, but wimped out after one loop because of the cold.  That massive valley is amazing.  All the cold air sinks at the lowest point.  My run only gained 95 feet along the way, but at the lowest point it was 20 degrees and at the highest point it was 31 degrees.  Amazing!   My coldest point was about three miles west of Camp Floyd.  After I finished the second loop, I just didn't want to go through that cold stretch again with a slight head wind.   Also my right foot was tender from the new skin healing the massive blisters from the last couple weeks.   At midnight I stopped and went home.

At mile 7 I had dropped a thermos of warm diluted Ensure to drink.  Yum, Yum.  At mile 10 I ran on what I now call, "Lost Scott Road."   Read the reason documented in this story.

I completed the 25K in 2:20 with an average pace of 9:10.  My fastest mile was the downhill mile (ha, ha, 20 feet downhill during the entire mile) for a 7:34 pace. Got to love those tough downhills, I really blasted down it.

I'm running these flat runs to get ready for ATY (Across the Years 48-hour run on Dec 29 in Arizona).   I might go back out there Saturday to run another longer loop to the south, once it warm up a little.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 16.00
Comments
From jun on Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 12:25:58 from 63.224.110.85

Yes, the story rises again!!!

I too love Cedar Valley. And I can vouch for the cold and how it sits in there. It's incredible. Cool run though. I think running out there at night is awesome.

From Scott Wesemann on Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 13:59:33 from 75.162.77.185

Haha! Nice. Why do I think that is gonna stick?? That was by far the coldest I have been all year. Good times.

Nice run Davy.

Total Distance
17.00

Went out and finished the 50K I interrupted at midnight.   Started again at Camp Floyd in Fairfiled and did a longer loop to the south.  At one point far south I couldn't see any modern structures for miles, a very cool remote feeling.   It wasn't as cold as last night, temp about 40.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 17.00
Comments
From jun on Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 20:03:36 from 63.224.110.85

You could easily string together a 100 miler out there. Easy. Literally, there are miles and miles of road that rarely get traveled on. Jealous.

From crockett on Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 22:40:07 from 71.36.84.70

And to the south are the Tintic mountains near Eureka. I've run around those (The mountains north of Rt 6) Some very nice canyons, old mining roads, abandoned railroad trails, etc. Fun stuff. I need to get down there more. Those don't get runners in them, just ATVs, hunters, etc.

Total Distance
0.00

Posted my Antelope Island race report at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=496#more-496

Total Distance
15.00

Treadmill.  I did a 9x9x9.   Nine miles, 9:00 pace, 9% incline holding on to the front.  Actually did much of it at 8:00 pace to get it over with faster.  Got the usual comments from a firiend as I finished, "How many miles today? 50?"   He then tells a new guy about my 5 consecutive Timps.

p.m. six miles at the legacy center, 8:00 pace

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 15.00
Comments
From jun on Tue, Nov 16, 2010 at 11:25:29 from 66.239.250.209

I think I will go back to calling you 'Sir Crockett'.

From Kam on Tue, Nov 16, 2010 at 11:47:15 from 68.66.163.179

That sounds like a pretty rough workout. I'll have to try that at home after I get a doctor's approval.

From crockett on Tue, Nov 16, 2010 at 12:52:47 from 216.49.181.254

Jun, yes "Sir Crockett" is appropriate coming from punk young kid like you.

From Scott Wesemann on Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 01:17:49 from 75.162.77.185

Ha! Nice Crockett.

From jun on Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 09:54:04 from 66.239.250.209

It's been a long time since anyone called me a "punk young kid". I'll take it. I will also take that as a challenge to smoke you in our next race together (Craig's wishful thinking may get him into serious trouble!).

From Maurine/Miles on Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 15:05:07 from 63.255.172.2

Maybe I should ask you for your autograph next time I see you run past me.

From crockett on Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 15:12:51 from 216.49.181.254

No, no reason for autographs, we just need to teach these young punks to respect the elderly on the trails.

From Maurine/Miles on Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 15:58:03 from 63.255.172.2

It's bad enough everyone keeps pointing out that I turn 50 on Sunday. :)

From crockett on Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 16:24:22 from 216.49.181.254

That's great. Welcome to the old-geezer running club.

From Maurine/Miles on Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 16:49:54 from 63.255.172.2

Thanks! It's a good thing I finished the PE50 because I vowed I would not turn 50 until after I completed a 50 miler.

From crockett on Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 19:42:57 from 71.36.84.70

See, young punks like Jun and Scott need to be taught proper respect for ultrarunning old geezers like us. There are a few important rules they should pay attention to.

1. Never refer to our trekking poles as “canes.” That is just in poor taste.

2. When you run with us, don’t start a conversation with, “Have you had a colonoscopy lately?”

3. If you really want to talk to us while we run, first ask us which is our good ear, and then speak loudly on that side.

4. Young punks, don’t brag about your fast bathroom stops. Your day will come.

5. Young punks should never pass an old geezer during the last few miles of a race. You had your chance. Be respectful and politely encourage the elderly runner along from behind to the finish.

When all else fails, if the young punk still is showing a lack of respect for us old farts, you do what they do in other sports, point to the results and say: “scoreboard!” See: http://ponyexpress100.org/2010-race-results/

From jun on Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 20:16:32 from 63.224.110.85

Oh snap. I had all sorts of come-backs up until I read #5. Now I don't know what to say.

Grandpa.

Total Distance
5.00

Woke up at 4:25 a.m., five minutes before the alarm went off, turned if off.  Next thing I knew it was almost 7:00.  Oh well.   After work ran some miles in the foothills of Bluffdale on dirt trails.  Good fun, but I wasn't dressed warm and was freezing.

La Sportiva Wildcat - Green Miles: 5.00
Total Distance
16.00

Treadmill  9x8x10.  nine miles, 8:00 pace, 10% incline.

p.m. Run on trails in the Bluffdale-Riverton foothills

http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/ut/bluffdale/101129013203672939

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 16.00
Comments
From Vis on Sat, Nov 20, 2010 at 11:28:58 from 208.88.8.22

This treadmill workout looks killer. You are one fit dude.

Total Distance
30.00

I wanted to get in a 50K run in this weekend.  Since there was a big storm coming in Saturday morning, I went to get it done Friday evening before the storm.  I selected a new route on the southwest side of Utah Lake.  I would start north of Mosida (north of the huge Bateman sheep farm) head on dirt roads to the west and make my way to a powerline road (the same powerlines that run through Cedar Valley to the north), and follow that all the way south to Elberta.   I then planned to loop around to the west and run along the old forgotton State Road 73, (now just a trail) and head back north.  I wanted to get through by midnight at average a 11:00 pace.

My actual run was a bit different.  I started at 6:15 p.m. in the dark. Things started off well, but about two miles into the run I took a wrong turn and then my road ended.  I backtracked made another turn, again wrong and really got turned around.   Eventually I found myself on a high ridge. I thought I was heading south, but I was heading east.  I was confused because I saw the lit up Bateman farm in the wrong location and soon saw that I was heading east with Utah Lake in front of me.   I backtracked again, and eventually found the correct road.  That cost me about two extra miles.  I looked at the sky.  No moon or stars to help, so I used the glow of the lights against the clouds from Salt Lake Valley far to the north.   I figured out that if I kept that glow behind my right shoulder, I would stay on course and not get turned around again.

Now on the right course, heading southeast, going over a mild pass, I hit a terrible headwind about 30 mph or so.  I was very startled by what looked like two porcupines running toward me.  They turned out to be tumble weeds.   The wind got fiercer and I had a hard time keeping my pace up.   Next I was very startled by tumble weeds coming from nowhere, slamming into me.   After awhile I just go used to it, no big deal.  Then little mice would run out on the road and try to keep ahead of me.  I almost stepped on a couple.  I reached the powerlines and my route shifted due south.   The headwind was now a little to the side of me and I was able to increase pace.   I now faced a long 9.2-mile straight route.   It seemed like it would never end.   

I came out behind some low hills and had great views of the lake and the lights across the lake including Santaquin  to the southeast.   Finally I hit Elberta Slant road and could really pick up my pace as I headed west on this smooth dirt road.   I was able to get back on my pace goal.   When I reached State Rd 68 (Redwood Road), I stopped to refuel.  Before my run I had dropped some coke, water, and Ensure.   I was dehydrated because I was running with only one water bottle and had run out a few miles back.  It was good to get hydrated again.

I looked at my distance.  Because of my blunder, I was already at 17 miles.   I decided to take the easy route and run SR 68 back directly to my car.   On the pavement I was able to really push the pace well.  After a couple miles, to avoid the occasional car going by, I jumped onto a ranch dirt road that parallels the highway for about ten miles.  That turned out to be great.  My pace slowed a little back on the dirt, but I enjoyed it much more.  With the full moon out, I was able to run without my light, totally by moonlight.  It was fantastic.

At times the wind was fierce, but now I had an incredible tail wind.   It would really push me along!  I looked out toward the east and saw huge dust clouds glowing in the moonlight, out a couple miles where the powerline trail would was.  I was glad that I was not there, it would have been nasty.

Finally I could see the blazing lights of Bateman farm to the north, but it seemed like it would never arrive on the long straight 12-mile stretch.   Again, I started to get dehydrated, so my joints started to ache.   I was ready to finish.  Soon the car came into view and I completed my Mosida/Elberta loop, almost exactly at 11:00 pace, a little before midnight.   Once in the car, the windstorm really kicked up and my car rocked back and forth, and tumbleweeds were really flying.  I was glad to be through.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 30.00
Comments
From jun on Sat, Nov 20, 2010 at 13:18:45 from 63.224.110.85

um, whoa. sounds fairly gnarly. Good run. Other than the wind I bet the moon was awesome.

From JD on Sat, Nov 20, 2010 at 17:20:35 from 67.186.212.213

Great run!

From Smooth on Sun, Nov 21, 2010 at 20:36:40 from 67.2.111.170

Only YOU Davy would venture out in that nasty wind for an ultramarathon in the dark alone fighting tumble weeds, dehydration and all. Glad the moon gave you some pleasantry. AWESOME training run and WAY to beat the storm!

From flatlander on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 12:05:26 from 198.207.244.102

Great adventure, looks like you got it in just before the gates closed.

Total Distance
8.00

Treadmill, easy pace.   Noticed that I've surpassed the number of miles I ran  last year.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 8.00
Total Distance
0.00

Caught a cold or the dust messed up my sinuses from the run Friday night.  But I slept a ton this weekend and feel much better.   Planning on a 88+ mile adventure in the Grand Canyon this weekend, double crossing using the tough Boucher Trail on the South Rim.

Looking back at the past year, it has been a surprisingly good year, with PRs at every distance.  I can only wonder what my PRs could have been if I would have run in my 20s and 30s.

5K PR - 19:51

10K PR - 42:04

1/2 marathon PR - 1:30:34

marathon PR - 3:23:43

50K distance PR - 4:45

50 mile distance PR - 8:51

100K PR - 12:58

100 mile PR 20:53:02

At ATY next month, hopefully I'll set both a 24-hour and 48-hour distance PR.

Comments
From jun on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 22:42:12 from 97.126.229.169

Hey, you taking a SPOT with you on your trip? I'm anxious to know if I can track you along your path. So jealous that you'll be out there. I was hoping to go R2R2R this weekend, but couldn't find any takers to go along and I don't think I'm quite ready for that adventure alone just yet. Maybe in the Spring. Good luck. You'll knock it dead this year.

Total Distance
8.00

Treadmill 8x9x10

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 8.00
Comments
From jun on Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 17:44:00 from 97.126.228.50

11x12x13

See, I can do it too.

Total Distance
0.00

I cancelled my plans to run 90 miles in the Grand Canyon this weekend. Great disappointment that I will miss it this year.  Record cold will plunge the temperature to 12 degrees Thursday night at Phantom Ranch.  Wow!  I've been there several times on Thankgiving night and it has never been below freezing those times.  Running 50 miles at night in the teens just didn't sound much fun.   During the day it will be in the 40s on the Tonto Trail but bitter cold at night.  Bummer.  

So, I expect I'll do a bunch of miles on the treadmill and try to get out in the afternoon when it warms up.  I now have some new nice warm running gloves.

Total Distance
31.00

50K on the Treadmill.  Ouch!   Thankfully the time seemed to go by fast.  Six groups of of people came and went.  When I was on mile 16, one lady asked me how far I had run.  My answer caused quit a stir in the room.

I brought a little drop bag so I did eat some on the way.   Alternated between music and sports radio to not go totally insane. 

It actually felt pretty easy.   I reached the marathon distance in 3:37 and 50K in 4:16.  That is the fastest I've ever ran that distance, but it was totally cheating on a treadmill.

31x8.5x1

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 31.00
Comments
From Jon on Thu, Nov 25, 2010 at 15:39:03 from 75.117.112.17

Happy Thanksgiving, Davy. Nice run.

From Rob Murphy on Thu, Nov 25, 2010 at 17:22:59 from 24.10.248.6

You are the man. I give you permission to have an extra heap of stuffing.

Happy Thanksgiving.

From JD on Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 14:39:05 from 67.186.212.213

There's a new word for insanity, it's...CROCKETT! I've never heard of anyone running a 50k on a treadmill before. Great run!

From flatlander on Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 16:45:23 from 75.223.137.105

That one ranks right up there with the five consectuvie Timp summits.

From JulieC on Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 21:12:51 from 71.35.248.210

FREAK ME OUT!!! seriously!!! and I thought running in this weather was bad...but running INDOORS THAT LONG IS WAYYYYY MOREEEEE INSANE (in a good way : D). LOve how you made up miles in one run!!!

From catherine on Thu, Dec 02, 2010 at 10:40:29 from 216.49.181.254

Wow. That's amazing.

Total Distance
39.00

Pictures!

The forecast improved so Thanksgiving afternoon I decided to go ahead and travel to the Grand Canyon to do my run.  But, as I approached the North Rim entrance at 7:30 p.m. I went through dangerously cold pockets of air.  It got down to -18.  That is minus 18 F!!   It really freaked me out.  I envisioned finishing my 90-mile run in below zero temperatures moving very slowly up the North Rim.  What if the car wouldn't start because of the bitter cold?  No one would be around ot help because the services at the rim are closed.   I decided to turn around at the North Rim entrance.  I wasn't willing to take on that danger.

Instead, I decided to make the long drive around the canyon to the South Rim and then do a shorter but amazing run during the next day when it would be warmer.   I arrived around 11 p.m.   The motels were all crowded and I knew would be expensive, so I decided to just sleep in my car at the Bright Angel Trailhead.  It was 12 degrees.  I had a warm sleeping bag and blankets.  I woke up every 90 minutes to turn on the car and heat.

At 5:30 a.m. I was away, running down Bright Angel Trail.   There was snow and ice for the first mile or so, so I had to be pretty careful.  I arrived at Indian Garden in 1:05 and it was warmer but still below freezing.  They had left the water fountain flowing a little to prevent the pipes from freezing.   It was now bright enough to pack away me light.

Instead of taking the usual route down to the river, I turned west (downriver) and ran along the West Tonto Trail which rolls along the Tonto Platform about 1,000 feet above the river.   I've been on this section of the trail twice before and I love it.   It is a primative trail that only gets foot traffic (no mules).   It is tough to run it fast because of many rocks along the way.   I struggled to run at a pace faster than 12:00.  I didn't want to try blasting down the technical trail because if I had a bad face-plant, I was far away from any help.  There are also many nice long smooth sections where I could increase the speed.

The sun started to shine on the rims above and exploded my eyes with colors.  I love watching the sun rise down inside the canyon.   It was so peaceful and quiet.   I ran into my first humans at Monument Creek (mile 15.4).   As I descended toward the creek, I could see about 20-30 backpackers down below breaking their camp for the day.   I passed others making their way westward to Hermit Creek.   There were all surprised to see a solo runner, but I didn't stop to explain.

At Hermit Creek (mile 19.2) I decided to do an out and back to the Colorado River to view the Hermit Rapids.  That trail down to the river followed Hermit Creek and it was slow going because it would keep crossing the creek and going through bushes.  The Hermit Rapids on the Colorado River was amazing and well worth the effort, but it put me a little behind schedule.

I continued on westward toward Boucher Creek.   I ran past more backpackers.   The views were incredible and I will post pictures later.   I kept getting delayed because I wanted to stop for pictures and also to view everything that I was going past.

At Boucher Canyon, I missed the junction for the trail up to the rim.  I think I was looking at my GPS and ran right by it.   So I did an extra mile until I figured things out.  Finally I was on the primative Boucher Trail that would take me to Hermits Rest on the South Rim.  This trail was created by a Hermit who lived down at Boucher Creek.

This was the 5th trail that I have used to ascend to the South Rim.  It was slow, tough, going, but I was having a blast.   I loved that trail because it was tough and varied from hand-foot scrambling to runnable sections.  At one point it climbed through the Supai formation making its way through boulders the size of houses.  

I kept an eye on my watch.  I really wanted to reach to top before sunset so there would be no risk at missing the shuttle that would take me eight miles back to my car.  I really didn't want to run those miles in the dark on the bitter cold rim.  The last mile, as with all climbs up to the rim, was like a steep death march.  I ran out of water and was getting very cold.   I reached the top at 5:30 p.m. just as it got dark.   No one was around Hermits Rest.   I could feel hypothermia setting in as I was still wet from sweat.   I went to the shuttle stop, but it was quiet, cold, and dark.   I went to the gift shop, saw someone in the warm store, and I knocked on the door.  The guy didn't let me in but explained that the shuttle would be along in about ten minutes.

I did my best to stay warm and eventually just had to start running down the road.  I flagged down the shuttle when it finally came and the driver was so very nice to me.  It was warm inside and he helped me get water that I desperately needed.   He was very concerned, never before seeing someone trying to recover from a long run.   On the drive back I started to shiver like crazy.   I took out my emergency blanket and that helped.   The driver dropped me off only 100 yards from my car and once I got inside, cranked up the heat, and drank a ton, I felt much better.

I drove for the next six hours and then slept until dawn in my car in a location that was 31 degrees.   I finally arrived home at 8:30 a.m.   It was a wonderful adventure.

Montrail Wildwoods - Red Miles: 39.00
Comments
From jun on Sat, Nov 27, 2010 at 13:30:24 from 97.126.228.50

Let me just go with, "wow, wow, wow". Sounds like it was an absolutely amazing run. What an adventure. Congrats on making lemonade out of a possible lemon.

From RAD on Sat, Nov 27, 2010 at 19:05:32 from 67.172.229.125

Wow...I'm going to just repeat Jun...wow! I'm really having a hard time believing anyone (other than the grinch) wouldn't let you into the store to wait for the shuttle and give you some water...really?!? I'm glad you made it home safe and had a beautiful adventure!

From Jim Kern on Sun, Nov 28, 2010 at 00:58:52 from 98.202.241.209

I was thinking about you, wondering if you made it to the Grand Canyon after Thanksgiving. Great report.

From Scott Wesemann on Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 12:44:14 from 66.239.250.209

Cool adventure.

Total Distance
7.00

Treadmill.  5 degrees out.   I noticed that I passed 3,000 miles for the year.   I need to step up the miles for the next couple weeks before tapering.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 7.00
Comments
From Maurine/Miles on Wed, Dec 01, 2010 at 09:05:02 from 63.255.172.2

Are you doing the 48 or 72 hour run this year?

Total Distance
14.00

9 treadmill, 5 Legacy Center track.  New month, looks like it will be easy to break my life-time high mile year of 3,148.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 14.00
Comments
From JD on Wed, Dec 01, 2010 at 20:47:28 from 67.186.212.213

You've had an amazing year (so far!). It's been a real motivating to follow your blog.

From crockett on Thu, Dec 02, 2010 at 10:42:40 from 216.49.181.254

Thanks JD. It surprises me that the drivel I write on this blog can be motivating, but that very happy to hear that somehow it is.

Total Distance
14.00

Treadmill   14x8x5 with spurts of 18.5% incline at this pace.

As I was running, I got pondering on why I run 100-milers and the affect of DNFs.  I remember when I went to my first 50-miler, 2004 White River 50 in Washington and looked at the very fit athletes there.  I didn't know who these people were then, but I was watching Karl Meltzer, Hal Koerner, Ian Torrence, Nikki Kimble and others. I looked at my plumpy, unfit body and thought to myself, "What am I doing here?  I'm such a poser.  I'm pretending to be something I'm not."   I felt very intimidated.  Well, I ran anyway, and finished in dead last place, in 14:00:02.  The cutoff was 14 hours.  I was given credit for the finish.  I then spent the next hour in the medical tent.  They even hooked an IV up to me.  It was embarassing. Well, I didn't give up.  See 2004 results.  

In another six weeks I ran in my first 100, the Bear 100.  By mile 82, I again found myself in dead last place, experiencing a major bonk, something I had never felt before.  By mile 87, I had to quit.  I would have never made the next cutoff anyway.   At the finish line I watched some runners finish who I had been running with earlier, including Hans Dieter.  I had DNFed, they didn't.  I commented to my family there that this sport was just way over my head.  I would never be able to finish a 100-miler.  For a few days I believed that.  But then my stubborn determination kicked in.   I had over-use injuries, trying to do too much, too soon, and couldn't really run for the next six weeks, but I didn't give up.   I used that DNF to teach me something.

This morning as I thought about that again, I thought about a guy who DNFed my Pony Express Trail 100 this year.   He did go 50 miles but then quit.   For several days after the race he kept sending me emails pleading with me that I give him credit for finishing the 50-miler so he could keep a DNF off his resume.  I refused. The rules were clear to me and others.  I'm sure he still isn't happy with me as he looks at this month's ultrarunning magazine and doesn't see his name listed in the results.  But I really hope he claims that DNF, recognizes it for what it is, and use it for motivation and improvement in the future.  You learn so many good things about yourself depending on how you respond to a 100-mile DNF.  Yes, you have put in so much time and effort and come up short, but that can really drive you to greater heights.  In 2004, it was beyond my wildest dreams that I could ever really be a runer, that I could really rub shoulders with those fit athletes that I watched at the pre-race of 2004 White River 50.   But now, I don't feel out of place.  My "failures" have helped me push to new heights, even though I'm now an old man.   I don't feel old at all and to me that is the best reward for all the hard work.  

Yes, I've DNFed four 100-mile races.  But I've finished 36 along the way.  There is no way I could have done that without embracing my DNFs and learning from them.  Anyway, that is the crazy things I was thinking about while running on the treadmill this morning.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 14.00
Comments
From jun on Thu, Dec 02, 2010 at 11:59:54 from 66.239.250.209

I've probably learned the most from reading people's race reports who DNF'd more than those who finished. I've found that those are the most honest reports and give true insight into what really happens during a race. We tend to fluff our successful races with highlights, instead of what we really may have gone through much of the time.

I know a DNF is inevitable in my future, but I hate the thought of it. You don't know how close I was to DNFing at PE100 this year, very early on. I think I was actually a little ill. Luckily, I pushed through and started feeling good by mile 31.

Whether your overall standings show it or not, you are an ELITE runner. There are few people who could do the adventures you do, especially those in the Grand Canyon and the Uintas. It really is amazing. Glad the TM is treating you well.

From flatlander on Thu, Dec 02, 2010 at 17:48:33 from 76.31.26.153

I echo that. Very good post.

From Jon on Thu, Dec 02, 2010 at 22:01:14 from 74.177.127.12

Good thoughts. Yes, we learn from the failures and struggles, that's for sure.

Total Distance
42.00

Did an amazing 42-mile run in a very, very remote section of Capitol Reef National Park.  Wow, it was a great experience in this much ignored national treasure.   Details and pictures coming.

See spectacular photos.  What a perfect day.  Started running at 2:30 a.m., did an out and back.  Reached the 21-mile turnaround point at 8:30 a.m. 

Read the detailed report here.

Came within six miles of Lake Powell. Here is my Garmin track, 21 miles down and back.

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 42.00
Comments
From fiddy on Sun, Dec 05, 2010 at 00:33:37 from 155.99.198.51

Wow, that sounds great! Beautiful photos.

From Jon on Sun, Dec 05, 2010 at 15:58:38 from 98.71.144.213

I really like your photo 19, where some of the ice has fallen in big chunks. And I can't imagine how many takes you had to get the action shot on photo 22.

From crockett on Sun, Dec 05, 2010 at 18:37:53 from 216.49.181.254

Posted my detailed write-up of this adventure at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=535

That action photo took only two takes.

From RAD on Sun, Dec 05, 2010 at 22:07:05 from 67.172.229.125

Thanks for sharing Davy! My sincerest wish in life is to grow up and be like you! You probably hear that all the time, but I really do, to run where you run and with the courage and stamina you have (I'm a pansy when I'm alone) are unparalleled! I absolutely LOVE the desert you are right that Capitol reef is rather ignored, or overlooked. Scenery is beautiful. Someday...someday!

From Jim Kern on Sun, Dec 05, 2010 at 23:03:46 from 98.202.241.209

Great run, great pictures. Thanks for the write-up.

From jun on Mon, Dec 06, 2010 at 11:01:27 from 66.239.250.209

A little like RAD, I also hope to be able to get out and do super cool adventure runs like you. I also get the most satisfaction from them. However, I don't want to be exactly like you. I'd like to continue to grow older remaining much better looking. I know it's a long shot, but still.

From crockett on Mon, Dec 06, 2010 at 16:02:44 from 216.49.181.254

Hey jun, for guys old as the hills like me, we don't care what we look like, we just are thrilled to wake up and still have a pulse. Tough to understand when you are a young punk, but someday you will know.

From Smooth on Mon, Dec 06, 2010 at 16:59:18 from 67.2.111.170

Thank you for sharing, Davy! LOVE your report and awesome photos. I'll live/run vicariously thru you as I AM old and pansy! :) You're truly amazing!

Total Distance
14.00

10 miles on treadmill.  first 10K a tempo run of 43:11.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 14.00
Total Distance
10.00

Treadmill

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 10.00
Total Distance
16.00

Treadmill 10x7:45x4

p.m.  Ran the foohills above Bluffdale, 6 miles.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 16.00
Total Distance
7.00

Legacy Center Track

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 7.00
Total Distance
31.00

Nine miles on wet pavement, a loop run into Lehi and back, and 22 miles on the treadmill.  That's my 9th run of at least 30 miles in nine weeks.  Soon it will be time to think about tapering.

I also set a new PR today for most miles in a calendar year, passing my record for 2008.  Looks like I'll crush it by a couple hundred.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 31.00
Comments
From jun on Sat, Dec 11, 2010 at 22:10:59 from 97.126.228.50

Yeesh. It is the 22 on the TM that is really amazing. Nice job. What's your goal for ATY?

Total Distance
18.00

Out at 3 a.m.  35 degrees and pleasant.  Ran a 10-mile pavement loop on Jordan River trail into Lehi and back.   Then did 8 miles on the treadmill with long stretches at 15% incline.  Feeling strong and fast.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 18.00
Total Distance
13.00

Ran on the Jordan River Parkway, started at Bluffdale, ran to 106th South and back. 9:00 pace.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 13.00
Total Distance
19.00

Out at 3 a.m.  16 degrees F. Ran ten on the pavement, 9:15 pace.  Water bottle was turning to slush.  Then did nine miles on the treadmill at 7:50 pace.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 19.00
Comments
From Jim Kern on Thu, Dec 16, 2010 at 23:07:43 from 170.215.76.6

I ran the Negro Bill trail in Moab today. My wife did a face plant.

Total Distance
15.00

Ran a chilly run out to Eagle Mountain, Ranches, and back.  Wind chill was tough for the last few miles.  Averaged 10:00 pace.  The dirt roads were frozen hard.

Thinking back at my long runs this year.  I really think doing runs over 30 miles has helped me condition for 100-milers and making it possible for me to recover from them quickly.  I went back to see how many runs of 30 miles or more I have done lifetime:

2002 2
2003 2
2004 13
2005 21
2006 22
2007 20
2008 16
2009 19
2010 25
Total 140

I'll probably have a couple more this year, so it has been a good year for these ultra-distance runs.

 

Montrail Wildwood Miles: 15.00
Comments
From flatlander on Sat, Dec 18, 2010 at 11:45:14 from 69.99.248.130

Those are interesting statistics. Do you think 30-milers are good training for marathons? Almost any marathoner will say no, but I have done a couple of them on the theory that they help avoid the 20-mile bonk. I don't know whether I am right or not.

From crockett on Sat, Dec 18, 2010 at 12:16:24 from 216.49.181.254

Probably not. For me, tempo runs really make the difference for marathons. They are just so much faster. The 30-mile runs do help the hips and legs get used to longer distance. I've gotten to a point where I can recover from them in a couple days.

From Jon on Sat, Dec 18, 2010 at 17:55:37 from 74.177.125.243

It's amazing that you average a 30+ miler every 2 weeks all year!

Total Distance
28.00

A nice long easy-paced run, early morning in the snow.  I love running at night in fresh snow.  It snowed a couple inches while I was running. The wind chill got frigid for that last few miles as the storm got worse.

Map of run

p.m. 11 miles on treadmill while watching Kona Ironman coverage/documentary.  Looks like I came out on top of the mileage board this week.  I think I've done that about ten times this year.  Good tough training week this week.  Pleased that I toughed it out and got outside for about half the miles.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 28.00
Comments
From Scott Wesemann on Sat, Dec 18, 2010 at 22:09:46 from 75.162.89.170

Wow, that is an impressive week Davy. Nice work.

From jun on Sat, Dec 18, 2010 at 23:20:26 from 97.126.228.50

Wow, you were within about 6 houses of my parents place where I was lazily lounging around with my kids all day. Nice run. You doubled my weekly mileage in a single day.

From crockett on Sat, Dec 18, 2010 at 23:30:54 from 216.49.181.254

jun, just heal up and chill. If I didn't have ATY this month, I would be taking most of it off. Last year December was my lowest mile month since 2004.

From jun on Sat, Dec 18, 2010 at 23:50:01 from 97.126.228.50

Yeah good call. I wish I could be down at ATY. Not necessarily to run, but just to be there and experience a timed race, especially that one. It is really interesting to me.

Total Distance
15.00

More than a foot of snow fell overnight.  I ran nine miles on the treadmill.  I'm officially tapering now, turning my attention to Across the Years 48-hour race in Arizona, in 8 days from now.  Looking at the competition, a top-3 finish isn't totally unrealistic.  Two of the runners are world-class or at least on national class.  I don't think I can touch them.   But the rest of the field are possible to beat.  In past years, 180-190 miles usually wins the race.  I'm hoping to at least go over 150, but hoping for 170.   It all depends on how the feet hold up and avoiding over-use injuries.  You just never know will happen.   Two years ago when I ran the 24-hour race, I watched a world-class runner (who must hold many records) break down and slowly walk around the track for hours and hours.

I'll likely go out kind of fast and will lead for awhile, I know I can't hold back in the beginning.  The race favorite will start 24 hours after me.  I chose to start with the first group on Dec 29th because if you start the second day, there is far more passing going on because of the slow runners on the track who have been at it for 24 hours.  Instead, I'll be one of the slower runners on day 2 that the second group has to pass. Hopefully I'll be at least 100 miles ahead of the second group when they start.

Crazy, crazy, crazy.  But I think I'm ready.  I run lots of flat miles the last couple of months and my legs seem to be happy doing it.  I'll be bringing my son Kevin with me and he will crew and pace me.   We'll have a tent set up inside a huge heated tent.  Hopefully I won't have to do much snoozing in it.

I expect to finish out this month with about 450 miles total.  My PR month was 400 miles in 2008.

p.m. 6 more easy treadmill miles.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Black Miles: 15.00
Comments
From Tom on Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 16:31:56 from 137.65.56.16

You've had an incredible mileage and racing year Dave. It will be interesting to see what happens in Arizona. Good luck!

From jun on Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 16:57:54 from 97.126.228.50

Oh SNAP! I forgot you were doing the 48 hr race. Good luck Sir Crockett, that is awesome.

From Rhett on Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 18:02:52 from 216.67.221.93

That is really cool that you are doing a 48 hour race. Why is it that people start on different days? I'll be interested to read about how it goes. Good luck.

From crockett on Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 19:35:48 from 71.32.233.14

ATY is a three-day race, a 72-hour race with 49 starters. They all start Dec 29. In the 48-hour race there are 26 starters, Two groups, one group starting on the 29th, and another group on the 30th. This helps reduce the number of runners on the track on each day. There is also 54 24-hour runners, three groups, one each day. On the second day, only 9 of these start. So, this is the way the spread out the runners. So 84 runners on the course on the 30th. The 72-hour runners go really slow on the 31st.

From Jon on Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 21:55:41 from 74.177.125.243

Wow, like Jun, I didn't realize you were doing the 48 hr. Good luck- heck of a year-end party.

Total Distance
9.00

Treadmill.  Just maintaining, tapering, trying to keep the weight down.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Black Miles: 9.00
Comments
From nevels on Thu, Dec 23, 2010 at 08:59:51 from 155.74.2.253

good luck at ATY; i'm jealous...

Total Distance
5.00

Treadmill, weights, core.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Black Miles: 5.00
Total Distance
5.00

Easy taper treadmill run.  Totaly tapering now.  Just keeping the taper pains away.

You can follow my progress online at Across the Years 48-hour run starting Wednesday, 9 a.m. You can also send me messages through the website.  Every hour or two, they print these out and deliver them to my mail box.   So send me rude messages or anything to make me know you are watching and that I need to stop being a slacker and run.   It helps to know someone is watching me.

The website is at: http://www.acrosstheyears.com/

The track is a custom soft track that goes acournd the property at Nardini Manor.

An interesting FAQ about the race is found here: http://www.acrosstheyears.com/faq.html

 

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Black Miles: 5.00
Comments
From Kelli on Fri, Dec 24, 2010 at 23:20:05 from 71.219.84.215

WOW, what an interesting race! 150 miles is your goal, huh? You are incredible! I will do my best to remember to send you some NICE messages!

Merry Christmas!

Total Distance
11.00

Nice tuneup run.  11 miles at 8:55 pace.  All systems go.   Good taper week, just 45 miles.  One more short run Monday morning and then the real fun starts on Wednesday.

Tested some Kinesio Tex tape that the running foot expert recommends.  I'm sold on it.  It is better than Elastikon.  Nice stuff, stretches great, breaths well, and attaches to skin and holds on.  It is also smoother than Elastikon, so you can even use it on toes and not worry about rubbing.

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Black Miles: 11.00
Comments
From Jon on Sat, Dec 25, 2010 at 20:23:05 from 98.71.131.202

Merry Christmas, Davy. Good luck at your race.

From Smooth on Sat, Dec 25, 2010 at 23:33:39 from 67.2.86.4

GOOD LUCK on your ATY next week!

Total Distance
0.00

I'm getting very mentally ready for Across the Years 48-hour run. Just three days to go! I've worked on my race strategy.  Two approaches, steady pace, vs. fast start and then slower later.   I've read reports and looked at splits of the best in the sport and decided to stick with the approach I usually use, run fast, bank the miles, and then hold on.  For me, if I start slowly, I tend to stay slow, and then later on just go even slower, losing the hope for a dream race.

So, I've worked on a pacing strategy that tracks each 10K.  For each 10K, I can decrease my pace by 2 minutes. My dream goal is 170 miles.  My ultra dream goal is 200.  So the pace chart zeros in on the ultra dream goal and we will see how I do.  When I ran Pony Express 100 in October I was ahead of this pace until about the 50-mile mark when the heat was slamming me.  Good news!  No heat at ATY.  A cold front is coming in.  High temp will be 62 and low of 27.  Some chance of rain.  This is ideal for me.  At night runners will slow down because of the cold. I need to use all my cold night training and keep the pace going.

There will be a few world-class runners starting on the same day as I am.  It will be fun to try to keep up with them for awhile.

I'll focus on my lap times.   Each lap is 500 meters (or 1/2 K). I'll try to keep my lap times under 4 minutes for the first 75 miles, and then under 5 minutes for the next 60 miles.  The only time I should go over 6 minutes is when I need to stop for some reason (bathroom, clothes change, short rest, etc.)

In 2010, my lap times went way down during the night.  I didn't dress warm enough and got very drowsy.

In 2008, I ran the ATY 24-hour race.  You can see how I did then against my 2010 pace goals.

<><><>
<><><>
< />
Kilos Miles Lap # elapsed clock lap times mile pace 2008
10K 6.21 20 0:56:00 9:56 AM 0:02:48 0:09:01 0:50:52
20K 12.43 40 1:54:00 10:54 AM 0:02:54 0:09:20 1:47:26
30K 18.64 60 2:54:00 11:54 AM 0:03:00 0:09:39 2:45:17
40K 24.85 80 3:56:00 12:56 PM 0:03:06 0:09:59 3:54:15
50K 31.07 100 5:00:00 2:00 PM 0:03:12 0:10:18 5:02:09
60K 37.28 120 6:08:00 3:08 PM 0:03:24 0:10:57 6:23:55
70K 43.50 140 7:18:00 4:18 PM 0:03:30 0:11:16 7:39:11
80K 49.71 160 8:30:00 5:30 PM 0:03:36 0:11:35 8:56:32
90K 55.92 180 9:44:00 6:44 PM 0:03:42 0:11:55 10:14:54
100K 62.14 200 11:00:00 8:00 PM 0:03:48 0:12:14 11:54:06
110K 68.35 220 12:18:00 9:18 PM 0:03:54 0:12:33 13:21:38
120K 74.56 240 13:38:00 10:38 PM 0:04:00 0:12:52 14:57:09
130K 80.78 260 15:00:00 12:00 AM 0:04:06 0:13:12 16:42:14
140K 86.99 280 16:24:00 1:24 AM 0:04:12 0:13:31 18:56:24
150K 93.21 300 17:50:00 2:50 AM 0:04:18 0:13:50 20:48:14
160K 99.42 320 19:18:00 4:18 AM 0:04:24 0:14:10 22:37:59
170K 105.63 340 20:48:00 5:48 AM 0:04:30 0:14:29 23:59:12
180K 111.85 360 22:20:00 7:20 AM 0:04:36 0:14:48
190K 118.06 380 23:54:00 8:54 AM 0:04:42 0:15:08
200K 124.27 400 25:30:00 10:30 AM 0:04:48 0:15:27
210K 130.49 420 27:08:00 12:08 PM 0:04:54 0:15:46
220K 136.70 440 28:48:00 1:48 PM 0:05:00 0:16:06
230K 142.92 460 30:30:00 3:30 PM 0:05:06 0:16:25
240K 149.13 480 32:14:00 5:14 PM 0:05:12 0:16:44
250K 155.34 500 34:00:00 7:00 PM 0:05:18 0:17:04
260K 161.56 520 35:48:00 8:48 PM 0:05:24 0:17:23
270K 167.77 540 37:38:00 10:38 PM 0:05:30 0:17:42
280K 173.98 560 39:30:00 12:30 AM 0:05:36 0:18:01
290K 180.20 580 41:24:00 2:24 AM 0:05:42 0:18:21
300K 186.41 600 43:20:00 4:20 AM 0:05:48 0:18:40

 

Comments
From jun on Mon, Dec 27, 2010 at 19:29:36 from 97.126.228.50

I doubt we'll see another post from you prior to race day. Good luck. I'll be tracking you online.

Total Distance
2.00

My son and I ended up driving all the way down to Arizona yesterday, ariving at 10:15 p.m. Now I'll have the entire day to relax, get set up and focused.  The weather will be fantastic today but could rain all day tomorrow.  The weather will be a huge factor, it will seperate the tough from the wimps.  I hope I'm not with the wimps.  I have plenty of rain gear, tarps, etc. I just worry about the shoes because I know the Hokas don't do well when they become very wet.  But I have four other backup pair of shoes.  On Thursday, the rain goes away, but the cold comes in.  Over night, the temperature could dip to 25.  I have penty of cold weather gear too.   Cold could really slow people down.  This could be the coldest ATY race in years.   So, the elements will be a major factor and this could be an epic race.  I think I'm prepared.

Race time is 9 a.m. on Wednesday.  Track me online at http://www.acrosstheyears.com/ They will have realtime results showing my pace for each 1/2 K lap.  They will also have a webcam.  During the first day I should be wearing a yellow shirt.  But when in rains, I could put on a garbage bag first.  If it pours, I'll switch to rain gear.   You can send me messages that get printed out every couple hours.  Short messages that get my mind off of the pain are great.  I don't plan to have down time to sit and read essays, but my son can run along with me reading them.  Even at night, messages can be fun.  Just knowing that someone is watching me helps motivate me to not be a slacker.

p.m.  Wonderful walk in the warm sunshine.

Comments
From Jim Kern on Tue, Dec 28, 2010 at 10:12:10 from 98.202.241.209

Good luck. I'll be following your progress.

From Scott Wesemann on Tue, Dec 28, 2010 at 12:47:37 from 66.239.250.209

Good luck! I'm excited to track you during your race. Hey, I ran in your back yard this morning (Lake Mt.). It was beautiful up there.

From Kelli on Tue, Dec 28, 2010 at 14:38:52 from 71.219.84.215

SO EXCITED to see how you do!! I am still trying to come up with some good messages to send you....they will come to me.

HAVE FUN!!!!

From Benn Griffin on Wed, Dec 29, 2010 at 14:15:16 from 96.233.184.230

I see that you are winning the 48 hr race right now and actually ahead of all 72 hour runners to boot! Kick some butt man! You are insane! An inspiration!

From Kelli on Wed, Dec 29, 2010 at 15:36:45 from 71.219.84.215

He is insane! In a good way, though!

From Scott Wesemann on Thu, Dec 30, 2010 at 01:10:32 from 75.162.89.170

I have been following you all day. This is really cool. Still leading the 48 hour race.

From Kelli on Thu, Dec 30, 2010 at 10:09:17 from 71.219.84.215

Is anyone able to get the live feed anymore? It now says it is private on one and the other says off air???

From KP on Thu, Dec 30, 2010 at 10:14:17 from 65.208.22.25

I show that he is at 358 laps right now; 111 miles in almost 23 hours.

From Kelli on Thu, Dec 30, 2010 at 10:38:00 from 71.219.84.215

Yeah, I just could not see the video for an hour or so....but it is back. I have watched him run by 3 times...I think he even smiled at me the last time!

It looks COLD!

From Smooth on Thu, Dec 30, 2010 at 23:10:51 from 67.2.79.80

SO COOL!!! Just checked the site (getting cold and dark!). He's run 156 miles, 502 laps and leading in the 48hr race!!! INCREDIBLE!!!

AWESOME JOB Crockett!!! :)

From Maurine/Miles on Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 11:24:49 from 97.117.58.132

Final standing: 187.03 miles, 301 km, 602 laps. Last lap was 2:37 an 8:27 mile split. Davy - rest well. You earned it!

From Benn Griffin on Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 11:28:04 from 96.240.194.127

Super performance! I was hooked to the computer the last 2 days tracking you. You are an inspiration!

From Kelli on Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 11:35:57 from 71.219.84.215

I was hooked as well, and we still have 24 hours to go. BUT it will not be as fun now that Davy is out and done.

AWESOME work!! I was so hoping you would get past 600 laps. That is great.

From Kelli on Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 11:36:47 from 71.219.84.215

OH---and great little sprint the final lap!! HOW do you do that after 48 hours?????

From Maurine/Miles on Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 11:45:09 from 97.117.58.132

That man is my new God! (j/k)

I don't think the other runner has a chance to pass him for first place - based upon Davy's 24 hour placement.

From Jim Kern on Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 17:12:11 from 98.202.241.209

Congrats Davy. Amazing accomplishment. I lost a lot of sleep last night following your progress. Davy did fall into second place for awhile late last night, got some rest and then demolished the competition. I think he did it just to tease Debra Horn into thinking she had a chance.

From crockett on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 00:08:30 from 71.36.80.179

Just arrived home. What an amazing experience, my best race performance ever. At about 11 p.m., I was cold and miserable so when I hit 160, I had had enough. I then went through recovery and bonked very hard. After four hours of rest, some guys next to us were loud and I knew I wouldn't sleep and felt fine, so I went back out and discovered that I had lost the lead to Debra, behind ten laps. I had a good fast running gear and she just had a trot, so the chase was on. People kept checking out the standings, knowing what was going on. I predeicted that I would regain the lead by 5 a.m. and I did. Debra is a very talented runner, on the US national 24-hour race team. She fought back very hard after I passed her and she pushed me on. Her team did everything they could to help her, even pacing her. But I could run very fast any time I chose to, so eventually she gave up the chase and I backed off and walked with friends except for "sprinting" the last three laps to get 187. We will see if any runners can catch me tonight. The top runner, a world-class runner, Phil quit with medical problems.

From DonGardinero on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 01:24:02 from 173.127.39.94

What a race!!! Congratulations

From Kelli on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 03:36:57 from 71.219.84.215

I saw that that guy had dropped and wondered what had happened.

YOU DID GREAT, so very impressed. And now to hear that you slept 4 hours and then just goofed off at the end and had fun! Seriously, you are world class.

REST WELL!!!!

From Maurine/Miles on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 18:18:33 from 97.117.58.132

Can't wait to see what 2011 brings for you!

Race: Across the Years 48-hour run (187 Miles) 48:00:00, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
187.00

 Detailed race report here

Had the race of my life this week.  I'll do a detailed race report tomorrow.  I started fast, held a lead for all the races for awile and held the 48-hour race lead until the second night when I thought I had given up at mile 160, at 11 a.m. and went to bed for four hours.  But a 3 a.m. I got up, discovered I was behind Debra Horn by 10 laps (5K).  She had a good trot going, but I still had a very fast running gear, so the race was on.  A guy looking at the standings board smiled broadly when he saw me show up.  All I said to him, was: "The chase is on!"  Others gathered around the board to watch the fun.  For the next 1:53, I ran very hard and eventually passed Debra.  All she said was "good job."  After that, she put on a great fight with her crew to try to get back the lead for the next couple hours.  I ran scared because she is a terrific runner, on the US National 24-hour team.  But I pushed my lead bigger and bigger and eventually just ran behind her for many laps, keeping her in my sights so she couldn't surprise me with a chase. I could tell that her crew wasn't very happy about the turn of events.  Soon she gave up the fight and I slowed to walk with all my new friends and accept their kind complements.  For the last two laps, I still had amazing speed and finished off strong with 187 miles.

I didn't expect to win.  World-class runner, Philip McCarthy was in the second group and finished the first 24 hours with almost 116 miles, must a half mile behind what I did on the first day.  But he had medical issues and didn't run day two.  Two other runners could catch me, but it looks like the cold night is taking its toll and they are fading, so I might have the win.

I PRed at distances 50K, 50-mile, 100K, and 100-mile.  Wish they would have published the first day split times.  My 100-mile time was about 19:42.  Finally broke 20 hours.

La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 71.00Hoka Miles: 116.00
Comments
From crockett on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 01:38:43 from 71.36.80.179

The fast running late in the race took its toll. I have several injuries that will keep me away from running for a couple weeks. After I caught up with Debra, I was limping badly. I tried to hide it, but I think her team noticed so that is probably why she put on a push. I ignored the pain, but now have a swolen foot and other problems.

From Smooth on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 02:40:45 from 67.2.79.80

CONGRATULATIONS Davy!!! WAY to fight and claim the victory!!! What an INCREDIBLE race!!! AWESOME PRs in all the ultra-distances! I cannot begin to imagine the pain, the mental toughness, the exhaustion, the cold toil you took on for 48 hours! Truly you are a legend!!! Hope you rest well and recover speedily!

From RAD on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 03:00:35 from 67.172.229.125

wow! like smooth said: a legend in the making! Thanks for the most exciting reality tv I've gotten to watch in quite some time!

From Jim Kern on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 10:35:13 from 98.202.241.209

Wow. Congrats on a fantastic race. 2010 was a great year for you. Inspiring.

From Maurine/Miles on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 10:57:09 from 97.117.58.132

Davy - I am in awe of you. This was the most awesome fun watching you for the last two days.

Let your body heal. You deserve it. I can't wait to read the entire race report.

From Maurine/Miles on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 10:58:24 from 97.117.58.132

I think you might have the record on FRB for the number of miles run in a two day period.

From Tom on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 12:38:17 from 67.199.180.90

I'm speechless. About all I can say is "WOW!". Nice job and good luck healing up and having a great 2011. I'm thinking your spot atop the mileage board is secure for this week.

From Scott Wesemann on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 13:09:06 from 75.162.89.170

Congrats on the win Dave. I had a great time watching the race.

From RunnerAdam on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 14:05:58 from 70.187.184.167

WOW - you are amazing!!

From Kelli on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 14:14:53 from 71.219.84.215

I wish they would have posted the splits, too! That was a phenomenal 48 hours for you!! AMAZING, truly. And what a way to the end the year. You are a serious competitor to be beat, you are going to have to watch your back at all of the big races now because you have certainly made a name for yourself. SO COOL!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, it was a blast to watch from Utah! IT kept many of us awake (although I missed the 4 hour nap) and glued to the computer, even my kids kept checking in on you.

Heal up, rest well, take care of yourself!

From Fritz on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 16:01:04 from 65.100.192.74

Amazing. 187 miles in 2 days. That is more than many people have run in their entire life. Enjoy the recovery!

From Vis on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 17:05:03 from 209.33.208.138

Super impressive.

From Rob Murphy on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 17:09:56 from 24.10.248.6

I lack the experience and words to express my awe. Despite the aches and pains, I hope you are reveling in your incredible achievement today.

From crockett on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 18:03:19 from 71.36.80.179

Detailed Across the Years 48-hour report can be read here: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=565

Thanks for all your very kind words. It pleases me that all my work and pain brought some level of enjoyment to many.

From Paul on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 18:23:56 from 174.27.136.119

Congrats! Savor the high during your recovery period.

From allie on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 21:41:16 from 174.23.238.75

absolutely amazing, davy. congratulations!

From Benn Griffin on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 23:15:34 from 96.240.194.127

You're my hero, Davy! Rest up and I will see you in 2011!

From Superfly on Sun, Jan 02, 2011 at 00:00:36 from 208.117.127.110

Wow! That's the craziest thing I've read all year. Good job.

From daceg on Sun, Jan 02, 2011 at 00:42:16 from 74.211.95.26

Unbelievable. I am not sure whether to congratulate you or call the psych ward for you. What a feat!

From Jon on Sun, Jan 02, 2011 at 01:33:10 from 98.71.131.202

We take great joy in knowing how much you suffer and work. But not as much joy as you do, I'm sure! Congrats on the win!!! And on breaking 20 hrs.

From flatlander on Sun, Jan 02, 2011 at 10:35:04 from 76.31.26.153

Really impressive, congratulations. You are now officially in the ultra-ultra club. Other than the Sahara desert race and Badwater, I don't think there is anything you haven't done.

From Burt on Sun, Jan 02, 2011 at 12:32:24 from 173.87.186.51

Awesome.

From MichelleL on Mon, Jan 03, 2011 at 17:39:43 from 67.41.228.8

Wow what a race! What an exciting read! Thanks for the link!

From Dragonvulture on Mon, Jan 03, 2011 at 19:26:33 from 65.44.116.4

I was watching this whenever I could during the 2 days and you were just awesome and inspiring. And thanks for being that guy I can point to when my wife thinks I am nuts.

From crockett on Mon, Jan 03, 2011 at 19:34:00 from 71.36.80.179

Thanks Dragonvulture, always pleased to demonstrate that there are crazier people out there. The really crazy thing is that I no longer think running 100 miles is that far.

From JD on Mon, Jan 03, 2011 at 20:28:59 from 24.10.171.14

Wow! Just finished your report. Thanks for the great write up and for being such an inspiration. I really cannot wrap my mind around your achievement. You're definitely pushing the boundaries of perceived human limits!

Total Distance
3479.00
La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow Miles: 147.00Mizuno Wave Elixer - Red Miles: 653.00Mizuno Wave Elixer Miles: 14.00Montrail Wildwood Miles: 545.00Montrail Wildwood - Red Miles: 35.00Vasque Velocity (Grey Yellow) Miles: 69.00Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 650.00La Sportiva Wildcat - Green Miles: 32.00La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (old) Miles: 394.00La Sportive Wildcat - Yellow (new) Miles: 309.00Hoka Miles: 350.00Montrail Wildwoods - Red Miles: 39.00Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Black Miles: 45.00
Debt Reduction Calculator
Featured Announcements
Lone Faithfuls
(need a comment):
Recent Comments: