I'm retired from racing. Really.

Logan Peak Trail Run

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Location:

Greenville,SC,

Member Since:

Feb 24, 2007

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

I also maintain a blogspot running blog. Check it out. 

5k- 16:01, 1/2 marathon- 1:11:37, marathon- 2:34:16, 50k- 3:58, 100 mile- 15:19

Former World Record holder in 100 x 5k relay 

Ultra history:

8-100 mile, 1-100k, 9-50 mile, 2-40 mile, 14-50k-ish

12 wins, 5 CR's, plus four 2nd, five 3rd, 4th, 4th, 5th, 5th, 9th, 16th, 20th, 28th, 38th, and 62nd place, with 1 DNF 

Short-Term Running Goals:

Goals 

Enjoy running, stay fit (and maybe lose a few pounds). Play ultimate frisbee.

4 year coach of Langston Middle School- love it

Long-Term Running Goals:

Unretire at some point

Run a sub-6 hr 50 miler

Win a 100 mile ultramarathon

Personal:

I have five cute kids. And I have some rockin short green racing shorts- I wear them mainly because it embarrasses my wife so much. I like ultimate frisbee, trail running, reading, and cheering for the Denver Broncos!   And I have the absolute best wife in the world.  And I used to run for the now-disbanded national Team Pearl Izumi- Ultra!

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 11.00 Month: 51.00 Year: 150.00
Fastwitch Lifetime Miles: 82.50
Trail N1 Lifetime Miles: 86.50
Road N1 Lifetime Miles: 31.00
Trail M2 Lime/black Lifetime Miles: 297.00
Road M3 Grey And Yellow Lifetime Miles: 324.00
Road N2 Purple 2 Lifetime Miles: 222.50
Road N2 4 Grey Lifetime Miles: 51.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
76.000.000.000.000.0076.00
Weight: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
8.000.000.000.000.008.00

After getting 0 sleep Friday night, I finally got a 2 hour nap Saturday afternoon.  But then I didn't get to sleep until almost 1 am Sat night and still woke up before 8 am- I guess I really don't need much sleep.  1.5 hour nap Sunday, then 6 hours of sleep Sunday night.  I bagged the Monday morning run in order to sleep in the extra hour.  I'll try to get at least 6-7 hours tonight.

PM- 8 easy miles.  Felt very slow, but time was 1:00:23.  Quads are very, very sore- about as bad as after a marathon.  Not as much fatigue, just sore.

767- 278

Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
16.000.000.000.000.0016.00

AM- 6 slow miles.  Still sore, even after my ice bath last night.

PM- 10 very slow, naked miles on the Logan canyon river trail.  Legs still sore and fatigued.  I almost stepped on a snake just past Spring Hollow campground, and then I saw a moose.  It was maybe 30 yards away, and we both looked at each other for a minute before I continued on my way.  Finished off the run with a 5 minute soak in the cold Logan River.  I'm just hoping to completely recover for the race Saturday.

Adrenaline- 393, 806- 454

Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.000.000.000.000.0012.00

AM- 6 easy miles.  Still sore, but improving.

PM- 6 easy miles with the jogging stroller.

768- 50, Adrenaline- 399

Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.000.000.000.000.006.00

Hi everybody

AM- 6

767- 284

Weight: 0.00
Comments(5)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.000.000.000.000.006.00

I bagged my morning run due to the second late night in a row (after 11 pm bedtime).  I figured I need sleep more than an easy 6 miles, especially with an ultramarathon tomorrow.  Plus it gives my sore ankle a few extra hours to recover.  

PM- 6 easy miles with Cody.  First time running with him in more than a month.  Good to have him back.

Adrenaline- 405

Weight: 0.00
Comments(9)
Race: Logan Peak Trail Run (28 Miles) 04:51:30, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
28.000.000.000.000.0028.00

Today was the race I have been looking forward to all year- the Logan Peak Trail Race.  It is a 28 mile race with 7200 ft ascent and 7200 descent- more elevation and distance than Pikes Peak marathon.  Cody and Paul did it last year for fun and placed 4th and 5th.  Even though I have run trails for years, this was my official trail race.  My main goal was to finish and to place top 3.  A win and course record was doable a secondary goal.

Race started at 6 am- Paul and Cody saw me off.  It was a warm morning- 60 deg, with no clouds.  The race starts off through a neighborhood and trail for a mile, then gets down to business with almost 3000 ft of climbing in 3 miles up Dry Canyon.  Times were 9:52, 11:21, 15:17, 15:23- lots of walking as we were just conserving energy (plus walking is as fast as running with the avg 18% grade).  At the first aid station (mile 4.7) there was still a good group of 6 guys.  The trail levels out and circles south around the peak towards Providence canyon on the Sincline trail, eventually reaching the backside of Mt. Logan.  Levels out is also a somewhat relative term, as there is still over 1000 ft of ascent and decent on this 6.5 mile stretch, including some rather steep snow field crossings and a few streams running down the trail.  Times were 17:41 (including aid station- lots of food!), 10:38, 8:29, 7:55, 12:45, 10;01, 13:09.  We had paired our group down to just 3 guys- Leland Barker (last year's winner and ultramarathoner extrordinaire) and Brian Beckstead, a trail runner/Runner's Corner guy from Orem. 

By the second aid station at mile 11, the temperature was really heating up.  I grabbed snow whenever I could and kept sticking it under my hat- instant cooling!  After Aid 2, we start a very steep climb to the peak of Mt. Logan, winding our way up a ridge.  80% of this portion was snowpacked, including the final climb to the top.  Very difficult footing, often slipping back with each step.  Times were 12:01, 15:35, 13:22.  I hit the top (~mile 13.8) in 2:51:50 or so- a whopping 12:27 pace for the first half of the race.  After a brief pause to tighten my shoes, I was off.

After the top, the fun really started.  I love running down steep snow- I just lean back, overstride, and fly down the mountain, no rocks to trip me.  Times back to the Aid 2 station (now renamed Aid 3) were 7:59, 8:16, 11:29 (some uphill).  Still a pack of 3.

After Aid 3, the course follows a jeep trail for 1.5 miles with a steady climb.  I finally pulled away from the other guys at this point.  Then it dives onto a technical singletrack to circle the north side of the mountain.  Generally downhill, though some flats and ups.  I had to stop once at mile 19 for a potty break (number 2) and was surprised no one caught me- I must have really put some distance on the other guys.  Eventually the trail decends back to the top of Dry Canyon to Aid 1 (now Aid 4, around mile 23).  Times were 10:16, 8:52, 8:34, 12:54, 10:42, 9:39 (includes aid station and another potty break- again, no footsteps from other runners).

After a very quick stop at Aid 4, it was time to see what my legs had left with the screaming downhill.  The trail is steep and very rocky, so falling is always a concern (see Paul's report from last year).  Nevertheless, my times were 7:04, 6:58, 6:42 down the canyon.  I was very happy to be doing sub-7:00 miles after 26 miles and 7000 feet.  Finally hit the deerfence trail and the neighborhood (with yet another potty break- ridiculous!  But my intestines were insistent, so who was I to argue).  I got a few long stretches to look back- no one in sight.  Last full mile was 7:36 (with potty break), then kicked it home at 6:31 pace.  Finished in first place overall, 4:51:30- 1:25 minute course record.  The runners from last year agreed this year was slower/harder due to the snow, and the course was .6 miles longer due to a route change, so I was thrilled to set a new record.  Brian came in 2 minute behind me, beating Leland by a mere 10 seconds.  Leland was trying so hard to catch up that he practically collapsed at the finish line, cramping up. 

 I was absolutely amazed how good I felt after running 28 miles- one big blister under a toe, plus I am going to lose both my big toenails and one other.  Ugly, ugly toes- purple nails.  A bit of knee soreness and one tight achilles, but that is all.  Oh, and an apparently pretty nasty case of running-induced gastrointestinal bleeding, resulting in a trip to the bathroom every 30 minutes since the race.  DOMS tomorrow, I am sure.  But I don't feel near as bad as after a road marathon.  And can I say that I LOVE TRAIL RACES!!!  (plus I am undefeated, seeing as this is my first!)

Overall, this is an outstanding race.  The Race Director calls it the toughest 28 mile run anywhere.  Probably true.  The volunteers are amazing- they have to mule haul the drinks/food to Aid 1/4, and do some gnarly jeeping to Aid 2/3 (where they had to camp out last night).  I even won some dang awesome $200 sunglasses (I'm too cheap to spend more than $5 when I pay) plus prize money.

I highly recommend this race to anyone!  Amazing views, great people, great (tough) course.  It gets me excited for my 2 other trail runs later this summer!

Ascend- 335

Weight: 0.00
Comments(24)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
76.000.000.000.000.0076.00
Weight: 0.00
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