iRunFar.com

Home on the [Western States] Trail

Andy Jones-Wilkins — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:00:28 +0000

The late, great Western American man of letters, Wallace Stegner, wrote, in his seminal essay, “The Sense of Place,” that, “a place is not a place until people have been born in it, grown up in it, lived in it, known it, died in it – have both experienced and shaped it, as individuals, families, neighborhoods, and communities, over more than one generation. Some are born in their place, some find it, some realize after long searching that the place they left is the one they are searching for. But whatever their relationship to it, it is made a place only by slow accrual, like a coral reef.”

On the eve of this Memorial Day Weekend, for me, the psychological opening weekend of summer, I am once again looking forward to grounding myself in place. You see, I have been a bit of a wanderer over the past dozen years or so as work and life have taken me from Arizona to California, from Idaho to Virginia. As such, I have sought a “home” not in a house or a community or a neighborhood or even a school, but rather, perhaps surprisingly, I have found a home on a trail. Since 2000, the place where I have felt most at home, the place that has grown on me and made me more of who I am, the place that I have made my own through “slow accrual” is the Western States Trail.

I’ll admit it, I love the Western States Trail. I love its dustiness, I love its smells, I love the way it punishes me and rewards me. I love how it wanders from the high snowy Sierra Nevada to the dry, desiccated canyons and along the way I love how it takes me through decayed gold mining towns, across crisp tree-lined ridges, and over historic, built-from-the-heart bridges. In short, I love how the Western States Trail feeds my soul.

And, like any home, it carries with it visceral human memories grounded in time, space, and motion. Like the time, in 2001, when I emerged off the trail at Robie Point and met my solo crew, my now ex-sister-in-law, who, upon seeing me and, more significantly, hearing me, said, “Did you get emphysema down there?”

Or, the occasion in 2004 when I was bobbing along the Quarry Road just before sunset with my pacer and good friend, Errol “The Rocket” Jones. We were just running along on the top-10 bubble when who did we see? None other than Dean Karnazes! At the time DK was moseying along in his bucket hat and ice filled bottles and we exchanged pleasantries as I passed. He, of course, passed me back just before the Cool Meadow, but I can’t run that section of Quarry Road without thinking of that time I blew by Dean at 12-minute pace.

2005 was my best race and, like any Harvard Graduate, if you hang out with me for more than about 30 seconds, I’ll tell you about how great I was that day but my best memory of that race took place when I rolled into the River after passing Vincent Delebarre walking backwards down the trail because his quads were trashed and then passing Jorge Pacheco lying down on the picnic table shortly after Sandy Bottom on Cal Street. When I got off the scale on the Near Side the guy with the clipboard said,

“Well, you’re in second. Scott crossed the river 24 minutes ago.”

My pacer, John Pearch, always the master of the understatement, said simply, “Anything can happen.” To which I said, “You think Dusty will challenge him to a cannonball contest off No Hands?”

I ended up finishing second.

There’s a distinctively special place about 200 yards out of Last Chance where my good friend and mentor Tommy Nielsen always likes to go to “fertilize the flora” of the Western States Trail. In 2006, as I was leaving Last Chance, I heard a voice from the bushes,

“AJ, is that you? Wait up!” it was Tommy.

We were walking the dusty short uphill on the road before the descent to the Red Gate that immediately precedes the rusty mining equipment that signals the beginning of the sharp descent into Deadwood Canyon.

“Dude, it’s hot out today.” Tommy said as we settled into a gentle trot.

“Yeah, I think this is going to be a Big Day.” I mumbled back checking my pocket for S! Caps.

“I heard they were pulling people at Robinson for losing weight.” Tommy said grabbing his hamstring in a pre-cramp pose.

“Not surprised, I ran into three guys who went in dry into Duncan Canyon and hit the chair.” I tried to sound authoritative while realizing I’d already drained half a bottle five minutes out of the aid station.

“How about we run the Canyons together today?” Tommy said and glanced at me like he always does.

“Sounds like a plan!” I said, relieved.

And, as we passed the “Dangerous: Steep Trail Ahead Sign” that noted the beginning of the drop to the Swinging Bridge, we both smiled…

In 2007, I was chasing Graham Cooper for 3rd place and my pacer Jeff Hutson was whipping me like a horse. He pointed out a couple particular places along the trail between Green Gate and Auburn Lake Trails that were important landmarks, but I knew we were completely geeked out Western States obsessives when he said,

“From here, where this old gnarly barbed wire fence ends, we have 6 minutes to the Aid Station.”

“Hmmph!” I grunted. Then, got pissed when we rolled into the Aid Station 6:15 from the fence. I never caught Graham that year, but my post race celebration ended up on YouTube and you would have thought I’d won the thing.

Finally, there is even a spot on the Placer High School Track that feels like home to me. It’s where I was sitting after finishing the race in 2010 when someone handed me a cell phone,

“AJW, talk to Craig, he’s on a cot at Highway 49.”

The five-minute conversation that ensued changed the way I think about life and living. And, I like to think, it also got my good friend Craig Thornley off that cot and on to the Finish Line.

Anyway, this is all to say, like any home, this place is filled with memories for me; physical, mental, emotional, spiritual.

I love the Western States Trail for reasons that are intensely personal and completely mine. It is a love built up over time and grounded in place. It’s a love that has endured and a love that is filled with hope. Joy, optimism, and dreams have found life in the Western States Trail and I, for whatever reason, have shared in that life.

And that brings me back to this weekend. You see, for the last decade I have spent Memorial Day Weekend on the Western States Trail, at home. It may not be all that much in the grand scheme of things, but it’s more than enough for me. So, if you’re looking for me this weekend, I’ll be at home.

Bottoms up!

AJW Taproom’s Beer of the Week
This week’s Beer of the Week comes from Jack’s Brewing Company in San Ramon, CA. I used to frequent Jack’s when I lived in the Bay Area and their beer is good. Basic, tasty, no-nonsense. Their Boys of Summer Wheat is a great low-alcohol beer that seems appropriate in these heavy training days of May and June. And, here’s hoping you all get out on a great Memorial Day Constitutional!

Call for Comments (from Bryon)
Where do you call “home” and why?

Kilian Jornet Post-2010 Western States 100 Interview iRunFar interviews Catalan Kilian Jornet after his third place finish...
Nick Clark Pre-2011 Western States 100 Interview iRunFar's Bryon Powell interviews Nick Clark, last year's fourth place...
How to Finish Top 10 at Western States Andy Jones-Wilkins gives his tips for finishing top 10 at...

Generation UCAN Sports Drink Mix Review

Meghan Hicks — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:00:06 +0000

The Disclaimer Biz

Let me begin with a ridiculously long disclaimer. I am not a nutrition professional, but I bring to this post what each of you also possess: a lifetime of experience with food, drink, and other nutrient-delivery methods. When it comes to what we consume, I’ve learned that we’re each an experiment of one. What works great for your body may work just alright for someone else’s. And, the nutrition formula that suits each of us best can and does change through the course of our lives, too.

Like any review we publish on iRunFar, I write from the perspective of what works for me, not from the perspective of what could or should work for anyone else. Nutrition is so much more personalized than a pair of running tights or a shirt, so that’s probably why this is iRunFar’s second-ever review of a nutrition product. (Bryon once reviewed gels. Go figure.) That said, chances are good that, if I prefer a product, some of you will find it an equally good fit. But, should you decide to use Generation UCAN’s sports drink mixes or any other nutrition supplements, use them because they work for you.

What is Generation UCAN?
Generation UCAN’s website says that the company’s two sport drink mixes, one designed for before and during exercise and another that’s protein-enhanced for after a workout, are composed of what they call SuperStarch. According to the company, SuperStarch is a complex carbohydrate (ground up, hydrothermally-treated, non-GMO corn) that, during exercise, metabolizes slowly, prevents the insulin spikes and drops that accompany the digestion of simple sugars, and allows the body to partially fuel itself with stored fat.

The Sports Drink Mix comes in three flavors: Cran-Raz (cranberry and raspberry-flavored), Lemonade, Pom-Blue (pomegranate and blueberry-flavored), and Plain. The Protein-Enhanced Sports Drink Mix is available in Vanilla and Chocolate. Besides the corn starch, each has some additional flavoring ingredients. The Protein-Enhanced Sports Drink Mixes also have whey protein. The products contain no caffeine, sugar, or gluten.

The company makes several recommendations for the use of their products. They recommend ingesting the Sports Drink Mix 30-45 minutes before a long training event or race. For events of several hours or more, they recommend using a second Sports Drink Mix serving midway through the exercise period. Then, they recommend consuming the Protein-Enhanced Sports Drink Mix within 30 minutes of completing an endurance outing.

All the drink mixes are very fine powders, and each come with slightly variable mixing instructions. Basically, you mix a serving with a certain amount of cold water in a bottle and shake like heck. You can also add the mix to a smoothie or more creative drink combination.

Why I Chose Generation UCAN
I chose to test the Generation UCAN sports drink mixes for two reasons. First, I experience rapid shifts in my blood-sugar levels. You know someone like me: someone who feels best when they eat moderate amounts of food every few hours, who always keeps a snack at close hand, and who stores a gel in their sports bra on almost every run just in case. I wondered if the Generation UCAN mixes would stymie the blood sugar-based bonks I sometimes experience while running.

Second, when I discovered UCAN last winter, I was in the early throes of training for the Marathon des Sables, a week-long race in which you carry a backpack containing all the food you’ll eat that week. That is, if the Generation UCAN products fulfilled their claims, I might be able to rely a bit more on my body’s stored fat for racing fuel, rather than carrying a heavy load of traditional race nutrition.

I tested these mixes on long runs and races for six months, and now the Generation UCAN Sports Drink Mix has become a regular part of my pre-long run or race nutrition plan. Let me elaborate on my experiences.

Testing Generation UCAN in Training
First, let’s talk about the mixes’ consistency. The Generation UCAN powders feel different in my mouth than pretty much every other powder. Basically, no matter how hard you shake your mix and water, you can still feel the powder in your drink. For me, the consistency was a non-issue before and after workouts, but it did bother me a bit mid-workout.

Now, taste. I have read other athletes’ descriptions of these mixes as having a subtle flavor compared to various sports drinks. However, on my taste buds, the mixes presented significant almost all enjoyable flavorings. Among the Sports Drink Mixes, the Pom-Blue was easily my favorite. I could drink that stuff all day. I also dug the Cran-Raz and Lemonade flavors. The Plain flavor? On my taste buds, it’s neither plain nor palatable. I could still taste it no matter what kind of smoothie I mixed it into. Among the Chocolate and Vanilla Protein-Enhanced Sports Drink Mixes, the flavors were, for me, an even draw of awesome.

Here’s what went down when I tested the drink mixes according to each of Generation UCAN’s recommendations for use. Since I started consuming the Sports Drink Mix before long workouts last December, I’ve not had a single blood-sugar bonk. If you’ve gone on long mountain runs with me in the past, you’ve probably had to, at some point, sit on a rock while I eat 500 calories and recover from a bonk. This never feels fun and I have been elated to shut that nutrition door with the use of the Sports Drink Mixes before my workouts.

With regular, repeated Generation UCAN product use before long runs, my body learned to run on less traditional fuel. When I first started using the mix, I needed to fuel normally with my traditional fuels. However, after about two months of using the product either once or twice-per-week for a long run, I could complete those runs (18-25 miles and, in most cases, with a weighted pack as Marathon des Sables training) on one serving of the Sports Drink Mix beforehand and 1, 2 or 3 gels during the run. This is in contrast to similar training runs that previously required about 2 gels per 90 minutes of exercise.

For me, eating almost nothing for three to six hours during a run presents one side effect: hunger. While my energy is good, my stomach rumbles! I find myself drinking more water on these runs to put something inside my belly.

I also used the Sports Drink Mix during some of my long runs, as per the company’s recommendations. I began testing the mixes mid-run after I had already been using them before my long runs for several months. I could not detect a difference in consuming a second serving mid-workout. I tested the mixes midway through both runs of up to 6 1/2 hours in length. As previously mentioned, I was not bothered by the mixes’ consistency when I drank them before or after my workouts, but I had trouble with drinking them midway through a run. Drinking 16 or so ounces of Sport Drink Mix and water leaves what feels like a chalky coating in my mouth that is bothersome during a workout.

Finally, I tested the Protein-Enhanced Sports Drink Mix after about a dozen workouts. In all but one case, I mixed the powder into a smoothie. After 12 tests, however, I returned to using my beloved, other post-workout recovery powder (which I have used for the 6 years I have been an ultrarunner). I felt that the Generation UCAN mix performed the same as my “old reliable” mix in terms of starting the recovery process. In this case, apparently, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks when the old tricks are just as good.

Generation UCAN in Racing
For me, the higher energy output of races requires the use of more traditional fuel than long training runs, even when I’m consuming Generation UCAN’s Sports Drink Mix before the race. I’ve now tested the Sports Drink Mix at 6 races (a marathon; two 50ks; a 3-day, 95-mile stage race; and a 7-day, 150-mile stage race). Before using Generation UCAN, I would normally consume about 200 calories per hour of traditional fuels (and aid-station food/drink in some cases) in a 50k race and up to 300 calories per hour in stage races. At the Marathon des Sables, the 7-day stage race, I ran well and felt strong on between 150 and 200 calories per hour of traditional fuel after having a Sports Drink Mix prior to each stage of racing.

In Summary
Nutrition is 100% unique to the individual. We each have to find a nutrition plan for life and sport that suits us. Generation UCAN is good stuff for me when used before a long run or race. When I drink a serving of the Sports Drink Mix as per company recommendations before long events, my energy levels remain even. In addition, after several months of regular Generation UCAN use, my body now requires less traditional fuel during those events, especially during training runs. I am a regular Generation UCAN Sports Drink Mix user.

Call for Comments

If you’ve used Generation UCAN, what did you think?
How do you most often fuel during your runs?
Does your in-race nutrition differ from your normal long-run nutrition?

Sports Drinks for Women photo credit – Tony Cenicola/The New York Times Today’s New...
Race Nutrition with Kilian Jornet Kilian Jornet's race fueling and hydration strategies....
Food for Marathon des Sables A sample nutritional plan for running the Marathon des Sables....

Emelie Forsberg Post-2012 Zegama Interview

Bryon Powell — Thu, 24 May 2012 06:01:10 +0000

Swedish trail runner (living in Norway) Emelie Forsberg finished third at the Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon three weeks after her second place finish at the Three Peaks race in the UK. Find out more about this up-and-coming trail running talent in the following interview.

Emelie Forsberg Post-2012 Zegama Marathon Interview Transcript

iRunFar: Bryon Powell here with iRunFar here with Emelie Forsberg (Salomon) at the Zegama Marathon after her 3rd place finish. The US audience probably doesn’t know you so well. Tell us where you live and where you’re from.

Emelie Forsberg: I’m from Sweden, but I live in Norway in Tromso. It’s very far up north above the Arctic Circle.

iRF: Are you used to bad weather living there?

Forsberg: No, we actually have quite good weather there, but we have a lot of snow. I just went from skiing to running.

iRF: Do you Nordic ski or ski-mountaineer?

Forsberg: Both Nordic skiing and cross-country.

iRF: Do you specialize in one or the other?

Forsberg: No, I like to do everything.

iRF: Well, you had a lot of everything today. There was some uphill, some downhill, and slick and technical terrain also.

Forsberg: I love downhill and I found every downhill so fun.

iRF: Before the race I was told that some people have never seen a woman descend as quickly as you. If you were close in that last 11km, they said you’d make up some time.

Forsberg: I was a bit tired that last part. I went out too fast.

iRF: Is this toward the longer end of your racing range?

Forsberg: Yes. Especially because in winter I don’t run, I just ski. So this is a long race in the beginning of the season, but I love long races.

iRF: You ran the 3 Peaks Race (UK) a few weeks ago. How did that go?

Forsberg: Yes. I came in second.

iRF: What exciting plans do you have for this year?

Forsberg: I need to talk to Greg Vollet [the Salomon team manager] again because I want to do a race, maybe Snowdon Peak in the UK, and Giir di Mont in Italy, and then we’ll see.

iRF: So that would put you in the Skyrunner World Series…

Forsberg: Yeah! I’d like to do that!

iRF: Well, you’ve put yourself in a good position with your run today. Congratulations and we hope to hear of a lot of good results from you this year!

Forsberg: Thanks!

2012 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon Results Results from the 2012 Zegama-Aizkorri alpine marathon....
Kilian Jornet 2012 Zegama Marathon Champion Interview A video interview with Kilian Jornet following his win at...
2012 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon Preview A preview of the men's and women's field for the...

Transvulcania Prediction Contest Results

Bryon Powell — Wed, 23 May 2012 23:00:23 +0000

From the better-late-than-never department, here are the results from our Transvulcania prediction contest, which an incredible 458 folks entered in just two days. For those who need a refresher, you can read the rules here.

First Place
After one round, there were nine contestants that correctly predicted 6 runners who finished in the men’s top 5 and women’s top 3.

Lederer of Switzerland was the only contest to pick three runners in their exact finishing positions – Anna Frost (1^st), Nikki Kimball (3^rd), and Kilian Jornet (3^rd), so Lederer is the outright winner of the contest, winning a choice of Salomon Crossmax or Mission shoes, Salomon 3/4 Exo Tights, and a Salomon technical tee shirt.

Second Place
Six additional contestants had two exact picks correct: Thomas Leohndorf, Nerea Altuna, Ferran Feixas, Aaron Harrell, Luis Leite, and me (Bryon Powell). This makes for a bit of a messy tie-break scenario, but after much back-of-the-envelope work in Basque Country, things started sorting out in comparing number of exact second place picks. (All six tie-entrants had Anna Frost winning, but none had Dakota Jones winning.) I was the only one of the six to have a second place exact pick with Nuria Picas Albets. However, I’ll obviously not claim the prize, so second and third place prizes pass down to third and fourth.

Four of the five remaining tied entrants – Thomas, Nerea, Ferran & Luis – had one exact third place pick (all Nikki Kimball), so on we go. Unfortunately, none of the four exactly picked either the fourth or fifth place man, so we had to conduct a random drawing.

Luis Leite’s name was the first out of the iRunFar hat, so the second place prize is his. So he’ll soon be running in Crossmax or Mission shoes and a Salomon tech shirt.

Third Place
The third place prize goes to Nerea Altuna as her name was next out of the hat. She gets her choice of Salomon Crossmax or Mission shoes.

Conclusion
Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest and to Salomon for providing the prize packs. Winners, we’ll be in touch to hook you up with your prizes.

2012 Transvulcania Ultramarathon Prediction Contest iRunFar's 2012 Transvulcania ultramarathon prediction contest with prizes from Salomon....
Hardrock 100 Prediction Contest Due to popular demand, iRunFar is bringing you another prediction...
2011 Western States 100 Prediction Contest iRunFar's third annual Western States 100 prediction contest with great...

The Roar of the Crowd

Geoff Roes — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:00:28 +0000

On my recent visit to Spain to run the Transvulcania 50-mile race, I heard a lot of theories as to why trail races are so different in Europe as compared to the U.S. Specifically, why there are so many trail races in Europe that draw several thousand local fans while virtually none in the States do. This is a topic I’ve talked about on my personal blog in the past, but not until my recent travels abroad did I have the chance to talk about this with so many knowledgeable and experienced runners, race organizers, and race fans from around the world.

To my knowledge, Alaska’s Mount Marathon is the only trail race in the United States (if you actually consider Alaska to be a part of the U.S.) that draws several thousand spectators from the local communities on race day. I’ve heard that Leadville also draws a decent amount of local spectators (maybe someone who has been there on race day can weigh in with a guesstimate on that). Certainly, Mount Marathon’s volume of spectators is aided by the fact that it is held on the 4th of July, and many people are there simply for the Independence Day celebration. There is more at play than just good timing, though, the Mount Marathon race has become the most anticipated and celebrated part of Seward’s 4th of July festivities. At this point, it’s not as much a case of the race benefiting from everyone who is in town for the party, but the party benefiting from everyone who is in town to watch the race. I have not yet been there on race day, but by most accounts there are typically 20,000 spectators!

The most common rhetoric I hear when people talk about why these types of races aren’t the norm in the States, is that there is a fundamental cultural difference between the U.S. and Europe when it comes to individual sports, and that Americans just aren’t interested in attending this kind of thing unless they personally know someone who is competing. There are two things which come to mind right away that disprove this theory: car racing and Mount Marathon.

I think it is true that mountain trail running is much more a part of mountain communities in Europe than it is in the U.S., but I do not believe that this is because Americans don’t care about this kind of thing, and never will. Mount Marathon is a perfect example that “if you build it they will come.” That is, if you bring a race to the people, people will come to the race. For many reasons, the approach in the States has long been to keep trail races remote and thus removed from potential spectators. Very few trail races seem to advertise on the local level, and, more often than not, it seems like races that do start, finish, or pass through population centers try to schedule their events to occur when not much of anything else is going on locally. If, on the other hand, you want people to come out and support your event it makes perfect sense to time a race to start/finish in the middle of the afternoon, in the middle of town, on the 4th of July – as Mount Marathon does.

I would never want for all races to become large spectator events, and I don’t think this is anything any of us need to be worried about. But as an American trail runner who has now competed in a few races in Europe, it’s hard not to wish for at least a handful of these types of races here in the U.S. It’s not something that can or will just happen overnight, but I find it odd and surprising that few (if any) trail races in the States are making a conscious effort to lay the groundwork for their race to become highly supported and attended by local communities. I think trail running is an exciting and inspirational sport that would appeal to the masses if more events were structured and organized in a way that incorporates and celebrates the local population. I think I may still be a couple years away from having the time/desire/energy to tackle organizing a race myself, but, if I do, my top priority will be to create a great course, and my second priority will be to create it in a way so that the race has an opportunity to become an exciting part of the community that it takes place in.

Ultrarunning in Japan A discussion of ultrarunning Japan....
2012 USATF Mountain/Ultra/Trail National Championship Schedule The 2012 USATF Mountain/Ultra/Trail National Championship schedule....
Sister vs. Brother You heard it here first, folks. Next February will see...

Krar and Kimmel Clean Sweep the Jemez Trail Half Marathon

Meghan Hicks — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:26:04 +0000

The La Sportiva Mountain Cup made a quick change between Montana’s Don’t Fence Me In Trail Runs two weekends ago and New Mexico’s Jemez Mountains Trail Runs this past Saturday. The Jemez Mountains Trail Runs offer three race distances, a half marathon, a 50K, and a 50-mile. LSMC competitors went head-to-head at the Jemez Trail Half Marathon.

All of the races take place on trails and dirt roads in the mountains surrounding Los Alamos, and offer high desert and conifer-forest landscape, rugged running surfaces, and high altitude. The half-marathon course begins at over 7,000 feet above sea level, and an elevation gain (and loss) of just over 2,700 vertical feet offers even more challenge.

Toward the front of the race, Gina Lucrezi and La Sportiva Athlete Jason Bryant missed a turn off the fire road late in the race and ended up posting DNF’s due to the detrimental detour. Apparently the wind had blown down some flagging and neither runner noticed the course markings that led racers back into the woods.

In this article you’ll find out exactly how the race played out for top finishers. Then, we’ll give you an update on the Mountain Cup standings. We’ll next administer our weekly giveaway contest(s) and call for your comments before ending with the full La Sportiva Mountain Cup schedule.

The Race
Men’s Race

Robert Krar of Arizona is on a winning roll. After besting everyone by several minutes at the Don’t Fence Me In Trail Run two weekends ago and boosting himself into a tie for second in the overall LSMC standings, he edged out New Mexico’s Kristopher Houghton for the Jemez Trail Half Marathon win in a time of 1:32:16. In third place was North Carolina’s Ryan Woods, who began this race in the LSMC overall standings lead, and his 1:44:26 finishing time. Los Alamos local, Chip Cooper, finished fourth in 1:48:50. Another name that keeps turning up in the top-10 men of LSMC races is Christopher Payton, of Colorado. He turned in a fifth-place, 1:53:30 finish last weekend.

Rob Krar - 1:32:16
Kristopher Houghton - 1:33:49
Ryan Woods (La Sportiva) – 1:44:26
Chip Cooper - 1:48:50
Christopher Payton - 1:53:30

Women’s Race

Colorado’s Megan Kimmel shares the same winning streak as Krar. After her win two weekends ago in Montana, she bested all the ladies once again in 1:56:09, a decisive six minutes faster than second place Alison Bryant, of North Carolina. Petra McDowell, another Los Alamos local, was on Bryant’s heels, however, as she finished third in 2:03:36. Arizona’s Christina Bauer and Colorado’s Shari Marshall completed the women’s top 5. It should be noted that Gina Lucrezi, who is competing for the LSMC, did not finish the race.

Megan Kimmel (La Sportiva) – 1:56:09
Alison Bryant (La Sportiva) - 2:02:19
Petra McDowell – 2:03:36
Christina Bauer - 2:04:47
Shari Marshall - 2:05:51

Full Results

Here are the full results from all the Jemez Mountains Trail Runs.

La Sportiva Mountain Cup Standings

Men
In the last two LSMC races, Krar rocketed from third place into the overall ranking’s top position. Ryan Woods began the Jemez Trail Half Marathon in the overall-standings lead, but he did not earn enough points with his third-place finish last weekend to hold it. Though he’s slipped to second place, he’s just six points off Krar and a leaps-and-bounds 20 points ahead of Jared Scott. After the Don’t Fence Me In Trail Run a week ago, Jared Scott was tied for second place. Since he did not race Jemez, he dropped to third place in the overall rankings. Fourth and fifth place overall currently belong to Matt Byrne and Jason Bryant. With three races to go in the LSMC series, much remains to be decided in these standings!

1 – Robert Krar – 108 points from five races (26 pts from Jemez)
2 – Ryan Woods – 102 pts from six races (19 pts from Jemez)
3 – Jared Scott – 82 pts from four races (Did not race Jemez)
4 – Matt Byrne - 62 pts from three races (Did not race Jemez)
5 – Jason Bryant – 43 pts from three races (Did not finish Jemez)

Women

Christina Bauer’s fourth-place finish at Jemez earned her some more LSMC points and preserved her first place in the overall women’s standings. Alison Bryant, who began Jemez in third-overall place in the LSMC, worked her way into second place in the overall standings with her second-place finish last weekend. Gina Lucrezi started but did not finish Jemez. As a result, she earned no LSMC points and slipped into third place. Megan Kimmel has now climbed into the fourth-place position in the overall standings due to two wins, two weekends in a row.

Christina Bauer – 66 points from four races (15 pts from Jemez)
Alison Bryant – 63 pts from three races (21 pts from Jemez)
Gina Lucrezi – 50 pts from three scoring races (DNF’ed at Jemez, earning 0 pts)
Megan Kimmel – 46 pts from two races (26 pts from Jemez)
Shari Marshall – 26 pts from two races race (13 pts from Jemez)

iRunFar.com La Sportiva Mountain Cup Contest
Fernando Baeza of San Antonio, Texas, you won yourself a pair of La Sportiva Wildcats from our Don’t Fence Me In Trail Runs giveaway. Contact us to claim your prize.

Word is that the La Sportiva Vertical K were a hit at Jemez, so we’re giving you a chance to win a pair of these sweet, lightweight, low-profile trail racers. (Vertical K review)

Want to try the La Sportiva Vertical K? Well, to win a pair, just leave your name and town (in the US or Canada) in a comment before we write about the next Mountain Cup race to be run at the Rothrock Challenge 30K in Pennsylania on June 2, which Bryon Powell of iRunFar will be attending. As a reminder, if you enter to win the Vertical K,you’ll also automatically be eligible to win the grand prize – any three pairs of La Sportiva trail shoes and some sweet Sportiva schwag at the end of August.

Call for Comments
If you ran any of the Jemez Mountains Trail Runs this weekend, please leave a comment letting everyone know how you did and what you think about the race. Past racers are invited to comment, too!

The La Sportiva Mountain Cup

Krar and Kimmel Dominate at the Don’t Fence Me In Trail Run Race results from the 2012 Don't Fence Me In Trail...
Haefeli’s Healthy Victory at Jemez Half iRunFar covers the Jemez Half Marathon, the second race in...
Twists and Turns at the Jemez Half Marathon iRunFar covers the Jemez Half Marathon, the sixth race in...

Three Years of Living iRunFar

Bryon Powell — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:00:27 +0000

Two weeks ago, I hit my three-year anniversary of making iRunFar my full-time job. As with all anniversaries, this provided a natural place to look back on the journey that has been and to look forward to what may come before future anniversaries.

The Past Three Years
All journeys contain the unexpected. Perhaps I’ve not always been the best at dealing with the unexpected in my life, but I left Washington, DC embracing the unexpected more than ever before. I had to. I was doing something that no one else had, which meant I had no path to follow, no model to emulate. I had brainstormed a list of projects that, when combined, /might/ just allow me to cobble together a living. I accepted that I’d try some of those projects, ignore others, and jump into just as many I’d never imagined. I gave myself two years to “make things work” and, since iRunFar is still here, it’s clear that I have.

Still, my life is far from that which I expected.

Professionally, I’m shocked both by how quickly and how large iRunFar has grown. What was a good month’s traffic when I was considering going all in with iRunFar would now only rank as a normal weekday. No longer does a well-received article get half a dozen comments mostly from folks I know. Instead, dozens or hundreds of runners from around the world might chime in with their thoughts. The growth of the iRunFar community is one of the biggest shocks I’ve experienced over the past three years and the considerate discussions that follow are one of the things I enjoy the most and am the most proud of about iRunFar.

In leaving the legal profession and moving out West, I fully intended to live a much more relaxed, tranquil life. Ha! Even before I was jetting around globe covering races, I worked longer hours on iRunFar than I did as an attorney. By the time I moved to Utah a year and a half later, I was working from before breakfast until near midnight nearly every day, including the weekends. Over the past half year, we’ve added many more writers to the iRunFar team. Even though that’s helped take the pen from my own hand, the greatly increased publishing frequency on iRunFar – we went to five days per week at the start of the year and quickly started publishing more than one article many weekdays – has yielded no easing of my work schedule. iRunFar isn’t a 9-5 job, it’s a 16/7 job. Nearly any task – and, particularly, a business – can take up as much time as one allows it to, but I’m surprised that (1) iRunFar could fill every minute of all my days and (2) that I’ve let that happen.

Without a doubt, I expected to train more and be in better shape that I ever had been before in my new life. That’s not happened. If anything, I’ve routinely been in the worst shape since shortly after I started running 20 years ago. That’s been a major disappointment. I did deal with one injury setback – 6 months with moderate plantar fasciitis – in the past 3 years, but there’s no good reason I’ve not trained more or taken the time to do the other things I’d love to do to supplement training (sleep more, eat better, stretch, cross train, etc)… unless working on iRunFar is a good reason. There have been times where I’d consistently skip runs to work more, like when writing Relentless Forward Progress, and even though I now run everyday, I routinely cut runs short to fit in more work. My non-commitment to training means I’m painfully out of shape at the moment; enough so that I will not be running the Leadville 100 this year. I have no interest in running the race this year unless I could run very well and that’s an impossibility with less than three months left to train. As a result, my calendar is bare of any serious race commitments.

The Future
Back to the positive! Despite the negative consequences /I/ have chosen to accept as part of my work, I couldn’t be more excited to continue to make iRunFar even better in the coming months and years. I’ve got great ideas regarding future content, structure, and partnerships. The implementation of my dreams is only limited by time and finances.

Part of growth is learning to recognize and overcome one’s shortcomings. One of my major shortcomings is giving up control. That’s normal enough, but it’s a major problem once what you’re taking on is literally impossible for one person to do. That’s where iRunFar is right now. I’m proud to have grown comfortable welcoming many authors onto iRunFar, but, ultimately, I’ve still acted as a gatekeeper with full control before those authors’ thoughts hit your computer. To create a better iRunFar… and a better life for myself I will need to pass along many other tasks to others with full faith in them. In other words, I will have to let go. That will not be easy.

iRunFar sprung from my own love for running. This August, I’ll hit 20 years as a runner. In April, I passed my tenth anniversary as an ultrarunner. Five years into my running, I had a runner tattooed onto my leg. I knew that even if I never ran another step that running had added so much to my life that I’d never regret that tattoo. I feel confident that I could say the same thing about getting an “iRunFar” tattoo. That’s not going to happen, because, even if it wouldn’t be completely lame (it would be), that runner on my leg just as readily embodies iRunFar.

If I look forward for iRunFar, I need to look forward with my own running in mind. I am determined to recommit to my running. At the moment, that means NOT racing and NOT seriously training. I want to run without pressure, without plans. I want to run for the simple joy of it, because I want to. That’s not to say there’s not an alterior motive to this plan. There is. I DO want to be back in shape. In fact, I think I can be in better trail running shape and far better ultrarunning shape than I’ve ever been in before. However, 4 or 6 or 8 months of falling back in love with running will put me in a position to train with passion… and with a training base.

Just as important as rebuilding my endurance base over the coming months is restructuring my unsustainable life. During law school, I learned I could work without end. I could work my 9-5 job, go to night school, and study after that before sneaking in a midnight run before more studying. I could do that for weeks and months on end without any diversion. Weeks on end with four or five hours of sleep were within bounds. Working through the day after an all-nighter is little challenge. I learned of these awesome powers ten years ago and I’m still using them for iRunFar. However, power is nothing without control. It’s time to put the genie back in the bottle.

The iRunFar Forum – You Are The Story and Answer The official launch of the iRunFar forum....
Living It Up At The Canadian Death Race Far north of the 49th parallel in a land where...
iRunFar Goes Fulltime! … 1 Year Later Bryon Powell, Runner-in-Chief of iRunFar, looks back at the first...

Kilian Jornet 2012 Zegama Marathon Champion Interview

Bryon Powell — Sun, 20 May 2012 14:57:03 +0000

Kilian Jornet rebounded from a rough final few kilometers at Transvulcania last week to win the 2012 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon in near course record time. In the following interview, find out how his race went, how the conditions were out there, and what he thinks about the “rivalry” between the American and European runners.

[Click here if you can't see the above video.]

Kilian Jornet 2012 Zegama-Aizkotti Marathon Champion Interview Transcript

iRunFar: Bryon Powell here with Kilian Jornet after his win at the 2012 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon. How did it go out there today?

Kilian Jornet: Yeah, today is a great day. I said it was difficult because it was raining and snowing, but the champions today were not the athletes, but the spectators that come to the mountain in the cold and they stay to push us!

iRF: Yes, there were thousands of people out there. So you were really impressed with how many came out in the bad conditions.

Jornet: Yeah. Zegama is this: all the ambiance, the spectators, the thousands coming to the mountain. I think this is a special thing.

iRF: What do you think went better for you today than a week ago at Transvulcania?

Jornet: I think I feel the same. My form is the same as a week ago as there’s not the training yet. First of all the heat. Here was very cold and I feel better than in hot conditions. In Transvulcania, I felt really good but it was just the last 10km I fall, so I’m happy for this beginning of the season.

iRF: So maybe it’s an advantage to have a shorter race when you’re less trained (less running trained).

Jornet: Yes and it depends on the distance. In a 100km race, you’re fresh at 80km. In a marathon like here, at 10km from the end you are fresh, too. You think just about the distance. It’s not more tired with the longer distance.

iRF: How did the race actually go? How was the competition?

Jornet: The race was really high. We started really strong the first kilometers with Luis Hernando and Max King. In the first uphill, we go with Luis. Luis runs really fast in uphills with the poles. I say if we run together in the finish line, he’ll run really fast, too. I scored in the technical part, I took some risk for falling.

iRF: How was the downhill? It’s wet, there’s rocks… did you fall?

Jornet: It was perfect!

iRF: It’s like skiing?

Jornet: It was very technical because there’s a lot of rocks, a lot of water, very slippery, so we need to take really care and some risks to go fast.

iRF: One thing I wanted to talk to you about is on the internet, there are a lot of fans who make a big deal about US vs. Spain and US vs. Europe…

Jornet: It’s just the internet. The media is like this. Out there we are like a family. We are all the same. We love mountains; we love trying (training); we love competition. It is not if I’m Spanish or American or Frenchman, we think all the same. We’re friends.

iRF: Very good. I’m glad to hear that. Best of luck in your training for the next month, and I’ll see you in Squaw Valley!

Jornet: Yes! See you there!

Kilian Jornet Post-2012 Transvulcania Interview A video interview with Kilian Jornet between his runs at...
Kilian Jornet Pre-2011 Western States 100 Interview iRunFar's Bryon Powell interviews Kilian Jornet before the 2011 Western...
Pre-2011 TNF UTMB Interview with Kilian Jornet A video interview with Kilian Jornet prior to the 2012...

2012 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon Results

Meghan Hicks — Sun, 20 May 2012 12:40:19 +0000

Sunday morning in Zegama, in the Basque Country of northern Spain, dawned chilly (10 degrees Celcius/50 degrees Fahrenheit) and wet (spitting rain), but not enough to dampen the spirits of the Zegama-Aizkorri Maratoia runners. 450 athletes climbed up, up, and up into even colder temperatures and a bit of snow as they crossed four major mountain summits in the Basque Mountains and over 5,400 vertical meters of ascending and descending.

In the men’s race, a group of five men quickly broke from the peloton, solidifying that split by the 13-kilometer point. As they climbed higher, men dropped back until it was just Kilian Jornet, Luis Hernando, and Max King pushing the pace. By the race’s last high point, Max dropped from contention (He finished in 15th place.), leaving it a two-man race between Kilian and Luis. In the end, Kilian descended faster and harder, crossing the finish line more than 4 minutes ahead of Luis. Kilian said that it was, indeed, a cold day on the mountain, though he smiled as he said so. In Max’s absence, Tom Owens filled out the men’s podium.

Kilian Jornet wins the 2012 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon (Bryon Powell/iRunFar.com photo credit).

The ladies race was led out by last year’s winner Oihana Kortázar. From the get go, she rarely relinquished her lead nor relaxed her off-the-front running style. Emelie Forsberg played chase for much of the day, coming through the checkpoints in the first half of the race within a minute or two of Oihana. In the last third of the race, she was overtaken by Nuria Picas and her fierce ability to close a race. Nuria finished second and about 10 minutes back from Oihana with Emelie and a host of other women in hot pursuit. Fourth-place woman Lauren Jeska made a mid-race push into the lead. Her stay at the front, however, was brief. On the long, 10+-kilometer descent out of the mountains and back into Zegama, she couldn’t hold pace and slipped into her final, fourth position.

Oihana Kortazar wins the 2012 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon (Bryon Powell/iRunFar.com photo credit).

As usual, we’ll be adding info and race reports as we learn more over the coming days.

2012 Zegama Marathon Men’s Results

Kilian Jornet (Salomon) – 3:56:06 (post-race video interview)
Luis Hernando – 4:00:42
Tom Owens (Salomon) – 4:06:05
Michel Lannes (Salomon) – 4:06:22
Jokin Lizeaga – 4:09:58
Miguel Caballero – 4:11:50
Fulvia Dapit – 4:14:39
Tofol Castaner – 4:14:40
Jose Gutierrez – 4:14:54
Greg Vollet (Salomon) – 4:15:33
Check out the full results from the race.

2012 Zegama Marathon Women’s Results

Oihana Kortázar (Salomon) – 4:52:30
Núria Picas – 5:01:26
Émelie Forsberg (Salomon) – 5:01:57
Lauren Jeska (Arc’teryx)- 5:04:11
Oihana Azkorbebeitia – 5:08:07
Sarah Ridgeway (Inov-8) – 5:09:53
Uxue Fraile – 5:20:57
Nikki Kimball (The North Face) – 5:21:06
Nerea Amilibia – 5:22:38
Elena Calvillo – 5:27:29

Race Reports (and the like)

2012 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon Preview A preview of the men's and women's field for the...
Kilian Jornet 2012 Zegama Marathon Champion Interview A video interview with Kilian Jornet following his win at...
2012 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon Live Coverage Live coverage of the 2012 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon....

2012 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon Live Coverage

Bryon Powell — Sat, 19 May 2012 05:00:45 +0000

This Sunday at 9 am local time (CEST/GMT+2; 3 am EDT in the States) the Pyrenees of Spain’s Basque County, the 11th Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon kicks off with many of the top international runners who ran the Transvulcania ultramarathon last week with some interesting additions drawn by the race’s inclusion in the Skyrunning World Series. Bryon Powell of iRunFar will livecast the event as best he can on iRunFar’s Twitter feed, and will try to enlist additional international journalists to aid a join coverage effort collected below. Back home in the States, Meghan Hicks will moderate and add to the discussion, so feel free to jump in.

Tell your friends. Join the discussion. Enjoy.

Here are a couple resources to help you follow the race:

iRunFar’s Zegama men’s preview
Max King pre-Zegama interview
The Zegama website (available in both English, Spanish, and Basque) with course map, elevation profile, and prior results

If you enjoy iRunFar’s live coverage from Spain or all-night moderation Stateside, please considering making a donation. Just $5 will get me a glass of “recovery” rioja in Spain (consider it buying him a celebratory drink at the pub after the race), while $10 will get Meghan a pound of decent coffee here in the US to keep her awake for her next overnight race. A larger donation would help support our travel to cover other races near and far.

-Bryon Powell, Editor-in-Chief of iRunFar.

2012 Transvulcania Ultramarathon Live Coverage Live coverage of the 2012 Transvulcania ultramarathon....
2012 IAU 100k World Championship Live Coverage Live coverage of the 2012 IAU 100k World Championship....
2012 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon Results Results from the 2012 Zegama-Aizkorri alpine marathon....