Not only did I have my own surprise of feeling better running than I have in nearly a year, but I saw some people undergo significant changes throughout the week.

In the words of one camp participant, “I let me be self aware and talk about me first.” I was able to run more than I have since last August, and I felt strong most days. I felt surprise as the runs didn’t break me down, but instead strengthened me and built me up. I’m still a long ways from feeling completely like myself as a runner, but two days ago I was able to do a 17-mile run with 10,000 feet of vertical gain, and generally feel pretty decent doing so. The fact that this came a day after a 16-mile run made it even more surprising. The two longest runs I’ve done in almost 10 months! I came into camp wondering whether I would be able to handle the physical stress of running more than 20 hours in five days, but by the last day I was surprised to find that the more I ran, the better I generally felt.

Enough about my experience, though. One of my favorite things about these camps is watching people evolve after facing the challenges in camp. I have often been asked if I ever plan to lead camps in other locations, and my response remains the same: I love the running in Juneau, and the landscape here plays a huge role in these camps. So much so that I don’t think I have any interest (at least for now) in holding the camps in another location. The terrain here in Juneau is amazingly varied and amazingly challenging. It is the landscape that is the number-one “character” that shapes these camps into the experience that they are.

Numerous comments during camp reminded me of the importance of this setting. Over and over campers said, “I cannot believe we ran through all of that in the space of three or four hours.” Camp runners regularly see hills, meadows, bogs, mountaintops, alpine ridgelines, icy gulches, massive alpine snowfields, impossibly technical trails, and quite smooth trails all in the space of a few hours. Running makes this possible. The surprises experienced by each camper are made possible by being capable of running for several hours at a time.

Not only did the terrain surprise the runners, but the runners surprised themselves. People overcame obstacles and challenges that in many cases they have never even had the chance to take on. One camper jokingly called the camp an introduction to mountaineering with some running mixed in. The same camper each day would come through the challenges and say that while it was extremely difficult, he was surprised at his ability to face up to the challenges and come away with a positive experience each day. Many people pushed through fears that they later called at once both the low and the high of their day. Others amazed themselves with their ability to push harder, or simply to just keep going when met with some of the most challenging running they have ever done.

Surprises came up for just about everyone during this camp, myself included. This past week reminded me just how unpredictable running often is, and how the unpredictability of running is one of the most satisfying things about the sport. When you step out the door and head to the mountains or trail, keep your eyes and your mind open because you can be guaranteed that a surprise is there to be found each time out. It may be a surprise from what you see, or may come from something deep inside of yourself that you never knew was there. Either way it will be a special thing, and one of the main reasons so many of us like to lace up the shoes and go out for a run most everyday.

Related articles:

1. Ultramarathon and Trail Running Camps A guide to trail running and ultramarathon camps for adults...
2. Go Back to Summer Camp, You Trail Runner! A roundup of a few trail running and ultramarathon camps...
3. Geoff Roes’s Alaska Mountain Ultraruning Camps An interview with Geoff Roes about his upcoming Alaska Mountain...

Yeah, well, nix those thoughts because you’re going to be spending the next six-to-eight weeks in the over-chlorinated, small-child-infested, neon-lit surroundings of your local rec centre swimming pool. No wind rushing through your hair; no sun warming your skin; just up, down, up, down, up, down the lanes of a white-tiled box. Oh, and you’re in the slow lane with grey-haired grannies doing breaststroke, and they’re overtaking you.

Pool running is one of those activities that, as soon as anyone says they’re doing it, you pretty much assume it’s because they’re injured and can’t do anything else. And whilst pool running is definitely a go-to form of exercise for injured runners, it’s such an effective workout that you might just end up continuing pool running once you are back running outside.

The main advantage of pool running for an injured runner is that it is 100 percent non-weight bearing and the likelihood of getting any further injuries is minimal. For anyone suffering from a stress fracture, shin-splints, or plantar fasciitis, when sometimes even walking can make you wince, it can be really refreshing to be able to do something, anything, that is a pain-free form of exercise. Cycling and swimming are often viable non-impact exercise options and, although they are great workouts, they do not specifically use running muscles so they won’t maintain your running fitness as well as pool running will. Yes, cycling and swimming will keep you fit and active so it is great to include them in your training schedule, but if you are looking at getting back into running on land in as best running shape possible, as soon as your injury allows, then pool running is definitely worth considering. Basically pool running will work your running-specific fitness and running-specific muscles just like outdoor running, but without the impact.

Five and 10-kilometer specialists can pretty much just transition their land workouts directly to the pool in terms of duration and intensity. But let’s be honest, I’m pretty determined but I’m not going to be spending five hours every Sunday in the pool mimicking my usual long trail run. Heck, even my doctor suggested that I might either get chlorine poisoning or turn into a permanent prune if I attempted that! But, at least by running something most days, you will be keeping some running fitness and form, and maybe as an ultrarunner you can use this time to improve your short-distance speed. Canadian runner Lynn Kanuka posted a national 3,000m record and even won Olympic 3,000m Bronze (at LA in 1984) after doing the majority of her running in the pool in the preceding months (due to a series of stress fractures).

So how do you pool run? Well, without meaning to point out the obvious, you jump in the pool and start running! Okay, I guess there are a few more specifics if you want to get the most out of your workout:

• Pool run in the deep end of a pool or in a dive tank. You don’t want your feet to touch the ground. (It’s meant to be no-impact after all.) Most pools will let you in the lanes, but keep to the edge of the slow lane if you do this.
• At least to start out, use an aquajogger belt (most pools have these to lend out).  A belt makes it easier to stay afloat so you can work on form rather than working on just trying not to drown. Once you progress, you might want to ditch the belt for at least part of your run for a tougher workout.
• Try to maintain as close to your normal running form as possible. There is a tendency to lean forward in the pool so focus on keeping your torso upright. Your knees should not come up too high, extend your leg forward (without over extending), pull the water back with your hamstring muscles, and finally follow through behind your body. Your arm movement should be as if you were running outside, too. Your hand might almost come up out of the water in front of you when running hard and it should then move down and back until your elbow is behind your torso and your hand is close to your hip. You don’t doggie paddle when running on land, so there’s no need to do so in the pool.
• Try to keep your head and eyes up, and likely your shoulders are below the surface of the water. The belt will keep you afloat and, if your shoulders are well above the water, it’s likely because you are leaning your torso too far forward. Think crocodile, eyes and mouth hovering just above the water.

The aim of pool running is not to go as far as possible, and let’s be honest, there is no mountain top to get to or trail junction to target for. Your only achievement will be reaching a white-tiled wall and being able to turn around and start over again. There is also no option on Garmin Connect for “pool running,” so there’s no incentive to complete mega distances for that reason. Therefore, rather than focusing on lengths or laps, focus on maintaining reasonable form and varying your levels of intensity.

Intensity is key in pool running. While some steady jogging sessions are fine, if you really want to maintain fitness, you will want to do some intervals or fartlek sessions. During these sessions, you alternate running hard (i.e., faster turnover) with periods of recovery. Although your heart rate will never get as high when pool running as it will on land (due to the pressure of the water), you will still be pumping oxygen hard and working the legs and lungs better than if you just jog every session. One of my favourite pool workouts, which takes about an hour, is:

• 5 minutes warm up
• (5 min hard effort, 2.5 min recovery) x 1
• (4 min hard effort, 2 min recovery) x 2
• (3 min hard effort, 1.5 min recovery) x 3
• (2 min hard effort, 1 min recovery) x 4
• (1 min hard effort, 30 seconds recovery) x 5
• (30 seconds hard effort, 15 seconds recovery) x 6
• 5 min cool down

You can also do pyramid sessions. An example would be 1 minute hard, 2 min hard, 3 min hard, 4 min hard, 5 min hard, 4 min hard and so on back down to 1 min hard, with 50 percent recovery time between each hard session.

As well as making for a more effective workout, interval/high-intensity sessions will also make the time pass faster, and given the lack of awe-inspiring scenery when pool running, lifeguards excluded, playing tricks to make the time pass quickly are essential. Here are some other ideas of how to help the time pass/make pool running more fun:

• Go to the pool at times when music is playing. Alternatively, I know a friend who fixes her iPod under a ball cap. One article I read suggested taking a “boom box” and putting it poolside! Hmm, I get enough odd looks without doing that, but maybe you are less self-conscious than me.
• Go with a friend. I prefer to do this when doing steady-jog sessions as then you can chat just like you would on a trail run.
• Go at different times of day so the atmosphere at the pool varies. I like watching the kids during their swim lessons (and picking up swim tips from their instructor) as there is more to watch and more activity, but if you prefer quieter surroundings, hit the pool during adult-length sessions.

Yes, pool running is never going to be the same as a trail run on your favourite trail, but if injury is keeping you from your favourite trail right now, then pool running might be just the ticket to keep you fit and get you back on your favourite trail in great shape just as soon as your injury allows.

Call for Comments (from Meghan)

• Pool runners unite! If you’re pool running right now due to injury or as cross training, chime in, say hello, and tell us why you’re pool running.
• What other tips of the pool-running trade do you have to help get in good workouts, make the time pass, and run effectively?

Related articles:

1. Your Ultra-Training Bag of Tricks: Two-A-Days How to use two-a-days (doubles) in training for an ultramarathon....
2. Your Ultra-Training Bag of Tricks: Stamina-Based Workouts How to use stamina-based workouts, such as steady state runs,...
3. Your Ultra-Training Bag of Tricks: Sprint-Based, Hill, and Predictor Workouts How, when, and why to include sprint-based, hill, and predictor...

But with the defending champ out of this year’s race due to a stress fracture of her fibula, the pearly gates of Placer High School track heaven are open wide for a new lass to carve her name into ultrarunning’s history. Last year’s Western States Women’s Preview had something like 35 names on it, and this year’s group of top women probably has just a bit less depth. But where the group might “lack” in depth versus 2012, I think the women’s entrants list more than makes up in breadth. As we shall see, the women toeing the line at this year’s race bring with them some stellar creds.

And what I find fascinating about this group of women is that I think each and every one of them has, in addition to supreme talent, the smarts and patience to run intelligently from Squaw to Auburn. In my mind, there are seven or eight women with winning potential. Any gal’s game, this year’s WS100 is.

[Editor's Note: We published a full 2013 Western States 100 Men's Preview yesterday.]

Last Year’s Top Ten

Obviously we know that Ellie’s out, but not because she doesn’t want to be here! Last year’s fourth and sixth respective places, Krissy Moehl and Lizzy Hawker, have chosen not to claim their F4 and F6 bibs for a 2013 return. Here are the seven she-beasts from the 2012 top ten who are back for more:

2nd – Rory Bosio (18:08:06) – This 28 year old has run the WS100 three times, placing second in 2012 (post-race interview), fifth in 2011, and fourth in 2010. I can hardly wait to see what this happy-go-lucky States expert throws down this year. And, I can also hardly wait to see how she chooses to decorate her racing singlet. Since her run at States last year, she went on to finish fourth and first American at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (pre-race interview, post-race interview), second at the 2013 Way Too Cool 50k, and fourth at the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile. Because UTMB became a weather-adjusted, 100k-ish course, Western States is still the only 100-miler she’s run. Being a hometown gal with a boat-load of course experience and her talent, she’s winner’s material this year. I don’t expect her to be an early leader, however, maybe fourth, fifth, or sixth position at Robinson Flat. But in the race’s second half, girls–and boys–beware. And, it’s possible she might be singing and dancing as she flies by you.

3rd – Aliza Lapierre (18:18:29) – Aliza’s 18:18 last year (pre-race interview) was another smartly, steadily run race, but Aliza’s running life since then has been a mixed bag. She went on to finish fourth at the 2012 Leadville 100 (pre-race interview). Just before that race, though, she injured her foot in what she thought was a minor way. She eventually had to have surgery and just returned to running this March. She ran and won the Pineland Trail 50 Mile in May and has put in only three months of training for this year’s WS100. She’s tough as nails and fit, but does she have the same set of legs as last year?

Nikki Kimball

5th – Nikki Kimball (18:31:39) – There’s probably only one other woman in this preview who knows the Western States Trail as well as Nikki. (See Luanne Park below.) She won the race in 2004, 2006, and 2007. And, she’s run to fourth in 2009, third in 2010 and 2011, and fifth last year (pre-race interview). The 42 year old’s fastest time was 18:12 in 2007. Nikki excels at downhill running, of which we know this course has in spades. Nikki also excels as conditions decline. Case-in-point: only two men finished faster than her in 2006, the notoriously hot year. She’s run a couple 50-milers since the WS100 last year, winning The North Face Endurance Challenge Atlanta 50 Mile and finishing second at The North Face Endurance Challenge Bear Mountain 50 Mile. We know she pulled out of the Cayuga Trails 50 Mile a couple weeks before the race due to a tweaky knee. No matter what, in this, her eighth go at the race, it’s impossible to not imagine her outside of the top-ten women.

7th – Tina Lewis (19:09:49) – As of this publishing, the ever-energetic Tina is still on the entrants list, though she hasn’t run a step in a couple weeks and she’s confined to a walking boot. The 40-year-old, who seriously looks like she’s 27, has a stress reaction in one of her toes that she’s hoping will heal by race day. If she can race, she’ll likely finish in the top ten. Tina made a name for herself by earning this year’s F7 bib, and then then she cemented her name among the list of top American female ultrarunners by ousting a thick women’s field for the top spot at the 2012 Leadville 100 (ahead of Aliza Lapierre). In addition, she won the 2012 Miwok 100 and was sixth at the 2012 The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Mile Championship. If Tina can get and stay healthy, I think we’re just beginning to see what she’s capable of.

8th – Amy Sproston (19:11:02) – Amy’s the reigning World 100k Champion (post-race interview with Meghan Arbogast and Pam Smith), which proves her road-running prowess. Last year, she ran near to the leaders early while falling behind late due to what she calls “quad death.” If she can keep her quadriceps in working order, a finishing time that’s equitable to her fitness would start with 18. Just four weeks out from States, she ran (and finished second but hand-in-hand with winner Meghan Arbogast) Japan’s Shibamata 100k. A road race? For a woman who doesn’t want to experience quad death again, this seems little counter-intuitive. Also this spring, Amy won the Ray Miller 50 Mile, was third at the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile, and she won the Orhangazi 80k in Turkey just one week after Lake Sonoma. They are all hilly races, though, so I think things are looking good for Amy’s legs this year.

9th – Ashley Nordell (19:26:30) – Let me begin by saying that I think Ashley will run faster this year than last year, even if hot weather dominates. Last year was her first hundred back after giving birth to her daughter, and I think she was still on the upward curve of regaining her fitness and figuring out how life with a littleun’ works. Since last year, she ran to third at the 2012 Leadville 100 (ahead of Aliza Lapierre and behind Tina Lewis), took third at the Hagg Lake 50k, and second at the Gold Rush 100k. We hear that temperatures during the Gold Rush 100k were near-records for that part of California in May, so let’s hope she’s still got some leftover heat acclimatization and tenacity from that.

10th – Meghan Arbogast (19:45:24) – Meghan, oh Meghan, where do we start with The Queen? How about the fact that this hater of cold weather survived last year’s early storm and squeaked out a 10th-place finish. Or that she’s the age 50 and older record holder for the women at States, which she earned by running 18:50:19 in 2011. (Don’t forget that this record is a mere 6 minutes, 21 seconds off the men’s age-group record. Take that, gentlemen.) Or that she won the 2013 Way Too Cool 50k, surging past Rory Bosio in the final mile or two. Or that she was fifth at the 2013 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile. Or that she won the Ice Age 50k in May. On an off-the-charts day for The Queen, she’s inside the top five. On a great day, she’s a top-ten shoo-in.

Other Top-Ten Possibilities with 100-Mile Experience

A runner who is back to avenge her 28 hours, 58 minutes of “adventure” on the course last year is Oregon’s Pam Smith, who gained entrance to the race via the Montrail Ultra Cup (MUC) with a win at the 2012 Run Rabbit Run 50 Mile. Pam got sick during last year’s race, basically moved into an aid station for a while, and plodded along to a still-smiling finish. Pam’s run the WS100 two more times, finishing 10th in both 2010 and 2011. Her fastest time on the course is 20:40, but I think a fit Pam Smith who’s ready for States’s rigors can go under 19 hours if the weather isn’t too outlandish. And that finish, I think, would put her back in the top ten.

Joelle Vaught gained MUC entrance via a win at the 2012 Waldo 100k. She’s run the WS100 twice before, 13th and 20:59 in 2012 and 7th and 20:19 in 2010. These finishes don’t reflect Joelle’s overall ultrarunning talent, though, as she’s almost exclusively winning or on the podium of 100k or shorter races. Among her 2013 runs, she finished second at the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile and she recently won the Pocatello 50 Mile in 9:03, which is off-the-charts fast for that course and a 23-minute improvement on her own course record. If she could “figure out” the 100-mile distance, Joelle has the talent to finish top five among this year’s entrants.

Second place at the 2012 Waldo 100k (behind Joelle Vaught), “Endurance Capitol”/Bend, Oregon’s Denise Bourassa got into Western States with a MUC entry there. Denise has been a strong ultrarunner for years, but the last couple have seen her racing well at progressively higher-level events. In the last year or so, she won the 2012 Ice Age 50 and came second at the 2013 version, placed fifth at the Speedgoat 50k, and finished ninth at both the Chuckanut 50k and the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile this spring. She was 11th woman at the 2012 WS100, so my guess is that she’s got the eye of the tiger for a top-ten placing.

She won’t know I’ve written about her until after the race, as Jennifer Benna‘s gone off the social-media radar to keep her mind honed on her goal: a finish in the top ten. The 33-year-old mom and film-company producer dropped from last year’s race due to illness, but she’s been on the rise as an ultrarunner after her daughter’s birth in 2010. She was fourth at the 2012 Miwok 100k, seventh at the stacked 2012 Speedgoat 50k, and first at the 2013 Bandera 50k. Her most recent finish was a win at the Zion 100 in April. My take? She’s very talented but needs a perfect day to crack this year’s top ten.

100-Mile Newbies Who Will Stir the Pot

Emily Harrison gained a MUC entry by taking second at the 2012 JFK 50 (post-race interview). In her debut ultra, she lost to Ellie Greenwood but she and Ellie both ran far faster than the previous course record. Since then and since accepting her MUC entry, she’s run just two more ultras, wins at the Moab Red Hot 55k and the Mormon Fat Ass 50 Mile. Her Red Hot win was another major course record in a deep field. She’s a former Division I college runner who was sixth at the 2007 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships and who has a 2:32:55 marathon PR. She trained for several years of road racing with the McMillan Elite crew in Flagstaff, Arizona, where trail running began to grow on her. Additionally, she’s coached by ultra star Ian Torrence. Though I believe she has the talent, I think it’d take a special kind of day for Emily to win, as all the stars aligning in your first 100 is pretty difficult. But if there’s anyone who is setting themselves up for this, it’s Emily.

Just watching 100-mile newbies Emily Harrison and Cassie Scallon duke it out would be a great race, let alone all the other women they will be surrounded by next weekend. The Wisconsin native who now lives in the “Other Endurance Capitol,” Boulder, Colorado, Cassie earned a MUC entry by winning the 2013 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile (ahead of Joelle Vaught and a bunch of other women in this preview) (post-race interview). Though the 2013 WS100 will be her debut, she was on the 2012 entrants list. She turned up in Squaw Valley to race, but got a call from her doctor asking her not to start. For the rest of the year, she was healing a pelvic stress fracture. The beginning of 2013 was good for her because, in addition to her win at Lake Sonoma, she took second at the Moab Red Hot 55k (behind Emily Harrison), fourth at Chuckanut 50k, and won the Ice Age 50 Mile in a new course record (ahead of Denise Bourassa). She just dropped from the Cayuga Trails 50 Mile two weekends ago after she fell and injured her hamstring. She intends to start States. If I knew a 100% healthy Cassie was turning up, I’d give her an equal shot at the win as Emily Harrison.

Colorado’s Kerrie Bruxvoort stormed into the world of ultrarunning about 15 months ago, and has run at least 14 trail races and won half of them since then. She gained entry via the MUC and a second place (behind Pam Smith) at the 2012 Run Rabbit Run 50 Mile. Her most impressive performance among her outings was not a win, however; it was her second place in the 2012 Speedgoat 50k’s deep field. She’s run well at a couple gnarly 50 milers this spring, which is probably the best prep possible for someone without a 100-mile finish (she dropped from the Leadville 100 last year) and WS100 virgin. This spring, she won both the Zane Grey and Quad Rock 50 milers. Though new to ultrarunning, the 36 year old says she’s been running for about 20 years, and she has a 2:55 marathon PR. I’ll call her definite top-five material if she runs smart and patient.

More Women Who Could Make Some Top-Twenty Noise

Melanie Peters is from Michigan and 29 years old, and she gained a MUC entry by winning the Leona Divide 50 Mile in 7:30. I believe she’s run one 100-miler, the Burning River 100 last year where she finished under 21 hours and in fourth place. I don’t think this is reflective of her running talent, however, as Melanie was a University of Miami runner with PRs of 4:26:03  for 1500m and 16:44.10 for 5,000m. After college, she focused for a while on road racing, and I believe her marathon PR is 2:46:45. Melanie could very well be a rising star of ultrarunning.

Mary Churchill (née Fagan) got into States via the lottery. Though the 37 year old has been pretty busy for the last several years having two children, Mary’s major return to ultrarunning is via the Big Dance. She’s been an ultrarunner since about 2001, I believe, and her ultrarunning has coincided with road racing, too. Some of her best performances include a win at the Vermont 100 in 2007 and a second place in 2011. She has tremendous natural talent and a known ability to run 100 miles. The only question is, with a toddler and an infant at home, how has her training and recovery been going?

Canada’s Nicola Gildersleeve also got in via the ever-more-elusive lottery. She’s run the WS100 once before, a 21:40 and 11th place in 2010. Recently, Nicola won the 2012 Tarawera 100k, was 10th at the stacked 2013 Chuckanut 50k, and she won the 2013 Yakima Skyline Rim 50k in April, which has insane vertical and is a good sign for her mountain legs. She might be hungry for a top-ten spot after finishing 11th a few years back, but I’m going to call that a long shot with this year’s field.

Rhonda Claridge gained her entry from finishing second at the 2012 Run Rabbit Run 100. She made noise last year when she finished second at the Hardrock 100, though she was more than 3.5 hours behind winner Darcy Africa. She lives in Ophir, Colorado, which is only a mile or two from the Hardrock course. She’s, thus, got a great set of legs for the high-altitude mountains, but probably not enough leg speed for the runner’s race that is the WS100. She’s got at least 17 podium finishes in ultramarathons to her name, so I’m certain she’ll be at States to compete hard.

Always a strong force in Cali races is Bree Lambert. She’s got at least three 100-mile wins under her belt, most recently a win at the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 in 2011. Since then, she’s been fourth at the 2013 Bandera 100k, eighth at the 2013 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile, and a win at the Quicksilver 50k in May.

Luanne Park, at 52 years old, is always tough. This year, she’s been 12th at the Way Too Cool 50k and seventh at the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile in 2013. She has four podium finishes at Western States to her name, with the best being second in 19:42:40 in 2004. She’s going for her 10th finish this year so I’m thinking she might be planning to finish come he££ or the high water of Rucky Chucky.

Leila Degrave gained her MUC entry from finishing third (behind Rhonda Claridge) at the 2012 Run Rabbit Run 100. Based on her results on Utrasignup, this Evergreeen, Coloradan feels at home on the podium of Colorado and other regional races. Her most recent win is an 8:01 at the Collegiate Peaks 50 Mile in May, I believe. I predict a strong and steady day for Leila that lands her a top-20 spot.

Megan Hall, from Washington state, got a MUC entry by taking second at Pinhoti 100. Megan’s won maybe six or eight local-to-her ultras, but I believe States to be her first national and international-level competition. (The race doesn’t have many non-U.S. elites this year, but I call it an international-level race because the competition is equitable.) Just inside the top 20 for Megan, per chance?

54-year-old Kelly Ridgway has been running ultramarathons since many of the race’s younger entrants were in high school. She’s had some health issues in recent years, but her health and fitness seem on the upswing since the second half of 2012. This year she’s finished 14th at the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile and first at the Quicksilver 50 Mile. She’s run States twice, in 2004 and 2007, with her highest finish as 16th place. She’d have to run faster than the 23:42 that got her there in 2007, but I think she’s got that in her running arsenal if she’s totally “back.”

Traci Falbo is a 41 year old from Indiana with 15 wins out of 22 ultras listed on Ultrasignup. The standout performance among those was a 17:02 win at the 2012 Umstead 100. That said, she has almost no mountains-of-the-west races on her resume.

An experienced (and relatively local) runner who finished 19th woman in 22:34 last year, what will this year hold for Amber Monforte?

Notable DNSes

• Elissa Ballas – Accepted a MUC entry from finishing third at the JFK 50 Mile. Her name is now off the entrants list, too.
• Melanie Fryar – She accepted a MUC entry from finishing third at the Pinhoti 100, but her name is no longer on the entrants list.
• Ellie Greenwood – As we’ve discussed, is not defending her win due to to injury.

Call for Comments

• Who will win? Who will make the podium? Who will make a major racing breakthrough?
• Have we missed anyone you think should be added to this preview?
• Do you have insight into the fitness level of any of the women we’ve listed? If so, share! Likewise, let us know if any of the above will not be racing.
• What do you think the front of the race will look like for the women? A robust “pack” through 50 miles that gets strung out in the second half? Someone who runs a la Lizzy Hawker in 2012 and far off the front? A Geoff Roes in 2010-esque late-race surge?

Related articles:

1. 2012 Western States 100 Women’s Preview A preview of the women's field at the 2012 Western...
2. 2013 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile Women’s Preview A preview of the women's field at the 2013 Lake...
3. 2013 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile Results Results of the 2013 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile....

Perhaps the most notable absence from this year’s race is foreign-residing competition. In recent years, the likes of Kilian Jornet, Ryan Sandes, Jez Bragg, and Tsuyoshi Kaburaki have added an international flavor to the race. This year will see US-residing Brits Nick Clark and Ian Sharman competing and Gustavo Reyes making the trip north from Argentina; however, this is a far cry from, say 2011, when nine of the top-14 runners were foreign born with five of those living outside of the US at the time.

[Editor's Note: We also published a full 2013 Western States 100 Women's Preview.]

Champions of the “Recent” Past

The most likely place to look for future champions is among those who have already proven they can win. Western States is no different, as its history with many multi-win champions shows.

The more recent a success, the more useful it is in predicting future success. So it should be little surprise that I open this preview with last year’s champ and course-record holder, Timothy Olson. Great conditions or not, his 14:46:44 last year is unquestionably one of the best performances ever run on the Western States Trail. Olson started the year off well enough with a win at the Bandera 50k and second at the Ray Miller 50 Mile before a knee injury slowed him to 13th at the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile in April. However, he quickly figured out his injury and bounced back to a very strong fourth at Transvulcania in early May. Olson clearly has the fitness and desire to be the first repeat winner since Hal Koerner, his pacer from last year.

Hal Koerner won Western States in 2007 and 2009 with no race run in 2008 due to forest fires. Since then, Koerner’s continued to run an huge number of races with some standout performances as well as plenty of ho hum (for him) runs. Still, when he focuses on a race, he’s almost always damn good. Witness, his 2012 Hardrock 100 win. I’ve not seen Koerner recently enough to know if he’s all in for States, but we can only assume he is!

Going just a biiiiit further into the past, 1997 Western States champ and former-course-record holder Mike Morton is returning after a 16-year hiatus. Normally, such a long break would suggest a runner is returning simply to make a token appearance as a celebrity. Nothing could be further from the case with Morton this year. In fact, Morton might represent the most exciting addition to this year’s men’s field. After many years away from competitive running, he spent a few years killing 24-hour races before crushing Scott Jurek’s 24-hour American record by running 172+ miles in a day last September. He also won the Badwater 135 last July, just seconds off the course record. Last month, Morton skipped the 24-hour world championships to make sure he’d be in top form come WS.

Despite winning Western States by the largest margin of victory (51 minutes) since Scott Jurek’s 54-minute win over Dave Mackey in 2004, Graham Cooper’s 2006 victory will always be looked at differently given Brian Morrison hitting the track in the lead with a comfortable margin before failing to finish under his own power. Following his win, Cooper has finished in the top ten twice more with a third in 2007 and seventh in 2011. Cooper’s only ultra finish in 2013, fourth at the Quicksilver 50 Mile in 7:36 in May, suggests a top-ten finish would be a good one for him this year.

Last Year’s Top Ten

With less than two weeks until race day, it looks like seven of last year’s top-ten men will toe the line in Squaw Valley on June 29th. That would match last year’s top-ten-returnee rate. The three M10s known not to be running as of June 16th are Ryan Sandes (2nd), Zeke Tiernan (6th), and Neal Gorman (10th). Aside from Olson (discussed above), here are the returning runners from last year’s top ten.

3rd – Nick Clark (15:44:09) – Nick Clark is the only runner in modern Western States history (1986 on) to twice break 16 hours. He’s also the only runner during that span to have two of the ten-fastest times. (Last year’s time is good enough for 9th all time and his 15:50:23 from 2011 is 10th.) This year, Clark won the Fuego y Agua 100k unchallenged in February but finished a disappointing tenth at Lake Sonoma in April. Still, I don’t see Clarkie disappointing on race day – he’s a top-five guy. Period.

4th – Dave Mackey (15:53:36) – Mackey improved on his eighth place in 2011 with fourth place last year. He also broke 16 hours and broke Tsuyoshi Kaburaki’s masters “unbreakable” course record of 16:07:04. Mackey’s run some strong performances this year, including second (to Sage Canaday) at the Bandera 100k in January, winning the Mount Mitchell Challenge, and fifth at Lake Sonoma. He’s also been cranking out massive amounts of training after years of being stretched thin by schooling. However, I can’t quite figure out why he started the San Diego 100 (but DNF’ed due to taking a wrong turn after mile 60) on June 8th. Dave, care to explain what were you thinking?

5th – Ian Sharman (15:54:38) – Sharman also made a big jump from 2011 to 2012, going from tenth to fifth while taking 45 minutes off his time. Sharman continued to excel later in 2012 with fourths at the UROC 100k and JFK 50 Mile. This year, the most competitive ultras he’s run have been the Gorge Waterfalls 50k and Miwok (modified) 60k – he placed fourth at both. Those places aren’t encouraging indicators for Sharman improving to fourth or better at this year’s WS; however, he’s methodical and likely to work his way into a solid position in the top ten in the final 40 miles. Along with Nick Clark, Sharman is also only one of two men to have placed in the top ten at least three years in a row. It’s worth noting that Sharman is competing in this year’s Grand Slam, so we’ll see if he holds back with the Vermont 100 and beyond in mind – I doubt it.

7th – Dylan Bowman (16:03:24) – Last year, Bowman faded his way to seventh in just over 16 hours. I could be wrong, but I think he was the top-ten runner most disappointed with his performance on the day. With another year of experience and training, Bowman should be disappointed if he’s not top five this year. He’s won both of his ultras – the Ray Miller 50 Mile and the Miwok 60k – in 2013 and ran the Grand Canyon R2R2R in 6:55 (the 3rd-fastest time ever?) in mid-May.

8th – Jorge Maravilla (16:05:30) – Maravilla is another runner who should greatly benefit from another year of ultra training and, more importantly, racing. As well as he ran at Western States last year, he was even more impressive… and aggressive in taking third at UROC last September. Amidst jetsetting to races around the world this year, Maravilla took fourth at Lake Sonoma in April. Hopefully, he doesn’t have too many flying and/or racing miles under his belt in 2013.

9th – Joe Uhan (16:13:14) – Despite having frequent contact with Uhan as he’s an iRunFar columnist, I’ll admit that his top-ten performance was still the biggest top-ten surprise in last year’s race. A year later, I see that I shouldn’t have been or be surprised by Uhan cracking top ten at States. He’s following in the footsteps of runners like Craig Thornley and Andy Jones-Wilkins in being 100%-focused on Western States preparation and performance. While others are chasing competition, prizes, and adventure in racing, by design Uhan has run but one ultra in 2013, taking seventh at Lake Sonoma. Although that’s two spots lower than he finished at Sonoma in 2012, it was also almost 19 minutes faster.

Excitement Sources

While it’s fun to think about how Western States veterans will fare in an upcoming edition of the race, talented newcomers add a whole different level of excitement to the event. This year, there are four men making their Western States debuts who could really shake up the race from start to finish. As a bonus, this group is as varied as can be, with three of the runners making their 100-mile debuts and another who has more 100-mile wins than any other runner in history.

Rob Krar is fresh off breaking Dakota Jones’s Grand Canyon R2R2R FKT by 32 minutes(!) not long after taking 7 minutes off the Leona Divide 50 Mile course record Dylan Bowman set last year. Of Krar’s four official ultras, he’s set course records at his last three. In his ultra debut last November, he finished just behind Jason Wolfe at the Bootlegger 50k, and now sits two-and-a-half minutes off the course record there. Krar’s ultra success comes hot on the heels of dominating the La Sportiva Mountain Cup in 2012 and a long pedigree on the track (1:51 800m PR) and roads (1:06 half marathon PR). Honestly, I can see Krar winning Western States despite being a rookie at the distance… and that’s saying something.

Undoubtedly, Cameron Clayton will go big or go home, or perhaps more accurately given the difficulty of the race, he’ll be at the top or on a cot. It takes a 24 year old with some chutzpah to say he’d rather go for 14 hours than 15:10 at States. That said, this recent University of Colorado runner has performed admirably at his first three ultras. Last September, he ran his way into Western States by winning the Run Rabbit Run 50 Mile. That, his ultra debut, was also a course record, besting Geoff Roes’s 2010 time by 2 minutes. This spring, Clayton’s followed that up with a second to Sage Canaday at Lake Sonoma before taking seventh at Transvulcania (pre-race interview). It’s worth noting that Western States rarely favors the bold.

Trent Briney ran his way into Western States when he took second at the 2012 JFK 50 Mile behind Max King. Despite having previously run only one ultra, a 50k three months earlier, he ran the second-fastest time in JFK history. It’s quite likely that Briney’s 2:12:34 is by far the fastest marathon PR of anyone in this year’s WS100 field. (57-year-old Bruce Fordyce, who was to make his WS debut this year would have been close, but he’s not running.) No, that doesn’t guarantee success at 100 miles, but that and his run at JFK sure show he has potential. That said, Briney did not fare well at the Quad Rock 50 Mile last month, taking 15th. He’s currently unsure about running States this year after battling illness.

With 35 100-mile wins, Karl Meltzer probably needs no introduction here. However, he may need an introduction to some of the locals along the Western States course as, while it’s hard to believe, this will be Meltzer’s Western States debut… and he’s been excited about that since he qualified with his win at the Run Rabbit Run 100 last September. Since then, he’s thrown down a 14:33 100 mile at the Buffalo Run… but has been battling a calf issue in recent months, which has limited his training.

A Few Additional Contenders

• Yassine Diboun – Twelfth at last year’s WS100, Diboun ran himself into this year’s race by taking third at the Pinhoti 100 in November. Not sure what’s behind his racing three of the past four weekends, including placing fifth at the Cayuga Trails 50 Mile on June 8th.
• Topher Gaylord – His racing in the US has rarely reflected his fitness, particularly at Western States. However, in following his training on Strava, Gaylord impresses me on a regular basis. It’s time for him to finally bust one at States.
• Jeremy Humphrey – This will be Humphrey’s first highly competitive ultra since he’s broken out in the past two years. He earned his way into WS with a second place at the Pinhoti 100 last November (beating Yassine Diboun) after winning the Cascade Crest 100 last August just 4 minutes off Rod Bien’s course record.
• Andy Jones-Wilkins – AJW had his seven-year, men’s-top-ten streak broken when an injury kept him out of last year’s race. He’s trained well and knows how to race this course as well as anyone. A low-teens finish would be a triumph after his injury-riddled 2012.
• Mark Lantz – Earned M9 at the 2009 WS100, but is a teens-at-best runner in the new era of Western States. Took fifth at the American River 50 Mile this April, but 44 minutes off the win.
• Nick Pedatella – Pedatella likely lacks the raw speed needed for at top-ten finish at States and he’s running the Grand Slam this summer. That said, he’s super strong in 100s and likely to finish in the second ten. If it’s a hot day, Pedatella’s smarts could squeeze him into the top ten.
• Gustavo Reyes – A speedy Argentine runner who took eighth at El Cruce in February before a rough go at the Transvulcania Ultramarathon in May. He could be the top non-North American resident in this year’s race.
• Jacob Rydman – Although he only has one 100-mile finish (a 22-hour Tahoe Rim Trail 100 in 2011) to his credit, this local and Western States devotee should not be underestimated. Rydman was the first person to run himself into this year’s States via the 2012-13 Montrail Ultra Cup when he placed second behind Timothy Olson at last August’s Waldo 100k. Rydman ran a respectable 11th at Lake Sonoma in April.
• Paul Terranova – Without the Grand Kona Slam (Grand Slam of Ultrarunning plus Kona Ironman) on his plate this summer, Terranova can focus on States. He’s run well this year with a third at the Bandera 100k, second at the Nueces 50 mile, and wins at the Hells Hills 50 Mile and Squak Mountain 50k. He could have had his confidence shaken by his most recent race – an eighth at the Quad Rock 50 Mile last month.

Other Speedy Entrants

• Dan Barger
• Quent Bearden
• Joseph Czabaranek
• Lon Freeman
• Jesse Haynes
• Paulo Medina
• Erik Skaden
• Brandon Stapanowich

Notable DNSes

• Bruce Fordyce
• Neal Gorman – Out due to a bout with cytomegalovirus.
• Ryan Sandes – Last year’s runner up and owner of the second-fastest run in WS history is out with ankle injury.

 Call for Comments

• Who do you think will win? Who will join him on the podium? Any big surprises looming?
• Who would you add to this preview?
• Got any insight into the fitness level of anyone listed above? If so, do share. Likewise, let us know if any of the above will not be racing.
• Any thoughts at the decline in foreign participation in this year’s Western States whether on the cause or the effect?

Related articles:

1. 2012 Western States 100 Men’s Preview A preview of the men's field at the 2012 Western...
2. Pre-2011 Western States 100 Story Roundup A round up of pre-race 2011 Western States 100 stories...
3. 2009 Western States Field Developing – Updated Oct 22 During the first half of this year there was a...

Several years ago, Western States 100 Race Director Craig Thornley wrote a a provocative piece on his blog about the Haggin Cup. In the article, Thornley commented on the growth of ultrarunning and the impact that growth was potentially having on the health of runners. In a sincere and pragmatic argument, Thornley suggested that some changes could be warranted in 100-mile races as health issues became more of a concern and as runners take more risks in their training and racing.

This week in AJW's Taproom, Craig has revised his 2009 post and added some additional commentary. In addition, I have provided some questions at the conclusion of the article intended to generate conversation and guide the discussion. Please enjoy this first-ever Taproom guest columnist, Craig Thornley, Western States RD.]

As one might expect, since the Western States Endurance Run evolved from the Western States Trail Ride (a.k.a. The Tevis Cup ride)–after Gordy Ainsleigh started and finished the 1974 ride without a horse–many of the traditions from the horse race found their way into the run. There’s the 5 a.m. start, the silver belt buckles for sub-24 hour finishers, an absolute cut-off finish time, perpetual cup trophies (Wendell Robie and Drucilla Barner) for the winners, medical checks where runners can be “pulled” from the race, etceteras. And it’s interesting how many of these traditions are now pretty much the norm for all 100-mile runs even if they don’t make much sense today. There is one notable exception that didn’t make its way into the run, and that is the Haggin Cup trophy.

Don’t know what the Haggin Cup trophy is? The Western States Trail Ride, which began in 1955 by Wendell Robie as a “ride” not a “race,” started becoming especially competitive after the first Tevis Cup trophy was awarded to the fastest finisher in 1959. With increasing attention from groups like the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), which argued that the ride threatened the health of the horses by allowing them to be ridden to exhaustion and even death, an award was created to recognize the horse that arrived at the finish in “the most superior physical condition.”

Dr. Richard Barsaleau on Liftaway at Cougar Rock. Photo: teviscup.org

Dr. Richard Barsaleau, a veterinarian who joined the race in 1961 and recently passed away at the age of 87, was instrumental in creating this distinction, which he saw as an objective award that would recognize horsemanship, conditioning, and respect for the health of the mounts. But it would also honor a great performance. Starting in 1964, the top ten horses would be judged and the winner awarded the James Ben Ali Haggin Cup. In her book, The Tevis Cup: To Finish is to Win, author Marnye Langer wrote:

“Many people, especially noted horsemen, have come to regard the Haggin Cup as the most prestigious honor one can earn, and the award remains unique in both the sport of endurance and other equestrian pursuits as well.”

It’s rare to win both the Tevis and Haggin cups. Since 1964, there have been 47 winners of the Haggin Cup, but only seven of those riders have also taken home the Tevis Cup the same year.

Should we have a similar award for the WSER? Maybe the Dr. Bob Lind Cup? We could compile the CPK levels, weight change from start to finish, blood pressure, pulse, condition of feet/blisters, and other indicators from the top ten men and women. Runners would be eliminated from judging if they received an IV or were admitted to the hospital. Maybe we run a mile or 5k on the track. Sounds impossible or crazy? As we learned at the recent JimFest, Jim Howard wasn’t even sore and then ran 4 x mile on the track the Tuesday after he won the 1983 race. His times? 4:30, 4:30, 4:40, 4:44.

There are those who will say offering this type of additional competition would simply not be feasible or practical. Perhaps. But even if we don’t implement such an award, I think it can be useful to consider such a prize. Imagining what it would take to win this distinction makes us think about all the ways we push ourselves at WS and at 100-mile races in general. It makes us ask about the difference between good pushing and destructive pushing. Unlike riders who can push their horses, we runners push ourselves. We decide whether to continue grinding it out or whether to back off when things get really hard. For many of us, that is why we run 100-milers.

Andy Jones-Wilkins, an eight-time WS finisher with 28 total 100-mile finishes says, “pushing myself hard at the end is what makes the experience so meaningful and ultimately difficult.” I agree with AJW. Much of the joy I get from running 100-mile races is pushing when the physical and mental load is tremendous. We get to tap into a drive or mental tenacity that is seldom tested in regular life. And we honor, respect, and encourage runners to be mentally strong and persevere. As a volunteer or crew member, what do we do when a runner comes into Michigan Bluff exhausted, struggling, and wanting to quit? We say, “Fix your problems and get heading to Auburn.” As a runner, that’s exactly what I want aid station volunteers, my crew, and my pacer to do. And it is what I expect of myself.

But what if we push too hard? What if we damage ourselves to the point where we end up in the hospital or worse? AJW knows about pushing too hard as he ended up in the hospital with renal failure after the 2004 Angeles Crest 100. Brian Morrison also knows about pushing too hard. “The scary thing,” Morrison writes in an email to me, “is that sometimes our drive to succeed, which we have to have to win, pushes our bodies to a dangerous place. I can speak from personal experience on this, because I did push too hard at Western States in 2006, and it put me in the hospital.”

How do we recognize when we’re going too far? Do we instinctively know? Twenty-five-time finisher and WS President Tim Twietmeyer learned this lesson quickly and says he’s only been close to self-destruction once in his 25 sub-24 hour finishes. “In 1982, I went from 168 pounds to 157 pounds and was in big trouble as I approached White Oak Flat,” he recalls. “I stopped there for 90 minutes to rehab the rig. I knew I had to stop or I wouldn’t make it the last 25 miles. That’s about as close as I’ve gotten to self-destruction.”

“WS is a bit unique in that it poses a variety of challenges, the most unpredictable being the heat and its impact on pace and performance,” Twietmeyer continues. “For me, the secret sauce at WS is handling the heat and still being able to run at peak capacity. Figuring out the metabolic game with hydration and electrolytes always seemed to be the toughest thing to get right. The training for the race and preparation is simple compared to getting the hydration plan dialed.”

If you’re a student of WS, you know that Tim has arguably had the most impressive career at WS. He won (five times) when his best was better than everybody else’s that day. He never seemed to have to force it.

Things were different for Morrison at WS in 2006, an abnormally hot year. He didn’t see his problems coming the way Twietmeyer did in 1982. He was also a WS rookie with little 100-mile experience, but with a drive and determination that might not have been matched that day.

“I definitely was not the fittest or fastest runner out there that day,” Morrison recalls. “But I was so determined and solely focused on that goal that I was able to rise above my shortcomings.”

And oh how close he came.

Morrison’s body shut down when he entered the stadium in first place. Unable to complete the lap on the track under his own power, he was assisted by crew and pacers and later disqualified. He was hospitalized for 36 hours. His CPK count (a marker for how much dead muscle tissue is in the bloodstream) was measured at 450,000 at the hospital, as compared to the average WS finisher CPK count of about 15,000. A normal CPK count is 150-200.

Morrison’s bloodwork was studied by many and nobody has been able to give him an exact reason for why his body shut down 250 yards from the finish, but he has his own theory. “I believe that I collapsed once inside the stadium, because mentally I felt that I’d done it,” he says. “Physically, I think that I’d been on the brink since the climb up Robie, but mentally I was able to override the physical desire to pass out.”

What are the implications of pushing too hard? First and foremost is our own health, but we also might consider the impact on our families and friends, the race organizers, the race, and the sport in general. If you have a partner or kids, do you want them to see you lying in the hospital with an IV sticking out of your arm? Sure, WS has the infrastructure to deal with just about anything, but is it good for the race to have people air-lifted off the course with hyponatremia (or to be hypothermic and wrapped in a shower curtain the way one pacer was while training for the race in 2008)? Our sport is growing and getting more and more attention. We have many more eyes on us.

What effect did renal failure after the 2004 Angeles Crest have on AJW? “These days I don’t think about the AC experience during races,” he says. “But I do bring it up in my memory in training so that I am sure to obtain a level of fitness which will prevent it from happening again.”

And what about Morrison? “For me that experience forced a great deal of character building, and I believe I’m a stronger person for it,” he says. “I’m hopeful that, as the saying goes, ‘What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.’ For as hard as we push ourselves and abuse our bodies, the human body is an incredibly resilient thing.” Brian came back to attempt the race in 2009 but has not run a 100-miler since.

I’ll end this with a quote from John Ticer, a three-time WS finisher and a guy who has run with a broken foot and dislocated fingers. “There is no glory in pushing yourself to the point of near obliteration. Did you actually run a smart race if you are carried off to the medical tent and revived with IV fluids? I think not.”

What do you think?

Bottoms up!

AJW’s Beer of the Week

This Week’s Beer of the Week comes from a Taproom favorite, Sierra Nevada Brewing in Chico, California. As some of you know, over the past several months, Craig as been shuttling between Eugene, Oregon and Auburn, California as he has been transitioning to his new job. Along the way, of course, he’s been stopping off at Sierra Nevada in Chico. While there a couple months ago, he discovered their killer DIPA Hoptimum and told me it was awesome! I had a couple bottles the other day and guess what, he was right!

Call for Comments (from AJW)

• What would you think of implementing a Haggin Cup-type competition at Western States?
• Do you think increased competition and the growth of the popularity of ultrarunning has put more runners at risk?
• Have you had any near-disastrous experiences with pushing too hard in an ultra?

Bonus: Video of the First Ever Haggin Cup Mile
The following video was shot shortly after the awards ceremony ended following the 2012 Western States 100. In the video, now WS100 RD Craig Thornley battles Michael Wardian, who had finished Western States in under 20 hours barely 13 hours earlier, in a one-mile race on the Placer High Track. In a performance that would surely have impressed Dr. Barsaleau, Wardian ran a 5:12!

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Over the past five months I’ve had the opportunity to take this pack on outings between two and seven hours, always managing to cram more than enough unnecessary gear into its surprisingly expansive compartments.

The front of the Mountain Hardwear Fluid Race Vest.

Shape, Construction, Fit

The Fluid Race Vest comes in two sizes small/ medium and medium/ large. The S/M size is meant to fit runners with chest-width measurements between 16-19 inches and the M/L size 18.5-22 inches (measuring straight across the chest). I received the S/M size for testing, and with an 18-inch torso my first impression was that this vest felt a little snug. I was underestimating the elasticity of the straps on the front of the vest as well as its ability to hug and conform to the torso. The fit of the Race Vest feels higher on the ribs than other hydration vests I’d worn and it took some getting used to. The function of this fit became immediately apparent while out on the trail as I experienced absolutely zero bounce with the vest fully loaded. More on that later.

Two very simple nylon cross straps equipped with elastic bands help dial in the fit of the Fluid Race Vest. Placement of these straps is adjustable on both sides, which with a bit of playing around, could net an even more dialed in fit. I feel that the stock positioning of these straps works great for me and I didn’t need too much adjusting.

Almost ninety percent of the Fluid Race Vest is made up of very lightweight breathable mesh which has now become the industry standard for most vests. However, Mountain Hardwear kept weight down by using an even thinner stretch mesh to create pockets, and this may be the stretchiest mesh I’ve seen. What first seems like very little cargo capacity becomes exponentially larger when stretched a bit, and the mesh never seems to lose elasticity even after a machine wash.

Cargo Storage

The back compartment of the vest features an external bungee that I’ve used to hold a lightweight shell, gloves, and a hat. This main compartment is simple and can hold a surprisingly large amount of gear. In inclement weather I’ve stashed a rain shell, headlamp, gloves, hat, and extra food in this back pouch without experiencing discomfort, and although there is no back padding, I’ve even carried an extra 20-ounce water bottle without any discomfort. This large compartment can also be used to carry a bladder, and guide straps are present on the front of the vest to keep the drinking hose from bouncing all over. While I’ve used larger bladders in this pack, it seems to perform best with a 1.5-liter/50-ounce bladder that produced the best overall comfort-to-carrying capacity ratio.

The front right side of the Fluid Race Vest has a large bungeed pocket down low that can be used to carry a bottle, even a 20-ounce bottle, or a variety of other gear. Because the pocket angles down, carrying a bottle does take a little getting used to, but I found myself leaning more and more to putting a soft flask in this compartment which seemed to take up less room and it also alleviated the annoying sloshing sound of carrying a bottle. Above this compartment is a small zippered pocket which can be used to carry pills, a few gels, or other small items (a credit card does not fit into this pocket).

The front left side of the vest features a large zippered compartment on the bottom that accommodated a smartphone or numerous gels. (I think I crammed eight in there once!) The pocket above this is a smaller with a velcro flap which also works well to store electrolytes, keys, and small items. No pockets on the vest are waterproof, which was my only disappointment on this vest.

Mountain Hardwear Fluid Race Vest from behind.

Overall Performance

With a price tag of $60 and an unloaded weight of 5.6 ounces, the Fluid Race Vest is the lightest and cheapest major-manufacturer race vest on the market. Given these stats I expected absolute minimalism, yet what I found was an incredibly versatile way to store the essentials which feels like part of my body while I’m running. When loaded with only gels, pills, and clothing, I experienced absolutely no bouncing, and with a 50-ounce bladder bouncing was very minimal. Most of the time I’ve worn the Fluid Race Vest, which is almost every long run in the past four months, I’ve forgotten that I had it on.

If you’re like me and belts feel uncomfortable to store your food or gear, a minimal pack like the Race Vest is the way to go. With a myriad of options for carrying a bladder, storing a bottle, or using soft flasks you can customize this vest to meet the needs of almost any distance.

[Note: The Mountain Hardwear Fluid Race Vest is normally available in the iRunFar Store.]

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November 2011. Seven guys in two cars driving across the desert. Destination: the Grand Canyon. Goal: Fastest Known Time for the double crossing. At least that was my goal, again. The seven other guys on the trip just wanted to run around the Grand Canyon. Most of them had never been to the canyon before, and none of them were trying to make a career in running. They just wanted to experience the area on foot. I, on the other hand, wanted to be the fastest person to run from the South Rim to the North Rim and back again.

Before you stick your nose up at my competitive approach to the Grand Canyon, let me make my defense. I chose to challenge myself in the Grand Canyon because few other places inspire me to be my best. I am competitive, sure, and I want to win races and set records, but my values dictate the way I go about reaching those goals. Nowhere in the world has higher value for me than the Grand Canyon. I want to compete with others and challenge myself to see how far I can reach, but the reason I choose to do so as a mountain runner instead of, say, a basketball player or bike racer, is because I love to be in wild and beautiful places. Every athlete has a competitive drive, but mountain runners have one more standard: quality. We simply love the mountains, and the mountains come first.

Dakota Jones and Max King running the Grand Canyon in March 2012. Photo: David Clifford

To be completely honest, I am as competitive as anyone else. But being the best in mountain running is more than just being the fastest. Being the best is also being the smartest in a dangerous situation; it’s being the strongest at times when failure is not an option; it’s never forgetting the beauty and simplicity and sheer authenticity that make this sport so great. But most of all, as the great Alex Lowe said, “the best mountaineer is the one who’s having the most fun.” The same goes for mountain running. And for mountain runners, few places are as much fun as the Grand Canyon.

One of Dakota’s pics of the Grand Canyon from South Rim the weekend of his then FKT.

We awoke the following morning to freezing temperatures and several inches of new snow. Beginning at first light, I had to pick my way down several hundred vertical feet to avoid slipping on ice. Once below the snow line, however, the trail was merely damp and I was able to make good time down to the river. The run up the other side is always beautiful. It begins in a narrow, winding canyon that gradually gains elevation over several miles, twisting and turning through the basement rock.

Once the trail climbs above the Tonto layer, the landscape is much more open and one can see the greater canyon above. A perennial stream runs through this section and fosters shrubs, plants, cactus and cottonwood trees, as well as a multitude of animal life both large and small. That November the foliage was blooming one last time before closing up for the winter, and the bright greens and yellows and reds of the canyon bottom complemented the stark sagebrush of the surrounding desert. At Roaring Spring, the trail began to climb steeply up to the North Rim, and I was able to continue running uphill until deep snow forced me to hike. At the rim I paused briefly, took a photo of the trailhead sign, and then started off down at a brisk run.

The snow was nearly a foot deep at the rim and by then melting into a muddy mess. I sloshed my way back down through the layers of time until I got below the snowline, and then I really let ‘er rip. Descending from the North Rim quickly is one of the best ways to gain time in a double crossing record attempt, since that section consists of 14 miles of almost completely downhill trail. I charged down the trail, not even stopping to refill my water at Roaring Springs. Encountering my friends along the way I only had time to shout a greeting before I was around the next switchback. I made a point to eat consistently through this section to keep up my energy, and I felt good all the way back to Phantom Ranch. I knew I had a good chance to break the record.

Not surprisingly, the view upward from the river is intimidating. Particularly if you have already run about 35 miles at high speed, the thought of that brutally steep 4,500-foot climb up to the South Rim is heartbreaking. Nevertheless, I pressed on, hoping for some hidden reserves of strength. I was able to maintain a running cadence almost to the Tonto level. Above the Tonto, I alternated between running and hiking, but by the climb up to Skeleton Point– a savagely steep 1,500 foot step that brings hikers up to a ridge jutting out from the South Rim–I was finished. My legs were toast; my lungs were shot. Blood pounded in my brain. I couldn’t keep it up. I resolved to hike the rest of the way to the rim.

I was able to run more once I crawled over Skeleton Point, but the climb had taken its toll. I had given up the idea of setting a new record. I desperately wanted to be finished and forced myself to continue hiking uphill just to get it all over with. The sun beat down and the rim loomed far above. I had lost all hope when a hiker coming down the trail starting cheering me on. I looked up, confused. I knew my pace didn’t indicate any sort of record attempt. Yet she cheered me on nonetheless. And as I passed more hikers, they cheered me on, too.

They knew I was trying to go fast. They knew I had already been to the North Rim that day. Am I really that famous, I thought? Are normal people aware of Grand Canyon FKT attempts? Whatever the cause, I found my heart lightened by this outpouring of support. I felt a surge of energy and began to run and hike harder, checking my watch all the time to see if a record was still possible.

The answer to the question of how I was famous became clear as I ran, probably pale, definitely breathless, legs heavy with lactic acid, along the final switchbacks toward the rim. It was my friend Aaron Marks. “Slow Aaron” himself, who had run to the river that morning, knew I was running hard somewhere behind him. So he had started informing people he passed about what I was doing, and asking if they would cheer me on. I came around a bend, high-fiving hikers, to see his smiling face, and he started running with me. The final four switchbacks were long, steep and icy, but I forced myself to run the whole way. As I crested the rim and collapsed at the foot of the trailhead sign, I stopped my watch and looked around. The snow and ice from earlier was steadily seeping into the hard ground. A few birds flew circles high above the canyon. A squirrel chattered from a nearby branch.

When I had caught my breath I looked at my watch: 6:53:38. It was then a new record by about six minutes. I looked at Aaron and wanted to say something important, but all that came out was, “thank goodness that’s over.” We sat for a while, contemplating, and then got up and walked slowly off to the cafeteria, passing by tourists who had no idea I had just run across the canyon so fast and who, in all likelihood, didn’t care at all. That was okay with me. I hadn’t done that for other people. When I turned around for a final look at the canyon, I was able to pick out the side canyons I had just run, and I found that I knew intimately that trail which had once been just a dream in the darkness.

Dakota Jones in the Grand Canyon, March 2012. Photo: David Clifford

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This year, I have been under a lot of stress trying to get our bakery business off the ground. It has shifted my focus from running and pursuing different races to business first and fitting in racing later. Thus, my racing schedule is absolutely filled to the brim with races, but my commitment to those specific races is mediocre at best. I keep a full schedule of races because, due to the ever-changing landscape of our business, I am not sure which ones I will be available for (whether emotionally, physically, etc). I can still fit in my training, but not at the level I was last year. The supplemental things and the energy to focus on running first is gone. Thus, my ability to feel fighting fit for races is diminished.

All of these things has made me contemplate a great deal  “why” I race and which of those “whys” will allow me to enjoy myself, perform at the best of my current abilities, and put me in the best mindset to even show up at the start line. We all have fundamental “whys” that motivate us to choose to race or choose specific races. For me, this year has been all about understanding what my “whys” are in my new context. In all of the stress of opening a new business, running is my respite, my sanctuary, and I don’t want to trespass on that or add to my stress levels by forcing myself to race when I am not fundamentally motivated to do so. When it comes down to it, I need a strong “why” in order to race. It gives me energy, focus and, when the going gets tough, a grounding principle to keep me moving forward.

As I said, my dance card is quite full this year, but many races are put in place with the hope that by the time they roll around I will feel passionate about them. Unlike last year when I raced the Olympic Trials, Two Oceans, and Comrades, all races I was hyper-focused and excited about, I don’t have any races on my schedule that fit that bill. Then what gets me to the start line? Thus far this year, it has been an interesting experiment in trying on different motivations.

What motivates me to race

1. Iconic races or races in beautiful places

Every runner has a bucket list of races they want to run. When the opportunity to run one of these races arises, it is a no-brainer to jump at the chance. Bucket-list races often require a great deal of planning and time to make happen. Some of these races, like the Boston Marathon or Hardrock 100, require you to race just to be able to apply to get in. Once you actually get in to the race, you have travel, logistics, and other things you have to meticulously coordinate in order to get to the start line. My primary motivation for racing Comrades was because of its iconic status. My baseline motivation was first just to enjoy being there. I never felt anything but all in for this race because of the lengths I had to go to get there.

Bucket-list races are also races that we go to for the experience of doing, even if we aren’t in the position to PR or have our best race. For instance, in 2009 I ran the Boston Marathon. It wasn’t an A race for me, as I was training for the 100k World Championships. I wanted to run well at Boston, especially considering that I was running in the elite women’s field, but I was not attached to a specific time goal.

Sometimes the thrill or privilege of making it to a particular start line is more than enough reason to run a race.

2. To run a specific time or distance goal

This is pretty straightforward. I ran my first marathon because I wanted to see if I could run a marathon. I ran my first 50-miler to see if I could run 50 miles. I ran my first 100… you get the picture.

I ran my second marathon to see if I could run faster than my first. Then I raced to run sub-2:45 so I could qualify for the Olympic Trials. Specific time and distance goals are a great way to motivate yourself to race. Because they require specific focus in training and on race day, the goal itself provides a strong carrot to get to the finish line. Focusing on a concrete goal such as a race, time or distance PR creates motivation naturally.

3. To be a part of my community

This spring, my sister and her husband were driving from Seattle to San Francisco as a part of their move here. I knew that their trip coincided with one of my best friend’s races, the Chuckanut 50k, and so I volunteered Nathan and I to come up to Seattle help Sarah and Steven move as long as we could run Chuckanut 50k first. I wasn’t specifically trained for the race and I was having a hard time motivating on the drive up to the race (it was pouring rain), but once I was there, greeted by so many familiar faces and old friends, I was excited to be a part of the event.

The main reason I was attracted to the ultrarunning world in the first place was the amazing community of people that make it up. When I show up at races, I feel like I am meeting up with a bunch of friends to have an adventure. Ultrarunning has long been such a niche sport that sometimes I can show up and know half the entrants in the field from the front of the pack to the back and even the aid station volunteers. I’ll sign up for races just so I can spend time with my community.

4. To give my training structure/as part of my training

If I didn’t race, I would probably get injured a lot more. I like to run high mileage and I could envision myself hammering until my legs fell off if I didn’t have races to provide peaks and recovery periods. Alternatively, if I didn’t race, I might also just fall into a running rut and never include speedwork or other race-specific workouts.

Since I began ultrarunning in 2006, my race frequency has gotten a lot higher. The previous year, I ran three marathons and one 50k. Coming from the road-running world, that seemed like a whole lot! After starting to run ultras, I realized that some races served as hard training runs with aid stations and schwag. I think that many runners find it easier to motivate to run a 50-mile race than to go out and do a solo 50-mile training run.

I took this approach a few months back, the weekend after Chuckanut actually. I had Oakland Marathon on my schedule, but was not certain I was going to run it. I knew that I was not thoroughly recovered from the 50k, but also knew that I was scheduled to be doing a two or three-hour long road run on March 23rd. In the end, I figured what the heck, I might as well run a race to fit my training schedule. The logistics were easy, I was already registered, and it allowed me to get to spend some time with my mom, who recently moved to Oakland. Because of the race the week before, I was not attached to the outcome and was able to just run by feel and had a great deal of fun. In the end, I surprised myself by winning the race, setting a course record, and winning tickets to Hawaii. Not a bad training day, I’d say!

There are so many reasons to choose to race. For me, I need a strong “why” or motivation to set myself up for success. In the ever-changing landscape of my life right now, I continually have to re-examine these motivations as races on my schedule draw near to make sure that I have a solid reason for doing them. For me, racing starts with the fundamental “why.”

Why do you race?

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What many people recognize–yet fail to fully appreciate–is that the true race-day battle lies within ourselves, and between our ears. It is the brain that ultimately decides how far and how fast we can run.

Thus, managing the needs and concerns of the brain may be the ultimate key to peak performance, especially at the 100-mile race distance and the extreme demands it places on body and brain.

“The Selfish Brain”: The Central Governor Model

A decade ago, Tim Noakes, MD, first proposed a mechanism by which the brain mediates physical efforts. Previous theories suggested the skeletal muscle–its oxygen consumption (VO2Max) and work output–dictated maximum performance. Noakes’s model, the Central Governor Theory, proposes that it is the brain that dictates exercise intensity and duration in order to ensure its own survival.

The brain is inherently selfish: it only cares about itself. It will do anything necessary to ensure it gets a steady flow of oxygen and sugar, and a reliable mechanism for transport. That said, any physical effort that might jeopardize those values will be tightly regulated. If not, the conscious brain might team with the body to literally run itself to death by either destroying skeletal or cardiac muscle, or by starving the nerve tissue of sugar and oxygen.

Ultimately, The Central Governor, acting at various levels of subconscious (in similar fashion to the Board of Directors previously mentioned in pain mediation), makes decisions based upon myriad data, including:

• The present effort (monitored internally by various measures)
• The body’s current fitness
• Previous physical and psychological experiences (training and racing)
• The current environmental conditions (temperature, wind, humidity, terrain)
• The task at hand (race distance, intensity, competition)

The Central Governor takes in all that information and determines a pace that will ensure completion of the task at hand while ensuring physical safety of its fuel and blood supply, and physical integrity. It also establishes and monitors limits to physical integrity, and when the body begins to approach those limits, the Central Governor takes action.

According to Noakes, when exercise intensity and tissue stress to the heart, skeletal muscles, and nervous tissue “…approaches the limit of what is safe, the brain’s motor cortex, which recruits the exercising muscle, is informed, and it stops recruiting additional muscle.”

The result, he adds, is that the body experiences fatigue, and the work output of the heart and skeletal muscle falls.

In summary, the sensation of fatigue (and the pain accompanied, therein) and a slowing of pace are preemptive and protective, yet extremely powerful actions taken by the brain, to avoid real physical trauma.

This is easily understood by even the most novice runner: you run hard or long and you feel like you’re going to die. Yet within minutes of stopping, you feel fine. This is not because the body has miraculously repaired any damage; rather, when the brain perceives the threat of exertion has passed, sensations of fatigue (and pain) cease.

Experienced 100-mile racers know this and are hardened against the desire to stop. But the Governor isn’t going down without a fight. If you don’t stop, fatigue sets in with the express goal of stopping you, or at least slowing you down.

Says Noakes:

“Fatigue is a central brain perception, which is based on the sum of the sensory feedback from a variety of organs to the central governor, and which is expressed physically as the alteration in pacing strategy (running speed) caused by a reduction in the muscle mass activated by the motor cortex in the brain.”

Simply put, if you don’t stop, you will slow down. And if evidence of danger continues to mount, and you fail to listen to the Central Governor, it will stop you.

That said, the key to peak performance is to balance the needs and concerns of the Central Governor with your race goals, and to effectively deal with the protective fatigue it sends your way.

According to Noakes, the specific need of the Central Governor is:

“…internal body homeostasis… maintained so that the muscles do not develop ATP depletion and rigor during either high-intensity or prolonged exercise when muscle glycogen stores are depleted; that the heart does not develop myocardial ischemia during high-intensity exercise; that the body temperature does not rise too high; and that the brain is not damaged by continued exercise when the blood glucose concentrations are low.”

Serving The Governor: Critical Elements of 100-Mile Performance

Accepting Noakes’s theory, there are four primary physical elements that must be critically monitored during a 100-mile race:

• Heart rate
• Blood sugar
• Body temperature
• Muscle integrity

Those who can effectively manage those elements–and run with the Governor, rather than against it–stand the best chance at optimal performance.

Heart Rate, Pacing, and Micro-Pacing

The brain craves consistency and sustainability. These are the pillars to physical preparation, and they also play a vital role in managing race-day effort. The brain, according to Noakes, monitors cardiac integrity through myriad factors including heart rate.

Maintaining a consistent heart rate during race performance is critical in keeping the Governor satisfied. A heart rate that is too high for too long and too early will signal the brain, “What we are doing is unsustainable!” And it will shut you down.

Smart pacing is enormously important in 100-mile racing. A conservative early pace should sufficiently keep the heart rate at sustainable levels. Just what that level is depends on the person and the event.

It is generally accepted that sustainable efforts in ultra-endurance events (over six hours duration) range between 50 to 75 percent of heart-rate maximum (HRM). For most of us, this includes a heart-rate range of 110 to 160 beats per minute.

Be wary of sustained heart rates above 160 BPM (or above 75% HRM), especially early in the race. This quickly burns through vital sugar stores and provides “scary” feedback to the Governor about your current effort and its sustainability, or lack thereof. The more “scary information” the Governor receives, the more intense the fatigue it will send your way to slow you down.

Smart, even pacing–especially amongst today’s elite ultramarathon runners–seems to have become a lost art form. The competitive fire of these top runners pushes early-race paces to the brink, and the result is a second half “race of attrition” amongst the field.

It wasn’t always that way. In 2001, after his second place overall finish and 20th, sub-24 hour finish at the Western States 100, Tim Twietmeyer sat down with UltraRunning Magazine for an interview, and said this about pacing:

“At Western States, there’s not a lot of good terrain to run in the first 30 miles, but there’s a lot of good terrain in the last 30. I try to save my energy so I can apply it at a point in the race where I’ll get the maximum payback. Early in my Western States career I listened from the people that had been successful and the message was clearly to start slow because you’ll need a lot more energy and strength later in the race than you’d think.

I’ve always thought at Western States that you spend about 50 percent of the effort getting to the river (78 miles) and the other 50 percent getting from there to the finish line.”

This is a brilliant strategy for two reasons. One, it establishes a physical restraint on effort. Twietmeyer, who by then knew the course better than anyone in the race’s history, had a precise feel for pace and aid-station splits that allowed him to run sustainably and within his physical bounds.

But secondly and perhaps more importantly, he was telling the Governor that he was “only running 50 percent,” that he was not running hard. Perhaps it is this conscious brain argument with the unconscious that kept the Governor at peace, limited debilitating fatigue, and allowed for successful late-race running.

Tip: Know your pace and splits, and follow them.
Sustainable pacing comes from course knowledge and experience. However, if you have not run the course before, do some research on other runners’ splits, similar to your own ability, and adopt–and adapt–them to yourself.

A noteworthy example of this practice was Sage Canaday’s run at Lake Sonoma 50 in April of this year. While he’d never run the course, he researched Dakota Jones’ splits from the previous year, wrote those on his arm, and followed them closely. The result was the fastest–and most evenly split–race of the day. And it broke Jones’ course record.

Training and racing with a heart-rate monitor may also be an effective means of ensuring sustainable race pace, especially early. Heart rate ultimately trumps average speed and race splits since it takes into account changes in terrain and conditions.

Tip: Know how your heart rate responds to varying terrain.
I refer to this idea as “micro-pacing:” the ability to adjust effort to acute changes in terrain and conditions. Establish sustainable paces using heart-rate data on the flats versus hills, hot versus cool conditions, and high altitude versus low. When studying heart-rate levels, most runners would be surprised to realize:

• how low heart-rate can be running fast on flat terrain
• how high heart-rate can be on uphills
• how acutely high heart rate can spike on a steep, technical downhill

Having heart-rate data on various terrain and conditions can provide vital information for pre-race planning and race-day execution. Keeping heart rate and race effort sustainable will keep the Governor on board, and prevent mid- and late-race derailments.

Blood Sugar and Fuel

In his formative work sports hydration, Noakes makes a strong argument in Waterlogged about the over-emphasis on hydration during endurance events, and the dangers of over-hydration* on performance and physical safety.

(*It is worth noting that hydration was not a factor included by Noakes in his Central Governor model.)

But perhaps as important of a message was the recommendation for substantial and consistent blood-sugar levels during ultra efforts.

Exercise science has known for decades that sugar is crucial to peak performance. But exactly why still remains in question. In reviewing the literature, Noakes notes that the primary benefit of mid-race sugar intake is to ensure consistent energy for the brain. After four to six hours of running, muscle sugar stores are depleted, and the muscles must use fat for fuel. However, the brain continues to require a consistent energy source in the form of sugar.

Any decrease in blood sugar levels, especially after many hours of prolonged running, will result in hypoglycemia and cause a shocking and unequivocal response from the brain: The Bonk. The brain, in response to hypoglycemia, will shut you down faster and more fiercely than any other act by the Governor. No sugar, no brain. No brain, no gain.

For those of you lucky, rare few to never experience it, the symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

“a reduced ability to concentrate, a sudden feeling of weakness, and the intense desire to stop running. Typically, the athlete senses the impossibility of completing the race.”

The hypoglycemic response is perhaps the most powerful and miserable of the Central Governor acts. While certainly debilitating, it is reversible: the tales of mid-race resurrection commonly heard in ultras is proof that, once sugar is back on board, so is the brain.

The key to avoiding hypoglycemia is steady, consistent fueling. This is more difficult than it seems. Race day provides countless distractions and barriers to consistent fueling including terrain, environment, pace, competition, and mood. These factors often interfere with our best-laid plans for consistent fueling.

Perhaps the man most famous for clock-like fueling consistency is Matt Carpenter, Pikes Peak legend and course-record holder at the Leadville 100. In describing his fueling approach during his epic 15:42 course record Leadville run in 2005:

“…I practiced my fuel regime about five times a week almost year-round right down to the number of sips I take per hour. Yes—18 sips an hour is what I need to stay hydrated. More if it is hot, less if it is cool. I get those 18 sips by taking 3 sips every 10 minutes. Further, I dump Carb-BOOM energy gel and Gatorade Endurance Formula right into my bottle or CamelBak so that I get about 50 calories every 10 minutes. My energy levels stay constant and I am never shocking my system like what would happen if I ran an hour or more and tried to take in the same number of calories at one time.”

Indeed, it is this consistency–and acuity of precise need–that kept Carpenter’s blood sugar at stone-cold steady levels.

Tip: Have a precise fuel plan and stick to it.
Then, have a back-up plan in case things go awry. For example, eating one item per aid station may be effective, or downing a cup of soda at each. However, be aware of variation of distance and time between stations, especially if your pace drops significantly. Using a watch timer to beep at time intervals is an effective way to ensure consistent fueling, regardless of aid-station placement.

Energy gels and drinks are the cornerstone of most runners’ fuel plans. Practice those products that either work for you, and/or are provided at your focus race.

Lastly, be prepared for Plan B if things go awry. GI rebellion may thwart any attempt to ingest your planned gel or drink. Be prepared to fuel with alternatives, and have them at hand.

Fuel is King. Keep it flowing at all costs!

Core Temperature: Keep Your Cool!

Second only to blood sugar, the brain maintains consistent core body temperature as a top priority.

Exercising muscles gives off enormous heat: the majority of energy produces for muscle contraction is wasted as heat. On top of that, we choose to run ultramarathon races in some of the most inhospitable conditions, blazing hot canyons and desert ovens with temperatures frequently exceeding triple-digits Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, our body systems have tight ranges of allowable temperatures. Outside of which, these systems will fail.

Body temperature must be regulated. If unchecked, the Central Governor will terminate exercise to protect the brain and other tissues from cooking.

Tip: Douse and ice; and slow down!
One of the popular notions Noakes strikes down in Waterlogged is the idea that hydration controls core temperature. It does not. Indeed, hydration is required for consistent sweat; however, research concludes that ingestion of copious amounts of cold fluid does not lower core body temperature. Cold water is absorbed faster, yet does not provide any cooling benefit.

The best place for that cold water is outside the body.

Cool the body by keeping it consistently wet. If racing in hot conditions, douse at every opportunity. Cold water on the skin is effective at lowering surface temperature. Another effective approach is using ice on the head and neck. As an argument for the existence of the Central Governor, cooling the head and neck–while not significantly cooling the core body temperature–cools the blood closest to the brain, in effect tricking the Governor into thinking it is cooler than it actually is.

Outside of dousing and icing, the only other means of controlling core temperature is to slow down. Run slower in areas and times of day with highest heat; conversely, run faster in shaded areas and cooler parts of the day.

As with heart rate and blood sugar, failing to heed the mounting cues of heat stress may result in a forceful and abrupt Central Governor response to cease running.

Muscle Integrity: Preserve Those Quads!

Perhaps the most important and most difficult to control factor in Central Governor management is muscle integrity. The brain monitors muscle integrity through a variety of systems, including blood chemistry and neuromuscular factors. When the brain determines that the skeletal muscle is at risk of severe damage, it will deactivate that muscle.

But sadly, unlike every other factor thus far noted, muscle damage is irreversible on race day. Game over. Once significant muscle damage has occurred and the Central Governor takes action, there are only two options: quit, or continue and invariably incur further damage, and generally have a miserable time. But one thing is certain: you will slow down, and considerably. There is no arguing with neurological deactivation of muscle. It happens for your own protection.

Indeed, one theory about why acute renal failure occurs is that acute muscle damage is occurring, yet runners ignore the strong Central Governor messages to stop. They continue to run, and continue to accumulate destroyed muscle cell debris in the blood stream, which collects in the kidneys. This, indeed, is the reason why races such was Western States test for blood values such as creatine phosphokinase (CPK), a muscle enzyme that appears in the blood when muscle cells are destroyed.

That said, the only way to avoid muscle-related Governor shutdown is self-preservation!

Tip: Run sustainably and be efficient!
There is a belief that downhill sections of hilly ultramarathon races must be run fast: “Use the downhill!” While this may be true, the more accurate message should be to run them efficiently and sustainably. Simply pounding down a hill at breakneck speed only adds mechanical stress to the muscles.

Much is said about what is the best technique for downhill running. While this an area largely absent of research, I provide both a mechanism for efficient downhill running, with a biomechanical rationale.

In Relentless Forward Progress, the age-less Dave Mackey, two-time UltraRunning Runner of the Year, advises:

“Run with short strides. This will enable better landing and cushioning on bent rather than outstretched legs… over-striding accentuates forces, leading to more fatigued muscles and pounded leg joints.”

This advice is sound; landing directly beneath you limits ground-reaction forces absorbed by the legs. Mackey also recommends focusing on:

“…leaning forward… lifting my feet by driving my knees [upward], and keeping my elbows nice and wide for balance.”

Boiled down, Dave recommends:

• Trunk forward, not backward
• Shorter, compact strides
• A high knee and foot lift
• Using the arms to counter-balance leg action

All of this has the following effects:

• The trunk forward and compact strides limit braking forces.
• The high knee/foot lift and arm use recruits proximal muscles–namely the gluts–to aid in absorbing braking forces.

Mackey practicing what he preaches at Dipsea. Photo: Gary Wang

The high-knee drive also provides something perhaps most critical: dispensing of forces from the quadriceps by providing “stretching action” consistent with normal running mechanics. Without consistent knee flexion, loading stresses build in the quad muscles unremittingly. A high-knee drive dispenses those forces, and it also passes some of the load along to the gluts. Win-win!

How about a third win? A compact stride also decreases foot stress, by decreasing shearing, blister-causing forces on the plantar foot, and decreasing compressive, nail-removing forces on the toes in front of the shoes. Triple-win!

But once off the hills, that’s where the real mechanical challenge lies: staying efficient on the flats! Prolonged hill running, either up or down, can make the flat stride sloppy and inefficient.

Tip: Practice efficient, flat running when fatigued.
A compact stride is crucial in limiting leg stress. It’s also much faster. Keep your flat stride compact at all costs! The same concepts Mackey promotes in downhill running– trunk forward, short strides, high knees and feet, arm swing–are the same needed for fast and low-stress flat running.

The best way to hone your late-race flat running stride is to practice during your long runs. In a recent conversation with a runner preparing for his first Western States, he mentioned to me his heavy emphasis on vertical training. My response was, “Have you prepared to run fast on the flat after the Canyons?”

An effective way to train that flat, efficient stride is to incorporate a section of flat road or trail at the end of a long, heavy-vertical trail run. Hammer your hills, then get on the flats and commit to fast, flat running: trunk forward, compact strides, ample hips, and arms!

An efficient, flat running strike will ensure a fast pace, low leg stress, and keep muscles firing.

Keeping the Governor at Bay

Taking all this into consideration, Noakes boils down this concept of the Central Governor into a succinct statement:

“Fatigue is merely an emotional expression of the subjective symptoms that develop as these subconscious controls wage a fierce battle with the conscious mind to ensure that the conscious ultimately submits to the superior will of the subconscious.”

Indeed, each race is a battle within ourselves. But the best way to win that battle–ensuring peak performance and physical well-being–is to satisfy the needs of the Governor to the best of your ability as long as you can. Then, only when you can “smell the barn,” should you ignore the Governor, shut off your brain, and get to the finish line!

Good luck!

Bibliography

• Explain Pain, Butler & Moseley. Orthopedic Physical Therapy Products; 1st Ed. (2003)
• Lore of Running, Noakes. Human Kinetics; 4th Ed. (2001)
• Waterlogged, Noakes. Human Kinetics; 1st Ed (2012)
• Relentless Forward Progress, Powell. Breakaway Books; 1st Ed. (2011)
• UltraRunning Magazine. (September, 2001)
• Matt Carpenter blog. http://www.skyrunner.com/story/2005lt100.htm

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

Sage Canaday, 2013 Cayuga Trails 50 Champion, Interview Transcript

iRunFar: This is Meghan with iRunFar and I’m with 2013 champion of the Cayuga Trails 50, Sage Canaday. Congratulations, sir.

Sage Canaday: Thank you.

iRF: How’s it going?

Canaday: Great. I can kind of walk around. I’m still hobbling a little bit. I didn’t get injured. I didn’t get lost. It’s good, yeah.

iRF: No stitches needed and you finished the race.

Canaday: Yes.

iRF: You finished the race with a little bit of prize money. You’re taking home $2,500 today.

Canaday: Yes, I think it’s my biggest payday since the Chicago Marathon, so I’m really happy with that.

iRF: What are you going to do with $2,500?

Canaday: A lot of it is going to go towards rent, probably. Maybe I’ll get some new camera equipment like that microphone you’ve got there.

iRF: I’d better watch that microphone to make sure it’s still there when we’re done.

Canaday: Yeah.

iRF: Congratulations to you. You’ve had quite a year. Your year, 2013, started off with a win at Bandera 100k in January. Did you race in February?

Canaday:  No, in February I was doing some snowshoeing with my girlfriend, Sandi Nypaver.

iRF: You’re going to have to help me out here. After that, you…?

Canaday: I went to New Zealand for the Tarawera 100k in March.

iRF: You won Tarawera. Then Lake Sonoma where you set a course record in April. Did you race in May?

Canaday: May was Transvulcania.

iRF: Oh sure. Transvulcania where you came in third in an ultra skyrunning race. Here we are in June and a win at the inaugural Cayuga Trails 50. This pattern that we’re in here is either the fast track to getting the most interviews with iRunFar or the fast track to burnout.

Canaday: I agree. I’ve got a lot on my plate. I started thinking about that today when I didn’t feel so good. You know, you’ve raced an awful lot. It’s probably a bad idea. You’re probably not even in the taper and recovery cycle. Yes, racing a lot does take a lot out of your body, so I’m definitely pushing the envelope there. It’s probably not ideal. I’m just waiting until I crash and burn later this year. I love racing. I love travelling. It’s hard to say no sometimes. As long as I keep the distance shorter than 100k or 50 miles, I think I do okay. I have a bigger break after next weekend until Speedgoat 50k.

iRF: Speaking of next weekend, you have something coming up. You’re going to do the Mt. Washington Road Race next weekend.

Canaday: Yes, Mt. Washington.

iRF: You have about six days to recover.

Canaday:  Yeah, it’s going to be hard. My quads are going to be pretty shot. I don’t think I’m going to be able to climb at 100 percent.

iRF: You don’t think you’ll be able to climb at the same pace you did last year?

Canaday: No. I got lucky with the weather last year, too. It will be a challenge. But it’s a 7.6-mile race, so hopefully I won’t be nailed too much.

iRF: Last year you ran 58:27, is that right? That’s the fastest time for an American on Mt. Washington which is pretty amazing because that’s a long, storied race for lots of fast guys who show up. What’s your predicted finish time for this year, given what happened today?

Canaday: It depends on the weather. It’s really windy up there. I’d like to crack an hour, ideally, and hopefully I can still compete for the win maybe. It depends on how the other guys do, too, I guess.

iRF: Yes. Let’s talk about what happened at the race today. You basically were off the front with the exception of the first 10 miles?

Canaday: Yes, after about 10 miles, on the steep climb.

iRF: What was that climb called? The Lick Creek climb? Something funny.

Canaday: I don’t even remember. It had a premium on it, though. It was steep. It was over a quarter-mile long and it was a steep grade. It was hard not to powerhike there.

iRF: Did you hike or did you run?

Canaday: A couple of steps I was powerhiking. A couple times on the stairs I was powerhiking. I tried to keep a running cadence most of the race.

iRF: Let’s talk about how the race played out in terms of how you felt. I heard you talking at the finish line about how you crashed into a creek and that you were kind of bonking at the time and you actually thought you might drop. Where was that in the race and how did you resurrect yourself?

Canaday: It was about 33 miles in. There were a lot of stream crossings and it was one of the lower ones, I think, maybe two feet deep. Of course, I tripped on a rock and I kind of tumbled in the water. I think I maybe had a two or three-minute lead on Matt Flaherty. My hamstrings were really tight the whole race, so I thought it was going to be really bad. When I fell, my hamstrings really cramped up actually. It was pretty painful. My knee was bleeding a little bit. I’m not sure if you got a picture of that. My elbow is a little bruised. It’s not that bad.

After that, I started walking up this hill for a couple minutes. I got really negative. It was a low point. I got dizzy. I was starting to bonk. I took a gel. I was 90 percent sure I was going to drop out. I was thinking about Mt. Washington and thinking, This is not going to be good. The next aid station is three miles away, so I might as well jog to it. I started jogging and got a second wind. I was able to pick up the pace. I started feeling better. I thought, I’m still competing and might be able to pull off a win if I’m lucky. At least I can finish. I don’t like DNFs.

iRF: You think it was the physical that manifested the mental check or did you come around mentally and that helped you physically?

Canaday: I think the physical manifested the mental. I was just in pain from the fall and the cramps kind of shook me up a little mentally. I was able to re-group from that. I still had to stop and stretch from the cramps a couple of times. I ran out of S! Caps. I was kind of kicking myself for mismanaging that. I ran out of gels between aid stations once. I decided to try to overcome that and keep moving as well as possible.

iRF: Let’s talk about Matt. He was sort of breathing down your shirt all day.

Canaday: Yes, Matt and Jordan [McDougal]. They were really close. After I took the lead at 10 miles, I thought I had maybe two or three minutes before the next big climb after Buttermilk Falls. I thought I was pretty comfortable in the lead, but then at the turnaround at 25 miles, I looked across the field and saw Matt right there and a minute behind there I saw Jordan and they were running really strong races. I definitely didn’t feel very good, and I couldn’t have gone any faster. I was like, This is going to be a positive split on the second lap for me. I just didn’t want them to catch me. I tried to accelerate into the next lap, but I was really hurting. They were running really strong races. There was pressure the whole time. I was looking over my shoulder. They ran really great races and finished close together. I think Matt was about five minutes behind me at the finish. I couldn’t let up the whole way. I had to keep pressing.

iRF: He closed his deficit to less than a minute at the turnaround. You slowly built up another five-minute lead that you had at the end. He said, when he came through Buttermilk the second time at mile 37, “Gosh, I can’t catch him on the climbs.” When I thought about it, I thought there was still some decent climbing and some decent descending and Matt might be in the game. Perhaps your advantage on the climbing…

Canaday: Yes, I definitely try to take advantage on the climbs. It’s impressive he did as well as he did because he trains in Chicago and there are no big climbs there. It’s not like being in Colorado. He ran a great race. He tells me he’s been racing a lot, 51 minutes for 10 miles a couple weeks ago. He’s in phenomenal shape. It’s good to see him returning after his long injury hiatus he had last year. He’s a great competitor. Same thing for Jordan, too, for making it a close race.

iRF: Yes, last question for you. We’re coming on summer in the high country in Colorado. I know you’ve just moved up to high altitude. I know you’ve got a bunch of racing still on your summer schedule, but are you going to do anything fun now that you live up high in the beautiful mountains?

Canaday:  Oh, sure. I went up Mt. Audubon a few weeks ago at 13,200. We were postholing through three feet of snow. My girlfriend, Sandi Nypaver, and I are planning on going to the Maroon Bells to do the Four Pass Loop. I’d like to get up as many 14’ers as I can, non-technical ones. I don’t go above Class III. We might do Longs Peak later in the summer. That will be more of a hike. I’m kind of scared of heights. So we’ll be doing that and hopefully travelling around the state as much as possible trying to take advantage of no snow in the high country.

iRF: Speaking of your girlfriend, Sandi, she had a good day as well. She was the runner-up female.

Canaday: Yes, she did great! It was really exciting to cheer her on out there.

iRF: Talk about a fast couple at the finish line!

Canaday:Yes, it was great. I was trying to get updates from you. Oh, she’s in second. That’s motivating because I know we think about each other during the race. It’s good to see her on the out-and-backs, too.

iRF: Predictably, every time I saw you, you asked about her, and every time I saw her, she asked about you.

Canaday: Oh, good.

iRF: I think it might be love.

Canaday: Oh yeah, definitely.

iRF: Congratulations to you on your win today, and congratulations on your $2,500 cash purse. We’ll see at the awards in a little bit how many of the premiums you won today. Best of luck with recovery in the next six days between now and the Mt. Washington Road Race.

Canaday: Thanks, I’ll need it.

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