running, life and living the dream

Aravaipa Instagram Post  Bad ASS shirt Anytime rain is in the forecast for a race my mind drifts back to last year’s Zane Grey 50 Miler.   That one still stings.   But for the Javelina Jangover 50k I was looking forward to the rain.  The lower temps and a run-able course made my mind spin with thoughts of a PR. But I had to remind myself, not to go out to fast! My wife and I carpooled to McDowell Mountain Regional Park with Chris, a fellow runner and accomplished bow hunter, and his wife.   We got to the park, picked up are bibs, and begin to get our gear ready for the run. I was excited to be back on the Pemberton trail, last time I was there was for the JJ100. Looking West from the parking lot Looking East Near the Start line The skies were beautiful, any direction you turned to look you were in for a treat.   I snapped a few photos, caught up with a few friends and eagerly awaited the start of the 50k.   The 75k runners wer...

 Due to Extreme Weather the Race Ended up only being 33 Miles.  I only made it 17. The Zane Grey 50 Miler is a race I have been dreaming of running since I crewed for my buddies in 2012.  I have the utmost respect for its history and lore of it being ruggedly tuff.  Per the Website its “Regarded as the toughest, roughest and most beautiful 50 mile trail runs in the country. It runs point-to-point along the Highline trail from Pine to Christopher Creek, Arizona” Early on race week I begin to hear chatter of a huge storm set to roll in the Saturday of the race.  As the week went on, the talk of a more substantial storm lit up Facebook.  I begin to worry a bit. I was constantly checking weather.com for updates.  This added to the anxiety I was already feeling for the race under normal conditions.  “It’s the afternoon heat that gets you” I heard over and over while planning for the race.  Now I had to plan for cold weather. I packed ...

I recently had the honor of being a guest on the “Running in the Center of the Universe” Podcast.  The show is hosted by Ashland Dave.  I have been listening to the show close to 3 years now.  What draws me to the show is how real and down to earth Dave is.  I like his running stories and perspective on life.  I think he is a straight shooter and shares the same love I have for running. I have emailed the show several times to comment and share my opinion on various topics.  When I mentioned to Dave I had completed the Javelina Jundred (JJ100) I was asked if I would like to be a guest on the show.  I did not hesitate to say yes.  After a few months the interview took place on Wednesday April 16, 2014 .  Here is the link.   Running in the Center of Universe Podcast I will be honest, I was nervous; it was my first Podcast interview.  It was exciting to re-live the JJ100, which was my first and only 100 mile race/run to d...

It was only 7 more miles to finish, but I decided to drop at 24.  To be honest I was hurting , both knees were screaming, and my heart was not in it.  This was my fourth ultra DNF.    Those that know me well can attest to how sensitive and emotional a person I am.  My running reflects that. I made a rookie mistake at the Coldwater Rumble 50k at the end of January.  I will call it my zero drop flop.  I went from Hoka shoes to a zero drop Altra shoe. For those not familiar I will describe it as going from platform shoes to flats. I love the Altra's, but instead of the slow transition, the shoes went straight from the box to my feet and on the trail for a 50k. I paid for it greatly.  I have been sidelined with and injured foot.   Enough wining.  I wanted to run Elephant Mountain since it's inception. I signed up Tuesday, the last day online registration was possible.  It all felt backwards for me.   But I will say this.  What...

  Going into JJ100 I knew I'd be facing my biggest running challenge to date. This meant that I needed to approach this run with the right mind set, be patient and run smart in order to finish. This is an epic event that more then lives up to its myth. When I lined up on Saturday morning, October 26th 2013, I did my best to calm my nerves and reminded myself to have fun and enjoy the adventure. At the start of the race I positioned my self mid pack as the plan was to start off slow and be conservative. In training I had run the 15 mile Pemberton Trail loop and knew from experience and reading blogs/advice on face book, it was easy to go out fast. I did not want to blow up early. During the early miles of the first loop I was over thinking things which caused some unneeded anxiety. So it felt good when I finally got into a rhythm. Beyond the mid point of my first lap I saw the front runners on their second loop pushing the pace. I did not spend much time at head qua...

It was a little after 5am Sunday morning June 9 th when I pulled into my drive way.   I had been awake nearly 23 hours, 8 hours of that was spent running in the pitch dark of night, dodging spiders, snakes, and other creatures while enduring the Arizona heat.   It was an incredible and thrilling adventure.   Glowing from the experience, I wanted badly to spill my guts to someone, anyone, but everyone I knew was asleep.   I thought about hitting up twitter or facebook but said Nah.   I wanted to take a shower. The race took place at McDowell Mountain Regional Park in Fountain Hills Arizona . It was HOT.   So uncomfortable, crawl out of your skin, shoot yourself hot.   The energy at the starting line was electric, with so many like minded people in their element; it is very contagious and hard not to be in the moment.   I was finally able to relax, as best you can before running 40 miles, since I had been very stressed for a few day...

Summer time in Phoenix, AZ brings on the dreaded oven scorching temperatures that can kill most outdoor enthusiasts training mojo.  I do my best to tolerate it, knowing it will make me stronger, but it never gets easy. Driving to the trail hea d without  the  AC  on ,   try ing to  and acclimatize,  then being careful to not blast it too soon after the run is a common routine. Two  years  ago I trained for my first ultra over the summer months.  I had no clue what I was doing and it nearly destroyed me as I suffered the last 13 miles to finish that first 50k.  After that I vowed to train harder and smarter. Training harder and smarter came to a halting stop as I entered my first 50 mile race  (that next summer) prematurely , Aravaipa’s Flagstaff 50  Endurance R un.   Two months was not enough  time  and my legs ached with every training run as  I  broke most every training rule and upped my mi...