The Search for Something...

Grandview/Tonto Run, Grand Canyon

2012-03-02T16:53:00.000-08:00

This morning I got in a run on the Grandview Trail down to Horseshoe Mesa and the Tonto Trail for a nice "lollipop" loop. The loop consisted of the Grandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa where I then took a left and went down to Cottonwood Creek and the Tonto Platform. From Cottonwood, I ran east on the Tonto to Hance Creek and then back up, past Page Springs, to Horseshoe Mesa, finishing on the Grandview Trail again to get to the rim.

Great run! Not too long or too big of an elevation gain/loss for Grand Canyon standards (about 17 miles and about 3,700 feet of elevation loss and 3,700 feet of elevation gain).

Weather was a bit burly at the beginning (extremely high winds while navigating the first section of super exposed trail packed with deep snow). I even went knee deep in a few spots with big!! exposure just a foot or two from the trail. Woke me up to say the least!

Once a few miles in and past the snow I was able to stow the microspikes and just cruise along in the canyon... simple, pure bliss. I took my time, jogging along, taking photos and taking a few side trips out to the edge of the Tonto Platform to check out the inner canyon. Super spectacular as always.

The loop took me 4 hours 10 minutes. Super slow by running standards but, who cares, it was a perfect mode for the day. I just couldn't bring myself to "crank" today. Leisure mode seemed the way to go and I fully enjoyed it. As a bonus, because of the leisure mode I didn't have to deal with the usual "death march/shuffle mode" coming back out of the canyon either.

So... here's the run in photos.

(Even though I had to keep focused on the upper switchbacks due to deep snow, exposure and high winds, I really enjoyed the upper switchbacks. Beautiful place to be...and exciting!)

(Morning light. Love it!)

(More drifty deep snow to post hole through...awesome!)

(Snow free and cruiser running once near Horseshoe Mesa.)

(Down, down I go...off Horseshoe Mesa and down to the Tonto Platform.)

(Nice moment of light as I dropped down onto the Tonto Platform at Cottonwood Creek.)

(I just couldn't pass up taking a few shots of this plant. I really enjoy the cool plants and things I find along the Tonto.)

(Cottonwood Creek...flowing strong for such a dry winter. Glad to see it. I keep thinking I will camp here sometime and explore down this canyon...nice spot.)

(This sign at Cottonwood Creek, on the Tonto, is one of my favorite signs in the canyon. Big time adventure in each direction!)

(This is the Tonto at it's finest...rugged, dry and cactus riddled!

(Colorado River in the distance. I noticed it while on a side trip off the Tonto.)

(Looking up toward the South Rim and the Hance Creek drainage from the Tonto. I really liked this spot for some reason.)

(Flowers in the canyon! There are a few poking around...)

(My first view of water in Hance Creek. This is another canyon that seems like fun to camp at and explore.)

(Miner garbage at Page Springs.)

(I always seem to find myself crawling up into this cave when I'm here. Nice spot.)

(I would love to see a ton of bats shoot out of this shaft!)

(Gotta leave at some point... off I go to the snowy rim and my car. Another great run in the canyon as always.)

The family keeps on running...

2012-03-01T07:31:00.001-08:00

Below are the runners in my family that are inspiring me today!

(My grandfather, Chuck)

(My brother, Josh)

(My mom, Kim)

(My dad, Dick)

As I have stated in earlier posts, I come from a family of runners and am continuously amazed by their ability to keep cranking and inspire! Looks like my parents, Kim and Dick have entered the Humboldt Redwoods Marathon in October, my grandfather, Chuck, is on his quest to run 80 miles on his 80th birthday and my brother, Josh, is entered in the famed Chuckanut 50k in March! Super inspiring. Good luck everyone with your races!

Keep up with my mom at her blog here, my grandfather's blog about him training for his 80 mile run here and my brother's blogs here and here.

Good Stuff!!!

Dip in the Canyon before work

2012-02-18T21:35:00.001-08:00

Getting to run Rim to Rim on the S. Kaibab in the Grand Canyon before I had to start work at 11 am and work a 10 hour day...it's just another reminder that I'm very lucky to live in Flagstaff. I mean, how rad is that!

I definitely had many a moment during my work day today where I paused and thought about how novel and rad it was to have been to the bottom of the Grand Canyon earlier in the morning (and all the special experiences that come along with that...) and still home by 10 am to get ready for work and then be working a regular full day shift. Super crazy.

Gotta love the Grand Canyon. Life is good.

(First sunlight in the canyon after running in the dark and pre-dawn light for almost 2 hours. Priceless.)

Horseshoe Mesa Grand Canyon

2012-02-13T09:26:00.000-08:00

Susan and I got out for a day hike down to Horseshoe Mesa in the Grand Canyon over the weekend. Great day out in the canyon as always! Here's a few shots from the day.

(Standard trailhead photo at the Grandview trailhead before hiking in.)

(Microspikes made the icy and snowy first mile or so casual fun instead of a sketch fest to our death. I don't think I would ever try to hike in the canyon during the winter without 'em.)

(Great exposure at the top of this trail. Love it.)

(Still snow on the trail! Surprising to see it stick around so low with such a mild winter. Says a lot about why people usually don't do this trail during heavier snowfall winters.)

(Looking out toward where the trail continues down to Horseshoe Mesa.)

(Microspikes served us well.)

(Finally out of the snow and basking in the warm winter canyon air.)

(Ruin at Horseshoe Mesa.)

(Pottery shard found on a limestone rock along the trail.)

(Heading out the right (east) leg of the horseshoe to get to the primo viewpoint.)

(Rad yucca plants.)

(View of the expansive Tonto shelf and the grand canyon from the Horseshoe Mesa viewpoint.)

(Lovin' the sun at the viewpoint. Good stuff.)

(Tourist shot at the viewpoint!)

(Millipede remains.)

(Last thoughtful looks out over the canyon before hiking back out.)

(Susan at the viewpoint.)

(At the viewpoint.)

(Heading back across Horseshoe Mesa.)

(Love these things.)

(Heading back up into the snow and shade.)

(Classic evening shadows at the Grand Canyon. I always enjoy this time of day.)

(Almost out.)

(It just got more beautiful the closer we got to the rim.)

(Sick. Great last view to take in before leaving. Another great day in the canyon.)

Elden Slabs

2012-02-10T08:32:00.000-08:00

Done the slabs? You should! It has to be one of the finest 'quick' adventures in Flagstaff and probably sees some of the least attention of the rad things to do here.

Why such little attention and traffic? I can only imagine it is because there is no trail up it, it can be a bit difficult to find the start if you haven't done it before, it looks a little intimidating and no one ever really talks about it. I mean, I am a climber, hiker and runner in Flagstaff and have lived here for over a decade and I didn't do it until yesterday!

Not that I want it to be a highway (although, it never will be...) but I think that more people should do the Elden Slabs. Once you navigate your way onto the lower part, it is a surreal experience scrambling up them. It is never too technical...I used my hands here and there but it was never even 4th class in my opinion. Just steep enough to be exciting but not steep enough to get scared or need a rope. It is flat out super fun.

I was lucky enough to go with some friends from work and one of 'em, Chris, had done the slabs multiple times. He helped us navigate the somewhat tricky route finding to get onto the bottom of the slabs and then it was 'no brainer' scrambling from there. Just go up the most wide open and easiest to travel sections of the slab. Veer to far to the left and you cliff out and veer to far to the right and you end up in brush and gullies. We found that if we just kept going up and trending slightly left we were able to easily stay on the slabs all the way to the top ridge that took us to the summit radio towers.

Besides the obvious fun of scrambling the slabs, I was particularly excited to do the slabs as a recon to maybe add them to my list of local training runs. I was hoping they would link nicely into the Elden Lookout Trail for a nice adventure run loop. Well, after doing it, I was psyched. It was sick and it linked very nicely. Nothing in Flagstaff compares to this unique training opportunity. I will most definitely add it to the list.

Here's the loop:
Run up Fat Mans Loop until able to turn left onto Pipeline Trail. Follow Pipeline Trail for a short distance until you are near the base of the 'Elden Slabs' and just before a large group of boulders along the trail. Here's where it's tricky (until the approach to the slabs gets more defined someday...). There is a boulder just before the large group of boulders that has a faint trail next to it that leads up toward Elden. It could be very, very easy to miss this faint trail unless it gets more use. Follow this faint trail up until you start running into scrambling on blobs of rock to go up and onto the 'Elden Slabs'. If I made this sound simple, it isn't. If you haven't done this section before it is worth going with someone that has or have some time on your hands because it is not obvious, unless, like I say, it gets more traffic and there are cairns or something. Once on the 'Elden Slabs' it will be obvious because it is a wide open expanse of slabby rock. Like a steep sidewalk. Pad your way up these slabs trending left slightly as you go. Once the top of the slabs are reached, you will follow a bouldery and brushy ridge that takes you directly to the summit towers of Mt. Elden. From the towers, take the Elden Lookout Trail back down and then link into Fat Man's Loop to get back to the car. If I remember right...it ends up being pretty much 5 1/2 miles for the whole loop, car to car.

We did it car to car in 2 hrs 21 minutes and we went pretty slow and enjoyed it. I could see people cranking this out in some fast times and, holy crap, I think that could be a lot of fun! Just going all out on the slabs and then tearing it up back down the Elden Lookout Trail seems like a blast. I see this loop having the potential to be one of the more popular training loops in Flagstaff for people wanting to have a bit of adventure in their running and hiking and push some fast times too. I most certainly will put it into my training and see where my PR's take me. I can't wait to get back up there. This is going to be fun!

So, if you haven't done the slabs...get on out there and do 'em! You will love it!!

(The Elden Slabs Loop)

(On Fat Man's Loop, approaching the slabs)

(Near the slabs on Forces of Nature trail)

(Looking up at the base of the slabs. The approach took us up through the right, center of this photo)

(Zak getting onto the bottom of the slabs)

(On the slabs!)

(Off we go on the slabs...fun, fun, fun!)

(Sick!)

(Nearing the top of the slabs)

(You can go around this feature at the top of the slabs but why not climb it! We thought it was the perfect way to finish the slabs...kind of like icing on the cake!))

(Super fun climbing!)

(Typical terrain above slabs on way to summit)

(at the summit towers)

(headed down Elden Lookout Trail)

(Low on Elden Lookout Trail and almost to the car...sick loop!!!!!!)

Sh*t Ultrarunners Say

2012-01-26T12:02:00.000-08:00

So true it almost makes me embarassed!

...damn funny.

...more on Transitions

2012-01-25T08:39:00.000-08:00

I feel like I am going through some of the biggest transitions in my life and am still sorting it all out.

The major transition is from my 'no responsibility' and 'seat of my pants' young adult life where I used to have all the time in the world to do any and all of my own selfish wants and desires. Usually, that meant climbing, climbing and more climbing. I would climb, explore for new routes and develop new routes like I was made for it and nothing else. Sure, I had relationships but they all fizzled out. My first love was climbing and the exploration for undeveloped rock. Everything else came second. Even my family paid the price for my rock climbing passion. Trips to see family were few and far between as a young adult.

Don't get me wrong. I was climbing that much for a reason. It truly defined me and I loved it. It was how I expressed myself and I have always expressed myself with passion and vigor. I don't like to half ass things. It's all or nothing. It's just that with all those amazing experiences and explorations it came at a cost to other parts of my life. Nothing comes without a cost and with the way I threw myself at climbing the family and relationship side of my life paid dearly.

In the last seven years, since my 30th birthday, I have noticed a big, obvious transition happening. It has occurred slowly at first and then more rapidly in the last couple years but the transition is, in deed, happening.

When I turned 30, a girlfriend relationship for much of my adult life ended and climbing wasn't quite 'doing it' for me like it had in the past. It didn't take long for me to transition to figuring out what the heck I was doing with my life and what it was all about. I hadn't thought much about this concept up to that point as rock climbing consumed all my thoughts. But, when I opened the door to this process, I hit it hard and went right for the deep end. I was determined to comb my mind for where I wanted to go in my life, what was important and how I wanted to feel. I was ready to walk through the door to the next phase of life, where ever that took me.

Growing up in a Christian household, I wasn't interested in exploring that avenue for spiritual and mental fulfillment. Instead, I dove into the studies and practices of Zen and read up on Zen and Buddhism. I immediately found a deep connection with Zen and other eastern philosophies. I meditated, learned and practiced Tai Chi, fasted a couple times and completely changed my eating habits to healthier ones.

I never stopped climbing, it was still a huge part of my life. I felt the need to redefine how it fit in my life, what motivated me to do it and how I was going to live the rest of my life if I didn't always have climbing as my central focus as I got older. Climbing just didn't seem sustainable at the level I was making it in my life. It just didn't seem healthy anymore. There had to be more out there besides just climbing.

As I dove deeper and deeper into meditation and Tai Chi, continued eating better and contemplating my life, I found Susan.

From the moment we started hanging out I knew I wanted to be with her. She was amazing, beautiful, and kind. Her compassion for those around her, love for family and passion for what she does blew me away. I had never been with anyone like that. All my past girlfriends were still searching for their passions in life and 'immature' (just like I was). No surprise, as I generally dated women that 'fit nicely' into my lifestyle. I didn't want any girl I dated to compromise my ability to climb and explore when and where I wanted. Not cool, obviously, but it was what it was. Susan, was different, I actually wanted to sacrifice for her.

As much as I had good intentions, I didn't do a very good job early in our relationship...

Even though I thought I was getting my sh*t together; becoming more connected with my inner thoughts and feelings, becoming more interested in my family and starting to define a new self, she tested me at a graduate level when I was grossly under prepared and still operating at a freshman level. I was not prepared for such a strong woman. Our relationship started out amazing but then we hit some major walls when I just couldn't figure out how to let go of my wanting to control the relationship and do what I wanted and treat her the way I wanted.

I was really surprised and embarrassed with how I acted because I knew from my recent years of self exploration that I wanted a strong person to share my life that would inspire me and challenge me and I thought I was ready for that. I guess that I still had some learning to do to actually achieve that reality.

Luckily, Susan fought with and for me and a couple years after we started dating we tied the knot. Without her seeing in me that I could change and be more selfless in a relationship, our relationship would have had a similar fate as all my past relationships. I am a lucky person to have found someone so passionate, loving and supportive as Susan.

Since our wedding day I still feel like I haven't graduated...I'm not even close. But, I like to think that I am maybe in the range of late Sophomore. Much better than a freshman.

Although I tend to still eat better than in my youth, I don't sit down and take the time to meditate anymore and Tai Chi has faded in my memory. I have taken the lessons learned from those practices to my heart and they have been replaced with the new practices of trail and ultra running and being a better husband and family member. I even still get to slip in a little climbing and route development to round it all out.

These new 'practices' and the balance of them all with my continued love of climbing and routes development is the central part of my current transition and sorting it all out...

With this new life that is so different than my twenties, I still have moments of conflict in my mind. I try to hold on to a past life and it's way of 'fancy free' living and exploration while developing a new more complex and enriching life. I know in my mind that if I live my 'old way' that I will not be able to sustain and move forward in a life, devoting enough time to my love and experiences with Susan and the rest of my family. But, for some reason I still struggle with trying to hold onto these 'old ways'.

Not to say that I can't and haven't been able to marriage the two parts of my life. I have to a certain extent. Susan is very supportive of me taking time to look for new routes and ultra run, both of which take a fair bit of time to do and are often separate from her and my other responsibilities.

It's just that I am starting to ponder more and more the importance of how often I want to do these activities and where they fit it. I feel that I have balanced my life much better now but I feel that as life gets faster and faster and busier and busier that I need to get better and better at getting the most for my time with these things and not all of it is sustainable.

As we talk about having kids in the coming years it gets even harder and harder to find the line of sustainability with climbing and running and how they balance with the other important parts of life in Susan and family.

My goal in writing this all down is to reflect on how I got here and see if I can use that to help mold how I go forward. I know that exploring the natural world by working hard physically (for the moment it is climbing and running...) is always going to be a part of my life. It is who I am no matter what I would try to do to change it. I have to recognize that. I guess that my goal moving forward is to continue to try to be smart in my decisions in how I fit it into the rest of my life so that it is a productive part instead of a destructive part.

Climbing rocks and running through desert canyons are fun and rewarding and all, and a part of who I am, but I don't want to be limited by that. Letting it cloud my vision of what's really important. I want to love my wife and family and have a deep connection with them. Climbing and running will need to fit into that and be sustainable. What an exciting and interesting transition to work through...now I think I'll go for a run!

Hole to Hump article in Sedona Magazine

2012-01-23T06:48:00.000-08:00

Big thanks to Adam Gifford of the Sedona Running Company for getting an article in the winter edition of Sedona Magazine of us running Hole to Hump last October. Almost makes me feel cool!

Transitions

2012-01-11T12:43:00.000-08:00

I heard this podcast today while working and I really connected with it. In the podcast Fitz Cahall talks about his transitions in life as an outdoor enthusiast.

I feel that as I get older, or more specifically, in the last few years that I have been transitioning from a young single minded outdoor enthusiast to outdoor enthusiast with a 'more whole life' as an adult, husband and potential, someday father. I am really excited to take on these transitions, battle through the hard times and cherish the special moments along the way. I am realizing that without these transitions my life would become stagnant, boring and I wouldn't ever get anywhere. I am really excited about the transitions and challenges that lay ahead and I feel very fortunate to have such great family, wife and friends to share them with. So, here's to transitions.

Check out the podcast here.

WFR...check

2012-01-09T20:50:00.000-08:00

I finally came out of the hole that was called Wilderness First Responder Class. I passed, but not without losing my life for 9 straight days. Wow, I had forgotten how it feels to be in a school setting.

Good stuff though, as I now have some much needed skills to help deal with running into bad situations in the wilderness. I assume that this point that the odds of me running into someone in dire need of help while out on a run in the middle of nowhere is getting greater and greater since I am out there so much more. Good to be prepared and helpful. Who knows, I might be able to help myself get out of a bind or two because of what I learned. Good for work too as I am probably going to help out with our guide service a bit more in the coming years.

(The WFR crew 'Team Norskog')

Since class, I had the weekend to play with Susan and remember that I had a wife and a life going on post class. We had a particularly good day on Sunday, climbing Flip Wilson in Sedona. Really fun route cuz it was pretty much a sport route and it went to the top of Courthouse Butte. Really cool setting...always is in Sedona.

I'm hoping to get back to running as I didn't do jack sh-t during the class...get the legs moving again. The weather has been totally unbelievable the last few weeks and I aim to try to get out in it a bit more before winter finally comes back to Flagstaff. Maybe some more climbing with Susan and getting some runs in the Canyon. We will see...

I'll end this post with a really motivating video I just watched... good stuff!

Go do what you love!!!

Clear Creek Grand Canyon

2011-12-26T14:01:00.000-08:00

Susan was out of town visiting family for Christmas while I had to stay back to work. I had Christmas Day off to do what ever I wanted so I ticked a route I have wanted to do for quite some time in the Grand Canyon, the Clear Creek Trail and Cheyava Falls from the south Rim. This is about the same distance as the famed Rim to Rim to Rim but with the twist of lesser used trails and some off trail travel (read rugged and adventure!). This is a route similar to Tonto link ups that really get you out there.

So the route I did was S. Kaibab to Phantom Ranch, N. Kaibab, Clear Creek and then finishing with the faint trailed but mostly trailless section of Clear Creek to Cheyava Falls.
Total miles: 43
Total elevation gain/loss: about 7,000 feet accumulative up and about 7,000 ft. accumulative down
Time taken to do it car to car: 12 hours 20 minutes

Awesome stuff. It ended up being just what the doctor ordered. An off the beaten path, out there, all day adventure in the canyon. I came back wrecked from the fun with an endless list of awesome memories. Man, the canyon never ceases to deliver!

Here's the day in photos...

(Starting down the S. Kaibab at an early 5:15 am with the temp in the twenties.)

(The trip down the S. Kaibab was like a dream... amazing stars, freezing crisp and dead still quiet air. Super amazing. Photo above is crossing the bridge at the Colorado still in the dark.)

(Just a little bit of light coming...and just in time to take in the sights of the Clear Creek Trail. I have never been on this trail so I was psyched to see what lay ahead.)

(As I neared the Tonto Platform, on the Clear Creek Trail, I caught this cool view of the Colorado River in first light.)

(Taking my first steps onto the Tonto Platform on the north side of the Colorado River...new territory for me!)

(First light in the canyon, always awesome...)

(View from Clear Creek Trail of Zoroaster Temple. Also, you can see in the left side of the photo the break in the limestone layer that climbers use to approach Zoroaster.)

(More first light action.)

(Views back to the south rim. The start of the S. Kaibab Trail is almost dead center top of photo. Looks icy cold over there.)

(Pot holes. I really liked this spot. Beautiful.)

(First sun shine on Clear Creek Trail...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Warming up.)

(Good to see my shadow! Means sun rays are warming my body.)

(Fantastic views. Zoroaster in back.)

(Saw lots of dear along the Clear Creek Trail.)

(First views of Clear Creek Canyon.)

(Looking toward north rim with Clear Creek Canyon in center. Clear Creek camp is in bottom center of photo.)

(Clear Creek camp!)

(A cute camp I traveled by en route to Cheyava Falls. Camping at Clear Creek seems like a must someday. I would be cool to spend 2 or 3 days here sometime.)

(Clear Creek.)

(Entrance to tighter upper Clear Creek above the camp sites. I followed upper Clear Creek (little to no trail) to Cheyava Falls.)

(After the initial tighter section of Clear Creek the canyon opened up for a little while. Beautiful, of course.)

(Clear Creek Ruin with Metate in right side of photo. Cool!)

(Continuing up Clear Creek the canyon got tighter and the canyon floor became quite lush with green grass, moss and trees. Not very Grand Canyon like...)

(Upper part of the Clear Creek Canyon was pretty much boulder hopping and off trail travel. Gave it a more adventurous feel. Love it!)

(Cheyava Falls...dry. I thought it might be as it usually only flows in the spring after heavy snow melt but, dry or not, I wanted to make it there and see weather it would be flowing or not for my own eyes. Maybe there would be at least a trickle...I guess not. Still a spectacular spot to reach.)

(Closer view of where Cheyava Falls would be. (the dry falls is the grey stain in lower center of photo))

(An example of what the falls would look like in a strong run off year. I guess I should come back in the spring some time...)

(Metate near the falls.)

(Rad!)

(View back down canyon from the falls. I hung out for about a 1/2 hour here soaking in the views and sunshine. Great place to find myself.)

(Very happy.)

(Favorite section on the way back down Clear Creek Canyon to get back to the Clear Creek Trail. I just couldn't get over how green the ground was from grass and moss even with frost covering some of it!)

(Cactus! Particularly cool part of the trip back down to the Clear Creek Trail.)

(Finally back down to Clear Creek camp.)

(Big time sun once back onto the Tonto Platform on the Clear Creek Trail. Long way to go to get back to the car...)

(More deer sightings...)

(Bridge for the S. Kaibab Trail...a welcome sight after traversing the Tonto Platform on the Clear Creek Trail for a couple hours and starting to feel the physical beat down from the day.

(A favorite switchback on the way down to Phantom Ranch.)

(Ahhhhhhh... off the rugged Clear Creek Trail and onto the plush N. Kaibab Trail. Gotta love the smooth ride of the corridor trails. It's kind of like bumping around on dirt roads and then getting on a paved road. PLUSH1)

(Heading to the S. Kaibab bridge...getting ready for the huge uphill slog to the car? Never am, but no choice...gotta go up.)

(Right after I crossed the bridge I was met with this awesome going away present, a close encounter with a big horn sheep. Really cool. Check out the video, it's long but worth it I think. Glad I could capture it with video!)

(I think I take a photo of this section of the S. Kaibab on every trip with a camera. It is probably my favorite section. Beautiful!)

(Softer light of evening as I reach the top of the limestone layer on the S. Kaibab. Slow moving at this point but, oh well, I had some fantastic evening light to keep me company as I suffered.)

(Quick look back at where I was earlier in the day... the Clear Creek Trail traverses below the small, distant spire (Zoroaster) in the center of the photo.)

(Last bits of evening glow to finish the trip.)

(Reaching the rim just as it got dark. Good timing as it was already back in the twenties. Chilly finish but oh so good. Reaching the rim always produces an indescribable feeling of satisfaction after long days in the canyon. )

Great day out!

Red Rocks...too quick and too cold

2011-12-24T17:34:00.000-08:00

Squeezed in a three day trip to Red Rocks near Las Vegas for some climbing with Susan this week. Temps seemed just warm enough for the normally tricky dead of winter and we were in dire need to get out of town for some climbing so we made it happen.

Ended up being a good trip for just plain being away but due to some poor planning with sun/shade and the weather going a bit south we didn't get as much climbing in as we would have hoped. All in all, I won't complain though...who can when they get to hang out in Red Rocks! Good or bad weather, this place is sick no matter how many times I've been here it never gets old. So much to do!

Here are a few shots from the trip...

(Found along the way to Vegas. If you can guess which gas station bathroom in Kingman, AZ this is from I'll give you 75 cents to use the next time your there!)

(First day...fun but chossy routes above the famous Calico Boulders. This 5.10d was good fun.)

(Warm and sunny the first day.)

(More 5.10d choss fun.)

(Susan on a CHOSSY 11a, just to the right of the 10d. This route rains choss and is not recommended. I got a decent silhouette shot of Susan on this route though. See it?)

(Victory after breaking holds left and right on my way to the top...why this route was bolted in the first place is beyond me. We had fun on it though...laughing as we launched choss off of it, over and over, with just the wight of our feet. Good fun.)

(Finally, terra firma.)

(Day two:..I always love first light waking up in the back of the car on a road trip! )

(On day two, the idea was to get some warm multi pitching in on the Solar Slab. Here we are getting ready in the parking lot for the hike to the wall.)

(Susan approaching Solar Slab.)

(Psyched and ready for some shirtless, multi pitching, jug hauling fun on Beulah's Book 5.9!)

(On the fun first pitch. Cruising in the sun.)

(Wait a minute...where did the sun go? Well, we had to do the next two pitches in the cold winter shade. Great climbing but not ideal with no shirt on! Fun stuff. Ha. Oh, and for the climbers out there that have done this route...yes, I did climb the face next to the offwidth/chimney pitch like a wimpy sport climber. Who cares though, the face was rad!)

(Once we reached the big ledge at the top of Lower Solar Slab we found sun again and we took full advantage of it. We just hung out and absorbed the warm goodness and views. Great route and good times. Cold and all.)

(Descent down Solar Slab Gully...time to get cold again (no sun in this gully). )

Last day ended up super cold and super, super windy. We didn't see the need to be miserable just to get another day in so we got our butts out of there and headed back to Flagstaff. We always seem to battle tricky cold weather when trying to climb around Christmas. I'd say we could chalk this one up to another one of those trips and are again reminded how the months of December-January can be quite tricky for desert climbing. Great to be out though, cold or not, and the icing on the cake for the trip was watching some serious epics by other climbers on Johnny Vegas 5.7 next to Beulah's Book (a whole other story...). Holy crap... amazing people don't die doing their first multi pitch routes.

Resistance Training...on accident

2011-12-14T18:36:00.000-08:00

Powering through knee deep snow for 10 miles is my definition of resistance training... I was hoping for an easier time of it and get a good run in with only a couple sections of deep, untraveled snow but it was not the case today in the Dry Lake Hills. Today was built for getting the legs WORKED!

Yesterday it snowed BIG TIME and we received over a foot of snow in Flagstaff and who knows how much more in higher elevations. I went on my run this morning looking to get some running in and beat down a trail in the tougher, deeper sections for future runs. Pretty much the plan was to make a plush trough for the standard classic loop on the Dry Lake Hills to keep the dream alive for running up there this winter.

And, even though I got the beat down from running today (read: I walked at least 80% of the run), I had a great time forcing a trail through knee deep snow, looking for and seeing animals (I say a bunch of turkeys at one point on Rocky Ridge) and taking in the beautiful sights.

Here's some of my favorite images from the run:

(This was the only good section of trail and it lasted 100 yards from the gate on Schultz Pass Road to the Schultz Creek/Rocky Ridge Trailheads.)

(Cutting off the good bit of beat down trail and heading right into 'resistance training land' of deep snow...little did I know I would be pushing snow for the entire loop.)

(Here we go...on to the Rocky Ridge Trail.)

(Typical trail conditions for the whole loop...I'm not joking! This photo is on the lower and less snowy Rocky Ridge (still over one foot of snow here).)

(Easier moving in only 6 inches of fresh powder for the short section of road on the Elden Lookout Road to hook up with Brookbank. 5 minutes of pure bliss.)

(Here we go again...postholing fun!)

(Here comes the sun...)

(Looking back at Flagstaff from high on the Brookbank Trail.)

(I'm glad I captured this moment...simple, quiet, beautiful.)

(One of these bad boys will be blocking the trail this spring...stay strong old snag!)

(Almost to the dry lakes at the top of the Dry Lake Hills! Probably my favorite part of this loop, especially in winter.)

(Looking back at my fresh tracks. Hard fought through thigh deep snow in this section but worth it (maybe) for making future runs easier.)

(Dry Lakes. Sick!)

(Looking back at more of my tracks. Awesome place to be!)

(Love it. Beautiful.)

(Last look back at the Dry Lakes before heading down Little Gnarly.)

(DEEP snow on Little Gnarly. I was really hoping for snowshoe tracks here but none to be found...keep on postholing)

(Almost free? and escaping to the Schultz Pass Road and hopefully a path in the snow from hikers.)

(A favorite moment of mine from the day. Sun was out, billowing snow everywhere and the peaks perfectly framed.)

(I couldn't pass up taking a shot of this. Really cool to me for some reason.)

(FINALLY, on the Schultz Pass Road...but, what the hell, barely an tracks and 6 inch to a foot of powder...all the way down to the gate. BRING IT ON! Might as well keep up the resistance all the way to the gate...why not.)

(HEAVEN! Finally to the plowed mile of road back to the house. Luxury!!!)

(View of the peaks from my house after the run. Long hard run/hike but well worth it. Hopefully, the work will be worth it and I will be able to sustain a good trench on the loop and be able to run it weekly throughout the winter...we will see.)

Snow Running near Watson Lake

2011-12-05T06:53:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, Susan and I went down to the Prescott area to pick up a dining room table and some odds and ends Susan found on Craigslist. Also, we used the trip down as an excuse to get some exercise and explore some trails outside of Flag.

The run ended up being a bit shorter that either of us would have liked with our time constraints but we did our best to soak up the fantastic setting and amazing snowy conditions in the desert. We also did our best to not be defeated by some comical slips and me getting GU stuck between my butt cheeks like glue (still not sure where the GU came from cuz I didn't bring any...hmmm).

It was a great trail and someday it would be fun to find ourselves down there again to explore further. The trail system we explored was just north of Watson Lake (just north of Prescott). Find information about Prescott trails here.

Well, here is the run in pictures...

(Does snow running get any better than this?)

(Come on, Jason!)

(Water along the way...)

(Slick rock and snow...yeah!)

(Soak up that sun!)

(A cool bridge that connected boulders above the creek)

(Creek below Watson Lake Dam)

(Heading toward the lookout for Watson Lake...almost made it before turning around.)

(Good stuff!)

Snow run on Dry Lake Hills

2011-12-03T10:52:00.001-08:00

Thursday, during our first big push of snow earlier this week (it is still dumping snow right now...) I got out for a sweet run of the Schultz Creek/Little Gnarly/Rocky Ridge Loop on the Dry Lake Hills. Despite a general feeling of lead in my legs I really enjoyed the wild weather and felt fortunate to be out on such a magical day. Welcome to Winter!!! Here is the run in photos and video...

(Trail system sign at start of Schultz Creek Trail)

(Start of Schultz Creek Trail...let the fun begin!))

(Low on Schultz Creek Trail)

(Gotta love how color stands out in winter...)

(Starting up Little Gnarly)

(A favorite section of mine of the Little Gnarly Trail)

(Super frigid but beautiful up in the top of the Dry Lake Hills!)

(Heading back down the Brookbank Trail to Rocky Ridge)

(Just after a particularly wind/blizzard/freezing cold section of the Brookbank! Wow.)

(Low on the Brookbank Trail)

(Now to finish on the Rocky Ridge Trail)

Click on video to see a bit of me running on Rocky Ridge.

Gotta love running in the snow!!!

(I always enjoy the weirdness of seeing desert plants covered in snow)

We just bought a house!

2011-12-01T09:13:00.001-08:00

Super Psyched! Never thought it would happen...well, at least not until I became a real adult, whatever that means. So, here we are (Susan and I), mostly moved in with only a few odds and ends left to organize and buy (hopefully all on craigslist) making this house our own.

Surprisingly, all our stuff from the apartment filled the house up pretty quickly so we don't really need to gather too much more stuff. Our nesting process in the house, it seems, is pretty casual compared to what I thought it would be. Yes, it took us all four days of our Thanksgiving Holiday to get everything moved in and clean up our old apartment but that seems super easy compared to what some people must have to go through with places twice, four or six time as big as ours.

For me, there are some big time benefits to living where we do now.

The house we got was in Cheshire, which is a nice, quiet neighborhood in the northwest part of the city and the closest neighborhood to the Dry Lake Hills (my favorite area to run trails in Flagstaff). In fact, our front door is less than a mile from the Schultz Creek Trailhead (the classic starting point for all trail runs and loops in the Dry Lake Hills area and beyond to The Peaks and Mt. Elden trails too). So, on the running, hiking, mountain biking front, we are literally as close as we can get to the most epic trails in Flagstaff. I feel very lucky.

My commute to work is great too. Yes, I can drive to work when needed but with so many trail options to reach my work place downtown, why drive? I can take the gravel urban trail directly to downtown (2.5 miles), take a detour off of the urban trail near Cheshire and follow the newly finished single track Flagstaff Loop Trail that goes up on Observatory Mesa and then hooks back into the urban trail near downtown (about 5.5 to 6 miles) or I can head over to the Dry Lake Hills and Mt. Elden for less direct ways to work. All in all, it is the best commute I could imagine. I mean...singletrack trail commute in the forest from my house to work? Sick.

Beyond the awesome running and active stuff from our front door we are also very fortunate to flat out find a great house that fits pretty much what both Susan and I look for. It's on the smaller side so we don't need to figure out how to fill it with a bunch of stuff we don't need which fits our values. Every room is useful to us. Also, it has a back yard that we love. It was fixed up before it was sold to us so even though it is an older house (built in the 70's) everything on the inside is pretty much new which was really nice. Ohhh...and did I mention the Aspens in the yard? ...BONUS! I could continue on with what we love about the house but you get the idea...it's simple and has a lot of aspects about it that we want in a house. Good stuff!

Well, I assume that most readers of this blog could care less about what my house looks like and probably stopped reading half way through this post as they got bored of house talk but ...my family has requested a photo tour of the house...so, here it is. Now all of you need to come and visit!

And...THANK YOU BIG TIME to everyone that helped us out along the way, from friends and family to our realtor. This was a huge learning lesson for us and we feel that without all of your help we would have never had such a smooth go of it. Everything seemed to just work out for the best every step of the way and we have you all to thank. Thank you!!!

(Front of house)

(Carport)

(Right side of house and gate to back yard)

(View of Dry Lake Hills and (when it's not about to snow like today...) a view of The Peaks form the carport and front yard)

(Living room with fireplace!)

(Kitchen)

(View from living room toward dining room and kitchen)

(View out window of living room. View of peaks is standard unless it's about to snow like today.)

(Hallway with light from back yard)

(Back yard view from our bed room. Not showing you our bedroom...that's nasty!)

(Bathroom attached to our bedroom.)

(Second bathroom)

(Guest room...in progress)

(Study and view out to back yard)

(Lots of Aspens in the back yard. Awesome.)

(Aspens!)

(Back yard)

(Back yard and view of back of house)

Now time to go run in the Dry Lake Hills in the fresh snow!!! It just started falling...this is going to be an awesome run! See ya...

S. Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop PR and FKT rambling

2011-11-20T18:57:00.001-08:00

My PR
My run a few days ago may, or may not, have been a PR for me on the S. Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop so I figured I should post it so that I can remember for next time (I seem to forget to post my times for this loop every time I run it...). I ran the 17ish mile loop in 3 hrs 31 minutes.

I may have run it faster in the past but I seem to not have any record of it or recollection. So... even though I wasn't try to push it to much on this run, I did put in a decent time for what I can remember. Might as well have something to chase for next time if I feel like really going for it. It would seem that I could, with a strong effort, go close to or under 3 hours based on how my easy effort along with my recent lack of training played out here.

S. Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop FKT
This all makes me wonder if there is a FKT that anyone knows of for this loop... not that I would be able to come anywhere close to a FKT on this loop personally but it is fun to know what the fast folks have done. Based on the fastest times that I have heard of on the S. Kaibab Trail (about 2 hours Rim to River to Rim), I would guess that someone has probably run the S. Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop in 2 1/2 hours or less. Anyone have an idea of a FKT for the loop?

Now, just to be clear, the loop I'm talking about starts at the S. Kaibab Trailhead and then down to the river, crosses the east bridge on the Colorado River, travels past the water and bathroom at Bright Angel Creek and then back over the Colorado River again on the west bridge to head back up the Bright Angel Trail to the rim again. I am not including the paved trail that connects the Bright Angel and the S. Kaibab Trailheads along the rim (this would be a 25 mile loop). I park at the Bright Angel Trailhead and take the bus out to the S. Kaibab Trailhead to start like a true lazy ass runner. I really don't think the pavement is that fun, even if it is along the rim of the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon FKT's
Funny, that on the FKT website there is a fastest known time for R2R2R but no FKT's for some of the other amazing loops in the canyon and for the Tonto Trail. This seems like a bit of a no brainer as many of the trails and loops in the Grand Canyon are as good as R2R2R but maybe not as cool or as runnable or not as well known or something.

These are the trails/loops besides R2R2R that I could see being on the FKT list:
(all these runs assume no rim running, just running trailhead to trailhead)
-S.Kaibab (Rim to River to Rim-but not sure what the 'legit' turn around spot would be for the FKT as someone could not get water at the bottom and just turn around at the bridge on Colorado River? or go to the first water source over bridge or go all the way to Phantom Ranch water source before heading back up...)
-S. Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop
-Hermit/Tonto/Bright Angel Loop (a.k.a. The Grand Canyon Marathon)
-Tonto Trail

Then there are the many more rad loops that can be done using the Tonto and the Escalante Trails that could be added if you want to make the FKT list get even bigger. It seems that the above four additions would fit well though as they are very popular. Although...of course, all of this is very debatable and maybe that is why the R2R2R is the only route listed on the FKT website. It is the obvious one for sure.

Of course, I doubt that I am even close to holding a FKT on one of these routes so I won't be posting them up anytime soon. Maybe someone will though...it just seems fun to see how fast these routes have been done.

I probably sound like I'm trying to turn the Grand Canyon into a track but I'm not. It will always be wild and burly to run in there. I don't see it ever being a big track meet with the trails full of runners jockeying for position. It's just fun to chase some numbers once in a while even when running in a crazy place like the canyon. So...post up speedsters! I want to see just how slow I am!

S. Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop, a.k.a. Ego Boost Loop

2011-11-18T08:39:00.001-08:00

(Ego Boost Loop)

Want your running ego to go through the roof? ...well, I've got the run for you! The S. Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop in the Grand Canyon. You will feel like you are one of the best runners in the world, guaranteed!

Yesterday, while running this loop, my running ego was inflated to heights way, way, way beyond my or any one's ego should ever be allowed to soar. It's not because I deserved it, that's obvious. It was because I was a very average runner who happened to be running on one of the most famous trail loops in the world, thus, surrounded by hordes of all sorts of levels of hikers, with most of them having little to no trail experience and being way deeper in the canyon then they are prepared to deal with. Thus, to them, anyone running in the canyon (no matter how painfully slow...) is an Olympic athlete. It just blows their minds. So, imagine running past hundreds of hikers that fit the above description and receiving their slack jaw, bug eyed looks and comments ... you are set up for a major ego boost.

As I have, more recently, been running off the beaten path trails in the canyon, my only company has been the odd hiker who also is adept at back country travel, the birds animals, dirt, trees, plants, rocks, river and sky. It is often a solitary human experience. There is no one to stroke your ego. No fan fair at the rim when you finish. You have to run because you truly want to explore this fantastic place and that is all. Sure, I may tell the odd person at work or hanging out about my runs or blog about it here but most the people that I talk to or read my blog are outdoor folk with similar or better abilities than I and they don't bat an eye at what I've done. They usually respond by asking questions or sharing their experience about that particular trail as they have either been on it or will soon and probably will do it faster or in better style than I.

So, back to my run yesterday... I did feel really good and was running well. I even felt particularly strong climbing up the final steep sections of the Bright Angel Trail on the way back up to the rim but, again, I am a very average runner and my effort didn't warrant the looks and ego stroking remarks that were continually thrown at me.

The run down the S. Kaibab was marked by passing only two people near the beginning of the trail and scaring them as I went by. This is not because I sneak up on them maliciously and try to scare the crap out of them for fun. I generally say hello or excuse me well before reaching someone so that I won't scare them. But, for some reason, probably the majesty of the canyon and the amazing silence of the canyon, people get mesmerized, almost as if in a trance by the canyon and the effort of hiking, people don't ever hear me coming up from behind. Also, I think people just don't expect to have someone run past them in a place like this. So, at least half of the time I pass people they jump at least a few inches off the ground in fright. I have to admit that I do enjoy it even though I try to avoid it.

Back on track... after passing the couple hikers, I had complete silence in the canyon and extremely enjoyable running, just floating along, all the way to the river. It was pretty much perfect bliss.

Then, after getting water, I headed up the Bright Angel trail and it all began. The trail went from quiet, peaceful running to weaving around hordes of people and receiving their looks of shock and ego stroking comments. The run had transitioned to full on ego boost mode.

What exactly feeds the ego on this loop? Well, these are the things I heard and facial expressions I witnessed on the run to give you some idea. The first person I ran past was a backpacker who said "your one of those amazing runners I read about!" while his friend stood silently in shock with wide eyes and jaw dropped. The next many groups I went by were backpackers too and every one of them said "Will you carry my pack? Seems like you need more weight." Amazing that they would all say the exact same thing to me but they did. It is a very common comment to runners in the canyon... Higher up on the trail (around Indian Garden) the hikers transitioned from backpackers to day hikers. The responses I got from people also transitioned to a huge spike in general open mouths, bugged out eyes, heads shaking back and forth in disbelief, questions about if I went to the river and people talking behind my back after I went by them. The crowning moment was when I went past a group of a dozen Quakers in full dress that performed every ego boosting action listed above. I was literally floating along on my ego at that point!

All of this can be a bit crazy and irritating after the 100th person does it, especially after running in solitude so much in the canyon, but I also enjoy, every once in a while, soaking it all in and answering all their questions politely and getting that big ego boost. I mean, come on, running can be such a solitary sport (no body really knows what the hell we are doing most of the time nor do they care, we just run cuz we love too)...what's the harm in having some hikers make you feel good about yourself, like your something special every once in a while (even if your an average runner like me...).

I'd say there is nothing wrong about it...just soak it all in and then keep it all in perspective. I'm sure reality will settle right back in on your (and my) next run when someone of average running ability blazes past you on the trail as if you weren't moving. ...then it's back to reality. But remember...the S. Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop will always be there to feed the ego. Just go back and run it again to get your running ego fix! ...this trail should probably be prescribed by a doctor to every runner in the country to be done at least once a year!

Gila Trip diverted...back to Arizona

2011-11-16T07:59:00.001-08:00

No weekend in the Gila. Instead it was a weekend of wandering northern Arizona...not what we originally planned but still a weekend away is a weekend away!

We originally had planned to go to the Gila in southwestern New Mexico to meet some friends and do a hike/run in the mountains there. But...before that we flip flopped about 50 times about if we had the time to go or wanted to spend the money and to top it off Susan was maybe getting sick. We really wanted to explore a new area and hang out with friends but we just weren't sure if we could justify leaving town.

(The Catwalk. This is where our hike/run in the Gila was supposed to start. Looks pretty rad. Maybe some other time.)

In the end, we did decide to go to the Gila at the last possible hour, packed our stuff and were off driving in the car without being completely sure if we would even find our friends (at this point we had told them we weren't going...so, they didn't expect us anymore). Along the drive, we left messages with them hoping they would return the call and we would still be able to hook up.

Well, when we finally did get in touch with them they said that the loop we wanted to do was snowed in and in rough shape so they were headed further south in the Gila toward Silver City to climb, hot spring, eat steak, wander galleries and explore trails.

Poop...that foiled our plans to go there as we didn't have the time to drive further south and it wasn't worth it to drive all the way there if everything was going to be snowed in.

We parked it in a small town in eastern Arizona and tried to figure out a new plan... We were 3 hours from home and in need of a new direction for weekend play. We discussed exploring the trails of Gallup and brainstormed about other areas we didn't know much about and finally decided to head back to Northern Arizona and explore things a little closer to home. We turned the car around and headed to Payson.

That night, after a few more hours of driving, we drove through Payson and camped along the beautiful East Verde (an area that Jeff and I put up some sport routes last year). Finally!...we stopped driving, relaxed and got a great night sleep listening to the creek 100 feet away. East Verde is very reminiscent of Oak Creek between Flagstaff and Sedona. It's a small creek chalk full of lush grass and trees that contrast the dry and dusty desert surrounding it.

Then next morning we made a plan of visiting the Tonto Natural Bridge between Payson and Pine and then to Pine to run on the Highline Trail or Sedona to run. I was really excited to go to the Tonto Natural Bridge and explore it more as it is one of the most amazing looking 'potential climbing areas' in the United States and I wasn't able to walk through it during my visit last year (they weren't allowing people to walk under it as the creek was too high). I was convinced by that one visit, though, that this was a place I wanted to climb at (climbing there is not cool right now).

Well, our visit was awesome and I still wish that climbing could be possible there, but... after walking through it and being intimate with the space, I just don't see how the State Parks would ever feel comfortable with allowing us to put sport routes in there. The routes would be world class, hands down, but it seems to me that the state will never allow us to climb all over this gem...or at least it would take way, way more work and time than I, or potentially, anyone else would ever have to sway the State to allow climbing.

I guess it's better just to look at it and marvel. I guess we don't need to climb everything...arg.

(Approaching the massive arch. That thing is 200 ft high!)

(First steps inside the arch.)

(Huge underbelly of the arch. This thing is 300 ft from one end to the other!)

(Really amazing swimming holes under the arch...no swimming allowed though. Lame.)

(One of my favorite features of the cave. This wall is at least 150 feet tall and covered in tufas!!! I guessed there could be at least 20 routes on this wall alone!)

(Another view of the impressive tufa wall. Holy crap!)

(Having fun grabbing cool features and wishing I could climb here.)

(Loving it. Yes, we are in the middle of the arch. This thing is huge!)

(Beautiful place. Oh yeah, that IS a waterfall flowing over the exit of the arch. Sick!)

(Marveling at all the features.)

(Oh...just another 150 foot tall tufa covered wall...)

(Want to get a sense of the size of this arch? Check out the two people at the bottom of this photo. THIS ARCH IS HUGE.)

(Exiting the back side of the arch.)

(WOW. This wall is over 250 feet tall and overhangs at least 200 feet and, yes, it has holds all over it!!!)

(I couldn't resist...)

After experiencing the wow factor of the arch, we headed the short 10 minute drive to Pine and the West start of the Highline Trail to move our legs. I have wanted to check this trail out for the last couple years, as it is a rugged and wild 50 mile trail that traverses just below the Mogollon Rim...sounds like a great run to do some time.

Susan and I were going to do the west most 5 miles as an out and back starting next to Pine....until we got creeped out by the dude in the van that gave us a weird look as we parked. He was just hanging out in the parking lot, sitting in his van. After that weird encounter and a guy at the parking lot telling us that the weird guy in the van had been there for at least 4 hours, we decided to drive a few miles away to another trail head to start our run on the Highline Trail.

So, we drove over to the Red Rock Trail. It added a 1 mile approach to the Highline Trail and connects at Red Rock Spring. We used this trail to access the Highline Trail and then ran on the Highline west for a few miles. The trails (Red Rock and Highline) were in terrible shape, as I have been told by many, so we didn't really run very much. We just resigned ourselves to a day of hiking with a little running sprinkled in. I mean, who ever originally built that trail was whack. It is in extremely bad shape mostly due to water erosion because of how it was built. In fact, the trail is pretty much loose rocks, bushes, fallen trees and water gullies. Fun for me on an adventure run...but not fun for a relaxing run out with the wife. Luckily, the expansive views were nice so we enjoyed exploring the (new to us) trails. It's hard not to enjoy new trails!

(Red Rock Trailhead)

(Getting psyched!)

(This sign says that the trail is maintained by 'Payson Packers'. Hmmm...they have a different definition of maintained then I do.)

(Red Rock Trail/Highline Trail Junction)

(Part of Red Rock Spring.)

(There were some moron hunter's ATV's parked here that they drove, yes, drove miles up the Highline Trail to hunt. Trust me, this trail was not made for ATV's and I can't believe that this would be o.k. with the Forest Service or good for the already destroyed trail. Lazy idiots. To be honest...I'm not sure how they even were able to get their ATV's up the trail with how rugged it it. Crazy.)

(A really nice spot, high on a ridge, on the Highline Trail.)

(Red Rock Trail sign on the way back to the car.)

After our day of fun at Tonto and on the Highline Trail, we zipped over to Sedona to camp so that we could try and sneak in a run before the forcasted heavy rains for Sunday.

Well... about half way through the night the rain started and didn't stop. It only got stronger and stronger. We had to pack up and move the car to a camp spot miles closer to pavement than our original remote dirt road camp spot in fear of how treacherous the dirt roads could become.

Sunday morning we got up, recognized that there was going to be no running with how the trails would be a complete mud bog and carefully maneuvered the muddy dirt roads to 89a and headed home.

So, it ended up being a weekend away, but at home all the same. Kind of fun to do a weekend away in our own neck of the woods. We have an amazing back yard! Good adventuring! Gotta love Arizona.

First Winter Run up Elden Lookout Road

2011-11-15T10:13:00.001-08:00

Every year, I mark the true winter running season (for me anyway...) by my first run up the Mt. Elden Lookout Road. This 'first run of the road' happens when the first heavy snowfall has finally made a mess of the trails enough to force me to run a road to get to the summit of something. Even though I don't get too psyched on running roads, running the Mt. Elden Lookout Road in the winter doesn't seem like much of a road when it's covered in a foot or two of snow! Here's a couple shots from the top of Mt. Elden from the run.

(Road condition during the run and pretty typical conditions most of the winter.)

(Looking east from the top.)

(True summit of Mt. Elden.)

(The Peaks!)

Well... time to shift to mandatory trail running at sunrise (to beat the mud and slush...), trying to squeeze more out of the Grand Canyon and getting down to Sedona to run. I fought the coming winter a little at first...but changing seasons ain't so bad with the GC and Sedona just down the road!

Funny thing happened the last few days though...it rained a ton and now it is supposed to be sunny and in the 50's. All the snow in town melted and most of the snow on the dry lake hills too. I guess I may be able to squeeze in some more high elevation trail runs yet! In fact, I did a 10 mile loop on the Dry lake hills this morning and the snow was no big deal. The snow on the loop was never more than ankle deep. Seems like I may be able to keep one foot in Fall and one foot in Winter for a while yet.

Tanner Trail Grand Canyon Run

2011-11-09T12:08:00.000-08:00

I got to scratch my Grand Canyon itch again last Thursday and, as always, scratching that itch felt GOOD!

When choosing which trail to run, I focused on doing something new (as I usually try to do...) and get on a trail I haven't been on before that goes rim to river. Since the S. Bass and Tanner are the only ones that I hadn't been to the river on (from the S. Rim anyway...) and I didn't have time to 4x4 out the lengthy dirt roads to the remote S. Bass Trail, Tanner Trail became the obvious choice.

S. Bass would have to wait for another adventure...maybe I'll tick that one off during a Tonto Loop with the Boucher Trail or all the way to the end of the Tonto, finishing on New Hance (S. Bass and New Hance are the traditional start and end points for the full Tonto traverse).

The Tanner Trail had been recommended to me many times by running friends as a great 'off the beaten path' run in the Grand Canyon as it is lesser known than the typical tourist trails (S. Kaibab, Bright Angel, etc.) and is much more rugged (unmaintained by the park service). Although, despite some super steep and scrambly sections, the trail is known to be mostly runnable with some really great, smooth sections and the more wide open views and geology of the east Grand Canyon give the runner very different views and general feeling than the rest of the canyon.

Sounded like a great run to me!

So, I made this run the typical, get up super early, start running at first light, get down to the river and back up to the rim in good time and then book it back to Flagstaff to work in the afternoon or evening. This schedule has offered me the only way to squeeze out so many of my runs in at the Grand Canyon. I don't have the luxury of going when ever I want, hang out at the rim afterwards to soak it all in and down brews with my buds...I gotta work!

That being said, I made it to the trailhead a bit before light (about 6 am) and parked among the other 10 or so cars that were waiting to get their photos of the sunrise. I took the time I had, before there was enough light to run, to stay bundled in the car to stay warm (it was below freezing still outside...) and get my stuff together. As the sun started to give light to the canyon and the tourists started emerging from their cars to set up their tripods I stripped down to shorts, gloves and a couple long sleeves, put on my Nathan pack and walked the 100 yards of pavement to the trailhead. It was time to run.

I love this part of each and every Grand Canyon run...when my first few steps hit the earth of the trail and I start running down, down, into the canyon. It feels like coming back home every time...home to wonder, excitement, fear, pleasure, pain, adventure, self-reliance and all the other primitive sensations that give me my intense connection to this amazing canyon. This home, the Grand Canyon, gives me every one of these sensations with every run below the rim. Every run.

(View of first light in the canyon from the parking lot)

(First light)

(Tanner Trail Head)

Once on the trail, I was able to get in a good running rhythm and get warmed up for about 2 minutes until I plunged down steep switch backs and rubble in the initial steep gully descent of the trail. I pretty much had to resign myself to walking mixed with short sections of jogging until I made it down to Tanner Canyon Saddle and easier terrain. No big deal really as I wasn't trying to break any records (as if there was one for this trail anyway...). I just wanted to get out and run a new trail.

(View I will never get sick of... First light hitting the walls of the canyon.)

(Getting closer to Tanner Canyon Saddle and easier ground)

Once I got through the initial gully descent the trail improved dramatically and I was able to run at a comfortable pace along rolling terrain for the next many miles to the next serious drop through the red limestone layer. I made sure to savor this great section of trail, jogging along and looking at the many fantastic boulders (I made it this far on the Tanner almost 10 years ago? to boulder with friends a couple times...a lot of work for bouldering...but awesome), taking photos and generally absorbing the magnificent surroundings.

(The first boulder I ever climbed on along the Tanner trail way back when....ahhh the memories. There is an amazing V7ish sit down problem on the front right side of this boulder that we did.)

(Another amazing Joe's Valleyish boulder along the trail that we did problems on back in the day.)

(Again, another great boulder along the trail.)

(First light on the trail)

(View back up to the rim, looking east toward the Desert View Watch Tower. Look closely and you can see it on top of the rim.)

After all the joyous running along this great bench, I had to again slow down to a walking and sometimes jogging pace as I dropped down, steeply, through the limestone layer. Once I made it through the limestone the trail rewarded me with excellent, soft downhill single track all the way to the river as I dropped down through the Tapeats layer and a red sandstone layer. I would have to say that this was by far my favorite section of the trail. Just wonderful running!

(Dropping through the Tapeats)

(Great running through a beautiful red sandstone layer all the way to the river)

The shore of Tanner Rapids was a place I would have liked to spend the day at. I hit it about the same time the sun was so I had to leave to head back up to the rim right as I got sun on my face! Arg... I did get to sit on a rock and absorb the place for about 15 minutes though. What a great 15 minutes. Just a wonderful beach to hang out at. Looked like a great place to camp too...maybe Susan and I will find ourselves camping here some day.

(Looking down stream from Tanner Rapids)

(First light about to hit Tanner Rapids)

(Tanner Rapids)

(Spot where Tanner Creek dumps into the Colorado River during spring run off)

The trip back up was a ton more work but pretty enjoyable as I got to bask in the sun allowing me to finally strip down to a short sleeve shirt. I will admit though, that this trail makes you work for it. When ever I think I might do a trail that will be easier in the canyon I am reminded that each and every trail in the Grand Canyon is going to gain at least 4,500 ft on the way out and it is not going to be easy, especially these 'off the beaten path' trails as they are super rugged compared to S. Kaibab and Bright Angel. Super rugged. I like 'em that way but, wow, not easy.

(Working hard going back up through the Tapeats and Red Limestone layers)

(Looking up at the final climb to the car after the wonderfully flat running above the Red Limestone layer)

Once back up on the rim, I got in a quick look out over the canyon before dashing back home and the realities of every day life. I really tried to savor the view and looked down into the canyon to retrace my route on the Tanner Trail. All in all, it was about 18 miles with just over 5,000 feet of elevation gain and the same loss and I covered the distance in 5 hours on the nose.

What great experiences and memories I accumulate down in the Grand Canyon... As I scanned the canyon from the rim, I reminded myself to try and never take for granted the fact that I get to explore this unbelievably wonderful place.

I am a very lucky person.

Isolation Canyon

2011-11-09T09:21:00.000-08:00

I had a lot of fun with Susan at Isolation Canyon a couple weekends ago and wanted to do a quick post about it with some photos while I have the chance. Isolation is a bit of both wild and tame climbing all packed into one...with tons of bolts and good gear protection in super hard quartzite but also a SERIOUS amount of choss. I am not joking about the choss, with car sized blocks ready to fall that have sport routes on 'em along with countless smaller hollow and loose blocks ready to go. But, with the piles of bolts and good gear it all seems a little less scary for some reason and many of the lines are extremely aesthetic, just begging to be climbed. Thus, I had a really good time, got on whatever looked good and chalking it up to adventure...and since it is only an hour and a half from home I'm sure we will be back to sample some more of the climbing. To get more information about Isolation including route descriptions go here (there is no print guide for this area at this time). Note: If you print the routes off the web to take with you, make sure to print the route descriptions too or you will be totally lost like we were (I will most definitely be printing route descriptions next time). Have fun!

Below are a few shots from the weekend. We did a ton of routes and I wish I would have gotten photos of all of 'em...but a few is better than none. Here ya go...

(Camping near the Trailhead)

(On the way to the cliff...part of the approach is on the Arizona Trail. Gave me visions of running from here to Flagstaff on the AZ Trail or maybe running south for some distance. Hmmmm...)

(Susan near the beginning the 40 minute approach)

(The Main Wall at Isolation. Up to 3 pitch routes on this thing. Good fun.)

(Someone on the 3 pitch, Walking Dead Arete, that we climbed on the trip. AWESOME ROUTE! It follows a very obvious and striking arete for over 200 feet.)

(Susan on another great arete called Great Race. A little chossy but really cool feature.)

(Wandering the base off the Main Wall and deciding what to climb...so much choss, so little time.)

(Susan on Spinous Process. On one of the more unchossy sections of the wall. Good climbing.)

(Susan on La Nariz a good route over all but with a super awkward crux on the first roof.)

(One of the best ways to finish a good day of climbing!)

Squeezing it all in

2011-11-02T13:08:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted anything in here for pretty much a full month (last post being H2H)! Not that there has been a lack of excitement in my life. Excitement has seemed to be the rule as of late. Just living my life and taking care of all the stuff that has been thrown my way has been taking up my time instead of the usual free hour here and there to do some reflecting and writing.

It has all been really, really good though. Nothing to complain about. I have been working my ass off (but I love my job at the climbing gym so it's all good), my parents were in town (awesome time of bike riding, running, canoeing and hanging out bonding!), got out of town for some climbing with Susan (Isolation Canyon) and have been trying to squeeze some running into it all too. Oh yeah...and there is something else that Susan and I are trying to finalize right now too... can't talk about this one quite yet but it has been super consuming (kind of like a second job). Just don't want to post up on this item until I really have something to post!

So, all is good, just super, super busy. This week has been the first time in a long time where I feel like I can take a deep breath. I look back at my parents visit and my trip to Isolation Canyon with Susan and would love to post about them and all the fun we had, but no time... Maybe I'll get a few photos or whatever posted randomly in the next while. Maybe not. We will see. I suppose that a few of my adventures don't need to make it onto this blog... live most definitely goes on with or without Blogger.

I may be getting into the Grand Canyon soon to run though... I have been feeling it's pull and finally think I have the time to do something about it. Time to drop off the rim for a little escape and adventure!

Hole to Hump 2011 SUCCESS!

2011-10-05T16:07:00.000-07:00

Committing
After 3 failed attempts and swearing after the last two that I would never try it again, I was as surprised as anyone that I was giving it another go. Why in the world was I trying it again... good question.

It all started about a month ago, when someone I had only met for a few moments a couple months earlier, Adam Gifford of the Sedona Running Company, emailed me asking a bit about Hole to Hump and if I was interested in running it with him or at least crewing.

My initial thought was that there was no way I was going to run Hole to Hump again, especially after just DNFing, at mile 77, of the Leadville 100 a few weeks prior. How in the world would I have the energy to run the 90 miles from the bottom of the Grand Canyon to the top of Mt. Humphreys and gain over 11,000 feet of elevation if I haven't been able to complete the same feat three times already with adequate rest? I mean, I just ran 77 miles and then crashed and burned. No way was I in for Hole to Hump so soon. It just seemed like a really bad idea.

When I finally responded to Adam's email, I informed him that I was dealing with some aches in my left knee and recovering from Leadville and that I wasn't sure if I'd be able to do the whole thing with him. But...I would help him in any way needed if he decided to run it himself.

Soon, I learned that it wasn't just Adam that was excited about the Hole to Hump effort. The Hole to Hump legend himself, Scott Baxter, who was the first to complete Hole to Hump 30 years prior, was super excited and was on board to support Adam and who ever decided to run with him.

Hmm... I didn't really want to do Hole to Hump again but this was getting to be too good of an opportunity to blow off. Not only did I have the chance to run it with Adam (a veteran of many 100 mile finishes) but I now had the opportunity to do the run and be supported by the original finisher and all around amazing guy, Scott. I was going to have to give this some serious consideration.

After a few more weeks of emailing with Adam and Scott and my tweaky knee getting better, I slowly wrapped my brain around committing to the potentially once in a lifetime opportunity. My body felt good and I was surrounded by people, in Adam and Scott, who know how to get it done. In the end, when it came right down to it, I didn't really have an excuse to bail.

So, after meeting with Scott and Adam to review some logistics and go for a run together, I completely committed to the run. I was in, for better or for worse, and we decided to start the run Saturday, October 1 (...only 6 weeks after Leadville).

Luckily, for me, Adam wasn't going for any records. He just wanted to finish the thing. If we got in under 24 hours then great but he wasn't going to push it. Also, Scott was in the mode of total support. He was going to drive with us and stop every 3 miles to give us cloths, water, food and whatever else we needed. Pure luxury. Not only would this work out for us not needing to carry much of anything (I only carried a hand held water bottle and Adam carried nothing for much of the run...) but if I crapped out early due to something creeping up as a result of Leadville (injury, fatigue, etc.) then I could just jump in the vehicle and support Adam with Scott. Seemed like a 'too good to be true' scenario for finishing.

I was not only in...I was getting really excited.

The Run
At 8 am, Saturday, Adam and I started down the S. Kaibab Trail (to get to the Colorado river and the start of the Hole to Hump run) after a couple quick photos by Scott at the rim. We really took our time getting down to the river, walking and talking (Adam can talk AT LEAST as much as I can!) and enjoying the views of the Grand Canyon. We reached the river in just over 2 hours.

While getting water, eating snacks and hanging out for a short time at the river, I looked at the canyon around me and secretly vowed to myself to give this effort everything I had. All the pieces were there for success in a great team and plan and I didn't want to botch it. I had to be all in.

In the last moments before we started our climb out of the Grand Canyon and the start of the run, Adam placed a small water container in the Colorado River and filled it with a few ounces of water to be carried to the top of Mt. Humphreys and then we held our hands in the cold Colorado. Adam counted down the clock, started his watch and we were off hiking back up the S. Kaibab at 10:50 am. It was on. Hole to Hump had started.

Our goal was to take it pretty easy coming out the 4,500 foot elevation gain of the S. Kaibab so that we didn't beat ourselves up too early. We were hoping to come out in 3 hours exactly...well, we came out a bit faster than we hoped. We got to the rim in 2 1/2 hours instead. Whoops. Well, it didn't seem to be a big deal anyway as we took it really easy, walking the whole thing and never pushing it (all three of my other attempts I ran at least some of the way up the S. Kaibab...). Once on the rim we had a little over 80 miles to the top of Humphreys....just getting warmed up, I guess.

We walked the .5 miles to where Scott and Keri (our support every 3 miles until we get to the Humphreys Trail parking lot and we meet Susan, Peter and Tony who would help support us to the summit) were located and got ready to start the meat of the run.

Scott wanted to run the next 17 or so miles with us to train for the upcoming Grand Canyon Marathon so Keri was on her own driving the support vehicle for the next 9 1/2 miles of asphalt and 8 miles of dirt. I was really happy to have Scott running with us for this section as the asphalt section of this has always been really hard for me in past Hole to Hump attempts. The three of us chatted it up through sun, rain (it rained a lot in this section) and controlled burns (they, of course, were doing a controlled burn right along the road for miles of this section, bleck!) making the time pass nicely.

When we reached the dirt road for Grandview Tower, I was really psyched as we were keeping the pace really easy, I was feeling good physically and mentally and we weren't going to have to run on anymore pavement! Yes! It was all dirt roads and trails from here on out. Whew. The only thing that worried me at this point was all the rain we were getting. The dirt road didn't seem to bad so far but we still had 60 some miles of dirt road to travel before we got to trails and I wasn't completely sure if Scott and Keri were going to be able to make it through without and epic and getting seriously stuck. Adam and I wouldn't be the best pushers at mile 70!

When Scott finally had enough miles running with us and our 'old man jokes' about him (...although he had plenty of bad jokes to combat us with!) he jumped back into crew mode and teamed up with Keri to continue along with the 3 mile stops for us. So far, the stops every 3 miles felt extremely luxurious to me but I didn't complain...I loved it!!! We were living the good life.

So...it went on like this, Adam and I jogging along and then stopping to grab food and water and slight changes in cloths every 3 miles for what seemed like forever. We saw pine forest that fizzled into juniper and then, again, fizzled into open desert grasses and darkness.

We made good time but always kept ourselves in check with easy jogging. Once it got dark though, we added a couple minutes of walking for every 10 minutes of running. This seemed to work well and we kept moving along nicely. This section were we started walking more was about 35 miles into the run. In past years I felt pretty worked at this section already but with our slower method this year and lots of support I still felt quite good.

The battle at this point was dealing with the darkness. My body was starting to show signs that it was time for bed but that was obviously not in the plan. I battled through with yawns and feeling sluggish until 10 or 11 pm when I tried some of Scott's 'special drink' that I think was something like chocolate, agave nectar and espresso. Holy crap. I went from barely being able to keep my eyes open to being 'lit up'. I remember just bounding along at around mile 50 as if I just had a great night sleep and had just started my run. Adam and I had an amazing chat session through this section. I think it was because he was also feeling great from a 5 Hour Energy he took earlier. It was awesome.

I tried to ride this energy by continuing to sip on Scott's 'special drink' for much of the rest of the night. Usually, I get my caffeine for the night time from gels but I eased back a bit on those and just went with what was working.

It was a good thing I had the energy boost and it was dark because the section from mile 50 to about 65 is, by far, my least favorite section. It is wide open, flat, straight dirt roads for about 15 miles with nothing but dead grass around. Also, it usually gets super freezing cold in this section and I start moving really slow and begin to really suffer.

To add to the energy boost and darkness helping, it was much warmer through this section than in past years. I was able to run in shorts, a long sleeve and a rain jacket for the whole section even though it rained a bit. Very comfortable.

Once we got to the end of this section and we started gaining elevation and reaching junipers again, I got pretty excited as I felt as good or better than in past efforts and I could feel the mountain pulling us forward, even in the darkness. I was most definitely feeling the effects of over 65 miles but still felt like I could run and my stomach was doing well.

Then, during the next few miles of dirt road things got a little tricky for a bit. Just enough to have me wondering if we would have a serious problem ahead. Scott and Keri had no problems so far with road conditions but it had rained a lot in different random spots along the way. I knew if the next section had been rained on lately that they could get stuck...really bad, and there isn't any help out there.

Some of my worries were confirmed when we slogged through a couple miles of nasty mud that would stick to our feet like 5 pound weights. Ugh. Not fun. But luckily, we (and Scott and Keri) made it through and miraculously the road dried ahead in the one spot that was do or die if it rained. I was super relieved.

As we winded up the dirt roads leading to Humphreys leaving Juniper for Pine forests and trading the last of a beautiful star lit night for the light of morning we got our first views of Mt. Humphreys towering over us. It was an awesome sight and with continued walking and jogging we kept making our way toward it.

Once morning was in full power and sunlight hit me I gained more and more confidence that we were going to make it. In fact, I didn't have a doubt in my mind that I had the energy in me to finish. The only thing that could stop us now was weather on the mountain (thunder showers were predicted for that day) but I was willing to risk getting hit by lightning to get to the summit at this point.

At Kendrick Park, and about 15 miles from the summit, we had a bit of an early homecoming as Susan, Peter and Tony decided to drive over from Humphreys to say hi and cheer us on. It was a bit of culture shock seeing all these people all fired up after being in our weird routine of only seeing Scott and Keri every 3 miles for the last 20 hours but I was still WAY psyched to see everyone (even if I didn't show it at the time).

(Entering Kendrick Park)

After our hellos, Adam and I were off again, leaving Kendrick Park for the mountain. Pretty much the rest of our route was going to be on the Arizona Trail and the Humphreys Trail so I was getting really excited. No more roads, just single track through aspens and pine. What a great way to finish the run.

When we first hit the Arizona Trail I was actually starting to feel a bit crappy, not that I couldn't continue moving forward but I was having some stomach and energy issues. I just couldn't seem to get my stomach to feel good enough to run or walk fast. I had to deal with this for the first mile or so of the AZ Trail and then it subsided. Whew. I still didn't feel that great but, whatever, we were over 75 miles into this thing. My stomach had done me well so far. No complaints. In fact, after my stomach started feeling a bit better we ran a fair bit of the rest of the AZ Trail up to the Humphreys Trail parking lot.

I got a lot of confidence with feeling so good as I wasn't able to run any of this trail during last year's effort. I just had to resign myself to walking the rest of the way. This year I wasn't only running, I felt pretty darn good doing it. Nothing was hurting too bad. I was just tired but still able to run. Good stuff.

Once we located the overgrown path that cuts up the meadow to the Humphreys Trail parking lot we made quick work of it and met our crew of Scott, Keri, Susan, Peter and Tony for our hike up to the summit.

(Humphreys Trail parking lot...yes!)

It was a bit chaotic for me at the Humphreys parking lot for some reason while we were getting all our stuff ready to go up the mountain. I was having a hard time making decisions with all the people around. Luckily, they all made it happen and besides me forgetting to have Susan bring my tights (she was nice enough to run back down the first .5 miles of trail to the car and get them for me) we brought all we needed.

So, slowly but surely we walked our way up the Humphreys Trail to the summit and even though I knew we would make it I could still only muster a super slow pace. I knew I would get there, but I wasn't sure how long it would take.

To add to the excitement, storm clouds kept pushing through during our ascent and it rained pretty good on us at least once on the way to the saddle. We even heard a few loud BOOMS near the summit, from thunder. Yikes. As said before, though, I was going to the summit no matter what this time!

(Stepping onto the saddle)

The last few steps to the saddle were the worst. I was barely moving up this 'stair stepping' section and was not looking forward to the upper exposed ridge to the summit. Then, as I approached the saddle, all the clouds threatening the mountain cleared and I could see blue sky above. I felt warmth on my body and the summit was clear of weather.

Everyone else stopped for a moment or two on the saddle but I remember walking right past them, pushing for the summit. I had only one thing on my mind now. Stopping anywhere was unacceptable to me. If I was going to stop moving it was going to be on the summit.

Not to say I was moving all that fast still. Not long after I passed the group on the saddle, Adam caught up with me, swearing and talking all aggro about getting to the summit. This must have triggered something because I started to feel a power that I hadn't felt before. I remembered all my failed attempts, how hard I had tried on them, how much emotion I put into them. I gathered all that energy and forced my legs and arms to thrust forward. With each step I gained momentum and with waves of emotion and fighting back tears I went into a mental place I'm not sure I have ever been before and I literally charged up the mountain. Trekking poles, grinding teeth, thrusting legs and steel reserve carried me so well that there were flat sections I wanted to run. I knew better though and continued my quick walk to the summit.

(We were just specs on the ridge)

Once I could see the true summit, I finally stopped to take it all in. I was going to make it. Nothing could stop me now. I waited for Adam, who was only 100 yards behind, and we walked to the summit together and gave each other a BIG hug. I had a shit eating grin and could not control my happiness. Tears flowed. I was as happy as it gets. I WAS STANDING ON TOP OF HUMPHREYS! As Susan, Scott, Peter and Tony came up to the summit I gave them all hugs and thanked them for helping me reach such a difficult personal goal.

(Summit shot. Party!)

Our finishing time was 26 hours 52 minutes.

After a short time of eating, laughing, taking photos and freezing in the cold air, Adam pulled out the Colorado River water that he brought from the beginning of our journey and we poured it onto the summit of Mt. Humphreys. What a moment.

We packed up, I took in some last minute views, Susan and I had our own moment in spreading some of Shiloh's ashes on the summit and then we were off, retreating from the next incoming storm.

Final Thoughts
I wanted to thank Adam and Scott big time. Without them wanting to take on this adventure and asking me to come along, I would have never had this deep, rich experience. We did it guys!!! Also, Susan, Tony, Keri and Peter for putting their lives on hold to help us succeed. THANK YOU GUYS.

Although, I have not fully absorbed all of the experience yet, I do know that this was a bit step in my life. Not just in my ultra running, but in life. This was a big deal for me. I had to go through a lot of failure to have this success. I fully expect to take this experience and what ever lessons I can learn from it and make my life better. I am psyched.

Want To Run It?
If your interested in getting a map for the course so that you can run it, it is in jpg form below. If the quality is crappy then contact me (jasonhenrie74@gmail.com) and I'll get you a pdf version. There are endless versions that you can run from the Grand Canyon to Humphreys depending on the experience you want. Scott Baxter originally ran it mostly on paved roads and his course was arguably much shorter than ours and he finished in around 21 1/2 hours. Our course follows the historic Stagecoach Route between Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon used by tourists in, that's right, stagecoaches. Our course is about 90 miles not including getting into the canyon and descending off of Humphreys. Scott's may have been less than 80 miles. So, maybe you will find an even better way between the two points...if not, hopefully my map helps. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions.

Hole to Hump Completed

2011-10-04T07:02:00.000-07:00

That's right, over the weekend, I finally completed Hole to Hump after 3 failed attempts. Finished the run, from the bottom of the Grand Canyon to the top of Mt. Humphreys, in 26 hrs 52 min.

Big thank you to Adam for planting the seed and then running every step with me. Also, a big thank you to the H2H legend Scott Baxter, Keri, Susan, Peter and Tony for supporting us. What an adventure! Felt so good to stand on the top of Mt. Humphreys!!! Full report coming soon.

Grand Canyon Hermit Trail Trip Photos

2011-09-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

Leo just posted his photos of our Hermit Trail backpacking trip earlier this month in the Grand Canyon. As always, his photos are super beautiful. Check 'em out in the gallery below. Thanks for the sick photos Leo (I was going to grab a few of my favorites to post instead of putting up the whole slide show but I honestly couldn't decide on which ones to grab...they are all so amazing.). Thank you, thank you, thank you. Great trip!!!

Having trouble seeing the slide show? Go here to see it.

Running Log

Two week ago: 10 miles easy (knee starting to feel a bit better)

Last week: 23 miles easy (In Dry Lake Hills, on Campbell Mesa and on Observatory Mesa. Knee feels good.)

Shiloh, you will be missed...

2011-09-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, my good dog Shiloh died.

It was a typical morning of her lounging around the house and, after going out for her morning poo, she walked back seeming normal and then it happened. Her back legs shuddered and she collapsed. She just stayed there, lying half in the living room and half in the kitchen, motionless, with ever slowing breath and a blank stare.

After Susan and I sat with her on the floor for a while, petting her and worrying over her, she tried to get up and collapsed again, her breathing slowed almost to a stop and it seemed that this was the end. She ended up having one last effort to turn it around and walked into the kitchen for a drink of water. Susan offered it to her but she didn't drink. She then went straight for the bedroom, walking as if in an extreme drunken stupor, and lay down in her favorite sleeping spot.

We knew then, that she was preparing to die. We didn't know what to do for sure but decided to go to the vet with her because we didn't know how long it would be before she would die or if there was a slight chance we could save her. She is a tough one and could try to hold on and suffer for a long time. I didn't want her to suffer. She lived such a long, good life and I didn't want to see it end poorly for her.

At the vet, she continued to go down hill and our friend Darcy (who luckily was the vet on duty for the day) told us the expected news that Shiloh was in deed dying. We made the decision right there to put her to sleep.

We then spent the next half hour petting her and loving her as much as we could until she took her last breath. I remember kissing her on the forehead and then sobbing, suddenly feeling a huge void in my life and massive pain in my heart. Very sad day.

___

After she died on Sunday and I have had days to cry, reflect and process I am left with the overwhelming feeling of gratitude that I have been able to spend 14 years with Shiloh (she died at 16 (I got her from the pound when I was 23)). We, literally, explored every nook and cranny of the Northwest and Southwest together as I explored endless mountains and canyons for rocks to climb and climbed at countless established areas all the while living in Bellingham and Flagstaff and going through multiple relationships. She was always by my side. We were joined at the hip. Buddies. As everything kept changing in my life, Shiloh was the one constant.

Now, it's hard to go through the routine at home as I feel that she will come around the corner to want a pet or go outside. Also, going to the outdoors is a bit tough as I have had deep experiences in pretty much every spot around Flagstaff with her.

In the last few days though, I have gotten better about thinking of all the good memories and being thankful for my time with her when those sad feelings arise. Just yesterday, I was running up on the Dry Lake Hills, starting on the same trail she took a hike on with Susan the day before she died, and when I reached a high point on Brookbank, I looked out over the rolling forest around Flagstaff and remembered as many of the adventures Shiloh and I had in those woods as I could muster. I said a silent thanks for all my time with her and tried to picture her running sections of the trail with me as she did when she was young. It felt good to remember her in a positive way instead of feeling only sadness.

Now, I can't say that I won't cry anymore (I am crying right now...) over her but hopefully the tears will continue to turn to happy ones instead of sad ones as time goes on. In fact, I'm not sure if I ever want to 'stop' crying over her altogether. I don't want to forget how much I love her.

Love you Shiloh. You were the best and I will always try to remember how it felt to pet you, hug you and love you as you were always by my side. Thank you for your time in my life.

(Family walking home after swimming at Fossil Creek one week before Shiloh died.)

No warning as usual...

2011-09-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, our temps went from the 80's to the 60's in literally one day. Pretty typical for Flagstaff's change of seasons but always a shock, none the less. Not only did the temps drop (I heard that the snow level is 11,000 ft. today...) but the weather has gone all crazy with fantastic thunder and lightning storms, dime sized hail and even a tornado warning a few days ago (reminds me of last years record breaking tornado's in September...a repeat coming this year?). So...it seems that summer is over for us and it's time for fall, the wonderful colors that come with it and the coming of the prime season for Sedona and the Grand Canyon. ...I'll take it. All though it's always hard letting go of summer time in Flagstaff, the other seasons are just as good. There really isn't a bad season around here. Gotta love Flagstaff.

Activity wise, Susan's brother Leo was just in town for a couple weeks and what DIDN'T we do while he was here? It seemed like we went through a monster tick list of fun things and I had a great time. A few from the tick list:
-Long mountain bike ride on Humphreys and Dry Lake Hills
-Run on AZ Trail up on Humphreys
-Backpack in Grand Canyon
-Swim at Fossil Creek
-Climb spire in Sedona
...and while we were at work Leo went on his own and checked out tons more.

Note: Leo has a ton of awesome photos from his trip here so, when I get a hold of them, I'll do a big photo post of his visit.

I did get sick near the end of Leo's visit which was unfortunate but am now feeling better and moving forward with getting my body geared up for fall running and climbing adventures. I have a slight pain on the inside of my left knee after a bit of running so I am still holding back even though the rest of my body feels pretty darn good right now. I'm doing some exercises for it and trying to be careful. There are a lot of things that I would like to do in the coming months so trying to be smart and not make a little tweak turn into a big problem.

My fall running goal right now is to get in the the canyon as much as possible to check out trails and loops I haven't explored. Trails/Loops I'm interested in doing are Tanner Trail (and maybe Tanner, Escalante, New Hance Loop), Royal Arches Loop, Bass Trail (and more interesting to me Bass, Tonto, Boucher Loop) and do the Grandview, Tonto, S. Kaibab Loop to fix some cairns in a couple tricky sections (get it fixed up in case I were to go through there at night on a full Tonto push in the future...maybe spring?). I would also, of course, repeat other sections too, cuz the Grand Canyon is bad ass on any trail, but am most excited about continuing my exploration down there on the new stuff.

My fall/winter climbing plans aren't all that ambitious compared to my running plans. I want to climb here and there with Susan and hopefully go to new and old forgotten areas to climb. Climbing at new areas and new routes has always been my favorite part of climbing. Also, a more focused goal in my climbing will be to finish the 'Sedona Traverse' with Jeff this winter. We completed 5 pitches last winter (still need to clean a few holds and move a couple bolts on the first 5 pitches...a single day will fix that) and have about 7-9 more to go to finish. We have our work cut out for us but it is definitely reasonable to finish this winter as we got more and more efficient with every day on the wall last year. So, as long as we can get the equipment together (we are taking donations (no joke) as this is an extremely expensive endeavor...) and can get on the wall once every few weeks we should have a new 12-14 pitch sport climb traverse ready to go by spring. Fingers crossed.

Good by summer, hello fall!

Running Log:
Last Week Total: (first week running after Leadville) 10 miles (8 on AZ Trail on peaks and a couple jogging to work and home). Note: Inside of left knee felt a little sore after about 5 miles on AZ Trail but went away by the end. Started some basic exercises in response.

Quotes in Trail Runner Magazine

2011-09-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

In the October 2011 issue of Trail Runner Magazine I was fortunate enough to get a few quotes in the article 'Purple Mountains and Fruited Plains' by Meghan M Hicks. The article highlights trails in eight National Parks including Mount Rainier National Park (one of my favorite national parks!). Meghan found me through my blog and asked me for some quotes about my experience running the Wonderland Trail on Mt. Rainier a few years back and, believe it or not, some of my quotes ended up in the Mount Rainier National Park section of her article. Cool. Thanks Meghan. Glad I could participate in the article!

Stretching out the legs and back to the GC

2011-09-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

I have been getting back in the 'being active' groove again in the last few days. I tested the legs with a 3 1/2 hour mountain bike ride with Susan's brother, Leo, who is visiting for a few weeks. Great ride and my legs reacted better than expected.

I was a bit worried that, as in past recovery phases from 50+ mile efforts, I was going to have a lingering injury in the legs or feet some where. Instead, I feel quite good and have had no swelling or injury spots anywhere. In fact, after the ride I felt not a whole lot more tired than I would on the same length ride with the same effort before the Leadville 100. Interesting. Maybe I'm getting more resilient? Who knows. Feels good though.

So, a few days after the ride I was fortunate enough to get back into the Grand Canyon with Susan, Leo, Matt and Jess for a three day backpacking trip down to Hermit Creek on the Hermit Trail. Another great opportunity to test out the legs and have a ton of fun with friends in one of my favorite places anywhere.

It was a super hot trip, the highs were just over 100 degrees, so we did a lot of night hiking (read: start hiking at 4:30 am to hike into the canyon and start hiking at 3 am to hike out of the canyon) and pretty much lounged by Hermit Creek (our camp) during the days.

We went super light because we didn't need sleeping bags so we were able to fill the space with 24 cans of beer! Seemed silly before hiking, and I'm sure that any rangers that happened upon us would not have been psyched, in but once we were 4,500 feet down into the canyon, camping in 100 degree heat and playing in a ridiculously scenic creek with slick rock pools to dip in, the beer seemed like one of the smarted decisions of the trip.

Great times were had for sure and it was really, really nice to be back in the canyon. With the super slow pace of the trip I got to really take in the little things...something I am not able to do on my runs down there. We got to catch and release, by hand, little fish that were nibbling our toes in the water, observe in detail the many different rock types and formations, see tarantulas and scorpions on the trail, hike to the river and chill, kicked over useless cairns (one of my favorite activities...), sleep out, without any sheets or sleeping bags on us, under fantastic star studded skies and did all sorts of other wonderful things as we took in the magic of the Grand Canyon in September.

So...no photos of the trip as we can't seem to find our camera right now but Leo is an amazing photographer and he took a trillion shots and many of them (the ones I got to see) are really, really cool. Hopefully, sometime soon here I will post up a cool photo essay of the trip if he is o.k. with me using some of his photos.

A day removed from the trip, I am really, really psyched to get back in there and do some running when the temperatures start to cool and am happy that I feel really good today. No soreness or fatigue at all. Probably because I pretty much slept the whole time down there and the day I got back home... good stuff. What a great lazy trip.

Oops...spoke to soon about not having any photos to post... here are a few from the photos Matt posted on Facebook. Thanks Matt!

(Hiking down)

(Amazing views as always)

(Hanging out at Hermit Creek)

Lessons learned and on to the next adventure!

2011-08-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

It is good to be feeling energized again. It took about a week to be able to relax while doing a full squat but now the legs are feeling stretched out and ready to start taking on running and all that again. Mentally, I am fully psyched again to build back up to getting out and running far and challenging myself.

I have learned a few lessons the hard way but also the best way from Leadville. I got the smack down there a bit and seem to be coming away with a few things:

-I went out way to fast for the level of 'speed' I had implemented in my running during the last 3 months leading up to Leadville. Basically, I didn't run with any kind of speed at all during or after my foot issue. Going out with a fair bit of speed (even if it felt casual at the time) for the first 20 miles was probably opposite of what I should have done. A super, super easy pace (even painfully slow pace...) should have been my mantra for much of the first half of the run to match what my body was capable of for that day. At the very least it would have warmed me up much more appropriately. Hard lesson but a real good one that I hope gets ingrained for next time.

-I may have been able to continue in the race with the very marginal opportunity to make the next cut off and eek out a finish with a miraculous second wind but a curious thing happened at Leadville. Instead of going for broke and potentially ending up in a med tent like a lot of other runners I read about, I instead decided to pull the plug and allow myself an easier recovery to get out there and run other things sooner than later. My decision to not 'go for it' seems to be a direct opposite of the racer mentality to go for broke and rely on the people and aid stations to help 'get you to the finish' that I witnessed at Leadville. I am so use to running in the middle of no where with no help from the outside that I am usually very conservative with 'pushing it.' Thus, I didn't feel it was a good idea to continue at the end with the odds stacked so much against me. I took the safe way out I think. Although, it was funny that I had the total racers mentality at the beginning of the race (something I'm not used to) and went out fast and crashed and burned but then in the end reverted more to my wilderness running mentality and played it super safe. Interesting...

-For the most part my food intake was good. I had very little stomach issues. The only thing that I would tweak for the future would be little things like a bit more solid foods earlier on while hiking in sections. I didn't expect to be walking so much and so slow so early in the race so I didn't think about adjusting my eating to that fact too. Good lesson to learn that I should be a bit more in tune with adjusting my food intake with what is going on out on the course. Be a bit more flexible.

-I should try not to allow my ego to run my race. I felt like I should finish in the top 100 or in about 24-25 hours (a very reasonable goal I thought at the time) and I went for it right from the beginning to push that result. Instead I could have been a bit more realistic about where I was at with my fitness at the time and been thinking more about just getting to the finish line instead. If I was able to pick it up later in the race to get in a faster time then great but I think that my ego was ahead of what I was actually able to do in the race.

Now...hopefully the lessons will be learned for next time I do something long like this. I realize that I wasn't in a position to recognize any of this before the race. Obviously, I needed to run Leadville (my first organized 100 mile race) so that the lessons could be learned and I could improve. Also, I know that there will be other surprise lessons to be learned on other 100 milers I try in the future. But, I most definitely hope that I will ingrain these current lessons so, at the very least, I don't keep repeating the same mistakes.

...here's to learning the hard lessons!

On the getting psyched for future runs front...I have already been scheming with friends to do a bit of running in the Grand Canyon to get on the Tonto a bit more to get it wired. I am thinking that if I can get a bit more comfortable with the trickier sections of it I could go for a full Tonto Trail push sometime in the near future.

I was just up at the canyon a couple days ago getting permits to hike the Hermit Trail with Susan, her brother and some friends this coming weekend and was again in immediate and complete love with running there as I became mesmerized, scanning the fantastic landscape from one of the lookouts. It only takes one look for me to bring back all the romantic memories and sensations of running in that magical place. I am in love with running in the Grand Canyon for sure.

What a wonderful feeling to have after such a tough time at Leadville too. I remembered while looking down into the canyon, why I run. It's to be in places like the Grand Canyon. To loose myself in there, totally and completely connected with it in one of the most intimate and primitive ways possible; moving quickly and thoughtfully with the bare essentials to survive while ingesting some of the most fantastic and wild scenery on the planet. This kind of running isn't just to go out for a run, it is to live life with rich intensity...to get primal. Seriously, good stuff!

So, looking ahead. I would like to get back to why I love running and get some goals going...

Maybe Tonto Trail next spring if it seems to be the thing to do... there are a few other big runs in the canyon to do still too. I would love to look into ticking off some big chunks of the AZ Trail. I would love someday to try a fast push of the whole AZ Trail but not sure if my life will ever afford the kind of time it would take to do it. Lots of other desert runs to consider this winter too. Gotta keep exploring. Damn, I love running and where it allows me to go. I feel very lucky.

Racing wise... I don't know if I will enter any races next year or not. I will have to think more on that one. Decide if it's worth all the $ commitment and such. I really am more attracted to the adventure running but you never know...Leadville was a pretty amazing experience.

To finish up the post, here is an awesome video of the UTMB from this year that I found at GZ's blog. Wow.

If the video doesn't work go here http://youtu.be/TFWDUsvLCoE

Also...Happy Birthday Susan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DNF

2011-08-22T14:07:00.000-07:00

A million things have gone through my head since my DNF at the Leadville 100 Run. I'm not sure if I will ever be able to totally piece together what caused me to have such a bad day out there but I do know one thing...I can't deny that I just plain dropped out. No matter how many excuses I want to come up with, I still have to deal with that fact. All I can really do is try and learn from the experience and continue trying to be a stronger runner and person.

The Run

The 4 am start was full of energy (something I'm most definitely not used to, this being my first organized ultra...) and it was pretty amazing. 800 or so runners all crammed into downtown Leadville all psyched up.

I knew, from good advice from many friends with 100 mile experience, that I should make sure to take it really easy at the start even though there is so much energy so that I don't wreck myself early. So, when the race started I tried to go out at my set pace and not worry about what was going on around me.

I felt like I did a good job of this all the way to the first aid station at May Queen (mile 13.5) where I got clocked at 2:02 which was only about 10 minutes faster than I was hoping for. I was feeling really good and not pushing to hard so it seemed a reasonable enough split. To this point it was just fun running and a beautiful star studded early morning of running in the dark.

After May Queen, the course goes up and over Sugar Loaf and much of the first part of that went well too. In the first morning light, looking back down at Turquoise Lake was stunning with cool morning fog hovering over the water. I kept my pace easy and jogged only flats and slight up hills and walked everything else. Real easy.

I really didn't have any issues until part way down Sugar Loaf on the 'power lines' section. For no reason (obvious to me, anyway...) my quads started to struggle a bit. I just didn't feel like I had the normal crank in 'em that I usually do when going up and down big climbs like this. I felt a bit concerned about this but not to concerned as sometimes things feel good and sometimes things feel real sh-ty when doing these long runs. I figured I would chalk it up to the legs warming up and it would work itself out later in the race because, otherwise, I felt great still.

Well, by the time I ran the bit of paved road to Susan and the second aid station Fish Hatchery (mile 23.5) I actually felt really beat up in my quads. I was still thinking that they would work out the kinks later in the run but they most definitely felt worse than expected. At the aid station I commented to Susan that I didn't have much fun on the 'power line' and paved road sections leading up to the Fish Hatchery and my legs weren't feeling very good but that I assumed it would work itself out sooner than later if I was patient. I was still moving well with split of 4:02 which was almost an accumulative 30 minutes under my predetermined time so far. I didn't really push to get there so even though my legs felt bad the pace still seemed good.

The next section of paved road (maybe 5 miles or so) was horrible. I hate running roads anyway but this section seemed to really do some damage for some reason. I figured I would be able to recover my legs a bit as the road section is pretty much flat but instead I just kept feeling worse. My legs just didn't seem to have any pep. I was really starting to get concerned about it but continued to try to be patient about a turnaround later. Along the paved road section was where I started to notice people steadily start passing me.

Once off of the paved road, the course followed dirt roads to Halfmoon Aid Station (mile 30.5) which I entered at 5:21, still 25 minutes below what I thought I would do to that point but my split was a little slower than hoped for.

Luckily, for my sanity, the course got much more fun after Halfmoon with some really nice single track in some aspen groves and I tried to really enjoy it. After all those road section, this was like heaven. To bad more of the course couldn't have been on single track!

I did continue to suffer along this section and I continued to get passed (the passing thing didn't really bother my all that much at the time but later in the race...well, you'll see). It was weird. I had the mental drive to move a little faster and knew that I needed to do so to keep on my set pace but it seemed that I was in slow motion. People kept passing me, I kept trying to go faster to keep up with them (as they were going the pace I expected to be going...) but I just seemed to get slower. I just couldn't figure out what was going on with my legs.

I did get a little mental uplift as I entered the Twin Lakes Aid Station (mile 39.5) from the hordes of people there and seeing Susan again. She quickly got me set up to continue and then I was on my way toward the big climb of the course, Hope Pass. My split at Twin Lakes was 7:19 and only 10 minutes below my predetermined pace. I lost a lot of time on this section which was a bummer as it is pretty cruiser terrain and I was hoping to get some recovery before going up Hope Pass. I really needed to crank up Hope Pass to keep on pace but I wasn't sure what was going to happen up there with the way things were going.

Well, the 'hike' up Hope Pass was seriously rough on me. I don't really remember the last time I took it so easy and still felt so worked doing a climb like this. I felt the same way up Hope that I do at the end of an all out R2R2R PR effort. This was not good...or even remotely expected. For how much easier this course is to this point and the easy pace I was going I should have felt way better. I was getting really worried.

Once up closer to tree line, I really noticed for the first time just how many people were passing me. I knew I was moving painfully slow but I just couldn't muster a faster pace. My legs felt totally shot. All the while, people just cranked past me as if I was standing still. Brutal.

Once over Hope Pass, it became pretty clear that this was not a good day for me and I had better readjust my goal for the day of going under 25 hours. I just needed to try to keep it together for the rest of the run to go under the 30 hour cut off and finish.

On the down hill to Winfield I felt, for about 2 miles, the best I had since about mile 10. For some reason I did pretty well and moved o.k. through this section and it gave me hope that I could still somehow get my legs going again.

Up to this point I had basically felt good for the first 15 miles and then felt like crap for the next 30 miles. I know that running this far isn't supposed to feel all happy and wonderful (I am used to that and prepared for it) but something was different, something was most definitely off.

Once off Hope Pass and then finished with battling the hordes of cars driving down the dirt road we have to run to get to Winfield (...lame section of the run), I finally made it to the Winfield Aid Station (50 miles) with a time of 11:21. Brutal. I was just over an hour behind my predetermined pace now (...and that was a conservative predetermined pace!). I had lost a full hour just on this section. Oh boy.

At Winfield I met Frank and Gina and they got me ready to head back over Hope Pass and back toward Leadville.

After jogging back down the dirt road I started my climb back up Hope Pass...and, oh, what a slow climb it was. If over 100 people didn't pass me back up the pass then I would have been surprised and I realized for the first time that I may not even be able to finish if I couldn't get my quads in order.

By the time I reached the top of Hope Pass I had started to feel a bit depressed and embarrassed that I couldn't move faster. Literally, everyone was moving faster than me that was headed back up Hope Pass and every time they would pass I would try my hardest to keep up with their pace (which was also a slow painful walk). Each time I wouldn't be able to muster it for more than a 1/2 dozen steps before faltering and going back to my barely moving death march.

Headed back down Hope to Twin Lakes I hoped to gain some time and move a bit better again to get my act together...in fact, I felt determined to do it. The result? A bit more running but not as much as I would have hoped for and by the time I reached the crew at Twin Lakes I had lost another hour and fifteen minutes off of my, hoped for, pace. I entered Twin Lakes Aid Station (mile 60.5) at 15:30.

At Twin Lakes Aid Station the whole crew was there (Susan, Frank and Gina, Matt and Jess) and that is where I picked up some moral support and pacer Matt for the next while. I was glad to have Matt along at this point as I hoped that having him there would help motivate me to keep clawing at it and moving forward at some sort of reasonable pace. In fact, when I picked up Matt I felt a renewed positive attitude and really felt that I might be able to find another gear to get myself back on track. The next section, all the way to Fish Hatchery, was pretty easy anyway so I felt hopeful to make up some time.

All that started to fade away after it got dark again and I stopped being able to run flats and down hills. It didn't have anything to do with it getting dark though, they just happened at the same time. My legs finally started to just flat out not want to move anymore and even though Matt fought valiantly to keep my positive and moving I would falter anytime I tried to get any kind of run going. It was probably be comical for the other runners passing me if they could look back as I would, every once in a while, get super determined and, after someone passed me walking or light jogging, I would try my hardest to run after them for a couple hundred yards and then falter and they would disappear easily and without any apparent effort out of sight and into the darkness ahead of me.

By this point, I started to marvel at how every single person that was on the course would, after catching me, easily pass me as if I were standing still even though many of them were walking. I couldn't get over how extremely fast and easily they moved. Every person looked like a speed walker to me. I was in trouble.

A few miles before the Halfmoon Aid Station Matt mentioned to me for the first time that I had better get my ass in gear or I wasn't going to make a cut off at Fish Hatchery or May Queen. I again, adding to an uncountable amount of times, promised myself that I would try to move as fast as I could and again, for an uncountable amount of times, kept getting a bit slower with every mile and got passed by faster moving walkers and joggers...but I kept trying.

Finally, we met Frank, Gina and Jess at Treeline Aid Station (mile 71ish) at...I actually don't know what time...and they got us in and out pretty darn fast and I, now with lots of warm cloths on and feeling closer to the finish, felt a bit revitalized. I made a pact with myself and told Matt that I was going to run as much of the upcoming 5 miles of flat road as I could, no matter what, to make up some time and get things on track so I could still come in under the cut off.

The running lasted for maybe a mile and my pace was so slow that Matt was walking faster than I could run. After that first mile of running I fell back into my painfully slow walking pace that sadly got slower and slower all the way to Fish Hatchery.

By this time, I was getting passed like there was no tomorrow and there was nothing I could do to move faster. I started to get super depressed about my ability to move forward at this point. I knew that I needed to move faster as all the people at this point were on the edge of not making the cut off and they were all moving considerably faster than me. If I wasn't able to start following these people then I wasn't going to have any chance at all.

The last mile or two, walking into Fish Hatchery, felt out of control, sad and embarrassing. I realized at that point that no matter how much I wanted to finish (because mentally I was still all there and motivated) my legs just weren't moving fast enough. I just didn't know how to get them moving any faster any more. I had tried and tried over the course of 65 miles (the point where my legs first felt 'off') to get things on track and instead it snowballed into my stumbling along with worthless legs into Fish Hatchery contemplating if I am physically able to move fast enough to beat the next cut off at May Queen, let alone the next at the finish line.

So, Matt and I got to our crew of Frank, Gina and Jess at Fish Hatchery (mile 76.5) (Susan was a head at May Queen sleeping so that she could pace me the last 13 miles to the finish) and we discussed the matter. I arrived with a time of 21:36 (4 hours behind my prerace splits). I had just less than 5 hours at that point to get to May Queen if I wanted to beat the cut off and I had to cover 10 miles.

With some quick and easy math I realized that I would have to average at least 2 miles an hour to make it happen and that is if I left at that exact moment. I still had to climb the 1,000+ foot Sugar Loaf 'power line' section and then go down a long section of loose rocks and technical trail to get to May Queen. It didn't look good...in fact, it looked down right impossible.

I figured, at best, in my present condition, I could manage 1 mile an hour up Sugar Loaf and then if I got feeling a crazy late charge on the down hill to May Queen somehow, then I could maybe average 3 miles an hour down hill if I was lucky. That would maybe, just maybe, get me there before cut off and that's way above expectation, best case scenario. Then I would have to navigate the final 13 miles from May Queen to the finish in less than 4 hours (average of just over 3 miles an hour...) and that just seemed impossible to me. Even after a miraculous late charge to May Queen my legs would be completely shot and there is enough technical trail and rolling hills to the finish that I could never keep a true running pace through it all.

I had to make the decision of beat the complete crap out of myself and try to work against some extreme odds and try to finish or call it good right here and now. While I contemplated the math I also contemplated family, friends and everyone out there who supported me through this. I contemplated why I do ultra distance running and just how much I really needed to prove and to who by beating the garbage out of my body for the next however many miles until I stopped being able to continue moving forward.

It was weird. The whole length of the run, I had no tears, I was calm, clear headed and felt like I played it as smart as I knew how. Yes; I had bouts with sadness, depression and embarrassment due to my effort and the hundreds of people that passed me but through all of that I kept coming back to trying to be smart about what I needed to do and keep moving forward and near the end, Matt did a wonderful job of helping me control my intake of water and food when we needed to change things up and helped mentally keeping me focused on the goal.

So, what was so weird was that even though I was mentally all there and wanted to succeed my body just didn't have what it took to push that day. It was literally all in my legs. From the waist up I felt great from stomach to mind but my quads just didn't have anything. Literally, nothing to give to the table and I just couldn't move fast enough. Because of that, I was looking at not finishing because of a cut off. Something I had no control over. Really hard to take.

After another 20 minutes or so hanging out at Fish Hatchery and way to much time ticking away from the clock I finally 'fully' committed to the DNF (not finishing the run). In the end, it just wasn't worth it to me to beat the crap out of myself like that just to get stopped later on before the finish.

I was done. That was it. Race over.

Thoughts

With it all said and done and a few days to look back on my decision I still feel strongly that I wouldn't have made either the May Queen or the Finish cut offs and feel fine with my choice of stopping. Looking back on other runners much better than I and seeing that they have made choices to take them selves out of 100 mile races because of a 'bad day' makes me feel a tiny bit better about it too.

Greats like Anton and Geoff have all pulled out of 100 milers because of their body not 'being there' that day. Even (I heard this one through the grape vine...) Barefoot Ted pulled out of this years Leadville 100 Run at mile 28 (not much further from where I first was feeling 'off').

I'm not throwing these names out just to make myself feel better (well, maybe a bit...) but to help me realize that it doesn't matter who you are, 100 milers are super hard and you have to be on it to perform well and succeed. You need to listen to your body and sometimes you will crush, sometimes you will suffer hard and squeak through and sometime you will go down in a ball of flames. This is something I am getting better at rationalizing. It is a fact of life, I guess.

In the end the two reasons that my performance is hard to deal with is that...

1. I thought that I was a better runner than that. My performances running in the last year or two have far outshone my effort at Leadville. I have had no indicator that I would have so much difficulty moving well. I mean...what happened to my legs? I'm still trying to figure that one out...

2. Susan, Frank, Gina, Jess and Matt put their lives into this also to help me on race day and my parents, family and friends have all been wonderful for cheering me on and supporting my dream of doing these things and I guess I have that feeling of letting them down along with letting myself down.

I guess I just feel a bit bad about it all.

Well, being a poop won't make anything better. All I can do is recover from this setback and learn what I can from it and become a better and stronger runner. If I enter Leadville again in my life hopefully I can do better, if I enter another 100 mile race then hopefully I can take my lessons learned to that one and succeed and if I just continue doing ultra length 'unorganized' trail runs in the wilderness then I can only be stronger for those too. I know I will be stronger for this...I just gotta learn the lessons that are hidden in folds of my Leadville effort.

Big Thanks

To Susan (my wife) for supporting my through all of the training and on race day. She even said that if I ever wanted to go back and beat the crap out of myself at Leadville again she would be there for me. She is crazier than I am. Love you Susan.

To Frank, Gina and Jess for being there for me on race day as support crew. You guys were awesome and super supportive. I can never thank you enough.

To Matt for running with me and keeping me moving as my body fell apart. Again, I can never thank you enough.

To end this post, I'll throw out a couple of my favorite funny moments from the run...

-On the way to Hopeless Aid Station (on Hope Pass) on of the Llamas they use to move supplies broke free and ran crazily down the trail past us with aid station crew far behind but in quick pursuit screaming and flailing their arms. That was funny.

-On the trail, just after Twin Lakes (coming back), we walked past a runner puking while his pacer was taking photos of him. The pacer was having a great time with it laughing and trying to get the runner to puke more for more photos. That was funny.

Cry on a rock, then continue on...

2011-08-09T20:18:00.000-07:00

My mom has been converting old slides with her computer and she has really stirred up some good, old memories with a few of them. The below photo is my favorite of the group so far. Here's what my mom wrote to me to explain her memory of the day...

"I finally installed the slide converter in the computer and look what picture I found. I feel so bad, this is September 1977. Our first hike 2 months after I had Josh. You were 3 years old and you cried because you didn’t want to hike anymore on our hike out of Chain lakes to the car. I’m sorry, we were so mean to you. Love you, I hope we didn’t damage your psyche too much." -Mom

(Poor me, crying on a rock. I just want to give myself a hug...)

Later, in another email about the photo, my mom gave me the ultimate pep talk for the Leadville 100 Run.

"Remember when you are at Leadville and your crying against a rock, that the little 3 year old continued on, and so can the big 37 year old man! -Mom

Mom, thank you for the kind words and thank you for making me who I am today. Love you.

On to other news... Just spent the last four days in Chicago with Susan and her wonderful family. I had a really good time hanging out with them...well, except for getting sick on the one day that they had a big party! I missed out on seeing a lot of fun people. It seemed to be going around with Susan getting sick the day before I got there and then her mom got sick the day after me. Yikes!

Well, because of the sickness, I got a TON of sleep that day...I was in bed for almost 20 hours! Not sure if that was good or bad...

On the running front. I feel like I have been tapering pretty conservatively and I feel pretty good because of it. No tweaks or tiredness to report.

Running Log

Two weeks ago: 40 miles

Last week: 25 miles

This week: 0 miles so far... getting sick kept me off my feet. I'll probably get in a short run tomorrow to get the blood flowing again.

Washington Road Trip July 2011

2011-07-31T13:09:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of July, Susan and I squeezed in a couple week road trip up to Washington to see my family in Bellingham and Susan's brother, Leo, in Seattle. We had LOADS of fun hanging out with everyone! Love you all! Sorry it was such a short trip. Hopefully, we will be back up to see everyone again sooner than later.

I would have loved to get this post out right after the trip as there were many fun details that I would have loved to share but 'actual life' is busy sometimes (it sure got busy fast after we got back from the trip) and at least I am getting something up now... enjoy the photo post! I threw up some of my favorites from the trip.

Driving up the Northern California and Oregon coast

(Lake Tahoe!)

(Hanging out on this beach reminded us why a trip to Lake Tahoe should be high on our list for a future trip (we only got to spend about an hour at the lake on the way to the coast...))

(Happened upon this stump while wandering off trail at Lake Tahoe)

(As we reached the N. Cali coast we made a stop at the Trinity Aretes to get a bit of climbing in. Surprisingly, I wasn't that impressed. There were some good routes. I guess I was just expecting it to be a way bigger area. Pretty limited. Beautiful place to find yourself for the day though.)

(Dead seal at Gold Bluffs Beach Campground at the Readwoods, on the Cali Coast. We really enjoyed this beach and camping there was pretty sweet.)

(Sunset's coming...beer anyone?)

(Livin' the life)

(Our site at Gold Bluff Beach Campground.)

(Oregon Coast baby! These kind of views were pretty typical along the whole drive of the coast. Good stuff!)

(Arch. Sick!)

In Washington

We started our stint hanging out with Leo in Seattle and then having a bit shindig at my Sister's house. Great chance to see everyone right off the bat. It was good to catch up with everyone. Thanks for hosting Melissa!

(Then...we went for some fun in the ocean near Semiahmoo Resort with my parents (pictured above), my brother and his wife and my grandpa. Fun day out.)

(Pretty sick views...Mt. Baker in the distance. Saw a bunch of jellyfish too.)

(The next evening, after hanging out on the beach at Birch Bay messing with crabs and trying to sneak up on Bald Eagles (I got within 25 feet of one!), we hung out with a bunch of family at the 'local' fireworks show. A bit crazy, as the show consisted of hundreds if not thousands of people lining the shore with whatever fireworks they can get their hands on. Somehow no one got seriously hurt but it seemed like a war zone on the beach. Crazy. Above and below are my best efforts at getting some photos of the action. By the way...thanks to my brother for hosting a great party at his home in Birch Bay for the 4th!)

(Susan and I got away to do some climbing at Mt. Erie which was an old hangout of mine while learning to climb as a youth. It was fun to circuit a few of the old routes with her.)

(Mt. Erie is located on one of the islands in the San Juan's so sunsets are always amazing. We got to enjoy this one from the crag. Special evening for sure.)

(Susan and I dangling the feet at one of the crags on Mt. Erie. Great views.)

(We got out for a bit of an adventure one day. I wanted to get a longer run in as my foot was starting to feel better again and so I ran 16 miles of trails on Chuckanut Mountain, next to Bellingham, as Susan and my dad rode bikes. Ask my dad about the spectacular wipe out he had during his ride. It was awesome (well...maybe only because I was running right behind him when it happened...)

(We got to link some of my favorite lakes on Chuckanut Mountain. Brought back some good memories.)

(Typical trail.)

(Lost Lake. I love this spot.)

(Gotta love the big ass trees in Washington. Now that's a root system!)

(Above video is us screwing around a bit with the camera at around mile 14 or 15 of the run.)

(That evening, we caught up with the family at Clayton Beach (another favorite place of mine...) and just hung out, played on the beach and watched another great sunset.)

(We squeezed in Mallards after hanging out at Clayton Beach (truly amazing flavors of ice cream!!!). Wish we had something like this in Flagstaff.)

(The following day was a bit of catching up with Bellingham and my parents as Susan and I (and my parents) went for a bike ride linking a ton of urban trails in town. Along the way we found a really cool tree fort on the beach.)

(See me in the tree fort? This thing was big!)

(We ate at Casa during the ride but probably should have waited 'till the end. Ohhhhhhh the full stomach. Not good for riding...but Casa is a must in Bellingham so I enjoyed every bit of it!)

(On the bridge at Whatcom Falls at the end of our ride.)

The trip back to Flagstaff

We hung out with Leo in Seattle for one more tour (a bike ride around Seattle on streets and urban trails). Thanks Leo...it was really fun! Then, we had to get south quickly to get Susan to a teacher training in southern Utah. We squeezed in a half day of great sport climbing at Exit 38, east of Seattle, before leaving though. Couldn't resist.

(Our camping spot near where I had to drop Susan off for her teacher training in southern Utah. Great spot to camp. Good thing too as it was our one year anniversary and we pretty much didn't get to do anything cool the whole day (we had driven from Washington to Utah that day!). Except...I just remembered, how could I forget, that we had a near death experience at a gas station in eastern Washington... you'll have to ask about that one! Soooo, back to my original thought, we got to hang in the aspens (just like our wedding day) and reflect on our great life together. Great end to the trip.)

Wow. I remembered a lot more of the details of the trip than I thought...I wonder if this is all in the right order...did I miss anything? Probably...

Thanks to all our family for being so wonderful and putting life on hold for a few to hang out with us!! Love you guys and see you all again soon!

Great trip...although too short as always. Man, I love road trips.

Humphreys Run and Wedding Spot Camping

2011-07-29T10:17:00.001-07:00

Got maybe my last run up Humphreys before Leadville (I may take one more trip up there next week...) and it was great as always. Took it really easy to just spend time high in the air and enjoy myself. Finished in a leisure 2 hrs 50 minutes car to car.

Just another great run to the top of Arizona. I don't think that I have ever had a bad run up that thing... Oh yeah, except for the time that I tried to run it with my boss and some friends and only got a 1/4 of the way up the trail before turning around because of extreme nausea. Why? My dog had been sprayed by a skunk the night before and when I smelled her to see how bad it was I got way too close and sniffed way too hard. It completely wrecked me...lesson learned, don't snort Skunk spray before running up Humphreys.

(looking south from summit)

(Look mom...you son has wings! Baaaad summit shot.)

I wanted to add that Susan and I got a chance to go back up to our wedding spot and camp out last week, which was a couple weeks after our 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! It was awesome day to camp out and super peaceful up there in my favorite aspen grove. What a great spot!!! It reminded us of what a great day our Wedding Day turned out to be. Super special. Although, I will say that it was really nice to be back up there without the stress that goes along with a wedding. We got to just enjoy each other in a very special spot.

(Hi, from Susan at the wedding spot! Thanks for all the great gifts at the wedding. Almost every item in this photo was a wedding gift. Thanks everyone for coming out to the wedding and making it such a special day for us!)

Running Log

Yesterday: 0 miles

Today: 9 miles (Humphreys Trail)

28 and 21 miles on The Peaks...back to back

2011-07-27T07:21:00.001-07:00

Last week I completed my first strong week of running in a long while. The last few weeks leading up to it had been great, with building the miles back up, but last week was the biggy. The real test to see how prepared I really was for the Leadville 100 run.

I wanted to put in at least 70 miles for the week and have two days in a row of 20+ miles while averaging 9,000 to 12,000 feet in elevation and gaining at least 5,000 feet each day. I was a bit worried doing a 50 mile, 10,000+ ft. gain in a single day so close to Leadville so, instead, opted for the safer but still some what pounding 50 miles split into two days.

To be honest, I kinda felt that the 2 days of 20+ miles back to back would help get my brain in gear the best way possible at this point. It's kind of like doing 50 miles and then having to do another 50, in a hundred miler. OF COURSE, doing the 2 days of 20+ miles back to back is WAY EASY compared to doing 50 miles back to back in a 100 miler. But, it does get the brain and body trained a bit on what it takes to make finishing a big day out like Leadville a success.

Day One, I ran from the base of Snowbowl Road to top of Mt. Humphreys and back. I parked at the dirt lot where Snowbowl Road and Hwy 180 meet (7,355 ft elevation) and picked up the the unsigned/unnamed trail that is a couple hundred yards up Snowbowl Road and on the right. I followed this trail until it met the Arizona Trail and turned left onto the Arizona Trail. From here, I traveled the Arizona Trail all the way up to the short connector (Aspen Nature Trail) to the Humphreys Trail. I then followed the Humphreys Trail to the summit of Humphreys (12,633 ft elevation). Once reaching the summit, it was all downhill back to the car on the same trails I took up. In the end it was a total elevation gain of 5,278 ft and loss of 5,278 ft and 28 miles, car to car.

It was a great day out. I took it super slow, my proposed Leadville pace (walking up any kind up serious up hill and jogging all the flats and downhills), and finished the run in 6 hrs 15 minutes, feeling great and positive. Wow, super slow by normal standards but I know that during Leadville this will be a very reasonable pace for that kind of elevation gain and loss. On to day two...

Day two, I tried to mimic the Leadville 100 Hope Pass double crossing section a bit. To get relatively the same elevation gains and losses at the same elevations as the Hope Pass double crossing, I started at Aspen Corner (8,935 ft elevation) and ran the Arizona Trail and Aspen Nature Loop to the Humphreys Trailhead. From the Humphreys Trailhead, I traveled the Humphreys Trail and Weatherford Trail (high point was 12,000 ft elevation on the Weatherford) to the Inner Basin Trail and down into the Inner Basin to the Waterline Road Junction (9,410 ft elevation). From the Waterline Road Junction, I turned around and repeated the whole trip back to my car.

Another great day out and a very promising effort. I, again, kept it really, really slow (walking up any kind of serious up hill and jogging all the flats and downhills) and finished in 5 hrs 40 minutes with a total elevation gain of 5,655 ft and loss of 5,655 ft and 21 miles car to car. All around, I felt really good on this effort too. I didn't really know what to expect.

I could have started the day with some serious soreness or fatigue but instead I started the run feeling fine and finished feeling really strong. The only part of the run that I felt a bit hammered on was during about a mile of super steep, loose trail leading down into the Inner Basin. Besides that, all was well. I woke the day after the 2 long days of running and felt really good and ready for more. Great sign! No foot pain or other pain in the body and my psych was high. Really good sign! Maybe I will be ready for a good effort at the Leadville 100 run after all.

The only worry I can have at this point is that there is also a ton of flat stuff on the Leadville course and I haven't been able to do any super long flat runs in the last few months due to the foot injury. Hopefully, the accumulative effort over the last 6 months and the stuff I have been able to do the last 3 weeks will help with that part too. We will see...can't really do much about it at this point.

So, with 49 miles in two days with an accumulative 10,933 ft in elevation gain and 10,933 ft of elevation loss, all between 8,840 and 12,000 ft elevation, and another 21 miles of flatter running for the week I made an even 70 miles and some really good elevation training. A good strong week.

Now time to start tapering to get rested up and ready. This week I am hoping to run about 40 miles with minimal elevation gains (maybe one run in the Dry Lake Hills and one trip up Humphreys to get a bit of elevation...but that's it for the steeper stuff). Then it's probably 20ish miles (and maybe a really easy trip up Humphreys...), 15ish miles and then 5ish miles in final three weeks leading up to Leadville.

Can't wait. PSYCHED!

Running Log

Last Week Total: 70 miles and 11,500 ft in elevation gain

This Week

Monday: 10 miles (on mesa)

Tuesday: 6 miles (on mesa by the house and new section of Flagstaff Loop Trail (nice) on mesa)

Wednesday: 10 miles (on Dry Lake Hills)

Wupatki Ride

2011-07-16T22:24:00.000-07:00

What a cool ride...

Last night, by the light of the full moon (no headlamps of course), Susan and I joined some friends and rode the classic 14 mile 'coast fest' of perfect, smooth downhill road action between Sunset Crater National Monument and Wupatki National Monument, northeast of Flagstaff. That's right, 14 miles of easy going but amazingly consistent downhill! Pretty much coasting the entire length! To add to the fun, there were probably 100 other people that made the drive out there to coast their way through the desert by moonlight. Really cool.

The only regret I have from the evening is riding ahead of our group a bit and hiding, figuring I would catch right up to them after they passed and surprising them, as a fun joke. Well, I underestimated how fast people can coast when they are trying to catch me when thinking I was still ahead of them. They really went for it! By the time I got going again to catch the front group of Susan and Chris I must have put myself a good distance behind because with full on pedaling it still took me at least 5 miles to catch them and I was WORKED! Once we did all gather up again it was really fun just cruising along enjoying the smooth road, huge sky with a crazy amount of stars for a full moon night, super surreal desert landscape and each other's great company. Really novel experience. Gotta do that again sometime.

Get psyched!

Here's a video for all those runners that like the steep stuff. Man, this video makes me want to get stronger on hills!

Leadville 100 Run

Only 5 weeks to Leadville and one more week to try and get stronger before tapering off... bring it! Finally starting to feel the excitement and fear of what lies ahead. This is the good stuff. Ready or not, I will be running the Leadville 100 mile run in 5 weeks.

Running Log

Yesterday: 4 miles (work errands)

Today: 4.5 miles (on mesa with Susan)

Week Total: 50.5 and 6,000 feet of elevation gain (First week over 50 miles in a loooooong time and felt really good. Ready to put in a good effort this coming week...)

Peaks North Loop Run...a 'new' classic

2011-07-13T15:28:00.002-07:00

Peaks North Loop Run

Route: I recommend doing it counter clockwise to get the best quality trails and easiest climbs when going up hill but to each their own. Maybe you will find it better doing it the other way...

Start at Humphreys Trailhead at Snowbowl Ski Area. Link trails in this order:

Humphreys Trail (3.5 miles)

Weatherford Trail (...follow trail on top of ridge and then onto right side of ridge to start Weatherford Trail from Humphreys Trail Junction. Don't follow trail trending to left side of ridge.) (2.5 miles)

Inner Basin Trail (2.3 miles)

Waterline Road (...turn left on it going north) (5 miles)

Abineau Trail (2.3 miles)

Forest Service Road #9723J (about .5 miles)

Forest Service Road #418 (...turn left on it going west) (about 1.5 miles)

Arizona Trail (...turn left on it going south) (6.5 miles)

Aspen Nature Trail (...on Arizona Trail look for first trail you can take a left onto. It will have a 'TH' sticker on the sign pointing up the Aspen Nature Trail which may be unmarked otherwise.) (.8 miles)

Distance: 25 miles

Total Elevation Gain/Loss: Gain +4,580 ft. and Loss -4,800 ft.

Highest Elevation: 12,055 ft. on Weatherford Trail

Lowest Elevation: 8,250 ft. at Arizona Trail/Forest Service Road #418 Junction

Water Source: seasonal water source at Inner Basin Trail/Waterline Road Junction (check with Forest Service to see if water is available before relying on it!)

Best Time to Do It: July to October (go early in the morning to beat thunder showers during summer!)

Trip Report

Finally! I had been licking my chops at the opportunity to run this loop ever since they finished the AZ Trail section that links it a couple years ago. I would have done it last year but the Inner Basin was closed due to the Schultz Fire so I had to be patient.

Starting up the Humphreys Trail I wasn't sure if the weather was going to cooperate but the forecast was for clear skies so I decided to let it all play out.

(Mt. Humphreys at 6 am and a bit stormy.)

I was running the loop with my Nathan Pack and a hand held water bottle just in case the water was off at the Inner Basin Trail/Waterline Road Junction. About a 1/2 mile up the trail, just to make things more interesting I guess, I set my water bottle down to adjust some things and never picked it back up! I got a mile or so farther up the trail before I realized my mistake. Crap. Hopefully, there was going to be water at the Waterline Road...good chance, but it's not completely reliable.

When I reached the start of the Weatherford Trail the weather had already started clearing, I got a little sun on my face and I could just about see Humphreys summit poking through the clouds.

(Mt. Humphreys)

The Weatherford was a pleasure to run, as always. I just love running above tree line on The Peaks. I love the rugged alpine environment and the spectacular views of The Grand Canyon, Oak Creek Canyon and the Painted Desert.

(Looking back at one of my favorite views on the Weatherford.)

(Looking ahead at an awesome section of the Weatherford Trail as it traverses above tree line. This is the good stuff!)

(Dropping back down into the trees on the Weatherford Trail.)

When I reached the Inner Basin Trail I got extra psyched. I haven't been in the Inner Basin in years due to the fire and I just love it in there with it's big meadows and aspens...just awesome.

I will have to admit that the trail quality on the upper half of the Inner Basin is pretty crappy but it's all worth it as you role out into the meadow and take in all the views.

(Inner Basin goodness.)

(Water Pump in Inner Basin. Yep, that's our city drinking water coming out of there!)

At the Inner Basin, I went immediately to the faucet to top off my Nathan Pack and found that the faucet wasn't on. Say what!?! I have never been to this faucet in the summer with it turned off.

Luckily, I didn't have to go into rationing water mode as around the back of one of the buildings next to the faucet there was a pipe with water pouring out of it. I filled up on this and knew that I could now gulp water 'at will' the rest of the run. Nice.

(Waterless faucet. Arg.)

(Pipe of gushing water. Yippy!)

From the Inner Basin/Waterline Trail Junction I took a left and followed the old road north. I was really excited to explore this next section. I had never been on this section of the Waterline Road and had, also, never been on the upcoming Abineau Trail. I knew these sections were going to be super beautiful as I have seen many sweet photos of 'em.

I wasn't let down. It was pure joy running through the thick Aspens, Fur, alpine flowers, tall grass and ferns. Everything was super lush on the Waterline Road section. I felt like I was in Colorado or Washington running. The old road had degraded to a wide, smooth trail feel adding to the enjoyment. Good stuff.

(View of Locket Meadow from Waterline Road.)

(Typical trail on Waterline Road. Not bad, eh?)

(Simply stunning place to be! Wow! This was a few hundred yards from where I picked up the Abineau Trail.)

When I reached the Abineau Trail I had to stop and take it all in. This spot on the mountain was just breathtaking. I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn't in the San Juan mountains in Colorado. I did not feel like I was in Arizona anymore. The north side of the mountain most definitely has a different feel than the other sides. Much more lush and wild feeling. To top it off I had not seen a soul up to this point adding an 'out there' feeling (I only saw one person on the entire loop. Amazing.). More good stuff.

Once I started down the Abineau Trail I realized that I was yet again on an awesome section of the loop. There was a big avalanche that went down Abineau Canyon many years ago and laid all the trees down flat. Running down the, rebuilt yet barely there, trail taking in the impact of the powerful avalanche damage was just another added bonus to an already great run. Can it get much better than this?

(View of the avalanche damage. The Abineau trail goes right down this chute. Rugged!)

It can...

After a few miles of mandatory dirt road running, I reached the Arizona Trail and I was right back in bliss mode. The Arizona Trail from here to the Humphrey's Trailhead is really amazing. Not only is it extremely smooth and fast but it wanders it's way through some HUGE Aspen groves. A really special trail.

(I don't get psyched on running roads but the views definitely make up for it!)

(Arizona Trail action!)

(Susan and my wedding spot from last year. Still my favorite place and always will be!)

(Typical AZ Trail in the Aspen section. LOVE IT!)

(AZ Trail near Bizmark Lake.)

(Saw some fire as I neared the Humphreys Trailhead...got scared, then later realized it was just Snowbowl burning some crap. Whew!)

To finish up, I went left onto the quaint Aspen Nature Trail to link back up with the Humphreys Trailhead. Done.

Looking back, I really don't have a bad word to say about this loop except maybe the 2 miles of dirt road. I think it is completely worth the dirt road action to link the rest of these spectacular trails. I truly believe that this is the best side of the mountain to do a loop if you are looking for the most wild and remote side of the mountain and want to sample all the zones that the mountain has to offer. Can I say enough about this loop? Probably not! If you do the regular Peaks loop and are looking for a little variety and and a whole lot of wild and beauty then check this loop out...you won't be sorry. Simply classic.

Oh yeah... I didn't get my water bottle back. I went back up the Humphreys Trail to retrieve it and someone had already snaked it. Poop. Great run though, so who cares!

Running Log

Yesterday: 6 miles (on Urban Trail to Schultz Pass Road and back)

Today: 26 miles (Peaks North Loop + 1 extra mile on Humphreys looking for my water bottle. Did the loop in 5 hrs 50 minutes and really took my time to go super easy on the foot and see what time I would put in going at a snails pace (good gage for Leadville...). I also took a serious amount of photos adding to the slow pace. As a result, MY FOOT FEELS GREAT!, physically I feel good and I have a ton of photos. GREAT DAY OF RUNNING!!! It's good to be back doing some longer runs.)

Back in Flag!

2011-07-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

Susan and I had a great trip to Washington camping, climbing, running, canoeing, biking, hanging on the beach and visiting family. I'll have a trip report posted soon...need to go through all the photos!

Getting in to town today, my first order of business was going for a run to stretch the legs after a couple days of sitting in the car. I took the opportunity to sample a 5ish mile new section of the Arizona Trail between Snowbowl Road and Aspen Corner on the Peaks.

Man, was it awesome. What a great addition to the trails in Flagstaff! Not only does it travel some excellent sections of the mountain but it offers up some really cool high elevation trail 'link up' opportunities that I look forward to completing. I can not say enough about how much I enjoyed running this trail. With Aspen groves, thick green grass and ferns, big Pine and Fir trees and super smooth rolling single track at 8,000 feet...what's not to like? It's now one of my favorites in Flagstaff.

Note: There is a mile section in the middle of it that wasn't finished yet. Don't let this stop you from checking out the trail though. It is well flagged and people have been hiking it enough to have created a faint trail so it doesn't really slow you down much. I didn't have any trouble finding my way and only had to walk a few times due to down trees and brush that haven't been cleared yet.

Also... on the way back down the trail I went down a gully to investigate some rock I spied on the way up. There wasn't really anything tall enough to put a good concentration of routes on but there was some good opportunities for bouldering. In fact, by accident I spied a cave there that was flat out sick. It's big, steep and has holds. I think there could be some really amazing hard boulder problems in it... and the walk isn't too long! I'll have to get some strong boys up there to send some lines. There's a couple lines in the thing that could be pretty classic if they climb as well as they look. We will see...

Running Log

Two weeks ago: about 25 miles

Last week: about 32 mile (with a good 16 mile run with no foot pain. Getting more brave...)

Today: 10 miles and 1,000 feet of elevation gain (Snowbowl Road/Aspen Corner AZ Trail out and back)

First Trip Up Humphreys in 2011

2011-06-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed my first trip up Mt. Humphreys in 2011 a couple days ago. I had a easy AND foot pain free week of running leading up to it so it seemed reasonable to go for it as long as I walked most of the up hill and then lightly jogged the down hill.

In the end everything turned out way better than I could have hoped for. My foot felt good the whole way, I was able to jog a fair bit more than I thought I would on the way up and the way back down was super enjoyable, easy going, jogging with no pain. Really, really positive effort.

Better yet, I felt great afterwards. I wasn't tired, sore or any of that and I turned in a, reasonable for the effort, time of 3 hours on the dot, car to car. Not fast by any measure but great to come in at that time and not feel tired at all... maybe the mountain biking is keeping my legs under me after all. Hopefully, this is a good step toward more running in the coming weeks.

(Summit shot! It was pretty darn windy up there but super awesome and beautiful as always!)

Here's my rant for the day...

I was a bit annoyed when I was driving up Snow Bowl Road and found that a super popular and well established mountain bike trail (that I also use to run at times) was wrecked (covered in trees, rocks, dirt, etc.) and had a forest service sign on it detailing why. I guess the forest service, in the Flagstaff area, is starting to get hard core with mountain bikers making trails and is in full force closing trails that they don't like. Bummer for everyone recreating on them...

BUT, at the same time, the forest service is allowing the local ski area (Snow Bowl)...yes, we have a ski area, to rip up the forest to put in miles of pipes for making snow and make new lifts high up on the mountain which creates an extreme amount of impact on the mountain compared to a few trails used by mountain bikers, hikers and runners.

The real kicker for me is that Snow Bowl doesn't even have rights to use water yet. The Reservation and the City of Flagstaff have both voted against giving water to Snow Bowl. As it stands right now, Snow Bowl has no idea how it will get water to put into the pipes that are being put into the ground as we speak.

This all seems so ridiculous to me. So it's o.k., as far as the forest service is concerned, for Snow Bowl to dig up the forest for pipes and lifts with no plan on how to get water because no one wants to give the water to them locally (note: they are still trying to beat down the local community by trying to make it happen in courts). At the same time, the forest service is spending tax dollars to decommission mountain bike trails that are used and loved by the local outdoor community. Pretty crazy in my book... To bad mountain bikers, hikers and runners don't have the same $$$ backing them as ski areas. Sad.

If it isn't clear... I do not support Snow Bowl. I think they are lame and after seeing the closed trail my opinion of the Forest Service isn't too high right now either.

O.k...rant finished. Now back to thinking about my blissful day on Humphreys...mmmmmmm.

(Decommissioned trail!)

(Worth reading...laying the smack down on mountain bikers!)

(Snow Bowl pipeline project in progress.)

To finish on a positive note, here is a clip of Kilian Jornet running the last mile to win the Western States 100 mile run Saturday. Man he killed it. Very inspiring.

Running Log

Last Week:

Thursday- 4.5 miles on mesa

Friday- 9 miles on Mt. Humphreys Trail

Saturday- 0 miles

Total miles for last week: 21 miles and 4,500 feet of elevation gain

This week:

Sunday: 4.5 miles on mesa

Monday: 4.5 miles on mesa

100 miler on less than 50 miles a week...and more

2011-06-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

Looks like, as my foot continues to try to recover, there is a very real possibility that I may not get any 50+ mile weeks or good, long runs in leading up to Leadville. This stresses me out a bit as I have been trained to think that I need to be putting in 70-100 mile weeks for a chunk of time in the months prior to the big day.

Well, this guy proves that it is possible to not only finish a 100 miler but finish strong with less than 50 miles a week. Maybe there is still hope to put in a good effort...

I am trying to get out and mountain bike, when I can, to try to hold onto some kind of fitness. I'm not sure how much it helps but it is better than sitting on my ass. Besides, I am getting to explore some trails that are a bit further 'out there' then what I can usually reach on an average running day.

A highlight ride last week was a 3 hour ride that was all on dirt and single track. I was lucky enough to explore the newly completed section of the AZ Trail that is between the Dry Lake Hills and The Peaks during the ride. This ride was super beautiful and fun and I finally got a good work out in. Probably, the first time I've been really worked in about a month.

I have also been trying to do some laps on the bike on the road up Mars Hill to keep the legs remembering how to climb. I do these rides standing up and in high gears to try and work some of the similar muscle groups as running and power hiking up hills. I'm not sure if this logic is sound but it seems to make sense so I think I'll stay with it.

I've gotten in some good (rock) climbing in the last week too with a couple days up at The Peaks. Primo conditions up there and the Aspens, ferns and flowers are going off. Beautiful place to climb (although, it makes me long for running up there...).

I did try a few runs this week after 11 straight days off from running. Both were under 5 miles and felt good but I am super paranoid and scared that my foot will start hurting at any time during a run so haven't run the last few days again to ease back into it. Crossing my fingers that all will go well this time with putting the miles back on (gotta remember to go slow with it...) .

To finish... I really, really enjoyed a recent video about the amazing ultra runner Geoff Roes (posted below for your viewing pleasure). His connection with running and wild places is one that I thoroughly agree with. I really feel that same pull to use running as a vehicle to explore my natural surroundings and find a deeper connection and appreciation for it.

With my foot hurting and not getting to run in some of my favorite wild places right now I am reminded how lucky I have been to be able to so intimately experience the wild places around Flagstaff and beyond.

Hopefully, I will be able to get back out there soon and deepen that connection... but, in the mean time I will try and rest, recover and prepare for that special day where every thing clicks again and I find myself floating down some dreamy single track on some mountain ridge or canyon bottom. Oooh... that sounds good.

Going to Washington State with Susan in less than a week to play and visit family for a couple weeks in the Bellingham area. Can't wait...ROAD TRIP!!!

Running Log

Last Week:

0 miles

This Week:

Sunday-4.5 miles (on the mesa)

Monday-3 miles (on the mesa)

Tuesday-0 miles (hill work on the bike)

Wednesday-0 miles

Heli-Rescued Trail Runner

2011-06-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

I seem to be reading a lot about runners getting injuries these days... Today I was reading Gary Robbins blog and he actually had to be rescued with a helicopter after breaking his foot on a run! I think he has risen to the top of my 'worst injury story' list for 2011 (barely squeaking past Anton's story). Check out his video of the actual injury and rescue below (it's worth watching to the end!)