I'm the worst blogger EVER!

So it appears that blogging is way too much work for me. I just don't have the time to keep up with this blog, and if you don't keep up with it; then what's the point. So, when I do have something to blog about (race reports, cool new gear, trails I like, etc) I will be doing so on my wife Tara's blog, family of five.

Tara's blog is far more legit anyway.

One of my favorite places to run

Yesterday I ran 10 miles in one my favorite places, Auburn State Recreation Area. Best part is it's just a few minutes down the road. Ok, more like 30 minutes, but who cares. I ran Quarry Trail, up Browns Bar, up Goat Hill, then around back down to Quarry Trail. A great run with the exception of the overgrowth of Star Thistle at the top of Goat Hill.

If Oprah can run a marathon, I can review a book or two.

So I just finished reading both Running with the Buffalos: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and the University of Colorado Men's Cross-Country Team, by Chris Lear and Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen” by Christopher McDougall. It was strange reading both of these books at the same time, because they couldn’t be more different. Both books are obviously about running and were well written in my opinion (Disclaimer: I think classified ads are well written), but that’s where their similarities end.

Running with the Buffalos details the 1998 Cross Country season of the University of Colorado Men’s team. Anyone who has ever competed in XC can appreciate the ridiculousness of the workouts, times, races and trials the athletes faced. No one can argue about Coach Mark Wetmore’s success in regards to both his teams and athletes. But by the end of the book, the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth. It wasn’t any one thing that Wetmore or his athletes did; it was the whole business that is competitive/college running. I started reflecting on my brief college running career, which could be described in one word, dreadful. I probably had a typical college career, filled with unfulfilled expectations and of course injuries. Reading about Colorado’s workouts, mileage, races, and competition for a few slots reminded me how for the first time I actually hated running while I was in college. Colorado’s team really hammer themselves and a lot of them ended up injured. In the Afterwards I read that a lot of the runners continued to struggle with their injuries after leaving U of C. This seems to be the case with a lot of “elite” high school and college programs. The worst thing is when some of these athletes leave running for good. The team had a tremendous amount of camaraderie with each other, which was developed by the trials of the workouts and life. These guys really cared about each other, it was pretty cool to read about. Overall the book was an interesting read. Nothing like reading about guys that “cruise” through long runs at 5:30 pace.

Now to the book Born to Run; it was awesome. I don’t have the writing ability to do this book justice by describing it in detail. This was one my favorite books of all time. It focuses on the lifestyle of running, the incredible Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s Copper Canyon, barefoot running and the “myth” of the running shoe companies and how we were born to run. The book is filled with wild true stories about various super legit ultra-marathoners, ridiculously insane trail ultra marathons, and as the title states “the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen.” My favorite quote of the book was in reference to the Leadville 100 mile run "You don't have to be fast; but you had better be fearless." I would recommend this book to anyone I know, both runners and non-runners.

Ok, enough with the book reviews. My running is starting to pick up and I was able to complete my longest run today (9 miles) since my IT Band injury. Next up for me is to solidify a race schedule for the upcoming year.

We joined a new running club

Today I ran further than I have run since April; 7.3 miles. It went pretty good, I was able to hold 7:23 mile pace and I had a few sub 7 minute miles in there. I ran from my house down to a really cool crushed granite trail, which I followed to the Cal State Sacramento Aquatic Center. There I met up with my family who were meeting one of the Buffalo Chips Running Club’s youth cross-country coaches.

My kids have decided they want to run cross-country and track this year as opposed to playing soccer. So after some research we decided to all join the Buffalo Chips Running Club as a family. The girls went for a run today with Tara and I in tow. Cassie ran 3 miles and Maya and Annie ran 2. I still can’t believe Maya ran 2 MILES!

We are totally excited to see them run.

Note to self: follow lessons learned from Kindergarten; if I can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all. Even better, I probably shouldn’t “talk” about running much with them, especially giving advice.

The Buffalo Chips RC appear to have several different running groups with different focuses and different abilities. There also appears to be several Ultra Marathoners on the club; several of which beat me pretty bad at WTC. Hopefully Tara and I can find a few training partners (although I have a few already..shout out to Anthony, Eric and maybe soon Derek).

I can’t believe I’m stoked about an 18 mile week

I was able to run four times this week, with today being the longest at 5.1 miles. Knock on wood, the pain in my knee seems to be mostly gone. Normally I would go out and hammer it in celebration, not this time. I’m going to ease my way back in with 4 to 5 days a week and no long runs for the next two weeks. If all goes well, I will start some long runs and a little tempo work.

I took two full weeks off without any running what so ever. I rode my mountain bike, did some core work and started a flexibility/strengthening routine (which I need to continue). I’ve been focusing on the area surrounding my knee by doing some IT Band stretches, foam roller, quad stretches, one legged squats, lunges and the “plank.”

I really need to learn my lesson one of these days. First, TAKE TIME OFF after a long race!

From now on:

Marathon/50K= 1 week no running, 1 week light running

50 Mile= 10-12 days no running, 1 week light running

100k= 2 weeks no running, 1 week light running

100 mile= 3 weeks to a month no running

I always seem to get injured after a long race when I do not allow myself enough recovery time. I know there are plenty of runners that can run two or more ultra’s in a month; I’m not one of them.

Second lesson I need to learn. When I determine I’m injured IMMEDIATELY stop running and attack the injury with ice, anti-inflammatory meds and most importantly exercises designed to increase the flexibility and strength of the area around the injury. I always try and lower my mileage when I get injured and this just prolongs my recovery.

Well hopefully I can proceed on my quest to get into WS100.

Socal Trip and Mark's Tahoe Rim Race Report

This last week I was able to get down to Southern California for my sister-in law’s wedding. While there I was able to run on a couple of trails. The first was Zuma Ridge Loop. The trail head is located in a neighborhood, just off of Hwy 1. We only ran four miles, but that was plenty for me that day. It was extremely hot and the trail had very little tree cover. It was sandy in parts and had some very steep climbs. The consolation was the view from on top of the ridge. It was an awesome view of the Pacific Ocean. The problem was my knee was bugging me throughout the run. Once I recover I intend to return to this trail and complete the 10 mile loop.

The next day we ran to the top of “Space Mountain” which is located in the Santa Monica Mountains, in Thousand Oaks, CA. It was again an easy 4-5 miler with a nice climb. After the run I definitely could feel my knee aching. It was a fun run, but I need to be able to start running four plus miles without pain in my knee. So my plan now is to take some serious time off. I’m going to try and mountain bike and aqua run to keep as much fitness as possible. I’m also going to continue a core strength/foam roller/stretching routine.

Now to my buddy Mark’s race report from Tahoe Rim. Unfortunately he was pulled from the race by the mile 50 aid station captain, after running 52 miles. How you ask? Well he left the aid station at 50 miles, but then developed a couple of nasty blisters on the back of his heels. So Mark turned around and went back to the 50 mile aid station for help with them. The captain pulled Mark from the race for returning to the aid station and being injured. Note to self; never return to an aid station you have already left! Mark said it was a great race and extremely beautiful. He also said it was a very difficult race.

Finally a little trail action

So yesterday I was finally able to get on some single track, even if it was on my mountain bike. I rode a local trail known as Salmon Falls with my friends Jeremy and Tuven. I haven’t ridden it some time and have only ridden maybe eight total times in the last two years; it definitely showed. Overall it was a good ride and it will suffice until I can start running more.

On a side note, my friend Mark is training in the Sequoia National Forest at 7000ft.; he should be ready for Tahoe Rim.

My friend Mark (I couldn’t think of anything more creative than that)

As I’m still recovering from some knee problems, there isn’t a whole lot to say about my running; so I decided to write about my pal Mark Jackson.

I met Mark in late May of 2001; we were both attending the US Army’s Criminal Investigation Division’s Special Agent Academy at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. After our first day of class I was heading out for a run when I saw Mark doing the same; it was love at first sight, ok not really..well maybe sort of a bromance. We did a lot of running there, to include an incident where we ran 14 miles during the heat of the day without water in the month of August; I almost died (well heat exhaustion at a minimum). We were in class together during 9/11 and stayed good friends ever since.

In 2007, Mark was the one that called me and asked me to pace him during a 50-mile trail race (see my last post). Because of that I have been hooked on trail running since.

So for the past two years Mark has been trying to get into WS100, but as of yet he has been unsuccessful. So this year he decided to sign up for the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 mile run. The race’s tag line is A Glimpse of Heaven, A Taste of Hell! The race is held in the mountains around Lake Tahoe, with a high point of 9,214ft and a low point of 6,800ft. Now Mark trains and lives on the East coast of Florida; in other words flat, sea level and humid. So in perfect Mark fashion he has decided to try and complete a hilly mountainous 100-mile run that will see the majority of the course well above 7,000ft in dry heat.

Mark runs between 50-70 miles a week depending on this work schedule and has completed numerous 50K’s, 50-milers and one 100-miler (Ancient Oaks 100 in Titusville, FL). He mixes his training with back-to-back weekend long runs, speed work, weight training and about two hours a week of playing soccer. He’s one of those guys who really just enjoys running; to the extent that he once ran 50 miles (or was it 100?) around an airfield while deployed to Iraq.

Recently Mark attempted to complete the Keys 100-miler; at 40 miles his feet fell apart. He tried to relieve the pressure by cutting his shoes (way too expense for me to try!) but at mile 82 his day was over.

Since then Mark has been focusing on Tahoe 100. Two weeks ago Mark had a little set back. He called and told me he had a painful tumor on his hand and the doctor stated they were going to remove it. The conversation was something like this:

Me: Are you serious? Is it cancer? Can Tara or I do anything to help?

Mark: Not sure, but don’t worry I’m gonna knock out a really long run this weekend just in case I can’t run next week after surgery.

Me: OK, but when will you find out what the deal is with the tumor?

Mark: Surgery next week, biopsy results a few days after. It shouldn’t affect my training; I mean it’s my hand, not my feet!

He had surgery last week and tried a long run this weekend. He found out that trying to run a long run three days after general anesthesia isn’t a good idea.

Today Mark found out that the tumor was benign!

On July 18, 2009, Mark will get his glimpse of heaven and hopefully just a small taste of hell.

If all goes well both Mark and I will get into WS100 next year. If one of us gets in, the other will pace. Worst case, we will both volunteer and pace whomever from Foresthill.

Good luck bro!

Yet another running blog!

I swore I would never start a blog, EVER! Creative writing just isn’t my thing. I typically write a lot for my job, but it’s a boring cut-and-paste, technical type of writing. After watching and volunteering at the Western States 100 mile Endurance run (WS100) this weekend, I was inspired. I thought maybe I would start a blog to document my attempt (among other things) to get in and complete the race. The race was like nothing I had ever seen before. There was so much to capture; triumph, failure, drama, heartbreak, physical exhaustion, and insane logistical support to name a few. I realized that every one of those runners had some sort of an amazing story behind their ability to even get to toe the starting line that morning.

My intent with this blog is to document all that will go into my training and preparation for WS100 for both my family and I. Along the way I intend to use it to document race reports, product reviews, general discussion about ultra/trail running, and maybe if I’m lucky, a couple of interviews.

A Little Bit about me:
So most of you know me, but for those who don’t here you go: I’m a husband who has been married for over 12 years, and a dad to three daughters (yes I know……I need a shotgun…start saving for wedding…..blah...blah...blah). I’m in my early 30’s and was born and raised in Southern California. I work in a very unique profession and I’m a US Army veteran. I’m currently living in Northern California just outside of Sacramento, very close to the trails of WS100. I’m blessed with a great family and set of friends that double as a support crew extraordinaire.

I’ve been running since I was 14. I still remember my last soccer coach when I was in the eighth grade telling my dad “Your son is the fastest kid out here, he’s the first kid to any loose ball and he never gets tired. The problem is once he gets to the ball, he can’t do anything with it; maybe he should try cross country and track next year in high school.” So with that I signed up for cross-country at Long Beach Wilson High School. I had immediate success with long distance running; I broke several freshman school records and was able to run on the varsity track and cross country teams as a freshman. I was blessed to have a very successful high school career; I graduated with personal records (PR’s) of 1:55 for 800m, 4:14 for 1600m and 9:17 for 3200m; not a state champion, but fast enough to earn a track scholarship to California State University at Northridge (CSUN). I ran for a year at CSUN and hated it! I was running slow and was injured. I decided to leave CSUN, marry my wife and join the US Army. During my nine-year stint in the Army I ran a few times a week to stay fit, and raced rarely. I did complete 2 half and 2 full marathons that I didn’t train for, tarnishing my view of longer distances. I spent a lot of time working, and I was able to finish my degree in my spare time. After the army I took a job with the US Government.

After a government sponsored “vacation” to the Middle East, I came home 22 pounds heavier then my “fighting weight.” Shortly after that, I moved to the Sacramento area and I decided to get more serious about running again. I started with a local 5K; I somehow was able to win it with a time of 18:26 (turns out there was a big race across town, which is where all the legit road racers were). I started training hard, eating well, and lost weight. My 5K times were coming down and I finally was able to break 17 minutes again! It was bitter sweet; 16:56 was better then my 18:26, but it took a lot of work and lots of races to get there. What was worse is it was a long stretch from my college PR of 14:51. I started thinking about moving up to the half and full marathon as I wouldn’t have any out-of-reach PR times to compare them to. I did a half marathon in 100 degrees with no shade, which made me really slow down and think about my choice of races.

Then in May 2008 I received a call from one of my best friends, Mark Jackson. Mark is a friend from the army who currently lives in Florida. The call went something like this:

Mark: Dude, I’m coming out to San Fran in two weeks, will you pace me for the last 13 miles of a 50-mile trail race at Mt. Diablo?

Me: Umm, say again? How long is the race?

Mark: 50 miles, but don’t worry it will be crazy hilly to make up for the short distance.

Me: (silent)

Mark: Are you there?

Me: Who is this again?

Mark: Dude, seriously!

Me: Ok, but let it be known I think you are a complete tool for wanting to run that far.

I had heard about ultras before, but I had thought that there weren’t many, and the participants were ridiculously insane. Even with all of my years running I had no idea these events were so big. The race was crazy hot, something like half the field dropped. It was so foreign to see an ultra trail marathon. A totally different culture of runners, different style of race and a completely different atmosphere; I was hooked. On a side note, in typical tough-guy fashion, Mark finished the race even though he had signs of kidney shutdown. I saw the worst 13 miles of the 50 that Mark did that day, and the only thought in my mind was “I can’t wait to do one.”


From that point I decided to become a trail runner. I started with the Bulldog 25K in Malibu Creek State Park, and finished 3rd overall! I was surprised at my success over that distance, terrain and elevation changes. I realized how much I enjoyed running on trails, and that I excelled on uneven terrain and hills. I followed it up with the X-terra 15K Trail Turkey Trot (9th overall). After the Turkey Trot, my brother-in-law Kevin and soon to be brother-in-law Richard decided we would all run WS100 before our 40th birthday. Well I decided sooner is better than later, so I signed up to run my first ultra marathon: the Way Too Cool 50K.

I ran the Pacific Coast Trail Runs (PCTR) 35K at Woodside in February 2009 as a prep race and finished 5th overall. Then in March 2009, I completed Way Too Cool. It was harder than I expected, but finished in 100th place overall and achieved my goal of breaking 5 hours (4:54).


My new running partner, Eric Schranz convinced me to run my first 50-mile race just three weeks later. So on April 4, 2009, I ran the American River 50 mile run (AR50). It was to date one of my best races, not because of place or time, but because of my experience. I ended up finishing 69th overall and beat my goal of breaking 8 hours (I finished in 7:54). I learned a lot of lessons from my first few trail races, most importantly DO NOT RUN HILL REPEATS 3 DAYS AFTER RUNNING A 50 MILE RACE!


On that note, I’m currently battling some knee issues. As soon as I recover, I will be back out there training and racing.

Wow I wrote a lot! If anyone reads this blog, hopefully you will enjoy it.