Having a think again last night about next July. I am sorely tempted to have another crack at Badwater but that will depend on whether I get in to Hardrock through the lottery (they span the same weekend). I stumbled upon this video which shows just how incredible a course this is. Also how incredibly hard it is. And therein lies the twin appeal. I think everyone accepts that this is the hardest 'traditional' 100 out there with the possible exception of Barkley.
This dude is quite obviously a hero.
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Friday, 29 April 2011
Thursday, 28 April 2011
Want to run vs Want to race
When I first started out in this game called running I didn't really have any specific goals other than to train for and complete the Marathon Des Sables. Jim and I entered the MdS back in early 2005 and before hand I had run a total of zero miles in the preceeding 3 or 4 years. Literally nothing. The sole aim was simply to get to the finish line. It was and is for many, enough to get to the finish line of one major league race like the MdS and then sit back and reflect on it for a long time.
For me the period of reflection lasted about 4 months, after which time I was beginning to suffer the same feeling of emptiness that many experience after committing such a huge part of your life to one event for 12 months or more. I didn't run a single race of any distance between the MdS in March 2006 and the Gobi March in late June 2007. The aim for the Gobi was once again, simply to get to the finish line.
I am a competitive person by nature, something that I'm not ashamed of as it has certainly driven me to succeed at things I otherwise wouldn't have bothered with. It isn't a streak which comes through very often in day to day life but during a race it does rear it's head. I find it very difficult to throttle back and watch others disappear into the distance, no matter how great a runner they are. Of course there are always runners who are better, stronger, faster on the day or in general and in those cases as long as I've gone as hard as I can that's fine.
During the MdS in 2006, I raced off ahead of Jim on both the first and second days, unneccesarily and actually I owe a huge amount to Jim's patience and incredible good naturedness not to have got annoyed with me in those circumstances. We hadn't always trained together but we had entered together and intended to finish together and I made the mistake of getting carried away in the 'race' and burying myself to the point where I was almost unable to start the third day due to all kinds of heat related problems from going too hard. We finished every other stage together. The Gobi was a little different, we were together for 2 days but Jim hadn't had the chance to train as much as he'd have liked, traveling around the world during the lead up and I once again felt good so pushed on ahead for the final 3 stages. I think I knew when I came back from China that things had changed for me and that actually I wanted to 1. go on and complete the 4Deserts Series but 2. to try and be competitive and actually race the others.
The injury I picked up at Rocky Raccoon back in the first week of February is as painful now as it was then. It is most probably a stress fracture which largely healed before I put too much pressure on it too soon and exacerbated the problem. I'm going to have other tests to prove or disprove this theory but as far as the cycle of events has played out, that is what it is.
I keep an eye out on the blogs of the top ultramarathon runners particularly in the States as that is where I have focused a lot of my time and effort in the past 2 years (Badwater, Rocky Raccoon, Old Dominion) and about the only time I can actually draw upon a parallel between myself and Anton Krupicka is right now. He seems to have picked up the exact same injury in the same race and been out of action for the same amount of time as I have. He had one or two bigger training weeks (small for him, big for me) as I did before the diagnosis was firmly presented. He is back to running 5 miles a day, I am not yet but I hope I'm not too far behind him.
He has made it clear that until he is fit and ready to race and compete at his highest level, that is to say winning and breaking course records, he won't toe any start line.
Aside from the 4Deserts series up to this point, I haven't been able to/ attempted to be competitive in ultras. I would call competitive top 10 only and in deep fields ie. 100 plus. I have had various issues during each one of the 100 milers I've run and Badwater was an all out slog to the finish. I look back on each of them with great satisfaction at finishing. That was my sole aim going to each one. Finish Rocky as my first 100, finish Old Dominion a much harder race so that I qualified for Badwater, finish Badwater because it is hard enough on it's own the first time and finish at Caesars Camp to avenge my 50 mile DNF there in 2007.
I am now faced with starting all of my A races this year with a major injury. The best I can hope for is that my shin heals that my cross training gets me to the startline of each, able to get through them and battle out for a finish one by one. It is highly likely that the only running I'll have done between February and Comrades is a week of stunted mileage in the middle when my leg briefly healed enough to let me do 4 x 1:30 runs.
If I was Anton right now I'd be cashing in my flights for vouchers and trying to roll my entires to 2012. The thing is I am still early enough in my running life that I can at least try to finish these events and particularly as it won't be easy for me to get in to some of them again. Anton can always qualify for Western States in the future or get a sponsors slot if that fails. I will have to go through that unbearable lottery again and maybe wait another 1/5/10 years to get a chance to race there.
So come what may I'll be at Comrades and I'll be at Western States. They will be ugly, difficult struggles but ultimately the basic goal whenever I get to the startline of an ultra is to finish. I consider them to be enough of a challenge to take satisfaction from simply finishing. I will look back on them, much as I do on Badwater and the other 100s and think, I could have done so much better.... Ultimately though who really knows or cares what the difference is between running a race like that in 29 hours, 39 hours or 59 hours? A handful of people can relate to what that means.
Hopefully in the future I will get the chance to go back and actually race these events and see just how well I can do. I am nowhere near my potential yet in ultras, I'm quite sure of that. For me, right now though, it is about having the chance to experience each of these incredible races once and chose which I go back and do again in the future. Would I go back and do Rocky Raccoon again? Maybe. Old Dominion? Maybe. Badwater? Definitely.
For me the period of reflection lasted about 4 months, after which time I was beginning to suffer the same feeling of emptiness that many experience after committing such a huge part of your life to one event for 12 months or more. I didn't run a single race of any distance between the MdS in March 2006 and the Gobi March in late June 2007. The aim for the Gobi was once again, simply to get to the finish line.
I am a competitive person by nature, something that I'm not ashamed of as it has certainly driven me to succeed at things I otherwise wouldn't have bothered with. It isn't a streak which comes through very often in day to day life but during a race it does rear it's head. I find it very difficult to throttle back and watch others disappear into the distance, no matter how great a runner they are. Of course there are always runners who are better, stronger, faster on the day or in general and in those cases as long as I've gone as hard as I can that's fine.
During the MdS in 2006, I raced off ahead of Jim on both the first and second days, unneccesarily and actually I owe a huge amount to Jim's patience and incredible good naturedness not to have got annoyed with me in those circumstances. We hadn't always trained together but we had entered together and intended to finish together and I made the mistake of getting carried away in the 'race' and burying myself to the point where I was almost unable to start the third day due to all kinds of heat related problems from going too hard. We finished every other stage together. The Gobi was a little different, we were together for 2 days but Jim hadn't had the chance to train as much as he'd have liked, traveling around the world during the lead up and I once again felt good so pushed on ahead for the final 3 stages. I think I knew when I came back from China that things had changed for me and that actually I wanted to 1. go on and complete the 4Deserts Series but 2. to try and be competitive and actually race the others.
The injury I picked up at Rocky Raccoon back in the first week of February is as painful now as it was then. It is most probably a stress fracture which largely healed before I put too much pressure on it too soon and exacerbated the problem. I'm going to have other tests to prove or disprove this theory but as far as the cycle of events has played out, that is what it is.
I keep an eye out on the blogs of the top ultramarathon runners particularly in the States as that is where I have focused a lot of my time and effort in the past 2 years (Badwater, Rocky Raccoon, Old Dominion) and about the only time I can actually draw upon a parallel between myself and Anton Krupicka is right now. He seems to have picked up the exact same injury in the same race and been out of action for the same amount of time as I have. He had one or two bigger training weeks (small for him, big for me) as I did before the diagnosis was firmly presented. He is back to running 5 miles a day, I am not yet but I hope I'm not too far behind him.
He has made it clear that until he is fit and ready to race and compete at his highest level, that is to say winning and breaking course records, he won't toe any start line.
Aside from the 4Deserts series up to this point, I haven't been able to/ attempted to be competitive in ultras. I would call competitive top 10 only and in deep fields ie. 100 plus. I have had various issues during each one of the 100 milers I've run and Badwater was an all out slog to the finish. I look back on each of them with great satisfaction at finishing. That was my sole aim going to each one. Finish Rocky as my first 100, finish Old Dominion a much harder race so that I qualified for Badwater, finish Badwater because it is hard enough on it's own the first time and finish at Caesars Camp to avenge my 50 mile DNF there in 2007.
I am now faced with starting all of my A races this year with a major injury. The best I can hope for is that my shin heals that my cross training gets me to the startline of each, able to get through them and battle out for a finish one by one. It is highly likely that the only running I'll have done between February and Comrades is a week of stunted mileage in the middle when my leg briefly healed enough to let me do 4 x 1:30 runs.
If I was Anton right now I'd be cashing in my flights for vouchers and trying to roll my entires to 2012. The thing is I am still early enough in my running life that I can at least try to finish these events and particularly as it won't be easy for me to get in to some of them again. Anton can always qualify for Western States in the future or get a sponsors slot if that fails. I will have to go through that unbearable lottery again and maybe wait another 1/5/10 years to get a chance to race there.
So come what may I'll be at Comrades and I'll be at Western States. They will be ugly, difficult struggles but ultimately the basic goal whenever I get to the startline of an ultra is to finish. I consider them to be enough of a challenge to take satisfaction from simply finishing. I will look back on them, much as I do on Badwater and the other 100s and think, I could have done so much better.... Ultimately though who really knows or cares what the difference is between running a race like that in 29 hours, 39 hours or 59 hours? A handful of people can relate to what that means.
Hopefully in the future I will get the chance to go back and actually race these events and see just how well I can do. I am nowhere near my potential yet in ultras, I'm quite sure of that. For me, right now though, it is about having the chance to experience each of these incredible races once and chose which I go back and do again in the future. Would I go back and do Rocky Raccoon again? Maybe. Old Dominion? Maybe. Badwater? Definitely.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Buying Kit
Well my shin is still as sore as ever. It's fast approaching the point where I'm just not going to be able to get any training in for Comrades at all. The question then becomes should I not run a hilly 54 mile road race and save myself for Western States and the Grand Slam or just give it a crack and see what happens. I'm not making that decision yet but I'm preparing myself for having to do so. Man this year really has SUCKED so far for me. I am trying to stay positive after all what doesn't kill you just makes you stronger and in this case it has really just amped up my desire to go out there and run everything going.
On the Centurion front we've been extremely busy designing the buckle/ t shirt/ start & finish banners and this week finally purchasing all of the equipment we'll need for the NDW events in August. I can tell you that 19 full size (including 10 double steel framed) gazebos weigh a considerable amount and won't fit in one car. Buying that many awnings plus countless collapsable chairs led most of the staff at our local retailer asking the question of where our street party was being held as it's the Royal Wedding this Friday in the UK.
We're approaching 50% full in the marathon now and entries continue to trickle along for the NDW100 and 50, the 50 is lagging a little behind and it's hard to say why but I have a feeling we will see a few more entries coming through between now and race day in all distances. The TP100 entries continue to rise way ahead of my best estimates reaching 40 today. Considering we have a 200 runner limit if things carry on I can see us having to turn disappointed runners away. Nevertheless it's fantastic to receive such great support so early on in the life of these events so thanks again to everyone who has thrown their hat in the ring. Everything that it is possible to do to make the weekend as enjoyable as possible for you is being done.
Back to the stationary bike trainer for me. 2 and half hours on it last night was about all I could handle in one sitting.
On the Centurion front we've been extremely busy designing the buckle/ t shirt/ start & finish banners and this week finally purchasing all of the equipment we'll need for the NDW events in August. I can tell you that 19 full size (including 10 double steel framed) gazebos weigh a considerable amount and won't fit in one car. Buying that many awnings plus countless collapsable chairs led most of the staff at our local retailer asking the question of where our street party was being held as it's the Royal Wedding this Friday in the UK.
We're approaching 50% full in the marathon now and entries continue to trickle along for the NDW100 and 50, the 50 is lagging a little behind and it's hard to say why but I have a feeling we will see a few more entries coming through between now and race day in all distances. The TP100 entries continue to rise way ahead of my best estimates reaching 40 today. Considering we have a 200 runner limit if things carry on I can see us having to turn disappointed runners away. Nevertheless it's fantastic to receive such great support so early on in the life of these events so thanks again to everyone who has thrown their hat in the ring. Everything that it is possible to do to make the weekend as enjoyable as possible for you is being done.
Back to the stationary bike trainer for me. 2 and half hours on it last night was about all I could handle in one sitting.
Sunday, 17 April 2011
Weekend of Successes
Congratulations to everyone who ran the London Marathon or Oner today. As usual my friend Martin Gaunt put in the best time of anyone I know, 2:43, at London a little off his PB of 2:35 a couple of years ago but he is so consistent with these incredible performances. First time marathoning friends all finished in times ranging from 3:50 to 6:02. Very proud of them all (particularly the ones I coached through it!!!!).
My own personal woes are back. The shin pain is worse than ever this evening after another 1:30 jog around the Thames Path and Battersea Park. As a result I am signing off for a while, there is very little point in continuing to hope that things will be ok, I need to get my head down plug away at it and take stock of the situation. I don't know yet whether I'm back to square one or just set back a couple of weeks. For now I'll keep things going on here with reference to ultra news and Centurion races and pray that I'm back in time to put some of my thoughts down before Comrades.
Big love to all of you reveling in post race pride tonight, thoroughly deserved from all quarters!!!!
My own personal woes are back. The shin pain is worse than ever this evening after another 1:30 jog around the Thames Path and Battersea Park. As a result I am signing off for a while, there is very little point in continuing to hope that things will be ok, I need to get my head down plug away at it and take stock of the situation. I don't know yet whether I'm back to square one or just set back a couple of weeks. For now I'll keep things going on here with reference to ultra news and Centurion races and pray that I'm back in time to put some of my thoughts down before Comrades.
Big love to all of you reveling in post race pride tonight, thoroughly deserved from all quarters!!!!
Saturday, 16 April 2011
Working Hard
It's been a long week and I'm coming out of it with mixed emotions. Running wise my shin is painful when I apply pressure to it, feels exactly the same way in that respect as the stress fracture did before the 6 weeks out. The crucial thing is, though, that it doesn't hurt when I run. Whilst that situation continues I will continue to train. On the home front we had a very stressful and scary time this week when Lisa, my fiance, was caught up in some riots in the Ugandan city of Gulu where she was doing a teaching exchange with a local school. Hearing gun shots going off (rubber bullets and tear gas canisters) in the background when you're on the phone to your loved one who is trapped in a hotel bathroom 1000s of miles away and being totally helpless is not the greatest feeling in the world. Thankfully she is on her way home in the morning in one piece and with some stories to tell.
As mentioned a few posts ago I decided in the wake of Rocky Raccoon 100, (or rather 76 for me) to enlist some professional help. The person I turned to was Lisa Smith-Batchen. She has been mentoring me through what has been undoubtedly the hardest time I've gone through in my years of running, keeping my fitness up through creative and varied non-impact training progams. Lisa diagnosed my injury from the other side of the atlantic where she is based, before my physio could with me on the table in front of him. It was Lisa who told me that I needed to get an MRI, what to do with regards getting a cast and just how much training I could continue to do despite being immobile in terms of time on my feet.
My best racing results have come from sticking religiously to a training program. The best example was my 5th place finish in the Atacama Desert where I felt great almost the entire time. Lisa sends me a daily regimen to follow for up to 14 days in advance. I like to think of it as putting up a whole raft of little challenges and then knocking them down one by one. My training before Lisa was all running. Literally nothing else. Running as obviously been off the agenda for our first 2 months together, but Lisa is now re-introducing it very gradually, first through walk/ run sessions and today for the first time in 10 days since the cast came off, a solid 1:30 run.
I am putting myself entirely in Lisa's hands and so far it's been the best decision I've made in a long time. The sessions pop up and I attack them all way way harder than I would have before. I've come to realise that I wasn't actually pushing myself that hard when training in the past. I mean that's relative, I pushed very hard occasionally but rarely right to my limit and there were way too many sessions that were just junk miles.
This past month I have really pushed myself regularly. Whether it's on the stair machine, a spinning class (which I'd never been too before Lisa), on the bike or the elliptical, I'm hitting them all hard. I'm not really doing sessions where I am going less than 80% and regularly I am getting my HR up into the mid 180s which is toward the upper end of my range.
When I got the all clear to try a run on Thursday night, I did so a bit too hard. I couldn't resist finding out where my fitness lay after all that time on the bike with no running. Lisa asked me to walk 1 minute in every 15, so a total of 4 minutes in the first hour. I hit the hour hard and tried to keep a tempo up at my marathon pace of last year, 6:45 miling, and managed it without really being in that much difficulty. I covered just under 9 miles in the hour and did so including those walking breaks. Could I have held it for 3 hours/ 26.2 miles? Probably not but at least I know I have some pace. The next day I was able to train just as hard on alternative machines in the gym so my endurance is ok too.
My running style is erratic and uncomfortable. It isn't coming back to me very quickly. I feel like I haven't found my stride yet and that if I push too hard like Thursday nights session, I could land myself back in trouble. So I'll stick to the advice and keep plugging away one day at a time.
I would be lying if I said I felt confident this summer and particularly Comrades which is first up, but I put my total faith in Lisa to get me there in one piece and in the best shape possible. Will it be the best shape of my life? Probably not but the fact that I think there is even a chance of that is testament only to Lisa's knowledge, expertise and management of my own expectations.
Every week I e mail her another stupid question about when I can at least do a marathon just as training, or what time should I be trying to run at Western States or can I do this event or that. The answers come back quick and tell me what deep down I already know. Be patient and it will be ok.
So tentatively I take my first steps back to full recovery. If the pain in my shin when I touch it would just go away I would probably be about the happiest person in the world right now.
I've decided to put this one on the list for 2013 - the 350 mile version with a view to having a crack at the 1000 in 2014. Nothing like a bit of long term planning. These videos have totally inspired me. Mike Curiak has done an incredible job here. I love the idea of returning to life's basic elements out on the trail, on my own, on the way to Nome. I saw a few days ago that Geoff Roes signed up for the 350 mile in 2012 (he hails from Alaska) and that will no doubt cause the popularity of the event to soar. It is great to see our sport grow but it is somewhat frustrating not to necessarily be able to do the races you want. I would be happier if this one stayed away from lotteries and other potential reasons for exclusion. The more choice there is in events out there, the more options people will get away from the one or two signature races. I like that our sport keeps growing outwards in range of events as well as upwards in terms of number of entrants. I guess Centurion Running is just another small part of that process.
 |
| April 14th riots in Kampala and Gulu, Uganda (c/o of www.theresolve.org) |
As mentioned a few posts ago I decided in the wake of Rocky Raccoon 100, (or rather 76 for me) to enlist some professional help. The person I turned to was Lisa Smith-Batchen. She has been mentoring me through what has been undoubtedly the hardest time I've gone through in my years of running, keeping my fitness up through creative and varied non-impact training progams. Lisa diagnosed my injury from the other side of the atlantic where she is based, before my physio could with me on the table in front of him. It was Lisa who told me that I needed to get an MRI, what to do with regards getting a cast and just how much training I could continue to do despite being immobile in terms of time on my feet.
My best racing results have come from sticking religiously to a training program. The best example was my 5th place finish in the Atacama Desert where I felt great almost the entire time. Lisa sends me a daily regimen to follow for up to 14 days in advance. I like to think of it as putting up a whole raft of little challenges and then knocking them down one by one. My training before Lisa was all running. Literally nothing else. Running as obviously been off the agenda for our first 2 months together, but Lisa is now re-introducing it very gradually, first through walk/ run sessions and today for the first time in 10 days since the cast came off, a solid 1:30 run.
I am putting myself entirely in Lisa's hands and so far it's been the best decision I've made in a long time. The sessions pop up and I attack them all way way harder than I would have before. I've come to realise that I wasn't actually pushing myself that hard when training in the past. I mean that's relative, I pushed very hard occasionally but rarely right to my limit and there were way too many sessions that were just junk miles.
This past month I have really pushed myself regularly. Whether it's on the stair machine, a spinning class (which I'd never been too before Lisa), on the bike or the elliptical, I'm hitting them all hard. I'm not really doing sessions where I am going less than 80% and regularly I am getting my HR up into the mid 180s which is toward the upper end of my range.
When I got the all clear to try a run on Thursday night, I did so a bit too hard. I couldn't resist finding out where my fitness lay after all that time on the bike with no running. Lisa asked me to walk 1 minute in every 15, so a total of 4 minutes in the first hour. I hit the hour hard and tried to keep a tempo up at my marathon pace of last year, 6:45 miling, and managed it without really being in that much difficulty. I covered just under 9 miles in the hour and did so including those walking breaks. Could I have held it for 3 hours/ 26.2 miles? Probably not but at least I know I have some pace. The next day I was able to train just as hard on alternative machines in the gym so my endurance is ok too.
My running style is erratic and uncomfortable. It isn't coming back to me very quickly. I feel like I haven't found my stride yet and that if I push too hard like Thursday nights session, I could land myself back in trouble. So I'll stick to the advice and keep plugging away one day at a time.
I would be lying if I said I felt confident this summer and particularly Comrades which is first up, but I put my total faith in Lisa to get me there in one piece and in the best shape possible. Will it be the best shape of my life? Probably not but the fact that I think there is even a chance of that is testament only to Lisa's knowledge, expertise and management of my own expectations.
 |
| Comrades Marathon |
Every week I e mail her another stupid question about when I can at least do a marathon just as training, or what time should I be trying to run at Western States or can I do this event or that. The answers come back quick and tell me what deep down I already know. Be patient and it will be ok.
So tentatively I take my first steps back to full recovery. If the pain in my shin when I touch it would just go away I would probably be about the happiest person in the world right now.
I've decided to put this one on the list for 2013 - the 350 mile version with a view to having a crack at the 1000 in 2014. Nothing like a bit of long term planning. These videos have totally inspired me. Mike Curiak has done an incredible job here. I love the idea of returning to life's basic elements out on the trail, on my own, on the way to Nome. I saw a few days ago that Geoff Roes signed up for the 350 mile in 2012 (he hails from Alaska) and that will no doubt cause the popularity of the event to soar. It is great to see our sport grow but it is somewhat frustrating not to necessarily be able to do the races you want. I would be happier if this one stayed away from lotteries and other potential reasons for exclusion. The more choice there is in events out there, the more options people will get away from the one or two signature races. I like that our sport keeps growing outwards in range of events as well as upwards in terms of number of entrants. I guess Centurion Running is just another small part of that process.
Saturday, 9 April 2011
Major Changes
This week I quit my day job to go and live the dream. I plan to invest the summer making the first Centurion Event on the North Downs Way all it can be and making sure I get proper rest between each race in the Grand Slam. 7 weeks from now all I'll have to worry about is running 456 miles over 5 races and 15 weeks. We're moving out of London and all I can say is thank GOD. I am sick of it and I always used to love this city so I hope a part of that comes back.
Today I ran for the first time in 6 weeks. On Monday morning I went in to see my old friend Joe who works at the English Institute for Sport treating English Olympic Athletes. The guys ran some tests on my fracture, first with ultra sound and then with X Rays. The news came back positive, the break looks to have healed. From Thursday on I commenced walking without the aircast. This afternoon I was cleared to do an hour and a half on my feet alternating three minutes walking with two minutes running.
I can start to look forward now, albeit the recovery process is not finished yet. My training at the moment is an equal rotation of cycling, spinning, elliptical, stair master, swimming and walking. As the weeks roll by the blend will stat to include more running but I won't be putting any distance back for at least another week. Having been through a few rounds already this year I won't be rushing back.
I feel pretty fit, though not dangerous. I've packed in as much training time with the cast on as I would have done with it off. Some of the sessions have been much harder than I would usually have made them and I think that's just vented frustration but I have enjoyed trying to MAX OUT on the HR.
Badwater Redux
The best thing about finishing races is being able to look back on them and wince. I hadn't ever seen these shots form Badwater before, they were on a camera in the car which my buddy Rich used to shoot some extra shots as and when the mood struck. Looking over them now it's obvious he managed to capture just how painful a journey that 39 hours was because I wasn't aware of the camera being there. I haven't forgotten it and I don't expect I ever will. WHAT a race this is, I will go back one day and make it right, albeit I am very proud of finishing that monster.
 Early Pit Stop |
 |
| On the road to Furnace Creek Mile 17 |
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| Stovepipe Mile 42: 8 hours 28 to this point, totally ruined my race by starting too quick. |
 |
| I spent most of the Darwin to Lone Pine section (mile 90 - 122) going less than 2mph. The chaffing I suffered was horrific and turned the race into an almight slog. When I stopped to meet the crew was the only respite I could get from the burning blistered skin. I sat down twice for less than 5 minutes for fear of not getting going again. |
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| Lone Pine. 13 miles and 5000 feet to climb. Head down, one foot in front of the other. |
Saturday, 2 April 2011
The Grand Slam of Ultrarunning
Most of the comments regarding my attempt at the slam are along the lines of 'you're injured so how are you going to run.' It's ok I'm almost ready with the greatest comeback since Lazarus.
The Grand Slam of Ultrarunning Award is handed to any runner who finishes all 4 of the oldest 100 mile trail races in the USA in any one year. The races are spread out over an 11 week period from the last weekend in June to the second weekend in September. The 4 races that comprise the slam are Western States 100 mile Endurance Run, Vermont 100, Leadville Trail 100 and Wasatch Front 100. All 4 races are 100 miles in length and as those familiar with them will know are all 'mountain races' each involving varying significant degrees of climb and descent.
25th June - Western States begins at Squaw Valley Ski Resort, previous host of the winter olympic games. The course goes immediately 4 miles directly up a mountain and over emigrant pass before spitting runners out on on to a roller coaster ride of snow covered ski slopes and hot canyons, arriving in Auburn and finishing on Placer High School athletics track there after 100 miles of running and 18000 feet of climbing. The race day temps regularly exceed 100 degrees in the canyons but start off below freezing in the resort early in the morning. 30 hour cut off.
16th July - Vermont is the 'easiest' boasting 'only' 14150 feet of gain over the course of the 100 miles. This race is unique in that it runs concurrently with a horse race. I will try not to get kicked or trampled. 30 hour cut off.
20th August - Leadville. 100 miles at serious altitude this one is on the extreme end of the spectrum. The entire race is conducted at altitudes of between 9200 and 12600 feet. This year they are welcoming 700 runners to the start line on and out and back course which takes in 15000 feet of climb and travels up and down Handies Peak in the Colorado Rockies twice. 30 hour cut off.
9th September - Wasatch Front. The best is saved till last. On the scale of 100s this is right up there at the very top with over 26900 feet of climb. The climbs are severe and regular. If I get to this point I will try not to use all of the 36 hours on offer to complete it but figure I may need them. This race place just outside of Salt Lake City Utah.
Afterwards I get to go to Las Vegas for a stag do. Stan Jensen manages a little page on the Grand Slam here and the list of those running all 4 in 2011 is here (19 so far!).
I really can't wait to get this journey started but obviously I have a LONG way to go before my fracture allows me to get back to running shape (my fitness is still good after 15 hours in the gym this week).
I have Comrades before the Slam plus a few smaller local marathons which will be used as training runs.
The biggest issue with the Slam is going to be recovery and handling the flying to and from the US repeatedly. It will be an incredible adventure and I look forward to every minute of it.
Which one am I most scared of? Not Western States. I am going in to that one with all the excitement and energy of Badwater last year. It is a race I have always wanted to run and means so much to the ultra running community especially in the States that it is without doubt tight at the top of my list of races to run. Vermont I am looking forward to but being the most moderate in terms of average altitude and climb I will try to simply get through this one within the cut offs and save as much as possible for the next two. Leadville scares me the most because of the altitude. The level of climb is pretty big at 15000+feet it is the equivalent of Caesars Camp 100 which I ran in October so I know what to expect but I have only 5 days to acclimatise which isn't enough. I've heard plenty of advice that says either get there 3 weeks early or get there the day before. We'll just see how it works out I guess. Lastly Wasatch Front comes only 19 days after Leadville so I will need to recover as quickly and as fully as possible. I have no doubt I will be feeling this one in the legs before I even start and with 27000 feet of gain will be the hardest 100 I'll have ever done. Nothing like saving the best till last.
There are other factors which could prevent this dream from becoming a reality. Obviously I could get injured or suffer from hydration/ stomach problems/ blisters whatever else that usually stop a runner in his or her tracks but I am also conscious of other things much further from my control. 4 years ago Grand Slammers were prevented from completing the set by forest fires in California (Western States was cancelled). With the fact that I am making 4 return journeys there could be any one of a number of international issues which could lead to problems, I'm thinking more specifically about the Icelandic Volcano incident of 2009. All things considered there is a very high chance I won't be able to complete all 4, I have to go in to each race as it comes, take the rough with the smooth, keep putting one foot in front of the other and just get it done. Simple.
I will have a rest afterwards. Hopefully I can look back on it all with a glowing appreciation of having seen first hand some of America's most incredible mountain scenery from fully west to east coast and having had the chance to experience 4 of the greatest running races currently on offer. I plan to take my time, take a lot of photos and treat it with the level of gratitude that being able to experience something like this, deserves.
The Grand Slam of Ultrarunning Award is handed to any runner who finishes all 4 of the oldest 100 mile trail races in the USA in any one year. The races are spread out over an 11 week period from the last weekend in June to the second weekend in September. The 4 races that comprise the slam are Western States 100 mile Endurance Run, Vermont 100, Leadville Trail 100 and Wasatch Front 100. All 4 races are 100 miles in length and as those familiar with them will know are all 'mountain races' each involving varying significant degrees of climb and descent.
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| Keith Kniplings altitude comparison of the 4 Grand Slam 100s |
16th July - Vermont is the 'easiest' boasting 'only' 14150 feet of gain over the course of the 100 miles. This race is unique in that it runs concurrently with a horse race. I will try not to get kicked or trampled. 30 hour cut off.
20th August - Leadville. 100 miles at serious altitude this one is on the extreme end of the spectrum. The entire race is conducted at altitudes of between 9200 and 12600 feet. This year they are welcoming 700 runners to the start line on and out and back course which takes in 15000 feet of climb and travels up and down Handies Peak in the Colorado Rockies twice. 30 hour cut off.
9th September - Wasatch Front. The best is saved till last. On the scale of 100s this is right up there at the very top with over 26900 feet of climb. The climbs are severe and regular. If I get to this point I will try not to use all of the 36 hours on offer to complete it but figure I may need them. This race place just outside of Salt Lake City Utah.
Afterwards I get to go to Las Vegas for a stag do. Stan Jensen manages a little page on the Grand Slam here and the list of those running all 4 in 2011 is here (19 so far!).
I really can't wait to get this journey started but obviously I have a LONG way to go before my fracture allows me to get back to running shape (my fitness is still good after 15 hours in the gym this week).
I have Comrades before the Slam plus a few smaller local marathons which will be used as training runs.
The biggest issue with the Slam is going to be recovery and handling the flying to and from the US repeatedly. It will be an incredible adventure and I look forward to every minute of it.
Which one am I most scared of? Not Western States. I am going in to that one with all the excitement and energy of Badwater last year. It is a race I have always wanted to run and means so much to the ultra running community especially in the States that it is without doubt tight at the top of my list of races to run. Vermont I am looking forward to but being the most moderate in terms of average altitude and climb I will try to simply get through this one within the cut offs and save as much as possible for the next two. Leadville scares me the most because of the altitude. The level of climb is pretty big at 15000+feet it is the equivalent of Caesars Camp 100 which I ran in October so I know what to expect but I have only 5 days to acclimatise which isn't enough. I've heard plenty of advice that says either get there 3 weeks early or get there the day before. We'll just see how it works out I guess. Lastly Wasatch Front comes only 19 days after Leadville so I will need to recover as quickly and as fully as possible. I have no doubt I will be feeling this one in the legs before I even start and with 27000 feet of gain will be the hardest 100 I'll have ever done. Nothing like saving the best till last.
There are other factors which could prevent this dream from becoming a reality. Obviously I could get injured or suffer from hydration/ stomach problems/ blisters whatever else that usually stop a runner in his or her tracks but I am also conscious of other things much further from my control. 4 years ago Grand Slammers were prevented from completing the set by forest fires in California (Western States was cancelled). With the fact that I am making 4 return journeys there could be any one of a number of international issues which could lead to problems, I'm thinking more specifically about the Icelandic Volcano incident of 2009. All things considered there is a very high chance I won't be able to complete all 4, I have to go in to each race as it comes, take the rough with the smooth, keep putting one foot in front of the other and just get it done. Simple.
I will have a rest afterwards. Hopefully I can look back on it all with a glowing appreciation of having seen first hand some of America's most incredible mountain scenery from fully west to east coast and having had the chance to experience 4 of the greatest running races currently on offer. I plan to take my time, take a lot of photos and treat it with the level of gratitude that being able to experience something like this, deserves.
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