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.

Keith Kniplings altitude comparison of the 4 Grand Slam 100s

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.