Bear 100 - Course Profile and Expectations

Well, it is time to turn the page, I think. I have been riding high on my North Fork 50 finish for the past few weeks and enjoying lots of family time. But, the time has come to start thinking about the next (and last) big event for me, The Bear. I signed up for Bear 100 mostly to enjoy running a 100-miler with my buddies Steve and Tony and to get a Western States 100 qualifier. I declared all season long that North Fork was my goal race. And having that goal race come and go in exceptional fashion, my expectations for Bear 100 goals are somewhat muted. I also have to be patient because the next 6-weeks of "life" are just crazy. There are a few tune-up events in there, but also just a lot of family obligations that will make training a challenge. When I think about running my second hundred, a harder hundred, in a faster time, it is somewhat daunting. Then I think, why not? I've proven twice already this season that I am as fit as ever, and more efficient. It is exciting to think the possibility ahead of me after the season of racing I've had, but there is a real chance I just don't get to train hard the next 8 weeks. So, for now, I am laying out what I think are potentially fast (24 hours) and slow (28 hour) finish times for me.

Destination	Miles	Cum Miles	Ascent	Fast Time	Slow Time	Cutoff Time	Notes
Logan Peak	10.5	10.5	3900	2:30	2:45	-	No Crew
Leatham Hollow	9.1	19.7	500	4:00	4:15	-
Richards Hollow	2.8	22.5	500	4:30	5:00	-	No Crew
Cowley Canyon	7.5	30	2500	6:00	6:45	-
Right Hand Fork	7	37	1000	7:30	8:15	-	Pacing Starts
Temple Fork	8.2	45.2	1400	9:00	10:00	-
Tony Grove	6.7	51.8	2700	11:00	12:15	25:00
Franklin Trailhead	9.6	61.5	1000	13:15	14:45	27:00
Logan River/Steep	7.1	68.6	1800	15:30	17:30	29:00	No Crew
Beaver Lodge	7.2	75.8	1100	17:15	19:45	30:30
Gibson Basin	5.4	81.2	1600	19:00	21:45	32:00	No Crew
Beaver Creek CG	4.1	85.3	300	20:00	23:00	33:00
Ranger Dip	7	92.3	1200	22:00	25:30	34:00
Finish	7.5	100	1000	24:00	28:00	36:00

We plan to drive out on Wednesday September 24th and return home on Sunday September 28th sometime. The race starts on Friday, so that means I can sleep their and recover a bit Saturday night. We rented a huge cabin and should have a great time.

Weekly Training Wrap - 7/16 - 7/22

Almost there! Tough week of training to grind through mentally. The good news is that I am not worn out physically after running 224 miles in the past three weeks. My Sunday run was very solid when comparing pace (9:15 on hills) to effort (135 avg HR). At long last, I get to head up to Leadville this week and see the majority of the course over 3 days of running. This is still technically a training week, but hopefully it wouldn't feel as hard mentally. Training has been spot on for me and I could have imagined it playing out any better. I need to close this week out strong and then taper aggressively. As Jon would say, the hay is in the barn!

Here is some video of Chuck and me running at Waterton Canyon. The last song seems to be everyone's favorite.


Probably the biggest thing I did this week was right an initial race plan.  There is a ton of detail and most of it will probably change after 40 or so miles!

26 days to the start of the LT100!

Day	Miles	Notes
Monday	Rest	Light x-training
Tuesday	10	Most Efficient Pace Miles (8:30)
Wednesday	6	Recovery Pace
Thursday	10	Most Efficient Pace Miles
Friday	Rest	Rest
Saturday	26	Waterton Canyon and Indian Creek
Sunday	14	Most Aerobic Pace Miles
Total	66	About 6700 vertical feet

Grand Canyon R2R2R Preview

A few months ago I emailed a fellow ultrarunner after seeing that he planned to do the Grand Canyon R2R2R this Spring. He replied and offered me to join. I have been wanting to do this run since my first trip to the Grand Canyon last year. Our plan is to drive down May 18th and camp at the North Rim. We will attempt the run on May 19th, then stay the night again and drive home on May 20th.

We don't have a plan for how long it will take as this is a unique journey and we hope to enjoy it. Collecting time on our feet is important to both of our respective 100 mile training plans. After the run we hope to enjoy a night under the stars, an open flame, some good food, and some beer!

The current weather forecast is for slightly hotter than normal May weather. The temperatures will be near 70 degrees on the North Rim where we are staying.  Phantom Ranch, in the bottom of the canyon, is projected to be between 98 and 101 degrees. And our turn around point at the South Rim should be about 80 degrees.

Hydration

I have become a HUGE fan of the new GU Roctane Drink. The beverage provides me 250 calories in every serving. However, it is limited to an electrolyte beverage only. My companion for this journey, Sherpa John, suggested I try Clip2. Clip 2 provides some fat and protein that Roctane does not. I will likely have both on hand and alternate as necessary. My plan is to carry two handheld water bottles and my new GoLite Rush pack. The pack doubles as a hydration system and a carrying pack.

Shoes & Gear

I am not sure yet. I just ordered a pair of Montrail Masochists for longer runs. Having not yet tried those, I may revert to my MT110s or my PureGrit.  Below is a gear check list:

• Two hand held water bottles
• Shoes (???)
• Shorts & shirt
• Body glide
• Garmin
• Sun glasses
• Visor (or floppy hat?)
• Sun screen
• GPS Camera
• iPod
• Headlamp (and batteries)
• TNF Stormy Trail jacket
• Tent, sleeping bag, pillow

Food

UltraRunning.com provided a good article in which the runners outlined their needs for the day. My goal, as always with an ultra, is to get between 250 and 400 calories per hour. I will get between 150 and 250 of that from electrolyte beverages.  Here is a food list:

• Clip 2 (10 packets)
• Roctane Brew (4 servings)
• Gels (4 - 6)
• Perpetuem (2 packets)
• Sustained Energy (2 packets -- for breakfast)
• S! Caps
• Honey Stinger Waffles (2 or 3)
• Protein Bars (4 - 6)
• Tums
• Immodium AD
• NSAID
• Candided Ginger
• Steaks and corn (for the feast afterward)
• Beer (for the feast afterward)
• Couple of gallons of water

Route Plan

I borrowed the below information from an article in Ultra Running.  You can see from the below table that we are taking the "harder" path starting at the North Rim because the biggest climb of the day is the end. In fact, we end with three climbs totaling about 5600 feet in elevation.

Aid/Location	Elevation	Cum Miles	Miles	Gain/Loss
North Kaibab Trailhead	8241	0
Roaring Springs	5200	4.7	4.7	-3041
Cottonwood campground	4000	6.9	2.2	-1200
Phantom Ranch	2560	14	7.1	-1440
Indian Garden campground	3900	19.3	5.3	1340
Bright Angel Trailhead (South Rim)	6860	23.8	4.5	2960
Indian Garden campground	3900	28.3	4.5	-2960
Phantom Ranch	2560	33.6	5.3	-1340
Cottonwood campground	4000	40.7	7.1	1440
Roaring Springs	5200	42.9	2.2	1200
North Kaibab Trailhead	8241	47.6	4.7	3041

Weekly Training Wrap - 4/23 - 4/29

This week was somewhat disjointed as I continue to balance multiple things:

1. Trail running - I love it and look forward to it all week long.
2. Cross training - squats, push press, and dead lifts are a central part of my plan to have strong quads for LT100.
3. Recovery - the thirty-two mile run from the Sunday before required a few days to get fully energized.  I could run, but speed work wasn't happening for a few days.
4. Tapering - with Colorado a week away, I am trying to rest and fine tune things for race day.

I remain optimistic that I am doing the best I can on all fronts. That said, I am excited to race Colorado this week and move on because I have a HUGE plate of events this summer -- at least one a month. For many of my friends, Colorado Marathon represent the finish line of a training cycle and the beginning of some easier/maintain-fitness weeks.  For me, I am gearing up to shift my focus to only one goal. In summary, bring on Colorado! Then bring on the rest...

And before I leave, I guess I will mention my goals for Colorado Marathon. After careful consideration and discussion with Jon, I have decided that a 3:15 goal is appropriate. Based on my sub-1:32 half marathon (into a 20 MPH head wind) at Platte River two weeks ago, he thinks I could go after a 3:10 if I were willing to lay it all out there and redline my body.  (By the way, 3:10 would be a BQ for me.) But, the plan is to NOT redline my body and NOT lay it all out there because I have less than two weeks to my Grand Canyon R2R2R attempt. The belief is that 3:15 is achievable without killing myself. It would be fun since I have been mentally chasing that number since my blow up in Las Vegas RnR. Of course, knowing he thinks I have 3:10/BQ potential is a bit of a tease! Who knows, maybe if I have enough left in the tank to run sub-7:00 (DOUBTFUL) the last 6 miles then I will go for it. Equally possible is that I get 18 - 20 miles in and decide to back off if I'm not feeling it. We'll see.

Day	Miles	Notes
Monday	Rest	x-training
Tuesday	5	Recovery Pace
Wednesday	9	Trail Run
Thursday	9	2 x 1 mile @ 10K
Friday	Rest	Hard weights
Saturday	14	GA Taper Long
Sunday	8	Trail Run
Total	44	About 4700 vertical feet

Colorado Marathon Race Preview

The Colorado Marathon is billed as the "the fastest and most scenic marathon in Colorado". It starts 26 miles outside of town at Steven's Gulch Campground and follows the Poudre River into town. A view of the course profile shows that it is nice and steady downhill with the exception of one stretch between miles 17 - 19. I have set my goal at 3:15, but I won't be afraid to back off that goal if things are not going well. My first priority is to be able to recover quickly for the big summer of events I have planned.

Gear Check List

The below is a good list of items that I will need to bring. However, there are a couple of things I have yet to decide. The first is whether I will carry two hand held water bottles. The race provided beverage is GU Brew and does not provide as many calories as I would like. I am thinking of bringing my own. This leaves me with a few options. I think the most sensible option is to carry individual packets of my own powder and then mix as necessary at the aid stations. However, if I can find an acceptable plan, I may also meet my wife along the course and switch of bottles.

The other variable that I have yet to fully decide on is my choice of shoes. I have been training in more minimal shoes and had good success racing in my Saucony Fastwitch. Lately the Saucony shoes have been bothering my feet an ankles a bit. So I may opt for the light weight but cushioned PureFlow.

• Breakfast for race day: whey protein powder, bar of some kind, apple sauce
• S!Caps
• Individual baggies of GU Roctane (3 of them)
• Two hand held water bottles
• Shoes (Brooks PureFlow or Saucony Fastwitch)
• Race shorts & shirt
• Body glide
• Garmin
• Sun glasses
• Visor
• iPod

Day Before

We will arrive in Ft Collins in the afternoon of May 5th and pick up my gear bag at the expo (the Hilton Ft Collins). That night we have reservations at the Best Western University Inn. For dinner, I plan to eat a normal meal but include some potatoes for additional carbs.

Race Day Morning

The buses leave for the start line between 4 am and 4:45 am. I will need to be up by 3:45 to get ready. And I will try to eat 500 calories before the race starts. I am still working on the details of this, but my thinking is to buy either a drink or a bar that contains primarily slow burning carbs (little sugar) and a little protein. I can get the remaining calories I need with some smart snacks or a quick gel before the race starts (10 mins or so).

Race Strategy

• Miles 1 - 16 shoot for 7:20 - 7:22 splits
• Miles 17 - 19 ease into the 7:30 to 7:40 range
• Mile 20 and beyond -- smoke em' if you got em' :)