Trail Runner #34

CELEBRATING

JULY 2005 ISSUE 34

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JULY 2005 | WWW.TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | ISSUE 34

FEATURES

36) THE RANGE OF LIGHT AND FAST With a plethora of runs to cloud-scratching mountain summits, the High Sierra offers the antidote for dreaded FOMO disease.

BY DAN PATITUCCI PHOTOS BY PATITUCCIPHOTO

DEPARTMENTS 6) EDITOR’S NOTE 8) LETTERS 27) TRAIL TIPS 31) 2005 TRAIL RUNNER TROPHY SERIES 32) TAKE YOUR MARK 52) GALLERY 54) TRAIL TESTED 60) MUST-DO RACES

44) NORTHERN LIGHTS Trail racing in the 49th state is a universe apart from what most of us “Outsiders” are accustomed to. You don’t have to sport a beard and a flannel shirt, but you better pack some burly quads and a dose of pioneering spirit.

STORY & PHOTOS BY MATT HAGE 10) MAKING TRACKS “Pay to Play”

becomes law—how are trail runners affected? First-ever national highschool cross-country championships; Q&A with ultra dominator Nikki Kimball; Race Day; more.

16) ADVENTURE Running—and

drinking—across British Columbia’s 112-mile Sunshine Coast Trail.

BY EAN JACKSON

20) BUSHWHACK Super Mega Suck A$!

50. The most screwed-up trail race, ever. BY JONATHAN THESENGA

22) TRAIL RX Here’s the Rub. Purge

your trail-running imbalances with Rolfing. BY DAVE SHELDON

26) ASK THE COACH Heart-rate

training tip; blister first aid; for women only—peeing on the run.

28) TRAINING When life gets hectic,

squeeze in time for the Ultimate 3, a workout trilogy that will allow you to hang with the pack.

BY DR. JIM FREIM

34) FACES This free spirit—the first

person to run the Western States 100—says it was his fate to invent trail ultrarunning. Now 58, Gordy Ainsleigh is as wild as ever.

54) TRAIL TESTED Bottoms Up. We toast 13 of the newest hydration packs, just what you need for a long day in the hills. PLUS: Cool accessories for hot days.

BY GARETT GRAUBINS

63) LAST GASP Hi, my name is Bernie and I’m a runaholic.

BY BERNIE BOETTCHER

COVER: JANINE PATITUCCI ROCK HOPPING ON THE BISHOP PASS TRAIL, SIERRA NEVADA, CALIFORNIA. PHOTOGRAPH BY PATITUCCI PHOTO THIS PAGE: COURTNEY LUDDEN SOAKS IN A FRAGRANT SAGE MEADOW ON RED HILL, CARBONDALE, COLORADO. PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID CLIFFORD

(ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE)

CONTENTS

Nathan_Wasatch_TrailRnnr.qxp

4/21/05

12

EDITO R’S NOTE

by MICHAEL BENGE

An Open Invitation PLEASE VISIT OUR TRAIL-RUNNING CYBER HANGOUT

WASATCH MOUNTAINS Challenge: Wasatch 100 HPL Experiment #020: Dana Miller

Most companies’ new products are born in the boardroom. Not the new Nathan Elite 2V. Because, at Nathan, our labs are the beautiful and grueling terrain in which we compete.

We do our research in places like the Wasatch Mountains where Nathan product developer, Dana “Mud n’ Guts” Miller gathered data to fine tune the Nathan Elite 2V while winning the Wasatch 100… five times. The entire Nathan Elite Series thrives in these kinds of unforgiving environs so you can too.

Nathan Performance Gear is available at specialty running shops and sporting goods stores, or at www.NathanSports.com.

6 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

information on your local trail-running club? New to the sport? Feel free to ask questions that more seasoned runners can answer.

You need not register to view threads, but must if you care to post anything.

We all know the courage that internet anonymity gives us, but, please, play nice. Be courteous and respectful of your fellow trail runners. We’ll look forward to your contributions. Happy trails.

■

NEW FACE We would like to offer a hearty welcome to our new Art Director, Bret Roedemeier, who hails from Paducah, Kentucky. A cross-country runner in high school, Bret, 30, attended the University of Kentucky for his graphic arts training, and spent seven years in Brooklyn, taking in the art scene and eccentric culture. He was especially infatuated with the “graf writers” (graffiti artists, two of whom lived next door) and their sophisticated, underground lifestyle. But he eventually tired of the transient population and “living in one big f*#!ing shadow” and headed out west for “a healthy change.”

We’re looking forward to getting him into a pair of size 11 trail runners, and introducing him to our local trails.

ELIZABETH AVERY, GARETT GRAUBINS (ABOVE)

THIS IS HUMAN PROPULSION LABORATORY No. 32

Our love for moving smoothly through the woods and over mountains runs deep. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be motivated to rise at 5 a.m. to sneak in a quick six before the time clock beckons. Or to sign up for 100-milers knowing full well the commitment and pain involved. Or to even sacrifice precious family time to pound the trails.

But beyond our driving narcissistic tendencies, something else makes trail running so extraordinary. You’ll see it anywhere we ply our sport—a local 10K, a run with our buds, a high-profile ultra. Witness top gun Scott Jurek encouraging backof-the-packers at the finish line of the famous, grueling 2004 Western States 100, himself physically wrecked 12 hours after setting the course record.

Or, after a group run, isn’t the best part often the lively banter while sipping a beer with your pals? It is this abiding sense of camaraderie and community that enriches trail running.

Passion and community. They go together well, and we aspire to promote these qualities in every issue of Trail Runner. Now we would like to offer you another outlet to share your zeal with the larger trail-running community— through our online Trail Runner Forum.

It’s easy. Simply go to www.trailrunnermag.com, and on the home page in the left-hand menu bar, click on the Trail Runner Forum button.

We encourage you to join us and other trail runners, and make the forum a vibrant cyber space to gather and share.

We get many letters and emails from you with great feedback and ideas but, with limited page space, can only include a fraction. This is your opportunity to disseminate them. The universe of possible topics is infinite. Threads might include kudos for a recent race, information on a new must-have hydration pack, or an eating tip you just learned. Or how about sharing your mountain-lion-encounter story, a bio of a great, local unknown, or

LETTERS DIRTY REMINDERS

After reading Run Amok [May 2005, No. 33], I immediately went to the basement to search out a special pair of running shoes that survived 500 miles of training and one Western States 100 finish in 1991. And you’re right—the shoes reminded me of friends, eight-hour Saturday runs, the red dirt of the Sierra Nevada, the solitude of running on the trail after a morning rain and finish lines.

I wonder what my current trail shoes will remind me of in 10 years …

—Delmar Fralick, Head Coach, Bear Creek High School Cross Country, Littleton, Colorado

Each year as spring comes rolling over my shoulder, I count my blessings for having invented the sport of trail ultrarunning 32 years ago [see Faces, p.34].

I am delighted with what the sport has become, but we’re getting a bit tame.

In the late 1970s and ’80s we had this guy, Mad Dog (I never knew what his mother named him). We’d party the night before a race, especially Mad Dog, who’d get falling-down drunk and then go out and take third place the next day.

That whole way of life culminated every October at the Cow Mountain 50 Miler, a horse- and footrace on the same trail the same day, with a barbeque feast and live-band dance that night along the shores of Lake Mendocino. The runners were mostly athletic men, the horse riders were mostly athletic women, the keg beer was real cheap, the boring people headed home early, Buffalo Bob and The Heiffers played till 1 a.m., and everyone stumbled off to their tents sometime during the night. We need a few parties like that on today’s circuit.

—Gordy Ainsleigh, Meadow Vista, CA

WE HEAR YOU Thank you for the article on the Mountain Man Half Marathon [Bushwhack, May 2005, No. 33]. It’s great to see recognition of the deaf in the media. I have recently started working with deaf students and learned that the term “deaf mute” is, although unintentional, offensive. If you 8 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

have any questions about deaf people and their culture, you may contact For Hearing People Only (www.forhearingpeopleonly.com).

—Eric Erdmann, Rochester, NY

FOR THE BIRDS I have never been one to back down in the face of danger. I am, after all, an ex-Baltimore cop who held his own on the crack-cocaine-infested streets. Yet, one summer morning while visiting my parents in Montana, they implored me to take the fire-extinguisher-sized pepper spray on a trail run—a bear had been sighted in the area. I quickly dismissed the danger. After all, I know how to kill with my bare hands.

I cautiously ran for four hours up the most beautiful canyon I had ever seen. On the return trip, I was running relaxed and had stopped scanning for large predators. Then, just half an hour short of the end of the run, the unthinkable happened. I had my head down focusing on the rocky trail, when I caught sight of something brown running up the trail at me. A rush of adrenaline pumped through my body.

I made an immediate about face, but before I could get away, it struck me on the back, then jumped at my face forcing me to turn my head away.

Just as I started hauling down the trail, it hit my left arm. There was no escaping.

As I swooped down to pick up a stick, it

lunged again. I felt like Uma Thurman in a choreographed battle with Lucy Liu in Kill Bill Vol. 1. Now I was getting pissed.

I finally managed to grab a baseball-bat sized stick. It was time for a “wooden shampoo” (cop vernacular for hitting someone in the head with a night stick).

Ready to strike, I turned and finally got a good look at my attacker.

It was a ... grouse, probably protecting a nearby nest. We stood face to face, me with my stick ready to strike and shouting obscenities. Sensing the seriousness of the situation, the bird calmly stepped off the trail into some bushes.

At that same moment, two hikers crested a nearby hill. The site of me wielding my stick and shouting into the bushes stopped them in their tracks. Regaining my senses, I started jogging, stick in hand. When I got to them, I handed one man the stick and said, “Take it, you might need it.” With a shocked look, he asked, “Are you serious?” I just kept running and looked back just once to see the two hikers nervously hiking up the trail, bat in hand, poised to strike. I laughed all the way back to my car.

—Karen Scott, Florissant, CO

PHIL MISLINSKI

WHERE HAVE ALL THE WILD THINGS GONE?

I was delighted to read Gary Dudney’s Trail Tips (March 2005, No. 32) on keeping your composure when the going gets rough. I have employed all of Dudney’s tips, and would like to add another: The pain of an ultra-distance effort is fleeting in comparison to the reward of finishing. Consider the last third of a 100-mile race to be the most painful and full of personal demons, but the time to run that distance is inconsequential when put into context. I’d rather buff the tarnish off my finisher’s buckle than suffer a tarnished spirit from a DNF. —Jake Jones, Gunnison, CO

CORRECTION

document: date: images: format:

The photographer’s name for the Winter Western States article (“Right Race, Wrong Time,” January 2005, No. 31) should have been spelled Robert Mackinlay.

■

CIRCULATION CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

draleigh@bigstonepub.com EDITOR Michael Benge mbenge@bigstonepub.com SENIOR EDITOR Garett Graubins ggraubins@bigstonepub.com COLUMNS EDITOR Alison Osius aosius@bigstonepub.com PHOTO EDITOR David Clifford dclifford@bigstonepub.com CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR Bret Roedemeier broedemeier@bigstonepub.com ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR

Bonnie Hofto bhofto@bigstonepub.com PRODUCTION MANAGER

Paula Stepp pstepp@bigstonepub.com SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER

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ACCOUNTING Mark Kittay CPA accounting@bigstonepub.com BIG STONE PUBLISHING 1101 Village Road UL-4D, Carbondale, CO 81623 Office: 970-704-1442 Fax: 970-963-4965 www.trailrunnermag.com

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EXECUTIVE Randall Lavelle rlavelle@bigstonepub.com WARNING! The activities described in Trail Runner carry a significant risk of personal injury or death. DO NOT participate in these activities unless you are an expert, have sought or obtained qualified professional instruction or guidance, are knowledgeable about the risks involved, and are willing to assume personal responsibility for all risks associated with these activities. TRAIL RUNNER MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, OF ANY KIND REGARDING THE CONTENTS OF THIS MAGAZINE, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY REGARDING THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. Trail Runner further disclaims any responsibility for injuries or death incurred by any person engaging in these activities. Use the information contained in this magazine at your own risk, and do not depend on the information contained in this magazine for personal safety or for determining whether to attempt any climb, route or activity described herein.

The views herein are those of the writers and advertisers; they do not necessarily reflect the views of Trail Runner’s ownership.

•Manuscripts, photographs and correspondence are welcome. Unsolicited materials should be accompanied by return postage. Trail Runner is not responsible for unsolicited materials. All manuscripts and photos are subject to Trail Runner’s terms, conditions and rates •Please allow up to 6 weeks for the first issue after subscribing or a change of address (to expect continuous service).

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1/21/05

MAKING TRACKS ALL THE TRAIL NEWS YOU CAN USE // BY GARETT GRAUBINS

SOME APPROVE. OTHERS SMELL A R.A.T. This story provides an update to our editorial on the federal Fee Demo program (“Seeing Red (Alert),” Editor’s Note, July 2004, No. 28).

TRAIL RUNS ORDINARILY present an escape from everyday anxiety—job stress, your child’s orthodontist bill and even bitter politics. Now that has changed for some off-road runners who frequent federal lands, as a politically contentious program tightens its grip.

Enacted by U.S. Congress in 1996, the Recreational Fee Demonstration Program, commonly called “Fee Demo,” permitted federal land management agencies to charge fees—ranging from three to several dollars—to people using their trails, roads or facilities. Fee Demo affected many areas that traditionally granted free access, such as Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands.

In defense of Fee Demo, the U.S. Forest Service states on its website (www.fs.fed. us), “More and more people recreate in national forests and grasslands every year. Meeting the increasing needs of these visitors, delivering quality recreation, heritage and wilderness opportunities, and protecting natural resources has become very difficult.”

Opponents of Fee Demo balk at the prospect of paying fees to access public lands. They reason that they already pay taxes for maintenance and access to public lands and Fee Demo amounts to paying double. Further, 10 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

they argue, Fee Demo sends our federal lands down a slippery slope towards corporate commercialization.

Originally an experimental program, Fee Demo had experienced several extensions. Anticipating its expiration at the end of 2004, Congress passed the 10-year Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) as part of the 2005 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, which was signed by President Bush on December 8, 2004.

REA essentially makes Fee Demo permanent. Those opposing REA have dubbed it the Recreational Access Tax (RAT), calling it the Bush Administration’s first tax increase. Robert Funkhouser, President of the Colorado-based Western Slope No-Fee Coalition, says, “A law that criminalizes access to public lands by the citizens who own them and pay taxes for their support would never pass muster in an open public debate. Slipping it in as an appropriations rider was a despicable abuse of the legislative process.”

REA was written into the Omnibus Bill by U.S. Representative Ralph Regula (R-Ohio) whose congressional district does not include any public lands. Such riders are common in Omnibus bills, which outline spending and other budget issues and are considered “must-pass” legislation because delayed approval could result in a government shutdown. Supporters of REA include the American Recreation Coalition (www. funoutdoors.com), Bush Administration and U.S. Department of the Interior and

OPPONENTS

REASON

ALREADY PAY TAXES FOR MAINTHAT THEY

TENANCE AND ACCESS TO

FEE DEMO AMOUNTS TO PAYING DOUBLE.

PUBLIC LANDS AND

Trail runners sit on both sides of the issue as well. Tom Hayes of Bozeman, Montana, says, “I would pay it and encourage others to pay, too. It seems reasonable considering how much work is required to maintain resources that not a lot of people use.”

Cathy (she requested her last name not be used), a trail runner in Bend, Oregon, is strongly opposed to REA and so are many people in her local running group. Some, she says, “just don’t buy a pass and feel it is a bad program.” Cathy herself tends to park away from the main parking lots of REA-enforced areas.

Email soundoff@bigstonepub.com to let us know what you think about this issue.

BONNIE HOFTO

The Cost of Trail Running

U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Jennifer Eberlien, REA National Program Leader in Washington, D.C., summarizes the philosophy behind REA: “The costs of amenities should be offset by the people who use them.” Eberlien says these amenities include visitor services, maps and brochures, facilities maintenance, trash disposal, trail maintenance and roadwork.

Meanwhile, opposition groups continue to mobilize against REA. Scott Silver, Executive Director of Wild Wilderness (www.wildwilderness.org) in Bend, Oregon, says, “Public opposition will rise as RAT is introduced into parts of the country that have, until now, not known of the program, and as the fees become more invasive and ubiquitous.” Indeed, some state governments are already voicing their displeasure. Montana and Colorado by overwhelming majorities have recently passed legislation calling for repeal of federal land fees, and Oregon is expected to pass a similar resolution early this summer.

Q and A

» making tracks

When did you last lose a trail ultra race?

I don’t know, but I have had plenty of practice losing in running, skiing and cycling races.

Does such a winning streak bring increased stress?

Racing with expectations can be stressful. I feel less comfortable treating a big race as a training race, whereas I used to do it at short races.

There’s something liberating about running a 5K and knowing I likely won’t win because 15 women will run under 18 minutes.

NIKKI KIMBALL TALKS ABOUT SUCCESS AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES WHEN TRAIL ULTRARUNNER Nikki Kimball talks, her words and

thoughts flow as rapidly as winter run-off in the Gallatin River near her Bozeman, Montana, home. One second, she’s chatting about trail records, and suddenly she’s waxing political about her newly adopted home state. For a slow-typing journalist, it’s a chore to keep up.

Then again, many trail runners have just as difficult a time keeping pace with Kimball.

“She’s just a powerhouse,” says two-time Leadville Trail 100 (Colorado) champion Anthea Schmid, “I know if Nikki’s there [at a race], it’s no contest.”

Annette Bednosky of Jefferson, North Carolina, and winner of several brawny Eastern trail races including the Mount Mitchell 40-Miler, is equally humbled by Kimball’s talent. “There’s Nikki Kimball and then there are the women I can race against.”

Since Kimball made a successful segue from short-distance success—she raced on the 2003 Teva U.S. Mountain Running

BY THE

NUMBERS

15

Minutes the 2005 Way Too Cool 50K in Cool, California, took to reach its runner limit via online registration.

The percentage of respondents to a Trail Runner website poll whose race bib numbers are “jammed in a box somewhere.”

29% throw their bibs in the trash.

30

12 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

Team—to ultramarathons, she has dominated a sport that prides itself on parity.

In 2004, Kimball, 33, won every trail race she entered—shattering several course records in the process.

She won the Zane Grey 50 (Arizona), Chuckanut 50K (Washington), Western States 100 (California) and White River 50 USATF 50-Mile Trail Championship (Washington). After winning the talent-laden Mountain Masochist 50-Mile (Virginia) in October, she claimed the USATF women’s Ultrarunner of the Year Award in December.

Kimball took a brief break from her elite-level training and work as a physical therapist to talk with Trail Runner.

92

Number of creamfilled cupcakes made

by Debbie Riddle for runners of the Riddle Run 12- and 28-mile Trail Fun Run in Mahomet, Illinois. The cupcakes are a tasty tradition at the race.

5637

Approximate number of miles traveled by Dale Reicheneder to four Trail Runner Trophy Series races in March.

Who can beat you if they have a good day?

Basically any of the top women. I think trail ultras are run a lot in your head, so anything can happen.

You once trained for the Olympic trials in biathlon and cross-country skiing. Do those training habits carry over?

Definitely. Making yourself go out and train on a day you really don’t want to really carries through. Plus, it’s important to know how to avoid over training.

You recently moved from the east [Elizabethtown, New York] to Bozeman. Describe the Montana scene.

Bozeman is a great mix of very athletic people and real cowboys.

Do you have a gun and a cowboy hat?

I actually sold my biathlon rifle, but I’ve been shooting all my life. No cowboy hat, yet.

The conservative Montana stereotype doesn’t match your personality, does it?

No, but I think it’s important to push yourself physically, idealistically and philosophically. And just because people have different political beliefs doesn’t mean there can’t be other great things about them. What a boring world it would be if everybody thought like I do. And, it’s pushed me to think differently, too. Next year, I hope to hunt for my first time.

Will you ever return to shorter distance trail races?

I hope so. I like short distance; it challenges me, and it’s amazing to watch people do something I am not particularly good at. For now, I’ll stick with ultras. There are some records that need to be broken.

DAVID CLIFFORD

Great Expectations

How will you handle it when you do lose?

On the one hand, I recognize that results don’t matter in the larger context of life. I wish I were strong enough that I could go to a race when everybody’s there, finish in the middle of the pack, and be fine with that. But it will likely be a tough pill to swallow.

RACE DAY

making tracks « CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’

PETER MEISLER (LEFT), REICHENEDER COLLECTION (RIGHT)

MARCH 19, 2005, CATALINA MARATHON, TWO HARBORS, CALIFORNIA—The 28th Catalina Marathon offered another stunning backcountry tour of peaceful Catalina Island, only 45 miles from bustling L.A. Californians Jeff Atkinson (Redondo Beach) and Micaela Brandt (Santa Maria) were victorious, while Trail Runner Trophy Series leader Dale Reicheneder (pictured) took a wrong turn and finished well back in the pack.

For complete results, visit www.pacificsportsllc.com.

Several hearty souls and one Braveheart look-a-like plunge into 38-degree water.

MUDDERS DAY COMES EARLY

APRIL 3, 2005, MUDDERS & GRUNTERS, YORKTOWN, NEW YORK—The 2005 Mudders & Grunters enjoyed “perfect” conditions, thanks to over six inches of rain the week before. “The creek was very high and a number of roads were closed due to flooding,” says race director Steve Quinn.

The race’s trademark soggy, sloppy conditions did not seem to hamper Jamie Rodriquez of the Albany Running Exchange, as he won his second straight M&G, covering the course in 29:22.

Fourty-three-year-old Joyce Jaworowski continued her M&G dominance, winning her ninth title. “No one has dominated the race like Joyce,” says Quinn, “She is competing against kids half her age, but they cannot beat the darling damsel of the mud.”

Slower-footed racers targeted other race awards. A member of a Marine Corps detachment, Mat Hillenbrand, won “Muddiest & Bloodiest,” while Morgan Fine won the “Big Snort Water Entry” award when he fumbled into a water crossing, exited and continued to tumble down the trail. Both mudsters—and many others—went home with pig-shaped cookies.

For complete results, visit the Taconic Road Runners website at www.runner.org.

National Pride DECEMBER 4, 2004, NIKE CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM NATIONALS, PORTLAND, OREGON—

There had never been a national headto-head competition to determine the top high-school cross-country teams in the country—until tomorrow’s trailrunning stars squared off at the Nike Team Nationals. In previous years, national rankings were determined by a subjective system of comparing performances across the country.

“

OVER-

HEARD

“I’m not really fast, but I go for a long time.”

—DEAN KARNAZES drawing laughs during a March 16 interview on “Late Night with David Letterman.”

Karnazes was promoting his new book, an autobiography called Ultramarathon Man.

14 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

Subsequently, the rankings were occasionally contentious. The debates finally halted on a chilly December day in Portland, Oregon.

Nike invited the top two boys and girls high-school cross-country teams from each of eight regions nationwide, plus at-large “wildcards.” The National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations and many state high-school athletic associations

“Last year’s winner and course-record holder was ‘Lucky,’ and she’s already talking smack this year on the West Virginia Mountain Trail Runners forum.”

—DANIEL TODD, race director of the Dirty Dog 15K in Charleston, West Virginia.

The Dirty Dog invites athletes to race in tandem with their pooches. “Lucky” is a Jack Russell Terrier mix.

“Littering should be a death-penalty offense at a trail run.”

—ANSTR DAVIDSON of Arlington, Virginia, during a discussion of gel and energy-bar wrappers left behind during a local race.

“One must have priorities.”

—NIKKI KIMBALL of Bozeman, Montana, after she and her fiancé, Don Demetriades, postponed their August 27 wedding because the Golden Gate Headlands 50K National Trail Championship falls on the same day.

“

High-school cross-country stars hit the whoop-di-doo’s early on.

have rules limiting team travel and racing outside of a predetermined area and race schedule, so some high-school teams had to run as clubs unaffiliated with their schools.

Such was the case with the winning boys team, Kroy Track Club, from Elmhurst, Illinois. Composed solely of runners from Illinois powerhouse, York High School (winners of 24 state titles), Kroy nipped runner-up Stotan Cross-Country Club (Fayetteville-Manlius H.S., New York).

Kroy’s top runner, Sean McNamara took the boys individual title, completing the 5K course in 15:43, 12 seconds faster that Brandon Bethke of Beach Dudes Cross-Country Club (El Toro H.S., California). “It was a magical experience,” said McNamara, 17, wearing a singlet adorned in York High School’s green and white colors, “and I’m glad we have a better system to crown an official national champion.”

York High School’s cross-country coach, Joe Newton, did not travel to watch Kroy’s victory. Later, he said, “I’m proud of the boys, because they did it all on their own. They trained after the high-school season, in freezing temperatures and all sorts of weather.”

The girls team championship was practically awarded before the race began. Heralded as possibly the greatest girls team ever assembled, the Kinetic Racing Club (Saratoga Springs H.S., New York) rolled to an easy win.

They were led by third-place finisher Nicole Blood and two other teammates who placed in the top 10.

Ramsey Kavan of 3-D Running (Yankton H.S., South Dakota) won the individual girls race in 18:05, 10 seconds in front of Brianna Felnagle of the Hilltop Belles (Bellarmine Prep H.S., Washington).

For complete results, visit www.niketeamnationals.com.

BRIAN J. MYERS AT PHOTORUN.NET

» making tracks

Deep sea angler 2,000 feet down in Monterey Canyon. Photo: Bruce Robison

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ADVENTURE

by EAN JACKSON

» photos by PAUL KENNEDY

The author and “Whistler Boys” Gary Robbins and Mark Fearman arrive at the first “aid station” after a long night on the treacherous Smith Range section.

Sunshine on My Shoulders EXHILARATION, AGONY AND BEER ON BRITISH COLUMBIA’S SUNSHINE COAST TRAIL The plan was hatched during “guy time.” The four of us—Dave Cressman, Dom “Dommer” Repta, Wade “Wader” Repta and I—sat drinking beers watching Tour de France highlights. Between quaffs, we brainstormed impossibly big runs.

“Let’s run the Sunshine Coast Trail,” suggested Cressman. With a thirst for adventure on par with our thirst for suds, we hoisted our brews and toasted the idea.

None of us knew much about the Sunshine Coast Trail (SCT) other than the fact it covers roughly 100 miles of Canada’s rugged British Columbia coast and traverses magnificent temperate rain forest. A bit of research revealed it is a point-to-point trail that starts on 16 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

the ocean, traverses several mountains near the town of Powell River and finishes again on the ocean.

We tracked down the trail’s architect, Eagle Walz of Powell River. In establishing the trail, Walz alleges he just followed his dog with some surveyor tape from one patch of old-growth forest to another. Over the years, he connected several existing trails into one mother of a trail stretching the entire length of the Sunshine Coast. We learned that

experienced hikers had taken seven days to cover the trail, but nobody had ever run it.

“What’s your plan?” asked Walz.

“Run the trail in two days,” I said.

There was a long silence. “I won’t say it can’t be done,” Walz said finally, “but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Taking Walz’s not-so-encouraging words as a challenge, we boarded a water taxi at the end of the road in Lund, British Columbia, and sang “Gilligan’s

» adventure

Passport to Adventure CANADA’S SUNSHINE COAST TRAIL GETTING THERE. Base camp for an adventure on the Sunshine Coast Trail is Powell River, British Columbia, a half day by car and ferry north of Vancouver.

It is also possible to access the SCT for shorter adventures at numerous points between the Saltery Bay ferry terminal in the south and Desolation Sound Marine Park in the north.

From Powell River, take Highway 101 north until it ends at the Lund Hotel and Marina. Next board a water taxi for the final leg to the trailhead. There’s no mooring, so pray for smooth seas and be prepared to jump onto the rocks.

SEASONS. While palm trees actually grow in this part of Canada, there’s often snow in the SCT’s mountain sections into June. Much of the trail is run-able year round, but the May through October period is driest.

GEAR. Needs vary according to the season. Gore-Tex is indispensable during monsoon season (late fall to springtime). Nighttime can be cold—even in the summer.

Sturdy trail shoes with an aggressive tread are a must.

RESOURCES. The Sunshine Coast Trail, by R.E. Walz (the trail’s founder) and www. sunshinecoast-trail.com.

NOTE. The SCT is maintained by a volunteer group called PRPAWS (Powell River Parks and Wilderness Society). Visit www.sunshinecoast-trail.com/prpaws.htm to learn how you can support their efforts. Jackson and friends aim to raise $5000 for PRPAWS by hosting presentations about their SCT adventure.

Island” as we bobbed our way toward Sarah Point at the north end of the trail on Desolation Sound. “Land Ho!” we screamed, as the rock outcropping that represented the beginning of our journey came into view.

Despite the helter-skelter nature of our decision to run the SCT, we had

actually devised a detailed plan, pulling together a crew of family and friends and splitting our mission into 12 reference points accessible by car. These would be our “aid stations” and where, in an emergency, we could catch a ride home with our tails between our legs.

We opted for a 2 a.m. “alpine” start to maximize daylight. Once underway, we fell into a rhythm of 20-minute shifts as pathfinder, cruising over carpets of green moss, ridgelines that smelled of camphor and through groves of oldgrowth red cedar during the first 50 kilometers. Wader nailed our estimated arrival time at the Shingle Mill Pub. As my vegan buddies ate their veggies, I had my first burger and beer.

Afternoon temps soared to a very dry 95 degrees Fahrenheit and we paused for a refreshing dip in Inland Lake. Our crew treated us to a barbeque. Mmmm, more burgers and beer!

After running for 16 hours, our well-oiled team machine sputtered when Cressman announced, “I’m done.” We thought it unlikely we would all make the full trip, but it hurt to lose him just the same.

After leaving Cressman, our team of three pushed over Tin Hat Mountain.

Thick prickle bushes standing taller than a bear had overgrown the trail.

To make matters worse, Dommer’s leg began to hurt. By the time we met our crew, we’d run about 20 hours together, and he was done like dinner. Then Wader fell victim to the siren call of the chair. Over yet another burger and

adventure « beer, I second-guessed our decision to run this trail in one push.

Mark Fearman and Gary Robbins, two trail animals from Whistler, had driven up to pace the night section. While Fearman was somewhere down the trail, Robbins was antsy to run.

“How about a hot shower, a couple of cool ones and a clean bed?” Wader asked me as he put on warm, dry clothes.

I stood alone, considering his offer.

It was dark, I was tired and the Smith Range loomed next. This was remote backcountry and a fall from one of the steep drop-offs would send me to the big brewpub in the sky.

“I’ll take you up on that tomorrow night!” was the best reply I could muster, as we fired up the headlamps and disappeared into the night.

After a few hours in the inky blackness, massive tree stumps began to look like Easter Island sculptures.

Navigation was rough, too, and we accidentally bagged an extra mountain after taking a wrong turn. “Please don’t hate me forever,” Gary pleaded as we paused to savor the vista of mountains bathed in the first purple traces of a new day.

Daybreak found Mark, Gary and me

At mile 100, the team makes the final push to Saltery Bay.

wading through seas of glistening blueberry bushes as mist shrouded the trail.

Progress was slow, but I kept moving forward. Beginning in the mid-afternoon of the second day, I grew wonky and, when I didn’t want burgers or beer anymore, my crew’s concern skyrocketed.

Later in the afternoon, the team reunited. First, Wader tugged me up Troubridge Mountain. Then, Cressman

and Dommer came aboard for the final push through the evening hours. The finish line was a ribbon of surveyor tape held high by Eagle Walz and our crew. It was shortly before 10 p.m. when we officially “bagged” the SCT. My time of 43 hours 50 minutes set a baseline record.

It took a bit longer than expected, the burgers were long gone, but there was one last beer as a reward!

■

B U S H WH ACK

by JONATHAN THESENGA

» Illustration by JEREMY COLLINS

Super Mega Suck A$! 50 THE MOST SCREWED-UP TRAIL RACE EVER.

From the moment I pulled into the campground parking lot deep in the dense woods of Oregon, my inner voice screamed at me to mission abort. I should’ve just turned around and eaten the $35 entry fee. Did I? Nooooo. Like a stupid sorority chick in a slasher flick who knows the killer is in the house, I stayed, thinking, “Well, sure things look a little sketch, but how bad can it be?” Well, I only wish it had turned out bad—the event was, without question, the most screwed-up, assbackward, trail race ever.

20 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

To avoid a groggy, early morning 40mile drive, I arrived the afternoon before the 50K race (I’ll call it the “Super Mega Suck A$! 50”—no way I’m using the real name and getting spindled and mutilated by the race’s organizers). I figured I’d find an out-of-the-way camping spot, so as not to bother what was sure to be a busy crew prepping the area. I drove up to find no industrious hustle and bustle, just decorative flagging from a beer company and a beater camper trailer I was sure belonged to Ted Kaczynski. Next to the trailer was a sputtering generator, the sole purpose of which it seemed was to power the Southern rock blasting out of two suitcase-sized home-stereo speakers. Not a soul was in sight save a couple of drifterlooking dudes slumped in lawn chairs around a smoldering campfire, sucking back beers from a Busch 30-pack.

Did I have the wrong weekend for the Super Mega Suck A$! 50? Something wasn’t right. Steeling myself, I walked up to the semi-comatose drunken dudes (nimbly navigating through their empty Busch cans) and asked if they knew anything about the trail race.

“Sh ... uuure, this is the spot,” slurred one, who wore a sweatshirt stained with grease and mustard (or was it dried vomit?).

“Well …” I said, skeptically, “do you know what the deal is? Like where is the Race Director?”

“Yeah, man,” the other one—the fatter one—replied while methodically jabbing a stick in the fire, “uh … yep, that’s me.”

Yeah, sure thing, buddy. These jerks were messing with me. No way were these two … then I saw them: Montrails.

The 250-pound drunk was wearing a pair of Montrails. Shit, this dweeb really was in charge?

My internal Sketchball Alarm wailed like an air-raid siren. My deeply perverse side, however, urged me to stay, aroused to see just how sketch this gig was going to be. Again I reasoned: How bad could it be?

Things looked slightly more official in the morning as the parking lot quickly filled up with psyched runners. The RD had sobered up (congratulations!), and there was a registration table, even a digital time clock. At 8:30 sharp the RD sounded the air horn, and 62 runners and myself dashed into the woods, following the course’s pink flagging.

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4/20/05

2:50 PM

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From there the Super Mega Suck A$!

50’s downward spiral continued. The problems were so extensive that I’ll only list the Top Five: 1) The course was immediately mismarked and everyone did a 60-yard loop back to the start (RD nowhere to be found), before someone found the unmarked turn.

NOT A SOUL WAS IN SIGHT SAVE A COUPLE OF DRIFTER-LOOKING DUDES SLUMPED IN LAWN CHAIRS AROUND A SMOLDERING CAMPFIRE, SUCKING BACK BEERS FROM A BUSCH 30-PACK. 2) Old pink flagging marked all sorts of side trails and logging roads, drawing numerous runners off course, two of whom ran six miles down the wrong trail before coming across a pair of backpackers who GPS’d them to a cross-country path back to the race course.

3) The two aid stations were comprised of unmanned tables with massive metal pots of water that you had to ladle (minding the floating flies and pine needles) and nothing else.

4) Billed as a 50K course, it turned out to be (thankfully) only 35K or so—which I assumed was roughly the mileage it took the RD to drink a sixer of Busch as he marked the course.

5) The Assistant RD (you remember him, the guy from the previous day with the nasty sweatshirt) was in “charge” of recording finishing times and racer numbers, but was so drunk the results were completely botched.

It’s been six months since the Super Mega Suck A$! 50 and the results are still not posted on the race’s website. In fact, the website still promotes the race as though it’s upcoming. You have to give the RD and his bro credit, though—each week I get a mass email promoting their next “incredible” 50K trail race.

As my memory of the Super Mega Suck A$! 50 fades and the emails continue, nostalgia and masochism get the better of me. I even went out and bought a 30pack of Busch, flirting for the briefest of moments about signing up for another one of their races. Because really, How bad could it be?

■ 2005 JULY | TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM 21

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TRAIL Rx

by DAVE SHELDON

» Illustration by JEREMY COLLINS Common running-related structural problems are tight hamstrings, cable-like IT bands and sore hip flexors. Many folks learn to live with these common complaints, not realizing their body mechanics are being negatively impacted. The bodywork technique called Rolfing Structural Integration, commonly referred to as “Rolfing,” provides trail runners relief from chronic aches, pains and injuries associated with the miles.

Linda Gill, a former UCLA cross-country and track athlete, tried Rolfing to recover from a nagging hamstring injury. After several sessions, she noticed that, “Rolfing really helped my overall body mechanics; the tension I historically carried in my shoulders was gone, my hamstrings felt great and breathing became easier as my chest opened up.”

Six months later, Linda won a Black Shirt (given to the first 35 finishers, out of the approximately 1000 runners) in the famous Dipsea, a cruel 7.1-mile race in Marin County, California, and the following year was the fastest female finisher.

WHAT’S A ROLF?

W

Here’s the Rub PURGE YOUR TRAIL-RUNNING IMBALANCES WITH ROLFING

We trail runners crave our fix, waking early to charge along a shaded path before the world crawls out of bed. But such indulgence can sometimes be too much of a good thing. Pounding away in the backcountry stresses the body’s fascia—the connective tissue that surrounds joints and encases muscles. When this tissue is overworked, stressed or dehydrated, it becomes increasingly solid and rigid. With enough abuse, your body cries out for help, with soreness, decreased flexibility and an overall reduction in efficiency.

22 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

Created by Dr. Ida P. Rolf, Rolfing is a holistic system of soft tissue manipulation that strives to align and balance the body’s components until the entire system is functioning as a coordinated whole. For example, the legs are aligned to the hips, knees to feet, shoulders to rib cage, and then all of these joints are integrated with each other to form a smoothly functioning body. A Rolfing practitioner uses direct pressure to “melt” connective tissue adhesions (tight or restricted areas of the body’s soft tissue) and release energy trapped in an affected area.

The touch can range anywhere from light to very deep, and the speed of the strokes usually falls into the slow to very slow range. This unique combination of depth, speed and pressure allows a practitioner to contact the different layers and structures of a body with great exactness. And contrary to rumors, Rolfing does not hurt.

It can at times deliver intense sensations, but the pressure stays under the painful red zone. Oil or lotion is rarely used, and

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» trail rx

WHAT TO EXPECT

Rolfing Structural Integration appointments last between 60 and 90 minutes, and cost between $80 and $140. If considering a Ten Series, plan to schedule at least one session per month; many people sign up for a session every seven to 10 days. For more injury-specific concerns, strategize with a practitioner to devise a game plan. The Rolfing Institute of Structural Integration’s website (www.rolf.org) is a great place to start your search, as everyone listed in its database has undergone rigorous training and is a certified or advanced practitioner.

one part from abnormal wear and tear. Another plus is increased efficiency and training capacity.”

BONUS BENEFITS

Another aspect unique to Rolfing is the effect it can have in reducing the tone of overly tight muscles and Keep your appointment days in mind when training. In general, light, warming exercise connective tissue. Rolfing’s slow before a session is fine, while intense exercise is best avoided, since it may strip your deep strokes, says current thinking, body of the energy it needs to accept the changes offered by the practitioner. And even if you feel like going on an exhausting mountain run after jumping off the table, rememstimulate intra-fascial mechanoreber that your body needs time to fully absorb the benefits of the work. Take a rest day ceptors (sensory neurons of the on the same day of your Rolfing session. muscle nerve), which in turn trigger the nervous system to reduce the resulting light friction enhances the tension in related muscles and fasmotion and running efficiency.” precision of the practice. cia. Many people experience the release of Rolfing is not simply the deep tissue excess tension as heat or a slight vibration or myofascial massage that many runWHAT CAN IT REPAIR? under the area being worked. Emotional ners have tried. Rolfing looks beyond a Matt Nasta, a Rolfing practitioner in discharge, laughing, crying or a temporary sore muscle or joint and takes the whole Boulder, Colorado, works regularly with mood change is also not uncommon. system into account. members of the University of Colorado Put another way, Rolfing allows the brain James Schwartz, an Advanced Rolfer cross-country team. “I see many athletes and nervous system to “re-boot” areas with 20 years of experience working with with IT Band tendonitis, Achilles and of the body that are receiving too much runners around San Francisco, says, plantar fasciitis, and sciatica-like sympelectrical stimulation, which is manifested “When the joints of the ankle, knee and toms due to tight hip rotators,” says Nasta. as chronic tightness, and reestablishes a hip are synchronized with one another, “Rolfing addresses these symptoms, like healthy level of muscle contraction and and the muscles acting on them are a mechanic would realign your car tires, relaxation. For the runner, such release properly toned, then the impact of runand this tune-up increases joint range of around the hip and in any leg muscle can ning is evenly distributed, sparing any

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have an overwhelming effect.

Mike Fanelli, a running coach from Marin County, California, and competitive runner for 38 years, has worked extensively with Schwartz. “Rolfing has taken 10 years off my legs. Before Rolfing, I had to take four or five days off after a hard run,” says Fanelli. “Now I am back up to running 50-mile weeks.”

Such positive results don’t surprise Schwartz. “Runners in their 40s and 50s get dramatic performance results from Rolfing,” he says, “as their over-trained and muscle-bound bodies become more supple.”

FOOT FIXES Since the feet are the body’s base of support, foot mechanics are another important consideration when dealing with any running-related problem. Load an imbalance onto a system responsible for providing shock absorption and stability, while simultaneously streaming our gray matter with environmental information—like how slippery a tree root may be or the incline of a hill—and you’re asking for trouble.

“The feet are one of the most integral and complex parts of our body, especially

TEN SERIES THE COMPLETE ROLFING PACKAGE

The hallmark of Rolfing is the Ten Series, a group of 10 Rolfing sessions that each focuses on a particular region of connective tissue and structure. A Ten Series treatment is different from a few sessions to heal a specific complaint, as the entire body is systematically balanced. A good strategy is to try a single Rolfing session or two, see how your body responds, and then decide whether a Ten Series might be beneficial.

trail rx «

SESSIONS 1-3 These initial treatments strive to open up the breathing, give the body a stable foundation by addressing the lower extremities and feet and look at how the body stands in relation to gravity.

SESSIONS 4-7 The main focus is the core, or the internal components that support the body in the same way as the steel grid work supports a high-rise building. Structures like the spine, abdominals and hips are addressed, as are the inner leg, head and neck.

SESSIONS 8-10 Here the practitioner works with the body’s middle layer of connective tissue, and may ask for subtle movements to be done in coordination with the Rolfing strokes.

The resulting combination educates the nervous system to the changes accomplished during the first several sessions.

for an athlete,” says Nasta. “If they are not tracking properly, then the rest of the body must adjust. For a runner, this compensation regularly shows up as trouble in the knee, hip or back.”

Again, when Rolfing’s full-body approach is applied, positive benefits may reverberate throughout other structures, and can be expressed as increased range of motion in the hip, or reduced stress on a sore knee.

So, if your feet are begging for attention, a hamstring won’t stop its nagging, or your body and mind need a thorough overhaul after years of neglect, consider the virtues of Rolfing. The work could very well reveal the key to rediscovering that forgotten spring in your step.

Dave Sheldon is a certified Rolfer and trail runner living in Boulder, Colorado.

A S K THE CO A C H

by THERESE IKNOIAN

» Illustration by JEREMY COLLINS

BEAT BLISTERS, GET IN THE ZONE, PEEING ON THE RUN BREAKING THE TAPE What is the correct way to tape toes and feet to prevent blisters? And what is the best tape?

—AL CHASE, WESTCHESTER, IL

“Everybody’s feet are different, and you have to find out what works for you,” says John Vonhof, author of Fixing Your Feet: Prevention and Treatment for Athletes. Know your tendencies and foot-care needs, and act preventively.

If you usually get hot spots or blisters in certain spots, tape or employ blister pads before you run. Experiment while training with different tapes and pads.

For mid-run fixes, carry the basics: an alcohol swab, a pin and blister bandage or tape.

You’ll need the swab to wipe off sweat and skin oils so a bandage will stick. A pin can prick a blister to drain liquid so it doesn’t pop open.

Spenco makes Sport Blister Pads, which Vonhof recommends (Coach gives a thumbs-up, too); they are thin and soft, stay put and come in several sizes—even small enough for toes. Another worthy option is Blistoban (www.blistoban.com), a very thin anti-friction bandage.

Duct tape is OK, but the adhesive is a monster, and the edges are rough. Micropore Tape (3M) and Leukotape are also popular with runners.

Rounding off the corners helps keep the tape on.

Says Vonhof (www.fixingyourfeet.com): “You train your heart, and you train your legs.

You got to think about your feet too!”

HAVE A HEART (RATE) I’m new to trail running, but have been cycling for years.

I use a heart-rate monitor and have noticed my average heart rate is higher while running than cycling at a 26 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

similar perceived effort while my maximum heart rate is almost identical for both. I try to keep my heart rate in the zone(s) appropriate for the workout, but when I’m running it seems like I’m not training as hard. Do you think I run the risk of overtraining or injury if I base my pace on perceived effort?

—DAVID CHOY, FAIRFIELD, CA

You are on the right track by monitoring your heart rate, but have come up against a question common for athletes who cross over to another discipline. The only real way to know your maximum heart rate is by measuring it, either in a lab (expensive and not always feasible) or by simple selfadministered running tests, as detailed in longtime heart-rate-monitoring guru Sally Edwards’ book, Heart Zones Training (www.heartzones.com; see also Training, Trail Runner No. 32.).

Perceived effort isn’t an accurate way to gauge your training. Indeed, there are variations among sports, with maximum heart rate in cycling averaging about 10 to 15 beats per minute lower than running. That’s because of variations, for example, in muscle mass used, body position and the activity’s reliance on legs or arms.

Edwards and others recommend using zone-specific workouts that target training from easy or recovery, to tempo or medium-paced, up to intervals in an anaerobic zone. “That’s the best way to help prevent overtraining while still gaining maximum benefits from the training time invested,” says Edwards, herself an ultrarunner and triathlete.

STAND AND DELIVER I’ve started doing longer trail runs and have witnessed

women peeing while standing.

Why and how do you do it?

—LINDA GROVER, BOSTON, MA

Seeing a woman relieving herself while standing can make quite a first impression. There are a few reasons to avoid squatting. For one, doing it while standing is faster. It also keeps a tick from crawling you know where, and you keep poison ivy and oak at bay. And on long runs, it doesn’t add stress to already fatigued legs by forcing them to squat your weight.

This art takes a bit of practice. Try it in the shower first.

In the field, you need to wear shorts or at least stretchy thigh-length tights so you can expose the necessary body part. Stand with feet wide.

Make sure you aren’t over a rocky or packed area (don’t want splatters all over shoes and socks). Pull the shorts off to one side. Sway your back a little to stick out your butt

(helps the stream go to the front). Then let ’er rip. When you’re done, take a tip from the guys—give yourself a little bounce and shake for those lingering drips.

By the way, one more benefit: the reactions are entertaining. The look on my husband’s face the first time I sidled up beside him on a trail outing is one I’ll never forget!

■

SHOE GIVEAWAY

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T R AIL TIPS

by DELINA CODEY

» photo by DAVID CLIFFORD

THREE SCENARIOS IN WHICH YOU MIGHT FIND A COMPASS HANDY:

1

You’re lost, but you know if you go south, you’ll hit the main trail.

• Turn the compass housing until south is aligned with the Direction of Travel arrow.

• Turn your body, holding the compass flat in your hand, until the needle lines up inside the red “north” arrow.

• Pick a landmark visually aligned with the south end of the needle, and about 100 yards away, and walk directly toward it. When you arrive, check your bearing, repeat.

2

You know your location and destination, but have lost the trail.

• Put the long edge of the compass (parallel to the direction of travel arrow) on the map so it makes a line from where you are to your destination.

• Turn the compass housing so the orienting lines match the lines you drew at home.

• Turn your whole body, map and compass, until the compass needle is aligned inside the red “north” arrow.

• Pick your first landmark and start walking to it; repeat until you reach your destination.

3

You have no clue where you are, but can locate some landmarks.

Before heading out, draw lines on your map to indicate magnetic north.

Lost Again?

Use a Compass!

Your jeep is tricked out with OnStar, you never go anywhere without your handheld GPS and you can’t remember the last time you saw your compass. But that small bit of floating metal can still save your hide, especially when your batteries die.

Don’t be intimidated by that tricky Angle of Declination—the difference between true north (generally, how your map is oriented) and magnetic north (where your compass points). You will normally find a small V or compass drawing on topo maps; one arm of the V will always point to 0 degrees, true north, and

the other will give your magnetic-north angle, e.g. 11 degrees east. The easiest way to deal with magnetic north is to re-orient your map to magnetic north before you hit the trail. Do this by drawing a grid of parallel lines across your map at the angle specified in the map’s key. These lines are your new north.

• Find two clear landmarks on the landscape and on your map (e.g. a fire tower, lake or distinctive mountaintop). They should be approximately 90 degrees from each other. Climb higher if you need a better view.

• Hold the compass flat in your hand and point the direction of travel arrow at your first landmark. Turn the compass housing so the compass needle is inside the red “north” arrow. Read the degree, marking where the direction of travel arrow intersects the compass housing (e.g. 40 degrees northeast.)

• Draw a 40-degree line (remembering to use your lines as 0 degrees) on the map to the landmark • Repeat for the second landmark. The intersection of the two lines will tell you roughly where you are.

■ 2005 JULY | TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM 27

TRAINING

by JIM FREIM

» photo by MIKE CALABRO

should be less than 50 percent of your weekly mileage. For example, training for the Leadville 100 one year, I was in a time crunch and could only do a long workout every third week. I made it count—with a 30- to 35-mile run and a weekly total of 65 to 70 miles.

SPEED TRAP

When work crimps your spare time, you can still meet your trail-running goals with focused workouts.

I

The Ultimate Three WHEN LIFE GETS HECTIC, SQUEEZE IN TIME FOR THIS WORKOUT TRILOGY TO HANG WITH THE PACK.

“I don’t have enough time to train.” How often have you heard your trail-running partners utter this statement in frustration? Jobs, family, vacations and the minutiae of life consume our days. Even though we each get a weekly ration of 168 hours, it is never enough.

When life tugs at you in a thousand directions, don’t shortchange the Ultimate Three Workouts—endurance, speed and strength. These cornerstone workouts give the greatest return for time invested.

No matter what other training you fit into your schedule, do one endurance and one speed workout every seven to 14 days and two to three strength workouts per week (If time is short, you can alternate—endurance one week, speed the next). This combination guarantees a high level of fitness. Make your other workouts relaxing—to reduce stress in your life.

ENDURANCE, PERIOD! If you have to choose just one major workout, pick endurance, which will maintain a higher level of fitness than any other drill. Most overall improve28 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

ment comes from running long. Be able to go the race distance before adding in speed, since many trail runs and races are long in time, distance or both.

As a rule of thumb, you can enter races or do runs that are one and a half to two times longer than your longest run, albeit at a reduced pace. For a trail marathon, do at least 13 miles in training, although at least one 18 to 20 miler would be better preparation. Each week, find time for a 10-mile run. Every other week do a longer workout (13 to 20 miles) consistent with your goals. Remember, gradually bump up the distance of your long run.

Your trail-marathon training translates well to a trail 50-miler. The only change is to increase the length of your long run. Do at least one 25 miler as preparation, once again, following the rule that you can race at twice your longest training run.

To reduce injuries, your long run

As Goose said in the movie Top Gun, “I feel the need for speed,” and so should you, once you have an endurance base.

Trail runners should do a speed workout every week to two weeks. Endurance and speed are symbiotic. Greater speed yields greater endurance yields greater speed. For example, two predictors of marathon performance are your number of 20-mile-plus training runs and 10K speed. Once you achieve the training base to go the distance, a good predictor of your marathon finishing time is your speed at shorter distances. Remember that trail marathon times vary greatly because of terrain and elevation, but if you can run a 30-minute 10K on a flat course, you have the ability to run a 2:20 flat marathon. For each minute above 30, add five minutes to your marathon time.

For example, a 40-minute 10K could result in a 3:10 marathon. Although exceptions to the rule exist, the trail runners on the podium probably have the fastest 10K times of the field.

Your choice of speed workouts depends on your goals and preferences, but all of the following will give you an edge. If you don’t like structured track workouts, try a hill workout that combines speed and strength. On one of your usual trail runs, maintain your form (head up, chest out, arms pumping) and, for two to five minutes during the uphills, keep the power on high and maintain or increase the pace. Recover at a much slower pace for the same length of time.

Fartleks, pickups and cadence workouts are also good choices and can be done every week. Fartleks (literally Scandinavian for “speed play”) have little structure and work well in groups where a leader picks up the pace for an unknown distance or time. Pickups are usually a faster pace to some landmark along the run. And increasing cadence could be done anywhere and may not result in a faster pace, just faster steps. Pick a point ahead and increase your pace or cadence to that point. Shoot for one- to two-minute

intervals with a two- to four-minute recovery. Repeat throughout your run and allow five to 10 minutes for a cool down.

For structured workouts, go to the track or a flat trail. The length of your goal trail race or run and your time goal will determine the workout. For a trail run of about 10K, do half-mile repeats. For a marathon, do one-mile repeats at an increasingly faster pace. For example, do a two-mile warm up, and then do three one-mile repeats the first week. Only three! Do the first mile at your 10K pace. Jog or walk a full lap (about 440 yards or three minutes) to recover. The second repeat should be five seconds faster than the first and the third another five seconds faster.

Work up to five one-mile repeats following the increased-pace rule. This workout simulates race conditions. As you tire in a race, you need to push physically and mentally harder to maintain your pace and form. Decreasing time workouts are tough, but persevere and during a race, when you are normally ready to throw in the towel, you’ll have the strength and focus to finish strong.

Some runners like ladders, e.g. 400 meters, 600, 800, 1000 then back down.

Some like only quarter-mile repeats.

The variations and combinations are endless. However, to reduce the possibility of injury, limit your speed workout mileage to less than 10 percent of your weekly mileage.

PUMP IT UP Round out the Ultimate Three with strength workouts. Most runners look like pencils. Strength workouts go neglected, and many trail runners need to be bribed (chocolate works well) to do strength workouts—both upper and lower body— until they see the results and become converts. Studies show a correlation between overall strength and running

SPEED

FOR THE LONG RUN For 50- and 100-mile trail runs, try three-mile repeats on a decreasing time basis (gulp!). When I lived in Houston, my trainees and companion group gathered on Wednesday nights for intervals (and beer, afterwards, of course). The first threemile loop was 21 minutes, the next 20, the next 19, etc. We worked up to five repeats (15 miles) with the last three-mile loop run at a six-minute-per-mile pace or faster. I teamed with one of my trainees to do the Border to Border four-day stage race in Minnesota. On the 50-mile run day, we were prepared because of our extensive mile and three mile repeats. We alternated every mile, so Evan and I each did 25 one-mile repeats with about a six-minute rest.

We did the 50 miles in 5 hours 19 minutes, a 6:20 pace.

endurance. You don’t need the physique of Mr. Universe, but enough strength to minimize fatigue during your trail runs. Strong arms, upper back and pecs give you the strength to keep your arms moving. Robust core muscles (abdominals) will hold your body erect and help you breathe easier. Well-defined quads, hamstrings and calves allow you to run longer and easier, and float up and over the hills.

For your upper body, you can keep it simple and use the high-school standbys of sit-ups and pushups. They work. Or develop a weight routine at your gym. Do a strength workout two to three times a week with at least one rest day between workouts. At the beginning of your strength workouts, you may start with only two workouts per week. Generally, it takes three workouts a week to improve (two a week to simply maintain). Monitor yourself to determine how many rest days you need before you can tackle another

» training strength workout. Do the workouts on one of your easy running days, not on your endurance or speed day.

You can lift weights in three ways.

Assume that your max bench press (the amount you can press once with good form) is 100 pounds. To bulk up, do one to three reps trying to press 100 to 110 pounds. For a cardiovascular weight workout, press 20 pounds 40 times.

Trail runners should aim for the middle ground. Press 60 pounds at three sets working up to 10 to 12 reps. As with any type of training, gradually increase the reps and the weight.

Squats are great for quads and toe raises work the calves. Use your body weight only. Drop only to where your quads are parallel to the floor. Squatting lower puts too much stress on the knees. Find a step for toe raises. The motion of a toe raise is the same motion when your foot pushes during a run. For both squats and toe raises, do one set.

Start with 10 reps and work up to 50 or 100. You’ll fly up the hills with less fatigue. These two exercises help you avoid the “trail-runner shuffle” that occurs when your knee lift decreases and your stride shortens.

When time is short, the Ultimate Three Workouts of endurance, speed and strength are your best choice. You maximize the training gain for the effort invested, and will maintain a high level of fitness for trail running and racing.

Dr. Jim Freim has been training athletes of all abilities for over 25 years. He loves the Pikes Peak races and has completed numerous 50- and 100-mile trail runs.

He has won several races after the age of 40 and is the former Director of the Triathlon Federation. Contact him at jfreim@hotmail.com.

THE ULTIMATE THREE (WEEK) SCHEDULE WHEN TIME IS SHORT In this schedule, your time is short but you can squeeze in a speed and endurance workout each week and three strength workouts. Your other trail running workouts should be easy. Repeat after me —EASY. Leave your watch at home and enjoy the day.

Alternate the endurance workouts; one week at least

10 miles and the next weekend run 13 to 20 based on your goals. Also, alternate the speed workouts.

Athletes usually find track (structured) workouts to be more difficult than Fartleks, pickups, etc. For the week of the longer endurance run, do the easier speed workouts.

Week

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thur

Fri

Sat

Sun

One

Strength (20 minutes)

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes) Speed workout (Hill repeats, Fartleks, pickups)

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes)

Off

Endurance (Length based on goals, 13 to 20 miles)

Two

Strength (20 minutes)

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes) Speed workout (Track repeats based on goals)

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes)

Off

Endurance (10 miles)

Three

Strength (20 minutes)

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes) Speed workout (Hill repeats, Fartleks, pickups)

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes)

Off

Endurance (Length based on goals, 13 to 20 miles)

THE ULTIMATE THREE (FOUR-WEEK) SCHEDULE WHEN TIME IS EVEN SHORTER Use this schedule when you need to take a number to breathe. On the weekends, alternate a long run with a speed workout. Your entire training focus is on the

weekend workouts. All runs during the week are easy.

Alternate the number of strength workouts; three one week and two the next.

Week

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thur

Fri

Sat

Sun

One

Strength (20 minutes)

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes)

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes)

Off

Long run (At least 10 miles)

Two

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes)

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes)

Easy trail run

Off

Speed workout (Track repeats based on goals)

Three

Strength (20 minutes)

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes)

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes)

Off

Long run (Length based on goals, 13 to 20 miles)

Four

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes)

Easy trail run

Strength (20 minutes)

Easy trail run

Off

Speed workout (Hill repeats, Fartleks, pickups)

30 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

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8 RUNNERS IN A RECENT DOLOMITE SKY RACE.

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

TAKE YOUR MARK

by GARETT GRAUBINS

Illustration

by BEN

by DAVE DITTOCLIFFORD » photo

The hills are alive: Flowers adorned Krissy Sybrowsky’s 50-mile run in 2004.

Picture Perfect

KODAK MOMENTS GALORE AT WYOMING’S BIGHORN TRAIL RUN While cramming gear into my fanny pack the night before the Bighorn Wild & Scenic Trail Run, I review my notes one last time.

• “It’s a tough race, so bring energy bars and gels.”

• “Unpredictable weather calls for a Gore-Tex shell.”

• “It’s a backcountry course … better pack toilet paper.”

• “Don’t forget a camera.”

32 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY MARCH 2005 2005

Yes, a camera. The Bighorn Trail Run takes trail runners along towering rock walls, thundering rapids, over camelhump hills and through Crayola meadows of wildflowers. Light-and-fast killjoys slam the notion of bringing a camera into the heat of competition, but my photos from the Bighorn are just as treasured as my finisher medals.

Bighorn veteran Charles Hubbard of Bloomington, Minnesota, shares the sentiment. “I’ve seen the most beautiful things there,” he says, “and I’ve felt peace and serenity there like no other place.”

Hubbard is a qualified Bighorn connoisseur—he’s the only person to win all four races on the Bighorn menu: 30K, 50K, 50mile and 100-mile.

Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains are like a $20 bill lost in your Wrangler blue jeans.

You might not miss the dough, but it may as well be a winning PowerBall ticket when you discover it. Planted in the heart of northern Wyoming’s cowboy country, 170 miles east of Yellowstone National Park, the Bighorns are often overlooked.

For the few who venture here, though, their visit makes an impression as deep as the area’s pristine canyons.

In the early 1990s the allure of the Bighorns was threatened by plans to build a hydroelectric plant smack-dab in the core of these mountains. Local trail runners and outdoors lovers balked at the idea and started the Bighorn Trail Run in 1993 to boost public awareness of the area’s rugged magnificence and the planned development. “Five years later, [the plan] was dead,” says Rich Garrison, one of the race’s founders and key players in preserving the area.

Bighorn race weekend takes place around Summer Solstice every June.

Festivities begin on Thursday night, as 100-mile runners arrive in the hamlet of Sheridan for a medical check-in and pasta pigout. The next morning, after an informal countdown from race director Michelle Powers, they begin their epic outand-back journey. Family members and a few onlookers gather, but the launch is refreshingly hoopla free.

From the start, 100-mile runners disappear into the Bighorn National Forest’s vast wilderness, passing through backcountry aid stations on their way to the Porcupine Ranger Station (mile 47), a beacon-like log cabin awaiting runners at the top of an 18mile, 4600-foot climb. Most runners arrive

take your mark « well after midnight, as outside temperatures slip below freezing and moisture on the countless lodgepole pines turns to ice.

From here, they refuel, turn around (the start and finish lines are different, so runners do have 53 miles to go) and retrace the course to the finish.

Around 5 a.m. Saturday morning, as frost clings to blades of prairie grass, school buses rumble up to the Porcupine Ranger Station. Bright-eyed 50-mile trail runners tumble out and, while local moose, bighorn sheep and forest service personnel slumber, they literally follow in the footsteps of the 100-milers. Quads quiver as the 50-milers descend for over three hours to the depths of the Little Bighorn Canyon. From there, they climb 3.5 miles and 2100 feet—a climb dubbed “The Wall”–after which an undulating journey ushers runners through sage meadows and creek drainages.

A wild array of aid stations litter the race route, from Bear Camp, which consists of a few families camped deep in the woods at the top of The Wall, to Cow Camp, a posse of cowboys cooking bacon, hot cakes and old-West fare.

A half marathon from the finish line, runners are confronted by “The Haul,” a 700-foot climb that looms nearly vertical.

Horse Creek Ridge awaits at the top, a wildflowered Shangri-la with vistas of a long descent down Tongue River Canyon.

Just as 50-milers are shuttled and cut loose on the course, 30K and 50K runners are also escorted to their respective starting lines. The four concurrent race starts are timed so that most runners arrive at the Bighorn finish within a few hours of each other, regardless of the distance. Says Garrison, “The runners come together at the finish from all different courses into one fulfilled group of celebrants.”

While 100-milers glance over their shoulders for shorter-distance, freshlegged runners, Bighorn race staff, families and locals gather at the finish line in Scott Park in Dayton (pop: 678). At first, runners trickle into the park, but soon the trickle becomes a steady stream of dusty, sweaty finishers.

Under a picnic shelter, a smorgasbord of hot food appears while burgers flip on a sizzling grill. Sandal-clad folks bask in the park’s spongy grass, taking breaks between mouthfuls of potato salad as each runner enters the far end of the park and circles around to claim their finisher’s medal.

One of the last runners to enter Scott Park each year is Ted Lapis, a 53-yearold local. Lapis, who has completed the

PICTURE THIS Bighorn Mountain Wild & Scenic Trail Run COURSE DESCRIPTION: Choose from four races (30K, 50K, 50-mile and 100-mile) through Wyoming’s lush, wildflowered Bighorn National Forest.

RACE DATES: June 17 & 18, 2005.

NOTE: Most races full as of press time. Visit the website for beta on reserving your spot in 2006.

ENTRY FEE: From $50 to $175, depending on the distance.

INFO: www.bighorntrailrun.com.

30K event nine times, says, “In truth, I’ve never run the Bighorn … I walk it.” And, despite the fact he finishes two hours after the 30K winner, Lapis epitomizes the reason runners always return here.

“It is truly a wondrous place and reminds me that life is good,” says Lapis. He describes his favorite parts of the course with flowery adjectives, before saying, “I usually bring a camera, and I’ve taken upwards of 200 pictures over the years.”

■

FACES

by GARETT GRAUBINS

» photo by PATITUCCIPHOTO

A lame horse and pure grit helped Gordy Ainsleigh run the first trail 100-miler.

Runnin’ Rebel ULTRARUNNING’S FOUNDING FATHER LIKES TO HORSE AROUND

Under Gordy Ainsleigh’s puffy, Charlton-Heston-esque beard (a la the film Ten Commandments) hides a mouth glued in a perpetual smirk.

It is partly mischievous and partly the grin of an omniscient sage who sees profound truths.

It also holds a speck of mystery. Says long-time friend and vice president of the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, Shannon Weil, “Gordy definitely lives in his own orbit.” And that is fitting, given Ainsleigh’s otherworldly claim to fame: over 20 years ago, he ran 100 miles of trails in one day, thereby planting the seed for today’s most extreme trail ultramarathons and, more specifically, the Western States 100.

At 58 years old, Ainsleigh is seasoned enough to remember the days before trail running’s current boom. Long before the 34 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

days of specialized trail-running shoes, Scott Jurek’s 100-mile records, wicking clothing and energy gels, Ainsleigh ran beyond what anyone imagined possible.

“We are all here to do something,” he says, leaning over a campfire in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains, “and I really believe I was put on this Earth to start trail ultrarunning.”

As flames flare up and lick his whiskers, Ainsleigh shares an outlandish tale that at first elicits chuckles. “At the end of the 19th century, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost above conspired to urge more

people into the outdoors,” he explains with conviction, “so they bestowed upon humankind skiing and horseback riding.”

“Years later they checked to see how their plan was working,” Ainsleigh says, “and realized humans were still screwing it up, and they needed to push people into the wilderness with nothing at all–just their feet.” That, says Ainsleigh, is why he was created.

“But the gods didn’t want me to be a happy kid,” he says, “so they broke up my parents and forced my mom and grandma to raise me alone.” As a result, Ainsleigh essentially had two mothers.

Says Ainsleigh, “They made me wear long underwear into June, and it all came together to make me a separate and peculiar person.”

A young Gordy lived nearby his elementary school and, over lunch one day, his rebellious spirit blossomed and compelled him to run home. “It was a mile through the woods and across a creek,” he recalls, “My grandma was at home and she treated me like a hero.” He ran back to school, too.

Time warping forward into the early 1970s, Ainsleigh found himself back in the Sierra Nevada after detours through Vietnam and Santa Barbara, California.

While at the University of California, he had bought a horse (“He threw me three times before I said, ‘I’ll buy him.’”) and learned of an event called the Tevis Mountain Cup, one of the country’s premier horseback riding competitions that traversed 100 miles of sweltering, rugged trail.

Ainsleigh and his steed, “Rebel,” galloped the race in 1971 and 1972, before the gods intervened once again. “After the 1972 Tevis Cup, one of the finest pieces of female fluff took my horse,” says Ainsleigh, sounding like a country music song. That misfortune, he explains, set into motion a string of events that delivered Ainsleigh to his destined day.

Ainsleigh got a new horse, but it went lame on a training run before the 1973 Tevis Cup, forcing him to sit out the event.

Referring to the man who knowingly sold him the lame-horse lemon, Ainsleigh says, “That level of character decrepitude was necessary for what came next.”

1974 saw Ainsleigh horseless as the Tevis Cup approached. What did he do?

He participated in the race sans equine.

Ainsleigh ran the 100-mile mountain course in under 24 hours—the time standard set for Tevis Cup racers—and the Western States 100-Mile Endurance

“THEY MADE ME WEAR LONG UNDERWEAR INTO JUNE, AND IT ALL CAME TOGETHER TO MAKE ME A ... PECULIAR PERSON.” Run was born. A more formal, inaugural Western States run didn’t take place until 1977, but Ainsleigh’s trot is widely recognized as the event’s first running.

One person who remembers Ainsleigh’s famous run is Jim Edwards, a retired veterinarian who monitored the health of the horses that day. “You had to be there to realize how nuts this whole thing was,” he says. “Here was this guy who could easily hop on a healthy horse, but he chose to run.”

Weil echoes Edwards’ awe of Ainsleigh’s exploits: “It was the landmark event that established the sport.”

Today, Ainsleigh still runs the Western States every year. He is a practicing chiropractor and lives in Meadow Vista, California, a short run from the Western States finish line in neighboring Auburn.

He exudes the strong-mindedness and abundant energy of the long-haired kid he once was. “I never want to be sane,” he says, “Still Crazy After All These Years should be my theme song.”

True to his word, Ainsleigh runs the trails with his hair flowing and his shirt off. He’s just slowed down a bit … but not much. “My friends keep expecting me to calm down–quit rock climbing, quit flirting and quit taking all those chances,” he says, “I guess I just don’t get it!”

Then Ainsleigh unpredictably turns poetic, quoting the flamboyant and boisterous Dylan Thomas: “Old age should burn and rave at close of day … Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

The 2005 Western States 100 will take place on June 25. Look for Ainsleigh out on the unforgiving course, where he’ll attempt to complete the race for his 20th time.

September 25, 2005 Boulder, Colorado

New this year!

Travel along Boulder's scenic country roads in a race that Runners' World calls one of the nation's "Best Kept Marathon Secrets!"

Now a Boston Qualifier!

Backroads Commemorative Pint Glass for all Finishers!

The

RANGE of

LIGHT and

FAST g

With a plethora of runs to cloudscratching mountain summits, the High Sierra is the antidote for the dreaded FOMO disease.

Story by Dan Patitucci Photos by PatitucciPhoto Racing the storm beneath Picture Peak, Sierra Nevada, California.

But with inspiration from local ultrarunner Phill Kiddoo and his suggestions of “run-a-bagging” big backcountry peaks, our recovery from FOMO began.

I

DIAGNOSIS

I received the diagnosis four years ago. My friend Paul Elia calls it FOMO —Fear Of Missing Out—and this dreaded disease afflicted me. My wife, Janine, and I had just moved to Bishop, California, for its easy access to the best of the High Sierra: alpine climbing, backpacking and trail running. But we soon found ourselves fretting. Do we go for an all-day blast up an alpine route today? Load our packs for a quick backpacking jaunt? Or do we run a new trail? No matter how good our choice turned out, we were always left fearing that we had missed out on something better.

(top) Janine Patitucci high on Mount Dana (note superlight crampons, a must for certain Sierra Nevada alpine adventures). (bottom) Reaping the rewards of going fast and light—enjoying an afternoon beer after a peak experience.

38 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

But with inspiration from local ultrarunner Phill Kiddoo and his suggestions of “run-a-bagging” big backcountry peaks, our recovery from FOMO began. Each time I mentioned a classic alpine route, Phill countered with, “I’ve run that.”

He was rolling all of our outdoor passions into single summer days, running into alpine areas and climbing easy ridge routes to summits.

Countless granite fins, towers, massifs and ridge crests guard many peaks but most offer easy scrambling routes requiring no more than time, trail-running shoes and a caffeine buzz. Indeed, California’s Sierra Nevada is the ideal playground for

mountain sports. Its warm, dry summers with minimal thunderstorm activity means possibilities are limited not by conditions, but by conditioning and motivation.

Our first steps toward FOMO recuperation began over the winter, when we created a hit list of local mountain runs. Virtually every trailhead offered a worthy objective. Come late June, as the snowpack gave way to dirt and bare rock, trails re-emerged and four months of backcountry running awaited Janine and me.

We were chomping at the bit, since we had put in many training miles at lower elevations and had the fever to get up high.

Survival of the fittest: the author running for the cure in Darwin Canyon, Eastern Sierra.

O

Janine, being Swiss, typically measures her runs in the number of Toblerone bars she can get down before their Matterhorn-like forms succumb to the afternoon heat.

BANNER DAY

Our first objective was Banner Peak outside of the ski town of Mammoth Lakes, just 40 minutes north of Bishop. There, at the Agnew Meadow Trailhead, we set out presunrise, facing 20 miles round-trip and 5000 feet of climbing, a glacier crossing, a narrow snow couloir and a thirdclass rock ridge (no rope required but some exposure) to the summit of 12,936-foot Banner Peak.

Janine’s case of FOMO was much less severe than my own; in fact, she is mostly happy wherever she finds herself. For her, running to the base of Banner Peak without packs would have been a fulfilling day. I wanted the satisfaction of reaching the summit, as well as the joy of owning the lightweight toys that go along with it. Janine acquiesced to my plan.

Our packs were small running models (see Trail Tested, page 54, for a review of running hydration packs), just big enough for tights, windshirt, hat, gloves and as many energy bars and gels that we could cram into them. I would later learn that some friends measured these running peaks not in miles or hours, but in the number of energy-gel packs consumed. Janine, being Swiss, typically measures her runs in the number of Toblerone bars she can get down before their Matterhorn-like forms succumb to the afternoon heat. We also strapped superlight crampons to our packs for the glacier and couloir. Finally, we prefer hand bottles in the backcountry, since they are quick to fill in creeks, save weight in the pack and make great palm shock absorbers when we stumble while gawking at the views.

HIGH, FAST, LIGHT THE RIGHT STUFF

Shoes. Trail-running shoes with sticky rubber are a must.

We like La Sportiva’s Raja for its stiff midsole and bomber toe protection (www.lasportiva.com).

Pack. Just large enough to accommodate food, light windshell or rain jacket, map, hat, gloves and tights. Pack stability is important, so test yours on short runs before you venture out for a long day.

Hydration. We recommend hand-held bottles, although bladder systems are great, too. Sierra water may be crystal clear, but using a water filter or chemical treatment is prudent.

Calories and salt. Energy bars and gels—we like Clif products—work well.

Remember that even in the high, dry Sierra you are sweating—replace lost electrolytes with a supplement like E-Caps (www.e-caps.com).

First aid. Carry athletic tape and gauze for patching skinned knees, etc. For lightweight kits, check out Adventure Medical Kits (www.adventuremedicalkits.com).

Crampons. Most routes don’t require them, but those that do will have you wanting a pair of lightweight Kahtoolas (www.kahtoola.com). They’re made to work on hiking and running shoes.

(For more summer gear ideas, see Trail Tested, page 58.)

T

TRAILHEAD

BISHOP, CALIFORNIA

Bishop (pop. 3800) is located in the heart of the Sierra Nevada, and serves as the jumping-off point to countless trail systems, most within an hour of town.

Getting There. Bishop lies on California Highway 395 along the eastern escarpment of the range, approximately three and a half hours south of Reno and four to five hours north of Los Angeles (the closest major airports).

Seasons. While summer days can hit 100 degrees in town, Sierra trailheads 20 minutes away can be quite chilly. July through September are the best months for mountain running.

The trails from most Eastern Sierra trailheads are steep, but Agnew Meadows is a rolling cruise through a river canyon. We spent the first couple of miles in the dark enjoying the solitude and quiet that only pre-dawn provides. Cold, wet grass overhanging the trail quickly drenched our skinny runners legs and made us long for the summer sun to fill the canyon. As the black sky grew lighter, there, looking impossibly far away, rose the bulk of Banner Peak and its larger neighbor, Mount Ritter (13,143 feet).

T

HIGH TIMES

The specter of our objective was usurped by our immediate need—to outrun the swarming mosquitoes capitalizing on our casual pace.

Much of the trail follows Shadow Creek, which flows over a series of granite shelves creating numerous waterfalls. Soon we were above treeline at the glacier, where we swapped modes from running to power hiking over the steepening snow/ice. We wore running shorts all the way up the couloir, where we caught two hikers who were also gunning for Banner Peak. It was an interesting contrast: Us: trail-running shoes, short shorts, bright red crampons, both hands strapped to water bottles and smiles on our faces.

Them: mountain boots, full climbing attire,

Resources. Drop into Bishop’s running shop, Sage and Summit, or Wilson’s Eastside Sports on Main Street for maps and trail information.

Sage and Summit owner, Karen Schwartz, is currently compiling running trail information for a soon-to-be-released guide to the Eastern Sierra. R.J. Secor’s The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes and Trails is the bible for local hiking and climbing. Remember, though: a great hiking trail may not always be suitable for running due to the surface and steepness. The book’s information is best for ascending the peaks themselves.

For running selects, ask around town, preferably at the local hangouts. There are daily ultrarunner sightings at Bishop’s Great Basin Bakery (see Food and Drink).

Accommodations and Camping. Numerous campgrounds dot the Eastern Sierra. Stay at higher elevations in the summer months to escape the heat. Check in at the Forest Service offices in Mammoth and Bishop for more or visit www.395.com for every imaginable Eastern Sierra web link. Hotels of all shapes and sizes are found in both Bishop and Mammoth, with Bishop being much less expensive.

Food and Drink. The Great Basin Bakery in Bishop is the place to get your morning carbs and meet like-minded trail mammals.

Across the street is Spellbinders, where you’ll find the town’s best morning brew.

Evenings are best spent at the Whiskey Creek Happy Hour in downtown Bishop.

(top left) Today’s fastand-light gear makes peak running a breeze. (bottom left) Power scrambling up a thirdclass ridge on Mount Agassiz. (above) The dip that refreshes—high-country cleansing.

2005 JULY | TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM 41

The collection of bizarre, altitudeenhanced, summitregister entries usually involve God, “I can’t believe I made it” testimonials or something resembling an Oscar speech.

Janine Patitucci cools her heels while glissading a couloir on Banner Peak, where her FOMO cure began.

FOMO

CURE-ALLS

BISHOP AREA North Lake/Piute Pass/Mount Emerson A great warmup for Sierra mountain running.

A six-mile casual climb to Piute Pass serves as a primer for the thousand feet of talus to the summit of Mount Emerson.

South Lake/Bishop Pass/Mount Agassiz Running to Bishop Pass is a local tradition.

Adding the northwest slope of Mount Agassiz makes it even better. An almost entirely runable six-mile trail puts you at the base of the switchbacks to Bishop Pass. Attain the col, follow the slopes where they drop onto the pass, then head straight to the summit. Stunning views of the Palisade Crest await.

Evolution Loop/North Lake to South Lake THE Sierra classic. Replacing summits with passes, this 40- to 70-mile loop will have you seriously considering Eastern Sierra real estate. A variety of early options exist to customize the length. Choose the Lamarck Col over Piute Pass to eliminate about 25 miles.

No matter what you choose you will end up running the John Muir Trail (JMT) through the Evolution Basin, arguably the Sierra Nevada’s perfect spot. Next up is Muir Pass; consider the JMT thru-runner’s body condition at this point—mile 125 of their 215-mile journey.

MAP COURTESY OF DDS, INC. (WWW.USGSQUADS.COM)

Glacier Lodge/South Fork Big Pine Creek/East Face of Middle Palisade The choice for the mountaineer-runner. A steep trail run and cross-country travel brings you to a small glacier and the east face of the 14,000foot Middle Palisade Peak. Here you will curse this author at the site of the imposing cliff in front of you. But really, it is fourth class and quite safe and easy. Gain the face by the right side of the prow, where it splits the glacier.

Shepherd Pass/Mount Tyndall If a remote, grueling 12-mile uphill run to a long ridge to 14,000 feet sounds like fun, this is the run for you. Shepherd Pass is known for being hard and mentally tough, as it is always visible from the trail. Luckily, it is also known for being wondrous in its alpine setting.

MAMMOTH AREA Agnew Meadow/Banner Peak As described above in the story, this is our favorite of the bunch. Get an early start to avoid afternoon heat when running out of the canyon.

large packs, ice axes and smiles on their faces (or were they just laughing at us?).

“Where did you come from?” they asked.

“Agnew Meadows Trailhead,” I answered.

“And you are here already? No way. ” “No, really, we ran in.”

“Ran in? Why?” “Uh, because we are trail runners …”

I decided to leave it at that and not mention the fact that we would be home by early afternoon, enjoying a pale ale.

Janine and I topped out in the couloir, removed our crampons and headed up the ridge. On this section, we appreciated the versatility of modern trail shoes—especially those with sticky outsole rubber for good grip on rock. Less than an hour of rock scrambling took us to the summit.

It wasn’t even noon yet, so we kicked back and had some laughs reading the collection of bizarre, altitude-enhanced, summit-register entries. I don’t recall any specific entries, but they usually involve God, “I can’t believe I made it” testimonials or something resembling an Oscar speech.

I added my own, knowing our climbing friends would be along in a few minutes: “Agnew Meadow to Banner Peak, car to car—the Sierra really is made to be the Range of Light and Fast.”

After descending the rock section we whooped down the glacier in full glissade mode. Freezing cold sections of creekside trail from the morning were now tempting swimming holes in the afternoon heat. The thought of sandwiches beat the need to cool off, and, besides, we were still enjoying the joy of movement. It had been a full day and we were in love with “run-a-bagging.” We had found the cure for FOMO, and look forward to many years of continued therapy.

Dan and Janine Patitucci are professional mountainsports photographers whose work regularly appears in Trail Runner.

2005 JULY | TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM 43

Helping hands: racers ford the Eagle River at the Crow Pass Crossing, Chugach State Park, Alaska.

Learning to crawl: Brad Precosky leads the pack during the 2002 Mount Marathon Race, Seward, Alaska.

Right: Local character Brian Stoecker at the Alyeska International Mountain Run, Girdwood, Alaska; note the innovative bib-attachment system.

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he peaks are huge; most events gain at least three-grand in elevation. The landscape is immense; public lands are measured in millions of acres. Instead of measly creek crossings, racers ford rivers of glacial runoff. Oh, and then there are large furry things of the Ursus arctos horribilis (grizz) variety that can catch and eat you. icy torrent called the Eagle River. Feet and legs fall numb in seconds under the murky water melted from the snout of Eagle Glacier glittering in the sun just a mile upstream.

Most runners link arms, grabbing whoever is nearby, to overcome the obstacle, but someone always trips into the heavy current with a large, silty splash. Soggy-shoed racers cruise the last 13-miles with frequent shouts of “Hey, bear!â€? to ward off any bruins snifďŹ ng for discarded GU packets. Welcome to Alaska.

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Story and photos by Matt Hage

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No other running race captures the holistic Alaska mountain experience better than the annual Crow Pass Crossing. The 26-mile alpine jaunt follows a section of the historic Iditarod Trail through the rugged Chugach Mountains just outside of Anchorage. Runners start with a 2000-foot climb past dilapidated mining camps before dropping into a valley choked with moraine piles and hanging glaciers.

But the real business lies at the halfway point, where racers drop waist-deep into the

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N LEGENDS OF THE FALLS With hundreds of mining towns surrounded by towering summits, and filled with egos to match, it’s not surprising that mountain running got an early start in Alaska. Legend has it that two sourdoughs, well lubed at a local tavern in the harbor town of Seward, got into a heated debate over the possible ascent of a local peak. From town the craggy point in question appears to be the summit, but is actually only a shoulder of the 4600-foot Mount Marathon.

Nonetheless “Race Point” is guarded by nearly 3000 vertical feet of ankle-twisting scree, patches of prickly Devil’s Club and treacherous snowfields.

The barroom argument escalated and soon there was a bet: from bar stool to the point and back in an hour or buy a round of drinks for everyone in attendance. The contest was set for Independence Day 1915. A throng of soused well-wishers crowded the starting line as the gun went off. The racer’s name is long forgotten, but his time of 62 minutes was kept on record. The Mount Marathon Race was born and has since been held every July 4th.

Without a doubt the three-mile Mount Marathon event has become the most sought-after running race in the state.

“It’s like the Olympics for Alaska,” says Brad Precosky, four-time champion of the race. “It’s a chance for 800 runners to show off in front of a huge crowd.” Entry is capped at 300 each for the men’s and women’s event along with a further 200 runners for the junior division. Re48 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

turning runners from the previous year are guaranteed a spot while newcomers are chosen by lottery. It can take years to reach the starting line for Mount Marathon. For those who just can’t wait, two dozen openings are auctioned off in Seward the night before the race. A bib can bring $1000 from the frenzied crowd to help support the race.

The number of people itching for a chance at this race speaks volumes about the running community in south-central Alaska. Everyday folks come out of the woodwork for Mount Marathon: the teller at your bank, the produce guy from the supermarket, your child’s third-grade teacher. Whole families, including grandparents, turn out at the start line as if they’re just out for a holiday picnic.

Yet this is not a race for the faint of heart.

The medical crew’s backboard sees regular action, and the Alaska State Troopers’ rescue chopper hovers above the crowd of 30,000 spectators waiting to extract the wounded. Saying the course is steep does little for perspective—frontrunners spend most of the ascent hunched over, clawing their way up the talus to the turn-around point. Your choice of gloves is just as crucial as footwear. The descent will make your stomach churn, including over a mile of steep scree with a couple of 20-foot, near-vertical drops.

Regardless, the competition is fierce.

You’ll find normally responsible parents (the type that impose a strict nine o’clock curfew) cheering for their kids to push it on the downhill. Just letting gravity take you is not enough says 10year veteran Kikkan Randall. “You’re

Going down: Michelle Hensel and Jan Harpel during the 2002 Mount Marathon Race.

Left: Ready, set, go: Speedsters blast out of the start of the 19th World Mountain Running Trophy championships, 2003, Girdwood, Alaska.

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Arghh! Toby Schwoerer after finishing the Alyeska International Mountain Run. race was the only organized mountain run in the state. Back then, Precosky and Griffith began training for it on the steep three-mile trail up Bird Ridge just outside of Anchorage. The popular hiking trail makes for a dramatic run as it winds 3400 feet through a birch forest before opening to craggy alpine tundra and jagged pinnacles. High on the route the Earth drops quickly beneath your heels to the glaciercarved fjord of Turnagain Arm. At first the run was just an informal gettogether for a handful of serious racers, but soon became an organized event. The inaugural running in 1994 of the Robert Spurr Hill Climb, a memorial race for an avid local mountain runner who died in a climb-

Freelance photographer and writer Matt Hage lives, works and plays in Anchorage, Alaska.

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In a state where there’s so much to do that it’s nearly impossible to choose just one sport, mountain running has become another way of getting the most from the three months of Alaskan summer. Races bring together a hodgepodge of Olympic skiers, cavemen, petroleum engineers and Elvis impersonators.

An avid Chugach hiker, Brian Stoecker decided to see what mountain running was all about.

“When I saw that mountain, I wanted no part of it,” says Stoecker who had not even seen the Mount Marathon course before his first race in 1990. “I was third on the waiting list and hoping to God that I wouldn’t get a bib.” His prayers went unanswered. Stoecker met his goal of not coming in last, and a half-hour after crossing the finish line had plans to return the following year.

Ever since, Stoecker has become a force in nearly every local trail race. But it’s not so much his race times that draw attention to Stoecker as it is his character. “I decided to make an appearance,” he says of the 1994 Mount Marathon Race, where in an attempt to psyche out other racers he competed in war paint, raven feathers and only a loincloth. Today, Stoecker’s “Birdman” outfit can be seen front and center at the start of mountain races around southcentral Alaska. “I once considered losing the outfit to save on weight and break my

ing accident, opened the readily accessible Chugach to short, steep mountain races.

Today’s climb sees about 250 bibs, and the ensuing years have brought similar races to the neighboring peaks.

Known in some circles as the Quadriceps Brothers, Braun and Lance Kopsack concocted the Matanuska Peak Challenge over 15 years ago. Considered by many to be the toughest in Alaska, the race packs a whopping 9100 vertical feet in 14 miles.

“You have to really train specifically for ‘Mat Peak’ or you’ll die,” says Precosky, who set the course record of 3:05 in 2002. Many runners take well over four hours to finish.

“I tell myself that I’m never going to do it again after each one,” says the threetime veteran. “It’s just not fun.” Hydration and nutrition are the keys to keep from bonking on this grueling trek high above the Palmer farm country. And remember, the race is BYOB: there’s not a single aid station on the course.

Since 1999, the Alaska Mountain Runners host their own Grand Prix, a series comprised of a half-dozen races. Points are awarded for a runner’s best finish times (racers must finish at least three races) and are tallied at the end of the season. The Grand Prix counts such established events as Mount Marathon, Crow Pass Crossing and Matanuska Peak Challenge, but also features a “wild-card” race, a new course plotted out for that particular year.

For the 2002 season the crew decided on a craggy five-miler to the top of 4455foot Wolverine Peak on the Anchorage skyline. As a qualifier for the 2002 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team, the event attracted runners from all over the country to Chugach State Park. They did not leave disappointed: plenty of scree, mountain goats and cold weather for everyone. A rogue May snowstorm even blew in on race day just to make sure everyone knew that they were on an Alaskan summit.

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threshold, but Elvis said I couldn’t do that,” says Stoecker, referring to Anchorage local John Smith who races in complete persona of The King.

The duct tape that holds this variable group of characters together is the Alaska Mountain Runners (AMR). Created in 1999 by local hardmen Brad Precosky and Barney Griffith, AMR has become the driving force in developing mountain racing in southcentral Alaska. Precosky, the president of AMR, estimates the local off-road running community to be about 1000 strong. “We have the fever, and we have the mountains right in our backyard,” he says of the growing popularity of mountain running events around Anchorage.

In the early 1990s, the Mount Marathon

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running the whole way down,” she says.

Randall, who has won the junior girls race three times and placed second in the adult women’s event, paid the price when she decided to go for broke on the downhill during the 2001 race. “I was just falling and couldn’t get on my feet,” she says of her second adult race. “Then I lost control and really packed in.” After crashing facefirst into the talus, Randall pulled herself together and finished 75th.

For Randall, a 21-year-old member of the U.S. Ski Team and 2002 Olympian (cross-country skiing), the races are a good source of cross training. “My coach, however, cringes every year when I go to do the Mount Marathon,” she says.

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64 seating configurations, wipe-down utility floors and a built-in MP3/digital media jack. Where will it take you? The Element from Honda. honda.com 1-800-33-Honda

4WD EX model shown. Š 2004 American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

Âť gallery

Your biggest challenge

isn’t someone else. It’s the ache in your lungs and the burning in your legs, and the voice inside you that yells, “CAN’T,” but you don’t listen. You just push harder. And then you hear the voice whisper, “can.” And you discover that the person you thought you were is no match for the one you really are.

—UNKNOWN

Gale Tanner and Laura Bullock cruising Crystal Cove, Newport Beach, California.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ERIK ISAKSON

T R AIL TES T E D

by GARETT GRAUBINS

» photos by DAVID CLIFFORD

EDITOR’S CHOICE

(ALL AROUND)

THE NORTH FACE THRESHER • $50

2005 Hydration Pack Review

www.thenorthface.com Storage Capacity: 250 cu in Bladder Volume: 70 oz “I forgot I was wearing it,” said one tester. And it’s easy to see why, with the Thresher’s light weight and form-fitting, tapered profile (wide on the shoulders and slim at the waist).

With the wide-mouth opening and detachable hose, a preschooler could refill this bladder without a watery mess. The bite valve flowed effortlessly, and the off setting didn’t dribble. Middle pocket perfect for snacks and cinch strap secured a shell tightly. Large bladder pocket holds other extras. Back is a breezy combo of mesh and aerated foam.

Hmmm: Smaller pocket is hidden behind any cinched items. Shoulder straps may chafe a shirtless runner.

BARE NECESSITIES

IN THE HOT MONTHS, ALL YOU REALLY NEED IS A HYDRATION PACK. ▼

If you’re mugged on a summer run, give the hoodlum whatever he wants—your favorite pair of trailrunning shoes, wicking shirt and family-heirloom sportswatch—but never your hydration pack. You can live with foot blisters, sunburn and not knowing the time, but without your hydration pack, you’ll quickly dehydrate and end up food for the buzzards.

This season’s hydration packs offer improved comfort and easier liquid consumption over pre54 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

vious models. If you’re headed out for just a few hours, look for versions with only a few hundred cubic inches of storage space. All-day and ultrarunners will favor the large offering of packs in the 300- to 600-cubic-inch range, some of which even the minimalist overnighter should consider.

Every pack we tested had at least a two-liter (67ounce) bladder, with some boasting upwards of 100 ounces.

BCA MICRO-FLASH • $70 800.670.8735

DAKINE SHUTTLE • $50 www.dakine.com

50 cu in; 70 oz If you’re trail running through Himalayan monsoon season (or any gruesome backcountry), this is your pack. The Micro-Flash delivers ultimate durability, with a heavy-duty outer and stormproof zippers. The tube fits neatly into a zippered shoulder-strap sheath, so it won’t freeze or thwack you on the chin.

A tough hombre, but there’s some comforting love here, too: note the pillowy backpad and shoulder straps.

Hmmm: We missed having an exterior stash pouch or cinch strap.

240 cu in; 70 oz A stout, streamlined design and elastic sternum strap made this one of the best-fitting packs of the review. We loved the bladder’s easy-on/off bite valve and detachable, no-drip hose connection, plus the zippered pocket for snacks and spacious outside pouch.

The detachable waist belt is a bonus.

Hmmm: Back pouch tends to gape open. Elastic rear straps might cinch better than the pack’s buckle straps.

▼

EDITOR’S CHOICE

(LEAN & MEAN)

FUELBELT DEL FUEGO • $50 www.fuelbelt.com 100 cu in; 70 oz Muy bien! Señor Del Fuego could become the ultramarathoning pack of choice. What this model lacks in storage volume, it makes up for with versatility. A back pouch fits bars, gels and gloves and the cinch strap takes a jacket. Tight elastic across the sternum and around the waist contribute to a snug fit. The fanny pack detaches, and its pockets are sized for a camera or MP3 player. It also provides added lumbar support (a late-mile luxury).

Hmmm: Small bladder opening is tough to fill on the run. Valve takes some sucking effort.

SALOMON AQUASTREAM 150 • $60 www.salomonsports.com 732 cu in; 67 oz The Hummer of the review, this pack can hold tights, an extra shirt and trail map, before it expands via a nifty zipper. The cinch strap is generous, too. Waterproof, gasket-ed zippers.

Durable ripstop fabric is also surprisingly lightweight. Elastic sternum strap and sunglasses/gel pocket on the shoulder come in handy. An air vent up the spine is the antidote for stickyback syndrome.

Hmmm: Bladder has the smallest opening of any that we tested. Shoulder straps felt rigid.

2005 JULY | TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM 55

» trail tested

CAMELBAK M.U.L.E. • $80 www.camelbak.com

KELTY PULSE • $55 www.kelty.com

439 cu in; 100 oz Old prospectors used mules to haul everything they owned, and Camelbak’s M.U.L.E. holds all of your trail gear. Luxuriate with five roomy storage pockets, including a super-size mesh stash. Cinch straps hold down any pocket overflow. The bladder’s large opening and handle make it a snap to refill. You will stay comfortably cool, courtesy of the air-vented backing that lets plenty of O2 flow against your sweaty back.

Hmmm: Bite valve switch is sometimes cumbersome, especially with gloves.

Too much pack for shorter sojourns.

350 cu in; 70 oz The Pulse’s svelte profile rests comfortably in the small of the back. The pack provides ample pocket space, plus a tidy, open pouch for quick grabs.

Bombproof construction means this should last you a lifetime of long trail runs, or three lifetimes of shorter ones.

Sternum strap adjusts high-low and has elastic for a fine fit.

Hmmm: The thick hose had a tendency to kink, but water still flowed.

▼

GOLITE SPIN • $60 www.golite.com 400 cu in; 100 oz No spin doctor necessary: this pack’s a superb choice for sweltering summer runs. It sports a three-liter bladder, and two side compartments perfectly sized for 16-ounce water bottles. Add it up, and you’re set with over a gallon of hydrating refreshment. A top-loading main compartment fits plenty of extras. It’s a feathery light number, with a slim design and soft, air-foam mesh back.

Hmmm: Pack could use more adjustment points—and a waistband—for a more customizable fit.

56 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

ULTIMATE DIRECTION WASP • $70 www.ultimatedirection.com 64 oz; 350 cu in With a plush, harness design and several adjustable straps, the Wasp fits your torso like a silken glove. What’s more, it’s a virtual utility belt for trail runners who go long. Two waist pockets provide quick access to gels and food items, and a voluminous, side-entry back compartment fits bulkier goods. The tube is interlaced with the shoulder strap, so it won’t flap wildly like an unattended firehose. Widemouth, foldover opening of bladder is simple to clean and refill.

Hmmm: There’s a learning curve to the Kicker Valve. Long-haul packs like this should probably have three-liter bladders.

trail tested «

NALGENE RADIUS 2.0 • $55 www.nalgene-outdoor.com

DEUTER HYDRO M3 • $69 www.deuterusa.com

340 cu in; 66 oz Hard workers have tough skin, so we immediately knew we could rely on the durable Radius, with its molded polyester back panel and wide, tough mesh shoulder straps. The main storage compartment is bigger than your first studio apartment—and ideal for spare gear and clothing. The hydration apparatus is hands-down the best out there, with a snappy on/off switch, smooth-flowing bite valve, large refill opening and detachable, leak-proof hose connection.

Hmmm: The stiff back is a departure from other models. Side-storage pockets are initially awkward.

360 cu in; 100 oz A rough, tough entry, the Hydro M3 has gusto, and is comfortable where it counts. Wide, mesh shoulder straps breathe well and a single ventilation “chimney” on the back panel is bracketed by two contoured, shock absorbing pads. Wrap-around hip fin and elastic sternum strap ensure a form fit.

Easy-to-clean and easier-to-fill bladder has a five-inch-wide mouth that ingeniously and securely fastens via a sliding plastic clip.

Hmmm: Mesh storage pocket gapes open when filled. Wide profile might not fit thin torsos.

▼

HYDRAPAK STREAMLINE • $50 www.hydrapak.com 160 cu in; 70 oz A compact design keeps the Streamline off your hip bones, reducing that dreaded, annoying bounce. We liked the dependable rear cinch strap, stash pouch and breadloaf-sized main compartment. An internal MP3 pocket and cord port help you get wired for an ultimate backwoods escape. The bladder’s roll-top, wide-mouth opening is easy to fill and pulls inside out for very convenient cleaning.

Hmmm: Backrest may overheat and trap sweat.

MOUNTAINSMITH INTAKE • $50 www.mountainsmith.com 240 cu in; 67 oz The Intake makes life simple: two generously-sized, zippered pockets hold enough clothing and food for a 10-hour tour. It also features a sturdy bladder and idiot-proof valve switch. Cushioned shoulder straps and easily adjustable straps let you customize your ride according to your body type.

Hmmm: Begs for a cinch strap and/or a stash pouch.

2005 JULY | TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM 57

T R AIL TES T E D

by GARETT GRAUBINS

» photos by DAVID CLIFFORD

Hot to Trot THIS SUMMER, DRESS SMART AND BE COOL.

THE PERFECT RUNNING GIFT! Don’t let the runner on your gift list go another mile without Road ID®! This necessary part of running gear is invaluable in the event of an unforeseen accident while running. Road ID® is available in 4 models: the SHOE ID (pictured), WRIST ID, ANKLE ID, & NECK ID. Only $19.99!

800-345-6336 www.RoadID.com

Our Chef ~ Your Adventure

Lightweight & Easy to Prepare Meals Vitamin & Mineral Fortified Large Serving Sizes

All gear is available for men and women (except the sports bra, of course).

SHADES: Smith Toaster Slider, $109, www.smithoptics.com; Maximum coverage and minimal peripheral exposure to sun, wind and glare.

HANDHELD BOTTLE: GoLite Clutch, $12, www.golite.com; Ergonomically contoured, squeezable plastic bottle nestles comfortably in your palm.

Zippered mesh pocket.

WATCH: Acumen Hydra-Alert Jr, $150, www.acumeninc.com; Guard against heat stroke and exhaustion with this watch that monitors your hydration level. Also, tracks heart rate, heat index and calories burned.

SPORTS BRA: Brooks PRO-Fit, $40, www.brooksrunning.com; New PRO-fit bras hold breasts firmly, and moisturetransfer fabric makes this a good hotweather choice.

HYDRATION PACK: Salomon Aquastream 150, $60, www.salomonsports.com; Two58 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

liter bladder lets trail runners go with the flow. (See Hydration Pack Review on page 54.)

TOP: Insport DrySport™ Tee, $22, www. insport.com; Soft fabric dries rapidly while micro-thin mesh breathes like a screened-in porch.

SHORTS: The North Face Flight Trail Short, $40, www.thenorthface.com; Wispy wickers with mesh side panels.

Deep pockets. Fashionable, too: pound the trails and go to the bbq without skipping a beat.

SOCKS: Wigwam ingenius Rebel Quarter, $11, www.wigwam.com; Fight sweaty feet and blisters with this light, comfy number.

SHOES: Vasque Endorphin, $90, www. vasque.com; Airmesh nylon upper lets this robust, stable shoe inhale and exhale. 11.7 ounces (women’s size 7) feels weightless.

www.backpackerspantry.com 800-641-0500

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All new worldwide mountain running adventures!

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800-497-9675 Or visit: www.keadventure.com

GEAR FINDER

Lightweight Shoes for the Forefoot Runner • Very low forefoot and heel heights • Approximately 4 ounces each • Carbon fiber mid-sole allows flexing without rock penetration

Nathan_TrlRnnrGrGuide.qxp

www.aeishoes.com

4/21/05

Honey Stinger introduces Strawberry flavored energy gel packets. Strawberry is the sixth gel packet flavor offered

Engineered by Bryce Thatcher and Dana Miller, the Nathan Elite 1 Plus features:

and second to include caffeine.

•

Limited Stretch Elasticized Waist Belt prevents bounce

•

22oz. Hydration Bottle and 5oz. Nutrition Flask included

•

XTS™ Cradle for easy bottle removal and replacement

Other ingredients include; B

Lock LacesTM

vitamins, sodium, potassium,

(by Street Smart, LLC)

32mg of caffeine from kola nut

Lock LacesTM are a patented “elastic shoelace and locking system” that is perfect for trail runners. With Lock LacesTM, you never have to stop to retie your shoes during a run. Lock LacesTM are strong, durable and water-resistant, making them ideal for all weather conditions. Lock LacesTM provide convenience, superior comfort, more flexibility and a better fit to improve your shoes’ performance.

877-44-LACES www.locklaces.com

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DID YOU MISS US?

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You can purchase select issues of you may have missed.

Visit us at:

trailrunnermag.com

Go to “back issues” and get caught up!

Available at specialty running shops and sporting goods stores, or at www.NathanSports.com.

4:08 P

>>SIGN UP NOW! Just finish any 2005 TROPHY SERIES race, and you’re automatically entered.

See p. 31 or trailrunnermag.com for info PACIFIC/DESERT 06/04 Shadow of the Giants 11K, 50K; Fish Camp, CA; robert@ultrarunner.net; www.shadowofthegiants50k.com 06/25 Double Dipsea 13.8M; Stinson Beach, CA; RunKenRun@aol. com; www.dserunners.com 06/25 Western States Endurance Run 100M; Squaw Valley, CA; wser100@comcast.net; www.ws100.com 07/09 Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series #3 10M; Crystal Mountain, WA; searunco@aol.com; www.whiteriver50.org 07/16 Tahoe Rim Trail 50K/50M Endurance Runs 50K, 50M; Spooner Summit, NV; trt50k50m@sbcglobal.net; www. tahoemtnmilers.org/trt50/

07/23 Grin and Bear It Trail Run 9.3M; Crested Butte, CO; cristian@rmi.net; www.visitcrestedbutte.com/mtnrunners

09/25 Rock Cut Hobo Run 25K, 50K; Rock Cut State Park, IL; larrydswanson@cs.com; www.rockfordroadrunners.org

08/06 HURL Elkhorn 50 Mile Endurance Run; Helena, MT; mpmiller93@yahoo.com

09/25 Wild Wild Wilderness Trail Run 7.6M; Danville, IL; krr@kennekuk.com; www.kennekuk.com

09/03 Meeteetse Absaroka Challenge 5K, 10K, 15K; Meeteetse, WY; meetrec@tctwest.net; www.meetrec.org

09/25 WORS Trail Runner Series #7, Sunburst Showdown 5K, 10K; Monticello, WI; trevents@wors.org; www.wors.org/trailrun

09/04 Breckenridge Crest Mountain Marathon 5M, 13M, 24.5M; Breckenridge, CO; jim@boec.org; www.boec.org/marathon

EAST

09/04 Steamboat 10K at 10,000 Ft 10K; Steamboat Springs, CO; info@runningseries.com; www.runningseries.com 09/05 American Discovery Trail Marathon 5K, 13.1M, 26.2M; Colorado Springs, CO; sultancat@adelphia.net; www.adtmarathon.com 09/10 Imogene Pass Run 17.1M; Ouray, CO; staff@imogenerun. com; www.imogenerun.com 09/10 Mid-Mountain Marathon 26.2M; Park City, UT; info@mountaintrails.org; www.mountaintrails.org

07/23 Baldy Peaks 50K 50K; Mt Baldy Village, CA; L_ GASSAN@beachnet.com; www.larrygassan.com/BP50k_index.html

09/17 Mount Helena Classic 5.6M; Helena, MT; mpmiller93@yahoo.com;

07/30 Scott McQueeney Memorial Mt. Hood PCT 50/50 50K, 50M; Portland, OR; longrun@pcez.com; www.pctultra.com

09/18 Golden Leaf Half Marathon 13.3M; Aspen, CO; paul@utemountaineer.com; www.utemountaineer.com

07/30 White River 50 Mile USATF National Trail Championship 50M; Crystal Mountain, WA; searunco@aol.com; www.whiteriver50.org

09/24 Moab’s Alpine to Slickrock Race & Relay 50M; Moab, UT; infomas50@yahoo.com; www.mas50.com

08/06 Round Valley Run 5.3M; Greenville, CA; theshowers@frontiernet.net; www.roundvalleyrun.com 08/06 Plasses/Silver Lake Trail Run 6.3M; Silver Lake, CA; jshaw5@volcano.net 08/14 Haulin’ Aspen Trail Run 13.1M, 26.2M; Bend, OR; haulinaspen@freshairsports.com; www.FreshAirSports.com 08/20 Where’s Waldo 100K; Willamette Pass Ski Area, OR; thornley@wpsp.org; www.wpsp.org/ww100k 08/27 Headlands 50K USATF National Trail Championship 50K; Sausilito, CA; guypalmer@headlands50k.org; www.headlands50k.org 09/17 Cle Elum Ridge Trail Run 50K; Cle Elum, WA; kmoehl2000@yahoo.com; 09/24 RWT San Pablo Bay Trail Run 5K, 10K, 13.1M, 26.2M; San Rafael, CA; info@redwoodtrails.com; www.redwoodtrails.com/ final/sanpablo.html

09/25 Lead King Loop Half Marathon 25K; Marble, CO; cmacek@rfsd.k12.co.us HEARTLAND 06/04 Kettle Moraine 100 Endurance Runs 100K, 100M; Whitewater, WI; kettle100run@yahoo.com; www.kettle100.com 06/05 Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon 13.1M, 26.2M; Deadwood, SD; leanhorse@rushmore.com; www.deadwoodmickel sontrailmarathon.com 06/11 Lake Mingo Trail Run 7.1M; Danville, IL; krr@kennekuk.com; www.kennekuk.com 06/18 Mohican 100 USATF National Trail Championship 100M; Loudonville, OH; rlstrong@neo.rr.com; www.mohican100.org 07/02 Afton Trail Run 25K, 50K; Afton, MN; aftontrailrun@yahoo. com; www.aftontrailrun.com

06/04 Deckers Creek Trail Half Marathon 13.1M; Morgantown, WV; ebelling@wvu.edu; www.montrails.org 06/05 NipMuck Trail Marathon 26.4M; Ashford, CT; nipmuckdave@wmconnect.com; www.runwmac.com 06/11 Laurel Highlands Ultra 70M; Ohiopyle, PA; runhewitt@comcast.net; www.laurelultra.com 06/18 Highlands Sky 40-Mile Trail Run; Davis, WV; helvetiawv@starband.net; www.wvmtr.org 06/19 Tanglewood Tanglefoot Trail Run 5M, 10M; Elmira, NY; twood2004@aol.com; www.tangle-wood.org 06/25 Northfield Mountain Run & Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team Qualifier 10K, 15K; Northfield, NH; dave.dunham@verizon.net 06/26 Double Trouble Trail Runs 15K, 30K; Morgantown, PA; rhornpcs@aol.com; www.pagodapacers.com 07/30 Jay Mountain Marathon 28M; Jay, VT; rd@Jaychallenge. com; www.jaychallenge.com 08/07 18th Annual Cranmore Hill Climb & Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team Qualifier 13.8K; North Conway, NH; info@whitemountainmilers.com; www.whitemountainmilers.com 08/14 Half Wit Trail Run Half Marathon 13.1M; Reading, PA; rhornpcs@aol.com; www.pretzelcitysports.com 08/14 Turkey Swamp Race Day 5M, 10M, 25K, 20M, 50K; Freehold, NJ; martyfrumkin@comcast.net; www.njrrc.org 09/11 Helvetia Mountain Trail Run 10K; Helvetia, WV; irun@starband.net; www.wvmtr.org 09/17 Great Eastern Endurance Run 50K, 100K; Charlottesville, VA; badtothebone@adelphia.net; www.badtothebone.biz CANADA

07/02 DINO Trail Run Series #4 - Muscatatuck Park 5K, 15K; Muscatatuck Park, IN; Brian@DINOseries.com; www.DINOseries.com

06/11 Frontrunners GutBuster Trail Run #4 5K, 10K; Nanaimo, BC, Canada; info@mindovermountain.com; www.gutbustertrailrun.com

06/17 Bighorn Trail 100 100M; Dayton, WY; shspst@fiberpipe.net; www.bighorntrailrun.com

07/09 Keweenaw Trail Running Festival 10K, 25K; Eagle Harbor, MI; runskikayak@hotmail.com; www.keweenawtrails.com

06/11 MEC Five Peaks Trail Series - Rattlesnake 5K, 10K; Rattlesnake, ON, Canada; info@5peaks.com; www.fivepeaks.com

06/18 Bighorn Mountain Wild and Scenic Runs 30K, 50K, 50M; Dayton, WY; shspst@fiberpipe.net; www.bighorntrailrun.com

07/09 Red Tail Restoration Run 10K; Muncie, IN; banks@tmcsmail.com; www.fortheland.com

06/18 Kusam Klimb 23.2K; Sayward, BC, Canada; hollo@oberon. ark.com; www.kusamklimb.ca

06/25 Jim Bridger 50K 25K, 50K; Bozeman, MT; trailrunner@montana.net; www.math.montana.edu/~thayes

07/16 WORS: Teva Devil’s Run & Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team Qualifier 5K, 10K, 15K; Merrimac, WI; trevents@wors.org; www.wors.org/trailrun

07/09 Frontrunners GutBuster Trail Run #5 8K, 13.1M; Victoria, BC, Canada; info@mindovermountain.com; www.gutbustertrailrun.com

ROCKIES

06/25 Wahsatch Steeplechase 17.5M; Salt Lake City, UT; butch@butchadams.com; www.wahsatchsteeplechase.com 06/26 Golden Gate Canyon Trail Run 12M; Denver, CO; info@runuphillracing.com; www.runuphillracing.com 06/29 Summit Trail Running Series - Horseshoe Gulch 3M, 8M; Breckenridge, CO; dianem@townofbreckenridge.com; www. townofbreckenridge.com

07/30 Grand Island Trail Marathon 26.2M; Munising, MI; runskikayak@hotmail.com; www.algercounty.org 07/30 Minnesota Voyageur Trail Ultra 50M; Carlton, MN; BDCurnow@msn.com; www.computerpro.com/~hsloan 08/07 Escape from Turkey Mountain 5M; Tulsa, OK; oklaking@sbcglobal.net

07/09 Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Run 30M; West Vancouver, BC, Canada; rd@kneeknacker.com; www.kneeknacker.com 07/16 Eagle Run, North America’s Toughest 50 Miler; Keremeos, BC, Canada; eaglemoe@nethop.net; www.eagleruns.com 08/06 MEC Five Peaks Trail Series - Camp Fortune 5K, 10K; Ottawa, ON, Canada; info@5peaks.com; www.fivepeaks.com

07/10 Summer Roundup Trail Run 12K; Colorado Springs, CO; raceinfo@pikespeakmarathon.org; www.pikespeakmarathon.org

08/20 DINO Trail Run Series #5 - Westwood Park 5K, 15K; Westwood Park, IN; Brian@DINOseries.com; www.DINOseries.com

08/06 MEC Five Peaks Trail Series - Quebec City 5K, 10K; Quebec City - Mont Sainte Anne, QC, Canada; info@5peaks.com; www. fivepeaks.com

07/16 Backcountry Run 10M, 16.5M; Ketchum, ID; brosso@elephantsperch.com; www.elephantsperch.com

08/20 LeanHorse Hundred & Half Hundred 50M, 100M; Deadwood, SD; leanhorse@rushmore.com; www.leanhorse.com

08/06 MEC Five Peaks Trail Series - Terwilliger Park 5K, 10K; Terwilliger Park, AB, Canada; info@5peaks.com; www.fivepeaks.com

07/16 Midnight Mountain 50K; Preston, ID; racers@brigham.net

09/10 Dances with Dirt Ultra XI 50K, 50M; Hell, MI; susan@runningfit.com; www.danceswithdirt.com

08/08 Northwest Passage Marathon 13.1M, 26.2M, 50K; Resolute, Nunavut, Canada; mail@CanadianArcticHolidays.ca; www. canadianarcticholidays.ca/ArcticMarathon.html

07/17 High Mountain Trail Run 25K, 50K; Leadville, CO; kbartlett@hminet.org; www.hminet.org 07/20 Summit Trail Running Series - Cucumber Gulch 5M, 10M; Breckenridge, CO; dianem@townofbreckenridge.com; www. townofbreckenridge.com 07/23 Snow King Hill Climb 2.3M; Jackson Hole, WY; jharkness@tetonwyo.org; www.tetonwyo.org 60 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM | JULY 2005

09/10 Horsethief Canyon Trail Run 6.5M; Horsethief Canyon, KS; psheridan@classicnet.net 09/17 North Country Trail Run 26.2M, 50M; Manistee, MI; steve@stridersrun.com; www.stridersrun.com 09/24 Newton Hills Trail Challenge 8M; Canton, SD; marathnr@hotmail.com; www.siouxfallsarearunningclub.org

08/20 MEC Five Peaks Trail Series - Whistler 5K, 10K; Whistler, BC, Canada; info@5peaks.com; www.fivepeaks.com 09/10 Moose Mountain Trail Races 16K, 29K; Bragg Creek, AB, Canada; jen.silverthorn@shaw.ca; www.members.shaw. ca/moosemountain

» race calendar

Other Must-Do Races Mountain Equipment Co-op/5 Peaks Trail-running Series Presented by Nissan 5 Peaks, Canada’s only national trail-running series, holds races in Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver all summer. With two course lengths, Sport (5-6km) and Enduro (10-15km), there is sure to be an amazing off-road experience in your future! Positive impact on you, no impact on the environment!

Register online at www.5peaks.com or contact us at (604) 988-2320.

Twisted10K.com Team Adventure Running Presented by REI A Buzz in Adventure Sports! Twisted10K competitions are unique team trail-running events with Beginner 10K, Sport 20K and Pro 30K divisions. Twisted10K’s have a capture-the-flag atmosphere with fun, physical challenges. Try something new!

Utah Race Dates: June 11, July 2, July 30, September 24, October 29, 2005! www. twisted10K.com.

Leadville Trail Marathon July 2, 2005 Leadville, CO Experience 26.2 miles of breathtaking, Leadville Rocky Mountain trails. Summit notorious 13,188-foot Mosquito Pass. Seven well-supplied aid stations provided. Register online at www.leadvilletrail100.com, or contact Merilee O’Neal, RD, PO Box 487, Leadville, CO, 80461, 719-486-3502.

Inaugural Lean Horse Hundred & Half Hundred August 20, 2005 Hot Springs, SD First-timers and PR-seekers, this is the one.

Starting at the Minnekahta Trailhead, which is located near the south end of the Mickelson Trail, the course crosses many railroad trestles, traverses wide-open prairie, and meanders alongside a crystal clear creek or two. 100 miler is out-and-back; 50 miler is point-to-point. Elevation range: 4100 ft to 5600 ft. www.leanhorse.com. Jerry Dunn, Race Director, leanhorse@rushmore.com.

(605) 642-2382.

Leadville Trail 100 “The Race Across the Sky” August 20-21, 2005 Leadville, CO 50 miles out and back in the midst of the Colorado Rockies. Lowest point is 9200 ft and the highest point is Hope Pass, 12,600 ft. The majority is on forest trails with some mountain roads. Pacers allowed after the 50-mile point (exceptions by request only). 11 well-supplied aid stations with cut-offs, five medical checks. Register at www.leadvilletrail100.com, or contact Merilee O’Neal, RD, PO Box 487, Leadville, CO, 80461, 719-486-3502.

Breckenridge Crest Mountain Marathon and Trail Races September 4, 2005 Breckenridge, CO This famed course has a bit of everything: sky-tingling ridges over 12,000 feet, nearly vertical slopes, spongy single-track trail, bomber downhills and breathtaking Rocky Mountain vistas. There’s also a racer expo, live music and picnic. Race the Crest and have an unforgettable Labor Day WeekRedwood Trails.31 for info. end. www.boec.org/marathon

Durango Double October 8-October 9, 2005 Durango, CO Featuring on Saturday, October 8th the Telegraph Trail 50K & Horse Gulch Trail 25K, and on Sunday, October 9th the Durango Marathon & Half Marathon.

Held each October, under the changing fall colors, the Durango Double is a weekend-long festival celebrating running, health and fitness and the spirit of human achievement. www. rundurango.com or contact Matt Kelly: mkelly@durangomarathon.com, (970) 375-2413.

Bizz Johnson Marathon October 9, 2005 Westwood to Susanville, CA Arguably the country’s most scenic marathon, the trail dives through the magnificent Susan River Canyon, crossing the river twelve times on picturesque wooden railroad bridges and passing through two railroad tunnels, 800’ & 450’ in length.

The Bizz Marathon takes you the fast way through the mountain, instead of over it.

1/2 marathon, 10K & 5K races, too. www. redwoodtrails.com, info@redwoodtrails. com, (650) 364-8256.

Himalayan 100-Mile Stage Race & Mt. Everest Challenge Marathon October 21-28, 2005 Northeast Himalayas, India Course beta: Mountain passes ascending from 6350 ft to 12,000 ft with spectacular views of Mt. Everest, Kachenjunga, Lhotse and Makalu (four highest peaks in the world!). For more info: www. Himala10/12/04 4:36 PM Page 1 yan.com.

Bizz Johnson Marathon

A fast scenic course that’s groomed to perfection and easy on your knees, winds through northeast California’s most gorgeous landscapes. You might set a PR, as the course is never steep and loses 1000’ in elevation. Arguably the country’s most scenic marathon, the trail dives through the magnificent Susan River Canyon, crossing the river twelve times on picturesque wooden railroad bridges and passing through two railroad tunnels, 800’ & 450’ in length.The Bizz Marathon takes you the fast way through the mountain, instead of over it. 1/2 Marathon, 10K & 5K races too.

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - Westwood to Susanville, CA Redwood Trails | www.redwoodtrails.com | info@redwoodtrails.com | 650-364-8256

OUTFITTERS

LIST YOUR STORE! contact ROWAN FRYER 877-762-5423 ext. 17 or rfryer@bigstonepub.com

ALABAMA

2750 Carl T Jones Dr Ste 1200T Huntsville AL 35802 256-650-7063 www.fleetfeethuntsville.com dink@fleetefeethutsville.com

ARIZONA FOOTHILLS RUNNING COMPANY 4025 E Chandler Blvd Ste 54 Phoenix AZ 85048 480-706-3103 www.foothillsrunning.com foothillsrunning@cox.net RUNNING SHOP 3055 N Campbell #153 Tucson, AZ 85719 520-325-5097 www.runningshopaz.com SUMMIT HUT 5045 E Speedway Tucson AZ 85712 520-325-1554 www.summithut.com SUMMIT HUT 605 E Wetmore Tucson AZ 85705 520-888-1000 www.summithut.com

ARKANSAS

209 W Sunbridge Drive Fayetteville AR 72703 479-521-6340 F 479-521-8059 877-521-6340 www.packrat.biz info@packrat.biz

CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE 16 1116 W. Pico Blvd.

West Los Angeles, CA 90064 310-473-4574 for other SO CAL locations see: www.adventure16.com

1850 Douglas Blvd Roseville CA 95661 916-783-4558 F 916-784-9150 www.fleetfeet-fairoaks.com danelle@fleetfeet-fairoaks.com

FLEET FEET SPORTS 32411 Golden Lantern Ste H Laguna Niguel CA 92677 949-488-3356 www.fleetfeetln.com scott@fleetfeetlagunaniguel.com RUNNING REVOLUTION 511 E Campbell Ave Campbell, CA 95008 408-374-9310 www.runningrevolution.com info@runningrevolution.com

WALK & RUN 4140 Bonita Rd Bonita CA 91902 619-472-2500 www.walkandrun.com jeff@walkandrun.com

CANADA

INDIANA

NORTH SHORE ATHLETICS 1200 Londsdale # 101 N. Vancouver, BC V7M3H6 604-990-6888 www.northshoreathletics.com info@northshoreathletics.com

THE EXTREME OUTFITTERS 2271 Pointe Pkwy Ste 110 Carmel IN 46032 317-818-0860 F 317-818-0941 www.theextremeoutfitters.com info@theextremeoutfitters.com

GORD’S RUNNING STORE 919 Centre St. NW Calgary, Alberta T2E 2P6 403-270-8606 F 403-283-8341 www.gordsrunningstore.com info@gordsrunningstore.com RUNNER’S DEN 239 Newport Dr. Port Moody, BC V3H5C9 604-461-8330 www.runnersden.ca

COLORADO BOULDER RUNNING COMPANY 2775 Pearl St. #103 Boulder, CO 80302 303-RUN-WALK www.boulderrunningcompany.com BOULDER RUNNING COMPANY 3659 Austin Bluffs Pkwy #32 Colorado Springs, CO 80918 719-278-3535 www.boulderrunningcompany.co BOULDER RUNNING COMPANY 8116 W. Bowles #C Littleton, CO 80123 303-932-6000 www.boulderrunningcompany.com

209 W. Hampden Ave. Englewood, CO 80110 800-841-0707 www.mountainmiser.com Free Shipping!

RUNNER’S ROOST LAKEWOOD 437 S Wadsworth #B Lakewood CO 80226 303-991-1851 www.runnersroostlakewood.com SUMMIT CANYON MOUNTAINEERING 732 Grand Ave Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 970-945-6994 F 970-945-7586 800-360-6994 www.summitcanyon.com shop@summitcanyon.com THE TRAILHEAD 707 Hwy 24 North Buena Vista, CO 81211 719-395-8001 F 719-395-8002 866-595-8001 www.TheTrailheadCO.com info@TheTrailheadCO.com

FLORIDA FAST FEET RUN SHOP 1930 Park Meadow Dr Fort Myers FL 33907 239-274-9786 F 239-274-9786 www.fast-feet.com mike@fast-feet.com RUNNING WILD INC. 1133 N Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 954-565-9400 F 954-565-9421 www.runningwild.com runwild4@bellsouth.net

MARYLAND FALLS ROAD RUNNING STORE 6247 Falls Rd Baltimore MD 21209 410-296-5050 www.baltimorerunning.com jim@baltimorerunning.com

MASSACHUSETTS CARABINER’S INDOOR CLIMBING INC 328 Parker St New Bedford MA 02740 508-984-0808 F 508-984-7577 www.carabiners.com info@carabiners.com

MICHIGAN RUNNING & WALKING SHOP 1453 W Hill Rd Flint MI 48507 810-238-5981

NEW HAMPSHIRE ENDURANCE 122 Key Rd Keene NH 03431 603-357-3232 info@gotendurance.com www.gotendurance.com TED’S SHOE & SPORT 115 Main St Keene NH 03431 603-357-TED’S (8337) www.tedsports.com tedsports@juno.com

NEW JERSEY CAMPMOR 810 Route 17 N Paramus NJ 07652 201-445-5000 800-CAMPMOR (226-7667) www.campmor.com customerservice@campmor.com THE RUNNING COMPANY OF MONTVALE 14 A Chestnut Ridge Rd Montvale, NJ 07645 201-391-6008 F 201-391-6012 www.njrunningco.com montvalerunning@aol.com

NEW MEXICO

WESTCHESTER ROAD RUNNER 179 E Post Rd White Plains, NY 10601 914-682-0637 F 914-949-4166 www.westchesterroadrunner.com westchesterrr@aol.com

NORTH CAROLINA JUS RUNNING 523 Merrimon Ave, Ste. 1 Asheville, NC 28804 828-252-7867 F 828-252-7817 www.jusrunning.com jusrun@bellsouth.net PERFORMANCE SPORT SHOE 693 W King St Boone NC 28607 828-264-0577 F 828-264-0577 www.performancesportshoe.com

OHIO ENDURANCE SPORTS 6056 Wilmington Pike Dayton OH 45459 937-848-6250 F 937-848-9065 www.endurancesports.com endurancesports@aol.com

AUTHORIZED DEALER

(ONLINE) CAMPMOR www.campmor.com customerservice@campmor.com 800-CAMPMOR (226-7667)

www.rockcreek.com info@rockcreek.com 888-707-6708 100 Tremont St. Chattanooga, TN 37405

www.summithut.com summit@summithut.com 800-499-8696 5045 E Speedway Tucson AZ 85712

PENNSYLVANIA

www.TheTriathleteStore.com sales@TheTriathleteStore.com 216-849-5468 3570 Bainbridge Road Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 Free Shipping!

BUCKS COUNTY OUTFITTERS 64 E Swamp Rd Doylestown PA 18901 215-340-0633 F 215-340-9621 www.buckscountyoutfitters.com info@buckscountyoutfitters.com

TRISPORTS.COM www.trisports.com customerservice@trisports.com 888-293-3934 F 602-532-7971 2555 N Coyote Dr Ste 111 Tucson AZ 85745

ELITE RUNNERS & WALKERS 5992-E Steubenville Pike McKees Rocks, PA 15136 412-490-0881 F 412-490-0882 877-RUN-WALK www.eliterunners.com shoes@eliterunners.com

TENNESSEE ROCK CREEK OUTFITTERS 100 Tremont St. Chattanooga, TN 37405 423-265-5969 and 2220 Hamilton Place Blvd.

Chattanooga, TN 37421 423-485-8775 www.rockcreek.com

VERMONT SKIRACK 85 Main St Burlington VT 05401 802-658-3313 F 802 658-5083 800-882-4530 www.skirack.com info@skirack.com

WASHINGTON

TAOS MOUNTAIN OUTFITTERS 114 S. Plaza Taos, NM 87571 505-758-9292 www.taosmountainoutfitters.com

RUNNER’S MARKET 4443 Kingston Pike Knoxville TN 37919 865-588-1650 www.runnersmarket.com runnersmarket@nxs.net

FLEET FEET SPORTS 19685 State Route 410 East Bonney Lake WA 98390 253-862-8890 F 253-862-5211 www.fleetfeetbonneylake.com staff@fleetfeetbonneylake.com

NEW YORK

UTAH

ROAD RUNNER SPORTS 7020 Woodlawn Ave NE Seattle WA 98115 206-517-5100 800-551-5558 www.roadrunnersports.com

WASATCH RUNNING CENTER 8946 S State St. Sandy UT 84070 801-566-8786 www.wasatchrunningcenter.com info@wasatchrunningcenter.com

SOUND SPORTS 80 Madison St Seattle WA 98104 206-624-6717 F 206-622-3121 800-279-7551

PEAK PERFORMANCE SPORTS 184 Main St New Paltz NY 12561 845-255-8200 www.hvsports.net peakper4mancesports@earthlink.net ROCKVILLE CENTRE RUNNING COMPANY 220 Sunrise Hwy Rockville Centre NY 11570 516-594-3405 F 516-594-3406 rvcrunco@aol.com www.rockvillecentrerunningco.com

LAST GASP

by BERNIE BOETTCHER

Confessions of a Runaholic YOU HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM IF …

The morning after always comes too soon. You open a red-veined eye to test for life. Still alive. The TV’s still alive, too. You forgot to turn it off again. You scan the horizon of your disheveled bed and spot a foot.

Toenail’s missing. You blink and refocus on 28 pairs of running shoes piled in your closet ... all muddy.

Your internal clock beats the alarm by 30 seconds, but the thing still goes off: “Beep-beep-beep!” Lunging at the noise, you knock a leaning stack of running magazines off the headboard. Throbbing pains rumble down your back and linger in your quads and calves as you sit up to check your pulse.

Thump. There it is. Thump. Just like yesterday. Thump. Maybe faster.

Thump. Should probably run 10 miles today. Thump. Maybe the lake loop, an easy day.

It’s 4 a.m.

You stand up and flush the blood into your legs. Your feet ache as you stumble to the bathroom. You record your heart rate in the logbook and check the calendar. A race planned every weekend for the next two months.

You try to remember what you did yesterday, the last day of your vacation. You ran to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back before lunch, drove to Monument Valley and went for a short hike, then drove on to Canyonlands and ran to the top of a mesa for the sunset. After that, you drove to Moab to rehydrate and carboload, and picked up some trail maps to plan future trips. You got home around 10 p.m. and fell asleep reading race results with the TV on.

But it’s a new day. You slide into your freshest pair of shoes, and slip out the door to get in some miles before work.

Any of this sound familiar? Then you’re probably a trail-running addict. Behind your wistful desire to run are symptoms shared by confirmed runaholics:

» Illustration by JEREMY COLLINS

A. Weather, be it snow, rain, heat, hail or mild hurricane, is not really a consideration when you decide to run. You go anyway.

B. You run nearly as many miles per week as you put on your car.

C. Your dog refuses to go running with you anymore, and hides when you put on your running gear.

D. You have lost the ability to function socially and vocationally without talking about running.

For instance, you might notice that all of your conversational analogies are running-related. After a hard day at work, you say, “It felt like running up Mount Washington in a headwind.” Or, on a trip to the dentist, “It hurts worse than the last two miles of the Pikes Peak Ascent.”

At work, you sit through boring meetings and think, “I’ve run marathons quicker than this.”

Maybe back in high school you tried to be like the other kids, but found yourself goofing off just so the gym teacher would make you run laps. Or maybe some old friends invited you to play golf once, but you kept running to your ball. You had the worst score in your foursome, but the fastest time for 18 holes. And you missed the Super Bowl, because you had to go run ... for the past 10 years in a row.

Fellow runners, we won’t chastise you for the fact that you routinely eat meals four times the recommended serving size, but you’re still skinny. Or that you own more running tights than dress pants. Or that you look forward to getting older, so you can enter a new age group. But we do have to draw the line somewhere.

You will know that you are indeed becoming a rock-bottom runaholic if: you’ve learned how to pee on the run without stopping. You think running 100 miles in a week “isn’t that bad.” You get a stress fracture from running too much and have to wear a cast, but run in a pool the very next day. And, finally, you are given a choice between having sex or going for a run, and you check your watch to see if there’s still time to do both ... you need to take a day off.

Bernie Boettcher runs in Silt, Colorado, where the neighborhood deer don’t bother to run away from him anymore.

2005 JULY | TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM 63

Carry a spare tank.

With his DogďŹ sh hydration pack, Dean Karnazes brings the oasis with him. High above Muir Beach, California. Photo: Corey Rich.