Trail Runner 90

7 N E W T R A I L- A P P R O V E D R U N N I N G S K I R T S | S E E P A G E 4 6 |

8top trail towns

SEPTEMBER 2013 | ISSUE 90

The Best Places to Run (and Chill), from the Canadian Rockies to the Southwestern Desert to the Ancient Appalachians

NUTRITION TRICKS OF THE PROS SEE PAGE 56

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Cole Mountain Loop, Appalachian Trail, Lynchburg, VA (p. 29)

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Contents

SEPTEMBER 2013

ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE

FEATURES

26

TopTrail Towns

From the earthy mountain vibe of British Columbia’s Revelstoke to the wholesome, historic town of Lynchburg, Virginia, to the high desert of mountain-ringed Tucson, we take you to eight great trailrunning hotspots that also offer a host of creature comforts.

By Meghan Hicks

DEPARTMENTS 06 FAVORITE TRAIL Pinnacle Peak-Plummer Peak Trail, Tatoosh Range, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington.

By Jason Thompson 08 EDITOR’S NOTE 10 LETTERS 14 MAKING TRACKS 20 FACES Masters Class. Jussi Hamalainen, 67, will attempt his 26th Angeles Crest 100-miler finish this year.

By Jannifer Heiner 22 RUN AMOK

38

Venga!

Venga!

The search for common ground at Spain’s elite Transvulcania 83K.

By Yitka Winn

52 ASK THE COACH 54 TRAINING Pick Up the Cadence. A simple way to improve your form, avoid injury and run faster.

By Ian Torrence 56 NUTRITION Do’s and Don’ts. Elite trail runners share lessons learned on the trail.

By Maria Dalzot, MS, RD, CDN 58 TRAIL TIPS Toxic Soup. Should you run on highpollution days?

By Matt Hart 62 LAST GASP

24 EVERYMAN’S EXPOSED 46 TRAIL TESTED Skirting Tradition. The dirt on seven snazzy alternatives to plain-Jane shorts.

By Yitka Winn 51 TRAIL RUNNER TROPHY SERIES RACES

THIS PAGE: Gina Lucrezi on a warm-up run before Spain’s Transvulcania races (see page 38).

PHOTO BY CHRIS HUNTER COVER: Jamie and Brenton Swyers on the Cole Mountain Loop, Appalachian Trail near Lynchburg, Virginia.

PHOTO BY MICAH CARROLL/ MYKKAH PHOTOGRAPHY

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EXPLORE

FAVORITE TRAIL

Pinnacle Peak-Plummer Peak Trail Tatoosh Range, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington TEXT AND PHOTO BY JASON THOMPSON RUNNER: Katie Bono of Canmore, Alberta, who set the women’s speed record on Mount Rainier in 2012 with a round-trip time of 4 hours 58 minutes.

BETA: The Pinnacle Peak-Plummer Peak Trail, located within Mount Rainier National Park, lies in the Tatoosh Range, which rises from 5500 feet to nearly 7000 feet above sea level. Starting at the Reflection Lake Trailhead via the Stevens Canyon Road, the trail gains 1150 feet, bringing you to a saddle between Pinnacle and Plummer peaks. Once you gain the Tatoosh Range ridge, the

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360-degree views are stunning—to the north looms 14,410-foot Mount Rainier, and to the south lie the craggy peaks of the Goat Rocks Wilderness and the snowy volcanic cone of Mount Adams.

Turn around here and head back down for a three-mile round-trip scenic run or continue upward to the summits of Pinnacle Peak (6562 feet) with some interesting class-4 to low class-5 rock scrambling, or Plummer Peak (6370 feet) on easier terrain. Several established climber trails gain the peaks.

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| T R A ILRUNNER M AG.COM | SEPTEMBER 2013

Trail also accesses the long, strenuous Tatoosh Traverse.

DIFFICULTY: A continuous, moderate grade gains the 6000-foot saddle between Pinnacle and Plummer peaks. Summer or early fall are most enjoyable for this short run. The difficulty ratchets up significantly for ascents of Plummer and Pinnacle peaks.

INFO: MRNP is located 2.5 hours south of Seattle, Washington. Drive toward Paradise visitor center and take the Stevens Canyon Road. The trailhead is clearly marked with a pull out/parking area at Reflection Lake.

FAVORITE TRAIL

SEPTEMBER

2013

EXPLORE

| T R A ILRUNNER M AG.COM |

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EDITOR’S NOTE

In the Company of Strangers

BY YITKA WINN

The trail-running community is a universal one

W

hile sitting at an airport terminal last month in Madrid, en route to the 2013 Transvulcania Ultramarathon on La Palma Island (see page 38), I found myself surrounded by travelers sporting some familiar props: dirt-caked running shoes, oversized GPS watches, hydration-reservoir tubes snaking out of backpacks. Across the aisle, a man was engrossed in a dogeared, Japanese version of Scott Jurek’s Eat and Run.

I felt at ease. Even when we’re thousands of miles away from home, the trail-running community has a way of making us feel as though we are among friends.

After all, we trail runners share plenty of commonalities. We have a penchant for dreaming big—and perhaps no one moreso than the selfemployed trail runner (see Making Tracks, page 14). We tend to share a passion for talking about food— regardless of where we fall in the pack, we’re apt to relate to the elites’ stories in this issue’s Nutrition column (see page 56.)

But, despite our common threads, the truth is that we’re a diverse bunch, showing up to trailheads and starting lines across the world in all shapes, sizes, ages and nationalities.

While 12-year-old Colby Wentlandt ran his first 100-miler in May (see By the Numbers, page 18), 67-year-old Jussi Hamalainen, a native of Finland who immigrated to America to pursue his love for trail running, has been training for his 26th Angeles Crest 100-miler (see Faces, page 20). This is not a sport that turns anyone away at the door—trail running is for everyone.

And, as our annual Top Trail Towns feature (see page 26) highlights, wherever there are trails, there are runners. Whether you’re cruising singletrack outside of Deadwood, South Dakota, or grabbing a postrun beer at Fitger’s Brewery in Duluth, Minnesota, rest assured you’ll be in good company. TR

> EVEN WHEN WE’RE

THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY FROM HOME, THE TRAIL-RUNNING COMMUNITY HAS A WAY OF MAKING US FEEL AS THOUGH WE ARE AMONG FRIENDS.

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LETTERS Open Your Mind

Elitist BS JULY 2013 | ISSUE 89

I just received the July issue [Issue 89] and read Heart-Rate a letter from a gentleman who found the article Monitors “Should You Inhale?” [June 2013, Issue 88] so Eat Smart offensive he asked that his subscription be canceled. He said this article about marijuana Summer Adventure was “not responsible journalism.” It seems this gentleman (and I would suspect there are others Max King ng like him) only wants to read articles that keep him in his nice little box—a sheltered world where only he and people like him live.

Whether you agree with something or not, there is never harm in learning something new or becoming aware of issues in our sport. You don’t have to do it, you don’t have to agree with it, but it is, in fact, responsible journalism to report on such events happening around us.

Trail Runner did not advocate for the use of illegal drugs. The article, if this gentleman would have actually read it, was very balanced. It also warned of the ill effects of using the drug and in no way encouraged its use.

Do everyone a favor and get out of your closed-off world. Learn something. Open your mind and run!

Trail Runner, I’ll gladly take his subscription.

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I am a new trail runner and subscriber. In the July issue [Issue 89], I read the Run Amok article “Dropping Out,” by Rickey Gates, and want to share my impression. At a certain point he states, “The moment you stop running, you are no longer participating—by definition, you stop being a runner.” What an elitist bunch of BS. Many ultrarunners walk during races. I am a run-walker, toe the same line and cross the same finish. I hate it when some speed demon tries to make others feel small by their grandiose ideas.

—Debi Hall, Lake Forest, IL

Ditch the Pacer Trail Runner should address the subject of pacers in ultras. I think any winner of a major race such as Western States who used a pacer should have an asterisk by his name.

All non-paced runners should get special

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LETTERS recognition that they completed the same race without assistance.

On a solo, 20-hour training run the other day, I thought: This would be a lot easier with a partner alongside. How hard is a 100mile race when you have someone pacing you for half of it? You want to know how hard it really is? Ask someone who ran it without a pacer!

—M. Sinclair, Washington (state)

Your Cup of Joe? I would like to note some errors in the article on caffeine [“Clarifying the Caffeine Controversy,” June 2013, Issue 88].

First, the mechanisms for caffeine’s ergogenic benefits are still unclear; however, a 2011 symposium at the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual meeting unanimously agreed that fat use is not increased by caffeine and that carbohydrate sparing seems unlikely; recent research actually suggests that caffeine enhances glucose uptake into the cell.

While it is a known stimulant, which will offset central-nervous-system fatigue, several papers clearly show that caffeine does not alter electrolyte balance and have a diuretic effect during exercise, nor does it cause cramps, and it is unlikely to alter sweat rate much. It is also important to note that the ergogenic doses are much lower than once thought, hovering around 35 to 50 milligrams per hour.

Finally, it is important to provide a more thorough list of actual references rather than stating “studies” or anecdotal reports; while anecdotal reports can form the basis for important hypotheses, they cannot be considered research. The bottom line is that care and research should be taken before using any supplement, but no other substance has been studied more than caffeine. Its overall effectiveness and safety are high, and its risks should not be confounded with other variables.

—Chris Harnish, MS, CSCS, HFS, FMSc, Richmond, VA

Correction In our Gear Guide [July 2013, Issue 89], the CW-X website should have been listed as cw-x.com.

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erdmannpeisker / Robert Bösch

EDITORIAL PUBLISHER / Duane Raleigh draleigh@bigstonepub.com EDITOR / Michael Benge mbenge@bigstonepub.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR / Yitka Winn ywinn@bigstonepub.com COLUMNS EDITOR / Alison Osius aosius@bigstonepub.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS / Bernie Boettcher, Garett Graubins, Bryon Powell, Matt Hart, Rickey Gates, Meghan Hicks SENIOR CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER / David Clifford EDITORIAL INTERN / Jessica Pain intern@trailrunnermag.com

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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).

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. © Copyright 2013 by Big Stone Publishing Ltd.

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PEOPLE

MAKING TRACKS

The Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurial Endeavors

BY YITKA WINN

Lessons from those who had dreams and “ran” with them

Caleb Simpson, 34 Ultrarunner, climber and cyclist. Dad. Co-founder, Bearded Brothers: Organic, vegan, mostly raw snackfood and energy-bar company in Austin, Texas.

Pictured right with co-founder Chris Herbert

T

rail runners tend to be an ambitious bunch—setting goals, training hard, seeking new adventures. We come up with ideas that sometimes (perhaps often) seem crazy to our loved ones. We work with determination and revel in our triumphs.

It’s no surprise, then, that many trail runners have another passion that requires the same mix of aspiration, drive and willingness to occasionally sacrifice sleep: entrepreneurship.

We spoke to three trail runners across the country who started their own businesses. Here, they share five lessons they’ve learned.

1

Follow Your Passion Committing to a goal is much easier if you’re excited about the process itself. For Caleb Simpson, the idea for Bearded Brothers came from following a high-raw-food diet for several years and wanting portable organic foods to fuel his long runs and rock climbing.

After making his own bars and posting recipes on his blog, several friends suggested he sell them—and so the seed was planted.

Jenn Hughes of Sammamish, Washington, found herself struck by the plain, drab options for running apparel. She says, “For race day or for a super long run, I wanted a great tee to lift my spirits.” So in 2011, she reached out to graphic designers and launched Run Pretty Far (RPF). Two-and-a-half years later, sales have soared and retailer REI will begin carrying RPF apparel in its top 20 stores next spring.

Seeing all the positive energy that comes out of the running community, Mike Burnstein of Brookline, Massachusetts, and his co-founder, Dave Spandorfer, chose to focus their company on helping solve the global food and water crisis. “It’s an issue that hits close to home for runners,” says Burnstein. “It would be impossible to get through a three-mile run or a 100K trail race without proper nutrition and hydration!”

Not only does the apparel itself, such as the

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2013

COMMITTING TO A GOAL IS MUCH EASIER IF YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT THE PROCESS ITSELF. “Run for the Rwanda” shirt with Rwandan flag colors, aim to raise awareness, proceeds support organizations such as KickStart and Meds and Food for Kids. And, for each T-shirt or pair of running shorts purchased, Janji makes additional donations like crop seeds, clean water or packets of nutritional medicine to families in countries like Haiti, Bangladesh and Tanzania.

Jenn Hughes, 34 Ultrarunner. Mom. Co-founder, Run Pretty Far: Eye-catching women’s running apparel designed with bright colors and inspiring slogans.

Pictured with co-founder Greg Manciagli

2

Goals > Sleep The day before his college senior thesis was due, Burnstein was typing up its final pages on a car trip from Austin, Texas, to St. Louis, Missouri. He and Spandorfer had spent the past three days working a booth at the Running Event tradeshow to launch Janji. Another friend offered to help them build a wooden booth before the event, but it took much longer than planned, depriving everyone of sleep and, in Burnstein’s case, the ability to attend his final exams. But, says Burnstein, “It was definitely the most rewarding time of my life.” They returned from The Running Event with orders from about 80 stores nationwide.

Mike Burnstein, 23 Elite marathoner, new trail runner.

Co-founder, Janji: Running-apparel company that raises awareness and money for the global food and water crisis.

Pictured right with co-founder Dave Spandorfer

PEOPLE

MAKING TRACKS

3

Don’t Go It Alone In every case, the entrepreneurs we interviewed had a co-founder with whom they shared the business venture. Hughes, who launched Run Pretty Far with her partner, Greg Manciagli, says, “The value of a teammate cannot be understated. It’s an around-the-clock, all-consuming adventure and going at it alone is rough.”

Simpson began Bearded Brothers with his friend and brother-in-law, Chris Herbert, who had previously co-owned a health-food store. They gathered inspiration from other folks who’d quit their day jobs to pursue their dreams, such as Matt Frazier of the popular blog, No Meat Athlete, and Bryon Powell, who left his career as a lawyer to cover ultrarunning on his blog, iRunFar.

4

Learn As You Go Though Simpson had a degree in business before launching Bearded Brothers, he insists that there are no requirements for

>

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS A LOT LIKE TRAINING FOR A BIG RACE—FIRST, DECIDE TO DO IT. THEN, SET GOALS, ESTABLISH A PLAN, WORK HARD, OCCASIONALLY STOP TO ASSESS THE PLAN—AND ADJUST AS NEEDED.

being an entrepreneur other than drive and a willingness to learn. “Beforehand, neither one of us had experience in food manufacturing,” he says. That hasn’t stopped their tasty snacks from reaching over 300 retail locations in two years.

Burnstein agrees: “Honestly, Dave and I are unqualified to do what we’re doing.

We are constantly seeking advice from our amazing group of mentors.” He’s learned that entrepreneurship is a lot like training for a big race—first, decide to do it. Then, set goals, establish a plan, work hard, occasionally stop to assess the plan—and adjust as needed.

5

Define Your Priorities Amidst running a small business, finding time to train can be a challenge. Says Hughes, “The first summer we were on the

road, I learned quickly that keeping up my running is crucial to my mental state, not to mention my backside.”

“Ideally I would like to be running four to five days a week,” says Simpson, “but my family and the business are more important to me than getting in the miles.” He still runs two to three days a week, and sees this as a worthwhile compromise during what he calls “the hustle stage” of launching a business.

For some, though, the flexibility of setting one’s own work schedule allows for more training, not less—especially when one’s co-founder is also a training partner. Says Burnstein, “Most of our [business] strategy sessions take place on easy runs.” TR For the full interviews, check out trailrunnermag.com.

Far or fast?

Let’s do both.

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HYDRA TION >

GEAR

> VISIB

ILITY

RUN STRONGER. RUN LONGER.

| T R A ILRUNNER M AG.COM | SEPTEMBER

ROB KRAR Endurance Athlete

2013

PEOPLE

MAKING TRACKS

32

By The Numbers

BY YITKA WINN

12

Age of Colby Wentlandt, who completed his first 100-mile race at Ride the Wind in Las Vegas, Nevada, in May 2013.

With his parents and sister crewing for him, Colby completed the course in 32:07:30. Colby described the biggest challenge: “What really sucked about running in the dark [with no lights] was those dang Joshua trees … they looked like people following us!” At the next aid station, he picked up a flashlight.

900

Number of bananas that personal trainer and endurance runner Joe Ward, 33, of Manly, Australia, plans to eat over the course of one month (30 bananas per day) while training for a 250-kilometer race. Ward is convinced that bananas are an endurance superfood. He will join accomplished Aussie ultrarunner and 100-mile-run-veteran Allison Lilley on the Great North Walk trail from Sydney to Newcastle in hopes of setting a new world record for a mixed duo on the route. They are raising money for Bear Cottage Children’s Hospice.

Number of minutes that Rob Krar, 36, of Flagstaff, Arizona, took off Dakota Jones’ Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rimto-Rim route. On May 10, 2013, Krar crushed Jones’ 2011 record by running the 42-mile double-crossing of the canyon in 6:21:47. Says Krar, “It was a magical day in the canyon, no doubt about it!”

24

Number of Likes to Jeffrey Gelinas’ comment on the Trail Runner Facebook page, in response to our question about whether “mud runs” are the real deal or too gimmicky. Wrote Gelinas, “Different strokes for different folks … [but] if I’m gonna pay $75 to $100 or more to compete, it better last more than 35 minutes.”

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PEOPLE

FACES also used to running fast. By about halfway through the race, he found himself in third place. But he was out of water and thirsty, his legs were aching and he did not know how much farther he had to go.

And then around a bend, Hamalainen saw the leaders, reeled in second place and bore down on first-place runner, Jim Pellon.

A set of hills loomed in the distance, and as Pellon began a climb, he slowed to a walk.

Hamalainen spied an opportunity. “I never walk,” he says, “even if I only run very slowly.”

Hamalainen closed the gap and passed Pellon with 15 miles left. The challenges were not over yet, though. Soon other runners began smoking past Hamalainen.

Speaking only Finnish, Hamalainen had

Masters Class Hamalainen, 67, still puts in 100-mile weeks leading up to Angeles Crest.

BY JANNIFER HEINER

Jussi Hamalainen to attempt 26th Angeles Crest finish this year

T

wo trophies erode on a stone fountain in his backyard. It’s a warm spring morning, and the Southern California sun beats down as Jussi Hamalainen discusses his 25-year trail-ultrarunning career. The bear-statue trophies look amazingly similar, but one is from Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, which Hamalainen received when he was in his 50s, and the other is from the American River 50-Mile Endurance Run 10 years earlier. In each race, Hamalainen, now 67, of Van Nuys, took age-class wins, but his real claim to fame is longevity, finishing all 25 editions of the Angeles Crest 100Mile Endurance Run in Wrightwood, California.

As Hamalainen sits poolside, shaded by an umbrella to protect his fair complexion, he has the look of a runner. He is slim and wears a race T-shirt. On his feet are well-worn trail shoes. His weathered face tells the story of a life spent largely outdoors, focused on running trails. When he isn’t running, he works as a massage therapist, helping all types of athletes remain healthy enough to compete. During his long running career, he has notched well over 50 ultra finishes.

“Jussi is a really humble guy,” says Andy Kumeda, a fellow ultra enthusiast. “We all know him as a legend, but he is surprised if anyone recognizes him at a race.”

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2013

Hamalainen started running and winning ultramarathons before most people knew what the word meant. Originally from Finland, he travelled to the New York Marathon in 1983, where he met Eino Romppanen, a fellow Fin and running guru. Romppanen invited him to California to run what would be Hamalainen’s first ultra—a 54-mile race that took place on Mulholland Highway and the surrounding trails.

Hamalainen arrived at the race with no idea of what to expect. He was unsure of the race’s actual mileage and had no real training for such an event. All he knew for sure was that he had to leave for the airport by 5 that evening. As a 2:30 marathoner, he was

not picked up on the fact that there was also a relay race that day. The men passing him at blazing speeds were running just a fraction of the race. Hamalainen did not give up and took the win in just over seven hours.

After breaking the tape, Hamalainen ran directly into the ocean, swam for a few minutes and headed to the airport. “I flew home with sand and Pacific Ocean all over me,” he says. It was that race, known as the Santa Monica Mountain NDNS Relay and 54-Mile, no longer in existence, that convinced Hamalainen to immigrate to the United States. In Finland he had struggled to run year round because of the harsh winters.

As he ran that first ultra, he reveled in the foothills’ beauty, the ocean’s saltiness and the California warmth. Hamalainen was the only member of his family to move to America, but he found friends in running, in particular Jim Pellon, who became a training partner and running companion after their initial competition.

In 1986, at age 40, Hamalainen upped the ante, running the inaugural Angeles Crest 100-Mile Endurance Run, one of the toughest trail ultras in the Western United States, with about 1000 feet more climbing and descending than the vaunted Western States 100. He would continue—not missing a single Angeles Crest—for the next 24 years and counting, earning the coveted under-24hour belt buckle a total of 17 times. In 1990

LARRY GASSAN

AS HE RAN THAT FIRST ULTRA, HE REVELED IN THE FOOTHILLS’ BEAUTY, THE OCEAN’S SALTINESS AND THE CALIFORNIA WARMTH.

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and 1991, Hamalainen took overall Angeles Crest wins. In 1990, as co-race-director Hal Winton awarded him a trophy for his 19:31 finish, Hamalainen’s long-time crew leader, Pauli Majamaki, handed a puzzled Winton a leathery-looking piece of hide—it turned out to be the calloused heel of Jussi’s foot, which had fallen off mid-race!

“Jussi is a gentleman and an outstanding athlete with an obviously big heart, both physically and spiritually,” says Winton.

In 1997, when Hamalainen’s friend Pellon passed away suddenly from a heart attack, Hamalainen honored him by completing 10 Western States 100s. Pellon had run 12 Western States 100s, and, though Hamalainen had previously thought he would concentrate on other races, he went back to that race that year, and finished his 10th in 2002.

In 2006, Hamalainen asked Winton if any runner 60 years or older had ever finished under the 24-hour mark. Winton said he doubted it. Hamalainen smiled, and that year, his 60th, came in at 23:43.

Hamalainen says he doesn’t know how long he will race. He has never dropped out of any race, and attributes much of his success to fellow Fin Majamaki, who he met in California when they both ran the Lasse Viren 20K in 1984. “Pauli makes it so I don’t have to think about it,” says Hamalainen. 2003 was the first year Hamalainen did not finish in under 24 hours. Hamalainen had wanted to drop, but Majamaki only had to say, “You’ll feel bad.” Hamalainen pulled himself together and crossed the line in 26:04. He was 56.

As a youngster of 40, Hamalainen would run 200-mile-plus weeks, but now he chooses quality over quantity. He likes to run the trail from Chantry Flats to Mount Wilson, stopping at Cosmic Café at the top to have a Snickers and a Coke. He still ramps up to 100 miles a week, and takes a month to taper. “Now I think about how many times I will do the race,” says Jussi, “not how long it will take.” TR

“…let’s do the VESPA math: calorie intake about 500 calories (2 GUs, 2 bottles of GU2O, 1 cup of Coke) versus about 5,000 calories spent...”

PERFORM

RUN AMOK

Unplugged

BY RICKEY GATES ILLUSTRATION BY JEREMY COLLINS

A smart phone and a dumb runner seek silence

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he chirping finches, the sad back-and-forth call of the foghorns beneath the Golden Gate Bridge and the whisper of the sea breeze through the cypress: The nasal voice of Ira Glass introducing “This American Life” obscured them all.

Weaving through a nine-mile network of trails within the compact city of San Francisco, I was also spared the shriek of a fire truck, the shouts in my direction of an unkempt man and a deafening ensemble of after-market exhaust pipes and oversized subwoofers.

Glass laughed, a stunted, awkward bark, as I carried on blissfully unaware, if only for a bit, of the city’s madness.

Last summer I finally joined the masses with the purchase of a wallet-sized monolith of information—the iPhone. I soon realized that as long as I had a charged battery and was within reception, I could treat my ears and mind to a short vacation from the bustling city where I live. The added perks of never getting lost, always finding the answer and photographing my runs quickly earned my new device a permanent spot in my back pocket.

I loaded my phone with an array of apps that timed and mapped my runs, improved my photography, supplied news and promised to make me smarter with daily deliveries of thoughtprovoking quotes.

When I grew tired of listening to music, I graduated to podcasts, and quickly found that, even running in the middle of San Francisco, I could exist vicariously anywhere in the world.

Running has always been more than just a sport: It has served as my therapist, solitude, company and, at times, punching bag. Once the thought of plugging in for a run would have seemed as foreign as listening to a baseball game during a church service. However, as a friend said: “Technology moves much faster than wisdom.”

I left Golden Gate Park and crossed Highway 1 as Glass finished a story about a rest-stop

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worker in Michigan and started in on one about a man’s close relationship to his parrot. Running up Ocean Beach, I found a dead seagull and a dozen fragmented sand dollars washed in with the tide. I photographed the bird, augmented it with one of Instagram’s many filters and, when finally it looked more fantastic than real life, fed it to Twitter and Facebook.

I was farther down the beach when Glass’s voice was interrupted by the familiar tone of an incoming call.

I LOADED MY PHONE WITH AN ARRAY OF APPS THAT TIMED AND MAPPED MY RUNS, IMPROVED MY PHOTOGRAPHY, SUPPLIED NEWS AND PROMISED TO MAKE ME SMARTER. “Mom,” my screen read.

I tapped the red “Ignore” button and carried on.

A text came through from my girlfriend asking if I needed anything from the store.

“Peanut butter, bananas, toothpaste.”

After sending off the text, I stood staring off into the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. I watched the rolling waves crash in, listened not to their distinguished boom but to the voice of Glass: “Greetings, podcast listeners …”

My phone buzzed to alert me of my incoming daily quote. This one was from the Alsatian artist Jean Arp: “Soon silence will have passed into legend.

Man has turned his back on silence. Day after day he invents machines and devices that increase noise and distract humanity from the essence of life, contemplation, meditation.”

I pulled the buds from my ears and the sound of the waves, seagulls, traffic and airplanes took over.

And in the collective sound, I gained a sensation created not by shutting things out, but rather allowing it all to flow in, unfiltered.

My surprise encounter begged a single question—in a world spilling over with information, can we maintain the wisdom to know when to unplug?

Rickey Gates now prefers airplane mode.

EVERYMAN’S EXPOSED

EEditors’ C

Robert Rhodes enjoys the golden light, Russian Ridge Open Space Reserve, Palo Alto, California.

PHOTO BY HARDY WILSON

Choice

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EVERYMAN’S EXPOSED

Jennie Eyring and Everett Billingslea cruise the Kendall Katwalk, Pacific Crest Trail, Washington.

PHOTO BY DAMIEN MURPHY

Self-portrait of Danish runner Martin Paldan heading into the sunset, Andalucia, Spain.

PHOTO BY MARTIN PALDAN

Enter the Trail RunnerMammut Reader Photo Contest

Please email low-resolution 72-ppi jpegs (no more than six at a time) to: photos@bigstonepub.com. We will request high-res files of images selected for final consideration.

In each issue, we will pick an Editors’ Choice image, and the photographer will receive a pair of Mammut MTR 141 shoes. MSRP: $119 (www.mammut.ch)

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STEVE OGLE

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top trail towns rom the earthy mountain vibe of British Columbia’s Revelstoke to the wholesome, historic town of Lynchburg, Virginia, to the high desert of mountainringed Tucson, we take you to eight great trail-running hotspots that also offer a host of creature comforts. Some might like a tour of Bend, Oregon’s, nine craft-beer breweries.

Or how about classic diner food in the quaint burg of Manchester, Connecticut? So get stoked for our annual, grand trail-town tour.

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Contents Bend, Oregon Lynchburg, Virginia Duluth, Minnesota Revelstoke, British Columbia Tucson, Arizona Manchester, Connecticut Deadwood, South Dakota Truckee, California

Pg. 28 Pg. 29 Pg. 30 Pg. 31 Pg. 32 Pg. 33 Pg. 34 Pg. 36

BY MEGHAN HICKS

Chloe Lanthier ridge running in Mount Revelstoke National Park, British Columbia.

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BY THE NUMBERS

3623 Elevation, in feet, of Bend, located on the east side of the Cascade Range and along the Deschutes River’s south-to-north wending path.

11.7 Inches of precipitation that Bend’s high-desert climate yields annually.

10,000 Elevation, in feet, of the Three Sisters, the prominent peaks in Bend’s western viewscape.

Bend’s Got the Big Guns

he Bend running scene is, in a word, “Competitive.” That’s according to 29-yearold Stephanie Howe, a runner, coach and instructor at Central Oregon Community College and Oregon State University. “Not only are there dozens of elites living here, but also everyone is an endurance athlete of some sort,” she says. “This is one of the only places where the high-school cross-country team outnumbers the football team! It is our culture.” In addition to Howe, trail elites residing in the area include Max King, Rod Bien, Mario Mendoza and Jeff Browning.

Named for a bend in the Deschutes River that once made a good crossing point for westward explorers, the region was first a home for Native Americans and second a site for multiple timber mills in the early 20th century. Today, the economy is largely tourism- and recreation-based.

It’s easy to see why trail runners are attracted to 76,000-person Bend.

From its proximity to the eastern edge of the Cascade Range’s high-altitude playground, to the town’s mild climate that keeps the low-elevation trails runnable all year, to an insane singletrack network that begins in the city and connects all the way to the high country, to a robust trail-racing schedule, to a river running through town that can be fished and floated, to an evolved craft-brewing culture, Bend’s got the big guns for the good life.

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“Everyone is an endurance athlete of some sort.”

TRAILHEAD > GET THERE / The closest airport is the Redmond Municipal Airport about 17 miles northeast of Bend.

Alternatively, it’s a three-hourfifteen-minute drive from the Portland International Airport.

Bend is served by Greyhound, and you can rent a car in town.

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> BE A TOURIST / Bend proper has a remarkable nine craft-beer breweries, and they are all a part of the Bend Ale Trail. Join an ale-trail tour or go independent (and with a DD), but don’t miss Bend’s other best trail.

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> TAKE NOTE / While it does snow in town, very little sticks for more than a few days, making trail running in and near Bend possible all year. But in winter, snow stacks high in the mountains, and they become wintersports destinations.

> DESCHUTES RIVER TRAIL FROM THE OLD MILL DISTRICT Combine people watching and trail running with either a loop or out-and-back on this downtown Bend trail.

“The Old Mill District is a popular area for paddling or floating the river, pick-up soccer, beach volleyball, fishing or just hanging out,” says Howe. “Also, the trail turns to singletrack within minutes, and you’re winding along the river. Not bad for the heart of town!” > FLAGLINE TRAIL “This is my favorite Bend trail,” says Howe.

“You are away from it

all up there, immersed in pristine wilderness.

It’s pure heaven.” The trail winds up around the Cascade Lakes with stunning views of Mount Bachelor, the Three Sisters and Broken Top Mountain.

The trail is only accessible from mid-August through first snows due to its high elevation and an annual elkcalving closure. Park at the Swampy Lakes Trailhead and use the Swampy-Dutchman Tumalo Mountain Connector, the Flagline Access, the Flagline and the Flagline Tie Trails to make a stunning 16.7-mile loop.

TOP RACES > DIRTY HALF / A hyper-competitive, June halfmarathon with about 1000 feet of climb taking place on a lollipop of well-used, almost exclusively singletrack just outside of Bend (footzonebend.com/dirty_half). > HAULIN’ ASPEN HALF AND FULL TRAIL MARATHON / Held in August, the half-marathon features about 1000 feet of climb, the marathon has about 2700 and both races run on a mix of singletrack and dirt roads just west of town (haulinaspen.com). > FLAGLINE 50K / In September and on the flanks of Mount Bachelor, says Howe, “The race winds its way through the Three Sisters Wilderness, past places like Happy Valley Tumalo Creek and finishes on the area’s Nordic trails.

Big climbing, big views. Also, a local burrito shop caters the event, so the post-race food is killer.” (flaglinetrailfest.com/flagline-50k).

GLENN TACHIYAMA (TOP); JOHN MELTON

BEND OREGON

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TOP TRAILS

BY THE NUMBERS

77,203 Number of Lynchburg residents in 2012.

5 Number of days, in 1865, that Lynchburg served as the capital of Virginia, after the fall of Richmond and before the fall of the Confederacy.

66.6

The Trail-Running Burg Built by a Legend

LYNCHBURG VIRGINIA

2 t’s all David Horton’s fault that Lynchburg makes our list of top trail towns. The 63-year-old ultra-endurance icon has lived there for 34 years while working as a Professor of Exercise Science at Liberty University, the 13,000-student institution in the heart of town. And during that same time, he’s built dozens of miles of trails, performed maintenance on others, designed and directed races and taught running classes at the university. Thanks to him, a booming trail-running culture has evolved in this medium-sized town where there once was none.

But visitors soon learn that there is more to Lynchburg than a college town with a running hobby. Chartered in 1786, Lynchburg served as a Confederate supply base during the Civil War and then as a booming manufacturing town beginning in the late 1800s. West of town, the Blue Ridge Mountains rise 3000-plus feet into their forested and, well, blue-tinged ridges.

Trails, including the famed Appalachian Trail (AT), abound in and just outside of Lynchburg as well as in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The population is young due to the university and other area colleges, and cost of living is low. “The climate is exquisite, except for deep summer, and we can trail run all year, unlike places like Colorado that get snowed in,” says Horton. “We’re conservative.

We have a low crime rate. We’re a perfect place for living and trail running.”

I

Number of actual miles (equal to 107 kilometers), according to David Horton, of the Hellgate “100K.”

TOP TRAILS > APPALACHIAN TRAIL “At the core of everything in the Blue Ridge Mountains is the Appalachian Trail,” says Horton. “Use the AT to create loops with other connecting trails like up in the Priest and Three Ridges Wilderness Areas.” Those wilderness areas are located an hour north of Lynchburg.

> LIBERTY MOUNTAIN TRAIL SYSTEM This in-town, 65-plusmile trail system sits at the edge of Liberty University and was largely built over the years by Horton and his running classes. Use the old logging doubletrack with singletrack built for both bike and pedestrian use to string together a fiveto-25-mile run through deciduous forests overlooking Lynchburg.

“We’re a perfect place for living and trail running.”

MICAH CARROLL (TOP); BOBBY GILL

TRAILHEAD > GET THERE / Fly into the Lynchburg Regional Airport via one of the two daily flights on US Airways Express. You can also arrive via Amtrak on the Northeast Regional line or Greyhound bus, and then rent a car in Lynchburg. Washington D.C. and the airport is only three-and-a-half hours away.

> BE A TOURIST / Start at the Lynchburg Museum. From there, wander through the Old City Cemetery and take a walking tour of the city’s historic districts to experience the lives—and deaths—of Lynchburg’s former inhabitants.

The performance arts are well evolved, so consider taking in a Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra performance or a theater show.

> TAKE NOTE / Horton cautions, “July and August weather is Nasty, and I mean that with a capital ‘N.’” He’s talking about an overabundance of both heat and humidity, which he says can only be escaped by “not being in Lynchburg.”

TOP RACES > PROMISE LAND 50K / “With 7400 feet of climb, this is a serious 50K,” explains Horton, Promise Land’s race director. The April race takes place in the Blue Ridge Mountains a short distance west of Lynchburg, and the course is usually laden with spring wildflowers (extremeultrarunning.com). > HELLGATE 100K / Starting at 12:01 a.m. on a December morning, this point-to-point race through the Blue Ridge Mountains is also directed

by Horton and features what are called “Horton miles,” which basically means the race is longer than advertised. “Do this race when you’ve done all the others,” states Horton, proudly, about his graduate-level event (extremeultrarunning.com). > LIBERTY MOUNTAIN TRAIL SERIES / A series of six short-distance trail races ranging from a 5K to a half-marathon put on by Liberty University Student Activities during the school year. The races are open to and popular with the public, and take place on the Liberty Mountain Trail System (liberty.edu/campusrec/studentactivities/index. cfm?PID=18161).

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BY THE NUMBERS

1881 Year that Fitger’s opened its beer-brewing doors!

3

296 Number of miles on the Superior Hiking Trail.

−41 In degrees Fahrenheit, the coldest-ever temperature in Duluth, recorded in January 1885.

A Town with a Trail-Running Problem

DULUTH MINNESOTA

TOP TRAILS

ome of the iconic Grandma’s Marathon, which took place in June for the 37th annual time, Duluth is a road-running town with a trail-running problem. Or, might it be vice versa? Andy Holak thinks so. The 45-year-old St. Louis County Forest Recreation Specialist, race director and ultrarunner who has lived in Duluth for 15 years says, “I’ve got to call Duluth a trail-runner’s town. As good as the Grandma’s Marathon is, the trails are twice as good because we have the Superior Hiking Trail that runs the city’s ridge top. I can run two minutes from my door, onto the trail and all the way to Canada.”

Duluth is propped at the west edge of Lake Superior, with its downtown on the water and the rest of the city sprawling up a couple-hundred-foot-tall ridgeline.

The city is northern Minnesota’s civilization enclave within the region’s boreal forest. In the wilds beyond, moose, bears and wolves inhabit the thick, conifer-dominant woods. Through those woods wind the Superior Hiking Trail and hundreds of other trail miles.

As a port town, Duluth has always been a water-focused city. “If you want to see what we’re all about, walk the Lakewalk,” recommends Holak. This 7.3-mile paved trail traces along the lake in downtown Duluth and provides easy access to most of the town’s tourist attractions, like the Great Lakes Aquarium, Canal Park and its aerial lift bridge and Fitger’s Brewery, an awesome brew pub that’s been around since the 1800s.

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> SUPERIOR HIKING TRAIL / FROM JAY COOKE STATE PARK TO DULUTH / This point-to-point run begins southwest of Duluth and covers over 30 miles. “Get dropped off at Jay Cooke State Park and make your way on foot all the way back to town, through river gorges, past waterfalls and climbing over Ely’s Peak,” says Holak. > SUPERIOR HIKING TRAIL / FROM SILVER BAY TO HIGHWAY 1 / Holak’s favorite place on the Superior Hiking Trail is Mount Trudee. “I love the mountain for its rocky outcroppings and pine woods. I like to just sit in the pine needles, high above everything else.”

It’s 11 miles between Silver Bay and Highway 1, so you can run this as a point-to-point or as an out-and-back from Silver Bay to Mount Trudee. Watch for glaciercarved Bean and Bear Lakes, which are stowed away in the thick forest.

“I can run two minutes from my door, onto the trail and all the way to Canada.”

> GET THERE / Fly directly into the Duluth International Airport, or into the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and make the two-and-a-half-hour drive north. You can also arrive on daily Greyhound service. Carrental agencies are plentiful in Duluth.

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> BE A TOURIST / The Fitger’s Brewery, on the National Register of Historic Places, is a must-do for any Duluth tourist. If you visit in fall or early winter, try their seasonal Blueberry Porter made with local, wild blueberries. They are also famous for their burgers; their veggie patty, made from localgrown wild rice, is the best I’ve met anywhere.

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> TAKE NOTE / Black flies and mosquitoes are summer nuisances in northern Minnesota. Black flies are thickest in May and June, while mosquitoes pester until fall’s frosts. Wear insect repellent, and, if you’re camping, a bug net, long sleeves and pants.

ZACH PIERCE (TOP)

TRAILHEAD

TOP RACES > SUPERIOR RUN WILD 25K AND 50K TRAIL RACES / In May and on the Superior Hiking Trail, both races are out-and-backs. Runners see constant Lake Superior views while traversing the rolling, rocky and rooty trail (spring.superiortrailrace.com). > SUPERIOR 26.2-MILE, 50-MILE AND 100-MILE TRAIL RACES / All of the races are point-topoint along the Superior Hiking Trail northeast of Duluth. In September, the 100-miler is considered the granddaddy of Minnesota trail races for its long tradition and challenge (fall.superiortrailrace.com). > WILD DULUTH HARDER’N HE!! HALF-MARATHON, 50K AND 100K / Holak directs these October races and says, “You run primarily on the ridge above the lake. Runners who have never been to Duluth before are amazed by huge white pines, cliffs, waterfalls, gorges and expansive views (wildduluthraces.blogspot.com).

REVELSTOKE BRITISH COLUMBIA

4 Stoked on Revelstoke

rail Runner magazine hereby nominates this wee, Canadian Rockies town for the coolest trail-town name, ever. Read on so you, too, can revel in and feel the stoke.

Revelstoke began its life in the 1860s as a gold-mining village called Farwell, named after the fellow who surveyed and laid out the original town site. In 1885, the Canadian Pacific Railway placed a track through town, which was incorporated 14 years later with a new name, Revelstoke, after the man whose banking firm largely funded the railway.

Revelstoke today is best known among athlete communities as an absolutely absurd backcountry-ski destination. A number of heli- and snowcat-skiing companies, as well as backcountry lodges, provide the infrastructure support for the sport. And, in the winter of 2007 and 2008, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, a frontcountry ski resort, opened in town.

But Revelstoke makes a stoke-worthy summer destination, too, because it has two national parks in close proximity.

“Mount Revelstoke National Park is to the northeast,” says Chloë Lanthier, a 46-yearold Revelstoke resident, trail runner, Patagonia Ambassador and owner/director of the X-Training School. “And Glacier National Park is just east.” In addition, a number of provincial parks comprise the rest of the wild spaces beyond town.

On the town’s vibe, says Lanthier, “We have a very earthy feel, a relaxed environment surrounded by mountains and the Columbia River. We have very few tourists, so this feels like my home, my environment. And we have such easy access to the mountains and trails that this town really is just a part of the wilderness.”

BY THE NUMBERS

7139 Number of Revelstoke residents (2011 census).

400 Miles the town is to the northeast of Vancouver. It lies 255 miles west of Calgary, near the western edge of the Canadian Rockies.

1570 Elevation in feet of downtown Revelstoke, even though mountains tower over it and its high-ish latitude guarantees a super-snowy winter climate.

TOP RACES > If you can believe it, not a single trail race takes place in or within a couple hours of Revelstoke. Go revel in some self-prescribed adventures instead!

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STEVE OGLE (TOP); REVELSTOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

“We have a very earthy feel, a relaxed environment surrounded by mountains.”

TRAILHEAD > GET THERE / The Kelowna International Airport is a 2.5-hour drive southwest of Revelstoke, and the Kamloops Airport is 2.5 hours west. Rent a car from either airport and make the drive to town. Or, if you’re on a major Canadian road trip, Revelstoke is on the famous Trans-Canada Highway.

> BE A TOURIST / Dine at La Baguette, says Lanthier. “This is my favorite place to eat, with amazing wraps, salads, an unbelievable selection of gelato, thin-crust pizza, madein-house pasta and many gluten-free options.” The Revelstoke area is also home to a number of hot springs of various sizes and development, so bring your swimsuit.

> TAKE NOTE / Uh, we’re talking about the Canadian Rockies here. Revelstoke embraces winter sports from the first major snowstorm in November until the trails begin to melt out in April. Also, this is prime grizzlybear country, so run with bear spray, at least one other person and the knowledge of how to safely travel in the backcountry.

TOP TRAILS > MOUNT REVELSTOKE SUMMIT TRAIL / The 6360-foot mountain is perched just northeast of Revelstoke. “I begin this run in town and, in minutes, I am alone, in the middle of nowhere,” says Lanthier. “At the top of the mountain, trees break to alpine singletrack and wildflowers.” Begin at the Tournament of Champions Plaza and run about a mile up the Mount Revelstoke Trail to the Nels Nelson Historic Area. Have a looksee at the former ski-jumping site, and then jump on the Summit Trail, which climbs a little more than six miles uphill.

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Hop on the last little pitch to the top on the Upper Summit Trail before returning the way you came. You’ll net just shy of five grand in climb out of this 16-mile outing. > REVELSTOKE GREENBELT / Access this trail system from Centennial Park, south of downtown. There are paved and unpaved options, but grab the singletrack and run out-and-back along the narrow, winding, root-y and flat trails along the Columbia River. Says Lanthier, “The wetlands are protected and it’s an amazing refuge for birds. You’ll also see locals out running and riding bikes.”

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BY THE NUMBERS

60 Miles from from downtown Tucson to the Mexico border.

350 The close-to-miraculous number of days of sunshine that Tucson experiences each year.

200 Number of years a saguaro cactus can live.

A Desert Paradise

n the middle of southeastern Arizona’s Sonoran Desert lies the oasis of Tucson, with its metro area of nearly one-million inhabitants, adobe-style buildings, xeriscaped lawns, diverse population and the University of Arizona. Says Wendy Roberts, a 30-year-old writer, Pima Community College writing instructor and trail runner, “Tucson is an artsy, sporty, college town blended with a backwoods, pickup-truck vibe.

There’s something here for everyone—even humidity during the summer monsoon!”

Beyond the pancake-flat valley containing Tucson, which sits at about 2300 feet, a trail-running paradise emerges via the quiet desert mountains surrounding town. North and northeast of town rise Coronado National Forest’s Catalina Mountains. The Rincon Mountains lie to the east as part of both Saguaro National Park and Coronado National Forest. To the south are the Santa Rita Mountains, also in Coronado National Forest. The Tucson Mountains and their “fairy-tale spikes,” as Roberts calls them, hold court over the city’s west side in Saguaro National Park and Tucson Mountain Park.

I

“Tucson is an artsy, sporty, college town blended with a backwoods, pickup-truck vibe.”

TRAILHEAD > GET THERE / Arrive via Tucson International Airport, Amtrak’s Sunset Limited or Texas Eagle lines or Greyhound bus from multiple points, and then rent a car. Tucson is bikefriendly, too, with commuter lanes, wide shoulders and friendly drivers, so consider renting a bike for your in-town explorations (you’ll still need a rental car for most trailheads).

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> BE A TOURIST / Visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum to learn about the animals, plants and human history that make up this unique ecosystem. Most Tucson folks say you’ve got to grub up at the Guadalajara Original Grill, which is best known for its tableside salsa service, made to order per your request.

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> TAKE NOTE / Extreme heat is a serious summer consideration, says Roberts.

“My rule of thumb in summer is, if I’m not out the door—or better yet done—running by 7 a.m., I wait until evening. An alternative is to go to a higher, more temperate altitude, but there you beware afternoon thunderstorms.” And rattlesnakes are common trail sightings, so pay attention.

> BUTTERFLY TRAIL AND BIGELOW ROAD / At just over 10 miles, this is Roberts’ favorite run.

“You start in a forest of tall pines and follow the slope’s rolling contours, occasionally dipping to cross streams or scramble up rocky slopes,” she says.

“Look for the shiny aluminum fuselage of an F-86 fighter jet that crashed in the 1950s.” Begin at the Butterfly Trailhead off the Mount Lemmon Highway and run 5.7 miles to the shoulder of Mount Bigelow in the Catalina Mountains. Take a right and run the dirt Bigelow Road. Turn right once more when you reach the Mount Lemmon Highway and run a halfmile of pavement back to the trailhead. > RINCON PEAK / At 8482 feet, Rincon Peak is located deep in the Saguaro National Park backcountry. Park at the Miller Creek Trailhead (4000 feet altitude) on Coronado National Forest land and run 1.3 miles to the national-park boundary.

From there, it’s about 3.6 miles to the junction with the Heartbreak Ridge Trail. Go left and bear left again in another half mile on the Rincon Peak Trail. Grind your way up, and follow cairns through the rocky summit push. Return the way you came for a 16.2-mile outing, or add the rest of the Heartbreak Ridge Trail, Deerhead Spring Trail, Turkey Creek Trail, as well as a couple miles of dirt, national-forest road back to the Miller Creek Trailhead, to make a backcountry marathon. We’re talking seriously remote stuff here, no water and gnarly terrain, so plan ahead and run with caution.

TOP RACES > FLEET FEET ARIZONA TRAIL RACE / An 8.2-miler held in February on the trails of Colossal Cave Mountain Park, this race wends among the also colossal and ancient saguaro cactuses.

Don’t look away from the trail too often, though, as rocky surfaces keep you honest (fleetfeettucson.com/ racing/az-trail-race).

> CATALINA STATE PARK REVERSE THE COURSE 5.2- AND 10.3-MILE TRAIL RACES / Held in September, says Roberts, “This race requires guts because it’s rugged, insanely hilly, oh, and watch out for the spiny cactuses! It’s a small-ish and friendly local race that supplies sharplooking shirts and a full breakfast afterwards” (everyoneruns.net).

DAVID BARGER

TUCSON ARIZONA

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TOP TRAILS

BY THE NUMBERS

1838 Year the largest silk mill in the world was established in Manchester. Visit the Cheney Brothers Historic District to learn about it.

825 Miles of trails in the Connecticut Forest and Park Association’s Blue-Blazed Trail System, a massive state-wide network.

13,416

6 MANCHESTER CONNECTICUT

Networked Connecticut

f you know New England, you know we are historically parochial,” says Scott Livingston, the 40-year-old trail runner, president of Horst Engineering and resident of Bolton, the town just east of Manchester.

“Each of Connecticut’s 169 towns is fiercely independent with its own library, school system and fire house. But for all this fragmentation, the state has one of the best trail networks in the country.”

Debbie Livingston, Scott’s wife and a 38-year-old ultrarunner, fitness trainer and yoga instructor, elaborates, “It began with each town creating its own trail system, something that local residents could call theirs. Now, all of these systems are connected into the elaborate network we have today.” Adds Scott, “And Manchester, well, it’s smack in the middle of it all.”

Manchester began as a farming village in the second half of the 1600s, and then progressed to an industry center in tandem with Hartford in the 1800s. Back then, Ralph, Ward and Frank Cheney, along with their business partner, E. H. Arnold, opened a silk mill. One mill grew into the world’s largest silk-manufacturing facility, and Manchester bolted onto the international map as a producer of fine textiles.

Today, Manchester is a 50,000-plus-person city with a bustling, service-centered main street and more than 1000 acres of open space filled with singletrack and linked to the rest of Connecticut’s trails. “Our trails are New England-style, always rolling and always rocky,” says Debbie.

I

Number of runners that finished the 2012 Manchester Road Race.

TOP TRAILS > CASE MOUNTAIN RECREATION AREA / At 640 acres and with 10 miles of rough-androcky singletrack, this is the go-to place for the burliest trails. Says Scott, “Both pedestrians and mountain bikers love Case Mountain.” Adds Debbie, “And the views of Hartford from the top of the mountain are amazing.”

> SHENIPSIT TRAIL / This 41-mile point-topoint trail runs right through Manchester (via Case Mountain) and is part of Connecticut’s Blue-Blazed Trail System. “Run it pointto-point,” says Debbie.

“It’ll take you all day.

You can even jump off the trail, run a short distance on roads to the famous Shady Glen diner for milkshakes and then continue on.”

“Our trails are New England-style, always rolling and always rocky.”

SCOTT LIVINGSTON

TRAILHEAD > GET THERE / The closest airport, the Bradley International Airport, is located 23 miles northwest of Manchester.

Hartford, just west of Manchester, has a Greyhound terminal and an Amtrak station. You can get to Manchester from any of these places by CT Transit buses. You might still need a rental car to access some trailheads beyond Manchester.

> BE A TOURIST / A post-longrun must-do is Shady Glen Dairy Stores, an old-fashioned diner that opened its doors in 1948.

Milkshakes, ice-cream sundaes, hamburgers and fried cheese are served, according to Debbie, “by staff still wearing the old uniforms and paper hats.” Also visit Divine Treasures Chocolates Factory and Store, where organic, vegan and gluten-free chocolate is made and sold.

> TAKE NOTE / The historic Manchester Road Race takes place annually on Thanksgiving Day with thousands of participants and even more fans. Scott recommends it: “The 77th edition takes place this year. It’s a rite of passage for all runners, road and trail alike.” If you visit for the race, take note that Manchester becomes a tangle of traffic and booked hotel rooms.

TOP RACES > FINALLY SPRING 5K! / This in-Manchester trail race welcomes spring every March with a lollipop course around Porter Reservoir on the east side of town (manchesterrunningcompany.com/events/ finally-spring-5k). > TRAPROCK 17K AND 50K / In April at Penwood State Park, 20 miles northwest of Manchester, the 50K is a three-loop course of—you guessed it—rocky singletrack and doubletrack (traprock50.com). > SOAPSTONE MOUNTAIN TRAIL RACES / Taking place each May in Stafford Springs, about 22 miles northeast of Manchester, are these 6K and 24K races. Singletrack, doubletrack and even big, rounded, streambed rocks make up the course. Bonus: Debbie directs the races (shenipsitstriders.org/soapstone.html)!

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BY THE NUMBERS

1284

A Land of Living History

n the northern Black Hills lies a lush valley thick with conifers that holds a tightly clustered tourist village called Deadwood. Some 139 years ago, when white prospectors first entered this valley—then the territory of the Lakota Sioux Indians—it was filled with its namesake, dead wood, leftovers from a recent, sweeping forest fire. Those prospectors found enough gold to incite a multi-year gold rush. During that time, life was rough and rowdy with gambling, fighting and prostitution (anyone watch the HBO TV series “Deadwood,” based on late-1800s life in the town?).

Nowadays, while the trees have grown back and prostitution (but not gambling!) has been outlawed, arriving at the village is akin to stepping back in time; Deadwood retains its original character through careful caretaking of its historic buildings and objects. Says Emily Wheeler, the 37-year-old race director for the Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon and the President of the Black Hills Runners Club, “Gunslingers like Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and other outlaws roamed here. You can see—and feel—Deadwood’s deep history when you walk its cobblestone streets.”

She continues, “And when you look beyond Deadwood and out into the hills, it still feels Wild, Wild West-like.” That’s because the region is largely protected and preserved as the enormous 1.25-million-acre Black Hills National Forest as well as other federal and state lands. “In the forest, there are literally thousands of miles of trails,” says Wheeler.

I

“When you look beyond Deadwood and out into the hills, it still feels Wild, Wild West-like.”

TRAILHEAD > GET THERE / An hour southeast of Deadwood, Rapid City Regional Airport is the closest airport. No mass transit companies serve Deadwood.

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> BE A TOURIST / The entire town of Deadwood is on the National Register of Historic Places, so visit and embrace history! Start with Tatanka, a Native American interpretive center, then tour the Adams Museum, where you can learn about Deadwood’s gold-rush days. Finally, visit the Mount Moriah Cemetery to “meet” some crazy characters who spent time in Deadwood.

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> TAKE NOTE / The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally takes place the first full week of August each year in the town of Sturgis, near Deadwood.

Hundreds of thousands of attendees fill the roads, hotels and other tourist establishments of the Black Hills area, making unrelated tourism challenging.

1874 Year gold was discovered in Deadwood Gulch.

Thousands of prospectors came to the valley in 1875 and 1876 in the Black Hills Gold Rush.

326 Number of finishers at the 2013 Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon (1927 people completed the accompanying Half Marathon).

TOP TRAILS > DEADWOOD MICKELSON TRAIL HALF-MARATHON AND MARATHON / This event happens in June on the dirt, rails-to-trails George S. Mickelson Trail. The course gradually climbs about 800 feet in the race’s first half, and then plummets around 1500 feet in the second half. The halfmarathon runs the second half of the marathon course (deadwoodmickelsontrailmarathon.com). > BLACK HILLS TRAIL RUNNING SERIES / Races up to 50K taking place in spring, summer and fall on the area’s diverse trails (www.bhrctrails.com). > BLACK HILLS 100-MILE, 100K AND 50-MILE / Each of the June races is out-and-back on the Centennial Trail from Sturgis, which is located about 14 miles northeast of Deadwood. The singletrack Centennial Trail is always turning, curving, climbing or descending through the coniferdominated and remote Black Hills (blackhills100.com).

TOP RACES > GEORGE S. MICKELSON TRAIL / This 109-mile converted rail trail connects Deadwood at the north end of the Black Hills with Edgemont at the south end. The trail is hardpacked dirt, graded for trains and wide enough to run three abreast.

“Begin in Deadwood, arrange a car shuttle and run point-to-point as far as you like,” recommends Wheeler. “Trailheads are located every five to 10 miles and each has water. You’ll

see abandoned mining towns, old railroad trestles, a pretty trailside stream and monolithic rock formations.” > CENTENNIAL TRAIL / For a more intimate, winding, technical singletrack experience with the Black Hills, try the 111-mile Centennial Trail, which also travels north-to-south. A short distance east of nearby Sturgis, access the trail via the Fort Meade Trailhead, 12.5 miles south of the trail’s northern terminus.

DEADWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (UPPER AND FAR LEFT); ACTION SPORTS IMAGES

DEADWOOD SOUTH DAKOTA

7

Number of inhabitants residing in Deadwood’s 3.83 square miles.

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BY THE NUMBERS

9.5 As the crow flies, miles downtown Truckee lies northwest of Lake Tahoe.

1846

8

Year the infamous Donner Party of Midwestern pioneers became trapped by bad weather near what’s now Truckee while trying to cross the Sierra Nevada. Only about half of the original 87 pioneers survived the westward journey, and many purportedly did so by resorting to cannibalism.

5817

TRUCKEE CALIFORNIA

Elevation, in feet, of Truckee, which sits a short distance east of the Sierra Nevada crest.

Where History And Mountain Life Collide

ruckee is a laid-back town with a hyper focus on outdoor sports. It may sound cliché, but that’s us,” says 39-year-old, middle-school English teacher, ultrarunner and Truckee resident Gretchen Brugman. The 16,000-person town, located partway up the eastern side of California’s Sierra Nevada, gets stout winters and dry, warm summers. Truckee’s multisport draw centers around the snowmeltfilled Truckee River, the wild and high Sierra Nevada, several nearby ski resorts and the ever-popular waters of Lake Tahoe.

“We have so many trails, but trail running definitely remains a minority sport,” explains Brugman.

This casual mountain town and its stillsomewhat-unknown trails have a not-sosecret and storied past. Originally inhabited at least seasonally by the Washoe and Paiute Tribes and perhaps other Native Americans, the region became famous when the Donner Party of pioneers became stranded there in the winter of 1846 and 1847. Truckee’s robust history continued and included railway building in the 1860s, ice and wood milling in the late 1800s, the 1915 opening of the Lincoln Highway and Hollywood movie filming in the early 1900s. Truckee’s past is still on display in its downtown historic districts and, thus, part and parcel to its mod mountain vibe.

T

TRAILHEAD > GET THERE / Fly into the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, 36 miles northeast of Truckee in Reno, and rent a car for the drive into the mountains. Truckee is served daily by Amtrak’s California Zephyr route and Greyhound buses coming from the east and west. If you arrive by public transport, rent a car in Truckee for your trailhead travels.

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> BE A TOURIST / Brugman says you must drop into Wild Cherries Coffee House for a preor post-run fill on coffee, treats and other good eats like breakfast sandwiches, paninis and salads. Visit Donner Memorial State Park to learn about the infamous pioneers who overwintered there. Stroll Commercial Row, Truckee’s historic downtown, and venture deep into Truckee history. And, whatever you do,

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take a day or more to head south and enjoy Lake Tahoe. > TAKE NOTE / Truckee trail running is definitely a summer activity! Area trails are snow-free late May or early June until the first major snowfall in November.

> TRUCKEE RUNNING FESTIVAL / A 5K, 10K and half-marathon held in June. The 5K and 10K are held on a paved trail, while the half-marathon ventures onto the singletrack of Waddle Ranch, a 1500-acre swath of the sagebrush-y, rolling Martis Valley east of Truckee (tahoetrailrunning.com/trail-runs/truckeerunning-festival). > NORTHSTAR MOUNTAIN RUN / Northstar California Resort is Truckee’s local ski resort, which, in August, hosts a 10.2K race that climbs just over 2000 vertical feet on singletrack and doubletrack and yields superb views of Lake Tahoe (tahoetrailrunning.com/ trail-runs/northstar-mountain-run).

TOP RACES > PACIFIC CREST TRAIL / INTERSTATE 80 TO SQUAW VALLEY /The long-distance trail passes just eight miles west of Truckee on its way between Canada and Mexico. “For an eight-mile, rolling outand-back, I run from where the trail crosses Highway 40 north to Interstate 80 at Donner Summit and back,” says Brugman. Her favorite run, though, is on the PCT from Don-

ner Summit to Squaw Valley. “Arrange a car shuttle for this 16-mile one-way run. This highcountry route is the best in the area.” > DONNER LAKE RIM TRAIL / The Donner Lake Rim Trail remains a work-in-progress, but when it’s complete, it will encompass 23 singletrack miles around Donner Lake, just west of Truckee. Most of the miles on the north and west sides of the lake are ready for action.

ANDY GIORDANO (TOP); TRUCKEE DONNER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

“Truckee is a laid-back town with a hyper focus on outdoor sports.”

TOP TRAILS

TOP TRAIL TOWNS

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REVELSTOKE, BC

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DULUTH, MN DEADWOOD, SD

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BEND, OR

Trail Runner Business Listings

TRUCKEE, CA

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TUCSON, AZ

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MANCHESTER, CT

LYNCHBURG, VA

TRAIL RUNNER TOP TRAIL TOWNS VISITOR GUIDE

TUCSON, AZ

REVELSTOKE, BC

~ Minnesota ~

Voyag a eur 50 MILE TRAIL ULTRA

TUCSON

FLEET FEET TUCSON 7301 E Tanque Verde Rd .

7607 N Oracle Rd. (Opening Aug 2013) (520) 886-7800 www.fleetfeettucson.com Fleet Feet Tucson, named one of America’s 50 Best Running Stores seven years straight, is committed to fitting its customers in the right shoes, apparel and accessories.

WOOLSEY CREEK BISTRO 604 Second Street West Revelstoke, BC. (250) 837.5500 www.woolseycreekbistro.ca Locally source casual fine dining. Eclectic food and wine menu,cozy ambiance, patio with a view.Open at 5 pm, reservations recommended

SHENIPSIT STRIDERS www.shenipsitstriders.org The Shenipsit Striders host trailrunning events in northcentral CT. Feb - Moonlight Run May - Soapstone Mountain Races Jul - Soapstone Assault Oct - NipMuck Marathon Social training runs year round.

DULUTH, MN

TRUCKEE, CA

EUGENE CURNOW TRAIL MARATHON - July 12, 2014 MINNESOTA VOYAGEUR TRAIL ULTRA - July 26, 2014 www.voyageur50.com Experience the beauty of Minnesota’s North Shore! Both races are run on rugged, scenic trails on the route of the famous Voyageurs. Challenge yourself to complete either the marathon or 50-miler and receive a handcrafted pottery award.

RUN CRAZY HORSE October 6th www.runcrazyhorse.com Native drums will send you on a run through the sacred land of the Lakota people. Beginning in the shadow of the world’s largest mountain carving….Crazy Horse Memorial, and ending in Hill City, South Dakota.

LYNCHBURG, VA

BEND, OR RUNNING SHOP ARIZONA 3055 N Campbell #153 (520) 325-5097 www.runningshopaz.com Tucson’s best source to outfit your trail needs head to toe.

Offering trail running shoes, apparel, hydration, trail maps, head lamps and nutrition, all in one stop! Supporting Tucson’s running community since 1981.

COFFEEBAR 10120 Jibboom Street Truckee, CA. 96161 (530) 587-2000 Open daily, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Coffeebar is Truckee’s premier Italian coffee shop and community hub, serving organic coffee and espresso, pastries, panini sandwiches, freshly made gelato, handmade European crepes, fresh salads, organic loose-leaf tea and chai, Italian sodas and more.

MANCHESTER, CT SUMMIT HUT 5045 E. Speedway Blvd.

7745 N. Oracle Rd. (800) 499-8696 www.summithut.com Providing customers worldwide with the best trail running, hiking, climbing, camping and travel products since 1969.

Featuring an extensive online selection, full customer support by phone and free shipping on orders over $45!

MANCHESTER RUNNING COMPANY www.manchesterrunning company.com Featuring one of the most competitive running groups and hosting an annual trail race in Manchester, MRC is committed to continued growth of trail running.through event management and retail sales.

DULUTH RUNNING COMPANY 1026 East Superior Street (218) 728-1148 www.duluthrunning.com Duluth Running Co. is located downtown Duluth, a few short steps to the Superior Hiking Trail. With our knowledgeable staff, we will get you geared up with shoes, apparel, nutrition, and helpful tips on all local trails!

VA BENE 734 E. Superior Street (218) 722-1518 www.vabenecaffe.com Open daily 11a.m. -10p.m.

Warm, upscale Italian restaurant on the shore of Lake Superior. Authentic, intimate urban. Not your nonna’s trattoria. Scratch cooking, topnotch service. Full bar, specialty cocktails, tap beer. House made desserts, pizzas, salads,pastas, panini,fish and steak. Best outdoor dining, kid friendly.

HAULIN ASPEN TRAIL RUNS www.haulinaspen.com The Haulin’ Aspen is a spectacular Bend, Oregon, race with a mix of single track, open jeep trails, and amazing views. Enjoy a wonderful experience with fantastic food, beer from Deschutes Brewery and cocktails from local Bend distillery.

DEADWOOD, SD

BLACK HILLS 100M / 100K / 50M www.blackhills100.com Held in late June, the Black Hills 100 follows the beautiful and challenging Centennial and Deerfield trails in the Black Hills of western South Dakota. The deceptively difficult rolling terrain never relents and will push you to your limits.

RIVERSIDE RUNNERS New location: 2480 Rivermont Avenue Lynchburg, VA. 24503 (434) 846-7449 info@ riversiderunners.com www.riversiderunners.com Lynchburg’s premier, community, running store. Providing trail and running footwear, expert advice, complimentary lockers.

Start and finish your Blackwater Creek trail run from our store.

CATALANO’S DELICATESSEN 908 Main Street 434-528-3203 Fresh, local ingredients and flavors of Italy combine as locally owned Catalano’s Delicatessen offers traditional deli fare with a modern twist. Quality food with excellent service. Sandwiches and panini, homemade soups, salads, coffee and espresso drinks, gelato and much more!

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Venga!!

Veng Venga Veng enga ga a!

THE SEARCH FOR COMMON GROUND AT SPAIN’S ELITE TRANSVULCANIA 83K

BY YITKA WINN PHOTOS BY CHRIS HUNTER

I

heard a buzzing overhead and saw the flashing lights of a drone helicopter. Pants down around my ankles, squatting in pre-dawn darkness on the edge of a cliff on La Palma Island, I groaned and thought, You’ve got to be kidding me.

Before I came to La Palma, I’d heard a lot about the differences between the American and European trail-running scenes— how Europe embraces hyper-competitive mountain racing the way America loves football. In writing on his blog about winning last year’s Transvulcania 83K on La Palma, elite runner Dakota Jones, now 22, of Durango, Colorado, characterized European trail races as “steeper, more competitive and harder in every sense of the word … with helicopter footage, prize money and highprofile media storms.”

But now that I was here, 30 minutes away from the start of the 2013 Transvulcania, the biggest difference I’d noticed—which Dakota had failed to mention in his blog—was the absence of port-a-potties at the start line.

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The other points he’d made were on the mark: I’d seen the helicopter camera zooming around that morning—a remotecontrolled sort of hovercraft that soared over the crowd at the starting line. And, yes, there would be an €8900 ($11,600) prize purse—not that I would have any stake in it. As for the “high-profile media storm?” As associate editor at Trail Runner, assigned to cover Transvulcania, I’d happily accept that designation.

But back to the issue at hand. In lieu of a proper toilet, runners flocked to relieve themselves on a rocky cliffside sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Fuencaliente lighthouse on the southern tip of the island.

As runners finished their business and migrated toward the starting line a quarter-mile down the road, the cliffside grew deserted. Having been immersed in crowds for the past three days—crowds at the airports in Denver, Chicago, Madrid and La Palma, crowds at the Hotel Sol where I was sharing a room with a colleague—I realized that this was the first time in days I’d truly been alone.

But no sooner had I popped a squat than the helicopter camera came whizzing over me, live-broadcasting my pre-race bathroom break on television sets all over Spain.

It wasn’t the only time on La Palma that I’d fluctuate between feeling completely alone—for better or worse—to feeling as though I had all the company in the world.

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ne of the Spanish Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco, La Palma has several defining characteristics: massive, rocky volcanoes that jut straight up from the sea, black volcanic sand and forests of broad-leafed banana trees that resemble squat palm trees. Even the Atlantic Ocean is different here—a rich turquoise hue that looks as though some overzealous Photoshopper cranked up the color saturation too high.

The inaugural Transvulcania 83K took place on La Palma Island in 2009, with fewer than 400 runners. Though the race has grown exponentially each year since, it didn’t truly land on the world’s radar screen until the International Skyrunning Federation (ISF) picked it up. Devoted to the sport of racing steep courses at

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Right: A grueling descent toward the town of Tazacorte.

altitude through some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes, ISF expanded its Skyrunner World Series to include a new Ultra division in 2012—and they chose Transvulcania to kick it off.

The course boasts nearly 15,000 feet of climbing—most of which occurs in the first 58 kilometers as runners climb straight up, save for a few forgiving, rolling ridgelines, from sea level to nearly 8000 feet at the island’s famous astronomical observatory, Roque de los Muchachos.

After big-name sponsor Salomon

Not only was I a little fish in a big pond, I was a slow-moving, Spanish-illiterate, testosterone-less little fish. jumped on the Transvulcania bandwagon, elite athletes and media outlets were invited in droves to the 2012 race. Both the women’s and men’s records were obliterated. Jones crushed the course in just under seven hours. Anna Frost, or “Frosty”, as she likes to be called, 31, of New Zealand, finished in 8:11, lopping nearly two hours off the previous year’s record and a full five and a half hours off the women’s inaugural winning time just three years prior.

This year, though Jones did not plan to return, many were calling the race roster the most competitive international field ever, with the likes of Kilian Jornet (Spain), Thomas Lorblanchet (France), Luis Alberto Hernando (Spain), Anton Krupicka (USA), Sage Canaday (USA) and Timothy Olson (USA) all promising to compete. With Frosty withdrawing just a week before the race, the women’s

race was predicted to be a battle between Norway’s Emelie Forsberg and Spain’s Nuria Picas.

T

he day before the race, my colleagues Gina Lucrezi, Chris Hunter and I took a taxi from our hotel into the town of Los Llanos for the race expo. A friendly Brit named Anthony hopped in with us, and together the four of us braved the harrowing rallycar ride to town, the driver taking hairpin turns at tire-screeching speed along the steep, island cliffs.

Chris, a freelance photographer whose other job involved skydiving in Hawaii and BASE jumping in Utah, had come to photograph the race.

Gina, Trail Runner’s Advertising Manager and one of those speedy, toned

runners who w seem to operate solely on fast-twitch witch muscle fibers,, p planned to run the concurrent, rent, 26-kilometer n,” or “half-marathon.” “half-marathon.” “mediamarathon,” cked up our race b bs and After we picked bibs timing chips ps at the expo, we found found a shady outdoor utdoor terrace to eenjoy njoy coffee, croissants sants and browse the the runners’ guide—a thin book with all the entrants’ names listed alphabetically, alongside their occupations. The elites, exempt from the alphabetical structure and listed upfront, nearly all had “Runner” in the Occupation column.

“I’m listed as a ‘Vacante,’” I said.

“What’s that mean?”

“Writer, maybe?” Gina said, shrugging.

Flipping through her book, she added, “Hey, I’m a Vacante, too.”

Maybe it means journalist?” I said. “Or something to do with magazines?”

“I think maybe it just means you left

that question ‘vaca acant’ on your entry ‘vacant’ form,” , Anthony ny suggested tenderly. cou urse,” I said, “The al “Ah, of course,” alternate definition of Vacante: incapab incapable of filling out an entry form properly properly.’”

T

he starting line scene reminded me of every marathon I’d run, back in my road-running days—thousands of athletes milling around in the pre-dawn air, running warm-up strides and doing jumping jacks. There were giant inflatable arches, a booming sound system, teams posing for photos in matching, custommade T-shirts and a clock counting down to the 6 a.m. race start.

In many ways, my experience at Transvulcania would be completely removed from that of the other Americans

there, since nearly all of them were elite athletes. I’d be suffering on the course well into the late-afternoon heat, while they’d knock out a finish and be sipping Mai Tais on the beach by 3 p.m.

Furthermore, of the 1600-plus runners signed up for the full ultra, only 15 were from the U.S. And of those, only three were female—including me.

So, not only was I a little fish in a big pond, I was a slow-moving, Spanishilliterate, testosterone-less little fish.

Accustomed to running homegrown races put on by friends back home, I had a feeling Transvulcania would be a rather lonely race for me.

When suddenly the speakers erupted with AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” for the first time since I’d landed in Spain, I was immersed in English—the crowd of jittery runners around me singing, “I looked ’round, and there was no

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turning g back … ” After the gun went off and we midpackers began our slow trot, I heard a voice behind me: “Hey, USA girl!” I looked looked over my shoulder, beam der, my headlamp be am swinging with th me. The voice be belonged onged to an Italian, n, a wisp of a man who who looked in his early 50s, whom I’d met in the Madrid drid airport as we aw awaited waited our flight to La Palma. He’d been wearing a finishers’ f jacket from the Tor des Géants, a rigorous 330-kilometer trail race through Italy’s Alps; I’d been sporting a pair of well-worn inov-8 shoes. It hadn’t taken us long to nod knowingly at one another and begin chatting about Transvulcania in our respective languages, gesturing with our hands when words failed.

Here on the trail, he patted my back and flashed a toothy grin. In halting English, layered with his thick Italian accent, he said, “You do good work today.”

I smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

My smile did not last. Within minutes, I was stuck in a slow, crowded hiking train on the singletrack; my toes had been trampled, my shoes filled with black sand and my shins scraped by swinging trekking pole tips. Even for someone who thrives on camaraderie, I felt a little nostalgic for the solitude on my home trails.

Eventually, the singletrack opened up onto a sandy, gravel road—wide and long enough to create some space between us all—before narrowing again into a pine forest. As the sun came up, I clicked off my headlamp, admiring the pale oranges and yellows billowing up behind the silhouettes of volcanoes on the

“Venga, venga!” v the crowd yelled, ye and then, ““Animo, ani th animo!”

I did didn’t dn’t know w what any off it meant, e except when they’d they call out, “Chica, chica!”—the “Chica c Spanish equivalent of “You go, girl!” neighboring islands.

When we hit the town of Los Canarios 7.4 kilometers in, hundreds of spectators lined the street, forming a deafening tunnel of cheering. “Venga, venga!” the crowd yelled, and then, “Animo, animo!”

I didn’t know what any of it meant, except when they’d call out, “Chica, chica!”—the Spanish equivalent of “You go, girl!”

Meanwhile, the mediamarathon runners had been set loose on the course half an hour after us, and it wasn’t long before Gina came pushing by me on the climb—the first woman in the mediamarathon! I let out a whoop, cheering as she flew by.

B

oasting a motto of “Less Cloud. More Sky,” the International Skyrunning Federation comprises 22 member countries, ranging from South Africa

Crowds greet runners at Refugio de El Pilar, the 26-kilometer mark in the ultra and mediamarathon finish line.

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to Switzerland to Spain. Its annual Skyrunner World Series is split into three disciplines: Sky races (marathon distance or less) such as the United States’ venerable Pikes Peak marathon in Colorado, Ultra races (50 kilometers or more) such as Transvulcania, and Vertical races (one kilometer’s worth of vertical climb, typically three to four kilometers in actual distance) such as France’s Mont-Blanc Vertical Kilometer in Chamonix.

Contrary to the triumphant imagery so often associated with running races, the iconic Skyrunning photo is one of an athlete cliffside, hunched over his trekking poles, brows furrowed amidst a waterfall of sweat, mouth gaping open with exhaustion.

And, yet, enthusiasm for the sport continues to build. Whether it does so in spite of the requisite aching muscles and gasping lungs, or perhaps because of them, ISF is clearly onto something. Participation in the Skyrunner World Series has grown by 150 percent in the last year.

W

hen we emerged onto the moon-craterlike expanse of the first caldera, the land fell sharply away on all sides, plummeting toward the ocean. Here, my legs began their protest. To help relieve some of the ache, I pushed down on my quads with every step. No sooner had I begun this dismal attempt to thwart fatigue than a trekking pole miraculously appeared under my nose.

Connected to it was a brawny arm, which was connected to a grinning, dark-haired man. He held the pole to me as an offering, nodding at it and saying something in Spanish.

“No, no,” I smiled, shaking my head.

“I’ll be fine.”

He was not easily deterred. He continued to hike next to me, holding the pole out, until finally I took it from him with a reluctant “gracias.” Satisfied, he nodded and charged ahead with his remaining pole.

The use of a pole was an instant boon, and my pace picked up. I was nervous about falling behind and being unable to return the pole to my new friend.

Keeping him within eyesight became a game, the rewards of which were

YITKA WINN

Runners combat soft sand on the climb up to the course’s high point, Roque de Los Muchachos, at 7960 feet.

distraction and companionship—two welcome gifts during the otherwise grueling climb.

Then, mercifully, the course relaxed into a gentle, rolling downhill back into the trees. I again fell into step alongside my friend and offered him his pole back.

He waved it away and, wordlessly, pointed up at the next daunting climb.

Winking, he surged forward again, and in the chaos of the next water station, we lost each other. Unsure who was ahead, I had no choice but to run on with the trekking pole of a perfect stranger.

As the day wore on and the steep climbing gave way to more forgiving ridgelines, the heat grew more intense.

Shade was non-existent. I frequently pulled off the trail to lather on sunscreen, dump sand out of my shoes and drain blisters with the safety pins from my race bib.

At one aid station, the volunteer refilling my hydration reservoir asked an unintelligible, one-word question in Spanish.

“Lo siento,” I said—sorry—“English?” He reached behind him, pulled out a giant bag of ice cubes, motioned toward my hydration pack and repeated his question.

“Si, si!” I exclaimed, eyes widening at the sight of ice. “Si, si, si!” My enthusiasm earned the chuckles of several of the Spanish runners around me.

Around seven hours in, I mused about how strange it was that, thanks to social media, most anyone in the world could already know who’d won the race—and yet I, present on La Palma, had no idea.

It wouldn’t be until many hours later that I’d learn Kilian had taken the win in a

new course record of 6:54, with Forsberg narrowly beating Picas for the women’s win in 8:13.

P

erhaps no athlete better embodies Skyrunning and ISF’s vision than Kilian Jornet. Boasting six Skyrunning world titles and appearing no fewer than 40 times in the official 2013 Skyrunning magazine, as well as on countless billboards throughout La Palma Island, he literally has become a poster child for the sport.

Skyrunning is a sport in which “running” is really only one piece of the puzzle. In preparing for a sky race, it is not enough to log big miles; Kilian, after all, would take the win in this year’s Transvulcania on less than one week of actual running in training. Otherwise, he’d spent his winter, as usual, competing in ski-mountaineering races. In the weeks before the race, many speculated that Kilian would not have the running-specific training under his belt to adequately prepare him for this year’s race.

Wrong they were. In Skyrunning, factors beyond simple leg-turnover speed matter, too—the heart and lungs’ ability to thrive at altitude, the legs’ power to handle relentless vertical climbing and descending. Perhaps, above all, one must have the fortitude to not simply run, but to fly, across technical terrain where one misstep could mean disaster. It is this precipice between cautious tip-toeing and confident soaring that distinguishes between the elites of Skyrunning and susses out its champions.

SEP T EMBER

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| T R A ILRUNNER M AG.COM |

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Runners climb to the finish in Los Llanos.

Far right: The author (left) with colleague Gina Lucrezi before the race.

A

t the course’s h high gh point, a giant, airai offered cooling conditioned tent o ffered a space for co off, ff, while volunteers doled out pasta from large larg arge vats. Combiningg ultrarunning u in 90-degree 90-deg degree temps with Europe’s Euro urope’s deodorantaverse se culture then covering coverin ring it all with a gia giant canvas tent doesn’t doesn esn’t lead to the ffreshest scents—but fr scents but nothing n could deter me from the hedon hedonistic istic pleasures of cool co air, shade and a plate of pasta. when Later, whe n recounting the race ra Canaday, with Cana day, who’d finished third, I mentioned was met with a mentio ned the tent and wa blank stare blan stare. “I don’t remember rem a tent,” he said. Then, after a moment: “Oh, you mean the tunnel?”

Yes, I could see how clocking six-minute miles across the tops of volcanoes might make a tent seem more like a “tunnel.”

Not for me. I savored every bite of pasta amidst new friends, before beginning a quad-shattering 20-kilometer descent to the seaside town of Tazacorte—the last aid station before a steep, four-kilometer climb

on pavement and cobblestone to the finish line in Los Llanos.

I could see the ocean and hear the bellowing crowds in Tazacorte for over an hour before reaching them. During the final, relentless switchbacks down a sheer cliff, we spread out enough that I once again felt alone—but only for so long, until the course suddenly spit me out onto a village street, where I was met with more cheers of, “Chica bonita, buena, buena!”

At one juncture, I looked up to see a bunch of teenage boys hanging out the second-story windows of a house. In their

hands, a hose spewed a fat stream of water toward the ground. They called out, before dousing me in cold water that felt divine. I let out a whoop, waving and yelling, “Gracias!” Their cheers echoed behind me as the course snaked into a dense, banana-tree orchard.

Soon, I popped out on steep, downhill asphalt. The afternoon sun, now at its peak, radiated off the black tarmac. I had been guzzling water and popping electrolyte pills like candy, and still felt parched and exhausted. The hard pavement jarred my joints, pain searing

through my muscles with each step.

Hot tears welled up in my eyes at a sudden awareness of my bodily pain.

I prattled away to the banana trees, because there was no one else around to listen to my complaining.

And yet, I was grateful to fare better than so many around me. In the final few kilometers—all pavement, all exposed, nearly all uphill—I saw several runners collapse, crying out and writhing in pain, whisked away on stretchers by race medics.

I couldn’t help but wonder, “Why do we put ourselves through these sorts of things?” Soon, though, the crowds in Los Llanos answered my question.

In the final, flat kilometer through town, the spectators’ roaring fervor flooded me with equal parts determination and joy—the thunderous applause, the cries of “Champion!” as I ran by, the wide-eyed kids outstretching their hands for high fives, the Spanish voice on the loudspeaker booming, “Yitka Winn, USA!”

A

t the finish, I looked around for Gina and Chris. I wanted desperately to talk to someone, exchange a hug, recount the gritty details. But a few kilometers back, I’d seen Chris barefoot, shirtless and grinning under a banana tree with his camera clicking away, and he was likely still there. Gina, I imagined, had gone back to our hotel to shower.

I hobbled aimlessly amidst the crowd in my socks, unsure what to do next.

Ultimately, I plopped down in a kiddie pool of ice-cold water at the finish line—a thoughtful provision from the race organizers—to cheer other runners.

As runners I’d leapfrogged with all day crossed the finish, they’d light up, embracing me, offering the traditional Spanish two kisses, one on each cheek.

When my trekking-pole angel, whose name I later learned was Orlando, crossed the line, I leapt up to hug him—and return his pole. Together we laughed, babbling away euphorically in our own languages.

The spectators’ roaring fervor flooded me with equal parts determination and joy—the thunderous applause, the cries of “Champion!” as I ran by.

Ultimately, Transvulcania didn’t seem so different from the races I’d run back home. Steeper, yes, more spectators, yes, and still no porta-a-potties at the finish—but even with a language barrier as daunting as the race’s elevation profile, La Palma had made me feel as though I belonged. TR

GEAR

TRAIL TESTED

1

MOVING COMFORT

Skirting Tradition

Sprint Tech Skort $56 | movingcomfort.com

BY YITKA WINN

The dirt on seven snazzy alternatives to plain-Jane shorts

A

nna Frost’s doing it. Krissy Moehl’s doing it. Ellie Greenwood’s doing it. Who isn’t doing it? Skirt-sporting women are swarming the trails these days, and we couldn’t help but wonder: by staying in our running shorts, were we somehow missing out?

The resounding answer from our women testers: yes. After a few weeks, even those who strongly identified as “not girly-girly” found themselves donning skirts instead of shorts. While shorts often ride up, many skirts feature inner-thigh-friendly (i.e. chafe-free) compression liner shorts. Even if the liner shorts do ride up, the over-skirts allow women to focus on things other than constantly adjusting coverage—things like, you know, running.

Often, too, women found they felt more confident in skirts. Said one tester, “As silly as it sounds, the feminine look and feel helps with self image, which translates into a better run!”

However, with many of the skirts’ liner shorts underneath sporting tiny inseams and loose fabric that rode up, testers found several of the skirts more suited for short runs or casual “après-run” wear than long runs. A well-designed, stayput liner was often what set apart the great skirts from the good.

1

C

Ediito t rs’ rss’ / The Dirt / Cho hoic icee ic With apparel designed and tested exclusively by women, Moving Comfort nailed it with this lightweight, eye-catching skirt—an all-around tester favorite. A wide, flattering waistband adjusts with a drawcord, and hides a zip pocket at center back for bounce-free toting of gels or keys. Drawcords and ruching at each side add a nice feminine touch. / Rave / Thanks to light compression and silicone grippers at the hems, this skirt’s liner shorts stayed completely in place and were still mostly hidden. / Rant / It’s hard to find anything not to love about this skirt, but some testers weren’t thrilled with the loud colors and patterns on the liner shorts. / Tester-Monial / “It only took a few runs before I was reaching for this skirt over my favorite shorts.”

4

SALOMON EXO S-Lab TwinSkin Skort

2

3

ICEBREAKER Swift Skort $80 | icebreaker.com

$140 | salomon.com

IBEX Rim Skort $95 | ibex.com

2 / The Dirt / With both the liner shorts and skirt made from cozy merino wool (that is machine washable!), this skirt was a quick favorite of testers tired of the usual tech wear. While the wool liner shorts feel buttery soft against the skin, they ride up considerably on runs more than a few miles long. / Rave / Because wool does not tend to hold odors like synthetics do, it transitions well between running and other activities, said one tester, “The Swift is definitely something you can run in, and then just wear around for errands.” / Rant / Though Icebreaker designed the full-length slit on one side to promote freedom of movement, most testers found that it tended to flap awkwardly open. The side zip pocket also left gels or other stashed items banging uncomfortably against testers’ legs. / Tester-Monial / “This could be a go-to if the shorts stayed put better and the slit didn’t provide so much visibility.”

3 / The Dirt / Made in the USA of imported fabrics, this merino-wool skirt feels incredible against the skin, and transitions well between cool runs and warm weather. A touch of nylon adds comfortable stretch and boosts durability.

The zippered pocket at back hip easily stores gels, keys or a small media player. / Rave / Said one tester, “With a straight-down design (no slit or ruching), the skirt provides maximum coverage and stays put in windy conditions.” / Rant / Though the liner shorts, which have no elastic or silicone grippers at the hems, stayed in place while walking or running slowly on flat terrain, hills and speed tended to wreak havoc, causing them to ride up a great deal. / Tester-Monial / “I would recommend this for someone making the transition to wearing skirts, as it provides coverage, is comfortable, cute and makes me want to go run!”

4

C

/ The Dirt / Editors’ This skirt blends the femininity Choice of a featherlight over-skirt with Salomon’s EXO muscle support and compression technology in the liner shorts. It’s no wonder this skirt has graced trail-running podiums throughout the world. Stretchy gel pockets at the back waist accommodate gels or a phone. / Rave / Testers praised everything from the precise fit of the supportive liner shorts to the overall appearance—eye-catching, but in an “I’m-about-to-run-up-a-mountain” sort of way, rather than an “I’m-on-my-way-tocheerleading-practice” sort of way. / Rant / On the liner shorts, some of the silver dye in the honeycomb pattern smeared after a few runs, quickly dirtying the white fabric. / Tester-Monial / “This skirt is clearly made for the competitive athlete who needs a non-frivolous skirt that will get the job done.”

6

SKIRTSPORTS 5

STIO

7

Lotta Breeze Capri Skirt $75 | skirtsports.com

PATAGONIA

First Light Skirt

Nine Trails Skirt

$55 | stio.com

$59 | patagonia.com

GEAR

TRAIL TESTED

5

/ The Dirt / Stio, a new outdoor-apparel company out of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, created this skirt with a simple-does-it approach to technical functionality. The unique ripstop skirt fabric sports a DWR coating for high water- and wind-resistance. A rear waistband pocket secures with a zip, while plush front pockets offer a cozy spot for your hands postrun. Sizing runs small. / Rave / Testers praised the good length and reliable coverage. The liner shorts are made of an exceptionally soft, brushed jersey knit.

Though short, they stayed reasonably put. / Rant / With no elastic or adjustability in the waist—a side-zip keeps it snug—the fit was difficult to dial in. / Tester-Monial / “I like the sweatband on the inside of the skirt, but dislike how high the skirts sits on the waist.”

7

6

/ The Dirt / Don’t let the end of summer equal the end of skirt season! This skirt’s below-theknee, all-mesh capri leggings stay in place well, offering both an effective liner beneath the skirt and warmth for cooler-weather runs.

With a wide waistband yoke, the skirt has a pleasant slimming effect. / Rave / Testers appreciated the stylish pattern, as well as the substantial, comfortable capri liners—allowing for chafe-free, breezy runs! / Rant / One bummer was the lack of zippered pockets. Testers also felt that the heavier fabrics were too bulky for racing. / Tester-Monial / “It’s a great option for someone who wants the function of spandex without the contourexposing look of tight clothing.”

/ The Dirt / A tried-and-true running skirt, the Nine Trails has benefited from years of feedback from pro athletes and subsequent design tweaks. The soft polyester-spandex blend stretches easily, and a wide drawcord waistband dials in the fit. Two rear hip pockets with hook-and-loop closures securely stow energy gels. / Rave / Quick-drying fabric recovers well from rainy bouts, and won’t snag when cruising through narrow, brushy singletrack. The skirt also stays down well, even in high winds. / Rant / The extremely short liner shorts (“butthuggers,” in the words of one tester) and overall shorter skirt length left several testers nervous about coverage while running. / Tester-Monial / “The Nine Trails felt smooth and soft against my skin. I really enjoyed this skirt to run in, but almost liked it more for a post-run piece.”

2013 PHOTO CAMP AUGUST 21-23

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2013

RUN ON DIRT If you’ve ever stepped off the road, you’re a trail runner—and this series is for you. Join the fun and camaraderie of North America’s largest points-based trail-race series.

136 TRAIL RACES March 1 – September 30, 2013 WHAT 136 races divided into two divisions: Non-Ultra (under 26.2 miles) and Ultra (26.2 miles and over).

WHERE Races are held throughout the United States and Canada (see p. 32 for list of 2013 races).

WHO Finish any Trophy Series race and you’re automatically entered.

WHY Prize packages go to the 6 top ultra runners, 18 non-ultra runners and 2 random 2013 Trophy Series runners.

Grand-Prize Sponsor: TRAIL FIEND & MILE MOGUL. 4 entries for TRANSROCKIES RUN3. www.transrockies-run.com

About W. L. Gore & Associates: W. L. Gore & Associates employs 9500 people in 30 countries worldwide and posts annual sales of around $3 billion. Gore is backed by 50 years of success and a commitment to innovation—with respect to both its products and its organization. The company delivers a broad range of high performance products serving consumers and the industrial, electronics, medical and surgical markets. W. L. Gore & Associates is well known for its pioneering corporate culture and for its high-quality products. Above all, W. L. Gore & Associates has made a name for itself as the inventor of expanded PTFE (ePTFE) and the GORE-TEX® membrane. It now offers a diverse range of more than 1000 advanced technology products.

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race listings and prize information, track your > Find points and more at www.trailrunnermag.com

TROPHY SERIES RACES

2013

08/25 Dirt Inspires Women Trail Half Marathon 4M, 8M, 13.1M; Santa Cruz, CA; penni@finishlineproduction.com; www.ditrailruns.com 08/31 Meeteetse Absaroka Challenge 5K, 10K, 15K; Meeteetse, WY; meetrec@ tctwest.net; www.meetrec.org 09/07 Odyssey Trail Running Rampage 5M, 13.1M, 26.2M, 40M; Milboro, VA; info@oarevents.com; www.oarevents.com 09/07 Francis Marion Dirt Dash 12K, 13.1M; Awendaw, SC; Eagle.endurance@ gmail.com; www.eagle-endurance.com

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09/07 Haliburton Forest 12K, 25K, 50K, 50M, 100M; Haliburton, ON; helen@ haliburtonforest100.org; www.ouser.org 09/08 Hartman Creek 10K, 25K; Waupaca, WI; info@greatlakesendurance. com; www.greatlakesendurance.com 08/03 Mt Werner Classic 50K; Steamboat Springs, CO; emilyconjura@hotmail. com; www.runningseries.com

09/14 Bays Mountain Trail Race 15M; Kingsport, TN; markskelton@markskelton. com; www.RunTriCities.org

08/03 Eagle Creek Trail Marathon 6.55M, 13.1M, 26.2M; Indianapolis, IN; info@ planetadventurerace.com; james@planetadventurerace.com; www. planetadventurerace.com

09/14 Mark Twain 100 50M, 100M; Steelville, MO; mt100rd@hotmail.com; www.stlouisultrarunnersgroup.net

08/03 The Legend 5M, 10M, 13.1M; Laingsburg, MI; dawn@runningfit.com; www.runlegend.com 08/03 Top Ten Mile 10M; Colorado Springs, CO; director@csgrandprix.com; www.csgrandprix.com 08/03 MD HEAT Race 25K; Baltimore, MD; nyeates1@umbc.edu; www. mdheatrace.com 08/03 Taos Ski Valley 10K Up And Over Trail Run 10K; Taos Ski Valley, NM; info@taosskivalley.com; www.taosskivalley.com 08/03 HURL Elkhorn Endurance Runs 13.1M, 50K, 50M; Montana City, MT; slengebrecht@msn.com; www.vigilanterunning.org 08/09 Dirty Girls Run 12H, 24H, 48H; Mansfield, ON; heydiane@dirtyrunnerproductions.com; www.dirtyrunnerproductions.com 08/10 Victoria Secret Dirty Half 13.1M; Rapid City, SD; bhrctrails@gmail.com; www.bhrctrails.com 08/10 Still Hollow Trail Runs 10K, 13.1M; Chattanooga, TN; events@rockcreek. com; www.rockcreek.com/greenway/ 08/10 Arc’teryx Squamish 50 23K, 50K, 50M; Squamish, BC; run@squamish50. com; www.Squamish50.com 08/11 Mud & Chocolate Trail Runs #2 4.5M, 13.1M; Sammamish, WA; info@ mudandchocolate.com; www.mudandchocolate.com 08/16 Fat Dog 100 20M, 30M, 50M, 70M, 120M, 120R; Keremeos, BC; info@ mountainmadness.ca; www.mountainmadness.ca 08/17 River Valley Run 10K Trail Run 10K; Manchester, MD; run@rivervalleyranch. com; www.rivervalleyranch.com/rivervalleyrun 08/17 Run For Hunger Trail Challenge 2M, 8K, 13.1M; Freeport, PA; runforhunger@ gmail.com; www.runrace.net 08/24 Mountain Chili Cha Cha 5K, 10K, 13.1M; Pagosa Springs, CO; info@ joingecko.org; www.joingecko.org/events 08/24 Continental Divide Trail Run 15M; Steamboat Springs, CO; ccat@ springsips.com; www.runningseries.com 08/24 Leanhorse Ultra 50K, 50M, 100M; Hot Springs, SD; leanhorse@rushmore. com; www.LeanhorseHundred.com 08/24 Bill Flodberg Mount Madonna Challenge 6K, 12K, 18K, 30K; Gilroy, CA; kim@svrchome.org; www.svrchome.org/mtmadonnachallenge.htm

09/14 Park City Mini Trail Series 1/2 Marathon 13.1M; Park City, UT; rhielle@ru-nevents.com; www.R-U-Nevents.com 09/14 Paatuwaqatsi - Water Is Life 50K; Polacca, AZ; dmeyer1724@gmail. com; www.waterisliferun.org 09/14 Emerald Bay Trail Run 12K; Tahoe City, CA; bigblueadventure.com 09/15 Hit the Hay 13k Trail Run 13K; Birdsboro, PA; rhornpcs@aol.com; www. pretzelcitysports.com 09/15 Lead King Loop Charity Races 2.5K, 12.5K, 25K; Marble, CO; macek57@ hotmail.com; www.leadkingloop25k.com 09/15 Dam Half & Dam Full 13.1M, 26.2M; Mifflingburg, PA; joelheasley@gmail. com; www.midpenntrailblazers.com 09/21 Birkie Trail Run and Trek 5K, 13.1M, 26.2M, 26.2R; Hayward, WI; birkie@ birkie.com; www.birkie.com 09/21 Canadian Rockies HeliRun 19K; Calgary, AB; jonathan@transrockies. com; www.transrockies.com 09/21 Dances With Dirt Hell 50K, 50M, 100R; Pinckney, MI; events@runningfit. com; www.dwdhell.com 09/21 12-Hour Adventure Trail Run 12H; Triangle, VA; AlexP@athletic-equation. com; www.athletic-equation.com 09/21 Run Off The Grid 12K, 25K, 37K, 50K; Mattawa, ON; runoffthegrid@ naturesharmony.ca; www.naturesharmony.ca/run-off-the-grid/overview

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09/21 Virgil Crest Ultras 50K, 50M, 100M; Virgil, NY; ian@flrtc.com; www.

VirgilCrestUltras.com 09/22 Lagoon Valley Trail Run 3.0 5K, 10K, 13.1M; Vacaville, CA; info@ lagoonvalleytrailrun.com; www.lagoonvalleytrailrun.com 09/28 Sundance Trail Run 10K, 30K, 50K; Sundance, WY; sundancetrailrun@ rangeweb.net; www.sundancetrailrun.com 09/28 Devil Mountain Ultra 13.1M, 50K, 50M; Pagosa Springs, CO; morgan@ joingecko.org; www.joingecko.org/events

THE ®

09/28 Mogollon Monster 100 106M; Pine, AZ; azadventures@getoutgetlost. com; www.mogollonmonster100.com 09/28 Rock Bridge Revenge 12K, 25K; Columbia, MO; jwellselectric@aol.com; www.columbiatrackclub.com

08/24 Dam Scramble Trail Event 10M, 20M; Curnwensville, PA; clfdccd@ atlantaicbbn.net; www.clfdccd.com

09/29 Heritage Trail Marathon 6.55M, 13.1M, 26.2M; West Lafayette, IN; info@ planetadventurerace.com; james@planetadventurerace.com; www. planetadventurerace.com

08/24 DINO Trail Run Series- SouthWestway 5K, 15K; Indianapolis, IN; Brian13@ DINOseries.com; www.DINOseries.com

09/29 Bear Chase Trail Race 10K, 13.1M, 50K, 50M, 100K; Lakewood, CO; coach@ runnersedgeoftherockies.com; www.bearchaserace.com

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2013

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PERFORM

ASK THE COACH

BY MATT HART WWW.COACHINGENDURANCE.COM

WHEN IN DOUBT, GO HIGHER I’m planning to run the Tahoe Rim Trail 50-miler (TRT50). Here’s the rub: The majority of my training is at elevations between 2700 and 3100 feet. The TRT50 averages 8500 feet. So, I’m planning on taking a running vacation to train at higher altitudes before the TRT starting gun. Is this a good strategy, and what are problems that can be expected for high-elevation races?

—David Leeke, Nevada City, CA at all. And most folks living at lower elevations don’t have the luxury of taking time off prior to a race.

Your planned vacation at higher altitude may be a great way to tackle the problem of living low and racing high. It also fits with the current trend of periodization in altitude training. This simply means you take a block of time to train at altitude, then give your body a block of time at lower altitude to recover. Your body responds to the stress of being at altitude by producing extra attention to hydration and include more red blood cells, and research shows that 10 to 14 days after your exposure, your electrolytes in fluids upon arrival.” This will help maintain plasma volume, which will red blood cells will be at their highest. So, ease the work required for your heart to if possible, schedule your race about two pump enough oxygen-rich blood through weeks after your the body. She also suggests keeping your altitude vacation.

TROTTING ALONG muscle and liver glycogen topped off by When racing or I have been experiencing what is commonly referred to as the training at altitude, eating more carbohydrates, since your body “runner’s trots”—stomachache followed by a need to use the will be utilizing more glucose at altitude. says Shooter, “Pay bathroom. It normally happens around mile nine or 10, and either cuts my run short or forces me to have “more intimate contact with nature.” I have tried cutting back on fiber before long runs, FLATS FOR RECOVERY? hydrating more and avoiding fats, but nothing works.

After a meniscus injury, I am slowly building up to running —Viviana Delgado, Alexandria, VA again with a combination of run-walking on both grass and pavement. But should I train on only flat surfaces during unfortunately the quickest way The age-old problem of my recovery? to rid the body of these invaders “runner’s trots” needs to —Mimi Hart, Cedar Rapids, IA is diarrhea. be reexamined in light of Food allergies are a common what we now know about The meniscus is the padding that lies in your knee between your cause, but certain antacid drugs femur and tibia. It disperses the impact when you run or walk, our micro-biomes and gut can thin the stomach lining, permeability. Says sports and lessens the friction of knee movement. It can be damaged in making gut damage more likely. nutritionist Ben Greenfield of several ways; a meniscus tear usually accompanies an MCL or ACL Avoid grains, dairy and beans; BenGreenfieldFitness.com, “In tear. For runners an inappropriate training load—too many miles these foods (especially when most athletes, runner’s trots are too fast—can be the culprit. left unsoaked or unsprouted) due to poor intestinal health, Meniscus tears usually present as catching, popping or rather than simply consuming too contain protective agents general pain in the knee. The meniscus receives very little blood many calories or too much fiber.” called lectins, which bind to and flow, and won’t heal without surgery. So if you’ve been dealing compromise the stomach villi.

When your stomach lining with this injury for more than six months without improvement, Greenfield says certain foods becomes damaged, or permeable, see a specialist. can strengthen the integrity of the it allows food particles to pass During recovery, says U.S. Ski Team physician and orthopedic gut cell wall, including bone broth, through the intestinal cell wall surgeon Mark D. Scholl, “I prefer the variety that running hills and collagen, colostrum, probiotics and trails provide over a flat workout. Flat roads tend to keep a runner at and into your bloodstream. Your fermented foods such as Kim Chi, body responds by mounting an the same cadence and stride, loading and stressing the same tissues kefir, sauerkraut and natto. autoimmune response; without spreading the work.” TR

GEAR GIVEAWAY Please send your questions on training, medicine, gear and technique to coach@bigstonepub.com. If we use your question in an upcoming issue, you will receive a pair of Pearl Izumi EM Trail N1 trail shoes. MSRP: $115. At sub-10 ounces, the shoes offer a low-profile design , seamless uppers and a responsive ride..

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| T R A ILRUNNER M AG.COM | SEPTEMBER 2013

PATITUCCIPHOTO

At higher altitudes there is less oxygen in the air, which means each breath delivers less oxygen to working muscles. Sports physiologist Leslie Shooter of Salt Lake City, Utah, says this can cause a number of problems, including “elevated submaximal heart rates, increased ventilation, increased perceived level of exertion, lightheadedness, dizziness, headache and fatigue,” among many others.

Of the many altitude-training theories, one proven method involves arriving at the race altitude before the event to acclimate.

However, a minimum effective acclimation period is hard to assign because of genetic variation, and some people do not respond

THIS SUMMER CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE LEADVILLE MARATHON & HEAVY HALF – JUNE 29 LEADVILLE Silver Rush 50 – JULY 14

Register now for the Leadville Silver Rush 50, Trail Marathon or Heavy Half.

Over 30 years ago, the first Leadville Trail 100 challenged ultra-distance runners to give all they had – and more. Today, the Leadville Race Series offers multiple distances, giving athletes of every level the chance to experience Leadville. Start training now. Your adventure begins today.

©2013 LIFE TIME FITNESS, INC. All rights reserved. EVMG3190

Hit the right tempo—at least 45 strikes per foot in 30 seconds—to improve your running form and injury resistance.

TRAINING

Crank Up the Cadence

BY IAN TORRENCE

A simple way to improve your form, avoid injury and run faster

T

rail running isn’t easy. Steep ascents and descents, rocks, roots and mud are all hurdles of the game. It takes lots of energy to do all that dodging, weaving and dancing.

What’s more, the trails increase the likelihood of injury from tripping, slipping and charging up and down those quad-crushing slopes.

To increase your running efficiency and resistance to injury, the following simple running form tweaks offer an easy, well, at least simple, answers to a tough sport’s tough questions.

Why is running form important?

Along with the oxygen we need to exercise, our planet has also provided us with gravity, one of the major forces that allow us to run. Due to this unavoidable pull back to the earth’s surface, we hit the ground with one-and-a-half to three times our body weight, depending on our running speed. It’s easy to see that, if we fail to manage these forces, we’ll quickly wind up with all sorts of ailments.

“Optimal form decreases injury rates and increases running efficiency,” says Jeff Waldberg, owner of Los Angelesbased Ortho Pro Physical Therapy and The Runner’s Clinic, and a physical therapist with a master’s in orthopedic manual therapy.

“You become a faster runner by eliminating faults like unnecessary vertical motion, heel striking and improper arm swing. By decreasing these uneconomical movements, you lessen the load on the muscles, tissues and joints doing the work.”

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How do we know if our form needs improvement?

The biggest telltale sign indicating faulty form is repetitive injuries on the same side of the body or in the same muscle groups or joints. Common maladies include Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, patellofemoral pain, iliotibial band syndrome, hamstring pulls and stress fractures.

Waldberg suggests, “If you follow a sound training regime or work with a coach but constantly get injured in the same area, it’s time to look at your form.”

What is the easiest way to improve running form?

The easiest home remedy for fixing your gait is to increase your cadence. Count how many times one foot hits the ground in 30 seconds.

It should be about 45 times. Waldberg, who’s analyzed the form of more than 3000 runners, has discovered that anything less than this count inevitably leads to form

mistakes and injury. “For most runners, it’s eye opening,” says Waldberg. “Once I work with a runner to quicken his cadence, most pains subside and efficiency returns.”

Cadence improvement isn’t entirely easy.

Like riding a bike for the first time, you’ll need to get the hang of it. During the initial process of retraining your neuromuscular system, you’ll make previously less-used muscles sore and will need to slow your pace until you feel comfortable with the higher foot-strike count.

Your stride may seem short at the beginning, but, as you adapt to a quicker cadence, your stride will naturally lengthen. A metronome (from an app downloaded onto an iPod or clipped to your waist band) set at 180 beats per minute or a cadence foot pod that syncs with a GPS watch are good ways to keep your rhythm steady during this introductory phase.

Begin practicing on smooth, flat surfaces, like smooth trails, roads and treadmills, before moving to challenging trails.

The second facet to work on is landing neutrally, i.e. not on your heels. On the website, “Biomechanics of Foot Strikes & Applications to Running Barefoot or in Minimal Footwear,” Dr. Daniel Lieberman, an evolutionary biology professor at Harvard, and his collaborators found “… that most forefoot and some mid-foot strikes (shod or barefoot) do not generate the sudden large impact transients that occur when you heel strike (shod or barefoot).” Steve Magness, who has a master’s in exercise science from George Mason University, explains further on his blog “The Science of Running:” “Initial foot contact should not occur on the heel even when running slow. By hitting forefoot or mid-foot, the braking action is minimized and the initial impact peak is reduced.”

However, this technique can be difficult to accomplish because we can’t watch ourselves run. Often our own perception of what we’re doing is radically different from the reality. In order to better feel the ground, many athletes try minimalist footwear, but these tools have proven risky. In a presentation submitted at the 2013 meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Marissa H. Cohler of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and Ellen Casey of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine surveyed 566 runners about their experiences with minimalist running shoes (MRS). They found that a significant 32 percent of respondents “suffered an injury or pain while wearing MRS.” Josh Brimhall, owner of Red Rock Running Company in Las Vegas and finisher

PATITUCCIPHOTO

PERFORM

of more than 60 ultramarathons, explains, “Minimal footwear, by design, lowers the heel height and lessens the amount of midsole cushioning compared to traditional shoes.

That accentuates the stresses on the Achilles and calf muscles and increases the landing impact on the lower leg.”

A safer way to evaluate potential form issues is to get an in-person running assessment done by an expert such as Waldberg. Find the nearest form specialist online or by asking for recommendations from local running groups and coaches. At the end of the session, you will typically receive a video with corrective commentary and advice that you should revisit often.

Is that it?

The final component that all runners should invest in is a specific strengthening and flexibility routine. Done two to three times a week, a 10-to-15-minute routine will bolster the muscles, tendons and ligaments against injury and fatigue.

Active isolated stretching, the act of contracting one muscle to allow the opposing muscle to relax and lengthen, increases range of motion and promotes circulation. Target your back, glutes, and legs with double-leg

> “OPTIMAL FORM DECREASES INJURY RATES AND INCREASES RUNNING EFFICIENCY.” pelvis tilts, bent- and straight-leg hamstring stretches, trunk extensions and hip-adductor and -abductor stretches.

Running-specific strengthening exercises can retrain lazy muscles to work more efficiently and quickly fatigued muscles to act with more power. Common examples are core exercises (planks, crunches, side-lying single-leg lifts), squats and lunges.

What does this mean when we’re on the trails?

The temptation is great to vary our form on the trails, especially on technical, steep terrain. However, Waldberg reminds, “Do not alter your cadence. Keep your cadence fixed whether you’re running uphill, downhill or over tricky surfaces.”

A proper cadence while running uphill keeps the major muscle groups (calves, hamstrings and glutes) from fatiguing.

A quick and shortened stride allows each muscle to recover between steps.

While running downhill, our tendency is to let gravity do the work, which can lead to

—Jeff Waldberg

over-striding. Maintaining a quick turnover keeps us over our center of gravity, reduces the forces on our quads and knees and allows us to recover from a near fall if we step in a hole or catch a foot on a rock. The same goes for icy and muddy surfaces. Remain over your center of gravity with quick feet to reduce the time spent on these hazardous surfaces and minimize the chance of sliding.

The time is now!

Be proactive instead of reactive. Instead of seeking help after becoming injured, take preventative action. Most of us have inefficiencies that can be identified and worked on, so work toward improving your form today. “Nine times out of 10, the patients I see are already injured when they walk through the door,” says Waldberg. “I’d like to see that trend reversed.”

Veteran trail racer Ian Torrence, 40, of Flagstaff, Arizona, has finished 173 ultras, 24 of which were 100-mile races, and is the lead ultrarunning coach at McMillan Running.

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Trail-Racing Nutrition

BY MARIA DALZOT, MS, RD, CDN

Elite trail runners share lessons learned on the trail

T

he only thing that trail runners talk about as much as training and shoes is food. Every trail runner has stories about the perfect pre-race menu, the ultimate aid-station grub and the hedonistic post-race celebration. The right or wrong fuel can make or break your race, regardless of whether you’re at the front, middle or back of the pack.

Here, some of the nation’s most experienced trail runners share their quirkiest food experiences and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

[ DO ]

Eat Familiar Foods Max King, 2012 World Mountain Running Champion, has eaten a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich every day for lunch since he was seven years old. Megan Kimmel, multi-time winner of the La Sportiva Mountain Cup, also chooses to eat something before a race that is as nostalgic as it is nourishing—blueberry muffins. This stems from Kimmel’s childhood soccer days when her mom would make the team blueberry pancakes for breakfast before games.

[ DON’T ]

Eat High Fiber Before a Race Kasie Enman, 2012 World Mountain Running Champion, sheepishly admits that while in college, she went through a stage of thinking that Raisin Bran

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with milk and a glass of orange juice was a great pre-race meal.

“I visited the toilet a lot during that phase before making a connection,” jokes Enman.

[ DO ]

Use Food For Mental Power Melody Fairchild, 2012 U.S. Mountain Running Champion Runner-Up, eats buffalo and salmon the week leading up to a race. “I visualize having the strength and power of a buffalo to thunder across the plains and the endurance and acuity of the salmon to swim hundreds of miles up-river to spawning grounds,” she says.

She’s even eaten kangaroo while in Australia. Such a wild approach might not work for you, but it bounced her right onto the U.S. Mountain Running team.

Rory Bosio fuels up at an aid station during the 2012 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc.

[ DON’T ]

Try Anything New Before a Race The night before Pfanderlauf, a race in the Austrian Mountain Cup, Joe Gray, 2013 U.S. 50K National Champion, decided to try out a local Turkish restaurant. After eating a few items he couldn’t pronounce, he fell violently ill and stayed awake all night.

[ DO ]

Plan Ahead Once she figured out her “go-to” pre-race meal—quinoa pasta— nothing stops Michele Yates, 2013 U.S. 100K and 50-mile Trail Running National Champion, from eating it. When traveling, she has resorted to cooking it in a hotel coffee pot, or even cycling hot tap water over it, resulting in semi-cooked, lukewarm pasta.

CHRIS HUNTER

[ DON’T ]

Try Homemade Foods Without Knowing the Ingredients Scott Dunlap, 2010 U.S.A. Track and Field Masters Ultra Runner of the Year, was staying at a

SEPTEMBER

friend’s house the night before a 50-mile race. He was the first to wake and fixed a common pre-race staple, toast, topping it with homemade honey butter he found in his friend’s kitchen.

Not long into his race, Scott experienced a queasy stomach and lightheadedness. Then, he found himself laughing uncontrollably at his iPod. After the race, he saw several phone messages from his friend, who confirmed that Dunlap had dipped into the medicalmarijuana honey butter that his friend was using to treat chronic back pain.

[ DO ]

Celebrate After a Hard Race Regardless of how good or bad the food is during a race, nothing beats the “anything goes” post-race feed. Talk to a group of trail runners and, by far, the most common post-race treat is a cold local brew. Rickey Gates, five-time member of the U.S. Mountain Running Team, has a golden rule for drinking: “It’s never too early in the day to drink if you’ve already run a race!” TR 2013

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TRAIL TIPS

Toxic Soup

BY MATT HART

How dangerous is running on high-pollution days?

I

n 2008, then marathon-world-record holder, Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, decided not to run in the Beijing Olympics. Even though he would only be running for just over two hours, Beijing’s air pollution and its attendant risk of long-term damage outweighed the prospect of a probable Olympic Medal.

To run or not to run? This is a question many of us living in the polluted pools of our cities ask ourselves on a daily basis. We’ve been peeing in the pool for so long now that the World Health Organization attributes nearly one-million deaths per year to inhaling polluted air.

In the 1990s, Brigham Young University economics professor C. Arden Pope’s research found that higher levels of tiny particles in the air are associated with increased mortality rates. Air pollution has been shown to worsen respiratory issues, and cause cardiovascular damage (leading to heart attacks, strokes and heart disease) and infants to have lower birth weights.

What Pollutes Our Air? The atmospheric layer closest to Earth is called the troposphere. It contains the air we breathe. Human activities, from vehicle exhaust to industrial emissions, create the two biggest concerns for our health: groundlevel ozone and particulate matter.

Air on the Right Side | >Hit the Trails Trail runners should avoid highly polluted streets and do what they love—hit the singletrack. The farther you are from the source of the pollution the better the air quality.

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Runners and Pollution

Ground-level ozone occurs when engine and fuel gases in the air react in the presence of heat and sunlight. Ozone levels increase in cities when the air is still, the sun is bright and the temperature is warm. Ozone is therefore worse in the summer because of the ripe conditions.

TIPS FOR RUNNING IN SMOG ZONES

>Wear a Mask If you must run city roads on highpollution days, consider wearing a mask (like the reusable, light and latex-free Totobobo Masks).

| T R A ILRUNNER M AG.COM | SEP T EMBER

2013

Particulate matter is a general term describing microscopic particles floating in the air. The particles are so small they can only be seen with an electron microscope; however, when a lot of them are present, you get a visible blanket of smog, e.g. the kind you see in Salt Lake City during a winter inversion.

When you run you breathe in huge volumes of air—10 to 20 percent more than someone sitting on the couch—exposing you to greater levels of pollutants. The pollution penetrates deep into the lungs, where it creates inflammation and oxidative stress (a harmful byproduct of your cells producing energy), and can contribute to conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. That's why, during high-pollution summer days, you may hear warnings about not exercising outdoors.

>Start Early High ozone-pollution levels require sunlight and heat, so get out early in the day before the ozone rises to harmful levels.

>Eat Your Antioxidants?

Particulate matter causes inflammation through increased oxidative stress. Eat an antioxidant-rich diet to protect against oxidative damage.

As runners, our heavy breathing is usually done through the mouth, which bypasses the filtering benefits of breathing through the nose. People with conditions such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic lung disease and other respiratory problems will likely be more affected by exercising in polluted air. However, a 2004 review of worldwide pollution studies concluded it affects us all; exercising in low concentrations of pollution was just as bad as simply living (not exercising) in highly polluted areas.

However, Luisa Giles from the Environmental Physiology Lab at the University of British Columbia believes, “The body of research isn't big enough to make a solid statement either way.” There is also contradictory research that shows the acute effects are possibly lessened if the subject is fit. One recent study found that there could be long-term benefits to exercise, even in pollution, because exercise helps mitigate the inflammatory effects of the toxic air.

The Bottom Line Is there a line where the air is so polluted that we should just stay home and not go for a run? “The science doesn't necessarily tell us if the air pollution is x, then I need to do y,” says Giles. However, most experts agree that you shouldn’t simply stop running outside, but instead be cautious of running in high-vehicle-traffic areas, using more care as the Air Quality Index increases. TR

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OUTFITTERS CANADA GORD’S RUNNING STORE 919 Centre St NW Calgary, AB T2E2P6 403-270-8606 F 403-283-8341 gordsrunningstore.com info@gordsrunningstore.com

MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT COOP 830 10th Avenue Sw Calgary, AB T2R 0A9 403-269-2420

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

RUNNING FREE SPORTS 88 First St Unit 4B Orangeville, ON L9W 3J6 519-307-7867 runningfree.com orangeville@runningfree.com

ALABAMA FLEET FEET SPORTS HUNTSVILLE 2722 Carl T Jones Dr Ste 2B Huntsville, AL 35802 256-650-7063 fleetfeethuntsville.com dink@fleetfeethuntsville.com

ALASKA

SKINNY RAVEN SPORTS 800 H St Anchorage, AK 99501; 907-274-7222 F 907-274-5442 skinnyraven.com jc@skinnyraven.com

ARIZONA

I RUN 4730 E. Indian School #125 Phoenix, AZ 85018 602-368-5330 irunshop.com

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RUNNING SHOP 3055 N Campbell #153 Tucson, AZ 85719 520-325-5097 runningshopaz.com

TORTOISE & HARE SPORTS 17550 North 75th Ave #605 Glendale, AZ 85308 623.792.7900 tortoiseandharesports.com info@tortoiseandharesports.com

RUNNING REVOLUTION CAMPBELL 511 E Campbell Ave Campbell CA 95008; 408-374-9310 runningrevolution.com info@runningrevolution.com SAGE TO SUMMIT 312 North Main Street Bishop, CA 93514 760-872-1756 sagetosummit.com karen@sagetosummit.com

CALIFORNIA

A ZOMBIE RUNNER 429 S California Ave Palo Alto, Ca 94306 650-325-2048 zombierunner.com Info@Zombierunner.com

BOULDER RUNNING COMPANY 3659 Austin Bluffs Pkwy #32 Colorado Springs, CO 80918 719-278-3535 boulderrunningcompany.com

ADVENTURE 16 11161 W Pico Blvd West Los Angeles, CA 90064 310-473-4574 for other SO CAL locations, see: adventure16.com We carry Vibram FiveFingers

BOULDER RUNNING COMPANY 8505 East Arapahoe Rd Denver, CO 80112 303-932-6000 boulderrunningcompany.com

FUTURE TRACK RUNNING CENTER 30125 Agoura Rd Ste. A, Agoura Hills, CA 91301 818-991-4786 F 818-991-4784 futuretrackrunning.com futuretrack@aol.com

GRANITE CHIEF SKI & MOUNTAIN SHOP granitechief.com info@granitechief.com 530-583-2832 Squaw Valley 530-587-2809 Truckee F 530-587-2843 11368 DONNER PASS RD TRUCKEE CA 96161

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DADDY ULTRA RUNS 602-B Brevard Ave, Cocoa, FL 32922 321-806-3935; F 321-234-9293 daddyultraruns.com info@daddyultraruns.com

IDAHO

RUNNING FIT NORTHVILLE 17783 Haggerty Rd Northville, MI 48167 248-380-3338 runningfit.com northville@runnnigfit.com RUNNING FIT - NOVI 43280 11 Mile Rd Novi, MI 48375 248-347-4949 runningfit.com novi@runnnigfit.com

COLORADO BOULDER RUNNING COMPANY 2775 Pearl St #103 Boulder, CO 80302 303-RUN-WALK boulderrunningcompany.com

AUBURN RUNNING COMPANY 833 Lincoln Way Auburn CA 95603 530-823-2002 / info@auburnrunningcompany.com auburnrunningcompany.com

FLORIDA

BOULDER RUNNING COMPANY 8116 W Bowles #C Littleton, CO 80123 303-932-6000 boulderrunningcompany.com INDEPENDENCE RUN & HIKE Located in the heart of the Rockies 586 Highway 133, Carbondale, CO 81623 970-704-0909 independencerunandhike.com independencerun@sopris.net

SHU’S IDAHO RUNNING COMPANY 1758 W State ST Boise ID 83702 208-344-6604; F 208-344-6608 idahorunningcompany.com shuguy2000@yahoo.com

MARYLAND

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

HOLABIRD SPORTS 9220 Pulaski HWY Baltimore, MD 21220 866-860-1416; 410-687-6400 F 410-687-7311 holabirdsports.com info@holabirdsports.com

MICHIGAN

CONNECTICUT

BAUMAN’S RUNNING & WALKING SHOP 1473 W Hill Rd Flint, MI 48507 810-238-5981 werunthistown.com

OUTDOOR SPORTS CENTER 80 Danbury Rd Wilton, CT 06897 203-762-8797; 800-782-2193; outdoorsports.com

RUNNING FIT ANN ARBOR DOWNTOWN 123 E. Liberty Ann Arbor, MI 48104 734-769-5016 runningfit.com annarbor@runnnigfit.com RUNNING FIT ANN ARBOR WEST 5700 Jackson Rd Ann Arbor, MI 48103 734-929-9022 runningfit.com annarbor2@runnnigfit.com

RUNNING FIT TRAVERSE CITY 3301 South Airport Rd Traverse City, MI 49684 231-933-9242 runningfit.com traverse@runnnigfit.com RUNNING FIT TRAVERSE CITY 2 300 East Front Street, Suite 10, Traverse City, MI 49684. 231-932-5401 runningfit.com traverse2@runnnigfit.com RUNNING FIT WEST BLOOMFIELD 6623 Orchard Lake Rd West Bloomfield, MI 48323 248-626-5451 runningfit.com westbloomfield@runnnigfit.com

MINNESOTA

DULUTH RUNNING CO 1026 E Superior St Duluth MN 55802 218-728-1148 F 218-728-1153 www.duluthrunning.com clint@duluthrunning.com

MONTANA

BOZEMAN RUNNING COMPANY 448 East Main Street # 1A Bozeman MT 59715 406-587-1135 bozemanrunningcompany.com info@bozemanrunningcompany.com

THE RUNNERS EDGE 325 N Higgins Ave Missoula, MT 59802 406-728-9297;F 406-728-1346 runnersedgemt.com anders@runnersedgemt.com

OUTFITTERS

LIST YOUR STORE! CALL 877.762.5423 X117 WWW.TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

NEW JERSEY CAMPMOR 810 Route 17 N Paramus NJ 07652 201-445-5000 800-CAMPMOR (226-7667) campmor.com customerservice@campmor.com

NEW MEXICO

JUS RUNNING 523 Merrimon Ave, Ste. 1 Asheville, NC 28804 828-252-7867 F 828-252-7817 jusrunning.com jusrun@bellsouth.net

OHIO

RUNNING HUB 527 W. Cordova Rd Suite B Santa Fe NM 87505 505-820-2523 runsantafe.com john@runsantafe.com

VERTICAL RUNNER 112 N Main Street Hudson, OH 44236 330-656-1176 verticalrunner.com “Visit our website for other locations”

NEW YORK

OREGON

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

FIT RIGHT NW THE RUNNING & WALKING STORE 2258 NW Raleigh St. Portland, OR 97210 503-525-2122 fitrightnw.com

NEVADA RED ROCK RUNNING COMPANY 120 S Green Valley Parkway Henderson, NV 89012 702-998-9054 redrockrunningcompany.com redrockrunningco@gmail.co] RENO RUNNING COMPANY 13987 S Virginia Street, Suite 704, Reno, NV 89511 775-853-8017 renorunningcompany.com info@renorunningcompany.com

NORTH CAROLINA BLACK MOUNTAIN RUNNING COMPANY 106 West State Street Black Mountain, NC 28711 828-669-7186 blackmountainrunning.com blackmountainrunning@gmail.com BULL CITY RUNNING COMPANY 202 W NC HWY 54 STE 201 Durham, NC 27713 919-265-3904 bullcityrunning.com bullcityrunning@gmail.com

SOUTH CAROLINA

VIRGINIA

VDP MULTISPORT COMPANY 300 Long Point Lane, Suite 125 Columbia SC 29229 803-343-9369 velocitydistanceproject.com.

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THE SOLE SOURCE 1790-82 East Market Street; Harrisonburg, VA 22801 540-564-2668 thesolesource.net info@thesolesource.net

TENNESSEE

VA RUNNER 14210 Smoketown Rd Woodbridge, VA 22192 703-491-4593 varunner.com “visit us online for other locations”

RIVER SPORTS OUTFITTERS 2918 Sutherland Knoxville, TN 37919 865 523-0066; F 865 525-6921 riversportsoutfitters.com info@riversportsoutfitters.com

TEXAS ROGUE VALLEY RUNNERS 161 E Main Street Ashland, OR 97520 541-201-0014; F 541-201-0033 roguevalleyrunners.com info@roguevalleyrunners.com SHORTT SUPPLY COMPANY 116 Oak St, Hood River, OR 97031. 541-386-5474 shorttsupply.com brian@shorttsupply.com

CAPITAL CITY RUNNING 1700 Ranch Rd 620 N, Ste 102; Austin, TX 78734 512-266-1000 capitalcityrunning.com steve@capitalcityrunning.com

UTAH

PENNSYLVANIA FLYING FEET SPORT SHOES 1511 Mt Rose Ave York, PA 17403 717.845.2833 info@flyingfeet.com flyingfeet.com NATIONAL RUNNING CENTER 318 Davis Street Clarks Summit, PA 18411 570-586-1620 nationalrunningcenter.com info@nationalrunningcenter.com RUNNERS SOLE CHAMBERSBURG 1228 Lincoln Way East Suite A Chambersburg, PA 17202 717.262.2109 therunnerssole.com therunnerssole@embarqmail.com

WASATCH RUNNING CENTER 8946 S State St, Sandy, UT 84070. 801-566-8786 wasatchrunningcenter.com wasatchrunning@earthlink.net

VERMONT

SKIRACK 85 Main St., Burlington, VT 05401. 800-882-4530 runcentervt.com info@skirack.com Vermont’s Community Run Store

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A ZOMBIE RUNNER zombierunner.com info@zombierunner.com 650-325-2048 F 650-325-2272 429 S California Ave Palo Alto CA 94306

WASHINGTON

BALANCED ATHLETE 800 N 10th Place Unit F Renton, WA 98057 425-282-4556 thebalancedathlete.com eric@thebalancedathlete.com

RUNNER’S MARKET 4443 Kingston Pike Knoxville, TN 37919 865-588-1650 runnersmarket.com shoes@runnersmarket.com

Online Gear Resource

SEVEN HILLS RUNNING SHOP 3139 West Government Way Suite B, Seattle WA 98199 206-941-5866 sevenhillsrunningshop.com sevenhillsrunningshop@gmail.com

WISCONSIN

BERKELEY RUNNING COMPANY 2852 University Avenue Madison, WI 53705 608-395-2375; F 608-395-2376 berkeleyrunningcompany.com info@berkeleyrunningcompany.com

CLEAR WATER OUTDOOR 744 West Main St Lake Geneva WI 53147 262-348-2420 F (262) 348-2421 clearwateroutdoor.com info@clearwateroutdoor.com

BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN SPORTS brms.com customer-service@brms.com 866-905-2767 Towne Center West, 12020 West Broad Street Richmond, VA 23233 CAMPMOR campmor.com info@campmor.com 800-CAMPMOR 800-226-7667 Catalog - PO Box 680-TR3

RIVER SPORTS OUTFITTERS riversportsoutfitters.com ed@riversportsoutfitters. com 865-523-0066 F 865-5256921. 2918 Sutherland Knoxville, TN 37919

ROCK/CREEK RockCreek.com info@RockCreek.com 888-707-6708 301 Manufacturers Road Chattanooga, TN 37405

SOCK GEEK Running Sock Superstore sockgeek.com info@sockgeek.com Austin, TX MAD ATHLETE madathlete.com support@madathlete.com 866-794-9692 Winchester, MA 01890

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PERFORM

LAST GASP

What Is a Trail?

BY BERNIE BOETTCHER ILLUSTRATION BY KEVIN HOWDESHELL

Stretching the definition diminishes our sport

P

aging through a running magazine, I was dumbfounded by a caption below a photo of 10-plus runners on a smooth, graveled dirt road. The caption read, “High-school runners take to the trails.”

The photo clearly depicted a road on which a cement truck and a school bus could easily pass each other. There was nothing trail-like about the picture.

That was the last straw. After years of grumbling about so-called “trail races” being run on roads, I started asking my peers and even myself, “What is a trail?”

Some of the answers blew me away: the edge of a paved road, someone said. Sidewalks, graveled roads. “Anything that’s on dirt.”

One longtime trail runner, Kevin Stewart, summed it up this way in a Facebook post, “If it’s not asphalt or concrete, it’s a trail.”

The American Trail Running Association (ATRA) defines a trail as: unpaved, scenic, with natural obstacles and significant elevation gain/loss.

But ATRA calls even some paved roads “trails.” The organization’s founder, Adam Chase, has suggested that the highway to the top of Mount Evans in Colorado, the highest paved road in North America, is a trail “because 14,000-plus feet in elevation counts as a natural obstacle in most everyone’s world.”

Yet the fact that the roads up Mount Evans or Mount Washington in New Hampshire are considered trails by some is incomprehensible to others, including me. There are perfectly good, real trails up both mountains, and to suggest that roads have that same quality diminishes what trail running is all about.

There’s a vast difference between road running and trail running. Road running is about developing speed on flat surfaces. Trail running is about developing the skills necessary to navigate the myriad obstacles found off roads and on trails. Getting your shoes dusty on graveled roads doesn’t count.

Referring to roads as “trails” reduces what we do, and we end up with trail-running championships that are run on sidewalks and finish at the mall, for the sake of appealing

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to the masses. Trail running has come far enough to stand on its own.

It requires learning trail skills like the ability to navigate steep downhills, boulder-strewn uphills, forests full of roots, muddy side slopes, fallen logs, streams, steep and grassy hillsides, switchbacks and corners, overgrown trails and twists and turns.

Some top trail events are run on courses as smooth as a baby’s butt. What’s the point, then, of training on trails and developing these skills? It’s like showing up at the Daytona 500 with a four-wheel-drive Jeep.

Showing up at the Tour de France with a fullsuspension mountain bike. Or going to the

WE NEED A HIGHER STANDARD FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFINING A TRAIL, AND CLARIFYING THE PARAMETERS FOR TRAIL RUNNING. Kentucky Derby with your sure-footed Grand Canyon mule.

We need a higher standard for the purpose of defining a trail, and clarifying the parameters for trail running.

Trails could be rated on a scale of one to 10 for the amount of technical terrain per mile, and assigned letters like: G for Graveled Road, R for Rough Jeep Road, S for Smooth Singletrack and T for Technical Singletrack.

Another rating could denote the steepness of the climbs and descents. F could be for Flat, H for Hilly, V for Very Steep. We could all be happy labeling our “trails,” and then logically discuss the minimum requirements for a championship trail race.

That way, if you wanted to take it easy for a while, you could choose a GF-1 trail. And if you wanted to test adrenaline’s effect on your heart-rate monitor, you could select a TV-10 trail.

Tim VanOrden of Bennington, Vermont, recently said, “The trails in Vermont are covered in roots and rocks. Running here is almost like dancing. It requires some real fancy footwork.”

Those are the trails I want to run.

Bernie likes real trails.

RUN FASTER

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TRAIL N1

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